Sanskrit Metres Chandas[Background: I asked the poet and scholar Shatavadhani Dr R. Ganesh for help on how to read/recite some common metres. He generously agreed, and illustrated over 30 metres, choosing the example verses and reciting them mostly from memory (and a couple which he composed on the spot).] Videos collected at Shreevatsa R You Tube home page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsf8Uz7U3jU7f0XfFYXau4g Includes many videos of discussions and recitations with Shatavadhani Dr.R. Ganesh. Published on Aug 12, 2013 2 Sanskrit Metres: 01 AnushtupShloka [This video in sequence: https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL... ] Anuṣṭup is technically a generic name for metres of eight letters, and among the anuṣṭup varieties, it is the śloka that is the most important, beautiful, and popular. Such is its popularity that often every Sanskrit verse is termed as śloka. An anuṣṭup (śloka) composed by Gaṅgādevī, the well-known poetess of Vijayanagar. It is from her epic Vīra-kampaṇa-rāya-caritam or Madhurā-vijayam. It is a verse in praise of poet Vālmīki. cetaso 'stu prasādāya satām prācetaso muniḥ / pṛthivyām padya-nirmāṇa-vidyāyāḥ prathamam padam // One more verse in the same śloka metre, composed by the great poet Bāṇabhaṭṭa in his Harṣacaritam. The well-known benedictory verse: namas-tuṅga-śiraś-cumbi-candra-cāmara-cārave / trailokya-nagarārambha-mūla-stambhāya śambhave // These two varieties indicate the complex structure of the metre with compounded words. If anuṣṭup is composed in a simple manner without samāsās, we can see a subhāṣita sujanaṃ vyajanam manye cāru-vaṃśa-samudbhavam / ātmānaṃ tu paribhrāmya para-tāpa-nivārakam // https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnsA9XWBXPI&list=PL6IjPXllPG4ahPAcg1pE7me WWvSEary_a&index=1 3 ] Another metre which is also very popular is āryā. But the most popular one is āryā. :-)] balavadapi śikṣitānām ātmany apratyayaṃ cetaḥ āparitoṣād viduṣāṃ na sādhu manye prayogavijñānaṃ To recite it to metre. A well-known verse from Kālidāsa's Abhijñāna-Śakuntalam — [Note: There is an error here in. (Called eka-tāl and tīn-tāl in north Indian music. 12 in the third. we have to render it in one tāla or another. upagītī. Until it is fixed.) I shall recite according to metre a verse taken from Nīlakaṇṭha Dīkṣita's Vairāgya-śataka [12-18-12-15 Āryā metre] nītijñā niyatijñā vādajñā api bhavanti vedajñāḥ brahmajñā api labhyā svājñāna-jñānino viralāḥ [Sung in rūpaka] 4 . the ardhas have been inverted. It has to be recited in such a way that it can be sung to rhythm / danced to rhythm. There are many varieties in āryā — āryā.youtube. āryāgītī and so on... think of what is recited here as 12-15-12-18 udgīti metre instead. gītī. 18 in the second. having: 12 mātrās in the first line. and 15 in the last line. either the eka-tāla or rūpaka-tāla of South Indian music.com/watch?list=PL.Sanskrit Metres: 02 Arya [This video in sequence: https://www. the great sage of Parakāla Maṭha. Śrīkṛṣṇa Brahmatantra Yatīndra.youtube. From his compositions.nītijñā niyatijñā vādajñā api bhavanti vedajñāḥ brahmajñā api labhyā svājñāna-jñānino viralāḥ [Sung in eka] One more āryā. a beautiful verse [12-18-12-18 Gīti metre] nindatu vā nandatu vā mandamanīṣā niśamya kṛtim etām harṣaṃ vā marṣaṃ vā sarṣapamātram api naiva vindema [Sung in rūpaka] nindatu vā nandatu vā mandamanīṣā niśamya kṛtim etām harṣaṃ vā marṣaṃ vā sarṣapamātram api naiva vindema [Sung in eka] One more verse to indicate the intrinsic beauty of this metre.com/watch?v=AZCkOFXPg9k&index=2&list=PL6IjPXllPG4ahPAc g1pE7meWWvSEary_a 5 . taken from a very great saint-scholar of Mysore who composed a magnificent work Alaṅkāra-maṇi-hāra. taken from the well-known devotional hymn Mūka-pañca-śatī of Mūka-kavi [12-18-12-18 Gīti metre] kalamañjula-vāganumitagalapañjara-gataśukagrahautkaṇṭhyāt amba radanāmbaraṃ te bimbaphalaṃ śambarāriṇā nyastam https://www. it is called viṣama-vṛtta. ] After śloka and ārya. the pattern of guru and laghu is completely fixed. and many more have used this as the major metre in their epics. If alternate lines are identical. in upajāti.) A verse from Jagannātha Paṇḍitarāja's Bhāminī-Vilāsa. then it is termed as ardha-sama. There are few popular ardha-sama-vṛttas. Upajāti is the staple food of many great Sanskrit poets. Aśvaghoṣa. Kālidāsa. tīre taruṇyā vadanaṃ sahāsam nīre sarojasya milad-vikāsam ālokya dhāvatyubhayatra mugdhā maranda-lubdhāli-kiśora-mālā 6 . In these upajātis. there is a choice of whether the first syllable is guru or laghu. the major metre in their magnificent epics is anuṣṭup śloka. another upendra-vajrā. The combination of the two yield several varieties of upajātis. the rest are fixed and identical.com/watch?v=-GVkB.Sanskrit Metres: 03 Upajati [This video in sequence: https://www. while Vyāsa and Vālmīki have taken asylum in the magnificent anuṣṭup variety śloka. Else (if the four lines are asymmetrical). One of the most well-known sama-vṛttas is indra-vajrā. In the varṇa-vṛttas..youtube. If the pattern is the same in all the four lines. and only one well-known viṣama-vṛtta.. but all the rest of the well-known vṛttas are sama-vṛttas. (Though they use upajāti to an extent. the vṛtta is called a sarva-sama-vṛtta. the varṇa-vṛtta metres. youtube. One more verse in the same metre from Kālidāsa's Raghuvaṃśa. That is why.com/watch?v=GVkBTBfNXk&list=PL6IjPXllPG4ahPAcg1pE7meWWvSEary_a&index=3 7 . in "ālokya dhāvatyubhayatra mugdhā". Again. But if you are keen enough. we have to jump the pause while reciting. it has to be smoothly recited: "ālokya dhāvatyubhayatra mugdhā". we can notice that there is a slight pause after the fifth letter: "tīre taruṇyā / vadanaṃ sahāsam // nīre saroja/sya miladvikāsam". in "nīre sarojasya miladvikāsam" [sung]. Similarly in "maranda-lubdhāli-kiśora-mālā".I shall repeat it once again to indicate the subtlety of yati or caesura. But we should not split it in a jarring manner. tīre taruṇyā vadanaṃ sahāsam nīre sarojasya miladvikāsam ālokya dhāvatyubhayatra mugdhā maranda-lubdhāli-kiśora-mālā Generally there is no specific yati in this metre. alaṃ māhipāla tava śrameṇa pratyuktam apyastram ito vṛthā syāt na pādaponmūlana-śakti raṃhaḥ śiloccaye mūrchati mārutasya https://www. Sanskrit Metres: 04 Vamshastha [This video in sequence: https://www. Kālidāsa and later poets have used it. Popularly it is called Vaṃśastha. and the maximum number of sargas of his Kirātārjunīyam are composed in Vaṃśastha. and the technical name is Vaṃśasthavila. ] Now we look at Vaṃśastha...com/watch?v=oPGdX.youtube. from the 14th canto: stuvanti gurvīm abhideya-sampadam viśuddhi-mukter apare vipaścitaḥ iti sthitāyām prati-pūruṣam rucau sudurlabhāḥ sarva-manoramā giraḥ Again: stuvanti gurvīm abhideya-sampadam viśuddhi-mukter apare vipaścitaḥ iti sthitāyām prati-pūruṣam rucau sudurlabhāḥ sarva-manoramā giraḥ https://www.com/watch?v=oPGdX0Dy6H0&index=4&list=PL6IjPXllPG4ahPAc g1pE7meWWvSEary_a 8 . A verse from Bhāravi's Kirātārjunīya. a well-known metre which has 12 syllables in every foot.youtube. Bhāravi is supposed to be adept in wielding this