Hinduism....What does 'Hare' in Hare Krishna mantra mean?
One old man i met in the temple who was chanting the mantra tells me 'Hare' means Shiva. I told him it was not possible since both the Gods have followers of different ideology. But he insists that 'Hare' and 'Hara' are none other than Shiva. Your inputs please.
@ Sips . How can a vocative be used in a Mahamantra? It would have been easier to say 'Hari Krishna Hari Rama' than Say 'Hare' and assume its Hari. Radha is not known as 'Hare' anywhere? Please quote form Bhagavatam if it says Radha to be also called as Hare.
"Hare" can be interpreted as either the vocative of Hari, another name of Vishnu meaning "he who removes illusion", or as the vocative of Har?, a name of R?dh?, Krishna's eternal consort or Shakti. According to A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Har? refers to "the energy of God" while Krishna and Rama refer to God himself, meaning "He who is All-Attractive" and "He who is the Source of All Pleasure".
Rudra Shiva's name is 'Hara(n)'. 'HarE means 'Glorious'. If you want to pray Krishna in the name of Shiva, you are most welcome.
The Kali-SantharaNa Upanishad reveals to us the way to cross the dangerous ocean of SamsAra , which has been attested by the ancient VedAs :
HarE Krishna HarE KrishNa , KrishNa KrishNa HarE HarE
Hare Raama HarE Raama , Raama Raama HarE HarE I
ithi shiodasakam naamAm kali-kalmasha nAsana,
naata : paratarEpyeya : Sarva VedEshu drisyathE II
( Meaning ) The sixteen holy names of the Lord in unison ( HarE KrishNa ---Hare Raama HarE HarE ) are particularly potent to counteract the contaminations (dhoshams ) of Kali Yugam . All the vEdAs consistently declare that the chanting of the sacred names of the Lord is the only path to cross the ocean of nescience . There is no other alternative to reach parama padham .
The Hare Krishna mantra is composed of Sanskrit names in the vocative case: Hare, Krishna, and Rama (in Anglicized spelling, the transliteration of the three vocatives is hare, krona and Rama, pronounced [hare, KKr?]). It is an unstable poetry stanza:
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare
"Hare" can be interpreted as either the vocative of Hari, another name of Vishnu meaning "he who removes illusion", or as the vocative of Har?, a name of R?dh?, Krishna's eternal consort or Shakti. According to A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Har? refers to "the energy of God" while Krishna and Rama refer to God himself, meaning "He who is All-Attractive" and "He who is the Source of All Pleasure". Rama can refer to Ramachandra or to Krishna as Radha-Raman, another name of Krishna meaning beloved of Radha. In the hymn Vishnu Sahasranama spoken by Bhishma in praise of Krishna after the Kurukshetra War, Krishna is also called Rama. Rama can also be a shortened form of Balarama, Krishna's first expansion
always chant
"Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare"
Hari is the base word.
Hare is the vocative of Hari.
According to the Harinamamrita Vyakarana of Srila Jiva Gosvami, the Sudra in the Nama Prakarana reads thus:
Harer govindo jasi vrsnisu buddhe ca.
This means, the last aksara of the word 'Hari' transforms into govinda (i becomes e) in the following three cases, viz.,
1) prathama bahuvacana,
2) eka vacana of caturthi, pancami, sasti and saptami
3) sambodhana of the sage panini is called buddha by jiva (vocative)
Therefore, Hari becomes Hare in the vocative and that is what is mentioned in the Hare Krishna mahamantra. Simailarly Krishna becomes Krishna in the vocative case though we see it is same word
Technically the word 'Krishna' has undergone transformation in the vocative case by the sutra of Srila Jiva Gosvamin of the same Harinamamrita Vyakarana that reads as:
e-o-vamenebhyo buddhasyadarsanam, which means something similar to the word 'Hari' undergoing change from i to e. But in the case of the word 'Krishna', the change brought about in the vocative case or buddha is the disappearance of Buddha, i.e, the case ending for vocative case 's[u]' disappears. Actually it is the pun on the word Buddha wherein the Buddha disappears according to the Buddhist philosophy (Nirvana or zero or disappearance).
