Hare Krishna devotees, accept my humble obeisances.
I have two questions to ask his excellent devotees:
1 - As we are all familiar with the most auspicious Hare Krishna Mahamantra which contains the sixteen syllables(8 - Hare, 4- Krishna, 4- Rama). Now i know the significance and importance of the mantra as a whole but i always think that why isn't the most mellodicious word Radha addressed as Hara(or Hare) in the mantra. I am very much attracted to the name of Srimati Radharani as Radha but the Hare krishna mahamantra doesn't provides the priveledge to utter that name as such. Although due to my firm belief in the instructions of shri caitanya mahaprabhu and prabhupada i give precedence to the Mahamantra and chant it primarily. I occasionally chant radha-radha also but still unable to quench my thirst for the name as most of my time i ardently give to the Mahamantra. Are there other devotees who sometimes feel the same and how do they cope with it?
2 - The second thing is that as we know that every devotee has their own sense of affection towards the different forms of Lord all being equivalently excellent. Some devotees render devotional service unto Lord Rama, others unto Lord Narsimha and so on. They chant mantras and names that are pinpointed to pray to that particular form of Lord. For example Lord Rama devotees chant Lord Rama name or some other mantras in which Lord rama is centrally glorified or prayed unto. So when we chant the Mahamantra which contains the Names of both Lord Rama and Lord Krishna then it seems that the mantra is equally good for both Lord Rama and Lord Krishna devotees(in the sense of taste as Mahamantra is factually good for all) then why this is the case that the mantra is most prominently chanted among Lord Krishna devotees(correct me if i am wrong with my perception) and as the mantra contains the names of both Lord rama and lord krishna in which Hare before each of them renders prayers to respective eternal consorts and internal potencies of the Lord i.e Mata Sita and Radharani then can we infer that Mahamantra is not pinpointed to serve and pray to Radha-Krishna (For me being a Radha-Krishna devotee this matters a lot) ?
Please pardon any insolence that i may have commited while asking the questions. It is not that i even tangentially doubt the efficiency of the Mahamantra which is bestowed unto us by the most merciful Lord Caitanya mahaprabhu who personally used to chant it. How come an insignificant human like me even dare to blaspheme or even doubt the Mahamantra because by doing so i will not even secure a place in hell. I am just a curious neophyte devotee so please have mercy on me.
Jai Gaur Nitai
Jai Prabhupada
Hare Krishna 🙏
Replies
First of all accept my obeisances,
You have asked a very good question that what is the meaning of Hare Rama in Hare Krishna Mahamantra.First of all we have to understand that this mantra is taken from Kali Santran Upanishad. The invocation is given at the beginning of any book, which proves that the book is dedicated to.And the invocation of Kali Santran Upanishad is as follows: ~
Hare Krsna Prabhuji,
PAMHO.
Radha is a confidential name. If you notice, this name is not mentioned in entire SB. The information about Radharani is confidential. It is also said that Radha rani's name should not be taken outside of Braj except on Radha Ashtami (like how devotees chant Jai Jai Shri Raaaadheee, that is permitted in Braj or other places on Radha Ashtami).
Mantras are not manmade. They are given in scriptures. The mahamantra is given in scritptures to chant Hare instead of Radha. THats how we chant.
Once you have chanted your committed number of rounds, if you want to chant Radharani;s name, you may please do, but not in groups.
Rama in the mahamantra denotes 3 :
1) Parasuram avatar of lord
2) Balaram
3) Maryada Purushottam Ram
I owuld recomend to Srila Prabhupada's books, atleast initially. YOu can read the book Sri Namamtra, compilations of Srila PRabhupada's quotes in various books on Mahamantra. It is very purifying to read every day one page.
When we chant mahamantra, we are saying - O Radha O Krishna, please engage me in your service.
Happy Chanting.
Haribol,
Your servant,
Radha Rasamayi DD
Dandwat pranam mataji... thank you for providing your valuable answer. I too have heard that radha Rani's name is highly confidential and here you have confirmed it. I would definitely take your suggestions into account.
Hare Krishna 🙏
Where it says that Radharani name should not be chanting outside of Vraj? Can you provide any quote from Prabhupada books? Or is it an old folklore story made by sahajiyas?
Hare Krsna Prabhuji,
PAMHO.
I have heard in temple, especially on Radha Ashtami. Will look for reference and privide if I find.
Vraj is defined as all the places where Radharani went in that area.
Haribol,
Your servant,
Radha Rasamayi DD
ok))
!!.. Hare Rama Hare Krishna.. !!
