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#न-गण

#न-गण

Now let us see the definition of these gana-s. They are explained in all the treatises on Chandas-shastra, but we shall see a simple definition given in Chandomanjari which is as follows:<ref>Chandomañjarī, Gangadasa, ed. Brahmananda Tripathi, Chaukhambha Surbharati Prakashan, Varanasi</ref><blockquote>

Now let us see the definition of these gana-s. They are explained in all the treatises on Chandas-shastra, but we shall see a simple definition given in Chandomanjari which is as follows:<ref name=":1">Chandomañjarī, Gangadasa, ed. Brahmananda Tripathi, Chaukhambha Surbharati Prakashan, Varanasi</ref><blockquote>

  मस्त्रिगुरुस्त्रिलघुश्च नकारो भादिगुरुः पुनरादिलघुर्यः | जो गुरुमध्यगतो र लमध्यः सोऽन्तगुरुः कथितोऽन्तलघुस्तः ||

  मस्त्रिगुरुस्त्रिलघुश्च नकारो भादिगुरुः पुनरादिलघुर्यः | जो गुरुमध्यगतो र लमध्यः सोऽन्तगुरुः कथितोऽन्तलघुस्तः ||

# न-गण - laghu-laghu-laghu  ‿ ‿ ‿

# न-गण - laghu-laghu-laghu  ‿ ‿ ‿

===उदाहरणानि || Examples of Akshara-gana-vrtta-s===

==उदाहरणानि || Examples of Akshara-gana-vrtta-s==

* After understanding these gana-s, let us see an example of an Akshara-gana-vrtta called '''Indravajrā''' which is defined as –

* After understanding these gana-s, let us see an example of an Akshara-gana-vrtta called '''Indravajrā''' which is defined as –

<blockquote>‘स्यादिन्द्रवज्रा यदि तौ जगौ गः’ '''|'''{{Citation needed}} ‘syādindravajrā yadi tau jagau gaḥ'</blockquote>Meaning: It is Indravajrā meter if there are two Ta gana-s, followed by a Ja and two guru syllables.

<blockquote>‘स्यादिन्द्रवज्रा यदि तौ जगौ गः’ '''|'''<ref>Vr̥ttaratnākara, Kedāra Bhaṭṭa</ref> ‘syādindravajrā yadi tau jagau gaḥ'</blockquote>Meaning: It is Indravajrā meter if there are two Ta gana-s, followed by a Ja and two guru syllables.

So the laghu-guru sequence of this metre is as follows:

So the laghu-guru sequence of this metre is as follows:

* Another illustration is of a similar meter called 'Upendravajrā' which is just the same as Indravajrā, only that its first letter is short. The same is told in its definition,

* Another illustration is of a similar meter called 'Upendravajrā' which is just the same as Indravajrā, only that its first letter is short. The same is told in its definition,

<blockquote>उपेन्द्रवज्रा प्रथमे लघौ सा '''|'''{{Citation needed}} upendravajrā prathame laghau sā</blockquote>

<blockquote>उपेन्द्रवज्रा प्रथमे लघौ सा '''|'''<ref name=":1" /> upendravajrā prathame laghau sā</blockquote>

Again we have a popular verse from devotional poetry as the example of Upendavajra - <blockquote>त्वमेव माता च पिता त्वमेव त्वमेव बन्धुश्च सखा त्वमेव | त्वमेव विद्या द्रविणं त्वमेव त्वमेव सर्वं मम देवदेव ||</blockquote>

Again we have a popular verse from devotional poetry as the example of Upendavajra - <blockquote>त्वमेव माता च पिता त्वमेव त्वमेव बन्धुश्च सखा त्वमेव | त्वमेव विद्या द्रविणं त्वमेव त्वमेव सर्वं मम देवदेव ||</blockquote>

* A popular meter in Sanskrit poetry in Shardulavikridita. Its definition is -  

* A popular meter in Sanskrit poetry in Shardulavikridita. Its definition is -  

<blockquote>सूर्याश्वं यदि मः सजौ सततगाः शार्दूलविक्रीडितम् |{{Citation needed}} sūryāśvaṁ yadi maḥ sajau satatagāḥ śārdūlavikrīḍitam |</blockquote>The order of the gana-s is Ma, Sa, Ja, Sa, Ta, Ta followed by a guru. This is a long meter consisting of 19 syllables. An example of the same is a verse speaking about the importance of [[Bhagavad Gita (भगवद्गीता)|Bhagavad Gita]] -<blockquote>पार्थाय प्रतिबोधितां भगवता नारायणेन स्वयं व्यासेन ग्रथितां पुराणमुनिना मध्येमहाभारतम् |

