यदाप्रत्यङ्नता मघाः खसप्तोपरि संस्थिताः
When the constellation Maghā does not incline westward and remains positioned above the sky,
नखैर्लिखन्तोमार्जाराश्चावनिं लोहसंयुते
when cats scratch the earth with claws tipped with iron,
पिपीलिकाश्रेणयश्छिन्नाः खद्योता बहवस्तदा
when lines of ants are broken and many fireflies appear,
उदयास्तमये काले विवर्णोर्ऽकेथ वा शशी
when, at sunrise or sunset, the sun or the moon appears discolored,
प्राङ्मुखस्य तु कूर्मस्य नवाङ्गेषु धरामिमाम्
as for the nine limbs of the east-facing tortoise, this earth is situated upon them,
अन्तर्वेदाश्च षाञ्चालस्तस्येदं नाभिमण्डलम्
and the six trembling inner lands are its navel region,
स्त्रीकलिङ्गकिराताख्या देशास्तद्बाहुमण्डलम्
the regions called Strī, Kaliṅga, and Kirāta are its arm region,
गौडकैङ्कणशाल्वान्ध्रपौड्रस्तत्पादमण्डलम्
Gauḍa, Kaiṅkaṇa, Śālva, Andhra, and Pauḍra are its foot region,
पुलिन्दचीनयवनगुर्जराः पादमण्डलम्
Pulinda, Cīna, Yavana, and Gurjara are the foot region,
खसांगवङ्गबाह्लीकं कांबोजाः पाणिमण्डलम्
Khasa, Aṅga, Vaṅga, Bāhlīka, and Kāmboja are the hand region,
नाभ्यादिषु नवाङ्गेषु पापैर्दुष्टं शुभैः शुभम्
In the nine limbs beginning with the navel, evil brings corruption, and good brings auspiciousness.
मुहू रुदन्ति गायन्ति प्रस्विद्यन्ति हसंति च
At times, people cry, sing, sweat, and laugh.
अधोमुखाधितिष्टन्ति स्थानात्स्थानं व्रजन्ति च
They stand facing downward and move from place to place.
गन्धर्वनगरं चैव दिवा नक्षत्रदर्शनम्
The sight of a Gandharva city and seeing stars during the day,
गान्धर्वं देहदिग्धूमं भूमिकंपं दिवा निशि
the Gandharva smoke covering the body, trembling of the earth by day or night,
निशीन्द्रचापमण्डूकं शिखरे श्वेतवायसः
the rainbow or a frog at night, a white crow on a peak,
जन्तवो द्वित्रिशिरसो जायन्ते वापि योनिषु
creatures with two or three heads are born, or even in wombs,
जम्बूकग्रामसंवासः केतूनां च प्रदर्शनम्
the dwelling of jackals in villages and the appearance of comets.
अकाले पुष्पिता वृक्षा दृश्यन्ते फलिता यदि
If trees are seen flowering and bearing fruit out of season,
एवमाद्या महोत्पाता बहवः स्थाननाशदा
in this way, many great portents arise that bring about the destruction of places.
मध्याद्भयं यशो मृत्युः क्षयः कीर्तिः सुखासुखम्
From the middle comes fear, death of fame, loss, renown, happiness and sorrow.
इत्यादिषु च सर्वेषूत्पातेषु द्विजसत्तम
And so, O best of twice-born, in all such portents,
इत्येतत्कथितं विप्र ज्यौतिषं ते समासतः
Thus, O learned one, I have briefly explained to you the science of omens.
अतः परं प्रवक्ष्यामि च्छन्दः शास्त्रमनुत्तमम्
Now, I shall expound the supreme science of meter.
मात्रावर्णविभेदेन तच्चापि द्विविधं पुनः
By the difference of syllables and letters, it is again of two kinds.
कारणं छन्दसि प्रोक्ताश्छन्दःशास्त्रविशारदैः
The cause in meter is declared by those skilled in the science of meter.
मध्यलो रगणश्वैव प्रान्त्यगः सगणो मतः
A group with a short in the middle is called a 'ragaṇa'; one ending with a group is considered 'sagaṇa'.
त्रिलघुर्नगणः प्रोक्तस्त्रिका वर्णगणा मुने
A group of three shorts is called 'nagaṇa'; three single letters, O sage, are letter-groups.
संयोगश्च विसर्गश्चानुस्वारो लघुतः परः
A conjunction, visarga, and anusvāra are considered short if they follow.
पादश्चतुर्थभागः स्याद्विच्छेदोयतिरुच्यते
A quarter-verse is a fourth part; its division is called a pause.