Yoga For Modern Age
Facts about Yoga
•The 2012 study indicates that 8.7 percent of U.S.
adults, or 20.4 million people, practice yoga. 44.4
percent of Americans call themselves “aspirational
yogis”—people who are interested in trying yoga.
5 Dec , 2012
•Across America, students, stressed-out young
professionals, CEOs and retirees are among those who
have embraced yoga, fueling a $27 billion industry with
more than 20 million practitioners -- 83 percent of them
women.
Based on teachings of
His Divine Grace
A.C.
Bhaktivedanta
Swami
Prabhupada
Founder-Acharya of
ISKCON
Yoga
Yoga?
Yoga has come
from the sanskrit
word “Yuj” means
To connect.
Process of linking
ourselves with the
Supreme
Different types of Yoga
1. Astanga Yoga
2. Hatha Yoga
3. Karma Yoga
4. Jnana Yoga
5. Bhakti Yoga etc
Yoga – Is it Practical today ?
How many of us are
willing to give this
yoga system a try
?
5,000 years ago when
conditions were much more
favorable, Arjuna
expressed his inability to
practice such yoga, saying
“For the mind is
restless, turbulent,
obstinate and very
strong, O Kåñëa, and to
subdue it, I think, is
more difficult than
controlling the wind.”
Bhagavad-gétä 6.34
Different Yoga practices
for Different Yugas
kåte yad dhyäyato viñëuà
tretäyäà yajato makhaiù
dväpare paricaryäyäà
kalau tad dhari-kértanät
Çrémad-Bhägavatam (12.3.52)
Satya-yuga
Meditation on Lord Visnu
Tretä-yuga
Performing Expensive Sacrifices
Dväpara-yuga
Elaborate Temple Worship
Kali-yuga
Yoga
Anywhere
, Any time
Kali-yuga
(the present age)
Chanting
Holy Names
of the Lord
What do the major
religions say about
chanting the holy
names of Lord?
Christianity
Christ glorified the
Lord’s holy name by
saying “Our Father
who art in Heaven,
hallowed be Thy
Name”
Sikhism
Guru Nanak
prayed “In the
ambrosial hours of
the morning I
meditate on the
grace of the true
name”
Islam
Muslims
repeatedly chant
the sacred name of
God - “Allah”
Buddhism
Buddhists also
practice repetition
of the name of
Lord Buddha
(namu amida butsu)
Sanätana dharma
It also
recommends
repetition of the
holy names of the
Lord, in form of
mantra
What is a Mantra?
MAN + TRA
MIND
DELIVER
Japa
Hare Krishna
Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna
Hare Hare
Hare Rama
Hare Rama
Rama Rama
Hare Hare
Sankirtan
Hare Krishna
Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna
Hare Hare
Hare Rama
Hare Rama
Rama Rama
Hare Hare
Scriptural References
for chanting the Holy
Names of Lord
Scriptural References
hare kåñëa hare kåñëa
kåñëa kåñëa hare hare
hare räma hare räma
räma räma hare hare
iti ñoòaçakaà nämnäà kali-kalmaña-näçanaà
nätaù parataropäyaù sarva-vedeñu dåçyate
Kali-santaraëa Upaniñad
Scriptural References
“After searching
through all the Vedic
literature one cannot
find a method of
religion more
sublime for this age
than the chanting of
Hare Krishna.”
Kali-santaraëa Upaniñad
Scriptural References
dväparéyair janair viñëuù
païcarätrais tu kevalaiù
kalau tu näma-mätreëa
püjyate bhagavän hariù
Näräyaëa-saàhitä
Scriptural References
“In the age of Kali,
people should simply
chant the holy names
of the Supreme
Personality of
Godhead.”
Näräyaëa-saàhitä
Scriptural References
harer näma harer näma
harer nämaiva kevalam
kalau nästy eva nästy eva
nästy eva gatir anyathä
Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Adi-lélä 17.21
Scriptural References
“In this age of quarrel
and hypocrisy the only
means of deliverance is
the chanting of the holy
names of the Lord.
There is no other way.
There is no other way.
There is no other way.”
Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Adi-lélä 17.21
Scriptural References
kaler doña-nidhe räjann
asti hy eko mahän guëaù
kértanäd eva kåñëasya
mukta-saìgaù paraà vrajet
Çrémad-Bhägavatam (12.3.51)
Scriptural References
“My dear King, although Kali-yuga is
full of faults, there is still one good
quality about this age. It is that simply
by chanting the Hare Kåñëa mahä-
mantra, one can become free from
material bondage and be promoted to
the transcendental kingdom.”
Çrémad-Bhägavatam (12.3.51)
Scriptural References
yajïänäà japa-yajïo ’smi
Bhagavad-gétä 10.25
Scriptural References
“Of sacrifices I
am the chanting
of the holy names
{japa}.”
