Hare Krishna Mahamantra

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Hare Krishna Mahamantra: Word-by-Word Meaning

हरे कृष्ण महामंत्र

From the Kali-Santarana Upanishad (Krishna Yajurveda); author unknown

The Hare Krishna mahamantra ("great mantra") is a chant of sixteen names of God: Hare, Rama and Krishna, each said again and again. The text that teaches it is the Kali-Santarana Upanishad, a very short Upanishad of the Krishna Yajurveda. The name means "crossing over the Kali age". In it the sage Narada asks Brahma how a person can cross the troubles of the present age, and Brahma teaches the sixteen names.

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Verse 1

द्वापरान्ते नारदो ब्रह्माणं जगाम कथं भगवन् गां पर्यटन् कलिं संतरेयमिति ।स होवाच ब्रह्मा साधु पृष्टोऽस्मि सर्वश्रुतिरहस्यं गोप्यं तच्छृणु येन कलिसंसारं तरिष्यसि ।भगवत आदिपुरुषस्य नारायणस्य नामोच्चारणमात्रेण निर्धूतकलिर्भवतीति ॥

Dvaparante narado brahmanam jagama katham bhagavan gam paryatan kalim santareyamitiSa hovacha brahma sadhu prishtosmi sarvashrutirahasyam gopyam tachchhrinu yena kalisansaram tarishyasiBhagavata adipurushasya narayanasya namochcharanamatrena nirdhutakalirbhavatiti

IAST

dvāparānte nārado brahmāṇaṃ jagāma kathaṃ bhagavan gāṃ paryaṭan kaliṃ saṃtareyamiti |sa hovāca brahmā sādhu pṛṣṭo’smi sarvaśrutirahasyaṃ gopyaṃ tacchṛṇu yena kalisaṃsāraṃ tariṣyasi |bhagavata ādipuruṣasya nārāyaṇasya nāmoccāraṇamātreṇa nirdhūtakalirbhavatīti ||

How to read these English letters (IAST)

Our explanation At the end of the Dvapara age, the sage Narada went to Brahma and asked: "Lord, as I wander the earth, how can I cross over the Kali age?" Brahma answered that it was a good question, and that he would tell him the secret that all the Vedas keep, by which he would cross the world of Kali. The text says that a person shakes off Kali just by saying aloud the name of the Lord Narayana, the first being.

हिंदी अर्थ द्वापर युग के अंत में नारद मुनि ब्रह्मा के पास गए और पूछा: "भगवन्, पृथ्वी पर घूमते हुए मैं कलियुग को कैसे पार करूँ?" ब्रह्मा ने कहा कि प्रश्न अच्छा है, और वे वह रहस्य बताएँगे जिसे सब वेद छिपाकर रखते हैं, जिससे वे कलि के संसार को पार कर लेंगे। पाठ कहता है कि आदिपुरुष भगवान नारायण का नाम बोलने मात्र से मनुष्य कलि के दोष से मुक्त हो जाता है।

The text’s own words about its benefits, not a promise from Pujadeep.

