Meanings of the Maha Mantra
I posted this many years ago and it has made the rounds once or twice. But I like to keep everything here on the blog. This article contains three interpretations of the Holy Name, by (1) Jiva Goswami, (2) Gopala Guru Goswami and (3) Raghunath Das Goswami.
Of the three I particularly like Raghunath Das the best, mainly because the name Hari is taken to refer to Krishna because it is being chanted in the mood of Radharani. The name harA for Radha is practically speaking never used in common parlance. I have never seen it used in that way anywhere. But the idea that one is to chant the name in Radha bhava makes a lot of sense to me.
हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरे
हरे राम हरे राम राम राम हरे हरे
hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare
hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare
(1)
महामन्त्रस्य ऐश्वर्यमयी व्याख्या
The Lord's divine qualities revealed in the Mahāmantra (Jiva Goswami)
हरति त्रिविधं तापं जन्मकोटिशतोद्भवम्
पापं च स्मरतां यस्मात् तस्माद्धरिरिति स्मृतः
harati tri-vidhaṁ tāpaṁ janma-koṭi-śatodbhavam
pāpaṁ ca smaratāṁ yasmāt tasmād dharir iti smṛtaḥ
कृषि भूर्वाचकः शब्दो णश्च निर्वृतिसूचकः
तयोरैक्यं परं ब्रह्म कृष्ण इत्यभिधीयते
kṛṣi bhūr-vācakaḥ śabdo ṇaś ca nirvṛti-sūcakaḥ
tayor aikyaṁ paraṁ brahma kṛṣṇa ity abhidhīyate
रमन्ते योगिनोऽनन्ते सत्यानन्दचिदात्मनि
इति रामपदेनासौ परब्रह्माभिधीयते
ramante yogino'nante saty ānanda-cid-ātmani
iti rāma-padenāsau para-brahmābhidhīyate
(b)
महामन्त्रस्य माधुर्यमयी व्याख्या
The Lord's intimate qualities revealed in the Mahāmantra
विज्ञाप्य भगवत्तत्त्वं चिद्घनानन्दविग्रहम्
हरत्यविद्यां तत्कार्यमतो हरिरिति स्मृतः
vijñāpya bhagavat-tattvaṁ cid-ghanānanda-vigraham
haraty avidyāṁ tat-kāryam ato harir iti smṛtaḥ
हरति श्रीकृष्णमनः कृष्णाह्लादस्वरूपिणी
अतो हरेत्यनेनैव श्रीराधा परिकीर्तिता
harati kṛṣṇa-manaḥ kṛṣṇāhlāda-svarūpiṇī
ato harety anenaiva śrī-rādhā parikīrtitā
आनन्दैकसुखस्वामी श्यामः कमललोचनः
गोकुलानन्दनो नन्दनन्दनः कृष्ण ईर्यते
ānandaika-sukha-svāmī śyāmaḥ kamala-locanaḥ
gokulānandano nanda-nandanaḥ kṛṣṇa īryate
वैदग्ध्यसारसर्वस्वं मूर्तलीलाधिदैवतम्
श्रीराधां रमयन् नित्यं राम इत्यभिधीयते
vaidagdhya-sāra-sarvasvaṁ mūrta-līlādhidaivatam
śrī-rādhāṁ ramayan nityaṁ rāma ity abhidhīyate
(c)
महामन्त्रस्य युगलस्मरणमयी व्याख्या
Remembering the Divine Couple through the Mahāmantra
मनो हरति कृष्णस्य कृष्णाह्लादस्वरूपिणी
ततो हरा श्रीराधैव तस्याः सम्बोधनं हरे
mano harati kṛṣṇasya kṛṣṇāhlāda-svarūpiṇī
tato harā śrī-rādhaiva tasyāḥ sambodhanaṁ hare
Because she steals Krishna's mind and because she is the embodiment of Krishna's divine joy, Radha is known as Harā. Hare is the vocative form of that name.
