An Outline of the Metres in the Pāḷi Canon

An Outline of the Metres in the Pāḷi Canon - 60
Odd line: ⏓¦⏑−−×
Even line: × (x 2)
as shown in the main body of the book (2.4), in the early period there
were 7 variations allowed in the prior line, including the
Anuṭṭhubha. By the end of the canonical perod, the Anuṭṭhubha
variation was normally avoided.
In the Classical period (which includes post-canonical Pāḷi works),
not only the Anuṭṭhubha, but the 5th & 6th vipulās had also fallen
into disuse. Other changes that have taken place are the normal
avoidance of resolution; and also of the pattern −⏑− in the 2nd, 3rd
& 4th syllables of the even line.
In the Classical Śloka the pathyā structure accounts for 85% - 95% of
all odd lines, and the metre then can be described thus:
Odd line: ⏓⏓⏓⏓¦⏑−−×
Even line: ⏓⏓⏓⏓¦⏑−⏑× (x 2)
with only 4 variations occasionally appearing in the prior line.
2) Triṣṭubh / Tuṭṭhubha / Upajāti
The Triṣtubh is the most popular metre in the Ṛg Veda, accounting
for approximately 2/3 of all the lines in that collection (of about
10,000 verses). In the Vedas there are two main forms of the metre
distinguished by the position of the diaeresis:
1) ⏓−⏓−,¦⏑⏑−¦−⏑−× (x 4)
2) ⏓−⏓−¦⏓,⏑⏑¦−⏑−× (x 4)
Note that the diaeresis, whether it occurs after the 4th or the 5th
syllable, is normally followed by two light syllables. The openings
occasionally appear as ⏓⏑−−, and the break sometimes shows other
patterns: with the early diaeresis: ,−⏑− ,⏑−⏑ ,⏑⏑⏑ ; with the
later diaeresis: ⏑,−⏑ are fairly common.