antodātta

  The Sanskrit term "antodātta" refers to a word or syllable that has the acute (udātta) accent on its last syllable, primarily used in the context of Vedic Sanskrit grammar (Vyakarana) and phonetics.

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Definition and Usage

Antodātta (अन्तोदात्त) is a compound of anta (अन्त), meaning "end" or "last," 

and udātta (उदात्त), meaning "raised" or "acute accent." It specifically

indicates that the final vowel or syllable of a word carries the udātta

accent, marking it for correct Vedic pronunciation, tone, and

intonation

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In Sanskrit grammar (Vyakarana), which is one of the six Vedangas, 

accentuation is critical for proper chanting and recitation of Vedic 

texts. The three primary accents in Vedic Sanskrit are:

• Udātta – raised pitch
• Anudātta – low pitch
• Svarita – falling pitch

Antodātta is thus an adjective describing a syllable or word that has 

the udātta accent specifically on its end, often used in grammatical 

and phonetic treatises, including the Prātiśākhya texts of the Vedic 

schools and in Pāṇini’s grammatical sutras

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Etymology

• Anta (अन्त): "end," "last," or "extreme"

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• Udātta (उदात्त): "raised," "emphasized," i.e., the pitch accent used in 
• Vedic chanting

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Together, antā + udātta = antodātta, literally meaning “with the acute 

accent on the last syllable”

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Summary

• Part of speech: Adjective (m., f., n.), used in grammar
• Context: Vedic accentuation and Sanskrit pronunciation
• Meaning: Having the udātta (raised) accent on the final syllable
• Literary sources: Vedic texts, Sanskrit grammatical works, and 
• phonetic treatises

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Understanding antodātta is important for scholars, practitioners, 

and students of Vedic Sanskrit, especially for preserving the correct 

intonation of Vedic chants and for linguistic studies of accentuation 

in classical Sanskrit.