# SB 9.14.48 > एक एव पुरा वेदः प्रणवः सर्ववाङ्मयः > देवो नारायणो नान्य एकोऽग्निर्वर्ण एव च ॥४८॥ ## Text > eka eva purā vedaḥ > praṇavaḥ sarva-vāṅmayaḥ > devo nārāyaṇo nānya > eko 'gnir varṇa eva ca ## Synonyms *ekaḥ*—only one; *eva*—indeed; *purā*—formerly; *vedaḥ*—book of transcendental knowledge; *praṇavaḥ*—*oṁkāra*; *sarva-vāk-mayaḥ*—consisting of all Vedic *mantras*; *devaḥ*—the Lord, God; *nārāyaṇaḥ*—only Nārāyaṇa (was worshipable in the Satya-yuga); *na anyaḥ*—no other; *ekaḥ agniḥ*—one division only for *agni*; *varṇaḥ*—order of life; *eva ca*—and certainly. ## Translation **In the Satya-yuga, the first millennium, all the Vedic mantras were included in one mantra-praṇava, the root of all Vedic mantras. In other words, the Atharva Veda alone was the source of all Vedic knowledge. The Supreme Personality of Godhead Nārāyaṇa was the only worshipable Deity; there was no recommendation for worship of the demigods. Fire was one only, and the only order of life in human society was known as haṁsa.** ## Purport In Satya-yuga there was only one *Veda,* not four. Later, before the beginning of Kali-yuga, this one *Veda,* the *Atharva Veda* (or, some say, the *Yajur Veda*), was divided into four—*Sāma, Yajur, Ṛg* and *Atharva*—for the facility of human society. In Satya-yuga the only *mantra* was *oṁkāra* (*oṁ tat sat*). The same name *oṁkāra* is manifest in the *mantra* Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Unless one is a *brāhmaṇa,* one cannot utter *oṁkāra* and get the desired result. But in Kali-yuga almost everyone is a *śūdra,* unfit for pronouncing the *praṇava, oṁkāra.* Therefore the *śāstras* have recommended the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra. Oṁkāra* is a *mantra,* or *mahā-mantra,* and Hare Kṛṣṇa is also a *mahā-mantra.* The purpose of pronouncing *oṁkāra* is to address the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva (*oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya*). And the purpose of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra* is the same. *Hare:* "O energy of the Lord!" *Kṛṣṇa:* "O Lord Kṛṣṇa!" *Hare:* "O energy of the Lord!" *Rāma:* "O Supreme Lord, O supreme enjoyer!" The only worshipable Lord is Hari, who is the goal of the *Vedas* (*vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ* [[bg/15/15|[Bg. 15.15] ]]). By worshiping the demigods, one worships the different parts of the Lord, just as one might water the branches and twigs of a tree. But worshiping Nārāyaṇa, the all-inclusive Supreme Personality of Godhead, is like pouring water on the root of the tree, thus supplying water to the trunk, branches, twigs, leaves and so on. In Satya-yuga people knew how to fulfill the necessities of life simply by worshiping Nārāyaṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The same purpose can be served in this age of Kali by the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra,* as recommended in the *Bhāgavatam. Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet* [SB 12.3.51]. Simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra,* one becomes free from the bondage of material existence and thus becomes eligible to return home, back to Godhead.