Song 7

(Śubha-chanda) (Pāhiḍā rāga-Diśā)

Refrain: Glory, glory to the moon of Lord Gaurāṅga, a moon that has risen in Nadīyā during the Kalī-yuga. Please hear these words: My master is never defeated. His glories fill the three worlds with light. O! O! O! O! Please hear these words: Lord Gaurāṅgacandra will never be defeated.

288. When he heard these words, the nectar sprout of ecstatic love grew in Brahmā’s heart.

289. Tears streamed down Brahmā’s cheeks. Overcome with bliss, he placed Nārada on his lap.

290. Brahmā said: "Please hear, O great sage. By your mercy my heart is now filled with bliss.

291. "The people are shackled by māyā. They are blind with desire for material sense objects. By your mercy they can become free of those shackles.

292. "Your only concern is to deliver the people. I will tell something that happened to me.

293. "Sanaka and my other saintly sons approached me and aspoke.

294. "They said to me: ‘You are the Supreme Lord’s dear son. We have some questions. Please answer them.

295. "‘The Supreme Lord is inconceivable, eternal, spiritual, eternally blissful, the most subtle, the master of all masters, all-pervading, and religion personified.

296. "‘He is limitless, free from the material modes, untouched by matter, and without any material form. No intelligence can find His beginning, middle, or end.

297. "‘Still the Lord takes birth on the earth. Although He is unborn, He is born and dies according to the laws of matter.

298. "‘In Vṛndāvana forest He enjoys the rāsa dance with the gopīs. He acts as if He were a lusty conditioned soul eager to taste the nectar of sexual pleasures.

299. "‘He is the Supersoul present in all living entities, male or female. Why, unsatisfied with that role, does He become the lover of young girls?

300. "‘This great doubt stays in our hearts. O Brahmā, please describe to us the truth. Please sweep this rubbish doubt from our hearts.’

301. "Hearing this doubt expressed by Sanaka and the sages, I felt great wonder in my heart.

302. "My heart became anxious, and sadness marked my face. The Supreme Lord’s actions were beyond my understanding.

303. "The Supreme Lord’s actions lie on the father shore of the ocean of Vedānta. Who understands them? Hundreds and hundreds of Brahmā’s know as little as I.

304. "As I expressed these thoughts to them, the Supreme Lord, manifesting the form of a swan, came before me.

305. "In that form the Lord explained to me the four nutshell verses of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Then I gave that explanation to the sages.

306. "The sages became satisfied and the doubt in their hearts went to its destruction.

307. "To me these four nutshell verses are like a great reservoir of nectar. No one in this material universe truly understands them.

308. "Writing the Mahābhārata and the Purāṇas, Vyāsa stayed for many days at Naimiṣāraṇya.

309. "Even arfter he had written these books the sadness in his heart would not disperse.

310. "In the middle of the forest Vyāsa became distraught. When the Supreme Lord became aware of all this, com,passion took birth in His heart.

311. "Summoning me, the Supreme Lord gave me the four nutshell verses and said to me: ‘Take the four nutshell verses and go to Vyāsa.

312. "‘Vyāsa does not understand the truth of My activities. Following these four nutshell verses He should write Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

313. "‘You then explain the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam to Nārada. Goddess Sarasvatī will speak using his tnogue.’

314. "Now I will tell you something. Please listen, O best of the sages. Yuga after yuga please be merciful to all living entities.

315. "You are a great soul whose only interest is the deliverance of other souls. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is a sublime scripture. There is no treasure like it.

316. "Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is perfectly spiritual. Matter never touches it. Fools do not understand this truth.

317. "In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, at the time of Garga MUni’s performing Lord Kṛṣṇa’s name-giving ceremony, the Lord Kṛṣṇa’s incarnations are described.

318. "In that passage ofŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam Garga MUnī describes the Lord’s incarnations in the four yugas. He says (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.8.13):

319. {.fn 2san varṇās trayo hy asya gṛhṇato’nu-yugaṃ tanūḥ śuklo raktas tathā pīta idānīṃ kṛṣṇatāṃ gataḥ

"‘Your son Kṛṣṇa appears as an incarnation in every millennium. In the past He assumed three different colors-white, red, and yellow-and now He has appeared in a blackish color.’*

320. "In Satya-yuga the Lord appeared in a white color. In Tretā-yuga His form was red and His name Yajña.

321. "As Nanda’s son He has a black color. That leaves only the color yellow remaining.

