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

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118 Treatment of Svara
fundamental basis of this theory is to be found in the intimate knowledge
of the kuṇḍalinī-yoga and tantra. But it is clear that the āhata-nāda (the
manifest sound) is conceived here to be a modification of the nāda
residing in the central-most nāḍī, viz., suṣumṇā and is manifested through
the nāḍī-s that branch off from it.
This perspective affords us a greater understanding of the relevance
of the entire spectrum of subjects dealt with in the Section entitled—‘the
Human Embodiment.’
The word śruti is derived from the root 'śru', to hear; thus śruti is
that which is ‘heard’. In other words, śruti is the name given to that
range of sound which is audible Since twentytwo such sounds are
perceived in each of the three registers, it is also implied that an audible
sound in order to be called a śruti should also be capable of individual
perception and recognition, and therefore of being reproduced. ‘K’
opines that audibility is common to tones as well as śruti-s; so, that is
not sufficient to characterise it properly. He, therefore, suggests that
when the sound breaks on the first stroke, it is free from resonance in the
first instant. Thus according to ‘K’ śruti is that audible sound which is
free from resonance. The point that he seems to be making is that
śruti is essentially devoid of tonal colour. This view is obviously based
on the distinction drawn between śruti and svara by the author (vide
24c-25b) while defining the latter. However, this characteristic of śruti
that categorically distinguishes it from svara was first pointed out by
Abhinavagupta who defines svara as, “the sound that is (produced) by
the influence of the sound arising as a result of striking (a vibrating
string) at a śruti-sthāna (the postion of a śruti) and is (thus, essentially
resonating, sweet and creamy”. (Vayaṁ tu śrutisthānābhighātaprabhavasab-
daprabhāvito anuraṇanātm snigdhaḥ madhuraḥ śabda eva svara iti vakṣyāmaḥ
(cf. Abh. Bh, on N. S., G. O. S. IV, p. 11).
In this definition it be observed that when śruti is referred to as
having a sthāna (a particular position in the scale) it implies a certain
pitch relation and the word no longer is used in its literal sense of audi-
ble sound. This sound which is produced by striking a vibrating string
at a given point is not resonating in the first instant, but is capable of
creating resonance in that string. That the word śruti had a reference
to pitch relation from very early times, is indicated by an aphorism of
Pāṇini (500 B. C.), “Ekaśruti dūrāt sambuddhau” (1.2.33), i. e., a call
from a distance (in vocative) is (perceived as) ekaśruti. The word ekaśruti
is defined by Patañjali as the non-distinction of the tone-triad (traisvarya,
i. e., udātta, anudātta and svarita) in perception. Thus, Abhinavagupta
made the distinction between the general and the particular meaning of
the śruti both at the conceptual and the perceptual levels. Conceptually

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Section 3 : Nāda, Śruti and Svara 119
the śruti-s are twentytwo as twentytwo definite positions in the scale
of seven notes, but perceptually the śruti-s are non-resonant primary
manifestations of musical sound, antecedent to the production of tones.
It is this sort of thinking that is abridged by Śārṅgadeva in his definition
of svara referred to above, which Kallinātha has expounded.
In this context it is worthwhile to point out that in the history of
the concept of śruti, we come across discussions regarding the number of
śruti-s and one of the views is that the number of śruti-s is infinite, and
in that case audibility seems to be the only characteristic of śruti. But
if the number is limited then other characteristics are relevant.
‘S’ quotes Mataṅga who has discussed this topic at some length.
He derives the word śruti, grammatically from the root ‘śru’ to hear,
and speaks of śruti as the audible sound, and therefore essentially one.
He (Mataṅga) further quotes Viśvāvasu who declares the same
one śruti to be twofold, i. e., the one pertaining to the normal tones of
the scale and the other pertaining to the intervening tones (i. e.,
antara-gāndhāra and kākalī-niṣāda, to be explained later). However,
this distinction is not of any value, what is notable is that he also defines
śruti as the audible sound. He (Mataṅga) also mentions the view
according to which śruti is considered to be threefold and he describes
two such schools, viz., those who base their argument on the three
places of voice, i e., the three registers, and those who base their view
on the threefold perceptual insensitivity (indriyavaiguṇya). Such insen-
sitivity is explained in these terms : (a) that which is presented as the
natural response of the organism to the situation ; (b) that which is
caused by the emotional imbalance of over-activity or dullness ; and
(c) that which is consequent upon taking improper food and drink.
Then he also points out the view according to which śruti is fourfold,
and this view is based on the fourfold condition of the body, viz., the
respective predominance of wind, bile and phlegm and the combined
derangement of the three (cf. S. R. I. 2.71c ante). However, as ‘K’
points out, these varieties are spoken of with reference to the over-all
quality of voice which includes timbre, volume and pitch-range. This
classification is primarily applicable to the production of voice in the
human organism.
The only classification based on the pitch of the notes, divides
them into three categories (i) having 4 śruti-interval, (ii) with 3 śruti-
interval and (iii) with 2 śruti-interval. As we shall have the occasion
to see later, there are three notes in the first category comprising
12 śruti-s, two in the second comprising 6 śruti-s and two in the third
comprising 4 śruti-s, making 22 in all in the scale of seven notes known