Fundamental of Ancient Indian Music and Dance

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

Page 28

Vocal Music
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Merits and defects of gita. The merits of gīta are tenfold, viz., (i) Vyakta -- clearly pronounced. (ii) Pūrņa--possessed of full gamaka.1 (iii) Prasanna-clearly and easily intelligible. (iv) Sukumāra--possessed of svaras arising from the throat. (v) Alamkặta-embellished in the three places mandra,
madh ya and tāra, a (vi) Sama- of even varna(letter), laya and sthāna.3 (vii) Surakta—having harmony of the sounds produced by
the flute and throat. (viii) Ślaksna—of equal smoothness in high and low
pitches, in swift and middling layas. (ix) Vikrsta-having loud pronunciation. (x) Madhura-possessed of very graceful and charming sound. The blemishes of gita are also ten, viz., (i) Lokadusļa--condemned by people. (ii) Sāstradusța-blamed in Šāstras or treatises on music. (iii) Śrutivirodhiếopposed to Śruti. (iv) Kālavirodhi-sung at the improper time. (v) Punarukta-repeated. (vi) Kalābāhya-inartistic. (vii) Gatakrama-devoid of order. (viii) Apārthaka-devoid of sense. (ix) Grāmya-vulgar.
(x) Sandigdha-doubtful. Nāda, Śruti, Svara, Sāraņa
The term 'nāda' consists of the two consonants, na and da, with the intervening vowel ā; 'na' stands for prāņa (vital breath) and 'da' for anala (fire). So, nāda, denoting sound produced within the human body, is generated by the combination of the vital breath and fire. The process of its 1 To be defined later on. 2 The terms to be defined afterwards. 3 Do