Hare Krishna Mantra Yoga of Lord Gauranga Mahaprabhu

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Lord Gauranga MahaprabhuThe Pioneer of Hare Krishna mantra yoga

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Hare Krishna Mantra Yoga - Solve All your problems once and for all

Hare Krishna,

Hare Krishna

Krishna Krishna,

Hare Hare

Hare Rama,

Hare Rama

Rama Rama,

Hare Hare

We've all heard the Hare Krishna mantra at some time, but what the heck is so

special about this mantra? Why are we supposed to spend time chanting it? What

can it do for us?

First of all, let me explain a little about mantra-yoga. Mantra-yoga is actually

a tradition found in almost every spiritual path and religion in the world. It

may involve the softly spoken repetition of a prayer or mantra for one's own

meditation, or it may be the congregational singing of spiritually uplifting

songs, prayers, or the sacred names of the Supreme Being. It all involves the

same process, but in the Eastern tradition it is called mantra-yoga because it

is the easy process of focusing our minds on the Supreme, which helps

spiritualize our consciousness. Man means the mind, tra means deliverance.

Therefore, a spiritual mantra is the pure sound vibration for delivering the

mind from material to spiritual consciousness. This is the goal of any

spiritual path. Although all spiritual traditions have their own prayers or

mantras, the Vedic mantras are especially powerful and effective in uniting us

with the spiritual realm.

Many years ago the brahmana priests could accomplish many kinds of wondrous

deeds simply by correctly chanting particular mantras. Many of these mantras

still exist, but it is very difficult to find those who can chant them

accurately. This is actually a safety measure because if the wish-fulfilling

mantras were easily chanted, there would no doubt be many people who would

misuse them. But other mantras that are available can easily help purify one's

consciousness, give spiritual enlightenment, and put one in touch with the

Supreme.

In Bhagavad-gita (10.25) Sri Krishna explains that He is the transcendental om

mantra and that the chanting of japa (chanting a mantra quietly for one's own

meditation) is the purest of His representations and sacrifices. It is

understood that by chanting japa and hearing the holy sounds of the mantra, one

can come to the platform of spiritual realization. The energy in the sound

vibration of the mantra prepares and opens one's consciousness to higher levels

of reality. This is the process of mantra-yoga. Even though the mantra is

powerful in itself, when the mantra is chanted by a great devotee, it becomes

more powerful. This is the effect when a disciple is fortunate enough to take

initiation from a spiritually powerful master who gives him a mantra for

spiritual purposes. Then the disciple can make rapid progress by utilizing the

mantra.

In this age of Kali-yuga the process of chanting japa or mantra meditation is

much more effective than practicing other spiritual paths that include

meditating on the void or Brahman effulgence, or trying to control the life air

within the body as in raja-yoga. Only a very few can become perfect at moving

the life air up to the top of the head or raising the kundalini force up

through the various chakras. And meditating on the void becomes useless as soon

as there is the slightest external distraction, which in this age of Kali is a

continuous thing. Therefore, the most effective means of focusing the

consciousness is to concentrate on the sound vibration of a mantra.

There are two mantras that are especially recommended in the Vedic literature.

One is omkara or the om mantra, and the other is Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna,

Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, which is

known as the maha or great mantra. It is explained that these two mantras can

deliver one to the realm beyond material existence.

Omkara (pranava) is considered to be the sound incarnation of the Supreme

Personality of God and is identical with the Supreme Lord. The

Narada-pancaratra states: "When the transcendental sound vibration is practiced

by a conditioned soul, the Supreme Lord is present on his tongue." The

Atharva-veda and the Mandukya Upanishad both mention the importance of omkara.

Omkara is said to be the beginning, middle, and end, and is eternal, beyond all

material restrictions. Omkara is unlimited, transcendental, and indestructible.

As such, it is not so easy for the average person to understand all the

intricacies of omkara or to chant om properly.

