The continuity of the Baul tradition rests above all on the intimate relationship between guru and disciple. Knowledge is transmitted through the guru–shishya parampara, where a seeker is initiated by a living master and then learns through close, often residential, apprenticeship. Rather than relying on formal institutions or extensive scriptures, disciples absorb the Baul outlook through daily contact, service, and shared practice with the guru. In this way, spiritual insight, ethical orientation, and a distinctive way of life are handed down as a living current rather than as abstract doctrine.

Songs stand at the heart of this transmission. Baul teachings are woven into lyrics, melodies, and performance styles that disciples memorize through repeated singing with their teachers and companions. These songs, known as Baul gaan, carry philosophical ideas, spiritual instructions, and symbolic language, and are preserved primarily through oral repetition rather than fixed textual form. Variations naturally arise in the process, yet the underlying vision is sustained through the shared act of singing and listening.

Transmission also unfolds within communal and familial settings. Gatherings, festivals, and Baul centers or ashram-like spaces create opportunities for elders, peers, and newcomers to exchange songs, stories, and practices in a context of communal living and spiritual fellowship. Some Baul families raise children in an environment saturated with Baul music and values, so that the tradition is absorbed from an early age, even though formal spiritual initiation still typically occurs through a recognized guru. In this way, both lineage and household become vessels for the same current of wisdom.

A further dimension of transmission lies in embodied and experiential instruction. Esoteric disciplines—such as breathing practices, bodily techniques, and other forms of sadhana influenced by tantric and yogic currents—are taught privately and orally, often in a coded manner. Disciples learn not only through verbal explanation but by observing and imitating the guru’s manner of living, including simplicity, compassion, and a non-sectarian attitude. Wandering, shared performances, and encounters with other practitioners during travel also reinforce and circulate this knowledge. The tradition thus endures as a fluid, adaptive, and deeply experiential path, carried from heart to heart more than from page to page.