Shri Krishna Govinda Hare Murare

It is a purely bhajan in of Lord Supreme being, Sri Krishna. Its not Mantra and Mantra have influence and effects also on your body, mental and your conscience also. Mantra have all around effects like Negative and Positive energy. Where any god/Lord is worshiped that place has always around positive energy and wherever, the house is closed in darkness and where non live, are the house of ghosts or it is haunted. Not only in India, but you can see the reality in foreign countries also. People who have mind concentrated on Mantra and on the Lord Lila and form, will have great impetus.

But unfortunately, today people make Mantra by their own choice. You must be seen that Om Sai Ram written on vehicle or on motorcycle or scooter plate. It is not a mantra but people make every thing convenient as per their own choice, but its reflection is also certain. Mantra is not the gift of present period but it was composed by great Rishi Munis and by scholar persons. Its effect is also lies in the Mantra. If you chant wrong Mantra, its effects will be totally negative. However, for your ready reference, I like to underline some of effective Mantra. Kalyug Mahamantra is Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare.

Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevay, is a 12 Akshara mantra which is very powerful. Mantras have a structure…Mantras have a Chandas(Meter). Mantras have a ‘Drashta’ (a seer/rishi) who first discovered that mantra and gave it to the world. Matras have a ‘Deity’ who is realized by repeating that mantra. Mantras have a ‘Bija’(seed which gives power to the mantra) and a Kilaka (support). Mantra should be received from a guru who himself has attained god through that mantra. They say ‘Japa and Nama Sankirtana’ is the path in Kali Yuga…This line would come under Nama Sankirtana. Singing of the name and glory of god.

There is no danger in repeating it. If you want to repeat a mantra of Krishna/Vishnu, you can repeat Ashtakshari Mantra : Om Namo Narayanaya. Dwadasakshari Mantra : Om Namo Bhagavate Vaasudevay. Maha Mantra : Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare, Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare. Gopala Mantra : Om Sri Krishnaya Govindaya Gopijana Vallabhaya Namah. or Om Sri Krishnaya Namaha. Even the Gayatri mantra can be performed thinking of Lord Vishnu. Regarding dangers, one should not repeat for hours together without practise or it will lead to hallucinations… some mantras with multiple bijas like Sri Vidya are to be performed with the guidance of a guru and not by oneself.

The Scriptures recommend one to chant the Hare Krishna Maha-Mantra in this age, the mantra you’ve asked to meditate upon is not at all required. In this present day, man is very eager to have one scripture, one God, one religion, and one occupation. So let there be one common scripture for the whole world--Shrimad Bhagwad Gita. And let there be one God only for the whole world--Sri Krsna. And one mantra only--Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. And let there be one work only--the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

The majority of works where Hare K???a mahā-mantra is mentioned belongs to the category of vai??ava-āgamas or sātvata-tantras. This is again in accord with the Bhāgavata (11.5.31) which states that in the Kali age the path of vai??ava-tantras is prominent:

iti dvāpara urv-ī?a stuvanti jagad-ī?varam

nānā-tantra-vidhānena kalāv api tathā ???u

“O King, in this way people in Dvāpara-yuga glorified the Lord of the universe. In Kali-yuga also people worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead by following various regulations of the revealed scriptures. Now kindly hear of this from me.”17

Detailed description of the Kali -yuga found in the most Purā?as sums up to the fact that in this age people are mostly sinful, fallen and do not have the necessary qualification to study the original Vedas (?ruti). But everyone has a right to study āgamas and vai??ava-tantras, therefore such an important ingredient of the worship in the age of Kali, Hare K???a mantra, is mainly mentioned in such sm?ti works.

That being said, we still find direct references to the Hare K???a mahā-mantra in several ?ruti texts. One of the most famous examples is the Kali-santara?a Upani?ad (literally “Knowledge how to cross over the Kali age”), which is the only Upani?ad that gives the entire Hare K???a mahā-mantra. This minor Upani?ad is very short – its prose text, usually divided into three paragraphs, equals to 13 ?lokas approximately. It belongs to the K???a-yajur-veda and is listed in the Muktikā-canon at number 103. Its summary is as follows: at the end of the Dvāpara-yuga the great sage Nārada approached Brahmā, the creator of the universe, and asked him how one can overcome the evil effects of the imminent Kali-yuga. In reply to his question Brahmā said that one can do so by chanting the name of Nārāya?a, the primordial person. While asked again which exactly names should one chant, Brahmā speaks to Nārada the entire Hare K???a mahā-mantra:

hare k???a hare k???a k???a k???a hare hare

hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare

iti ?o?a?aka? nāmnā? kali-kalma?a-nā?ana?

