o
"Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna,
Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama
Rama, Hare Hare — these 16 names composed
of 32 syllables are the only means to counteract
the evil effects of Kali-yuga. In all the Vedas it is
seen that to cross the ocean of nescience there is
no alternative to the chanting of the holy
name." (Kali-santarana Upanishad)
"Living beings who are entangled in the
complicated meshes of birth and death can be
freed immediately by even unconsciously
chanting the holy name of Krishna, which is
feared by fear personified." (Srimad-Bhagavatam
1.1.14)
"If one always chants the holy name of the Lord
with great devotion in the evening and in the
morning, one can become free from all material
miseries." (purport by Sridhara Swami, Srimad-
Bhagavatam 6.3.24)
"As a fire burns dry grass to ashes, so the holy
name of the Lord, whether chanted knowingly or
unknowingly, burns to ashes without fail all the
reactions of one's sinful activities." (Srimad-
Bhagavatam 6.2.18)
"Simply by chanting one holy name of Hari, a
sinful man can counteract the reactions to more
sins than he is able to commit." (Brihad-vishnu
Purana, cited in purport to Srimad-Bhagavatam
6.2.7)
"If one chants the holy name of the Lord, even in
a helpless condition or without desiring to do so,
all the reactions of his sinful life depart, just as
when a lion roars, all the small animals flee in
fear." (Garuda Purana)
"O King, constant chanting of the holy name of
the Lord after the ways of the great authorities is
the doubtless and fearless way of success for all,
including those who are free from all material
desires, those who are desirous of all material
enjoyment and also those who are self-satisfied
by dint of transcendental knowledge." (Srimad-
Bhagavatam 2.1.11)
Hare Krishna Maha-mantra
HARE KRISHNA, HARE KRISHNA, KRISHNA KRISHNA, HARE HARE
HARE RAMA, HARE RAMA, RAMA RAMA, HARE HARE
Vedic civilization once worldwide
These words (left) from the Upanishads and Puranas,
ancient Sanskrit texts were written more than 5,000
years ago, when the Vedic civilization extended
throughout the world, including China. By the time
Buddha's teachings crossed over into China,
roughly 1,300 years ago, there still remained some
traces from a much earlier civilization that had the
markings and elements of a Vedic kingdom, but it
had long since deteriorated.
On special assignment to cheat
the atheists
Buddha was born 2,600 years ago,
but his appearance was predicted
long before that. The Bhagavat
Purana stated his name and the name
of his father and gave a description
of his mission. According to the
Bhagavat Purana, the Buddha was a
partial incarnation of Lord Vishnu,
the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
By the time of Buddha's appearance,
the brahminical culture that was the
foundation of the Vedic civilization, S iddhartha Gautama
Buddha was born a Vedic
was breaking down. The brahmanas prince, but later rejected
had become so degraded that they the Vedas.
were making business of performing
rites and rituals described in the Vedas, and even
condoned meat eating on the pretext that the
Vedas allowed animal sacrifice. In this way they
were using the Vedas to earn their livelihood, and
neglected or forgot the conclusion of the Vedas,
that Dharma is the occupation of loving service to
God. When the Buddha observed birth, disease,
old age and death and understood that attachment
and karma are the cause of suffering, he preached
ahimsa, nonviolence to all living entities. Buddha
was the son of a Vedic king who ruled according to
the Vedic system, but he ended up rejecting the
authority of the Vedas when some persons argued
that the Vedas permit animal killing and flesh eating
— "If you say that the Vedas endorse killing and
eating animals, then I reject the Vedas." His special
mission, as an incarnation of Vishnu, the Supreme
Lord, was to round up the atheists, all those who lived
outside the Vedic tradition, and by making them
faithful to him, bring them to the threshold of Dharma.
Even as China embraced Buddhism, it was
practically ended in India by the strong preaching of
the great Shankaracharya, who came 1,200 years
ago. Shankaracharya restored India's faith in the
authority of the Vedas. However, strongholds of
Buddhism remained in Tibet and Nepal, and from
here the teachings made their way into China, and
thus China accepted the Mahayana teachings.
Buddha's teachings were not written down by his
disciples. They were preserved by oral tradition,
and 300 years after his passing, they had become
somewhat obscured. At that time there was
disagreement between the followers, who then
compiled them into two books, the Hinayana and
Mahayana.
