Charles Duroiselle: Medieval Pali Prosody

627. The mark Û represents a short syllable, and the mark Ü a long syllable. A foot containing two long syllables is termed gà, that is, ga + ga, the initial syllable ga of the word garu being used to represent a long syllable. A foot of two short syllables is termed là, that is la + la, the initial syllable of the word lahu being employed to represent a short syllable.

629. The eight-syllable feet, known in Pàli as the aññhagaõa are as follows:

630. The short vowels in Pàli are a, i, u, the long vowels are à, ã, å, e, o. When a, i or u is followed by a double consonant, it is prosodically long. For instance, the first as well as the second a in cakkaÿca, is long because followed by kk and ÿc respectively. Before niggahita (ü) a short vowel is also always prosodically long. Thus in saccaü, the a before ü is long. In poetry, a naturally short vowel is occasionally lengthened and a naturally long one shortened to meet the exigencies of the metre. In order to make a short vowel long, the consonant following it is sometimes doubled. ⁰¹

631. There are three classes of metres, termed Sama, Addhasama, and Visama. ⁰² When the syllables in all the pàdas are exactly alike the metre is called Sama; when those in the first and third and those in the second and fourth pàdas are alike it is Addhasama; and when all the pàdas or verses are different, the metre is termed Visama.

632. In gàthas of this class, the syllables in each pàda may range from six up to twenty-two. The names of the seventeen kinds of metres ⁰³ are as follows:

633. These are again subdivided according to the kind of feet employed in each stanza; as the four pàdas are similar, the scheme of only one pàda is given for each kind of metre:

Tanumajjhà, ÜÜÛÐÛÜÜ.

2. Uõhi having pàdas of seven syllables. There is one variety:

Kumàralalità, ÛÜÛÐÛÛÜÐÜ

3. Anuññhubhaü having pàdas of eight syllables. There are five varieties.

(i) Citrapadà, ÜÛÛÐÜÛÛÐÜÜ.

(ii) Vijjummàlà, ÜÜÜÐÜÜÜÐÜÜ.

(iii) Màõavakaü, ÜÛÛÐÜÜÛÐÛÜ.

(iv) Sàmaõikà, ÜÛÜÐÛÜÛÐÜÛ.

(v) Pàmaõikà, ÛÜÛÐÜÛÜÐ_ÛÜ.

4. Brahati having pàdas of nine syllables. There are two varieties.

(i) Halamukhã, ÜÛÜÐÛÛÛÐÛÛÜ.

(ii) Bhujagasusubhatà, ⁰⁵ ÛÛÛÐÛÛÛÐÜÜÜ.

5. Panti having pàdas of ten syllables. There are seven varieties.

(i) Suddhaviràjitaü, ÜÜÜÐÛÛÜÐÛÜÛÐÜ.

(ii) Paõavo, ÜÜÜÐÛÛÛÐÛÜÜÐÜ.

(iii) Rummavati, ÜÛÛÐÜÜÜÐÛÛÜÐÜ.

(iv) Mattà, ÜÜÜÐÜÛÛÐÛÛÜÐÜ.

(v) Campakamàlà, ⁰⁶ ÜÛÛÐÜÜÜÐÛÛÜÐÜ.

(vi) Manoramà, ÛÛÛÐÜÛÜÐÛÜÛÐÜ.

(vii) Ubbhàsakaü, ⁰⁷ ÜÜÛÐÜÜÜÐÜÛÜÐÛ.

6. Tuññhubhaü having pàdas of eleven syllables. There are eleven varieties.

(i) Upaññhità, ⁰⁸ ÜÜÛÐÛÜÛÐÛÜÛÐÜÜ.

(ii) Indavajirà, ÜÜÛÐÜÜÛÐÛÜÛÐÜÜ.

(iii) Upindavajirà, ⁰⁹ ÛÜÛÐÜÜÛÐÛÜÛÐÜÜ.

Remark. When the quarter-verses of Indavajirà and Upavajirà are mixed together in a stanza in any order, the stanza is them called Upajàti.

