MUSIC IS DIVINE AND SPIRITUAL
(Compiled by N. R. Srinivasan for a discourse at Sri Ganesh Temple, Nashville, TN, USA)
In God’s creation, perhaps, the first musical sounds were the chirping of the birds like Bulbuls’ whistles, cooing of the cuckoos in crescendo, the peacock crying and dancing rhythmically spreading out its glorious multi-colored feathers like a fan. Again, animals too like the herd of elephants with their majestic gait trumpeting add to the birds’ chorus to make a grand symphony. Music is higher than this and is in close touch with mind or spirit. In the words of Lin u Tang it is a pure sentiment without words with which alone the intellect can operate.
Our mythology attributes the origin of Indian Music to the Divine Brahma. Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva the Eternal Trinity were said to be the first musicians: Brahma kept the time beat with the clanging cymbals and Vishnu sounded the holy mridangam or the drum. Lord Shiva displayed his infinite modes of rhythm in his cosmic dance of Universal creation and preservation.
Origin of Music is traced to the Vedic hymns too that were chanted in ancient India during ceremonies and other religious occasions.
Music can be found in the Vedas, which are the oldest scriptures in the Hindu tradition. The Sama Veda, one of the four Vedas, describes music at length.
The Sama Veda was derived from the Rig Veda so that its hymns could be sung as Samagana. The hymns were sung by Udgater priests at sacrifices in which the Soma the ritual drink was offered to various deities. The chanting style evolved into jatis and eventually into ragas… Bharat’s Natyashastra was the first treatise laying down fundamental principles of dance, music and drama.
Music has its own language, the language of emotions such as joy, fear, depression, despair which are universal and so music which uses such emotions as its language is universal.
From time immemorial extraordinary powers have been ascribed to music. It is said Muthuswami Dikshitar brought rain by singing the raga Amritvarshani. It is said the late Nagaswaram Vidvan Sivakozhundu could draw out cobras from their holes and make them swing their hoods to his tunes.
Tansen, the peerless musician who was one of the nine gems in the court of Emperor Akbar with his rich expositions of Dhrupads in Deepak, Megh Malhar and other raagas illuminated the unlit lamps, brought unseasonal rains, gave life to unattended musical instruments and even said to have tamed wild beasts. Congreve has very well said:”Music hath charms to soothe a savage beast, to soften rocks or bend a knotted oak.” There is one story about raaga Deepak. Once Emperor Akbar asked Gopal Naik an expert musician in his court whether raag Deepak could kindle fire. Gopal Naik affirmed. Akbar wanted him to sing and prove. Gopal was reluctant and though with all precautions standing in water he sang his body burst into flames and was reduced to ashes.
It is Music through saints have touched the heart of God. Music was the easiest path to reach God.We have heard many stories where God has run to the rescue of innumerable singer- saints like Mirabai, Kabir, Surdas, Ramprasad, Tulsidas and many others His heart rent by their appealing Music.
Music has the power to heal our ailments too. After many experiments it has been established that Musical therapy can cure diseases. Even simple ailment like headaches can be cured by Music.
I have heard of a violent patient who would cool down the moment was played. Gandhiji in his ‘Influence of Music’ writes how Music has given him peace and helped to overcome anger. Again he tells us that in Transvaal when he was badly wounded, the pain of his wound were relieved when Olive Doke sang to him ‘Lead Kindly Light’. Music has great magical powers.
It seems audiences sat enthralled as the delicate small hands of the young prodigy Mozart wove an enchanted spell. Again when Hadyn gave a performance of his 'Oratorio’s Creation’ in Vienna a burst of sunlight accompanied the phrase “ Let there be light” the audiences looked up awe- struck to Hadyn’s box With tears in his eyes Hadyn pointed towards heaven “ It came from there” he whispered.
It seems once the famous violinist Mehudi Menuhin forgot his passport while travelling and the authorities would not allow him to pass despite his requests. At last as a proof he was asked to play the violin. And lo! No sooner had Menhumin’s bow touched the strings, the crowd stood bewitched.
Once Menuhin had started he could not stop and the audience stood motionless. Finally the music slowed down and ended not before tears rolled down the cheeks of the spell- bound listeners. They permitted him to go but not before confessing that they had done this purposely to hear his heavenly music which otherwise was impracticable for them.
Fortunately I had the privilege to attend to various concerts of famous musicians like Pdt. Ravi Shankar, Ali Akbar Khan, Allaudin Khan, Ustad Amir Khan and a lot more.
Many of the programs would last the whole night and we would return at dawn with the milkman with the heavenly music in us. Bismillah Khan especially would get into top mood and regale us when nearing dawn only a few handful eager lovers of music still sat to hear him more.
I remember it was at Swami Haridas Sangit Sammelan organised by Shri Brijnarayan where Pdt. Jasraj when only seventeen years old gave his first performance singing raag Madhuvanti. It is unforgettable.
Needless to say that these great musicians have been messengers of God to transport us to the realm of ecstasy. Great music never dies; it vibrates in the memory forever as it is intimately connected with Divinity.
Origin of Music is traced to the Vedic hymns too that were chanted in ancient India during ceremonies and other religious occasions, writes MEERA S. SASHITAL KARMA COHEN.
A THRILLING DIVINE COINCIDENCE
While observing Mahasivaratri worship and enjoying this as usual, I wish to share this exciting news with you all:
“Shankar Mahadevan is a singer and a composer especially for Indian films. He belongs to Tamil speaking family in India. He has received numerous awards including Padma Shri award for Film Music in 2019 and Lata Mangeshkar award in 2011.
We also have a namesake amongst us in Nashville, TN. Dr. Sankaran Mahadevan (though the first name is spelt slightly different ) is a Professor of Engineering at Vanderbilt University. He is also an accomplished musician, musicologist and a spiritual teacher. He facilitates our Sunday Bhagavad Gita study group (now over Zoom due to COVID19 pandemic). Dr. Mahadevan hails from the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, the land of famous temples, Carnatic music, Bharatanatyam classical dance, famous resorts like Ooty, Kodaikanal etc.
Coincidentally the names Sankaran/Shankar and Mahadevan are the other names of Lord Shiva.
Note: The song was composed by Sri Thyagaraja (1767-1847) regarded as guardian saint of Carnatic music.
What is
music therapy?
Music
therapy can calm anxiety, ease pain, and provide a pleasant diversion during
chemotherapy or a hospital stay.
Music therapy is a burgeoning field. People who become certified music therapists are usually accomplished musicians who have deep knowledge of how music can evoke emotional responses to relax or stimulate people or help them heal. They combine this knowledge with their familiarity with a wide variety of musical styles to find the specific kind that can get you through a challenging physical rehab session or guide you into meditation. And they can find that music in your favorite genre, be it electropop or grand opera.
It's almost impossible to find someone who doesn't feel a strong connection to music. Even if you can't carry a tune or play an instrument, you can probably reel off a list of songs that evoke happy memories and raise your spirits. Surgeons have long played their favorite music to relieve stress in the operating room, and extending music to patients has been linked to improved surgical outcomes. In the past few decades, music therapy has played an increasing role in all facets of healing.
Music: A Path to God-Realization
There are
various routes to God-realization; Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga, Karma Yoga and
various other pathways, but one of the easiest, cheapest, quickest, safest and
surest way to attain God-realization is Sankirtan Yoga. It is a
universally-accepted fact that sangeet or music is the fountain-source of all
our being. The emotional appeal that it arouses embellishes the inner
aspiration of humanity. The science of music goes hand in hand with Bhakti
Yoga. “Music is a synthesis of the various Yogas or paths to God-realization” (Swami Sivananda.)
The art
or science of music is a means of shuffling of this mortal coil, and for
enjoying a sacred pleasure while yet living. Music is Naada Yoga and many
adepts in Yoga have recognized that there are vital centers in the subtle body
of man which vibrate and produce certain astral sounds. Great minstrels of the
Lord such as Mirabai, Purandaradas, Surdas and Narsi communed with their Master
through music. When Mantras are chanted or kirtan sung, these inner vital
centres are influenced and the spiritual power latent in them is made manifest.
This power enables the Nadopasaka-(the spiritual aspirant who has made music
his spiritual Sadhana) to acquire absolute control over his mind and senses,
thereby enabling him to ascend to the super conscious realms of Samadhi (total
absorption in Divinity).
Sangeet
breaks the three Granthies or knots of ignorance: Brahma Granthi, Vishnu
Granthi and Rudra Granthi. It purifies the Naaries (Naari Shuddhi) and the
Praanamaya-Kosha (vital air sheath) and easily awakens the dormant Kundalini
that is coiled up in Muladhaara Chakra and eventually induces a divine ecstatic
mood (Bhava Samadhi).
In
addition, music also destroys the Rajas (materialism) and Tamas (sluggishness)
modes of nature and fills the mind with Sattwa (truth). The aspirant who
practices this ‘Naad Yoga’ succeeds in rising above Dehadyaasa (identification
of body) ,shifting his focus to the spiritual. His choice of music, songs, etc.
is guided by ‘bhakti ras’- the essence of devotion. Here it is noteworthy to
remember that vulgar music and obscene songs which are usually accompanied by
intoxicants is invariably the outcome of passion and base thoughts and has a
deep tinge of lust and other negativities. Such songs and music appeal to the
gross, lower animal instincts that arouse likewise behavior.
The Lord says to Saint Narada, “I dwell not in Vaikuntha (Heaven), nor in the hearts of Sages and Saints, but where my devotees sing. There I am, O Narada.” Music is not to be neglected or brushed aside. It must be a legitimate ambition of everyone, to be able to sing or play some instrument. Music gives peace and tranquilizes our minds when we are agitated. It is the duty of every one of us to lose no time to earn and keep this rare means with which to propitiate God and enter “Vaikuntha,” the highest aim of life in this human birth. Music is a sacred science, its goal being God- Consciousness.
People
often ask me what kind of music is more spiritual: Is it Vedic mantras,
Gregorian chant, devotional Bhajans,
the great symphonies of Beethoven, traditional Gospel hymns, indigenous drums
or even rock and roll? I usually respond by saying any music that helps
reconnect us to our essence -- to our inner and divine nature -- is spiritual.
For a teenager in Detroit or mother living in a smaller village in the Andes,
the sound of that path is likely to look or, should I say, sound quite
different. As fellow producer Karsh Kale once said, "For someone the sound
of the bansuri is the sound of Krishna, while for somebody else, the sound of
sub bass frequencies is a connection to spirituality."
The
spiritual nature of music cannot be defined by religion, culture or genre.
Music precedes and transcends all of those frameworks. To even compare music
and spirituality as if they were independent concepts feels a bit odd to me.
Music is, at its essence, the sound of spirit. When created from the heart and
with truth and pure intention, music is a spiritual expression of the most
universal nature and the highest order.
"Music
is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the
imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything." -- Plato
A
couple of years ago, I shared some time on the banks of the Ganges River in
Rishikesh with a group of young Tibetan girls who had ventured down from their
orphanage high atop the Himalayas. Having arranged the gathering the day before
with the monk who ran the orphanage, I took the opportunity to share a couple
popular songs with the girls. We all relished with joy in the hot India sun as
I played guitar and they all sang along to the popular refrains of Paul
McCartney's "Let it Be," Ziggy Marley's "Love is My
Religion," and Snatam Kaur's "Ananda." Was this experience of
singing these modern day mantras any less spiritual for them then learning the
Tibetan chants taught to them at the orphanage? From the smiles on their faces
and light radiating from their eyes as they sang their hearts out, I'm not so
sure.
"There
is nothing in the world so much like prayer as music is." -- William P.
Merrill
Let
me attempt to show this relationship between music and spirituality on a more
fundamental level by first examining the meaning of "spiritual." The
New Oxford American Dictionary defines spiritual as "relating to, or
affecting the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical
things." As we go back further in time, spirit comes from Latin spiritus
-- which is most simply translated as breath, but also identified with courage,
vigor and soul. The distinction between soul and spirit was first separated in
Christian terminology, with spirit being the "seat of emotions." A
more contemporary definition of spirit might also include "the essential
nature of something."
Whatever
meaning one chooses for spirituality, I believe there are direct correlations
to each in the nature of music. Music is essential to human life and an
integral part of our development as individuals and as a species. Like breath,
music has rhythm, tension and release. One might even claim that the sound of
breath, or the waves of the ocean are musical expressions of life. The
beginning of the universe, according to modern science, was created by sound --
the Big Bang. The ancient myth of the goddess Voce claims that she created the
world by singing it into existence. Few things in life have the ability to
directly shape or shift our emotional state than music.
