Lord Caitanya

The Vedas call the present age the 'Age of Kali' - the age of quarrel. This age began approximately 5,000 years ago. In this age people are less fortunate, less intelligent, shorter lived, have shorter memories, and have weaker bodies. Good qualities such as sympathy for others, education, truthfulness, cleanliness, forgiveness, and mercy are quickly disappearing. Society is beset with cheating, diplomacy, and violence. The so-called leaders of society are encouraging intoxication, illicit sex, gambling, and meat eating, which are considered the principles of irreligiosity.

There is one good quality in this age. That is, simply by chanting the Lord's names, one can escape the miseries of this age, and go back to the kingdom of God at the end of life.1

Krishna incarnates in every age to preach the religious practice that is applicable for that particular age. In other ages Krishna taught meditational yoga, or temple worship, or sacrifice.

Krishna appeared about 500 years ago as Lord Caitanya. This advent was predicted in the Vedic literatures more than 5,000 years ago. Lord Caitanya taught the religious practice recommended for this age, sankirtana, the congregational chanting of the Lord's names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.

Devotees of the Krishna consciousness movement engage in the chanting of the Lord's names in public, distributing transcendental literature (which encourage others to chant), and performing personal meditation on the Lord's names (called japa).
1. Srimad-Bhagavatam 12.3.51