<blockquote>सूर्याश्वैर्यदि मः सजौ सततगाः शार्दूलविक्रीडितम् |<ref name=":1" /> sūryāśvair yadi maḥ sajau satatagāḥ śārdūlavikrīḍitam |</blockquote>The order of the gana-s is Ma, Sa, Ja, Sa, Ta, Ta followed by a guru. This is a long meter consisting of 19 syllables. An example of the same is a verse speaking about the importance of [[Bhagavad Gita (भगवद्गीता)|Bhagavad Gita]] -<blockquote>पार्थाय प्रतिबोधितां भगवता नारायणेन स्वयं व्यासेन ग्रथितां पुराणमुनिना मध्येमहाभारतम् |

अद्वैतामृतवर्षिणीं भगवतीमष्टादशाध्यायिनीम् अम्ब त्वामनुसन्दधामि भगवद्गीते भवद्वेषिणीम् ||</blockquote>

अद्वैतामृतवर्षिणीं भगवतीमष्टादशाध्यायिनीम् अम्ब त्वामनुसन्दधामि भगवद्गीते भवद्वेषिणीम् ||</blockquote>

* Another meter which is popularly used in devotional verses, which is also useful for singing, is Bhujanga-prayāta meter. Its definition is  

* Another meter which is popularly used in devotional verses, which is also useful for singing, is Bhujanga-prayāta meter. Its definition is  

<blockquote>भुजङ्गप्रयातं चतुर्भिर्यकारैः |{{Citation needed}} bhujaṅgaprayātaṁ caturbhiryakāraiḥ |</blockquote>Four Ya gana-s form this meter containing 12 syllables. An example for the same is from [[Adi Shankaracharya (आदिशङ्कराचार्यः)|Shankaracharya]]'s Veda-sāra Shiva-stava -<blockquote>पशूनां पतिं पापनाशं परेशं गजेन्द्रस्य कृत्तिं वसानं वरेण्यम् ।

<blockquote>भुजङ्गप्रयातं चतुर्भिर्यकारैः |<ref name=":1" /> bhujaṅgaprayātaṁ caturbhiryakāraiḥ |</blockquote>Four Ya gana-s form this meter containing 12 syllables. An example for the same is from [[Adi Shankaracharya (आदिशङ्कराचार्यः)|Shankaracharya]]'s Veda-sāra Shiva-stava -<blockquote>पशूनां पतिं पापनाशं परेशं गजेन्द्रस्य कृत्तिं वसानं वरेण्यम् ।

जटाजूटमध्ये स्फुरद्गाङ्गवारिं महादेवमेकं स्मरामि स्मरारिम् ॥</blockquote>

जटाजूटमध्ये स्फुरद्गाङ्गवारिं महादेवमेकं स्मरामि स्मरारिम् ॥</blockquote>

== मात्रावृत्तम् || The meters based on mātra-s ==

== मात्रावृत्तम् || ==

The meters based on mātra-s ==

Mātrā-vrtta-s are those meters which are governed by the number of mātrā-s in each pāda. For example, a mātrā-vrtta can have 16 mātrā-s in a pāda and in order to fulfil the required mātrā-s, any combinations of laghu and guru syllables can be used by the poet. Laghu consists of 1 mātrā and guru consists of 2 mātrā-s. Thus, 16 laghu-s or 8 guru-s can complete 16 mātrā-s, or a combination of 6 laghu-s and 5 guru-s can do the same.

Mātrā-vrtta-s are those meters which are governed by the number of mātrā-s in each pāda. For example, a mātrā-vrtta can have 16 mātrā-s in a pāda and in order to fulfil the required mātrā-s, any combinations of laghu and guru syllables can be used by the poet. Laghu consists of 1 mātrā and guru consists of 2 mātrā-s. Thus, 16 laghu-s or 8 guru-s can complete 16 mātrā-s, or a combination of 6 laghu-s and 5 guru-s can do the same.