metre. com/watch?v=Tu499Oo6Shc&index=5&list=PL6IjPXllPG4ahPAcg 1pE7meWWvSEary_a 9 .youtube. The only difference between Indravaṃśa and Vaṃśastha is in the first letter. when the first letter which is laghu is changed into a guru. But in the case of metres which have a pronounced caesura (yati-prābalya).. is changed to laghu. it becomes Indravaṃśa. we know that the yati or caesura is very feeble or weak.youtube. If the first letter in Indravajrā.. there we have to recite with all care. We can recite the verse according to the breaking of the words (according to the pada-yati).Sanskrit Metres: 05 Indravamsha [This video in sequence: https://www. the guru. and that is why such metres are called yati-durbala. So in Vaṃśastha. ] Now we look at a 12-syllabled metre called Indravaṃśa. They can be recited without stopping at any specific point. [His own composition] vāṇī vareṇyā spṛhaṇīyavāṇinī pāṇītapāṇinyurusaṃskriyānayā bhūyādalokānubhavāya bhāvukā pāyādamāyāvilavākchalaṃ jagat In all these metres seen so far. it becomes Upendravajrā. https://www. This is like the difference between Indravajrā and Upendravajrā.com/watch?v=Tu499. ] Now we look at a popular metre which has 11 letters in each foot: rathoddhatā.. to 5 and 3: 10 . A verse from Kumārasambhava's eighth canto: [http://fiindolo. a rhythm which is comparable to the metres found in the mātrā varieties (the jāti-s. it has a "mātric" rhythm.sub. we can view it as 8*2=16 mātras instead: the mātrā varieties intrinsically divide in such a way that it creates a harmonious blend of 3 and 5 matras in an array: aṅgu/lībhiriva / keśa/sañcayaṃ saṃni/gṛhya timi/raṃ ma/rīcibhiḥ kuḍma/līkṛtasa/roja/locanaṃ cumba/tīva raja/nīmu/khaṃ śaśī Or it can just as well be changed from 3 and 5. It was much popularised by Kālidāsa. and later every poet started adopting this.Sanskrit Metres: 06 Rathoddhata [This video in sequence: https://www. to use the śāstric name).com/watch?v=soxZA. though the metre is a varṇa-vṛtta..63] aṅgulībhir iva keśasañcayaṃ sannigṛhya timiraṃ marīcibhiḥ kuḍmalīkṛtasarojalocanaṃ cumbatīva rajanīmukhaṃ śaśī aṅgulībhir iva keśasañcayaṃ sannigṛhya timiraṃ marīcibhiḥ kuḍmalīkṛtasarojalocanaṃ cumbatīva rajanīmukhaṃ śaśī Here.uni-goettingen.de.. Thus. though in terms of syllables the metre is 11-syllabled. especially for the description of sunset and moonrise. Ks_8..youtube. aṅgulī/bhir iva / keśasañ/cayaṃ sannigṛh/ya timi/raṃ marī/cibhiḥ kuḍmalī/kṛtasa/rojalo/canaṃ cumbatī/va raja/nīmukhaṃ/ śaśī https://www.com/watch?v=soxZABKUsU&list=PL6IjPXllPG4ahPAcg1pE7meWWvSEary_a&index=6 11 .youtube. in/naishadhiyach. rathoddhatā becomes svāgatā. One verse from Naiṣadhīya Caritam of Śrīharṣa. who has used it extensively in his epic poem.youtube. https://www.. we can identify the movement of 3+5 matras. This svāgatā verse has been taken from the 5th canto of Naiṣadha. In the svāgatā metre. but at the end we have the 3+5 being equally divided into 4 and 4.. bhīmajā ca hṛdi me paramāste jīvitād api dhanād api gurvī na svameva mama sārhati yasyāḥ ṣoḍaśīmapi kalāṃ kila norvī Here we can notice: ṣoḍaśīm/api ka — 5. similar to rathoddhatā. ] With a slight difference.youtube.3 lāṃ kila/ norvī — 4.4 ṣoḍaśīmapi kalāṃ kila norvī This is also something like a niryati metre. [http://sanskritworld.. having very feeble caesura. again 11-syllabled.Sanskrit Metres: 07 Svagata [This video in sequence: https://www.com/watch?v=oFT11.com/watch?v=oFT11y_iOJM&list=PL6IjPXllPG4ahPAcg1pE7meW WvSEary_a&index=7 12 .. ] bhīmajā ca hṛdi me paramāste jīvitād api dhanād api gurvī na svameva mama sārhati yasyāḥ ṣoḍaśīmapi kalāṃ kila norvī I shall repeat it in such a way that this varṇavṛtta can as well be realised as a mātrājāti. 13 . [sung] It is verily danceable. Druta means swiftness.youtube. the fast and slow tempos combined together. Vilambita is slowing down the pace. A verse from Līlāśuka's Kṛṣna-karṇāmṛtam. The combination yields druta-vilambita. and the gurus of course lead to a slow pace. The combination of them yields druta-vilambita.Sanskrit Metres: 08 DrutaVilambita [This video in sequence: https://www.. 14 . the other beautiful variety among 12-syllabled metres (the jagati genre). The laghus represent the druta-gati or the fast pace. ] Now we look at Druta-Vilambita.com/watch?v=flS5G.. known for its metrical melody and beauty in meaning: mada-śikhaṇḍi-śikhaṇḍa-vibhūṣaṇam madana-manthara-mugdha-mukhāmbujam vraja-vadhū-jana-locana-vaṅchitam vijayatām mama-vāṅmaya-jīvitam Again: mada-śikhaṇḍi-śikhaṇḍa-vibhūṣaṇam madana-manthara-mugdha-mukhāmbujam vraja-vadhū-jana-locana-vaṅcitam vijayatām mama-vāṅmaya-jīvitam We can notice a beautiful dancing rhythm here. and the name of the metre itself reveals the marvel of its movement: druta and vilambita. mada-śikhaṇḍi-śikhaṇḍa-vibhūṣaṇam madana-manthara-mugdha-mukhāmbujam vraja-vadhū-jana-locana-vaṅcitam vijayatām mama-vāṅmaya-jīvitam https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flS5GoBHW4g&index=8&list=PL6IjPXllPG4ahPAcg 1pE7meWWvSEary_a 15 . "ṇādharāmṛtaviśeṣita-smitam" becomes rathoddhatā.. Such marvels in music are called atīta and anāgata varieties..youtube. another metre which is a very rarely used one. svāgatā starting with two extra laghus — then it becomes kalahaṃsa. So a leap can be identified here. Here it is 5+3. This is a variety of keeping the rhythm intact. Mañjubhāṣiṇī is a very beautiful but rarely used metre.com/watch?v=j90Zu. aruṇādharāmṛtaviśeṣitasmitam varuṇālayānugata-varṇa-vaibhavam taruṇāravinda-dala-dīrgha-locanam karuṇālayaṃ kam api bālam āśraye Similarly if 2 laghus are added at the beginning of rathoddhatā's cousin svāgatā —that is. having 13 syllables in every foot. aruṇādharāmṛta-viśeṣita-smitam varuṇālayānugata-varṇa-vaibhavam taruṇāravinda-dala-dīrgha-locanam karuṇālayaṃ kam api bālam āśraye Those who have heard Rathoddhatā would unfailingly identify that this is nothing but Rathoddhatā with two laghus in the beginning. Here we can notice again the gati of 5+3 or 3+5. 16 .Sanskrit Metres: 09 Manjubhashini [This video in sequence: https://www. aruṇādharāmṛta-viśeṣita-smitam — here if we delete 'aru' in the first line. Only a few poets like Māgha and Śivasvāmi have employed it for many verses. but generally it used in plays here and there. It is a very beautiful metre. I shall recite a verse from Līlāśuka's Kṛṣna-karṇāmṛta. ] The next metre we look at is Mañjubhāṣiṇī. The grip in the rhythm can be identified here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j90Zuqea9Wo&list=PL6IjPXllPG4ahPAcg1pE7meW WvSEary_a&index=9 17 Sanskrit Metres: 10 Shalini [This video in sequence: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0c_1... ] One more variety in the 11-syllabled genre (triṣṭup) of metres is śālinī. Śālinī is one of the beautiful metres which is very popular in the later poets like Māgha and Śivasvāmi, but rarely used by the early masters like Kālidāsa and Bhāsa. (It is used mainly in some plays.) This metre is very difficult to handle for beginners, because of the heavy gurus which "bounce" in the beginning itself, five in number. One Śālinī from Māgha. A verse from the 18th canto of Śiśupālavadha. [http://gretil.sub.uni-goettingen.de/g...] ghaṇṭānādo nisvano diṇḍimānām graiveyāṇām āravo brahmitāni āmetīva pratyavocan gajānām utsāhārtham vācamādhoraṇasya This metre has a specifically pronounced caesura or yati after the fourth letter. After four gurus we have a virāma-sthāna or pause, and then we have the remaining 7 letters. The whole metre is pronouncedly guru-gambhīra and that is why it is a very grave and terse metre. Here, we can notice: the later metres of bigger varieties like Mandākrānta, Sragdharā, Sodana and many, have found a maternal force in this one. The expansion of Śālinī itself leads to Mandākrānta and Sragdharā, well-known bigger varieties. We don't know which came first, but we can say: in the Vedic metres too, here and there, we do see the variety of Śālinī, but not Mandākrānta or Sragdharā. That is why historians of metre naturally declare that bigger varieties are later explorations, while smaller ones have an antiquity. 