diff --git a/tests/translit.c b/tests/translit.c
index ed6aa6b..41403ae 100644
--- a/tests/translit.c
+++ b/tests/translit.c
@@ -6,105 +6,81 @@
 #define ZWJ  "\u200d"
 #define ZWNJ "\u200c"
 
-static void test_transliterate_devanagari_to_latin(const char *devanagari,
-						   const char *latin)
+static void test_translit(const char *devanagari, const char *latin)
 {
-	char *str;
+	char *a, *b;
 	int ret;
 
-	ret = transliterate_devanagari_to_latin(devanagari, &str);
+	ret = transliterate_devanagari_to_latin(devanagari, &a);
 	ck_assert_int_eq(0, ret);
-	ck_assert_str_eq(latin, str);
-	free(str);
+	ck_assert_str_eq(latin, a);
+
+	ret = transliterate_latin_to_devanagari(a, &b);
+	ck_assert_int_eq(0, ret);
+	ck_assert_str_eq(devanagari, b);
+
+	free(a);
+	free(b);
 }
 
-static void test_transliterate_latin_to_devanagari(const char *latin,
-						   const char *devanagari)
-{
-	char *str;
-	int ret;
-
-	ret = transliterate_latin_to_devanagari(latin, &str);
-	ck_assert_str_eq(devanagari, str);
-	free(str);
-}
-
-START_TEST(test_translit_devanagari_to_latin)
+START_TEST(test_translit_words)
 {
 	/* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanskrit */
-	test_transliterate_devanagari_to_latin("संस्कृतम्", "saṃskṛtam");
+	test_translit("संस्कृतम्", "saṃskṛtam");
 
 	/* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhagavad_Gita */
-	test_transliterate_devanagari_to_latin("भगवद्गीता", "bhagavadgītā");
+	test_translit("भगवद्गीता", "bhagavadgītā");
 
 	/* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%80ry%C4%81varta */
-	test_transliterate_devanagari_to_latin("आर्यावर्त", "āryāvarta");
+	test_translit("आर्यावर्त", "āryāvarta");
 
 	/* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahabharata */
-	test_transliterate_devanagari_to_latin("महाभारतम्", "mahābhāratam");
+	test_translit("महाभारतम्", "mahābhāratam");
 
 	/* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devanagari */
-	test_transliterate_devanagari_to_latin("देवनागरी", "devanāgarī");
-
-}
-END_TEST
-
-START_TEST(test_translit_latin_to_devanagari)
-{
-	test_transliterate_latin_to_devanagari("saṃskṛtam", "संस्कृतम्");
-	test_transliterate_latin_to_devanagari("bhagavadgītā", "भगवद्गीता");
-	test_transliterate_latin_to_devanagari("āryāvarta", "आर्यावर्त");
-	test_transliterate_latin_to_devanagari("mahābhāratam", "महाभारतम्");
-	test_transliterate_latin_to_devanagari("devanāgarī", "देवनागरी");
-}
-END_TEST
-
-START_TEST(test_translit_lla_sylable)
-{
-	test_transliterate_devanagari_to_latin("अग्निमीळे", "agnimīḷe");
-	test_transliterate_latin_to_devanagari("agnimīḷe", "अग्निमीळे");
-
-	/* rigveda 1.22.17 */
-	test_transliterate_devanagari_to_latin("समूळ्हमस्य", "samūḷhamasya");
-	test_transliterate_latin_to_devanagari("samūḷhamasya", "समूळ्हमस्य");
-
-	test_transliterate_devanagari_to_latin("चाकॢप्र", "cākḷpra");
-	test_transliterate_latin_to_devanagari("cākḷpra", "चाकॢप्र");
-}
-END_TEST
-
-START_TEST(test_translit_candrabindu)
-{
-	test_transliterate_devanagari_to_latin("तान्यजत्राँ", "tānyajatrām̐");
-	test_transliterate_latin_to_devanagari("tānyajatrām̐", "तान्यजत्राँ");
-}
-END_TEST
-
-START_TEST(test_translit_zero_width_joiner)
-{
-	test_transliterate_devanagari_to_latin("श‍ृ शृ", "ś"ZWJ"ṛ śṛ");
-	test_transliterate_latin_to_devanagari("ś"ZWJ"ṛ śṛ", "श‍ृ शृ");
+	test_translit("देवनागरी", "devanāgarī");
 }
 END_TEST
 
 START_TEST(test_translit_vedic)
 {
 	/* rigveda 1.25.4 */
-	test_transliterate_devanagari_to_latin("वस्यइष्टये", "vasya"ZWNJ"iṣṭaye");
-	test_transliterate_latin_to_devanagari("vasya"ZWNJ"iṣṭaye", "वस्यइष्टये");
+	test_translit("वस्यइष्टये", "vasya"ZWNJ"iṣṭaye");
 
