BABA’S
QUOTES ON DEVOTIONAL SINGING
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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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Devotional
singing (Bhajan)] 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 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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Bhajan
singing is a spiritual practice (sadhana) for all who share in it. (Sai Bhajan
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 Sandweiss 134)
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People
say that when you go to Sai Baba, there is nothing but devotional singing
(Bhajan). Realise that there is
nothing greater than Bhajan. What bliss is there in Bhajan!
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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 Bhajan Mala, 30)
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Those
who sing Bhajan 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 (Bhajan). (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 Bhajan 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)