322. "The sequence of the descriptions in this verse leaves some readers in doubt. They think there are four yugas and the Lord’s incarnations have only three colors.

323. "Actually this verse describes four colors. The colors are white, red, yellow, and black. These colors are manifested in the course of the four yugas. They are not all manifest in one yuga.

324. "now we will consider this question: In what yuga does Lord Gaura manifest? This doubt is not quickly resolved with only a few words.

325. "Now I will explain this truth. Please listen. Even fools will be able to understand the truth from my words.

326. "In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam’s Eleventh Canto

11.5.19) Mahārāja Nimī asks Karabhājana Muni:

327. kasmin kāle sa bhagavān kiṃ varṇaḥ kīdṛśaiḥ nṛbhiḥ nāmnā vā kena vidhinā pūjyate tad ihocyatām

"What colors does the Supreme Personality of Godhead assume in the different yugas? What are His names? By what process and by what kind of people is He worshiped. Please describe all this. "

328. This verse says: What colors does the Supreme Personality of Godhead manifest in the different yugas? What are His names in the different yugas?

329. By what religious process do what kind of people worship Him in the different yugas? By what actions is He satisfied?

330. "To these questions Karabhājana Munī replied (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.5.20-22): kṛtaṃ tretā dvāparaṃ ca kalir ity eṣu keśavaḥ nānā-varṇābhidhākāro nānaiva vidhinejyate

"‘In the Satya, Tretā, Dvāpara, and Kalī yugas Lord Kṛṣṇa manifests in different forms with different colors and He is worshiped in different ways.

331. kṛte śuklas catur-bāhur jaṭilo valkalāmbaraḥ kṛṣṇājinopavītākṣān bibhrad daṇḍa-kamaṇḍalū

"‘In Satya-yuga the Lord appeared in a body colored white with four arms and matted hair. He wore tree bark and bore a black antelope skin. He wore a sacred thread and a garland of rudrākṣa beads. He carried a rod and a waterpot, and He was a brahmacārī.’*

332. manuṣyās tu tadā śāntā nirvairāḥ suhrdaḥ samāḥ yajantī tapasā devaṃ śamena ca damena ca

"‘In that yuga the peaceful, non-envious, friendly, equipoised people worship the Lord by controlling their minds and senses.’

333. In these verses Karabhājana Munī tells Mahārāja Nimi: Please listen carefully. How is the Lord worshiped in the Satya-yuga and the other yugas?

334. In the Satya-yuga the Lord has a white complexion and His name is Haṃsa. He has four arms, matted hair, and tree-bark garments. His process of religion is the performance of austerities.

335. He has a daṇḍa, kamaṇḍalu, black deerskin, and sacred thread. The people then are by nature peaceful, non-envious, and equipoised.

336. "The Lord’s incarnation in the Tretā-yuga is described in these words of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.5.24-25): tretāyāṃ rakta-varṇo’sau catur-bāhus tri-mekhalaḥ hiraṇya-keśas trayy-ātmā sruk-sruvādy-upalakṣaṇaḥ

"In Tretā-yuga the Lord appeared in a body that had a reddish hue and four arms. There were three distinctive lines on His abdomen, and His hair was golden. His form manifested the Vedic knowledge, and He bore the symbols of a sacrificial spoon, ladle, and so on.’*

337. taṃ tadā manujā devaṃ sarva-devamayaṃ harim yajantī vidyayā trayyā dharmiṣṭhā brahma-vādinaḥ

"With the knowledge of the three Vedas the religious and spiritual people in that yuga perform yajñas to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who contains within Himself all the demigods.

338. These verses mean: In the Tretā-yuga the Lord has a red color, four arms, and a triple belt. He carries a sruk and srava in His hands.

339. The hair on His head is the color of molten gold. The Supreme Lord, within whom all the demigods are manifest, is worshiped by performance of yajña.

340. The Lord is the three vedas personified. Therefore His name is Yajña. The people who know the truth of religion worship Him according to the religious rules described in the Vedas.

341. "The Lord’s incarnation in the Dvāpara-yuga is described in these words of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.5.27, 28, and 31): dvāpare bhagavān śyāmaḥ pīta-vāsā nijāyudhaḥ śrīvatsādibhir aṅkaiś ca lakṣaṇair upalakṣitaḥ

"‘In the Dvāpara-yuga the Personality of Godhead appears in a blackish hue. He is dressed in yellow, He holds His own weapons, and He is decorated with the Kaustubha jewel and marks of Śrīvatsa. That is how His symptoms are described.’*

342. taṃ tadā puruṣaṃ martyā mahā-rājopalakṣaṇam yajantī veda-tantrābhyāṃ paraṃ jijñāsavo nṛpa

"‘O king, following the Vedas and Tantras, persons who yearn to know the Supreme worship Him as a king in the Dvāpara-yuga.