Actually, the chanting of omkara is generally practiced by impersonalists and

those engaged in the mystic yoga process. By chanting om and controlling the

breathing perfectly, which is mostly a mechanical way of steadying the mind,

one is eventually able to go into trance or samadhi. Through this system, one

gradually changes the tendencies of the materially absorbed mind and makes it

spiritualized. But this takes many years to perfect and such a slow process is

not practical in this age. If one is not a brahmana, he will not understand

omkara and will not be able to get the desired results from chanting it.

Therefore, it is not advised that people chant omkara in this age of Kali-yuga

because they are generally not qualified to chant it properly. The mantra for

Kali-yuga is the maha-mantra, or great mantra for deliverance, which is Hare

Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama

Rama, Hare Hare.

WHY CHANT THE HARE KRISHNA MANTRA

There are many Vedic references which specifically recommend the chanting of the

Hare Krishna maha-mantra as the most effective means of reaching spiritual

realization and counteracting all the problems of this age. Some of these

verses are the following:

"These sixteen words--Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare

Hare/Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare--are especially meant for

counteracting the ill effects of the present age of quarrel and anxiety."

(Kali-santarana Upanishad)

"All mantras and all processes for self-realization are compressed into the Hare

Krishna maha-mantra." (Narada-pancaratra)

"Chant the holy names, chant the holy names, chant the holy names. In this age

of Kali [the age of quarrel and confusion] without a doubt there is no other

way, there is no other way, there is no other way." (Brihan-naradiya Purana

38.126)

"In this age there is no use in meditation, sacrifice and temple worship. Simply

by chanting the holy name of Krishna--Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna

Krishna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare--one can achieve

perfect self-realization." (Vishnu Purana 6.2.17)

"The self-realization which was achieved in the Satya millennium by meditation,

in the Treta millennium by the performance of different sacrifices, and in the

Dvapara millennium by worship of Lord Krishna [as the Deity in the temple], can

be achieved in the age of Kali simply by chanting the holy names, Hare Krishna."

(Bhag.12.3.52) (Verses similar to this are also found in the Padma Purana,

Uttara-khanda 72.25, and the Brihan-naradiya Purana 38.97)

"Living beings who are entangled in the complicated meshes of birth and death

can be freed immediately by even unconsciously chanting the holy name of

Krishna, which is feared by fear personified." (Bhag.1.1.14)

It is also said that all Vedic rites and the results of all other spiritual

practices are found within the holy names of the Hare Krishna mantra. Thus, it

is the easiest and most effective process for spiritual enlightenment and

liberation. The Vedic literature leaves no doubt, as stated in the Skanda

Purana (Caturmasya-mahatmya section), that the most perfect process of

spiritual elevation that can be executed is the chanting of the holy names of

Lord Sri Hari. Such performance of sankirtana can please the Supreme Being,

especially in the age of Kali.

It is also for this reason that Brahma said to Lord Krishna in Srimad-Bhagavatam

(11.6.24) that in the age of Kali pious and saintly persons will easily cross

over the darkness of this age if they hear about and praise Your transcendental

qualities and activities.

The Kali-santarana Upanishad specifically states, "After searching through all

of the Vedic literature, one cannot find a method of religion more sublime for

this age of Kali-yuga than the chanting of Hare Krishna."

The Sri Caitanya-caritamrita (Adi-lila, 17.22) also says, "In this age of Kali,

the holy name of the Lord, in the form of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, is the

incarnation of Lord Krishna. Simply by chanting the holy name, one associates

with the Supreme directly. Anyone who does this is certainly delivered." In

other words, it is this mantra that provides the doorway which leads directly

to the spiritual realm. Furthermore, the use of it means that we change the

vibrational level of our own consciousness and the environment in which we

exist. This can cause the manifestation of that spiritual vibration and

atmosphere in this material world.

The Srimad-Bhagavatam (12.3.51) goes on to say that this process of reawakening

one's spiritual awareness is the most important advantage of Kali-yuga. It also

states (11.5.36-37) that enlightened persons who are advanced in knowledge can

appreciate the real value of this fallen age of Kali-yuga because in this age

all perfection can be attained easily by the process of sankirtana. For

materially embodied souls wandering in this material world, there is no higher

gain than coming in contact with the Supreme Being's sankirtana movement by

which one attains supreme peace and freedom from the cycle of repeated birth

and death.

