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Srimate SrivanSatakopa Sri Vedanta Desika Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:

                            The Captivating Concert

       There is any number of musical instruments. There are stringed 
instruments like the VeeNA, the Violin and the YAzh. There are percussion 
instruments like the Mridangam, the Ghatam, the KanjirA etc., which help in 
adhering to TALAm or layam, which is supposed to be the Father of Music, while 
Shruti is the Mother ("Shruti mAtA, laya: pitA"). And there are Wind 
instruments like the nAdasvaram and the Flute, which emit sweet sounds through 
the controlled play of wind through seven strategically placed holes in a 
cylindrical wooden device. Of these, one might say that the Stringed 
Instruments are man-made, while music derived through the other two forms is 
very much present in nature. The rhythmic lapping of waves against the banks of 
a river represents Nature's own unvarying TALam, keeping beat to some cosmic 
music. Similarly, the Wind, whistiling through tunnels and trees, plays  a 
unique tune, with a melody all its own.

Of all the instruments, perhaps the simplest is the Flute, which consists 
merely of a cylindrical bamboo tube, with holes drilled in at intervals. It 
doesn't need any tuning or adjustment, as other instruments do, before they are 
ready for a performance. The Flute is an ever-ready device, ready to pour out 
melodies the moment the player's mouth is put to it. There has been a plethora 
of vidvAns who have won acclaim, playing one instrument or the other. In 
particular, the Flute can boast of any number of virtuosos, who have succeeded 
in holding appreciative audiences spell bound for hours together. The 
apparently effortless ease with which melodies can be made to flow out of this 
simple, cylindrical tube appeals to the imagination of all music-lovers. 
Tiruvalluvar too, while listing melodious devices, thinks of the Flute first 
and foremost-"Kuzhal inidu, YAzh inidu enbar tam makkaL mazhalai chol 
kELAdavar".

Obviously, the Flutists have a rich and hoary tradition, like other exponents 
of music. It would be interesting to discover who started the lineage of 
flutists, who have contributed so much to the entertainment of audiences. 
Speaking only of mortals, the earliest player of the VeeNA we can recount is 
the Rakshasa Ravana (though we hear of celestials like Sarasvati and NArada 
keeping constant company with the instrument) bestowing an undying stigma on 
the instrument. 

The Flute, on the other hand, has no such dishonour to live down-on the 
contrary, it is perhaps the only instrument which can claim the unique 
distinction of having been played by the Lord Himself. Have you heard of 
Emperuman using any other musical instrument? Have you come across any mention 
in the Scripture about the Veena, the nAdasvaram or the YAzh having been played 
by the Lord? Thus, the Flute appears to be the only musical device to have had 
the eminent good fortune of having Emperuman as one of its exponents. We might 
also say that Sri Krishna was the first ever player of this instrument, since 
there appears to be no mention about the flute, in earlier literature.   

It is thus clear that the first ever musical maestro to adopt the Flute as His 
instrument of choice, was none other than the Lord. We are therefore curious to 
know what His performance was like. The Shruti tells us that the Lord is adept 
at whatever He does and is the Master of all that exists. As if to prove this 
true, Emperuman's portrayal of a Musician, and a Flutist in particular, was 
magnificent beyond measure.

Before we embark on a critique of the Lord's concert, we should find out the 
nature of the instrument He handled. We are told that the Lord's flute was made 
of the finest of bamboo, neither too old nor too tender, perfectly seasoned and 
ideal for the production of the most marvellous of melodies. We have this on 
the authority of Swami Desikan, who mentions this in GOpAla Vimsati-"adharAhita 
chAru vamsa nAlA:". This, in turn, is based on Sri Tondaradippodi Azhwar's 
pasuram in Tiruppalliezhucchi, confirming that the Lord's flute was made of 
beautiful bamboo-"vEynkuzhal Osaiyum vidai maNi kuralum eettiya isai disai 
parandana". This flute is described as "divya vENu" by Swami Desikan-the divine 
device of bamboo, to denote its capacity to produce mesmerising melodies. And 
the Lord is described as "divya vENu rasika:" to denote His fascination for the 
flute.

