A śloka (Sanskrit: श्लोक, IPA: [ˈɕloːkə]; also anglicized as shloka or sloka, meaning ,'song', from the root śru, 'hear'^[1]) is a category of verse line developed from the Vedic Anuṣṭubh. It is the basis for Indian Epic verse, and may be considered the Indian verse form par excellence, occurring, as it does, far more frequently than any other meter in classical Sanskrit poetry.^[2] The Mahabharata and Ramayana, for example, are written almost exclusively in shlokas. The traditional view is that this form of verse occurred to Valmiki, the author of the Ramayana, on seeing a hunter shoot down one of two birds in love.

The shloka is treated as a couplet. Each hemistich (half-verse) of 16 syllables can take either a pathyā ("normal") form or one of several vipulā ("extended") forms, as in the scheme bellow.

Shloka Scheme

The Pathyā and Vipulā half-verses are arranged in the table above in order of frequency of occurrence. Out of 2579 half-verses taken from Kalidasa, Magha, Bharavi, and Bilhana, each of the four admissible forms of shloka in the above order claims the following share: 2289, 116, 89, 85.^[3]

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, "⏑") 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 "– ⏑ –")
4. Syllables 5-7 of the second pāda must be a ja-gaṇa ("⏑ – ⏑") This enforces an iambic cadence.

• Normal form (pathyā)

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

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

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 ("⏑ – ⏑"), or a dijambus.

An example of an anuṣṭubh stanza which fails the classical requirements of a shloka is from the Shatapatha Brahmana

āsandīvati dhānyādaṃ rukmiṇaṃ haritasrajam

abadhnādaśvaṃ sārańgaṃ devebhyo janamejaya^[5]

"In Āsandîvat, Janamejaya bound for the gods a black-spotted, grain-eating

horse, adorned with a golden ornament and with yellow garlands."^[6]

See also[link]

• Aksharaslokam
• Prayer in Hinduism
• Vedic meter
• Mantra

Notes[link]

References[link]

This article's citation style may be unclear. The references used may be made clearer with a different or consistent style of citation, footnoting, or external linking. (September 2009)

• Meaning of sloka
• Dictionary of Buddhism
• A Dictionary of Hinduism, Stutley (Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers) 2002 ISBN 81-215-1074-0

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January 2011)

Suresh Wadkar
Wadkar at the launch of Sonu Nigam's album Classically Mild
Background information
Born	1954 (age 57–58)
Genres	film music (playback singing), Indian classical music
Occupations	Singer
Instruments	Vocalist
Years active	1976–present

Suresh Ishwar Wadkar (Marathi: सुरेश ईश्वर वाडकर, born 1954) is an Indian playback singer. He performs in both Hindi and Marathi films.He has sung songs in some Bhojpuri films and in Konkani.

Early life[link]

Suresh Wadkar from Bhandari Caste , was born in Kolhapur at post. Dindnerli Tal. Karvir, India. At the age of 8, he began acquiring basic music education from Jialal Vasant. He soon impressed his guru with the quality of his voice. He began performing on the stage at a very early age.

Music Teaching life[link]

Back in 1968, when Suresh Wadkar was barely 13, Acharya Jialal Vasant entrusted him with a student to initiate in Tabla. A year later, he was given the responsibility of a group of youngsters to teach vocal classical. Our system of education in music makes it mandatory to teach before you appear for your graduation in music through Prayag Sangit Samiti, because there “Prabhakar” certificate is equivalent to B. Ed. and it authorizes you to teach professionally. Guruji made every child studying for Senior Diploma, to sit in the class of 1st year with an experienced teacher and learn the process of “teaching”. Suresh successfully completed his “Prabhakar” and joined “Arya Vidya Mandir, Mumbai as a music teacher. A lot of famous “stars” of today had the opportunity to learn from him.

Acharya Jialal Vasant, announced during his felicitation function organized by his students on May 1985. He said, “We continuously talk about the benefits one enjoys when one is blessed with a good Guru. But let me tell you, that every Guru looks for at least one student, who can take his torch forward. I have been, I must say, very fortunate to get ‘the’ student; I have always looked for in Suresh. I am fully confident that he will leave no stone unturned to accomplish what I desire the most – to attain excellence both as a singer & a teacher. I feel that my mission is fulfilled.”

He has a music school in Mumbai, India (www.ajivasan.com) and New Jersey/New York, USA (www.sureshwadkarmusic.com) where methodical training is given to students.

Suresh Wadkar added a new chapter in his Music life when he started the First Online Music teaching school "SWAMA" (Suresh Wadkar Ajivasan Music Academy) under Ace Open University.

Singing career[link]

Though groomed for Indian classical music, he entered the Sur-Singar competition in 1976. Wadkar won the competition which was judged by composers from the Indian film industry including Jaidev. Jaidev later offered him the song "Seene Mein Jalan" in the film Gaman (released in 1978). He also performed in the film Paheli (released 1977).

