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

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pitch forms the essential characteristic of the tonal perception
called śruti by the ancients. And then it is also notable that
in a given scale of notes, it is some of these very minute
intervals that are recognised as svara-s. This view enlightens
us regarding the relation of śruti and svara.
Then Mataṅga quotes Kohala, who is even earlier
than Dattila. He affirms that śruti-s are twentytwo in
number, also considered as sixtysix by some : or otherwise,
they are infinite.¹⁵ Thus, as far as the difference of pitch as
determined by auditive perceptibility is concerned, the one
prominent view held by distinguished musicologists was that
of twentytwo śruti-s; because all other views are either parti-
ally applicable or not based on pitch-value, and therefore
non-musical in their orientation. The view of sixtysix śruti-s
is only a projection of the former and is obviously superficial.
Alternatively, if śruti is a just perceptible difference in pitch,
there can hardly be any limit to such sounds. So, the view
maintaining an infinity of śruti-s called for a need for a clear
and precise definition of the term in the essential sense of
perceptible difference in pitch. Of course śruti-s cannot be
considered infinite, for the function of śruti-s is to constitute
the musical scale and to determine the position of the seven
tones in it; so if the śruti-s have to discharge this function,
their number has to be limited; then only they can be used
as units of a group.
But, how is it that the śruti-interval came to be per-
ceived ? i. e. in other words, does the name śruti correspond
to an objective perception ? Kumbhā, who is in a way, a
commentator of Śārṅgadeva, has pointed out two different
aspects of the connotation of the word śruti. He says, the
word śruti can be derived from the root śru, either as an
abstract noun referring to listening, or as a verbal noun,
referring to the object of listening. In other words, śruti
१५—द्वाविंशतिं केचिदुदाहरन्ति (श्रुतीः) श्रुतिज्ञानविचारदक्षाः ।
षट्षष्टिभिन्नाः खलु केचिदासामानन्त्यमेव प्रतिपादयन्ति ॥
Bṛhaddeśī.

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also denotes a perceivable difference of pitch. This was
derived in the first instance in the form of the difference of
pitch-value between the Pañcama of Ṣaḍja-grāma and that
of Madhyama-grāma by Bharata.¹⁶ And this difference of
auditive perception was designated by him as Pramāṇa-śruti.
In other words, in the perception of that difference in pitch
value, he found a proof of the perceptible existence of a
tonal factor that constituted tones or determined their posi-
tion in the scale. Consequently, Kumbhā, echoing Abhinava-
gupta, points out that the function of śruti is to distinguish in-
between the grāma-s. Mataṅga perceives in this difference
of pitch a measure of tonal content called śruti. Thus the
discovery of the pramāṇa śruti set the ball rolling, and it was
found that all the tones were actually to be arrived at
through two, three or four perceptible factors, bringing the
total number of such tonal factors to twentytwo in a scale.
Regarding the objective validity of the concept of śruti
Dr. B. C. Deva has referred to a laboratory experiment
conducted by Ellis, in England in 19th Century. The experi-
ment proved that, “the number of rough steps of pitch which
can be distinguished in an octave are about 22;”¹⁷ and also
“that the difference in any sensation which can be perceived
depends on the sensation already present in a person.” The
effect of this (accumulated sensation) was known to our
ancients, or was taken into account in formulating the con-
cept of śruti. Abhinavagupta calls it “Kramika-śrutijanita-
saṁskāra-viśeṣa.” Śārṅgadeva is also aware of this process,
when he himself poses the question, “Indeed if such śruti-s
as the fourth etc. are admitted to be the cause of svara-s
how can the other śruti-s such as third etc. be considered as
their cause ?”, to which he answers, “Such a śruti whether
fourth or third etc., is determined only with reference to
१६—अथ प्रयोजनं तावत्प्रोच्यते श्रुतिरूपणे ।
विभागो ग्रामयोर्यस्मादेतत् ज्ञानेन जायते ॥९०॥
Saṅgīta-rāja II. 1.1.90.
१७—B. C. Deva, Psycho-acoustics of Music and Speech, 1967; pp. 122-
123.