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| |  | DVD-CD-VIDEO | Home » » Chants Of India | | | | | | | Description: | | Mantram is Ravi Shankar's effort to set Sanskrit chants from ancient Hindu scriptures to music, and the result is a captivating mix of chant and music. Produced by George Harrison, this collection of mantras and prayers from the Vedas, Upanishads, and other scriptures powerfully transports the listener to a place of peace where it's possible to be one with the universe. It's as if a heavy, enveloping cloak of serenity falls from the dark, floating sounds of cello opening the CD. Shankar employs flute, tamboura, harp, and other instruments to accent the mighty "Om" thread that weaves itself through the cloth of this album, bringing together deep, ominous voices with delicate, earthly instruments. One looking for extensive Shankar sitar might be disappointed, but the beauty of this artist's creativity and spiritual vision sweeps one away into a larger, more meaningful listening experience. Highly recommended. --Karen Karleski | | | Product Details: | | | Audio CD Release Date:
| May 06, 1997 | | Studio:
| Angel Records | | Number Of Discs:
| 1 | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 70 reviews |
| | | Track Listing: | | | 1. | Vandanaa Trayee | | 2. | Omkaaraaya Namaha | | 3. | Vedic Chanting (One) | | 4. | Asato Maa | | 5. | Sahanaa Vavatu | | 6. | Poornamadah | | 7. | Gaayatri | | 8. | Mahaa Mrityunjaya (Om Triambakam) | | 9. | Veenaa-Murali (Music Interlude) | | 10. | Geetaa (Karmanye Vadhikaraste) | | 11. | Mangalam (Tala Mantra) | | 12. | Hari Om (Music Interlude) | | 13. | Svara Mantra | | 14. | Vedic Chanting (Two) | | 15. | Prabhujee | | 16. | Sarve Shaam | |
| | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
 ( 70 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
36 of 36 found the following review helpful:
 Transfixing and TranscendingAug 13, 2001
This CD is unlike anything you might ever hear. It is not so much the music of Shankar or Harrison or anyone else - it is the music of the Gods, manifested through Shankar and the talent surrounding him. The vocal harmonies and the music swim with each other in a sonic sea of indescribable beauty. A friend played this at work and I simply had to close my eyes and swoon a bit at the lush wash of sound. I purchase about one CD a year, if that. When I heard this for the first time, I bought it the very next day. I certainly have never written a review; I came to Amazon just for this purpose, for the privilege of telling others about it. Nearly every review here is five stars. The two disappointed reviews are from listeners who had some definite expectations about sitar or classical Indian music. I am so sorry for them being so boxed in that they did not recognize the gift that came to them despite their expectations. This music will not be boxed in, it is universal, expansive and extraodinarily appealing. It is so spiritually pure that buying it is merely incidental to the benefit it provides to all life, everytime it is played anywhere.
42 of 44 found the following review helpful:
Enchanting..Nov 15, 2004
By Ashwini Aragam
This collection of chants from ancient Indian scriptures is simply the best you can get of such a collection. It starts, as in traditional Indian music, with a chant for Lord Ganesh. The collection is quite varied from chantings of a specific God such as the goddess of Learning (Saraswathi); chantings from the Gita (the famous Karmanyeva adhikareste, which states that one should refrain from acting with expectations about results) and the vedas - there is the other famous Gayathri mantra. The chants are authentic in their rendering in terms of the utterences and adherence to tradition.
For the westerner, all the chants may make no sense at all. But the quality of the vocals tends to give one a feeling of sacredness and sanctity. Some of the chants are melodious; Ravi Shankar's sitar is quite evident in most of these; but it doesn't dominate as with his other renderings. The chants are the main body.
This CD is ideal if your roots are Indian, and you want your child to listen and learn from these. It is nice background music for a religious gathering or for a Yoga class. I use this for many of my Yoga classes. It is not infrequent, that some of my students request this particular CD be the background music for their Yoga class.
29 of 31 found the following review helpful:
Pleasing to my ears and heartNov 17, 2004
By Evelyn Uyemura
The point of this cd, to me, is that it is *chant.* It is primarily vocal music, rather repetitive but tuneful, and it is designed to be sung by ordinary people, not necessarily trained voices. It is not sitar or ragas. I am not Hindu or a specialist in music of any kind, but I find it pleasing to listen to--it is exotic without being overly weird, it is relaxing without being soporific, and I enjoy it while driving. I don't know that it will bring about enlightenment, but it lightens my day.
14 of 14 found the following review helpful:
beautiful...Apr 15, 2005
By DD
"dd"
i love this cd, track 15 prabhujee is gorgeous! you can listen to it on repeat and just melt,
the translation is:
"Oh Master, show some compassion on me. Please come and dwell in my heart because without you, it is painfully lonely. Fill this empty pot with nectar of love. I do not know any Tantra, Mantra or ritualistic worship. I know and believe only in you. I have been searching for you all over the world. Please come and hold my hand now."
10 of 10 found the following review helpful:
a good introduction to India's sacred and divine musicJul 12, 1998
In Chants Ravi Shankar has attempted to put together a representative selection of chants, mantras and hymns from ancient Indian scriptures. The result is an album that is at once a journey into sublimity and a musical delight. For those of us who are already familiar with these renowned and time-tested chants and mantras, it is yet another cherished rendition. For those unfamiliar with them, the CD will still be a listening experience that is different and yet satisfying. ND
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