Ocean of Music, Volume 1

S'ārngadeva, the author of the Sangītaratnākara Ocean of Music, a definitive 13th-century treatise, mentions many previous writers on the subject in verses 15 to 19 in the first prakarana section of the first adhyaya chapter. Of these authorities, some are very well known. A detailed notice of them will be more appropriate when the whole book is out. He must have eclipsed most of them. He styles himself as Nis's'anka, "free from doubts." He also refers to himself as Karanāgranīh, which shows that he was the accountant-general of his king. Thus the author of the original was a high official in the service of the king; the commentator Kallinātha was a prominent figure in the royal court, held in high esteem by the king; the other commentator is a king. This shows what a close relation there existed between the government and the culture of the country.

The Adyar Library has already published two works on Music, the Melarāgamālikā of Mahāvaidyanātha S'ivan and the Sangrahacūdāmani, which were both edited by the late Pandit S. Subrahmanya Sastrī and which appeared as Nos. 16 and 17 in the Adyar Library Series. The Rāgavibodha of Somanātha is already available in more than one edition and there is also an English translation. But the book is known to be out of print. The Adyar Library has already started printing a fresh edition of the work prepared by the late Pandit S. Subrahmanya Sastrī, where he has been able to improve the readings in many places. This edition will be out very soon.

The plan of the Adyar Library is to publish works in all aspects of ancient Indian Culture, of which we