Kirtaniyah sada hari

First of all I would like to offer a lot of gratitude to a dear friend of mine: Rashi. It was her brilliant idea that I start a blog chronicalling all my adventures, experiences and thoughts while I am here in Mayapur. She was telling me that this would be a great medium for me to jot down all my thoughts and at the same time it would save me time because I wouldn't have to e-mail a million people this way. Truth be told, at that time what appealed to me the most was the reduced e-mailing time it would take! But now, I see that writing everyday is really the best thing I can do. As Srila Prabhupada once said, "Everyday, just write."

So at that time when I was trying to figure out what title I should give my blog, this verse came to mind "kirtaniyah sada hari." Why did I chose it? Probably because I love to sing and participate in kirtan so much. It's the best way to constantly chant the holy names. But what does "kirtaniyah sada hari" actually mean? Due to the mercy of all of our teachers at Mayapur Academy I'm starting to get a glimpse of the true purport of this popular verse.

One thing that struck me during one of the first discussions we had on the verse trnda api sunicena was the fact that HG Adi Purusa Prabhu said, "Note, that Mahaprabhu did not just say kirtaniyah sada hari but instead he qualified it with four characteristics." Interesting no? Lord Caitanya could have easily JUST instructed that one continuously chant the holy names of the Lord. But he didn't.

So what does that mean? It means that trnad api sunicena taror iva sahishnuna amanina manadena is the starting point. These four qualities of humility, tolerance, pridelessness and offering all respects to others are the foundation that needs to be built. Or else how can one even THINK of beginning to chant the holy names of the Lord continuously. Of course we can "think" of wanting to chant the holy names continuously, but as it so happens there are so many other material desires and issues that tend to creep in and that wonderful desire can get buried under a huge pile of other desires.

So it all begins with humility. Ahhh...that illusive quality that I just can't seem to get a grasp of! LOL! What does one think of when we hear the word humility? The funny thing is that every devotee will have a different definition depending on their nature, their level of advancement and also by how much they have read. Over numerous years now I've heard so many definitions (all of them correct) but nothing I could tangibly understand. Why do I say that? Well if I understood it, then there should be some observable change. But nope. I'm still just as proud and not humble as I've ever been.

However, there is hope! Recently I just heard a definition of humility that HG Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami gives: trnda api sunicena actually means aham brahmasmi. Or translated, humility means to know that I am spirt. The key word being know, which indicates realized knowledge NOT just theoretical knowledge.

But what does knowing I am spirit do to one so that they become humble? Well, if I realize that I am a spirit soul then I actually have nothing to be proud of. Why? Well if I am spirit, why would I be proud of anything material since it is inferior to spirit. That is in actuality what I am proud of when I am in my current stage of identifying with the body. Some material prestige, name, fame, the list can go on and on. So true humility can be summed by not identifying and seeking praise for something that I am not (i.e. matter).

Naturally with humility comes pridelessness, tolerance and giving all respects to others (because they are also spirit souls). So this is the platform on which I can hope to chant the holy names of the Lord constantly. But if I keep letting my ego get in the way which is trying to convince me that "I am this body and that this body deserves respect" then where is there room for Krishna?

Kirtaniyah sada hari is the ultimate goal. One needs to have intense greed and desire to work on this foundation of humility so that when the holy name constantly dances on our tongue, we'll have a foundation that's strong enough to support it.