Devotional song(s) to God; community singing of spirituals. (Glossary for the Vahinis)
Bhajan must spread good will, love, ecstasy; it must cleanse the polluted atmosphere; it must invite all to share in the joy and peace. The Nagar sankirtan must be radiating devotion and love. The ananda, I derive from Bhajan, I do not derive from anything else. That is the reason why I am emphasizing these points. Fill every moment with energy, enthusiasm and effort. (SSS Vol.8, pp. 47-48)
Bhajan must be a felt experience. Do not sing with one eye on the effect the song makes on the listeners and the other, on the effect it makes on God. Let your heart pant for god; then the raga and tala will automatically be pleasant and correct. (SSS Vol.8, p. 60)
Bhajan must become an unbroken stream of Bliss on your tongue and in your hearts; it must confer on you the uninterrupted awareness of Soham, of the Unity of I and He, of This with that. It is called Akhanda hamsa japa, the unbroken japa of the Hamsamantra of Soham. It will ensure freedom from anxiety, fear and grief. (SSS Vol.9, pp. 41-42)
The tongue is a post; Bhajan of the Name of God is the rope; with that rope, you can bring God Almighty near you and tie Him up, so that His Grace becomes Yours. God is so kind that He will yield to your prayers and be bound. You have only to call on Him, to be by your side, with you, leading you and guiding you. (SSS Vol.9, p. 26)
There is a song used in Bhajans - ‘Bada Chitta Chor’ - Where God is said to be a big thief, who steals the hearts of persons! When you sing that song, you must pray, ‘O God! Enter my Heart also, fill it with love, so that I may love all your children, in all lands’. (SSS Vol.7, p. 49) (Read Lyrics - Bada Chitta Chora at the end of the document)
Bhagavan Baba Sings Bada chitta Chora
Bhajan must be as continuous as breathing. In fact, the breath is ever engaged in Bhajan for it repeats the fundamental Mantra, ‘Soham’. Twenty-four hours is just a wink when measured against a lifetime. Your life is a song on the Glory of God. Sing it with all your soul, sing it aloud, sing in chorus so that the atmosphere polluted by the noise of greed, hatred and envy can be purified by the holy vibrations. (SSSm Vol.4, p. 49)
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; wear it away from petty horizons of pleasure. Bhajan 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. Once that search is desired, the path is easy. One has only to be reminded that he is divine, for, the malady is: its being thrust out of recognition. ( (SSS Vol.7, p. 444)
Bhajans are best held on Thursday evenings and Sunday evenings. (SSS Vol. 6, p. 180)
Singing the Glory of God in a congregation, prajnana comes to everyone in the gathering. Singing of a bhajan is usually associated with singing with a rhythm. In reality, if we can give a form to what is contained in SamaVeda, that itself can be described as bhajan. All types of tunes have their origin in Sama Veda. Narada also told Vyasa that if such a sacred song is sung with proper feeling and devotion, then the significance of the song will also be clear; the sacredness of divine nature that is present in each individual can be experienced in the form of a song. There is a small example for this. When two individuals are walking with each other, one individual enters the other in the form of sound. This concept of an individual entering in the form of sound is not clearly understood today. When you are face to face with God and think of His name and glory, the form of God will enter you. It is in this context that the Shastras and Puranas advise you to spend all your time in the thought of God and in singing His glory. We are, therefore, told that God is present in all living things and that all living things in their turn are present in the divine. If several people gather and sing the glory of God in a congregation, then prajnana or knowledge of God will come to everyone in the gathering. (SSB 1978, pp. 17-18)
Pay attention to the tune, the meaning, the variety the voice, the raga, the tala and other finer points of the bhajan. If your voice is not pleasant or sweet, do not lead the bhajan. Not to disturb the sweet flow of bhajan is the best service you can do. Do not monopolise the time in bhajan by singing one song for six or ten minutes, repeating the same line again and again. Repeat each line only twice and no more. Have only two speeds - one slow and the other fast. In this way, you can have more Bhajans glorifying more forms or attributes of God.
When you sing Bhajans, dwell also on the meaning of the Songs and the message of each name and form of God, ‘Rama’ - the name should evoke in you the Dharma he embodied and demonstrated (Ramo Vigrahavan Dharmah), ‘Radha’ - the name should evoke in you the supramental super-worldly love she had as the greatest of the Gopis; ‘Shiva’ - the name should evoke the Supreme Sacrifice of His drinking of the Haalahaala poison for the good of the world, the cool grace heightened by the cascade of the Ganga and the moonlight from the crescent. Do not waste time purposelessly; let every moment be a bhajan. Know the purpose of bhajan or namasmarana and devote yourself whole-heartedly to it; derive the maximum benefit from the years of life allotted to you’. (SSS Vol.7, p. 39)
In a congregation, the bhajan must not evoke a sad sagging mentality. There should be no slackness or sloth in the melody and rhythm. Vibrant speed is a must to hold the attention of the rest.