nāta? parataropāya? sarva-vede?u d??yate18

“These sixteen names counteract the evil effects of the Kali-yuga. After searching through all the Vedic literature, one cannot find a method so sublime as the chanting of the Hare K???a mantra.” In the current editions of Kali-santara?a Upani?ad, however, this mahā-mantra has a reversed reading, with the “Hare Rāma” part coming first. There has been a minor controversy regarding this, which would be impossible to conclusively resolve here, because to do so one must perform a hard task of collecting and collating all the available manuscripts of the upani?ad. Nevertheless, we can at least mention several opinions regarding this.

The most widely known explanation of this was expressed by K???adāsa Bābājī (first half of the 20th century) in his book “?rī Mahā-mantra-vyākhyā??akam”19. There he argues that since in Kali-yuga Vedic process of purification does not work and even brāhma?as are like ?ūdras, then not so many people are actually eligible to read ?rutis (to which Kali-santara?a Upani?ad belongs) and practice mantras given therein. At the same time Purā?as, tantras and āgamas refer to the mahā-mantra as starting with “Hare K???a.” Understanding this, ?rī Caitanya Mahāprabhu preached the latter version of the mahā-mantra from the āgamas, thus giving everyone the benefit of its chanting and at the same time respecting the rules given in the ?rutis regarding the eligibility.

We may never know for sure, but since there is no mention of such reversion in any authoritative source and since we have plenty of evidence that mahā -mantra starts with “Hare K???a,” as we shall see below, this explanation is not completely free from doubts. At any rate, ?rī Caitanya's inversion, if proven or accepted, would be enough at least for the Gau?īya Vai??avas to consider the mantra completely perfect with the “Hare K???a” part first. Speaking about the order of the mahā-mantra in Kali-santara?a Upani?ad, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī said:

“Kali-santara?a Upani?ad has been published in Mumbai and Madras, but because [the manuscripts of] the upani?ad were collected from the adulterated members of the Rāmāyet-sampradāya, the order of the mahā-mantra in these particular editions was reversed. But even despite being so, its meaning and position cannot be reversed. Any wise person will not accept any order or reading different from the mahā-mantra and its order given by the person denoted by the holy name (nāmi), ?rī Gaurasundara, who himself descended in Kali-yuga to distribute the easy process for crossing over the age of Kali (kali-santara?a) and attaining love of God.”20

The ancient text of the Ananta- sa?hitā clearly corroborates the ?ruti evidence found in the Kali-santara?a Upani?ad, but, more, it corroborates that the mahā-mantra begins with the “Hare K???a” part of the mantra:

hare k???a hare k???a k???a k???a hare hare

hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare

?o?a?aitāni nāmāni dvātri??ad var?akāni hi

kalau yuge mahā-mantra? sammato jīvatāra?e

tāraka? brahma-nāmaitad brahma?ā guru?ādinā

kali-santara?ādyāsu ?ruti?v-adhigata? hare?

prāpta? ?rī brahma-?i?ye?a ?rī nāradena dhīmatā

nāmaitad-uttama? ?rauta-pāramparye?a brahma?a?21

“All ?āstras agree that the Hare K???a mahā-mantra, which is composed of sixteen names divided into thirty-two syllables, is the great mantra for delivering the jīvas in Kali-yuga. The original guru, Lord Brahmā, received these holy names, which which deliver one from material existence, from Lord Hari, as described in the Kali-santara?a Upani?ad and other ?rutis. The intelligent sage Nārada, the disciple of Lord Brahmā, received these highest names by the process of hearing from a spiritual authority.”

Hare K???a mahā-mantra’s correct order is also defined in Sanat-kumāra-sa?hitā:

hare k???au dvir āv?ttau k???a tād?k tathā hare

hare rāma tathā rāma tathā tād?k hare puna?

hare k???a hare k???a k???a k???a hare hare

hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare22

“The words ‘Hare K???a’ are to be repeated twice, then ‘K???a’ and ‘Hare’ are to be repeated separately twice. Similarly, ‘Hare Rāma’, ‘Rāma’ and ‘Hare’ are also repeated twice. The mantra will thus be – Hare K???a Hare K???a K???a K???a Hare Hare Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare. (Sanat-kumāra-sa?hitā, as quoted by Dhyānacandra Gosvāmī in his Gaura-Govindārcana-smara?a-paddhati, verses 132-133).

