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

20 Treatment of Svara
(xiv) gītāṅga-s
(xx) Deśī tāla-s⁴³
(xxi) the pratyaya-s (tabular formulas for finding out
the serial number and the structural form of tāla-s
(44-48b)
In the sixth chapter will be described numerous musi-
cal instruments, while in the seventh chapter, we shall deal
with dancing and the various rasa-s (types of aesthetic
delight) and bhāva-s (modes of being) in due order. (48c-
49b).
43. 120 deśī-tāla-s such as ādi-tāla etc. have been enumerated by
Śārṅgadeva.
अथ द्वितीयं पिण्डोत्पत्तिप्रकरणम्
क. विषयावतरणम्
(i) नादमहिमा
गीतं नादात्मकं वाद्यं नादव्यक्त्या प्रशस्यते ।
तद्द्वयानुगतं नृत्तं नादाधीनमतस्त्रयम् ॥ १ ॥
नादेन व्यज्यते वर्णः पदं वर्णात्पदाद्वचः ।
वचसो व्यवहारोऽयं नादाधीनमतो जगत् ॥ २ ॥
Section 2
The Genesis of the Human Embodiment
A. Introduction :
(i) The importance of nāda : 1-2
Nāda¹ is the very² essence of vocal music. Instrumental
music is enjoyable³, as it manifests nāda. Nṛtta (dance)
Having presented a synoptical view of the proposed work, the
author proceeds to describe the genesis of human embodiment. What
is the relevance of such a topic in a music treatise ? It is indeed ex-
ceptional that Śārṅgadeva has considered it necessary to deal with this
subject matter which concerns embryology and physiology of human
body. He could do so, for he was himself a physician; and he thought

1. Nāda, as already stated, is primordial sound considered by
   some of the schools of Indian Philosophy, specially Yoga and
   Tantra, to be the primary cause of the phenomenal world. Of
   the five basic elements, earth, water, fire, air and ether, per-
   ceived correspondingly by the senses of smell, taste, vision,
   touch and hearing, ether is the most pervasive and the cause
   of the rest. Sound is considered to be the manifestation of
   nāda, which is described as Nāda-brahman and is thus equated
   with the absolute of the Upaniṣads.
2. That is, the intangible substance which manifests itself through
   the articulate sound. The manifest refers to the unmanifest
   by implication.
3. Literally praśasyate means, 'is praised'; but, 'S' rightly inter-
   prets it as 'ramanyatām upaiti', i e., attains the excellence
   of beauty, becomes enjoyable as beautiful.