Shloka 5

Prastāra–Naṣṭa Procedures and Enumeration of Chandas

Laghu–Guru Computation

Devanagari script

लगसंख्या वृत्तसंख्या चाद्याङ्गुलमथोर्ध्वतः / संख्यैव द्विगुणैकोनाच्छन्दः सारो ऽयमीरितः

Transliteration

lagasaṃkhyā vṛttasaṃkhyā cādyāṅgulamathordhvataḥ / saṃkhyaiva dviguṇaikonācchandaḥ sāro 'yamīritaḥ

Translation

Die Zahl der lagas (metrischen Gruppierungen) und die Zahl der vṛttas (Metren), beginnend mit dem ersten Maß und aufwärts fortschreitend—wenn man die Zahl verdoppelt und dann um eins vermindert—wird als die wesentliche Regel zur Bestimmung des chandas (Prosodie) verkündet.

Word by Word

• लगसंख्या: count of laghu (short syllables)
• लगसंख्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लग + संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (लघूनां संख्या/laghu-count)

• वृत्तसंख्या: count of metres/rows
• वृत्तसंख्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृत्त + संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (वृत्तस्य संख्या)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

• आद्य: first
• आद्य: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (first)

• अङ्गुलम्: finger/measure (a unit)
• अङ्गुलम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्गुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अथ: then/now
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भार्थक (then/now)

• ऊर्ध्वतः: upwards/from above
• ऊर्ध्वतः: Adhikarana (Directional/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऊर्ध्व (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तद्धित-अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (adverb): 'from above/upwards'

• संख्या: the number
• संख्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संख्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक (emphatic particle)

• द्विगुणैकोनात्: from (being) one less than double
• द्विगुणैकोनात्: Hetu/Source (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वि + गुण + एक + ऊन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान/हेतु), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (द्विगुणात् एकोनम् = one less than double)

• छन्दः: metre/prosody
• छन्दः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: छन्दस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सारः: essence/summary
• सारः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अयम्: this
• अयम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ईरितः: is stated/has been declared
• ईरितः: Kriya (Predicative/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईर् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; धातुः—ईर् (to state)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra, within the Brahma Kanda’s didactic sections)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Prosodic enumeration: counts of lagas and vṛttas derived by a doubling-minus-one rule across measures.

Vedantic Theme: Śabda-brahma orientation: disciplined sound/measure as a support for sacred knowledge; order in speech mirrors order in mind.

Application: For metrical cataloging: starting from the first unit and moving upward, compute total patterns by ‘2n−1’ (doubling then subtracting one) as the stated chandas-sāra rule; apply to generate/verify meter counts.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.212 surrounding verses: prastāra/uddiṣṭa/naṣṭa-like computational rules for chandas

Characters & Entities

• Garuda
• Vishnu
• Chandas

FAQs

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

This verse treats chandas as a technical discipline: correct metrical knowledge preserves accurate recitation and transmission of Purāṇic teaching.

How does this verse explain determining a Sanskrit meter?

It gives a compact computational rule: take the relevant count (of metrical groupings/meters), double it, and subtract one—presented as the ‘essence’ for chandas determination in this context.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a mnemonic when studying Sanskrit meters: disciplined counting and rule-based verification help keep chanting and textual study precise.