18 In this Śālinī metre, we can see a strikingly Vedic vigour. If we remember Kālidasa's Śākuntala's Ṛk-chandas, which occurs in the fourth act, we can realise that there, in the Ṛkchandas which is of the triṣṭup variety, we have one line of Śālinī too. Just to recapitulate for the memory of the listeners, from Śākuntalam: amī vediṃ paritaḥ kḷpta-dhiṣṇyāḥ samidvantaḥ prānta-saṃstīrṇa-darbhāḥ apaghnanto duritaṃ havya-gandhair vaitānās tvāṃ vahnayaḥ pāvayantu Here the last line "vaitānās tvāṃ vahnayaḥ pāvayantu" is in Śālinī. In the Bhagavad-Gīta, Mahābhārata too, we see here and there lines of Śālinī, but not a complete verse in Śālinī. [See also Mandākrānta, Sragdharā] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0c_1eVIWHI&index=10&list=PL6IjPXllPG4ahPAc g1pE7meWWvSEary_a 19 followed by ātapatralakṣmīm.** "ādhatte" is a completely guru-pradhāna phrase: the three-lettered word ādhatte is completely guru. Where we have the combination of bhinna-gatis. Poet Bhāravi is endearingly called by the name Chattra-Bhāravi. and they form the shape of an umbrella which is nothing but a golden umbrella given to the goddess of the season Śarat.com/watch?v=taXMw. "kanakamayātapatralakṣmīm": here in "kanakamaya" we have four laghus. there we are bound to have caesuras. **At this juncture. And that is 20 . ] Praharṣiṇi is a 13-syllabled metre. we cannot realise a pronounced yati.youtube. the attribute to him. a combination of gurus and laghus. But where the whole foot is smooth or homogeneous.Sanskrit Metres: 11 Praharshini [This video in sequence: https://www. very terse in nature. there we realise yati. But strikingly we have three gurus and four laghus joining at one point. After the third letter we have the caesura or yati: ādhatte/kanakamayātapatralakṣmīm. one or two at least. utphulla-sthala-nalinī-vanād amuṣmād uddhūtaḥ sarasijasambhavaḥ parāgaḥ vātyābhir viyati vivartitaḥ samantād ādhatte kanakamayātapatralakṣmīm It also sounds verily Vedic. and this welding point is caesura or yati-sthāna. All the measures are long. and this verse which yields "Chatra-Bhāravi". Where a metre has combination of several varieties of gatis. is in Praharṣiṇi.. for his well-known verse from Kirātārjunīyam's fifth canto. Here the poet describes the beautiful whirls of winds which move on the lotuses so that the pollen grains are collected. we can know that the yati-sthāna or pause occurs only when we have the asymmetric combinations of clusters of gurus and laghus joining at one particular point. with a uniform combination of gurus and laghus.. in the upajāti or in the beautiful metre vasantatilakā or in the varieties like campakamāla. https://www.com/watch?v=taXMwE4ZOjw&list=PL6IjPXllPG4ahPAcg1pE7me WWvSEary_a&index=11 21 . utpalamāla which are very popular in Kannada and Telugu (these metres are of course borrowed from Sanskrit).youtube.why. we don't find a pronounced or identifiable yati. com/watch?v=ffbqy_W76Co&list=PL6IjPXllPG4ahPAcg1pE7meW WvSEary_a&index=12 22 .com/watch?v=ffbqy. for these metres are wellknown for stotras. 4. but because of their jingling rhythm we are bound to get distracted from the core meaning of the verse. it is called bhujaṅga-prayāta.. ] Now we shall go to very rhythmic and enchanting metres of the 12-lettered variety (that is. Thus we have: nanānā-nanānā-nanānā-nanānā. The great scholar and rhetorician/poetician Mammaṭa declares that such metres should never be employed by a poet who is devoted to writing an epic.) 3. If each line is made of four sa-gaṇa — nananā-nananā-nananā-nananā — the metre is called toṭaka.. the combination of two consonants. The metre is very enchanting and danceable. and that is the main purpose of the poet. https://www. these metres are not advisable. in the first letter. A ya-gaṇa has one short and two long syllables. twice: nanāna-nananā-nanāna-nananā. but troṭaka cannot be accommodated for its gitvākṣara. for the 'toṭaka' name can be embedded in the metre itself.youtube. 2.youtube. (It is also called troṭaka. from the Jagati group/family).. The last one in this variety is jaloddhata gati... Occasionally for variety in rare cases we may employ them. There we have a jagaṇa and a sa-gaṇa. but its name toṭaka seems to be more appropriate. We shall look at four varieties: 1. If all four gaṇas in a line are ya-gaṇa. We shall recite an example each — from the stotra-kavyās. But for a narrative epic.. Four ra-gaṇas yield the sragviṇī metre: nānanā-nānanā-nānanā-nānanā.Sanskrit Metres: 12 Jagati Stotra Metres [This video in sequence: https://www.. We have four popular metres which are verily useful in composing stotra-kāvyas or devotional hymns. 23 . com/watch?v=iOwJBDlQw5o&list=PL6IjPXllPG4ahPAcg1pE7me WWvSEary_a&index=13 24 .) One such Bhujaṅga-prayāta stotra from Śaṅkara: ṣadaṅgādi-vedo mukhe śāstra-vidyā kavitvaṃ ca gadyaṃ vicitraṃ karoti manaś cen na lagnaṃ guror aṅghri-padme tataḥ kiṃ tataḥ kiṃ tataḥ kiṃ tataḥ kiṃ One more verse from his Śāradā-bhujaṅga-prayāta stotra: lalāmāṅkaphālāṁ lasadgānalolāṁ svabhaktaikalolāṁ yaśaḥśrīkapolām purastuṅgabhadrāṁ surastrī-vinidrāṁ bhaje śāradāmbām ajasraṁ madambām https://www.Sanskrit Metres: 13 Bhujanga Prayata [This video in sequence: https://www. has written many Bhujaṅga-prayātas. (Or at least. ] Śaṅkara.. the great sage who propounded the philosophy of Advaita.com/watch?v=iOwJB. there are many Bhujaṅga-prayāta stotras in his name.youtube..youtube. ] In Toṭaka.com/watch?v=PjPZV.youtube. we have a verse from Veṅkateśvara Suprabhātaṃ composed by Prativādi Bhayaṅkaran Aṇṇan.youtube. ativelatayā tava durviṣahair anuvelakṛtair aparādhaśataiḥ | bharitaṃ tvaritaṃ vṛṣa śailapate parayā kṛpayā paripāhi hare || I shall repeat.Sanskrit Metres: 14 Totaka [This video in sequence: https://www. ativelatayā tava durviṣahair anuvelakṛtair aparādhaśataiḥ | bharitaṃ tvaritaṃ vṛṣa śailapate parayā kṛpayā paripāhi hare || https://www.com/watch?v=PjPZV5czHqM&index=14&list=PL6IjPXllPG4ahPA cg1pE7meWWvSEary_a 25 ... A hymn of eight verses.Sanskrit Metres: 15 Sragvini [This video in sequence: https://www. From it: bālikātālikātālalīlālayā saṅgasandarśitabhrūlatāvibhramaḥ | gopikāgītadattāvadhānaḥ svayam saṅjagau veṇunā devakīnandanaḥ || 2-41 One more verse: cārucāmīkarābhāsabhāmāvibhuḥ vaijayantīlatāvāsitoraḥsthalaḥ | nandabṛndāvane vāśitāmadhyagaḥ saṅjagau veṇunā devakīnandanaḥ || 2-40 But we can very clearly notice the amount of monotony involved in this verse. we cannot but lose the marvel of meaning. and the jingling sounds of the words. often called Veṇugītāṣṭaka.com/watch?v=kXurJ.youtube. ] For Sragviṇī. we shall go to Kṛṣṇakarṇāṃṛta of Līlāśuka. Irrespective of the metrical melody. can be isolated from the second chapter of Kṛṣṇakarṇāṃṛta..youtube. That is why great masters like Mammaṭa and others have restricted these metres only to stotra-kāvyas https://www.com/watch?v=kXurJvC838U&index=15&list=PL6IjPXllPG4ahPAc g1pE7meWWvSEary_a 26 .. or kanda of Telugu and Kannada. and that is why we don't have that much of pronounced embellishment of sound here. then a ja-gaṇa.com/watch?v=SuJAw. And here we can notice that na-na-nā-na-nā-na-na-na-nā-na-na-nā runs very smoothly. "pramitākṣarā tu sa-ja-sair uditā" is the sūtra of this. The total structure of the metre can as well be realized in ārya-gīti. Pramitākṣara too is similar to these four metres. ] Pramitākṣara is another metre of 12-syllabled variety.Sanskrit Metres: 16 Pramitakshara [This video in sequence: https://www. In Pramitākṣara we have a sa-gaṇa. https://www. used for the first time by the poet Bhāravi in his Kirātārjunīya.youtube. but the pronounced rhythmic sense is perhaps reduced to an extent because of one novel gaṇa which is introduced there.youtube..com/watch?v=SuJAwptSXVM&index=16&list=PL6IjPXllPG4ahPA cg1pE7meWWvSEary_a 27 . and two more sa-gaṇas. or skandhaka.. One more verse from Bhoja's Campū-rāmāyaṇa: duḥkhe sukhe ca rajayeva babhūva hetuḥ tādṛk vidhau mahati gautama-dharmapatnyāḥ yasmāt guṇena rajasā vikṛtiṃ gatā sā rāmasya pāda-rajasā prakṛtiṃ prapede 28 . Many poets have employed it in a commendable way.com/watch?v=I8g4B..sub.. It is said by Kṣemendra in his Suvṛtta-tilakaṃ that the poet Ratnākara. However it is the great king Bhoja who is known for beautiful Vasantatilakā metres. has composed many Vasantatilakās in several cantos. in his great epic crossing 50 cantos in praise of Śiva who destroys the demon Andhakāsura.uni-goettingen.youtube.. I shall recite a verse from Bhojarāja's Śṛṅgāra-prakāśa. ] Vasantatilakā is the most famous 14-syllabled metre.de/g. the benedictory verse itself.Sanskrit Metres: 17 Vasantatilaka [This video in sequence: https://www.. acchinna-mekhalam-alabdha-dṛḍhopagūḍham aprāpta-cumbanam avīkṣita-vaktrakānti kāntābhimiśra-vapuśa-kṛta-vipralambhasaṃbhoga-sakhyam iva pātu vapuḥ purāreḥ I shall repeat it acchinna-mekhalam-alabdha-dṛḍhopagūḍham aprāpta-cumbanam avīkṣita-vaktrakānti kāntābhimiśra-vapuśa-kṛta-vipralambhasaṃbhoga-sakhyam iva pātu vapuḥ purāreḥ MSS_0366 http://gretil. com/watch?v=I8g4BGdza_M&list=PL6IjPXllPG4ahPAcg1pE7me WWvSEary_a&index=17 29 . every foot can be easily recited. Kālidāsa started this tradition: in his Raghuvaṃśa's fifth canto.de/g.66 // http://gretil. Most of our Suprabhātās are composed in this metre.Here we can notice: without any break. īṣat praphulla-sarasīruha-nārikelapūgadrumādi-sumanohara-pālikānām | āvāpya mandam anilaḥ saha divya-gandhaiḥ śeṣādri-śekhara-vibho tava suprabhātam || This is how the metre goes. we have this metre being employed as suprabhāta for the first time. https://www.youtube.sub. This indicates the niryatitva of the metre.] And later this metre was specifically adopted for suprabhātam by Prativādi Bhayaṅkaran Aṇṇan who composed the well-known Veṅkateśvara Suprabhāta. Haravijaya of Ratnākara of course has hundreds of vasantatilakās but Bhoja-rāja with a score of something like 50 or 60 vasantatilakās in his Campū-Rāmāyaṇa has become immortal and this metre is also immortalized.. The poem starts: "rātrir gatā matimatāṃ vara muñca śayyāṃ" [ Ragh_5..uni-goettingen. a metre of 15-syllables. (At the end of every canto. mainly for the sargāntya.uni-goettingen... there are many poets who have used Mālinī at the end of their cantos.. Viṣākhadatta and others. we find Mālinī. is one of the most musical metres of the Sanskrit world..sub.18 // http://gretil. starting from Māgha. and naturally we have a yati-sthāna or caesura at the end of every foot (line). per the convention laid by the aestheticians. A mālinī from Uttara-rāma-carita of Bhavabhūti: kimapi kimapi mandaṃ mandam āsaktiyogāt aviralita-kapolaṃ jalpator-akrameṇa / aśithila-parirambha-vyāpṛtaikaikadoṣṇoḥ avidita-gata-yāmā rātrir eva vyaraṃsīt // One verse from Kālidāsa's Śākuntalam: sarasijam anuviddhaṃ śaivalenāpi ramyam malinam api himāṃśor lakṣma lakṣmīṃ tanoti / iyam adhika-manojñā valkalenāpi tanvī kim iva hi madhurāṇāṃ maṇḍanaṃ nākṛtīnām // KSak_1. ] Mālinī. If these two yati-sthānas are managed with identical sounding words -.Sanskrit Metres: 18 Malini [This video in sequence: https://www.if we have anuprāsa. There is a yati-sthāna or caesura at the end of the 8th letter in the middle. and Līlāśuka towers supreme.) Accordingly. Even in the plays of master-poets like Bhāsa. this metre has been employed for the whole sarga too. And such measures can be found in many stotra-kāvyas.youtube. Bhavabhūti. 30 .the metre will be very beautiful to listen to. starting from Kālidāsa. Most of the poets have employed this. or if we have an internal rhyme -. the metre has to be changed.com/watch?v=rvQ_7. However. not to speak of poets like Kālidāsa and others.de/g. com/watch?v=rvQ_7wac868&list=PL6IjPXllPG4ahPAcg1pE7meW WvSEary_a&index=18 31 .A verse from Līlāśuka's Kṛṣṇakarṇāṃṛta: praṇaya-pariṇatābhyām prābhavālambanābhyām prati-pada-lalitābhyām pratyaham nūtanābhyām | prati muhur adhikābhyām prasnuvallocanābhyām prabhavatu hṛdaye naḥ prāṇanāthaḥ kiśoraḥ || 1-13 Here. https://www. only in the last line we don't have anuprāsa. the whole verse is very melodious to listen. But for that.youtube. com/watch?v=hWp7Vo_a0rs&list=PL6IjPXllPG4ahPAcg1pE7me WWvSEary_a&index=19 32 . This metre is well known in the stotra-kāvyas.com/watch?v=hWp7V.. It is as well comparable with the Western pattern of trochee: one long and one short syllable.youtube. ] The metre Cārucāmara is a very enchanting rhythmic piece which has a measure of 15 letters in every foot. one can strikingly notice the triśra gati of Indian music.. [A verse by himself] cāru-caitra-māsa-hāsa-bhāsavan manobharam bhūri-puṣpa-pūra-vāram īkṣyam etad ujvalam | dakṣiṇānilo vilola-vallarī vadhū-viṭo rakṣatīva mādhavīya mādhurīmudetyasau || Again: cāru-caitra-māsa-hāsa-bhāsavan manobharam bhūri-puṣpa-pūra-vāram īkṣyam etad ujvalam | dakṣiṇānilo vilola-vallarī vadhū-viṭo rakṣatīva mādhavīya mādhurīmudetyasau || In this metre. Or for that matter. as the metre is mainly employed for stotras rather than seasons' description.Sanskrit Metres: 19 Charuchamara [This video in sequence: https://www.youtube. Such a description rarely happens in this metre. A verse in description of the spring season. joined and repeating in succession. in any music we have the three-beats count. And the trimātrā gaṇa can as well be noticed: one guru and one laghu. https://www. Śaṅkara's Gaṇeśa-Pañcaratnam has been composed in this particular metre.. because the rhythm of 3 -. The leap from laghu to guru is striking and easy to notice.com/watch?v=1tdig. its rhythmic pattern is comparable to the Western counterpart iambic metre. nitānta-kānta-danta-kāntam antakāntakātmajam tvacintya rūpam antyahīnam antarāya-kṛntanam / hṛdantare nirantaraṃ vasantam eva yoginām tam ekadantam eva tam vicintayāmi santatam // The start with laghu is a beautiful and striking novelty in this particular one. nitānta-kānta-danta-kāntam antakāntakātmajam tvacintya rūpam antyahīnam antarāya-kṛntanam / hṛdantare nirantaraṃ vasantam eva yoginām tam ekadantam eva tam vicintayāmi santatam // 33 . This is again meant for stotras.youtube.is a very speedy move and its fast succession naturally generates a lot of monotony. If a laghu is added at the beginning of Cārucāmaram. ] The 16-syllabled metre Pañca-cāmaram is a close cousin of Cāru-cāmaram. A beautiful alliterating verse from that hymn: nitānta-kānta-danta-kāntam antakāntakātmajam tvacintya rūpam antahīnam antarāya-kṛntanam / hṛdantare nirantaraṃ vasantam eva yoginām tam ekadantam eva tam vicintayāmi santatam // We can notice how the melody of the metre has been fostered with variety.the triśra gati -. So for high spirits in rare occasions this may as well be employed.Sanskrit Metres: 20 Panchachamaram [This video in sequence: https://www. but not at all times. there is no difference between this and the earlier Cārucāmaram.. Here. But for this first laghu. it turns out to be Pañcacāmaram. com/watch?v=1tdig_cn5P0&index=20&list=PL6IjPXllPG4ahPAcg1 pE7meWWvSEary_a 34 .youtube.https://www. and everything is triggered towards the meaning. These five metres can as well be recognized as pañca-ratnas in this particular variety. such metres are profusely employed. They are not at all rhythmic in the sense of music (meaning that they cannot be employed to any tāla). Vedanta-Deśika. where a lot of poetic fancy and imagination is involved. Kokilaka. which is why these metres are very popular in plays. atyaṣṭi (17-syllabled metres). Jagannātha. Mūkakavi and others.. Śikhariṇī. Hariṇī.Sanskrit Metres: 21 Seventeen Syllabled [This video in sequence: https://www. All are strikingly different. https://www. The main metres in this section are Mandākrānta. and lastly Pṛthvī. Pṛthvī).com/watch?v=BxtyIaTXYY&index=21&list=PL6IjPXllPG4ahPAcg1pE7meWWvSEary_a 35 . Kokilaka (or Narkuṭaka or even called Nardaṭaka).com/watch?v=BxtyI.youtube. Hariṇī. but the intrinsic rhythmic melody is striking. at the end of each section. In the epics too. ] The class of 17-syllabled (atyaṣṭi) metres has some 4 or 5 significant metres (Mandākrānta. we see such metres. generally to change the metre.. Śikhariṇī. In later stotra kāvyas of Śaṅkara.youtube. "kaścit kāntā—" after 4 letters.2 // Here the pauses come at two places in every foot: after the 4th and after the 10th. as pādānta-yati is invariably the case in Sanskrit metres.. "—viraha-guruṇā—" after 6 more letters (totally 4 + 6 = 10).. ] Mandākrānta. "—svādhikārāt pramattaḥ" And the end of the pāda is a yati.com/watch?v=fsSW9. This metre is absolutely immortalized by Kālidāsa in his Meghadūta. The very first verse itself can be recollected: kaścit kāntā-viraha-guruṇā svādhikārāt pramattaḥ śāpenāstaṃgamita-mahimā varṣa-bhogyeṇa bhartuḥ yakṣaś cakre janaka-tanayā-snāna-puṇyodakeṣu snigdhacchāyā-taruṣu vasatiṃ rāmagiryāśrameṣu // 1. 36 . Thus the metrical rendition of the first line will be: kaścitkāntā—virahaguruṇā—svādhikārātpramattaḥ Here again we notice how all three varieties are combined here: the guru-pracura gati in the first unit.1 // One more verse from the same lyric Meghadūtam: tasminn adrau katicid abalā-viprayuktaḥ sa kāmī nītvā māsān kanaka-valaya-bhraṃśarikta-prakoṣṭhaḥ āṣāḍhasya prathama-divase megham āśliṣṭa-sānuṃ vapra-krīḍā-pariṇata-gaja-prekṣaṇīyaṃ dadarśa // 1.youtube. a caesura.Sanskrit Metres: 22 Mandakranta [This video in sequence: https://www. the laghu-pracura gati in the second unit and then the miśra-gati in the third unit. because only in metres where the yati is a pronounced one can we show whether the yati employed is right or wrong. https://www. we have one more yati. śālinī. or Rathoddhatā or even Upajāti where not more than 11 or 12 syllables are accommodated in every foot.. a judicious management and accommodation of all the three possible gati varieties (druta. and at the pādānta (end of the foot). sragdharā. and miśra.. laghupracura and guru-laghu-pracura) is possible. Generally in the lakṣaṇa-granthas while mentioning the doṣa-prakaraṇa (i.. Because of that. Unlike the smaller measures like Druta-vilambitā. And we can also identify that..youtube.com/watch?v=fsSW9EvsOpo&list=PL6IjPXllPG4ahPAcg1pE7me WWvSEary_a&index=22 37 . To indicate the violation of caesura they generally use such metres as mandākrāntā. dealing with the blemishes of poetry — how good poetry should not be composed) one of the blemishes is yati-bhaṅga-doṣa. which correspond to the two yatis in the pādamadhya (inside the pāda/line).. vilambita. The admixture has yielded many varieties. different gatis are employed. because of the scope and length of these metres. here it is 17. mālinī.e. and in these varieties one can realize the aesthetic taste of the masters of metre of Sanskrit. or guru-pracura. hariṇī. and not vasantatilakā or upajāti or druta-vilambitā or rathoddhatā.. śikhariṇī.They yield two joints respectively. . So we shall go to Śivānanda-laharī and Saundarya-laharī of Śaṅkara. ] Śikhariṇī Śikhariṇī has been hailed as the home pitch of the great playwright Bhavabhūti. The first verse from Śivānanda-laharī: kalābhyām cūḍālaṅkṛta-śaśi kalābhyāṃ nija tapaḥphalābhyāṃ bhaktānāṃ prakaṭita-phalābhyāṃ bhavatu me | śivābhyāṃ-astoka-tribhuvana śivābhyāṃ hṛdi punarbhavābhyām ānanda sphuradanubhavābhyāṃ natiriyam || 1 || I shall repeat kalābhyām cūḍālaṅkṛta-śaśi kalābhyāṃ nija tapaḥphalābhyāṃ bhaktānāṃ prakaṭita-phalābhyāṃ bhavatu me | śivābhyāṃ-astoka-tribhuvana śivābhyāṃ hṛdi punarbhavābhyām ānanda sphuradanubhavābhyāṃ natiriyam || 1 || I shall take Saundarya-laharī of Śaṅkara as one more example: kalaṅkaḥ kastūrī rajanikara-bimbaṃ jalamayaṃ kalābhiḥ karpūrair marakatakaraṇḍaṃ nibiḍitam / atas tvadbhogena pratidinam idaṃ riktakuharaṃ vidhir bhūyo bhūyo nibiḍayati nūnaṃ tava kṛte // Saul_95 // Śikhariṇī indicates gradually moving higher and higher. We can notice this in the rendition itself: 38 . And he has been justly imitated by a great and arrogant poet like Jagannātha too.youtube.Sanskrit Metres: 23 Shikharini [This video in sequence: https://www.com/watch?v=nWDAs. but Śaṅkara's Śikhariṇī in Saundarya-laharī is unparalleled in any measure.. And this natural appreciation of rhyme is employed by several people — we can take an example from Śivānanda-laharī to show this: trayī-vedyaṃ hṛdyaṃ tripuraharam ādyaṃ tri-nayanaṃ jaṭā-bhārodāraṃ caladuragahāraṃ mṛgadharam mahā-devaṃ devaṃ mayi sadayabhāvaṃ paśupatiṃ cidālambaṃ sāmbaṃ śivam-ati-viḍambaṃ hṛdi bhaje || 3 || https://www. the metre