CONCEPT OF MUSIC (GANDHARVA VIDYA) IN AESTHETIC FRAMEWORK OF THE MAHABHARATA

Abstract

This chapter explores the multidimensional role of gandharvavidyā—the science and art of music—in the Mahābhārata, showing how the epic elevates music from a cultural accomplishment to a profound medium of ethical, emotional, and cosmic order. Far beyond entertainment, music functions as a bridge between the human and divine realms, shaping personal refinement, royal education, moral judgment, and spiritual awareness. Through episodes involving Gandharvas, sages such as Nārada, and characters like Arjuna and Draupadī, the text highlights music’s power to cultivate discipline, emotional intelligence, and aesthetic sensitivity while reinforcing social harmony and alignment with dharma. The chapter examines how melody, rhythm, dance, and vocal expression embody the principles of rasa and nāda, illustrating music’s capacity to transform inner consciousness and sustain order in the cosmos. Ultimately, the Mahābhārata presents gandharvavidyā as a holistic paradigm in which artistic expression becomes inseparable from ethical living, cultural refinement, and the maintenance of universal harmony.