Indian civilization

Expressions researched:
"India's Vedic civilization" |"civilization of india" |"india's civilization" |"indian Vedic civilization" |"indian civilization"

SB Canto 1

SB 1.19.4, Purport:

The life of a human being is a chance to prepare oneself to go back to Godhead, or to get rid of the material existence, the repetition of birth and death. Thus in the system of varṇāśrama-dharma every man and woman is trained for this purpose. In other words, the system of varṇāśrama-dharma is known also as sanātana-dharma, or the eternal occupation. The system of varṇāśrama-dharma prepares a man for going back to Godhead, and thus a householder is ordered to go to the forest as vānaprastha to acquire complete knowledge and then to take sannyāsa prior to his inevitable death. Parīkṣit Mahārāja was fortunate to get a seven-day notice to meet his inevitable death. But for the common man there is no definite notice, although death is inevitable for all. Foolish men forget this sure fact of death and neglect the duty of preparing themselves for going back to Godhead. They spoil their lives in animal propensities to eat, drink, be merry and enjoy. Such an irresponsible life is adopted by the people in the age of Kali because of a sinful desire to condemn brahminical culture, God consciousness and cow protection, for which the state is responsible. The state must employ revenue to advance these three items and thus educate the populace to prepare for death. The state which does so is the real welfare state. The state of India should better follow the examples of Mahārāja Parīkṣit, the ideal executive head, than to imitate other materialistic states which have no idea of the kingdom of Godhead, the ultimate goal of human life. Deterioration of the ideals of Indian civilization has brought about the deterioration of civic life, not only in India but also abroad.

SB Canto 3

SB 3.21.52-54, Purport:

The most advanced human society was known as ārya; ārya refers to those who are advancing. So the question is, "Which society is advancing?" Advancement does not mean creating material "necessities" unnecessarily and thus wasting human energy in aggravation over so-called material comforts. Real advancement is advancement toward spiritual realization, and the community which acted toward this end was known as the Āryan civilization. The intelligent men, the brāhmaṇas, as exemplified by Kardama Muni, were engaged in advancing the spiritual cause, and kṣatriyas like Emperor Svāyambhuva used to rule the country and insure that all facilities for spiritual realization were nicely provided. It is the duty of the king to travel all over the country and see that everything is in order. Indian civilization on the basis of the four varṇas and āśramas deteriorated because of her dependency on foreigners, or those who did not follow the civilization of varṇāśrama. Thus the varṇāśrama system has now been degraded into the caste system.

The institution of four varṇas and four āśramas is confirmed herewith to be bhagavad-racita, which means "designed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead." In Bhagavad-gītā this is also confirmed: cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13). The Lord says that the institution of four varṇas and four āśramas "is created by Me." Anything created by the Lord cannot be closed or covered. The divisions of varṇas and āśramas will continue to exist, either in their original form or in degraded form, but because they are created by the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they cannot be extinguished. They are like the sun, a creation of God, and therefore will remain. Either covered by clouds or in a clear sky, the sun will continue to exist. Similarly, when the varṇāśrama system becomes degraded, it appears as a hereditary caste system, but in every society there is an intelligent class of men, a martial class, a mercantile class and a laborer class. When they are regulated for cooperation among communities according to the Vedic principles, then there is peace and spiritual advancement. But when there is hatred and malpractice and mutual mistrust in the caste system, the whole system becomes degraded, and as stated herein, it creates a deplorable state.

SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13

SB 10.5.7, Purport:

The Supreme Personality of Godhead has instructed in Bhagavad-gītā (18.44), kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma-svabhāvajam: "Farming, cow protection and trade are the qualities of work for the vaiśyas." Nanda Mahārāja belonged to the vaiśya community, the agriculturalist community. How to protect the cows and how rich this community was are explained in these verses. We can hardly imagine that cows, bulls and calves could be cared for so nicely and decorated so well with cloths and valuable golden ornaments. How happy they were. As described elsewhere in the Bhāgavatam, during Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira's time the cows were so happy that they used to muddy the pasturing ground with milk. This is Indian civilization. Yet in the same place, India, Bhārata-varṣa, how much people are suffering by giving up the Vedic way of life and not understanding the teachings of Bhagavad-gītā.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Pittsburgh, September 8, 1972:

Therefore, when our other senses cannot work, our ear is very strong. Therefore it is recommended that you try to hear from the authoritative person. That is also... Educational system is also like that. Why do you come to university, school, and college? To hear from an experienced professor. He knows, and you acquire the knowledge by hearing.

So the process of hearing is very important. So our this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to propagate that "You hear from the authority, Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is accepted in the present age and in the past age. In the past age, great sages like Nārada, Vyāsa, Asita, Devala, very, very great stalwart scholars and sages, they accepted. In the Middle Age, say 1,500 years ago, all the ācāryas like Śaṅkarācārya, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Nimbārka... Practically, Indian Vedic civilization, it is still existing on the authority of these ācāryas. And it is recommended in the Bhagavad-gītā: ācāryopāsanam. If you want to learn factually things, then you should approach ācārya. Ācāryavān puruṣo veda, "One who has accepted ācārya, he knows things as they are." Ācāryavān puruṣo veda. So we are receiving knowledge through the ācāryas. Kṛṣṇa spoke to Arjuna, Arjuna spoke to Vyāsadeva. Arjuna actually did not speak to Vyāsadeva, but Vyāsadeva heard it, Kṛṣṇa speaking, and he noted down in his book Mahābhārata. This Bhagavad-gītā is found in Mahābhārata. So we accept the authorities of Vyāsa. And from Vyāsa, Madhvācārya; from Madhvācārya, so many disciplic succession, up to Mādhavendra Purī. Then Mādhavendra Purī to Īśvara Purī; from Īśvara Purī to Lord Caitanyadeva; from Lord Caitanyadeva to six Gosvāmīs; from six Gosvāmīs to Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja; from him, Śrīnivāsa Ācārya; from him, Viśvanātha Cakravartī; from him, Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī; then Gaura Kiśora dāsa Bābājī; Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura; my spiritual master. The same thing, we are preaching. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. It is nothing new. It is coming down from the original speaker, Kṛṣṇa, by disciplic succession. So we are reading this Bhagavad-gītā. Not that I have manufactured some book and I am preaching. No. I am preaching Bhagavad-gītā. The same Bhagavad-gītā as it was first spoken forty millions of years ago to the sun-god and again it was repeated five thousand years ago to Arjuna. The same thing is coming down by disciplic succession, and the same thing is presented before you. There is no change.

Lecture on BG 2.16 -- London, August 22, 1973:

Just like in the high-court, the bench, it is called bench. Actually, the bench is to be used by the head of the executive power, the king or the president. But the high-court judge is the representative of the head executive; therefore, he sits on that bench.

So Vyāsadeva, so learned scholar, everyone knows how great scholar he was. He has written so many books. Four Vedas, eighteen Purāṇas, then Vedānta-sūtra, then Upaniṣads. So many things. Recorded, not written, recorded. So such a big scholar was residing... He was guiding the whole society, but he was living very humbly. Even Cāṇakya Paṇḍita, he was prime minister, but he was living in a cottage. That is the distinction between Vedic or Indian civilization and the modern civilization. The Indian civilization means they are interested in sat, and others they are interested in asat. Asat means which will not exist. I've already explained. In India, of course, materially, five hundred, five thousand years ago, materially also, India was very opulent. Why five thousand years? Even five hundred years or four hundred years, India was so opulent that Europeans were attracted to go to India. Even during the time of Mogul Empire. It was so opulent. Those who have gone to India, you'll find if you visit in Delhi, the Red Fort. Red Fort you'll find there are pictures of birds and trees on the wall and the eyes of the bird is now hole or some parts. Means it was bedecked with jewel. On the wall there was decoration of birds. Just like we paint now. There is also paint. But that is not painting. Set up with stones, and the eyes and other parts of the bird, or trees, flowers, they are bedecked with different types of jewels. Now all these jewels have been taken away when British government was there, and they are now protected in the British museum. So far I have heard. But the jewels were taken away. That's a fact.

Lecture on BG 13.8-12 -- Bombay, October 2, 1973:

There are so many examples. Just like a pig has got a body. He likes to eat stool. If you give him halavā, that "Don't eat stool. Take this nice halavā," he's not interested because he has got a particular type of body. That is the aggregate. That is already explained. Mahā-bhūtāny ahaṅkāro buddhir avyaktam (eva) ca, icchā dveṣaḥ sukhaṁ duḥkham. Icchā dveṣaḥ. The icchā and dveṣa according to the body. He has got the desire to eat the stool. That is his icchā. And he has got a dveṣa for the halavā, while a gentlemen, advanced gentlemen, he has got the icchā for halavā, not for the stool.