अपगृह्य त्रपां धर्मं धैर्यं मानं व्रजस्त्रीणाम्
वेणुना कर्षति गृहात् तेन कृष्णोऽभिधीयते
apagṛhya trapāṁ dharmaṁ dhairyaṁ mānaṁ vraja-strīṇām
veṇunā karṣati gṛhāt tena kṛṣṇo'bhidhīyate
रमयत्यनिशं रूपलावण्यैर्व्रजयोषिताम्
मनः पञ्चेन्द्रियाणीह रामस्तस्मात् प्रकीर्तितः
ramayaty aniśaṁ rūpa-lāvaṇyair vraja-yoṣitām
manaḥ pañcendriyāṇīha rāmas tasmāt prakīrtitaḥ
(2)
श्रीगोपालगुरुगोस्वामिना विरचिता महामन्त्रस्य व्याख्या
Gopāla Guru Gosvāmī's explanation of the Mahāmantra
(a)
हरे ! हे हरे ! मच्चित्तं हृत्वा भवबन्धनान्मोचय ।
hare ! he hare ! mac-cittaṁ hṛtvā bhava-bandhanān mocaya |
Hare! O Hari, steal my mind and deliver me from bondage to this material world.
कृष्ण ! हे कृष्ण ! मच्चित्तमाकर्षय ।
kṛṣṇa - he kṛṣṇa, mac-cittam ākarṣaya |
Krishna! O Krishna, attract my mind.
हरे ! हे हरे ! स्वमाधुर्येण मच्चित्तं हर ।
hare - he hare, sva-mādhuryeṇa mac-cittaṁ hara |
Hare! O Hari! Capture my mind with the sweetness of your name, form and pastimes.
कृष्ण ! हे कृष्ण ! स्वभक्तद्वारा भजनज्ञानदानेन मच्चित्तं शोधय ।
kṛṣṇa - he kṛṣṇa, sva-bhakta-dvārā bhajana-jñāna-dānena mac-cittaṁ śodhaya |
Krishna! O Krishna! Send me the association of your devotees who will purify my mind through instructions about your devotional service.
कृष्ण ! हे कृष्ण ! नामरूपगुणलीलादिषु मन्निष्ठां कुरु ।
kṛṣṇa - he kṛṣṇa, nāma-rūpa-guṇa-līlādiṣu man-niṣṭhāṁ kuru |
Krishna! O Krishna! Give me unflinching faith in your name, form, qualities and pastimes.
कृष्ण ! हे कृष्ण ! रुचिर्भवतु मे ।
kṛṣṇa - he kṛṣṇa, rucir bhavatu me |
Krishna! O Krishna! Give me a taste for your name, form, qualities and pastimes.
हरे ! हे हरे ! निजसेवायोग्यं मां कुरु ।
hare - he hare, nija-sevā-yogyaṁ māṁ kuru |
Hare! O Hari! Make me worthy to engage in your service.
हरे ! हे हरे ! स्वसेवामादेशय ।
hare - he hare, sva-sevām ādeśaya |
Hare! O Harā, Radha! Order me personally in the service you wish me to perform.
हरे ! हे हरे ! स्वप्रेष्ठेन सह स्वाभीष्टलीलां श्रावय ।
hare - he hare, sva-preṣṭhena saha svābhīṣṭa-līlāṁ śrāvaya |
Hare! O Harā, Radha! Give me the opportunity to hear about
your own favorite pastimes with your beloved Lord
राम ! हे राम ! प्रेष्ठया सह स्वाभीष्टलीलां मां श्रावय ।
rāma - he rāma, preṣṭhayā saha svābhīṣṭa-līlāṁ māṁ śrāvaya |
Rāma! O Rāma! Give me the opportunity to hear about
your own favorite pastimes with your beloved Radha.
हरे ! हे हरे ! स्वप्रेष्ठेन सह स्वाभीष्टलीलां दर्शय ।
hare - he hare, sva-preṣṭhena saha svābhīṣṭa-līlāṁ darśaya |
Hare! O Harā, Radha! Show me your intimate pastimes with your beloved Lord.
राम ! हे राम ! प्रेष्ठया सह स्वाभीष्टलीलां मां दर्शय ।
rāma - he rāma, preṣṭhayā saha svābhīṣṭa-līlāṁ māṁ darśaya |
Rāma! O Rāma! Show me your intimate pastimes with your beloved Radha.
राम ! हे राम ! नामरूपगुणलीलास्मरणादिषु मां योजय ।
rāma - he rāma, nāma-rūpa-guṇa-līlā-smaraṇādiṣu māṁ yojaya |
Rāma! O Rāma! Engage me in hearing, chanting and remembering
your name, form, qualities, pastimes.
राम ! हे राम ! तत्र मां निजसेवायोग्यं कुरु ।
rāma - he rāma, tatra māṁ nija-sevā-yogyaṁ kuru |
Rāma! O Rāma! Make me worthy to engage in your service.
हरे ! हे हरे ! मां स्वाङ्गीकृत्य रमस्व ।
hare - he hare, māṁ svāṅgīkṛtya ramasva |
Hare! O Hari! Please accept me and make love to me.
हरे ! हे हरे ! मया सह रमस्व ।
hare - he hare, mayā saha ramasva |
Hare! O Hari! Take pleasure in me and enjoy with me.
(b)
हरे ! कृष्णस्य मनो हरतीति हरा राधा, तस्याः सम्बोधने हे हरे ।
hare - kṛṣṇasya mano haratīti harā rādhā,
tasyāḥ sambodhane he hare |
Hare! Radha is known as Harā because she steals Krishna's mind.
I call out to her, O Hare! O Rādhe!
कृष्ण ! राधाया मनः कर्षतीति कृष्णः, तस्य सम्बोधने हे कृष्ण ।
kṛṣṇa - rādhāyā manaḥ karṣatīti kṛṣṇaḥ,
tasya sambodhane he kṛṣṇa |
हरे ! कृष्णस्य लोकलज्जाधैर्यादि सर्वं हरतीति हरा राधा, तस्याः सम्बोधने हे हरे ।
hare - kṛṣṇasya lokalajjādhairyādi sarvaṁ haratīti harā rādhā,
tasyāḥ sambodhane he hare |
कृष्ण राधाया लोकलज्जाधैर्यादि सर्वं कर्षतीति कृष्णः, तस्य सम्बोधने हे कृष्ण ।
kṛṣṇa - rādhāyā loka-lajjā-dhairyādi sarvaṁ karṣatīti kṛṣṇaḥ,
tasya sambodhane he kṛṣṇa |
कृष्ण यत्र यत्र राधा तिष्ठति गच्छति वा
तत्र तत्र सा पश्यति क्र्स्नो मां स्पृशति
बलात् कञ्चुकादिकं सर्वं कर्षति हरतीति कृष्णः,
तस्य सम्बोधने हे कृष्ण ।
kṛṣṇa - yatra yatra rādhā tiṣṭhati gacchati vā
tatra tatra sā paśyati krsno māṁ spṛśati
balāt kañcukādikaṁ sarvaṁ karṣati haratīti kṛṣṇaḥ,
tasya sambodhane he kṛṣṇa |
Krishna ! Wherever Radha is standing, or wherever she happens to be going, she thinks, Krishna is watching me, he is touching me, he is pulling on my bodice. He is drawing me towards him. I call out to him, O Lord! O Krishna!
