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Mantra Recitation - Part - 5

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Ramanbil • September 15, 1998 


Mantra Recitation -  5
Anbil Ramaswamy
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In this context, the role of meter (Chandas) is considered to be very
important. Though there are a number. of other meters, the more important are
:
1.GAYATRI	:      3 Padas of 8 Syllables or 16 Syllables in Ist line + 8 in
second line          
					      3 x 8 = 24 or 16 + 8 = 24
2.USHNIK  	:	4 Padas of 7 Syllables 4 x 7 = 28
3.ANUSHTUP	4 Padas of 8 Syllables 4 x 8 = 32
                                  or 2 lines of 16   2 x 16=32
4.BRIHATI	:	 4 Padas of 9 Syllables 4 x 9 = 36
5.PANKTI	:	 5 Padas of 8 Syllables 5 x 8 = 40
6.TRUSHTUP	4 Padas of 11 Syllables 4x11 = 44
7.JAGATI	    4 Padas of 12 Syllables 4 x 12 = 48.

We give below the names of some meters used in `Slokas' though over 100
different meters with fanciful names have been employed by writers 
8.  ARYA (The Lady)
9.  DANDAKAM (Staff )
10. DRUTA VILAMBITAM (Fast and slow)
11. DRUTIH CHANDAH (Steady rhyming)
12. HARINI (the doe)
13 INDRAVAMSA (Indra's lineage)
14. INDRA VAJRA (Indra's thunderbolt)
15. MALINI (the girl wearing a garland)
16..MANDAKRANTA (the slow stepper)
17. MANJU BASHINI (Sweet talking )
18. NATKUDAKAM (Curved one )
19. OUPA CHANDASIKAM (Auxiliary prosody )
20. PRITHIVI (the earth)
21. PUSHPITAGRA(Blossoming on top )
22. RATODDATTA (raised in the chariot )
23. SALINEE (bountiful )
24. SARDULA VIKRIDITHA (the sport of the tiger)
25..SIKHARINI (the supreme lady)
26..SRAGDARA (the girl with a garland)
27  SUTALA (the nether world of that name)
28.UPAJATI (Sub caste)
29.UPENDRA VAJRA (Secondary INDRAVAJRA)
30.VAITALEEYAM (pertaining to ghost )
31.VAMSASTHA (belonging to a lineage)
32.VASANTA TILAKA (the ornament of spring)                               
33.VIRAJ (Universality)
(To Continue)
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