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THE SCIENCE OF SELF-REALIZATION
another matter. But if one actually wants to practice such meditation, it takes an extremely long time to perfect. In the next age, Tretā-yuga, the process of realization was to perform the various ritualistic sacrifices recommended in the  Vedas . In the next age, Dvāpara-yuga, the process was temple worship. In this present age the same result can be achieved by the process of  hari-kīrtana , glorification of Hari, Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
No other  kīrtana  is recommended. This  hari-kīrtana  was started five hundred years ago in Bengal by Lord Caitanya. In Bengal there is competition between the Vaiṣṇavas and the  śāktas . The  śāktas  have introduced a certain type of  kīrtana  called  kālī-kīrtana . But in the Vedic scriptures there is no recommendation of  kālī-kīrtana .  Kīrtana  means  hari-kīrtana . One cannot say, “Oh, you are Vaiṣṇava. You can perform  hari-kīrtana . I shall perform  śiva-kīrtana  or  devī-kīrtana  or  gaṇeśa-kīrtana .” No. The Vedic scriptures do not authorize any  kīrtana  other than  hari-kīrtana .  Kīrtana  means  hari-kīrtana , the glorification of Kṛṣṇa.
So this process of  hari-kīrtana  is very simple: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Actually there are only three words:  Hare ,  Kṛṣṇa , and  Rāma . But they are very nicely arranged for chanting so that everyone can take the mantra and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare. Since we have started this movement in the Western countries, Europeans, Americans, Africans, Egyptians, and Japanese are all chanting. There is no difficulty. They are chanting very gladly, and they are getting the results. What is the difficulty? We are distributing this chanting free of charge, and it is very simple. Simply by chanting, one can have self-realization, God realization, and when there is God realization, then nature realization is included also. For example, if one learns one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, and zero, then he has studied the entirety of mathematics because mathematics means simply changing the places of these ten figures. That’s all. Similarly, if one simply studies Kṛṣṇa, then all his knowledge is perfect. And Kṛṣṇa is easily understood simply by chanting this mantra, Hare Kṛṣṇa. So why not take this opportunity?
Take this opportunity that is being offered to human society. It is very ancient and scientific. It is not that it is a concoction that will last for only three or four years. No. In the  Bhagavad-gītā  Kṛṣṇa Himself says, “This philosophy is inexhaustible and indestructible. It is never lost or destroyed.” It may be covered for the time being, but it is never destroyed. Therefore it is called  avyayam .  Vyaya  means “exhaustion.”