Essay name: Musical Instruments in Sanskrit Literature
Author:
S. Karthick Raj KMoundinya
Affiliation: University of Madras / Department of Sanskrit
The essay studies the Musical Instruments in Sanskrit Literature and its relationship with the South Indian musical tradition. The study emphasizes the universal appeal of music and documents how it pervades various aspects of life, art, literature, painting, and sculpture.
Chapter 2 - Origin and evolution of Music and Musical instruments
18 (of 99)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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37 2
.7 The Mah膩bh膩rata and Music
The Mah膩bh膩rata uses the term gandharva g膩na to refer to music.
Musicology, or the science of music was called G膩ndharva艣膩stra.
Superhuman beings called Gandharvas were the expert practitioners of
this music. Both gandharvas and their consorts, the apsaras, were
experts in singing, playing musical instruments and dancing.
Arjuna, one of the heroes in the Mah膩bh膩rata had learnt these
musical arts from Citrasena, a gandharva. Kings maintained their own
music schools to train princesses and their maids-in-waiting in the
performing arts.
The names of the seven basic musical notes (Sadja etc) have been
clearly mentioned in the Mah膩bh膩rata. The epic therefore bears
testimony to the long living tradition of Indian Classical music.
The use of music in festivals and other social occasions as
mentioned in the epic, brings out the importance given to music in
human life.
2.8 Music in Pur膩峁嘺s
A Pur膩峁嘺 traditionally treats five subjects: the primary creation of
the universe, secondary creation after periodic annihilation, the
genealogy of gods and saints, grand epochs, and the history of the royal
dynasties.
Into this core subject a Pur膩峁嘺 incorporates other subjects like
Customs, Ceremonies, Sacrifices, Festivals, Duties, Donations,
Construction of Temples and Carving Idols, and Places of pilgrimage
and such other topics.
