The Holy Name

Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare

Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare

In the beginning of Kali-yuga, Nārada Muni visited Lord Brahmā and asked him how the fallen people of Kali-yuga would be delivered. Nārada asked this question, and listened attentively for our benefit just like Arjuna receiving the Bhagavad-gītā.

“Lord Brahmā said, ‘This is the essential secret of all the Vedic śāstras by which you can cross the miserable ocean of Kali-yuga. Simply by chanting the name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Nārāyaṇa, a person’s sins will be cleansed in Kali-yuga.’

“Nārada Muni asked again, ‘Which name is that?’

“Lord Brahmā replied:

hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare

hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare.

iti sodaśakam nāmnaṁ, kali kalmaṣa nāśanaṁ

nātaḥ parataropāyaḥ, sarva vedeṣu dṛśyate

‘This collection of sixteen names in the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra is the only destroyer of sins in Kali-yuga. No other remedy is seen in all the Vedic scriptures.’

“Lord Brahmā continued, ‘In this way, the mahā-mantra of sixteen names is the destroyer of the material covering of the jīvātma which is composed of sixteen constituents; (five knowledge gathering senses and five working senses, five breaths, and one subtle body [mind, intelligence, false ego]. When the gross and subtle material coverings of the jīvātma are destroyed by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa will appear before the jīva like the shining rays of the sun when the cloud is removed.’ ” (Kali-santarana Upaniṣad text 2-7)

“The holy name is cintāmaṇi, for it gives everything one desires. To the materialist it gives dharma, artha, kāma and mokṣa; to the non-fruitive devotee it gives pure love of Kṛṣṇa. The holy name is unlimited, beginningless, inseparable, and fully conscious. Whatever is in Kṛṣṇa, is in the holy name, for the two are non-different. The name is eternally free from all material contamination.

“Kṛṣṇa and His form are non-different, thus the holy name and Kṛṣṇa’s form cannot be separated either. If one remembers Kṛṣṇa’s holy name, he also receives Kṛṣṇa’s form. Kṛṣṇa’s holy name has all His sixty-four qualities in full. By taking shelter of the primary element of Kṛṣṇa’s holy name, one can realize and perceive all other attractive attributes of the Supreme Lord such as His beautiful form, qualities and pastimes. Lord Caitanya accepted that through chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, all the pastimes of the Lord could be revealed. The holy name is the ultimate treasure in Kṛṣṇa’s storehouse, since it contains within it the whole spiritual world!” (HNC)

“Of all means of bhajana [devotional service], the name of Kṛṣṇa is most purely spiritual. In describing the absolute duties, Hari-bhakti-vilāsa states that singing and meditating on Śrī Nāma [Kṛṣṇa’s holy names] is the best devotional activity.

“Kṛṣṇa-nāma has been accepted by all to be an incarnation of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa on this earth. Although He appears like a word, Kṛṣṇa, still by His inconceivable power He is completely spiritual. The name is- a special incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As Kṛṣṇa and His name are identical, Kṛṣṇa has descended to earth as nāma. Kṛṣṇa-nāma is our first introduction to Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, we first meet Kṛṣṇa in His name. With determination to reach Kṛṣṇa, we must first accept the name of Kṛṣṇa.” (NB)

“The most advanced devotees who have fully dedicated themselves to Śrī Kṛṣṇa take exclusive refuge in Kṛṣṇa-nāma amongst all other practices of devotion. There is no other performance so pure and spiritual as singing the name of Kṛṣṇa.”

“Although the name consists of a combination of letters, it is a special manifestation of Kṛṣṇa. According to the fact that there is no distinction between the name and form, Kṛṣṇa has descended from Goloka Vṛndāvana by assuming the form of the name. So the name of Kṛṣṇa is the first acquaintance with Him. One should take Kṛṣṇa’s name if he aspires to attain Kṛṣṇa.” (SCS)

Chanting the holy name is the eternal function of the soul. In the material world, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa is the primary service for purification and spiritual advancement. Everything else is auxiliary or supportive of the main service of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. When one returns to the spiritual world, however, chanting the holy name will be in the background, but the function of performing other services to please Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa will be in the foreground.

