सङ्गीतदर्पण (दामोदर पण्डित - तंजौर सरस्वती महल संस्करण, सङ्गीत एवं नाट्य लक्षण)

5
frustrated by time, and we have now neither in South India nor
in the North any of the forms of the compositions mentioned
in these text-books. Forms that came into vogue without the
aid of text book writers have now become very popular both
in South India and in the North, and the question of tracing
these forms to their historical beginnings will, it is feared,
ever remain an unsolved problem. The 'Drupad', the
'Khayal, the 'Tumri' and the 'Tappa' present problems
regarding their origin which are as difficult to solve as the
'Kirtans', 'Varnas', 'Padas' and 'Javalis' of South India.
The sixth chapter deals with the Talas. A very clear
description of the ten principal features of the Talas known as
'Dasapranas' is given including a full description of Prastara
and the mathematical short-cuts connected with it. The 108
talas described in Sangita Ratnakara are faithfully repro-
duced and additional talas still extant in his days are also
given. It is in the additional talas that there is a marked
difference between the two rescentions of the work available
in the Saraswati Mahal Library. Whatever was found intelli-
gible in both the rescentions has been included in this edition.
The Last chapter dealing with 'Nritya' or Dance with
Abhinaya, and 'Nritta' or pure Dance is the most valuable
chapter of this work. All the extant practice and theory have
been succintly summarised here in short compass. Clarity com-
bined with brevity is its charm. The high esteem which the
author and his work very soon attained among Natyacharyas
is evidenced by the fact that 'Darpana Sammati' or parallel
quotations from Sangita Darpana are relied on in text-books
of Natya written in the early part of the 17th century.
'Sangita Makaranda" written about 1640 A.D. by Vedasuri,
the Natyacharya in the court of Shaji, the father of Sivaji
the great, gives such quotations in support of every statement'
made by the author.
This edition is based on four manuscripts of the work,
two of palm leaf and two in paper. Of the two palm leaf