Ragas and Raginis: A Pictorial and Iconographic Study of Indian Musical Modes Based on Original Sources c6.44

c6.44

"O! sister's daughter! Look here. It is a very clear beautiful night. I am, therefore, going to sing. Well then, in what melody (rāga) must I sing? * * * * What? Don't I know how to sing? Listen, I will tell you of the theory. It is thus. There are seven notes, three scales, twenty-one grace modes, forty-nine melodic improvisations, three units of time, three voice-registers, six ways of singing, nine emotions, thirty-six variations of the melody (varṇa); and forty minor melodies are known. Thus, the mode of singing will embrace all the 185 parts of song, pure as gold."