Mandakranta — The Slow-Moving Classical Meter
Chandas Shastra (Pingala) · 4 · Verse 5
chhandamandakrantameghadutakalidasaclassical-meterlyric
Sanskrit Original
मन्दाक्रान्तां सुखगमिनीं मेघदूतस्य धारणाम्। म-भ-न-त-त-ग-ग — एकादशाक्षरः पादः। कालिदासस्य प्रिया छन्दः॥
mandākrāntāṃ sukhagaminīṃ meghadūtasya dhāraṇām | ma-bha-na-ta-ta-ga-ga — ekādaśākṣaraḥ pādaḥ | kālidāsasya priyā chandaḥ ||
🤖 AI GeneratedAI Generated
Mandākrāntā is a classical Sanskrit meter of 17 syllables per pāda (4×17 = 68 syllables per verse). Pattern: m-bha-n-ta-ta-g-g (– – –, – ∪ –, ∪ ∪ ∪, – – ∪, – – ∪, –, –). Kālidāsa's Meghadūta (Cloud Messenger) is entirely in this meter. The name means "slow-stepping" — the meter has a stately, lamenting quality.