Narration About Praising God

1. In this Kali yuga there should be continual explanations about God. The expressions should be delicate and skillful, avoiding difficult, harsh, and unpleasant words.
2. The noise of chatter must be stopped and put aside, and do not get engaged in arguing with argumentative people. Do not make your mind turbulent with ideas of true and false.
3. One should not praise God proudly, or ever tire of singing his praises (in kirtan). When talking, one should not delve into delicate subjects, but instead focus on positive qualities.
4. Coughing and making distracting noises and causing disruptions while the praising of God is going on is not proper.
5. Speak about the many names of God and give explanations about God with attributes. Give many narrations about the wondrous greatness and glory of God.
6. Avoid speaking in a way that instigates derogatory and vulgar exclamations of disagreement among the people. Speak in such a way that does not use hurtful or disrespectful words.
7. Do not single anyone out with heavy criticism. Do not harass anyone by teasing them, and do not cause trouble for someone because they harassed you.
8. One should not simply passively patronize everyone saying "yes, yes, yes" to everything. One who is alert and awake becomes purified by listening to the narrations about God. With meditation and repetition of God's name, the one God that resides in the hearts of all beings is pleased.
9. One's speech should make the gathering swell with devotional feelings, and one's brilliance should be attractive, seen shining from afar so all living beings are drawn near.
10. The wise person speaks in such a way that people don't need to be called again and again to come and listen. There is no need to take any action to plead with anyone to come because people eagerly come to listen without any invitation.
11. One should not continue on with speech that is irritating to people, or continue speaking when people are not listening to what is being said. Do not keep chattering on, thus making your speech boring.
12. Do not keep the company of stubborn people who are rigid and outspoken. One should not just continue prattling on with tiresome speech, and it should be well understood that meditation does not become established when there is any kind of outward show going on.
13. One's mind should not be constantly unsteady causing one to be afraid of speaking. Constant wavering in the mind while talking is of no use. And if you are uncertain about something, do not be obstinate in making a mistake.
14. Some people simply carry on clumsily with rituals and dancing, while others sit in one spot a on big mound and don't move. All of this is only tiring.
15. Speak in various methodical and cultured ways. Use humble speech to extoll the many qualities of God. One's singing should be precise, melodious and proper.
16. Use percussion instruments and stringed instruments to accompany your singing. Sing rhythmic compositions accompanied with musical instruments so that even opinionated people become engrossed with their bodies and minds.
17. Sing the Lord's praises with high pitched voices coming together, and the feet of the devotees dancing ecstatically in divine love.
18. Singing the praises of God should be done in such a way that the alert and astute devotees become overwhelmed by the narration and divine song that resounds rhythmically, filling the entire atmosphere both inwardly and outwardly.
19. The singing of God's praises should be such that if some clever and crafty person comes rushing in with the intent to disrupt, he becomes subdued by the atmosphere and his intentions get spoiled, and everyone rejoices totally in God's splendor.
20. There are many powerful verses spoken that people enjoy with great appreciation. Such speech is articulate and precise, and attracts learned people to come to such gatherings.
21. With such praise, one's negative tendencies run away and disappear, and virtue is revealed outwardly. People come back again and again because they develop a liking for it within.
22. This praise does not include any useless, unworthy, or deceptive talk, or any kind of meaningless acrobatics or unnecessary body movements. It is free of dull useless words and harsh criticism.
23. This type of narration is praised by the people and addressed respectfully by them. People seek out the narrator and persuade him to speak again and again.
24. Such a speaker is known as a good pious person among the people. Because of his devotional feelings he stands out from the crowd. He is admired by others because of his kind and helping nature.
25. If you agree, then keep what has been said in the mind. Do not become intoxicated with affection for yourself. Many people remain intoxicated with pride and always go around chanting "I, I, I."
26. Some people persist and carry on asking others, "When will I be called to come and lead the kirtan?" For the good speaker who has previously been described, no such invitation is required.
27. His praise (kirtan) is rich and interesting, expressing many moods with melodious music. Those who are expert in selecting that which is most valuable run after it.
28. Such praise brings about overwhelming joy that brings tears to the eyes of the listeners. Their minds are filled with joy. Crowds of people are drawn in because of their appreciation for such speech.
29. Such praise does not contain any absurd statements or vulgar thoughts. Such a speaker's speech brings peace to the people.
30. He teaches discrimination of Essence and non-essence to all. With the utilization of literature and music, virtuous people feel better.
31. When one understands what is true and what is false, agitation and dissatisfaction end. When it is known to be false, the unreal disappears.
32. It is very difficult to find the truly wise who are capable of explaining the meaning of scriptures. Without them, the meaning of the Vedas cannot be understood. Their words cannot be equated to the sweet words of a parrot who cannot stop chattering.
33. One who gets contentment from amusing people with speech gets enticed by the approval and praises from others. He does not get any benefits from doing this in life, nor does he go beyond the world appearance.
34. Put your attention on That which cannot be seen with the eyes and cannot be conceived in the mind. Going beyond the body-consciousness, become absorbed in Reality by the most direct path, the "Bird's Way" (Vihangam Marg).
35. The Inner-Self that dwells in the body is subject to agitation. One who pacifies this agitation and helps others feel peaceful is truly blessed. It is the one Self that gets agitated as well as pacified that resides within everyone.