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Hare Krsna means

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Hare Kṛṣṇa means when I hear the sound, the transcendental sound vibration Kṛṣṇa, that means Kṛṣṇa is on my tongue, on my ear. Therefore, if we chant this vibration of transcendental sound with devotion and with attention, that is the highest type of meditation and yoga.
Lecture on BG 4.9-11 -- New York, July 25, 1966:

This is dual, the world of duality. But the absolute world, there is no such difference. Just like we are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare. This name Kṛṣṇa and the personality Kṛṣṇa is the same. Is the same. Hare Kṛṣṇa means when I hear the sound, the transcendental sound vibration Kṛṣṇa, that means Kṛṣṇa is on my tongue, on my ear. Therefore, if we chant this vibration of transcendental sound with devotion and with attention, that is the highest type of meditation and yoga. And very easy. The process is that you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and exactly the same sound you hear. So your mind is concentrated on this Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa is not different. This sound Kṛṣṇa is not different from person Kṛṣṇa. Therefore when we chant...

Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare
Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare

(My dear Lord, and the spiritual energy of the Lord, kindly engage me in Your service. I am now embarrassed with this material service. Please engage me in Your service.)

...it is as good as Kṛṣṇa.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

The chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa means thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava: "Just always think of Me."
Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- Caracas, February 21, 1975:

Kṛṣṇa says that "I am situated in everyone's heart. Simply one has to become qualified to hear Me." And what is that qualification? That qualification is practice of bhakti-yoga. It is said, teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam. Bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam means bhakti-yoga, always engaged in service of the Lord with love and affection. So teṣām, those who are always, twenty-four hours, engaged in loving service of the Lord, to him only He gives instruction, "You do like this." And what is that instruction? Yena mām upayānti te. The instruction is meant for giving him facilities to come back to home, back to Godhead. Here in this material world we are struggling for existence, and therefore we are not happy here. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "You give up all these rascal engagement; you simply just surrender unto Me." And when we are surrendered, that surrender is oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. That means "Kṛṣṇa, Vāsudeva, I accept Your proposal. I offer my respectful obeisances unto You." Then begin your loving service to render to Kṛṣṇa, and gradually you will get instruction from within, "You do like this, you do like this, you do like this." So it is not difficult for anyone. It is very simple thing. And what is that simple thing? Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65), means "Always think of Me, man-manāḥ. You just become My devotee." Unless one is devotee he cannot always think of Kṛṣṇa. That is not possible. On the other hand, who thinks of Kṛṣṇa twenty-four hours, he is devotee. Therefore we are spreading this news that "You chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." The chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa means thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava: "Just always think of Me."

This process of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa means making him cleansed of all sinful reactions. So he'll chant, he'll hear, and as he hears, his heart becomes clean.
Lecture on SB 1.2.5 -- Vrndavana, October 16, 1972:

Thing is that if you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, this very process will make his heart clean. Kṛṣṇa consciousness can be understood not in dirty condition of mind. Yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpam. That is the definition given by Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa..., to understand Kṛṣṇa is not so easy. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām. Persons who are simply engaged in pious activities and completely all sinful reaction of his life has ceased, te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā bhajante mām (BG 7.28), he's no, no more hesitating or checked. Ahaituky apratihatā. He can serve Kṛṣṇa, he can love Kṛṣṇa. So this process of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa means making him cleansed of all sinful reactions. So he'll chant, he'll hear, and as he hears, his heart becomes clean. Then he will naturally inquire about Kṛṣṇa. So you have to create that situation. You go on chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, and as people will hear, his heart will be cleansed. Naturally he will be inquiring about Kṛṣṇa. They do not inquire about Kṛṣṇa because the heart is... (break) ...hearing and chanting. Then he'll be cleansed.