In the Padma Purana (5.80.2-8) we find a conversation between Shiva and his

wife, Parvati, in which Shiva specifically says that Kali-yuga does not harass

those who utter the name of Hari or chant Hare Rama, Hare Krishna. One can be

freed from worldly existence just by remembering Vishnu's names, no matter

whether one is pure or impure.

The point is that because this age of Kali is so difficult, polluted and

disturbing--taxing our consciousness with so many distractions--all other forms

of religion and processes of spiritual realization either lose their

effectiveness or offer only incomplete knowledge; thus, they simply fail to

produce the needed results. They may produce some peace and forgiveness, some

moral standards and understanding, but they do not deliver the higher

principles of spiritual realization. Shukadeva Gosvami says in the

Srimad-Bhagavatam (12.3.45-49) that although all objects, places, and persons

in Kali-yuga are polluted, the Supreme Being can remove such contamination from

one who hears or chants about, meditates upon, glorifies, or simply offers

respect to the Supreme. Therefore, by remaining ever aware and focused on the

Lord in the heart, the contamination from many thousands of lifetimes can be

removed. Such awareness is many times more potent than any other process; such

as austerities, breath control, strict vows, or bathing in holy places. Anyone

who maintains this concentration at the time of death will certainly attain the

supreme destination in the spiritual world.

In this regard it is further related in the Mahanirvana Tantra (2.14-20) that

all Vedic rites and processes of spiritual purification that were effective in

other ages are useless in this age of Kali-yuga. So the primary process that

must be followed in this age is the use of mantras from the tantric texts that

give immediate results when used for chanting, meditation, or rituals and

ceremonies.

This is also verified in a verse from the Brahma-vaivarta Purana which explains

that in the age of Kali, austerities, yoga meditation, elaborate Deity worship,

and rituals, cannot be carried out properly even by experts. This means that our

faculties, whether they are mental, intellectual, physical, or otherwise, are

simply not available in this age to the degree necessary to enable us to reach

the proper results by any of these methods.

Therefore, the Brihan-naradiya Purana (39.97), along with the Vishnu Purana

(6.2.17), the Padma Purana (Uttara-khanda 72.25), and the Bhagavat Purana

(12.3.52) all say that what was achieved in Satya-yuga by meditation, and in

Treta-yuga by the performance of rituals, and in Dvapara-yuga by refined Deity

worship, can now be attained in Kali-yuga simply by sankirtana, glorifying or

singing the names of God, Lord Keshava, Krishna. In other words, because

Kali-yuga is the most difficult age, we have been given the easiest spiritual

process. This is stated in the Kurma Purana (1.30.37) that although the age of

Kali is full of defects, the good point is that people can acquire great

spiritual merit without great strain. The Vayu Purana (58.47), as well as the

Linga Purana (40.47), goes on to explain that pious acts performed in one day

in Kali-yuga are equal to those practiced for a month in Dvapara-yuga, or a

year in Treta-yuga. Further elaboration is given in the Padma Purana

(1.41.91-92, and 7.26.40-44) which explains that what merit is attained through

ten years of spiritual practice in Satya or Krita-yuga, a year in Treta-yuga, or

a month in Dvapara-yuga, is attained in one day and night in Kali-yuga. What is

achieved by meditation in Krita-yuga, or by ceremonies in Treta-yuga, or by

elaborate worship in Dvapara-yuga, one can obtain in Kali-yuga simply by

glorifying and repeating the name of Keshava (Krishna). The Padma Purana

(6.71.23-29) also concludes that with all their sins destroyed by this means in

Kali-yuga, people can attain the highest position.