Before going into the quality of the Lord's music, we should first ascertain 
the reaction of His audiences, which would give us a fair idea of His talents 
in the field. Music in general, irrespective of the exponent, appeals to our 
aesthetic sense. Even a VidvAn of mediocre talent is able to hold people's 
ears, while ones with even a little expertise are able to impress audiences. It 
is therefore no wonder that those endowed with real talent enthral their 
listeners. However, even their capabilities stop with human audiences and 
cannot exercise sway over bestial ones.  

There appears to be no word, adequately descriptive, which is capable of 
portraying in full the enthralling effect the Lord's music had on listeners. 
Sri Periazhwar considers the melodiousness so alluring, that he devotes all of 
ten pasurams-"nAvalam periya teevinil vAzhum nangaimeergAL". Without any 
prelude, Azhwar comes straight down to the task of describing the melody, and 
tells us that the same is unprecedented, unheard of ever before or after-"idu 
Or arpudam kELeer". It is significant to note that all the ten pasurams have a 
single theme, viz., extolling the music emanating from the Lord's flute.

Young girls, yet to enter their teens, hearing the divine tunes, were so 
enchanted, that they rushed towards the source of the music involuntarily, with 
each individual part of their budding physiques aflame with passion and totally 
out of control with delight, to surround the Flutist, forming a colourful 
garland. Due to the sudden physical change, their dresses, worn tight around 
their waists, automatically slipped and their hair, worn in a comely coiffure, 
tumbled down. Becoming totally dishevelled, they ran homewards again to restore 
their physical and mental composure, holding their trailing dresses in their 
hands, but unable to prise their eyes away from the bewitching figure and their 
ears from the melodies emanating from Him. 

One might consider such a reaction from unlettered and impressionable GOpIs, 
who are hardly connoiseurs of good music, to be nothing extraordinary. Let us 
see then, how the delightful damsels from DEvalOka, to whom music and dance are 
the daily occupation, were affected in this regard.  The moment the bewitching 
tunes fell on their ears, these boundlessly beautiful young women from Paradise 
rushed to Nandagokulam, their minds mad with delight, their eyes filled with 
tears of joy, their carefully done-up hair coming down in a cascade with the 
flowers therein scattering all over GOkulam, and pearls of sweat adorning their 
blooming faces. When the  captivating strains of the flute reached IndralOka, 
RambA, oorvasi, TilOtthama and MEnaka, who were the acclaimed virtuosos of 
music and dance, hung  their heads in shame,  acknowledging their abject defeat 
before the overpowering performance of the Lord.   Tumburu and NArada, who had 
hitherto considered themselves unparalleled in their performance with the 
VeeNA, threw away their instruments in disgust and despair, the moment the 
enthralling melodies from Sri Krishna's flute fell on their ears. Professional 
singers of the celestial breed, known as KinnarAs, vowed never to touch their 
respective musical devices, despairing of ever gathering up the courage to 
perform before audiences who had heard the bewitching strains emanating from 
the Divine Flutist even once. A similar fate befell the GandharvAs, who had 
music and dance as their reason de etre-these maestros were simply shamed into 
silence.

The Havis offered in the YAgAs and YagyAs forms the staple food of the 
Celestials, conveyed to them by the sacrificial fire. However, when the Lord's 
lilting tunes reached the DEvalOka, the dEvAs forgot all about the Havis and 
rushed to the earth (which they normally despise), to surround the Boy Wonder, 
like bees attracted by honey-filled flowers. The BhAgavata Purana tells us that 
even exalted dEvatAs like Brahma, Shiva and Indra, hypnotised by the celestial 
strains, bowed their heads and minds in supplication and 
appreciation-"savanasha: tat upadhArya surEshA: Shakra Sharva ParamEshtti 
purOgA:"

