Chandah-shastra: The Vishama (Irregular) Meters

Verse 1 (garuda.1.211.1)

सूत उवाच । प्रथमोऽष्टाक्षरैः पादो द्वितीयो द्वादशाक्षरैः । तृतीयः षोडशार्णैश्च विंशद्वर्णैश्चतुर्थकः

sūta uvāca prathamo'ṣṭākṣaraiḥ pādo dvitīyo dvādaśākṣaraiḥ tṛtīyaḥ ṣoḍaśārṇaiśca viṁśadvarṇaiścaturthakaḥ

Suta said: The first pada may be of eight syllables, the second of twelve, the third of sixteen, and the fourth of twenty.

Verse 2 (garuda.1.211.2)

सामान्यलक्षणं पदचतुरूर्ध्वाभिरधस्य हि

sāmānyalakṣaṇaṁ padacaturūrdhvābhiradhasya hi

Rising in units of four beyond this, such is the general rule governing the pada's length below.

Verse 3 (garuda.1.211.3)

आपीडः सर्वलः प्रोक्तः पूर्वपादान्तगद्वयः

āpīḍaḥ sarvalaḥ proktaḥ pūrvapādāntagadvayaḥ

The 'Apida' meter is declared to consist entirely of light syllables, with two gurus at the end of the preceding pada.

Verse 4 (garuda.1.211.4)

द्वितीयेऽष्टाक्षरैः पादे कलिका प्रथमेर्ऽकजे । लवली स्यात्तृतीयेऽथ पूर्ववच्चाष्ट काक्षरे । प्रोक्ता चामृतधारेयं चतुरष्टाक्षरे सति

dvitīye'ṣṭākṣaraiḥ pāde kalikā prathamer'kaje lavalī syāttṛtīye'tha pūrvavaccāṣṭa kākṣare proktā cāmṛtadhāreyaṁ caturaṣṭākṣare sati

With the second eight-syllable pada joined to the first, 'Kalika' is formed; likewise in the third, with eight syllables as before, 'Lavali' is formed; and when the fourth too has eight syllables, this is called 'Amritadhara'.

Verse 5 (garuda.1.211.5)

सजौ सलौ च प्रथमे नसजा गो द्वितीयके । तृतीये भनभा गश्च चतुर्थे सजसा जगौ

sajau salau ca prathame nasajā go dvitīyake tṛtīye bhanabhā gaśca caturthe sajasā jagau

With sa-ja and sa-la in the first pada, na-sa-ja-guru in the second, bha-na-bha-guru in the third, and sa-ja-sa-ja-ga in the fourth,

Verse 6 (garuda.1.211.6)

पूर्ववत्स्यात्सौरभकं तृतीयेऽघ्रौ रनौ भगौ । ललितञ्चाद्गतावत्स्यातृतीयेंऽघ्रौ ननौ ससौ

pūrvavatsyātsaurabhakaṁ tṛtīye'ghrau ranau bhagau lalitañcādgatāvatsyātṛtīyeṁ'ghrau nanau sasau

'Saurabhaka' is formed as before, with ra-na and bha-ga in the third pada; and with na-na and sa-sa in the third pada, 'Lalita' is formed.

Verse 7 (garuda.1.211.7)

उपस्थितप्रचुपितं प्रथमेऽघ्रौ मसौ जभौ । गौ द्वितीये सनजरा गस्तृतीये ननौ च सः । नौ नजौ यश्चतुर्थे स्याच्छेष पादाश्च पूर्ववत्

upasthitapracupitaṁ prathame'ghrau masau jabhau gau dvitīye sanajarā gastṛtīye nanau ca saḥ nau najau yaścaturthe syāccheṣa pādāśca pūrvavat

In 'Upasthitapracupita,' the first pada has ma-sa and ja-bha, the second sa-na-ja-ra-guru, the third na-na and sa, the fourth na-na-ja-ya, the remaining padas as before.

Verse 8 (garuda.1.211.8)

तृतीर्येऽघ्रौ विशेषश्च वृत्तं स्यान्नौ सनौ नसौ

tṛtīrye'ghrau viśeṣaśca vṛttaṁ syānnau sanau nasau

With a variation in the third pada, this meter is formed with na, sa-na, na-sa.

Verse 9 (garuda.1.211.9)

आर्षभं तजराः पादे तृतीयेऽन्यच्च पूर्ववत् । पूर्ववत्प्रथमं शेषे तज्राः शुद्धविराड्भवेत्

ārṣabhaṁ tajarāḥ pāde tṛtīye'nyacca pūrvavat pūrvavatprathamaṁ śeṣe tajrāḥ śuddhavirāḍbhavet

'Arshabha' has ta-ja-ra in the pada, with the third differing and the rest as before; with the first as before and ta-ja-ra in the remainder, this becomes the pure Virat.

Verse 10 (garuda.1.211.10)

विषमाक्षरपादं वा पञ्चषट्कादि यावकम् । छन्दोऽत्र नोक्ता गाथेति दशधर्ंमादिवद्भवेत्

viṣamākṣarapādaṁ vā pañcaṣaṭkādi yāvakam chando'tra noktā gātheti daśadharṁmādivadbhavet

Or the pada may have unequal syllable-counts, growing freely from five, six, or more — here no fixed meter is declared; this is called 'Gatha,' which moves freely, like the Dashadharma and similar forms.