It is indeed true that the Almighty appreciates devotion more than musical demonstration. Still, when there is group-singing, if somebody goes off key, and disturbs the unison, it diverts the others’ attunement. So, it is desirable that those who cannot sing in harmony or keep the beat, do not take lead in the singing. On the other hand, musical gymnastics and hard-to-follow tunes should also be avoided.
The chanting of God’s name is something anyone can practice anytime, anywhere, without any external aides or equipment, without any strain or difficulty. If this can be elevated to a bhajan by the injection of harmony and rhythm we purify all those who join in the bhajan even when we purify ourselves. God’s name is the only unparalleled means to cleanse the entire world. Thus, this Sadhana is blessed with an extended social good also. (BSS Part I, p. 44)
Bhajana is more important than bhojana. Prayer is more desirable than pining for meals. Birds that fly, beasts that roam and worms that crawl, all feed and keep fit. Man is the crown of Creation, the monarch and master of all beings in Creation. And if he too, seeks only food and shelter as inferior species do, it is deplorable indeed. From the moment of waking until the moment when he lays himself down again to sleep, man is engaged in endless errands, unceasing turmoil, never-ending tangles and boundless anxiety. And what does he gain there from? More confusion, more mental agitation.
Is this the be-all and end-all of human existence? No. It cannot be. He has the nobler goal of self-illumination, of lighting the lamp of Love inside him, and sharing the light of that lamp with all around him. Kama and krodha are the two enemies that will not allow him to keep that flame burning bright.
Bhajan such as this, is a good disciplinary process by which these two can be kept away. Through genuine prayer, mountains of evil can be pulverised and destroyed. Those who sing Bhajans get what can be called ‘double promotion’, for they derive joy and distribute joy! Life today is filled with sorrow; it is beset with fear and despair. The only time you can forget these thoughts and strengthen yourself to meet the hard times is when you contact the source of all strength, God. You cannot get that peace and joy while you bend under the burden of daily life. You are carrying a huge load of worry all day; keep that aside for an hour every evening and spend that time with God who can make your shoulders strong and your burden light. You will relish the bhajana as you make it a daily function, like eating and sleeping. You eat twice a day for the upkeep of the body; should you not do bhajana at least once for the upkeep of the mind? Bhajana has been part of our culture, part of the Sanathana Dharma tradition. (SSS Vol. 10, pp. 81-83)
Bhajan is to mind what bhojan (food) is to the body. Let every moment be a Bhajan. Avoid all lesser talk. Know the purpose of Bhajan and devote yourself whole-heartedly to it. When you sing Bhajan songs, dwell on the meaning of the songs and message of each name and form of God and roil on your tongue its sweetness. (DA, p. Inside back cover)
Bhajan is a good disciplinary process by which ‘Kama’ and ‘Krodha’ can be kept away. ‘Kama’ is lust for physical pleasure, for power, for fame, for wealth and scholarship; ‘Krodha’ is anger, which is the result of foiled lust. In this busy age of fear and anxiety, the remembrance of God and repetition of His Name is the only means of Liberation that is accessible to all. (SSE, p. 146)
When you do Bhajana (group singing) and sing the Names of God, you should contemplate on such underlying truths. The Namavali, ‘Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare;Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare,’ has sixteen words and each of the sixteen signifies a virtue which has to be cultivated along with that Bhajana. (Here Baba recited a Telugu song compused by Him on the spot which indicated the sixteen qualities to be developed by a spiritual person).
He must be a (1) Bhakta, (2) a Tapoyukta, (3) a Samsara Mukta, (4) a Padasakta of the Lord, (5) a Vihita, (6) a Dhanasahitha, (7) Yaso-mahitha, (8) a Kalmasha rahita, (9) a Purna, (10) a Gunagana, (11) an Uththeerana, (12) a Vidya avikeerna, (13) a Jnana vistheerana (14) Swaantha, (15) a Sadguna krantha, (16) a Vinaya vishranta, and finally, a Padaswantha of the Lord or at least he must pray, with verbal repetition of each word, for the growth in him of each of these attainments which will take him nearer the goal.
