ऋक्स्वरा तुल्ययोगा वा कैश्चिदेवमुदीर्यते
The accents of the Ṛk, or those with equal conjunction, are declared thus by some.
येतीक्षरादिकरणं पदान्तस्येति तं विदुः
They know that the application of the accent begins from the initial syllable up to the end of the word.
विवृतयश्चतस्रो वै विज्ञेया इति मे मतम्
There are four kinds of openings to be understood—such is my opinion.
ह्रस्वादिवत्सानुसृता वत्सानुसारिणी चाग्रे
Following the short vowel, and at the beginning, that which follows the calf (i.e., the following sound) is also at the front.
चतसृणां विवृतीना मन्तरं मात्रिकं भवेत्
Among the four openings, the interval should be measured by a mātrā.
अर्द्धमात्रिकमन्येषामन्येषामणुमात्रिकम्
For the others, it is half a mātrā; for yet others, it is an aṇu-mātrā.
पवेषु परसवर्णं स्पर्शेषु चोत्तमापतिम्
In the case of 'pa', the following letter is of the same class; in the case of stops, the highest lord is applied.
अकारं रक्तमित्याहुस्तकारेण तु रज्यते
They say that the letter 'a' is red, and with the letter 'ta' it is colored.
अर्द्धमात्रा तु पूर्वस्य रज्यते त्वणुमात्रया
The half-measure of the preceding (syllable) is extended by a further minimal measure.
रेफो रङ्गश्च लोपश्च सानुस्वरो ऽपि वा क्वचित्
The 'repha', the 'raṅga', and elision, as well as sometimes the nasalization, (may occur).
मृदुश्चैव द्विमात्रश्च दधन्वां इति निदर्शनम्
It is both soft and of two measures in length; 'dadhanvā' is given as an example.
एवं रङ्गः प्रयोक्तव्यो नारदैतन्मतं मम
Thus should 'raṅga' be applied; this is my view, O Nārada.
चतुर्णां पदजातीनां पदान्ता दश कीर्तिताः
Of the four types of metrical feet, ten kinds of word-endings are described.
व्यञ्जना न तु वर्तन्ते यत्र तिष्टति स स्वरः
Consonants do not occur where only a vowel remains.
मणिवद्व्यञ्जनं विद्यात्सूत्र वञ्च स्वरं विदुः
One should understand the consonant as like a gem, and the vowel as the thread (that holds it).
दुर्बलं व्यजनं तद्वद्धरेत बलवान्स्वरः
The consonant is weak in that case, while the vowel is strong.
जिह्वामूलमुपध्मा च गतिरष्टविधोष्मणः
The root of the tongue, the labial, and the eightfold movement of the sibilants (should be known).
विसर्गस्तत्र मन्तव्यरतालव्यश्चात्र जायते
There, the visarga should be considered, and the palatal is also produced.
व्यञ्जनाख्या विवृत्तिस्तु स्वराख्या प्रतिसंहिता
The expansion is called 'consonantal'; the close contact is called 'vocalic'.
विवृत्तिर्या भवेत्तत्र स्वराख्यां तां विनिर्द्दिशेत्
Wherever there is expansion, that is designated as 'vocalic'.
स्वरान्तं तादृशं विद्याद्यदन्यव्द्यक्तमूष्मणः
One should know as 'vowel-ending' that which is of such a kind, except for the indistinct sibilants.
द्वितीयं स्थानमापन्नाः शषसप्रत्यया यदि
If the 'sha', 'ṣa', or 'sa' affixes reach the second position,
न चैतान्प्रतिजानीयाद्यथा मत्स्यः क्षुरोप्सराः
One should not acknowledge them, just as a fish (does not notice) a razor in the water.
ऋचः स्वच्छन्दवृत्तास्तु पादास्त्वक्षरमानतः
The Ṛg verses have free meter, and the feet are measured by the number of syllables.
प्रत्ययेत सहारेफमिमीते स्वरभक्तया
The affix, together with the 'repha', is measured by the division of the vowel.
विद्याल्लघुमृकारं तु यदि तूष्माणसंयुतः
One should recognize a light 'ṛ' if it is joined with a sibilant.
गुरुवर्णः स विज्ञेयस्तृचं चात्र निदर्शनम्
The guru syllable is to be understood; here, the example is the threefold verse.
निरृतिपञ्चमा ह्यत्र ऋकारा नात्र संशयः
Here, the fifth is Nirṛti; there is no doubt that it is marked by the syllable 'ṛ'.
इउवर्णाभ्यां हीना क्वचिदेकपदाक्रमवियुक्ता
Sometimes, lacking both 'i' and 'u' vowels, a verse is separated from the sequence of single words.
स्वरोदा व्यञ्जनोदा च विहिताक्षरचिन्तकैः
With the consideration of prescribed syllables, both vowel and consonant sounds are established.