“Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Kīrtana Standards,” installment 13 In a conversation with Śrīla Prabhupāda in 1969, the popular musician John Lennon said, “If all mantras are. . . just the name of God, . . . it doesn’t really make much difference, does it, which one you sing.” In the course of replying, Śrīla Prabhupāda said: [A] mantra should be captured from the disciplic succession. According to Vedic injunction, sampradāya vihīnā ye mantrās te niṣphalā matāḥ: “If the mantra does not come through disciplic succession, then it will not be active.” Viphala. Mantrās te viphalā.Viphala … [Read more...] about Mantras not received through the disciplic succession will be useless
That we heard it in Vrindāvan doesn’t mean we should chant it
“Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Kīrtana Standards,” installment 14 Shortly after Śrīla Prabhupāda sent his pioneering disciples to London, an older, white-sari’d Vaiṣṇava lady came there from Vrindāvan named Śyāma Mātājī, who met them and chanted and danced with great enthusiasm. Among other mantras, she and the followers who had come with her chanted: Rādhe Śyām Rādhe ŚyāmHare Kṛṣṇa Hare Rām1 When Mālatī Dāsī wrote Śrīla Prabhupāda about this, Śrīla Prabhupāda replied that this Rādhā-Śyāma chanting was “not very good.” Although there was no harm in it, he said, the mantra was “not very … [Read more...] about That we heard it in Vrindāvan doesn’t mean we should chant it
Chant what’s authorized, not what’s concocted
“Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Kīrtana Standards,” installment 12 "Stick to the authorities" The prayers and mantras we chant should be those we have received from the ācāryas. Other songs and mantras will not help us. Commenting on prayers offered by Brahmā to Lord Viṣṇu, Śrīla Prabhupāda writes:" These prayers were not ordinary concocted prayers. Prayers must be approved by Vedic literature, as indicated in this verse by the words daivībhir gīrbhiḥ. In our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement we do not allow any song that has not been approved or sung by bona fide devotees. We cannot allow … [Read more...] about Chant what’s authorized, not what’s concocted
We should hear from pure devotees
“Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Kīrtana Standards,” installment 11 As Śrīla Prabhupāda said in a talk on his original Hare Kṛṣṇa record album: This chanting should be heard from the lips of a pure devotee of the Lord, so that immediate effects can be achieved. As far as possible, chanting from the lips of nondevotees should be avoided. Milk touched by the lips of a serpent has poisonous effects. ((In The Science of Self-Realization and Kṛṣṇa Consciousness: The Topmost Yoga System this text has been edited slightly, as it has been here. Śrīla Prabhupāda said that chanting from the lips of … [Read more...] about We should hear from pure devotees
One should chant “in the process”
"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”
The importance of following
"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
Kīrtana for pleasing Kṛṣṇa, not crowds
"Śrīla Prabhupāda's Kīrtana Standards," installment 8 Śrīla Prabhupāda wrote: The principle of chanting is to glorify the Lord and not to attract a crowd. If Krishna hears nicely then He will ask some sincere devotee[s] to gather in such a place.(( Letter to Subala, November 12, 1967.)) A devotee once asked, “Prabhupāda, when we're out on saṅkīrtana, chanting, what would be the best way for us to engage the crowd to become participants in the chant with us?” Śrīla Prabhupāda replied: Best way, you go on chanting. Your business is not to. . . satisfy the crowd. Your … [Read more...] about Kīrtana for pleasing Kṛṣṇa, not crowds
“Stage directions”
"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”
Kīrtana is not for business
"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
Kīrtana etiquette & the harmonium
"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
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