meter in Paramarthasara

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Dear list members,

The Paramarthasara of Abhinavagupta is written in AryA meter and this is

specifically mentioned in the last verse of it. But the first verse is an

exception and is written in a 4 line, 11 syllablic meter as follows:

 

paraM parasthaM gahanAd anAdim

ekaM niviSTaM bahudhA guhAsu|

sarvAlayaM sarvacarAcarasthaM

tvAm eva zaMbhuM zaraNaM prapadye||

 

i.e.

 

u - u - - u u - u - u

- - u - -u u - u - u

- - u - - u u - u - -

- - u - - u u - u - -

 

1) Can someone identify this meter for me. The last two lines of the

stanza are I think indravajrA, but I don't see any 11 syllable meters in

Apte that end on a short syllable. Or can the last syllable optionally be

short?

 

2) Is this an unusual case, to have the first verse of a metrical work

written in a different meter from the rest, and in particular to have a work

written in AryA meter to have its first verse a syllabic meter.

 

Many thanks,

Harry

 

 

 

Harry Spier

371 Brickman Rd.

Hurleyville, New York

USA 12747

 

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