How Does The Ancient Instrument Veena Help You Achieve Self Realisation?

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Classical music, the most sacred form of them all, has lost a part of its shimmer due to the arrival of technology into the world of music. The newest instruments have taken over the traditional order and Saraswati veena and Rudra veena are amongst those instruments which have paled slightly into insignificance as they are comparatively expensive too.

Sound Of Veena...

Indian culture and tradition and the Saraswati veena have long been intrinsically associated with each other. Saraswati, the Goddess of learning, is seen holding veena and books. Veena is known for its meditative, deep sonorous sound that evokes devotion, and methodical learning will lead you to master the nuances that help you to express yourself through it. It is still a very much a reigning phenomenon in the world of classical music and musicians.

Played By Deities...

It is the mother of all stringed instruments practicing which, it becomes easier to handle other stringed instruments. Out of the three basic instruments, that is, flute, and mrudangam, and Veena, it is Veena which is found on the hands of most deities. Adi Shankaracharya in his Meenakshi pancharatnam, describes Goddess Meenakshi as the one holding a Veena in her hands.

Types Of Veena

Veena as an instrument has undergone so many modifications from the time of the Vedas and Upanishads. . Veena evolved from the one stringed instrument that it was to the hundred stringed instruments as mentioned in scriptures. Bharata Muni and Narada Muni mention types of veenas such as Kachchapi, Chitra, ghosavati, Vipanchi to name a few. The veena that has been handed down to us after a plethora of modifications, is the saraswati veena which perfectly delivers the flourishes in an astounding manner. During the Ramayana times, Princes Lava and Kusha used the Ekatantri or single stringed veena while singing Lord Rama's praises in the court of Rama. The frets set on the veena are meant to reproduce the sound with the hightest level of purity and using them effortlessly to play requires a good deal of sadhana.

Opinions From The Learned

From past several centuries, our forerunners have been playing this instrument to fulfil their spiritual ambitions and the fact that it is seen in the hands of many deities, it can be nothing less than a divine instrument. Yagnyavalkya Maharshi opined that liberation can be achieved by merely playing on the veena as it is really a cumbersome effort to achieve it through the study of Vedas as it required a long time and patience. Classical music mellows down even the most hard-hearted man into a gentle human being with a higher ideal.

Our learned musicians always said that brahmananda or the divine peace is achieved easily by the avenue of veena, through classical music, where the lyric as well as its rendering have a purely spiritual touch. When you strum the veena string, it resonates for quite a long time and you are focussed on the sound for that length of time. Focussing on the music for a few hours, will certainly take you to a different world where you show a single minded focus on music and nothing else, Classical music has inspired reverence and devotion in many uninitiated people. In a subhashita, that is why it is said " Pashur vetti shishur vetti vetti ganarasam phanihi" Music and its effect is understood by even animals, babies and serpents.

Devotional singing is always done with Veena as the Background instrument. Upon merely touching the veena, it is known to purify the sinner of brahma hatya papa. The bamboo board is considered to be the home of Shiva, the string, of Parvati, the bridge, of Lakshmi and the gourd, of Brahma. Each part of it is known to represent all gods and goddesses and hence it can bless the player and listener with everything auspicious.

What Do Saints Say?

According to some Tamil saints, the bliss attained by playing the veena cannot be experienced even in the samadhi state. They say that no one apart from yogis can understand the depth of the sound emanating from the veena.

Sri Muthuswami Dikshitar ,one of the holy trinities was an excellent veena player. . As per an expert, singing while playing on the veena improves the tenor of your voice.

Ancient Rishis agreed unanimously that the sound of music is a yoga by itself that elevates your consciousness as well as help you by granting your mundane wishes. From the ancient yugas up to now, musicians have agreed that it awakens you spiritually in an easier way while the regular upanishadic route actually takes janmas to liberate you. The Ravana, the king of Lanka, had mesmerized even Lord Shiva by the display of his devotion through his veena recital.

Edgar Cayce, "the sleeping prophet of the west" in one of his trances stessions, has mentioned that it is only music, spirituality and literary capabilities that follow you life after life whereas the rest of the skills perish when that particular janma is over and done with.

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