Samavtta Prasthāra

 

In what follows:

= guru (garu) or heavy syllable

= laghu (lahu) or light syllable

The rules for drawing up Samavttacchandas tables:

  1. Write the first line which consists of between 1 and 26 guru-s.
  2. Working from the left, under the first guru write a laghu.
  3. Copy the signs that are written to the right on the line above into the second line.
  4. Add sufficient guru-s at the beginning of the line to make up the syllablic quantity required.
  5. Repeat instuctions 2 - 4 until a line with all laghu-s is reached. Then the table is complete.

 

Demonstration:

Let’s say we wish to draw up a table for the Pratiṣṭhā class of metres.

1. Write the first line which consists of 4 guru-s.

1. −−−−

2. Working from the left, under the first guru write a laghu.

1. −−−−
2.

3. Copy the signs that are written to the right on the line above into the second line.

1. −−−−
2. ⏑−−−

4. Add sufficient guru-s at the beginning of the line to make up the syllablic quantity required - here the line is already full so no need to add anything.

2. Working from the left, under the first guru write a laghu.

1. −−−−
2. ⏑−−−
3.  

3. Copy the signs that are written to the right on the line above into the second line.

1. −−−−
2. ⏑−−−
3.  ⏑−−

4. Add sufficient guru-s at the beginning of the line to make up the syllablic quantity required.

1. −−−−
2. ⏑−−−
3. −⏑−−

2. Working from the left, under the first guru write a laghu.

1. −−−−
2. ⏑−−−
3. −⏑−−
4.

3. Copy the signs that are written to the right on the line above into the second line.

1. −−−−
2. ⏑−−−
3. −⏑−−
4. ⏑⏑−−

4. Add sufficient guru-s at the beginning of the line to make up the syllablic quantity required - here the line is already full so no need to add anything.

2. Working from the left, under the first guru write a laghu.

1. −−−−
2. ⏑−−−
3. −⏑−−
4. ⏑⏑−−
5.    

3. Copy the signs that are written to the right on the line above into the second line.

1. −−−−
2. ⏑−−−
3. −⏑−−
4. ⏑⏑−−
5.    ⏑−

4. Add sufficient guru-s at the beginning of the line to make up the syllablic quantity required.

1. −−−−
2. ⏑−−−
3. −⏑−−
4. ⏑⏑−−
5. −−⏑−

5. Repeat instuctions 2 - 4 until a line with all laghu-s is reached. Then the table is complete.

Pratiṣṭhā:

1. −−−−
2. ⏑−−−
3. −⏑−−
4. ⏑⏑−−
5. −−⏑−
6. ⏑−⏑−
7. −⏑⏑−
8. ⏑⏑⏑−
9. −−−⏑
10. ⏑−−⏑
11. −⏑−⏑
12. ⏑⏑−⏑
13. −−⏑⏑
14. ⏑−⏑⏑
15. −⏑⏑⏑
16. ⏑⏑⏑⏑