Bhajans

The present Age, often condemned as Kali Yuga (the Age of Darkness), is in fact, the age in which one can attain liberation most easily. This is revealed in every scriptural text. The reason, according to them is that, one can be liberated now by the sadhana of Nama Sankirtana - singing the glory of the Lord, and listening to the Name being sung. Among the nine steps of devotion, shravanam (listening to the Name being sung) and kirtanam (singing the Name) are mentioned as the best. Kirtanam is singing the Names which denote the glory of the Lord and Sankirtanam means "singing the Names continuously, aloud, without interruption, and without hesitation." Whereas Kirtana can be by one individual and can promote one's own spiritual progress, Sankirtanam is by a group of people. It can help the process of liberation not only for the members of the group, but it will also be beneficial to those who listen, and even to those beyond the circle of listeners; the whole world can benefit by the vibrations.

Have God’s name on your tongue, the divine form in your eye, the divine glory in your heart - then even thunderbolts will pass you by quietly. 

If you have firm faith in the Lord’s Omniscience, and if you keep the name of Rama as constant companion, you will be in heaven! 

There was a patient in the U.S.A. She was extremely afraid of the disease diagnosed by the doctors. The diagnosis revealed that she had cancerous growth in the heart region. She and her husband came to Bangalore praying for Swami's grace. I assured them that I would cancel the cancer and that they should not have any fear in the matter. She took treatment for one week and the cancer disappeared! A little malignant portion was left and I instructed the doctors to remove it by surgery. The doctors performed the surgery as instructed by Me. On the very next day she started walking! She is now quite normal and healthy. There are several such cases. The chanting of the Divine Name can cure even the most incurable disease. That is exactly what she has done. The lady is in the habit of chanting the Divine Name "Sairam", "Sairam" continuously. There are several such people who chant the Divine Name. I have cured several people of the most dreaded and incurable diseases. There are also a number of people whom I have helped in ever-so-many ways.

Man leads his life on earth, depending on the mutually interrelated five elements: ether, air, fire, water and earth. Every object in the world, whether it is a bird or a sheep or anything else, has a value of its own. Man alone has lost his value because of his involvement in mundane pursuits. Man has no gratitude to the five elements which confer on him gratis innumerable precious benefits like light, heat, air and water. Man has to pay a price for so many small amenities like electricity and running water. But what price does he pay for the light of the sun who illumines the world? This light is a gift of the Divine. What price do you pay for a soft breeze or a heavy downpour of rain? God is providing freely such precious benefits to man. What gratitude does man show to God for all these? The only way to show one's gratitude to the five elements is Smarana (to chant the Lord's name incessantly). For so many trivial services in life we express thanks, but what thanks do we offer to God who is the provider of the most precious benefits in life?

Meditation, sacrifice, and worship were prescribed as the primary means of liberation in the Krita, Treta and Dwapara Yugas, respectively. Namasmarana (remembrance of the name) is the easiest path to liberation in this Kali Yuga. Therefore, people born in this yuga are more fortunate than those that lived in the other three yugas. But, unfortunately, people today are not able to follow such an easy path. You are unable to sit steadily even for a couple of minutes. Then what sort of penance can you perform? It is impossible. Therefore, take refuge in namasmarana. There is no greater sadhana than this. When you continuously sing the Divine Name, it drives away all your evil qualities. You yourself can see how blissful you become when you sing the Divine Name. That is why God is described as Ganalola and Ganapriya (lover of music). Sage Narada always sings the Divine Name of Lord Narayana. This is his main task. The Lord becomes ecstatic listening to his singing. There is so much bliss in singing. It captivates one’s heart so that one is lost in ecstasy. That is why singing is considered most valuable.

Unshaken devotion will win the grace of the Lord. Those who think of the Lord with devotion can overcome any type of inherited or accumulated karma. With HIS grace , they can experience even unattainable bliss. Do not doubt the usefulness of spiritual discipline.

Wake up every day, to the singing of the Glory of God for if God does not exist, what is it that exists. When you chant the divine Name with love at least once, you will experience inexplicable and overwhelming bliss in your heart.

