Is chanting Hare Krishna the only way to get Krishna Prema ?

We do live in a wicked age,but the scriptures advocate chanting Hare Krishna as the most efficacious method of attaining love for Krishna.
Is that correct? :)

Have faith in the words of the bona fide scriptures.

Chanting the holy names of the Lord is the central practice of Lord Caitanya's followers. Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya once asked Lord Caitanya, "Which item is most important in the execution of devotional service?" The Lord replied that the most important item was the chanting of the holy name of the Lord.

harer nama harer nama
harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva
nasty eva gatir anyatha

In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy, the only means of deliverance is the chanting of the holy names of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way.
(Brhan-naradiya Purana 38.126)

Hi !

First of all I am not aware of "Lord Caitanya" please tell me about him.
Secondly, I do not think personally that only the chanting of Krishna's Name is going to get you the love of Krishna. What is the use of that chanting where you cheat others and do other sinful acts ?. I think that one needs to act right with the chanting krishna's name. Everytime you chant krishna's name you should remember what Krishna said..

I think that shall make krishna more dear to us and us dear to krishna..

Hare krsna

Hi !

First of all I am not aware of "Lord Caitanya" please tell me about him.
Secondly, I do not think personally that only the chanting of Krishna's Name is going to get you the love of Krishna. What is the use of that chanting where you cheat others and do other sinful acts ?. I think that one needs to act right with the chanting krishna's name. Everytime you chant krishna's name you should remember what Krishna said..

I think that shall make krishna more dear to us and us dear to krishna..

Hare krsna :D yes my friend I can completely understand what you are saying,but let me tell you the greatest open secret, Chanting the Holy Name of Krishna is actually invoking Krishna Himself, the Holy Name is the incarnation of Krishna and all His powers,so constantly chanting the Holy Name will actually cleans you of all sinfull desires, and will devolop in you pure love of God,nothing else is needed to advance as all will be revealed in time as you chant the Holy Names , Hare Krishna,Hare Krishna,Krishna Krishna,Hare Hare,Hare Rama, Hare Rama,Rama Rama, Hare Hare. :D

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

The transcendental vibration established by the chanting of Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare is the sublime method of reviving our Krsna consciousness. As living spiritual souls we are all originally Krsna conscious entities, but due to our association with matter from time immemorial, our consciousness is now polluted by the material atmosphere. The material atmosphere, in which we are now living, is called Maya, or illusion. Maya means "that which is not." And what is this illusion? The illusion is that we are all trying to be lords of material nature, while actually we are under the grip of her stringent laws. When a servant artificially tries to imitate the all-powerful master, this is called illusion. 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 her complexities. Therefore, although we are engaged in a hard struggle to conquer nature, we are ever more dependent on her. This illusory struggle against material nature can be stopped at once by the revival of our Krsna consciousness. Krsna consciousness is not an artificial imposition of the mind; this consciousness is the original energy of the living entity. When we hear the transcendental vibration, this consciousness is revived. And this is the process recommended for this age by authorities. By practical experience also, one can perceive that by chanting this maha-mantra or the Great Chanting for Deliverance, one can at once feel a transcendental ecstasy coming through from the spiritual stratum. And when one is factually on the plane of spiritual understanding-surpassing the stages of the senses, mind, and intelligence-one is situated on the transcendental plane.

This chanting of Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare is directly enacted from the spiritual platform, and thus this sound vibration surpasses all lower strata of consciousness-namely sensual, mental, and intellectual. There is no need, therefore, to understand the language of the mantra, nor is there any need for mental speculation or any intellectual adjustment for chanting this maha-mantra. It springs automatically from the spiritual platform, and as such, anyone can take part in the chanting without any previous qualification, and dance in ecstasy.

We have seen this practically. Even a child can take part in the chanting, or even a dog can take part in it. Of course, for one who is too entangled in material life, it takes a little more time to come to the standard point, but even such a materially engrossed man is raised to the spiritual platform very quickly. When the mantra is chanted by a pure devotee of the Lord in love, it has the greatest efficacy on the hearers, and as such, this chanting should be heard from the lips of a pure devotee of the Lord, so that immediate effects can be achieved. As far as possible, chanting from the lips of non-devotees should be avoided. Milk touched by the lips of a serpent has poisonous effects.

The word Hara is the form of addressing the energy of the Lord, and the words Krsna and Rama are addressing the Lord Himself. Both Krsna and Rama mean "the supreme pleasure" and Hara is the supreme pleasure energy of the Lord, changed to hare in the vocative. The supreme pleasure energy of the Lord helps us to reach the Lord.

