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The Contribution of Jain Authors to Sanskrit Chandaḥtästra
illustrations of the Sanskrit metres given in his 'Chandon usasana' appear to be closely modelled on those of Svayambhu." Rājasthan Puratan Granthamala (Bock No. 37) has published H. D. Velankar's critical edition. of 'Svayambhuchanda' with Sanskrit chaya of Prakrit definitions and
illustrations.
In the seventh chapter, which is named 'Uktadi-vidhiḥ' of samavrttas belonging to the 26 Jatis beginning with Ukta' and ending with Utkrti' are defined.
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The eighth chapter treat 'Ardhasama metres'. Meties, from 'Vegavati' to 'Khanja' are defined in 14 verses.
In the nineth chapter, which is named as 'Prakṛtasära", Vişama metres from udgata to Amṛtadhärà are defined. Here also there are 1 Verses. Each metre is illustrated by one or more stanzas.
Svayambhu does not employ the varna ganas in the definitions of the five Amsas as he instead of a single line addition or removal of
these metres, but always uses the five Matra ganas, calls them. He defines the metre in full stanza, or sutra. He indicates in his definitions how by a letter or a gana from one metre, another is produced. Svayambl u does not mention a yati in the middle of a line of the Varna Vrttas He sides with those prosodists who do not recognise yati in Varnavṛttas. He quotes his illustrations from a large number of authers who appear to have been genuine Prakrit poets making use of Varaa Vrttas, including the Dandukas.
Among the 50 metres and Dandakas which are found in seventh chapfer at least 16 metres are such as are peculiar to Svayambhu, but later on mentioned only by Hemachandra, thus showing that they were known only to the Jain tradition,
His treatment of Dandakas, differ from that of Pingala. Among his Ardhasama Vrttas a new metre Safpadavali (which is an inverted 'Yava matt') is defined by Hemacandra alone lateron.
The ninth chapter is named as Prākṛta-saram' instead of 'Visama". The name 'Präkṛta-Saram' occurs in the concluding stanza of that chapter. It means the essential metres of Prakrit language, as against the metres of the Apabhramsa language which are dealt with in the following Samobodhi XI-22
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