[GHHF] Bhajans are sung to show gratitude to Gods and Goddesses in various places to create faith, pride, and peace of mind.
Global Hindu Heritage Foundation was started to protect Hindu Temples and to preserve and protect Hindu culture. Not only distribution of the importance of preserving Hindu culture, organizing several meetings across the States, we strongly believe that every Temple should conduct Bhajans glorifying the Gods and Goddesses. It is decided that all the Hindus should be brought back to the Temples. One way of bringing them to the Temple is to conduct Bhajans in the Temples.
Bhajans play an important role in Sanatana Dharma. Bhajans are sung to show our gratitude and love for God. Singing or listening to devotional songs removes all negativity in one’s mind and fills one’s heart with joy, peace, and contentment. It elevates one’s mood and creates inner equilibrium. There is a lot of difference in the feeling when you sing for yourself and when you sing for God. When a devotional song is played or sung, it cleanses the atmosphere and fills the place with positive energy.
Bhajan is a Sanskrit word, the meaning is “to serve, honor, revere, love, and adore.” The Sanskrit word bhajan or bhajana is derived from the root bhaj, which means "divide, share, partake, participate, to belong to". The word also connotes "attachment, devotion to, fondness for, homage, faith or love, worship, piety to something as a spiritual, religious principle or means of salvation".
Bhajan also refers to a spiritual practice, originating in Vedic times (Sama Veda) in India and now used all over the world, in which names of God are chanted by a lead singer and repeated by the congregation. Shrimad Bhagavatam states that Kaliyuga is an ocean of faults, people have disturbed minds, they live in polluted environment, and face disturbing situations. However, there is one very great virtue in Kaliyuga. By lovingly chanting the melodious kirtans of the Lord, one can easily get liberated from material bondage. Singing Bhajan is an action of interlocking the five senses to pour our devotion, love, compassion to God.
Now, let us look what our scriptures says about Kirtan & Bhajan
kalerdoṣhanidhe rājannasti hyeko mahān guṇaḥ
kīrtanād eva kṛiṣhṇasya muktasaṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet
(Shreemad Bhagavatam 12.3.51)
This verse from the Shreemad Bhagavatam states that Kaliyug, the present era, is an ocean of faults - people have disturbed minds, unsound health, they live in polluted environment, and face disturbing situations. However, there is one very great virtue in Kaliyug. By lovingly chanting the melodious kirtans and Bhajans of the Lord, one can easily get liberated from material bondage.
Benefits of singing Bhajans
Devotional singing, known as bhajans or kirtan, can help to quiet the mind so that the heart can open to the divine, allowing us to taste the blissful reality that is our true nature. It is a participatory spiritual practice in which everyone is encouraged to sing and express their inner joy. Devotion, not musical ability, is the most important aspect of kirtan. To gain concentration in this age of materialism, bhajan is easier than meditation. By loud singing, other distracting sounds will be overcome, and concentration will be achieved. Bhajan, concentration, and meditation, this is the progression. Bhajan is important for the devotee because it is intimate and free in expression. Bhajan preserves India’s rich legacy of devotion, wisdom, and mysticism from saints like Mirabai, Tulsidas, Kabir, Surdas, Thyagaraja, Purandaradasa, Tukaram, Namdev, and many, many others.
Many Spiritual leaders and gurus in recent times have stressed the importance of bhajans and as such this is an integral part of many traditions.
It happens that the Narada once asked Lord Vishnu about His whereabouts, as to where does the lord lives. The answer from Lord Vishna was:
“Naham Basami Baikunthe, yogina hriday nacha,
Mad bhakta yatr gavanti, tatra tishthaami, Narada.”
It means that hey Narada, I don’t reside at Vaikuntha, nor I live in the hearts of Yogis, but I reside at place where my Bhakta(devotees) are singing.
So, it is apparent that bhajans when sung create an atmosphere which is energized, and the mental state of all participants become receptive where the divine descend becomes very much possible.
Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji is famous for his Divya Namasankeertana or singing of the divine names. He sings the bhajans he composes himself by using the synthesizer known as Modern Veena with the support of outstanding musicians playing classical Indian instruments. Sri Swamiji sings very powerfully, soulfully, devotionally, enthusiastically, with gusto. He explains the meaning of these bhajans in a vivid, realistic, and humorous manner to convey the essence of the song to touch the hearts of the devotees.
Sathya Sai Baba has said, “Realize that there is nothing greater than bhajan. What bliss is there in bhajans! What a demonstration of oneness is it when 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 the atmosphere and purify the polluted air. (SS, Jan. 1995, 26)
Singing and listening to Bhajans impart serenity, peace of mind and calmness. They can transform our way of thinking and our way of living. It also promotes immunity and increases energy levels. Positive vibrations created by Bhajan singing can relieve anxiety and lower depression.
According to research, listening to Bhajans increases the activity in cells which releases feel good hormone called “Dopamine.”
The meditative nature of bhajans can enhance our focus and concentration, enabling us to dive deeper into our tasks and activities.
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