Shyamatara Das

In the Service of the Divine Mother

Saturday Morning Hanuman Chalisa

February 3, 2024 By Brian Leave a Comment

On Tuesdays and Saturdays, it is my habit to sing the Hanuman Chalisa as part of morning devotions. I learned this beautiful prayer during the early days of the pandemic, listening to livestreams from Devadas.

Here is one of my favorite of Shri Tulsidas’ stanzas.

rāma duāre tuma rakhavāre
hota na ājñā binu paisāre

You are the guardian at the door of Ram’s abode, no one enters without your leave.

Hanuman is the personification of devotion. This verse tells us that without devotion, we cannot approach the indefinable, imperishable, unchanging state of consciousness that we usually refer to as God.

I would highly recommend this commentary from Paramahamsa Prajnanananda if you’d like to learn more about this powerful prayer.

If you’d like to learn the words and chant along, here are links to transliterations and English translations.

Hanuman Chalisa (Nina Rao’s Website)

Hanuman Chaleesa (Krishna Das Website)

राम राम

Filed Under: Music, Video Tagged With: Bhakti, Devotions, Hanuman, Hanuman Chalisa, Harmonium, Livestreams, Morning Devotions, Saturn Austerities, Tulsidas

The Cowboy Mahamantra

October 31, 2023 By Brian

I’ve been singing this melody of the Mahamantra for a couple years now. I thought it might be fun to produce a recording of it with a full complement of instruments. At first, I was going to assemble a combo to play, but then decided I’d try to play all of the instruments myself, just to see if I could do it. This involved learning to play some things that I had absolutely no prior experience with, so I kept the parts (especially the percussion instruments) as simple as possible.

The choir was “friend-sourced” on Facebook and Instagram. I was happy to find a dozen folks who were willing to sing along and send me their recordings, and it was a lot of fun mixing all of those together to resemble an actual live Kirtan.

I have no goals or aspirations for the recording, except to spread the joy of singing this mantra. I do hope that it finds its way to someone who will be helped in some way by hearing it, and perhaps singing along.

Notes of Thanks

Thanks to our friends who responded to the call for crowdsourcing the choir. What I heard in my head was a diverse, un-reined choir of loving voices, and that’s exactly what they gave me. I’m so grateful.

Special thanks to Eban Crawford for his advice in tweaking the final mix. He’s not only a talented and highly skilled composer, guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, recording engineer and producer. He is the rarest of creatures in our day and age: a straight shooter with a heart as big as the sky. Thanks, Pal!

To my wife and offspring, who patiently endured listening to this recording in various iterations ad nauseam for the past three months, thanks for the love, encouragement, patience and constructive feedback. Also, special thanks to Claudia who first started me down a Kirtan rabbit hole three and a half years ago. You’ll always be my favorite singing partner, Sweetheart.

To the devotees of every place and time who have shared and spread this sweet, sweet practice of Bhakti, we owe you an inestimable debt.

Finally, to the Lord who creates us, sustains us and takes us back home – to the Lord who is always with us, but is also beyond the beyond – we make our offerings to the One who leads us from darkness to light. It is to You that we bow, and offer our lives.

Credits

Lyrics: The Great Mantra from the Kali-Saṇṭāraṇa Upaniṣad

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare

Melody: Brian Noe

Acoustic Guitars, Bass, Slide Guitars, Mridanga, Kartals, Vocals: Brian Noe

Kirtan Response Choir: Dustin Cormier, Michael Deathrow, Dani Kindleyside, Brigita Lajkovic, Donelle Mason, Julie McDonald, Claudia Noe (times two!), Kristin Ponnambalam, Brian Prairie, Cathleen Rittereiser, Beth Rockert and Marilyn Starkenberg

Wise Counsel: Eban Crawford

Production and Mix: Brian Noe

Chant and Be Happy!

