Meaning & Translation
Sanskrit
हर हर महादेव
Transliteration
Hara Hara Mahadeva
Pronunciation
Deity / Quality Invoked
Shiva
Full Translation
A rousing call to Shiva by two of his names: Hara — "the remover," the one who dissolves sorrow, sin, and the bondage of the ego — and Mahadeva, "the Great God." More an exultant cry than a petition, it is raised in temples, on pilgrimage, and in kirtan as a way of throwing oneself wholly toward the divine.
Spiritual Significance
To chant "Hara" is to ask, again and again, for the burning away of whatever binds the heart — fear, attachment, the small self — so that only the auspicious (shiva) remains. It is a chant of surrender and fearlessness.
Cultural Context & History
An ancient and ubiquitous Shaivite invocation — at once a pilgrim's greeting, a rallying cry, and a temple chant across India. In the Western Kirtan world it is sung in long, building call-and-response by artists such as Krishna Das.
For Leaders
Chords and structure for leading this chant on harmonium or guitar — transcribed from the linked recording. New to leading? Read our guide to leading kirtan →
Original key
E
Tempo & feel
Driving (~112 bpm); a fire chant that wants volume
Chord Chart
Strumming & rhythm (4/4)
D = downstrum, U = upstrum, · = let it ring. driving fire chant: strong 1, relentless ups; let volume grow with the circle.
Call & Response Structure
A pure two-chord E–A stomp. Call and response are identical; the arrangement builds by layering voices and doubling the rhythmic intensity, never by adding chords. A natural set-peak Shiva chant.
Terms in the Glossary
Words from this page, explained in our A–Z reference.