The Heavenly Music of Hastinavati

Their singing brought the Veena [a stringed wooden musical instrument] to life.  It burst into bloom and attracted the bees. The harmony was such that even an expert could not have distinguished between the humming of the bees, the sound of the strings and the voices of the maidens.

[A verse from Ananta Bhatta’s description of Hastinavati in his Champu Bharatha]

आलापकालसमपल्लविताङ्कवीणासौरभ्यपातिमधुपारवसङ्कुलस्य /  तन्त्रीस्वरस्य समितौ तरुणीस्वनस्य जानाति यत्र चतुरोऽपि न तारतम्यम् //

AlApakAlasamapallavithAnkavINAsaurabhyapAthimaDHupAravasankulasya /  thanthrIsvarasya samithau tharuNIsvanasya jAnAthi yathra chathurOpi na thArathamyam //