Kirtan–Dancing with the Devil

Last Saturday we had an amazing time dancing and chanting at the Deep Ellum Arts Festival.  Every year we are invited to come and chant and dance.  This kirtan movement is so powerful that even the Devil himself is carried away in it's sway.  This photo might confirm the suspicions of several Born-Agains, however it illustrates quite the opposite. 

In Bhakti Yoga, the path of loving service to God, one does not give ones regular activities.  Rather such activities dovetailed in the service of God.  The desire to dance is there present in every soul, along with the desire to sing.  Yet singing about the temporary never seems to satisfy the heart.    Once we add the eternal, Sri Krishna – God,  to the equation we have a good formula for factual and substantial happiness.   And as side bonus one who takes to the chanting of Hare Krishna does not have to be born again.

Hugbox comes every year to attend the kirtan along with his other friends the hippies and happies.

People just love seeing the kirtan.

These girls danced with us the whole time although we had never seen them at the temple before.  There was a devotee named Mishra Bhagavan who had put tilak on their faces and others who were watching the show.

Every year there is great response from the crowd but this year tops it all.

A group of a dozen teenage girls who were obviously part of some Christian private school bus trip ecstatically joined the kirtan with full vigor.  They danced and danced and sang and sang and then they asked “Can we sing too?” (meaning, can we lead the Maha Mantra on the microphone)  They then also got to lead the kirtan.  It was quite wonderful seeing their enthusiasm.   And finally when their head mother/ chaperone figure saw them also leading the kirtan she then decided to corral them and haul them off.  It was just too much mercy. 

In the middle of the kirtan I was asked to give a short introduction to the Maha Mantra Kirtan which can be found on this video at 2:22

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare