Transcribed by Kristin
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, 14 September 2013, Durban, South Coast Hall Program, Class “Living in truth”)
I was reading a story where it is said that “Knowledge” and “Renunciation” had become very weak. They had become very depleted due to the influence of kali; they had become very old! Although they were young, they looked very weak and gray, as though they were eighty!
It is said that their friends and relatives such as “Truthfulness”, “Tolerance” and “Wisdom”, were also very weak. “Friendship” was totally crippled, was seriously crippled. “Friendship” could barely walk; “Friendship” only existed on the basis of profit!
So gradually, in the age of kali, all these qualities became weak, but one quality somehow or other, was still youthful and that was BHAKTI! Bhakti still stood. Bhakti was unaffected. So after a long time of not having seen each other, Bhakti met “Renunciation” and it was like, “Renunciation, you are still alive!? I haven’t heard from you for so long! I thought you would have passed away by now. Oh, Renunciation, I heard you are not in good health.”
Then “Renunciation” said, “Bhakti, you haven’t changed at all: you are still ever-fresh. What happened? How come, my dear Bhakti, my dear devotional service? How come Bhakti has survived when all other qualities have become weakened…?”
Bhakti explained, “Because of this benediction: kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt, because in this age of kali there is HARI-KIRTAN and this hari-kirtan is the nourishment of Bhakti, the nourishment of devotional service. It is the essence of devotional service. Actually, it is the most important activity within the realm of devotional service. Everything comes from that!”
So in this way, Bhakti knows the secret of youth. She looked as young and elevated than ever when all the others were weakened.
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kṛte yad dhyāyato viṣṇuḿ tretāyāḿ yajato makhaiḥ dvāpare paricaryāyāḿ kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt
TRANSLATION: Whatever result was obtained in Satya-yuga by meditating on Viṣṇu, in Tretā-yuga by performing sacrifices, and in Dvāpara-yuga by serving the Lord’s lotus feet can be obtained in Kali-yuga simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 12.3.52)