vol_I_p082 — Bṛhaddeśī

Bṛhaddeśī

23. Reconstruction based on C.r. in S R I Kalā, p. 283 and reading of Abhi Bhā on NŚ XXIX, 47, p. 93. 24. 'Sabdaḥ' has been added in order to justify the adjective 'āvṛttyātmā' that is in masculine gender; otherwise 'padam' would have been more appropriate. 25. Reconstruction based on C.r. in S R I Kalā, p. 285. 26. P.t. reads svaratānu (la?) before iti; it has been dropped as it makes no sense. 27. P.t. reads "vārtike daksiņe iti (?)" • • ė. • • • •

Vimarśa

(ANNOTATIONS)

Chapter I

Section I ( Desi )

1. Upto verse 13 a dialogue between Matanga and Nārada is explicit; accordingly, Matanga has been identified here as the first speaker, to whom Nārada responds.¹ The name of Matanga appears only once again in the beginning of the Prabandha chapter (verse 361 cd) where Matanga is said to address anonymous munis.² 2. Since the quality of pleasantness in sound is mentioned here, it could be conjectured that musical sound is being referred to, although later (verse 13) desi has been identified with syllabic sound. Tonal sound ( nāda ) has not been separately mentioned in this section, except in verse 7 where the svaras ( şadja etc.) of music have been said to be different from svaras (vowels) in language. 3. 'Jantu' means living being, including the human beings, but since 'people' and 'kings' are separately mentioned here, jantu could be taken to stand for sub-human creatures. 4. The manifest form or level of sound is referred to here and its spatial or regional aspect is being emphasised in the context of desi (pertaining to desa, i.e. space or region or location). 5. Dhvani at the metaphysical level is beyond space and time, it is all- pervasive ( vyāpaka ) and eternal ( nitya ). How could it be said to be related to desa (space or region or location)? This is the question. 6. Sound at the manifest level is perceived according to its direction (up, down, right, left etc.) in relation to the listener. 7. Sthāna stands for location of sound in the human body. Five such locations are identified; viz. the navel, chest, throat, palate or cerebrum and mouth, the first and the last being omitted in music.⁶ The vital air is propelled from the seat of energy in the body known as brahmagranthi and as it travels upward it touches the various locations, producing low and high sounds.³ This is the purport of sound being the 'follower' of sthana. 8, 9, 10. In Tantra the concentrated form of energy is identified with bindu (lit. point or drop)⁴ and the flowing form of energy is called nāda. At the aural level bindu manifests as the anusvāra ( nasal sound marked with a dot on the line)⁸ and nāda as tones and vowels (combined with consonants) without specification and at the visual level bindu is the point and nāda could bear the analogy of rekhā (line) without specific form. Mātṛkās (lit. mothers) are the subtle and unmanifest forms of letters of the alphabet; thus they are the matrices of all sound-forms, they could be said to stand for the subtle level of individualised specific letters. These three and the manifest form of mátykas viz.

Sanskrit attestations (0)

English attestations (10)

1.[attribution]Matanga is the first speaker in a dialogue with Nārada that continues up to verse 13Upto verse 13 a dialogue between Matanga and Nārada is explicit; accordingly, Matanga has been identified here as the first speaker, to whom Nārada responds.

2.[citation]Matanga addresses anonymous munis in the beginning of the Prabandha chapterThe name of Matanga appears only once again in the beginning of the Prabandha chapter (verse 361 cd) where Matanga is said to address anonymous munis.

3.[definition]Brahmagranthi is the seat of energy in the human body from which vital air is propelledThe vital air is propelled from the seat of energy in the body known as brahmagranthi and as it travels upward it touches the various locations, producing low and high sounds.

4.[definition]In Tantra, bindu is the concentrated form of energyIn Tantra the concentrated form of energy is identified with bindu (lit. point or drop)

5.[definition]Anusvāra is a nasal sound marked with a dot on the lineanusvāra ( nasal sound marked with a dot on the line)

6.[definition]Sthāna stands for the location of sound in the human body, with five such locations identifiedSthāna stands for location of sound in the human body. Five such locations are identified; viz. the navel, chest, throat, palate or cerebrum and mouth, the first and the last being omitted in music.

7.[relation]Prabandha is a chapter where Matanga appears as a speakerThe name of Matanga appears only once again in the beginning of the Prabandha chapter (verse 361 cd)

8.[relation]At the aural level, bindu manifests as the anusvāraAt the aural level bindu manifests as the anusvāra ( nasal sound marked with a dot on the line)

9.[relation]Nāda is the flowing form of energy, contrasted with the concentrated binduthe concentrated form of energy is identified with bindu (lit. point or drop) and the flowing form of energy is called nāda.

10.[structural]The navel and mouth locations are omitted in musicFive such locations are identified; viz. the navel, chest, throat, palate or cerebrum and mouth, the first and the last being omitted in music.