Rajam's Corner
Saptaswara devata: Ri
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K allinatha, a commentator
of the Sangeeta Ratnakara
of Sarangadeva, gives
derivations for the names of each of
the saptaswaras based on grammatical
principles, which he says were based
on the idea of ancients like Matanga
and others. As we know, the first of
the seven notes in an octave is named
‘shadja’, and the second ‘rishabha’.
According to Kallinatha, shadja is
so named—shannaam svaraanaam
janakah—that which is the source of
the (other) six swaras; or that which
is produced from six parts (of the
body)—namely nose, throat, palate,
chest, tongue and teeth.