What is Kirtan?
Kirtan means to glorify the Supreme source of beauty and love. It is musical prayer and worship offered in love and humility.
The most powerful meditation for modern times is congregational chanting of the Sacred names of Radha and Krishna in the form of the Maha Mantra or great mantra for deliverance.
All ancient Vedic literatures, saints and sages speak to the necessity of Kirtan meditation in order to attain self-realization and ultimately pure love of God.
Harer nāma, harer nāma, harer nāmaiva kevalam,
kalau nāsty, eva nāsty eva, nāsty eva gatir anyathā
-CC Madhya 6.242 https://vedabase.io/en/library/cc/madhya/6/242/
TRANSLATION:
‘In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy, the only means of deliverance is the chanting of the holy names of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way.’ ”
“Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇaṁ
śreyaḥ-kairava-candrikā-vitaraṇaṁ vidyā-vadhū-jīvanam
ānandāmbudhi-vardhanaṁ prati-padaṁ pūrṇāmṛtāsvādanaṁ
sarvātma-snapanaṁ paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṇkīrtanam”
-Śrī Śikṣāṣṭakam Verse 1
TRANSLATION:
Glory to the śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtana, which cleanses the heart of all the dust accumulated for years and extinguishes the fire of conditional life, of repeated birth and death. This saṅkīrtana movement is the prime benediction for humanity at large because it spreads the rays of the benediction moon. It is the life of all transcendental knowledge. It increases the ocean of transcendental bliss, and it enables us to fully taste the nectar for which we are always anxious.
Sri Tulasi Pranama:
(Sung before Kirtan):
Vrindayai tulasi-devyai
priyayai keshavasya cha
krishna-bhakti-prade devi
satyavatyai namo namaha
Translation:
I offer my repeated obeisances unto Vrnda, Srimati Tulasi Devi, who is very dear to Lord Kesava. O goddess, you bestow devotional service to Lord Krsna and possess the highest truth.
Sri Tulasi Pradaksina Mantra:
(Sung after Tulasi Kirtan while circling around Tulsi Plant)
yani kani cha papani
brahma-hatyadikani cha
tani tani pranashyanti
pradakshinaha pade pade
Translation:
By the circumambulation of Srimati Tulasi Devi all the sins that one may have committed are destroyed at every step, even the sin of killing a brahmana.
Sri Tulasi Kirtana:
Learn more here: https://iskcondesiretree.com/forum/topics/pranam-for-tulasi-devi
(1) namo namaha tulasi! krishna-preyasi
radha-krishna-seva pabo ei abhilashi
(2) Ye tomara sharana loy, tara vanchha purna hoy
kripa kori' koro tare brindavana-basi
(3) mor ei abhilash, bilas kunje dio vas
nayane heribo sada jugala-rupa-rashi
(4) ei nivedana dharo, sakhir anugata koro
seva-adhikara diye koro nija dasi
(5) dina krishna-dase koy, ei jena mora hoy
sri-radha-govinda-preme sada jena bhasi
Translation:
(1) O Tulasi, beloved of Krsna, I bow before you again and again. My desire is to obtain the service of Sri Sri Radha-Krsna.
(2) Whoever takes shelter of you has his wishes fulfilled. Bestowing your mercy on him, you make him a resident of Vrndavana.
(3) My desire is that you will also grant me a residence in the pleasure groves of Sri Vrndavana-dhama. Thus, within my vision I will always behold the beautiful pastimes of Radha and Krsna.
(4) I beg you to make me a follower of the cowherd damsels of Vraja. Please give me the privilege of devotional service and make me your own maidservant.
(5) This very fallen and lowly servant of Krsna prays, ''May I always swim in the love of Sri Radha and Govinda.
Narasimha Pranama
sri-narasimha, jaya narasimha, jaya jaya narasimha
prahladesa jaya padma-mukha-padma-bhrnga
“All glories to Lord Narasimhadeva! All glories to Lord Narasimhadeva, who is the Lord of Prahlada Maharaja and, like the honeybee, is always engaged in beholding the lotus-like face of the goddess of fortune.”
namas te narasimhaya, prahladahlada-dayine
hiranyakasipor vakshah, sila-tanka-nakhalaye
“I offer my respectful obeisances unto You, Lord Narasimhadeva. You are the giver of pleasure to Maharaja Prahlada, and Your nails cut the chest of Hiranyakashipu like a chisel cutting stone.”
ito narasimhah parato narasimho, yato yato yami tato narasimhah
bahir narasimho hrdaye narasimho, narasimham adim sharanam prapadye
“Lord Narasimhadeva is here, and He is also there on the opposite side. Wherever I go, there I see Lord Narasimhadeva. He is outside and within my heart. Therefore I take shelter of Lord Narasimhadeva, the original Supreme Personality of Godhead.””
tava kara-kamala-vare nakham adbhuta-shrngam
dalita-hiranyakashipu-tanu-bhrngam
keshava dhrta-narahari-rupa jaya jagadisa hare
“O my Lord, Your hands are very beautiful, like the lotus flower, but with Your long nails You have ripped apart the wasp Hiranyakashipu. Unto You, Lord of the universe, I offer my humble obeisance.”
Song by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur, the founder of the modern day Krishna Consciousness Movement
Mama Mana Mandire
http://kksongs.org/songs/m/mamamanamandire.html
1) mama mana mandire raha niśi-din
kṛṣṇa murāri śrī kṛṣṇa murāri
(2) bhakti pritī mālā candan
tumi nio he nio citta-nandan
(3) jīvana maraṇa tava pūja nivedan
sundara he mana-hāri
(4) eso nanda-kumār ār nanda-kumār
habe prema-pradīpe āratī tomār
(5) nayana jamunā jhare anibār
tomāra virahe giridhāri
(6) bandana gane tava bajūk jīvana
kṛṣṇa murāri śrī kṛṣṇa murāri
1) Please abide in the temple of my heart both day and night, O Krsna Murari, O Sri Krsna Murari!
2) Devotion, love, flower garlands, and sandalwood- please accept them, O Delighter of the Heart!
3) In life or in death I worship You with these offerings, Beautiful One, O Enchanter of the Heart!
4) Come, son of Nanda, and then, O Son of Nanda, I will offer Your arati ceremony with the lamplight of my love.
5) The waters of the Yamuna River cascade incessantly from my eyes in your separation, O Holder of Govardhana Hill!
6) May I pass my life absorbed only in songs of Your praise, O Krsna Murari, Sri Krsna Murari!