SAGTARATNKARA This work was written by rgadva in the end of 13th Century A.D.

The author was attached to the court of Ydava King Singhaa, whose capital was Devagiri ( the present Daulatabad, in the South Maharashtra). As the title indicates the work deals with the subject of Sagta. Sagta is defined as a composite art consisting of Gta (melodic forms), Vdya (forms for drumming) and Ntta (dance literally movements of the limbs of the body). Sagta is of two kinds. Mrga-sagta and De-sagta. Mrga-sagta is nothing but the Nya (Drama) performed by Bharata and his disciples. This performance of Bharata also consists of Gta, Vdya and Ntta. De-sagta represented a tradition different from Mrga and it varied from region to region. rgadva's aim in this work is to describe primarily the De-sagta. The aspects of Mrga-sagta are also described to some extent. The work is divided into 7 chapters covering the aspects Gta, Vdya and Ntta. The seven chapters are: 1. Svaragatdhyya 2. Rgavivekdhyya 3. Prakrakdhyya 4. Prabandhdhyya 5. Tldhyya 6. Vdydhyya 7. Nartandhyya 1. Svaragatdhyaya The Svaragatdhyaya is further divided into 8 Prakaraa-s or Sections. 1.1 Padrthasagraha-prakaraa The author commences with an account of his genealogy i.e., about his family and the Kingdom where they lived. The author also declares that among the three constituents of Sagta, Gta is primary and the most important. Hence the treatment of Gta is taken up by him first. The author also gives a list of ancient writers on music and related arts from whose work he has drawn out the essence and presented in Sagtaratnkara. Some of them are Bharata, Kayapa, Mataga, Khala, Vikhila, Dattila, Abhinavagupta, Smvara. After some verses extolling the greatness of Gta, the author gives a list of topics to be dealt with in each chapter. 1.2 Pidtpatti prakaraa This section describes the genesis of the human body from its conception to its growth. The reason for this information to be included is that, 'Nda' is produced in the human body, hence the body has to be described. The physiological account of the human body is given next according to the yurvda system. This is followed by the indication

2 of cakra-s, energy centres, based on the yogic school. By concentrating on some of these cakra-s one could attain great heights in music. 1.3 Nda-Sthna-ruti-Svara-Jti-Kula-Daivata-i-Chanda-Rasa-prakaraa This prakaraa describes how Nda arises in the human body and how the Nda manifesting in the three Sthna-s or places in the human body (a) Hd (heart region), (b) Kaha (throat) and (c) Mrdh (head region) gives rise to Mandra, Madhya and Tra varieties. In each Sthna because of the presence of 22 Ndi-s, 22 ruti-s are produced. ruti-s are units of tonal interval with which the interval of a Svara is measured. Hence the Svara-s are described next. After describing the intervals of the uddha-svara-s those of the Vikta-svara-s are given. uddha-svara-s are those which conform to the arrangements of the seven svara-s of the adja-mrcchan of adjagrma. Those which differ from this arrangements are the Vikta-svara-s. There are 7 uddha and 12 Viktasvara-s as shown in the table below.
ruti No.

uddha-svara-s

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22

adja

Vikta-svara-s Kaiika-Nida Kkal-Nida Cyuta-adja Acyuta-adja

abha Gndhra

Caturutika-Vikta-abha

Madhyama

Sdhraa-gndhra Antara-gndhra Cyuta-Madhyama Acyuta-Madhyama

Ma-grma Trirutika-Pacama Caturutika-vikta-Pa Pacama

Dhaivata Nida

Ma-grma Caturutika-Dhaivata

The seven Svara-s are also associated with the songs uttered by the various birds and animals e.g. adja with the voice of peacock. The four kinds of roles that svaras play in a melodic structure, namely, Vd, Samvd, Vivd and Anuvd are described next.

