This is a live kirtan performance and teaching by Krishna Das recorded in 2023, where he leads participants through extended chanting sessions focused on devotional names and mantras—particularly honoring Hanuman as a symbol of grace and refuge. Krishna Das explains that kirtan is a practice of returning again and again to the inner flow of love, accessing grace through the voice and the heart, and that the love within us is our true nature. The session features multiple chanting rounds of mantras like "Hare Krishna" and prayers of refuge, punctuated by Krishna Das's brief teachings about the purpose of the practice.
What Is Kirtan and How Does It Work?
Kirtan is a participatory call-and-response form of devotional chanting rooted in Indian spiritual traditions. In this session, Krishna Das leads the assembled group through multiple rounds of sacred names and mantras, often repeating a single phrase or prayer over extended periods. The practice is communal—the teacher or leader chants a line, and the participants respond, creating a rhythmic, meditative loop.
Krishna Das explains the mechanics of kirtan as a practice of returning: "All we have to do is let go and come back again and again." This returning is not a failure or struggle but the core mechanism through which the practice works. Each time the mind wanders and the practitioner brings it back to the mantra, another layer of the heart opens. The repetition itself becomes the doorway.
Why Hanuman? Understanding Refuge in Devotional Practice
Early in the recording, Krishna Das teaches about the mantra "I take refuge. I go for shelter to the one who brings Ram to me, to the one who connects me to the flow of grace." This prayer is directed toward Hanuman, the figure in Hindu tradition known as the ultimate devotee of Rama.
Krishna Das describes Hanuman as representing "that flow of grace which is always flowing." Hanuman is not an external savior but a symbol of the channel or bridge through which grace naturally moves. By taking refuge in Hanuman—or rather, in what Hanuman represents—the practitioner is acknowledging a force of connection that is already present and operative. The language of shelter and refuge acknowledges human vulnerability and the need to surrender into something larger.
Crucially, Krishna Das emphasizes that this grace flow is not something to be earned or manufactured: "The love that lives within us is who we truly are." Hanuman represents the principle of access to that inner love, and the practice is learning to trust and open to it.
The Mantra as Gateway to Inner Bliss
During the session, Krishna Das shares an anecdote about singing to his guru, Maharaji (Neem Karoli Baba), using one of the chants featured in this kirtan. He recalls: "We used to sing that to Maharaji. He would literally roll around on the tucket like a baby... Gopala's baby Krishna... he was in absolute bliss, he was just rolling around like a baby." This memory is not sentimental nostalgia but a teaching about what happens when the mantra touches the heart genuinely.
The anecdote illustrates that the repetitive chanting of devotional names like "Krishna" can evoke a state of spontaneous joy and unguarded delight. When consciousness is engaged fully in the mantra, the protective layers of the self relax, and what Krishna Das witnessed in his guru was the unfiltered expression of that bliss. The implication for participants is that the same potential lives in their own practice—not as aspiration but as an unveiling of what is already there.
Returning Again and Again: The Core Practice
The structure of the two-hour-plus session reflects the teaching that kirtan is fundamentally about return. Krishna Das leads extended rounds of the same mantras and chants. The mind will drift, attention will waver, and the only instruction is to return to the sound, the breath, the heartbeat of the mantra. This is not monotony; it is the gradual deepening of a single point.
By staying with one chant for many minutes—sometimes for what appears to be thirty minutes or more in the recording—the thinking mind gradually subsides, and a different layer of consciousness becomes available. The repetition acts like a gentle persistently tapping on the door of the heart, until eventually, the door swings open. The "coming back again and again" is the prayer in action.
The Voice as Spiritual Tool
Kirtan harnesses the voice as a direct instrument of the heart. Unlike silent meditation, where thoughts and feelings are observed internally, in kirtan the practitioner is singing—using breath, tone, and body to express devotion. This engagement of the physical voice and breath is significant; it is difficult for the mind to wander into rumination when the mouth and breath are actively engaged in chanting.
The group voice amplifies this effect. The collective sound creates a field that supports the individual's practice and provides a living reminder that one is not alone in this seeking. The audience applause throughout the recording—heard between chanting segments—reflects the recognition and celebration of the practice itself.
Shelter as a Spiritual Metaphor
The language Krishna Das uses—"shelter," "refuge," "the love that lives within us"—points to a reframing of spiritual practice. It is not about becoming someone new or achieving a distant goal. Rather, it is about recognizing and returning to what is already the case: that love, grace, and the sacred are intrinsic to existence. The practice provides shelter from the "external world," not by denying the world but by reconnecting the practitioner to an inner ground that cannot be shaken by external circumstance.
This shelter is not escape; it is homecoming. The mantras and the chanting are the keys that unlock access to a refuge that has always been within reach.
Where to Go From Here
For those interested in exploring kirtan practice, Krishna Das continues to lead regular events and sessions. Visit krishnadas.com/events for upcoming gatherings, and sign up for the newsletter at krishnadas.com/sign-up to stay informed. The full session recorded here demonstrates the traditional call-and-response format, so listeners can practice chanting along or simply absorb the vibration and teaching. Begin with shorter sessions if extended chanting is new, and remember Krishna Das's core instruction: the practice is simply returning, again and again, to the mantra and the heart.
Transcript
[7:29] [Music]
[7:42] Hello. Let's come sit down. Krishna is
[7:46] ready in a couple of minutes. Okay.
[7:49] Where are you? Oh, over there.
[7:53] [Music]
[7:55] Heat.
[8:01] [Music]
[8:04] Heat.
[8:14] A
[8:18] [Music]
[8:34] heat.
[8:42] Heat.
