Accent of “svar” in the Mādhyandina Vājasaneyi SaṁhitāAbbreviations
svarita (s), udātta (u), anudātta (a), pracaya (p);Mādhyandina Vājasaneyi Saṁhitā (MVS) / Padapāṭha (MVP) / Kramapāṭha (MVK);Kāṇva Vājasaneyi Saṁhitā (KVS) / Padapāṭha (KVP); Ṛgveda Saṁhitā (RVS) / Padapāṭḥa (RVP);
Vājasaneyi Prātiśākhya (VPr)

1. Jātya svarita of sva̍ḥ becomes anudātta
1.1 (Initial s) - u => a - usva̍ḥ | na => sva̱rṇa (MVS 18.50), (KVS 20.2.13)
स्व॒र्ण घ॒र्ण५०स्वाहा॒ स्व᳕र्ाणर्णस्वाहा॒ स्व᳕र्ण शक्र॒स्वाहा॒ स्व᳕र्ण ज्ाोत ॒स्वाहा॒ स्व᳕र्ण सू्ण॒स्वाहाा॑sva̱rṇa gha̱rmaḥ svāhā̱ sva̍rṇārkaḥ svāhā̱ sva̍rṇa śu̱kraḥ svāhā̱ sva̍rṇa jyoti̱ ḥ svāhā̱ sva̍rṇa sūrYa̱ḥ svāhā̍(MVS 18.50)

sva̍ḥ | na => sva1̱̍r ṇa (RVS 7.10.2) (kampa - u)sva̍ḥ + iti̍ + sva̍ḥ => sva̱riti̱ sva̍ḥ (स्व॒रित ॒स्व᳖ ) (MVP 7.45)
sva̍ḥ + iti̍ + sva̍ḥ => sva̱riti̱ sva̍ḥ (स्व॒रित ॒ स्वा॑ )(KVP 2.6.4)
sva̍ḥ + iti̍ + sva̍ḥ => sva1̱̍riti̱ sva̍ḥ (RVP 1.52.12) (kampa - u)
1.2 u - s - u => u - a - uvi | sva̱riti̱ sva̍ḥ | paśya̍ => vi sva̱ḥ paśya̍ (MVS 7.45), (KVS 9.2.6)
gha̱rmam | sva̍ḥ | ā | ti̱ ṣṭha̱ta̱ => gha̱rmam̐ sva̱rāti̍ ṣṭhata (MVS 8.19), (KVS 9.3.5)
de̱vān | sva̍ḥ | jyoti̍ ḥ => de̱vāntsva̱rjyoti̍ ḥ (MVS 8.52), (KVS 9.6.4)
a̱daḥ | sva̍ḥ | ava̍ => a̱daḥ sva1̱̍r ava̍ (RVS 1.105.3) (u - kampa - u)

2. Jātya svarita of sva̍ḥ remains svarita
2.1 Svarita is marked with the nyubja symbol (स्व᳕ )2.1.1 s - s - u => a - s - ubhuva̍ḥ | sva̍ḥ | dyauri̱ veti̱ dyauḥ i̍ va => bhuva̱ḥ sva̍rdyauri̍ va (भूभभणव॒ स्व᳕र्दायणरिा॑व) (MVS 3.5)
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bhuva̍ḥ | sva̍ḥ | dyauri̱ veti̱ dyauḥ-i̍ va => bhuva̱ḥ sva̱rdyauri̍ va (भूभभणव॒ स्व॒र्दायणरिा॑व) (KVS 3.1.5)
svāhā̍ | sva̍ḥ | na => svāhā̱ sva̍rṇa (स्व᳕र्ण ) (MVS 18.50)

pari̍ | sva̱riti̱ sva̍ḥ | paśya̍ntaḥ => pari̱ sva̍ḥ (स्व᳕ ) paśya̍ntaḥ (MVS 20.21)
pari̍ | sva̱riti̱ sva̍ḥ | paśya̍ntaḥ => pari̱ sva̱ḥ paśya̍ntaḥ (KVS 22.1.6)gāva̍ḥ | sva̍ḥ | dṛśī̍ke => gāva̱ḥ sva1̱̍r dṛśī̍ke (RVS 1.66.10) (a - kampa - u)
2.1.2 p - s - u => a - s - u
aga̍nma | sva̱riti̱ sva̍ḥ | sam => aga̍nma̱ sva̍ḥ (स्वsam (MVS 2.25)

