Kohala in the Sanskrit textual tradition (Study)
by Padma Sugavanam | 2011 | 95,782 words
This page relates ‘Kohala and Gita (15): The concept of Prastara� 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.
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Kohala and Gītā (15): The concept of Prastara
1 Prastāra (Բī)
तत्र � तालविधिमाह�
गुर्वादिरथ लघ्वादिर्युग्म� सर्वलघुस्तथा � (न्स् ३२.२४�)
इत� शीर्षकाणामुत्तमविषये विनियो� इत� युग्� एव चञ्चत्पुटः �
चतुरष्टषोडषात्मकभेदास्त्रय� � तथेत� � ते� वृत्तप्रकारे� योज्यम� � अन्येन चञ्चत्पुटस्य कलापादवैचित्र्ये ये प्रभेद� भवन्ति तेषु दिग् दर्शित� � तदाह � गुर्वादिरिति � प्रथमप्रस्तारभेद� � तथ� लघ्वादिः � प्रस्तारान्तरप्रकारः � सर्वलघुरित� � सर्वान्त्यभेदे� प्रस्तारसमाप्तिरित� पिशुनतया..........
कोहलादिप्रदर्शितमिति भवति �tatra ca vidhimāha�
gurv徱ratha laghv徱ryugma� sarvalaghustathā | (NS 32.243)
iti śīrṣakāṇāmuttamaviṣaye viniyoga iti yugma eva ñٱṭa� |
caturaṣṭaṣoḍaṣātmakabhedāstraya� | tatheti | tena ṛtٲprakāreṇa yojyam | anyena ñٱṭasya 첹pādavaicitrye ye prabhedā bhavanti teṣu dig darśitā | tadāha | gurv徱riti | prathamabheda� | tathā laghv徱� | prastārāntaraprakāra� | sarvalaghuriti | sarvāntyabhedena samāptiriti piśunatayā..........
dz徱岹śٲپ bhavati |(Բī, Commentary on 32.243, GOS Vol. IV, p.345)
The above commentary of Abhinavagupta occurs in the context of śīṣa첹 in the chapter on ܱ compositions. Śīṣa첹, literally meaning -the �crown� indicates the end of the main section of a īٲ첹.
N. Ramanathan says�
�Śīṣa첹 is normally a small section and is invariably in ekakala uttara —ŚISSIŚ. In some īٲ첹s śīṣa첹 of the dvikala and ٳṣk forms also occurs. The śīṣa첹 is an optional ṅg in the DZṇa첹 īٲ첹, but has to be present in madraka, 貹Գٲ첹, rovindaka and uttara�[1].
Bharata prescribes the ٰ and ṇa to be used in a śīṣa첹.
शीर्षकाणामनियम� भवेत� पादविधानतः � ३२.२४� च्द् �
नानावृत्तसमुत्पन्न� कुर्याद्वै शीर्षक� बुधः �
गुर्वादिरथ लघ्वादिर्युग्म� सर्वलघुस्तथा � ३२.२४� �
चतुर्मात्र� गण� ज्ञेयः पूर्वच्छन्दो विकल्पित� �
अर्धाष्टमगणा� पादा� शीर्षकस्� भवन्ति वै � ३२.२४� �
चतुर्मात्र� � विज्ञेया युग्मौजाक्षरकै� पदैः �
शीर्षकस्यैकविंशत्य षड्विंशतिपरस्तथा � ३२.२४� �
अक्षराणा� भवेत� पिण्डः पादे ह्येकत्र निश्चयात� �
युग्मा ओज� मिश्रा वादौ कार्या गणास्त� चत्वार� �
नियत� शीर्षविधानेपश्चाल्लघुसंचयः कार्यः � ३२. २४� �śīrṣakāṇāmaniyamo bhavet pādavidhānata� || 32.242 cd ||
屹ṛtٲamutpanna� kuryādvai śīṣa첹� budha� |
gurv徱ratha laghv徱ryugma� sarvalaghustathā || 32.243 ||
caturmātro gaṇo jñeya� pūrvacchando vikalpita� |
ardhāṣṭamagaṇāḥ pādā� śīṣa첹sya bhavanti vai || 32.244 ||
caturmātrā ca vijñeyā yugmaujākṣarakai� padai� |
śīṣa첹syaikaviṃśatya ṣaḍviṃśatiparastathā || 32.245 ||
akṣarāṇāṃ bhavet 辱ṇḍ� pāde hyekatra niścayāt |
yugmā ojā miśrā vādau kāryā gaṇāstu catvāra� |
niyata� śīrṣavidhānepaścāllaghusaṃcaya� kārya� || 32. 246 ||�ṭyśٰ of Bharatamuni: 2006: GOS Vol. IV: pp.345-347
At this point, Abhinava, with a view to further explain what Bharata has said, makes the interpretation seen in the above extract.
