CHAPTER IV

28. The Hindi consonant letters do not indicate the consonant sounds only. They stand for the particular consonant + ‚. Thus ˆÅ is not simply k, but k+a; ¥Ü is not simply l, it is l+a. This ‚ is called ``the inherent ``‚'' in the consonant letter.

29. When the simple consonant without the inherent ‚ is specifically to be expressed, a sing (right-slanting stroke), called Hal (or Halanta), is put below the letter. Thus, k = ˆÃÅ, £ = £Ã, d=Úà , etc. (In practice, however, the Hal mark is frequently omitted. see 51--51A).

30. When some vowel other than this inherent ‚ comes after a consonant, an abbreviated form of that vowel (called Matra) is tagged on to the consonant letter and is never written in full. Thus, k+i=ˆÃÅ + ƒ is written as ¹ˆÅ, k+u=ˆÃÅ +„ is wrottem as ˆºÅ, and not as ˆÃŃ, ˆÃÅ„, which will indicate the pronunciation k-i, k-u.

31. The abbreviated forms of vowels i.e. the Matras when they come after consonant letters are written as follows :-

‚Ü=Ü, ƒ=¹, ƒÄ = ú, „ = º, … = »

† = ¼, ‡ = ½, ‡½ = ¾, ‚ܽ = ܽ, ‚ܾ = ܾ.

32. Of these, Ü (‚Ü), ú (ƒÄ), ܽ (‚ܽ), and ܾ (‚ܾ) are written after the consonant whereas ¹ (ƒ) is writtern before, º („), » (…) and ¼ (†) are written below and ½ (‡) and (‡½) are written above. Thus :-

ˆÃÅ + ‚Ü = ˆÅÜ ˆÃÅ + † = ˆ¼Å

ˆÃÅ + ƒ = ¹ˆÅ ˆÃÅ + ‡ = ˆ½Å

ˆÃÅ + ƒÄ = ˆÅú ˆÃÅ + ‡½ = ˆ¾Å

ˆÃÅ + „ = ˆºÅ ˆÃÅ + ‚ܽ = ˆÅܽ

ˆÃÅ + … = ˆ»Å ˆÃÅ + ‚ܾ = ˆÅܾ.

Important exceptions :- £Ã + „ = ², £Ã + … = ³.

33. If a vowel is nasalized (Anunasika), the sign (Candra-bindu) is placed above the letter : ˆÂÅ, ˆÅÜÂ, ˆºÅÂ, ˆ»ÂÅ, but if the Matra is above the headline, only a dot is used instead of  thus ëˆÅ, ˆÅú¿, ˆ½¿Å, ˆÿÅ, ˆÅܽ¿, ˆÅÜÿ. It is to be noted that the dot is placed on the right of the Matra.

34. (1) The Visarga `:' is always placed after the vowel or consonant + vowel. Thus Úº:‰Ü (duhkh) `pain, sorrow, unhappiness', `¹›Ü:¬ÜúŸÜ (nihsim) `limitless'.

(b) The Anuswara `¿' is placed above the vowel (e.g.‚¿ˆÅ) or consonant + vowel after which it is pronounced (e.g. ‚ܛܬÜÚ).