05-03-2007, 11:23 PM
Another factoid:
In mAtrA-lakShanam (sAmavedic text), the long-vowels (dIrgha-s) typically get assigned "pluta" or 3-mAtrAs, although 2-mAtrAs to a dIrgha are also allowed and marked by a special sign on top of the syllable. This is different from pingala's fixed rule of 2-mAtrAs for dIrghas.
This also supports the view that the vedics didn't consider a fixed time-duration for an akShara as a given. Hence the primary importance on counting the syllables, rather than on counting the mAtrAs.
In mAtrA-lakShanam (sAmavedic text), the long-vowels (dIrgha-s) typically get assigned "pluta" or 3-mAtrAs, although 2-mAtrAs to a dIrgha are also allowed and marked by a special sign on top of the syllable. This is different from pingala's fixed rule of 2-mAtrAs for dIrghas.
This also supports the view that the vedics didn't consider a fixed time-duration for an akShara as a given. Hence the primary importance on counting the syllables, rather than on counting the mAtrAs.