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How Do Mantras Work?

By Mahanidhi Swami

We are chanting the greatest of all possible mantras: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare!!!

And we are all chanting our diksha mantras with faith, love, determination, steadiness, knowledge and hope. The firm hope that these mantras will purify our minds, fill our hearts with joy, and engage us eternally in the loving service of Radha and Krishna in the spiritual world, Sridhama Vrindavana.

But how do mantras, which are APPARENTLY just sounds and vibrations like any other names or words, have supernatural, unlimited transcendental powers?

Authentic Vedic mantras have inconceivable powers to transform, to purify, to elevate, to elate, to enliven, to inspire, to reveal, to empower, and to please Bhagavan Sri Krishna, attract His affectionate mercy, His loving embrace and to award perfection in Sri Krishna’s eternal service.

Let’s read on and learn how mantras work in all their amazing and astonishing ways.

All Vedic mantras (those coming from the Srutis—Rg, Sama, Yajur, andAtharva Vedas), such as the Brahma-gayatri, are eternal sound vibrations of spiritual import. The Vedas are apauruseya, not composed by any man at a certain point in history. The mantras of the Vedas are eternal representations of God in the form of sound, sabda brahma. By repetition of a particular mantra under authorized guidance a purified person can realize the spiritual purpose of the mantra.

The Narada-pancaratra, Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya, Hari-bhakti-vilasa, and many other scriptures explain that the potency of a mantra manifests only when it is received from a bona fide spiritual master and recited without impurities. Although one may see mantras written in books by the previous acaryas, by Srila Prabhupada, or in this one, and then try to chant them, these mantras will produce results only when received through the process of diksa. Mantras are like seeds in that they contain vast potencies within them, but they need outside factors to manifest their power.

The tiny seed of a banyan tree contains the form of a huge, full-grown tree. Placing the seed directly into the ground, however, will not produce a tree. But if a sparrow eats the seed and passes it on the ground with its stool, then a majestic banyan will grow forth. The banyan seed must be processed in this way to give results. Similarly, if one begins chanting a mantra after randomly hearing or reading it in a book, it will not produce Krishna-prema. But if one properly receives the mantra by hearing from apremika-bhakta, then that mantra, which is coated with the guru’s prema, will produce prema in the heart of the sincere disciple.

“A mantra is purified when chanted with proper knowledge.” (SB 11.24.32) In the purport to this verse Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura says, “A mantra becomes purified when it issues from the mouth of a Sad-guru. The bona fide spiritual master instructs the disciple in the method, meaning and ultimate purpose of the mantra.”

“It is confidential in this sense: one may receive a published mantra anywhere, but unless it is accepted through the chain of disciplic succession, the mantra does not act. It is said by authoritative sources that any mantra chanted without having been received from the disciplic succession has no efficacy.” (SB 4.8.53 p.) “Mantras and the process of devotional service have special power, provided they are received from the authorized person.” (SB 8.16.24 p.)

Even the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, though not waiting for nor requiring initiation, has more effect when received from an advanced devotee. Acaryas claim that chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra without receiving or hearing it from an advanced Krishna conscious Vaisnava will bring one the fruits of bhukti or mukti but not the precious sweet ambrosia of prema-bhakti.

The hearts of pure devotees are compared to gem-filled mountains of Radha-Madhava prema; rivers of madhurya-rasa rush down from these mountains to drown anyone who accepts the mercy. The holy name chanted by a pure devotee is saturated with Krishna-prema. When this prema-nama is poured into the ear of the eager disciple, it nourishes the tiny creeper of devotion and eventually produces the nectarean fruit of prema-bhakti.

Srila Prabhupada said, “When the Hare Krishna mantra is chanted by a pure devotee of the Lord in love, it has the greatest efficacy on 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.” (SSR)

The pure sound vibration from a realized guru works like a forest fire to burn up all the sins and impurities within the mind and heart of the disciple. When Krishna and Arjuna were traveling on a chariot through the covering of the universe, the Lord used His Sudarsana cakra to penetrate the dense and fearful layers. In the same way, Krishna’s holy name acts like a cakra to burn away all the dark coverings of a sadhaka’s heart and clear the path to prema. The effect of hearing a mantra from an advanced, empowered devotee also depends on the intensity of the sadhaka’s hankering for perfection in pure love of Radha and Krishna.

In great humility and lamentation, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu expressed the mood of the unfortunate conditioned soul.

