śrı̄ guruguhāya namaḣ

Saṅgı̄ta Saṁpradāya Pradarśini

of

Brahmaśrı̄ Subbarāma Dı̄ks.ita

English Edition— VOLUME I

PY
CO Vāggēyakāra Caritram,
IEW
EV Saṅgı̄ta Laks.an.a Prācı̄na Paddhati, Laks.ana Sangraha,
PR Saṅgı̄ta Saṁpradāya Pradarśini— Rāgas of Mēl.as 1 to 6.

Edited, Typeset, Printed & Published by

Dr. P. P. Narayanaswami and Vidya Jayaraman

Translation & Critical Commentary :

Prof. S. R. Janakiraman, Musician–Musicologist, Chennai

c 2010
All rights reserved
 Subbarāma Dı̄ks.ita (1839 A.D — 1906 A.D)

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 A. M. Cinnasvāmi Mudaliyār

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DEDICATION TO THIS ENGLISH EDITION

This work is dedicated to A.M.Cinnasvāmi Mudaliyār, for

his pioneering efforts towards the cause of Indian Music in
English, when the printing technology was at its infancy.
 A BOUT THIS V ERSION

The Saṅgı̄ta Saṁpradāya Pradarśini of Subbarāma Dı̄ks.ita (whose autobiography can be seen in Section
I.72 of this book), first published in 1904 at Et.t.ayapuram, is a valuable treasure in Telugu, on Indian Music
and Musicology. To mark one hundred years of its publication, an English Web Edition of this notable work
was initiated as a community-effort, by a group of dedicated volunteers in 2004, was completed in 2008,
and made available to the public through the website http://ibiblio.org/guruguha/ssp.htm.
PY
CO However, the preliminary theoretical materials such as the Saṅgı̄ta Laks.an.a Prācı̄na Paddhati and the
IEW Laks.an.a Saṅgraha sections dealing with various topics on musicology, were not translated. Based on the
EV feedback we received, it was decided to complete these sections too, and that a printed edition would be
PR helpful to students of music. This is the first volume of the English Edition, and includes the following:

• Vāggēyakāra Caritram — the Biography of Composers.

• Saṅgı̄ta Laks.an.a Prācı̄na Paddhati — Details of the ancient tradition of Music.
• Laks.an.a Saṅgraha — A compendium of various topics in musicology.

• “Saṅgı̄ta Saṁpradāya Pradarśini ”— Rāgas of Mēl.as 1—6.

The entire work was typeset (and the PDF file generated) using the programs, TEX/LATEX 2ε /pdfLATEX, and
a host of allied packages. Macro definitions were written for all the symbols used in the original Saṅgı̄ta
Saṁpradāya Pradarśini , including all the gamaka symbols that Subbarāma Dı̄ks.ita has employed in his
Telugu work.

The ślōkas provided in the main body are as given in the Saṅgı̄ta Saṁpradāya Pradarśini . The dēvanāgari
versions provided in the commentary represent the annotated version as found in the corresponding source
text. A translation is also given for each verse, as part of the commentary.

While we have taken care to present the main body of the Saṅgı̄ta Saṁpradāya Pradarśini (1904) without
changes, any additional information for the purposes of highlighting, or information that is missing in the
Saṅgı̄ta Saṁpradāya Pradarśini (1904) owing to printing errors, have been corrected and enclosed within
brackets as applicable.

On behalf of everyone involved in the SSP Project,

P. P. N ARAYANASWAMI
V IDYA J AYARAMAN
(August 2010)

vi
 A CKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We would like to thank the three great stalwarts in Karn.āt.ik Music, whose generous help and
support, enabled us to venture in this project.
Our profound thanks and gratitude to:

• Professor S. R. Janakiraman, Musician-Musicologist, Chennai,

PY for helping us navigate the Saṅgı̄ta Laks.an.a Prācı̄na Paddhati and Laks.an.a Saṅgraha.
CO
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E VIE • Dr. N. Ramanathan, Musicologist, Chennai, and
PR • Dr. R. S. Jayalakshmi, Vı̄n.a Vidus.i, Chennai,

for providing scholarly and technical inputs at various stages in the project. We thank them
for their translation and interpretation of the section on Instructions for easily identifying the
(printed) mistakes, for providing editorial guidance for the Saṅgı̄ta Laks.an.a Prācı̄na Paddhati
and Laks.an.a Saṅgraha. Some footnotes clearly marked by the symbol “ED :” that appear in this
work are results of their concrete suggestions. They carefully read the entire work critically
checking with the Telugu edition of 1904. We record our sincere and heartfelt thanks to all three
of them for their continued support and constant encouragement.

