Question: Could you please speak about music?

Sri Chinmoy: Everybody on earth is a musician and a singer. A singer does not have to carry a note perfectly. Music is the language of God. God’s language, music, is not like mathematics or geometry. It is a language of love. If we love music, that is enough. A child loves his father. His father may be a Supreme Court judge. What does the child know about his father’s greatness? He only knows, “My father is a judge.” Because of his love for his father, he receives everything from his father. Similarly, music is something that we can love. If we love music, we do not need to know the proper techniques and so on. If we love music, then the Source of music will come and play in and through us.

Otherwise, if we do not love something most sincerely, most intensely, then no matter how many years we spend practising, we will just learn the techniques. Again, after a few years we may forget them. But once we love God the Supreme Musician, we get everything. We do not have to scrutinise music. We do not have to do anything. Everything is there inside our love. Love means oneness.

The one who creates the music at every moment is God. The universe itself is music. Unfortunately, most of the time we do not hear the music of the universe. Even now, we hear only the air conditioner or some outer noises. But if we can enter into the inner existence of the air conditioner, we will hear music. When we talk, even inside the talking, there is music. In everything, if we can become aware of it, there is music. Everything in God’s creation embodies music. We can hear it only when we dive deep within.

When somebody is singing or playing music, it is very easy for us to identify with it because we are on the same level. But music can be found everywhere. Music is oneness with God’s Infinity, Eternity and Immortality. Music is a universal language. We do not need any other language. I do not have to learn Portuguese. You do not have to learn Bengali. God has created a universal language, and that is music. Because it is universal, it has to be inside any material object.

Music and God cannot be separated, although some music we may not understand or appreciate. I never understand jazz or rock and roll. That is not within my capacity. Again, there will be millions who will understand and appreciate that particular type of music. It depends on one’s capacity. Some can enter into the jazz world. For some, like me, it is torture, but for millions it is sheer ecstasy.

Music keeps us alive. The sweetness and the haunting quality of music teaches us how to behave properly. Our inner music does not allow us to create disharmony. Music gives us the feeling of sweetness, tenderness and softness. The inner music always inspires us to do something good for humanity. Our inner music is a form of prayer and meditation.