gabha̍styoḥ | sva1̱̍riti̱ sva̍ḥ | sisā̍san => gabha̍styo̱ḥ sva1̱̍r siṣā̍san (RVS 9.76.2) (a - kampa - u)
2.2 Svarita is marked with the konna symbol (स्व᳖ )2.2.1 a - s - a => a - s - p
diva̍m | ga̱ccha̱ | sva̱riti̱ sva̍ḥ | pa̱ta̱ => diva̍ṅgaccha̱ sva̍ḥ (स्व᳖ ) pata (MVS 12.4)
a̱bhū̱ma̱ | sva̍ḥ | de̱vā̱ḥ => a̱bhū̱ma̱ sva̍rdevāḥ (स्व᳖…) (MVS 9.21)
2.2.2 s - s - a => a - s - pbhuva̍ḥ | sva̱riti̱ sva̍ḥ | su̱pra̱jā'iti̍ su pra̱jāḥ => bhuva̱ḥ sva̍ḥ (स्व᳖ ) supra̱jāḥ (MVS 3.37)
bhuva̍ḥ | sva̱riti̱ sva̍ḥ | su̱pra̱jā iti̍ su-pra̱jāḥ => bhuva̱ḥ sva̍ḥ (स्वा॑) supra̱jāḥ (KVS 3.4.1)
2.2.3 p - (final s) => a - (final s)pari̍ | sva̱riti̱ sva̍ḥ => pari̱ sva̍ḥ (स्व᳖ ) (MVS 32.12)
2.2.4 a - (final s) => a - (final s)
ā | sadat | sva̱riti̱ sva̍ḥ => āsadatsvaḥ (स्व᳖ ) (MVS 11.40)

2.3 Svarita is marked with a vertical stroke (स्वा॑ )2.3.1 u - s - a => u - s - ade̱vān | sva̍ḥ | Ya̱taḥ => de̱vāntsva̍rYa̱taḥ (दो॒वान्त्सस्वा्॑ण॒ ाो ध ्॒ ा) (MVS 11.3)
a̱gnim | sva̍ḥ | ā̱bhara̍ntaḥ => a̱gnim̐ sva̍rā̱bhara̍ntaḥ (स्वा॑िा॒भिा॑न्त्2) (MVS 15.49)

2.3.2 u - (final s) => u - (final s)pra̱yanniti̍ pra̱ yan | sva̱riti̱ sva̍ḥ => pra̱yantsva̍ḥ (स्वा॑ ) (MVS 3.6)
pra̱yanniti̍ pra̱-yan | sva̱riti̱ sva̍ḥ => pra̱yantsva̍ḥ (स्वा॑ ) (KVS 3.1.6)

