Along with the obstacles, there will also be certain forces that will assist you. Whatever worldly difficulties might obstruct your path, the best positive or auxiliary force is kiirtana. Kiirtana helps a devotee to accelerate the speed towards the hub of the Universe. Kiirtana will help you in all circumstances, if any mental trouble arises, kiirtana will help you. 1 Kiirtana leads (people) on the path of welfare and frees them from all these complexities. It removes all the diseases of the intellect and allows people to think easily and in a proper way.3
One must do kiirtana not only to surmount physical afflictions, but psychic and spiritual afflictions. By kiirtana, you will always feel that you are not an insignificant creature, you are not inferior or low. Kiirtana will always remind you that you are the affectionate children of the Supreme.1
Moreover, those people doing kiirtana are the devotees of the lord, and they have already placed a throne for Parama Purusha in their hearts. So, when there is kiirtana, Parama Purusha immediately comes to sit on the throne of their hearts. The divine seat, the universal hub of Parama Purusha is shifted there. That spot becomes the capital of Parama Purusa.2
At the place of kiirtana, not only the people who are themselves doing kiirtana will be benefited, but also those who are not participating – and even those who are not participating and who do not even like it – they will also be benefited!2 This synthetic movement towards the Supreme One will surely reduce the degree of complexity that has arisen from the constant conflicts and clashes in the society today.3
When people, due to psychic complexities, cannot find the solution to their difficulties and they are at a loss of what to do. If they sit together at any place and do kiirtana wholeheartedly for a while, their psychic complexities will be removed, and they will easily seize upon the solution to their problems. …if people do kiirtana sincerely and wholeheartedly even for five or ten minutes, Parama Purusha becomes pleased..3
If it is done mentally, then we call it japa. Why does kiirtana have to be vocalized? The science behind it is that when you do kiirtana loudly, your mind remains engaged. You cannot do anything else. At that time, it is not possible to abuse someone or to have a worldly conversation. …The vocal cords are busy…and the ears are hearing it…For this reason the rule of vocalizing kiirtana loudly makes it both heard and sung. Kiirtana is not done softly.5
…when the devotee does kiirtana, the mantra is a siddha mantra…(consecrated and infused with tremendous power), and eight syllables. ..as a result a certain environment is created, a special wave is created. Why is this wave produced? Each spiritual aspirant while doing kiirtana feels that a special wave is produced.The wave emanates from the nucleus of this environment. ..”O Narada I reside where my devotees do my kiirtana” In other words, “I go where my devotees do kiirtana, where they are creating the Hariparimandala.” This is why people get bliss from kiirtana. In kiirtana the mind becomes very elevated.6 Kiirtana should be sung loudly enough to be heard by others.7As the qualities of the Lord are endless, kiirtana is the best refuge of yours.4
The footnotes of each sentence or paragraph relate to the following discourses:
1 – Kiirtana – The Panacea for all Afflictions
2 – Kiirtana Dispels Calamities
3 – Serve the Supreme by Kiirtana
4 – The Glory of Kiirtana
5 – Always Do the Kiirtana of the Lord
6 – Wherever My Devotees Sing