Samdesarasaka of Abdala Rahamana

SR No.: 001433
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Abdul Rahman
Publisher: Prakrit Granth Parishad
Publication Year: 1999
Total Pages: 124
Language: English, Gujarati, Prakrit, Sanskrit
Classification: Book_English & Literature
File Size: 6 MB

Page 35

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DI METERS Before we proceed to treat the metres of the SR., a general note on the differing Ap. metrical traditions is called forth. Besides the two well-known works, Hemacandra's छन्दोऽनुशासन and the प्राकृतपैङ्गल, we have now five other large or small treatises-all published by Prof. H. D. Velankar-dealing with Pk. and Ap. metres. They are the वृत्तजातिसमुच्चय of Virahanka, the स्वयम्भूच्छन्दस् of Svayambha, the गाथालक्षण of Nandiyaddhya, the anonymous कविदर्पण and the छंदःकोश of Ratnasekhara. Among these the work of Virahārka (as also of Nandiyaddha, if at all) treats a very small number of Ap. metres properly so called. Though dealing with the same subject, the abovenamed works widely differ from one another in their range and province and on the strength of certain provisional criteria—such as, the definition and nomenclature of the commonly occurring metres FETI (रड्डा) and its sub-types, of द्विपथक or दोहा and its sub-types, of अडिला etc., the preferential treatment of certain metres and the exclusion of others, the quantitative value of the final mora, the characteristic system of the termini technici and some special features of the method of treatment in general- on the strength of these criteria hazard to roughly distinguish at least two considerably divergent metrical traditions : the one, which for convenience's sake may be called the Classical Tradition, occupies itself mainly—but in no way exclusively—with the prosody of the Apabhramśa epic poetry, while the chief-but again not the only concern of the other, which may be called the Bardic Tradition, is the metres that are employed in the Ap. narrative and lyric poetry as of the T4 compositions and other forms substantially cultivated by the popular bards (the AMTE). Due to its popular character the latter tradition was obviously more open to continuous revision and reinforcement. The works of Svayambha and Hemacandra on the one hand and the fagtut on the other represent the Classical Tradition; the ja: SATT (which is little more than a compilation from the ancient works of Arjuna or Alha and Gosala or Gulha) and the report (which also appears to have a highly composite character), represent the Bardic Tradition.