THE VṚTTARATNĀKARA AND THE

CHANDOMAÑJARĪ : A COMPARATIVE STUDY

A THESIS SUBMITTED TO
THE GAUHATI UNIVERSITY, GUWAHATI
FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN
SANSKRIT, FACULTY OF ARTS

SUBMITTED BY
RITAMANI PATGIRI
2014
 GAUHATI UNIVERSITY
GOPINATH BORDOLOI NAGAR
GUWAHATI – 781014, ASSAM

Dr. Kameshwar Shukla Resident Cum Mailing Address

M.A., B.Ed., Ph.D. Vyākaraṇa Śāstrī Teachers’ Flat-I, Unit-IV
Associate Professor Gauhati University Campus
Department of Sanskrit Guwahati – 781014
Ph. 9435406412 (M)

Date :……………….

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that Ritamani Patgiri, Assistant Professor, Department of

Sanskrit, Barkhetri College, Mukalmua, Nalbari, Assam, has carried out her
research work entitled “THE VṚTTARATNĀKARA AND THE
CHANDOMAÑJARĪ : A COMPARATIVE STUDY” for the degree of Doctor
of Philosophy (Ph.D.), in the Department of Sanskrit, Gauhati University, under
my guidance and supervision. She has fulfilled all the requirements laid down in
the regulation for Ph.D. under this University. This thesis is the result of her own
investigation, and it is a fresh and original piece of research work. No part of this
thesis has been submitted to this University or any other University for any other
degree or diploma.

Date: (Dr. Kameshwar Shukla)

Place
 GAUHATI UNIVERSITY
GOPINATH BORDOLOI NAGAR
GUWAHATI – 781014, ASSAM

Dr. Kameshwar Shukla Resident Cum Mailing Address

M.A., B.Ed., Ph.D. Vyākaraṇa Śāstrī Teachers’ Flat-I, Unit-IV
Associate Professor Gauhati University Campus
Department of Sanskrit Guwahati – 781014
Ph. 9435406412 (M)

Date :……………….

NON-BOARDER CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that Sri Ritamani Patgiri, Assistant Professor,

Barkhetri College, Mukalmua, Nalbari, Assam, is a bonafied research scholar
in the department of Sanskrit of Gauhati University, Guwahati. Till date she
has not been occupying any hostel seat in any hostel of this University. She is
a non-boarder research scholar.

(Dr. Kameshwar Shukla)

Associate Professor & Guide
Deptt. of Sanskrit, G.U.
 DECLARATION

I, Ritamani Patgiri, research scholar in the Department of Sanskrit,

Gauhati University, Guwahati, solemnly declare that the thesis entitled “THE
VṚTTARATNĀKARA AND THE CHANDOMAÑJARĪ : A COMPARATIVE
STUDY” is the result of my own research work and has not been previously
submitted wholly or in part, to this University or any other University for any
degree or diploma.

Place: Gauhati University (Ritamani Patgiri)

Date:
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I take great pleasure in expressing my deep sense of gratitude to my

respected guide Dr. Kameshwar Shukla, Associate Professor, Department of Sanskrit,
Gauhati University for his proper guidance, continued encouragement, inspiration and
help during the period of preparation of this dissertation.
I remain grateful to my respected teacher Dr. Sudhendu Mohan Bhadra,
Professor and former Head of the Department of Sanskrit, Cotton College, Guwahati for
his encouragement and blessings.
I am also thankful to my respected teacher Dr. Rajendra Nath Sarma,
Professor, former Head of the Department of Sanskrit, Gauhati University for his kind
help and suggestions.
I shall have to remain specially grateful to Dr. Sudeshna Bhattacharjya,
respected faculty member of the Department of Sanskrit, G.U. for ungrudging help
offered to me on various occasions.
I am also thankful to professor Dipak Kumar Sharma, Vice-Chancellor,
Kumar Bhaskar Varma Sanskrit and Ancient Studies University, Nalbari, Assam for his
inspiration , help and suggestions.
I offer my sincere thanks to the Professor Mukta Biswas, Head,
Department of Sanskrit G.U, Professor Maitreyee Bora, Professor Nalini Devi Mishra,
Professor Sujata Purkayastha, Professor Manjula Devi, Professor Shrutidhara
Chakravarty and Dr. Jagadish Sarma and respected faculty members of the Department
of Sanskrit, Gauhati University for their positive support and suggestions.
My appreciation goes to my father Sri Purna Ch. Patgiri, my mother Smt.
Debala Patgiri and my mother-in-law Smt. Bhatima Deka and all others family
members of both houses for their blessings and for showing me the path to go forward.
Specially, I express my gratitude to my elder brother Sri Apurba Patgiri my younger
brother Sri Gunjit Patgiri, BE and my cousin Sri Subhrasankar Kalita, BE for their
inspirations.
I also express my gratefulness to Mr. Satyendra Patowary, BE, Md.
Abdur Rauf, Assistant Professor, Department of English, Kamrup College, Miss
Simthee Bora, BE and Sri Arup Deka .
 I visited a good number of reputed libraries of the country during my
courses of studies viz. The National Library, Kolkata, Sanskrit College Library,
Kolkata, Historical Antiquarian, Guwahati, Cotton College library,Guwahati , K.K
Handique library of Gauhati University. I remain thankful to the concerned officials of
the respective libraries for all the help and support I received from them.
I express my gratitude to my husband Mr. Pradip Kumar Deka, BE,
PGDI with whose constant help and company I have been able to complete my
dissertation.
I express my sincere thanks to Mr. Kalicharan Das, Mr. Hemanga Kumar
and Mr. Dipankar Das who have completed the task of computer typing of the
dissertation within a very limited period of time.
Finally, I offer my special appreciation to all those who directly or
indirectly helped me to fulfill the dream and hope of my life.

Date: (Ritamani Patgiri)

Place:
 PREFACE

I had an experience of studying Gaṅgādāsa’s Chandomañjarῑ in my

post-graduate course in the Department of Sanskrit of Cotton College.
There developed at that time, a keen interest in me for studying the
chandasśāstra (prosody) more seriously. Against this background I came
to choose “THE VṚTTARATNĀKARA AND THE CHANDOMAÑJARῙ : A
COMPARATIVE STUDY”.

Chandas is one of the most adorable subjects in ancient education

system. Bharatamuni declared – chandohῑno na śabdo’sti na chandaḥ
śabdavarjitam. There are many works of chandas, of them Piṅgala’s
Chandaḥsūtram is said to be the oldest. The Vṛttaratnākara and the
Chandomañjarῑ are the two famous works on prosody. Both the works aim
at making the different metres easily understandable. The Vṛttaratnākara
was written by Kedārabhaṭṭa and the Chandomañjarῑ, under the influence
of Vṛttaratnākara, was composed by Gaṅgādāsa, a scholar of around 15th
century.

In the present dissertation entitled “The Vṛttaratnākara and the

Chandomañjarῑ : A comparative study” aims to give a comparative view of
the Vṛttaratnākara and the Chandomañjarῑ. The present study is carried
out under five chapters. The present dissertation also deals with the mode
of presentation of the metres in the form in which they are presented in the
Vṛttaratnākara and the Chandomañjarῑ.

The first chapter is introductory in nature where Sanskrit metrics in

general is presented. The second chapter deals with the analysis of the title
and chapter division of the Vṛttaratnākara and the Chandomañjarῑ. In third
chapter, the arrangement of the metres in the Vṛttaratnākara and the

iii
Chandomañjarῑ is discussed. The similarity and dissimilarity remaining in
the discussion regarding various metres in both the books the
Vṛttaratnākara and the Chandomañjarῑ are shown with necessary
examples.

In the beginning of fourth chapter the common features of these two

books are discussed elaborately. After that the differences are shown. The
last chapter i.e. chapter-v is a recapitulation of the previous chapters.

My labour will be amply rewarded if the work comes to be of

interest and utility for the readers and researchers with interest in the
chandasśāstra.

This dissertation is a result of our humble effort of last 6 (six) years.

We have tried our level best to complete the research work, but there is
every possibility of mistakes in the work. On behalf of all I seek apology
and constructive criticism from all well wishers. However, we believe in
the famous saying –

śūrpavad doṣamutsṛjya guṇam gṛhṇanti sādhavaḥ

Date:
Place: (Ritamani Patgiri)

iv
v
 CONTENTS

Page No.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT i-ii
PREFACE iii-iv
SCHEME OF TRANSLITERATION v
CONTENTS vi-viii
CHAPTER –I INTRODUCTION 1-32
1.1 The Word Chandas 1
1.1.1 Etymological Meaning of the 1
Word Chandas
1.1.2 Definitions of Chandas 3
1.1.3 Essence of the Study of 4
Chandasśāstra
1.2 Origin and Development of 6
Chandasśāstra
1.3. Vedic and Classical Sanskrit 14
Metres and their Varieties
1.4. Elements of Chandas 21
1.4.1 Gaṇa and Mātrā 21
1.4.2 Yati 26
1.4.3 Other Elements of Metre- Devatā, 31
Svara and Gotra
CHAPTER-II THE VṚTTARATNĀKARA AND THE 33- 39
CHANDOMAÑJARĪ: THE BOOKS AND
THEIR TITLE
2.1 About the Book Vṛttaratnākara 33

vi
 2.1.1 The Title 33
2.1.2 The Author : His time and life 33
2.1.3 The Chapters 34
2.2 About the Book Chandomañjarī 35
2.2.1 The Title 35
2.2.2 The Author : His Time and Life 36
2.2.3 The Chapters 37
CHAPTER- III ARRANGEMENT OF THE METRES AND 40-127
THE CONTENTS OF THE
VṚTTARATNĀKARA AND THE
CHANDOMAÑJARĪ
3.1 Samavṛtta 40
3.1.1 Common Samavṛtta type of 43
Metres in the Vṛttaratnākara and
in the Chandomañjarī
3.1.2 Uncommon Samavṛtta type of 70
Metres in the Vṛttaratnākara and
the Chandomañjarī
3.1.3 Inserted Ones 88
3.2 Ardhasamavṛtta 102
3.2.1 Common Ardhasamavṛtta type 103
of Metres in the Vṛttaratnākara
and in the Chandomañjarī
3.2.2 Uncommon Ardhasamavṛtta type 106
of Metres in the Vṛttaratnākara
and in the Chandomañjarī
3.2.3 Inserted ones 107

vii
 3.3 The Viṣamavṛtta 109
3.3.1 Common Viṣamavṛtta type of 110
Metres in the Vṛttaratnākara and
the Chandomañjarī
3.3.2 Uncommon Viṣamavṛtta type of 113
Metres in the Vṛttaratnākara and
the Chandomañjarī
3.4 Mātrāvṛtta 117
3.5 The Prastāra 125
3.6 The Gadyaprakaraṇa 126
CHAPTER –IV SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES 128-132
BETWEEN THE VṚTTARATNĀKARA AND
THE CHANDOMAÑJARĪ
CHAPTER –V CONCLUSION 133-135
BIBLIOGRAPHY 136-142

viii
 CHAPTER-I

INTRODUCTION

1.1 The Word Chandas

1.1.1 Etymological Meaning of the Word Chandas

The word chandas, as it is found, has occupied a very important part

in both Vedic and Classical literature. The ancient name of chandas was
Chandoviciti. The meaning of citi1 is assemblage and chandas is a vidyā
i.e. a systematic study. It is essentially a prayogaśāstra i.e. applied science
arranged in assemblage and hence it is termed as Chandoviciti.

There are several opinions regarding the derivation of chandas.

According to the Chandoviciti, the word chandas is derived from the word
cad which means “gladdening” or ‘delighting’2 in the mind of readers. The
ca is changed to cha by the rule canderādeścachaḥ3 and thus the word
chandas is formed. This morphology of the word chandas does not go into
the depth of the meaning except looking at the merit of the poetical
composition, the well-chosen words, couched up in metrical form,
generally sweeten the mind of the readers.

According to another view, the word chandas is derived from the

root chad which means ‘to cover’4. In the Vaiyākaraṇasiddhāntakaumudī
of Bhaṭṭojidīkṣita, the root chad is explained in the curādiprakaraṇa two
times viz., (i) chadisamvaraṇe (dhātu-1577)5 which means “to conceal” or
1
citi samūhe / Śabdastomamahānidhi, p.183
2
cadi āhlāde / Chandoviciti , p.3
3
Vaiyākaraṇasiddhāntakaumudī , 4, Uṇādisūtra - 658, p. 604
4
Piṅgalacchandaḥsūtra : A Study, p.51
5
Vaiyākaraṇasiddhāntakaumudī, 3, p. 279

1
“to cover” and(ii) chadapavāraṇe (dhātu- 18 54)6 means “restraint” or
“restriction”. It is said that the chandas cover or envelop or save person
from sin. Sāyaṇa derives the word chandas from the root chad (to cover i.e.
samvaraṇa )7. According to Yāska in his Nirukta the word chandas derives
from the root chad, chandāṁsi chādanāt means that chandas is something
that covers (to cover i.e. chadi ācchādane).8 It is said that the creation of
chandas was aimed at rescuing persons from sin. It is clearly mentioned in
the Aitareya Āraṇyaka- chādayanti ha vā enaṁ chandāṁsi
pāpātkarmaṇah.9 In Taīttiriya Saṁhitā it is also mentioned that once Agni
went in disguising himself as kṣurapavi which means thunderbolt and the
gods could not meet Agni in his dreaded appearance. So the gods covered
their bodies with various metres and went to have the grace of Agni .Thus
various elements by which the gods covered their bodies were called
chandas.

The Chāndogyabrāhmaṇa also says that gods derived chandas to

save from the fear of death.10

Some scholars say that the word chandas comes from the root cand
which is based on Pāṇini’s grammar. Here chandas means “to please”11,
Harṣaṭa, the commentator on Jayadeva’s Chandaḥśāstra also accepts this
root cand. He speaks of two acts viz “pleasing” and “shining”.12 As
chandas pleases or shines forth by its melodious nature it is called so.13

6
Ibid, 3, p. 279
7
puruṣasya pāpasambandhaṁ vārayitumācchādakatvāt chanda ityucyate /
Piṅgalacchandaḥsūtra : A Study, p. 51
8
chandāṁsi chādanāt / Nirukta, Daivatakāṇḍa, 12.2
9
Aitareya Āraṇyaka, 2.1.6
10
devā vai mṛtyorvibhyatastrayīṁ vidyāṁ prāviśamste
chandobhirācchādayan, yadebhirācchādyaṁstacchandasāṁ chandastvam /
Chāndogyabrāhmaṇa , 3.4.2
11
candayati hlādayati iti chandaḥ, canderādeśca chaḥ / Chandomañjarī , p. 3
12
cand-āhlādane dīptau ca / Jayadevacchandaḥ, I. p.15
13
candati hlādaṁ karoti dīpyate vā śravyatayā iti chandaḥ / Ibid., I

2
 In respect of formation there are many etymological explanations.
However, almost all the scholars are found to be agreeing with regard to
the two roots-(I) cand and (II) chad as responsible for its formation. Prof.
A.C. Sāstri14 observed that the root chad ( to cover) is mostly applicable to
the vedic derivation of the word chandas as held by Yāska in his Nirukta
and the root cand ( to please) is mostly applicable to the Laukika derivation
of the word as found in Paninian system of grammar.

1.1.2 Definition of Chandas

It is found that so many prosodians have given many definitions for

the word Chandas. Some of them are stated below-

According to the Ṛegvedasarvānukramaṇī -

yadakṣaraparimāṇaṁ tatcchandaḥ / 15

Here it is said that chandas is that which is measured by syllables.

Again, the Atharvaveda defines-

chandoakṣarasaṁkhyāvacchedakam / 16

According to this the chandas is distinguished by the number of

syllables. Ṣadguruśiṣya, in his commentary of the Sarvānukramaṇī of
Kātyāyana on the Ṛgveda, refers to the chandas as –

chādayantīha vā enaṁ pāpāt karmāṇiti śrutaḥ /

and chandaḥpāpebhyaśchādanāt / 17

14
cf. There are two kinds of derivations of the word ‘chandas’: ‘laukika’ and
‘alaukika’. In the Nirukta of Yāska the derivation given is chandāṁsi chādanāt iti,
i.e. ‘chandas’ comes from the root ‘chad’ (curādi). In Pāṇini grammar the word
comes from the root ‘cand’ / Piṅgalacchandaḥsūtra: A study, p.51
15
Ṛgvedasarvānukramaṇī, II. 6
16
Kātyāyana Sarvānukramaṇī, p. 57
17
Ibid. , p. 57

3
means chandas as something which envelopes or protects one from sins.

Halāyudha in his commentary states that-

chandaśśabdenākṣarasaṁkhyāvacchando´trābhidhīyate / 18

Here it is opined that the word chands refers to the thing that is
particularized by the number of syllables. Harṣaṭa, the commentator on
Jayadevacchandaḥ refers chandas as chandasśabdovṛttādhāravacanaḥ-
akṣarakośātmakatvāt / 19

Here it is stated that the chandas’ is the base word of metres having
the entire treasure of syllables. There are also several other definitions
about the Vedic and classical prosody. All definitions are suitable to them.

1.1.3 Essence of the Study of Chandasśāstra

The chandas has been occupying a very important part in ancient

education system.Chandasas, one of the most adorable subjects, finds its
place among the six Vedāṅgas-

śikṣā kalpovyākaraṇaṁ niruktaṁ chandojyotiṣāmiti / 20

Here it indicates its importance too.It is to be noted in this context

that the Chāndogyopaniṣad while drawing attention of the readers in the
story of Nārada and Sanatkumāra remains silent regarding Vedāṅgaśāstra
(Chāndogyopaniṣad-VII. 1.2). How can it be so? Nārada exploring
knowledge in all Śāstras mentioned by him, cannot go without the
knowledge of chandas. Because he (Nārada) studied Ṛg, Yajus, Sāman,
Atharva Veda and the study of Veda becomes fruitless to one who does not
know the metre of the mantras thoroughly. Hence, Nārada might think that
the mentioning of the Vedas covered by him implies the idea that he

18
Chandasśāstra, p. 3
19
Jayadevacchandaḥ, II. p. 31
20
Muṇḍakopaniṣad, 1.1.5

4
studied the chandas also, otherwise his study would be fruitless. But, we
find that Nārada attains knowledge in all the branches mentioned by him
mantravidevāsmi. On the other hand, the Taittīriyopaniṣad mentions
mātrā, the basic elements of metres, as one of the parts of Śikṣā. The said
Upaniṣad does not mention chandas, but the primary components giving
rise to gaṇa etc. essential for metres in that age are not neglected. Hence, it
may be said that the cultivation of metres, either in direct or indirect form,
was there in ancient education system, we find that chandas is regarded as
six Vedāṅgas. Moreover, Pāṇini, the greatest grammarian and the author of
the Aṣṭādhyāyī, regards chandas as to be the feet of Veda. We have a
reference as given below-

chandaḥpādautu vedasya hastau kalpo´thapaṭhyate

jyotiṣāmayanaṁ cakṣurnīruktaṁśrotramucyate /
śikṣāghrāṇam tu vedasya mukhaṁ vyākaraṇaṁsmṛtaṁ
tasmātsaṅgamadhītyaiva brahmalokemahīyate // 21

Saunaka, the author of the Bṛhaddevatā also lays much importance on the
study of chandas for the students going to study the Veda, it is mentioned
in the Bṛhaddevatā-

Aviditvā ṛṣiṁ chando daivataṁyogamevaca /

yo´dhyāpayejjaped vāpi pāpīyān jāyate tu saḥ. // 22

In Chāndogya Brāhmaṇa, it is clearly stated that without the

knowledge of the chandas, the study of Vedas leads to sin.23 The violation
of metrical rules in Vedic hymns might cause harm to the preceptor as well

21
Pāṅinīyaśikṣā , 41, 42
22
Bṛhaddevatā , 8.136
23
yo ha vā aviditārṣeyaśchandodaivataviniyogena brāhmaṇena mantreṇa
yājayati vādhyāpayati vā, sthāṇuṁ vacchati, garte vā pātyate, pramīyate vā, pāpīyān
bhavati / Kātyāyanānukramaṇī , 1.1

5
as to the sacrificer. So, the knowledge of metrics was given enough
priority.

Without a metre a mantra cannot be completed. Therefore, there

exists a close relationship between the mantra and the chandas. Prof. A.C.
Śāstri in his Piṅgalacchandaḥsūtra – A Study expresses “In some doubtful
cases metre makes a correct meaning of the Vedic verse. So, metres are
called the mouth of the Veda”.24 Further, he states “According to the
śastras the reading of the Vedas should positively not to be ended till the
sense of meaning becomes clear. Metre is the limb of the Veda and so
learning of metre is mandatory. By Anuṣṭup you should perform ritual. You
are to sing by Bṛhatī metre, you are to praise by Gāyatrī metre” these are
the injunctions regarding rituals. So, if a man is willing to perform rituals
he should know the metres properly”.25

Study of metrics is not confined to Vedic literature only. The

knowledge of metre is rightly felt to be a must in the Classical Sanskrit as
well.

1.2 Origin and Development of Chandassāstra

The beginning of the science of metre in Sanskrit can be traced to

the Vedic literature. The Vedic poetry consists of a lot of Vedic metres
which are denoted by the term ṛk or mantra. Jaimini states that the ṛk’s are
endowed both with feet and meaning and are laid in metre. Generally only
seven metres are to be met with in the Vedas e.g Gāyatrī, Uṣṇik, Anuṣṭup,
Vṛhatī, Paṅkti and Jagatī. Gāyatrī, in the fact, is the source of the rest of
the metres- by adding 4 letters consecutively to the existing twenty four
letters of the Gāyatrī metresthe rest of the metres Uṣṇik (consisting of
twenty eight letters), Anuṣṭup (consisting of thirty two letters) and so on are

24
chando vai vedasya mukham / Piṅgalacchandaḥsūtram, p. 46
25
Ibid., p.114

6
obtainable. Only seven metres out of twenty survived in use as mentioned
in the Vedic literature. Further some of the metres are classified as Daivī,
Ᾱsurī and Prājāpatya chandaḥ. The main characteristic of the Vedic metre
is the want of fixity in the rhythm of each verse. Ancient writers on
prosody considered the number of syllables in each verse as the basis for
the classification of the Vedic metres. In classical Sanskrit the number of
syllables in each verse is unalterable and the rhythm is also fixed. The
salient feature of the Vedic metre is that it had no metre based on the
mātrā. Those metres which are simply based on the strength of the letters
constituting it is known as vṛtta and those metres are based on the syllables
they are called jāti or mātrā.

The numbers of words are repeated in rotation in a metre or metres

based on letters. It is termed as vṛtta. Some metres of the Classical Sanskrit
literature derive their origin from the Vedas. The earliest reference to the
Verses in the Vedas laid down in metres are found in the Sāṁkhyāyana
Śrauta Sūtra, the Nidāna Sūtra, the Aitareya Āraṇyaka, the Ṛkprātiśākhyā
and in the Anukramaṇies of the Ṛgveda and the Yajurveda.

The importance of the science of metre has earned recognition with

the cognizance of chandas as a Vedāṅga and as one of the 18 types of the
branches of learning. The contents of Piṅgala are important in determining
the metres in Sanskrit literature and known as Piṅgalacchandaḥsūtram but
the importance assigned to the Vedic metres is intended only to establish
the importance of his work as a Vedāṅga. Such a treatise on metres like
the Aṣṭādhayāyī of Pāṇini is the most authentic and recognized standard on
Sanskrit metres. Sages like Saitava, Kāśyapa, Kātyāyana, Māṇḍavya and
others proclaimed the science of metre on earth. Traditionally Viṣadhara
and other authors also find their names as contributors to the science of
metres. Their names are enlisted as traditional originators of the science of
metres. Rājaśekhara in his Kāvyamīmāṁsā, traced the earliest history of the

7
metrical compositions and considered the first kavi or the author of
metrical composition as Kāvyapuruṣa. The next author was Śukra who
reared up the Kavyapuruṣa in his Hermitage and composed a verse. The
third was Vālmīki who made Sarasvatī to give him the place of his son and
began to compose verses. The section of the Agni Purāṇa which deals with
the metres is considered to be based on Piṅgala. Among the definite
landmarks describes the metres simultaneously with the description of the
planets, and that Bhaṭṭotpala in his commentary cites a text book on metres
by his predecessor Nārāyaṇa in his commentary on the Vṛttaratnākara
quote passages from Bhāmaha which indicates that Bhāmaha wrote a
treatise on metre. Daṇḍin’s authorship of the Chandoviciti was a disputed
one. The name of one Piṅgala Nāga author of the Vedāṅga on metrics has
been referred to in the Śāvara bhāṣya on Jaimini. The Nāṭyaśāstra of
Bharata deals exhaustively with the Sanskrit metres, the scheme of the
eight gaṇas, the meaning of the terms guru, laghu and yati, the sama and
the viṣama metres and the Āryāmetres and may lay claim to be the earliest
exponent on Sanskrit metres in classical literature. The lowest limit of the
Nāṭyaśāstra cannot be fixed later than the 2nd century A.D and the metrical
datas furnished certainly point to a date earlier than the completion of the
Piṅgalachandaḥsūtram which was commented upon by Halāyudha in 940
century A.D. The name of Piṅgala has been accepted as the founder of a
school only. It has come down to us from hoary antiquity. Piṅgala has been
described as a sage as a preceptor and again as a serpent. If Piṅgala is
placed earlier than 350 AD then the Nāṭyaśāstra and the treatise of Piṅgala
turn to be contemporaneous. The text of the Nāṭyaśāstrareveals that at
some places the characteristics of a vṛtta are given in terms of the gaṇas
like ma, ya, na and in other places in terms of the principle of short and
long classification. This gives rise to the notation that even before Piṅgala,
the marks of the metres were laid down by means of the rule of the
classification into guru and laghu and not by means of the triads based on

8
gaṇa. Again the marks of the metres are shown somewhere with the vṛtta
metre and somewhere with Anuṣṭup based on the numbering of the words.
This is indicated in the case of the Dhruvas as well. The classical metre is
probably based on Varṇasaṅgīta, and Piṅgala’s enumeration of the varṇa
vṛttas appears to be based on this. The Āryā, Vaitālīya and the
Mātrāsamaka varieties of the metres were also based on some modification
of the Varṇasangīta but Piṅgala did not ascribe the name mātravṛṭṭa to
them. Piṅgala did not define those metres which contain less than six
letters. Jayadeva and Bharata follow Piṅgala with the exception that
Bharata illustrates some of the shorter metres from the Prākṛta poetry.
Piṅgala refers to only four Pratyayas out of six. He does not say anything
about the Adhvan and the graphical representation of the long and short
letters as done by the later writers on metrics is totally absent in Piṅgala.
Some are of the opinion that Piṅgala appeared at a time which is posterior
to the full development of the epic Anuṣṭup, Triṣṭup and Upajāti. The
development of the classical metres probably long antedated Piṅgala.

The epics are for the most part composed in the Anuṣṭup which is a
development of its Vedic name sake. In the Rāmāyaṇa verses in the Triṣṭup
metre are seen at the end of each canto but the greater portion of the epic is
written in Anuṣṭup. The general practice of changing metres at the end of
each Canto is not observed in the Mahābhārata. The Āryā metre is
conspicuous by its absence in the epics. Analysis of the contents of the
Rāmāyaṇareveals that the following eighteen metres were used Anuṣṭup,
Indravaṁśā, Indravajrā, Upendravajrā, Vaṁśastavila, Vaśyadevī
,Aupacchandasika, Praharṣiṇī, Rucirā, Aparavaktrā Vasantilaka,
Puṣpitāgrā and Sundarī. Mahābhāratamentions the following metres in
addition to the eighteen metres used in the Rāmāyaṇa. These are
Rathoddhatā, Pramāṇikā and so on. In the Bhāgavata which composed
long after the composition of the two great epics about twenty five metres

9
including those mentioned in Rāmāyaṇa and the Mahābhārata were used
some of which were – Indira, Mandākrāntā and the others. The
Mātrāsamaka is also used in the Mahābhārata. The Nāṭyaśāstra mentioned
about thirty metres of which the following were absent both in the
Rāmāyaṇaand the Mahābhārata. Bhāsa, the celebrated dramatist employed
about eleven metres. A comparison of the metres of the text of the
Nāṭyaśāstraseems to show that some parts of the Nāṭyaśāstra were
probably compiled at a time nearer to the age of the final reduction of the
Rāmāyaṇa with which it betrays more agreement. And some of the metres
were introduced at a stage much later than the age of the composition of
the Piṅgala’s Chandaḥsūtram. The conflicting views as regards the nature
of the vṛtta and gaṇa probably point to the existence of two stratas in
Nāṭyaśāstra.26

The next popular writer on Sanskrit metres can be named as

Jayadeva, whose composition appeared probably in the 3rd century AD. He
made elaborate classification of the mātrāvṛtta, samavṛtta, ardhasamavṛtta
and viṣaamvṛtta and the six pratyaya. His composition differed from
Piṅgala because of inclusion of advana among the six pratyayas. Advana
indicates the space covered by a given metrical line written down and the
rule is that whether short or long, each letter shall occupy the space of a
finger. As contrasted from Piṅgala and Bharata who furnish both
definitions and examples Jayadeva made the very definition illustrative.
Jayadeva has been quoted by Abhinavagupta and by Svayambhu. His work
was known as Jayadevacchandaḥ. Varāhamihira employed a good number
of classical Sanskrit metres in his book Bṛhatsaṁhitā.Bṛhatsaṁhitā is
devoted to the illustration of about 60 metres.Varāhamihira was aware of
the pkt. metres like Gāthā, Skandhaka, Māgadhī and Gītikā and refers to

26
Nāṭyaśāstra, XVI, p.294

10
their original Sanskrit names Āryā, Aryāgiti, and Narkuṭaka etc.
Varāhamihira appeared before the 587 AD.

The Vṛttaratnakāra of Kedārabhaṭṭa was composed sometimes

before the 1000 AD. It is undoubtly the most popular work on metres. The
first systematics account of metres in classical Sanskrit27can be found in
this book. At the time of Piṅgala, the Nāṭyaśāstra and Jayadeva, classical
Sanskrit metre was comparatively young to be entitled a separate status,
but with Kedārabhaṭṭa it gained due recognition. The Vaitālīya contains
many metres that are not found in actual usage. The Chandovicitī dated the
6th century AD is another important contribution to the field of poetics. The
writer seems to have been a Buddhist. The work is written in sūtra forms.
Bhāravi in the 6th century AD had used about 20 metres in illustrating his
verses while Māgha in the 8th century AD had employed about 50 metres.
Śrī Harṣa is said tobe the author of a work known as Chandaḥ Praśasti. It
is interesting to note further that in Kālidāsa only we come across about 30
metres some of which were never used by the other poets of repute.
Tradition credits Pāṇini with the composition of verses in the Upajāti
metre.

Kṣemendra in the 11th century wrote the Suvṛttatilaka in three

chapters wherein he described the nature of the various metres, defects
arising out of the misuse of the metres and a reference to the writers who
excelled in the use of certain metres.

Dāmodara wrote a book named Vāṇībhūṣaṇa. Another author

known as Ratnaśekhara also wrote a book named Chandaḥkośa.

Hemachandra is also credited with the authorship of a compilation

named Chandonuśāsanam. Another work known as Vṛttaratnākara was
written by a poet named Nārāyaṇa in 1550 A.D.

27
Chandomañjarī, p.9

11
 The Chandomañjarī of Gaṅgādāsa is the most popular of all the
works on metrics. Since the author quoted from the Anargharāghava of
Murāri he was in all probability appeared much later than Murāri i.e.,
after the 10th century A.D. The work makes the most exhaustive and
scientific enumeration of the Classical Sanskrit metres in all aspects
dividing them according to the principle of the classification under jati,
vṛtta and gaṇa and fixing up the designations guru and laghu and
classifying the metres further into the varieties of sama, ardhasama,
viṣama and and daṇḍaka. The work is noted for perspicuity, brevity and
the clarity of its approach.

The Vāgvallabha of Śriduhkhabhañjanakavi edited with the

Varavarṇinī commentary is a later work. Vāgbhaṭa II is credited for
composing a work on metres namely Chando’nuśāsana which took place
in the 15th Century A.D.

Nārāyaṇa in the Vṛttaratnākara quotes long passages from Bhāmaha

which show that Bhāmaha had also composed a work on metrics. There is
another Bhāmaha who wrote a commentary on Vararuci’s grammar. But it
is not known whether these two Bhāmahas are identical.

The Haricaritam of Caturbhujabhaṭṭācāryā dated to the 17th century

A.D. illustrates various metres by way of describing Kṛṣṇalīlā. .

Traditional further asserts further that Gomānasa and Rāmakīrti,

were also authors on metrics. Iśanadeva’s work was named Chandaḥstuti.
The Mandāramarandacampu is also noted to be a work on metrics. It is to
be noted further that a comparatively modern author Rāmachandra
Cirañjīva Bhaṭṭāchāryya wrote a work named Vṛttaratnāvalī in honour of
the Dewan of Deccan in 1731 A.D.

