Songs of Grace: Kīrtan in the Vallabha Sampradāya

Abstract

Shyamdas presents an intimate portrayal of kīrtana as practiced in the Vallabha Sampradāya (Puṣṭi Mārga), emphasizing its devotional sophistication and sensory richness. The article explores how the sect’s focus on seva (loving service) to Śrī Nāthjī—the manifest form of Kṛṣṇa—permeates its musical traditions, particularly in haveli kīrtana (temple kīrtana). Shyamdas traces the lineage of poet-composers known as aṣṭachāpa, whose songs fuse aesthetics (rasa) and theology to express the daily rhythms of divine-human intimacy. The lyrics celebrate Kṛṣṇa’s līlās through seasonal ragas, poetic meters, and intricate rhythms that mirror the eight daily darśanas (ritual viewings) of the deity. The article reveals how each kīrtana becomes an act of grace (anugraha), drawing the devotee into emotional union with the Lord through sensuous participation—hearing, singing, and feeling. Shyamdas also discusses his personal immersion within the tradition, offering translations and insights that foreground embodied devotion and the musicalization of bhakti. Ultimately, Vallabha kīrtan emerges as a theology of grace expressed through sound, emotion, and service.