Premananda Youth concert during the International Youth Conference in 2010
Singing devotional songs
In the Ashram, the devotees come together every evening to sing bhajans in the temple.
“By singing devotional songs and repeating prayers or mantras you purify the atmosphere of the home or spiritual centre. By singing with feeling you fill yourself and your surroundings with the finest and highest energies. Bhajan songs express the true qualities of Divinity in its many aspects and forms. These are essentially the qualities which the aspirant should try to cultivate within him or herself. So regular singing of bhajans creates a state of mind in the singer, whereby for a short period, he forgets the world and his troubles and confusion and immerses himself in higher thoughts. In such a state it is possible that a devotional person may feel the supreme joy and deep peace of mind within. By singing divine names the thoughts of the mind become purified. A pure mind and pure thoughts help the immediate environment and pour vibrations of truth, light and pure love into society. On the other hand, music inciting sex, violence and desire fills the listener with its own contents and message. Such music stimulates and encourages the mind to sink to a lower vibrational level. Bhajan singing is also a discipline. The music and beat of the bhajan shuts out external disturbances. You can sit on the ground in a cross legged position with a straight spine. During bhajans it is better not to talk with others or look at them. By following these simple rules, one can sink deep within oneself and sing with ardour from the heart.
Do not think that bhajans are simply an aid to spirituality. They have been the actual means for many saints to attain unity with God. You cannot understand the ‘taste’ of devotion unless you experience it for yourself. Sing bhajans with feeling for some time and experience the effect on your own mind.”
Swami Premananda