Therefore our duty should be that without trying... That was Indian civilization. Everyone was happy in his position, everyone—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. The culture was so nice that nobody was unhappy, even if he is a śūdra or even if he is a vaiśya or a brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya. It is not that because the kṣatriyas, the royal family, they were happy, and the brāhmaṇas were not happy or the śūdras were not happy. No. Everyone was happy because... Still in India you go to the village. They are happy with their destination. This is the Indian culture. Now we are injecting discontentment, injecting. Otherwise everyone was happy in his position: "God has given this position. So this is all right. Let me do my work." That is satisfaction. Everyone was satisfied.

Still it is going on, although great propaganda is going on to kill the Vedic culture. Just as some in 1971, we attended the Māghamela. In 1971? Or which year? That Allahabad Māghamela.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.7.28-29 -- Vrndavana, September 25, 1976:

Because these rascals, anādi-bahirmukha, do not know. (bird chirping in background) Just like this bird chirping, but he does not know what he is, wherefrom he is coming, where to go—nothing. That is low-grade life. So we are now forgetful of our spiritual energy, and because we do not know spiritual energy. Therefore we have no knowledge of God. This is our position, and it is coming since very, very, very, very, long time. Time immemorial. Therefore the Vedas are there. Anādi-bahirmukha jīva kṛṣṇa bhuli' gela, ataeva kṛṣṇa veda-purāṇa karila(?)

So we have to utilize the Veda-purāṇa. The Veda-purāṇa is here in India. It is not for India; it is meant for the whole universe. But still, it is available in India. That is India's special position. Indian civilization is not very much interested with the four-wheel civilization. India is interested in spiritual cultivation, Veda-purāṇa. So this science as it is mentioned here, unnaddham astra-jñaḥ, so Arjuna was expert in military science, and still, he was a devotee. It is not that only a brāhmaṇa with very clean cloth and clean habit, satya-śaucābhyām... Brāhmaṇa's first qualification is truthfulness and cleanliness, satya-śaucābhyām. This is the first qualification. Śamo damas titikṣā ārjavam, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). Tyāgena satya-śaucābhyāṁ yamena niyamena vā. So this is brahminical qualification. But there are others also. A kṣatriya, he is expert in the military science, how to kill. So the killing art is there. You cannot make it null and void by advocating nonviolence. No. That is required. Violence is also a part of the society. Just like here is some itching sensation. This is violence. That is required for the comfort. So similarly, Arjuna was kṣatriya. He knew the art of killing, and still, Kṛṣṇa is... Kṛṣṇa also, He appeared as a kṣatriya in the dynasty of kṣatriyas. Vāsudeva, son of Vasudeva. He also knew the art of killing. That is also one of the part of His business. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 4.7), paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8). So vināśa-requires violence.

Lecture on SB 1.10.20 -- London, May 24, 1973:

Āyur Veda, Dhanur Veda, Yajur Veda, Jyotir Veda. So many Vedas. So real Vedas means knowledge. I've already explained when I was in 1968 in London, in the Conway Hall... That is published in Īśopaniṣad. So Veda means knowledge. Vetti veda vidaḥ jñāna(?). Jñāna, jñāna means knowledge. So veda-anta. Anta means end. There is everything of our material life, as for the beginning and at the end.

So here in this material world, every one of us, we come here ignorant, like animals, no knowledge. There are so many varieties of living entities. Gradually, by evolution, we come to the human form of life, when our consciousness is developed. We can understand higher knowledge. And that is called Veda. So Veda does not mean it is meant for the cats and dogs. Vedas means knowledge, this knowledge, is meant for the human beings. Vedic... Therefore Indian civilization, based on Vedic knowledge, is estimated so high, perfect. Perfect scheme system for human society, based on Vedic civilization. Everything is correctly visioned, and the ideas are given by persons who are above material contamination. Mukta-puruṣa. Mukta-puruṣa means one who is not affected by the material incompetency. There are material incompetencies. We commit mistakes. We are illusioned. Our senses are imperfect. And sometimes... Sometimes not. Always. We want to cheat. These are the defects of material knowledge. And one who is above these material incompetencies, he's called mukta-puruṣa. So one has to become mukta-puruṣa. That is called Vedic knowledge. That is called Vedānta. Vedānta-sūtra. Athāto brahma jijñāsā.

Lecture on SB 2.3.18-19 -- Bombay, March 23, 1977, At Cross Maidan Pandal:

It is not possible, of course, to realize Brahman by everyone. That is not possible. But there must be an ideal institution. Unfortunately, at the present moment it is very difficult to find out where is that ideal brāhmaṇa, but there must be. Kṛṣṇa says. Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement includes this, that cātur-varṇyaṁ māyā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). There must be division. There may be only a few number of brāhmaṇas, but there must be ideal brāhmaṇas so that people may learn that "Here is the first-class brāhmaṇa. Here is the first-class man. Let us take instruction from him, not from so-called politicians." This is Indian civilization. Don't think... Formerly even Lord Rāmacandra, who was the king... He is God Himself. Still, He used to consult learned brāhmaṇas, sages, saintly persons, for governmental duties. The division must be there.

So there are so many things to be done in Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Don't take it that it is simply chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Hare Kṛṣṇa chanting is the prime factor because if you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, then gradually everything will be clear in your mind. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam (CC Antya 20.12). Whole world is suffering on account of all contaminated things accumulated within our heart. So the Bhāgavata process is to hear from the right person.

Lecture on SB 3.26.7 -- Bombay, December 19, 1974:

Material life means to work very hard day and night and get some money and then eat sumptuously. Eat, drink, be merry and then enjoy sex life. That's all. So Ṛṣabhadeva said, "My dear sons, this kind of standard of life is available in the life of pigs." Kaṣṭān kāmān arhate ye viḍ-bhujām. Viḍ-bhujām means stool-eaters.

Then what is human life? If this is not life, then what is real life? That, He recommends, tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattvam (SB 5.5.1). Sattva, your sattva, your existence, is now impure. It is covered by this material nature; therefore it is impure. So you have to purify. That is real life. And to purify means tapasya. Tapo divyam (SB 5.5.1). Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa (SB 6.1.13). That is the way. That is Vedic civilization. That is Vedic civilization, or you may call Indian civilization or Hindu civilization. Actually, it is Vedic civilization. Therefore you will find in India, in the history of India, Mahābhārata, greater India, that many people, they are engaged in tapasya. A part of life must be engaged for tapasya. The Bharata Mahārāja, Bharata Mahārāja, under whose name this planet is called Bhāratavarṣa... So you will find in the Fifth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam his life. He enjoyed his kingdom, then voluntarily he left. After the end of his material way of life, he divided the property to his sons and left. And he was living alone at Pulahāśrama near Haridwar, and undergoing severe tapasya. That is human life, to accept tapasya. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattvaṁ yasmād brahma-saukhyam anantam (SB 5.5.1). You are searching after happiness, but why don't you see that in this material life your happiness is conditioned? That is not easily going or flowing. There are so many conditions. If you have to become a millionaire, before becoming millionaire there are so many condition. So this is not happiness, after going through so many conditions, and which we get, that is also not for good.

Lecture on SB 5.5.2 -- Hyderabad, April 12, 1975:

They are simply wasting time for sense gratification. That's all. No. This is not. The Bhāgavata-dharma means children should be taught from the very beginning of life. That is Vedic civilization. The children should go... Even Kṛṣṇa, although He's God, He was also sent to gurukula, and He was collecting dry wood from the forest for guru, learning how to serve guru. The guru must be also bona fide. Therefore it is recommended, mahat-sevā. mahat-sevāṁ dvāram āhur vimukteḥ (SB 5.5.2). That is the Vedic civilization. One must approach a mahānta. Mahānta. This whole world is illusion and one who is above this illusion is called mahānta, one who has ended the illusion. Samit-pāniḥ śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham (MU 1.2.12), one should approach a guru who is brahma-niṣṭham. Brahma-niṣṭham means fully fixed up in Brahman understanding because life is meant for brahma-jijñāsā. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This life, this human form of life, is meant for inquiring about Brahman, not for anything else. Anything else—Where is food? Where is shelter? Where is sex? Anybody's different?—this is animal life. Above this, when we, in human life, our main business is brahma-jijñāsā. Not that "Where is food?" "Where is shelter?" "Where is sex?" and "Where is difference?" These are animal propensities, animal inquiries.

