An Outline of the Metres in the Pāḷi Canon

An Outline of the Metres in the Pāḷi Canon - 30
2.13 Āpātalikā (a.k.a. Vegavatī)
This metre has 14 measures in the odd lines, and 16 in the even, as
with Vetālīya, but with a different cadence: −⏑⏑−×. In the Canon
the most common forms of the odd lines:
⏑⏑−⏑⏑¦−⏑⏑−×
−−⏑⏑¦−⏑⏑−×
the even lines:
−⏑⏑−−¦−⏑⏑−×
−⏑⏑−⏑⏑¦−⏑⏑−×
We sometimes find syncopation producing different patterns in the
opening of these lines.
When it attains to its Classical form, it is then known as Vegavatī,
and is restricted to:
⏑⏑−⏑⏑¦−⏑⏑−×
−⏑⏑−⏑⏑¦−⏑⏑−×
(x2)
Examples: Kokāliyasutta (part) Sn III:10; Vangīsa’s gāthās (pt) Th
1214 - 1222, the latter gāthās being mixed with Vetālīya.
Example from Kokāliyasutta (Sn III:10) (vs 673):
⏑⏑−⏑⏑¦−⏑⏑−−
Asipattavanaṁ pana tiṇhaṁ,
−⏑⏑−⏑⏑¦−⏑⏑−−
taṁ pavisanti samacchidagattā,
−−⏑⏑¦−⏑⏑−−
jivhaṁ baḷisena gahetvā,
−⏑⏑−⏑⏑¦−⏑⏑−−
āracayāracayā vihananti.