Sastric quotes for superiority for loud chanting at last found!

[Guest guest]

> I was interested to read that BSST said that "ultimately kirtana is

> superior to japa". I hadn't come across this before and wondered if you

> (or anyone else) can expand on this. Where does BSST say this and what is

> the explanation given?

 

Srila Sarasvati Thakura says this because of the following quotes:

 

(1)

japato hari n€m€ni sth€ne ata-gun€dhikah

€tm€nam ca pun€ty-uccair-japan rotrn-pun€ti ca

 

(Sri Naradiya, Prahlada-vakya)

 

Compared to that person who is attached to chanting japa, the person who

performs loud chanting of the holy name of Sri Hari is one hundred times

better. This is because the person who chants japa purifies himself, whereas

the person who chants the holy name loudly in kirtana purifies himself, all

those who are with him, and everyone else who hear the holy vibration.

 

(2)

pau-paki-k…˜a-€di balite n€ p€re

unile se harin€ma t€'ra saba tare

japile se kŠa-n€ma €pani se tare

ucca-sa‰k…rtane para-upak€re kare

ata eva ucca kari'kirtana karile

ata-guna phala haya sarva-€stre bole

 

(Caitanya Bhagavata Adi 11.275-277)

 

The animals, birds, and insects cannot chant the holy name, but by hearing

the holy name chanted they can benefit. Chanting the japa of the holy name

of Krsna purifies oneself, but the loud sankirtana of the holy name of

Krsnabenefits all living beings. Therefore, loudly chant the holy name of

Krsna in kirtana, and you will get one hundred times the benefit of chanting

japa. This is the verdict of all the sastras.