Any form of the Lord Viṣṇu. Hare Kṛṣṇa means the Supreme Lord and His spiritual potency.
Lecture on SB 1.7.19 -- Vrndavana, September 16, 1976:
It requires good brain to understand how Kṛṣṇa can appear in a form which can be seen by us. How Kṛṣṇa can appear in a form of sound which we can hear. It is for our benefit. Not that it is material. Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says, golokera prema-dhana hari-nāma saṅkīrtana. Hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana is not ordinary sound. Don't treat it as ordinary sound. It is the... Just like we, by radio we can send message from Europe, it may come to India. (break) ...such powerful machine and you can talk. That is possible. But that is not this sound. Golokera prema-dhana hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana, rati nā janmilo kene tāy. So don't think that this hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana is ordinary vibration of this material world. Never think so. You should immediately see that the saṅkīrtana, Hare Kṛṣṇa, is Kṛṣṇa and Rādhā. Harā and Kṛṣṇa. Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa or Sītā-Rāma or Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa. Any form of the Lord Viṣṇu. Hare Kṛṣṇa means the Supreme Lord and His spiritual potency. So we address; Hare, "Oh, the energy, spiritual energy of the Lord," and Kṛṣṇa, "O the Supreme Lord," Hare Rāma, the same thing. Paraṁ Brahman. Rāma means Paraṁ Brahman, Kṛṣṇa means Paraṁ Brahman and... So what is the meaning of addressing, "He Kṛṣṇa, He Rādhe, He Rāma." Why? There should be some... Why you are asking? That "Just engage me in your service." That is taught by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Hare Kṛṣṇa means, "O Kṛṣṇa, O Harā, Kṛṣṇa's energy, Rādhārāṇī, Harā..." Hari Harā. So this addressing, "O Kṛṣṇa, O Kṛṣṇa's internal potency..."
Lecture on SB 3.26.22 -- Bombay, December 31, 1974:

This is our only business. This Hare Kṛṣṇa means, "O Kṛṣṇa, O Harā, Kṛṣṇa's energy, Rādhārāṇī, Harā..." Hari Harā. So this addressing, "O Kṛṣṇa, O Kṛṣṇa's internal potency..." Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare, chanting, addressing: "O Lord Kṛṣṇa, O the internal energy of Kṛṣṇa." So They will respond that "Why you are calling Me, or Us?" You have to submit, "Please again accept me as Your eternal servant." This is the only prayer, not that "Give me this money, this me that, this me that. Give me that." No. That is not pure devotion. That is devotion, but it is mixed. Catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ sukṛtinaḥ. That is pious life. When we ask from Kṛṣṇa anything other than devotional service, that is pious activities. That is not devotional activities. Devotional activity is different from pious activity. By pious activities you can get material, so-called happiness, Janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrī (SB 1.8.26). You can get birth in very nice family, rich family, brāhmaṇa family, janma, and you can get immense wealth, born with silver spoon, and aiśvarya-śruta, education, nice education, material education, and śrī, beauty. Generally, you will find in aristocratic family, rich family, they are very beautiful, they have got education, they have got wealth and good family, aristocratic family. So these are result of pious activities.

"Hare Kṛṣṇa," means... Hare means "O the energy of God and Kṛṣṇa. O Kṛṣṇa, Lord Kṛṣṇa, please engage me in Your service." This is Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Honolulu, June 8, 1975:

Therefore intelligent devotee they do not ask like the unintelligent devotee go to the church and pray to God, "Give us our daily bread." He's God's servant, and He will not get your bread? You have to ask from God? No. God is giving bread to the eight million other living entities. Birds, beast, tigers, elephants, they are not going to the church for asking bread. But they are getting it. So if God is supplying everyone's food, why He shall not supply you? He is supplying you. So we should not go to God for begging some material benefit. That is not actual devotion. We shall go to God for begging how one can be engaged in His service. That should be the begging: "Hare Kṛṣṇa," means... Hare means "O the energy of God and Kṛṣṇa. O Kṛṣṇa, Lord Kṛṣṇa, please engage me in Your service." This is Hare Kṛṣṇa. Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. It is simply praying, "O my Lord Kṛṣṇa, O Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, Kṛṣṇa's energy, kindly engage me in Your service." That's all. Finished all business. This is Vaiṣṇava. So Vaiṣṇava has no necessity. He knows that "I have no necessity. My only business is to serve Kṛṣṇa." Therefore he is happy in all conditions.

