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

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270 Treatment of Svara
By the omission of three⁶, four (varieties) and by
omitting four (of them) only one⁷ is (obtained). These
fifteen⁸ are the only varieties of ṣaḍjī demonstrated by the
noble ones. (5)
Of these⁹, eight are devoid of completeness and seven
are deprived of the other (factors)¹⁰. Those devoid of
completeness are twofold being distinguished as hexatonic
(ṣāḍava) and pentatonic (auḍuva). (6)
Thus there would be eight (varieties) more in the
pentatonic jāti-s such as ārṣabhī and others; and therefore,
these six¹¹ are known to have twenty-three varieties each. (7)
of the other (four) limitations. He explains this interpretation by saying
that accordingly, in case of the modified jāti-s the denominative note
will be the final note while other notes will be employed as semi-final,
fundamental and initial notes. Thus in this way the śuddhā jāti-s become
the modified jāti-s and not the associate modified (saṁsargajā-vikṛtā)
jāti-s. This arrangement, he says, helps to assign the particular modified
jāti-s to the corresponding śuddhā jāti-s since their final note serves as
the distinguishing mark.
'S' states that these śuddhā jāti-s deprived of the said characte-
ristic marks excepting the final note are modified. The absence of the
characteristic mark with regard to the final note implies (the non-appli-
cability of) the rule pertaining to the final note being in the registers
other than the higher one, for (he asserts) that is not necessary in the
case of modified forms, and he quotes Mataṅga in support of his view
who says, "In the śuddhā jāti-s the final denominative note is in the
lower register, but in the modifications this rule does not apply."
Accordingly, he conceives two forms of the primary jāti-s, viz. charac-
terised by śuddhatva (purity) and modification. However, he points out
that śuddhatva cannot be predicated of jāti-s such as ṣaḍja-kaiśikī,
obviously referring to the associate modified ones.
6. Three factors.
7. Variety.
8. 4+6+4+1=15.
9. Fifteen varieties.
10. Such as the initial note, the fundamental note and the semi-
final note.
11. That is, the six modified forms of the śuddhā jāti-s excluding
ṣaḍjī

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Section 7 : Jāti-s (Melodic types) 271
It is not only interesting but also instructive to consult Bharata
who seems to be the author of the concept of jāti-s and their classifica-
tion. He distinguishes jāti-s primarily into two classes, viz. those that
are named after their denominative note which he calls svara-jāti-s and
which can only be seven; and those eleven that are formed by the com-
bination of these svara-jāti-s in their modified forms, which he calls
saṁsargajā vikṛtā (combinations of modified jāti-s).
Furthermore, he informs that the svara-jāti-s are twofold, viz.
śuddhā (pure) and vikṛtā (modified). Śuddhā he defines as Śārṅgadeva
does (in substance) and vikṛtā, he says, are formed when the śuddhā jāti-s
are defiled with regard to one, two or more of their characteristics ex-
cepting the final note. The rule for the final note being in the lower
register, he further adds, does not apply to them (cf. N. S., G. O. S.
Vol. IV p. 37).
Thus Bharata explicitly states how the modification of jāti-s is
effected. Since Śārṅgadeva is not quite explicit in this regard, even
though his description of the modified forms implies the underlying
principle of modification, the ambiguity of his text, which is obviously
due to the brevity of his expression, can lead one to the interpretation
that the modified jāti-s are formed by depriving the śuddhā jāti-s of all
their characteristics excepting that of the final note. Indeed the expres-
sion etat-lakṣma-hīnā (devoid of the characteristics of śuddhatā) has been
interpreted as such by the commentators. But in any case it is helpful
to bear in mind that though only one form of modification of each of the
seven śuddhā-jāti-s will correspond to this interpretation which is in-
cluded among the various modifications detailed by the author subse-
quently, such seven modified forms have theoretically, if not practically,
to be conceived because of the fact that the saṁsargajā-vikṛtā (associate
modified) jāti-s are formed out of these.
Thus, we have svara-jāti-s classified as śuddhā and vikṛtā. The
vikṛtā are modified variously and manifest in two ways, viz. as the varie-
ties of śuddhā by the application of the above rule and by the combina-
tion of such modified varieties, the former being called 'modified (vikṛtā)
jāti-s' and the latter 'associate modified jāti-s' (saṁsargajā-vikṛtā). The
vikṛtā-s are considered to be the variations of śuddhā and are not there-
fore counted independently. (3 cd)
Now, the author describes the technique of forming different
varieties of the modified forms of śuddhā jāti-s such as ṣaḍjī and others.
It is obvious from this description that in all these cases the denomina-
tive note is understood to be the final note. We are thus left with four
variable factors by dropping which different varieties are obtained. If,