Shloka 37
Nāmāṣṭottara-dviśata: Gaṇa–Chandas–Yati Catalogue and Mnemonic Coding
मत्ताक्रीडञ्चाष्टबाणदशकैर्मौ तनौ ननौ / नलौ गुरुश्च विकृतिश्छिन्ना संकृतिरुच्यते
mattākrīḍañcāṣṭabāṇadaśakairmau tanau nanau / nalau guruśca vikṛtiśchinnā saṃkṛtirucyate
‘মত্তাক্ৰীড়া’, ‘অষ্টবাণ’ আৰু ‘দশক’ ছন্দত গণ ‘মৌ-তনৌ-ননৌ’ ৰূপে বিন্যাস হয়; আন বিকল্পত ‘নলৌ’ হয়, য’ত গুৰু অক্ষৰৰ প্ৰভাৱত বিকৃতি ঘটে। নিয়মিত ক্ৰম ছিন্ন বা পৰিবর্তিত হ’লে তাক ‘সংকৃতি’ (মিশ্ৰ/পৰিবর্তিত ৰূপ) বোলা হয়।
Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinata-putra as part of a didactic section)
Concept: Vikṛti/saṃkṛti principle: a base metrical pattern can be modified by guru (heavy syllable) or truncation, producing recognized mixed forms.
Vedantic Theme: Prakṛti–vikṛti as an analytic lens (pattern and transformation), mirroring broader Indian systematic thought.
Application: When scanning, account for guru substitutions and truncations; classify a verse as saṃkṛti when it deviates from the canonical gaṇa layout in rule-governed ways.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.209: definitions of prakṛti/vikṛti and named metres (Mattākrīḍā, Aṣṭabāṇa, Daśaka) in the same prosody section
FAQs
This verse treats chandas as a technical discipline: correct gaṇa-patterns and guru/laghu rules preserve the intended rhythm and accuracy of scriptural recitation.
It notes that when a guru syllable changes the expected flow, the pattern becomes a modified or ‘mixed’ form (saṃkṛti), i.e., an accepted variant arising from alteration of the regular scheme.
When chanting or digitizing Sanskrit, mark guru/laghu and gaṇas carefully; this helps maintain correct pronunciation, rhythm, and reliable text-to-audio alignment for study and ritual use.