Was it only the human and celestial races which were rendered spellbound by the 
magnificent melodies of the Lord? No, says Sri Periazhwar, citing the conduct 
of dumb birds, bees, cows and deer. The moment they heard the mesmerising 
music, birds left their nests and flocked to the source of the strains, where 
they fell to the ground at the Lord's feet, listening with rapturous attention. 
The bees nestling in the vanamAla worn around His neck buzzed with bliss, 
providing an apt accompaniment (Shruti) to the vENu gAnam. Whole herds of cows 
surrounded Sri Krishna, their heads down in attention, ears unmoving and legs 
giving away due to the overwhelmingly delightful experience. Whole herds of 
deer, listening raptly to the Flutist, completely forgot their grazing. Such 
was the overpowering bliss occasioned by this divine music that they even 
forgot to swallow the portions of grass they had already imbibed and stood like 
statues, with half-chewed grass and saliva dribbling down their chins from 
their gaping mouths-"maruNdu mAn kaNangaL mEygai marandu, mEynda pullum kadai 
vAi vazhi sOra". It was as if these beasts were proving VaLluvar's dictum, 
"sevikku uNavillAda pozhudu siridu vayittrukkum eeyappadum".  So motionless 
were these deer as to resemble lifeless paintings, rather than living, 
breathing creatures-"ezhudu chitthirangaL pOla nindranavE". Srimad BhAgavata 
Purana depicts the same captivating scene in what is almost a translation of 
Azhwar's sree sookti-
"VrindashO vraja vrishA mriga gAvO vENu vAdya hrita chEtasa ArAt
  danta dashta kabalA dhrita karNA nidritA likhita chitram iva Asan"

"

It was not only living beings which were affected by the Lord's concert-even 
lifeless trees were so delighted to hear the strains thereof, that they started 
secreting honey, in an endearing expression of their enjoyment. Moved by the 
melodies, Flowers in full bloom fell to the ground on their own, imagining 
themselves to be adorning the Lord's lotus feet, while up-growing shoots of 
plants bowed their heads automatically, as if lending their ears to the 
enchanting tunes emanating from the Lord's kuzhal. Swift-flowing rivers 
slackened their pace and became almost motionless, with gentle waves dancing to 
the tunes of the Lord's celestial song. Providing a majestic TALam were the 
clouds, which, enthralled by Sri Krishna's melodies, gently sprinkled Him with 
light, fragrant showers of appreciation, moving along with Him to provide a 
protective canopy. The BhAgavata Purana wonders at the strange effect the 
Lord's song had on living beings and non-living things-while living beings 
became mesmerised and motionless with bliss, acquiring the characteristics of 
non-living things, the latter exhibited behavioural traits common only in 
sentient beings. 

It was not only the enthralling music flowing from the Lord's lips that caused 
all this commotion-His mesmerising posture, with His left chin bewitichingly 
bent  to rest on His left shoulder, the bow-like eyebrows dancing up and down, 
keeping beat to the music, His beautiful stomach filled with air to be blown 
into the flute (appearing to be still pregnant with all the worlds He had 
swallowed during the Cosmic Deluge), the corners of His coral lips touching the 
appropriate places and channelling air into the correct hole to generate 
various svarAs, the long and beautiful fingers holding the flute in place, His 
broad , black and lotus-like eyes dancing mischievously with a life of their 
own, mirroring emotions appropriate to the theme of music, His long, jet-black 
and curly hair moving in time with the low and high notes, resembling the dance 
of a peacock with its feathers in full display and His holy feet crossed in an 
endearing posture, with one foot resting firmly on the ground and the other 
raised slightly to display the glorious symbols (shankham, chakram, gadA, 
padmam, chariot, flag etc.) adorning the sole. 

