Studies in the Bhagavati Sutra

Author(s): J C Sikdar
Publisher: Research Institute of Prakrit Jainology & Ahimsa Mujjaffarpur

Page 411

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STUDIES IN THE BHAGAWATI SŪTRA [Ch. VI In addition they throw a good deal of light upon the origin of the musical notes, the performance of different types of dance and the staging of the religious drama.
Thus it is recorded in the Anuyogudrāra Sūtra that there are seven musical notes (supta svaras), viz. sadja, rṣabha, gandhāra, madhyama, panicama, raivat (dhairat) and nişāda, Sajje risahe gandhāre, majjhime pamcame sare revae (ühevae) ceva nesae sarā satta viāhiā" (i. e. sa, re, ga, ma, pa, dha, ni)].
The seven places of origin of these notes (Saratthāna) are given as follows : sadja is made by the tip of tongue, rṣabha by the breast, gandhāra by the throat, madhyama by the middle of the tongue, paricama by the nostril, dhaivata by the tooth and lip and nişāda by bhrüksepāvastamabha (bhamuhakkheva) by contracting eyebrows.
These seven notes are described as resembling respectively the notes of peacock, duck, goat, cuckoo, curlew or heron and elephant."
Seven musical instruments, such as, Mrdanga, etc., also give rise to these seven notes.
As regards the resemblance of gabha' there is a difference of opinion about the explanation found in the ancient works of India that it sounds the note of bull (vrsabha).
Besides these, the Anuyogadrāra Sítra further explains the theory of music by permutation and combination of different notes with reference to three musical scales (gāmas) twentyone mūrochanās (modulation or melody or the rise and fall of sound) and forty-nine tānas (tones):
There is the mention of thirty-two kinds of dance-drama, the first of which was performed with the playing of orchestral music representing the eight symbols, viz. svastika, śrīvatsa. nandiyāvatta, varddkamānaka bhadrâsana, kalaka, mataya and
1-3 Anuyogadvāra Sūtra, 127.