“Kirtanam actually means ‘describing.’ We can describe with music, words, pictures, etc. Shravanam goes hand in hand with kirtanam, for unless we hear, we cannot describe. We don’t need any material qualifications in order to attain the Supreme. All we have to do is hear from authoritative sources and repeat accurately what we hear.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Raja-vidya, Ch 4)

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If looking to immediately jump into the culture of bhakti-yoga, two particular processes stand out. These two processes are simple and simultaneously sufficient for achieving perfection in the path, as well. The two processes are described in Sanskrit by Prahlada Maharaja in Shrimad Bhagavatam.

The first is shravanam. This is hearing. Obviously, we cannot follow through on something new unless and until we have heard about it. But this is more than just a sales pitch, a billboard hanging outside a large building, or an advertisement in a magazine. Shravanam is about hearing the actual truth, tattva. This truth remains relevant across all periods of time and to every individual, no matter which stage of life they are in. The accompanying recommendation then makes sense: we should approach a tattva-darshi, someone who has seen the truth, in order to properly assimilate the knowledge.

तद् विद्धि प्रणिपातेन
परिप्रश्नेन सेवया
उपदेक्ष्यन्ति ते ज्ञानं
ज्ञानिनस् तत्त्व-दर्शिनः

tad viddhi praṇipātena
paripraśnena sevayā
upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ
jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ

“Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 4.34)

The second process is kirtanam. While typically understood as chanting, such as with mantras that can be sung to accompanying melodies, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada explains that kirtanam also means “to describe.” The promise is that there will be corresponding elevation in understanding what we have heard through shravanam. The elevation will take place through kirtanam.

We simply explain what we have heard, based on our own experiences. The mechanism for elevation is that through describing we will simultaneously reinforce the principles of tattva. We will prove to ourselves that the teachings make sense, that they are not reserved for a theoretical discussion held between two esteemed colleagues at a higher institution of learning. The following review shows how a single person can quickly find relevancy of the basics, so to speak, of sanatana-dharma, as expressed in Bhagavad-gita.

1. The distant memory of childhood

“It was so long ago. It almost feels like it didn’t happen. I cannot recall the exact sequence of events on a given day. But I do remember how people made me feel, how I was happy in certain places and unhappy at other times. I was much smaller back then. Isn’t that crazy to think about? But I am the same person today. I have not changed. This means that the teaching about the changing body must be true.”

देहिनो ऽस्मिन् यथा देहे
कौमारं यौवनं जरा
तथा देहान्तर-प्राप्तिर्
धीरस् तत्र न मुह्यति

dehino ‘smin yathā dehe
kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā
tathā dehāntara-prāptir
dhīras tatra na muhyati

“As the embodied soul continually passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.13)

2. My anger from the wrong outcome

“You know, I am pretty upset this week. The team in a particular sport, representing our geographic region, is losing in one of the important events. I had gone years without watching. I guess I was happier then. Somehow, I heard one of the games on the radio recently and that renewed my interest. I guess it must be true that from engaging the senses we can develop attachment. That attachment is a kind of lust, and as soon as it goes unfulfilled a person becomes angry. That is how I feel right now.”

ध्यायतो विषयान्पुंसः सङ्गस्तेषूपजायते
सङ्गात्सञ्जायते कामः कामात्क्रोधोऽभिजायते

dhyāyato viṣayān puṁsaḥ
saṅgas teṣūpajāyate
saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ
kāmāt krodho ’bhijāyate

“While contemplating the objects of the senses, a person develops attachment for them, and from such attachment lust develops, and from lust anger arises.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.62)

3. My sudden misfortune

“Everything was going so well. I was really proud of myself. I did a good job at the place of employment. I went out of my way to make sure everyone was happy with my performance. But out of nowhere, they swept the rug out from underneath me, so to speak. I got laid off. They say it had nothing to do with me. It was simply a business decision, where they had to reduce costs. They randomly chose the people to let go. I guess this proves that I am really not the doer. I can try my best, but the outcomes are out of my control.”

प्रकृतेः क्रियमाणानि
गुणैः कर्माणि सर्वशः
अहङ्कार-विमूढात्मा
कर्ताहम् इति मन्यते

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni
guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ
ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā
kartāham iti manyate

“The bewildered spirit soul, under the influence of the three modes of material nature, thinks himself to be the doer of activities, which are in actuality carried out by nature.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 3.27)

4. My experience at work

“I noticed that at the place of employment, the boss applies the rules differently. There is one employee that he is always on top of. Reminding them to come in on time, start projects, rewrite emails, tweak presentations, and the like. Another employee is basically left alone. They are already responsible. They can show up late every now and then, but it is not a big deal. It is like the boss understands that this other employee has everything figured out. I think this proves that concept of the larger body of water. If we know the ultimate goal, of working with detachment and making everything a sacrifice [yajna] for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then we are already fulfilling the objectives of the smaller pieces of advice, which are the individual aspects of sadhana.”

यावानर्थ उदपाने सर्वतः सम्प्लुतोदके
तावान्सर्वेषु वेदेषु ब्राह्मणस्य विजानतः

yāvān artha uda-pāne
sarvataḥ samplutodake
tāvān sarveṣu vedeṣu
brāhmaṇasya vijānataḥ

“All purposes that are served by the small pond can at once be served by the great reservoirs of water. Similarly, all the purposes of the Vedas can be served to one who knows the purpose behind them.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.46)

5. My experience with the sun

“I was thinking about this the other day. The idea of competing versions of God. The one God for that particular religion. The other God worshiped in the neighboring establishment. This can never be valid, in truth. Just look at the sun in the sky. Is not the sun for everyone? The sun does not ask about religious affiliation. That would be ridiculous. God is like the highest sun. He is the original giver of light. It makes sense that He would be the greatest well-wishing friend and the ultimate enjoyer of sacrifice.”

भोक्तारं यज्ञ-तपसां
सर्व-लोक-महेश्वरम्
सुहृदं सर्व-भूतानां
ज्ञात्वा मां शान्तिम् ऋच्छति

bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ
sarva-loka-maheśvaram
suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ
jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati

“The sages, knowing Me as the ultimate purpose of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all planets and demigods and the benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities, attain peace from the pangs of material miseries.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 5.29)

In Closing:

For higher platform to attain,
Test of that knowledge to retain.

Then the principles just explain,
Based on experiences to gain.

Not difficult to do,
For novice and expert too.

How the body changing all the time,
Small ponds already in Krishna to find.

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