Chhandas of Mantras

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Namaste,

 

The subject of Chhandas (One of the Six Vedanga) or

Metre of a mantra is well known. In studying Chhandas

as a vedanga, scholars generally study the text

'Pingala Chhandasutra' which is the only known

authority on the subject. Of course, the respective

praatishakyas of each veda deals with Chhandas, but

then the same is not treated as a separate subject and

in that sense is not exhaustive.

 

I was revising some portions of the Pingala

Chhandasutras when suddenly it occurred to me that

some of the chhandas being used by us were not really

right. Example, Mahaganapathi or Mahashodashi mantra

has 28 letters and people say it is gayathri chhandas

(24 letters) and some even say nichrud gayathri

chhandas. Of course, a lot of tantra granthas

complement this too!

 

The Pingala Chhandasutra mentions:

 

"Oonadhikena NichudBhoorijou"

 

(Pardon me for my ignorance of Itrans and modern

methodologies)

 

Meaning if a mantra has less syllables than that

required in a particular chhandas it is nichrud and if

it has more syllables it is Bhoorich. A classic

example is that of gayathri mantra, which has 23

letters originally and is yet gayathri chhandas.

Tradition dictates that this be mentioned as Nichrud

Gayathri and not Gayathri alone. Similarly, any mantra

containing more syllables than permitted in the

chhandas will be Bhoorich. Example, the 28 lettered

ganapathi mantra or maha shodashi for that matter is

in Bhoorich gayathri chhandas and not in gayathri or

nichrud gayathri as practised, professed and published

in texts.

 

This anomaly is widely rampant and I have attempted to

correct my own practises with the above. In the event

the learned members of this group disagree on the same

and have sufficient pramana for existing practises, I

shall be obliged and grateful to hear from them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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