Verse Meter Guide
Bengali Verse Meter
There are many different meters used in Bengali verses, but three are prominent. That means if you learn even one melody for each of these meters, you can sing most of the Bengali kīrtanas in this songbook.
Fourteen syllable line of two divisions (Payār)
14 syllables
1st div (8 syllables) 2nd div (6 syllables)
| 1st division (8 syllables) | 2nd division (6 syllables) | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| gau | rāṅ | ga | bô | li | te | ha' | be | pu | la | ka | śa | rī | ra |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
Another example:
| Complete line (14 syllables) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 'ha | ri | ha | ri' | bô | li | te | na | ya | ne | ba' | be | nī | ra |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
Songs in this meter:
- Akrodha Paramānanda
- Āmāra' Bôlite Prabhu!
- Āmāra Samāna Hīna
- Āśraya Kôriyā Vandõ
- Bhavārṇave Paḓe' Mora
- Durlabha Mānava-janma
- E'lo Gaura-rasa-nadī
- Ei-bāra Karuṇā Karô
- Ekhôna Bujhinu Prabhu!
- 'Gaurāṅga' Bôlite Ha'be
- Gaurāṅga Tumi More
- Gorā Pahũ Nā Bhajiyā Mainu
- Hari Bôle Moder Gaura Elo
- (Hari) Haraye Namah Kṛṣṇa
- Hari Hari! Kabe Ha'bô Vṛndāvana-vāsī
- Hari Hari! Kabe Mora Hôibe Sudina?
- Hari He Dayāla Mora
- Jaya Jaya Advaita Ācārya Dayāmaya
- Jaya Jaya Gadādhara Paṇḍita Gosā̃i
- Jaya Jaya Jagannātha Śacīra-nandana
- Jaya Jaya Nityānanda Rohiṇī-kumāra
- Ĵe Ānilô Prema-dhana
- Jīva Jāgô, Jīva Jāgô
- Kabe Śrī Caitanya More
- Ke Jābi Ke Jābi Bhāi
- Ki-rūpe Pāibô Sevā
- Nadīyā-godrume
- Nadīyāra Ghāṭe Bhāi
- Nagara Bhramiyā Āmāra
- Nitāi Guṇa-maṇi
- Nitāi Mora Jīvana-dhana
- Nivedana Kôri Prabhu!
Short line of three divisions (Laghu Tripadī)
20 syllables
1st div (6 syllables) 2nd div (6 syllables) 3rd div (8 syllables)
| 1st division (6 syllables) | 2nd division (6 syllables) | 3rd division (8 syllables) | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| kṛ | pā | -bin | du | di | yā | ka | rô | e | i | dā | se | tṛ | ṇā | pe | kṣā | a | ti | hī | na |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
Another example:
| Complete line (20 syllables) | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| sa | ka | la | -sa | ha | ne | ba | la | di | ya | ka | rô | ni | ja | -mā | ne | spṛ | hā | -hī | na |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
| First division (6 syllables) | Second division (6 syllables) | Third division (8 syllables) | |||||||||||||||||
Songs in this meter:
- Āmāra Jīvana
- Ātma-nivedana
- Avatāra-sāra
- Bhajô Bhajô Hari
- Cintāmaṇi-maya
- Dekhite Dekhite
- E Ghora-saṁsāre
- Emôna Gaurāṅga Binā Nāhi Āra
- Emôna Śacīra Nandana Bine
- Gopīnāth, Āmāra Upāya Nāi
- Gopīnāth, Ghucāo Saṁsāra-jvālā
- Gopīnāth, Mama Nivedana Śunô
- Gurudeva! Baḓô Kṛpā Kôri
- Gurudeva! Kabe Mora Sei Dina Ha'be?
