370
The letter a is implied after a consonant with no vowel symbol.
The symbol virama (8) indicates that there is no final vowel. ¢ k
The letters above should be pronounced as follows:
a —like the o in hot; sometimes like the o in go; d -—like the d in dawn.
final a is usually silent. dh —like the dh in good-house.
a —like thea in far. n --like the n in gnaw.
i, T—like the ee in meet. t—as in talk but with the tongue against the
u, u —like the uw in rule. the teeth.
1 —like the ri in rim. th—as in hot-house but with the tongue against
t —like the ree in reed. the teeth.
e —like the ai in pain; rarely like e in bet. d—as in dawn but with the tongue against the
ai —like the of in boil. teeth.
o —like the o in go. dh—as_ in good-house but with the tongue
au —like the ow in owl. against the teeth.
th —(anusvara) like the ng in song. n—as in nor but with the tongue against the
h —(visarga)a final h sound like in Ah. teeth.
n —(candra-bindu) a nasaln sound p —like the p in pine.
like in the French word bon. ph —like the ph in philosopher.
k —like the & in kite, b —like the b in bird.
kh —like the ki in Eckhart. bh —like the bh in rub-hard.
g —like theg in got. m —like the m in mother.
gh —like the gh in big-house. y —like the j in jaw. 4
n —like then in bank. y —like the y in year. ¥
c —like the ch in chalk. t —like ther inrun.
ch —like the chh in much-haste. 1 —like the / in Jaw.
j —like the j in joy. v —like the b in bird or like the w in dwarf.
jh —like the geh in college-hall. é, s —like the sh in shop.
n —like the n in bunch. s —like thes in sun.
{ —like the ¢ in ralk. h-like the A in home.
th —like the th in hot-house.

This is a general guide to Bengali pronunciation. The Bengali transliterations in this
book accurately show the original Bengali spelling of the text. One should note, however,
that in Bengali, as in English, spelling is not always a true indication of how a word is pro-
nounced. Tape recordings of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
chanting the original Bengali verses are available from the International Society for Krishna
Consciousness, 3959 Landmark St., Culver City, California 90230.
