Mātrailā technical_term

²²⁷ TRANSLATION [General Prescription] The name pāda (foot) is given to a group of three padas (textual-cum-melodic units) which is brimming with mūrchanā bindu (?),⁵² the gamaka should be made sthita⁵³ (slow?); this is the prescription in respect of elās. (439) Then one should properly put in the name of the one being described. It (elā) is lalitā (beautiful) (and) full of rasa; the name of self (composer) comes after this. (440) Thus ends the fourfold ganaila. [5. Saṅkarailā] If the fourth foot 'grows' (gets elaborated) like the third foot, then the elā spoken of by Matanga Muni becomes sankara (mixed). Here the fifth elā is said to be named sankara. (441) [Thus ends gaņailā.] [B. The varieties of Mātrailā] Ratilekhā, kāmalekhā, bāṇalekha and similarly candralekhā are (the varieties of) mātrailā spoken of by Vallabha.54 (442) [1. Raulekhā] Where there are rudra 55 numbered (eleven) mātrās in (each of the first) two feet and ten (rudrahasta?)56 mātrās measured according to the gaņa named rati⁵⁷ (and) endowed with dhātu⁵⁸ (tonal-cum-rhymthic structure) (and) mātu⁵⁹ (text), on account of this (ratigaņa) (this elā) is given the name ratilekhā by the experts in the science of music (gītaśāstra). (443-444)

TRANSLATION ²²⁹ [2. Kāmalekhā] Kāmalekhā is that where there are twenty-two⁶⁰ (dviguņita-rudra) mātrās in the first (foot) and in the foot bearing an even number (second) the same (number of mātrās) obtains, in the foot of odd number (third) there are twenty (mātrās). (445) [3. Bāṇalekhā] If in all the three feet, in a uniform manner there are double the number of mātrās (obtaining in kāmalekhā) (and) where they are composed in bāṇagaṇas,61 that is bāṇalekhā. (446) [4. Candralekhā] Where there are three above forty (forty-three) mātrās in a couple of feet i.e. the first two feet (and where) the number of mātrās is less by one (forty- two) in the foot bearing an odd number (third foot), that is candralekhā. (447) Thus ends the fourfold mātrailā. [C. The varieties of Varnailā] There is no regulation of tāla here, none of msa and none of rāga; there is only the regulation of syllables ^{62} (in their number); hence it is called varyailā. (448) Madanavatī, śaśilekhā, prabhāvatī, mālatī, similarly lalitā, hemavatī, (and) kusumavatī, these seven are the elās regulated on the basis of varņa (syllable). (449) Beginning with eleven syllables and ending with seventeen (syllables in each foot), these seven are sung in sequence, by the gandharvas with beautiful padas (textual units) (and) good sounds. (450) [1. Madanavatī 2. Šašilekhā 3. Prabhāvatī] That madanavatī is composed of non-short (alaghu) gaṇas 63 i.e., has all long (guru) syllables, śaśilekhā is with short (laghu) gaṇas, prabhāvatī is always profuse with long (guni) gaṇas (and) mālatī and lalitā (will be described now). (451)

TRANSLATION ²³⁷ [5. Drāvidailā] The elā born in the draviḍa region is adorned with bhāva, abhinaya and tāla, coloured with variegated sounds, devoid ^{85} of prāsa and established in rasa. (472) Thus end the five clās bearing regional names. [The number of Elās] Ganailā has been said to be fourfold, the fifth is of the nature of sankara (mixture); mātrailā has been spoken of with four varieties, by the experts in music. (473) Varņailā has been described as having fourteen varieties, deśailās have been said to be five-fold according to the distinction of region. (474) Altogether these are known to be twenty-eight in number by the experts in the science of music, they are combined with their respective characteristics. (475) [Thus end the varieties of elā] [36. Jhombada] Where half of the (first) foot is sung in repetition and then the second half of the same is sung and there is alliteration between the two, similarly is sung its second foot, in the same way the third foot and where the foot that is the fourth one is sung at the end of each of all the feet, that is called jhombada by the experts in music. (476-478) The tāla named kankāla never obtains in jhombadaka. All other tālas related to desi obtain here. There are varieties of jhombada, adorned with tenaka. (479)