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

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238 · Treatment of Svara ·

(ख) स्थायिवर्णगतालंकारोद्देशः।

तस्य भेदास्तु बहवस्तत्र स्थायिगतान्ब्रुवे ।
येषामाद्यन्तयोरेकः स्वरस्ते स्थायिवर्णगाः ॥४॥
प्रसन्नादिः प्रसन्नान्तः प्रसन्नाद्यन्तसंज्ञकः ।
ततः प्रसन्नमध्यः स्यात्प्रच्छन्नः क्रमरेचितः ॥५॥
प्रस्तारो ऽथ प्रसादः स्यात्सप्तैते स्थायिनि स्थिताः ।
(b) The definition and enumeration of the embellishments
of the steady tone-pattern : 4-6b
Many, indeed, are its¹ varieties, of which I shall pre-
sently speak of those pertaining to the steady tone-pattern
(sthāyī-varṇa). Those (tonal-embellishments) that have the
same tone in the beginning as well as in the end, pertain to
the steady tone-pattern. The seven (embellishments) classi-
fied as belonging to the ‘steady’ (tone-pattern) are prasannādi²,
prasannānta³, prasannādyanta⁴, prasannamadhya⁵, kramarecita⁶,
prastāra⁷ and prasāda⁸. (4-6b)
Śārṅgadeva, our author, defines and illustrates sixtythree tonal
embellishments (alaṅkāra-s) but Bharata has given only thirty-three
which include many other things apart from alaṅkāra-s as they came to
be understood in Śārṅgadeva’s time. It may be admitted that theore-
tically there are infinite possibilities of tonal embellishments, but it
seems only 63 were in vogue in his time. It is notable that Dattila, who
is thought by some to be earlier than Bharata gives only 13 embellish-
ments and some writers subsequent to Śārṅgadeva (cf. Ahobala’s S. Pā)
enumerate even more than 63. The distinguishing characteristic feature
of the tonal pattern, as pointed out in the text and interpreted by ‘K’ is
that its different kalā-s (integral parts or phrases) commence and end
with the same tone, though the repetition occurs in different registers
(cf. ‘K’ on verses 3-8).

1. The pronoun ‘it’ stands for ‘alaṅkāra’ of the previous verse.
2. Lit. with prasanna (i. e. mandra) in the beginning.
3. Lit with prasanna in the end.
4. Lit. with prasanna in the beginning and in the end.
5. Lit. with prasanna in the centre.
6. Lit. devoid of order.
7. Lit. extension.
8. Lit. clarity. All these are explained in the following few
   verses.

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(ग) मन्द्रतारलक्षणम्

मन्द्रः प्रकरणे ऽत्र स्यान्मूर्च्छनाप्रथमः स्वरः ॥६॥
स एव द्विगुणस्तारः पूर्वः पूर्वो ऽथ वा भवेत् ।
मन्द्रः परस्ततस्तारः प्रसन्नो मृदुरित्यपि ॥७॥
मन्द्रस्तारस्तु दीप्तः स्यान्मन्द्रो बिन्दुशिरा भवेत् ।
ऊर्ध्वरेखाशिरस्तारो लिपौ त्रिर्वचनात्प्लुतः ॥८॥
(c) The significance of the terms mandra, tāra, etc. : 6c-8
In this section the word ‘mandra’ signifies the first tone
of the mūrcchanā, and that very tone when doubled¹ (in pitch)
is (called) ‘tāra’; or alternatively the tone in the preceding
register becomes ‘mandra’ and the one in the succeeding
register (becomes) ‘tāra’. Mandra is also called prasanna or
Three terms viz. mandra, tara and pluta are defined here. Mandra and
tāra are presented as relative concepts, as indeed they are; and two
alternative expressions have been offered to indicate their relation.
Firstly, it is posited that mandra is the name given to the first note of the
mūrcchanā, while the eighth note, which is double the first one (in pitch
range), is called tāra. If the first tone of the mūrcchanā belongs to the
lower register and is called mandra, the same tone of the middle register
would be called tāra, but if the first note (mandra) of the mūrcchanā is in
the middle register, then the same note of the high register would
become tāra.
It is pertinent to note that the terms tāra and mandra in this
Section must not be understood as defined in verse 7 of Section 3 ante,
they do not refer to the three registers as such. Obviously the middle
register finds no mention in this context and therefore the terms
mandra and tāra refer to what may be called the lower and the higher
register, the two covering the concept of three registers in their relative
application. This would be clear from the other alternative view put
forth by the author.
Alternatively, he says, the tone of the prior register may be
understood as mandra (low) and that of the posterior register may be
considered tāra (high), the prior register being the one in which the
commencing note of the phrase-progression (alaṅkāra) falls. Consequently,

1. Dviguṇa is the eighth tone (i. e. the first of the next higher
   octave).