What is Hare Krishna?

Have you ever walked down a busy city street and suddenly heard drums, tiny cymbals, and joyful singing? You might have just seen the Hare Krishna tradition in action! In this special episode inspired by a listener's amazing question, Mira and Finn dive into the fascinating history of Bhakti yoga, the path of love and devotion. Travel back 500 years to ancient India, where a teacher named Chaitanya Mahaprabhu decided spirituality shouldn't just be for quiet temples—it should be a public, musical celebration for absolutely everybody! Then, fast forward to 1965 and join a brave 69-year-old teacher named Swami Prabhupada as he sails across the ocean to New York City with nothing but a trunk of books and a few dollars in his pocket. Discover how a simple 16-word chant called the Maha Mantra grew from a solo performance under a tree in a park into a massive worldwide movement! Plus, learn all about their beautiful tradition of sharing delicious vegetarian meals with anyone who wants to join. Get ready to explore how music, dancing, and food can bring the whole world together!

Transcript

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SPEAKER_01 0:00

Welcome to Philosophy is not boring by kidopoly.com. I'm Mira. And I'm Finn. Today we have a very special shout-out. A big hello to Hazel, who is seven and listens in Dublin Island. Hi Hazel, thank you so much for listening. Hazel sent us a brilliant question. She asked all about the Hare Krishna tradition and why people sing and chant together in the street. This entire episode is for you, Hazel.

SPEAKER_00 0:29

It really is an amazing question. Have you ever been walking down a regular, busy city street where everyone is just looking at their phones and rushing around? And suddenly you hear drums.

SPEAKER_01 0:41

Yes, drums, tiny cymbals, singing, and people dancing in bright, beautiful clothes. It completely changes the feeling of the whole street.

SPEAKER_00 0:51

It really does. But why do they do it? Are they having a parade? Are they putting on a concert for people?

SPEAKER_01 0:59

That is exactly what we are going to figure out today. And to understand what is happening on that street, we have to look at one of the most joyful ideas in all of philosophy. To really grasp what is going on, we have to start with a concept called chanting. Finn, what do you think of when you hear the word chant?

SPEAKER_00 1:19

Chanting is kind of like singing, right? But instead of a whole long song, you repeat the same phrase over and over.

SPEAKER_01 1:27

Exactly. People in many different traditions chant. It is a way to focus the wandering mind or to express a really deep feeling.

SPEAKER_00 1:36

Like when a massive crowd chants at a soccer game to support their team. Everyone doing it together makes this giant wave of energy.

SPEAKER_01 1:45

Actually, yes. It builds a huge shared energy. But in the Hare Krishna tradition, it is about connecting to the divine. This tradition comes from Hinduism, specifically a path called Bhakti Yoga.

SPEAKER_00 2:00

Bhakti Yoga? Wait, I thought yoga was just doing stretches on a mat in a gym.

SPEAKER_01 2:07

That is one kind of yoga, but in ancient Indian philosophy, the word yoga actually means a path or a way to connect. Bhakti yoga is known as the path of love and devotion.

SPEAKER_00 2:21

Ooh, I really like that. The path of love and devotion. It sounds a lot warmer than just studying dusty old books.

SPEAKER_01 2:29

That is exactly the point. To see how this public singing started, we have to travel back about 500 years. Imagine we are in Bengal, India, in the 16th century.

SPEAKER_00 2:42

Whoa, time travel mode engaged. 500 years ago.

SPEAKER_01 2:46

Back then, many people thought religion had to be very quiet, very strict, and only led by highly educated priests in temples.

SPEAKER_00 2:56

If you weren't a scholar, you might feel left out. That doesn't seem fair at all. Like spirituality was only for VIPs.

SPEAKER_01 3:05

A spiritual teacher named Chaitanya Mahaprabhu thought so too. He believed connecting with the divine should be for absolutely everybody, no matter who they were. And most importantly, he thought it should be joyful. So Chaitanya Mahaprabhu introduced a practice called Sankirtan. Sankirtan? What exactly does that mean? It means singing and dancing together in public. He and his followers would go right out into the streets, playing instruments and singing at the top of their lungs.

SPEAKER_00 3:37

Wait, so instead of staying quietly hidden away in a temple, they brought the joy right out into the town square where everyone was shopping and working.

SPEAKER_01 3:45

Exactly. They wanted to share that intense feeling of love and devotion with anyone who happened to walk by. And the main thing they chanted was the Maha Mantra.

SPEAKER_00 3:56

The Maha Mantra. Mantra means a special phrase or sound, right?

SPEAKER_01 4:01

Yes. The Maha Mantra is a specific 16-word chant. It uses names for the divine in the Hindu tradition, starting with the words Hare and Krishna and Rama.

SPEAKER_00 4:13

Hold on, just 16 words. Do they just sing the exact same 16 words for hours? Doesn't that get, well, a little boring?

SPEAKER_01 4:23

You might logically think so, but think about your absolute favourite song. The chorus is usually the exact same words repeated, right?

SPEAKER_00 4:32

Yeah, and when the chorus hits, that is always the best part. You just want to sing it louder and louder.

