| The names of Krishna are the repository of all | | | | instruments are all in tune and played by experts. |
| happiness. They are the greatest wealth! If we | | | | The second or higher stage is when one has a |
| chant properly, we will not experience material | | | | real taste for kirtan regardless of the expertise |
| miseries (spiritual miseries like the feeling of | | | | of the persons leading or accompanying the kirtan |
| intense separation from Krishna are another | | | | (as long as the name is being chanted by |
| thing!). So the question arises as to how we can | | | | devotees who are following strictly). |
| chant nicely, even if we are not yet pure | | | | In order to encourage devotees to come to the |
| devotees. How can we control the mind? How | | | | higher stage aSrila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati |
| can we keep ourselves from thinking of a million | | | | Thakura sometimes would have the worst singer |
| and one things that we have to do or would like | | | | lead kirtan! So, I realized that by the grace of my |
| to do? Chanting properly takes practice, but we | | | | spiritual master Srila Prabhupada and my |
| should approach the practice in a positive fashion. | | | | grandfather Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati |
| Instead of thinking: "Now I have to control my | | | | Thakura, I was being pushed to come to a higher |
| mind and not think of other things," we should be | | | | level of appreciating the holy names. Finally I |
| thinking: "Now I will concentrate on Krishna's | | | | surrendered, and understood that actually the |
| names which are non-different from Krishna. By | | | | musical accompaniment was just the vehicle in |
| concentrating on Krishna's names, Krishna will give | | | | which the holy names arrived, and that I should |
| me all intelligence, and I will love Him more and | | | | not be attached to the vehicle. I should be |
| more." In other words when we approach the | | | | attached to the passenger (Krishna in the form of |
| holy names in a negative fashion (that is what we | | | | His names) in the vehicle. So with practice I was |
| should not be doing) we often think more about | | | | able to turn off (not hear) the musical |
| what we should not be doing than what we | | | | accompaniment and only hear Hare Krishna Hare |
| should be doing. It is often said that "you can't do | | | | Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama |
| a don't"! | | | | Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare! |
| So, you may ask: "What is your method of | | | | Then every kirtan became extremely relishable. |
| chanting and hearing? How can you stay so | | | | The holy names are amazing. You will never get |
| focused on Krishna's names?" There are basically | | | | enough of Them. You will pray for millions of |
| two different situations where we are chanting; in | | | | tongues and millions of ears to chant and hear! My |
| kirtana and in Japa, and I approach both | | | | previous attachment to the vehicle was like |
| differently. As far as kirtan is concerned, it used | | | | someone who was attached to the dinner plate |
| to really bug me when the person chanting could | | | | rather than on the prasadam that was on it. |
| not keep a tune, or was a bad singer, or was | | | | Imagine rejecting tasty prasadam because it was |
| arrhythmic (couldn't keep a beat). It seemed that | | | | served on a cheap leaf plate rather than on a |
| I was surrounded by people with these particular | | | | silver plate. It doesn't make sense. So, when I am |
| talents! Even I was sent to countries where | | | | attending kirtan, I simply hear the Mahamantra |
| everyone had those talents! Then I realized that | | | | and also think of the meaning of the Mahamantra: |
| Krishna had arranged the situation, so I could fully | | | | how I am begging Radha and Krishna to situate |
| appreciate His names. We know that there are | | | | me at Their lotus feet, How I am begging Radha |
| two degrees of the stage of ruci (according to | | | | and Krishna for Their mercy, how I am begging |
| the Madhurya Kadambini). The first degree is | | | | Radha and Krishna to give me compassion, etc. |
| when one has a real taste for kirtan when the | | | | Kirtan becomes an ecstatic prayer session now |
| person leading is expert in singing and the | | | | regardless of the musical accompaniment. |