The Music of Hindostan c8.s1.34

c8.s1.34

About music and dancing there are two views, the puritan and the utilitarian. In the *Anugītā*, among the ‘actions of the quality of passion’ and ranked with the sins prohibited in the Ten Commandments are ‘devotion to dancing, and instrumental or vocal music’. And in the laws of Manu,¹ ‘a student of the Veda must . . . avoid ointments, collyrium for the eyes, shoes, carrying an umbrella; lust, anger, and greed, dancing, and music’: and again, ‘the sound of the Sāmaveda, which is said to belong to the Manes,² is impure.’ In Cāṇakya’s *Arthaśāstra* (‘Politics’),³ on the other hand, ‘song, instrumental music, recitation, dancing, acting, writing, playing on the *vīṇā*, flute (*venu*), and drum (*mṛdanga*), knowing the mind of others, making scents, and garlands, shampooing, employing alluring words—those who know all these and can teach them to courtesans and actors should be provided with livelihood by the state.’