Articles about the Krishna Culture and Tradition

"Śrīla Prabhupāda's Kīrtana Standards," installment 10 Without the process, the kīrtana "has no real effect." As recorded by Yamuna Devi in her journal, Śrīla Prabhupāda spoke with devotees in Bombay on January 5, 1971, about the importance of following the process of devotional service to gain spiritual potency. Śrīla Prabhupāda said: Our success is only possible when we are very much sincere and spiritually strong. Of course, in any dealing, both parties must be sincere. The hearing party must be sincere in understanding transcendental subject matter, and we must also be … [Read more...] about One should chant “in the process”

"Śrīla Prabhupāda's Kīrtana Standards," installment 9 "Do as I am doing."  Speaking generally (not just about kīrtana), Śrīla Prabhupāda once wrote: The standards I have already given you, now try to maintain them at all times under standard procedure. Do not try to innovate or create anything or manufacture anything, that will ruin everything. Simply do as I am doing and be always serious and sincere to serve Krsna, and He will give you intelligence how to do everything.((Letter to Bali Mardan and Pusta Krsna, September 18, 1972.)) As Satsvarūpa Mahārāja relates, Śrīla … [Read more...] about The importance of following

"Śrīla Prabhupāda's Kīrtana Standards," installment 7 Skipping ahead Since Sivarama Swami has recently posted a podcast (which I’ve now drawn from) in which he talks about what I call “stage directions” in kīrtana, I’m skipping ahead and posting here a later section of the “Kīrtana Instructions” book that deals with that very topic. What we mean by "stage directions" Lately in kīrtana I have seen a growing trend towards the use of “stage directions.” By this I mean various vocal prompts made by the kīrtana leader to the other devotees chanting. It’s not enough just to chant and … [Read more...] about “Stage directions”

"Śrīla Prabhupāda's Kīrtana Standards," installment 6 Instructions from Śrīla Prabhupāda Śrīla Prabhupāda instructed, “We should not try to make a profit out of the Hare Krishna Mantra; then our spiritual enlightenment will be hampered.”(( Letter to Mukunda, July 2, 1969)) And so: “One should not make a livelihood by forming a professional band to carry out congregational chanting.”((Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya 8.83, purport.)) Śrīla Prabhupāda sometimes suggested having kīrtana performances for which tickets would be sold,((For example, see his letters to Haṁsadūta dated … [Read more...] about Kīrtana is not for business

"Śrīla Prabhupāda's Kīrtana Standards," installment 5 A follow-up In response to my last posting, I received a letter from my godsister Mamatā Devī Dāsī: “He didn't approve of harmonium for kirtana. For bhajana it is all right.” In the latest installment of your book I received via email, Bhakti Caru Swami defined bhajan as singing alone, then went on to make the above statement. There are many instances where using harmonium in a group seems very appropriate. Would you disagree? In Montreal, Srila Prabhupada personally trained the devotees who first went to London to sing … [Read more...] about Kīrtana etiquette & the harmonium

"Śrīla Prabhupāda's Kīrtana Standards," installment 5   Guidelines from His Holiness Bhakti Chāru Swami In a course on Vaiṣṇava Etiquette, Bhakti Chāru Swami has given the following guidelines.((Vaiṣṇava Etiquette, chapter 15, "Kīrtana Etiquette." https://www.vaishnavaetiquette.com/kirtana-etiquette/)) Here and there in this book I will discuss most of these points, with references from Śrīla Prabhupāda, but I want to include them now all together. 1. Kīrtana means glorification of Śrī Hari by means of singing. (When only one devotee sings, it is … [Read more...] about Kīrtana sadācara (the etiquette of kīrtana)

"Śrīla Prabhupāda's Kīrtana Standards," installment 4 There are standards It’s our premise here that Śrīla Prabhupāda did give us standards to follow in kīrtana. It’s not that we have to do everything precisely as in the 1960’s and 70’s. But it’s not that “anything goes.” There are standards, there are instructions, and we should know them. Here’s a quotation from one of my favorite kīrtana leaders, Kripamoya Dāsa from the United Kingdom: This generation has to be very careful because whatever we set down as a standard is being copied at the moment and we’ll see the … [Read more...] about Kirtana standards and purity of consciousness

"Srila Prabhupada's Kirtana Standards," installment 3: Introduction (part 2--concluded) My use of evidence What right do I have to claim “These are the standards”? In titling this book Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Kīrtana Standards, I might seem cheeky, presumptuous. Who am I to claim to set forth Śrīla Prabhupāda’s standards? Good question. What I have tried to do here is convey instructions received from Śrīla Prabhupāda himself. These generally take two forms. First we have direct statements set down by Śrīla Prabhupāda in his books or letters or preserved through recordings of his … [Read more...] about Kīrtana: Sorting through the evidence

"Srila Prabhupada's Kirtana Standards," installment 2: Introduction (part 1) Background When I first came to ISKCON, in 1968, kīrtana was simple. We chanted Hare Kṛṣṇa in easy-to-follow tunes with karatālas and mṛdaṅgas, with the emphasis on hearing and chanting the holy name. Over time, devotees became more expert in playing the instruments. But we basically followed the simple pattern of kīrtana we had learned from Śrīla Prabhupāda. Kīrtana now has become quite different—and not always better. Innovations have appeared. Some trends and fashions have turned into norms. And over … [Read more...] about Kirtana standards: Lost over time?