Varnalakshana, Varṇalakṣaṇa: 1 definition

Introduction:

Varnalakshana means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.

The Sanskrit term Varṇalakṣaṇa can be transliterated into English as Varnalaksana or Varnalakshana, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

In Hinduism

Chandas (prosody, study of Sanskrit metres)

[«previous next»] — Varnalakshana in Chandas glossary
Source: Shodhganga: a concise history of Sanskrit Chanda literature

Varṇalakṣaṇa (वर्णलक्षण) is the name of a text dealing with Sanskrit prosody (chandas) for which no authorship could be traced (also see the “New Catalogus Catalogorum” XXVII. p. 177). The Varṇalakṣaṇa is a small prosodical tract dealing with the origin and number of letters in prosodic groups and with the auspicious or inauspicious character of different classes of letter is noticed. The author says that he was defining the characteristics of gaṇas (gaṇalakṣaṇa) before describing the characteristics of metres (vṛttalakṣaṇa). Gaṇas are controlled or regulated by the letters and vṛttas are produced by the gaṇas.

The author also says in the text that the varṇas which come in the groups of devas and human beings (nṛ), such as Kṛttikā brings happiness (śubhadāyaka). On the other hand the varṇas, which come under tīryakgati and rauravagati cause misery (dukhadāyaka).

Chandas book cover
context information

Chandas (छन्दस्) refers to Sanskrit prosody and represents one of the six Vedangas (auxiliary disciplines belonging to the study of the Vedas). The science of prosody (chandas-shastra) focusses on the study of the poetic meters such as the commonly known twenty-six metres mentioned by Pingalas.

Discover the meaning of varnalakshana or varnalaksana in the context of Chandas from relevant books on Exotic India

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