Page 12 - Bhagavadgita Flipbook

lxxvi

Death, which takes away / destroys everything". If pronounced
as मृ ु वकर ाहम्, it means exactly the opposite - ``I am Death,
र्
which creates everything".

7. Similarly, pronouncing शरणम् (meaning refuge / protector) as

चरणम् (meaning foot) causes a significant distortion of meaning.

8. With an influence of Telugu, there is a tendency to pronounce श

as स. This has to be avoided.

9. Special care must be taken when reading Saṃskṛta śloka-s from
English (Roman) script. When IAST notation / diacritical marks are
not used, it is difficult to distinguish many letters in the Roman
script. For example, when written as moodha janmani janmani
(मूढा ज न ज न - गीता 16-20), the first word may be pronounced
as मुदा rather than as मूढा | The meaning would change significantly
- मूढाः means foolish / ignorant. मुदा means with happiness.