“O Govinda, You have invested Your full potencies in each individual holy name, but I am so unfortunate that I have no attachment for chanting Your holy names.” (Cc. Antya 20.19) Attachment will come if one is fortunate enough to hear the holy name from a truly empowered Vaisnava. However, attachment for chanting and serving Krishna will not manifest within the sadhaka who hears the holy name from a Vaisnava devoid of Krishna-sakti.

kali kalera dharma—Krishna-nama-sankirtana, Krishna-sakti vina nahe tara pravartana

“Unless one is empowered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, one cannot spread the holy names of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra throughout the world.” (Cc. Antya 7.11)

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura called this type of chanting without connection and backing from a realized guru “alphabet nama,” wherein only the letters of the holy name are received, and not the fully manifest beautiful forms of Radha and Krishna dancing together in the yugala-mantra for prema-dharma.

A bona fide spiritual master must have the strength of devotional purity to empower the holy name that he bestows upon his disciple. If for some reason the guru is not empowered, then a sadhaka can still receive full strength for bhajana by hearing from a realized and empowered siksa-guru. In the Gaudiya tradition the uttama-adhikari devotees come down to the madhyama platform to preach either as diksa or siksa gurus.

During His South Indian preaching tour Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu instructed thousands of people, who had already received diksa mantras elsewhere, to chant Hare Krishna. By Mahaprabhu’s siksa they received the power to chant, realize the full potential of Krishna’s holy names, and spread the mercy to others.

Srila Krishnadasa Kaviraja confirms the need to hear the Hare Krishna maha-mantra and other diksa mantras directly from a guru: “One has to learn about the beauty and transcendental position of the holy name of the Lord by hearing the revealed scriptures from the mouths of devotees. Nowhere else can we hear of the sweetness of the Lord’s holy name.” (Cc. Antya 1.101)

“It is said in the Padma Purana: atah sri Krishna namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih. Chanting and hearing of the transcendental holy name of the Lord cannot be performed by the ordinary senses. The transcendental vibration of the Lord’s holy name is completely spiritual. Thus it must be received from spiritual sources and must be chanted after having been heard from a spiritual master. One who hears the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra must receive it from the spiritual master by aural

reception.” (Cc. Antya 1.101 p.)

In this regard, Srila Prabhupada said, “Lord Siva voluntarily came to bless the sons of King Pracinabarhi as well as do something beneficial for them. He personally chanted the mantra so that the mantra would be more powerful, and he advised that the mantra be chanted by the King’s sons.

“When a mantra is chanted by a great devotee, the mantra becomes more powerful. Although the Hare Krishna maha-mantra is powerful in itself, a disciple upon initiation receives the mantra from his spiritual master, for when the mantra is chanted by the spiritual master, it becomes more powerful. Lord Siva advised the sons of the King to hear him attentively, for inattentive hearing is offensive.” (SB 4.24.32 p.)

Further Srila Prabhupada said, “There are different types of mantras for different types of devotees (e.g.Rama-mantra, Nrsimha-mantra, Gopala-mantra and so on). Each and every mantra has its own spiritual significance. The spiritual master has to select a mantra for his disciple, according to the disciple’s ability to chant different mantras.” (Cc. Madhya 24.331 p.)

At the time of initiation, the Guru gives a Vedic or pancaratrika mantra to the disciple according to the tradition of the parampara. While doing puja a duly initiated disciple who is free from ignorance will realize the relationship between the spiritual meaning of the mantras he chants during japa and Deity worship, and the identity of his individual spiritual master and his personal ishta-devata.

Although there are specific mula and Gayatri mantras for meditation upon the spiritual master, the sastras advise that one should see the spiritual master in all the mantras received from him.

The Vedas say: yo mantrah sa guruh sakshat, yo guruh sa harih svayam, guru-yasya bhavet tustas-tasya tusto harih svayam, “The mantra which is given by the guru is itself the guru, and the guru is directly the Supreme Lord Hari. If one pleases the spiritual master, then he also pleases Sri Hari Himself.”

Acaryas explain that through the medium of a mantra the spiritual master conveys his internal mood of service to Radha and Krishna to his disciple. The disciple will not perceive this immediately, but he will gradually understand everything by guru bhakti, seva and meditation upon the given mantra. The mantra, therefore, is the direct representation of the spiritual master.

The story of Gopa-kumara in Brhad-bhagavatamrta illustrates the power of steadily chanting one’s diksha mantra. Due to good karma, Gopa-kumara took birth in a cowherd family in Vrndavana. While taking the cows out one day he noticed a saintly person singing and crying profusely. Gopa-kumara became attracted and started serving him by bringing milk. One day the saint gave him the Gopala-mantra.

