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

18 Treatment of Svara
(i) Dhātu-s²⁷ (sections) }
(ii) Aṅga-s²⁸ (integral parts) } of vocal composition
(iii) Jāti-s²⁹ (classes) }
(iv) the twofold sūḍa, viz. śuddha and chāyālaga, and
(v) Ālikrama-compositions rooted in the sūḍa and depending on āli
(vi) Viprakīrṇa³⁰ compositions, depending on Chāyālaga sūḍa, followed by
(vii) the good and bad qualities inherent in vocal performance (41c-43).
In the fifth chapter entitled 'Tāla'³¹ (the cyclic time-figure) we shall essentially speak of—
(i) The mārga-tāla-s
(ii) Kalā-s³² (inaudible movements of the hand)
(iii) Pāta-s³³ (audible movements of the hand)
27. Dhātu, literally means a basic element and this expression seems to have been borrowed from Āyurveda (cf. verse 71 of Section 2). Here it signifies 'section' of a musical composition which basically refers to its tonal aspect in contrast with its syllabic content or the non-tonal aspect called mātu. The constitution of prabandha has been conceived on the analogy of an organic body like that of a human being. A prabandha may have 2 to 5 dhātu-s, the average being 4, i. e. udgrāha dhruva, melāpaka and ābhoga, the fifth being antarā.
28. Aṅga, literally means a part of an organic body; here, an integral part of a musical composition. Prabandha is said to have six limbs (i.e, organs), viz. two feet, i e., svara and tāla; two eyes, i.e., pada and tena; and two hands, i e., pāṭa and biruda. We can have two to six of these in a piece.
29. That is, generic classes of vocal compositions, viz. medinī etc., five in number, based on the number of aṅga-s used in a composition.
30. Viprakīrṇa-miscellaneous, i.e., apart from those enumerated above.
31. Tāla signifies cyclic movement in time and is popularly known as the 'time beat'. The author classifies tāla as mārga and deśī and speaks of five mārga-tāla-s and 120 deśī-tāla-s.
Tāla literally is derived from the Skt. root tal—to establish. So, in tāla are established (i.e., based) the three arts of singing, playing on musical instruments and dancing. Tāla is the measure of time that regulates action in music.
32. Kalā, in this context is defined as niḥśabda-kriyā, i.e., soundless act (beat).
33. Pāta is defined as saśabda-kriyā, i.e., act, accompanied with sound (beat).
Section I : Introductory 19
(iv) Mārga-s³⁴ (styles)
(v) the eight mārgakalā-s (i. e., mātrā-s, viz. dhruvakā etc.)
(vi) the standard measure of guru (long) and laghu³⁵ (short)
(vii) the varieties beginning with ekakalā etc.
(viii) the padabhāga-s³⁶
(ix) the mātrā-s³⁷ (fixed units of time)
(x) the technique of pāta³⁸ and kalā in tāla
(xi) the regulation of fingering
(xii) the varieties such as yugma etc.
(xiii) Parivarta³⁹ (the repetition of pāda divisions)
(xiv) Laya-s⁴⁰ (tempo or musical speed)
(xv) and their yati-s (orders of laya)
(xvi) Gītaka-s⁴¹
(xvii) Chandaka gīta-s⁴²
(xviii) the group of tālāṅga-s, and
34. Mārga-s in this context signify the four ways, viz. dhruva etc., in which a particular time-beat cycle can be executed.
35. Laghu and guru signify, primarily, effort in pronouncing a syllable. In metres regulated by the number of syllabic instances—one instance or mātrā is allotted to a short vowel and two to a long one. A syllable is that part of a word that can be pronounced at once, i.e., a vowel with or without one or more consonants.
36. A unit of two or four guru-s.
37. Mātrā signifies a unit, a standard time-measure of a beat-cycle.
38. Pāta roughly signifies a beat that sounds and kalā, a beat that does not sound.
39. Parivarta signifies repetition of padabhāga etc.
40. Laya is tempo, i. e. space in-between the beats. 'S' defines it as the time interval in the act of beating, while yati signifies a scheme of sequence in laya-s.
41 & 42. Seven (or fourteen) song-patterns known as madraka etc. are called prakaraṇākhya gīta-s which are predominently based on tāla and are said to be sung in the praise of lord Śiva for obtaining (spiritual) emancipation.