Kohala and Gītā (14): Tālas for specific Gaits

1 Subhadrā Tāla

शब्दाशङ्कीत्यदिना खण्डितां कलां सूचयन् मिश्रप्रयोगं गतिमत्राह ।
अथैवंविधकामिविषयमेव सुभद्राभिधानं ध्रुवातालमाहुः कोहलाद्याः ।
तस्य हि प्रस्तारो द्रुतलयमिश्रः ।

śabdāśaṅkītyadinā khaṇḍitāṃ kalāṃ sūcayan miśraprayogaṃ gatimatrāha |
athaivaṃvidhakāmiviṣayameva subhadrābhidhānaṃ dhruvātālamāhuḥ kohalādyāḥ |
tasya hi prastāro drutalayamiśraḥ | 

—(Abhinavabhāratī, Commentary on 12.40, GOS Vol. II, p.142)

Bharata speaks of śṛṅgāra in two ways —open love and concealed love. He describes the gaits for each of these. In the case of the latter, he says that the servants are all to be dismissed, the lover should walk along with the dūtī (female messenger) who shows him the way, the lights/ lamps must be put out, the ornaments should be minimal, the costume must be simple and should keep with the time of the day, the gait must be of noiseless and slow steps.

He must be excited at the same time, nervous about sounds, should keep looking around, have a trembling body and should have reeling steps.—

प्रच्छन्नकामिते चैव गतिं भूयो निबोधत ।
विसर्जितजनः स्रस्तस्तथा दूतीसहायवान् ॥ १२.४५ ॥
निर्वाणदीपो नात्यर्थं भूषणैश्च विभूषितः ।
वेलासदृशवस्त्रैश्च सह दूत्य शनैस्तथा ॥ १२.४६ ॥
व्रजेत्प्रच्छन्नकामस्तु पादैर्निःशब्दमन्दगैः ।
शब्दशङ्क्युत्सुकश्च स्यादवलोकनतत्परः ॥ १२.४७ ॥
वेपमानशरीरश्च शङ्कितः प्रस्खलन् मुहुः । १२.४८अब् ॥

pracchannakāmite caiva gatiṃ bhūyo nibodhata |
visarjitajanaḥ srastastathā dūtīsahāyavān || 12.45 ||
nirvāṇadīpo nātyarthaṃ bhūṣaṇaiśca vibhūṣitaḥ |
velāsadṛśavastraiśca saha dūtya śanaistathā || 12.46 ||
vrajetpracchannakāmastu pādairniḥśabdamandagaiḥ |
śabdaśaṅkyutsukaśca syādavalokanatatparaḥ || 12.47 ||
vepamānaśarīraśca śaṅkitaḥ praskhalan muhuḥ | 12.48ab || 

—Nāṭyaśāstra of Bharatamuni: 2001: GOS Vol. II: p.142

While commenting on these prescriptions of Bharata for pracchanna-kāma (concealed love), Abhinava says that to present (śabdaśaṅkā) apprehension of sounds, there is an indication of breaking-down of the kalas and therefore, there has to be a use of the miśra gaits. In such cases Kohala has prescribed a variety of dhruvā-tāla called subhadrā.

M. R. Kavi mentions in the footnote that Subhadrā is an upabhaṅga-tāla^[1] and also presents Kohala’s definition of the same.

He says—

सुभद्रमित्युपभङ्गविशेषः । तल्लक्षणं तु कोहलमते—
नवमः पञ्चमश्चैव षष्ठः पुनरिहेष्यते ।
त्रिमात्रान्ते प्रभावत्यां टक्करागस्य भाषया ॥
इति त्रिमात्रान्तविरामं प्रभावतीनामकद्विपदीच्छन्दः प्रत्युक्तं च सुभद्रम् ।

subhadramityupabhaṅgaviśeṣaḥ | tallakṣaṇaṃ tu kohalamate—
navamaḥ pañcamaścaiva ṣaṣṭhaḥ punariheṣyate |
trimātrānte prabhāvatyāṃ ṭakkarāgasya bhāṣayā ||
iti trimātrāntavirāmaṃ prabhāvatīnāmakadvipadīcchandaḥ pratyuktaṃ ca subhadram |

G. H. Tarlekar says that subhadrā tāla has 5th, 6th, 9th short syllabic measures and remaining 7 long and is used in furious and heroic sentiments^[2]. 

It is to be noted in this context, that dhruvā-gāna, though belonged to the mārga tradition, included some tālas which were employed in nāṭya and yet not described in Nāṭyaśāstra. These tālas were classified as bhaṅga, upabhaṅga and vibhaṅga tālas. These have not been mentioned by Bharata, but they are still considered to be a part of mārga. They do not belong to the deśī tradition. 

M. R. Kavi also gives a list of bhaṅga, upabhaṅga and vibhaṅga tālas^[3].

Bhaṅga-tālas	Upabhaṅga tālas	Vibhaṅga tālas
i. Cañcatpuṭa	i. Kuṭilā	i. Viśeṣa
ii. Cācapuṭa	ii. Ākṣiptikā	ii. Mālā
iii. Ṣaṭpitāputraka	iii. Tryaśrā	iii. Subhadra
iv. Sampakveṣṭāka	iv. Caturaśrā	iv. Saṅgata
v. Helā	v. Caṭulā
vi. Trigatā	vi. Samyuktikā
vii. Narkuṭa
viii. Narkuṭī
ix. Khañjaka
x. Khañjikā
xi. Ākrīḍitā
xii. Vilambita

Kavi also says that these tālas are formed by the bhaṅga-prastāra of laya-tālas. There are forty such tālas which have been discussed by Kohala and are used in the different gaits (gati-parikrama). The lakṣaṇas of these bhaṅga, upabhaṅga and vibhaṅga tālas is found in the work Bharatabhāṣyam. Kavi mentions that their lakṣaṇas can also be found in the Vikramorvaśīya of Kālidāsa. Interestingly commentaries^[4] of Vikramorvaśīya seem to quote Bharata, whereas no information on these tālas is found in the Nāṭyaśāstra text. Some bhaṅga tālas have been spoken about by Abhinava also in the 32nd chapter of Nāṭyaśāstra when he speaks of Kohala’s method of prastāra (ref para 2.1.15).