Word by word

Every word, with its dictionary page

Word by word

  1. द्वापरान्ते dvāparānte · at the end of the Dvapara age (compound, locative singular) Dictionary: dvā-para, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 503, col. 3 “N. of the 3rd of the 4 Yugas or ages of the world”; anta, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 42, col. 3 “end, limit, boundary, term”
  2. नारदः nāradaḥ · Narada, the sage (nominative singular) Dictionary: nārada, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 537, col. 2
  3. ब्रह्माणम् brahmāṇam · to Brahma (accusative singular (masculine)) Dictionary: brahman, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 738, col. 1 “Brahmā or the one impersonal universal Spirit manifested as a personal Creator”
  4. जगाम jagāma · went (perfect, 3rd person singular) Dictionary: 1. gam, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 347, col. 1 “to go, move, go away, set out, come”
  5. कथम् katham · how? (indeclinable) Dictionary: katham, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 247, col. 2 “how? in what manner? whence?”
  6. भगवन् bhagavan · O Lord (vocative singular) Dictionary: 2. bhagavat, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 743, col. 3 “glorious, illustrious, divine, adorable, venerable”
  7. गाम् gām · the earth (accusative singular) Dictionary: go, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 363, col. 3 “the earth (as the milk-cow of kings)”
  8. पर्यटन् paryaṭan · wandering about (present participle, nominative singular) Dictionary: pary-aṭ, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 607, col. 1 “to roam or wander about, travel over”
  9. कलिम् kalim · the Kali age (accusative singular) Dictionary: kali, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 261, col. 3 “N. of the last and worst of the four Yugas or ages”
  10. संतरेयम् saṃtareyam · "may I cross" (optative, 1st person singular) Dictionary: saṃ-tṝ, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 1142, col. 3 “to cross or traverse together, pass through”
  11. इति iti · thus (ends the quoted words) (indeclinable) Dictionary: 2. iti, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 165, col. 1 “in this manner, thus”
  12. सः saḥ · he (pronoun, nominative singular) Dictionary: tad, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 434, col. 1 “m. he, f. she, n. it, that, this”
  13. ह ha · indeed (old prose particle) (indeclinable) Dictionary: 3. ha, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 1286, col. 1 “indeed, assuredly, verily, of course, then &c.”
  14. उवाच uvāca · said (perfect, 3rd person singular) Dictionary: vac, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 912, col. 1 “to speak, say, tell, utter, announce, declare”
  15. ब्रह्मा brahmā · Brahma (nominative singular) Dictionary: brahman, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 738, col. 1 “Brahmā or the one impersonal universal Spirit manifested as a personal Creator”
  16. साधु sādhu · well (asked)! good! (indeclinable) Dictionary: sādhu, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 1201, col. 2 “good! well done! bravo!”
  17. पृष्टः pṛṣṭaḥ · asked (past participle, nominative singular) Dictionary: prach, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 658, col. 1 “to ask, question, interrogate”
  18. अस्मि asmi · "I am" (present, 1st person singular) Dictionary: 1. as, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 117, col. 2 “to be, live, exist, be present”
  19. सर्वश्रुतिरहस्यम् sarvaśrutirahasyam · the secret of all the Vedas (compound, accusative singular) Dictionary: sarva, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 1184, col. 3 “whole, entire, all, every”; 1. śruti, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 1101, col. 3 “sacred knowledge orally transmitted by the Brāhmans from generation to generation, the Veda”; rahasya, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 871, col. 2 “a secret, any secret doctrine or mystery”
  20. गोप्यम् gopyam · to be kept hidden (gerundive, accusative singular) Dictionary: gopya, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 368, col. 3 “to be kept secret or hidden”
  21. तत् tat · that (pronoun (neuter), accusative singular) Dictionary: tad, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 434, col. 1 “m. he, f. she, n. it, that, this”
  22. शृणु śṛṇu · hear (imperative, 2nd person singular) Dictionary: 1. śru, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 1100, col. 3 “to hear, listen or attend to anything”
  23. येन yena · by which (relative pronoun, instrumental singular) Dictionary: yad, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 844, col. 2 “who, which, what, whichever, whatever, that”
  24. कलिसंसारम् kalisaṃsāram · the worldly round of the Kali age (compound, accusative singular) Dictionary: kali, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 261, col. 3 “N. of the last and worst of the four Yugas or ages”; saṃ-sāra, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 1119, col. 3 “transmigration, metempsychosis, the world, secular life, worldly illusion”
  25. तरिष्यसि tariṣyasi · you will cross (future, 2nd person singular) Dictionary: tṝ, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 454, col. 2 “to pass across or over, cross over (a river)”
  26. भगवतः bhagavataḥ · of the Lord (genitive singular) Dictionary: 2. bhagavat, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 743, col. 3 “glorious, illustrious, divine, adorable, venerable”
  27. आदिपुरुषस्य ādipuruṣasya · of the first Person (compound, genitive singular) Dictionary: ādi-puruṣa, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 137, col. 1 “‘first man,’”
  28. नारायणस्य nārāyaṇasya · of Narayana (genitive singular) Dictionary: nārāyaṇa, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 536, col. 3 “the son of the original Man”
  29. नामोच्चारणमात्रेण nāmoccāraṇamātreṇa · just by saying the name aloud (compound, instrumental singular) Dictionary: nāman, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 536, col. 2 “name, appellation”; uc-cāraṇa, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 173, col. 2 “pronunciation, articulation, enunciation”; mātra, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 804, col. 3 “the one thing and no more, often = nothing but, entirely, only”
  30. निर्धूतकलिः nirdhūtakaliḥ · one who has shaken off Kali (compound, nominative singular) Dictionary: nir-dhū, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 555, col. 2 “to shake, agitate, shake out or off, scatter, remove”; kali, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 261, col. 3 “N. of the last and worst of the four Yugas or ages”
  31. भवति bhavati · becomes (present, 3rd person singular) Dictionary: 1. bhū, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 760, col. 2 “to become, be”
  32. इति iti · thus (ends the passage) (indeclinable) Dictionary: 2. iti, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 165, col. 1 “in this manner, thus”
1 printing differs

Edition differences. Another printing or text reads this place differently.

  • Word The 1925 Bombay printing reads: हरिः ॐ ॥ द्वापरान्ते … पर्यटन्कलिं संतरेयमिति । … निर्धूतकलिर्भवति । The 1925 printing opens with 'हरिः ॐ', joins 'पर्यटन्कलिं', and ends the passage 'निर्धूतकलिर्भवति' without 'इति'.

Verse 2

नारदः पुनः पप्रच्छ तन्नाम किमिति । स होवाच हिरण्यगर्भः ।हरे राम हरे राम राम राम हरे हरे ।हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरे ॥इति षोडशकं नाम्नां कलिकल्मषनाशनम् ।नातः परतरोपायः सर्ववेदेषु दृश्यते ॥षोडशकलाऽऽवृतस्य जीवस्यावरणविनाशनम् । ततः प्रकाशते परं ब्रह्म मेघापाये रविरश्मिमण्डलीवेति ॥

Naradah punah paprachchha tannama kimiti, sa hovacha hiranyagarbhahHare rama hare rama rama rama hare hareHare krishna hare krishna krishna krishna hare hareIti shodashakam namnam kalikalmashanashanamNatah parataropayah sarvavedeshu drishyateShodashakalavritasya jivasyavaranavinashanam, tatah prakashate param brahma meghapaye ravirashmimandaliveti

