Shloka 3

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

Devanagari script

मसगैर्मदलेखा स्यादुष्णिक्छन्दः स्मृतं बुधैः / भौ गौ चित्रपदा ख्याता विद्युन्माला ममौ गगौ

Transliteration

masagairmadalekhā syāduṣṇikchandaḥ smṛtaṃ budhaiḥ / bhau gau citrapadā khyātā vidyunmālā mamau gagau

Translation

เมื่อแบบคณะ (gaṇa) เป็น ‘มะ-สา-คะ’ เรียกว่า ‘มทเลคา’; บัณฑิตถือว่าเป็นฉันท์อุษณิก ด้วยคณะ ‘เภา-เกา’ เรียกว่า ‘จิตรปทา’; และด้วย ‘มะ-เมา-คะ-เกา’ เรียกว่า ‘วิทยุนมาลา’

Word by Word

• मसगैः: by/with ‘ma-sa-ga’ (markers)
• मसगैः: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: म (प्रातिपदिक/गण-चिह्न) + स (प्रातिपदिक/गण-चिह्न) + गैः (गण-चिह्न)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; छन्दोगण-समूह-निर्देशः (by m, s, ga markers)

• मदलेखा: Madalekhā (a metrical name/term)
• मदलेखा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मद (प्रातिपदिक) + लेखा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मदस्य लेखा)

• स्यात्: would be/is (as defined)
• स्यात्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• उष्णिक्छन्दः: the Uṣṇik metre
• उष्णिक्छन्दः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उष्णिक् (प्रातिपदिक) + छन्दस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (उष्णिकः छन्दः)

• स्मृतम्: is regarded/remembered
• स्मृतम्: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘is remembered/considered’

• बुधैः: by the wise
• बुधैः: Kartrikarana (Agent in passive/कर्ता-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• भौ: ‘bhau’ (marker)
• भौ: Sambandha (Marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भौ (प्रातिपदिक/गण-चिह्न)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; छन्दोगण-निर्देशः (‘bhau’ marker)

• गौ: ‘gau’ (marker)
• गौ: Sambandha (Marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौ (प्रातिपदिक/गण-चिह्न)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; छन्दोगण-निर्देशः (‘gau’ marker)

• चित्रपदा: Citrapadā (a metrical name/term)
• चित्रपदा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्र (प्रातिपदिक) + पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (चित्राणि पदानि यस्याः)

• ख्याता: is known/called
• ख्याता: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ख्या (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘is known/called’

• विद्युन्माला: Vidyunmālā (a metrical name/term)
• विद्युन्माला: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्युत् (प्रातिपदिक) + माला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विद्युतः माला)

• ममौ: ‘ma’ and ‘mau’ (markers)
• ममौ: Sambandha (Marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: म (प्रातिपदिक/गण-चिह्न) + म (प्रातिपदिक/गण-चिह्न)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; द्वन्द्वः (ma + mau markers)

• गगौ: ‘ga’ and ‘gau’ (markers)
• गगौ: Sambandha (Marker/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग (प्रातिपदिक/गण-चिह्न) + गौ (प्रातिपदिक/गण-चिह्न)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन; द्वन्द्वः (ga + gau markers)

Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Specific gaṇa-patterns define specific metres; Madalekhā belongs to Uṣṇik; other patterns yield Citrapadā and Vidyunmālā.

Vedantic Theme: Lakṣaṇa (definition) and vyavasthā (systematization) as tools for reliable knowledge.

Application: Scan verses by gaṇa (ma-sa-ga; bhau-gau; ma-mau-ga-gau) to identify metre and maintain correct recitation/composition.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.209 (gaṇa-based metre definitions continuing)

Characters & Entities

• Uṣṇik (chandas)
• gaṇa (prosodic groups)

FAQs

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

This verse shows that the text preserves formal prosody: identifying shlokas by gaṇa-patterns helps correct recitation, memorization, and accurate transmission of the Purana.

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

It does not address afterlife doctrine directly; instead it provides metrical classification, supporting the broader Purana by ensuring its teachings are preserved and recited without distortion.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use the stated gaṇa-patterns to verify the metre while chanting or editing manuscripts—helping maintain correct rhythm, pronunciation, and textual integrity in Garuda Purana recitation.