Special thanks to:

Ms. Sandhya Vinjamuri, who translated and edited the “Vāggēyakāra Caritram” section.
Mr. Viswaram Janakiraman, for his help in reading the Telugu text and for a final proof-reading.
Dr. R. Abhiramasundari (Department of Music, Queen Mary’s College, Chennai), for proof-
reading the entire section on Māyāmāl.avagaul.a, and the 30 janyas, carefully checking the accuracy
with the original Telugu SSP (1904).
Dr. S. Sivaramakrishnan, our chief proof-reader, whose scholarly and mathematically precise
proof-reading was very valuable to us.

We sincerely acknowledge the “hosting space” generously provided by ibiblio.org, the con-
servancy and archival initiative of University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC for uploading
the web version of the work at: URL: www.ibiblio.org/guruguha/ssp.htm).
From time to time, several individuals came forward and offered us their valuable help in proof-
reading various parts of the material. Their dedicated contributions and concrete suggestions
for the improvement of the presentation were very valuable to us. We record our heartfelt thanks
to the following individuals: Mr. Variath Madhavan Kutty, Ms. Rajani Arjun, Dr. Varagur S.
V. Rajan, Dr. Sandeep Varma, Ms. Kiranavali Vidyasankar, Dr. Vidyasankar Sundaresan, Ms.
Vidya Sudhakar, Dr. K. N. Raghavan, Mr. T. V. Lakshminarayanan, Mr.Prasad Kalyanasun-
daram, Mr. Shailesh Ramamurthy, Dr. L. Ramakrishnan, Mr. N. Narayanan, Mr. Prasanna
Venkatesh.

vii
 Acknowledgements viii

The following volunteers worked on the English Translation of the vāggeyakāra caritram and
our sincere thanks go to them all for their enthusiastic efforts. Ms. Jyothsna, Mr. K. A. Chan-
drasekhara, Mr. Govindarajan Kothandaraman, Ms. Swapna Eleswarapu, Mr. Surya Kiran, Mr.
Kowshika Ramaprasad, Mr. Dhananjay Dendukuri, Dr. G. S. Murthy.

Finally, this PDF file was generated using the free software programs that belong to the TEX
and friends (LATEX 2ε , AMSLATEX, pdfLATEX, hyperref, etc). It is a pleasure to acknowledge our
gratitude to the authors of these versatile and useful open source packages.

P. P. Narayanaswami

Vidya Jayaraman

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 Introduction

The Saṅgı̄ta Saṁpradāya Pradarśini (SSP) has engaged my attention for the past six
decades and the contents of the work, both the theoretical and practical aspects have
never ceased to amaze me. The first part of the English translation of the Saṅgı̄ta
Laks.an.a Prācı̄na Paddhati was done by my great master, Brahmaśrı̄ P. K. Rajagopala
Iyer, and published in the Journal of The Music Academy, Madras in 1989. This En-
glish translation by my guru was based on the Tamil version of the work done by
the late Saṅgı̄ta Kalā Ācārya, T. S. Parthasarathy. I was honored that this work was
subsequently entrusted to me in 1990, and continued the work along the same lines,
adding observations and comments to highlight the work. This work did not progress
further owing to various reasons.

Today, I feel privileged to have an opportunity to translate this work and to write this
introduction to Volume I of the English edition of the Saṅgı̄ta Saṁpradāya Pradarśini.
Subbarāma Dı̄ks.ita’s Saṅgı̄ta Saṁpradāya Pradarśini is a monumental work and a
PY repository of invaluable information on the laks.an.a, and laks.ya aspects of music.
CO The contribution of the text to the practical side of the art form is immense. From
W
E VIE a Laks.an.a perspective, Subbarāma Dı̄ks.ita’s work is more a digest than a text. Sub-
PR barāma Dı̄ks.ita divides the theme under two broad chapters: Saṅgı̄ta Prācı̄na Pad-
dhati, and the Saṅgı̄ta Laks.an.a Saṅgraha. In Saṅgı̄ta Prācı̄na Paddhati, Subbarāma
Dı̄ks.ita provides a consolidated view of the history of Saṅgı̄ta śāstra, emphasizing all
the important aspects. He has taken care not to press forth his own thoughts and ideas,
which perhaps would have supplemented the theme well. In the laks.an.a saṅgraha,
he gives a brief elucidation of all the topics quoting the musical preceptors and ances-
tors profusely. In the treatment of the śuddha vikṙta svaras, Subbarāma Dı̄ks.ita, like
Vēṅkat.amakhin, deserves all praise. Vēṅkat.amakhin proclaims that the vikṙta svaras
are only five — sādhāran.a gāndhāra, antara gāndhāra, varāl.i madhyama, kaiśiki
nis.āda, and kākali nis.āda. While accepting Vēṅkat.amakhin’s principles, Subbarāma
Dı̄ks.ita went one step further. He not only recognized sādhāran.a gāndhāra as a de
facto vikṙta svara, he also had the insight to include s.at.śruti ṙs.abha as a vikṙta svara.
Even though they occupy the same svarasthāna, they are two distinct notes from the
standpoint of their occurrence in different rāgas. This was Subbarāma Dı̄ks.ita’s rea-
soning behind mentioning the nine vikṙta svaras.

All the treatise writers on music uniformly profess that their works are written with
the sole and avowed purpose of setting to rest and bringing about a compromise be-
tween the conflicting views on the laks.an.a, and laks.ya aspects of music. It may be
pointed out that in general their objectives are not met in full. Subbarāma Dı̄ks.ita too
was no exception to such a phenomenon. In a lot of instances, he gives useful point-
ers but does not elaborate further citing exigencies of space. He could have supported
his statements with illustrations of contemporaneous value. For example, the treat-
ment of kı̄rtana, pada, rāgamālika, jāval.i, tillānā and the pallavi krama could have
been more elaborate with substantial punctuations to contribute to the overall value.
Occasionally, there is some ambiguous treatment of the theme and we are not able to
fully comprehend what is implied. This can very well be attributed to the passage
of time. It must also be noted that the years leading up to the publication of Saṅgı̄ta
Saṁpradāya Pradarśini marked a time when the knowledge of the original treatises
was slowly disappearing. Wherever such ambiguities were encountered in the text,
a true translation of the text has been provided along with annotations as deemed
 Introduction x

appropriate. Thus, in addition to being a faithful translation of the original text, sup-
plemental information by way of critical commentary has been included to enhance
the understanding of the various topics in the work. In effect, it is a compilation of re-
flections on this ground breaking text contemplated over the span of several decades
and brought to fruition in the year 2010.

Chennai, May 01, 2010 P ROFESSOR . S. R. J ANAKIRAMAN

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 F OREWORD

Having learnt the arts of Sanskrit, Telugu, and music, due to the benevolence of the elder
Mahārāja (whose history occurs as the 67th in the history of Composers or Saṅgı̄ta Sāhitya
Vidvāns) and having qualified for the court of the Mahārāja (whose history occurs as the 68th)
due to his kindness, and having learnt the intricacies of Telugu grammar under Tañjāvūr Rām-
ayyar, and attained the name of a musician, and having learnt the staff notation under the
PY grace of the Mahārājā (whose history occurs as the 69th) and having translated the Telugu
CO Mahābhārata Padya Kāvya in Tamil with the permission of the Mahārājā (whose biography
W
E VIE occurs as the 70th) and under the orders of the Younger Mahārāja, the brother of the aforemen-
PR tioned Mahārājā, I set to tune, and added cit..ta svaras to the padas in the Tamil Play val..li
bhāratam.

As per the request of Cinnasvāmi Mudaliyār, and the orders of the present Mahārājā (whose
biography is the 71st in my history of composers), the printing of this Saṅgı̄ta Saṁpradāya
Pradarśini at the Vidyā Vilāsini Press, was accomplished with financial grant of the Mahārājā
and the efforts of his minister Śrı̄ Rao Bahadur K. Jegannātha Cet..tiyār, who is an expert at lan-
guages including Telugu and a connoisseur and adept at the arts of music and lyrics. I am grate-
ful to the Mahārājā who taught me the arts and patronized me and granted me fame through
this Saṅgı̄ta Saṁpradāya Pradarśini.

The kṙti s of Tyāgarāja — who was praised as an aṁśa of Sage Nārada, the kṙti s of Śyāma
Śāstri, and the padas of Ks.ētrayya, would be published shortly with tāl.a and gamaka symbols
through munificence of the Mahārājā.

I shall remember with gratitude Śrı̄ S. Rādhākṙs.n.a Ayyar, B.A., F.M.U, the Principal of the
Pudukkōt.t.ai Mahārāja College, who helped me in researching the laks.an.a texts like the Ratnākara,
with reference to the publication of the Saṅgīta Saṁpradāya Pradarśini.