The Narada Purana (1.41.89-118) also gives explicit directions on rising into a

higher dimension of existence, both individually and collectively. It is stated

that nowhere does the dark age of Kali affect those whose consciousness is

absorbed in devotion to Hari, Krishna, or who practice the recitation of His

names. In fact, it states that those who are devoted to the repetition of the

names of Hari are equal to Shiva [or can attain Shiva's higher dimensional

level of existence by the required change of consciousness]. Therefore, it is

advised that one should always be absorbed in the spiritual vibrations of

reciting the holy names of Hari, Keshava, Govinda, Vasudeva, Jagannatha, or

Krishna. Those persons need not be afraid of the age of Kali. They are very

fortunate and noble, even if they do not have the association of saintly

persons. How fortunate are those who recite these names, for sins do not bind

them and they are worthy of being worshiped by the Devas. Narada emphatically

declares that individual liberation from the material world is not possible by

any other means in Kali-yuga except through the name of Hari. This is the

greatest merit and penance.

The conclusion of all this is that the greatest virtue of Kali-yuga is the

opportunity to learn and hear about the Supreme Being and, thus, clear your

consciousness to perceive who and what you really are. This is clearly stated

in the Bhagavatam (12.3.51): "Although Kali-yuga is an ocean of faults there is

still one good quality about this age, and that is by chanting the holy names of

Krishna one can become free from material existence and reach the spiritual

kingdom." This is the ultimate goal of life. This is what can easily be

achieved in this age of Kali.

These verses provide some clear evidence as to the power of the Hare Krishna

mantra. The reason that chanting the Lord's names in this way is such an

effective process is because the Lord and His names are identical: they are the

same spiritual energy. By chanting Hare Krishna we are in immediate contact with

God. If we chant someone else's name, we cannot enjoy their association because

the name and the person are different. For example, by chanting "water, water,

water," we do not quench our thirst because water and the name are two

different things. But in the spiritual world everything is absolute. Krishna is

nondifferent from His names and, therefore, we can feel His presence simply by

chanting His names. This is further elaborated in the Caitanya-caritamrta

(Madhya-lila, 17.131-133), which explains that there is no difference between

the Lord's name, form, or personality, and they are all transcendentally sweet.

Krishna's name is the same as Krishna Himself, and is not material in any way.

It gives spiritual benedictions and is full of pleasure. But in the material

world everything is different. Furthermore, in Caitanya-cartamrta (Adi-lila,

17.22, and the Padma Purana), the Hare Krishna maha-mantra is said to be the

sound incarnation of Krishna, and anyone who chants this mantra is not only in

direct association with Krishna, but is also delivered from the clutches of the

material energy.

Because chanting the names of God brings us in direct contact with God in

proportion to the chanter's purity, this process of self-realization is the way

of success for everyone. The Bhagavatam (2.1.11) discloses that the chanting of

God's names in the manner of the great authorities is the doubtless way to

spiritual success for everyone, no matter whether they are full of material

desires or free of all desires, or self-satisfied because of their spiritual

knowledge.

Simply by relying on the chanting of the holy names of God, one need not depend

upon other processes, rituals, paraphernalia, or persons. One does not even

have to be initiated by a spiritual master to chant the maha-mantra. As the

Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya-lila, 15.108) says, one does not have to take

initiation, but only has to chant the holy names. Thus, deliverance is

available to all kinds of people. Furthermore, Rupa Gosvami writes about the

potency of the holy name in his Padyavali:

"The holy name of Lord Krishna is an attractive feature for many saintly,

liberal people. It is the annihilator of all sinful reactions and is so

powerful that save for the dumb who cannot chant it, it is readily available to

everyone, including the lowest type of man, the chandala. The holy name of

Krishna is the controller of the opulence of liberation, and it is identical

with Krishna. Simply by touching the holy name with one's tongue, immediate

effects are produced. Chanting the holy name does not depend on initiation,

pious activities or the purascarya regulative principles generally observed

before initiation. The holy name does not wait for all these activities. It is

self-sufficient. (Padyavali 29)

