JAI MATHA
My Devout Pranams at the lotus feet of Divine Mother Devi Sri Ramambika.
I am Smt. Geeta Kamat, secretary of Rama Sakti Mission Mumbai. I feel fortunate to make a humble attempt and share my thoughts on Bhajans, and how they are helpful in promoting and attracting new generations.
Bhajans are devotional songs. Music is divine, which can confer upon us an elevated state of ecstasy. Divine Mother used to sing bhajans when She was in Tellecherry. Women from neighborhood came to Her house. She taught them bhajans & explained them that these songs are praises of Lord, so should be sung with heartfelt devotion. The human Life is a gift from God and the aim of life is to attain God realization. Her teachings and bhajans attracted a lot of people over there. While singing bhajans Divine Mother would enter into sublime state of Samadhi. She always insisted on singing bhajans in Classical style with perfect Raag and Taal. If we sing with devotion and dedication we can reach the culmination of Joy, oneness with God Aatmaikya Bhava. When we sing with deep devotion, we can experience an elevated feeling of happiness. We will forget all moods of life & go beyond this ephemeral world.
When Divine Mother came to Bombay many people became Her devotees There used to be bhajans and discourses in public places. Divine Mother plunging into bhava Samadhi and in different divine Bhavas. A few devotees started composing poems in praise of Her and sing those bhajans in beautiful raagas. Mother showered Her blessings on them. She said Maharashtrian people have got blessing of devotion. BHAKTICHE VARADAAN.
Mother never made any distinction between caste and creed, rich and poor, educated or not, all are equal to Her. It is true that maharastra has a great tradition of Bhakti. A lot of saints were born there. To name a few St. Tukaram, St. Namdev. These saints have written countess bhajans and the culture of devotion is still alive. Even the utmost lower caste of the society Sant Chokhamela, whose duty was to dispose of the dead animals was composing songs and sing them with great love for Lord Vittal and the compassionate Lord came to his rescue during his calamities. A prostitute by profession Saint Kahnopatra by name was a great devotee of Vittal. She was singing praises of lord day and night devotedly and at last attained Moksha at the lord’s feet. These are a few examples of devotees who could visualize God. They could converse with God as Mother, MAAULI, VITU- MAAULI, and prayed to him with achild’s innocence. Sometimes they even fight with Lord craving for His Darshan. There are several incidents of miracles happening in their lives.
Bhajans have very significant meanings. The mystic knowledge is hidden in these poems. That is why we have to understand the meaning and sing them with Bhava then the bliss we experience cannot be expressed in words. Hence Divine Mother wished, bhajans are to be sung with utmost devotion, perfect Raag, Taal and bhava; so that more and more people will join us and enjoy the satsang.
It is said in Srimad Bhagavatam: “Naaham Vasami Vaikunthe, Yogina Hridayiro, Madbhakta Yatra Gayanti, Tatra Thishtam”
Lord Sri Krishna said these words that He is dwelling in the midst of His devotees and not in the heaven nor in the heart of yogis. We the devotees of Divine Mother are fortunate to have in our midst the All-pervading, Almighty Lord Himself in a Divine human form.
Divine Mother established Bhakta Mandalis for our sake. She has blessed us with Rama Sakti Mission for our spiritual uplift. In return She need our ego, Ahamkara as Guru-Dakshina.
Divine Mother in Her discourses always stressed on devotion, Bhakti. According to Narada bhakti sootra there are 9 forms of devotion: Nava Vidha Bhakti Shravanm Keertanam etc.
In all these nine forms SHE lived and practiced Dasyabhakti in Her life. Dasya Bhava just as Sri Hanuman to Lord Sri Rama. Dasa is a servant. He is all surrender to lord. Servant does not have his own will. It is merged in the owner’s will. Divine Mother has preached what She practiced. At the just thought of God She could enter into Samadhi for hours together. Those devotees who have seen Mother in Bhava Samadhi are blessed. A celestial aroma would fill in the atmosphere. But Mother is always dutiful, who never failed to discharge Her duties to HER consort Sri Bhagavan. In Her personal life as She is an ideal Graha laxmi who took Avataar to regenerate Grihasthashrama Dharma. Yet She was so humble.
When children excel in their career mothers of children will feel proud and happy. Likewise, we the children of Divine Mother should make Mother feel proud by our love and dedication to Her and Her cause. She never expected any material things from us. She the Almighty has bestowed on us the highest knowledge even though we are not eligible for the same. We are not regular in our Sadhana. We lapse and err every now and then. Yet She is so kind to bless uis with the highest aatmajnana and the simple way to attain the highest Paraavidya.
Divine Mother conducted classes for young children to teach them what’s spirituality, love for each other. Understanding between each other is the main principle of spirituality. So now it is our turn to repay the debt. We have to try our best to widen our thoughts and outlook to unite in large numbers.
My father Sri. Narsimha Kamath was a great devotee of Mother. He was singing Bhajans in Mandalis and also used to sing them at home. He taught me bhajans and to sing them with devotion. So we were singing bhajans, slokas, stotras, praises of Lord every evening at our home. People who were passing through on the road used to stop and hear the same. They were asking my father whose disciples are your children ? Certainly my father told them about Divine Mother. So it is our foremost duty to communicate affectionately with each other which will attract more and more people.
In Bombay mandali a lot of devotees attend Sundays and Ekadashi bhajans. Our bhajans are well disciplined. So during festivals many other organizations invite our Mandali for singing bhajans during their programmes. We do go to the suburbs, traveling by local trains, or city buses and the people appreciate our bhajans.
As Divine Mother’s children it is our duty to teach the younger generations how to get peace of mind. How the real happiness can be attained etc. Mother is the first guru of child. She should teach her children to say the prayers, to chant japa and be obedient to elders. The mother also has to practice and show the children by her own example. The best samskaras given to children in younger days will last forever. Where ever they go whichever situation may come Divine Mother’s children will face them with courage- Aatmashakti.
Thus with these few words I conclude with a humble prayer at the lotus Feet.
MAY WE STAND AS ONE FAMILY, BOUND TO EACH OTHER WITH LOVE AND RESPECT. MAY WE SERVE AS A COURAGEOUS ARMY, EVER READY TO FIGHT AGAINST ALL LOWER TENDENCIES AND FALSE VALUES WITHIN US. MAY WE LIVE HONESTLY. THE NOBLE LIFE OF SACRIFICE AND SERVICE, PRODUCING MORE THAN WHAT WE CONSUME AND GIVING MORE THAN WHAT WE TAKE. WE SEEK DIVINE MOTHER’S GRACE FLOW THROUGH US TO THE WORLD AROUND US.
OH GRACIOUS MOTHER
WE KNOW OUR RESPONSIBILITIES GIVE US THE ABILITY AND COURAGE TO FULFILL THEM
JAI MATHA
Simple words expressing definite thoughts. Words of Geetakka are music to ears like hearing bhajans itself