10

This age of Kali is full of unlimited faults. Indeed, it is just like an ocean of faults (dosa-nidhi). But there is one chance, one opportunity. There are many many hundreds and thousands of faults. People will suffer.

kaler dosa-nidhe rajann asti hy eko mahan gunah kirtanad eva krsnasya mukta-sangah param vrajet People’s intelligence, bodily strength, mercifulness–everything will be reduced.Dampatye ratim eva hi: “Marriage, husband and wife, they will be simply by agreement.” Nowadays that is happening. You go to a marriage-maker and agree, and marriage is finished. Not like before.
Svikara eva codvahe. These are stated, all. Vipratve sutram eva hi: “Become a brahmana, just have a sacred thread.” Sacred or not sacred, get a thread. That’s all, without executing the brahminical duties. That is going on. In this way there is a long list of Kali-yuga’s activities. In the Kali-yuga there is no yajna. Therefore there is anavrsti, anavrsti. The Kali-yuga people will forget performing yajna. They will be busy in ghora-rupa activities, horrible and fierceful activities, not yajna. They will neglect yajna. Are there any solutions for these difficulties to get reduced? Simply do not say chant Hare Krsna Mantra. Any evidences from age old puranas.

18

4 Answers 4

6

According to some scriptures Nama Samkirtana (singing the names of Gods) is a good remedy/protection against the evils of Kali Yuga.

The book Dharma Bindu quotes in this context Narada and Bhrigu Rishis as follows:

Koti shomanu jaanaamvai bheetidam samupasthitam,
Rama Rameti sankeertya sannaashayati maanavah/

(Bhrigu Maharshi assures that fears and mental instabilities in crores get cleared with intense ‘Rama Sankeerana’ continuously).

Narada Brahmarshi states that the intensity of Kali Yuga is gradually diminished with Nitya Keertana:

Shiva Shankara Rudresha Neelakantha Trilochana, Iteerayantiye nityam na Kalirbhaadhyate chataan/
Mahadeva Virupaksha Gangaadhara Mridaavyaya, Iteeranti ye nityam te kritaadhona shamshayah/

(Nitya keertana of ‘Shiva Shankara Rudresha Neelakantha Trilochana’ or ‘Mahadeva Virupaaksha Gangaadhara Mrida - avyaya’ assuages the severity of Kali Yuga, reduces its impact and bestows fulfillment of one’s life!)

And as per other scriptures (like Manu Smriti, Parashara Smriti). Danam (charity) is the only solution in Kali Yuga.

Tapah param kritayuge tretayam jnyanam uchyate |
Dwapare yajnam evahur danam ekam kalau yuge ||


Manu smriti 1.86. In the Krita age the chief (virtue) is declared to be (the performance of) austerities, in the Treta (divine) knowledge, in the Dvapara (the performance of) sacrifices, in the Kali charity alone

6
  • For vaishnavites Narayana is supreme God. For Saivities Shiva is supreme. For Madhavas Raghavendra is supreme. If you recite the slokas by praying for the whole world, difficulties will not reduce. Daily you see in paper so many accidents, deaths, thefts etc. Aug 3, 2018 at 13:43
  • Everyone has to do their bit of Karma. We can not do the work on behalf of others. Apart from that only Yajnas if done properly help a lot of people at the same time. @ParthasarathyRaghavan
    – Rickross
    Aug 3, 2018 at 13:45
  • Nobody is doing yagna today. I am seeing practically.Minimum persons do their nirthya karma anushtanams. Karma cannot be seen. Aug 3, 2018 at 13:46
  • 1
    Yes that is because of the nature of the Yuga. Yuga Dharma is powerful. @ParthasarathyRaghavan
    – Rickross
    Aug 3, 2018 at 13:47
  • @Rickross I think you made translation error. It should read charity and no liberality.
    – Wikash_
    Aug 3, 2018 at 14:54
3

Srimad Bhagavatam has answers to all your doubts.

SB 12.3.45: In the Kali-yuga, objects, places and even individual personalities are all polluted. The almighty Personality of Godhead, however, can remove all such contamination from the life of one who fixes the Lord within his mind.

SB 12.3.46: If a person hears about, glorifies, meditates upon, worships or simply offers great respect to the Supreme Lord, who is situated within the heart, the Lord will remove from his mind the contamination accumulated during many thousands of lifetimes.

SB 12.3.47: Just as fire applied to gold removes any discoloration caused by traces of other metals, Lord Viṣṇu within the heart purifies the minds of the yogīs.

SB 12.3.48: By one's engaging in the processes of demigod worship, austerities, breath control, compassion, bathing in holy places, strict vows, charity and chanting of various mantras, one's mind cannot attain the same absolute purification as that achieved when the unlimited Personality of Godhead appears within one's heart.

SB 12.3.49: Therefore, O King, endeavor with all your might to fix the Supreme Lord Keśava within your heart. Maintain this concentration upon the Lord, and at the time of death you will certainly attain the supreme destination.

SB 12.3.50: My dear King, the Personality of Godhead is the ultimate controller. He is the Supreme Soul and the supreme shelter of all beings. When meditated upon by those about to die, He reveals to them their own eternal spiritual identity.

SB 12.3.51: My dear King, although Kali-yuga is an ocean of faults, there is still one good quality about this age: Simply by doing Hari Kirtan, one can become free from material bondage and be promoted to the transcendental kingdom.

SB 12.3.52: Whatever result was obtained in Satya-yuga by meditating on Viṣṇu, in Tretā-yuga by performing sacrifices, and in Dvāpara-yuga by serving the Lord's lotus feet can be obtained in Kali-yuga simply by doing Hari Kirtan.


Note: I have copied this from an ISKCON site, so I've edited their version of getting moksha from "Hare Krishna mahamantra" to "doing Hari kirtan", because the original Sanskrit mentions the general term "hari-kīrtanāt", which is essentially any form of kirtan, not only the ISKCON way.

Also this is a passage from The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna:

Vijay: "But those who discriminate according to the Vedanta philosophy also realize Him in the end, don't they?"

Sri Ramakrishna: "Yes, one may reach Him by following the path of discrimination too: that is called jnana yoga. But it is an extremely difficult path. I have told you already of the seven planes of consciousness. On reaching the seventh plane the mind goes into samadhi. If a man acquires the firm knowledge that Brahman alone is real and the world illusory, then his mind merges in samadhi. But in the Kaliyuga the life of a man depends entirely on food. How can he have the consciousness that Brahman alone is real and the world illusory? In the Kaliyuga it is difficult to have the feeling, 'I am not the body, I am not the mind, I am not the twenty-four cosmic principles; I am beyond pleasure and pain, I am above disease and grief, old age and death.' However you may reason and argue, the feeling that the body is identical with the soul will somehow crop up from an unexpected quarter. You may cut a peepal-tree to the ground and think it is dead to its very root, but the next morning you will find a new sprout shooting up from the dead stump. One cannot get rid of this identification with the body; therefore the path of bhakti is best for the people of the Kaliyuga. It is an easy path."

[...]

"But it isn't any and every kind of bhakti that enables one to realize God. One cannot realize God without prema-bhakti. Another name for prema-bhakti is raga-bhakti. (Supreme love, which makes one attached only to God.) God cannot be realized without love and longing. Unless one has learnt to love God, one cannot realize Him.

"There is another kind of bhakti, known as vaidhi-bhakti, according to which one must repeat the name of God a fixed number of times, fast, make pilgrimages, worship God with prescribed offerings, make so many sacrifices, and so forth and so on. By continuing such practices a long time one gradually acquires raga-bhakti. God cannot be realized until one has raga-bhakti. One must love God. In order to realize God one must be completely free from worldliness and direct all of one's mind to Him."

2

Yes there are.

In Kali Yuga, people live for less time but hearing Nala's story will not make you envious.

https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m03/m03079.htm

Having listened to this history, be comforted, O king, and yield not to grief. It behoveth thee not, O great king, to pine under calamity. Indeed, men of self-possession, reflecting upon the caprice of destiny and the fruitlessness of exertion, never suffer themselves to be depressed. They that will repeatedly recite this noble history of Nala, and that will hear it recited, will never be touched by adversity. He that listeneth to this old and excellent history hath all his purposes crowned with success and, without doubt, obtaineth fame, besides sons and grandsons and animals, a high position among men, and health, and joy.

According to wikipedia, Kali will not have any effect on you if you read the story of Nala and Damayanti

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nala

Kali offered Nala a boon when he left him. Nala sought the boon that whoever read his story would not be unduly affected by the malefic effects of Kali.

This is in Mahabharata and if we read Mahabharata, we live in righteousness

https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m18/m18005.htm

The high race of the Bharatas is its topic. Hence it is called Bharata. And because of its grave import, as also of the Bharatas being its topic, it is called Mahabharata. He who is versed in interpretations of this great treatise, becomes cleansed of every sin. Such a man lives in righteousness, wealth, and pleasure, and attains to Emancipation also, O chief of Bharata’s race.

In Kali yuga, there is only one quarter of dharma so by reading mahabharat, we will be in righteousness.

What happens if we read Mahabharata?

https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m18/m18005.htm

That learned man who recites this history of sacred days in the midst of a listening auditory becomes cleansed of every sin, conquers Heaven, and attains to the status of Brahma. Of that man who listens with rapt attention to the recitation of the whole of this Veda composed by (the Island-born) Krishna, a million sins, numbering such grave ones as Brahmanicide and the rest, are washed off. The Pitris of that man who recites even a small portion of this history at a Sraddha, obtain inexhaustible food and drink. The sins that one commits during the day by one’s senses or the mind are all washed off before evening by reciting a portion of the Mahabharata. Whatever sins a Brahmana may commit at night in the midst of women are all washed off before dawn by reciting a portion of the Mahabharata.

