Shloka 2

Āryā-Chandas Lakṣaṇa; Gīti-Bheda; Vaitālīya-Vaktra; Mātrā-to-Varṇa Transition

Devanagari script

आदितः सप्तमे ह्रस्वा द्वितीयार्धे शरे ततः / त्रिगणाङ्घ्रिश्च पथ्या स्याद्विपुला वह्निलङ्घनात्

Transliteration

āditaḥ saptame hrasvā dvitīyārdhe śare tataḥ / trigaṇāṅghriśca pathyā syādvipulā vahnilaṅghanāt

Translation

Dans ce mètre, la septième syllabe depuis le début doit être brève (hrasva) ; dans la seconde moitié, après le schéma « śara », la cadence est « trigaṇāṅghri ». Le vers devient « pathyā » (régulier) et, en franchissant la contrainte dite « vahnilaṅghana » (dépasser le “feu”), il est nommé « vipulā » (variation élargie).

Word by Word

• आदितः: from the beginning
• आदितः: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (ablatival adverb): ‘from the beginning’

• सप्तमे: in the seventh (position)
• सप्तमे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘सप्तमे (स्थाने)’

• ह्रस्वा: short (syllable)
• ह्रस्वा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ह्रस्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘ह्रस्वा (मात्रा/अक्षरा)’

• द्वितीयार्धे: in the second half
• द्वितीयार्धे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वितीय (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; द्वितीयार्ध = द्वितीयम् अर्धम् (कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष)

• शरे: in ‘śara’ (technical position/term)
• शरे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शर (प्रातिपदिक; छन्दः-परिभाषा)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; छन्दः-स्थान/गण-नाम (as transmitted)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sambandha (Sequencing)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रम/अनन्तरवाचक-अव्यय (then/thereafter)

• त्रिगणाङ्घ्रिः: having three gaṇas as feet
• त्रिगणाङ्घ्रिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या) + गण (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्घ्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; त्रिगणाङ्घ्रि = त्रयः गणाः अङ्घ्रयः यस्य/यत्र (समास; छन्दः-लक्षण)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (and)

• पथ्या: pathyā (a variety)
• पथ्या: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पथ्या (प्रातिपदिक; छन्दः-नाम)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; छन्दः-प्रकार-नाम

• स्यात्: would be/should be
• स्यात्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• विपुला: vipulā (a variety)
• विपुला: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विपुला (प्रातिपदिक; छन्दः-नाम)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; छन्दः-प्रकार-नाम

• वह्निलङ्घनात्: from/owing to the ‘vahni’ crossing (rule)
• वह्निलङ्घनात्: Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वह्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + लङ्घन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; वह्निलङ्घन = वह्नेः लङ्घनम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda, within a didactic/prosody section)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Āryā cadence rules: seventh syllable short; second-half patterning; distinction between regular (pathyā) and expanded (vipulā) by constraint overstep.

Vedantic Theme: Discipline with sanctioned variation: freedom within form; order that accommodates controlled exceptions.

Application: When scanning Āryā, verify the 7th syllable is short and check second-half cadence; label lines as pathyā or vipulā based on the stated constraint.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.208.1 (Āryā gaṇa constraints); Garuda Purana 1.207.3 (guru/laghu basics)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

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

This verse highlights that correct metre—such as identifying pathyā vs. vipulā—preserves the intended cadence for accurate chanting and textual transmission.

How does this verse relate to the Garuda Purana’s teaching style?

It shows the Purana also contains technical, instructional material—here, rules of anuṣṭubh prosody—presented as guidance within the Vishnu–Garuda dialogue framework.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When reciting Garuda Purana shlokas, pay attention to syllable length and standard vs. variant cadences so chanting remains metrically correct and easier to memorize.