Which form of God is referred to as 'Hari'?

Question

Which Form of God is referred to as 'Hari' in our scriptures? Does 'Hari' mean the Formless Brahman also?

If I have to speak without bias, Isvara, Adi Pursha Narayana, Paramesvara, Sri krishna, Sri Hari are all addressed to one Paramatma with different namas. There are only two entities = Hari, Hara (Shiva Shakti) thats why if you see Hari and Parvati devi will have more similarities in tattva. When this two entities becomes one, this Universe will not be existing! How things are existing outside in Universe, same way it exists inside humans. If you know what is inside, you can know there's no outside and no inside, no gender, no kind of dualities. Everything becomes one. — Agamas Tantras, Apr 23 '19 at 03:59
Hari cannot refer to formless Brahman. You just gave it form by assigning the ‘form’’ which is an organization of letters ‘h’ ‘a’ ‘r’ ‘i’ and assigning a meaning due to such association to it! So what really can describe formless Brahman to certain extent? — Gopal Anantharaman, Apr 29 '19 at 20:10

score 8 · Answer 1 · 2019-04-29T05:27:22.877

As the Vishnu Sahasranamam states, Hari is regarded as a name of Sri Vishnu:

kālaneminihā vīraḥ śauriḥ śūrajaneśvaraḥ | trilōkātmā trilōkeśaḥ keśavaḥ keśihā hariḥ
|| 69 ||

The word "Hari" literally means "One who destroys Samsara."

We know from Sri Krishna in the Bhagavad-Gita itself that He indeed is the one who liberates jivas from Samsara:

ye tu sarvāṇi karmāṇi mayi sannyasya mat-paraḥ ananyenaiva yogena māṁ dhyāyanta upāsate teṣhām ahaṁ samuddhartā mṛityu-saṁsāra-sāgarāt bhavāmi na chirāt pārtha mayy āveśhita-chetasām

English Translation: But those who dedicate all their actions to Me, regarding Me as the Supreme goal, worshiping Me and meditating on Me with exclusive devotion, O Parth, I swiftly deliver them from the ocean of birth and death, for their consciousness is united with Me. (Bhagavad-Gita 12.6-7)

Interestingly, Hari is also regarded the name of Mahadeva according to the Shiva Sahasranamam:

nimittastho nimittam cha nandirnandikaro harih nandiishvarashcha nandii cha nandano nandivardhanah || 46 ||

However, "Hari" is more popularly used to refer to Sri Vishnu.

The term "Hari" is also used to refer to an incarnation of Vishnu:

tatrāpi jajñe bhagavān hariṇyāṁ harimedhasaḥ harir ity āhṛto yena gajendro mocito grahāt

In that Manvantara the Lord too was born through Hariṇī from (the loins of) the sage Harimedhā (her husband) and was named Sri Hari, by whom Gajendra, the (celebrated) leader of (a herd) of elephants was extricated from (the grip of) an alligator. (Srimad Bhagavatam 8.1.30)

@SuryaKantaBoseChowdhury I expect an answer that will not tamper the meanings of the scriptures in any way to favour or contradict any sect. I think your answer was fine. — , Apr 23 '19 at 12:28
@commonman In the preceding verses, it's explicitly mentioned talking about the three modes of nature. So when Hari is being called Nirguna, He is being said to beyond the influence of the three modes of nature, not devoid of all qualities. — , Apr 23 '19 at 19:40

score 3 · Accepted Answer · 2019-04-30T05:21:35.287

The form of God referred to as 'Hari' is Sri Vishnu, Sri Krishna or His different incarnations.

Lord Shiva is also referred to as 'Hari' in the Shiva-Shasranama, but our scriptures do not use the word 'Hari' to imply Lord Shiva. Otherwise, we would not have a separate dhyana-sloka for 'Hari-Hara'. An image of Hari-Hara is enclosed. The dhyana-sloka of Hari-Hara is

shulam chakram pAnchajanyam abi_iti dadhatam karaih/sva-sva-bhushat sva-lilArdha-deham hariharam bhaje//

In the svarupa, both are the same and some names commonly known as of Lord Shiva like 'Swayambhu', 'Sambhu' etc are included in the Vishnu-sahasranama also.

But all our scriptures unianimously mean Lord Vishnu or Lord Krushna by Hari.

So there is no room of confusion here.

Srimad-Bhagavatam however repeatedly speaks of both the aspects of Sri Hari ---with form and without form. For example, Sri Hari Himself describes His formless svarupa as

The Supreme Brahman, who is extremely subtle, being of the nature of pure Existence-Consciousness-Bliss, unlimited and impossible to be conceived with an impure heart (10.88.10).

So yes, 'Hari' means the formless Brahman also.

score 3 · Answer 3 · edited Jul 30 '22 at 01:49

Hari is like a DEGREE OF HIGHEST ORDER one can have in own lifetime.

However the AVATARS are born with it.

The Samarth Guru has earned it either directly by another Samarth Guru or by own efforts or by combo means.

To be in the CLUB of HARI PERSONAS is the highest expectation or thought one can possess; the traditional wisdom that imbibes every child since holy wiseman with white beards of ancient India revealed this.

Jai Shree Hari.

Hari Krishna.

Hari Ram.

Har Har Mahadev.

Jai Hari Sai.

Jai Guru Hari.

Nanak Japae Har Har Deva (Sukhmani Sahib)

Jai Hari Mandir Dham.

Jai Hari-dwar Dham.

Jo Kiya Soh Hari Kiya, sab Kahat Kabir Kabir.

Jai Narayan Narayan Hari Hari.

Jai Hari & Shree Bhu Devi Mata (Yoga of Nath Muni)

Hari bol

HARI; THE HIGHEST DEGREE OF LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT.

Hari Tattv srvatr samana;
Prem sae prkt huyae mai jaan

LOVE own & others HARI SWAROOP ( especially those who have had achieved this and stay in Sat Dham or Kingdom of Brahm Prakash & Brahm Naad).

LOVE THOU ART

HE (Hari Swaroop) knows it, he (the human swaroop) knows not (Rig Ved)

HARI NAAM NAHI TOH JEENA KYA (holy name)

Hari Anantah Hari ktha Anantaa, Kah- hee, Sun-hee, bahoo viddhee sab santaa. (Sundar Kaand of Ramayana)

(Gita 18-77 verse) Shree Hari the strange swaroop recalled in Heart all the time.

This does not provide an answer to the question. Once you have sufficient reputation you will be able to comment on any post; instead, provide answers that don't require clarification from the asker. - From Review — Sanatan Darshan, Aug 02 '22 at 13:44

score 2 · Answer 4 · answered Jul 27 '22 at 11:07

Hari means one who removes affliction. It is a name given by Manu to Lord Vishnu commonly because he is the preserver of earth.

Srimad Bhagwatam 2:7:1-2. The Creator said: 'When the Lord as the Unlimited One within the universe for His pastimes assumed the form of the sum total of all sacrifices [as the boar avatâra Varâha], He was determined to lift the earth out of the great [Garbhodaka] ocean. In the ocean the first demon [called Hiranyâksha, the 'demon of the gold'] appeared who by Him was defeated with His tusk, like a thunderbolt piercing a pack of clouds. From Âkûti ['good intention'] the wife of the Prajâpati Ruci, Suyajña ['appropriate sacrifice'] was born who with his wife Dakshinâ ['the reward'] gave birth to the godly headed by Suyama ['proper regulation']. With them He greatly diminished the distress in the three worlds and for that reason the father of mankind Svâyambhuva Manu renamed Him Hari [the Lord].

Which form of God is referred to as 'Hari'?

4 Answers4