May 25, 1996 Leicester, U.K. Śrīla Gurudeva: Now I want to explain some teachings of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākura. He had given these teachings in his last days. He gave these teachings one day before his departure; during the evening. And on the next morning, he left this planet. He said, “I have given…
Srila Gurudeva: Why should we do kirtana? Why? Why? Kirtana is a process, but not only a process. If you are doing kirtana in a melodious tune and everybody is singing and praising you, “Very good, very good,” if it is only to collect honor for oneself, then the power of kirtana goes away. We should not do kirtana for any selfish reasons, especially for making money. We should especially not do kirtana to gather all kinds of honor from the audience. We should not do this. We should try to know the meaning of kirtana. Gauranga bolite ha’be pulaka sarira: “O Krsna, O Gurudeva, O Vaisnava Thakura, I want to weep when I am chanting your name.” But we are not weeping. Then what to do? Gauranga bolite ha’be pulaka sarira hari hari bolite nayane babe nira: “When I will chant, my heart will be melted. Tears will be coming, hair will be standing on end and our throat will be choked…
In merely singing and playing instruments one may be seeking one’s own sense gratification. It has therefore been prohibited. But in real kīrtana there is no question of seeking one’s own sense gratification. Through kīrtana we want to please the senses of Bhagavān. How will we do that? We cannot see or understand Bhagavān. What do the senses of Bhagavān need or desire? If we do not know the answer to this, then how will we ever be able to serve or please His senses? Can we gratify His senses simply with sweet melodies?