One name of Krishna=Three names of Rama ?

Hare Krishna dear devotees, All glories to Shrila Prabhupada !

Scriptures say that one name of Krishna is equal to three names of Rama. This is very confusing as the name Krishna and Rama is of the same Lord. Therefore I request someone to enlighten me that why scriptures say that the name of Krishna is more powerful than the name of Rama ?

Following is from Jaiva Dharma-

Vijaya: Which name is the sweetest of all the primary holy names?

Babaji: The Sata-nama-stotra says,

visnor ekaikam namapi sarva-vedadhikam matam
tadrk-nama sahasrena rama-nama-samam smrtam

Chanting one name of Vishnu gives more benefit than
studying all the Vedas, and one name of Rama is equal to a
thousand names (sahasra-nama) of Vishnu.

Again, it is stated in the Brahmanda Purana,

sahasra-namnam punyanam trir avrttya tu yat phalam
ekavrttya tu krishnasya namaikam tat prayacchati

If one utters shri-krishna-nama once, one obtains the same
result that comes from chanting the pure visnu-sahasranama
three times.

The purport is that a thousand names of Vishnu equals one name
of Rama, and three thousand names of Vishnu - that is to say, three
names of Rama - equals one name of Krishna. Chanting Krishna's
name once gives the same result as chanting Rama's name three
times.

Shri-krishna-nama is certainly the supreme name. Therefore, we
should follow the instruction of the Lord of our life, Shri Gauranga
Sundara, and always take shri-nama as He has given it: Hare Krishna,
Hare Krishna, Krishna, Krishna, Hare, Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama,
Rama, Rama, Hare, Hare.

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  • श्रीकृष्ण उवाच~युधिष्ठिर के प्रति

    मंत्रा नानाविधाः सन्ति शतशो राघवस्य च। 

    तेभ्यस्त्वेकं वदाम्यद्य तव मंत्रं युधिष्ठिर।। 

    श्रीशब्धमाद्य जयशब्दमध्यंजयद्वेयेनापि पुनःप्रयुक्तम्। 

    अनेनैव च मन्त्रेण जपः कार्यः सुमेधसा।

     

    ( श्रीमद् वाल्मीकियानंद रामायण, 9~7.44,45a,46a)

     

    हे युधिष्ठिर! वैसे तो श्रीराघाव के अनेक मन्त्र हैं, किन्तु उनमें से एक उत्तम मन्त्र मैं तुमको बतलाता हूँ । पूर्वमें श्रीराम शब्द, मध्यमें जय शब्द और अन्तमें दो जय शब्दोंसे मिला हुआ (श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम) राममन्त्र। बुद्धिमान जनों को सिर्फ इसी मंत्र का जाप करना चाहिए।

  • Volunteer

    Hare Krishna dear Devotees, please accept my humble obeisances! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
    If Shastra says that among ... cow dung is pure and among bones conhshell is pure we accept it as it is, isn't it?!

    Same with other things also, isn't it?!

    Krishna has all qualities in full but His expansions do not have in full as Krishna is having them. Lord Rama is Avatar of Krishna. He is Krishna but still He is Avatar of His. And He does not have 4 qualities which Krishna is having. Qualities like:

    playing in flute

    beautiful tribanga form

    pastimes...

    Because of that Krishna is top.

    Also Rama may refer to Krishna Name as Radha Ramana.

    Your servant,  

    • श्रीकृष्ण उवाच~युधिष्ठिर के प्रति

      मंत्रा नानाविधाः सन्ति शतशो राघवस्य च। 

      तेभ्यस्त्वेकं वदाम्यद्य तव मंत्रं युधिष्ठिर।। 

      श्रीशब्धमाद्य जयशब्दमध्यंजयद्वेयेनापि पुनःप्रयुक्तम्। 

      अनेनैव च मन्त्रेण जपः कार्यः सुमेधसा।

       

      ( श्रीमद् वाल्मीकियानंद रामायण, 9~7.44,45a,46a)

       

      हे युधिष्ठिर! वैसे तो श्रीराघाव के अनेक मन्त्र हैं, किन्तु उनमें से एक उत्तम मन्त्र मैं तुमको बतलाता हूँ । पूर्वमें श्रीराम शब्द, मध्यमें जय शब्द और अन्तमें दो जय शब्दोंसे मिला हुआ (श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम) राममन्त्र। बुद्धिमान जनों को सिर्फ इसी मंत्र का जाप करना चाहिए।

  • Volunteer

    These are one of those questions that we look at everyday but we think right past them. Thank you Prabhu for posting such a wonderful question!

