chandas

Updated: May 12, 2025

In the mantrams, as in the chandas, one must always look for a double meaning: a metaphysical one, purely abstract, and one as purely physical; for everything existing upon the earth is closely bound to the spiritual world, from which it proceeds and by which it is reabsorbed.

H. P. (Helena Petrovna) Blavatsky - From the Caves and Jungles of Hindostan

Let us put the word of the Buddhas into chandas ." No doubt Sanskrit verse is meant, chandas being a name applied to the language of the Vedic verses. Gotama refused: "You are not to put the word of the Buddhas into chandas. Whoever does so shall be guilty of an offence. I allow you to learn the word of the Buddhas each in his own dialect."

Sir Charles Eliot - Hinduism and Buddhism, An Historical Sketch, Vol. 1

Let me remind the reader that the Vedas are divided into two parts: chandas slokas, verses, etc.; and mantrams prayers and rhythmical hymns, which are, at the same time, incantations used in white magic. The ancients, he says, had no knowledge of gold, and, therefore, if gold is mentioned in this mantram it means that the mantram was composed at a comparatively modern epoch, and so on.

H. P. (Helena Petrovna) Blavatsky - From the Caves and Jungles of Hindostan