25. "if we join the kīrtana of the blinded self-deceivers who are not anxious for their true well-being then surely we will not attain our own true well-being."

 


Kirtana is called saṅkīrtana when many people perform it together. But will it be worthy of the name saṅkīrtana if some worthless people, without any ardour for Śrī Bhagavān's service, come together to shout in unison? It will be true hari-saṅkīrtana when we join the saṅkīrtana of true devotees who are serving Śrī Bhagavān according to the principles established in the Vedas and allied śāstras. Contrastingly, it is not hari-saṅkīrtana when it is conducted for the prevention of the epidemics of cholera or pox, for prosperity in trade, for gain or for respect and fame. This kīrtana is māyā-kīrtana – chanting within the jurisdiction of the illusory potency.


As long as we do not join the perfect kṛṣṇa-kīrtana conducted by genuine devotees, maya will delude us in various ways. And if we join the kīrtana of the blinded self-deceivers who are not anxious for their true well-being then surely we will not attain our own true well-being. If we follow people who never receive instructions from the true Vaiṣṇavas but just imitate them by decorating their bodies with tulasī beads and other marks, and who shout out what appears to be names of God in external sound alone, we will not find śrī harināma-saṅkīrtana.


- by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda


Adapted from The Gaudiya Volume 23, Issue 10
by the Rays of The Harmonist team 


Rays of The Harmonist On-line, Year 1 & 14, Issue 1, "Śrī Nāma-saṅkīrtana", is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License to ensure that it is always freely available. You may redistribute this article if you include this license and attribute it to Rays of The Harmonist. Please ask for permission before using the Rays of The Harmonist banner-logo.


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