Bhujanga meter

[Anand Hudli]

On Tue, 27 Jun 2000 23:58:16 EDT, S. V. Subrahmanian
<svs_shankara at HOTMAIL.COM> wrote:

 >I am trying to read Subrahmanya Bhujangam of Shri ShankarAcharya.  I have
 >a
 >rough translation with me.  In the foreword it is mentioned that the
 >Bhujanga at the end of the name of the Stotra is a reference to the meter
 > in
 >which it was composed.
 >
 >Can anyone explain what a Bhujanga meter is ?
 >
 >While it is nice to read the stotra with devotion, we can also appreciate
 >Shankara's poetic skills in that as well.

The BhujangaprayAta meter has four "ya" gaNas in a pAda or quarter
of each verse. A "ya" gaNas is a short syllable followed by two
long syllables in that order. The bhujangaprayAta is a samavR^itta,
which means all quarters are similar in structure.

sa-daa-baa-la-ruu-paa.-api-vi-ghnaa-dri-han-trii

You can see that the pattern is:

  s-l-l-s-l-l-s-l-l-s-l-l

  where s = short syllable and l= long syllable

  Each s-l-l pattern is a "ya" gaNa.

  Any syllable that is at the end of a quarter is counted as short
  or long in accordance with the requirment of the meter, regardless
  of whether the syllable itself is short or long.

  Another example of a verse in the bhujangaprayAta is mentioned
  by Apte in his dictionary. This probably comes from a poet who
  is expressing his bitterness more than giving out practical advice:

  dhanairnishhkulInAH kulInA bhavanti
  dhanairApadaM mAnavA nistaranti |
  dhanebhyaH paro bAndhavo nAsti loke
  dhanAnyarjayadhvaM dhanAnyarjayadhvam.h ||

  With money, those who are not from a good family, come (to be
  considered from) a good family. With money people completely
  overcome any calamity. There is no relative closer than money.
  Earn money! Earn money!

Anand

--
bhava shankara deshikame sharaNam

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