Bhagavad-gétä 10.25
Scriptural References
nämnäm akäri bahudhä nija-sarva-çaktis
taträrpitä niyamitaù smaraëe na kälaù
etädåçé tava kåpä bhagavan mamäpi
durdaivam édåçam ihäjani nänurägaù
Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Antya-lélä 20.16
Scriptural References
“My Lord, O Supreme Personality of
Godhead, in Your holy name there is all
good fortune for the living entity, and
therefore You have many names, such as
“Kåñëa” and “Govinda,” You have
invested all Your potencies in those
names, and there are no hard and fast
rules for remembering them.”
Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Antya-lélä 20.16
Scriptural References
“Devotional service, beginning with
the chanting of the holy name of the
Lord, is the ultimate religious
principle for the living entity in
human society.”
Çrémad-Bhägavatam 6.3.22
Scriptural References
“Those who are actually advanced in
knowledge are able to appreciate the
essential value of this age of Kali. Such
enlightened persons worship Kali-yuga
because in this fallen age all perfection of
life can easily be achieved by the
performance of saìkértana.”
Çrémad-Bhägavatam 11.5.36
Do’s of Chanting
Do’s for chanting the mahä-mantra
Chant the païca-tattva mantra
before starting to chant the
Hare Krishna mahä-mantra
Païca-tattva mantra
çré-kåñëa-caitanya prabhu-
nityänanda çré-advaita gadädhara
çréväsädi-gaura-bhakta-vånda
Do’s for chanting the mahä-mantra
Chant audibly
(loud enough to hear the mantra)
Do’s for chanting the mahä-mantra
Pronounce each name
distinctly
Do’s for chanting the mahä-mantra
Chant with
respect,
devotion &
concentration
Do’s for chanting the mahä-mantra
You can chant in
any place, sitting
or walking, facing
any direction
Do’s for chanting the mahä-mantra
You can chant at
any time
However it is recommended to
chant during the early morning
hours (brähma-muhürta)
Do’s for chanting the mahä-mantra
You can chant
either before or
after taking bath
Do’s for chanting the mahä-mantra
It is
recommended
to chant by
keeping count
(preferably on a Tulasé mälä having 108 beads)
Don’ts of Chanting
Don’ts for chanting the mahä-mantra
One should not chant only a
portion of the mahä-mantra
Don’ts for chanting the mahä-mantra
One should not
chant on the
Krishna bead of
the japa mälä
Don’ts for chanting the mahä-mantra
One should not
chant while
reading a book,
or newspaper, or
watching TV etc.
Benefits of Chanting
Freedom from the
reactions of sin
Relief from unwanted
drives & habits
In our present condition, we are slaves to
any whimsical thoughts and desires.
Benefits of Chanting
• Freedom from anxiety and stress
• Peace of mind
• Real Happiness
• Enlightenment
What people say about
chanting Hare Krishna?
“Its really a
process of
having
realization of
God.”
George Harrison
“Everything
started happening
for me when I
began chanting Jean Claude Halliche
Youngest Director
Hare Krishna.” of 3M Inc. - France(29 year old)
“Chanting Hare
Krishna has
made a
tremendous
impact in my
life.”
Albert Brush Ford
Owner - Ford Motors
“I've been chanting
Hare Krishna for
many years, and
I've never found
anything more
pleasurable. Just
try to chant 5-10
minutes a day for a N.D. Desai
week and you'll Leading Indian
feel the Industrialist
difference.” (Apar Limited, GE Apar Lighting,
CEMA Tubes, Apar Infotech)
“Chanting Hare
Krishna has
helped me face all
the ups and downs
in my life with a
great confidence
and peace of
mind.”
Hrishikesh Mafatlal
CEO - Mafatlal Fabrics
“Chanting helped
me give up bad
habits. It changed
my vision of
Anne Schaufuss
things.”
Dutch Model
“By starting to
chant Hare
Krishna, I feel
tremendous
Vicki Overton
happiness.”
leading European Model
“Chanting
makes me feel
Marco Ferrini close to God.”
Italy’s top furniture designer
“Mahä-mantra
significantly
reduces stress,
depression, &
the mode of
ignorance and David Wolf
considerably Master of Social Service
increases mode Program at Florida State
University
of goodness.”
Researcher for studying the effects of
chanting Hare Krishna Mahä-mantra.
“If I start my day
on a spiritual
note by chanting
Hare Krishna, I
can make it
through the day
in a pleasant
mood.”
Stephen Farmer
Health food store owner
“Chanting has
opened my eyes to
things I never
noticed. Its like
beautiful music – a
very peaceful
feeling, very
satisfying.”
Mrs. Grace Acquistapace
Housewife
“When I am
stressed out, I
chant. It’s one
thing which
charges my
batteries. It
clears my mind
Paul Bleier
and brings me
back in focus.” Printing Executive
“When I’m
nervous I find
chanting very
claming. I don’t
get shaken up at
little things.”
Mrs. Sally Raleigh
Merchandiser
“My outlook
towards life is
lot more
brighter, after
starting to
associate with
Hare Krishna
devotees and
chanting the Bruce Klienberg
mahä-mantra.” Army Officer
“I’ve noticed
that as chanters
progress from
one level to
deeper level,
they become
more realistic,
Dr. Donald R. Tuck more tolerant
Associate Professor, Western and more
Kentucky University energetic.”
You can also chant
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare
and be happy
THE END
