Satirical works of Kshemendra (study)
by Arpana Devi | 2017 | 60,954 words
This page relates 鈥楥handas or the metre鈥� part of the study on the Satirical works of Kshemendra: an 11th century poet from Kashmir, who composed three satirical works. Kshemendra himself says that in composing the satirical works his only motive is to reform the mindset of the people.鈥擧e exposes all the vices and follies prevailing in the society with the intention to reform it.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
4. Chandas or the metre
In Sanskrit literature, chandas or the metre occupies an important place. Chandas is an indispensable part of versified poetry. In the words of Da峁囜笉in, like a boat, prosody also helps one who is desirous of crossing over the ocean of poetry.[1] Chandas adds charm to poetry, hiding the un-appealing expressions. Chandas is a 惫颈诲测腻 (Science). It is incorporated among the six Ved膩峁単as.[2] First of all Y膩ska, the author of Nirukta (Nirukta), gives the derivative explanation of chandas as chand膩峁卻i ch膩dan膩t.[3] In the 础颈迟补谤别测腻谤补峁噛补办补 (础补颈迟补谤别测腻谤补峁噛补办补) it is stated that chandas is so called because it shields the human vices.[4] There are different derivative meanings of the word chandas, but in real sense it indicates some numerical arrangement of syllables. In Sanskrit literature, there are two types of chandas, one is Vedic and the other is Classical. The Vedic chandas and the Classical chandas are not the same. In the Vedic chandas, the number of syllables is counted in each 辫腻诲补 or foot and in the Classical Sanskrit, hrasva and 诲墨谤驳丑补 syllable in each 辫腻诲补 as well as the number is counted. 骋腻测补迟谤墨 (24 syllables), 鲍峁ａ箛颈办 (28 syllables), 础苍耻峁ａ弓耻产丑 (32 syllables), 叠峁沨补迟墨 (36 sayllables), 笔补峁卥迟颈 (40 syllables), 罢谤颈峁ａ弓耻产丑 (44 syallables) and 闯补驳补迟墨 (48 syllables) are the seven Vedic chandas. On the other hand, in the Classical Sanskrit there are large numbers of metres. These metres are mainly divided into two groups viz. 痴峁泃迟补 and 闯腻迟颈. In a 痴峁泃迟补 type of metre the number of syllables is counted. This type of metre is divided into three varieties, viz. the 厂补尘补惫峁泃迟补, the 础谤诲丑补蝉补尘补惫峁泃迟补 and the 痴颈峁尘补惫峁泃迟补. In the 厂补尘补惫峁泃迟补, all the 辫腻诲补s of a verse contain same triads, in the second one alternative 辫腻诲补s contain the same triads and in the 痴颈峁尘补惫峁泃迟补 all the 辫腻诲补s possess varied triads.
The other type of metre is 闯腻迟颈, where a verse is measured by the syllabic instants or moras (尘腻迟谤腻). In this type called 闯腻迟颈, a short vowel is counted as one unit and a long vowel is counted as two.
碍峁尘别苍诲谤补 is a prosodist of high calibre. Among the Sanskrit prosody, the 厂耻惫峁泃迟补迟颈濒补办补 of 碍峁尘别苍诲谤补 finds significant place. In the 厂耻惫峁泃迟补迟颈濒补办补, 碍峁尘别苍诲谤补 rightly says that a work becomes graceful when metres are used in a proper place.[5] 碍峁尘别苍诲谤补 shows his expertise in handling various metres in right context. For him, a poet, who applies a few types of metres, cannot be regarded as a poet of excellence. In all the satirical poems namely the 碍补濒腻惫颈濒腻蝉补, the 顿别艣辞辫补诲别艣补, the 狈补谤尘补尘腻濒腻, 碍峁尘别苍诲谤补 shows his mastery in employing varieties of metres. 碍峁尘别苍诲谤补 proves his efficiency in composing verses with these two types of metres namely 痴峁泃迟补 and 闯腻迟颈. Here is a discussion on the metres employed in the satirical poems.
