Global Akhanda Bhajan today…
Saturday, November 8th, 2014
Global Akhanda Bhajan 2014 gets underway today. Akhanda Bhajan is a marathon spiritual exercise, a non-stop rendering of divine glories of God for twenty-four hours, initiated by Bhagawan and followed on a global scale promoting universal harmony and brotherhood.
Akhanda Bhajan involves constant contemplation on God in the morning, evening or even during the night time. It is constant contemplation on God during all the three states – the waking, dream and deep sleep. It is “Sarvada Sarvakaleshu Sarvathra Harichintanam, said Bhagawan long ago, explaining the significance of the marathon spiritually elevating saga.
Serving as a precursor to the birthday celebrations of Bhagawan, as a practice over the years, Akhanda Bhajans have been scheduled for the second Saturday and Sunday of the birthday month, November. It represents a unique attempt at making people in every part of the world conscious of their Divine essence and to experience the sense of oneness spiritually.
“Of all the Sai programmes for promoting harmony and unity among the peoples of the world nothing is so significant and far‑reaching as the observance of “Akhanda Bhajan “on a global scale, initiated by Bhagawan. It represents a unique attempt at making people in every part of the world conscious of their Divine essence and to experience the sense of oneness spiritually”, commented veteran Journalist of repute and Former Editor of Sanathana Sarathi, Late Sri V.K. Narasimhan writing on the event in the late eighties.
The Akhanda Bhajan, which is observed by Sathya Sai Centres in all countries, from Tokyo in Japan to Vancouver in Canada, from Fiji in the Pacific to Trinidad in the Caribbean, has become over the years one of the most looked‑for events in the Prasanthi calendar.
A simple exercise started over a quarter century ago by a great devotee of Bhagawan, Dr. R.S. Padmanabhan at his Bangalore residence, enthused by His greater inner prompting, has become a global phenomenon, when devotees from the fraternity opt to sing bhajans for a marathon 24-hour, invoking Universal Peace.
…And Akhanda Bhajans of yester years used to have Bhagawan’s greater participation. Reminiscing the beauty and subtlety of the marathon Bhajan Saga, one of the old students of Bhagawan’s University, who has been blessed by Bhagawan to sing in His presence writes:
“Akhanda Bhajan was about to begin in a few minutes. Bhagawan entered the bhajan hall from the rear side and was slowly walking on the carpet towards the altar where He had to light the “Akhanda Jyothi” to mark the commencement of the Bhajans. As He reached the altar, He noticed a glittering artificial garland placed around the neck of the Hanuman Idol by the side of His chair. One could see a frown on His face as He went close to the Idol, bent over the lamp placed by its side, removed the garland and dropped the same saying ARTIFICIAL. We all know that every act of Bhagawan has an inner meaning. We felt that Bhagawan was indirectly teaching us to sing Bhajans from the Heart and not as an Art. He says, whatever we do should be “Heartificial” and not Artificial.”
II Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II
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