Shloka 1
नामैकादशोत्तरद्विशशततमो ऽध्यायः सूत उवाच / प्रस्तार आद्यगो ऽथो लः परतुल्यो ऽथ पूर्वगः / नष्टमध्ये समेंऽके लः समे ऽर्धे विषमे गुरुः
nāmaikādaśottaradviśaśatatamo 'dhyāyaḥ sūta uvāca / prastāra ādyago 'tho laḥ paratulyo 'tha pūrvagaḥ / naṣṭamadhye sameṃ'ke laḥ same 'rdhe viṣame guruḥ
ಸೂತನು ಹೇಳಿದರು—ಇದು ಎರಡೂ ನೂರ ಹನ್ನೆರಡನೇ ಅಧ್ಯಾಯ. ‘ಪ್ರಸ್ತಾರ’ ವಿಧಾನದಲ್ಲಿ ಆದಿ ಗುರುತು ‘ಲ’; ನಂತರ ಹಿಂದಿನ ಮಾದರಿಯಂತೆ ಕ್ರಮ ರಚನೆ. ‘ನಷ್ಟ’ (ಪುನರ್ರಚನೆ) ವಿಧಾನದಲ್ಲಿ ಸಂಖ್ಯೆ ಸಮವಾದರೆ ‘ಲ’; ಅದರ ಅರ್ಧವೂ ಸಮವಾದರೆ ‘ಲ’ವೇ; ವಿಷಮವಾದರೆ ‘ಗುರು’ (ದೀರ್ಘ) ಎಂದು ಗ್ರಹಿಸಬೇಕು.
Sūta
Concept: Prastāra (systematic expansion) and Naṣṭa (reconstruction) procedures using ‘la’ and guru/laghu decisions based on even/odd (parity) of numbers and halves.
Vedantic Theme: Buddhi-niyama (disciplined intellect) and the idea that śabda-structure can be generated/recovered by rule—order underlying apparent complexity.
Application: Apply parity checks to generate or reconstruct metrical patterns; useful for students of prosody and for verifying manuscript readings.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.211.9 (transition from metre types to computational methods); Garuda Purana 1.212.2+ (expected continuation of prastāra/naṣṭa rules in the chapter)
FAQs
This verse frames Prastāra (listing metrical patterns) and Naṣṭa (reconstructing a pattern from an index) as practical rules for handling laghu–guru sequences, supporting correct chandas and precise recitation.
It gives a parity rule: if the index is even, place laghu (la); then examine the half—if the half is even, laghu again; if the half is odd, guru—thus deriving the metrical sequence step-by-step.
Use these rules to verify meter while chanting or editing Sanskrit texts—ensuring syllable-length accuracy (laghu/guru), which improves correctness in mantra, stotra, and śloka recitation.