Morning tune
Srila Prabhupada was very strict in the melody sung during the man- gala-aratika. He wanted the morning melody and nothing else. He would sometimes stop kirtans if other melodies were sung in the morning. Of course he was not always doing that, but when he was nearby and there was someone to appreciate the point, he would correct the mistake.
--Harikesa Swami
We were chanting mangal aratika within the room of Srila Prabhupada each morning. Sometimes Prabhupada would appreciate the singing and sometimes not. Later on in the morning after a particularly bad kirtan, Prabhupada called me into his room and complained about the singing. He said, again, more or less, << I did not like the singing in the morning. The morning melody must be sung throughout the mangala aratika and no other melody should be sung. It should be sung sweetly and melodiously, like this ... [and he proceeded to sing the first verse of the samsara prayer in a very sweet and melodious voice with perfect inflection and musical accent]. >> Prabhupada was very insistent that the singing should be done in that way only. He indicated that he wanted me to lead the kirtans in the morning as a way to establish the standards within the temple. –Harikesa Swami
We have Srila Prabhupada’s recorded instruction: “This is the morning tune.”
If you ask me, “double-timing” the melody takes all the charm out of it. (I mean speeding it up and taking all the stops and rests out of it, making it sound something like a march.)
By the way: The morning tune is not to be sung in the evening.
Jaya Radhe
The next morning I led the kirtan in his room duplicating the melodious style which he had shown me the day before [for the morning tune]. Prabhupada was pleased and seemed to enjoy the kirtan. Unfortunately I fell victim to that demon within the mind and started to speculate a couple of “Jaya radhe’s” at the end of the kirtan. This was one of the bigger mistakes made by me at that time. Although there is nothing wrong with “Jaya radhe”, Prabhupada simply didn’t want us to chant it. He once explained that Sukadeva Gosvami did not feel himself qualified to chant the name of Radha in the Srimad-bhagavatam and therefore only indicated her name with the word “aradhana” while describing the topmost gopi friend of Krsna.
Anyway, to continue the story, I had just started to chant Srimati Radharani’s holy name within Vrindavan dham, Her beloved Lord’s abode, within the presence of Her most intimate devotee, during the most auspicious hours of the day, when Her most intimate devotee looked at me with eyes blazing like fire and desirous of initiating my immediate destruction. Voice choked and gagging, I ended the kirtan immediately without further formalities, never again to make the same mistake. Prabhupada never ended kirtans with various extra mantras, especially not “Jaya radhe”, so why should I? –Harikesa Swami
Srila Prabhupada didn’t chant it. And his response when people on his morning walk in Vrindaban greeted him with “Jaya Radhe”?
“Hare Krsna.”
Some particulars of ISKCON liturgy
The “Deity ditties”
Have now become obligatory at the end of every kirtana.
They even sometimes appear in the middle of mangala-arati, after Gurvastakam.
And sometimes after Nrsimha arati or tulasi puja or “jaya radha-madhava” in Bhagavatam class.
Srila Prabhupada didn’t chant them.
And they sometimes lead to “Jaya Radhe, jaya radhe!”
Mantras heard:
DEITY DITTIES
Jaya Radha-Something, Radha-Something Radhe
This was NOT chanted by Srila Prabhupada
“Radha-Radha-Something Something” (Krpamoya MP3)
Where can this lead?
Heard in Bahrain:
Jaya Radha Radha-Krsna, Radha Radha-Krsna, Radhe!
Reported in RSA:
Jaya Radha-Jagannatha, Radha-Jagannatha, Radhe!
RSA:
Jaya Nitai Gaura Hari, Nitai Gaura Hari, Gaura Hari
or
Jaya Nitai Saci-suta, Nitai Saci-suta, Saci-suta
(derivation? It fits the same meter as “Jaya Radha-X, Radha-X, Radhe”)
Mayapur:
Jaya Panca-tattva, Jaya Panca-tattva
(not “Sri krsna caitanya prabhu nityananda, etc.)
Here and there:
Jaya salagrama-sila, Jaya salagrama-sila
Here and there:
Jaya Jagannatha, Jaya Baladeva, Jaya Subhadra, Jaya Jagannatha!
