"In this Age of Kali, Śri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has descended to preach the religion of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore the chanting of the holy names of Lord Krsna is the religious principle for this age."
Chant Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare.......And be Happy...
Kirtan is the call-and-response form of chanting that typifies the Hare Krishna movement; it is the congregational singing of spiritually uplifting songs, prayers, or the sacred names of the Supreme Being. It is accompanied with traditional Indian instruments such as the mrdanga (drum) and kartalas (hand cymbals). Therefore, the more important benefit of kirtan is that it destroys the seeds of negativity waiting to sprout as the result of negative karma from previous lifetimes. In this regard, the Brhad-vishnu Purana goes as far as saying that chanting one holy name destroys more negative karma than a person is able to commit.