Subbarāma Dı̄ks.ita

1
 K75555555555 K
7
77 DEDICATION
77
THIS BOOK

77 77
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CO IS MOST RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED
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77 77
His Highness
The Maharajah of Ettayapuram
As a token
of the Esteem and Regards

77 BY
77
7K55555555557K
B. SUBBARAMA DIKSHITAR
 śrı̄

VIS.AYA SŪCIKĀ
(AUTHOR’S BRIEF TABLE OF CONTENTS)

1. Index of kı̄rtanas — alphabetical list

2. Vāggēyakāra Caritra — Biography of Composers

3. Saṅgı̄ta Laks.an.a Prācı̄na Paddhati (The theory of Ancient Music)

4. Saṅgı̄ta Laks.an.a Saṅgraha (Summary of the theory of Music)

5. Detailed Table of Rāgāṅgōpāṅga bhās.āṅga mūrccana

6. Gamaka saṁjñā niyamavidhāna vivaran.a — Rules of gamaka symbols

PY
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IEW Rules of the signs of time-measures of tāl.a
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PR 8. Instructions for easily identifying the (printed) mistakes

9. Saṅgı̄ta Saṁpradāya Pradarśini

10. Rāgāṅgōpāṅga bhās.āṅga rāga laks.an.a, laks.ya. Gı̄ta, Kı̄rtana, Sañcāra, etc

11. Saṅgı̄ta Saṁpradāya Pradarśini — Anubandham A – Rāgamālikās

12. Anubandham B – Compositions of Various Composers

 PREFACES

PREFACE (in English)

I have been asked by Rao Bahadur K. Jaggannadhum Chetti Garu of Ettayapuram to

PY
CO write a few words of introduction to this great work, and I do so with great pleasure,
W as it gives me an opportunity to express on behalf of the public, the deep debt of grati-
E VIE tude which it owes to the persons to whose exertions and munificence, the publication
PR of this valuable work is due. They are — the late lamented Mr. A. M. Chinnasami Mu-
daliar, M. A., whose labours and sacrifices for preserving in a permanent form what
is still left of our national Music are so well known to the public and with whom the
idea of bringing out a work like the present one originated, the Rajah of Ettayapu-
ram, who ungrudgingly placed the services of his Court Sangita Vidvan Brahma Sri
Subbarama Dikshitar at the disposal of Mr. Chinnasami Mudaliar and who, with
enlightened liberality, has borne the entire cost of the establishment employed for
the purpose of preparing this work for the press and of getting it printed, and lastly
Brahma Sri Subbarama Dikshitar who, though unwilling at first to part with what he
naturally regarded as a precious heirloom to be jealously guarded and retained in his
family, yielded in the end to the wishes of his master and patron, the Rajah and has
given the world what was hitherto his exclusive possession, having laboured hard for
more than four years to bring this work to a successful conclusion.

To what extent we are indebted to the gentlemen named above could be realized if
it be remembered that Brahma Sri Subbarama Dikshitar is now an old gentleman
and that his great learning and knowledge and the stores of Music literature in his
possession would, in the course of nature, have been lost to the world in a few years
if this work had not been published now.

To me and other friends of the late Mr. Chinnasamy Mudaliar it is a matter of deep
regret that he did not live to see his heart’s wish accomplished.

It would be presumption on my part to express an opinion on a work written by one of

the greatest living authorities on South Indian Music. That a treatise like this written
by such an accomplished scholar, composer and Vainika as Brahma Sri Subbarama
Dikshitar is likely to be of great help to students of Music requires no testimony from
a person like me.

There is only one thing more I wish to say, and that is that it seems not unreasonable
to hope that the Rajah of Ettayapuram who, by getting this work published, has ever

4
 References 15

[SSP (1904) ] Saṅgı̄ta Saṁpradāya Pradarśini Part I and II, of Subbarāma Dı̄ks.ita, Vidya Vilasini Press,
Ettayapuram Samasthanam, Ettayapuram, (1904)
[Subbarāma Dı̄ks.ita (1904) ] Saṅgı̄ta Saṁpradāya Pradarśini Part I and II, of Subbarāma Dı̄ks.ita, Vidya
Vilasini Press, Ettayapuram Samasthanam, Ettayapuram, (1904)

