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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
(JUNE, 1911.
referred to by Dandin, Chhandovichiti is primarily a very general term and may be applied to any work on metres. My idea is that some copyists might have added the name at the end of the 16th chapter in this primary sense of the word "chhandovichiti.' It would be rather strange to suppose that Daņdin refers to a small chapter as exhaustively treating of padya. Bharats himself says that other scholars have given a larger number of metres than his own and that he omits them becanse they do not lend charm to dramas (Santy-anyány-api vrittáni ydny-uktdníha panditaihi na cha táni mayóktáni na kôbhai janayanti hi"). This being the case, the words of Dandin.sakalas-tatprapanchah' would be thoroughly inappropriate if we understand by chhandovichiti the 15th chapter of the N dlya-śdelra, as Prof. Pischel did.
I shall now adduce the evidence of comparatively early writers to show that chhandovichiti is the name of the Vedanga deuling with metres.
Uvata, while commenting upon Rikprdtisakhya XIV, 10 (=aitena sdstrair na vitishyate anyaik koritonain cha Vedangam = anindyam= drsham), remarks that chhandovichiti is one of the six Anga. of the Veda (tasmdd anindyari shadlangavat shalsu veddingeshu idam = api angari Kalpở Vyákaranara Nirukta. Siksha chnandovichitir-jyotisham = uyanam-iti).
Haradatta in his Padamañjari, & commentary on the Kdökd, speaks of chhandovichiti as a vedłnga thrice on the same page (p. 5 of the Benares edition); e.g., tatra wydkaranan jyotisha Niruktan Sikahd chhanduvichitih Kalpasútrdny = angani.'
Bhatta-kumarila in his Tantraodrtika briefly gives the topics discussed in the six Vedangas and remarks that, in the Chhandopchili, Gdyatri and other metres are distinguished (Chhandotichity. um=api Gayatryádiviveko loka-Vedayoh purvavad-eva pratyak shah )
Jayamangala in his cominentary on Bhatti I, speaks of chhandovi vriti' as one of the six Vedangas (Siksha kalpo vydlearanan chhandovivsitir Niruklar jytiahari cheti chadangani ldatrani).
The Vrittaratndleara (VI. 3.) speaks of the Chhandovichiti, which word is explained by the commentator Narayana as Chhandabólstram' (prustdro= ayam sa málshydtas-Chhandovichitivedibhih).
We shall now quote from two writers, who speak of Chhandopichits, but not as a Veddiga.
Varahamihira in his Brihutsavishit mentions & Ohhandovichiti (vipuldm=api buddhvá Chhandovichitin bhavati karyam=et&val | Yruli-sukha.la-villa-sangrahum=imam=dha Vardhamihirostah II ). Varahamihira flourished in the 6th century A.D. He cannot be supposed to refer to the work of Dandin, even if we conceded for the sake of argunient that the latter wrote a chhandovichiti. as Dandin cannot be placed carlier than the oth century A.D.
Subandhu in his Vásavadlatta twice apoaks of the Chhandovichili (chhandovichitir =iva Malini. sandthd ; Chhandovichitimu ina bhrdjamanu-Tanuma lhyám). Both the metres, vit., Malini and Tanumadbyà are defined in the work of Pingulo. Subandha is also a very early writer, being not later than A.D. 600. Vůmana in bis Kavydlarak dra-urilti quotes Lim. Baņa in his introduction to the Hurshacharita is generally regarded as referring to the Vasava lattd of Subandhu. The words in the introduction to the Kadambart 'dhiyd nibaddh-eyam = atidvayi katha' must also be taken as referring to the Vasavadatta and the Bșihatkatha.
The work of Pingala is now looked upon as a Vedanga. It is written in the outra style and must be of great antiqnity. The Panchatantra speaks of him as a treasure of metrical knowledge (Chhandojítána nidhi jaghana makaro veldtage Pingalam). The Vittaraindkara, which is itself comparatively early work, looks upon Pingala as the highest anthority on metrics, and quotes him at every step. No ancient work, except Pingala's, that deals with both Vedio and similar metres as the Chhandwichiti referred to by Kumarila appears to have done, has come down to us. From all these circumstances, it appears to me that the Chhandovichiti referred to by the writers quoted above, and by Dandin and Vamana is the work of Pingala.
The question whether Dandin is the author of the Msichchhakatika, though an interesting one, does not at present concern' us. We reserve the discussion of it for auother issue of this journal.
# Verse 144.
• Page 79.
Chapter 101, verse 64, Prof. Drirodi's edition.
