APPENDIX II. METRE.

Rhyme is not used in the Rgveda. The metres are regulated by the number of syllables in the stanza, which consists generally of three or four Padas, measures, divisions, or quarter verses, with a distinctly marked interval at the end of the second Pada, and so forming two hemistichs or semi-stanzas of equal or unequal length. These Padas most usually contain eight or eleven or twelve syllables each; but occasionally they consist of fewer and sometimes of more than these numbers. The Padas of a stanza are generally of equal length and of more or less corresponding prosodial quantities: but sornetimes two ox more kinds of metre are employed in one stanza, and then the Padas vary in quantity and length. As regards quantity, the first Syllables of the Pada are not subject to very strict laws, but the last four are more regular, their measure being generally iambic in Padas of eight and of twelve syllables and trochaic in those of eleven. In the printed text the first and second Padas form one line, and the third, or third and fourth, or third, fourth, and fifth, complete the distich or stanza. This arrangement I have followed in my translation.

Subjoined, in alphabetical arrangement, are the names, with brief descriptions, of the metres used in the Hymns of the Rgveda. The Index of Hymns will show the metre or metres employed in each Hymn.

Abhtisarini: a species of Trstup, in which two Padas contain twelve instead of eleven syllables.

Amstup or Anustubh: consisting of four Padas of eight syllables each, two Padas forming a line. This is the prevailing form of metre in the Manava-dharma-sastra, the Mahabharata, the Ramayana, and the Puranas.

Anustubgarbha: a metre of the Usnih class: the first Pada containing five syllables, and the three following Padas of eight syllables each.

Anustup Pipilikamadhya: a species of Anustup, having the second Pada shorter than the first and third (8 syllables+ 4+8+ 8).

Asti: consisting of four Padas of Sixteen syllables each, or sixty-four syllables in the stanza.

Astrapaikti: consisting of two Padas of eight syllables each, followed by two Padas of twelve syllables each.

Atidhrti: four Padas of nineteen syllables each, = 76 syllables.

Atijagati: four Padas of thirteen syllables each.

Atincrti: consisting of three Padas containing respectively seven, six, and seven syllables.

Atisakvari: four Padas of fifteen syllables each.

Atyasti: four Padas of seventeen syllables each.

Brhati: four Padas ( 8 + 8 + 12 + 8) containing 36 syllables in the stanza.

Caturvimsatika Dvipada: a Dvipada containing 24 syllables instead of 20.

Dhrti: consisting of seventy-two syllables in a stanza.

Dvipada Viraj: a species of Gayatri consisting of two Padas only (12+8 or 10+10 syllables); inadequately represented in the translation by two decasyllabic iambic lines.

Ekapada Tristup: a Trstup consisting of a single Pada or quarter stanza.

Ekapada Viraj: a Viraj consisting of a single Pada.

Gayatri: the stanza usually consists of twenty-four syllables, variously arranged, but generally as a triplet of three Padas of eight syllables each, or in one line of sixteen syllables and a second line of eight. There are eleven varieties of this metre, and the number of syllables in the stanza varies accordingly from nineteen to thirty-three.

Jagati: a metre consisting of forty-eight syllables arranged in four Padas of twelve syllables each, two Padas forming a line or hemistich which in the translation is represented by a double Alexandrine.

Kakup or Kakubh: a metre of three Padas consisting of eight, twelve, and eight syllables respectively.

Kakubh Nyakusira; consisting of three Padas of 9+12+4 syllables.

Krti: a metre of four Padas. of twenty syllables each.

Madhyejyotis: a metre in which a Pada of eight syllables stands between two Padas of twelve.

Mahibrhati: four Padas of eight syllables each, followed by one of twelve.

Mahapadapankti: a two-lined metre of thirtyone syllables, the first line consisting of four Padas of five syllables each, and the second being a Tristup of the usual eleven syllables. See Vedic Hymns, part 1. (S. Books of the East, XXXII), p. xcviii.

Mahapankti: a metre of forty-eight syllables 8 x 6 or 12 x 4.

Mahasatobrhati: a lengthened form of Satobrhati.

Nastarupi: a variety of Anustup.

Nyankusarini: a metre of four Padas of 8 + 12 + 8 + 8 syllables.

Padanicrt: a variety of Gayatri in which one syllable is wanting in each Pada: 7+3=21 syllables.

Padapankti: a metre consisting of five Padas of five syllables each.

Pankti: a metre of five octosyllabic Padas, like Anustup with an additional Pada.

Panktyuttara: a metre which ends with a Pankti of 5 + 5 syllables.

Pipilikamadhya: any metre the middle Pada of which is shorter than the preceding and the following.

Pragatha: a metre in Book VIII, consisting of strophes combining two verses, viz. a Brhati or Kakup followed by a Satobrhati.

Prastarapankti: a metre of forty syllables: 12+12+8+8

Pratistha: a metre of four Padas of four syllables each; also a variety of the Gayatri consisting of three Padas of eight, seven, and six syllables respectively.

Purastadbrhati: a variety of Brhati with twelve syllables in the first Pada.

Pura-usnih: a metre of three Padas, containing 12+8+8 syllables.

Sakvari: a metre of four Padas of fourteen syllables each.

Satobrhati: a metre whose even Padas contain eight syllables each, and the uneven twelve: 12+8+12+8=40.

Skandhogriva: consisting of Padas of 8 + 12 + 8 + 8 syllables.

Tanusira: consisting of three Padas of 11 + 11 + 6 syllables.

Tristup or Tristubh: a metre of four Padas of eleven syllables each.

Uparistadbrhati: consisting of four Padas of 12 + 8 + 8 + 8 syllables.

Uparistajjyotis: a Tristup stanza the last Pada of which contains only eight syllables.

Urdhvabrhati: a variety of Brhati.

Urobrhati: a variety of Brhati: 8+12 8 + 8 syllables.

Usniggarbha: Gayatri of three Padas of six, seven, and eleven syllables respectively.

Usnih: consisting of three Padas of 8 + 8 + 12 syllables.

Vardhamana: a species of Gayatri; 6 + 7 + 8 21 syllables.

Viparita: a metre of four Padas resembling Vistarapankti.

Viradrupa: a Tristup metre of four Padas, 11 + 11 + 11 + 7 or 8 syllables.

Viraj: a metre of four Padas of ten syllables each.

Viratpurva: a variety of Tristup.

Viratsthana: a variety of Tristup.

Visamapada: metre of uneven stanzas.

Vistarabrhati: a form of Brhati of four Padas containing 8 + 10 + 10 + 8= 36 syllables.

Vistarapankti: a form of Pankti consisting of four padas of 8+12+12+8-40 syllables.

Yavamadhya: a metre having a longer Pada between two shorter ones.