    Now to the question itself-- this might help:

    "GAURANGA" IS THE MOST PRINCIPAL NAME AMONG THE MOST PRINCIPAL NAMES OF LORD KRISHNA.

    (I) In the Brhad-visnu-sahasranama-stotra, Uttara-khanda, Padma Purana (72.335) it is said:

                                                  
               rama rameti rameti, rame rame manorame;
                                                         sahasra-namabhis tulyam, rama-nama varanane

    Lord Siva addressed his wife, Durga: "O Varanana (lovely-faced woman), I chant the holy name of Rama, Rama,  Rama and thus constantly enjoy this beautiful sound. This holy name of Ramacandra is equal to one thousand 
    holy names of Lord Visnu (Visnu-sahasra-nama-stotram)."

    (II) In the Padma Purana it its mentioned:

                                              
               visnor ekaika namapi, sarva vedadhikam matam
                                                         tadrk nama sahasrena, rama nama samasmrtam

    "Each Name of Lord Vishnu is greater and more potent than the entire Vedas combined together, and Lord  Rama's Name alone is more superior that a thousand Names of Lord Vishnu."

    (III) In the Brahmanda Purana it is stated:

                                             
        sahasra-namnam punyanam, trir-avrttya tu yat phalam;
                                                     ekavrttya tu krsnasya, namaikam tat prayacchati

    "And the pious results (punya) achieved by chanting the thousand holy names of Visnu  (Visnu-sahasra-nama-stotram) three times or the Holy Name of Rama thrice can be attained by only one 
    utterance of the Holy Name of Krsna."

    (IV) Prabhasa Khanda of Padma Purana states:

                                        
         namnam mukhyataram nama, krsnakhyam me parantapa;
                                                 prayascittam asesenam papanam mocakam param

    "O Arjuna, the Holy Name of Krishna is the most principal (mukhyataram) among all Names of God. One can  atone for unlimited sinful deeds by chanting the Name of Krishna which is the supreme destroyer of all sins."

    (V) Finally in the Brahma-Rahasya it is stated:

                                          
      krsna-caitanyeti nama, mukhyan mukhyatamam prabhoh;
                                                 helaya sakrd uccarya, sarva-nama-phalam labhet

    "The Holy Name Krsna Chaitanya or Gauranga is the topmost or the most principal (mukhyan) even among all  the important primary and most principal (mukhyatamam) Holy Names of the Lord Krsna. By chanting this name 
    just once, a person attains the spiritual results (punya) of chanting all the other holy names of the Lord."

    So from the above five very important verses we can easily come to the following conclusion:

    Secondary Names of God like Brahma, Paramatma, Srishtikarta etc. take us only to the heavenly planets or  maximum can grant us liberation or mukti. But the following Primary Names of God can elevate the soul to the 
    Vaikuntha planets in the spiritual world:

    Vishnu's Name  = Principal Name of God more than all the Vedas combined together

    Rama's Name = More Principal Name (Mukhya) of God =1000 Names of Vishnu

    Krishna's Name = Most Principal Name (Mukhyataram) of God = 3 Names of Rama or 3000 Names of Vishnu

    Gauranga's Name = Most Principal (Mukhyan) among the Most Principal Names (Mukhyatamam) of Krishna = Sum  Total of all the result achieved by chanting the Names of Krsna, Rama and Visnu

