Hare Krishna ( Mantra )
First Appearance of Hare Krishna Mantra:
The
Hare Krishna Mantra first appears in Kali
Santarana Upanishad. At the end of Dvapara
Yuga, Narada Muni went to Brahma (one of the Trimurti, the Creator)
and enquired about surpassing Kali (Kalyug):
"O Lord, how shall I, roaming
over the earth, be able to across Kali?"
To
pacify Narad Muni, and answer his question Brahma
replied:
“Hearken to that which all Shrutis
(the Vedas) keep secret and hidden, through which one may cross the Samsara
(mundane existence) of Kali. He shakes off (the evil effects of) Kali through
the mere uttering of the name of Lord Narayana, who is the primeval Purusha.”
Further
Narada Ji asked Brahma: "What
is the name?" To which Brahma
replied thus:
“Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare
Hare, Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare; These sixteen names
are destructive of the evil effects of Kali. No better means than this is to be
seen in all the Vedas.”
Brahma
Ji further said:
“These sixteen words Hare Krishna
Mantra destroy the force which produces the sense of individuality of Jiva surrounded
by the sixteen Kalas (rays). Then like the sphere of the sun which shines fully
after the clouds (screening it) disperse, Parābrahman (alone) shines."
Narada Ji asked: O Lord, what are the rules to be observed with reference to it?
To which Brahma replied:
“There
were no rules for it. Whoever in a pure or an impure state, utters these
always, attains the same world of, or proximity with, or the same form of, or
absorption into Brahma.”
Further Brahma described the benefits of Hare Krishna as, whoever utters three
and a half crores (or thirty-five millions) times this Mantra will cross the
sin of the murder of a Brahmin. One becomes purified from the sin of the theft
of gold. One becomes purified from the sin of association with a woman of low
caste. One can be purified from the sins of wrong done to Pitrs, Devas and
other people in material world. Having given up all Dharmas, one can becomes
freed at once from all sins altogether and at once released from all bondage. With
a daily quota of 16 rosaries with 108 beads (1.5 hours of chanting), this
count would be reached in 55.5 years.
Meaning of Hare Krishna Mantra:
The Hare Krishna mantra is composed
of Sanskrit names in vocative case: Hare,
Krishna, and Rama It is an anustubh poetry stanza:
"Hare" can be interpreted as the vocative of Hari, another name of Vishnu meaning "he who removes illusion", or as
the vocative of Hara, a name of Srimati Radha, Shri Krishna's eternal consort or Shakti.
According to A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Parbhupada, Hara refers to "the energy of God".
Krishna
and Rama refer to Supreme Personality of Godhead the Divine
Absolute God Himself, meaning "He
who is All-Attractive" and "He
who is the Source of All Pleasure".
Thus Mantra means:
"O energy of the Lord (Hare), O
all-attractive Lord (Krishna), O Supreme Enjoyer (Rama), please engage me in
Your service."
By constantly chanting the names of the Lord and asking Him
to engage us in His service, and actually engaging ourselves in His
transcendental loving service one indeed feels spiritual bliss.
Chanting Hare Krishna Mantra:
The mantra was popularized by
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu roughly around 1500 AD. A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Srila Prabhupada describes the process of chanting the Hare
Krishna Mantra as follows:
Krishna consciousness is not an artificial imposition on the
mind; this consciousness is the original energy of the living entity. When we
hear the transcendental vibration, this consciousness is revived. This chanting
of 'Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare / Hare Rama, Hare
Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare' is directly enacted from the spiritual platform,
and thus this sound vibration surpasses all lower stratum of consciousness -
namely sensual, mental and intellectual. As such anyone can take part in the
chanting without any previous qualification.
The Vedas state,
"Chant the Holy Name, Chant the Holy Name
of the Lord. In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy (Kali ) there is no other
way, there is no other way, no other way to attain spiritual enlightenment."
A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, explanation to Hare Krishna Mantra:
"The transcendental vibration
established by the chanting of Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare
Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare is the sublime method for reviving
our transcendental consciousness." God being omnipotent, is non different
from His name. Thus by chanting His names one can be purified since His name is
all-pure and all-pufirying. The chanting awakens within one the dormant love
that everyone has for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, bringing great
happiness and ecstasy.
"We have seen it practically.
Even a child can take part in the chanting. The chanting should be heard, however,
from the lips of a pure devotee of the Lord, so that immediate effect can be
achieved. As far as possible, chanting from the lips of a non-devotee should be
avoided, as much as milk touched by the lips of a serpent causes poisonous
effect."
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama , Rama Rama Hare Hare
Note: Some versions of the Kali Santarana
Upanishad give the mantra with Hare Rama preceding Hare Krishna and others with
Hare Krishna preceding Hare Rama. It is a common belief that the mantra is
equally potent when spoken in either order.
Note: Anustubh is the name of a meter and a
metrical unit, found in Vedic and other Scriptures. An anustubh stanza is a
quatrain of four lines.