Singing with Feeling
Posted by iskconklnews on June 19, 2009
By Vaijayanthimala devi dasi
Srimad Bhagavatam 12.12.50 declares,
tad eva ramyam ruciram navam navam
tad eva shasvan manaso mahotsavam
tad eva shokaarnava-shoshanam nrnaam
yad uttamahshloka-yasho ’nugiyate
“Those words describing the glories of the all-famous Personality of Godhead are attractive, relishable and ever fresh. Indeed, such words are a perpetual festival for the mind, and they dry up the ocean of misery.”
The real meaning of ‘navam navam’ – ‘newer and newer and ever fresh‘ can be experienced when we listen to our beloved Guru Maharaj singing ‘Jaya Radha Madhava….’ and explaining the same in newer and newer ways, all very practical to our lives. We, in Abudhabi were really fortunate to have this experience in May 2009 during the visit of Maharaj. I shall summarize a few of the points spoken by Maharaj while singing Jaya Radha Madhava…
The Best Pranayama Exercise:
Srimad Bhagavatam in 3.28.9 instructs that the yogis should clear the passage of vital air by pranayama – praanasya shodhayen maargam. This is very effectively done by singing ‘jaya radha maadhaava. The more we sing this , the more the passage becomes clear. This pranayama exercise is meant for steadying our mind. Especially the students, should try to lovingly sing ‘jaya radha maadhava’. For study, steady mind is required.
Sing with Bhaava:
Krishna is called ‘bhaava graahi janaardana’. The best line for bhaava is ‘jaya gopi jana vallabha…’ Don’t sing for the sake of singing. Add some devotion to it. That makes it perfect. Srimad Bhagavatam says in 12.13.1:
yam brahmaa varunendra-rudra-marutah stunvanti divyaih stavair
vedaih saanga-pada-kramopanishadair gaayanti yam saama-gaah
dhyaanaavasthita-tad-gatena manasaa pashyanti yam yogino
yasyaantam na viduh suraasura-ganaa devaaya tasmai namah
Suta Gosvami said: “Unto that personality whom Brahmaa, Varuna, Indra, Rudra and the Maruts praise by chanting transcendental hymns and reciting the Vedas with all their corollaries, pada-kramas and Upanisads, to whom the chanters of the Saama Veda always sing, whom the perfected yogis see within their minds after fixing themselves in trance and absorbing themselves within Him, and whose limit can never be found by any demigod or demon—unto that Supreme Personality of Godhead I offer my humble obeisances.”
If great personalities like Lord Brahma and Shiva are singing His glories with great devotion, who are we? Hence we should learn to sing with bhaava. This is the way to be peaceful. The whole Bhagavatham is included here. Srimad Bhagavatam is to steady the mind. That is why it is constantly reminding us about the temporary, flickering nature of the material world and the necessity of detachment. This understanding gives us the bhaava.
Everyone must have his or her own pair of kartals as far as possible. Just sing ‘Jaya Radha Maadhava..’ and it is pranayama. Don’t take revenge on kartals. It should only support our singing. Bhaava is very important and not kartal.
Always Walk Please:
Lord Krishna is ‘vraja jana ranjana’. Those who walk, the Lord enjoys. At the moment, there is no walking at all. The more you walk, the more you will be alright for devotional service. Too much of vehicles destroys. The so called material advancement is a stumbling block for spiritual progress. To the minimum extent we may take it. To the maximum extent, austerity must be there. Then we may have a glimpse of Radha Krishna. Otherwise we are singing for ritual and we are cheating. This is ‘jugupsitam’- completely condemned. We think we are performing spiritual activity but it is ‘mahaan vyatikramah’ – we are crossing over our acharyas. Bhaava must be there. When are you going to cultivate the bhaava? Since the last so many years we are hearing that the material world is flickering and temporary. Even now our mind is completely diverted to the material things. Here and there for entertainment we come here, take prasadam and go.
Be Sane Regarding Eating:
Where ‘bhaava’ is there, we do not require material things to be poured in to our stomach. Because ‘bhaava’ is not there, we have too much bhaava in eating and we are stuffing so many things. Maintenance of the body does not require much. Be very sane regarding eating. Otherwise disease is the result, Particularly breads and sandwiches should be avoided. Please avoid so far as possible white or brown bread. Both of them are sisters. Idli is much better because it is boiled and not fried. Too much cooking in oil should be avoided. Banish bread from your life. After all it is all maida. If you really want something instead of bread, coarse flour is available and that should be taken instead. Better to starve than to stuff. Those who do not eat, they do not die. Those who eat, they die. So if you do not want to die, do not eat. When you are really hungry put something in. As the age advances, the vaishvaanara fire in the stomach will be getting slow (manda). To increase this vaishvaanara fire, we should use ginger powder. But on one side we have to stop eating and put ginger powder. Thus the fire is rekindled. Very little food is required for maintenance. Don’t fill up the stomach too much. That is the clue to singing this bhajan with bhaava. These are all interrelated things. Because we are not following these things, bhaava is not there, and because bhaava is absent, reciprocation is not there. That is why we do not have any taste for Krishna. Because we do not have taste, we are running after glass pieces. We can never define Krishna with material terms. He has to be experienced in the singing of ‘jaya radhaa madhava…’
Best Charity is of Correct Knowledge:
Our devotional service should be increased and the outside manifestation of devotional service should be loud speech in the form of preaching. Everything is available and even then we feel something is lacking. Nothing satisfies us here and nothing can satisfy us. The feeling of lacking is because we have chosen money as the target of our life. We have to do limited prayas (endeavour) for material things. Please be serious about the spiritual matters. The unknown domain nobody has seen and we have to fully depend upon Srimad Bhagvatam to have some idea. It has to be experienced and seriousness in sadhana is in our control. Apart from this it depends upon our bhaava and everyone has to try. Otherwise we are destroying ourselves. Be on a strong foundation of Krishna consciousness. Bhagavad gita must be in our throats and Srimad Bhagavatam should be tied to our neck. Tie at least if you do not read. We get everything from these two scriptures. And they are enough. Don’t divert your attention to too many scriptures.The less you get diverted by other scriptures, the more you understand. Follow the four regulative principles and the chanting of 16 minimum rounds and you will win.
This lyric is the best for those who are sick and we are all sick. Pranayama is also there and Krishna smaran is also there.
Thank you very much.
Yours in the service of Srila Prabhupada and Gurudev,
Vaijayanthimala devi dasi
Abudhabi.
