Sanskrit metres

Introduction

This is intended to be a website dealing with Sanskrit metres.

In its current state, this is all very raw; work in progress. Source code at https://github.com/shreevatsa/sanskrit/tree/metrical-scan

Metre identifier

Type a Sanskrit verse into the box below and click the button.
(The input can be in either Devanagari, IAST, Harvard-Kyoto, or ITRANS format.)

This is version 1f. Older versions are still available at

Metre statistics

Work in progress.

(There are many errors in the recognition below, mostly because of metrical errors in the GRETIL text. Most of the obscure metres in the table are not actually present in the texts: a verse in some other metre is getting recognized as such because of errors. Need to go through the texts and clean them up.)

Metre Amaruśataka Bhāravi: Kirātārjunīya Bhallaṭaśataka Bhartṛhari: Śatakatrakya Kālidāsa: Kumārasambhava Kālidāsa: Meghadūta Kālidāsa: Raghuvamśa Māgha: Śiśupālavadha Mahā-subhāṣita-saṅgraha Nīlakaṇṭha Dīkṣita: Kaliviḍambana Rāmodantam
Anuṣṭup (Śloka) [2, 0.85%] [125, 12.02%] [8, 7.77%] [35, 10.80%] [157, 25.61%] [562, 34.29%] [224, 13.62%] [4409, 43.17%] [102, 100.00%] [216, 100.00%]
Śārdūlavikrīḍitam [136, 57.63%] [36, 34.95%] [103, 31.79%] [4, 0.24%] [1220, 11.94%]
Upajāti [132, 12.69%] [2, 1.94%] [14, 4.32%] [187, 30.51%] [463, 28.25%] [62, 3.77%] [472, 4.62%]
Vasantatilakā [14, 5.93%] [24, 2.31%] [23, 22.33%] [34, 10.49%] [4, 0.65%] [46, 2.81%] [87, 5.29%] [727, 7.12%]
Āryā [2, 1.94%] [13, 4.01%] [687, 6.73%]
vaṃśastham [4, 1.69%] [203, 19.52%] [3, 0.93%] [83, 13.54%] [62, 3.78%] [41, 2.49%] [165, 1.62%]
Rathoddhatā [38, 3.65%] [4, 3.88%] [3, 0.93%] [90, 14.68%] [149, 9.09%] [87, 5.29%] [95, 0.93%]
Śikhariṇī [24, 10.17%] [3, 0.29%] [10, 9.71%] [50, 15.43%] [1, 0.06%] [327, 3.20%]
Viyoginī [61, 5.87%] [2, 0.62%] [44, 7.18%] [92, 5.61%] [76, 4.62%] [89, 0.87%]
Mālinī [4, 1.69%] [13, 1.25%] [11, 3.40%] [6, 0.98%] [13, 0.79%] [72, 4.38%] [209, 2.05%]
indravajrā [20, 1.92%] [1, 0.97%] [1, 0.31%] [30, 4.89%] [102, 6.22%] [23, 1.40%] [148, 1.45%]
Mandākrāntā [8, 3.39%] [2, 1.94%] [8, 2.47%] [111, 100.00%] [7, 0.43%] [3, 0.18%] [162, 1.59%]
Drutavilambitam [4, 1.69%] [33, 3.17%] [7, 6.80%] [5, 1.54%] [64, 3.90%] [66, 4.01%] [106, 1.04%]
Sragdharā [10, 4.24%] [2, 1.94%] [21, 6.48%] [1, 0.06%] [236, 2.31%]
Svāgatā [77, 7.40%] [1, 0.06%] [88, 5.35%] [101, 0.99%]
Puṣpitāgrā [69, 6.63%] [1, 0.31%] [2, 0.33%] [4, 0.24%] [76, 4.62%] [106, 1.04%]