I. V峁歍TA:
础苍耻峁ａ弓耻产丑:
In this metre each 辫腻诲补 contains eight syllables. This metre is also known as 艣loka. There are different types of 础苍耻峁ａ弓耻产丑 metre. In 础苍耻峁ａ弓耻产丑, the fifth syllable is laghu (short), the sixth syllable is guru (long) and the seventh syllable in the second and the fourth 辫腻诲补 is laghu and in the first and the third 辫腻诲补 is guru.[6] In the 顿别艣辞辫补诲别艣补, the metre is found to be employed in the following verses鈥揑. 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16[7], 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23; II. 1鈥�35; III. 1鈥�47; IV. 1鈥�33; V. 1鈥�27; VI. 1鈥�44; VII. 1鈥�30; VIII.1.
The 狈补谤尘补尘腻濒腻 contains the following verses as the example of this metre I. 1鈥�148; II. 1鈥�111 and again 113 to 145; III. 1鈥�112. In the 狈补谤尘补尘腻濒腻, the verses are mostly, found to be composed in the 础苍耻峁ａ弓耻产丑 or 艢loka metre.
As for example, the following verse may be cited鈥�
kram膩d gr膩maniyogena nagare 驳补峁嘺n膩pate岣�/
诲补尘产丑补蝉补尘产丑腻惫颈迟补岣� 辫谤腻辫补 驳峁沨补办峁泃测补峁� 惫颈诲丑别谤惫补艣腻迟//[8]
In the verse, in all the four 辫腻诲补s, the sixth syllable is found to be guru, the fifth syllable is laghu, the seventh syllable, in the second and the fourth 辫腻诲补 is laghu and others are guru.
In the 碍补濒腻惫颈濒腻蝉补, the illustration of 础苍耻峁ａ弓耻产丑 metre is observed in a single verse only viz. X. 43[9].
滨苍诲谤补惫补箩谤腻:
The metre 滨苍诲谤补惫补箩谤腻[10] consists of eleven syllables in each 辫腻诲补s and the 驳补峁嘺蝉 used in this metre are respectively ta, ta, ja, ga and ga. In the 顿别艣辞辫补诲别艣补, only one verse is composed in this metre viz.I.3[11]
In the 碍补濒腻惫颈濒腻蝉补 and the 狈补谤尘补尘腻濒腻, the example of this metre is not observed.
痴补峁兣沘蝉迟丑补惫颈濒补:
痴补峁兣沘蝉迟丑补惫颈濒补[12] is a 蝉补尘补惫峁泃迟补 metre containing twelve syllables in each 辫腻诲补. The 驳补峁嘺蝉 therein are ja, ta, ja and ra respectively. This metre is also known as 惫补峁僺补艣迟丑补 and 惫补峁兣沘蝉迟补苍颈迟补. In the 顿别艣辞辫补诲别艣补, only one verse is composed in this metre viz. I.2.[13]
In the 碍补濒腻惫颈濒腻蝉补 and the 狈补谤尘补尘腻濒腻, the employment of 痴补峁兣沘蝉迟丑补惫颈濒补 is not observed.
Vasantatilaka:
In the metre Vasantatilaka[14] each 辫腻诲补 contains fourteen syllables and the 驳补峁嘺蝉 therein are ta, bha, ja, ja, ga and ga respectively. In the 碍补濒腻惫颈濒腻蝉补, only one verse is composed in this metre viz. X.42[15]
In the 顿别艣辞辫补诲别艣补 and the 狈补谤尘补尘腻濒腻, the example of this metre is not observed.
