If we trace back the roots of English word 'divine' to Latin/Greek etc, we we will land up at saMskrt word 'diva' which means dawn or daybreak. Those that give us the dawn or daybreak, those that gives the light that relieves us from darkness are 'diva' or divine. If knowledge is light and ignorance is darkness, then those that give us knowledge are divine. If peace/happiness is light and gloom/sad is darkness, then those that give us peace/happiness are divine.
Slokas are 'divine' because of the knowledge in them. They are not divine because of their sounds. The way they have been recited, the sounds they produced has been changing continuously over centuries. Even the vedic recitations have different ways of recitation of the same thing. sAma veda recitations of the same sloka are different from other vedic recitations. Then there are umpteen recitation methods.
Scriptures that give us ancient knowledge are divine, as they give us the knowledge of the past. Science that gives us current knowledge is divine, as it gives us the knowledge needed to live now. Both of these remove the darkness of ignorance.
Music that gives us the light of peace/happiness in our heart is divine, as it removes the gloom/darkness in us. Then there are various forms of music. Eastern, Western, Classical, Modern, folk, pop, rap, reggae, gaana etc etc. From 'thaalaattu' that makes baby sleep to 'thaarai-thappattai' that gives comfort in depressing death situations to mrdanga/mela/naadhasvarm that gives happiness in auspiciou settings, all types of music are divine, as they remove some darkness and bestow us with some light.
So divinity depends on people, their environment and their particular life-situation. In other words 'divinity' is about how it relates to people and uplifts them.
So knowledge of the past or music of the past has to relate to people, for them to be considered really divine, to uplift people. If 'divine' does not do this upliftment, or kept at a high pedestal unrelated to people, then it will loose that 'divinity' over a period and it will perish.
In this light, vedic scriptures, which contain ancient knowledge have to be understood and their content relished and realized. Only when they are understood, they will continue to be 'divine'.
As mahAperiyava said often in his lectures, what's the use of books in a library if they are not read and understood. To protect whose ego we should do it..? If the scriptures don't help in the path of jnana, then what use is that ? Then at some point of time, people will see them as useless papers and burn them out.
So I try to understand the ancient slokas and as I understand, I try to distribute in the form that I understand them. Sometimes the music in them sounds rap or reggae or gaanaa. Sometimes they sound light music, carnatic or fusion. My aim in them is to make the content or knowledge in them to relate to people, make them understand the essence of knowledge and through that help in people's upliftment in some ways and thus make these scriptures 'divine'.
But that's an ideal world.
In real world, some people get the perception of 'divinity' by symbolism. By keeping what is divine on a non-mortal, high pedestal. For them a sudden break in the symbolism or making these scriptures more mortal and humane, could be non-divine. That's perfectly fine and understood.
Some people will relish a new knowledge, feel uplifted or find a new way and thus feel more 'divine'. That's also perfectly right and understood.
As I observe over thousands of years of human evolution with whatever information I have, 'divinity' perception only continues, as long as it gets related to people in an uplifting way. Hence symbolism or knowledge, if we want to maintain their divinity, then they should not be stagnant. They should be evolving with the times and keep relating to people, to lift people up.
Well, that's the thought process running inside me, as of now. How it will evolve, I am not sure. Will observe and share later on the evolution of thoughts in 'me'. 😀.
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