Abhinava cites the Bharata’s words�
गुर्वादिरथ लघ्वादिर्युग्म� सर्वलघुस्तथा � ३२.२४� �
gurv徱ratha laghv徱ryugma� sarvalaghustathā || 32.243 ||
And begins his discussion with ñٱṭa which is ayugma. This ñٱṭa has three varieites�
- ekakala which has four ٰ (Ś-1+1+½+1½=4),
- dvikala which has 8 ٰ, and
- ٳṣk which has 16 ٰ.
These are to be applied in the different types of ṛtٲ (which are explained in the immediately preceeding section of the ṭyśٰ-Ch. 32). The different varieties that can be obtained by the breaking-down of the 첹 of ñٱṭa have been indicated[2].
The word �ܰ徱�� he says, is indicative of the first step of . The ñٱṭa by default begins with a guru. So, if the normal procedure of keeping the rightmost ṅg intact and proceeding with the beginning from the left is followed, then a guru cannot be in the �徱’—initial position. It is possible that Abhinava reckons these ṅg-s from the right hand side (instead of reading left to right) and is talking about performing on the pluta of ñٱṭa which would yield guru in the initial position (when reckoned from the right hand side). The second stage of will involve having laghu in the �徱� position (again reckoned from the right hand side), because when a guru is broken down it will yield laghus. The very final stage of the involves all ṅgs becoming laghus. Abhinava says that this method has been shown by Kohala and others.
It is interesting that Bharata and Abhinava speak only of guru and laghu. The pluta is automatically included as it is an innate ṅg of the ñٱṭa which is being described here. The other ṅgs like druta and 峾 have not been touched upon in this context. But at a later point, Abhinava does speak of druta and 峾 in connection with . Also, Bharata here, seems to be speaking only about metrical aspects. It is Abhinava who brings up a link with (in this case—ñٱṭa ) and interprets this verse to indicate the of ñٱṭa .
Here a question may arise as to why has been brought in while enumerating metrical forms of ܱ compositions. Unlike present day musical compositions, those of the ancient times were all metrical in nature. Though the ܱ compositions strictly followed rules of ṛtٲ, they were also performed with . Now, when singing a piece in ñٱṭa , usually the citra is used wherein a guru will comprise of four units. In this case the ñٱṭa tala will have (SSIŚ=4+4+2+6) 16 units in all. At the same time, when rendering a ܱ the guru of ñٱṭa becomes almost the same duration of a ī metrical syllable (guru). By the process of , the forms obtained might match with some of the ṛtٲ of ܱ Բ. This could probably be the reason for performing . And this is also perhaps the reason Abhinava introduces the concept of , though Bharata himself does not mention at all in this context.
