"Hari Bhajan bina Sukh Shanthi Nahi"

Swami ends many of his discourses with this Bhajan (devotional song) roughly translating to "without singing to the Lord, there is no peace or happiness". Singing devotional songs to praise the glories of the Lord is a common spiritual practice in the path of Bhakti (devotion). Sathya Sai Centre or group members meet regularly at a fixed time and venue to participate in communal devotional singing called as Bhajans. Once a year, Global Akhanda (without break) Bhajan is held (usually in the second weekend of Novermber) by the members of Sathya Sai Organisation from all across the world starting from 6 pm on Saturday to 6 pm on Sunday thus constituting 24 hours of non-stop devotional singing for Global Welfare and World Peace.      

"Fire emerges from the rubbing of two sticks. Butter emerges from the churning of milk. By constant meditation on name and form Divinity is experienced. Listen, oh valiant son of Bharat". [Telugu poem]

Not all realize the potency and efficacy of reciting the Lord's name. The first requisite is purity of thought, word and deed. The name that is uttered by the tongue should be meditated upon by the mind. What is uttered and dwelt upon should be hailed by clapping the hands. This threefold concentration on the Divine name--unity of mind, speech and action--purifies the heart and nourishes the feeling of devotion.  

Sravanam (hearing the Glory of the Lord), Kirtanam (singing the Glory oneself), Vishnosmaranam (allowing the mind to dwell on that Glory), Padasevanam (adoring he feet of the Lord),  Archanam (ritualistic worship), Vandanam (experiencing gratitude and joy at His Grace), Dasyam (feeling oneself as His instrunent), Sakhyam (awareness of His being one's constant and closest companion), and Atmanivedanam (dedicating one's full being to him) -- these are the nine steps in the path of devotion. 

There is a big difference between Keerthanam and Sankeerthanam. Keerthanam is an individual affair. It is singing by an individual for the fulfillment of his prayers. Sankeerthanam aims at the well being of the whole universe. This is also described as Saamaajika bhajans (community singing). This method of singing bhajans was first initiated by Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism. 

Samkirtan or devotional singing is of four types: guna-samkirtan, leela-samkirtan, bhava-samkirtan, and nama-samkirtan. Guna means 'attributes' (of God). So guna-samkirtan is the adoration in song of the manifold attributes of God - omnipresence, omniscience, compassion, majesty, etc. Leela means 'sport', therefore leela-samkirtan is the adoration in song of the various expressions of these attributes as evidenced by the accounts of sages and seers of all faiths. Bhava means 'attitude' (of the mind). So bhava-samkirtan means the adoration in song of God pictured and contacted under various relationships. Some may prefer to adore Him as the giver of equanimity, others as a friend, guide, and guardian, still others as the child one loves and tends, and yet others as the lover whom one loves with sovereign love. Nama means the name of God, and so nama-samkirtan means the adoration of God, calling upon Him by various names, each describing His glory, His achievements, His relationship with the individual. 

What then is the essence of Sankeerthana? Its essential purpose is to earn the love of God. Combining one's voice, tune, feeling and rhythm to the appropriate beat of the song, the devotee should immerse himself in the singing. Harmonizing the feeling with devotion and Love, the sacred words of the song should be an outpouring of love towards God. That alone is devotional singing.

When the song is rendered without understanding the meaning of the words and without any inner feeling or genuine love for God, it is a mechanical performance. Bhaava (feeling), Raaga (melody) and Thaala (rhythm) are the essentials for proper singing. 

The bhajans that are sung permeate the ether in the form of sound waves and fill the entire atmosphere. Thereby the whole environment gets purified. Breathing in this purified atmosphere, our hearts get purified. Reciting the Lord's name is a process of give and take. Singing the Lord's name should become an exercise in mutual sharing of joy and holiness. It should be remembered that the sounds we produce reverberate in the atmosphere. They remain permanently in the ether as waves and outlast the individual uttering the sounds. 

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