Introduction to the Satpratyayas (six kinds of cognitive theories in prosody)

Chapter Seven Annotated Translation of Sixth Adhyaya: Satpratyayavidhana sastho'dhyayah | sastho'dhyayah | sasthah = the sixth; adhyayah = chapter Sixth Adhyaya prastara nasta uddista lagakriya sankhyana adhvayoga 6.0. satpratyaya (prastara adhvayoga ) - Sa!pratyaya (Six Prosodic Notions) - 1 [N.B. The number 6.0. refers Adhyaya 6; Within brackets its content is given. The next number means the pratyaya. In some cases, the third number shows each variety of pratyayas. Moreover, within brackets content of karika or its basic feature is given. The last number means the first karika or aphorism of Adhyaya 6 in the total count.] Aphorism: prastaro nastamuddistamekavyadilagakriya | sankhyanamadhvayogasca sadete pratyayah smrtah || 1a || prastaro nastamuddistamekadvyadilagakriya | sankhyanamadhvayogasca sadete pratyayah smrtah||1|| [N.B. Ending number refers to the number of karika or aphorism.] Construeh prastarah nastam uddistam eka-dvi +adi-la-ga-kriya sankhyanam adhva-yogah ca ete sat pratyayah smrtah | Word to word Meaning: prastarah = prastara [the tabulation or binary expansion]; nastam = nasta [the search of binary expansion of an unknown metre): uddistam = uddista [the search of the desired number of given binary expansion of a particular metre]; eka- dvi +adi-la-ga-kriya = ekadvayadilagakriya [the process of knowing numbers of heavy and light syllables of metres]; sankhyanam = sankhyana [the process of knowing total sum of metres]; adhva-yogah ca = [and] also adhvayoga [the process of knowing 551

sankhyana is the knowledge of getting the total number of metres of any chandas (sankhyanapratyayo nama prastaram vinapi tattacchandasametavanti vrttaniti vrttasankhyaparijnanam | ). It helps to find the sum of varieties possible in a metre consisting of a specified number of syllables or morae. The adhvayoga is the knowledge of knowing the length and width required for the prastara of any chandas (adhvayogapratyayo nama sarvesam chandasam prastarabhumiparimanajnanamiti | ). 4 This expedient assists to find the measure of vertical space needed for exhibiting the varieties or writing down the prastara of a particular chandas. These facts such as the permutation, the search of binary expansion of an unknown metre, the search of the desired number of given binary expansion of a particular metre, the process of knowing numbers of heavy and light syllables of metres, the process of knowing total sum of metres and the process of knowing prosodical length or space measurement of metres were recognized as 'satpratyayas or six kinds of cognitive theories in prosody. Though Pingala had not used the term pratyaya, it has been mentioned by Halayudha in the sense of methods which teach the structural varieties of chandases (chandasam bhedadipratyayakatvatpratyayah | ). Jayadeva the 7 author of the Jayadevachandas (before 900 A.D. or perhaps before 600 A.D.) finds those six methods in the term of 'chandas'. But, Jayakirti (1000 A.D.) uses the term pratyaya in his Chandanusasana. Mahaviracarya (850 A.D.) discusses the rules for the determination of satpratyayas in the sixth chapter of his work Ganitasarasangraha. These are also described by Brahmagupta (598 A.D.) in his 1 136 Vritta-ratnakara p. 89; °Vrittaratnakara p. 305; VRSN. pp. 112, 113; Vritta-ratnakara p. 182; Vritta-ratnakara pp. 187, 188; °Vrttaratnakara-parisista p. 5 °Chandahsastra p. 190 6 prastaro nastamuddistamekadvitrilaghukriya| samkhya caivadhvayogasca sadvidham chanda ucyate || ; prastaradau kriyabha `dacchandovrttaupacarikiti | Jayadaman P. 36 7 atha prastaradayah sat pratyayah | Jayadaman p. 113 * chandah sastroktasatpratyayanam sutrani | samadalavisamakharupam dvigunam vargikrtam ca padasamkhya| samkhyavisama saika dalato gurureva samadalatah || syallaghurevam kramasah prastaro'yam vinirdistah| nastankarthe laghuratha tat saikadale guruh punah punahsthanam || rupa ‌dvigunottaratastuddiste lankasamyutih saika | ekadyekottaratah padamrdhrdhvadharyatah kramotkramasah || sthapya pratilomaghnam pratilomapnena bhajitam saram | syallaghugurukriyeyam samkhyadvigunaikavarjita sadhva || °Ganitasarasangraha p. vi. 333-336; also vide. Vi. 218-221 554

Brahmaguptasphutasiddhanta and in the section named 'Misravyavahara' of the Lilavati of Bhaskara II (1114 A.D.). These are indeed six devices directly in contact with the mathematics. There is no possibility for one to have deeper and proper understanding of metrics without getting knowledge of those six methods which represent the scientific approach to the subject. Therefore, the obtainment of knowledge of them is indispensable not only for a real understanding of Sanskrit prosody, but also for the enhancement of the subject."