The Social and Military Position of the Ruling Caste in Ancient India, as Represented by the Sanskrit Epic c2.s5.769

c2.s5.769

The musical instruments employed were chiefly, as said above, lyres, flutes, and cymbals, though more warlike music often accompanies quiet revelry.‡ The lute, *vallakī*, seems to belong to the middle period of Epic development (vii. 6665 = 154. 25, v. l. in B, and pseudo-Epic); but the lyre, *vīṇā*, one of the oldest instruments, and the one we have seen mentioned as suitable for military music, is very common, and we are fortunate enough to have it pretty well described in the Epic itself. It is said in general that in a song the flute and lyre follow§ the sound of the conch and cymbal. The lyre is spoken of (iv. 17. 14) as ‘the sweet-voiced lyre, sending forth its strong notes,’ and is more particularly described as having seven cords, *saptatantrī* (ἑπτάτονος φόρμιγξ: iii. 134. 14). The seven musical scales are described as a branch of study (*vānī saptavidhā*, ii. 11. 34); and we have the bass described as the chord giving the ‘big sound,’ mahāsvana. We are told further that the string (tantrī) of the lyre rests on two supports (upadhāna), just like the cord tied at each extremity to the bow-end.*