Indian Raga Music & Yoga Philosophy are completely blended in one flavor. The technique of Yoga and its application on Raga ‘Sangeet-Sadhana’, ultimately help s a musical Performer & also a Listener to be healthy, in body & mind, to reach to a state of ecstatic joy and to realize the ultimate truth of human life. It also helps us to restore the vitality in all respect. The impact of Yoga Sadhana & Raga Sadhana helps to reach, to the same state of fulfillment of life.
Hindustani Music with its Raga concept is the greatest manifestation. I have been trying to emphasize on the evaluation of a complete & an enriched technique of Yoga-based Raga practice, which includes the use of Raga as a holistic medicine to cure various physical and mental disorders. To say in a word, I’m trying to explain the easiest process of Raga & Yoga Sadhana to have the common benefit from Hindustani Raga practice & listening both. Yoga has been compared to a tree, bearing luscious fruits. The main object of Yoga is to eradicate all obstacles stand on the way and to remove the causes of suffering [both physical & mental]. Saint Patanjali says that the control comes from practice. Practice means exercise of any event, as per the ethical and spiritual discipline. The process of sadhana described in eight Limbs of Yoga as following—i) Yama, ii) Niyama, iii) Asana, iv) Pranayama, v) Pratyahara, vi) Dharana, vii) Dhyana, viiii) Samadhi.
- ‘Yama’is various forms of abstention from evil doing, cultivating of moral virtues, such as truthfulness, non-injury, continence.
- ‘Niyama’, is the regular habit of study and worship.
- ‘Asana’ means sitting quietly in order to achieve tranquility. ‘Asana’ is to make the mind calm and calmness is achieved while sitting and meditating . It is necessary, to learn, to be seated, in a firm position. .
- ‘Pranayama’ is the breathing exercise, in order to gain control over the mind, to control the vital energy.
- ‘Pratyahara’ is the withdrawal of the mind from sense object or freeing the mind, from the thralldom of the senses.
- ‘Dharana’is an important stage in the field of Yoga as well as in music. Here mind becomes very quiet & ready to attain any clear perception.
- ‘Dhyana’ is meditation which means an unbroken flow of thought, towards the object of concentration.
- ‘Samadhi’ is the state of brain & mind raising to a super-conscious & transcendental stage.
‘Human Body is a temple’ and vital spirit is called God or Atman, who sits within the heart of man or body temple. If we may overcome the ignorance & inefficiency through the process of Sadhana or practice and acquire Yogic knowledge, we may become a successful one and can enjoy a life without any sorts of misery, painful suffering, mental & physical weakness.
The Indian Yoga philosophy & Indian Raga Music both define that the source of eternal joy & peace exist within us, not externally which may be achieved through the process of ‘Sadhana’. The process of regular ‘Swara-Sadhana’ of “SA” or “OM” [AUM] may help anybody to keep oneself healthy.
Concept of Hindustani Raga Music is a systematic, disciplined & well-methodical Practice of Sound Vibration Effect. Raga Practice & Listening—both are one of the easiest processes of Mental Concentration & Meditation, with Spiritual Awareness.
The ‘Raga’ is totally an independent & universal concept of Indian Classical Music because Raga may be commonly used in Dhrupadas, Kheyals, Thumris, Bhajans, Ghazals & other styles of music but the Raga always exists with a separate identity & its independent nature. It means that Drupada, Kheyal etc are just different styles of singing, based on specific Raga composition.
Through the process of evolution, the Traditional Classical Music [Hindustani] & its multifarious aspects gave birth, to this heart-enchanting ‘Raga’ concept. It is basically based on a specific & scientific process of practice [Sadhana] of various material aspects like Swaras, imaginative factors of mood like Rasa and metaphysics, psychology, time-theory etc.—the most useful factors, to form & fulfill a Raga concept.
Ancient Rishies & Musical Scholars had established the Utility of Raga Music, after a long endeavor of observing the Nature & its trend and the different mood [Rasa], as per change of Time & Season.
At the beginning of the discussion, we have to recollect the comments of the Philosophers & the Pathfinders of ‘Yoga Darshan’ [Yoga Philosophy] like Rishi Patanjal, Pandit Ahobal, Saint Kabir Das, Swami Vivekananda & others who says that the mind of any human being is fickle, in general sense. Sangeet can easily help one to be calm & quiet and also be concentrated. Indian Raga Music can easily erase the mentally-disordered position of human being. We know that the regular practice of it [Swara Sadhana & Raga Sadhana, as per Yoga Process] can awaken the finer Psychic Energy (‘Prana’). Some specific Ragas may be applied to recover the state of mental depression & to get further energy. Performance of some Ragas may be encouraged for the development of eternal concept and to express or establish the qualities like ‘Oneness’, ‘Love’, ‘Harmony’, Devotion’, ‘Integration’ & ‘Unity’.
There are different rhythms & frequencies throughout every level of Creation. One frequency melts into the other & this is how the process of evolution takes place. For example, at the Dawn of a New Day, there is a special quality of freshness in the atmosphere, at noon there is a different quality & another in the evening. The infinite numbers of elements, in the Universe are of different frequencies or sounds. When we listen to any Swara or any Form of Sound or ‘Mantra’, it promptly generates to the centre of our Consciousness or in Membrane and it creates various triangles, formed themselves, inside a circle [which is located at the top of the back of our head].A spontaneous effect on our Concentrated Mind & Body is created. When Indian Traditional Music is played at the appropriate time of the day, the physiology of the Individual Listener can be brought into an alliance, with the Universe. The aims & objects of Hindustani Vocal Music [Indian Classical] are to enquire on the musical notes or sounds like SA, RE, GA, MA, PA, DHA, NI & emphasizing on its eternal sound effect [not merely, as a note or sound, which are meaningless].