In practice, however, the question of order is not of primary importance, since as soon as one starts chanting the mantra such differences disappear in the incessant flow of the names. This is confirmed by A.C. Bhaktivedānta Swami Prabhupāda:

“Either you chant Hare Rāma or you chant Hare K???a, it is the same. There is no difference. Sometimes they first of all place "Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare." And sometimes they place "Hare K???a, Hare K???a, K???a K???a..." There is no difference. Sometimes they say, "No, it should be Hare Rāma first." Sometimes they ..., "No, Hare K???a." But that is not very important, childish. Any... either you say Hare Rāma or Hare K???a, the same. So this is to be done.”23

Another ?ruti, Caitanyopani?ad from the Atharva-veda, which was published by Kedāranātha Datta (Bhaktivinoda ?hākura) in 1887, also refers to the Hare K???a mahā -mantra. What appears to have been a single manuscript of this Upani?ad was sent to Kedāranātha by a devotee named Madhusūdana Dāsa from Sambalpur, Odisha24. Therein Brahmā tells Pippalāda about the upcoming advent of the Supreme Lord as ?rī Caitanya, who will chant the confidential mantra of his own names:

sa eva mūla-mantra? japati harir iti k???a iti rāma iti

“He chants a mūla-mantra consisting of the names Hari, K???a and Rāma.” (Caitanyopani?ad, 11)25.

Here Brahmā clearly alludes to the Hare K???a mahā -mantra by mentioning three names constituting it in the nominative case. And in the following verse he again alludes to it by stating the number of names in it:

nāmāny a??āv a??a ca ?obhanāni, tāni nitya? ye japanti dhīrās te vai māyām atitaranti nānya?, parama? mantra? parama-rahasya? nityam āvartayati.

“These two parts of eight names each are very glorious. Those wise persons who always chant them surely cross beyond the illusion of material existence. Others do not. The liberated persons always chant this supreme mantra which is very confidential.” (Caitanyopani?ad, 14)26.

References to the Hare K???a mahā-mantra from a number of Purā?as are quoted in the post-Caitanya works. Unfortunately not all of them can be traced to the current editions of these Purā?as.

For example, Dhyānacandra Gosvāmī in his paddhati (manual for mediation and worship) quotes

Padma-Purā?a: dvātri??ad ak?ara? mantra? nāma ?o?a?akānvitam

prajapan vai??avo nitya? rādhā-k???a-sthala? labhet

“A vai??ava who constantly chants the Hare K???a mahā-mantra, composed of sixteen names divided into thirty-two syllables, will certainly attain the abode of Rādhā-K???a.” (?rī ?rī Rādhā-K???ā??a-kālīya-līlā-smara?a-krāma-paddhati? 161)27.

Nayanānanda ?hākura quotes Brahmā??a Purā?a in his K???a-bhakti-rasa-kadamba (A.D. 1730):

hare k???a hare k???a k???a k???a hare hare

iti japtvā pramucyeta pātakā nātra sa??aya?

“Hare K???a Hare K???a K???a K???a Hare Hare."

“Any sinful person who chants these holy names is at once liberated. There is no doubt about it."

And Agni Purā?a:

hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare

?vapaco'pi japan nitya? mucyate ??nu bhārgava28:

“Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare.”

“O Bhārgava! If a dog eater constantly chants these holy names he will be liberated.” (K???a-bhakti-rasa-kadamba, chapter 6).

Agni Purā?a also states:

hare k???a hare k???a k???a k???a hare hare

ra?anti helayā vāpi te k?tārthā na sa??aya?29

“Hare K???a Hare K???a K???a K???a Hare Hare.”

“Whoever chants this mantra, even neglectfully, will attain the supreme goal of life. Of this there is no doubt.”

Rādhā-h?daya, which is of tāntrika outlook and is said to once have been a part of Brahmā??a Purā?a mentions entire Hare K???a mahā-mantra. In the 6th chapter there is a conversation between king V?sabhānu and Kratu Muni. The king after performing severe penances for many years hears a celestial voice (vāk a?ārīri?ī) that instructs him to take to the chanting of Hari's names. When he asks which names exactly should he chant, the demigoddess sends him to a sage named Kratu who lives nearby deeply immersed in meditation. The king approaches the sage and asks him for harināma. The sage gives him harināma-mantra and at this moment Lomahar?a?a Sūta interrupts Vedavyāsa's narration and requests him to repeat the mantra given by Kratu to V?sabhānu:

yat tvayā kīrtita? nātha hari-nāmeti sa?j?itam

mantra? brahma-pada? siddhi-kara? tad vada no vibho

“O powerful sage! You glorified the mantra called “hari-nāma,” please instruct me in this spiritual vibration that bestows all perfection.”

