I don’t remember what prompted me to join the chanting classes a year ago. Nursery rhymes and a less-than- enthusiastic school singing teacher didn’t predict this. Yet, I learned that singing is not chanting. Indeed , singing a chant is not a traditional practice. And Vedic chanting is all about tradition. Thousands of years of tradition with all its strict rhythm, intonation, melodies and voice control. It seemed to me that singing a chant is tantamount to bringing one’s personality and ego into the practice. Anyone in any doubt about their ability to sing, should try chanting instead.
Did you ever wonder how opera singers can perform in languages they don’t know? Now try chanting in Sanskrit with zero knowledge of the language or grammar or etymology. At first, it did bother me a bit. I’d like to know a bit more Sanskrit, at least more than the little vocabulary picked up from Vedanta. Maybe that’s a project for another year. What I learnt is that the simple act of chanting is enough. Also, that its more important to understand the overall meaning of any particular chant, rather than a direct knowledge of each word.
There is an exception, I found, to that. Nirvana Shatkam is an identity mantra containing the essence of Vedanta, with many words one becomes familiar with through the scriptures. Buddhi, ahamkara, punya, papa and so on. Its structure is interesting – each of the 5 verses starts with a negation and ends with an identity statement, mirroring the neti-neti teaching. In the final verse, I understand myself to be free of all limitations.
In the beginning I tried to memorise the chants. That was a vain effort. I learnt that regular daily practice will result in the chants “chanting themselves”. They become an earworm and one wakes up with them, they become the first thing one “thinks” about. What a way to start the day.
I recall Sundari saying something one Sunday about how chanting has an effect on the nervous system – the vagus nerve I think. Once I heard this I knew what she meant. Seems that chanting sets up a subtle internal vibration that is beneficial to one’s well-being.
If I hadn’t developed a bit of an ability to listen to Vedanta with objectivity, a chanting practice would make up for any lack. Tuning my mind to listen to each sound with precision became essential. There is no room for error in traditional Vedic chanting. I make mistakes, but the teacher is compassionate, yet strict in her corrections!
Have I got a favourite chant?
Pratassmaranam is a prayer composed by Adi Shankaracharya consisting of three verses. It is meant to be chanted early in the morning at dawn. One’s first thoughts, words, and action of every day set the tone for the coming day.
Prātassmaraṇam
prātassmarāmi hṛdi saṁsphuradātmatatvaṁ
saccitsukhaṁ paramahaṁsagatiṁ turīyam |
yatsvapnajāgarasuṣuptamavaiti nityaṁ
tadbrahma niṣkalamahaṁ na ca bhūtasaṅghaḥ || 1||