- Gurudeva! Kabe Tava Karuṇā Prakāśe
- Gurudeva! Kṛpā-bindu Diyā
- Hā Hā Kabe Gaura-Nitāi
- Hā Hā Mora Gaura-Kiśora
- Hari Hari! Kabe Mora Habe Henô Dina
- Hari He! Arthera Sañcaye
- Hari He! Bhajane Utsāha
- Hari He! Dāna-pratigraha
- Hari He! Nīra-dharma-gata
- Hari He! Prapañce Pôḓiyā
- Hari He! Saṅga-doṣa-śūnya
- Hari He! Śrī Rūpa Gosā̃i
- Hari He! Tomāre Bhuliyā
- Harināma Tuwā Aneka Svarūpa
- (Ĵadi) Gaurāṅga Nahito
- Jaya Jaya Śrī Guru
- Kabe Āhā Gaurāṅga Bôliyā
- Kabe Gaura-vane
- Kabe Ha'be Henô Daśā Mora
- Kabe Muĩ Vaiṣṇava Cinibô
- Ki Jāni Ki Bale
- Kṛpā Karô Vaiṣṇava Ṭhākura
- Mana Re! Kahô Nā Gaura Kathā
- Nārada Muni
- Nitāi-Gaura-nāma
- Ohe! Vaiṣṇava Ṭhākura
- Pālya-dāsī Kôri'
- Parama Karuṇa
- Pīta-varaṇa Kali-pāvana Gorā
- Prabhu He! Emôna Durmati
- Prabhu Tava Pada-ĵuge
- Ramaṇī-śiromaṇi
- Sarvasva Tomāra
- Śrī Kṛṣṇa-virahe
- Śuddha-bhakata
- Vrajendra-nandana
- Vṛṣabhānu-sutā
- Yamunā-puline
- Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa Prāṇa Mora
- Sakala Vaiṣṇava Gosā̃i
- Śrī Gaura Ārati
- Śrī Hari-vāsare Hari-kīrtana-vidhāna
- Śrī Ĵugala Ārati
- Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Prabhu Dayā Karô
- Śrī Kṛṣṇa-Caitanya Prabhu Jīve Dayā
- Śrī Kṛṣṇa-kīrtane Ĵadi
- Śrī Madhyāhna Bhoga Ārati
- Śrī Maṅgala Ārati
- Śrī Paramgurudeva-ārati
- Śrī Tulasī Parikramā and Ārati (2)
- Śrīla Prabhupāda-ārati
- Śuniyāchi Sādhu-mukhe
- Tuhũ Dayā-sāgara
- Tumi Sarveśvareśvara
- Tuwā Bhakti-ānukūla
- Tuwā Bhakti-pratikūla
- Viṣaya-vāsanā-rūpa
- Vṛndāvana-vāsī Ĵatô
Long line of three divisions (Dīrgha Tripadī)
26 syllables
1st div (6 syllables) 2nd div (6 syllables) 3rd div (10 syllables)
| 1st division (8 syllables) | 2nd division (8 syllables) | 3rd division (10 syllables) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| śrī | gu | ru | -ca | ra | ṇa | -pad | ma | ke | va | la | bha | ka | ti | -sad | ma | van | do | mu | ĩ | sā | va | dhā | na | -ma | te |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
Another example:
| Complete line (26 syllables) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ĵā̃ | hā | ra | pra | sā | de | bhā | i | e | bha | va | ta | ri | yā | ĵā | i | kṛṣ | ṇa | -prā | pti | ha | ya | ĵā̃ | hā | ha' | te |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 |
| First division (8 syllables) | Second division (8 syllables) | Third division (10 syllables) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Songs in this meter:
- Anādi Karama-phale
- Aparādha-phale Mama
- Āre Bhāi! Bhajô Mora Gaurāṅga-caraṇa
- Bhāi-re! Eka-Dina Nīlācale
- Bhāi-re! Eka-Dina Śāntipure
- Bhāi-re! Rāma-Kṛṣṇa Gocāraṇe
- Bhāi-re! Śacīra Aṅgane Kabhu
- Bhāi-re! Śarīra Avidyā-jāl
- Bhāi-re! Śrī-Caitanya Nityānanda
- Dhana Mora Nityānanda
- Gaurāṅgera Du'ṭī Pada
- Hari Hari! Biphale Janama Gõāinu
- Hari Hari! Kṛpā Kôri' Rākhô Nija Pade
- Janama Saphala Tā'ra
- Jaya Jaya Harināma
- Kabe Kṛṣṇa-dhana Pābô
- Kali Kukura
- Kṛṣṇa Hôite Catur-mukha
- Nitāi-pada-kamala
- Rādhikā Caraṇa-reṇu
- Rādhikā-caraṇa-padma
- Saptadvīpa Dīpta Kôri'
- Śrī Guru-caraṇa-padma
- Śrī Rūpa Mañjarī-pada
- Śunô, He Rasika Jana
- Ṭhākura Vaiṣṇava-gaṇa
- Ṭhākura Vaiṣṇava-pada
- Yaśomatī-nandana
Sanskrit Verse Meter
Meters of verses having the same number of syllables are differentiated by the classification of two types of syllable: long (guru) and short (laghu). These are represented by these symbols:
