(1/5) Kirtan – Highest Practice

His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad
Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj
Nrisingha Palli, 27 November 2020, part 1
Translated from Bengali

You must learn at least the kirtans that are chanted regularly. You can chant reading from the book and remember the kirtans in this way. Practise every day. When I am alone in my room, I softly chant kirtans to myself. Always think about the Lord. There is no other way to get the Lord except for Krishna-kirtan (chanting Lord Krishna's Names and glories). Mahaprabhu Himself brought sankirtan-yajna to this world. When we do fire sacrifices, we do it only to impress people. Actually, even fire sacrifices and the brahman threads are given through mantras. When you receive the gayatri mantra, you must recite it minimum twice daily, in the morning and evening. Gurudev told me that if you recite these mantras every morning and evening for one year, you will be able to realise and feel the connection, and you will not be able to do anything without service to the Lord. You will always think about the Lord...

I have written a book about sraddha ceremonies and how to do fire sacrifices – they all finish with kirtan. Even when you play the mridanga, you can play but do not keep your mouth shut – you must chant at this time.

You must learn Deities' arati songs, the bhoga arati song. If you stay at the temple and always sing arati songs with a book, then people will have bad thoughts. When there are some extra kirtans, then it is not a problem. For example, in the niyom-seva month, we sing additional kirtans. That is another matter. But you should know Guru-vandana, Vaishnav-vandana, Nityananda-vandana, Mahaprabhu-vandana kirtans by heart. If you sing them every morning and evening, you will learn them by heart. When I came to the temple, I learnt all kirtans without any books. Now I do not get time to chant with everyone in the mornings and evenings, but when I go for preaching, I sing all kirtans. It is actually more important to speak Hari-katha. That is why when we go for preaching, we sing five kirtans and spend most of the time speaking Hari-katha. Kali-yuga people do not want to study, to learn anything. They do not want to read books. People are busy with their mobile phones, television, the internet and the wifi connection. Kali-yuga people's minds are always fickle. They are fickle-minded. These fickle minds should always chant kirtan, then they will become peaceful.

বৈষ্ণব সঙ্গেতে মন আনন্দিত অনুক্ষণ
সদা হয় কৃষ্ণ পরসঙ্গ ।

vaisnava sangete mana anandita anuksana
sada haya krsna para-sanga

'In the association of Vaishnavs, my heart constantly rejoices and I always feel the transcendental association of Lord Krishna.'

('Thakura Vaishnava pada', Srila Narottam Das Thakur)

Your mind will always be happy in the association of Vaishnavs, and you will be always getting Krishna's association. We must remember this...

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Size: 12.8 Mb
Length: 31 min
Language: Bengali

READ OTHER PARTS:

1) Kirtan – Highest Practice
2) Three Pillars of Spiritual Life
3) Outer and Inner Surrender
4) Drowning in Maya
5) Still Waters Run Deep