Scientific Secrets of Jainism

Author(s): Nandighoshvijay
Publisher: Research Institute of Scientific Secrets from Indian Oriental Scriptures Ahmedabad

Page 196

16. Indian Classical Music And Its
Scientific Significance
I his happened nearly 400 years ago. It is a wonderful and thrilling incident of the memorable meeting of Baijā Bāvarā, the supreme musician who holds a matchless position among accomplished musicians and Tānasēna, the court musician of the Mogul Emperor Akbar.
Under the pretext of beating the world as a musician, Tānasēna set out from Bāngāgadha (Rājasthāna) in search of Baijā Bāvarā, the senior disciple of his guru Haridāsa, went to various royal courts and defeated the musicians there. But nowhere did he find Baijā Bāvarā. At last Tānasēna
ed Agrā and challenged the court musicians of Akbar, the Mogul Emperor of Delhi. But the court musicians of Delhi had not the courage to compete with Tānasēna, who had natural talent, musical aptitude etc. Emperor Akbar confessed the weakness of his singers and with open heart he accepted the supremacy of Tānasēna. He made him his court musician.
But Tänasēna was still uneasy because he had not yet succeeded in his aim of beating the world as a musician.
But when Baijū came to know of Tānasēna's craze of beating the world in music, his sentiments as an artist were greatly hurt. He made up his mind to humiliate Tānasēna and challenged him and according to the order of Emperor Akbar, arrangements for an extraordinary musical competition between them were made in the garden near the city Agrā.
It was a fine morning that filled the mind with joy. The atmosphere of the garden was also full of natural beauty. It was filled with soft and sweet sounds of birds. The musical competition was to begin in this charming atmosphere.
Emperor Akbar, his queens, the nine gems of Akbar's court and fanatic admirers of music - all came to the garden.
There came a musician, wrapped in tattered and old clothes and equipped with only a stringed musical instrument (Tānapūrā). Tānasēna, the court musician, was astonished to see his strange appearance. He was Baijā him