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145
classical dramatists is used on a small scale, in Kalid膩sa
it being nearly 16 per cent, in Vi艣膩khadatta 13 per cent,
in Bha峁�峁璦n膩r膩ya峁嘺 and S奴draka nearly 25 per cent.
Bhavabh奴ti shows nearly a third in his Uttarar膩macarita
and Mah膩viracarita, but he comes down to nearly 7 per
cent in the Malati-Madhava. Thus this preference for
the sloka displayed by our group places it on quite a
distinct level from the dramas of the classical age so far
as metres are concerned. The sloka is invariably perfect.
The rule as to the di-iambus in the second pada is insisted
on regularly; as compared with the observance of this
rule the number of weak endings is rather high. However,
the construction may be said to be remarkably regular
comparing favourably in that respect with the epic sloka.
The proportion of lapses in K膩lid膩sa and A艣vaghosa is
more than that found in Bh膩sa. Prof. Dhruva has
enunciated a principle about arriving at the chronology
of different works on the basis of the regularity or
looseness of the sloka and the employment of particular
metres in a particular period.' We agree with his
conclusions with regard to the priority of Bh膩sa and
K膩lid膩sa to A艣vaghosa, and of Bh膩sa to K膩lid膩sa. But
the rule as to the proportion of poetic licences and weak
endings is neither infallible nor of mathematical accuracy.
It is helpful only if it confirms the conclusions reached
from other evidences. Another confirmation for the above
hypothesis showing priority of Bh膩sa to the classical period
may be found in the rare use of the Ary膩 metre, which
became popular in the classical period. This metre is
found employed in only one per cent of the total number
of verses by our poet, while in K膩lid膩sa the proportion
rises to 36 per cent in the Malavik膩gnimitra.
a
Next to the sloka, Vasantatilak膩 and Upaj膩ti are
the favourite metres of the author. There are 179 verses
in the Vasantatilak膩 and 121 in the Upaj膩ti. K膩lid膩sa
Vi艣膩khadatta and Har峁�a employ the Vasantatilak膩 in
greater proportion. Both Vasantatilaka and Upaj膩ti
occur in all the plays, and so does the S膩rd奴lavikr墨岣峣ta
with a total of 92. The M膩lin墨 (72) is fairly distributed
in all the plays except the Svapna, and the Vam艣astha
1 Parakramani Prasadi, 1923, Intr., pp. 22-25; Thakkar Lectures, pp.
116-148; 197-253. Dr. Keith states that the sparing use of the irregular forms is
due to the comparatively small number of slokas used consecutively: SD, p. 128.