Yasastilaka and Indian Culture

SR No.: 001609
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Krishnakant Handiqui
Publisher: Jain Sanskruti Samrakshak Sangh Solapur
Publication Year: 1968
Total Pages: 566
Language: English
Classification: Book_English, Story, Literature, & Culture
File Size: 16 MB

Page 198

7. YAŠASTILAKA AS AN ANTHOLOGY OF SANSKRIT VERSE
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another of 27; one or more verses with four feet of sixteen mātrās each, called by him Catuspadi; several verses in Paddhatikā or Pajjhatikā metre consisting of four feet of sixteen mātrās each, and each foot rhyming with the other and ending with a ja-gana(-u) or sometimes four laghus; and a concluding verse called Ghattā. It may be noted that the Pajjhatika is a popular metre in Apabhramsa poetry. It is, for instance, the prevailing metre of Karakandacariu of Kanakamara; while it has been pointed out that of the three hundred and fifty-four Kadavakas (verse-groups) in Dhanapăla's Bhavisayattakahā, almost all with the exception of about seventeen are either in Pajjhaţikā or in Alillaha metre, which is really a variety of Pajjhatikā.' As regards the Ghattā verse, in all narrative poems in Apabhramba
he concluding couplet of a Kadavaka is almost always called Ghattā. Pingala recognises a Ghattā metre of 62 matrās (31+31 ), and Srutasāgara saya in his commentary on 1. 212 that there are twentyseven varieties of Ghatta, and it may consist of 60 mdtrds and sometimes of 62 mātrās. Of the three Ghattās in our work, two (1. 187 and 8.37) consist of 60 mātrás, and in each balf the first two sections of 10 and 8 mātrās each have a caesura and rhyme with each other, so that each half of 30 mátrās corresponds to a pāda of the Caupaiā described and illustrated in Prāksta Paingala (1. 97 and 98). The remaining Ghattā (1. 212) is a two-foot Dvipadī with 28 mätrās (6+4+4+4 4+6) in each half.' A reference to Apabhramsa poetry shows that a variety of metres may be used for the Ghattā verse,
As regards Somadeva's scheme of arrangement, it seems to be based on Prākrit models. An arrangement, similar to his is, for instance,
of Mātrā; and the composition of some of these resembles that of Somadeva's verse. For instance, the scheme of the Cāruseni variety is 15+11+15+11+ 15; that of Bhadra is 15+ 12 + 15 + 12 +15; and that of Rājasenā is 15 + 12 + 15 + 11 + 15. Somadeva's scheme represents a slight variation of the Rājasenā variety in respect of the number of mātrās in the second and fourth pādas, the total number of mätrās (68) being the same. The following example of the metre is from Sandeśarāsaka (verse 25): 94% AUT STEGHETT, H Y HE, 34 SVT HTETI PRETSTRA H 31, a ak DHIK TET 11. This is followed by two lines of Dohā. The scheme followed here is 15 + 11 + 15 +11+ 15 corresponding to the Cāruseni of Prūksta Paingala. The Rājasenā scheme of 15 + 12 + 15 +11+ 15 is also found in Sandeśarāsaka, as pointed out by Bhayani (op. cit.), p. 67. The Mātrā is believed to be a very old Apabhramśa metre, as it was known to Virahāňka (Vrttajātisamuccaya, JBBRAS, 1929, p. 87 ) who describes four different varieties of it, Cărunetri, Rāhuseni etc. See Velankar: Apabhramsa Metres, Journal of the University of Bombay, November
1933, p. 50. 1 See Introduction to Gune's edition in G. O. S., p. 28. 2 See first definition of Dvipadi in Prākrta-Paingala.