सङ्गीतरत्नाकर: प्रथम भाग (शार्ङ्गदेव - स्वरगताध्याय सविस्तार व्याख्या व अनुवाद सहित)

152 Treatment of Svara
he says "Notes extending to two śruti-s are dissonants". The function
of dissonants is defined by Mataṅga and elucidated by 'S' to the
purport that the notes that can only disturb and destroy the melodic
structure of a rāga, established in the configuration of the fundamental
note (tonic), the assonant and the consonant notes put together, are
dissonant. Again this yardstick has to be applied through the principle
of substitution i. e., if ga is substituted for ri or vice versa, then the
mode and the melodic pattern of the composition are disturbed, and
consequently there is loss of aesthetic effect.
The notes that are not mutually related either as consonants or as
dissonants are considered to be assonants. 'S' quotes Mataṅga who says
that notes short of one śruti interval are assonants. Thus, for example
he says, if ṛṣabha is used for ṣaḍja, dhaivata for pañcama, ṛṣabha for
pañcama, or dhaivata for ṣaḍja or vice versa, the mode of the melodic
pattern is not adversely affected. 'S' adds ṛṣabha for madhyama, and
dhaivata for madhyama and vice versa in this line.
But what is the function of assonants? Anuvādī literally means
that which sounds after (the dominant) i.e., the note that follows or
supports the sonant. Mataṅga also lays down that "the function of the
assonant is to fortify and strengthen the sprit of the melodic pattern
established by the sonant." (47c—50a)
The relationship of the four classes or functions of the notes is illus-
trated by a metaphor. Just as it is the king who commands in consulta-
tion with his minister, so also does the sonant function in close coordi-
nation with the consonant, and yet enjoys the supremacy of the king.
The assonants are so many servants working for the sonant and the
consonant, strengthening them; and the dissonant is like the enemy of
the whole team. (50b—51)
(ix) स्वराणां कुल-जाति-वर्ण-दैवतर्षि-च्छन्दोरस कथनम्
गीर्वाणकुलसंभूताः षड्जगान्धारमध्यमाः ।
पञ्चमः पितृवंशोत्थो रिधावृषिकुलोद्भवौ ॥५२॥
(ix) Lineage, caste, colour, continent, sage, deity, metre
and rasa (aesthetic delight) of the svara-s : 52-60b
Ṣaḍja, gāndhāra and madhyama are of divine origin¹,
pañcama has arisen from the lineage of manes, ṛṣabha and

1. Gīrvāṇakula, literally means the house of gods', or in fact, the
   con ept 'kula' is akin to the concept of cominune; thus the
   expression implies that sa, ma and pa are descended from the
   community of gods.
   Section 3 : Nāda, Śruti and Svara 153
   निषादोऽसुरवंशोत्थो ब्राह्मणाः समपञ्चमाः ।
   रिधौ तु क्षत्रियौ ज्ञेयौ वैश्यजाती निगौ मतौ ॥५३॥
   शूद्रावन्तरकाकल्यौ स्वरौ वर्णास्त्विमे क्रमात् ।
   पद्माभः पिञ्जरः स्वर्णवर्णः कुन्दप्रभोऽसितः ॥५४॥
   पीतः कर्बुर इत्येषां जन्मभूमिरथ ब्रुवे ।
   जम्बूशाककुशक्रौञ्च शाल्मलीश्वेतनामसु ॥५५॥
   द्वीपेषु पुष्करे चैते जाताः षड्जादयः क्रमात् ।
   वह्निवेधाः शशाङ्कश्च लक्ष्मीकान्तश्च नारदः ॥५६॥
   ऋषयो ददृशुः पञ्च षड्जादींस्तुम्बुरुर्धनी ।
   वह्निब्रह्मासरस्वत्यः शर्वश्रीशगणेश्वराः ॥५७॥
   सहस्रांशुरिति प्रोक्ताः क्रमात्षड्जादिदेवताः ।
   क्रमादनुष्टुब्गायत्री त्रिष्टुप् च बृहती ततः ॥५८॥
   पङ्क्तिरुष्णिक् च जगतीत्याहुश्छन्दांसि सादिषु ।
   सरी वीरेऽद्भुते रौद्रे धो बीभत्से भयानके ॥५९॥
   कार्यौ गनी तु करुणे हास्यशृङ्गारयोर्मपौ ।
   dhaivata are the progeny of the ṛṣi-s² (sages), while niṣāda has
   sprung from the demonic ancestry. (52-53a)
   Ṣaḍja, madhyama and pañcama are brahmins³, ṛṣabha and
   dhaivata are known as belonging to the princely class⁴, niṣāda
   We have already come across two classifications of notes; here are
   a few others on quite different grounds. The basis for these classifica-
   tions, as it will be seen, is peculiarly historical and cultural; and there-
2. Ṛṣi is usually translated as 'seer' or a sage; that being true,
   in this context a ṛṣi is the recipient of the vision of the mantra-s
   (i. e vedic hymns).
   3 Brahmin is the superior-most caste among the caste Hindus
   who comprise brāhmaṇas, kṣatriya-s and vaiśya-s, roughly con-
   forming to the three classes of Plato's ideal society viz., the
   philosophers, the rulers and warriors, traders and ploughmen.
   The fourth caste of śūdra comprises slaves and servants of
   lower class. Actually, the caste system of the Hindus is based
   on the four functional divisions of the human body viz., the
   head, the arms, the stomach and the feet.
3. Kṣatriya, literally means the warrior (class).