“There’s no verse that forbids it” Mahamantra Kirtan
In this reflection, I will speak from a philosophy that is sincere—free of filters, dogmas, or fear. I am not here to sugarcoat what provokes thought, nor to mask discomfort. What I’m about to share is, in my view, one of the most troubling philosophical distortions I’ve come across—and I will address it with clarity. I speak of darkness not to indulge it, but because I choose to meet it consciously, eye to eye, without turning away.
“There’s no verse that forbids it”
In the face of the overwhelming number of quotes, verses, and pieces of evidence proving that the Mahamantra of Sri Gouranga was never used as Kirtan—and considering the number of traditional Gaudiya Parivaras who still do not practice it in that form—there are those who, lacking a single solid response, can only stammer: “There’s no verse that forbids it.”
There is no argument more hollow, more intellectually bankrupt, or more spiritually clumsy than that phrase. Within the context of Gaudiya Vaishnavism and the Mahamantra, we are not dealing with the mundane, the physical, or the trivial. There is no room here for manipulative games or egos dressed in cleverness. The Hare Krishna Mahamantra is the highest sonic manifestation of Sri Krishna, the pure vibration of the Absolute.
One who, knowing this, still resorts to “there’s no verse that forbids it” is acting with a clouded heart and standing before God without a true commitment to the truth. For if the truth is revealed to you and you still refuse it, with what face do you expect to be received by it? Or by Him?
God sees everything: the thoughts, the intentions, the actions, and the silences. Let those still asleep under the veil of Kali Maharaj meditate on this deeply. If Sri Gouranga Mahaprabhu—in His infinite compassion—incarnated to show us the path and spoke with His lotus lips the precise way to engage with the Mahamantra… from what twisted mind is born the arrogance of answering Him with a “there’s no verse that forbids it”?
The prohibition is in the instruction.
…And the instruction comes from God.
āpane sabāre prabhu kare upadeśe kṛṣṇa-nāma mahā-mantra śunaha hariṣe
The Lord personally instructed everyone: “Listen with joy to the Hare Krishna Mahamantra.”
Chaitanya Bhagavata 2.23.75
Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa
Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare
Hare Rāma Hare Rāma
Rāma Rāma Hare Hare
Chaitanya Bhagavata 2.23.76
The Lord continued:
“This is the Maha Mantra—go forth and chant this mantra according to a prescribed count.”
CB 2.23.77
“By doing so, all will attain perfection. Chant it at all times—there is no other prescription.”
CB 2.23.78
Is there any confusion in the words of Sriman Mahaprabhu? No! They are explicit and clear. It’s worth noting that nowhere in the Chaitanya Bhagavata is there an instruction for performing Mahamantra Kirtan. What we do find are Hari Kirtanas—songs with the names of Hari. These Kirtanas are still performed today in Bengal, especially by authentic Gaudiya lineages, who sing in Raga format: heartfelt improvisation in tune with the spiritual moment being honored.
One notable Gaudiya who practiced and preserved this tradition was Sri Ramdas Babaji Maharaj. His disciples transcribed those devotional songs into voluminous books, though they remain available only in Bengali.
Lack of information is never an excuse to create or justify aparādhas (offenses) against the instructions of Narayan.
“He who follows the instruction of Narayan receives His protection.”
— Vrindavan Das Thakur
Rupa Goswami, along with all the purva acharyas who wrote about Sri Gouranga and His associates—as well as the entire Gaudiya philosophy—clearly established that the Mahamantra was taught by Gouranga Mahaprabhu as a mantra meant exclusively for Japa (individual counting and repetition). This aligns fully with the Gaudiya siddhanta, as expressed by Raghunatha Dasa Goswami:
The Master, having accepted all the people of Gauda as His own, instructed them like a father: “Oh, repeat the names ‘Hare Krishna’ through the practice of counting (Japa).” Will that son of Sachi ever again cross the path of my eyes?
— Raghunatha Dasa Goswami, Chaitanyashtaka, 5
It is painful to witness a community of so-called followers of Gouranga who have adopted alternative practices, as if someone could teach a better method than God Himself to reach Him. It sounds sad—but also frightening—that unscrupulous individuals, disguised as spiritual teachers, have distorted the words of the Purva Acharyas and Gouranga Mahaprabhu to create a following of half-thinking disciples.
Anyone capable of reflection—any human whose mind has not been stolen by Kali Maharaj—can clearly see the simple yet forceful evidence regarding the Mahamantra (for a deeper exploration, see my book The Mahamantra of Sri Gouranga) and recognize that something doesn’t add up in the popular and commercialized practice. “There’s no verse that forbids it” is the weakest excuse to avoid the personal responsibility of truly investigating what one “believes and follows” on the spiritual path.
“We are in Kali Yuga, where truth is shown to the public as falsehood, and falsehood is glorified upon the throne of truth.”
In these times, we cannot expect a legion of leaders to proclaim the truth. On the contrary, what abounds are disoriented crowds, blindly following ego-driven figures who—having turned away from God—use every form of manipulation to control minds and live in the comfort of illusion. They choose fleeting victory in the land of Maya over eternal life in Vraja. A lamentable choice… as lamentable as those who follow them.
The Denial
Juan enters a dark storeroom. The air smells of dampness and deceit.
JUAN
(firmly, barely containing his indignation)
Claudio! I just saw you. You were stealing. No one told me—I saw it with my own eyes.
CLAUDIO
(raising an eyebrow, coldly)
Do you have a video? A photo?
JUAN
(hesitant, but still certain of what he saw)
No… I don’t have visual proof. But I saw you. Isn’t that enough?
CLAUDIO
(shrugging, with a crooked smile)
Then I didn’t steal.
Silence. A drop of water falls from the ceiling. Juan stares, bewildered. Claudio turns and walks away slowly, leaving only the echo of his denial.
So now, are we to blame Sri Gouranga Mahaprabhu and say to Him:
“Gouranga, why on earth didn’t you write a single line saying that Mahamantra Kirtan is forbidden?”
Gouranga Mahaprabhu could clearly respond:
- I left no written record.
- If I give an instruction, My devotees will follow it.
- My enemies will twist My words and conceal My truth.
English
GENIAL saber que nunca estube equivocada y que mi corazon y mi lma siempre vibro por el camino correcto y jamas estube mal y menos despreciada por hari.
gracias