chandōrṇavaḥ

Mālinī

Pattern

n · n · m · y · y

।।।।।।ऽऽ ऽ।ऽऽ।ऽऽ ।।।।।।ऽऽ ऽ।ऽऽ।ऽऽ ।।।।।।ऽऽ ऽ।ऽऽ।ऽऽ ।।।।।।ऽऽ ऽ।ऽऽ।ऽऽ

Description

The mālinī meter belongs to the atiśakvarī class of 15 syllables per quarter or 60 syllables in total. The Nāṭyaśāstram calls this meter nāndīmukhī. Its pattern is:

। । । । । । ऽ ऽ, ऽ । ऽ ऽ । ऽ ऽ

A word break is obligatory after the eighth syllables, according to most later authorities (Piṅgala and the Nāṭyaśāstram don’t mention it).

Definitions

Piṅgala, Chandaḥsūtram 7.13:

mālinī nau myau yaś ca

Nāṭyaśāstram 15.93:

ādau ṣaṭ daśamaṁ caiva laghu caiva trayōdaśam
yatrātiśakvarē pādē jñēyā nāndīmukhī tu sā

Ratnamañjūṣā 6.27:

mālinī virayē

Jānāśrayī 4.79:

mālinī ṇūṅr̥ nr̥̄

Jayadeva, Chandaḥśāstram 7.11:

vasumuniviratiś cēn mālinī nau mayau yaḥ

Ratnākaraśānti, Chandōratnākaraḥ 2.56:

nanagavararavāḥ syur mālinī tv aṣṭalōkaiḥ

Jayakīrti, Chandōnuśāsanam 2.56:

lasati vasuvirāmā mālinī nau mayau yaḥ

Kedārabhaṭṭa, Vr̥ttaratnākaraḥ 3.81:

nanayayayutayaṁ mālinī bhōgilōkaiḥ

Hemacandra, Chandōnuśāsanam 2.246:

nau myau yō mālinī

Examples

Uttararāmacaritam 1.27

This example was recited by H. V. Nagaraja Rao and recorded by Gil Ben-Herut in 2006. The translation is mine.

kimapi kimapi mandaṁ mandam āsattiyōgād aviralitakapōlaṁ jalpatōr akramēṇa aśithilaparirambhavyāpr̥taikaikadōṣṇōr aviditagatayāmā rātrir ēva vyaraṁsīt

We spoke softly, since were close enough
for our cheeks to touch, about whatever and whenever it came to mind,
and our arms were wrapped around each other in a tight embrace,
and we didn’t notice the hours pass as the whole night came to an end.

Kirātārjunīyam 18.46

This example was recited by H. V. Nagaraja Rao and recorded by Gil Ben-Herut in 2006. The translation was done by Blake Wentworth.

atha śaśadharamaulēr abhyanujñānam avāpya tridaśapatipurōgāḥ pūrṇakāmāya tasmai avitathaphalam āśīrvādam ārōpayantō vijayativividham astram lōkapālā vitēruḥ

Then, the guardians of the world, with Indra at their head,
having received assent from the god who wears the hare-marked moon as his crown,
gave various conquering weapons to the one whose desire was fulfilled,
proclaiming words of blessing, sure of success.

Śrīkr̥ṣṇakarṇāmr̥tam 2.11

This example was recited by H.V. Nagaraja Rao and recorded by Nathan Levine in Toronto in 2018. The recordings were uploaded to archive.org by Anusha Rao. The translation is mine.

ayi murali mukundasmēravaktrāravinda- śvasanamadhurasajñē tvāṁ praṇamyādya yācē adharamaṇisamīpaṁ prāptavatyāṁ bhavatyāṁ kathaya rahasi karṇē maddaśāṁ nandasūnōḥ

Hey flute! Let me greet you and ask a favor of you,
since you are familiar with the sweet flavor of the breath
from Mukunda’s smiling lotus face.
When you have gotten close to the jewel-like lips
of the son of Nanda, please whisper in his ear
the condition I’m in.