A Comparative Study of Some of the Leading Music Systems of the 15th, 16th, 17th & 18th Centuries c6.s4: Vikrita Swaras

A Comparative Study of Some of the Leading Music Systems of the 15th, 16th, 17th & 18th Centuries c6.s4

Language: English

Vikrita Swaras

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N. B.—The positions of these swaras will explain themselves better when we examine their places on the vina frets.

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The Vina of Pundarika was almost the same as our modern Vina, the wires and frets on both being placed and tuned alike. In the following verses, Pundarika describes the way he tuned the wires of his vina and placed his frets under them :—

c6.s4.4

लक्ष्यप्रवीणेन विनिर्मितायां ।
सुवीणिकायामुपरि प्रदेयाः ॥
तंयश्चतस्रोऽथ स एव पार्श्वे ।
ऽधो दक्षिणे तिस्र इमा निवेश्याः ॥
पुरोदितानामुपरिस्थितानां ।
वामप्रदेशाश्रितपूर्वतंत्र्याम् ॥
षड्ज विदध्यादणुमंद्रसंज्ञं ।
द्वितीयतंत्र्यामुममंद्रप च ॥
तृतीयतंत्र्यामपि मंद्रषड्जं ।
चतुर्थतंत्र्यामत मंद्रमारुयम् ॥
त्रितंत्रिकाणामधराश्रिताना ।

c6.s4.5

मात्रा तु मध्यस्थितपञ्चकेन ॥ तंत्री समानश्च निरूपितव्या । द्वितीयाका मद्रवेपेन तद्वत् ॥ तानीयाका मद्रयञ्जेकन । तिघोद्यमूः स्युः श्रुतिनामधेयाः ॥

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This is exactly how our modern musicians tune the wires of their vina Some of our players put anumandra 'ga' on the first wire in the place of the ancient anumandra 'sa' The three side wires were then called srutis We now call them "chikaris" Their tuning is immaterial for our purpose here

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सारीनिवेशनाम् । (The placing the frets) आघातुमद्राव्हयपञ्चतन्त्रा । शुद्धो यथा स्यादुपमस्तथाया ॥ सारी निवेशयेत तथा द्वितीया । तथ्या तया शुद्धगनिद्हेतोः ॥ सारी तृतीयापि तथैव तथ्या । धीयेत साधारणगस्य सिध्ये ॥ सारी चतुर्थी लघुमध्यमस्य । सिध्ये तया तंत्रिकया तथैव ॥ तथ्या तयी पचमसारिया च । निधीयते शुद्धमधानाथ ॥ सारी निवेश्या च तथैव षष्ठा । तथ्या तथैव लघुपाव्हयाय ॥

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The purport of these verses can be best followed with the help of the following vina chart

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मंदतंत्री चतुर्थी मंद सा तंत्री तृतीया अनुमंद प तंत्री दिनीया अनुमंद सा तंत्री प्रथमा

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| (१)सारी | " | लघु | प | मंद | शुद्ध | सा | अनुमंद | प | अनुमंद सा मंद |
| (२) " | " | शुद्ध | प | " | शुद्ध ऋषभ | " | शुद्ध धैवत | " | मंद शुद्ध ऋषभ |
| (३) " | " | शुद्ध | ध | " | शुद्ध गांधार | " | शुद्ध निषाद | " | शुद्ध गांधार |
| (४) " | " | शुद्ध | नि | " | साधारण ग | " | कैशिकनि | " | साधारण गांधार |
| (५) " | " | कै० | नि | " | लघु | म | " | लघु | मा | " | लघु मध्यम |
| (६) " | " | लघु | सा | " | शुद्ध | म | | | | " | शुद्ध मध्यम |
| | | | | | | | | | " | लघु पंचम |

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Here a question will naturally be asked -- Where are the frets for antara 'ga' and kakali 'ni' which two notes are also recognised by Pundanka among his vikritas? In fact without them, there would be only five vikritas and not seven The author anticipates the question and answers it thus -- चतुर्दशोक्ता ननु पूर्वमेते । स्वरास्ततो द्वादशसंख्यकानाम् ॥ सारिनिवेशः क्रियते भवद्भिः । कृतोऽत्तरे काकलिनि द्वयोर्न ॥ अत्रोच्यते काकलिनाऽतरस्यं । पंक्तौ प्रयुज्ये यदि सारि के द्वे ॥ संकीर्णभावान्न तदाऽतुकुल्यं । स्याद्वादनेऽतो न कृते पृथग् द्वे ॥ तयोः समुत्पातिरुदीर्यते तु । चेत् प्रस्तुतस्तसहितोऽपि रागः ॥ लध्वाख्ययोः षड्जमयश्च सायो । स्यातां यदैैकश्च तेर्वैिहीनौ ॥ तदाच काकल्यमिधांतरो स्तः । किंत्वत्र सूक्ष्मध्वनिभेदविज्ञाः ॥ लध्वादिकं सं लघुमध्यमं च । तत्रातिनिध्येन वदंति लक्ष्ये ॥

