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III
(For Ratnasekhara's Chandaħkośa See Appendix II.)
21. Chandaħkośa of Ratnasekhara is a short treatise on a few Apabhramsa metres, which were considered by its author to be more im and usually employed at his times. In addition to these it also defines the Gāthā together with its varieties and the metres derived from it. In almost all the cases, including those of the Găthā, the defining stanza itself serves as an illustration of the metre which is defined in it. It is remarkable that the Chandaḥkośa is composed partly in the Prakrit and partly in the Apabhramśa language. Thus stanzas 1-4 and 51-74 are written in Prakrit and in a comparatively concise style. No authorities are mentioned in this part. On the other hand, vv. 5-50 are written in the Apabhraíba language and in a rather verbose style. This second part contains references to two Apabhramsa poet-prosodists, Arjuna and Gosala, or Alhu and Gulhu as they seem to have been popularly called. The former is mentioned in 9 stanzas, namely, 10, 11, 15, 19, 27, 30, 34, 35 and 41; the latter in stanzas 6, 12, 14, 18, 26 and 29. In two of the stanzas, vv. 12 and 29, in which Gulha is mentioned, we find also a reference to the vain arrogance and ignorance of Sanskrit Pandits, who treat Apabhramśa poetry with contempt. There are two more allusions; one in v. 45 to Pingala and the other to Nāgarāja, i.e., Pingala himself, in v. 4. But neither of these references can be verified either from the Chandassūtra or from the Prākrta Paingala. The first of these two stanzas, i.e., v. 45, defines a Mātrā Vrtta called Hakkā; this is, however, known to the Prākṣta Paingala as Catușpadi (I. 97). The other stanza, v. 4, defines a Varna Vịtta called Somakrānta; this is called Vidyunmālā both in the Chandassūtra 6.6. and the Prākṣta Paingala II.66. Arjuna and Gosala are mentioned as kavi in vv. 12, 27, 30 and 35 ; further, the stanzas in which their authority is quoted contain such expressions as Alha utta, ujjuno jampae, ajjuni kahio, Gulhu jampai-payampai, gosalena payāsio etc. From these it is obvious that these two were distinguished poet-prosodists, who wrote in the Apabhramśa language and had very likely composed manuals of Apabhramsa prosody, from which Ratnasekhara has quoted in his Chandaḥkośa. It is really difficult to say what portion from vv. 4-50 of the work was actually composed by Ratnasekhara and how much he reproduced from Arjuna and Gosala; but the appearance of those stanzas at least in which the names of these poets are mentioned, should leave no doubt that they were actually reproduced from their works. As regards some others like vv. 12, 16, 25, 31, 46 and 50, whose close resem
