Hare Krishna Mantra in Devanagari

The Hare Krishna mantra, also referred to reverentially as the Maha Mantra ("Great Mantra"), is a sixteen-word Vaishnava mantra made well known outside of India by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (commonly known as 'the Hare Krishnas').^[1] It is believed by practitioners to bring about a higher state of consciousness when heard, spoken, meditated upon, or sung out loud.^[2] According to Gaudiya Vaishnava theology, this higher consciousness ultimately takes the form of pure love of God (Krishna).^[3] Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Rigveda manuscript in Devanagari (early 19th century) Devanāgarī (देवनागरी — in English pronounced ) (ISCII – IS13194:1991) [1] is an abugida alphabet used to write several Indian languages, including Sanskrit, Hindi, Marathi, Kashmiri, Sindhi, Bihari, Bhili, Konkani, Bhojpuri and Nepali from Nepal. ... In Tibet, many Buddhists carve mantras into rocks as a form of devotion. ... Vaishnavism is the branch of Hinduism in which Vishnu or one of his avatars (i. ... Founder of ISKCON: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), also known as the Hare Krishna movement, was founded in 1966 in New York City by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. ... Gaudiya Vaishnavism, (Bengal) Vaishnavism, is a sect of Hinduism founded by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. ... This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ... This article is about the Hindu deity. ...

The mantra

The Hare Krishna mantra is composed of Sanskrit names in the vocative case: Hare, Krishna, and Rama (in Anglicized spelling, the IAST of the three vocatives is hare, kṛṣṇa and rāma; roughly pronounced IPA: ['hɐre:], ['kɹ̩ʂɳɐ], ['ra:mɐ], see Sanskrit for pronunciation details): Sanskrit ( , for short ) is a classical language of India, a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism, and one of the 23 official languages of India. ... The vocative case is the case used for a noun identifying the person being addressed, found in Latin among other languages. ... IAST, or International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration is the academic standard for writing the Sanskrit language with the Latin alphabet and very similar to National Library at Calcutta romanization standard being used with many Indic scripts. ... Sanskrit ( , for short ) is a classical language of India, a liturgical language of Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism, and one of the 23 official languages of India. ...

Rama and Krishna both appear as names of Vishnu in the Vishnu sahasranama and refer primarily to the 7th and 8th Maha Avataras of Vishnu^[4]. "Hare" can be interpreted as either the vocative of Hari, another name of Vishnu meaning "he who removes illusion", or as the vocative of Harā^[5], a name of Rādhā, Krishna's eternal consort or Shakti. According to A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Harā refers to "the energy of God" while Krishna and Rama refer to God himself, meaning "He who is All-Attractive" and "He who is the Source of All Pleasure".^[6] Rama can also refer to Radha-Raman, another name of Krishna meaning beloved of Radha^[7], or as a shortened form of Balarama, Krishna's first expansion.^[8] Rama ( in IAST, in DevanāgarÄ«) or Ramachandra is a legendary or historical king of ancient India. ... This article is about the Hindu deity. ... Vishnu (IAST , Devanagari ), (honorific: Sri Vishnu) also known as Narayana is the Supreme Being (i. ... The Vishnu sahasranāma (literally: the thousand names of Vishnu) is a list of 1,000 names for Vishnu, one of the main forms of God in Hinduism and the Supreme Person for Vaishnavas (followers of Vishnu). ... In Hinduism, an avatar is the incarnation (bodily manifestation) of an Immortal Being, or of the Ultimate Supreme Being. ... Hari (Sanskrit: हरि) is another name of Vishnu or God in Vaishnavism, Smarta or Advaitan Hinduism, and appears as the 650th name in the Vishnu sahasranama. ... The word Hara can refer to: A Japanese martial art term; see Hara (Martial Arts) and Tanden. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Lakshmi is a common aspect of Shakti Shakti meaning force, power or energy is the Hindu concept or personification of Gods female aspect, sometimes referred to as The Divine Mother. Shakti represents the active, dynamic principles of feminine power. ... A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (September 1, 1896–November 14, 1977) was the founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (popularly known as the Hare Krishnas). Born as Abhay Charan De, in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. ... Balarama, next to the river Yamuna. ...

The mantra is repeated, either out loud (kirtan), softly to oneself (japa), or internally within the mind. Srila Prabhupada describes the process of chanting the Maha Mantra as follows: This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Japa, or Japam, is a spiritual discipline in which a devotee repeats a mantra or the name of the God. ... Srila Prabhupada under a painting of Krishna A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (September 1, 1896–November 14, 1977) was born Abhay Charan De, in Calcutta, West Bengal. ...

"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 strata of consciousness - namely sensual, mental, and intellectual ...[]... As such anyone can take part in the chanting without any previous qualification." ^[9]

Consciousness is a quality of the mind generally regarded to comprise qualities such as subjectivity, self-awareness, sentience, sapience, and the ability to perceive the relationship between oneself and ones environment. ... Spirituality, in a narrow sense, concerns itself with matters of the spirit. ... Senses are the physiological methods of perception. ... For other uses, see Mind (disambiguation). ... Literati redirects here. ... A chant is the rhythmic speaking or singing of words or sounds, either on a single pitch or with a simple notes and often including a great deal of repetition or statis. ...

History

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (1486-1534)

The Hare Krishna Tree in Tompkins Square Park under which Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada began the first recorded public chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra outside of India.^[10]

The mantra is first attested in the kalisaṇṭāraṇopaniṣad (Kali Santarana Upanishad), a Vaishnava Upanishad associated with the Krishna Yajurveda. In this Upanishad, Narada is instructed by Brahma (in the translation of K. N. Aiyar): Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (820 × 615 pixel, file size: 172 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Hare Krishna New York City Department... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (820 × 615 pixel, file size: 172 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Hare Krishna New York City Department... Tompkins Square Park is a 10. ... The Kali-Saṇṭāraṇa Upaniá¹£ad is a Vaishnava Vedantic text associated with the Black Yajurveda. ... The Upanishads (Devanagari: उपनिषद्, IAST: upaniá¹£ad) are part of the Vedas and form the Hindu scriptures which primarily discuss philosophy, meditation, and the nature of God; they form the core spiritual thought of Vedantic Hinduism. ... Vaishnavism is the branch of Hinduism in which Vishnu or one of his avatars (i. ... The Yajurveda (Sanskrit , a tatpurusha compound of sacrifice + knowledge) is one of the four Hindu Vedas. ... Narada (Sanskrit: नारद, nārada) is the Hindu divine sage, who is an enduring chanter of the names Hari and Narayana which other names for Vishnu, considered to be the supreme God by Vaishnavites and many other Hindus. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

"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".

Narada asks to be told this name of Narayana, and Brahma replies Śruti (Sanskrit श्रुति, what is heard) is a canon of Hindu scriptures. ... Veda redirects here. ... For other uses, see Samsara (disambiguation). ... Narayana (Sanskrit: नारायण; ) or Narayan is an important Sanskrit name for Vishnu and is in many contemporary vernaculars, a common Indian name. ... In Hinduism, Purusha (Sanskrit man, Cosmic Man, in Sutra literature also called man) is the self which pervades the universe. ...

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

The mantra was popularized by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu roughly around 1500 CE when he began his mission to spread this mantra publicly to 'every town and village' in the world, travelling throughout India, and especially within the areas of Bengal and Orissa^[11]. Some versions of the Kali Santarana Upanishad give the mantra with Hare Rama preceding Hare Krishna, and others with Hare Krishna preceding Hare Rama (as quoted above). The latter format is by far the more common within the Vaishnava traditions, within which it is a common belief that the mantra is equally potent when spoken in either order.^[12] Caitanya Mahaprabhu (1486-1534) Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (also transliterated Caitanya, IAST ) (Bengali ) (1486 - 1534), was an ascetic Vaishnava monk and social reformer in 16th century Bengal[1], (present-day West Bengal and Bangladesh) and Orissa in India[2]. Chaitanya was a notable proponent for the Vaishnava school of Bhakti yoga (meaning... 1500 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see Bengal (disambiguation). ... , Orissa   (Oriya: ଓଡ଼ିଶା), is a state situated on the east coast of India. ... Vaishnavism is the branch of Hinduism in which Vishnu or one of his avatars (i. ...