"Your this solitary chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa means that you want cheap popularity—'Oh, he is chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa.' " That is not possible. You cannot imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura.
Lecture on SB 6.2.1 -- Vrndavana, September 5, 1975:

My Guru Mahārāja condemned it. He said, mana tumi kisera vaiṣṇava: "What a rascal you are. You are thinking that you are Vaiṣṇava." Nirjanera ghare... What is that? I forget now. Tava hari-nāma kevala kaitava. Pratiṣṭhāra tare, nirjanera ghare, tava hari-nāma kevala kaitava: "My dear mind, you are very much proud of becoming Vaiṣṇava. In a solitary place you are imitating Haridāsa Ṭhākura." Nirjanera ghare, pratiṣṭhāra tare: "Your this solitary chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa means that you want cheap popularity—'Oh, he is chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa.' " That is not possible. You cannot imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura. So by imitating Haridāsa Ṭhākura, keeping connection with woman and doing all nonsense, you cannot imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura. You must work. You must go out for chanting, for preaching. This is the real chanting. Yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa' upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). This is wanted, Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has never said that "You may imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura, and in a solitary place, 'Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa... Bidi, bidi, bidi.' " Not like that. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, "Go out."

Hare Kṛṣṇa means Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, and Hare Rāma means Sītā-Rāma. So either you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa or Sītā-Rāma, it is the same.
Lecture on SB 6.2.8 -- Vrndavana, September 11, 1975:

Kṛṣṇa has so many expansion, rāmādi-mūrtiṣu: Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, Varāha, ity ādi. So Kṛṣṇa is existing with innumerable expansion of His form. Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanam (Bs. 5.33). So Hare Kṛṣṇa and Hare Rāma. Therefore it is enjoined by the śāstra, "Chant these two names: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare." So Rāma and Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord, and Hare means Harā. So Harā means the potency, pleasure potency of the Supreme Lord, Harā. It is addressed as Hare. So Hare Kṛṣṇa means Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, and Hare Rāma means Sītā-Rāma. So either you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa or Sītā-Rāma, it is the same. And this is the only way. This is only. There is no difficulty. So however your condition may be fallen, take this instruction of the śāstras and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

"Hare Kṛṣṇa" means he is not seriously chanting, but he is trying to joke the other party who is engaged in chanting. And that is also good, pārihāsya. During Caitanya Mahāprabhu's time, the Muslims, they used to joke the Hindus, "Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa." So the practice made them chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on SB 6.2.13 -- Vrndavana, September 15, 1975:

Just like sometimes on the street some outsider, seeing you, they chant Hare Kṛṣṇa only by the symbolic, sāṅketya. Because they see: "They have got tilaka, kunti." Therefore these things are required. Don't become immediately paramahaṁsa—no tilaka, no kunti and no bead bag. This is not good. Sāṅketya. So that others may understand, "Here is a Vaiṣṇava. Here is a Kṛṣṇa devotee..." And if he is simple, he'll chant, "Hare Kṛṣṇa." This chance should be given. Therefore it is necessary, how people can utter. That chanting may save him from the greatest danger. Therefore it is said, sāṅketyaṁ pārihāsyam. If somebody jokes... Sometimes they do that. "Hare Kṛṣṇa" means he is not seriously chanting, but he is trying to joke the other party who is engaged in chanting. And that is also good, pārihāsya. During Caitanya Mahāprabhu's time, the Muslims, they used to joke the Hindus, "Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa." So the practice made them chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. And the police officer was informed by the constables that "These Hindus are chanting 'Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa.' " The police officer asked him, "Then why you are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa?" By imitating, they became practiced to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. It is so nice, even joking, symbolic. Sāṅketyaṁ pārihāsyaṁ stobham. Or prema. Helanam eva vā. Without any care, "Hare Kṛṣṇa," any way, if you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, then vaikuṇṭha-nāma grahaṇam aśeṣa agha-haram. Agha. Agha means sinful activities.

"Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa," means thinking of Kṛṣṇa. As soon as you hear the name of Kṛṣṇa, man-manā. And who will do that? Mad-bhakta. Unless you become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, you cannot waste your time, "Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa."
Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- Vrndavana, December 2, 1975:

Everything is there in the Bhagavad-gītā. Unfortunately, we do not take care of it and we make our own interpretation. This rascaldom is going on. And perhaps we are the only society who is proclaiming, "Here is God, Kṛṣṇa. Take it." We are the only society in the whole world. Otherwise they are all misled, all misled. So anyway, others may cooperate or noncooperate, we don't mind. But we cannot change our policy. Our policy is: Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the Supreme;" we must declare throughout the whole world that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme. Kṛṣṇa says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). We shall declare to the whole world that "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme. There is no more superior anyone than Kṛṣṇa." This is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). We are preaching this. In this temple we are asking eveyone, "Here is Kṛṣṇa. Always think of Kṛṣṇa. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." Then you will have to think, "Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa," means thinking of Kṛṣṇa. As soon as you hear the name of Kṛṣṇa, man-manā. And who will do that? Mad-bhakta. Unless you become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, you cannot waste your time, "Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa." That means simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra you become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Hare Kṛṣṇa means thinking of Kṛṣṇa and His energy. There is no question of destruction. It is purification.
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.109-114 -- San Francisco, February 20, 1967:

Prabhupāda: Well, when you are chanting, that is thinking, practically thinking. When you are chanting, you are practically thinking. When you are cooking, it is practically thinking. You are cooking for Kṛṣṇa. You are typing for Kṛṣṇa. You are chanting Kṛṣṇa's name.

Kīrtanānanda: But there seems to be also a stage of not thinking. Is that... When one is chanting, should they not think or should they think of Kṛṣṇa?

Prabhupāda: No, no. Not thinking is not there. Thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Hare Kṛṣṇa means thinking of Kṛṣṇa and His energy. There is no question of destruction. It is purification. The psychic power—thinking, feeling and willing—is purified. Tat-paratvena nirmalam. Nirmalam means purified. But it is not lost. It is not lost. Purified. And when it is purified, hṛṣīkena hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate (CC Madhya 19.170), with that purified sense, purified mind, when you apply it for Kṛṣṇa, that is called bhakti, Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Hare Kṛṣṇa means "O the energy of Kṛṣṇa, O Kṛṣṇa, please engage me in Your service. I have given service to this material world so much, but I could not satisfy the master, neither I am satisfied."
Arrival Address -- Los Angeles, February 9, 1975:

Anyone who is engaged very seriously, satata-yuktānām, twenty-four hours, thinking, "Kṛṣṇa, how can I serve you...?" This is the only business. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Four things: Always think of Kṛṣṇa... This Hare Kṛṣṇa means "O the energy of Kṛṣṇa, O Kṛṣṇa, please engage me in Your service. I have given service to this material world so much, but I could not satisfy the master, neither I am satisfied." Everyone is serving society, friendship, love, family, country, but none of them are satisfied. None of them sat... Even your President, he could not satisfy you. You had to drag him down. Neither he could satisfy himself. Even Gandhi could not satisfy his countrymen. Although he gave so much service, he was shot dead. So this is the material world. You cannot satisfy anyone, neither you become satisfied, materially engaged. This is called material world. We may show some artificial satisfaction, but there cannot be satisfaction in the material world. First of all, you have to take it as axiomatic truth that there is no happiness and there cannot be any satisfaction in this material world. Then you'll make, spiritually advance. If you have got little faith still that "I can be satisfied; I can be happy materially," then that is māyā's influence. That is māyā's influence. There is no possibility.

Initiation Lectures

This prayer Hare Kṛṣṇa means "Kṛṣṇa, I am so much harassed by this service of this māyā. Now please engage me in Your service." This is our prayer.
Initiation of Satyabhama Dasi and Gayatri Initiation of Devotees Going to London -- Montreal, July 26, 1968:

Just (like) I pour water on the root. The branches, the leaves, the flowers, the fruits and everything, they will immediately... Pay tax to the government, central government. The tax is distributed—the education department, municipal department, this department, that department. Therefore the people are missing the center. They are trying to satisfy one another, but nobody is satisfied. And by illusion they cannot understand this mistake. Everyone is very much proud: "Oh, I am serving my country." And he does not know what somebody, his countrymen, will come and kill him. You see? He does not know that. This is māyā. So one should be intelligent to serve Kṛṣṇa. This prayer Hare Kṛṣṇa means "Kṛṣṇa, I am so much harassed by this service of this māyā. Now please engage me in Your service." This is our prayer. And as soon as I am engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service, then I will be satisfied, Kṛṣṇa will be satisfied, and the whole world will be satisfied. So nobody should interpret any other way. This is direct meaning. Nāmna artha-vādaḥ. Or to imagine some meaning. No imagination. It is all direct interpretation or direct meaning.