AppendixSvarāṣṭaka Śikṣā (1599)
Svaraprakaraṇa (a section of the Svarāṣṭaka Śikṣā)atha svaraprakaraṇam udāttānudāttasvaritapracayāḥ svarāḥ 1
Now (begins) the chaper of accents (svara). Udātta, anudātta, svarita and pracaya are theaccents.
atāmra udāttaḥ 2yathā | śam | pra | nu | dvitīyasya | yathā | adho rakto'nudāttaḥ || rudra'īḍe 3
Examples for udātta:śam (MVS 4.1); pra (MVS 2.13); nu (MVS 3.34)
Examples for the second accent (anudātta):ru̱draḥ (MVP 4.20); ī̱ ḍe̱ (MVP 13.43)
tṛtīyasya ca yathā | upari raktastiryagrakto vā svaritaḥ | svaḥ | svaḥ | svaḥ 4
Examples for the third accent (svarita):1) sva̍ḥ (स्वा॑ ) | sva̍ḥ (स्व᳖ ) | sva̍ḥ (स्वnyubja parā'atāmrā'udāttāḥ | svāhā | svarṇārkaḥ 52) svāhā̍ | sva̍ḥ | na | a̱rkaḥ => svāhā̱ sva̍rṇārkaḥ (स्व᳕र्ाणर्ण ) (MVS 18.50)
Note: anudātta - nyubja svarita - udātta
caturtthasya ca yathā | svaritaparā'atāmrāḥ pracayāḥ | tryambakam̐yyajāmahe 6
Example for the fourth accent (pracaya):trya̍mbakam̐ yajāmahe (MVS 3.60)
svaritaḥ pañcadhā || jātyābhinihitakṣaiprapraśliṣṭabhedāt |3ekapade nīcapūrvve'pūrvvo vā yavānyatara yukto jātyaḥ | dhānyam | svaḥ 7
Svarita is fivefold. According to the division into jātya, abhinihita, kṣaipra and praśliṣṭa
svaritas:
In a single word jātya svarita is connected with y or v which is preceded by anudātta or notpreceded by anything.
Examples for the jātya svarita:dhā̱nya̍m ( ा॒न्त््᳖र््) (MVP 1.20); sva̍ḥ (स्वा॑ ) (MVP 18.50)
Note: ekapade nīcapūrvaḥ sayavo jātyaḥ (VPr 1.111)
udāttādeśeraco'bhinihitasvarito bhavatyakāralope sati | te'avantu | tevantu | vedaḥ asi |vedo'si 8
If after udātta “e” or “o” the anudātta “a” is dropped the accent of ”e” or “o” becomes theabhinihita svarita.
Examples for the abhinihita svarita:
te | a̱va̱ntu̱ => te̍vantu (MVK 19.57); ve̱daḥ | a̱si̱ => ve̱do̍si (वो॒दाो᳖सस) (MVS 2.21)
Note: edodbhyāmakāro lugabhinihitaḥ (VPr 1.114)
udātta'i'usthāne yavayoḥ paro'nudāttaḥ kṣaipraḥ | yuyoddhyasmat | nu'indra | nvindra 9
If udātta “i” or udātta “u” which is followed by an anudātta is replaced by “y” or “v” theanudātta becomes the kṣaipra svarita.
Examples for the kṣaipra svarita:yu̱yo̱dhi | a̱smat => yu̱yo̱dhya̍smat (MVS 5.36)
nu | i̱ ndra̱ => nvi̍ ndra (MVS 3.51)
Note: yuvarṇau yavau kṣaipraḥ (VPr 1.115)
udāttānudāttayorhrasvayoḥ sthāne'ikāraḥ praśliṣṭaḥ ||vi'ita | vvīta 10
In the combination of a short udātta “i” and a short anudātta “i” the praśliṣṭa svarita iscreated.
Example for the praśliṣṭa svarita:vi | i̱ ta̱ => vī̍ta (MVS 12.45)
Note: ivarṇa ubhayatohrasvaḥ praśliṣṭaḥ (VPr 1.116)

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anudāttapūrvajātyādayaścatvāraḥ pitṛdānavaddhastam || vāyavyaiḥ' || bhuvaḥ svaḥ || te'vantu || vedo'si || abhyabhi || yojānvindra || divīva 11
When the four independent svaritas jātya etc.(abhinihita, kṣaipra and praśliṣṭa) are precededby anudātta the hand has the same position as in the case of offering oblation to the ancestors.
Note: (a - s )with the exception of (a - s - u) (svarita is marked with the konna symbol ᳖)
Examples:vā̱ya̱vyai̍ ḥ (MVS 19.27)
bhuva̱ḥ sva̍ḥ (स्व᳖ ) (MVS 3.37)

bru̱va̱ntu̱ | te | a̱va̱ntu̱ => bru̱va̱ntu̱ te̍vantu ( ᳖वो न्त् ) (MVS 19.57)

ve̱do̍si (वो॒दाो᳖सस) (MVS 2.21)
a̱bhya̍bhi (here the sequence is a - s - u; svarita is not marked with the konna symbol; see nextsūtra 12)* a̱bhya̍bhūt (अ॒भ््᳖भू ्) (MVS 28.21)
yojā̱ nvi̍ ndra (न्न्त्व᳖न्त्र) (MVS 3.51)
di̱ vī̍va (दद॒वी᳖व) (MVS 6.5)

