Mantra · Krishna · Sanskrit

Hare Krishna Mahamantra

हरे कृष्ण महामंत्र

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare: the sixteen-word maha-mantra, its source in the Kali-Santarana Upanishad, its meaning, how to chant rounds on a tulsi mala and a counter.

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Hare Krishna Mahamantra · हरे कृष्ण महामंत्र

By Kali-Santarana UpanishadLanguage Sanskrit2 verses

हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरे। हरे राम हरे राम राम राम हरे हरे॥

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare.

O Hare, divine energy of the Lord; O Krishna, the all-attractive; O Rama, the giver of joy: please absorb me in Your loving service.

कलिसन्तरण उपनिषद · From the Upanishad

हरे राम हरे राम राम राम हरे हरे। हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरे॥ इति षोडशकं नाम्नां कलिकल्मषनाशनम्। नातः परतरोपायः सर्ववेदेषु दृश्यते॥

Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare, Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare. Iti shodashakam namnam kali-kalmasha-nashanam, Natah paratarah upayah sarva-vedeshu drishyate.

These sixteen names destroy the impurities of the age of Kali. No better means than this is seen in all the Vedas.

शब्दार्थ · Word by word

What each word means

Word	Sounds like	Meaning
हरे	Hare	O Hara: the Lord's divine energy, Shri Radha
कृष्ण	Krishna	the all-attractive Lord
राम	Rama	the one who delights, the reservoir of joy

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हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरे। हरे राम हरे राम राम राम हरे हरे॥

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सुनें · Listen and sing along

Hare Krishna Mahamantra: audio & video

विधि · How to chant

How to chant the Hare Krishna Mahamantra

How many times

One round is 108 mantras. The vow in the ISKCON tradition is 16 rounds a day; one or four rounds is a good beginning.

When

Any time; the early morning hours are ideal.

Use a tulsi mala of 108 beads, held in the right hand (in a bead bag if you like).
Starting next to the head bead, chant the full mantra once for each bead.
Hear each name clearly; the attention is on listening, not on speed.
At the head bead, turn the mala around and begin the next round without crossing it.

फल · Why it is chanted

Benefits in tradition

The yuga-dharma, the prescribed practice for this age, in the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition.
Brings joy and lightness of heart, especially when sung together in kirtan.
Needs no rules of time, place or initiation to begin.

These are the benefits described in scripture and tradition. Mantra and prayer support, but never replace, medical or professional care.

About the Hare Krishna Mahamantra

The maha-mantra of sixteen names is given in the Kali-Santarana Upanishad as the means of crossing the age of Kali. In the 16th century Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu filled Bengal and Odisha with its sankirtan, and in 1966 A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada founded ISKCON and carried it around the world. It is chanted softly on a tulsi mala (japa) and sung together with mridanga and kartals (kirtan).

दर्शन · Temples

Where it is sung

Questions

Is it Hare Rama first or Hare Krishna first?

The Kali-Santarana Upanishad lists Hare Rama first; the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition and ISKCON chant Hare Krishna first. Both are the same sixteen names.

How many rounds should I chant?

Initiated devotees in ISKCON vow to chant 16 rounds daily. Beginners can start with one round and increase slowly.

Who spread the Hare Krishna mantra?

Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in the 16th century, and Srila Prabhupada worldwide from 1966.

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