So I've repeatedly saying the same thing—that Indian civilization is different from others. We should stick to our own culture. That is the prerogative that I am repeatedly speaking, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's message:

Lecture on SB 5.5.20 -- Vrndavana, November 8, 1976:

So when My point is that how the fighting was in a sporting spirit. So Arjuna, when came to the camp of Duryodhana, Duryodhana well received him: "Yes, my dear brother, come. What do you want? Why you have come?" "Now, you promised something to give me. I have come to take that." "Yes, I will give you. You want without fight the kingdom? Take it immediately. You want that?" "No, no, no. I don't want that. Fighting must go on. That is not I have not come to beg you that. We shall I have come to take that weapons which you have kept." Immediately he delivered. He kept the safety for killing them, and because he has come to beg "A kṣatriya should not beg, but he is begging? All right, take it." This is India. This is India's civilization.

And the next day also, Bhīṣmadeva fought so vigorously that Arjuna was going to be killed. His chariot broken, his everything was torn. Then Kṛṣṇa... You have seen the picture. Then Kṛṣṇa came with a broken wheel to kill Bhīṣmadeva, and Bhīṣmadeva immediately stopped: "Yes, my now promise is fulfilled. Yes, my dear Sir, You have broken Your promise. You promised not to fight, not to... Now, at the present moment, to give protection to Your friend, You have now broken. Yes." So Kṛṣṇa can do that. Kṛṣṇa, He can do everything to give protection to His friend and devotee. He can do, break His promise. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa says, kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). He does not promise personally, because He might sometimes break His promise. He is asking Arjuna, "You promise so that your promise will be kept always. I shall see to that." This is the philosophy.

So if we actually formulate peace formula, then everything is possible. Simply we have to accept the instruction of Kṛṣṇa. Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is for this purpose. We are simply requesting to accept the Kṛṣṇa philosophy. Then the whole world will be peaceful. There is no doubt about it.

Lecture on SB 6.1.12 -- Honolulu, May 13, 1976:

So Kṛṣṇa, when found Arjuna, that he was in the battlefield and Kṛṣṇa Himself is guiding him and becoming the chariot driver, and He saw that "Arjuna is declining to fight?" He became surprised. So He chastised him, kutas te kaśmalam idaṁ viṣame samupasthitam anārya-juṣṭam. Aryan, ārya, ārya. "So this is not for a gentleman, business. You are behaving like non-Aryans." Non-Aryan. So this is the difference between culture and nonculture, that... There is a Bengali proverb that one girl was to dance on the stage. So in Indian civilization the girls or the woman, they cover their head with..., from superiors. So nāste vase guntala(?). She has gone to dance on the stage, and she is pulling on the veil. "Now, where is the opportunity of here to become a household wife? You have come to dance." So similarly, Arjuna was chastised that "You have come to fight, and now you are becoming very nonviolent, atheist..., er, theist. What is...? So this is anārya. You have to do your duty in proper place." That is Aryanism. That is ārya. Ārya-samāj means one who knows his duty, how to do it in proper time. So kṣatriya, his duty is to fight, to defend from the hands of the enemy. So he was declining to fight, so He chastised him, "Non-Aryans. You are not Aryan.

Lecture on SB 6.1.41-42 -- Surat, December 23, 1970:

Therefore we find the brahminical class of men, the kṣatriya class of men, the vaiśya class of men, the śūdra class of men. That is natural. Natural. A śūdra class of man, his behavior, and a brāhmaṇa class of man, his behavior, is different. And Nārada Muni says, and Bhāgavata also says, that we have to see the symptoms, how one is acting. Yasya yal lakṣaṇaṁ proktaṁ puṁso varṇābhivyañjakam. Varṇa, this catur-varṇa-brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra—there are symptoms. By symptoms... Just like a physician diagnoses the disease by the symptoms of the disease, similarly, we have to accept one as brāhmaṇa by the symptoms of his behavior, not by birth. It is not said in the Bhagavad-gītā or any śāstra. That is going on in India at the present moment. By birthright one is claiming "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am kṣatriya." That is the cause of falldown of India's civilization. Without any qualities they are claiming, and it is passing on. Here, in every śāstra, the Nārada Pañcarātra, Bhāgavata, Bhagavad-gītā, everywhere... It is said, yasya yal lakṣaṇaṁ proktam. Yasya: the varṇasya, of the varṇa, of the class, there are symptoms.

Just like in Bhagavad-gītā you will find, satyaṁ śamaḥ śaucam ārjavaṁ titikṣā, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). By nature a brāhmaṇa will be truthful. Satyaṁ śamaḥ. He will be controlling of the senses, controlling the mind, very cleansed, śaucam. Satyaṁ śaucaṁ śamaḥ damaḥ titikṣā, tolerant. Even in the severest type of danger, he is never disturbed. Tolerant. Satyaṁ śamaḥ damaḥ śaucam ārjavam, and simplicity; jñānam, full of knowledge; and vijñānam, practical application in life; āstikyam, firm faith in the scripture and Kṛṣṇa—these are the qualification of brāhmaṇa. Similarly, the kṣatriyas' qualification—they want to rule over.

Lecture on SB 6.2.1-5 -- Calcutta, January 6, 1971:

So now I have got good sense, that if I am destined to serve, then why not Kṛṣṇa? Why shall I serve the senses? If my position is to serve..." (aside:) Don't do that. "If my position is to serve, and by serving the senses I am going to the darkest regions of darkness, oh, why shall I serve the senses?"

So bhagavad-dūta. The bhagavad-dūta means they are in right constitutional position. So you all become bhagavad-dūta, bhagavad-dūta, messenger of God. That is perfection of life. Otherwise you shall be obliged to become the servant of the senses. Go-dāsa and gosvāmī. The bhagavad-dūtas are gosvāmī, and the servants of the senses are go-dāsa. Unfortunately the go-dāsas are claiming to be gosvāmīs. That is the cause of falldown of Indian Vedic civilization. One has to become gosvāmī. Gosvāmī means refuse to follow the dictation of the senses. Simply he has to follow the dictation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That dictation comes through the paramparā system. Kṛṣṇa dictated Arjuna, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). If you follow Arjuna, then you (are) in directly contact with Kṛṣṇa. There is no difficulty. The dictation comes through disciplic succession. Now Kṛṣṇa is teaching to His disciple, Arjuna. Arjuna accepted, śiṣyas te 'ham: (BG 2.7) "Just now I become Your disciple." Śiṣya means one who voluntarily accepts the ruling of a spiritual master. He is called śiṣya. Nobody wants to follow the dictation of others—that is another independent nature of living entity—but when one voluntarily agrees to serve the dictation of the spiritual master..., means to follow the dictation of Kṛṣṇa... Ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyāt. Kṛṣṇa says, "Ācārya is My self." Nāvamanyeta karhicit: "Never disobey." Na martya-buddhyāsūyeta: "And do not think him as ordinary person and become envious of his position." Then there is fall down. Ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyān nāvamanyeta karhicit, na martya-buddhyāsūyeta (SB 11.17.27).

Lecture on SB 7.5.22-30 -- London, September 8, 1971:

Cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is āśrama. Therefore it is called brahmacārī-āśrama, gṛhastha-āśrama, vānaprastha-āśrama, sannyāsa-āśrama. This is varṇāśrama, four varṇas and four āśramas. We are wrongly called Hindus. This is a wrong designation given by the Muhammadans. We don't find this word in any Vedic literature, "Hindu." It is a foreign word. Real word is varṇāśrama. Varnāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa parā pumān. That is Vedic civilization, four varṇas and four āśramas. Four varṇas means brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and four āśrama means brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. One who follow this system of civilization, they are called varṇāśramī. So the "Hindus" is a foreign name given to these Indians by the neighborhood Muhammadans. Actually, Hindu is not to be found. So when we call ourselves Hindus, that is misconception of Indian civilization. Real concept of Indian civilization, Vedic civilization, is varṇāśrama dharma. In the Viṣṇu Purāṇa it is said,

varṇāśramācāravatā

puruṣeṇa parā pumān

viṣṇur ārādhyate puṁsāṁ

nānyat tat-toṣa-kāraṇam

So here it is said, gṛha-vratānām. Gṛha-vrata means those who have taken this family life or material life as all in all. That's all. Vrata. Vrata means vow. "I shall improve my family condition, I shall improve my social condition. I shall improve the international condition or political condition." All these things, they are called gṛha-vratānām. They have no idea that beyond this life there is another life. Therefore they are stuck up with this idea. They are called gṛha-vrata. Generally, at the present moment, everyone is gṛha-vrata. That's all.

