Sharangdeva

Shārangadeva was one of the most influential Indian musicologists of the medieval period, widely recognised as the author of Sangita Ratnakara, a foundational treatise on Indian classical music. Active during the 13th century, Sharangdeva’s work bridges the ancient and medieval traditions of Indian music, forming a crucial link between the early Nātya Shāstra of Bharata Muni and the later developments that shaped both Hindustani and Carnatic music. His contributions represent a synthesis of theory, aesthetics, and practice that continues to influence musicological thought across the Indian subcontinent.

Background and Historical Context

Sharangdeva lived during the reign of King Singhana II of the Yadava dynasty in Devagiri (present-day Daulatabad, Maharashtra) in the early 13th century. He was born into a scholarly Brahmin family in Kashmir, a region known for its deep intellectual and artistic traditions. Later, due to political instability in the north, his family migrated southwards, where he served as a court scholar and musician under the Yadava kings. This relocation placed him in a culturally vibrant environment that blended northern and southern musical traditions, allowing him to document and codify a pan-Indian musical theory.
His lifetime coincided with a period of transformation in Indian music, when regional styles were beginning to evolve independently, eventually forming the northern (Hindustani) and southern (Carnatic) systems. Sharangdeva’s Sangita Ratnakara provided a unifying theoretical framework that was respected by scholars and practitioners of both traditions.

The Sangita Ratnakara

The Sangita Ratnakara (meaning “Ocean of Music”) is Sharangdeva’s magnum opus, written in Sanskrit, and stands as one of the most comprehensive treatises on Indian music, dance, and rhythm. It consists of seven chapters, known as adhyayas, dealing with different aspects of performing arts:

1. Svarādhyāya – discusses the theory of musical notes (svaras), scales (grāmas), and intervals.
2. Rāgādhyāya – elaborates on rāgas, their formation, and their emotional effects.
3. Prakīrṇakādhyāya – covers topics such as musical instruments and their classification.
4. Prabandhādhyāya – deals with musical compositions, including song forms and performance structures.
5. Tālādhyāya – explains rhythm (tāla), time measures, and patterns used in music and dance.
6. Vādya Adhyāya – focuses on instrumental music, techniques, and tuning.
7. Nartanādhyāya – elaborates on dance, movement, gestures, and dramatic expression.

This encyclopaedic text draws extensively from earlier authorities like Bharata’s Nātya Shāstra, Dattila, and Matanga’s Brihaddeshi, while introducing new theoretical concepts and refinements. The Sangita Ratnakara thus serves both as a summary of earlier knowledge and a forward-looking treatise that accommodates contemporary developments of Sharangdeva’s era.

Musical Theories and Innovations

Sharangdeva’s treatment of musical notes (svaras), scales, and tonal systems demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of acoustics and aesthetics. He discusses the microtonal variations (śrutis), classifying them into 22 divisions within an octave, a system that continued to influence later theorists.
He also codified the concept of rāga as a melodic framework capable of evoking specific emotions (rasa), linking musical performance to psychological and aesthetic experience. The Sangita Ratnakara includes detailed descriptions of several rāgas in use during his time, along with the principles for creating new ones.
In rhythm, his classification of tālas and their intricate patterns offered an analytical basis for understanding temporal organisation in Indian music. His explanations of mātrā (time unit), vibhāga (division), and laghu (beat) helped establish a consistent system that remained central in both North and South Indian traditions.

Influence on Indian Classical Music

The Sangita Ratnakara holds a unique position as the last major text accepted as authoritative by both Hindustani and Carnatic music traditions before their eventual divergence. Later commentators such as Kallinatha and Simhabhupala expanded upon Sharangdeva’s ideas, applying them to evolving regional styles.
In Carnatic music, concepts like rāga, tāla, and gamakas (ornamentations) continued to draw from his systematic analysis. In Hindustani music, the work became an essential theoretical source for the development of dhrupad and other classical forms. Moreover, his influence extends to dance traditions, as the seventh chapter on nartana provides a bridge between musicology and choreography.

Scholarly and Cultural Significance

Sharangdeva’s scholarship extends beyond mere technical documentation; it represents a philosophical approach to understanding the emotional and spiritual power of music. He viewed music (sangita) as a divine art capable of uplifting the soul and promoting harmony. His treatise emphasises that music combines vocal, instrumental, and dance components, symbolising unity in diversity.
The Sangita Ratnakara also played a pivotal role in preserving the theoretical continuity of Indian classical music during a period of political change and regional diversification. By systematically organising the knowledge of his time, Sharangdeva ensured that Indian musical traditions maintained a coherent intellectual lineage.