Anuṣṭubh
Encyclopedia
is the name of a meter and a metrical unit, found in both Vedic
and Classical Sanskrit
poetry, but with significant differences.
By origin, an anuṣṭup stanza is a quatrain
of four lines. Each line, called a pāda (lit. "foot") has eight syllables.
ā´ yás te sar | pirāsute | - - - - | u - u - |
ágne śám ás | ti dhā´yase‖ - - u - | u - u - ‖
áiṣu dyumnám | utá śrávah | - - - u | u - u u |
ā´ cittám már | tieṣu dhāh ‖ - - - - | u - u - ‖
next, a mildly trochaic development in the opening of each pāda; and finally the development of the "epic Anuṣṭubh" (mostly in the Atharvaveda
) prefiguring the classical śloka
form. Although in these hymns the iambic cadence of the first verse is still the most frequent (25%) of all varieties, it is already very nearly equaled (23%) by the normal and characteristic cadence of the first verse in the epic Anuṣṭhubh (śloka
), where the iambic cadence in the first verse has entirely disappeared.
, as described above, which may be considered the Indian verse par excellence, occurring, as it does, far more frequently than any other meter in classical Sanskrit poetry.
The epic anuṣṭubh (shloka
) is treated as a couplet. Each hemistich
of 16 syllables can take either a pathyā ("normal") form or one of several vipulā ("extended") forms.
The metrical constraints on a hemistich in terms of its two constituent pādas are as follows:
Noteworthy is the avoidance of an iambic cadence in the first pāda. By comparison, Syllables 5-7 of any pāda in the old Vedic anuṣṭubh is typically a ja-gaṇa ("υ – υ"), or a dijambus.
An example of an anuṣṭubh stanza which fails the classical requirements of a shloka is from the Shatapatha Brahmana
Vedic meter
The verses of the Vedas have a variety of different meters. They are divided by number of padas in a verse, and by the number of syllables in a pada. Chandas , the study of Vedic meter, is one of the six Vedanga disciplines, or "organs of the vedas".*: 3 padas of 8 syllables-Principles:The main...
and Classical Sanskrit
Sanskrit metre
The verses of the Vedas have a variety of different meters. They are divided by number of padas in a verse, and by the number of syllables in a pada. Chandas , the study of Vedic meter, is one of the six Vedanga disciplines, or "organs of the vedas".*: 3 padas of 8 syllables-Principles:The main...
poetry, but with significant differences.
By origin, an anuṣṭup stanza is a quatrain
Quatrain
A quatrain is a stanza, or a complete poem, consisting of four lines of verse. Existing in various forms, the quatrain appears in poems from the poetic traditions of various ancient civilizations including Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, and China; and, continues into the 21st century, where it is...
of four lines. Each line, called a pāda (lit. "foot") has eight syllables.
In Vedic texts
Arnold distinguishes three varieties of anuṣṭubh in the Vedic corpus: an early free form, with very few restrictions except a general iambic ("υ - υ +") tendency in the cadence (vṛtta) of each of the four pādas; e.g.ā´ yás te sar | pirāsute | - - - - | u - u - |
ágne śám ás | ti dhā´yase‖ - - u - | u - u - ‖
áiṣu dyumnám | utá śrávah | - - - u | u - u u |
ā´ cittám már | tieṣu dhāh ‖ - - - - | u - u - ‖
next, a mildly trochaic development in the opening of each pāda; and finally the development of the "epic Anuṣṭubh" (mostly in the Atharvaveda
Atharvaveda
The Atharvaveda is a sacred text of Hinduism and one of the four Vedas, often called the "fourth Veda"....
) prefiguring the classical śloka
Sloka
Sloka may refer to:* Sloka, Latvia, a neighbourhood of Jūrmala, Latvia* Sloka meter, a Sanskrit meter* Śloka, a Hindu prayer* Sloka Gora, a small settlement in central Slovenia* Sloka...
form. Although in these hymns the iambic cadence of the first verse is still the most frequent (25%) of all varieties, it is already very nearly equaled (23%) by the normal and characteristic cadence of the first verse in the epic Anuṣṭhubh (śloka
Sloka
Sloka may refer to:* Sloka, Latvia, a neighbourhood of Jūrmala, Latvia* Sloka meter, a Sanskrit meter* Śloka, a Hindu prayer* Sloka Gora, a small settlement in central Slovenia* Sloka...
