हरेर्नाम हरेर्नाम हरेर्नामैव केवलम्।
कलौ नास्त्येव नास्त्येव नास्त्येव गतिरन्यथा॥meaning Harinama, Harinama, only Harinama ....there is no other way, no other way in the kaliyuga [for illumination].
The above sloka was mentioned by Lord Chaitanyadeva Himself. Does this sloka make sandhyavandana and all other pujas redundant and futile in this kali yuga? I am asking because its a quote from Vrihan-Naradiya-Purana and the words of Smriti are above the Puranas as per our sanatana dharma norms.
Narada Muni was repeating to many other similar verses found in other Mahapuranas i.e., Vishnu Purana and Bhagavatam in different matters.
The mode of worship change from time to time and yuga to yuga due to change in conditions and the ability of the worshippers. The spiritual levels of people has also fallen. We do not have much time to perform penances or do meditation. We even have problems in understanding the esoteric meaning of the Vedas and other holy scriptures. If much time is put in that, when do we apply those teachings and strive for moksha? Hence, the provision was made. This is the easiest way.
Vyasa says the following in Amsha 6 adhyaya 2 of Vishnu Purana
The fruit of penance, of continence, of silent prayer, and the like, practised in the Krita age for ten years, in the Treta for one year, in the Dwápara for a month, is obtained in the Kali age in a day and night: therefore did I exclaim "Excellent, excellent, is the Kali age!" That reward which a man obtains in the Krita by abstract meditation, in the Treta by sacrifice, in the Dwápara by adoration, he receives in the Kali by merely reciting the name of Keshava.
kaliṁ sabhājayanty āryā guṇa jñāḥ sāra-bhāginaḥ
yatra saṅkīrtanenaiva sarva-svārtho ’bhilabhyate (Srimad Bhagavatam Skandha 11 chapter 5 shloka 36)Those who are actually advanced in knowledge are able to appreciate the essential value of this Age of Kali. Such enlightened persons worship Kali-yuga because in this fallen age all perfection of life can easily be achieved by the performance of saṅkīrtana.
There is also a statement in the Uttara Khanda of Ramayana where the advisors of Sri Rama says the characteristics of Yuga change and the worshipping methods also change. Hence the spiritual level of all the Varnas will be the same i.e., a Brahmana will be the same as Shudra (I have to find exact verse though).
More instances were added in an answer written by Keshav Srinivasan Do methods of worship change according to yugas?
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu emphasized on Sankirtana out of nava vidha bhaktis. Hence he said that Hari Nama sankirtana is enough for getting liberation.
Adi Shankaracharya also says in his Bhaja Govindam stotra :
bhajagovindaM bhajagovindaM
govindaM bhajamuuDhamate .
saMpraapte sannihite kaale
nahi nahi rakshati DukRiJNkaraNeWorship Govinda, Worship Govinda, Worship Govinda. Oh fool! Rules of Grammar will not save you at the time of your death.
bhagavad.h giitaa kiJNchidadhiitaa
gaNgaa jalalava kaNikaapiitaa .
sakRidapi yena muraari samarchaa
kriyate tasya yamena na charchaaLet a man read but a little from Gitaa, drink just a drop of water from the ganges, worship murari (govinda) just once. He then will have no altercation with Yama. Stanza attributed to dR^iDhabhakta.
In the above verse, Adi Shankaracharya recommends worship of Krishna just even once and says the person will have no altercation with Yama which means he will not have to visit Naraka (meaning Lord will take care and give better lokas).
So, the verse strongly suggests the nama sankirtana of Lord Vishnu. That doesn't mean we should leave our duties of performing Sandhyavandanam and deeds like visiting temples. Lord Krishna states one should do his own duty. The verse is suggesting that Lord Vishnu's name is enough for liberation.
No , not at all. Shree Krishna himself mentioned in Srimad Bhagavatam while advising Uddhava that. One can worship him in three ways.
Uddhava a great devotee of Shree Krishna once asked him to explain about the prescribed method of worshiping him in his Deity form and also said that the great sages like Narada , Vyasa and his own spiritual master, Bṛhaspati repeatedly declare that such worship brings the greatest benefit possible in human life. This whole chapter is about Puja Vidhi of Bhagavanta
Upon the enquiry Shree Krishna said.
वैदिकस्तान्त्रिको मिश्र इति मे त्रिविधो मखः
त्रयाणामीप्सितेनैव विधिना मां समर्चरेत् ॥ 11.27.7 ॥vaidikas tāntriko miśra iti me tri-vidho makhaḥ
trayāṇām īpsitenaiva vidhinā māṁ samarcaretMy worship is threefold Vedic ,Tantric and synthesis of these two . But of these three modes one should offer me worship according to method of his choice and suitability.
Further he said that
पद्ममष्टदलं तत्र कर्णिकाकेसरोज्ज्वलम्
उभाभ्यां वेदतन्त्राभ्यां मह्यं तूभयसिद्धये ॥ 11.27.26॥padmam aṣṭa-dalaṁ tatra karṇikā-kesarojjvalam
ubhābhyāṁ veda-tantrābhyāṁ mahyaṁ tūbhaya-siddhayeThen, following the regulations of both the Vedas and the tantras, he should offer Me water for washing the feet, water for washing the mouth, arghya and other items of worship. By this process he achieves both material enjoyment and liberation.
एवं क्रियायोगपथैः पुमान्वैदिकतान्त्रिकैः|
अर्चन्नुभयतः सिद्धिं मत्तो विन्दत्यभीप्सिताम् ॥ 11.27.49 ॥evaṁ kriyā-yoga-pathaiḥ pumān vaidika-tāntrikaiḥ
arcann ubhayataḥ siddhiṁ matto vindaty abhīpsitāmBy worshiping Me through the various methods prescribed in the Vedas and tantras, one will gain from Me his desired perfection in both this life and the next.
You also quoted some mantra quoted by Chaitanya Deva which is according to you is from Brhan Naradiya purana as "there is no other way, no other way in the kaliyuga [for illumination].
a relevant shloka is also present in Srimad Bhagavata Purana as
कलेर्दोषनिधे राजन्नस्ति ह्येको महान्गुणः |
कीर्तनादेव कृष्णस्य मुक्तसङ्गः परं व्रजेत् ॥ 12.3.51 ॥kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ
kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajetMy dear King, although Kali-yuga is an ocean of faults, there is still one good quality about this age: Simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, one can become free from material bondage and be promoted to the transcendental kingdom.
What above shloka mean is Chanting the name of lord is the easiest and simplest of way with which all the people from any Varna and Ashrama can attain Moksha in Kaliyuga.But that does not mean it is the only way to achieve liberation in Kaliyuga and it is the great merit of this yuga , the context is it's said that for people of kali age it will be difficult to achieve liberation by other methods due to effect of the Kali yuga and as said by Krishna himself in shloka no. 26 that one can also achieve that by vedic , tantric worship of supreme like sandhyavandanam and all other pujas etc. which are laid out by vedas and tantra and they are not redundant and futile.
Yes all else will be finally futile without हरेर्नाम, without bhakti/ love for the lord. हरेर्नाम हरेर्नाम हरेर्नाम केवलम्। कलौ नास्त्येव नास्त्येव नास्त्येव गतिर्न्यथा।