 	/* rigveda 3.5.2 */
-	test_transliterate_devanagari_to_latin("पूर्वीर्ऋतस्य", "pūrvīr"ZWNJ"ṛtasya");
-	test_transliterate_latin_to_devanagari("pūrvīr"ZWNJ"ṛtasya", "पूर्वीर्ऋतस्य");
+	test_translit("पूर्वीर्ऋतस्य", "pūrvīr"ZWNJ"ṛtasya");
+}
+END_TEST
+
+START_TEST(test_translit_lla_sylable)
+{
+	test_translit("अग्निमीळे", "agnimīḷe"); /* rigveda 1.1.1 */
+	test_translit("चाकॢप्र", "cākḷpra"); /* rigveda 10.130.5 */
+	test_translit("समूळ्हमस्य", "samūḷhamasya"); /* rigveda 1.22.17 */
+
+	test_translit("ऌ ऌप ऌळ", "ḷ ḷpa ḷḷa"); /* at the beginning = vowel */
+	test_translit("ळ ळे ळृ", "ḷa ḷe ḷṛ"); /* followed by a vowel = consonant */
+	test_translit("प्ळ पळ ओप्ळ", "pḷa paḷa opḷa");
+}
+END_TEST
+
+START_TEST(test_translit_candrabindu)
+{
+	test_translit("तान्यजत्राँ", "tānyajatrām̐");
+}
+END_TEST
+
+START_TEST(test_translit_zero_width_joiner)
+{
+	test_translit("श‍ृ शृ", "ś"ZWJ"ṛ śṛ");
 }
 END_TEST
 
 void register_translit_tests(TCase *test_case)
 {
-	tcase_add_test(test_case, test_translit_devanagari_to_latin);
-	tcase_add_test(test_case, test_translit_latin_to_devanagari);
+	tcase_add_test(test_case, test_translit_words);
+	tcase_add_test(test_case, test_translit_vedic);
 	tcase_add_test(test_case, test_translit_lla_sylable);
 	tcase_add_test(test_case, test_translit_candrabindu);
 	tcase_add_test(test_case, test_translit_zero_width_joiner);
-	tcase_add_test(test_case, test_translit_vedic);
 }
diff --git a/transliteration.c b/transliteration.c
index 2f8b1bc..a21a7be 100644
--- a/transliteration.c
+++ b/transliteration.c
@@ -31,6 +31,12 @@ static struct translit_letter table[] = {
 	{0x090f, VOWEL, "e"},            /* 13 */
 	{0x0913, VOWEL, "o"},            /* 14 */
 
+	/* Codas */
+	{0x0902, CODA, "\u1e43"},        /* anusvara (.m) */
+	{0x0903, CODA, "\u1e25"},        /* visarga (.h) */
+	{0x093d, CODA, "'"},             /* avagrada (') */
+	{0x0901, CODA, "m\u0310"},       /* candrabindu */
+
 	/* Consonants */
 	{0x0916, CONSONANT, "kh"},       /* 01 */
 	{0x0918, CONSONANT, "gh"},       /* 02 */
@@ -67,12 +73,6 @@ static struct translit_letter table[] = {
 	{0x0935, CONSONANT, "v"},        /* 33 */
 	{0x0933, CONSONANT, "\u1e37"},   /* (.l) */
 
-	/* Codas */
-	{0x0902, CODA, "\u1e43"},        /* anusvara (.m) */
-	{0x0903, CODA, "\u1e25"},        /* visarga (.h) */
-	{0x093d, CODA, "'"},             /* avagrada (') */
-	{0x0901, CODA, "m\u0310"},       /* candrabindu */
-
 	/* Numbers */
 	{0x0966, NUMBER, "0"},
 	{0x0967, NUMBER, "1"},
@@ -118,6 +118,12 @@ static struct translit_letter *letter_by_code(unsigned int c)
 	return NULL;
 }
 
+static inline int is_vowel_sign(unsigned int c)
+{
+	struct translit_letter *letter = letter_by_code(c);
+	return letter && letter->type == VOWEL_SIGN;
+}
+
 int transliterate_devanagari_to_latin(const char *devanagari, char **ret)
 {
 	struct translit_letter *letter, *prev = NULL;
@@ -159,12 +165,10 @@ int transliterate_devanagari_to_latin(const char *devanagari, char **ret)
 				break;
 			}
 		} else {
-			if (c == ZERO_WIDTH_JOINER) {
-				/*
-				 * the zero width joiner joins consonants
-				 * so the inherent schwa has to be removed.
-				 */
-				if (done && *(latin + done - 1) == 'a') {
+			if (c == ZERO_WIDTH_JOINER && done) {
+				/* The ZWJ can substitute a virama so we need
+				 * to remove the inherent schwa. */
+				if (is_vowel_sign(utf8_unpack_char(src))) {
 					done--;
 				}
 			}
@@ -213,10 +217,15 @@ static struct translit_letter *vowel_sign_by_data(const char *data)
 	return NULL;
 }
 