[Subbarāma Dı̄ks.ita (1905) ] Prathamābhyāsa pustakamu of Subbarāma Dı̄ks.ita, Vidya Vilasini Press, Et-
tayapuram Samasthanam, Ettayapuram, (1905)
[Janakiraman (1977) ] Prof. S. R. Janakiraman, The Significance of the Division of Pallavi, Anupallavi, and
Caran.a in Musical Composition, pp.128-138 Journal of the Music Academy Madras XLVIII (1977)

[Janakiraman (1979) ] Prof. S. R. Janakiraman, The Dēśi Sūl.ādi of Annamācārya, pp 126–133, Journal of
the Music Academy Madras (1979)
[Raghavan (1941a) ] Dr. V. Raghavan, Vēṅkat.amakhin and the 72 Mēl.as, pp 67–79, Journal of the Music
Academy Madras, XII (1941)
[Raghavan (1941b) ] Dr. V. Raghavan, The So-called Akalaṅka, or the Saṅgı̄ta Sāra Saṅgrahamu, pp 38–42,
Journal of the Music Academy Madras, XII (1941)
(1983) ] Dr. N. Ramanathan, Vādi, samvādi , vivādi, and anuvādi svaras, Journal of the
P[Ramanathan
Y
CO Music Academy, Madras, Vol. LIV, pp 60-82 (1983)
W
E VIE [Ramanathan (2003) ] Dr. N. Ramanathan, Musical forms in the Saṅgı̄taratnākara, Sampradaya, Madras
PR (2003)
[AMSarma Pers. Comm. ] Akella Mallikarjuna Sarma, Personal Communication 2010
[Seetha (1981) ] Dr. S. Seetha, Tanjore as a seat of Music, University of Madras, Madras (1981)

II. Bibliography
P. K. Rajagopala Iyer, Saṅgı̄ta Laks.an.a Prācı̄na Paddhati, pp 103–124, Journal of the Music Academy
Madras, LX (1989)
Prof. P. Sambamoorthy, South Indian Music, Vols 1–5

Prof. S. R. Janakiraman, Laks.an.a Saṅgraha, pp 237–254, Journal of the Music Academy Madras, LXI (1990)
Prof. S. R. Janakiraman, Essentials of Musicology in South Indian Music, The Indian Music Publishing
House (2008)
Dr. N. Ramanathan, Tāl.a daśa prān.as, (www.musicresearch.in)

Hema Ramanathan, Abhinavabhārati of Abhinavagupta, Transl. (www.musicresearch.in)

Girija Easwaran, Tāl.a daśa prān.as in Texts (www.musicresearch.in)
 PY
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 II
S A ṄG ĪTA L AKS. AN. A P R ĀC ĪNA PADDHATI

brahmagranthijamārutānugatinā cittēnahṙtpaṅkajē
sūrı̄n.āmanuranjakaḣ śrutipadam yō’yaṁ svayaṁ rājatē |
yasmādgrāmavibhāgavarn.aracanālaṅkārajātikramō
vandē nādatanuṁ tamuddhurajagadgı̄taṁ mudē śaṅkaram k
PY
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IEW mataṅgō yās..tikō durgā śaktiḣ śārdūlakōhalau k
EV
PR viśākhilō dattilaśca kambalō’śvatarastathā |
vāyurviśvāvasū raṁbhārjunanāradatuṁbarāḣ k
āñjanēyō mātṙguptō rāvan.ō nandikeśvaraḣ |
svātirgun.ō bindurājaḣ ks.ētrarājaśca rāhalaḣ k
rudrat.o nānyabhūpālō bhōjabhūvallabhastathā |
paramardı̄ ca somēśō jagadēkamahı̄patiḣ k
vyākhyātārō bhāratı̄yē lōllat.ōdbhat.aśaṅkukāḣ |
bhadrābhinavaguptaśca śrı̄matkı̄rtidharō paraḣ k
anyē ca bahavaḣ pūrve yē saṅgı̄taviśāradāḣ |

The names mentioned in this ślōka, beginning with Lord Sadāśiva, and listing the other great creators of
the science of music and the teachers of the past is stated in the Saṅgı̄taratnākara. There are several other
authorities, who have not been mentioned here.

nādōpāsanayā dēvā brahmā vis.n.u mahēśvarāḣ |

bhavantyupāsitā nūnaṁ yasmādētē tadātmakāḣ k

(Saṅgı̄taratnākara)

Through the worship of nāda are worshipped, the deities Brahma, Vis.n.u, and Śiva, since they are verily the
embodiment of nāda.

nādēna vyajyatē varn.aḣ padaṁ varn.āt padādvacaḣ |

vacasō vyavahārō’yaṁ nādādhı̄namatō jagat k

Śārṅgadēva, and other luminaries opine that, from nāda (absolute sound) emanates aks.ara (letters of the
alphabet), and from aks.ara emanates śabda (sound or word). From śabda emanates vyavahāra (thought);

50
 Saṅgı̄ta Laks.an.a Prācı̄na Paddhati 51

hence the entire world is pervaded by nāda. Before talking about the science of music in vogue, we explain
and consolidate here, based on our understanding of the musical traditions of the past, those contents
which have not been mentioned in the Section, Laks.an.a Saṅgraha.

