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Some Important Shiksha Vedangas (study)

by Mala Laha | 2021 | 31,647 words

This page relates ‘Characteristics of the accent according to Naradi Shiksha� of the study dealing with Shiksha Vedangas—a crucial component of Vedic literature focusing on phonetics and pronunciation in ancient texts. The researched texts include the Paniniya, Yajnavalkya and Naradi Shiksas, among others. The study also investigates historical phonological transformations between Sanskrit and Pali, exploring the evolution of sounds and pronunciation.

Go directly to: Footnotes.

Part 2a - Characteristics of the accent according to ī Śṣ�

The ī Śṣ� is one of the oldest and the most profound Śṣ� of the 峾岹. It states its object to be the treatment of accent in the 峾岹[1]. We know that there are three main accents in the Vedas—�ܻٳٲ�, �anܻٳٲ� and �svarita�. But these verities of accent, which developed into the seven musical notes of chanting of the 峾岹[2], have traditionally come down to the present day known as �sā�, “re�, “gā�, “mā�, “pā�, “dhā�, “ni�. The first note �ṣaḍaᲹ� and second note �ṛṣ�� are said to arise from the low accent (anܻٳٲ), the third �Ի� and the fourth �madhyama� from the high accent (ܻٳٲ); and the fifth, the sixth and the seventh �貹ñ�, �dhaivata� and �Ծṣād� from the �svarita�. Among of the three notes, the seventh �Ծṣād� is said to arise from the independent, the �abhinihita� and the �ṣa� varieties of the �svarita�. The sixth note �dhaivata� processed from the �ٲⲹñᲹԲ�.

ṢaḍaᲹ�

Ṣaḍaja is one of the most important sound among the six sounds. This sound is created from the six vocal organs of our body like nose, throat, chest, palate, tongue and teeth

नासा� कण्ठमुरस्तालुजिह्वां दन्ताश्च संश्रितः�
षडजः सञ्जायते यस्मात्तस्मात् षड्ज इत� स्मृतः�

nāsā� kaṇṭhamurastālujihvā� dantāśca saṃśritaḥ|
ṣaḍaᲹ� sañjāyate yasmāttasmāt ṣaḍj iti smṛtaḥ||

(ī Śṣ�, 1/5/7)

It is also said that the ṣaḍaᲹ is farther of six sounds�

षण्णां स्वराणां जनकः षड्भिर्वाजन्यत� स्वरैः�
षड्भ्य� वा जायतेऽङ्गेभ्यः षड्ज इत्यभिधीयते॥

ṣaṇṇā� svarāṇāṃ janaka� ṣaḍbhirvājanyate svaraiḥ|
ṣaḍbhyo vā jāyate'ṅgebhya� ṣaḍj ityabhidhīyate||

(Ѳٲṅg峦ⲹ)

Ṛṣ�

The process of the pronunciation of the ṛṣ sound is also mentioned in the ī Śṣ�.At first the internal air rises from navel region, receives expansion in the throat, then it strikes the head and comes back and finally gives rise to different kinds of sounds. 

Ṛṣabha is a high note sound according to the ī Śṣā�

वायु� समुत्थित� नाभे� कण्ठशीर्षसमाहतः।
नर्दत्यृषभवद्यस्मात्तस्मादृष� उच्यते�

vāyu� samutthito nābhe� kaṇṭhaśīrṣasamāhataḥ|
nardatyṛṣvadyasmāttasmādṛṣ ucyate||

(ī Śṣ�, 1/5/8)

Language and music are closely connected with each other and for that reason both the ī Śṣ� and the ṃgīٲٲ첹 find out a close connection between music and human speech

In that connection we can observe that the meaning of �ṛṣ� is clearly explained by the author of ṃgīٲٲ첹

प्राण्नोति हृदय� शीध्रमन्यस्मादृषभः स्मृतः�
स्त्रीगवीषु यथ� तिष्ठन्विभात� ऋषभो महान्॥

prāṇnoti hṛdaya� śīdhramanyasmādṛṣ� smṛtaḥ|
strīgavīṣu ⲹٳ tiṣṭhanvibhāti ṛṣabho mahān||

Ի�

The third note is Ի. The ṛṣ and the Ի� are pronounced in the same way. 

It is also raise from the navel region, receives expansion in the throat, than it strikes the head and come back, and finally gives rise to different kinds of musical sounds�

वायु� समुत्थित� नाभे� कण्ठशीर्षसमाहतः।
नानागन्धवह� पुण्यो गान्धारस्तेन हेतुना�

vāyu� samutthito nābhe� kaṇṭhaśīrṣasamāhataḥ|
nānāgandhavaha� puṇyo Իstena hetunā||

(ī Śṣ�, 1/5/9)

Through the process of the creation ṛṣ and Ի are same but of both on the basis of musical point of view they are different from each other. 

