18/11/2025
SHOWING OFF IN KIRTAN
Let us remember that consciousness travels on the sound vibration coming through our mouth, when singing as well as speaking. It may be Krishna’s divine arrangement, so that the sound vibration of the holy name chanted in pure devotion can spread far and wide and uplifts everyone who hears it!
This fact brings us to the topic of kirtan – a highly transcendental affair. Kirtan is not merely nice music, but a mysterious happening: The consciousness of the kirtan leader travels on the sound vibration coming from his mouth, and affects the hearts of those in the audience. If we are eager to catch some drops of whatever an elevated kirtaneer carries within his heart – his devotion, purity, selfless service attitude and many other sublime qualities, then our heart will be receptive. This eagerness, combined with attraction and liking of the person, will open our heart to receive some droplets of the qualities the person carries within his heart, transferred through the sound vibration coming from his mouth.
Not only the consciousness of the person leading the congregational chanting of the holy name, but also of the devotees playing the instruments affects the atmosphere and spiritual power of the event. Every activity is executed through consciousness. Thus, even playing the instruments takes place through consciousness, and the quality of the consciousness with which the mridanga or kartalas are played travels on the sound coming from the instruments.
We may have the practical experience, when a kartala or mridanga player wants to show off and be noticed in a kirtan, he will play those instruments always a touch too loud because he wants to be noticed. And for a perceptive person this will disturb if not pollute the entire kirtan experience. The same refers to clapping our hands; it is also considered a musical instrument and has to be done in a humble mood of wanting to serve the maha-mantra. If we clap our hands with the desire of wanting to show off and be noticed, such consciousness will pervade the atmosphere and pollute the kirtan.
We also participate in a kirtan by dancing. This may also be a convenient forum for making a show and drawing attention to ourselves, rather than Krishna and His holy name being the centre of attention. Men have their ways of trying to be in the centre while dancing – jumping around in an uncontrolled manner while displaying their ecstasies. And women have their ways of bringing attention to themselves, too. Extravagant dancing distracts other’s minds and can even invoke l***y desires in some devotees’ hearts, especially if the dancing is sensually provocative. Since the female energy is very powerful, a woman can easily bewilder the minds of others around her through her sensual dancing, showing off her body while dressed in a revealing fashion. However, kirtan is not meant to be a show or performance, nor is the dancing.
In this way we can easily understand that kirtan performed with the intention to show off, trying to bring attention and glory to ourselves rather than the Lord will not have much spiritual potency. It may rather invite a contaminating effect. Then such consciousness of showing off – desiring name, fame and adoration will travel on the sound vibration of the kirtan and will pollute everyone’s heart with those material desires. We can imagine such chanting to be like a poisonous medicine capsule – from outside it may look like the real thing, but since it has poison inside, it pollutes our hearts. Unless we are spiritually powerful enough to counteract and neutralise such contaminations with our own advanced level of Krishna consciousness, we may get affected.
Your servant, Devaki dd
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