Shloka 23

Nāmāṣṭottara-dviśata: Gaṇa–Chandas–Yati Catalogue and Mnemonic Coding

Devanagari script

ननौ भनौ प्रहरणकलिकेयं लगौ तथा / वसन्ततिलका सिंहोन्नता तभ्जा जगौ गुरुः

Transliteration

nanau bhanau praharaṇakalikeyaṃ lagau tathā / vasantatilakā siṃhonnatā tabhjā jagau guruḥ

Translation

«(هذا البيت) يضم غَنات ‘na-nau’ و‘bha-nau’؛ ويُطبَّق على النمط العروضي المسمّى Praharaṇa-kalikā؛ وكذلك يوافق Vasantatilakā وSiṃhonnatā وTabh-jā؛ ويطابق أيضاً صيغة Jagau-guru»۔

Word by Word

• ननौ: (the gaṇa) nanau
• ननौ: Visheshya (Label/संज्ञा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ननौ (प्रातिपदिक; छन्दोगण-संज्ञा)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन; छन्दः-गणनाम

• भनौ: (the gaṇa) bhanau
• भनौ: Visheshya (Label/संज्ञा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भनौ (प्रातिपदिक; छन्दोगण-संज्ञा)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन; छन्दः-गणनाम

• प्रहरणकलिकेयम्: Praharaṇa-kalikeya (name/technical term)
• प्रहरणकलिकेयम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रहरण-कलिकेय (प्रातिपदिक; प्रहरण + कलिकेय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative; technical/metre-name)

• लगौ: (the gaṇa) lagau
• लगौ: Visheshya (Label/संज्ञा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लगौ (प्रातिपदिक; छन्दोगण-संज्ञा)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन; छन्दः-गणनाम

• तथा: thus, likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक/समुच्चयार्थ (adverb: 'thus/also')

• वसन्ततिलका: Vasantatilakā (metre)
• वसन्ततिलका: Visheshya (Predicate label/संज्ञा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसन्त-तिलका (प्रातिपदिक; वसन्त + तिलका)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास; वृत्तनाम (metre-name)

• सिंहोन्नता: Siṃhonnatā (metre)
• सिंहोन्नता: Visheshya (Predicate label/संज्ञा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिंह-उन्नता (प्रातिपदिक; सिंह + उन्नता)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास; वृत्तनाम

• तभ्जा: tabhjā (prosodic label)
• तभ्जा: Visheshya (Label/संज्ञा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तभ्जा (प्रातिपदिक; छन्दोगण-संज्ञा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; छन्दः-गण/वृत्त-संज्ञा (as given)

• जगौ: (the gaṇa) jagau
• जगौ: Visheshya (Label/संज्ञा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगौ (प्रातिपदिक; छन्दोगण-संज्ञा)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), द्विवचन; छन्दः-गणनाम

• गुरुः: guru (heavy syllable)
• गुरुः: Visheshya (Predicate label/संज्ञा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; छन्दः-परिभाषा (heavy syllable)

Speaker

Narrator/Compiler (prosody/metrical note within the text; not a Vishnu–Garuda dialogue line)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Chandas taxonomy: specific gaṇa sequences correspond to multiple metrical patterns; recognition enables correct application (prayoga) of verse-forms.

Vedantic Theme: Discriminative knowledge (viveka) applied to śabda-structure; many forms, one underlying rule-system.

Application: When scanning a verse, identify ‘na-nau’ and ‘bha-nau’ gaṇas to classify it under the listed metres (e.g., Vasantatilakā, Siṃhonnatā) and apply appropriate recitation cadence.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.209.20-24 (gaṇa-to-metre correspondences)

Characters & Entities

• Chandas (metre)
• Gaṇa (prosodic groups)
• Guru syllable

FAQs

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

They preserve how the verse should be recited and scanned, helping accurate transmission, chanting, and manuscript verification.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul in the Garuda Purana?

This specific line is a prosodic/metrical annotation rather than a doctrinal statement; it supports correct recitation of surrounding teachings but does not itself describe the soul’s journey.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it to correctly scan and chant the verse (guru/laghu and gaṇa counting), improving accuracy in study, recitation, and digital text validation.