In reply, ?rī Vedavyāsa gives the following instruction:

graha?ād yasya mantrasya dehī brahma-mayo bhavet

sadya? pūta? surā-po ‘pi sarva-siddhi-yuto bhavet

tad aha? te 'bhidhāsyāmi mahā-bhāgavato hy asi

hare k???a hare k???a k???a k???a hare hare

hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare

ity a??a-?ataka? nāmnā? tri-kāla-kalma?āpy aham

nāta? parataropāya? sarva-vede?u vidyate30

“I will certainly instruct you, a great devotee, in that mantra by which an embodied soul can be liberated and even a drunkard can quickly become purified and attain all perfection. Hare k???a hare k???a k???a k???a hare hare, hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare. By chanting this mantra one hundred and eight times thrice a day destroys all sins. In all the Vedas there is no other method for achieving liberation from material bondage.” (Rādha-h?daya 6.52-56).

In the āgamas such as the Brahma-yāmala, Lord ?iva describes the mahā-mantra as follows:

hari? vinā nāsti ki?cit pāpa-nistāraka? kalau

tasmāl lokoddhāra?ārtha? hari-nāma prakā?ayet

sarvatra mucyate loko mahā-pāpāt kalau yuge

hare-k???a-pada-dvandva? k???eti ca pada-dvayam

tathā hare-pada-dvandva? hare-rāma iti dvayam

tad-ante ca mahā-devi rāma rāma dvaya? vadet

hare hare tato brūyād dhari-nāma samuddharet

mahā-mantra? ca k???asya sarva-pāpa-pra?ā?akam31

“Without Hari there is no other way to eradicate the sins in the age of Kali. Therefore hari-nāma should be revealed in order to save the world. The people in Kali -yuga everywhere can be liberated from the greatest sins by chanting the following mantra. First one should chant two words “Hare K???a” twice and then two words more - “K???a K???a.” Then one should chant two words “Hare Hare” and then twice “Hare Rāma.” In the end, Mahādevī, one should chant “Rāma Rāma” and then “Hare Hare.” In this way one should pronounce the mahā-mantra of Lord K???a which destroys all sins.”

In the Rādhā-tantra from Vāsudeva-māhātmya Vāsudeva says to Tripura Devī:

???u mātar mahā-māye vi?va-bīja-svarūpi?i

hari-nāmno mahāmāye krāma? vada sure?vari

“Listen, o mother, personification of Mahā-māyā and the seed of the universe! Please explain to me the sequence of the mahā-mantra.”

In response to this, Tripurā Devī says:

hare k???a hare k???a k???a k???a hare hare

hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare

dvātri??ad-ak?arā?y eva? kalau nāmāni sarvadā

???u cchanda? suta-?re??ha hari-nāmna? sadaiva hi32

“O best among sons! These thirty-two syllables save everyone in Kali-yuga. Now please hear from me about the meter of this mantra etc.” (Rādhā-tantra 2.8-10).

Some of the current editions of Purā?as also refer to the Hare K???a mahā-mantra:

ī?vara uvāca—

harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam

hare rāma hare k???a k???a k???eti ma?galam

eva? vadanti ye nitya? na hi tān bādhate kali?33

Lord ?iva said:

“Kali does not harass those who only chant the holy names of Hari always or the auspicious vibrations like “Hare Rāma”, “Hare K???a” and “K???a K???a.” (Padma Purā?a, Pātāla-kha??a 80. 2-3).

hare k???a hare k???a bhakta-vatsala gopate

?ara?ya bhagavan vi??o mā? pāhi bahu-sa?s?te?34

Hare K???a, Hare K???a! O Lord, who is affectionate to his devotees! O one who protects cows! O my shelter! O Lord Vi??u! Please protect me from the various tribulations in the material existence.” (Pātāla-kha??a 19.25-26 (Puru?ottama-māhātmya)).

upabhujya sa-dharmātmā svaira? vigata-vikriya?

hare rāma hare k???a japann iti jagāma hare

That pious person, free from anxiety, went away while chanting “Hare Rāma, Hare K???a.” (Padma Purā?a, Uttara-kha??a 204.108)