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Two: Description of the Metres
2.15 The bar metres (gaõacchandas)
Once a measure count was established, it was not long before a second structural principle was introduced, which was to organise the lines into bars, or gaõas, normally having 4 measures to the bar, which may therefore take one of the following forms:
ÜÜ or ÛÜÛ or ÛÛÜ or ÜÛÛ or ÛÛÛÛ
The rhythm of these metres is defined by the alternation of two rhythmic structures:
ÈÜÐÛÜÛ.
In the descriptions that follow it should be borne in mind that resolution of a heavy syllable was always deemed acceptable, which means that any of the first three alternatives outlined above may appear as ÛÛÛÛ. By applying the rule of resolution discussed in 1.15 above it is possible to identify the underlying structure, thus: Û,ÛÛÛ = ÛÜÛ with resolution; ,ÛÛÛÛ = ÜÛÛ ; ÛÛ,ÛÛ = ÛÛÜ. (Of course there would have to be double resolution for it to equal ÜÜ).