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Amarakoshodghatana of Kshirasvamin (study)

by A. Yamuna Devi | 2012 | 77,297 words | ISBN-13: 9788193658048

This page relates ‘Music (Natya-varga)� of the study on the Amarakoshodghatana of Kshirasvamin (in English) which represents a commentary on the Amarakosha of Amarasimha. These ancient texts belong the Kosha or “lexicography� category of Sanskrit literature which deals with the analysis and meaning of technical words from a variety of subjects, such as cosmology, anatomy, medicine, hygiene. The Amarakosa itself is one of the earliest of such text, dating from the 6th century A.D., while the Amarakoshodghatana is the earliest known commentary on that work.

Go directly to: Footnotes.

Music (ṭy-varga)

An exclusive section called the ṭy varga (I.6) deals with aspects of art, especially dramaturgy. Music is an important constituent of dramaturgy and ś rightly begins this section describing all the important aspects of music.

(a) Svaras (I. 6. 1; p. 48)�

[The seven notes:]

ś gives the seven notes[1] and ṣīr峾 adds the general quote for the origin of these notes as given in texts on music and derives a few with special remarks.

“The cry of the peacock is ṣaḍj (sa); the mowing of the cow ṛṣ(ri); the b leat of the goat, gandharva (ga); the call of the horn bull, madhyama (ma); the song of the cuckoo in spring, 貹ñ (pa); the neighing of a horse, daivata (da); and the trumpeting of elephant, Ծṣād (ni):

ⲹḥ�
ṣaḍj�
ū bruvate gāvastvṛṣbhāṣiṇa� |
屹첹� tu Ի� ñ�
kvaṇati madhyamam |
ṣpṇe 辱첹� ūᲹپ 貹ñm |
󲹾ٲ� ṣaٱ ī
Ծṣād� ṛṃ󲹳ٱ Ჹ� |

The special observations of ṣīr峾 on two of these notes are:

ṣād[2] —“in which the is in tune� ṣīr峾 adds that it is also read as Ծṣa岹

naṣīdatyasmin rāgo Ծṣād� niṣado'pi |

Ṣaḍj�–ṣīr峾 remarks that ṣaḍj is denoted so since it comes in contact with six places of human body, viz., nose, throat, chest, the palate, tongue and teeth�

ṣaḍb ٲ� ṣaḍj� ⲹḥ�
첹ṇṭ󲹳ܰ ᾱ�
dantāṃśca saṃspṛśan |
ṣaḍbhya� saṃjāyate yasmāttasmāt ṣaḍj iti smṛta� ||

ṣīr峾 adds that the for all these svaras are the two kinds of lutes—Dāravī and Gātravīṇ�.

He also highlights that the drums and others are only accompaniments and hence not mentioned as the base for the svaras

dāravī gātravīṇ� ca dve vīṇe u vaṃśamurajādayo'nukaraṇamātreṇeti noktā� |

After listing the seven notes, ś defines the various tones (like 첹ī) which are derived by ṣīr峾 and no special information is added.

(b) Grāma� (III. 3. 140; p. 303)�

[Basic scales:]

ś mentions that the homonym, 峾� is used in the sense of multitude and ṣīr峾 adds that this homonym also signifies octave in music.

He quotes from ʲñٲԳٰ according to which–there are seven notes (svaras), three basic scales () and 21 model scales (ū󲹲Բ)�

āpi śabdādviṣayaikadeśe ṣaḍjgrāmādau ca ⲹḥ�
sapta
strayo grāmā mūrcchanāstvekaviṃśati� |

The three 峾s are ṣaḍj, Ի and madhyama.

Footnotes and references:

[back to top]

[1]:

Ծṣādrṣabha Ի ṣaḍj madhyama dhaivatā: |
貹ñścetyamī sapta ٲԳٰī 첹ṇṭdzٳٳ󾱳 ||

[2]:

It is interesting to note the comments of Bhānuji and Liṅgayasūri in this context where the former says it is the union of mind in (this) Ծṣād—niṣīdati mano āsmin and the latter as the confluence of svaras in this note�ԾṣīdԳٲⲹٰ iti Ծṣād: | Vol. I, p. 71, ALRC.

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