Swami sometimes would ask a student to sing a Bhajan in a particular Raga. 

Swami then used to say,"When my students sing a bhajan in in a Raga, 

that will travel the whole of Prashanthi Nilayam and heal the problems of many devotees. You all may think Swami is enjoying bhajans. But I am adding my Shakthi into the Saptham of a bhajan and healing all who are sitting and listening the bhajans.

Every Raga when it mixes with the DIVINE names or glory of GOD'S,

it will generate a SPIRITUAL POWER which will PURIFY EVERYONE." 

SING THE GLORY LORD!

Namasmarana (bhajan) will make you stick to the thought of God. There is no point in developing detachment for some time and getting attached to worldly things again. Having given up worldly desires once, give them up forever.

Why does Swami encourage us to sing bhajans full-throatedly and with vigor.

When a man falls into a well, of what use is it if he controls his voice and his emotions and whispers quietly, "I have fallen into this well, I have fallen into this well. I am in great danger. Please save me?" No one will be able to hear or save him. He must shout full-throated, with all the anguish he is experiencing and with the extreme desire to be saved, "I HAVE FALLEN INTO THE WELL! SAVE ME! SAVE ME SOMEONE!" Then only can he hope to get succor. Similarly, when you are caught in the coils of this world when you have fallen into this deep well of worldly misery, shout with all your might, with all your heart, that you may be saved by God. There is no use muttering faintly and half-heartedly, "Save me, save me; I am floundering in this samsara (worldly life)." When the prayer comes shrieking through the heart, help is assured.

The mind must be attuned to the contemplation of the Divine; one must strive to tread the path of God, live in God and with God

In Kali age , one can easily please GOD and get liberation through namasmarana/nama sankirthana(bhajans). Sing the glory of the Lord's name (Nama) while contemplating on the infinite forms of GOD and share the joy with others. That is why Sai is promoting and propagating bhajan singing to the whole world. GOD will accept your bhajan when you sing from your heart with meaning of the bhajan.

The mind can be turned toward Brahman and constant contemplation of Brahman by study of Upanishads, adoption of regular prayer, sharing with others ecstasy of devotional singing, and adherence to truth.  

The spiritual quest cannot be put off to old age. The time to start seeking the Divine is now. Remember, there is nothing in this world as powerful as the Lord's name to protect it. It's not arms and bombs that will save the world. Only God's grace protects the world. It is man's foremost duty to pray for God's grace. Prayer is of supreme importance. Together with melody and rhythm, you have to impart feeling to your singing to make the bhajan a sacred offering to the Divine. A ragam (tune) without bhavam (feeling) is a rogam (an infliction). Giving up conceit and exhibitionism, you must sing the bhajans in a spirit of humility and devotion. That is the right way to perform bhajans. 

Have all around you the curtain of 'Nama-japam' (the vibrant, vigilant repetition of the Name of God, and recapitulation of His Glory); then, unhealthy yearnings for self-aggrandisement will not pester and poison you. Nama-japam will not allow you to ignore the essential hollowness of worldly affairs and the essential absurdity of getting too involved in it; you behave as if you are the designer of your destiny; you are only a wave, formed on the breast of the ocean by storm and surge.

All religions have laid stress on purity of heart. They have also declared that without a pure heart all spiritual exercises are valueless. How can purity of heart be realised if the mind is filled with egoism? The body can be cleaned with water. But the heart can be cleaned only by chanting the Lord's name. Prahlada, who was the son of an asura (demon king), Jatayu, a bird, and an animal like Gajendra, the lord of the elephants, redeemed themselves by relying on the Lord's name. As long as one is filled with ego and relies on one’s own strength, the benefit of the Lord's grace will not come to him. It is only when Gajendra declared that he knew no one other than God who could save him here or in the hereafter that the Lord rushed to his rescue. 

