Re: Nityananda Triyodoshi Bhajan In Scotland Video

> the khol and kartal was given by Mahaprabhu from the spiritual world.

I agree. I will compile an article on how the sound of the mridanga and karatals has various spiritual meanings.

       >When the masses hear karmi style kirttan or sankirttan then they will expect it alway as the norm.

In one way, I agree. When other modern or other musical instruments start getting used very commonly, always and regularly in Sankirtana, the essential nature of the mridanga and karatals is in one way reduced. In some cases, I have seen that mridangas are karatals get slowly replaced by other musical instruments and the newer generation of devotees may think that it is the norm. It is not very difficult to procure mridangas and karatals as they are not so costly. They are Gaura vastu or directly Gaura's paraphernalia. Sankirtana with these two is known as Gaura Vihita Kirtana. They strongly remind us about Lords Nitaai Gaura's Sankirtana. Anything which reminds us of the Lord should always be at our side.

Of course, the modern instruments can be used for Kirtana meant specifically for those audiences and gatherings who gather to hear them. This is certainly a way to attract them to the Holy Names. And giving people the Holy Names is the highest of all services. But when we introduce these new age modern instruments in our Temples or Ashrams where mature devotees gather for Sankirtana, then we are not teaching the assembled devotees the ideal standard of mridangas and karatals and introducing a new standard which may gradually end up replacing the traditional mrindagas and karatalas althogether.

Sri Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya 11.216

ashta mridanga baaje, batrisa karataala
hari-dhvani kare sabe, bale -- bhaala, bhaala

'In the four groups (during the Puri Ratha Yatra Sankirtana of Lord Gaura) there were eight mridangas and thirty-two karatalas (cymbals). All together they began to vibrate the transcendental sound, and everyone said, "Very good! Very good!"'

Daaso'smi, Swami Gaurangapada.

Comment on this Post