anudāttapūrvajātyādayaścatvāro manuṣyadānavadudātte ||bhūrbhuvaḥ' svardyauḥ' | sadanyamiti || rudrebhyo yentarikṣe || staposyūrṇam |yuyoddhyasmat || apsvantaḥ | divīveti 12
When the four independent svaritas jātya etc.(abhinihita, kṣaipra and praśliṣṭa) are precededby anudātta and followed by udātta the hand should be in the same position as in the case of
making an offering to human beings.
Note: (a - s - u) (svarita is marked with the nyubja symbol ᳕)
Examples:bhūrbhuva̱ḥ sva̍rdyauri̍ va (भूभभणव॒ स्व᳕र्दायणरिा॑व) (MVS 3.5)sa̱da̱nya̍miti̍ (स॒द॒न्त््᳕मर्त )ा॑ (MVP 34.21)

ru̱drebhyo̱ ye̍ntari̍ kṣe (र॒रोभ््ाो॒ ्ो᳕न्त् रिा॑क्ष)ो (MVS 16.65)
ा॑ण ) (MVS 2.2)
stu̱po̍syūrṇa̍m (स् प॒ ाो᳕स््ूर्र््yu̱yo̱dhya̍smat (्भ्॒ ाोध्॒ ्᳕स्म ्) (MVS 5.36)a̱psva̍ntaḥ (अ॒प्सस्व᳕न्त् ) (MVS 8.25)
di̱ vī̍veti̍ (MVP 6.5)

anudātta'udāttasvaritayoḥ | yebhi || svarṇa ye'bhi ||so'ham || o!rvantarikṣam | vvīdam | svastabhitaṁ stabhitaṁ svaḥ svastabhitam 13
Independent svarita [not preceded by anudātta] becomes anudātta before udātta or svarita.
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Examples:ye + a̱bhi => ye̱bhia̱bhi + ye + ye + a̱bhi + a̱bhi + ye => a̱bhi ye ye̱bhya̍bhi ye (Jaṭā of MVS 33.28)
sva̍ḥ | na => sva̱rṇa (MVS 18.50)
saḥ | a̱ham => so̱ham (MVS 18.35)
ā | u̱ru | a̱ntari̍ kṣam => orva̱ntari̍ kṣam (MVS 15.63)
vi | i̱ dam => vī̱ dam;i̱ dam + vi + vi +idam + idam + vi => i̱ daṁ vi vī̱ dami̱ daṁ vi (Jaṭā of MVS 26.7)
sva̍ḥ + sta̱bhi̱ tam + sta̱bhi̱ tam + sva̍ḥ + sva̍ḥ + sta̱bhi̱ tam =>sva̍stabhi̱ taṁ sta̍bhitaṁ sva̱ḥ sva̍stabhitam (Jaṭā of MVS 32.6)
ananudāttapūrvajātyādayaścatvāraḥ karṇamūle' udāttasvaritaparatvā'bhāve || nyaṅ ||svaḥ | te'vantu |so'smi | tryambakam | nvindra || vvīta 14
The four independent svaritas jātya etc. (abhinihita, kṣaipra and praśliṣṭa) not preceded by
anudātta and not followed by udātta or svarita (should be indicated) at the root of the ear.
Examples:nya̍ṅ (न्त््ा॑ङ्)* nya̍ṅkūn (न्त््ङ्ा॑ ू कन्) (MVP 24.27)
sva̍ḥ (स्वा॑ ) (MVP 18.50)

te̍vantu ( ा॑वो न्त् ) (MVK 19.57)
so̍smi (साोा॑न्स्म) (MVK 2.28)

trya̍mbakam (त्र््म्ा॑ बर्र््) (MVS 3.60)
vī̍ta (वीा॑ ) (MVK 12.45)
udāttātparānudāttaṁ svaritam | iṣe ttvā 15
After udātta an anudātta becomes svarita.
Example:i̱ ṣe tvā̍ (इ॒षो सवाा॑) (MVK 1.1)
nodāttasvaritaparattve | iṣe tvorjje | īśā vāsyam |Not before udātta or svarita.
Examples:i̱ ṣe tvo̱rje (इ॒षो सवाो॒र्)ोण (MVS 1.1)
ī̱ śā vā̱sya̍m (ई॒शा वा॒स््᳖र््) (MVS 40.1)

