Our first problem is - because we have got this material body - eating. Everyone must eat. So Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, annad bhavanti bhutani (BG 3.14): "If there is sufficient food grains, then both man and animal, they become happy."

Expressions researched:
"Our first problem is—because we have got this material body—eating. Everyone must eat"

Conversations and Morning Walks

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Our first problem is—because we have got this material body—eating. Everyone must eat. So Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, annād bhavanti bhūtāni (BG 3.14): "If there is sufficient food grains, then both man and animal, they become happy." Therefore our first religion is to produce food grain sufficiently to feed everyone. Kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva (BG 18.44). This matter has been entrusted to the vaiśyas. They should produce sufficient food and give protection to the cows for sufficient milk. Then the whole human society, animal society, will be happy.

750301 - Conversation A - Atlanta

Prabhupāda: That is the Vedic description. The religious principle cannot be manufactured by anyone within this universe. It is the codes or laws given by God. That is religion. That means we have to know who is God, what is His desire, and we have to abide by that. That is religion. Just like a good citizen means he knows the government and the government laws, and he abides by it. Then he is good citizen. Otherwise he is criminal. If he does not abide by the laws of the state, he is criminal. Similarly, if one does not abide by the orders or the codes or the laws of God, he is Satan, or demon. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā (SB 5.18.12). Therefore anyone who is disobedient to God, he cannot have any good qualification. And yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate suraḥ, and one who is devotee, abiding by the orders of God, he has got all the good qualification of God's.

Therefore, the duty of the state, duty of the father, duty of the teacher—everyone, those who are guardians—they should teach their subordinate how to become faithful to God. This one qualification will make him perfect. That is not being done. Everyone is godless mostly. And therefore there is problems, chaotic condition. Nobody is abiding by the supreme law. Everyone is creating his own law. That is the trouble. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for making the human society law-abiding citizen of the laws given by God. So that is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa, God, is giving, "You do like this." If we do like that... Or take even Bible. If we follow strictly, then we become happy. So, am I right or wrong? What is your opinion?

Guest (1) (Indian man): You are very right in saying this because we cannot solve many problem. The problems keep on multiplying. When we solve one problem, there are twenty ahead of us.

Prabhupāda: Our first problem is—because we have got this material body—eating. Everyone must eat. So Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, annād bhavanti bhūtāni (BG 3.14): "If there is sufficient food grains, then both man and animal, they become happy." Therefore our first religion is to produce food grain sufficiently to feed everyone. Kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva (BG 18.44). This matter has been entrusted to the vaiśyas. They should produce sufficient food and give protection to the cows for sufficient milk. Then the whole human society, animal society, will be happy.

But we are disobeying the orders, or the rules, given by God. Instead of producing food, we are producing motorcars. And motor tires, motor parts, and so many other things. And therefore people are starving. The manual labor is being misused. We are disobeying the orders of God. Therefore we are unhappy. I have seen all over the world, there are enough space for producing food grains. And if we actually produce food grain, we can maintain ten times of the population, present population of the whole world. There is no question of scarcity, because God has created everything complete. Pūrṇam idaṁ pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇāt pūrṇam udacyate (Īśo, Invocation). There cannot be any defect in the creation of God. We have created these defects on account of our disobeying the orders of God. God never said that "motorcar-ād bhavanti bhūtāni." He never says. Instead of producing food grains, we are producing so many unwanted things. People energy's engaged for... Just like in America or in every country, so much energy and resources are engaged for preparing war materials. And that means there must be war, and you must be killed; I must be killed. You will kill me; I will kill you. That's all.