(iv) Sumukhã, ¹⁰ ÛÛÜÐÛÜÛÐÛÜÛÐÛÜ.

(v) Dodhakaü, ÜÛÛÐÜÛÛÐÜÛÛÐÜÜ.

(vi) Sàlinã, ÜÜÜÐÜÜÛÐÜÜÛÐÜÜ.

(vii) Vàtummã, ¹¹ ÜÜÜÐÜÛÛÐÜÜÛÐÜÜ.

Remark. There are pauses after the fourth and seventh (last) syllables.

(viii) Sirã, ¹² ÜÛÛÐÜÜÛÐÛÛÛÐÜÜ.

(ix) Rathoddhatà, ÜÛÜÐÛÛÛÐÜÛÜÐÛÜ.

(x) Svàgatà, ÜÛÜÐÛÛÛÐÜÛÛÐÜÜ.

(xi) Bhaddikà, ÛÛÛÐÛÛÛÐÜÛÜÐÛÜ.

7. Jagatã ¹³ having pàdas of twelve syllables. There are fourteen varieties.

(i) Vaüsaññhà, ÛÜÛÐÜÜÛÐÛÜÛÐÜÛÜ.

(ii) Indavaüsà, ÜÜÛÐÜÜÛÐÛÜÛÐÜÛÜ.

(iii) Toñaka, ÛÛÜÐÛÛÜÐÛÛÜÐÛÛÜ.

(iv) Dutavilaübita, ÛÛÛÐÜÛÛÐÜÛÛÐÜÛÜ.

(v) Puña, ÛÛÛÐÛÛÛÐÜÜÜÐÛÜÜ.

Remark. There are pauses after the fourth and twelfth (last) syllables.

(vi) Kusumavicittà, ÛÛÛÐÛÜÜÐÛÛÛÐÛÜÜ.

(vii) Bhujaïgappayàta, ÛÜÜÐÛÜÜÐÛÜÜÐÛÜÜ.

(viii) Piyaüvadà, ÛÛÛÐÜÛÛÐÛÜÛÐÜÛÜ.

(ix) Lalità, ÜÜÛÐÜÛÛÐÛÜÛÐÜÛÜ.

(x) Pamitakkarà, ÛÛÜÐÛÜÛÐÛÛÜÐÛÛÜ.

(xi) Ujjalà, ÛÛÛÐÛÛÛÐÜÛÛÐÜÛÜ.

(xii) Vessadevã, ÜÜÜÐÜÜÜÐÛÜÜÐÛÜÜ.

Remark. There are pauses after the fifth and twelfth (last) syllables.

(xiii) Tàmarasaü, ÛÛÛÐÛÜÛÐÛÜÛÐÛÜÜ.

(xiv) Kamalà, ÛÛÜÐÛÜÜÐÛÛÜÐÛÜÜ.

8. Atijagatã having pàdas of thirteen syllables. There are two varieties.

(i) Pahàsinã, ÜÜÜÐÛÛÛÐÛÜÛÐÜÛÜÐÜ.

Remark. There are pauses after the third and thirteenth (last) syllables.

(ii) Rucirà, ÛÜÛÐÜÛÛÐÛÛÜÐÛÜÛÐÜ.

Remark. There are pauses after the fourth and thirteenth (last) syllables.

9. Sakkarã having pàdas of fourteen syllables. There are three varieties.

(i) Aparàjità, ÛÛÛÐÛÛÛÐÜÛÜÐÛÛÜÐÛÜ.

Remark. There are pauses after the seventh and fourteenth (last) syllables.

(ii) Paharaõakalikà, ÛÛÛÐÛÛÛÐÜÛÛÐÛÛÛÐÛÜ.

Remark. There are pauses after the seventh and fourteenth (last) syllables.

(iii) Vasantatilakà, ÜÜÛÐÜÛÛÐÛÜÛÐÛÜÛÐÜÜ.