+#define PACK_LETTER(d, c) {		\
+	utf8_pack_char(d, c);		\
+	done += utf8_char_length(c);	\
+}
+
 int transliterate_latin_to_devanagari(const char *latin, char **ret)
 {
-	struct translit_letter *letter = NULL, *next;
-	unsigned int alloc = 0, done = 0, c, len;
+	struct translit_letter *letter = NULL, *next, *last = NULL;
+	unsigned int alloc = 0, done = 0, c = 0;
 	const char *src = latin;
 	char *devanagari = NULL;
 
@@ -226,38 +235,13 @@ int transliterate_latin_to_devanagari(const char *latin, char **ret)
 			alloc += CHUNKSIZE;
 		}
 
-		/* consonant (.l) */
-		if (strncmp(src, "\u1e37", 3) == 0) {
-			letter = letter_by_data(src + 3);
-
-			if (letter) {
-				utf8_pack_char(devanagari + done, 0x0933);
-				done += 3;
-				src += 3;
-				if (letter->type == VOWEL) {
-					goto encode_vowel_modifier;
-				} else {
-					utf8_pack_char(devanagari + done, VIRAMA);
-					done += 3;
-				}
-			}
-		}
-
-		/* candrabindu */
-		if (strncmp(src, "m\u0310", 3) == 0) {
-			utf8_pack_char(devanagari + done, 0x0901);
-			done += 3;
-			src += 3;
-			continue;
-		}
-
 		/* zero-width non-joiner */
 		if (strncmp(src, "\u200c", 3) == 0) {
-			if (letter && (letter->code == VIRAMA || letter->type == CONSONANT)) {
+			if (last) {
+				/* not at the beginning of a word */
 				next = letter_by_data(src + 3);
-				if (next->type == CONSONANT) {
-					utf8_pack_char(devanagari + done, 0x200c);
-					done += 3;
+				if (next && next->type == CONSONANT) {
+					PACK_LETTER(devanagari + done, 0x200c);
 				}
 			}
 			src += 3;
@@ -266,43 +250,62 @@ int transliterate_latin_to_devanagari(const char *latin, char **ret)
 
 		letter = letter_by_data(src);
 		if (letter) {
+			if (letter->code == 0x090c) { /* independent ‘.l’ vowel */
+				next = letter_by_data(src + 3);
+				if (last || (next && next->type == VOWEL && next->code != 0x090c)) {
+					letter = letter_by_code(0x0933); /* .la */
+				}
+			}
+encode_consonant:
+			/* A consonant or an initial vowel */
 			utf8_pack_char(devanagari + done, letter->code);
-			len = utf8_char_length(letter->code);
-			done += len;
+			PACK_LETTER(devanagari + done, letter->code);
 			src += strlen(letter->data);
 
-			/* zero width joiner */
 			c = utf8_unpack_char(src);
-			if (c == ZERO_WIDTH_JOINER) {
-				utf8_pack_char(devanagari + done, ZERO_WIDTH_JOINER);
-				done += 3;
+			if (c == ZERO_WIDTH_JOINER)
 				src += 3;
-			}
+
+			last = letter;
 
 			if (letter->type == VOWEL || letter->type == CODA)
 				continue;
-encode_vowel_modifier:
-			next = vowel_sign_by_data(src);
-			if (next) {
-				utf8_pack_char(devanagari + done, next->code);
-				done += utf8_char_length(next->code);
-				src += strlen(next->data);
-			} else {
-				if (*src == SCHWA_CHARACTER) {
-					src++;
-				} else {
-					if (letter->type == CONSONANT) {
-						utf8_pack_char(devanagari + done, VIRAMA);
-						done += utf8_char_length(VIRAMA);
+
+			/* A vowel modifier (if any) */
+			letter = vowel_sign_by_data(src);
+			if (letter) {
+				if (letter->code == 0x0962) {
+					next = letter_by_data(src + 3);
+					if (next && next->type == VOWEL) {
+						/* consonant ‘.la’ */
+						letter = letter_by_code(0x0933);
+						if (last && last->type == CONSONANT)
+							PACK_LETTER(devanagari + done, VIRAMA);
+
+						goto encode_consonant;
 					}
 				}
+
+				if (c == ZERO_WIDTH_JOINER)
+					PACK_LETTER(devanagari + done, c);
+
+				PACK_LETTER(devanagari + done, letter->code);
+				src += strlen(letter->data);
+
+			} else if (*src == SCHWA_CHARACTER) {
+				src++;
+
+			} else {
+				if (last->type == CONSONANT) {
+					PACK_LETTER(devanagari + done, VIRAMA);
+				}
 			}
+
 		} else {
 			c = utf8_unpack_char(src);
-			len = utf8_char_length(c);
-			utf8_pack_char(devanagari + done, c);
-			done += len;
-			src += len;
+			PACK_LETTER(devanagari + done, c);
+			src += utf8_char_length(c);
+			last = NULL;
 		}
 	}