maitreya uvaca

prajah srjeti bhagavan

 kardamo brahmanoditah

sarasvatyam tapas tepe

 sahasranam sama dasa

 

Translation by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada: 

 

The great sage Maitreya replied: Commanded by Lord Brahma to beget children in the worlds, the worshipful Kardama Muni practiced penance on the bank of the river Sarasvati for a period of ten thousand years.

 

Purport by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada: 

 

It is understood herein that Kardama Muni meditated in yoga for ten thousand years before attaining perfection. Similarly, we have information that Valmiki Muni also practiced yoga meditation for sixty thousand years before attaining perfection. Therefore, yoga practice can be successfully performed by persons who have a very long duration of life, such as one hundred thousand years; in that way it is possible to have perfection in yoga. Otherwise, there is no possibility of attaining the real perfection. Following the regulations, controlling the senses and practicing the different sitting postures are merely the preliminary practices. We do not know how people can be captivated by the bogus yoga system in which it is stated that simply by meditating fifteen minutes daily one can attain the perfection of becoming one with God. This age (Kali-yuga) is the age of bluffing and quarrel. Actually there is no possibility of attaining yoga perfection by such paltry proposals. The Vedic literature, for emphasis, clearly states three times that in this Age of Kali — kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva — there is no other alternative, no other alternative, no other alternative than harer nama, chanting the holy name of the Lord.