Hare Krishna Mahamantra

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हरे कृष्ण महामंत्र

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The sixteen-name mahamantra of Krishna and Rama — taught in the Kali-Santarana Upanishad as the foremost means of crossing the age of Kali, and spread worldwide through Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's sankirtana movement.

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Mahamantra

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

hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare

O Hari, O Krishna, O Rama — the sixteen names form a direct call to the Lord and his divine energy, asking to be engaged in loving service.

When it is recited: Chanted in japa (traditionally 16 rounds of 108 in Gaudiya practice) and sung aloud in kirtan any time — no rules of time, place or eligibility apply to the mahamantra.

Traditional significance: “Hare” invokes the Lord's own energy of devotion; Krishna (“the all-attractive”) and Rama (“the reservoir of joy”) are the Lord himself. The Upanishad declares there is no more effective dharma for this age than taking these names — a practice open to absolutely everyone.

Questions

Is there a required way to chant the mahamantra?

No restrictions of ritual purity, time or place apply — it may be chanted silently, spoken or sung. In Gaudiya Vaishnava practice, japa on a tulsi mala and congregational kirtan are both cherished forms.

Does “Rama” here mean Ramachandra or Balarama?

Traditions read it both ways: as Ramachandra, and in Gaudiya interpretation also as Balarama or “Radha-ramana” (Krishna, beloved of Radha). The potency of the name is held to be the same.

Aarti Kunj Bihari Ki Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya Shri Ram Stuti — Shri Ramchandra Kripalu

Source: Kali-Santarana Upanishad. Regional versions may vary — this text follows the version most widely used in community worship.