May i answer your question as a student..??
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna .. Krishna Krishna Hare Hare ..
Hare Rama Hare Rama .. Rama Rama Hare Hare .. :)
Hare Krishna,
1. If you are chanting Hare very fast or fast you should be saying 'radha' in the vocative sence. Thats why it says Hare is Hara in the vocative sence. If you say Ha Re. U see the Re? Its like saying Haaa Radhe. Say Hare rally fast you will notice you are saying radhe eventually. Like Radhe Radhe, Hare Hare. But it only works if you say Hare Krishna together. Not just Hare. ) Maybe its speculation or a desire in me to hear Radhe. But since Hara is Hare, (radharani) the root name Radharani is in the word 'Hare', 'Hara' so surely I will be thinking at least Radhe in my mind... right?
2. Rama represents Krishna (radha-ramana) One give Gives pleasure to Radharani. Radha-Krishna always together in pastimes. So they happy together, hence Radha-RAMAana. Rama specifially only means Rama the radha-ramana. (for krishna devotees).
This is from the Book Harinama Maha-mantra by Narayana Maharaja..I usally read it before chanting rounds, one of them, then the next the next day so I am thinking about something while doing mantra and asking a spiritual desire:
Commentary
by Saccidānanda Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura
He Hare – mac-cittaà håtvä bhava-bandhanän mocaya –
O Hare, please captivate my mind and release me from
material existence.
He Kåñëa – mac-cittam äkarña – O Kåñëa, please attract my
restless mind toward You.
He Hare – sva-mädhuryeëa mac-cittaà harä – O Hare,
captivate my mind with Your innate sweetness.
He Kåñëa – sva-bhakta-dvärä bhajana-jïäna-dänena maccittaà çodhaya – O Kåñëa, please make my mind pure with
the knowledge of devotional service, as given by Your
devotees, who understand the science of devotion.
He Kåñëa – näma-rüpa-guëa-lélädiñu man-niñöhäà kuru –
O Kåñëa, please give me firm faith in Your name, form,
qualities and pastimes.
He Kåñëa – rucir bhavatu me – O Kåñëa, may I develop
a taste for Your name, form, qualities and pastimes.
He Hare – nija-sevä-yogyaà mäà kuru – O Hare, please
make me qualified to serve You.
He Hare – sva-seväm ädeçaya – O Hare, please make me
qualified and order me to serve You.
He Hare – sva-preñöhena saha sväbhéñöa-léläà çrävaya –
O Hare, please make me hear of Your sweet pastimes with
Your dear most beloved (Kåñëa).
He Räma – preñöhayä saha sväbhéñöa-léläà mäà çrävaya –
O Räma, Rädhikä-ramaëa, make me hear of Your most
cherished amorous pastimes that You perform with Your
beloved Çré Rädhikä.
He Hare – sva-preñöhena saha sväbhéñöa-léläà mäà darçaya –
O Hare, Çrématé Rädhikä, please give me darçana of Your
dearest pastimes with Your beloved Çré Kåñëa.
He Räma – preñöhayä saha sväbhéñöa-léläà mäà darçaya – O
Räma, Rädhikä-ramaëa, please reveal to me a vision of Your
cherished pastimes with Your beloved.
He Räma – näma-rüpa-guëa-lélä-smaraëädiñu mäà yojaya –
O Räma, please engage me in remembering Your name,
form, qualities and pastimes.
He Räma – tatra mäà nija-sevä-yogyaà kuru – O Räma,
please make me qualified to serve You in those pastimes.
He Hare – mäà sväìgé-kåtya ramasva – O Hare, please accept
me and include me within Your pastimes. In other words
make me blissful.
He Hare – mayä saha ramasva – O Hare, please include me in
Your pastimes. Perform Your transcendental sports with me.
Thus ends the commentary on the mahä-mantra taken from
Çré Caitanya-çikñämåta and other scriptures by
Çré Saccidänanda Bhaktivinoda Öhäkura
Hare Krishna prabhuji...thank you for giving me a new perspective of the Hare Krishna Mahamantra(new for a neophyte devotee like me at-least 😅). Now i think i will be able to feel more bliss while chanting the Hare Krishna mahamantra and thank you for sharing such beautiful stanzas....i would surely try to make a use of them before chanting. Moreover it has given me a boost to explore more into the literatures of our previous acaryas.
Jai Jai Gaur-Nitai
Jai Jai srila Prabhupada
Hare Krishna🙏
You can find the book here: https://www.purebhakti.com/resources/ebooks-magazines/books-for-e-r...