Baba meant that a spiritual seeker should be (1) full of devotion, (2) prepared to enjoy suffering, (3) free from the attachment to the transitory, (4) eager to serve the Lord, (5) of correct conduct, (6) charitable, (7) having an unsullied reputation, (8) with no blemish on his character, (9) fully content, (10) endowed with good qualities, (11) equipped with all the virtues, (12) equipped with the fruits of learning, (13) ripe in wisdom, (14) self-controlled, (15) adorned with commendable social traits, (16) full of humility and fully surrendered to God. If he has these virtues, (here Baba quoted the last line of the song he had just composed, ‘vaade nenoudhu, nene vaadoudu’---’He is I, I am He’. (SSS Vol.1, pp. 161-162)
You do Bhajans and think you are doing it in order to please God. But God does not need anything. You do Bhajans for your own happiness. Share your happiness with others. God is the embodiment of bliss. Hence, He does not require anything from you. When He is the embodiment of eternal happiness, what else is required for Him? He is not interested in worldly and ephemeral happiness. When you do Bhajans, your heart becomes purified. The worship and the Bhajans you sing are for your own happiness and not for the happiness of God. (SSS Vol.36, p. 43)
I shower My blessings on all of you on this holy night of Shivaratri. Sing the Divine Name throughout the night. To the extent possible, spend the night in the contemplation of God. Only then can you experience divine bliss. You can even witness the manifestation of divine effulgence. Sing the Divine Name wholeheartedly. You may sing any name, but you should understand its inner meaning.
For example, ‘Digambara’ is one of the names of Lord Shiva. Digambara in common parlance refers to the one who is naked. But if you enquire into the inner meaning, you will know that ‘Digambara’ is the One who has Dikkulu (four sides – East, West, North, South) as His Ambara (vesture). There is a possibility that people misunderstand this word and think that Shiva does not wear anything on Hid body. Hence, it is better that you do not use this word in Bhajans. (SSS Vol.39, p. 54)
When you gather under a tree and make a loud noise, every bird on the branches flies away. Human life is just like the tree on which several birds are sitting and producing distracting noise. The birds are: kama (desire, lust), Krodha (anger), lobha (avarice, covetousness), moha (infatuation), mada (arrogance) and matsarya (jeousy, envy). Together they make a cacophony of sounds disturbing your peace and equanimity. If you loudly sing the names of Rama, Krishna, Govinda, Narayana and so on, other evil birds will fly away, leaving your minds pure and hearts in perfect peace. (TMM, pp. 71-72)
People undergo all sorts of difficulties for the sake of money, but there is none who undergoes difficulties for the sake of God. God protects all. One may have any amount of money, but life without God is no life at all. However, such people are very few in number who give highest importance to God in their life. There are fewer still who contemplate on God.
That is why we have started Bhajans. There may be a few who take to wrong path even after joining Bhajans. But, by and large, people will contemplate on God when they sing His glory. There may be many types of waves in the ocean, but water in all of them is the same. Similarly, people may have different types of thought currents but the same God is present in all of them. Beings are many but the atmic principle in all of them is the same. Ekatma sarva bhutantaratma (one atma dwells in all beings). Ekam Sat viprah bahudha vadanti (truth is one, but the wise refer to it by various names). Those who adhere to this truth are in fact real devotees. The essence of all the Vedas lies in establishing this truth. But such people who understand this truth are not to be seen today. Never forsake truth. When truth and righteousness come together one can experience peace and love. Truth is the basis of everything. Sathyameva adviteeyam Brahma (Truth is Brahman which is one without a second). Truth embodies the form of love. (SSS Vol. 41, pp. 30-31)
Bhajan is very necessary to melt the heart of God. When so many people do Bhajan together, the prayer from the heart of at least one or two will reach God. Won’t even one person among so many have a sacred heart? Hence, there is a great possibility of your melting the heart of God by community singing. Bhajan is very necessary to melt the heart of God. When you do Nagar Sankirtan early in the morning, everybody will get up and listen to the Divine Name. Hearing the name of God as soon as they wake up will fill them with great bliss and enthusiasm. Constantly remember the name of God; never forget Him. This is the noblest path; the true spiritual practice. When you do this, you will be immensely blessed. (SSS Vol. 41, p. 91)
Swami said in a powerful voice (and this is a paraphrase)
‘Dear students! When you sing Bhajans here, don’t imagine that they would impact only the people currently assembled in the Kulwant Hall. True, the sound waves coming from various loud speakers would be heard throughout the Ashram. However, besides these sound waves, subtle waves were also generated. You cannot see them and in fact you do not even know about them. They are ripples in the Ocean of Consciousness. Those ripples can travel not only all over this planet but to the very edge of the physical Universe and beyond. They will never dampen nor dissipate but remain forever. They would penetrate everywhere, including the pillars, the structures and whatever you see around here. Indeed, the vibrations from every Bhajan that you sing would remain embedded in them forever. Further, everyday, there would be fresh additions, as a result of which the intensity of the built-in spiritual vibrations would steadily grow. The more passionately you sing, the greater would be stored sanctity. The more love you add to your feelings as you sing, the greater would be the enhancement of sanctity. Thus, by having sacred thoughts while seated here and by singing Bhajans with Pure Love of your Heart, each of you leave behind an invaluable legacy.’ (Prof. G. Venkataraman’s speech recorded on 29th April 2011)