IAST

nāradaḥ punaḥ papraccha tannāma kimiti | sa hovāca hiraṇyagarbhaḥ |hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare |hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare ||iti ṣoḍaśakaṃ nāmnāṃ kalikalmaṣanāśanam |nātaḥ parataropāyaḥ sarvavedeṣu dṛśyate ||ṣoḍaśakalā’’vṛtasya jīvasyāvaraṇavināśanam | tataḥ prakāśate paraṃ brahma meghāpāye raviraśmimaṇḍalīveti ||

How to read these English letters (IAST)

Our explanation Narada asked again: "What is that name?" Hiranyagarbha (Brahma) answered with the sixteen names: "hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare, hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare". Word by word: hare is the calling form of Hari, a name of Vishnu, "the one who takes away"; rāma is Rama, "the one who delights"; kṛṣṇa is Krishna. The text says that this group of sixteen names destroys the stain of the Kali age, and that no better means is seen in all the Vedas. It says that the names remove the covering of the soul, which is wrapped in sixteen parts, and that then the supreme Brahman shines out, as the ring of the sun's rays shines when the clouds move away.

हिंदी अर्थ नारद ने फिर पूछा: "वह नाम क्या है?" हिरण्यगर्भ (ब्रह्मा) ने सोलह नाम बताए: "हरे राम हरे राम राम राम हरे हरे, हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरे"। शब्दार्थ: "हरे" हरि का संबोधन रूप है, जो विष्णु का नाम है, "हरने वाला"; "राम" श्रीराम हैं, "जो आनंद देते हैं"; "कृष्ण" श्रीकृष्ण हैं। पाठ कहता है कि सोलह नामों का यह समूह कलियुग के मैल को नष्ट करता है, और सब वेदों में इससे बढ़कर कोई उपाय नहीं दिखता। पाठ यह भी कहता है कि ये नाम सोलह कलाओं से ढके जीव का आवरण हटाते हैं, और तब परब्रह्म वैसे ही प्रकाशित होता है जैसे बादल हटने पर सूर्य की किरणों का मंडल चमकता है।

The text’s own words about its benefits, not a promise from Pujadeep.

