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Raghu Markus – Mindrolling – Ep. 528 – The 21 Taras with Nina Rao & Chandra Easton

Raghu, Nina, and Chandra spend this episode discussing:

  • Chandra’s Buddhist upbringing

  • The deity Tara and the sacred feminine

  • Nina and Chandra’s collaboration with chanting and mantras

  • An acapella chant offered from Nina

  • Tara for harmony

  • Tantra and spirituality for the people

  • The 21 praises to Tara

  • Durga, Saraswati, and other feminine deities we can invoke through mantras

  • The eighth Tara as a fierce and invincible embodiment

  • The mara of doubt

“The main purpose of doing this aspect of the 21 Tara’s practice through chanting and more of a kirtan style is to uplift people, just like kirtan does. To bring joy, open people’s heart to the blessings of these Taras and to Devi and to the universal way. And also to help them remember the mantra, because some of them are pretty long they can be a little challenging to remember.” – Chandra Easton

Raghu Markus – Mindrolling – Ep. 528 – The 21 Taras with Nina Rao & Chandra Easton

Melodies Of Chanting And Navigating The Spiritual Landscape | Nina Rao and Radhika Das

“My grandfather's harmonium melodies were the soundtrack of my childhood, carrying the spirit of devotion that would later resonate through my own life's journey. As I sit down with Nina Rao, a celebrated Kirtan leader, her stories echo my experiences, weaving a tapestry of spiritual connection rooted in the vibrant chants of Kirtan. We delve into the essence of communal chanting, finding joy and peace within its harmonies, and discussing how these practices cultivate emotional and spiritual fulfillment. Nina's narrative transports us from the Satsang of her youth to the dynamic Kirtan circles of New York, highlighting the profound impact of community and shared devotion on our paths to inner happiness. Our conversation takes an introspective turn as we navigate the role of women in spiritual practices and the melding of Eastern traditions with Western consciousness. I share my own pilgrimage back to my roots, studying Vedic chanting with a teacher in India, and how this journey illuminated the significance of feminine voices in these sacred spaces. The episode unfolds further insights into the evolution of bhakti and kirtan in the West, the reverence for sacred texts, and the shifting perceptions of spirituality and the Divine in our modern society. We are humbled by the legacy of those who have cleared the way for us, acknowledging the profound gratitude for the spiritual inheritance that enriches our lives today. Finally, we embrace the transformative power of daily spiritual rituals, discussing how they enhance compassion, foster an enlightened mind, and contribute to a holistic sense of well-being.”

GoOD Friends w/ Nina Rao and Curly Nikki - The Power of Mantra, the Real Meaning of Ram, and the Hanuman Chalisa

"I'm here because I followed the path of practice that my Guru laid out for me." - Nina Rao
In this chat she shares about her Guru, Sri Siddhi Ma, her powerful and anchoring experiences on the pathless path, the real meaning of the Ram mantra, and the importance of service and constant God remembrance. She leads us in to Presence by chanting Sri Ram Jai Ram and the Hanuman Chalisa.
Show notes:
Vinayaka Always (the track featuring her grandfather) (Antarayaami - Knower of All Hearts, 2013)
Sri Siddhi Ma: The Story of Neem Karoli Baba's Spiritual Legacy
Nikki's favorite kirtan w/ Nina - Sri Ram Kirtan Sadhana
Flow of Grace (book by Krishna Das about Hanuman Chalisa)
Hanuman Chalisa in English (PDF)
Chant the Hanuman Chalisa w/ Nina - Free Course
Learn the Hanuman Chalisa w/ Nina via Insight Timer

*To claim your free gift, leave a review on Apple Podcasts, screenshot it and send it to me at nikki@curlynikki.com!