In the 1960's an elderly monk known as A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, on the order of his guru, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, brought the teachings of Sri Chaitanya from India and single-handedly took the responsibility of spreading them around the Western world. Beginning in New York, he encircled the globe fourteen times in the final eleven years of his life, thus making 'Hare Krishna' a well-known phrase in many parts of the world.^[13] A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (September 1, 1896–November 14, 1977) was born Abhay Charan De, in Kolkata, West Bengal. ... Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, founder-acharya of the Gaudiya Math Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur Prabhupada (1874-1937), the well-known preacher of Gaudiya Vaishnavism, was born Bimal Prasad Dutta in the seaside pilgrimage town of Jagannath Puri, Orissa, India. ... This article is about the state. ...

The "Hare Krishna" movement

A Gaudiya Vaishnava (Hare Krishna) temple at Tirupathi

Main articles: ISKCON and Gaudiya Math

"Hare Krishna" brings to mind, for many, the conspicuous Hare Krishna devotees, who first appeared on the streets of Western cities in the 1960s and 1970s, dancing and chanting with drums and cymbals, wearing saffron dhotis or colourful saris, and selling Bhagavad Gita As It Is and similar literatures. These devotees were members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), founded by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. ISKCON was the first organised Vaishnava group to make a large impression outside of India. Now a number of such Vaishnava groups are preaching in the Western world, such as the Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mission and other lineages of the Gaudiya Math.^[14] Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1200 × 900 pixel, file size: 316 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) ISCKON Temple at Tirupathi I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1200 × 900 pixel, file size: 316 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) ISCKON Temple at Tirupathi I, the copyright holder of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Tirupathi is one of the most famous temple towns in India. ... The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) is a new religious movement based on Bengali, or more specifically Gaudiya, Vaishnavism founded by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, referred to by followers as His Divine Grace, in New York in 1966. ... Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, founder-acharya of Gaudiya Math Shortly after Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura took the renounced order of Sanyasa in 1918, the Gaudiya Math was organized. ... The 1960s decade refers to the years from 1960 to 1969. ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, also called The Seventies. ... The dhoti is a style of Indian mens wear. ... For the city, see Sari, Iran. ... The Bhagavad-Gita As It Is (BGAIS) is the translation and commentary of the Bhagavad Gita (BG) by A.C.Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, founder-acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). ... Founder of ISKCON: A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), also known as the Hare Krishna movement, was founded in 1966 in New York City by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. ... A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (September 1, 1896–November 14, 1977) was born Abhay Charan De, in Kolkata, West Bengal. ... Vaishnavism is the branch of Hinduism in which Vishnu or one of his avatars (i. ... Vaishnavism is the branch of Hinduism in which Vishnu or one of his avatars (i. ... Bhakti Vaibhava Puri Maharaj Founder-Acharya of Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mission Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mission is a religious organisation in the Gaudiya Vaishnavism tradition founded by Srila Bhakti Vaibhava Puri Maharaj; Maharaj received initiation from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur, so the mission operates in the Saraswat tradition of Bhaktisiddhanta and... Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, founder-acharya of Gaudiya Math Shortly after Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura took the renounced order of Sanyasa in 1918, the Gaudiya Math was organized. ...

