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Krishna's flute
- Thread starter Shrew
- Start date
It's a bansuri. I play one, and own several in different keys. Punam Flutes sell them in India. If in America, you can buy them here: One World Flutes.
Aupmanyav
Be your own guru
Bansuri (vaṁśī) is any flute in Hindi. More on Krishna's flutes from ISKCON:
"There are three kinds of flutes used by Kṛṣṇa. One is called veṇu, one is called muralī, and the third is called vaṁśī:
As far as His flute is concerned, it is said that the vibration of this wonderful instrument was able to break the meditation of the greatest sages, and Kṛṣṇa was thus challenging Cupid by advertising His transcendental glories all over the world.
There are three kinds of flutes used by Kṛṣṇa. One is called veṇu, one is called muralī, and the third is called vaṁśī. Veṇu is very small, not more than six inches long, with six holes for whistling. Muralī is about eighteen inches long with a hole at the end and four holes on the body of the flute. This kind of flute produces a very enchanting sound. The vaṁśī flute is about fifteen inches long, with nine holes on its body. Kṛṣṇa used to play on these three flutes occasionally when they were needed. Kṛṣṇa has a longer vaṁśī, which is called mahānanda, or sanmohinī. When it is still longer it is called ākarṣiṇī. When it is even longer it is called ānandinī. The ānandinī flute is very pleasing to the cowherd boys and is technically named vaṁsulī. These flutes were sometimes bedecked with jewels. Sometimes they were made of marble and sometimes of hollow bamboo. When the flute is made of jewels it is called sanmohinī. When made of gold, it is called ākarṣiṇī"
https://prabhupadabooks.com/d.php?qg=6501
But I do not think that is correct. The ISKCON/Prabhupada people are using the general names of various flutes in India as Krishna's flute. And they have not mentioned the real-long three feet or more flutes.
"There are three kinds of flutes used by Kṛṣṇa. One is called veṇu, one is called muralī, and the third is called vaṁśī:
As far as His flute is concerned, it is said that the vibration of this wonderful instrument was able to break the meditation of the greatest sages, and Kṛṣṇa was thus challenging Cupid by advertising His transcendental glories all over the world.
There are three kinds of flutes used by Kṛṣṇa. One is called veṇu, one is called muralī, and the third is called vaṁśī. Veṇu is very small, not more than six inches long, with six holes for whistling. Muralī is about eighteen inches long with a hole at the end and four holes on the body of the flute. This kind of flute produces a very enchanting sound. The vaṁśī flute is about fifteen inches long, with nine holes on its body. Kṛṣṇa used to play on these three flutes occasionally when they were needed. Kṛṣṇa has a longer vaṁśī, which is called mahānanda, or sanmohinī. When it is still longer it is called ākarṣiṇī. When it is even longer it is called ānandinī. The ānandinī flute is very pleasing to the cowherd boys and is technically named vaṁsulī. These flutes were sometimes bedecked with jewels. Sometimes they were made of marble and sometimes of hollow bamboo. When the flute is made of jewels it is called sanmohinī. When made of gold, it is called ākarṣiṇī"
https://prabhupadabooks.com/d.php?qg=6501
But I do not think that is correct. The ISKCON/Prabhupada people are using the general names of various flutes in India as Krishna's flute. And they have not mentioned the real-long three feet or more flutes.
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I read somewhere a long time ago it’s His flute music that draws His devotees to Him. The sound is sweet and irresistible. I’m glad it snared me.
Btw, I’d love to learn to play it. The closest I ever came was the recorder in grammar school.
Aupmanyav
Be your own guru
What to talk of men, it snares even the animals, actually the whole universe.I read somewhere a long time ago it’s His flute music that draws His devotees to Him. The sound is sweet and irresistible. I’m glad it snared me.
Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia: The top-most flute player in India at the moment. Listen to some of his music.
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Hi, Shrew, Namaste
I waited days to see if our more erudite friends could give you a precise answer to your question. I don't know if it has a Name and therefore mantra, either. But may I share some thoughts on that lucky flute? First is, since Sri Krishna is never without it, it you chant His mantra and He grants you His darshan, le Flute comes along with!
But also, I was taught the symbology of that lucky flute. Guruji said, as you do, that the flute is Sri Krishna's servant. He adds that it won that coveted position by "being straight, not crooked (truthful); hollow (empty of ego) and endures the drilling of holes in the proper places without complaint. It eagerly surrenders completely to the Master Flautist, Lord Sri Krishna, Who enjoys using it to attract and enchant all the universes and their inhabitants."
Aupmanyav
Be your own guru
For Sri Radha Rani, the flute always was a competitor. It is a love / hate relationship. Sri Radha Rani likes to hear the notes of Krishna's flute but does not like it always at Krishna's lips. Sri Radha Rani's plaint is illustrated in these videos:
bairan bansuria - Google Search (The flute, my enemy)
bairan bansuria - Google Search (The flute, my enemy)
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It may very well have a name, though I don’t remember ever seeing it mentioned. I say it may have a name because Sri Vishnu’s conch, mace and chakra have names. I saw somewhere that two of them incarnated as Sri Rāma’s brothers Bharata and Shatrugna. Why the third didn’t, I don’t remember. Adi Shesha incarnated as Lakshmana, just as he incarnated as Balarama. It is Adi Shesha’s desire to never be away from his Lord.
Perhaps it was Mother Laxmi. Now if she is at Krishna's lips in form of a flute, you cannot blame her, till she obtained Krishna in the form of Mother Rukmani.
Ah yes! That could be. I really should try to find it again. I don’t like just going by memory. Sometimes our memories are what we want them to be.