Waiting For Grace with Nina Rao Finding Harmony Podcast

It is with great pleasure that we introduce our esteemed and most honorable guest: the beautiful, humble, and one might say, divinely inspired human, Nina Rao!
What Nina enchants us with is an opportunity to reflect more deeply on what it means to cultivate a spiritual practice.
And, the shadow side, which is to examine just how often we fail at this noble endeavor. As she reminds us, this too is OK -- even part of the path. We all have families, obligations, children, and the whole point is that we keep trying to do better every day. Even when we can’t always be at our best.We also had a wondrous opportunity to talk about cultural appropriation and our earnest efforts to have an authentic experience in a post modernist world of self construction.
For those of us not born into a specific lineage, we have the gift and freedom to resonate and choose different spiritual paths and practices.
However, there is something to be said about digging a single well and going deep. Discovering what insight lays buried within the repetition. True learning. And, in the end, we touch something beyond this behavioral reality — we begin to transcend our ego-selves
As Neem Karoli Baba (Maharaji) said, “Go on chanting your false “Ram, Ram” some day you’ll get it right.” And, perhaps you’ll also find yourself running across the lake after your guru seeking to get the pronunciation exactly correct as you embark on your chosen path to enlightenment.
Spiritual practice is something that’s continually evolving as we grow and change as ‘spiritual beings having a human experience.’ And it's our birthright -- It's our dharma!
(A side note: The movie referenced in the beginning of our conversation was For the Benefit of All Beings.)

Also available on Spotify:

David Nichtern – Creativity, Spirituality & Making a Buck – Ep. 39 – Chanting, Music, & Sri Siddhi Ma with Nina Rao

Nina Rao joins David to share the clarity and wisdom of her Guru, Sri Siddhi Ma, and discuss chanting, music, Maharaj-ji, the Goddess, and Hanuman.   
“It’s all about purifying. The practice is helping us drop all the stuff considered obscurations or kleshas to seeing clearly. If we see clearly we can understand. If we understand we can have a compassionate heart. With that compassionate heart we can feel our interconnectedness. Then what else is there to do in this body but feel that interconnectedness, feel that love, and share.” – Nina Rao

Ep. 39 – Chanting, Music, & Sri Siddhi Ma with Nina Rao
Creativity, Spirituality & Making a Buck with David Nichtern

In this episode Nina and David discuss:

  • How all aspects of our self and life weave together

  • Nina’s relationship to Sri Siddhi Ma, Maharaj-ji (Neem Karoli Baba), and Hanuman

  • Sri Siddhi Ma as a fully integrated being of wisdom, clarity, love, and presence

  • Meeting Maharaj-ji through Krishna Das’ chanting

  • Nina’s life-changing first darshan with Sri Siddhi Ma

  • Western culture, Eastern spirituality, and cultural appropriation

  • Kirtan, chanting, music, and creativity

  • Goddess, Shakti, and the Divine Feminine

  • Connections between Bhakti and Buddhism

BHNN: Healing at the Edge – Ep. 84 – Mantra Repetition with Nina Rao and Dale Borglum

Published on Aug 15, 2022
Nina Rao joins RamDev Dale Borlgum to share in the simple yet powerful devotion of repeating mantras. 

Both Nina and RamDev share in the magic of repeating mantras. Nina says that even just repeating the name Ram is enough to ground you into the moment and offer clarity. We can let go of obstructive thoughts and emotions when we put all of our focus onto the mantra, over and over again. We do not even need to think about what the mantra means, just saying it is enough.

Nina Rao – BHNN Guest Podcast – Ep. 117 – Inner Mountains with Wasfia Nazreen

Nina Rao speaks with Wasfia Nazreen about her adventures as a mountaineer, her friendship with the Dalai Lama, her work as an activist, and how she climbed her own inner mountains.

Wasfia Nazreen is best known for being the only Bangladeshi and first Bengali in the world to climb the Seven Summits, the highest mountains of every continent. She is also the only woman to hold the simultaneous titles of National Geographic Explorer & Adventurer. An outspoken activist since her late teens, her passion has always been driven by causes close to her heart. A human-rights activist, an environmentalist, a writer, educator, pilot, and producer – Wasfia wears many hats, all of which are grounded in strong foundations of meditation and self-realization practices.

