Sacred Sounds of Bhakti: How Hearing & Chanting Transformed Us

I offer my respectful obeisance to my Gurudev and then to the Supreme Lord Krishna and Srimati Radha Rani. While they both embrace the pure-hearted, my Gurudev is so merciful that he offers shelter even to the spiritually destitute. This insignificant inconsequential soul, is surrendering at the lotus feet of her Spiritual Master. With her Guru’s permission, inspiration, and grace, she is humbly going to elucidate on spiritual topics.

1.1   What is Bhakti? 

Bhakti emphasizes a direct, heartfelt relationship with God. Through pure devotion, a person can attain union with the divine, often transcending the barriers of  illusion and intellectual understanding"

Sri Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita:

तेना ह्रस्यति भक्त्या भक्ति सिद्धिः प्रसादिनी I

भक्ति योगद अनन्तनाम अमृतानंदम अस्रियाते II

(Bhagavad Gita 12.9)

"Through devotion, one attains the highest bliss, the supreme liberation. By true bhakti-yoga, the devotee becomes immersed in the ocean of immortal bliss"

1.2   How Bhakti became central to my life?

I was fortunate to be born into a family that nurtured the seeds of devotion from a young age. I eagerly participated in ceremonies and rituals, and I was always drawn to the teachings of saints. But the true turning point in my devotional journey came on the morning of January 31, 2004.

For months, my 44-year-old husband had been suffering from a persistent cough, low-grade fever, and unexplained weight loss. We had consulted several chest specialists, who prescribed inhalers, steroids, and various other medications. On this particular day, we were visiting a senior chest specialist. After listening to my husband’s chest, the doctor delivered the devastating news:“Bilateral interstitial lung disease (ILD) with chronic pulmonary fibrosis. Forced Vital Capacity (FVC) at 41%.”

When we asked about the prognosis, the doctor’s response was soft but clear:“Three to five years, maybe..”We had seen many doctors, but we never imagined that the diagnosis could be so grim.

The world seemed to tremble beneath me as those words sank in.

But in that moment of profound despair, a wave of unexpected clarity washed me. I thought to myself, ‘We are truly blessed to live in a land graced with the wisdom of rishis and saints, whose teachings offer miraculous solutions for every challenge. Let us seek those sacred answers”

As the news spread through the extended family, help began to pour in from every direction. My brother connected me to a saint who suggested that I undertake the ‘Masaparayan of Sri Ramcharitmanas’—reading the entire scripture in a month.

‘When all doors are closed, God opens a window.’

I set aside all worldly responsibilities—household tasks, business, and even the care of my children—for a few precious hours each day and immersed myself in the sacred verses of the Sri Ramcharitmanas, which I hold to be the pinnacle of devotion, embodied in characters like Hanumanji, Bharatji, and Kevat. As I sang and revelled in the mesmerizing poetry, I lost myself in the beauty of the Lord—an intoxicating experience that, without a doubt, is a sure way to invite divine grace.

The sweet fragrance of devotion gently entered my life, filling every moment with grace.

In the Sri Ramcharitmanas, Lord Rama graciously imparts the nine ways to express devotion, known as ‘Navdha Bhakti,’ to His devoted disciple, Shabari. As explained beautifully in Verse 34.3 to 35.3 of Aranayakand of Sri Ramcharitmanas, these are as follows-:

1. Satsanga: Engaging in the company of saints and pure devotees.

2. Listening, Reading the Divine Narratives: Developing a deep love for hearing and reading  the Lord's divine pastimes and ‘leelas’.

3. Service to the Guru with Humility: Offering selfless service to the spiritual teacher, free from ego or pride.

4. Singing the Lord’s Glory with Sincerity: Reciting and singing the praises of the Divine with heartfelt devotion, without any show of pretense.

5. Chanting the Holy Name with Unwavering Faith: Reciting the sacred name of the Lord with a steadfast belief in its divine power.

6. Detachment from Material Pleasures: Cultivating a sense of renunciation towards worldly desires while following the righteous path laid out by the saints.

