Sri Swamiji's Music

Nadabdhim Sachchidanandam Sadgurum Tam Namamyaham
Sri Swamiji says, "Music is my religion, Music is my language, Music is my soul and Music is my expression".
Music is a force that unites Humanity the world over. Music has for centuries been known to have a pleasing appeal to both humans and animals. The key constituents are Rhythm and Tone (Taala and Swara) in which actually inhere the potent effect producing substance of music, The Vibrations.

NADA VIBRATIONS, THEIR SIGNIFICANCE
Vibration is basically the activity of Consciousness and it is Consciousness; which is the cause of creation. Each vibration originating from its original source is the same; it differs only in its tone and rhythm due to greater or lesser degree of force behind it. On the plane of Nada (sound), vibration causes diversity of tone. The vibrations become audible when they are massed together. Nada gives to the Consciousness (Atma) an evidence of its existence, although it is part of Consciousness itself, which has turned into Nada. In other words, the Consciousness bears witness to its own voice. That is why it is said that Music is the expression of Soul.
There are two aspects of Vibrations, Fine and Gross, having varied degrees.Some are perceived by the soul, some by the mind and some by the eyes. What the soul perceives are the vibrations of the feelings; what the mind conceives are the vibrations of thoughts; what the eyes see are the vibrations appearing through the objects of the physical world. The mysticism of music in the context of Meditation and Healing lies essentially in quality of sound vibrations emanating from the rhythm and tone of music. And if one knew what rhythm was needed for a particular individual in his trouble and despair, what tone was needed and to what pitch that person's level of consciousness should be raised, one would then be able to heal himself with music.
"MUSICAL NOTES have their effects on our body as the tunes correspond to our Nerves". The knowledge about this is called Raga Ragini Vidya or Siddhi Vidya. Musical Ragas (tunes) are said to help treatment of patients with afflictions of physical and mental nature, in certain conditions.

A Long Quest: The Swamiji's quest began when he was a child of eight. On May 26, 1942, in the small hamlet of Mekedatu, Jayalakshmi and Narasimha Sastri were blessed with a baby boy. They named him Satyanarayana. His parents were engrossed in spiritual practices and Satyanarayana grew up in this atmosphere. Even as a young boy, he displayed a natural inclination to classical music and spirituality.

Nadopasana: Satyanarayana became Ganapathi Sachchidananda Swamiji at the age of 22. His mantra was Nadopasana(Worship Of Music). Sri Swamiji says,"I was eight years old when I first read in the Sastras about the healing effects of Music. I was, by the grace of God, also naturally gifted with this art. With no formal training, I could play various musical instruments like the sitar, veena, flute and so on. I thought my music would be put to good use if it could benefit mankind.. I conducted small experiments and they proved successful. This encouraged me to go deeper into the subject".
Sri Swamiji also says "The body has a number of Energy Centres called CHAKRAS and 72,000 Metaphysical Energy Channels called NADIS,14 of which are Nerve Centers. Each one of these vibrates at a particular frequency and has its own elemental basis such as Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Ether. Each Raga produces sound vibrations appropriate to a specific element and therefore to a specific Chakra and a set of related body organs".

Music therapy:
Music therapy is a scientific method of effective cures of disease through the power of music. It restores, maintains and improves emotional, physiological and psychological well being. The articulation, pitch, tone and specific arrangement of swaraas (Musical Notes) in a particular Raga stimulates, alleviates and cures various ailments inducing electro magnetic change in the body. Music therapy requires more than just intense meditation on sound.

This Great Master understands the varying vibrational qualities of the different Ragas and knows which raga can help a particular disease. Certain Ragas can only be played at selected times to be healing. So how does Swamiji apply this therapy? He explains: "I primarily relay on my intuition when it comes to prescribing the right kind of music for a patient. When I see an ill person, I can intuitively identify the kind of music that will benefit him. While specific Ragas like Nilambari, Charukesi and so on do have special therapeutical properties, I also create my own combination of notes, in specified frequencies. I call this process 'Sampling'"

As a first step in this methodology, Swamiji requests various musicians to play several notes as specified by him on their respective instruments. Once Swamiji is convinced about the right note and its right frequency it is fed into the synthesizer that he describes as a modern Veena. The end product is a unique composition created by Swamiji that assures a primary or supplementary cure for diseases. Swamiji has also adapted the basic melodic structure of some select kritis of Saint Tyagaraja like Mokshamu Galada (Saramati), Shobillu Saptaswara (Jaganmohini), Samaja Vara Gamana (Hindolam) and so on.

The Music Therapy is combined with Ayurveda, Psychology, Gemenotherapy and Astrology, says Sri Swamiji. He further adds, I only affect a rapport between man and God, the supreme reality, with help coming from man himself in good measure. I attune man to God through belief and music. Once that results, body-consciousness vanishes gradually, and with that, affliction ceases to be experienced and ceases to exist. That is healing through Music and Meditation.
There are four distinct aspects of music namely:

• Popular - which induces motion of the body.
• Technical - which satisfies the intellect.
• Artistic - which portrays beauty and grace.
• Appealing - which pierces the heart.
• Uplifting - where the soul hears the Music of the Spheres.
  Sri Swamiji's music could be described to belong to this transcendental plane.

The entire universe (macrocosm) is the outcome of the conjunction of five elements of Nature i.e. Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Ether (Prithvi, Jala, Agni, Vaayu and Akasha). The human organism (microcosm) is also the product of the interplay of these very five elements. Further, each element, relatively, is finer and subtler than the other in terms of its potential and effect. All human actions and reactions, feelings and emotions, are nothing but 'effect' produced on the frame of human mind and body caused by the presence and interaction of these five elements.

Among the five elements, it is the Ether element (Akasha tattva), which is all pervading unlike all the other elements, which have more or less limited confines. Ether being all pervasive, its attribute (guna) that is Nada (sound) is also therefore all pervasive and hence most subtle and most effective. It is in this context that, as per yoga terminology, 'Nada Anusandhaan' (healing through sound) assumes its very appropriate yet mystic relevance to Shaktipat (a method through which yogi transforms the spiritual energy)

Pujya Sri Swamiji, being a Siddha Nada Yogi, is imbued with such an extraordinary ability to produce musical sound vibrations that they would penetrate into the five elements which human organism is made up of, according to the variation of these elements present in the human body. His music, traversing through the sensory perceptions of the listeners, would produce therapeutic effects .... .....Contd.....