The Krishna Lovers © 2008

Yoga for the Modern Age

What is yoga? What is the purpose of it in the age of

Kali? How does one perform it?

Lord Sri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of

Godhead explains that ‘yoga’ is a process of
controlling the mind and senses.

In the Satya-yuga (the Golden Age), the yoga system

was recommended, where one was to always meditate
on Vishnu. In the Treta-yuga, one could practice yoga
by performing great sacrifices and in the following
age, the Dvarpara-yuga, one could achieve perfection
by temple worship. The present age in which we are
all living in is Kali-yuga. ‘Kali-yuga’ means ‘the age
of quarrel and hypocrisy’ and is the age characterized
by chaos and ignorance.

As practiced in the previous yugas, yoga was a

process involving years of meditation and severe
austerities.

However in the kali-yuga, this practice is of yoga is

not recommended, as substantiated below:

arjuna uvaca
yo 'yam yogas tvaya proktah
samyena madhusudana
etasyaham na pasyami
cancalatvat sthitim sthiram
(BG. 6.33)

TRANSLATION

Arjuna said: O Madhusudana, the system of yoga which You have summarized
appears impractical and unendurable to me, for the mind is restless and unsteady.

Arjuna himself, a great warrior and an advanced and intelligent person, proclaims that the
system of yoga at that time was impractical and difficult. As His Divine Grace A.C
Bhaktivedanta Srila Prabhupad says, ‘What comparison are we to Arjuna? If we attempt this
system, failure is certain’.

Therefore, all these complex systems of yoga must be generally considered impossible in
this age of Kali. However, through the mercy of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, in the Kali-yuga,
the benefits of all these yoga practices can be simply attained through ‘Bhakti-Yoga’(loving
devotional service to Krishna). One does not require any training or education to participate in

Rasarani
 The Krishna Lovers © 2008

this. Devotional service, chanting the Hare Krishna Mahamantra (japa) and taking part in
congregational chanting (kirtana), comprises of the nine processes of bhakti-yoga, as stated
below:

Sravanam kirtanam visnoh

smaranam pada-sevanam
arcanam vandanam dasyam
sakhyam atma-nivedanam
(Srimad Bhagavatam 7.5.23)

TRANSLATION

Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name, form, qualities,
paraphernalia and pastimes of Lord Vishnu, remembering them, serving the lotus feet
of the Lord, offering the Lord respectful worship with sixteen types of paraphernalia,
offering prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering the Lord one's best
friend, and surrendering everything unto Him (in other words, serving Him with the
body, mind and words)
-- these nine processes are accepted as pure devotional service. One who has
dedicated his life to the service of Krsna through these nine methods should be
understood to be the most learned person, for he has acquired complete knowledge.

Therefore Lord Chaitanya has proclaimed that this is the only system that is
practical for this current age, as it is mentioned in the Brihan-naradiya Purana:

harer nama harer nama

harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva
nasty eva gatir anyatha
(BnP 38.126):

TRANSLATION

In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy, the only means of deliverance is the chanting of
the holy names of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no
other way.

The Mahamantra is first attested in the Kali Santarana Upanishad. In this Upanishad,
Narada is instructed by Brahma:

"Hearken to that which all Shrutis (the Vedas) keep secret and hidden, through which
one may cross the Samsara (mundane existence) of Kali. He shakes off (the evil
effects of) Kali through the mere uttering of the name of Lord Narayana, who is the
primeval Purusha".
Narada then asks to be told this name of Narayana, and Brahma replies:

"Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama,
Rama Rama Hare Hare; These sixteen names are destructive of the evil effects of
Kali. No better means than this is to be seen in all the Vedas."

Rasarani
The Krishna Lovers © 2008

We can thus see the importance of chanting the Supreme Lord’s name: Hare Krishna
Hare Krishna/ Krishna Krishna Hare Hare/ Hare Rama Hare Rama/ Rama Rama Hare
Hare/

Attempting to practice other yoga systems, will not provide us with quick results,
and will not show the progress we make. In bhakti-yoga on the other hand, one can
notice one’s advancement and progress in spiritual life. Bhakti-yoga is the only yoga
system which results in the quickest way of attaining self-realisation and liberation in
this very life. One does not have to endure the cycle of birth and death again.
Just by saying and hearing the name of ‘Krishna’, the mind is at once fixated upon
Him, thus the yoga system is immediately attained.

All the previous yoga systems are aimed at concentrating upon the form of Visnu.
Therefore, if one concentrates his mind on Lord Sri Krishna, the Supreme Lord from
whom millions of Vishnu forms expands; one immediately attains all the benefits and
the perfection of yoga.

Hare Krishna!

Rasarani