Herein is evidence that the Hare Krishna maha-mantra is so powerful that one who

sincerely takes shelter of it will attain all the desired results of connection

with the Supreme. The Skanda Purana gives further evidence of how powerful is

the maha-mantra: "The name of the Lord need not be chanted with regard to

place, time, circumstantial conditions, preliminary self-purification or any

other factors. Rather, it is completely independent of all other processes and

rewards all the desires of those who eagerly chant it." (Skanda Purana)

Therefore, without a doubt, the Hare Krishna mantra is the most potent mantra

one can utilize for spiritual upliftment. The Caitanya-caritamrta (Madhya-lila,

15.107) also points out that one is freed of all sinful reactions simply by

chanting Krishna's names. And all the nine types of devotional service are

completed by this process. Thus, in Kali-yuga only the chanting of the holy

names is necessary for worshiping the Lord. However, if one is not able to

chant purely or follow the regulations for chanting, it is recommended that one

get further guidance from a bona fide spiritual master.

In Kali-yuga the chanting of the holy names is certainly the most practical and

effective process for the conditioned souls. It is also the easiest process

whether one finds himself in Kali-yuga, Satya-yuga, Treta-yuga, or

Dvapara-yuga. Regardless of what age one may be living in, the process of

chanting the holy names is always recommended for everyone. "The names of the

Supreme Lord who has the disc as His weapon should be glorified always and

everywhere." (Vaisakha-mahatmya section of the Padma Purana) But since the age

of Kali is the most difficult, where men have short durations of life, it is

also the most fortunate age. This is explained in Srimad-Bhagavatam

(11.5.36-37, and 12.3.51) which states that those who are wise know the value

of this age of Kali because, in spite of the fallen nature of this age, the

spiritual perfection of life can be attained by the easy process of sankirtana,

the congregational chanting of Krishna's holy names. No better position can be

found to attain freedom from material existence and entrance into the spiritual

kingdom than joining the Lord's sankirtana movement.

Even those living in other ages desire to take birth in Kali-yuga to take

advantage of this special concession of a speedy delivery from the cycle of

birth and death through the process of sankirtana. This is confirmed in

Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.5.38) where we find it said that those who live during

Satya-yuga and other ages wish to be born in Kali-yuga just to take advantage

of associating with the devotees of Lord Narayana, who are especially found in

South India.

The Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.5.32) also explains that intelligent persons perform

congregational singing of Krishna's names to worship the incarnation of Krishna

who sings His own names, and who is accompanied by His associates and

confidential companions. Therefore, as the Caitanya-caritamrta (Adi-lila, 7.74)

specifically says, the essence of all scriptural teachings is that the only

religious principle in the age of Kali is to chant the Lord's holy names, which

are the basis of all Vedic hymns. "In this way the most perfect penance to be

executed in this world is the chanting of the name of Lord Sri Hari. Especially

in the age of Kali, one can satisfy the Supreme Lord Vishnu by performing

sankirtana." (Caturmasya-mahatmya section of the Skanda Purana)

The fact of the matter, as explained in Srimad-Bhagavatam (3.33.6-7), is that

regardless of what one's present situation is, if a person once speaks about

the activities and chants the holy names of the Supreme, or hears about and

remembers Him, he becomes eligible to engage in the Vedic rituals. And how much

more glorious are those who regularly chant the holy names. Such people are

indeed worshipable, for they must have performed all kinds of austerities,

achieved the characteristics of the Aryans, studied the Vedas, bathed at all

the holy places of pilgrimage, and done whatever else is required.

In this way, we can begin to understand how elevated the writer of the Vedic

scripture considers those who have adopted the process of chanting Krishna's

holy names. However, for those who do not like the chanting of the holy names

and blaspheme the process and criticize or try to restrain those who do chant,

we can understand that their sentiment is due to their sinful and offensive

activities. Such people are said to have no intelligence and work for no useful

purpose and simply contribute to the chaos and confusion within society. The

Bhagavatam (3.9.7) confirms that those who do not engage in the blessed

chanting and hearing about the activities of the Supreme are bereft of

intelligence and good fortune. They perform sinful activities to enjoy sensual

pleasure which lasts only for a short time.

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