Guru the guiding factor to light

The word Guru is derived from Ga and Ra signifying the one who can take everyone from dark to light or in other words the one who dispels ignorance to know truth and reality. “Tamasoma Jyotirgamaya”–  तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय  "take me from dark to light". For any kind of initiation in any form of fine art (64 as per Vedic scriptures), particularly, the initiation to the initiated is initiated by the skilled communicator (the guru) who in all fairness has been above board in dealing and handling both subject matter/the subject (disciple).  

Through the process of knowledge and wisdom, the guru has been able to inculcate, infuse the learning traits so assiduously in the minds of the disciple, the mind being malleable absorbs, engraves and is able to aptly retrieve in time of requirements from the mind.  Classic example is Vedic mathematics (based on mental calculation) that are taught in certain institutions to the children from formative stages and the trained children are successful in solving very difficult mathematical equations cent per cent correctly and quickly faster than the Calculator.  Similarly, when Vedic or other rituals are performed, performing pandits do not open printed or manuscript materials, on the contrary chants go extempore directly from mind.  These are the lengthy rituals and may give rise to questions how is it possible to remember and recall at ease? These are possible because of guru who ensured during learning phases such treaties are engraved word by word and repeated usages further firms it in terms of retrieval at any point of time.

Commencement of Guru Parampara – teaching/learning technique

In Sanatana Dharma pursuing any profession invariably draws the seeker, the learner towards the master who is all designate to impart necessary wisdom, knowledge, erect ways and means to further hone skills.  In absolute line with this thought process the Guru Parampara has been heralded with Adi Guru Shiva in the form of Sri Dakshinamurthy who is sat beneath a banyan tree heralded the ceaseless Guru Parampara, where the disciples (atri, vasisht, matantagadhi sages) joined the tutelage seeking knowledge and wisdom.  The knowledge imparted is through silence. Is it possible to impart wisdom and knowledge through silence? Yes, since the master is a skilled communicator, the disciples getting their doubts cleared and doubts arise on account of ignorance.  Once ignorance is dispelled, the truth gets revealed by itself.  A Sloka on Guru Dakshinamurthy describes “Vridha ha sisya gurur yuva”

चित्रं वटतरोर्मूले वृद्धाः शिष्या गुरुर्युवा ।
गुरोस्तु मौनं व्याख्यानं शिष्यास्तुच्छिन्नसंशयाः

picture depicts lord shiva sat as a young man surrounded by sages with grey hair and beard dispelling ignorance through silence.  Such divine blissful process makes knowledge and wisdom young.  

Similar, is the grace of Lord Hayagriva who taught the Parampara from Vaishnava sampradhaya.  This is followed by Guru Dattatreya under whose tutelage very respectable sages including one of the Vishnu Awatar Parashuram went and regained all he lost and the magnum opus on Srividya by Guru Dattatreya came out in the form of a Granth called “Tripura Rahasyam”.

64 fine arts – its essence in music

These paramparas  dealt with Veda Vedanta, meta-physics including occult sciences & rituals permeated to other 64 fine arts.  All 64 fine arts have similar paramparas and references are available in various treaties dealing with individual subjects.  In respect of Music (Sangeeta)Maa Saraswati holding and playing Veena (the name of the Veena is Kacchapi)regarded as the Goddesses of Wisdom, Knowledge on 64 fine arts including music, followed by Gandharvas, Narada and tumburu. Lord Shiva is the originator of music, sound emanated from the Damaru and when Shiva did the celestial dance as Nataraja Nandi played on Mridangam, Narada singing and Maa Saraswati playing veena all came out in the form of a Granth called Natya Shastra written by Bharata Muni.

Sangeeta Shastras witnessed many great classic works in the form of Granth written by Mantanga Muni “Brihat Desi” , Sage Saranga Deva “Sangeeta Ratnakari” of the bygone days and the 19^thCentury Sangeeta Sampradhaya Pradarshini by Dikshitar the lineal descendant of Naadajyoti Brahma Shri Muthuswamy Dikshitar to name a few and there are other equally significant works available to this generation. These dealt with the guru Parampara and music as a subject matter dealing with the musical theory, nature oriented with music, Ved Vedanta dealt in music and a broad guidance for betterment towards attaining maturity in music by following various testament recommended.  These Granth serves as nectar to the propagator, listener and performer. Ideally when learnt under the guidance and tutelage of a guru enables the listener to progress rapidly because such treaties are all time tested benefiting one and all in the realm of musicology. Classical Music is a “gurumukha vidya”, as such, learning and training go together.