(then start playing with variations on the order)
Haraye namah krsna yädaväya namah
Another common practice is to end kirtana with this mantra:
haraye namah krsna yadavaya namah
yadavaya madhava kesavaya namah
gopala govinda rama sri-madhusudana
giridhari gopinatha madana-mohana
Sometimes this is also followed by the next verse, offering obeisances to the six Gosvamis.
This comes from a bona fide song by Srila Narottama Dasa Thakura. But why have these verses become customary to chant at the end of kirtana? I speculate that it's because devotees have heard that Srila Prabhupada asked us to. So I bring to your attention Srila Prabhupada's actual request:
"We are already accustomed to chant these two mantras--sri-krsna-caitanya prabhu nityananda sri-advaita gadadhara srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrnda and Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. Now, after these, the other two lines--namely, haraye namah, krsna yadavaya namah/ gopala govinda rama sri-madhusudana--should be added, especially in Mayapur. Chanting of these six lines should go on so perfectly well that no one there hears any other vibration than the chanting of the holy names of the Lord. That will make the center spiritually all perfect." (Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi 17.124, purport)
As mentioned twice in Caitanya-caritamrta, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu personally chanted these two lines. (Two lines, not four.) The song by Narottama Dasa Thakura, bona fide though it be, is not what Srila Prabhupada asked us to chant at the end of kirtana.
Gurvastakam—
Why chant “Jaya Prabhupada” in the middle?
Is this “the Prabhupada song”?
Nrsimha kirtana
Why “Jaya Bhakta Prahlada”?
Do you ever hear about “Bhakta Haridasa Thakura” or “Bhakta Rupa Gosvami”? Then why “Bhakta Prahlada”?
Because in modern ISKCON you always have to end the kirtana with “Jaya Somebody or other,” and we picked up “Bhakta Prahlad” from the Indian movie of the same name, and it fits the beat, that’s why.
But how about this: “When a devotee is great he is called prabhu, and when he is lesser he is called bhakta, or a devotee.” (Cc. Adi 6.99, purport)
Tulasi-arati
In the tulasi pranama, it’s devyai, not devi
Nivedana, not nivedena
Why “Jaya tulasi-devi! Jaya bhakti devi!”?
Free-form prema-dhvani
Jaya everything, without regard for sense or order.
And this is another place to recite all the Deity names (as if they weren’t already included in the beginning)
Srila Prabhupada never did this.
Why “A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada”?
And when you’ve done “Om visnupada” etc., you don’t need “His Divine Grace.” (You’ve said all that and more.)
Bengali melodies
Any tune can be used. When it is in relationship with Krishna, that makes it bona fide; --letter to Ekayani, 31 Aug 71
Regarding the presentation of "Govindam'' as well as other mantras, the vibration is always pure. I will give the theme and if the sound is Westernized that does not matter. But another point is that this specific sound of Kirtana as I sing is also another introduction of art that can be intermingled with Western art, and such combination will certainly be appreciated. But so far I know that the Kirtana tune is a specific representation of Gaudiya Vaisnavas and this tune is appreciated all over India as unique. They say that the Kirtana tune is the specific gift of Bengal, and that is a fact. So why not utilize this tune in the Western countries under the able guidance of such expert musician as George? --letter to Syamasundara, 25 Feb 1970
Clanging and banging
Of note to you perhaps is an instruction that Srila Prabhupad gave many many many times, mostly to leaders, but on occasion to groups of devotees. He withheld this instruction from general assemblies, my understanding being that he did not want to discourage devotees from chanting, even when the chanting was not properly done. This instruction I have noted is one of Srila Prabhupada’s pet peeves, one of the things that annoyed him the most of all the ways that kirtan was being "done".
We had a kirtan at the Ram lila grounds, 1976 March and Dinanath was leading, and tens of thousands were attending and chanting. After the program Srila Prabhupad and I were alone in the back tent waiting for his servant and the car. As you know he would often ask rhetorical questions, and he asked me "So, what did you think of the kirtan?" Understanding this was just a lead in to his giving me an instruction I answered with a bland "it was OK".
