Nidanasutra 1.2

Beyond the jagatī metre are the hyper-metres (aticchandas).
Starting from fifty-two syllables, increasing by four, there are two heptads; four-hundred-syllabled is their maximum.
Their names: vidhṛti, śakvarī, aṣṭi, atyaṣṭi, madgahanā, sarit, and sampad—of the former [heptad];
sindhu, salila, ambhas, gagana, arṇava, āpas, and samudra—of the latter [heptad].
All these are derived metres (kṛtacchandas).
Now, preceding the gāyatrī metre are five derived metres:
kṛti of four syllables,
prakṛti of eight syllables,
saṅkṛti of twelve syllables,
abhikṛti of sixteen syllables,
[and] ākṛti of twenty syllables.
In between these are the intermediate metres (antasthācchandas).
Starting from twenty-two syllables, increasing by four, there are three heptads; two-hundred-syllabled is their maximum.
Their names: rāṭ, samrāṭ, virāṭ, svarāṭ, svavaśinī, parameṣṭhā, and antasthā—of the first [heptad];
pratna, amṛta, vṛṣan, jīva, tṛpta, rasa, and śukra—of the second [heptad];
arṇa, aṃśa, ambhas, ambu, vāri, āpas, and udaka—of the last [heptad].
All these are dvāpara metres.
Now, preceding the state of twenty-two syllables are five intermediate metres, starting from two syllables,
increasing by four in ascending order:
harṣīkā, śarṣīkā, sarṣīkā, sarvamātrā, and virāṭkāmā.

Now, the deficient (nicṛt) and redundant (bhurij) metres.
Those that are deficient by one syllable are the nicṛt metres;
those that are greater by one are the bhurij metres.
All these are tretā and kali metres:
that which has the rank of tretā, those are nicṛt;
now, that which has the rank of kali, those are bhurij.
One should investigate a metre by four means: by the quarter-verses, by the syllables, by the rhythmic cadence, and by the position.
When one of these is corrupted, one should investigate by the remainder alone.
One should know that for a corrupted metre there is no knowledge other than through the rhythmic cadence.
Now, the divine and demonic metres:
Starting from one syllable, increasing by one in ascending order, are the divine metres;
seven-syllabled is the jagatī metre, eight-syllabled is the hyper-metre.
Starting from fifteen syllables, decreasing by one in descending order, are the demonic metres;
nine-syllabled is the jagatī metre, eight-syllabled is the hyper-metre.
Now, Prajāpati's metres: starting from eight syllables, increasing by four in ascending order;
thirty-two-syllabled is the jagatī metre, thirty-six-syllabled is the hyper-metre.
Combining groups of three of each of them, each metre of the ṛṣis comes into being.
On this there is a verse:
Certain female [metres], having become two-syllabled, [others] twenty-one, seven, correspond according to the rituals;
Of the neuter ones, fifty-five, and they bear two additional ones of three syllables —
With the metres of the gods, the demons, and his own, Prajāpati
Made a single heptad for the ṛṣis to carry the sacrifice. —
If someone desires the equivalence of any metre whatsoever,
Counting one-fourth of it, he should fetch that many verses. —
If one should fetch that metre, or another for the equivalence of another,
Counting one-fourth of it, one should know those to be that many verses.

Now, the pauses.

For single-pāda and two-pāda metres, the pause is at the end.

For those beginning with three pādas, having recited two, one recites the rest; this holds up to six-pāda metres.

There, for three-pāda metres, the pause is at the end,

as in: "duhīyan mitradhitaye".

As in a four-pāda metre, after three [pādas],

as in: "ā no vayo vayaḥśayam".

Likewise in a five-pāda metre,

as in: "yan me yamam".

And also after four,

as in: "agne tam adyā";
or also two and two, then one,
as in: "abhi na iḷā yūthasya mātā";
or also having recited two, then one, then two,
as in: "tava tyan naryaṃ nṛto";
in a six-pāda metre, the pause is after every two,
as in: "ubhe yad indra rodasī";
or also after three,
as in: "api vṛśca purāṇavat";
in a seven-pāda metre, having recited three, then two and two following,
as in: "agniṃ hotāraṃ manye dāsvantam";
or also two and two, then three,
as in: "pro ṣv asmai puroratham".
For metres beginning with eight pādas, a known pause is found.
There, one should not pause in the very middle of a pāda.
From conveying the meaning arises deficiency; from conveying the meaning arises excess.
Now, where this syllable comes—either "nām" or "vām"—that diminishes [the count],
or sandhis resulting in a single syllable.
On that there are also these two verses:
Four classes of sandhi by which the metre does not diminish:
praśliṣṭa, abhinihita, kṣipra-sandhi, and abhidhruva. —
Measuring these classes of sandhi by the syllables of the metre,
one should make a division when incomplete; when complete, one should not alter anything. —
Knowing the investigation of metres, he who is released from the body
attains co-existence with the metres [and] obtains endless glory. —
Glory!

Thus ends the second section in the Nidāna.