Recently in the city of Nashik, 5378 artistes gathered together to play the flute. When there is so much tension in the world, why have you asked so many people to come together and play the flute?

Q: Recently in the city of Nashik, 5378 artistes gathered together to play the flute. When there is so much tension in the world, why have you asked so many people to come together and play the flute?

Guruji: There is an ancient saying in Sanskrit, which means that the sign of an intelligent person is that he spends his time in learning and mastering the arts, literature, and music, and in discussing knowledge. This has been the tradition in our country since many ages. In our country, we always had a very holistic and total view of life and did not see it as divided into separate and unrelated compartments or phases. We have always combined Gaan(music), Jnana (knowledge) and Dhyaan (meditation). This is what it means to be truly Indian. Today, it is from India that the world expects and looks up to for a message of peace and prosperity. Only Indians can convey this unique message of love and peace to the world.

You know, a flute can be used to play music and also to beat and chase someone away . Our life, our own body is like a flute. When we drop all negativity, cravings and aversions and become hollow and empty from within, then consciousness dawns and blossoms within us and we no longer need to be shown a stick (meaning: with the dawn of awareness one naturally walks the path of righteousness and does not need to be punished). If there is some mud or dirt stuck inside the flute, then it does not produce a melodious sound. In order to produce melodious notes, a flute has to be clean and pure from the inside just as it is clean and shiny from the outside. A flute has to be hollow and empty to be able to produce harmony.

You know, music is a very important aspect of our lives. Before we start speaking we start singing. Young children learn a language much later but start making musical sounds early on in their lives. And those sounds are musical because there is total harmony – harmony within and harmony all around us.

Today, when the world is going through depression, terrorism, fear and uncertainty, it is time that we wake up and awaken the humaneness that is deeply embedded in each one of us. It is time for us to encourage our children to learn music and spend time in doing service to the society, and to develop a scientific temper while also pursuing spiritual and dharmic knowledge.

Om Namah Shivay