Hello Edwin,

     In her article "The Mahabharata's Core" (1975), Mary Carroll Smith has argued that there was an ancient core of the Mahabharata in Triṣṭubh verses, which was later expanded by the addition of the narrative in Anuṣṭubh.  I am not sure how this would account for the metrical variation in the Bhagavadgita, but there is a suggestion from this article.

Madhav Deshpande

Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

On Mon, Apr 17, 2017 at 7:00 AM, Edwin F. Bryant via INDOLOGY <indology@list.indology.info> wrote:

Greetings everyone,

Is there anything written about when and why the Gita changes its meter,
or does anyone on the list have an opinion about this?  At least in
several instances, I can see no narrative reason for this, nor shift in
theological content. At least in the second chapter which borrows two
verses from the Katha, I wonder whether this occurs with verses being
borrowed from elsewhere,  but I don't know.  Has anyone thought about this
or can anyone point me to anything written on it?

Thanks.  Edwin Bryant.

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