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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

Page:

20 (of 21)


External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)


Download the PDF file of the original publication


Warning! Page nr. 20 has not been proofread.

19
Instruments play an integral part in our day-to-day life, right from
birth. Musical Instruments are played during marriage, rituals,
sacrifices, during offerings and of course for entertaining an audience.
We have instruments meant for concerts, temple festivals, martial music,
folk music, royal retinue and funeral procession.
The instruments are associated with moments of joy or sorrow
befitting the occasion. NÄdasvaram and Tavil are called Mangala
VÄdyams played on auspicious occasions and rituals, while a separate
set of instruments which are called SÄvu Melam' are played only
during funeral rites.
Musical instruments of primitive type can be seen even now in the
hands of wandering mendicants, jugglers, ballet-singers, gypsies and the
like.
The Musical instruments were also used for conveying messages
in olden days. Primitive tribes sent messages by beating out codes on
drums or tom-toms. Each pattern of drumbeat had a particular meaning.
On a hilltop, a man would pass on the beat to man far away on another
hilltop. A long chain of drummers might repeat the same drumbeat,
until the message travelled hundreds of miles.
In Indian Tradition musical instruments are considered as
symbolic representation of Gods and are worshipped. The worship of
one own's trade equipments during 'Ayudha Pūja' are in practice even
today. Musicians offer their respectful offerings to their instruments
with great reverence. Even Bharata in his NÄá¹­yaÅ›Ästra gives a long and
elaborate ritual for the worship of drums in the Pūrvaranga section.
पूरà¥à¤µà¤°à¤™à¥à¤—विधावसà¥à¤®à¤¿à¤‚सà¥à¤¤à¥à¤µà¤¯à¤¾ समà¥à¤¯à¤•ॠपà¥à¤°à¤¯à¥à¤œà¥à¤¯à¤¤à¤¾à¤®à¥ à¥�
[pÅ«rvaraá¹…gavidhÄvasmiṃstvayÄ samyak prayujyatÄm |
]
NÄá¹­yaÅ›Ästra Ch IV verse 14
At this juncture, you have to use the rules of stage worship
effectively.

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