Shloka 4

Chandaḥśāstra: Mātrā–Varṇa, Guru–Laghu, Gaṇa, and Metre Types

Devanagari script

यदा नापि क्रमं योगे लघुतापि क्वचिद्गुरोः / श्लोकचार्यादिसंज्ञा स्याद्यतिर्विच्छेदसंज्ञिका

Transliteration

yadā nāpi kramaṃ yoge laghutāpi kvacidguroḥ / ślokacāryādisaṃjñā syādyatirvicchedasaṃjñikā

Translation

योगे क्रमो न यत्र स्यात् क्वचिद् गुरोरपि लघुता। श्लोकचार्यादिसंज्ञा स्याद् अतिविच्छेदसंज्ञिका॥

Word by Word

• यदा: when
• यदा: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (Negation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation particle)

• अपि: even/also
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपेक्षार्थक-अव्यय (particle: even/also)

• क्रमम्: sequence/order
• क्रमम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• योगे: in the metrical combination/arrangement
• योगे: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• लघुता: lightness (being laghu)
• लघुता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लघुता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अपेक्षार्थक-अव्यय (particle)

• क्वचित्: somewhere/at times
• क्वचित्: Adhikarana (Circumstantial/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/अवधिवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: somewhere/at times)

• गुरोः: of a guru (heavy syllable)
• गुरोः: Sambandha (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• श्लोकचार्यादिसंज्ञा: the designation ‘ślokācārya etc.’
• श्लोकचार्यादिसंज्ञा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + चार्य (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + संज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; श्लोकचार्यादि-संज्ञा = श्लोकचार्यादीनां संज्ञा (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

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

• यतिः: caesura/pause (yati)
• यतिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• विच्छेदसंज्ञिका: having the name ‘vichcheda’
• विच्छेदसंज्ञिका: Visheshana (Adjectival qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विच्छेद (प्रातिपदिक) + संज्ञिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विच्छेदसंज्ञिका = विच्छेद-संज्ञा यस्याः (समास)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in discourse to Garuda/Vinata-putra, within a technical section on śloka/chandas and recitation rules)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Lakṣaṇa of metrical/phonetic irregularity: when sandhi application disrupts expected sequence and guru appears as laghu, it is classified (śloka-cāryā, ati-viccheda).

Vedantic Theme: Niyama (rule) and vyabhicāra (exception): disciplined language as a support for reliable meaning and tradition.

Application: When scanning or editing, flag places where sandhi/sequence yields unexpected laghu; treat as recognized variant/defect category rather than silent error.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.207.3 (guru/laghu criteria); Garuda Purana 1.207.5 (metre classes)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of laghu and guru syllables in the Garuda Purana?

This verse highlights that correct chanting depends on maintaining the proper sequence and intended syllable weight; deviations are given technical labels, indicating that meter-aware recitation is treated as a formal discipline.

How does this verse relate to correct chanting or textual preservation?

By naming errors such as a break in sequence or an unexpected laghu where a guru is expected, the text provides criteria to detect corruption or mis-recitation—useful for preserving accurate śloka transmission.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When learning or recording Garuda Purana chanting, verify sandhi/phonetic joining and syllable weight (laghu/guru) against a reliable pāṭha; it improves accuracy and reduces meter-breaking mistakes.