I would like to be a flute in Krishnas hands

Life itself is a musical rhythm. Listen to the heart beat or pulse rate. Is it not rhythmic? Life ceases in
absence of such rhythmic recurrences. A musical consortium begins by breaking perfect silence with
slow musical nodes, gradual increase in rhythmic momentum, sustaining the spirit of musical
enthusiasm and gradual resolution of musical nodes to perfect tranquility. Well played nodes could
activate or pacify the spirit. This universal language effectively conveys all emotions. It even captivates
hard hearted disinterested beings by appealing invisible golden shackles.
Imagine a song sung in absence of background music. Monotonous, isnt? Background music always
flavours the vocal lore. Unique musical instruments have evolved from various traditions. Flute is one
such instrument found in all musical traditions in both eastern and western countries. Flute is a slender
grooved cylindrical surface. Air flow is regulated by the dance of the figures engendering euphony. Its
design could be slightly altered with cultural evolution over the ages. Nomadic herdsmen entertained
themselves with melodious nodes from the flute for ages.
Metaphysically, creation originated from the musical rhythm. While Indians portray Krishna with a flute,
Greeks mythologies do depict their Gods and Heros with that instrument.

Why Flute?
Why should Krishna be portrayed with a flute?
Music is appealing, reaches even lower forms of life and dissolves burdens. God is ever pleasing and
always compassionate to lowest creature in this existence and deadliest sinner engulfed in mundane
whirlpools.
Admits of various musical instruments, some are compactable to high pitch and others are too gentle
venting out melodies. Only veena, conch and flute activate latent spiritual energy according to the
eastern (Asian) philosophies. Veena is bulky and finds an unique place among the galaxy of classical
musicians. Its melody does not reach the humble illiterate folks. While flute is played by the nomadic
herdsmen and the laity, it is still revered by the orthodox saints and classical musicians. What makes
flute a special musical instrument? Could it be just sweet music oozing out from the vent holes? Flute is
special as it was consecrated with the divine touch. Krishna is portrayed in blue colour, guised in royal
rob, with garlands, ear-studs and holding a flute. Indian culture sanctifies few artistic forms of Lord
Krishna such as Balakrishna, Navaneetha Chora, Kaliya Narthana Krishna, Venugopala, Govardhana
Giridhari (Giridhar Gopal), Rajagopala and Geethaacharya. Flute distinguishes Lord Krishna from any
other incarnation or deities as how Lord Rama is portrayed with a bow and arrow.
Some musical instruments have vanished in course of time. Yaalzh is one such lost classical Dravidian
musical instrument. New musical instruments like sitar, harmonium and violin are adopted in classical
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music during the middle ages. Flute is one and only universally accepted musical instrument which stood
all time without losing its traditional value. Musicians could play this instrument standing, sitting
comfortably or partially reclining. Flute is an ideal object purporting the philosophy Instrument in the
hands of God.
A devotee is expected to be adjustable like a compactable flute and consistent in the devotional service.

Lessons from the Flute:

Lord is worshiped or meditated by identifying the divinity with some pleasing comprehendible form.
Satvic form of worshiping of Lord Vishnu or Krishna enjoins worship of lord almighty holding Wheel
(Sudharshana), Conch (Panchajanya), Club (Kaumoothaki) and Flute (Venu). Such instruments are
shadows of the divinity indeed. Among the four major instruments, only conch and flute are blessed
with rare privilege of getting too close to the divine lips. Andal (Goda Nachiyar) envies the conch with
her beautiful metaphoric invocation in Tirupavai. Flute teaches a couple of practical lessons. They are:
1. Instrumental object
2. Surrender

Instrumental object:
Employees are perceived as a means to achieve an objective (living instruments) in any corporate
environment. Only machines do routine tasks monotonously. Creative ability perfectly blended with
enriched skill sets pay a way to innovations. Emotions foster creativity and mould the sense of
individuality. However, the sense of individuality results in misalignment of departmental goals and ego
clashes. So, Individuality should be subdued before corporate goals for congruent industrial well being.
Ego clashes and personality mismatches do exists in domestic, bureaucratic and political arena with
variations in the script and players. Failure to recognize services or introduce reward mechanisms sours
human relationship by building negative emotions.
Human mind steps into elevated state through self control. The theory of Instrumental Object is a
stepping stone for self disciplining.
Sounds come out from a flute when air is blown into the grooves. This could either be musical or noisy
depending on the user. When flute music is appealing, the player is talented. Else the user is condemned
for lack of practice. How can a flute be held responsible for producing a musical sound or noise? A
talented player may express musical nodes out of joy or sorrow. Flute does not customize itself to
musically express joy or sorrow on its own.
So, individuals should transform themselves as mere instruments propelled by God.