Aupacchandasikam (Vasantamālikā) (Upodgatā) [36, 3.46%] [3, 0.18%] [80, 4.86%] [68, 0.67%]
Praharṣiṇī [50, 4.81%] [8, 0.49%] [74, 4.50%] [42, 0.41%]
Pramitākṣarā [51, 4.90%] [81, 4.92%] [34, 0.33%]
Hariṇī [30, 12.71%] [3, 2.91%] [8, 2.47%] [1, 0.06%] [1, 0.06%] [105, 1.03%]
Gīti [1, 0.97%] [1, 0.31%] [137, 1.34%]
Udgatā [52, 5.00%] [83, 5.05%] [1, 0.01%]
Śālinī [3, 0.29%] [3, 0.93%] [1, 0.06%] [81, 4.92%] [42, 0.41%]
upendravajrā [24, 2.31%] [9, 1.47%] [29, 1.77%] [19, 1.16%] [45, 0.44%]
Mañjubhāṣiṇī [1, 0.06%] [69, 4.19%] [15, 0.15%]
Pṛthvī [1, 0.97%] [5, 1.54%] [1, 0.06%] [72, 0.70%]
Rucirā (Prabhāvatī) [1, 0.06%] [68, 4.13%] [7, 0.07%]
śīlāturā [11, 1.06%] [11, 0.67%] [29, 1.76%] [9, 0.09%]
Upagīti [53, 0.52%]
śiśirā [1, 0.06%] [39, 2.37%] [6, 0.06%]
Udgīti [34, 0.33%]
Āryā (loose schema) [1, 0.10%] [1, 0.97%] [5, 0.31%] [7, 0.43%] [16, 0.16%]
saurabheyī [28, 1.70%] [1, 0.01%]
unknown [3, 0.18%] [21, 0.21%]
Toṭakam [1, 0.06%] [1, 0.06%] [17, 0.17%]
vaidhātrī [1, 0.16%] [11, 0.67%] [7, 0.07%]
krīḍā [12, 0.12%]
madhumārakam [1, 0.06%] [10, 0.10%]
dodhaka [1, 0.31%] [1, 0.06%] [7, 0.07%]
lakṣmī [8, 0.08%]
paridhārā [7, 0.07%]
Prabhā (Mandākinī) [6, 0.58%] [1, 0.06%]
śaśikarī [7, 0.07%]
lalitam [7, 0.43%]
Aparavaktrā [1, 0.10%] [4, 0.04%]
strī [5, 0.05%]
sāvaṭu [5, 0.05%]
pañcaśikhā [5, 0.05%]
Bhujaṅgaprayātam [5, 0.05%]
kṣupam [4, 0.04%]
saṃśrayaśrīḥ [1, 0.06%] [3, 0.03%]
dhṛtahālā [4, 0.04%]
ramaṇā [4, 0.04%]
kṣamāpāli [4, 0.04%]
kalaham [4, 0.04%]
sākṣī [4, 0.24%]
mattamayūraḥ [1, 0.10%] [1, 0.06%] [2, 0.12%]
rodhakam [3, 0.18%]
vaṃśapatrapatitam [1, 0.10%] [1, 0.06%] [1, 0.01%]
ādhidaivī [1, 0.06%] [2, 0.02%]
Pañcacāmaram [3, 0.03%]
priyatilakā [3, 0.03%]
Kokilalam (Nardaṭakam) [3, 0.03%]
jaloddhatagatiḥ [1, 0.10%] [1, 0.06%] [1, 0.01%]
nārī [3, 0.03%]
kīṭamālā [3, 0.03%]
pāṃśu [3, 0.03%]
jaladharamālā [1, 0.10%] [1, 0.06%] [1, 0.01%]
ambudāvalī [2, 0.02%]
kalahaṃsaḥ / nandinī [1, 0.06%] [1, 0.01%]
khelāḍhyam [2, 0.02%]
nārācam [1, 0.06%] [1, 0.06%]
ketumatī [2, 0.02%]
culakam [2, 0.02%]
Aśvadhāṭī (Sitastavakaḥ) [2, 0.02%]
vaiśvadevī [2, 0.02%]
Sragviṇī [1, 0.06%] [1, 0.01%]
avanijā [2, 0.02%]
puṣṭidā [1, 0.06%] [1, 0.01%]
pramodatilakā [1, 0.06%] [1, 0.01%]
harikāntā [1, 0.06%] [1, 0.01%]
haraṇi [2, 0.02%]
hariṇīplutā [2, 0.12%]
vātormī [2, 0.02%]
atijani [2, 0.02%]
rājarājī [1, 0.06%] [1, 0.01%]
meghavisphurjita [1, 0.06%] [1, 0.01%]
