Nadopasana for Salvation

By

Dr. R. Krishnaswami

Nadopasana is bhakthi, worship, and devotion through music. As the article on Thyagaraja’s musical plays pointed out, Sri Thyagaraja Swami used his compositions to energize our inner spiritual forces or nadopasana to attain moksha or salvation in this life. There are several references to nadopasana in Indian musicology, philosophy, and epics. For example, in The Sangita Rathnakara, the opening slokas explain how nada and Kundalini¹ are interrelated and how this comprehension is necessary for salvation. Sri Thyagaraja Swami took the first three slokas and composed the following kritis, Nada Thanum Anisam, Sobhillu Saptha Swara, and Nadopasana, using the first, second, and third sloka respectively.

According to Hindu sastras, Naabhi, Hrith, Kanta, Rasana, and Naasa are the sources of sound which originate from the Mooladhara or the inner soul. The recognition of this Mooladharaja Naada is itself moksha says Sri Thyagaraja in the Sankarabharanam kriti, Swara Raga Sudharasa. In this connection, it is interesting to note that Sir John Sparrow, in his book titled, Serpent Power, equates Kundalini with endogenous sound. The identification of the correct srutis as the home of the swaras is also important for experiencing moksha or liberation “Saptha Swarmula Grhuhamula gruthe mohamuta.” The worship of pure sound emanating from within you and identifying yourself with it and being in consonance with it is liberation or moksha.

Sri Thyagaraja Swami no only stresses the importance of recognizing and developing the ability to experience Mooladhara nada, but also more specifically asks the votaries to Sangitopasana as a means and prelude to enjoying nadopasana. In his composition, Sripapriya in Atana, he conjures up visions of swaras taking as the area of Gods sanchara - “Sapthaswara Chaari” and melodic ragas manifesting themselves in delightful forms - “Ranjimpa cheya ragambulu, majulamagunavatarambulethi.” He stresses other and nearer terrestrial benefits of sangita gana - “Prema Bhakthi, Sujana Vathsalyamu, Srimath Ramaa vara Katakshamu, Nema Nishta Yasodhanamu” as the rewards of acquiring Sangita Sastra gnana.

These discussions on nadopasana thus point out how Sri Thyagaraja was not only an excellent musicologist conforming to the traditional sastras but who, through simple songs with pristine purity, taught us the nature and purpose of music. Indeed , through sangita he urged us to acquire the wisdom of perceiving Brahman, the intelligence to analyze and experience Him; the diligence to seek Him; and the patience to wait for enlightenment. He described his Rama as an embodiment of Nada. No other composer has in such a simple and appealing ways taught music as art, science, philosophy and ultimately, as a means to salvation.

¹ According to Yoga sastras, we humans, are a microcosmic image of the universe. This universal energy that each human carries within oneself is the Kundalini. The Kundalini lies dormant until awakened. The object of certain forms of yoga is to awaken this dormant force and to let it lead us to the path of salvation. Liberation, therefore, is unity with the universe from which we originated; the individual spirit become part of the universal spirit. It is the highest experience that a yogi to a saint to an ordinary individual is striving to reach. One of the yogic approaches that awakens the Kundalini is the nada or nadopasana or devotion through music.