We get our desires

That which occurs here occurs elsewhere. That which does not occur here occurs nowhere else. This history is known by the name of Jaya. It should be heard by every one desirous of Emancipation. It should be read by Brahmanas, by kings, and by women quick with children. He that desires Heaven attains to Heaven; and he that desires victory attains to victory. The woman quick with child gets either a son or a daughter highly blessed. The puissant Island-born Krishna, who will not have to come back, and who is Emancipation incarnate, made an abstract of the Bharata, moved by the desire of aiding the cause of righteousness.

That man, O Saunaka, who hears this history, placing a Brahmana before him, acquires both fame and the fruition of all his wishes. He who, with fervid devotion, listens to a recitation of the Mahabharata, attains (hereafter) to high success in consequence of the merit that becomes his through understanding even a very small portion thereof. All the sins of that man who recites or listens to this history with devotion are washed off.

Those who read Mahabharat attain to high success.

That man who, waking up at dawn, reads this Savittri of the Bharata, acquires all the rewards attached to a recitation of this history and ultimately attains to the highest Brahma. As the sacred Ocean, as the Himavat mountain, are both regarded as mines of precious gems, even so is this Bharata (regarded as a mine of precious gems). The man of learning, by reciting to others this Veda or Agama composed by (the Island-born) Krishna, earns wealth. There is no doubt in this that he who, with rapt attention, recites this history called Bharata, attains to high success. What need has that man of a sprinkling of the waters of Pushkara who attentively listens to this Bharata, while it is recited to him? It represents the nectar that fell from the lips of the Island-born. It is immeasurable, sacred, sanctifying, sin-cleansing, and auspicious.

https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m18/m18006.htm

I have thus indicated the ordinances, O foremost of men, (about the manner of reciting these scriptures) in answer to thy enquiries. Thou shouldst observe them with faith. In listening to a recitation of the Bharata and at each Parana, O best of kings, one that desires to attain to the highest good should listen with the greatest care and attention. One should listen to the Bharata every day. One should proclaim the merits of the Bharata every day. One in whose house the Bharata occurs, has in his hands all those scriptures which are known by the name of Jaya. The Bharata is cleansing and sacred. In the Bharata are diverse topics. The Bharata is worshipped by the very gods. The Bharata is the highest goal. The Bharata, O chief of the Bharatas, is the foremost of all scriptures. One attains to Emancipation through the Bharata. This that I tell thee is certain truth. One that proclaims the merits of this history called the Mahabharata, of the Earth, of the cow, of Sarasvati (the goddess of speech), of Brahmanas, and of Keshava, has never to languish.

By reading the Ramayana, Vedas and Mahabharata, you become sanctified.

"In the Vedas, in the Ramayana, and in the sacred Bharata, O chief of Bharata’s race, Hari is sung in the beginning, the middle, and at the end. That in which occur excellent statements relating to Vishnu, and the eternal Srutis, should be listened to by men desirous of attaining to the highest goal. This treatise is sanctifying. This is the highest indicator as regards duties; this is endued with every merit. One desirous of prosperity should listen to it. Sins committed by means of the body, by means of words, and by means of the mind, are all destroyed (through listening to the Bharata) as Darkness at sunrise. One devoted to Vishnu acquires (through this) that merit which is acquired by listening to the eighteen Puranas. There is no doubt in this. Men and women (by listening to this) would certainly attain to the status of Vishnu. Women desirous of having children should certainly listen to this which proclaims the fame of Vishnu.

The man that listens (to the Bharata) or that recites it to other people, becomes cleansed of all his sins and attains at last to the status of Vishnu. Such a man rescues his ancestors to the eleventh degree, as also himself with his wives and sons, O chief of Bharata’s race. After concluding a recitation of the Bharata, one should, O king, perform a Homa with all its ten parts.

"I have thus, O chief of men, told everything in thy presence. He that listens with devotion to this Bharata from the beginning becomes cleansed of every sin even if he be guilty of Brahmanicide or the violation of his preceptor’s bed, or even if he be a drinker of alcohol or a robber of other people’s wares, or even if he be born in the Chandala order. Destroying all his sins like the maker of day destroying darkness, such a man, without doubt, sports in felicity in the region of Vishnu like Vishnu himself."

Reading vedas, Ramayana, Mahabharata and story of Nala which is in Mahabharata as well reduces the difficulty of Kali.

1

The current yuga is Kali yuga in which there will be no dharma. God is present but not people will get confused if he is present or not likely present Adharma rule the roost in all walks of life. Bhakthi will come sandstill. Artificial/commercial bhakthi prevail and people will run behind material pleasures. Chanting the Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare Hare krishna Hare krishna Krishna krishna Hare Hare can reduce the effects of kali.

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .