Indian, Gorakh, Death is Divine Chapter 10: Music, the easiest method of meditation, Question 4

The fourth question:

Question 4

I AM VERY FOND OF INDIAN CLASSICAL MUSIC. MY NEIGHBORS DON'T LIKE IT, NOR DO MY WIFE AND KIDS, NOR THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY. WHAT SHOULD I DO?

Not everyone can appreciate Indian classical music. It is wrong to expect such a thing. For classical music a different kind of sensitivity is needed, a different kind of receptivity. A very delicate, rhythmic, and melodically refined heart is needed.

Classical music is not your popular film music which you can appreciate remaining just as you are.

Indian classical music is a sadhana - a spiritual discipline. As you are, you cannot understand it. You will have to transform yourself. Classical music is a challenge. Only after years of effort and practice will you be able to appreciate and listen to it. It is not the fault of the people in your neighborhood, not your family's fault, nor your wife's. You have have chosen something really troublesome.

I have heard that Mulla Nasruddin invited a musician friend to his home for dinner and said, "Bring a tabla player along too and bring all your instruments, because after dinner is over we will have a concert."

The musician friend was a little surprised, because even in his dreams he had never had an inkling that Mulla had an appreciation for Indian classical music. Mulla had never shown any interest, now suddenly he is bursting with love for classical music!

He arrived, arrived well prepared. He brought his instruments and his whole music party. Dinner was served, wine flowed. Talk went on very late. The musician wondered a little when the music might happen. It was almost midnight and Mulla kept busy with things here and there. Two or three times the musician mentioned, "Brother, the music...?"

Mulla said, "Wait friend, it will happen at the right time. Everything has its time." When it was midnight and everything had become still, the whole neighborhood had gone to sleep and the movement of people had stopped on the street, Mulla said, "Now the moment has come, now it shall happen, now we can open our hearts and enjoy classical music."

The musician said, "But now the neighbors have gone to sleep, your wife too has gone to sleep, and your children and other family members have gone to sleep. Classical music will be troublesome now."

He said, "You needn't worry at all. What trouble? When their dogs went on barking, I didn't say a thing. I don't have a dog, that is why I have called you. Let the music happen, go into it wholeheartedly. Don't hesitate or hold back. Whatever you have learned your whole life... Tonight every one of those fellows will find out that even if I don't have a dog, still I have friendship with a classical musician."

There are people like this too. Mulla had gone once to a music recital and when the singer began to sing, "Aaaaaah...." Mulla started weeping, his tears were falling, drip, drip...

The man sitting next to him said, "Nasruddin, I had never thought that you had such a love for classical music." Tears were just pouring...

He said, "It is not a *** of classical music, my goat died just like this. This man will die, just like my goat, "Aaaaaah.... Aaaaaah...." At that time also, I knew my goat was singing classical music, in the morning I found him dead."

You have have chosen something quite troublesome.

The men in the fire brigade asked,

"What caused the house to catch fire?"

The owner of the house said twirling his mustaches,

"This is a striking example

of the traditional way of singing Deepak raga:

it strikes fire."

They asked: "This sitar,

why is it uselessly lying here broken?"

The rhythmical todas of raga Todi tore it apart."

Why are these kittens, these 'bilavate', making such noise?

You call this noise?

Sir, they are singing raga Bilaval.

Why is he moving so slowly. Is the poor man old?

No, his pace was composed

in the slow vilambit tempo.

Inquiring,

where are the villagers going

deserting their homes?

It was discovered,

that classical musicians are gathering

in the village

for a music festival.

Now there is only one possibility: you begin Dynamic Meditation or Kundalini Meditation. Then your neighbors will suggest on their own, "Brother, classical music is better. You play that, now what worse trouble have you brought?"

You have asked so now I suggest to you - and this prescription has worked previously, that is why I give it to you. You just start shouting, "Hoo! hoo! ha! ha!" and jump right into Dynamic Meditation. Your neighbors will come praying to you, "Brother, classical music would be better...."

There is no other method to solve it. You have have chosen something really troublesome.

Is this an era for Indian classical music? Either leave the neighborhood or move somewhere in solitude.

Sit somewhere alone. Learn it there. And if something has to be renounced then renounce the neighborhood because music is a very valuable thing. If you have to stake something for it then stake it. If you have to renounce the family, then renounce, but don't renounce music. If you truly enjoy music, this enjoyment will become your meditation, it will become your samadhi.

Music is the easiest method of meditation. Whoever can let himself dissolve into music has no need to seek anything else to dissolve into. Music is wonderfully intoxicating. Music is the ultimate wine. Dissolving deeper and deeper into it, your thoughts will go, your ego will go. Understand music as meditation.

But don't torture others, because it is not right if others are sacrificed for your meditation. Give way. And if your wife loves you and if your children love you, then slowly slowly a love for your music will also be born. Very gradually teach them music. Not all at once, but slowly slowly the taste for music will be born. It is very difficult to find anyone who has no taste for music somewhere inside of him. The taste of music is irresistible. This is why we have called god: shabda - the word, svara - the musical tone, omkar - the sound of om, because each individual is created out of sound. In our heart of hearts sound is reverberating, the unstruck sound is vibrating, the sound of om is happening. This is why it is difficult, extremely difficult to find anyone who has no potential for music somewhere inside of him. But awaken it very gradually. Slowly slowly get them used to it. But don't drop music.

If one finds joy in music then everything can be dropped, but music must not be dropped. If music can become your very sannyas, then let it become. This much courage will be needed. The courage to put everything at stake will be needed. Then something can come to fruit in life. Then something is attained in life. Everything else is trivial. If this is the voice of your being, then follow this voice.

This is why I have to speak on everything. I have to speak on music also, even though I am no musician. I don't know Deepak raga or raga Todi, or raga Bilaval, nor vilambit - I don't know anything. But I have heard that music which is the ultimate music. Where all ragas disappear, I have heard that music about which Nanak has said, "Ek Omkar Satnam - the sound of Om is the only truth". This is why I have to speak on music also. If a music lover comes then I will have to take him with his love towards god.

I don't want to separate you from your nature. I don't want to project anything on you. I want what is spontaneous and natural in you to come to fruit, to flower.

Gorakh

DEATH IS DIVINE

Chapter-10

Music, the easiest method of meditation