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[8:51] [Music]
[8:53] Heat.
[8:55] [Music]
[9:11] One of them
[9:14] [Music]
[9:17] can
[9:20] Foreign
[9:22] [Music]
[9:30] speech. Foreign speech. Foreign speech.
[9:32] [Music]
[9:40] Foreign
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[10:04] speech. Foreign speech. Foreign speech.
[10:07] foreign
[10:08] [Applause]
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[10:15] [Music]
[10:28] national.
[10:33] [Music]
[10:36] I don't
[10:41] send
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[10:57] The
[10:59] [Music]
[11:02] town
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[11:11] of
[11:14] Marri.
[11:19] [Music]
[11:21] [Applause]
[11:25] I
[11:27] [Music]
[11:35] do
[11:38] shad
[11:45] [Music]
[11:48] I take refuge. I go for shelter
[11:52] to the one who brings Ram to me
[11:58] to the one who connects me to the flow
[12:01] of grace.
[12:04] The love that lives within us is who we
[12:06] truly are.
[12:08] So this prayer is to Hanuman who is
[12:10] considered to be
[12:12] that flow of grace which is always
[12:15] flowing.
[12:17] So all we have to do is let go and come
[12:21] back again and again.
[12:25] And we
[12:28] find shelter
[12:30] from the external world
[12:33] and the love in our own hearts.
[12:42] Prep
[12:44] [Music]
[13:06] [Applause]
[13:08] [Music]
[13:11] the comedy for
[13:17] [Music]
[13:31] the master
[13:33] [Music]
[13:36] body
[13:40] mat.
[13:42] Santa
[13:49] key.
[14:19] [Music]
[14:24] around.
[14:27] See
[14:30] around.
[14:36] Here
[14:44] I'm
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[14:59] Heat.
[15:05] Heat.
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[15:11] A
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[15:33] See
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[15:49] [Applause]
[15:56] heat.
[15:57] [Applause]
[15:59] Heat.
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[16:14] Heat.
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[16:30] Heat.
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[16:33] [Applause]
[16:36] Heat.
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[16:44] Heat.
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[17:04] Heat.
[17:05] [Applause]
[17:09] Heat.
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[17:13] [Applause]
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[17:21] Heat.
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[17:30] Heat.
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[17:42] [Applause]
[17:44] Heat.
[17:45] [Music]
[18:01] Heat.
[18:02] [Applause]
[18:06] Heat.
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[18:14] Heat.
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[18:28] Heat.
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[18:36] Heat.
[18:39] [Music]
[18:51] Heat.
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[18:58] Yeah. Heat.
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[19:10] Yeah.
[19:13] Heat.
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[19:17] [Applause]
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[19:27] Heat.
[19:30] [Applause]
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[19:40] Heat.
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[19:47] Heat.
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[19:58] Heat.
[20:02] [Music]
[20:04] [Applause]
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[20:21] See,
[20:23] [Music]
[20:26] Yeah.
[20:29] Heat.
[20:30] [Applause]
[20:34] [Music]
[20:39] See,
[20:41] [Music]
[20:52] [Applause]
[20:53] [Music]
[20:59] [Applause]
[20:59] [Music]
[21:07] there Heat. Heat.
[21:10] [Applause]
[21:12] [Music]
[21:23] [Applause]
[21:25] Heat. Heat.
[21:30] [Music]
[21:30] [Applause]
[21:31] [Music]
[21:32] [Applause]
[21:40] [Applause]
[21:41] [Music]
[21:43] Heat.
[21:47] Heat.
[21:51] [Music]
[21:56] Heat.
[22:02] [Music]
[22:04] [Applause]
[22:08] Heat.
[22:14] [Applause]
[22:17] Heat.
[22:21] [Music]
[22:29] Heat.
[22:38] Heat.
[22:39] [Music]
[22:54] [Applause]
[22:55] [Music]
[22:58] [Applause]
[23:00] [Music]
[23:02] Heat.
[23:05] Yeah. Heat.
[23:11] [Music]
[23:16] Yeah.
[23:18] Heat.
[23:21] [Applause]
[23:25] [Music]
[23:34] Heat.
[23:35] Heat.
[23:39] [Music]
[23:41] [Applause]
[23:48] [Applause]
[23:51] Heat. Heat.
[23:53] [Music]
[23:53] [Applause]
[23:59] [Music]
[24:01] Oh,
[24:03] [Applause]
[24:04] [Music]
[24:13] [Applause]
[24:19] [Music]
[24:19] [Applause]
[24:21] heat, heat.
[24:31] Heat
[24:35] [Music]
[24:36] [Applause]
[24:40] up here.
[24:42] [Music]
[24:44] [Applause]
[24:52] Yeah.
[24:53] Heat.
[24:54] [Applause]
[24:57] [Music]
[25:03] Yeah.
[25:07] Heat.
[25:10] [Applause]
[25:11] [Music]
[25:11] [Applause]
[25:14] [Music]
[25:17] Heat.
[25:20] [Applause]
[25:20] [Music]
[25:22] [Applause]
[25:24] Heat.
[25:26] [Applause]
[25:37] Oh,
[25:44] [Applause]
[25:51] [Music]
[25:53] [Applause]
[25:57] heat, heat.
[26:03] A
[26:06] [Applause]
[26:23] heat.
[26:26] [Applause]
[26:34] Heat
[26:37] [Music]
[26:38] up here.
[26:44] [Applause]
[26:44] [Music]
[26:47] [Applause]
[26:52] [Music]
[26:54] Yeah. Heat.