Spotify | Apple | YouTube

Ep. 117 – Inner Mountains with Wasfia Nazreen
Be Here Now Network Guest Podcast

Nina Rao – BHNN Guest Podcast – Ep. 114 – The Grace of Sri Siddhi Ma with Dr. Jaya Prasada

Nina Rao visits Dr. Jaya Prasada in India for a conversation that explores the spiritual legacy of contemporary Indian Saint, Sri Siddhi Ma.

Nina Rao and Dr. Jaya Prasada come together during May 2022 in Teertham, India—Siddhi Ma’s retreat home in the hills—for a Dharma-filled discussion reflecting on their time with contemporary Indian Saint and devoted Neem Karoli Baba lineage-holder, Sri Siddhi Ma. To begin, Nina invites Jaya to describe her early life and transformative destiny which brought her to the path of Bhakti with the grace of sitting at the feet of Saint. From here, Jaya describes the influence her mom and grandpa had on her spiritual path.

“If you ask me why I wrote this book—it was a deep desire within me to share with everyone that came my way the endless love that I received from [Siddhi] Ma.” – Dr. Jaya Prasada

Spotify | Apple | YouTube

Ep. 114 – The Grace of Sri Siddhi Ma with Dr. Jaya Prasada and Nina Rao
Be Here Now Network Guest Podcast

The Practice of Connection Interview with Yandara Yoga Institute

This week we had a beautiful conversation about connection and trust. Nina Rao, who is a beautiful Kirtan musician, had a very interesting path. She was first introduced to chanting in south India by her chanter-musician grandfather at the age of 9 years old. Nina and her family moved abroad and actually her early work life began in the banking world in NY and then organizing and leading photographic wildlife safaris in Africa and India. It was only when Nina met Krishna Das in NY that her path returned to chanting. Nina spoke with our host Yael Ginzburg about the simplicity of singing together to bringing people together, trusting the pull towards connection, allowing the benefit of the practice to motivate us to continue, not having to ask permission to trust ourselves and more. We had a bird in the studio with us so when you listen, it will be a beautiful reminder of how it is to be in the studio with us on our grounds in Baja.

"We surrender to what is. And what is includes what we want. And then whatever we receive will be the gift.“ -Nina Rao. This clip is about the power of being able to trust ourselves. The way Nina speaks is so heartfelt and moving that it makes one believe in the good of the world.

The Vocal Sanctuary Podcast (Nina Rao Ep 7)

Show Notes:
Today, I’m joined by the graceful and world recognized bhajan traditional singer Nina Rao.
Nina Rao learned traditional chants (bhajans) from her grandfather in a village in south India when she was nine years old. The chants quietly stayed with her until she rediscovered chanting with Krishna Das in New York in 1996. For many years Nina has been Krishna Das' business manager and accompanies him musically as well. In 2007, she recorded the track 'Nina Chalisa' on Krishna Das' CD "Flow of Grace " ; January 2013 she released her debut album, "Antarayaami - Knower of All Hearts"; August 2017 her second album “Anubhav” was released. Nina regularly leads kirtan workshops, and retreats in her hometown of Brooklyn, New York and beyond. 

Podcast Recap: 

  • The power of chanting and how anyone can do it.

  • Beautiful mantra practice of Jai Ram Sita Ram by Nina Rao

  • Her story of recording with Krishna Das for the first time.

Episode 7: Featuring Nina Rao

Nina Rao – BHNN Guest Podcast – Ep. 95 – Sita’s Fire w/ Vrinda Sheth & Keli Lalita Reddy

Nina Rao and Keli Reddy interview author Vrinda Sheth about Sita’s Fire, a retelling of the Ramayana that brings Sita and the other female characters from the story to center stage.

Vrinda Sheth was raised in the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition in Sweden. She is an alumnus of the reputed Kalakshetra institute, holding a First Class Diploma in Bharata Natyam, Indian classical dance. She remains devoted to tradition while exploring ways to bridge the gap between the modern and the ancient. Vrinda is passionate about bringing women’s voices and stories center stage and is the author of the award-winning Sita’s Fire Trilogy. She has a B.A. in English from the University of Florida and is pursuing a Masters in Literature. She lives in Florida with her husband and three children.

