RagaRagini Nada Yoga - Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji
His Holiness Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji, pontiff Avadhoota Datta Peetham,
a globally renowned spiritual giant, who has through His versatile music performances
all over the globe been able to successfully demonstrate the therapeutic efficacy
of Music. Scientific studies on music therapy indicate music can influence neural
hormones found to effect pain perception, neural transmission, endocrine and immune
regulation and mood states. This has brought about wide application to music therapy
in a number of clinical settings - as an audio analgesic in chronic pain syndromes,
as a focus of attention in labor wards, to structure exercise in physiotherapy sessions,
to initiate and enhance therapist patient relation in counseling sessions, to reinforce
learning in mentally handicapped, as an effective auditory stimulus in Intensive
care units, to reduce stress and improve body mind health, to reinforce healthful
changes in physiology, emotion and lifestyle.
His Holiness Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji was initiated into the secrets
of music and yoga by His mother and mentor Jayalakshmi Mata. Right from His childhood
Sri Swamiji has been a keen observer, lover and protector of nature. He would spend
hours listening to the sounds of nature and observe the effects of these sounds
on plants, animals and humans. It took Him three decades of intense observation
to understand the mystery of various therapeutic sounds. Born in the lineage of
the great Venkatamakhi (one who popularized the presently existing Melakarta classification
of parent scales in Carnatic Music) and other great musicians, Sri Swamiji spontaneously
began composing His own music, singing in various styles, adopting and proficiently
playing several instruments with ease.
Gradually He mastered the various combinations of notes and ragas and their effects
on the living and non-living. He then adopted the Modern Veena (modified synthesizer)
to produce His compositions in all perfection. A globe trotter Sri Swamiji has performed
in the most reputed auditoriums of the world and has attracted both the novice and
scholars. He is personally a great connoisseur of Music and has instigated awards
and titles to honor the great musicians of the present times and promote music in
the society. He believes in principles of simple living and service to humanity
and has been immensely supporting various social projects like feeding the poor,
schools for the differentially able, hospitals, orphanages, Home for the destitute
women etc.
His music is popular in several hospitals, schools and educational institutions
in India and abroad, in the radio stations in several countries, in orphan homes,
home for destitute and elderly and also in hospice care centers. Many people with
psycho-somatic ailments, chronic incurable ailments, terminally sick patients, Jail
inmates, Police personnel are using His music for stress reduction and are finding
immense relief. The sprawling Nadamantapam is a unique auditorium and the Saptaswara
temple, dedicated to musical notes built by Sri Swamiji in Avadhoota Datta Peetham
Mysore, is a testimony to His commitment to Music. Sri Swamiji is a great Vaggeyakara
(poet & Musician – Musicologist) of the present time and has composed
more than 5000 varied songs in several languages and has produced more than 200
albums.
His music has a spiritual basis and is aimed at shifting the level of consciousness
of the listener gently massaging the 72000 astral energy channels and the Shatchakras
(six kundalini chakras). His compositions range from simple Namasankeertana
(chanting the glory of the Lord) to Tatva bhajans (describing philosophical secrets)
to Padabandhas (specialized lyrical master pieces), Swarakshsra Krtis (complex compositions
containing the seven notes as the lyrics as well as the tune) etc. His therapeutic
music involves the judicious combination of Music, Yoga, Astrology, Astronomy,
Gemology, Herbal Medicine, Psychology and Human Anatomy.
Sri Swamiji has taken upon Himself the onus to bring peace of mind to the grief
stricken with the help of divine music. We express our heartfelt gratitude to Sri
Swamiji for this magnanimous venture and congratulate Him for bringing out His concept
of Music Healing in the form of a book (Ragaragini Nada Yoga) to enable the scientific
community to probe into such newer, indigenous and relatively side-effect free options
for providing stress relief to the community.
‘Ragaragini Nada Yoga’ is a compendium that highlights
the musical works of His Holiness Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji with special
emphasis on the healing aspects of music and the role of various components employed
by Sri Swamiji during such healing concerts. The book starts with a brief introduction
by the publishers to Sri Swamiji and His magnificent musical, spiritual and social
works exemplified with beautiful pictures taken over several decades that stand
as a testimony to Sri Swamiji’s musical journey across the world. The pictures and
text also highlight the various aspects of Sri Swamiji’s persona. This chapter ends
with a note by the publishers thanking His Holiness Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda
Swamiji for bringing out His personal experiences about Music and Music Therapy
which has influenced the global audience irrespective of cast, creed, color or language
in the form of this book ‘Ragaragini Nada Yoga'
In the foreword Sri Swamiji explains the musical link between the ancient and the
modern, the relation between tradition and technology, the need to explore and understand
nature and its myriad ways to alleviate suffering. Sri Swamiji also highlights the
arrangement of various chapters in this book into ‘Musicology’ section,
‘Therapeutics’ section and ‘Miscellaneous’ section.
The book aptly starts with Sri Swamiji’s description of the ‘Nadabindu Upanishat’
– verses that describe the importance of ‘Omkar’- the primordial sound,
and the merit one begets by chanting it. This is followed by an introduction to
the concept of ‘Nada Chikitsa (Healing through Sound)’ where in Sri
Swamiji describes His journey and experiences from childhood with music as a therapeutic
tool. How He was taught by Mother Nature into this hitherto little explored dimension
of Music. How He was gifted with the divine experience of such music and How He
started to use it for the benefit of the world and humanity at large. This chapter
emphatically states the relationship of Music to the divine and that music is not
just a means of amusement but is essentially a path to salvation. It not only alleviates
the physical pain but leads to redemption from cycle of bondage and suffering.
In the section of Musicology Sri Swamiji describes the various aspects of Music
like Nada (Sound), Shruti (Fundamental Note), Sangeeta (Music), Svara (Musical
Note), Raga (Musical Scale), Tala (Rhythm), Gamaka (Nuances), Musical Instruments
and Vaggeyakaras (the great singer-composers who contributed to the
growth of Indian Music in general and Carnatic Music in particular). At the end
of this section is a display of the various musical works of Sri Swamiji titled
Animutyalu (selected pearls) and a list of Sri Swamiji’s compositions
in rare ragas.
In the section on Therapeutics Sri Swamiji describes the relationship of Music,
Yoga and Shatchakras (the energy centers in the body) and Nadis (metaphysical energy
channels), the Neuro-Endocrine Regulation of the body and mind, the Five Pranas
(Vital Energy), the Five Elements (Nature), the relationship
of Astrology and Astronomy to music, the various gestures that help in therapy (Mudras),
the Crystals and their vibration properties, the effect of Color on human mind and
body, the role of Water in Music healing and the effect of the various herbs (Moolikas)
on the human body. At the end of this section is a chapter on the Music therapy
Research findings.
The Miscellaneous section deals with the intricacies of the various Musical structures
constructed by Sri Swamiji like the Nadamantapam, the Dharmadhwajam, the Birthday
Stone Pillars and the list of the various Musical Scholars who were awarded titles
by Sri Swamiji for their exemplary contribution to Music. Another attractive feature
in this section is the list of various Healing Concerts given by Sri Swamiji across
the globe and the unique concept of Jna Na Bha Yoga conferences propagated by Sri
Swamiji to explain the various schools of philosophy (Jnana-knowledge, Nada-Music,
Bhakti-Devotion, Yoga-Union). The book concludes with a summarizing
chapter Upasamhara that highlights the scope for further research in this area of
healing through Music. This book is a must purchase for all the Musicians, Music
lovers, Yoga Experts and students, Doctors, Veda scholars, Researchers, Scientists,
Botanists, Gemologists and Spiritual Seekers.