Always engaged in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇotkīrtana. Hare Kṛṣṇa means Kṛṣṇa-kīrtana.
Initiation of Rukmini Dasi -- Montreal, August 15, 1968:

This today, a devotee is being initiated, so we are praying to the lotus feet of the six Gosvāmīs, who inaugurated this movement under the instruction of Lord Śrī Caitanya. Who are they? Śrī rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau. Just try to chant these six names. (sings) (devotees chant) Vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau. Repeat. Again. Rūpa, sanātana, two, vande rūpa-sanātanau, raghu-yugau. There were two Raghunāthas. One Raghunātha Bhaṭṭācārya and one Raghunātha dāsa. Two Raghunāthas, and Rūpa, Sanātana. Vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau. (chants first verse again) So what was their business? Kṛṣṇot-kīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau. Always engaged in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇotkīrtana. Hare Kṛṣṇa means Kṛṣṇa-kīrtana. Kṛṣṇotkīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau. Nartana means dancing. So chanting and dancing. That was their business. Kṛṣṇotkīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau premāmṛtāmbho-nidhī. And Kṛṣṇa kīrtana, whenever one is merged in Kṛṣṇa kīrtana, that means he is merged into the ocean of love of Kṛṣṇa. That should be the test. As soon as "Kṛṣṇa," this sound is vibrated, one immediately becomes merged into the ocean of love. That is the sign of pure devotion. Immediately. So these Gosvāmīs, they... Premāmṛtāmbho-nidhī. They merged immediately into the ocean of love of God. (sings) Kṛṣṇotkīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau premāmṛtāmbho-nidhī, dhīrādhīra-jana-priyau priya-karau nirmatsarau pūjitau. And these Gosvāmīs were dear both to the devotees and nondevotees. Not that they were simply liked by the devotees, but nondevotees also liked them. That was their position.

This chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa means ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam, cleansing the heart. And as soon as one is cleansed of the heart, that pure consciousness comes. Then he is liberated.
Initiations -- New York, July 23, 1971:

Bimalā. Bimalā means spotless, where there is no dirty things. You know the rules and regulations? Yes. If you follow the rules and regulation, then there will be no dirt. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (devotees chant japa) Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). Our, this process is simply to make the mind dirtyless. We are... Our mind is full of dirty things, so this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa means ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam, cleansing the heart. And as soon as one is cleansed of the heart, that pure consciousness comes. Then he is liberated. Bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam. All problems solved immediately. Due to misunderstanding of our position we have created so many dirty things.

General Lectures

So chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa means you are associating with Kṛṣṇa. That means you are directly in touch with the root of everything.
Lecture -- London, August 11, 1971:

So this is the technique of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that if you learn how to love Kṛṣṇa, then you will love everything. Otherwise, your love will be localized and you will be frustrated. It is most scientific. And our process is very simple: chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. That's all. Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's name—nondifferent. So chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa means you are associating with Kṛṣṇa. That means you are directly in touch with the root of everything. So by advancing in love for Kṛṣṇa, you can love your society, your country, your community, your family, your husband, your wife, your children, your friend—everything, complete, pūrṇam. Pūrṇam adaḥ pūrṇam idaṁ pūrṇāt pūrṇam udacyate, pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya (Iso Invocation). And that love will never be ended. Pūrṇa. Love of Kṛṣṇa is so complete that you go on distributing this love; it will never be expended. It will remain the same stock. So I am very glad to see you in this temple. Please try to understand our philosophy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We have got books, and at the same time we have got the simple method, chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa, in which even a small child can take part.

