सङ्गीतमकरन्द (देवर्षि नारद - प्राचीन भारतीय सङ्गीत, राग-रागिनी वर्गीकरण व नाद-ब्रह्म)

II INTRODUCTION
If all this vast hidden literature on Music existing in manus-
cripts at present be published, it will supply sufficient material to
scholars to construct an authentic history of the origin and develop-
ment of Aryan Music in India. Besides these works, the Vedas,
Bramhanas, Âranyakas, the various Suttras, Smritis, Purânas,
and the Kavyas and all such ancient literature, if studied critically
with a view to collect materials for a history of Music, will surely
disclose much interesting and valuable information. As an
instance I may quote here the following passage from Aitareya
Ârnyaka which incidentally furnishes a description of the Vînâ
that was in vogue in those times —
" अथ खल्वियं दैवी वीणा भवति, तदनुकृतिरसौ मानुषी वीणा भवति । यथास्याः शिर
एवममुष्या शिर, यथास्या उदरमेवममुष्या अम्भणम् । यथास्यै जिह्वा एवममुष्यै वादनम्, यथा
अस्यास्तन्त्रय एवममुष्या अङ्गुलयः । यथास्या स्वरा एवममुष्या स्वरा, यथास्या स्पर्शा एवम-
मुष्या स्पर्शा, यथा ह्येवेयं शब्दवती तर्द्यवती एवमसौ शब्दवती तर्द्यवती, यथा ह्येवेयं लोमशेन
चर्मणाऽपिहिता भवति एवमसौ लोमशेन चर्मणाऽपिहिता । लोमशेन ह स्म वै चर्मणा पुरा वीणा
अपिदधति । स यो हैतां दैवीं वीणा वेद श्रुतवदनो भवति, भूमिप्राऽस्य कीर्तिर्भवति, यत्र क्वचार्या
वाचो भाषन्ते विदुरेनं तत्र " इति
ऐतरेयारण्यक आ० ३ मं० २ ख० ५
(आनन्दाश्रमपुस्तक पृ० २९२)
Now this passage furnishes a good deal of information about
the Vînâ then in vogue. The words Ambhana, Vâdana, Tantra-
yah, Svarâh, Spars'ah, S'abda and Tardma as applied to Vînâ have
a technical sense and prove that the Modern Vînâ (Bîna) has
much in common with the ancient Vînâ. Besides, the passage
specially records the fact that in earlier times prior to the compo-
sition of the work (Aitareya Bramhana) a part of the Vînâ was
covered with leather and that the practice had disappeared at
the time of the said work.
Origin of Aryan Music—The elements of the art of Music
seem to have originated with the Vedic songs called "Samas"
which were sung at the time of performing particular ceremonies
during a sacrifice. The rules about the singing of these "Sâmas"
are recorded in some ancient Sanskrit treatises. We have no
means of ascertaining the process by which the "Sâma" Music