Maha-mantra — the most pure and
potent mantra
The Mahayana Buddhists chant the Amitabha
mantra, variously pronounced as namo amituofo or
namo onituofo. The word ami, or oni, is derived from
the Sanskrit syllable om, and the word tabha, or
tuofo, refers to Buddha. Another Tibetan chant is om
ma-ni peh-meh hoong, known to the Chinese as om

mani padme hum, which is said to be the mantra of
universal protection. So here again we see the Sanskrit
om. According to the Bhagavad-gita, the syllable om is
the sound representation of the Personality of
Godhead. Although the Mahayana prescribes various
mantras, there is no record of Buddha teaching
anything about the holy name.
The Vedic literature says that in this
age known as Kali-yuga — which
began approximately 5,000 years ago
— the only spiritual practice necessary
and easy to perform is chanting the
holy names of God. But the practice
was not widespread, until 500 years
ago Chaitanya Mahaprabhu appeared
in India, just for the purpose of
popularizing the chanting of the holy
names of God, especially the Hare
Krishna Maha-mantra.
500 years ago, Chaitanya
Unlike what happened to the teachings Mahaprabhu 500 years ago,
of Buddha, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's Chaitanya
popularized chanting of the
teachings were recorded by his holy names among all people,
disciples, and carefully handed down in without
any class or group.
disciplic succession, just like a ripe mango
is handed down
from the tree to the person
waiting below, so that it is
not broken. Most recently,
this science of Krishna
consciousness has been
introduced to the whole
world by His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Prabhupada. He published
more than 60 books,
His Divine Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta Swami i ncluding the famous
Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Srimad-
Bhagavatam and the Chaitanya-charitamrita, and he
founded the Hare Krishna movement, based on the
chanting of the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra. Like a
postman who delivers the mail without tampering
with it, or like a messenger on the battlefield who
faithfully relays his commander's message, Srila
TheHoly
Prabhupada has presented the teachings of Krishna
and Chaitanya, illuminated with his brilliant purports.
Names
The ultimate conclusion of all these teachings is that
the Supreme Absolute Truth, God, is identical to His
holy names, and by chanting His names, we become
aware of His presence. That is the science of Krishna
consciousness. There are innumerable names of God,
and any one of them is as good as the other, but this
Hare Krishna Maha-mantra is especially recommended
for this day and age.
Everyone can chant this Hare Krishna Maha-mantra
at any time, any place. Even a child can chant it, and
sing and dance to the holy names. There are no
restrictions. This chanting of the Hare Krishna Maha-
mantra is joyfully performed, and cleanses the mind
and heart. Lord Chaitanya said,
"In this age of Kali there is no other religious
principle than the chanting of the holy name,
which is the essence of all Vedic hymns. This is
the purport of all scriptures." (Chaitanya-
Mahaprabhu
charitamrita, Adi-lila 7.74)
"In the Padma Purana Krishna says, mad-bhakta
discriminating against
yatra gayanti tatra tisthami narada: 'O Narada, I
am present wherever My devotees are
HARE KRISHNA
chanting.' When the devotees chant the holy
name of Krishna — Hare Krishna, Hare
Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare
MAHA MANTRA
Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare —
Lord Krishna is immediately present." (purport,
Chaitanya-charitamrita, Madhya-lila 17.132)
HARE KRISHNA, HARE KRISHNA
KRISHNA KRISHNA, HARE HARE
"As the rising sun immediately dissipates all the
world's darkness, which is deep like an ocean, so HARE RAMA, HARE RAMA
the holy name of the Lord, if chanted once RAMA RAMA, HARE HARE
without offenses, can dissipate all the reactions of
a living being's sinful life. All glories to that holy
name of the Lord, which is auspicious for the KRSNA WORLD
entire world." (Padyavali 16, cited in Chaitanya-
charitamrita, Antya-lila 3.181) West Malaysia
Bhima das — Tel: 06-9787878, Hp: 019-3367878
email: bhima@harekrishnamalaysia.com
Please chant the Hare Krishna mantra: Hare Krishna,
Nrsingha Chaitanya das (Nathan) — Hp: 019-6652231
Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare
East Malaysia
Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
Bhakta Lee — Hp: 012-8878899
visit our websites:
harekrishnamalaysia.com
krsnaworld.com — bhaktivedantas.com