The article below by ramanuja dasan explains the discourse of Sri. Velukkudi
Krishnan swami that says why this Kali Yuga is better for many reasons.
Now since Kali Yuga has just the size of 1/4th of Krita Yuga, probably several
rituals and processes have also shrunked. It is said that in Kali Yuga the process
of self realization could easily be achieved by Sankirtana and chanting of holy
names of the lord. Here is a simple calculation of a Maha Yuga.
Krita Yuga – Beginning Twilight Period (400) + 4 X 1000
+ Ending Twilight Period (400) = 4800 years
Tretra Yuga – Beginning Twilight Period (300) + 3 X 1000
+ Ending Twilight Period (300) = 3600 years
Dwapara Yuga – Beginning Twilight Period (200) + 2 X 1000
+ Ending Twilight Period (200) = 2400 years
Kali Yuga – Beginning Twilight Period (100) + 1 X 1000
+ Ending Twilight Period (100) = 1200 years
All the years mentioned above are in Devas Years. To convert them to Human
years it has to be multiplied by 360. So Kali Yuga is 360*1200 = 432,000 years
and we are just 5000 years (approx.) into this yuga.
I had mentioned earlier that every ritual processes and even chanting the holy
names and reading of holy scriptures have been shrinked and made easy for
the people these days. Not a joke, but we seriously see books like Sandhya
Vandanam in 3 minutes or 10 minutes depending on people’s choice to fit
that into their busy schedules.
I have been listening to Srimad Bhagavatam Upanyasam by Sri. Vaikuntavasi
Mukkur Lakshmi Nrisimhachariar Swamy. He mentions that Srimad Bhagavatam
has 12 cantos/Skandas and saying
“Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya”
is equivalent to reading the 12 cantos of Srimad Bhagavatam.
He is explaining it grammatically too.
Om – 1 (numeric equivalent for letters/syllables)
Namo – 2
Bhagavate – 4
Vasudevaya – 5
So that makes it a total of 12 which is equal to the number of Cantos that
Srimad Bhagavatam has.
He also goes forward and explains the abridged version people use at times to
recite Vishnu Sahasranamam. Most of us would have come across this
PARVATI UVACHA
Keno-paayena laghunaa vishnur-nama saha-skrakam |
Patyate pamditeh nityam shortu michha myaham prabho ||
ESHWARA UVACHA
Shree-rama ram rameti rame raame mano-rame |
Saha-sranaama tattulyam raama-naama varaa-nane ||
The above two lines have to be recited thrice which would then be equivalent to
reciting the whole Vishnu Sahasranamam.
Grammatically,
Raa – 2 (numerical position of the letter/syllable or Occurrence in the
order of the Syllable)
Ma – 5
This makes it 2 X 5 = 10.
Reciting it thrice would triple the effect 10 X 10 X 10 = 1000 which is the
Sahasranama (1000 names).
As you can already see, the processes have been simplified and justified
(grammatically, mathematically and by value/effect) for current day
audiences to recite them and add these nama smaranams into their busy
schedules.
