Possibility \#3

Possibility #3

A vowel before a consonant

can be lengthened or shorted

for the sake of meter in verse.

In Kaccāyana this is called (25) dīghaṃ and (26) rassaṃ

lengthened:

anūpavādo anūpaghāto,

pātimokkañ’ca saṃvaro

(DN16.14)

yadattanī passati ānisaṃsaṃ,

diṭṭasute sīlavate mute vā

(SNP43)

lokassa antaṃ samitāvi ñatvā,

nāsiṃsatī lokamimaṃ parañ’cā’ti.

(AN4.45)

manujassa sadā satīmato,

mattaṃ jānato laddhabhojane.

(SN3.13)

shortened:

uddhaṃ adho ca tiriyaṃ,

disā anudisā svahaṃ

(SN4.23)

yaṃ kiñci yiṭṭhaṃ va hutaṃ va loke,

saṃvaccharaṃ yajetha puññapekkho.

(DHP108)

pūj'ārahe pūjayato, buddhe yadi va sāvake.

papañcasamatikkante, tiṇṇasokapariddave.

(DHP195)

Counter-examples:

All the normal cases where vowels do not get lengthened or shortened.