Kakawin are long narrative poems composed in

Old Javanese Old Javanese or Kawi is the oldest attested phase of the Javanese language. It was spoken in the eastern part of what is now Central Java and the whole of East Java, Indonesia. As a literary language, Kawi was used across Java and on the island ...

, also called "'' Kawi''", written in verse form with rhythms and

meters The metre (British spelling) or meter (American spelling; see spelling differences) (from the French unit , from the Greek noun , "measure"), symbol m, is the primary unit of length in the International System of Units (SI), though its prefi ...

derived from

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...

literature. Poets used a formalized

literary language A literary language is the form (register) of a language used in written literature, which can be either a nonstandard dialect or a standardized variety of the language. Literary language sometimes is noticeably different from the spoken langu ...

, rather than the

vernacular A vernacular or vernacular language is in contrast with a "standard language". It refers to the language or dialect that is spoken by people that are inhabiting a particular country or region. The vernacular is typically the native language, n ...

. Poets composed and performed the poems at the courts of central and east

Java Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's List ...

kings between the 9th and 16th centuries, and in

Bali Bali () is a province of Indonesia and the westernmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands. East of Java and west of Lombok, the province includes the island of Bali and a few smaller neighbouring islands, notably Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, and Nu ...

. Although the poems depict events and characters from

Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

mythology, the narratives are set in the local landscapes of the islands. They are rich sources of information about courtly society in Java and Bali.http://coombs.anu.edu.au/SpecialProj/APM/TXT/creese-h-02-96.html Helen Creese, "Temples of Words: Balinese Literary Traditions", ''Asia-Pacific Magazine'', No. 2 May 1996, pp. 38-43

Structure of a kakawin

A ''kakawin'' stanza consists of four lines. Each line has a set number of

syllables A syllable is a unit of organization for a sequence of speech sounds typically made up of a syllable nucleus (most often a vowel) with optional initial and final margins (typically, consonants). Syllables are often considered the phonological "bu ...

per line, set in patterns of long and short syllables based on

rules of prosody. A syllable which contains a long vowel is called ''guru'' (Sanskrit for "heavy"), while a syllable which contains a short one is called ''laghu'' (Sanskrit for "light"). The term ''guru laghu'' denotes the structure of a line. For example, each line of the ''kakawin'' metre called "''Śardūlawikrīd ta''" consists of 19 syllables. The ''guru laghu'' of each line is as follows" ---, UU-, U-U, UU-, --U, --U, U. The notation "-" means that the syllable in question is long, while the "U" means that the syllable is short. As an example, the opening stanza of the ''

Kakawin Arjunawiwaha ''Arjunawiwāha'' was the first ''kakawin'' appeared in the East Javan period of the Javanese classical Hindu-Buddhist era in the 11th-century. Arjunawiwaha was composed by Mpu Kanwa during the reign of King Airlangga, king of the Kahuripan Kingdo ...

'', which is in the metre ''Śardūlawikrīd ta'', is taken: :' :' :' :' :A tentative translation in English: :The thought of the one who knows the Highest Knowledge has leapt from the emptiness. :It is not because he wishes to fulfill his senses, as if he only wants to have the worldly things. :The success of his virtuous and good deeds are his goals. He endeavours for the happiness the world. :He is steadfast and just a ''

wayang , also known as ( jv, ꦮꦪꦁ, translit=wayang), is a traditional form of puppet theatre play originating from the Indonesian island of Java. refers to the entire dramatic show. Sometimes the leather puppet itself is referred to as . Perfor ...

'' screen away from the "Mover of the World". A syllable which contains a long vowel is automatically long (ā, ī, ū, ö, e, o, ai, and au) and thus ''guru''. But on the other hand, a syllable with a vowel followed by two consonants is also long. In addition to that the last syllable of a line may both contain a long or a short syllable. It is an ''

anceps In languages with quantitative poetic metres, such as Ancient Greek, Latin, Arabic, Sanskrit, and classical Persian, an anceps (plural ''ancipitia'' or ''(syllabae) ancipites'') is a position in a metrical pattern which can be filled by either a lo ...