7. Seeing the Divine Everywhere: Recognizing the presence of God in all beings and situations, and venerating saints as embodiments of the Divine, even above God Himself.

8. Contentment and Non-Judgment: Embracing contentment with whatever one has, and refraining from criticizing or finding faults in others, even in one’s dreams.

9. Simplicity and Equanimity: Leading a simple, unpretentious life, unaffected by pleasure or pain, while maintaining unwavering faith in the heart.

The Lord said that from amongst these nine ways to express bhakti, if anyone practices even one form, he becomes very dear to the Lord.

With the divine grace, I seemed to be unknowingly engaged in three forms-:

• Listening to divine narratives

• Singing the glories of the Lord 

• Chanting the Holy name with firm faith in the name for a few hours during the day. 

1.3   Why was I engaged in Bhakti ?

Lord Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita that there are four kinds of  people who engage in My devotion: 

चतुर्विधा भजन्ते मां जनाः सुकृतिनोर्जुन I

आर्तो जिज्ञासुरर्थारती ग्यानी च भरतर्षभ II 

(Bhagavad Gita Verse 7.16)

1. the distressed.

2. the seekers of knowledge

3. the seekers of worldly possessions 

4. those who are situated in knowledge.

I was obviously in the first category.

As the month passed, I completed the Holy Shri Ramcharitmanas. My husband and I continued with our regimen of medicine, a healthy diet, yoga, and several other alternative therapies. Then, unexpectedly, an incredible job opportunity arose in a foreign land, promising to transform our lives—especially since we had no savings at the time. Meanwhile, my husband’s health showed remarkable improvement, and his doctor recommended tapering off the steroids more quickly. The doctor seemed optimistic.

1.4   How did bhakti change us?

Gradually, the entire family became inspired.They began to enjoy listening to the Lord’s pastimes as I read to them, chanting His Holy name and mantras together. We also looked forward to the saints who visited our home every week, bringing even more peace and spiritual nourishment into our lives.

We faced many challenging situations, but we always felt the divine protection with us. Each day was beautiful, despite the lung fibrosis. My family—my husband, our parents, our two daughters, and the entire extended family who visited us often began to find joy and laughter in the small things, like our meals together at the dining table and long tea sessions on the balcony in the mornings, moments we had probably taken for granted before.

It was something truly special to see the transformation in our daily lives—an incredible sense of peace and strength from the spiritual practice that has woven a thread of faith and resilience through everything. These moments brought a deep sense of gratitude and togetherness.

Lord Krishna explains in the Bhagavad Gita Chapter 12, Verse 14-17.

अनपेक्षः शुचिर्दक्ष उदासीनो गतव्यथः I  

सर्वारम्भपरित्यागी यो मद्भक्तः सा में प्रियः II 

(Bhagavad Gita Chapter 12, Verse 16)

“Those who are indifferent to worldly gains, externally and internally, pure, skilful, without cares, untroubled, tranquil and free from selfishness in all undertakings, such devotees of Mine are very dear to Me”

Our family's faith in the Lord steadily deepened, bringing us a sense of tranquillity ('gata-vyatha') and freedom from worries ('udasinah')

I recall a moment when my husband was rushed to the ICU due to a severe stomach infection, and his oxygen levels plummeted from the 90s to the 50s. The head nurse cautioned us that he might need to be placed on a ventilator. My two daughters and I, gripped by a quiet desperation, began chanting together in the ICU. After three hours of fervent prayer, we were asked to leave. Before we did, we made it clear that we would not consent to the ventilator, fully aware that, as a lung patient, he might never come off it once on. We didn’t want him to endure that kind of existence. We were then asked to sign a letter acknowledging that we were accepting full responsibility should anything happen, as we had refused the ventilator. We surrendered to the divine will and left the ICU with heavy hearts. To our astonishment, the very next morning he woke up with a smile— with his oxygen levels in control without the need of any ventilator.