After chanting just half the mantra Gopa-kumara started crying, and upon completing it he fell unconscious. The saint, however, disappeared without even teaching how to chant the mantra properly. Nonetheless, Gopa-kumara started chanting it faithfully, and soon all his material desires vanished.

By continually chanting the Gopala-mantra he traveled throughout the universe and into the spiritual sky. After visiting Brahmaloka, Sivaloka, Vaikuntha, Ayodhya, Dvaraka, and Mathura, Gopa-kumara finally met Krishna in Vrndavana, attained Krishna’s loving embrace and fainted on the ground in transcendental bliss. Gopa-kumara attained this extraordinary fortune by chanting the Gopala-mantra.

The results of chanting a mantra depend on the conception in the mind while chanting it. Ordinarily, the Brahma-gayatri gives mukti, but understanding that Savita is Lord Visnu takes the chanter to Vaikuntha. If one chants the Kama-gayatri understanding that it is non-different from Krishna in His ultimate rasika form, then one will attain that.

It is the same as chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, which contains everything. If one chants Hare Krishna with material desires, he will attain those; and if one wants mukti, one will get it. If one chants the Hare Krishna maha-mantra understanding that Radha and Krishna are personally present there enjoying intimate pastimes in Vrndavana, then one will attain Their eternal loving service.

Ultimately the content of the mantra cannot be separated from the sadhaka’s mentality. Both have a part to play. “One must know the meaning of the mantra which he is reciting; without knowing the meaning of a mantra, one cannot reach the goal.” (Yajnavalkya-smrti)

Success in chanting mantras depends on steadiness, sincerity, absorption and concentration, meditation on its meaning, a prayerful, humble attitude, and a grateful heart expecting wonderful miracles from the mantras. Simply do these things, and by the grace of Sri Guru, Gauranga and Govindaji the mantras will fulfill all your spiritual desires.

(Excerpt from book Gayatri Mahima Madhuri by Mahanidhi Swami)

Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

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Mantra, Nama and Need for Diksha – Part two

By Mahanidhi Swami

Om emanates from Krishna’s flute and manifests first as Gayatri, then as the Vedas, the Vedanta-sutras, and finally as the Srimad Bhagavatam. In its beginning, middle and end the Srimad Bhagavatam stresses the efficacy of chanting Krishna’s holy names. Indeed, the concluding sloka of Srila Vyasadeva’s great treatise recommends chanting Krishna’s holy names: nama sankirtanam yasya, sarva papa pranashanam, pranamo duhkha shamanas, tam namami harim param, “The congregational chanting of Krishna’s holy name destroy all sinful reactions. Offering obeisances to Lord Hari removes all material miseries, therefore I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Lord Hari.” (SB 12.13.23)

The Hare Krishna maha-mantra, which is a yugala-mantra of Radha and Krishna, expands from Vrndavana as the Kama-gayatri. It becomes the Brahma-gayatri upon crossing the Viraja River. Upon entering the material world the cit-sakti, spiritual potency, of this mantra takes the form of a seed mantra. Then it manifests as Om, which expands into bhur, bhuvah, svah. Again returning to the spiritual world, bhur, bhuvah, svah expand into the Brahma-gayatri, which expands into the purusu-sukta. The purusa-sukta expands into the mantras of the four Vedas (Rg, Atharva, Sama, Yajur). Then the Vedas expand into the Agamas that contain the Pancaratrika writings in 108 different books describing various pancaratrika mantras like the Gopala-mantra and Kama-gayatri.

Srila Prabhupada emphasizes the need for diksa, “If by chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra one can attain love of Godhead, then one might ask what then the necessity for taking diksa. Even though the chanting of the holy name is sufficient to enable one to progress in spiritual life to the standard of love of God, one is nonetheless susceptible to contamination because of possessing a material body. Consequently, special stress is given to arcana-vidhi which helps to purify the body and mind.” (SB 7.5.23-24 p.)

Is the effect of chanting the Gayatri mantra the same or different from chanting the maha-mantra? It is the same. Gayatri means that which delivers one from material entanglement. Besides offering liberation, the Gayatri mantras chanted by the Gaudiya Vaisnavas specifically award love of God. Therefore, they have the same effect as chanting Hare Krishna. The kama-bija klim alone can give Radha-Krishna prema, and that of course is the perfection of chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra.