''.

List of notable ''kakawin''

{{columns-list, colwidth=25em, *

Kakawin Adiparwa Kakawin are long narrative poems composed in Old Javanese, also called "'' Kawi''", written in verse form with rhythms and meters derived from Sanskrit literature. Poets used a formalized literary language, rather than the vernacular. Poets c ...

Kakawin Arjunawijaya Kakawin are long narrative poems composed in Old Javanese, also called "'' Kawi''", written in verse form with rhythms and meters derived from Sanskrit literature. Poets used a formalized literary language, rather than the vernacular. Poets c ...

, by

Mpu Tantular Mpu Tantular (c. 14th century) was a famous Javanese poet of Javanese literature who lived in the 14th century, during the reign of king Hayam Wuruk. Tantular was a Buddhist, and was respectful to other religions. This can be seen in two items of k ...

, by mpu Kanwa, ~ 1030 *

Kakawin Banawa Sekar Tanakung Kakawin are long narrative poems composed in Old Javanese, also called "'' Kawi''", written in verse form with rhythms and meters derived from Sanskrit literature. Poets used a formalized literary language, rather than the vernacular. Poets c ...

Kakawin Bharatayuddha Kakawin are long narrative poems composed in Old Javanese, also called "'' Kawi''", written in verse form with rhythms and meters derived from Sanskrit literature. Poets used a formalized literary language, rather than the vernacular. Poets c ...

, by

Mpu Sedah Mpu Sedah was a Javanese literary poet who wrote Kakawin Bhāratayuddha in Old Javanese. He lived during the Jayabaya reign of the Kadiri or Panjalu Kingdom in East Java. Mpu Sedah is one of Raja Jayabaya's advisers. Mpu Sedah also had an adopted so ...

and

Mpu Panuluh Mpu Panuluh was a Javanese literary poet who lived during the Jayabaya reign of the Kadiri Kingdom in Java, Indonesia. He is especially well known for completing writing of ''Kakawin Bhāratayuddha'' which was pioneered by his brother, Mpu Seda ...

, 1157 *

Kakawin Bhomakawya Kakawin are long narrative poems composed in Old Javanese, also called "'' Kawi''", written in verse form with rhythms and meters derived from Sanskrit literature. Poets used a formalized literary language, rather than the vernacular. Poets c ...

Kakawin Bhomantaka Kakawin Bhomantaka is an Old Javanese Hindu Kakawin Kakawin are long narrative poems composed in Old Javanese, also called "'' Kawi''", written in verse form with rhythms and meters derived from Sanskrit literature. Poets used a formalized ...

Kakawin Brahmandapurana Kakawin are long narrative poems composed in Old Javanese, also called "'' Kawi''", written in verse form with rhythms and meters derived from Sanskrit literature. Poets used a formalized literary language, rather than the vernacular. Poets c ...

Kakawin Dharmaśunya Kakawin are long narrative poems composed in Old Javanese, also called "'' Kawi''", written in verse form with rhythms and meters derived from Sanskrit literature. Poets used a formalized literary language, rather than the vernacular. Poets c ...

Kakawin Gatotkacaśraya Kakawin are long narrative poems composed in Old Javanese, also called "'' Kawi''", written in verse form with rhythms and meters derived from Sanskrit literature. Poets used a formalized literary language, rather than the vernacular. Poets c ...

Kakawin Hariwangsa Kakawin Hariwangsa is an Old Javanese poem in Indian metres (''kakawin'' or '' kavya'') which tells the story of Krishna, as an Avatar of Vishnu, when he wished to marry the Goddess Rukminī, from the land of Kundina, and daughter of Lord Bhish ...

