A History of Sanskrit Literature c28.s4: 4. The Metres of Classical Poetry

A History of Sanskrit Literature c28.s4

Language: English

4. The Metres of Classical Poetry

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Our authorities leave us wholly in the dark regarding the development of metre between the Vedic and the classical periods of Sanskrit, and it is hardly very profitable speculating exactly why there grew up in Sanskrit poetry the use of metres with a determined length of quarter-stanzas or lines, each line being built exactly on the same model, while the first two and the last two lines were more closely combined than the second and the third, between which a complete caesura was essential. We can, it is true, in the case of both the Çloka⁵ and the Triṣṭubh and Jagatī styles⁶ see the process of hardening going on slowly in the Vedic and epic literature, doubtless under the growing desire for symmetry which was offended by the freedom of the Vedic and epic verses. The definite rules regarding the close of the line came to be applied throughout, and, when this was complete, longer lines were essayed on the same principle. In these longer lines we find operative a principle which is dropped in the Triṣṭubh and Jagatī styles, that of caesuras in definite places, which were doubtless felt to be made necessary if the verses were to retain elegance of form; the definitions of the metres are careful to make it clear where these caesuras are to be, and normally good poets insist on having full caesuras at these points, that is the end of an inflected word, though weak caesuras, at the end of some member of a compound or of a prefix, may legitimately occur,⁷ and caesuras may be obscured by Sandhi.

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⁵ GN. 1909, pp. 219 ff.; cf. Hopkins, *Great Epic*, pp. 219 ff.

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⁶ GN. 1915, pp. 490 ff.; cf. Hopkins, *op. cit.*, pp. 273 ff.; GN. 1919, pp. 170 ff.

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⁷ Halāyudha, IS. viii. 462-6. He allows even, e. g., *Kamalen|ālokyate*; Jackson, *Priyadarśikā*, pp. xcvi f.

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Metres measured by number of syllables and, except in the case of the Çloka, strictly regulated as to the quantity of the syllables, are thus predominant in classical poetry. But, probably from popular poetry, there came to be used metres in which only the sum total of the morae was absolutely fixed, there being indeed certain restrictions as to the mode in which these morae could be made up, but such restrictions allowing a variation in the number of syllables, the Mātrāchandas. The most common form of this type is the very simple Vaitālīya consisting of two half-verses of 30 morae each, 14 plus 16 in the two lines of each half-verse, made up as follows: ⏑⏑ ⏑⏑ ⏑⏑ ⏑ ⎼ ⏑ ⎼ ⏑ ⎼ || ⏑⏑ ⏑⏑ ⎼ ⏑⏑ ⏑ ⎼ ⏑ ⎼ ⏑ ⎼. If each line is lengthened by a long syllable we have the Aupacchandasika metre. More complex is the case of the Āryā,¹ which is recognized by metrical treatises as a Gaṇa-cchandas, the number of morae and the number of feet (*gaṇa*) being fixed. Thus the ordinary form of the Āryā has 7½ feet to the half-verse with 4 morae in each, 30 in all; the 4 morae can take the forms ⏑ ⏑ ⏑ ⏑, ⎼ ⎼, ⎼ ⏑ ⏑, ⏑ ⏑ ⎼; in the second and fourth feet ⏑ ⎼ ⏑ is also permitted; in the sixth only ⏑ | ⏑ ⏑ ⏑ or ⏑ ⎼ ⏑, while the last is monosyllabic. The second half-verse in the most usual form has in the sixth foot one short syllable, giving 27 morae, but we can have the position reversed, 27 plus 30 morae, Udgīti; or 30 plus 30, Gīti; or 27 plus 27, Upagīti; or 32 plus 32, Āryāgīti. If there is no caesura after the third foot the verse ranks as Vipulā; if in the second, fourth, and sixth feet the amphibrach is essential, as Capalā.

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¹ Apparently originally sung; cf. Jacobi, ZDMG. xxxviii. 599 ff.; cf. xl. 336 ff.; SIFI. VIII. ii. 84 ff.

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Of the metres measured by syllables, Akṣaracchandas, the following have been mentioned as found in classical poetry, and their schemes are given below, each consisting normally of four lines of the type given, with caesuras indicated by perpendicular lines:

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Acaladhṛti: ⏑ ⏑ ⏑ ⏑ ⏑ ⏑ ⏑ ⏑ ⏑ ⏑ ⏑ ⏑ ⏑ ⏑ ⏑ ⏑ (16)
Anavasitā: ⏑ ⏑ ⏑ ⏑ ⎼ ⎼ ⎼ ⏑ ⏑ ⎼ ⎼ (11)
Aparavaktra²: ⏑ ⏑ ⏑ ⏑ ⏑ ⏑ ⎼ ⏑ ⎼ ⏑ ⎼ (11) || ⏑ ⏑ ⏑ ⏑ ⎼ ⏑ ⏑ ⎼ ⏑ ⎼ ⏑ ⎼ (12) *bis*
Açvalalita: ⏑ ⏑ ⏑ ⏑ ⎼ ⏑ ⎼ ⏑ ⏑ ⏑ ⎼ | ⎼ ⏑ ⏑ ⏑ ⏑ ⎼ ⏑ ⎼ ⏑ ⏑ ⏑ ⎼ (23)

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² On the origin of this metre from the Puṣpitāgrā, cf. Hopkins, *Great Epic of India*, p. 340.

