Music - A wholesome Experience

[vgovindan]

I happened to come across the following three Slokas in bRhadAraNyaka Upanishad about wholesomeness of musical experience and I wanted to share these -

sa yathA dundubhEr-hanyamAnasya na bAhyAn-chabdAn-chaknuyAd-grahaNAya,
dundubhEstu grahaNEna - dundubhyAghAtasya vA - SabdO gRhItaH || 7 ||

sa yathA Sankhasya dhmAyamAnasya na bAhyAn-chabdAn-chaknuyAd-grahaNAya,
Sankhasya tu grahaNEna - Sankhadhmasya vA - SabdO gRhItaH || 8 ||

sa yathA vINAyai vAdyamAnAyai na bAhyAn-chabdAn-chaknuyAd-grahanAya,
vINAyai to grahaNEna - vINAvAdasya vA - SabdO gRhItaH || 9 || (II.iv.)

As. when a drum is beaten, one cannot distinguish its various particular notes but they are included in the general note of the drum or in the general sound produced by different kinds of strokes.

As, when a conch is blown, one cannot distinguish its various particular notes, but they are included in the general note of the conch or in the general sound produced by different kinds of playing.

As, when a vINA is played, one cannot distinguish its various particular notes, but they are included in the general note of the vINA or in the general sound produced by different kinds of playing.

(Translation by Swami Madhavananda, Advaita Ashrama Publication)

[VK RAMAN]

profound and wholly true.

[kvchellappa]

I do not understand how one cannot distinguish the particular notes. Can even a trained ear not do it?

[arasi]

Chellappa,
I see it this way:

It's true all the notes are there.
It's true you can see that they are all there.
It's not always that you see them that way--that's what happens when you are listening to music along with the joy it can bring.

If you mostly hear the notes prominently (the components), you are either a keen learner or an analyst.

Of course, all the above happen when we listen to music...however, the proportion in which they occur makes the difference?

Govindan,
Just about the 'Ah!" moment...is it perhaps the conscious after effect of a 'forgetting all' moment which music can bring, rather than the very blissful moment??

[kvchellappa]

Thank you, Arasi.

[vgovindan]

Arasi,
Yes, you are right. IMHO 'Ah' moment may be equated with the rapture of orgasm. Sorry for the comparison, but our literature is not prudish.

btw, I was wondering as to how a musician who gets lost in his musical moments, feel? There are many musicians in our forum. Why don't they share their moments of such ecstasy.

Similarly vAggEyakkAras seem to compose many such ever-green kRtis in a moment of such ecstasy. The kRtis of SrI tyAgarAja and purandara dAsa are very revealing of this ecstasy. Though Dikshitar is a SAnta bhakta, his kRti 'mInAkshi mE mudam' is very moving. Papanasam Sivan's 'nAnoru viLaiyATTu bommaiyA' is also one such example.

[kvchellappa]

Gowri Ramnarayan cited an anecdote. Someone asked MS, 'mey maranthu paduveengala?' (Will you sing forgetting yourself?) MS replied, 'rasika mey maranthu kekkalam. padarava mei maranthu padina kalebaram ayidum.' (Rasikas can listen forgetting themselves, but if a singer does so, it will be disaster).

[arasi]

Yes, when one is on stage for a performance...

Of course, the other extreme is 'thannaiyE ninaindu pADuvathu' (singing, thinking of oneself)

[munirao2001]

Performer prepares and delivers satisfaction to the listener/rasika, with reciprocal support of appreciation and recognition. With saadhana, in full realization of the high values, in creativity or re creativity, the performer can attain selfless moment(s), moments of naada vision in pure conscious and in absence of thought(s) related to inner and outer conscious. Rasika(s) in observation, with sensitivity, total attention, with unconditioned mind, being in the present happening moment(s), his sense of mind also in pure conscious also attains selfless moment(s). This moment(s) in self abnegation by both the performer and the rasika, in unity is naada yoga. Music, with such experience is wholesome, engulfing the consciousness.

The conditioning of the mind with set beliefs of images and authority result in loss of freedom. Mind, being in the past, in urge for pleasure of recall experience of the past, misses the beauty in the present happening moment(s). This resulting in non fulfillment of the urge for pleasure of recall experience in the past, fortifies the belief that past is beyond the present, also the future - Na bhooto, Na bhavishyati.

Let us take the expression of Sri V.Govindan Quote The kRtis of SrI tyAgarAja and purandara dAsa are very revealing of this ecstasy. Though Dikshitar is a SAnta bhakta UNQuote this reveals set beliefs based on the image and authority. His insight results in aesthetic in the compositions of Mudduswamy Deekshita and Papanasam Sivan, as exceptions. Mind without set belief, image and authority and in freedom, will perceive and realize the aesthetic in many other compositions of Mudduswamy Deekshita and Papanasam Sivan.

munirao2001

[Rsachi]

I have read and understood this Upanishad in a slightly different way. I quote from the source mentioned before the translation:


As When a Vina is played on one cannot distinguish its various particular notes, but they are included in the general note of the Vina in the general sound produced by different kinds of playing.

As from a fire kindled with wet faggot, diverse kinds of smoke issue, even so, my dear, the
Rig-Veda, Yajur-Veda, Sama-Veda, Atharvangirasa; history, mythology, arts, Upanishads, verses, aphorisms, elucidations, explanations, sacrifices, oblations in the fire, food, drink,
this world, the next world, and all beings are
all (like) the breath of this infinite Reality.
They are (like) the breath of this (Supreme Self) .

The examples given of the drum, conch, vina and smoky fire are but examples to elucidate the concept that in everything we see actually as different, there is a common, all-synthesising Self or Atman or Brahman.

Further interpretations of a musical or aesthetic nature are our own.

By the way the central guru of Brihadarnyaka is Yagnyavalkya. He was big on music. His smriti covers a wide range of music related subjects.

[munirao2001]

RSachi

You have joined the discussion and I am happy. Yes, the core insights are related to outer conscious- the vision of various instruments; inner conscious- awareness of various notes, its sounds and its effects; pure conscious of naada, its vision and its beauty, in awakening of the 'goohya', 'smookshma'-secretive and subtle form, in unity of all perceived, Brahman.

munirao2001