Affection and love are mutually dependent and inseparable. When the mind is turned toward worldly things, it is called anuraga (affection or attachment), and when it is turned toward God, it is called prema (love or devotion).  Prema (love) will grow in you only when your mind is fixed on GOD and sing HIS glory from your heart. The greater a man’s love for God, the greater the bliss that he experiences. When love declines in man, his joy declines equally. The lover of God sees God everywhere. Hence man’s heart must be filled with the love of God.

Devotional singing induces in you a desire for experiencing the truth, to glimpse the beauty that is God, to taste the bliss that is the Self. It encourages man to dive into himself and be genuinely his real Self. In Sadhana there will be internal talk with God. You will give up all attachments and at­tach only to God. What happen when a  bus stops. All the dust will enter in to the bus. Similarly when you interrupt your sadhana, your mind and heart will be covered again with ego and attachments towards the world. Only Steady sadhana will win HIS grace.

The home must resound to the name of Govinda; otherwise, it is just a cave (Guha), where wild animals dwell. The body needs a house, but your body is itself a house. In that house too, the Name of Govinda must be heard, or else it is a mud-pot (Ghata), not a human body. 

The word Rama means Atma. That word consists of three components: ‘Ra’, ‘a’ and ‘ma’. 'Ra' is the mystic representative of Agni (Fire) principle; it burns sin into ash, 'a' is the symbol of Surya (Sun) principle; it destroys the darkness of ignorance. 'Ma' is the symbol of the Chandra (Moon) principle; it cools the heat of suffering. So, 'Rama' overcomes all three tragedies and reveals the Truth, Beauty and Goodness. Repeat the Name ‘Rama’ with this significance in mind and you can feel its effect very soon. 

When you are engaged in repetition of the name and meditation, other thoughts might enter at first, but you shouldn’t worry about this. There is no great danger on account of them. When you begin remembering the name of God (namasmarana), sing HIS glory, sit down with enthusiasm. If you enter upon any task with firm determination, no impurity can affect you. Your only concern is to see that you are fully pure when you start repetition of the name. Do not worry about formalities for this. Select the name that you like and the form of that name. That name is itself the mantra. That mantra is ever pure, ever active, everything. But do not change the name and form to suit your fancy and have one thing one day and another the next. Whatever the name and form that first gave you contentment, hold fast to them without swerving. They will get implanted in the heart, without fail. Afterwards, everything will happen through His grace! 

Do uninterrupt constant Namasmarana/bhajan. Like underground water, the Divine is there in everyone, remember.  Just as underground water wells up in a gushy spring when a bore is sunk down to that depth, by constant chanting  and singing of Lord's name  ‘Ram Ram Ram Ram Ram' , you can touch the spring of Divinity, and one day it’ll gush out and bring unending coolness and joy!.

Strengthen yourself, purify yourself, and educate yourself by Nama-sankirtan (singing of the divine name). Do it loudly and in company. Let those who join you listen and also imbibe the nectar of the Name.

Taste the sweet honey of remembering the Lord’s Name and sing HIS glory. Experiment with this for a time and you will be surprised at the result! You can feel the vast improvement in peace and stability in you and around you. Learn this easy lesson, get immersed in joy, and let others also share that joy with you.

When you recite the Name of God remembering all the while His majesty, His compassion, His glory, His splendour, and His presence - Love will grow within you, its roots will go deeper and deeper, and its branches will spread wider and wider giving cool shelter to friend and foe, to fellow national and foreigner.

So many musicians are in this country, so many singers sings Bhajans, So many conduct weekly bhajans, Do you think all are singing to get the blessings of mine? Bhagawan accepts thier divine singing only when they dedicate thier song to me whole heartedly, swami accepts a bhajan from the singer's heart and not from his voice. One may sing excellently, but his ego will stop him to connect with me. why bhagawan selecting songs every week for sai sathsang bhajan? Particular song by a particular devotee at a particular time will manifest the blessings of bhagawan and it will reach them in time. I accept Harathi after sathsang bhajan in another singer's home, Why? swami is mother to all, They called me from thier inner soul, I accept their prayers and bless them. 