    Please note there is absolutely no difference between the Holy Name of Krishna and Gauranga (They are of  equal potency totally non-different) for the liberated souls but for the conditioned souls the Name of Gauranga is 
    even more beneficial than the Name of Krishna. Thus the above difference as described in the scriptures is 
    purely due to the difference in benefit achieved by the chanting of These Names by the conditioned souls not 
    the liberated souls. Since there is no difference between Krishna and Gauranga, the liberated offenseless souls 
    get equal benefit form chanting the Nityananda and Gauranga Mantrarajas and the Hare Krishna Mahamantra 
    so for them they can chant anyone and get the same absolute benefit. But that is not applicable to the 
    conditioned souls because their ten offenses block the full light and power of the Hare Krishna Mahamantra from 
    coming through in the conditioned stage. But as per Navadvipa Dhama Mahatmya (
    aparadha sattva jiva labhe 
    prema dhana and aparadha badha tara kichu nahi kare
    ) the experience of the full potency and power of the 
    Nityananda and Gauranga Mantrarajas is fully available even to the conditioned and offensive chanters.

    Mukhya is the first degree, Mukhyataram is the second degree and Mukhyatamam is the third degree of  emphasis. So in the above verses from the scriptures Rama's Name is Mukhya, Krishna's Name is Mukhyataram 
    and Gauranga's Name is Mukhyan Mukhyatamam.

    In the Visnu-yamala it is said:

                                      
               krsna-caitanya-namna ye, kirtayanti sakrn narah;
                                                 nanaparadha-muktas te, punanti sakalam jagat

    "Those who chant the name of Krsna Chaitanya  or Gauranga even once, become free from all offenses and  purify all the worlds by their very presence."

    Srila Jagadananda Pandita says in Prema-vivarta:

                                                  
           gaura ye visala nama sei nama gau;
                                                 anya saba nama-mahatmya sei name pau

    "The most powerful names of God are the names of the most merciful incarnation of God, who is known as Lord  Gauranga. The glories and power of all the other names of God are completely present in the Names of Lord Sri 
    Gauranga Mahaprabhu and thus They should be constantly chanted."

    So considering these authorized scriptural statements about the supreme glories of Lord Gauranga's Name  which person in this world will not chant the Nityananda and Gauranga Mantrarajas along with the Hare Krishna 
    Mahamantra? And who can have the courage to challenge all the above Vedic statements and stop others from 
    chanting the most merciful Names of Nityananda and Gauranga along with the Mahamantra?
    Source: http://www.be-pure.info/AuthenticMeditationsub/AMGENERAL/the-most-p...

    Hopefully that gives some perspective on your question.

    Gaura Prema Anande.. Haribol!!!

    YS

    • You have done the wrong translation. Nothing like this has been written in the Brahmanda Purana, you have completely changed the verse and its meaning.Lord Shri Krishna himself chants the name of Shri Ram and advises to chant. 

      श्रीकृष्ण उवाच~युधिष्ठिर के प्रति

      मंत्रा नानाविधाः सन्ति शतशो राघवस्य च। 

      तेभ्यस्त्वेकं वदाम्यद्य तव मंत्रं युधिष्ठिर।। 

      श्रीशब्धमाद्य जयशब्दमध्यंजयद्वेयेनापि पुनःप्रयुक्तम्। 

      अनेनैव च मन्त्रेण जपः कार्यः सुमेधसा।

       

      ( श्रीमद् वाल्मीकियानंद रामायण, 9~7.44,45a,46a)

       

      हे युधिष्ठिर! वैसे तो श्रीराघाव के अनेक मन्त्र हैं, किन्तु उनमें से एक उत्तम मन्त्र मैं तुमको बतलाता हूँ । पूर्वमें श्रीराम शब्द, मध्यमें जय शब्द और अन्तमें दो जय शब्दोंसे मिला हुआ (श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम) राममन्त्र। बुद्धिमान जनों को सिर्फ इसी मंत्र का जाप करना चाहिए।

    • There is no difference between ramchandra a n krishna there names are on equal level . The purana never directly compare them . Ram and Krishna are one with no difference.

    • Hare Krishna

      Let me offer another perspective here.

      First of all, what is our mindset of qoting these shlokas to says 1 name of Krishna = 3 names of Ram, in my humble opinion here also people bring in commpetitive spirit. Oh you think Ram's name is superior but I can show you Krishna's name is even more superior.