SPEAKER_01 4:38

Exactly. In Bhakti Yoga, they believe that repeating those 16 words isn't about learning new information for your brain. It is about creating a feeling in your heart.

SPEAKER_00 4:49

Oh, I think I get it. They aren't just reading a textbook. They are trying to feel love over and over until it completely fills them up.

SPEAKER_01 4:58

Precisely. They believe that chanting the names of the divine actually cleanses the mind. Like washing a dusty mirror so it can finally reflect the light clearly. Now, here is where the story takes a massive leap in history. Let's fast forward from 16th century India all the way to the year 1965. Ooh, I love a good historical fast-forward. Where are we going now? A 69-year-old spiritual teacher named A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada boarded a ship in Kolkata, India. His own teacher had asked him to bring the message of Chaitanya to the Western world.

SPEAKER_00 5:37

Wow, travelling across the world at 69. He must have had a lot of money and a big team helping him, right? Actually, no.

SPEAKER_01 5:46

He travelled on a cargo ship called the Jaladuta. It was a really rough 35-day journey. And Finn, he only had 40 rupees with him.

SPEAKER_00 5:56

40 rupees? Wait, how much is that?

SPEAKER_01 6:00

At the time, it was equal to just a few dollars. He had practically no money, a trunk full of books, and he didn't know a single person in America.

SPEAKER_00 6:10

That is unbelievably brave. I would be so scared.

SPEAKER_01 6:14

It was purely driven by his faith. When he finally arrived in New York City, he eventually went to Tompkins Square Park. He simply sat down under a tree, started playing a small drum, and chanted the Maha mantra. Right there in the park, just him by himself. Just him at first, but soon young people in New York heard the music. They came over, they sat down with him, and they started chanting too.

SPEAKER_00 6:41

That is wild! He brought a 500-year-old tradition to a park in New York, and people actually joined in. They did.

SPEAKER_01 6:49

That small group grew rapidly. He established a group called Iskon, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Today, millions practice this tradition. And they still sing in the streets everywhere? Yes. And another huge part of their tradition is sharing delicious vegetarian food called prasadam, welcoming absolutely anyone to come and eat with them.

SPEAKER_00 7:13

You know, I really love the idea of sharing food. Whenever people eat together, it feels like they are family.

SPEAKER_01 7:20

It does. And they eat vegetarian food because of a philosophical idea called ahimsa, which means non-harming.

SPEAKER_00 7:28

They believe in showing love to all living creatures, not just humans. That makes a lot of sense. So, love and devotion for everything.

SPEAKER_01 7:38

Exactly. And Hazel, this is why this tradition matters to all of us, even if you are not part of it yourself. It reminds us how much we actually need connection.

SPEAKER_00 7:50

Because normally people in cities just ignore each other.

SPEAKER_01 7:53

Right. Think about how easy it is to feel totally alone, even on a crowded sidewalk. Everyone is in their own little bubble. But when people come out to make music or share a meal, those bubbles pop.

SPEAKER_00 8:08

Joy is kind of contagious. So when you see them singing in the street, they are actively trying to share that joy with you. Precisely.

SPEAKER_01 8:17

Okay Finn, are you ready for a mind-bending fun fact?

SPEAKER_00 8:21

Haha, always. Hit me.

SPEAKER_01 8:23

The Maha Mantra got so popular that it was actually recorded by famous rock stars. George Harrison, who was in the Beatles, recorded a song with the Hare Krishna in London, and it became a massive hit on the radio.

SPEAKER_00 8:38

Wait, a 500-year-old spiritual chant was a pop music hit? That is the coolest fact ever. Alright, Finn, time for the quiz! Are you ready? I am totally ready. Let's do this.

SPEAKER_01 8:51

First question. What country did this tradition originally start in over 500 years ago? Next one. What is the famous 16-word chant called? Question 3. What city did Swami Prabhipad sail to in 1965? Here's number four. How much money did he have with him when he made the journey? Last question. What kind of food do they famously share with people to show love and non-harming? Great job! Let's see how you did. The first answer is, it started in India, specifically Bengal. For question two, the 16-word chant is called the Maha Mantra. Number three, he sailed to New York City. For question four, he had just 40 rupees, which was only a few dollars. And the final answer is, they share vegetarian food, often called Prasadam.

SPEAKER_00 10:08

You know, I really love the idea that music and food are the best ways to bring people together. It makes the world feel a little less lonely.

SPEAKER_01 10:17

I completely agree. It is a beautiful way to think about sharing joy. If you enjoyed wondering about Hazel's fantastic question with us today, we would love it if you left us a five-star review.

SPEAKER_00 10:30

Yeah! Just scroll down on your podcast app and tap the stars. It really helps other kids find the show. So we can all think about big ideas together.

SPEAKER_01 10:40

Oh, and don't forget to check out our site, kidopoly.com. We've got tons of fun learning games and amazing activities waiting for you there.

SPEAKER_00 10:49

And if you want to shout out on the show like Hazel got, or just want to tell us what you're wondering about, send us an email at hello at kidopoly.com.

SPEAKER_01 10:58

We absolutely love hearing from you. See you next time on Philosophy is not boring. Bye everyone.