Why swami says you all to attend and hear the Bhajans? Even if you are in the very early stage of your devotion,  bhajans will help in maturing your mind and will give relief from worldly attachements and worldly objects of attraction and your interest will be diverted to Bhagawan. You will enjoy the presence of Bhagawan when your heart is melt with a particular tune or Raga or the mellifluent sweetness of the bhajan or the Bhajan singer.  If a Bhajan singer sing Bhajans with emotion keeping his mind continuously on *ME* , it can help initially for the *inner concentration* . slowly slowly swami will purify the singer as well the devotees who enjoying the bhajan and absolute silence, in stillness. “ *Be still and know God* .” This is the purpose of Bhajan. You dont need to do thapas for many years, you don't need to do any big yagna, or Big Puja, just attend bhajan, if you are blessed with good voice, offer your good quality singing to swami. That is enough. Donot spoil the bhajan missing the lines, spoiling the Raga, Thala and importantly the shruthi. You are not exhibiting your singing abilities to me in Bhajan. I know you well. In every song that you sing, Show your true devotion in each word of the song. Close your eyes, feel the beauty of the diety that is called " *Nama Dhyana* " meditation while singing. Physically you are all present in bhajan, how many are soulfully present ? Come to bhajan in time, start the bhajan in time. dedicte yourself from the Ohm to the Harathi. I am present throughout. I am seeing you all during bhajan. Feel that Bhagawan is presnet throughout the bhajan and *HE* is wathcing you, listening your song. Then only the Bhajan will have a true meaningful effect on us

What is the fastest and shortest way to get the Lord’s attention? Bhagawan lovingly reminds us today with a special blessing! God does not reside in any distant place. He is the Hridayavasi (resident of your heart). Krishna responded to Draupadi's call the moment she appealed to Him as the Indweller in her heart. Once Narada asked Vishnu which is the place to address his appeal to get the Lord at the earliest. The Lord said: "Wherever My devotees sing My praise, I am there." The Lord dwells in our hearts. They must be kept pure and holy; then the heart becomes heaven itself, filled with joy. Heaven and hell are not elsewhere. When you are happy, that is heaven. When you are miserable, that is hell. If you wish to experience joy, fill your mind with thoughts of God. Where there is God, there is bliss. This Divine bliss is described in many ways, but it’s one and the same thing. Likewise, God is called by different names according to the context and role played by the Divine. It is the one Supreme Who is worshipped in different names.

Keep the Name of the Lord always on your tongue and in your mind. Dwell on the endless forms of the Lord and His limitless Glory, while you repeat the Name. Attach yourself to Him;then your attachment for temporary objects will fall off. People can achieve anything - they can even become Madhava (God), by means of the inner divine strength, with which they are equipped. 

Sarvada Sarva Kaleshu Sarvatra Hari Chintanam! Everywhere, at all times, under all circumstances, contemplate and sing the glory of God. Let them resound with love and devotion. 

NamaSankeerthana (community Singing) develops devotion to GOD and promote collective prayers for the welfare of the world. Participate and Propagate bhajan to the world.  You should give priority to divinity which is the source of Joy.

Some people say that they have not got any benefit in spite of chanting the divine name for twenty to thirty years. No benefit accrues from chanting the divine name if the mind is filled with impurities. First, purify your mind and fill it with positive feelings. Only then you can experience the benefit of chanting the divine name. 

Whatever bhajans you sing, sing with love. God is Bhavapriya. He sees your feelings, not the rhythm or tune. If your feelings are pure, God will take care of everything!.

GOD installs HIMSELF wherever a devotee thinks of HIM and sings HIS glory.

One can reach ecstatic(blissful) state through sravanam(listening GOD's glory),keerthanam(singing GOD's glory) and vishnu smananam(contemplation on GOD)  

Engage yourself in the remembrance of the Lord, in meditation or repetition of the Name. That too is action. If these are given up, there’s no joy in life. Everyone must do some activity, whatever the form! One who engages in the yoga of action, renouncing all fruits of action and following the discipline of silence, can realise Brahman within a short time. 

