Dhyanacandra Gosvami describes the Hare Krishna maha-mantra in his Gaura Govindarcana-smarana-paddhati (132-136) in the following words, drawing from the Sanat-kumara Samhita:
asyaiva kRSNa-candrasya mantrAH santi trayo ’malAH |
siddhAH kRSNasya sat-prema-bhakti-siddhi-karA matAH ||131||tatrAdau mantroddhAro yathA sanat-kumAra-saMhitAyAm--hare-kRSNau dvir AvRttau kRSNa tAdRk tathA hare |hare rAma tathA rAma tathA tAdRg ghare manuH ||132||hare kRSNa hare kRSNa kRSNa kRSNa hare hare |hare rAma hare rAma rAma rAma hare hare ||133||
“There are three Krishna-mantras that are very pure and powerful; they are famous for bestowing prema-bhakti on their chanters.
A reference for the first mantra is from the Sanat-kumara-samhita:
‘The words Hare Krishna are repeated twice, and then Krishna and Hare are both separately twice repeated. In the same way, Hare Rama, Rama and Hare are twice repeated.’
The mantra is thus: ‘Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare’”
asya dhyAnaM yathA tatraiva--
dhyAyed vRndAvane ramye gopa-gobhir alaGkRte |
kadamba-pAdapa-cchAye yamunA-jala-zItale || 134 ||
rAdhayA sahitaM kRSNaM vaMzI-vAdana-tat-param |
tribhaGga-lalitaM devaM bhaktAnugraha-kArakam || 135 ||
vizeSato dazArNo ’yaM japa-mAtreNa siddhi-daH |
paJcAGgAny asya mantrasya vijJeyAni manISibhiH || 136 ||
“The meditation which accompanies this maha-mantra is also found in the Sanat-kumara Samhita: Sri Krishna is sporting in the cooling waters of the Yamuna, or in the shade of a kadamba tree in the beautiful Vrindavana forest. He is ornamented (surrounded) by the cows and gopas, and is accompanied by Sri Radha. He is very skillful at playing the flute as He stands in a charming tribhanga pose, bestowing mercy and kindness upon the bhaktas. Merely with this japa, perfection in this specific vision is attained. The wise know the five limbs of the mantra thus.”
Gopala Guru Gosvami, drawing from the Brahmanda Purana (and adding the second stanza), has presented the following meaning for the maha-mantra:
vijJApya bhagavat-tattvaM cid ghanAnanda vigraham |
haratyavidhaM tatkAryamato haririti smRtaH ||
harati zrI-kRSNa-manaH kRSNAhlAda-svarUpinI |
ato harety anenaiva zrI-rAdhA parikIrtitA ||
AnandaikasukhaH zrImAn zyAmaH kamala locanaH |
gokulAnando nanda-nandanaH kRSNa Iryate ||
vaidagdhI sArAsarvasvaM mUrtalIlA dhidaivatam |
zrI rAdhAM ramayan nityaM rAma ity abhidIyate ||
“The Lord is known as Hari because he takes away the ignorance of his devotees by revealing to them the actual nature of the Supreme Lord and his personal spiritual form.
Because She steals Krishna's mind, because She is the incarnation of Krishna's joy, Radha is also known by the name Hara.
The dark, lotus-eyed lord, the only master of the highest joy, who brings pleasure to Gokula, the son of Nanda, is known as Krishna.
Krishna is also known as Rama because the joys of conjugal life are the essence of his being, because he is the titulary deity of loving sports incarnate, and because he brings pleasure to Srimati Radharani.”
Rupa Gosvami praises the Hare Krishna maha-mantra in his Laghu Bhagavatamritam (1.4):
zrI-caitanya-mukhodgIrNA hare-kRSNeti varNakAH |
majjayanto jagat premNi vijayantAM tad-AhvayAH || 4 ||
“The syllables ‘Hare Krishna’ and so forth emanated from the mouth of Sri Caitanya, drowning the universe in prema. Let these names be glorified!”
He longs to again attain the darsana of Sri Caitanya’s calling out the holy names, as presented in Stavamala, Prathama Caitanyastakam (5):
hare kRSNety uccaiH sphurita-rasano nAma-gaNanA-
kRta-granthi-zreNI-subhaga-kaTi-sUtrojjvala-karaH |
vizAlAkSo dIrghArgala-yugala-khelAJcita-bhujaH
sa caitanyaH kiM me punar api dRzor yAsyati padam || 5 ||
“When will Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu - whose tongue is always dancing by loudly calling out ‘Hare Krishna!’; who counts the names which He is calling out on the splendorous strip of cloth from around His waist which has been tied with knots for chanting; whose eyes are so large that they seem to reach His ears; and whose arms extend down to His knees - again become visible to me?”
Here the word “uccaih”, “loudly”, is used for Mahaprabhu’s chanting of Hare Krishna. Baladeva confirms in his Stava-mala-vibhusana-bhasya that this indeed refers to the thirty-two syllable maha-mantra:
hare kRSNeti mantra-pratIka-grahaNaM. soDaza-nAmAtmanA dvAtrIMzadaksareNa mantreNoccair-uccAritena sphuritA kRta-nRtyA rasanA jihvA yasya saH ||
“The Hare Krishna mantra was resounding in His mouth. The mantra consisting of sixteen names and thirty-two syllables was uttered and dancing on His tongue.”
Raghunatha Das Gosvami states in his Saci-Sunvastakam (5):
nijatve gauDIyAn jagati parigRhya prabhur imAn
hare-kRSNety evaM gaNana-vidhinA kIrtayata bhoH |
itiprAyAM zikSAM janaka iva tebhyaHparidizan
zacI-sUnuH kiM me nayana-zaraNIM yAsyati punaH || 5 ||
“When will that son of Mother Saci – who, taking the residents of Bengal as His own, inspired them to chant Hare Krishna a prescribed number of times daily and who like a father gave them many cherished instructions – again become visible to me?”
This verse uses the word “kirtayata” to describe Mahaprabhu’s chanting, adding that this chanting is “ganana-vidhina”, “counted as prescribed.” Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya states in his Caitanya Satakam (64):
vizaNNa cittAn kali pApa-bhItAn
saMvIkSya gauro hari nAma mantraM |
svayaM dadau bhakta janAn samAdizat
kuruSva saGkIrtana-nRtya vAdyaiH || 64 ||
“Seeing the people of the world afraid of the sins of the age of Kali and dejected at heart, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu personally gave them the hari nama mantra and also ordered them to do loud sankirtana of this mahamantra while dancing and playing musical instruments.”
Prabodhananda Sarasvati states in his Vrindavana Mahimamrita (17.89):
hare kRSNa kRSNeti mukhyAn
mahAzcarya-nAmAvalI-siddha-mantrAn |
kRpA-mUrti-caitanya-devopagItAn
kadAbhyasya vRndAvane syAn kRtArthaH || 89 ||
“Sri Caitanya Deva, the very form of mercy, sung the perfected mantra, ‘Hare Krishna, Krishna’ and so forth. When will He give His favor to me, causing me to attain Sri Vrindavana?”
Prabodhananda also states in his Caitanya Candramritam (16):
badhnan prema-bhara-prakampita-karo granthIn kaTI-DorakaiH
sankhyAtuM nija-loka-mangala-hare-kRSNeti-nAmnAM japan |
azru-snAta-mukhaH svam eva hi jagannAthaM didRkSur
gatA-yAtair gaura-tanur vilocana-mudaM tanvan hariH pAtu vaH || 16 ||
“Engaged in japa of Hare Krishna and so forth, His own holy names which bring auspiciousness to the world, His hand trembling with love as He touches the knotted string about His waist to count the number of names, His face bathed in tears as He comes and goes, eager to see His own form of Lord Jagannatha, and bringing great delight to the eyes of all – may the golden form of Lord Hari protect you all.”