      Lord Shiva quoted this shloka in Padma Purana to mother Parvati for a reason that 1 name of Ram is equal to Vishnu Shasrnama. the overall context was: Lord Shiva asked Parvati to do something and she said let me first finish my daily routine of chanting Vishnu Shasranama, so Lord Shiva who is so attached to chanting the holy name of Lord Ram, then quoted this shloka.

      rama rameti rameti, rame rame manorame;
      sahasra-namabhis tulyam, rama-nama varanane;

      but as soon as any Krishna Bhakta meets a Ram Bhakta, he want to show his own superiority. so immediately quotes


                                               
          sahasra-namnam punyanam, trir-avrttya tu yat phalam;
                                                       ekavrttya tu krsnasya, namaikam tat prayacchati

      "The pious results (punya) achieved by chanting the thousand holy names of Visnu  (Visnu-sahasra-nama-stotram) three times can be attained by only one utterance of the Holy Name of Krsna." (Brahmanda Purana)

      so in summary, 1 name of Ram is equal to Vishnu Saharanaam (1000 names of Vishnu) - (as stated in Padma Purana)

       
      1 names of Krishna equals 3 Vishnu Sahasarnaam (as stated in Brahmanda Purana) - using these 2 verses, indirectly people says
       
      1 name of Krishna = 3 names of Ram (like solving 2 variables, using 2 equations in math)
       
      but here comes the twist,
       
      1. the name of Krishna is part of Vishnu Shasranaam also, and in Padma Purana it is said 1 name of Ram is equal to Vishnu Shasranaam (name of Krishna already included in that), but the name of Ram is not listed as part of Vishnu Shasranaam.
       
      2. ISKCON devotee list 18 puranas divided in 3 categories based on 3 modes. based on that Padma Purana is in the list of Puranas in mode of goodness, whereas Brahmanda Purana is among puranas in modes of passion. and devotees sometimes claim that what is listed in puranas in mode of goodness supersedes what is written in purana in mode of passion or ignorance. Using the above argument they defy the statement of some other Puranas which say Shiva is supreme Lord and then quote from Bhagavat Purana that 'Vaishvanam yatha shambhu' (Shiva is topmost vaishnava, not the supreme Lord) as statement of higher puranas supersedes staement of puranas in lower mode. 
       
      So question becomes - here why to give more importance to the statement of Brahmanda Purana over Padma Purana and try to bring competition between names of Lord Krishna and name of Lord Ram? what is real motive behind that?
       
      Sometime our own logics fall back on us and show our hypocrisy. People use statenments of shastras to suit their own purpose. 
       
      Hare Krishna
       
       
       

       

       

       

       

      • It is not written anywhere that thrice the name of Shri Ram is equal to the name of Krishna once, you manipulate the scriptures and present it to the people.

        Lord Shri Krishna himself advises others to chant the name of Shri Ram.

        श्रीकृष्ण उवाच~युधिष्ठिर के प्रति

        मंत्रा नानाविधाः सन्ति शतशो राघवस्य च। 

        तेभ्यस्त्वेकं वदाम्यद्य तव मंत्रं युधिष्ठिर।। 

        श्रीशब्धमाद्य जयशब्दमध्यंजयद्वेयेनापि पुनःप्रयुक्तम्। 

        अनेनैव च मन्त्रेण जपः कार्यः सुमेधसा।

         

        ( श्रीमद् वाल्मीकियानंद रामायण, 9~7.44,45a,46a)

         

        हे युधिष्ठिर! वैसे तो श्रीराघाव के अनेक मन्त्र हैं, किन्तु उनमें से एक उत्तम मन्त्र मैं तुमको बतलाता हूँ । पूर्वमें श्रीराम शब्द, मध्यमें जय शब्द और अन्तमें दो जय शब्दोंसे मिला हुआ (श्रीराम जय राम जय जय राम) राममन्त्र। बुद्धिमान जनों को सिर्फ इसी मंत्र का जाप करना चाहिए।

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