Sankeerthana , earns you the Love of Bhagavan !!!

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Pranams to Bhagavan Sri Krishna and His Bhakthas ,

What is the essence of *Sankeerthana* ? It's essential purpose is to earn the love of Bhagavan . 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 Bhagavan. 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 Bhagavan, it is a mechanical performance. *Bhaava* (feeling), *Raaga* (melody) and *Thaala* (rhythm) are the essentials for proper singing.

Even the name *Bhaarath* signifies the combination of these three elements. (Bha-Ra-Tha). In every action in daily life, the combination of these three elements should be observed. This rule can be applied even to one's studies. *Bhaava*, in relation to study of a subject, means understanding the subject thoroughly. *Raaga* implies cultivating a love for the subject and *Thaala* means expressing one's knowledge coherently and clearly.

The wealth derived from singing Bhagavan's name, and meditation, is the influence of the higher energies in nature on one's life. These not only cleanse the external body but also purify the inner tendencies .

*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 Bhagavan ; wean it away from petty horizons of pleasure. *Bhajan* induces in you a desire for experiencing the Truth, to glimpse the Beauty that is Bhagavan, 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. The malady is : it is being thrust out of recognition . Man has come for a great destiny, on a sacred mission, endowed with special skills and tendencies to help him on ; but, he fritters these precious gifts and crawls on earth from birth to death, worse than any animal. Exercises like *Bhajan* elevate the mind and exhort the individual to seek and find the source of eternal joy that lies within him.

People may say that when you go to Sai Baba, there is nothing but bhajan . Realize that there is nothing Your heart grows when you are hearing *bhajans* with a full mind. On the other hand, if you do not sing melodiously, then you will not be getting joy. Community singing must be developed if you want to give to all people the thrill and joy of singing of prayers.

*Bhajans* should be sung with complete obliviousness of the body. Devotional fervour is more important than musical skill. The ladies who took part in the *bhajans* in the morning sang the *bhajans* whole-heartedly. Their hearts were full of sweetness. Hence sweet music flowed from their hearts.

The word of a song can be expressed in prosaic manner which has no appeal to the listener. But when they are sung melodiously as in the song: "Raama! Nannu Kaapaadu"--"Raama! save me," they tug at the heart-strings. (Swaami sang the song to demonstrate its appeal). Such sweetness is contained in the song when it is rendered melodiously.

Everyone, whether he is well versed in music or not, should listen attentively to the singer and try to repeat the words of the song with feeling.

Some persons attending *bhajans* do not move their lips at all. They may say that they are singing the songs mentally within themselves. This is not proper. If you have devotional feeling, it should be expressed by the tongue joining in the *bhajan*. Only then it can be called *Sankeerthana* --singing in unison with others. You must sing the names aloud, full-throated, as far as the voice can reach. Only then the Divine will respond in full measure and shower His grace. No one will go to the rescue of a drowning man if his cries are feeble. Only when he cries aloud at the top of his voice will the cries be heard and people will rush to save him. *Sankeerthana* means singing with abandon and fervour.

Everyone should realize that every limb and organ in the body has been given to man to be used for a sacred purpose : The tongue to utter Bhagavan's name, the hands to offer worship, the feet to go the temple and so on. These organs should not be used for frivolous and unholy purposes. Sanctifying every one of the sense organs, man should purify the mind and contemplate on Bhagavan.

(Article Source- Sri Satya Sai Baba's discourse : Internet)