In the śāstra it is said that kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇum (SB 12.3.52). Meditation on Viṣṇu was possible in the golden age, or in the Satya-yuga. Satya-yuga means at that time the people used to live for one hundred thousands of years. And they were all perfect in religious life. There was no flaw. Then came the Tretā-yuga, when they were perfect three-fourths and the duration of life reduced to ten thousand years.
The next yuga, next millennium, is called Dvāpara-yuga, when the life of people, half religious, half pious, half vicious, and the duration of life reduced to one thousand years. And this age is called Kali-yuga, the age of quarrel and misunderstanding. The duration of life has reduced to one hundred years. Not even one hundred years; fifty years, sixty years, seventy years utmost, but within. And so far life is concerned, three-fourths of the life irreligious, one-fourth only religious. That is also doubtful.
So therefore in this age, the śāstric injunction . . . that means the injunction of the authorized scripture is that kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇum. In the golden age, when people used to live for 100,000's of years, meditation was possible. Because we understand Vālmīki Muni, he got perfection by meditation after meditating 60,000's of years.
And similarly, Kardama Muni, he got perfection by meditation after 10,000's of years' meditation. So meditation process is difficult process, and it is not possible in this age. This is the injunction of the śāstra. Simply we can waste our time by so-called meditation, but real meditation is not achievable at the present age.
Therefore the prescription is kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇum tretāyāṁ yajato makhaiḥ (SB 12.3.52). In the first millennium, meditation was possible. In the second millennium, sacrifice . . . big, big yajña, or sacrifice, was performed by people. And the third millennium, temple worship. And in the fourth millennium, kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt: in this age of Kali, simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa you can attain the perfection. So these are the prescription. We have to follow.
So our policy, those who are serious about Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they should not waste their time for sense gratification. And because the body is there, we are not free from the body, there are demands of the senses. So that should be controlled. That is the process in every line of action, either you meditate or you perform sacrifices, do anything. The real process is to control the senses. So try to control the senses as far as possible and utilize your time for advancing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And the process is very simple—simply chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa.