remarks being intended only to solve any doubts that may occur as he advances.
3. The vowels are all long or short by nature ; none are doubtful. The pronunciation is remarkably pure, exactly agreeing with that used in Benares.
అ ఇ ఉ ఋ ఎ ఒ are short a i u ri e o
ఆ ఈ ఊ ౠ ఏ ఐ ఓ ఔ are long a i u ri e ai o au.
4. A short vowel becomes long by position, if followed in the same word by two consonants; or by a silent (quiescent) consonant, such as ల్, న్, or (o) anuswara. A double consonant in the beginning of a word, as ద్వితీయ, త్రయము or స్వతః seldom lengthens a short vowel preceding; unless both words are Sanscrit and form a compound.
In counting syllables (acshara, see § 138) the silent consonants are of course not reckoned; and where two consonants are united, the first is necessarily silent.
5. The vowel ృ ri following a consonant, does not lengthen the preceding vowel. Thus
I | I U I I II U I I I U |
ఆ || అ ని న న గ్ని దే వుఁ డ నృ తం బు న కు వి ప్ర
Mahabharata, I. 1. 185.
Here the vowel ri ృ does not lengthen the preceding syllable, while the
consonant ra ప్ర at the end of the line, makes the preceding syllable, వి, long.
