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Civilization means

Conversations and Morning Walks

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

So anartha-nivṛtti civilization, not anartha increasing. Civilization means anartha-nivṛtti syāt because we are complicated by the anarthas, unwanted things.
Morning Walk -- October 2, 1975, Mauritius:

Brahmānanda: They say they have to work so hard to get food, but actually they are working hard for this.

Prabhupāda: He'll get food. Food they can grow very easily, but they... Anartha. This is called anartha. Anartha means unnecessarily. Ādau śraddh tata sādhu-saṅgo 'tha bhajana-kriy tato 'nartha-nivṛtti syāt. So anartha-nivṛtti civilization, not anartha increasing. Civilization means anartha-nivṛtti syāt because we are complicated by the anarthas, unwanted things. (break) ...this way there is bulls, horses for transport. But what is the use of these big, big motorbuses and acquire petrol, machine, factory, so many things? But nature's way there is already means of transport. The horses are there. The bulls are there. But they will eat them, and they will create these motor big, big buses and then petrol, then fight.

Civilization means you know, you must know how to live very nicely. That is civilization. But they do not know even that. Simply eating meat and wine, meat and wine, that's all. And this is going on as civilization.
Morning Walk -- October 28, 1975, Nairobi:

Jñāna: A farm means also we may engage the people because they are not so...

Prabhupāda: First of all be engaged yourself. Then they will see the example and they'll join. Just like in our New Vrindaban. Other men from other farms, they are coming, and they are offered this milk preparation, burfi, sandeṣa, rasagullā, rabri, so many, halavā. They become: "Oh, so many nice things can be prepared from milk?" They do not know, uncivilized. Cut the animal and eat. A most crude civilization. When people were not civilized, they used to do that. Civilization means you know, you must know how to live very nicely. That is civilization. But they do not know even that. Simply eating meat and wine, meat and wine, that's all. And this is going on as civilization. They do not know what is the meaning of civilization. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). Real civilization means to understand God. Here is God. Who'll accept, either you say God or nature, that "You are under control. You are not free."? That, this dog's obstinacy, they will not take it. Like a dog. What is the meaning of dog obstinacy? He'll go on disturbing, "Gow! Gow! Gow! Gow! Gow!" This is dog consciousness.

Civilization means not animal. Man, human being, must not be animal. This is the basic principle of civilization.
Morning Walk -- November 21, 1975, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: Sir, let us first describe what is civilization.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Dr. Patel: Let us, I mean, think about what is first civilization.

Prabhupāda: Civilization means advance from animal life.

Dr. Patel: That is the difference between other civilizations and Vedic civilization.

Prabhupāda: Huh? So what is that difference, that I am asking.

Dr. Patel: You are advanced from animal life to a higher life, spiritual life. That is Vedic civilization.

Prabhupāda: That is I am asking. Civilization means not animal. Man, human being, must not be animal. This is the basic principle of civilization.

Dr. Patel: Primary all are animals. They have to advance from animal life to further up. That is the civilization as you say.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that I say. So not to remain animal.

Civilization means they must live in a nice place like India. That is civilization.
Morning Walk -- November 21, 1975, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: Right from... Aryans are spread the world over right from South America to...

Prabhupāda: They were, they were belonging to the Aryan family. The Europeans, they were also Aryan family, and Indians, the Arabians, Persians, they were all Aryan family. And the Americans they also migrated from Europe. They are also Aryans. But that is familywise. But actually Aryan means one who is advanced in civilization. That is Aryan. Therefore when Kṛṣṇa chastised Arjuna, He addressed him, "non-Aryan." "You are not talking like Aryan." Anārya juṣṭam. "You are talking like non-Aryan." (aside:) Hare Kṛṣṇa. So Aryan means advanced. The first-class civilized men are the Aryans. So that standard of Aryan civilization is to understand God, Viṣṇu, and go back to. This is perfectional. Yato vā imani (indistinct) bhūtāni jayante. To understand it. And again return back to Him. The modern civilization, they are completely unaware of God, neither they know it that going back to home, back to Godhead, is perfection of civilization. This is the defect.

Dr. Patel: They say, sir, that the Aryan civilization, cradle of Aryan civilization near the North Pole, is somewhere in Russia. From there they started transmigrating. People went to Europe, from there to America, then south down to Iran, and then to India and all that. When they have such extreme cold they were able to civilize themselves to that extent.

Prabhupāda: Hm? We don't say.

Dr. Patel: The Eskimos are not able to do it.

Prabhupāda: No. Civilization means they must live in a nice place like India. That is civilization. The America in those days, they were neglecting. Nobody was living there. Gradually they advanced. Otherwise these tracts of land were rejected.

Dr. Patel: Hm?

Prabhupāda: These tracts of land, North America, that was rejected by the Aryans. They knew it.

Dr. Patel: They say the Mexico was known.

Prabhupāda: Mexico, they are less civilized. They are not Aryans. They are not Aryans.

Dr. Patel: That is patala bhumī.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Patala bhumī means just opposite the eastern hemisphere.

The civilization means the culture.
Morning Walk -- November 21, 1975, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: There is just next, I mean, Alaska and Bering, opposite each other. They could have gone by that place to American continent in past.

Devotee: That's what the scientists say. They are saying that they migrated by the northern way.

Dr. Patel: Yes. That is the only way. Otherwise seas are very big waves. The small crafts could not travel on that. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...proposition is not migrating. That is due to increase of population. The civilization means the culture. (aside:) Hare Kṛṣṇa. Jaya.

