Shatpadi

Shatpadi (ಷಟ್ಪದಿ Shatpadi) is a native meter in Kannada prosody that has been used extensively in Kannada poetry. It meter can usually have six padas of syllables, divided into groups of various fixed number of matra (beats) in each line. It was most efficiently employed by the great medieval Kannada poets such as Raghavanka, Kumaravyasa and Lakshmisha. There are six types of Shatpadi verses found in numerous Kannada language inscriptions and poems. However, only three of these meters were used to compose the Kannada epics (mahakavya).

1. Shara Shatpadi: None
2. Kusuma Shatpadi: None
3. Bhoga Shatpadi: Tirukana Kanasu by Muppina Shadakshari
4. Bhamini Shatpadi: Karnata Bharata Kathamanjari by Kumaravyasa (c.1425), Prabhulingleele by Chamarasa (c.1425), Torave Ramayana by Kumara Valmiki (c.1500), Nalacharite by Kanakadasa (16th century)
5. Parivardhini Shatpadi: None
6. Vardhaka Shatpadi: Harishchandra Kavya, Siddarama Charite and Somanatha Charite by Raghavanka (12th century), Jaimini Bharata by Lakshmisha (16th century) and Bhavachintaratna by Gubbiya Mallanarya (c.1513)