Kirtana - an essential subject

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Kīrtana means sometimes chanting with music, and sometimes speaking. Whenever we glorify the Lord, that is called kīrtana. Even if one does not understand the meaning of the words and still goes on chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, he will become pious.

The reading of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is also kīrtana. Book distribution is brihat kirtana. It is literally kirtana in the sense that the books are spoken and therefore anyone who reads a book is hearing. Book distribution is more important than street chanting. First comes hearing, then chanting. Without hearing, nobody can chant.

Srila Prabhupada's books, lectures, conversations and letters offer a comprehensive presentation of this essential subject as seen in the Vaniquotes Kirtana category. An introduction from his books is given below in the following 13 quotes.

Quotes from Srila Prabhupada's books


vanipedia.org 		Due to the forceful vibration of kīrtana, the entire world began trembling. When everyone chanted the holy name, they made a tumultuous sound. (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Anyta-līlā 10.64)



vanipedia.org 		The musicians in the upper planetary systems are called Gandharvas, and the dancing girls are called Apsarās. After being attacked by the demons and evolving a form of a beautiful woman in the twilight, Brahmā next created Gandharvas and Apsarās. Music and dancing employed in sense gratification are to be accepted as demoniac, but the same music and dancing, when employed in glorifying the Supreme Lord as kīrtana, are transcendental, and they bring about a life completely fit for spiritual enjoyment. (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.20.38 )



vanipedia.org 		When a Vedic mantra is chanted within the mouth so that only the chanter can hear, the chanting is called japa. But when such mantras are chanted loudly, it is called kīrtana. The Vedic hymn Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare can be chanted both softly to oneself or loudly; therefore it is called the mahā-mantra, or the great hymn. (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.14.32)



vanipedia.org 		The mahā-mantra can be used for japa and kīrtana also. When japa is practiced it is for the personal benefit of the chanter, but when kīrtana is performed it is for the benefit of all others who may hear. (Nectar of Devotion, Chapter 9)



vanipedia.org 		Unfortunately, there are foolish persons who invent some process of kīrtana on the basis of a demigod's name. This is an offense. Kīrtana means glorifying the Supreme Lord, not any demigod. Sometimes people invent kālī-kīrtana or śiva-kīrtana, and even big sannyāsīs in the Māyāvāda school say that one may chant any name and still get the same result. (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.15.72 )



vanipedia.org 		One can assimilate the knowledge of the revealed scriptures only by hearing and explaining. Hearing is called śravaṇa, and explaining is called kīrtana. The two processes of śravaṇa and kīrtana are of primary importance to progressive spiritual life. (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.1.6 )



vanipedia.org 		By the grace of the spiritual master and Kṛṣṇa, one nourishes the bhakti-latā by regularly sprinkling it with the water of śravaṇa-kīrtana, hearing and chanting. In this way the seed of the bhakti-latā sprouts and grows up and up through the whole universe until it penetrates the covering of the material universe and reaches the spiritual world. (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 19.155)



vanipedia.org 		Only attention engaged in the service of the Lord, especially in dressing and decorating the temple, accompanied by musical kīrtana and spiritual instructions from scriptures, can save the common man from the hellish cinema attractions and rubbish sex-songs broadcast everywhere by radios. If one is unable to maintain a temple at home, he should go to another's temple where all the above performances are regularly executed. (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.3.22 )



vanipedia.org 		All "knowledge" not engaged in the service of the Lord is but nescience. Real utilization of advanced knowledge is to establish the glories of the Lord, and that is the real import. Scientific knowledge engaged in the service of the Lord and all similar activities are all factually hari-kīrtana, or glorification of the Lord. (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.5.22 )



vanipedia.org 		Simply by hearing, by attending lectures in the different centers of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, where topics of Kṛṣṇa from Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam are discussed, they will be purified of their sinful inclination. Thus they can be raised to the status of light. Simply by joining the kīrtana—Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare—and by hearing about Kṛṣṇa from Bhagavad-gītā, one must be purified, especially if he also takes prasāda. (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.14.3-4 )



vanipedia.org 		Through the popularizing of hari-kīrtana, or the saṅkīrtana movement, the brahminical culture and kṣatriya government will automatically come back, and people will be extremely happy. (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.2.11)



vanipedia.org 		To live with devotees or to live in a temple means to associate with the śravaṇa-kīrtana process. Sometimes neophyte devotees think that they can continue the śravaṇa-kīrtana process without worshiping the Deity, but the execution of such śravaṇa-kīrtana is meant for highly developed devotees like Haridāsa Ṭhākura, who engaged in the śravaṇa-kīrtana process without worshiping the Deity. (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 19.152)



vanipedia.org 		The conclusion is that whenever a kīrtana of pure devotees takes place, the Lord is immediately present. By chanting the holy names of the Lord, we associate with the Lord personally. (Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 1.126)


Kirtana - explore more within this category.

Vanipedia has now over 903 introductory articles compiled from Srila Prabhupada's books under the series titled Essential Subjects. All these articles can be seen in the Table of Content on the right side of this article and also here in this Umbrella Category. Browse through them to relish the breadth and depth of Srila Prabhupada's teachings - There is a subject for everyone.


   
 

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