Keertan is singing the name of God with great love, faith and feeling. Bhaktas or lovers of God come together and sing His name together in a common place. It is a celebration of bhakti and love of God. They use musical instruments like harmonium, cymbals, mridanga etc. This is the second method of bhakti stated in the Nava Vidha Bhakti as taught by Sri Rama to Shabari. Keertan is a common method of worship in most religions in the world. The followers congregate together in a place of worship or hall or someone’s home and sing in praise of God and worship Him. The choir singing in churches of the western world, the sufi singing in middle east, the bhajans of the east and far east are all keertans. This is one of the easiest methods of attaining God consciousness.
We are attracted to music and singing. The attraction to music is an inborn attraction which exists from time immemorial. Melodious music, the sound of voices raised in harmony and rhythm, the hypnotic beats of drums or mridanga, the tinkle of the cymbals have always attracted man. When beautiful lyrics are added and there is feeling and love, music becomes divine and a means of attaining divinity.
The monkey mind of man rarely stays put in one place. Our mind wanders around in multiple locations at the same time, especially when we try to focus in meditation or japa. In keertan, where there is harmony, rhythm, feelings and love in music, it is easier for our mind to be focussed and be absorbed in God. When the mind is absorbed in the Holy Name and the stories of God, worldly desires and mundane life lose their grip on us. Our bhakti and surrender to God increases. Keertan creates pure vibrations and divine atmosphere, in which we are uplifted and progress in the path of self realisation. Keertan is all about self purification and bhakti. It is not a stage for showing off trained voices or vocal talent.
Sage Narad is always walking around the Universe singing the name of God. Sage Vyas who compiled the Vedas and wrote the Mahabharata also sang the glories of God in hymns. His great son, Sage Sukadev performed keertan for Maharaj Parikshit for seven days and seven nights. Sage Sukadev sang the glories of the Supreme and about the avatars of God on earth and His Leelas. The great saints and sages who had gathered there to hear him were transported into in a transcendental state throughout the keertan and Maharaj Parikshit attained salvation at the end of the seventh day. The Keertan of Sage Sukadev was the Srimad Bhagwad. Sage Valmiki sang the entire Ramayana and also taught it to the sons of Sri Rama – Lava and Kush. Lava and Kush sang the Ramayana at the court of Ayodhya and enthralled Sri Rama and his subjects.
Great saints like Tukaram and Meerabai attained salvation through Keertan. Tukaram composed many abhangas in Marathi language which are considered gems of Marathi literature. His abhangas were easily understood by the common man and appreciated by the literate. When he sang, all the people in the area joined him and sang the glories of Lord Vitthala. When Meerabai sang, the listeners were moved to tears and wept as she poured out her love for Sri Krishna. Bhakti movement spread like wild fire in India due to the Keertan of great saints like Tyagraja, Namadev, Sakubai, Purandardas, Kabir, Tulsidas and others. They sang the mystical lore in the language of the common man and taught them to love God. In Kaliyuga – the age of today, Keertan is one of the easiest ways of increasing bhakti and walking the path of God.