Entering Kṛṣṇa’s abode, one will be given a particular service to perform for Rādhā-Govinda, and that will be distinct and most important. At that time, the holy name will be in the background helping and energizing. For example, when the gopīs are churning fresh curd for Kṛṣṇa’s butter, they simultaneously sing His glories while keeping time with their bangles and waistbells.

Of the sixty-four limbs of devotional service, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī says nine [śravanam, kīrtanam, smaraṇam, etc.] are most important. Then he says five of these are most significant. Then again, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura says that these five point to one, namely chanting Kṛṣṇa’s holy names as the most important form of devotional service.

“After careful consideration of the five, the best practice is Śrī Nāma-bhajana [service of God’s holy names], which is the root of all these, and is glorified above all. (1) Sādhu-saṅga-- Associating with devotees is recommended to create a taste or inclination for Śrī Nāma-bhajana. This comes from associating with holy saints who are attached to chanting Kṛṣṇa’s holy names with firm faith and who chant the names systematically. (2) Bhāgavata-śravaṅa-- Hearing Śrīmad Bhāgavatam which itself declares Śrī Nāma-bhajana as the highest virtue. In its beginning, middle [sixth canto, Ᾱjamila story], and at the end the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam repeatedly stresses the efficacy of Śrī Nāma-bhajana. (3) Mathurā-vāsa-- Nāma-bhajana is situated at the root of residence in Vṛndāvana or Śrī Dhāma Māyāpur. The sādhus living in or visiting these holy places are always engaged in nāma-saṅkīrtana. (4) Śrī Murti-sevā-- The service of Kṛṣṇa’s Deity is always conducted with mantras full of God’s names. The Hari-bhakti-vilāsa and Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī say that deity service must be accompanied with chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra for it to be accepted. (5) Nāma-saṅkīrtana-- Chanting the holy names.

“The Caitanya-caritāmṛta states that of the nine ways of devotional service to get love of God, the foremost is nāma-saṅkīrtana. One who chants nāma without offenses surely achieves love of God. Bhakti-sandarbha says no form of bhakti [i.e. Mathurā-vāsa, sādhu-saṅga, Śrī Murti sevā, and hearing Bhāgavata] is complete without Śrī Kṛṣṇa nāma-saṅkīrtana. The Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya says that saṅkīrtana is the best and foremost of all spiritual practices for attaining Kṛṣṇa’s mercy. If the other practices of bhakti are helpful to it, they should then be accepted.” (SCT)

In Harināma-cintāmaṇi, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura explains that there are two kinds of holy names: mukhya nāma [primary] and gauṇa nāma [secondary]. “The holy name can be categorized in two types: principal and secondary. The holy names of the Lord that describe His transcendental pastimes are defined as principal names. Chanting these names reveals Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes, gives Kṛṣṇa-prema, and eternal residence in Vṛndāvana. Primary or principal names include Govinda, Gopāla, Rāma, Śrī Nandanandana, Rādhā-nātha, Hari, Yaśomatī Prāṇādhana, Madana-Mohana, Śyāmasundara, Mādhava, Gopīnātha, Vrajagopāl.” (HNC)

“Primary names are fully transcendental, identical with the svarūpa of the Lord, and remain eternally in the spiritual world. The Lord’s names descend to the material world to destroy the influence of māyā. Secondary names, however, have been introduced from the creation of the material universe. For example, Śrīstikarta [creator of the universe], Jagat-pati [controller of the universe] and Paramātmā.” (NB)

Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda further explains that there are two types of mukhya nāma: mādhurya-nāma and aiṣvarya-nāma. Mādhurya-nāma like Kṛṣṇa, Rādhā Ramaṇa, Gopījana-vallabha, Gāndharvika-Giridhārī convey the conjugal mood full of sweetness, intimacy, and love. Rāma, Vāsudeva, and Nṛsimha are aiṣvarya nāma that convey the Lord’s opulent, majestic, awe-inspiring mood.

“Secondary names describe the Lord’s functions and affiliation with His material energy [e.g. Brahman, Paramātmā, Īśvara, Jagannātha, or as the Christians say, creator, maintainer and annihilator.] Such names of the Lord are invoked by karmis and jñānis, not bhaktas. Chanting secondary names of the Lord gives piety, material elevation and salvation. However, Kṛṣṇa-prema, the most perfect result of chanting the holy name of the Lord, is attained only by purely chanting Kṛṣṇa’s principal names. This is because the secondary names, although also impregnated with the Lord’s pastime potencies, have it in partial degrees only.” (HNC)

Why doesn’t chanting of secondary names give prema? Secondary names are distant, incomplete and somewhat impersonal. Hence, they are devoid of the personal expression of Kṛṣṇa’s mercy and love. There is no expression of prema in gauṇa nāma because they have no līlā or pastimes within them.

When one chants mukhya nāma like Govinda or Gopīnātha, and remembers Kṛṣṇa’s loving pastimes with the gopīs, prema will flow into his heart from the prema-sāgara [ocean of divine love] within these names. These names are directly the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, and as such are endowed with all the potencies found within the Lord’s personal form. Make an experiment comparing mukhya nāma with gauṇa nāma.

If you chant “Paramātmā! Paramātmā! Paramātmā!” nothing will come but thirst and fatigue. But if you chant “Rādhe Rādhe Govinda, Govinda Rādhe! Rādhe Rādhe Govinda, Govinda Rādhe!” you will soon become intoxicated with ambrosial nectar, and completely forget your bodily identity. Under the ecstatic influence of the prema-filled primary names of Kṛṣṇa you may even start crying, laughing, singing, dancing or rolling on the ground like a mad man.

Śrīla Prabhupāda confirms this point, “This chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa. You chant whole day and night, and dance, you’ll never get tired. But take another name. Just after half an hour, finished. It is botheration.” (SPT 69/2/17) “As far as possible, people should be encouraged to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, and try to bring the ecstasy and dance. Even there is no ecstasy, dance, it will bring ecstasy. Dancing is so nice. Chanting, dancing and take prasāda. Take rest. That’s all. Not that you shall take rest like Kumbhakarna.” (SPT 73/16/7)

“In the Padyāvalī, there is a statement by some devotees: ‘We shall not care for any outsiders. If they should deride us, we shall still not care for them. We shall simply enjoy the transcendental mellow of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, and thus we shall roll on the ground and dance ecstatically. In this way we shall eternally enjoy transcendental bliss.’ ” (NOD)

“All these people [devotees of Lord Caitanya] become like madmen. They simply dance and chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa. Sometimes they even cry and roll on the ground.” (Cc. Madhya 16.166)

In the following entry, Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda reveals how the holy name gradually reveals all of its transcendental splendor before the sincere sādhaka who chants with faith and surrender. Identifying with his devotional mood, devotees can be inspired to take full shelter of the nectarean names of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa.

“My heart is just like a desert, hot with the rays of the sun. This is my internal mental conditon. The desire for temporary, material things cannot satisfy me because by nature they are death-producing. And not one or two, but thousands of such death-producing desires have taken shelter in my mind. So, my subconscious region is always burning. This is my condition. But somehow, by the grace of the sādhu and guru, the holy name of Kṛṣṇa with its infinite prospect has entered through the holes of my ears and reached the plane of my heart. And there, with some peculiar hope, with infinite, auspicious possibilities, it touched my heart with a new kind of nectar.

“New hope is aroused by that sound. Then by force it comes from the heart towards the tongue. Not that by the endeavor of my tongue I am producing that sound--no. What came from the heart of a saint through my ear, entered my heart, and that forcibly appeared on my tongue, and began to dance.