The material energy, called Maya, is also one of the multi energies of the Lord. And we, the living entities, are also the energy-marginal energy-of the Lord. The living entities are described as superior to material energy. When the superior energy is in contact with the inferior energy, an incompatible situation arises; but when the superior marginal energy is in contact with the superior energy, called Hara, the living entity is established in his happy, normal condition.

These three words, namely Hare, Krsna, and Rama, are transcendental seeds of the maha-mantra. The chanting is a spiritual call for the Lord and His internal energy, Hara, to give protection to the conditioned soul. This chanting is exactly like the genuine cry of a child for its mother. Mother Hara helps the devotee achieve the grace of the supreme Father, Hari, or Krsna, and the Lord reveals Himself to the devotee who chants this mantra sincerely.

No other means of spiritual realization, therefore, is as effective in this age as chanting the maha-mantra:

Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare


Caitanya Mahaprabhu dreaming of Radha-Krsna

How often and where should one chant?

Srila Prabhupada set the rule that one should chant at least sixteen rounds a day if one is initiated. The best time for chanting is in the morning hours. Though Lord Caitanya mentions that there are no hard or fast rules for chanting, it is still important to know that the chanting is accompanied by following the regulative principles. However, since there are no hard and fast rules one can chant anytime and at any place. The most recommended way to chant is in association of devotees. It is also advantageous to chant in front of Tulasi devi. One main point that Mahaprabhu stressed is the attitude while chanting:

trnad api sunicena taror api sahisnuna
amanina manadena kirtaniya sada hari
(Siksastaka 3)

"One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw on the street, being more tolerant than a tree and always ready to offer all respects to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly."http://www.harekrishnatemple.com/bhakta/chapter7.html

Hi !

First of all I am not aware of "Lord Caitanya" please tell me about him.
Secondly, I do not think personally that only the chanting of Krishna's Name is going to get you the love of Krishna. What is the use of that chanting where you cheat others and do other sinful acts ?. I think that one needs to act right with the chanting krishna's name. Everytime you chant krishna's name you should remember what Krishna said..

I think that shall make krishna more dear to us and us dear to krishna..

Hare krsnaSri Caitanya Mahaprabhu-the Lord as a devotee

Lord Caitanya appeared in Mayapur, West Bengal, more than 500 years ago. He is an incarnation of Krishna who descended to this material world for two purposes; to spread the chanting of the holy names of God to deliver all the people from their material bondage, and to simultaneously taste the nectar of the pure love of God, Krishna, as it was tasted by His topmost devotee, Srimati Radharani, who is the internal energy of Krishna.

In His early life, Lord Caitanya played the part of an ordinary scholar with enormous knowledge and talent, while hiding the truth of His incarnation. Most people knew him as Nimai Pandit. However, when the time was right, He manifested Himself as the Supreme Personality of Godhead to His devotees and began spreading the congregational chanting of the holy names of the Lord.

After His 24th year, He accepted the renounced order of life, sannyasa, and left His home in Mayapur to travel throughout India to convert all the people to lovers of God. He would transform anyone, be he an atheist, rascal, or worse, as well as the pious and good, to the platform of love of Godhead. Lord Caitanya did not consider whether the recipients of the love of God were worthy or not, He indiscriminately bestowed what no other incarnation of God ever gave before; pure love of the Lord.

After travelling and preaching for six years, He settled in Jagannatha Puri for twelve years and intensely tasted the love that His pure devotees have for Him. Although He is Krishna Himself, He accepted the mood and colour of Srimati Radharani, His spiritual counterpart, and thought of Himself as His own devotee. Thus, although He is God Himself, He always was absorbed in the mood of His topmost devotees and thus He relished the highest love of Krishna together with His confidential associates.

Lord Caitanya started the sankirtan movement which continues to this day. He established the congregational chanting of the holy names of Krishna, with the Maha-Mantra:

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama,Hare Hare.


It is due to the movement of Lord Caitanya that the people of this world can have some idea of the highest position of love of God.



One who is interested in understanding more about Lord Caitanya and His associates and expansions should read Srila Prabhupada's Teachings of Lord Caitanya or The Caitanya-Caritamrta.http://www.harekrishnatemple.com/bhakta/chapter11.html

Hi !

