What brings peace according to the Veda?

Peace according to veda

In Bhagavad Gita Krishna describes the necessity of performing yajna (sacrifice) to maintain peace in the world. In former ages yajnas were performed to secure the cooperation of the demigods, ie. nature.

In the present age of Kali, however, people are not able to perform the elaborate sacrifices of former ages, so God in His infinite kindness, has given an easy substitute for sacrifice. It’s so easy that even a child can perform it. The only sacrifice necessary in Kali-yuga is the sankirtan yajna - the congregational chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra.

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare

Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare

"This mantra, consisting of 16 words and 32 syllables, is the only means against evil in the age of Kali. 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-santarana Upanishad

Shukadev Goswami says:

Whatever result was obtained in Satya-yuga by meditating on Vishnu, in Treta-yuga by performing sacrifices, and in Dvapara-yuga by serving the Lord's lotus feet can be obtained in Kali-yuga simply by chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra.

—Srimad Bhagavatam 12.3.52

Furthermore, in Bhagavad Gita, God has offered a peace formula.

Krishna says:

The sages, knowing Me as the ultimate purpose of all sacrifices and austerities, the Supreme Lord of all planets and demigods and the benefactor and well-wisher of all living entities, attain peace from the pangs of material miseries. — Bg 5.29

Srila Prabhupada explains:

The conditioned souls within the clutches of illusory energy are all anxious to attain peace in the material world. But they do not know the formula for peace, which is explained in this part of the Bhagavad-gita.

The greatest peace formula is simply this: Lord Krishna is the beneficiary in all human activities. Men should offer everything to the transcendental service of the Lord because He is the proprietor of all planets and the demigods thereon.

No one is greater than He. He is greater than the greatest of the demigods, Lord Shiva and Lord Brahma. In the Vedas the Supreme Lord is described as tam isvaranam paramam mahesvaram.

Under the spell of illusion, living entities are trying to be lords of all they survey, but actually they are dominated by the material energy of the Lord. The Lord is the master of material nature, and the conditioned souls are under the stringent rules of material nature.

Unless one understands these bare facts, it is not possible to achieve peace in the world either individually or collectively. This is the sense of Krishna consciousness: Lord Krishna is the supreme predominator, and all living entities, including the great demigods, are His subordinates. One can attain perfect peace only in complete Krishna consciousness.

This Fifth Chapter is a practical explanation of Krishna consciousness, generally known as karma-yoga. The question of mental speculation as to how karma-yoga can give liberation is answered herewith. To work in Krishna consciousness is to work with the complete knowledge of the Lord as the predominator.

Such work is not different from transcendental knowledge. Direct Krishna consciousness is bhakti-yoga, and jnana-yoga is a path leading to bhakti-yoga. Krishna consciousness means to work in full knowledge of one's relationship with the Supreme Absolute, and the perfection of this consciousness is full knowledge of Krsna, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

A pure soul is the eternal servant of God as His fragmental part and parcel. He comes into contact with maya (illusion) due to the desire to lord it over maya, and that is the cause of his many sufferings. As long as he is in contact with matter, he has to execute work in terms of material necessities.

Krishna consciousness, however, brings one into spiritual life even while one is within the jurisdiction of matter, for it is an arousing of spiritual existence by practice in the material world. The more one is advanced, the more he is freed from the clutches of matter.

The Lord is not partial toward anyone. Everything depends on one's practical performance of duties in an effort to control the senses and conquer the influence of desire and anger. And, attaining Krishna consciousness by controlling the above-mentioned passions, one remains factually in the transcendental stage, or brahman-nirvana.

The eightfold yoga mysticism is automatically practiced in Krishna consciousness because the ultimate purpose is served. There is gradual process of elevation in the practice of yama, niyama, asana, pratyahara, dhyana, dharana, pranayama, and samadhi. But these only preface perfection by devotional service, which alone can award peace to the human being. It is the highest perfection of life.