Āryā is an important mātrā-vrtta. Its definition is given as follows:<blockquote>यस्याः प्रथमे पादे द्वादश मात्रास्तथा तृतीयेऽपि | अष्टादश द्वितीये चतुर्थके पञ्चदश सार्या ||{{Citation needed}}

Āryā is an important mātrā-vrtta. Its definition is given as follows:<blockquote>यस्याः प्रथमे पादे द्वादश मात्रास्तथा तृतीयेऽपि | अष्टादश द्वितीये चतुर्थके पञ्चदश सार्या ||<ref>Śrutabodha, Nirnaysagar press, 1939</ref>

yasyāḥ prathame pāde dvādaśa mātrāstathā tr̥tīye'pi | aṣṭādaśa dvitīye caturthake pañcadaśa sāryā ||</blockquote>Meaning: If there are 12 mātrā-s in the first and third quarter, 18 in the second and 15 in the fourth quarter, then it is Āryā metre.

yasyāḥ prathame pāde dvādaśa mātrāstathā tr̥tīye'pi | aṣṭādaśa dvitīye caturthake pañcadaśa sāryā ||</blockquote>Meaning: If there are 12 mātrā-s in the first and third quarter, 18 in the second and 15 in the fourth quarter, then it is Āryā metre.

== यतिनियमाः || Rules for Yati (Pause) ==

== यतिनियमाः || Rules for Yati (Pause) ==

While talking, conversing or singing, a human being, naturally has to pause for breath, for several times. We cannot recite long strings of verses without pausing for breath. Therefore, the Chandas-shastra has decided certain specific places in the verses, where a reader is supposed to halt for a second and then proceed ahead. These places are called as 'Yati'. Chandas-shastra is very strict about the rules of Yati, and the poet as well as reader has to follow the specifications of Yati, very sincerely. Let us see, for example, the meter seen before, Shardutavikridita. <blockquote>सूर्याश्वं यदि मः सजौ सततगाः शार्दूलविक्रीडितम् |{{Citation needed}} - this is the defintion of the meter. </blockquote>Let us focus on the first part 'सूर्याश्वं'. This is a reference to the places of Yati in this meter. Surya or sun refers to number 12, and ashva or horse refers to number 7. Thus, this meter with 19 syllables will have its first Yati after the 12th syllable, and the next Yati after 7 syllables counting from the 12th syllable, i.e., after the 19th syllable. It is a rule that there has to be a pause after each and every pāda. Thus, shardulavikridita has one Yati within its pāda, and the second one is at the end of the pāda. Smaller meters like Indravajrā and Upendravajrā do not have any Yati.

While talking, conversing or singing, a human being, naturally has to pause for breath, for several times. We cannot recite long strings of verses without pausing for breath. Therefore, the Chandas-shastra has decided certain specific places in the verses, where a reader is supposed to halt for a second and then proceed ahead. These places are called as 'Yati'. Chandas-shastra is very strict about the rules of Yati, and the poet as well as reader has to follow the specifications of Yati, very sincerely. Let us see, for example, the meter seen before, Shardutavikridita. <blockquote>सूर्याश्वैर्यदि मः सजौ सततगाः शार्दूलविक्रीडितम् |<ref name=":1" /> - this is the defintion of the meter. </blockquote>Let us focus on the first part 'सूर्याश्व'. This is a reference to the places of Yati in this meter. Surya or sun refers to number 12, and ashva or horse refers to number 7. Thus, this meter with 19 syllables will have its first Yati after the 12th syllable, and the next Yati after 7 syllables counting from the 12th syllable, i.e., after the 19th syllable. It is a rule that there has to be a pause after each and every pāda. Thus, shardulavikridita has one Yati within its pāda, and the second one is at the end of the pāda. Smaller meters like Indravajrā and Upendravajrā do not have any Yati.

Why is this Yati or pause so important? This is because, there are certain rules regarding Yati to be followed by poets while composing poetry. There should not be a cut in the middle of a compound in the place of Yati. Some sandhi-s are also prohibited in Yati-sthāna-s so as to make the pause sound natural. The Yati-s are designed in such a way that they allude to the tune of the meter and give a natural place for halting.

Why is this Yati or pause so important? This is because, there are certain rules regarding Yati to be followed by poets while composing poetry. There should not be a cut in the middle of a compound in the place of Yati. Some sandhi-s are also prohibited in Yati-sthāna-s so as to make the pause sound natural. The Yati-s are designed in such a way that they allude to the tune of the meter and give a natural place for halting.