Musical evening Program, Pandit Debu Chaudhuri, sitar player, Eve of Diwali Puja, 1989

[Audio 1 and 2:]

It was astounding the way, today, Debuji [Debu Chaudhuri] played so well. Every time you hear him, there is such a variety and such a deep understanding of the principle of music. And the principle of music is that it should entertain the Spirit.

You, being Sahaja Yogis, and most of you have never learnt any Indian music as such, like me; but it’s a fact that Indian music comes from Omkar, from the Divine source of sound. And that’s why that comforts, entertains, amuses the Spirit.

Otherwise the Spirit is so self-satisfied by itself, it enjoys itself. But with music and art, I feel it gets its reflection to see, reflects its own beautiful existence, which is permeating into every little particle, into every molecule, into every atom. And that reflection when the Spirit sees, it has that new dimension of a beautiful expansion of its personality, and as if you feel you are resounding in the whole universe.

Is the beauty of Indian music is this. But especially with Debu, I’m very grateful to him that he has come here with his son Prateek, whom I’ve seen as a little boy. And it’s so heartening to see he has taken this art so seriously. Normally these days, young boys do not take to art much.

And that he should learn from his father, that’s even a greater thing – that we have such delicate weaving and such strong strokes of depth from Debu. And he is creating mirth, I felt he is like strokes, creating mirth was Debu – was something, we can say, like some of the very, very senior sages: as if they were playing some sort of a hymn.

It was a beautiful combination of both father and son. I bless them from my heart for giving us such a beautiful feeling of expansion within ourselves of our joy.

Then we have Somnath, Somnathji is a very good artist and he’s so well played today, so much in concord and understanding with both of them. It was such a beautiful try.

I am really thankful to him that they came all the way from India to play for us here. And Debuji is a realized soul, his son is a realized soul; they are all realized souls.

You see, the rapport between them and you was so beautifully done. I mean, it is not possible to describe the joy, the Nirananda that you felt with this. Only one can say that the collectivity of enjoyment one can have through this kind of music.

I hope some of you also pick up from this. Dedicate yourself to this art of music, because for a realized soul it is very easy to go further with it and to progress with it.

Though it’s a big tapasya, Indian music is not an easy thing.

It is a great dedication, concentration and reverence. Otherwise you do not work it out. I’m happy that there are some Sahaja Yogis who are now taking lessons in tabla and also in classical music.

And the way our Sahaja Yogis sing is something remarkable, that even the Maharashtrians actors and actresses, who sing very well, had come to our programme and they said that, “We really felt ashamed of ourselves the way the Sahaja Yogis were singing Marathi songs and the way they were so beautifully, rhythmically bind and how they put us together with them.”

So, it’s a very beautiful net that binds us together for our collectivity, for our delicate feelings, and how we should be with each other, like the music.

Because the notes were very deep, very deep, touching your heart and were spreading a kind of a light of love in your heart, and that touches each other’s heart.

And that’s what should be the understanding of music, that it should really reach our heart. And through our heart, we should try to feel other people, their depth and their wisdom, their understanding and a kind of a beautiful anxiety to please others, to make others happy, to entertain them.

And the little Prateek, I’m so happy! Prateek means “symbol”, you know, he is a symbol of music. I hope he comes up very well and gets a very big name in the whole world.

Same for Somnath, he’s a young boy, he’s coming up and they should keep it up.

I feel so very, very happy about the new way of young people are taking to music.

And especially, if Sahaja Yogis take to this music, it will be a very, very demanding thing today, because Indian music is now being neglected very much by the younger generation in India. It’s a very sad thing but it’s happening.

But for that, we have to know that a balanced personality has to be achieved.

You have to have creativity. Creativity is there, of course, works out through your Kundalini the creativity comes up, but you must have the technique to express it.

And the third thing is the sweetness, the understanding, or I would say the rapport with the audience: where to pull which string that we call mindkaris, you see.

And especially, his notes are not full, there are two missing, I think, in his sitar which I saw [Shri Mataji laughs]. Without that how he pulls it up and plays.

And the son, also, has a good way of playing with three fingers, I saw was a different style. It will be very appealing to you people, because that creates mirth. So, we should go to the essence of it and see for ourselves and not worry as to what is the tala, what is the raga, what is this.

That’s not for us, for Sahaja Yogis. We have to just enjoy without reacting to it, in thoughtless awareness. Just enjoy the whole creativity, not to worry too much about what is the raga is, what is the note is.

Now, for example, he played a very, I would say, a very unique type of Bhairavi. He’s brought everything, every style like, ‘tapasya’ was also there a little bit, that we saw. [Shri Mataji laughs] And I mean, it is really, I’ve never heard such a thing before.

So, it’s a very unique style of creating like this. And as long as you are creating newer and newer things, without compromising with the, say, our system of raga type. Means, you see, it should be in raag – “Ra”: “ra” comes from “energy”, “ga” means “which moves”, you see.

And also, the Divine Mother’s protection is called as Raganchal. Means, you see, the energy which moves in such a subtle and a beautiful manner that it gives you a protection. And in that protection, your dimensions touch the Heavens. It’s like that. And this is created, this Raganchal, is created by our music.

The lilt and the rhythm, these are all factors which are so balanced that unless and until you have a balanced personality, you cannot understand it. Here, our eyes are towards the sky, we are looking at the stars walking. And here, our feet are on the Mother Earth in such a beautiful manner.

If you hear this music, then you will know what it is. To me it’s heavenly. And I’m very thankful to you, Debu, so very much thankful, my child.

Debu Chaudhuri: You’re welcome.

Shri Mataji: And – really, and you fill me…

Debu Chaudhuri: My, my, my… it’s my honour.

Shri Mataji: Saying all this is too much, really.

Debu Chaudhuri: You shouldn’t say thank you to me.

Shri Mataji: You see, it’s a – if my love can really create all this, I’m thankful to this love that has done all this good work for all of you.

May God bless you.

[Applause]

[End of audio 1 and 2]

[Audio 3]

Shri Mataji (seems to be talking to somebody): … ideas; it is all self-destructive, believe me. You look funny with it. All right, little oil, do it properly, make it properly combed, we are not hippies.

This thing started with the hippieism.

Now hippy is finished. Now a new thing has started, yuppies, where they put oil, nicely do groom their hair.

I don’t want you to be yuppies either, but you should look proper, because what I feel that you don’t look after your Sahasrara.

And if you have hair like that, you look like a bhoot, to be very frank, according to Indian standard. And the bhoots go into you, because they think there is some bhoot going, to be very frank. All right, so please put little oil, every day, little oil, please put.

You can put some water, wash it and little do it, and then clean it off, in the morning time, so that you won’t have any problem.

Have you seen Debu Chaudhuri? See his hair!

He’s such a grown-up, matured man. His hair are so good. Or you want to have bald heads? [Shri Mataji laughs] I’m entrusting you now.

New Sahaja Yogini: Yes, I’ll do.

Sahaja Yogi: She’s very new, Mother…

Shri Mataji: Ah, I saw her right side [not clearly audible].

[End of audio 3]