Statement:
(A) Structure of Gram depends upon the shruti-swar arrangement.
(R) All Moorchhanas of Madhyam Gram contains Chatushrutik Pancham and Trishrutik Dhaivat.

Question

Statement: 
(A) Structure of Gram depends upon the shruti-swar arrangement. 
(R) All Moorchhanas of Madhyam Gram contains Chatushrutik Pancham and Trishrutik Dhaivat.

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 1: (A) is true and (R) is false.

In ancient Indian musicology, statement (A) is absolutely correct: The entire structure of a *Gram* (the foundational parent scale, like the *Shadaj Gram* or *Madhyam Gram*) is intrinsically defined by the precise and fixed arrangement of the seven *swaras* (notes) across the 22 *shrutis* (microtones). This unchangeable assignment of 4, 3, or 2 shrutis to each swara is what establishes the characteristic intervallic structure of that *Gram*.

Statement (R) is false for two key reasons. Firstly, the original Madhyam Gram is fundamentally defined by its characteristic difference from the Shadaj Gram: it contains a *Trishrutik Pancham* (Pa on 3 shrutis) and a *Chatushrutik Dhaivat* (Dha on 4 shrutis). The statement incorrectly suggests that the Madhyam Gram contains a *Chatushrutik Pancham* and a *Trishrutik Dhaivat*, which is the reverse or a confused structure, making the fundamental premise wrong. Secondly, a *Moorchhana* is a derived scale created by shifting the tonic (Sa). Since the intervals of the scale remain fixed in their original positions, the new 'Pancham' (fifth note) of the *Moorchhana* takes on the *shruti* value of its position in the original Gram, which will be different from the base Gram's Pancham (3 shrutis) in most of the seven *Moorchhanas*. Therefore, it is incorrect to say *all* Moorchhanas of Madhyam Gram contain a specific combination of shruti-intervals for their Pancham and Dhaivat.

The incorrect option is 2: (A) is false and (R) is true. This option is incorrect because, as explained, statement (A) is a foundational truth in *Gram* theory: the *Gram* fundamentally depends upon the immutable arrangement of its notes on the *shrutis*. If the shruti arrangement were to change, the scale would no longer be considered that specific *Gram*. Similarly, statement (R) is factually incorrect regarding the defining intervals of the *Madhyam Gram* and the resulting *Moorchhanas*, proving R is false, not true.

The incorrect option is 3: (A) and (R) both are true. This option is incorrect because statement (R) is demonstrably false. The characteristic arrangement of the Madhyam Gram includes a Trishrutik Pancham, not a Chatushrutik Pancham as stated. Moreover, the shifting of the starting note in the *Moorchhanas* means the interval size of the new Pancham will vary. Therefore, the assertion that both statements are true is inaccurate due to the flaw in statement (R).

The incorrect option is 4: (A) and (R) both are false. This option is incorrect because statement (A) is a true and essential definition of the Gram concept. The defining characteristic of a *Gram* is precisely the fixed positions and interval sizes (in terms of shrutis) of the seven notes. Only statement (R) is false, making the assertion that both are false incorrect.