jaya rādhā-mādhava kuñja-bihārī
gopī-jana-vallabha giri-vara-dhārī
yaśodā-nandana braja-jana-rañjana
yāmuna-tīra-vana-cārī
Let’s get to know the difference between Kirtan and Mantra Science:
Kirtan is usually entailed with musical singing of matras, praises and other forms of mantra elaborations about a deity.
Mantra Yoga deals with meditation of each and every single syllable of uttered letter of Mantra with repetition. Mantra definition classically has been “Mananaat Traayate Iti Mantraha”- That which liberates you from mind or that which liberates you with remembrance.
To put it simply, Mantra Yoga is the mother and Kirtan is its famous child. Makes sesnse?
Read on ahead for a little more of details on few aspects relating Kirtan.
Kirtan has revolutionised the music industry of late with the WEST adopting the eternal Indian meditative singing style of different types of Mantras, Praises and varying stances of conversation with the divine. The accompanying elevated state of consciousness is called as Bhāva (Altered state of consciousness usually accessed by meditative practice). This is why it gets addictive to be in the space of a satsang as people from different walks of life come together and leave behind their individual selves to unite in the community consciousness.
When one accesses a different state of consciousness of various Gods and Goddesses, the energy exchange usually occurs with states as listed in Natyashastra and a corresponding inculcation of Mood.
Now, we are interlacing Nātyasāstra with the meditation practice of Mantras. YES and this is how Indian Civilization has thrived by combining the material science with spirit world, always.
Bharata Muni enunciated the eight Rasas in the Nātyasāstra, an ancient Sanskrit text of Dramatics and other performance arts, written between 200 BC and 200 AD. In the Indian performing arts, a rasa is a sentiment or emotion evoked in each member of the audience by the art. The Natya Shastra mentions six rasa in one section, but in the dedicated section on rasa it states and discusses eight primary rasa. Each rasa, according to Nātyasāstra, has a presiding deity and a specific colour. There are 4 pairs of rasas. For instance, Hāsya arises out of Sringara.
The Aura or energetic bio field of a frightened person is black and the aura of an angry person is red. Below is the list of the rasas Bharata Muni established the following.
- Śṛṅgāraḥ (शृङ्गारः): Romance, Love, attractiveness. Presiding deity: Vishnu. Colour: light green (
- Hāsyam (हास्यं): Laughter, mirth, comedy. Presiding deity: Shiva. Colour: white
- Raudram (रौद्रं): Fury. Presiding deity: Shiva. Colour: red
- Kāruṇyam (कारुण्यं): Compassion, mercy. Presiding deity: Yama. Colour: grey
- Bībhatsam (बीभत्सं): Disgust, aversion. Presiding deity: Shiva. Colour: blue
- Bhayānakam (भयानकं): Horror, terror. Presiding deity: Yama. Colour: black
- Veeram (वीरं): Heroism. Presiding deity: Indra. Colour: saffron
- Adbhutam (अद्भुतं): Wonder, amazement. Presiding deity: Brahma. Colour: yellow
- Śāntam: Peace or tranquility. Presiding deity: Vishnu. Colour: perpetual white.
THE FLIP SIDE!
The flip side ( Is there one?) of Kirtan’s mass appeal being that there is a copy of some intrinsic parts of its origin and yet a compromise of an essential ingredient of the practice calls for corrections.
Authenticity of sound syllables are now being so badly flouted that the pronunciation of this divine language doesn’t sound like it should. One rule of thumb I would encourage you to remember is this:
Whoever may say that the feeling is important and not the pronunciation is only making their lack of effort, knowledge and expertise be conveniently covered up under the guise of ease.
Do NOT fall for it.
Make a little effort.
There are lots of channels nowadays by young spiritual aspirants from India who have carefully put together Kirtans, Mantras with its right pronunciation.
Check it out. Don’t settle for anglicized versions.
What could go so wrong, after all? If you ask...
For this, my friend, a little walk down the science of Sound is essential.
A sound of Sanskrit Mantra is not just made up and devoid of energetic implications.
Every Letter owing to its place of origin, pressure of breath and intention flows a different electric charge and it is physical and palpable.
Felt BY WHO, by the way?
Firstly, by your own instrument called BODY.
In it, all of the 78 organs.
In it, all of the 30 trillion cells found so far are documented in an average human body.
How each of these organs, cells and nuclei absorb, reflect and resonate, we shall find out in our other write up as it really requires many approaches to really begin understanding it.
And since five million pores on our body with approximately 20,000 on our face alone interact with all the 5 elements around, we are constantly changing our realities with our sounds and other inter-dependent factors.
Can you tell me an example?
GA is a word in Sanskrit made up of root – Ga kaara which has G (ग्) called Alpa Prāna; denoting time and destination. Something in movement. Pause here and write this down somewhere in a sheet of paper.
GHA is a word in sanskrit made up of root- Gh Kaara which has Gh (घ्) called Mahā Prāna; denoting Friction of two things and something that pierces through that friction. Write down this as well.
Etymologically, Gati, Gamanam , Gamyam etc are all words made from the first Ga- G (ग्) which will have implication of movement or destination and have a very mild and soft energetic implication.
Whereas, Ghantānaada, Ghatam etc have Gh Kaara Gh (घ्) kaara and imply something more strong vis a vis mild energy the earlier G kaara.
RESULT?
Your body chemistry which is sensitive to the inherent energy which is produced, tapped and turned on will create a similar structure of changes accordingly.
Also, the energy current juxtaposed as letters (varnas) making up the energy body of a deity will be different and sensitive.
Don’t be afraid of it.
BUT beware of it.
For example, if you hear next time someone recites the mantra of Bhagvati as Bagavati, know that it is NOT okay and definitely don’t learn from non authentic sources. There is a whole lot of alchemy involved than just feelings of floating higher.
For more information and systematized style of learning and adopting this science of Mantras, please visit and become a member of Mantradhwani community. It is hence world’s first online school of Mantra Science with an aim to streamline the science of mantras.