Within Gaudiya Vaishnavism, the Hare Krishna mantra—*Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare / Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare*—is revered as the *maha-mantra*, the great mantra for this age. It is composed solely of divine names: “Hare,” addressing Hara, the Lord’s spiritual energy associated with Radha; “Krishna”; and “Rama,” understood as a name of Krishna. Because the name of Krishna is regarded as non-different from Krishna Himself, the mantra is not merely a petition or symbol, but a direct encounter with the divine presence. Chanting thus becomes a way of invoking Radha-Krishna in sound, entering into their company through attentive repetition of their names.

Gaudiya Vaishnava theology holds that in the age of Kali, chanting these names—*nama-sankirtana*—is the most effective and accessible means of spiritual realization and liberation. Through this practice, the heart is gradually cleansed of material desires and conditioning, allowing innate devotion (*bhakti*) and love of Krishna (*Krishna-prema*) to awaken. The mantra functions as a kind of spiritual alchemy: as the sound is repeatedly taken into consciousness, it purifies and reorients the practitioner toward an eternal relationship with Krishna in loving service. In this way, it serves as both the path and the goal, the practice and the realized state, centered on the remembrance and love of Radha-Krishna.

In lived practice, this takes the form of both meditative chanting on beads (*japa*) and congregational chanting (*sankirtana*), so that remembrance of Krishna permeates individual meditation and communal worship alike. Each mode of chanting is understood to carry Krishna’s spiritual potency, making every syllable an opportunity for direct communion. Over time, such steady engagement with the mantra is believed to establish constant awareness of Krishna and to draw the soul toward eternal association with Radha-Krishna.