What
do football games, rock
concerts,
political rallies, boxing matches and revival meetings all have in
common? The mass glorification of a person
or persons
engaged in
extraordinary feats--a very exciting, even electrifying experience
which can give incredible pleasure to large groups of people. This
phenomenon is known as Kirtan.
To
glorify, reciprocate
and communicate with a "super person" is very
natural and pleasurable for everyone. But when the politician is
scandalised, the football player is injured or the rock star overdoses,
the pleasure-giving relationship is broken. Immediately the search for
a new, higher relationship begins. This search for unending pleasure in
a permanent relationship is going on throughout the creation,
manifesting in endless varieties of would-be heroes and their would-be
followers. This fundamental desire of the human being can never be
satisfied on the material plane where old age, disease, death and
dishonour destroy all such temporary relationships.
Glorification
of God
alone can bring the highest happiness in an
unending relationship. Throughout history, singers, dancers, artists,
monks, priests and yogis have glorified God with enthusiasm and great
satisfaction by chanting His holy name.
In every
religious
tradition we are encouraged to praise God's names--
From
the rising
of the sun unto its setting, the Lord's name is to be
praised.--Psalms 113:3
Glorify
the
name of your Lord, the most
high.--Koran 87.2
All
who
sincerely call upon My name will come to Me
after death, and I will take them to Paradise.--Vows of Amida Buddha 18
Whosoever
shall
call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.--Acts
2:21
Chant
the holy
name, chant the holy name, chant the holy name of
the Lord. In this age of quarrel there is no other way, no other way,
no other way to attain spiritual enlightenment.--Brihan-Naradiya Purana
Kirtan,
glorification of
God through His names, is not a sectarian
religious pratice. It is the natural fulfilment of every person's
desire to sing, praise, cheer and chant the glories of a superior
person's extraordinary activities. It brings happiness, peace and
harmony to all persons who thus find their common object of
adoration--God.
Presently,
we are
travelling world-wide and introducing world-wide
Kirtan. Now people experience the Kirtan of a football game, a baseball
game or a concert--the congregation of many people shouting, cheering
and singing. These mundane Kirtans are only for the body or mind.
Because they are material, their pleasure is only temporary. The same
principle of these materialistic Kirtans exists in Krishna Kirtan; only
its effect is spiritual and everlasting. When the devotees are
performing Krishna Kirtan, and everyone is enthusiastically chanting
Hare Krishna, it has great potency for invoking the Lord. This is the
Sankirtan movement of Lord Chaitanya.
Sri
Guru & Gauranga