Siṃhabhūpāla also states that Mataṅga has mentioned these tālas¹³⁰ but unfortunately, the tāla chapter of Bṛhaddeśī is still to be found.—

तत्र मतङ्गेन द्वादशताला उक्ताः । यदाह
—त्र्यश्रोऽथ चतुरश्रश्च द्वावेतावादिसंस्थितौ ।
तयोस्चच्चत्पुटो युग्मस्ततश्चाचपुटः स्मृतः ॥
तौ द्वावान्यप्रकारार्थौ भिद्येतेऽनेकधा बुधैः ।
चच्चत्पुटश्चाचपुटः षट्पितापुत्रकस्तथा ॥
हेला च त्रिगता चैव संपक्वेष्टस्तथैव च ।
नत्कुटो नत्कुटी चैव खञ्जकः खञ्जिका तथा ॥
आक्रीडिता विलम्बा च भङ्गा द्वादश कीर्तिताः ।
कुटिलाक्षिप्तिका त्र्यश्रा चतुरश्रा च मिश्रका ॥
चटुला चेति संप्रोक्ता उपभङ्गा षडेव हि ।

tatra mataṅgena dvādaśatālā uktāḥ | yadāha
—tryaśro'tha caturaśraśca dvāvetāvādisaṃsthitau |
tayoscaccatpuṭo yugmastataścācapuṭaḥ smṛtaḥ ||
tau dvāvānyaprakārārthau bhidyete'nekadhā budhaiḥ |
caccatpuṭaścācapuṭaḥ ṣaṭpitāputrakastathā ||
helā ca trigatā caiva saṃpakveṣṭastathaiva ca |
natkuṭo natkuṭī caiva khañjakaḥ khañjikā tathā ||
ākrīḍitā vilambā ca bhaṅgā dvādaśa kīrtitāḥ |
kuṭilākṣiptikā tryaśrā caturaśrā ca miśrakā ||
caṭulā ceti saṃproktā upabhaṅgā ṣaḍeva hi |

—Saṅgītaratnākara of Śārṅgadeva: Comm on 5.16: 1951: Vol III: pp.8-9

According to M. R. Kavi, Kohala and Tumburu were two ancient authorities who dealt in detail with these varieties of tāla. Prakāśikā, a commentary on Vikramorvaśīya presents some views of Yāṣṭika on this subject. But it is only Nānyadeva’s whose detailed treatment of the bhaṅga tālas is available today^[5]. Abhinava has connected the gaits associated with different rasas with these varieties of dhruvā-tālas / laya tālas. They are presented below.

2 Nartanaka and Utphullaka

चतुस्तालान्तरोक्षिप्तैरिति तालान्तरपातित्वं द्वितीयतालान्तरालापेक्षयेति केचित् । उपाध्यायास्तु तालशब्देनात्र कालमानमुक्तं न तु देशमानं, तेन यावता कालेनात्क्षेपस्ततो न्यूनेन पतनमिति । एतदनु प्रकृ तिसन्धिसंरम्भत्वं चाभिदधता विषमगतित्वमेषामनुज्ञातम् । तथा च कोहलमुखाः कलातदर्थद्वयलक्षणेन नर्तनकोत्फुल्लकादिना रौद्रादौ परिक्रममाहुः । तद्विधा इति भीमसेनादयः अनेन यद्धवीरेष्वप्येषैव गतिरिति सूचयति ।

catustālāntarokṣiptairiti tālāntarapātitvaṃ dvitīyatālāntarālāpekṣayeti kecit | upādhyāyāstu tālaśabdenātra kālamānamuktaṃ na tu deśamānaṃ, tena yāvatā kālenātkṣepastato nyūnena patanamiti | etadanu prakṛ tisandhisaṃrambhatvaṃ cābhidadhatā viṣamagatitvameṣāmanujñātam | tathā ca kohalamukhāḥ kalātadarthadvayalakṣaṇena nartanakotphullakādinā raudrādau parikramamāhuḥ | tadvidhā iti bhīmasenādayaḥ anena yaddhavīreṣvapyeṣaiva gatiriti sūcayati | 

—(Abhinavabhāratī, Commentary on 12.53, GOS Vol. II, pp.143-144) 

Bharata describes the gaits to be adopted in the case of raudra rasa. He describes details such as make-up, physical characteristics and then says that the gait of daityas, rākṣasas, nāgas and others in the raudra rasa should be characterized by steps made by raising the feet four tālas high and spreading them three tālas wide¹³².—

चतुस्तालान्तरोत्क्षिप्तैः पादैस्त्वन्तरपातितैः । १२.५३च्द् ॥
गतिरेवं प्रकर्तव्या तेषां ये चापि तद्विधा । १२.५४ ॥

catustālāntarotkṣiptaiḥ pādaistvantarapātitaiḥ | 12.53cd ||
gatirevaṃ prakartavyā teṣāṃ ye cāpi tadvidhā | 12.54 ||

—Nāṭyaśā stra of Bharatamuni: 2001: GOS Vol. II: p. 144

Abhinava says that Bhaṭṭa Tota (Upādhyāya) is of the view that the word ‘tāla’ here refers to a unit of measurement of time and not of space and that the time taken to lift up a leg is longer that it takes to put it down. Therefore, it would follow that in the situation of war, the gaits will be irregular and in viṣama gati. On the basis of this lakṣaṇa, Kohala and others suggest movements based on nartanaka, utphullaka for the raudra rasa. The word ‘tadvidhaḥ’ has been used in order to include yuddha-vīras^[6] such as the character of Bhīmasena also under the above mentioned gaits. 

