Chhanda or measured poetry: 4

|| shriihariH ||

Recap

The last post initiated discussions on vaarNika-sama-chhanda and this post will review more of the same kind.

Sama Chhanda: More Examples

4) stragviNii

This is the first chhanda that wasn't mentioned before. If the syllable pattern in each charaNa is {2 1 2} X 4, it is called as stragviNii chhanda. Very beautiful poems are present in this very regular meter, which oscillates between long and short syllables. A few examples follow:

Example(s):

achyutaM keshavaM raamanaaraayaNaM |
kRRiShNadaamodaraM vaasudevaM hariM ||
shriidharaM maadhavaM gopikaavallabhaM |
jaanakiinaayakaM raamcha.NdraM bhaje ||

Adi Shankaracharya, ``Achyutashtakam''

aadidevaM jagatkaaraNaM shriidharaM |
lokanaathaM vibhuM vyaapakaM shankaraM ||
sarvabhakteShTadaM muktidaM maadhavaM |
satyanaaraayaNaM viShNumiishaM bhaje ||

Author Unknown, ``Satyanaarayanashtakam''

Note: Both the poems follow the same case of noun, adorning Lord with adjectives, and terminate in the verb bhaje. Also, the devotees will notice that, Achyutashtakam is a nice intermingling of adjectives for Raam, Krishna, and Vishnu.

5) mandaakraantaa
If the syllable pattern in each charaNa is 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 1 2 2 1 2 2, the chhanda is called as mandaakraantaa. The word mandaakraantaa is composed of two words, viz, manda and aakraanta, which means slow and fast, respectively. The {1 2 2} X 3 tail is the aakraanta part while the beginning is the manda part.

Example:

shaantaakaaraM bhujagashayanaM -*
padmanaabhaM sureshaM |
vishvaadhaaraM gaganasadRRishaM-
meghavarNaM shubhangaM ||
lakshmiikaantaM kamalanayanaM-
yogibhirdhyaanagamyaM |
vande viShNuM bhavabhayaharaM-
sarvalokaikanaathaM ||

Sri Ved Vyasa, ``Vishnusahastranaam stotra''

Note: This example is one of the most popular dhyaan or meditation on Sri Vishnu.

6) tuuNaka
If the syllable pattern in each charaNa is 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2, i.e., eight 2 and seven 1 alternating, the chhanda is called as tuuNaka. Notice its huge similarity with the paMchachaamara or vibhaavarii chhanda. As the reader expects, this chhanda boasts an exceptionally fast rendition or chanting.

Example:

dharmasetupaalakaM tvadharmamaarganaashakaM |
karmapaashamochakaM susharmadaayakaM vibhuM ||
swarNavarNasheShapaashashobhitaa~ngamaNDalaM |
kaashikaapuraadhinaathakaalabhairavaM bhaje ||

Author Unknown, ``Kaal-Bhairavashtakam''

Comments

Examples of sama-chhanda are endless and this post may have stirred the enthusiast's mind for further discovery. Next, ardha-sama-chhanda will be discussed which boasts of the most widely chhanda called anuShTupa or shloka chhanda. The popular chhanda may be summarized in a table or list in lexicographic order in a later post.

Footnote

* Apologies for the width restriction in blog. Each charaNa has been broken into two for fitting. Sorry for the inconvenience.