On FaceBook and I presume elsewhere there are numbers of discussions and comments regarding the current urgent necessity of harinam sankirtan and book distribution. As a practitioner of the process of Krishna Consciousness now for fifty-five years, my perception, my understanding, is that the issue of kirtan is overall, indeed more vital than any other issue facing the Krishna consciousness movement today.
The fact is that His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada created the present manifestation of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s movement in the West almost sixty years ago starting simply with kirtan… philosophy came somewhat later. This principle was first demonstrated by Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself when He told His students that He was no longer going to teach them Sanskrit grammar, logic, and the other then standard subjects but was going to teach only kirtan. In the first temples in the West – New York, San Francisco, Boston and Montreal, the members of the fledgling movement were aware of the need for purity and authenticity in the matter of chanting. That awareness seems at present however to be almost lost, so while the call for more kirtan rings true and good, it has to be implemented with awareness of the need for the kirtans to be proper.
The process of Krishna consciousness is not something created by any person of this world but can only come down from the spiritual realm, as Narottam dasa Thakur says: “golekera prema dhana harinama sankirtan”.
No-one and nothing on earth can improve upon it. If it were possible to improve on the means by which the acarya presented the process of _sravanam kirtanam_, he, Srila Prabhupada, surely would have at least have hinted at it. Just as we hear that in the performance of Vedic _yajnas_ the mantras have to be pronounced exactly as they have been given by the presiding _yajaman_-priest in order for them to serve their intended purpose, the maha-mantra, although not one of the ritualistic Vedic mantras recited during yajnas, has to be repeated as it was received from the acarya or it will not have the full effect that it is capable of producing. That effect being, release for both chanters and hearers from the three modes of material nature that bind and cover every creature in this world.
To create awareness of this principle is perhaps the central purpose of the book ‘Proper Kirtan’ recently published by my insignificant self and I, and others, think the principle is made sufficiently clear in the book. The leaders of the Movement, those of its members who lead kirtans, as well as newcomers, should learn it, understand it clearly, and strenuously apply it if they at all truly want to purify themselves and others by the method prescribed and recommended by all the sastras and acaryas for this age… harinama sankirtan.
The book ‘Proper Kirtan’ to a large extent consists simply of clear examples – in the form of anecdotes, with appropriate introductions, that demonstrate the principle that kirtan has to be performed as it was performed and taught by the acharya of the movement, Srila Prabhupada.
Among the comments senior disciples of Srila Prabhupada have so far made about the book are: “ …(clarifies ) misconceptions about “no hard and fast rules” in chanting
“A very valuable reference... the headings and the content are very enlightening… Highly recommended… a very noble and most important cause.”
“ …so many wonderful and valuable anecdotes of Srila Prabhupada instructing about kirtan that I have never heard before. Thank you so much for bringing this to all of the devotees' attention. … a very valuable book"
“… very well researched. … a wonderful book. … one of the most important books in the recent ISKCON lexicon. A must-read if we are to fully attempt the implementation of the Yuga-Dharma. I am looking forward to seeing a wide distribution of the book. It is sorely needed.”
“A good read. … Thank you for writing this book.”
“Besides Srila Prabhupada's books perhaps the most important book in all of ISKCON's history. … Thank you for doing this most valuable service.”
… and among comments by others: “This book is the epitome of service to Srila Prabhupada and humanity in general.”
“ … impressive and certainly beautiful that the proper heritage of kirtan is being taken care of.”
Hard copies of the book can be had from me, the author, at WhatsApp +91-9391068361 or
Important note: While ordering, please don’t forget to include, in the case of orders for the print version, your full postal address and in the case of the electronic version, your email or WhatsApp address.
Rasananda das
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If you at all appreciate the abovementioned concerns, please get the book and read it and share this message with your FB friends, forward it to other contacts, talk about it in meetings, etc.
Sridhara Srinivasa Das
Prabhu, i read your book on proper kirtan. Very nice realizations and reminders on what Srila Prabhupada wanted for kirtan.
But did you know that some temples in NA are banning senior devotees from leading Kirtan because they are trying to implement p… See more 30w Reply