From this it is inferred that Kohala had specified different gati parikramas to be used in the case of different rasas. In this case, nartanaka and utphullaka have been mentioned.

M. R. Kavi gives a footnote with the definitions of these gaits. He says—

नर्तनकस्य लक्षणम्—
तिस्रोऽथ यतयः कार्या विरामोऽन्ते द्रुतैस्त्रिभिः ।
लयो नर्तनकः प्रोक्तः सौम्यात्र द्विपदी भवेत् ॥
विजयारम्भहर्षेषु मत्तोन्मत्तप्रमत्तके ।
नर्तनकः प्रयोक्तव्यष्टक्करागस्य भाषया ॥ इति ॥
उत्फुल्लकस्य तु द्वौ द्रुतौ लघुरेकश्च चतस्रो यतयः स्मृताः ।
छिन्नकस्य विरामोऽन्ते लयमुत्फुल्लकं विदुः ॥
उत्तमाधममध्यानां कामोन्मादविलासयोः ।
परिक्रमे पञ्चमेन तोटकं सचतुष्टयम् ।
मध्यमोत्तमपात्राणां पफुल्लकमिहेष्यते ।
छन्दश्चतुष्पदा चात्र गुरुमध्यविवर्जिता ॥

nartanakasya lakṣaṇam—
tisro'tha yatayaḥ kāryā virāmo'nte drutaistribhiḥ |
layo nartanakaḥ proktaḥ saumyātra dvipadī bhavet ||
vijayārambhaharṣeṣu mattonmattapramattake |
nartanakaḥ prayoktavyaṣṭakkarāgasya bhāṣayā || iti ||
utphullakasya tu dvau drutau laghurekaśca catasro yatayaḥ smṛtāḥ |
chinnakasya virāmo'nte layamutphullakaṃ viduḥ ||
uttamādhamamadhyānāṃ kāmonmādavilāsayoḥ |
parikrame pañcamena toṭakaṃ sacatuṣṭayam |
madhyamottamapātrāṇāṃ paphullakamiheṣyate |
chandaścatuṣpadā cātra gurumadhyavivarjitā ||^[7]

The above definition of nartanaka is found verbatim in the manuscript of Bharatabhāṣyam^[8] under the name—‘nartaka’. In the case of utphullaka, only an example has been given in this work.

These parikramas like nartanaka, utphullaka, chinnaka, praphullaka and such like are all very much part of the mārga tradition. Interestingly, there is a rāga prescribed for each of these. Bharata has distanced himself from both these parikramas as well as rāgas (Bharata speaks only of jātis when he wants to suggest rāgas). But Kohala has spoken about both these concepts. Kohala seems to be the source for all these gati parikramas.

3 Ullāsanā

उल्लसनाख्यलयतालस्य लक्षणं कोहलमते—
तोटकस्यैव यः पादः द्रुतद्वयलयत्रयः ।
मालिनी द्विपदा चात्र टक्करागस्य भाषया ॥
अन्योन्यकार्य संसर्गे मदे गर्वे प्रहर्षिते ।
उल्लसना प्रयोक्तव्या सर्वदा लयवेदिभिः ॥

ullasanākhyalayatālasya lakṣaṇaṃ kohalamate—
toṭakasyaiva yaḥ pādaḥ drutadvayalayatrayaḥ |
mālinī dvipadā cātra ṭakkarāgasya bhāṣayā ||
anyonyakārya saṃsarge made garve praharṣite |
ullasanā prayoktavyā sarvadā layavedibhiḥ ||

—(M. R. Kavi’s footnote in Nāṭyaśāstra, GOS Vol II, p. 144)

While speaking of the gaits to be followed in the case of the vīra rasa, Bharata mentions that swift movements with the brandishing of arms and performance of different cārīs are to be used.

अथ वीरे च कर्तव्या पादविक्षेपवसंयुता । १२.५७ च्द् ॥
द्रुतप्रचाराधिष्ठाना नानाचारीसमाकुला ॥ १२.५८ अब् ॥

atha vīre ca kartavyā pādavikṣepavasaṃyutā | 12.57 cd ||
drutapracārādhiṣṭhānā nānācārīsamākulā || 12.58 ab ||^[9]

At this point, Abhinavagupta makes the following observation that in such cases the gait called ullāsanā is to be used.

अथ वीरगतिमाह अथ वीरे चेति । विस्तारेण क्षेप इति स्यन्दितापस्यन्दितादेर्ग्रहणम् ।
तत्र च कलयार्धकलादि च प्रयोगः तत एवोल्लासनिकाख्य तालमत्राहुर्लक्ष्यविदः ।

atha vīragatimāha atha vīre ceti | vistāreṇa kṣepa iti syanditāpasyanditādergrahaṇam |
tatra ca kalayārdhakalādi ca prayogaḥ tata evollāsanikākhya tālamatrāhurlakṣyavidaḥ |^[10]

Kohala’s definition of this layatāla called ullāsanā as presented by M. R. Kavi is a bit confusing. The verse has words like ‘Druta-dvaya-laya-traya’-which means it has two drutas and three layas. The meaning of having ‘three layas’ is not clear. A pāda of the toṭaka chanda is to be followed by the mālinī and dvipadī metres. Kohala says that this layatāla is to be used to depict mutual work, union, intoxication, pride, and great happiness. The bhāṣā of ṭakka rāga has been prescribed for this. It is interesting to note that the very same verse is found in the manuscript of Bharatabhāṣyam^[11].