Srila Prabhupada’s definition to me then was as follows:
"No it was not nice, it was clanging and banging. Kirtan should be sweet and melodious [my note ref from Gaura Arati] Come let us go to the ashram and have kirtan"
And so we went, Srila Prabhupad, his servant, Baradraj, and myself. Except his servant, the three of us sat in his room and Baradraj played harmonium on the request of Srila Prabhupad, and we had a long kirtan, of course exactly the opposite of your ten commandmants. On S.P's signal the kirtan ended. He looked at me, smiling, a little shaking his head, and said
"So...sweet and melodious" And then he moved on with the rest of preaching and hearing.
I had heard him say and heard that he also said, sometimes stopping kirtan, and saying "No screaming and shouting"
So kirtan is not, clanging and banging, screaming and shouting. Kirtan is sweet and melodious.
The beautiful song to glorify the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If a small ray of the beauty of that song would enter the heart then one would be so over flooded with love of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krishna, that one could only sing his holy names, and the name of his divine consort, with sweetness and melodiousness,
--Tejiyas Dasa, 12 Nov 02
Don’t divert attention to more instruments
Regarding your question about kirtana, practically we are not concerned with the instruments. They are used sometimes to make it sweeter, but if we divert our attention for using the instruments more, that is not good. Generally kirtana is performed with mrdanga and karatalas, but if somebody is expert instrument player, he can be admitted to join Sankirtana. We can accept everything for Krishna's service, but not taking the risk of diverting attention to any other thing which will hinder our Krishna Consciousness. That should be our motto, or principle. –letter to Jadurani, 26 May 69
Regarding instruments for temple kirtanas, karatala and mrdanga are sufficient. There is no need of other instruments. –letter to Rupanuga, 2 Feb 75
The harmonium may be played during bhajan if there is someone who can play melodiously. But it is not for kirtana and arati. –letter to Bahudak, 11 Jan 76
But: Regarding the instruments, stringed instruments are Vedic, but the real Vedic instrument is mrdanga and karatala. Anyway, you have to do according to the time and circumstances if you use these other instruments. So you have got my approval and you can go on. –letter to Bahudak, 10 November 75
Prabhupada: The other musical instrument, if he plays his attention will be diverted in musical instrument, not to chanting. "We have to see melody, whether it is going on nicely." But that is not good. Our concentration should be hearing Hare Krsna. That is... That is bhakti. Caitanya Mahaprabhu, simply this karatala, khola, that's all. In those days... Of course, there was no harmonium, but many stringed instruments were there. Sitar, esaraja, but these things were not used. Sometimes we do use to attract, but it is not required. -- Room Conversation, December 26, 1976, Bombay
We are not professional musicians
As I have already written to you, we should not try to become a very popular musical party. Music is one of our items for chanting, but we are not musicians. We should always remember this fact. The best example is that we take advantage of the typewriting machine, but that does not mean we are professional typists. –letter to Mukunda, 2 July 69
I am pleased to note that there is interest in having our Sankirtana Party perform in various public engagements. The same thing is going on here, and they have been invited to such places as Amsterdam and Germany. So if you can also do this, it is nice. But do not change our principles. Practicing is already done by kirtana. It is not required for us to become artists. Our main point is service to Krishna, not to please an audience. We shall not divert our attention too much to adjustment of musical sounds. People should not misunderstood that we are a band of musical artists. They must know that we are devotees of Krishna. Our devotional practice and purity shall be so strong that wherever we chant there will be immediately an impression in the audience for devotion to Krishna. –letter to Tamal Krsna, 30 Oct 69
But one thing we must remember that we are not professional musicians or concert party. Our main business is to vibrate the Holy Name of Krishna everywhere so that the people will be benefited by hearing the transcendental sound. The musical training is not so important as it is to keep ourselves spiritually fit in spiritual strength, that we should not forget. If we are in spiritual strength, there will be no scarcity of money; and the spiritual strength is that each and every one of us must chant the sixteen rounds of beads and follow the rules and regulations with great adherence. –letter to Tamal Krishna, 8 Feb 70
