Naaradha once asked Sriman Naaraayana what was His permanent address. Naaraayana replied: "Wherever my Bhaktha (devotee) sings my name, I am present there".
Then Naaradha asked: "There are innumerable places in which the devotees sing your name, how can you be present in all those places at the same time?" (Bhagavan explained that it was not any kind of singing that appealed to the Lord). In singing there are some who indulge in gymnastics and do not reveal genuine devotional feeling. When songs are sung in that manner, how can the Lord be present there.'? (Bhagavan illustrated it by reciting merely the musical notation Sa, Ri, Ga)
Where the singers merely emphasise the Raaga and the Thaala (tune and rhythm), He will not be present. It is only when the song is melodious combining Raaga, Thaala and Bhaava (the tune, the rhythm and the feeling) only there will He be present. The singing must be full of feeling. The Lord is moved only by the feeling that is expressed, not by musical talent as such. It does not matter if the raaga is not perfect and the thaala is not perfect. Those appeal only at the worldly level. The Lord loves only the sincerity of feeling.
There was a great musician in Akbar's Court known as Thansen. He used to sing night and day and the music was mellifluous. It was perfect music but there was no deep feeling in his singing. One day Akbar and Thansen were going round the city. Akbar found an old man singing to himself songs in praise of God. Akbar stopped his chariot and went on listening to the song of the devotee and even without his knowing it, tears started flowing from his eyes. His heart was deeply moved.
He went some distance and told Thansen: "You have been singing for a long time before me and I have always found your music very sweet to the ears but it has never moved my heart, but the music of this devotee has melted my heart. I wish to know the difference between your singing and the singing of this devotee!"
Thansen replied: "Haaraaja! I have been singing to please you, but this devotee is singing to please God, that is the difference."
So something which is sung to please a man cannot move the heart. Only that which is addressed to God can have that effect. What pleases the Lord alone can change the mind of man. Both the devotee and the great musician Thansen were singing well, but only the song filled with devotional feeling could appeal to God.
(From Bhagawan's Divine Discourse at Ooty, South India, April 1984)
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