Shloka 40

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

Devanagari script

ननरसैर्लगयुक्तैश्च अपवाहाख्यकं यतिः / गुहैः षड्भी रसैर्बाणैर्मोनाः षट्सगगा गणाः

Transliteration

nanarasairlagayuktaiśca apavāhākhyakaṃ yatiḥ / guhaiḥ ṣaḍbhī rasairbāṇairmonāḥ ṣaṭsagagā gaṇāḥ

Translation

Bila sang yati dipadukan dengan berbagai ‘rasa’ serta suku kata ‘la’, ia disebut dengan nama ‘Apavāha’. Dengan kata sandi seperti ‘guhā’ ditunjukkan himpunan enam macam, ‘rasa’, ‘panah’; juga para ‘monāḥ’ (yang berdiam) dan kelompok-kelompok enam ‘sagagā’.

Word by Word

• nana: the ‘na-na’ gaṇa (metrical group)
• nana: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; छन्दः-गणनाम (metre-technical term)

• rasaiḥ: by rasas (here: ‘ra’ syllables / metrical markers)
• rasaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• laga-yuktaiḥ: combined with ‘laga’
• laga-yuktaiḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: laga (प्रातिपदिक) + yukta (कृदन्त; √yuj धातु, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; ‘लगा’ इति उपलक्षणेन युक्तैः = ‘having laga’

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

• apavāha-ākhyakam: called ‘apavāha’
• apavāha-ākhyakam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: apavāha (प्रातिपदिक) + ākhyaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; ‘अपवाह’ इति आख्यं यस्य तत्

• yatiḥ: the yati (metrical pause)
• yatiḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; छन्दः-परिभाषा (metrical term: caesura/pause)

• guhaiḥ: by ‘guha’ (metrical markers)
• guhaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; छन्दः-गणनाम (metre-technical term)

• ṣaḍbhīḥ: with six
• ṣaḍbhīḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣaṭ (संख्याशब्द/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; ‘षड्’ संख्याविशेषण

• rasaiḥ: by rasas (ra-syllables/markers)
• rasaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• bāṇaiḥ: by ‘bāṇa’ (markers)
• bāṇaiḥ: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; छन्दः-गणनाम (metre-technical term)

• monāḥ: the ‘mona’ gaṇas
• monāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mona (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; छन्दः-गणनाम (metre-technical term)

• ṣaṭ-sagagāḥ: six ‘sagagā’ (groups)
• ṣaṭ-sagagāḥ: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣaṭ (संख्याशब्द) + sagagā (प्रातिपदिक; छन्दः-गणनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; द्विगुसमासः (numeral compound)

• gaṇāḥ: groups (gaṇas)
• gaṇāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda, Vinata-putra)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.209 (context: chandas/gaṇa-saṅketa, code-words for gaṇas/rasas); Pingala Chandas-sutra tradition (gaṇa notation: ya-ma-ta-ra-ja-bha-na-sa-la-ga)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda
• Yati (ascetic)

FAQs

What is the importance of coded terms (like rasa, bāṇa, guha) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse uses traditional mnemonic/code-words to compress technical mantra or classification details; it signals that the passage is not narrative but an encoded enumeration meant for trained recitation/nyāsa contexts.

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

Indirectly: rather than describing the after-death journey, it frames a practice-oriented, technical layer (mantra/nyāsa terminology) that supports dharmic discipline—such disciplines are presented elsewhere as aiding purity and auspicious destiny.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Treat such verses as technical: consult a traditional commentary/teacher before applying; as a general takeaway, cultivate disciplined speech (mauna), restraint, and focused recitation rather than improvising ritual meanings.