Chandas (छन्दस्)

Significance of Chandas-es in Vedic Literature

Dr. Shreehari V. Gokarnakar

Assistant Professor, Amrita Darshanam (ICSS), Chennai,.

Introduction:

Chandas, as one of the six auxiliary disciplines or Vedāṅga-s, has an important role in the study of Vedic literature. These six Vedāṅga-s are Śikṣā (phonetics), Kalpa (ritual), Vyākaraṇa (grammar), Nirukta (etymology), Chandas (prosody) and Jyotis (astronomy). In the Veda-s, the Chandas represents the feet of the Veda-puruṣa. It is the foundation of the Veda-s. It plays a crucial role during the chanting of hymns. By the study of the Veda-s with the Vedāṅga-s, a disciple attains greatness in the Brahmaloka. Knowledge of Chandas facilitates the attainment of heaven, fame and long life. It is meritorious. It brings prosperity and is auspicious. The one who knows the use of Chandas-es becomes united with the Chandas-es and attains eternal prosperity after being free from body i.e. death. On the other hand, if anyone chants or imparts a Mantra with insufficient knowledge of the seer, metres, the deity and the application of the Mantra, he becomes sinful. Such a person is called a Mantrakaṇṭaka by Ṣaḍguruśiṣya in his commentary Vedārthadīpikā on the SarvaAnu., I.2.

Significance of Chandases in Vedic Literature:

In Vedic Literature, many stories and beliefs have been woven to indicate the significance of Chandas.

1. According to the TaiS.(5.6.6.1), “प्रजापतिरग्निमचिनुत स क्षरपविर्भूत्वा तिष्ठत्तं देवा बिभ्यतो नोपायन् ते छन्दोभिरात्मानं छादयित्वोपायन् तच्छन्दसां छन्दस्त्वम् ।।”

Once all the gods wanted to meet Prajāpati Brahmā. However, his body was surrounded by a raging fire. Hence, to reach Brahmā, all the gods covered their bodies with Chandas-es.

2. In the above Saṁhitā, a metaphor of a chariot is used for Chandas-es.

“सोऽब्रवीत् प्रजापतिश्छंदांसि - रथो मे भवत । युष्माभिरहमेतमध्वानमनुसंचराणीति । तस्य गायत्री च जगती च पक्षावभवताम् । उष्णिक् च त्रिष्टुप् च प्रष्ट्यौ अनुष्टुभ् च पङ्क्तिश्च धुर्यौ बृहत्योवोद्धिरभवताम् । स एतं छन्दोरथमास्थाय एतमध्वानमनुसमचरत् ।। ”

Once, Prajāpati Brahmā said to the Chandas-es to become his chariot and carry him. At that time, the Chandas-es Gāyatrī and Jagatī became wings. Uṣṇih and Triṣṭubh became reins. Anuṣṭubh and Paṅkti became horses and Bṛhatī became the carriage. All they formed the chariot and carried Prajāpati.

3. According to the description in the ChāndoU.(14.2),

“देवा वै मृत्योर्बिभ्यतस्त्रयीं विद्यां प्राविशंस्ते छन्दोभिरात्मानमाच्छादयन् यदेभिरच्छादयंस्तच्छन्दसां छन्दस्त्वम् ।” The gods were once afraid of death; hence, they entered threefold education. At that time, they covered themselves with Chandas-es and hid there.

4. In the AitĀ. (2.5), “छादयन्ति हि वा एनं छन्दांसि पापात्कर्मणो यस्यां कस्यांश्चिद्दिशि कामयते ।” It is said that if anybody who performs a sacrifice to any of the direction is protected by Chandas-es from any sinful act from that particular direction.

5. According to the ŚatBr.(7.5.2.60),

“गायत्रेण छन्दसा त्वा छादयामि । त्रैष्टुभेन छन्दसा त्वा छादयामि । जागतेन छन्दसा त्वा छादयामि ।” The performer of sacrifice is protected only because of Chandas.

As per another reference, the story is as follows: Lord Brahmā created this world and became free of the fear of death. At that time, he was very hungry. All the gods offered him food in the form of Chandas-es, and he was content with that food. In this way Gods were satisfied by Chandas-es and Chandas-es by Gods. “तद् यत्र छन्दांसि देवान् समतर्पयन्नथ छन्दांसि देवा: समतर्पयन् ।” (ŚatBr., 4.4.3.1.)

6. Chandas-es are even called the animals of gods. They carry sacrifices to the gods.

“पशवो वै देवानां छन्दांसि । तद् यथेदं पशवो युक्ता मनुष्येभ्यो वहन्ति । एवं छन्दांसि युक्तानि देवेभ्यो यज्ञं वहन्ति ।” (ŚatBr. 1.8.2.8).

These are seven in number. They are in the form of seven domestic and seven wild animals. All were created by Prajāpati. “छन्दांसि गच्छ स्वाहेति । सप्त वै छन्दांसि सप्त ग्राम्या: पशव: सप्तारण्यास्तानेवैतदुभयान्प्रजनयति ।” (ŚatBr.,1.1.6.16 .)

7. In the ŚatBr. “रसो वै छन्दांसि ।” 7.3.7.37, Chandas-es are also called sentiments.

8. According to the KauṣīBr.,

“तेऽब्रुवन्नङ्गिरस आदित्यान् । क्व स्थ क्व व: सद्भ्यो हव्यं वक्ष्याम इति । छन्द:सु इत्यब्रुवन् । गायत्र्यां त्रिष्टुभि जगत्यामिति तस्माच्छन्दस्सु सद्भ्य आदित्येभ्य आङ्गिरसा प्रजा हव्यं वहन्ति ।" (KauṣīBr., 7-9.11.8.172)

The Āṅgirasa-s asked all the Āditya-s, “Where are you? Where should we carry the offering to you from the Sadas?” The Āditya-s replied, “In Chandas-es.” Accordingly, the Āṅgirasa-s offered the offerings for Āditya-s in Gāyatrī, Triṣṭubh and Jagatī.

9. The ViṣṇuDhaP. states that the seven metres Gāyatrī, Uṣṇih, Anuṣṭubh, Bṛhati, Paṅkti, Triṣṭubh and Jagatī are the seven horses of the Sun.

10. In the BhagGī., Chandases are called leaves of the eternal Aśvattha tree . This indicates that the Chandas-es are innumerable.

In praise of these Vedic Chandases in general, Dr. Arnold E. Vernon observes that the Vedic poets were driven by the desire to introduce variety to their metres. They were occupied in constructing fresh metrical schemes as well as in producing verses by following established models. They showed confidence that a ‘new’ song will be more pleasing to the gods than an old one. By one method or other, metres, each with a beauty of its own were constructed. About contamination at a later period, Arnold states, that mixing of the lyric metres, from which grew the Bṛhatī-Satobṛhatī strophe (Pragāthā), is probably generally recognized as a beautiful metrical form of the Ṛgveda. The faculty of inventing and appreciating new and delicate variations of rhythm appears to be a special gift of the race. Contamination is also a ready instrument of the inventive temper.

From the above references, Chandas are remarkably significant in the Vedic Literature. Moreover, Kātyāyana states that the entire Sanskrit Literature is in the form of Chandas. The NāṭyaŚā. states that not a single word can exist without Chandas, and no Chandas can exist without words. Even speech is speechless without Chandas, states Yāskācārya. Therefore, Chandas is indispensible in Sanskrit poetry.