Shloka 5

Chandas-Nirṇaya: Āpīḍa to Gāthā—Pāda, Gaṇa, and Special Substitutions

Devanagari script

पूर्ववत्स्यात्सौरभकं तृतीये ऽघ्रौ रनौ भगौ / ललितञ्चाद्गतावत्स्यातृतीयेंऽघ्रौ ननौ ससौ

Transliteration

pūrvavatsyātsaurabhakaṃ tṛtīye 'ghrau ranau bhagau / lalitañcādgatāvatsyātṛtīyeṃ'ghrau nanau sasau

Translation

Wie zuvor wird die metrische Anordnung namens Saurabhaka gewonnen; in ihrem dritten Pāda lautet die Folge „ghrau–ranau–bhagau“. Ebenso entsteht das Muster namens Lalita; in seinem dritten Pāda lautet die Folge „ghrau–nanau–sasau“.

Word by Word

• पूर्ववत्: as before
• पूर्ववत्: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्ववत् (अव्यय/तद्धितान्त)
• Form: अव्यय, ‘as before’

• स्यात्: should be
• स्यात्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• सौरभकम्: (a metrical form called) saurabhaka
• सौरभकम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौरभक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; छन्दोनाम (technical)

• तृतीये: in the third
• तृतीये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृतीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• अघ्रौ: the gaṇas ‘aghrau’ (pair)
• अघ्रौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अघ्रौ (प्रातिपदिक/छन्दोगणनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; छन्दोगण-नाम (technical)

• रनौ: the gaṇas ‘ranau’ (pair)
• रनौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रनौ (प्रातिपदिक/छन्दोगणनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; छन्दोगण-नाम (technical)

• भगौ: the gaṇas ‘bhagau’ (pair)
• भगौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगौ (प्रातिपदिक/छन्दोगणनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; छन्दोगण-नाम (technical)

• ललितम्: (a metrical form called) lalita
• ललितम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ललित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; छन्दोनाम (technical)

• च: and
• च: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• आद्गतावत्: from the start/as arranged before
• आद्गतावत्: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आद्-गतावत् (अव्यय; आद् + गतवत्)
• Form: अव्यय, उपपदसम्बद्ध-क्रियाविशेषण; ‘from the beginning, as previously gone/arranged’ (technical instruction)

• स्यात्: should be
• स्यात्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• तृतीये: in the third
• तृतीये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृतीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• अघ्रौ: the gaṇas ‘aghrau’ (pair)
• अघ्रौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अघ्रौ (प्रातिपदिक/छन्दोगणनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; छन्दोगण-नाम (technical)

• ननौ: the gaṇas ‘nanau’ (pair)
• ननौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ननौ (प्रातिपदिक/छन्दोगणनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; छन्दोगण-नाम (technical)

• ससौ: the gaṇas ‘sasau’ (pair)
• ससौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ससौ (प्रातिपदिक/छन्दोगणनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; छन्दोगण-नाम (technical)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra, within a technical metrical listing)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Derivation of metrical forms by modifying a specific pāda’s gaṇa sequence; controlled variation within rule-governed structure.

Vedantic Theme: Constraint and freedom: within niyama (rule), multiple rūpas (forms) arise—an analogy to patterned manifestation.

Application: When composing/scanning, set the third pāda to ‘ghrau–ranau–bhagau’ for Saurabhaka; set it to ‘ghrau–nanau–sasau’ for Lalita, keeping other parts ‘as before’.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.211.4 (four-case gaṇa listings); Garuda Purana 1.211.2-3 (metre definitions by pāda features)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

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

This verse shows that correct metre is treated as a formal rule for preserving and chanting the text accurately, ensuring the intended sound-pattern and transmission.

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

It does not directly discuss the soul’s journey; it is a technical note on prosody, supporting correct recitation of the Purana’s teachings (including afterlife sections) by maintaining metrical integrity.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When chanting or studying the Garuda Purana, use metrical scanning to avoid misreading—especially in ritual contexts where precise recitation is valued.