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Indravajrā: --⏑--⏑⏑-⏑-⏓ (11) Upendravajrā: ⏑-⏑--⏑⏑-⏑-⏓ (11) Upajāti, a combination of stanzas of lines of Indravajrā and Upendravajrā Utsara: -⏑-⏑⏑-⏑⏑-⏑⏑-⏑- (15) Udgatā¹: ⏑⏑-⏑-⏑⏑⏑-⏑ | ⏑⏑⏑⏑-⏑-⏑- (10+10) = *a*+*b* ——⏑-⏑⏑-⏑- | ⏑⏑-⏑-⏑⏑⏑-⏑-⏑- (11+13) = *c*+*d* Upajāti, mixture of Indravajrā and Vaṅçasthā lines Kalahaṅsa: ⏑⏑-⏑-⏑⏑-⏑⏑-- (13) Kusumavicitrā: ⏑⏑⏑⏑-- | ⏑⏑⏑⏑-- (12) Kokilaka (Narkuṭaka, Avitatha): ⏑⏑⏑⏑-⏑-⏑ | ⏑⏑-⏑⏑ | -⏑⏑- (17) ⏑⏑⏑⏑-⏑- | ⏑⏑⏑-⏑⏑-⏑⏑- ⏑⏑⏑⏑-⏑-⏑⏑-⏑⏑-⏑⏑- Kṣamā: ⏑⏑⏑⏑⏑⏑- | -⏑--- (13) Citralekhā: ⏑⏑-⏑⏑-⏑⏑- | ⏑⏑⏑+-⏑- (17) Jaladharamālā: ---- | ⏑⏑⏑⏑---- (12) Jaloddhatagati: ⏑-⏑⏑⏑- | ⏑-⏑⏑⏑- (12) Tanumadhyā: ---⏑⏑-- (6) Tāmarasa (Lalitapada): ⏑⏑⏑⏑-⏑⏑-⏑⏑-- (12) Tūṇaka: -⏑-⏑-⏑- (7) || ⏑-⏑-⏑-⏑- (8) *bis* Toṭaka: ⏑⏑-⏑⏑-⏑⏑-⏑⏑- (12) Triṣṭubh, mixtures of Vātormī, Çālinī, Indravajrā, Vaṅçasthā lines Daṇḍaka: ⏑⏑⏑⏑⏑⏑+17 (---) and variants Dodhaka: -⏑⏑-⏑⏑-⏑⏑-- (11) Drutapada: ⏑⏑⏑-⏑⏑-⏑⏑-- (12) Drutavilambita: ⏑⏑⏑-⏑⏑-⏑⏑-⏑- (12) Dhīralalitā: -⏑⏑-⏑⏑-⏑⏑-⏑⏑-⏑⏑- (16) Dhṛtaçrī: ⏑⏑⏑⏑-⏑⏑-⏑⏑-⏑⏑-⏑⏑-⏑- (21) Nandana: ⏑⏑⏑⏑-⏑⏑-⏑⏑- | ⏑-⏑--- (18) Puṣpitāgrā: ⏑⏑⏑⏑⏑⏑-⏑-⏑-- (12) || ⏑⏑⏑⏑-⏑⏑-⏑-⏑-- (13) *bis* Pṛthvī: ⏑-⏑⏑⏑-⏑- | ⏑⏑⏑-⏑--- (17) Prabhā: ⏑⏑⏑⏑⏑⏑----⏑- (12) Prabhāvatī: ---⏑- | ⏑⏑⏑⏑-⏑-⏑- (13) Pramadā: ⏑⏑⏑⏑-⏑⏑-⏑⏑-⏑⏑- (14) Pramāṇikā: ⏑-⏑-⏑-⏑- (8) Pramitākṣarā: ⏑⏑-⏑-⏑⏑-⏑⏑- (12) Praharaṇakalitā: ⏑⏑⏑⏑⏑⏑- | ⏑⏑⏑⏑⏑⏑- (14) Praharṣiṇī: --- | ⏑⏑⏑⏑-⏑-⏑-- (13) Bhadrikā: ⏑⏑⏑⏑-⏑-⏑-⏑- (11) Bhujaṅgaprayāta: ⏑--⏑--⏑--⏑-- (12) Bhujaṅgavijṛmbhita: ---------- | ⏑⏑⏑⏑⏑⏑⏑⏑- | ⏑-⏑-⏑- (26)

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¹ Cf. Jacobi, ZDMG. xliii. 464 ff.; SIFI. viii. ii. 108 ff.

