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

284 Treatment of Svara
range³, that which is its own consonant but which has
another note as assonant, that which is capable of being the
final note, the semifinal note, vinyāsa, saṁnyāsa and the initial
note, that which is frequently employed in practice, and is
the sonant (vādī) becomes the fundamental note (aṁśa)
because of its efficiency⁴. However, in performance (prayoga),
profusion⁵ (bahulatvam) is the (most) comprehensive charac-
teristic mark of the fundamental note. (32-34)
The word aṁśa literally means a constituent part and ‘S’
conjectures a semantic derivation saying that aṁśa is that which divides
the jāti-rāga-s. Perhaps this is relevant to that function of the funda-
mental note in accordance with which the higher and the lower pitch
range of a jāti is determined with reference to it.
It has been specified that the fundamental note is expressive of
delightfulness in a musical composition. ‘K’ points out that in so far
as the fundamental note is delightful as every other note (svara) intrin-
sically is, it is not different from the rest of them; therefore the signi-
ficance of this attribute lies in the fact that the fundamental note is not
only delightful by itself like every other note but is expressive of the
delight inherent in the mutual relation of notes in the musical compo-
sition as a whole. This is analogous to the beauty of the meaning
implied by the words in their mutual relationship in a sentence as a
whole, apart and different from their individual literal meaning.
Another important function of the fundamental note, as already
referred to, is to determine the range of the higher and the lower
registers which will be further defined presently in a short while by the
author. The terms saṁvādī (consonant) and anuvādī (assonant) have
already been defined by the author in Section 3.
The other distinguishing features of the fundamental note indicated
include the fact that it is capable of being its own consonant at times,
as elucidated by ‘K’. This may be observed in contra-distinction to
the assonant which is necessarily to be a different note, i. e. other than

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3. Tāra and mandra lit, high and low, in this context signify the
   two extremes of pitch range in which a jāti is composed.
4. Yogyatā (efficiency) is explained by ‘K’ as ‘potency to delight’,
   brought into being conjointly by the characteristic features
   attributed to the fundamental note as enumerated in the text
   (S. R. I, p. 182).
5. Bahulatvam or Bahutvam signifies frequent recurrence.
   Section 7 : Jāti-s (Melodic types) 285
   the fundamental note. And ‘K’ explains these two relations on the
   analogy of a king who sometimes may perform the functions of a
   minister but never of a servant. Śārṅgadeva's statement that occasion-
   ally the fundamental note is capable of functioning as its own consonant
   is notable in view of the general principle of Bharata that the consonant
   of the fundamental cannot be omitted. It is an indirect pointer to the
   existence of melodic structures in Śārṅgadeva's times that did not
   probably employ the consonants of the fundamental note at all, as
   can be observed in some of the current rāga-s of Hindustani music.
   As Bṛhaspati aptly remarks that “Rāga-s like māravā, pūriyā, gujarī and
   sohanī do not belong to the mūrcchanā system and therefore their funda-
   mental note is said to be its own consonant.” And to support his
   contention he pointedly cites Śārṅgadeva's definition of aṁśa (funda-
   mental note) in this respect as a proof (cf. S. Chintāmaṇi, p. 127).
   The capacity of the fundamental note to function as the final
   and the semifinal note, the saṁnyāsa and vinyāsa accounts for its
   profusion. It is interesting to observe how Bharata defines it :
   “The aṁśa (is that note in the song) on which its charm (rāga)
   depends, and from which the charm proceeds, is the basis of the
   variation into low (mandra) and high (tāra) pitches depending on the
   (first) five notes (pañcasvarāpara) and in the combination of many notes
   it is perceived prominently (atyartham); and moreover other strong
   notes may be to it in relation of consonance and assonance, and it is
   related to graha, apanyāsa, vinyāsa, saṁnyāsa and nyāsa (notes) and it lies
   scattered throughout the song.” (N. S. XXVIII 76-78; Eng. Tr. by
   M. Ghosh, vol. II pp. 19, 20).
   Obviously the definition of Śārṅgadeva is polished and more
   precise in describing the various functions of the fundamental note.
   Dattila relates the higher pitch range (tāra) as five notes rising up from
   the fundamental note (cf. Dattilam, 57). This subject is, however,
   presently being dealt with by our author.
   ३. तारः
   मध्यमे सप्तके ऽंशः स्यात्तस्मात्तारस्थितात्परान् ।
   स्वरांश्चतुर आरोहेदेष तारावधिः परः ॥३५॥
   अर्वाक्तु कामचारः स्यात्तारे लुप्तो ऽपि गण्यते ।
   आतारषड्जमारोहो नन्दयन्त्यां प्रकीर्तितः ॥३६॥