A Second Chance | Part [SC.CH 1.04]
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Written by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
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In illusion a person may think he can get rid of unwanted habits and be saved by some artificial, mystic meditation. And in fact at one time it was possible to attain liberation by practicing ashtanga-yoga, or eightfold yogic meditation. But at present almost no one can follow this process, and artificial attempts at yoga will not help us.
Therefore to help the fallen people of this Age of Kali, the Supreme Lord appeared five hundred years ago as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He knew that the people of this age would not even be able to follow the regulative principles, what to speak of practicing ashtanga-yoga. Therefore He gave the maha-mantra—Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare—so that we can gradually be elevated to the highest position of spiritual life. Other processes of purification or sacrifice cannot be followed in this age, because for the most part people are too degraded. But anyone may take to this process of chanting Hare Krishna. As it is said in the Brihan-naradiya Purana (3.8.126),
In illusion a person may think he can get rid of unwanted habits and be saved by some artificial, mystic meditation. And in fact at one time it was possible to attain liberation by practicing ashtanga-yoga, or eightfold yogic meditation. But at present almost no one can follow this process, and artificial attempts at yoga will not help us.
Therefore to help the fallen people of this Age of Kali, the Supreme Lord appeared five hundred years ago as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He knew that the people of this age would not even be able to follow the regulative principles, what to speak of practicing ashtanga-yoga. Therefore He gave the maha-mantra—Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare—so that we can gradually be elevated to the highest position of spiritual life. Other processes of purification or sacrifice cannot be followed in this age, because for the most part people are too degraded. But anyone may take to this process of chanting Hare Krishna. As it is said in the Brihan-naradiya Purana (3.8.126),
harer nama harer nama
harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva
nasty eva gatir anyatha
[Cc. Adi 17.21]
harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva
nasty eva gatir anyatha
[Cc. Adi 17.21]
"In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy, the only means of deliverance is chanting the holy name of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way." Chanting the holy name of the Lord is always superbly effective, but it is especially effective in this Age of Kali. Its practical effectiveness will now be explained by Sukadeva Gosvami through the history of Ajamila, who was freed from the hands of Yamaraja, the universal judge, simply because of chanting the holy name of Narayana.
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Written by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
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