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Musical (Lectures)

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 1.13-14 -- London, July 14, 1973:

Pradyumna (leads chanting, etc.):

tataḥ śaṅkhāś ca bheryaś ca
paṇavānaka-gomukhāḥ
sahasaivābhyahanyanta
sa śabdas tumulo 'bhavat
(BG 1.13)

Translation: "After that, the conchshells, bugles, trumpets, drums and horns were all of a sudden sounded, and the combined sound was tumultuous."

Prabhupāda: So there are mention of various types of musical instruments. Those instruments are no longer in use. But different types of bugles, drums, kettledrums, as they use in modern days. So the same principle. By musical instruments, the soldiers are kept alive so they can fight nicely. Sa śabdas tumulo 'bhavat: "When simultaneously all the instruments were sounded, it become tumultuous."

Lecture on BG 2.59-69 -- New York, April 29, 1966:

There are so many programs that all the devotees, they are engaged fully. They see nicely decorated. If you want artistic decoration, just apply it to the Lord. See how artistically He's decorated. So that satisfies the demands of my eyes. In every temple nice musical sound is going on. If you there, you sit down for a time, and you hear, and you become satisfied. So the ear is satisfied. The eyes are satisfied. Then you take very nice, palatable, I mean to say, foodstuff, offered to the Deity, and you are offered the prasādam as remnants. So these arrangements are there.

Lecture on BG 4.8 -- Montreal, June 14, 1968:

If we follow these principles and try to understand it with all our knowledge, all our logic and argument, then our life is successful. Here is an opportunity the movement of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And it is very easy. You simply sit down. If you don't like to come to this temple, it doesn't matter. At, in your home only, you sit down with your friends, with your boyfriend or girlfriend or family members, children. Sit down and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. If you have got a nice musical instrument it is all right. Otherwise, God has given you these hands. You can clap, Hare Kṛṣṇa. Very easy. Just try it and you will understand everything gradually.

Lecture on BG 4.11 -- Geneva, June 1, 1974:

Those who have seen our temple, we worship Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa in jubilation. They are, along with the gopīs, playing the flute and many musical instruments, dancing. That is the definition given in the Vedānta-sūtra. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt, means "by nature jubilant." There is no moroseness. There is no unhappiness. That is the kingdom of God.

Lecture on BG 4.39-42 -- Los Angeles, January 14, 1969:

Guest: I'm new here. I've never been here before, so forgive me if my questions are naive. But if all it requires is chanting to be pure, then why do you require musical instruments, an altar, and flowers and things of this sort?

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Viṣṇujana: If all that is required is chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, why do we have the pictures and the clothes and the instruments and the altar and Lord Jagannātha?

Prabhupāda: Because we are personalist. We are not impersonal. This is spiritual varieties.

Lecture on BG 5.7-13 -- New York, August 27, 1966:

Just like we are working here. This is also work. We are reading. We are singing. This is also work, a sort of work. The same thing can be done in a club, in musical. But here the music is for ātma-śuddhaye, for purifying the soul. We are also eating, but for purifying the soul.

Lecture on BG 5.17-25 -- Los Angeles, February 8, 1969:

Vīrabhadra: But a snake, he doesn't have ears. The snake doesn't have ears.

Prabhupāda: Who says?

Vīrabhadra: A snake.

Prabhupāda: No, they have got very nice ear. Yes. You do not know. (laughter) The snake, there is a statement...The snake, they can hear very nicely. The snakes are charmed by nice musical sound. Yes. The snake charmer in India, they sing very nicely, flute, and the snake comes and... (laughter) Like this. Immediately. I have seen. And when he comes, then they have got methods to capture the snake.

Lecture on BG 6.1 -- Los Angeles, February 13, 1969:

Everything is there in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We want music, there is music. We want dancing, there is dancing. You can bring nice musical instruments, you can join. We distribute nice palatable dishes. So practically this is a system of recreation only. (laughter) Yes. If you seriously think, you'll find, this system, there is no labor at all. Simply recreation. Su-sukham (BG 9.2). That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā in the Ninth Chapter you'll find, su-sukham . Everything is pleasing and happy.

Lecture on BG 7.1-2 -- Bombay, March 28, 1971:

Kīrtana does not mean that with musical sound we chant and dance. Kīrtana means describing about the glories of the Lord, kīrtanam. And kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ. Harer nāma. The śāstra says, harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21). Of course, Hari, or Kṛṣṇa, or Viṣṇu, has got many thousands of names. Any name will be profitable. That doesn't matter. But because we have to follow the footsteps of great personalities, great devotees, therefore, as we are following the footsteps of Lord Caitanya. He chanted the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. So by this chanting, immediately, as soon as the chanting is offenseless, immediately we shall remember Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on BG 9.1 -- Vrndavana, April 17, 1975:

We can see so many magazines—technical, musical and cinema and ordinary news and so many editions of every newspaper in every city. So this is a fact. Śrotavyādīni rājendra nṛṇāṁ santi sahasraśaḥ (SB 2.1.2). Sahasraśaḥ means thousands and thousands and thousands. Why they are busy with so many newspapers, and why they are not interested in hearing Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam? Because apaśyatām ātma-tattvam; (SB 2.1.2) "They do not know that the real purpose of life is to understand ātma-tattva."

