Vruttajatisamucchaya - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Vrittajatisamucchaya" by Kavi Virahanka, based on the provided pages:

Book Title: Vruttajatisamucchaya (सटीक वृत्तजातिसमुच्चय) Author: Kavi Virahanka (कवि विरहाङ्क) Commentary: Gopala (श्री गोपालकृतटीकयोपेतः) Publisher: Rajasthan Oriental Research Institute, Jodhpur (राजस्थान प्राच्यविद्या प्रतिष्ठान, जोधपुर) Series: Rajasthan Puratana Granthamala (राजस्थान पुरातन ग्रन्थमाला) Volume/Number: 61 (ग्रन्थाङ्क ६१) Year of Publication: V.S. 2018 (1962 A.D.) (विक्रमाब्द २०१८, ख्रिस्ताब्द १९६२)

Overview:

The Vṛttajātisamuccaya is a significant and ancient treatise on Prakrit prosody, with a primary focus on Prakrit and some Sanskrit metres. It is divided into six chapters (Niyamas). The work is primarily written in Prakrit, with the exception of the fifth chapter which details Sanskrit Varṇa Vrttas. The author, Virahanka, is believed to be a non-Jain scholar, possibly belonging to the period between the 6th and 8th centuries AD. The text is presented with a commentary by Gopala.

Key Content and Structure:

The book covers a wide range of prosodic topics, including:

Chapter I (Prathamo Niyamah - First Rule):
- Introduction to Prakrit metres, their classification, and preliminaries such as definitions of short and long letters, and various mātrā gaņas (groups of syllables based on duration).
- Detailed descriptions of Dvipadīs, differentiating between Gīti and Gītikā.
- Exploration of strophic Dvipadīs, suggesting their popularity likely indicates a focus on lyric poetry rather than narrative during Virahanka's time.
- Discussion on the etymology of the term Dvipadi.
- Enumeration of metres derived from Gāthā, including important Sama, Ardhasama Catuspadis, Pañcapadi Mātrā, and eleven strophic metres.
- Definition of fifty Varņa Vrttas (Sanskrit metres based on syllable patterns).
- Explanation of six Pratyayas (proofs or methods for analysing metres): Prastāra, Naṣṭa, Uddiṣṭa, Laghukriyā, Saṁkhyā, and Adhvan.
- Detailed descriptions of various types of Prastāra (spreading out of permutations), including Suci, Meru, Patākā, Samudra, Viparīta Samudra, Pātāla, Śālmali, and Viparīta Śālmali.
- Discussion on Naṣṭa (finding an unknown metre from its serial number) and Uddiṣṭa (finding a serial number from a given metre) for both Varņa Vrttas and Mātrā Vrttas.
- Explanation of Laghukriyā (short-letter operation) and Saṁkhyā (counting permutations) with novel methods.
- Treatment of Adhvan (measure of space required for writing), including an interesting table of length measures and the space required for each letter.
- Inferences about the age of the work and the author.
Chapter II (Dvitiyo Niyamah - Second Rule):
- Focuses on the general structure of Dvipadīs and their variations.
- Defines Gītikā, a crucial component of strophic Dvipadīs.
- Explains interposed metres like Vidārī, Ekaka, Dvipathaka, and Vistāritaka.
- Discusses the nature of Rāsakas, suggesting a preference for shorter lyrical poems over longer narrative ones.
- Highlights the prevalence of Gāthā and Gīti over Dohā, indicating the antiquity of the author.
- Notes the absence of the well-known narrative metre Pajjhaṭikā, further supporting an earlier dating.
- Explores the potential origin of the term Dvipadi and its application to four-lined metres.
Chapter III (Tṛtīyo Niyamah - Third Rule):
- Provides detailed definitions and illustrations of the fifty Dvipadīs of the Mātrāgaṇasama type.
- This chapter is particularly rich in defining numerous specific metres, often with poetic descriptions and examples.
- It also includes definitions of metres like Gāthā, Skandhaka, Gīti, and Upagīti.
Chapter IV (Caturtho Niyamah - Fourth Rule):
- Continues the detailed definition and illustration of various Prakrit metres, including Sama Catuspadis, Ardhasama Catuspadis, Vişama Catuspadi, additional Dvipadīs, and eleven strophic metres.
- Highlights specific metres like Vaitālīya, Aupacchandasika, Apatalikā, Khañjaka, Khandodgatā, Mukha Galitā, Māgadhikā, Dvipathaka, Utphullaka, Dhosā, Vicchitti, and Mātrā (a Pañcapadi metre).
- Discusses the influence of Gāthā and Gīti on strophic metres.
- Refers to specific dialects like Abhīrī and Māravādi in the context of metres.
Chapter V (Pañcamo Niyamah - Fifth Rule):
- Dedicated to the definition of fifty Sanskrit Varņa Vrttas.
- The author uses Sanskrit for this chapter and follows a methodical approach.
- The metres defined are predominantly Sama Catuspadis.
- Notably absent is the discussion of Yati (caesura) within the lines, suggesting the author's focus on external structure.
Chapter VI (Ṣaṣṭho Niyamah - Sixth Rule):
- Explains the six Pratyayas or proofs: Prastāra, Naṣṭa, Uddiṣṭa, Laghukriyā, Saṁkhyā, and Adhvan.
- Prastāra is elaborated with eight types: Suci, Meru, Patākā, Samudra, Viparīta Samudra, Pātāla, Śālmali, and Viparīta Śālmali.
- Naṣṭa and Uddiṣṭa are explained as methods for finding unknown metrical structures or their serial numbers.
- Laghukriyā deals with calculating the number of short and long letters.
- Saṁkhyā refers to the total number of permutations of a metre.
- Adhvan deals with the spatial aspect of writing metres.

Significance and Contributions:

Early Prosodic Tradition: The Vṛttajātisamuccaya is considered a crucial link in the history of Indian prosody, bridging the gap between earlier traditions and later comprehensive works like Hemacandra's Chandōnuśāsana.
Focus on Prakrit Lyrics: Virahanka's elaborate treatment of Dvipadīs and his emphasis on strophic metres suggest a period where Prakrit lyric poetry was highly developed.
Dialectal Variations: The mention of metres like Ādilā in Ābhīrī and Dhosā in Māravī highlights the awareness of dialectal variations in early Prakrit literature and prosody.
Methodology: Virahanka's method of defining metres using entire stanzas for illustration, rather than single lines or sutras, provides a comprehensive understanding of their structure and flow.
Technical Terminology: The work introduces and explains a rich set of technical terms related to prosody, contributing to the systematization of the field.
Historical Context: The references to earlier authors like Bhujagādhipa, Sātavāhana, and Vṛddhakavi, along with the discussion on the dating of the work, place it within a specific historical and literary context, suggesting an age prior to the full dominance of Jain authors in Prakrit literature.
Editorial Value: The publication by the Rajasthan Oriental Research Institute, based on manuscripts from Jaisalmer, and the inclusion of extensive editorial notes and appendices by Prof. H. D. Velankar make this edition valuable for scholars.

Author's Style and Context:

Virahanka's writing style is noted for its romantic bend, evident in his address to a beloved and the descriptive language used for metrical elements. His work reflects a period when popular verse literature and characteristic verse-forms were cultivated, potentially in Rajasthan, as suggested by references to Māravī Bhāṣā.

In summary, the Vṛttajātisamuccaya is a foundational text in Prakrit prosody, offering invaluable insights into the metrical systems, literary trends, and linguistic practices of ancient India, particularly from an earlier period preceding the well-known works of Svayambhū and Hemacandra.