grāmaņi relates to the beginning of the śruti-maṇḍala, with ṣaḍja and madhyama functioning as leaders of two grāmas
"since ṣaḍja and madhyama are 'leaders' of the two grāmas they are placed
'first' in terms of space"
VIMARŚA
<sup>169</sup>
6, 7. The author seems to be speaking of svara at the same level at which
sabda has been treated as eternal and vibhu (all-pervading) by several systems
of philosophy, e.g. grammar, mimāmsā.
8. The infinity of svara, as propounded here, could be understood in two
layers viz. (i) the infinite melodic combinations and permutations of the seven
svaras (ii) the multi-farious shades of intervals coming into usage on account of
various relationships between svaras established on account of variety of
melodic phrasing involving leaps, glides, pauses etc. Jāti, the initial form of
melodic configuration and bhāṣā, the derived form of rāga have been
mentioned here for indicating the infinity of variety in melodic phrasing that
brings about the infinity of svara. Raga has been omitted here, but its relevance
could be inferred on the basis of its derivative bhāṣā.
9. The statement that svaras are combined with padas means that syllabic
units are combined with svaras when the latter are rendered. These (units)
could be meaningful linguistic units or non-sensical so far as linguistic meaning
is concerned. Pada has been thus defined by Bharata -
यत् स्यादक्षरसम्बद्धं तत्सर्वं पदसन्नितम् ।
( NŚ XXXII, 28 ab )
"Whatever is formulated with syllables, all that is called pada".
Thus meaningfulness is not a condition for pada in music. Tonal rendering
with the voice is usually combined with syllabic units, e.g. in the ālāpa in
dhrupad, syllabic units like nom tom diri etc. are used. NS also prescribes the
following (and a few more) syllabic units known as padas spoken of by Brahmā
for nirgita (music devoid of meaningful text, rendered mainly on stringed and
wind instruments, accompanied by voice )-
झण्दु जगतिय दिगिनिगि तितिझल कुचझल
( NŚ XXXI, 104 )
It will be seen that these are formulated units of four-matras (time-units)
each. If the voice renders svaras without padas (meaningful or non-sensical
syllabic units) then it is combined with vowels like a, i, u etc. which themselves
are primary units of pada. Hence the combination of svara with pada is spoken
of.
10. In Indian music svaras are not used in a plain or unornamented way;
hence alaṅkāra is mentioned here. The concept of alaṅkāra will be discussed in
the respective section.
11. The prescription of the use of specific svaras in the context of different
rasas dates back to NS. It will be discussed under the reproduction of this
prescription in our text later in this section.
12,13. Pāršyadeva refutes the view that svaras are indestructible and all-
pervading (vide Sam S Sa, p. 12). His argument is that since svara is heard in
a limited time and space and not for all times or everywhere, it could not be
said to be indestructible or all-pervading.