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Shloka 15

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

Devanagari script

वृत्तमात्रा विना वर्णैर्ला वर्णा गुरुभिर्विना / गुरुवो लैर्दले नित्यं प्रमाणमिति निश्चितम्

Transliteration

vṛttamātrā vinā varṇairlā varṇā gurubhirvinā / guruvo lairdale nityaṃ pramāṇamiti niścitam

Translation

หากปราศจากฉันทลักษณ์และมาตรา อักษรย่อมไม่ตั้งมั่นโดยชอบ; และหากปราศจากพยางค์หนัก (คุรุ) อักษร ‘ลา’ ก็ไม่บังเกิด. เพราะฉะนั้น พยางค์หนักพร้อม ‘ล’ ในหมู่ จึงนับเป็นมาตรฐานเสมอ—เป็นข้อยืนยันแน่นอน.

Word by Word
वृत्तमात्राmetre-measure (mātrā of the vṛtta)
वृत्तमात्रा:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootवृत्त + मात्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (वृत्तस्य मात्रा)
विनाwithout
विना:
Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootविना (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; उपसर्गसदृश-निपात (prepositional particle) — पञ्चमी/तृतीया-अर्थे ‘without’
वर्णैःby/with syllables (letters)
वर्णैः:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootवर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; संज्ञा
ला‘lā’ (letter/marker)
ला:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootला (प्रातिपदिक/वर्ण-नाम)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग/अव्यक्त, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संज्ञा (वर्ण-नाम)
वर्णाःsyllables/letters
वर्णाः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootवर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; संज्ञा
गुरुभिःwith heavy (guru) syllables
गुरुभिः:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootगुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; संज्ञा (छन्दसि ‘गुरु’ = दीर्घ/गुरु-अक्षर)
विनाwithout
विना:
Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootविना (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; ‘without’
गुरुवःguru-syllables (heavies)
गुरुवः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootगुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; संज्ञा
लैःby ‘la’ (markers)
लैः:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootल (प्रातिपदिक/वर्ण-नाम)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; संज्ञा (वर्ण-नाम)
दलेin a half/section
दले:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootदल (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संज्ञा
नित्यम्always
नित्यम्:
Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootनित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्यय-प्रयोग (क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण)
प्रमाणम्the measure/standard
प्रमाणम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootप्रमाण (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संज्ञा
इतिthus
इति:
Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; उद्धरण/समाप्त्यर्थक (quotative particle)
निश्चितम्is determined
निश्चितम्:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootनिश्चित (नि-√चि) (कृदन्त)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) — ‘ascertained/decided’ (भावे/कर्मणि)
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Prosodic ontology: varṇas are functionally defined through vṛtta/mātrā and guru-laghu; guru with ‘la’ grouping is taken as pramāṇa.

Vedantic Theme: Lakṣaṇa (definition by characteristics) and pramāṇa (valid standard) as epistemic discipline.

Application: In teaching/recitation, treat guru-laghu and mātrā as the decisive criteria; avoid ‘unmeasured’ reading that breaks metrical integrity.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.208.13-14 (mātrā-based vṛtta identification)

Characters & Entities
V
Vishnu
G
Garuda

FAQs

This verse treats mātrā and vṛtta as the validating standard (pramāṇa) for sound and recitation, implying that correct timing and metre preserve the intended form and authority of the text.

It emphasizes the necessity of guru (long/heavy) quantities as a fixed standard, indicating that proper prosody—especially recognizing heavy syllables—governs accurate pronunciation and metrical integrity.

When reading or chanting the Garuda Purana in rituals, follow a teacher/printed chandas guide, keep syllable-lengths consistent, and avoid rushing—so the recitation remains metrically faithful.

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