What is the importance of Hare Krishna mantra? How is it different from other mantras?
I grew up in a country where people worship 330 million goddesses and gods. Apart from this I was open to all religions and the God's they worshiped. So chanting names and mantras of different Gods was a household affair for me...nothing special.But when I was introduced to Hare Krishna chanting my world revolved 360 deg. Oh my God! This changed my life completely for the better. It's so simple and can be chanted anywhere. You can chant it while driving, running, walking, cooking etc. absolutely anytime time of the day or night and anywhere and in any position. Anybody can chant it, even kids. It's absolutely amazing.
Chanting Hare Krishna mantra purifies our soul and promotes love of God. It brings liberation along the way. We can easily attain Goloka Vrindavan by pure chanting of this mantra. Goloka Vrindavan is the highest spiritual abode of the creator. It is bereft of the four miseries of life i.e Birth, Disease, Old age and Death. These four miseries can be found in all higher spiritual planets including Brahmalok.
When we chant Hare Krishna, we automatically develop spiritual knowledge and detachment from material and sense objects. Chanting Hare Krishna mantra gets you out of the endless cycle of birth and death. It cleanses the heart of all illusions and misunderstandings which is very important as God dwells only in a pure heart. By chanting Hare Krishna, you become free from all anxieties and eventually feel happy as it brings you to self-realization-and shows you how to act as a self-realized soul. It is the main pillar of Krishna Consciousness as it gives you soul strength during the difficult situations of life, which is under the control of Maya (Illusionary Energy). In absence of "Hare Krishna" mahamantra, we get entangled into the Illusionary Energy or Maya and get stuck in the endless spiral of emotional, mental and physical problems thus filling our life with pain, sorrow, unhappiness and depression.
When Krishna left the "material" world in Dwaparyug and Kaliyug started, all the mantras lost their true power. Only "Hare Krishna" mantra was stated as the most effective mantra, because it was especially for Kaliyug, where people are not so spiritually pure.
'Krishna' name is very potent.As per scriptures, chanting 1 time
"Krishna" = chanting 3 times "Rama" = chanting 1000 names of Vishnu.
Before any religious prayer is started, we chant Vishnu’s name for purification (Om Vishnu, Om Vishnu, Om Vishnu).
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu made this secret mantra open to all and said anybody can chant it. The lowest among mankind, i.e even the Chandalas can chant it.
The following vedic verses says,
"Harer nama harer nama
Harer namaiva kevalam
Kalau nasty eva nasty eva
Nasty eva gatir anyatha"
Which means - "In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy the only means of deliverance is chanting the holy name of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way." So, "Hare Krishna" mahamantra has no substitute.
All other Vedic mantras are included in the chanting of Hare Krishna. So just by chanting this mantra, you get the benefit of all others. It purifies not only us but every living entity around you. Whoever hears the chanting gets spiritual benefit. It is the most effective means of self-realization in the present Age of Kali. Nothing else works nearly as well.
You can read more about it here:-
To chant one round i.e 108 times Hare Krishna Mahamantra (guided audio), please click below (video):
To hear a beautiful "Hare Krishna" bhajan, please see below: