In the Kali−yuga, Chanting Yields the Results of Other Religious Practices Performed in Previous Ages By chanting the holy name in the Kali−yuga, one can obtain the results of various spiritual activities performed in the previous three ages:
[Sukadeva Gosvami to Maharaja Pariksit]:
"'Whatever result was obtained in Satya−yuga by meditating on Visnu, in Treta−yuga by performing sacrifices and in Dvapara−yuga by seeing the Lord's lotus feet can also be obtained in Kali−yuga simply by chanting the Hare Krsna maha−mantra.'"
¯Srimad−Bhagavatam 12.3.52
¯ [cited: Sri Caitanya−caritamrta Madhya−lila 20.345]
"'Whatever is achieved by meditation in Satya−yuga, by the performance of yajna in Treta−yuga or by the worship of Krsna's lotus feet in Dvapara−yuga is also obtdned in the age of Kali simply by chanting and glorifying Lord Kesava.'" Visnu Purana 6.2.17,
¯Padma Purana (Uttara−khanda 72.25), ¯and Brhan−naradiya Purana 38.97
¯ [cited: Sri Caitanya−caritamrta Madhya−lila 20.346]
[Lord Caitanya to Sanatana Gosvami]:
"In the other three yugas−Satya, Treta and Dvapara−people perform different types of spiritual activities. Whatever results they achieve in that way, they can achieve in Kali−yuga simply by chanting the Hare Krsna maha−mantra."
¯Sri Caitanya−caritamrta Madhya−lila 20.343
In this age, hari−kirtana is the only practical means of self−realization: If one actually wants to solve the problems of life in this age, then he has to take to this process of kirtana. That is the recommended process.
harer nama harer nama
harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva
nasty eva gatir anyatha
[Adi 17.21]
In this age, Kali−yuga, one cannot execute any process of self−realization or perfection of life other than kirtana. Kirtana is essential in this age. In all Vedic literatures it is confirmed that one must meditate on the Supreme Absolute Truth, Visnu, not on anything else. But there are different processes of meditation recommended for different ages. The process of mystic yogic meditation was possible in Satya−yuga, when men lived for many thousands of years. Now people will not believe this, but in a previous age there were people who lived for one hundred thousand years. That age was called Satya−yuga, and the meditation of mystic yoga was possible at that time. In that age the great yogi Valmiki Muni meditated for sixty thousand years. So that is a long−term process, which is not possible to execute in this age. If one wishes to conduct a farce, that is another matter. But if one actually wants to practice such meditation, it takes an extremely long time to perfect. In the next age, Treta−yuga, the process of realization was to perform the various ritualistic sacrifices recommended in the Vedas. In the next age, Dvapara−yuga, the process was temple worship. In this present age the same result can be achieved by the process of hari−kirtana, glorification of Hari, Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
¯The Science of Self−Realization
In the age of quarrel, chanting of the holy name is the only recommended means of self−realization: The yoga system, as it was recommended in the Satya−yuga, the Golden Age, was to always meditate on Visnu. In the Treta−yuga one could practice yoga by performing great sacrifices, and in the next age, Dvapara−yuga, one could achieve perfection by temple worship. The present age is called Kali−yuga. Kali−yuga means the age of quarrel and disagreement. No one agrees with anyone else. Everyone has his own theory; everyone has his own philosophy. If I don't agree with you, you fight me. This is the symptom of Kali−yuga. The only method recommended in this age is chanting the holy name. Simply by chanting the holy name of God, one can attain that perfect self−realization which was attained by the yoga system in the Satya−yuga, by performance of great sacrifices in the Treta−yuga, and by large−scale temple worship in the Dvapara−yuga. That perfection can be attained by the simple method of hari−kirtana. Hari means the Supreme Personality of Godhead; kirtana means to glorify.
¯Krsna Consciousness: The Topmost Yoga System