836. A lesson from a music concert!!!!!!

Last week one of my FB friends shared a video of a talented young man rendering Carnatic Vocal. The vocalist had different Raga (musical note) and the songs were melodious. I noticed behind the vocalist to his right was a lady with a Tanpura setting the Shruti (pitch). The vocalist improvised new phrases of musical expression within the scales of a given Raga however he kept on changing the expressions. But one thing that did not change is Shruti that was behind. I could not hear it when the song was being rendered. I could hear when the vocalist ended a Raga and began another. The reason I could not hear it when the song was rendered is because the vocalist had merged the Raga with it. The reason for the vocalist to provide such a divine music is that he did not let the Raga mismatch with the Shruti. Anyone can be a vocalist but the harmony in the flow is gauged by the Raga and Shruti conjunction. That makes a singer or a vocalist an extraordinary talent. 

  

On contemplation the next day I noticed that we humans live a life which is similar to that concert. My day begins with a new Raga and this material world offers me different expressions to experience and the day ends with it but the Shruti follows never ending. These Ragas as I understand are the Artha (wealth) and Kama (desire) which I yearn and gain, while Dharma (righteousness) and Moksha (liberation) are like Shruti which remain the same for eons.

When I get up in the morning this material world sticks to me like new Raga and if I set it to the Shruti it will be melodious. Whatever I do in my life is like Ragas it keeps on changing on daily basis. They could be melancholic, hilarious, absorbing, morning, evening- definitely a Raga galore. But that Shruti behind is unchanging and to it I need to match my Ragas and this goes on and on and on. 

There is satisfaction as even the musician which I am; there is an applause, clapping, appreciation. Then… someday the Raga has to concluded. There is will be no singing for a short time being…maybe there could be another concert altogether, but what I did here by matching my Raga with the Shruti is what gives me fulfilment of my purusharthas……Am I right???