Gurbani Kirtan

kaur-1 · #1 (**permalink**) 29-Oct-2006, 22:58 PM

Quotes from Gurbani

The Sikh Guru gave huge importance to Kirtan and this can be concluded from the following Shabads.

On 107-8 Guruji says that illnesses of countless lives are eroded by singing Kirtan, thus:

Your humble servant, who obtains the Medicine of the Naam, is rid of the illnesses of countless lifetimes and incarnations.
So sing the Kirtan of the Lord’s Praises, day and night. This is the most fruitful occupation. ||3||

On page 178, Guruji says that mind becomes peaceful when Kirtan is sang -

Singing the Kirtan of His Praises, my mind has become peaceful;
the sins of countless incarnations have been washed away.
I have seen all the treasures within my own mind;
why should I now go out searching for them? ||2||

On Page 196, Guruji says, Kirtan can only be sung by good fortune, thus:

By great good fortune, the Kirtan of the Lord`s Praises are sung.
O Supreme Lord God, as You give, so do I receive. ||1||Pause||

On Page 199, the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji advices that Kirtan keeps the mind awake and alert:

Do only that, by which no filth or pollution shall stick to you.
Let your mind remain awake and aware, singing the Kirtan of the Lord`s Praises. ||1||Pause||

On page 208, Guruji tells us those whose hearts are alight with God, sing Kirtan:

Between the Lord and His Saint, there is no difference at all. Among hundreds of thousands and millions, there is scarcely one humble being.
Those whose hearts are illuminated by God, sing the Kirtan of His Praises night and day with their tongues. ||3||

Also on the same page, Guruji says that ‘Kirtan is my treasure’:

To sing the Kirtan of the Lord`s Praises is my treasure. ||1||Pause||
You are my delight, You are my praise. You are my beauty, You are my love.
O God, You are my hope and support. ||1||

On page 214 Guruji tell us that by singing Kirtan we will be saved, thus:

As the Guru has taught me, so have I spoken.
Says Nanak, listen, people: sing the Kirtan of the Lord`s Praises, and you shall be saved. ||4||1||158||

On page 297, Guruji tells us that even death is overcome by singing Kirtan:

One is saved from hell, suffering is destroyed, countless pains depart, death is overcome, and one escapes the Messenger of Death, by absorption in the Kirtan of the Lord`s Praises.
Fear departs, and one savors the Ambrosial Nectar, imbued with the Love of the Formless Lord.

'On page 322, Guruji says ‘lives of those who sing Kirtan are approved’, thus:

Those who are attached to the hem of the Lord`s robe, do not suffer birth and death.
Those who remain awake to the Kirtan of the Lord`s Praises - their lives are approved.

Guruji on page 363 tell us by singing Kirtan, Naam (God’s remembrance) is instilled in the mind thus:

Without the Shabad, no one is approved.
Singing the Kirtan of the Lord`s Praises, the Naam abides within the mind.
He Himself gives His gifts, without hesitation. ||2||

Guruji on page 454 tell us that all sins and sorrows depart when Kirtan is sang:

Sing the Kirtan, the Praises of the Lord of the Universe, and all sins and sorrows shall depart.
Says Nanak, chant the Hymns of the Lord, the Lord of the Universe, O mind, and enshrine love for the Lord; love the Lord this way in your mind. ||1||

On Page 642, Guruji tells us that singing Kirtan is the ‘highest of all actions’ that we can perform:

Singing the Kirtan of the Lord`s Praises in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is the highest of all actions.
Says Nanak, he alone obtains it, who is pre-destined to receive it. ||8||

Guruji on Page 683 tell us clearly that ‘All desires, power, pleasure, joy and lasting bliss’ are found by singing Kirtan:

All desires, power, pleasure, joy and lasting bliss, are found by chanting the Naam, the Name of the Lord, and singing the Kirtan of His Praises.
That humble servant of the Lord, who has such karma pre-ordained by the Creator Lord, O Nanak - his efforts are brought to perfect fruition. ||2||20||51||

On page 1300, Guruji say by singing Kirtan, all Evil-mindedness is removed:

Whoever speaks and listens to the Kirtan of the Lord`s Praises is rid of evil-mindedness.
All hopes and desires, O Nanak, are fulfilled. ||2||1||12||

On Page 1337, Guruji advises us that singing Kirtan is equal to bathing at 68 sacred holy places, thus:

Listen, O mind: the Kirtan of the Lord`s Praises is equal to bathing at the sixty-eight sacred shrines of pilgrimage.
Listen, O mind: as Gurmukh, you shall be blessed with honor. ||1||

