Let’s get to the point – we all know that spirituality is a practical journey of life towards Him, our Creator. A journey of life is unique to everyone – think about it, is there only ONE way to reach Him?
The whole idea of reaching God involves a myriad of angles – ranging from the complexity of meditation to the simplicity of Bhajans.
The practical teachings of Sai and Hinduism in general allows the participation of every individual from any walks of life, religion, culture, ethnicity, and language. It is the way of life. We are given a choice of various sadhanas to partake in, as long as it abides by the five Human Values we’ve all come to experience by just being His devotee – Sathya, Dharma, Shanthi, Prema, Ahimsa.
Being born into a Sai family, I consider myself privileged to have experienced the power of Bhajans from the premature moments of my life in my mother’s womb.
BHAJANS – the beautiful convergence of Bhava (feel), Raaga (melody), and Taala (rhythm) in its simplest form is a nursery rhyme.
Nursery rhyme? Isn’t that something we learn when we attend kindergarten? – But if we could just think about it – Bhajans is actually a story of good over evil that is sung in a poetic and rhythmic manner.
Right, enough with the theories. Let’s get to the point. I believe Bhajans is the easiest way to seek and reach Him. Let me give you seven reasons why.
BLISSFUL
Bliss – the purest form of happiness, love, and peace is easily attainable through the singing of God’s name. According to Swami himself:
"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."
Sathyam Shivam Sundaram VII, 497-498
Give it a try – choose your favourite Bhajan, understand the story behind the song, close your eyes, and sing your hearts out!
HONEST
Apart from being a devotional song, Bhajans, if seen from a personalised perspective, are an honest plea to God. You do not sing for the admiration of others, nor do you play the Tabla to show your capabilities. It is a personal sadhana of every individual involved. Swami beautifully phrases it like this:
"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."
Sathyam Shivam Sundaram X, 84
ATMOSPHERIC
Here’s a fun fact – music is produced through vibrations and the sense of spiritualism is also felt through vibrations – which is why we call it “good vibes” or “bad vibes” right?
The exact same concept applies to Bhajan singing – a multitude of divine vibrations radiating around us, energising all those within the vicinity and beyond. Swami says:
"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."
Sanathana Sarathi, January 1995, 26
JOYFUL
Ever since I was a kid, one activity that excites me the most is Bhajans! It puts me in a mood to be happy and energised, filling me up with joyful thoughts prior, during, and post-Bhajans. Yes, there are songs with melancholic moods, but have you ever realised, in the end – we feel content, happy, and joyful. Some Bhajans make us cry but it is the tear of joy. No bhajans in the world make us tear out of anger and depression.
"Those who sing bhajans get what can be called a 'double promotion', for they derive joy and distribute joy."
Sathyam Shivam Sundaram X, 101
Conclusively, isn’t that what we all desire? To be joyful?
ACHIEVABLE
The skill of delivering a Bhajan relies on the three essence which makes up Bhajan – Bhava, Raaga, and Taala. With constant practice, the art of feeling a Bhajan instead of performing, is easily achievable.
Choose a song, start simple, understand the meaning, and let the visuals project in your head – you’ll get Bhava in the form of a story. Raaga and Taala will soon be of second nature to you through continuous practice.
Remember, the foundation to delivering a good Bhajan is practice. This does not matter whether you’re singing in the centre or in the comfort of your own home – the goal is always, to please Him no matter the circumstances. If it’s for Him, it’s always a must to deliver the best, right?
"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."
Sathyam Shivam Sundaram VII, 497-498
NUTRITIOUS
Bhajans feed the body, mind, and soul with positive energy – the only nutrient needed in the path to attain Moksha. When we participate in Bhajans, we train the mind to constantly chant the name of various deities in various languages and tunes, empowering ourselves with the energy and motion to lead us back to THE source.
"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."
Sathyam Shivam Sundaram X, 87
This is, in a nutshell – the essence of spirituality. The various forms we favour are just mere avenues to channel our energy towards the right direction, but we all know there is only one God, and He is omnipresent. Bhajans, help us realise that.
SPIRITUAL
From what has been derived so far, I personally feel Bhajans encompasses what we call spirituality. It embodies the SAI in us, guides us towards the right path, with various accessible avenues to enable everyone to participate in.
Let us not forget, participating in Bhajans does not only happen in the centre by being part of the Bhajan Team. In fact, the Bhajan Team just acts as a guide to standardise and ensure high-quality Bhajans are delivered.
But in the end, what makes Bhajans the simplest form of spiritual sadhana is the way it is designed – it can be conducted anywhere, whether in a group or individually as long as there is a firm conviction to reach Swami. It amazes me how personal yet collective Bhajans are.
If you have not realised yet, my seven points actually lie within the word “Bhajans” – “Blissful, Honest, Atmospheric, Joyful, Achievable, Nutritious, Spiritual”. Never forget that answers are always in the questions we ask – it is never that far. It just requires effort and dedication with a pure heart.