कृष्ण ! पुनर्हर्षतां गमयति वनं कर्षतीति कृष्णः,
तस्य सम्बोधने हे कृष्ण ।
kṛṣṇa - punar harṣatāṁ gamayati vanaṁ karṣatīti kṛṣṇaḥ,
tasya sambodhane he kṛṣṇa |
हरे ! यत्र कृष्णो गच्छति तिष्ठति वा तत्र तत्र पश्यति राधा ममाग्रे
पार्श्वे सर्वत्र तिष्ठतीति हरा, तस्याः सम्बोधने हे हरे ।
hare - yatra kṛṣṇo gacchati tiṣṭhati vā tatra tatra paśyati rādhā mamāgre
pārśve sarvatra tiṣṭhatīti harā, tasyāḥ sambodhane he hare |
हरे पुनस्तं कृष्णं हरति स्वस्थानमभिसारयतीति हरा राधा,
तस्याः सम्बोधने हे हरे ।
hare - punas taṁ kṛṣṇaṁ harati sva-sthānam abhisārayatīti harā rādhā,
tasyāḥ sambodhane he hare |
हरे कृष्णं वनं हरति वनमागमयतीति हरा राधा,
तस्याः सम्बोधने हे हरे ।
hare - kṛṣṇaṁ vanaṁ harati vanam āgamayatīti harā rādhā,
tasyāḥ sambodhane he hare |
राम रमयति तां नर्मनिरीक्षणादिनेति रामः,
तस्य सम्बोधने हे राम ।
rāma - ramayati tāṁ narma-nirīkṣaṇādineti rāmaḥ,
tasya sambodhane he rāma |
हरे तात्कालिकं धैर्यावलम्बनादिकं कृष्णस्य हरतीति हरा राधा,
तस्याः सम्बोधने हे हरे ।
hare - tātkālikaṁ dhairyāvalambanādikaṁ kṛṣṇasya haratīti harā rādhā,
tasyāḥ sambodhane he hare |
राम चुम्बनस्तनकर्षणालिङ्गनादिभी रमते इति रामः,
तस्य सम्बोधने हे राम ।
rāma - cumbana-stana-karṣaṇāliṅganādibhī ramate iti rāmaḥ,
tasya sambodhane he rāma |
राम पुनस्तां पुरुषोचितां कृत्वा रमयतीति रामः,
तस्य सम्बोधने हे राम ।
rāma - punas tāṁ puruṣocitāṁ kṛtvā ramayatīti rāmaḥ,
tasya sambodhane he rāma |
राम पुनस्तत्र रमते इति रामः, तस्य सम्बोधने हे राम ।
rāma - punas tatra ramate iti rāmaḥ, tasya sambodhane he rāma |
हरे पुनः रासान्ते कृष्णस्य मनो हृत्वा गच्छतीति हरा राधा,
तस्याः सम्बोधने हे हरे ।
hare - punaḥ rāsānte kṛṣṇasya mano hṛtvā gacchatīti harā rādhā,
tasyāḥ sambodhane he hare |
हरे राधाया मनो हृत्वा गच्छतीति हरिः कृष्णः
तस्य सम्बोधने हे हरे ।
hare - rādhāyā mano hṛtvā gacchatīti hariḥ kṛṣṇaḥ,
tasya sambodhane he hare |
(3)
श्रीकृष्णविरहे श्रीराधाया महामन्त्रकीर्तनम्
श्रीरघुनाथदासस्य श्रीहरिनामार्थरत्नदीपिकानाम्नी महामन्त्रव्याख्या
एकदा कृष्णविरहाद् ध्यायन्ती प्रियसङ्गमम्।
मनोबाष्पनिरासार्थं जल्पतीदं मुहुर्मुहुः ॥
हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरे ।
हरे राम हरे राम राम राम हरे हरे ॥
ekadā kṛṣṇa-virahād dhyāyantī priya-saṅgamam |
mano-bāṣpa-nirāsārthaṁ jalpatīdaṁ muhur muhuḥ ||
hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare |
hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare ||
हे हरे ! स्वमाधुर्येण मच्चेतो हरसि ।
he hare sva-mādhuryeṇa mac-ceto harasi |
O Hare! You steal my mind with your sweetness.
tatra hetur he kṛṣṇa iti kṛṣ-śabdasya sarvārthaḥ ṇaś ca ānanda-svarūpa iti svārthe ṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-svarūpaka iti svīyena sārva-dik-paramānandena sarvādhika-paramānandena vā pralobhyeti bhāvaḥ |
With her next utterance of the name Krishna, she explains how that is possible. The name Krishna comes from the combination of the syllables kṛṣ, which means everything, and ṇa, which means an identity steeped in bliss. Thus Krishna is the form of eternity, knowledge and bliss who attracts and tempts everyone in every direction with the supreme joy of his own being, a joy which is superior to any other.
ततश्च हे हरे ! धैर्यलज्जागुरुभयादिकमपि हरसि ॥
tataś ca he hare dhairya-lajjā-guru-bhayādikam api harasi ||
So, Hari, you take away even my most strongly held character traits,
like self-control, shame, and fear of my superiors.
