Scientific Secrets of Jainism

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

Page 214

Indian Classical Music And Its Scientific Significance
Why is so much importance given to music in God's worship? Pondering over this, we feel that music gives ease to the mind and then to the body and the man who is drenched deep in worship totally forgets mental anxiety, physical diseases and worldly troubles during that time and thus becomes absorbed in God. The devotional music renders unusual help in cultivating concentration of mind, speech and body in spiritual field.
And that is why according to the Jain traditional belief when Rāvaṇa, the king of Lanka, went on a pilgrimage to Aṣṭāpada (Kailisa), his wife, Queen Mandōdari, performed a devotional dance before the God, Tirthankara Paramātmā. At that time Rāvana himself played on a lute and as soon as a string of the lute broke, Rāvana pulled out a vein of his leg and tied it in place of the string and kept Mandōdari's devotional song unbroken. By virtue of this devotion, Rāvana attained the merits of becoming a Tirthankara Paramātmā in future. It can make a worshipper a Tirthankara.
183
The Indian art of dancing is connected with Indian classical music. The ex-actress and present day's Odyssey dancer, Miss Pratima Gauri says about the ancient art of dancing:
"
All ancient dances of India are in reality artistic varieties of God's worship, God's prayer. We, Odyssey dancers and dancing girls perform dances to propitiate God Jagannatha. The Kathak mode of dancing is full of Kṛṣṇa's worship. But in Bharatanatyam, the first artist of the universe, Śiva is propitiated. The chief aim of our dances is God's pleasure.
33
The modern science also supports the description of various potentialities of music, given by ancient spiritual great men such as Indian musicians and sages possessing spiritual insight. May living beings get happiness in this world and the next world and may they attain spiritual heights and welfare of soul through Indian classical music.
References:
1. "Baiju Bāvarā" Sangita Pratibha (A musical genius) Author: Vimal Dhami (Jai Hind, weekly supplement, Date 9-5-1993)
2. Ślōka (verse) No 3, Fifth Prakāśa, Vitarāga Stōtra, compiled by Kalikāla Sarvajña Śri Hēmacandrācāryaji
3. Kalpasūtra, commentary Subodhika, second part, p. 66.