alaṅkāra core_concept

TRANSLATION ⁸⁹ The first alternative does not hold good. Why? Because of this rāga being complete (with seven svaras). Hence the second alternative alone is stronger. Why is it said to be prominent among the six rāgas? Because of the statement that śuddhaṣāḍava should be used in the pūrvaraiga. On account of its abundant usage in pūrvaranga, this śuddhaṣāḍava has been indicated in the beginning. Suddhaṣāḍava is born of the modified madhyamā jāti. Its nyāsa is madhyama, which is also the aṁśa and gāndhāra is weak in it. (300) [ Anu. ¹⁶⁵ ] This means - suddhaṣāḍava is related to madhyamagrāma. Tāra (high) madhyama is its graha. Madhyama is the aṁśa and nyāsa and there is the sparseness of gāndhāra. Niṣāda and gāndhāra are kākalī and antara (here).33 It is endowed with all the svaras. It is used in the pūrvaranga. Madhyama is the vādin and ṣaḍja is the samvādin. Ŗṣabha and pañcama are the anuvādins. There is no vivādin. Śṛṅgāra and hāsya are the rasas. The mūrchanā beginning with madhyama obtains here. The avarohin (descending) varņa,34 prevails. Prasannānta is the alaṅkāra. It is sung in the three mārgas 36 of tāla The kalā³⁷ (time-unit) comes about in the dakṣiṇa (mārga), the kalā obtains in the vṛtti (mārga), the kalā prevails in the citra mārga. A tāla like caccatpuṭa 38 obtains in the svaras and padas (units of text). Ākṣiptikā..... [2. Suddhapañcama] ^********* [ Anu. ¹⁶⁶ ] Šuddhapancama is known to be born of şadjodicyavatī jāti. --------------------------------------- [3. Šuddhasādhārita] It is with sadja as amsa, madhyama as nyāsa, the svaras with two śrutis (gāndhāra and niṣāda) are sparse and similarly, born of ṣaḍjamadhyamā jāti is the śuddhasādhārita. (301) A Section of the second section of the section of the section of the section of the section of the section of the section of the section of the section of the section of the section of the section of the section of the sec

BRHADDESI ⁹² [अनु १६९] अस्यार्थः - शुद्धकैशिको नाम[रागो] मध्यमग्रामसम्बन्धः, कैशिकोकार्मारवीज?ातिभ्या समुत्पन्नत्वात्। तारषड्ज?ोऽस्य ग्रहोंऽशश्च। पञ्चमो न्यासः। निषादीऽत्र काकली। पूर्णस्वरश्चायम् , ग्रहः अंश(स्व?ध) चित्रस्याष्ट्रादशाङ्गस्य [?]निर्वहणे विनियोगः। वीररौद्रादिको रसः।षङ्ज?ादिमूर्छना। आरोही वर्णः। ^४६प्रसन्नादिरलङ्कारः। दक्षिणे कला,वृत्तौ कला,चित्रे कला । स्वरपदगीते चच्चत्पुटादितालः। [शुद्धरागाणा ग्रामविभागः] [अनु॰ ^१७०] ननु एते ग्रामविशेषसम्बन्धा, कुतोऽयं विशेषलाभः ? उच्यते, भरतवचनादेवासौ विशेषो कु(तो ऽ)यं लभ्यते । तथा चाह भरतमुनिः - ''ज?ातिसम्भूतत्वाद् ग्रामरागाणाम्''४० इति , ''यत्किञ्चिद् गीयते लोके तत्सर्वं ज?ातिषु स्थितम् ' '४८ इति वचनात् । तथा काश्यपेनाप्युक्तम् - तत्सर्व ''षाडवो मध्यमग्रामे पञ्चमः कैशिकस्तथा । पाडवे ककुभ् षड्ज? साधारितश्चैव तथा कैशिकमध्यमः॥'' [शुद्धरागाणा विनियोगः] [अनु॰ १७१] ननु अमी विनियोग-विशेषाः कस्माल्लभ्यन्ते ? [मुनि-] वचनादेव लभ्यन्ते। तथा अ(यं ?मी) चाह भरतः- ‘‘मुखे तु मध्यमग्रामः षड्ज?: प्रतिमुखे भवेत् । गर्भे साधारितश्चैव ^४९ह्मवमर्शे तु पञ्चमः ॥ ...वावमर्शे ^• तु

¹⁴.⁰⁰ TRANSLATION ¹¹¹ [Anu. 193] This means - Sauvīraka is related to sadjagrāma on account of being born of ṣaḍjamadhyamājāti Ṣaḍjaisitsgraha,amśandnyāsa. Thereisthe sparsenessof gāndhāra and niṣāda. Niṣāda is kākalī and this (rāga) is complete. Its application is prescribed in the context of entry and the like in the behaviour of those who perform domestic sacrifices, who practise restraint and perform penance and in sinta rasa Vira 66 and the like are the rasas. The mürchanā beginning with sadja obtains. Arohin is the varna. Prasumādiis the alarikāra. The kalā is formed in the dakṣiṇa („nārga), the kalā obtains in the vitti (mārga) and the kalā prevailsin the citra (mārga). A tālalike caccatputa obtains in the songs comprised of svara and pada. [3. Mālavapañcama] Mālavapancamashould be known to have pancamaasits anistand concluding note and is born of pañcami and madhyamā jātis. It has, as sparse, the svaras that are comprised of two śrutis (gāndhāra and niṣāda). (322) [Anu. 194] This means-Mālavapañcamais related to madhyamagrāma on account of being born of madhyamā and pañcamī jātis. Pañcama is the aṁśa, graha and nyāsa. There is the sparseness of niṣāda and gāndhāra. Niṣāda is kākalī and this (rāga) is complete in svaras. Its application is prescribed in vipralambha śṛṅgāra (love in separation) in the entry of the kañcukin (attendant of the female apartments). The mūrchanā beginning with pañcama obtains. Śringāra⁶⁷ and hāsya are the rasas. Ārohin and the like are the varņas. Prasannādi is the alaṅkāra. The kalā is formed in the dakṣiṇa (mārga), the kalā obtains in the vṛtti (mārga) and the kalā prevails in the citra (mārga). A tāla like caccatputa obtains in the songs comprised of svara and pada. [4. Vesarașādava] Vesaraṣāḍavahas madhyamaas its amsaand nyāsa, ṣaḍjamadhyamā is the cause and it is devoid of the svaras comprised of two śrutis each (gāndhāra, niṣāda). (323) [Anu. 195] This means - vesaraṣāḍava is related to ṣaḍjagrāma on account of being born of ṣaḍjamadhyamā. Madhyama is the graha, aṁśa and nyāsa. There is the sparseness of gāndhāra and niṣāda. Gāndhāra and niṣāda are antara and kākalī. It is always complete in svaras. It is used in sānta rasa. Šriigāra⁶⁸ and hāsyaare the rasas. The mūrchanā beginning with madhyama obtains. Ārohin is the varņa. Prasannādi is the alaṅkāra. The kalā is formed in the dakṣiṇa (mārga), the kalā obtains in the vṛtti (mārga) and the kalā prevails in the citra (mārga). A tāla like caccatpuṭa obtains in songs comprised of svara and pada.

BRHADDEŚĨ ¹²⁴ [अनु॰ २१०] अस्यार्थः - पञ्चमषाडवः १०७षड्जग्रामसम्बन्धः । ऋषभोऽस्य ग्रहोंऽशश्च । मध्यमो ॰( ঘ:) न्यासः । १०८ प्रयोक्त्रपेक्षया क्वचिदंशोऽपि[।] निषादोऽत्र काकली । पूर्णश्चायम् । उद्भटचारिमण्डलाज?ौ ॰(ज?ी?दी) (स्र?कृ)॰ विनियोगः। वीरादिरसः। ऋषभादिमूर्छना। प्रसन्नाद्यन्तोऽलङ्कारः। दक्षिणे कला, वार्तिके कला, चित्रे कला । स्वरपदगीते चच्चत्पुटादितालः । [९.रेवगुप्तः]^१०९ ऋषभांशो मध्यमान्तः सम्पूर्णस्वरकस्तथा । (₹) आर्षभीमध्यमाज?ात्यो रेवगुप्तः प्रकीर्तितः ॥३४०॥ [अन्॰ २११] अस्यार्थः - रेवगुप्तः षड्जग्रामसम्बन्धः । आर्षभीमध्यमाज?ात्योरुत्पत्रोऽपि षड्जग्रामसम्बन्ध एव पञ्चमस्य चतुःश्रुतिकत्वात् । ऋषभोऽस्य ग्रहोंऽशश्च । न्यासो मध्यम एव च । निषादोऽत्र काक'ली । पूर्णस्वरश्चायम् । उद्भटचारिमण्लाज?ौ विनियोगः । वीरादिरसः। ॰(ज?ी?दी) ऋषभादिमूर्छना । आरोही वर्णः प्रसन्नान्तोऽलङ्कारः। दक्षिणे कला, वार्तिके कला, चित्रे कला । चच्चत्पुटादितालः। ११० [१०. टक्सैन्धवः] स्यात् षाड्ज?ीधैवतीज?ात्योष्टकसगस्तु सैन्धवः। षड्ज?ांशन्याससंयुक्तः पञ्चमेन तु दुर्बलः ॥३४१॥ [अनु २१२] [अस्यार्थः]- टक्कसैन्धवरागः षड्जग्रामसम्बन्धः, षाड्ज?ीधैवतीसमुत्पत्रत्वात् । षड्ज?ोऽस्य निषादगान्धारौ चात्र काकल्यन्तरौ । पञ्चमस्याल्पत्वम् । पूर्णस्वरश्चायम् । ग्रहोंऽशो न्यासश्च । ॰(रेष ? चै) (चित्रे ? चात्र) ²¹⁰