Kavi Karnapura describes the shaving-ceremony of Sri Caitanya in his Caitanya Carita Mahakavya (11.54):
tataH zrI gaurAGgaH samavadad atIva pramudito hare kRSNety uccair vada muhur iti zrImaya tanuH |tato ’sau tat procya pratibalita romAJca lalito rudaMs tat tat karmArabhata bahu-duHkhair vidalitaH || 54 ||
“When Sri Gauranga accepted sannyasa, the barber took the blade in his hand but was not able to shave any of the Lord’s curly locks out of grief. In great ecstasy Sri Gauranga Deva told him to repeatedly chant Hare Krishna out loud. Then the barber loudly chanted the same and began his job of shaving while he wept and his body was studded with goose pimples.”
Vrindavana Das describes the Lord’s instructions to Tapana Misra in the Caitanya Bhagavata (1.14.143-147) as follows:
sAdhya-sAdhana-tattva ye kichu sakala |
hari-nAma-saGkIrtane milibe sakala || 143 ||
harer nAma harer nAma harer nAmaiva kevalam |
kalau nAsty eva nAsty eva nAsty eva gatir anyathA || 144 ||
hare kRSNa hare kRSNa kRSNa kRSNa hare hare |
hare rAma hare rAma rAma rAma hare hare || 145 ||
ei zloka nAma bali laya mahA-mantra |
zola-nAma batriza-akSara ei tantra || 146 ||
sAdhite sAdhite yabe premAGkura habe |
sAdhya-sAdhana-tattva jAnibA se tabe || 147 ||
“Everything is accomplished by Hari-nama sankirtana, including the goal of life (sadhya) and the means for its attainment (sadhana). In this age of Kali, the only means for deliverance is the chanting of the names of Hari. There is no other way, there is no other way, there is no other way. ‘Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.’ This verse of names is called the maha-mantra. It contains sixteen names of the Lord, consisting of thirty-two syllables. Chanting this mantra again and again will awaken the sprout of prema within the heart, and thus the goal of life and the means for its attainment is understood.”
The following famous instructions of Sri Caitanya are related in the Caitanya Bhagavata (2.23.75-78):
Apane sabAre prabhu kore upadeze |
kRSNa-nAma mahA-mantra zunoho hariSe || 75 ||
hare kRSNa hare kRSNa kRSNa kRSNa hare hare |
hare rAma hare rAma rAma rAma hare hare|| 76 ||
prabhu kohe kohilam ei mahA-mantra |
iha japa giyA sabe koriyA nirbandha|| 77 ||
iha hoite sarva-siddhi hoibe sabAra |
sarva kSaNa bolo ithe vidhi nAhi Ara || 78 ||
“The Lord ordered everyone in great joy: ‘Listen to the Krishna-nama mahamantra: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.’ The Lord said: ‘I have spoken the mahamantra. Perform japa of this mantra a prescribed number of times. All perfection will be attained through this. Chant this mantra every moment – there is no other rule.’”
Vrindavan Das describes the meeting of Sri Caitanya and Advaita as follows:
prasanna zrI mukhe hare kRSNa kRSNa bali |vijaya hailA gauracandra kutUhalI ||hare kRSNa hare kRSNa bali prema sukhe |pratyakSa haila Asi advaita-sammukhe ||
“One day when He came to the home of Advaita Acarya, His face filled with pleasure as He chanted the Hare Krishna maha-mantra.”
Then let us turn to the various statements of the Caitanya Caritamrita which appear to be references to the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. In this work, the Hare Krishna maha-mantra is nowhere listed in its entire length. The following excerpts are from the Adi-lila (7.72, 78, 81, 83), describing the exchange between Sri Caitanya and the sannyasis of Benares:
mUrkha tumi, tomAra nAhika vedAntAdhikAra |
kRSNa-mantra japa sadA ei mantra-sAra || 72 ||
“You are a fool, you have no eligibility for Vedanta. Always do japa of the Krishna-mantra, the essence of all mantras.”
dhairya dharite nAri, hailAma unmatta |
hAsi, kAndi, nAci, gAi, yaiche madamatta || 78 ||
“Unable to maintain my patience, I have become maddened. I laugh, cry, dance and sing like a madman.”
kibA mantra dilA, gosAJi, kibA tAra bala |
japite japite mantra karila pAgala || 81 ||
“What kind of mantra you have given, Gosai, and what is its power? By constantly engaging in japa of this mantra, I have become mad!”
kRSNa-nAma-mahA-mantrera ei ta’ svabhAva |
yei jape, tAra kRSNe upajaye bhAva || 83 ||
“It is the nature of Krishna-nama maha-mantra that anyone who does japa of it, in him bhava for Krishna awakens.”