Word by word

Every word, with its dictionary page

Word by word

  1. नारदः nāradaḥ · Narada (nominative singular) Dictionary: nārada, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 537, col. 2
  2. पुनः punaḥ · again (indeclinable) Dictionary: punar, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 633, col. 2 “again, once more”
  3. पप्रच्छ papraccha · asked (perfect, 3rd person singular) Dictionary: prach, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 658, col. 1 “to ask, question, interrogate”
  4. तत् tat · that (pronoun (neuter), nominative singular) Dictionary: tad, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 434, col. 1 “m. he, f. she, n. it, that, this”
  5. नाम nāma · name (noun (neuter), nominative singular) Dictionary: nāman, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 536, col. 2 “name, appellation”
  6. किम् kim · what? (interrogative pronoun (neuter), nominative singular) Dictionary: kim, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 282, col. 2 “what? how? whence? wherefore? why?”
  7. इति iti · thus (ends the quoted words) (indeclinable) Dictionary: 2. iti, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 165, col. 1 “in this manner, thus”
  8. सः saḥ · he (pronoun, nominative singular) Dictionary: tad, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 434, col. 1 “m. he, f. she, n. it, that, this”
  9. ह ha · indeed (old prose particle) (indeclinable) Dictionary: 3. ha, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 1286, col. 1 “indeed, assuredly, verily, of course, then &c.”
  10. उवाच uvāca · said (perfect, 3rd person singular) Dictionary: vac, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 912, col. 1 “to speak, say, tell, utter, announce, declare”
  11. हिरण्यगर्भः hiraṇyagarbhaḥ · Hiranyagarbha (Brahma) (compound, nominative singular) Dictionary: hiraṇya-garbha, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 1299, col. 3 “a golden fetus”
  12. हरे hare · O Hari (Vishnu), the one who takes away (vocative singular) Dictionary: 2. hari, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 1289, col. 3 “(esp.) N. of Vishṇu-Kṛishṇa”
  13. राम rāma · O Rama, the one who delights (vocative singular) Dictionary: rāma, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 877, col. 1 “pleasing, pleasant, charming, lovely, beautiful”
  14. हरे hare · O Hari (Vishnu), the one who takes away (vocative singular) Dictionary: 2. hari, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 1289, col. 3 “(esp.) N. of Vishṇu-Kṛishṇa”
  15. राम rāma · O Rama, the one who delights (vocative singular) Dictionary: rāma, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 877, col. 1 “pleasing, pleasant, charming, lovely, beautiful”
  16. राम rāma · O Rama, the one who delights (vocative singular) Dictionary: rāma, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 877, col. 1 “pleasing, pleasant, charming, lovely, beautiful”
  17. राम rāma · O Rama, the one who delights (vocative singular) Dictionary: rāma, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 877, col. 1 “pleasing, pleasant, charming, lovely, beautiful”
  18. हरे hare · O Hari (Vishnu), the one who takes away (vocative singular) Dictionary: 2. hari, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 1289, col. 3 “(esp.) N. of Vishṇu-Kṛishṇa”
  19. हरे hare · O Hari (Vishnu), the one who takes away (vocative singular) Dictionary: 2. hari, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 1289, col. 3 “(esp.) N. of Vishṇu-Kṛishṇa”
  20. हरे hare · O Hari (Vishnu), the one who takes away (vocative singular) Dictionary: 2. hari, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 1289, col. 3 “(esp.) N. of Vishṇu-Kṛishṇa”
  21. कृष्ण kṛṣṇa · O Krishna (vocative singular) Dictionary: 1. kṛṣṇa, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 306, col. 2 “N. of a celebrated Avatār of the god Vishṇu”
  22. हरे hare · O Hari (Vishnu), the one who takes away (vocative singular) Dictionary: 2. hari, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 1289, col. 3 “(esp.) N. of Vishṇu-Kṛishṇa”
  23. कृष्ण kṛṣṇa · O Krishna (vocative singular) Dictionary: 1. kṛṣṇa, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 306, col. 2 “N. of a celebrated Avatār of the god Vishṇu”
  24. कृष्ण kṛṣṇa · O Krishna (vocative singular) Dictionary: 1. kṛṣṇa, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 306, col. 2 “N. of a celebrated Avatār of the god Vishṇu”
  25. कृष्ण kṛṣṇa · O Krishna (vocative singular) Dictionary: 1. kṛṣṇa, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 306, col. 2 “N. of a celebrated Avatār of the god Vishṇu”
  26. हरे hare · O Hari (Vishnu), the one who takes away (vocative singular) Dictionary: 2. hari, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 1289, col. 3 “(esp.) N. of Vishṇu-Kṛishṇa”
  27. हरे hare · O Hari (Vishnu), the one who takes away (vocative singular) Dictionary: 2. hari, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 1289, col. 3 “(esp.) N. of Vishṇu-Kṛishṇa”
  28. इति iti · thus (ends the quoted words) (indeclinable) Dictionary: 2. iti, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 165, col. 1 “in this manner, thus”
  29. षोडशकम् ṣoḍaśakam · the group of sixteen (noun (neuter), nominative singular) Dictionary: ṣoḍaśaka, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 1110, col. 2 “consisting of 16”
  30. नाम्नाम् nāmnām · of names (genitive plural) Dictionary: nāman, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 536, col. 2 “name, appellation”
  31. कलिकल्मषनाशनम् kalikalmaṣanāśanam · destroying the stain of the Kali age (compound, nominative singular) Dictionary: kali, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 261, col. 3 “N. of the last and worst of the four Yugas or ages”; kalmaṣa, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 263, col. 1 “moral stain, sin”; nāśana, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 538, col. 1 “destroying &c.”
  32. न na · not (indeclinable) Dictionary: 2. na, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 523, col. 1 “not, no, nor, neither”
  33. अतः ataḥ · than this (indeclinable) Dictionary: atas, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 12, col. 1 “from this, than this; hence”
  34. परतरोपायः parataropāyaḥ · a higher means (compound, nominative singular) Dictionary: para-tara, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 586, col. 3 “superl. and compar. of para”; upāya, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 215, col. 2 “that by which one reaches one's aim, a means or expedient (of any kind)”
  35. सर्ववेदेषु sarvavedeṣu · in all the Vedas (compound, locative plural) Dictionary: sarva, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 1184, col. 3 “whole, entire, all, every”; 1. veda, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 1015, col. 1 “knowledge, true or sacred knowledge or lore, knowledge of ritual”
  36. दृश्यते dṛśyate · is seen (passive, present, 3rd person singular) Dictionary: 1. dṛś, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 491, col. 2 “to be seen, become visible, appear”
  37. षोडशकलाऽऽवृतस्य ṣoḍaśakalā’’vṛtasya · wrapped in sixteen parts (compound, genitive singular) Dictionary: ṣoḍaśa-kala, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 1110, col. 2 “having 16 parts, sixteenfold”; kalā, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 261, col. 1 “any single part or portion of a whole, esp. a sixteenth part”; ā-vṛta, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 156, col. 1 “covered, concealed, hid”
  38. जीवस्य jīvasya · of the soul (genitive singular) Dictionary: jīva, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 422, col. 2 “the principle of life, vital breath, the living or personal soul”
  39. आवरणविनाशनम् āvaraṇavināśanam · removing the covering (compound, nominative singular) Dictionary: ā-varaṇa, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 156, col. 1 “the act of covering, concealing, hiding”; vi-nāśana, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 969, col. 3 “causing to disappear, removal, destruction, annihilation”
  40. ततः tataḥ · then (indeclinable) Dictionary: tatas, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 432, col. 2 “thereupon, then, after that, afterwards”
  41. प्रकाशते prakāśate · shines out (present, 3rd person singular (middle)) Dictionary: pra-kāś, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 653, col. 1 “to become visible, appear, shine, become evident or manifest”
  42. परम् param · supreme (adjective (neuter), nominative singular) Dictionary: 1. para, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 586, col. 1 “highest, supreme, chief”
  43. ब्रह्म brahma · Brahman (noun (neuter), nominative singular) Dictionary: brahman, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 738, col. 1 “one self-existent impersonal Spirit, the one universal Soul”
  44. मेघापाये meghāpāye · when the clouds go away (compound, locative singular) Dictionary: megha, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 831, col. 2 “‘sprinkler,’ a cloud”; apāya, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 56, col. 2 “going away, departure”
  45. रविरश्मिमण्डली raviraśmimaṇḍalī · the ring of the sun's rays (compound (feminine), nominative singular) Dictionary: ravi, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 869, col. 1 “the sun (in general) or the sun-god”; raśmi-maṇḍala, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 869, col. 2 “a circle or garland of rays”; maṇḍala, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 775, col. 3 “a disk (esp. of the sun or moon)”
  46. इव iva · as, like (indeclinable) Dictionary: iva, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 168, col. 3 “like, in the same manner as”
  47. इति iti · thus (ends the passage) (indeclinable) Dictionary: 2. iti, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 165, col. 1 “in this manner, thus”
2 printings differ

