Shivabalayogi chanting Om Namah Shivaya
Recorded in Portland, Oregon, during his last U.S. tour in 1991 — Shivabalayogi himself chanting the sacred five-syllable mantra. Mastered by David Malony at Blue Ewe Studios. Approx. ten minutes.
Songs and Chants in Praise of the Many Names of God. A living archive of devotional recordings, sacred chants, lyrics, translations and history — free to listen to and to download.
Bhajans are devotional songs in praise of the many divine aspects of God. In Sanskrit, the root bhaj has various meanings including seeking, worship, and prayer, and the word is also related to bhakti, devotion. More in North India than the South, call-and-response bhajans are referred to as kirtan.
Shivabalayogi's public programs consisted of an hour of meditation followed by an hour of bhajans. During the bhajans, Shri Swamiji gives various spiritual experiences. He would explain that the energies evoked through the devotion and the bhajans is the same as that from meditation.
Here are links to bhajans and sacred chants, their text and translations, and music files available for download without charge.
“God is one, but the wise call God by many names.”— The Vedas
Chants, collections, ashram recordings and studio bhajans — each with words, translations and downloads.
Vedic prayers and chants — with the complete Sanskrit words and English translations on the Sanskrit Chants page.
Recorded in Portland, Oregon, during his last U.S. tour in 1991 — Shivabalayogi himself chanting the sacred five-syllable mantra. Mastered by David Malony at Blue Ewe Studios. Approx. ten minutes.
An opening Vedic chant to Ganesha, the Remover of Obstacles, and to Guru — sung before meditation and bhajan programs.
A Vedic chant in praise of Lord Shiva in five verses, each beginning with a syllable of Namah Shivaya — with a word-by-word meaning preserved on the Chants page.
“From the untruth lead me to truth, from the darkness lead me to light, from death lead me to the eternal. Om shantih, shantih, shantih.”
The Garland of Shri Swamiji's one hundred and eight names was composed separately by two different devotees in bhava samadhi. This list is the one from Shri Swamiji's native region, Andhra Pradesh, where in Adivarapupeta children are taught to memorise this prayer. The garland is regularly chanted at Shri Swamiji's ashrams. The complete Sanskrit words with English translations, and two recordings, are preserved on the dedicated page.
Corrections, translations and explanations through the help of Dr. D. Sivarajeshwari Devi, Mr. D. Jagadish Kumar, Dr. P. N. Murthy, and Sri Shrinivasa Diksheetar (now known as Baba Shiva Rudra Balayogi).
Many bhajans were composed in praise of Shivabalayogi — Balayogi Shankara, Ananda Sagara Yogi Devara, Manasa Bhajare Guru Sharanam, Godavari Tera Shivabalayogi, Shri Balayogisha, O Mahayogisha Rava, Jaya Gurudeva Shivabalayogi, Shivayogideva Ravela, and more — together with the Shivabalayogi arthi. Each has transliterated words, an English explanation, and one or more recordings. Several exist in multiple versions (Adivarapupeta, Bangalore, Dehradun, Bhajan Bhakti).
A collection of three CDs of studio-recorded songs of devotion to God, sung in honour of Shivabalayogi in the style he encouraged and taught devotees in India and the United States. Each CD serves as a kirtan — an hour of divine song for a meditation and bhajan program. The fourth CD (Puja) includes devotional chants, the 108 Names, and Swamiji's own voice chanting aum namah shivaya namaha.
Executive Producer: Shri Shri Shri Shivabalayogi Maharaj. Working Producer: Shari Sue James. Recorded & mixed at Blue Ewe Studios on Whidbey Island by David Malony. Cover painting: ‘The Dhyana Mandir in Adivarapupeta’, by Shari Sue James.
Bhajans recorded in the presence of Shivabalayogi at his ashrams, where he first trained devotees to sing so that he could give bhava.
Recorded at the Shivabalayogi ashram in Adivarapupeta — where the yogi completed tapas, established his first ashram, and first evoked bhava samadhi. Includes the March 1994 recordings made the afternoon he returned for the last time in his physical body.
Recorded at the Bangalore ashram in 1993, sung by the beloved Bangalore bhajan group whom Swamiji told to practise every evening at the Bannerghatta ashram after their work on the looms.
Recorded at the Shri Shivabalayogi Maharaj Trust Ashram (Kailash Kumari Devi Bhawan) in Dehradun on 27 April 1994, sung by Seenu Dixit — now Baba Shiva Rudra Balayogi.
Om Shiva was inspired by and graced with the presence of Swamiji during the live recording in 1989. Composed and produced by Azul and American Bhajan Productions, it is dedicated to Shri Shri Shri Shivabalayogi Maharaj.
Music, choral arrangements, lead and harmony vocals by Azul. Recorded at Rainbow Recording; engineer Gailen Hegna. Keyboard: Michael Harrison. Violin: Don Lax. Full credits on the Om Shiva page.
A studio-recorded extended bhajan. Produced by Elisha Faith Rose. Recorded 1990 at Fresh Tracks, Portland, and J.B. Recordings, Seattle. A photo taken during the Seattle session shows the edge of a light body on the right side.
Vocals: Azul Amey, Daya Ram Briggs, Kalyani, Rebecca LaMontha, Rocky Blumhagen, Terry Rahm, Sarasvati Meg Walsh. Rik Masterson: sitar, tabla, tamboura. Full credits on the Om Guru Sharanam page.
An audio recording of Shivabalayogi explaining bhajans and bhava samadhi — how to play bhajans so he can give devotees bhava samadhi, and how a face in true trance glows while one who is only acting becomes dark.
Open the Album LibraryThe legacy archive closely connects bhajans with spiritual experience. It was during bhajans that Shivabalayogi most often evoked bhava samadhi — spiritual trance — and he trained devotees to play and sing with steady devotion so that he could give the experience through his tapas shakti.
This is not only a music page — it is a historical archive of lyrics, translations, recordings and context.