Check out the Sita’s Fire Trilogy at sitasfire.com

Women's Satsang Stories of Siddhi Ma (Feb 2021)

From Love Serve Remember Women's Virtual Satsang Feb 2021: Dharma Talk portion includes a short intro about Sri Siddhi Ma and some of us who feel very close to Her: Nina, Ambika, Shyama, and Mirabai Starr. To learn more about the Womens Satsang on Love Serve Remember's affinity groups see here: https://www.ramdass.org/fellowship

Omega | Dropping In Podcast - Bringing Chant to Life with Nina Rao

Nina Rao has her grandfather to thank for setting her on the path to sacred chant. It took many years and several professional pit stops—including commercial banking—before she found her way to kirtan and to becoming the musical assistant and business manager for Krishna Das (KD).

In this bonus episode of Dropping In, Nina walks her students through the ancient verses of her favorite chant, Hanuman Chalisa, during her Heart Practice of Chanting workshop with KD at Omega. The episode also features a performance with Nina, as well as a visit from KD, who muses about his early days in pursuit of enlightenment.

Join longtime public radio journalist Karen Michel for this and other episodes of Dropping In as she sits down with the great thinkers, creative talent, and social visionaries who teach at Omega Institute, to explore the many ways to awaken the best in the human spirit.

Originally published July 27, 2020

Nina Rao – Be Here Now Network Guest Podcast – Ep. 81 – Roots of Chanting w/ Shantala Sriramaiah & Eddie Stern

I am so honored to have had this discussion with my Vedic Sanskrit teacher Shantala Sriramaiah of Veda Studies and Eddie Stern. Please enjoy this podcast on Be Here Now Network at the link below, where Shantala shows how this chanting can be accessible to us ~

Nina Rao Chant invites Veda expert, Shantala Srirmaiah, and NYC yoga legend, Eddie Stern, to share the roots of chanting practice and ritual worship outlined in the Vedas.

Welcoming Sanskrit chanting and Veda expert, Shantala Sriramaiah; as well as NYC yoga legend, Eddie Stern; Nina Rao invites them into a unique and gripping conversation digging into the roots of chanting practice. After a bhav-radiating opening invocation to Hanuman-ji, Nina asks Shantala and Eddie about their teachers, families, and those who helped them along the spiritual path to learn about worship rituals, chanting, and puja.

“My father is someone who devotes himself to ritual and puja. His entire day is a puja. He grows his own flowers for the puja. And the collection of the flowers is itself a ritual. The way he arranges these flowers to be washed before the ceremony, itself is a ritual. It’s so meticulous, specific flowers for specific deities. He derives great joy from this.” – Shantala Sriramaiah

Listen to Be Here Now Network Guest Podcast
Ep. 81 – Roots of Chanting w/ Shantala Sriramaiah, Nina Rao & Eddie Stern

BHNN Guest Podcast – Ep. 81 – Roots of Chanting with Shantala Sriramaiah, Nina Rao & Eddie Stern

Nina Rao invites Veda expert, Shantala Srirmaiah, and NYC yoga legend, Eddie Stern, to share the roots of chanting practice and ritual worship outlined in the Vedas.

Shantala Sriramaiah studied Sanskrit chanting and Indian scriptures from an early age as part of her family tradition and school education in Bangalore, India. She has been mentored by several Vedic scholars and teaches a growing global community of students through her online platform. Shantala is especially keen on connecting aspirants to the relevance of Vedas for personal development and to the source texts of Yoga. She is based in Brussels, Belgium. For more info and offerings, please visit Vedastudies.com