4 Jambhaṭikā

न प्रमाणं तथाविधमिति नात्र सर्वथा प्रमाणाभावः अपि त्वनियन्त्रितमेव पातात्मकं प्रमाणम् । अत एवात्र विलम्बितलयेन लघुत्रयेण द्रुतलयेन गुरुप्लुतमात्रेण च विरामेण जम्भटिकाख्यो लयः कोहलेन दर्शितः ।

na pramāṇaṃ tathāvidhamiti nātra sarvathā pramāṇābhāvaḥ api tvaniyantritameva pātātmakaṃ pramāṇam | ata evātra vilambitalayena laghutrayeṇa drutalayena guruplutamātreṇa ca virāmeṇa jambhaṭikākhyo layaḥ kohalena darśitaḥ | 

—(Abhinavabhāratī, Commentary on12.65, GOS Vol. II, P.146) 

While speaking of the gaits to be used in case of the karuṇā rasa, Bharata prescribes that the uttama (superior) characters should be brave and tearful, heave long/deep sighs, turn upwards, move in an irregular pace and should not have the sauṣṭava position of the body.—

उत्तमानां तु कर्तव्या सधैर्या बाष्पसंगता ।
निःश्वासैरायतोत्सृष्टैस्तथैवोर्ध्वनिरीक्षितैः ॥ १२.६४ ॥
न तत्र सौष्टवं कार्यं न प्रमाणं तथा विधम् । १२.६५अब् ॥

uttamānāṃ tu kartavyā sadhairyā bāṣpasaṃgatā |
niḥśvāsairāyatotsṛṣṭaistathaivordhvanirīkṣitaiḥ || 12.64 ||
na tatra sauṣṭavaṃ kāryaṃ na pramāṇaṃ tathā vidham | 12.65ab || 

—Nāṭyaśāstra of Bharatamuni: 2001: GOS Vol. II: p.146

Abhinava takes up the statement of Bharata saying that there is no pramāṇa (rules and regulations) for the gait of an uttama character in the karuṇā rasa. He says that this is not so. In the karuṇā rasa, since the steps are placed in an uneven and irregular manner, that irregularity in itself becomes the norm. In this case he says that the jambhaṭikā gait shown by Kohala has to be used in the laya having the duration of three laghus and druta laya having the duration of guru, pluta and virāma.

In the Gaekwad Oriental Series edition of the Abhinavabhāratī, M. R. Kavi gives as footnote, Tumburu’s and Kohala’s definitions of the jambhaṭika laya.

जम्भटिकालक्षणमुक्तं तुम्बुरुणा—
आदावृजुद्वयं कृत्वा द्विद्रुतान्तविरामिकम् ।
पुनरप्येवमेव स्याज्जम्भटी नाम कीर्तिता ॥
करुणारसपात्रेषु जम्भटीं संप्रयोजयेत् ।

jambhaṭikālakṣaṇamuktaṃ tumburuṇā—
ādāvṛjudvayaṃ kṛtvā dvidrutāntavirāmikam |
punarapyevameva syājjambhaṭī nāma kīrtitā ||
karuṇārasapātreṣu jambhaṭīṃ saṃprayojayet |

—Footnote: Nāṭyaśāstra of Bharatamuni: 2001: GOS Vol. II: p.146.

तदेव कोहलमते—
लघुद्वयं विधायाथ द्वौ द्रुतौ सविरामकौ ।
पुनरप्येवमेव स्याज्जम्भटीपात इष्यते ॥
मरणे पतने चैवाप्रियस्य श्रवणे तथा ।
जम्भेटिका सदा कार्या ह्वयुत्तमाधममध्यमैः ॥
गुरुद्वया चतुर्मात्रा गुरुरन्ते व्यवस्थितः ।
ककुभेन प्रयोक्तव्या जम्भटी लयकोविदैः ॥

tadeva kohalamate—
laghudvayaṃ vidhāyātha dvau drutau savirāmakau |
punarapyevameva syājjambhaṭīpāta iṣyate ||
maraṇe patane caivāpriyasya śravaṇe tathā |
jambheṭikā sadā kāryā hvayuttamādhamamadhyamaiḥ ||
gurudvayā caturmātrā gururante vyavasthitaḥ |
kakubhena prayoktavyā jambhaṭī layakovidaiḥ ||

—Nāṭyaśāstra of Bharatamuni: 2001 GOS Vol. II: Comm. on 12.72-73: Footnote: p.146

Two laghus, two drutas and two virāmas, repeated twice is known as jambhaṭī. It is used in situations depicting death, falling and listening to unpleasant things. This laya can be used for uttama, madhyama and adhama characters. 

Kavi mentions that jambhaṭī, jambheṭī, jambhaṭikā and jambheṭikā are synonyms. He does not give the source for the above quotations, nor are these verse found in the Bharatakośa. The term jambheṭikā has been defined by Nānyadeva in his treatise—Sarasvatīhṛdayālaṅkārahāra or Bharatabhāṣyam^[12]. In this work the above definition of Kohala is found mentioned. The only difference is that Nānyadeva prescribes three laghus instead of two mentioned by Kohala. But since we cannot trace the source from which M. R. Kavi has obtained this material, it is difficult to compare and assess whether the difference could be due to scribal or other errors commonly found in manuscripts. Also there is no mention of Kohala or his association with this particular tāla in Bharatabhāṣyam.

