# The Yuga-dharma The chanting of the holy name is the prime religious practice for the Age of Kali, introduced by Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself in His incarnation as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. --- ## The Prime Religious Practice for Kali-yuga ![[cc/adi/3/40#purport|After searching through all the Vedic literature one cannot find a method of religion more sublime for this age than the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa]] —Cc. [[cc/adi/3/40|Ādi 3.40]] Purport --- ![[cc/madhya/20/347#purport|in this age, simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, one can advance in spiritual knowledge and attain life's goal]] —Cc. [[cc/madhya/20/347|Madhya 20.347]] Purport --- ![[sb/12/3/51|although Kali-yuga is full of faults, there is still one good quality about this age]] —SB [[sb/12/3/51|12.3.51]] --- ![[cc/adi/7/74|In this Age of Kali there is no other religious principle than the chanting of the holy name]] —Cc. [[cc/adi/7/74|Ādi 7.74]] --- ![[cc/antya/20/8|chanting of the holy names is the most feasible means of salvation in this Age of Kali]] —Cc. [[cc/antya/20/8|Antya 20.8]] --- ![[cc/madhya/20/339#purport|In the Kali-yuga the occupational duty of the people is to chant congregationally the holy name of Kṛṣṇa]] —Cc. [[cc/madhya/20/339|Madhya 20.339]] Purport --- ![[cc/madhya/11/97#purport|In this Age of Kali the practical system of religion for everyone is the chanting of the name of Godhead]] —Cc. [[cc/madhya/11/97|Madhya 11.97-99]] Purport --- ![[cc/madhya/9/362#purport|the sum and substance of eternal religion, known as sanātana-dharma]] —Cc. [[cc/madhya/9/362|Madhya 9.362]] Purport --- In Kali-yuga Kṛṣṇa has incarnated as the holy name in order to deliver the sinful, who are suffering greatly: In the present age, Kali-yuga, people are very much sinful and are consequently suffering greatly. Therefore Kṛṣṇa has incarnated in the form of His name, as found in the mahā-mantra: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. —*Teachings of Queen Kuntī* --- Because Kali-yuga is such a degraded and miserable age, Lord Caitanya advises everyone simply to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa: According to the Vedic conception, there must be men in society who are factually *brāhmaṇas*, capable of expounding the real truth. If everyone becomes a *śūdra*, the Absolute Truth cannot be understood... Therefore Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, seeing the dreadful situation in this age, emphasized the absolute necessity for cultivating spiritual life. And how should we do it? > *harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam* > *kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā* "Just always chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." Never mind whether you are in a factory or in hell, in a shack or in a skyscraper—it doesn't matter. Just go on chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. There is no expense, there is no impediment, there is no caste, there is no creed, there is no color—anyone can do it. Just chant and hear. —*Teachings of Lord Kapila, the Son of Devahūti* and *On the Way to Kṛṣṇa* --- The chanting of the holy names of the Lord is the common platform for the universal religion of mankind: In this present age quarrels take place even over trifles, and therefore the *śāstras* have recommended for this age a common platform for realization, namely chanting the holy names of the Lord. People can hold meetings to glorify the Lord in their respective languages and with melodious songs, and if such performances are executed in an offenseless manner, it is certain that the participants will gradually attain spiritual perfection without having to undergo more rigorous methods. **To confirm the Lord's mission, all the people of the world will accept the holy name of the Lord as the common platform for the universal religion of mankind.** —*Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* 1, Introduction --- ![[sb/8/6/15#purport|The Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra is especially suited to deliver us from the dangers of the Kali-yuga]] —SB [[sb/8/6/15|8.6.15]] Purport --- ## Lord Kṛṣṇa Is Worshiped by Chanting ![[cc/antya/7/12#purport|In the Age of Kali one can satisfy and worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead Hari simply by chanting His holy name]] —Cc. [[cc/antya/7/12|Antya 7.12]] Purport --- ![[cc/madhya/25/9#purport|In this Age of Kali, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is worshiped simply by the chanting of His holy names]] —Cc. [[cc/madhya/25/9|Madhya 25.9]] Purport --- ![[cc/antya/20/9|In this Age of Kali, the process of worshiping Kṛṣṇa is to perform sacrifice by chanting the holy name of the Lord]] —Cc. [[cc/antya/20/9|Antya 20.9]] --- ## Lord Caitanya Introduces the Yuga-dharma ![[cc/adi/3/19|I shall personally inaugurate the religion of the age—nāma-saṅkīrtana]] —Cc. [[cc/adi/3/19|Ādi 3.19]] --- ![[cc/madhya/20/340#purport|Lord Kṛṣṇa, assuming a golden color, introduces the hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana]] —Cc. [[cc/madhya/20/340|Madhya 20.340-41]] Purport --- ![[sb/8/5/23#purport|When Kṛṣṇa Himself appeared as a devotee, as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He showed us the path by which to cross the ocean of Kali-yuga]] —SB [[sb/8/5/23|8.5.23]] Purport --- The chanting of the holy name is Lord Caitanya's special concession to the animallike human beings of this age: Love of Kṛṣṇa is not an easy thing to obtain, because by this love one can purchase Kṛṣṇa, but Caitanya Mahāprabhu distributed this love of Kṛṣṇa to anyone and everyone, even to the two drunkards Jagāi and Mādhāi. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has therefore sung: > *dīna-hīna yata chilo hari-nāme uddhārilo,* > *tā'ra sākṣī jagāi-mādhāi* "Caitanya Mahāprabhu is so magnanimous that He delivered all kinds of sinful men simply by allowing them to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. The evidence of this is Jagāi and Mādhāi." At that time, of course, there were two Jagāis and Mādhāis, but at the present moment, by the grace of Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His process of teaching, so many Jagāis and Mādhāis are being delivered. —*Teachings of Queen Kuntī* --- Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa personally came as Lord Caitanya in order to distribute the process of chanting—the easiest means, in this age, to the highest perfection of life: Thus out of His causeless mercy, Śrī Kṛṣṇa came as Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu and distributed the means to the highest perfection of life and spiritual ecstasy by the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. This process of chanting is most practical, and it does not depend on whether one is liberated or not, or whether one's condition is conducive to spiritual life or not—whoever takes to this process becomes immediately purified. Therefore it is called *pavitram* (pure). Furthermore, for one who takes to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness process, the seeds of latent reactions to his sinful actions are all nullified. **Just as a fire turns whatever we put into it to ashes, this process turns to ashes all the sinful reactions of our past lives.** —*Rāja-vidyā: The King of Knowledge* --- **[← Back to Śrī Nāmāmṛta](wiki/compile/sri-namamrita)**