Fundamental of Ancient Indian Music and Dance

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

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Fundamentals of Ancient Indian Music and Dance
diptā and āyatā. Madhyama has mrdu and madhyā. Pañcama has all but diptā, Karuņā, āyatā, and madhyā are contained in Dhaivala. Nisāda has only diptâ and madhyā. Each of the Śruti- jātis has sub-divisions.
Svaras are two-fold--suddha (pure) and vikrta (modified) The seven, starting with sadja, are śuddha. When a svara leaves its own place or the śrutis specified for it, and assumes another place or contains other śrutis, it becomes viksta. For example, when Rsabha assumes the four śrutis of sadja, it is regarded as viksta The total number of vikặta svaras is twelve.
From the point of view of their position in a song, svaras are divied into four kinds, viz. vādi, samvādi, vivādi and anuvādi. That is called vādī which is largely pronounced in the application of jātirāgas etc. Two svaras, with eight or twevle śrutis, intervening between them, are said to be samvādi of one another. NI and Ga are vivādi ( discordant) to other svaras. The svara which follows vādi svara is called anuvādi. The svaras, excepting samvādi and vivādi, are designated as anuvādi. Vādi samvādi, vivādi and anuvādi are characterised respectively as king, minister, enemy and servant.
From the standpoint of pitch, Svaras are divided into three kinds, viz. mandra (low), madhya (medium) and tāra (loud). Amśa, Graha, Nyāsa
Svaras are divided also as Amśa, Graha and Nyāsa. That svara which manifests the charm of a song, which, being used as Graha, Nyasa etc, is found in a large measure in a song, is called amśa. Its chief characteristics are largeness of measure in use, coupled with pervasion in a rāga.
The svara, which is at the beginning of a song, is called graha. In other words, the svara, with which a song commences, is known as graha. Graha may begin a raga or its ālāpa, Generally, amśa becomes graha. Sometimes, sadja too, becomes graha.