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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)
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| 2 |
[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) |
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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) |
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Devotional singing (bhajan) is a spiritual practice (sadhana)
for all who share in it. (Sai Bhajana Mala,
30) |
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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) |
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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) |
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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) |
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Those who sing bhajans
get what can be called a 'double promotion', for they derive joy and
distribute joy. (SSS X, 101) |
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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) |
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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) |
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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) |
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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) |
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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) |
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Desire and anger are ... two enemies. Devotional
singing ... is a good disciplinary process by which these two can be
kept away. (SSS X, 100) |
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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) |
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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) |
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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) |
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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) |
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