Edition differences. Another printing or text reads this place differently.

  • Word The 1925 Bombay printing reads: … हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरे ॥ १ ॥ इति षोडशकं नाम्नां … ॥ १ ॥ इति षोडशकलावृतस्य जीवस्यावरणविनाशनम् । Same sixteen names in the same order. The 1925 printing adds 'इति' before 'षोडशकलावृतस्य' and writes it with no avagraha sign (the 1923 printing has two: 'षोडशकलाऽऽवृतस्य').
  • Verse division A digital text reads The order chanted by the Gaudiya Vaishnavas of Bengal, as Kennedy prints it in 1925 (p. 201, leaf n227): the same two lines with the Krishna line first.

Verse 3

पुनर्नारदः पप्रच्छ भगवन् कोऽस्य विधिरिति । तं होवाच नास्य विधिरिति ।सर्वदा शुचिरशुचिर्वा पठन् ब्राह्मणः सलोकतां समीपतां सरूपतां सायुज्यतामेति ।यदाऽस्य षोडशीकस्य सार्धत्रिकोटीर्जपति तदा ब्रह्महत्यां तरति । तरति वीरहत्याम् ।स्वर्णस्तेयात् पूतो भवति । वृषलीगमनात् पूतो भवति । पितृदेवमनुष्याणामपकारात् पूतो भवति ।सर्वधर्मपरित्यागपापात् सद्यः शुचितामाप्नुयात् । सद्यो मुच्यते सद्यो मुच्यते इत्युपनिषत् ॥

Punarnaradah paprachchha bhagavan kosya vidhiriti, tam hovacha nasya vidhiritiSarvada shuchirashuchirva pathan brahmanah salokatam samipatam sarupatam sayujyatametiYadasya shodashikasya sardhatrikotirjapati tada brahmahatyam tarati, tarati virahatyamSvarnasteyat puto bhavati, vrishaligamanat puto bhavati, pitridevamanushyanamapakarat puto bhavatiSarvadharmaparityagapapat sadyah shuchitamapnuyat, sadyo muchyate sadyo muchyate ityupanishat

IAST

punarnāradaḥ papraccha bhagavan ko’sya vidhiriti | taṃ hovāca nāsya vidhiriti |sarvadā śuciraśucirvā paṭhan brāhmaṇaḥ salokatāṃ samīpatāṃ sarūpatāṃ sāyujyatāmeti |yadā’sya ṣoḍaśīkasya sārdhatrikoṭīrjapati tadā brahmahatyāṃ tarati | tarati vīrahatyām |svarṇasteyāt pūto bhavati | vṛṣalīgamanāt pūto bhavati | pitṛdevamanuṣyāṇāmapakārāt pūto bhavati |sarvadharmaparityāgapāpāt sadyaḥ śucitāmāpnuyāt | sadyo mucyate sadyo mucyate ityupaniṣat ||

How to read these English letters (IAST)

Our explanation Narada asked again: "Lord, what is the rule for it?" Brahma said that it has no rule. The text says that a brāhmaṇa who recites it at all times, pure or impure, reaches the four goals: the same world as God, nearness to God, a form like God's, and union with God. It says that one who repeats these sixteen names three and a half crore times (35 million) crosses over the sin of killing a brāhmaṇa and of killing a hero; is made pure after stealing gold, after relations with a vṛṣalī (a woman whom the old law books place outside the Vedic order), and after wrongs done to ancestors, gods and people; and becomes pure at once from the fault of giving up every duty. "One is freed at once, freed at once. So says the Upanishad." The 1925 Bombay printing does not have the sentence about the vṛṣalī.

हिंदी अर्थ नारद ने फिर पूछा: "भगवन्, इसकी विधि क्या है?" ब्रह्मा ने कहा कि इसकी कोई विधि नहीं है। पाठ कहता है कि जो ब्राह्मण हर समय, शुद्ध हो या अशुद्ध, इसका पाठ करता है, वह चार गतियाँ पाता है: भगवान का लोक, भगवान की निकटता, भगवान जैसा रूप और भगवान से एकता। पाठ कहता है कि जो इन सोलह नामों का साढ़े तीन करोड़ बार जप करता है, वह ब्रह्महत्या और वीरहत्या के पाप से पार हो जाता है; सोने की चोरी, वृषली-गमन (पुराने धर्मशास्त्रों में वैदिक व्यवस्था से बाहर मानी गई स्त्री से संबंध) और पितरों, देवताओं और मनुष्यों के प्रति किए अपकार से शुद्ध हो जाता है; और सब धर्मों को छोड़ने के दोष से तुरंत शुद्ध हो जाता है। "वह तुरंत मुक्त होता है, तुरंत मुक्त होता है। ऐसा उपनिषद् कहता है।" 1925 की बंबई की छपाई में वृषली वाला वाक्य नहीं है।

The text’s own words about its benefits, not a promise from Pujadeep.

