Fundamental of Ancient Indian Music and Dance

Author(s): Sureshchandra Benarji
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

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Introduction.
Kusa are said to have pleased Rāma with marga-samgita. Of the Puranas, the Markandeya and the Vayu, which were probably composed or compiled in the period between the 3rd and 5th century A.D., contain information on music to a greater extent than the others. In the former, we find mention of seven svaras, grāma, rāga, mūrchana, tāna, laya etc. Besides, it mentions also the instruments called Venu, Vina, Paṇava, Mrdanga, Pataha, Dundubhi, Sankha, etc. It testifies to the vogue of dance too. Chapter twenty three of this Purana contains these matters, but not the essential principles behind them. The Vayu (Chapters 86-87) refers to seven svaras, three gramas (twenty-one mūrchanās and forty-nine tanas). In it, there is discussion also on the mutual relations of grama and murchanā, the significance of the names of murchanas etc. Besides these, it reveals its familiarily with gitālamkara, varṇa, sthana, tala, etc. Certain rägas are mentioned in the Kalikapuraṇa. Information about dance and song is present in the third section of the Visnudharmottara.
In some Tantras, certain facts about samgita are found. Of such works, the most noteworthy is the Vinatantra included in the Yamalatantra.
Dance and music are among the sixty-four kalās dealt with in the Kamsutra of Vätsyäyana (not earlier than the 4th century B.C. and later than 5th century A.D.).
In ancient Indian literature, prose, poetical and dramatic, there are numerous references to samgita and, in many cases, various instruments and the contents of songs have been referred to. For example, we may mention the Svapnavāsavadatta ascribed to Bhasa. The raga-parivahini giti (song with melody overflowing) of Hamsapadika in the Sakuntala is wellknown. In the prologue to this play, the spectators are said to have been so much enraptured by the sweet melody of the song that they were sitting like so many motionless pictures. The Stage-Manager is said to have been carried away by the melody. In the Meghadūta, samgita and the instruments Muraja, Vina etc. have been mentioned. In one verse of this kavya,