Haribol! As told by Sri Prahlad Prabhu:
I like to sing many different ancient sacred mantras in kirtan, but my favourite is the maha-mantra. People sometimes ask me about the origin of the maha-mantra – I reply that spiritual tradition holds the mantra to be eternal but revealed in time in different sacred texts. The chief amongst such texts is the Kali Santarana Upanisad, which describes how chanting this mantra is the best thing one can do for the benefit of humanity in this age. Hence, I have decided to present the full text of the ancient Sanskrit work, The Kali Santarana Upanisad. This Upanisad, consisting of 11 verses, is counted as number 103 in the cannon of 108 Upanisads. This translation is by Swami Gaurangapada. – Sri P
The maha-mantra
Hari Om! After travelling all over the world, Shrila Narada Muni approached Lord Brahma (his own father and guru) during the time when Dvapara-yuga was about to end. He asked him, “O Lord! How will all the living entities be able to deliver themselves from the most degraded age of Kali which is about to begin”. [1]
(Note: According to Vedic teachings dvapara-yuga is the last age, while kali-yuga is the current age – Sri P)
Lord Brahma replied, “You have asked the most important and relevant question for the benefit of humanity. I will tell you now the most concealed secret of the Vedic literatures, with the help of which everyone can easily cross this most dangerous age of Kali. [2]
“Simply by chanting the transcendental names of the original enjoyer and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Narayana, all the sins will be cleansed in Kali-yuga.” [3]
Narada Muni again asked, “Which are those specific names of the Lord which are most effective in Kali-yuga?” [4]
Lord Brahma replied, “The sixteen words – Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare; Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare – are especially meant for completely destroying all the contamination of Kali. To save oneself from the contamination of Kali-yuga, there is no alternative in all the Vedas except the chanting of this sixteen-word mantra. [5-6]
(Note: Some versions of Kali Santarana Upanishad have Hare Rama appearing first, followed by Hare Krishna. This is possibly a change by followers of Rama who placed Rama’s name before Lord Krishna’s. We draw this conclusion because other scriptures such as Agni Purana, Sanat-kumara Samhita and Vayu Purana, which refer to the maha-mantra, all have the maha-mantra beginning with Hare Krishna. – Sri P)
“This maha-mantra consisting of sixteen names of Krishna is the destroyer of the (16-layered) illusory covering of all the living entities. Only when the coverings are destroyed, Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead will appear in the heart of the living entities, just like the sun appears with full intensity when the clouds are removed.” [7]
Shrila Narada again inquired from Lord Brahma – “What are the procedures and rules for chanting this maha-mantra?” [8]
Lord Brahma replied, “There are no rules and regulations to chant this maha-mantra. It should be chanted always irrespective of whether one is in a pure or impure condition.” [9]
When one chants the 16 names of the maha-mantra 35 million times (sardha trikotir), he absolves himself of the sins of killing a brahmana or a kshatriya, stealing of gold or engaging in harmful activities towards one’s forefathers or other living entities. [10]
By chanting the maha-mantra, one becomes quickly purified from all sins accumulated due to rejecting all of one’s duties in our past lives. Thus the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, is the only means, the only means, the only means of thoroughly and immediately purifying oneself in Kali-yuga. Thus ends the Kali-santarana Upanishad. [11]
Gaura Keshava07-16-11
Could you please forward to me the references to the mahamantra in those puranas. Are you aware that an Upanisad is considered as Sruti and Puranas Smrti. Sruti always trumps Smrti as sastric proof. My experience is that Krishna first in North India and Rama first in South India. I do not see that Rama devotees would have changed this. There is also a story that you may not have heard that Mahaprabhu Himself changed it. Because Sruti mantras are forbidden to be chanted by women and sudras. So by changing it to Krishna first he made it available to everyone.
Reply
sriprahlada07-25-11
Yes, sruti is considered the higher pramana. I referred to smrti (purana), not to supersede sruti (upanisad), but to help us understand the sruti praman in this instance where there is disagreement about the nature of the original sruti pramana.