But if chanting Hare Krishna is the eternal function of the soul, and the maha-mantra is sufficient to give us Krishna-prema, then why bother with diksa mantras’! Vedic mantras and pancaratrika mantras are only necessary for the conditioned souls. If one were already on the brahma-bhutah (transcendental) platform, then he could easily get all perfection just by chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra.

“To chant the holy name of the Lord, one need not depend upon other paraphernalia, for one can immediately get all the desired results of connecting or linking with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It may therefore be questioned why there is a necessity for initiation or further spiritual activities in devotional service for one who engages in the chanting of the holy name of the Lord.

“The answer is that although it is correct that one who fully engages in chanting the holy name need not depend upon the process of initiation, generally a devotee is addicted to many abominable material habits due to material contamination from his previous life. In order to get quick relief from all these contaminations, it is required that one engage in the worship of the Lord in the temple. The worship of the Deity in the temple is essential to reduce one’s restlessness due to the contaminations of conditioned life.

“Thus Narada, in his pancaratriki-vidhi, and other great sages have sometimes stressed that since every conditioned soul has a bodily concept of life aimed at sense enjoyment, to restrict this sense enjoyment the rules and regulations for worshiping the Deity in the temple are essential. Srila Rupa Gosvami has described that the holy name of the Lord can be chanted by liberated souls, but almost all the souls we have to initiate are conditioned. It is advised that one chant the holy name of the Lord without offenses and according to the regulative principles, yet due to their past bad habits they violate these rules and regulations. Thus the regulative principles for worship of the Deity are also simultaneously essential.” (Cc. Adi 7.77 p.)

The Hare Krishna maha-mantra, the diksa mantras, and the process of worshiping the Deity of Krishna work together to help one quickly attain perfection. As a conditioned soul begins to chant Hare Krishna he becomes cleansed of material contamination and elevated to the platform of goodness. Having attained some internal and external purity, one begins to manifest brahminical qualities. Thus receiving diksa and the appropriate Gayatri mantras, he continues chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra along with worshiping the Deity form of the Lord and associating with advanced devotees.

By these practices one eventually rises to the transcendental platform of visuddha-sattva, pure goodness. In other words, the fruit of chanting Hare Krishna is self-purification and attaining the shelter of a bona fide guru. The guru then instructs one in Krishna consciousness and gives diksa. After taking diksa the fruit of the disciple’s nama sankirtana will come as Krishna-prema.

The diksa mantras give us purity and support and keep us from falling down. The function of the diksa guru is complete and successful when the disciple receives, realizes, and attains his siddha svarupa or siddha deha. Although the principal sadhana is chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, Lord Caitanya Himself took diksa, and accepted a ten-syllable Gopala- mantra from His spiritual master Isvara Puri.

This clearly shows the importance of pancaratrika initiation into Vaisnava mantras. Receiving pancaratrika mantras such as Gopala-mantra and Kama-gayatri enhances a devotee’s purification, stills the restless mind, and enables one to worship the Deities. Thus chanting Krishna’s holy names and receiving pancaratrika mantras from a bona fide spiritual master are fundamental to the Gaudiya Sampradaya.

Both mantra and the nama i.e. the Hare Krishna maha-mantra are the same truth because they both contain holy names of the Lord. One part of the same truth is called nama (Hare Krishna maha-mantra), and the other part is called mantra (Gopala-mantra). After obtaining the maha-mantra one is obliged to receive mantra initiation.

By chanting Brahma-gayatri one understands that he is not the body, and becomes liberated from the material conception of life. The chanting of Hare Krishna, however, takes one to the spiritual world and gives prema, provided diksa has been duly accepted from a bona fide spiritual master.

The Gopala mantra raises one to the stage of liberation and, then retires. Krishna’s holy name continues after liberation and helps one attain ecstatic Krishna-prema. By chanting Gopala-mantra, Kama-gayatri, and Gaura-gayatri one attains sambandha-jnana and loses his attachment for sense enjoyment. The diksa mantras enable the sadhaka to chant suddha-nama, the pure name of Krishna.

The Dandakaranya sages performed sadhana of chanting the Gopala-mantra. This mantra established their relationship (sambandha-jnana) with the Lord, and gradually revealed a permanent devotional mellow (sthayi-bhava) in madhurya-rasa. Thus they achieved svarupa-siddhi, the perfectional limit of this world. Next they were reborn as gopis to serve Krishna in His Bhauma Vrndavana pastimes.

