Vowels and vowel length
IAST distinguishes short a, i and u from long ā, ī and ū. Vowel length can change a word and should be pronounced rather than treated as decorative typography.
| Mark | Sound cue | Example |
|---|---|---|
| a / ā | short versus long a | rasa / vāta |
| i / ī | short versus long i | agni / nāḍī |
| u / ū | short versus long u | guru / bhūta |
| ṛ | syllabic r sound | prakṛti |
Consonants that English spelling hides
| IAST | Distinction | Example |
|---|---|---|
| t / ṭ | dental versus retroflex | tattva / kaṭu |
| d / ḍ | dental versus retroflex | doṣa / nāḍī |
| th / dh | aspirated consonants, not English th | sthāna / dhātu |
| ś / ṣ / s | three sibilants | śarīra / doṣa / rasa |
| ṃ / ṁ | nasal markers whose realization follows context | saṃhitā |
A consistent publishing style
- Show Devanagari and IAST in the terminology panel.
- Use the common English form in headings when readers search for it.
- Give the precise IAST form at first mention and in source notes.
- Use lowercase ASCII slugs, such as pancha-mahabhuta, for stable URLs.
- Do not mix systems such as sh, ś and z within the same article.
Common examples
| Common spelling | IAST | Devanagari |
|---|---|---|
| Ayurveda | āyurveda | आयुर्वेद |
| Charaka | caraka | चरक |
| Sushruta | suśruta | सुश्रुत |
| dosha | doṣa | दोष |
| prakriti | prakṛti | प्रकृति |
| Ashtanga Hridaya | aṣṭāṅgahṛdaya | अष्टाङ्गहृदय |
Plain answers
Common questions
Must every article title use diacritics?
No. Reader-friendly common spellings can lead, while Devanagari and IAST preserve precision inside the article.
Is “sh” always the same Sanskrit sound?
No. IAST distinguishes ś and ṣ, while plain English spelling often writes both as sh.
Why does Charaka become Caraka in IAST?
IAST writes the unaspirated Sanskrit च as c; “ch” represents the aspirated consonant छ.
Transparent references
Sources & editorial method
These references support the definitions, textual context and interpretive distinctions in this guide. Editions, translations and commentaries may differ.
- Library of Congress: Sanskrit romanization tableReference table for consistent transliteration of Devanagari characters.
- Cologne Digital Sanskrit DictionariesLexical reference for checking standard Sanskrit stems and spellings.
- Ayusoft: Principles of AyurvedaGovernment-supported overview of Panchamahabhuta, dosha, dhatu, mala, agni and prakriti.
- Foundational principles of classical Ayurveda researchPeer-reviewed discussion of classical principles, epistemology and approaches to studying Ayurveda.
- Vedic Matters editorial methodClassical descriptions, translation choices and modern interpretations are identified separately.