Upanishads

Kalisantarana Upanishad

Krishnayajurveda
group of Upanishads – Vaishnava

Hari Om!

At the end of Dvapara-yuga, the deva-rishi Narada (the son of Goddess Saraswati) came to Brahma and addressed him thus: "O Lord, how can I, while wandering on the earth (i.e. living in the material world), overcome all the miseries that plague the age of Kali?" To this question, Brahma replied thus: "This is a good question. Hear from me one secret, which is kept secret by all the Shrutis and Smritis, by (knowing) which one can cross the ocean of samsara (i.e. worldly existence) of the iron age of Kali. One shakes off all the evil influences of the age of Kali by simply uttering the name of God Narayana, Who is the original Purusha." Narada further asked Brahma: "What is that name?" To which Hiranyagarbha/Brahma replied thus:

1. "Hare Rama Hare Rama /
Rama Rama Hare Hare /
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna /
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare /.

2. These sixteen names/words destroy all the evil influences of the age of Kali. In all the Vedas there is no better remedy (for destroying karmic affects) than this. These (sixteen names) destroy the avarana (or the power of maya, which produces a false sense of individuality) of the jiva surrounded by sixteen kalas/rays. And then, just as the sun shines after the clouds that cover it are dispersed, only the effulgent Para-Brahman remains (in the consciousness of man)."

Narada asked, "O Lord, what are the rules to be observed in regard to this Mantra?" To which Brahma replied that there are no hard and fast rules for this (transcendental process). Whoever sincerely utters this Mantra, whether in a pure or impure state, attains the same world (of Brahman), or proximity (of Brahman), or the same form (of Brahman), or absorption in Brahman (depending on the intention). Any person who utters this Mantra, consisting of sixteen name-words, three and a half crores (or thirty-five million) times, becomes free from the sin of killing a Brahmin; he becomes purified from the sin of stealing gold; he becomes purified from the sin of cohabiting with a low-caste woman; he becomes purified from the sins of unrighteous deeds and actions towards forefathers, devas and men. Having abandoned (discarded) all dharmas (i.e. traditional prescriptions), he becomes liberated from all sins at once. He is liberated at once from all the bondage of samsara. And this is precisely the secret Knowledge, the secret of this Upanishad.

Thus ends the Kalisantarana Upanishad, which belongs to the Krishnayajurveda.

Hari Om Tat Sat!

The Kalisantarana Upanishad was written during the Puranic period, that is, in our era, when many classical texts of Hinduism were edited and rewritten, and many later Puranas were written, for example, the controversial Padma Purana (which has come down to us in very different versions) and the Bhagavata Purana. The Hare Krishna mantra is not found in the Vedas or any other classical Hindu texts, with the exception of this post-Chaitanya Upanishad. In India, this mantra is usually recited in the order in which it appears in this text.