Bhakti radio online: free devotional mantra radio, live
Listen to bhakti radio online, free and without ads. Mahakatha Radio plays Hindu mantras, stotras and chants live, 24 hours a day, in any browser.
Mahakatha Radio is a free devotional radio station you can listen to online, live, 24 hours a day. It plays Hindu mantras, stotras and chants, with no ads and no sign-up, in any browser on your phone or computer. Listen live
One honest note before you press play: this is a mantra station. You will hear Sanskrit mantras, stotras, Gayatris and a few kirtans, not film bhajans or devotional songs from movies. If you are looking for the bhajans you grew up with on the radio, a bhajan channel will suit you better. If you want sacred sound that stays calm and steady all day, you are in the right place.
What plays
The station draws on about 310 recordings from the Mahakatha library:
- Shiva (71 recordings), from Om Namah Shivaya to the Shiva Tandava Stotram and Rudrashtakam
- Om and universal chants (37), including Om Shanti, So Hum and the Upanishad peace mantras
- Krishna (28), with Madhurashtakam, Govinda Damodara and the Hare Krishna maha mantra
- Lakshmi, Ganesha and Durga (22 each)
- Rama (14), Saraswati (13), Hanuman and the Navagraha (12 each), Buddha (9), Vishnu and Surya (8 each), Kali (7) and more
The music changes with the time of day, and everyone listening hears the same moment, like any radio.
Prayer Requests at 7 am and 7 pm
Every day at 7:00 am and 7:00 pm India time, the station reads listeners' prayers aloud. Someone offers a prayer for a person they love, for healing, in memory, or for a birthday or anniversary, and it is read gently on air, followed by a mantra chosen for that person. Hearing a stranger's prayer for their mother, and holding it for a moment too, is a quiet kind of bhakti.
Two devotional chants you may hear
Hare Krishna Hare Rama
हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरे। हरे राम हरे राम राम राम हरे हरे॥ Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare
"Let me immerse myself in the joy that is Krishna, and the joy that is Rama." The maha mantra, traditionally chanted for spiritual joy and devotion, alone on a mala or together in kirtan. Listen on Mahakatha.
Krishnaya Vasudevaya
कृष्णाय वासुदेवाय हरये परमात्मने। प्रणतः क्लेशनशाय गोविन्दाय नमो नमः॥ Krishnaya Vasudevaya Haraye Paramatmane, Pranatah Kleshanashaya Govindaya Namo Namah
"O Krishna, Vasudeva, Hari, Supreme Soul, Govinda, who ends suffering: I bow to you again and again." Traditionally chanted for feeling safe and protected. Listen on Mahakatha.
How it works
- Free, always. No subscription and no paid tier. Listeners who offer prayers or support the station keep it running.
- No ads. A chant is never cut off for a commercial.
- No sign-up, no app. It plays in any browser, on Android, iPhone, laptop or desktop. Open the page and press play.
- Live. Everyone hears the same moment. You cannot skip tracks or pick one, which many listeners find restful.
Bhakti radio or a bhakti playlist?
A playlist on a music app is best when you want specific songs: a favourite aarti before puja, or the bhajans of one singer. You choose every track. Free tiers of music apps often play ads between songs.
A radio station is best when you want devotion in the background of the day without choosing anything. The chants change on their own, you discover mantras you might never have searched for, and you share the moment with other listeners. Mahakatha Radio adds something a playlist cannot: real prayers from real families, read twice a day.
If you hear a mantra you love, every recording has its own page with lyrics and meaning on Mahakatha, our sister site.
When to keep it on
- Morning puja, at low volume, while you light the lamp.
- In the kitchen or while you work, so the house is held in sacred sound.
- For an elder at home, who may enjoy chants playing all day without needing to work a phone.
- At night, softly, if it helps you rest.
For the most-loved mantras and what each is chanted for, see the most powerful mantras. Looking for pure Om chanting? Try Om meditation music.
Questions people ask
Where can I listen to bhakti radio online for free?
On Mahakatha Radio. It is free, plays live 24 hours a day, and works in any browser without an app or account. Just open the home page and press play.
How can I listen to free radio online?
Most stations, including All India Radio, stream on their own websites or apps. For devotional mantras with no ads and no sign-up, open Mahakatha Radio in your browser and press play.
Does Mahakatha Radio play film bhajans?
No. It plays mantras, stotras, Gayatris and a few kirtans from the Mahakatha library. It does not play film songs or popular devotional albums.
What is the best devotional radio for daily listening?
It depends on what you love. For songs and bhajans, choose a bhajan station. For calm, steady mantra chanting with no ads, and prayers read on air every morning and evening, try Mahakatha Radio.
Can I request a prayer on bhakti radio?
Yes. You can offer a prayer for someone from ₹251 or $7. It is read aloud during Prayer Requests at 7 am or 7 pm India time, followed by a mantra chosen for them. You can also add a prayer to the prayer wall for free.