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

294 Treatment of Svara
Bahutvam, i. e. profusion is defined with reference to alpatvam, i. e.
rareness, and is considered as the opposite concept. Since rareness is
considered to be twofold, correspondingly profusion too is accepted as
such. Rareness is obtained through overstepping and by unexercised
use of a particular note. Overstepping (laṅghanam) is defined by 'K' as
'īṣatsparśa', i. e. a slight touch, which is aptly explained by 'K. R.' as
lightly passing over, so that it does not imply an all-out omission. Non-
overstepping implies the absence of overstepping which according to 'K'
means 'touching fully', probably in contrast with 'touching slightly' in
the case of rareness.
Abhyāsa is defined by 'K' as repetition, which he explains to be
twofold, viz. uninterrupted and frequent. Constant repetition of a note
without being interrupted by others illustrates the former, and inter-
rupted but frequent repetition the latter.
There is some difference in the interpretations of the two commen-
tators with regard to the text of 49 cd. According to 'K' "That twofold
profusion abides in the paryāyāṁśa, i. e., the fundamental note other
than that which is the sonant, and even in the sonant and the consonant."
On the other hand, 'S' interprets: "Profusion is another name for
'sonant and consonant'. If the profusion is by non-overstepping, it is
sonant and that which is by repetition is consonant." 'K. R.' thinks
that probably 'S' had a different reading of the text which he recons-
tructs as—"paryāyo'mśe sthitaṁ tac-ca vādī-saṁvādino r-api" which he trans-
lates as—"That (profusion) abiding in the aṁśa will be the synonym of
vādī and saṁvādī."
10. अल्पत्वम्
अल्पत्वं च द्विधा प्रोक्तमनभ्यासाच्च लङ्घनात् ।
अनभ्यासस्त्वनंशेषु प्रायो लोप्येष्वपीष्यते ॥५०॥
ईषत्स्पर्शो लङ्घने स्यात्प्रायस्तल्लोप्यगोचरम् ।
उशन्ति तदनंशे ऽपि क्वचिद्गीतविशारदाः ॥५१॥
10. Rareness (alpatva):
Rareness¹ is said to be twofold, viz. by the absence of
repetition² and by overstepping. Absence of repetition is

1. Alpatvam of the text.
2. Abhyāsa of the text which has already been explained.
   Section 7: Jāti-s (Melodic types) 295
   (practised) with regard to the non-fundamental notes³ and
   is generally desired in (the case of) the eliminated⁴ notes. (50)
   Overstepping⁵ is slightly touching and is generally
   observed among the eliminated notes. Musicologists, some-
   times, admit it⁶ even in (the case of) non-fundamental
   notes. (51)
   Alpatva (rareness) of a note is secured by reversing the process of
   profusion, viz. by non-repetition and by overstepping. Not to repeat
   is to take (sing) only once as elucidated by 'K'. That is practised with
   regard to the notes other than the fundamental ones and those that are
   to be eliminated in the process of forming hexatonic and pentatonic
   varieties.
3. अन्तरमार्गः
   न्यासादिस्थानमुज्झित्वा मध्ये मध्ये ऽल्पतायुषाम् ।
   स्वराणां या विचित्रत्वकारिण्यंशादिसंगतिः ॥५२॥
   अनभ्यासैः क्वचित्क्वापि लङ्घनैरेव केवलैः ।
   कृता सा ऽन्तरमार्गः स्यात्प्रायो विकृतजातिषु ॥५३॥
4. Antaramārga: (52-53)
   Sparing the positions of the final and other¹ notes,
   taking in-between the rare² notes intermittently³, the concor-
   dance that is established with the fundamental and other⁴
5. Notes other than the fundamental ones, i. e. the sonant and the
   co-fundamental notes.
6. That is, the notes omitted in order to form hexatonic (ṣāḍava)
   and pentatonic (auḍuva) structures.
7. Laṅghanam of the text.
8. 'It' stands for overstepping.
9. The positions of the final, the semifinal, the initial and the
   fundamental notes as well as the saṁnyāsa and vinyāsa notes,
   according to 'K'.
10. Alpatā-yujāṁ svarāṇām literally rendered would read, "of the
    notes served with rareness", i. e. rare notes.
11. Madhye madhye : The repetition of madhya is suggestive of inter-
    mittent occurrence of the rare notes in-between the positions
    of notes enumerated in (1) above.
12. Ādi is interpreted by 'K' here as well, as referring to the
    initial, the semifinal and such other notes.