Is it selfish to want taste in chanting?

Transcribed by: Argha Maji

Question: Is it selfish to want taste in chanting?

Answer: Selfish is a very harsh word to use. Actually we are naturally pleasure seeking creatures and it is not that, Krishna wants us to deprive of pleasure but Krishna wants us to enjoy happiness in a way that is lasting. And that lasting happiness is available at a spiritual level.

So we can imagine our circle of pleasure as this and then we can imagine the circle of pleasure in devotional service as this. So we have to find out where is the intersection of these two circles. And we situate ourselves in that circle. So it may be that kirtan is the activity which falls in that circle for us. So that is pleasure for us also and that is pleasing to Krishna also because it is devotional activity. So by doing this activity we get strength and then by strength from this activity we can do other activities.

So for example if we don’t get taste in chanting we can continue chanting as a duty and gradually as we become purified we will realise that actually our circle of pleasure lies within Krishna’s circle of pleasure only because we are Krishna’s parts and parcels and that will be a realisation which will come gradually but till that time we can gain strength from activities that give us pleasure within devotional service and use that strength to continue chanting and it is not that we seek taste in chanting, we seek to give Krishna pleasure by our chanting and by that naturally taste will come. Thank you. Hare Krishna