SAIVA-SIDDHANTA

60 VOWELS AND CONSONANTS.
fail to recognize the mystery in their connection, solely on
account of their familiarity. We try to utter A. It comes
pure and simple, b}^ the mere opening of the mouth, without
any modification whatever, and requires no other aid. But let
us pronounce say K. It is Ke in English, in Tamil it is Ka V
,
or Ik . ,
There is a vowel sound present in it, e or a i.
Let us eliminate this vowel sound, and try to pronounce the
consonant. Well, the task is impossible, you don t
get any con
sonant sound at all. In the consonant, therefore, there is
always
a vowel sound present, though we never consciously recognize
its presence ; though in Tamil, the symbolism is so highly
philosophical, that we invariably mark its presence, even when
we write purely consonants. W 7 e dot all our consonants as
<$,
l
&, &c. and the dot or circle represents in Hindu symbolism
This dot or circle begins almost every one
the letter ^
.
of the twelve vowels in the Tamil alphabet, and as to what
the other curved and horizontal and perpendicular lines mean
we will take another opportunity to explain. When we
write & therefore, the framers of the alphabet meant to
represent how the vowel sound underlies the consonant,
and supports it, and gives
it its
very being and existence.
Such a mark is
unneceesary when we write the vo\vel-consonant
Ka #
, ,
as we are fuly aware of its presence. In
the pure consonant therefore, the vowel is
implied and under
stood, though for the time being its presence is not detected, and
it is completely identified with the consonant itself. We have
been considering, at learned length, the nature of the union
between mind and body, but have we ever paused to consider
the nature of the union of the vowel and consonant ? Is there
any such unique conjunction anywhere else in nature, where
one subsists not, except in conjunction with the other. Except
the inseparable conjunction, as above stated, we see that the
consonant (pure)
is no more derived from the vowel than the
vowel from the consonant. There is much wider contrast
between these, than between any two things in the world.
The place of origin is distinct. CA is pronounced by the