Devotees singing the Hare Krishna mantra

From a theological perspective Hare Krishna devotees are classified as practitioners of Bhakti Yoga. They are also referred to as Gaudiya Vaishnavas because they follow a line of gurus descending from Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, who appeared in Bengal (Gauda is an old name of Bengal). Vaishnavism comes under the general banner of being a Hindu religion.^[15] Image File history File links 6Singing2. ... Image File history File links 6Singing2. ... Bhakti yoga is the Hindu term for the spiritual practice of fostering of loving devotion to God, called bhakti. ... Gaudiya Vaishnavism, (Bengal) Vaishnavism, is a sect of Hinduism founded by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. ... Caitanya Mahaprabhu (1486-1534) Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (also transliterated Caitanya, IAST ) (Bengali ) (1486 - 1534), was an ascetic Vaishnava monk and social reformer in 16th century Bengal[1], (present-day West Bengal and Bangladesh) and Orissa in India[2]. Chaitanya was a notable proponent for the Vaishnava school of Bhakti yoga (meaning... For other uses, see Bengal (disambiguation). ... Vaishnavism is one of the principal traditions of Hinduism, and is distinguished from other schools by its primary worship of Vishnu (and his associated avatars) as the Supreme God. ... hinduism also involves the exchange of male pun. ...

Most serious 'Hare Krishna' practitioners live according to strict rules. For example, initiates take vows to abstain from all forms of recreational drugs and intoxicants (including caffeine), from eating meat, fish, mushrooms, onion family, and eggs, from gambling, and from all sexual relations except for purposes of procreation within marriage. For non-initiates how many of these rules to follow is left to one's own discretion, but these four 'regulative principles' remain as a standard. Coming from the Latin, initiation implies a beginning. ... A vow (Lat. ... ... Caffeine is a xanthine alkaloid compound that acts as a stimulant in humans. ... A lacto vegetarian diet is a vegetarian diet that includes dairy products such as milk, cheese, yogurt, butter, cream, and kefir. ... Reproduction is the creation of one thing as a copy of, product of, or replacement for a similar thing, e. ... Matrimony redirects here. ...

Hippie culture

In the 1970s, Hare Krishnas became confused with the hippie subculture. The 1971 Hindi film Hare Rama, Hare Krishna, written and directed by Dev Anand, was shot with many real-life hippie extras. To this very day, as a result of this classic movie, young Western travelers are greeted with mocking renditions of the film’s hit title song, "Hare Krishna, Hare Rama," more generally known by its opening line, "Dum Maro Dum" ("Take another toke!"). But in fact the genuine Hare Krishna followers were a far cry from hippies. Although Prabhupada was open to anyone, members had to follow the four regulative principles, one of which is "no intoxicants"^[16]. Elevation and joy were to be derived from chanting God's holy names. Singer of a modern Hippie movement in Russia The hippie subculture was a youth movement that began in the United States during the mid-1960s and spread around the world. ... In sociology, anthropology and cultural studies, a subculture is a set of people with a set of behaviors and beliefs, culture, which could be distinct or hidden, that differentiate them from the larger culture to which they belong. ... Hare Rama Hare Krishna was a Hindi language film directed by Dev Anand in 1972 starring himself and Zeenat Aman. ... Dharam Dev Ä€nand (Hindi: , Urdu: ) (born September 26, 1923), better known simply as Dev Anand, is a legendary Indian Bollywood actor and film producer. ... Dum Maro Dum (Take another toke!) is an Indian Hindi song from the 1971 Bollywood movie Hare Rama Hare Krishna. ... Holy name redirects here. ...

Hare Krishna in popular culture

The Hare Krishna mantra appears in a number of famous songs, notably those of The Beatles and George Harrison, and has been at the number-one spot in the UK singles charts on more than one occasion. The White Album, see The Beatles (album). ... For other persons named George Harrison, see George Harrison (disambiguation). ... “British Hit Singles” redirects here. ...

Further information: Hare Krishna in popular culture

Contributions to popular culture involving direct reference to the Hare Krishna mantra, or the Hare Krishna movement include the following: // After coming in contact with the Hare Krishnas in 1969,[1], several of the Beatles took interest in the movement. ...

