Shloka 13

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

Devanagari script

नवमलस्तथा गो ऽन्त्यः जो न्लौवाथाम्बुधेर्यथा / विश्लोकः स्यात्तच्चतुष्कद्विगुणाद्वानवासिका

Transliteration

navamalastathā go 'ntyaḥ jo nlauvāthāmbudheryathā / viślokaḥ syāttaccatuṣkadviguṇādvānavāsikā

Translation

نَوم (پد/گن) کو آخری ‘گو’ کہا گیا ہے؛ اور ‘جو-نلاؤ’ کی گنتی سمندر کے پیمانے کے مطابق مانی جاتی ہے۔ یوں شلوک قائم ہوتا ہے؛ اور چار کے مجموعے کے دوگنے سے ‘وانواسِکا’ نامی ایک خاص چھند پیدا ہوتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• नवमलः: the ninth (named) ‘mala’/syllable-marker
• नवमलः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नवमल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; संज्ञा (नाम)

• तथा: thus, likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• गो: ‘go’ (the syllable/marker ‘go’ / cow)
• गो: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (अथवा पुं), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; संज्ञा

• अन्त्यः: final, last
• अन्त्यः: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• जः: ‘ja’ (letter-name)
• जः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संज्ञा (वर्ण/अक्षर-नाम)

• न्लौ: ‘nlau’ (phonetic cluster/marker)
• न्लौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: न्लौ (प्रातिपदिक/वर्ण-समूह)
• Form: अव्यक्तलिङ्ग (वर्ण-नाम), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संज्ञा (वर्ण-समूह)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात (particle of alternative)

• अथ: then, next
• अथ: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भार्थक (sequencing particle)

• अम्बुधेः: of the ocean
• अम्बुधेः: Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बुधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; संज्ञा

• यथा: as, like
• यथा: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक (comparative/manner adverb)

• विश्लोकः: the metre ‘viśloka’
• विश्लोकः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संज्ञा (छन्दोवाचक)

• स्यात्: would be, should be
• स्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• चतुष्कद्विगुणात्: from the double of a tetrad (four-unit)
• चतुष्कद्विगुणात्: Apadana (Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुष्क + द्विगुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (चतुष्कस्य द्विगुणः)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विकल्पार्थक-निपात

• अनवासिका: (the metre) ‘anavāsikā’
• अनवासिका: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनवासिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संज्ञा (छन्दोवाचक/नाम)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue with Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Chandas/varna-mātrā reckoning: enumerative rules yield a defined recitational metre (vānavāsikā).

Vedantic Theme: Śāstra-pramāṇa (authority of systematic knowledge) as a means to right practice.

Application: Use the stated counting rule (double of a four-unit set) to identify/compose the vānavāsikā pattern during recitation or textual study.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.208 (chandas/mātrā-vicāra context; adjacent verses on Citrā/Padākulaka and guru-laghu standards)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

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

This verse indicates that the text also preserves rules for forming and recognizing verse-structures, helping ensure accurate recitation and transmission.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

It does not directly describe the soul’s journey; rather, it focuses on the technical structure of verses used to convey teachings elsewhere in the Garuda Purana.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use it as a reminder to chant with care—pay attention to syllable groupings and metrical integrity when reciting Garuda Purana passages in ritual contexts.