The Yoga of Sound by Russill Paul

Author:Russill Paul [Paul, Russill]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: New World Library
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

The Mantras within the Raga

RAGAS ARE COMPRISED of the mantric syllables SA, RI, GA, MA, PA, DA, NI, and SA — which correspond to the DO, RE, MI, FA, SO, LA, TI, DO of Western music. These mantric syllables are sacred for the Indian musician. Each note of the raga is associated with a deity rich in symbolic meaning and mythology.

For example, the note SA — the equivalent of DO in Western music — is derived from the first name of the deity known as Shadja Swara Daivatha. The grandmother of all notes, she is said to have a plump body. Her complexion is red, like the lotus — a flower that demonstrates how beauty can bloom in the muddiest of waters, symbolizing the fact that even the most twisted mind can be awakened to truth. The deity Shadja has four faces that represent the four cardinal directions, and eight hands, showing that all the other notes spring from her. Her two legs, stretched out on either end of the octave, continually give birth to her endless creativity. She is dressed in white to represent her infinite purity, and in the center of her forehead is the red mark of the goddess, a sign that she is feminine and married. Riding her vehicle, the swan (also a symbol of spiritual purity), she carries a sword, which represents discernment. Shadja Swara Daivatha belongs to the race of the Gandharvas, a mythical community of spiritual musicians who dwell in the heavens. It is said that Agni, the God of fire, was the first to discover her sacred presence. Since Agni is the principal deity of the Gods and the supreme messenger between the human and the Divine, this denotes the ancient supremacy of the fundamental note SA. All the other notes in the octave are described just as richly for the Indian musician.14

You may recall that the word for “note” in Indian music is “swara,” meaning “that which makes its own sweetness.” In music, sweetness is harmony or consonance, and each note (in relationship to the fundamental) has intrinsic properties that generate healing, wholeness, and love. The fundamental note on either end of the octave is the maternal syllable SA. The fifth note, PA — a note of great stability located in the middle of the octave — is the father. The other notes are the progeny of these two. In India, there is a well-known saying: “Mata, Pita, Guru, Deivam,” or “The Divine is mother, father, and teacher.” This trinity parallels the musical octave.

As you might guess, the notes and deities of the musical octave are also related to the chakras: SA to the root, RI to the second chakra, GA to the abdomen, MA to the heart, PA to the throat (the creative, expressive center), DA to the third eye, and NI to the crown. The techniques of Indian music, which use these syllables in performance and composition, awaken energy in the chakras, channeling energy toward its highest fulfillment in the Divine and transforming negative energy into a positive force.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.