Indological Studies

Author(s): H C Bhayani
Publisher: Parshva Prakashan

Page 54

444
Literary and Performing Arts
The metre can be identified as Vadanaka. Each of its verseline has 16 Mātrās (6 + 4 + 4 + ).
At Chandonušāsana, VII 47 (following Svayambhūcchands VI 165) is defined an Apabhraíśa metre of the Dvipadi type, called Caccari. It has 37 Mātrās (6, 4x 7, 3; Caesuras after 14, 8) Its illustration is as follows: चच्चरि चारु चवहिं अच्छर कि-वि, रासउ खेल्लहिं, कि-वि कि-वि गायहिं वर धवल । रयहिं रयण-सत्थिअ कि-वि दहि.. अक्खय गिव्हहिं, कि-वि जम्मूसवि तुह जिण-धवल ॥
Hemacandra's illustration indicates that Caccari could be recited also, that it need not be necessarily acconpamied by a dance performance and that it can be used as a hymn at a religious festival.27
Now in the first act of the Ratnāvali there is a reference to the sounds and notes of the Carcari, that was being performed by the city folk in the main street. It was accompanied by sweet vocal and instrumental music. When Vidūşaka refers to it as Caccari, the maid Madanikā rebukes him with the remark, 'Oh fool, it is not Caccari, It is Duvadi-khamda'. Thereby Madanikā points out that the song accompanying the dance is in the metre called Duvadi-khamda (i.e. Dvipadi-khanda) and not in Carcari metro.
At Kuvalayamālā p. 52, 11. 11-14 and p. 116, 11. 18-19 we come across two occurrences of song in this metre, designated by Uddyotana-sūri as Duvai-khamdalaya. Of these the first song is sung by Māna-bhata while swinging on a swing as a part of the celebration of the Spring Festival. The second song is sung by a Yaksa maiden as a hymn to the Jina idol. The two songs differ in language and metrical structure. The first is in Prakrit and is a strophic metre of the Dvibhangi type. It is made up of two syntactically connected units. The first unit is a Dvipadi (four lines of 28 Mātrās each) and the second a Giti two lines of 30 Mātrās each). On the other hand, the second song is in Sanskrit and is made up of only a Dvipadi.