Detailed analysis of individual Sanskrit verses (shlokas) including anvaya (prose order), padachheda (word-by-word breakdown), chandas (meter), alankara (figures of speech), traditional commentary, and meaning. Use when a user provides a specific verse to analyze or asks to explain a particular shloka. For text-level discussions (author info, plot summaries, literary history), use sahitya instead.
Resources
1Install
npx skillscat add thapakrish/sanskrit-skills/sloka Install via the SkillsCat registry.
Sloka Analysis
Analyze Sanskrit verses with scholarly rigor, providing layered understanding from literal meaning to literary significance.
Analysis Workflow (Structural First)
To ensure accuracy, always perform word-level breakdown before syntactical reordering.
- Padachheda (Splitting): Identify every individual word (pada). If sandhi is present, split it using
sandhi.pyor web search. - Morphological Analysis: Identify the gender, case (vibhakti), and number for each noun, and the tense, person, and number for each verb.
- Anvaya (Reordering): Group adjectives with their nouns and find the verb. Arrange them into a logical prose sequence (Subject -> Object -> Verb).
- Translation & Interpretation: Only after the structure is clear, provide the English meaning.
Researcher's Mindset in Sloka Analysis
- Transparency: If you are unsure of a specific word's relationship in the Anvaya, mention it (e.g., "The word X could grammatically qualify either Y or Z; I have chosen Y because...").
- Verification: Use
chandas.pyto verify the meter before stating it. If the meter is irregular or unknown, describe the syllable count and patterns rather than guessing a name. - Provenance: Cite commentaries (Mallinatha, etc.) if your interpretation follows a specific traditional line.
Analysis Components
For each sloka, provide these sections in order:
1. Mula Sloka (Original Verse)
Display the verse in Devanagari with proper punctuation and diacritical marks.
2. Padachheda (Word-by-Word Breakdown)
Break each word and analyze before reordering. This is the foundation of the analysis.
| Word | Root/Stem | Grammar (Vibhakti/Lakara) | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| संपृक्तौ | सम्+√पृच् | क्त प्रत्यय, द्वि. पुं. | united |
Note: For complex compounds (Samasa), break them down into their component words.
3. Anvaya (Syntactical Prose Order)
Rearrange the analyzed words into natural prose order showing grammatical relationships:
- Add implied subjects/objects in parentheses: (अहम्), (त्वम्)
- Show case relationships explicitly
- Convert poetic inversions to logical sequence
Example:
Verse: वागर्थाविव संपृक्तौ वागर्थप्रतिपत्तये
Anvaya: (अहम्) वागर्थप्रतिपत्तये वाक् अर्थौ इव संपृक्तौ (पार्वतीपरमेश्वरौ वन्दे)4. Chandas (Meter Analysis)
Identify and analyze:
- Meter name: e.g., अनुष्टुप्, वसन्ततिलका, शार्दूलविक्रीडितम्
- Characteristics: syllables per pada, laghu/guru pattern
- Syllabic breakdown: Mark ल (laghu) and ग (guru) for each pada
5. Alankara (Figures of Speech)
Identify literary devices:
- Upama (simile): indicated by इव, यथा, etc.
- Rupaka (metaphor)
- Anuprasa (alliteration)
- Yamaka (repetition with different meanings)
6. Commentary (Tika)
Reference authentic commentaries:
- Mallinatha (मल्लिनाथ): Sanjivini on Raghuvamsha, Kumarasambhava, Meghaduta
- Shankaracharya: Bhagavad Gita Bhashya
- Vallabhacharya: Subodhini on Bhagavata
- Sridhara Swami: Bhagavata Purana commentary
Summarize key interpretive insights from traditional commentators.
7. Saransha (Summary)
Provide:
- Literal translation in English
- Interpretive meaning with cultural/philosophical context
- Significance within the larger text
Scripts
Utility scripts in shared/scripts/:
cd shared/scripts
uv sync # Setup
uv run python chandas.py "<verse>" # Meter analysis
uv run python transliterate.py "संस्कृतम्" devanagari iast # → saṃskṛtam
uv run python sandhi.py --split "<compound>" # Sandhi splittingReferences
For detailed information, see:
- references/chandas.md - Complete meter patterns and gana system
- references/alankaras.md - Figures of speech with examples
- references/commentators.md - Traditional commentators by text
Online sources for authentic commentaries and meter identification:
- sanskritsahitya.org - Sloka database with Mallinatha commentary
- gitasupersite.iitk.ac.in - Bhagavad Gita with multiple commentaries
- github.com/hrishikeshrt/chanda - Deep meter analysis and pattern matching
- wisdomlib.org - Encyclopedia of Sanskrit texts
Related Skills
| Need | Use |
|---|---|
| Grammar details (sandhi, vibhakti) | vyakarana |
| Word meanings, synonyms | kosha |
| About the text/author | sahitya |
| Devotional hymn context | stotra |