The Prākṛta metre is closely allied to Sanskrit metres. Bharata was

the first to cite illustrations from Prākṛta poetry but these illustrations seem

12
to have not been taken from any known and complete Prākṛta work. The
matracchandaḥ has been a great deal more amplified in the Prākṛta and
arithmetical devices and diagrams, such as mātrā,varṇa, meru and patākā
have been super-added to the scheme of the Sanskrit aphorisms of Piṅgala.

There is a great interval of time between the appearance of the

aphorisms of Piṅgala and of the present Prākṛta Piṅgala. The name of
Piṅgala has been adopted as the founder of a school28. The text ascribed to
Piṅgala on pkt metres is much later and Dr. Keith assigns to it as late a date
as the 14th Century A.D. Vīrahāṅka’s Vṛttajātisamuccaya is mostly
composed in Prākṛta. Like Jayadeva he too, describes the graphical
representation of the long and short letters. He lived probably in the 9th or
10th Century A.D. Vīrahāṅka mentions Piṅgala, Bhujagādhipa, Viṣadhara,
Bṛddhakavi, Śalabāha and Hāla. The first three are the names of the
traditional originator of the chandaḥśāstra. The author did not recognize
the yati and enumerated the Prākṛta metres which are all mātravṛtta’s.
Further reference to a work on metrics known as Kavidarpaṇa, probably
of the 12th century A.D. has been found. The author contends that Piṅgala
and Jayadeva only recognized the yati. Kavikarṇapūra of Assam composed
the Vṛttamālā which deals with a few varieties of selected metres of
frequent use in Classical Sanskrit.

Vedic prosody Vṛttamuktāvalī is considered as the latest work on

Vedic part of metre. On the other hand Vṛttamañjarī of Dhīreśvarācāryya
is the modern work on prosody.

Poetic excellence is the necessity which has given great poets to use
metres accordingly, leading to poetic excellence. New metres are coming
into existence along with increase in number of metres with the passing of
time. Vālmīki used 13 varieties of metres in Rāmāyaṇa and some 18

28
Chandaśśāstra Kā Udbhava Evaṁ Vistāra, p. 74

13
varieties were used in Mahābhārata. Writers have employed metres in
writing compositions. There are many metres used in composing verses of
Sanskrit and Classical Sanskrit which have remained undefined or
undetermined by the prosodists. A thorough study is expected to prove the
fact. Hence, the total number of metres in Sanskrit literature can’t be
determined or fixed as such. As literary work keeps growing, the
probability of newer metres being found can’t be ruled out.

1.3 Vedic and Classical Sanskrit Metres : Their Varieties

Some aspects as hinted before show that the Vedic metres are
different from Classical metres. In Vedas, the primary concern is the
number of syllables used in each foot of a mantra whereas in Classical
Sanskrit, the number as well as quality (i.e, laghu and guru etc.) is taken as
important matter. There is no existence of gaṇas in Vedic metre. Mantras
of one foot to eight foot can be found in Vedas. Compound metres
(atticchandas) like śakkarī in Vedic text are known as pragāthā29 when a
mantra possesses two or more verses. In a poem, there must be four feet in
a śloka30 or stanza to call them as classical prosody.

In Vedas, maximum twelve syllables in a foot make for a metre. But

in Classical Sanskrit, at least twelve syllables in a foot should be there to
form a metre. But there are exceptions as discovered by Anundoram
Borooah31 who found fourteen, fifteen and even eighteen syllables in a
foot. But these are rare cases. These feet are imperfect as it is doubtful
whether it rhymes with the old Vedic text or is known by vedic poets. In
classical Sanskrit, there are metres containing twenty six syllables in a foot
like apabaha under the Utkṛti class of metre. The Jāti is a class of metre in
Classical Prosody where a metre is determined by short (i.e, hrasva) and

29
Prosody, p. 9
30
pādaścaturbhāgaḥ / Piṅgalacchandaḥsūtra, IV. 10. p. 37
31
Prosody, p.9

14
long (i.e., dīrgha) type of vowel (i.e., svara). There is no consideration
found in Vedic prosody.

A Classical prosody is regulated by short and long vowels of a

metre. The consonants are auxiliary and they are supposed to follow the
vowels. It is stated in the Rudrayāmala32 that the consonants follow the
vowels and vowels are syllables.

There are seven principal metres in the Vedas viz. – (i) Gāyatrī, (ii)
Uṣṇik (iii) Anuṣṭup, (iv) Bṛhatī, (v) Paṅkti, (vi) Triṣṭup and (vii) Jagatī.
The metre Gāyatrī has twenty four syllables and the other six metres from
Uṣnik to Jagatī have an increment of four syllables which can be shown in
a tabulated figure as follows :

Sl. No. Metre Syllables

1 Gāyatrī 24

2 Uṣṇik 28

3 Anuṣṭup 32

4 Bṛhatī 36

5 Paṅkti 40

6 Triṣṭup 44

Seven Jagatī 48

There are two broad classification of Vedic metres which are – (i)
chandas and (ii) aticchandas.33 Chandas consists of not more than forty-
eight (or

32
Piṅgalacchandaḥsūtra - A Study, p. 63
33
Prosody, p. 9

15
sometimes irregularly fifty) syllables and aticchandas metre consists of
syllables from fifty-two (or sometimes one hundred and six) in a verse.

Chandas are again sub divided into two groups viz. –

(i) sacchandas, e.g, Gāyatrī and (ii) vicchandas e.g. mahābṛhatī.

Similarly, the atticchandas is also divided into two sub groups – (i)
madhyamavarga and (ii) tṛtīyavarga. A metre consisting of fifty-two to
seventy-six syllables in a verse is called a madhyamavarga. Whereas a
verse consisting of syllables from eighty to hundred and four is called
tṛtīyavarga. It can be shown by the following diagram :

Vaidikacchandas 34

chandas atticchandas

sacchandas vicchandas madhyamavarga tṛtīyavarga

Prof A.C. Śāstrī35 shows the division of Vedic metres as follows

chandaḥ aticchandaḥ vicchandaḥ

Gāyatrī – 24 syllables Atijagatī– 52 syllables Kṛti – 80 syllables
Uṣṇik – 28 ,, Śakvarī – 56 ,, Prakṛti – 84 ,,
Anuṣṭup – 32 ,, Atiśakvarī – 60 ,, Ākṛti – 88 ,,
Bṛhati – 36 ,, Aṣṭi – 64 ,, Vikṛti – 92 ,,
Paṅkti – 40 ,, Atyaṣṭi – 68 ,, Saṁkṛti – 96 ,,
Triṣṭup – 44 ,, Dhṛti – seven2 ,, Atikṛti – 100 ,,
Jagatī – 48 ,, Atidhṛti – seven6 ,, Utkṛti – 104 ,,

34
This table is based on the observation of Anundoram Borooah. Ibid., p.9
35
Vaidika O Laukika Chande Piṅgala, p. 72

16
 The above group is again divided into eight groups viz. (i) ārṣī, (ii)
daivī, (iii) āsurī, (iv) prājāpatya, (v) yajuṣī, (vi) sāmnī, (vii) ārccīand (viii)
brāhmī.36 Again, the chandas from Gāyatrī to Jagati, the atticchandas from
Atijagatī to Atidhṛiti and the vicchandas from kṛti to utkṛti as shown in
Table may be divided into five types depending on syllabic deficiency viz.
(i) virāṭ, (ii) nicṛta, (iii) śuddha, (iv) bhūrik and svarāṭ. Thus we can
conclude that chandas are 7x5 = 35 types, attichandas are 7x5 = 35 and
vicchandas are 7x5 = 35 types.

There are also some irregular or unusual metres in Vedic prosody

such as Saṅkumatī, Kakudmatī, Nāgi, Pipīlikāmadhyā, Yavamadhyā etc.
Divyagaṇa, divyetaragaṇa and divyamānuṣagaṇa metres are mentioned in
Bharatamuni.37 They are again subdivided in category38 of metres as
follows :

Metres from Gāyatrī to Jagatī are called divyagaṇa, from Atijagatī

to Atidhṛtidivyetaragaṇa and from Kṛti to Utkṛti, divyamānuṣagaṇa.

According to foot (i.e, pāda), the Vedic metres are broadly divided
into three classes viz. – (i) samacchandas (i.e, the even metres), (ii)
viṣamacchandas (i.e, the uneven metre) and (iii)aticchandas (i.e, the
compound metre). If the number of syllables are same in each foot then it
is called samacchandas, e.g. Jagatī, if not same then it is called

36
atra deva-asura-prajāpati-ṛṣi-yajuḥ-sāma-ṛk-brahmachando-
bhedena gāyatrādīni chandāṁsyaṣṭavidhāni bhavanti / Chandoviciti, p. 4
37
sarveṣāmeva vṛttānāṃ tajjñeyā gaṇāstrayaḥ /
dvyo divyetaraśvaiva divyamānuṣa eva ca// Nāṭyaśāstra, XV. 99, p.115
38
gāyatryuṣṇiganuṣṭupca bṛhati paṅktireva ca /
triṣṭupca jagatī caiva divyo´yaṁ prathamo gaṇaḥ //
tathātijagatīcaiva śakkarī cātiśakkarī /
aṣṭiratyaṣṭirapi ca dhṛtiścātidhṛti gaṇaḥ //
kṛtiśca prakṛtiścaiva hyākṛtistathā /
saṅkṛtyatikṛtīścaiva uthkṛtirdiyamānuṣaḥ // Ibid., XV. 100-102, pp.115-116

17
viṣamacchandas, e.g. Bṛhatī. In attichandas metre e.g. Śakvarī, it consists
of two or more verses. Attichandas can be called as Pragāthā (i.e. the
compound verse) in this case. A. Barooah has divided the Vedic metres39 in
the mentioned principal. A Vedic prosody is a culmination of several
varieties of Vedic metres.

While determining a metre in Vedic mantra, it is essential to

observe some predefined specialities. The avasāna (i.e, end) of a foot is
very difficult to be identified out of mantras. The avasāna is also arbitrary
in Vedic metre. Mantras are differently marked in different works of
prosody which has been shown in ample instances. Thus a Vedic metre
lacks uniform division, sub division and other specialities in some cases.
For example, Gāyatrī metre comprises three feet and total number of
syllables is twenty four. Whereas in some Vedic text, there are some
mantras which uses the Gāyatrī metre such that it consists of five feet with
five syllables in every foot. Thereby, the total number of syllables of
Gāyatrī metre becomes twenty five. These irregularities are in large
number in Vedic metre giving it a peculiar character. These irregularities
are taken with a moderate spirit40 and accepted by some scholars. Thus a
detailed discussion is required in Vedic metres which have certain
peculiarities which are rather inexplicable so as to say.

The further division of vṛttachandas or akṣaracchandas is as viz. (i)

samavṛtta (i.e, the even or equal metre), (ii) ardhasamavṛtta (i.e. the half
equal metre) and (iii) viṣamavṛtta (i.e. the odd or unequal metre). If the

39
Prosody, p. 9
40
The Vedic hymns were composed long before any rules of poetry were thought of. As
a consequence, they abound in the great irregularities. Some of them may be due to a
difference of pronunciation in the Vedic days, but most of them are traceable to
artificial pronunciation such as is even now coon with reference to old songs and
ballads. Prosody, p. iv

18
four quarters of a stanza shows similarity, it is called samavṛtta41. Here
“similarity” means an affinity in respect of number of syllables and
quantity of syllables in each of the four quarters. The positions of the short
syllable and the long syllable in first quarter of a samavṛtta metre should
be the same as in the remaining three quarters.

Variation in samavṛtta metre comes from each of the one to twenty

six quarter of each syllable. On this basis a samavṛtta metre is broadly
classified in twenty six groups :

(i) Ukhtā class (having only one syllable in every quarter), (2)
Atyukthā class (having two syllables in every quarter), (3) Madhyā class
(having three syllables in every quarter), (4) Pratisṭhā class (having four
syllables in every quarter), (5) Supratisṭhā class (having five syllables in
every quarter), (6) Gāyatrī class (having six syllables in every quarter), (7)
Uṣṇik class (having seven syllables in every quarter), (8) Anuṣṭup class
(having eight syllables in every quarter), (9) Bṛhatī class (having nine
syllables in every quarter), (10) Paṅkti class (having ten syllables in every
quarter), (11) Triṣṭup class (having eleven syllables in every quarter), (12)
Jagatī class (having twelve syllables in every quarter), (13) Atijagatī class
(having thirteen syllables every quarter), (14) Śakvarī class (having
fourteen syllables in every quarter), (15) Atiśakvarī class (having fifteen
syllables in every quarter), (16) Aṣṭi class (having sixteen syllables in every
quarter), (17) Atyaṣṭi class (having seventeen syllables in every quarter),
(18) Dhṛti class (having eighteen syllables in every quarter), (19) Atidhṛti
class (having nineteen syllables in every quarter), (20) Kṛti class (having
twenty syllables in every quarter), (21) Prakṛti class (having twenty one
syllables in every quarter), (22) Ākṛti class (having twenty two syllables in
every quarter), (23) Vikṛti class (having twenty three syllables in every

41
aṅgghrayo yasya catvārastulyalakṣaṇalakṣitāḥ/
tacchandaḥśāstratattvajñāḥ samaṁ vṛttaṁ pracakṣate // Vṛttaratnākara, 1. 14.

19
quarter), (24) Saṁkṛti class (having twenty four syllables in every quarter),
(25) Atikṛti class (having twenty five syllables in every quarter), (26) Utkṛti
class (having twenty six syllables in every quarter). The samavṛtta metres
having more than twenty six syllables in every quarter comes under the
domain called daṇḍaka.

When a metre is similar in half of its quarters, it is called as

ardhasamavṛtta metre. When alternate quarters of a stanza are similar, the
metre of that stanza is called ardhasamavṛtta.42 In this metre the first and
third quarters are similar and also the second and fourth quarters are
similar.

Viṣamavṛtta43 metre means unequal. When all quarters of a metre

are dissimilar, it is called viṣamavṛtta metre. The dissimilarity here means
both quality and quantity of syllables. The number of quarters in
viṣamavṛtta metre is unequal. The quality of syllables from the standpoint
of long and short vowels is also dissimilar.

A metre can be made depending on the basis of underlying

movement of a (i) druta (i.e, quick), (ii) madhya (i.e, mean), (iii) vilambita
(i.e, slow), (iv) drutamadhya (i.e., partly quick and partly mean),
(v) drutavilambita (i.e., partly quick and partly slow) and
madhyavilambita (i.e., partly mean and partly slow) as depicted by
A.Barooah.44 At the time of reading a verse, the movement of underlying
metre can vary a verse. The difference of movement is also observed by
Dhīreśvarācārya as he declares various patterns of reading of a verse
composed in a certain metre. For example, the reading of a metre called

42
prathamāṅghrisamo yasya tṛtīyaścarano bhavet/
dvitīyasturyavadvṛttaṁ tadardhasamamucyate// Vṛttaratnākara, 1. 15
43
yasya pādacatuṣke′pi lakṣma bhinnaṁ parasparaṁ/
tadāhurviṣamaṁ vṛttaṁ chandaḥśāstraviśāradāḥ // Vṛttaratnākara, 1. 16
44
Prosody, p.2

20
Āryā is said to be sometimes slow like the movement of a duck45,
sometimes raised like the steps of a lion, sometimes playful like the
movement of the elephants of the directions46 and sometimes unsteady like
the movement of a snake.47

Both Vedic and classical Sanskrit prosody has a topic called as

prastāra.48 It is a tabular representation of short and long vowels through
which highest possible number of a particular class of metre can be
determined. Some prosody has chosen to remain silent in this issue.

Kedārabhaṭṭa as a prosodist has discussed all relevant prosody items

on Classical Sanskrit in his work entitled Vṛttaratnākara to make it a
complete treatise on metrics. He has only discussed Classical metres and
avoided the Vedic ones.

1.4 Elements of Chandas

1.4.1 Gaṇa and Mātrā

For determination of metre, a gaṇa is the most important element in

Classical Sanskrit. The word gaṇa comes from the root gaṇ meaning, to
enumerate’. The word is formed by adding a suffix ac to it. The gaṇa in
prosody is indicated by “a series” or “a class” or “a group” etc. From the
time of Vedic literature, this word has been used extensively. In Sanskrit
grammar, there are gaṇasūtras ascribed to Pāṇini. In the Paninian system of
Sanskrit grammar, the gaṇas used are bhvādigaṇa, adādigaṇa etc. A group
of similar dhātus are combined together taking the root bhū in the first
position of that series to form the bhvādigaṇa. Hence, gaṇa can be said as a

45
Vṛttamañjarī, V. 13, p. 205
46
marālagativat haṁasagativat mantharaṁ paṭhet. Ibid., V. 13. p.205
47
siṁhavikramavat uddhatam paṭhet / Ibid., V.13. p. 205
48
Vṛttaratnākara, p.161

21
technical term which is used as a mnemonic device specially applicable
while writing in sūtra style.

The gaṇas are a wonderful discovery by Piṅgalanāga49 in the history

of Sanskrit prosody. Pāṇini has used gaṇas in the grammatical sūtras of his
Aṣṭādhyāyī work and Piṅgalanāga has used gaṇa in the sūtra of his
Piṅgalacchandaḥsūtra.

There is an inclination of writing in sūtra style by the composers or

compilers of Sanskrit śāstras. The purpose of sūtra is that maximum
meaning can be understood by using minimum words, with accuracy50. In
jest it is said that a sūtrakāra rejoices at minimizing half a syllable as he
does at the birth of a son. So sūtra writers always try to club together items
by using means of mnemonics. Then by giving a terminology to that group,
the whole items included can be understood.

As enumerated in the Piṅgalacchandaḥsūtra the gaṇas can be run

as– ma, ya, ra, sa, ta, ja, bha, na, la and ga. For considering the metres,
these ten symbols have been symbolically taken. All the ten syllables are
called gaṇas. There are three syllables from ma gaṇa to na gaṇa, while la
gaṇa is denoted by a short syllable and the ga gaṇa is indicated by a long
syllable. Thus –

All guru syllables possessed by ma gaṇa.

The first laghu and other two syllables possessed by ya gaṇa.

Middle laghu and other two guru syllables possessed by ra gaṇa.

Last guru and other two laghu syllables possessed by sa gaṇa.

49
cf. “Piṅgala is undoubtebly the earliest prosodist who had used this unit and was very
probably the originator of it…./ ” The Culture Heritage of India, V, p.306.
50
alpākṣaramasandigdhaṁ sāravadviśvato mukham /
aṣṭobhamanavadyañca sūtraṁ sūtravido vidhuḥ //
Viṣṇudharmottara and Parāśara Upapurāṇa, p.96

22
 Last laghu and other two guru syllables possessed by ta gaṇa.

Middle guru and other two laghu syllables possessed by ja gaṇa.

First guru and other two laghu syllables possessed by bha gaṇa.

All laghu syllables are possessed by na gaṇa.

Only a laghu syllable is possessed by la gaṇa.

A guru syllable, probably at the end of the foot is possessed by ga gaṇa.

The following table shows the gaṇas along with their symbolic
representation:

Name of the gaṇa(s) Symbol(s) Example (s)

[l=laghu, S=guru]

ma SSS dhī śrīśtrī

ya ISS va rā sā

ra SIS kā gu hā

sa IIS va su dhā

ta SSI sā te kva

ja ISI ka dā sa

bha SII kiṃ va da

na III na ha sa

la I gṛ

ga S ga (nte)

There are justification given by some commentators who endeavour

to select these ten syllables and no other syllable from the whole alphabet
of the Sanskrit language. The efficacy or justification of gaṇas can be
described in the kārikās under reference in the following way :

23
 gaṇa (mnemonics) devatā (basing deity) phala (effect)

ma pṛthvī lakṣmī (wealth)

ya Jala vṛddhi (prosperity)

ra Agni mṛtyu (death)

sa Pavana paradeśa (foreign-land)

ta Ākāśa śūnya (void)

ja Sūrya roga (sickness)

bha Candra yaśa (fame)

na Svarga sukha (happiness)

Only eight gaṇas are illustrated in the table above. The la and na
gaṇa are apparently being single syllables are not considered here. It
should be noticed here that some scholars51 call these gaṇas as trikas(triple)
because they resemble to have some units of three letters. Then except for
la and ga gaṇa for having single syllable each, the other eight are counted
as such.

Akhilānanda Śarmā has a different view while citing the efficacy of

these eight gaṇas.52 However, Śrīvirajānanda Daivakaraṇi in his Hindi
version of Akhilānanda Śarmā expressed that this has no purport at all. But
many scholars have put due importance to the efficacy of these gaṇas in
association with their deities. Eventually, all interpretations are acceptable
with the fact that Piṅgalanāga could have singled out other letters from the
entire alphabet of Sanskrit literature in lieu of those ma, ya , ra etc. :

51
The Cultural Heritage of India , V. p.306
52
manau mitre ,bhayau bhṛtyau, jarāvudāsinau tasau nīcau /Chandaḥsūtrabhāṣya, p.239

24
because he had not got them from any divine authority unlike
māheśvarasūtras of Pāṇini53.

Infact Mallinātha, in his commentary called Sañjīvanī on

Raghuvaṁśa of Kālidāsa using ma gaṇas at the first position of the first
verse that ma gaṇa indicates something auspicious.

The author of Vṛttamālā is Kavikarṇapūra54 who cited that the two

gaṇas namely va and ka can be set apart from the other established ten
gaṇas.

The vowels concerned are counted while determining a laghu or a

guru syllable. This means that the vowel associated with a particular
consonant is taken for consideration. A consonant is not counted without a
vowel as already discussed earlier. Vowels are of three types55 - viz. (i)
hrasva, (ii) dīrgha and (iii) pluta. Vowels are divided according to the
syllabic instant (i.e mātrā) which they possess. A vowel possessing single
syllable is called hrasva56. A vowel possessing double syllabic instant57 is
called dīrgha. A vowel possessing triple syllabic instant is called pluta but
it is not relevant in metre58. The application of pluta vowel is rare and it is
regarded only as dīrgha59. A half syllabic instant is possessed by a
consonant so it is not counted in prosody. Thus a vowel is determined by a
syllabic instant or mātrā. mātrā grammatically stands for kāla, i.e., time for
pronunciation. Regarding the knowledge of that time i.e., mātrā, the

53
Ibid., p.235
54
guruvarṇo gasañjñaḥ syāt laghuvarṇo lasañjñakaḥ /
yativantau dīrghahrasvau vakau vyācakṣate budhāḥ// Vṛttamālā, V.13
55
ukālo′hrasvadīrghaplutaḥ / Aṣṭādhyāyī , 1.2.27
56
ekamātrobhavedhrasvo../ Chandomañjarī, p. 3
57
dvimātro dīrgha ucyate../ Ibid .p. 3
58
trimātrastupluto jñeyo / Ibid. p. 3
59
gurudīrghaṁ plutaścaiva / Nāṭyaśāstra,XV.87

25
Pāṇinīyaśikṣā 60 says that the sound of a blue jay (i.e., Cāṣa) denotes one
mātrā and that of crow (i.e., Vāyasa) two mātrās. The sound of peacock
(i.e., śikhi) is indicated by three mātrās and that of a mongoose (i.e.,
Nakula) is indicated by half amātrā.

Normally a laghu syllable is composed of hrasvasvara and a guru

syllable is composed of dīrghasvara. Apart from the above eight dīrgha
syllables, there are special rules regarding formation of a guru syllable.

It can be asserted that a gaṇa is composed of a laghu or guru

syllables. A laghu is nothing but a hrasvasvara while a guru is a
dīrghasvara. A mātrā is determined by a svara or vowel. So to form a
metre, these are the core parts to be considered.

1.4.2 Yati

The pause (i.e., yati) is the divisional mark in a metrical verse.

There are several synonymous words for yati viz. – (i) chihna, (ii) avasāna,
(iii) viśrāma, (iv) virāma, (v) virati, (vi) cheda and (vii) avasiti as found in
the Vṛttamañjarī.61

The words yati and virāma are taken differently in the Nāṭyaśāstra
of Bharatamuni. Whenever there is a spontaneous break of the flow of
words, it is called a yati62. A virāma63 means the end of a pāda. Piṅgala’s
definition of pause is yatirvicchedaḥ64 i.e. pause is separation.
Viśrāmasthalam,65 i.e. the point of break is explained by the word viccheda

60
cāṣastu vadate mātrāṁ dvimātraṁ caiva vāyasaḥ /
śikhī rauti trimātraṁ tu nakulastvardhamātrakam // Pāṇinīyaśikṣā ,V. 49
61
gaṇaekakalo nirūpyate dvikalaśca trikalaścatuṣkalaḥ /
api pañcakalo′tha ṣaṭkalaḥṣaḍime jātyupayoginaḥ priye // Vṛttamañjarī , VI, p.199
62
niyataḥ padavicchedo yatirityabhidhīyate / Nāṭyaśāstra, XV.86
63
yathārthasya samāptiḥ syāt sa virāma iti smṛtaḥ / Ibid., XV.90
64
Piṅgalacchandaḥsūtra, VI .1
65
vicchidyate vibhajyate padapāţho′sminniti vicchedo viśrāmasthānama,sa
ca yatirityucyate / Piṅgalacchandaḥsūtra, VI. 1

26
in the aforementioned sūtra by Halāyudha. Here he clearly pointed out the
fact that the place (i.e, sthala) of taking rest in reading the words of a verse
is termed yati. Otherwise, it is rather difficult to extract from the definition
of Piṅgalanāga as to what was his intention to denote by viccheda.
Gaṅgādāsa defines pause as the place where the tongue of the reader likes
to take a break.

Dhīreśvarācāryya in his Vṛttamañjarī defines thus – sā yati

pādapāṭhastu yatra vicchidyate66. This definition follows the view of
Halāyudha. Another important issue noticed in the Vṛttamañjarī is that the
author states the pause of the metre to be at any place which gives pleasure
to the ear of a reader67. This aspect supports the definition of pause given
by Gaṅgādāsa where the word iṣṭavirāma is found. The word yatra means
only a “place” in the definition of a pause given by Dhīreśvarācāryya. In
the gloss also he elaborates – yatra sthāne padapāṭhaḥ vicchidyate
vibhajyate sā yatirucyate. The word padapāṭha is generally used in the
Vedic context of reading. Padapātha word is generally used in the
Vediccontext of reading. In the Vedas, the pādapāṭha is one type of
reading out of several readings like – saṁhitāpāṭha, jaṭāpaṭha, ghanapāṭha
etc. But his implication of the word pādapāṭha may be taken in a different
sense of ślokapāṭha (i.e, reading of the verse). Again the word vicchidyate
refers to vibhajyate as mentioned in the commentary. Therefore, this is
called pause where reading of words in a verse is bifurcated. The place of
separation is regarded as pause, not the mere separation or the process of
such separation. This is very much clear in the definition of pause given by
Dhīreśvarācāryya. The famous rhetorician Vāmana also spends a
considerable space on the discussion on the topic of yati.

66
Vṛttamañjarī, II , p. 19
67
viratiḥ śravye / Ibid. , VI , p. 220

27
 From the standpoint of acceptance or non-acceptance of pause, Dr.
Brahmānanda Tripāṭhī68, in his preface to the Chandomañjarī, speaks two
groups of prosodists. Bhara, Kohala, Māṇḍavya, Aśvatara and Saitava are
the group which donot accept pause. Gaṅgādāsa also quotes his teacher
Puruṣottamabhaṭṭa who is in prosody called Chandogovinda, enumerates
Śveta, Māṇḍavya etc in this group69. The other group accepts pause. This
group consists of prosodists namely Vaśiṣṭha, Kauṇḍinya, Kapila,
Kambalamuni and Piṅgalanāga.

The prosodists have chosen to keep quiet on the issue of

prescription of a fixed duration of a yati. The mātrās are denoted by sounds
of various birds like cāṣa (i.e, a blue jay), vāyasa (i.e., a crow) etc. as in the
case with consideration of hrasva, dīrgha and pluta in the Pāṇinīyaśikṣā 70
cannot be said to be applicable in respect of the yati. Nothing specific is
found to be mentioned by any prosodist regarding the duration of pause.

The pause is mainly divided into two types viz. (i) pādānta yati (i.e,
foot pause) and (ii) pādamadhya yati (i.e, section pause). The metrical
pause existing at the end of a pāda is called pādānta yati. The metrical
pause introduced in a specific place of a pāda is called pādamadhya yati.
Certain rules are applied during proper application of pause71 in some
couplets collected from the predecessors of Halāyudha. There are some
instances where these rules are broken while composing verses as rightly
pointed out by A. Barooah.72 The violation of such rules, even by great
prosodies does not necessarily mean that there is no pause at all in the
68
Chandomañjarī, p .10
69
śvetamāṇḍavyamukhyāstu necchanti munayo yatim /
ityāha bhaṭṭaḥ svagranthe gururme puruṣottamaḥ // Chandomañjarī, I. 14
70
Pāṇinīyaśikṣā, V. 49
71
Piṅgalacchandaḥsūtra, VI.1
72
Anundoram Borooah shows that Halāyudha too has violated certain rules of yati in
some illustrations on the meters of the Piṅgalacchandaḥsūtra / Prosody, p.153

28
poetic domain, like the anti-group of prosodians on pause headed by
Śveta, Māṇḍavya etc. At the time of defining metres in all possive cases,
many prosodies have accepted pause and utilized it at proper position and
places. Poets who follow the rules regarding the position of pause in their
composition are considered the best. But violation of rules is not a rare
phenomenon. The same metre have pauses at different places as used by
different prosodists. For example, there is metre called Vātormī in the
Tristup class (i.e. having eleven syllables in each quarter)
Piṅgalanāgachose to remain silent about the pause of this metre.73 But
Dhīreśvarācāryya states that the Vātormī metre should have pause at the
forth and then at the seventh syllable in each quarter which are indicated by
the words veda and aśva respectively. Under the Uṣṇik class of samavṛtta
metre, the employment of pause in the Kumāralalitā metre is opinionated
differently as clearly shown by the Ācārya. A comparative study of the
characteristics of various metres by two or more prosodies will bring out
such irregularities in some other cases. In Vedic Sanskrit there are many
irregular pauses which are absent in Classical Sanskrit. Generally a verse is
said to be imperfect if the succession of syllables are not harmonious and
the metres used in such a verse are called non-metrical.74 Again, a verse
can be imperfect due to selection of words not being in conformity to
metrical pauses of discordant75 (i.e., yatibhraṣṭa). Another important issue
for realisation of pause in a verse lies in proper reading of that verse. The
reading of the verse is sometimes dictated by the pause. Akhilānanda
Śarmā who is a commentator on the Piṅgalacchandaḥsūtra shows how a
single verse can be served for being the example of three metres namely –
Candravartma, Maṇiguṇanikara and Mālā under the Atiśakkarī class. If a
reader maintains different pauses in every time of readings, the metre of
73
vātormmī mbhau tgaug g / Piṅgalacchandaḥsūtra, VI.21
74
Prosody, p.3
75
Ibid., p. 3

29
the same verse may attain different names after every such reading. There
are certain words to which the position of pause in a verse can be indicated
in the Chandaḥśāstras. Those words have been conventionally treated as
certain numerals. This practice is found to be followed by other Sanskrit
treatises such as Mathematics, Astronomy etc. other than the general
prosody.

The pause is a necessity for both Vedic and Classical verses. The
pause in metrical lines has helped to form many different metric-musical
units of different lengths. In Vedas the meaning of a mantra is most
important in determining a pause. Meaning is incomplete without proper
use of pause. There should not be pause in the middle of a word as stated
by Ṛgvedānukramaṇī of Veṅkaṭamādhava and the Nidānasūtra. So the
nature of a mantra is understood with the help of a pause in Vedic hymn.
The pause plays a vital role in Classical Sanskrit. The pause helps in
differentiating metres. For instance in Vṛttamañjarī, under the standpoint of
short and long, the metres called Avitatha (or Nardaṭaka or Narkuṭaka),
Narddaṭaka, Kokilaka (two varieties) under the Atyaṣṭi class (i.e. having
seventeenth syllables in a foot) possess similar syllables. The fifth, seventh,
tenth, eleventh, fourteenth and seventeenth syllables are long while the
other are short. For this, they bear no difference. The difference comes
from the position of pause. The metre called Avitatha has pause at the end
of the foot; the metre Nardaṭaka has at the seventh syllable first and the
tenth syllable next; the metre Kokilaka (the first variety) has at the eighth,
then at the fifth and thereafter at the fourth syllables and Kokilaka (the
second variety) has at the seventh, sixth and fourth syllables respectively.
Thus the employment of pause has given them different names. Due to the
use of caesuras the metres called Vamiyna and Varatanu under the Jagatī
class are called by two different names. They don’t have any difference in
consideration of short and long syllables. Same is the case with the metres

30
namely Kuṭilā and Madhyakṣāmā under the Śakvarī class which are named
differently according to the pauses they possess.

1.4.3 Other Elements of Metre – Devatā, Varṇa, Svara and Gotra

Some other elements are there associated with different metres

specially in Vedic hymns. They deserve also to be taken note of. Among
them, devatā (i.e., deity), varṇa (i.e. colour), svara (i.e., accents or tune)
and gotra (i.e., race or clan) are worth mentioning. For the first time, the
Ṛgveda76 has named the seven deities of the seven metres. It is general
observation that the hymns invoking Fire God (i.e., Agni) are composed in
the metre Gāyatrī, the hymns invoking Indra are in the metre Triṣṭup etc.
This serves as one of the primary reasons for associating particular deity to
a particular metre. Again, Śaunaka mentions that the Prajāpati is the deity
of the atticchandas and Vāyu is the deity of the vicchandas. Again Brahmā
and Puruṣa are the deitiesekapāda and dvipāda respectively. However,
again Piṅgalanāga has remained silent on assigning deities to the
atticchandas and vicchandas.