So if you have talent for musical achievement, that is nice; but if you nourish some idea of becoming famous by playing some music, that will be a source of frustration—the end. So it is better if you play your music for Krishna by having very ecstatic kirtanas in your center in Vancouver, and in this way, as I have introduced it, all of the devotees and also the general public as well will be able to join together cooperatively in the glorification of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, not that we shall glorify anyone else. Let the materialists operate in their own way, but we have got Vaisnavism stand and we should train the general public to accept it and come up to our platform of process of doing things, not that we should reduce to their standard.'' –letter to Mahatma, 10 April 72
My opinion is that it is not necessary for us to utilize these different musical talents for spreading Krsna Consciousness. I would rather see people follow strictly the path of Lord Caitanya and His Sankirtana devotees. We are using mrdanga, karatala, that is enough. We are not musicians. We are Krsna bhaktas. Therefore we do not stress so much importance on these different musical talents. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is God Himself. Had He thought it would have been better to spread Krsna Consciousness by another way He would have done so. But no, simply with mrdanga and karatala, traveling and chanting Hare Krsna, asking everyone to chant Hare Krsna, preaching simply Srimad-Bhagavatam philosophy, this is the process. There is no need for us to try and add anything to this simple method. It will only be a distraction. Therefore I request you to follow the simple path of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and help me spread this wonderful mission all over the world. Keep yourself pure and fixed up in Krsna Consciousness by following the basic principles that I have given; chanting 16 rounds daily, following the four regulative principles, rising early, attending mangala arati and classes etc. This is of the utmost importance. –letter to Jagadisa Pandit, 28 Dec 74
I understand also, there was a Kirtana performance given by Sri Purna das. You have rightly remarked whether they are devotees. You are right. These people are professional singers. Krishna Kirtana is not for earning a livelihood. Krishna Kirtana is not meant for entertaining the public for demonstration of arts. It is dynamic service to the Lord. We do not therefore mind so much about the artistic presentation of Krishna Kirtana but we want to see how much a devotee is satisfying the Supreme Will. --Letter to Jadurani, 12 December, 1967
The “Sankirtana Competition” in Mayapur 1977. (“They are simply chanting for money.”)
During Srila Prabhupada’s last days in Vrindaban, Bhavananda Maharaja brought a group of Bengali devotees from ISKCON Mayapur who were expert kirtana men. They all came by train. But when they arrived, Srila Prabhupada showed no interest in them. He heard their kirtana once or not at all, and so they occupied themselves in chanting for the Deities while Srila Prabhupada listened to his preferred kirtaniyas, close devotees such as Bharadraja Prabhu, Hamsaduta Swami, and Yasodanandana Swami and Guru-krpa Swami.
Regarding a brahmana singer from Santipura, Kalidasa Lahiri: “Early in life, while still a young boy, experts in the field of Indian classical music had taught him, and he considered that such instruction qualified him to occasionally lead the kirtana sessions of the Vaisnavas. However, when previously, he had led some kirtanas, the Vaisnavas were apparently not fond of his typically palace-court classical touch. Nonetheless, he had introduced these classical variations into the kirtanas, oblivious of the Vaisnavas' feelings. Attempting to parade his musical ability, he had stared at the faces of the Vaisnavas, awaiting a response, hoping for some appreciation. For quite some days now, this had continued. However, quite suddenly, a few days earlier, he had unexpectedly started to feel increasing pleasure in singing harinama.” –Jaiva Dharma, Chapter 3
“He [Kalidasa Lahiri Mahasaya] lost all interest in trivial talks, as well as classical music. Thus, a metamorphosis took place in Lahiri Mahasaya. He was now a Vaisnava.” –Jaiva Dharma, Chapter 4
Krpamoya Dasa (153935): When I lead kirtana, I feel I want to serve the devotees that are there. I'm very conscious that there's a very thin line and you can fall either side of the line. If you can sing in such a way that afterwards devotees come up and say "Nice kirtana," you've got to be very careful that you don't allow your artistic considerations to take precedence over the devotional. My devotional considerations are to be thinking of two things--Krsna and allowing the devotees to have space in which to listen to the holy name and reflect. So I try to chant in such a way that I know that everybody can join in. I don't tend to sing unfamiliar tunes. I sing familiar tunes that I think the devotees will know, just so they can become absorbed. I don't change the tunes that often. And I just really try to stay this side of the line of modulating the voice too much--that is, not modulating the voice so much that people will treat it as an artistic thing and not a devotional thing.
