Kohala in the Sanskrit textual tradition (Study)
by Padma Sugavanam | 2011 | 95,782 words
This page relates ‘Introduction (references to Kohala)� of the thesis dealing with Kohala’s contribution to the Sanskrit textual tradition of ancient Indian performing arts. The study focuses specifically on music (Gita), dance (Nritya), and drama (Natya). Although Kohala’s original works have not been found, numerous references to him across Lakshana-Granthas (treatises) and works by modern scholars indicate his significance.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
Introduction (references to Kohala)
ṣaṇaԳٳ provide us with a mine of information regarding Kohala. This information could be in the form of references or citations. In this chapter, references to Kohala in works ranging from the ṭyśٰ (2nd century B.C.E. to 2nd century C.E.) up to 18th century works like ṅgīٲ峾ṛt have been covered. These references to Kohala can be of the following types�
i. Inclusion of Kohala’s name among ū峦ⲹ
It is a common practice to begin a ṣaṇaԳٳ with a mention of all the ū峦ⲹ from ancient times as an act of veneration. After Bharata, Kohala seems to have been one of the foremost authorities of the ancient period and this is substantiated by several later authors like Pārśvadeva (ṅgīٲⲹ), Śṅg𱹲 (ṅgīٲٲ첹), Simhabhūpala (ṅgīٲ첹Ծ�commentary on ṅgīٲٲ첹), Govinda Dīkṣita (ṅgīٲܻ), ʳܰṣoٳٲ Miśrā (ṅgīٲⲹṇa) and such like who have expressed their veneration to Kohala in the beginning of their works.
For instance, Śṅg𱹲 makes out a rather comprehensive list of important authortities till his time, where Kohala’s finds a place in the beginning:
सदाशिव� शिवा ब्रह्म� भरतः काश्यप� मुनि� �
मतङ्गो याष्टिको दुर्गा शक्तिः शार्दूलकोहलौ �
विशाखिलो दत्तिलश्� कम्बलोऽश्वतरस्तथ� �
वायुर्विश्वावस� रम्भाऽर्जुनो नारदतुम्बुरू �
आञ्जनेयो मातृगुप्तो रोवण� नन्दिकेश्वरः �
स्वातिर्गण� बिन्दुराजः क्षेत्रराजश्� राहल� �
रुद्रट� नान्यभूपाल� भोजभूवल्लभस्तथ� �
परमर्दी � सोमेशो जगदेकमहीपतिः �
व्याख्यातारो भारतीये लोल्लटोद्भटशङ्कुका� �
भट्टाभिनवगुप्तश्� श्रीमत्कीर्तिधर� पर� �ś� ś ٲ� śⲹ ܲԾ� |
mataṅgo yāṣṭiko durgā śakti� śārdūlakohalau ||
viśākhilo dattilaśca kambalo'śvatarastathā |
ܰś屹ū 'rjuno nāradatumburū ||
āñjaneyo mātṛgupto rovaṇo ԲԻ徱ś� |
svātirgaṇo bindurāja� kṣetrarājaśca rāhala� ||
rudraṭo nānyabhūpālo bhojabhūvallabhastathā |
paramardī ca someśo jagadekamahīpati� ||
vyākhyātāro bhāratīye lollaṭodbhaṭaśaṅkukā� |
bhaṭṭābhinavaguptaśca śrīmatkīrtidhara� para� ||[1]
Many authors who list Kohala’s name in their list of ū峦ⲹ do speak about his theories on īٲ, ṛtⲹ or/and ṭy in the course of their ṣaṇaԳٳ. However, there are instances when the name of Kohala is seen as a ū峦ⲹ only once at the beginning of a work and there is no further mention of his name anywhere else in the rest of the work.
For instance, in the work ṭyī辱 of Yosgi ԲԻ岹, the only mention of the name of Kohala is found among the ū峦ⲹ toward whom he expresses his reverence.
तत� मुनि� शार्ङ्�-मतङ्�-कण्व-पैलाङ्गिरः कोहल-दत्तिलादिः �
इत्यदिशत� भूतलवासिना� � राज्ञा� जनानामुपयोज्यमेतत् �tato ܲԾ� śṅg-ٲṅg-첹ṇv-pailāṅgira� kohala-dattilādi� |
ityadiśat bhūtalavāsinā� ca rājñā� janānāmupayojyametat ||[2]
ii. Kohala—Source Material for Other Authors
Some authors use certain works as source material on which they base their own creations, or they might mention that their work is the result of the study of certain earlier ṣaṇaԳٳs. Kohala has been consulted in this context too.
For instance, in the work ṅgīٴDZ貹Ծṣa-ǻ of Vācanācārya ܻ첹ś, the following verse is seen.
शैलात्मजाकोहलदन्तिलाद्यैरन्यैश्च भोजप्रमुखै� प्रणीतान् �
सद्ग्रन्थसार्थान� परिषेव्य सम्यग् वितन्यते स्वानुभव� � किञ्चित् �śailātmajākohaladantilādyairanyaiśca bhojapramukhai� praṇītān |
sadgranthasārthān pariṣevya samyag vitanyate svānubhava� ca kiñcit ||[3]
where the author says that he has tasted/ grasped the teachings of some authorities (one of whom is Kohala) and presents these with a touch of his own experience too. Some others have said that they have taken material for their work from Kohala.
For example, ś, in his work ٲⲹ says he has collated material from Kohala.
आहृत� भरतात्किञ्चिदुत्तरात्किञ्चिदुद्धृतम् �
कलित� कोहलात्किञ्चित� किञ्चित्भरतविस्तरात् ॥{ग्ल्_नोते:३८७७६६:}ṛt� bharatātkiñciduttarātkiñciduddhṛtam |
kalita� kohalātkiñcit kiñcitbharatavistarāt ||[4]
M. R. Kavi speaks of a work of unknown authorship called վٰ첹ܻܳī. He says that work deals with nine aspects for which the author claims to have given details from the work of Kohala[5].
iii. Direct quotations of Kohala
Some works like ṛhṣ�, Բī etc. give us direct citations of Kohala. These are extremely important because they represent the exact words of Kohala. These also go to prove that Kohala did write a work.
iv. Reference to Kohala on Technical Aspects
These form the largest body of information regarding Kohala. Such references have been discovered in a large number of subjects covering areas of īٲ, ⲹ, ṛtⲹ and ṭy.
This chapter deals only with those references to Kohala that would fall under the categories mentioned in para 3 or 4. Mere salutary references have not been considered beyond this point.
The references have been broadly divided into the fields of īٲ, Nṛtya, Nāṭya and Miscellaneous topics. In each of these classes, the references have been further classified according to the subject being discussed. For instance, under the heading of īٲ, the references are grouped under sub-headings such as 岹, śܳپ, svara, mūcchanā, Բ and such like. Under these sub-headings, the different extracts found in ṣaṇaԳٳs are discussed chronologically. Such an arrangement of subjects was adopted so that the views of Kohala on a single topic can be studied through the eyes of different authors over centuries.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
ṅgīٲٲ첹 of Śṅg𱹲: 1943: Vol. I: V. 1.1.15-19: pp.12-13
[2]:
ṭy徱辱: 1989
[3]:
ԲīٴDZ貹Ծṣa-ǻ� of ܻ첹ś: 1998: V. 4: p.2
[4]:
ٲⲹ: GOML: Acc. No. R 2432/ SR 1126: Fol. 2
[5]:
Bharatakośa: 1999: Intro: p. xxv