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
64 (of 99)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
Download the PDF file of the original publication
79 10
In Sārangadeva's time too, some such material was applied but in
Bharata's time this was really 'mud', mṛt, the fine bluish mud deposited
at the water brink of rivers. It is this mud-application that really gives
the sound to the drum-face and hence is the drum named after this
essential ingredient mṛt, the Mrdanga.
2.16.6 Vīṇ�, Veṇu and Nādasvaram:
The Sangita Ratnākara written during the 13th century mentions 10
types of Vīṇās named as Ekatantri, Nakula, Tritantrika, Citravīṇ�,
Vipañci Vīṇ�, Mattakokila, Ālapani, Kinnari, Piṇāki, and Niśaṃka Vīṇ�.
तद्भेदास्त्वेकतन्त्री स्यान्नकुलश्� त्रितन्त्रिक� |
चित्रा वीणा विपञ्ची � तत� स्यान्मत्तकोकिला �
आलापिनी किंनरी � पिनाकीसंज्ञिता पर� �
निःशङ्कवीणेत्याद्याश्� शार्ङ्गदेवेन कीर्तिता� �
[tadbhedāstvekatantrī syānnakulaśca tritantrikā |
citrā vīṇ� vipañcī ca tata� syānmattakokilā ||
ālāpinī kiṃnarī ca pinākīsaṃjñitā parā |
niḥśaṅkavīṇetyādyāśca śārṅgadevena kīrtitā� ||
] Sangīta Ratnākara VI - 9,10
The Sangīta Ratnākara, of Śārangadeva gives ten varieties of wind
instruments, namely, Vamsa, Pāva, Pāvika, Murali, Madhukari, Kāhala,
Tunḍakini, Sukka, Śrnga and Sankha. The term Vamsa (or Vamśi) makes
clear that this is made to bamboo.
वंशः पावः पाविका � मुरली मधुकर्यप� �
काहलातुण्डुकिन्य� � चुक्का शृङ्गमतः परम् �
[vaṃśa� pāva� pāvikā ca muralī madhukaryapi |
kāhalātuṇḍukinyau ca cukkā śṛṅgamata� param ||
] Sangīta Ratnākara VI - 11,12a
The Sixth chapter of Sangita Ratnākara (verses 432-436) gives a list
of flutes on the basis of inches. Like Umapati as two, Tripurusa as three,
Caturmukha as four, Pañcavaktra as five, Ṣanmukha as six, Muni as
seven, Vasu as eight so on and so forth. It gives further various names
such as Nādendra, Mahānanda, Rudra, Āditya, Manu, Kalānidhi etc.
