Kīrtana

kevalaṁ tat-padāmbhoja-sākṣād-īkṣāvaśiṣyate

kevalaṁ tat-padāmbhoja-sākṣād-īkṣāvaśiṣyate |
taj jape’rhati nāsaktiṁ kintu tan-nāma-kīrtane ||
śrīman-madana-gopāla-pādābjopāsanāt param |
nāma-saṅkīrtana-prāyād vāñchātīta-phala-pradāt ||
tal-līlā-sthala-pālīnāṁ śraddhā-sandarśanādaraiḥ |
sampādyamānān nitarāṁ kiñcin nāsty eva sādhanam ||
sañjāta-premakāc cāsmāc catur-varga-viḍambakāt |
tat-pādābja-vaśīkārād anyat sādhyaṁ na kiñcana ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.1.103–106)

“[Gopa Kumāra thinks:] Only direct vision of his [viz., Śrī Madana Gopāladeva’s] lotus feet remains [for this brāhmaṇa to attain]. Thus, he needs attachment not to japa but to kīrtana of his [viz., Śrī Madana Gopāla’s] names. There is certainly no means of accomplishment (sādhana) other than worship of Madana Gopāla’s beautiful lotus feet (1) in which saṅkīrtana of his names is abundant, (2) which is being practiced plentifully with conviction (śraddhā), direct observation (sandarśana), and adoration (ādara) of the places of their [i.e., those lotus feet’s] līlās, and (3) which is [thus] a complete bestower of results beyond [even one’s] desires. There is [also] no object to be accomplished (sādhya) other than this [viz., such worship of Madana Gopāla’s lotus feet], (1) by which prema becomes manifest in full, [since such worship is that] (2) which is a belittler of the catur-varga [viz., dharma, artha, kāma, and mokṣa], and [that] (3) which is a captivator of his lotus feet.”

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mādhvīka-jaitra-madhura-svaram akṣarāṇām

mādhvīka-jaitra-madhura-svaram akṣarāṇām
uccāraṇād vijita-veda-vid-ādi-garvam |
kṛṣṇārtha-tṛṣṇa-rasa-bhāva-kulākalaṅkā-
laṅkāram īritam api sphuṭam atra gānam ||
(Gopāla-campū: 2.37.38)

“That the sweet sound of which
Is victorious over spirituous liquor,
That by [just] pronunciation of the phonemes of which
The pride of those conversant in the Vedas and others
Is thoroughly defeated,
That the flawless ornaments within which
Are the rasas and bhāvas arising from thirst for the sake of Kṛṣṇa—
Certainly even [such] speech here [i.e., in Goloka]
Is [fit to be considered] singing
[And thus how marvelous is the actual singing here?].”

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atha śrī-bhagavan-nāma-japasya smaraṇasya ca

atha śrī-bhagavan-nāma-japasya smaraṇasya ca |
śravaṇasyāpi māhātmyam īṣad bhedād vilikhyate ||
(Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.472)

“Now [i.e., now that the greatness of chanting (kīrtana) of Śrī Bhagavān’s names has been described], the greatness of japa, as well as remembrance and hearing, of Śrī Bhagavān’s names is delineated because of a slight distinction [between these and chanting (kīrtana) of Śrī Bhagavān’s names].”

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yatra yatra raghunātha-kīrtanaṁ

yatra yatra raghunātha-kīrtanaṁ
tatra tatra kṛta-mastakāñjalim |
vāṣpa-vāri-paripūrṇa-locanaṁ
mārutiṁ namata rākṣasāntakam||
(Unknown source)
“I bow to the son of the wind [viz., Hanumān], the destroyer of the rākṣasas, who is present with palms joined above the head and eyes filled with tears wherever there is kīrtana of Raghunātha.”

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nāradāham idaṁ manye tādṛśānāṁ yataḥ sthitiḥ

nāradāham idaṁ manye tādṛśānāṁ yataḥ sthitiḥ |
bhavet sa eva vaikuṇṭho loko nātra vicāraṇā ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 1.3.60)
“O Nārada, this I consider: wherever there is the presence of those who are such [i.e., who are bhaktas of Śrī Bhagavān as described earlier in BB 1.3.55–58], that itself shall be Vaikuṇṭha-loka. There is no [need of] deliberation in this regard [i.e., there is no doubt about it].”