Anyway, it is very complex subject matter involving lot of analysis. But the simple fact is that simple devotees like Sips have accepted the words of the great acharyas who have given the conclusions after studying various scriptures and spiritual revelation and realization.
And it is also a fact by the similar complex analysis that the word 'harA' becomes hare in the vocative
In this case the harA is rAdhA.
Please chant HARE KRISHNA and be happy.
hare krishna hare krishna
krishna krishna hare hare
hare rama hare rama
rama rama hare hare
According to my spiritual teacher, 'Hare' means destroyer or remover of obstacles from our path.
Hare Krishna means one who takes away our miseries, our sorrows, our difficulties so that we come home to Him happily and lovingly.
Everyone's goal is the same, though the paths may be different. But one who remembers the Lord in all his thoughts, words and deeds, he is very dear to Him.
Radharani or Radha is not mentioned by name in Srimad Bhagavatam but is alluded to within the tenth chapter of the text as one of the go pis who Krishna plays with during his upbringing as a young boy. It is in later texts such as the Gita Govinda where we find the story of Radha given in more detail.
Radha in the Bhagavatam:
( Srila Prabhupada on Radhastami, Srimati Radharani's Appearance Day. Montreal, August 30, 1968)
"........this Radharani's name is not in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. How this name came, Radharani?....... There is anayaradhyate. There are many gopis, but it is mentioned that by this particular gopi He (Krishna) is served more pleasingly. Krishna accepts this gopi's service more gladly Anayaradhyate. Aradhyate. This aradhate, this word, aradhyate means worshiping. From this word aradhyate, Radha has come. But Radha's name is there in other Puranas. So this is the origin.
.....Radha-Krishna philosophy has to be understood by the liberated person, not by the conditioned soul. So we shall await for the fortunate moment when we are liberated, then we shall understand radha-krishna-pranaya-vikrtir. Because Krishna and Radha, They are not on the material field. Try to understand. This is Jiva Gosvami's analysis, that Krishna is the Supreme Brahman. The Supreme Brahman cannot accept anything material. So Radha is not in the material field.
....we should not treat Radharani as ordinary girl, or Krishna as ordinary man. They are the Supreme Absolute Truth. But in the Absolute Truth, there is the pleasure potency, and that is exhibited in the dealings of Radha and Krishna. And Radha's expansion all the gopis, and Krishna is the Supreme Lord."
2) (i) What does 'Hare' in Hare Krishna mantra mean?
(ii) Radha is not known as 'Hare' anywhere?
One of Radharani's names, HARA (mentioned in Narada Pancaratra 5.5.59), in vocative Hare, forms a part of the Hare Krishna 'Maha-Mantra', one of the most popular Vedic mantras, especially amongst Gaudiya Vaishnavas. Radharani's names hold a place of prime importance within Gaudiya Vaishnava religious practices.
"Hare" can be interpreted as either the vocative of Hari, another name of Vishnu meaning "he who removes illusion" (in 'Hare Rama Hare Rama; Rama Rama Hare Hare'), or as the vocative of Hara, a name of Radha (in 'Hare Krishna Hare Krishna; Krishna Krishna Hare Hare').
Thus Radha's name is always attached to Lord Krishna!
3) How can a vocative be used in a Mahamantra?
The vocative case is the case used for a noun identifying the person (animal, object, etc.) being addressed and/or occasionally the determiners of that noun.
A vocative expression is an expression of direct address, wherein the identity of the party being spoken to is set forth expressly within a sentence. For example, in the sentence, "I don't know, John," John is a vocative expression indicating the party who is being addressed.
Historically, the vocative case was an element of the Indo-European system of cases, and existed in Latin, Sanskrit, and Classical Greek.
A vocative is a word such as `darling' or `madam' which is used to address someone or attract their attention.
Definition of vocative
(i)
: of, relating to, or being a grammatical case marking the one addressed (as Latin Domine in miserere, Domine ?have mercy, O Lord?)
(ii)
of a word or word group : marking the one addressed (as mother in ?mother, come here?)
According to the position of the name HARE in the Maharashtra, it has a different meaning.