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Bhramaravilasita : –––– | ⏑⏑⏑⏑⏑⏑– (11) Mañjarī : ⏑⏑–⏑– | ⏑⏑⏑–⏑⏑–⏑– (14) Mañjubhāṣiṇī : ⏑⏑–⏑– | ⏑⏑⏑–⏑–⏑– (13) Maṇiguṇanikara : ⏑⏑⏑⏑⏑⏑⏑⏑ | ⏑⏑⏑⏑⏑⏑– (15) Mattamayūrā : –––– | –⏑⏑––⏑⏑–– (13) Mattā : –––– | ⏑⏑⏑⏑–– (10) Madhyakṣamā : –––– | ⏑⏑⏑⏑⏑⏑ | –––– (14) Mandākrāntā : –––– | ⏑⏑⏑⏑⏑– | –⏑––⏑–– (17) Mahāmālikā (Vanamālā) : ⏑⏑⏑⏑⏑⏑–⏑–– | ⏑–⏑––⏑– (18) Mālatī : ⏑⏑⏑⏑––⏑⏑–⏑– (12) Mālinī : ⏑⏑⏑⏑⏑⏑–– | –⏑––⏑–– (15) Meghavitāna : ⏑⏑–⏑⏑–⏑⏑–– (10). Meghavisphūrjita : ⏑– –––– | ⏑⏑⏑⏑⏑⏑– | –⏑––⏑–– (19) Rathoddhatā : –⏑–⏑⏑⏑–⏑–⏑– (11) Rukmavatī : –⏑⏑–– | –⏑⏑–– (10) Rucirā : ⏑–⏑– ! ⏑⏑⏑⏑–⏑–⏑– (13) Lalitā : ––⏑⏑––⏑⏑–⏑– (12) Vaṁçapattrapatita : –⏑⏑–⏑–⏑⏑⏑– | ⏑⏑⏑⏑⏑⏑– (17) Vaṁçasthā : ⏑–⏑––⏑⏑–⏑–⏑⏑ (12) Upajāti, stanzas of Indravañçā and Vañçasthā lines Vasantatilaka : ––⏑–⏑⏑⏑–⏑⏑–⏑–– (14) Vātormī : –––– | ⏑⏑––⏑–– (11) Vidyunmālā : –––– | –––– (8) Vilāsinī : ⏑⏑⏑⏑––⏑–⏑–⏑–⏑⏑⏑– (17) Vaiçvadevī : ––––– | –⏑––⏑–– (12) Çārdūlavikrīḍita : –––⏑⏑–⏑–⏑⏑⏑– | –––⏑⏑– (19) Çālinī : –––– | –⏑––⏑–– (11) Çikhariṇī : ⏑––––– | ⏑⏑⏑⏑⏑––⏑⏑⏑– (17) Çuddhavirāj : ––⏑⏑–⏑–⏑– (10) Çrīpuṭa : ⏑⏑⏑⏑⏑⏑– | –⏑–– (12) Sumānikā : –⏑–⏑–⏑– (7) Suvadanā : ––––⏑–– | ⏑⏑⏑⏑⏑⏑– | ––⏑⏑⏑– (20) Sragdharā : ––––⏑–– | ⏑⏑⏑⏑⏑⏑– | –⏑––⏑–– (21) Sragviṇī : –⏑––⏑––⏑––⏑– (12) Svāgatā : –⏑–⏑⏑⏑–⏑⏑–– (11) Hariṇapluta : ⏑⏑–⏑⏑–⏑⏑–⏑– || ⏑⏑⏑–⏑⏑–⏑⏑–⏑– (*a* = 11 ; *b* = 12) *bis* Hariṇī : ⏑⏑⏑⏑⏑– | –––– | ⏑–⏑⏑–⏑– (17)

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The rules observed in the Çloka are strict. Each half-verse is composed of two lines of eight syllables, and the whole falls naturally into four feet of four syllables each. The fourth must be a diiambus ; if the second is ⏑––⏓, then all possible forms of the third are permissible save ⏓⏑⏑⏓, while in the first in this case the only restriction is that it must not be –⏑⏑⏓ or ⏑⏑⏑⏓.

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If, however, the second foot assumes any other shape, there are definite restrictions affecting the first foot, born of the desire to prevent undue monotony of metre. In these cases the same restrictions apply to the third foot as in the normal form. This gives us for the first two feet of the irregular forms, Vipulās :