Word

Vikrtipatha

Sanskrit

विकृतिपाठ

IAST

vikṛtiipāṭha

In General

There are eleven methods of chanting Veda mantras. All these different methods of chanting are meant to ensure the tonal and verbal purity of the Vedas for all time. Eight of them are called Vikrtipatha.

Veda

Vikrtipatha is considered as an error checking and correction method. The eight vikrti patterns are recounted in verse to be easily remembered.

JJata mala sikha rekha dhvaja dando ratho ghanah

Ityastau-vikrtayah proktah kramapurva maharsibhih

In Jatapatha , the first word of the mantra is chanted with the second, then the order is reversed-the second is chanted with the first. Then, again, the first word is chanted with the second, then the second with the third, and so on. In this way the entire mantra is chanted, going back and forth

The Ghanapatha is more difficult than all other. There are four types in this method. Here also the words of a mantra are chanted back and forth and there is a system of permutation and combination in the chanting.

The Samhitapatha and Padapatha are together called Prakrtipatha , the natural way of chanting since the words are recited only once and in their natural order.