Lecture on BG 9.2-5 -- New York, November 23, 1966:

This devotional service is not very unpleasant. It is very pleasant. You very melodiously sing with instruments, and somebody will participate in hearing, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ. Of course, it must be in relationship with the Supreme Lord. Not ordinary music. We take the advantage of musical science. But we don't sing any ordinary song. We glorify the Supreme Lord. But we enjoy. Therefore it is happy.

Lecture on BG 9.27-29 -- New York, December 19, 1966:

The beginning of bhakti, or devotional service, is to hear, is to chant and hear. Unless there is chanting, there is no question of hearing. Hear means somebody must be chanting. Either we chant with musical sound or we chant by lectures of Bhagavad-gītā, this is all chanting. And the others, they are hearing. So this hearing and chanting is the beginning of bhakti, or devotional service.

Lecture on BG 10.2-3 -- New York, January 1, 1967:

We chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and eat kṛṣṇa-prasāda and study Bhagavad-gītā philosophy, hear nice musical sounds. Is it very difficult? Is it very difficult? Not at all. So by this process you'll be asammūḍhaḥ. Nobody can cheat you. But if you want to be cheated there are so many cheaters. So don't make a cheater and cheated society. Just follow the paramparā system as it is prescribed in the Vedic literature, as it is recommended by Kṛṣṇa. Try to understand it from the authoritative source and try to apply it in your life.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.5.11 -- New Vrindaban, June 10, 1969:

In every language there are rules and regulations for composing poetry or prose, grammatical, rhetorical. So even such knowledge, even without such knowledge, pada-cāturyaṁ bhagavad-yaśaḥ-pradhānam. Just like we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. So we are not training our students any way about musical science, that "We have to chant in this way or that way, we have to dance in this way or that way." Without any musical knowledge, without any poetic understanding, even a child can take part in it, and he becomes immediately absorbed in ecstasy. Why? This is because we are chanting the glories of the Lord.

So it does not require any artificial musical knowledge or dancing knowledge. Out of your own ecstasy, you will dance, you'll chant. You don't require to study.

Lecture on SB 1.5.14 -- New Vrindaban, June 18, 1969:

What I am speaking before you from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or Bhagavad-gītā, that is also chanting. This is also kīrtana. Kīrtana means describing. So you can describe the glories of the Lord either by musical instruments or by chant, singing, or you can describe the glories of the Lord by reading from authoritative scripture. Both of them are called kīrtana.

Lecture on SB 1.15.40 -- Los Angeles, December 18, 1973:

Similarly, the deer, when the hunter wants to kill them, he plays very nice flute, and... They are very fond of hearing musical sound. They stand, and the hunter kills. So one is losing for ear, one is losing for smelling, another for sight seeing, sight seeing. We have seen the insects. When there is fire, thousands of insects will fall and die. What is that? Sight-seeing. "Oh, very beautiful fire." Fall down.

So we have got all these senses, and each of us, each, every one of us living entities, we are being victim of these material laws, being captivated by one sense or other.

Lecture on SB 2.3.22 -- Los Angeles, June 19, 1972:

Only attention engaged in the service of the Lord, especially in dressing and decorating the temple, accompanied by musical kīrtana and spiritual instructions from scriptures, can save the common man from the hellish cinema attractions and rubbish sex-songs broadcast everywhere by radios.

Lecture on SB 3.28.18 -- Nairobi, October 27, 1975:

We are talking about Kṛṣṇa, reading about Kṛṣṇa, reading Kṛṣṇa's instruction in the Bhagavad-gītā or reading Kṛṣṇa's glories in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. They are all kīrtana. It is not that simply when we sing with musical instruments, that is kīrtana. No. Anything you talk about Kṛṣṇa, that is kīrtan.

Lecture on SB 5.5.5 -- Stockholm, September 10, 1973:

So unless one becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, he is doomed. So many senses. Tongue is taking him to the hotel, ear is taking to the musical, and eyes is taking, the beautiful things to see. In this way we are embarrassed in so many ways.

Lecture on SB 5.5.30 -- Vrndavana, November 17, 1976:

So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement should be pushed on very humbly.

tṛṇād api sunīcena
taror api sahiṣṇunā
amāninā mānadena
kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ
(CC Adi 17.31)

Kīrtanīya. This preaching means kīrtana, not that simply with mṛdaṅga we can have musical kīrtana. No. Preaching is also kīrtana. Abhavad vaiyāsaki-kīrtane. Vaiyāsaki, the son of Vyāsadeva, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, he simply described Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and became perfect. Abhavad vaiyāsaki-kīrtane. Śrī-viṣṇu-śravaṇe parīkṣit. Parīkṣit Mahārāja simply listened; he became perfect. And Śukadeva Gosvāmī simply described. That is also kīrtana. So this is also kīrtana.