Hare Kṛṣṇa means we are addressing the Supreme Lord and His energy. Hara means the energy of the Supreme Lord, and Kṛṣṇa means the Supreme Lord.
Lecture at Bharata Chamber of Commerce 'Culture and Business' -- Calcutta, January 30, 1973:

If Bismillah means Hare Kṛṣṇa... It is a question of language. So if meaning the same thing, Hare Kṛṣṇa... Hare Kṛṣṇa means we are addressing the Supreme Lord and His energy. Hara means the energy of the Supreme Lord, and Kṛṣṇa means the Supreme Lord. So we are addressing, "My dear Lord, my dear the energy of Lord..." Because Lord and His energy, they are, they are always existing. Just like sun and the sunshine, they're always existing. Sunshine is the energy, but sun is the energetic. Similarly, the Lord is there and His energy's also there. So we are praying both to the energy and to the Lord: "Please engage me in Your service. I am serving māyā. I am not happy. Therefore, please engage me in Your..." My, my constitutional position is to serve. Just like you're all sitting here. Every one of you are servant. If you consider that you are master, that is a mistake. That is māyā. Every one of you are servant. So "I am serving, but now I am serving māyā. I'm not happy. Let me serve You." This is the meaning of Hare Kṛṣṇa. So if it means that, there is no objection. It is a question of language. It does mean (indistinct). Of course, Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktis tatrārpitā niyamitaḥ smaraṇe na kālaḥ. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says the, the person whose name we chant, holy name, in each, in each holy Allah, or something like that, that is not objected if it is actually meaning the Supreme. If it is meaning something else, that is another thing.

Hare Kṛṣṇa means addressing the energy of God, Hara. God is with His energy. Just like fire is with its energy, heat and light, similarly, God has got energies, many energies.
Lecture at St. Pascal's Franciscan Seminary -- Melbourne, June 28, 1974:

If you are fixed up in God consciousness, then nothing of these material disturbances can agitate you. Yasmin sthite guruṇāpi duḥkhena. So people should try to attain that perfect transcendental position so that he is fully satisfied, no more want. So that is called bhakti-yoga, and we are teaching and propagating this bhakti-yoga. People are disturbed in so many ways in this age of Kali. To give them real satisfaction of life is to awaken them to the platform of God consciousness. So the simple method is chanting the holy name of God. We are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Hare Kṛṣṇa means addressing the energy of God, Hara. God is with His energy. Just like fire is with its energy, heat and light, similarly, God has got energies, many energies. The principal energies are the spiritual energy and the material energy. So we are under the material energy at the present moment. So we have to transfer ourself to the spiritual energy, because we are spirit. Just like you take the fish on the land. Because land is not the place for the fish, however you try to make him comfortable, he will never be comfortable. You throw him in the water—he is comfortable. Similarly, we are spirit. We are now encaged within this material body. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā (BG 2.13). So our business should be how to get out of this material energy and put ourself under the spiritual energy. Then our life will be fully satisfied.

Hare Kṛṣṇa means, "Oh Hara, Oh Kṛṣṇa." Because Kṛṣṇa's there, Kṛṣṇa's energy is there. Kṛṣṇa is not alone.
Lecture on Science of Krsna -- Hyderabad, April 14, 1975:

Nārāyaṇa is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is Nārāyaṇa. And oṁ namo is addressing Him, "Oh Nārāyaṇa, please engage me in Your service." Hare Kṛṣṇa is also addressing. Hare, Hara, the potency of Kṛṣṇa or the potency or energy of Kṛṣṇa, "Oh Kṛṣṇa, please engage me in Your service." This is Hare Kṛṣṇa. The same meaning. There is no difference. The real business is that Kṛṣṇa is asking to surrender. That is Kṛṣṇa's mission. And if we voluntarily surrender, then Kṛṣṇa becomes very pleased. So this is surrender. "Oh Kṛṣṇa, Oh energy of Kṛṣṇa, kindly engage me again in Your service." That's all. This is Hare Kṛṣṇa. Hare Kṛṣṇa means, "Oh Hara, Oh Kṛṣṇa." Because Kṛṣṇa's there, Kṛṣṇa's energy is there. Kṛṣṇa is not alone. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). So Kṛṣṇa's one energy is this material energy, mama māyā. This māyā is also Kṛṣṇa's energy. It is not different from Kṛṣṇa. Śakti śaktimatayor abheda. There is no difference between fire and the heat. Heat is also fire. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's energy, they're one. At the same time, different. This is called acintya-bhedābheda-tattva. Caitanya Mahāprabhu's. Simultaneously one and different.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

