11 The holy name counteracts the effects of the kali yuga

The Holy Name Counteracts The Effects Of The Kali Yuga

The chanting of the maha−mantra is especially meant for counteracting the contaminations of Kali:

In the Kali−santarana Upanisad it is stated:

hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare
hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare

iti sodasakam namnam kali−kalmasa−nasanam
natah parataropayah sarva−vedesu drsyate

“The sixteen words−Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare−are especially meant for counteracting the contaminations of Kali. To save oneself from the contamination of Kali, there is no alternative but the chanting of these sixteen words.”

– Teachings of Lord Caitanya


To counteract the effects of Kali−yuga and cross the ocean of nescience, one must chant the holy name:

The Kali−santarana Upanisad states, “

hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare
hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare

−these sixteen names composed of thirty−two syllables are the only means to counteract the evil effects of Kali−yuga. In all the Vedas it is seen that to cross the ocean of nescience there is no alternative to the chanting of the holy name.”

– Sri Caitanya caritamrta Adi lila 7.76


Maharaja Pariksit saved his citizens from the clutches of Kali by propagating the holy name:

Even though all nefarious activities of the personality of Kali are present, there is a great advantage in the age of Kali. One can attain salvation simply by chanting the holy name of the Lord. Thus Maharaja Pariksit made an organized effort to propagate the chanting of the Lord’s holy name, and thus he saved the citizens from the clutches of Kali. It is for this advantage only that great sages sometimes wish all good for the age of Kali.

– Srimad Bhagavatam 1.18.7


The constant chanting of the holy names will drive away the personality of Kali from the world:

The Personality of Godhead and His holy name, qualities, etc., are all identical. The personality of Kali was not able to enter the jurisdiction of the earth due to the presence of the Personality of Godhead. And similarly, if there is an arrangement for the constant chanting of the holy names, qualities, etc., of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, there is no chance at all for the personality of Kali to enter. That is the technique of driving away the personality of Kali from the world. In modernized human society there are great advancements of material science, and they have invented the radio to distribute sound in the air. So instead of vibrating some nuisance sound for sense enjoyment, if the state arranges to distribute transcendental sound by resounding the holy name, fame and activities of the Lord, as they are authorized in the Bhagavad−gita or Srimad−Bhagavatam, then a favorable condition will be created, the principles of religion in the world will be reestablished, and thus the executive heads, who are so anxious to drive away corruption from the world, will be successful.

– Srimad Bhagavatam 1.18.6


To become immune from the effects of the Kali−yuga, one must chant the holy name of the Lord:

In this age, when everything is polluted by the contamination of Kali, it is instructed in the scriptures and preached by Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu that by chanting the holy name of the Lord, we can at once be free from contamination and gradually rise to the state of transcendence and go back to Godhead. The offenseless chanter of the holy name is as auspicious as the Lord Himself, and the movement of pure devotees of the Lord all over the world can at once change the troublesome face of the world. Only by the propagation of the chanting of the holy name of the Lord can we be immune from all effects of the age of Kali.

– Srimad Bhagavatam 1.16.32−33


If people in general take to the chanting of the maha−mantra, they will be freed from the contamination of Kali−yuga:

[Sukadeva Gosvami to King Pariksit]: Lord Ramacandra became King during Treta−yuga, but because of His good government, the age was like Satya−yuga. Everyone was religious and completely happy.

Among the four yugas−Satya, Treta, Dvapara and Kali−the Kali−yuga is the worst, but if the process of varnasrama−dharma is introduced, even in this age of Kali, the situation of Satya−yuga can be invoked. The Hare Krsna movement, or Krsna consciousness movement, is meant for this purpose.

kaler dosa−nidhe rajann asti hy eko mahan gunah
kirtanad eva krsnasya mukta−sangah param vrajet

“My dear King, although Kali−yuga is full of faults, there is still one good quality about this age: simply by chanting the Hare Krsna maha−mantra, one can become free from material bondage and be promoted to the transcendental kingdom.” (S.B. 12.3.51)

If people take to this sankirtana movement of chanting Hare Krsna, Hare Rama, they will certainly be freed from the contamination of Kali−yuga, and the people of this age will be happy, as people were in Satya−yuga, the golden age.

– Srimad Bhagavatam 9.10.51


nbsp;chanting of the holy name of the Lord can we be immune from all effects of the age of Kali.

Author: ISKCON Desire Tree

Share This Post On