''Āryā metre'' is a

metre The metre (or meter in US spelling; symbol: m) is the base unit of length in the International System of Units (SI). Since 2019, the metre has been defined as the length of the path travelled by light in vacuum during a time interval of of ...

used in

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...

Prakrit Prakrit ( ) is a group of vernacular classical Middle Indo-Aryan languages that were used in the Indian subcontinent from around the 5th century BCE to the 12th century CE. The term Prakrit is usually applied to the middle period of Middle Ind ...

and Marathi verses. A verse in metre is in four metrical lines called ''pāda''s. Unlike the majority of metres employed in classical Sanskrit, the metre is based on the number of s ( morae) per . A short syllable counts for one , and a long syllable (that is, one containing a long vowel, or a short vowel followed by two consonants) counts for two s. It is believed that metre was taken from the gāthā metre of Prakrit. metre is common in Jain Prakrit texts and hence considered as favourite metre of early authors of

Jainism Jainism ( ), also known as Jain Dharma, is an Indian religions, Indian religion whose three main pillars are nonviolence (), asceticism (), and a rejection of all simplistic and one-sided views of truth and reality (). Jainism traces its s ...

. The earlier form of the metre is called old , which occurs in a some very early Prakrit and Pāli texts.

Āryā

The basic verse has 12, 18, 12 and 15 s in the first, second, third, and fourth ''pāda''s respectively. An example is the following from

Kālidāsa Kālidāsa (, "Servant of Kali (god), Kali"; 4th–5th century CE) was a Classical Sanskrit author who is often considered ancient India's greatest poet and playwright. His plays and poetry are primarily based on Hindu Puranas and philosophy. ...

's play '' Abhijñānaśākuntalam'' (c. 400 CE): : : : : : : : – u u , – – , u u – : u – u , – – , u – u , – – , – : u u u u , u – u , – – : – – , – – , u , – – , – :"I do not consider skill in the representation of plays to be good (perfect) until (it causes) the satisfaction of the learned (audience); the mind of even those who are very well instructed has no confidence in itself." Another example is from Nīlakaṇṭha Dīkṣita's '' Vairāgya-śataka'' (17th century CE): : : : : : : : – – , – u u , – – : – – , – u u , u – u , – – , – : – – , – u u , – – : – – , – – , u , – u u , – :"People who know morality, know the inner order of conduct, know the Vedas (sacred knowledge), know the Scriptures or know the Supreme Spirit Himself are plentiful; but rare are those who know about their own ignorance." The metrical treatise lays down several other conditions: # Odd numbered should not be (u – u). # The sixth should be .

Gīti

The metre has 12, 18, 12 and 18 s in its four s respectively. lists several other conditions.

Upagīti

The metre has 12, 15, 12 and 15 s in its four s respectively. lists several other conditions.

Udgīti

The metre has 12, 15, 12 and 18 s in its four ''pāda''s respectively. lists several other conditions.

Āryāgīti

The metre has 12, 20, 12 and 20 s in its four s respectively. lists several other conditions.

References

{{reflist

External links

Recitation of the above examples
by Dr. R. Ganesh
Grammatical commentary on Kalidasa's verse

Nilakaṇṭha Dīkṣita
(Hindupedia article) Buddhist poetry Poetic rhythm Indian poetics