Vedic Metre in its Historical Development c14.301

c14.301

223. The syllabic variations which affect the cadence are, like all other irregularities, much more common in the archaic period than in the normal groups. Indeed they are practically extinct not only in the normal period, but even in the Vasiṣṭha hymns. But in the cretic period and later their history is peculiar. ‘Catalectic Jagatī’ becomes common in the cretic period, and is still more so in the popular Rigveda: ‘extended Triṣṭubh,’ though unknown in the cretic period, is almost as common in the popular hymns as catalectic Jagatī. Hypersyllabic verses, however, are not found in either of these periods.