An Investigation on the Relevancy of the Use of Chandasa in the Versification (With Emphasis on Sinhalese Chandas Tradition)

Abstract

Chandasa (prosody) and Vṛtta (metre) are the two basic elements that give formative beauty in poetry. Everything related to chandas is considered in the chandas-śāstra. Eastern, as well as Western scholars, adopt a relevant methodology for the versification. However, some recent scholars have pointed out that vṛtta is not the basic element of poetry, and vṛtta is a non-relevant use, and some poets have not paid accurate attention to the relevancy of chandasa in the versification. In this context, is it really a meaningful work being done by vṛtta being the basis of poetry? It seems appropriate to investigate whether the relevancy of the use of the set of characteristic features of chandasa used in the versification has been transmitted by the ancient Chandas tradition is the main research problem in this study. The qualitative research methodology was used for this purpose, and texts written in Chandasa were used as primary sources, and the books and articles written on chandasa, vṛtta and on its relevant use were also used as secondary sources for this study. It is mainly observed whether there is an inseparable integration between the components of chandasa, vṛtta and the relevant use of chandasa. Also, the observation is done paying a firm attention to the Sinhala poetic literature and Sinhala chandas tradition as whether the relevancy is extant in the naming of chandasa and vṛtta, vṛtta based rasa (aesthetic-experience) production, vṛtta based communication, concentration of mood through vṛtta, and in the use of syllable (akṣara), tempo (tāla), eḷivaṭa, pause (yatiya). Based on these observations, it is concluded in this research that chandasa and vṛtta are the basic elements in versification, chandas should be used relevantly in versification, chandasa has evolved in a relevant pattern since its origin. Also, it is impossible to examine, separating these aspects one with another, since there is an inseparable combination between chandasa, vṛtta andits relevancy.