惭腻濒颈苍墨:
In the metre 惭腻濒颈苍墨[16] each 辫腻诲补 contains fifteen syllables and the 驳补峁嘺蝉 therein are na, na, ma, ya and ya. In each 耻辫补诲别艣补 the last verse is composed in this metre. In the 顿别艣辞辫补诲别艣补, the verses composed in this metre are as follows-I. 24, II. 36,[17] III. 48, IV. 34, V. 28, VI. 45, VII. 39.
The 狈补谤尘补尘腻濒腻 illustrates only one verse composed in this metre viz. III.113.
In the 碍补濒腻惫颈濒腻蝉补, the employment of this metre is not observed.
艢腻谤诲奴濒补惫颈办谤墨岣峣迟补:
艢腻谤诲奴濒补惫颈办谤墨岣峣迟补[18] is also a 蝉补尘补惫峁泃迟补 type of metre which contains nineteen syllables in each 辫腻诲补 and it has the 驳补峁嘺蝉 in the order of ma, sa, ja, sa, ta, ta and ga. In the 顿别艣辞辫补诲别艣补, only one verse viz VIII. 52[19] is composed in this metre.
In the 狈补谤尘补尘腻濒腻 also only one verse is composed in this metre viz. II.112[20] In the 碍补濒腻惫颈濒腻蝉补, the example of this metre is not observed.
II. J膧TI:
膧谤测腻:
When the first and the third 辫腻诲补s of a verse contains twelve 尘腻迟谤腻s i.e. syllabic instants, the second and the fourth 辫腻诲补s respectively eighteen and fifteen moras then the metre is called 膧谤测腻.[21] In 膧谤测腻, the four moras (尘腻迟谤腻) constitute one 驳补峁嘺. There are nine types of 膧谤测腻 metre. In the 顿别艣辞辫补诲别艣补, the following verses are the examples of this metre viz VIII. 2[22],3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 38, 39, 40, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49,50.
In the 碍补濒腻惫颈濒腻蝉补, the verses found composed in 膧谤测腻 are-I. 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10[23], 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 43, 45, 46, 47, 48, 52, 55, 59, 60, 61, 64, 65, 66, 67, 70, 74, 75, 76, 79, 80, 81, 84, 86, 87, 90, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96; II. 1, 3-14, 17, 18, 19, 21, 23, 26-32, 34, 37, 39, 41-49, 51, 54, 57-60, 62-72, 74-78, 80, 86, 88, 89; III. 1, 2, 5, 6, 8-17, 19, 29, 30, 31, 32, 34-39, 42, 43, 44, 46-56, 59, 61, 64-67, 69-72, 74; IV. 1, 9, 12-17, 20-31, 33-40; V. 6-12, 17, 19-30, 32, 34-37, 40-46; VI. 1-8, 10-16, 19-21, 23, 24, 26-28, 33; VII. 1-3, 5-11, 13-19, 22, 24; VIII. 1-6, 814, 19, 22, 24, 27-29; IX. 1, 2, 5, 6, 8-15, 17-33, 38-42, 44, 46-56, 58-62, 64, 66-69, 71,72; X. 1-8, 10, 11, 23, 30, 31, 35, 39,
In the 狈补谤尘补尘腻濒腻, there is no verse composed in 膧谤测腻.
骋墨迟颈:
When the second half of a verse is made similar to the first half of the 膧谤测腻, the metre is called 骋墨迟颈.[24] Therefore, in the 骋墨迟颈, first and third quarters contains twelve moras and in both the second and the fourth quarter contains eighteen moras. The pause falls before the first syllable of the sixth and the seventh 驳补峁嘺. In the 顿别艣辞辫补诲别艣补, the verses found composed in this metre are VIII. 11, 16, 24, 37, 41[25].
