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Sunday, May 4 2025
AKHANDA
BHAJANS
Importance
of Bhajans:
Bhajans always give joy and peace. Bhajans are a measure
of elimination of egoism. Life today is filled with
sorrow. It is beset with fear and despair. The only
time you can forget these thoughts and strengthen yourself
to meet the hard times is when you contact a source
of all strength, God. Man has been endowed with a tongue
to sing the praise of God. If he fails to do so, he
remains indebted to God.
Meaning
of Akhanda Bhajans:
Akhanda means uninterrupted, without any gap. "Akhanda
Bhajan" means that it should not be just a 24-hour
or a 7-day affair. It must go on from birth to death.
Bhajan has to start from childhood and continue onward.
It must be a constant companion of man, his solace and
strength. It is also essential food for the mind. By
engaging yourself in the recitation of the name of God
for one single day, you claim to have done Bhajan 'without
a break'. Akhanda Bhajan must be as continuous as breathing
itself if it is to deserve its name.
Purpose
of Global Akhanda Bhajans:
Akhanda Bhajans are not being done for the individual,
one nation or one community. It is for the welfare of
humanity as a whole. 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.
Today the atmosphere is polluted by unholy and vicious
sounds. This results in the growth of evil thoughts
and feelings, which lead to evil deeds. If the atmosphere
has to be purified, it has to be filled with pure and
sacred sounds.
Singing with intense yearning for God and enjoying the
experience of adoring Him, helps to purify the atmosphere.
Man is forced to breathe the air polluted by sounds
that denote violence, hatred, cruelty and wickedness.
Therefore, he is fast losing the high attainments that
are in store for him. The vibrations of the Namasankirtans
can cleanse the atmosphere and render it pure, calm
and ennobling. It is with this high purpose in view
that this programme of global Sankirtan was designed.
Story
behind Akhanda Bhajans:
Srimati Sundaramma is one of the old devotees who have
known Sri Sathya Sai Baba since He was a boy of sixteen.
Her father, Seshagiri Rao, came to know Sri Sathya Sai
Baba after her. Sundaramma continued the weekly Bhajan
singing with great dedication and without interruption
for an entire year. Her father thought that they should
celebrate the completion of the year of Bhajan singing
in a suitable way. Each member of the family thought
of different ways to celebrate the anniversary in a
beffiting manner, but Mr. Rao's idea, Akhanda Bhajans
(unbroken Bhajans) for one whole day and one whole night,
was adopted. The decision having been taken, they got
down to planning the performance at their house - which
songs to sing, what Prasadam to distribute, and pooling
of resources to obtain the ingredients of Prasadam.
This was particularly tricky as, in those days, there
was rationing of rice and the system had to be worked
out fairly in cash and in kind.
After making all the preliminary arrangements, father
and daughter went to Puttaparthi to announce their attention
to Sri Sathya Sai Baba. He was very happy to hear their
plans and responded startlingly, "I have come only
for this reason, for the sake of my devotees. Go ahead
with the Akhanda Bhajans. I will go there and be with
you throughout the singing."
The event was truly remarkable. The first Akhanda
Jyoti, organized by Seshagiri Rao, has led the lighting
of thousands of other Akhanda Jyotis on Akhanda Bhajan
day in Sai centers throughout the world.
Significance:
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.
Singing this intense yearning for God and enjoying
the experience of adoring Him helps to purify the atmosphere.
Today, man is forced to breathe the air polluted by
sounds that denote violence, hatred, cruelty, and wickedness.
Therefore, he is fast losing the high attainments that
are in store for him. The vibrations resulting from
singing the glory of God can cleanse the atmosphere
and render it pure, calm, and ennobling. It is with
this high purpose in view that this program of global
singing aloud the glory of God (samkirtan) was designed.
When is the Festival celebrated:
Akhanda Bhajans is usually celebrated on the second
weekend of November each year. In Singapore, all the
centers will work hand-in-hand to organize this event.
A venue will be agreed on and the bhajans will be held
there at national level. The bhajans start at 6.30 pm
on the Saturday and end at 6.30 pm on the Sunday.
Jai Sai Ram
Bro Ashish
Young Adult
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