Novice needs help with manuscript

[Pat Williams]

Dear Friends:

As a favor I am helping a colleague in India with a brief manuscript that
he has written in which he deals with a story from one of the Puranas. 
My aim is to make the spelling consistent, the grammar proper, and in
general to make the manuscript easier for Americans to read.  But I am
not a scholar in this area by any means.  I am an interested lurker on this
list, so I know there are some among you who can help me in this task.  I
have several questions, and getting them answered may require several
postings.  I do not have any of the diacritical markings available by which
to indicate proper pronunciations; I must make do with yankee spellings. 
Some questions:

1. The author has left off the final #a# which is found at the end of many
names, e.g., #Shiv# rather than #Shiva,# #Puran# rather than #Purana.#  My
thought is that these ought to be spelled with the final #a.#  Is this
correct?

2. Should the following words end with a final #a#: abishek, achaman,
pradosh, prayag, tarpan, manasakhand?

3. The author has capitalized the following words: Devas, Rakshasas,
Siddhas, Nagas, Nagakanyakas, Gandharvas, Upsaras.  My thought is
that these words should not be capitalized.

4. Should the names of the yugas, e.g., kali, dwapara, be capitalized?

5. I am using #lingam# as a singular noun and #linga# as its plural.  Is this
correct?

6. Should #Mahapuranas# be capitalized?

7. When the author refers to the #Manasakhand# of the Skanda Purana,
he capitalizes this word.  Is that correct?  What is the meaning of this
word?

8. Similarly he capitalizes #Valkal.#  Is this correct?  What does this word
mean?

9. Should #Sani Pradosh# be capitalized?  Should it be one word or two?

Many thanks for whatever help you can give.
_________________________________________________________
Patrick S. Williams	| Social Sciences, U. of Houston-Downtown
pwilliams at uh.edu	| One Main Street, Houston, TX 77002-1001
			| Voice: (713) 221-8982, Fax: (713) 221-8144