Gopal Guru Goswami, a disciple of Vakresvar Pandit living at the time of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, has given the follow meanings for the different names in the Maharashtra:
(1)
HARE
O Hari, steal my mind and deliver me from bondage to this material world.
KRSNA
O Krsna, attract my mind.
HARE
O Hari! Capture my mind with the sweetness of your name, form and pastimes.
KRSNA
O Krsna! Send me the association of your devotees who will purify my mind through instructions about your devotional service.
KRSNA
O Krsna! Give me unflinching faith in your name, form, qualities and pastimes.
KRSNA
O Krsna! Give me a taste for your name, form, qualities and pastimes.
HARE
O Hari! Make me worthy to engage in your service.
HARE
O Hara, Radha! Order me personally in the service you wish me to perform.
HARE
O Hara, Radha! Give me the opportunity to hear about your own favorite pastimes with your beloved Lord
RAMA
O Rama! Give me the opportunity to hear about your own favorite pastimes with your beloved Radha.
HARE
O Hara, Radha! Give me the opportunity to see your intimate pastimes with your beloved Lord.
RAMA
O Rama! Give me the opportunity to see your intimate pastimes with your beloved Radha.
RAMA
O Rama! Engage me in hearing, chanting and remembering your name, form, qualities, pastimes.
RAMA
O Rama! As I enter into those pastimes by the path of meditation, make me worthy to engage in your service.
HARE
O Hari! Please accept me and take pleasure from the service that I offer you.
HARE
O Hari! Take pleasure in me and enjoy with me.
(2)
HARE
Radha is known as Hara because she steals Krsna's mind. I call out to her, O Hare! O Radhe!
KRSNA
The Lord is known as Krsna because he attracts Radha's mind. Therefore I call out to him, O Lord! O Krsna!
HARE
Radha steals Krsna's sense of public shame and his self-possession. She steals everything of his and is thus known as Hara. I therefore call out to her, O Radhe! O Hare!
KRSNA
He drags away all of Radha's sense of shame and her self-possession. Therefore I call out to him, O Lord! O Krsna!
KRSNA
Wherever Radha is standing, or wherever she happens to be going, she thinks, Krsna is watching me, he is touching me, he he is pulling on my bodice. He is pulling on me. I call out to him, O Lord! O Krsna!
KRSNA
Then Krsna makes her feel a thrill of excitement as he pulls her to the woods. I call out to him, O Lord! O Krsna!
HARE
Wherever Krsna goes, wherever he is situated, he sees Radha in front of him, by his side, all around him. In this way she disturbs his mind. I call out to her, O Radhe. O Hare!
HARE
She once again steals Krsna away, making him come to her kunja. She is thus known as Hara. I thus call out to her, O Radhe! O Hare!
HARE
She once again steals Krsna away, making him come to her kunja. She is thus known as Hara. I thus call out to her, O Radhe! O Hare!
RAMA
Krsna is known as Rama because he brings Radha pleasure with his joking words and his loving glances. I thus call out to him, O Krsna! O Rama!
HARE
She robs Krsna of the momentary self-control he is able to muster in her presence. She is thus known as Hara, and so I call out to her, O Radhe! O Hare!
RAMA
Krsna delights in kissing Radha, in touching her breasts and in embracing her. He is thus known as Rama, and so I call out to him, O Lord! O Rama!
RAMA
Krsna causes Radha to reach the pinnacle of sexual excitement, so that she becomes aggressively active in the love battle, like a man. He is thus known as Rama, and so I call out to him, O Lord! O Rama!
RAMA
All this brings extra delight to Krsna. He is thus known as Rama, and so I call out to him, O Lord! O Rama!
HARE
Once again, at the end of the Rasa dance, as she leaves to return home, she steals Krsna's mind and takes it away with her. She is thus known as Hara, and I therefore call out to her, O Radhe! O Hare!
HARE
Krsna also steals Radha's mind, taking it with him as he leaves. He is thus known as Hari, and I call out to him, O Krsna! O Hare!
Hinduism....What does 'Hare' in Hare Krishna mantra mean?
