Real Yoga

In India, the Classical Rag is built upon a 12 tone scale, and never uses less than 5.

The ancient musicians would compose music which would stimulate the nerve centers in our brains which in turn would elicit a heightened mood, or a meditative mood. For instance, if you were to listen to the Raga Gujaree Todi played by Vilayat Khan and Bismillah Khan, you would find such a drawing on the heart that love for God would be elicited. At first it starts with a slow yearning mood. It is this beginning which allows one to follow each note with the mind, while all the while in the background, the drone is heard as the AUM sound, then it gradually picks up its beat until a mad frenzy is attained. Here the mind must be very astute to follow the inescapable beauty and dexterity, not only of the music, but the art and technique of these Master players.

You will realize after listening to this Rag that Rags themselves, through their vibrations, will alter your mood. A Morning Raga will set you up for the day. I would advocate everyone to sit in a meditative posture and listen to the notes as they are being played, and just let the cadence do its work.

By the same token a Mantra is built upon a much more secret and repetitive cadence, one in which you play a part. The Masters Chant, repeated over and over again in a meditative mood, will bring you the ability to surmount karmic hurdles. After learning The Master's, the oral sound must be converted into a mental one, making no sound at all.

The Master's Chant is only taught to serious students that have shown dedication to their practice or can prove they already practice seriously and with pure intentions.

Articles by Swami Harinanda and Yogi Karmananda are © 2026 and are licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

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