recounting favored elements of his or her mythol-
ogy. The songs are used to establish a closeness or
communion between the singers and the god.
Bhajan and KIRTAN singing are forms of BHAKTI
(devotion). They are aimed at focusing the con-
sciousness on higher reality, in order to develop
the steadiness of mind that is needed to deal with
the troubles and difficulties of this life. They also
are seen to purify the consciousness so that one
can take a step toward ending one’s cycle of birth
and rebirth. Thus their purest goal is MOKSHA, lib-
eration or release from that cycle.
Further reading: Pandit Jasraj, Hussaini Kanra: Bha-
jan (Sound recording) (San Anselmo, Calif.: Moment
Records, 1993); Donald S. Lopez, Religions of India in
Practice (Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press,
1995); Bhakti Vilas Tirtha Goswami Maharaj, ed.,
Vaishnavism and Nam-Bhajan/ Thakur Bhaktivinode
and Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur (Madras: Shri
Gaudiya Math, 1968); Shanti Anantam Bhajan Songbook
(Agoura, Calif.: Vedantic Center, 1983); M. S. Subbal-
akshmi, Bhajan-Shri (Sound recording) (Calcutta: EMI:
His Master’s Voice, 1985).bhakti
Bhakti (SANSKRIT bhaj, to adore, honor, worship)
is a central spiritual path in Hinduism, involving
devotion to and service of the chosen deity.
Vedic tradition, the chief religious practice
of Hinduism from around 1500 B.C.E. to roughlyDevotional practice bhakti is a central feature of Hinduism. Here a Brahmin priest and devotees are at worship in
Belur, Bengal. (Gustap Irani)K 76 bhakti