Smt. Shobha Srinivasan
Date : Mar 27th 2023
Question: Can knowledge touch our hearts? Can emotions stimulate our thinking?
nyAnAnandamayam dEvam nırmala sphaTikAkrutim
adhAram sarva vidyAnAm hayagrivam upAsmahE
This is slokam on Lord Hayagriva and it means that Lord Hayagriva is an embodiment of gyAnam (Knowledge) and bliss (Anandam) and HE is pure and brilliant. He is the base of all learning and I prostrate to HIM.
Knowledge and Bliss are two important aspects. One is to do with mind purification and the other is to do with heart purification. Both are required. A pure heart without proper knowledge may be liked by many but he or she cannot understand the “why’s” of the life and at some point or the other, will find it difficult to deal with life.
A knowledgeable mind may be respected by many but if he or she is not able feel empathy for others, the flow does not happen and then one feels an emptiness inside.
Musical Experience
Whoever listens to classical music, can get intrigued or touched or both. Intriguing happens when the performers display high level of technical prowess and the audience are touched when the performers are able to invoke the same emotion in the audience that is being conveyed by the song.
Everyone’s heart can be touched by music but to appreciate the technical prowess, one’s mind must understand more about music. When the heart and mind are in unison, the listener can experience bliss. But when they are in conflict, one can only experience stress.
When knowledge is used only to showcase technical superiority, it looses it purpose. When knowledge is used to invoke the emotions in the audience, it serves it purpose.
When emotions are used without knowledge, it can serve only in a limited way. When the emotions are used with understanding of how they are generated in the first place, it can be used for healing self and others - in a very expansive way.
A music composer understands this best. If there is a situation where melancholy feeling is required by the song, a ragam like subhapantuvarali or raag lalith might be used. If the situation demands joy and happiness, mohanam or bilahari ragam might be used. Just knowing which ragam can be used (knowledge) is not sufficient, the performer must be able to sing or play that ragam knowing its raga swarupam to bring about that emotion.
Connecting the dots…
Many instances in our lives will show us whether we are operating from our heart or from our mind. Mind likes to analyse, present arguments and makes us decide. Heart just feels something and says this is good for you. We may not even know why it says so.
In chapter 23 of Canto 10 of Srimad Bhagavatam (http://www.srimadbhagavatam.org/canto10/chapter23.html), there is a story about how Krishna sent Gopas to get food from the Brahmins who were performing Yajna and how the Brahmins refused because they were so absorbed in the rituals without realizing that offerings through the Yagya are ultimately going to Krishna. Then the Gopas are asked to go to the Gopis and ask and since the Gopis knew who Krishna was, they with their love and affection gave the food that they prepared for the rituals to Krishna.
It is a beautiful episode that highlights the fact that how our minds are hijacked sometimes even by good knowledge and how we can loose awareness of what that knowledge is meant for.
Practice
The are many meditation practices that makes us get in touch with that higher self of ours.
Heartfulness Meditation Practice is a wonderful practice and my co-columnist Smt. Swapna Krishnamohan here, is a Heartfulness Trainer, if anyone wants to get in touch with. It was with chandrakala and her as my preceptors, that I got to know to some extent about this practice. My gratitude to them.
Few aspects that I felt were very specific to this practice and can be of great benefit to the practitioners, were the following:
a. No visualisation during meditation. Just suggestion at the beginning and then just feeling and observation.
b. Daily cleaning - The importance of cleaning is highlighted so much which is very very essential to the practice. At the end of the day, the grace flows when we become pure and pure.
c. Daaji being the current global master - The way Daaji speaks with knowledge and utmost humility touches me the most. Some people have that aura which makes the other person easily reach out and surrender.
d. The sessions are free of cost. This is important so that one can be free to try and see what works.
To know more about heartfulness, one can visit https://www.youtube.com/c/Heartfulness/videos
See you in the next episode with yet another musical experience and life lesson.