Vedic Metres
वैदिकच्छन्दः
Seven primary Vedic meters: Gayatri, Trishtubh, Jagati, etc.
Shlokas (9)
+ Add ShlokaGayatri Meter — Why It Is Most Sacred
Chandas Shastra (Pingala) / Brihadaranyaka Upanishad · Chapter 1 · Verse 3
गायत्र्यां सर्वे देवाः प्रतिष्ठिताः। गायत्री सर्वासां छन्दसां माता। गायत्र्या गीयते ब्रह्म — इति प्राचीनाः॥
gāyatryāṃ sarve devāḥ pratiṣṭhitāḥ | gāyatrī sarvāsāṃ chandasāṃ mātā | gāyatryā gīyate brahma — iti prācīnāḥ ||
All the gods are established in/through the Gāyatrī meter. Gāyatrī is the mother of all meters. "Brahman is sung through Gāyatrī" — so say the ancient teachers. The Gāyatrī Mantra (RV 3.62.10 — Oṃ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ...) is in this meter and is considered the essence of all Vedic wisdom.
Gayatri — The Sacred Meter of 24 Syllables
Chandas Shastra (Pingala) · Chapter 2 · Verse 1
गायत्री चतुर्विंशतिः अक्षराणि — अष्टाष्टाष्ट पादत्रयम्। गायत्र्या गायते देवान् — इति गायत्री। ओं भूर्भुवः स्वः — तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यम् अस्यां गायत्रीछन्दसि॥
gāyatrī caturviṃśatiḥ akṣarāṇi — aṣṭāṣṭāṣṭa pādatrayam | gāyatryā gāyate devān — iti gāyatrī | oṃ bhūrbhuvaḥ svaḥ — tatsaviturvaṛeṇyam asyāṃ gāyatrīchandasī ||
Gāyatrī meter has 24 syllables arranged in three pādas (feet) of 8 syllables each. Named "Gāyatrī" because one sings (gāyate) the gods through it. The most sacred Vedic mantra — the Gāyatrī Mantra (RV 3.62.10) — is in this meter. Gāyatrī is associated with Agni and the morning prayer.
Ushnik — The Meter of 28 Syllables
Chandas Shastra (Pingala) · Chapter 2 · Verse 2
उष्णिगष्टाविंशतिः अक्षराणि। पादत्रयं — अष्ट-अष्ट-द्वादश। सूर्यस्य च देवतायाः छन्दः॥
uṣṇig aṣṭāviṃśatiḥ akṣarāṇi | pādatrayaṃ — aṣṭa-aṣṭa-dvādaśa | sūryasya ca devatāyāḥ chandaḥ ||
Uṣṇik meter has 28 syllables in three pādas of 8 + 8 + 12 syllables. It is associated with the Sun (Sūrya). Uṣṇik means "warm/hot" — it is the fiery meter, used in several solar hymns of the Rigveda. Less common than Gāyatrī or Triṣṭubh.
Anushtubh — The Universal Sanskrit Meter
Chandas Shastra (Pingala) · Chapter 2 · Verse 3
अनुष्टुप् द्वात्रिंशत् अक्षराणि — चतुष्पादम्। अष्टाष्टाष्टाष्ट पादचतुष्टयम्। श्लोकः अनुष्टुप् — महाभारतस्य, रामायणस्य छन्दः॥
anuṣṭup dvātriṃśat akṣarāṇi — catuṣpādam | aṣṭāṣṭāṣṭāṣṭa pādacatuṣṭayam | ślokaḥ anuṣṭup — mahābhāratatasya, rāmāyaṇasya chandaḥ ||
Anuṣṭubh has 32 syllables in four pādas of 8 each. In its classical form it is the Śloka — the universal meter of Sanskrit epic poetry. The entire Mahābhārata (100,000 ślokas) and Rāmāyaṇa (24,000 ślokas) are in Anuṣṭubh. The most commonly used Sanskrit meter in history.