[26:56] [Applause]
[26:59] [Music]
[27:00] [Applause]
[27:01] [Music]
[27:02] [Applause]
[27:06] Yeah.
[27:07] [Music]
[27:07] [Applause]
[27:11] [Music]
[27:12] Heat.
[27:24] [Applause]
[27:24] [Music]
[27:26] Heat.
[27:28] [Music]
[27:31] [Applause]
[27:34] [Music]
[27:37] Heat.
[27:39] [Music]
[27:47] Yeah.
[27:48] [Music]
[27:49] [Applause]
[27:52] Heat.
[27:54] [Music]
[27:57] [Applause]
[27:59] [Music]
[28:04] [Applause]
[28:09] Oh,
[28:15] [Music]
[28:17] [Applause]
[28:19] [Music]
[28:23] [Applause]
[28:23] [Music]
[28:28] heat, heat.
[28:30] [Music]
[28:30] [Applause]
[28:33] Yeah.
[28:37] Heat.
[28:42] [Music]
[28:42] [Applause]
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[28:45] [Applause]
[28:47] [Music]
[28:49] [Applause]
[28:50] [Music]
[28:57] [Music]
[29:03] [Applause]
[29:10] [Music]
[29:13] Heat. Heat.
[29:14] [Music]
[29:16] [Applause]
[29:26] Heat. Heat.
[29:28] [Applause]
[29:30] [Music]
[29:31] [Applause]
[29:35] [Music]
[29:36] Heat.
[29:38] [Applause]
[29:41] [Music]
[29:45] Heat.
[29:49] [Music]
[29:50] [Applause]
[29:51] [Music]
[29:55] Heat.
[29:56] [Music]
[30:00] [Applause]
[30:04] [Music]
[30:05] [Applause]
[30:07] [Music]
[30:11] Heat.
[30:14] [Music]
[30:18] Heat.
[30:19] [Applause]
[30:21] [Music]
[30:24] [Applause]
[30:27] [Music]
[30:31] Heat.
[30:33] [Music]
[30:33] [Applause]
[30:35] [Music]
[30:45] [Applause]
[30:46] [Music]
[30:49] [Applause]
[30:50] [Music]
[30:54] Heat.
[30:56] [Music]
[30:58] [Applause]
[31:01] Heat.
[31:04] [Applause]
[31:05] [Music]
[31:07] Heat. Heat.
[31:08] [Music]
[31:14] [Applause]
[31:16] [Music]
[31:19] [Applause]
[31:24] Yeah.
[31:26] [Music]
[31:29] Heat.
[31:31] [Applause]
[31:35] [Music]
[31:39] Heat.
[31:42] Heat.
[31:44] [Applause]
[31:46] [Music]
[31:52] Yeah. Heat.
[31:54] [Music]
[31:56] [Applause]
[31:58] [Music]
[32:03] Yeah.
[32:06] Heat.
[32:12] [Music]
[32:16] Heat.
[32:19] Heat.
[32:24] [Applause]
[32:25] [Music]
[32:29] Yeah. Heat.
[32:33] [Music]
[32:37] [Applause]
[32:37] [Music]
[32:40] Yeah.
[32:42] Heat.
[32:44] [Music]
[32:45] [Applause]
[32:46] [Music]
[32:46] [Applause]
[32:48] [Music]
[32:50] [Applause]
[32:50] [Music]
[32:52] Heat. Heat.
[32:56] [Applause]
[32:56] [Music]
[33:01] [Applause]
[33:01] [Music]
[33:07] See
[33:10] down
[33:15] [Applause]
[33:16] [Music]
[33:28] the
[33:29] [Music]
[33:30] sid.
[33:33] Satal.
[33:34] [Music]
[33:36] [Applause]
[33:38] [Music]
[33:39] [Applause]
[33:42] [Music]
[34:13] [Music]
[34:53] all In the
[34:57] Oh,
[35:00] [Music]
[35:04] pro.
[35:10] [Music]
[35:32] Oh my heart.
[35:35] [Music]
[35:36] Oh power
[35:38] [Music]
[35:44] in
[35:48] [Music]
[35:55] [Applause]
[36:00] [Music]
[36:02] [Applause]
[36:05] [Music]
[36:11] Oh
[36:13] my
[36:16] god. I love
[36:22] [Music]
[36:22] [Applause]
[36:25] [Music]
[36:25] [Applause]
[36:29] [Music]
[36:32] [Applause]
[36:34] [Music]
[36:35] [Applause]
[36:38] heat.
[36:41] [Applause]
[36:43] Heat.
[36:45] [Applause]
[36:55] Heat.
[36:57] [Music]
[37:00] [Applause]
[37:04] Improve
[37:06] [Music]
[37:06] [Applause]
[37:10] [Music]
[37:17] [Applause]
[37:20] [Music]
[37:21] [Applause]
[37:30] heat.
[37:32] [Applause]
[37:46] Oh my
[37:50] [Applause]
[37:50] [Music]
[37:51] [Applause]
[37:54] [Music]
[38:00] A
[38:01] [Music]
[38:01] [Applause]
[38:04] [Music]
[38:09] [Applause]
[38:25] Oh
[38:26] [Music]
[38:31] my
[38:35] [Music]
[38:38] [Applause]
[38:40] in.
[38:45] [Applause]
[38:46] [Music]
[38:48] [Applause]
[38:51] Yeah.
[38:53] Heat.
[38:56] [Applause]
[39:07] [Applause]
[39:10] Oh
[39:12] my heart.
[39:14] [Applause]
[39:14] [Music]
[39:15] Oh my
[39:18] heart
[39:21] [Music]
[39:21] [Applause]
[39:25] in
[39:30] it.
