Sri Nochur Venkataraman- Narada's Veena

[Rsachi]

I have started listening to some very interesting discourses online by Sri Nochur Venkataraman.

Here is an interesting story about Narada and how he played on the veena:
audio link:
http://bit.ly/NochurNaradaVeena

When Narada was born as Brahma’s manasa putra, the devatas welcomed him as Devarshi, and presented him a divine veena. He mastered the veena and started playing the chant, “Narayana” on the veena.
Narada was so gracious that he decided to even make king Hiranyakashipu listen to this prayer. Hiranyakashipu, the demon father of Prahlada, was allergic to the word Narayana. But when Narada approached him and said he had discovered a new song to play on his veena, the king arranged his recital in the sabha between 6 and 6:30 PM next day.
At the appointed time, Narada went and played the veena, and the chant, “Narayana” in various marvellous ragas. Hiranyakashipu did not know this tune, but he was so pleased that he insisted that Narada come and play the veena and the same music every evening! This went on for some time and just to test the demon, Narada once changed the “song”. Immediately Hiranyakashipu protested and said he should go back to that beautiful tune.

That is the grace of a realised master, that he will find a way to give you the touch of the divine, willy nilly!
Sri Nochur Venkataraman quotes the Bhagavatam, wherein Narada mentions that all that he needs to do is to call out the name, Narayana, with all heart, or even play the veena with that chant in his heart, and it is sure to get God's grace and presence.

[kvchellappa]

He is a great scholar and authority on advaita and Ramana. I have always found it a great experience to listen to him as he imparts knowledge of the self authentically along with the story.

[vgovindan]

How much authentic is the story? I have my own doubts.

[kvchellappa]

There is no authenticity about any mythological story including the great epics.

[vgovindan]

kvc,
That is how all our Indian purANAs have been dismissed by Westerners and, regrettably, Indians too. However, my query pertains to whether this story is there in any of the 'so called' mythologies like 'bhAgavatam' or an imagination of the pravacaka. To the best of my knowledge, there is no such mention in bhAgavatam. If however, we are to dismiss even bhAgavatam as not authentic, then hats off to Indianness!

[kvchellappa]

Mythology is mythology regardless of who says it.
Indian mythology is vast and NV has extensive knowledge of mythology.
It is not the source, but the message that seems important.
Anyway, my interest in his discourses is not for the story, but for his exposition of metaphysical import. The stories to my mind are like Aesop's fables.

[Sundara Rajan]

Even in mythology Narada is usually depicted to play a Tambura (not a veeNa ) with one hand as a drone to his music and a pair of "chipla kattai"s for tAla in the other hand. One cannot play the veeNa with one hand ! PaurANikAs too may have "poetic license" to create stuff in order to drive a point across.

[Rsachi]

Sir, please do your research. Narada always plays the veena.

Sri Thyagaraja addresses Narada in one of his krithis,
"Veda-janita-vara-veena-vadana-tatvajna", ie An expert in playing the veena, born of the Vedas.

[Sundara Rajan]

Thanks. I stand corrected. I went by the depiction of Narada with the string instrument in one hand and the "chipla" in the other hand in pictures and movies.

[venkatakailasam]

An interesting article:

Anjaneya the Sangeetha Exponent

In carnatic sangeetha tradition there are two classes of sakas (branches), one is known as Narada tradition and the other is known as Hanumath tradition. It is said that Saint Tyagaraja was the follower of Narada tradition. He was gifted with the “swararnavam” palm leafs by Saint Narada. Sri Muthuswamy Dhikshathar is follower of Hanumath tradition.

The celestrial sages, Sri Narada and Sri Tumburu, were great players of the fretted veenas. But there was clash of ego between them leading to bitter rivalry. Both of them would participate in function and compete in all the competition. At the end of the duel nobody would be able to say who is superior. Their ego was seeking a final decision as to who is best. The matter was brought before Lord Narayana (Sri Vishnu), who with a mischievous smile hugging His face suggested seeking the remedy for this from Lord Anjaneya who is an exponent in Sangeetha Sastra. Both agreeing that there could be no better judge than Lord Anajaneya they approached HIM. A date was fixed for the contest at the convenience of Lord Anjaneya.

On the day fixed there was a big assembly of Devatas . Both Sri Narada and Sri Tumburu were seated on either side of the dais with their fretted veena ready to play and Lord Anjaneya was seated in the center. Lord Anjaneya announced Sri Tumburu would play first followed by Sri Narada. The congregations of Devatas were eager to listen to the sound of the most divine instrument Veena from the sages who had mastered the playing on the instrument.

