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

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168 Treatment of Svara
makes it clear that it is in fact the seven notes arranged in regular order
of ascent and descent which stand to be called as mūrcchanā i.e., in other
words, the action of ascent and descent, that is, the tonal movement is
not to be called mūrcchanā, as it is said by Mataṅga :
"The unit of seven notes in regular order of ascent and descent is
known to be the referent of the word mūrcchanā by the experts of the
subject."
Obviously a very subtle distinction has been made; for indeed, it
is the seven notes in the ascending or the descending movement in their
successive order that constitute mūrcchanā. The movement is quite
inherent in the tones if they are to form a mūrcchanā. Thus, the distinc-
tion is rather formal and may be construed as helpful in placing the
emphasis rightly on the tones, rather than on their movement. Ravi
Shankar defines mūrcchanā as, "scale-wise progressions in descending
motion from the fundamental notes." (cf. Glossary of Technical Words
'My Music, My Life').
The function of mūrcchanā is to develop, to enlarge and to spread
the rāga. Obviously, it is not possible to restrict the arrangement of
mūrcchanā-s to any one register, and as pointed out by 'K' in order to
show their range to be co-extensive with the three registers, Mataṅga,
speaks of mūrcchanā-s of twelve notes as well, but this seems unnecessary
in view of the two grāma-s being used conjointly, covering the three
registers. Kumbhā mentions Kohala and Nandikeśvara as supporting
Mataṅga in his view, but he totally rejects it by himself as technically
uncalled for (cf. S. Raj. 2.1.1. 352-357).
Thus it is settled, as per the text that there are seven mūrcchanā-s
in each grāma.

(ii) षड्जमध्यमग्रामस्थमूर्च्छनानां संज्ञाः
षड्जे तूत्तरमन्द्रा ऽऽदौ रजनी चोत्तरायता ।
शुद्धषड्जा मत्सरीकृदश्वक्रान्ता ऽभिरुद्गता ।।१०।।
मध्यमे स्यात् सौवीरी हरिणाश्वा ततः परम् ।
स्यात्कलोपनता शुद्धमध्या मार्गी च पौरवी ।।११।।
हृष्यकेति,
(ii) The names of the mūrcchanā-s of the ṣaḍja and madhyama-
grāma-s : 10-12a
The first in ṣaḍja-grāma is uttaramandrā which is followed
[by rajanī, uttarāyatā, śuddha-ṣaḍjā,] matsarīkṛtā, aśvakrāntā and

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Page 169

Section 4 : Grāma, Mūrcchanā, Krama and Tāna 169
abhirudgatā. Madhyama-grāma has sauvīrī, hariṇāśvā, kalopanatā,
śuddhamadhyā, mārgī, pauravī and hṛṣyakā. (10-12a)
The names of these fourteen mūrcchanā-s seem to be quite significant
and some scholars have even ventured to speculate regarding their
literal signification as related to their musical content and aesthetic effect;
for example, the name of the first mūrcchanā of the ṣaḍja-grāma uttara-
mandrā, literally means, "the one that follows the mandra i. e., the lower
(heptad)" and this exactly tallies with its tonal position, since it com-
mences with the ṣaḍja of the middle heptad.
Now, the question (as raised by 'K') is, 'Why should the mūrcchanās
of the ṣaḍja-grāma begin with the ṣaḍja of the middle register?' i. e., why
not with some other note of, say, the lower register? And 'K' explains,
"that is so, because Bharata has ordained it that way," quoting him,
"mūrcchanā should be demonstrated on vīṇā with the tone madhyama
(madhyama svareṇa vaiṇavena mūrcchanā-nirdeśaḥ)". And then 'K' goes on
to quote Mataṅga in his interpretation of Bharata : "Mūrcchanā should
commence with the middle register in order to establish the lower and
the higher registers (madhya-saptakena mūrcchanā-nirdeśaḥ kāryo mandratāra-
sidhyartham)."
As far as the literal meaning is concerned, Bharata has spoken of
madhyama as the tone and not of madhya saptaka. However, Bharata
also lays down uttaramandrā as the first mūrcchanā, "ādya-hyuttaramandrā
syād etc." (cf. N. S. Ka. ed. XXVIII. 27). So in fact Śāṅgadeva follows
the tradition of Bharata and Mataṅga. Mataṅga however, seems to have
correctly elucidated Bharata, why uttaramandrā is taken as the first
mūrcchanā.

(iii) मूर्छनानामारम्भकस्वराः
, अथ तासां तु लक्षणं प्रतिपाद्यते ।
मध्यस्थानस्थषड्जेन मूर्छना ऽऽरभ्यते ऽग्रिमा ।।१२।।
(iii) The tonal form of the mūrcchanā-s : 12b-15
Their distinguishing character¹ is (now) being out-
lined.² The first mūrcchanā is commenced with the ṣaḍja of
'S' reproduces the mūrcchanā-s (in the ascending form) of the two
grāma-s in accordance with the text as under :

1. Lakṣaṇa, literally means a characteristic mark.
2. Lit. 'established' by demonstration.