5 Dhārā Laya.

द्रुतैरित्यनेन धारालयादिः कोहलोक्तः सूचितः ।

drutairityanena dhārālayādiḥ kohaloktaḥ sūcitaḥ | 

—(Abhinavabhāratī, Commentary on 12.72-73, GOS Vol. II, p.148) 

This statement is a commentary on the following verses of Bharata—

विस्फारिते चले नेत्रे विद्युतं च शिरस्तथा ।
भयसंयुक्तया दृष्ट्या पार्शवयोश्च विलोकितैः ॥ १२.७२ ॥
द्रुतैश्चूर्णपदैश्चैव बद्ध्वा हस्तं कपोतकम् ।
प्रवेपितशरीरश्च शुष्कोष्ठः स्खलितं व्रजेत् ॥ १२.७३ ॥

visphārite cale netre vidyutaṃ ca śirastathā |
bhayasaṃyuktayā dṛṣṭyā pārśavayośca vilokitaiḥ || 12.72 ||
drutaiścūrṇapadaiścaiva baddhvā hastaṃ kapotakam |
pravepitaśarīraśca śuṣkoṣṭhaḥ skhalitaṃ vrajet || 12.73 ||^[13]

Bharata, while explaining the gaits to be used to express the bhayānaka rasa says that the eyes should be opened wide and be shifting, the vidyuta śiras should be adopted, the gaze should be filled with fear, the head should be turned from side to side, the kapota hasta is to be used, the gait should be one of quick short steps, the body should be trembling, lips should be dry and movement/gait should be unsteady. 

Abhinavagupta picks out the word ‘drutaiḥ’ from Bharata’s verse (drutaiścūrṇapadaiścaiva) and interprets it to indicate the dhārālaya and others mentioned by Kohala. 

M. R. Kavi gives a footnote with the definition of this dhārā-laya according to Kohala. He says—

धारालक्षणं कोहलमते—
आदावष्टौ द्रुता ज्ञेया अन्ते चापि द्रुताष्टकम् ।
विरामरहिता धारा अधमेषु द्रुते लये ॥

dhārālakṣaṇaṃ kohalamate—
ādāvaṣṭau drutā jñeyā ante cāpi drutāṣṭakam |
virāmarahitā dhārā adhameṣu drute laye ||

According to this definition, dhārā-laya begins with eight drutas and ends with eight drutas and is devoid of any virāmas. It is used for adhama characters and is performed in the druta tempo. 

M. R. Kavi has not mentioned the source of this reference. However there is a reference to dhārā laya in his Bharatokośa, where he mentions this as a variety of Bhaṅga-tāla under the name of Nānya^[14]. But the lakṣaṇa of dhārā is not to be found either in the printed edition or the manuscript of Bharatabhāṣyam.

6 Khaṇḍadhārā Laya

चूर्णपदैरित्यनेन खण्डधारालयं द्रुतबहुलं गुर्वन्तं कोहलोक्तं सूचयति ।

cūrṇapadairityanena khaṇḍadhārālayaṃ drutabahulaṃ gurvantaṃ kohaloktaṃ sūcayati | 

—(Abhinavabhāratī, Commentary on 12.89-91, GOS Vol. II, p.151) 

This extract is a commentary on the following verses of Bharata—

रथस्थस्यापि कर्तव्या गतिश्चूर्णपदैरथ ।
समपादं तथा स्थनं कृत्वा रथगतिं व्रजेत् ॥ १२.८९ ॥
धनुर्गृहीत्वा चैकेन तथा चैकेन कूबरम् ।
सूतश्चास्य भवेदेवं प्रतोदप्रग्रहाकुलः ॥ १२.९० ॥
वाहनानि विचित्राणि कर्तव्यानि विभागशः ।
द्रुतैश्चूर्णपदैश्चैव गन्तव्यं रङ्गमण्डले ॥ १२.९१ ॥

rathasthasyāpi kartavyā gatiścūrṇapadairatha |
samapādaṃ tathā sthanaṃ kṛtvā rathagatiṃ vrajet || 12.89 ||
dhanurgṛhītvā caikena tathā caikena kūbaram |
sūtaścāsya bhavedevaṃ pratodapragrahākulaḥ || 12.90 ||
vāhanāni vicitrāṇi kartavyāni vibhāgaśaḥ |
drutaiścūrṇapadaiścaiva gantavyaṃ raṅgamaṇḍale || 12.91 ||^[15]

Bharata describes the gait to be adopted by a person enacting the riding of a chariot. M. M. Ghosh translates this passage as—

“Gait of a person riding a chariot should consist of short (cūrṇa) steps. From the Samapāda Sthāna (posture) he is to make a mimicry of being carried in a chariot (lit. go the movements of a chariot), and with one [hand he is to take up] the bow and with the other the pole [of the chariot]. And his charioteer is to remain busy with the whip and reins, and the varied draught animals should be represented according to their distinctive class. And with quick and simple steps he (i.e. the characters) is to enter the stage.”^[16]

Abhinava explains that the word ‘cūrṇapada’ which means short or quick steps, is to be understood as the khaṇḍadhārā laya which has many drutas and ends with a guru. Abhinava does not present any more details on this matter. M. R. Kavi gives a definition of Khaṇḍadhārā—‘Vedakhatridhāḥ Khaṇḍadhārā’^[17] as a footnote in his edition of Abhinavabhāratī. 

