Hare Krishna Mahamantra lyrics in Sanskrit & English, with meaning
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Mahamantra#
हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरे ।
हरे राम हरे राम राम राम हरे हरे ॥hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare |
hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare ||हे हरि (या हे राधा — भगवान की शक्ति), हे कृष्ण; हे हरि, हे राम — भगवान के सोलह नाम, जिन्हें प्रेम से बार-बार पुकारा जाता है।
O Hari (or O Radha, the Lord's own energy), O Krishna; O Hari, O Rama — sixteen names of the Lord, called again and again in love.
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Kali-Santarana Upanishad#
इति षोडशकं नाम्नां कलिकल्मषनाशनम् ।
नातः परतरोपायः सर्ववेदेषु दृश्यते ॥iti ṣoḍaśakaṃ nāmnāṃ kalikalmaṣanāśanam |
nātaḥ parataropāyaḥ sarvavedeṣu dṛśyate ||ये सोलह नाम कलियुग के दोषों का नाश करने वाले हैं। समस्त वेदों में इससे श्रेष्ठ कोई उपाय नहीं दिखता।
These sixteen names destroy the impurities of the Kali age. No better means than this is seen in all the Vedas.
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Hare Krishna Mahamantra — word by word
| Word | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| हरे | hare | O Hari ("the one who takes away" sorrow and sin) — or, in Gaudiya Vaishnava reading, O Hara, Radha, the Lord's power of love |
| कृष्ण | kṛṣṇa | O Krishna — "the all-attractive one", the dark Lord |
| राम | rāma | O Rama — "the one who delights" and in whom the yogis delight; Shri Rama, or Krishna himself as the source of joy |
What Hare Krishna Mahamantra means
The Mahamantra is not a request for anything; it is simply a calling of the Lord's names. "Hare" addresses Hari, the remover of sorrow — or, as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's followers explain it, Radha, the Lord's own energy of love, who is called first so that she may bring the soul to Krishna. "Krishna" is the all-attractive one, and "Rama" the one in whom all joy rests.
The Kali-Santarana Upanishad, in which the sage Narada asks Brahma how the soul may cross the Kali age, answers that simply by uttering these sixteen names a person is freed from the faults of the age, and that "no better means is seen in all the Vedas". The mantra needs no special time, place or ritual purity — which is why it is called the great mantra (mahamantra) for this age.
Chanted in japa on a mala or sung together in kirtan, it is meant to soften the heart. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu taught that it should be chanted "humbler than a blade of grass, more tolerant than a tree, giving honour to all and expecting none".
How to chant Hare Krishna Mahamantra
- WhenAny time; early morning (brahma muhurta) is most loved
- CountOne round = 108 mantras on the mala; ISKCON devotees chant 16 rounds daily
- MalaTulsi beads
- WaysJapa (softly, on beads) or kirtan (sung together with instruments)
- Hold the mala. Hold the tulsi mala in the right hand, often inside a bead bag, starting at the bead next to the large head bead.
- Chant the full mantra on each bead. Say all sixteen words clearly on one bead, then move to the next. Hear each name as you say it.
- Do not cross the head bead. After 108 beads, turn the mala around and begin the next round in the other direction.
- Chant with feeling. Focus on the sound of the names rather than on the count. If the mind wanders, gently bring it back to listening.
- Sing together. In kirtan one person leads a line and the group responds, with mridanga and kartals — anyone can join.
The Upanishad gives the order "Hare Rama Hare Rama… Hare Krishna Hare Krishna…"; the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition, including ISKCON, usually chants it beginning with "Hare Krishna". Both are accepted.
Where Hare Krishna Mahamantra comes from
The sixteen names are given in the Kali-Santarana Upanishad, a short Vaishnava Upanishad attached to the Krishna Yajurveda, in a dialogue between Narada and Brahma at the end of the Dvapara age. The same names appear in the Agni and other Puranic traditions of nama-japa.
In the early sixteenth century Chaitanya Mahaprabhu of Navadvip made the Mahamantra the centre of a mass movement of congregational singing (sankirtan) across Bengal and Odisha. In 1966 A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada founded ISKCON in New York, and the mantra became one of the best-known Sanskrit phrases in the world.
About Hare Krishna Mahamantra
The sixteen-word Mahamantra of Krishna and Rama, from the Kali-Santarana Upanishad — its meaning, why it is called the great mantra of this age, and how to chant it in japa and kirtan. It was composed by Kali-Santarana Upanishad, Upanishadic. The text is in Sanskrit.
Frequently asked questions
Who wrote Hare Krishna Mahamantra?
Hare Krishna Mahamantra was composed by Kali-Santarana Upanishad (Upanishadic).
Where can I read Hare Krishna Mahamantra lyrics in English?
This page has the full Hare Krishna Mahamantra in Sanskrit (Devanagari) with the English transliteration under every verse, and the meaning of each verse in Hindi and English. Use the Chant and Meaning buttons above the verses to show only what you need.
हरे कृष्ण महामन्त्र का अर्थ क्या है?
इस पेज पर हरे कृष्ण महामन्त्र के हर पद के नीचे उसका सरल हिंदी अर्थ और अंग्रेज़ी अर्थ दिया गया है।
How many verses are there in Hare Krishna Mahamantra?
Hare Krishna Mahamantra has 2 verses as given on this page.
In which language is Hare Krishna Mahamantra?
Hare Krishna Mahamantra is in Sanskrit. This page gives the original text in Devanagari with Roman transliteration and meaning in Hindi and English.
How long does it take to recite Hare Krishna Mahamantra?
A full recitation takes about 3 min.
To whom is Hare Krishna Mahamantra dedicated?
Hare Krishna Mahamantra is dedicated to Krishna. The sixteen-word Mahamantra of Krishna and Rama, from the Kali-Santarana Upanishad — its meaning, why it is called the great mantra of this age, and how to chant it in japa and kirtan.
What does Hare Krishna mean?
"Hare" calls on Hari (or Radha, the Lord's energy), and "Krishna" and "Rama" are names of the Lord. The whole mantra is a loving call: "O Lord, O Krishna, O Rama".
Where does the Hare Krishna mantra come from?
From the Kali-Santarana Upanishad, where Brahma tells Narada that these sixteen names destroy the faults of the Kali age.
Which comes first — Hare Rama or Hare Krishna?
The Upanishad lists "Hare Rama" first; Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's tradition and ISKCON chant "Hare Krishna" first. Both forms are chanted with devotion.
How many rounds should I chant?
Start with what you can do with attention — even one round of 108. ISKCON initiates commit to 16 rounds a day.
Do I need initiation to chant it?
No. The Mahamantra is meant for everyone, at any time and place, without rules of ritual purity.
