'Maun' or 'true silence' is when body, mind and spirit withdraw into silence. First, spoken words stop, then mental words and sentences abate. With more practice, thoughts slow down, and then finally, the desire to speak fades away.
This song was inspired by the brilliant talk (in Marathi) on 'Maun' by Mrs. Dhanashree Lele. Interestingly, the song's melody just happened to be composed in Raga Vachaspati. Vachaspati is the Hindu God of Speech!
In the song, the I vs Them (मैं vs वो) can be literal, but also refer to Self vs Ego/Mind.
Interpretation:
I've stopped speaking, and so have they! (If you've had a sore throat and use hand gestures to communicate, you'll notice others use gestures too, even though they can speak!)
I've nothing to say, and they have nothing to listen to.
Early today morning, this Sanskrit verse bubbled up in my consciousness.
नादरंगं समाधिश्च साधनायां निरन्तरं ।
साधको मोक्षमाप्नोति नादयोगं समर्पयेत् ॥
Meaning:
Immersing oneself in ceaseless practice/meditation of internal sound (Naad) and color/light/melody (Rang), the practitioner shall attain self-realization by dedicating oneself to Nada Yoga.
On Christmas day, 2022, I experienced my very first, very severe, vertigo attack. I woke up with the world spinning around me. I broke into a cold sweat, mouth dry, breathing hard.
I am truly indebted to Dr. Vinaya Chitale-Chakradeo for opening up her hospital for me on a holiday and performing the Epley maneuver. I'd walked in wobbly, palpitating and panicking, and in a few minutes, I felt calm and normal!
Her advice to me was to keep my eyes open and fix my gaze on a steady point. I thought the vertigo experience and her advice were a great metaphor for life itself. When things are chaotic and you feel the world is spinning around you, helpless to stop it, focus on something steady - a loving partner, your child, a hobby, a God, etc and balance will return to your world.