Historical Development of Indian Music: A Critical Study c8.47

c8.47

In the beginning of the Christian era, we come across the *Śikṣā* literature, which dealt mainly with metres and tunes of the Vedic stanzas (*ṛcs*). Some of the *Śikṣās* are very important for the classical music also. The *Nāradīśikṣā* describes both *vaidika* and *laukika* music. It deals with seven kinds of melodies and scales, which have been mentioned before. Besides the seven melodies or *grāmarāgas*, we find that there evolved five microtones, which served the basic notes of the tonal forms of the *gāndharva* music, and it has been said before that they were: *dīptā*, *āyatā*, *mṛdu*, *madhyā* and *karuṇā*. The names of the socalled microtones were given, according to their respective inherent sentiments and moods; as for example, the microtone *dīptā* signifies shining, glowing or heroic mood, which means the sentiment *vīra*; *āyatā* signifies broadness, which means *śānta*; *mṛdu* signifies softness or slackness, which means *jugupsā* or *vibhatsa*; *madhyā* signifies intermediate or balancing, which means *hāsya*, and *karuṇā* signifies compassion, which means *karuṇa*. In fact, all the eight aesthetic sentiments, as described by Bharata, were the inherent qualities of the microtones, and from these, evolved the latter twenty-two microtones, *chandovatī*, etc. The microtones are useful for determining the correct intonation of the tones, their bases or grounds and consequently the *grāmas* or scales. They are very significant and meaningful, because they determine the emotive nature of the melodies or *rāgas*.