Lecture on SB 6.1.22 -- Indore, December 13, 1970:

So that boy, he was to immediately offer his service to join us. "We can join you if you flatter me. Whatever I know, if you accept, that's all, then I can. And if you say something against my conviction, oh, then I am not going to join." But here the process is, first is, you first surrender. Whatever you know, nonsense, you give it up. First of all become blank slate. So I was told by some authority, a very responsible man, that in Germany there are musical institution. So when a student who goes there who knows something about musical art, he is charged more. Is it a fact? He is charged more. He is charged more because extra endeavor has to be done to make him forget what nonsense he has learned.

Lecture on SB 6.1.32 -- Surat, December 16, 1970:

Then to become such spiritually advanced, is it very difficult task? No. Su-sukham: very easy and very happy. How it is happy? Happy because this spiritual consciousness is developed by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. That is very pleasing. With music, with musical instrument we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. There is no trouble. Even a child can take part, experience. A child also claps; he also dances. So what can be easier method than this? Any other method you take, you have to exercise, you have to tax your brain, press your nose, or so many other things. But here automatically you chant before ārātrika and you become spiritually enlightened. Even the child becomes. Therefore it is susukham, very happy to execute.

Lecture on SB 7.9.43 -- Visakhapatnam, February 22, 1972:

Kīrtanam means to describe or to sing the glorious activities of the Lord, that is called kīrtanam. Kīrtanam does not mean always that we have to chant or sing with musical instrument. I am speaking to you Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, this is also kīrtanam. So we have to accept this principle, kīrtanam, always. This kīrtanam is mentioned in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Every one of us, never mind, this happiness is already fixed up. When you are born in this family, your standard of happiness is already fixed up. Don't bother. The time which you have got, valuable time, save it for becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is required.

General Lectures

Speech to Maharaja and Maharani and Conversations Before and After -- Indore, December 11, 1970:

Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is so nice that we can please both classes of men, the dhīras and the adhīras. Anyone we invite. I have spread this movement not restricting them, that "You can enter in my class after being qualified." No. Whatever you are, come. Dhīrādhīra. You come, chant, have musical instruments, plays, enjoy, dance, take prasādam and go home. And if you like, you read literatures, if you are intelligent. So everything was given to them. And they are American boys and girls. They are intelligent, qualified. So they are coming.

Speech to Maharaja and Maharani and Conversations Before and After -- Indore, December 11, 1970:

Prabhupāda: If that kind of mṛdaṅga can be purchased, you find out. That's very nice.

Revatīnandana: They have to be brought from Calcutta.

Prabhupāda: No, the mṛdaṅga which you played.

Revatīnandana: Yes, I know.

Prabhupāda: They're from Calcutta?

Revatīnandana: That's what it says.

Haṁsadūta: It's a very nice drum.

Prabhupāda: Calcutta, there are many good manufacturers of musical instruments. Bengal is famous for music and hair.

Lecture -- Hong Kong, January 31, 1974:

There is tendency for dancing, for chanting, for singing. They are holding ball dances, and musical instruments. The same thing we are propagating—chant and dance Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. This is satisfaction. This is satisfaction. Our movement is not dry. We are simply asking people, "Chant, dance, eat nice foodstuffs, take prasādam and go home." It is not dry, because the same tendency is there. Everyone goes to the hotel, everyone goes to the nightclub, eats sumptuously and dances with musical instruments, enjoys the same thing—but in connection with Kṛṣṇa. You take prasādam, you chant, you dance and enjoy life, but in connection with Kṛṣṇa. Then it is successful. Your life is successful.

Lecture After Play -- Mayapur, April 6, 1975:

By Caitanya Mahāprabhu's personal example we can see that there was a dancing and musical play by women in the Jagannātha temple. Of course, ordinary visitors, they can see, but sannyāsīs or brahmacārīs, they are strictly prohibited. So when the music was going on, Caitanya Mahāprabhu became very ecstatic, that "Such a nice music is coming from Jagannātha temple. Let Me go and see." Then His personal servant Govinda prohibited Him, "Sir, these songs are from woman." "Oh? It is from woman? Govinda, you have saved My life." (laughter) So sannyāsīs and brahmacārīs are strictly prohibited to hear or to see dancing woman.

Purports to Songs

Spelling of Prayers to the Six Gosvamis -- Los Angeles, December 26, 1968:

Kṛṣṇotkīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau premāmṛtāmbho-nidhī. The meaning: kṛṣṇotkīrtena, "loudly chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa," kṛṣṇotkīrtana-gāna, "in musical sound, in songs, with music," kṛṣṇotkīrtana-gāna-nartana, nartana means "dancing, chanting and dancing," parau, "always engaged,"

Page Title:Musical (Lectures)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Rishab
Created:24 of Jun, 2010
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=28, Con=0, Let=0
No. of Quotes:28