In the 碍补濒腻惫颈濒腻蝉补, the verses found composed in 骋墨迟颈 are-I. 4, 8, 11, 21, 27, 36, 44, 50, 53, 54, 62, 68, 69, 71, 78, 84; II. 2, 22, 24, 33, 35, 38, 40, 52, 56, 61, 73, 82, 85, 87; III. 4, 7, 18, 20-27, 33, 40, 45, 57, 58, 60, 63, 73, 75, 76; IV. 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 19, 32; V. 1, 15, 18, 39; VI. 9, 18, 25[26], 29, 30, 31, 32; VII. 4, 12, 20, 21; VIII. 7, 16, 17, 25; IX. 16, 34; X. 9, 12, 14-17, 19, 25, 26, 40.
In the 狈补谤尘补尘腻濒腻, there is no verse composed in 骋墨迟颈.
鲍辫补驳墨迟颈:
The metre is called Upag墨ti when the second half of the 膧谤测腻 is alike to the first half of a verse.[27] In the 膧谤测腻 metre, the second half contains twelve syllabic instants in the third 辫腻诲补 and fifteen syllabic instants in the fourth 辫腻诲补. Therefore, in the upag墨ti, first and second 辫腻诲补 comprise twelve and fifteen moras and the third and the fourth 辫腻诲补 also contain twelve and fifteen moras respectively. In the 顿别艣辞辫补诲别艣补, the verses found composed in this metre are VIII. 10[28], 18, 19, 51.
In the 碍补濒腻惫颈濒腻蝉补, this metre has been employed in鈥揑. 25, 41, 42, 49, 51, 57, 58, 72, 83; II.15[29], 20, 36, 53, 55, 79, 84; III. 3, 62, 68; V. 3, 5, 33, 38; VI. 17, 22; VIII. 15, 18, 23, 26; IX.3, 36, 43, 45, 65, 70, 73; X. 34, 37, 38.
In the 狈补谤尘补尘腻濒腻, illustration of this metre is not observed.
鲍诲驳墨迟颈:
Udg墨ti is also a variety of 膧谤测腻 metre, in which the second half corresponds to the first half. When the two halves of a 膧谤测腻 exchange their places, it is called Udg墨ti[30]. In Udg墨ti, therefore, the first and the third 辫腻诲补s are of twelve syllabic instants and the second and the fourth 辫腻诲补s contain fifteen and eighteen syllabic instants respectively.
In the 碍补濒腻惫颈濒腻蝉补, this metre has been employed in-I.77[31], 82; V. 2, 13, 31; IX. 7; X.18, 20, 21, 22, 24, 27, 28, 29, 33.
In the 顿别艣辞辫补诲别艣补 and the 狈补谤尘补尘腻濒腻, illustration of this metre is not observed.
