Ocean of Music, Volume 1

seems to be the work of Kes'ava original: "Kes'ava"; likely referring to the author of an earlier musical treatise or commentary mentioned on page X ¹ The commentary in Hindi is by Gangārāma, of which there is a good manuscript in the Tanjore Palace Library ² A Tamil translation of the work also is available in the Tanjore Palace Library ³

Of the two important commentaries, those by Kallinātha and Simhabhūpāla, the commentary of Simhabhūpāla is earlier. Simhabhūpāla belongs to the Recherla dynasty. His father was Anapota, who had a younger brother called Mada. They built up a strong kingdom and they divided the kingdom between themselves, the northern part going to Anapota with the capital at Rajukonda and the southern part to Mada with the capital at Devarakonda ⁴ Anapota had two sons; Devagirīs'vara was the elder, who must have died young since it is Simhabhūpāla who succeeded Anapota ⁵ About Simhabhūpāla there is enough material available in his own works. In the commentary on the Sangītaratnākara The "Ocean of Music," a definitive 13th-century Sanskrit text on Indian classical music and dance itself, there is not much information available. He simply says that he has discussed the matter with scholars well-versed in—

¹ See foot-note 8 on p X
² Descriptive Catalogue, Vol XVI, No 10754
³ Tamil Catalogue by L. Olaganatha Pillai, No 634, b
⁴ See Velugotivārī Vams'āvalī The "Chronicle of the Velugoti Family," a historical record of the Recherla chiefs, edited by Dr. N. Venkata Ramanayya, No 6, Bulletin of the Department of Indian History, University of Madras, p 13 for this information. For names Anapota and Mada see note 6 on p XIV below.
⁵ This is not mentioned in the book referred to in the note just above, but see note 12 on p XIV below.