Eddie Stern is a Yoga teacher, author, and lecturer from NYC. He has been practicing Yoga since 1987 and ran his school in SoHo from 1993-2019. In the late 1990s and early 2000’s, the school became a focal point for Ashtanga Yoga in New York, with an eclectic mix of downtown artists and spiritual seekers practicing and meditating next to each other. Eddie has a passion for seeking out diversity in all aspects of his work, and uses a multidisciplinary combination of technology, scientific research, and collaboration to help further understanding, education, and access to yoga. He continues to study philosophy, Sanskrit, ritual, science and religion, as well as maintain a passion for the daily practice of Yoga. More info at EddieStern.com

Full episode

The Roots of Worship

Welcoming Sanskrit chanting and Veda expert, Shantala Sriramaiah; as well as NYC yoga legend, Eddie Stern; Nina Rao invites them into a unique and gripping conversation digging into the roots of chanting practice. After a bhav-radiating opening invocation to Hanuman-ji, Nina asks Shantala and Eddie about their teachers, families, and those who helped them along the spiritual path to learn about worship rituals, chanting, and puja.

Opening Chant:

Om
Atulita-Bala-Dhaamam
Hema-Shailaabha-Deham
Danuja-Vana-Krshaanum
Jnyaaninaam-Agragannyam
Sakala-Gunna-Nidhaanam
Vaanaraannaam-Adhiisham
Raghupati-Priya-Bhaktam
Vaata-Aatmajam Namaami

Roots of KD / Roots of the Vedas (18:08)

In a satsang spanning story, Eddie pieces together a brilliant lila which brought Krishna Das to begin leading chanting at the Jivamukti Yoga Center in NYC – involving rare early-1970s history connecting Maharajji, Ram Dass, Bhagavan Das, and Meatball Fulton—the eclectic host of the spiritual radio-drama The Fourth Tower of Inverness. From here, the group dives into deep discussion on The Vedas, ancient Indian spiritual texts stemming from the Rishis’ deep understanding of the interconnected universe.

“In the Veda, we don’t see this artificial differentiation between everyday life and spiritual life. What the Veda is teaching us, is that whatever life you’re leading—whether you’re a yoga teacher, carpenter, or business person—you can divinize that life. You can get in touch with Vedic deities, gods, cosmic forces, psychological powers. We can establish a concrete relationship and start to become aware of these forces that collaborate with us.” – Shantala Sriramaiah

The Roots of Chanting (39:33)

Exploring the connection between practice, longing, and devotion, Nina shares her evolving experience with mantra chanting. Highlighting the self-revelatory wisdom which can arise with dedicated practice, Shantala and Eddie help us sift through the constant information stream of the world, to arrive at a deeper space of clarity and discernment within ourselves.

Closing chant:

Oṃ śaṃ no̍ mi̱traḥ śaṃ varu̍ṇaḥ |
śaṃ no̍ bhavatvarya̱mā |
śaṃ na̱ indro̱ bṛha̱spati̍ḥ |
śaṃ no̱ viṣṇu̍rurukra̱maḥ |
namo̱ brahma̍ṇe |
nama̍ste vāyo |
tvame̱va pra̱tyakṣa̱m brahmā̍si |
tvame̱va pra̱tyakṣa̱ṃ brahma̍ vadiṣyāmi |
ṛ̱taṃ va̍diṣyāmi |
sa̱tyaṃ va̍diṣyāmi |
tanmāma̍vatu |
tadva̱ktāra̍mavatu | ava̍tu̱ mām |
ava̍tu va̱ktāraṃ̎ |
Oṃ śā̱ntiḥ śā̱ntiḥ śā̱ntiḥ

BHNN Guest Podcast – Ep. 79 – Windfall of Grace with Japna Tulsi, Devadas Labrecque & Nina Rao

In this episode of the Be Here Now Guest Podcast, Nina Rao and Devadas Labrecque speak with Japna Tulsi about her film, Windfall of Grace, which details the story of Neem Karoli Baba.

Japna Tulsi is a keen spiritual traveler. She has a background in Rural Development and has worked as a consultant with various NGOs in the field of environment and sustainable livelihoods. Responding to a deep desire to fulfill her higher calling, she embarked on a film project on Neem Karoli Baba in August 2017 as an amateur filmmaker. The result is Windall of Grace.

