Śripad Madhvācharya, a great and powerful Vaishnava ācharya, was profoundly well versed in Vedic literature. He was not only a spiritual and intellectual giant, but also had a powerful physique being the son of Vayudeva himself. His command of Sanskrit was phenomenal and his Dvaitavāda philosophy which he called Tattvavāda, meaning' 'arguments from a realist viewpoint' was symbolised by holding his hand in a two finger mudra. For those who are members of the Brahma-Madhvā Sampradaya, it is important that we make a solid effort to learn significant shruti and smriti pramanas and how to improve overall one's Sanskrit pronunciation.

For correct pronunciation of Sanskrit, it is essential that Western and Eastern practitioners know where to articulate the breaks in between syllables.  A syllable primarily consists of a vowel prefixed and/or suffixed with consonants.  In the short voweled syllable, the vowel sound is affected by both its prefix and suffix. Conversely, the long vowel in the long-voweled syllable is audibly affected only by its prefix, i.e., there is an audible break in between the long vowel and its suffix. The table below illustrates how to break down a word into its component syllables:

Bhagavad Gita

Bha + ga + vad

Bha + ga (first way)

Bhag + a (second way)

When the vowel is short, the syllable can be divided either of the above two ways. When the vowel is long, it is separated from its suffix.

Phonetic Analysis:

In the first syllable, the root sound a‟ is prefixed by bh‟ and suffixed by g‟ followed by subsequent syllables in avad‘.

Srimad Bhāgavatam

Bhā + ga + va + tam

Bhā + ga (correct division)

Bhāg + a (incorrect)

When the vowel is long, it is separated from its suffix.

Phonetic Analysis:

In the first syllable, the root sound ā is prefixed by bh and followed by subsequent syllables in gavatam‘.

It will be helpful for the novice to point with finger and mentally note each syllable distinctly while reading Sanskrit. The long vowels should be exaggerated, as opposed to the short vowels. With a wider open mouth, the novice should ensure he/she is placing the tongue on the correct point of articulation for a given consonant. Lastly, the practitioner may want to focus on one group of sounds (long vowels, visargas, sibilants, aspirated consonants, etc.) at a given time.

HOW TO EFFECTIVELY PRONOUNCE SANSKRIT SHLOKAS

"The sounds of Sanskrit create beneficial vibrations for the nädis (pathways of life air) and strengthen the nervous system, thereby contributing to our health. To speak the language of Sanskrit means to be refined and cultured by definition. As the language of the gods, it brings divine grace."

See Your Mouth As A Unique Instrument Or Tool

The biggest factor in practicing the refined sounds of Sanskrit is to open the mouth. For English, the mouth only opens to between .5 and 1cm, whereas for Sanskrit one should open the mouth between 2 or 2.5cms. Try this for yourself: with the mouth opened only slightly, pronounce a prolonged 'a' and slowly open the mouth wide. As your mouth opens wider, listen to the change in quality, richness, and fullness that emerges. Can you hear the difference a closed or open mouth makes?

In pronouncing vowels, the sound is produced with free flowing air that is not stopped or blocked at any point. With consonants, the sound is produced in a similar way, but by using the tongue or the lips to stop and release the air at the throat, the palate, the upper part of the palate (roof), the teeth, or the lips."