436 ON SANSCRIT AND 



The Praharshim, containing thirty syllables,- sepa- 

 rates a molossus, from two pyrrichii, as many trochees 

 and a spondee. An example of it will be shown in a 

 subsequent extract from Bhavabhu'ti's drama. 



The Ruchira, with the same number of syllables, 

 disjoins two iambics, from two pyrrichii, a trochee and 

 cretic. The opening stanza of the Bhatticavya may 

 serve as an instance of this metre. The poem bearing 

 that title, is on the subject of the adventures of Ra'ma : 

 it is comprised in 22 cantos. Being composed pur- 

 posely for the practical illustration of grammar, it ex- 

 hibits a studied variety of diction in which words ano- 

 malously inflected arc most frequent. The style, how- 

 ever, is neither obscure nor inelegant : and the poem 

 is reckoned among the classical compositions in the 

 -S'rtwj^ri/ language. The author was Bhartrihaki : not, 

 as might be supposed from the name, the celebrated 

 brother of Vickama'ditya : but a grammarian and 

 poet, who was son of S'ki'd'hara swa'mi, as we are 

 informed by one of his scholiasts Vidya' vinode. 



Ruchira metre. 



[See Plats C. Fig. 4.] 



Abhun nrlpo, vibiKrha-sac'hah, parantapah, s'rutanwit 6,Uas 



arat'c'ha iiyndahritah, 

 Gunair varain, bhuvana hita-chch'halcna, yam Sanalanah 



pitaratn up gaiiiat swayain. , 



* He, whom the eternal chose for a father, that he might 

 betietit the wor'd [in a human form,] was a king, a friend of 

 t':e gods, a discomtiter of foes, and versed in science : his 

 name was Das akat'ha. He was a prince eminent for his 

 virtues.' i. i. 



The ..S«^'Wtf;^^z' distributes twenty, syllables in three 

 portions of the verse : one containing two spondees 

 and a bacchius ; the si:coiid four short syllables iuid an 



anapaicst ; 



