The Metrical Systems of Sanskrit in Ancient India

The present study is a kind of analysis incorporating both the traditional and modern approaches of Sanskrit Prosody. The knowledge of metre i.e. chanda is very much essential for a scholar who intends to study Sanskrit literature. Here the titles are chosen with the intention to highlight the ancient Indian wisdom embodied in various forms of literature. The analytical aspects of Sanskrit prosody are presented here. The book contains seven selected research papers of the author prepared in different times out of rigorous analysis of texts of ancient authorities. It displays the research of the author in the field of Sanskrit literature with special reference to Sanskrit prosody. The Philosophy of metres is presented here in a symbolic approach.

Also the book shows an account of all the authors and commentators who have contributed to this branch (prosody) of Sanskrit with their various compositions, in which all the available information is provided about the authors and their texts. The book throws a light to relish the study of science of metrics for the research community interested in Sanskrit Prosody.

Dr. Kumuda Prasad Acharya is a young scholar in Sanskrit research. He has done his M.Phil and Ph.D. from the 159 years old University of Madras, Chennai with Prof. Siniruddha Dash as his Supervisor on Sanskrit Prosody. Dr. Acharya has obtained his Masters' degree in Sanskrit from Utkal University, Vani Vihar, Bhubaneswar.

He has also worked as an Editorial Assistant in the New Catalogus Catalogorum Project of Department of Sanskrit, University of Madras, where he has been trained on Manuscriptology. Presently Dr. Acharya is working as a Faculty in the Department of Sanskrit, Central University of Orissa, Koraput.

Prosody or the science of metres or Chandas is the integral part of Sanskrit literature. The metre is undoubtedly an important tool for poetical compositions in a particular language and in Sanskrit, it is unavoidable. Both the Vedic and Classical Sanskrit are being enhanced by prosody as most of the literatures produced in Sanskrit are in poetic form. The chronicle of Sanskrit Prosody which was started with Pingala, the ancient acarya of Sanskrit prosody routed through the works of Jayadeva, Janasraya, Ksemendra, Kedara, et.al and still continues with authorities of modern epoch in a new dimension of research. The literatures produced in Sanskrit prosody are found in different approaches. First of all the literatures found in two technique; 1. Sutra form, 2. Karika form. There are texts which purely deal with prosody like Chandassastra of Pingala, Vrttaratnakara of Kedara, Chandomanjari of Gangadasa etc., but there are some other texts, which are unique in their presentation. These type of texts are dealing with a particular metre through verse, which highlight the name of the metre, ganas of the particular metre in the same verse. The whole verse being dedicated to gods, goddesses and sometimes to patronized kings. Vrttaratnavali of Venkatesa and Nanjunda are examples of such texts.

Out of various augmentative syntheses, the Prosody is one of the technical systems of ancient India. The splendid investigations done by our ancestors craft a ship (for us) in which the erudite scholarship can be relished. The present book "The Metrical Systems in Sanskrit in Ancient India" accommodates features of various aspects of Sanskrit prosody including those of above and presents them with a research approach. It is a compilation of seven articles on Sanskrit prosody viz. 1. Vrttavali: A prosodic gem of Raghunatha Dasa, 2. The Royal Poet Nanjunda and his Vrttaratnavali, 3. A Bibliographical note on the Metrical Manuscripts of GOML, 4. A Symbolic approach to Anustup Metres and its 256 Varieties, 5. Bharata and Pingala on naming the metres, 6. Documentation of Metres of Chandomanjari of Gangadasa, 7. Who's Who in Sanskrit Prosody. All the articles throw a light to relish the study of science of metrics by the researchers.

If this book will quench the thirst of the researchers, then my efforts in carrying out this difficult task will be of a great satisfaction.

Sanskrit is not mere a language, but it records witness of many ups and downs of Indian Civilization. The literary heritage of Indian sub continent is manifested through various texts written in Sanskrit language. Many civilizations and dynasties have come and gone, but the Sanskrit language still stands in its unique form as it was before. The Kings of this land also provided scopes to bloom and cherish the literatures and theories of this language by patronizing many poets and authors. In a multi lingual society like India, Sanskrit plays a vital role to bind the society in a sacred thread. The rituals, festivals, customs, etc. are almost same or similar all over India, which are internally connected through Sanskrit. Out of the various branches of Sanskrit literature, the Prosody or metres or chandas is one key branch, without which a poetic composition can be done.

It gives me immense pleasure to write this foreword for this book titled : "The Metrical Systems of Sanskrit in Ancient India" authored by Dr. Kumuda Prasad Acharya. It is a known fact that many scientific thoughts (siddhantas) have been developed and established in this land. The school of Sanskrit Prosody is also enhanced and enriched by its vast literature starting from Pingala's era to present days. Many technical aspects are embodied in the science of metrics, which provides doctrine to know the prosperous past of Indian knowledge system. The book highlightis some of the features of Sanskrit Prosody interpreted by different authorities. The poetic excellence of Raghunatha in his Vrttavali, the metrical interpretations of Nanjunda, an account of metrical manuscript of GOML with elaboration, the comparative study on Natyasastra and Chandassastra with regard to names of the metres, the stylo-symbolic presentation of the 256 anustup metres illustrated in Rasakrida by Ramapanivada, documentation of metres explained by Gangadasa, the alphabetical index of all the authorities contributed to this branch of Sanskrit with their time and works are the great attraction of this book, which sparkle a new vista in the science of metrics. The Index of texts presented in Annexure highlights the metrical treasure of ancient India. I hope, this book will certainly provide a new horizon in the study of Indological research.

