Which samskrit varn (letter) is produced from which part of speech organ is the foundational knowledge for a beginner learning this language. In Vedas such foundational knowledge of letter pronunciation is covered in vast detail in Shiksha Vedanga . Just like we humans have some birth place , in a same manner, each samskrit letter has a birth place. Birth place of Samskrit varn means from which 8 speech organs places we need to pronounce a samskrit varn (letter). Akshar (अक्षर) which is pronounced from these 8 speech organs places becomes the BIRTH PLACE (जन्म स्थान / उच्चारण स्थान) of that particular Samskrit letter (वर्ण) .
Is Birth Places and Pronunciation Places of samskrit letter would mean same?
The answer is not exactly the same . The former means the specific speech organ place while the latter means the overall (number of ) speech organs place. The reason why I wrote this post and Pronunciation Places separately is because I want to highlight the Paniniya Shiksha Shloka 13 wherein names of overall (number of ) 8 speech organs places is given.
Now the question comes , Which Samskrit letter is to be pronounced from which Pronunciation place ? How to pronounce a Samskrit letter correctly ? this has been answered in below Paniniya Shiksha Shlokas
Paniniya Shiksha Shloka 17
कण्ठ्यावहाविचुयशास्तालव्या ओष्ठजावुपू ।
स्युर्मूर्धन्या ऋटुरषा दन्त्या ऌतुलसाः स्मृताः ॥
Paniniya Shiksha Shloka 17
NOTE: There are more than 50 books that were written on Shiksha Vedanga , many of these books were written by different Vedic shakhas so they differ in their opinion on Pronunciation Places , and , because they differ in opinion of Pronunciation Places so the BIRTH PLACE of Samskrit Varn (वर्ण) is also different as per these different Vedic shakhas, however, these differences is minor wherein changes in meaning takes place at certain conditions which will be explained in detailed in our future videos.
Why Birth Place of Samskrit Varn as per Paniniya Shiksha is been taken ? This is because Paniniya Shiksha is applicable to all the shakhas of 4 Vedas. Although Paniniya Shiksha primarily belongs to Rigveda shakha its teaching are still applicable to the other shakhas of remaining Vedas and secondly it is written as per the opinion of Panini who is also the author of Ashtadhyayi .
अ pronunciation , ह pronunciation is कण्ठ as per Paniniya Shiksha Shloka 17 (अहौ कण्ठ्यौ)
इ pronunciation , चवर्ग means च , छ , ज , झ , ञ pronunciation , य pronunciation , श pronunciation is तालु as per Paniniya Shiksha Shloka 17 (इचुयशाः तालव्या)
उ pronunciation , पवर्ग means प , फ , ब , भ , म pronunciation is ओष्ठ्य / होंठ as per Paniniya Shiksha Shloka 17 (उपु ओष्ठजौ)
ऋ pronunciation , टवर्ग means ट , ठ ,ड , ढ , ण pronunciation , र pronunciation , ष pronunciation is मूर्ध as as per Paniniya Shiksha Shloka 17 (ऋटुरषा मूर्धन्याः स्युः )
ऌ pronunciation is दन्त as per Paniniya Shiksha Shloka 17 (ऌतुलसाः दन्त्या स्मृताः)
ल pronunciation is दन्त as per Paniniya Shiksha Shloka 17 (ऌतुलसाः दन्त्या स्मृताः)
तवर्ग means त , थ , द ,ध , न pronunciation , स pronunciation is दन्त as per Paniniya Shiksha Shloka 17 (ऌतुलसाः दन्त्या स्मृताः)
Paniniya Shiksha Shloka 18
जिह्वामूले तु कुः प्रोक्तो दन्त्योष्ठयो वः स्मृतो बुधैः ।
ए ऐ तु कण्ठतालव्या ओ औ कण्ठोष्ठजौ स्मृतौ ॥
Paniniya Shiksha Shloka 18
क वर्ण pronunciation is जिह्वामूल as per Paniniya Shiksha Shloka 18 ( बुधैः कुः जिह्वामूले प्रोक्तो )
Thank you.