The role of Ragas in Spiritual Enlightenment, Meditation and healing
Ragas are designed to help activate specific chakras, which allows the Kundalini energy to rise easily and energize and nourish the chakra. The raga also influences the chakra to maintain its optimum spin and balance, ensuring a balanced energy supply to different organs that are connected to the specific chakra.
The raga Shyam Kalyan helps activate the Mooladhara chakra. Chastity, innocence and wisdom are established in the process. This raga develops the quality of the Earth Element, i.e., gravity within, and our sense of smell and direction.
The raga Gurjari Todi (close to Subhapantuvarali in Carnatic Music) has a capacity to cool down the Liver. This raga and the raga Yaman help activate the Swadishthan chakra that governs our attention. Both ragas help focus wandering or wavering attention, which is crucial for effective meditation. These ragas also develop the quality of the Fire Element and make our personality creative, balanced, closely attentive and spiritual.
The raga Abhogi helps activate the Nabhi chakra and stimulate the digestion process. When the Kundalini enters this Chakra, the Chakra is cleansed, bringing about a change of attitudes and inner transformation. This raga is also known to bring about de-addiction [addiction cure?] in human beings — it helps one give up vices and impulsive or compulsive habits. This raga helps develop the quality of the water element.
The ragas Bhairav and Durga have a power of Divine bliss and protection. Both help activate the Anahat chakra. When the Kundalini touches the heart chakra, Raga Bhairav activates spirituality in the person. Raga Durga boosts self-confidence and helps develop the quality of the air element. These ragas also enhance the Divinity and Immunity in children.
The Raga Jayjaywanti (Dwijavanti in Carnatic music) helps activate the Vishuddhi chakra, the controller of the sensory organs. This raga also develops the quality of the ether element and the expression of voice, and helps make one's personality loving and sweet.
The Raga Bhup (Mohanam in Carnatic) helps purify and open the Agnya chakra. It helps relieve tensions, anger and mental fatigue. The mood created by this Raga helps the Kundalini pass through the Agnya chakra and enter the Sahasrara in the limbic area of the brain. This causes the person to reach a state of thoughtless awareness and has a tremendous impact on our ability to forgive.
Ragas Darbari (Darbari Kaanada in Carnatic) and Bhairavi (Sindhu Bhairavi in Carnatic) are helpful in prolonging the state of meditation and thoughtless awareness. The notes of these ragas help relax and calm the emotionally-related limbic area. The Kundalini energy then soothes and nourishes the Sahasrara chakra and the brain. The result is that one feels, joyous, energetic, peaceful and relieved of tension and depression. The person also enjoys the sensation of a cool breeze on the finger tips and achieves the state of Self-Realization or enlightenment.
Ragas are designed to help activate specific chakras, which allows the Kundalini energy to rise easily and energize and nourish the chakra. The raga also influences the chakra to maintain its optimum spin and balance, ensuring a balanced energy supply to different organs that are connected to the specific chakra.
The raga Shyam Kalyan helps activate the Mooladhara chakra. Chastity, innocence and wisdom are established in the process. This raga develops the quality of the Earth Element, i.e., gravity within, and our sense of smell and direction.
The raga Gurjari Todi (close to Subhapantuvarali in Carnatic Music) has a capacity to cool down the Liver. This raga and the raga Yaman help activate the Swadishthan chakra that governs our attention. Both ragas help focus wandering or wavering attention, which is crucial for effective meditation. These ragas also develop the quality of the Fire Element and make our personality creative, balanced, closely attentive and spiritual.
The raga Abhogi helps activate the Nabhi chakra and stimulate the digestion process. When the Kundalini enters this Chakra, the Chakra is cleansed, bringing about a change of attitudes and inner transformation. This raga is also known to bring about de-addiction [addiction cure?] in human beings — it helps one give up vices and impulsive or compulsive habits. This raga helps develop the quality of the water element.
The ragas Bhairav and Durga have a power of Divine bliss and protection. Both help activate the Anahat chakra. When the Kundalini touches the heart chakra, Raga Bhairav activates spirituality in the person. Raga Durga boosts self-confidence and helps develop the quality of the air element. These ragas also enhance the Divinity and Immunity in children.
