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 composed and performed the poems at the courts of central and east Java 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 Sanskrit 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''.

List of notable ''kakawin''

{{columns-list, colwidth=25em, * Kakawin Adiparwa * Kakawin Arjunawijaya, by Mpu Tantular *

, by mpu Kanwa, ~ 1030 * Kakawin Banawa Sekar Tanakung * Kakawin Bharatayuddha, by Mpu Sedah and Mpu Panuluh, 1157 * Kakawin Bhomakawya * Kakawin Bhomantaka * Kakawin Brahmandapurana * Kakawin Dharmaśunya * Kakawin Gatotkacaśraya * Kakawin Hariwangsa * Kakawin Hariśraya * Kakawin Kalayawanantaka * Kakawin Khandawawanadahana * Kakawin Kṛsnataka * Kakawin Kṛsnayana, Kakawin Krsnayana * Kakawin Kunjarakarna, by Mpu Dusun * Nagarakretagama, Kakawin Nagarakṛtâgama/Kakawin Desawarnana, by Mpu Prapanca, 1365 * Kakawin Nirarthaprakṛta * Kakawin Nitiśastra * Kakawin Parthayajña * Kakawin Ramayana ~ 870 * Kakawin Śivagŗha, 856 * Kakawin Siwaratrikalpa by Mpu Tanakung * Smaradhana, Kakawin Smaradhana * Kakawin Subhrawiwaha * Kakawin Sumanasantaka by Mpu Monaguṇa * Kakawin Sutasoma, by Mpu Tantular * Kakawin Wṛtasañcaya, Kakawin Wrtasañcaya by Mpu Tanakung * Kakawin Wṛttayana

Structure of a kakawin

List of notable ''kakawin''

See also

References

Further reading