From the above discussion on the metrical arrangement of the satirical poems, it is clear that the 碍补濒腻惫颈濒腻蝉补 is composed in 闯腻迟颈 metre, the 顿别艣辞辫补诲别艣补 is composed with both the varieties of metres namely 痴峁泃迟补 and 闯腻迟颈. The 狈补谤尘补尘腻濒腻 is largely composed in the 础苍耻峁ａ弓耻产丑 metre. In the 厂耻惫峁泃迟补迟颈濒补办补, 碍峁尘别苍诲谤补 himself suggests in respect of employment of the metre 础苍耻峁ａ弓耻产丑. He states that 础苍耻峁ａ弓耻产丑 is best suitable in a work having moral instructions for the readers.[32] In the work, 碍峁尘别苍诲谤补 informs that his main objective is to offer advice to the people to refrain themselves from immoralities. But, there is a few verses in which general features of 础苍耻峁ａ弓耻产丑 that the fifth syllable should be short (laghu) and the sixth syllable should be long (guru) is not observed. It may justified by saying that in the 厂耻惫峁泃迟补迟颈濒补办补, the poet himself remarks that in the compositions of the great poets also, sometimes some exception may be noticed.[33]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
s膩 惫颈诲测腻 naustit墨r峁Ｅ箛膩峁� 驳补尘产丑墨谤补峁� k膩vyas膩gara峁�// ibid.,I.2
[2]:
艣ik峁Ｄ� kalpo 惫测腻办补谤补峁嘺峁� 苍颈谤耻办迟补峁� chandas膩峁� caya岣�/
jyoti峁Ｄ乵膩yana帽caiva ved膩峁単膩ni 峁岣峞va tu// Misra, Acharya Jagadischandra, Vaidic V膩峁卪ayasya 滨迟颈丑腻蝉补, p.228
[3]:
Nirukta ,VII.3
[4]:
ch膩dayati ha v膩 enam chand膩峁卻i p膩p膩t karma峁嘺岣/
础补颈迟补谤别测腻谤补峁噛补办补 , II.16
[5]:
suvar峁嚹乺hapravandhe峁 yath膩sth膩nanive艣in膩峁� ratn膩n膩miva v峁泃tan膩峁� bhavatyabhyadhik膩 ruci岣�// 厂耻惫峁泃迟补迟颈濒补办补 ,III.37
[6]:
艣loke sa峁ａ弓ham guru 箩帽别测补峁� sarvatra laghu 辫补帽肠补尘补峁�/
dvicatu峁１枘寤宀箉orhrasva峁� saptama峁� 诲墨谤驳丑补manyaya岣�// 艢rutabodha , p.5
[7]:
[8]:
狈补谤尘补尘腻濒腻 I.32
[9]:
办补濒腻惫颈濒腻蝉补岣� 办峁尘别苍诲谤补辫谤补迟颈产丑腻尘产丑辞诲丑颈苍颈谤驳补迟补岣�/
艣a艣墨va m膩nas膩nanda峁� karotu satata峁� 蝉补迟腻峁�// 碍补濒腻惫颈濒腻蝉补 ,X.43
[10]:
syadindravajr膩 yadi tau jagau ga岣�/
Candoma帽jar墨 ,p.63
[11]:
ye dambham膩y膩mayado峁le艣alipt膩 na me t膩n prati 办辞鈥檖颈 测补迟苍补岣�/
kintve峁 h膩savyapade艣ayukty膩 诲别艣辞辫补诲别艣补岣� kriyate 尘补测腻dya// 顿别艣辞辫补诲别艣补 ,I.3
[12]:
vadanti 惫补峁兣沘蝉迟丑补惫颈濒补峁� jatau jarau/
Candoma帽jar墨 ,p.77
[13]:
[14]:
箩帽别测补峁� 惫补蝉补苍迟补迟颈濒补办补峁� tabhaj膩 jagau ga岣�/
Candoma帽jar墨 ,p.73
[15]:
kel墨maya岣� smitavil膩sakal膩bhir膩ma岣� sarv膩艣ray膩ntarakal膩praka峁璦prad墨pa岣�/
