Life in Ancient India as Depicted in the Jain Canons, with Commentaries: An Administrative, Economic, Social and Geographical Survey c13.s5.7

c13.s5.7

Music was accompanied by pipes (vamsa), vīnā (tanti), clapping (tala) and the rhythmic beating of the drum (tālalaya), following the instrumental music (gaha).⁸⁷ Even svaras (notes) are mentioned in the Thānānga According to the Jain tradition, a full description of the svaras and the eleven alankāras (rhetoric) was contained in the Svaraprābhṛta, one of the fourteen Pūrvas, which is extinct now. It is stated that this subject should be studied from the works of Bharata, Visākhila and others which are only a part of the Pūrvas Then are mentioned the seven places of origin of the svaras, the birds and beasts that utter these notes, the musical instruments which give rise to these notes, the advantages occuring from singing these notes, three grāmas (gamut), twenty one mūrcchanās (intonation), qualities and defects of singing, and the like ⁸⁸