At this point of perfection there is no need of chanting the Gopala-mantra, Kama-gayatri, or any other diksa mantras. The refinement of one’s transcendental identity and service will be done by hearing and chanting about Krishna’s pastimes and by associating with Krishna and His eternal servants like Lalita-sakhi and Sri Rupa-manjari.

Diksa mantras such as the Gaura-gayatri, Gopala-mantra, and Kama-gayatri are necessary in the stage of sadhana because they purify one’s chanting of harinama and establish one’s eternal loving relationship with Krishna. Nama-sankirtana, however, is the best practice both in sadhana and in perfection. Liberated souls will no longer chant diksa mantras, but they will forever rejoice in the ambrosial nectar of nama-sankirtana.

In Raga-vartma Candrika, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura has clearly stated that those who chant Hare Krishna and worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, without first having diksa from a Vaisnava guru, will not attain the Supreme Lord. Their chanting, however, will protect them from entering hell. Then in the next birth they will obtain sadhu-sanga, take diksa, and eventually reach the Supreme Lord.

The sastras and the exemplary lives of the previous acaryas show the need for receiving mantras such as the Gopala-mantra and Kama-gayatri in order to advance steadily in pure consciousness and attain the perfection oiKrishna-prema.

The Narada-pancaratra, Yajnavalkya-samhita, and Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu stress the absolute need for all sadhakas to receive diksa from a bona fide spiritual master. Sri Rupa Gosvami mentions surrendering to and taking diksa from a spiritual master (guru pada asraya, Krishna diksa adi siksanam) as the first two of the sixty-four essential limbs (angas) of sadhana-bhakti.

All the eternal associates of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu have followed this process of taking diksa and chanting Hare Krishna along with various diksa mantras. Even Srila Haridasa Thakura, though crowned the namacarya, took diksa from Sri Advaita Acarya according to Advaita Prakash. The duty of the spiritual master is purify and deliver his disciples to prema-dhama Sri Vrndavana by giving them appropriate mantras, mercy and spiritual instructions (diksa and siksa).

Some points have been repeated in the above article for two reasons: Firstly, to stress the importance of receiving diksa. And secondly, to help everyone clearly understand the harmonious relationship between diksa mantras and the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. May everyone perfect their mantra and nama sadhana at attain the wonderful sweet fruit of Krishna prema, and Radha-Madhava’s eternal seva in the kunja vanas of Vraja Dhama.

Excerpt from Gayatri Mahima Madhuri

Sri Harinama Prabhu ki jai!

Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

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Mantra, Nama and Need for Diksha- part one

By Mahanidhi Swami

The sastras repeatedly stress the incredible power of chanting Krishna’s holy names. Harinama, even without diksa, or any preliminary rites of purification immediately produces results as soon as it contacts the tongue, “The Hare Krishna maha-mantra is so amazingly powerful that it gives fruit as soon as it touches the tongue. This mantra removes great sins that cannot be destroyed byyajna, tapa, dana, or other means. It is freely available and can be chanted by anyone, anywhere, at any time. Unlike other mantras, the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra does not depend upon diksa, proper behavior, or rituals of purification.” (Padyavali 29)

Despite the astonishing potency of harinama, according to Sri Jiva Gosvami, one must still follow mahajanas like Narada Muni who first took diksa and then worshiped their beloved Deities. Without accepting mantra diksa from a spiritual master one cannot awaken his relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead as a servant, friend and so on. Only Sri Guru can establish one’s eternal relationship with Krishna.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, His followers, and all of the Gaudiya Vaisnavas down to the present day have honored this tradition. Besides chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. Lord Caitanya, Lord Nityananda and Sri Advaita Acarya all took mantra diksa from a bona fide spiritual master. To remain on the path of vaidhi-sadhana one needs only the Hare Krishna maha-mantra.

In order to progress on the platform of raga-marga and eventually serve Krishna’s eternal vraja-lilas one must receive diksa mantras such as the Kama-bija, Gopala-mantra and Kama-gayatri. The Hari-bhakti-vilasa explains that these mantras are absolutely necessary for internal worship through meditation and for external worship of the arca-vigraha of Radha-Krishna.

The Hare Krishna maha-mantra is the nama atmika, the very life of Gopala-mantra and Kama-gayatri. The holy name of Krishna is the original mantra vibrating in the spiritual world of Goloka Vrndavana. These mantras (Gopala-mantra, Kama-gayatri) and other Vedic mantras have life because different names of Krishna are within them. Sripada Madhvacarya explained that the Vedic mantras used in demigod worship have potency because they contain secondary names of Krishna (gauna-nama).