A colour is assigned to a metre. In the Ṛkprātiśākhya of Śaunaka,

the colours pisaṅga, kṛṣṇa, nīla, lohita and suvarṇa are associated with
anuṣṭup, bṛhati, paṇkti, triṣṭup and jagati respectively. Piṅgalanāga also,
holds the same view except the jagatī. According to him the colour of
jagatī is gaura.In the Prātisākhya, the colour of the aticchandas is said to
be śyāma while the colour of the vicchandas is gaura. Similarly, ekapāda
is of nakulavarṇa and dvipāda is babhruvarṇa.

The svara and gotra of the metres are also discussed in the
prosodies. However, the Prātisākhya has not said anything about it. It is
Piṅgalanāga who states that the seven svaras are because of the influence
of Sāmasaṁhitāviz. (i) ṣaḍaja, (ii) ṛṣabha, (iii) gāndhāra, (iv) madhyamā,

76
Ṛgveda , X. 130. 4-5

31
(v) pañcama, (vi) dhaivata, (vii) niṣāda. The gotra of Those seven
principal metres are (i) Agniveśa, (ii) Kāyśapa, (iii) Gautama,
(iv) Aṅgīrasa, (v) Bhārgava, (vi) Kauśika, and (vi) Vaśiṣṭha.

In this context, the observations of Bharatamuni on the elements of

metres may be taken note of. The Nāṭyaśāstra77 speaks of nine varieties of
components of metres. These are – (i) sampad, (ii) virāma, (iii) pāda, (iv)
daivata, (v) sthāna, (vi) akṣara, (vii) varṇa, (vii) svara and (ix)
adhikavṛtta.

The elements mentioned above are not connected with the Classical
Sanskrit metres, but their importance lies in identification of the metre of a
Vedic hymn. As the Vedic prosody undoubtedly is the first stage of
Classical metres also, a discussion on these issues deems proper in our
present study.

77
sampadvirāmapādaścadaivatasthānamakṣaram /
varṇaḥ svaro′ dhikaṁ vṛttamiti chandogato vidhiḥ // Nāṭyaśāstra, XV.88

32
 CHAPTER-II

THE VṚTTARATNĀKARA AND THE CHANDOMAÑJARĪ :

THE BOOKS AND THEIR TITLES

2.1 About the Book Vṛttaratnākara

2.1.1 The Title

The Vṛttaratnākara of Kedārabhaṭṭa gains very popularity during

the medieval period. It has been the most popular work on metre. It
contains the first systematic account of metre in classical Sanskrit. The
book has been written in so simple manner that every Sanskrit reader can
understand easily.

The word vṛtta is derived from the root vṛt1 which has several
meanings2 viz. ‘to exist’, ‘to shine’, ‘to devide’ etc. Halāyudha explained
the word vṛtta as the arrangement of short and long syllables in a fixed
manner. If a vṛttais connected with pāda, it becomes a verse (padya).3
According to Halāyudha the difference between vṛtta and jāti is that vṛtta
is connected with pāda whereas jāti is not. On the other hand the word
ratnākara indicates mine of jewels. So the title of Vṛttaratnākara can be
explained as - vṛttarūpam ratnasya ākaram vṛttaratnākaram.

2.1.2 The Author : His Time and Life

Regarding the birth of Kedārabhaṭṭa scholars showed different

opinions. The period of Trivikrama, the most ancient ṭīkākāra was 11th
century A.D.4 So Vṛttaratnākara must be before the 11th century A.D. On
1
vṛt kartari kta / The Practical Sanskrit Dictionary, p. 884
2
vṛt dīptau, vartanae, sambhaktau... / Śabdastomamahānidhi, p.481
3
pādena saṁyogāt padyam / Piṅgalacchandaḥsūtra, V. 1
4
Chandomañjarī, p. 17

33
the other hand Kedārabhaṭṭa was prior to Hemachandra who showed his
opinion in two stanzas of Vṛttaratnākara. So there is every possibility of
the period of the composition of Vṛttaratnākara is 10th century A.D.5
According to Prof. H.D.Velankar the Vṛttaratnākara must have been
composed before 11th century AD.6 Scholars like D.K. Kanjilal are trying
to place Kedārabhaṭṭa in the 11th century AD.7

According to Dr. Dileep Kumar Kanjilal the Vṛttaratnākara of

Kedārabhaṭṭa was composed sometimes before the 10th century AD.8
According to Kṛṣnamāchārya, Kedārabhaṭṭa must have lived before 15th
century AD.

2.1.3 The Chapters

Vṛttaratnākara of Kedārabhaṭṭa is divided into six chapters. These

are paribhāṣā, mātrāvṛtta, samavṛtta, ardhasamavṛtta, viṣamavṛtta and
prastāravidhi. The number of śloka is two hundred and thirty eight (238).
In the first chapter the author discussed the classical saṅga.

The author of Vṛttaratnākara in his book in the 1st chapter pointed

out that he was inheritor of Kāśyapa dynasty and his father’s name was
Paṭhyeka or Pabyeka.9 The chapter contains twenty two verses in total. In
this chapter the author discusses the paribhāṣā of Chandassāstra.
Kedārabhaṭṭa worshipped lord Śiva and thereby started the first
chapter of Vṛttaratnākara. After that the features of samavṛta,
ardhasamavṛtta and visamavṛtta are shown.

5
Ibid., p. 5
6
Ibid., p. 5
7
Chandomañjarī, p. (gha)
8
Chandomañjarī, Introduction, p.17
9
vedā’rthaśaivaśāstrajñaḥ pavyeko’bhūd dvijottamḥ /
Tasya putro’sti kedāraḥ śivapādā′rcane rataḥ // Vṛttaratnākara, 1.2

34
 The author goes on to enumerate the twenty six even metres
according to the distribution of the letter as known to former preceptor.
The metre begins from one letter and serially extends up to the twenty sixth
with the addition of letters gradually.

The second chapter has six sub-chapters where the mātrā class of
metres exists as the topic of discussion. The sub-chapters are named as the
āryāprakaraṇa, the gītiprakaraṇa, the vaitālīyaprakaraṇa, the
vaktraprakaraṇa, the mātrāprakaraṇa and the dvipātprakaraṇa.

The third chapter of the Vṛttaratnākara has one hundred forty

verses. There all the samavṛtta class of metres are discussed and at the end
three of daṇḍakas are also discussed. In the fourth chapter of the book, the
characteristics of thirteen kinds of ardhasamavṛtta are also described.

In the fifth chapter, the description of viṣamavṛtta is given. In the

sixth chapter, along with prastāra, six kinds of pratyayas are described.

2.2 About the Book Chandomañjarī

2.2.1 The Title

In the medieval period, in the science of metre, Chandomañjarī is

tremendously popular and praise worthy among the Sanskrit readers. The
book has been written in brief, clear and easy style to understand. The
author of this book is Gaṅgādasasuri. He is well-known as Gaṅgādāsa
during that period. Gaṅgādāsa himself in his Chandomañjarī identified that
he was an ancestor of vaidya dynasty of Gopāladāsa and worshipped lord
Kṛṣṇa.10 His mother name was Santosā.

The word mañjarī means cluster of blossom,11 in some other

occasions, indicates ornament12 also. The etymological explanation of the

10
devaṁpraṇamyagopālaṁvaidyagopāladāsajaḥ /
santoṣātanayaśchandogaṅgādāsastanotyadhaḥ // Chandomañjarī, 1.1
11
“ …vṛttamañjarīmañjarīvasaukumāryaśālinī / Vṛttamañjarī, p.19
12
Chandomañjarī, p.34

35
word may be shown as – mañjuṛcchatir in sakandhvaditvat,
13
pararūpamparasmaipadī vanip. In this context both the words mañjarī
and mañjarī are said to be grammatically correct. The title of this work can
be explained as – chandasāmmañjarī Chandomañjarī. In a cluster of
blossom many a flower remains collectively. This work of Gaṅgādāsa is
also a collection of various chandas or metres and hence is the title.

2.2.2. The Author : His Time and Life

Regarding Gaṅgādāsa period of works nobody can ascertain the

actual period of works due to lack of proper evidences. Yet most of the
scholar point out that his period of works was fifteen or sixteen century
AD. The author Divākara in his work Vṛttaratnākarādarśa mentioned the
existence of Chandomañjarī in 1684 AD.14 In the work Ujjvalnīilamaṇi in
1490-1563 AD the author Rūpa Goswami mentioned regarding
chandomañjarī. In Candrāloka of Jayadeva in 1300 AD contains the
existence of chandomañjarī15. So, the period of Gaṅgādāsa may be
assumed during the period 1300 AD to 1500 AD.

On the other hand Vṛttaratnākara of Kedārabhaṭṭa can be distinctly

noticed in The Chandomañjarī. Of course scholars are trying to place
Kedārabhaṭṭa in the 11thcentury AD. So it can be assumed that the works of
Gaṅgādāsa is later production and it cannot be prior to Vṛttaratnākara.

No doubt, the influence of Vṛttamāla composed by Kavikarṇpūra

falls on Chandomañjarī, Kavikarṇpūra was a scholar during the period of
Kochrular Naranārāyaṇa or Malladeva. Naranārāyaṇa ruled Coochvihar
kingdom during the period of 1540-1587 century AD. So, from this point
of view the book Chandomañjarī was composed during the reign of

13
Śabdastomamahānidhi, p. 326
14
Sanskrit Sāhityar Itivṛtta , p. 318
15
Ibid., p. 318

36
Naranārāyaṇa. Gaṅgādāsa himself in his Chandomañjarī identified that he
was an ancestor of Vaidya dynasty of Gopāladasa and he worshipped
Śrīkṛṣṇa.16 The poet M. Kṛṣṇāmācārya along with other poets holds that
Bengal was the homeland of Gaṅgādāsa. However, Dr. Brahmānanda
Tripathi does not hesitate to refer Gaṅgādāsa as Uriyā Vidvān i.e. a scholar
of Orissa.17

2.2.3The Chapters

The Chandomañjarῑ contains seven chapters comprising of two

hundred seventy six verses. Regarding chapters of Chandomañjarī
different scholars have penned down different views. According to some
there are of six types of chapters, while others classified them into seven.
Gurunāth Vidyānidhi in his commentary has mentioned it to have 7
chapters. While he noted down vaktra chandas as the fifth stavaka, on the
other hand Brahmānanda Tripāṭhi has kept it along with viṣamavṛtta in the
fourth stavaka. So, we will now devide Chandomañjarī into six chapters
Gaṅgādāsa has named each chapter as stavaka. In the first stavaka, the
author discusses the saṁjñā and paribhāṣā of Chandasśāstra. Gaṅgādāsa
begins this stavaka with proper salutation to the deities for ensuring
smooth completion of work undertaken. The author seems to be
worshipper of lord Kṛṣṇa.18 In this stavaka Gaṅgādāsa himself identified
that he was an ancestor of Vaidya dynasty of Gopāladāsa and his mother
name was Sontośā. The author clearly states that his work is primarily
meant for the youngsters. So, he wrote the Chandomañjarī to make the
chandas easily understandable.19 After that the author cites various division

16
Chandomañjarī, 1.1
17
Chandasśāstra Kā Itivṛtta, p.10
18
Chandomañjarī, 1.1
19
santi yadyapi bhūyaṁsaśchandogranthā manīṣiṇāṁ /
Tathāpi sāramākṛṣya navakārtho mamodyamaḥ // Chandomañjarī, 1.2

37
of poetry like the vṛtta and the jāti along with their definitions.20 Then he
discussed gaṇapratīka, gaṇaprayogavicāra, guru laghunirdeśaḥ
jātigaṇavarṇana and gurulaghusiddhānta. Gaṅgādāsa discussed ten gaṇas
these are ma, ya, ra, sa ta, ja, bha, na, ga and la.21 On the other hand,
mātrāvṛtta has been divided into five gaṇas namely sarvaguru, antaguru,
madhyaguru, ādiguru and caturlaghu.22 Again the author distinguishes
laghu and guru clearly in his book. For determining laghu and guru
syllable, the author quotes the following kārikā.

śānusvāraśca dīrghaśca visarg ca gururbhavet/

varṇaḥ sayogapūrvaśca tathā pādāntago’pi vā //23

The author enumerates yati which is one of the important features of

chandas. At the end of this stavaka the author goes on to enumerate the
twenty six samavṛtta metres. The metres begin from one letter and serially
extend up to the twenty sixth with the addition of letters gradually.24

The second stavaka of Chandomañjarī is so large that it covers

nearly three fourth of the original work. In this stavaka two hundred twenty
eight varieties of samavṛtta metres are discussed. There all the samavṛtta
class of metres starting Ukthā (i.e. having one syllables in each foot) up to
Utkṛti (i.e. having twenty six syllables in each foot) are discussed. Again
ten classes of daṇḍaka are stated in this stavaka. In the third stavaka, the

20
padyaṁ catuṣpadī tacca vṛttamjātiriti dvidhā /
vṛttamakṣarasaṅkhyātaṁ jātirmātrākṛtā bhavet // Chandomañjarī, 1.4
21
mastrigurustrilaghuśca nakāro bhadiguruḥ punarādilaghuryaḥ /
jo gurumadhyagato ralamadhyaḥ so′ntaguruḥ kathito′ntalaghustaḥ// 1.8
22
jñeyāḥ sarvāntamadhyadigurabo′tra catuṣkalāḥ /
gaṇāṁścaturlaghūpetāḥ pañcaryadiṣu saṁsthitāḥ // Chandomañjarī, 1.10
23
Chandomañjarī, 1.11
24
ārabhyaikākṣrātpādādekaikākṣarāvardhitaiḥ /
pādairukthādisaṁjñṁsyācchandaḥṣaḍviṁśatigataṁ // Chandomañjarī, 1-15

38
author determines fifteen varieties of aṛdhasamavṛtta metres. Out of these
fifteen six varieties are defined and illustrated. On the other hand other
nine varieties which are taken from other sources are also found to be
mentioned in the Chandomañjarī.

In the fourth stavaka the viṣamavṛtta type of metres is characterized

therein. In this stavaka Gaṅgādāsa discussed two types of Udgātā,
Saurabhaka and Lalitā metres. In the fourth stavaka three kinds of metres
have been discussed. They are Vaktra, Pathyāvaktra and Anuṣṭup.

In the fifth stavaka of Chandomañjarī, Gaṅgādāsa discussed the jāti

class of metre. Āryā, Gīti, Upajātī, Baitālya, mātrāvṛtta are discussed in
this stavaka. The different types of āryā have also been discussed in this
stavaka. Gaṅgādāsa points out clearly that the āryā has nine sub-divisions.
All these sub-division viz. pathya, gīti, upagīti, and aryāgīti are defined
and illustrated in the Chandomañjarī.

Last sixth stavaka is an extraordinary one. This chapter of the book

is on gadyaprakaraṇa which proves that metrics is not a vital part of the
poetical composition only, but it plays an important role in the prose
composition too. Gaṅgādāsa explained the prose composition in three
different types. These are chūrṇaka, utkalikāprāya and vṛttagandhi. In the
colophon of this chapter Gaṅgādāsa mentioned another three books written
by him. These are –

(1) Acyutacarita, a kāvya in sixteen canto

(2) Śrīkṛṣṇaśataka and
(3) Sūryaśataka

39
 CHAPTER –III

ARRANGEMENT OF THE METRES AND THE

CONTENTS OF THE VṚTTARATNĀKARA AND
THE CHANDOMAÑJARĪ

3.1 Samavṛtta

The author of Vṛttaratnākara, Kedārabhaṭṭa defined one hundred

fourty (140) kinds of samavṛtta metre in the third chapter of his work. He
also discussed three (3) types of daṇḍaka. According to Kedārabhaṭṭa, the
sub chapter and its number of varieties of samavṛtta metre are illustrated in
the following table-

Sl. No. Sub-chapter Number of metre

1 Ukthā 1
2 Atyukthā 1
3 Madhyā 3
4 Pratiṣṭhā 6
5 Supratiṣṭhā 4
6 Gāyatrī 9
7 Uṣṇik 4
8 Anuṣṭup 9
9 Bṛhatī 2
10 Paṅkti 11
11 Triṣṭup 18
12 Jagatī 23
13 Atijagatī 8
14 Śakvarī 6
15 Atiśakvarī 7

40
 16 Aṣṭi 2
17 Atyaṣṭi 7
18 Dhṛti 3
19 Atidhṛti 2
20 Kṛti 4
21 Prakṛti 2
22 Ākṛti 1
23 Vikṛti 3
24 Saṅkṛti 1
25 Atikṛti 1
26 Utkṛti 2
Total 140

The second chapter of the Chandomañjarī, Gaṅgādāsa defines two

hundred twenty eight varieties of samavṛtta metre. Out of these, one
hundred twenty two varieties are defined and illustrated. On the other hand
one hundred seven varieties are found to be mentioned in the
Chandomañjarī which are taken from other sources. Again, daṇḍaka is
classified into ten varieties but out of these ten, only seven varieties are
defined and illustrated and remaining three are inserted. The interpretation
is tabulated as follows:

Sl. Sub-chapter No. of No. of metres Total no. of

No. original taken from other metre
metre Sources(Inserted)
1 Ukthā 1 - 1
2 Atyukthā 1 - 1
3 Madhyā 2 - 2
4 Pratiṣṭhā 2 - 2
5 Supratiṣṭhā 2 - 2
6 Gāyatrī 3 1 3+1=4

41
 7 Uṣṇik 3 - 3
8 Anuṣṭup 6 2 6+2=8
9 Bṛhatī 3 4 3+4=7
10 Paṅkti 4 6 4+6=10
11 Triṣṭup 13 10 13+10=23
12 Jagatī 16 14 16+14=30
13 Atijagatī 9 7 9+7=16
14 Śarkarī 7 13 7+13=20
15 Atiśarkarī 9 8 9+8=17
16 Aṣṭi 9 6 9+6=15
17 Atyaṣṭi 9 4 9+4=13
18 Dhṛti 5 16 5+16=21
19 Atidhṛti 5 5 5+5=10
20 Kṛti 4 2 4+2=6
21 Prakṛti 2 - 2
22 Ākṛti 2 3 2+3=5
23 Vikṛti 2 1 2+1=3
24 Saṅkṛti 2 2 2+2=4
25 Atikṛti 1 - 1
26 Utkṛti 1 1 1+1=2
Total 228

After a thorough analysis of the above table, it can be concluded that

there are some common and uncommon metres in both the treatises.In
Chandomañjarī, Gaṅgādāsa mentioned some metre in insertion section but
insertion section is not found in Vṛttaratnākara. Different types of metres
are elaborated as under :-

42
3.1.1 Common Samavṛtta Type of Metres in the Vṛttaratnākara and the
Chandomañjarī
There are eighty nine kinds of common samavṛtta types of metre in
the Vṛttaratnākara and the Chandomañjarī. These are mentioned below-
(1) Śrī, (2) Strī, (3) Nārī, (4) Mṛgī, (5) Kanyā, (6) Paṅkti, (7) Tanumadhyā,
(8) Śaśibadanā, (9) Madhumatī, (10) Kumāralalitā, (11) Madalekhā, (12)
Citrapadā, (13) Bidyunmālā, (14) Samānikā, (15) Pramāṇikā, (16)
Māṇavaka, (17) Bhujaṅgaśiśubhṛtā, (18) Rukmavatī, (19) Campakamālā,
(20) Mattā, (21) Tvaritgati, (22) Manoramā, (23) Indravajrā, (24)
Upendravajrā, (25) Upajāti, (26) Sumukhī, (27), Śālinī, (28) Vātormī, (29)
Bhramaravilasitā, (30) Rathoddhatā, (31) Svāgatā, (32) Dodhaka, (33)
Śyenī in Chandomañjarī Vaitikā in Vṛttaratnākara (34) Strī same with -
(35) Mauktikamālā in Vṛttaratnākara Anukūlā in Chandomañjarī, (36)
Candravartma (37) Vaṁśasthavila in Chandomañjarī Vaṁśatha in
Vṛttaratnākara , (38) Indravaṁśā, (39) Toṭaka, (40) Jaloddhatagati, (41)
Bhujaṅgaprayāta, (42) Sragviṇī, (43) Vaiśvadevī, (44) Pramitākṣarā, (45)
Drutavilambita, (46) Mandākinī in Chandomañjarī pramuditavadanā in
Vṛttaratnākara this metre is same as, (47) Prabhā, (48) Kusumavicitrā,
(49) Tāmarasa, (50) Mālatī, (51) Maṇimālā, (52) Jaladharamālā, (53)
Praharṣiṇī, (54) Rucirā, (55) Mattamayūra, (56) Mañjubhāṣiṇī in
Vṛttaratnākara and Chandomañjarī Prabodhitā in Chandomañjarī, (57)
Candrikā in Chandomañjarī Kṣamā in Vṛttaratnākara , (58) Asambādhā,
(59) Aparājitā, (60) Vasantatilaka, (61) Praharaṇakalikā
(Praharaṇakalitā), (62) Lolā (Alolā), (63) Śaśikalā, (64) Srak, (65)
Maṇiguṇanikara in Chandomañjarī Maṇiguṇakiraṇa in Vṛttaratnākara ,
(66) Mālinī, (67) Candalekhā, (68) Ṛṣabhagajavilasita, (69) Vāṇinī, (70)
Śikhariṇī, (71) Pṛthvī, (72) Vaṁśapatrapatitam, (73) Mandākrāntā, (74)
Hāriṇī, (75) Nardaṭaka in Chandomañjarī Narkuṭaka in Vṛttaratnākara,
(76) Kokilaka, (77) Kusumitalatāvellitā, (78) Nārāca in Chandomañjarī
Siṁhavikrīḍita in Vṛttaratnākara, (79) Meghavisphurjitā,

43
(80) Śārdīlavikrirdita, (81) Suvadanā, (82) Vṛtta, (83) Gītikā
Chandomañjarī Pramuditā in Vṛttaratnākara , (84) Sragdharā, (85)
Mattākrīḍā, (86) Ādritanayā in Chandomañjarī Aśvalalita in
Vṛttaratnākara (87) Tanvī, (88) Krauñcapadā, (89) Bhujaṅgavijṛmvita
Chandomañjarī 89 metre of Vṛttaratnākara

Under the Ukthā class of samavṛtta metre one common metre is

found in both the treatises viz. Śrī. The metre Strī has been defined in both
the Chandomañjarī and the Vṛttaratnākara as a metre having one long
letter in every foot.1

Under the Atyukthā class of Samavṛtta metre one metre is common

in both the works viz. Strī.

Definition of Strī – A metre having two long letters in each foot is to

be termed as Strī.2

In both these works there are two common metres under the
Madhyā class viz- (1) Nārī and (2) Mṛgī

Nārī : This metre is composed of three long letters i.e. one ma gaṇa
constituting a foot and makes the metre Nārī.3

Mṛgī : If every foot consists of three middle short syllabuses then it is

termed as Mṛgī.4

There is one common metre under the Pratiṣṭhā class, as discussed

in both these literary works viz (1) Kaṇyā.
1
guḥ śrīḥ / Vṛttaratnākara, III. I
g śrīḥ / Chandomañjarī, II. I
2
gau strī / Vṛttaratnākara, II . 2
gau strī / Chandomañjarī, II . 2
3
mo nārī / Vṛttaratnākara, III . 3
mo nārī / Chandomañjarī, II . 3
4
ro mṛgī / Vṛttaratnākara, III . 4
ro mṛgī / Chandomañjarī, III . 3 (ka)

44
Kaṇyā: Four long letters i.e. one ga gaṇa and one ma gaṇa make the
metre Kaṇyā.5
Paṅkti is a common metre which is found under Supratiṣṭhā class.
Paṅkti : If every foot consists of one ma gaṇa and two ga then the metre is
termed as Paṅkti.6
Under the Gāyatrī class two metres are common in both the work
viz. (1) Tanumadhyā (2) Śaśivadanā.
Tanumadhyā : It is clearly mentioned in both the works that if every foot
consists of one ta gaṇa and one ya gaṇa then the metre is termed as
Tanumadhyā.7
Śaśivadanā : A metre is known as Śaśivadanā where one na gaṇa and one
ya gaṇa having two long letters occurs at the end of the metres. This
definition is exactly alike in both the treaties.8
There are three varieties of common metres under the Uṣṇik class.
These are elaborated below.
Madhumatī: Madhumatī metre is defined by Kedārabhaṭṭa and Gaṅgādāsa
in different style. Kedārabhaṭṭa defined that a metre is Madhumatī if the
gaṇas in each quarter are na, bha and ga respectively.9 On the other hand
Gaṅgādāsa explains the same metre with the entire six syllabls as short
except the last one.10

5
magau cet kaṇyā / Vṛttaratnākara, III . 5
gamau cet kaṇyā / Chandomañjarī, III . 4
6
bhgau gīti paṅktiḥ / Vṛttaratnākara, III . 6
bhgau gīti paṅktiḥ / Chandomañjarī, II . 5
7
tyau stastanumadhyā / Vṛttaratnākara, III . 7
tyau cet tanumadhyā / Chandomañjarī, II . 6
8
śaśīvadanā nyau / Vṛttaratnākara, III . 8
Chandomañjarī, II.6 (ka)
9
madhumatī nabhagāḥ / Vṛttaratnākara, III.3
10
nanagi madhumatī / Chandomañjarī, III.7

45
Kumāralalitā: If the second, sixth and the seventh letters in a metre are
long and the rest are short, then the metre is known as Kumāralalitā.11 Both
Kedārabhaṭṭa and Gaṅgādāsa have taken the same constituents for this
metre. We find that the languages of both the scholars are different while
explaining the same metre.

Madalekhā: If the fourth and fifth syllables is short, then the metre is called
Madalekhā. In both the treatises this definition is exactly alike.12

The Anuṣṭup class (having eight syllables in each quarter) has five
kinds of common samavṛatta metre and they can be explained. The entire
explanation is as follows:

Citrapadā: The Citrapadā metre has first, fourth, seventh and the eight
syllables long and the rest short. Both the writers have defined these metres
in same gaṇas but their language of explanation is quite different.13

Māṇavaka: According to Kedārabhaṭṭa and Gaṅgādāsa, Māṇavak is a

metre where the gaṇas are bba and ta and one la and one ga respectively.14
Āchārya Piṅgala depicted it as Māṇāvakakrīḍitaka.15

Vidyunmālā: This metre is completely identical in both the treatises.

According to them a metre is known as Vidyunmālā if all the eight letters
are long16 as mentioned in the famous work of Ṥrutabodhaḥ.

11
kumāralalitā jasau g / Vṛttaratnākara, III.2
kumāralalitā jsgāḥ / Chandomañjarī, II .7 (ka)
12
msau gaḥ syanmadalekhā / Vṛttaratnākara, III.1
masau gaḥ syānmadalekhā / Chandomañjarī, II . 7 (kha)
13
bhau giti citrapadā gaḥ / Vṛttaratnākara, III .12
citrapadā yadi bhau gau / Chandomañjarī, II.8
14
māṇavakaṁ bhāttalagā / Vṛttaratnākara, III.24
bhāttalagā māṇavakaṁ / Chandomañjarī, II.8 (ka)
15
māṇāvakākrīḍitakaṁ bhtau lgau/ Piṅgalacchandaḥsūtraṁ, VI . 4
16
mo mo go go vidyunmālā / Vṛttaratnākara, III.13
mo mo go go vidyunmālā / Chandomañjarī, II . 8 (kha)

46
 sarve varṇā dīrghā yasyāṁ viśrāmaḥ syād vedairvedaiḥ /

chando′dhyetarvidvadvṛndairvyākhyātā sā vidyunmālā //17

Samānikā: The existence of Samānikā metre can be found in the

Vṛttaratnākara and the Chandomañjarī. But both the authors in the
treatises have defined Samānikā metre in different styles. According to
Kedārabhaṭṭa if the gaṇas in a quarter is ra, ja, ga and one la, then the
metre is known as Samānikā.18 On the contrary, Gaṅgādāsa holds that
Samānikā is a metre where the gaṇas in each quarter are one ga, one la, ra
and ja19. In both the definitions it is found that the 2nd, 4th, 6th and 8th
syllables are short and the rest are long. So, it is clear that both the
definitions indicate the same metre.

Pramāṇikā: A metre in which the 2nd, 4th, 6th and the 8th syllables are short
and the rest are long is called Pramāṇikā. Nāṭyaśāstra recognizes this
metre by the name Mattaceṣṭitaṁ.20 In the Śrutavodha of Kālidāsa it is
designated by the name Nagasvarūpiṇī.21

One kind of common samavṛtta type of metre is found under the

Bṛhatī class viz. Bhujagaśiśubhṛtā.

Bhujagaśiśubhṛtā: In the metre Bhujagaśiśubhṛtā22, the first six letters are

short and the last three are long with the na; na and ma gaṇas. Both the
definitions are exactly alike.23

17
Śrutabodhaḥ, 14. p. 7
18
rajau samānikā galau ca / Vṛttaratnākara, III . 16
19
glau rajau samānikā tu / Chandomañjarī, II . 8 (ga)
20
pramāṇikā jarau lagau / Vṛttaratnākara , III . 17
pramāṇikā jarau lagau / Chandomañjarī, II .8 (gha)
21
dvituryaṣaṣṭhamaṣṭaṁ guru prayojitaṁ yadā /
tadā nivedayanti tāṁ budhā nagasvarūpiṇī // Śrutabodha 13, p. 7
22
bhujagaśiśubhṛtā nau maḥ / Vṛttaratnākara , III .20
23
bhujagaśiśubhṛtā nau maḥ / Chandomañjarī, II.9

47
 Under the Paṅkti class of samvṛtta metre, four varieties of common
metre can be found which are described below:

Rukmavatī: Kedārabhaṭṭa defines Rukmavatī as follows –bhmau

sagayuktau rukmavatīyaṁ24 On the other hand, Gaṅgādāsa defines
Rukmavatī as - rukmavatī sā yatra bhamasgāḥ.25 The other name of
Rukmavatī is Campakamālā. This metre consists of the triads bha, ma and
sa and one ga respectively.

Mattā : Kedārabhaṭṭa and Gaṅgādāsa defined Mattā metre in same gaṇas

but their language is somewhat different from each other. In this metre the
fifth, sixth, seventh and the eighth letters are short and rest are long.26

Tvaritagati : In this metre the fifth and the tenth letters are long and the rest
are short.27 Kedārabhaṭṭa and Gaṅgādāsa have written this meter in the
same gaṇa but in different language.

Manoramā: The metre is called Manoramā if it has the 4th, 6th, 8th and 10th
syllables as long and the rest as short. Kedārabhaṭṭa and Gaṅgādāsa have
defined this metre in the term – narajagairbhavenmanoramā /28

Kedārabhaṭṭa and Gaṅgādāsa have discussed thirteen varieties of

common samavṛtta metre under the Triṣṭup class as follows :

Indravajrā: The Indravajrā metre is one of the well known metres in

Sanskrit posody. It falls under the class of Vedic Triṣṭup. Kedārabhaṭṭa and
Gaṅgādāsa explained Indravajrā in the same style. According to them, if

24
Vṛttaratnākara , III .24
25
Chandomañjarī,II.10
26
mattā jñeyā mabhasagayuktā / Vṛttaratnākara,III.25
jñeyā mattā mabhasagasṛṣṭā / Chandomañjarī, II . 10 (ka)
27
tvaritagatistu najanagaiḥ / Vṛttaratnākara, III.10
tvaritagatiśca najanagaiḥ / Chandomañjarī., II.10 (kha)
28
Vṛttaratnākara, III.26
Chandomañjarī, II.10 (ga)

48
the gaṇas in each quarter of a stanza are ta, ta, and ja with two ga then the
metre is called Indravajrā.29 It is mostly used in the greatest epic of Indian
mythology viz the Rāmāyaṇa, the Mahābhārata and the Bhāgavata.

Upendravajrā: Upendravajrā metre consists of the gaṇas namely ja, ta and

ja with two ga respectively. The prefix up indicates a close resemblance
between Indravajrā and Upendravajrā. The difference is due to the change
of one triad only. In the Indravajrā the initial gaṇa is ta, whereas here the
initial is ja. Vṛttaratnākara and Chandomañjarī represent this metre as the
same gaṇas but in different style.30

Upajāti : The metre Upajāti is an admixture of Indravajrā and

Upendravajrā and at the same time it is a mixture with other metre like
Vaṁśasthavila. This metre has no rigid marks of its own. Regarding the
Upajāti metre both the treatises have different opinions. Gaṅgādāsa gives
us five types of illustrations of Upajāti metre, four as the mixture of
Indravajrā and Upendravajrā and one as the mixture of Indravaṁśā and
Vamśasthavila. These are as follows-

1. The first variety of Upajāti metre is formed if the first, second and
the third quarters contain the gaṇas of Indravajrā metre and the
fourth quarter is having the features of the Upendravajrā metre.
2. If the first and the third feet are composed in Indravajrā and the
second and the fourth are of Upendravajrā metre, then the second
variety of Upajāti metre occurs.
3. If the first and fourth quarters contain the qualities of the Indravajrā
metre, while the second and the third are having Upendravajrā then
the third variety exists.

