Episode # 179 – “MUSIC” – A very important path to attain Bhagawan’s proximity in Kali Yuga!!!

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We’re currently amidst one of the most blissful moments of Bhagawan Bala-Krishna wherein He’s learning to play the musical instrument called “flute”. As Bhagawan Bala-Krishna starts playing the flute, all the cows and other animals that are around, start flocking towards Him and are getting immersed into the blissful music that is emulating from the instrument. Not only the animals, even human beings around Him are getting immersed into Bhagawan Bala-Krishna. Thus, as part of how Bhagawan Bala-Krishna managed the cows every day, the flute was also one of the most important ways through which He managed the cows. As the cows were grazing, they were in a state of bliss and were enjoying every moment with their beloved Bhagawan Bala-Krishna. 

As we experience this, we should also understand a few underlying important points as to why Bhagawan Bala-Krishna is giving Gokula this blissful experience. Of course, we’ve commenced this discussion in the previous episode itself, and let us continue this important discussion in today’s episode as well. We’ve discussed an important point yesterday as to how Bhagawan attracts ardent devotees towards Him through blissful music. O

Thus, extending this point further, what we’re indirectly witnessing here is the significance of music in “Bhakti-Maarga”. Music, as all of us know, is something that easily captures our heart and puts us on the path of experiencing Bhagawan. There are obviously many ways to experience Bhagawan – For instance, Bhagwan can be experienced through constant chanting of the “Mantra” or Bhagawan’s divine names. We’ve witnessed detailed explanations regarding this point in our earlier episodes and readers can refer to it at any point in time. Secondly, we can experience Bhagawan through listening to His “Charitra” or reading through His divine “Leelas” and blissful experiences that He had performed. The latter is what we’re doing precisely here as part of this blog series – We’re every day trying to read glimpses of Bhagawan’s divine “Leelas” as part of our “Shri Vishnu Puraana” project currently. We’ve done so earlier through our “Shrimad Bhaagawatha Puraana” and Shrimad Ramayana projects earlier. Of course, the former method – Listening to Bhagawan’s divine “Leelas” (Also referred to as “Shravanam”) through the form of “Upanyaasas” is also a very popular methodology that is in practice. Apart from this, we have other methods like “Paada-Sevanam” wherein we render our selfless service to Bhagawan in the form of some “Seva” activities. We often say this – “Service to living beings is service to Bhagawan”, isn’t it? Hence, this is one methodology wherein we serve the needy and thereby immerse ourselves into the “Bhakti Maarga”. 

However all said and done, there is this most important methodology that is in practice, which is called “Music”. This music encompasses all the above-mentioned methodologies to attain Bhagawan, because when we sing or when we listen to blissful music, our hearts and minds get opened up very easily. This is why we have this traditional practice called “Naama-Sankeertanam” in our “Sanaatana Dharma”. Especially in this Kali Yuga, this practice of “Naama-Sankeertanam” is perhaps the easiest way to attain Bhagawan. If we sing with our open hearts and with all our emotions packed within, Bhagawan’s heart is definitely going to melt. As we’re witnessing in this case, how Bhagawan Bala-Krishna is melting the hearts of all the cows and other living beings around Him with the flute, we can also melt Bhagawan’s heart with our sincere singing of Bhagawan’s divine names. 

We might have a doubt here – We might not be professional musicians who had been trained for years in Carnatic music. Because of this limitation, how will Bhagawan enjoy our singing, if it becomes awry and haphazard in nature? All what is important here is our devotion towards Bhagawan. If we’re singing openly with tears in our eyes and with full focus, Bhagawan’s heart would definitely melt. He is not someone who looks for perfection all the time. All what is important for Bhagawan is the level of devotion (“Bhakti”) with which we sing. He’s not going to give us “Moksha” only if we’re professionally trained in music. We should remember this point very clearly and shouldn’t feel shy to sing for Bhagawan. Afterall we’re singing to our divine father, isn’t it? Won’t a father enjoy his little son’s singing, even if it is a bit off track? We should have this mindset while we sing unconditionally to Bhagawan. 

Hence, from this important discussion, we’re witnessing how “music” is a very important way to attain Bhagawan. In the next episode, we shall continue this discussion further and witness how music puts us firmly into the “Bhakti Maarga” and few examples of great people who had attained “Moksha” through music! Stay tuned! 🙂