Shloka — The Classical Anushtubh Form Defined
Chandas Shastra (Pingala) · 3 · Verse 1
chhandashlokaanushtubhepic-meterclassical-meterdefinition
Sanskrit Original
श्लोके षष्ठं गुरु ज्ञेयं सर्वत्र लघु पञ्चमम्। द्विचतुष्पादयोर्ह्रस्वं सप्तमं दीर्घमन्ययोः॥
śloke ṣaṣṭhaṃ guru jñeyaṃ sarvatra laghu pañcamam | dvicatuṣpādayor hrasvaṃ saptamaṃ dīrgham anyayoḥ ||
🤖 AI GeneratedAI Generated
In the Śloka (classical Anuṣṭubh): the sixth syllable in every pāda is always Guru (heavy); the fifth is always Laghu (light). In the even-numbered pādas (2nd and 4th), the seventh syllable is Laghu; in the odd pādas (1st and 3rd), it is Guru. This rule precisely defines the Śloka — the meter of the epics.