c6.s4.12

He says he deliberately omits these two frets because these frets coming too close to those of 'laghu-sa' and 'laghu-ma' would make play inconvenient. If, however, there are any ragas which require those two notes, those well versed in the shastra of music would allow these two notes to be represented by the higher notes laghu-sa and laghu-ma. The difference of one sruti will not make much of a difference in the general effect of the raga.

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Observation.—This also shows that Pundarika was aware of the northern practice of expressing ragas in terms only of twelve notes.

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We shall now proceed to the nineteen thatas under which Pundarika classifies his ragas.

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तत्राद्यमेलस्तु मुखारिकायाः । ततो भवेन्मालवगौडमेलः ॥ श्ररागमेलस्तदनंतरं स्यात् । स्याच्छुद्धनट्टाव्हयस्य मेलः ॥ देशाक्षिकाया अपि मेलकः स्यात् । कर्णाटिगाडस्य भवेत् सुमेलः ॥ केदारकारुयस्य भवेत् सुमेलः । हिजेजमेलोऽपि हमीरमेलः ॥ कामोदरागाभिधस्य मेलः । ततः सुतोड्याव्हयस्य मेलः ॥ आभीारिकायाः सुमतश्च मेलः । मेलो भवेत् शुद्धवराटिकायाः ॥ स्याच्छुद्ध रामक्रियाभिधस्य मेलः । देवक्रियायाश्च भवेत् मेलः ॥ सारंगमेलस्तदनंतरं स्यात् । कल्याणमेलस्तु ततः परं स्यात् ॥

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हिंडोलरागस्य भवेत्तु मेल: । स्यान्नादरामक्रियमेव मेल: ॥ इतीतितास्ते नवचंद्रमस्या: । एव परास्तान् कलयतु प्रज्ञा: ॥

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These may be written with their respective swaras as follows —

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| थाट नाम | सा | री | ग | म | प | ध | नि | Hindustani Equivalents |
| १ | मुसारी | सा | शुद्ध | शुद्ध | शुद्ध | शुद्ध | शुद्ध | शुद्ध | सा री ग म प ध नि सा |
| २ | मालव गौड | सा | " | लघु म | " | " | लघु सा | सा री ग म प ध नि सा |
| ३ | था | सा | चतु: श्रुति | साधारण | " | " | चतु: श्रुति | कौशिक | सा री ग म प ध नि सा |
| ४ | शुद्ध नाट | सा | त्रिधु. | लघु म | " | " | त्रिधु. | सा ग म प नि नि सा |
| ५ | देशाक्षी | सा | " | " | " | " | शुद्ध नि | " | सा ग म प नि नि सा |
| ६ | कर्णाट गौड | सा | " | " | " | " | " | " | सा ग म प ध नि सा |
| ७ | केदार | सा | शुद्ध ग | " | " | " | शुद्ध नि | लघु सा | सा ग म प ध नि सा |
| ८ | हिजेज | सा | शुद्ध | " | " | " | शुद्ध कौशिक | लघु मा | सा री ग म प ध नि सा |
| ९ | हमीर | सा | शुद्ध ग | त्रिधुति | लघु प | " | शुद्ध | लघु मा | सा री ग म प ध नि सा |
| १० | कामोद | सा | शुद्ध | साधारण | शुद्ध | " | त्रिधुति | कौशिक | सा री ग म प ध नि सा |
| ११ | तोडी | सा | " | " | " | " | लघु मा | मा री ग म प ध नि सा |
| १२ | आसावरी | सा | शुद्ध ग | " | " | " | लघु मा | मा री ग म प ध नि सा |
| १३ | शुद्ध वराटी | सा | शुद्ध | शुद्ध | लघु प | " | लघु मा | सा री री म प ध नि सा |
| १४ | शुद्ध रामक्री | सा | " | लघु म | लघु प | " | " | मा री ग म प ध नि सा |
| १५ | देवकी | सा | " | " | " | " | " | " | मा री ग म प ध नि सा |
| १६ | सारंग | सा | शुद्ध ग | " | लघु प | " | शुद्ध नि | लघु मा | सा री ग म प ध नि सा |
| १७ | कल्याण | सा | " | साधारण | लघु प | " | शुद्ध | कौशिक | लघु मा | सा री ग म प नि नि सा |
| १८ | हिंडोल | सा | शुद्ध | त्रिधुति | शुद्ध | " | " | लघु सा | सा री ग म प ध नि सा |
| १९ | नादरामक्री | सा | " | साधारण | " | " | " | लघु सा | सा री ग म प ध नि सा |