On page 1356, Guruji tell us how by singing Kirtan, the entire world and Pride, Attachment, Greed, Anger and Lust (PAGAL, the five thieves) are conquered, thus:

They walk fearlessly through the armies of their enemies; they attack them with the Kirtan of God`s Praises.
They conquer the entire world, O Nanak, and overpower the five thieves. ||29||

And finally, on page 1075-6 Guruji tell us that in this era of the ‘Kal Juug’ Kirtan is supreme, thus:

In this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, the singing of Kirtan (Lord’s Praises) is the most dominating force.
Become Gurmukh, chant and focus your meditation.
You shall save yourself, and save all your generations as well. You shall go to the Court of the Lord with honor. ||6||

Source:Kirtan
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/sikh-gurus/14456-gurbani-kirtan.html
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=14456

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kaur-1 · #2 (**permalink**) 16-Mar-2007, 04:00 AM

Source:Amrit Keertan Gutka ::Page:SearchGurbani.com

KIRTAN ~ 'A SECRET PASSAGE TO THE SOUL'
Specific sounds and mantras are collectively chanted to music, guiding the awareness inward. The repetition of these chants (mantras) vitalize the pranic energy (life-force) in the breath, illuminating the passage to the Soul. Experience the transformation of 'Sound to Light' - 'Breath to Soul'.

Amrit Kirtan is a collection of verses from Sri Guru Granth Sahib traditionally sung in the Sikh congregations. The poetry of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib is worthy of the highest consideration in singing the hymns. Music forms the basis of the rhythms and classification of the hymns of Sri Guru Granth Sahib. They follow a definite metrical system called raags. A raag in Indian classical music means a pattern of melodic notes. This form is not only used to preserve the originality of the composition, as the poetry written in this form is difficult to imitate, but more so to provide the divine experience through the medium of music and the sounds of God’s creation. The total number of ragas is 31. The gurus themselves invented some of those. Under each Raag, the hymns are arranged in different meters as Chaupadas and Ashtapadas; long poems include Chhands, Vars, and Bhagat verses.

An outstanding feature of the Guru Granth is the rescission and beauty of its prosody. Whilst a great deal of it is cast in traditional verse forms (e.g. shlokas and paudis), and could best be understood in the context of the well-known classical raags, several hymns and songs make use of popular folklore and meters (e.g. alahanis, ghoris, chands, etc.). The inner and integral relationship between music and verse has been maintained with scholarly rectitude and concern. The complete musicalization of thought was accomplished in a scientific and scholarly manner so that it makes for the unusually vigorous yet supple discipline of the Granth's own metrics and notations.

Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=14456
The Guru Granth verses are often sung in a process known as kirtan. In this process true meaning is revealed directly to the Surat (consciousness and awareness) through cosmic vibrations. The body’s energetic vibrations from our voices bond us to the spiritual light of universal intelligence. As we chant the Granth’s verses the universe speaks to us in metaphoric images. The physical body of the singer experiences the essence of each word through the lightening energy in the brain and the calming vibrations in the body, all caused by the sound currents. They keep the mind to stay focused on the Word. They heal the physical body and cleanse inner thoughts. The sound waves of the Gurmat Raags connect the mind, body, and spirit by alignment of the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual entities. They implant in the psyche the basis for both spiritual and mental growth. To see a Sikh congregation chant the sacred hymns in unison is to see massed spiritual energy bubble before your eyes. This is how the ordinary words change into the logos and become auspicious.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=14456

A unique feature of much of the Sikh music lies in the fact that the texts therein present the teachings of the Gurus and a large number were composed simultaneously with the music. This dignified expression of faith comes out in its full impact in the gurdwara where its import and message may be fully realized by a devoted adherent to the faith. Even those who have no knowledge of the Sikh religion are impressed with the fresh and vital sounds of this music. Retention of the purity of form in performance as set down by the Gurus more than 400 years ago makes possible this remarkable impact today.
In the congregation, kirtan only of Gurbani (Guru Granth’s or Guru Gobind Singh’s hymns) and, for its elaboration, of the compositions of Bhai Gurdas and Bhai Nand Lal, may be performed.

It is improper, while singing hymns to rhythmic folk tunes or to traditional musical measures, or in team singing, to induct into them improvised and extraneous refrains. Only a line from the hymn should be a refrain.

Guru Angad Dev Ji empasized the importance of Keertan in one's life in the following words:

" Har keertan sune, Har keertan gaave. Tis jan dookh, nikat na aave."

Thus Keertan becomes a medium or path which would eventually lead you to meet God

Introduction by Bhai Harbans Lal, PhD., D.Litt (hons)

More on Keertan