The manuscript of Bharata-bhāṣya [bharatabhāṣyam]^[18] also has the name of Khaṇḍadhārā along with the other bhaṅga-tālas.—

मल्लकः छिन्नकश्चैव खण्डक खण्डिका तथा ।
रामध्रुवा च विज्ञेया द्विपद्विपट एव वा ।
छिन्ना च खण्डधारा च पञ्चभेटी चषकथकः ।
तथा कीलकाख्यश्च खुविरिका- एव च ॥

mallakaḥ chinnakaścaiva khaṇḍaka khaṇḍikā tathā |
rāmadhruvā ca vijñeyā dvipadvipaṭa eva vā |
chinnā ca khaṇḍadhārā ca pañcabheṭī caṣakathakaḥ |
tathā kīlakākhyaśca khuvirikā- eva ca ||

—ibid. (Note: this reading is an unedited reproduction of what is available in the manuscript)

Kavi gives Nānyadeva’s definition of Khaṇḍadhārā in his work Bharatakośa where he says—

खण्डधारा भङ्गतालः
द्रुतद्वयं विरामान्तं ततो लघुतचुष्टयम् ।
द्विधैवं परिसंस्थप्या खण्डधारा भवेत्तदा ॥

khaṇḍadhārā bhaṅgatālaḥ
drutadvayaṃ virāmāntaṃ tato laghutacuṣṭayam |
dvidhaivaṃ parisaṃsthapyā khaṇḍadhārā bhavettadā || 

O Ó I I I I O Ó I I I I^[19]

Nānyadeva says that a druta followed by a druta virāma and four laghus repeated twice will form the khaṇḍadhārā laya. This definition seems to be quite different from what Abhinava has said. This is interesting because Nānyadeva and Abhinavagupta lived around the same time (12th century C.E.).

7 Khañjaka, Helā and Vilambitā layas

विष्कम्भः स्थैर्यं तद्येषामिति मत्वर्थीयोऽकारः । समुद्वहन्निति यत्नेनाकर्षन् । एतदेव दृष्टान्तेन शिक्षयति पङ्कलग्न इवेति । अत एव खञ्जकहेलाविलम्बितलघुमयस्य कोहलोक्तस्य सङ्ग्रहः । विष्कम्भने यष्टयादिके कृतं समन्वितं प्राणो बलं येन ।

viṣkambhaḥ sthairyaṃ tadyeṣāmiti matvarthīyo'kāraḥ | samudvahanniti yatnenākarṣan | etadeva dṛṣṭāntena śikṣayati paṅkalagna iveti | ata eva khañjakahelāvilambitalaghumayasya kohaloktasya saṅgrahaḥ | viṣkambhane yaṣṭayādike kṛtaṃ samanvitaṃ prāṇo balaṃ yena |

—(Abhinavabhāratī, Commentary on 12.113-114, GOS Vol. II, p.155) 

This extract is a commentary on the following verses of Bharata:

कञ्चुकीयस्य कर्तव्या वयोऽवस्थविशेषतः ।
अवृद्धस्य प्रयोगज्ञो गतिमेवं प्रयोजयेत् ॥ १२.११३ ॥
अर्धतालोत्थितैः पादैर्विष्कम्भैरृ जुभिस्तथा ।
समुद्वहन्निवाङ्गानि पङ्कलग्न इव व्रजेत् ॥ १२.११४ ॥

kañcukīyasya kartavyā vayo'vasthaviśeṣataḥ |
avṛddhasya prayogajño gatimevaṃ prayojayet || 12.113 ||
ardhatālotthitaiḥ pādairviṣkambhairṛ jubhistathā |
samudvahannivāṅgāni paṅkalagna iva vrajet || 12.114 || 

M. M. Ghosh translates these verses thus: 

“[Gait] of a kāñcukīya (armour-bearer) should be made [suitable] to his particular age and condition. When he is not old his Gait should be as follows: With the feet raised half a tāla high and simple steps, he should walk carrying his limbs like one who is treading upon (lit. touching) mud”^[20]. 

Abhinava comments on this portion by saying that the word ‘viṣkambha’ indicates stability. At the outset, the feet are to be placed firmly on the ground. Then they are to be dragged with an effort similar to ploughing land. Bharata gives us an example for this by saying ‘paṅkalagna’—which means stuck in a mire. Abhinava says that in order to present such a gait, the khañjaka, helā and vilambitā gaits described by Kohala are appropriate. The gait should appear as if one is exercising much effort and using a stick to get out of a mire.

Abhinava refers to Kohala yet again on this matter relating to the gait of a kañcukīya. Though the names of the gaits viz. khañjaka, helā and vilambitā are mentioned by Abhinava, he does not mention the lakṣaṇas of any of these. Here again, as in the cases above, M. R. Kavi supplies the necessary information in the form of a footnote. 

He gives the definitions of khañjaka and helā according to Tumburu and Kohala’s definitions of helā and vilambitā gaits (layas).