Firstly Sri Tumburu started his veena vadhan and the Devatas forgot to wink their eyes, all their attention drawn by the mystical tones emanating from the instrument. Slowly they could realise that world was coming to a standstill position devoid of any activity. Even sea waves stopped, oceans started freezing, birds stopped flying and those flying stopped mid air. Such were the effects of the music of Sri Tumburu. He was playing the raga Amirthavarshini which is normally played for bringing rain when effected by drought.

Now Lord Anjaneya signaled Sri Narada to play the instrument. Sri Narada started playing his fretted veena and the mesmerising tones emerging from the veena vadhan started moving around like a sweet fragrance enveloping the atmosphere. So sweet was the tone that it brought realisation in every thing. Bringing back dynamism, ocean started melting, waves started tiding, birds started flying with renewed verve. Sri Narada was playing the raga Punnagavarali. In the recent times Sri Thygaraja Swamigal had sung the kriti “Ghandamu paiyarul……” in the raga Punnagavarali. This kriti when sung, will make you feel the fragrance enveloping around you.

The final judgement by Lord Anjaneya

Now that the contesters had finished playing, the attention of the congregation turned towards the His Lordship – the Judge -

Lord Anjaneya. Since this time also both had done their best, how Lord Anjaneya is going to judge as to who is better?

Lord Anjaneya paused for some time and got up from the seat and took possession of both Sri Narada’s and Sri Tumburu’s veena vadhan. Returned to his seat and patiently started removing each of the frets in the instruments. Everybody started wondering as to what Lord Anjaneya is trying to do. Sri Narada lost his cool and asked Lord not to monkey around the instrument and to give the judgment. Lord Anjaneya replied that both of them had played well, but before the judgment could be given asked them to play the Veena in the present state (ie, veena instrument without fret). Both Sri Narada and Sri Tumburu said it is impossible to play the veena without fret.

Hanumath Veena

Lord Anjaneya with a smile in his face took a small bamboo piece (bamboo in wholesome is cylindrical in shape) and slides this bamboo piece over the melody strings and by using his nails as plectrums plucked the melody strings. The melody that flowed out was no compare to the one that was played by the sages. The melodious tone along with the drone with a soothing continuity had drowned the audience Devas in an immense pleasure and joy as that of having the nectar. Lord continued playing, making both Sri Narada and Sri Tumburu realise the power of pure music.

The audience were so immersed in the music, they had not noticed that Lord Narayana Himself had come to the scene to witness the music of Lord Anjaneya. When Lord Anjaneya concluded playing, both the sages accepted that their music is no match to that of Lord Anjaneya.

Sri Anjaneya saw Lord Narayana and he prostrated before Him and welcomed Him. Lord Narayana told that He was drawn to theplace by the music produced by the Adi Veena, the one without fret and a forerunner to the present veena used by both Sri Narada and Sri Tumburu. Lord explained to the sages that music however good it may be, with ego mixed it becomes lifeless and music with devotion is life, pure, real, and divine. The music of Sri Anjaneya was enchanting since it was over brimming with devotion, but that of the sages were with ego hence devoid of purity. Lord Narayana declared since Lord Hanuman had reinvented the original form of fretless veena it will henceforth be called as Hanumath Veena.

In times the Hanumath veena was known by the name Chitra veena....

Read ...at... https://anuradhamahesh.wordpress.com/ca ... lessons-2/

[vgovindan]

Regarding musical talents of hanuman - http://www.projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts ... i0119.html

அனுமன் விவாதிகள் கருவ மடங்க
அசல முருகக் குண்டகக் கிரியாவெனும்
இராகம் பாடி யடக்கி மேலும்
சன்னிய ராக மாறாயிரஞ் சமைத்ததற்
கனும கடக மெனும்பெய ரணிந்தனன். ....45

anuman vivAdigal garuvam aDanga
acalam uruga guNDaka kriyA-venum
rAgam pADi aDakki mElum
janya rAgam ArAyiram samaittu-adarku
anuma kaDagam-enum peyaraNindanan

“For subduing the pride of disputants, hanumAn, to the melting of mountain, sang a rAga called 'guNDaga kriya', and quelled them; further, he created six thousand janya rAgas and named them as 'hanuma kataka' (or attained the name 'hanuma kataka')”