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 3 - Musical Instruments of India (with reference to Sanskrit literary sources)
38 (of 114)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
Download the PDF file of the original publication
151
In the Sundara Kāṇḍa of the Rāmāyaṇa (Chapter V- verses 38-46)
we have references to various musical instruments like Maḍḍūka
(मडुकेनासितेक्षणा), [ḵٱṣaṇ�), ] Pataha (पटहं चारु सर्वाङ्गी), [paṭaha� cāru sarvāṅgī), ] Vipañci (विपञ्ची� परिगृह्यान्य�),
[vipañcī� 貹ṛhԲ),
] Mrdanga ( मृदङ्ग� परिपीड्याङ्गै�), [mṛdaṅga� paripīḍyāṅgai�), ] Panava (पणवे� सहानिन्द्य�), [paṇavena sahānindyā), ] Dindima (डिण्डिमं
परिगृह्यान्य�), [ḍiṇḍ�
貹ṛhԲ), ] Ādambara (काचिदाडम्बरं नारी ) [kācidāḍambara� nārī ) ] and Kalasi ( कलशी� अपविद्ध्यान्या ). [kalaśī� apaviddhyānyā ). ] It
is the scene of the bedchamber in the palace of Rāvana. The ladies are
presented as sleeping with musical instruments placed on their body.
One was holding it like a child; the other was clasping her arms over an
instrument like embracing her husband and so on.
There are a few other references that are worth noting.
Mrdanga -Muraja
नृत्ते� चापराः क्लान्ता� पानविप्रहतास्तथा �
मुरजेष� मृदङ्गेष� पीठिकासु � संस्थिता� �
[nṛttena cāparā� klāntā� pānaviprahatāstathā |
murajeṣu mṛdaṅgeṣu pīṭhikāsu ca saṃsthitā� ||
] Rāmāyaṇa (V-11-5)
Hanuman saw the ladies who were tired after dancing and
rejoicing with intoxicated drinks, who were lying over Mṛdanga s and
Murajas in the small pedestals.
Vallaki
क्लिष्टरूपामसंस्पशाद� युक्तामि� वल्लकीम् �
सीता� भर्तृवशे युक्तामयुक्तां राक्षसीवश� �
[kliṣṭarūpāmasaṃspaśādi yuktāmiva vallakīm |
sītā� bhartṛvaśe yuktāmayuktā� rākṣasīvaśe ||
] Rāmāyaṇa (V-17-23)
Sita was seen by Hanuman, in Aśokavanam, looking pale because
of no bathing, resembled a Vallaki Vīṇ� which was not played,
immersed in the grief of separation and was in custody of Rakshasa
ladies.
