Facilities for "passive bhajan" - Recordings etc.

Yes I remember that, I found it a very welcome and fascinating innovation. (For reference: EC Gathering, Visualization Outline.) Have you given further thought to doing that recording, or perhaps a series of recordings of "guided visualizations"?

Overall, I believe facilities for "passive bhajan" would be a very helpful addition in a world so dominated by varieties of passive entertainment, such as TV and music. What will you do when you need to sit down and relax for a moment?

Maybe you will laugh at me, but I made a recording of myself reading Govinda lilamrta and keep it on my iPod. I listen to it when I go out for errands, need to clean my place or just want to relax at the end of the day. That's how I do "passive bhajan."

Great idea. I've been meaning to do the same thing, but I am somewhat technologically handicapped.

Maybe Braja could arrange studio time for the visualization recording and we could work on it. Braja?

And while you're at it (since we've mentioned passive bhajan) a great project for someone would be to make Goswami literature (especially pastime literature) available as books on tape.

Amala Bhakta das has done a great job putting ACBSP's books on tape. I listen to his Caitanya Caritamrta regularly. If someone could do the same for the books of our Goswamis it would be a great service (and probably pretty popular).

Indeed, all of that we should have. However, before that becomes a reality, we need first of all people who give permission for doing that with their translations, as well as translations that are up to standard. Undoubtedly it would be very popular.

The audio and video endeavor at Lake of Flowers Productions is one endeavor hoping to fill this media gap. (Many of the videos are now also available at Google Video: have a look.)

There are so many avenues in the realm of media that could be explored!

While I'm at it. We should also produce quality seminars exploring the various facets of our theology, history and so forth. Seminars and lecture series along the lines of what you'll find from the likes of The Teaching Company.

I'd love to hear more cohesive recordings of the bhajans of our acaryas. Instead of cd's with bhajans from here there and everywhere, how about a complete recording of all the songs of prarthana or prema bhakti candrika (for example) start to finish?

For that matter, how much of the writing of our acaryas can be (and traditionally is) set to music?

Indeed, that too. It is a bit out of the scope of my upcoming visit during Kartika, but is certainly something on the list of things to do. Kartika will be too busy for the kirtaniyas to focus on something like that, and there's plenty of nectar available at where the kirtaniyas are busy.

Most texts written in meter can of course go along with music, though it wouldn't make that much sense with theological texts. By far the richest heritage is the vast array of Bengali padas headed by the songs of Thakur Mahashaya, his Prarthana in particular. Prema-bhakti-chandrika doesn't break into individual songs as comfortably as Prarthana does, though several famous songs have been extracted of it, as well.

The countless ashtakams in the writings of Rupa and Raghunatha Das Goswamis are of course there and can be sung, though they weren't written to be accompanied by music as much as some others, like Rupa's Gitavali, was. Bengali songs are, for obvious reasons, more popular and widely sung.

Sat-sandarbha and the such are more in the category of what a rap artist could take on.

Radhe! That's bizzare...

I was talking with sakhicharanji this morning and said, "What about Vaishnava books on tape." I thought it could make office work a little more bearable and productive in my life... to hear scriptures on tape. I *specifically* mentioned Govinda Lilamrta.

As a sidenote, I always wanted to be a "voice" for books on tape. It has been a dream of mine since Linguistics 106 when I saw a video of an Old English specialist reading Beowulf for the recorder. So if anyone wants to start a project, I want to send in my application.

Radhe!
I produced eight compact discs (bhajans, mantra/namavali) for my old sanga. I would be so happy to help in any way!
It is also easiest for me to retain if I hera something repeatedly.
Radhe!

I used to entertain this idea in my head of creating a "cuckoo clock" of sorts to remind us of the different yamas and the corresponding lilas. For example, one might hear something like the following...


Followed by the "nizAvasAnaM samavekSya vRndA" verse and translation;

Seeing the end of the night Vrinda ordered Her parrots to awaken Radhika and Madhusudhana....

And so on...

So there will be a parrot coming out and saying all this, instead of cuckoo. Right?

Why yes, of course!

I will ask Vrinda Devi if she would mind if I borrowed the learned sArikA named Kalokti and the zuka named Manjuvak for a recording session...

Suskmadhi and Manjubhasini will also be considered as possiblities...hmmm...might need to borrow some mayurs...their calls may prove useful as well...

(this is making me think...a nice topic to start would be listing the names of the different shukas and sariikas along with the lila they participate in and any available description of their qualitites or characteristics...)

That's a good idea, but replacing me with a bird (even a divine bird) is not. I will still send in my audition tape for your consideration.

Well, I wouldn't know how to build a cuckoo clock, but this would certainly have a number of possible applications with our PCs.

Yes, and blended with appropriate ragas for the times of the day, and related views...

I have done kirtan with you many, many times, so I know you have a marvelous voice...One still must be careful...references please.

Well hell, if we are going to take that much effort, why don't we all just relocate to Braj and sing to each other!

If you'll tell me where that's available for free download...

Can't find that link right now...

I might also add, I have been fostering the idea for some time that the rasika devotees should put on one of Rupa Goswami's plays. A work is often most powerful when experienced in the medium for which it was intended. I don't mean a quickly thrown-together pageant. I am talking about a serious theatrical production with thoughtful set designs, costumes, lighting, live music, et cetera.

I would like to produce a 5 to 6 minute vignette which could be used as an example to show potential investors. Of course, I need actors, techs, etc. Just one more reason for us all to be in Vraj together NOW!

(Ok fine, the audio books idea is more practical. But we can always dream...)

I fervently agree with this drama idea. There is nothing more powerful than a dramatization. Perhaps this is why the 'Ramayan' and 'Mahabharat' soap operas were so popular in India; surely every Indian had heard these stories, and yet the streets were practically empty at the time of broadcast. Sometimes the plays I have seen have brought many a tear to my eye.

Some of our granthas, most auspicious and sacred holy books that they are, have been written in screenplay format. Therefore it shouldn't be all that hard to make a play out of them. The only thing that I would insist on is good acting!

Now all we need is a budget.

I love it! Just imagine watching Vidagdha Madhava played by raganugiya rasika bhaktas...perhaps along the banks of the Jamuna...

I am not so talented, but now I am asking you to accept my application!

I have many friends from the Ali Akbar Khan school of music and the Cal Arts Hindustani music program that would do nice service for cheap.
Pakhawajj, Mrdungam, Violin (karnataka and Hindustani), Sarod, Sitar and Tabla.
Give me the word and we can do this
Jay Radhe!

Oh yes - dramas are of course the classical and perhaps the most wonderful approach to this. Unfortunately they need a certain geogrpahic proximity from the audience, a luxury we currently don't have. But it's good to know we have the enthusiasts for that!