Sankirtan or Kirtan
Sankirtan is the singing of Lord’s names with faith and devotion.
In
Kali Yuga by the singing of the Lord's Names are obtained all the
fruits that were available to our forefathers who lived in the preceding
Yugas by severe penance, austere mode of life, performance of
sacrifices and such other unimaginably difficult ways of attainment.
I quote the words of four great masters about kirtan and the power of the name of God.
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‘Chant the name of the Lord always.’
By chanting the mantra, its vibrations spread all round you. You will then meditate for yourself and others. By holy chants alone, I will lead and win any war in this world. Whatever happens, all the devotees of God will be saved by Divine Will.
~ Haidakhan Babaji
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‘Bhakti is the same as vichara (Self-enquiry).’
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| ~ Sri Ramana Maharshi |
A seeker, follower of the Jnana-marga seeks the Self. The practice is equally difficult for both.
Since
God is verily the Self, love of the Self is love of the God and that is
bhakti. Jnana and Bhakti are thus one and the same.
Service, like prayers, japa and even businesss done in God’s name, lead to the highest Goal; Self-realization.
Complete
effacement of the ego is necessary to conquer destiny, whether you
achieve this effacement through Self enquiry or through bhakti-marga.
Self-enquiry is possible for mature minds, not for immature ones.
For
the immature ones, japa nama, worship of images, pranayama, visualizing
a pillar of light and similar yogic and spiritual and religious
practices have been prescribed.
~ Sri Ramana Maharshi
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‘By calling God by His name you make Him come to you.’
‘By calling God by His name you make Him come to you.’
M: When you know the name of a thing, or a person, you can find it easily. By calling God by His name you make Him come to you.
Q: This constant repetition of a few words, is it not a kind of madness?
M: It
is madness, but it is a deliberate madness. All repetitiveness is
tamas*, but repeating the name of God is sattva-tamas* due to its high
purpose. Because of the presence of sattva*, the tamas will wear out and
will take the shape of complete dispassion, detachment, relinquishment,
aloofness, immutability.
~ Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj
Note:
* GUNAS: Gunas are the three qualities of nature and mind.
Sattva (light, purity, balance, harmony).
Sattva (light, purity, balance, harmony).
Rajas (activity, passion, distraction).
Tamas (inertia, dullness, stagnation).
GUNAS & MIND: The gunas are the main substance of the mind.
Sattva makes the mind calm, pure, one-pointed, introverted, luminous and joyful.
Rajas makes the mind extroverted, passionate, distractive, agitated, gives pleasure and pain.
Rajas makes the mind extroverted, passionate, distractive, agitated, gives pleasure and pain.
Tamas makes the mind dull, obscured, cloudy, perversed, inert, inattentive and self destructive.
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‘Japa ultimately results in Samadhi or communion with the Lord.’
In
Kali Yuga, practice of Japa alone can give eternal peace, bliss and
immortality. Japa ultimately results in Samadhi or communion with the
Lord.
Sankirtan is the singing of Lord’s names with faith and devotion.
When
you sing His names, feel that Lord Hari (God) or Ishta Devata* is
seated in your heart, that every name of the Lord is filled with divine
potencies, that the old vicious impressions in the subconscious mind
(Samskaras) and desires (Vasanas) are burnt by the power of the name and
that the mind is filled with Sattva or purity, that Rajas and Tamas are
completely destroyed, and that the veil of ignorance is torn down. This
kind of mental attitude brings the maximum benefit of Sankirtan.
It
is not the number of Japa or the length of time of Kirtan that counts
for spiritual growth but it is the intensity of Bhava with which the
Lord’s names are sung.
* Ishta Devata : The form you love to adore God. viz. Krishna, Jesus Christ etc.)
~Swami Sivananda“
Verdad, Simplicidad, Amor
Truth, Simplicity. Love
Om nama Shivay
