Listen, O seekers, to the venerable Sūta as he expounds the wondrous science of poetic meters, their forms and measures, as taught in the ancient tradition. He begins by describing the excellence of the fourteen-syllable meter, adorned with the lunar digit and its companions. Alongside it, the rasagraha, sraksrā, and vasuśaila meters are praised for their beauty and structure. The mālinī meter arises from the maṇiguṇa group, and so too does the nanamā; vasusvara, najau, bhajrā, and prabhadraka are all esteemed in the same way. Elā, sayau, and nanau, when joined with the eight citralekhā notes, are celebrated. Marau and mayau, when composed in this manner, are known as the śarkarī meter. From the svarā, meters such as khaṃ, vṛṣabha, gaja, and jṛmbhita emerge, as well as bhrananā and nagau; najabhajarā, vāṇinī, and gaḥ together proclaim the piṅgala meter with its eightfold form. Rasarudra gives rise to the śikhariṇī meter, while yamau and nasabhalā are the gurus of this tradition. The vasugrayati meter is called pṛthvī, and jasau and jasayalā are also recognized as gurus. The vaṃśapatra meter, with its ten notes, is known for its falling cadence, while bhraunnabhā is counted as light. The six vedāśva, the hariṇī meter, nasamā, and rasalā are also esteemed as gurus. The mandākrānta meter, with its six nagas, mabhanā, and tatagā, is honored as a guru; the nardaṭaka, najabhajā, jalau, and go are also acknowledged as meters. The saptartva, kokila, and kamatyaṣṭi meters follow as before, and with bhūtartva and aśva, the kusumitalatā, mtau, nyau, and yayau compose the dhṛti meter. Rasartva and aśva, along with yamau, nsau, and rau, give rise to the powerful meghavisphūrjita meter, and ragau to the śārdūlavikrīḍita, accompanied by maḥ, sūryaśva, sajsatā, and stagau. The atidhṛti meter is thus declared, followed by kṛti; with seven aśva and rtu, the suvadanā, bhrau, manau, and yabhalā are recognized as gurus. The vṛtta meter, with rajau in its foot, along with rajau, go, and laḥ, is called kṛti. With three sevens, the snagdharā, prakṛti, and mnabhanaistriyaiḥ are established. With digarka, the bhadraka meter is formed; bhrau, nrau, naranā, and go follow its form. Najau, bhaśvāśva, lalita, jabhau, and jabhalagā are all recognized as meters. Mattākrīḍa, with eight bāṇa and ten, mau, tanau, and nanau, along with nalau and guru, form the vikṛti meter; the chinnā is known as saṃkṛti. With five aśva and arka, bhatau, tanvī, nasabhā, and bhanayā, the gaṇas are composed, and the krauñca feet, bāṇa, śara, vasuśaila, bhamau, and sabhau complete the structure. Nau, nau, and go together declare the atikṛti meter, and the meter called utkṛti is revealed. With vasvī, īśa, aśva, and mamatanaiḥ, the bhujaṅgavijṛmbhita meter is formed. With nanaras and laghu, the apavāhākhyaka meter is crafted; with six guha and rasa, bāṇa, monāḥ, and six sagagā, the gaṇas are established. The caṇḍa meter, prapāta, daṇḍaka, nau, and then agara are listed, followed by raphe, vṛddhānta, and others such as vyāla and jīmūta. Thus, a multitude of meters is revealed. Sūta continues, explaining the subtleties of meter construction. If sasasalagā is found in an uneven foot, it is called upacitraka; in an even foot, bhau and bhagagā are known as drutamadhyā, as are bhabhau and bhagau. In an uneven foot, gaḥ is found, while elsewhere najau, jyau, and gaṇau are remembered. Gaḥ in an uneven meter is swift; in an even meter, bhau, bho, gagau, and gaṇāḥ are noted. In an uneven foot, tajau, ro, and gaḥ appear; in an even meter, masau, jagau, and garuḥ are used. The bhadravirāṭketumatī, in an uneven meter, is called sajau. Sagau in an even meter, bhrau, nagagā, and ākhyānakī are listed, followed by tau, jo, and gagau in an uneven meter. In an even foot, pāde, jatajā, and two guruka are found. The viparītākhyānaka appears in an uneven meter as jas, tajau, and gagau; tatau and jagau in an even meter. Gaḥ is cited by Piṅgala. In a foot, and also in an uneven meter, puṣpitāgrā, nanau, and rayau are found; in an even meter, najau, jarau, and gaḥ—this is called vaitālīya. Another meter is called aparavaktra and aupacchandasika. Vāṅmatī is known as rajarā; in the pair of feet, jarajā and ragau are used. Sūta further explains the arrangement of syllables in the four-footed meters: the first foot contains eight syllables, the second twelve, the third sixteen, and the fourth twenty. The meter called āpīḍa, or sarvala, consists of two lines ending with the earlier feet. In the second foot, the kalikā has eight syllables; in the first, arkaja; in the third, lavalī, and as before, eight syllables. When all four have eight syllables, it is called amṛtadhārā. Concluding the section on four-footed meters, Sūta lists the patterns: in the first, sajau and salau; in the second, nasajā and go; in the third, bhanabhā and gaḥ; in the fourth, sajasā and jagau. As before, saurabhaka appears; in the third, ghrau, ranau, and bhagau. Lalita is as in adgata; in the third, ghrau, nanau, and sasau. Thus ends the section on udgata. Upasthita and pracupita are described: in the first, ghrau, masau, and jabhau; in the second, gau; in the third, sanajarā, gaḥ, and nanau; in the fourth, nau, najau, and the rest of the feet as before. In the third, ghrau is special; the meter is nau, sanau, and nasau. Ārṣabha has tajarāḥ in the foot; in the third, as before. In the rest, the first as before; tajarāḥ is called śuddhavirāṭ. With this, the section on upasthita and pracupita concludes. Sūta notes that a foot with an uneven number of syllables, from five or six onwards, is not called a meter here; it is like the daśadharmā and others in the gāthā form. Turning to the arrangement of syllables, Sūta teaches: In the prastāra, the first is go, then laḥ, then paratulyo, then pūrvagaḥ. If the middle is lost, in an even number, laḥ is used; in half of an even, in an uneven, guruḥ is chosen. The reverse order is called pratilomaguṇa, beginning with laḥ, stated twice, and ending with eka. The number, in half, is as the form; in zero, twice is stated. So much in half, multiplied by that; twice minus two at the end. On both sides, fullness is declared, and Meru would be laid out in a spread. The count of small and round, at first the finger and then vertically; by the same count, doubled and made single, this is the essence of meter as declared. Having thus explained the intricacies of meter, Sūta tells how, having heard of Hari, Brahmā spoke as he had to Vyāsa and Śaunaka. He declared: the conduct of Brahmins and others, I will tell you all as it truly is. Having understood the Vedas and the Smṛtis, one should perform the Vedic rites; if the Vedic rite is not prescribed, then one should perform the Smārta rite. Thus, the tradition of meters, their forms and measures, and the conduct of the wise are revealed for the benefit of all who seek to walk the path of dharma and poetic art.