It is this peroformance, which was a treat as much to the eyes as to the ears, 
that made all sentient and non-sentient beings and objects forsake whatever 
they were engaged in and listen in rapturous attention to the Lord's concert. 
It was as if the entire universe had come to a stand still, as if in a hypnotic 
trance. Nothing moved, nothing wanted to move, when the distinguished 
performance was in session. None had ears and eyes for anything else but the 
VENugAnam and the MuraLIdhara. Their ears were inundated by the facile flow of 
fabulous music and their wide-open eyes with the entrancing spectacle of the 
Lord's endearing gOpa vEsham.

 It is this captivating scene and enthralling melody that Azhwar recaptures for 
posterity in his ten pasurams. He is so filled with the blissful experience 
that he issues a clarion call to the entire JambUdvIpA to share the 
same-"nAvalam periya teevinil vAzhum nangaimeer! Or arpudam kELeer".  "puviyuL 
nAn kaNdadOr arpudam kELeer!". 

GOpIs were under strict orders from their parents to avoid Krishna's company. 
And as obedient offspring, they did stay at home, though their hearts very much 
throbbed with love for Him. However, the moment the strains of MuraLIdharA's 
flute came wafting with the wind, the very same GOpIs threw all controls to the 
wind and ran to where the Lord was holding court on the sandy banks of the 
Yamuna, drawn to Him despite themselves, like fireflies to the lamp. It was the 
melody of Sri Krishna's pAdukA which augmented the sweetness of His kuzhal, 
says Swami Desikan in Sri Paduka Sahasram-

"Guru jana niyatam tat gOpikAnAm sahasram
 Dinakara tanayAyA: saikatE divya GOpa:
 Vasam anayat ayatnAt vamsa nAda anuyAtai: 
 Tava khalu PadarakshE! TAdrusai: manju nAdaI:"

There is extraordinary similarity in the depictions of the Lord's enthralling 
vENu gAnam, between Sri Periazhwar Tirumozhi and the 35th Chapter of the Dasama 
Skanda of Sri BhAgavata Purana, so much so that the two appear to be 
translations of each other. This only goes to show that the thought processes 
of those who come under the spell of the Lord, is identical, with language 
never a barrier for expressing their blissful experience. 

The Flute triumphs over the PAnchajanya in its relishment of the Lord's 
fragrant lips. While the Shankha is raised to the lips but occasionally, the 
VENu enjoys a much more prolonged association with the coral lips of Krishna, 
during all His scintillating musical performances. It is for this reason, 
perhaps, that Sri Periazhwar devotes ten pasurams to the Flute's blissful 
experience, compared to His distinguished Daughter's pasurams devoted to the 
PAnchajanya, beseeching the same to tell Her the taste of the Lord's perfumed 
lips-"karuppooram nArumO, kamala poo nArumO........MAdhavan tan vai suvayum 
nAttramum....sol Azhi veN sangE". However, Sri Andal realises Her oversight 
later in Her NAcchiAr Tirumozhi and beseeches Her friends to treat Her fever of 
separation from the Lord, by showering Her with Krishna's saliva flowing 
through His flute-" nedumAl oodi varugindra kuzhalin tuLai vAi neer koNdu 
kuLira mugatthu tadaveerE".

The Lord uses any number of strategies to attract and retain the affections of 
errant human beings. The bewitchingly beautiful tirumEni He sports during 
avatArAs, the endearing qualities He displays when dealing with mortals, the 
occasional exhibitions of His supremacy through enactment of apparently 
impossible acts-all these are but various tactics the Lord employs to entice 
wayward mortals, so that they come under His influence and forsake their usual 
life of sin and sorrow. The Lord's vENu gAnam too would appear to be one of His 
numerous strategems to this end, which, according to Sri Periazhwar's accounts, 
met with resounding success. His bewitching music is a net with which He 
catches elusive chEtanAs, says Azhwar-"amuda geeta valai".

Srimate Sri LakshmINrsimha divya paduka sevaka SrivanSatakopa Sri Narayana 
Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:
Dasan, sadagopan



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