WHAT IS KIRTAN?

´Kirtan is devotional singing of the praises of God in melody and rhythm. It is an aid to enable an individual to attune oneself with the Infinite, a tool to sing His glory and become spiritually aware, ultimately to merge with Him and bring peace and joy to one’s mind.

Guru sahib calls Kirtan a ‘priceless diamond’ - a precious gift.

The reason Kirtan is called priceless is because it acts like a cleansing agent that has many purposes. It has the ability to help clear/clean our consciousness, there by reducing the many types of human sufferings collected over countless lives, and then, fill us with love, bliss and joyful longing for our beloved, and make us worthy of God’s Grace. Kirtan is the magical formula that keeps the human soul afloat in this materialistic world.

Thus, Kirtan is given a place of great importance in Sikhism. Wherever Kirtan is being sung, that place (sadh sangat) is considered to be equivalent to paradise:

 

 

 

Above all kirtan (whether singing or listening) is SEVA!

THE ROLE OF THE KIRTANEEAS

´The ‘cleansing’ effect or the ‘magical’ effect of Kirtan is dependant on the kirtaneeas (those blessed souls who have been given the gift of singing His praises).

When a kirtaneea sings with peaceful equipoise with the intense feeling of love and deep devotion of a disciple, conversing humbly with the beloved, the Kirtan then becomes the necessary bridge, an aid to contemplation and meditation and can help many other souls connect to their Beloved.

´This is done spontaneously, in the Divine flow, without any effort on the part of the kirtaneea. It is Gur Prasad – Grace.

Kirtan is a spiritual practice and is not a competition.

When any egoistic effort enters the equation in the form of me, mine and myself (the showing-off factor), then the flow is obstructed, and even though the kirtaneea maybe singing beautifully, the Kirtan does not have the magical effect.

The musical prowess, talents and ability to produce beautiful tunes may be very pleasing to the outer ears, but it does not uplift the soul of either the kirtaneea nor the Sangat.

In fact, the tunes may end up being a distraction to many of the more sincere seekers. The main aim of Kirtan is to sing the glory of our Gurus, to become spiritually aware, to open our heart to the Divine Flow and to bring peace and joy to the mind.

At all times remember Kirtan Seva is a gift and be sincerely grateful for it.

Bhai Sahib Bhai Vir Singh Jee clarifies in his talk on Kirtan te Kirtaneea or read it under see Resources page.

When any egoistic effort enters the equation in the form of me, mine and myself (the showing-off factor), then the flow is obstructed, and even though the kirtaneea maybe singing beautifully, the Kirtan does not have the magical effect.The musical prowess, talents and ability to produce beautiful tunes may be very pleasing to the outer ears, but it does not uplift the soul of either the kirtaneea nor the Sangat. In fact, the tunes may end up being a distraction to many of the more sincere seekers. The main aim of Kirtan is to sing the glory of our Gurus, to become spiritually aware, to open our heart to the Divine Flow and to bring peace and joy to the mind. At all times remember Kirtan Seva is a gift and be sincerely grateful for it.He further explains that becoming a kirtaneea is like becoming the main target in a battlefield, where arrows of ego related praise are constantly being aimed in one form or another. Inevitably, one or two of these arrows are bound to hit the target. Knowing this, the kirtaneea still enters the battlefield because of intense love for Guruji. Slowly but surely, with practice, humility and His Grace, the kirtaneea learns to make an armour of His love and humility, through which no arrow can pierce, and ultimately enjoys the boons offered by Kirtan.

Some suggestions for Kirtan Seva

1. ´Be mindful not to let your ego get inflated when someone appreciates ‘your’ kirtan. It is NOT yours. The ego is very very subtle. Even when you THINK you are being careful, it enters within and is the source of much spiritual downfall. Beware of the ‘vava’ ras. Be aware and at all times, remember the Divine giver of the gift and place all praise at His feet.
2. ´Be mindful not to be the source of inflating someone else’s ego.
3. ´Be mindful not to subconsciously try to get Sangat to enjoy a shabad – it is His duty. Your duty is to just be the empty vessel…by emptying yourself of all desires, greed and emotions.
4. ´The time you do Kirtan or who you play table with is irrelevant.The focus is the KIRTAN & GURBANI and not the KIRTANEEA. In addition, never demand for kirtan turn, or let adults get involved in this.
5. ´Tabla seva is an equivalent seva as kirtan.It helps to provide the right rhythm, to support the kirtan. Be Aware, tabla seva can also be a source of the same ego as discussed above for kirtaneeas and can also be a major distraction from main purpose of kirtan. If you are a tabla player, do not wait to play at ‘prime time’ – offer yourself and your seva to Guru Sahib at all times. Remember, you play for your Guru, His Sangat and for no one else.DHAN GURU NANAK DHAN GURU NANAK DHAN GURU NANAKDHAN GURU NANAK DHAN GURU NANAK DHAN GURU NANAKDHAN GURU NANAK DHAN GURU NANAK DHAN GURU NANAK DHAN GURU

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