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

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132 Treatment of Svara
(iv) The fourth and the fifth views, being free of any such fault
and having been supported by Mataṅga etc., are acceptable.
In fact it is Mataṅga who was first to discuss this topic in such
detail and 'K' has only reproduced his views in his own words.
Mataṅga summarises the above five views in the following verse, though
he also discusses them in detail :
"With respect to śruti-s five views are generally held, viz., identity,
reflection, causation, transformation and manifestation" (Bṛhaddeśī 31).
Mataṅga points out the faults of the first three views, which are
reproduced by 'K' and supports the last two views in general. But then
finally he comes out in favour of the 'manifestation theory', as he says :
"By perception, inference and circumstantial evidence the śruti-s
may be accepted as factors manifesting the svara-s" (Bṛhaddeśī 53).
Thus, Mataṅga considers śruti-s to be the factors manifesting the
svara-s, and Śārṅgadeva thinks that śruti-s give rise to the svara-s. It is
obvious that both are saying the same thing in two different ways. The
śruti-s, with respect to the svara-s, may therefore be taken to be the
factors that in different combinations give rise to different svara-s, consti-
tute them for a while, and so manifest them or make them perceptible.
As pointed out by 'K', Mataṅga has elucidated the significance of
the names of the notes, which is represented briefly as under :
(i) Ṣaḍja—is so called because :
(a) it is the precursor (lit. the progenitor) of the six other
notes, or
(b) it is brought into being by six other notes for, as an
integrated part of the heptad (saptaka) it is manifested
by the rest of the parts together.
(c) alternatively, it is produced by six organs of the body,
viz., the nostrils, the throat, the palate, the breast, the
tongue and the teeth.
(ii) Ṛṣabha—is so called because it quickly appeals to (lit. arrives
at) the heart, or as among the herd of cows a bull appears
to be distinctly strong so also in the group of notes ṛṣabha is
strong and noticeable. It may be added that the first
derivation is based on the word ṛṣabha as grammatically
derived from the root 'ṛṣ' to go; while the second is based
on the literal meaning of the word, viz., bull which is taken
as a symbol of strength. Alternatively, that which sounds
(i e., bellows) like a bull is ṛṣabha.

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Section 3 : Nāda, Śruti and Svara
(iii) Gāndhāra—is so called because it holds musical speech.
This interpretation is based on the grammatical derivation
of the word gāndhāra, "gāṁ dhārayate-iti-gāndhāra". Alter-
natively, it is so called because it delights gandharva-s,
the semi divine beings associated with music.
(iv) Madhyama—is so called because it is in the centre of the
seven notes having three on either side. This derivation is
based on the literal meaning of the word madhyama, which
means belonging to the centre. 'K' also gives two other
alternatives which seem to be far-fetched.
(v) Pañcama—is that which measures the extent of other notes;
or it is so called because it is fifth from the fundamental
note. The first view presents a grammatical derivation
jointly from two roots, 'pac'—to extend and 'mi'—to measure.
How it measures the extent of other notes will be made
clear subsequently in the context of pramāṇa śruti (in the
appendix). According to another interpretation, Pañcama
is so called because it is produced from the fifth place.
(vi) Dhaivata—is so called because being brought about by the
śruti-s of the 'posterior tone' it is to be discerned by sensi-
tive minds. The expression 'posterior tone' representing
the original 'uttarasvara' is a technical one. The musical
scale is divided into two parts with madhyama in the centre
and a group of three notes on either side of it. The notes
of the first triad are called pūrvasvara-s, i. e., the 'anterior
tones' and those of the other following triad are called
uttara-svara-s 'posterior tones', and both the triads are
respectively called pūrvāṅga and uttarāṅga, i. e., the anterior
section and the posterior section of the heptad (saptaka).
(vii) Niṣāda—is so called because the notes of the scale come to
a close with it. The word is derived from the Sanskrit root
'ni+ṣad' to come to a rest. Obviously, niṣāda is the last
note of the heptad (saptaka).