10. Atisakkarã fifteen syllables. There are four varieties.

(i) Sasikalà, ÛÛÛÐÛÛÛÐÛÛÛÐÛÛÛÐÛÛÜ.

(ii) Maõigunànikaro, ÛÛÛÐÛÛÛÐÛÛÛÐÛÛÛÐÛÛÜ.

Remark. There are pauses after the eighth and fifteenth (last) syllables.

(iii) Màlinã, ÛÛÛÐÛÛÛÐÜÜÜÐÛÜÜÐÛÜÜ.

Remark. There is a pause after the eighth syllable.

(iv) Pabhaddakaü, ÛÛÛÐÛÜÛÐÜÛÛÐÛÜÛÐÜÛÜ.

11. Aññhi having pàdas of sixteen syllables. There is one variety.

(i) Vàninã, ÛÛÛÐÛÜÛÐÜÛÛÐÛÜÛÐÜÛÜÐÜ.

12. Atyaññhi having pàdas of seventeen syllables. There are three varieties.

(i) Sikhariõã, ÛÜÜÐÜÜÜÐÛÛÛÐÛÛÜÐÜÛÛÐÛÜ.

Remark. There are pauses after the sixth and seventeenth (last) syllables.

(ii) Hariõã, ÛÛÛÐÛÛÜÐÜÜÜÐÜÛÜÐÛÛÜÐÛÜ.

(iii) Mandakkantà, ÜÜÜÐÜÛÛÐÛÛÛÐÜÜÛÐÜÜÛÐÜÜ.

Remark. There are pauses after the fourth, tenth and seventeenth (last) syllables.

13. Dhuti having pàdas of eighteen syllables. There is one variety.

(i) Kusumitalatàvellità, ÜÜÜÐÜÜÛÐÛÛÛÐÛÜÜÐÛÜÜÐÛÜÜ.

14. Atidhuti having pàdas of nineteen syllables. There are two varieties.

(i) Meghavipphujjità, ¹⁴ ÛÜÜÐÜÜÜÐÛÛÛÐÛÛÜÐÜÜÛÐÜÜÛÐÜ.

Remark. There are pauses after the sixth and thirteenth, and (last) nineteenth syllables

(ii) Saddålavikkãlitã, ÜÜÜÐÛÛÜÐÛÜÛÐÛÛÜÐÜÜÛÐÜÜÛÐÜ.

Remark. There are pauses after the twelfth and nineteenth (last) syllables.

15. Kati having pàdas of twenty syllables. There is one variety.

(i) Vutta, ÜÛÜÐÛÜÛÐÜÛÜÐÛÜÛÐÜÛÜÐÛÜÛÐÜÛ.

16. Pakati having pàdas of twenty-one syllables. There is one variety.

(i) Saddharà, ÜÜÜÐÜÛÜÐÜÛÛÐÛÛÛÐÛÜÜÐÛÜÜÐÛÜÜ.

17. Akati having pàdas of twenty-two syllables. There is one variety.

(i) Bhaddaka, ÜÛÛÐÜÛÜÐÛÛÛÐÜÛÜÐÛÛÛÐÜÛÜÐÛÛÛÐÜ.

2. The Addhasama Class

634. In the addhasama class of metres, the first and the third, and the second and fourth pàdas are similar. The following table shows eleven kinds of metres that come under this head:

Name of Metre	Odd quarter-verses 1st-3rd	Even quarter-verses 2nd-4th
Upacitta	ÛÛÜÛÛÜÛÛÜÛÜ	ÜÛÛÜÛÛÜÛÛÜÜ
Dutamajjhà	ÜÛÛÜÛÛÜÛÛÜÜ	ÛÛÛÛÜÛÛÜÛÛÜÜ
Vegavatã	ÛÛÜÛÛÜÛÛÜÜ	ÜÛÛÜÛÛÜÛÛÜÜ
Bhaddaviràjaü	ÜÜÛÛÜÛÜÛÜÜ	ÜÜÜÛÛÜÛÜÛÜÜ
Ketumatã	ÛÛÜÛÜÛÛÛÜÜ	ÜÛÛÜÛÜÛÛÛÜÜ
Akhyànikà	ÜÜÛÜÜÛÛÜÛÜÜ	ÛÜÛÜÜÛÛÜÛÜÜ
Viparitàkhyànikà ¹⁵	ÛÜÛÜÜÛÛÜÛÜÜ	ÜÜÛÜÜÛÛÜÛÜÜ
Hariõaplutà	ÛÛÜÛÛÜÛÛÜÛÜ	ÛÛÛÜÛÛÜÛÛÜÛÜ
Aparavutta ¹⁶	ÛÛÛÛÛÛÜÛÜÛÜ	ÛÛÛÛÜÛÛÜÛÜÛÜ
Pupphitaggà	ÛÛÛÛÛÛÜÛÜÛÜÜ	ÛÛÛÛÜÛÛÜÛÜÛÜÜ
Yavàmatã ¹⁷	ÜÛÜÛÜÛÜÛÜÛÜÛ	ÛÜÛÜÛÜÛÜÛÜÛÜÜ

3. The Visama Class

635. The pàdas in this division of verses are all dissimilar. Under this head comes the metre known as Vatta, the heroic measure of Pali literature, eight syllables being employed in each pàda, the first and last syllables therein being free, and this, a short or long syllable may be optionally used in those syllables. The syllables between the first and last, form two seat, having three syllables in each seat or foot. In the first seat in all the quarters, any foot may be employed except a Tribrach and an Anapaest, that is to say, three short syllables (ÛÛÛ) or two short and one long (ÛÛÜ) must not be used. In the second seat of the first and third quarters, any foot may be used, but in the second seat of the second and fourth quarters only ya (Bacchic) or ja (Amphibrach) (i.e., ÛÜÜ or ÛÜÛ) must be employed. It should be noted, however, that the Vatta proper has ja in the second seat of both the second and the fourth pàdas.

Remark. The sign Å means that the syllable may be optionally be short or long.

636. (i) Vatta Proper.

	Free	1st seat	2nd seat	Free
1st pàda	Å	ÅÅÅ	ÅÅÅ	Å
2nd pàda	Å	ÅÅÅ	ÛÜÜ	Å
3rd pàda	Å	ÅÅÅ	ÅÅÅ	Å
4th pàda	Å	ÅÅÅ	ÛÜÜ ¹⁸	Å

637. Sometimes the Gàthà contains six pàdas - the fifth following the rule for the first and third; the sixth that for the second and fourth.

638. Besides the Vatta Proper above shown, there are six ¹⁹ kinds of Vatta metres:

(ii) Viparãtapathyàvatta.

Pàdas 1 & 3: ÅÐÅÛÅÐÛÜÛÐÅ ²⁰

Pàdas 2 & 4: ÅÐÅÛÅÐÛÜÜÐÅ.

(iii) Capalàvatta.

Pàdas 1 & 3: ÅÐÅÅÅÐÛÛÛÐÅ.

Pàdas 2 & 4: ÅÐÅÛÅÐÛÜÜÐÅ.

(iv) Na-Vipulà.

Pàdas 1 & 3: ÅÐÅÅÅÐÛÛÛÐÅ.

Pàdas 2 & 4: ÅÐÅÛÅÐÛÜÛÐÅ ²¹

All pàdas: ÅÐÅÅÅÐÛÛÛÐÅ

(v) Vipulà of Setava.

(vi) Vipulà of Piïgala. ²²

(vii) Bha-Vipulà.

Pàdas 1 & 3: ÅÐÅÅÅÐÜÛÛÐÅ.

Pàdas 2 & 4: ÅÐÅÛÅÐÛÜÛÐÅ.

All pàdas: ÅÐÅÅÅÐÜÛÛÐÅ

(viii) Ra-Vipulà.

Pàdas 1 & 3: ÅÐÅÅÅÐÜÛÜÐÅ.

Pàdas 2 & 4: ÅÐÅÛÅÐÛÜÛÐÅ.