खञ्जकस्य लक्षणं तुम्बुरुणोक्तं यथा—
प्रथमं कुटिलं कृत्वा घनमेकं द्रुतद्वयं ।
गुर्वन्तं खञ्जकं नाम शम्यातालो निरन्तरः ॥

khañjakasya lakṣaṇaṃ tumburuṇoktaṃ yathā—
prathamaṃ kuṭilaṃ kṛtvā ghanamekaṃ drutadvayaṃ |
gurvantaṃ khañjakaṃ nāma śamyātālo nirantaraḥ ||

हैलायास्तु तेनेन—
चत्वारोऽथ नखाः पूर्वं द्विवक्रं तदनन्तरम् ।
पुनरप्येवमेव स्याच्छम्यातालो निरन्तरः ।
पाटैर्द्वादशाभिर्युक्तः कार्याः शेषाश्चतुर्गुणम् ।
चञ्चत्पुटस्य भेदोऽयं हेलाया विधिरुच्यते ।
वेश्याद्विजवधूनः च क्रीडारम्यकुडुम्बिनाम् ।
भवनप्रतिहाराणां योजयेत्तत्परिक्रमे ।

hailāyāstu tenena—
catvāro'tha nakhāḥ pūrvaṃ dvivakraṃ tadanantaram |
punarapyevameva syācchamyātālo nirantaraḥ |
pāṭairdvādaśābhiryuktaḥ kāryāḥ śeṣāścaturguṇam |
cañcatpuṭasya bhedo'yaṃ helāyā vidhirucyate |
veśyādvijavadhūnaḥ ca krīḍāramyakuḍumbinām |
bhavanapratihārāṇāṃ yojayettatparikrame |

कोहलमते तु तस्याः—
चत्वारो लघवः पूर्वमन्ते च गुरुणी तथा ।
पुनरप्येवमेव स्यान्मात्रा ह्यधमजातिषु ।
प्रयोक्तव्याध्रव हेला तालश्चञ्चत्पुटस्य च ।
उद्यानभवनक्रीडादीपिकालोकने तथा ।
भविष्यन्नायके चैव कन्यानां टक्करागतः ।
मालववेसरिकाख्यो रागोऽत्र विहितः सदा ॥—इति

kohalamate tu tasyāḥ—
catvāro laghavaḥ pūrvamante ca guruṇī tathā |
punarapyevameva syānmātrā hyadhamajātiṣu |
prayoktavyādhrava helā tālaścañcatpuṭasya ca |
udyānabhavanakrīḍādīpikālokane tathā |
bhaviṣyannāyake caiva kanyānāṃ ṭakkarāgataḥ |
mālavavesarikākhyo rāgo'tra vihitaḥ sadā ||—iti 

विलम्बितालक्षणं तु कोहलेन
लघुनी गुरुणी चैव लघू आद्यन्तयोर्गुरू विलम्बिता ध्रुवा ज्ञेया षढ्पितापुत्रभङ्गकृत् ।
सर्वासामेव नारीणामभिसारपरिक्रमे ।
सौम्या तु द्विपदी चात्र गेया मालवकैशिके ॥—इति

vilambitālakṣaṇaṃ tu kohalena
laghunī guruṇī caiva laghū ādyantayorgurū vilambitā dhruvā jñeyā ṣaḍhpitāputrabhaṅgakṛt |
sarvāsāmeva nārīṇāmabhisāraparikrame |
saumyā tu dvipadī cātra geyā mālavakaiśike ||—iti 

Tumburu defines khañjaka laya as that having a guru in the beginning followed by one ghana (?) and two drutas and ends with a guru. This laya uses the śamyā and tāla one after the other (without a gap). The helā laya has four laghus and two gurus repeated twice. It is characterized by use of śamyā and tāla repeatedly. It has twelve pāṭas and the rest are to be done four times. This is a variety of the cañcatpuṭa tāla and is used in the gaits of courtesans, brahmin ladies, householders (while they engage in sports) and chamberlains. It is interesting to note that the khañjaka tāla has been explained in the manuscript of Bharatabhāṣyam of Nānyadeva, where it has been given as a variety of bhaṅga-tāla under the cañcatpuṭa tāla^[21]. 

M. R. Kavi also presents Nānyadeva’s definition of the bhaṅga tāla called helā in his work Bharatakośa.

लचतुष्कं गुरुद्वयं पुनर्लचतुष्कं गुरुद्वयम् ।

lacatuṣkaṃ gurudvayaṃ punarlacatuṣkaṃ gurudvayam | 

I I I I S S I I I I S S^[22]

Here too, he ascribes the definition to Tumburu. Interestingly, both the definitions given by M. R. Kavi in the Nāṭyaśāstra and Bharatakośa have the same lakṣaṇa for this tāla, but the verses used to describe these are different. Therefore, it is possible that M. R. Kavi had yet another source in his possession wherefrom he procured the definitions of the different bhaṅga-tālas. 

This is followed by Kohala’s definitions of helā and vilambitā gaits. He says that four laghus and two gurus repeated twice make the helā gait. This is a variety of cañcatpuṭa tāla and is used in garden or mansion sports, watching some effulgence, seeing the future nāyaka (husbands) for a maiden etc. It is always to be used with the mālavavesarikā rāga which is born of the ṭakka rāga. Śārṅgadeva also mentions a mālavavesari under ṭakka rāga^[23]. There are other mālavavesaris which have been placed under other rāgas, but in this instance, Kohala is speaking of that variety which is a bhāṣā of ṭakka rāga. 

Kohala says that the vilambitā gait is a variety of the ṣaḍhpitāputraka tāla and has the following aṅgas—One guru, two laghus, two gurus, two laghus and one guru This gait is used for women who wish to walk unnoticed while looking for their lovers. Rāga mālavakaiśika and the dvipadī metre is to be used in this gait. 

M. R. Kavi gives Nānyadeva’s views on the list of aṅgas for the bhaṅga-tāla called vilambitā^[24].

गुरुर्लद्वयं गद्वयं लद्वयं गुरुः

gururladvayaṃ gadvayaṃ ladvayaṃ guruḥ 

S I I S S I I S

लद्वयं गद्वयं लद्वयं गुरुः

ladvayaṃ gadvayaṃ ladvayaṃ guruḥ 

I I S S I I S 

It is interesting to note the form obtained in the case will be the same as the one got out of juxtaposing two cācapuṭas, which is seen in the reference in Dattilam (Ref para 2.1.13.1).

