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

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 ...

* Kakawin Krsnayana * 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 * Kakawin Smaradhana * Kakawin Subhrawiwaha * Kakawin Sumanasantaka 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 it means '(Alt ...

, by

* Kakawin Wrtasañcaya by Mpu Tanakung * Kakawin Wṛttayana

Structure

List of notable ''kakawin''

See also

References

Further reading