The Guru Parampara has spread in every nook and corner of India. With the emergence of Indian Classical Music in two different forms viz. Canatak music (of southern India) and Hindustani music (of northern, western and eastern India) in southern India it is called “Pani” and in northern and other parts of India it is called “Gharana” representing a distinct identity that makes it different from the others.  As on date both Hindustani and Carnatak Music has spread all over the world and these music systems have received the requisite patronage in western world. There are many performers of non-Indian origin be vocal or Indian Instruments like Sitar, Sarod, Dilruba, Surbahar, Violin, Israj, Sarangi,Veena, Flute, Tabla, Mridangam and other Indian Instruments.  These have been popularized overseas by Maestros like Pt.Ravi Shankar, Pt.Pannalal Ghosh, Ustad Vilayat Khan, Ms.MS Subbalakshmi, Guru M Balamurali Krishna, Dr.S.Balachander and many more which is being followed by many others and over the period lots of Sangeeta Sabha and Institutions have come up patronizing Indian music and artists.  With the emergence of improved technology all over the world, music performances are organized through Internet using different tools and music as a subject is also taught through internet which made learning simple, accurate and accessible. Invariably, these build universal brotherhood enabling peace and understanding of each other culture, mutual respect for peaceful co-existence and such exchange of ideas through music develops an environment of mutual trust.  All these virtues and developments are possible on account of “Guru kripa”, undoubtedly the origin is the source.

Institutional perspective an introspection

For continued dissemination for learning, institutions have been created by various visionaries who surfaced in the form of gurus, acharyas spreading general and distinct philosophies viz., Shankaracharya (Advaitham) establishing 4 Major Mutts besides other mutts in all directions of India propagating Sanathana Dharma, Ramanujacharya propagating (Vishistatadvaitham) and Madhvacharya propagating (Dwaithan) the three major philosophes of Sanatana Dharma.  Likewise, Sikhism also propagated by Gurunanak through 10 gurus, the last being Guru Govind Singh who created with his vision Panj Pyarey,(bringing into fore 5 different persons from 5 different parts of India from 5 different Castes to establish Casteless Society) introduced Khalsa and finally ensured all Sikhs follow Granth Sahib which contains Vani of all Sadhus making it very distinctive and simple.  In all Gurudwaras Kirtans are sung and the 5^th Guru Arjan Dev has composed various Shabath in Ragas and Raginis suiting the shabadh with ideal timings of the day.  Music Singing shabadh is a daily part of ritual.  One of the shabadh clearly states “Guri vin surakh na sidh gurivin mukhatuna pave” without guru one cannot attain mukthi. Similarly, there are other visionaries who established a different virtues of God realization and used music as a tool like Sant Tukaram, Sant Kabir  Sant Surdas, Sant Ravidas,Meera Bai, Sant Haridas, Andal, Nayanmargals,  Azvargals, Awai, the Trinities Saint Thyagaraja, Muthuswamy Dikshitar, Shyama Shastri and many innumerable more who by dint of their contributions having used Music as a tool ensuring spiritual developments, esoteric developments religiously and spiritually uplifting the seekers.

Plunge in might musical ocean the determinant of proficiency

Music is an ocean when a seeker takes a plunge in ocean two invariable things besides other happen, one, the seeker may get something valuable for musical progression, it could be something very great, or very worthy of having achieved, two, the seeker would have taken a plunge from a place and when he realized after taking out head from the water he has gone to a different place, in other words the plunge is a process and scale that determines your level of proficiency at the beginning and at the end & ending process determining how far you have progressed musically.  These ideologies for proficiency are dealt by very senior musicians and are spoken in musical forums for benefit of seekers. Such progressions are directly aided and guided by none other than guru.

The tapestry of artistic guru

The tapestry of artistic guru is such, it doesn’t leave the seeker at any given point of time, it moves behind like shadow that is engulfed in the envelop of safety, interwoven with the seekers in all walks of life, more so, the tapestry full of lustre permeats as and when the seeker practices, teaches, or is in a formal or informal concert. Many Seekers at later stage pursuant upon achieving a respectable and identified position, when performing in concert, we can hear whispers applauding he/she is singing or playing any instrument like his/her master.  The Education and Training imparted while under the tutelage is truly systematic, scientific, and divine from the formative stage till the seeker achieves a very advanced stage and fit to perform in any platform.  The route and path from the beginning till the last breadth is inseparable bonding resting on virtues of truth, reality, love, affection, respect, knowledge, wisdom, benediction and bliss. All these are an outcome of some of the truthful slokas on Guru:-

अखण्डमण्डलाकारं व्याप्तं येन चराचरम् ।
तत्पदं दर्शितं येन तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ॥

ध्यानमूलं गुरुर्मूर्तिः
पूजामूलं गुरुर्पदम् ।
मन्त्रमूलं गुरुर्वाक्यं
मोक्षमूलं गुरूर्कृपा ॥

ऐमकार ह्रीमकार रहस्य युक्त श्रीमकार गूढ़ार्थ मह विभूत्य

ओंकार मर्म प्रदी पादिनिभ्यं नमो नमः श्री गुरु पादुकाभ्यम्

It is truly said that “the guru consciousness is all permeating”.  May Aadi Guru bless one and all.

Lokha samastha sukhino bhavantu

OMTAT SAT

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