[INDOLOGY] nāda = anusvāra

[Madhav Deshpande]

In the Gaṇapati-Atharvaśīrṣa, we see the following description of the
bījamantra "gaṃ" -
गकार: पूर्वरूपम्। अकारो मध्यमरूपम्।अनुस्वारश्चान्त्यरूपम्।
बिन्दुरुत्तररूपम्। नाद: सन्धानम्।
I have not fully understood the differences between अनुस्वार, बिन्दु, and
नाद. I would appreciate any clarity from our friends.

Madhav M. Deshpande
Professor Emeritus, Sanskrit and Linguistics
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
Senior Fellow, Oxford Center for Hindu Studies
Adjunct Professor, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bangalore, India

[Residence: Campbell, California, USA]


On Sun, Mar 29, 2026 at 6:33 AM Arlo Griffiths via INDOLOGY <
indology at list.indology.info> wrote:

> Dear colleagues,
>
> A question on behalf of a student who is not on this list.
>
> The Old Javanese text that he is editing contains an Āryā stanza listing
> several synonyms for anusvāra:
>
> vindu lavan madana kunaṅ,
> kunaṅ-kunaṅ len tāra lavan vintaṅ,
> tilaka titik kani surahan,
> nahan ta parināmaniṅ nāda.
>
> As for vindu “circular point” and madana “bee;” kunan-kunaṅ “firefly,”
> tāra “star,” and vintaṅ “star;” tilaka “sign,” titik “point mark,” kani
> “wound” [and] surahan “?.” Thus the synonyms of nāda “nasal.”
>
> The term nāda here, obviously borrowed from Sanskrit, seemed surprising at
> first, until I read in MW, under nāda:
>
> (in the Yoga) the nasal sound represented by a semicircle and used as an
> abbreviation in mystical words, BhP. [ID=105477]
>
> I haven't been able to find any other reference to furnish to my student.
> Can anyone help?
>
> Thanks!
>
> Arlo Griffiths
>
>
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