Anushtub rules in sanskrit

In classical Sanskrit the anuṣṭubh developed into its specific epic form known as shloka, as described above, which may be considered the Indian verse par excellence, occurring, as it does, far more frequently than any other meter in classical Sanskrit poetry.^[3]

The epic anuṣṭubh (shloka) is treated as a couplet. Each hemistich of 16 syllables can take either a pathyā("normal") form or one of several vipulā ("extended") forms.

The metrical constraints on a hemistich in terms of its two constituent pādas are as follows:^[4]

• General

1. The 1st and 8th syllables of both pādas are anceps.
2. The 2nd and 3rd syllables cannot both be light (laghu, "υ") in either pāda; i.e. one or both of the 2nd and 3rd syllables must be heavy (guru, "–") in both pādas.
3. Syllables 2-4 of the second pāda cannot be a ra-gaṇa (the pattern "– υ –")
4. Syllables 5-7 of the second pāda must be a ja-gaṇa ("υ – υ") This enforces an iambic cadence.

• Normal form (pathyā)

1. Syllables 5-7 of the first pāda must be a ya-gaṇa ("υ – –")

• Variant forms (vipulā): The 4th syllable of the first pāda is heavy. In addition, one of the following is permitted:

1. na-vipulā: Syllables 5-7 are a na-gaṇa ("υ υ υ")
2. bha-vipulā: Syllables 2-7 are ra-bha gaṇas ("– υ – – υ υ") or ma-bha gaṇas with a caesura in between ("– – – , – υ υ")
3. ma-vipulā: Syllables 2-7 are ra-ma gaṇas with a caesura after the 5th ("– υ – – , – –")
4. ra-vipulā: Syllables 5-7 are a ra-gaṇa following a caesura (", – υ –")

Noteworthy is the avoidance of an iambic cadence in the first pāda. By comparison, Syllables 5-7 of any pāda in the old Vedic anuṣṭubh is typically a ja-gaṇa ("υ – υ"), or a dijambus.>