ॐ†


You can download the audio of the song for free at this link.

https://archive.org/details/the-cowboy-mahamantra

Also available on BandCamp, with any proceeds going to Neem Karoli Baba Ashram in Taos.

https://noebie.bandcamp.com/track/cowboy-mahamantra

Coming soon to iTunes, Amazon Music and all the other places. 🙂

Filed Under: Music, Video Tagged With: Bhakti, Home Made Music, Kirtan, Maha Mantra, Music

A Short Biographic Video of Mahavatar Babaji

August 21, 2023 By Brian Leave a Comment

YouTube’s algorithms brought this little gem to my attention. It actually does a decent job of conveying who Babaji is, and what he taught, all in under ten minutes.

What struck me about the video, though, is that at about 7:20 in there is a visual effect that very closely approximates what I see during Kriya Yoga meditation. I suspect that the similarity is merely coincidental, but still, it took my breath when it appeared on the screen

Spiritual Eye Illustration

I first noticed these clouds of light converging in the center of my field of vision occasionally in late 2019 during TM style silent mantra meditation. I learned later, as I began to practice Kriya Yoga, that the phenomenon sometimes accompanies the opening of the Spiritual Eye as one enters the superconscious (or transcendental) state. This occurrence has become more commonplace during Kriya Pranayama over the past few months, after having practiced the technique for a couple of years now.

For more information on Mahavatar Babaji’s legacy, and the practices of his Kriya Yoga lineage, I would highly recommend the Kriya Yoga Online YouTube channel of my teacher, Ryan Kurczak.

Filed Under: Video Tagged With: Kriya Yoga, Mahavatar Babaji, Ryan Kurczak, Spiritual Eye, YouTube

The Cowboy Mahamantra

December 9, 2022 By Brian

I did a quick stream on Facebook tonight with an acoustic guitar. This is a melody that I’ve been carrying around for a couple years now, from the early days of my Kirtan practice.

Sing and be happy.

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare

Filed Under: Video Tagged With: FB Live, Guitar, Maha Mantra, Original Melodies

Catching Up and Talking About Mantra Practice

September 4, 2021 By Brian Leave a Comment

Here’s a livestream to catch up on what’s been going on in our lives, and to talk just a bit about mantra practice.

https://shyamataradas.com/seva/

https://www.hanumanmaui.org/store-home/p/a-little-bit-of-mantras-signed-bundle

https://shyamataradas.com/a-simple-meditation-practice/

Filed Under: Video Tagged With: Facebook Live, Mantra Practice, Mantras, Meditation

Next Steps in Kriya Yoga

June 25, 2021 By Brian 1 Comment

In early November of last year, I began studying Paramahansa Yogananda’s Self-Realization Fellowship home study lessons. I just finished reading the 17th lesson in the series yesterday, and will complete the final one some time early next month.

The lessons are an introduction to an entire way of life, introducing Yogananda’s philosophy and theology, along with the practices and techniques of his lineage of gurus. They give instruction in three of the essential practices of SRF (Hong Sau Meditation, Energization Exercises and AUM Meditation). They form the foundation and preparation for the fourth, and purportedly most powerful, practice – Kriya Yoga.

So, as I complete the course of study, the question is posed. Do I wish to proceed on the SRF Kriya Yoga path, formally accepting Yogananda as my guru, and placing myself under the direction and discipline of his teachings henceforth?

The Guru/Disciple relationship is something that is not well understood in our Western culture, principally because the sort of commitment that it requires is also rather foreign to us. One’s guru is not the only light in one’s life, but is one’s principal light, teacher, guide and master. It is a sacred obligation on the part of both parties, which goes beyond the simple desire of one to learn from the other.

Although I have the highest regard for Yogananda and his teachings, and have been a serious student these eight months, I’m not prepared (at least not at the moment) to adhere to the Kriya Yoga path as my sole discipline and way of life.