Dr. Patel: (break) ...really spread toward the east in Indonesia and Indochina, all those places, which were again overtaken by Islam later on.

Prabhupāda: Islam is also...

Dr. Patel: History, it has spread. Even Bali Islands today are practicing Hinduism.

Brahmānanda: Aryan means change in consciousness to God consciousness.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Brahmānanda: This means all over the world there can be an Aryan culture.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is right.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Civilization means Roman civilization, is it not?
Morning Walk -- June 11, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Parliament, Westminster, everything.... (japa) They are now statues in Parliament and Westminster. So many statues, you know.

Hari-śauri: Yes. They're very fond of statues there.

Prabhupāda: (break) ...European civilization, coming from the Romans, statues also. (break) ...mean civilization means Roman civilization, is it not?

Hari-śauri: Yes. The Roman Empire extended all over there.

Prabhupāda: England was under Roman Empire. Normandy. Normandy?

Kīrtanānanda: That's France.

Prabhupāda: Yes. (break)

Civilization means to push the man forward for perfection. That is civilization.
Room Conversation -- August 2, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Prabhupāda: If they can be trained up, they can become very good preacher, each one of them. And they can make hundreds of devotees. In this way we can expand. Are you realizing that there is no civilization? Actually civilization we are introducing. Except Aryan civilization, Vedic civilization, there is no civilization—animal society. What do you think? Are you convinced about it?

Harikeśa: Oh, yes, every time I walk out the door I'm convinced. And when you come back to the temple, it's marvelous, the spiritual world. No matter what going on, may be bad, may be good, doesn't matter. It's very relieving.

Prabhupāda: Civilization means to push the man forward for perfection. That is civilization.

Hari-śauri: Development.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Society and economic condition, everything should be so arranged that this human child should be gradually pushed for perfection of life, go back home, back to Godhead. This is civilization. And modern civilization is "Don't care for what is going to happen. So long you live, eat, drink, be merry, enjoy," that's all. Sense gratification. This is called nāstika-vāda. Very dangerous. And that is going on all over the world. How a gentleman can live in that society?

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Civilization means self-realization, "What I am? Why I am forced to die? I do not like to die." To know this, that is civilization.
Lecture on BG 7.1 -- San Diego, July 1, 1972:

So life's aim is self-realization—Viṣṇu—not the skyscrapers. These are piling stones and woods. This is not very intelligent work. The woods and pile, stones and earth is there already—big, big mountain, hills. You do the business of a porter, carry it out, and high, I mean to say, heap, heap it in one place, it becomes a skyscraper building. And if you simply are proud of these heaps of stones and woods and iron, that is not civilization. That is not civilization. Civilization is that the living entity who is using these resources, what, to know what is the actual business. This piling of stones and wood is done also by the birds. They also pick up, according to their strength, some twigs, and they make a nest. That intelligence is there. The rat also, he makes subway. (laughter) You see, So this is not very intelligent work, to imitate the rats, the birds, the cats, the dogs. That is not civilization. Civilization means self-realization, "What I am? Why I am forced to die? I do not like to die." To know this, that is civilization. When all these inquiries will come into one's mind... "Well, I do not wish to die. Why death is there, forced? I am forced to die. I do not wish to be diseased. Why disease comes to me upon me?" When this "why" question will come, "Why?" that is humanity. And if he remains dull, "All right, let me die," then he's cat and dog. That's all. If there is no "Why?" then he's cat and dog.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

The civilization or not civilization means the change of heart.
Lecture on SB 6.1.44 -- Los Angeles, June 10, 1976:

So, pious? What is the meaning of pious? Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ, hṛdy antaḥ-stho abhadrāṇi. The... Everything is causing effects within the heart, within the heart. The civilization or not civilization means the change of heart. A man is civilized because he has changed his heart. A man is uncivilized? He has not changed.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

We should not keep people in ignorance. That is not civilization. That is not civilization. Civilization means tamasi mā jyotir gama. Come to the light. Don't keep yourself in darkness.
Arrival Talk -- Aligarh, October 9, 1976:

You may be very proud that "I am this, I am that, I have to...," but you are after all under the control of the laws of nature. That you cannot avoid. Falsely proud. But you have to abide by it. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). It is not so easy. Actually, nature's law, you can eat once attar. If you eat little more than that, then there is indigestion immediately. You have to go to the doctor. So what is your independence? You cannot violate a little portion of the laws of nature. So many. In every step. As soon as you violate, immediately there is punishment. And still, we are declaring independence. Asatyam. What is that? Where is Bhagavad-gītā? Find out. Jagad āhur anīśvaram (BG 16.8). Asatyam apratiṣṭhaṁ te jagad ahur anīśvaram. "There is no God." Why you say there is no...? You are under control. There is a controller; otherwise, how you are under control? So this foolishness must be stopped in order to make them happy, really happy. Otherwise, if they are kept into ignorance and things go on like this, then the future picture is very gloomy. It has already become gloomy, and future is very, very gloomy. So everyone should come forward, take this movement seriously, and at least, we are Indians, we should take care of Indians. We should not keep people in ignorance. That is not civilization. That is not civilization. Civilization means tamasi mā jyotir gama. Come to the light. Don't keep yourself in darkness. That is not civilization. That, this civilization is keeping people in darkness. That is very risky. So we should take it very seriously and push this movement very scientifically, soberly, and people will be benefited.

Page Title:Civilization means
Compiler:Rishab
Created:11 of Mar, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=3, Con=7, Let=0
No. of Quotes:10