Kakawin are long narrative poems composed in
Old Javanese
Old Javanese or Kawi is an Austronesian languages, Austronesian language and the oldest attested phase of the Javanese language. It was natively spoken in the central and eastern part of Java Island, what is now Central Java, Special Region o ...
, also called "''
Kawi''", written in verse form with rhythms and
meters
The metre (or meter in US spelling; symbol: m) is the base unit of length in the International System of Units (SI). Since 2019, the metre has been defined as the length of the path travelled by light in vacuum during a time interval of of ...
derived from
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...
literature.
Poets used a formalized
literary language
Literary language is the Register (sociolinguistics), register of a language used when writing in a formal, academic writing, academic, or particularly polite tone; when speaking or writing in such a tone, it can also be known as formal language. ...
, rather than the
vernacular
Vernacular is the ordinary, informal, spoken language, spoken form of language, particularly when perceptual dialectology, perceived as having lower social status or less Prestige (sociolinguistics), prestige than standard language, which is mor ...
. Poets composed and performed the poems at the courts of central and east
Java
Java is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea (a part of Pacific Ocean) to the north. With a population of 156.9 million people (including Madura) in mid 2024, proje ...
kings between the 9th and 16th centuries,
and in
Bali
Bali (English:; Balinese language, Balinese: ) is a Provinces of Indonesia, 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 o ...
.
Although the poems depict events and characters from
Hindu
Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...
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
A ''kakawin'' stanza consists of four lines. Each line has a set number of
syllables
A syllable is a basic unit of organization within a sequence of speech sounds, such as within a word, typically defined by linguists as a ''nucleus'' (most often a vowel) with optional sounds before or after that nucleus (''margins'', which are ...
per line, set in patterns of long and short syllables based on
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...
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'', 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
( , ) is a traditional form of puppet theatre play originating from the Indonesian island of Java. The term refers both to the show as a whole and the puppet in particular. Performances of wayang puppet theatre are accompanied by a ''gamel ...
'' 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 l ...
''.
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 ...
*
Kakawin Arjunawijaya, 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 ...
*
Kakawin Arjunawiwaha, by
mpu Kanwa, c. 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 ...
*
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 ...
, 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 s ...
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 Sedah ...
, 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 ...
*
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 formaliz ...
*
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 ...
*
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 ...
*
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 ...
*
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 Bhi ...
*
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 ...
*
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 ...
*
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 ...
*
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 l ...
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Kakawin Krsnayana
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Kakawin Kunjarakarna, 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 Empire and other stories of ancient Hindu- Javanese kingdoms. The Buddhist
Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavi ...
, 1365
*
Kakawin Nirarthaprakṛta
*
Kakawin Nitiśastra
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 ...
*
Kakawin Parthayajña
*
Kakawin Ramayana
''Kakawin Ramayana'' is an Old Javanese poem rendering of the Sanskrit Ramayana in ''kakawin'' meter.
''Kakawin Rāmâyaṇa'' is a ''kakawin'', the Javanese form of ''kāvya'', a poem modeled on traditional Sanskritam meters.It is believed to ...
c. 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 ...
, 856
*
Kakawin Siwaratrikalpa by
Mpu Tanakung
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Kakawin Smaradhana
*
Kakawin Subhrawiwaha
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Kakawin Sumanasantaka by
Mpu Monaguṇa
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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 it means '(Alt ...
, 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 ...
*
Kakawin Wrtasañcaya by
Mpu Tanakung
*
Kakawin Wṛttayana
See also
* ''
Bhinneka Tunggal Ika
''Bhinneka Tunggal Ika'' is the official national motto of Indonesia. It is inscribed in the national emblem of Indonesia, the Garuda Pancasila, written on the scroll gripped by the Garuda's claws. The phrase comes from Old Javanese, meanin ...
''
*
Javanese historical texts
Javanese literature has a very large historical component. In all sorts of texts, such as laudatory poems, chronicles, and travelogues, writers have interpreted the how and why of certain circumstances.
These texts are important for the knowl ...
*
Javanese poetry
Javanese poetry (poetry in the Javanese or especially the Kawi language; Low Javanese: ''tembang''; High Javanese: ''sekar'') is traditionally recited in song form. The standard forms are divided into three types, sekar ageng, sekar madya, and se ...
*
Nagarakretagama
The ''Nagarakretagama'' or ''Nagarakṛtāgama'', also known in Bali as ''Desawarnana'' or ''Deśavarṇana'', is an Old Javanese eulogy to Hayam Wuruk, a Javanese king of the Majapahit Empire. It was written on lontar as a ''kakawin'' by ...
*
Panji tales
The Panji tales are a cycle of Javanese stories, centred around the legendary prince of the same name (actually a title) from East Java, Indonesia. Along with the Ramayana and Mahabharata, the tales are the basis of various poems, sculpture and ...
*
Pararaton
The ''Pararaton'' (''Book of Kings''), also known as the ''Katuturanira Ken Angrok'' (''Story of Ken Angrok''), is a 16th-century Javanese historical chronicle written in Kawi language, Kawi (Old Javanese). The comparatively short text of 32 f ...
References
Further reading
*
A. Teeuw
Andries Teeuw (12 August 1921 – 18 May 2012), better known as A. Teeuw in scholarly circles and Hans Teeuw to his friends, was a Dutch critic of Indonesian literature.
Biography
Teeuw was born in Gorinchem, Netherlands, on 12 August 1921 ...
, 1950, ''Hariwangsa'',
Den Haag
The Hague ( ) is the capital city of the South Holland province of the Netherlands. With a population of over half a million, it is the third-largest city in the Netherlands. Situated on the west coast facing the North Sea, The Hague is the c ...
: Martinus Nijhoff. VKI 9. (Extracts of texts, in
Dutch
Dutch or Nederlands commonly refers to:
* Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands
** Dutch people as an ethnic group ()
** Dutch nationality law, history and regulations of Dutch citizenship ()
** Dutch language ()
* In specific terms, i ...
)
*
Petrus Josephus Zoetmulder
Petrus Josephus Zoetmulder S.J. (January 29, 1906 – July 8, 1995) was an Indonesian expert in the Old Javanese language. He came from Utrecht and was associated with the Society of Jesus by 1925. He worked at Leiden University in the 1930s ...
, 1974, ''Kalangwan. A Survey of Old Javanese Literature'',
The Hague
The Hague ( ) is the capital city of the South Holland province of the Netherlands. With a population of over half a million, it is the third-largest city in the Netherlands. Situated on the west coast facing the North Sea, The Hague is the c ...
: Martinus Nijhoff.
Indonesian literature
Hindu mythology