Pramāṇa · Search · About · API

Social Life in Ancient India: Studies in Vatsyayana's Kamasutra c8.s7.t4: Music

Social Life in Ancient India: Studies in Vātsyāyana's Kāmasūtra c8.s7.t4

Language
English

Music

c8.s7.t4.1

Three *kalās* appertaining to music, singing (*gīta*), playing on instruments (*vādya*) and dancing (*nṛtya*) have been given by our author the first place in the list of arts; besides, there are more—*udakavādya* or playing on cups filled with water in varying proportions and *vīṇāḍamarukavādyāni*, that is, playing on string instruments of which the chief was the *vīṇā* and also on percussion instruments represented by the *ḍamaru*.² This last most probably represents the earliest from which in course of time had evolved the *mṛdaṅga*, which has lately been proved by one of our eminent scientists to be the most scientifically constructed percussion instrument ever used.³ The *mṛdaṅga* was already known to the *Mahāvagga* and Aśvaghoṣa speaks of songs sung to the accompaniment of the *mṛdaṅga* and of music produced on *mṛdaṅgas* struck by the fingers of women, and the *Lalitavistara* mentions it again and again with other varieties of drums.⁴

c8.s7.t4.2

² Ibid, p. 32 (*sūtra* 16).

c8.s7.t4.3

³ Prof. C. V. Raman "The Acoustic Knowledge of Ancient Hindus," *Central Hindu College Magazine* (Benares), January 1920, pp. 9-12.

c8.s7.t4.4

⁴ अङ्गुलिभिश्च वीणां अङ्गुलिभिश्च सुतिम्—*Mahāvagga*, i, 7, 1-2; मद्रङ्गीतैः *Buddhacarita*, i, 45; नारीकरायाभिहतै-सं दंगे:—Ibid, ii, 30, भेरीभदङ्गपणवतूणववीणावेणु-वल्कीमप्रसादप्रभृतयस्तथ्यभाण्डा:—*Lalitavistara*, v, 40.

c8.s7.t4.5

I am inclined to think that Vātsyāyana's *ḍamaru*ka stands here for percussion instruments in general. The *vīṇā* even then formed the most popular of the musical instruments in India, as is apparent from the fact that it formed a necessary piece of furniture in the rooms of every *nāgaraka* on which, as we have seen, he played almost every evening. Such a *vīṇā* in the room of Nanda reminds the bereaved Sundarī of her dear absent husband,¹ and Bhāsa's *Cārudatta* is overwhelmed by its merits and is enthusiastic in its praises.² Of wind instruments, the flute made of a bamboo reed (*vaṃśa*) is mentioned by Vātsyāyana who praises it as capable of winning the heart of any girl when used in the way he prescribes.³ In the *Buddhacarita* and *Lalitavistara* it is called *veṇu* and is generally associated with the *vīṇā*; and women play upon it.⁴ We have seen that music with or without dances was enjoyed by our *nāgaraka* every evening. The *nāgaraka*'s sons received lessons in music at the *gāndharvaśālā* or college of music belonging perhaps to the city or to the *gaṇa* or corporation to which he belonged. Sweet and ravishing songs delighting the ear, form, according to Vātsyāyana, the readiest means of gaining the love of a man or a woman, and sometimes songs were specially composed containing a mention of the name and the family of the lover.⁵ Concerts (*tūryya*) are mentioned by Vātsyāyana, in which a party of musicians of both sexes sang and played together on various instruments. A party of such players was sometimes strengthened by its head (*rangopajīvin*) giving his daughter in marriage to a clever artist who could help in the concert. An actress (*ikṣaṇikā*) is mentioned by Vātsyāyana as a very good carrier of love messages,¹ because, as Cārudatta says, a person making a living by the *kalās*, like her, must be very clever at all sorts of tricks.² Bharata says that sometimes on the stage the female parts were acted by men and an actress sometimes acted that of a man.³ Some actresses were maintained by the king and suitable quarters in the palace were set apart for them.⁴

c8.s7.t4.6

¹ वीणाप्रभृतिषु क्रीडा:—*Saundarananda Kāvya*, vi, 32.

c8.s7.t4.7

² वीणा नामसमुदीर्यते स्वयम्—*Cārudatta* (Trivandrum Sanskrit Series), Act iii, p. 49.

c8.s7.t4.8

³ वंयं वाद्यतो या शब्द' श्रणोति सा वश्या भवति—*Kāmasūtra*, p. 379 (*sūtra* 43).

c8.s7.t4.9

⁴ करलवेणु—*Buddhacarita*, v, 49; वीणावेणु वल्लकी, etc.—*Lalitavistara*, v, 40; xxi, 301, etc.; also नार्या मुदितमना: प्रसन्नचित्ता वेणुभी मधुरमनोरमे रमन्ते—*Ibid*, xiii, 163.

c8.s7.t4.10

⁵ *Kāmasūtra*, p. 364 (*sūtra* 15); p. 203 (*sūtra* 18); p. 312 (*sūtra* 22); p. 314 (*sūtra* 32).

c8.s7.t4.11

¹ Ibid, p. 280 (*sūtra* 62) ; p. 366 (*sūtras* 23-24). 2 *Cārudatta*, Act iii, p. 64. 3 स्त्री पुंसः प्रकृतिं कुर्यात् स्त्रीभावं पुरुषोऽपि वा etc.—Bharata, *Nāṭyaśāstra*, Chap. xii, 166ff. 4 *Kāmasūtra*, p. 243 (*sūtras* 78-79). 5 Ibid, p. 53 (*sūtra* 40) ; p. 243 (*sūtra* 75).

Linked texts (2)