The Kali Santarana Upanishad, a concise prose text, is categorized among the minor Upanishads affiliated with the Krishna Yajurveda, advocating the principles of Vaishnavism. In this spiritual narrative, Sage Narada, perceiving the conclusion of the Dvapara Yuga and the onset of the Kali Yuga, approached Brahma, the creator, seeking guidance on overcoming the adverse effects of Kali, representing the Iron Age and its inherent sinful consequences.
In response, Brahma conveyed a transformative solution – the
repetition of the name of Narayana, the primal person (Adi Purusha). The
revealed mantra, consisting of sixteen parts, stands as follows:
Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare"
This sixteen-part mantra possesses the profound capability
to dismantle the sixteen covers that bind the soul. As a result, the soul, once
liberated, radiates like the sun emerging from behind dispelled clouds, thanks
to the potent wind of spiritual practice.
Notably, the repetition of this mantra is not bound by
strict rules. Whether one is considered clean or unclean, the consistent
recitation of the mantra offers a pathway to liberation, allowing individuals
to attain God's world, reside in proximity to Him, assume a divine form, or
even merge entirely with the divine essence.
Furthermore, the Upanishad underscores the efficacy of
performing "japa" (repetitive chanting) of this mantra. By engaging
in the japa 35 million times, an individual can attain liberation, transcending
even the gravest sins such as brahmahatya (killing a Brahmin) or theft of
precious substances like gold.