Changes

=== शास्त्रस्य परिचयः|| About the science ===

=== शास्त्रस्य परिचयः|| About the science ===

Chandas-śāstra, or the science of Sanskrit prosody, is a very ancient branch of study emerging right from the Veda-s. Veda-s are a poetic composition, written in specific metres like Anuṣṭubh, Triṣṭubh, Paṅkti etc. In order to understand the metrical arrangement of Veda-s, the Vedāṅga called Chandas emerged. Piṅgalācārya is the first known sage who has elaborated on the science of metres in his work ‘Chandas-sūtraṇi’. Then this tradition continued, flourished and prospered as many treatises were written in order to describe the Sanskrit prosody. Vṛttaratnākara by Kedārabhaṭṭa and Chandomañjarī by Gaṅgādāsa are some foremost treatises in this science. It is said that without Chandas-śāstra, a person is physically impaired.<blockquote>

Chandas-śāstra, or the science of Sanskrit prosody, is a very ancient branch of study emerging right from the Veda-s. Veda-s are a poetic composition, written in specific meters like Anuṣṭubh, Triṣṭubh, Paṅkti etc. In order to understand the metrical arrangement of Veda-s, the Vedāṅga called Chandas emerged. Piṅgalācārya is the first known sage who has elaborated on the science of meters in his work ‘Chandas-sūtraṇi’. Then this tradition continued, flourished and prospered as many treatises were written in order to describe the Sanskrit prosody. Vṛttaratnākara by Kedārabhaṭṭa and Chandomañjarī by Gaṅgādāsa are some foremost treatises in this science. It is said that without Chandas-śāstra, a person is physically impaired.<blockquote>

  विना व्याकरणेनान्धो बधिरः कोशवर्जितः|

  विना व्याकरणेनान्धो बधिरः कोशवर्जितः|

</blockquote>“A person without grammar is blind, without lexicography, he is deaf, without prosody, is handicap and without logic, is dumb.”

</blockquote>“A person without grammar is blind, without lexicography, he is deaf, without prosody, is handicap and without logic, is dumb.”

Thus, this shows the immense importance of Chandas-śāstra upheld by the Indian tradition. Now, let us see the types of metres used in Sanskrit, elaborated by the most important treatises on Sanskrit metres. For beginning with the understanding of metres, some basic terminologies must be comprehended.

Thus, this shows the immense importance of Chandas-śāstra upheld by the Indian tradition. Now, let us see the types of meters used in Sanskrit, elaborated by the most important treatises on Sanskrit meters. For beginning with the understanding of meters, some basic terminologies must be comprehended.

===लघुगुरूणां लक्षणम् | The definitions of laghu and guru===

===लघुगुरूणां लक्षणम् | The definitions of laghu and guru===

There are many more Mātrā-vṛtta-s in Sanskrit, and even more in other regional languages like Marathi, Kannada, Telugu and Hindi.

There are many more Mātrā-vṛtta-s in Sanskrit, and even more in other regional languages like Marathi, Kannada, Telugu and Hindi.

=== यतिनियमाः || Rules for Yati (pause) ===

<nowiki>=== यतिनियमाः || Rules for Yati (pause) ===</nowiki>

While talking, conversing or singing, a human being, naturally has to pause for breath, for several times. We cannot recite long strings of verses without pausing for breath. Therefore, the Chandas-Śāstra has decided certain specific places in the verses, where a reader is supposed to halt for a second and then proceed ahead. These places are called as 'Yati'. Chandas-Śāstra is very strict about the rules of Yati, and the poet as well as reader has to follow the specifications of Yati, very sincerely. Let us see, for example, the meter seen before, Śārdūtavikrīḍita. '''सूर्याश्वं यदि मः सजौ सततगाः शार्दूलविक्रीडितम् |''' - this is the defintion of the meter. Let us focus on the first part ''''सूर्याश्वं'''<nowiki/>'. This is a reference to the places of Yati in this meter. Sūrya or sun refers to number 12, and aśva or horse refers to number 7. Thus, this meter with 19 syllables will have its first Yati after the 12th syllable, and the next Yati after 7 syllables counting from the 12th syllable, i.e., after the 19th syllable. It is a rule that there has to be a pause after each and every pāda. Thus, Śārdūtavikrīḍita has one Yati within its pāda, and the second one is at the end of the pāda. Smaller meters like Indravajrā and Upendravajrā do not have any Yati.  

While talking, conversing or singing, a human being, naturally has to pause for breath, for several times. We cannot recite long strings of verses without pausing for breath. Therefore, the Chandas-Śāstra has decided certain specific places in the verses, where a reader is supposed to halt for a second and then proceed ahead. These places are called as 'Yati'. Chandas-Śāstra is very strict about the rules of Yati, and the poet as well as reader has to follow the specifications of Yati, very sincerely. Let us see, for example, the meter seen before, Śārdūtavikrīḍita. '''सूर्याश्वं यदि मः सजौ सततगाः शार्दूलविक्रीडितम् |''' - this is the defintion of the meter. Let us focus on the first part ''''सूर्याश्वं'''<nowiki/>'. This is a reference to the places of Yati in this meter. Sūrya or sun refers to number 12, and aśva or horse refers to number 7. Thus, this meter with 19 syllables will have its first Yati after the 12th syllable, and the next Yati after 7 syllables counting from the 12th syllable, i.e., after the 19th syllable. It is a rule that there has to be a pause after each and every pāda. Thus, Śārdūtavikrīḍita has one Yati within its pāda, and the second one is at the end of the pāda. Smaller meters like Indravajrā and Upendravajrā do not have any Yati.

Why is this Yati or pause so important? This is because, there are certain rules regarding Yati to be followed by poets while composing poetry. There should not be a cut in the middle of a compound in the place of Yati. Some sandhi-s are also prohibited in Yati-sthāna-s so as to make the pause sound natural. The Yati-s are designed in such a way that they allude to the tune of the meter and give a natural place for halting.

Why is this Yati or pause so important? This is because, there are certain rules regarding Yati to be followed by poets while composing poetry. There should not be a cut in the middle of a compound in the place of Yati. Some sandhi-s are also prohibited in Yati-sthāna-s so as to make the pause sound natural. The Yati-s are designed in such a way that they allude to the tune of the meter and give a natural place for halting.