3 Finally the association of Svara-s with different Castes (Jti), Colours (Vara), Islands (Dvpa), Seers (i), Chanda (Metre), Aesthetic tastes (Rasa) are given. 1.4 Grma, Mrcchan, Krama and Tna This prakaraa deals with Grma, Mrcchan, Krama and Tna. Three Grmas are described - adja-grma, Madhyama-grma and Gndhra-grma. The names of the Seven Mrcchan-s in each Grma are also given. Among the tnas there are 2 kinds- uddha and Ka. uddha-tna is a Mrcchan devoid of one or two svara-s. Ka-tna-s are those varieties of Mrcchans in which the svaras occur in a disorderly way e.g., 's g r m p d n'. Those varieties in which svara-s are present in an order are called Krama-s. 1.5 Sdhraa-prakaraa Sdhraa is of two kinds (a) Svara-sdhraa (b) Jati-sdhraa. Sdhraa means ' being common to two or more elements'. When an extra svara occurs within the region between two svara-s then it is called sdhraa svara. Such svara-s are seen to occur in the region between Gndhra and Madhyama and between Nida and adja. Jati-sdhraa deals with two jatis belonging to the same grma and having the same amsa and which will consequently share similar scale formation. 1.6 Vara-Alakra-prakaraa The sixth prakaraa is on Vara and Alakra. Vara-s denote the different kinds of movements that a melodic line can take. There are four varas -- Sthyi, rh, Avarh and Sacr. Alakra-s are ornamental patterns of svara-s that decorate a melodic line. Alakra-s are classified under the four Vara-s. Sthyi-vara-alakra-s - 7 rh-vara- alakra-s - 12 Avarh-vara-alakra-s - 12 Sacr-vara-alakra-s - 25 are described. In addition 7 more Alakra are given. 1.7 Jti-prakaraa The seventh prakaraa is Jti-prakaraa in which the 'lakaa'-s or characteristics of 18 Jti-s are given. These 18 Jti-s are : 1. dj 5. Pacam 8. adjakaiik 11 Gndhrdcyav 14. Madhyamdcyav 17 ndhr 2. rabh 6. Dhaivat 9. adjdcyav 12. Raktagndhri 15 Krmrav 16 Nandayant 3. Gndhr 4. Madhyam 7. Naiad 10. adjamadhyam 13. Kaiik 16 Gndhrapacam

Before the description of the individual jti-s are furnished, the first 7 are classified into `uddh' and `Vikt' and the remaining 11 as `Samsaragaj'. The characteristics or

4 the lakaa-s that are used for a describing a Jti are the same 10 as mentioned in Bhadd. i) Graha: the svara commencing the melody. ii) Ama: the predominant svara which formed the tonic and which also occured profusely in the melody. iii) Tra: the svara in the higher register upto which the melodic movement could ascend. iv) Mandra: the svara in the lower register upto which the melodic movement could descend. v) Nysa: the svara on which a song finally concludes. vi) Apanysa: the svara on which the section of the song can conclude. vii) Alpatva: the svara which should be sparingly used or rendered weak. viii) Bahutva: svara which is strong and is frequently used. ix) dava: the svara which could be omitted to render the jti in 6 notes. x) Auduva: those two svara-s which could be dropped to render the jati in 5 svara-s. In addition three more are given. These are -Sanysa - the svara on which a portion within a section of a song concludes. Vinysa - the svara on which a melodic phrase especially underlying a word, concludes. Antaramrga - the special movement of the melody involving the Ama and the Alpa svara-s taking place in the region between Graha and Nysa svara-s.

1 2 3

After the description of the Jti-s the author gives the notation of a song based on one of the Ama svara-s of the Jti. A song for each of the 18 Jti-s is given. 1.7 Gti-prakaraa The last prakaraa is called the Gti-prakaraa. Although it is named thus it takes up the treatment of certain musical forms called Kapla and Kambala first and then goes on to Gti-s. The Kapla songs are based on some derivatives of Jti-s and they are made up of words describing the fierce form of Lord iva. In the second part of this prakaraa, the Gti-s are described. Gti is a kind of variation brought about through changes in the duration of certain element of a song. There are two kinds of Gti. Pada-gti: It relates to the text of the song and denotes the change in the duration of the syllables of the text in a song. Tla-gti: This relates to the change in the duration the Kriy-s or actions of a tla. 2 Rga-vivka-adhyya :The second chapter describes the Rga-s. The Rga-s are divided into Mrga and D. Among the Mrgarga-s there are 6 varieties -- Grmarga, Uparga, Rga, Bh, Vibh and Antarabh, The four kinds of desi rgas are Rgga, Bhga, Upga and Kriyga. Grmargas resemble the Jti-s closely and they are further classified on the basis of the different melodic styles characterising them. These styles are called "Gti"