Hare Kṛṣṇa means, "Oh, the energy of Kṛṣṇa, or energy of the Lord," and Kṛṣṇa, "the Lord." So Hare Kṛṣṇa. Hare Kṛṣṇa means I am praying not only to the Lord, but to the energy also. This is natural.
Room Conversation -- October 20, 1968, Seattle:

Prabhupāda: ...the whole atmosphere, you should come and disturb. You are making... You cannot understand? And the whole attention is diverted to you. So harā, harā is the form of the word... Hare is the form of the word harā when address, when She is addressed. And Kṛṣṇa, when He's addressed, the form does not change. This is grammatical rule. So Hare Kṛṣṇa means, "Oh, the energy of Kṛṣṇa, or energy of the Lord," and Kṛṣṇa, "the Lord." So Hare Kṛṣṇa. Hare Kṛṣṇa means I am praying not only to the Lord, but to the energy also. This is natural. Just like a man and woman. In whole world there is combination of male and female, either... Any society, human society, or bird society or dog society or animal society. Why this male and female? Why? Female is the energy, energy of the male. Why a man takes, marries a woman and takes responsibility...? Of course, in your country they marry as a matter of joke, immediately divorce after week or after seven days. But marriage means to take full responsibility of a woman. That is real marriage, Vedic marriage. We, when I get married our boys and girls, the boy takes this vow that "I take responsibility of your maintenance throughout your whole life," and the girl promises that "I desire to serve you throughout my whole life." So the woman, the female, is the energy. When a man comes at home, he sees that everything is nicely decorated, my wife is well-dressed and foodstuff is nicely prepared, he becomes encouraged. He can work more nicely. Therefore woman is the energy. The woman gives the energy and he can work. Wherefrom this idea came? The idea came because it is originally here, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Everything is coming from the Supreme; otherwise where do you get this idea? Sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Even while walking on the beach, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa means we are walking with Kṛṣṇa.
Morning Walk -- March 30, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Karma-yogena also. Karma-yoga and...

Dr. Patel: Any work you do for the sake of Kṛṣṇa...

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes.

Dr. Patel: ...is karma-yoga. And yogena means?

Prabhupāda: Yoga means to connect with Kṛṣṇa. Nirbandhe kṛṣṇa-sambandha. That is yoga. (break) ...in touch with Kṛṣṇa, this Hare Kṛṣṇa. Always in touch. Because the Kṛṣṇa's name and Kṛṣṇa is nondifferent. So if you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, then you are always in Kṛṣṇa, with Kṛṣṇa. Even while walking on the beach, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa means we are walking with Kṛṣṇa.

Dr. Patel: And we are reading this Bhagavad-gītā. Here, we are chanting.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is also.

Hare Kṛṣṇa means always remain guṇātīta.
Morning Walk -- March 31, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That guṇātītaḥ, that guṇātītaḥ is possible, that māṁ ca avyabhicāriṇi-bhakti-yogena yaḥ sevate, sa... (BG 14.26)?

Dr. Patel: Guṇān etān samatītyaitān...

Prabhupāda: Etān samatītyaitān.

Dr. Patel: Brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26).

Prabhupāda: Brahma-bhūyāya... Yes. (break) ...only process to take to bhakti-yoga. (break) ...Hare Kṛṣṇa means always remain guṇātīta.

Mr. Sar: Yes, correct. Because you are always... (break)

Prabhupāda: ...Kṛṣṇa. Definitely. (break) ...not independently. (break)

Guest (5): ...why the Jesus says you offer the other cheek? Which is better? Is the choice of us to be violent or nonviolent?