), where the iambic cadence in the first verse has entirely disappeared.
In Classical Sanskrit
In classical Sanskrit the anuṣṭubh developed into its specific epic form known as shlokaShloka
A ' is a category of verse line developed from the Vedic Anuṣṭubh. It is the basis for Indian Epic verse, and may be considered the Indian verse form par excellence, occurring, as it does, far more frequently than any other meter in classical Sanskrit poetry. The Mahabharata and Ramayana, for...
, as described above, which may be considered the Indian verse par excellence, occurring, as it does, far more frequently than any other meter in classical Sanskrit poetry.
The epic anuṣṭubh (shloka
Shloka
A ' is a category of verse line developed from the Vedic Anuṣṭubh. It is the basis for Indian Epic verse, and may be considered the Indian verse form par excellence, occurring, as it does, far more frequently than any other meter in classical Sanskrit poetry. The Mahabharata and Ramayana, for...
) is treated as a couplet. Each hemistich
Hemistich
A hemistich is a half-line of verse, followed and preceded by a caesura, that makes up a single overall prosodic or verse unit. In Classical poetry, the hemistich is generally confined to drama. In Greek tragedy, characters exchanging clipped dialogue to suggest rapidity and drama would speak in...
of 16 syllables can take either a pathyā ("normal") form or one of several vipulā ("extended") forms.
The metrical constraints on a hemistich in terms of its two constituent pādas are as follows:
- General
- The 1st and 8th syllables of both pādas are anceps.
- The 2nd and 3rd syllables cannot both be light (laghu, "υ") in either pāda; i.e. one or both of the 2nd and 3rd syllables must be heavy (guru, "–") in both pādas.
- Syllables 2-4 of the second pāda cannot be a ra-gaṇa (the pattern "– υ –")
- Syllables 5-7 of the second pāda must be a ja-gaṇa ("υ – υ") This enforces an iambic cadence.
- Normal form (pathyā)
- Syllables 5-7 of the first pāda must be a ya-gaṇa ("υ – –")
- Variant forms (vipulā): The 4th syllable of the first pāda is heavy. In addition, one of the following is permitted:
- na-vipulā: Syllables 5-7 are a na-gaṇa ("υ υ υ")
- bha-vipulā: Syllables 2-7 are ra-bha gaṇas ("– υ – – υ υ") or ma-bha gaṇas with a caesura in between ("– – – , – υ υ")
- ma-vipulā: Syllables 2-7 are ra-ma gaṇas with a caesura after the 5th ("– υ – – , – –")
- ra-vipulā: Syllables 5-7 are a ra-gaṇa following a caesura (", – υ –")
Noteworthy is the avoidance of an iambic cadence in the first pāda. By comparison, Syllables 5-7 of any pāda in the old Vedic anuṣṭubh is typically a ja-gaṇa ("υ – υ"), or a dijambus.
An example of an anuṣṭubh stanza which fails the classical requirements of a shloka is from the Shatapatha Brahmana
Shatapatha Brahmana
The Shatapatha Brahmana is one of the prose texts describing the Vedic ritual, associated with the Shukla Yajurveda. It survives in two recensions, Madhyandina and Kanva , with the former having the eponymous 100 adhyayas,7624 kandikas in 14 books, and the latter 104 adhyayas,6806 kandikas in 17...
- āsandīvati dhānyādaṃ rukmiṇaṃ haritasrajam
- abadhnādaśvaṃ sārańgaṃ devebhyo janamejaya
- "In Āsandîvat, Janamejaya bound for the gods a black-spotted, grain-eating
- horse, adorned with a golden ornament and with yellow garlands."