Lecture on SB 7.6.6-9 -- Montreal, June 23, 1968:

So we have to minimize our bodily necessities of life and we have to expand the spiritual necessities of life. That is the perfect way of civilization. In the modern age, the more we can increase the demands of artificial demands of the body, it is called civilization. And when one is engaged, minimizing the demands of the body and utilize the valuable time for advancing in spiritual consciousness, they are accepted as uncivilized or not advanced, in so many words. But actually, India's civilization was based on this principle. We can find in the history of old days that they knew everything. From the books we can understand they had advanced knowledge for material civilization. Because we find description of aeroplanes, description of television. But they were used very, I mean to say, only limited circle, not that extensively. Because the whole process of civilization was to divert your attention too much for material advancement, but whatever little span of life you have got, just utilize it for spiritual advancement and get out of this material entanglement. That is the basic principle of civilization. Therefore the social life, human society, was divided into eight divisions. They are called varṇa and āśrama. In the Bhagavad-gītā also, you will find, cātur-varṇyaṁ māyā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). Four divisions of society, for spiritual advancement and for material advancement both. For spiritual advancement, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa.

Lecture on SB 7.6.9 -- Vrndavana, December 11, 1975:

Voluntary. Big, big kings, they voluntarily accepted poverty. Rūpa Goswami Don't go to the past, big, big..., Bhārata Mahārāja and others. Even Lord Rāmacandra. Take recent history, within five hundred years. Rūpa Goswami, the chief minister of the government of Bengal, most opulent position: tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīm. They became mendicant, voluntarily accepting, tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-mandala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tucchavat. "What is this nonsense position, minister, opulent life? Kick it out." They are not fools. They are politicians. But why they "Kick it out." Then what they became? Bhūtvā dīna-gaṇeśakau karuṇayā kaupīna-kanthāśritau. They become mendicant.

So voluntarily accepting poverty, this is Indian civilization, this is Vedic civilization. Not to increase material opulence but to decrease. The more you decrease, you are civilized. And the Western countries, if you decrease, if you instruct them that "Decrease these nonsense activities. No more tire(?) civilization," they'll say "Oh, this is primitive, primitive." This tendency is present. But actually, the primitive civilization... Not primitive; that is very sober civilization, anartha. Instead of increasing unwanted necessities, decrease it. That is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Anarthopaśamaṁ sākṣād bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje (SB 1.7.6). Lokasya ajānataḥ vidvāṁś cakre sātvata saṁhitām. This sātvata saṁhitām bhāgavata is there, simply to decrease this unwanted so-called material civilization. It is very difficult to understand, but our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is for that purpose. We are interested to construct a nice temple, but we are not interested to construct a very big skyscraper building for people's generally No. We should live very humbly. But for Kṛṣṇa we can In India you'll find there are so many valuable temples which cannot be constructed at the present moment. You will see in this Vṛndāvana that the broken Govindaji's temple, it is not possible to construct such costly temples at the present moment. Even by spending crores of rupees you cannot construct. But one who has money, they used to do that. It should be engaged for Kṛṣṇa's comfort. This is bhakti. This is bhakti.

Lecture on SB 7.9.24 -- Mayapur, March 2, 1976:

"My father wanted to hand over me to Kṛṣṇa, but my elder brother, he did not agree. He wanted to get me married with Śiśupala. So I did not like this idea. I wrote Kṛṣṇa a private letter, that 'I have dedicated my life to You, but this is the situation. Please come and kidnap me.' So in this way Kṛṣṇa kidnapped me and made me His maidservant." The queen's daughter, king's daughter... Everyone of them were king's daughter. They were not ordinary person daughter. But they wanted to become maidservant of Kṛṣṇa. This is the idea, to become servant and to become maidservant. This is ideal of human civilization. The every woman should try to become maidservant of her husband, and every man should try to become the hundred times servant of Kṛṣṇa. This is Indian civilization, not that "Husband and wife, we are equal rights." That, in Europe, America, the movement is going on, "Equal rights." That is not Vedic civilization. Vedic civilization is the husband should be a sincere servant of Kṛṣṇa, and the wife should be a sincere maidservant of the husband.

Therefore here it is said, upanaya māṁ nija-bhṛtya-pārśvam (SB 7.9.24). This is the best association. When Nārada Muni is describing how the man should behave, how the woman should behave... We are discussing now in our tape dictaphone. You'll hear that. That there is no such thing to become master. It is useless. You cannot become master. Ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham iti manyate (BG 3.27). You cannot become master. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). Either man or woman, everyone is servant of Kṛṣṇa. We have to be trained up in that platform, how to become the best servant, not only servant directly, but servants, of the servant. This is called paramparā servant. My spiritual master is the servant of his spiritual master, and I am also servant of my spiritual master. Similarly, we think "servant of the servant." There is no question of becoming... This is material disease (CC Madhya 13.80).

Lecture on SB 7.12.3 -- Bombay, April 14, 1976:

It is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, nigama. Nigama means Vedas. Agama, nigama. So nigama-kalpa-taru. Vedas just like desire tree. Whatever knowledge you want to get, there is perfectly there, without any mistake, without any illusion, without any cheating. All other literatures, man-made literatures, you will find these things: cheating, imperfectness, mistake, and illusion. In the Vedic literature you won't find these four defects. Therefore, according to Vedic civilization, if you give evidence from the Vedic literature, it is to be accepted. No more argument. Anything which is accepted in the Vedas, vedavatā, there is no more argument. This is Indian civilization. All our literatures you'll find, therefore, full of quotation from Vedic literature to prove it. That is the actual. It is not imaginary.

So one should read or hear chandāṁsi. Chandāṁsy adhīyīta guroḥ. It is guru's duty. Ādau gurv-āśrayam. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Tad-vijñāna, transcendental knowledge, one should approach guru. So guru-kula means guru's place. So he keeps the disciples to learn the Vedic literature. This is guru-kula. We are constructing such big, big houses. Why? We are inviting people to come here and live in this guru-kula and learn Vedic literature. This is our purpose. Bombay is a very big city, people are rich, so we can give you nice room, nice prasādam. Come here, live here at least once in a week and learn Vedic literature, Vedic civilization. The essence of Vedic literature is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Bhāṣyāyāṁ brahma-sutrāṇāṁ vedārtha-paribṛṁhitam. Our mission is to invite people to take advantage of learning Vedic literature, chandāṁsi. And what is the ultimate goal of studying Vedic literature? That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam: (BG 15.15) to understand Kṛṣṇa. So therefore our movement is known as Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 5, 1973:

He immediately replied that a human being must, first of all, come to the standard of varṇāśrama-dharma. Four varṇas and four āśramas: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, and brahmacārī, gṛhastha... Unless they come systematically, life on these principles, they're animals. They're not human beings. They're... That was our Indian, Vedic civilization. Now they have manufactured their religion: yata mat tata path. You can manufacture your own way and you be satisfied. This is being... So many. You can see in Bombay, so many rascals are preaching. They, there is no standard thing. So it is very difficult for us to give us the right thing, but we are certain. Because we are not cheating people, so it may take some time, but people are gradually coming to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, because this is right thing.

So varṇāśramācāravatā puruṣeṇa paraḥ pumān (CC Madhya 8.58). This is the beginning of actual human life. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu immediately replied, ihā bāhya āge kaha āra. Ihā bāhya. Bāhya means this is external. This will not very much help at the present moment. And actually that is being done. Just like we are preaching in the Western countries. If we wanted to establish varṇāśrama-dharma in the beginning, that "You become brāhmaṇa, you become gṛhastha, you become sannyāsī..." No. Then everyone would have rejected: "Sir, we are prepared for this purpose." But the process introduced by Caitanya Mahāprabhu... It is not introduced by Caitanya Mahāprabhu. It is the sanction in the śāstras: śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam (SB 7.5.23). This is standard method. Because we gave them the chance of hearing, gradually they're coming. Not that immediately you become brāhmaṇa. Now they are becoming more than brāhmaṇas. Here, in India, the brāhmaṇas, they are doing everything. Still they are going in the name of brāhmaṇa.

General Lectures

Lecture at Engagement -- Columbus, may 19, 1969:

So our proposal is that in this life you have got this opportunity, the informations are there, the scientific methods are there—take advantage. Fully utilize your, this valuable life by changing simply your ordinary consciousness to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the greatest boon offered to the human society by Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. If you take advantage of it, then sarve sukhino bhavantu—then you'll become happy. It is not a mental concoction; it is very authorized. It is accepted by great stalwart scholars and ācāryas like Śaṅkarācārya, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī, those who practically guided the whole destiny of Indian civilization—even Lord Buddha, he was Indian—but all of them accepted these authorized scriptural... Don't try to manufacture. There are so many things in store, in Vedic knowledge, and they're all summarized in the Bhagavad-gītā. Try to understand. It is not very expensive or very difficult, but you have to understand it with full brain, then your life will be successful.

