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Answers According to Vedic Wisdom

Question: Chant Hare Krishna or Hare Rama First?

Please accept my respectful and humble obeisances onto your lotus feet.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada and all glories to you.

I am Parth from Jammu and Kashmir India, a student in tenth standard. I wanted to ask you that what is the actual mahamantra. Does it start from Hare Rama or Hare Krishna? I am in a dilemma, as i am in india where there are so many organizations. Most of them say the mahamantra starts with Hare Rama and they claim that it is written in as such in the Vedas and Puranas and that our Gaudiya sampradaya has reversed it. So please tell me what is actually true.

Your unworthy servant,
Parth Manhas

Answer: We Follow Lord Caitanya, Who is Krishna Himself

From: Solferino, Mauritius

My Dear Parth,

Please accept my blessings.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

The Gaudiya Vaisnavas have not reversed it. In many authoritative scriptures Hare Krishna precedes Hare Rama. For example:

Ananta Samhita:

hare krishna hare krishna krishna krishna hare hare hare rama hare
rama rama rama hare hare sodasaitani namani dvatrimsad varna kani
hi kalau yuge mahamantrah sammato jiva tarane

“Hare Krishna hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. This hari-nama mahamantra consists of sixteen names and thirty-two syllables. In Kali-yuga this mantra can deliver all jivas.”

In the Brahma Yamala, Lord Shiva states:

harim bina nasti kincat papani-starakam kalau tasmal-lokod-dharana-
artham hari-nama prakasayet sarvatra mucyate loko mahapapat kalau
yuge hare-krsna pada dvandvam krsneti ca pada-dvayam tatha hare-
pada-dvandvam hare-rama iti dvayam tad-ante ca mahadevi- rama rama
dvayam vadet hare hare tato bru-yad harinama samud dharet
mahamantram ca krsnasya sarva papa pranasakam

“He Mahadevi! Look! In Kali-yuga there is no easier way to eradicate sins than by sri-hari-nama. It is therefore essential to propagate sri hari-nama among the general populace. The people in Kaliyuga can be easily liberated from the greatest hell by performing sankirtana of this mahamantra. To chant the mahamantra, first chant Hare Krishna twice, then chant Krishna twice, then Hare twice. After that, chant Hare Rama twice, then Rama twice and again Hare twice. One should chant, articulate and perform sankirtana etc., of Sri Krishna’s mahamantra, which destroys all sins.”

In the Radhahrdya Khanda of the Brahmanda Purana, Romaharsana Suta prays to Sri Veda Vyasa as follows:

yat tvaya kirtitam natha hari-nameti sanjitam mantram brahmapadam siddhi karam

“He Vibho! He Prabhu! Please instruct me in the brahma svarupa nama mantra of Sri-Hari which is the bestower of all perfections.”

In reply, Sri Veda Vyasa gives the following instruction:

grhanad yasya mantrasya dehi brahmamayo bhavet sadhyah putah surapo
‘pi sarvasiddhi-yuto bhavet tad-aham te bhidhasyami mahabhagavato
hamsi hare krishna hare krishna krishna krishna hare hare hare rama
hare rama rama rama hare hare iti sodasakam namnam tri-kala
kalmasapaham natah parataropayah sarva vedesu vidhyate

“O my son, I will certainly instruct you in that maha-mantra, the acceptance of which a person in the bodily conception of life can be liberated and even a drunkard can quickly become purified and attain all perfection. I will instruct you because you are a maha-bhagavata and a suitable candidate. Just see! The sixteen word mahamantra:

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

can destroy the sins of the three worlds. The four Vedas do not mention a method for achieving liberation from material bondage csuperior to the chanting of this mahamantra.”

The Ananta Samhita also states:

hare krishna hare krishna krishna krishna hare hare hare rama hare
rama rama rama hare hare sodasautani namani dvatrimsad varnakani hi
kalau yuge mahamantrah sammato jiva tarane utsrajyaitan-mahamantram
ye tvanyat kalpitam padam maha-nameti gayanti te sastra-guru-lani-ghanah

“All sastras agree that the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, which is composed of sixteen names and thirty-two syllables, is the illustrious mantra to deliver the jivas in Kali-yuga. Those who neglect this mahamantra and accept any other process, due to their own imagination or the imagination of others, are actually disobeying guru and sastra. If someone asks, ‘Why is this sixteen word Hare Krishna mantra the mahamantra' then the following answer is given:

‘Among all of Krishna’s names no name other than Hari can easily take away sins, great misfortune and ignorance. No name other than Krishna can deliver prema. And no name other than Rama can bestow liberation.’

This is why the mahamantra is composed of these three primary names. Secondly, these sixteen names are an invocation. Om, svaha, etc., are not required to make the mantra more potent. For this reason it is called the mahamantra.”

But of course, it is not a major controversy if in some places it is mentioned to chant Hare Rama first. Because once you get chanting it does not make any difference.

If should also be noted that Lord Caitanya, who is Krishna Himself, chanted the mahamantra beginning with Hare Krishna. Therefore we follow His perfect example.

I hope this meets you in the best of health and in an ecstatic mood.

Your ever well-wisher,
Sankarshan Das Adhikari