[39:33] [Applause]
[39:54] Oh
[39:56] my might
[40:04] [Music]
[40:08] prove in
[40:14] [Music]
[40:22] [Applause]
[40:29] [Applause]
[40:36] Oh power.
[40:38] Power.
[40:39] [Music]
[40:42] [Applause]
[40:42] [Music]
[40:44] [Applause]
[40:48] [Music]
[40:49] [Applause]
[40:52] I go by
[40:55] everything.
[40:57] [Applause]
[40:58] [Music]
[41:01] [Applause]
[41:02] [Music]
[41:09] [Applause]
[41:14] Yeah.
[41:20] Heat.
[41:24] [Applause]
[41:25] [Music]
[41:30] Heat. Heat.
[41:33] [Applause]
[41:38] [Music]
[41:40] [Applause]
[41:45] Heat.
[41:49] Heat.
[41:52] [Music]
[41:55] [Applause]
[41:56] [Music]
[41:58] [Applause]
[41:59] Heat. Heat.
[42:01] [Applause]
[42:02] [Music]
[42:07] [Applause]
[42:09] [Music]
[42:13] Heat. Heat.
[42:14] [Applause]
[42:14] [Music]
[42:19] [Applause]
[42:24] [Music]
[42:28] Heat.
[42:32] Heat.
[42:35] [Music]
[42:36] [Applause]
[42:39] [Music]
[42:39] [Applause]
[42:46] Heat. Heat.
[42:49] [Applause]
[42:51] [Music]
[42:53] [Applause]
[42:56] Heat. Heat.
[43:01] [Applause]
[43:02] [Music]
[43:09] [Applause]
[43:11] Heat. Heat.
[43:13] [Music]
[43:19] [Applause]
[43:20] [Music]
[43:22] [Applause]
[43:24] [Music]
[43:29] Heat. Heat.
[43:33] [Applause]
[43:34] [Music]
[43:36] [Applause]
[43:39] Heat.
[43:40] [Applause]
[43:43] Heat.
[43:46] [Music]
[43:53] Heat. Heat.
[43:56] [Applause]
[43:58] [Music]
[44:01] [Applause]
[44:03] [Music]
[44:04] [Applause]
[44:07] Heat. Heat.
[44:10] [Music]
[44:25] Heat. Heat.
[44:27] [Music]
[44:28] [Applause]
[44:28] [Music]
[44:32] [Applause]
[44:35] Heat.
[44:43] [Music]
[44:44] [Applause]
[44:47] [Music]
[44:48] [Applause]
[44:49] [Music]
[44:51] [Applause]
[44:54] Heat.
[44:55] [Music]
[44:57] [Applause]
[44:57] [Music]
[45:00] [Applause]
[45:01] [Music]
[45:03] Heat. Heat.
[45:06] [Applause]
[45:08] [Music]
[45:13] Yeah.
[45:16] Heat.
[45:18] [Applause]
[45:18] [Music]
[45:21] [Applause]
[45:22] [Music]
[45:26] Yeah.
[45:28] Heat.
[45:31] [Applause]
[45:33] [Music]
[45:35] [Applause]
[45:35] [Music]
[45:38] [Applause]
[45:41] Yeah. Heat.
[45:48] [Applause]
[45:53] Heat.
[45:55] [Music]
[45:56] [Applause]
[45:57] [Music]
[45:58] [Applause]
[45:58] [Music]
[46:00] [Applause]
[46:03] [Music]
[46:06] Heat.
[46:12] [Music]
[46:14] Heat. Heat.
[46:18] [Music]
[46:22] [Applause]
[46:23] [Music]
[46:32] [Applause]
[46:35] [Music]
[46:36] [Applause]
[46:48] We used to sing that to Maharaji.
[46:52] He would literally roll around on the
[46:54] tucket like a like a baby.
[46:57] Gopala's baby Krishna you know Mahar it
[47:00] was like he was in absolute bliss he was
[47:03] just rolling around like a baby like
[47:04] this it was amazing see
[47:14] [Music]
[47:45] Krishna
[47:48] Krishna
[47:50] Krishna Krishna My heart
[47:53] [Music]
[48:14] is
[48:30] I shine
[48:34] Christishna
[48:37] Christy
[48:39] [Music]
[48:45] [Applause]
[48:47] [Music]
[48:51] Oh yeah.
[48:53] [Applause]
[48:56] [Music]
[48:58] Heat.
[49:01] [Applause]
[49:02] [Music]
[49:06] [Applause]
[49:11] [Music]
[49:11] [Applause]
[49:15] [Music]
[49:16] Christ
[49:20] [Music]
[49:23] mighty
[49:25] [Music]
[49:31] [Applause]
[49:31] [Music]
[49:36] hearty
[49:38] hearty. Yeah.
[49:41] Heat.
[49:45] [Applause]
[49:48] [Music]
[49:49] [Applause]
[49:54] [Music]
[50:01] Christmas
[50:08] mighty
[50:09] [Applause]
[50:09] [Music]
[50:21] Heat.
[50:23] Heat.
[50:27] [Applause]
[50:31] [Music]
[50:34] [Applause]
[50:41] [Applause]
[50:44] I
[50:46] might
[50:50] Christmas.
[50:55] [Music]
[51:01] [Music]
[51:08] [Applause]
[51:11] [Music]
[51:19] [Applause]
[51:20] [Music]
[51:22] [Applause]
[51:29] Christy
[51:32] [Music]
[51:37] hearty
[51:39] mighty.
[51:42] Yeah.
[51:44] Heat.
[51:49] [Music]
[51:50] [Applause]
[51:55] Heat. Heat.