Word by word

Every word, with its dictionary page

Word by word

  1. पुनः punaḥ · again (indeclinable) Dictionary: punar, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 633, col. 2 “again, once more”
  2. नारदः nāradaḥ · Narada (nominative singular) Dictionary: nārada, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 537, col. 2
  3. पप्रच्छ papraccha · asked (perfect, 3rd person singular) Dictionary: prach, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 658, col. 1 “to ask, question, interrogate”
  4. भगवन् bhagavan · O Lord (vocative singular) Dictionary: 2. bhagavat, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 743, col. 3 “glorious, illustrious, divine, adorable, venerable”
  5. कः kaḥ · what? (interrogative pronoun, nominative singular) Dictionary: 2. ka, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 240, col. 2 “who? which? what?”
  6. अस्य asya · its, of this (pronoun, genitive singular) Dictionary: 1. idam, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 165, col. 2 “this, this here, referring to something near the speaker”
  7. विधिः vidhiḥ · rule, set method (nominative singular) Dictionary: 2. vidhi, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 968, col. 1 “a rule, formula, injunction, ordinance, statute, precept, law, direction”
  8. इति iti · thus (ends the quoted words) (indeclinable) Dictionary: 2. iti, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 165, col. 1 “in this manner, thus”
  9. तम् tam · to him (pronoun, accusative singular) Dictionary: tad, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 434, col. 1 “m. he, f. she, n. it, that, this”
  10. ह ha · indeed (old prose particle) (indeclinable) Dictionary: 3. ha, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 1286, col. 1 “indeed, assuredly, verily, of course, then &c.”
  11. उवाच uvāca · said (perfect, 3rd person singular) Dictionary: vac, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 912, col. 1 “to speak, say, tell, utter, announce, declare”
  12. न na · not, there is no (indeclinable) Dictionary: 2. na, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 523, col. 1 “not, no, nor, neither”
  13. अस्य asya · its, of this (pronoun, genitive singular) Dictionary: 1. idam, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 165, col. 2 “this, this here, referring to something near the speaker”
  14. विधिः vidhiḥ · rule, set method (nominative singular) Dictionary: 2. vidhi, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 968, col. 1 “a rule, formula, injunction, ordinance, statute, precept, law, direction”
  15. इति iti · thus (ends the quoted words) (indeclinable) Dictionary: 2. iti, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 165, col. 1 “in this manner, thus”
  16. सर्वदा sarvadā · always (indeclinable) Dictionary: sarvadā, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 1189, col. 2 “always, at all times”
  17. शुचिः śuciḥ · pure (adjective, nominative singular) Dictionary: śuci, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 1081, col. 1 “clear, clean, pure (lit. and fig.), holy, unsullied, undefiled”
  18. अशुचिः aśuciḥ · impure (adjective, nominative singular) Dictionary: a-śuci, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 113, col. 2 “impure, foul”
  19. वा vā · or (indeclinable) Dictionary: 1. vā, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 934, col. 2 “or”
  20. पठन् paṭhan · reciting (present participle, nominative singular) Dictionary: paṭh, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 580, col. 1 “to read or repeat aloud, to recite, rehearse”
  21. ब्राह्मणः brāhmaṇaḥ · a Brahmin (nominative singular) Dictionary: brāhmaṇa, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 741, col. 2 “one who has divine knowledge (sometimes applied to Agni), a Brāhman”
  22. सलोकताम् salokatām · being in the same world (as God) (noun (feminine), accusative singular) Dictionary: sa-lokatā, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 1190, col. 1 “the being in the same world or sphere with”
  23. समीपताम् samīpatām · nearness (to God) (noun (feminine), accusative singular) Dictionary: samīpa-tā, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 1165, col. 1 “nearness, contiguity, proximity”
  24. सरूपताम् sarūpatām · likeness of form (to God) (noun (feminine), accusative singular) Dictionary: sa-rūpa-tā, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 1183, col. 2 “identity of form, likeness, resemblance to”
  25. सायुज्यताम् sāyujyatām · union (with God) (noun (feminine), accusative singular) Dictionary: sāyujya, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 1207, col. 3 “intimate union, communion with”
  26. एति eti · reaches (present, 3rd person singular) Dictionary: 5. i, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 163, col. 3 “to arrive at, reach, obtain”
  27. यदा yadā · when (indeclinable) Dictionary: yadā, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 844, col. 1 “when, at what time, whenever”
  28. अस्य asya · of this (pronoun, genitive singular) Dictionary: 1. idam, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 165, col. 2 “this, this here, referring to something near the speaker”
  29. षोडशीकस्य ṣoḍaśīkasya · of the sixteen-name (mantra) (adjective, genitive singular) Dictionary: ṣoḍaśin, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 1110, col. 3 “consisting of 16, having 16 parts”; ṣoḍaśaka, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 1110, col. 2 “consisting of 16”
  30. सार्धत्रिकोटीः sārdhatrikoṭīḥ · three and a half crore times (compound, accusative plural) Dictionary: sārdha, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 1209, col. 3 “joined with a half, plus one half, increased by one half”; tri, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 457, col. 3; koṭi, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 312, col. 3 “the highest number in the older system of numbers (viz. a Krore or ten millions)”
