Essay name: Musical Instruments in Sanskrit Literature
Author:
S. Karthick Raj KMoundinya
Affiliation: University of Madras / Department of Sanskrit
The essay studies the Musical Instruments in Sanskrit Literature and its relationship with the South Indian musical tradition. The study emphasizes the universal appeal of music and documents how it pervades various aspects of life, art, literature, painting, and sculpture.
Chapter 1 - Introduction: Musical instruments in India
19 (of 21)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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18
The Sculptures in the temples are visual testimonies to the art
forms in India. Musicals Instruments are represented in Ajanta Ellora -
Caves, GÄndhara, Nolamba Sculptures, Hoysala Carvings, Paintings,
icons, reliefs, miniatures and illustrated manuscripts.
It is interesting to note that in Indian tradition, Gods, Goddesses
and Puranic Characters are associated with musical instrument. Some of
the Gods are supposed to be presiding deities of select musical beats
(TÄla) such as Åšiva for Mangini, Brahma for Nandin, Agni for Bá¹›ngini,
Sapta MÄtÄ for Caná¸avÄdya, Vinayaka for DakkarÄ« and UdghÄta for
Muruga.
The Bhagavad GÄ«tÄ associates some of the characters with the
instruments such as Kṛṣṇa with PÄñcajanya, Yudhistira with
Anantavijaya, Bhima with Paundra, Arjuna with Devadatta, Nakula
with Sughosa and SahÄdeva with Manipuá¹£paka.
पाञà¥à¤šà¤œà¤¨à¥à¤¯à¤‚ हृषीकेशो देवदतà¥à¤¤à¤‚ धनञà¥à¤œà¤¯à¤� à¥�
पौणà¥à¤¡à¥à¤°à¤‚ दधरà¥à¤®à¤¾ महाशङà¥à¤–ं à¤à¥€à¤®à¤•रà¥à¤®à¤¾ वृकोदरà¤� à¥�
अननà¥à¤¤à¤µà¤¿à¤œà¤¯à¤‚ राजा कà¥à¤¨à¥à¤¤à¥€à¤ªà¥à¤¤à¥à¤°à¥‹ यà¥à¤§à¤¿à¤·à¥à¤ िरः à¥�
नकà¥à¤²à¤� सहदेवसà¥à¤¯ सà¥à¤˜à¥‹à¤·à¤®à¤£à¤¿à¤ªà¥à¤·à¥à¤ªà¤•à¥� à¥�
[pÄñcajanyaá¹� hṛṣīkeÅ›o devadattaá¹� dhanañjayaá¸� |
pauṇá¸raá¹� dadharmÄ mahÄÅ›aá¹…khaá¹� bhÄ«makarmÄ vá¹›kodaraá¸� ||
anantavijayaá¹� rÄjÄ kuntÄ«putro yudhiá¹£á¹hiraá¸� |
nakula� sahadevasya sughoṣamaṇipuṣpakau ||
] Bhagavad GÄ«tÄ Ch. I verse 15,16
Gods and Goddesses are also adorned with various instruments
such as, Sarasvati with VīṇÄ�, Kṛṣṇa with Flute, Åšiva with Uá¸ukkai
(Dhakka), Nandin with Má¹›danga, Viṣṇu with Sankha, NÄrada with
Mahati and Tumburu with Tambura.