Surrender:
Prayer is a means to progress towards celestial acme. Every religion prescribes a set of unique postures
for effective prayers. One may prostrate, kneel down or bend while praying. These postures are
symbolic representations of subduing individuality before the divine will. Surrender is frequently
invoked in wars and battles. On the verge of defeat, soldiers have only two options either to die fighting
or accept the over-lordship of their rivals. Yielding to such situations is a cowardly deed. Saints too help
themselves with surrender to the divine will. They proclaim the fact that surrender to the divine will
with faith strengthens character and makes life successful.
In spirituality, do individuals surrender to God as they do not trust themselves? Certainly not.
The conqueror is allowed to rule the subjugated clan when a nation is defeated in the battle field. God is
our well wisher. People seek divine guidance at different stages in life. All the God plunders from a
surrendered devotee is ego sense. This burns out malady tarnishing the soul. Mind is now free from
malady tarnishing the soul and other pulling factors. The soul is now cleansed from sinful imprints like a
tarnished silver utensil regaining luster after polishing,
Another form of surrender is practiced in ritualistic sacrifices to purify sins incurred out of commission
or omission in those ceremonies. Can people oblate sins? Flute never preaches such a form of surrender.
Sacrificial oblations are reciprocated by many folds to the organizer of that ceremony. So, the wise use
to oblate their merits and not the sins. Any good deed should be committed with the spirit of oblation.
When they oblate their merits and stick to their righteous vows, sins are automatically purified.
When righteous action bears fruits, then what is the role of surrender? One may compare philosophical
verses to the corporate culture. Organizations establish unique performance appraisal mechanisms. Any
employee meeting the standards would be rewarded. Mere verbal regards to the master does no good.
However, when employees are perplexed, they seek guidance from their master. Life is a travel through
a foggy path where travelers experience difficulty in viewing objects or setting right directions. Any
wrong move could either squander time or prove to be potentially disastrous. One seeks divine
intervention by surrender. So, accept the divine will for good rather than pondering on appealing chaffs.
Life is full of ups and downs. A worst calamity could ruin life at any time. Conditioned souls are incapable
of defending themselves relying on their mortal strength and ever changing mindset. God protects his
children at time of distress better than any mother bird protecting its chicks on the verge of a predatory
attack. Then why do people undergo sufferings? People perceive painful stages in life as curse or wrath
of God. Pain could be a healthy sign at time when it pays way to transformation. Optimistic thinking
should never be equated with masochism. A woman has to deliver a baby after undergoing a labour pain
and butterfly has to painfully break its cocoon on its own. Surrender with full faith eases out all pains be
it physical or psychological.

A good coach is obviously a good player. A good student allows his master to mould personal character
and tune performance. On a stage or in a field or within an examination hall coach could not physically
assist pupils. However, when a student has taken the teachings seriously, teachings would assist the
pupil to resolve crisis at any time. One must strive hard to be successful in life. Successful life is not an
end result but a means to achieve the ultimate goal. Flute is no different from a manual air blower.
Excellent craftsman-ship had vented out musical notes from the flute. A flute is beyond blame or praise
for an onstage performance.
In reality, both the flute and craftsman-ship represents that same individual fit to receive divine grace.
Imagine an international tournament or an excellent performance. Only best performers are allowed to
stage their talents synchronizing themselves with all movements of a celebrity. God is only celebrity who
never loses celebrity-ship. Saints and devotees have equipped themselves to receive the divine will.
God includes such characters in his play. He may reach them directly. So must not confuse themselves
with saints and progressed devotees without upgrading their spiritual caliber.

Anecdotes from Ramanuja:

Excitement is a mindset when one gains deserving rights with hard efforts. Every individual would have
targeted a goal, examined fulfilling means and progressed towards the achievement. Hard yields the
desired fruits at times. Many a times, all efforts could be wasted and sincere prayers remain
unanswered. On the verge of denial, an aspirant would lose emotional stability. This emotional
imbalance prompts any individual to commit deadly sins. On the other hand saints and seers transcend
such emotions and resort to divine grace to diffuse turbulent mindset.
Sri Ramanuja, is a seer who lived in the beginning of second millennium AD. He established a renowned
order, Sri Vaishnavism. Sri Ramanuja developed an intense desire to offer food to Thirukachinambigal
and to consume a portion of that meal as divine offering (Prasad). Unfortunately, his wish was never
fulfilled. Sri Yamunacharya Alabandaru was a Vaishnavist predecessor (Poorvacharya) to Ramanuja
according to Sri Ramanujas order. Sri Ramanuja considered meeting Sri Yamunacharya as a privilege in
life. However Sri Ramanuja could not meet Sri Yamanucharya as long as Sri Yamunacharya wa alive. Sri
Ramanujas humble request was declined many times by Thirukoshtiyur nambigal. The seer pleaded to
the Lord Ranganatha and ultimately the Guru had to comply with the disciples request.
Before Sri Ramanujas birth, scholars quarreled on the name of Godless ritualism (Nir-Ishwara
Mimansaka:) and agnostic doctrines (Charavaak philosophies). A group of people accepted the almighty
but rejected scriptural values. All these philosophies are mere ripples incompetent to withstand the test
from time (Meelachas). Only proper scriptural interpretations (Bhashyams) keep devotees aligned with
their religious principles.
Sri Ramanuja is a god sent apostle to disabuse religious misconceptions by rendering an authentic
scriptural interpretation (Sri Bhashyam). Thirukachinambigal could never espouse Sri Ramanujas

mission. Though Sri Ramanuja did not meet Sri Yamunacharya, it was Sri Yamunacharya who indirectly
instigated Sri Ramujana to begin his mission.
Core religious values should be revealed only to the deserving individual. The aspirant should always
tune the mind towards God at the same time sharpen the intellect. It is a sin to talk about God or
religious values in front of a disbeliever or half baked intellects. As how broken bucket could not hold
water, joint hands hold just a little, containers could hold little more and a reservoir is capable of holding
torrential floods, a turbulent mind set refuses to accept God, partially concentrated mind accepts God
and fully concentrated mind retains God. Sri Ramanuja was patient until he was initiated by his Guru.
Thus his good qualities like patience and strong aspiration was revealed to this world.
God gives what his devotees deserve. So, one must always pray for acceptance of the divine will in a
right spirit. Even broken pot has its purpose. Purpose of life is revealed through acceptance of the divine
will.