Kirtanavali app for iPhone and iPad

Swaminarayan Kirtan

During Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s divine presence, many Nand Saints, very affectionately, composed numerous lyrics: hymns and spiritual songs such as Prabhatiyas, Aarti, Astakas, Nitya Niyamas, as well as hymns of Bhagwan’s idol and His Lila Charitras. With a view to help out devotees, Shree Swaminarayan Gurukul Rajkot Sansthan has put in a tremendous amount of effort to gather and compile a database of over 3000 Kirtans. These Kirtans are in Gujarati and in transliterated English (Lipi) so that devotees who cannot read Gujarati can also take advantage of this application.

Features

- Offline reading function allowing for the application to work without an internet connection.
- All Kirtans are available in Gujarati and English Lipi.
- All Kirtans have been categorised… for example: Ekadashi, Hindola, composer Saint etc.
- Words that are difficult to understand are explained in detail.
- Audio files of Kirtans are included in order to understand the proper tune of the Kirtans.
- Kirtan history has been described with accordance of availability in order to experience the sentiments of Nand Saints as they composed the Kirtan.
- Bookmark favourite Kirtans for quick access.
- Change font size for ease of reading.
- Search function which allows you to find Kirtans easily.
- Feature to notify us of any corrections. If you find any mistakes, please do let us know using this built-in feature.

Why Sing Kirtans?

The singing of Kirtans (divine songs describing the glories of God and His various pastimes) is important in one’s endeavour of devotional service unto God. After all, it is one of the devotion services (Bhakti) as stated by our revered scriptures. The Nand Saints composed thousands of verses of Kirtans and sang them in front of the ever-present God. The divinity experienced through Kirtan-Bhakti liberates the mind from the mode of ignorance and elevates it above the three-folded modes of Maya (Satva, Rajas and Tamas).


Tasmāt sankirtanaṁ vișnor jagan-mangalam aṁhasām ।
Mahatām api kauravya viddhyeikāntika-nişkrtam ।।
- (Bhagvat 6/3/31)


The chanting of the holy name of God, which is the most auspicious activity in the entire universe, is able to uproot even the greatest of sins. Therefore, it is the ultimate repentance.

Yatfalam nasti tapsa n yogen samadhina ।
Tatfalm labhate samyak kallau keshav kirtanat ।।
- (Bhagvat Mahatmaya: 1/68)

In Kaliyuga, the ultimate resultant fruit of life, which cannot be obtained by practicing penance, performing Yogas, or procuring Samadhi, is the singing of holy Kirtans.

Om Shrī Puṇya-shravaṇa-kīrtanāya Namah।
- (Shree Janamangala Namavali: Mantra 107)

Shatanand Swami once said, “I bow forth to Thee (God), whose pastimes, glories, and hymns are fruitful to the reciter, reader, and listener.” Kirtan-Bhakti further strengthens one’s devotional love for the Supreme Personality.