29
syādindravajrā yadi tau jagau gaḥ / Vṛttaratnākara, III.28
syādindravajrā yadi tau jagau gaḥ / Chandomañjarī, II.11
30
upendravajrā jatajastato gau / Vṛttaratnākara, III.29
upendravajrā prathame laghau sā / Chandomañjarī, II.11 (ka)

49
4. Again if the first second and the fourth are having the qualities of
Indravajrā while the remaining are having the features of
Upendravajrā, the fourth variety of Upajāti metre arises.
5. The last type of Upajāti metre is the mixture of Indravaṁśā and
Vaṁśasthavila. In this metre the first and the 3rd quarter contain the
gaṇas of Indravaṁśā and the second and the fourth quarters contain
the gaṇas of Vaṁśasthavila. This type of Upajāti metre should be
included in Jagatī class (having twelve syallable in each class)
because Indravaṁśā and Vaṁśasthavila metre contain twelve
syllables in each quarter.

The five types of Upajāti metre may be shown with the help of
following table:

Sl. Combination Resulting

No. 1st quarter 2nd quarter 3rd quarter 4th quarter form

1 Indravajrā Indravajrā Indravajrā Upendravajrā Upajāti

2 Indravajrā Upendravajrā Indravajrā Upendravajrā Upajāti

3 Indravajrā Upendravajrā Upendravajrā Indravajrā Upajāti

4 Indravajrā Indravajrā Upendravajrā Indravajrā Upajāti

5 Indravaṁśā Vaṁśasthavila Indravaṁśā Vaṁśasthavila Upajāti

On the other hand Kedārabhaṭṭa mentions fourteen types of Upajāti

metres which is a combination of Indravajrā and Upendravajrā. It is
mentioned in some collection of the Vṛttaratnākara-

ekatrapāde caraṇadvaye vā pādatraye vā′nyataraḥ sthitaścet /

tayorihānyatrapādohanīyā caturdaśoktā upajāti bhedāḥ // 31

31
Vṛttaratnākara, III. P. 48

50
 These fourteen varieties of Upajāti metres as a mixture of
Indravajrā and Upendravajrā are illustrated in the following table-

Sl. Combination of Indravajrā and Upendravajrā Resulting

No. 1st quarter 2nd quarter 3rd quarter 4th quarter form

1 Upendravajrā Indravajrā Indravajrā Indravajrā Kīrti

2 Indravajrā Upendravajrā Indravajrā Indravajrā Bāṇi

3 Upendravajrā Upendravajrā Indravajrā Indravajrā Mālā

4 Indravajrā Upendravajrā Upendravajrā Indravajrā Ṥālā

5 Upendravajrā Indravajrā Upendravajrā Indravajrā Haṁsī

6 Upendravajrā Indravajrā Indravajrā Upendravajrā Māyā

7 Upendravajrā Upendravajrā Upendravajrā Indravajrā Jāyā

8 Indravajrā Indravajrā Indravajrā Upendravajrā Bālā

9 Upendravajrā Indravajrā Indravajrā Upendravajrā Ᾱrdrā

10 Upendravajrā Upendravajrā Indravajrā Indravajrā Bhadrā

11 Upendravajrā Indravajrā Indravajrā Upendravajrā Premā

12 Indravajrā Indravajrā Upendravajrā Upendravajrā Rāmā

13 Upendravajrā Indravajrā Upendravajrā Upendravajrā Ṛddhi

14 Indravajrā Upendravajrā Upendravajrā Upendravajrā Buddhi

Sumukhī: Both the treatises give the same definitions of the metre Sumukhī.
If the fifth, eighth and eleventh syllables are long, the metre is termed

51
Sumukhī.32 Kedārabhaṭṭa and Gaṅgādāsa define Sumukhī metre as follows
– najajalagairgaditā sumukhī / 33

Śālinī: Kedārabhaṭṭa and Gaṅgādāsa have defined Śālinī33a as a metre in

same gaṇas. The gaṇas are ma, ta and ta with two ga respectively in each
quarter of a stanza. To indicate the yati Gaṅgādāsa uses the term vedalokai
where in veda stands for four and loka stands for seven . However,
Kedārabhaṭṭa introduces a little variation and states the term as
abadhilokoi where too abadhi stands for four and loka for seven .

Vātormī: According to Kedārabhaṭṭa if the gaṇas in each quarter of a stanza

are ma, Bha and ta with two ga then the metre is termed as Vātormī.
Likewise, Gaṅgādāsa also made the same definition regarding Vātormī.
They define it as follows:

vātormīyaṁ kathitā mabhau tagau gaḥ /34

Bhramaravilasita in Vṛttaratnākara Bhramaravilasitā in Chandomañjarī :

The Bhramaravilasita35 of Vṛttaratnākara is termed as Bhramaravilasitā in
Chandomañjarī. In Bhramaravilasita the existing gaṇas of each quarter are
ma, bha and na with one la and one ga while in Bharamaravilasitā, they
are ma ga, na and na and one ga.

Rathoddhatā: The Rathoddhatā36 metre is widely recognized metre in the

Classical Sanskrit literature. This metre is defined almost in a similar

32
Vṛttaratnākara , III.32
Chandomañjarī, II.11 (ga)
33
śālinyuktā mtau tagau go′bdhilokaiḥ / Vṛttaratnākara, III.34
mātau gau cecchālinī vedalokaiḥ / Chandomañjarī, II.11 (gha)
34
Vṛttaratnākara, III.35,
Chandomañjarī, II.11 (na)
35
mbhau nlau gaḥ syād bhramaravilasitaṁ / Vṛttaratnākara III.37
mo go nau go bhramaravilasitā / Chandomañjarī, II.11 (ca)
36
rānnarāviha rathoddhatā lagau / Vṛttaratnākara, III.38
rāt parairnaralagai rathoddhatā / Chandomañjarī, II.11 (ja)

52
manner in both the works declaring that in this metre the gaṇas namely ra,
na, ra and one la one ga exist in a quarter.

Swāgatā: This metre is a partial reversion of the metre Rathoddhatā. Here

difference is that the ninth syllable becomes short and the tenth long.37

Dodhaka: The definition of Dodhaka in the Chandomañjarī is slightly

different from that of the Vṛttaratnākara, not from the viewpoint of gaṇa
but from the viewpoint of language. According to them, Dodhaka metre
consists of three bha gaṇas and two ga respectively.38

Vaitikā or Śyenikā Vṛttaratnākara Śyenī Chandomañjarī: The metre

Vaitikā39 of Vṛttaratnākara is termed as Śyeni40 in

Chandomañjarī. This metre consists of the gaṇas ra, ja, ra, and two ga
respectively.according to Chandomañjarī this metreconsists of the gaṇas
ra, ja, ra and la and ga respectively Ṥrī and Mauktikamālā in
Vṛttaratnākara Anukūlā in Chandomañjarī: In Srī41 or Mauktikamālā42
metre the second, third, sixth, seventh ,eighth and nineth syllables are
short and the rest are long.This metre has been termed Anukūlā43 in the
Chandomañjarī. According to Vṛttaratnākara caesura comes after the fifth
and sixth syllables. It is hinted by using the word bāṇarasaiḥ .

37
svagateti ranabhād guruyugmaṁ / Vṛttaratnākara, III.39
svagatā ranabhagairguruāā ca / Chandomañjarī, II.11 (jh)
38
dodhakavṛttamidaṁ bhabhabhādgau / Vṛttaratnākara , III .33
dodhakamicchati bhatritayād gau / Chandomañjarī, II.11 (ña)
39
vaitikā (śyenikā ) rajau ralau gururyadā / Vṛttaratnākara ,III.25
40
śyenyudīritā rajau ralau guruḥ / Chandomañjarī, III.11 (tha)
41
bāṇarasaiḥ syādbhatanagagaiḥ srī / Vṛttaratnākara , III. 36
42
mauktikamālā yadi bhatanādgau / Ibid., III. 43
43
syādanukūlā bhatanagagāścet / Chandomañjarī, II . 11(cha)

53
The Jagatī is very prominent in the Classical Sanskrit literature and there
are fifteen common metres to be found in both the treatises. These are
explained below.

Candravartma: Candravartma metre is defined in Kedārabhaṭṭa and

Gaṅgādāsa in the same manner existing the gaṇas ra, na, bha and sa.
According to the Vṛttaratnākara and Chandomañjarī – candravartma
nigadanti ranabhasaiḥ / 44

Vaṁśastha Vṛttaratnākara, Vaṁśasthavila Chandomañjarī : The metre

Vaṁśastha of Vṛttaratnākara is termed as Vaṁśasthavila in
Chandomañjarī. This metre is defined almost in a similar manner in both
the works declaring that in this metre the gaṇas namely ja, ta, ja and ra
exist in a quarter.45 Kṣemendra remarked in his Suvṛttatilaka that Bhāravi
excelled in the use of the Vaṁśastha metre.

vṛttacchatrasya sā kāpi vaṁśasthasya vicitrā /

pratibhā bhāraveryena sacchāyenādhikīkṛtā // 46

Indravaṁśā: This metre is defined in Kedārabhaṭṭa and Gaṅgādāsa in

different style. According to Kedārabhaṭṭa, Indravaṁśā metre consists of
two ta gaṇas one ja gaṇa and the other ra gaṇa.47 On the other hand,
Gaṅgādāsa holds that if any foot of a Vaṁśastha metre has its first syllable
long then the metre is termed as Indravaṁśā.48

44
Vṛttaratnākara , III.45
Chandomañjarī, II . 12
45
jatau tu vaṁśasthamudīritaṁ jarau / Vṛttaratnākara , III. 46
vadanti vaṁśasthavilaṁ jatau jarau / Chandomañjarī, II . 12 (ka)
46
Suvṛttatilaka, 3 .31
47
syādindravaṁśā tatajai rasaṁyutaiḥ / Vṛttaratnākara , III . 47
48
taccendravaṁśā prathamākṣare gurau / Chandomañjarī, II . 12 (kha)

54
Toṭaka: Toṭaka metre consists of four sa gaṇas with the third, sixth, ninth
and twelveth letters as long.49 Both the writers explain this metre in same
gaṇas but in different language.

Bhujaṅgaprayāta: Four ya gaṇas consist of the metre Bhujaṅgaprayāta.

Kedārabhaṭṭa defines it as follows –

Bhujaṅgaprayātaṁ bhavedyaiścaturbhiḥ /50

On the other hand Gaṅgādāsa defines Bhujaṅgaprayāta metre as follows –

bhujaṅgaprāyātaṁ caturbhiryakāraiḥ / 51

Nāṭyaśāstra has recognized this by the name Aprameyā.

Sragviṇī: Sragviṇī metre is defined in Kedārabhaṭṭa and Gaṅgādāsa in

same gaṇas but language is somewhat different. Four ra gaṇas consist of
the metre Sragviṇī.52 Pramitākṣarā: If the gaṇas in each quarter of a stanza
are sa, ja, sa and sa then the metre is called Pramitākṣarā. This metre is
same as Toṭaka, with only difference being that the 5th syllable is short. In
respect of this metre Kedārabhaṭṭa and Gaṅgādāsa hold same opinion. It is
53
mentioned in Vṛttaratnākara – pramitākṣarā sajasasairuditā / On the
other hand Gaṅgādāsa mentioned it as follows : pramitākṣarā sajasasaiḥ
kathitā / 54

Drutavilambita: This metre is exactly same in both the literary works.

When there exist the gaṇas namely na, bha, bha and ra in every quarter of

49
iha totakamambudhisaiḥ prathitam / Vṛttaratnākara , III . 48
vada toṭakamabdhisakārayutaṁ / Chandomañjarī, II . 12 (ṅa)
50
bhujaṅgaprayātaṁ bhavedyaiścaturbhiḥ / Vṛttaratnākara , III . 55
51
bhujaṅgaprayātaṁ caturbhiryakāraiḥ / Vṛttaratnākara , II . 12 (gha)
52
raiścaturbhiryutā sragviṇī sammatā / Vṛttaratnākara , III . 56
kīrttitaiṣā caturephikā sragviṇī / Chandomañjarī, II . (ca)
53
Vṛttaratnākara , III . 60
54
Chandomañjarī, II . 12 (ja)

55
a stanza then the metre is termed as Drutavilambita.55 Nāṭyaśāstra refers to
this as Hariṇaplutā. Nāṭyaśāstra says-

caturthamantyaṁ daśamam saptamam ca yadā guru /

bhaveddhi jāgate pāde tadā syāddhariṇaplutā // 56

Mandākinī Chandomañjarī Pramuditavadanā and Prabhā Vṛttaratnākara

– In this metre all the syllables except the seventh, nineth, tenth and the
twelveth are short. Gaṅgādāsa calls this metre Mandākinī.57 Vṛttaratnākara
has two metres which have the same shape as this. One called
Pramuditavadanā 58 and the other Prabhā.59

Kusumavicitrā: According to Vṛttaratnākara if in a metre, the fifth, sixth,

eleventh and twelveth letters are long and rest are short then the metre is
termed as Kusumavicitrā. This metre is defined in the Chandomañjarī to
have the same gaṇas. The language is also same. It is defined as follows –

nayasahitau nyau kusumavicitrā / 60

Tāmarasa: If the gaṇas in each quarter of a stanza consist of na, ja, ja and
ya then the metre is termed as Tāmarasa.61 Both the writers defined this
metre in same gaṇas. It is found in the Vṛttaratnākara that the yati stands
after 6th syllables. It is indicated by using the word rasa .

55
drutavilambitamāha nabhau bharau / Vṛttaratnākara , III . 49
Chandomañjarī, II . 12 (Jha)
56
Nāṭyaśāstra, 15. 68, p. 194
57
nanararaghatitā tu mandakinī / Chandomañjarī, II . 12 (na)
58
pramuditavadanā bhavennau ca rau / Vṛttaratnākara , II . 51
59
svaraśaraviratirnanau rau prabhā / Vṛttaratnākara , II . 65
60
Vṛttaratnākara , II. 52
Chandomañjarī, II . 12 (ṭa)
61
iti vada tāmarasaṁ najajād yaḥ / Vṛttaratnākara , III .12. 15
iha vada tāmarasaṁ najajā yaḥ / Chandomañjarī, II .12(tha)

56
Mālatī: In respect of the definition of Mālatī the author of the
Chandomañjarī follows Kedārabhaṭṭa, as the definition is found to be
identical in both the treatises. If each of the quarters of a stanza comprises
na, ja, ja and ra gaṇas then the metre is styled Mālatī. The definition is –

bhavati najāvatha mālatī jarau / 62

Maṇimālā: As stated by Kedārabhaṭṭa and Gaṅgādāsa, in Maṇimālā metre

the gaṇas in each quarter are ta, ya, ta and ya respectively and the yati
exists after the 6th syllable. tau tau maṇimālā chinnā guhavakraiḥ / 63 Here
the term guhavakraiḥ indicates (hint) the yati.

Jaladharamālā: If the gaṇas in each quarter of a stanza are ma, bha, sa and
ma then the metre is termed as Jaladharamālā.64 This metre is defined in
the Vṛttaratnākara and Chandomañjarī as a composite of the same gaṇas
but regarding the yati both writers have different view. According to
Kedārabhaṭṭa yati falls after fourth and eighth syllable. Here the term
abdhyaṣṭābhi indicates the yati. On the other hand Gaṅgādāsa mentioned
that yati comes after fourth and twelveth syllables. It is hinted by the term
abadhyantyaiḥ .

Jaloddhatagati: If the gaṇas in each quarter of a stanza consists of ja, sa,

ja and sa then the metre is called Jaloddhatagati.65 To hint the yati, the
Vṛttaratnākara uses the word rasa . The word rasa stands for six so jāti

62
Vṛttaratnākara , III. 66
Chandomañjarī, II . 12 (ña)
63
Vṛttaratnākara, III. 58
Chandomañjarī, II . 12 (ḍha)
64
abdhyaṣṭābhirjaladharamālā mbhau smau / Vṛttaratnākara , III . 63
mo bhaḥ smaucejjaladharamālā′bdhyantyaiḥ / Chandomañjarī, II . 12 (ṇa)
65
rasairjasajasā jaloddhatagatiḥ / Vṛttaratnākara , III . 53
jasau jasayutaujaloddhatagatiḥ / Chandomañjarī, II . 12 (ga)

57
exists after sixth syllable. There is no separate instruction for the yati in
Chandomañjarī.

Under Atijagatī class Kedārabhaṭṭa and Gaṅgādāsa have defined

seventeen varieties of common Samavṛtta metre. These are elaborated
below-

Praharṣiṇī: This metre consists of the gaṇas ma, na, ra, ja and ra
respectively. Both the writers have clearly hinted that the cesural pause
omes here after 3rd syllable first, then at the tenth syllable. Kedārabhaṭṭa
defines Praharṣiṇī as follows–

mnau jrau gastridaśayatiḥ praharṣiṇīyaṁ / 66

In the other hand, Gaṅgādāsa defines Praharṣiṇī metre as follows –

tryāśābhirmanajaragāḥ praharṣiṇīyam / 67
68
Rucirā: In the metre Rucirā the second, fourth, ninth, eleventh and
thirteenth syllables are long and rest are short. Regarding the yati both the
writers have same opinion. Yati falls here after fourth and the ninth
syllables. Yati is denoted by the term caturgrahaiḥ .

About the literary beauty of the metre Rucirā, Kṣemendra remarks

in his famous work Suvṛttatilakam.

bhavabhūteḥ śikhariṇī nirargalataraṅgiṇī /

rucirā ghanasandarbhe yā mayūrīva nṛtyati // 69

Mattamayūra: In respect of the definition of Mattamayūra, the author of

the Chandomañjarī follows Kedārabhaṭṭa, as the definition is found to be

66
Vṛttaratnākara , III . 70
67
Chandomañjarī, II . 13
68
caturgrahairatirucirā jabhasajagaḥ / Vṛttaratnākara ,III.71
jabhau sajau giti rucirā caturgrahaiḥ / Chandomañjarī, II . 13 (ka)
69
Suvṛttatilak ,3. 33, p. 132

58
identical in both the treatises. If the gaṇas in each quarter of a stanza are
ma, ta, ya and sa and one ga then the metre is called Mattamayūra.70
Cesural pauses comes here after fourth and ninth syllables, because vedaiḥ
indicates four and randhraiḥ indicates nine. This metre Mattamayūra has
been named Māyā in the Prākṛtapiṅgala.

Mañjubhāṣiṇī Vṛttaratnākara Pravodhitā Chandomañjarī : According to

Vṛttaratnākara if the gaṇas in each quarter of a metre are sa, ja, sa and ja
and one ga respectively, then the metre is styled as Mañjubhāṣiṇī.71
Likewise, Gaṅgādāsa also has made the same opinion regarding
Mañjubhāṣiṇī.72 In the Chandomañjarī the same definition can be found
with another name Prabodhitā.73 The whole of the thirteen cantos of the
Śiśupālavadha ae composed in this metre.

Kṣhamā Vṛttaratnākara ,Candrikā Chandomañjarī : The Kṣhamā74 of the

Vṛttaratnākara has been named as Candrikā75 in the Chandomañjarī. This
metre is consists of thirteen syllable in each quarter and there exists the
gaṇas – na, na, ta and ta and one ga respectively. According to
Kedārabhaṭṭa cesural pauses comes after seventh and sixth syllables
because the turaga indicates seven and the rasa stands for six. In
Chandomañjarī the term aśvaṛtubhiḥ indicates that there would be pauses
after the seventh and the sixth syllables. Another metre Candrikā under
Atijagatī class is found in Vṛttaratnākara which bears another definition.

70
vedai randhrairmtau yasagā mattamayūraṁ / Vṛttaratnākara , III . 72
vedai randhrairmatau yasagā mattamayūraṁ, Chandomañjarī, II . 13 (kha)
71
sajasā jagau bhavati mañjubhāṣiṇī / Vṛttaratnākara , III . 74
72
sajasā jgau ca yadi manjubhasinī / Chandomañjarī, II . 13 (gha)
73
sajasā jagau ca bhavati pravodhitā / Chandomañjarī, II . 13 (cha)
74
turagarasayatirnau tatau gaḥ kṣhamā / Vṛttaratnākara , III. 69
75
nanatatagurubhiścandrikā′śvarttabhiḥ / Chandomañjarī, II . 13 (na)

59
 Under the śakvarī class of samavṛtta metre both the writers have
defined 5 types of common samavṛtta metre. These are as follows:

Asaṁbādhā: Kedārabhaṭṭa and Gaṅgādāsa have defined Asaṁbādhā metre

in different style. As stated by Kedārabhaṭṭa, in Asaṁbādhā76 the gaṇas in
each quarter are ma, ta, na and sa and two ga respectively and the pauses
are seen after the fifth and the ninth syllables, because akṣai indicates five
and grahai indicates nine. On the other hand, Gaṅgādāsa mentions that if
the gaṇas in each quarter of a stanza are ma gaṇa two ga and na gaṇa , na
gaṇa and ma gaṇa then the metre is styled Asaṁbādhā.77 Here too pauses
comes after fifth and ninth syllables. It is hinted by the use of the term
śarainavabhiśca .

Aparājitā: This metre is identical in both the treatises. Aparājitā metre

consist of the gaṇas na, na, ra and sa and one la and one ga respectively ,
with cesural pauses after every seventh syllable.

It is clearly mentioned by using the word svara . Kedārabhaṭṭa and

Gaṅgādāsa define this metre as follows:

nanarasalaghugaiḥ svarairaparājitā / 78

Lolā: Kedārabhaṭṭa designated this metre by the name Lolā or Alolā.79

Both Chandomañjarī and Vṛttaratnākara defined this metre in same gaṇas.
According to them if the gaṇas in each of the quarter are ma, sa, ma and
bha and two ga respectively, then the metre is termed as Lolā80 or Alolā.
Pauses exist here after the seventh and at the seventh syllable. It is hinted
by using the term dviḥsaptacchid .

76
mtau nsau gāvakṣagrahaviratirasambādhā / Vṛttaratnākara , III. 76
77
mo gau nau maśceccharana′vabhirasambādhā / Chandomañjarī, II. 14
78
Vṛttaratnākara, III . 77
79
dviḥsaptacchidlolā msau mbhau gau caraṇe cet / Vṛttaratnākara , III . 83
80
dviḥ saptacchidi lolā msau mabhau gau caraṇe cet / Chandomañjarī, II. 14 (ṅa)

60
 81
Vasantatilaka: The Vasantatilaka metre consists of the gaṇas ta,
bha, ja, ja and two ga respectively.The another name of the Vasantatilaka
metre is Siṁhonnati.82 Both the writers defined this metre consisting same
gaṇas but their writing style being different from each other. Vasantatilaka
metre is one of the mostly used metre of Sanskrit prosody. This metre can
be found in all of the works of Kālidāsa.

Praharaṇakalikā: This metre consists of the gaṇa na, na, bha and na and
one la and one ga respectively.83 The Praharaṇakalikā84 has been termed
as Praharaṇakalitā in various collection of Vṛttaratnākara. In the
commentary of Bhaṭṭa Nārāyaṇa Bhaṭṭa this metre is mentioned as
Praharaṇakalitā. Though the style of writing is different the gaṇas of
Chandomañjarī and Vṛttaratnākara are same.

Under the Atiśakvarī class of samvṛtta metre both the writer defined
five common metres. These are given below.

Ṥaśikalā: According to Kedārabhaṭṭa and Gaṅgādāsa if all letters except the

final one are short then the metre is known as Ṥaśikalā.85 Pauses fall here
just after seventh and eighth letters. Piṅgala calls this metre
Candrāvarttā.86

Srag (Srak): similar to the former metre śaśikalā in this metre too has all
letters except the last one as short.87 The only difference is that the pause

81
uktā vasantatilakā tabhajā jagau gaḥ / Vṛttaratnākara , III . 79
jñeyaṁ vasantalilakaṁ tabhajā jagau gaḥ / Chandomañjarī, II . 14 (ka)
82
siṁhonnateyamuditā munikāśyapena / Vṛttaratnākara, III. 80
83
nanabhanalaghugaiḥ praharanakalitā / Vṛttaratnākara, III.78
84
nanabhanalagiti praharaṇakalikā / Chandomañjarī, III .14 (ga)
85
dvihatahayalaghuratha giti śaśikalā / Vṛttaratnākara III . 84
gurunidhana manulaghuriha śaśikalā / Chandomañjarī, II . 15
86
candrāvarttā nau nau sa / Piṅgalacchandaḥsūtra ,VII.11, p. 132
87
sragiti bhavati rasanavakayatiriyaṁ / Vṛttaratnākara , III . 85
sragiyamapi ca rasanavaracitayatiḥ / II . 15 (ka)

61
comes here at the sixth and the ninth letters. Regarding the pauses of this
metre both the author give us the same idea by using the word rasanava .
In some other collection of Vṛttaratnākara this metre is designated by the
name Srak. Piṅgala called this metre by the name Mālā .88

Maṇigunakiraṇa, Maṇiguṇanikara (Vṛttaratnākara) Maṇiguṇanikara

(Chandomañjarī) : In the Vṛttaratnākara89 it is named by
Maṇiguṇanikara.90 In this metre too like Śaśikalā and Srak all letters
except the last one are short, only with the difference is that the cesura
comes here at the 8th and the 7th letters. It is clearly mentioned in both the
treatises by the word vasumuni. Here vasu stands for eight and muni
stands for seven.

Mālinī: This metre is almost verbatim in both the treatises. Mālinī metre
consists of na, na, ma, ya and ya gaṇas respectively.91 The pauses exist
after the eight and the seventh syllable. It is declared by using the word
bhogilokaiḥ . Here bhogi stands for eight and loka stands for seven.

Candralekhā: Regarding the definition of Candralekhā92 metre, author of

both the treatises hold the same opinion. According to them this metre
consists of the gaṇas ma, ra, ma, ya and ya respectively. The pauses come
here after every seventh and eighth syllables.

Under the Aṣṭi class only two common samavṛtta type of metre are
found in both the treatises. These are -

88
mālarttunavakau cet / Piṅgalacchandaḥsūtra VII . 12, p. 133
89
vasuhayayatirih maṇigunanikaraḥ / Vṛttaratnākara, III . 86
vasumuniyatirih maṇiguṇakiraṇaḥ / Vṛttaratnākara , III 15.3
90
vasumuniyatiriti maṇiguṇanikaraḥ / Chandomañjarī, II . 15 (kha)
91
nanamayayayuteyaṁ mālinī bhogilokaiḥ / Vṛttaratnākara III . 87
Chandomañjarī, II. 15 (ga)
92
mrau myau yāntau bhavetāṁ saptaṣṭabhiścandralekhā / Vṛttaratnākara , III . 90
mrau mo yau cedbhaveyuḥ saptāṣṭake ścandralekhā / Chandomañjarī, II . 15 (ch)

62
Ṛṣabhagajavilasita: According to Kedārabhaṭṭa and Gaṅgādāsa if the
gaṇas in each quarter of a stanza be bha, ra, na, na and na and one ga then
the metre is called Ṛṣabhagajavilasita.93 Pauses, in the case, are found just
after every seventh and ninth syllables. In the definition svara is used to
denote seven as well as the word khaṁ is to denote nine.

Vāṇinī: While the gaṇas in each quarter of a stanza are na , ja, bha, ja and
ra and one ga respectively then the metre is styled Vāṇinī. Both the writer
defined this metre almost in the same manner.

najabhajaraiḥ sadā bhavati vāṇinī gajuktaiḥ 94

Under Atyaṣṭi class there are seven common samavṛtta type of metres in
both the literary works. These are explained in the following way -
95
Ṥikhariṇī: The definition of Ṥikhariṇī in the Chandomañjarī is totally
identical with the definition presented by Kedārabhaṭṭa in his
Vṛttaratnākara. In both the treatises Ṥikhariṇī is defined as a metre wherein
the gaṇas in each quarter are ya, ma, na, sa and bh and one la and one ga
respectively. Further the pauses occur at the sixth and the eleventh letters.
It is clear from the use of the term rasairudraiśchinnā . Here rasa stands
for six and rudra stands for eleven.

Pṛthvī: A metre comprises of the gaṇas ja, sa, ja, sa and ya and one la and
one ga respectively is known as Pṛthvī. Cesural pauses come here after the
eighth and the ninth letters. It is hinted by using the word Vasugraha .
Here vasu stands for eight and graha stands for nine. This metre is also

93
bhratrinagaiḥ svarātkhamṛṣabhagajavilasitaṁ / Vṛttaratnākara , III . 91
bhratrinagaiḥ svarāt khamṛṣabhagajavilasitaṁ / Chandomañjarī, II . 16 (ka)
94
Vṛttaratnākara , III . 92
Chandomañjarī , II . 16 (ṅa)
95
rasai rudraiśchinnā yamanasabhalā gaḥ śikhariṇī / Vṛttaratnākara, III . 93
Chandomañjarī, II. 17

63
wholltfully identical in both the literary work. Both the writers define it as
follows–

jasau jasayalā vasugrahayatiśca pṛthvī guruḥ / 96

Vaṁśapattrapatita: A metre which consists of the gaṇas bha, ra, na, bh

and na and la and ga having pauses after the tenth and the seventh letters
respectively is known as Vaṁśapattrapatita.97 Here pauses are indicated by
the term diṅmuni which in this dik indicate the ten and muni indicate
the seven. The definition of this metre is also exactly alike in both the
treatises.

Mandākrāntā: According to Kedārabhaṭṭa if the gaṇas in each quarter of a

stanza are ma, bh, na, ta and ta and two ga then the metre is known as
Mandākrāntā.98 Cesural pauses comes after fourth, sixth and seventh
letters. It is clearly indicated by using the term jaladiṣaḍgaiḥ . On the
other hand Gaṅgādāsa defined it as a metre where in the gaṇas in each
quarter of a stanza are ma, bha, na with two ga and ya and ya respectively
.99 Of course some other collection of Chandomañjarī the metre shows ma,
bha, na, ta and ta and two ga.100 Gaṅgādāsa also declared it that yati comes
here after fourth, sixth and seventh letters. The indication of the existence
of yati is given by the use of the phase. The term, ambudhirasanagaiḥ were
ambudhiḥ stands for four, rasa stands for six and naga stands for seven
respectively.
96
Vṛttaratnākara , III . 94
Chandomañjarī, II .17 (ka)
97
diṅmuni vaṁśapatrapatitaṁ bharanabhanalagaiḥ / Vṛttaratnākara , III . 95
Chandomañjarī, II. 17 (kha)
98
mandākrāntā jaladhiṣaḍagairmbhau natau tād gurū cet / Vṛttaratnākara , III . 97
99
mandākrāntāmbudhi rasanagairmobhanau gau yayugmaṁ /
Chandomañjarī, II . 17 (ga)
100
mandākrāntā′mbudhirasanagairmo bhanau tau gayugmaṁ /
Chandomañjarī, II. 17(4)

64
Hariṇīi: The Hariṇīi metre consists of the gaṇas na, sa, ma, ra and sa, and
one la and one ga respectively. Here cesural pauses come after sixth, fourth
and seventh letters.101 Regarding the yati Kedārabhaṭṭa mentioned the
phase rasayugahaya, here rasa stands for six, yuga stands for four and
haya stands for seven. On the other hand Gaṅgādāsa mention the phase
ṣaḍavedairhayaiḥ.

Narkūṭaka in Vṛttaratnākara Nardaṭaka in Chandomañjarī: The

Narkūṭaka102 metre of Vṛttaratnākara is named as Nardaṭaka103 in
Chandomañjarī This metre consist of the gaṇas na, ja, bh, ja and ja, and
one la and one ga respectively with pauses just after seventh and tenth
syllables.

Kokilaka: Like the former metre Nardaṭaka, this metre too consists of the
gaṇas na, ja, bh, ja and ja, and one la and one ga respectively. The only
difference is that here pauses come after seventh, sixth and fourth letters
respectively.104

Regarding the yati Chandomañjarī uses the phrase hayaṛtusāgara. Here

haya indicate seven, ṛtu stands for six and sāgara stands for four. On the
other hand Kedārabhaṭṭa uses the term muniguhakārṇavaiḥ. Here muni
stands for seven, guhakāṇi for six and arnṇva stands for four.