Mention B.R. Sridhara Maharaja’s having been chosen to lead kirtana at the passing of Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura—sincerity over art.
Style is not the thing
With regard to your question about Bengali style kirtana and mrdanga playing, one or two styles is best. To introduce more styles is not good. It will become an encumbrance. If we introduce so much emphasis on style of kirtana, then simply imitation will go on. Devotional emotion is the main thing. If we give stress to instrument and style then attention will be diverted to the style. That will be spiritual loss.
----Letter to Satsvarupa Goswami, 30 June, 1976
At one of the ISKCON international festivals in Vrndavana, Srila Prabhupada rejected the singing of one of his disciples. The devotee had previously been a singer in a band, and his kirtanas were much appreciated by some devotees, especially those from his home temple. But when, with showy professionalism, he began leading the guru-puja in Prabhupada's presence, making the tune sound like a rock and roll ballad, Prabhupada didn't like it. He shook his head and indicated that someone else lead. The "great" kirtana singer was devastated by the rejection, another form of Prabhupada's mercy. --Prabhupada Nectar
It is to be understood that when Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu chanted and danced, He did so by the influence of the pleasure potency of the spiritual world. Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu never considered the holy name of the Lord to be a material vibration, nor does any pure devotee mistake the chanting of the Hare Kåñëa mantra to be a material musical manifestation. Lord Caitanya never tried to be the master of the holy name; rather He taught us how to be servants of the holy name. If one chants the holy name of the Lord just to make a show, not knowing the secret of success, he may increase his bile secretion, but he will never attain perfection in chanting the holy name. –Cc. Adi 7.95-96
Pace
Start slow, build up
In Indian classical music also, they begin slow (with the alap), then speed up.
In this way, one becomes absorbed in the sound
The mach-two startup
The two-speed metronome
Stick with a tune
Govinda Maharaja: “You just dig a groove and let them fall into it.”
Madhava Dasa, 2001.10.27p NVD (66 minutes)
Chant tunes people can follow
Easy, familiar tunes
Sing in a comfortable pitch
That is, a pitch comfortable for others—one they can join in on.
Do we need to “max out” the amplifiers?
For more than a month, Prabhupada has had to ask daily that devotees not use the microphone for performing kirtana: "They think that their voice becomes sweet from using it. Actually, they sound exactly like a raksasa." –TKG’s Diary, pg 149
See “Noise-induced hearing loss” at www.krishna.com/jas
“As a society, we are becoming addicted to microphones, even when not even necessary. Be sensitive to those who do not prefer them (never shove a microphone in someone’s face, especially if they indicate that they would prefer otherwise).”
The mrdanga players should chant Hare Krsna
The mrdanga players should follow the leader
Prabhupada was present during a kirtana performed by his disciples in the Brooklyn temple. The mrdanga player had been practicing to learn complicated beats, and he was demonstrating his rapid and intricate abilities in the kirtana. But Prabhupada stopped the music and said to the drummer that he should follow the leader. Then he started the kirtana again, but it happened again and again Prabhupada stopped the kirtana and asked the drummer to follow the leader. –Prabhupada Nectar 1.22
Karatalas
Learn how to play them
Krpamoya Prabhu: “They’re musical instruments, not just percussion instruments.”
Govinda Maharaja trains his disciples to play them softly.
They sound sweet.
They don’t drown out the lead singer.
And if someone’s off the beat, at least they’ll be soft (and therefore less conspicuous).
Dancing
April 26, 1973, ISKCON Los Angeles
It was here that Brahmananda Maharaja and I introduced the Bengali style of dancing to the western devotees. We had learned it at the Mayapura festival. Many of the devotees loved it and Srila Prabhupada was seen smiling as he watched the devotees dance before him. But, some did not agree. Pradyumna asked Srila Prabhupada if it was all right to dance in that way because some of the devotees thought it strange. "Yes, of course!" Srila Prabhupada replied. Srila Prabhupada loved to see his disciples chant "Hare Krsna" and dance in ecstasy. Jai Srila Prabhupada!
--Srutakirti Dasa
