sivananda Music Hall and Kaivalya Guha
The first manifestation of the Unmanifest was Om. Hence Om is the closest expression of the Brahman. In fact, the two are one; Both are identical. It manifested as the material world much later. The entire world is merely a manifest form of the Brahman. Even so, the entire music is an extension or manifestation of Om. Every soul is a part of the Supreme Soul. Even so, every musical note is a part of pranava. In every soul the Divinity is hidden. But in musical notes, the Divinity is explicitly expressed. Music is the language of the soul. This is the reason why music is the best instrument of awakening the hidden Divinity in man and to lift him to a much higher level.
Music is the subtlest of all the fine arts. And so, it reaches the most interior being of a man. It stirs the soul; it awakens the soul from its slumber and puts it onto the spiritual path. In its pure form music is only devotional music. Kirtan is one of the nine modes of Bhakti Yoga as explained in Srimad Bhagavatam. Nada Yoga is recognised as a separate path of Yoga. In Kaliyuga, a seeker is not able to pursue very intensive sadhana and austerity. As such, music becomes the easiest and surest way leading to God-experience. Also, it can be practised by all types of sadhakas.
Harer-nama Harer-nama Harer-namaiva kevalam
Kalau nastyaiva nastyaiva gatir-anyatha.
It is not surprising that most of the great saints were good singers. Narasinh Mehta, Mirabai and Tukaram in the North, Saint Tyagaraja and Purandara Das in the South and the Sufi philosopher saints of the Islam are the most outstanding examples. There are so many thats, so many raga-raginis, and such complex grammar of music that no one would be able to master them all. Various schools of music known as gharanas have their own distinctive style of rendering and this too adds to the complexity. But the saints with absolutely no training in music could render soul-stirring songs! Indeed, it is the language of the soul! Music has originated from pranava, the manifest form of Brahman. So music flowed automatically from the hearts of the saints who had experienced the Brahman.
There have been, in recent times, several experiments studying the effects of music. And it has been found in all the experiments that the plant life that was provided the background of classical music gave much more yield and of much better quality. Similarly, the patients recovered much faster when music was played in the background; and music enhanced the efficiency of man and removed is fatigue and monotony also. But our ancients had studied the invisible effects of music also. It purifies the nadis and awakens the great powerhouse, the Kundalini Shakti. The mind becomes calm. The intensity of desires and cravings is automatically reduced. The mind becomes more focussed. It is now ready for higher tasks of study and meditation. Kirtan, bhajan and prayer make it possible for the devotee to forget the material world, and its pains, suffering and problems. It lifts the consciousness and the devotee transcends dehadhyasa. And ultimately he is able to attain the highest Experience.
Our scriptures make it clear that Shreya and Preya never go together. Srimad Bhagavad Gita also says: “That which is like poison at first but in the end like nectar – that happiness is Sattvic.” And also, “Greater is their trouble whose minds are set on the Unmanifest.” But Nada Yoga is an exception to this rule. Though its ultimate outcome is the highest Shreya or welfare of man, it is Preya (pleasant) right from the beginning and always remains so all throughout.
Most worshipful Gurudev Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj was a most versatile genius. On one hand, he was the most outstanding Karma-yogi, on the other facets of his glorious personality, we find him a Jnana-yogi who has written authentic treatises on various subjects, a Dhyana-yogi meditating for more than twelve hours a day. But more importantly, he was a Kirtan Samrat singing with bhav and with tears rolling form his eyes and lifting the consciousness of the large audience into divine ecstasy. He would start dancing in that ecstasy and many from the audience would also do so. His reputation as Kirtan Samrat spread rapidly to even distant places. And when a group of devotees started organising the All India Samkirtan Sammelan every year from 1934 onwards, the obvious choice as the President of the Sammelan was Gurudev, not only in 1934, but also in 1935, 1936, and 1937. Gurudev was against gurudom and establishing Ashrams, but in that intoxicated mood of devotion while on his way back from the Sammelan at Lahore, he could be persuaded to form The Divine Life Trust Society. Gurudev found that when spiritual instructions or even abstract philosophy were expressed in songs, they had much greater impact. Music had become a part of his everyday life and was woven in his entire daily core as well. Sometimes, he would give his routine instructions to the inmates singing. Sometimes even his unique sense of humour found the expression in music. At times, in spite of his great love for music, he would sing funnily, or mix Tamil or other language words to make people laugh.