I wish all success to the young scholar Dr. Kumuda Prasad Acharya for all his future academic activities.

The pan Indian cultural Diaspora was enriched through its culture, rituals, festivals, languages, literatures and the society at large. The seers of this land have contributed a lot with their dedicating efforts to establish the thoughts by which the Indian mind is reflected. The Socio-cultural behavior of ancient India is being narrated in the form of literatures mostly in Sanskrit, produced from time to time. The texts have been manifesting the social harmony and poetic genius of the time they belong. The stream of the knowledge has flown in this country for ages from the time immemorial. Starting with Vedic literature, routed through the epics (Ramayana, Mahabharata and other Puranas), the knowledge of Indian mind is depicted with different thoughts in Classical period, which still continues with modern time.

1. What is Chandas

The Sanskrit Prosody, which is an essential and potential branch of Indian knowledge system, finds its modalities in the Vedic Literature followed by Puranas and Classical Literatures. All the sastras, which are written in Sanskrit use the chandas (science of metric). Ancient authorities knew the usability of chandas, so much so more than 300 texts and number of commentaries on those texts have been composed by them. The traditional Sanskrit prosody started with Chandassastra of Pingala, of C. 500 B.C.E.

2. Relevance of Chandas:

The chanda is said to be one of the apara vidya, along with the four Vedas followed by Siksa, Kalpa, Vyakarana, Nirukta and Jyotisa (tatrapara rgvedo yajurvedah samavedo 'tharvavedah/ siksa kalpo vyakaranam niruktam chando jyotisamiti/ Mundakopanisad- 1/1/5.). The Chandas is recognized as one of the six ancillary literatures called Vedanga. The Chandas is also considered as the feet ofthe Vedapurusa (chandah padau to vedasya/ Paniniyasiksa- 44/45). Hence the knowledge of chandas is an essential prerequisite for understanding the Vedas, Vedangas and the literature as a whole. It is said that a person who recites the Vedic hymns without knowing its Rsi, Chandas and Devata, incurs sin.

According to Bharata, the exponent of Natyasastra, there is no sloka in Sanskrit which is without metre and vice-versa (chandohino na sabdo 'sti na sabdas chandavarjitah// Natyasastra -14/45).

The knowledge of the science of metre is as important as other aspects of poetry. Dandin remarks that the prosody is like a boat/ship for the person (the reader/scholar), who wants to cross the ocean of poetry (savidya naustitirsunam gambhiram kavyasagaram/ Kavyadarsa- 1/12). Since there are more divisions of Vrtta, there is a need of a history for the literature to understand its essence and relevance for the literature and subsequently its contribution towards culture and society.

3. Authorities of Sanskrit Prosody

The journey of Classical Sanskrit Prosody started with Pingala and continued with the works of Bharata, Janasraya, Jayadeva, Ksemendra, Hemacandra, Kedara, Candrasekhara, Gangadasa et.al. The basic common features of those authorities are that they have narrated the characteristics of different metres in a manner not contradicting to each other. Many new metres have been introduced without deviating the rules by authorities from time to time. Sometimes the name of the metre differs from text to text. For example nandimukhi of Bharata is named as malini by Kedara. The authorities like Kavikarnapura, author of Vrttamala has tried to introduce two new ganas i.e. va and ka in addition to the existing eight. By which his description on the laksanas of the metres differs from others due to his new interpretations. More or less the authorities of Sanskrit prosody contributed a lot to the Sanskrit Literature at large.

4. Authorities in Pre-Pingalan Era

Like Sanskrit Grammar, the science of metrics also existed before. But no text of Pne-Pingalar era is available to support this opinion except Phigala's reference to his.

1. Kraustuki: Pingala himself mentions about this authority while explaining the metre skandhodgrivi (skandhodgrivi kraustukeh). Yaska also mentions Kraustiki in his Nirukta- dravinoda indra iti kraustukih. 2. Yaska: Yaska, the author of Nirukta describes the Vedic metres in Nirukta. Pingala also mentions him while discussing the metre urovrhati (urovrhati yaskasya/3).

3. Tandin: Tandi is described as a sutrakarta in Mahabharata. He is also quoted by Pingala as the originator of the metre sato brhati (satovrhati tandinah/5).

4. Saitava: He is quoted by Pingala in Chandassastra as one of the earliest authorities (sarvatah saitavasya/6). Halayudha, who quotes one of his verses in his commentary on the above sutra', though his text is not found.

**Contents and Sample Pages**