I am aware of the story about Chaitanya Mahaprabhu changing the order of the maha-mantra to accommodate those deemed unfit to chant Vedic mantras. However, I have not seen a reference to this story/explanation in any of Caitanya’s biographies.
Here are the references where the maha-mantra is referred to, with Hare Krishna appearing first.
The first is said to be from the Pippalada-branch of the Atharva Veda:
svanama-mula-mantrena sarvam hladayati vibhuh
sa eve mulam-mantram japati haririti krsna iti rama iti
“The name is the root of all mantras, the splendid one bringing joy to everyone. This root-mantra is chanted as Hari, Krishna and Rama”.
Here are the puranic references:
hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare
ratanti halaya vapi te krtartha na samsayah
Hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare: Whoever chants this mantra, even neglectfully, will attain the supreme goal of life. Of this there is no doubt. (Agni Purana)
yat tvaya kirtitam natha hari-nameti sanjitam
mantram brahma-padam siddhi karam-tad-vad-no-vibho
grhanad yasya mantrasya dehi brahma-mayo bhavet
sadhyah putah surapo ‘pi sarva-siddhi-yuto bhavet
tad-aham te ‘bhidhasyami maha-bhagavato hamsi
hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare
hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare
iti sodasakam namnam tri-kala kalmasapaham
natah parataropayah sarva vedesu vidhyate
“O master, O mighty one! Please glorify the Hari-nama mantra situated in transcendence, the cause of all perfection! The embodied soul who accepts this mantra will become filled with transcendence, and by accepting it, even a drunkard will attain all perfections. I will recite this mantra to you, for you are a swan-like mahabhagavata. ‘Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.’ These sixteen names can destroy the sins of the three worlds, and nothing higher than them is to be found in all the Vedas”. (Brahmanda Purana)
kalau nastadrisam esa matpadyarka udesyati
Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
sakrid dvistrir yathasakti yavaj jivam athapi va
vyaaharan svapaco ‘pi syan mama bhakto na samsayah
For they who have become blinded by Kali-yuga, a verse with My holy names will rise like a glorious sun. This verse is: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. One should chant this mantra once, twice, thrice, as many times as one is able, or again and again for as long as one lives. By chanting this mantra even a person who was a dogeater may become My devotee. Of this there is no doubt. (Vayu Purana)
hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare
hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare
sodasaitani namani dvatrimsad varnakani hi
kalau yuge maha-mantrah sammato jivatarane
varjayitva tu namaitad durjanaih parikalpitam
chandobaddham susiddhanta viruddham nabhyaset padam
tarakam brahma-namaitad brahmana gurunadina
kalisantaranadyasu sruti-svadhigatam hareh
praptam sri brahma-sisyena sri naradena dhimata
namaitad-uttamam srauta-paramparyena brahmanah
utsrjyaitan-maha-mantram ye tvanyat kalpitam padam
mahanameti gayanti te sastra-guru langhanah
tattva-virodha-sanprktam tadrsam daurjanam matam
sravatha pariharyam syadatma-hitarthina sada
hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare
hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare
Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare: This sixteen-name, thirty-two syllable mantra is the mahamantra in the age of Kali by which all living beings can be delivered. One should never abandon chanting this mahamantra and take to other so-called purificatory processes which are practiced by rascals, or engage in chanting other metrical compositions of the name of Krsna that are against the pure conclusions of the scriptures, or are filled with rasabhasa. About this divinely spiritual mahamantra, which delivers one from material existence, the original guru, Lord Brahma, has said, kali-santararadi srutite, “The srutis have declared this mantra to be the best means of deliverance in the age of Kali”. Having all heard this from Brahma, the sons and disciples of Brahma, beginning with Narada, all accepted the Hare Krsna Maha Mantra and, having meditated on it, attained perfection. (Ananta-samhita)
Ananta-samhita is a Pancaratra agama, part of the pancaratra corpus known collectively among Gaudiya Vaisnavas as the Narada Pancaratra)