343. itī dvāpara urv-īśa stuvantī jagad-īśvaram nānā-tantra-vidhānena kalāṭ apī tathā śṛṇu

"‘O king, in this way the people in Dvāparayuga glorify the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Following the various Tantras, the people in Kalī-yuga also glorify the Lord in that way. "

344. These verses mean: In Dvāpara-yuga the Supreme Personality of Godhead has a black color. He has the Śrīvatsa and Kaustubha jewel. Yellow garments are on His body.

345. Bearing the qualities of a king of kings, He is glorious. Persons who are fortunate worship Him according to the rules on the Vedas and Tantras.

346. In every yuga the Supreme Lord appears as a yuga-avatāra. The Lord thus induces the people of each yuga to follow the appropriate yuga-dharma.

347.The three yugas Satya, Tretā, and Dvāpara have already passed. In these yugas the Lord’s color was first white, then red, and then black.

348. The sage explained that the Lord manifested these three colors in these three yugas. Please carefully hear these words of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.5.32):

349. kṛṣṇa-varṇaṃ tviṣākṛṣṇaṃ sāṅgopāṅgāstra-parṣadam yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajantī hī su-medhasaḥ

"In the age of Kali, intelligent persons perform congregation chanting to worship the incarnation of Godhead who constantly sings the name of Kṛṣṇa. Although His complexion is not blackish, He is Kṛṣṇa Himself. He is accompanied by His associates, servants, weapons, and confidential companions. "*

350. In this verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam the word "kṛṣṇa-varṇa" means "the two syllable Kṛṣṇa".

351. Now everyone please hear the explanation of the word "akṛṣṇam", which means "of light color". This word refers to Lord Gaura.

352. The word "sāṅgopāṅgāstra-parṣadam" means

"Accompanied by His associates, the Lord descends to this world".

353. Here the word "aṅga" refers to Lord Balarāma, and the word "upāṅga" refers to the Lord’s ornaments.

354. The word "astra" refers to the Lord’s Sudarśanacakra and other weapons. The word "parṣadam" refers to Prahlāda, Nārada, and all the other personal associates of the Lord.

355. The devotees who were the Lord’s servants and maidservants when He previously descended to the material world again become His aṅgas and upāṅgas when He descends as Lord Gaura.

356. Someone will describe all these great Vaiṣṇavas and tell what there names are in Lord Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes.

357. The common people will not undwerstand these descriptions. How will the lowly people believe them?

358. For this reason Karabhājana Munī said only intelligent people (sumedhasaḥ) will understand.

359. Saṅkīrtana (congregational chanting of the Lord’s holy names) is the yuga-dharma in Kalī-yuga. Intelligent people will delight in saṅkīrtana.

360. Now I will explain to you what the ordinary people do not understand: Why in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.8.13 only three colors are given to describe the Lord’s incarnations in the four yugas.

361. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.5.32 the word "Kṛṣṇavarnam" may mean either "He whose color is black" or "He whose name is Kṛṣṇa". A different color is not seen in these two (Dvāpara and Kali) yugas.

362. In the two yugas Dvapara and Kalī the Lord’s incarnation has the same color. The Lord’s incarnations have the same color in these two yugas. That is the heart of the explanation.

363. In Satya and Tretā yugas the Lord’s ioncarnations have a red and whote color respectively. In Dvāpara and Kalī yugas the Lord’s incarnations both have the same color.

364. Why is the sequence of colors broken in Garga Muni’s description? The sequence is not broken. Please very happilyhear my explanation.

365. This description refers to past, present, and future. The four yugas here fit into these three phases of time.

366. In this verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam the Satya and Tretā yugas are in the past, and the Dvāparayuga is in the present. In Dvāpara-yuga Lord Kṛṣṇa’s incarnation bears the name Kṛṣṇa.

367. By speaking the word "idānīm" (now) in this verse garga Munī refers to the near future.

368. I say that the use of the present here is truly intended to refer to the near future.

369. Sanskrit paṇḍitas agree that the present may be unsed to refer to the near future. The near future is then hinted in this verse.

370. In this verse Garga Munī uses the word "tathā" (in that way). Why, after describing the Lord’s white and red incarnations, does Garga Munī then use the word "tathā".

