Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Indian Music: Musical Notes and Their Relationship to their Spiritual Effect on the Human Body

"The notes are viewed to have an organic unity. Thus
sa is said to be the ¹atman, ri the head, ga the arms, ma
the chest, pa the throat, dha the lips, and ni the feet.
These seven limbs evoke a presence, and give birth to
the devas."
http://www.ece.lsu.edu/kak/manila.pdf, "Early Indian Music", Subhash Kak, February 17, 2002

Quote From musicindiaonline.com's translation of Thyagaraja song Swara Raga Sudha:

"Devotion blended with the nectar of svara and raga alone is capable of leading one to salvation. How incongruous if a crane and frog (with their cacaphonous outpourings) sit on the lotus of supreme bliss? Understanding the divine nada emanating from the subtle primal source in the body gives one a forestate of the supreme bliss. To identify the subtle and mystic sources of the seven svaras of the musical scale in the body referred to as chakras is verily a yoga leading to salvation. If one bangs the mrdanga wildly without being aware of the intricacies of the rhythmic art, can the result give joy? Likewise, to offer worship to the Lord without mental purity points to a life base and repugnant (as a pig's) It is only after countless births that one is born wise enough to think of liberation and adopt himself to a life of devotion. Yet if any one, naturally devoted to the Lord is also equipped with the knowledge of raga, he attains salvation shortcircuiting the endless cycle of births and deaths. Tyagaraja has been blessed with Svararnava a musical treatise expounded by Lord Shiva to Parvati and is aquainted with the intricacies of music at the highest level. So, with faith in his words, understand these details."

As said above, Thygaraja was able to learn about the relationship between the swaras (musical notes) and the chakras, but in the details are not discussed in this composition. I would love if someone obtained the text of the Svararnava. I will be working to see if the musical treatise has anything written about it's contents.

There are many other sources showing that there is a connection between the notes and the human body. I do not know if any scientific evidence has been properly done on this topic.

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