Prabhupāda: Yes. The persons to whom Jesus Christ taught, they were already fighting. Therefore his first injunction is "Thou shalt not kill." They were already killers. You see? And Arjuna is a gentleman. He was thinking before killing. Therefore he has to be induced, "You kill like this." But they were already killers. Otherwise why Jesus Christ said, "Thou shalt not kill"? That means that society was accustomed to kill. (break) Yes, that (indistinct) circumstance.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Hare Kṛṣṇa means "O Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa's energy, please accept me as Your servant."
Room Conversation with Jesuit -- May 19, 1975, Melbourne:

Śrutakīrti: He said do we go out and make other disciples.

Prabhupāda: No, we don't accept as disciple anyone who does not follow the rules and regulations.

Jesuit: Is it by prayer to God that you help the world?

Prabhupāda: Yes, this is prayer, Hare Kṛṣṇa. Hare Kṛṣṇa means "O Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa's energy, please accept me as Your servant."

Jesuit: But are you praying for all these people outside who do not belong to...

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Our policy is, "Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, please engage me in Your service." Hare Kṛṣṇa means, "O Kṛṣṇa, O the energy of Kṛṣṇa, please engage me in Your service." We create problem. Otherwise, no problem. Kṛṣṇa has arranged everything.
Morning Walk -- July 8, 1975, Chicago:

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. (break) ...is concerned, "How Kṛṣṇa will keep good health?" And we are concerned, "Kṛṣṇa will go to hell. Please supply me food so that I might keep my health good." That is the difference between materialistic and spiritualist. The foolish man does not understand that Kṛṣṇa is supplying food to the elephant, to the ant, and why I shall go to the church for asking my food? It is already there. And our policy is, "Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, please engage me in Your service." Hare Kṛṣṇa means, "O Kṛṣṇa, O the energy of Kṛṣṇa, please engage me in Your service." We create problem. Otherwise, no problem. Kṛṣṇa has arranged everything. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). Just see so many fruits for the birds. They are so sumptuously supplied, they are thrown. Pūrṇam idam (Īśo Invocation). Everything is sufficient. But these rascal blind, they do not know. They are trying to adjust. What adjustment? It is already sufficient. You are misusing that. Sufficient land, sufficient intelligence. Everything is sufficient. They are misusing. In Africa, in Australia, sufficient land, and they are raising cattle to kill them. This is their intelligence. And growing coffee and tea.

Correspondence

1969 Correspondence

Hare Krishna means "Oh Hare, Oh Radharani! Oh Krishna! Please engage me in Your service so that I can get relief from the service of Maya."
Letter to Subala -- Los Angeles 8 July, 1969:

Regarding your arrest by the police, it was Krishna's desire, so that it is now authoritatively admitted that we are not guilty. You can take a certified copy of the judgement. This will help not only your center, but other centers also. It will be of considerable aid in getting permission from the police. You take this copy immediately and make several photostat copies, and send to every center and one copy to me. Get mrdangas and karatalas from New York. Keep our books and magazines sufficiently, and make propaganda. You are now a veteran devotee, so you can help others and yourself nicely. Simply you have to execute the principles very rigidly and faithfully. Then everything is there, and all success is at your command. Regarding you taking a job, I hope if you properly execute your activities, you will have no lack of money. In the beginning there may be a little hardship, but everywhere it has proved successful. I have information from Brahmananda that last month they collected about $2,400. So after all, it is all Krishna's money. When He sees us very faithful and trustworthy, He gives up His money for expenditures. Simply pray to Krishna that you may be able by His Grace to serve Him nicely. Our prayer of the Hare Krishna Mantra means addressing Radha and Krishna for being engaged in Their service. Hare Krishna means "Oh Hare, Oh Radharani! Oh Krishna! Please engage me in Your service so that I can get relief from the service of Maya." Just like a person resigns from an inferior quality of service and accepts a superior quality of service, similarly, our prayer to Krishna is to give us relief from the inferior quality of service to Maya, and to be engaged in the superior quality of service to Krishna. Service we have to render, and the whole process is to accept the superior quality of service in Krishna Consciousness. I hope this finds you in good health.

Page Title:Hare Krsna means
Compiler:Rishab, Serene
Created:31 of Jan, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=19, Con=5, Let=1
No. of Quotes:25