Page 4 - September 2018 Newsletter

FOOD FOR THOUGHT :

Q & A

With

Mrs Asha Manoharan

Bhakti - Keerthanam

Today, we are going to talk about Bhakti through Keerthanam. Keerthanam
can be in the form of devotional songs praising God’s glory or by chanting

God’s names. According to Narada Muni, Bhakti is better than karma yoga,
and is even greater than knowledge.

Time and time again, Bhaktas have composed namavalis and emotional

bhajans to help us realize the true nature of God. One popular example of a
namavali is the Vishnu Sahasranamam, which praises Lord Vishnu in 1000

names. These names were handed down to Yudhishthira by the famous
warrior Bhishma, while he was on his death bed of arrows in the battlefield of

Kurukshetra. A perfect example of Bhakti through devotional songs and
hymns are the sages ThiruNavukkarasar and ManikkaVasagar, who extolled

Lord Shiva in their compositions. In one such poem, ThiruNavukkarasar has
beautifully said that the duty of God is to protect the devotee, and the duty of

the devotee is to always perform his karma. Like the ghee is hidden in fresh
milk, the Paramatman is always present inside the Jivatman.

When we recite kirtanas with utmost devotion, we feel the presence of God

and Bhakti pours out from our hearts. Saints Annamacharya and Thyagaraja
realized God through such Kirtanas. There are 11 different methods of Bhak-

ti:
 Bhakti through Kirtanas merges us with the good attributes of God.

 Bhakti also arises when we praise the physical attributes of God.

 Bhakti through rituals and pujas.

 Bhakti through meditation and fixating the mind on the supreme soul.

 Bhakti through visiting temples and holy places to cleanse our spirit.

 Bhakti through overwhelming feelings of Anbu or Love when we see His
beautiful form, be it Lord Oppiliappan or Lord Murugan.

Pg - 4