Kakawin Hariśraya Kakawin are long narrative poems composed in Old Javanese, also called "'' Kawi''", written in verse form with rhythms and meters derived from Sanskrit literature. Poets used a formalized literary language, rather than the vernacular. Poets c ...

Kakawin Kalayawanantaka Kakawin are long narrative poems composed in Old Javanese, also called "'' Kawi''", written in verse form with rhythms and meters derived from Sanskrit literature. Poets used a formalized literary language, rather than the vernacular. Poets c ...

Kakawin Khandawawanadahana Kakawin are long narrative poems composed in Old Javanese, also called "'' Kawi''", written in verse form with rhythms and meters derived from Sanskrit literature. Poets used a formalized literary language, rather than the vernacular. Poets c ...

Kakawin Kṛsnataka Kakawin are long narrative poems composed in Old Javanese, also called "''Kawi language, Kawi''", written in verse form with rhythms and Meter (poetry), meters derived from Sanskrit literature. Poets used a formalized Literal and figurative la ...

* Kakawin Krsnayana *

Kakawin Kunjarakarna Kakawin are long narrative poems composed in Old Javanese, also called "'' Kawi''", written in verse form with rhythms and meters derived from Sanskrit literature. Poets used a formalized literary language, rather than the vernacular. Poets c ...

, by Mpu Dusun * Kakawin Nagarakṛtâgama/Kakawin Desawarnana, by

Mpu Prapanca Mpu Prapanca wrote the ''Nagarakretagama'', written in Old Javanese, which tells the story of the Majapahit Kingdom and other stories of ancient Hindu- Javanese kingdoms. The Buddhist monk Prapanca wrote the chronicle in 1365 (or 1287 Saka year ...

, 1365 * Kakawin Nirarthaprakṛta *

Kakawin Nitiśastra Kakawin are long narrative poems composed in Old Javanese, also called "''Kawi language, Kawi''", written in verse form with rhythms and Meter (poetry), meters derived from Sanskrit literature. Poets used a formalized Literal and figurative la ...

* Kakawin Parthayajña *

Kakawin Ramayana ''Kakawin Ramayana'' is an Old Javanese poem rendering of the Sanskrit Ramayana in ''kakawin'' meter (poetry), meter. ''Kakawin Rāmâyaṇa'' is a ''kakawin'', the Javanese form of ''kāvya'', a poem modeled on traditional Sanskrit meters.It ...

~ 870 *

Kakawin Śivagŗha Kakawin are long narrative poems composed in Old Javanese, also called "'' Kawi''", written in verse form with rhythms and meters derived from Sanskrit literature. Poets used a formalized literary language, rather than the vernacular. Poets c ...

, 856 *

Kakawin Siwaratrikalpa Kakawin are long narrative poems composed in Old Javanese, also called "'' Kawi''", written in verse form with rhythms and meters derived from Sanskrit literature. Poets used a formalized literary language, rather than the vernacular. Poets ...

by Mpu Tanakung * Kakawin Smaradhana *

Kakawin Subhrawiwaha Kakawin are long narrative poems composed in Old Javanese, also called "''Kawi language, Kawi''", written in verse form with rhythms and Meter (poetry), meters derived from Sanskrit literature. Poets used a formalized Literal and figurative la ...

Kakawin Sumanasantaka Kakawin are long narrative poems composed in Old Javanese, also called "'' Kawi''", written in verse form with rhythms and meters derived from Sanskrit literature. Poets used a formalized literary language, rather than the vernacular. Poets c ...

by Mpu Monaguṇa *

Kakawin Sutasoma ''Kakawin Sutasoma'' is an Old Javanese poem in poetic meters (''kakawin'' or '' kavya''). It is the source of the motto of Indonesia, ''Bhinneka Tunggal Ika'', which is usually translated as ''Unity in Diversity'', although literally it mea ...

, by

* Kakawin Wrtasañcaya by Mpu Tanakung * Kakawin Wṛttayana

Structure of a kakawin

List of notable ''kakawin''

See also

References

Further reading