AKHANDA BHAJAN DISCOURSE

The Akhanda bhajan this year was very special. i think Swami must have broken His all time record of collecting maximum letters on a single day. Right from the beginning, He was entirely involved in ensuring that we are focused on the bhajans, as He would come out frequently from the bhajan mandir and survey the entire Kulwant hall in chair. this topic requires more elaboration and i'd defer it for a later date for paucity of time.
Yesterday, He came late in the evening when bhajans had already begun. After about 4 bhajans, He asked Prof. G Venkatraman to speak. After the speech, He called for the mike to be brought and began His discourse! If He wants a programme, He has 101 ways of bringing it up. All this was happening inside bhajan hall.
Excerpts from His discourse:

• Understand the significance of Akhanda bhajan. Bhajans are of 2 types- Khanda (finite) bhajan and Akhanda (infinite) bhajan. To think of God only for a few moments is khanda bhajan (fragmented devotion).
• Akhanda bhajan means singing the glory of God in all 3 states ie the waking state, dream state and deep sleep state.
• There are 3 hands of a clock- the seconds, minutes and the hours hand. Of these, the hours hand assumes maximum importance.
• (Swami narrated the story of parrot and king where the parrot is told to go and ask different animals to chant Rama’s name) All species rise above their levels. Man however, remains at the same stage and does not progress. Though he chants the name of God, he has a wavering mind
• Thus transformation is hard to come about in man. If you do every activity with the feeling that it is God’s work, then there will be transformation. For example, while cooking, you can think that the food is being prepared for God
• At least once, you must utter the divine name with complete faith. That amounts to the “hours” hand of the clock. Empty repeating of God’s name is like the seconds and minutes hand.
• People make various excuses like cold, throat pain etc for not singing bhajans. Even a dead person can be brought back to life by the power of divine name. Eg. Savitri
• With a pure mind and sacred heart, chant the name of God
• Man is a replica of God. Therefore, he must have the same purity of love that God has. You are a spark of the Divine. Do not forget this fact. If you contemplate on this truth, it amounts to having read the Bhagavad Gita itself.
• Truth is God . Faith is God. Love is God, live in love. Always remember these 3 statements.
• Waves (problems) come and go but the water (faith) remains constant. Thoughts are like passing clouds. So, strengthen your faith.
• All that glitters is not diamond. “Die mind” and become a diamond. Do not get carried away by temporary things.
• Akhanda bhajan is kept with this purpose. In between the bhajans, if we get up and go, the mind gets disconnected. Swami does not say that you must remain 24 hrs without food or bath. Even while partaking food, contemplate on the divine.
• In Bhagvad Gita, Krishna said “O Arjuna ! Fight while thinking of me”. That is namasmarana. There is no big deal fighting wars with weapons. True weapon is name of the Lord.
• Work with a smile. True happiness is union with God.
• Attending bhajans in the morning and evening is a great fortune. Do not waste this opportunity.