Chanting the holy name more important than misguided yoga

[Bhakti Vikasa Swami]

The purpose of pranayama, or mystic yoga, is to stop the mind and senses from
engaging in fruitive activities. The so-called yogis who practice in Western
countries have no idea of this. The aim of pranayama is not to make the body
strong and fit for working hard. The aim is worship of Krsna.

So-called yogis, without knowledge of the real purpose of yoga, practice it in
order to keep the body fit. Thus they engage themselves in fruitive activities,
and thus they are bound by desire to accept another body. They are not aware
that the ultimate goal of life is to approach Krsna. In order to save such
yogis from wandering throughout the different species of life, the sastras warn
that in this age such yogic practice is simply a waste of time. The only means
of elevation is the chanting of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra.

In this age this practice of yoga is misunderstood by fallen souls who are not
capable of practicing anything. Consequently the sastras enjoin: kalau nasty
eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha. The conclusion is that unless the
karmis, jnanis and yogis come to the point of devotional service to Lord Krsna,
their so-called austerities and yoga have no value. Naradhitah: if Hari, the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, is not worshiped, there is no point in
practicing meditational yoga, performing karma-yoga or culturing empiric
knowledge. As far as pranayama is concerned, chanting of the holy name of the
Lord and dancing in ecstasy are also considered pranayama.

The actual aim [of pranayama] is to strengthen the mind and senses in order to
engage them in devotional service. In the present age this determination can be
very easily acquired simply by chanting the holy names -- Hare Krsna, Hare
Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare / Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

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From Srila Prabhupada's purport to Srimad-Bhagavatam 4.23.8