[INDOLOGY] nāda = anusvāra
Nagaraj Paturi
nagarajpaturi at gmail.com
Mon Mar 30 04:04:11 UTC 2026
Google's AI overview : ( That means the answer provided here is available
for the browser tool called Google's AI as such a common place) :
यह पंक्ति श्री गणपत्यथर्वशीर्षम्
<https://www.google.com/search?q=%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80+%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%A5%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B7%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D&oq=%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%3A+%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D%E0%A5%A4+%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8B+%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D%E0%A5%A4%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D%E0%A5%A4+%E0%A4%AC%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D%E0%A5%A4+%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A6%3A+%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D%E0%A5%A4&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQIRiPAtIBCTM3NzZqMGoxNagCALACAA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&mstk=AUtExfBxhCz83FgTWvHR3ek4bQU3GEXNxfZXp1ArH9r2lUV0zFvxaFr6iNKCVrfS7i51Jz69Pn-Z2_H1WN3YI0g00ZQK7AZ28usBpC0hFvCrq5YdVj4_c6VR9L-CGUZ3CNE7v2_cunaDyY0-0V9bpZeFu_-rejBZx5dausfLyjEYA_YOI18&csui=3&ved=2ahUKEwjNyNv71caTAxVvRmcHHU9cNxAQgK4QegQIARAC>
(गणेश
अथर्वशीर्ष) का एक महत्वपूर्ण मंत्र है, जो 'ॐ गं गणपतये नमः' मंत्र के
रहस्यों (बीज मन्त्र संरचना) को समझाता है। इसका अर्थ है: 'ग' पूर्व रूप है,
'अ' मध्य रूप है, अनुस्वार (ं) अंतिम रूप है, बिन्दु (ऊपर का बिंदु) उत्तर रूप
है और नाद (ध्वनि) संधि है।
मंत्र का विस्तृत अर्थ:
- गकार: पूर्वरूपम् (ग): गणेश मंत्र का 'ग' अक्षर, जो सृष्टि के पूर्व रूप
(आरंभ) को दर्शाता है।
- अकारो मध्यमरूपम् (अ): 'ग' के साथ लगा 'अ' कार मध्य रूप है।
- अनुस्वारश्चान्त्यरूपम् ( ं ): 'गं' में लगा अनुस्वार (ऊपर की बिंदी)
अंतिम रूप है।
- बिन्दुरुत्तररूपम् ( ु ): अनुस्वार का ऊपरी बिंदु उत्तर रूप है।
- नाद: सन्धानम् (ऊं): *इन सबके मेल से उत्पन्न होने वाला 'नाद' (गूंज)
संधि है, जो गणपति को जोड़ता है।*
यह मंत्र कहता है कि जो इस गणेश विद्या (गणेश मंत्र का यह रहस्य) को समझकर
ध्यान करता है, वह योगी और विद्वान बन जाता है।
---------------------------------
I asked for the English translation. The tool returned the following
translation :
This line is an important mantra of
<https://www.google.com/search?q=%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80+%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%A3%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%A5%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%80%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B7%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D&oq=%E0%A4%97%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%3A+%E0%A4%AA%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D%E0%A5%A4+%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8B+%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%A7%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D%E0%A5%A4%E0%A4%85%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%AF%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D%E0%A5%A4+%E0%A4%AC%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A6%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%81%E0%A4%A4%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%82%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D%E0%A5%A4+%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A6%3A+%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%A8%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%A7%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D%E0%A5%A4&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQIRiPAtIBCTM3NzZqMGoxNagCALACAA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&mstk=AUtExfBxhCz83FgTWvHR3ek4bQU3GEXNxfZXp1ArH9r2lUV0zFvxaFr6iNKCVrfS7i51Jz69Pn-Z2_H1WN3YI0g00ZQK7AZ28usBpC0hFvCrq5YdVj4_c6VR9L-CGUZ3CNE7v2_cunaDyY0-0V9bpZeFu_-rejBZx5dausfLyjEYA_YOI18&csui=3&ved=2ahUKEwjNyNv71caTAxVvRmcHHU9cNxAQgK4QegQIARAC>Sri
Ganapatyatharvashirsham(Ganesha Atharvashirsha), which explains the secrets
(seed mantra structure) of the mantra 'Om Gan Ganpataye Namaha'. It means:
'Ga' is the initial form, 'a' is the middle form, anuswar (ं) is the final
form, bindu (upper dot) is the latter form and naad (sound) is the sandhi.
Detailed meaning of the mantra:
- Gakar: Purvaroopam (ग) : The letter 'G' of Ganesha Mantra, which
represents the initial form (beginning) of creation.
- Akaro Madhyamrupaam (A): The letter 'A' attached with 'Ga' is the
middle form.
- Anusvaraschantyarupam ( ं ): The anusvara (dot above) attached to
'gam' is the final form.
- Binduruttarupaṇam ( ु ): The upper dot of the anusvara is the answer
form.
- Naad: Sandhanam (Om): *The 'Naad' (echo) produced by the combination
of all these is the Sandhi, which connects Ganapati.*
This mantra says that one who understands this Ganesha Vidya (this secret
of Ganesha Mantra) and meditates on it, becomes a yogi and a scholar.
-----------------------------------------------
In the translation of the highlighted portion , the word echo seems to be
wrong translation of the word *गूंज. *
' reverberation ' seems to be closer to the intended meaning.
