```json
{
    "title": "Monday Morning Greetings 2018 #25 – The Kīrtana of the Cowherd Boys",
    "url": "https://wavesofdevotion.com/2018/06/18/the-kirtana-of-the-cowherd-boys/",
    "datePublished": "2018-06-18",
    "dateModified": "2018-06-18",
    "language": "en-US",
    "description": "What a joyous sight! Śrī Krishna leaves every morning to graze His cows in the sacred forest of Vṛndāvana. Fearing that His beloved cows are trampling Vṛndāvana with their sharp…",
    "author": "Dhanurdhara Swami",
    "publisher": "Waves of Devotion"
}
```

# Monday Morning Greetings 2018 #25 – The Kīrtana of the Cowherd Boys

What a joyous sight! Śrī Krishna leaves every morning to graze His cows in the sacred forest of Vṛndāvana. Fearing that His beloved cows are trampling Vṛndāvana with their sharp hooves, He follows behind His herd to gently caress this sacred ground with His lotus feet. At the same time, He glances lovingly at His cowherd friends, each one intensely feeling Krishna’s love for them. The cowherds spontaneously respond to Krishna’s affection with jubilant

*kīrtana*

, a

*kīrtana*

so rousing that it continues throughout the day. Just imagine that

*kīrtana*

! What does it sound like? How does it look?  Don’t imagine, just hear:

 

*anye tad-anurūpā**ṇ**i
** **manojñāni mahātmana**ḥ**
gāyanti sma mahā-rāja
** **sneha-klinna-dhiya**ḥ** śanai**ḥ*

 

“My dear King, other boys would sing enchanting songs appropriate to the occasion, and their hearts would melt out of love for the Lord.” (

*Bhag*

. 10.15.18)

[\[1\]](https://wp.me/p2zwwk-Kq#_edn1)

 

Four characteristics of their

*kīrtana*

are described. By discussing each not only is the

*kīrtana*

of the cowherd boys described, but also the authority of proper

*kīrtana*

in general is established.

 

*sneha-klinna-dhiya*

*ḥ*

*(with a heart melted from love)*

 

The most important quality of good

*kīrtana*

is that it comes from a heart (

*dhiya*

*ḥ*

) filled with deep affection or devotion (

*sneha*

). The symptom of such a heart is that it is not hard, but melted (

*klinna*

), a condition of devotion also called

*bhava*

. In fact, real

*kīrtana*

is only when that

*bhava*

in the heart is expressed through the discipline of music. No matter how musically talented one is, it is not

*kīrtana*

without such

*bhava*

, or at least the humble aspiration for it, even when chanting the

*mahā-mantra*

. Therefore the primary quality of the

*kīrtana*

of the cowherd boys, and all

*kīrtana*

, is that it is born from a heart of devotion.

 

*manaḥ-jñāni (attractive to the mind)*

 

In general, proper

*rāga*

(melody) and

*tāla*

(rhythm) are connected to deep parts of the psyche that open the heart further to sentiments of genuine devotion. The

*kīrtana*

of the cowherd boys is thus not only devotional, but their devotional feelings are enhanced by sonorous melodies (

*rāga*

) and perfect rhythm (

*tāla*

) that are attractive to the mind (

*manaḥ-jñāni*

).

 

*tat-anurūpā*

*ṇ*

*i*

* (appropriate for the occasion) *

 

Everything about Krishna, down to the smallest detail of His being and actions, is all-attractive. One day in the forest a soft wind blew Krishna’s golden

*dhoti*

so that it gently hugged His legs in a way that further revealed His form. That visual so overwhelmed His observant friends that one enthusiastically suggested, “Let’s have a festival!” The cowherd boys immediately began to organize a forest feast and spontaneously composed songs about the beauty of Krishna’s

*dhoti*

blowing in the wind. Their

*kīrtana*

was thus

*tat-anurūpā*

*ṇ*

*i*

—appropriate for the occasion or pastime. Whether it is

*līlā-kīrtana*

,

*kīrtana*

describing Krishna’s pastimes, or

*nāma-kīrtana*

, chanting the holy name that is sung in

*rāgas*

suitable for the time of day, the

*kīrtana*

of the cowherd boys is always appropriate­—

*tat-anurūpā*

*ṇ*

*i*

.

 

*śanaiḥ (slowly, builds up gradually)*

 

In good

*kīrtana*

enthusiasm gradually build by the force of the devotion. It is never forced or artificial. In other words, tempo never precedes devotion, but is a natural result of devotion as the

*kīrtana*

matures. The

*kīrtana*

of the cowherd boys is thus described as

*śanaiḥ*

­—it slowly or gradually builds, an essential element of proper

*kīrtana*

.

 

We can now imagine the

*akhanda*

(non-stop)

*kīrtana*

of the cowherd boys with its deep devotion, beautiful melodies and appropriate

*rāgas*

that gradually build to a crescendo as they become immersed in

*kīrtana*

, overwhelmed with devotion, and, most importantly, accompanied by the virtuoso flute of the original guru of all music and dance, Śrī Krishna.

 

[\[1\]](https://wp.me/p2zwwk-Kq#_ednref1)

The various analysis of the words in this verse that describe the

*kīrtana*

of the cowherd boys are found in various commentaries on the verse that I have read or heard over the years. I didn’t have access to them at the writing of this article.