Āra tina-yuge means this is Kali-yuga, and there are . . . there were other three yugas: the Satya-yuga, the Tretā-yuga, Dvāpara-yuga. There are different processes of realizing God. So Lord Caitanya says, "In other three yugas, what was achieved by meditation, by sacrifice, by temple worship, now that can be achieved in this age by saṅkīrtana." Kalau . . .
- kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann
- asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ
- kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya
- mukta-bandhaḥ paraṁ vrajet
- (SB 12.3.51)
This is a śloka, verse, from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in connection with conversation with Mahārāja Parīkṣit and Śukadeva Gosvāmī, and, when the description of this Kali-yuga was given, Mahārāja Parīkṣit became very sorry that, because he was a pious king, he was thinking always of the welfare of the citizens. So when he heard about the description of the Kali-yuga, he was very much disturbed in his mind. Although he was going to die, still he was so compassionate, "Oh, in the age of Kali, the people will suffer so much."
So, when he was so sorry, so Śukadeva Gosvāmī encouraged him, "Mahārāja, don't be sorry. There is very nice process in the Kali-yuga. In the midst of so many difficulties of this age, there is one boon, and that boon is one can become liberated from this material entanglement altogether simply by chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma . . ."
Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya. It was especially mentioned, kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya, simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, one can become . . . this is the greatest boon in this age. Although there are so many difficulties, full of miseries, increase in the greatest volume . . .
The world is . . . material world is miserable. Just like cold season, this winter season, today we are feeling most inconvenienced. Similarly, this material world is always miserable. But still, in this age it is most miserable, in this age of Kali. But the boon is, the first-class boon is that even there are so many miserable conditions, in the midst of all those disadvantages, one can become free from all contamination simply by kṛṣṇa . . . kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya. Simply by this.
- kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇuṁ
- tretāyāṁ yajato makhaiḥ
- dvāpare paricaryāyāṁ
- kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt
- (SB 12.3.52)
What was achieved in the Satya-yuga by meditation, what was achieved by offering sacrifices in Tretā-yuga and what was achieved in the Dvāpara-yuga by worship, that can be achieved in this age by saṅkīrtana yajña.
- dhyāyan kṛte yajan yajñais
- tretāyāṁ dvāpare 'rcayan
- yad āpnoti tad āpnoti
- kalau saṅkīrtya keśavam
- (CC Madhya 20.346)
A similar passage . . . the two above passages, they are quoted from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Another passage is quoted from Padma Purāṇa. Padma Purāṇa . . . there are eighteen purāṇas, purāṇam. Six purāṇas are in the modes of goodness, and six purāṇas are in the modes of passion and six purāṇas are in the modes of ignorance—for different people.
Just like in a best institution, there are different classes, different kinds of books of learning, gradual process, similarly, this Vedic culture is so nice, they don't give one class of literature for all. No. There are so many different literatures, because there are so many varieties of people. How can you convince you . . . convince all classes of people by one literature? No. That is not possible.
Now the people are here in your country, they are losing interest in religion because the Bible was given to a certain class of people long, long years before. So people are far advanced in scientific knowledge. So that does not appeal. So they're all . . . we should always remember that there are always different classes of men, and for different classes . . . the aim is all the same that, see, "Two plus two equal to four." Nothing. But different classes of men there are. So different class of arithmetic: higher mathematics, middle mathematics, lower mathematics. The mathematical, mathematical principle is the same, "Two plus two . . ." "One to three to nine." There is no other figure.
So similarly, there are eighteen purāṇas. Those who are in the modes of passion, those who are in the modes of ignorance, they should also have some chance. For them, oh, "You go and you worship this demigod." Because we are, every one of us, hankering for material acquisition. The disease is that we are simply thinking of . . . Idam adya mayā labdham. "Today I have got so much material possession, and next day I shall have so much, and next day I shall have so much. And next day and next day . . ." and when next day I shall go away—that's all. Finish. This is material disease. They're always hankering after.
So there are different hankerings, there are different persons. So, the demigods, "All right, you worship. You want this thing, you want a beautiful wife? All right, you worship Umā." "You want to be very learned man? All right, you worship this Devī-Sarasvatī." "Oh, you want to be . . . get out of your disease? All right, you worship the sun-god." So in this way, there are recommendation. But in the Bhāgavata, after all these recommendation, the Bhāgavata concludes:
- akāmaḥ sarva-kāmo vā
- mokṣa-kāma udāra-dhīḥ
- tīvreṇa bhakti-yogena
- yajeta paramaṁ puruṣa
- (SB 2.3.10)
If you have got any desire, still, you go to Kṛṣṇa. You worship. Kṛṣṇa recommends. Catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ sukṛtino 'rjuna (BG 7.16).
Even if you go to Kṛṣṇa for asking something material profit, still it is better. Don't go to other demigods.