Lecture at World Health Organization -- Geneva, June 6, 1974:

Only the husband and wife go out of home and travels all over the holy places. Then, when one is little trained up, he sends back his wife to the care of his grown-up children, and he takes sannyāsa. This is varṇāśrama-dharma. The so-called Hindu dharma, that is a gift of the Muhammadans. We don't find the word "Hindu" in any Vedic scripture. This "Hindu" word has come from the Muhammadan countries. They used to say the people of this part of the world, means, across the river Indus, they call "Hindas" or "Hindus." So actually, Hindu not..., that is not Hindu dharma. Our... From the Vedic literature, we understand the varṇāśrama-dharma, varṇāśrama: four varṇas and four āśramas. Varnāśramacaravata. In the Viṣṇu-Purāṇa, you'll find this word. In the Bhagavad-gītā, you'll find. In the Bhāgavata you'll find. So really Indian civilization or Aryan civilization, Vedic civlization, means varṇāśrama-dharma.

varṇāśramācāravatā

puruṣeṇaparaḥ pumān

viṣṇur ārādhyate puṁsāṁ

nānyat tat-toṣa-kāraṇam

So this human form of life, here, according to the instruction of Ṛṣabhadeva, is not meant for working hard simply for eating, sleeping, mating and defending. This is not human form of life. This is condemned in the śāstras. Human form, the civilization means they should mold the form of the society in such a way that easily we can live and save time for spiritual culture. Therefore it is said, tapo divyaṁ putrakā (SB 5.5.1). The tapasya, the spiritual culture, is necessary. Divyam. Tapasya. Tapasya means... There are so many scholars. They also undergo tapasya for finding out, discovering... Just like we have now discovered this atomic energy. That is also tapasya.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:

Karandhara: The Egyptians had geometric techniques that they're even..., they don't understand. They discount them...

Śyāmasundara: Prabhupāda said that they took that from the Indians, geometry.

Karandhara: But this one archaeologist wrote a book saying that this community in Egypt three thousand years ago was far superior, and no one accepted. No one believed him.

Śyāmasundara: Even in Mexico there are so many highly advanced...

Prabhupāda: Mexico is Indian civilization. They were showing to (indistinct). The Rāvaṇa had subway to Brazil. It can be seen from here where you can make subway...

Śyāmasundara: Yes, straight through.

Prabhupāda: Straight through. And therefore Rāvaṇa had so much gold; he took it from his brother's kingdom. Partly it was all one kingdom, and one part was being managed by his brother (indistinct) and one by himself. And in the Rāmāyaṇa it is said that Rāma-Lakṣmaṇa was taken to a subway to (indistinct) Rāvaṇa's place; that means Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa was taken to Brazil through subway. So now if you can make subways now—in Russia there is subway for five hundred miles—then why not five thousand miles? What is the difficulty? If it is possible to make subway up to five hundred, why not five thousand? It will require so many things.

Śyāmasundara: They say that the center of the earth is molten fire, fiery. It is liquid. Liquid fire.

Karandhara: (indistinct) insulated tube, insulated tube through the fire.

Prabhupāda: No. That portion may be avoided.

Śyāmasundara: Oh. Go around the crust.

Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:

Prabhupāda: Eight hundred thousands of years and five thousands of years.

Śyāmasundara: 805,000 years.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Long, long ago the Vedic knowledge was there. The Brahma-saṁhitā, it is to be understood, written by Brahmā millions and millions of years ago.

Śyāmasundara: In all of our Western history they never once referred to the Indian civilization.

Prabhupāda: Because they will be defeated. Because they will be defeated. They never recognize. That was British policy. Britishers wanted to... That is the cause of degradation of Indian culture. They manufactured such a... Even Dr. Radhakrishnan is a victim of that policy. They wanted to impress upon the Indians that before the arrival of the Britishers we were almost uncivilized: "We have made you civilized." And these rascal leaders, they accepted. That was their policy. Because they are very intelligent people. Lord Macauley (said): "If you keep them as they are, you will never be able to rule over them." And later on also, when Gandhi started that "Noncooperate with these rascals, they will go away. They are by force getting our cooperation and killing us." So noncooperate. Therefore he established the noncooperation movement. And Sir (indistinct), one of the greatest diplomats, statesmen of India, he said that "This is a very dangerous movement. Try to cut down this movement. Otherwise, if one percent of the Indian people noncooperate, it will not be possible for us to rule over this country." So in order to get our cooperation they are simply impressing that before the arrival of the Britishers, Indians were uncivilized. So many books they published. One American prostitute wrote Mother India.

Philosophy Discussion on Karl Marx:

Śyāmasundara: So these men, both of them, they have a great faith that philosophy can change the world.

Prabhupāda: And this is the real philosophy. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). This is philosophy. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is real... What is the original source? This is real philosophy. What is that Absolute Truth? Everything is relative truth. What is the Absolute Truth? That is philosophy, Vedānta philosophy.

Śyāmasundara: That has social effects that could change the world?

Prabhupāda: Yes. This, our whole Indian, Vedic civilization, is standing on Vedānta philosophy. And Bhāgavata is explanation of Vedānta philosophy.

Śyāmasundara: So the source of everything is...

Prabhupāda: Everything is there, ideal.

Śyāmasundara: So that's all today. Tomorrow we will discuss Mao Tse Tung, the Chinese Communist.

Prabhupāda: Oh, Mao.

Śyāmasundara: Mao. (end)

Purports to Songs

Purport to Bhajahu Re Mana -- New York, March 30, 1966:

Stool, or ashes. How it is? Now, because after death, persons who burn the dead body, that is turned into ashes. This body, this beautiful body, will be turned into ashes. And those who bury in the graveyard, that will turn into... Oh, that is air. Don't disturb yourself. That is the air. If we bury in the ground, gradually the body will turn into earth. And according to Iranian system, the body is thrown to the vultures. They eat it. So that will be turned into animal stool. You see? So that is the last stage of this body. So everyone knows that everyone will die. Still, we are working so hard. We are making our bank balance, we are just making will and papers just to give protection to our family or to our children, and there is no time. Everyone is very busy, very busy. But he does not see that "All these, what I am doing, all these body ultimately become either ash or animal stool or turn into earth. So why I am taking so much trouble?" Therefore the revealed scripture advises that "You have to maintain your body. That's all right. But for simply material comforts, you should not devote time more than it is absolutely required." That means don't increase your bodily necessities. Don't increase your bodily necessities. That was the standard of Indian civilization. They did not, the sages and saints, they did not advise to increase the necessities of the body. They, I mean to say, planned the social system in such a way that people should be satisfied only for, by the bare necessities of life. We require some eating, we require some sleeping, or shelter place, and we require some sense gratification, and we require some protection from enemies. Yes? Come. Ah hah! Ah ah haha, ah hah! Come in. Come in. (end)

1970 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- December 21, 1970, Surat:

Prabhupāda: "Situated in such a position that although he is facing greatest danger, he is not agitated." There is one instance. Not very long ago, say, about two hundred years ago there was a big zamindar. He was known as king in Krishnanagar. So he was charitably disposed. He went to a brāhmaṇa and asked him—he was a great learned scholar—"Can I help you any way?" And the pandit replied, "No. I don't require your help. I am quite satisfied." "How you are satisfied?" "Oh, my, these students, they bring some rice. So my wife boils that, and I have got this tamarind tree. I take some leaves and prepare some juice out of it. That is sufficient." So he was satisfied. That's all. But he was a learned scholar. Similarly, Canakya Pandit... You have perhaps heard. He was the greatest politician. He was prime minister of India. He was living in a cottage and just giving instruction. So that is India's Vedic civilization. Everyone is satisfied, self-sufficient. And now in your country, oh, you have to attend office fifty miles off. And because you have to take this trouble, Kṛṣṇa has provided with car. You are thinking, "I am advanced." You don't think that "Although I have got car, I have to go fifty miles off from my home." This is illusion. You are thinking, "I am advanced. I am happy. I have got this car." This is illusion. Yes. Gaurasundara was going to maintain, and he drives fifty miles off, Honolulu. The poor fellow had to rise early in the morning. You see? And so much haste.(?) Therefore: "Gaurasundara, you better give up this job. Just depend on Kṛṣṇa." So he has given up. What is this? Fifty miles going by motorcycle or motor car, how much tedious it is. But still, they are satisfied that "We are advanced." And because they have many cars, therefore in your country always there is that (makes traffic noise), "sonh, sonh, sonh, sonh, sonh, sonh, sonh, sonh," wherever I go.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 21, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Just see.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Because before that, they're thinking that there's no intelligent person...

Prabhupāda: That, that, I am pointing out, that all intelligent persons, during the British Empire, they came out. The whole aim was to defy the Indian civilization.

Karandhara: They call it the "Age of Enlightenment."

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Karandhara: After the fifteenth century, they call it the "Age of Enlightenment."

Prabhupāda: So the Britishers, they wanted to rule over India, and they were advertising, at least in India, that: "We are making you civilized. Before British rule, the Indians were rude, primitive natives." That's all. That is their propaganda. The whole propaganda was to make the Indians known that: "We are giving you life and civilization. Before this, you were not even human beings." That is their propaganda. So they accept this literature, but they date within one thousand years, one thousand-five hundred years. Even this rascal, Dr. Radhakrishnan, he dates Bhagavad-gītā within two thousand years. That's all. Perhaps I am the first person making propaganda that Bhagavad-gītā was spoken five thousand years ago. I am the first person. All other so-called scholars, they have dated within two thousand years. (pause) There was a book: "England's work in India," written by one rascal Indian, M. Ghosh. In that book... That was taught in the schools in our days. The theme of the book is that before British rule, India was not at all advanced in any way. The incidence of satī... Satī. That was very elaborately explained. Satī...

Morning Walk -- April 21, 1973, Los Angeles:

Brahmānanda: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: But they do not know the inner meaning...

Prabhupāda: No, inner meaning is there. But they would not explain that. Simply the dark side, they would explain. And prove that the Indian civilization was very crude and primitive. It has no enlightenment. That was British propaganda. Even during national movement, they bribed one American woman, and she wrote a book: "Mother India." Do you know that?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: No, I, no...

Prabhupāda: Ah. "Mother India." She described all the blackmailing of Indian social activities, and Gandhi remarked it: "Drain Inspector's report."

Brahmānanda: What?

Prabhupāda: "Drain inspector's report."

Brahmānanda: Drain?

Prabhupāda: Drain, that sewage water...

Brahmānanda: The sewer.

Prabhupāda: Sewage water.

Brahmānanda: That's what she inspected.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- May 24, 1974, Rome:

Dhanañjaya: In fact, the word "London" is coming from the Latin word londonium. Londonium was a small fishing fort that the Roman's founded on the Thames.

Prabhupāda: Oh. You are not sufficiently covered.

Satsvarūpa: I'm all right.

Prabhupāda: No, you are not all right. (pause) (break) Indian civilization is that they constructed big, big buildings, but for God, Kṛṣṇa, temple. And for the people, they were satisfied in small villages. So far the temples are concerned, South Indian temple, wonderful temple. (aside:) Not so near. Mostly Viṣṇu temple. We shall go this side?

Dhanañjaya: Yes.

Prabhupāda: In Tokyo there is a park, this sound was there. (sound of birds chirping) Cement, no?

Dhanañjaya: Yes.

Prabhupāda: And fish combined.

Dhanañjaya: Yes, seahorse. Did such an animal exist, seahorse? Or is this man's imagination?

Prabhupāda: No, seahorse we have heard, there is. Sea elephant, seahorse, there are. (break)

Atreya Ṛṣi: ...fighting and all kinds of games. Four boys died that year trying to... (break)

Prabhupāda: ...and Roman climate the same? No.

Atreya Ṛṣi: Rome is a little warmer, isn't it?

Dhanañjaya: Yes.

Room Conversation with Russian Orthodox Church Representative -- June 13, 1974, Paris:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Bhagavān: And our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to make that knowledge available in practical activity to stop this suffering. It is not just a philosophy without practice. That is the reason why it is important for discussing, not just for the sake of discussing but for the sake of bringing out the highest principles for action.

Prabhupāda: So according to Vedic way, Kṛṣṇa is the Absolute Truth. Kṛṣṇa is Absolute Truth, accepted by the ācāryas. Indian civilization is carried on the advice of the ācārya-sampradāya. So all the ācāryas like Śaṅkarācārya, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, they all accept Kṛṣṇa as the Absolute Truth. So when we hear from Kṛṣṇa then we get absolute knowledge.

Karandhara: The reason why we gather like this to discuss these principles is that just like a group of scholars will gather to refine and crystallize their knowledge.

Guest: (French)

Yogeśvara: He must excuse himself, he has a prior engagement.

Guest: I thank you so much for your... I must go now.

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. (some people leave)

Karandhara: I'd just like to finish the one point I was making, that the reason we gather like this and we desire to discuss with other personalities, other people with different views of religion, is for the sake of the edification of everyone, so that the highest principles can be isolated and so we can advance the purpose of religiosity. It's not simply for the sake of argument that we pose questions. But it's for the sake of the edification or the crystallization of the highest principles of religion.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- March 2, 1975, Atlanta:

Prabhupāda: No, not stopped. Just like you have got ordinary car and you purchase a Rolls-Royce car. The business is the same. It is simply an artistic improvement. In the ordinary car there is much jerking and the Rolls-Royce car there is no jerking. That will not benefit you. After all it is car. You can use it for going here to there, there to here, that's all. Therefore our Vedic civilization, they are not very much eager to manufacture a motor car, they are satisfied with the bullock cart. Because after all you have to go from this place to that place. And there was no need of big, big roads, three thousand miles long for driving the car. You see. The bullock cart was sufficient, here to there, a few miles. But they were interested to cultivate spiritual knowledge. That is Indian civilization. Vyāsadeva was living in a cottage and just see literature. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita was prime minister of India and he was living in a cottage, drawing no salary and he has given his politics and moral lesson, so sublime. So here at the present moment, the motor car civilization, he's anxious how to get a Rolls-Royce motor car, that's all. That is his business.

Guest (3): When you say Swamiji, very humbly I would like to know, that scientific inventions should not be stopped, what should be the actual modus operandi continuum on...

Prabhupāda: Modus... athāto brahma jijñāsā, to enquire of the absolute truth. Jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā nārtho yaś ceha karmabhiḥ, karma you should do but the kāmasya nendriya-prītiḥ, find out this verse. (aside:) You can close this door. Kāmasya nendriya-prītiḥ, our desires should not be engaged for sense gratification. That is going on. All desires, all improvement, all science, they are being... Just like you were speaking about the protein deficiency. That is all concerning the body. Body means senses. There is no higher study.

Room Conversation -- March 2, 1975, Atlanta:

Prabhupāda: Then? You take protein, why you are becoming old?

Guest (2): The researches, though they have been made, they are imperfect again.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Guest (2): They are imperfect, surely imperfect. "Maybe," "perhaps." (laughs) (indistinct) But scientists say that Rome was not built in a day. (laughter)

Prabhupāda: Therefore Indian civilization is that you take rice, wheat, ḍāl, vegetable, a little milk, whatever protein and vitamin A,B,C,D can be available, that is sufficient.

Guest (2): Dr. Malhotra has done excellent work on nutrition and he has done two books. In those books he has advocated that milk is not the only best diet. Balanced food, you can have by I mean ḍāls and so many other sources.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Guest (2): Milk is not the only one.

Prabhupāda: In, in, in your Punjab, in United Province...

Guest (2): At least his (indistinct) approach it is not one sided.

Guest (1): Swamiji, my main question is although spiritualism is the Absolute Truth, can we not in some way make spiritualism in such a way, modify it in such a way, as to help the common people?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Guest (1): The masses.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that we are doing.

Room Conversation with Dr. Copeland, Professor of Modern Indian History -- May 20, 1975, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: This is first-class man.

Dr. Copeland: I'm not a first-class man.

Prabhupāda: No, that I do not know, but if you have got these qualities... We have to judge by the qualities, not by birth. But since India accepted a brāhmaṇa by birth without these qualities, India's civilization fell down.

Dr. Copeland: Ah, that's why. Ah! Pretty! Are you a brāhmaṇa? By birth you're a brāhmaṇa, right?