The nāda that arises in the human body from the hṙdaya (the region of the heart), goes up to the kan..tha
(the throat), and then to the śiras (the head), taking shape through the three sthāyi s (octaves), namely the
tāra, mandra, and madhya, and thus manifests itself. This nāda gets divided into twenty two śruti s (micro-
tones) in each sthāyi. From the various groups of śruti s are formed the seven śuddha svaras, i.e., s.ad.ja,
ṙs.abha, gāndhāra, madhyama, pañcama, dhaivata, and nis.āda. Their svara mnemonics or symbols are: sa,
ri, ga, ma, pa dha, ni, and they respectively contain 4, 3, 2, 4, 4, 3, 2 śruti s. These are known as śuddha or
prakṙti svaras.

C OMMENTARY:

b
}hmg}ETяmAztAngEtnA Ecttn h(pkя
s
rFZAmnrjk, rEtpd\ yo_y\ -vy\ rAяt ।
y-mAd^ g}AmEvBAgvZ rcnA_l\kArяAEt‡mo
vd
 nAdtn\ tmdrяgd^gFt\ m d fkrm^ ॥
PY
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E VIE T RANSLATION : For delight, do I worship that Lord Śiva, the embodiment of nāda, pre-eminently adored
PR by the entire world, the source of order inherent in the division of domains, the organisation of castes and
the distinction of species, who being manifest in the heart-lotus of yōgins as ōṁkāra in the contemplation
of mind united to the movement of life-force originating out of the Brahmagranthi, shines in its own lustre.

Interpretation with reference to music:

I delight in paying homage to gı̄ta, the embodiment of nāda, the cause of comfort in the restless world, the
source of the system comprising the division of grāmās, the composition of varn.as, the alaṅkāras and the
jāti s, the self-manifest locus of śruti s that delights the masters of music in the lower register, aided by the
mind attuned to the movement of prān.ā originating from the root of the navel.

[SR 1.1.1–1.1.2] [Śārṅgadēva / Transl. Shringy (1978)]

This is the opening verse of the Saṅgı̄taratnākara.

Brahmagranthi is the nerve center at the conjunction of the id.a, and piṅgal.a, in the human body below the
navel.

sdAEfv, EfvA b
}hmA Brt, k[ypo mEn, ।
mtgo yAE£ko dgA fEkt, fAd
lkohlO ॥
EvfAEKlo dEttlc kMblo_vtr-tTA ।
vAyEv vAvs
rMBA_я no nArdtMb! ॥
aAjnyo mAtgpto rAvZo nEdk
vr, ।
-vAEtg Zo EbdrAя, "/rAяc rAhl, ॥
zdýVo nAyB
pAlo BoяB
vllB-tTA ।
prmdF c somfo яgdkmhFpEt, ॥
&yAHyAtAro BArtFy
 lollVodV fkkA, ।
BÓAEBnvgptc rFm(kFEt Dr, pr, ॥
ay
 c bhv, p
v
 y
 sgFtEvfArdA, ।
 Saṅgı̄ta Laks.an.a Prācı̄na Paddhati 52

T RANSLATION : Sadāśiva, Brahma, sages Bharata and Kāśyapa, Mataṅga, Yās..tika, Durga, Śakti śārdūla,
Kōhala, Viśākhila, Dattila, Kaṁbal.a, Aśvatara, Vāyu, Viśvāvasu, Raṁbha, Arjuna, Nārada, and Tuṁburu,
Āñjanēya, Mātṙgupta, Rāvan.a, Nandikēśvara, Svātigan.a, Bindurāja, Ks.ētrarāja, Rāhala, Rudrat.a,King Bhōja,Somēśa
the vanquisher of foes, King Jagadēka and the interpreters of Bharata such as Lōllat.a, Udbhat.a, Śaṅkuka,
Abhinavagupta, the auspicious Kı̄rtidhara, and others were the ancient authorities of music.