lokopade艣avi峁ya岣� sukath膩vicitro bh奴y膩t 蝉补迟腻峁� dayita e峁 办补濒腻惫颈濒腻蝉补岣�// 碍补濒腻惫颈濒腻蝉补 ,X.42
[16]:
nanamayayayuteya峁� m膩lin墨 bhogilokai岣�/ Candoma帽jar墨 ,II. P.111
[17]:
viramati matih墨no l膩bhalobhena vitta峁� jarayati yatir奴pa岣� sa峁儁am膩dindriyecch膩峁�/
carati ca rativighna峁� savyayatv膩d g峁沨i峁噛膩岣� svadhananidhanarak峁Ｄ乧膩ryavarya岣� kadarya岣�// 顿别艣辞辫补诲别艣补 ,II.36
[18]:
s奴ryy膩艣vairmasajastat膩岣� sagurava岣� 艣膩rd奴lavikr墨dita峁�. Candoma帽jar墨 , II. P.14
[19]:
ityudde艣anidar艣anena vividha峁� yat ki峁僣idukta峁� 尘补测腻
tat sarva峁� smitak膩ra峁嘺峁� sah峁沝ay膩岣� 艣峁涐箛vantu 蝉补苍迟补岣� 办峁ａ箛补峁�/
办峁尘别苍诲谤补岣� pra峁嘺ti峁� karoti na pa峁璾rlokopah膩se峁ala峁�
kintve峁 vyapade艣ata岣� 辫谤补迟颈辫补诲补峁� 诲别艣辞辫补诲别艣补岣� 办峁泃补岣�// 顿别艣辞辫补诲别艣补 ,VIII.52
[20]:
[21]:
yasy膩岣� p膩de prathamedv膩da艣a尘腻迟谤腻 tath膩 t峁泃墨yepi/
补峁ａ弓腻诲补艣补 dvit墨ye caturthake pa帽cada艣a s膩 膩ry膩// 艢b., 4
[22]:
谤腻驳补诲惫别峁蝉补尘腻办耻濒补尘耻驳谤补尘补丑腻尘辞丑补濒辞产丑补诲补尘产丑补产丑补测补峁�/
gurumapi l膩ghavahetu峁� bhavamiva bahuvibhrama峁� vande// 顿别艣辞辫补诲别艣补 ,VIII.2
[23]:
迟补迟谤腻产丑奴诲产丑颈产丑奴迟补辫谤补产丑奴迟补尘腻测腻苍颈办腻测补艣补迟补诲丑奴谤迟补岣�/
n膩n膩digde艣膩gatadh奴rtairupaj墨vyam膩namativibhava岣�// 碍补濒腻惫颈濒腻蝉补 ,I.10
[24]:
膩ry膩pratham膩rdhasama峁� yasy膩岣� apar膩rdham膩ha t膩峁� g墨tim/
Candoma帽jar墨 , VI. P.189
[25]:
vidv膩ns膩dhu艣abdovism峁泃ali峁単o napu峁僺akaprak峁泃i岣�/
补惫颈诲颈迟补蝉补办补濒补蝉补尘腻蝉辞鈥檚补迟蝉耻 蝉补诲腻 dvandvameva j膩n膩ti// 顿别艣辞辫补诲别艣补 ,VIII.41
[26]:
as峁沘jacca tadvadh膩ya pralambak膩lopama峁� saturda峁ａ弓ra峁�/
yojanasahasravipula峁� k峁泃y膩r奴pa峁� kah膩sura峁� ghora峁�// 碍补濒腻惫颈濒腻蝉补 ,VI.25
[27]:
膩ry膩par膩rdhatulye daladvaye pr膩hurupag墨ti峁�// Candoma帽jar墨 ,VI. P.191
[28]:
kharatarap峁涐梗峁環aka峁玹a峁璦mantharagaman膩 g峁沨膩netya/
p膩d膩gh膩tai岣� patn墨 hanta 辫补迟颈峁� bhojanasya cir膩t// 顿别艣辞辫补诲别艣补 ,VIII.10
[29]:
vi峁ａ弓idine kimapi 辫耻谤腻 nyasta峁� ken膩pi mitre峁嘺/
t奴r峁嘺峁� puna艣ca 艣anakairn墨ta峁� k峁me峁嘺 ku艣alena// 碍补濒腻惫颈濒腻蝉补 ,II.15
[30]:
膩ry膩艣akaladvitaye vipar墨te punarihodg墨ti岣�/
Candoma帽jar墨 , P.192
[31]:
nijaj膩nusandhi艣ikhare jamadagnau magnavadane ca/
traste vi艣v膩mitre valitagale g膩lave bh峁沢au magne// 碍补濒腻惫颈濒腻蝉补 ,I.77
[32]:
辫耻谤腻峁嘺prativimve峁 prasannop膩yavartma峁/
耻辫补诲别艣补pradh膩ne峁 kury膩tsarves vanu峁ａ弓ubha峁�// 厂耻惫峁泃迟补迟颈濒补办补 , III.9