Prabhupāda: No. I am brāhmaṇa yes. Yes. But we are not... We do not recognize brāhmaṇa by birth. Brāhmaṇa by these qualities. Anyone who has got... This is the shastric injunction, that if the qualities are found somewhere else—that means one who is not born in a brāhmaṇa family but he has the qualities of the brāhmaṇa—then he should be accepted as a brāhmaṇa. That is shastric injunction. Yasya hi yal lakṣaṇaṁ proktaṁ varṇābhivyañjakam, yad anyatrāpi. Anyatra means elsewhere. Tat tenaiva vinirdiśet (SB 7.11.35). "He should be accepted as such." Similarly, if a man, born in brāhmaṇa family but he has the qualities of the śūdras... Paricaryātmakaṁ kāryaṁ śūdra-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). Paricarya means service. To accept... (break) So therefore, according to Bhagavad-gītā, nobody is brāhmaṇa. A brāhmaṇa should remain independent. He should live by his qualities. People will honor him. Just like we are training. We do not serve anyone, but we are maintaining big establishment.

This is brāhmaṇa. We do not serve anyone, any merchant, officer, any... No. We chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. That's all. If Kṛṣṇa wants, He will give us food, or we shall starve. We are not going to serve. This is the proof. We are spending not less than twenty lakhs of rupees for maintaining our establishment throughout the whole world, but we do not know what is our next moment's income. We do not know... We have eaten today. We do not know whether we shall have any eatable next day. This is our position. If it is available, we shall eat; otherwise we shall starve. This is our position. Still, I don't seek any employment, "Give us some service to maintain our..." No, we don't do that. We never do that. When I was alone, I was not doing that. I was living alone. I had no income, no friend, no shelter. Since I left my home, since 1954, I never cared for anyone maintaining me. And there was no resource, fixed income, nothing of the sort. I depended on Kṛṣṇa. Similarly, in the whole society we are feeding daily ten thousand men.

Morning Walk -- July 5, 1975, Chicago:

Prabhupāda:

bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānāṁ

tayāpahṛta-cetasām

vyavasāyātmikā buddhiḥ

(samādhau) na vidhīyate

(BG 2.44)

Therefore too much attachment for material enjoyment is disqualification for spiritual life. So the western world is trained up for being too much attached to material enjoyment. Therefore lagging behind in spiritual life. Vedic civilization is not to encourage too much for material enjoyment. Minimize. That is Indian civilization. They, if they had money they used to spend for constructing big temple, not for residential house. Maybe the king only had a big palace. Common men, they didn't care for big palace, the palatial building. Common man would be very glad to live in a cottage, and a small garden for growing vegetables, fruits, small lake, that's all. Not wasting time for big, big buildings, big, big... What is called, amenities?

Jayatīrtha: Amenities. (break)

Prabhupāda: It is good you have done this, but make this Kṛṣṇa consciousness also one of the paraphernalia. Then it is very nice. But they are not inclined. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (break)

Jagadīśa: ...newspaper there were pictures only.

Brahmānanda: So do you have the clippings?

Jagadīśa: Yeah, it's posted.

Morning Walk -- July 11, 1975, Chicago:

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is rich man. That is the explanation given by Marshall, a great economist. He says that unless one is obliged to work, nobody will work. That is his economic impetus. So the family affection gives impetus to work. He has to maintain the family. That is, he says, that is the beginning of economic development. Marshall theory. (break) ...kṛṣṇa-sambandhe yukta-vairāgyam ucyate. When there is attachment on account of Kṛṣṇa, that is detachment. Yukta-vairāgyam ucyate. He is attached to everything but not for his personal self. We are spending lakhs of rupees for constructing a temple, but we are not interested to construct a house or a skyscraper building. We are not interested. That is detachment. (break) We give up. Prāpañcikatayā buddhyā hari-sambandhe-vastunaḥ: "No, no, we don't touch money." Why? If the money can be utilized for constructing a nice temple for Kṛṣṇa, why we shall say, "We don't touch money"? Yes, give me as much money as you have got. Therefore you will find in India very, very big, big, costly temple, not skyscraper building. That is the sign. If any man had any money, he would spend it for Kṛṣṇa, not for his personal self. Personally he would be satisfied with a cottage. That is India's civilization. You will find in South India one temple is more than a fort, bigger. It is impossible to construct such temple nowadays. Still you will find in Vṛndāvana that broken Govindaji's temple. If you construct such temple, even crores and crores of rupees will not be sufficient. That was done by Mahārāja Mansingha, but you don't find any palace of Mansingha. He could have construct a palace there. No, he did not do. But for Govindaji, he spent so much money. There is no such thing, attachment, detachment. We must know that everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa, and we are servants of Kṛṣṇa. This knowledge is required. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And when you understand that everything is belonging to Kṛṣṇa, then the next sense is that why not everything be used for Kṛṣṇa? (break) ...theory is lost or not?

Morning Walk -- Durban, October 13, 1975 :

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: So then the point is that they criticize that how we can preach such a civilization to the Western countries if even it's not working in India today. Although theoretically it's perfect, practically it's not working.

Prabhupāda: No. Practically, because you have preached your culture in India; therefore they have lost their own culture. The Western, the Britishers were for two hundred years and they preached. Their policy was to kill the Indian culture. Because that report of Lord McCauley, after studying Indian situation, the report was to the Parliament that "If you keep India as Indian, then you will not be able to rule over them," so therefore there was regular policy to kill Indian civilization. And because they were on the governing power, they could do it. Therefore India lost its own culture and victimized by the Western culture. This is the position. Just they are learning how to eat meat, how to drink wine, how to dress them with coat and pant, how to go to the hotel, illicit sex—these things are…

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Imported.

Prabhupāda: In India it was unknown. They did not know. In our childhood we have seen that they did not know how to drink tea even.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Tea?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Nobody would drink tea, no family. We have seen it. And for drinking, for drinking tea, drinking wine, regular propaganda was done. There was a tea taxes committee. Men these foreigners, they began to grow tea in India in the beginning for exporting to Europe and America… Later on, they began to pay some tax to the government. That was known as "tea taxes committee." The tea taxes committee, in order to popularize drinking tea, they used to hold stall, just like here in park and public places, and they would prepare very tasty tea and distribute free.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Free.

Morning Walk -- November 13, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: And what is not existing which is mentioned in the Bhagavad-gita. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13). Still people say, "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am kṣatriya," "I am this," "I am that." It is existing.

Yaśomatīnandana: They would even believe the mundane historians more than the śāstras. The historians have very funny stories. The Aryans came from the northeast Asia or something.

Indian man (1): Central Asia.

Yaśomatīnandana: Central Asia and inhabited in India. Then the Indian civilization sprang. Everybody thinks that India was not originally inhabited. It was all inhabited by the Dravidians, and then the Dravidians were pushed into the South and then Aryans dominated them. Whatever they learn in the schools. And because they have this theory, therefore they have to date all the śāstras, after, either after Christ or just a few centuries before Christ. (break) ...bhārata, they say, it must have been a small family feud and some poet's imagination made it a big war.

Prabhupāda: "May be. May not be." (laughter) We say, "may not be."

Brahmānanda: They say the Mahābhārata was written 1400 B.C., and that date correlates with dates of the Egyptian and Greek Empire.

Prabhupāda: No, no, so many dates have been quoted there. Which is correct? That is our question. So many dates they have discussed. And which one is correct? Either everyone is correct or everyone is incorrect. This is the... There cannot be many dates; that is not possible. Date must be one. So which one is correct? Who will answer this?

Brahmānanda: Everyone has a different opinion.

Prabhupāda: That's it.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 9, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: India has no, had no such ideas. They are borrowing ideas. India's idea is self-realization. Live very simple life—brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. The brāhmaṇas, they are living simple life, becoming very learned scholar, pure character, advanced in spiritual life—one class, ideal. And kṣatriyas, they are supposed to be the king. They distribute the land on nominal taxation, and the vaiśyas utilize the land for cultivation and cow-keeping, and the śūdras, they are engaged as weaver, blacksmith, goldsmith, mean other necessities of life. In this way the whole society is simplified, and the central point is how to become advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness by cooperation. This is India's civilization. There is no question of industry. Ugra-karma. It has been condemned in the Bhagavad-gītā as ugra-karma, laboring very hard for livelihood. This industry means engage the poor worker class to work very hard, and there is huge profit, and some directors of the capitalists, they take it. And they have one dozen motorcars, palatial building, no work, simply wine and woman, that's all. This is going on. And the others, they are seeing: "There is no classification, neither real brāhmaṇa nor kṣatriya nor vaiśya. So he is enjoying like that. He has got so many cars. He has got such a nice apartment. Why not me?" There is struggle. This is actual picture. Our Vedic advice is that make life very simple. You must have some means of livelihood. Keep your body and soul together. So according to quality, guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13), there must be division and then simple life. The real aim is tam abhyarcya, how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Everyone is.... Brāhmaṇa is guiding, kṣatriya is ruling, and vaiśya is producing food, and śūdra, they have no brain; they are helping. In this way the society is very peaceful, and everyone is advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is India's civilization. Now, due to this association of the rākṣasas... Even up to Mohammedan time this civilization was being continued. Mohammedan did not touch the Indian culture. Sometimes by, what is called, fanaticism, there was fight. Not like this. The Arjuna.... Aurangzeb began this. Otherwise, from, what is called, the first emperor?

