On Chanting Hare Krishna mantra

Hindus pray in temples, do arati, abhishekam, fast on holy days. Gaudiya Vaishnavas doa bit more - they chant the holy name of God almost 24 hours a day. Every moment is a Krishna moment for them. Current trend is to do Japa retreats to reinforce the importance of Japa (chanting). A Japa retreat can elevate your level of chanting the holy names.

Chanting the Hare Krishna Mantra

By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

“This transcendental vibration by chanting of Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, is the sublime method for reviving our Krishna consciousness. As living spiritual soul, we are all originally Krishna conscious entities, but due to our association with matter from time immemorial, our consciousness is now polluted by material atmosphere. In this polluted concept of life we are all trying to exploit the resources of material nature, but actually we are becoming more and more entangled in our complexities. This illusion is called maya, or hard struggle for existence, for winning over the stringent laws of material nature. This illusory struggle against material nature can at once be stopped by revival of our Krishna consciousness.[2]

Krishna consciousness is not an artificial imposition on the mind. This consciousness is the original energy of the living entity. When we hear the transcendental vibration, this consciousness is revived, and the process is recommended by authorities for this age. By practical experience also, we can perceive that by chanting this Maha-mantra, or the Great Chanting for Deliverance, one can at once feel transcendental ecstasy from the spiritual stratum. When one is factually on the plane of spiritual understanding, surpassing the stages of sense, mind and intelligence, one is situated on the transcendental plane. This chanting of Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare is directly enacted from the spiritual platform, surpassing all lower stratus of consciousness — namely sensual, mental and intellectual. There is no need of understanding the language of the mantra, nor there is any need for mental speculation nor any intellectual adjustment for chanting this Maha-mantra. It springs automatically from the spiritual platform, and as such, anyone can take part in this transcendental sound vibration without any previous qualification and dance in ecstasy. We have seen it practically. Even a child can take part in the chanting, or even a dog can take part in it. The chanting should be heard from the lips of a pure devotee of the Lord, so that immediate effect can be achieved. As far as possible, chanting from the lips of non-devotee should be avoided as much as milk touched by the lips of a serpent causes poisonous effect.

The word Hara is the form of addressing the energy of the Lord. Both Krishna and Rama are form of addressing directly the Lord and They mean the highest pleasure, eternal. Hara is the supreme pleasure potency of the Lord. This potency when addressed as Hare helps us in reaching the Supreme Lord.

The material energy, called as maya, is also one of the multi-potencies of the Lord as much as we are also marginal potency of the Lord. The living entities are described as superior energy than matter. When the superior energy is in contact with the inferior energy, it becomes an incompatible situation but when the supreme marginal potency is in contact with spiritual potency, Hara, it becomes the happy, normal condition of living entity.

The three words, namely Hara, Krishna and Rama, are transcendental seeds of the maha-mantra and the chanting is spiritual call for the Lord and His internal energy, Hara, for giving protection to the conditioned soul. The chanting is exactly like genuine cry by the child for mother. Mother Hara helps in achieving the grace of the Supreme Father, Hari, or Krishna, and the Lord reveals Himself to such sincere devotee.

No other means therefore of spiritual realization is as effective in this age as chanting the Maha-mantra: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.”

In the Caitanya Caritamrta the effect and results of chanting are given:

 “In this Age of Kali, the process of worshiping Kṛṣṇa is to perform sacrifice by chanting the holy name of the Lord. One who does so is certainly very intelligent, and he attains shelter at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. [1]

“ ‘In the Age of Kali, intelligent persons perform congregational chanting to worship the incarnation of Godhead who constantly sings the name of Kṛṣṇa. Although His complexion is not blackish, He is Kṛṣṇa Himself. He is accompanied by His associates, servants, weapons and confidential companions.’

“Simply by chanting the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa, one can be freed from all undesirable habits. This is the means of awakening all good fortune and initiating the flow of waves of love for Kṛṣṇa.

“ ‘Let there be all victory for the chanting of the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa, which can cleanse the mirror of the heart and stop the miseries of the blazing fire of material existence. That chanting is the waxing moon that spreads the white lotus of good fortune for all living entities. It is the life and soul of all education. The chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa expands the blissful ocean of transcendental life. It gives a cooling effect to everyone and enables one to taste full nectar at every step.’

 “By performing congregational chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, one can destroy the sinful condition of material existence, purify the unclean heart and awaken all varieties of devotional service.

“The result of chanting is that one awakens his love for Kṛṣṇa and tastes transcendental bliss. Ultimately, one attains the association of Kṛṣṇa and engages in His devotional service, as if immersing himself in a great ocean of love.”

