A book review of ‘The Yoga of Kirtan’ by Steven Rosen
I’ve just returned to my Himalayan retreat in Mussoorie from a wonderful short trip to Vrindavana, the earthly playground of Sri Krishna and His bhakta’s (devotees). While there I happened to meet up with Satyaraja das (Steven Rosen) a prodigious devotee writer and publisher whom I was in communication with 20 years ago when I was coordinating the music department at the Mayapur Gurukula in West Bengal four hours north of Calcutta. Somehow or other we lost contact, but I have been avidly following his progress as a prolific writer, editor, publisher and communicator of Vaishnavism and Gaudiya Vaishnava culture through his unique and brilliant biannual publication the ‘Journal of Vaishnava Studies’.
Apart from editing and publishing these brilliant compendiums by academic scholars, he’s published 22 books dealing with interfaith conversations, ‘Om Shalom’ – ‘East West Dialogue’ and with other various topical subjects such as, ‘Vegetarianism in World Religions – ‘The Reincarnation Controversy’- ‘Vedic Archeology’, as well as his well researched, readable and informative short summaries on the lives of Sri Chaitanya and other influential saints in the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition. In fact Satyaraja far excels other contemporary writers that deal with these fascinating subjects, not just by the vast range of pertinent topics that he covers, but also by the accessible manner with which he is able to convey complex theological and historical ideas to both students of religion, scholars and lay readers alike.
So I was excited to find out through my old friend Kiran that he was in Vrindavana on a rare visit from New York, as well as having copies of his latest books, ‘The Yoga of Kirtan’, ‘Holy Cow’ and a new edition of ‘Journal of Vaishnava Studies’. We had a wonderful long chat over refreshments in the MVT restaurant along with our mutual friend Kiran, about all sorts of fascinating subjects, especially his timely new publication on the rapidly expanding popularity of Kirtan in the Western yoga world.
‘The Yoga of Kirtan’, ‘Conversations on the Sacred Art of Chanting’, is a collection of interviews with some of the most prominent kirtan and devotional singers in the Western World of Yoga. Satyaraja manages to skillfully direct the interviews in a format that allows the twenty one singers to tell the very personal and revealing journeys that led them to become chanters and singers of sacred sound. By telling their individual stories we get to hear all the amazing and varied ways in which spiritual seekers interact with the divine presence. Some are mature adepts in their 50’s and 60’s and a few are younger, representing a new generation of children born to parents who adopted yogic practices in the 60’s and 70’s. Due to these fascinating personal and historical anecdotes the book oozes the wonderful quality of human warmth through a revealing honesty and humility that seems to pervade and unify all the twenty one approaches expressed here.
Most of these sacred singers have been influenced or connected to a variety of well known Gurus or Indian spiritual traditions. Eight of those interviewed have or had a direct connection with Iskcon and Srila Prabhupada; Six have been influenced by Neem Karoli Baba; One by Yogi Bhajan’s Kundalini Yoga and Sikhism; One with Rama Swami of the Himalayan Institute; Two with Osho; Two through Muktananda or Sri Mayi’s Kashmiri Shaivism; And one an exponent of modern Jewish Kabbala. Many have come from ethnic Jewish backgrounds, some of them religious the others not. A few have had Christian upbringings and the others atheistic, agnostic, bohemian or leftist political. And as mentioned before, four of those interviewed were born into modern yoga families. Some have spent long periods in India, studying spirituality and Indian music, both folk, devotional and classical. Others have come across Indian Kirtan or Bhajan chanting through the various Temples, Ashrams , Yoga schools and studios that now exist in every town of the western world. But this book focuses mainly on the American phenomena of kirtan profusion, and misses out quite a few European influences such as the popular ‘Goma’ in the UK who are followers of ‘Hedakhand Babaji’, and Prem Joshua from Germany.
What also makes the book interesting for me is that I have or have had a personal connection with about five of the singers. Vaiyasaki is an old friend and god brother from back in 77 on the library party in India and later in 79 when I also went to Bangladesh in search of ‘Raga Kirtan’. I met Karnamrita in Vrindavana through a mutual close connection with the late Vidhur Mallik and the rest of his wonderfully talented musical family. Miten and Deva Premal are exceptionally beautiful people and talented musicians, who I’ve met through another gifted English musician friend called Ravi and cooked for them on a few occasions. Havi das is another talented godbrother of mine who I know first from 78 when he came to Amsterdam to perform with his rock band at the Rathayatra festival that I organised there that year.
The other reason ‘The Yoga of kirtan’ makes a fascinating read is it’s timely appearance already mentioned earlier. I have been observing a definite trend in the worlds I inhabit over the last 15 years towards kirtan as a popular way of communing together on a spiritual platform. I am a musician and kirtaniya and have spent the last years performing and traveling to various alternative festivals in the Uk and have noticed bhajan circles, popping up all over the place. Indian chants and mantras seem to be more accessible and attractive than say, reciting Native American or Pagan incantations. Sanskrit names have a magical appeal that appears to transcend cultural boundaries, a principle that is attested to by all those interviewed. Another factor in the popularising of kirtan and mantra chanting is the incredible worldwide increase in Yoga practices in general. Yoga has become mainstream and many of those who are getting involved want to know more about the spiritual roots and philosophy behind this ancient science. India and Indian culture is now a very cool thing to be associated with, and many young people now go to India as gap year students and are more familiar and attracted to Yoga and Eastern spirituality.