In reality, mantras like om namo sivaya and others which are used to petition various demigods are indirectly glorifying Krishna. The word sivaya for example means “all-auspicious.” Indeed, everything about the Supreme Lord Krishna is completely auspicious. Besides that, it is Sri Krishna alone who invests the demigods with their marvelous powers.

Of all mantras, Krishna’s holy name is the most important. Sri Jiva Gosvami says Gayatri-mantra i.e. Kama Gayatri has value because it contains Krishna’s names within it. Being full and complete (nitya mukto, purna suddho), the holy name can give everything required. The Gayatri mantra, however, is accepted to improve one’s worship of the holy name.

The material world is a perverted reflection of the pure spiritual realm. In the spiritual world the Hare Krishna maha-mantra is at the top, but it becomes reflected in the material world as the mantra Om. The mantra Om is seen throughout the Vedas, and the other Gayatri mantras are found in the Smrtis. Then later in subsequent Vedic literatures the Hare Krishna maha-mantra becomes manifest. Because of the maha-mantra’s seeming obscurity, the smarta brahmanas do not consider chanting Hare Krishna as important as chanting the Vedas and the Gayatri mantras. In reality, however, chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra is the very essence of all the Vedas.

Excerpt from by Gayatri Mahima Madhuri

Jai Gopala! Jai Sri Krishna!

Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

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Brahma-gayatri and Hare Krishna Maha-mantra

By Mahanidhi Swami

The Brahma-gayatri, om bhur bhuvah svah tat savitur varenyam… is certainly a most powerful and purifying mantra available to the fortunate few. However, the pancharatrika diksha mantras and the Hare Krishna maha-mantra are supremely powerful, and they are available to everyone irrespective of one’s caste, creed, country, color or gender. Now let’s examine the power of the famous Gopala or Krishna mantra and the universally all inclusive Hare Krishna maha-mantra.

Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said (Cc.Adi 7.73): “Simply by chanting the Gopala or Krishna mantra one will be delivered from material existence. But by chanting the Hare Krishna mantra one will get the lotus feet of the Lord,” Krishna mantra haite habe samsara mocana, Krishna nama haite pabe Krishnera carana.

The Hare Krishna maha-mantra is perfect, independent, and completely pure. It requires no samskaras or initiation process to be effective. Anyone can chant this mantra whether he is qualified or not. There is unlimited power in the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. Even without a guru, initiation, sadhu sanga or anything else one could still attain Krishna-prema by chanting Hare Krishna.

By staunch faith in God, sadhu-sanga, and purity of heart acquired in a previous life, a person can attain Krishna-prema just by sitting down and chanting Hare Krishna. However, such an individual may be one out of a million. Generally, due to ignorance, aparadhas, anarthas, mental impurity, and severe lack of faith one needs training, encouragement, and association with .an advanced devotee to attain perfection in chanting the Hare Krishna mantra.

The initiation process involved in taking the Hare Krishna maha-mantra means that one accepts the shelter of a bona fide spiritual master. Receiving the guru’s mercy, the disciple is guided safely and quickly on the path of spiritual perfection. Gaurkisora dasa Babaji said one can realize his svarupa just by chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra.

Srila Prabhupada encourages us all by saying, “The conditioned souls are engaged in a struggle for existence. Simply by chanting the Gayatri mantra, one can be delivered. Usually only brahmanas and demigods are allowed to chant this mantra. In Kali-yuga, everyone is in a very difficult position. Only a powerful mantra can deliver one from the dangers of this age. Therefore the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in His incarnation as Lord Caitanya, gives us the Hare Krishna mantra.” (SB 8.6.15 p.)

“The whole thing is that Sridhara Svami is giving stress very strongly that you can simply chant Hare Krishna mantra without undergoing any ritualistic ceremonies. Madhavendra Puri has composed a nice verse wherein he says, ‘My dear Gayatri mantra, I offer you my respects, but no more I can chant the Gayatri mantra.’ Taking bath early in the morning is a good recommendation for spiritual advancement. But Madhavendra Puri also said, ‘Now I am unable to execute this order. Please excuse me.’ In this way he has described in many ways. At last he concludes that, ‘I shall sit down somewhere underneath a tree, and simply remember Govinda’s name. That is sufficient. Yes.’ He says, ‘Please excuse me, please excuse me. Please excuse me.'” (SPT 18/2/71)

(Excerpt from Gayatri Mahima Madhuri by Mahanidhi Swami)

Sri Harinama Prabhu ki jai!

Jai Jai Sri Radhe!