  31. जपति japati · repeats softly (present, 3rd person singular) Dictionary: jap, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 411, col. 3 “to utter in a low voice, whisper, mutter (esp. prayers or incantations)”
  32. तदा tadā · then (indeclinable) Dictionary: tadā, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 434, col. 3 “at that time, then, in that case”
  33. ब्रह्महत्याम् brahmahatyām · the killing of a Brahmin (noun (feminine), accusative singular) Dictionary: brahma-hatyā, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 740, col. 2 “murder of a Brāhman (or any crime equally heinous)”
  34. तरति tarati · crosses over, goes beyond (present, 3rd person singular) Dictionary: tṝ, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 454, col. 2 “to pass across or over, cross over (a river)”
  35. तरति tarati · crosses over, goes beyond (present, 3rd person singular) Dictionary: tṝ, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 454, col. 2 “to pass across or over, cross over (a river)”
  36. वीरहत्याम् vīrahatyām · the killing of a man (noun (feminine), accusative singular) Dictionary: vīra-hatyā, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 1006, col. 2 “the killing of a man, murder of a son”
  37. स्वर्णस्तेयात् svarṇasteyāt · from the theft of gold (compound, ablative singular) Dictionary: svarṇa, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 1282, col. 1 “gold”; steya, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 1260, col. 2 “theft, robbery, larceny”
  38. पूतः pūtaḥ · purified (past participle, nominative singular) Dictionary: 1. pūta, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 640, col. 3 “cleaned, purified, pure, clear, bright”
  39. भवति bhavati · becomes (present, 3rd person singular) Dictionary: 1. bhū, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 760, col. 2 “to become, be”
  40. वृषलीगमनात् vṛṣalīgamanāt · from going to a low-caste woman (compound, ablative singular) Dictionary: vṛṣalī, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 1013, col. 1 “a woman of low caste, Śūdra woman”; gamana, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 348, col. 1 “going to or approaching”
  41. पूतः pūtaḥ · purified (past participle, nominative singular) Dictionary: 1. pūta, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 640, col. 3 “cleaned, purified, pure, clear, bright”
  42. भवति bhavati · becomes (present, 3rd person singular) Dictionary: 1. bhū, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 760, col. 2 “to become, be”
  43. पितृदेवमनुष्याणाम् pitṛdevamanuṣyāṇām · of ancestors, gods and humans (compound, genitive plural) Dictionary: pitṛ, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 626, col. 2 “the fathers, forefathers, ancestors”; deva, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 492, col. 2 “a deity, god”; manuṣya, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 784, col. 3 “a man, human being”
  44. अपकारात् apakārāt · from wrong done (to them) (ablative singular) Dictionary: apa-kāra, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 48, col. 1 “wrong, offence, injury, hurt”
  45. पूतः pūtaḥ · purified (past participle, nominative singular) Dictionary: 1. pūta, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 640, col. 3 “cleaned, purified, pure, clear, bright”
  46. भवति bhavati · becomes (present, 3rd person singular) Dictionary: 1. bhū, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 760, col. 2 “to become, be”
  47. सर्वधर्मपरित्यागपापात् sarvadharmaparityāgapāpāt · from the sin of giving up all duties (compound, ablative singular) Dictionary: sarva, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 1184, col. 3 “whole, entire, all, every”; 1. dharma, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 510, col. 3 “usage, practice, customary observance or prescribed conduct, duty”; pari-tyāga, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 595, col. 2 “the act of leaving, abandoning, deserting, quitting, giving up, neglecting, renouncing”; pāpa, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 618, col. 2 “sin, vice, crime, guilt”
  48. सद्यः sadyaḥ · at once (indeclinable) Dictionary: sa-dyas, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 1140, col. 1 “on the same day, in the very moment”
  49. शुचिताम् śucitām · purity (noun (feminine), accusative singular) Dictionary: śuci-tā, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 1081, col. 2 “clearness, purity (lit. and fig.), uprightness, honesty, virtue”
  50. आप्नुयात् āpnuyāt · would gain (optative, 3rd person singular) Dictionary: 1. āp, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 142, col. 1 “to obtain, gain, take possession of”
  51. सद्यः sadyaḥ · at once (indeclinable) Dictionary: sa-dyas, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 1140, col. 1 “on the same day, in the very moment”
  52. मुच्यते mucyate · is set free (passive, present, 3rd person singular) Dictionary: 2. muc, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 820, col. 3 “to be loosed, to be set free or released”
  53. सद्यः sadyaḥ · at once (indeclinable) Dictionary: sa-dyas, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 1140, col. 1 “on the same day, in the very moment”
  54. मुच्यते mucyate · is set free (passive, present, 3rd person singular) Dictionary: 2. muc, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 820, col. 3 “to be loosed, to be set free or released”
  55. इति iti · thus (ends the text) (indeclinable) Dictionary: 2. iti, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 165, col. 1 “in this manner, thus”
  56. उपनिषत् upaniṣat · (so says) the Upanishad (noun (feminine), nominative singular) Dictionary: 2. upa-niṣad, Monier-Williams 1899, p. 201, col. 1 “a class of philosophical writings”
5 printings differ

Edition differences. Another printing or text reads this place differently.

