Sri Krishna says, ‘’ I do not dwell in Vaikuntha, nor in the hearts of Yogis. O Narada! I dwell where my devotees sing my praise ‘’.
Sangeet and Nritya play a profound part in Hindu culture. Our Devi-Devatas patronized Sangeet and Nritya. When Devi Saraswati played the veena, her music produced the Nada Brahman, the primal cosmic connection from which all creations emerged. When Krishna played the flute in Brindavan, wild animals became tame, mesmerized by Krishna’s music; the Gopis forgot their daily chores. It is said that Bhagwan Shiva played His Damaru 14 times and produced the very first sound, Nada. There is this famous Carnatic Krithi – Nada Tanumanisham Shankaram composed by Saint Thyagaraja. The song praises Bhagwan Shiva as the supreme embodiment of sound and the origin of music. Devotional music connects one to Bhagwan; it transcends the earthly and becomes the spiritual.
In Hindu Dharma, there are four paths or Yogas to attain Moksha or liberation.
- Karma Yoga -the path of action: Where one has to perform one’s duty without attachment to the result. Sri Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita says, ‘’Karmanye Vadhikaraste Ma Phaleshu Kadachana. Ma Karma Phala Heturbhur Ma Te Sangost vakarmani . Meaning -you have a right to perform your duty; you are not entitled to the fruits of action. Never consider yourself the cause of the results of your action nor be attached to inaction.
- Jnana yoga- the path of knowledge and spiritual inquiry: The Jnana yoga teaches us the difference between the eternal soul -the Atman and the temporary world.
- Bhakti yoga – the path of intense love and devotion to God: It involves surrendering of the ego to one’s chosen devotee.
- Raja Yoga – the path of meditation: teaches discipline and control of the mind to attain liberation.
One chooses one’s path according to one’s temperament.
THE BHAKTI MARG: It is believed that the Bhakti movement originated in South Bharat (Tamil Nadu) around the mid-1st millennium CE. It was mainly driven by mystic saints known as Saiva Nayanars and Vaisnava Alwars. The Alvars, meaning those immersed in Bhagwan, were 12 Tamil saint poets who lived in the 6th and 10th centuries CE. The Saiva Nayanars were a group of 63 Tamil poet saints who lived in the 6th and 8th centuries CE in South Bharat. They spread personal devotion to Bhagwan Shiva. These saint poets sang deeply emotional, ecstatic hymns in praise of Bhagwans Vishnu and Shiva. Music is the central principle in the Bhakti movement, as the Saints believed that singing the Divine name was the simplest way to reach Bhagwan.
Saint Mira is a prominent Poet devotee of the Bhakti movement from Rajasthan. Her Ishta Devata was Sri Krishna. To Mira, Krishna was her Prabhu; her Thakur and she was His Dasi. Mira’s most famous Bhajan is, ‘’ Mere To Giridhar Gopal dusro na koi, Chhaandi di Kul Ki Kaani Kaha Karihai koi ‘’. In this soulful Bhajan, Mira says her Bhagwan is none other than Giridhar. She has cast off the honour of her royal family; what can anyone do to her?”
Sant Tukaram and Sant Ramdas have a prominent place in the 17th century Bhakti movement – called the Varkari tradition in Maharashtra. The Bhakti movement in Maharashtra was defined by devotional poetry and songs known as Abhangas devoted to Bhagwan Vitthal -Sri Vishnu of Pandharpur.
Saint Thyagaraja played a profound part in the Bhakti movement of South Bharat. Saint Thyagaraja’s Ishta Devata was Sri Rama, to whom he dedicated all his devotional songs. To Thyagaraja, music and devotion were inseparable; he saw music as the spiritual Marg to reach to Bhagwan. His famous Kriti -classical music , ‘’Mokshamu Galada , ‘’ says that liberation is impossible without musical devotion.
In Hindu Dharma, the Devi-Devatas not only loved music, but they also created it. The literal meaning of Bhagavad Gita is the song of Bhagwan.
— Indira Satyanarayan, former senior correspondent – Hindu Voice