371. The word "tathā" is used here to mean: As (yathā) the Lord previously appeared in white and red incarnations, in the same way (tathā) Lord Kṛṣṇa will appear in a yellow color in Kalī-yuga.

372. At the present, in the Dvāpara-yuga, the Lord has appeared in a black color. In this way Garga Muni’s description of the Lord’s incarnations in the four yugas makes reference to the three phases of time.

373. If someone does not accept my explanation then he must say why Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam uses the word "tathā" in this verse.

374. I will now explain all this. Please hear my words. I, Locana dāsa, will explain. Please do not ignore my words.

375. Please hear another wonderful explanation of this verse. This explanation is the most conclusive evidence.

376. Here someone may lodge a surprising protest. He may claim that because He is a yuga-avatāra, Lord Kṛṣṇa cannot be the original Supreme Personality of Godhead, the source of all incarnations.

377. In truth it is said in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that the other yuga-avatāra are all pleanry portions (amsa) or portions opf the plenary portions of Lord Kṛṣṇa, and Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself is the original Supreme Personality of Godhead.

378. This explanation is found in these words of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.3.28): ete cāṃśa-kalāḥ puṃsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam indrāri-vyākulaṃ lokaṃ mṛḍayantī yuge yuge

"‘All the above-mentioned incarnations are either plenary portuions or portions of the plenary portions of thse Lord, but Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the original Personality of Godhead. All of Them appear on planets whenever there is a disturbance created by the atheists. The Lord incarnates to protect the theists.’*

379. Why do I say that Lord Kṛṣṇa is a yuga-avatāra? Why does Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam refer to Him as a yuga-avatāra?

380. Lord Kṛṣṇa, the moon of Vṛndāvana, is not a mere yuga-avatāra. Rather He is the prefect and complete original Supreme Personality of Godhead. That Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam says.

381. Now I will explain why Lord Kṛṣṇa is the original Supreme Personality of Godhead. Please do not mock me. Listen carefully.

382. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.8.13) it is said: āsan varṇās trayo hy asya gṛhṇato’nu-yugaṃ tanūḥ śuklo raktas tathā pīta idānīṃ kṛṣṇatāṃ gataḥ

"‘Your son Kṛṣṇa appears as an incarnation in every millennium. In the past He assumed three different colors-white, red, and yellow-and now He has appeared in a blackish color.’*

383. In this verse Garga Munī speaks very profound truths. How can I explain those truths? I am only a fool.

384. If one is intelligent he becomes a devotee of the Lord. Only intelligent people can understand the truths given in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

385. Garga MUnī explained that in each of the four yugas the Lord appears in incarnations of four different colors. In discussing these different yugas Garga Munī refers to the three phases of time: past, present, and future.

386. Thus in this verse Vyāsa describes the four yugas according to the three phases of time.

387. He says that in the four yugas: Satya, Tretā, Dvāpara, and Kali, the Lord descends as avatāras that are white, red, yellow, and black.

388. The four yugas are all mentioned here, but only three of the yuga-avatāras are mentioned in this verse.

389. The intention here is that as there are four yugas, so there are also four yuga-avatāras.

390. Thus it may be seen thast in this verse the sequence of the avatāras is interrupted. The truth is that by speaking the word "tathā" (in the same way) Garga Munī hints at the appearance of the Lord’s avatāra in the future.

391. Who are the yuga-avatāras? They are described as having four colors. Who is the avatār.ī (the origin of the avatāras)? That we must consider.

392. Lord Kṛṣṇa, who descended to the earth and took birth in the Yadu dynasty, is the avatārī. All the other avatāras are plenary portions of Him.

393. Someone may doubt: Why make a distinction between the avatāra and the source of avatāras? There are two reasons for that:

394. The avatāras that appear in the four yugas are all pleanry portions (aṃśa) of the original Supreme Personality of Godhead. They appear in certain specific colors in each yuga, one after the other.

395. Their purpose is to establish religion and destroy irreligion. In every yuga these plenary portions (aṃśa) of the Supreme Lord descend as avatāras.

396. However, in Dvāpara-yuga Lord Harī descended in His original form. He is the crest jewel of all avatāras. He is above them all.

397. The meaning of Garga Muni’s words is that generally in the Dvāpara-yuga the incarnation of the Lord is dark and handsaome like Kṛṣṇa, but He is not the original form of Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself.

