Dharma Vahini - Post 42

Dear All,

Let us continue from where we left yesterday.

ATMA DHARMA RELATED TO BHAJAN SINGING.

What is the focus/ experience as a result of the single pointed focus, of a singer in a bhajan??

·     The singer comes and occupies a place and sits in the bhajan hall, with his / her mind focused on "merger / union" with Lord during the Bhajan session.

·       Prior to the bhajan day, during the practice day or even before or after the practice day, with the single pointed focus - "Union with God", the singer utilizes the opportunity to render bhajan as a wonderful, never before and a never after golden opportunity to actually merge with the divine supreme Lord and lose his / her individual identity as a singer in totality.

·       What does the above para mean??? 

·       See, you are allowed a chance for singing and you are going to consider that chance as the ONLY and THE BEST opportunity to merge with Sai / Lord. How would you go about the whole process if your focus is genuine and total??

·       First, you would choose a bhajan which suits you, which you can sing comfortably, which does not involve too much stress / too much technical efforts, as your focus is not to render a best bhajan to be applauded by all gathered there, but the focus is to render a bhajan with ease, with comfort so that the whole focus and the attention on the bhajan day is not on "How you are going to render the bhajan at best"  but the focus is "losing your identity as a singer and merging with the Lord, which can happen only if you take a bhajan which you can sing with ease so that you are not conscious on how and why and what of the bhajan but ON THE LORD!!!

·   Also, given the single focus, if it is a chance to merge with Lord, then how many times, how much you would repeat that bhajan to actually communicate with the Lord and to ensure that the inner thoughts are focused on the D-day, when you are rendering that bhajan?? This results in you practicing the bhajan even without being aware of the same!! Is it not??

·      Now, for the actual rendering of Bhajan on the Bhajan day. The mike is placed before you. With the focus repeatedly mentioned / emphasized in the earlier para(s), can there be any one else other than the Lord and you, the one who has to merge in that Lord?

·      So, you are not actually singing but you are merging with the Lord through the madhyam of Bhajan singing.  You have already gone above your individual ego and the identity to render Bhajan very well so that you can receive few messages, hugs and praises for rendering the bhajan so well!!

·    If the focus is 100% and intense, then, when the Bhajan flows from you, neither you are there nor the Lord is there, but only THE LOVE remains, only LOVE exists.

   (If and only if you have existed as Love, poured the song  as Love, then, be sure, there is no individual ego left in you to judge and feel elated if the bhajan went well and neither there is any one in you to cry/ feel bad if the bhajan did not end up well and even if some one passes a direct/ indirect comment on your spoiling the Bhajan)

Now, all of us, after going through the above, have to introspect on how we should be approaching this most sacred sadhana of Bhajan singing in the context of the Atma Dharma or the Only Dharma viz-a-viz  how we are actually taking this sadhana of Bhajan singing!

More in next post.

Love

Dharma Vahini - Post 41

Dear All,

Let us further pick up the most important message / instruction that Swami has conveyed in Dharma Vahini.

"You must become intoxicated with the nectar of Union with Brahman; that is the ultimate goal of Dharma, and of Karma inspired by Dharma."

"The objective codes of dharma relating to worldly activities and daily life, though important in their own sphere, have to be followed with the full knowledge and consciousness of the inner basic Atma-dharma."

Some important points, following in sequence, from the above 2 quotes.

1)   Union with God is the ultimate and only Dharma.

2) All worldly activities in daily life, all duties that we undertake in daily life have their own importance.

3) All such worldly duties have to be illumined by our mind / our heart / our thoughts soaked in our ONLY focus- "TO UNITE WITH GOD / TO REALIZE GOD".

Well, theoretically the above 3 points seem to be understood well. But practically how these 3 golden rules can be implemented?

In the next posts, let us take some practical example to make things more clear, applying these golden rules in some of  our spiritual and worldly dharma so that we are absolutely clear as to what benefit we can attain by following the above rules.

1) In the context of our attending weekly Bhajans- either as singer or as participant. 

Since this activity is the most important activity taken up by most of the devotees in Sai organization or in any other spiritual organization, let us see how the 3 golden rules apply,

Atma-dharma or the primary focus while attending a Bhajan

The atma dharma or the first rule given by Lord "Union with God is the ultimate and only Dharma", remains the same not only for a singer  in bhajan but in all environment, in all pursuits, in all duties, in all situations, in all phases of life of a human being.

Let us elaborate the existence / frame of mind of a singer before he / she enters the bhajan hall or when he / she attends a bhajan or when he / she walks out of the hall upon the end of the bhajan session.

What is the focus/ experience as a result of the single pointed focus, of a singer in a bhajan??

Let us see, in the next post.

Love.

Dharma Vahini - Post 40

Dear Readers,

As we come to the end of this theme "Dharma Vahini", sincere readers are requested to read and absorb the following relevant quotes / extracts from Dharma vahini. 

These selected extract give the essence of Swami's instructions / teachings to mankind on "DHARMA".

In the next one or two posts, with the grace of Sai, author shall try and elaborate on the essence of "DHARMA" and conclude this theme.

Let us read, understand, meditate and absorb the essence as given by Swami, in the following extracts from Dharma Vahini.

Swami's quotes from Dharma Vahini:

"You must become intoxicated with the nectar of Union with Brahman; that is the ultimate goal of Dharma, and of Karma inspired by Dharma."

"The objective codes of dharma relating to worldly activities and daily life, though important in their own sphere, have to be followed with the full knowledge and consciousness of the inner basic Atma-dharma."

"Light the lamp! Let it reveal the reality; get the light of spiritual wisdom (jnana). That will solve all the difficulties. You may claim that you live according to dharma, but your basic flaw is that your acts are not done in the spirit of dedication. If so done, they get stamped with the authentic mark of dharma."

"Observance of dharma is the sign of a human (dharmam purushalakshanam). Everyone must engage in tasks infused with dharma, while putting into action the four goals of human life (purusha-arthas): dharma, wealth (artha), desire (kama), and liberation (moksha). "

"The right conduct (dharma) as prescribed in the scriptures (Vedas) is tested, proven and capable of standing the test of time. It is impartial and just. Faith in it grows with practice. The worship of the Divine must follow the rules prescribed in the Scriptures (Vedas); through this means, people get strengthened in leading a righteous (dharmic) life. This dharma is the command of the Lord; it is the authentic voice of God, so it might as well be followed by all. Dharma brings goodness to all; it confers bliss (ananda) here and hereafter."

Love.