from
A History of Indian Literature
(Volume III)
by
M. Winternitz
(translated by V. Srinivasa Sarma and Subhadra Jha)
[Indian Prosodic Literature]
Prosody 01 in India is as old as poetics. Its beginnings go back as far as the Vedic literature. Already in the Bràhmaõas we find people busy with metres, the harmony of which seems to have [been considered] something mystic. 02 A number of chapters are devoted to prosody in the Sànkhyàyanaèrautasåtra. The »gveda Pràtièàkhya and metrical portions of Kàtyàyana's Anukramaõãs to the »gveda and the Yajurveda already scientifically treat of the Chandas (that is to say, prosody) that is listed also among the six Vedàïgas. The most important work of this Vedàïga is the Chandassåtra of Piügala. 03 Although this work is called a Vedàïga, it touches only a very small number of Vedic metres, its major part dealing with secular poetry. The names of his predecessors mentioned by Piügala exhibit a Vedic character; in any case he is a very old writer, a thing that is indicated also by the circumstance that he is a mythical personality and as such is also called ßNàga [i.e.] Piügalanàgaû. According to tradition he is identical with Pataÿjali; úaóguruèiùya calls him a ßyounger brother of Pàõiniû, and it is probable that he is not too far away in time from Pataÿjali (about 150 B.C.).
The names and numbers of the metres treated by Piügala equally prove that there existed a highly developed secular literature before his time. Besides, the names of many metres prove the existence of extensive love-lyrics. Names of the metres like Kanakaprabhà ßbrilliance of goldû, Kuómaladantã ßbud-toothedû, Càruhàsinã ßbeautifully-smilingû, Vasantatilakà ßSpring-crestedû, and others, apparantly go to explain that originally they were employed in love lyrics, in which beautiful women were praised. 04
Besides them, however, there are also metres that are named according to their form and nature, e.g. Mandàkràntà ßslowly ascendingû, Drutamadhyà ßswift in the middleû, and others. Many of the names bear resemblance to the voice or habit of animals, e.g. Aèvalalita ßhorse-sportû, Kokilaka ßvoice of the cuckooû, øàrdålavikrãóita ßtiger-sportû, etc.
In Vedic prosody metre exclusively depends upon the number of syllables, and to a very limited extent the quality [= quantity] of syllables too is taken into account. Of these metres, the èloka of the epics, derived from the Vedic Anuùñubh, is of the most frequent occurrence. Otherwise, prosody knows only the metres in which the number of syllables as well as their quantity too is strictly fixed. A large number of metres is formed according to the number of syllables and arrangement of metrical feet. The number of syllables in a quarter stanza (pàda) varies between 5 and 27, so that we have stanzas of syllables numbering from 20 to 108. But theoretically there exist a much greater number of metres that are, in fact, met with here and there. In addition there are a number of metres that are measured according to mora. They are found mainly in Pràkrit poems and seem to have originally belonged to popular ballads.
Like Pàõini in his grammar, Piügala uses algebraic expressions to indicate the feet of metres and for short [light] and long [heavy] syllables. 05 A work of Pràkrit prosody too is ascribed to Piügala. 06 It is written in verse and contains a large number of recent prosodical expressions and, therefore, must be younger in age than his Chandassåtra.
We do now know whether the authors of the works of ornate poetry that are before us were regulated according to Piügala or according to some later manual. 07 Later than Piügala's Chandassåtra is chapter XV of the Bhàratãya-Nañyaèàstra which deals with prosody and gives numerous examples for individual metres.
In addition to Piügala, Agnipuràõa (chapters 328-334) also deals with prosody in considerably condensed memorial verses. Strangely enough, a chapter (304) of an astrological work, named BÔhatsaühità of Varàhamihira (6th century A.D.), also deals with prosody. Here metres have been associated with planets, and many of the verses convey two different meanings in such a way that they define metres and describe the movements of planets at the same time. Bhaññotpala in his commentary, by way of explanation, has referred to a metrical text, of which the author is mentioned by him simply as ßteacherû (àcàryà). Here each metre is defined by means of a stanza composed in the same metre.
Kedàrabhañña's VÔttaratnàkara ßOcean of Metresû, 08 is a work on prosody that has had very wide circulation. This book deals with only non-Vedic metres and in fact describes their 136 types. The work is much quoted, and the large number of commentaries on it, both in print and in MSS. existing in India, prove that it has been very popular there.
Another work, much quoted, is the ørutabodha of Kàlidàsa. 09 But its authorship is now and then ascribed by scholars to Vararuci too. There are many extant commentaries written on it. The verses defining the metres serve also as their examples at the same time.
Kèemendra too has written a work on prosody, the SuvÔttatilaka, 10 that is divided into three sections. Section one contains a description of the metres, for each of which the writer has provided as example a stanza composed by himself. Section two is on faults and merits of prosody; but here the quoted examples are not only from the writings of the author himself but also from elsewhere. We obtain much useful data for a history of literature from section three, which is devoted to reputed poets of the past and their special fascination for one or the other of the metres. 11
Of the other works on prosody, Chandonuèàsana 12 of Hemacandra, Vàõibhåsaõa of Dàmodara 13 and Chandomaÿjarã of Gaïgàdàsa may be referred to briefly.