The Agni Purana
by N. Gangadharan | 1954 | 360,691 words | ISBN-10: 8120803590 | ISBN-13: 9788120803596
This page describes The tabular representation (prastara) which is chapter 335 of the English translation of the Agni Purana, one of the eighteen major puranas dealing with all topics concerning ancient Indian culture, tradition and sciences. Containing roughly 15,000 Sanskrit metrical verses, subjects contained in the Agni-Purana include cosmology, philosophy, architecture, iconography, economics, diplomacy, pilgrimage guides, ancient geography, gemology, ayurveda, etc.
Chapter 335 - The tabular representation (prastāra)
[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]
[Full title: The tabular representation of long and short vowels of different metres (prastāra)]
[Note: The Purāṇa summarises the first Sūtra and the concluding sūtras 24-34 of Piṅgala ch. VIII. The verses are very cryptic. Verses 3 and 4 have not been translated.]
Fire-god said:
1. That which has not been described in the treatises on metrics is known as Gāthā. All syllables in a quarter would be long. The next one is made one (mātrā) less and the rest the same as the previous.
2. If the mark in the middle of (the metre) to be known is equal, the first letter would be short. If it is unequal it is long. If should then be made as half unequal. If it is the reverse the first letter would be short. When two are desired one will be reduced.
[Sanskrit text only:]
3. saṅkhyādvirardhe rūpe tu śūnyaṃ śūnye dvirīritaṃ /
tāvadardhatadguṇitaṃ dvidvyūnañca tadantataḥ //
4. pare pūrṇaṃ pare pūrṇaṃ meruprastārato bhavet /
nagasaṃkhyā vṛttasaṃkhyā cādhvāṅgulamadhordhataḥ /
saṅkhyaiva dviguṇaikonā chandaḥsāro 'yamīritaḥ //