⁸⁹ TRANSLATION (manifested) in the bodily²¹ (v\bar{i}n\bar{a}). That is why it has been said that just as these (varṇas) exist (in the bodily viṇ\bar{a}), similarly do they bring (themselves) into effect (on the wooden vin\bar{a}); this meaning is inherent in the mention of sanra^{22} (bodily) svaras (in the verse of NS quoted above). So has been said - These four varnas should be known as the constructors23 of melodic (NŚ XXIX, ¹⁹ab) rendering. [Thus end the varnas] [The Alankaras] (Anu. ⁶⁸) Now the well-known thirty-three 24 alankāras are being described by name and application. What is spoken of through the word alankara and what is its etymology? It is being answered. Ornament25 is being spoken of by the word alaṅkāra. Just as a man or woman adorned with a bracelet on the forearm, middle-arm and the like, bears beauty (becomes beautiful), similarly the singing that subsists in varņas (and is) adorned by these alankāras (known as) prasannādi and the like, becomes delightful to the performers and listeners. And the etymology is like this—the root 'du krñ' in the meaning of doing or making bears the prefix alam (sufficient or adequate) and (the word) alaṅkāra (derived thereby) means that which makes something sufficient or adequate. This word alankara has the end-suffix ghan. (Anu. ⁶⁹) The names²⁶ of alankāras are being said (1) Prasannādi (having prasanna or mandra i.e. lower svaras in the beginning), (2) prasannānta (having the lower svaras in the end), (3) prasannādyanta (having the lower svaras in the beginning and end), (4) prasannamadhya (having the lower svaras in the middle, (5) sama (equal), (6) bindu (lit. dot or anusvāra, nasal sound marked by a dot above the line), (7) Nivittapravitta (one whose setting forth has been withheld), (8) Veņu (the bamboo flute), (9) Kampita (the shaken one), (10) Kuharita (with a cavity or hole) (11) Recita (the purged or emptied one, or a specific pace of a horse) (12) Prenkholita (the swinging one) (13) Tāramandraprasanna (having high and low svaras) (14) Mandratāraprasanna (having low, high and low svaras) (15) Prastāra (permutation or extension), (16) Prasāda (clarity or brightness or graciousness) (17) Udvāhita (held upwards or lifted up) (18) Upalolaka (constantly moving or restless) (19) Krama (a specific order or sequence), (20) i Nișkūjita (the cooed one), (21) Hrādamāna (the thundering or roaring or sounding one), (22) Ranjita (the coloured or delighted one) (23) Avartaka (the rotating one), (24) Parivartaka (moving to and fro, changing), (25)