The main use of this human body is the realisation of Reality! The rest is all incidental. The hands may be used for a variety of operations, but the chief purpose for which man has been endowed with them is to pray, to perform worship, and to hold the Feet of the Lord. The ears are designed to hear the glory of God, and the eyes to stand witness to His manifestations! The tongue may be used to talk scandal or to flatter those in authority, but that is really misuse! Use it as God willed it to be used - for singing hymns of Divine Glory. (Divine Discourse, Feb 21, 1971). 

The recitation of the Name is like the operation of boring, to tap underground water. It is like the chisel-stroke that will release the image of GOD imprisioned in the marble. Break the encasement and the Lord will appear, cleave the pillar as prahalada asked his father to do and the Lord who is ever there, will manifest HiMSELF.

Sing aloud the glory of God and charge the atmosphere with divine adoration . . . This is why I insist on group singing of the names of the Lord.  (SSS, VI, 239)

[Devotional singing (bhajans)] is the process of singing that originates in the heart, not from the lips or the tongue. It is the expression of the joyous thrill that wells up from the heart when the Glory of God is remembered. It is the spontaneous manifestation of inner ecstasy. No attention is paid to the blame or praise that others may give. It does not seek the admiration or the appreciation of the listeners.  (SSS X, 84)

Devotional singing (bhajan) is one of the processes by which you can train the mind to expand into eternal values. Teach the mind to revel in the glory and majesty of God; wean it away from petty horizons of pleasure . . . Devotional singing induces in you a desire for experiencing the truth, to glimpse the beauty that is God, to taste the bliss that is the Self. It encourages man to dive into himself and be genuinely his real Self. (SSS VII, 497-498)

Devotional singing (bhajan) is a spiritual practice (sadhana) for all who share in it. (Sai Bhajana Mala, 30)

Remember, every song sung in praise of the Lord is a sword that cuts the knots of laziness. It is a fine piece of social service to remind all of their duty to the Almighty, who watches over them.  (The Holy Man and the Psychiatrist, by Sam Sandweiss134)

People say that when you go to Sai Baba, there is nothing but devotional singing (bhajan). Realize that there is nothing greater than bhajan. What bliss is there in bhajans! What a demonstration of oneness is it when a myriad throats join in uttering the name of God! The vibrations emanating from them make the heart vibrant. If you sing alone in your shrine, the vibrations return to you as a reaction. But in community singing, what you have is not a reaction but a wave of vibrations. They enter into the atmosphere and purify the polluted air. The atmosphere today is polluted by bad thoughts and feelings. When you sing the glory of God, the bad germs in the air are destroyed and the air gets purified by a treatment of anti-biotics, as it were.  (SS, Jan. 1995, 26)

When all the participants in a bhajan sing in unison, what sacred vibrations are produced and what Divine energies are released! When these vibrations fill the world, what changes cannot they bring about! When one sings alone, the heart is merged in the song. But when many sing together, it acquires a Divine power.  (Sai Bhajana Mala, 30)

Those who sing bhajans get what can be called a 'double promotion', for they derive joy and distribute joy. (SSS X, 101)

God is omnipresent. He is the in-dweller of every heart and all names are His. So you can call Him by any name that gives you joy. You must not cavil at other names and forms, nor become fanatics, blind to their glory. When you sing bhajan songs, dwell on the meaning of the songs and the message of each name and form of God and roll on your tongue its sweetness.  (The Holy Man and the Psychiatrist, by Sam Sandweiss, 134)

Some people ... question the propriety of calling God by means of ... a multiplicity of names. But each name is indicative of only one aspect of Divinity. It denotes a single part of the Supreme Personality ... Every name is but a facet, a part, a ray of the Supreme. The spiritual discipline consists in recognising and becoming aware of the One that supports and sustains the many. That is the precious gem of wisdom that one must secure and treasure. (SSS X, 87)

The procession to the cremation ground starts immediately on birth and the beating of the heart is the drum beat for the march towards that place. Some take a longer route, some reach quickly, but all are on the way. Therefore, devotional singing (bhajan) has to start in the childhood and has to continue. It must be the constant companion of man, his solace and strength. Do not postpone it to old age, for it is essential food for the mind.  (SSS I, 123)

