What is the true meaning of Surrender?

Surrender does not mean offering your body to God. Real surrender is the chanting of the Divine Name and making it the basis of your life. It is for the same reason that Guru Nanak, the first Guru of the Sikhs, started community singing. He told his followers that they should seek fulfillment in life by chanting the Divine Name. Consider the chanting of the Name of God as the most important spiritual practice.  You may spend any amount of money in charity and in doing acts of service, but these practices will give you only temporary mental satisfaction at the most if they are not complemented with the chanting of the Divine Name.

What is a simple and powerful strategy to win God's Grace?

Bhajan is very necessary to melt the heart of God. When you doNagar Sankirtan early in the morning, everybody will get up and listen to the Divine Name. Hearing the name of God as soon as they wake up will fill them with great bliss and enthusiasm. Constantly remember the name of God; never forget Him. This is the noblest path; the true spiritual practice. When you do this, you will be immensely blessed.

What is the key outcome expected from Namasankirtan?

Unfortunately, no transformation is taking place in the human beings in spite of repeating the Divine Name several times. You should chant the Name of God wholeheartedly with full faith. Faith develops love towards God and that love towards God confers Grace. No doubt, people today are repeating the holy name, but not with love and steady faith. They are more concerned with how others are singing and whether their shruthi(pitch) and raaga (melody) are in order, etc. They are doingNaamasankirtana with a wavering mind. There can be no transformation in them by such fickle minded sadhana in spite of doing it for hours together. Naamasankirtan has to be done with absolute concentration and steady faith like a yogi. It is said “Sathatham Yoginah”. One can achieve great transformation if the mind is steadily fixed on the Divine Name.

What is the efficacy of the Divine Name of the Lord?

The power of the Divine Name is unparalleled. People often take it lightly. This is wrong. One should not mistake a diamond for a shining piece of glass. The real diamond is truly different. Incidentally, do you know the meaning of diamond? It is ‘Die mind’. God’s name is the real diamond. Keep it safe and secure. Do not ever be bothered by pain and suffering, losses and difficulties. They just come and pass. That is not your real nature. Your innate Self is strong, eternal and real (Sath). You should not follow the fleeting and unreal, forsaking your own true and eternal nature. Once you seek refuge in the lotus feet of God, you should never give up. Wherever you go, the Divine Feet will protect you. If you install the Divine Name firmly in your heart, your life will become sanctified. It is only for making people realise this truth that the Sadhana(spiritual exe rcise) of Akhanda Bhajan (continous singing) has been prescribed for devotees at least once in a year.

How can we contribute to building a better society?

What you should offer to God through the fruit of your Sadhana(spiritual exercise) is the essence of good qualities, noble thoughts and love. The world itself will be benefited by an individual who has good conduct. If fire starts on one tree, it will not stop after burning that particular tree. It will spread and burn the entire wood. In the same manner, if there is one individual who has bad qualities, he will spoil the whole community in addition to ruining himself. On the other hand, if there is a plant which is full of fragrant flowers, it will fill the entire area with sweetness. In the same manner, even a single person with a noble code of conduct will not only improve himself but also will better the condition of the entire society around him through his noble deeds.

What is the attitude with which we should perform our duties?

A person driving a car concentrates on the road for he is anxious to save himself and others from accident. Fear is what induces single-mindedness in this case. Love is a greater force for achieving concentration. If you have steady and resolute love, your concentration becomes intense and unshakeable. Faith develops into love and love results in concentration. Prayer begins to yield fruit under such conditions. Pray using the Name as a symbol of the Lord, by keeping all the waves of the mind still. Let the performance of a duty be the only justification for your coming into the world. Hold fast to the Lord. The bhaktha (devotee) should never retract. Never give way to doubt or despair.

When can we experience the true "Bhagavatha"?

‘Bhagavatha’ connotes three sections of knowledge: (1) The glory and majesty of the incarnations of God, (2) The names of those who are fully devoted to God and (3) The intimate relationship between God and the godly.  Wherever and whenever these three are found together, there we have the Bhagavatha. All that is visible is not beyond or outside God. To put it succinctly, everything is Bhagavatha!