ततश्च हे कृष्ण ! स्वगृहेभ्यो वनं प्रति मामाकर्षसि ॥
tataś ca he kṛṣṇa sva-gṛhebhyo vanaṁ prati mām ākarṣasi ||
Then, Krishna, you draw us out of our houses and into the forest.
ततश्च हे कृष्ण ! वनं प्रविष्टाया मे कञ्चुकीं सहसैवागत्य कर्षसि ॥
tataś ca he kṛṣṇa vanaṁ praviṣṭāyā me kañcukīṁ sahasaivāgatya karṣasi ||
Then, when I have entered the woods, you suddenly
appear out of nowhere and start pulling on my blouse.
ततश्च हे कृष्ण ! मत्कुचौ कर्षसि ॥
tataś ca he kṛṣṇa mat-kucau karṣasi ||
Then, Krishna, you start touching my breasts.
ततश्च हे हरे स्वबाहुनिबद्धां मां पुष्पशय्यां प्रति हरसि ॥
tataś ca he hare sva-bāhu-nibaddhāṁ māṁ puṣpa-śayyāṁ prati harasi
Then, O Hari, you wrap me in your arms and lead me off to the bed of flower petals.
ततश्च हे हरे तत्र निवेशिताया मे अन्तरीयमपि बलाद्द् हरसि ॥
tataś ca he hare tatra niveśitāyā me antarīyam api balād dharasi ||
Then, O Hari, while I am sitting there helplessly, you tear off my skirt as well.
ततश्च हे हरे ! अन्तरीयवसनहरणमिषेणात्मविरहपीडां सर्वामेव हरसि ॥
tataś ca he hare antarīya-vasana-haraṇa-
miṣeṇātma-viraha-pīḍāṁ sarvām eva harasi ||
ततश्च हे राम स्वच्छन्दं मयि रमसे ॥
tataś ca he rāma svacchandaṁ mayi ramase ||
Then, O Rāma, you enjoy with me to your full satisfaction.
ततश्च हे हरे यद् अवशिष्टं किञ्चिन्मे वाम्यमासीत् तदपि हरसि ॥
tataś ca he hare yad avaśiṣṭaṁ kiñcin me vāmyam āsīt tad api harasi ||
By so doing, O Hari, whatever little recalcitrance was left in me, that too was stolen by you.
ततश्च हे राम मां रमयसि स्वस्मिन् पुरुषायितामपि करोषि ॥
tataś ca he rāma māṁ ramayasi svasmin puruṣāyitām api karoṣi ||
And so, O Rāma, I become so frenzied with passion
that I take the initiative in lovemaking, like a man.
tataś ca he rāma ramaṇīya-cuḍāmaṇe tava navīna-vaktra-mādhuryam api niḥśaṅkaṁ tad ātmānaṁ tava rāmaṇīyakaṁ man-nayanābhyāṁ dvābhyām evāsvādyate iti bhāvaḥ ||
Then, O Rāma, you who are the crest-jewel of the charming! Without any interference, I can now relish the beauty of your youthful face, indeed the very beauty of your very soul with both of my eyes.
ततश्च हे राम ! न केवलं रमणरूपेणापि रमणकर्तृरमणप्रयोजकः । किन्तु तद्भावरूपा रतिमूर्तिरिव त्वं भवसीति भावः ॥
tataś ca he rāma na kevalaṁ ramaṇa-rūpeṇāpi ramaṇa-kartṛ-ramaṇa-prayojakaḥ | kintu tad-bhāva-rūpā rati-mūrtir iva tvaṁ bhavasīti bhāvaḥ ||
Then O Rāma, not only do you engage me in lovemaking by actively taking the role of a lover, even though this is true. It is as though you were also incarnate in the very act of love itself as its essence.
ततश्च हे हरे मच्चेतनामृगीमपि हरसि,
आनन्दमूर्च्छां प्रापयसीति भावः ॥
tataśca he hare mac-cetanā-mṛgīm api harasi,
ānanda-mūrcchāṁ prāpayasīti bhāvaḥ ||
Then, O Hari, you who are like a lion, capture the deer of my mind.
In other words, your loving makes me faint.
