To understand the Moorshana system, let us discuss the process in a point form:
1. Gram is a method of setting-up an octave. Gram determines the interval of notes within the octave.
2. There are two Grams in Vedic or Ancient Indian Music.
3. The first and the main gram is ‘Shadaj Gram’ or the Gram of Sa
4. In Vedic music, there are seven Shudh (pure or natural) Svaras.
5. The intervals of modern Shudh notes do not match with this Shudh Octave. The Vedic octave is:
a. Shadaj or Sa on 4th Sharuti
b. Rishav or Re on 7th Sharuti
c. Gandhar or Ga on 9th Sharuti (modern Komal Gandhar!)
d. Madhyam or Ma on 13th Sharuti
e. Pancham or Pa on 17th Sharuti
f. Dhaivat or Dha on 20th Sharuti
g. Nishad or Ni on 22nd Sharuti (modern Komal Nishad!)
If the semitone interval was variable as required in the Just Intonation scale, the Shadaj Gram is:
tone –semitone-tone-tone-tone-semitone-tone
Alternatively, the First Shudh Moorshana of Shadaj Gram is similar to the Dorian Mode. It can also be compared to modern Kafi Thaat which has 3rd and 7th Komal or flat. Keep in mind however, that the Kafi thaat is not first Shudh (pure) Moorshana of Shadaj Gram. It is actually the Rishav Santra Moorshana of Madhyam Gram.
6. There are two Vikrat Notes in Vedic music:
a. Antar Gandar on 11th Sharuti (Perfect third from the root or Modern Shudh Gandhar!) and
b. Kakali Nishad (perfect third from the Fifth or Modern Shudh Nishad!)
7. Thus there are four version of Shadaj Gram:
a. Shudh, containing all natural notes
b. Santra, containing Antar Gandhar instead of the Shudh Gandhar
c. Sakakali, containing Kakali Nishad instead of the Shudh Nishad and
d. Sadharna, containing both Vikrat notes (Antar Gandhar and Kakali Nishad)
8. The four versions of a Gram give birth to four types of Moorshanas.
9. As we know that one Saptak has seven Moorshanas (as described in this post), thus there are 28 Moorshanas in one gram (7×4)
10. Two Grams (Shadaj and Madhyam Gram) have 56 Moorshanas.
To see an example, lets see all four Shadajaa (starting from Shadaj) Moorshanas in the Shadaj Gram:
1. Shadajad Shudh Moorshana : S4, R3, G2, M4, P4, D3. N2
2. Shadajad Santra Moorshana: S4, R3, G4, M2, P4, D3. N2
3. Shadajad Sakakli Moorshana: S2, R3, G2, M4, P4, D3. N4
4. Shadajad Sadharna Moorshana: S2, R3, G4, M2, P4, D3. N4
All other Moorshanas of Shadaj Gram can be created based on the theory above.
For example here are the 7 Shudh Moorshanas of Shadaj Gram:
1. Shadajad Shudh Moorshana : S4, R3, G2, M4, P4, D3, N2
2. Rishavad Shudh Moorshana : R3, G2, M4, P4, D3. N2, S4
3. Gandharad Shudh Moorshana : G2, M4, P4, D3, N2, S4, R3
4. Madhyamad Shudh Moorshana : M4, P4, D3, N2, S4, R3, G2,
5. Panchamad Shudh Moorshana : P4, D3, N2, S4, R3, G2, M4,
6. Dhaivatad Shudh Moorshana : D3, N2, S4, R3, G2, M4, P4,
7. Nishadad Shudh Moorshana : N2, S4, R3, G2, M4, P4, D3
Comparing Shudh Moorshanas of Shadaj Gram with modes:
1. Shadajad Shudh Moorshana is Dorian
2. Rishavad Shudh Moorshana is Phrygian
3. Gandharad Shudh Moorshana is Lydian
4. Madhyamad Shudh Moorshana is Mixolydian
5. Panchamad Shudh Moorshana is Aeolian
6. Dhaivatad Shudh Moorshana is Locrian
7. Nishadad Shudh Moorshana is Ionian