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Question: Chant Gayatri Instead of Hare Krishna?

Since Sri Krishna says that of mantras He is Gayatri shouldn't we chant the Gayatri mantra instead of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra? Can you please quote slokas where it is said that Hare Krishna maha-mantra is superior. My parents want me to chant Gayatri mantra, however, I tell them that since I chant Hare Krishna maha-mantra, it already includes all other mantras. But, they don't seem to be very happy with my argument.

Thank you.

A.N.
 

Answer: Hare Krishna is Recommended in Scripture

Not only is Krishna the Gayatri mantra; He is also the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. You have correctly understood that by chanting Hare Krishna you have already become the perfect chanter of all other mantras.  This is why the Hare Krishna mantra is called the maha-mantra, or the Great Chanting for Deliverance. The Hare Krishna maha-mantra is especially recommended in this age in the following verse from the Kali-Santarana Upanisad:

hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa
kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare
hare rāma hare rāma
rāma rāma hare hare
iti ṣoḍaśakaṁ nāmnāṁ
kali-kalmaṣa-nāśanaṁ
nātaḥ parataropāyaḥ
sarva-vedeṣu dṛśyate

“After searching through all the Vedic literature, one cannot find a method of religion more sublime for this age than these sixteen names composed of thirty-two syllables. They are the only means to counteract the evil effects of Kali-yuga."

Sankarshan Das Adhikari