183 VIMARŠA 6. Pada as textual unit ( with or without meaning ) is the basis for the discernment of varna. In a melody, the units of varna are conceived like the cups in which a liquid is poured; melody being fluid and flowing, its units have to be perceived in association with something concrete. Indian traditional thought on melody has tried to see varna as the primary melodic unit in association with pada, the more concrete textual unit. Each pada of a musical piece is either rendered with a steady ( sthāyin ) or ascending ( ārohin ) or descending ( avarohin ) or circulatory ( sancārin ) pattern of melodic movement and these patterns are to be identified in accordance with the accompanying textual units. (vide NŚ XXIX, 18) the melodic varņa 'extends' or 'stretches' the textual unit and thereby it (melodic varņa) is accomplished. 7. Movement of svaras in 'mutual directions' is another way of speaking about the to and fro movement. 8. The condition of proceeding in each unit of phrasing alongwith the last component ( svara ) of the previous unit has been imposed by BrD alone, no anterior or posterior text is known to have done this. Most probably the author had in mind certain spacific ragas and their melodic structures which he was trying to codify. 9. sañcārin lit. means moving around. SR (I,6.3ab) defines it as that which combines the other three. 10. 'Paraspara' or mutual for gapless movement of svaras is an expression peculiar to BrD. 11. Alankaras are usually structured with repetitive motifs and one or more of the varnas accord the pattern of melodic movement. 12. The human body being accepted as the primary instrument for rendering melody, it is being exclusively referred to here. Stringed and wind instruments would, by implication, follow suit. 13. Guṇa of the text has been translated as repetition in accordance with the spirit of Abhi Bhā on this verse. 14. 'Syllable' stands here for the component of textual unit and the textual unit itself. The melodic varna streches or extends the textual varna. 15. The varnas take effect according to the melody taken here as a totality. 16. It is not possible to say definitely that the second 'sa' in this triad is intended to be in the high register. 17. This whole line is reproduced from the notation of dhaivati in BrD. 18. These three lines have been reproduced from the notation of nandayanti in BrD and SR, wherever BrD is inadequate. 19. Reproduced from ibid. 20, 21. NŚ (XXVIII, 12,14,15) speaks of the wooden ( dāravī) and bodily ٠ ( śārīrī ) viņā as the substrata of svaras. 22. 'Sānīn' means pertaining to the body (bodily viņā). 23. Being the primary units of melodic movement, varņas are responsible for the construction or structuring of melody.

VIMARŚA ¹⁸⁷ 75. If ekakala is related to phrasing then sarigā and each of the other units will be taken to be forming one phrase each; if it is taken to be related to the duration of kalā, then the duration of each phrase will have to be taken as two mātrās; there also each kalā of time will be related to each phrase. 76,77. Identical with note 52 above. 78. All the four sa belong to the tāra-sthāna. 79. See note 47 above. 80. Samyuktam is used as an adverb, its implication is not very clear, most probably it has been used because the units of phrases here are not equal, they are 3+2+2=7. There is no other alaṅkāra like this in BrD. 81. Here the traditional rule of having a shake only on svaras with three śrutis seems to have been abandoned. 82. Kalā obviously means phrase-unit here. 83. Ekakula could not, perhaps, be understood as the first degree of kalā being of the measure of 2 mātrās. It perhaps indicates that each svara will be of the duration of one mātrā; that would make each phrase of the duration of seven mātrās which would not fit into the ancient tāla system and could, perhaps, be taken as the first indication of the advent of desi talas. 84. It is notable that BrD has not classified alankāras into varņas. 85. The names like tāramandra and mandratāra do occur in NŠ (XXIX, 31) but they have not been described. It is notable that NS has the name dipta for tara and prasanna for mandra. While BrD profusely uses prasanna for mandra, it does not even once use dipta for tāra. 86. The seven gitakas are described in NS XXXI. They are - madraka, aparāntaka, ullopyaka, prakarī, oveņaka, rovindaka and uttara. Apart from these, āsārita and vardhamāna have been extensively described in NŠ (ibid.); they are outside the above seven, but are very important on account of special tala patterns and association with dance. All these forms are prescribed in pūrvaranga (preliminaries of drama). Since no dramatic situation is required to be highlighted in Pūrvaranga, the music there could be autonomous and hence the units of text of songs could be stretched by the melody through alankāras, the comprehension of the meaning of the text of songs being not important there. 87. In dhruvās (songs prescribed for highlighting different situations in drama), as distinct from gîtaka, the comprehension of meaning of text by the listener is very important and hence stretching of the syllables of the text is not desirable. 88. The implication of this statement is not clear, because alankaras of the sthāyi-varņa are being described immediately after this verse. Abhi Bhā on NŠ XXIX, 33 says that the alankāras of sthāyi-varņa could be used at will (in dhruvās ); there is no restriction prescribed for them. 89. Brightening means movement towards high svaras. 90. Reverse order would mean proceeding from high to low. e le par Alle and the second