The Raga Jayjaywanti (Dwijavanti in Carnatic music) helps activate the Vishuddhi chakra, the controller of the sensory organs. This raga also develops the quality of the ether element and the expression of voice, and helps make one's personality loving and sweet.
The Raga Bhup (Mohanam in Carnatic) helps purify and open the Agnya chakra. It helps relieve tensions, anger and mental fatigue. The mood created by this Raga helps the Kundalini pass through the Agnya chakra and enter the Sahasrara in the limbic area of the brain. This causes the person to reach a state of thoughtless awareness and has a tremendous impact on our ability to forgive.
Ragas Darbari (Darbari Kaanada in Carnatic) and Bhairavi (Sindhu Bhairavi in Carnatic) are helpful in prolonging the state of meditation and thoughtless awareness. The notes of these ragas help relax and calm the emotionally-related limbic area. The Kundalini energy then soothes and nourishes the Sahasrara chakra and the brain. The result is that one feels, joyous, energetic, peaceful and relieved of tension and depression. The person also enjoys the sensation of a cool breeze on the finger tips and achieves the state of Self-Realization or enlightenment.
Chakras, Qualities, Musical notes and Ragas
The following chart will show you the correlation of various energy centers to musical notes and ragas.
| Energy center / Chakra | Gross expression and presence in our body | Associated Qualities at subtle level | Indian note | Western note | Associated Ragas |
| Mooladhara | Pelvic plexus, Prostrate, Coccyx | Innocence, wisdom | Sa – Shadjam | C | Hindol, Shyam Kalyan, Hansdhwani / Hamsadhwani |
| Swadishthana | Aortic plexus – Liver, Kidney, Spleen, Pancreas, Uterus | Pure Knowledge, Creativity | Left Swadishthan – Komal Rishabh (Hindustani) or Shuddha Rishabham (Carnatic) | C#, D | Gujri Todi, Yaman / Subha Pantuvarali |
| Center and Right Swadishthan – Shuddha Rishabh (Hindustani) | |||||
| Chathusruthi Rishabham (Carnatic) | |||||
| Nabhi | Solar Plexus, Stomach, Liver | Homely aspects, creative action, Satisfaction, Wealth, Power of Attention | Left Nabhi – Komal Gandhar (Hindustani) | D#, E | Malkauns, Abhogi, Bhimpalas (Hindustani), Abhogi, Bhimpalas, Hindolam |
| Shuddha Gandharam (Carnatic) | |||||
| Center, Right Nabhi – Shuddha Gandhar (Hindustani) | |||||
| Sadharana Gandhara (Carnatic) | |||||
| Anahat | Cardiac Plexus, Heart | Sense of security, fearlessness, Responsible behavior | Left, Center Anahat – Shuddha Madhyam (Hindustani and Carnatic) | F, F# | Bhairav, Ahir Bhairav, Durga (Hindustani) Chakravaham, Mayamaalavagowla, Durga |
| Right Anahat – Teevra Madhyam / Prati Madhyamam | |||||
| Vishuddhi | Cervical Plexus, Throat | Diplomacy, Collectivity, Respect for others | Pancham | G | Jayjaywanti, Desh (Hindustani), Dwijavanti, Desh (Carnatic) |
| Agnya | Optic Chiasma | Forgiveness, Resurrection | Right Agnya – Komal Dhaivat (Hindustani) | G#, A | |
| Shuddha Gandharam (Carnatic) | Bhup (Hindustani), Bageshri, Mohanam | ||||
| Left, Center Agnya – Shuddha Daivat (Hindustani) | |||||
| Antara Gandharam (Carnatic) | |||||
| Sahasrara | Limbic area, crown of the head | Collective consciousness, Integration | Komal and Shuddha Nishad (Hindustani) | A#, B | Darbari, Bhairavi (Hindustani) Darbari Kanada, Sindhu Bhairavi (Carnatic) |
| Shuddha and Kakali Nishadam (Carnatic) |