Sambodhi 2011 Vol 34

Author(s): Jitendra B Shah
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 42

M. A. Dhaky
SAMBODHI
The commentators do not explain the formal glosses of most of the instruments; for they take it for granted that these are known (prasiddha), though in a few cases such as babbisaka, dhanikuna, dhattundha, etc., I suspect they in fact were ignorant, nor do we have any means to cast light on them.
Those that they explained are as follows:
Vitala: (1) panava is explained in Präkṛta by Jinadasa as gumjā panavo mamṭhāna (or bhārdānā), the gloss is not clear.
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(2) Bhambha, glossed by the same authority as Bhambha māyangāṇa bhavati, is equally unclear. However, Śrīcandra sūri of Candra-gaccha (12th cent. A.D.) in his Nandi-sutra-vṛtti-tippaṇaka (an annotated gloss on the difficult words in the Samskrit commentary of c. mid 8th cent. A.D. by Haribhadra suri on the aforenoted Nandi-sutra) explains Bhambha as a very broad-topped dhakkā (atiprthula-mukha-dhakka-visesa). (Could it be a large dhola or a kind of nagādā ?)
(3) Dundubhi is said by Jinadāsa to be shaped like bheri but narrow above: (bheri-agārā samkuḍa-muhi dundubhi).
(4-5) mukunda (mrdanga ?) as well as mardala are explained by Śrį Candra sūri as a kind of muraja (mukunda-mardalau muraja-visesau). The commentator further states that mukunda is narrow at one end and broad at the other, while mardala maintains the same dimensions at both ends.
(6) muraja is explained by Jinadāsa Gaņi as a large sized drum (mahatpramāņo murajo).
(An instrument like jhallari is said to have a circular shape or frame and could be tough.)
Tata: The term tata is defined by Jinadasa gani in two ways: by citing examples; and etymologically. He cites alapini as tata, defines vīnā as trisari or three-stringed lute, and adds bahutantri (harp?) to the list. And a second time he defines tata as tantri or stringed instruments.
Ghana: Jinadāsa gani seems to restrict ghana with wooden percussion instruments (ujjaula-lakuda); and the term kämsika he uses for kamsala or kāmsya-tāla. He also refers to tala-tala, jala-vāditra (jalataranga ?), jīvaruta (?), and the whole class of these instruments he calls in Präkṛta as tavvivariya, the meaning of which is unclear. Śrī Candra sūri glosses kadamba as karatika and talima by an Apabhramsa appellation teüllika. The instrument maṭṭaya or mattaga is maṭṭaka (Hindi mataka, Gujarati māṭalum), perhaps the predecessor of the ghatam of the Karnatic system of music.
Suşira: Kharamukhi is explained by Jinadasa as a kahala having a wooden-head shaped after a donkey. And piripiriyā (papuḍī in Gujarāti), as far as it can be understood, is a wind instrument having a pipe-like form, single mouth, and a lateral conch shaped part; the instrument makes piripiri like three sounds.