Bharata speaks about , while describing chandas in the ṻⲹԲ. But even there, the is not related to . Abhinava says that Kohala and others have shown this method. Dattila speaks of svara . Therefore, from the perspective of Kohala it is an important point that this process of of the ṅgs of in relation to the performance of ܱ compositions has been demonstrated by him even when Bharata is silent on the issue. This also consequently leads to an important inference that Kohala did speak on subjects of contrary to opinions of scholars that Kohala belonged to the śī tradition. It appears likely that Kohala was as much an authority in .
2 Prastāra (Բī)
नन्वर्धकलिका कलिक� � गतिरुक्तेत� तावत्यपि स्याद् ध्रुवेति भ्रम� वारयति � � ह्येककला द्विकल� ध्रुवाविरामा इत� � कलायां निषिद्�......मार्गस्वरूपनिरूपणा.......
पञ्चलघ्वक्षरपरिमाण� लघ्वक्षरमिति � इत्थ� ध्रुवस्य प्रतिपादित� ते� प्लुतो गुरुरे� � गुरुस्तदपेक्षय� लघुः � लघ्वपेक्षय� लघुरेवेत� प्रस्तार� विभागः � तत्र प्रस्तारविधिरुच्यते�आद्यगुरोर्लोपः स्यात् पर(�)मुपर� पदादित� गुरु� पूर्णे �
लघुन� पूरणमत्र � यावद्गति गुरुलघुत्व� स्यात् �ते� प्लुतस्तद्भङ्गेऽष्टादशभेदास्ते� सह षड्भेद� � लघ� द्वौ � तद्यथा � एतेषां प्रत्येक� विरामभेदतुल्यो द्विगुणस्त्रिगुणश्चतुर्गुण इत� पञ्चधा विरामभेद� षष्ठकलायाः कलार्धस्� सार्धकलाया� वा अत एव � विरामो मध्यविरामो मूलं भवत्ये� � आद्य� सन्धानादित� हि कोहलाचार्य� � ते� प्लुतभेदाश्चतुर्दशादिक� शतम् (११�) � गुरुभेदा� षट्त्रिंशत� � लघ� भेदा द्वादश � ते� चञ्चत्पुटस्य तावत� गुणन� (५३७७) तस्य द्वादशभिर्गुणन� तस्याङ्कस्� चतुर्दशोत्तरेण शतेन (गुणन� ७७५५७३�) � एत� गुणकृत� भेदा� � अवान्तरभेदानां तु निस्संख्यत्वमे� � चञ्चत्पुटवत् चाचपुटादिभेदेन भेदान्तराण्यपि दर्शनीयानि � यथोक्त� �
असंख्यान� सहस्राणि कोटीनामयुतान� � �
तालद्वयप्रभेदे� पुरा प्रोक्तानि शम्भुन� �इत� एव� मिश्रभेदोऽप्यनुसर्तव्य� � अत एव त्र्यश्रचतुरश्रमिश्राणां षट्पितापुत्रकस्य � मूलप्रकृतितय� ध्रुवाशब्दवाच्याना� भञ्जिनाट्य� प्लुतगुरुलघुद्रुतमयास्ताला विरामभेद� विचित्रा� � तथ� भङ्गव्यपदेशे� यदाहुः � ध्रुवाणा� भञ्जनाद्भङ्ग� इत� � एव� त्रिचतुष्षष्टकध्रुवातालभञ्जन� भङ्गानां रूपस्य � उपभङ्गास्त� सङ्कीर्णस्वरूपेभ्यः कलाः पञ्च� (�. ना ३१.२४)त्यदिनोक्तस्� भञ्जनादप� भवन्ति � तथाऽभिनयनकाल� त्र्यश्र� � त्र्ययगत्र्यद्वैगुण्या � मिश्रा � दशकलाचतुष्कं वलयम� गत्रयमित्येव (वं)रूपी(पिणी) � यत्र तु द्विविधत्वाद� गुरुलधुप्लुतद्रुतविरामादिरूपेण भञ्जनं तेऽप� भङ्गाः � लयभेदे� तु यत्र वैचित्र्यं तद्यथा द्विविधाना� चित्रपदाना� गुरुरूपप्रस्तारसाम्येऽपि लयकृतविभेद� � एव� भङ्गोपभङ्गविभङ्गलयरूपा तावच्चतुर्धा तालजातिर्गोबलीवर्दवृत्त्या लक्ष्यते � तद्व्यपदेशाद्विभक्ता� संव्यवहारसिद्धये कोहलाचार्यप्रभृतिभिः � भट्टगोपालभट्टलोल्लटप्रभृतिभिस्तु तथाविभाग� विनियोगशेष� � दूषितम� �
ԲԱ첹 첹 ca gatirukteti tāvatyapi dhruveti � ⲹپ | na hyeka첹 屹첹 ܱvirāmā iti | 첹� Ծṣi......svarūpanirūpaṇ�.......
