Sankeertana

Sankeertana (singing in unison with others) is of four kinds: guna sankeertana; leela sankeertana; bhava sankeertana and nama sankeertana.

Guna sankeertana: Applies to the kind of bhajan (devotional song) in which the devotee recites the auspicious qualities of the Divine, experiences oneness with the Divine, and acquires the godly qualities. Thyagaraja had recourse to this type of singing.

Leela sankeertana: This refers to the enjoyment by the devotee of the sacred sport of the Divine in ecstatic dancing and singing and being totally absorbed in it. Jayadeva’s Gita Govindam exemplifies this.

Bhava sankeertana: This is illustrated by Radha alone, who expresses her different feelings toward God and identifies herself with the Divine in every mood of devotion. She expressed her devotion in the five forms of shanta (serenity), sakhya (friendliness), vatsalya (eternal love), anuraga (affection), and madhura (sweetness). Radha and Meera were the exponents of Bhava sankeertana.

Nama sankeertana: Chaithanya was the exponent of this form of keertana. “All names are yours. There is nothing in this cosmos which does not bear the imprint of your name or form.” Chaithanya reveled in singing the name of the Lord as signifying all that was beautiful and glorious in the universe.

Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol.  25, Pg 67-68

What then is the essence of sankeertana? Its essential purpose is to earn the love of God. Combining one’s voice, tune, feeling, and rhythm to the appropriate beat of the song, the devotee should immerse himself in the singing. Harmonizing the feeling with devotion and love, the sacred words of the song should be an outpouring of love toward God. That alone is devotional singing.

When the song is rendered without understanding the meaning of the words and without any inner feeling or genuine love for God, it is a mechanical performance. Bhava (feeling), raga (melody), and tala (rhythm) are the essentials for proper singing.

Even the name Bharat [India] signifies the combination of these three elements. (bha-ra-ta). In every action in daily life, the combination of these three elements should be observed. This rule can be applied even to one’s studies. Bhava, in relation to study of a subject, means understanding the subject thoroughly. Raga implies cultivating a love for the subject and tala means expressing one’s knowledge coherently and clearly.

Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol. 25, Pg 70

Embodiments of Divine love! It is impossible to describe the sweetness and sacredness of the name of the Lord. The intensity of the devotion with which you chant the name of the Lord will yield commensurate benefits and confer joy on you. All should strive to chant the names in unison. Today, all the five elements in the world—space, air, fire, water, and the earth are polluted. You cannot get pure water or pure air. The sounds you hear are impure. The earth is polluted. The Kali Yuga has become Kalmasha Yuga (the age of impurity). Only chanting the name of the Lord will purify all this.

Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol.  25, Pg 72