#bhakti in #carnaticmusic, is it optional or mandatory? Are they intertwined? Many scholars have debated in the past, and in the present as well. Ofcourse, I surely do not want to answer to comments like ‘stick to your upanyasam’ or ‘ignorance advertisements’. Any retorts will only sideline the topic of discussion to settle personal scores. I surely don’t want to do that. Let us focus on #carnaticmusic part alone.
(1) Vedas have inbuilt swaras, but these swaras don’t touch all the octaves that music in the current form does. We have references in the commentaries to Vedas that the udatta, anudatta and swarita became the seven swaras over a period of time. Multiple references to music and instruments as such are laced in our itihasas and puranas.
(2) The purpose of bramhavidyas was to help every jivatma realize its nature, and help obtain sakshatkara of the paramatma. In its pursuit comes bhakti yoga also referred to as upasana or sadhana. When this is combined with naada, it is referred to as naada yoga or naada vidya. In fact Kundalini also delves deeper on how music influences every chakra and helps the jivatma attain sakshatkara.
(3) Is music universal? Ofcourse yes. Every civilization and culture has worked towards the betterment of their music forms. Our Vedic civilization has also done immense contribution. But does this differ from the others? In some belief systems, music is prohibited, while in some others, it is an accessory. In Sanatana Dharma, it can be an upayam to moksham as well. So the primary focus of sangeetam in this Dharma is to induce bhakti towards the Paramatma, and eventually attain moksha. There is no two ways about it.
(4) This music potential in many blessed mahans was realized by them at different stages in their lives. Azhwars, Nayanmars, Sangam Tamizh literature, different aspects of Sanskrit literature have spoken about how Paramatma loves listening to the verses when being rendered. In fact, Valmiki is said to be cuckoo that sings the name of Rama. Though they loved music, their bhakti did not further induce them to work on the musical aspects.
(5) The next millennium turned gold. Jayadeva, Annamayya, Ramadasu, Meera Bai, Surdas, Tulasidas, Jnandev, Tukaram, Eknath, Kanakadasa, and many many more composed sahityam on their ishta devatas. Of course Purandaradasa, Oothukadu Kavi, Tyagaraja Swami, Dikshitar, Sastrigal, and many many more worked on the musical aspects with absolute dexterity. BUT all their research and contribution was placed at the feet of their ishta devatas. WHY? Because they believed their existence, their compositions, their singing and knowledge was the prasada of Paramatma. In fact they said, Bhakti to Paramatma alone will not suffice, see the divinity in bhaktas as well.
(6) Remember, till this stage language was NEVER a barrier. Normally a vaggeyakara knew at least 3 to 4 languages. They of course knew what they were singing, and the emotion too. Today, yes, we lack the adroit language skills. Whose mistake is it? It is ours. We need to work on it. Only when we work on the sahityam, we can gauge the composer’s emotions and we can at least bring out a small percentage of it in the renditions.
(7) Can bhakti be induced or made mandatory? NO. There is no way for one person to judge the other person’s bhakti. It is between the jivatma and paramatma. The external appearance, the attire can barely determine who the other person is. Nevertheless, when we listen to the lives of vaggeyakaras, the anecdote behind compositions, the meaning of the sahityam, I strongly believe we slowly start appreciating the bhakti in the composer. Eventually, that starts bringing the change in us, and we too become sishyas to that BHAKTI. It is a slow, but a steady process. Is this necessary? YES. When one internalizes the bhakti in the composer and renders it before the public, we inject that emotion in the listeners too. We talk about ‘change’ in the society. What is this? This is ‘change’ too.
(8) I want to approach this composition in a tarkic fashion. Why did Tyagaraja have to write ‘sangeeta gyanamu bhaktivina’? Only if there is karana (cause), there is a karya (effect). If this composition is the karya, what is the karana? Simple. Even during Tyagaraja’s times, this discussion would have been prevalent. Of course not that widespread. So he answers to such topics, by saying, “Knowledge in music alone, without devotion can never lead (us) in the right path”. He doesn’t say, a person who doesn’t have or want bhakti, can’t sing. He simply says, it won’t lead him in the right path to sakshatkara.
(9) Let us take the case of an atheist or agnostic, can he render Carnatic music? The question is NOT about legality, it is about morality. Let us imagine, I sing a kriti of Tyagaraja Swami where he says, “Seeta, you are my mother and Rama, you are my father.” His words are soaked in bhakti. I get a cheque for this concert. I go the next day, and sing a composition on another person, who used the most atrocious words for Rama & Seeta, what is this called? When the composer’s sahityam (which is his/her knowledge combined with bhakti) is deployed in music, in a way, I am duty bound to the composer as well. I have to respect his emotions. Again, this is NOT about legality. I will surely loose the case in our courts. But am I being just with our composers is a question everyone has to answer!
(10) OK. I think I should leave certain things for musicians, music students, dancers, dance students to contemplate. I just hope the vaggekaras bless them with the viveka that helps them realize the purpose of naada yoga and sakshatkara.
Video - Smt MSS amma, shares her opinion, and also quotes an incident where her Guru Bhakti to Mahaperiyava helped her in one important occasion.
PS: My stance is out in the public. IMHO, Bhakti is the root for Carnatic music. No two ways about it. Suktam says, “na anya panthaaha” (no other way).