First of all I am not aware of "Lord Caitanya" please tell me about him.
Secondly, I do not think personally that only the chanting of Krishna's Name is going to get you the love of Krishna. What is the use of that chanting where you cheat others and do other sinful acts ?. I think that one needs to act right with the chanting krishna's name. Everytime you chant krishna's name you should remember what Krishna said..

I think that shall make krishna more dear to us and us dear to krishna..

Hare krsnaSri Siksastakam

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the most recent incarnation of Krsna. He appeared 500 years ago in Bengal and in the form of Krsna's devotee in the mood of Srimati Radharani. He left only 8 slokas (verses) of his instructions in writing, and they describe the glories of the Holy Names of the Lord and the mood one must have to chant and to be a devotee.



cheto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha--davagni-nirvapanam
shreyah-kairava-chandrika-vitaranam vidya-vadhu-jivanam
anandambudhi-vardhanam prati-padam purnamritaswadanam
sarvatma-snapanam param vijayate sri-krishna-sankirtanam

Glory to the Sri-Krsna-Sankirtana, which cleanses the heart of all the dust accumulated for years and extinguishes the fire of conditional life, of repeated birth and death. This sankirtana movement is the prime benediction for humanity at large because it spreads the rays of the benediction moon. It is the life of all transcendental knowledge. It increases the ocean of transcendental bliss, and it enables us to fully taste the nectar for which we are always anxious.

namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-shaktis
tatrarpita niyamitah smarane na kalah
etadrishi tava kripa bhagavan mamapi
durdaivam idrisham ihajani nanuragaha

O my Lord, Your holy name alone can render all benediction to living beings, and thus You have hundreds and millions of names, like Krsna and Govinda. In these transcendental names You have invested all Your transcendental energies. There are not even hard and fast rules for chanting these names. O my Lord, out of kindness You enable us to easily approach You by Your holy names, but I am so unfortunate that I have no attraction for them.

trinad api sunichena
taror api sahishnuna
amanina manadena
kirtaniyah sada harih

One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street; one should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige, and should be ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly.

na dhanam na janam na sundarim
kavitam va jagad-isha kamaye
mama janmani janmanishvare
bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki twayi

O almighty Lord, I have no desire to accumulate wealth, nor do I desire beautiful women nor do I want any number of followers. I only want Your causeless devotional service, birth after birth.

ayi nanda-tanuja kinkaram
patitam mam vishame bhavambudhau
kripaya tava pada-pankaja-
sthita-dhuli-sadrisham vichintaya

O son of Maharaja Nanda (Krsna), I am Your eternal servitor, yet somehow or other I have fallen into the ocean of birth and death. Please pick me up from this ocean of death and place me as one of the atoms at Your lotus feet.

nayanam galad-ashru-dharaya
vadanam gadgada-ruddhaya gira
pulakair nichitam vapuh kada
tava nama-grahane bhavishyati

O my Lord, when will my eyes be decorated with tears of love flowing constantly when I chant Your holy name? When will my voice choke up, and when will the hairs of my body stand on end at the recitation of Your name?

yugayitam nimeshena
chakshusha pravrishayitam
shunyayitam jagat sarvam
govinda-virahena me

O Govinda! Feeling Your separations I am considering a moment to be like twelve years or more. Tears are flowing from my eyes like torrents of rain, and I am feeling all vacant in the world in Your absence.

ashlishya va pada-ratam pinashtu mam
adarshanan marma-hatam karotu va
yatha tatha va vidadhatu lampato
mat-prana-nathas tu sa eva naparah

I know no one but Krsna as my Lord, and He shall remain so even if He handles me roughly by His embrace or makes me brokenhearted by not being present before me. He is completely free to do anything and everything, for He is always my worshipful Lord, unconditionally.

All Glories to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu!http://www.harekrishnatemple.com/bhakta

It is important to point out that PilgrimVaisanava's first post is the famous talk on the maha mantra by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. We must remember to give credit to Srila Prabhupada for any of His words that we use otherwise readers who do not know better might think that we ourselves wrote the article. Not to mention that you also set yourself up for copyright violations if you do not post the source particularly if you post something copyrighted by the BBT such as Srila Prabhupada's speech.

This speech and the second post about Lord Caitanya and much more can be found in the Bhakta Handbook at the following link:

The Bhakta Handbook (http://www.harekrishnatemple.com/bhakta/)

This is an excellent source of info that can answer many beginners questions on Krishna Consciousness.

It is important to point out that PilgrimVaisanava's first post is the famous talk on the maha mantra by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. We must remember to give credit to Srila Prabhupada for any of His words that we use otherwise readers who do not know better might think that we ourselves wrote the article. Not to mention that you also set yourself up for copyright violations if you do not post the source particularly if you post something copyrighted by the BBT such as Srila Prabhupada's speech.

This speech and the second post about Lord Caitanya and much more can be found in the Bhakta Handbook at the following link:

The Bhakta Handbook (http://www.harekrishnatemple.com/bhakta/)

This is an excellent source of info that can answer many beginners questions on Krishna Consciousness. This post by Rukmini just shows the arogance of the Ritviks and here again she is accusing a devotee of taking the credit of what he has answered and posted in good faith to spread the teachings of Prabhupada, Vaishnava continue with your sevice with spreading Krishna Consciousness and do not hesitate to spread these sublime teachings. Maybe soon the Ritviks might copyright the Maha Mantra for their own agrandisment.

ROTFLMAO..... :D

And iskCONites say ritviks are good at twisting others words and faultfinding.

:P


It is important to point out that PilgrimVaisanava's first post is the famous talk on the maha mantra by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. We must remember to give credit to Srila Prabhupada for any of His words that we use otherwise readers who do not know better might think that we ourselves wrote the article. Not to mention that you also set yourself up for copyright violations if you do not post the source particularly if you post something copyrighted by the BBT such as Srila Prabhupada's speech.

This speech and the second post about Lord Caitanya and much more can be found in the Bhakta Handbook at the following link:

The Bhakta Handbook (http://www.harekrishnatemple.com/bhakta/)

This is an excellent source of info that can answer many beginners questions on Krishna Consciousness. This post by Rukmini just shows the arogance of the Ritviks and here again she is accusing a devotee of taking the credit of what he has answered and posted in good faith to spread the teachings of Prabhupada, Vaishnava continue with your sevice with spreading Krishna Consciousness and do not hesitate to spread these sublime teachings. Maybe soon the Ritviks might copyright the Maha Mantra for their own agrandisment.

[Radian]

CHANTING IS ONE OF THEM BUT THE ONE WHO CHANT MUST CHANT WITH LOVE AND A GOOD MIND AND CONCENTRATE TO LORD KRISHNA AS YOU CHANT,BUT IN THE BHAGAVAD-GITA CHAPTER 9.26 LORD KRISHNA SAYS IF ONE OFFERS ME WITH LOVE AND DEVOTION A LEAF,A FLOWER,FRUIT OR WATER, I WILL ACCEPT IT.

[varadaraja sharma]

Radhe Krishna,
"Kalakhepo na kartavyaha Ksheenamayuhu Kshane Kshane
Yamasya Karuna naasthi karthavyam hari Keerthanam"

In kaliyuga the only simple way realising god is to chant his name. Kali sandarana upanishad has given what is to be chanted:

"Hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare
Hare krishna hare krishna krishna krishna hare hare"

The above verse is sung by mahaprabhu with tears in his eyes. A good lot of bhakthas cutting across many sampradayas sing the praise of god invoking the above verse. Although this verse is not below any manthra, to call it mahamanthra is factually incorrect.

the definition of mantra is :
"Mananath thrayathe ithi manthraha"

A collection of "Aksharas" repeated again and again in mind is called manthra. "Gayathriyo na paro manthraha" is a praise of "Gayathri" that there is no manthra which is abov "Gayathri".

Neverthless, the name of god is not less than anything else since that is the only thing which can uplift any and everybody without any restrictions as to kala, niyama or varthamana.

Then again,

is it that only chanting of "hare rama .... .... Hare hare" would lead anyone to salvation?

The last shloka of "Bhagavatha" says :

"Nama sankirthanam yasya sarva papa pranashanam
Pranamo dhuka samanaha tam namami harim param"

Which means the chanting of the name of god would absolve human beings of their sins and would take them to the lotus feet of lord hari. Here, it is simply stated that chanting of the name of god would take a person to his abode. I know many persons who simply chant "Ram". I feel they would also reach the abode of lord.

Radhe Krishna

[rakeshsingh2]

Chanting is not the only way to get the Krishna Prem. Was Arjuna dear to Lord Krishna because of the chanting only, or the Meerabai, Surdas was dear to Krishan just because of chanting? The answer is no, we can't just get Krishna's mercy just by chanting we need to surrender to him & ask his mercy from your heart. Of course, chanting is not bad it is very good but should be done from heart not like talking/eating/laughing & chanting.