Answer
There are different levels of purity in saṅkīrtana, just as there are different levels of purity in japa; at the most basic level, simply uttering the Holy Name is powerful regardless of who chants or with what motivation, but higher purity depends on consciousness, because sometimes a person may sing more to be appreciated as an attractive or popular kirtan leader rather than to directly please the Lord, shifting from Krishna-consciousness to public-consciousness, which is a kind of subtle compromise understood by those who know the philosophy; ideally, not just the gross activity but even the subtle body should be fully absorbed in remembering and glorifying the Lord, because kirtan means proclaiming the glories of the Supreme—glorifying Krishna, Radharani, and Their transcendental pastimes, as expressed in the Hare Krishna Mahamantra (Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare), where “Krishna” means the all-attractive Supreme Person, “Rama” the reservoir of all pleasure, and “Hare” His internal energy, Srimati Radharani—together indicating the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His energy being glorified as the ultimate enjoyers, a truth that materialistic people may find difficult to accept but which devotees joyfully embrace; at the same time, these transcendental sounds are themselves incarnations of the Lord, and while one may externally be singing, the internal or background consciousness—whether focused on pleasing Krishna or impressing others—is crucial in determining the purity of the kirtan; musical elements like tune and presentation do have value, because if kirtan is poorly rendered people may criticize and thus offend the Holy Name, just as prasadam should be prepared attractively even though Krishna accepts the devotion more than external perfection, yet these externals are secondary, and the real measure lies in the heart of the singer—whether one is seeking appreciation and applause or sincerely offering devotion—because praise from others may come naturally and cannot be avoided, but it should never be the motive, and it is this inner intention that ultimately determines the true purity of one’s kirtan.