Under the Dhṛti class two common samavṛtta types of metre are found in
both the treatises. These are as follows –

101
rasayugahayairnsau mrau slau gau yadā hariṇi tadā / Vṛttaratnākara, III. 96
nasamarasalāgaḥ ṣaḍvedairhayairhariṇī matā / Chandomañjarī, II . 17 (gha)
102
hayadaśabhirnajau bhajajalā guru narkuṭakaṁ / Vṛttaratnākara , III . 98
103
yadi bhavato najau bhajajalā gurunardaṭakaṁ / Chandomañjarī, II . 17 (na)
104
muniguhakārṇavaiḥ kṛtayati vada kokilakaṁ / Vṛttaratnākara , III . 99
hayaṛtusāgarairyatiyutaṁ kokilakaṁ / Chandomañjarī, III . 17 (ca)

65
Kusumitalatāvellitā: Kedārabhaṭṭa mentioned that if a metre consists of the
gaṇas namely ma, ta, na, ya, ya and ya respectively then the metre is styled
as Kusumitalatāvellitā.

syād bhūtartvaśvaiḥ kusumitalatāvellitā mtau nayau yau / 105

This metre is defined in the Chandomañjarī to have the same gaṇas

and the same language. Here yati is clearly mentioned by using the word
bhūtartvaśvaiḥ. Here bhūtaiḥ means pañcabhiḥ, ṛtu means ṣaḍbhiḥ and
aśvaiḥ means saptabhiḥ yati. The Nāṭyaśāstra of Bharata refers to it as
Candralekhā. 106

Siṁhavikrīḍita in Vṛttaratnākara Nārāca in Chandomañjarī: The

Siṁhavikrīḍita107 of the Vṛttaratnākara has been described as Nārāca in
Chandomañjarī. Although the writing styles are different, yet both the
writer defined this metre in same gaṇas. According to them if the gaṇas in
each of a stanza be na, na, ra, ra, ra and ra then the metre is termed as
Siṁhavikrīḍita or Nārāca.

Under the Atidhṛti class there are two common samavṛtta type of
metres. These are mentioned below:

Meghavisphūrjitā: If the gaṇas in each quarter of a stanza are ya, ma, na,
sa, ra, ra and ga then the metre is called Meghavisphūrjitā.108 Pauses
comes after 12th and 7th letters. It is indicated by using the word
rasartvaśvaiḥ. It is found that this metre is also totally identical in both the
treatises. In Piṅgalacchandaḥsūtra it comes under the Gāthā variety.

105
Vṛttaratnākara , III . 100
Chandomañjarī, II .18
106
Nāṭyasāstra, XV. 117
107
kathitamiha nanau rarau cedrarau siṁhavikrīḍitam / Vṛttaratnākara , III . 18 (3)
iha nanaracatuṣkasṛṣṭantu nārācamācakṣte / Chandomañjarī, II.18 (kha)
108
rasartvaśvairymau nsau raraguruyutau
meghavisphūrjitā syāt / Vṛttaratnākara , III . 19 (1), Chandomañjarī, II . 19

66
Ṥārdūlavikrīḍita: Ṥārdūlavikrīḍita metre consists of the gaṇas ma, sa, ja,
sa, ta, ta and ga respectively109; cesural pauses come after 12th and 7th
letter. In the application of this chandas Rājasekhara is famous. In this
respect Kṣemendra utters one word śārdūlavikrīḍitakena prakhyāto
rājasekharaḥ /

Under the Kṛti class three common samavṛatta metres are found.

Suvadanā: Suvadanā metre is exactly alike in both the treatises. This metre
consists of the gaṇas ma, ra, bh, na, ya and bha and one la and one ga
110
respectively. Cesural pauses come after 7th, 7th and 6th letters. Both the
writer makes it clear it by using the word saptāśvaṣaḍbhiḥ .

Vṛtta: A metre is known as Vṛtta if it consists of the gaṇas ra ja, ra, ja, ra,
and ja and one ga, and one la respectively.111 Here one long letter is always
followed by a short one. Cesural pauses come at the end of the foot. Both
the writer made the same opinion regarding Vṛtta, but their writing styles
are quite different from each other.

Pramadānana Vṛttaratnākara Gītikā Chandomañjarī: Pramadānana112

metre of Vṛttaratnākara has been termed as Gītikā113 in Chandomañjarī.
Both the author defined this metre in same gaṇas but the languages are
somewhat different from each other. This metre consists of the gaṇas – sa,

109
sūryāśvairmasajastatāḥ saguravaḥ śardūlavikrīḍitam / Vṛttaratnākara, III . 19 (2),
Chandomañjarī, II . 19 (kha)
110
jñeyā saptāśvaṣaḍbhirmarabhanayayutā bhlau gaḥ suvadanā /
Vṛttaratnākara, III. 102, Chandomañjarī, II. 20
111
trī rajau galau bhavedihedṛśena lakṣaṇena vṛttānām / Vṛttaratnākara , III . 103
vṛttamīdṛśantu nāmato rajau, rajau gurūrlaghuśca / Chandomañjarī, II . 21 (kha)
112
sajajā bharau salagāśca cedvaditam tadā pramadānanam /
Vṛttaratnākara, III . 20 (4)
113
sajajā bharau salagā yadā kathitā tadā khalu gītikā / Chandomañjarī, III . 20 (ka)

67
ja, ja, bha, ra and sa with one la and one ga respectively. The rules
regarding the placing of the cesura are not mentioned here.

Under prakṛti class there is one common samavṛatta metre in both

the works it is Sragdharā

Sragdharā: This metre is totally identical in both the treatises. A metre

known as Sragdharā114 consists of the gaṇas ma, ra, bha, na, ya, ya and ya
respectively. The metrical pauses stand here at 7th, 7th and 7th letters. It is
indicate by using the word trimuni . About this metre Kṣemendra remarks-

sāvegapavanadīnam varṇane sragdharā matā / 115

Two common samavṛatta types of metre are found under the vikṛti class.

Mattākrīḍā: Kedārabhaṭṭa and Gaṅgādāsa defined Mattākrīḍā: metre in

different style. Kedārabhaṭṭa holds that if in each quarter of a metre are ma,
ma, ta, na, na, na and na and one la and one ga then the metre is known as
116
Mattākrīḍā : On the other hand, as per Chandomañjarī the existing of
the gaṇas are ma and ma and ga, ga, la, la, la, la,la,la,la,la,la,la,la,la,la,la
and ga respectively.Here ma and ma are followed by two ga, by fourteen
la’s and one ultimate ga.117 Regarding the yati (pauses) both the writers
hold same opinion. Pauses come here after the 8th 15th syllables. The
Ratnamañjūṣā calls this Mandakrīḍā.

114
mrabhanairyānāṁ trayeṇa trimuniyatiyutā sragdharā kīrtiteyam /
Vṛttaratnākara, III . 104 Chandomañjarī, II. 21
115
Suvṛttatilaka, 3 .22, p.125
116
mattākrīḍā mau tanau nau nagliti
bhavati vasuśaradaśayatiyutā / Vṛttaratnākara , III . 107
117
mattakrīḍa vasviṣvāśāyati mayugagayugamanulaghugurubhiḥ /
Chandomañjarī, II.23 (ka)

68
Aśvalalita in Vṛttaratnākara, Adritanayā in Chandomañjarī: Aśvalalita118
metre is same as Adritanayā.119 This metre consists of the gaṇas na, ja,
bha, ja, bha, ja and bha and one la and one ga respectively. Cesural pauses
come here after the 11th and the 12th letters.

One common samavṛatta metre is found under the saṅkīti class.

Tanvī: A metre known as Tanvī consists of the gaṇas bha, ta, na, sa, bha,
bha,na, and ya respectively.120 Cesural pauses come after the 5th, 7th and
12th letters. It is indicated by using the word bhūtamunīnai . Here bhūta
stands for five, munī stands for seven and inai means sūryai stands for
twelve letters. Both the writer defined this metre in same style.

Under the Atikṛti class there is one common samavṛtta metre found
in both the literary works.

Krauñcapadā: The existing gaṇas of the Krauñcapadā as per

Vṛttaratnākara are bha, ma, sa, bha, na, na,na and na, and one ga
respectively in each quarter of a stanza.121 This metre is defined in the
Chandomañjarī in another style. According to Chandomañjarī,
Krauñcapadā metre consists of the gaṇas bha, ma, sa, bha and twelve la
followed by one ga.122 Both the writers clearified it that pauses come here

118
yadiha najau bhajau bhjabhalagāstadaśvalalitam
harārkayatimat / Vṛttaratnākara , III . 106
119
najabhajabhā jabhau laghugurū budhaistu gaditeyamadritanayā /
Chandomañjarī, II. 23
120
bhūtamunīnairyatiriha bhatanāḥ sbhau bhanayāśca yadi bhavati tanvī /
Vṛttaratnākara, III . 108
Chandomañjarī, II . 24
121
krauñcapadā bhmau sbhau nananā ngā viṣuśaravasumuniviratiriha bhavet /
Vṛttaratnākara , III . 109
122
krauñcapadā syād bho masabhāścediṣuśaravasumuniyatirinalaghugaiḥ /
Chandomañjarī, II . 25

69
after 5th, 5th, 8th and 7th letters respectively. Here iṣuviḥ stands for 5th
śaraiḥ for 5th , basu aṣṭa and muni sapta.

Under Utkṛti class one common metre is found in both the work.

Bhujañgavijṛmbhita: The metre Bhujañgavijṛmbhita is defined in the

Vṛttaratnākara123 and the Chandomañjarī to the same gaṇas and the almost
all same language. This metre consist of the gaṇas – ma, ma, ta, na, na, na,
ra and sa and la and ga respectively. Cesural pauses here come after the
eight, eleventh and seventh letters. It is denoted by using the word
vasvīśāśva .

3.1.2 Uncommon Samavṛtta Type of Metres in the Vṛttaratnākara and

the Chandomañjarī

It is found that there are some uncommon type of samavṛtta metres

in both the books. Vṛttaratnākara and Chandomañjarī. The uncommon
samavṛtta type of metres of both the books are mentioned below.

In the Vṛttaratnākara there are twenty six types of metres defined

by the author Kedārabhaṭṭa which are not found in the Chandomañjarī.
These are – (1) Kesā, (2) Vrīḍā, (3) Lāsinī, (4) Sumukhī, (5) Sumati, (6)
Samṛddhi, (7) Prīti, (8) Satī, (9) Mandā, (10) Vasumatī, (11) Nadī, (12)
Mukula, (13) Mālinī, (14) Ramaṇī, (15) Haṁsamālā, (16) Vitāna, (17)
Nāgaraka, (18) Meghavitāna, (19) Maṇirāga, (20) Ekarūpa, (21)
Upaṣthta, (22) Pañcacāmara, (23) Candrikā, (24) Atirekhā (Elā) (25)
Mattabilāsinī, (26) Mayūragati.

Under madhyā class one uncommon metre is found in

Vṛttaratnākara which is missing in Chandomañjarī.

123
vasvīśāśvacchedopetaṁ mamatanayuganarasalagairbhujaṅgavijṛmbhitam /
Vṛttaratnākara, III. 110
vasvīśāśvaiśchedopetaṁ mamatananayugarasalagairbhujaṅgavijṛmbhitam /
Chandomañjarī, II. 26

70
Kesā: One ya gaṇa makes the metre kesā.124 It is under the madhyā class.
This metre is not found in some other collection of Vṛttaratnākara. In the
Bhaṭṭa Nārāyaṇa Bhaṭṭa’s commentary this metre is not found. But in some
other commentary of Vṛttaratnākara like Vṛttaratnākarapañcikā, it is found
under the madhyā class.
Under Pratiṣṭhā class five uncommon type of samavṛtta metres are
found in Vṛttaratnākara which are not found in Chandomañjarī. They are
given bellow:
yagau vrīḍā /
Vrīḍā: One ya gaṇa and one ga make the metre Vrīḍā.125 It is under the
class Madhyā. Kedārabhaṭṭa defines this metre as follows –
Lāsinī : In a metre of four syllable if the first and third syllables are short
and second and fourth syllables are long then the metre is called Lāsinī.126
It is also known as Nagālikā in some other collection.
Sumukhī: In this metre Sumukhī127 the 1st and fourth syllables are long,
while the second and third syllables are short. Another metre Sumukhī is
found under the Ttriṣṭup class.
Sumati: In Sumati128 metre the first and second syllables are short and the
third and fourth are long.
Samṛddhi: In the Samṛddhi129 metre the second syllable is short and the
others are long.
Under the supratisṭhā class there are two types of uncommon
samavṛtta metres are found under the Supratisṭhā class. These are not
mentioned in Chandomañjarī. They are as follows:

124
ya kesā / Vṛttaratnākara , III . 3.5
125
yagau vrīḍā / Vṛttaratnākara , III . 7
126
jga lāsinī / Vṛttaratnākara , III . 8
127
bhgau sumukhī / Ibid., III . 9
128
sumatiḥ sgau / Ibid., III . 10
129
rgau samṛddhiḥ / Ibid., III .11

71
Prīti: In a metre of five syllable if the 2nd syllable is short and the others are
long then the metre is known as Prīti130
Mandā: In this metre the third and the fourth syllables are short and others
are long.131
Kedārabhaṭṭa has defined five types of metres under the Gāyatrī
class which are not found in Chandomañjarī. These are discussed below-
Vasumatī: In Vasumatī metre the third, fourth and the fifth syllables are
short and the rest are long.132
Nadī: If the fifth syllable is short and the rest are long then the metre is
called Nadī. Kedārabhaṭṭa defines this metre as follows –
mrau yasyāḥ sā nadī i 133
Mālinī: In this metre the second syllable is short and the rest are long.
Kedārabhaṭṭa defines Mālinī metre in two occasions – one in the Gāyatrī
class and the other in the Atiśakvarī class.134
Mukula: The metre Mukula has its fourth and fifth syllables as short and
the rest as long.135
Ramaṇī: In the metre Ramaṇī every third and sixth syllables are long and
rest are short.136
Under uṣṇik class one uncommon type of samavṛtta metre is found
in Vṛttaratnākara which is not found in the Chandomañjarī. viz 1.
Haṁsamālā: The Haṁsamālā possesses short syllables in the first, second
and the fifth positions. saragā haṁsamālā 137

130
rgau giti prītiḥ / Ibid., III . 5 (2)
131
mandā talagaiḥ / Ibid., III . 5 (4)
132
tsau cedvasumatī / Ibid., III . 10
133
Ibid., III . 4
134
mālinīrmābhyāṁ syāt / Ibid., III . 6 (6)
135
msau proktaṁ mukulam / Ibid., III . 6 (5)
136
sayugaṁ ramaṇī / Ibid., III . 6 (7)
137
Ibid., III . 7 (4)

72
 Kedārabhaṭṭa defines, Vitāna138 and Nāgaraka in his Vṛttaratnākara
but these metres are not found in Chandomañjarī. These metres are found
under the anuṣṭup class.
Nāgaraka: The metre Nāgaraka consists of the gaṇas bha and ra, with one
la and one ga respectively. It is defined as follows – nāgarakaṁ bharau
lagā 139
Under the Paṅkti class Meghavitāna and Maṇirāga metres are
defined by Kedārabhaṭṭa but are not found in the Chandomañjarī
Meghavitāna: This metre consists of three sa gaṇas and one ga with the
third, sixth and ninth and tenth syllables as long. Kedārabhaṭṭa defines it as
follows –
trisagā api meghavitānaṁ .140 Here is found dvandvasamāsa trayaśca te
sāśceti trisāḥ. trisāśca gaśca trisagā iti dvandvaḥ.
Maṇirāga: If the gaṇas in each quarter of a stanza are ra,sa and sa, and
one ga the metre is then called Maṇirāga.141
Under the triṣṭubh class two uncommon metre is found in the
Vṛttaratnākara which are not mentions in the Chandomañjarī.
Ekarūpa: when the gaṇas in each of a quarter are ma, sa and ja and two ga
then the metre is termed as Ekarūpa.142
Upasthita: If the gaṇas in each quarter of a stanza are ja, sa and ta and two
ga then the metre is known as Upasthita.143
Under the atijagatī class one uncommon metre is found in the
Vṛttaratnākara which is not found in the Chandomañjarī. Viz. Candrikā.

138
vitānamābhyām yadanyat / Ibid., III . 10 (9)
139
Ibid., III . 8 (5)
140
Ibid., III . 10 (7)
141
raśca sau sagururmaṇirāgaḥ / Ibid., III . 10 (8)
142
maḥ so jo guruyugmamekarūpam / Ibid., III . 11 (2)
143
upasthitamidam jsau tādgakarau / Ibid., III . 11 (17)

73
Candrikā: This metre consists of two na gaṇas, two ta gaṇas and one ga.
Pauses come here after 6th and 7th syllables.144
This metre is not found some collections of Vṛttaratnākara but in
Bhaṭṭa Nārāyaṇa Bhaṭṭas commentary of this metre is clearly mentioned.
Under the atiśakvarī class Atirekhā is found in the Vṛttaratnākara
but it is not found in the Chandomañjarī.
Atirekhā: This metre consists of the gaṇas sa, ja, na, na and ya
respectively145. Cesural pauses come after every 5th and 10th syllables. It is
indicated by using the word śaradaśa. The another name of this metre is
Elā.
Kedārabhaṭṭa defines Mattabilāsinī metre in his the Vṛttaratnākara but this
metre is not found in the the Chandomañjarī. It is under the Prakṛti class.

Mattabilāsinī: This metre consist of six bha gaṇas and one ra

respectively.146

Kedārabhaṭṭa defines Mayūragati metre under the vikṛti class. It is

explained below.

Mayūragati :This metre consists of seven bha gaṇas and two ga

respectively. Kedārabhaṭṭa defines it as follows –

bhairatha saptabhiratra kṛtā guruṇā ca mayūragatiḥ syāt 147

Pañcacāmara metre is found in the Vṛttaratnākara not in the

Chandomañjarī. It is under the class Jagatī.

Pañcacāmara: According to Kedārabhaṭṭa if the gaṇas in each quarter of a

stanza are ja, bha, ja, and ra then the metre is termed as Pañcacāmara.148

144
nanatatagurubhiścandrikāśvartubhiḥ / Ibid., III . 75
145
sajanā nayau śaradaśayatiratirekhā / Ibid., III . 12 (6)
146
bhau bhabhabhāśca bharau yadi kirtaya putraka ! mattavilāsinī / Ibid., III.21(2)
147
Ibid., III . 23 (3)
148
jabhau jarau vadati pañcasāmaram / Vṛttaratnākara , III . 67

74
It is found that Gaṅgādāsa also mentioned Pañcacāmara under Jagatī class
but gaṇas are different.

From a through study it is found that some metres of Vṛttaratnākara are

found in Chandomañjarī’s insertion section. These are elaborated below

(1) Vidyullekhā, (2) Haṁsaruta (3) Nārācikā, (4) Halamukhī, (5)

Śuddhavirāṭ, (6) Upasthitā, (7) Paṇava, (8) Mayūrasāriṇī, (9) Vṛttā
(Pṛthvī), (10) Bhadrikā, (11) Upasthita, (12) Puṭa, (13) Priyaṁvadā, (14)
Lalitā, (15) Pañcacāmara, (16) Navamālikā, (17) Mauktikadāma, (18)
Upasthita, (19) Cañcarīkāvalī, (20) Induvadanā, (21) Prabhadraka, (22)
Haranartana, (23) Mattebhavikrīḍita, (24) Bhadraka Chandomañjarī.
Pravadrana Vṛttaratnākara , (25) Apavāha

1. Vidyullekhā: This is the first variety of gāyatrī class. If the gaṇas in

each quarter of a stanza are ma and ma, the metre is then known as
Vidyullekhā.149 It is termed as Sāvitrī150 in other collection of
Vṛttaratnākara.
2. Haṁsaruta: In the metre Haṁsaruta151 the first three and the last two
syllables are long, while the fourth, fifth and sixth syllables are short. It
comes under the anuṣṭubh class.
3. Nārācikā: This metre consists of the gaṇas ta and ra and la, ga
respectively. Nārācikā152 metre is also under the anuṣṭup class.
4. Halamukhī: Halamukhī is under the bṛhatī class. Here all syllables
except the first, the third and the ninth are short. It is defined as follows –

149
vidyullekhā mo maḥ / Ibid., III . 9
Chandomañjarī, II . 6 (ga)
150
mau sāvitrīmāhuḥ / Vṛttaratnākara , III . 6 (3)
151
mnau gau haṁsarutametat / Ibid., III.15
Chandomañjarī, II.8 (ja)
152
nārācikā tarau lagau / Vṛttaratnākara , III. 8 (6)
Chandomañjarī, II. 8 (cha)

75
 rānnasāviha halamukhī / 153
Śuddhavirāta, Upasthitā, Paṇava and Mayūrasāriṇī metres are found in
Paṇkti class. These metres are explained below –
5. Śuddhaviḍāṭ: In the metre Śuddhavirāt the fourth, the fifth and the
seventh and the ninth syllables are short and the rest are long.
Kedārabhaṭṭa defines it as follows – msā jgau Śuddhavirāḍidam
matam 154
155
6. Paṇava: In the Paṇava metre all syllables excepts the fourth, 5th,
6th, 7th and 9th are long.156
Vṛttaratnākarapañcikā has defined this metre in another way.
Here it is found that the 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th syllables are short and rest
are long. The Nāṭyaśāstra refers to it by the name Utpalamālikā or
Kuvalayamālā.157
7. Mayūrasāriṇī: If the gaṇas in a quarter be ra, ja, ra, and ga then the
metre is called Mayūrasāriṇī.158
8. Upasthitā: If the gaṇas in a metre be ta, ja, ja, ga then the metre is
called Upasthitā.159 This metre is not found in some other works of
Vṛttaratnākara.

153
rānnasāviha halamukhī / Vṛttaratnākara , III.19 (1)
Chandomañjarī, II, 9 (ga)
154
Vṛttaratnākara , III. 21
msau jagau śuddhavi rāḍidaṁ matam / Chandomañjarī, II.10 (gha)
155
mnau jgau ceti paṇavanāmakaṁ / Vṛttaratnākara , III. 22
mnau jagau cet paṇavanāmedaṁ / Chandomañjarī, III. 9 (na)
156
mnau ygau ceti paṇavanāmedaṁ / Vṛttaratnākara , III. 10 (2)
157
Nāṭyaśāṣtra , 15.31-32, p.190
158
rjau ragau mayūrasāriṇī syāt / Vṛttaratnākara , III . 23
159
tjau jo guruṇeyamupasthitā. Ibid., III . 27

76
9. Pṛthvī: This metre consists of two na gaṇas one sa gaṇa and two ga
respectively. The other name of this metre is Vṛntā.160Pauses comes
here after 4th and 7th syllables.
10. Bhadrikā (Candrikā, Subhadrikā): If the gaṇas in each quarter of a
stanza are na, na and ra and la and ga the metre is then called
Bhadrikā161 or Subhadrikā or Candrikā.
11. Upasthita: If the gaṇas in each quarter of a stanza are ja, sa, ta, ga and
ja then the metre is called Upasthita.162 This metre is not found in some
other collections of Vṛttaratnākara.
Puṭa, Ujjala, Navamalikā, Priyamvadā, Lalitā and Mauktikadāma
are found under the class jagatī. These are explained below:

Puṭa: This metre consists of two na gaṇas; one ma gaṇa and one ya gaṇa
respectively.163 Pauses come after every eighth and fourth syllables. It is
designated by the word vasuyuga. Here vasu stands for eight and yuga
indicates the number four. It is found that this metre is mentioned in the
Chandomañjarī totally in the same manner. On the other hand, some
commentator like Baṭṭa Nārāyaṇa Bhaṭṭah mentioned that pauses comes
after seventh and fifth syllables.164 It is indicated by using the word
muniśara .

Ujjvalā: This metre consists of two na gaṇas, one ma gaṇas and one ra
gaṇa. Cesural pauses comes at the end of the foot.165

Navamālikā: This metre consists of na, ja, bha, and ya gaṇas

respectively.166 In some other commentary of Vṛttaratnākara it is termed as
160
nanasagagururacitā vṛntā, Ibid., III . 40
161
nanaralagurubhiśca bhadrikā / Ibid., III . 41
162
upasthitamidaṁ jsau tādgakārau / Ibid., III, 44
163
vasuyugaviratirnau myau puṭo′yam / Vṛttaratnākara , III . 12 (6)
164
muniśaraviratirnau myau puṭo′yam / Vṛttaratnākara , III . 50
165
nanabharasahitā bhihitojjvalā / Ibid., 12 (9)
166
iha navamālikā najabhayaiḥ syat / Vṛttaratnākara , III. 64

77
Navamālinī. It is mentioned in the Chandomañjarī in different style but
gaṇas are same.

Priyamvadā: According to Kedārabhaṭṭa, Priyamvadā metre consists of the

gaṇas na, bha, ja and ra respectively.167 Gaṅgādāsa menions this metre
exactly in thesame style, so it is clear that this metre is directly quoted from
Vṛttaratnākara.

Lalitā: When there exist the gaṇas namely ta, bha, ja and ra then the metre
is termed as Lalitā.168 This metre is also exactly alike in both the treatises.

Mauktikadāma: This metre consists of four ja gaṇas with the 2nd, 5th, 8th
and 11th syllables which are long.169 Chandomañjarī mentioned this metre
in another language.

Upasthita and Cañcarīkāvalī metres are found under the Atijagatī class.
These are explained below:

Upasthita: In the metre Upasthita the 2nd, 6th, 7th, 8th, 12th, and 13th
syllables are long and rest is short. Here every foot consists of the gaṇas ja,
sa, ta, sa and ga respectively170.

Another metre upasthita is found in triṣṭubh class of Vṛttaratnākara but

the definitions are different from one another.

Cañcarīkāvalī: If in any metre every foot consists of the triads ya, ma, ra,
ra, and ga respectively the metre is to be termed Cañcarīkāvalī.171 Here
the 1st, 8th and the 11th syallables are short.

Induvadanā: This metre is found under the Ṥakvarī class. If the gaṇas in
each quarter of a stanza are bha, ja, sa, na, ga and ga respectively,then the

167
bhuvi bhavennabhajaraiḥ priyaṁvadā / Ibid., 57
168
dhīrairabhāṇi lalitā tabhau jarau / Ibid., 59
169
caturjagaṇaṁ vada mauktikadāma / Ibid., 54
170
upasthitamidaṁ jsau tsau sagurukaṁ cet / Ibid., III.73
171
yamau rau vikhyātā coñcarikāvatī gaḥ / Vṛttaratnākara , III . 13 (5)

78
metre is termed Induvadanā172 Gaṅgādāsa mentioned this metre in his
Chandomañjarī in the same style.

Prabhadraka: Prabhadraka metre is found under the atiśakvarī class.

When there exists the gaṇas na, ja, bha, ja, and ra the metre is termed
Prabhadraka.173 Gaṅgādāsa mentioned this metre in same language.

Haranartaka is found under the class dhṛti

Haranartaka (Haranartana): This metre consist of one ra gaṇa, one sa

gaṇa two ja gaṇas one bha gaṇa and one ra gaṇas respectively.174 Pauses
come after the 8th and 5th syllables. It is hinted by using the word
kavivāṇakaiḥ. Here kari stands for eight and bāṇa stands for five. The
other name of this metre is Haranartana.

Mattebhavikrīḍita: When there exists the gaṇas sa, bha, ra, na, ma, ya, la
and ga the metre is termed Mattebhavikrīḍita.175 Pauses come here after the
13th syallables. In Chandomañjarī this metre is mentioned in another
style.176

Bhadraka: It is under the class Ākṛti. The Bhadraka metre consists of the
gaṇas bha, ra, ta, ra, na, ra, and ga respectively.177 Pauses exists after the
10th and 12th syllables. The digarkaviram indicates ten and twelve. Here
dig means 10th and arka means 12th. In some other collection of
Vṛttaratnākara it is termed as Prabhadraka178.

172
induvadanā bhajasanaiḥ saguruyugmaiḥ / Vṛttaratnākara , III . 82
173
bhavati najau bhajau rasahitau prabhadrakaṁ / Ibid., III . 88
174
rsau jajau bharasaṁyutau karivāṇakairharanartakaṁ / Vṛttaratnākara , III . 26 (2)
175
sabharā namylagiti trayodaśayatirmattebhavikṛīḍitaṁ / Ibid., III . 20 (1)
176
sabharānmau yalagāstrayodaśthayatirmattebhavikrīḍitaṁ /
Chandomañjarī, II . 20 (na)
177
bhrau naranā ranāvatha gururdigarkaviramaṁ hi bhadrakamiti /
Vṛttaratnākara, III . 105
178
bhrau naranā ranāvatha gururdigarkaviramaṁ prabhadrakamidam /
Ibid. , III . 22 (1)

79
Apavāha: It is found under the class Utkṛti. Apavāha metre consists of one
ma gaṇa, six na gaṇas and one sa gaṇa and two ga gaṇas respectively.179
Pauses comes here after 9th, 6th, 6th, and 5th syllables. It is hinted by using
the word navarasarasaśara . Here nava means nine rasa indicates 6th
again rasa indicates 6th and śara stands for 5th.

Uncommon metres of Chandomañjarī: There are thirty five varieties

of uncommon samavṛtta metre in Chandomañjarī which are not found in
Vṛttaratnākara. These are.-

Sl. No. Sub chapter No.of uncommon metre Total No.

1 Pratiṣṭhā Satī 1

2 Supratiṣṭhā Priyā 1

3 Gāyatrī Somarājī 1

4 Anuṣṭup Gaṇagati 1

5 Bṛhatī Maṇimadhyā, 2
Bhujaṅgasaṁgatā

6 Triṣṭup Moṭanaka 1

7 Atijagatī Caṇḍī, Kalahaṁsa, 3

Mṛgendramukha

8 Ṥarkarī Vāsantī, Nāndīmukhī 2

9 Atiśarkarī Līlākhela, Vipinatilaka 4

Tuṇaka, Citrā

10 Aṣṭi Citra,Cakitā, 7

179
mo nāh ṣaṭ sagagiti yadi navarasasaraśarayatiyutamapavāhākhyam /
Ibid. , III . 111

80
 Pañcacāmara,
Madanalalita,
Pravaralalita, Acaladhṛti,
Garuḍaruta

11 Atyaṣṭi Hāriṇī, Bhārākrāntā 2

12 Dhṛti Nandana, Citralekhā 3

Ṥārdūlalalitā

13 Atidhṛti Chāyā,Surasā, 3
Phulladāma

14 Kṛti Śobhā 1

15 Prakṛti Sarasī 1

16 Ākṛti Haṁsī, Madirā 2

Total 35

Satī: This metre consists of one na and one ga respectively.180

Priyā: One sa one la and one ga make the metre Priyā. Gaṅgādāsa defines
it as follows –

salagaiḥ priyā 181

Somarājī: In a metre of six syllables, if the first and fourth syllables are
short and rest are long the metre is called Somrājī.182 In the example hare
Somarājī the figure of speech is Upamā.

One uncommon metre is found under the Anuṣṭup class which is Gajagatī.
180
nagi satī / Chandomañjarī, II .4 (ka)
181
Ibid., II . 5 (ka)
182
dviyā somarajī , Ibid. , II . 6 (kha)

81
Gajagatī: In this metre Gajagati183 the 4th and 8th syllables are long and the
rest are short with na, bha, la and ga gaṇas one.

Under Bṛhatī class two uncommon metres are found which are
Maṇimadhyā and Bhujaṅgasaṅgatā.

Maṇimadhyā: In this metre the 2nd, 3rd, 7th and 8th syallable are short and
rest is long.184

The existence of this metre is not found in Piṅgalacdandaḥsūtra.

Bhujaṅgasaṅgatā: This metre consisting of nine syllables has one s gaṇa

one ja gaṇa and one ra gaṇa respectively.185 Here the 3rd, 5th. 7th and 9th
syllables are long.

Under Triṣṭup class one uncommon metre is found which is Moṭanaka. It is

explained below-

Moṭanaka: In this metre the 1st, 2nd, 8th and the 11th syllables are long and
the rest are short.186 As example Gaṅgādāsa has used Rūpaka Alaṁkāra.

Under Atijagatī class three uncommon metresis are found in

Chandomañjarī while they are not found in Vṛttaratnākara. These are –

1. Caṇḍī: If the gaṇas in a quarter be na, na, sa, sa and ga, then the metre is
called Caṇḍī.187 The Nāṭyaśāstra name it as Kamalalochana.
2. Kalahaṁsa: In this metre all syllables except the 3rd, 5th, 9th, 12th and 13th
are short. Here every foot consists of the gaṇas sa, ja. sa. sa. and ga
respectively.188 This metre has been called Kuṭaja189 in Hemachandra’s

183
nabhalagā gajagatīḥ / Ibid., II .8 (ṅa)
184
syānmaṇimadyam ced bhamasāḥ / Ibid., II .9 (ka)
185
sajarairbhujaṅgasaṁgatā / Ibid., II . 9 (kha)
186
syānmoṭanakaṁ tajajāśca lagau / Ibid., II . 11 (ṭa)
187
nayugalasayugalagairiti caṇḍī / Ibid., II . 13 (ga)
188
sajasāḥ sagau ca kathitaḥ kalahaṁsaḥ / Ibid., II . 13 (ca)
189
Chandonuśāsana, 2.212

82
 Chandonuśasāna. Gaṅgādāsa has used Rūpaka Alaṁkāra in illustrative
verse.
3. Mṛgendramukha: This metre consists of the gaṇas na, ja, ja and ra and
ga respectively. Here the 5th, 8th, 10th 12th and 13th syllables are long.190

Under śarkarī class Vāsantī and Nāndīmukhī metres are defined

by Gaṅgādāsa but these metres are not found in the Vṛttaratnākara.
These metres are explained below-

1. Vāsantī: If the gaṇas in each quarter of a stanza are ma, ta na, and ma
and ga and ga, the metre is then termed Vāsantī191. Here only the 6th,
7th, 8th and 9th syllables are short and the rest are long.
2. Nāndīmukhī: This metre consists of two na, two ta gaṇas and two ga
respectively.192 Pauses come here after every seventh and seventh
syllables. It is indicated by using the word svara which means every
seven. The Nāndīmukhī of Nāṭyaśāstra is the same as Mālinī.193

Gaṅgādāsa is defined and illustrated four types of uncommon

samavṛtta metre under the class atisakvarī which are not found in
Kedārabhaṭṭa’s Vṛttaratnākara. These metre are elaborated below.

1. Līlākhela: This metre consists of five ma gaṇas. Gaṅgādāsa defines this

metre as follows –
ekanyunau vidyunmālāpādau cetlīlākhelaḥ 194
2. Vipinatilaka: In this metre the 6th, 10th, 12th, 13th, and the 15th syllables
are long where exist the gaṇas na, sa, na, ra, and ra.195

190
bhavati mṛgendramukhaṁ najau jarau gaḥ / Ibid.,II . 13 (ja)
191
māttau no mo gau yadi gaditā vāsantīyam / Ibid., II .14 (gha)
192
svarabhidi yadi nau tau ca nāndīmukhī gau / Ibid., II . 14 (ca)
193
ādau ṣaṭ daśamaṁ caiva laghu caiva trayodaśam /
yatratiśakvare pāde jñeyā nāndīmukhī tu sā // Nāṭyaśāstra, 15.93
194
Chandomañjarī, II . 15 (gha)
195
vipinatilakaṁ nasanarephayugmairbhavet / Ibid. , II . 15(na)

83
3. Tūṇaka: In this metre the syllables are arranged in such a manner that
one long syllable is serially followed by another short syllable; one ra
gaṇa followed by one ja gaṇa, another ra gaṇa followed by ja gaṇa
and lastly by ra gaṇa.196Utpreksha Alaṁkāra.

Citrā: This metre consists of three ma gaṇas (Chitrā) followed by two ya

gaṇas with 10th and 13th syllables are short.197

Gaṅgādāsa defined and illustrated Citra, Cakitā, Pañcacāmara,

Madanalalita, Pravaralalita, Acaladhṛti in the Aṣṭi class which are not
found in Kedārabhaṭṭa’s Vṛttaratnākara. These are explained below-

Citra: Citra metre consists of two feet which Samānikā referred to before
in galo rajo samānikātu . So every foot in Chitra metre consists of the
gaṇas – ga, la and ra and ja, and ga, la, ra and gana, la and ga
respectively. Here the syllables are arranged in such a manner that one long
syllable is serially followed by another short syllable.198 The particle tu is
intended for the metre.

Cakitā: This metre consists of the gaṇas bha, sa, ma, ta, na and ga
respectively with the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 12th, 13th 14th and 15th syllables being
short.199 Pauses come here after 8th syllables. It is hinted by using the word
rastacchidi.

Pañcacāmara: This metre contains two feet of the metre Pramāṇikā. Thus
every foot consists of the gaṇas ja, ra, la, ga, ga, ra, la and ga
respectively.200 In this metre one short syllable is always followed by a
long one; on the other hand in Chitra metre one long syllable is followed

196
tūṇakaṁ samānikāpadadvayaṁ vinā′ntimam / Ibid. , II . 15(ca)
197
citrā nāmacchandaścitrañcet trayo mā yakāro / Ibid., II . 15 (ja)
198
citrasaṁjñamīritaṁ samānikāpadadvayantu / Ibid., II .16
199
bhāt samatanagairaṣṭacchede syādiha cakitā / Ibid., II .16 (kha)
200
pramāṇikā padadvayaṁ vadanti pañcacāmaram / Ibid., II . 16 (ga)

84
by one short syllable and so on. This is the difference between
Pañcacāmara and Chitra.

Madanlalita: Madanlalita is a metre where the ganas namely ma, tha, na,
ma, na and ga exist.201 There are pauses at every 4th, 6th and 6th syllables. It
is hinted by using the term vedai sadartubhi . Here veda stands for four,
sada means 6th and ṛtu stands for 6th.

Pravaralalita: If the gaṇas in each quarter of a stanza are ya, ma, na, sa, ra
and ga the metre is called Pravaralalita.202

Acaladhṛti: In Acaladhṛti metre all sixteen syllables are short. Gaṅgādāsa

defined Acaladhṛti metre as follows –

dvigunitavasuladhubhiracaladhṛtiriha 203

Garuḍaruta: This metre consists of the gaṇas na, ja, bha, ga, ta and ga
respectively.204 All syllables except the 5th, 7th, 11th 13th 14th and 16th are
short.

Hārinī and Bhārākrāntā metre are found under the Atyaṣṭi class.

Hārinī: This metre contains the gaṇas- ma, bha, na, ma, ya, la and ga
respectively with pauses after 4th, 6th, and 7th syllables.205 Here vedai
means caturbhiḥ, ṛtubhiḥ means saḍabhiḥ and aśvai means saptabhi.

Bhārākrāntā: This metre Bhārākrāntā206 consists of the gaṇas ma, tha, na,
ra, sa, la and ga. pauses comes here after the 4th, 6th, and 7th syllables. The
term śrutisadāhayaiḥ indicates the pause. Here śruti stands for four,
sadā means 6th and haya stands for seven.

201
mabhau no manau go madanalalitā vedaiḥ ṣaḍṛtubhiḥ / Ibid., II . 16 (gha)
202
yamau nasrau gaśca pravaralalitaṁ nāmvṛttaṁ / Ibid., II .16 (ca)
203
Ibid, II .16 (cha)
204
garuḍarutaṁ najau bhajatagā yadā syustadā / Ibid., II .16 (ja)
205
vedartvaśvairmabhanamayalā gaścettadā hāriṇī / Ibid., II.17 (cha)
206
bhārākrāntā mabhanarasalā guruḥ śrutiṣaḍahayaiḥ / Ibid., II.17 (ja)

85
Nandan, Citralekhā and Anand defined in the Chandomañjarī are not
found in the Vṛttaratnākara. These metres are the parts of Dhṛti class.

The author of Chandomañjarī Gaṅgādāsa defines Nanadan as follows:

najabhajaraistu rephasahitaiḥ śvahayairnandanam 207

If the gaṇas in each quarter of a stanza are na, ja, bha, ja,ra and ra then the
metre is termed as Nandana. Pauses come after every 11th and 7th syllables.
The word sivahayaih hinted the pause. The particle tu is for filling up the
line.

Citralekhā: Unlike the Mandākrāntā 208 metre which consists of the gaṇas
ma, bha, na, ba, ta, ga and ga Citralekhā209 consists of the gaṇas ma, bha,
na, la, ta, ta, ga and ga. After na gaṇa here comes la gaṇas. This is the
only difference between Mandākrāntāand Citralekhā.

Ṥārdūlalalitā: This metre consists of the gaṇas ma, sa, ja, sa, ta and sa
respectively.210

Caesural pauses exist after the twelve and sixth syllables as hinted by the
term dineśaṛtubhi where the word dinesa stands for twelve and the word
rtu stands for six.

Gaṅgādāsa defined and illustrated Chāyā, Surasā and Phulladāma

metre under the Atidhriti class. These metres are not found in the
Vṛttaratnākara. These are the explained below:

Chāyā: The metre Chāyā consists of the triads ya, ma, na, sa, ta and ta and
ga. Gaṅgādāsa defines this metre as follows –
211
Bhavet saivacchāyā tayugagayutā syād dvadaśānte yadā /

207
Ibid., Ch. II . 18 (ka)
208
mandākrāntāmbudhi rasanagairmo bhanau tau gayugmaṁ – Ibid., II. 17 (ga)
209
mandākrāntā napa ralaghuyutā kīrtitā citralekhā / Ibid., II.18 (ga)
210
maḥ so jaḥ satasā dineśaṛtubhiḥ śardūlalalitam – Ibid., II – 18 (gha)
211
Ibid., II .19 (ka)

86
Surasā: If the gaṇas in each quarter of a stanza are ma, ra, bha, na, ya and
na, and ga the metre is then called Surasā.212 Pauses comes here after 7th,
7th and 5th syllables. This is indicated by Gaṅgādāsa by using the word
svaramunikaraṇai in the definition where svara is used to denote seven
and the word karaṇa is to denote five .

Phulladām: This metre consists of the gaṇas ma two ga, ga and na, na, ta
and ta with two ga, the cesural pauses exists after the fifth, seventh and
seventh syllables.213 To indicate the pause Gaṅgādāsa uses the term
śarahayturagaiḥ where in śara stands for five , haya for seven and
turaga for seven respectively.

Under kṛti class Śobhā metre is defines by the Gaṅgādāsa which are not
found in Kedārabhaṭṭa’s Vṛttaratnākara.

Śobhā – Gaṅgādāsa defines Śobhā metre as follows –

214
rasāśvāśvaiḥ śobhā nayugagajaṭharā meghavisphūrjitā cet /

This metre consists of the gaṇas ya, ma, na and ra with one ga and
ra, ra and ga respectively. Casural pauses comes after 6th and 7th syllables.
Here rasa indicates 6th and aśvah stands for 7th.

Sarasī metre is found under the prakṛti class. This metre is clearly defined
and illustrated by Gaṅgādāsa.

Sarasī: If the gaṇas in each quarter of a stanza are na, one ga, bha, ja, ja,
and ra the metre is then termed Sarasī.215

Haṁsī and Mandirā metres defined in the Chandomañjarī are not found in
the Vṛttaratnākara.. These metre are under the ākṛti class.

212
mrau bhnau yo no guruścet svaramunikaraṇairāha surasām / Ibid., .19 (ga)
213
mo gau nau tau gau śarahayaturagaiḥ phulladām prasiddham /
Ibid., 19 (gha)
214
Ibid., II . 20 (ga)
215
najabhajajā jarau yadi tadā gaditā sarasī kavīśvaraiḥ – Ibid., II . 21 (ka)

87
Haṁsī: According to Gaṅgādāsa and meter consists of the gaṇas ma, ma
and two ga and na, na, na, na and two ga respectively.216 To hinted the
pause Gaṅgādāsa uses the term vasubhuvana . Here vasu stands for eight
and bhuvana stands for fourteenth . So cesural pauses comes after eighth
and fourteenth syllables.

Mandirā: mandirā metre consists of seven bha gaṇas and one ga gaṇas at
the end. Gaṅgādāsa defines Mandirā metre as follows –

saptabhakārayutaikagururgaditeyamudāratarā madirā 217

3.1.3 Inserted ones

The author of the Chandomañjarī defines and illustrates one

hundred twenty two type of samvṛtta metres clearly and remaining one
hundred seven type of metres are shown as inserted metres. Out of all one
hundred seven interpolated metres twenty six types of metres are same
with those of the Vṛttaratnākara. Remaining eighty one type inserted
metres are mentioned below.

(1) Bhadrikā, (2) Kamalā, (3)Rupāmalī, (4) Dīpakamālā, (5) Haṁsī, (6)
Anavasitā, (7) Vidhvaṅkamālā, (8) Sāndrapada, (9) Ṥikhaṇḍita, (10) Drutā,
(11) Upacitra, (12) Indirā, (13) Kupuruṣajanitā, (14)Drutapada, (15)
Vidyādhara, (16) Sāraṅga, (17) Lalanā, (18) Moṭaka, (19) Lalita, (20)
Taralanayana, (21) Candarekhā, (22) Mañjuhāsinī, (23) Kantuka, (24)
Prabhavatī, (25) Kuṭajagatī, (26) Nadī, (27) Lakṣhmī, (28) Madyakṣāmā,
(29) Kuṭila, (30) Pramadā, (31) Mañjarī, (32) Kumārī, (33) Sukeśara, (34)
Candraurasa, (35) Vāsantī, (36) Cakrapada, (37) Supavitra, (38) Melā,
(39) Candrakāntā, (40) Rupāmalīni, (41) Ṛṣabhā, (42) Mānasahaṁsa, (43)
Nalinī, (44) Niśipālaka, (45) Dhīralalitā, (46) Aśvagati, (47)
Maṇikalpalatā, (48) Brahmarūpa, (49) Varayuvatī, (50) Bālā, (51) Hari,

216
mau gau nāścatvāro go go vasubhuvanayatiriti bhavati haṁsī / Ibid., II.22
217
Ibid., II .22 (ka)

88
(52) Kāntā, (53) Atiśāyinī, (54) Pañcacāmara, (55) Hariṇaplutā, (56)
Sudhā, (57) Citralekhā, (58)Bhramarapadaka, (59) Ṥārdūla, (60) Keśara,
(61) Cala, (62) Mahāmalikā, (63) Aśvagati, (64) Lālasā, (65)
Gajendralatā, (66) Siṁhavisphurjita, (67) Krīḍācakra, (68) Candralekhā,
(69) Hīraka, (70) Vibhu, (71) Vimba, (72) Makarandikā, (73)
Maṇimañjarī, (74) Samudratata, (75) Pañcacāmara, (76) Suvaśa, (77)
Vṛtta, (78) Mahāsragdharā, (79) Sundarikā, (80) Kirīṭa, (81) Durmila.

Under the Vṛhatī class Gaṅgādāsa mentioned three varieties of

metres as inserted metres. Viz Bhadrikā, Kamalā and Rūpāmalī.
Gaṅgādāsa mentioned the definition of these metres as follows –

Bhadrikā: If the gaṇas in each quarter of a stanza are ra, na and ra then the
metre is termed as Bhadrikā.218

Kamalā: Kamalā metre consists of two na gaṇas and one sa gaṇas

respectively.219

Rūpāmalī: In this metre all the nine syllables are long 220 as in Vidyunmālā
all the eight letters are long.

Under the Paṅkti class Gaṅgādāsa mentioned two types of

interpolated metres viz Dīpakmālā and Hansi Gaṅgādāsa defined these
metres as follows-

Dīpakamālā: In this metre the second, third, seventh and the ninth syllables
are short and the rest are long.221

218
bhadrikā bhavati ro narau – Chandomañjarī, II . 9 (gha)
219
dviguṇanagaṇasahitaḥ sagaṇ iha vihitaḥ /
phaṇipatimativimalā kṣitipa bhavati kamalā // Ibid., II. 9 (ga)
220
aṅkonmānā varṇā yatra syuḥ
sarva dīrghāḥ sarpeśenoktaṁ /
rūpāmalīsanjñaṁ tadvṛttaṁ
yasmiṁścetaḥ keṣāmudvṛttam // Ibid., II. 9 (ca)
221
dīpakamālā bhamau matā jagau / Ibid., II. 10 (ja)

89
Haṁsī: In the Haṁsī metre the 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and the 9th syllables are short
and the rest are long.222

There are eight varieties of interpolated metres under the Triṣṭup

class. These are namely – (1) Anavasitā, (2) Vidhvaṅkamālā, (3)
Sāndrapada, (4) Ṥikhaṇḍita, (5) Drutā, (6) Upacitra, (7) Indirā, (8)
Kupuruṣajanitā.

The metre Kupuruṣajanitā223 has its 7th, ninth, tenth and 11th
syllables long and the Anavasitā224 has the long syllables in the 5th, 6th, 7th,
10th and 11th syllables. If the 3rd, 6th and 9th syllables are long then the
metre is called Vidhvaṅkamālā.225 The 1st, 4th, 5th and 10th syllables in
Sāndrapāda226 metre are long, while the Drutā227 has long syllables in the
1st, 3rd, 5th, 9th and the 11th places. In the Indirā228 metre the 4th, 6th, 7th, 9th
and the 11th syllables are long and the rest are short. It is found that the
metre Ṥikhaṇḍita 229 is totally identical with the metre Upasthita. It is not
clear why this useless repetition is made.

Under the Jagatī Class:

There are seven varieties of inserted metre under the Jagatī class.
These are (1) Drutapada, (2) Vidyādhara, (3) Sāraṅga, (4) Lalanā, (5)
Moṭaka, (6) Lalita, (7) Taralanayana. Gaṅgādāsa defined this metre as
follows:

222
jñeyā haṁsī mabhanagayutā / Ibid., II. 10 (jh)
223
kupuruṣajanitā nanau ragau gaḥ / Ibid., II. 11 (th)
224
anavasitā nyau bhgau gururante / Ibid., II. 11 (da)
225
vidhavaṅakamālā bhavettau tagau gaḥ / Ibid., II. 11 (dha)
226
sāndrapadaṁ syād bhatanagalaiśca / Ibid., II. 11 (na)
227
reṇa jena sena lagayordrutā / Ibid., II. 11 (pa)
228
nararalairgurāvindirā matā / Ibid., , II. 11 (pha)
229
śikhaṇḍitamidaṁ jasau tgau guruścet / Ibid., II. 11 (ba)

90
1. Lalanā: If the gaṇas in each quarter of a stanza are bha, ma, sa and sa
respectively then the metre is known as Lalanā.230 Here cesural pauses
come after the 5th and 7th syllables.
2. Lalitā: If the gaṇas in each quarter of a stanza are n, n, ma and ra
respectively then the metre is known as lalitā.231 According to Piṅgala
the metre is also known as Tatam.
3. Drutapada: In Drutapadā metre only 11th and 12th syllables are long
and the rest are short.232
4. Vidyādhara: In Vidyādhara metre all the twelve letters are long
consisting of four m gaṇas respectively.233
5. Sāraṅga: This metre consisting of four ta gaṇas respectively and every
3rd, 6th, 9th and 12th syllables are short.234
6. Moṭaka: In this metre the 1st, 4th, 7th and the 10th syllables are long, this
metre consisting of four bha gaṇas respectively.235
7. Taralanayana: In this metre all the twelve syllables are short. Here the
word ravi indicates twelve.236

Under the Atijagatī class Gaṅgādāsa mentioned five varieties of

metre as interpolated metres. They are discussed below.

1. Candarekhā: In this metre the 6th, 7th, 9th, 10th, 12th and 13th syllables
are long.237
2. Manjuhāsinī: This metre consists of the gaṇas sa, ja, sa, ja and ga
respectively.238

230
pañcamuni bhmau sāt sayutā lalanā / Ibid., II. 12 (pa)
231
lalitamabhihitaṁ nau mrau nāmataḥ / Ibid., II. 12 (pha)
232
drutapadaṁ bhavati nabhanayāścet / Ibid., II. 12 (ba)
233
sarve mā yasmin so′yaṁ vidyādharaḥ syāt / Ibid., II. 12 (bha)
234
sāraṅgasaṁjñaṁ samastaistakārestu / Ibid., II. 12 (ya)
235
moṭaka nāma samastabhamīraya / Ibid., II. 12 (la)
236
ravilaghu taralanayanamiha / Ibid., II. 12 (śa)
237
nasarayugagaiścandrarekharttulokaiḥ / Ibid., II. 13 (ña)
238
jatau sajau go bhavati mañjuhāsinī / Ibid., II. 13 (ṭha)

91
3. Kuṭajagatī: In this metre the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th and 12th syllables are
short and the rest are long. Pauses comes here after the 6th and the 13th
syllables.239
4. Kantuka: In this metre all syllables except the 1st, 4th, 7th and the 10th are
long, being constituted of four ya gaṇas and one ga gaṇa.240
5. Pravabatī: This metre is almost identical with the metre Rucira with
the exception that while Rucira consists of ja, bha, sa, ja and ga gaṇas
respectively the Prāvabhatī has an initial ta gaṇa instead of ja gaṇa.
Thus Prābhavatī has ta, bha, sa, ja, and ga gaṇas respectively.241

There are twelve varieties of inserted metre under the Ṥarkarī class.
They are mentioned below-

1. Nadī: This metre consists of na, na, ta, ja, ga and ga gaṇas
respectively. There are two other metres bearing this name and
consisting of 6and 8 syllables respectively.242
2. Lakṣmī: In this metre the 4th, 5th, 9th, 11th and 12th syllables are short.
Pauses comes after every 7th syllables or at the end243
3. Supavitrā: In this metre all syllables except the last two are short.244
4. Madhyakṣamā: In this metre the 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th syllables
are short and the rest are long.245

239
kuṭajagatirnajau saptartturmtau guruḥ / Ibid., II. 13 (ḍa)
240
idaṁ kantukaṁ yatra yebhyaścaturbhyo gaḥ / Ibid., II. 13 (ḍha)
241
ete kramāttabhasajasaṁjñakā gaṇā
gaścāntato yadi nihito mahīpate /
vedaigrahairbhavati yatiśca śobhanā
nāgādhipo vadati tadā prabhāvatīm / / Ibid., II. 13 (na)
242
nanatajagurugaiḥ saptayatirnadī syāt / Ibid., II. 14 (ja)
243
lakṣmīrastavirāmā msau tabhau guruyugmam / Ibid., , II. 14 (jha)
244
trinanagagiti vasuyati supavitram / Ibid., II. 14 (ña)
245
madhyakṣāmā yugadaśaviramā mbhau nyau gau / Ibid., II. 14 (ṭa)

92
5. Kuṭila: This metre is almost identical with the metre Madhyakṣamā.
The only exception is that the first gaṇa here consists of sa instead
of ma.246
6. Pramadā: If in a metrical foot the first four syllables the 6th, 8th, 9th,
10th, 12th and the 13th syllables are short and the rest are long the
metre is termed Pramadā.247
7. Mañjarī: In this metre the 3rd, 5th, 9th, 11th, 12th and 14 syllables are
long and the rest are short. Pauses comes after the 5th and the 9th
syllables respectively.248
8. Kumarī: In a metrical foot of the versi Kumarī the 5th, 7th, 11th, 13th
and 14th syllables are long and the rest are short.249
9. Sukeśara: The 4th, 6th, 10th, 12th and the 14th syllables in this metre are
long and the rest are short.250
10. Candraurasa: If the first four 2 syllables, the 11th, the 12th and the
14th syllables in a metre are long and the rest are short, the metre is
called Candraurasa.251
11. Vāsanti: In this metre the 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and the 10th syllables are
short. In this metre the particle khalu is used as Vakyālaṁkāra.252
12. Cakrapadā: In the metre Cakrapadā the 1st and the 14th syllables are
only long and all the rest are short.253

Under the Atiśarkarī class, Gaṅgādāsa mentioned seven varieties of

metre as interpolated metre. They are discussed below-

246
yugadigbhiḥ kuṭilamiti sabhau nyau gau cet / Ibid., II. 14 (ṭha)
247
najabhajalā guruśca bhavati pramadā / Ibid., II. 14 (ḍa)
248
sajasā yalau giti śaragrahairmañjarī / Ibid., II. 14 (ḍha)
249
najabhajagairguruśca vasuṣaṭ kumārī / Ibid., II. 14 (ṇa)
250
naranarairlagau ca racitaṁ sukeśaram / Ibid., II. 14 (ta)
251
mabhau nyau lgau cediha bhavati ca candraurasaḥ / Ibid., II. 14 (tha)
252
vāsantīyaṁ syādiha khalu matau nyau gau cet / Ibid., II. 14 (da)
253
cakrapadamiha bhanananalagurubhiḥ / Ibid., II. 14 (gha)

93
1. Melā: This metre consists of sa, ja, na, na and ya gaṇas
respectively.254
2. Candrakāntā: In the meter Candrakāntā the 2nd, 5th, 10th, 11th and
14th syllables are short and the rest are long.255
3. Rupāmālinī: This metre consists of na, na, ta, bha and ra gaṇas
respectively.256
4. Ṛsabha: This metre contains the gaṇas sa, ja, sa, sa and ya
respectively.257
5. Mānasahaṁsa The metre Mānasahaṁsa consists of the gaṇas sa, ja,
ja, bha and ra respectively.258
6. Nalinī: In the metre Nalinī the 3rd, 6th, 9th, 12th and the 15th syllables
are long and rest are short. It consists of five sa gaṇas.259
7. Niśipālaka: This metre consists of the gaṇas bha, ja, sa, na and ra
respectively.260

There are six varieties of interpolated metre under the Aṣṭi class.
They are discussed below:

1. Dhiralalitā: This metre consists of the gaṇas bh, ra, na, ra, na and ga
respectively.261
2. Aśvagati: In every foot in this metre the 1st, 4th, 7th, 10th and the 13th
syllables are long. It consists of five bha gaṇas.262

254
sajanā nayau śaradaśayatiriya melā / Ibid., II. 15 (ña)
255
candrakāntābhidhā rau msau yo viramaḥ svarāṣṭau / Ibid., II. 15 (ṭa)
256
nanatabharakṛtā′ṣṭasvarai rupamālinī / Ibid., II. 15 (ṭha)
257
ṛṣbhākhyametaduditaṁ sajasāḥ sayau cet / Ibid., II. 15 (ḍa)
258
kathayanti mānasahaṁsanāma sajau jbharāḥ / Ibid., II. 15 (ḍha)
259
sagaṇaiḥ śivavaktramitaiḥ gaditā nalinī / Ibid., II. 15 (ṇa)
260
śaṅsa niśipālaka midaṁ bhajasanāśca raḥ / Ibid., II. 15 (ta)
261
saṁkathitā bharau naranagaśca dhīralalitā / Ibid., II. 16 (jh)
262
pañcabhakārayutā′śvagatiryadi cāntyaguruḥ / Ibid., II. 16 (ña)

94
3. Manikalpalatā: All syllables in this metre except the 5th, 7th, 9th, 10th,
13th and the 16th are short.263
4. Brahmarūpa: In this metre known as Brahmarūpa all the sixteen
syllables are long.264
5. Varayuvatī: In this metre known as Varayuvatī the 1st, 4th, 6th, 8th, 9th,
and 16th syllables are long and the rest are long.265
6. Bālā: This metre consists of the gaṇas ta, na, bha, ta, ya and ga
respectively.266

There are four varieties of interpolated metre under the Atyaṣṭi

class. They are:

1. Hari: This metre consists of the gaṇas na, na, ma, ra, sa, la and ga
respectively. Pauses comes here after the 6th, 4th and 7th syllables.267

2. Kāntā: This metre contains the gaṇas ya, bha, na, ra, sa, la and ga
respectively.268
3. Atiśāyinī: This metre consists of the gaṇas sa, sa, ja, bha, ja, ga and ga
respectively.269
4. Pañcacāmara: This meter Pañcacāmara contains in every metrical
foot the triads ja, ra, ja, ra, ja, ga and la respectively.270

There are 15th varieties of interpolated metre under the Dhṛti

class. They are-

263
najaramabhena gena ca syān maṇikalpalatā / Ibid., II. 16 (ṭa)
264
yasmin sava gā rājante brahmādya tadrūpaṁ nāma / Ibid., II. 16 (ṭha)
265
bho rayanā nagau ca yasyāṁ varayuvatiriyam / Ibid., II. 16 (da)
266
to no bhatayagakārayutaścediha bālākhyā / Ibid., II. 16 (ḍha)
267
rasayugahayayuṅ nau mrau so lagau hi yadā hariḥ / Ibid., II. 17 (jha)
268
bhavet kāntā yugarasa hayaiyambhau narasā lagau / Ibid., II. 17 (ña)
269
sasajairatiśāyinī matā bhajararairgurubhyāṁ / Ibid., II. 17 (ṭa)
270
avehi pañcacāmaraṁ jarau jarau jagau laghuśca / Ibid., II. 17 (ṭha)

95
1. Hariṇaplutā: Hariṇaplutā metre consists of the gaṇas ma, sa, ja, ja,
bha and ra respectively. Pauses come after 8th, 5th and the end of the
foot.271
2. Aśvagati: This metre consists five bha gaṇas and one sa gaṇa at the
end.272
3. Citralekhā: This metre contains the gaṇas ma, na, na, ta, ta and ma
respectively. Pauses come after 11th (varṇa) and 7th (aśva) syllables.273
4. Sudhā: This metre consists of the gaṇas ya, ma, na, sa, ta, and sa
respectively. Pauses come after six syllables.274
5. Bhramarapadaka: The Bhramarapadaka metre consists of the gaṇas
bha, ra, three na and sa respectively.275
6. Ṥardūla: A metre known as Ṥardūla consists of the the gaṇas ma, sa,
ja, sa, ra and ma respectively.276
7. Keśara: This metre consists of the triads ma, bha, na, ya, ra and ra
respectively.277
8. Cala: this metre consists of the gaṇas ma, bha, na, ja, bha, and ra with
pauses after the 4th and the 7th syllables.278
9. Lālasā: Lālasā metre consists of the gaṇas ta, na, and four ra gaṇas
respectively.279

271
māt so jau bharasaṁyutau karibāṇkherhariṇaplutā / Ibid., II. 18 (ṅa)
272
pañcabhakārayutā′śvagatiryadi cāntyasaracitā / Ibid., II. 18 (ca)
273
varṇāśvairmananatatamakaiḥ kīrttitā citralekheyam / Ibid., II. 18 (ja)
274
sudhā tarkaistarkairbhavati ṛtubhiryo mo na satasāḥ / Ibid., II. 18 (cha)
275
bhad rananā nasau bhramarapadakamidamabhihitam / Ibid., II. 18 (jha)
276
śārdūlaṁ vada māsaṣṭkayati maḥ so jasau ro maścet / Ibid., II. 18 (ña)
277
arthāśvāśvairmabhanayarayugairvṛttaṁ mataṁ kesaram / Ibid., II. (ṭa)
278
mahau njau bhrau ceccalamidamuditaṁ yugair munibhiḥ svaraiḥ /
Ibid., II. 18 (ṭha)
279
saikā vasuviratistanau raiścaturbhiryutā lālasā / Ibid., II. 18 (ḍa)

96
10. Gajendralatā: A metre known as Gajendralatā consists of the gaṇas
na, na, ra, bha, ra and sa respectively.280
11. Siṁhavisphurjita: This metre consists of this triads ma, ma, bha, ma,
ya, and ya respectively.281
12. Krīḍācakra: This metre consist of the triads ya, ma and four ya gaṇas
respectively.282
13. Candralekhā: This metre is practically identical with the metre
Citralekhā which consists of the triads ma, bha, na and three ya
gaṇas.283
14. Hīraka: This metre consists of the gaṇas- bha, sa, na, ja, na and ra
respectively.284
15. Mahāmalikā: This metre consists of the gaṇas na, na, ra, ra, ra and ra
respectively.285

Under Atidṛti class five inserted metre are found in Chandomañjarī.

They are as follows-

1. Bimba: This metre consists of the gaṇas ma, ta, na, sa and two ta and
one ga following.286
2. Makarandikā: This metre known as Makarandikā consists of the gaṇas
ya, ma, na, sa, ja, ja and ga respectively.287
3. Manimañjarī: Manimañjarī metre consists of the gaṇas ya, bha, na, ya,
ja, ja and ga respectively.288

280
bhavati nayugalaṁ rabhau rsau daśabhirgajendralatā / Ibid., II. 18 (ḍha)
281
tadbhūtrtvaśvai rmaubhmau viratiścet siṁhavisphūrjita yau / Ibid., II. 18 (ṇa)
282
idaṁ krīḍacakraṁ yamābhyāṁ samastairyakāraiḥ sametam / Ibid., II. 18 (tha)
283
vedāṅgāntair mabhanaya yugaiḥ syādiyaṁ candralekhā / Ibid., II. 18 (da)
284
hīrakamuditaṁ bhasanajaneriha ragaṇo′ntataḥ / Ibid., II. 18 (dha)
285
yadiha nayugalaṁ tato vedarephairmahāmālikā / Chandomañjarī, II. 9, p.98
286
vṛtta vimbākhyaṁ śaramunituragairmatau nsau tatau ced guruḥ / Ibid., II. 19 (ca)
287
rasaiḥ ṣaḍbhirlokairyamanasajajā gururmakarandikā / Ibid., II. 19 (cha)
288
ināśvaiḥ syād yabhanayajajagāḥ kīrttita maṇimañjarī / Ibid., II. 19 (ja)

97
4. Samudralatā: This metre consists of the gaṇas ja, sa, ja, sa, ta, bha and
ga respectively.289
5. Pañcacāmara: Pañcacāmara metre consists of the gaṇas na, na, ga, la,
ga, la, ga, la, ga, la, ga, la, ga, la and ga where six short syllables are
followed alternately by thirteen long and short syllables one long
followed by one short.290
6. There are two verieties of interpolated metre under the Ᾱkṛti class. They
are-
1. Lālitya: This metre consists of the gaṇas ma, sa, ra, sa, ta, ja, na and ga
respectively.291
2. Mahāsragdharā: If the gaṇas in each quarter of a stanza are sa, ja, ta,
na, sa, ra, ra, and ga the metre is then termed as Mahāsragdharā.292

Under Vikṛti class Gaṅgādāsa mentioned only one kind of inserted

metre. Viz-Sundarikā

Sundarikā: If the gaṇas in each quarter of a stanza are sa, sa, bha, sa, ta, ja,
la, bha and ga the metre is then termed Sundarikā.293

Under sankṛti class Gaṅgādāsa mentioned two varieties of

interpolated metre. Viz- Kirīṭa and Durmila.

