Vaishnava Kirtan or congregational chanting and singing of devotional melodies that exalt and honor the Supreme Lord, particularly Lord Krishna and Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, is a happy and spiritually uplifting Vaishnava traditional activity. Devotees gather to chant the Holy Names and experience the ecstasy of divine love throughout this practice, which is a lively and soul-stirring manifestation of devotion.
Vaishnava Padavali – The songs composed by the 44 Acharyas are not ordinary songs. When these are pronounced by pure Vaishnavas. Then they are actually effective in awakening the dormant Krsna consciousness in every living being.
Kirtan and yoga are spiritual practices that originated in the mystic East. In fact, kirtan - singing for the Divine - is a form of yoga that engages the heart, evoking emotion and joy. The Yoga of Kirtan will introduce readers, many for the first time, to this blissful yogic tradition. Here we learn of kirtan's history and origins, its different musical forms,and the instruments used in its performance. But, most importantly, in The Yoga of Kirtan we hear the voices of kirtan yogis from ages past. They reach out to us through the hearts and minds of their present-day representatives, such as Krishna Das, Jai Uttal, Deva Premal and Miten, Snatam Kaur, Vaiyasaki Das, Ragani and David Newman, among others. Through the insights of these modern-day chanters, we get a peek into the ecstasy of the chanting process. By allowing us to eavesdrop on their intimate conversations with Vaishnava scholar Steven Rosen, they unlock the mysteries of this age-old yogic tradition, helping us to see why chanting is indeed yoga and how easy and pleasurable it is to perform.
A free ebook version of this title is available through Luminos, University of California Press’s new open access publishing program for monographs. Visit www.luminosoa.org to learn more. Hindu devotional traditions have long been recognized for their sacred geographies as well as the sensuous aspects of their devotees' experiences. Largely overlooked, however, are the subtle links between these religious expressions. Based on intensive fieldwork conducted among worshippers in Bengal’s Navadvip-Mayapur sacred complex, this book discusses the diverse and contrasting ways in which Bengal-Vaishnava devotees experience sacred geography and divinity. Sukanya Sarbadhikary documents an extensive range of practices, which draw on the interactions of mind, body, and viscera. She shows how perspectives on religion, embodiment, affect, and space are enriched when sacred spatialities of internal and external forms are studied at once.
“Dwadash Alwar” by Sarvasakshi Dasa is an enlightening English book that delves into the lives and teachings of the twelve revered Alwar saints of South India. Through captivating narratives, it unveils their profound devotion to Lord Vishnu and the impact of their hymns on Hindu Bhakti tradition. This book offers readers a deeper understanding of these spiritual luminaries and their timeless contributions.
