My Very First Kirtan

For countless ages, seekers have journeyed to the Ganges, or to similar holy places, to absorb themselves in sacred mantras, hymns that have been passed down for generations. These same seekers would often perform kirtan, celebrating special mantras with song and dance. Much to our good fortune, through the Herculean efforts of His Divine Grace […]

Kirtana Yoga and the Maha-mantra

The Maha-mantra The Hare Krishna maha-mantra—Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare—is known as the greatest (maha) of all mantras because it contains the potency of all other spiritual sound. Chanting the maha-mantra is thus the most popular and effective form of kirtana. The maha-mantra is […]

Kirtan in the World Religions

Kirtan is the call-and-response form of chanting that characterizes the Hare Krishna movement. It is the fundamental religion of the age – the soul crying out for God as a means to reunite with Him. Robert Gass, author of Chanting: Discovering Spirit in Sound, believes that ritual chanting is among the most universal of human […]

The Sacred Sound

Kirtana (pronounced keer-ton-uh) is a Sanskrit word that means “praise” or “glory.” The more common Hindi pronunciation is “keer-ton,” dropping the final “a.” Simply understood, it is a form of song that centers on glorifying God, commonly performed in a “call and response” style of singing. There is Nam-kirtan, which are songs composed of God’s […]