I take it as a sign of maturity that I can show this sort of discernment. I have tended to be a “joiner” for much of my life, and the temptation to remain on this path (particularly following these many months of study) is great. I do find that the teachings make sense, and the techniques and practices are powerful and valuable, but I cannot picture myself putting the SRF at the center of my life. Also, although I find no contradiction in a being a faithful Roman Catholic and practicing the yogic techniques taught by Yogananda, I suspect that becoming his disciple in a formal way would be inconsistent with my Catholic Faith. The SRF reveres Jesus, along with Krishna and the four Kirya Yoga gurus (Mahavatar Babaji, Lahiri Mahasaya, Sri Yyukteswar and Yogananda), but their ideas about him depart from Catholic dogma. In my heart of hearts, I suppose that my beliefs are actually closer to those of Yogananda than they are to many of the teachings of the Catholic Church, but being “faithful anyway” is the biggest part of being a faithful Catholic for me.

Still, I have found the basic practices taught in the SRF lessons (particularly Hong Sau Meditation and the tension exercises) to be incredibly helpful, and intend to continue to grow and learn in their practice. I also wanted to learn more about the Kriya Yoga technique than what was available to the general public from “official” sources such as SRF or Ananda (a schism from Yogananda’s lineage). Fortunately, as you might guess, there is a lot of information available online these days about these once secret techniques and practices. Careful research is necessary to find the reliable and authoritative sources, but after sifting through all of that, I was delighted to find Ryan Kurczak’s writings and YouTube Channel.

I’m nowhere near ready to begin actually practicing the advanced Kriya Yoga techniques at this time, but I’m finding a wealth of practical, actionable wisdom in Kurczak’s work. His video shared at the top of this post especially resonated with me, and seemed almost as if it had been produced to address my own particular situation at the moment with regard to further study.

Isn’t it funny how that sort of thing happens? We find the thing that we need, at just the time that we need it.

Filed Under: Video Tagged With: Kriya Yoga, Sadhana, Self-Realization, SRF, Yogananda

Babylon

June 10, 2021 By Brian

Chanting Under the Trees with a Tibetan Singing Bowl

Melody by 18th Century English Composer Philip Hayes

Text from Psalm 137

How can we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land?

We are spirits projecting into this material world, into this Babylon. We grow weary of our exile. When we chant, for a little while, our spirits find rest in the comfort of home.

We remember thee, Zion.

Filed Under: Video

Om Aim Saraswatyai Namaha

June 2, 2021 By Brian Leave a Comment

We picked up a Swarmandal/Tanpura from Old Delhi Music, and it’s perfect for chanting japa (using a beaded mala to keep track of repetitions).

It’s a little hard to tell from the video, but the vibrations are just marvelous. This practice really seems to promote a state of profound relaxation, calm and peace – similar to what we experience at a gong bath.

Obviously, after only four days with this instrument, I still have a lot to learn. Very much looking forward to further explorations with it.

 

Filed Under: Video Tagged With: Bhakti, Chants, Devotions, Hindu, Japa, Kirtan, Mantras, Saraswati, Tanpura

Singing the Maha Mantra

May 14, 2021 By Brian

I took the guitar out front of the house to the big rainbow bench to sing the Maha Mantra.

We’ll be singing this one together at our next Key City Kirtan gathering.

Filed Under: Video Tagged With: Chants, Hari Krishna Hari Rama, Key City Kirtan, Kirtan, Maha Mantra

Why We Chant

March 22, 2021 By Brian

Some thoughts on why we sing Bhakti. Also, little snips of the Gayatri and Adi Mantras.

Filed Under: Video Tagged With: Adi Mantra, Bhakti, Chants, Gayatri Mantra, Guitar, Key City Kirtan, Kirtan

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ༀ་ཏཱ་རེ་ཏུཏྟཱ་རེ་ཏུ་རེ་སྭཱ་ཧཱ།

Oṃ Tāre Tuttāre Ture Svāhā

Mother of Liberation, Guide and Protect Us

Contact

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About Shyamatara Das

Bookmarks

  • Daily Word from Unity
  • Deva and Miten's Gayatri Sangha
  • His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama
  • Key City Kirtan
  • Krishna Das
  • Kriya Yoga Online
  • Liturgy of the Hours
  • Love Serve Remember
  • Seva Foundation
  • Tara Mandala

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Photo Credit

Website Background Photo: Mount Kailash from Barkha Plain by Jean-Marie Hullot