I like to sing many different ancient sacred mantras in kirtan, but my favourite is the maha-mantra. People sometimes ask me about the origin of the maha-mantra – I reply that spiritual tradition holds the mantra to be eternal but revealed in time in different sacred texts. The chief amongst such texts is the Kali Santarana Upanisad, which describes how chanting this mantra is the best thing one can do for the benefit of humanity in this age. Hence, I have decided to present the full text of the ancient Sanskrit work, The Kali Santarana Upanisad. This Upanisad, consisting of 11 verses, is counted as number 103 in the cannon of 108 Upanisads. This translation is by Swami Gaurangapada. – Sri P
The maha-mantra
Hari Om! After travelling all over the world, Shrila Narada Muni approached Lord Brahma (his own father and guru) during the time when Dvapara-yuga was about to end. He asked him, “O Lord! How will all the living entities be able to deliver themselves from the most degraded age of Kali which is about to begin”. [1]
(Note: According to Vedic teachings dvapara-yuga is the last age, while kali-yuga is the current age – Sri P)
Lord Brahma replied, “You have asked the most important and relevant question for the benefit of humanity. I will tell you now the most concealed secret of the Vedic literatures, with the help of which everyone can easily cross this most dangerous age of Kali. [2]
“Simply by chanting the transcendental names of the original enjoyer and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Narayana, all the sins will be cleansed in Kali-yuga.” [3]
Narada Muni again asked, “Which are those specific names of the Lord which are most effective in Kali-yuga?” [4]
Lord Brahma replied, “The sixteen words – Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare; Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare – are especially meant for completely destroying all the contamination of Kali. To save oneself from the contamination of Kali-yuga, there is no alternative in all the Vedas except the chanting of this sixteen-word mantra. [5-6]
(Note: Some versions of Kali Santarana Upanishad have Hare Rama appearing first, followed by Hare Krishna. This is possibly a change by followers of Rama who placed Rama’s name before Lord Krishna’s. We draw this conclusion because other scriptures such as Agni Purana, Sanat-kumara Samhita and Vayu Purana, which refer to the maha-mantra, all have the maha-mantra beginning with Hare Krishna. – Sri P)
“This maha-mantra consisting of sixteen names of Krishna is the destroyer of the (16-layered) illusory covering of all the living entities. Only when the coverings are destroyed, Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead will appear in the heart of the living entities, just like the sun appears with full intensity when the clouds are removed.” [7]
Shrila Narada again inquired from Lord Brahma – “What are the procedures and rules for chanting this maha-mantra?” [8]
Lord Brahma replied, “There are no rules and regulations to chant this maha-mantra. It should be chanted always irrespective of whether one is in a pure or impure condition.” [9]
When one chants the 16 names of the maha-mantra 35 million times (sardha trikotir), he absolves himself of the sins of killing a brahmana or a kshatriya, stealing of gold or engaging in harmful activities towards one’s forefathers or other living entities. [10]
By chanting the maha-mantra, one becomes quickly purified from all sins accumulated due to rejecting all of one’s duties in our past lives. Thus the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, is the only means, the only means, the only means of thoroughly and immediately purifying oneself in Kali-yuga. Thus ends the Kali-santarana Upanishad. [11]
Gaura Keshava07-16-11
Could you please forward to me the references to the mahamantra in those puranas. Are you aware that an Upanisad is considered as Sruti and Puranas Smrti. Sruti always trumps Smrti as sastric proof. My experience is that Krishna first in North India and Rama first in South India. I do not see that Rama devotees would have changed this. There is also a story that you may not have heard that Mahaprabhu Himself changed it. Because Sruti mantras are forbidden to be chanted by women and sudras. So by changing it to Krishna first he made it available to everyone.
Reply
sriprahlada07-25-11
Yes, sruti is considered the higher pramana. I referred to smrti (purana), not to supersede sruti (upanisad), but to help us understand the sruti praman in this instance where there is disagreement about the nature of the original sruti pramana.
I am aware of the story about Chaitanya Mahaprabhu changing the order of the maha-mantra to accommodate those deemed unfit to chant Vedic mantras. However, I have not seen a reference to this story/explanation in any of Caitanya’s biographies.
Here are the references where the maha-mantra is referred to, with Hare Krishna appearing first.
The first is said to be from the Pippalada-branch of the Atharva Veda:
svanama-mula-mantrena sarvam hladayati vibhuh
sa eve mulam-mantram japati haririti krsna iti rama iti
“The name is the root of all mantras, the splendid one bringing joy to everyone. This root-mantra is chanted as Hari, Krishna and Rama”.
Here are the puranic references:
hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare
ratanti halaya vapi te krtartha na samsayah
Hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare: Whoever chants this mantra, even neglectfully, will attain the supreme goal of life. Of this there is no doubt. (Agni Purana)
yat tvaya kirtitam natha hari-nameti sanjitam
mantram brahma-padam siddhi karam-tad-vad-no-vibho
grhanad yasya mantrasya dehi brahma-mayo bhavet
sadhyah putah surapo ‘pi sarva-siddhi-yuto bhavet
tad-aham te ‘bhidhasyami maha-bhagavato hamsi
hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare
hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare
iti sodasakam namnam tri-kala kalmasapaham
natah parataropayah sarva vedesu vidhyate
“O master, O mighty one! Please glorify the Hari-nama mantra situated in transcendence, the cause of all perfection! The embodied soul who accepts this mantra will become filled with transcendence, and by accepting it, even a drunkard will attain all perfections. I will recite this mantra to you, for you are a swan-like mahabhagavata. ‘Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.’ These sixteen names can destroy the sins of the three worlds, and nothing higher than them is to be found in all the Vedas”. (Brahmanda Purana)
kalau nastadrisam esa matpadyarka udesyati
Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
sakrid dvistrir yathasakti yavaj jivam athapi va
vyaaharan svapaco ‘pi syan mama bhakto na samsayah
For they who have become blinded by Kali-yuga, a verse with My holy names will rise like a glorious sun. This verse is: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. One should chant this mantra once, twice, thrice, as many times as one is able, or again and again for as long as one lives. By chanting this mantra even a person who was a dogeater may become My devotee. Of this there is no doubt. (Vayu Purana)
hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare
hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare
sodasaitani namani dvatrimsad varnakani hi
kalau yuge maha-mantrah sammato jivatarane
varjayitva tu namaitad durjanaih parikalpitam
chandobaddham susiddhanta viruddham nabhyaset padam
tarakam brahma-namaitad brahmana gurunadina
kalisantaranadyasu sruti-svadhigatam hareh
praptam sri brahma-sisyena sri naradena dhimata
namaitad-uttamam srauta-paramparyena brahmanah
utsrjyaitan-maha-mantram ye tvanyat kalpitam padam
mahanameti gayanti te sastra-guru langhanah
tattva-virodha-sanprktam tadrsam daurjanam matam
sravatha pariharyam syadatma-hitarthina sada
hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare
hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare
Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare: This sixteen-name, thirty-two syllable mantra is the mahamantra in the age of Kali by which all living beings can be delivered. One should never abandon chanting this mahamantra and take to other so-called purificatory processes which are practiced by rascals, or engage in chanting other metrical compositions of the name of Krsna that are against the pure conclusions of the scriptures, or are filled with rasabhasa. About this divinely spiritual mahamantra, which delivers one from material existence, the original guru, Lord Brahma, has said, kali-santararadi srutite, “The srutis have declared this mantra to be the best means of deliverance in the age of Kali”. Having all heard this from Brahma, the sons and disciples of Brahma, beginning with Narada, all accepted the Hare Krsna Maha Mantra and, having meditated on it, attained perfection. (Ananta-samhita)
Ananta-samhita is a Pancaratra agama, part of the pancaratra corpus known collectively among Gaudiya Vaisnavas as the Narada Pancaratra)
