Origin of Music

 Origin of Music | nmalayalamSreekumari Ramachandran

Music is a simple art based on heart touching sounds. The aim of this art is to arouse the supreme feelings and give satisfaction by using the most attractive groups of words. Dance, drawing and sculpturing are all forms of simple art. However these forms do not possess the power to entertain all the living beings equally. Sad people forget their sorrow on hearing music and babies calm down and sleep on hearing lullaby. All these are the examples of the mystical power music has. The birds becoming still on hearing to music is also due to the power of music. There is an old saying- ‘Pashurvethi shishurvethi vethi ganarasam fani’ which means even animals, babies and serpents can feel and react to music. It has been proved that several diseases (especially mental diseases) can be cured by the power of music. It has been found by the scientific studies that music can be used to increase the produce of crops.

It is believed that there were musicians who could bring rain with their music. Music is the sweetest thing, incomparably supreme and highly satisfying. Music is considered as the supreme form of art due to its winning properties over the other forms of art. Music has also been regarded as a God in the name of ‘Gandharvam’.

Music has a significant place in the culture of a society. The concentration of mind needed to enjoy music gives the peace of mind. According to Shastras, peace of mind is a way to salvation.

In yaagnyavalkyasmriti it has been said that ‘veena vaadana tatvagna sruti jaati visharadah taalagnascha prayasena moksha margam niyachati’. This means the person who learns music elements according to the rules, gets salvation with ease. 

Music has a history, especially the Indian music. The base of Indian culture is Vedas. In ‘Sangeetha Darpan’ it has been said that speech evolved from Rigveda, music evolved from Samaveda, acting evolved from Yajurveda and rasa evolved from Atharva veda.

In ‘Sangeetharatnakara’ Sharangadevan associates Vedas with music. He says ‘Samavedadidam geetham samjagraha pitamahah’ which means Lord Brahma created the art of music from Samaveda.

There is one more sloka regarding the majesty of music- ‘japakoti gunam dhyanam, dhyanakoti guno layah, layakoti gunam gaanam, gaanat parataram nahim.’ It means meditating God with a clear mind for once is equal to chanting the mantras for a billion times. To get the laya in mind for once is equal to meditating God for a billion times. To sing sweetly for once is equal to get the laya for a billion times. There is nothing greater than a song in our knowledge. Therefore music is the best way to salvation. This is what the above mentioned sloka means.

Music is also mentioned to as ‘Dharmartha kama mokshana vida mevaika saadhanam’. This means music is superior to charity, artham, lust and salvation.

There is a noteworthy Bhagawat saying- ‘naaham vasami vaikunte na yogi hridaye ravou mad bhakta yatra gayanti tatra thistami naradah’. ‘Hey Narada I don’t live in vykuntam, where there is no sign of music, or in the hearts of sages, where there is no fragrance of music or in the sun where there is no music at all. I exist there, where my real devotees praise me through their pleasing music.’ This is how Lord Vishnu cleared the doubts of Narada.

From all these you might learn how great the music really is.