  • Omission The 1923 Adyar, Madras printing reads: सलोकतां समीपतां सायुज्यतामेति The 1923 printing's footnote 1 (p. 19): two of its manuscripts (अ, अ १) do not have 'सरूपतां'.
  • Word The 1923 Adyar, Madras printing reads: सायुज्यमेति Footnote 2: manuscript अ reads 'सायुज्यमेति' for 'सायुज्यतामेति'.
  • Spelling The 1923 Adyar, Madras printing reads: षोडशिकस्य / षोडशकस्य Footnote 3: manuscripts अ १, अ २, उ १ and क read 'षोडशि…', manuscript अ 'षोडश…', for 'षोडशीकस्य'.
  • Omission The 1925 Bombay printing reads: … यदास्य षोडशीकस्य … स्वर्णस्तेयात्पूतो भवति । पितृदेवमनुष्याणामपकारात्पूतो भवति । … The 1925 printing has no 'वृषलीगमनात् पूतो भवति', writes 'यदास्य' without the avagraha, and joins 'भगवन्कोऽस्य', 'पठन्ब्राह्मणः', 'स्वर्णस्तेयात्पूतो'.
  • Word Today's text from sanskritdocuments.org reads: … सरूपतां सायुज्यमेति । यदास्य षोडशकस्य सार्धत्रिकोटीर्जपति … Today's web text has 'सायुज्यमेति' for 'सायुज्यतामेति' and 'षोडशकस्य' for 'षोडशीकस्य', the readings that the 1923 footnotes report from its manuscript अ. The 1923 and 1925 printings both read as shown, so their words stay. The Sanskrit Wikisource page is a copy of this web text.

Sanskrit text: The Vaishnava-Upanishads with the commentary of Sri Upanishad-Brahma-Yogin (वैष्णव-उपनिषदः), edited by A. Mahadeva Sastri, 1923. Meanings: written for Pujadeep and checked against the cited edition. Source and changes

Learn by heart: Hare Krishna Mahamantra

. Read it, then close your eyes and say it.

"Said it" lasts for this visit only. No counts, no streaks.

How to read these English letters (IAST)

About the Hare Krishna Mahamantra

The Upanishad, as both printings that we read give it (Madras, 1923, and Bombay, 1925), puts "Hare Rama" first: "hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare, hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare". The Gaudiya Vaishnavas of Bengal, who follow Chaitanya, chant the same sixteen names with "Hare Krishna" first; a study printed in 1925 records this order as the one Chaitanya himself used. Both are the same sixteen names. This page shows the order that the Upanishad prints and names the other.

The page gives the whole Upanishad in three short passages. The first tells why the names are taught, the second gives them, and the third answers the question of rules. The Upanishad says that there are no rules for it, and it makes large claims for repeating it. Those claims are the text's own words and are marked as such.

Readings differ. The commentator printed with the 1923 text, Upanishad-Brahma-Yogin (an Advaita teacher), reads Hari, Rama and Krishna as names of the one Brahman, and he reads the third passage as allowing the Vedic text itself to the twice-born, while all others may repeat the names. The Gaudiya teachers, by Kennedy's 1925 account, make the chanting open to everyone, with no rite at all. Each reading is shown with its school under the passage.

How to say it

Each name is said whole: ha-re, rā-ma, kṛṣ-ṇa. "Hare" is the form used to call on God (a vocative) and is said "ha-ray". In Hindi speech the final short "a" of Rāma and Kṛṣṇa is often dropped, but in the chant it is usually sounded, so that each line has eight words and sixteen syllables. The IAST line writes every vowel as spelled.

Festivals whose guides name this prayer

Related

Questions families ask

Who wrote the Hare Krishna Mahamantra?

From the Kali-Santarana Upanishad (Krishna Yajurveda); author unknown.

Which text does this page follow?

Sanskrit text: The Vaishnava-Upanishads with the commentary of Sri Upanishad-Brahma-Yogin (वैष्णव-उपनिषदः), edited by A. Mahadeva Sastri, 1923. Meanings: written for Pujadeep and checked against the cited edition. See the source

Source and licence

Text
The Vaishnava-Upanishads with the commentary of Sri Upanishad-Brahma-Yogin (वैष्णव-उपनिषदः), edited by A. Mahadeva Sastri (A. Mahadeva Sastri (Alladi Mahadeva Sastri), Upanishad-Brahma-Yogin (Upaniṣad-brahma-yogin, also called Upaniṣad-brahmendra), The Adyar Library (Theosophical Society), Adyar, Madras, 1923). Public domain. The Sanskrit on these pages was read from this printing’s page images.
Our explanation
Explanation written for this site from the sources listed here, and checked against the cited edition. It is not a translation and not the only way to read the text. Free to quote with credit.
Checked
Checked against the cited edition, October 15, 2026.

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