At the time, Lata Mangeshkar was so impressed with his voice that she strongly recommended him to film personalities including Laxmikant-Pyarelal, Khayyam and Kalyanji-Anandji.^[1] Laxmikant-Pyarelal, impressed with his voice, soon recorded a duet with Lata "Chal Chameli Bagh Mein" for Krodhi (released in 1981). Soon after, he was given the opportunity to perform for songs in Hum Paanch, Pyaasa Sawan ("Megha re Megha Re") and above all, his turning point in films - Raj Kapoor's Prem Rog (released in 1982).

Wadkar also produced the film Tanman.com.^[2] He was a judge on the Indian TV singing show Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Little Champs International and at the 2005 Sanjeet Awards.^[3]

Suresh Wadkar has for the first time sung a song in the upcoming Tamil film Kanden Kadhalai. This film is an adaptation of the Hindi Blockbuster Jab We Met. The song is a ghazal type song called "Naan Mozhi Arindhaen".

His voice has been acknowledged to have a quality for devotional songs. He has sung numerous devotional songs in various languages.

In 1996, Wadkar sang Channeache Rati among several other songs in Rajendra Talak's Konkani album Daryachya Deger with Asha Bhosle.

In a recent program, Suresh Wadkar gave credit to Ravindra Jain for shaping his singing career.

Marathi Music career[link]

Suresh Wadkar has worked with some of the top class Marathi music directors like Pt.Hridaynath Mangeshkar, Sudhir Phadke, Shrinivas Khale, Shridhar Phadke, Vasant Desai, Ashok Patki, Anil-Arun etc. Some of his notable marathi songs are:

• Dayaghana with pt.Hridaynath Mangeshkar
• Kaal dehasi ala khau with Shrinivas Khale
• tula pahile mi with Shridhar Phadke
• Omkar swaroopa
• Pahile Na Mi Tula

Stage Performances[link]

Suresh Wadkar often performs with other legendary artistes such as Zakir Hussain, Shrinivas Khale, Hridaynath Mangeshkar, Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhonsle, and Kavita Krishnamurthy for numerous stage performances.

Personal life[link]

Wadkar is married to classical singer Padma.^[4] He has two daughters, Ananya and Gia.

Awards[link]

In 1976, Wadkar won the Madan Mohan Best Male Singer Award at the Sur-Singar competition.^[5]

He also won the 2007 Maharashtra Pride Award which is given by the government of Maharashtra to citizens of note.^[6]

He is also a recipient of the Lata Mangeshkar Puraskar instituted by Madhya Pradesh government.

In 2011, he won the National Award for Best Male Playback Singer for Mee Sindhutai Sapkal (Marathi).

Collaborators[link]

Suresh Wadkar has sung for a variety of composers in the Indian film industry. These include:

• Shrinivas Khale (Marathi)
• Shridhar Phadke (Marathi)
• Anil-Arun
• Laxmikant Pyarelal
• Kalyanji Anandji
• R.D. Burman
• Ilayaraja
• Ravindra Jain
• Bappi Lahiri
• Khaiyyam
• Usha Khanna
• Arun Paudwal
• A.R. Rehman
• Vidyasagar
• Nadeem-Shravan
• Vishal Bhardwaj
• Rajesh Roshan
• Raamlaxman
• Shiv-Hari
• Jatin-Lalit
• Hridayanath Mangeshkar
• Shridhar Phadke
• Anand-Milind
• Anu Malik
• Himesh Reshammiya
• Shanker
• Ravi
• Chitragupta
• Jaidev
• Brahma Kumaris
• Kaushal Inamdar

Selected filmography[link]

• 7 Khoon Maaf(2011)
• Kanden Kadhalai(2009) (Tamil)
• Kaminey (2009)
• Ek Vivaah... Aisa Bhi (2008)
• Omkara (2006)
• Vivah (2006)
• Bal Ganesh (2006)
• Indra (2002)
• Hu Tu Tu (1999)
• Sar Utha Ke Jiyo (1998)
• Satya (1998)
• Maachis (1996)
• Prem Granth (1996)
• Rangeela (1995)
• Guddu (1995)
• Aaina (1993)
• In Custody (1993)
• Parampara (1992)
• Dil Aashna Hai (1992)
• Thalapathi (1991)
• Lamhe (1991)
• Lekin... (1991)
• Henna (1991)
• Kurbaan (1991)
• Aaj Ka Samson (1991)
• Patthar Ke Phool (1991)
• The Blow (1991)
• Shiva (1990)
• Parinda (1989)
• Bhrashtachar (1989)
• Toofan (1989)
• Purani Haveli (1989)
• Chandni (1989)
• Hero Hiralal (1988)
• Libaas (1988)
• Thikana (1987)
• Hifazat (1987) directed by Prayag Raj
• Ram Teri Ganga Maili (1985)
• Utsav (1984)
• Sadma (1983)
• Masoom (1983)
• Disco Dancer (1982)
• Prem Rog (1982)
• Hum Paanch (1980)
• gaman (1978)
• Paheli (1977)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Suresh Wadkar at the Internet Movie Database
• Suresh Wadkar sings Marathi ghazal