[52:04] [Applause]
[52:05] [Music]
[52:08] [Applause]
[52:10] I
[52:11] [Music]
[52:13] [Applause]
[52:16] [Music]
[52:20] mighty
[52:24] [Applause]
[52:27] [Music]
[52:27] [Applause]
[52:32] hearty. Heat.
[52:34] [Applause]
[52:35] [Music]
[52:36] [Applause]
[52:38] Heat.
[52:40] [Applause]
[52:44] [Music]
[52:45] [Applause]
[52:47] [Music]
[52:48] [Applause]
[52:52] [Music]
[52:56] [Applause]
[53:00] Christmasy
[53:03] [Music]
[53:04] [Applause]
[53:10] [Music]
[53:10] [Applause]
[53:14] hearty.
[53:18] [Music]
[53:22] [Applause]
[53:29] [Music]
[53:29] [Applause]
[53:37] Christina
[53:39] Christy
[53:40] [Music]
[53:50] [Applause]
[53:53] hearty. Yeah. Heat.
[53:58] [Music]
[54:00] [Applause]
[54:02] [Music]
[54:04] [Applause]
[54:13] Christian
[54:16] [Music]
[54:20] [Applause]
[54:20] [Music]
[54:28] hearty.
[54:32] Heat.
[54:33] [Applause]
[54:42] [Music]
[54:43] [Applause]
[54:46] Heat.
[54:47] [Music]
[54:50] [Applause]
[54:51] [Music]
[54:52] [Applause]
[54:55] Honey.
[55:03] [Music]
[55:04] [Applause]
[55:11] [Music]
[55:14] [Applause]
[55:16] [Music]
[55:23] Christian
[55:28] [Music]
[55:29] [Applause]
[55:33] [Music]
[55:34] I'm
[55:37] [Music]
[55:39] [Applause]
[55:40] [Music]
[55:41] [Applause]
[55:45] [Music]
[55:46] [Applause]
[55:47] [Music]
[55:50] [Applause]
[55:54] Christmasy.
[56:01] [Music]
[56:04] [Applause]
[56:10] [Music]
[56:11] [Applause]
[56:12] [Music]
[56:14] [Applause]
[56:20] [Applause]
[56:22] [Music]
[56:24] [Applause]
[56:25] [Music]
[56:27] Christ.
[56:29] Christy
[56:31] [Music]
[56:42] hearty.
[56:44] [Music]
[56:45] [Applause]
[56:45] [Music]
[56:53] [Applause]
[56:55] [Music]
[57:00] Christian
[57:03] [Music]
[57:06] hearty
[57:10] [Applause]
[57:14] hearty. Yeah.
[57:18] Heat.
[57:19] [Music]
[57:21] [Applause]
[57:23] [Music]
[57:27] [Applause]
[57:27] [Music]
[57:28] [Applause]
[57:32] Christy
[57:35] [Music]
[57:39] mighty
[57:44] I'm a
[57:47] [Music]
[57:55] [Applause]
[58:02] [Music]
[58:04] Christy
[58:08] hearty
[58:09] [Music]
[58:16] hearty hearty. Yeah.
[58:19] [Applause]
[58:20] [Music]
[58:33] I mighty
[58:40] [Music]
[58:47] hearty hearty.
[58:58] [Music]
[59:02] [Applause]
[59:04] I should
[59:07] [Music]
[59:14] highy
[59:18] high.
[59:21] Heat.
[59:30] [Music]
[59:34] Heat.
[59:38] [Music]
[59:40] [Applause]
[59:42] Heat. Heat.
[59:44] [Applause]
[59:52] [Music]
[59:59] [Applause]
[1:00:01] [Music]
[1:00:05] Heat. Heat.
[1:00:13] Heat. Heat.
[1:00:16] [Music]
[1:00:23] [Applause]
[1:00:26] [Music]
[1:00:30] Heat. Heat.
[1:00:31] [Music]
[1:00:32] [Applause]
[1:00:34] [Music]
[1:00:45] Heat. Heat.
[1:00:49] [Applause]
[1:00:58] [Music]
[1:01:00] Heat. Heat.
[1:01:03] [Music]
[1:01:08] [Applause]
[1:01:14] Heat. Heat.
[1:01:16] [Music]
[1:01:16] [Applause]
[1:01:19] [Music]
[1:01:29] Heat. Heat.
[1:01:34] [Music]
[1:01:44] Heat.
[1:01:49] Heat.
[1:01:53] [Music]
[1:01:59] Heat. Heat.
[1:02:07] [Music]
[1:02:17] Heat.
[1:02:25] [Music]
[1:02:29] Heat.
[1:02:36] Yeah. Heat.
[1:02:45] [Music]
[1:02:51] Heat. Heat.
[1:03:00] [Music]
[1:03:06] Heat. Heat.
[1:03:11] [Applause]
[1:03:17] [Applause]
[1:03:18] [Music]
[1:03:28] Heat. Heat.
[1:03:50] Heat.
[1:03:53] Heat.
[1:04:04] [Music]
[1:04:14] Heat. Heat.
[1:04:21] [Music]
[1:04:34] Heat.
[1:04:38] Heat.
[1:04:45] Yeah.
[1:04:47] Heat.
[1:04:57] Yeah.
[1:05:02] [Applause]
[1:05:05] Heat.
[1:05:17] Oh,
[1:05:35] [Applause]
[1:05:38] heat, heat.
[1:05:49] [Applause]
[1:06:00] Heat. Heat.
[1:06:04] [Applause]
[1:06:06] Hal
[1:06:09] [Music]
[1:06:22] Christian.
