Vedic Metre in its Historical Development c13.174

c13.174

202. Whatever difficulties may be felt to attend the explanations given in this chapter of particular rhythms, it must at least be clear that Vedic dimeter verse cannot be explained rightly by any of the methods applied to modern European verse or even by those which are applied to the classical Greek and Latin metres. The essentially syllabic character of Vedic verse produces an impression of great simplicity on first acquaintance: but this simplicity is only on the surface, and is consistent with great skill in the disposition of words and syllables to produce a required rhythmical result, which may be of a highly complicated character.