All pàdas: ÅÐÅÅÅÐÜÛÜÐÅ

(ix) Ta-Vipulà.

Pàdas 1 & 3: ÅÐÅÅÅÐÜÜÛÐÅ.

Pàdas 2 & 4: ÅÐÅÛÅÐÛÜÛÐÅ ²³

All pàdas: ÅÐÅÅÅÐÜÜÛÐÅ

639. Jàti Stanzas

640. Besides the metres noted above, there are some that are regulated by time (kàla). Such metres are termed Jàti. They are of three kinds:-

(a) Ariyà.

(b) Vetàliya.

and (c) Mattàsamaka. ²⁴

641. In the first of these, the Ariyà, the first two pàdas of half a gàthà contain seven and a half feet; in the even, that is, in the second, fourth, and sixth feet, any of the following, namely, bha, ja, sa, gà, or four short syllables may be employed, but ja must not be used in the odd feet, that is, in the first, third, and fifth. The sixth foot may be la or four short syllables. The second-half stanza must fulfil the same conditions. It is necessary to observe that in the Jàti metre a foot consists of four syllabic instants, the time taken up in pronouncing a short syllable being taken as an instant of time; thus a long syllable being taken equal to two short ones, each foot used in the Ariyà is equal to four syllabic instants. The following is an illustration of an Ariyà stanza: ²⁵

	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th foot
First half stanza	ÜÜ,	ÛÛÛÛ,	ÜÜ,	ÛÛÜ,	ÜÜ,	ÛÜÛ,	ÜÛÛ,	Ü
Second half stanza	ÛÛÜ,	ÛÛÛÛ,	ÜÜ,	ÜÜ,	ÜÜ,	Û,	ÜÜ,	Ü,

642. The Vetàliya is so formed that it usually consists of fourteen syllabic instants in the odd quarters and sixteen in the even, while the Mattàsamaka consists of sixteen syllabic instants in each quarter. The metres of the Jàti class furnish many varieties, but it is not within the scope of this work to treat of them in detail. As, however, the Vetàliya is of rather frequent occurrence, we give below the scheme of it. Each pàda is divided into three seats; the first seat in the first and third pàdas must have six syllabic instants; the first seat of the second and fourth pàdas must contain eight syllabic instants; the second seat must be a cretic foot and the third a Iambic foot:

Number of syllabic instants	1st seat	2nd seat Cretic	3rd seat Iambus
1st pàda	6 syllabic instants	ÜÛÜ	ÛÜ
2nd pàda	8 syllabic instants	ÜÛÜ	ÛÜ
3rd pàda	6 syllabic instants	ÜÛÜ	ÛÜ
4th pàda	8 syllabic instants	ÜÛÜ	ÛÜ

Remarks. (a) The above is a perfect vetàliya.²⁶ (b) the sign of the long syllable (Ü) must be counted as 2 since it is equal to two short syllables.

FINIS

Syllables	Pàli	English
ÛÛ	la la or là	Pyrrhic
ÜÜ	ga ga or gà	Spondee
ÛÜ	la ga	Iambus
ÜÛ	ga la	Trochee

Gàyatti	6 syllables
Uõhi	7 syllables
Anuññhubhaü	8 syllables
Brahati	9 syllables
Panti	10 syllables
Tuññhubhaü	11 syllables
Jagatã	12 syllables
Atijagatã	13 syllables
Sakkarã	14 syllables
Atisakkarã	15 syllables
Aññhi	16 syllables
Atyaññhi	17 syllables
Dhuti	18 syllables
Atidhuti	19 syllables
Kati	20 syllables
Pakati	21 syllables
âkati	22 syllables

Syllables	Pàli	English
ÜÜÜ	ma	Molossus
ÛÛÛ	na	Tribach
ÜÛÛ	bha	Dactyl
ÛÜÜ	ya	Bacchic
ÛÜÛ	ja	Amphibrach
ÛÛÜ	sa	Anapæst
ÜÛÜ	ra	Cretic
ÜÜÛ	ta	Antibacchic