Why Mridanga Makes the Sound - Dhi Tham Dhi Tham

ईशानः – सर्वभूतनियन्तृत्वात् ईशानः
Being the controller of all beings, he is called Ishana. Ishana is a name primarily associated with Mahadeva. तमीश्वराणां परमं महेश्वरम् – says Shwetashwataropnishad. Mahadeva is not different from Narayana. Hence Sri Hari is as much Ishana as much Mahadeva is.

सर्वस्य वशी सर्वस्येशानः सर्वस्याधिपतिः
सर्वेश्वर एष भूताधिपतिरेष भूतपाल एष
Controller of everything, lord of everything, ruler over everything, protector of everything.

स ‌वा अयमात्मा सर्वेषं भूतानामधिपतिः सर्वेषां भूतानां राजा
एक इद्राजा जगतो बभूव – says Yajurveda.
परमात्मा च सर्वेषामाधारः परमेश्वरः – says Vishnu Purana.

Many such references showing that Sri Hari is the lord of everything.

You know mridanga, the music instrument. What is the sound that mridanga makes – dhi tham dhi tham. Mridanga is mostly used in bhajans, keertans.

When a devotee poet heard the sound of mridanga, dhi tham dhi tham, this is what occurred to him –

येषां श्रीमद्यशोदासुतपदकमले नास्ति भक्तिर्नराणां
येषामाभीरकन्याप्रियगुणकथने नानुरक्ता रसज्ञा
येषां श्रीकृष्णलीला ललितगुणरसे सादरो नैव कर्णो
धिक् तान् धिक् तान् धिगेतान् कथयति सततं कीर्तनस्थो मृदङ्गः

The poet is wondering, why is mridanga making this sound dhik. Dhik is a sound of contempt in Sanskrit. Whenever you want to express your contempt toward something you use the expression dhik, like damn it. Saying dhik is like saying damn it in English.

Even Bharata said about his mother Kaikeyi –
धिङ्माता मम कैकेयी , यया पापमिदं कृतं

There is this word dhikkara – insult, or disobedience.

So why is mridanga saying again and again, dhik dhik, dhik tama, dhik tam. Who is this mridanga showing contempt towards.

Mridanga is showing contempt towards those who don’t have bhakti at the lotus feet of the son of Yashoda –
येषां श्रीमद्यशोदासुतपदकमले नास्ति भक्तिर्नराणां

Those whose tongues are not interested in singing the praises of the favorite of the gopikas –
येषामाभीरकन्याप्रियगुणकथने नानुरक्ता रसज्ञा

Abheera kanya means gopika, the lord is their priya. Rasajna means tongue.

Contempt to those whose ears are not inclined towards listening to the wonderful stories of Lord Krishna's leelas –
येषां श्रीकृष्णलीला ललितगुणरसे सादरो नैव कर्णो

धिक् तान् धिक् तान् धिगेतान् कथयति सततं कीर्तनस्थो मृदङ्गः

• If the Lord already governs everything, why does my small japa matter?
  Governance is universal; relationship is personal. A steady daily sahasranama becomes a clear signal that draws response. Small, exact, daily.

• What do drumbeats and bhajans add to chanting?
  Rhythm tames scattered breath. Sync your japa to a gentle ‘dhi–tham’ count: four slow exhales with nama, brief pause, repeat. Focus deepens fast.

• Is it wrong that I started chanting because I felt judged by devotees’ zeal?
  Use it as fuel, not shame. Convert the sting into discipline: one round now, same time tomorrow. Consistency beats comparison.

• How can I verify progress without mystical claims?
  Track three numbers for 21 days: resting pulse after japa, minutes to fall asleep, and number of angry outbursts. Down, down, and down means it is working.

• What should I do when the mind mocks my own practice?
  Answer with structure, not debate. Sit straight, read 12 names aloud, 12 whisper, 12 mental. End with one line: ‘All results at your feet, Sri Hari.’

• Can sahasranama reduce my urge to doomscroll?
  Yes. Swap the first 5 post-wake minutes with nama japa. The brain learns a new default reward and the scrolling urge loses bite.

• How do I bring this into a noisy household without fights?
  Fix a low-volume 2-minute slot before dinner. Lamp, one nama, one gratitude each. Rhythm first, explanations later.

• What if a family member says I am performing for show?
  Shrink the display, raise regularity. Quiet, punctual rounds plus kinder speech silence that charge faster than arguments.

• How do I help a child join without boredom?
  Give a chorus nama for 60 seconds and a bell to start and end. Add one story of Sri Hari on weekends. Joy anchors attention.

• What to do on days I feel unworthy or spiritually ‘called out’?
  Sit anyway. The gate is willingness, not worthiness. Do one repair act today for any wrong you recall, then chant.

• Can japa support strained relationships at home?
  Yes. Chant 3 minutes before tough talks. During the talk, short sentences and slower pace. After, one kind action. Japa trains tone control.

• Is speed impressive?
  No. Clarity wins. Choose a pace where every name lands. Ten clear minutes daily outperforms a rushed hour weekly.

• How do I chant during travel or office grind?
  3-3-3 rule: three minutes after waking, three at lunch, three before sleep. Whisper japa in queues; listen to sahasranama in transit.

• What do I do when cravings or anger hit mid-round?
  Switch to a ‘burst’: one nama slightly louder for 60 seconds, then 30 seconds of silence. Energy turns from damage to devotion.

• How can I keep ritual from becoming performance?
  End each session with: ‘All results at your feet, Sri Hari.’ Then do one small anonymous help act. Service vents pride.

• What is a weekly frame that sticks without strain?
  Daily: 5–7 minutes nama morning and night. Midweek: one sahasranama quarter with family. Weekend: full sahasranama once, unhurried, plus a small charity act tied to it.

Ramaswamy Sastry and Vighnesh Ghanapaathi