BGD Week 3: Turning Routine into Remembrance

Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura ki jaya!

It is written in Padma Purāṇa (42.103) and Nārada-pañcarātra (4.2.23):

smartavyaḥ satataṁ viṣṇur
vismartavyo na jātucit
sarve vidhi-niṣedhāḥ syur
etayor eva kiṅkarāḥ

"Always remember Viṣṇu, and never forget Him. All other prohibitions and recommendations are servitors of these two instructions."

This is the purpose of everything we do. But in the midst of our daily routines—waking up, eating, working—this often feels like an impossible task.

I would like to start this third week with some relevant and profound instructions from a letter by Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Vāmana Gosvāmī Mahārāja, who gives us the key to maintaining this focus:

We have no worthiness or qualification in regard to sādhana-bhajana. The causeless mercy of Guru, Vaiṣṇavas, and Bhagavān is our only resource and provision. ... Whatever the means, one simply must perform hari-bhajana – “yena kenāpy upāyena manaḥ kṛṣṇe niveśayet (ŚB 7.1.32) – one way or another, immerse your mind in Kṛṣṇa.” ...

Even if one cannot remember anything, studying scripture and discussing it is a vital duty... In material existence, if one can simply remember Bhagavān and survive, all is well. Service to Hari is the main purpose of staying alive.

Fixing the Mind: One Way or Another

"By any means, immerse your mind in Kṛṣṇa." This is the goal. As Śrīla Vāmana Gosvāmī Mahārāja points out, our only resource to achieve this is the mercy of Hari, Guru, and Vaiṣṇavas.

But how can we keep this aspiration in mind while so many things are pulling at us throughout the day?

We are so fortunate that Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has given us the specific method. He has provided special, vivid kīrtanas for every transition of the day: for when the sun rises, for the ārati ceremonies at the three junctures of the day, for making the noontime offering, for honoring different types of prasāda, and even for when we are out in public.

He made his direct, merciful guidance accessible at clear times on a daily basis. He shows us how to turn what would normally be a brainless, mechanical activity into an internal festival directly related to Kṛṣṇa.

Even if I have no inclination to think about Kṛṣṇa on my own, I can simply sing these songs and let Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura direct my attention to the sweet pastimes of Śacīnandana Gaurahari and Kṛṣṇa right now, even in my distracted condition when I have no taste, in the midst of my daily activities.

Our Focus This Week

This week, we will focus on these kīrtanas for specific times of the day. All these songs are filled with extremely vivid and descriptive imagery. The more we become clear about the meaning of the words, the easier it will be to transform the ordinary parts of our day into deep, absorbing spiritual practices.

Our selections for this week include:

• Sunrise Kīrtanas (Aruṇodaya): Songs like Udilo Aruṇa and Jīva Jāgo that wake the sleeping soul and bring him into the Lord's early morning saṅkīrtana pastimes, which are filled with His merciful instructions.
• The Ārati Songs: The meditations for the ārati ceremonies throughout the day, including Vibhāvarī-śeṣa, Bhoga-ārati, and the beautiful evening Gaura-ārati and Yugala-ārati.
• Mahāprasāda Songs: A series of meditations for genuinely honoring prasāda by remembering the feasts of the Lord with His associates in Vraja, Śāntipura, Navadvīpa, and Nīlācala.
• Nagara-kīrtanas: Songs meant to be sung in public for the benefit of all jīvas, proclaiming the opening of the Nityānanda’s marketplace of the holy name, describing the ecstatic dancing of Mahāprabhu’s party, and imploring everyone to forget their sorrows and take shelter of kṛṣṇa-nāma.

Your Selection for Week 3

Below is the link to the selection form for this week. As before, I invite you to read through the list and select up to four songs that call you.

Join the Daily Program

We are continuing our daily online sessions where we discuss these songs and their practical application.

• Dates: Jan 1 – Feb 14, 2026
• Time: 7:00 – 8:00 AM IST (Check your local time here)
• Where: Zoom and YouTube

If you missed any of the previous sessions, you can catch up on my YouTube channel. For more details on ways to join our program and links to our WhatsApp groups, click here.

I look forward to taking this next step in our journey through the flow (dhārā) of Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura's songs.