ᴗ= short syllables
—= long syllables
ᴏ= when either a short or a long syllable may take place in a particular meter
Verses with lines of 8 syllables
Anuṣṭubh:
1st and 3rd lines: ᴏ ᴏ ᴏ ᴏ ᴗ — — —
2nd and 4th lines: ᴏ ᴏ ᴏ ᴏ ᴗ — ᴗ —
Songs in this meter:
- Śrī Jagannāthāṣṭakam (9th verse)
- Śrī Keśavācāryāṣṭakam
- Śrī Śikṣāṣṭakam (3rd and 7th verses)
- Śrī Śrī Rādhā-vinoda-bihāri-tattvāṣṭakam
- Śrī Upadeśāmṛta (2nd, 3rd, and 4th verses)
- Most Bhagavad-gītā verses
Verses with lines of both 10 and 11 syllables
Sundarī:
1st and 3rd lines: ᴗ ᴗ — ᴗ ᴗ — ᴗ — ᴗ —
2nd and 4th lines: ᴗ ᴗ — — ᴗ ᴗ — ᴗ — ᴗ —
Songs in this meter:
- Śrī Śikṣāṣṭakam (4th, 5th, and 6th verses)
Verses with lines of 11 syllables
Upajāti: ᴏ — ᴗ — — / ᴗ ᴗ — ᴗ — —
Songs in this meter:
- Śrī Govardhanāṣṭakam
- Śrī Gurvaṣṭakam
- Śrī Kṛṣṇa-nāmāṣṭakam (4th verse)
- Śrī Navadvīpāṣṭakam
- Śrī Vṛndā-devyāṣṭakam
- Śrī Vṛndāvanāṣṭakam
- The larger verses appearing in Bhagavad-gītā
Svāgatā: — ᴗ — / ᴗ ᴗ ᴗ — ᴗ ᴗ — —
Songs in this meter:
- Śrī Kuñja-bihāryāṣṭakam
Rathoddhatā: — ᴗ — / ᴗ ᴗ ᴗ — ᴗ — ᴗ —
Songs in this meter:
- Śrī Kṛṣṇa-nāmāṣṭakam (7th verse)
- Śrī Rādhā Prārthanā (2nd, 3rd, and 4th verses)
Rājahaṁsī: ᴗ ᴗ ᴗ — ᴗ — / — ᴗ — ᴗ —
Songs in this meter:
- Śrī Gopī-gīta
Verses with lines of 12 syllables
Indravaṁśā: — — ᴗ — — ᴗ ᴗ — ᴗ — ᴗ —
Songs in this meter:
- Śrī Śikṣāṣṭakam (8th verse)
Bhujaṅga-prayātaṁ: ᴗ — — ᴗ — — ᴗ — — ᴗ — —
Songs in this meter:
- Śrī Dāmodarāṣṭakam
Toṭaka: ᴗ ᴗ — ᴗ ᴗ — ᴗ ᴗ — ᴗ ᴗ —
Songs in this meter:
- Śrī Godruma-candra-bhajanopadeśaḥ
- Śrī Madhurāṣṭakam
- Śrī Prabhupāda-padma-stavakaḥ
- Śrī Vrajarāja-sutāṣṭakam
Verses with lines of 14 syllables
Vasanta-tilakā: — — ᴗ — ᴗ ᴗ ᴗ — / ᴗ ᴗ — ᴗ — —
Songs in this meter:
- Śrī Brahmā-saṁhita (Verses 29–55)
- Śrī Gāndharvā-Samprārthanāṣṭakam
- Śrī Lalitāṣṭakam
- Śrī Śikṣāṣṭakam (2nd verse)
- Śrī Upadeśāmṛta (5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th verses)
Verses with lines of 15 syllables
Mālinī: ᴗ ᴗ ᴗ ᴗ ᴗ ᴗ — — / — ᴗ — — ᴗ — —
Songs in this meter:
- Śrī Govardhana-vāsa-prārthanā-daśakam
- Śrī Kṛṣṇa-nāmāṣṭakam (5th verse)
- Śrī Rādhā-kuṇḍāṣṭakam
- Śrī Rādhā-prārthanā (1st verse)
- Śrī Śyāma-kuṇḍāṣṭakam
Tūṇaka: — ᴗ — ᴗ — ᴗ — ᴗ — ᴗ — ᴗ — ᴗ —
Songs in this meter:
- Śrī Kṛṣṇa-candrāṣṭakam
- Śrī Rādhikāṣṭakam
- Śrī Yamunāṣṭakam
Verses with lines of 16 syllables
Pañca-cāmara: ᴗ — ᴗ — ᴗ — ᴗ — ᴗ — ᴗ — ᴗ — ᴗ —
Songs in this meter:
- Śrī Nanda-nandanāṣṭakam
- Śrī Rādhā-kṛpā-kaṭākṣa-stotram
Verses with lines of 17 syllables
Mandākrāntā: — — — — / ᴗ ᴗ ᴗ ᴗ ᴗ — / — ᴗ — — ᴗ — —
Songs in this meter:
- Śrī Upadeśāmṛta (11th verse)
Śikhariṇī: ᴗ — — — — — / ᴗ ᴗ ᴗ ᴗ ᴗ — — ᴗ ᴗ ᴗ —
Songs in this meter:
- Śrī Brahmā-saṁhita (Verse 56 [renumbered in this book as Verse 28])
- Śrī Jagannāthāṣṭakam
- Śrī Kṛṣṇa-nāmāṣṭakam (3rd verse)
- Śrī Manaḥ-śikṣā
- Śrī Nityānandāṣṭakam
Verses with lines of 19 syllables
Śārdūla-vikrīḍita: — — — ᴗ ᴗ — ᴗ — ᴗ ᴗ ᴗ— / — — ᴗ — — ᴗ —
Songs in this meter:
- Śrī Daśāvatāra-stotram (12th verse)
- Śrī Kṛṣṇa-nāmāṣṭakam (6th verse)
- Śrī Ṣaḍ-gosvāmyaṣṭakam
- Śrī Śikṣāṣṭakam (1st verse)
- Śrī Upadeśāmṛta (9th and 10th verses)
For more on Bengali and Sanskrit meters, please visit: www.gaudiyakirtan.com/meters