Namaste,

I am a sadhaka of this mahamantra for some time. I always wondered about its meaning, and why it is advocated to chant this mahamantra for ISKCON devotees by their masters.

As opposed to the popular belief that Krishna in the mahamantra refers to Lord Krishna and Rama refers to Lord Rama, I initially thought that Hare Rama meant Krishna's brother Balarama.

It is to be noted so many Ramas are described in Hindu scriptures - Bhargava Rama, Parasu Rama, Balarama and so forth.

But recently I concluded that Rama in the mahamantra does not refer to any person other than Krishna himself.

We shall see why -

The term 'Krish' in Sanskrit means 'small, lean, emaciated'. Which means something to become scant/lesser/weak. 'Krishna' means dark/black. Also Krishna means 'All attractive'.

Thus, by Krishna, I believe it means a request made to the Lord by chanting the mahamantra that our darkness and weaknesses be emaciated/weakened/taken away/put to peril and that we become all attractive like the lord himself, in our mental qualities.

I believe the first Hare Krishna Hare Krishna refers to the darkness part being put to wane away and the Krishna, Krishna Hare Hare part refers to the all attractive part growing in potency.

Similarly for the Rama part -

'Ra' refers to Rahu/desires, and 'ma' also refers to 'me' and 'myself'.

Thus, simply deducing from these meanings, I propose that Hare Rama Hare Rama means a plea to the Lord to make us selfless/desireless.

That means the negative side of 'Ra' and 'ma' (to become desireless/selfless). On a positive note, 'Ra' and 'ma' also mean 'my desires fulfilling'.

Therefore, I propose that Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare means, 'O Lord Krishna, kindly make me as desireless and selfless as can be but also kindly fulfill my justifiable desires'.

So this is my simplistic definition or meaning for the mahamantra. Can the learned devotees here opine on the same?

Many thanks.

HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE