Kīrtanam is actually of primary significance and importance,
and, therefore special attention should be given to its practice.
One can perform kīrtanam by oneself, but doing it in the
company of a great personality is a greater boon. If one performs kīrtanam by
oneself, one should be in the internal presence of great personalities like Śrī
Caitanya, His associates, and Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī. One should then perform
kīrtanam in the mood of being their follower. It is still better if great
personalities are actually present. If one has the rare fortune of hearing the
kīrtana of a great devotee, one can certainly do kīrtanam in a proper mood even
if alone. [In our experience, the personal presence of a great devotee
performing kirtan has a far greater effect than simply listening to a
recording.]
A similar statement has been made by Śrīdhara Svāmī while
commenting on verse 1.5.11: “If there is a speaker, one should hear the Names
from him. If there is only an audience, one should recite the Names for them.
If there is neither, one can sing the Names for oneself.”
As with hearing, the proper sequence for kīrtanam is: (1)
nāma, (2) rūpa, (3) guṇa, (4) parikara and (5) līlā.
Kīrtana is best performed loudly. “Loudly” here means
audible, so that others in one’s vicinity can hear it, but the idea should be
applied contentiously. These days in Vrindavan, for example, it has become a
custom to install loud speakers on top of temples or āśrama buildings to
amplify kīrtan. Such kīrtan often creates the disturbance to others who may
also be engaged in their own kīrtanam, smaranam, or other acts of devotional
service. We should not be “loud” as an excuse to force others to listen to our
kīrtan. Kīrtanam should be done as a service to Bhagavān, not to show off to
the neighbors. After all, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who appeared to purify the
people of Kaliyuga, gave the following principle for performing kīrtan.
tṛṇād api
sunīcena
taror api
titikṣuna
amāninā
mānadena
kīrtanīyaḥ
sadā hariḥ
“One should regularly do kīrtan of the Holy Name of the Lord
in a humble mood, considering oneself lower than a blade of grass, being more
tolerant than the tree, while giving respects to others and not expecting to be
honored by them.” (Śikṣāṣṭaka 3, CC. Ādi 17.31)
It is well known from the Vedas and Purāṇas that kīrtanam is
Bhagavan’s supreme grace on those who are low-born, misbehaved, or very poor
and, therefore, cannot engage in religious activities like yajña, etc. (Poverty
is an issue because religious activities sometimes require significant wealth).
The Brahmā Vaivartha Purāṇa says:
“In Kaliyuga, religious activities such as penance, yoga,
the study of the Vedas, and execution of yajña, do not bring proper results,
even if done by experts.“
As is further stated in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam,
etan
nirvidyamānānām
icchatām
akuto-bhayam
yogināṁ nṛpa
nirṇītaṁ
harer
nāmānukīrtanam
“O King, learned scholars conclude that the kīrtan of Hari’s
Names should be performed by people who are
dejected because of being unsuccessful in their material pursuits, and
by all sort of yogis who desire freedom
from fear.” (SB 2.1.11)
The implied meaning of the verse is that nāma kīrtanam
should be performed by everyone, whether they are engaged in pure devotion,
mixed devotion, yoga, jñāna or karma. In Kaliyuga, kīrtanam is particularly
important. It is a blessing on fallen people, because it easily grants the
results of all other religious activities. In Kaliyuga, Bhagavān is
specifically pleased by kīrtanam. Although the greatness of kīrtanam is
described in relation to Kaliyuga, it is not limited to Kaliyuga, just as other
types of bhakti are also not limited by time or place. The power of kīrtanam
remains the same in each yuga, but in Kaliyuga, out of compassion, the Lord has
specifically glorified it, so that people who are not qualified for other
religious practices may become inspired to practice kīrtanam and attain the
highest possible goal in human life.
All other practices of bhakti should be accompanied by
kīrtanam, but kīrtanam doesn’t need to be accompanied by any other practice.
The following verses elucidate this principle.
kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ
tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ
sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam
yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair
yajanti hi
su-medhasaḥ
“[In the Age of Kali, Bhagavān appears within this world]
with a non-blackish complexion and constantly sings or describes the names of Kṛṣṇa,
accompanied by His associates, servants, weapons and confidential companions.
Those endowed with discriminating wisdom worship the Absolute in this form
primarily through the sacrifice of complete kīrtanam, involving the totality of
one’s being.” (SB 11.5.32)
Similarly, Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī glorifies chanting of the
Name of Lord Hari:
kaler doṣa-nidhe
rājann
asti hy eko
mahān guṇaḥ
kīrtanād eva
kṛṣṇasya
mukta-saṅgaḥ
paraṁ vrajet
“O king, although Kaliyuga is an ocean of defects, it has
still one great quality: Just by performing kīrtana one can become free from
material bondage and attain the supreme abode.” (SB 12.3.51)
Such prescriptions are also found in many other scriptures:
harer nāma
harer nāma
harer nāmaiva
kevalam
kalau nāsty
eva nāsty eva
nāsty eva
gatir anyathā
[cited in CC.
Ādi 17.21]
“In Kaliyuga only the chanting of the Name of Lord Hari
brings perfection. No other means is efficacious.”
What and How to Chant in Kirtan
The Lord’s names are mentioned in various scriptures, and in
nāma kīrtanam one can use any of these. However, the most efficacious nāma
kīrtanam glorifies the names of Bhagavān found in Śrīmad Bhagavatam. It should
be understood that kīrtanam also includes expressions of humility, expressions
of one’s spiritual goal, and recitation of prayers to Bhagavān.
Kīrtanam is the recommended process for everyone in the age
of Kali and does not require any specific qualification, such as birth, gender,
age, etc.. However, it must be done with the proper mood, carefully avoiding
offenses against the Name.
Śrī Sanat Kumāra says, “By taking shelter of Lord Hari, one
becomes free from various types of offenses. If a wicked person commits
offenses toward Lord Hari, he can become free from them if somehow he takes
shelter of the Name of Lord Hari. However, if someone commits offense to the
Name of the Lord, who is everyone’s well-wisher, he is doomed.”
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