Author: Ram Krishnamani Date: September 4, 2025
3M With Shantha : Mobile App Series 23 – Dwani
The podcast opens with Shantha’s warm voice, setting a tone of reverence as she introduces Chapter 19 on Dwani—the essence of sound that blossoms into raga. She draws the listener’s attention to how sound, or Nada Brahma, has always been perceived as divine in Indic thought, not just a vibration in air but the very breath of creation.
Ram then reflects deeply, reminding us that before notes and melodies take shape, there lies the primal energy of sound, unbound and infinite.
Shantha continues, pointing out how this chapter beautifully reveals the journey of raw vibrations into tones and swaras, which ultimately become the living body of ragas. Ram adds with passion that ragas are never mere technical constructs; they carry emotions, moods, and rasas that touch the listener’s soul.
Shantha explains how Dwani is not only physical resonance but a sacred bridge, connecting the performer and audience in a shared spiritual experience. Ram reinforces this thought with familiar imagery: the ringing of temple bells, the call of the conch, and the steady drone of the tanpura—all expressions of Dwani as sacred sound.
Shantha links this further to the sounds of nature—the rustle of leaves, the flow of rivers, the call of birds—reminding us that ragas themselves mirror these natural harmonies. Ram then lifts the conversation, noting how Dwani is disciplined into swaras, which form ragas, transforming cosmic vibration into aesthetic beauty.
Together, Shantha and Ram reflect on how the sages saw Dwani as eternal, beyond time, inspiring today’s learners to cultivate the same sensitivity. Ram stresses the responsibility of every artist to channel Dwani with purity, discipline, and respect, for in doing so they uphold an ancient legacy.
Shantha gently reminds the audience that this chapter is an invitation to listen—not just to music, but also to silence, where Dwani is first born.
With a graceful smile, she closes the segment by introducing Aarthi, who steps in to unfold the philosophy and practice of Dwani more deeply, guiding listeners into the heart of Chapter 19.