pañcalaghvakṣaraparimāṇa� laghvakṣaramiti | ittha� dhruvasya pratip徱ta� tena pluto gurureva | gurustadapekṣayā � | laghvapekṣayā laghureveti prastāre 岵� | tatra vidhirucyate�ādyagurorlopa� syāt para(da)mupari pad徱to ܰ� pūrṇe |
laghu pūraṇamatra ca yāvadgati gurulaghut� syāt ||tena plutastadbhaṅge'ṣṭādaśabhedāstena saha ṣaḍbheda� | ū dvau | tadyathā | eteṣāṃ ٲ첹� 峾bhedatulyo dviguṇastriguṇaścaturguṇa iti 貹ñ 峾bheda� ṣaṣṭha첹yā� 첹rdhasya sārdha첹� vā ata eva ca virāmo madhyavirāmo ū� bhavatyeva | ādye sandhān徱ti hi kohalācārya� | tena plutabhedāścaturdaś徱ka� śatam (114) | gurubhedā� ṣaṭtṃśa | laghu bhedā 屹岹ś | tena ñٱṭasya tāvatā ṇaԱ (5377) tasya 屹岹śbhirṇaԱ tasyāṅkasya caturdaśottareṇa śatena (ṇaԱ 7755736) | ete guṇakṛtā bhedā� | avāntarabhedā� tu nissaṃkhyatvameva | ñٱṭavat cācapuṭ徱bhedena bhedāntarāṇyapi darśanīyāni | yathokta� |
asaṃkhyāni sahasrāṇi koṭīmayutāni ca |
dvayaprabhedena purā proktāni śambhu ||iti e� miśrabhedo'pyanusartavya� | ata eva tryaśracaturaśramiśrāṇāṃ ṣaṭpitāputrakasya ca mūlaprakṛtitayā ܱśabdavācyā� bhañjiṭye plutagurulaghudrutamayāstālā 峾bhedā ٰ� | tathā bhṅgvyapadeśena yadāhu� | ܱṇāṃ bhañjadbhaṅgā iti | e� tricatuṣṣaṣṭakaܱñᲹԲ� bhaṅgā� rūpasya | upabhaṅgāstu saṅkīrṇasvarūpebhya� 첹� 貹ñ (bha. 31.24)tyadinoktasya bhañjadapi bhavanti | tathā'bhinayanakāle tryaśrā | tryayagatryadvaiguṇyā | miśrā ca daśa첹catuṣka� valayamatha gatrayamityeva (�)ūī(辱ṇ�) | yatra tu dvividhatvād guruladhuplutadrutavirām徱rūpeṇa ñᲹԲ� te'pi ṅg� | layabhedena tu yatra ٰⲹ� tadyathā dvividhā� citrapadā� gururūpasāmye'pi layakṛtavibheda� | e� bhaṅgopabhṅgvibhṅglayarūpā tāvaccaturdhā jātirgobalīvardavṛttyā lakṣyate | tadvyapadeśādvibhaktā� saṃvyavahārasiddhaye kohalācāryaprabhṛtibhi� | bhaṭṭagopālabhaṭṭalollaṭaprabhṛtibhistu tathāvibhāga� viniyogaśeṣa� ca dūṣitam |
�(Բī, Commentary on 32.409, GOS Vol. IV, pp.391-392)
The above discussion of Abhinava is on the subject of bhṅg or . In the system, 첹 referred to a basic unit of time. For instance in the ñٱṭa , the ekakala form would have—SSIŚ—which is four 첹. However, if another called dhruva is used, then ardha첹 or half a 첹 would have to be taken as the basic unit. This would mean that we are descending lower than the citra .Having said this, Abhinava removes the confusion that it is dhruva. He then quotes a verse of some other author describing the process of .
Abhinava says that the pluta, in its bhṅg () has eighteen varieties. But this is possible only if the ṅg druta is also included. And even in that case it would sum up to a total of nineteen including the original pluta. Guru has six varieties and a laghu has two. Abhinava says that if the is done for a such as ñٱṭa, then the pluta will have 114 (i.e. 18x6) varieites, guru 36 (6x6), and laghu 12 (2x6). And the entire would have (SxSxIxŚ=36x36x12x114) 5377 possible varieties. Abhinava says that there are also other innumerable varieites.
Abhinava mentions that this process of bhṅg on the ܱ s has come from Kohala. Bharata himself speaks of , but only in the context of metrical aspects. Abhinava says that it is Kohala who has spoken of this method of performing bhṅg on s. Even in chapter 12 of ṭyśٰ, Abhinava mentions several bhṅg s which are to be used in gati-parikramas of characters and he ascribes them to Kohala. As seen earlier in this chapter, M. R. Kavi has also provided many of Kohala’s definitions of these bhṅg s. Saṅgītaratkara has also spoken of in detail. But his enumeration belongs to the śī tradition. Kohala’s method of performing was different. Abhinava’s statements on Kohala and his style of bhṅg perhaps is indicative that the process of was very much a part of the Ի tradition also.
Abhinava also mentions that by changing the laya (layabhedena) further varieties can be obtained. On a similar note, Kallitha discusses two s which have the same ṅgs and raises a question as to whether or not they are one and the same[3]. He says that the ṇa of the ṅgs are different and therefore, the two s themselves are different entities.
It is noteworthy that in ܱ, the cyclic, 屹ٲ -type of rendition can be seen. And these too are done using the bhṅg s. And these bhṅg, vibhṅg and upabhṅg s which have been obtained by the process of (bhṅg) have been spoken of by Kohala. This is not connected to the śī system of as seen in Saṅgītaratkara and later works.
Though Bharata is considered the foremost authority on all subjects related to the tradition, he does not speak of Bhṅg s in his work, ṭyśٰ. Neither have these been included in any of the śī works such as Saṅgītaratkara and others. Then under what system do these s fall? Bhṅg, Upabhṅg and Vibhṅg s are very much a part of the tradition because of their use in Ի and Բ. Also, by the time of Abhinavagupta, the śī s were already well established. Even then, he talks of Kohala only in relation to s. In that case it appears strange that Bharata has not spoken of them. This could be an indication that there existed aspects of outside the ambit of the ṭyśٰ and perhaps Kohala and others belonged to this ⲹ.
From the above extract of Abhinava, it is clear that this represents the bhṅg s which were earlier spoken of by him in the 12th chapter of ṭyśٰ. Further, there has been a system of in the case of ܱ s also. And Kohala has established/ propagated this system.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
Musical Forms in Saṅgītaratkara: 1999: p.143
[2]:
Here, N. Ramanathan says that in the reading—�anena ñٱṭasya 첹bhaṅg徱vaicitrye ye prabhaidā bhavanti teṣu dige darśitā�, the word �Kalābhṅg� would bring out the aspect of . (Bhṅg=)
[3]:
Saṅgītaratkara of Śasrṅgadeva: 1951: Vol. III: pp. 139-141