Different Forms of Kirtan

The power of kirtan is not only being increasingly recognised and embraced in the yoga community, but practitioners of other religious traditions are embracing it as well; creating new kirtan forms. What are some of these forms of kirtan and how is a kirtan practitioner to respond to them?

Within the Jewish tradition, we have the Kirtan Rabbi. He sings Hebrew Kirtan, which involves a weaving of traditional Jewish liturgy and musical modes with the call-and-response kirtan format as well as kirtan instrumentation. Kirtan Rabbai’s Hebrew kirtan uses the traditional call-and-response form – but utilises traditional Jewish modes of notation drawn from both European and Eastern sources.

Then there is Christian Kirtan, which is engaged in some churches to celebrate the service of Holy Communion. One way this practice differs from Hebrew kirtan is that it involves not only using the call-and-response format and instrumentation of kirtan, but also singing in Sanskrit. This is, Sanskrit versions of Christian prayers or Christian versions of Sanskrit prayers such as Jaya Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ (glory to Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ).

Within the Hindu and Yoga traditions, we find kirtans dedicated to numerous deities such as Kali, Hanuman, Ram, Krishna, and Shiva. Study of the Vedic literatures reveals, however, that kirtan is exclusively a limb of bhakti that stresses devotion to Krishna. In the Gita Krishna stresses the importance of kirtan by characterising his devotees as those who always do kirtana – “satatam kirtayanto mam” (Bhagavad-gita 9:14). Such statements have led to the development of kirtantheology and practice. In the statements of other Hindu deities such as Shiva, Durga, and Kali in Vedic literatures, such mention of kirtan as a means of worship is largely conspicuous by its absence. Nonetheless, although the scriptures endorse Krishna kirtan, the practice is so blissful and satisfying that other spiritual paths have adopted it to chant the names of Siva, Durga, Kali, and other deities. And now Jewish and Christian kirtan have emerged as well.

Personally, rather than composing my own chants, I prefer to sing mantras in glorification of Krishna as found in the scriptures, or, as written by great saints. Nonetheless, I acknowledge that whether in Sanskrit, or Hebrew, or any other language, the most important principle in kirtan is that Divine names are being glorified. The great spiritual teacher Srila Prabhupada stated, “Actually, it doesn’t matter – Krsna or Christ – the name is the same. The main point is to follow the injunctions of the Vedic scriptures that recommend chanting the name of God in this age” (Science of Self Realization, Chapter 4). And it is not only the Vedic tradition that recommends the chanting of the holy names of the Divine with musical instruments. In the Old Testament we find: “Praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals” (Psalms 150:4-5). Why not fulfil this injunction to praise the lord, through kirtan!