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

154 Treatment of Svara
and gāndhāra are considered to be in the merchant class⁵,
while the notes antara-gāndhāra and kākali-niṣāda are of the
servant class.⁶ (53b-54a)
Their respective colours are red⁷, pale yellow⁸, golden
yellow, sparkling white⁹, black, plain yellow and variegated.
(54b-55a)
Then I am to describe the lands¹⁰ of their origin.
The notes ṣaḍja etc., are respectively born in the continents
of Jambu, Śāka, Kuśa, Krauñca, Śālmali, Śveta and Puṣkara.
(55b-56b)
fore, peculiarly Indian in orientation. Moreover, it is not always possi-
ble to trace the historical-cum-mythological background in which the
classification and its nomenclature were significantly employed. For
example, one can hardly say anything about the classification of notes
based on their origin from the gods, manes, sages and demons, but one
can guess with obvious justification with respect to the other classifica-
tion based on caste. Incidentally these attributes go to project the
individual images of the notes lending them a personality.
Ṣaḍja, madhyama and pañcama have four śruti-s each, ṛṣabha and
dhaivata have three, niṣāda and gāndhāra have two; so obviously they
have been evaluated according to their śruti-value and assigned the
best, the middle and the lower position among the society of svara-s
(notes). However, antara and kākali are treated as outcastes since
they are not employed as the fundamental notes, and are therefore,
degraded from the position of full-fledged svaratva (i.e. the capacity, to
be an independent musical note). (52—54a)
There is a state of consciousness arrived at through yogic process in
which colour and sound appear in a unified perception. The notes have
been assigned particular colours here. These colours may be related to
the particular aesthetic effects subsequently attributed to the notes or
5. Vaiśya-s include traders, farmers, industrialists and the produ-
cers of every type.
6. Śūdra-s are those who are not free citizens, who are in the
service of other individuals etc.
7. Padmābha is interpreted by 'S' as red; literally it means
'shining like a lotus' as rendered by 'K. R.'. However, we do
have a red lotus and therefore, the interpretation of 'S' may
be taken to be authentic.
8. Piñjara is defined by 'S' as slightly yellow or yellowish.
9. Kunda is a flower and 'K. R.' identifies it with jasmine. 'S'
interprets it as brilliant and white.
10. Places of birth.
Section 3 : Nāda, Śruti and Svara 155
The ṛṣi-s¹¹ (sages) who discovered the first five¹² notes
commencing with ṣaḍja etc., respectively are Vahni¹³,
Brahmā¹⁴, Śaśāṅka¹⁵, Lakṣmīkānta¹⁶ and Nārada¹⁷,
while dhaivata and niṣāda were discovered by Tumburu.¹⁸
(56-57b)
they may even be objective facts that are subjectively perceived; but
nothing can authentically be said about it, since even the commentators
do not refer to the basis for this tradition. They seem to take these
things as a matter of course.
The world was divided into seven dvīpa-s according to the puranic
geography which is mixed up with mythology. A dvīpa is considered to
be an independent mass of land separated from the other dvīpa-s by an
ocean. Thus corresponding to the seven dvīpa-s seven oceans are also
conceived. These days, the concept of 'dvīpa' is taken as corresponding
to that of 'continent', though in technical details it is not necessarily
so. (54b—56b)
It will be observed that with respect to every note, or in other
words, regarding all the seven notes, certain characteristics are described
here, such as, the familyline, the colour, the continent of origin, the
seer, the presiding deity, metre and the aesthetic effect. To a critical
mind, this scheme is open to searching questions regarding the signifi-
cance of these individual characteristics as attributed to the different
notes. However, only a few general suggestions can be offered here
with a view to provide a certain perspective in which the true signifi-
cance of the scheme may be discovered.
11. Ṛṣi-s are considered to be the seers who have an immediate
perception of Truth or a fact.
12. That is, ṣaḍja, ṛṣabha gāndhāra, madhyama and pañcama.
13. Vahni, literally means fire and alludes to Agni, the god of fire.
14. Vedhas of the text refers to the creative aspect of the Divinity,
i. e. Brahmā.
15. Śaśāṅka refers to the 'moon'.
16. Lakṣmīkānta refers to Viṣṇu along with his consort Lakṣmī.
17. Nārada is not only a mythological figure, but also one of the
authorities in the tradition of the musical arts as mentioned
in the beginning of the text (cf. S. Raj, Vol. I, p. 667 for an
exhaustive note).
18. Tumburu is similarly another authority sanctified by musical
tradition. Thus Tumburu, like Nārada is a historical persona-
lity. He is described as an expert in divine music Vāyu-
purāṇa 69.47-49, a gandharva disciple of Nārada (Bhāgavata-
purāṇa, I.13.37-59). Tumburu is obviously associated with
Nārada in the Purāṇa-s.