Music, Love, God and Spiritual Bliss

One of the most beautiful things about this life is melody (Notes and toffee, alike 🙂). Few days back, one of my dearest friends asked me if music can lead us to the Supreme. Although, I had an answer based on my experience but I decided not to put it in words for him. What are experiences if not merely our opinions, merely our version of truth!

That Saturday and the next, our beloved Master blessed him with ‘Can Music be a Path to Samadhi’ (Part 1 and Part 2).

That made my realisation even stronger that the Divine constantly talks to us through myriad ways. It is just our incapability to silence our minds because of which we fail to hear Him/Her/It.

Every culture has music as an integral part of its tradition. So does Bengal. From Shyama Sangeet to Baul, from Rabindra Sangeet to Ramprasadi, from Nazrul Geeti to Vaishnav Keertan, 24 hours seem very less to delve into the ocean of spiritual bliss. From playing with my dollhouse till reading Coelho and Swamiji, I have grown up hearing the enchanting melodies of this culture.

As a kid, Tagore almost went above my head. I could never grasp anything he said in his songs until one day when my mother said, “Try as hard as you may, but you will never be able to distinguish between Tagore’s love songs and Prayful Hymns. Love is Divinity in its own essence!” That hit deep, even as a kid of merely 6 years, that shook something deep inside me. As I grew up I started to realise how true she was. The absence of love is indeed the absence of God. God dwells in the heart of a lover!

Sharing a beautiful hymn written by Rev Sw.Purnatmananda ji. Since the hymn is in Banglaa, I have tried translating it. I hope the lover in your hearts basks in the Supreme Bliss of His inexhaustible love (‘Lover’ and not ‘lovers’ for when we are in love with Him, we all are One with Him…we are singular…we are Him!). Love and Light! 

Youtube Link

जिस अभिलाषा के जागृत होने पर मैं तुम्हे खो दूँ,

हे प्रभु! ऐसी इच्छा मेरे मन में कभी ना जगाना।

जिस आसक्ति के कारण मैं तुम्हे भूलने लग जाऊं,

मेरे नाथ! ऐसी आसक्ति में डालकर मुझे भ्रमित ना करना।

जिस ज्ञान रुपी दिये की रौशनी तुम्हारे तत्त्व-रूप को छुपा ले,

ऐसे ज्ञान-दीप को मेरे जीवन में कभी प्रज्ज्वलित ना करना, गुरुदेव!

जिस यातना को सहकर मैं तुम्हें प्राप्त हो जाऊं,

हे परमपुरुष! मेरी उस यातना को कभी ना हरना!

जो नशा मुझे तुमसे अलग कर दे,

मेरे सरकार! ऐसे नशे को मुझमे कभी ना जगाना।

जिस सुख की प्राप्ति में डूबकर मुझे तुम्हारा विस्मरण हो जाए,

ऐसे सुख के सागर में कभी ना डुबोना।

जिस बात के बीच तुम्हारी बात ना हो,

प्रभु, ऐसी कोई बात मेरे कानो तक ना आने देना।

अगर मेरे आंसुओं के झरने से मुझे तुम्हारी प्राप्ति होती है,

मेरे मालिक, कृपा कर उन आंसुओं की धार को मत पोछना।

जिस अभिलाषा के जागृत होने पर मैं तुम्हे खो दूँ,

मेरी जान! ऐसी इच्छा मेरे मन में कभी ना जगाना।

~गुरुदेव को समर्पित।

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The wish that makes me lose you,

My Lord, don’t ever awaken such a desire inside me.

The attachment that makes me forget you,

My master, do not waiver my faith by putting me in such illusion.

The wisdom whose light conceals your truest essence,

Never light up my life in the glow of such wisdom, Gurudev.

The suffering that is potent enough to merge me in you,

Oh Supreme Purusha! Never liberate me of such suffering no matter how terrible it may be.

The intoxication that separates me from you,

My Lord, do not awaken such an obsession inside my mind.

The ocean of bliss that drowns your remembrance,

Never drown me into such ecstasy.

The conversation that doesn’t include you or your teachings,

Lord, do not let such words even touch my ears.

If my tears can pave my way towards you,

I sincerely request you, my master, do not wipe the flow of those tears.

The wish that makes me lose you,

My life! Don’t ever awaken such a desire inside me.

~Offered with love at the holiest lotus-feet of Gurudev.