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svaritādanudāttānāṁ pracayaḥ | vvāyavastha 16
After svarita anudāttas become pracaya.
Example:vā̱yava̍ stha (वा्॒वा॑ स्थ) (MVS 1.1)
nodāttasvaritaparattve | vvāyavastha devaḥ | vvāsyamidam 17
Not before udātta or svarita.
Examples:vā̱yava̍ stha de̱vaḥ (वा्॒वा॑ स्थ दो॒व ) (MVS 1.1)
vā̱sya̍mi̱ dam (वा॒स््᳖मर्॒दर््) (MVS 40.1)
udāttavānekī hyudāttaḥ | pra'arpayatu | prārppayatu 18
Example:pra | a̱rpa̱ya̱tu̱ => prārpa̍yatu (MVK 1.1)udāttānnihitasvāraḥ svaritātpracayo bhavet udāttātsvaritātpūrvo nānya'āpadyate svaraḥ| iti svarāṅkuśaḥ 19 3
After an udātta an anudātta becomes svarita; after svarita an anudātta becomes pracaya; theanudātta remains unchanged before udātta or svarita. (Svarāṅkuśa Śikṣā 2)

Hastaprakṣepalakṣaṇa (a section of the Svarāṣṭaka Śikṣā)atha hastaprakṣepalakṣaṇam
Now the knowledge of moving the hand (to indicate the accents).
anudātto hṛdi jñeyo mūrdhnyudātta' udāhṛtaḥ | svaritaḥ karṇamūle syānnāsāgrepracayassmṛtaḥ 1
iṣe tvā | vāyava stha |Anudātta is known to be in the heart. The udātta is mentioned as in the head. The svarita should
be in the root of the ear. The pracaya is proclaimed to be at the tip of the nose.
Examples:i̱ ṣe tvā̍ (इ॒षो सवाा॑) (MVK 1.1)
vā̱yava̍ stha (वा्॒वा॑ स्थ) (MVS 1.1)

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udāttādanudātte tu vāmāyā bhruva'ārabhet | iṣe ttvorje |In the sequence udātta-anudātta one should begin at the left eye-brow.
Example:i̱ ṣe tvo̱rje (इ॒षो सवाो॒र्)ोण (MVS 1.1)
Note: For the accents anudātta + udātta + anudātta the positions of the hand areheart + left eye-brow + root of the ear.
udāttātsvarite caiva kramāddakṣiṇato nyaset 2
iṣe tvā 3 5
In the sequence udātta + svarita one should indicate the udātta at the right eye-brow.
Example:i̱ ṣe tvā̍ (इ॒षो सवाा॑) (MVK 1.1)
Note: For the accents anudātta + udātta + svarita the positions of the hand are:heart + right eye-brow + root of the ear.

References
The text of the Mādhyandina-Vājasaneyi-Saṁhitā (MVS) is based on:
http://vedicreserve.miu.edu/vedicreserve//yajur_veda/shukla_yajur_veda.pdf
Padapāṭha of the Mādhyandina-Vājasaneyi-Saṁhitā (MVP):
Mādhyandina-Saṁhitāḥ Padapāṭhaḥ, edited by Yudhiṣṭhira Mīmāṁsaka, 4th edition, 2012
Sharma B.R. (Ed), Kāṇva Saṁhitā, Vaidika Saṁśodhana Maṇḍala, 1988, 92, 99
Ṛgveda Saṁhitā / Padapāṭha:http://www.detlef108.de/Rigveda.htm
Vājasaneyi-Prātiśākhya:
http://peterffreund.com/Vedic_Literature/shukl_yajur_veda_pratishakhya.htm
http://vedicreserve.miu.edu/pratishakhyas/shukla_yajur_veda_pratishakhya.pdf
Svarāṣṭaka Śikṣā
http://peterffreund.com/shiksha/svarashtaka_shiksha.html
http://peterffreund.com/shiksha/svarashtaka_shiksha.pdf
https://www.scribd.com/doc/204413206/Shiksha-Sangraha-Acharya-Ram-Prasad-Tripathi(on p. 303 begins Svaraprakaraṇa; on p. 305 Hastaprakṣepalakṣaṇa)Other Śikṣās and Vedalakṣaṇa texts
http://vedicreserve.miu.edu/shiksha/shiksha_vedicreserve.html

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Last update by Detlef Eichler : 29 January 2021

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