Shloka 2

Chandas-Nirṇaya: Āpīḍa to Gāthā—Pāda, Gaṇa, and Special Substitutions

Devanagari script

आपीडः सर्वलः प्रोक्तः पूर्वपादान्तगद्वयः

Transliteration

āpīḍaḥ sarvalaḥ proktaḥ pūrvapādāntagadvayaḥ

Translation

ฉันท์ชื่อ ‘อาปีฑะ’ ประกาศว่าเป็นแบบ ‘สรวละ’; เครื่องหมายคือมี ‘คะ/ga’ เป็นคู่ที่ท้ายบาทแรก

Word by Word

• आपीडः: (a metrical pattern called) āpīḍa
• आपीडः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आपीड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सर्वलः: all-containing/complete
• सर्वलः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (आपीडस्य)

• प्रोक्तः: is declared/said
• प्रोक्तः: Kriya (Predicate/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-√वच् (धातु) → प्रोक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगः—‘is said/declared’

• पूर्वपादान्तगद्वयः: having a double ‘ga’ at the end of the first pāda
• पूर्वपादान्तगद्वयः: Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्व-पाद-अन्त-ग-द्वय (प्रातिपदिक; पूर्व + पाद + अन्त + ग + द्वय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (पूर्वपादान्ते गद्वयः—पूर्वपादान्ते स्थितं ‘ग’द्वयम् यस्य)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Definition of the Āpīḍa metre via gaṇa markers at the end of the first pāda; taxonomy by observable structure.

Vedantic Theme: Nāma-rūpa classification: naming (nāma) grounded in form (rūpa) at the level of linguistic order.

Application: To verify Āpīḍa, inspect the first pāda’s ending for the specified pair of ga-s; use as a rule in composition or scansion.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.211.1 (general lakṣaṇa rule); Garuda Purana 1.211.3-5 (related metre variants by pāda structure)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of the Āpīḍa metre in the Garuda Purana?

This verse preserves a technical rule for identifying/reciting the Āpīḍa chandas, supporting accurate chanting and faithful textual transmission.

How does this verse explain the structure of the metre?

It states a diagnostic feature: the first pāda ends with a ‘ga-dvaya’—two ‘ga’ units—used in Sanskrit prosody to classify the verse pattern.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

When chanting or editing the text, use the stated metrical marker (ga-dvaya at the first pāda’s end) to verify line breaks, pronunciation rhythm, and correct reading.