Page 3 - Oct-Dec 2017

VOL. 14 No. 4
Mythology and Music

sangam story
In Ancient India, man associated music with divinity. He considered Perhaps the earliest written
music as the purest expression of cosmic energy. As a consequence, references to musical instruments
music and religion evolved together and became inseparable. have been made in the Sangam

th
nd
In India, we believe that even the gods and goddesses would get literature of the 2 to the 6
pleased and shower bounty when they listened to music. It became a century CE.
custom thereafter to recite or chant hymns and verses in musical notes
to venerate them.

SaCRed SOUndS tHe RamaYana

BraHMa- Lord Brahma is the creator The great epic Ramayana was
of the universe. He created universe written in verses (shloka) by Sage
with the Nadabrahma or the primordial Valmiki. The epic is laced with
sound energy. His choice of instrument metaphors and is recited in a lyrical
is the mridangam. He is also associated tone. Ramayana makes use of
with cymbals. Marga Sangeet lavishly. The epic
also mentions musical instruments
VISHNu- Lord Vishnu is the preserver of the as atodya including the veena,
universe. He is depicted holding the conch shankha, mridang etc. Festival music was known as samaj.
shell or the shankha in his hand. ‘Om’ or the
primeval sound was created while blowing
the conch shell. tHe maHaBHaRata
SHIVa- Lord Shiva is the destroyer Jaya or the Mahabharata is
of the universe. He is depicted an epic ballad written by Ved
with his damru and its sound is a part of the Vyas. It contains 24000 shlokas.
Tandav or the dance of destruction. In place of sangeet, the epic

SaraSWaTI- Goddess Saraswati is mentions Gandharvashastra
considered to be the patron of arts. She or the science of musicology. It
is said to have created the seven scales also talks about the seven basic music notes i.e. shadja. In
or the seven swaras. the epic, Prince Arjuna is supposed to have learnt the art
Her instrument is the of music from Gandharv Chitrasen.
veena.
KrISHNa- Bhagavat Gita has mUSIC In BUddHISm
beautifully described Lord Krishna’s In Buddhist literature, we find religious
appearance as a divine being playing texts that talk about music. Around 300
his flute. Illustration by: Bhoomi Kumari BC, the Jataka tales describe Buddhist
Jaiswal, Motilal Nehru Public
School, Jamshedpur monks singing, dancing and playing
musical instruments.

aCtIvItY: matCH tHe fOLLOwIng
Narada Mridangam mUSIC In JaInISm
Ravana Rudra veena
Shiva Ektara In Jainism, musicology is influenced by the Sanskrit
Brahma Ravanhatta tradition indicating a musical continuity. Jain texts like
the Sthananangsootra talk about the qualities of a singer.
Megna K.r., XI, Angappa educational Trust Sr. Sec. School, Coimbatore
The Rayappasenaijja records 18 categories of musical
instruments.

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