In 1953, on the auspicious Jayanti of the great saint, poet and musician Tyagaraja, Sivananda Music College was started. Revered Swami Nadabrahmanandaji was its Principal. He had a knack to teach singing of a devotional song in a very short time. So Gurudev used to ask every visitor to render some bhajans in Satsanga after taking some training from the Music College. And Gurudev used to praise the first time singer in superlative terms to remove his fear complex and to boost up his confidence. This practice created in the visitor interest in Bhakti Yoga and other sadhana. Revered Swami Vidyanandaji was another music stalwart. He followed the traditional music and he used to play veena, which he used to teach to others also. He composed the various prayers and set them in proper sweet tunes. He used to chant daily in he early morning Vedas and Gita along with playing his veena.
Gurudev’s love for music and the spirit of encouraging one and all had two very important effects. Musicians of highest repute used to come to the Ashram and render their art during the Satsanga. It fact, the divine atmosphere of Satsanga could bring the best out of them and music came from the bottom of their hearts and they sang with great bhav. Secondly, the Divine Life Society encouraged helped the deserving youngsters to systematic training of classical music. This made it possible for Sri Dharma Pal Verma (Revered Swami Nadachitsvarupaji), Brahmachari Hari Om Saran and Sri Bishen Sing to blossom into musician of repute.
Gurudev’s this tradition was continued by his worthy disciples also. Once, Sri Khare from Mumbai visited the Ashram. On his first day in the Ashram he sang just one Bhajan. The next day, he was given one hour. He rendered the composition of a raga – Khayal vistar – in details and supplemented it with a couple of Bhajans. And in a mood of ecstasy H.H. Swami Krishnanandaji Maharaj got up from his seat and started showering praise and blessings onto the artiste. Sri Khare and his family were overwhelmed by such informal, spontaneous appreciation.
Another episode: H. H. Swami Chidanandaji Maharaj was on a tour programme. The local organisers had arranged for a sarangi recital. Sarangi is an extremely difficult instrument to master and even difficult to understand. Only music scholars would be able to understand and appreciate it. It is used mainly as an accompaniment only. Its solo performance is very rare. As it is extremely difficult to give solo performance of this instrument, every now and then, the listeners keep on encouraging the artiste during the performance with words of appreciation. But all throughout Swamiji Maharaj was sitting in dhyana pose with his eyes closed. That poor Muslim artiste must have felt that Swamiji is totally ignorant about music. But as soon as the performance was over, Swamiji Maharaj prostrated at the feet of the artiste body fully stretched, satsanga dandavat pranam. With this unusual way of appreciation the artiste burst into not only tears but sobs as well. After a few months the artiste died, but he had the satisfaction that at least one man has truly appreciated his art.
All the three stalwart musicians of the Ashram have left this world. So to keep on the tradition of devotional music is the responsibility of all of us. It is heartening, therefore, to have the inauguration of the completely renovated Music Hall in the golden jubilee year of the Music College and on the most auspicious Sannyasa Diksha Anniversary of Gurudev. Let us all pray to Gurudev that he continues to shower his choicest blessings onto the Music Hall and inspire us to learn soul-stirring devotional music.
Gurudev has given to the world the concept of Synthesis of Yoga and has advised us to do little of various Yoga paths. We have followed Gurudev’s this concept and along with the Nada Yoga, we have combined Dhyana Yoga also. Today is the inauguration of the renovated Kaivalya Guha also. It is the most sacred place for all the devotees of Sivananda Parampara, because this is the place where Gurudev himself used to meditate.
In the days of Gurudev’s most intense tapas, the present site of the Ashram was a very dense forest, and the Badrinath road was passing along the Ganga bank up to Shesha dhara. Gurudev used to come in this totally secluded place and meditate for hours. Though the Ashram expanded rapidly, Gurudev continued to stay in that old Kutir. Time and again he used to disappear from the Ashram without informing anyone and roamed about incognito. Ashram people would be able to find him out after a few weeks sitting in meditation in some field or barren land. So, it was decided to construct a cave in the Ashram itself. This is that cave. Gurudev used to meditate here for long hours and so also worshipful Swamiji Maharaj and many other saints. The atmosphere here is most charged with spiritual vibrations. The Ashram provides all the ideal facilities. It is now for the sadhakas to make the best use of them. The cave is already a blessed place. Yet on this sacred occasion, we pray to Gurudev to shower his blessings on the seekers meditating in this cave, and show them the path of ultimate Experience. May God bless all!
The First music professor of Sivananda music hall - swami nadabrahmananda saraswati
