Harinam
public singing of the
holy names of god
Harinam literally means "the name of Hari, the name of God". The chanting or chanting of the names of God is considered the simplest yet most sublime form of spiritual practice at the present time. This is confirmed in all Vedic scriptures.
„Although Kali-yuga is an ocean of faults, there is still one good quality about this age: Simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, one can become free from material bondage and be promoted to the transcendental kingdom.“
– Srimad Bhagavatam 12.3.51
Harinama is also understood to mean the public chanting of the names of God. Another term that is often used is sankirtana. Kirtana means praising God and when this is done together it is called sankirtana.
The Sankirtana movement as we know it today was founded around 500 years ago by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in West Bengal, India. Caitanya is also known as the Golden Avatar and is considered not different from Sri Krishna Himself. It was Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu who introduced the chanting of Krishna's names together. Previously, the mantras were only chanted softly, but Caitanya Mahaprabhu brought the chanting of the names of God to the public for everyone to benefit from.
As part of the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition in the footsteps of Lord Caitanya, the members of the Hare Krishna movement continue this public chanting not only in India but in all major cities around the world. In Switzerland, too, one has been meeting singing devotees to Krishna for over 50 years.
This public singing should give people an impetus for their own spiritual life and remind them that the deeper meaning of life lies in the knowledge of God. Chanting the Maha Mantra together creates a powerful spiritual atmosphere that creates auspicious circumstances. Whoever hears or chants the names of Krishna can derive great spiritual benefit. In this sense, singing together is an attempt to raise people's awareness and give them access to spirituality.
„The chanting of the holy name of the Lord is able to uproot even the reactions of the greatest sins. Therefore the chanting of the saṅkīrtana movement is the most auspicious activity in the entire universe!“
– Srimad Bhagavatam 6.3.31
Following in the footsteps of Lord Chaitanya, devotees sing and dance in the city streets and travel to various locations in Switzerland to give the conditioned souls the opportunity to hear and benefit from Krishna's holy names.
Everyone is cordially invited to participate in the Harinamas. You don't need to take anything with you, and you don't need to have any special talent. Presence is most important!
