What is the origin of Hare Krishna mantra

[Avinash]

"Hare Krishna Hare Krishna

Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama

Rama Rama Hare Hare"

 

What is the origin of the above mantra? I think it is by Chaitanya Mahaprabhu but I am not sure. Let me know.

[gHari]

From 'The Teachings of Lord Caitanya':

Lord Caitanya then told PrakAzAnanda SarasvatI that because He received the order from His spiritual master, He was constantly chanting Hare KRSNa, Hare KRSNa, KRSNa KRSNa, Hare Hare/ Hare RAma, Hare RAma, RAma RAma, Hare Hare.

"As a result of this chanting," the Lord said, "I sometimes become very impatient and cannot restrain Myself from dancing and laughing or crying and singing. Indeed, I become just like a madman. When I first wondered whether I had become mad by chanting this Hare KRSNa, Hare KRSNa, KRSNa KRSNa, Hare Hare/ Hare RAma, Hare RAma, RAma RAma, Hare Hare, I approached My spiritual master and informed him that I had gone mad by chanting Hare KRSNa, Hare KRSNa, KRSNa KRSNa, Hare Hare/ Hare RAma, Hare RAma, RAma RAma, Hare Hare. Thus I asked him what was My actual position."

 

 

In the NArada-paJcarAtra it is stated:

 

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eSo vedAH SaD-aGgAni

 

chandAMsi vividhAH surAH

 

sarvam aSTAkSarAntaHsthaM

 

yac cAnyad api vAGmayam

 

sarva-vedAnta-sArArthaH

 

saMsArArNava-tAraNaH

 

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"All Vedic rituals, mantras and understanding are compressed into eight words: Hare KRSNa, Hare KRSNa, KRSNa KRSNa, Hare Hare." Similarly, in the KalisantaraNa UpaniSad it is stated:

 

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hare kRSNa hare kRSNa

 

kRSNa kRSNa hare hare

 

hare rAma hare rAma

 

rAma rAma hare hare

 

 

iti SoDazakaM nAmnAM

 

kali-kalmaSa-nAzanam

 

nAtaH parataropAyaH

 

sarva-vedeSu dRzyate

 

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"The sixteen words--Hare KRSNa, Hare KRSNa, KRSNa KRSNa, Hare Hare/ Hare RAma, Hare RAma, RAma RAma, Hare Hare--are especially meant for counteracting the contaminations of Kali. To save oneself from the contamination of Kali, there is no alternative but the chanting of these sixteen words."

 

 

Lord Caitanya informed PrakAzAnanda SarasvatI that when His spiritual master understood Him, he said, "It is the transcendental nature of the holy names of Hare KRSNa, Hare KRSNa, KRSNa KRSNa, Hare Hare/ Hare RAma, Hare RAma, RAma RAma, Hare Hare to transport a man into spiritual madness. Anyone who sincerely chants this holy name very soon attains elevation to the platform of love of God and becomes mad after God. This madness arising from love of God is the first perfectional stage for a human being."

 

 

 

In a Gita lecture Srila Prabhupada notes:

 

Therefore Caitanya MahAprabhu has introduced according to zAstra, according to the indication of the zAstras, just like in the SrImad-BhAgavatam and in other PurANas, and other Vedic scriptures this is recommended. In Kali-santaraNa UpaniSad, in BrahmANDa PurANa, in VAyu PurANa, this chanting of Hare KRSNa Hare KRSNa KRSNa KRSNa Hare Hare, Hare RAma Hare RAma RAma RAma Hare Hare is recommended. SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu simply introduced it as a great propaganda. That is. Otherwise, this is recommended in every age. There are many devotees, they were chanting. But the process of meditation is not possible. Therefore simply on the basis of this process one can attain the highest perfectional stage.

 

 

In a Bhagavatam lecture Srila Prabhupada notes:

 

Our this Hare KRSNa movement is pursuing, following the footstep of SrI Caitanya MahAprabhu.

 

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harer nAma harer nAma harer nAmaiva kevalam

 

kalau nAsty eva nAsty eva nAsty eva gatir anyathA

 

[Cc. Adi 17.21]

 

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These are all according to Vedic injunction. This Hare KRSNa movement is not a manufactured way. This is actually following the Vedic principle. This is

Agni-PurANa, BrahmANDa-PurANa, Brahma-vaivarta-PurANa, and Kali-santaraNa-UpaniSad. There are many Vedic literatures, they are recommended, this Hare KRSNa. Sometime it is said, "Hare KRSNa, Hare KRSNa, KRSNa KRSNa, Hare Hare"; sometimes it is "Hare RAma, Hare RAma, RAma RAma, Hare Hare." So people become puzzled, which one should be first vibrated. So any one you can vibrate. Either you chant Hare KRSNa or Hare RAma in the beginning, it doesn't matter. There is no difference between the holy name of KRSNa and RAma. But still, there is some distinction

. In the zAstra it is said that "If you chant one thousand times Lord ViSNu's name, that is equal to chanting one name of Lord RAma." Sahasra, sahasra, ViSNu-sahasra-nAma. And if you chant three times Lord RAma's name, it is equal to one time chanting KRSNa's name. This is the shastric injunction.

 

 

So either you chant ViSNu name or Lord RAma name or Lord KRSNa's name, there is no difference, as you are, because different people become devotee to different forms. Sometimes they are devotee of Lord RAmacandra; they want to worship SItA-RAma. That is also good. Sometimes they want to worship LakSmI-NArAyaNa. That is also good. And sometimes they want to worship RAdhA-KRSNa. That is also the same. There is no difference. RAmAdi-mUrtiSu kalA-niyamena tiSThan nAnAvatAram akarod bhuvaneSu kintu, kRSNaH svayaM samabhavat [bs. 5.39]. There are many manifestation of ViSNu--advaitam acyutam anAdim ananta-rUpam [bs. 5.33]--but the original manifestation or original KRSNa... KRSNas tu bhagavAn svayam [sB 1.3.28]. Really, when we speak of BhagavAn, that is KRSNa. So KRSNa's expansion, they are also BhagavAn. And those who are very, very powerful like Lord Siva, Lord BrahmA, NArada, and many other devotees and sages, they are also sometimes addressed as BhagavAn in the zAstra, but not ordinary men. Ordinary men cannot become BhagavAn. That is not possible. But everyone can become exalted devotee. Just like NArada Muni. In his previous birth he was a maidservant's son, not even born in the brAhmaNa family. But by good association of devotees he became next birth NArada Muni, the spiritual master of so many exalted devotees. NArada Muni's name we hear in connection with PrahlAda MahArAja, Dhruva MahArAja, and many other devotees. And so everyone has the potency, just like NArada Muni. So it doesn't matter where you were born. NArada Muni was born as a maidservant's son, but by good association... SatAM prasaGgAn mama vIrya-saMvidaH. By good association, next life he became NArada.

 

[Avinash]

I went through your post completely. So one source is "KalisantaraNa UpaniSad". Of course, there can be other sources also. Thank you.