There are numerous references of someone chanting “Hari, Krishna”. Here Mahaprabhu inspires others to chant the holy names (Madhya-lila, 7.97-98):
ei zloka paDi pathe calilA gaurahari |
loka dekhi’ pathe kahe bala hari hari || 97 ||
sei loka prema-matta haJA bale hari kRSNa |
prabhura pAche saGge yAya darzana-satRSNa || 98 ||
“Reciting this verse (Krishna He…), Gaurahari walked along the path. Seeing people on the way, He told them, ‘Say Hari Hari!’ These people became maddened in prema, saying ‘Hari Krishna!’ They would follow behind the Lord, being eager to see Him.”
The Muslim messenger in Madhya-lila (16.168) also chanted “Hari Krishna”:
eta kahi sei cara hari kRSNa gAya |
hAse kAnde nAce gAya bAulera prAya || 168 ||
“Saying this, that messenger sang ‘Hari Krishna!’, laughed, cried, danced and sang like a madman.”
Also in Madhya-lila (17.159) we have an example of two brahmanas chanting “Hari Krishna”:
duGhe preme nRtya kari’ kare kolAkuli |
hari kRSNa kaha duGhe bale bAhu tuli’ || 159 ||
“Both of them danced and embraced in ecstatic love, uttering “Hari Krishna”, thus both of them sang, raising their arms.”
Upon the departure of Haridas, everyone chanted “Hari Krishna!” (Antya, 11.58):
hari kRSNa zabde sabe kare kolAhala |
premAnande mahAprabhu hailA vihvala || 58 ||
“All of them very loudly chanted ‘Hari Krishna!’ in the bliss of ecstatic love, and Mahaprabhu became overwhelmed.”
In Antya-lila (9.55-57), Mahaprabhu inquires about Vaninatha Raya:
ethA prabhu sei manuSyere prazna kaila |
vANInAtha ki kare, yabe bAndhiyA Anila || 55 ||
se kahe vANInAtha nirbhaye laya kRSNa-nAma |
hare kRSNa hare kRSNa kahe avizrAma || 56 ||
saGkhyA lAgi dui-hAte aGgulIte lekhA |
sahasrAdi pUrNa haile aGge kATe rekhA || 57 ||
“Prabhu inquired from him, ‘What was Vaninatha doing when he was arrested?’ He replied, ‘Fearlessly Vaninatha was chanting the name of Krishna, incessantly he chanted “Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna.” He used the fingers of his two hands for counting, and upon completing one thousand, he made a mark on his body.’”
Thus no specific references to sankirtana of Hare Krishna maha-mantra are found in the Caitanya Caritamrita, though sankirtana of Krishna’s names is mentioned, as well as japa of maha-mantra.
The following instance of Sri Caitanya’s chanting the maha-mantra is found in the Caitanya Mangala of Locana Das:
bAhu prasAriyA prabhu brAhmaNe tulilA |
tAra ghare bhakti bhare gAna AraMbhilA ||
brAhmaNera ghara yena haila vRndAvana |
hari-nAma zunibAre Aise sarva-jana ||
hare kRSNa hare kRSNa kRSNa kRSNa hare hare |
hare rAma hare rAma rAma rAma hare hare ||
“Once Mahaprabhu visited the home of a brahmana and embraced him. The kirtana that followed made that home become just like Vrindavana and a multitude of people gathered to hear and chant the holy names: ‘Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare’.”
The 15th chapter of the Caitanya Mangala relates:
“Keeping His hands above His head, He started chanting over and over, ‘Hare Krishna Hare Krishna’.”
Locan Das also states:
hare kRSNa nAma seho bole nirantara |
“He constantly chanted the holy names ‘Hare Krishna’”.
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