[1:06:24] [Music]
[1:06:33] Hallelujah.
[1:06:41] Hallelujah.
[1:07:16] [Music]
[1:07:21] So let's do some David Puja.
[1:07:26] Davy Puja's mantras to the goddess.
[1:07:30] I'll tell you a story that you've
[1:07:32] probably heard a thousand times.
[1:07:35] You can imagine how many times I've
[1:07:36] heard it.
[1:07:40] So many years ago living in the temple
[1:07:43] with Maharaji
[1:07:45] on one side of the temple there were
[1:07:47] three
[1:07:49] three temples. one first one was Hanuman
[1:07:52] the second one was Lakshmi Narayan and
[1:07:55] the third one was Shiva.
[1:07:58] So in 1972 Maharaji built a new temple
[1:08:02] on the other side of the courtyard to
[1:08:04] the goddess Dura
[1:08:06] and um
[1:08:09] beautiful well there she is.
[1:08:12] That's the one. That's the temple.
[1:08:16] And uh
[1:08:19] so they brought in a a pujari, a priest
[1:08:22] to officiate and do the daily worship
[1:08:24] and stuff. But um after a few days, they
[1:08:29] caught him stealing the money out of the
[1:08:30] donation box in front of the temple.
[1:08:33] It's a big wooden box chained to the
[1:08:36] ground so nobody will run away with it.
[1:08:41] And uh so they gave him a few rupees and
[1:08:44] sent him home. They brought in a second
[1:08:47] priest
[1:08:51] and everything was okay for a few days
[1:08:53] until they caught him stealing the
[1:08:55] money.
[1:08:57] Uh you actually have to have a special
[1:09:00] tool manufacturer that goes down at this
[1:09:03] tiny slit in the top of this big wooden
[1:09:06] box and can flip out these rupee notes.
[1:09:09] takes a lot of practice, you know,
[1:09:12] must be part of the priestly training.
[1:09:15] [Applause]
[1:09:17] So anyhow, they sent him home and they
[1:09:18] brought in the third priest and sure
[1:09:20] enough they caught him stealing. So the
[1:09:24] temple trust, the guys that ran the
[1:09:26] temple, they came to Maharaji and they
[1:09:28] said, "Baba, we can't find a priest that
[1:09:31] won't steal. What are we going to do?"
[1:09:33] So Maharaji goes, "My priest won't
[1:09:36] steal."
[1:09:38] your priest. Who's that?
[1:09:42] Guess
[1:09:44] Krishnadas.
[1:09:46] So I was summoned from the back of the
[1:09:48] temple where the westerners
[1:09:50] spent most of their time banished to
[1:09:52] inner darkness
[1:09:55] and I was asked to sit out in front of
[1:09:57] this beautiful mandur and distribute
[1:10:00] prasad after the worship.
[1:10:03] So I would sit there all day and you
[1:10:05] know I thought well I should learn some
[1:10:07] mantras right that's what priests do
[1:10:10] when they're not stealing.
[1:10:15] So I learned some mantras and was I'm
[1:10:17] going to sing for you now but like I
[1:10:19] always say I tell you this story for a
[1:10:21] very good reason. I want you to
[1:10:24] understand I am qualified for this.
[1:10:29] [Music]
[1:10:58] in Mother God.
[1:11:06] [Music]
[1:11:17] Mother God.
[1:11:25] Hallelujah.
[1:11:29] [Music]
[1:11:39] [Applause]
[1:11:48] [Music]
[1:11:50] Mother
[1:11:52] God.
[1:11:56] Im
[1:11:58] God.
[1:12:03] Im
[1:12:04] God.
[1:12:09] Immother.
[1:12:11] [Music]
[1:12:37] Hallelujah.
[1:12:46] Chandai.
[1:12:55] Oh no must
[1:13:00] [Music]
[1:13:06] chai
[1:13:08] [Music]
[1:13:11] chai
[1:13:16] n
[1:13:17] chai.
[1:13:25] Ganty
[1:13:27] hunger
[1:13:32] [Music]
[1:13:37] kap. H
[1:13:39] [Music]
[1:13:46] she me
[1:13:50] [Music]
[1:13:53] father
[1:13:55] most
[1:14:00] [Music]
[1:14:01] [Applause]
[1:14:05] There
[1:14:07] [Music]
[1:14:09] are
[1:14:10] [Music]
[1:14:12] most
[1:14:25] Heat. Heat.
[1:14:36] Heat.
[1:14:46] Heat.
[1:15:03] [Music]
[1:15:13] Sim
[1:15:15] [Music]
[1:15:25] I
[1:15:31] ma
[1:15:33] [Music]
[1:15:39] my heart
[1:15:41] [Music]
[1:15:44] Most today
[1:15:47] I
[1:15:50] [Applause]
[1:15:53] most
[1:15:55] [Music]
[1:16:13] Yeah.
[1:16:15] Heat.
[1:16:19] [Music]
[1:16:25] Heat. Heat.
[1:16:31] [Music]
[1:16:37] [Applause]
[1:16:50] [Music]
[1:16:54] [Applause]
[1:17:01] Son of a
[1:17:06] Oh,
[1:17:09] [Music]
[1:17:19] [Applause]
[1:17:28] this city,
[1:17:32] the sunshine,
[1:17:35] I
[1:17:37] [Music]
[1:17:37] [Applause]
[1:17:41] most
[1:17:43] [Music]
[1:17:47] [Applause]
[1:17:49] today.
[1:17:58] [Applause]
[1:18:00] [Music]
[1:18:11] Oh,
[1:18:13] not I
[1:18:17] not I
[1:18:21] [Music]
[1:18:23] not I anyone.
