Bharata Muni
| ← Chapter 27 | Chapter 29 → |
1/ Now I will set forth [the rules of] the formal aspects of instrumental music (ātodya). Regular musical instruments are of four kinds.
2/ Namely: stringed (tata), membranous [percussion] (avanaddha), solid (ghana), and hollow (suṣira). [Among them] stringed are those which have strings.
3/ Membranophones are drums; solids are cymbals; hollows are flutes. In a dramatic performance, instruments are used in three ways.
4/ [Namely] there, where string instruments predominate; where drums predominate; and with their combined [use] during the performance as a whole.
Orchestra (kutapa)
5/ The orchestra of string instruments (kutapa) consists of the singer (gāyana) and his assistants, as well as performers on the Vipañcī, Vīṇā, and flute.
6/ The orchestra of membranophone instruments includes performers on the Mṛdaṅga (mṛdaṅga), Pāṇava (paṇava), and Ḍardura (dardura).
7/ Thus, Singing (gāna), Instrumental Music (vādya), and Acting (nāṭya) should be united by the producers of plays like a shining [single] image (alātacakra-pratima).
Gandharva
8/ That which is produced by stringed instruments and relies [also] on other instruments, and consists of Notes (svara), Tāla, and Verbal Themes (pada), — should be known as Gandharva (gāndharva).
9/ Its source is the human throat (body), the Vīṇā (vīṇā), and the flute (vaṃśa). Gāndharva is used for [praising] the gods and is called “nityagāna” — “eternal singing.”
10/ [It is said that] this music is especially pleasing to Śiva, Brahmā, and other gods. That is precisely why it is called “Gandharva” — [as connected with the celestial musicians, the gandharvas].
11/ The three kinds of Gandharva are: Note (svara), Tāla (tāla), and Verbal theme (pada). Through their [proper] combination, harmony of the performance is achieved.
Śruti (microintervals)
12/ The seven notes (svara) are born from the twenty-two śruti (śruti). An experienced [musician] should use them in accordance [with the rules].
13/ A higher note differs from a lower one by [the number of] śruti; a note having more śruti is higher.
14/ When the number of śruti in a note increases, it becomes higher; when it decreases, it becomes lower. Such is the nature of śruti, [known] by tradition.
15/ Śruti are subdivided into: tīvra (sharp), kumudvatī, manda, chandovatī, dayāvatī, rañjanī and rakti [and others].
Seven notes
16/ The seven notes are: Ṣaḍja (ṣaḍja, sa), Ṛṣabha (ṛṣabha, ri), Gāndhāra (gāndhāra, ga), Madhyama (madhyama, ma), Pañcama (pañcama, pa), Dhaivata (dhaivata, dha), and Niṣāda (niṣāda, ni).
17/ [The origin of the note names is as follows:] Ṣaḍja is born from six [openings or organs]; Riṣabha [sounds like] the roar of a bull (ṛṣabha); Gandhāra — because of its fragrance (gandha); Madhyama is located in the middle.
18/ Pañcama — because it is the fifth; Dhaivata — from the elephant (dha); Niṣāda [gives] the impression that it does not reside in anything. Such are [the etymologies] of the seven notes.
Classification of notes
19/ The Nota-Aṃśa (aṃśa), [that is, the principal note], is in this context called the Sonant (vādin). Notes at a distance of nine or thirteen śruti [from the Sonant] are called Consonants (saṃvādin).
20/ Notes that are two or twenty śruti away [from the Sonant] are called dissonant (vivādin). All other notes are called assonant (anuvādin).
21/ In Shadja-grama (ṣaḍja-grāma), Shadja and Madhyama, as well as Shadja and Panchama, are Consonants. In Madhyama-grama (madhyama-grāma) — Panchama and Rishabha.
22/ Riṣabha and Gāndhāra are the Dissonant [notes] in the Ṣaḍja-grāma. Thus should [these classifications] be understood by experts in the art of music.
23/ In Madhyama-grāma, Pañcama and Ṛṣabha are Consonants, while Ṣaḍja and Pañcama are [Consonants] only in Ṣaḍja-grāma.
Two Grāmas (scales)
24/ The two Grāmas, [underlying the system], are Ṣaḍja-grāma (ṣaḍja-grāma) and Madhyama-grāma (madhyama-grāma), each of which contains twenty-two śrutis.
25/ In Ṣaḍja-grāma: Ṣaḍja contains four śruti, Ṛṣabha — three, Gāndhāra — two, Madhyama — four, Pañcama — four, Dhaivata — three, and Niṣāda — two.