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*शुद्धौ समौ शुद्धपनी तथैव लघ्वादि कौ षड्जकपंचमौ च । पचश्रुतिर्मध यदा भवेत्तु देवक्रियाया कथित: स मेल: ॥

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Explanatory note

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Pundarika's notes--Hindustani Notes Hindustani Notation signs शुद्ध रि, शुद्ध ध = कोमल रि, कोमल ध री ग ध नि = कोमल रि, कोमल ग, ध, नि चतु:श्रुति रि, चतु:श्रुतिध = तीव्र री, तीव्र ध म - - - = तीव्र म शुद्ध ग, शुद्ध नि = कोमल ग सा - - - = तार मा साधारण ग = कोमल नि कौशिक नि = कोमल नि लघु सा, लघु म, लघु प = तीव्र नि, तीव्र ग, तीव्र म

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We shall not go into the definitions of these Janya Ragas here.

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The Hindustani musician will find this classification very interesting. He will find many of his own ragas in the list. Some of these latter seem to have retained their original swaras to this day. The book therefore, is supposed to be of great historical importance.

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This is another treatise by Pundarika Vithala. It deals with the Northern system of Music proper. Here too the author builds up his Raga system on the Southern Shuddha scale सा री ग म प ध नि सां.

c6.s4.26

We know that was also the shuddha scale of the Sadraga-Chandrodaya. The names of the vikrita swaras here are not those of the Chandrodaya. The ragas again are divided into three classes, namely 'purusha' ragas, 'stree' ragas, and 'putra' ragas. This is supposed to be the genuine northern style of Raga classification.

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After mentioning the three seats of sound 'mandra' madhya and 'tara', Pundarika says — यंत्रेनुमद्रस्थान स्याद्वाये के तदप्यथम् । मन्द्रादितत्रयं स्थान व्यवहारैर्निधीयते ॥

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The sruti is distinguished from the swara in the usual way इतिः श्रुतिस्ततो लभजातोऽनुरणध्वनिः । माविर्दातः श्रुतिश्चितं स्वतो रंजयति स्वर ॥

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It is worth noting that in the time of Pundarika, as also in that of Hridaya, Ahobala, and Srinivasa, there was only one 'grama' in use and that was the shadja-grama. All ancient writers were agreed that the shuddha scale commencing with shadja was the shadja-grama. Pundarika's The shadja-grama of Lochana was our modern Kafi thata. The shadja-grama was the southern shuddha scale mentioned above. The author accepts the old twenty-two srutis, and their distribution among the swaras.

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द्वाविंशतिः श्रुतिस्थान सोपानाकारवत् क्रमात् । x x x प्रभवत्युच्चतस्ततः श्रुतयः श्रान्यमायतः ॥ रागादिव्यवहाराय तासु सप्त स्वर स्थिताः । षड्जभ मध्यमेथैव गंधारो मध्यमस्तथा ॥ पंचमो धैवतश्चाथ निषादश्चेत्यनुक्रमात् । तेषां संज्ञाः सरिगमपधनीत्यपरा मताः ॥ वेदाचलश्रुतिषु त्रयोदश्यां श्रुतौ तथा । सप्तदश्यां च विंश्यां च द्वाविंश्यां च श्रुती क्रमात् । षड्जादीनां स्थितिः प्रोक्ता प्रथमा भरतादिभिः ॥

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The word "sthiti" in the last line has to be carefully noted. Pundarika means by it the original or shuddha place of the swara. He uses the word in contradistinction to the word "gati", by which he means the vikriti of the note. When a swara becomes vikrita, it leaves its original place or "sthiti" and moves. Thus the word "gati" happily represents the idea of change. The shuddha scale being southern, the vikritis of the swaras will necessarily be the higher "gati" of the shuddha swara. Each "gati", will be measured by a sruti. For instance, gandhara rising one sruti will be called "trigatika", when it rises two srutis, it will be supposed to have gone up two "gatis" and so forth. The shuddha place of the gandhara, is as we know, two srutis above the shuddha rishabha.