1. Kirīṭa: The metre kirita consisting of eight bha gaṇas.294

289
gajābdhituragairjasau jasatamā gaścet samudratatā / Ibid., II. 19 (jha)
290
ṅayugalagalaghū nirantarau yadā sa pañcacāmaraḥ / Ibid., II. 19 (na)
291
lālityaṁ bhujagendreṇa bhāṣitametaccenmasarasta janagubhiḥ / Ibid., II.22 (ga)

292
sajatā nasau rarau gaḥ phaṇituragahayaiḥ syān mahāsragdharākhyā /
Ibid., II. 22 (gha)
293
iha sundarikā piṅgala muninoktā sadvayato bhasatājalabhagāḥ / Ibid., II. 23 (kha)
294
nāma kirīṭamidaṁ bhagaṇā yadi piṅgalanāgamunīndrabhataṁ kila /
Ibid., II. 24 (ka)

98
2. Durmila: A metre known as Durmila consisting of eight sa gaṇas.295
The Prakṛta Piṅgala refer to this metre.296
Daṇḍaka in the Vṛttaratnākara and the Chandomañjarī

In the first chapter of the Chandomañjarī and the Vṛttaratnākara it

was stated that samavṛtta metres beginning with one syllable and ending in
twenty six (26) syllable i.e. Ukthā to Utkṛti.297 After samavṛtta both the
writer discussed daṇḍaka type of metres, which bears twenty seven or
more letters in each quarter. Hence daṇḍaka appears to be a generic name
for all metres comprising with 27 syllables, being increased by the addition
of one ra gaṇa in each of this succeeding metres, Arna, Arṇava etc. So
Piṅgala says – daṇdako nau raḥ,298 sesaḥ pracita iti.299

In the Vṛttaratnākara, Kedārabhaṭṭa defines three types of daṇḍaka.

They are (1) Caṇdavṛṣṭiprapāta, (2) Arṇa daṇḍaka and (3) Pracitaka
daṇḍaka. On the other hand Gaṅgādāsa the author of the Chandomañjarī
mentioned eleven types of daṇḍaka.

Out of these eleven, only six varieties are defined and illustrated.
These are- (1) Caṇdavṛṣṭiprapāta daṇḍaka, (2) Arṇa daṇḍaka, (3)
Pracitaka (4) Kusumastavaka, (5) Mattamātaṅgalīlākara, (6)
Anaṅgaśekhara daṇḍaka on the other hand five varieties are mentioned as

295
sagaṇairiha Vṛttaratnākara ttavaraṁ vasubhiḥ kila durmila muktamidaṁ kavibhiḥ /
Ibid., II. 24 (kha)
296
Prākṛta Piṅgala, 2.208
297
ukthā′tyukthā tathā madhyā pratiṣṭhā′nyā supūrvikā /
gāyatryuṣṇiganuṣṭup ca bṛhatī paṅktireva ca //
triṣṭup ca jagatī caiba tathā′tijagatī matā /
śarkarī sātipūrvā syādaṣṭyatyaṣṭī tathā smṛte //
dṛtiścātidhṛtiścaiva kṛtiḥ prakṛtirākṛtiḥ /
vikṛtiḥ skṛtiścaiva tathā′tikṛtirutkṛtiḥ // Chandomañjarī, I. 16, 17, 18
298
Piṅgalacchandaḥsūtra, 7. 33, p. 143
299
Ibid., 7.36, p. 144

99
being interpolated. They are : (1) Aśokapuṣpamañjarī, (2) Siṁhavikrīḍa,
(3) Aśokamañjarī:, (4) Mattamātaṅgalilākara, (5) Siṁhavikrānta.

Kedārabhaṭṭa and Gaṅgādāsa defines Chandavṛstiprapāta, Arna and

Pracitaka in same language and same style. They are discuss below-

(1) Caṇdavṛṣṭiprapāta: This metre consists of two na gaṇas and seven

ra gaṇas.300 Pauses exist at the end of the foot. Sages like Māṇḍavya,
and others designed it by different names in connecting with some
other metres. So Halāyudha remarks- rātmāṇḍavyā
bhyāmṛṣibhyāmanyatrāsyābhidhānametadeva, tābhyāṁ punaranyaiva
saṁjñā kṛtāsya vṛttasya / rātamāṇḍabyagrahaṇaṁ pūjārtham. 301
(2) The former metre Caṇdavṛṣṭiprapāta daṇḍaka contained two na
gaṇas and seven ra gaṇas.This variety denotes that with the increase
of one ra gaṇa in every foot the metre gradually acquires the names
of Arṇa, Arṇava, Vyāla, Jīmuta, Lilākara ,Uddām, and Ṥaṅka. Here
two na gaṇas and eight ra gaṇas contains Arṇa daṇḍaka. Two na
gaṇas and nine ra ganas contains Arṇava . Two na gaṇa and ten ya
gaṇas contain Vyāla. Two na gaṇa and (11) eleven ra gaṇas contain
Jīmuta,. Two na gaṇa and twelve ra gaṇa contain Lilākara. Two na
gaṇa and thirteen ra gaṇa contain Uddām and two na gaṇa and
fourteen ra gaṇa contains Ṥaṅka daṇḍaka.302
(3) Pracitaka: In this variety of daṇḍaka consisting of twenty seven
syllables two na gaṇa and seven ya gaṇas are available.303 It is clear
that this metre has a different

300
yadiha nayugalaṁ tataḥ saptarephāstadā caṇḍavṛṣṭiprapāto bhaved daṇḍakaḥ /
Chandomañjarī, II. 1, p. 163
301
vide, Kanjilal, Dileep Kumar, Chandomañjarī, p. 164
302
praticaraṇavivṛddharephāḥ syurṇo′ṇaivavyālajīmūtalīiā - karoddāmaśaṅkhādayaḥ /
Chandomañjarī, II. 2, p. 164
303
pracitaka samabhidho dhīradhībhiḥ smṛto daṇdako nadvayāduttaraiḥ saptabhiryaiḥ /
Chandomañjarī, II .3, p.166

100
structure frm the previous daṇḍaka. First there are two na gaṇas,whichare
followed by seven ya ganas.

Kusumastavaka, Mattamātangalīlākara, Anaṅgaśekhara daṇḍaka defined

in the Chandomañjarī are not found in the Vṛttaratnākara . The author of
the Chandomañjarī, Kedārabhaṭṭa defines these metres as follows-

(1) Kusumastavaka: In this variety of daṇḍaka known as kusumastavaka

consisting of twenty seven syllables nine sa gaṇas are available.304
(2) Mattamātangalīlākara: In this variety nine ra gaṇas are arranged
serially. Gaṅgādāsa defines this metre as follows –
yatrarephaḥ param svecchayā gumphitaḥ sa smṛto daṇdako
mattamātangalīlākaraḥ.305 Here the word svecchayā indicates the
irregular use of this metre in Sanskrit literature.
(3) Anaṅgaśekhara: In this variety one short syllable is placed first
followed by one long and arranged in accordance with the desire of the
writer.306

Gaṅgādāsa defines and illustrates six types of daṇḍaka clearly and

five types of daṇḍaka are shown as interpolated daṇḍaka. These five types
are explain below:

(1) Aśokapuṣpamañjarī: If in any daṇḍaka consisting of twenty eight

syllables one long syllables is shown to be followed by a short
consecutively the metre is to be termed Aśokapuṣpamañjarī .307

304
sagaṇaḥ sakalaḥ khalu yatta bhavettamiha pravadanti budhāḥ kusumasta vakam /
Ibid., II. 4, p. 166
305
yattarephaḥ paraṁ svecchayā gumphitaḥ sa smṛto daṇḍako
mattamātaṅgalīlā karaḥ / Ibid., II . 5 p. 167
306
laghurgururnigecchayā yadā niveśyate tadaiṣa daṇḍako
bhavatyanaṅgaśekharaḥ / Ibid., II .6, p. 167
307
yatra dṛśyate guroḥ paro laghuḥ kramāt sa ucyate
vudhairaśokapuṣpamañjarīti / Ibid., II . 7, p. 168

101
(2) Siṁhavikrīḍā: A metre in which ten metrical triads of ya are arranged
serially, known as Siṁhavikrīḍa and forms a distinct type other than
daṇḍaka308
(3) Aśokamañjarī: This metre consists of thirty three syllables and in it
one ra gaṇa is followed by one ja gaṇa and a ja by one ra
respectively.309
(4) Mattamātaṅgalilākara: If thirteen ra gaṇas are placed in a metre for
facilitating recitation, the metre is termed as Mattamātaṅgalilākara.
This is different from the daṇḍaka Mattamātaṅgalilākara referred to
before which contains nine ra gaṇas.310

Siṁhavikrānta: Another distinct variety of the daṇḍaka class is

known as Siṁhavikrānta which consists of the seventeen triads na , na, la,
ga, ga, ya, ya, ya, ya, ya, ya, ya, ya, ya, ya, ya ya respectively.311

3.2 Ardhasamavṛtta

Kedārabhaṭṭa, the author of the Vṛttartnākara defines 13 kinds

of Ardhasamavṛtta metre in the 4th chapter of his work. These are –

(i) Upacitra, (ii) Drutamadhyā (iii) Vegavatī

(iv) Bhadravirāṭ (v) Ketumatī (vi) Lalitā

(vii) Ākhyānakī (viii) Viparītapūrvā (ix)Hariṇaplutā

308
yakāraiḥ kavīcchānurodhānnivaddhaiḥ prasiddho viśuddha′paro daṇḍakaḥ
siṁhavikrīṛināmā / Chandomañjarī, II . 8 p. 168
309
svecchayā rajau krameṇa sanniveśayatyudāradhīḥ kaviḥ sa daṇḍakaḥ
smṛto jayatyaśokamañjarī / Ibid., II. 9, p. 169
310
yatrarephān kaviḥ svecchayā pāṭhasauk aryyasāpekṣayāropa
yaropayatyeṣa dhīraiḥ smṛto daṇḍako mattamātaṅgalīlākaraḥ /
Ibid., II. 10, p.169
311
nayugala guruyugevaṁ yakārāḥ kavīcchānurodhāt tadā yatra vakṣyante
eṣo′paro daṇḍakaḥ paṇiḍatairīritaḥ siṁhavikrāntanāmā /
Ibid., II . 11, p. 169

102
(x) Aparavaktra (xi) Puṣpitāgrā (xii) Aaupachandasika and

(xiii) Yavamatī (Parāmatī)

In the 3rd chapter of the Chandomañjarī, Gangādāsa mentions

fifteen varieties of ardhasamavṛtta metres. Out of these fifteen only, six
varieties are defined and illustrated. These are –

(i) Upacitra (ii)Vegavatī

(iii) Hariṇaplutā (iv) Aparavaktra

(v) Puṣpitāgrā (v) Sundarī

On the other hand, remaining nine varieties are mentioned as being inserted
in the Chandomañjarī. These are mentioned as under:

(i) Drutamadhyā (ii) Bhadravirāṭ

(iii) Ketumatī (iv) Ākhyānakī

(v) Viparītapūrvā (vi) Parāmatī

(vii) Kaumudī (viii) Mañjusaurabha

(ix) Kālabhāriṇī

3.2.1 Common Ardhasamavṛtta Type of Metres in the Vṛttaratnākara

and the Chandomañjarī

There are five kinds of common Ardhasamavṛtta type of metre

in the Vṛttartnākara and the Chandomañjarī. These are

(i) Upacitra (ii) Vegavatī

(iii) Hariṇaplutā (iv) Aparavaktra

(v) Puṣpitāgrā

The metre Upacitra312 is defined in the Vṛttaratnākara as consisting

of the gaṇas called sa,sa,sa and ga in the odd quarters and the gaṇas called

312
viṣame yadi sau salagā dale /
bhau yuji bhād gurukāvupacitram // Vṛttaratnākara, IV.1

103
bha, bha, bha and ga in the even quarters. This metre is defined in the
Chandomañjarī to have the same gaṇas in the respective quarters.313 Form
this two definitions, the number of syllables in each quarter can be
determined as the odd quarters contain eleven syllables and each of the
even quarters also has eleven syllables. In both the treatises this definitions
is identical.

The existence of Vegavatī metre is found in the Vṛttaratnākara and

the Chandomañjaī. But the authors of both the treatises define Vegavatī
metre in defferent style. Gaṅgadāsa holds that when each of the odd
quarters of a stanza contains one syllable less in the first position from the
total number of syllables required for Dodhaka while each of the even
quarters is with the exact gaṇas of Dodhaka. Therefore each of the odd
quarters is with the sa,sa,sa and ga respectively and each of the even
quarters has bha,bha, bha, ga and ga respectively. Accordingly the number
of syllables in each of the odd quarters is ten and each of the even quarters
is eleven.314 On the other hand Kedārabhaṭṭa mentioned that if in the odd
feet consist of ten syllables each namely sa.sa.sa and ga and the even feet
consist of eleven syllables each namely bha, bha, bha, ga#and ga then it is
called Vegavatī.315

Kedārabhaṭṭa and Gaṅgādāsa define Hariṇaplutā metre in different

styles. Kedārabhaṭṭa holds that if the odd quarters contains the gaṇas
namely sa,sa,sa la and ga and the even quarters contains na, bha, bha and
ra then the metre is known as Hariṇaplutā.316 Thus, each of the odd

313
viṣame yadi sau salagā dale /
bhau yuji bhād gurukāvupacitram // Chandomañjarī, III.1
314
sayugātsagurū viṣame ce-
dbhāviha vegavatī yuji bhādgau / Vṛttaratnākara, IV. 3
315
viṣame prathamākṣarahīnaṁ /
dodhakameva hi vegavatīsyāt // Chandomañjarī, III. 2
316
sayugātsalaghū viṣame gururyuji nabhau bharakau hariṇaplutā /
Vṛttaratnākara, IV .8

104
quarters has eleven syllables and each of the even quarter has twelve
syllables. On the other hand according to the Chandomañjarī, in this metre
each of the odd quarters of a stanza contains the first syllable less from the
total number of syllables required for Drutavilamvita. While each of the
even quarter is with the exact gaṇas of Drutavilamivita. Therefore, each of
the odd quarters has the gaṇas called sa, sa, sa, la and ga respectively and
each of the even quarters has na, bha,bha, and ra respectively. The number
of syllables in each of the odd quarters is eleven and each of the even
quarters is twelve.317 Some of the scholars mention Hariṇīaplutā as
Hariṇīaplutā. In Vṛttamālā the author Kavikarṇāpūra defines Hariṇīaplutā
as Hariṇīaplutā metre.318

The metre Aparavaktra is defined in the Vṛttaratnākara and the

Chandomañjarī to the same gaṇas in the respective quarters though the
language is somewhat different. If in the odd quarters contains the gaṇas
namely na,na,ra,la and ga and the even quarters contains na,ja,ja and ra
then the metre is known as Aparavaktra.319 Thus, each of the odd quarters
has eleven syllables and each of the even quarters has twelve syllables.

Gangādāsa mentioned that if in the odd quarters contains the gaṇas

namely na, na,ra and ya and the even quarters contains na, ja,ja, ra and ga
then the metre is known as Puṣpitāgrā.320 Thus each of the even quarters
has thirteen syllables and each of the odd quarters has twelve syllables.

317
ayuji prathamena vivarjitaṁ drutavilambitakaṁhariṇaplutā //
Chandomañjarī, III .3
318
prathame caraṇe lalitavratā /
drūtavilambitayughariṇīplutā // Vṛttamālā, 6
319
ayujinanaralāguruḥ /
njamaparavaktramidaṁ tato jarau // Vṛttaratnākara, IV.9
320
ayuji nayugarephato yakāro
yuji ca najau jaragāśca puṣpitāgrā / Chandomañjarī, III.5

105
This metre is defined in the Vṛttaratnākara to have the same gaṇas in the
respective quarters321 and the language is also same.

3.2.2 Uncommon Ardhasamavṛtta Type of Metre in the Vṛttaratnākara

and the Chandomañjarī
It is found that there are some uncommon ardhasamavṛtta type of
metres in both the books Vṛttaratnākara and Chandomañjarī. The
uncommon Ardhasamavṛtta metres of both the books are mentioned
below-
Lalitā and Aupachandasika metres defined in the Vṛttaratnākara are
not found in the Chandomañjarī. The author of Vṛttaratnākara,
Kedārabhaṭṭa defines Lalitā metres as follows-
sasajā viṣame yadā guruḥ /
sabharā syāllalitā same lagau // 322

If in the odd quarters, there exist the gaṇas called sa, sa, ja and ga
and in the even quarters there are gaṇas namely sa, bha, ra, la and ga then
the metre is called Lalitā. Hence each of the odd quarters contains twelve
syllables and each of the even quarters contains eleven syllables.
Kedārabhaṭṭa the author of the Vṛttaratnākara says by giving
description of Puṣpitāgrā metre that this metre may be defined as
Aupachandasika metre. In the Vṛttaratnākara, it is mentioned that there is
no any difference between Vaitāliya and Aparavaktra metres like that there
is no any difference between Puṣpitāgrā and Aupachandasika.323

321
ayuji nayugarephato yakāro
yuji ca najau jaragāśca puṣpitāgrā / Vṛttaratnākara, IV.10
322
Vṛttaratnākara, IV. 6
323
vadantyaparavaktrākhyaṁ vaitālīyaṁ vipaścitaḥ /
puṣpitāgrābhidhaṁ kecidaupacchandasikaṁ tathā // Vṛttaratnākara, IV .11

106
 Sundarī mentioned in the Chandomañjarī cannot be seen in the
Vṛttaratnākara, Sundarī metre is known as Viyoginī in some other
treatises, Gaṅgādāsa definies Sundarī as follows –
ayujoryadi sau jagau yujoḥ /
sabharā lgau yadi sundarī tadā // 324

If in the odd quarters there exist the gaṇas called sa, sa, ja and ga
and in the even quarters, there are gaṇas namely sa, bha,ra la and ga then
the metre is called Sundarī. The number of syllables in each of the odd
quarter is ten and in each of the even quarter are eleven.

3.2.3 Inserted ones

The author of the Chandomañjarī defines and illustrates six

types of metres clearly and remaining nine types of metres are shown as
inserted metres. These nine types are

(i) Drutamadhyā (ii) Bhadravirāṭ

(iii) Ketumatī (iv) Ākhyānakī

(v) Viparītpūrvā (vi) Parāmati
(vii) Kaumudī (viii) Mañjusaurabha and
(ix) Kālabhariṇī

Out of all nine metres six type of metres are same with those of the
Vṛttaratnākara. These are –

(i) Drutamadhyā (ii) Bhadravirāṭ

(iii) Ketumatī (iv) Ākhyānakī
(v) Viparītapūrbā and (vi) Parāmatī (yavamatī)

On the other hand Kaumudī, Manjusaurabha and Kālabhārinī are

not seen in the Vṛttaratnākara. Gangādāsa defines these metres as follows–

324
Chandomañjarī, III. 6

107
 If in the odd quarters contains the gaṇas namely na, na, na, bha and
bha and the even quarters contain na, na, ra and ra then the metre is
known as Kaumudī.325 Thus each of the odd quarters has twelve syllables
and each of the even quarters has also twelve syllables.

When in a metrethe odd feet consist of twelve syllables each namely

na, ja, ja and ra and the even feet consist of fourteen syllables each namely
sa, ja, ya,ra, la and ga then it is called Mañjusaurabha.326 If in the odd
quarters there exist the gaṇas namely sa, sa, ja, ga and ga and in the even
quarters there exist the gaṇas called sa, bha, ra and ya then the metre is
termed as Kālabhāriṇī.327 Hence, each of the odd quarters contain fifteen
syllables and each of the even quarters contain twelve syllables.

The definitions of other six metres are illustrated clearly in the

Vṛttaratnākara.

Drutamadhyā : If in the odd quarters contain the gaṇas namely bha, bha,
bha, ga and ga and the even quarters contains na, ja, ja and ya then the
metre is known as Drutamadhyā.328 Thus each of the odd quarters has
eleven syllables and each of the even quarters has twelve syllables.

Bhadravirāṭ– When the odd feet consist of ten syllables namely ta, ja, ra
and ga and the even feet consist of eleven syllables each namely ma, sa,
ja,ga and ga then the metre is called Bhadravirāṭ.329

325
ajuji nanabhabhāḥ samake′pi tu /
nayuga rayugalaṁ tadā kaumudī // Chandomañjarī, III.13
326
yadi viṣame bhavato najau jarau /
sajayāḥ same tu ralau go mañjusaurabham // Chandomañjarī, III .14
327
viṣame sasajā yadā gurū cet /
sabharā yen tu kālabhāriṇīyam // Chandomañjarī, III.15
328
bhatrayamojagataṁ guruṇī ced /
yuji ca najau jyayutau drutamadhyā // Vṛttaratnākara, IV.2
329
aoje taparau jarau guruścet
msaujgaugbhadravirāḍ bhabedanoje // Vṛttaratnākara, IV.4

108
Ketumatī : if the odd feet consist of ten syllables each namely sa, ja, sa and
ga and the even feet consist of eleven syllables each namely bha, ra, na, ga
and ga then the metre is known as Ketumatī.330 Ākhyānakī– If the odd
quarters contain the gaṇas namely ta, ta, ja, ga and ga and the even
quarters contain ja, ta, ja, ga and ga then the metre is known as
Ākhyānakī.331 Thus each of the odd quarters has eleven syllables and each
of the even quarters has also eleven syllables.
Viparītapūrvā – If in the odd quarters there exist the gaṇas namely –
ja, ta, ja, ga and ga and in the even quarters there exist the gaṇas called ta,
ta, ja, ga and gathen the metre termed as Viparītapūrvā.332 Hence each of
the odd quarters contains eleven syllables and each of the even quarters
contains also eleven syllables. The metre Viparītapūrvā has been
mentioned as Viparitaākhyānaki in Pingala’s Chandaḥsūtra.
Yavamatī : If in the odd feet consist of twelve syllables each namely ra, ja,
ra and ya and the even feet consist of thirteen syllables each namely ja,ra,
ja,ra and ga then the metre is called Yavamatī.333
3.3 The Viṣamavṛtta
The discussion regarding viṣamavṛtta type of metres has taken place
in the fifth chapter of the Vṛttaratnākara. The fifth chapter is divided into
three sub-chapters namely :
(1) padacaturūrḍhvaprakaraṇam, (2) udgatāprakaraṇam and

330
asame sajau saguruyuktau ketumatī
same bharanagādgaḥ / Vṛttaratnākara, IV. 5
331
ākhyānakī tau jagurū ga aoje /
jatāvanoje jagurū guruścet // Vṛttaratnākara, IV.7
332
jatau jagau go viṣame same ce
ttau jgau ga eṣā viparītapūrvā / Vṛttaratnākara, IV. 8
333
syādayugmakerajau rayau same ce
jjarau jarau gururyavātparā matīyam //Vṛttaratnākara IV.12

109
 (3) upasthitaprachupitaprakaraṇam and (4) gāthāprakaraṇa.
Gaṅgādāsa, the author of Chandomañjarī has defined seven types of
metres under the viṣamavṛtta class. These are Udgatā of two varieties-
(1) Udgatā (2) Udgatā (3) Saurabhaka
(4) Lalita, (5) Vaktra, (6) Pathyāvaktra and
(7) Anuṣṭup.

These type of metres can be found in some collection of

Chandomañjarī in two chapters, chapter IV and this chapter collection V.
chapter IV contains metres namely two types of Udgatā, Saurabhaka and
Lalita metre and Vaktra, pathyāvaktra and Anustubh are found in
chapter V.

After thorough analysis reading of Vṛttaratnākara and

Chandomañjarī we can conclude that there are some similarities and
dissimilarities. These characteristics are distinct and explained as below –

3.3.1 Common Viṣamavṛtta Type of Metre in the Vṛttaratnākara and

the Chandomañjarī

A close study of Vṛttaratnākara and Chandomañjarī reveals that

there are some common metres which are used in both the treatises. They
are Udgatā, Saurabhaka and Lalita. These metres are under the same
group of Udgatā groups and explained as below :

Udgatā : The Udgatā 334 metres is defined by Kedārabhaṭṭa in the manner

so as to have the gaṇas namely sa, ja, sa and la in the first quarter, na, sa,
ja and ga in the second quarter, bha, na, ja, la and ga in the third quarter
sa, ja, sa, ja and ga in the fourth quarter. Gaṅgādāsa has also explained this

334
sajasādime salaghukau ca
nasajagurukairathodgatā /
tryaṅghrigatabhanajalā gayutāḥ
sajasā jagau caraṇamekataḥ paṭhet// Vṛttaratnākara, V . 6

110
metre keeping the same gaṇas but in a different fashion as mentioned
below:

prathame sajau yadi salau ca

nasajagurukāṇyanantaram /
yadyatha bhanabhagāḥ syuratho,
sajasā jagau ca bhavatīyamudgatā // 335
Many poets have pactised this metre and specially mentioned
Aśvaghosa, Bhāravi and Māgha. The following stanza is a composition of
Udgatā variety which is quoted from Māghas Śiśupālavadha–

atha tatra pāṇḍutanayena

sadasi vihitam madhudviṣaḥ
mānamasahata na cedipatiḥ
paravṛddhimatsari mano hi māninām / 336
The author of Vṛttaratnākara i.e, Kedārabhaṭṭa has mentioned a
337
special quality of Udgātā metre. The beauty of this metre comes out
only when the first and second syllable is red at a stretch uninterruptedly.
But Gaṅgādāsa did not specify any such thing.

Saurabhaka:- This metre is one of the variant of Udgātā. It is different

from Udgātā only in the third line. A metre is Saurabhaka if the third
quarter contains the gaṇas called ra, na, bha and ga and all other quarters
are same as those found in Udgatā metre. Although the composition style
of Kedārabhaṭṭa is different, he has defined Saurabhaka metre in the same
gaṇa. In the Gaṅgādāsa’s Chandomañjarī, the third quarter in Saurabhaka
therefore runs thus –

jāyate ranatagairgrathitam / 338

335
Chandomañjarī, IV. 1
336
vide, Mukherji Amulyadhan, Sanskrit Prosody: Its Evolution, pp.132-133
337
Vṛttaratnākara, V. 6
338
Chandomañjarī , IV. 3

111
 The definition of Saurabhaka metre according to Kedārabhaṭṭa is as
follows :

caraṇatrayam brajati lakṣma

yadi sakalam udgatāgatam /
nā bhagau bhavati saurabhakam
caraṇe yadīha bhavatastṛtīyake // 339
Lalita :- This metre is also a variant of Udgatā metre. It has the same
characteristics of Udgatā metre in all the quarters except the third one
which contains different gaṇas. The gaṇas are namely na, na, sa and sa
respectively.340

This metre has been defined to have the same gaṇas in both the
literary works. The difference lies in the language with which it is
mentioned. Piṅgalāchārya in his Piṅgalacchandaḥsūtra has defined and
illustrated the Lalita metre as follows :

lalitaṁ nau sau / satataṁ priyaṁvadamanūna

mamalahṛdayaṁ gunottaraṁ
sulalitamatikamanīyatanuṁ
puruṣaṁ tyajanti na tu jātuyoṣitah.341
Lalita meter is very smooth and graceful and the opening of the
metre consists of quick and smooth bravia in the entirety of the metre.

339
Vṛttaratnākara, V . 9
340
nayugaṁ sakārayugalaṁ ca
bhavati caraṇe tṛtīyake /
taduditamurumatibhirlalitam
yadi śeṣamasya khalu pūrvatulyakam // Vṛttaratnākara, V . 8
nayugaṁsakārayugalañ ca
bhavati caraṇe tṛtīyake /
taduditamurumatibhirlalitam
yadi śeṣamasya sakalaṁ yathodgatā // Chandomañjarī, IV . 4
341
Piṅgalacchandaḥsūtra, V . 27

112
3.3.2 Uncommon Viṣamavṛtta Type of Metre in the Vṛttaratnākara and
the Chandomañjarī

There are some uncommon metres in both the treatises which

are mentioned below : Uncommon metres of Chandomañjarī

Udgatā :- The Udgatā metre is mentioned twice by Gaṅgādāsas in his work

Chandomañjarī. The first of its kind is not mentioned in the
Vṛttaratnākara. The definition of Udgatā metre according to Gaṅgādāsa is
as follows :

prathame sajau jadi salau ca

nasajagurukāṇyanantaram /
yadyatha bhanabhagāḥ syuratho,
sajasā jagau ca bhabatīya mudgatā // 342

The metre consists of the gaṇas namely sa, ja, sa and la in the first
quarter, na, sa, ja and ga in the second quarter, bha, na, bha and ga in the
third quarter and sa, ja, sa, ja and ga gaṇas in the fourth quarter.
Gaṅgādāsa has defined and illustrated Vaktraprakaraṇa in his work
Chandomañjarī . Vaktra metre has been shown as a part of fourth chapter
in some collection of Chandomañjarī whereas number of collection have a
separate chapter of vaktrāparakaram. These types of metres are found in
the fourth chapter of Rucirā ṭīkā but some other community like Gurunath
Vidyānidhi has placed the commentary Vaktrāparakaram in a special
stavaka. He defined and illustrated this type of metre in the 5th stavaka.
According to Gaṅgādāsa, the Vaktra variety is often divided into
two types ardhasama and viṣamavṛtta and consists of eight syllables each.
Here the principles regarding the arrangement of short and long syllables
extending upto seventh syllable are going to be enumerated. The variant

342
Chandomañjarī, IV.1

113
types of metre in the Vaktra group as suggested by Gaṅgādāsa are
discussed below:
Vaktra : The eight syllables comprising in a Anuṣṭup metre are replaced by
even feet containing ma and ga and after every fourth which makes a
Vaktra metre.343

Pathyāvaktra : This variant of Vaktra mete is called Pathyāvaktra.344 A

metre is called Pathyāvaktra if a ja gaṇa is inserted in the even feet after
every fourth syllables. We can define this metre by saying that it contains
fifth and seventh syllables of the second and fourth quarters as short and
the sixth syllables in both the quarters as long. There is no restriction
pointed out regarding the existence of gaṇas.

Anuṣṭup :- Anuṣṭup is one of the most significant and prominent metre in

the Sanskrit literature and Gaṅgādāsa has defined this metre as follows –

pancamaṁ laghu sarvatra , saptamaṁ dvicaturthayoḥ

guru ṣaṣtha ca padānāṁ śeṣaiṅvaniyamo mataḥ
prayoge prāyikaṁ prahuḥ keˈpyetadvṛttalakṣanaṇ
lokeˈnuṣṭubiti khyātaṁ tsyaṣṭākṣaratā matā345

A metre is said to be Anuṣṭup if it contains short syllables in the fifth

and seventh position of the even quarter and long syllables in the sixth
syllables of the same quarter. As there is no fixed rule to govern other
metres, some scholars have occasionally breached this rule in case of
Uttarāmacarita which is mentioned below :-

vajrādapi kaṭhorāṇi mṛdūni kusumādapi

lokontarāṇāś cetāṁsi, ko hi vijñātumarhati346

343
vaktraṁ yugbhāṁ magau syatā-mbdheryoˈnuṣṭubhi khyataṁ /
vktrāmbhojaṁ sadā smeraṁ, cakṣurnīlotpalaṁ phullaṁ
vallavīnāṁ murārāte ścetobhṛngaṁ jaharoccaiḥ // Chandomañjarī, IV. 2
344
yujoścaturthato jena, pthyāvaktraṁ prakirtitaṁ / Chandomañjarī, IV. 3
345
Chandomañjarī, IV. 4
346
Chandomañjarī, IV

114
 Some collections refer the Anuṣṭup metre as a Śloka also. Usually
the term Śloka is used to mean a verse, but in some collections such as
Śrutabodha the term Śloka is used to denote a certain metre as well.

kavyasyātmā saevārthastathā cādikaveḥ purā

krauñcadvandvaviyogotthaḥ śokaḥ ślokatvamāgataḥ347
In the works of Suvṛttatilaka of Kṣemendra which dates back to the
10th century, the expression Śloka is used as expressive of the term metre.
It is designated by the name Vaktrabheda348 by former prosodist
Kavikarṇāpūra. The metre Anuṣṭup or Śloka metre can be defined by three
variants and the nature of this metre also varies as it is of the even at other
times of the semi even and uneven.

Under even variety Gaṅgādāsa defined- Citrapad, Māṇavaka,

Vidyuṇmālā, Samānikā, Pramāṇikā and Gajagati. The uneven variety of
Anuṣṭup metre is described as Vaktra.

Uncommon metres of Vṛttaratnākara:

Padachaturūrdhva :- Kedārabhaṭṭa has clearly discussed Viṣamavṛtta

metre in his work Vṛttaratnākara. Under this variety he first discussed
Padachatururdhva. First of all Kedārabhaṭṭa has explained
Padachaturūrdhva and then explained other four metres based on the
Padachaturūrdhva. These metres are namely Āpiḍa, Kalikā, Lavalī and
Amṛtadhārā. Kedārabhaṭṭa has given stress upon defining the literary
beauty of certain metres but not in the guru and laghu of the Pāda.

