शषसेषु विवृतां तु हकारे संवृतां विदुः
Among the 'ṣa' and 'sa' letters, the open form is known; with 'ha', the closed form is recognized.
इकारं चाप्युकारं ग्रस्तदोषं तथैव च
The 'i' and 'u' vowels, as well as those affected by faults, are likewise included.
अथ सान्तिक च नङ्मसानुस्वारं घुटतं च
Next, the final nasal, the anusvāra, and the guttural nasal are also considered.
यस्या लक्षणमुक्तं या त्वन्या सा स्मृता विपुला
That which has the stated characteristics is so defined; the other is called 'vipulā'.
तत्संयोगोत्तरं विद्याद्गुरुदार्घाक्षराणि तु
After such combinations, one should know that the syllables are long and heavy.
विवृत्तिर् यत्र दृश्यते स्वारस्यैवाग्रतः स्थितः
Where the open form is seen, it stands before its own vowel.
अष्टप्रकारं विज्ञेयं पदानां स्वरलक्षणम्
The characteristics of the tones of words are to be understood as eightfold.
मध्योदात्तं स्वरितं द्विरुदात्तमित्येता अष्टौ पदसंज्ञाः
Middle raised, tonal, and twice raised—these are the eight designations of words.
सर्वाणि प्रचयस्थान्युपोदात्तं निहन्यते
All those placed in the collection are struck with the initial raised tone.
स्वरितः केवलो यत्र मृदुस्तत्र निपातयेत्
Where only the tonal accent occurs, let the soft accent be applied there.
अत्रोच्यते श्रेयः खलु वैश्याः प्रतिज्ञातोच्चारणा यस्य कस्यचिद्वर्णस्य करणं नोपलभ्यते प्रतिज्ञा तत्र वोढव्याकरणं हि तदात्मकम्
Here it is said: the excellence indeed is for the Vaiśyas; if the pronunciation of any syllable is not found, then the statement must be carried according to its own grammar.
सामसु निभृतं करणं स्वरसौक्ष्म्यान्नैव जानीयुः
In the Sāma hymns, the pronunciation is subdued; due to the subtlety of the tones, it is not known.
जीर्णो हारः प्रबुद्धः खलूषसिन्ब्रह्म चिन्तयेत्
When the garland is worn out and awakened, the Brahmin should contemplate the essence.
यावद्वासंतिकी रात्रिर्मध्यमा पर्युपस्थिता
As long as the night of residence, the middle one, is present.
वाग्यतः प्रातरुत्थाय भक्षयेद्द्वतधावनम्
Having restrained his speech, rising early in the morning, he should eat the two-grained rice.
सर्वे कण्टकिनः पुण्याः क्षीरिणश्च यशस्विनः
All thorny plants are meritorious, and those that yield milk are renowned.
वर्णांश्च कुरुते सम्यक्प्राचीनौदवतिर्यथा
He should properly utter the syllables, just as one crosses the eastern river.
अग्निमेधाजनन्येषा स्वरवर्णकरी तथा
These are born from the fire-sacrifice, and likewise they produce the proper sounds.
पीत्वा मधुं घृतं चैव शुचिर्भूत्वा ततो वदेत्
After drinking honey and ghee, and having become pure, then he should speak.
सप्तमन्त्रानतिक्रम्य यथेष्टां वाचमुत्सृजेत्
Without omitting the seven mantras, he may utter speech as he wishes.
स्वरव्यण्डजनमाधुर्यं लुप्यते नात्र संशयः
The sweetness of vowels and consonants is lost—of this there is no doubt.
कुतीर्थादागतं दग्धमपवर्णैश्च भक्षितम् न तस्य परिमोक्षो ऽस्ति पापाहेरिव किल्बिषात्
Food brought from an improper place, burnt, or eaten with wrong syllables—there is no release from its fault, just as for a sinner from sin.
सुस्वरेण स्ववक्रेण प्रयुक्तं ब्रह्म राजति न तकालो न लंबोष्टो न च सर्वानुनासिकः
Brahman shines when uttered with a sweet and one's own clear voice—not with a nasal, not with thick lips, nor with all nasalized sounds.
गद्गदो बद्धजिह्वश्च प्रयोगान्वक्तुमर्हति
One who stammers or whose tongue is tied is still fit to recite the usages.
स तु वर्णान्प्रयुञ्जीत देतोष्ठं यस्य शोभनम्
But he should pronounce the syllables whose lips are well-formed.
अलसाश्च सरोगाश्च येषां च विसृतं मनः
Those who are lazy, diseased, or whose minds are scattered—
शनैरध्वसु वर्तेत योजनान्न परं व्रजेत्
They should proceed slowly on the path and not go beyond a yojana.
अगच्छन्वैनतेयो ऽपि पदमेकं न गच्छति
Even Garuda, if he does not go, does not move a single step.
बधिरस्येव जल्पस्य विदग्धा वामलोचना
Like the speech of a deaf person, or a clever woman with hostile eyes.
अपि रूपसहस्रेषु संदेहेष्वेव वर्तते
Even among a thousand forms, she remains in doubt.