मिश्रा इति समाख्याताः प्रभावादृषितां गाताः
They are called 'Miśrā' because they were composed through the power of the sages.
भूतभव्यभवज्ज्ञान जन्मदुःखचिकित्सनम्
Knowledge of past, present, and future, and the remedy for the suffering of birth.
धर्मशास्त्रप्रणेतारो महिम्ना सर्वगाश्च वै
The authors of the treatises on dharma, by their greatness, are indeed present everywhere.
बृहस्पतिश्च शुक्रश्च व्यासः सारस्वतस्तथा
Bṛhaspati, Śukra, Vyāsa, and Sarasvata likewise.
यस्मादवारजाः संतः पूर्वेभ्यो मेधयाधिकाः
Because those born later, possessing greater intelligence, surpass those who came before.
यस्मिन्कालो न चं वयः प्रमाणमृषिभावने
In that era, age is not the measure for considering someone a sage.
यस्माद्बुद्ध्या च वर्षीयान्बलो ऽपि श्रुतवानृषिः
Because, even if younger in years, a sage is recognized by wisdom and strength of learning.
विनियुक्तावसानां तु तामृचं परिचक्षते
That which is assigned a definite ending is called 'Ṛc' by the learned.
अतियुक्तावसानं च तद्यजुर्वै प्रचक्षते
That which has an excessive ending is declared to be Yajus.
पञ्चमः प्रतिहोत्रश्च षष्ठमाहुरुपद्रवम्
The fifth is called 'Pratihotra,' and the sixth is known as 'Upadrava.'
पञ्चविन्ध्य इति प्रोक्तं ह्रीङ्कारः प्रणवादृते
It is called 'Pañcavindhya,' the syllable 'Hrīṃ,' except for the sacred syllable 'Praṇava.'
आशास्तिस्तु प्रसंख्याता विलापः परिदेवना
Desires are enumerated, as are lamentation and grieving.
एतत्तु सर्वविद्यानां विहितं मन्त्रलक्षणम्
This is the prescribed characteristic of mantras for all branches of knowledge.
मूर्तिर्निन्दा प्रशंसा चाक्रोशस्तोषस्तथैव च
Form, censure, praise, abuse, and satisfaction likewise.
मन्त्रभेदांश्च वक्ष्यामि चतुर्विशतिलक्षणान्
I shall describe the twenty-four characteristics of the divisions of mantras.
अभिशापो विशापश्च प्रश्नः प्रतिवचस्तथा
Imprecation, counter-imprecation, question, and reply likewise.
वियोगा ह्यभियोगाश्च कथा संस्था वरश्च वै
Separation, accusation, narrative, conclusion, and choice as well.
विलापश्चेति मन्त्राणां चतुर्विंशतिरुद्धृताः
Lamentation—thus, twenty-four types of mantras are enumerated.
हेतु र्निर्वचनं निन्दा प्रशस्तिः संशयो निधिः
Reason, definition, censure, praise, doubt, and treasury—
उपमा च दशैते वै विधयो ब्राह्मणस्य तु
And simile—these ten are indeed the methods of the Brāhmaṇa.
हेतुर्हन्तेः स्मृतो धातोर्यन्निहन्त्युदितं परैः
Reason is said to be from the root 'han' (to strike), that which is declared by others as refuting.
तथा निर्वचनं ब्रूयाद्वाक्यार्थस्यावधारणम्
Likewise, definition is to be spoken as the determination of the meaning of a statement.
प्रपूर्वाच्छंसतेर्धातोः प्रशंसागुणवत्तया
From the root 'śaṃs' with the prefix 'pra', praise is the declaration of virtue.
इदमेवं विधातव्यमित्ययं विधिरुच्यते
This, indeed, is to be done in this way—such is called an injunction.
यो ह्यत्यन्तपरोक्षार्थः स पुराकल्प उच्यते
That which is an extremely remote meaning is called a 'purākalpa' (ancient ordinance).
मन्त्रब्राह्मणकल्पैश्च निगमैः शुद्धविस्तरैः
By means of mantras, Brāhmaṇas, Kalpas, and the pure, extensive Nigamas—
यथा हीदं तथा तद्वै इदं चैव तथैव तत्
Just as this is so, so is that; and just as that, so is this.
इत्येतद्ब्रह्मणस्यादौ विहितं रक्षणं बुधैः
Thus, at the beginning, the protection of the Brāhmaṇa was established by the wise.
मन्त्राणां कल्पना चैव विधिदृष्टिषु कर्मसु
And the arrangement of mantras as well, in actions seen as prescribed.
अस्तोभमनवद्यं च सूत्रं सूत्रविदो विदुः
A sūtra that is without redundancy and fault is known as such by those versed in sūtras.