26/ In Madhyama-grāma, Madhyama contains four śruti, Pañcama — three, Dhaivata — four, Niṣāda — two, Ṣaḍja — four, Ṛṣabha — three, and Gāndhāra — two.
27/ The difference between the two Grāmas is that in the Madhyama-grāma, the Pañcama is weaker by one śruti. This is the only difference between them.
Mūrcchanās (modes)
28/ Mūrcchanā (mūrchanā) occurs in fourteen varieties across two Grāmas. [They] should be applied sequentially.
29–30/ In Śadja-grāma there are seven Mūrcchanās: Uttaramandrā (uttaramandrā), Rājanī (rajanī), Uttarāyatā (uttarāyatā), Śuddhaṣaḍja (śuddhaṣaḍjā), Matsarīkṛtā (matsarīkṛta), Aśvakrāntā (aśvakrāntā), and Abhiruddhatā (abhirudgatā).
31–32/ In the Madhyama-grāma there are seven Mūrchanās: Sauvīrī (sauvīrī), Harināśva (hariṇāśvā), Kalopanatā (kalopanatā), Śuddhamadhyā (śuddhamadhyā), Mārgavī (mārgavī), Pauravi (pauravī), and Hṛṣyakā (hṛṣyakā).
33/ Their initial notes correspond to the seven notes [of the scale] in succession. [Hence they are named after their initial notes.]
Classification of Mūrchanā
34/ Mūrchanās can be complete (pūrṇa) [with seven notes], six-note (ṣāḍava-kṛta), five-note (auḍavita-kṛta), and [containing] overlapping notes (sādhāraṇa-kṛta).
Tāna (melodic figures)
35/ Tānas (tāna), depending on Mūrcchanās, number eighty-four [varieties]. Of these, the six-note ones are forty-nine, and the five-note ones are thirty-five.
36/ The transitional note (antarasvara) must always belong to the ascending scale (ārohin) and be particularly weakened (alpa). Thus prescribes [the tradition].
Sādhāraṇa (overlapping notes)
37/ Sādhāraṇa is of two kinds: overlapping in notes (svara-sādhāraṇa) and overlapping in Jāti (jāti-sādhāraṇa). [Let us examine each kind].
38/ Just as in the shade one feels cold, and in the sun — heat… spring has not yet come, but winter has not fully departed either — such is the meaning of overlapping.
39/ [When the note] Niṣāda (niṣāda) receives two more śruti, [going] beyond its usual number, it becomes Kākalī-Niṣāda (kākalī niṣāda), and not Ṣaḍja (ṣaḍja). This is overlapping of notes.
40/ Three Jāti associated with overlapping: Madhyama (madhyama), Pañcamī (pañcamī) and Ṣaḍjamadhya (ṣaḍjamadhyā). Of these, Pañcamī is particularly weak in its [main] note.
Eighteen Jāti
41/ In Ṣaḍja-grāma there are seven Jāti: Ṣaḍjī (ṣāḍjī), Ārṣabhī (ārṣabhī), Dhaivatī (dhaivatī), Naiṣādī (naiṣādī), Ṣaḍjodyāvatī (ṣaḍjodīcyavatī), Ṣaḍjakaiśikī (ṣaḍjakaiśikī), and Ṣaḍjamadhyā (ṣaḍjamadhyā).
42–43/ In the Madhyama-grāma there are eleven Jātis: Gāndhārī (gāndhārī), Rakta-Gāndhārī (raktagāndhārī), Gāndhārodīcyavā (gāndhārodīcyavā), Madhyamodīcyavā (madhyamodīcyavā), Madhyamā (madhyama), Pañcamī (pāñcamī), Gāndhāra-pañcamī (gāndhārapañcamī), Andhrī (āndhrī), Nandayantī (nandayantī), Karmāravī (karmāravī), and Kaiśikī (kaiśikī).
44/ These are the eighteen Jāti [in total]. [Of them] some are pure (śuddha), while others are mixed (saṃkīrṇa); [the latter] arise from the combination [of the pure ones].
45/ Pure Jāti possess all [their] characteristic features, whereas mixed ones arise from a combination of [several] pure Jāti.
Ten Characteristics of Jāti
46/ [Let us list] the ten [characteristics] of Jāti: Graha (graha), Aṃśa (aṃśa), Tāra (tāra), Mandra (mandra), Nyāsa (nyāsa), Apanyāsa (apanyāsa), Reduction (alpatva), Augmentation (bahutva), six-note treatment (ṣāḍava), and five-note treatment (auḍavita).
47/ The note with which [the performance of a song] begins is called Graha (graha).
48–49/ That note on which its charm depends (rāga) and from which this charm proceeds, that which occurs frequently, that which is the foundation [of the entire melody] and expresses [its character] to the greatest degree, is called Aṃśa (aṃśa).