Lamentation and humility awoke within Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and He began reciting another of His own verses. By hearing the meaning of that verse, one can forget all unhappiness and lamentation.

“ ‘My Lord, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, in Your holy name there is all good fortune for the living entity, and therefore You have many names, such as “Kṛṣṇa” and “Govinda,” by which You expand Yourself. You have invested all Your potencies in those names, and there are no hard and fast rules for remembering them. My dear Lord, although You bestow such mercy upon the fallen, conditioned souls by liberally teaching Your holy names, I am so unfortunate that I commit offenses while chanting the holy name, and therefore I do not achieve attachment for chanting.’

“Because people vary in their desires, You have distributed various holy names by Your mercy.

“Regardless of time or place, one who chants the holy name, even while eating or sleeping, attains all perfection.

“You have invested Your full potencies in each individual holy name, but I am so unfortunate that I have no attachment for chanting Your holy names.”

]Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu continued, “O Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī and Rāmānanda Rāya, hear from Me the symptoms of how one should chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra to awaken very easily one’s dormant love for Kṛṣṇa.

“ ‘One who thinks himself lower than the grass, who is more tolerant than a tree, and who does not expect personal honor but is always prepared to give all respect to others can very easily always chant the holy name of the Lord.’

“These are the symptoms of one who chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. Although he is very exalted, he thinks himself lower than the grass on the ground, and like a tree, he tolerates everything in two ways.

“When a tree is cut down, it does not protest, and even when drying up, it does not ask anyone for water.

“The tree delivers its fruits, flowers and whatever else it possesses to anyone and everyone. It tolerates scorching heat and torrents of rain, yet it still gives shelter to others.

“Although a Vaiṣṇava is the most exalted person, he is prideless and gives all respect to everyone, knowing everyone to be the resting place of Kṛṣṇa.

“If one chants the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa in this manner, he will certainly awaken his dormant love for Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet.”

As Lord Caitanya spoke in this way, His humility increased, and He began praying to Kṛṣṇa that He could discharge pure devotional service.

Wherever there is a relationship of love of Godhead, its natural symptom is that the devotee does not think himself a devotee. Instead, he always thinks that he has not even a drop of love for Kṛṣṇa.

“ ‘O Lord of the universe, I do not desire material wealth, materialistic followers, a beautiful wife or fruitive activities described in flowery language. All I want, life after life, is unmotivated devotional service to You.’

“My dear Lord Kṛṣṇa, I do not want material wealth from You, nor do I want followers, a beautiful wife or the results of fruitive activities. I only pray that by Your causeless mercy You give Me pure devotional service to You, life after life.”

In great humility, considering Himself a conditioned soul of the material world, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu again expressed His desire to be endowed with service to the Lord.

“ ‘O My Lord, O Kṛṣṇa, son of Mahārāja Nanda, I am Your eternal servant, but because of My own fruitive acts I have fallen into this horrible ocean of nescience. Now please be causelessly merciful to Me. Consider Me a particle of dust at Your lotus feet.’

“I am Your eternal servant, but I forgot Your Lordship. Now I have fallen into the ocean of nescience and have been conditioned by the external energy.

“Be causelessly merciful to Me by giving Me a place with the particles of dust at Your lotus feet so that I may engage in the service of Your Lordship as Your eternal servant.”

Natural humility and eagerness then awoke in Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He prayed to Kṛṣṇa to be able to chant the mahā-mantra in ecstatic love.

“ ‘My dear Lord, when will My eyes be beautified by filling with tears that constantly glide down as I chant Your holy name? When will My voice falter and all the hairs on My body stand erect in transcendental happiness as I chant Your holy name?’

“Without love of Godhead, My life is useless. Therefore I pray that You accept Me as Your servant and give Me the salary of ecstatic love of God.”

Separation from Kṛṣṇa awoke various mellows of distress, lamentation and humility. Thus Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu spoke like a crazy man.

“ ‘My Lord Govinda, because of separation from You, I consider even a moment a great millennium. Tears flow from My eyes like torrents of rain, and I see the entire world as void.’

 “In My agitation, a day never ends, for every moment seems like a millennium. Pouring incessant tears, My eyes are like clouds in the rainy season.

“The three worlds have become void because of separation from Govinda. I feel as if I were burning alive in a slow fire.

“Lord Kṛṣṇa has become indifferent to Me just to test My love, and My friends say, ‘Better to disregard Him.’ ”

Ref:

1. https://vedabase.io/en/library/cc/antya/20/