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असपा: पूर्वपूर्वास्ते संचरंत्युत्तरोत्तरम् । त्रिलिंगतीस्ते प्रत्येकं याति गश्च चतुर्गतीः ॥

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Translation.—All swaras with the exception of sa and pa, will be allowed to rise up to three "gatis" or srutis. The gandhara alone will be permitted to go up to the fourth sruti of the next note maddyama.

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यथद्रागोपयोग: स्यात्तत्तदिच्छागतिर्भवेत् । गन्योर्गती द्वितीये चांतरकालिनौ स्मृतौ ॥ पंचम्यष्टादशी षष्ठी तथा चैकोनविंशतिः । चतस्त्र: श्रुतयश्चैता रागाचैरप्रयोजंका: ॥ शेषा अष्टादशैव स्यु: श्रुतय: स्वरबोधका: । न्यूनाधिकैकगतिका मंदरात्स्वरस्वरा यदि । न रायहानिका: सर्वे स्पष्टा मध्यसप्तके ॥

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Translation.—The use of the "gatis" will naturally depend upon the nature of the raga proposed to be sung or played. The second "gatis" of gandhara and nishada have special names, namely "antar-gandhara" and "kakali-nishada". These names will be used whenever the ga and ni rise two srutis. The srutis fifth, sixth, eighteenth and nineteenth will never be used in any raga at all. Barring these four, the remaining eighteen will be allowed to be so used. The rise or fall by one sruti only in the mandra and tara octaves, could safely be neglected. It will not destroy the general effect of a raga. In the maddhya octave, however, it will be proper to use the prescribed sruti-swara.

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Observation.—The srutis five, six, eighteen, and nineteen are barred because in the southern scale, the shuddha ri and shuddha dha are supposed to be the lowest sounds of those notes. Ri and dha when shuddha, are always three sruti notes. No swaras therefore, are allowed between sa and shuddha ri and pa and shuddha dha. The provision in the last verse is intended to avoid the difficulty of having a four sruti note and a three sruti note standing on the same fret of the vina in samvadi relationship. We find a similar provision in the Raga Vibodha of Somnath.

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Pundarika being a southern Pandit may have read the Swara Mala Kalanidhi of Ramamatya and the Raga Vibodha of Somnath.

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The following chart will show at a glance the places and the names of the shuddha vikrita swaras of the Raga Mala.

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After explaining the shuddha and vikrita swaras, the author defines the following technical terms, वादी, संवादी, अनुवादी, विवादी, ग्रह, अंश and न्यास as follows:—

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चतुर्विधाः स्वरा वादी संवादी च विवाद्यपि ।
अनुवादीति वादी तु प्रयोगे बहुलः स्वरः ।
अंशः स्थायीति पर्यायः रागोत्पादनहेतुकः ।
श्रुतयो द्वादशौवा ययोर्गतगोचराः ॥
मिथः संवादिनौ तौ स्तो गत्यादेश्चविभागतः ।
शेषाणामनुवादित्वं ज्ञेयमन्र्वथतः क्रमात् ॥

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We have already discussed these terms and need say nothing further about them.

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गीतादिनियतमात्रः स्वरो ग्रह इतोरितः ।
प्रयोगे बहुलोऽंशः स्यान्यासो गीतसमाप्तिकृत् ॥

c6.s4.44

Translation.—The note which begins a song is called "graha"; the one that ends it is called "nyasa", and the note which is most frequently used in the gita is called "ansha", which is synonimous with the 'vadi' or 'sthayi'. षड्जः सर्वरागे च ग्रहः। Sa is the 'graha' of every raga. The terms 'graha', ansha, and 'nyasa' had apparently lost their ancient significance in the modern "deshi" sangeeta. Pundarika says in the Chandrodaya:—

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न्यासग्रहशोषु च पूर्णतायां ।
श्रुतौ तथा पाडव औडुवेऽपि ॥
सर्वत्र देशीतरागवृन्दे ।
श्रीमद्धनुमान् नियमं न वत्रे ॥

Linked texts (2)

Svaramelakalānidhi — Rāmāmātya 1550, Sanskrit
Rāgavibodha — Somanātha 1584, Sanskrit