Dathavamsa: Appendix on the Metres

The metres employed in Dàñhàvaüsa are defined according to Classical standards, and are so regular that it is even possible to correct the text using only the metre as a guide (as has been done here on occasion). A short analysis and description follows:

syllables:	metre name:	verse numbers:	total:
8	Siloka	63 to 122	60
11	Upajàti	187 to 282	96
12	Vaüsaññhaü	1 to 60	60
14	Vasantatilakà	340 to 407 & 409 to 415	75
15	Màlinã	284 to 338	55
17	Mandakkantà	185, 186	2
17	Sikhariõã	283	1
19	Saddålavikkãëita	339	1
21	Saddharà	61, 62, 408	3

In these verses all conjunct consonants make position (i.e. make the previous syllable heavy), e.g. hutvà and abravi in this pàdayuga:

There is sometimes sandhi across the pàdayuga, there is then no pause between the lines, and the last syllable is therefore regarded as light providing the syllable itself is light, e.g.

ÜÜÛÜÐÛÛÛÜÛÛÐÜÛÜÛ Vasantatilakà
Saddhàdhanena sakhilena ca DhammakittiÝ

ÜÜÛÜÐÛÛÛÜÛÛÐÜÛÜÜ
nàmena ràjagarunàcariyena eso

ÜÜÛÜÐÛÛÛÜÛÛÐÜÛÜÛ
sotuppasàdajanano JinadantadhàtuÝ

ÜÜÛÜÐÛÛÛÜÛÛÐÜÛÜÜ
vaüso kato nikhiladassipabhàvadãpo. [414] [6-6]

There are 60 Siloka verses mainly showing the Pathyà form of the metre (220 lines, 92%), which is quite normal for the Classical period. The variations that occur are as follows:

There are 96 Upajàti verses, all of which consist of Indavajirà and Upendavajirà lines in one combination or another. All of these combinations have been given special names in the prosodies, which have been recorded here. The frequency of the variations is as follows (in the schemes given here I = Indavijrà lines, U = Upindravajirà lines. When there are 4 Indravajrà lines in a verse, the whole verse is known by that name (similarly with Upindravajirà, of course):

All the other metres have fixed quantities, except in the last syllable, which is normally anceps, i.e. counted as heavy no matter what its actual weight.

There are 60 Vaüsaññhaü verses, all of which conform to the Clasical profile: ÛÜÛÜÐÜÛÛÐÜÛÜÛÜ. The lines written in this metre never run across the pàdayuga.

There are a total of 75 verses written in this metre, in the last chapter and the verses identifying the writer that follow it. The profile for the metre is ÜÜÛÜÐÛÛÛÜÛÛÐÜÛÜÜ, which is only deviated from when a compound crosses the seam of the pàdayuga, as at 340ab; 343cd; 351ab; 360ab; 371ab; 380ab, cd; 400ab; 409cd; 412cd; 413cd; 414ab, cd. Interestingly enough all of these lines have a short syllable in the last position of the first line, except for 371ab, which I am inclined to think should read kàriÝ.

55 verses are written in this difficult metre. The ideal scheme for the metre is ÛÛÛÛÛÛÜÜ,ÜÛÜÜÛÜÜ with a caesura after the 8th syllable. Of the 220 lines 192 actually achieve this (87%), but 28 fail in this regard.

This metre closes the 2nd chapter. The profile for the metre is ÜÜÜÜ,ÛÛÛÛÛÜ,ÜÛÜÜÛÜÜ which occurs in all the lines.

One verse in this metre closes Chapter 3. The profile is ÛÜÜÜÜÜ,ÛÛÛÛÛÜÜÛÛÛÜ.

One verse is found at the close of Chapter 4. The scheme is as follows: ÜÜÜÛÛÜÛÜÛÛÛÜ,ÜÜÛÜÜÛÜ.

The last metre has 21 syllables to the line. Two verses close Chapter 1; and one verse closes Chapter 5. The scheme is ÜÜÜÜÛÜÜ,ÛÛÛÛÛÛÜ,ÜÛÜÜÛÜÜ, which all but one of the lines achieves.