What is it?
Immediately following the 1 hour meditation in Sri Swamiji's programs is an hour of Bhajans. Bhajans are devotional songs which are often a combination of song, prayers, chanting with the intent to raise conscious energy. They are sung as a group and considered worship to God and Guru.
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Commonly asked Q & A
Q: Is the energy created during bhajans the same as that which rises in meditation?
"Yes. Both energies are the same. You will have good meditation."
Q: Explain about bhajans. Why do we have to sing them so fast?
"It is like driving a car. You have to go through different gears to accelerate. If the energy is to rise, you have to go through steps. You start slowly, then go faster so the energy increases. You have three steps: one slow, one medium fast, and then faster. That is how the energy increases. It is just like a car going through first, second, and third gears. You play the different speeds, slow, fast, then very fast. As the tempo increases and the pitch goes up, so does the energy increase."
Q: Should devotees in different cities learn to play bhajans together?
"Bhajan groups in different cities will have their own sound and style. You should have a good, healthy competition among yourselves but there should be melody and rhythm. You should sing properly, in pitch and in tempo. If you get out of the melody or if you lose the tempo then it is of no use."
Q: Some people want to play English songs
"You can easily translate Sanskrit songs into English and they will be nice. You have to do it nicely. Swamiji will come to you in an astral body and will make you write."
Q: Is it better to translate the Sanskrit into English or use an English song?
"If a person knows both languages and translates the Sanskrit songs into English, automatically the person will get it and they will be nice. If you have a good knowledge of music then it does not matter to Swamiji what language you sing. You should keep the music good...
...If you play well, with energy and with increasing pitch and tempo, then Swamiji can show you what astral bodies are and what bhava samadhi is."
Q: Is the energy created during bhajans the same as that which rises in meditation?
"Yes. Both energies are the same. You will have good meditation."
Q: Explain about bhajans. Why do we have to sing them so fast?
"It is like driving a car. You have to go through different gears to accelerate. If the energy is to rise, you have to go through steps. You start slowly, then go faster so the energy increases. You have three steps: one slow, one medium fast, and then faster. That is how the energy increases. It is just like a car going through first, second, and third gears. You play the different speeds, slow, fast, then very fast. As the tempo increases and the pitch goes up, so does the energy increase."
Q: Should devotees in different cities learn to play bhajans together?
"Bhajan groups in different cities will have their own sound and style. You should have a good, healthy competition among yourselves but there should be melody and rhythm. You should sing properly, in pitch and in tempo. If you get out of the melody or if you lose the tempo then it is of no use."
Q: Some people want to play English songs
"You can easily translate Sanskrit songs into English and they will be nice. You have to do it nicely. Swamiji will come to you in an astral body and will make you write."
Q: Is it better to translate the Sanskrit into English or use an English song?
"If a person knows both languages and translates the Sanskrit songs into English, automatically the person will get it and they will be nice. If you have a good knowledge of music then it does not matter to Swamiji what language you sing. You should keep the music good...
...If you play well, with energy and with increasing pitch and tempo, then Swamiji can show you what astral bodies are and what bhava samadhi is."