Shloka 39

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

Devanagari script

नौ नौ गो ऽतिकृतिः प्रोक्ता च्छन्दो ह्युत्कृतिरुच्यते / वस्वीशाश्वैर्ममतनैः स्याद्भुजङ्गविजृम्भितम्

Transliteration

nau nau go 'tikṛtiḥ proktā cchando hyutkṛtirucyate / vasvīśāśvairmamatanaiḥ syādbhujaṅgavijṛmbhitam

Translation

‘நௌ-நௌ-கோ’ என்ற வரிசை ‘அதிக்ருதி’ எனும் சந்தமாகக் கூறப்படுகிறது; அதுவே ‘உத்க்ருதி’ என்றும் அழைக்கப்படுகிறது. ‘வஸ்வீஶாஶ்வைர்மமதநைः’ எனச் சுட்டிய அமைப்பில் இணைத்தால் அது ‘புஜங்க-விஜ்ரும்பிதம்’ எனும் சந்தவடிவமாகிறது.

Word by Word

नौin/at ‘nau’ (marker)

गो‘ga’ (marker)

अतिकृतिःAtikṛti (name of a metre)

प्रोक्ताdeclared/said

छन्दःmetre (chandas)

हिindeed

उत्कृतिःUtkṛti (name of a metre)

उच्यतेis called

वस्वीशाश्वैःby vasu, īśa, and aśva (markers/counts)

ममतनैःby ‘mama’ and ‘tana’ (marker-sequence)

स्यात्would be

भुजङ्गविजृम्भितम्Bhujaṅgavijṛmbhita (name of a metre)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Metre identification by compact gaṇa code; metaphor as pedagogic device (serpent-unfurling) to remember rhythmic movement.

Vedantic Theme: Nāma-rūpa utility: naming patterns makes them graspable; metaphor bridges cognition and sound.

Application: Scan for the ‘nau-nau-go’ sequence to classify Atikṛti/Utkṛti; use the ‘serpent unfolding’ image to maintain the intended rhythmic swing in recitation.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.209: metre catalog; earlier verses define Kṛti/Snagdharā and other named metres; this verse continues the same taxonomy

Characters & Entities

Vishnu

Garuda

FAQs

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

This verse highlights that correct metrical structure (chandas) is formally defined and named; preserving metre supports accurate chanting, transmission, and the intended cadence of Purāṇic recitation.

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

It does not describe afterlife doctrine directly; instead, it gives a technical prosody note—indirectly supporting the tradition of correct recitation used in teachings about dharma, karma, and the post-death journey.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When studying or chanting Garuda Purana passages, use reliable metre-aware editions and learn the chandas markers so the recitation remains faithful and consistent across oral and written traditions.