Devotional singing (bhajan) must become an unbroken stream of bliss on your tongues and in your hearts; it must confer on you the uninterrupted awareness of soham, of the unity of I and He.  (SSS IX, 41-42)

The tongue is the post, devotional singing (bhajan) is the rope; with that rope, you can bring God Almighty near you and tie Him up so that His grace becomes yours.  (SSS VII, 52)

Desire and anger are ... two enemies. Devotional singing ... is a good disciplinary process by which these two can be kept away.  (SSS X, 100)

Take for example, there is a tree. It is full of birds. They make a mess all over. How to get rid of these noisy ones?  You should clap loudly. Similarly, in this tree of life, there are birds of desire. The heart therefore becomes dirty. In order to cleanse it, do devotional singing (bhajans).  (Kodaikanal discourse, April 12, 1996)

Think of [devotional singing (bhajan)] as a part of spiritual training to be seriously taken for reducing the attachment to fleeting objects, and purifying and strengthening you, liberating you from the cycle of birth and death and consequent misery. It may appear a frail cure for such a dreadful malady. Nevertheless, it is a panacea.  (The Holy Man and the Psychiatrist, by Sam Sandweiss, 132)

In this busy age of fear and anxiety, the remembrance of God and repetition of His name is the one means of liberation that is accessible to all.  (Sai Bhajana Mala, 30)

Let your whole life be a spiritual song. Believe that God is everywhere at all times, and derive strength, comfort, and joy by singing His glory in His presence.  (SSS X, 94)

You get results of your past karmas. Hence, Your actions must always be good. In order that one always undertakes good actions, one must cultivate love for God, fear of sin, and morality in society. If one cultivates these three, one will be able to keep away from indulging in bad deeds! Love for God, fear of sin, and morality in society are all interdependent. One follows the other! Repetition of God’s name helps cultivate these noble qualities.

My suggestion to you today is this: just as you attend to the needs of the body, feeding it three times a day, in order to keep it in good running condition, so too spend some time regularly every day to keep your Inner Consciousness in good trim. Spend one hour in the morning, another at night, and a third in the early hours of dawn, the Brahma-muhurta as it is called, for repetition of the Name and meditation on the Lord. You will find great peace descending on you and great new sources of strength welling up within you as you progress in this spiritual discipline. After some time, the mind will dwell on the Name wherever you are and whatever you are engaged in, and peace and joy will be your inseparable companions! 

Just as no seed can sprout without rain and without seeds no rain can produce a crop, the devotee must sow the seeds of Namasmarana (chanting the Lord's name) and develop devotion with the help of a shower of grace from the Divine. This was Gopika’s prayer to Krishna that He should water their parched hearts with the flow of love from His flute. Gopikas prayed to Krishna to play on His flute such that the essence of the Vedas flow out of it as melodious music. Everyone should try to convert their body into a flute for the Divine to make His music flow through it. The body should be made a fit instrument for such music. Then it becomes a means of service to others. The best way to love God is to love all, serve all. You must learn even to love your enemy. A kind word even to an enemy may eliminate his hatred. It is through love that man should refine his nature.

With the Name as the very breath of your life, you can engage in all life's activities, with no fear of a fall. Believe that the Name is the boat which will take you over the sea of worldly life. The Name is more efficacious than the contemplation of the Form.

Draupadi did not send a chariot to bring Krishna to her rescue; she uttered the Name in her agony and Krishna responded, and saved her from imminent dishonour. In Treta yuga, when Ramayana was happening, Nala and his monkeys were building a bridge over the sea to Lanka; the boulders on which they inscribed the sacred name Rama, floated on the waters, but, they found that the boulders floated away due to wind and wave. They did not form a continuous bridge for the army to pass over. Some ingenious person gave a suggestion to write ‘RA’ on one boulder and ‘MA’ on another and they found that the two stuck hard together. The name (namasmarana) will serve as a float for you too; it will keep you attached to God and bring on you His Grace!