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Kohala in the Sanskrit textual tradition (Study)

by Padma Sugavanam | 2011 | 95,782 words

This page relates ‘Significance of the Talalakshanam� 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.

Part 3.6-7 - Significance of the ṣaṇa

ṣaṇa is a rare work which deals with the subject of 岹śṇa in such detail. One very important piece of information that can be gleaned from this work is about the many ṣaṇaԳٳ󲹲 that the author so often refers to. 

Ramakrishna Kavi has made the following observations about this work.

कृष्णदेवरायसोदरे� अच्युतराये� विरचित� � अत्र पूर्वाचार्यमतानि बहून� तालविषये खण्डितान� � तालकलाविला�, सङ्गीतविद्याविनोद, जैनम�, सङ्गीतमार्ग, चतुरसभाविलास, चुडामण� (सङ्गीतचूडामणि), आञ्जनेयम�, नृत्तचुडामणि, सङ्गीतमणिदर्प�, कात्ययनी�, सङ्गीतार्णव, रङ्गराजभरतभाष्�, कपर्दी, परमेश्वरादीना� मतान� खण्डितान� � टीकायुक्तोऽय� ग्रन्थ� � तालप्रस्ताराध्यायारम्भ� सीतारामगुरुं नत्व� सोमाभट्टेन तन्यते � ग्रन्थ� तालकलावार्धौ इत्यस्ति � तस्मादच्युतरायनाम्ना सोमाभट्ट� इम� ग्रन्थ� (तालकलाब्धि�) रचितवानित्यूह्यत� � अष्टावधा� सोमनार्यस्� नाट्यचूडामणिकर्तुः गुरु� सीतारामः � सोमाभट्ट� सोमनार्य एवेत� वा तत्सतीर्थो वेति निश्चय� �

kṛṣṇadevarāyasodareṇa acyutarāyeṇa ٲ� | atra pūrvācāryamatāni bahūni tālaviṣaye khaṇḍitāni | 첹屹, ṅgīٲ屹Դǻ岹, jainamata, ṅgīٲ, ٳܰ屹, ḍāmṇi (ṅgīٲūḍāmṇi), ñᲹԱⲹٲ, nṛttaḍāmṇi, ṅgīٲṇi岹貹ṇa, ٲⲹⲹīⲹ, ṅgīṇa, ṅgᲹ󲹰ٲṣy, 첹貹ī, parameśvarādīnā� matāni khaṇḍitāni | ṭīkāyukto'ya� Գٳ� | tālaprastārādhyāyārambhe ī峾ܰ� Բٱ somābhaṭṭena tanyate | granthe tālakalāvārdhau ityasti | tasmādacyutarāyanāmnā dzṭṭ�Գٳ� (첹�) racitavānityūhyate | ṣṭ屹Բ dzⲹsya nāṭyacūḍāmaṇikartu� ܰ� ī峾� | dzṭṭ� dzⲹ eveti vā tatsatīrtho veti Ծśⲹ� |

He says that this work refutes the views expressed in several earlier ṣaṇaԳٳ󲹲 such as

  1. 첹屹;
  2. ṅgīٲ屹Դǻ岹;
  3. Jainamata;
  4. ṅgīٲ;
  5. 䲹ٳܰ屹;
  6. ṅgīٲūḍāmṇi;
  7. ĀñᲹԱⲹٲ;
  8. ṛtٲūḍāmṇi;
  9. ṅgīٲṇi岹貹ṇa;
  10. ٲⲹīⲹ;
  11. Բīṇa;
  12. 鲹ṅgᲹ󲹰ٲṣy;

Many of the works mentioned herein (첹屹m etc.) are yet to see the light of day. ṣaṇa is our only source of information regarding many of these ṣaṇaԳٳ󲹲. It is also quite fortunate for us that the author goes one step further and gives us actual quotations from these works. Thus, even though we do not have direct access to many of these works, we have the very words of those authors through this work�ṣaṇa. Such a style, where several works are consulted, opinions discussed and conclusions reached, makes ṣaṇa a rare work where the ū text itself is composed with a research-spirit that one might come across in commentaries. Another fact relates to the date of the work. It is a well-known fact that King ܳٲⲹ ruled between 1530 and 1543 C.E. and during this period composed the work ṣaṇa.

Some early ṣaṇaԳٳ󲹲 in which we find the concept of 岹śṇa being dealt with as a composite unit are:

S.No. Title of the Text Author Date
i. ṅgīٲūǻ岹ⲹ ṣmīⲹṇa 1509-1529 C.E.
ii. 鲹첹ܻܳī Śī첹ṇṭ 1575 C.E.
iii. ṅgīٲ첹Ի岹 16th Cent C.E.
iv. ṅgīٲ岹貹ṇa Damodara 1625 C.E.
v. ṅgīٲٲ Ahobala 1650 C.E.
vi. 岹śṇaī辱 ʴDZū Govinda Kavi 17th Cent C.E.


From this, we can infer that ṣaṇa was probably one of the earlier works which spoke about the 岹śṇa. Furthermore, it is significant that this work speaks of no other subject, unlike the other ṣaṇaԳٳ󲹲 mentioned above. ṣaṇa deals with the 岹śṇa alone. 

Further, in this work, he quotes several other authors who have composed works which carry information about the ten ṇa. Therefore we can safely presume that, if ܳٲⲹ had access to all these works at the time of writing ṣaṇa, they must all pre-date Acyuta. This shows us that these concepts had reached a good level of refinement well before the time Acyuta wrote ṣaṇa. This work is very significant in the study of the evolution and concept of the 岹śṇa and is worthy for further research.

Connection with Kohala

After a study of the text ṣaṇa, it can be stated that ܳٲⲹ is the author of this work and not Kohala. The reasons for bringing the name of Kohala in connection with this work can at best be speculated. There is no evidence, except the introductory passage (which in itself might be an interpolation) to suggest that Kohala is the author of this work. But, analyzing the subject matter, which belonged to the period around the 16th century C.E. (more than a thousand years post-Kohala) prove that Kohala, the contemporary of Bharata, could not have been the author of ṣaṇa.

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