Shloka 13

Āryā-Chandas Lakṣaṇa; Gīti-Bheda; Vaitālīya-Vaktra; Mātrā-to-Varṇa Transition

Devanagari script

नवमलस्तथा गो ऽन्त्यः जो न्लौवाथाम्बुधेर्यथा / विश्लोकः स्यात्तच्चतुष्कद्विगुणाद्वानवासिका

Transliteration

navamalastathā go 'ntyaḥ jo nlauvāthāmbudheryathā / viślokaḥ syāttaccatuṣkadviguṇādvānavāsikā

Translation

وكذلك يُقال إنّ التاسع هو «go» الأخير (البقرة)، وإنّ «jo‑nlau» يُعَدّ على نهج المحيط. فيتكوّن بيتٌ من الشعر؛ ومن مضاعفة مجموعةٍ من أربع (وحدات/مقاطع) تنشأ الصيغةُ المعروفة باسم vānavāsikā في الوزن والإنشاد.

Word by Word

• नवमलः: the ninth (named) ‘mala’/syllable-marker
• नवमलः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नवमल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; संज्ञा (नाम)

• तथा: thus, likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• गो: ‘go’ (the syllable/marker ‘go’ / cow)
• गो: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (अथवा पुं), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; संज्ञा

• अन्त्यः: final, last
• अन्त्यः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• जः: ‘ja’ (letter-name)
• जः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संज्ञा (वर्ण/अक्षर-नाम)

• न्लौ: ‘nlau’ (phonetic cluster/marker)
• न्लौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: न्लौ (प्रातिपदिक/वर्ण-समूह)
• Form: अव्यक्तलिङ्ग (वर्ण-नाम), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संज्ञा (वर्ण-समूह)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात (particle of alternative)

• अथ: then, next
• अथ: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भार्थक (sequencing particle)

• अम्बुधेः: of the ocean
• अम्बुधेः: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बुधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; संज्ञा

• यथा: as, like
• यथा: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक (comparative/manner adverb)

• विश्लोकः: the metre ‘viśloka’
• विश्लोकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संज्ञा (छन्दोवाचक)

• स्यात्: would be, should be
• स्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• चतुष्कद्विगुणात्: from the double of a tetrad (four-unit)
• चतुष्कद्विगुणात्: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुष्क + द्विगुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (चतुष्कस्य द्विगुणः)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात

• अनवासिका: (the metre) ‘anavāsikā’
• अनवासिका: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनवासिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संज्ञा (छन्दोवाचक/नाम)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Chandas/varna-mātrā reckoning: enumerative rules yield a defined recitational metre (vānavāsikā).

Vedantic Theme: Śāstra-pramāṇa (authority of systematic knowledge) as a means to right practice.

Application: Use the stated counting rule (double of a four-unit set) to identify/compose the vānavāsikā pattern during recitation or textual study.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.208 (chandas/mātrā-vicāra context; adjacent verses on Citrā/Padākulaka and guru-laghu standards)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of chandas (meter) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse indicates that the text also preserves rules for forming and recognizing verse-structures, helping ensure accurate recitation and transmission.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not directly describe the soul’s journey; rather, it focuses on the technical structure of verses used to convey teachings elsewhere in the Garuda Purana.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a reminder to chant with care—pay attention to syllable groupings and metrical integrity when reciting Garuda Purana passages in ritual contexts.