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Indian
Instrumental Music: A Connection to God
by
Dr. Mukul Shri Goel
The string instrument veena,
the primordial percussion instrument damaru, and the
wind instrument flute
form a special trinity among Indian musical instruments. These
instruments can be categorized as divinity's choice as far as Hindu
culture is concerned, for they are played to create the three
components of music – melody, rhythm, and expression – by an ensemble
of divine instrumentalists. The veena of Goddess Sarasvati creates
musical notes, the damaru of Lord Shiva ties everything in the universe
together with rhythm, and the flute of Lord Krishna is the source of
expression and mesmerization.
Influenced by this symbology, followers believe that God adores musical
sounds and they should offer vibrations from musical instruments in
temples as a part of their devotion. Offering music is comparable to
offering food or voluntary services to the Personal God, all of which
develop the same spiritual feel of surrender in the minds of devotees.
In the presence of musical notes in the environment, followers try to
remain in the perfected remembrance of the Divine. Eventually, they
learn to forget themselves while playing and listening to their
favorite instrument.
In contrast to devotees, who play for their Personal God, the
non-dualist worshippers of music trigger their spiritual evolution by
considering musical sound as God, a notion often described through the
ancient phrase "Nada-Brahman."
By experiencing the oneness of sound (Nada) and the
Divine (Brahman), they too obtain the highest levels of ecstasy that
are independent of musical factors like the mood of the composition,
the complexity of note sequences, and the pace of rhythm.
When the musician recognizes this oneness, which occurs after all early
levels of perfection in technique and expression have been transcended,
music becomes joy, not the means for joy. At this point, the sound of a
melody from a string instrument no longer appears sweeter than the
stroke of a percussion instrument, for both are musical sounds and
accordingly forms of the Divine. Preferences are present only until a
duality in musical notes and God is present. When musical notes become
Brahman and represent his sound, there is no other God to connect to.
At this stage in music, which appears plainly theoretical to most of
us, one can say that perfection in music has been achieved. Just like
the devotee musician who forgets oneself in the memory of the Lord
while performing, the non-dualist worshipper of music forgets oneself
in music to remember nothing but music. While one at this spiritual or
musical plane may no longer be fit for entertaining fellow beings on a
big podium, it fulfills what the Indian tradition anticipates from a
"seeker of music" as opposed to a "learner" or "creator" of music:
finding God while finding music.
Copyright ©
2007 Mukul S. Goel
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