Other scriptural references

The practice of chanting the Hare Krishna mantra is recommended in the Puranas, the Pañcaratra, and throughout Vaishnava literature in general^[17]. For example: A chant is the rhythmic speaking or singing of words or sounds, either on a single pitch or with a simple notes and often including a great deal of repetition or statis. ... ... Pañcaratra is an pre-Puranic form of Hinduism, which equated Narayana with Vishnu. ... Vaishnavism is the branch of Hinduism in which Vishnu or one of his avatars (i. ...

• "All the grievous sins are removed for one who worships Lord Sri Hari, the Lord of all lords, and chants the holy name, the Maha-mantra."—Padma Purana; Svarga Khanda 50.6

• "Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare: Whoever chants this mantra, even neglectfully, will attain the supreme goal of life. Of this there is no doubt."— Agni Purana

• "This sixteen-name, thirty-two-syllable mantra is the Maha-mantra in the Age of Kali, by which all living beings can be delivered. One should never abandon chanting this maha-mantra."—Ananta-samhita

• "About this divinely spiritual Maha-mantra, which delivers one from material existence, the original guru, Lord Brahma, has said: 'The srutis have declared this mantra to be the best means of deliverance in the Age of Kali.' Having heard this from Brahma, all the sons and disciples of Brahma, beginning with Narada, accepted the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra and, having meditated on it, attained perfection."—Ananta-samhita

• "When the sixteen names and thirty-two syllables of the Hare Krishna mantra are loudly vibrated, Krishna dances on one's tongue"—Stava-mala-vidyabhusana-bhasya; Baladeva Vidyabhusana in Bhaktisiddhanta's Gaudiya Kanthahara 17:30

Hari (Sanskrit: हरि) is another name of Vishnu or God in Vaishnavism, Smarta or Advaitan Hinduism, and appears as the 650th name in the Vishnu sahasranama. ... Padma Purana (Devanagari: पद्म पुराण), one of the major eighteen Puranas, a Hindu religious text, is divided into five parts. ... Agni Purana, one of the major eighteen Puranas, a Hindu religious text believed to be written and compiled in the 10th century, contains descriptions and details of various incarnations (avatars) of Vishnu. ... In Tibet, many Buddhists carve mantras into rocks as a form of devotion. ... The Ananta Samhita is a Pancaratra agama, part of the Pancaratra corpus known collectively as the Narada Pancaratra among Gaudiya Vaisnavas. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Kali Yuga is also the title of a book by Roland Charles Wagner. ... Narada (Sanskrit: नारद, nārada) is the Hindu divine sage, who is an enduring chanter of the names Hari and Narayana which other names for Vishnu, considered to be the supreme God by Vaishnavites and many other Hindus. ...

Footnotes

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (September 1, 1896–November 14, 1977) was born Abhay Charan De, in Kolkata, West Bengal. ...

References

• an English translation of the Kali Santarana Upanishad

See also

• Vaishnavism
• Krishnology

Vaishnavism is one of the principal traditions of Hinduism, and is distinguished from other schools by its primary worship of Vishnu (and his associated avatars) as the Supreme God. ... Krishnology (also spelled Krishnaology) is an academic neo-logism for Krishna Theology. ...

External links

The Mantra

• Hear the Hare Krishna Mantra
• Chanting the Hare Krishna Mantra
• Download the Hare Krishna mp3

Hare Krishna organisations

• ISKCON main site
• ISKCON UK website
• ISKCON Youth
• World Vaishnava Association
• Gaudiya Vedanta Samiti
• Gaudiya Kutir
• Srila Bhakti Vaibhav Puri Maharaj website
• Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math

Non Hare Krishna organisations

• "Hare Rama Hare Krishna" kirtan with Jagadguru Kripalu Ji Maharaj.

Books

• Bhaktivedanta VedaBase Network - Information & Books
• Krishna.com - Information & Books
• Srimad-Bhagavatam (Bhagavata Purana)
• The Divine Name, by Raghava Chaitanya Das

Articles

• Hare Krishna's Feed the World (1996)
• The Hare Krishna movement comes of age (2005)