The Bhajan

[Guest guest]

AUM SAI RAM

‘What is the difference between the singer and the song? Singer is conscious of the people listening to him. Singer is conscious of the previous singer. He is also thoughtful of the next singer. The singer aims to be number one for that bhajan session. He is just an ordinary singer. But a listener who joins in chorus, singing in joy, not thinking of the singer at all, thinks of the song. He becomes the song himself. That is Divine. Be a song and not a singer!’ BHAGAWAN BABA

 

I virtually rushed to Bhajan Satsang at the Centre last Thursday evening. On my way, I found it hard to switch my mind from the application of article 42 of the Convention on The Rights of Children, which at work I had to consider in an adoption case, to the more stress-free Sai Bhajans.

As everything happens according to the Sankalpa (the Will) of Our Lord Sai, the main bhajan singers had not turned up. They are the singers who attend bhajan training and they lead devotional songs at the Centre. Others, mostly working women and those who cannot, witting or unwittingly attend training, sing in chorus.

When the ‘Bhajan Convener’ and the other musicians arrived, we hastily drew up a list of Bhajans that we proposed to sing and handed it over to the Convener. For an unknown reason, I wrote ‘Baba ao mere kirtan mein. . .’ and my name on the list. I had thus indicated to the Convener that I would sing that particular ’Baba’ bhajan. As a matter of fact, I always sing Ram or Krishna Bhajans. Sai Sankalpa! Sai Sankalpa! Things just happen and we have no control over them!

I sang all the Bhajans in chorus and lo! When ,at the top of my voice, I was leading  the fifth line ‘Antar Jyoti Jagado Sai’( wake up my inner vision, Sai) of the Baba bhajan, I was pleasantly surprised to see ,before my bemused eyes, the altar of Baba suddenly illumined as someone at the back of the bhajan hall switched on the electricity. I thanked Baba profusely in my heart for what I considered as a Divine message.

Before I left the bhajan hall, I went up to the Bhajan Convener to pay my respects to him. He asked me whether I was conversant in ‘Sanskrit’ to which I meekly replied ‘No!’

He then pointed out to me that in the Baba bhajan, instead of’darsaa’ (eclipse, light) I was saying ’darshan’ (divine presence) which was wrong. I apologized, pointing out that I learnt 'Bhajans’ after long years of singing in chorus and never from a ‘Guru’.

Though I did appreciate the pertinent remark of the Convener, I felt a little pain in the region of the heart.

Late at night, I opened my mail box and Sai Sankalpa! I found the above Baba’s message posted on the Sai Forum and on the spur of the moment, a balm was applied on my heart by the invisible hand of the Divine, Antaryami Baba.

At the Lotus Feet of Sai

 Anita