Some Sporadic Notes On Brhaddesi

Here's a comprehensive summary of H.C. Bhayani's "Some Sporadic Notes on Brhaddesi," based on the provided pages:

This work by H.C. Bhayani delves into the Brhaddesi (BD), a significant Jain text concerning musical modes (ragas). The author analyzes specific terms and concepts mentioned in the BD, offering linguistic and historical insights.

1. Travaṇā:

• The BD mentions "Travaṇā" as the first Bhāṣā (a type of musical mode) of the Takkarāga and "Trāvaṇi" for the Pañcama-raga, both described as desa-sambhava (originating from a region).
• The editors of BD noted that "Trāvaṇa" or "Travana" is not a recognized geographical name.
• Bhayani counters this by referencing Rājashekhar's Kāvyamimāmsā (10th century), which lists "Travana" as a country in the western region of India, alongside places like Surāṣṭra and Kaccha.
• The Kāvyamimāmsā also suggests that poets from Surāṣṭra and Travana would recite Sanskrit poetry with an Apabhraṁśa influence.
• Therefore, Bhayani concludes that Travana was indeed a geographical location in the west, possibly in Rajasthan, near other known regions.

2. Harṣapūri:

• The BD lists "Harṣapūri" as the third Bhāṣā of the Malavakaiśika Raga.
• The BD editors stated that "Harṣapūra" is not a known geographical name.
• Bhayani identifies Harṣapura as a known city and administrative province in Gujarat during the Calukya period.
• He cites a copperplate grant (910-911 CE) from the Rashtrakuta king Krishna II that mentions the province as "harṣapura-ardhāṣṭama-sata" (Harṣapura-750) and identifies it with modern Harsol in Gujarat's Sabarkantha district.

3. Satavāhanikā:

• The BD refers to "Sātavāhanikā" (or possibly "Satavahini") as the second Bhāṣā of the Kakubha Raga.
• Bhayani connects this name to the famous royal poet and author Śātavāhana (Sālavāhana), who ruled in Pratishṭhāna (modern Paithan) in the 1st or 2nd century CE. He authored the Prakrit anthology "Gahakosa" or "Gahāsattasai."
• Bhayani further links this to Hemacandra's Siddhahema-śabdānuśāsana, where Hemacandra connects Prakrit forms like sālahaṇa with Sanskrit sātavāhana and provides an example of "sälahaṇi bhāsā."
• Bhayani suggests that in Hemacandra's context, "bhāsā" likely refers to a type of Gāmarāga (a classification of ragas) rather than a language, given its connection to Śātavāhana.

4. Ambāheri:

• The BD lists "Ambāheri" as the twelfth Bhāṣā of the Takka Raga.
• The BD editors suggested a connection to Ambāhera, near Amer in Rajasthan.
• Bhayani proposes an alternative and more likely interpretation: that "Ambāheri" is related to the Apabhraṁśa term "ammahiraya," which means "lullaby."
• He provides examples from the Apabhraṁśa poems of Svayambhu and Puṣpadanta, where "ammahiraya" is used to describe lullaby songs sung to children.
• He notes that "ambāheri" is described as desyākhya in the BD, which can mean its name derives from a regional dialect or a local term.
• Bhayani speculates that "ammahiraya" itself might be derived from "ammā" (mummy) and "hiraya" (diamond), referring to a child as a mother's precious gem.
• This interpretation aligns with the musical context, as lullabies are a specific type of song.

5. Vesara:

• The BD, citing Durgasakti, states that Rāgas themselves are known as "Vesara." The editors equate Rāga with "Vesarā Gīti."
• Durgasakti explains "Vesara" as an alternative form of "Vegasara," implying the swift movement of musical notes (svaras).
• Bhayani notes that the usual Sanskrit meaning of "vesara" is "mule."
• He traces the etymology and usage of "vegasara," which appears later than "vesara" and is listed as a synonym in Hemacandra's Abhidhāna-cintāmaṇi.
• Bhayani suggests that "vegasara" was likely a later etymological creation to explain "vesara" and its association with speed. The transition from "vegasara" to "veasara" (Prakrit) and then "vesara" is plausible.
• The BD's attempt to connect "vesara" to both "vegasara" (speedy movement) and "vegasvara" (speedy note) suggests an artificial etymology.
• The author raises the question of whether the term "Vesarā Gīti" being called "Vesara" (mule) implies a mixture of two types in its musical structure, leaving this for musicologists to explore.

6. Desi:

• Bhayani analyzes the ubiquitous term "desi" in the BD, which qualifies various elements like dhvani (sound), mārga (path/style), rāga (musical mode), nṛtta (dance), śabda (word), and nūmana (gesture).
• He clarifies that the BD defines desi as something sung with devotion in one's own country: "gīyate yā’nurāgeṇa svadeśe deśim-ucyate."
• The title "Brhaddesi" itself signifies a major work on desi ragas.
• Bhayani addresses the feminine form of "desi" and explains its derivation from "desa" (region). He notes that Sanskrit adjectives derived from "desa" are typically desya or desiya.
• He argues that the form "desi," functioning as an adjective, is a transformed version of desya, influenced by Prakrit.
• He provides examples of Sanskrit words where the final "-ya" changes to "-i" in later usage, such as aucitī (< aucitya), cāturī (< cāturya), and mādhuri (< mādhuryā). These forms are found in later Sanskrit texts.
• Bhayani concludes that the explanation of "vesara" as "vegasara" or "vegasvara," the place-name basis for "travaṇa" and "harṣapuriya," and the usage of the form "desi" all linguistically point to a relatively late date for the Brhaddesi. Similarly, the term "ambāheri" in the section derived from Yaṣṭika's work also suggests a later dating.