5 and are of 5 kinds --uddh, Bhinn, Gaud, Sdhra and Vsar. In all, there are 33 Grmarga-s. Uparga-s and Rga-s are closer to Grmarga-s. Bh-s, Vibh-s and Antarabh-s are derivatives of Grmarga-s and Uparga-s and represent different tunes of the parent Rga. Rggarga-s are derivatives of Grmarga-s and Bhga-s are derivatives of Bh-s. Kriyga-s are certain melodic themes employed in dramatic performances portraying different kinds of emotions. In this chapter rgadva deals primarily with the Drga-s. In addition he describes the parent Bh and the source Grmarga-s. Under each Grmarga he gives in notation a song called kiptik based on that Rga. 3 Prakraka-adhyya The third chapter deals with a variety of topics. They are -a) The characteristics Vggyakra-s. Vggyakra-s are composers of both the melody and text of a song. b) Gua-Da: The characteristics of different kinds of Voice; Merits and Demerits of Men singer (Gyana), Lady singer (Gyan), abda and arra. c) Gamaka: There are 15 kinds of Gamaka-s, namely the kinds of shake or oscillations that svaras can be endowed with. d) Sthya: There are 96 kinds of Sthya-s which represent the feelings or effects that are associated with rga phrases. e) lapti.: There are two kinds of lapti. 1 2 Rga-lapti-- the non-rhythmic melodic structure preceding a composition similar to the alapana of present times. Rpaklapti- Melodic improvisation done with the song text as the base (similar to a 'Nerval')

4 Prabandha-adhyya Prabandha represents a collection of musical forms which are described in terms of two aspects, namely, 'Dhtu' and 'Aga". Dhtu denotes the different sections which are at the maximum five :(1) Udgrha (2) Mlpaka (3) Dhruva (4) bhga (5) Antara. Aga-s are six: and denote the content of a song. (1) Svara (2) Biruda (3) Tnaka (4) Pa (5) Pada (6) Tla. These cover the three aspects of Music - Melody, Tla and the text. Prabandha-s are divided into 3 classes:(1) Sda (2) li (3) Prakra. Sda prabandha-s are further divided into 2 groups (i) uddha-sda (ii) Chylaga-sda. 5. Tla-adhyya This chapter could be divided into 2 sections, one dealing with Mrga tla-s the other with D talas.

6 The Mrgatla-s are 5 -(i) Caccatpua (ii) Ccapua (iii) apitputraka (v) Udghaa.

(iv) Sampakvka

The different aspects of these tla-s like the time units - Laghu, Guru and Pluta -, the Kriy-s; the different forms of a tla like kakala Dvikala and Catukala are described along with the Mrgatla-s. In this section is also included the description of musical forms called `Gtaka-s'. Gtaka-s are musical forms which are set in a temporal framework defined in terms of the margatala structures. After these the Dtla-s which are used in the prabandhas and which total around 120, are described. 6 Vdya-adhyya In the sixth chapter come the four classes of musical instruments. i) Tata - Stretched stringed instruments ii) Suira - Literally those with holes, i.e., the wind instruments iii) Avanaddha- Literally covered i.e., drums which are vessels covered by streteched membranes iv) Ghana - Literally dense objects i.e., solid pieces like Bell, Cymbals etc.

For these Vdya-s not only the construction but also the technique of playing and the compositions played on them are described. Some of the instruments under the four categories are a) Tata - Ekatantr, Citr, Vipac, Mattakkil, lpin, Kinnari b) Suira - Vama ( of different sizes), Khala, akha. c) Avanaddha - Hudukka, Paaha d) Ghana - Kmsyatla, Gha 7 Nartana-adhyya The seventh and the last chapter is in two parts. The first one deals with Nartana. The term Nartana is a common term representing the arts of Ntta, Ntya and Nya based on the movements of the limbs of the body. However only the aspects of Ntta is relevant to Sagta. The various elements of Ntta like Hasta, Karaa, Agahra and Cr are described and also the characteristics of a good dancer and teacher. The different kinds of performance of sagta involving the three aspects of Gta, Vdya and Ntta are described. Some of these are - uddha-paddhati and Gaudal-vidhi. In the second part of this chapter,the author describes the Nine Rasa-s, namely, rgra, Vra, Hsya, Raudra, Adbhuta, Karu, Bhaynaka, Bbhatsa and nta. Rasa-s represent the different tastes that are evoked in the audience by the human feelings that transpire in the performance of Sagta. Sagtaratnkara is a very important text and this is evident from the fact that many commentaries were written on it. The famous ones are Sagtasudhkara of Simbabhpla and Kalnidhi of Kallintha. Sagtaratnkara is to a great extent a

7 compilation of the information found in earlier works like Nyastra, Dattilam, Bhadd, Sarasvat-hdaylakra-hra and is greatly influenced by the commentary of Abhinavagupta on Nyastra. On the other hand the work made a great impact on almost all the writers in the subsequent period. Thus it forms a useful bridge between the ancient and the medieval periods. rgadva called himself Nihaka i.e., `doubtless'. He also names a stringed instrument as Nihaka-V and D-tala as Nihaka-tla. This book is a great landmark in the history of Indian Music.