[Advaita-l] Hare Rama

[rajaramvenk at gmail.com]

Dear Scholars, 

In Guruvayoor, there's a living tradition where the mantra "Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare" is chanted. Muralidhara Swamigal also popularised this mantra in Chennai and other places. In one version of Kalisantarana Upanishad, this mantra is mentioned and it is said that by chanting this 35 million times, the 16 kalas (what are they?) covering the jIva will be removed and the parabrahma swarupam will be revealed. Some say that the Ramanandi tradition changed the original mantra of the form "Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare" and the oldest extant manuscripts contain only Hare Krishna form. 

The "Hare Krishna" form was popularised by ISKCON though none of the gaudiya acharyas refer to Kali Santarana Upanishad. They do talk about Sri Krishna Caitanya chanting Hare Krishna but don't mention the source. Given that the phala shruti of Hare Krishna mantra in gaudiya tradition is Krishna Prema and not realisation of para brahma swarupam, I'm inclined to believe that Hare Krishna mantra comes from one Radha Tantra, which mentions Krishna Prema as the fruit. 

I would like to know the advaita tradition's view of Hare Rama / Hare Krishna mantra and Kalisantarana Upanishad. The earliest reference / commentary to this upanishad is by an advaitin (forget his name) according a scholarly friend of mine.

Best Regards
RV
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