नाट्यशास्त्रम् (प्रथम भाग - अभिनवभारती एवं हिन्दी टीका सहित)

256 THE NATYASASTRA [XV. 35

35. Observing such rules of grammar (śabda-vidhāna) one should compose series of inflected words (pada) combined in verse or in prose, which have the quality of suggesting extensive meaning (lit. extensiveness )¹.

Two kinds of word

36 Padas are inflected words¹ and are of two kinds, viz. those used in verse, and those in prose, Now listen² [first] about the characteristics of words used in prose.

Words in prose

37. Words used in prose are not schematically combined, have not the number of their syllables regulated, and they contain as many syllables as are required to express the meaning [in view]¹.

Words in verse

38 Words used in verse consist of schematically combined, syllables which have caesura and stops¹ and which have their number regulated ².

Syllabic metres

39. Thus arises a Rhythm-type (chandas) called Vṛtta (syllabic metre) made up of four feet¹ which expresses different ideas and consists of [short and long] syllables.

Rhythm types

40. Rhythm-types in feet are twenty-six in number. Syllabic metres with these Rhythm-types are of three kinds, viz. even (sama), semi-even (ardha-sama) and uneven (viṣama).

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35 (C.33; B.XIV.38). ¹ Read the couplet as follows :—एभिः शब्दविधानैर्विस्तारव्यञ्जनार्थयुतैः। पदबन्धाः कर्तव्याः वृत्तनिबद्धास्तु चूर्णा वा.
36 (C.34; B.XIV.39). ¹ C. vibhajyakapadam for vibhaktyantam ; C. bahir-bodhata for saṃvibodhata.
37 (C.35; B.XIV.40). ¹ B. anibaddhapadam chandas for anibaddhapadavṛnda ; C. arthopekṣākṣarayutam and B. °syutam for arthāpekṣyakṣarayutam.
38 (C.36; B.XIV.41) ¹ C. padaccheda for yaticcheda.
39 (C.37; B.XIV.42). ¹ B. pramāṇa-niyatātmakam for pramāṇaniyatākṣaram; Read pādair-varṇair for pādairvarṇair.
40 (C.38 ; B.XIV.43).