After his return from the ICU, he was diagnosed with chickenpox and isolated in a small room, sealed off on all sides in the hospital, with only a tiny glass door separating him from the rest of the facility. This was done to prevent the infection from spreading through the ventilation system. He pleaded to be moved, explaining that as a lung patient, he felt suffocated in that confined space. Again, despite the doctors’ warnings, I found myself entering his room in spite of his chicken pox and sitting on the floor throughout the night, chanting the Hanuman Chalisa and reciting other scriptures. The guard outside kept his distance maintaining a silent watch over us. The following day, we were informed that his condition had improved, and he was being transferred to a suite.

These experiences left a deep impact on me and my family and got us closer to God. Surrender, as taught in the Sri Ramcharitmanas and other scriptures, is such a powerful concept and incredibly meaningful. It can be a source of peace and guidance in times of both struggle and joy. 

Since that incident, I have read Sri Ramcharitmanas multiple times and each time, a new meaning emerges which further strengthens my faith.

न साधयति मां योगो न सांख्यं धर्म उद्धव I

न स्वाध्यास तपस त्यागो यथा भक्तिर ममोर्जिता II

(Srimad Bhagavatam Verse 11.14.20)

“Uddhav,I come under the control of My devotees and won over by them. But those who do not engage in devotion can never attain Me by practising ashtanga yoga, studying Sankhya and other philosophies, performing pious acts and austerities, or cultivating renunciation”.

भक्त्याहं एकया ग्राह्यः श्रद्धयात्मा प्रियः सतम (Srimad Bhagavatam Verse 11.14.21)

“I am only attained through bhakti. Those who engage in My bhakti with faith are very dear to Me”

मिलहिं न रघुपति बिनु अनुरागा I

किए जोग तप ज्ञान बिरागा II 

(Shri Ramcharitmanas- Uttarkaand Verse 61.1)

"Without love and devotion, one can never attain God, no matter how much one endeavours through gaining knowledge, detachment,ashtang yog,and penances.

Thus, it is clear that the command to fully embrace devotional service is the heart of all scriptures, guiding the devotee to inner purity and the natural blossoming of virtuous qualities. 

As per Bhagavad Gita Ch12 Verse 12-14, the following qualities naturally emerge in the heart of a pure devotee as he expresses his love for God in various ways:

Free from malice towards all living beings: The devotee realizes that since God is omnipresent, all living beings are tiny parts of God. Harbouring envy towards anyone is tantamount to harbouring envy towards God Himself. On the contrary, as he sees presence of God in everyone, he develops the feeling of unity and compassion among all living beings. Thus accomplished devotees refuse to harbour unforgiving thoughts in all circumstances and never get agitated.

Free from attachment to possessions and egotism: Knowing that everything belongs to God, the devotee lets go of ego, possessiveness and proprietorship embodying humility as a natural expression of their devotion.

Equanimous in joy and sorrow: Whatever the circumstances—whether joy or hardship—devotees accept all outcomes as the divine will of Ishwar, or Ishwar prasad embracing each with deep gratitude. With their unwavering positive spirit, they recognize the divine grace both in pleasure and pain, and leverage all situations to deepen their devotion.

Forever content: Rich in divine love for God, they view this love as the highest treasure, placing it above all worldly pursuits. With a heart full of devotion, they seek nothing but the loving service of the Divine, finding contentment in whatever they are given, free from desire for worldly gain.

Steadfast in purpose: Grounded in the wisdom of the scriptures and guided by the teachings of their Guru, their resolve becomes unshakable. No matter what the world may say, they remain firm in their convictions, unwavering in their dedication to their spiritual path.

Harmless and compassionate: Seeing the divine presence within every soul, they are moved to kindness and compassion. Their hearts soften, and they could never cause harm to another, for they see God in everyone and everything.

Pure at heart: Devotees whose minds are immersed in the purity of God’s presence become cleansed of all negativity—lust, anger, greed, envy, and ego—allowing them to embody true inner purity.

Masterful in action: Viewing every task as an opportunity to serve the Divine, they approach their work with focus, care, and precision. This dedication naturally fosters skill, as every action becomes an act of love and devotion.

Free from worry: With absolute faith that God’s protection is ever-present, they live without fear or anxiety. Secure in divine care, they remain carefree and unburdened, trusting that all is as it should be.

Living without cares: When one places unwavering faith in the divine, trusting that God’s protection is constant, they experience a profound sense of freedom—free from worry, fear, and the burdens of life. This faith allows them to live without cares, surrendering to a higher purpose with grace and serenity.

Freedom from selfishness in all endeavors: A heart devoted to selfless service rises above the confines of personal desire. Such a person acts with pure intentions, seeing each task not as a means to gain, but as an offering to the divine. In this way, every action performed becomes akarma—a form of divine inaction—because it is carried out without selfish motive, dedicated wholly to God.

As my husband immersed himself in the teachings of saints, listened to the divine pastimes, and engaged in chanting, he gradually built both strength and unwavering faith. Despite the challenges, he continued to work full-time, six days a week, for the last five years of his life—carrying a portable oxygen concentrator as he did so. What was initially projected to be a mere 3 to 5 years following the diagnosis turned into a remarkable 16 years. These years, filled with faith, surrender, and profound joy, became the most fulfilling of our lives.

On 22nd March 2020, when COVID-19 was announced and India was huddled indoors, my husband peacefully passed away, surrounded by his loved ones, with chants echoing in his room. In the past 24 hours, he had taken only a sip of 'gandodak' (holy water) with his hands folded in reverence from his father. He left us during Brahma Muhurta, when the sun was in Uttarayan, as if in a state of 'samadhi maranam,' seeking liberation.

My husband, who had spent his life engrossed in worldly matters for the sake of his family, eventually learned to surrender himself to the divine will. In the final weeks and days of his life, he often pointed towards the sky, as if signalling his longing to be with the Lord. During one of his last outings, when he was taken for a walk, he gazed at the sun and silently signalled that this would be the last time he would be outdoors to see it. It was as though he had fully surrendered to the divine will.

Sri Krishna reveals in the last chapter of the Bhagavad Gita; the supreme secret that complete surrender and faith in the divine, is the highest path to liberation.

सर्वधर्मान्परित्यज्य मामेकं शरणम व्रज I 

अहम् त्वाम सर्वपापेभ्यो मोक्षिष्यामि माँ शुचः II 

(Bhagavad Gita 18.66)

"Abandon all varieties of dharma and simply surrender unto Me alone, I shall liberate you from all sinful reactions; do not fear.”

Indeed, Bhakti and surrender stand as the sole paths to liberation and eternal joy as also explained beautifully in verse from Sri Ramcharitmanas:

एही कलिकाल न साधन दूजा I जोग जग्य जप तप ब्रैट पूजा II 

रामहि सुमिरहि गाइअ रामहि I संतत सुनिय राम गन ग्रामहि II

(Sri RamCharitmanas Uttar Kand Verse 129.3)

“In this Kali Yuga, no other means—be it through yoga, austerities, sacrifices, or penances—can lead to liberation. The only way to transcend this world is through the remembrance of the Lord, singing His divine praises, and immersing oneself in His glories and pastimes. This is the sacred decree of the Lord, who descends to uplift the fallen souls. All saints, the Vedas, and the Puranas bear witness to this truth. O heart, cast aside all pretensions and wholeheartedly embrace the devotion of hearing and singing the Lord’s glories. For, who among us has not attained liberation through His grace?”

References :

• Vedanta – the voice of freedom Published by  Swami Ananyananda President, Advaita Ashrama Mayavati, Pithoragarh,

• Bhagavad Gita -The song of God-by Swami Mukundanada

• Srimad Bhagwat Mahapuran – Gita Press

• Complete works of Swami Vivekanada

• Sri Ramcharitmanas – By Goswami Tulsidas

Suggested Reading:

• The Nectar of Devotion- The complete science of Bhakti Yoga

• Mathara Shruti