Essay name: Manasollasa (study of Arts and Sciences)
Author:
Mahadev Narayanrao Joshi
Affiliation: Karnatak University / Department of Sanskrit
This essay in English studies the Manasollasa authored by Someshvara III, representing an ancient encyclopedic work encompassing over 8,000 Sanskrit verses. The text addresses diverse topics like polity, political sciences, architecture, jurisprudence, iconography, idol-making, and various arts and sciences such as mathematics.
Chapter 4 - Fine arts in Manasollassa
75 (of 100)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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249
The ancient writers on Music considered two funda-
mental features of musical forms. The were Aucitya and
Lalitya i.e. propriety and gracefulness. According to
some writers, an action was considered proper if it was
motivated by an ideal and also proved useful on comple-
tion. Thus, an idea of propriety consisted in a combina-
tion of both idealis� and utility. To them was added
Lalitya or gracefulness which set the musical composition
to a rhythmic pattern.
1 First of all Someśvara describes musicians.
They
are divided into four types, namely Uttamottama, Uttama,
Madhyama and Adhama. Someśvara says that only a man who
151 is satisfied and happy is eligible for the Gitavinoda.
Further he tells about the characters of the best musician.
He says, "A Musician should be impartial, free from censure,
a good speaker, scholar, and so on.
"152
(4.16.3-8). A
musician who is expert in Svara, Tāla, Padabandha etc.,
is the Uttamottama musician.
But he who has some of these
151. तृप्तो हृष्टमना गीते विनोदं कर्तुमर्हत� � [tṛpto hṛṣṭamanā gīte vinoda� kartumarhati | ] 4. 17.2.
152. गुणैकपक्षपाती � परिवादपरामुख� �
[guṇaikapakṣapātī ca parivādaparāmukha� |
] gle: fyriqat arrat durat a fahafaq || 4.17.3.
प्रियंवद� वाग्मी मेधावी विशेषवित�
प्रोढः
[priyaṃvado vāgmī medhāvī viśeṣavit
ḍh�
] 1
