Importance of Kertaan....

Kirtan restores the forgotten and lost glory of the soul. In the ecstasy of holy Kirtan, ‘I’ ego melts and gets dissolved in the infinity of Supreme Nam. ‘I’ ego melts and gets dissolved in “Thou” and that is the most wonderful spiritual experience of this holy Kirtan.

Of inestimable significance is the composition of Sri Guru Granth Sahib in Divine Poetry. Lovers of God invariably choose to express and communicate their mystic experiences in this language of love, language of spirit. Musicality adopted in the composition is also unique. It awakens deeper layers of human heart and consciousness. It encompasses what is otherwise indescribable and incommunicable. Divine wisdom is laced with sweet melodious fragrance. This divine melody tunes the soul with Rhythm Eternal.

It is all composed in mystic poetry. It was cast into 31 musical measures (Ragas). It is a natural flow of the divine ecstasy of Lovers of God. Language used being the spoken language of the people is simple and easily understandable. Music is the medium of expression of deep spirituality. It is natural outcome and flow of religion of love. It transports others also to the realm of divinity. Sri Guru Arjan Sahib thus passed on an inexhaustible treasure of Celestial Music and an inexhaustible divine source of Holy Kirtan for posterity. He preaches the whole range of spirituality with his lyrical power, singing the Glory of the Lord to the accompaniment of a Tambura (a musical instrument) with the touch of His Holy Hands.

His Grace flows in torrents through these hymns and fills the hearts with intense devotion, stimulates humility and stirs Amrit Nam latent in the soul.

The influence of Holy Kirtan is deep, profound and divine. Kirtan transports one to the Abode of the Lord. It lifts one out of time and space. It blesses one with a true glimpse of divinity.
In this Dark Age (Kaliyuga) fruition of life lies in singing the praises and glory of the Lord (Holy Kirtan).

Holy Kirtan acts as a powerful arrow piercing through the heart. This is the way the Guru injects love and purity through His powerful Bani.

By composing the whole of Sri Guru Granth Sahib in Divine Melodies, in various Ragas, Sri Guru Arjan has divinised the very foundation of music, has divinised the Rag Mala. Utilisation of the whole range of alphabets and the Music (Rag Mala) is divine in its totality in Sri Guru Granth Sahib. Every hymn of Sri Guru Granth Sahib is a monument of direct and experienced divine love.

In these hymns some are transported with Bliss, some are driven into raptures of love, some are reduced to utter humility-some fall head-long in total reverence. This is the magical effect.

Holy Kirtan is a sure divine prescription, in this Dark Age, for the cure of all ills of life. Holy Kirtan releases Divine Power, Influence and Potencies which envelop the soul and the whole atmosphere with tremendous impact and effect.

Divine music being the language of the spirit transcends all barriers. It is in these holy melodies of the soul that all lovers of God, Hindus and Muslims, high caste and low caste, outcaste and untouchables, sing in soul-stirring unison the Glory of the Sole God in this Holiest of the Holy Scriptures called Sri Guru Granth Sahib.

These melodies flow like natural nectar from their very source through the holy lips of Sri Guru Nanak Sahib and His other manifestations.

“Jaisi Main Aawe Khasam Ki Baani
Taisra Kari Giaan Ve Lalo” (Sri Guru Granth Sahib (722)

As the Bani (revelation) comes to me from my Lord, so do I reveal, says Sri Guru Nanak Sahib.

“Bolaiya Boli Khasam Ka” Sri Guru Granth Sahib (74)

Sri Guru Arjan Sahib in Sri Rag says that he speaks what his Lord causes him to speak.

The divine music has become a daily food, daily spiritual nourishment, the very sustenance, life and psyche of the lovers of Sri Guru Granth Sahib.

Mata Bhani, the holy Mother of Sri Guru Arjan Sahib had given a unique parting blessing to her holy child when he was to leave for Lahore to attend a cousin’s marriage ceremony on the directions of his beloved father Sri Guru Ram Das Ji. This unique blessing included this special piece also:

Poota Mata Ki Asis
Nimakh Na Bisrah Tum Kau Har Har
Sada Bhajah Jagdish
Satgur Tum Kau Hoi Daiyala
Sant Sang Teri Preet
Kapar Pat Parmesar Rakhi
Bhojan Kirtan Neet Sri Guru Granth Sahib (496)

Oh my son, this is your mother’s blessing that you may never forget the Lord even for a moment. And your devotion to the Lord be perpetual. May the Satguru shower grace on you and your love be established in the Holy. May you be robed by the Lord with Honour and your food (sustenance) be the perpetual divine Kirtan (singing of the Glories of the Lord).

Holy mother blesses Sri Guru Arjan Sahib and He passes on this rarest of the rare blessing to all the children of God for all times to come.

The melody of devotional Kirtan, the melody of Nam unites the Soul with the Lord. Kirtan bestows rapture of Divine Joy and Peace. It facilitates stilling the mind and consequent concentration and meditation on the Divine. Kirtan thrills, awakens and charms our dead souls. It awakens consciousness about Guru and God. Kirtan is the greatest blessing of Sri Guru Nanak Sahib in this darkage of Kalyug. Sri Guru Granth Sahib is the most precious treasure of the infinite glories of the Lord and His Immortal Nam sung by Lord Guru Arjan Himself in the highest ecstasy and bliss of the Divine. A mortal separated from the Lord since births immemorial experiences taste of immortality and eternity in this devotional music and Song Celestial.

Kirtan restores the forgotten and lost glory of the soul. In the ecstasy of holy Kirtan, ‘I’ ego melts and gets dissolved in the infinity of Supreme Nam. ‘I’ ego melts and gets dissolved in “Thou” and that is the most wonderful spiritual experience of this holy Kirtan.

‘I’ness and ‘My’ness melts away, gets dissolved in the glorious all pervading Nam of the Lord.

With the pure impact of the holy Kirtan, mind starts stabilizing and in the pure mind starts dawning the Sweet Will of the Lord. There ensues perfect and indescribable attunement with the all Blissful Lord. Blessed are the souls which subsist on this spiritual food and tonic, the Nectar of Immortality called holy Kirtan. Kirtan is a rare blessing of Guru Nanak to humanity. Every hymn of Sri Guru Granth Sahib is a song celestial. Every hymn is impregnated with the glory of God. Sri Guru Granth Sahib is an inexhaustible mine of holy kirtan.

In the present Kali age Kirtan has been acclaimed as the top divine Sadhana, top divine blessing and boon.

For a sikh, kirtan is elixer of his life, it is the holy music of his soul. Reciting and chanting the Nam of the Lord and singing the praises and glory of God is spiritually considered the most rewarding individual effort and endeavour.

Reciting the Amrit Nam and singing the glories and praises of the Lord (kirtan) in the holy hymns uttered by the Lord Himself saves, redeems and liberates. Sri Guru Granth Sahib is the redeeming ship of Immortal Nam, it is that Grand Ship of Kalyug which ferries the drowning humanity across this terrible ocean of transmigration.

Devotional hymns in their touching and direct prayer to the Lord stabilise the mind and facilitate establishing an easy approach to divine communion. Participation in mass kirtan brings in inter soul harmony and awakens and elevates the soul to cosmic consciousness. Actually it is a holy dip in Sri Guru Nanak Sahib’s splendour and Glory-Divine.

With the holy wings of Kirtan one can easily fly to the lotus feet of the Lord.

For the lovers of Kirtan, there is nothing more soothing, more charming for the ears and soul than the melodious music of these holy hymns of Sri Guru Granth Sahib. Shabad Kirtan tunes the soul with Rhythm Eternal.

Source - srigurugranthsahib.org