Rasika Acharyas say that to call our father as our father, we don't need to study Vedas and ask anybody. Krishna is our nitya (eternal) father. But yes, to revive back this knowledge in the complete form that Krishna is our father, we definitely should read Vedic scriptures to advance spiritually (Read Beginner's Spirituality Guide here).
Krishna appears as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu in the Kali Yuga. He appeared 500 years ago in Mayapur to give prema bhakti to all without seeing any qualification.
There are 1000 cycles of 4 yugas in one day of Brahma - Satya Yuga, Treata Yuga, Dwapar Yuga and Kali Yuga. The description of this is well given in Srimad Bhagavatam, Padma Purana and the majority of Vedic scriptures.
Krishna in His full potency as Supreme Personality of Godhead descends on bhuloka (earth) just once in a day of Brahma, and one complete day of Brahma as described in Srimad Bhagavatam (6th Canto, 13th Chapter) is equal to 8 billion 640 million earthly years (Those who wish to understand it deeply should refer this).
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu also appears once in the day of Brahma (in Kali Yuga). Thus, the opportunity to chant Hare Krishna Mahamantra and gain direct entry in our real constitutional position is very rare and we all are fortunate to be born just 500 years after Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has appeared. This is the golden time of Kali Yuga to revive our love for Divine Couple (which is our original position and comes to us naturally).
For every yuga, there is one tarak brahma mantra that delivers the conditioned souls on bhuloka (or earth) to the topmost spiritual perfection.
In Satya Yuga, the mantra that granted spiritual perfection was Narayan Para Veda | Narayan Paraksara | Narayan Para Muktir | Narayan Para Gatih.
In Satya Yuga, only shant and dasya rasa were possible.
The book 'Demystifying The Mystical Vrindavan' is the essence and crux of this entire website.
If you are considering to dive into the final goal of our Vedic Scriptures and spiritual life, and if Radharani inspires you, do get a copy of the book .
In Treata Yuga, only shant, dashya and sakhya rasa were possible. In Dwapar Yuga, only dasya, shant, sakhya and vatsalya rasa was possible for conditioned souls. But it is only in Kali Yuga that Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has given the topmost madhurya rasa for all. (You can read about 5 rasas here to be acquainted with these terms used in the last couple of sentences).
The tarak brahma mantra of Kali Yuga Hare Krishna Hare Krishna | Krishna Krishna Hare Hare | Hare Rama Hare Rama | Rama Rama Hare Hare doesn't only grants the top-most spiritual perfection but directly takes one to the inner groves of Goloka Vrindavan in soul's eternal constitution position as a part and parcel of Divine Couple in 5 different rasas as per individual mood.
The special thing about Hare Krishna Mahamantra is that it doesn't hold any sort of formality or aishwarya between Lord and the devotee but is madhurya or manifestation of exchange of prema (love) in the spontaneous form (raganuga bhakti).
Hare Krishna Mahamantra is so powerful that one doesn't need diksha (spiritual initiation) to wait for chanting this mantra, unlike other mantras which need proper initiation by a bonafide guru. Anybody can chant it anywhere, at any times, irrespective of any circumstance.
Everything is hidden in maha-mantra and it automatically guides the sincere seeker (sadhaka) to the guru tattva, and opens all the doors of prema-bhakti as the devotee takes the holy names in the mood of surrender and sincerity.
Even imperfect chanting (nama-abhas) without any lobha (desire) for vraj-prema-bhakti easily gives mokha or liberation. In fact moksa awaits devotees who even chant nama-abhas maha-mantra.
If anybody just says the Hare Krishna Mahamantra once, they are bound to advance spiritually and go deeper very soon, what to speak of those who have given their lives in pure (shudh) chanting of holy names.
Even if a devotee might be having mundane material conditioning, that will eventually be cleansed away by the effect of chanting the holy names. The prime importance is sincerity and full surrender (purna sharanagati) as mentioned in Srimad Bhagavad Gita (18.66).
Most Important Part of this article
Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is patita pavana. Patita means lowest of all Kali Yuga rejects. Mahaprabhu gives the highest prema rasa to all without seeing any qualification. He is most karunamayi (most merciful).
The DAY one accepts from within that they are lowest of all would be the turning DAY of their life!!
If we don't believe that we are the lowest of all, just look back in our life and think about the thoughts and actions that we have performed. Think about it again. The worst dark secrets of ours! We can hide it from everybody except ourself and Divine Couple! Now the thing is that these actions so so bad that we are even trying to forget it while reading this very sentence!!!!
Nothing to feel shy or afraid of. Be honest.
So, the day we accept this wholeheartedly of our fallen condition and cry to Mahaprabhu, the most magnanimous avatar that "Hey karumayi Mahaprabhu, Hey Krishna, Hey Srila Prabhupada, Hey Nityananda Prabhu! I am most fallen and I have no control over my sinful activities. Please accept me. Please show me the path to your most dear object. You are patita pavana and bestow prema bhakti to even the unqualified. See Mahaprabhu, my un-qualification and my fallen condition is my qualification as you are patita pavana. I am most qualified to receive your mercy my Mahaprabhu. Please guide me. I am yours. You are mine. Please please guide me. Have mercy on this fallen reject."
The day one does these prayers with real intent, real tears in the heart - that would be the turning day of their life!!! Mahaprabhu will run to you. He can't control Himself from giving prema. He is in topmost vipralambha bhav, in a most emotional state.
He is ready to give His all - Krishna Prema! Take it. He is an ocean of prema rasa which is impossible to even comprehend. When one will understand this in TRUE terms, that day would be crazy!!!
One should go ahead in this path enthusiastically with a feeling that "Radharani is mine, I am Radharani's." It doesn't matter whether you are an absolute beginner or are practising spirituality for the past 50 years.
One should intensely chant Hare Krishna Mahamantra. Nama Nama Nama. All direction will manifest in the heart with due course of sincere chanting of nama! What awaits such few sincere seekers is something which will be beyond their imagination. Prema Samudara (ocean of love). Full prema!!
Jai Jai Shri Radhe!
Hare Krishna!
P.S. I write on this site for my own bhajan as directed by my guru tattva and not for anybody or anything else. See how Sriji inspires you.