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)
82 (of 114)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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मृदङ्ग� - [mṛdaṅga� - ] A Drum
रतिरभसविलासाभ्यासतान्त� � या� न्नयनयुगममीलत्तावदेवाहतोऽसौ �
रजनिविरतिशंसी कामिनीना� भविष्य द्विरहविहितनिद्राभङ्गमुच्चैर्मृदङ्गः ।।
( [ratirabhasavilāsābhyāsatānta� na yāva nnayanayugamamīlattāvadevāhato'sau |
rajaniviratiśaṃsī kāminīnā� bhaviṣya dvirahavihitanidrābhaṅgamuccairmṛdaṅga� ||
(] Śiśupālavadha XI-2)
The lovers spent the whole night, keeping awake and whispering
amongst themselves and they were informed about the dawn by the
sound of the Mṛdanga, which alarmed them with grief.
In घन ( [ghana (] i.e. cymbals), we find bells of various forms.
fenfeunt - A bell generally tied to a girdle.
अतिशयपरिणाहवान� वितेने बहुतरमेर्पितरत्नकिङ्किणीकः �
अलघुनि जघनस्थलेऽपरस्य� ध्वनिमधिकं कलमेखलाकलापः ।।
( [atiśayapariṇāhavān vitene bahutaramerpitaratnakiṅkiṇīka� |
alaghuni jaghanasthale'parasyā dhvanimadhika� kalamekhalākalāpa� ||
(] Śiśupālavadha VII-5)
The lady who had a broad waist was decked with girdle fully
studded with gems and tied with bells and she was making tinkling
sounds when she walked in a relaxed manner.
किङ्किणिका - [kiṅkiṇikā - ] A small bell tied around the horse's neck.
अश्राव� भूमिपतिभिः क्षणवीतनिद्र� रश्नन् नूपुरो हरितकं मुदमादधानः �
ग्रीवाग्रलोलकलकिङ्किणिकानिना� मिश्रं दघ� दशनचुचुरशब्दमश्व� ।।
( [aśrāvi bhūmipatibhi� kṣaṇavītanidrai raśnan nūpuro haritaka� mudamādadhāna� |
grīvāgralolakalakiṅkiṇikānināda miśra� daghada daśanacucuraśabdamaśva� ||
(] Siśupālavadha V-58)
The Kings who woke up just then, saw the horses, eating green
grasses, with their necks being tied with the dangling bells, making the
sound, mixed with the 'bhur bhur' sounds of the teeth of the horses,
chewing the grass.