[SR 1.1.15–20b]

nAdopAsnyA 
dvA b }hmAEv ZmhvrA, ।
Bv(ypAEstA n
n\ y-mAdt tdA(mkA, ॥

T RANSLATION : Indeed through the worship of nāda are worshipped gods (like) Brahma, Vis.n.u and Śiva,
since essentially they are one with it.

[SR 1.3.2]

PY nAd
n &y>yt
 vZ , pd\ vZA t^ pdAd^ vc, ।
CO
W vcso &yvhAroy\ nAdADFnmto яgt^ ॥
E VIE
PR
T RANSLATION : Nāda manifests the letters (of alphabet), letters constitute the word, and words make a
sentence. So the entire business of life is carried on through language, and therefore the whole world is
based on nāda.

[SR 1.2.2]

These śuddha svaras, also known as prakṙti svaras, with the self-ordained śruti s — 4, 3, 2, 4, 4, 3, 2, were
found in the S.ad.ja grāma, the primordial scale-type of Indian music.

2. Vikṙti Svaras

Śārṅgadēva’s school:

The self-ordained śruti, from out of which a svara emanates, is known as the niyata śruti for that svara.

1. A śuddha svara is called a vikṙta svara, when it is in its niyata śruti and its śruti is reduced or increased.

Example:

1. When śuddha s.ad.ja from out its four śruti s gives two śruti s, to kākali nis.āda located on its second śruti
position, yet remaining in its niyata śruti, because of the reduction in the number of śruti s, it becomes the
vikṙta svara, named acyuta s.ad.ja.

2. When the śuddha s.ad.ja slips down from its niyata śruti sthāna by a śruti, thus becoming the third śruti
sthāna cyuta s.ad.ja, the śuddha ṙs.abha now also acquires the fourth śruti of s.ad.ja, and becomes a vikṙti
svara, with the name catuśruti ṙs.abha.
 Saṅgı̄ta Laks.an.a Prācı̄na Paddhati 53

2. When a śuddha svara moves from its niyata śruti to another śruti, then that too becomes a vikṙta svara.

Example:

When śuddha s.ad.ja leaves its niyata śruti, and moves to the third śruti sthāna, it takes on the name s.ad.ja,
and becomes the vikṙta svara, cyuta s.ad.ja.

The vikṙta svaras formed by this process are twelve in number. They are:

1. kaiśiki nis.āda 7. antara gāndhāra

2. kākal.i nis.āda 8. cyuta madhyama
3. cyuta s.ad.ja 9. acyuta madhyama
4. acyuta s.ad.ja 10. triśruti pañcama
5. catuśruti ṙs.abha 11. kaiśiki pañcama
6. sādhāran.a gāndhāra 12. catuśruti dhaivata

Thus the seven śuddha svaras and twelve vikṙta svaras are formed from the twenty two śruti s on fourteen
śrutisthānas.
PY
CO
W
E VIE C OMMENTARY:
PR Example:

1.1. When śuddha s.ad.ja gives two śruti s to nis.āda, the latter becomes kākali nis.āda, and the interval
between kākali nis.āda, and śuddha s.ad.ja becomes two. Thus, s.ad.ja becomes a vikṙta svara, and is named
acyuta s.ad.ja. Since it has not moved from its original position, it is acyuta s.ad.ja.

1.2. When the s.ad.ja slips down from its fourth śruti to the third śruti sthāna (cyuta = fallen), the interval
between the cyuta s.ad.ja, and śuddha ṙs.abha gets enlarged by one śruti, and hence it is called catuśruti
ṙs.abha. This is the only vikṙta of ṙs.abha. Thus, we get the first clue for the existence of the note, catuśruti
ṙs.abha here.

Example

2. When the śuddha nis.āda goes up and becomes kaiśiki nis.āda, the s.ad.ja slips down from its original
position, and becomes cyuta s.ad.ja.

On the same lines, the śuddha madhyama (niyata madhyama) also gets its two vikṙta counterparts when
the śuddha gāndhāra goes up to sādhāran.a gāndhāra, and antara gāndhāra (the first two śruti s of mad-
hyama).

3. Sōmanātha’s school:

The śuddha svaras are seven, and the vikṙta svaras are seven in number. These fourteen svaras are obtained
from fourteen svarasthānas.

