Dear friends,

this discussion is based on Chapter 15 of A Practical Grammar of the
Paali Language by Charles Duroiselle. A new symbol ( ̶̆ )is introduced
in this post, hopefully everyone can properly view it. If not, please
consult the html version:
http://www.tipitaka.net/pali/synthesis/grammar.15.cdv

635. The paadas in this division of verses are all dissimilar. Under
this head comes the metre known as Vatta, the heroic measure of Pali
literature, eight syllables being employed in each paada, the first
and last syllables therein being free, and this, a short or long
syllable may be optionally used in those syllables. The syllables
between the first and last, form two seats, having three syllables in
each seat of foot. In the first seat in all the quarters, any foot may
be employed except a Tribrach and an Anapaest, that is to say, three
short syllables ( ˘ ˘ ˘ ) or two short and one long ( ˘ ˘ ¯ ) must not
be used. In the second seat of the first and third quarters, any foot
may be used, but in the second seat of the second and fourth quarters
only ya (Bacchic) or ja (Amphibrach) (i.e., ˘ ¯ ¯ or ˘ ¯ ˘ ) must be
employed. It should be noted, however, that the Vatta proper has ja in
the second seat of both the second and the fourth paadas.

636. (i) Vatta Proper

Free 1st seat 2nd seat Free
1st paada ̶̆ ̶̆ ̶̆ ̶̆ ̶̆ ̶̆ ̶̆ ̶̆
2nd paada ̶̆ ̶̆ ̶̆ ̶̆ ˘ ¯ ¯ ̶̆
3rd paada ̶̆ ̶̆ ̶̆ ̶̆ ̶̆ ̶̆ ̶̆ ̶̆
4th paada ̶̆ ̶̆ ̶̆ ̶̆ ˘ ¯ ¯ ̶̆

<YP> The sign ̶̆ means that the syllable may be optionally short or long.

637. Sometimes the Gaathaa contains six paadas - the fifth following
the rule for the first and third; the sixth that for the second and
fourth.

638. Besides the Vatta Proper above shown, there are six kinds of
Vatta metres:

(ii) Vipariitapathyaavatta

Paadas 1 & 3: ̶̆ | ̶̆ ˘ ̶̆ | ˘ ¯ ˘ | ̶̆
Paadas 2 & 4: ̶̆ | ̶̆ ˘ ̶̆ | ˘ ¯ ¯ | ̶̆

(iii) Capalaavatta

Paadas 1 & 3: ̶̆ | ̶̆ ̶̆ ̶̆ | ˘ ˘ ˘ | ̶̆
Paadas 2 & 4: ̶̆ | ̶̆ ˘ ̶̆ | ˘ ¯ ¯ | ̶̆

(iv) Na-Vipulaa

Paadas 1 & 3: ̶̆ | ̶̆ ̶̆ ̶̆ | ˘ ˘ ˘ | ̶̆
Paadas 2 & 4: ̶̆ | ̶̆ ˘ ̶̆ | ˘ ¯ ˘ | ̶̆
or
All paadas: ̶̆ | ̶̆ ̶̆ ̶̆ | ˘ ˘ ˘ | ̶̆

(v) Vipulaa of Setava

(vi) Vipulaa of Pi`ngala

(vii) Bha-Vipulaa

Paadas 1 & 3: ̶̆ | ̶̆ ̶̆ ̶̆ | ¯ ˘ ˘ | ̶̆
Paadas 2 & 4: ̶̆ | ̶̆ ˘ ̶̆ | ˘ ¯ ˘ | ̶̆
or
All paadas: ̶̆ | ̶̆ ̶̆ ̶̆ | ¯ ˘ ˘ | ̶̆

(viii) Ra-Vipulaa

Paadas 1 & 3: ̶̆ | ̶̆ ̶̆ ̶̆ | ¯ ˘ ¯ | ̶̆
Paadas 2 & 4: ̶̆ | ̶̆ ˘ ̶̆ | ˘ ¯ ˘ | ̶̆
or
All paadas: ̶̆ | ̶̆ ̶̆ ̶̆ | ¯ ˘ ¯ | ̶̆

(ix) Ta-Vipulaa

Paadas 1 & 3: ̶̆ | ̶̆ ̶̆ ̶̆ | ¯ ¯ ˘ | ̶̆
Paadas 2 & 4: ̶̆ | ̶̆ ˘ ̶̆ | ˘ ¯ ˘ | ̶̆
or
All paadas: ̶̆ | ̶̆ ̶̆ ̶̆ | ¯ ¯ ˘ | ̶̆

640. Besides the metres noted above, there are some that are regulated
by time (kaala). Such metres are termed Jaati. They are of three kinds:-

1. Ariyaa
2. Vetaaliya, and
3. Mattaasamaka

641. In the first of these, the ariyaa, the first two paadas of half a
gaathaa contain seven and a half feet; in the even, that is, in the
second, fourth, and sixth feet, any of the following, namely, bha, ja,
sa, gaa, or four short syllables may be employed, but ja must not be
used in the odd feet, that is, in the first, third, and fifth. The
sixth foot may be la or four short syllables. The second-half stanza
must fulfil the same conditions. It is necessary to observe that in
the jaati metre a foot consists of four syllabic instants, the time
taken up in pronouncing a short syllable being taken as an instant of
time; thus a long syllable being taken equal to two short ones, each
foot used in the ariyaa is equal to four syllabic instants. The
following is an illustration of an ariyaa stanza:

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th foot
First half stanza ¯ ¯, ˘˘˘˘, ¯ ¯, ˘˘¯, ¯ ¯, ˘¯˘, ¯˘˘, ¯
Second half stanza ˘˘¯, ˘˘˘, ¯ ¯, ¯ ¯, ¯ ¯, ˘, ¯ ¯, ¯

642. The vetaaliya is so formed that it usually consists of fourteen
syllabic instants in the odd quarters and sixteen in the even, while
the mattaasamaka consists of sixteen syllabic instants in each
quarter. The metres of the jaati class furnish many varieties, but it
is not within the scope of this work to treat of them in detail. As,
however, the vetaaliya is of rather frequent occurrence, we give below
the scheme of it. Each paada is divided into three seats; the first
seat in the first and third paadas must have six syllabic instants;
the first seat of the second and fourth paadas must contain eight
syllabic instants; the second seat must be a cretic foot and the third
a lambic foot:

Number of 1st seat 2nd seat 3rd seat
syllabic Cretic Lambus
instants
1st paada 6 six syllabic instants ¯ ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯
2nd paada 8 eight syllabic instants ¯ ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯
3rd paada 6 six syllabic instants ¯ ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯
4th paada 8 eight syllabic instants ¯ ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯

This is the final post.

metta,
Yong Peng.