यतो हे हरे सिंहस्वरूप तद् अपि रतिकर्मणि
प्रकटितमहाप्रागल्भ्य इति भावः ॥
yato he hare siṁha-svarūpa tad api rati-karmaṇi
prakaṭita-mahā-prāgalbhya iti bhāvaḥ ||
Because you are a lion, O Hari, you have shown such
self-confidence, proficiency and boldness in the art of love.
evambhūtena tvayā preyasā viyuktā kṣaṇam api kalpa-koṭim iva kathaṁ yāpayituṁ prabhavāmīti svayam eva vicāraya iti nāma-ṣoḍaśakasyābhiprāyaḥ | tataś ca nāmabhiś cumbakair iva kṛṣṇaḥ kṛṣṇayā sahasaivākṛṣṭo milita-paramānanda eva | tasyāḥ sva-sakhīnāṁ tat-parivāra-vargasya tad-bhāva-sādhakānām arvācīnānām api śrī-rādhā-kṛṣṇau mānasaṁ sampūrayataḥ ||
Being separated from you, my dearest lover, it seems that even a moment is like a million millennia. How then will I be able to suffer through this age-long separation? Please consider this fact. This is the summary meaning of the sixteen names of the Mahāmantra. Having chanted them in this spirit, Krishna is attracted by Radha's chanting of these magnet-like names and he suddenly appears to experience the ecstasy of union. May the Divine Couple, Śrī Śrī Radha-Krishna fulfill the desires of her sakhīs, his cowherd friends, as well as of all those who today are engaged in the practices of devotional service in the hope of one day attaining the same mood of love.
There is another version at "Explanations of the Maha Mantra." There seem to be some small difference, but I haven't analyzed.
Comments
In the sentence:
kṛṣṇa - punar harṣatāṁ gamayati vanaṁ karṣatīti kṛṣṇaḥ,
tasya sambodhane he kṛṣṇa |
the word harṣatāṁ seems to be wrong.
it is the plural genitive of harṣat (present active participle of √hṛṣ)
This adjective does not seem to have concordances.
Can you check the original text?
I think it should be hṛṣṭām or hṛṣitām (passive past participle)
(obviously excluding the dual imperative)
I take this opportunity to thank you for the valuable work you do for all of us.
thank you
valerio
I am glad to see you are learning Sanskrit. Good for you.
Well, you missed one solution, the correct one. harṣa is a noun and tā is the bhāva-vācaka suffix, "the quality thereof." This is often used with gam dhātu or other verbs meaning "to go." Here it is the causative "making X go to the quality of excitement." There would be a double accusative if there was a direct object, which ī have adduced is Radha.
I translated it as "makes (gamayati) her (rādhāṁ) feel a thrill of excitement (harṣatām)."
There should perhaps have been a comma between the two parts of the sentence, but I translated them as a subordinate and main clause anyway . So technically a gerund or present participle in the original would have been better. But you don't argue with what the acharyas say or the way they say it.
Cheers, Jagat
Now it's all clear.
it is the first time I encounter this suffix for the formation of feminine abstract names.
Now I also understand the meaning of a word that Haridāsa Śāstrī bābājī often used: "mamatā"
I think I will never stop learning Sanskrit.
Thanks again
valerio
I'm slowly studying this fascinating work,
but because of my inexperience in Sanskrit, doubts arise.
In the Śrī-hari-nāmārtha-ratna-dīpikā of Śrī Raghunātha Dāsa Gosvāmī
In the sentence:
tataś ca he rāma | ramaṇīya-cūḍāmaṇe tava navīna-vaktra-mādhuryam api niḥśaṅkaṁ tad ātmānaṁ tava rāmaṇīyakaṁ man-nayanābhyāṁ dvābhyām evāsvādyate iti bhāvaḥ|
Could it be right to consider the compound ramaṇīya-cūḍāmaṇe a bahuvrīhi?
In your translation, have you followed in the footsteps of some āchārya?
Thank you so much
Valerio
praṇām
One last doubt about this text:
ṣoḍaśakasyabhiprāyaḥ
I think it should be:
ṣoḍaśakasya abhiprāyaḥ
that is
ṣoḍaśakasyābhiprāyaḥ
Or probably, even in this case, I miss something.
Thank you
valerio