Nārada Mahā Purana
57 - The Description of Prosody
Sanandana said:
1. Metres are of two varieties: (1) those of the Vedas (2) those of secular or classical literature. Again, metres can be divided into two classes: Måtra-Vrutta-a metre regulated by the number of prosodial instants in it and (2) a metre regulated by number of syllables it contains.
2. MA and YA (standing for Magana and Yagana. These and others are explained in later verses,) RA and SA, TA and JA, BHA and NA, the GURU (i.e., long) and the LAGHU (short), O Brahmana, these are said to be the basis in prosody as explained by experts in the science of Prosody.
3. Magana is that set of three syllables where all are long ones (Mollosus). Yagana is that set of three syllables where the first syllable is short (v - Bacchius). The Ragana is that set of three syllables), in which the middle one is short (V - Amphimacer), and the Sagana is that set of three syllables in which the last one is long (vv-Anapestus).
4. The Tagana is that set in which the last one is short (- - v Antibacchius). The Jagana is that set of three syllables in which the middle one is long (v-v Amphibrachys) and the Bhagana is that set of three syllables in which the first one is long (-v v Dachtylus.) The Nagana is said to consist of three short syllables (v v v Tribrachys). O sage, the Ganas or sets of syllables contain three in each.
5-6. Five Ganas are mentioned with four short syllables. They are admitted in the Arya and other metres. If a conjunct consonant, the aspirate Visarga or the Anusvára comes after a short syllable that short syllable is considered to be prosodially long. The abbreviated term for a long syllable is GU and that for a short syllable is LA. A fourth of a verse is called a Pada (foot), A break in the middle is called a yati (Caesura).
7. O Narada, a Vrutta (metre) is classified into three: Sama, and Vishama. If all the four feet have the same characteristics, the metre is called Sama.
8. If the first and the third feet have one set of characteristics (i.e., combination and arrangement of the Ganas) and the second and the fourth feet have another set of characteristics, the metre is called Ardhasama. If all the four feet have different characteristics it is called Vishama.
9. There are verses with one syllable in each foot. This number is increased one by one upto twenty-six syllables. Each one thus constitutes a separate metre.
10. Beyond that the metres evolved are called Dandakas the first of which is Chandavrushti Prapata. If each verse consists of three feet or six feet it is called a Gatha. Now listen to the names of the metres in order.
11-13. Name of the metre No. of syllables in each foot
Ukta One
Atyukta Two
Madhya Three
Pratishtha Four
Supratishtha Five
Gayatri Six
Ushnik Seven
Anushtubh Eight
Bruhati Nine
Pankti Ten
Trishtubh Eleven
Jagati Twelve
Atijagati Thirteen
Shakvari Fourteen
Atishakvari Fifteen
Ashti Sixteen
Atyashti Seventeen
Dhruti Eighteen
Vidhruti (? Atidhruti) Nineteen
Kruti Twenty
Prakruti Twentyone
Akruti Twenty-two
Vikruti Twenty-three
Samkruti (? Samskruti) Twenty-four
Atikruti Twenty-five
Utkruti Twenty-six
14-15. These are the names of the different metres. By means of Prastara1 they may have many combinations. In the Prastara for each metre, first take one foot with all long syllables. Beneath the first long syllable put a short syllable. All the remaining syllables must be as they are above. In the next line do like-wise until all of them become short.
1. Prastara-A tabular representation of the long (Dirgha) and short (Laghu) syllables of a metre with all possible varieties.
16-20. (These verses form a group requiring arithmetical calculations. An explanatory translation with illustrations is necessary instead of a literal one. Here Prastara, Nashta, Uddishta, Ekadvyadi-la-ga-kriya, Sankhyāna and Adhva-yoga are the technical terms in Sk. Prosody.2 These are retained as the explanation of these terms will be more useful than their word to-word rendering.)
2. prastaro nashtam uddishtam eka-dvyadi-la-ga-kriyah|
Sankhyanam adhva-yogash cha shad ete pratyayah smrutah ||
-Vrutta-Ratnakara VI-I.