[1:18:25] [Music]
[1:18:31] [Applause]
[1:18:38] [Music]
[1:18:41] [Applause]
[1:18:42] [Music]
[1:18:46] Heat. Heat.
[1:18:53] Heat. Heat. Heat.
[1:18:56] [Music]
[1:19:05] [Applause]
[1:19:08] [Music]
[1:19:11] [Applause]
[1:19:15] [Music]
[1:19:20] Heat.
[1:19:22] Heat.
[1:19:25] [Music]
[1:19:27] Ah,
[1:19:30] [Music]
[1:19:31] [Applause]
[1:19:33] [Music]
[1:19:36] [Applause]
[1:19:36] [Music]
[1:19:41] [Applause]
[1:19:41] [Music]
[1:19:44] [Applause]
[1:19:45] [Music]
[1:19:57] Heat. Heat. Heat.
[1:20:00] [Music]
[1:20:07] Oh,
[1:20:09] [Music]
[1:20:10] [Applause]
[1:20:15] [Music]
[1:20:22] [Applause]
[1:20:28] heat, heat.
[1:20:32] Oh,
[1:20:36] [Applause]
[1:20:38] [Music]
[1:20:46] heat,
[1:20:50] heat.
[1:20:53] [Music]
[1:21:04] [Applause]
[1:21:07] Heat. Heat.
[1:21:11] [Music]
[1:21:16] Heat
[1:21:18] [Applause]
[1:21:22] [Music]
[1:21:25] [Applause]
[1:21:26] [Music]
[1:21:39] up here.
[1:21:47] [Music]
[1:21:57] Sh my trail
[1:22:00] [Music]
[1:22:07] my
[1:22:09] [Music]
[1:22:14] Jim big
[1:22:19] sh
[1:22:23] [Music]
[1:22:31] My
[1:22:34] [Music]
[1:22:40] she my
[1:22:42] [Music]
[1:22:50] sheer.
[1:22:52] [Music]
[1:23:00] Heat.
[1:23:02] [Music]
[1:23:04] Heat.
[1:23:14] Oh
[1:23:17] my
[1:23:19] [Applause]
[1:23:19] [Music]
[1:23:27] dream.
[1:23:29] [Music]
[1:23:40] [Applause]
[1:23:46] J.
[1:23:47] [Music]
[1:23:51] [Applause]
[1:23:57] [Music]
[1:24:00] [Applause]
[1:24:04] [Music]
[1:24:06] [Applause]
[1:24:08] [Music]
[1:24:33] J got them there.
[1:24:42] Jesus.
[1:24:43] [Music]
[1:24:58] [Applause]
[1:25:00] [Music]
[1:25:11] J.
[1:25:14] [Applause]
[1:25:14] [Music]
[1:25:20] [Applause]
[1:25:24] [Music]
[1:25:34] [Music]
[1:25:37] [Applause]
[1:25:39] [Music]
[1:25:50] Heat. Heat.
[1:25:56] [Applause]
[1:25:59] Jesus.
[1:26:03] [Music]
[1:26:09] [Applause]
[1:26:10] [Music]
[1:26:16] Yeah.
[1:26:18] [Applause]
[1:26:25] Oh
[1:26:28] Jesus.
[1:26:32] [Music]
[1:26:38] [Applause]
[1:26:41] [Music]
[1:26:47] [Applause]
[1:26:48] [Music]
[1:26:50] [Applause]
[1:26:52] [Music]
[1:26:58] Heat.
[1:27:06] Heat.
[1:27:09] [Music]
[1:27:09] [Applause]
[1:27:12] [Music]
[1:27:15] Yeah.
[1:27:18] [Music]
[1:27:18] [Applause]
[1:27:21] Heat.
[1:27:25] [Music]
[1:27:27] [Applause]
[1:27:28] [Music]
[1:27:31] Heat.
[1:27:42] Heat.
[1:27:46] [Music]
[1:27:47] [Applause]
[1:27:51] Yeah.
[1:27:53] [Music]
[1:27:57] Heat.
[1:28:02] [Music]
[1:28:07] Yeah. Heat.
[1:28:17] [Music]
[1:28:18] [Applause]
[1:28:21] [Music]
[1:28:28] Yeah.
[1:28:30] Heat.
[1:28:35] [Applause]
[1:28:40] [Music]
[1:28:43] Yeah.
[1:28:47] Heat.
[1:28:53] [Applause]
[1:28:57] Heat. Heat.
[1:29:00] [Applause]
[1:29:01] [Music]
[1:29:03] [Applause]
[1:29:08] Oh,
[1:29:16] [Music]
[1:29:18] [Applause]
[1:29:27] [Applause]
[1:29:29] heat, heat.
[1:29:31] [Applause]
[1:29:32] [Music]
[1:29:34] Yeah.
[1:29:36] [Applause]
[1:29:37] Heat.
[1:29:39] [Music]
[1:29:40] [Applause]
[1:29:41] [Music]
[1:29:42] [Applause]
[1:29:49] [Applause]
[1:29:52] Heat. Heat.
[1:29:56] [Music]
[1:29:58] [Applause]
[1:30:03] Oh,
[1:30:14] heat,
[1:30:16] [Music]
[1:30:25] heat.
[1:31:18] Heat. Heat.
[1:31:20] [Music]
[1:31:27] God
[1:31:30] you
[1:31:32] go
[1:31:35] you
[1:31:40] go
[1:31:42] to
[1:31:44] your
[1:31:45] [Music]
[1:31:47] I
[1:31:50] s
[1:31:54] you
[1:31:57] must stay
[1:32:01] through
[1:32:05] your heart.
[1:32:31] Oh mama
[1:32:34] sh
[1:32:37] away
[1:32:40] such a dana.
[1:32:45] Mortai
[1:32:47] [Music]
[1:32:50] miss
[1:32:55] I'm down.
[1:32:58] You're on
[1:33:00] fire.
[1:33:04] You just say
[1:33:07] [Music]
[1:33:21] she
[1:33:23] [Music]
[1:33:30] Heat. Heat.
[1:33:35] [Applause]
[1:33:38] [Music]
[1:33:44] Heat.
[1:33:52] Heat.
[1:33:57] [Music]
[1:34:02] Oh,
[1:34:26] oh
[1:34:27] my sh
[1:34:32] Oh mama shama
[1:34:35] [Music]
[1:34:50] sh
[1:34:52] [Music]
[1:34:53] Oh
[1:34:55] divine.
[1:34:56] [Music]
[1:35:09] Here I am.
[1:35:14] Heat. Heat.
[1:35:17] [Music]
[1:35:25] She
[1:35:27] [Music]
[1:35:37] [Music]
[1:35:41] [Applause]
[1:35:46] [Music]
[1:35:52] stronger. Oh sh.
[1:35:55] [Music]
[1:36:07] [Applause]
[1:36:09] [Music]
[1:36:28] [Applause]
[1:36:29] [Music]
[1:36:34] Sh.
[1:36:38] [Music]
[1:36:46] [Applause]
[1:36:47] [Music]
[1:36:47] [Applause]
[1:36:49] [Music]
[1:36:52] She
[1:36:56] Oh my
[1:37:02] [Music]
[1:37:05] [Applause]
[1:37:05] [Music]
[1:37:07] She
[1:37:08] [Music]
[1:37:15] Oh my
[1:37:20] [Music]
[1:37:24] [Applause]
[1:37:26] god.
[1:37:29] Sh.
[1:37:33] [Music]
[1:37:36] [Applause]
[1:37:39] [Music]
[1:37:42] [Applause]
[1:37:47] Sh.
[1:37:49] [Music]
[1:37:52] Heat.
[1:37:58] [Applause]
[1:37:59] Heat.
[1:38:01] [Music]
[1:38:05] [Applause]
[1:38:09] Yeah.
[1:38:15] Heat.
[1:38:25] Heat. Heat.
[1:38:26] [Music]
[1:38:36] [Music]
[1:38:40] Heat. Heat.
[1:38:43] [Music]
[1:38:51] [Music]
[1:39:00] Heat. Heat.
[1:39:10] Heat. Heat.
[1:39:12] [Music]
[1:39:25] Heat. Heat.
[1:39:26] [Music]
[1:39:28] [Applause]
[1:39:29] [Music]
[1:39:39] [Music]
[1:39:40] Heat. Heat.
[1:39:44] [Applause]
[1:39:45] [Music]
[1:39:51] [Music]
[1:39:54] [Applause]
[1:40:00] Heat. Heat.
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[1:40:19] Heat. Heat.
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[1:40:30] Heat. Heat.
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[1:40:40] Heat. Heat.
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[1:40:55] Yeah.
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[1:40:59] Heat.
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[1:41:09] Yeah.
[1:41:13] Heat.
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[1:41:23] Heat.
[1:41:26] Heat.
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[1:41:36] Heat. Heat.
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[1:41:50] Heat. Heat.
[1:42:02] Heat.
[1:42:08] Heat.
[1:42:18] Heat. Heat.
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[1:42:29] Heat. Heat.
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[1:42:42] Yeah.
[1:42:45] Heat.
[1:42:55] Yeah.
[1:42:58] Heat.
[1:43:08] Heat.
[1:43:11] Heat.
[1:43:21] Oh
[1:43:26] sh
[1:43:33] mama
[1:43:37] sh I
[1:43:39] mama
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[1:43:43] I I know.
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[1:44:25] Repeat after me. Rama
[1:44:29] lakshimo.
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[1:44:51] >> Keep that in your pocket. You'll need
American kirtan singer, devotee of Neem Karoli Baba, often called "Yoga's rock star." His chanting of the Name has filled rooms, stadiums, and concert halls for over forty years. A…
Kirtan is participatory devotional chanting, typically in a call-and-response format, that uses sacred names and mantras sung aloud with a group. Unlike silent meditation, kirtan actively engages the voice and breath, making it harder for the mind to wander and creating a collective field of resonance that supports individual practice.
According to Krishna Das, returning again and again to the mantra is the core mechanism of the practice. Each time the mind drifts and you bring it back, another layer of the heart opens. The repetition gradually quiets the thinking mind and allows access to deeper states of bliss and connection to inner grace.
Taking refuge in Hanuman means acknowledging the flow of grace that connects us to inner love and divinity. Hanuman represents not an external savior but the principle of access to grace that is always available. The prayer expresses trust in this inner channel of connection.
Yes, according to Krishna Das's teaching and the example of his guru Maharaji rolling in bliss during chanting, when consciousness genuinely engages with the mantra, the protective layers of the self relax and what is already present—inner joy and love—becomes accessible. This is not a distant goal but an unveiling of what already exists.
Begin by listening to recordings like this one and chanting along if you feel moved to, or simply absorb the vibration and teaching by listening. Start with shorter sessions if extended chanting is new. The practice is simply returning, again and again, to the sound and to the heart.
The collective voice in kirtan creates a resonant field that supports individual practice and reminds the participant that they are not alone in their spiritual seeking. The group amplifies the effect of the chanting and provides living encouragement for the practice.
