Vedic Metre in its Historical Development c13.168

c13.168

(vi) The Kuśika groups i 1–30, iii, in which dimeter verse is represented almost exclusively by Gāyatrī, shew remarkable favour to syncopation, but are very much less regular in cadence than other hymns of the normal period. Of the variations 31 are of the short sixth syllable, 10 are trochaic or syncopated, and there are four examples each of the long fifth and irregular forms. There are no catalectic verses and only 2 of seven syllables. The high proportion of forms with short sixth syllable, and of trochaic and syncopated forms, seems to be specially characteristic of this family.