Ragas and Raginis: A Pictorial and Iconographic Study of Indian Musical Modes Based on Original Sources c6.81

c6.81

evoked by the melodies. Thus it is laid down that in interpreting feelings or sentiments of passion, admiration or heroism, the masculine melodies should be employed. In interpreting feelings of love, humour, and sorrow, the feminine melodies should be employed. In interpreting feelings of terror, abhorrence, and peace, the neuter melodies should be employed.¹ Matanga, as we have seen, indicated the emotive values of the major melodies described by him. Unfortunately, none of these figures in the list given in the Sangīta-makaranda, and we have no materials to compare the rasa values of melodies prevailing during the respective periods represented by Matanga and Nārada. The latter prefaces his list of the three sets of rāgas, with the remark that the names given by him represent the principal melodies whose numbers are incalculable and vary in different regions.² So that we cannot take his enumerations as exhaustive. He gives a list of 20 masculine rāgas, 24 feminine rāgas, and 13 neuter rāgas.