8 Caturaśra Laya

चतुरस्रलयस्तु कोहलीये द्रुतद्वन्द्वं लघुद्वन्द्वं षोडैवं चतुरस्रकम् । इति । ३.८२० ।

caturasralayastu kohalīye drutadvandvaṃ laghudvandvaṃ ṣoḍaivaṃ caturasrakam | iti | 3.820 |

—(Saṅgītanārāyaṇa, Vol. II, p. 810) 

This quotation is found in the work Saṅgītanārāyaṇa in the context of the thirty two aṅgahāras. Having defined the term aṅgahāra, the author proceeds to present the different varieties of the same along with their definitions. He classifies the aṅgahāras into two groups, the former which follow the caturaśra laya^[25] and the later which follow tryaśra laya. Here Puruṣottama Miśrā gives the definition of caturaśra laya as seen in the work Kohalīya of Kohala. 

Kohala says that the caturaśra laya has two drutas and two laghus which are repeated six times. Mandakranta Bose translates this as ‘Two in quick, and two in slow tempo and six [times performed], such is caturaśra’^[26].

Aṅgahāras have been described in nāṭya literature from the time of Bharata’s Nāṭyaśāstra. Bharata describes all the 32 aṅgahāras together. Śārṅgadeva, in his Saṅgītaratnākara also describes the same 32 aṅgahāras, however, he makes a distinction by classifying them into two groups of sixteen each. Each of these groups is to follow caturaśra and tryaśra layas respectively. Śārṅgadeva uses the term ‘caturaśreṇa mānena’ which has been interpreted as—‘even number of time units’ by Kunjunni Raja^[27]. Mandakranta Bose interprets the same to be a rhythm unit of four beats^[28]. Several later authors on works of dance have followed this system of classification that Śārṅgadeva has presented. In that vein, even the author of Saṅgītanārāyaṇa has also followed the same system of classification of the thirty two aṅgahāras. However, the description of the caturaśra laya as given by Kohala appears to be quite different from that which has been spoken of by other authors such as Śārṅgadeva.

Footnotes and references:

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[1]:

M. R. Kavi says that Subhadrā is an upabhaṅga tāla (Footnote p.140) but then puts in under the list of vibhaṅga tālas while listing them out. Nānyadeva also puts Subhadrā tāla under Vibhaṅga tālas.

[2]:

Studies in the Natyasastra with special reference to Sanskrit drama in performance: 1991: p. 170

[3]:

Nātyaśāstra of Bharatamuni: 2001: GOS Vol II: Footnote: p. 140

[4]:

Commentaries by Śrīmajjovānanda Vidyāsāgar Bhaṭṭācārya and Raṅganātha

[5]:

Bharatabhāṣyam: GOML: Acc. No. R20159/ SR5631

[6]:

There are four types of characters representing the vīra rasa—Dharma-vīra, Dāna-vīra, Dayā-vīra and Yuddha-vīra. Bhīmasena is a yuddha-vīra character

[7]:

Nāṭyaśāstra of Bharatamuni: 2001: GOS Vol. II: p.144

[8]:

Bharatabhāṣyam: GOML: Acc. No. R20159/ SR5631: Fol. 360

[9]:

Nāṭyaśastra of Bharatamuni: 2001: GOS Vol. II: p. 144

[10]:

Ibid.

[11]:

Bharatabhāṣyam: GOML: Acc No. R20159/ SR5631: Fol. 362

[12]:

Bharatabhāṣyam: GOML: Acc. No. R20159/ SR5631: Fol. 360

[13]:

Nāṭyaśāstra of Bharatamuni: 2001:GOS Vol. II: p. 148

[14]:

laghuḥ drutadvayaṃ gaḥ punastathaiva ca | I O O S I O O S—nānyaḥ | Bharatakośa: 1999: p.296

[15]:

Nāṭyaśāstra of Bharatamuni: 2001: GOS Vol. II: p. 151

[16]:

Nāṭyaśāstra of Bharatamuni: 2006: GOS Vol. I: p. 439

[17]:

Nāṭyaśāstra of Bharatamuni: 2001: GOS Vol. II: Footnote: p. 151

[18]:

Bharatabhāṣyam: GOML: Acc. No. R20159/ SR5631: Fol. 348

[19]:

Bharatakośa: 1999: p.160

[20]:

Nāṭyaśāstra of Bharatamuni: 2006: Vol. I: p. 443

[21]:

Bharatabhāṣyam: GOML, Acc. No. R20159/ SR5631: Fol. No. 479

[22]:

Bharatakośa: 1999: p.781

[23]:

Saṅgītaratnākara: 1976: Vol II: p.134

[24]:

Bharatakośa: 1999: p. 617

[25]:

The sixteen aṅgahāras that follow the caturaśra laya are—sthirahasta, paryasta, bhramara, apasarpita, ākśipta, paricchinna, vaiśakharecita, pārśvasvastika, suscīviddha, aparājita, madavilāsita, mattākrīḍa, ālīḍha, ācchurita, pārśvaccheda and vidyudbhrānta.—Saṅgītanārāyaṇa: 2009: Vol. II, p. 811

[26]:

Ibid.

[27]:

Saṃgītaratnākara of Śārṅgadeva: 1976: Vol. IV: p. 128

[28]:

The Dance Vocabulary of Classical India: 1995: p. 184