In Sōmanātha’s school, five vikṙta svaras in Śārṅgadēva’s school are omitted. These are: acyuta s.ad.ja,
catuśruti ṙs.abha, acyuta madhyama, kaiśiki pañcama, catuśruti dhaivata.

The remaining vikṙta svaras are renamed as follows:

 Saṅgı̄ta Laks.an.a Prācı̄na Paddhati 54

cyuta s.ad.ja −→ mṙdu s.ad.ja

cyuta madhyama −→ mṙdu madhyama
triśruti pãncama −→ mṙdu pañcama

The details of the śuddha/prakṙti, and vikṙti svaras in these two schools, the śruti s they occur, and their
names are given in the following table.

PY
CO
W
E VIE
PR
 TABLE OF ŚUDDHA—VIKṘTA SVARAS

Sōmanātha’s school Śārṅgadēva’s school

and śrutis
svaras
vikṙta

and śrutis
svaras
śuddha

and śrutis
svaras
śuddha

and śrutis
svaras
vikṙta
1
kaiśiki nis.āda (3) kaiśiki nis.āda (3)
2
kākal.i nis.āda (4) kākal.i nis.āda (4)
3
mṙdu s.ad.ja (2) cyuta s.ad.ja (4)
sa 4 4 sa 4
acyuta s.ad.ja (2)
5
PY
CO 6
IEW
EV ri 3 7 ri 3
PR catuśruti ṙs.abha (4)
8
ga 2 9 ga 2
10
sādhāran.a gāndhāra (3) sādhāran.a gāndhāra (3)
11
antara gāndhāra (4) antara gāndhāra (4)
12
mṙdu madhyama (2) cyuta madhyama (2)
ma 4 13 ma 4
acyuta madhyama (2)
14
15

16 triśruti pañcama (3)
mṙdu pañcama (3)
kaiśiki pañcama (4)
pa 4 17 pa 4
18
19
dha 3 20 dha 3
catuśruti dhaivata (4)
21
ni 2 22 ni 2
 Saṅgı̄ta Laks.an.a Prācı̄na Paddhati 56

C OMMENTARY:

In addition, Sōmanātha mentions eight more vikṙta svaras:

tı̄vratama dhaivata, tı̄vratama gāndhāra, tı̄vratama madhyama, tı̄vra dhaivata, tı̄vratara dhaivata, tı̄vra
ṙs.abha, tı̄vratara ṙs.abha, tı̄vratama ṙs.abha.

[3]. The details of the śuddha and vikṙti svaras in current practice

[4]. The details concerning the three grāmas

[5]. The vādi samvādi laks.an.as

Refer (the description of the) above in the section: Laks.ana Saṅgraha.

[6]. Tāna

Y is the process of prastāra or expansion of svara group patterns.

PTāna This is classified under two heads,
CO śuddha tāna, and kūt.a tāna.
W
E VIE [1]. Śuddha Tāna
PR
Śuddha tāna uses the svaras in regular (natural) order. These are of aud.ava, s.ād.ava and saṁpūrn.a patterns.

[2]. Kūt.a Tāna

In Kūt.a tāna, svaras are combined in non-consecutive, or irregular ways, and deviate from their regular or-
der of ascent and descent. These are of arcika, gāthika, sāmika, svarāntara, aud.ava, s.ād.ava, and saṁpūrn.a
patterns and their combinations. Their names, numbers, and the benefits accrued by singing them are not
mentioned, due to exigencies of space. These are explained in detail in texts like the Saṅgı̄taratnākara.

C OMMENTARY:

S.ād.ava and aud.ava varieties of śuddha tānas are 49 + 35 = 84 in number, and are worked out in detail in
the Saṅgı̄taratnākara of Śārṅgadēva. This number of eighty four tānas is also referred to in literature such
as the pūrān.as, and even in the Pañcatantra.

Kūt.a tānas :— to be derived as one from one, two from two, six from three svaras, etc., are worked out in
detail in the appendix of the svarāgatādhyāya of [Śārṅgadēva / Ed. Subrahmanya Sastri (1943)]

[7]. Varn.a

Please refer to the Laks.an.a Saṅgraha, for details regarding varn.a, which is gānakriya.

Adhering to the system of varn.a, Śārṅgadēva has mentioned sixty three alaṅkāras, with names beginning
with prasanna. Bharata says that without alaṅkāras (beautific musical ornamentation), singing will not
shine.

śaśinā rahitēva niśā vijalēva nadı̄ latā vipus.pēn.a |

avibhūs.itēva kāntā gı̄tiralaṅkārahı̄nasyāt k