Devadas Labrecque is a devotee of Mata Amritanandamayi, a kirtaniya, a composer, and an artist hailing from Brooklyn, New York. He leads kirtans throughout the world and has produced a wide variety of recordings, including Nina Rao’s chant album, Antarayaami.

Go to windfallofgrace.com now to stream the film today.

Full episode

Windfall of Grace

Nina welcomes Japna and asks about deciding to make a film without having any background in filmmaking. Devadas speaks with Japna about her process of making the film and finding many of Neem Karoli Baba’s Indian devotees to interview. Japna talks about how KK Sah influenced the film.

“[KK Sah] would always tell me… ‘Don’t listen to anyone, just do what you think is right.’ And that really was important for me.” – Japna Tulsi

It’s Just Love (19:47)

Nina and Japna dig deeper into the process, discussing how the music and some of the more stylized scenes came together, and also how the film really reinforced their faith. They talk about why Japna wanted to make a film about a lesser-known saint, and how the filmmaking process itself became a spiritual journey for her. 

“Suddenly, when I found Maharajji, it was like you don’t have to do anything, it’s just love.” – Japna Tulsi

A Culmination (39:34)

Nina and Japna discuss the Western devotees that she interviewed, and how she missed out on talking with Ram Dass. Devadas asks Japna about her daughter and the role she played during the editing process. Nina wraps things up by asking Japna about how this project has transformed her life.

“This film, I felt, was sort of like a culmination, not just for [Japna] as a filmmaker, but also for us viewers, and brought together many generations of people.” – Nina Rao

Nina Rao – Be Here Now Network Guest Podcast – Ep. 79 – Windfall of Grace w/ Japna Tulsi and Devadas Labrecque

In this episode of the Be Here Now Guest Podcast, Nina Rao and Devadas Labrecque speak with Japna Tulsi about her film, Windfall of Grace, which details the story of Neem Karoli Baba.

Japna Tulsi is a keen spiritual traveler. She has a background in Rural Development and has worked as a consultant with various NGOs in the field of environment and sustainable livelihoods. Responding to a deep desire to fulfill her higher calling, she embarked on a film project on Neem Karoli Baba in August 2017 as an amateur filmmaker. The result is Windall of Grace.

Devadas Labrecque is a devotee of Mata Amritanandamayi, a kirtaniya, a composer, and an artist hailing from Brooklyn, New York. He leads kirtans throughout the world and has produced a wide variety of recordings, including Nina Rao’s chant album, Antarayaami.

Go to windfallofgrace.com now to stream the film today.

Nina welcomes Japna and asks about deciding to make a film without having any background in filmmaking. Devadas speaks with Japna about her process of making the film and finding many of Neem Karoli Baba’s Indian devotees to interview. Japna talks about how KK Sah influenced the film.

“[KK Sah] would always tell me… ‘Don’t listen to anyone, just do what you think is right.’ And that really was important for me.” – Japna Tulsi

It’s Just Love (19:47)

Nina and Japna dig deeper into the process, discussing how the music and some of the more stylized scenes came together, and also how the film really reinforced their faith. They talk about why Japna wanted to make a film about a lesser-known saint, and how the filmmaking process itself became a spiritual journey for her.

“Suddenly, when I found Maharajji, it was like you don’t have to do anything, it’s just love.” – Japna Tulsi

Raghu Markus, Krishna Das, Daniel Goleman, and Rameshwar Das share stories of Ram Dass, Maharajji, and India on Mindrolling Ep. 392

A Culmination (39:34)

Nina and Japna discuss the Western devotees that she interviewed, and how she missed out on talking with Ram Dass. Devadas asks Japna about her daughter and the role she played during the editing process. Nina wraps things up by asking Japna about how this project has transformed her life.

“This film, I felt, was sort of like a culmination, not just for [Japna] as a filmmaker, but also for us viewers, and brought together many generations of people.” – Nina Rao