398. Generally in the Dvapara-yuga the avatara is dark like Lord Kṛṣṇa, and bears the name Kṛṣṇa, but He is only a plenary portion of Kṛṣṇa. Now please hear the heart of this matter.

399. When Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself personally descends in the Dvāpara-yuga, in the following Kalī-yuga Lord Gauracandra makes His appearance. These two Lords who appear in the Dvapara and Kalī yugas are not different.

400. Although They descend in two different yugas, They are the same. Vyāsa explains this.

401. In the Bṛhat-sahasra-nāma-stotra it is said: tam ārādhya tathā śambho grahiṣyāmī varaṃ sadā dvāparādau yuge bhūtvā kalayā manuṣādiṣu svāgamaiḥ kalpitais tvaṃ ca janān mad-vimukhān kuru māṃ ca gopaya yena syāt sṛṣṭir evottarottarā

"In Kalī-yuga, mislead the people in general by propounding imaginary meanings of the Vedas to bewilder them."*

402. Now I will tell you something else. Please listen. In Bhagavad-gītā (4.8) these words came from Lord Kṛṣṇa’s mouth:

403. paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṃ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām dharma-samsthāpanārthāya sambhavāmī yuge yuge

"‘In order to deliver the pious and annihilate the miscreants, as well as to re-establish the principles of religion, I advent Myself millennium after millennium.’*

404 and 405. These words mean: In order to protect the pious, establish religion, and destroy impiety, I take birth in one yuga and then in another yuga. Thus in two yugas I personally take birth.

406. Here I speak first of one yuga and then of another yuga. I speak the word yuga as a noun, a noun modified by an adjective.

407. When I speak it the word yuga is preceded by an adjective. The first yuga is the Dvāpara-yuga, and the second yuga is the Kali-yuga.

408. Why do you say that the words "yuge yuge" in this verse of Bhagavad-gītā refers to the four yugas? The Kṛṣṇa-avatāra is the perfect and complete original Supreme Personality of Godhead. Why do you say He is only a plenary portion (aṃśa) of the Supreme Lord?

409. In other places in the scriptures the four yugas are mentioned. Please be attentive and I will quote such a reference.

410. In Bhagavad-gītā (4.7) Lord Kṛṣṇa delcares: yadā yadā hī dharmasya glānir bhavatī bhārata abhyutthānam adharmasya tadātmānaṃ sṛjāmy aham

"Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predmonent rise in irreligion-at that time I descend Myself.’*

411. In this verse the Supreme Lord says: At whatever time, and in whatever yuga, religion is destroyed and irreligion arises, at that time I take birth.

412. At that time I appear Myself. Manifesting My plenary portion (aṃśa), I thus descend in every uuga.

413. Now I will tell you one thing. Please hear My words. I, Locana dāsa will explain this. Please do not disregard my words.

414. Here the Supreme Lord says: I, Lord Kṛṣṇa, take birth as Lord Gaura in Kalī-yuga. Please crush to death any doubts you may have about this.

415. Please hear the wonderful secret truth of the Kalī-yuga. In the Kalī-yuga the religion of saṅkīrtana (congregational chanting of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s holy names) will deliver the entire world.

416-417. Saṅkīrtana brings the same results attained by charity, vows, austerity, yajñas, study, sensecontrol, and following rules that restrict one’s contact with sense objects and material desires. This truth I have heard in the Srutī-sastra. Still, the people are all shacked by māyā, have all become blinded, have all become worthless like heaps of ashes, for they do not know the glories of the Supreme Lord’s holy names and qualities.

418. Bound by the ropes of karma and wandering from place to place, the conditioned souls will not engage in renunciation. Neither will they perform pious deeds.

419. At the time of cosmic annihilation the ropes of karma that bind them are cut. Only when the ropes of karma are cut can they ask about Lord Kṛṣṇa.

420. Therefore saṅkīrtana is the yuga-dharma (religion of thew age) for Kalī-yuga. Still, people who have committed horrible sins cannot understand this secret truth.

421. How can the yuga-dharma, which is saṅkīrtana, be destroyed? Who, but the Lord Himself, has the power to establish religion?

422. In the Bhagavad-gītā the Supreme Lord promises that He will descend to this world and protect religion.

423. He says (Bhagavad-gītā 4.8): paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṃ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām dharma-samsthāpanārthāya sambhavāmī yuge yuge

"‘In order to deliver the pious and annihilate the miscreants, as well as to re-establish the principles of religion, I advent Myself millennium after millennium.’*

424. In this verse the Lord says: To protect the devotees, destroy irreligion, and establish religion, I appear in every yuga.