Padachaturūrdhva contains eight syllables in the first line. The 2nd

twelve, the 3rd sixteen and the 4th twenty wherein each line is longer than
the four preciding syllables. Kedārabhaṭṭa defined as follows -

347
Chandomañjarī, V. p.187
348
Vṛttamālā, II

115
 mukhapādoˈṣṭbhirvarṇaiḥ pare syurmakaralayaiḥkramad vṛddhaiḥ
satataṁ yasya vicitraiḥ pādaiñ sampannasaundaryam
taduditamamalamatibhiḥ padacaturūrdhvābhidhaṁ vṛttam349

Āpīḍa or Pīḍa :- In Āpīḍa or Pīḍa, four syllables are increased in each line
which is same as Padachaturūrdhva. The difference is in Āpīḍa and lies in
the fact that the last two syllables in each line are long and all others are
short.350
Kalikā:- The variant Kalikā contains twelve syllables in the 1st line, eight in
the 2nd line,

sixteen in the 3rd and twenty in the fourth line.351 The difference between

Padachaturūrdhva and Kalikā is that the first and the second lines of
Padachaturūrdhva interchange places. This metre is known as Mañjarī in
the Piṇgalachandaḥsūtra.352
Lavalī :- A metre is called as Lavalī353 if it contains twelve syllables in the
first line, sixteen syllables in the second line and eight syllables in the third
line,and the forth line contains twenty syllables. It is similar in Āpīḍa metre
where the last two syllables in each line are long and the others are short.

349
Vṛttaratnākara, V. 1
350
prathamamuditavṛtte viracitaviṣamacaraṇbhāji /
gurukayugalanidhana iha sahita āṅā
lughuviracitapadavitatiyatiriti bhavati pīḍaḥ // Vṛttaratnākara, V.2
351
prathamamitaracaraṇsamutthaṁ śrayati sa yadilakṣma /
irataditagaditamapi yadi ca turyam
caraṇayugalakamavikṛtamaparamiti kalikā sā // Vṛttaratnākara, V. 3
352
Piṇgalachandaḥsūtra, p.31
353
dviguruyutasakalacaraṇanta
mukhacaraṇagatamanubhavati ca tṛtīyaḥ /
aparamiha hi lakṣma
prakṛtamakhilamapi yadidmanubhavati lavalī sā // Vṛttaratnākara, V.4

116
Amṛtadhārā :- It consists of twelve syllables in the first line, sixteen
syllables in the second, twenty syllables in the third and eight syllables in
the last line. This type of metre has a distinctly nice and mind glowing
characteristics as the last two syllables in each line are long.354
1) Upasthitapracupita:- Upasthitapracupita, Vardhamāna and
Śuddhaviḍādārsabha are three variants under the Viṣamavṛtta metre. All
the three metres in the group possesses gaṇas ma, sa, ja, bha, ga and ga in
the first line, sa, na, ja, ra and ga in the second line and na, na, na, ja and
ya gaṇas as in the fourth line. The difference comes from the variation
while constituting gaṇas in the third line.
Upasthitapracupita consists of na, na and sa gaṇas in the 3rd line.355
In Vardhamāna it is just the double of the third line in Upasthitapracupita
and runs as follows – na, na, sa, na, na and sa.356
Suddhaviradrsabha s357 third line contains gaṇas na, ja and ra.

3.4 Mātrāvṛtta

In the second chapter of Vṛttaratnākara, Kedārabhaṭṭa defines six

varieties of mātrāvṛtta. According to Kedārabhaṭṭa, the sub chapter and its
number of varieties of Mātrāvṛtta types of metre are discussed below:

354
prathamamdhivasati yadi turyaṁ, caramacaraṇapadamavasitaguruyugmam /
nikhilamaparamuparigatamiti lalitapadayukta,tadidamamṛtadhara // Ibid., V.5
355
msau jbhau gau prathmāṅghirekataḥ pṛthaganyatrtritayṁ sanajaragāstato nalau saḥ /
trinaparikalitajayau prcupitamidamudadrtamupasthitapūrbvaṁ // Ibid., V.9
356
tritayamaparamapi pūrvasadṛśamih bhaviti /
pratatamatibhiriti gaditaṁ laghu vṛttam // Ibid., V.10
357
asminneva tṛtīyake yadā tajarāḥ syuḥ
prathme ca viratirārṣbhaṁ bruvanti / Ibid., V.11

117
 Sl Number Sub-chapter Number of metres
(1) 6
(2) 4
(3) 9
(4) 10
(5) samaka 7
(6) 4
40
On the other hand Gaṅgādāsa defined and illustrated three types of
Mātrāvṛtta they are discussed below-

Sl. Number Sub-chapter Number of meters

(1) Āryā 9

(2) Vaitālīya 2

(3) Pajhaṭikā 2

Total 13

The most common variety in mātrāvṛtta class is Āryā.

Kedārabhaṭṭa and Gaṅgādāsa defined it in almost same ways.358 The Āryā
metre can be defined into two ways one is jaganasastharya and the other is
laghucatuṣṭaya. The first half of the Āryā should have seven gaṇas of four
mātrās each and a single long syllable. Moreover, the first, the third, the
fifth and the seventh gaṇa must not have the ja gaṇa. If the sixth gaṇa
becomes ja, then the first variety occurs.359 This variety can be said as

358
Chandomañjarī, V.1
359
lakṣmaitat saptagaṇā gopetā bhavati neha viṣame jaḥ /
ṣaṣṭho jaśca nalaghu vā prathame′rdhe niyamāryyāyāḥ // Chandomañjarī, V .1

118
Jaganaṣaṣṭhāryā. If the sixth gaṇa holds the gaṇa called an and one laugh
syllable, then the second variety comes into existence.360 This variety can
be said as Nalaghustha Āryā. Regarding the yati, Gaṅgādāsa says that in the
first half while there are four laghu syllables in the sixth gaṇa, the yati
exists before the second laghu syllable, and while there are four laghu
syllables in the seventh gaṇa, the yati remains after the sixth gaṇa. Again in
the second half, if the fifth gana possesses four laghu syllables, the yati
exists before the first laghu syllable (i.e after the fourth gaṇa) . Thus , in
Āryā metre, there are thirty mātrās in the first half and twenty seven mātrās
in the second half of a stanza. Halāyudha has mentioned about eighty
varieties of the Āryā metre.

Nārāyaṇa Bhaṭṭa the commentator of the Vṛttaratnākara has

mentioned eleven more varieties. Hence, Āryā may be of ninety one
varieties. It is to be noted well that although Kālidāsa laid down the
definition of Āryā in the Śrutabodha, he only mentioned the mātrā and said
nothing about gaṇa or yati. But Kedārabhaṭṭa and Gaṅgādāsa recognized
the importance of maintaining mātrā, gaṇa and yati in Āryā.

Pathyā: In Pathyā361 variety of the Āryā the pause in both the halves comes
after the first gaṇas. It consists in the first and third feet of twelve morars.
And in the 2nd and the 4th of eighteen and fifthteen moras respectively.
Both the writers define this meter in same manner.

Vipulā: The peculiarity of this type of Āryā known as Vipulā362 is that the
cesura here falls at the fourth gaṇa. In the former type i.e, Pathya the

360
ṣaṣṭhe dvitīyalāt parake nle mukhalācca sayatipadaniyamaḥ /
carame′rdhe pañcamake tasmādiha bhavati ṣaṣṭho laḥ // Ibid., V .2
361
triṣvaṁśkeṣu tādo dalayorāddeṣu dṛśyate yasyāḥ /
pathyeti nāma tasyāḥ prakīrtitaṁ nāgarājena // Vṛttaratnākara , II. 3
362
salaṅghya gaṇatrayamādimaṁ śakalayordvayorbhavati pādaḥ /
yasyāstāṁ piṅganāgo vipulāmiti samākhyāti // Ibid., II. 4

119
cesura falls after the 3rd gaṇa. Halāyudha sums up the difference with these
words- prathama tṛtīyayoścetavata yakarasya pavadah pathyayantu
yakara ebavatisthate. /

Capalā: In this metre the second and fourth gaṇa should be ja gaṇa
Kedārabhaṭṭa defines this metre as follows-

ubhayārdhayorjakārau dvitīyaturyau gamadhyagau yasyāḥ /

capaleti nāma tasyāḥ prakīrtitaṁ nāgarajena //

on the otherhand Gaṅgādāsa difines this metre as flows-

dalayordvitīyatūryau gaṇau jakarau tu yatra capalā sā /363

Mukhacapalā : This variety known as Mukhacapala partakes in its first half the
characteristic of the Capalā and the second half partakes of the characteristic of
the usual Āryā . Kedārabhaṭṭa and Gaṅgādāsa define this metre in same style and
same language.364 Jaghanacapalā : This metre also defines and Gaṅgādāsa in
same manner. This metre is a variety of the general type of Āryā. The first half of
Jaghanacapalā metre bears the characteristics of Āryā and the second half bears
the characteristics of Capalā. Both the writers define this metre as follows-
prākpratipāditamardhe prathme prathametare ca capalāyāḥ /
lakṣmāśrayate soktā viśuddhadhībhirjaghana capalā //365
Gīti :- The variety called Gīti 366 is defined in the Chandomañjarī as to
occur if the second half of the metre Āryā bears the characteristics of the
first half the metre is then called Gīti. So in the Gīti metre the first and the

363
Vṛttaratnākara , II. 5
364
ādyaṁ dalaṁ samastaṁ bhajeta lakṣma capalājataṁ yasyāḥ /
śeṣe pūrvajalakṣmā mukhacapalā soditā muninā // Ibid., II. 6
365
Ibid., II. 7
Chandomañjarī , VI. 7
366
āryāprathamārddhasamaṁ yasyā aparādhamāha tāṁ gītim /
Ibid.,VI. 9

120
third foot consists of twelve moras and the second and the fourth pāda
consists of eighteen moras.
On the other hand Kedārabhaṭṭa defines this metre as follows-
āryāprathamadaloktaṁ yadi kathamapi lakṣaṇaṁ bhavedubhayoḥ /
dalayoḥ kṛtayatiśobhāṁ tāṁ gītiṁ gītavānbhujaṅgeśaḥ //367
The Nāṭyaśāstra of Bharata does not recognize the Gīti metre.
368
Upagīti: This metre Upagīti in the Chandomañjarī and Vṛttaratnākara
is stated to exist while the first half of a verse be made equal to the latter
half of the Āryā. The latter half of the Āryā consists of twelve metrical
units in the third foot and fifteen moras in the fourth foot. In Upagīti metre
the first foot would have twelve mātrās and the second foot fifteen mātrās.
Hence, this is a reversion of the first and second half of the Āryā. The
metrical pause is at the last syllable of the fourth gaṇas.

Udgīti;- Whenever the two halves of the metre Āryā become reverse, the
new metre is then denominated as Udgīti.369 Kedārabhaṭṭa and Gaṅgādāsa
define this metre in almost in same style. According to the definition of the
Śrutabodha this may be called Gīti.

Āryāgīti:- If the Āryā metre as defined before contains one word more (
one ga) at the end of the first half and one word more at the end of the
second half- thus making the total number of moras thirty two, then the
metre is called Āryāgīti.370

367
Vṛttaratnākara , II. 9
368
āryādvitīyake′rdhe yadgaditaṁ lakṣaṇaṁ tatsyāt /
yadyubhayorapi dalayorupagītiṁ tāṁ munirbrūte // Chandomañjarī. , II .9
369
āryāśakaladvitayaṁ vyatyayaracitaṁ bhavedyasyāḥ /
sodgītiḥ kila jaditā tadvadyatyaṁśabhedasaṁyuktā // Ibid., II . 10
370
āryāpūrvārdhaṁ yadi guruṇaikenadhikena nidhane yuktam /
itarattadvannikhilaṁ bhavati yadīyamarddhamuditāryāgītiḥ // Ibid., II .11

121
Vaitālīya :- The metre called Vaitālīya 371 is defined in the Chandomañjarī
and Vṛttaratnākara very distinctly. Both the writers define this metre
almost in same manner. It contains six mātrās followed by the gaṇas called
ra, la and ga respectively in the first and the third feet and of eight matras
followed by ra, la and ga gaṇas in the second and the fourth quarters. The
Vaitālīya thus consists of fourteen mātrās in the first and the third quarters
and the sixteen mātrās in the second and the fourth quarters. The rules also
require that the matras in the even quarters should neither be composed in
all short syllables nor in all long syllables (should be an admixture of short
and long syllables). But in the uneven quarters they may be composed of
either. The Vaitālīya when taken as a Varṇavṛtta becomes Viyoginī or
Aparavaktra.

Aupacchandasika: The metre called Aupacchandasika is closely related to

the metre Vaitālīya. If the Vaitālīya metre as described before contains one
additional long syllable at the end in both the halves, the metre turns to be
a new variety named Aupacchandasik. It contains in the uneven quarters of
six mātrās and one ra and one ya gaṇas in the even quarters of eight mātrās
and one ra and ya gaṇa. The Aupacchandasika when taken as a Varnavṛtta
becomes Mālabhāriṅī. According to Chandaḥsūtra when space is provided
at four foots of each guru in Vaitāliyavṛtta then it is named as
Aupacchandasika

There are some uncommon types of metre in both the books. These
are discussed below –

The folllwoing metres are not found in Chandomañjarī but

kedārabhaṭṭa defined this metre very clearly.

371
ṣaḍ viṣame′ṣṭau same kalāstāśca same syurno nirantarāḥ /
na samātra parāśritā kalā vaitālīye′nte ralā guruḥ // Ibid., II.12

122
Āpātalikā :- Āpātalikā metre consists of one bha and two guru in the
second and fourth foot of an eight long syllable and first and third foot of a
six long syllable.372

Dakṣiṇāntikā :- It is a Vaitālīyavṛtta metre where the second syllable of

four foot comes together with third syllable.373

Udicyavṛtti- It is a type of Vaitālīyavṛtta metre where the second syllable

of the first and third foot is merged with the third syllable.374

Prācyavṛtti:- It is a type of Vaitālīyavṛtta metre where all the foot i.e, the
second and fourth foot is merged with fifth and fourth syllable.375

Pravṛttakavṛtta :- It is a type of Vaitālīyavṛtta metre where the first and

third foot is same as Udicyavrtti and the second and fourth foot is same as
Prācyavṛtti.376

Aparāntikā :- This metre consists of sixteen syllables in every foot i.e, all
the four foot are same as Pravṛttakavṛtta and the fifth syllable is merged
with the fourth syllable.377

Cāruhāsinī:- This metre contains sixteen syllables in four foot i.e, each
foot is same as first and third foot of Pravṛttakavṛtta and the second and
third syllables are merged together.378

Vaktra Anuṣṭup :- In this metre after first syllable it contains one na gaṇa
and one sa gaṇa and one ya gaṇa is present after the fourth syllable379.

372
āpātalikā kathiteyaṁ bhādgurukāvatha pūrvavadanyat / Ibid, II. 14
373
tṛtīyayugdakṣiṇāntikā samastapādeṣu dvitīyalaḥ / Ibid., II.15
374
udīcyavṛttirdvitīyalaḥ sakto′ greṇa bhavedayugmayoḥ / Ibid., II.16
375
pūrveṇa yuto′ tha pañcamaḥ prācyavṛttiruditeti yugmayoḥ / Ibid., II.17
376
yadā samāvojayugmakau pūrvayorbhavati tatpravṛttkam / Ibid., II.18
377
asya yugmaracitā′parāntikā / Vṛttaratnākara , II.19
378
ayugbhavā cāruhāsinī / Ibid., II. 20
379
vaktraṁ nādyānnasau syātāmabdheryo′nuṣṭbhi khyātam / Ibid., II. 21

123
Pathayāvaktra :- The second and the fourth foot consists of ja gaṇa in the
fourth syllable.380

Viparītapathyāvaktra :- The first and third foot consists of ja gaṇa in the

fourth syllable.381

Capalāvaktra :- The first and third foot consists of one na gaṇa in the
fourth syllable.382

Yugmavipulā :- All the foot consists of laghu syllable in the second and
fourth foot.383

According to Saitvacarya, every foot must contain laghu in the seventh

syllable.384

Bhavipulā:- After every fourth syllable it consists of bha gana.385

Ravipulā :- It consists of ra gaṇa in all the syllables except the fourth

one.386

Navipulā :- It contains a ra gaṇa after the fourth syllable.387

Some uncommon types of mātrāvṛtta are discussed below -

Pajjhaṭikā –A metre which echoes similar sound arising from the repetition
of similar words and containing sixteen mātrās in every foot with the 9th
syllables long and having no ja, gaṇa is known as Pajjhaṭikā .Some think
that the pause should come after even syllables .Gaṅgādāsa however
defined a Pajjhaṭikā as-

380
yujorjen saridbhartuḥ pathyāvaktraṁ prakīrtitam / Ibid., II. 22
381
ojayorjena vāridhestadeva viparītādi / Vṛttaratnākara, II. 23
382
capalavaktramayujornakāraścetpayorāśeḥ / Ibid., II. 24
383
yasyā laḥ saptamo yugme sā yugmavipulā matā / Ibid., II. 25
384
saitavasyā′khileṣvapi / Ibid., II. 26
385
bhenā′bdhito bhādvipulā / Ibid., II. 27
386
etthamanyā raścaturthārt / Ibid., II. 28
387
no′mbudheścennavipulā / Ibid., II. 29

124
 pratipadayamakitaṣoḍaśamātrā navamagurutvavibhūṣitagātrā /

pajjhaṭikā punaratra vivekaḥ kvāpi na madhyagururgaṇa ekaḥ // 388

The lengthening of the 9th syllable as enjoined before is not strictly

enforced. The example shows a variation in ri where ra is short although it
is the 9th syllable similarlly manasi vitṛṣṇām may be taken to be an
exception.

Dohāṛikā: This metre known as Dohāṛikā belonging to the category of the

mātrāchandas consists of four feet of which the 1st one consists of 13
moros ,the 2nd of 11 moros ,the 3rd 13,and the fourth of 11 moros and last
measure in every foot is to be kaid down in single short syllable .This
metre is known as elsewhere by the name Dohā and is used frequently in
the Apabhraṁśa dialect.

3.5 The Prastāra

A tabular represantaion of short and long syllables of a metre is

known as Prastāra. According to Śabda Stomamahānidhi – Prastāra tu
laghuṁ nyasya prathamasya guroradhaḥ there are some other expositions
on word prastāra. Many prosodists have different from dicussesing
prastāra alone with some other item related to it.Piṅgalanāga done
considerable exercise upon it. Gaṇgādāsa ceases to discuess it with a
pretext that the prastāra is only a matter of excersiceing meaningless topic
.However Kedārabhaṭṭa discussess this topic very clearly.

Kedārabhaṭṭa is found to have dealt to it sixth items389 viz.

1) prastāra, 2) Naṣṭa, 3) Uddiṣṭa, 4) Ekadvayādilagakriyā 5) Saṁkhyā
and 6) Adhvayoga.

388
Chandomañjarī, V.15
389
prastāro naṣṭamuddiṣṭmekadvayādilagakriyā /
saṅkhyānamadhvayogaśca ṣḍete pratyayāḥ smṛtāḥ // Vṛttaratnākara, VI.1

125
 These sixth itwem are normally called pratyayas390 and they are
regarded as one of the prime cause of the knowledge of matrics.391

3.6 The Gadyaprakaraṇa

Gaṇgādāsa discussed the three varities of prose composition
cūrṇaka, utkalikāprāy and the vṛttagandhi in the third stavaka. According
to Gaṇgādāsa approach composition is laid down in words formed by
adding sup and ting and not by adding a metrical food known as pāda .
A collection of words is known as gadya. It is again devided into three
groups – cūrṇaka, utkalikāprāya and the vṛttagandhi .392 The author of the
Sāhityadarpaṇa admitted a fourfold division into muktaka, vṛttagandhi ,
utkalikāprāya and vṛttagandhi .
Gaṇgādāsa defined three types of gadya. They are explained below -
Cūrṇaka : The characteristics of prose have been said before and now the
peculiarity of each is going to be enumerated. This variety known as
cūrṇaka393 consists of words which, are not harsh, and which are not
abounding in long compounds. This is partioularly conduoive to merit
when employed in a vaidarbhirīti which is defined as –
mādhuryyavyañjakairvarṇaiḥ racanā lalitātmikā /
avṛttiralpavṛttirvā vaidarbhī rītiriṣyate //
Utkalikāprāya : Utkalikāprāya is that variety of prose which is composed
by adding a large number of compounded words laid down in harsh
words.394

390
pratīyate saṅkhyādikamebhiste pratyayāḥ / Ibid., VI. p.161
391
etat pratyayasya pratīternavakaṁ chandaḥasarvvasvasvamiti kavibhiruktam /
Vṛttamañjarī, VII.1, p.276
392
apādaḥ padasantāno gadhaṁ tattu tridhā matam /
cūrṇakotkalikāprāya vṛttagandhiprabhedataḥ // Chandomañjarī, VII .2
393
akaṭhorākṣaraṁ svalpasamāsaṁ curṇakaṁ viduḥ /
tattuvaidarbharitistham gadham hradyataram bhavet // Chandomañjarī, VII .3
394
bhavedutkalikāprāyaṁ samāsādhyaṁ dṛḍhākṣaram / Chandomañjarī, VII . 4

126
Vṛttagandhi – Any type of prose composition may be termed vṛttagandhi
owning ti its association with any part of a metre. Sentences which may
enter into any metrical food is termed as vṛttagandhi.395

395
vṛttaikadeśasambandhād vṛttagandhi punaḥ smṛtam / Chandomañjarī, VII . 5

127
 CHAPTER-IV

SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE

VṚTTARATNĀKARA AND THE CHANDOMAÑJARĪ

The Vṛttaratnākara and the Chandomañjarī were two of the most

popular books in the medieval era. They treat only classical prosody.
Chandomañjarī of Gaṅgādāsa was composed generally on the model of the
Vṛttaratnākara of Kedārabhaṭṭa with the exception that while Kedārabhaṭṭa
enumerates the six pratyayas in chapter-IV, Gaṅgādāsa does not mention
them. The outstanding merits of the metres used in the wide range of
Sanskrit literature with copious illustrations serve to illustrate them in
proper context. A very small number of treatises on metres other than the
Chandomañjarī present such an exhaustive store of illustration. Gaṅgādāsa
mentions many an obsolete metre which is not found in use in the
Vṛttaratnākara. It is also to be noted that both Kedārabhaṭṭa and
Gaṅgādāsa aimed at making the study of chandas easily understandable for
students and while doing so, they followed the principle of Piṅgala’s
Chandaḥsūtra.

Kedārabhaṭṭa and Gaṅgādāsa found it pleasurable to set forth the

sūtras of metres in the respective metrical form. Kedārabhaṭṭa’s
Meghavisphurjitā, Haranartakam, Kokilakam, Vaṁśapatrapatitam etc.
being the names of metres which do not come on the way while treading
through the path strewn with the petals of varieties of flowers in the forms
of chandas.

A speciality of the Vṛttaratnākara is that the definition and

illustration of a metre is given in one and the same verse. The verse
defining a particular metre is composed in that particular metre itself. The

128
most striking speciality of Gaṅgādāsa is that the definition of a metre
itself serves as an example of the same. Again, the name of the metre is
very skillfully mentioned in the illustrative verse from which a meaning
can be drawn. For example, Mandākrāntā1 is a metre in which yati falls
after the fourth, the sixth and the seventh syllables
respectively. The name Mandākrāntā which can be disjoined as manda +
2
ākrāntā is again used in the illustrative verse. Then the meaning of the
term Mandākrāntā may be drawn as ‘gradually or slowly overpowered’.
Actually, the rhythm of this metre Mandākrāntā touches the heart of the
listeners and overpowers gradually the psyche of the readers by virtue of
the rhythmic appeal. The use of the metre Mandākrāntā as observed by
Kṣemendra in his Suvṛttatilaka is resorted to by the poets in the context
describing sufferings arising out of separation of the couples during the
rainy season.3 Though Gaṅgādāsa is not found to have presented such a
clear opinion on the use of the said metre, still the name Mandākrāntā
itself denotes the scope of its application also. The yati of the metres where
necessary is mentioned with the help of the words ended with instrumental
case (i.e. tṛtīyā vibhakti). The words used to indicate the yati are also
significant as they stand for certain numbers.

It is also curious to note that Gaṅgādāsa refers to the metre

Dohāṛikā which is known in the Vṛttaratnākara as Dohā.

An examination of the text of the Chandomañjarī reveals that

Gaṅgādāsa has treated the maximum number of Sanskrit metres with a

1
Chandomañjarī , II.27 (ga)
2
premālāpaiḥ priyavitaraṇaiḥ prīṇitā krīḍanāṭyair-
mandākrāntā tadanu niyataṁ vaśyatāmeti bala /
evaṁ śikṣāvacanasudhayā rādhikāyāḥ sakhīnāṁ
prītaḥ pāyāt smitasuvadano devakīnandano naḥ // Chandomañjarī , II.27 (gha)
3
prāvṛtpravāsavyasane mandākrāntā virājate Suvṛttatilaka, III.21

129
view to defining and illustrating them in accordance with the necessity of
their frequent use in Sanskrit poetry. Even then he discussed some metres
as insertions where only the definitions of such metres are cited along with
the sources of originality side by side. In this regards, it can be noted that
Gaṅgādāsa is indebted specially to Kedārabhaṭṭa, the author of the
Vṛttaratnākara. Again the names of the metres though similar with the
works of the Kedārabhaṭṭa in many aspects, bear a lot of significance.

We see that the author of Vṛttaratnākara has used some words to

denote some figures like four, six, seven, eight etc. in the definition of
metres for the purpose of indicating the place where metrical pause will
fall. Words like rasa for six, loka for seven, rudra for eleven, vasu for
eight, haya, aśva for seven, arṇava for four, ṛtu for six, muni for seven and
so on are used frequently4. Chandomañjarī also has taken help of such
words which are technically used by Gaṅgādāsa to denote figures as
mentioned above in the definitions of the sūtras of metres.

It may be stated here that the vaktra metre is neither an mātrāvṛtta

nor a viṣamavṛtta and so is misplaced in both books. Kedārabhaṭṭa places it
at the mātrāvṛtta section, in the fifth chapter.

It will not be irrelevant to put into record in this context that some
irregularities are there in some definitions of the metres in both the
Chandomañjarī and the Vṛttaratnākara. Such irregularities are of various
manners. In Chandomañjarī metre called Hariṇaplutā is defined two
times- one in the samavṛtta class and the other in the ardhasamavṛtta5
class. Same is the condition with the metre called Upacitra 6. Again the
metre namely Pañcacāmara is defined four times in the samavṛtta7 class

4
Vṛttaratnākara, I.12
5
Chandomañjarī, III. 3
6
Ibid., 58 ,237
7
Ibid., 90, 151, 173, 199

130
only. Same is the case with the metres Citralekhā8 and Bhadrikā9 which
are defined two times in the samavṛtta type only. It is noteworthy that
though the name of these metres is same in every case, the definitions are
different from one other. It is difficult to understand the reason behind
Gaṅgādāsa not opting for separate name for these said metres.
Furthermore, the samavṛtta type of metre namely Kokilaka10 is defined
with the existence of the yati after the sixth and the fourth syllable
respectively. To denote that yati, the author uses a term hayaṛtu a resultant
haya and ṛtu respectively. However, these two words being combined
result in hayaṛtu by the rule ādguṇaḥ11 of Pāṇini. This form is generally
used. Still the author of the Chandomañjarī has very purposefully
employed to resultant word as hayaṛtu in order to satisfy the metrical
demand. Moreover, this form i.e. hayaṛtu is also accurate by the
grammatical rule ṛtyakaḥ12. Same is the condition of the word dineśaṛtu in
the definition of the metre called Śārdūlalalita13.

Gaṅgādāsa has described the metre of Vegavatī on the basis of the

metre of Dodhaka of Triṣṭup class. Like that Hariṇaplutā metre has also
been described on the basis of Drutavilambita metre of Jagatī class , so
that the metres can be understood very easily. This attempt has been made
by Gaṅgādāsa and it is not found in the Vṛttaratnākara.

In the conclusion remarks Gaṇgādāsa, offers an apology for not

including within the purview of his work the prastāra which are explicitly
stated in the Vṛttaratnākara. These are, according to him, not applicable in

8
Ibid., 177 & 182
9
Ibid., 28 & 55
10
Ibid., 167
11
Aṣṭādhyāyī, 6. 1. 87
12
Ibid., 6. 1. 128
13
Chandomañjarī, 178

131
ordinary use. The author further, with a pointed reference to other works
composed by him, i.e., the Acyutacarita, Gopālaśataka & Sūryaśataka
tries to discard the notion that may lurk in the heart of some of the readers
that the present composition being the work of a rather young author might
be lacking in merits. He declares with supreme confidence that this work
would earn unstinted laurels from the readers of all times.

132
 CHAPTER –V

CONCLUSION

This project work that is the comparative study between

Vṛttaratnākar and Chandomañjarī is my whole hearted afford to analyses
evaluate and compare various aspects of these two books which can be best
concluded in the following manner.

In the first chapter, the origin of chandas, its definition and

development, a brief idea of Vedic and Classical metres, their types and the
elements of chandas are described. Here it is discussed how the chandas
plays an important role in Vedic and Classical literature. The reference of
considering chandas as one of the Vedāṅgas is discussed here. A
discussion on the origin and development of Chandasśāstra has also been
accommodated here. The varieties of Vedic and Classical meteres are
discussed along with suitable examples.

Towards the end of this chapter a brief sketch of some elements of

Prosody viz. gaṇa, yati, devatā, varṇa, svara and gotra are also included
here.

The second chapter mainly deals with the contents and the title of
the books Vṛttaratnākara and Chandomañjarī. The information on the
authors of these two books is given here. The time and the life history of
the authors of these two important works on Sanskrit Prosody have been
discussed here elaborately. In connection with each of these two books the
respective chapter division is also shown here.

In the third chapter, the arrangement of the metres in the

Vrttaratnākara and the Chandomañjarī are discussed. The common and
uncommon varieties of metre like samavṛtta, ardhasamavṛtta,

133
viṣamavṛtta, mātrāvṛtta are discussed here in connection with both the
Vṛttaratnākara and the Chandomañjari. The similarity and dissimilarity
remaining in the discussion regarding various metres in both the books the
Vṛttaratnākara and the Chandomañjarī are shown with necessary
examples. The description of one hundred foury kinds of samavṛtta metre
in the book of Kedārabhaṭṭa and two hundred twenty eight kinds of the
same in the book of Gaṅgādāsa’s is discussed here. Between these two
books eighty nine types of common samavṛtta metre are found. The
definition of most of the chandas is same in both the works. In the
Vṛttaratnākara twenty six kinds of samavṛtta chandas are found which
are not available in the Chandomañjarī On the other hand, thirty five
kinds of samavṛtta metre are found in the Chandomañjarī which are not
available in the Vṛttaratnākara.

Kedārabhaṭṭa has mentioned thirteen kinds of ardhasamavṛtta in the

4th chapter of his book. On the other hand, Gaṅgādāsa has mentioned
fifteen kinds of the same. Out of these fifteen, the definition and illustration
of only six types are found in the Chandomañjari and the remaining nine
kinds of chandas are mentioned as inserted ones. The discussion shows
that between the two books, five kinds of common ardhasamavṛtta metre
are found.

Kedārabhaṭṭa has amalgamated the viṣamavṛtta metre under four

groups. On the other hand, Gaṅgādāsa has described seven kinds of
viṣamavṛtta metre. Among these Udgātā, Saurabhaka and Lalitā metre are
found in both the books.

In the second chapter of the Vṛttaratnākara six groups of mātrāvṛtta

are found, under which fourty kinds of chandas are included. Gaṅgādāsa
has mentioned thirteen kinds of matravrtta in three groups. Towards the
end of the book Vṛttaratnākara, Kedārabhaṭṭa has given the definition of

134
six kinds of prastāras but Gaṅgādāsa has added an elaborated discussion
on gadyaprakaraṇa at the end of his book.

Though the books the Vṛttaratnākara and the Chandomañjarī are on

Sanskrit Prosody and share some common features, they have some
prominent differences too. In the beginning of fourth chapter the common
features of these two books are discussed elaborately. After that the
differences are shown.

From the study of the earlier chapters it can be established that both
the works of Sanskrit Prosody which have been taken for discussion in this
dissertation are very useful and important. Both of these books furnish
some important features of chandas, its variety and their characteristics.
But it is important to say that the language of the Chandomañjarī is much
easier than that of the Vṛttaratnākara. So it can be said that at the
beginning one should go through the Chandomañjarī and after that the
study on the Vṛttaratnākara will be easier in this connection.

135
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137
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B. MODERN WORKS
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Basu, J.: Vedar Paricay, Assam Publication Board, Guwahati, 1968
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140
Macdonell, A.A.: A History of Sanskrit Literature, Delhi-7, 4thEdn., 1997
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C. JOURNALS & PERIODICALS

Gauhati University Journal of Arts, e. by Dr. A.K. Goswami, Gauhati
University, Guwahati, 1995
Pañcakanyā (A Sanskrit Quarterly Magazine), 3rd year, 2nd Issue, January,
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1989-90
Prācyabhāratī, Assam Sanskrit Board, Guwahati, 1990

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Prācī-jyoti : Digest of Indological Studies, Vols. XXX - XXXI, ed. by Indu
Sharma, Institute of Sanskrit and Indological Studies,
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Saṁskṛta-Bhāratī, (7th Issue), Journal of the Department of Sanskrit, ed. by
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Studies on Indology (Prof. M.M. Sharma Felicitation Vol.), ed. by Dr. A.K.
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Summaries of Papers, All India Oriental Conference, 41st Session, Chief
Editor Prof. Harekrishna Satapathya, Shri Jagannath Sanskrit
Vishvavidyalaya, Puri, 2002.

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