Through the many illuminating conversations with Satyaraja we discover the central themes of grace and ego transcendence that come about through immersion in sacred sound. For the lead musician to be able to continually focus on sacred songs as a means to unite with God, a certain sensibility has to develop within the heart and mind, where the artist becomes an instrument of the mantra and allows the divine potency of the Holy Names to flow through them. And this purified state of spiritual consciousness is what all the singers mention as being at the crux of the successful kirtan experience, both for the leader of the chant and the participants. Jai Uttal sums it up beautifully with, “Kirtan is like a magnet, inviting and begging grace to enter our hearts and lives….We go into meditation without knowing we have gone into meditation, not even caring that we’ve going into meditation. Because the mind takes a backseat to the heart”.
The interview with Shyam das is most revealing and resolves many of the questions regarding Neem Karoli Baba’s role in the divine scheme of things. Most people know about Neen Karoli Baba through Ram das’s (Richard Alpert) books ‘Be Here Now’ and ‘Miracle of Love’, but Shyam das offers fresh insights into the Bhakti roots of this mysterious Vaishnava Siddha Avadhoot. Shyam das had powerful spiritual experiences connected with Maharaji that brought him to India, but instead of becoming part of the Neem Karoli gang in Vrindavana in the early seventies he got initiated into the Vallabha Sampradaya of Vaishnavism. Through years of living in Braj and studying both Vaishnava literature and music he is well placed to accurately ascertain Neem Karoli Baba’s mode of being and the cultural nuances surrounding his lifestyle. Maharaji, as his devotees call him, didn’t have a formalised teaching and therefor most of what we know about him is through Ram Das’s projections and interpretations as to what made him tick. But it obvious that he was a bhakta who worshiped the form and Name of God and was definitely not a follower of Shankara’s lineage of non dual Impersonal Advaita. Also Vrindavana was not only his spiritual home but is where he decided to leave his body, and the fact that he brought Bengali kirtaniyas from there to perform kirtan at his Ashram near Nainital is evidence enough. These styles of Bengali kirtan that Krishna das and Jai Uttal were exposed to around Maharaji in India are influences from the culture inaugurated 500 years ago by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. What is great news, is that most of Maharaji’s followers have a natural sense of bhakti even if they don’t have a philosophical interest or background in the subject, but I think that is going to develop as the Yuga Dharma of chanting the Holy Names of God becomes a universally shared perspective of communion with the divine, and the nectar of Radha Krishna Prema becomes the sought after jewel that all are really searching for.
The last interview with Vaiyasaki is the most informed and mature conversation in the book due to his years of research and training in Gaudiya Vaishnava philosophy and music at it’s roots in Bengal and Bangladesh. It shows through in the recordings represented in the accompanying cd as well. I think in a live or recording context Vaiyasaki’s exposition of kirtan or bhajan would be equally appreciated both by westerners and Indians, where as the other singers in my opinion although talented in many ways, have still not managed to capture the full subtleties of bhajan and kirtan styles that have developed in India over centuries. Vaiyasaki has spent a considerable amount of time to understand and practice the various elements involved in performing kirtan and I hope his authentic influence and style of kirtan spreads to the western world of yoga. But in the meantime there is now a huge swell of interest in the West, and that is what this book is indicative of. People of various musical and spiritual tastes are appreciating kirtan through different forms of individual expression and feeling the immense benefits and wonderfully transformative experiences that are felt through the recitation of the Holy Names as the most effective and sublime way to unite with God – The goal of all Yoga practices.
“The Yoga of Kirtan” by Steven Rosen on Folk Books, is must read for all those interested in Indian sacred sound in the Western Yoga scene and the contemporary spiritual quest for uniting with the divine.
Thank you Satyaraja Prabhu for keeping the world linked up to the Divine through your exemplary efforts in ‘The Yoga of Communication’.
Peace & Love
Mathura das
India, Review, Yoga, kirtan
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Advaita, bhajan, Chaitanya, Chanting, Deva Premal & Miten, Gaudiya, Gurus, Iskcon, Jai Uttal, kirtan, Krishna, Krishna das, Mayapur, Muktananda, Osho, Prabhupada, Ram das, Satyaraja, Vaishnavism, Vaiyasaki, Vegetarianism, Vrindavana, Yoga
that sounds like a wonderful reunion, Mathura…and timely too, in the light of your own book writing… I enjoyed the comments about kirtan, particularly “the mind taking a backseat to the heart…” one love from frosty Cornwall xx Kate
AH! Now it gets even more interesting! Only about a third of this review came through when I made my original comment. This sounds like a fascinating book, I think I shall buy it. I find when doing the Dances of Universal Peace that the Indian chants and mantras evoke a very moving response in the circle….By the way, my grandmother came from Nainital! Love from Kate (again!)
Hi Carol And Tarun,
Happy Diwali in advance!
I’ve only just checked my website messages and had a pleasant surprise to read your message.
I’ve been back in Mussoorie now for over a month and have been on and off here for the last 4-5 years.
I’ve been working on an autobiographical project ‘Between Worlds’ which still has a long way to go. I’ve also just completed a three year co-production music project with my friend Darren on ‘Sangita Sounds’ called ‘Ashirvad’ (Blessings),Here are all the links to my website/blog, and relevant pages for my new ASHIRVAD music project, which I think you’ll both like.
How are you both? My email is mathuradasji@gmail.com.
Peace & Love
Mathura das
Ashirvad Myspace
http://www.myspace.com/ashirvad108
Ashirvad Promo Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3g0ZZfIEmk
Sangita Sounds
http://www.sangitasounds.com/ashirvad
Bindoo Babas Myspace
http://www.myspace.com/bindoobabas