Hare Krishna Mahamantra

The great mantra of sixteen names, which the Kali-Santarana Upanishad praises as the remedy for the age of Kali.

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

The mantra contains three names: Hare (the Lord's energy of bliss, Shri Radha; or "O Hari"), Krishna (the all-attractive one) and Rama (the giver of joy). Its feeling is: "O Lord, O energy of the Lord, please engage me in Your service."

In the Kali-Santarana Upanishad the mantra begins with "Hare Rama"; in the tradition of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and in ISKCON it is usually sung beginning with "Hare Krishna". Both forms contain the same sixteen names.

It can be chanted softly and clearly on a mala, or sung together in kirtan with mridanga and kartals. No special rules of time or place are considered binding — the names may be chanted while walking or working.

Source

Kali-Santarana Upanishad

Japa Count

108