Prastara means "A representation or enumeration of all the possible combinations of certain given numbers or of short or long syllables in a metre". If a Prastara is Nashta (lost) and needs ascertainment of the 'lost' Vrutta, the procedure is called Nashta-prtayaya. The variety (Bheda) of Prastara is determined in the following way:
If the Nashta number be even, one should record a Laghu (v) for it. The number is to be halved and if it be still even, one is to record another Laghu (v) for it. If the Nashta number is odd (not divisible by 2), record a Guru (-) for it. Add one to that odd number and divide it half. If that number be uneven, record a Guru (-) for it. This should be continued till the number of syllables in that foot is completed. 3
3. For example: The 6th type of a four-syllabled (footed) metre will give us the arrangement of the syllables in its foot as follows:
Now the number 6 is even, so it is to be marked as Laghu (v). Its half: 6/2=3, an odd number and hence is to be marked as Guru (-). No. 3 being an odd number 1 is to be added and the total is to be divided by 2. It is3x1/3 = 2. This being an even number is to be noted as a Laghu (v). Further this 2/2=1 which is an odd number and should be marked as a Guru (-).
Thus this 6th variety of a four-syllabled metrical foot will be: Laghu Guru-Laghu-Guru as the arrangement of syllables per foot.
If the type or Bheda of a Prastara is known but not the number of its variety Uddishtanka), it is ascertained as follows: In the Uddishta, there are signs of Laghu and Guru (in a certain arrangement). One should write the number 1 over the head of the first syllable and go on doubling the numbers over the heads of the subsequent syllables. One should add number 1 to the number above the Laghu (v) syllable and that is the number of the Uddishta or variety of that Prastara. (For example: We want to know the number of a variety of a four-syllabled metre with the following distribution of Laghu Guru syllables in its metrical foot:
1 2 4 8
Guru Guru Guru Laghu/
As the number 8 is above the head of Laghu, we should add 1 to it. And 8+1=9 is the Uddishtanka of the variety of the metre.) The next two processes are a bit complicated. But briefly they are as follows:) Eka-dvyädi-la-ga-kriya is the method of ascertaining the complete number of Prastaras of a particular Chanda. It is called calculation or Sankhyana. We hereby know the number of Laghus and Gurus in a Prastara. Thus, in a Prastara of a metre with four-syllabled foot, there will be the following varieties:
No.
(1) All the four syllables Laghu ... 1
(2) One Guru + three Laghu syllables ... 4
(3) Two Gurus + Two Laghus ... 6
(4) Three Gurus + One Laghu ... 4
(5) All four Guru Syllables ... 1
Total: 16 Vruttas
Thus 16 is the total number of Prastaras according to the Sankhyāna.
This total can be arrived at by adding one to the Uddishtanka. As noted above the numbers of Uddishtas are: 1+2+4+8 = 15+1 = 16.
By deducting one from doubling the number of Prastara is also called Adhva by the wise people4
4. These last 5 verses of this Chapter of the NP. are the same as those in Kedara Bhatta's Vrutta Ratnakara. It appears that both NP. and Kedara Bhatta used a common source. For the interpretation of above verses, I have used the Comm. Vrutta-ratnakara-panchika on Vrutta Ratnakara by the Simhali scholar Shilaskandha Maha Sthavira (Nirnaya Sagar Edt., 1908).
21. O sage! I have lightly indicated to you the characteristics of Chandas Shastra (the Science of Prosody). The details of subtle varieties of Prastaras are infinite.
Summary of chapter 57 of the Nārada Mahā Purana is as follows:
Sanatkumāra expounded upon Kalpa, the Vedāṅga containing comprehensive ritual codes for conducting public and domestic sacrifices, serving as the hands of the Veda. The chapter categorizes Kalpa into Śrauta-sūtras, Gṛhya-sūtras, Dharma-sūtras, and Śulba-sūtras, establishing detailed procedures for altar construction, fire installation, and offering oblations. Sanatkumāra stressed that executing rituals according to the precise guidelines of Kalpa with selfless devotion transforms external karma into pure devotional service unto Bhagavān Nārāyaṇa.