Shloka 9

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

Devanagari script

उपजातयो ऽन्याद्यन्ताः सुमुखी नजजा लगौ / भभभा गौ दोधकं स्याच्छालिनी मतता गगौ

Transliteration

upajātayo 'nyādyantāḥ sumukhī najajā lagau / bhabhabhā gau dodhakaṃ syācchālinī matatā gagau

Translation

The Upajāti metres differ according to their opening and closing patterns. “Sumukhī” has the gaṇas na-ja-jā with two laghus; “Dodhaka” is formed by bha-bha-bhā followed by two gurus; and “Śālinī” is constituted by ma-ta-tā with two gurus.

Word by Word

• उपजातयः: the Upajāti (metres)
• उपजातयः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपजाति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Feminine nominative plural

• अन्य: other / different
• अन्य: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Adjective agreeing with ‘अद्यन्ताः’

• आद्यन्ताः: having (different) beginnings and endings
• आद्यन्ताः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आदि + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Masculine nominative plural

• सुमुखी: (the metre) Sumukhī
• सुमुखी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु + मुखी (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Feminine nominative singular

• नजजा: ‘najajā’ (a gaṇa-pattern)
• नजजा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नजजा (प्रातिपदिक/छन्दोगण-नाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• लगौ: ‘lagau’ (two gaṇas)
• लगौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लगौ (प्रातिपदिक/छन्दोगण-नाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; Nominative dual

• भभभा: ‘bhabhabhā’ (a gaṇa-pattern)
• भभभा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भभभा (प्रातिपदिक/छन्दोगण-नाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• गौ: two ‘gau’ gaṇas
• गौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौ (प्रातिपदिक/छन्दोगण-नाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; Dual (nom./acc.)

• दोधकम्: (the metre) Dodhaka
• दोधकम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोधक (प्रातिपदिक; छन्दोनाम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Neuter nom./acc. singular

• स्यात्: would be
• स्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; 3rd singular optative

• शालिनी: (the metre) Śālinī
• शालिनी: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शालिनी (प्रातिपदिक; छन्दोनाम)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Feminine nominative singular

• मतता: by/with ‘matatā’ (a gaṇa-pattern)
• मतता: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मतता (प्रातिपदिक/छन्दोगण-नाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• गगौ: ‘gagau’ (two gaṇas)
• गगौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गगौ (प्रातिपदिक/छन्दोगण-नाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; Nominative dual

Speaker

Sūta/teacher-narrator tradition (prosody instruction within Garuda Purana; presented in the text’s didactic voice)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Variation within constraint: a metrical family (Upajāti) allows multiple openings/closings while remaining within a governing structure.

Vedantic Theme: Unity-in-diversity: many permissible forms within one class; rule (niyama) accommodates variation (vikalpa).

Application: When scanning Upajāti verses, check both opening and closing gaṇa patterns; use the named exemplars as templates to classify a verse quickly.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.209 (Upajāti and named variants)

Characters & Entities

• Upajāti
• Sumukhī
• Dodhaka
• Śālinī
• Gaṇa

FAQs

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

This verse shows that the Purana preserves technical rules of Sanskrit prosody, helping reciters and students preserve correct rhythm and oral transmission.

How does this verse help identify the metre of a shloka?

It gives gaṇa-pattern markers (na-ja-jā, bha-bha-bhā, ma-ta-tā) and the required laghu/guru endings, which are the practical cues used to classify a verse as Sumukhī, Dodhaka, or Śālinī.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When chanting or editing Sanskrit texts, use these gaṇa and laghu/guru rules to verify metre, improving accuracy in recitation, teaching, and digital archiving.