425. In Kalī-yuga the yuga-dharma is saṅkīrtana. In Kalī-yuga the Lord’s avatāra is Lord Gaura. There is no other.

426. After Lord Brahmā had spoken these words, the sages joyfully embraced each other. Brahmā was so overcomne with bliss he did not even know who he was.

427. Then he spoke one more truth about Lord Gaura’s glories. His every sense filled with bliss, he said:

428. Please hear another explanation. In the Sahasra-nāma-stotra, in the description of two of the Lord’s holy names, it is said (Mahābhārata, Śānti-parva):

429. suvarṇa-varṇo hemāṅgo varāṅgaś candanāṅgadī sannyāsa-kṛc chamaḥ śānto niṣṭhā-śānti-parāyaṇaḥ

"In His early pastimes He appears as a householder with a golden complexion. His linbs are beautiful, and His body, smeared with the pulp of sandalwood, seems like molten gold. In His later pastimes He accepts the sannyāsa order, and He is equipoised and peaceful. He is the highest abode of peace and devotion, for He silences the impersonalist nondevotees.’*

430. This verse means: Lord Gaura’s body is effulgent like gold. He accepts sannyāsa and He is very noble-hearted.

431. Please hear the following words from the Bhaviṣya Purāṇa, where three times the Lord vows that He will take birth in Kalī-yuga.

432. In that verse of the Bhaviṣya Pyrāṇa, the Supreme Lord declares: ajāyadhvam ajāyadhvam ajāyadhvaṃ na saṃśayaḥ kalau saṅkīrtanārambhe bhaviṣyāmī śacī-sutaḥ

"‘I shall take birth. I shall take birth. I shall take birth. Of this there is no doubt. In the age of Kali, when the saṅkīrtana movement is inaugurated, I shall descend as the son of Śacī-devī.’*

433. Please carefully hear some other wonderful explanations. With an attentive heart please try to understand the secret of the yuga-dharma in Kaliyuga.

434. In Kalī-yuga everyone is sinful. Irreligion is manifest and religion is diminished.

435. Harī-nāma-saṅkīrtana (chanting Lord Kṛṣṇa’s holy names) is the yuga-dharma in that age. In truth, chanting Lord Kṛṣṇa’s holy names is the essence of all religion.

436. By once chanting the Lord’s holy name one easily attains the results of charity, vows, austerity, yajña, jñāṇa, and japa, and one also easily attains liberation.

437. A hedonist addicted to sense pleasures may give some attention to chanting the holy names. At first he may remain a hedonist, but in the end he will become rapt in devotion to Lord Kṛṣṇa.

438. If he chants the glories of Lord Kṛṣṇa, a faithful person will spurn all material pleasures and run to Lord Kṛṣṇa.

439. Thus chanting Lord Kṛṣṇa’s names and glories is the true religion in the sinful Kali-yuga.

440. In this way I have described the nature of Kalī-yuga and its yuga-dharma. This is the highest religion in the sinful age of Kali.

441. If someone say that the sins in Kalī-yuga are very difficult to cut into pieces, then I say that one should simply bring out the great sword of saṅkīrtana.

442. Why do the people who live in the Satya-yuga and other yugas pray to take birth in Kalī-yuga? Because in Kalī-yuga the people are very devoted to chanting Lord Hari’s holy names.

443. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.5.38) it is said: kṛtādiṣu prajā rājan kalāṭ icchantī sambhavam kalau khalu bhaviṣyanti nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇāḥ

"O king, the residents of Satya-yuga and the other yugas yearn to take birth in Kalī-yuga, for in Kalī-yuga there will be many devotees of Lord Nārāyaṇa.’

444. Why, when He descended to this world with all His powers, did Lord Kṛṣṇa not give prema-bhaktī (loving devotional service) to even the sinners?

445. Please tell me: What incarnatioon in what yuga would be so merciful that He would give ecstatic spiritual love (prema) even to condition souls that do not engage in devotional service?

446. Religion, pious deeds, and holy places destroy sins. Do you know anything like them?

447. Some great souls know that Kalī-yuga is the best of all yugas, for within it is the religion of saṅkīrtana. In Kalī-yuga there is no other religion.

448. In this way Brahmā spoke. Hearing these words, Nārada struck his vīṇā and made a shower of sweet sounds.

449. Hearing this nectar conversation of Brahmā and Nārada, Locana dāsa finds that his heart is filled with bliss.