The origin of the word Kiirtan: In Sam’skrta (Sangskrit language) the root verb kiirt means to ‘utter something loudly in praise of someone.’ To proclaim the glories of Parama Purus’a , the Supreme Consciousness, in a loud voice is termed kiirtan. Kiirtan was first invented by devotees to give joy to Parama Purus’a and in the process of pleasing and delighting Parama Purus’a, the devotees lost themselves. Kiirtan touches the core of human heart. Followers of all religions do kiirtan. The only reason for such large-scale popularity of kiirtan is that it arouses the soft spiritual sentiments in a person. Behind kiirtan is a blissful ideation. This ideation blossoms into full flower - the soft feelings of the human heart lying so deep in a bud form. Kiirtan awakens the human feelings and transports one into great bliss. Kiirtan fills one’s life and satisfies all wants. What is the meaning of the kiirtan Ba’ba’ Na’m Kevalam? Ba’ba’ means the Dearest One, only the name of the Dearest One, only the name of Parama Purus’a (Supreme Consciousness). Ba’ba’ Na’m Kevalam is a siddha mantra. When the first syllable ba’ is uttered, the feeling should be: ‘ I am crossing the threshold and entering the new world’; and when the last syllable ma is uttered the feeling should be ‘I have accomplished my duty.’ If the kiirtan is done with these feelings, within two or three minutes the effect will come into play. ... A feeling of bliss and perfection. A siddha mantra must necessarily have eight syllables …The whole siddha mantra should be uttered fully in each phase of the tune – Ba’ba’ Na’m Kevalam and not a part of it while doing kiirtan. If this is not done, the kiirtan cannot be said to be a perfect kiirtan. Everything must be done in a methodical way. Then you will enjoy and get the (completion) of kiirtan properly. The kulakun’d’alinii (spiritual force at the base of the spine) rises slowly form the Muladhara Cakra to the Saha’sra’ra Cakra in eight steps, it passes through eight cakras and the Saha’sra’ra is the ninth… The kulakun’d’alinii rises upwards in eight jumps or phases, …that is why such a siddha mantra has eight syllables, never seven or nine syllables. Indo Aryan music is based on a system, a rhythm: there is no room for any mistake, no scope for deviation. Initially kiirtan was in vogue, which at first was not based on hard and fast rules, just as folk songs do not conform to many rules. Later, however, it was also subjected to fixed rules…it became elevated from folk music to classical music. Kiirtan belongs to the category of supra-aesthetic science. Now the question may be asked: What is supra-aesthetic science? To put it precisely is the endeavor to ensconce the microcosmic entity, the individual entitative rhythm, in the eternal bearing, the infinite rhythm of Parama Purus’a (Supreme Consciousness). So in all the branches of music kiirtan is the best. Since kiirtan is the composite of song, dance and instrumental music… and the charm, the excellence of kiirtan is that when these three aspects of music are combined together they create such an unblemished, heavenly environment that people completely forget themselves. There is a system for the accompaniment of music in kiirtan, because sometimes, while doing kiirtan our ears may be distracted …normally a mrdanga (special drum), or some such instrument, is prescribed. Why? Why not drums and such heavy sounding instruments? The fact is that the sound of the mrdanga is very sweet. Where there is harsh or heavy sound and a sweet sound, the mind is normally attracted towards the sweet sound. Hence the playing of mrdanga serves the purpose of attracting the mind and helping it to associate with the vibration of kiirtan, thus immediately the mind returns to the bha’va (feeling) of kiirtan…