Śrī Gopāla-guru explains the meaning of the holy name as follows:

vijñāpya bhagavat-tattvaṁ cid-ghanānanda-vigraham

haraty avidyāṁ tat kāryam ato harir iti smṛtaḥ
harati śrī-kṛṣṇa-manaḥ kṛṣṇāhlāda-svarūpiṇī
ato harety anenaiva śrī-rādhā parikīrtitā
ānandaika-sukha-svāmī śyāmaḥ kamala-locanaḥ
gokulānandano nanda nandanaḥ kṛṣṇa īryate
vaidagdhī sāra-sarvasvaṁ mūrti-līlādhidaivatam
rādhikāṁ ramyan nityaṁ rāma ity abhidhīyate

The Supreme Person Śrī Bhagavān has descended in the form of the holy name, which
is the embodiment of condensed knowledge and bliss. While remembering the name of
Bhagavān, one should remember that nāma and nāmī are non-different. In the first
stage of a sādhaka’s progress, the holy name removes ignorance. Therefore He is
Hari, “He who removes”. The rasikaācāryas, however, taste harināma by thinking
that, in the kuñjas Vṛṣabhānu-nandinī Śrī Rādhā is stealing away the mind of Śrī
Hari by Her service. He who chants Hare Kṛṣṇa with this meditation attains prema-
bhakti. Śrī Rādhā is kṛṣṇa-hlādinī-rūpiṇī, the embodiment of Kṛṣṇa’s own pleasure
potency. She steals away Kṛṣṇa’s mind, and therefore Her name is Harā. The vocative
form of Harā is Hare. Thus, Hare Kṛṣṇa means Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa Yugala.

The names Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa are sac-cid-ānanda, full of eternity, knowledge and bliss.
Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa are personally present in Hare Kṛṣṇa. The eternal master of Śrī
Rādhā, who is bliss personified, is Śyāma, who has eyes like lotus petals and who
desires that Śrī Rādhikā always be happy. Nanda-nandana Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the giver of
bliss to the residents of Gokula, is always yearning to taste happiness with Śrī
Rādhā. Kṛṣṇa is Līleśvara, a clever dhīra-lalita-nāyaka; therefore His name is
Rādhāramaṇa. The Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra is comprised of names of the Divine Couple.
While chanting this mantra one should remember Their pastimes.
Text 38

While chanting harināma, one should remember Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes. “Niśānte kīrtane
kuñja-bhaṅga kare dhyāna, krame krame citta lagne rasera vidhāna – by remembering
and performing kīrtana of niśānta-līlā, or kuñja-bhaṅga-līlā, the mind will
gradually relish rasa.” Govinda-līlāmṛta (1.10) states:

rātryante trasta-vṛnderita bahu-viravair bodhitau kīraśārīpadyair-

hṛdyair api sukha-śayanād utthitau tau sakhībhiḥ
dṛṣṭau hṛṣṭau tadā tvoditarati-lalitau kakkhaṭī-gīḥ saśaṅkau
rādhā-kṛṣṇau satṛṣṇāv api nija-nija-dhāmny āpta-talpau smarāmi

At the end of the night, Vṛndā-devī, fearing the approach of day, indicates to the
śuka (parrot), śārī (female parrot) and other birds to make sweet sounds to awaken
Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. A cool, gentle, fragrant breeze is slowly blowing. With charming
calls, the peacocks, peahens, śuka, sārī and papīhā (cuckoos) glorify Śrī Rādhā-
Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes. They say, “O Vrajarāja-nandana! O Nikuñjeśvarī! When will we
receive Your darśana?” Although the Divine Couple have been aroused by the sweet
chirping of the birds, They embrace each other in fear of being separated and again
fall asleep, weary from amorous play. The more Vṛndā-devī tries to wake Them, the
more They drowsily pretend to sleep deeply, for They do not desire to leave one
another. At that time, the she-monkey Kakkhaṭī loudly cries “Jaṭilā! Jaṭilā!” and
They awaken, filled with fear. (The meaning of “Jaṭilā” is “Morning has come and
the sun-rays, which look like matted hair (jaṭā), are about to appear.” But it can
also mean “Jaṭilā is coming”, Jaṭilā being Śrī Rādhā’s mother-in-law.) The nitya-
sakhīs and prāṇa-sakhīs enter the kuñja. These mañjarī-sakhīs redecorate Rādhā and
Kṛṣṇa with clothes and ornaments, concealing the signs of Their amorous pastimes,
and then they call the priya-sakhīs and priya-narma-sakhīs. Kiśora and Kiśorī joke
with each other, and Śrī Lalitā performs Their ārati. Thereafter They proceed to
Their respective residences.