त्रिरेखा यस्य दृश्यते सिद्धिं तत्र विनिर्दिशेत्
Where three lines are seen, there one should declare success.
पर्वान्तरं सामसु च ऋक्षु कुर्यात्तिलान्तरम्
At the end of a section, and in Sāman and Ṛk verses, one should make a sesame-seed-sized gap.
न चात्र कंपयेत्किञ्चिदङ्गस्यावयवं बुधः
And here, the wise should not shake any part or limb of the body.
अभ्रमध्ये यथा विद्युदृश्यते मणिसूत्रवत्
As lightning appears in the midst of clouds, like a string of jewels—
कूर्मो ऽगानि च संहृत्य चेतोदृष्टिं दिशन्मनः
Withdrawing the limbs like a tortoise, one should direct the mind and gaze with intent.
नासिकायास्तु पूर्वेण हस्तं गोकर्णवद्धरेत्
Holding the hand before the nose, one should keep it like a cow’s ear.
सम्यक्प्रचारयेद्वाक्यं हस्तेन च मुखेन च
One should articulate the words properly, both with the hand and with the mouth.
नात्याहन्यान्न निर्हण्यान्न प्रगायेन्न कंपयेत्
One should neither speak too loudly nor too softly, nor sing, nor shake.
यथा सुचरतां मार्गो मीनानां नोपलभ्यते
Just as the path of fish moving well is not perceived—
यथा दधिनि सर्पिः स्यात्काष्टस्थो वा यथानलः
Just as ghee is in curds, or as fire is in wood—
स्वरात्स्वरस्य संक्रामंस्वरसंधिमनुल्बणम्
The transition from one note to another should be smooth at the junction of notes.
अनागतमतिक्रान्तं विच्छिन्नं विषमाहतम्
A note that is not yet sounded, that is passed over, that is broken, or that is struck unevenly—
स्वरः स्थानाच्च्युतो यस्तु स्वं स्थानमतिवर्तते
A note that departs from its place or exceeds its own position—
अभ्यासार्थे द्रुतां वृत्तिं प्रयोगार्थे तु मध्यमाम्
For practice, a fast style; for performance, a moderate one.
गृहीतग्रन्थ एवं तु ग्रन्थोञ्चारणशैक्षकान्
Thus, the text that is learned should be recited by those who are students of recitation.
क्रुष्टस्य मूर्द्धनि स्थानं ललाटे प्रथमस्य तु
The place of the high note is on the crown of the head; for the first note, it is on the forehead.
कण्ठस्थानं चतुर्थस्य मन्द्रस्य रसनोच्यते
The place of the fourth note in the lower register is said to be the tongue.
अङ्गुष्टस्योत्तमे व्रुष्टो ह्यङ्गुष्टं प्रथमः स्वरः
When the thumb is at its highest, the thumb produces the first note.
अनामिकायां षङ्गस्तु कनिष्टायां तु धैवतः
The sixth note is on the ring finger, and the seventh, Dhaivata, is on the little finger.
अपर्वत्वादमध्यत्वा दव्ययत्वाञ्च नित्यशः
Absence of intervals, being in the middle, and being always variable are constant.
क्रुष्टेन देवा जीवन्ति प्रथमेन तु मानुषाः
The gods live by the highest note, while humans by the first note.
अन्धजाः पितरश्चैव चतुर्थस्वरजीविनः
The blind-born and the ancestors live by the fourth note.
अतिस्वरेण नीचेन जगत्स्थावरजङ्गमाः
With an excessively low note, all stationary and moving beings exist.
दीप्तायताकरुणानां मृदुमध्यमयोस्तथा
Of those that are bright, extended, and compassionate, so too are the soft and medium ones.
दीप्ता मन्द्रे द्वितीय च प्रचतुर्थे तथैव च
Brightness is in the lower register, the second, and likewise in the fourth.
श्रुतयो या द्वितीयस्य मृदुमध्यायताः स्मृताः
The intervals of the second note are remembered as soft, medium, and extended.
आयतात्वं भवेन्नीचे मृदुता तु विपर्यये
Extension occurs in the low note, while softness is in the opposite.
द्वितीये विरता या तु क्रुष्टश्च परतो भवेत्
Those that are restrained in the second, and the highest follows thereafter.
अत्रैव विरता या तु चतुर्थेन प्रवर्तते
Here, those that are restrained proceed with the fourth note.
नातितारश्रुतिं कुर्यात्स्वरयोर्नापि चान्तरे
One should not produce an excessively high interval, nor between the notes.