Jahnu
2020-09-11 02:36:23 UTC
Most people have a hard time believing that the goal of life is to get
out of the material ocean of birth and death and return home, back
home to Godhead.
And they are even more reluctant to believe that in the present age of
Kali, liberation has been made very easy.
In former ages, yogis and jnanis knew how hard it was to gain
liberation. They knew what a giant endeavor of austerity and
meditation it was to obtain liberation. They would sit for hundreds,
even thoudands of yeard in remote places in Himalayas and meditate on
Paramatma in the heart, attempting to gain release from samsara - the
endless cycle of birth and death.
In other words, liberation was only available to highly advanced yogis
who were willing to renounce mainstream society, which basically means
to renounce sex- and family-life, and dedicate their lives to severe
practices of penance and austerity.
Now, in Kali-yuga, the severe practice of yoga in former ages has been
made so easy and uncomplicated that anyone can do it. Whether youre a
normal working stiff, a business man, a politician, in fact, even you
are the worst of sinners, just by chanting the Hare Krishna mantra,
you can get release from samsara.
Shukadeva Goswmi says:
My dear King, although Kali-yuga is an ocean of faults, there is still
one good quality about this age: Simply by chanting the Hare Krishna
maha-mantra, one can become free from material bondage and be promoted
to the transcendental kingdom.
Whatever result was obtained in Satya-yuga by meditating on Visnu, in
Treta-yuga by performing sacrifices, and in Dvapara-yuga by serving
the Lord's lotus feet can be obtained in Kali-yuga simply by chanting
the Hare Krishna maha-mantra.
--Srimad Bhagavatam, 12.3.51-52
One may then ask - if its so easy now to get liberation from the
material world, why dont more people avail themselves of the
opportunity?
The answer is that generally, in any age, but especially in Kali-yuga,
its a rare person who want to engage in any form of spiritual life. A
special feature of Kali-yuga is that the general mass of people are
dedicated to fulfilling bodily needs without restraint, and to that
end they have devoted themselves to atheism.
King Pariksit says:
"In this material world there are as many living entities as there are
atoms. Among these living entities very few are human beings, and
among them, few are interested in following religious principles.'
"O best of the brahmanas, Sukadeva Gosvami, out of many persons who
follow religious principles, only a few desire liberation from this
material world. Among many thousands who desire liberation, only one
may actually achieve liberation, giving up his material attachment to
society, friendship, love, country, home, wife and children. And among
many thousands of such liberated persons, one who can understand the
true meaning of liberation is very rare.'
"O great sage, among many millions who are liberated and perfect in
knowledge of liberation, only one may become a devotee of Sri
Narayana, (Krishna). Such devotees, who are fully peaceful, are
extremely rare."
--Srimad Bhagavatam 6.14. 3-5
out of the material ocean of birth and death and return home, back
home to Godhead.
And they are even more reluctant to believe that in the present age of
Kali, liberation has been made very easy.
In former ages, yogis and jnanis knew how hard it was to gain
liberation. They knew what a giant endeavor of austerity and
meditation it was to obtain liberation. They would sit for hundreds,
even thoudands of yeard in remote places in Himalayas and meditate on
Paramatma in the heart, attempting to gain release from samsara - the
endless cycle of birth and death.
In other words, liberation was only available to highly advanced yogis
who were willing to renounce mainstream society, which basically means
to renounce sex- and family-life, and dedicate their lives to severe
practices of penance and austerity.
Now, in Kali-yuga, the severe practice of yoga in former ages has been
made so easy and uncomplicated that anyone can do it. Whether youre a
normal working stiff, a business man, a politician, in fact, even you
are the worst of sinners, just by chanting the Hare Krishna mantra,
you can get release from samsara.
Shukadeva Goswmi says:
My dear King, although Kali-yuga is an ocean of faults, there is still
one good quality about this age: Simply by chanting the Hare Krishna
maha-mantra, one can become free from material bondage and be promoted
to the transcendental kingdom.
Whatever result was obtained in Satya-yuga by meditating on Visnu, in
Treta-yuga by performing sacrifices, and in Dvapara-yuga by serving
the Lord's lotus feet can be obtained in Kali-yuga simply by chanting
the Hare Krishna maha-mantra.
--Srimad Bhagavatam, 12.3.51-52
One may then ask - if its so easy now to get liberation from the
material world, why dont more people avail themselves of the
opportunity?
The answer is that generally, in any age, but especially in Kali-yuga,
its a rare person who want to engage in any form of spiritual life. A
special feature of Kali-yuga is that the general mass of people are
dedicated to fulfilling bodily needs without restraint, and to that
end they have devoted themselves to atheism.
King Pariksit says:
"In this material world there are as many living entities as there are
atoms. Among these living entities very few are human beings, and
among them, few are interested in following religious principles.'
"O best of the brahmanas, Sukadeva Gosvami, out of many persons who
follow religious principles, only a few desire liberation from this
material world. Among many thousands who desire liberation, only one
may actually achieve liberation, giving up his material attachment to
society, friendship, love, country, home, wife and children. And among
many thousands of such liberated persons, one who can understand the
true meaning of liberation is very rare.'
"O great sage, among many millions who are liberated and perfect in
knowledge of liberation, only one may become a devotee of Sri
Narayana, (Krishna). Such devotees, who are fully peaceful, are
extremely rare."
--Srimad Bhagavatam 6.14. 3-5