For that reason the author of ṃgīٲٲ첹 mentioned that�

गानात्मिका� मन्य� इत� गान्धारसंज्ञकः

gānātmikā� manye iti Իsaṃjñaka�

Ѳⲹ�

The madhyama is the fourth note among of the seven musical notes. It is a high note musical sound because this note is arising from the high accent (ܻٳٲ). 

It is produced on the same way as the first three notes but when it comes back to the navel region it makes a high note sound

वायु� समुत्थित� नाभे� कण्ठशीर्षसमाहतः।
नाभिम्प्राप्तो महानाद� मध्यमत्व� समश्नुते�

vāyu� samutthito nābhe� kaṇṭhaśīrṣasamāhataḥ|
nābhimprāpto mahānāda� madhyamatva� samaśnute||

(ī Śṣ�, 1/5/10)

ʲñ�

The 貹ñ is another important sound among of the seven musical notes. The process of articulation of this sound is also mentioned in the ī Śṣ�.

वायु� समुत्थित� नाभे� हृत्कण्ठोर� शिरोहतः।
पञ्चस्थानस्थितस्यास्� पञ्चमत्व� विधीयते॥

vāyu� samutthito nābhe� hṛtkaṇṭhora� śirohataḥ|
pañcasthānasthitasyāsya 貹ñtva� vidhīyate|| 

(ī Śṣ�,1/5/10)

According to the above text this sound is created by the help of the five place of articulation like navel, throat, heart, head and mouth. At first the internal air rises from navel region, receives expansion in the throat, undergoes change in the heart, then it strikes the head and come back and finally gives rise to different kinds of sounds in the mouth. 

According to ṃgīٲٲ첹 the expansion of vowels are created by the 貹ñ�

स्वरान्तराणा� विस्तारं यो मिमीते � पञ्चमः�
पाठक्रमे� गणने संख्याया पञ्चमोऽथवा�

svarāntarāṇāṃ vistāra� yo mimīte sa 貹ñḥ|
pāṭhakrameṇa gaṇane saṃkhyāyā pañcamo'thavā|| 

(ṃgīٲٲ첹)

ٳ󲹾ٲ�

Dhaivata is another important sound of 峾岹. Dhaivata is the main factor by which first five sound are assimilated�

अतिसन्धीयत� यस्मादेतान्पूर्वोत्थितान्स्वरान्�
तस्मादस्� स्वरस्यापि धैवतत्वं विधीयते॥

atisandhīyate yasmādetānpūrvotthitānsvarān|
tasmādasya svarasyāpi dhaivatatva� vidhīyate||

(ī Śṣ�, 1/5/18)

This musical note is arising from svarita accent.

Dhaivata is also defined by the author of ṃgīٲٲ첹

धीरस्यास्तीति धीवांस्तत्सम्वन्धी धैवतम् स्मृतः�
यद्व� षष्ठस्थाने धृतो यस्मात्ततोऽस� धैवतम् स्मृतः�

dhīrasyāstīti dhīvāṃstatsamvandhī dhaivatam smṛtaḥ|
yadvā ṣaṣṭhasthāne dhṛto yasmāttato'sau dhaivatam smṛtaḥ||

ṣād�

ṣād is another important and last one of 峾岹. This sound is created by the help of every articulator organs, like navel, throat, heart, forehead and mouth[3]. According to the discussion about the accent of ī Śṣ�, it has been shown that the idea of an inner connection between accent and musical notes may have possibly occurred to our Indian Grammarians. It is also indicated by the above discussion that when it is said that one musical note arises from an accent, it means a symbolic representation of accent in terms of musical notation. For example, when madhyama is said to arise from ܻٳٲ, is does not means that madhyama = ܻٳٲ. It rather suggests either a inner connection between madhyama and ܻٳٲ or a symbolic representation of ܻٳٲ in terms of madhyama. And this representation is not “artificial systematization�. It has been done with a touch of living reality. Indian Grammarians had observed a living musical phenomenon in Vedic accent and they tried to describe the phenomenon of accent in term of parallel facts which they had observed in music proper.

Footnotes and references:

[back to top]

[1]:

sāmavede tu vakṣyāmi svarāṇāṃ ٲ� ⲹٳ|
alpagrantha� prabhūtārtha� śravya� vedāṅgamuttamam|| (Śṣāsaṃgraha, p.398)

[2]:

udātte Ծṣādgāndhārāvanudātte ṛṣdhaivato svaritaprabhavā dṛśyate ṣaḍjmadhyamapañcamā�.

[3]:

Ծṣād� sarvasandhijam� (ī Śṣ�, 1/5/6)

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