50/ The high register (tāra) extends up to the fourth [note] from Aṃśa, or even to the fifth, but not higher. The low register (mandra) is determined by the nature of Aṃśa [of each given Jāti].
51/ The reduction (alpatva) occurs in two ways: through skipping a note or through not repeating it. The intensification (bahutva) is the opposite [phenomenon to reduction].
52/ Both [phenomena] always arise from an established tradition with reference to [specific] notes of the Jāti.
Specific Jāti Aṃśas
53/ Pañcama is an Aṃśa and a Graha in Madhyamodīcyava, Nandayanti and Gandhāra-pañcamī.
54/ Dhaivata and Riṣabha serve as [Aṃśa] for the Dhaivatī-Jāti. Ṣaḍja and Madhyama are [Aṃśa] in Gāndhārodīcyava.
55/ Ṣaḍja, Madhyama, Dhaivata and Niṣāda are [Aṃśas] in Ṣaḍjodyāva. Ṣaḍja, Gāndhāra and Pañcama are [Aṃśas] in Ṣaḍjakaiśikī.
56/ Ṛṣabha, Pañcama, Gandhāra and Niṣāda are [Aṃśas] in Āndhrī. All seven notes are [Aṃśas] in Ṣaḍjamadhyā.
57/ Ṣaḍja, Ṛṣabha, Madhyama, Pañcama and Dhaivata — [Aṃśas] in Madhyamā. Ṛṣabha and Pañcama — [Aṃśas] in Pañcamī.
58/ All [seven notes], except Riṣabha, are [Aṃśas] in Kaiśikī. Riṣabha, Dhaivata and Niṣāda are [Aṃśas] in Ārṣabhī.
59/ Five notes, excluding Niṣāda and Ṛṣabha, — [Aṃśa] in Ṣaḍja. Five notes, excluding Dhaivata and Ṛṣabha, — [Aṃśa] in Gāndhārī.
60/ Similar to them are [Aṁśas] in Rakta-Gāndhārī. Pañcama [is] the only Aṁśa in Madhyamādyāvā.
Nyāsa and Apanyāsa
61/ [The note on which the performance concludes] is called Nyāsa (nyāsa). Apanyāsa (apanyāsa) is [the intermediate note on which a pause is made] before the final Nyāsa.
62/ In Ṣaḍja: Gandhāra and Pañcama — Apanyāsa; Ṣaḍja — Nyāsa. In Ārṣabhī: Madhyama and Ṣaḍja — Apanyāsa; Ṛṣabha — Nyāsa.
63/ In Dhāivatī: Ṛṣabha and Pañcama — Apanyāsa; Dhāivata — Nyāsa. In Naiṣadī: Gāndhāra and Madhyama — Apanyāsa; Niṣāda — Nyāsa.
64/ In Śādhāraṇakāiśikī: all [notes] are Apānyāsa; there is no excluded [note], therefore it is called “complete” (saṃpūrṇa). In Śādhodīcyavā: Niṣāda is Apānyāsa; Ṣāḍja is Nyāsa.
65/ In Ṣaḍjamadhyā: all seven notes — both Apanyāsa and [Aṃśa]. In Gāndhārī: Ṛṣabha and Pañcama — Apanyāsa; Gāndhāra — Nyāsa.
66/ In Rākta-Gāndhārī: the same [characteristics] as in Gāndhārī, but with separate intensifications. In Gāndhārodīcyava: Ṣaḍja and Madhyama are Apānyāsa and Nyāsa.
67/ In Madhyama: Ṣaḍja and Madhyama are Apanyāsa; Madhyama is Nyāsa. In Madhyamodīcyava: Pañcama is Apanyāsa and Nyāsa.
68/ In Pañcamī: Ṛṣabha is Apanyāsa; Pañcama is Nyāsa. In Gandhāra-pañcamī: Gandhāra is Apanyāsa; Gandhāra is Nyāsa.
69/ In Āndhrī: Gandhāra and Niṣāda are Apanyāsa; Gandhāra is Nyāsa. In Nandayantī: Niṣāda is Apanyāsa; Pañcama is Nyāsa.
70/ In Karmāravī: Ṣaḍja, Madhyama and Pañcama — Apanyāsa; [several notes] — Nyāsa. In Kaiśikī: Gāndhāra, Niṣāda and Madhyama — Apanyāsa; Niṣāda — Nyāsa.
Application of Jāti
71–72/ These [eighteen Jātis] should be applied in song (pada) together with dance movements (karaṇa) and gestures appropriate to them. Thus are set forth the Formal Aspects of Instrumental Music.