Knowledge of Music in the Śiśupālavadha

Māgha had vast knowledge in music. It is said about music—

nṛtyaṃ gītaṃ tathā vādyaṃ trayaṃ saṃgītamucyate (Amarakośa 1/6/11) ||

In English the word music came from the word muse. Muse was the daughter of Greek God Zeus and Godess “Mnemonsy. They inspired the poets and singers. As a result musie is created. Naturally it is imaginary story of purāṇa”. It is said by prabhat kumar Goswami in his book Bharatiya Saṃgīter Katha.

Another name of the purāṇa is Brahmavidyā. Generally the sāmaveda is considered the source of Indian music.

Sāyanācārya said in his introduction of vedabhāṣya—

‘gītirūpāḥ mantrāḥ sāmāni ||’

According to Mimāṃsaka jaimini music is inner endeavour.—

‘gītirnāma kriyāhyābhyantara prayatnajanitasvaraḥ || (Śiśupālavadha kāvya samīkṣa, p.184).

Combination of dance, song and instruments created music.

The word music (saṅgīta) is observed in the kiṣkindhā kāṇḍa of the Rāmāyana.

“ṣadpādatantrīmadhurābhidhānaṃ plavaṅgamodīritakaṣṭhatālam |
āviṣkṛtaṃ meghamṛdaṅganādairvaneṣu saṅgītam iva pravṛttam” || (Śiśupālavadha kavya Mamikṣā, p.184).

In the Mahābhārata we find the use of instruments and dance.

It is observed in the virataparvan of the Mahābhārata that, Arjuna was appointed as a teacher of dance, song and musical instruments in the harem of the king Virāta.

“gītaṃ nṛnyaṃ vicitraṃ vāditraṃ vividhaṃ tathā |
śikṣayiṣyāmyaha rājanvirāṭabhavane striyaḥ” || 4.2.29 ||^[1]

In the vedic period Ṛgmantras were enchanted with musical tone. Ksauṇī, āghāti, kāṇḍi, vāṇa, etc. were used as musical instruments at that time. In the age of the Mahābhārata we can see the use of saptavīnā, beṇu [veṇu], mādala (drum) as musical instruments. But Poet Māgha discussed about the science and subject matter of music, śruti, svara and musical instruments in his epic the Śiśupālavadha.

Māgha has indicated the science of music as ‘gāndharvam’.

He used this word in the following verse—

“puraḥ prayuktairyuddhaṃ taccalitairlavdhaśuddhibhiḥ |
ālapairivagāndharvamadīpyata padātibhiḥ ||19.47 ||^[2]

Raktavaunika and vaitālika are mention as the singers by Māgha in his Śiśupālavadha. He also mentioned the technical terms like vādya, tāla (musical time), laya (musical harmony), svara (note in music) etc

. In the tenth verse of first canto the technical term of music like śruti (hearing) sura (tune), grāma (musical scale), mūrchanā (duly regulated rise and fall of voice in music) are found.

“raṇadbhirāgaghaṭṭanayā nabhasvataḥ pṛthagvibhinnaśrutimaṇḍalaiḥ svaraiḥ |
sphuṭībhavadgrāmaviṣeṣa mūrcghanāmavekṣamāṇaṃ mahatīṃ muhurmuhuḥ ||”1.10 ||^[3]

Mallinātha said in his commentary on this verse that—

“śratyaradhvamanuraṇanaṃ svaḥ” iti takṣaṇāt | taduktaṃ ratnākare śratyanantarabhāvī yaḥ snigdho'nuraṇanātmakaḥ | svano rañjayati śrotuścittaṃ sa svara ucyate |”

He said about seven categories of svara (note in music) also in the commentary of this verse.

“śrutibhyaḥ syuḥ svarāḥ ṣaḍjarṣabhagāndhāramadhyamāḥ |
pañcamo dhaivatāścātha niṣāda iti saptate ||”

A definite śruti (hearing) is there for every svara (note in music).

The poet indicated the presence of saḍaja (ṣaḍaja) (name of the first note in the hindu music), madhyama (fourth note in the hindu gamut music), svara (svara) (note in music) in the first verse of the eleventh canto.

śrutisamadhikamuccaiḥ paccamaṃ pīḍayantaḥ satatamṛṣabhahīnaṃ bhinnakīkṛtya ṣaḍajam |
praṇijagadurakākuśrāvakastigdhakaṣṭhāḥ pariṇatimiti rātrermāgadhā mādhavāya ||” 11.1 ||^[4]

In this context Mallinātha says in the commentary of the tenth verse of the 1^st canto of the Śiśupālavadha.

“catuścatuścatucaiva ṣaḍjamadhyamapañcamāḥ |
dve dve niṣādagāndhārau tristriṛṣabhadhaivatau ||”

Collection of svaras (note in music) are indicated as grāma (musical scale). It is divided into three parts. ṣaḍaja-grāma, madhyama-grāma and gāndhāra-grāma.

In this contex Mallināthas commentary is mentionable in the tenth verse of the 1^st canto of the Śiśupālavadha.

“yathā kuṭumvinaḥ sarve'pyekībhūtā bhavanti hi |
tathā svarāṇāṃ sandeho grāma ityabhidhīyate |
ṣaḍgrāmo bhavedyadyau madhyamagrāma eva ca |
gāndhāragrāma ityetad grāmatrayamudāhṛtam ||”

Beside this in the context of Mūrchanā (duty regulated rise and fall of voice) in music Mallinātha said in his commentary of the tenth verse of the first canto of the Śiśupālavadha.

“kramāt svarāṇāṃ saptānāmārohaścāvarohaṇam |
sā mūrcchetucyate grāmastha etāḥ sapta sapta ca ||”

Mūrchanās are duly regulated rise and fall of voice in music). These are twenty one in number. Every grāma (music scale) is made of seven mūrchanā (duly regulated rise and fall of voice in music)

Beside this in eleventh canto there is use of the musical words like tāla (music time) and the musical instrument like veṇu (flute) vīṇā (lute) etc.

“gatamanugatavīṇairekatāṃ veṇunādaiḥ kalamavikalatālaṃ ṇāyakairvodhahetoḥ |
āsakṛdanavagītaṃ gītamākarṇayantaḥ sukhamukulitanetrā yānti nidrāṃ narendrāḥ ||11.10 ||^[5]

Mallinātha said in his commentary about tāla (music time) in the fifty fourth verse of the eighteenth canto.

“aṅgairālapayedgītaṃ hastenārthaṃ pradarśayet |
dṛṣṭibhyāṃ bhāvayedbhāvaṃ pādābhyāṃ tālanirṇaya ||”18.54 ||^[6]

In the Śiśupālavadha about music it is found in seventy second verse of second canto.

vaṇaiḥ katipayaireva grayitasya svarairiva |
anantā vāṅmayasyāho geyasyeva vicitratā || 2.72 |^[7]

And it is also seen in the first verse of the eleventh canto.

So, it is proved that Māgha had immense knowledge about music and musical instruments.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

M.N. Dutta, (Ed.): Mahābhārata, virataparvan, vol-III, p.5.

[2]:

Haridasa Siddhantavagisha: Op.cit., 800.

[3]:

ibid., p.7.

[4]:

ibid., p. 431.

[5]:

ibid., p. 436.

[6]:

ibid., p. 766.

[7]:

ibid., p. 80.