sarojavanikā [1, 0.06%] [1, 0.01%]
rambhā [2, 0.02%]
kurucarī [2, 0.02%]
padmāvatī [2, 0.12%]
nīrāñjaliḥ [2, 0.02%]
amānikā [1, 0.06%] [1, 0.01%]
sandhyā [2, 0.02%]
kurarīrutā [1, 0.06%] [1, 0.01%]
śrī [1, 0.06%]
kāmā [1, 0.01%]
madalekhā [1, 0.06%]
atiśāyinī [1, 0.06%]
manahāsā [1, 0.01%]
Āryāgīti [1, 0.06%]
cañcarīkāvalī [1, 0.01%]
bhaurikam [1, 0.01%]
manoramā [1, 0.06%]
karapallavodgatā [1, 0.01%]
alālāpi [1, 0.06%]
vainasam [1, 0.06%]
paṇava [1, 0.01%]
vimukhī [1, 0.06%]
mukhalā [1, 0.01%]
nimnāśayā [1, 0.06%]
hemarūpam [1, 0.06%]
bhūrivasu [1, 0.06%]
śiprā [1, 0.06%]
upahitacaṇḍī [1, 0.01%]
śukāvalī [1, 0.06%]
vāridhiyānam [1, 0.01%]
phaladharam [1, 0.01%]
vasumatī [1, 0.31%]
somarājī [1, 0.01%]
sarasī [1, 0.06%]
rūpāmālī [1, 0.01%]
vireki [1, 0.01%]
camūrubhīruḥ [1, 0.06%]
kuṭhārikā [1, 0.06%]
ākatanu [1, 0.01%]
nūtanam [1, 0.06%]
gaṇadehā [1, 0.31%]
haṃsarutam [1, 0.01%]
arthaśikhā [1, 0.01%]
naragā [1, 0.01%]
moṭanakam [1, 0.01%]
upasaṃkulā [1, 0.01%]
jatu [1, 0.01%]
bhāṣā [1, 0.01%]
śivikā [1, 0.01%]
navanīlatā [1, 0.10%]
bhinnapadam [1, 0.01%]
induvaṃśā [1, 0.06%]
sahajā [1, 0.01%]
īhāmṛgī [1, 0.01%]
bhujaṅgavijṛmbhita [1, 0.01%]
śaralīḍhā [1, 0.01%]
kalilā [1, 0.01%]
prasṛmaramarālikā [1, 0.06%]
kaḍāram [1, 0.01%]
niṣadham [1, 0.01%]
maṇimadhyam [1, 0.01%]
śaragītiḥ [1, 0.01%]
śallakaplutam [1, 0.01%]
rañjakam [1, 0.01%]
kalāpāntaritā [1, 0.06%]
karmadā [1, 0.01%]
vidyunmālā [1, 0.01%]
kalikā [1, 0.01%]
pratisīrā [1, 0.01%]
nīrohā [1, 0.01%]
dvāravahā [1, 0.01%]
doṣā [1, 0.06%]
mālatī [1, 0.01%]
mṛgī [1, 0.06%]
puṭaḥ [1, 0.01%]
vaisāruḥ [1, 0.01%]
bhramaravilasitā [1, 0.06%]
vargavatī [1, 0.01%]
kṛṣṇagatikā [1, 0.01%]
śālabhañjikā [1, 0.01%]
vimāninī1 [1, 0.06%]
sammadamālikā [1, 0.01%]
bhārṅgī [1, 0.01%]
śeṣāpīḍam [1, 0.01%]
upacitrā [1, 0.06%]
kāmukalekhā [1, 0.01%]
udaraśri [1, 0.01%]
pathyā [1, 0.06%]
tilakā [1, 0.01%]
dadhi [1, 0.01%]
proñchitā [1, 0.06%]
Madhyakṣāmā (Haṃsaśyenī, Kuṭila, Cūḍāpīḍam) [1, 0.10%]
Kṣamā (Candrikā, Utpalinī) [1, 0.10%]
śramitaśikhaṇḍī [1, 0.01%]
godhi [1, 0.01%]
śikhilikhitā [1, 0.01%]
parimitavijayā [1, 0.01%]
vāsantikā [1, 0.01%]
varatrā [1, 0.06%]
Madirā [1, 0.01%]
tomaram [1, 0.01%]
kāmacāri [1, 0.06%]
madraka [1, 0.01%]
kusumbhinī [1, 0.01%]
sāmikā [1, 0.06%]
sārikā [1, 0.01%]
kaṭhodgatā [1, 0.01%]

The most important Sanskrit metres

As evident from the tables above, a few Sanskrit metres account for most of the Sanskrit literature. (To be continued….)