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tāṁ nāradīyām anusṛtya śikṣāṁ

tāṁ nāradīyām anusṛtya śikṣāṁ
śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmāni nija-priyāṇi |
saṅkīrtayan susvaram atra līlās
tasya pragāyann anucintayaṁś ca ||
tādīya-līlā-sthala-jātam etad
vilokayan bhāva-daśe gato ye |
tayoḥ sva-citte karaṇena lajje
kathaṁ parasminn kathayāny ahaṁ te ||
sadā mahārtyā karuṇā-svarai rudan
nayāmi rātrīr divasāṁś ca kātaraḥ |
na vedmi yad yat sucirād anuṣṭhitaṁ
sukhāya vā tat tad utārti-sindhave ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.6.1–3)

“Following that instruction of Nārada, here [in Vraja] melodiously chanting names of Śrī Kṛṣṇa dear to myself, singing aloud of and meditating upon his līlās, and beholding the sites of his līlās, this bhāva and state which arose [in me]—I feel embarrassed [just] by thinking of them in my own heart. [So,] How can I describe them to someone else? Crying continuously in pitiful tones out of great distress (ārti), I spent nights and days disconcerted. I did not know whether all that I had practiced for so long would lead to joy or an ocean of distress.”

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na hy acyutaṁ prīṇayato bahv-āyāso’surātmajāḥ

na hy acyutaṁ prīṇayato bahv-āyāso’surātmajāḥ |
ātmatvāt sarva-bhūtānāṁ siddhatvād iha sarvataḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 7.6.19)

“[Prahlāda Mahārāja:] O sons of asuras! On account of [his] being the Self of all beings and [his] being present everywhere here [in this world], there is certainly no huge endeavor [required] for the sake of pleasing Acyuta.”

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evaṁ-vrataḥ sva-priya-nāma-kīrtyā

evaṁ-vrataḥ sva-priya-nāma-kīrtyā
jātānurāgo druta-citta uccaiḥ |
hasaty atho roditi rauti gāyaty
unmādavan nṛtyati loka-bāhyaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.2.40; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.641; Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.4.6 Bhakti Sandarbha: 188, 263; Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 1.7.94, 2.9.260, 2.23.41, 2.25.141, 3.3.179)

“One whose rite is so, in whom anurāga [i.e., prema] has manifest by chanting the name of one’s Beloved, and who is [thus] of melted heart, loudly laughs, cries, shouts, sings, and dances as though mad, oblivious to society.”

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śṛṇvan subhadrāṇi rathāṅga-pāṇer

śṛṇvan subhadrāṇi rathāṅga-pāṇer
janmāni karmāṇi ca yāni loke |
gītāni nāmāni tad-arthakāni
gāyan vilajjo vicared asaṅgaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.2.39)

“Hearing of the most auspicious births and activities of he of discus in hand [i.e., Śrī Bhagavān] which are sung in society and singing names [of his] signifying those [births and activities of his], one should roam about, unabashed and free from attachment.”

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vaiṣṇave prītir āstāṁ me prītir āstāṁ prabhor guṇe

vaiṣṇave prītir āstāṁ me prītir āstāṁ prabhor guṇe |
sevāyāṁ prītir āstāṁ prītir ārtiś ca kīrtane ||
āśrite prītir āstāṁ me prītiś ca bhajanonmukhe |
ātmani prītir āstāṁ me kṛṣṇe bhaktir yathā bhavet ||
(Śrī Kṛṣṇa-bhajanāmṛta: 1.35–36)

“May I have love (prīti) for the Vaiṣṇavas;
May I have love for Prabhu’s qualities;
May I have love for service [to Bhagavān, Vaiṣṇavas, and so on];
May I have love and heart-ache for kīrtana;
May I have love for those who have taken shelter [in Bhagavān];
May I have love for those intent upon
bhajana [of Bhagavān];
And may I have love for my self,
So that I may have bhakti to Kṛṣṇa.”

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