I have been largely undisturbed here, able to push my counter beads day after day, but I can see what the sastras mean when they say that one can go on chanting without attaining the goal for many lives. If one has even a smell of worldly desires while chanting, then krishna-prema cannot enter. One chants Hare Krishna in the pure state and enters the ocean of remembrance of Radha-Krishna pastimes. “Hare,” “Krishna,” and “Rama” remind one of how Krishna steals Radhika’s heart by His beauty and qualities and flute-playing—and takes Her to Govinda-sthala or Seva-kunja or Vamsivata. And when a pure devotee chants “Hare,” he thinks how Krishna, although the Supreme Controller, is captivated by Radharani’s beauty, Her pure devotion, youthful grace, and contrariness—and She steals Krishna’s mind, taking Him to Radhakunda.
(_Begging for the Nectar of the Holy Name_)
The Hare Krishna mantra is made up of
Radha and Krishna’s names exclusively.
“Krishna” and “Rama”
(Radhika Ramana)
remind the pure devotee of
how Krishna captures Radhika’s
heart by His beauty
and flute-playing. And
“Hare” makes the devotee
think of how Krishna is
captured by Radharani.
“And She steals Krishna’s mind,
taking Him to Radhakunda.”