“That is the holy name proper. It descends from above. It cannot be produced by the material tongue. It’s source is above. And through an agent of the Absolute it comes through the ear to the heart. From the heart it gathers some sympathy, then the holy name of Kṛṣṇa forcibly appears upon the tongue and begins to dance. With great force that sweet sound comes to the tip of the tongue and begins dancing.

“The real effects of the divine name have been described here. If it is a real and living name the voice will be choked up. There will be shivering in the body, the legs will be unable to stand, and sometimes tears will flow in a current on the body. One’s hair will stand on end, and sometimes the body will change color. The material mind and consciousness will fade away, and we may fall in a swoon. The whole body and mind will appear as if it is being attacked, shivering, and influenced in different ways.

“Apparently it may seem that so many troubles are created in the body and mind, but the real heart is overflowing with a particular kind of strange, sweet juice. Sometimes a devotee thinks, ‘I am swimming in an ocean of nectar. My whole existence is submerged in an ocean of nectarean rasa. I am beside myself and cannot understand where I am. What is this? What is surrounding me? Am I going mad? Where is my past experience, my seriousness, my gravity...where are they?

“ ‘I have been completely converted by a foreign element. I am a doll in the hands of a great force which is so affectionate to me. I cannot ascertain how it is possible that by my faith I have entered this great, unknown environment. And at last I find that I am captivated. My entire being, within and without, has been captured and controlled by an especially sweet force. It is beyond description. I came to take shelter of Him and accept Him as my guardian. But now at His hands, I am being dealt with in such a merciless and oppressive way.

“ ‘Still, I feel everything is very pleasing beyond my experience. I cannot resist anymore. I am fully captured. So let my faith go anywhere because I cannot escape. I am captive in the hand of a sweet loving friend. All my independence is gone, and I have no other choice but surrender.

“ ‘I find that He is an autocrat. He does whatever He wants. Since it is not possible for me to resist, I must surrender. Now I will cooperate and do whatever He wants. Meanwhile, I find that the holy name is like a blossoming flower emanating wonderfully sweet streams. The holy name contains so many sweet variegated forms of current within Him. In different ways He is wonderfully expressing Himself. Sometimes He shows a peculiar type of color and form, and then disappears.

“ ‘So many charming aspects are revealed within, as He forces me to surrender at the base of that altar. He shows Himself in His full-fledged form as He leads me to Vṛndāvana to witness His Vraja-līlā with Rādhā. I find myself in the midst of His uniquely sweet and loving abode. He says, “You see! I have so many wonderful things and this is your home. I am not imagination but concrete reality. You will find that this environment is very sweet and favorable, and you should live here.”

“ ‘I see that He is exchanging a variety of loving rasas with His many devotees. And I find that a spiritual body had emerged from my previous one, and that I have a permanent place here in His service. Such a new life I find here that all considerations of my past life and experience have vanished. What He said is true; my real life is here, and my previous material life was a waste.

“Now I find that chanting the holy name gives me a new hope, a new prospect, and new encouragement. The name supplies whatever we want. All our internal hankerings will be fulfilled if we chant the name. The holy name is eternal, full of ecstasy, and it is the purest of the pure.

“I find I have been completely converted, and now my innermost hankering is this: Let whatever is against this sweet name vanish forever from the world. Everyone should come here. I am ready to sacrifice my life to finish any opposition, so that everyone can easily, peacefully, and fearlessly enjoy this absolute, sweet and blissful life.” (Śaraṇāgati)

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura writes in his commentary on Rūpa Gosvāmī’s Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu:

śrī-caitanya-mukhodgīrṇā hare kṛṣṇeti varṇakāḥ

majjayanto jagat premṇi vijayantāṁ tad-āhvayāḥ

“The words of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, which issued forth from the mouth of Lord Caitanya, are drowning the whole universe in the ocean of love of God. May they be ever victorious!”