Vedic Metre in its Historical Development c13.28

c13.28

The groups chosen are 27 in number, and they are selected on the same principle as the larger groups in § 185, namely so as to be homogeneous both in period and metre. The groups contain on the average about 500 verses, but some of them are much smaller: in this way it is possible to bring almost all the dimeter verse in the Rigveda under review, though there are a few hymns in which the metres are so mixed as to elude classification. Of the 27 groups 20 use exclusively the normal dimeter rhythm, and 7 have one or other of the special rhythms.