"There
are certain things that have universal attributes, like music. Something of
greater magnitude is conveyed by them. They connect us with the universal
storehouse of life and knowledge." -- Swami Paramananda
On
that same trip to Risheskesh, a group of us had been eagerly awaiting the
opportunity for Swami Vishwananda to share his insights on the great teachings
of Bhakti Yoga. Finally, late one night he told us all to follow him back to
that spot by the side of the Ganges. His followers took out their instruments
and began to play, chant, and dance in the moonlight, inviting us to follow
suit as they celebrated their way into an ecstatic state. After an hour or so,
Vishwananda and his musicians packed up as the Swami turned us and said,
"Now you know the true meaning of Bhakti."
"Music
cleanses the understanding, inspires it, and lifts it into a realm which it
could not reach if it were left to itself." -- Henry War Beecher
On
another occasion, I took Alec -- a retired British gentleman who had spent his
whole life attending masses at an extremely conservative Church of England, to
an Easter celebration at a Southern Baptist church in South Central Los
Angeles. I wanted him to hear the choir and the amazing artists who regularly
joined the services at this particular church. More than having an eye-opening
or entertaining experience, he was blown away. The whole congregation was
singing, clapping, and dancing along while the choir and soloists alike sang as
if possessed by the music as it channeled through them. Having never
experienced anything like it in his life, Alec told me afterward that his whole
life would have been different had his church experience been so filled with
music, joy, and passion rather than the dry, extremely controlled services he
had come to known.
"Music
should be healing; music should uplift the soul; music should inspire. There is
no better way of getting closer to God, of rising higher towards the spirit, of
attaining spiritual perfection than music, if only it is rightly
understood." -- Hazrat Inayat Khan
Although
nearly all known religions of the world include music in their expressions and
rituals, I prefer not to limit our definition of spirituality to religion. I do
recommend, however, bringing music into whatever spiritual practice or
religious rituals you do follow. For years I would separate my morning
meditation practice from practicing my instrument, often running out of time
for one or the other. One day I brought my guitar and my original melodies to
my morning meditation ritual and discovered both practices, and my own sense of
connection, were greatly enhanced by the union.
"Music
is the easiest method of meditation. Whoever can let himself dissolve into
music has no need to seek anything else to dissolve into." -- Osho
I
won't claim that all music is spiritual, or rather, created and intended for
the benefit of the human spirit. It would be great if it were. As Ravi Shankar
put it when asked if music is essentially spiritual: "The highest form in
music is spirituality." When it is, the effect on us -- our thoughts, our
emotions, our subconscious, and even our physical well-being -- can be quite
profound. I, like Fela Kuti, Shakar and many others, believe it is the
responsibility of the creators of music to recognize their influence and
express themselves with truth, consciousness, and integrity.
"Beautiful
music is the art of the prophets that can calm the agitations of the soul; it
is one of the most magnificent and delightful presents God has given us."
-- Martin Luther
Music
is one of our most powerful gateways to connect to our spiritual nature -- our
divine source -- the unseen, as well as to the universe around us and those
other divine beings that inhabit it with us. I know of no other medium that can
transport us as immediately, on all levels of our existence, beyond the limits
of our intellect and physical body to a higher, often blissful and inexplicable
state. Music has the unique ability to transform us independently of our
thinking mind, to a place uninhibited by the judgments, doubts and fears that
too often dictate the narration of our thoughts and self-limiting beliefs.
"Again,
when the mind is doubtful, when the mind drinks deep of doubt-poison, the
senses have no capacity to inject faith into the mind. Here also music comes to
the rescue." -- Shri Chinmoy
Just
as music has helped rescue me from some of the lowest points of my life, it has
been the blissful soundtrack for my many of my most loving memories and the
rhythm that continues to propel me forward. For me, spirituality and music will
never be separated. The more music continues to awaken my higher aspirations
and light the path of my inner journey, the higher I am inspired to reach and
the deeper I long to delve into those realms of the magical unknown that awaits
me. If words are the limited language of my mind, music is the limitless
calling of my soul.
"I
still believe in the things I can't see... I believe in the things I can feel:
Music, Love, and God." -- Lina Loy
Hindu Musical Tradition also called Shastriya Sangeet are ancient and diverse. But they have a common foundation based on “Raga and Tala” that is rooted in a unique Spiritual Cosmology. Dr. Kannis Kannikeswaran delivered a website lecture exploring theoretical foundation of the world of Ragas and Talas, arranged by HUA on March 5, 2022.
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