The next page returned by the browser is
https://www.hindujagruti.org/hindi/hinduism/hindu-gods/ganesh/ganesh-mantra
Here too , " आरंभ में गकार, बीच में अकार, अंत में अनुस्वार तथा उत्तररूप
बिंदु के *एकत्रित उच्चारण से किया नाद, यह संहिता संधि है* । "
is mentioned.
The reverberation produced by the *combined articulation* of the consonant
ग् , vowel अ that follows it , and the bindu occurring next to it, is
Samhitaa or Sandhi .
Though the script representation gives an impression of a sequence of
phones, the intended pronunciation or the pronunciation the script
represents is a combined pronunciation of the three. The sound effect
'reverberation' ? resulting from such an articulation is being given the
name naada. That is the reason it is being called samhitaa or sandhi.
On Mon, Mar 30, 2026 at 7:31 AM Harry Spier via INDOLOGY <
indology at list.indology.info> wrote:
> Dear all,
> Is it possible that in the bījamantra description: gakāraḥ pūrvarūpam |
> akāro madhyamarūpam | anusvāraś cāntyarūpam | bindur uttararūpam | nādaḥ
> sandhānam |
> the phrase anusvāraś cāntyarūpam bindur uttararūpam nādaḥ sandhānam |
> means:
> The anusvāra whose form is last in place is in the form of the bindu
> above joined to nāda .
>
> I.e. instead of saying that the bījamantra ends with anusvāra followed by
> bindu above joined to nāda, could it be saying that the form of the anusvāra
> at the end of the bījamantra is the bindu above joined to nāda. Where
> nāda is in the form of an inverted crescent.
>
> Why do I ask that. If you look at the end of page 114 and the beginning of
> page 115 of Woodroffe's Garland of Letters he writes: Nada and Bindu
> exist in all Bija mantras which are generally written with the Bindu above
> and the Nada below, for this is the form of the written Candrabindu. In
> however some of the old pictorial representations of Omkara the real
> position of Nada is shown as being over Bindu as an inverted crescent.
>
> Thus the hymns description of the bījamantra would agree with its written
> representation.
>
> Thanks,
> Harry Spier
>
>
>
> On Sun, Mar 29, 2026 at 5:05 PM Madhav Deshpande <mmdesh at umich.edu> wrote:
>
>> Yes Harry. But I am myself not entirely clear about these three things
>> coming in that order. While Bindu may refer to the written sign, what does
>> the expression nādaḥ saṃhitā?
>>
>> Madhav
>>
>> 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 11:44 AM Harry Spier <vasishtha.spier at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Hi Madhav,
>>> We spoke about this very topic and this very hymn in Aug. 2010. ( how
>>> time flies :-) )
>>>
>>> You asked:
>>>
>>> I recite the Gaṇeśaa Atharvaśīrṣa everyday since my childhood, but I had
>>> not previously thought about some of the lines in it: gakāraḥ pūrvarūpam
>>> / akāro madhyamarūpam / anusvāraś cāntyarūpam / bindur uttararūpam /
>>> nādaḥ sandhānam / saṃhitā sandhiḥ /.
>>> While the anusvāra is considered to be antya, the bindu is considered to
>>> be uttara. Is there any (tāntric?) explanation to split the anusvāra and
>>> the bindu. I always thought that bindu is simply a graphic representation
>>> for the anusvāra, as is seen in some grammars of Skt:
>>> upariṣṭād bindur anusvāraḥ. How would one distinguish antya from uttara
>>> in these lines? Any suggestions?
>>> ----------------------------------------------------------
>>>
>>>
>>> I said:
>>>
>>> I wonder if the reference to anusvāra, bindu and nāda refers to the
>>> candrabindu representation of the anusvāra sound where the anusvAra sound
>>> is divided into three components called nāda, bindu and kalātītā, where
>>> the candra represents nAda, and kalAtitA is an unheard sound. Perhaps in
>>> this case nāda and bindu refer to the heard portion of anusvāra
>>> (candrabindu) and what it calls anusvāra is the unheard portion which it
>>> considers as the "true" anusvāra.
>>>
>>> ----------------------------------------
>>>
>>> You replied:
>>>
>>> The previous passage in the Gaṇeśa Atharvaśīrṣa does seem to refer to
>>> a mixture of written and oral representation: (oral) gaṇādim pūrvam
>>> uccārya, varṇādiṃ tad anantaram / anusvāraḥ parataraḥ / (written)
>>> ardhendulasitam (= candrakalā) / tāreṇa ruddham (tāra = star = bindu) /
>>> etat tava manusvarūpam /
>>> ---------------------------
>>>
>>> Harry Spier
>>>
>>>
>>> On Sun, Mar 29, 2026 at 9:42 AM Madhav Deshpande via INDOLOGY <
>>> indology at list.indology.info> wrote:
>>>
>>>> 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
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> INDOLOGY mailing list
>>>>> INDOLOGY at list.indology.info
>>>>> https://list.indology.info/mailman/listinfo/indology
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> INDOLOGY mailing list
>>>> INDOLOGY at list.indology.info
>>>> https://list.indology.info/mailman/listinfo/indology
>>>>
>>>
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--
Nagaraj Paturi
Hyderabad, Telangana-500044
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