becomes very musical to hear.kadā kāle mātaḥ kathaya kalitālaktakarasaṃ pibeyaṃ vidyārthī tava caraṇa-nirṇejanajalam / prakṛtyā mūkānām api ca kavitā-kāraṇatayā kadādhatte vāṇī-mukha-kamala-tāmbūla-rasatām // Saul_90 // Here we can notice how the metre is ascending gradually. indicating the effect of Śikhariṇī.youtube.com/watch?v=nWDAst2sDdY&list=PL6IjPXllPG4ahPAcg1pE7me WWvSEary_a&index=23 39 . If a rhyme is brought out at the point of caesura. .. "vṛkṣāvarte". ] Hariṇī is a close cousin of Śikhariṇī.. And the leap of the deer can be realized in the flow of the metre.bhasa.com/watch?v=2THTIR9FHAs&list=PL6IjPXllPG4ahPAcg1pE7me WWvSEary_a&index=24 40 . And that is the marvel of Sanskrit metres. Hariṇī starts with five laghus followed by five gurus.Sanskrit Metres: 24 Harini [This video in sequence: https://www.. "bhramati salilaṃ" . These are called the laya-rahita metres or alayānvita metres and they have profound power and vigour.youtube. bhramati salilaṃ vṛkṣāvarte / sa-phenam avasthitaṃ We can see the leap: "saphena-mavastithaṃ".. Here we can notice how differently they are managed.. from the fifth act of Pratimā-nāṭaka supposed to be penned by Bhāsa: bhramati salilaṃ vṛkṣāvarte sa-phenam avasthitaṃ tṛṣita-patitā naite kliṣṭaṃ pibanti jalaṃ khagāḥ sthalam abhipatanty ārdrāḥ kīṭā bile jala-pūrite nava-valayino vṛkṣā mūle jala-kṣaya-rekhayā [http://www. Nowhere can we identify monotony. with the yati-sthāna after the first guru itself. Hariṇī — the name itself reveals that it is a deer (a she-deer). "saphena-mavastithaṃ".uni-wuerzb.. If we unstich the matrix we can know that Hariṇī and Śikhariṇī are like remixes of the same commodity..youtube.com/watch?v=2THTI. https://www.indologie.] We can notice: Śikhariṇī starts with one laghu followed by five gurus... One example of Hariṇī. 41 . smṛtāpi taruṇātapaṃ karuṇayā harantī nṛṇām abhaṅguratanutviṣāṃ valayitā śatair vidyutām | kalinda-giri-nandinī-taṭasuradrumālambinī madīya-mati-cumbinī bhavatu kāpi kādambinī || This has been taken as a benedictory verse in his Rasa-gaṅgādhara too. smṛtāpi taruṇātapaṃ karuṇayā harantī nṛṇām abhaṅguratanutviṣāṃ valayitā śatair vidyutām | kalinda-giri-nandinī-taṭasuradrumālambinī madīya-mati-cumbinī bhavatu kāpi kādambinī || One more verse from the same Śānti-vilāsa. I shall recite the verse and you yourself can notice: 42 . the yati-sthāna has been violated three times. I shall repeat.youtube. a devotional verse on his personal god Kṛṣṇa. Later it was fixed as being after the eighth letter. even such great poets as Kālidāsa and Bhartṛhari have erred in identifying the pause that creates a lot of melody in this metre. Before that.com/watch?v=aWHxH. viśāla-viṣayāṭavī-valaya-lagnadāvānalaprasatvara-śikhāvalī-vikalitaṃ madīyaṃ manaḥ | amandamiladindire nikhilamādhurīmandire mukunda-mukha-candire ciram idaṃ cakorāyatām || Earlier Pṛthvī's yati-sthāna was not noticed. For example. take Bhartṛhari's Nītiśataka where in one well-known Pṛthvī.Sanskrit Metres: 25 Prthvi [This video in sequence: https://www.. ] Pṛthvī is the most melodious and beautiful metre in the whole range of such varieties. Pṛthvī has been immortalized by Jagannātha in some of his verses.. From his Śāntivilāsa. This is because of the wrong identification of the yati-sthāna.5 || I think you would have noticed a jarring sound while recitation of the three lines. "na tu pratiniviṣṭa-mūr—kha-jana-cittam ārādhayet". https://www. Thus have later devotional poets and playwrights excelled. perhaps. Again there is an unwarranted cut. But the later poets have unfailingly noticed where the melody lies and accordingly they have worked out this metre. Or. very smooth.so it has to be read for clarity of meaning.youtube. Except for the third.labheta sikatāsu tailam api yatnataḥ pīḍayan pibec ca mṛga-tṛṣṇikāsu salilaṃ pipāsārditaḥ | kadācid api paryaṭan śaśa-viṣāṇam āsādayet na tu pratiniviṣṭa-mūrkha-jana-cittam ārādhayet || BharSt_1. those masters like Kālidāsa and Bhartṛhari had never thought that there is a yati-sthāna in this variety of metre Pṛthvī. "labheta sikatāsu tailam api yatnataḥ pīḍayan" -.here again there is an unwarranted cut. "labheta sikatāsu tai—lam api yatnataḥ pīḍayan" Here the word has been unwarrantedly cut: "taila" has been cut as "tai" and "la": "labheta sikatāsu tai—lam api" . we can see 100 beautiful pṛthvī verses. in the remaining three lines we have a jarring sound.no problem here.com/watch?v=aWHxHvKmEIw&index=25&list=PL6IjPXllPG4ahP Acg1pE7meWWvSEary_a 43 . But for clarity of meaning if we violate the yati-sthāna. "pibec ca mṛgatṛṣṇikā—su salilaṃ pipāsārditaḥ" -. then it will not be pleasing to the ears.it should not be the case. In Mūka-kavi's Mūka-pañca-śatī. "kadācid api paryaṭan śaśa-viṣāṇam āsādayet" -. I shall quote two lines from Gurunātha-parāmarśa of Madhurāja. Overall. also called Nardaṭaka. Bhavabhūti have not at all employed this.com/watch?v=OdOQfud9DGM&list=PL6IjPXllPG4ahPAcg1pE7m eWWvSEary_a&index=26 45 . this metre is very rarely used..com/watch?v=OdOQf. that too very rarely. Master poets like Kālidāsa. who was a devout student of Abhinavagupta. later known as Campaka-māla in Kannaḍa and Telugu. is a rarely used metre. https://www. Sarasi was employed by Māgha in his Śiśupāla-vadha's third canto as the concluding verse.Sanskrit Metres: 26 Kokilaka [This video in sequence: https://www. ] Kokilaka or Narkuṭaka. His devotion for his master was so great that he declared abhinavaguptapāda-likhitaṃ likhitaṃ hṛdaye tad-itara-dhīra-vṛnda-likhitaṃ likhitaṃ salile It resembles very closely the Sarasi metre. Except for that. Just to show the flow of this. many poets have used this metre only here and there.. mostly in their plays.youtube. Bhāsa.youtube. Only Śivasvāmi has employed this metre for a complete sarga in his Kapphiṇābhyudaya. 44 . ] But in this particular composition.com/watch?v=sS_2g. Here again we have to resort to the devotional hymns. candraśekhara candraśekhara candraśekhara pāhi mām [. we can take one line from the same candraśekharāṣṭaka of Mārkaṇḍeya: 46 . The mātrika variety or the rhythmic pattern according to the mātrā-jāti can be realized after every 3 and 4 syllables [. and so on] It is a varṇa-vṛtta. to avoid the monotony... the yati-sthāna is not taken care of: it has been rendered according to the rhythm of the mātras.. yet it has layānvita-gati. our masters of metre have placed yati-sthāna in a peculiar manner.youtube... It is a very smooth rhythmic metre. ] Mallikāmālā is an 18-syllabled metre. The rhythm can very easily be managed to tāla. Hariṇī and others which can never be employed under the rate of any tāla. Instead. One refrain from Mārkaṇḍeya's śiva-stuti "Candraśekharāṣṭaka" candraśekhara candraśekhara candraśekhara pāhi mām candraśekhara candraśekhara candraśekhara rakṣa mām This is how the metre goes. which can be adopted easily to Miśra-chāpu of Carnatic music / Dīpchandi tāl of Hindustani music.Sanskrit Metres: 27 Mallikamala [This video in sequence: https://www. also known as Mattakokilam in Telugu and in some of the "Chandograntha"s of Kannaḍa as well. To illustrate that. This is unlike