Music Is Devotional Handmaid Of Religion
Music softens sorrows, alleviates pain and allays grief. It calms the agitated and oppressed mind. The soothing strain of music gives relief to man pressed with anxiety. It is the healing balm to the bruised and broken heart.
Music warms feelings. It swells the breast with gentle loving emotions. It touches the inner chord of the heart and vibrates. It lightens labour, restrains wrath, disarms evil passion. It kindles kindly sentiments. It melts hardest hearts, softens and tames ferocious beasts. It pleases and thrills, it moves and inspires, it cheers, and charms, fascinates and enchants. It awakens a thrill of gladness and causes the heart to overflow with rapturous joy. Music is the heavenborn boon to man. Music is divine.
Music lifts the mind and fastens it upon the divine in man. It wakes the slumbering soul to its destiny and lifts it heavenward on the wings of tender emotions. It floods the recesses of the spirit with hopeful enthusiasm. It is the devotional accompaniment of religion. It is the emotional prayer of the heart. It nurses and nourishes Asha’s life of concord and harmony in man. Music creates religious fervour.
Music is the greatest of the fine arts. It is the most refined and sweetened language of man. The finest and fairest, gentlest and loveliest expression of human speech is song. The early sages and seers skilled in the art of music, have clothed their sublime thoughts in songs. Zarathushtra spoke not his speech, but sang his hymns. The Gathas are his sublime songs. His disciples interpret best his message to mankind, when they sing in rhythmic, melodious verse. The highest heaven, where dwell with Thee the Yazatas and the Amesha Spentas, the Fravashis and souls of the righteous, is thy Garonmana, the Abode of Song, Ahura Mazda.
Thou, Ahura Mazda, art the first and foremost musician. There is Thy music all around if we have but ears to listen. Thou dost sing through the whispers of the wind in the trees, through the murmurs of the waters in the brooks, through the beaks of the birds and through human mouths. Thy creation is a song sublime, O thou divine Songster of heaven and earth.
