Sragdharā
Pattern
Description
Sragdharā is one of the longest meters in common use in Sanskrit literature. It belongs to the prakr̥tiḥ class, and hence it has 21 syllables per quarter.
The syllabic pattern is:
ऽ ऽ ऽ ऽ । ऽ ऽ , । । । । । । ऽ , ऽ । ऽ ऽ । ऽ ऽ
There is a word-break (yatiḥ) after the seventh and fourteenth syllables.
Kṣemendra notes in his Suvṛttatilaka that the sragdharā is suitable for the description of “violent winds and the like” (sāvēgapavanādīnāṁ varṇanē sragdharā matā).
Definitions
Piṅgala, Chandaḥsūtram 7.24:
sragdharā mrau bhnau y trisaptakāḥ
Nāṭyaśāstram 15.128–129:
catvāryādau tathā ṣaṣthaṁ saptamaṁ ca caturdaśam
aṣṭādaśaṁ saptadaśaṁ sathā pañcadaśaṁ punaḥ
antyōpāntyē gurūṇy atra laghūny anyāni sarvadā
ekaviṁsatikē pādē sragdharā nāma sā yathā
Ratnamañjūṣā 7.12:
sragdharā kaumihayē dr̥dr̥
Jānāśrayī 4.11:
sragdharā gōduśō nr̥n
Jayadeva, Chandaḥśāstram 7.24:
mrau bhnau yāś ca trayaḥ syuḥ svaramunituragaiḥ sragdharā syād virāmaiḥ
Ratnākaraśānti, Chandōratnākaraḥ 2.74:
mrau vō nau vaś ca rau vas tribhir iti viratiḥ saptakaiḥ sragdharā syāt
Jayakīrti, Chandōnuśāsanam 2.238:
mrau bnau yau yaḥ prakr̥tyāṁ svaragiriviratiḥ sragdharā nāma vr̥ttam
Kedārabhaṭṭa, Vr̥ttaratnākaraḥ 3.99:
mrabhrair yānāṁ trayēṇa trimuniyatiyutā sragdharā kīrtitēyam
Hemacandra, Chandōnuśāsanam 2.345:
mrau bhnau yiḥ sragdharā chachaiḥ
Examples
Anargharāghavam 2.51
This example was recited by H. V. Nagaraja Rao and recorded by Gil Ben-Herut in 2006. I provide the translation.
With their glimmering jewels the cavities of snakes light up all around;
a flame appears to jump from the sunstone and into the hearts of the cakravāka bird;
these lanterns here, tearing holes in the darkness, resemble the sparks that fly out
when the massive day and night grind against each other at twilight.
Mahāsubhāṣitasaṅgrahaḥ 5038A
This example was recited by H.V. Nagaraja Rao and recorded by Nathan Levine in Toronto in 2018. The recordings were uploaded to archive.org by Anusha Rao. The translation is mine. I am not sure of the original source of the verse; it is cited in Jagannātha Paṇḍitarāja’s Rasagaṅgādhara.
Up to the base of mount Meru, encircled by the Malaya mountains,
up to the shore of the ocean, all those
who are fervently devoted to literature should speak without fear.
Is there anyone apart from me who has the good fortune
to experience what it is like to be a master of speech
that has the sweetness of tender waterfalls of juice
issuing forth from the middle of grapes?
Daśakumāracaritam 1
This example was recited by H.V. Nagaraja Rao and recorded by Nathan Levine in Toronto in 2018. The recordings were uploaded to archive.org by Anusha Rao. The translation is mine.
The rod of the parasol that is Brahma’s egg,
the stalk of the lotus that is Brahma’s home,
the mast of the ship that is the earth,
the pole for the flag that is streaming river of the gods,
the axel-rod for the wheel that is the celestial lights,
the pillar of victory for the three worlds,
may the rod that is Trivikrama’s foot bring you what is best,
the staff of death for the enemies of the gods.