Special thanks to David newman 'Durga Das' for letting me take a small audio loop I made from his "Sri Krishna Sharanam Mama" track, off of his CD "Lotus Feet: A Kirtan Revolution"
To buy/hear his full track and other Kirtan:
http://www.davidnewmanmusic.com


Martha Graham's dance "The Flute of Krishna" Video (1926)
Filmed by Eastman Kodak
And also special Thanks to Ben Hoppes (aka umkwaig) for providing me with this rare video file


ASHTAKSHAR MANTRA:
Shree Krishna Sharanam Mama (Shri Krishna is my shelter))

BY THE PRONUNCIATION OF:
Shri - the good fortune of wealth is attained.
Kri - destroys sin.
Shnaha - suffering is removed.
Sha - one is liberated from the cycle of the birth and death.
Ra - one attains the divine knowledge of Prabhu.
Nam - bestows unwavering and everlasting devotion for Shri Krishna.
Ma - one attains love for Guru who imparts the teachings of Krishna's seva.
Ma - one attains merger with Prabhu after which taking rebirth is not necessary.

By repeating ashtakshar mantra, with knowledge of its deeper significance, one attains love and devotion for Shri Krishna and detachment is attained. Pleasures and liberation are firmly established.
From the repetition of ashtakshar mantra, one will be free from illness and all sins will be destroyed. Wealth and power is immediately attained and one can reside in the home with security and stability.
One who recites ashtakshar mantra can not be harmed by ghosts or other spirits, wild animals, thieves, etc. and in adversities one is protected by Prabhu. In His shelter, enemies become friends and just as a mouse seeing a snake becomes frightened, enemies become filled with trepidation.
By repetition of ashtakshar mantra, sinful actions, harmful conditions, detrimental planetary configurations in one's horoscope are all destroyed and anand swarup Shri Krishna everlastingly resides in the heart.

Shri Maha Prabhuji's main teaching is that ashtakshar mantra should be repeated with every bhava

(Sarvatma Bhava) and unceasingly.
http://www.pushtikul.com/pushti_parim...

For every Pushti soul, Ashtakshar Mantra is the ultimate and supreme mantra that is bestower of the highest attainments. Whenever anyone remembers and repeats 'ashtakshar mantra' deeply in the heart, he will experience supreme peace. Ashtakshar is not an ordinary mantra for obtaining mundane fruits but a supremely divine mantra bestowing the ultimate attainments. Each letter is embodied with divine powers and every vaishnav should repeat it unceasingly with a pure heart to attain those precious fruits. It destroys egotism, awakens the pure sentiments of 'das bhava', serving Prabhu as humble servant and bestows firm dedication to Prabhu's lotus feet. Ashtakshar mantra has not been created by anybody but it is wondrously and divinely manifested in 'Golok Dham'.
http://www.pushtikul.com/topic.asp?ca...

One of the distinguishing characteristics of ashtakshar mantra is that it does not begin with Omcar, unlike other seed mantras which do begin with Omcar. According to scriptural law, any mantra beginning with Omcar should not be pronounced in any impure state, such as, if one has been to the toilet and subsequently has not bathed or during the sutak etc.

Through this unceasing repetition, one can avoid useless thoughts and discussions ....