Śikhariṇī. which is called in the musical terminology as eḍuppu in Tamil (or ettugaḍe in Kannaḍa. ettugaḍa in Telugu. In the first way you can see — "candraśekharam āśraye / *mama* kiṃ kariṣyati vai yamaḥ" — there is a "leap and twist" and with this.candraśekharam āśraye / mama kiṃ kariṣyati vai yamaḥ candraśekharam āśraye mama / kiṃ kariṣyati vai yamaḥ These are the two ways of rendition. regularly occurring. we can notice how the monotony of 3 and 4. candraśekharam āśraye / mama kiṃ kariṣyati vai yamaḥ https://www.youtube. has been deviated from in a skilful manner. "graha" in the Sanskrit technical terminology).com/watch?v=sS_2gomxCdE&index=27&list=PL6IjPXllPG4ahPAc g1pE7meWWvSEary_a 47 . the medium is vasanta-tilaka. vasanta-tilaka and śārdūla-vikrīḍita for they nowhere accommodate any tāla.. Kṣemendra declares in his Suvṛtta-tilakaṃ that Rājaśekhara is too well known for this metre. Our national animal.. Starting from Kālidāsa. Now going to śārdūla-vikrīḍita.] or [.youtube. But we can never feel the monotony in these three metres like śloka. Bhartṛhari has really immortalized śārdūla-vikrīḍita in his Vairāgya-śataka. while in upajāti there is an element of monotony and boredom because of the mātrika variety which can as well be read here and there. In Sanskrit. three metres can be treated as all-round metres: the smallest is śloka. Śārdūlavikrīḍitam is the most majestic metre and it has the yati-sthānam after the 12th letter.. but these three metres have an unfailingly striking marvel in their diction and melody. The meaning of the metre itself is majestic: the gait or play of a tiger. However. We can as well count upajāti in this section. all great poets have used. 48 . A magnificent verse from Bhatṛhari's Vairāgya-śataka. ] Now we shall go to the most magnificent metre in the whole range of Sanskrit literature. It goes in the saṅkīrṇa-gati [. and there are many many stalwarts who have wielded their pen wonderfully in handling śārdūla-vikrīḍitam.. and the biggest is śārdūla-vikrīḍita..] like that: viloma-sankīrṇa and because of that there is an element of monotony. the 19-syllabled Śārdūla-vikrīḍitam.com/watch?v=TykW2.Sanskrit Metres: 28 Shardulavikridita [This video in sequence: https://www.. com/watch?v=TykW2r8UcIs&index=28&list=PL6IjPXllPG4ahPAc g1pE7meWWvSEary_a 49 . https://www.youtube. To speak in the words of Anandavardhana: every utterance is a vyañjaka-sāmagri in this particular verse and much of it goes to the credit of Śārdūlavikrīḍita. from Bhartṛhari's Nīti-śataka: kṣut-kṣāmo 'pi jarā-kṛśo 'pi śithila-prāyo 'pi kaṣṭāṃ daśām āpanno 'pi vipanna-dīdhitir iti prāṇeṣu muñcatsv api | mattebhendra-vibhinna-kumbha-piśita-grāsaika-baddha-spṛhaḥ kiṃ jīrṇaṃ tṛṇam atti māna-mahatām agresaraḥ kesarī || BharSt_1. to reveal the beauty of the content. However.mātar medini tāta māruta sakhe tejaḥ subandho jala bhrātar vyoma nibaddha eṣa bhavatām antyaḥ praṇāmāñjaliḥ | yuṣmat-saṅga-vaśopajāta-sukṛta-sphāra-sphuran-nirmalajñānāpāsta-samasta-moha-mahimā līye para-brahmaṇi || 100 || Here. we may take 15 minutes or so! But we are not going to that. Here the compounding of words and uncompounding of the words and the sounds in the form of both vowels and consonants — everything have yielded wonder beauty majesty and sublimity.29 || To explain the beauty of this verse. an unbroken compound word extending to the fourth line (starting from the third line to the middle of the fourth line) is the stamp of Bhartṛhari and there lies the beauty of this metre too. I shall repeat it: mātar medini tāta māruta sakhe tejaḥ subandho jala bhrātar vyoma nibaddha eṣa bhavatām antyaḥ praṇāmāñjaliḥ | yuṣmat-saṅga-vaśopajāta-sukṛta-sphāra-sphuran-nirmalajñānāpāsta-samasta-moha-mahimā līye para-brahmaṇi || 100 || One more verse. to what extent a metre can contribute can as well be realized in this particular example itself. A verse from Ḍiṇḍimabhaṭṭa. sragdharā is made for it.com/watch?v=A3YK5. kalyāṇollāsa-sīmā kalayatu kuśalaṃ kāla-meghābhirāmā kācit sāketa-dhāmā bhava-gahana-gati--klānti-hāri-praṇāmā / saundarya-hrīṇa-kāmā dhṛta-janaka-sutā--sādarāpāṅga-dhāmā dikṣu prakhyāta-bhūmā diviṣadabhinutā devatā rāmanāmā // I shall repeat kalyāṇollāsa-sīmā kalayatu kuśalaṃ kāla-meghābhirāmā kācit sāketa-dhāmā bhava-gahana-gati--klānti-hāri-praṇāmā / saundarya-hrīṇa-kāmā dhṛta-janaka-sutā--sādarāpāṅga-dhāmā dikṣu prakhyāta-bhūmā diviṣadabhinutā devatā rāmanāmā // When a bombastic verse is needed.Sanskrit Metres: 29 Sragdhara [This video in sequence: https://www. Sragdharā literally means a maiden with a garland: "srag dharati iti sragdharā". a court poet of Vijayanagar kings. ukti-pratyukti-mārga-krama-paricayavān asti kaścid vipaścid yadyasmin svasti tasmai budha-vara-samitau bibhyad abhyāgato bhūt | bhāṅkurvat bheka-kukṣiṃ-bhariśu bhaya-bharodbhrānta bhogīndra subhrūbhrūṇa-bhraṃśī kim ambhaḥphaṇiṣu patagarāṭ sambhramī bambhramīti || So mouthful utterances can be realized in Sragdharā. A verse from Veṅkaṭādhvari's Viśva-guṇādarśa-campū in praise of Rāma and his name. ] Sragdharā is perhaps the biggest measure generally employed in Sanskrit poetry.youtube. Sragdharā is a yati-prabala metre. 50 . a caesura occurs. After every 7 letters... So its 21 syllables are divided into 3: the caesura is at three places (including the pādānta yati). youtube.com/watch?v=A3YK5aRIJWY&index=29&list=PL6IjPXllPG4ahPA cg1pE7meWWvSEary_a 51 .https://www. Viyoginī has been employed by Vālmīki too. so Viyoginī is the best-suited metre.. ] Now we have few ardha-sama metres.youtube. Sometimes called Vaitālīya.com/watch?v=TGqpR. and so it is a niryati metre.com/watch?v=TGqpRy6udO4&list=PL6IjPXllPG4ahPAcg1pE7me WWvSEary_a&index=30 52 . It is soft and musical. but Vaitālīya is another variety of prākṛta metres.Sanskrit Metres: 30 Viyogini [This video in sequence: https://www.30 // Here none can feel any pause in any of the feet.30 // I shall repeat sahasā vidadhīta na kriyām avivekaḥ param āpadāṃ padam / vṛṇate hi vimṛśyakāriṇo guṇalabdhāḥ svayam eva sampadaḥ // 2. The most popular is Viyoginī. Taking a verse from Bhāravi's Kirātārjunīya.youtube. a well-known verse indeed: sahasā vidadhīta na kriyām avivekaḥ param āpadāṃ padam / vṛṇate hi vimṛśyakāriṇo guṇalabdhāḥ svayam eva sampadaḥ // 2. Since then we have many poets who have wielded their pen successfully in it. Beautiful and employable for narration. https://www. but the ringing sound of the Vedic measure cannot be realized here unlike in the case of triṣṭup and jagati varieties like śālinī or upajāti or vaṃśastha or indravaṃśa.. . ] If one guru is added to the end of viyogini. Kālidāsa has not employed this in any of the epics for the complete rendition of a canto.com/watch?v=hF1xV. Māgha and others.youtube.com/watch?v=hF1xVDxgXpE&index=31&list=PL6IjPXllPG4ahPA cg1pE7meWWvSEary_a 53 ..youtube. it becomes aupacchandasika.Sanskrit Metres: 31 Aupacchandasika [This video in sequence: https://www. but here and there in his plays and even in the epics at the end perhaps. One example of this can be cited from a cāṭu (a witty verse) of Jagannātha Paṇḍitarāja: yavanī navanīta-komalāṅgī śayanīye yadi nīyate kadācit avanī-talam eva sādhu manye navanīmāghavanī vinoda-hetuḥ I shall repeat yavanī navanīta-komalāṅgī śayanīye yadi nīyate kadācit avanī-talam eva sādhu manye navanīmāghavanī vinoda-hetuḥ One can enjoy the melody of composition itself. The sound itself is so soul-stirring. Aupacchandasika is also a popular metre mostly popularised by Bhāravi. he has employed it as variety. https://www. whether you understand the lyric or not. Adding one guru to the end of Aparavaktra turns it into Puṣpitāgra.com/watch?v=LBHw_60vwDI&index=32&list=PL6IjPXllPG4ahPA cg1pE7meWWvSEary_a 54 ..10 // I shall repeat anumata-gamanā śakuntalā tarubhir iyaṃ vana-vāsa-bandhubhiḥ / paribhṛta-virutaṃ kalaṃ yathā prativacanī-kṛtam ebhir īdṛśam // 4.youtube.com/watch?v=LBHw_. the odd lines are similar to each other.youtube. and the even lines are similar to each other. from Kālidāsa's Śākuntalam..Sanskrit Metres: 32 Aparavaktra [This video in sequence: https://www. https://www. as in the earlier ardha-sama-vṛtta metres. One example of Aparavaktra. from the fourth act: anumata-gamanā śakuntalā tarubhir iyaṃ vana-vāsa-bandhubhiḥ / paribhṛta-virutaṃ kalaṃ yathā prativacanī-kṛtam ebhir īdṛśam // 4. Aparavaktra and Puṣpitāgra are very close cousins. ] Then we have two more ardha-sama-vṛttas. like Viyoginī and Aupacchandasika. Here.10 // Here also there is no yati. Aparavaktra and Puṣpitāgra. com/watch?v=5TQUc. or Aupacchandasika.com/watch?v=5TQUcuf2flw&list=PL6IjPXllPG4ahPAcg1pE7meW WvSEary_a&index=33 55 . its close cousin. we have an example: na ca na paricito na cāpyaramyaścakitamupaimi tathāpi pārśvamasya / salilanidhir iva pratikṣaṇaṃ me bhavati sa eva navo navo'yamakṣṇoḥ // To show the rhythmic manner in which it can be sung even to tāla: na ca na paricito na cāpyaramyaścakitamupaimi tathāpi pārśvamasya / salilanidhir iva pratikṣaṇaṃ me bhavati sa eva navo navo'yamakṣṇoḥ // https://www. ] The last of our popular ardha-sama metres is Puṣpitāgra.Sanskrit Metres: 33 Pushpitagra [This video in sequence: https://www. Here from the first act of Kālidāsa's Mālavikāgnimitram..youtube.. Puṣpitāgra is far more popular than Aparavaktra.youtube. . From Māgha onwards we see the employment of this metre.com/watch?v=6H-9V. An example from the 15th canto of Māgha: kṣaṇameṣa rājasatayaiva jagad-udaya-darśitodyatiḥ / sattva-hita-kṛta-matiḥ sahasā tamasā vināśayati sarvam āvṛtaḥ //51// I shall repeat kṣaṇameṣa rājasatayaiva jagad-udaya-darśitodyatiḥ / sattva-hita-kṛta-matiḥ sahasā tamasā vināśayati sarvam āvṛtaḥ //51// kṣaṇameṣa rājasatayaiva jagad-udaya-darśitodyatiḥ / sattva-hita-kṛta-matiḥ sahasā tamasā vināśayati sarvam āvṛtaḥ //51// 56 . has been employed by an early poet like Aśvaghoṣa too. but Kālidāsa has never touched this. ] The only popular Viṣama-vṛtta is udgata. but Māgha perhaps is the only poet who has used it in a very efficient manner. Hence in spite of its Viṣamatva. Udgata. The whole of the fifteenth canto of Śiśupālavadham is in udgata. it has samatva as far as the music is concerned. This particular metre.Sanskrit Metres: 34 Udgata [This video in sequence: https://www. Udgata is a very rhythmic metre.youtube.. Thus we can realize that the whole metre is in the santulita-madhyāvarta-gati of 3+5 breaking into 4+4 too at different intervals.One can notice a plain Mañjubhāṣiṇi foot coming in the last line: "tamasā vināśayati sarvam āvṛtaḥ".youtube.com/watch?v=6H9VD30PTQ&index=34&list=PL6IjPXllPG4ahPAcg1pE7meWWvSEary_a 57 . https://www. kuṭumbā. śambā. ] Just for the sake of revealing the variety of satāla or layānvita metres of bigger measures. If a poet is well accomplished with words he can manage this. and totally 12 identical sounds have to be produced: here. Hence composition of verses in this metre is rather difficult. All these things tax the scholastic nature of the poet. The first is the well-known aśvadhāṭī. One example here: ambā sudhā-madhura-bimbādhara-smita-kadambāruṇācca rucirā lambāla kāmayaku jambāla tām haratu sāmbānugānaga sutā ḍambāsurīguṇa kurumbādi māraṇaka lambānvitānataparā śambālikā śivā kuṭumbāyitā pṛthuni tambāvatu śrutidharā Here we can notice ambā sudhā-madhura-bimbādhara-smita-kadambāruṇācca rucirā lambāla kāmayaku jambāla tām haratu sāmbānugānaga sutā ḍambāsurīguṇa kurumbādi māraṇaka lambānvitānataparā śambālikā śivā kuṭumbāyitā pṛthuni tambāvatu śrutidharā Thus at every unit of tālāvarta (every unit of beat being taking off). This rhyming is very important in this metre: though it is not a metrical constraint. nitambā. sāmbā.Sanskrit Metres: 35 Ashwadhati [This video in sequence: https://www.com/watch?v=NwaGo. kalambā. we see a rhyme. perhaps first popularized by Śaṅkara it seems in his Ambāstava.youtube. and later adopted by many people for different stotras. Every line has three such rhymes. jambā. Thus such metres are popular only in devotional hymns. lambā. arumbā. bimbā.com/watch?v=NwaGoqaJru0&list=PL6IjPXllPG4ahPAcg1pE7me WWvSEary_a&index=35 58 . ḍambā. it has been made so. but a poet should be primarily accomplished with intuition. https://www.youtube.. kadambā. we can cite two examples. as similarly sounding words have to be sought and they have to be arranged according to the meaning.. ambā. com/watch?v=Gj1I7. https://www.. It is from Patañjali-kṛta Śiva-tāṇḍava-stotra: sadañcita-mudañcita-nikuñcita-padaṃ jhalajhalañcalita-mañju-kaṭakam patañjali dṛgañjana manañjana macañcalapadaṃ janana bhañjana karam | kadamba-rucim ambaravasaṃ paramambuda kadamba kaviḍambaka kagalam cidambudhi maṇiṃ budha hṛdambuja raviṃ para cidambara naṭaṃ hṛdi bhaje || 1|| I shall repeat sadañcita-mudañcita-nikuñcita-padañ-jhalajhalañcalita-mañju-kaṭakam patañjali dṛgañjana manañjana macañcalapadaṃ janana bhañjana karam | kadamba-rucim ambaravasaṃ paramambuda kadamba kaviḍambaka kagalam cidambudhi maṇiṃ budha hṛdambuja raviṃ para cidambara naṭaṃ hṛdi bhaje || 1|| This type of metre is very difficult to manage for its length and alliteration which is very essential to have an ambience of its own.youtube. ] And one more example of such sophisticated structure: we have śambhu-naṭanam.. So here it is the Tāṇḍava of Śiva.Sanskrit Metres: 36 Shivatandava [This video in sequence: https://www. the gallopping horse movement. The very nature itself indicates: śambhu-naṭanam means the dance of Śiva.youtube. So this has again restricted only to stotra-kāvyas.com/watch?v=Gj1I7g7xheY&list=PL6IjPXllPG4ahPAcg1pE7meW WvSEary_a&index=36 59 . Aśva-dhāṭi: it represents the movement of a horse. Sanskrit Metres: 37 Concluding Remarks [This video in sequence: https://www. There are many more. https://www.. In spite of all this. much of the cherished literature in it. is enshrined in these few metres.com/watch?v=0Ov2g. one can boldly declare that Sanskrit is the only language bestowed with so many varieties of metre and no other language of this world has ever seen or realized such a great variety both in quality and quantity. But much of the Sanskrit literature.com/watch?v=0Ov2gQ1MpV0&list=PL6IjPXllPG4ahPAcg1pE7me WWvSEary_a&index=37 60 .. ] These are only a few main varieties of metres found in Sanskrit.youtube.youtube.