Brihati — The Expansive Meter of 36 Syllables
Chandas Shastra (Pingala) · Chapter 2 · Verse 4
बृहती षट्त्रिंशत् अक्षराणि। अष्ट-अष्ट-द्वादश-अष्ट पादचतुष्टयम्। इन्द्रस्य बृहती छन्दः — बृहत्त्वाद् बृहती॥
bṛhatī ṣaṭtriṃśat akṣarāṇi | aṣṭa-aṣṭa-dvādaśa-aṣṭa pādacatuṣṭayam | indrasya bṛhatī chandaḥ — bṛhattvād bṛhatī ||
Bṛhatī has 36 syllables (8 + 8 + 12 + 8 in four pādas). It is called "Bṛhatī" meaning "the great/expansive one." It is associated with Indra and is used in hymns to Indra in the Rigveda. The expansive, powerful character of this meter suits the king of gods.
Pankti — The Fivefold Meter of 40 Syllables
Chandas Shastra (Pingala) · Chapter 2 · Verse 5
पंक्तिः चत्वारिंशत् अक्षराणि — पञ्चपादम्। अष्ट-अष्ट-अष्ट-अष्ट-अष्ट। पंक्तिः — पंचानाम् पंक्तिः — पञ्चपादत्वात्॥
paṃktiḥ catvāriṃśat akṣarāṇi — pañcapādam | aṣṭa-aṣṭa-aṣṭa-aṣṭa-aṣṭa | paṃktiḥ — pañcānāṃ paṃktiḥ — pañcapādatvāt ||
Paṅkti has 40 syllables in five pādas of 8 each. The name means "a line/row" — specifically, a row of five. It is associated with the Viśvedevās (All-Gods). This meter is unique in having five pādas rather than the usual four, giving it a distinctive structure.
Trishtubh — The Royal Meter of 44 Syllables
Chandas Shastra (Pingala) · Chapter 2 · Verse 6
त्रिष्टुप् चतुश्चत्वारिंशत् अक्षराणि। एकादश-एकादश-एकादश-एकादश — चतुष्पादम्। इन्द्रस्य त्रिष्टुप् — ऋग्वेदे बाहुल्येन दृश्यते॥
triṣṭup catuścatvāriṃśat akṣarāṇi | ekādaśa-ekādaśa-ekādaśa-ekādaśa — catuṣpādam | indrasya triṣṭup — ṛgvede bāhulyena dṛśyate ||
Triṣṭubh has 44 syllables in four pādas of 11 each. It is the second most common meter in the Rigveda (after Gāyatrī), especially in the Maṇḍalas dedicated to Indra. Its 11-syllable lines give it a stately, martial quality. The Puruṣasūkta (RV 10.90), one of the most important Vedic hymns, is in Triṣṭubh.
Jagati — The All-Pervading Meter of 48 Syllables
Chandas Shastra (Pingala) · Chapter 2 · Verse 7
जगती अष्टचत्वारिंशत् अक्षराणि। द्वादश-द्वादश-द्वादश-द्वादश — चतुष्पादम्। विश्वस्मिन् जगति वर्तत इति जगती॥
jagatī aṣṭacatvāriṃśat akṣarāṇi | dvādaśa-dvādaśa-dvādaśa-dvādaśa — catuṣpādam | viśvasmin jagati vartata iti jagatī ||
Jagatī has 48 syllables in four pādas of 12 each. Its name means "belonging to the world/universe" (jagat) — it is the great meter that pervades all creation. Associated with the Viśvedevās and Soma. The flowing, 12-syllable lines give Jagatī a grand, cosmic quality.
The Seven Primary Vedic Meters — Summary
Chandas Shastra (Pingala) · Chapter 2 · Verse 8
गायत्र्युष्णिगनुष्टुप् च बृहती पंक्तिरेव च। त्रिष्टुप् जगती सप्त — वैदिकानां छन्दसाम्। चतुर्विंशत्याद्याः — अष्टाधिका यथाक्रमम्॥
gāyatry uṣṇig anuṣṭup ca bṛhatī paṃktir eva ca | triṣṭup jagatī sapta — vaidikānāṃ chandasām | caturviṃśatyādyāḥ — aṣṭādhikā yathākramam ||
The seven primary Vedic meters in order: Gāyatrī (24), Uṣṇik (28), Anuṣṭubh (32), Bṛhatī (36), Paṅkti (40), Triṣṭubh (44), Jagatī (48). Each increases by 8 syllables. These seven are the canonical meters of the Vedas.