Morning Walk -- June 7, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Snake will die of starvation. It is better. You go and eat.

Rāmeśvara: Śrīla Prabhupāda, in Egypt, they have been able to dig underneath the ground and find the remains of ancient cities. So this is proof of the ancient civilization of Egypt. But they have not found ancient ruins of the cities of Dvārakā or Hastināpura. They do not have such...

Rādhāvallabha: There are ruins in Dvārakā.

Rāmeśvara: So they do not accept that the ancient civilization of India is old, very old.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I read one anthropology book, and it said that about 3,500 years ago in India people were only living in all the caves, and they were simply using stones and things like that, very primitive tools. No knowledge at all.

Mahendra: But they cannot explain how it was that these people evolved, these cavemen evolved such a language as Sanskrit, which not even the greatest scholar today can even begin to comprehend. It is a very great language.

Prabhupāda: That is their grudge. When they see such exalted literature, they are envious.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Why don't we cut over?

Hṛdayānanda: Prabhupāda, we can walk over this way? There's no water.

Prabhupāda: It was all manufactured by the Britishers. To keep their faith with other nations, they were protesting that "Why you are keeping India dependent?" So they were pleading that "We are making India civilized." That was their propaganda.

Rāmeśvara: "The white man's burden," they called it.

Conversation with Prof. Saligram and Dr. Sukla -- July 5, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: Not according, according to Bhagavad-gītā.

Dr. Sukla: According to Bhagavad-gītā, all the karma should be done for Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Prabhupāda: For Kṛṣṇa, yes. So that is bhakti-yoga. Yat karoṣi kuruṣva tad mad-arpaṇam. That is bhakti. Karma-yoga means bhakti. That is the difficulty, that these Māyāvādīs, they have killed India's Vedic civilization. Now India is atheist. Very tragic position.

Dr. Sukla: What are your plans for India?

Prabhupāda: We are pushing this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is being appreciated. It will take some time. Because so much mischievous activities have been done by the Māyāvādīs, to counteract, it will take some time. They are simply mischievous. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has rejected them. Māyāvādī bhāṣya sunile haya sarva-nāśa (CC Madhya 6.169). If one takes the Māyāvādī version of the śāstras, then his spiritual life is finished. He becomes atheist. His spiritual life is finished. Now what is the contribution? You talked about Vivekananda, what is his contribution?

Dr. Sukla: Nothing.

Prabhupāda: Nothing. Simply he has taught the sannyāsīs to eat meat. That is his contribution. He says there is no harm eating meat. This is going on. Nārāyaṇa has become daridra. Daridra-nārāyaṇa, these are Vivekananda's contribution. And spoiled India's spiritual tradition. He has created one illiterate priest as God. That is his contribution, if we become honest to understand. So it will take some time to counteract all these mischievous activity. Simply mischievous.

Conversation with Prof. Saligram and Dr. Sukla -- July 5, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: They said that there are many thinkers in India who consider that the Hinduism is fatalistic, and therefore it doesn't encourage people to make material progress.

Prabhupāda: That economic development. Our ācāryas, practically in Indian civilization, there are so many books of knowledge, but there is no recommendation for starting big, big factories for economic development. You'll find Vyāsadeva has written so many books, each book so valuable, instructive, but still he was condemned. Dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90), he dealt with these four subject matter, but not bhakti. Therefore Nārada Muni chastised him, that "You have wasted your time, simply writing on the subject matter of dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa, catur varga." Then, under his instruction, he wrote Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam simply on the glories of the Supreme Lord, without any attempt to write anything about dharma artha kāma mokṣa. In the beginning he introduces, gives introduction to his book, dharmaḥ projjhita kaitavo 'tra śrīmad-bhāgavate (SB 1.1.2), in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa, they are all kaitavas, cheating. These things are thrown away. Dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra (SB 1.1.2). So this kaitava, Śrīdhara Swami gives his commentary, atra mokṣa-vāñchan paryantaṁ nirastam. The desire for liberation is also rejected. Simply devotional service to the Lord. That is only business. So our, this propaganda, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is on the basis... It is called bhāgavata-dharma. Prahlāda Mahārāja begins his teaching that this bhāgavata-dharma should be imparted from the very beginning of life. And people are missing this opportunity. They are being allured by other business. The main business they are forgetting, neglecting, and they are being drawn, their attention is drawn, so many sporting, so many economic development, then other anarthas, drinking, gambling, slaughterhouse, so on, so on. So this is against human civilization. Therefore if you will give us some chance... Just like you have given. What is that?

Morning Walk -- July 13, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Now who is saving India?

Rāmeśvara: They say the "white man's burden." They came to make India civilized.

Hari-śauri: They showed us this...

Prabhupāda: Therefore all the śāstras, they bring it within Christian era. Before that, India was uncivilized. And if they accept all the Vedic literature, so exalted, then they have to accept Indian civilization. That is their propaganda. Simply propaganda, that's all.

Rāmeśvara: That's why you say Darwinism was started by the English...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Rāmeśvara: ...to discredit the Vedic literature.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Wow.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: It's just like a bunch of demons.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It seems like it's such a concerted effort, a conspiracy of all the leaders of the world.

Rāmeśvara: Greed conspiracy. Leaders, the bankers they say.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's another deep point. Scientists are pointing to the bankers, each group points to the other, and they all cheat together. Just like we used to do... (indistinct)

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: These demons, Śrīla Prabhupāda, all of them are dehātma-buddhi?

Prabhupāda: Yes, all they have... (end)

Room Conversation -- August 2, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Prabhupāda: Prabhupāda: There are so many things in India culture for becoming happy and advancing towards the goal of life. Now I am appreciating for more and more, seeing the whole world, what is India's culture. Formerly I was thinking, "It is custom. To become faithful wife, this is custom." But when I come outside I see what is wife and what is faithful wife. In India, still, in the village, even there is fight between husband, wife, the wife is faithful. Still. Completely dependent on husband. The husband also, in spite of fighting, is always careful that the wife does not get any inconvenience. It was the culture, now it is breaking. (about door or window) You can close that. In material world, for peaceful life, there must be peaceful condition between the husband and wife. Everyone requires wife, everyone requires husband. Sex is necessary, so make the condition of sex very peaceful. Why disturbed? Make the condition that there will be... It is necessary. As eating is necessary, sleeping is necessary, for ordinary man, so sex is also necessary. So make a condition so that nothing will be disturbed, and in undisturbed condition of mind execute spiritual advancement. This is Indian civilization. Aim is spiritual advancement. And to make condition favorable, there are so many things. So unless we get favorable condition... Here in the Western countries there is no favorable condition. First of all, they have no idea of spiritual life, the goal of life, neither there is favorable condition. And gradually things are becoming degrading. On my last tour in Chicago I saw. In three weeks she has twice divorced, one lady's advertised. You remember it?

Hari-śauri: I wasn't there that time.

Evening Darsana -- August 14, 1976, Bombay:

Yaśomatīnandana: That is the most favorite slogan of everybody.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Because they're asses. Asses, they want... Even in Tehran, I saw the ass. This is Indian civilization. Loaded.

Indian man: With pots or something.

Prabhupāda: Right. Some tons of things. The ass does not know why he is carrying so much load. Therefore mūḍha. What for he is carrying? What is his profit? He does not know. But he's carrying so much. "I am big industrialist. I have got so much business." What for you are doing industry? That he does not know. Ass. Karmīs are described as asses. They do not know what is the interest.

Indian man (2): How does it matter what people call Kṛṣṇa, whether they call Bhagavān or Viṣṇu or what, Kṛṣṇa? If it is just only one God. We are talking removing Kṛṣṇa from Gītā but putting Bhagavān there instead of Kṛṣṇa. How does it matter?

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa said, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). "There is no more superior authority than Me."

Room Conversation -- November 20, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes, if the brain is clear—it is not filled up with rubbish cow dung—then Kṛṣṇa consciousness easy. Yes. Kṛṣṇa consciousness means there is no more material consciousness. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11). That is required. In material existence we have got so many obligations, thoughts (indistinct), and so many things. Bṛthā.

eta saba chāḍi' āra varṇāśrama-dharma

akiñcana hañā laya kṛṣṇaika-śaraṇa

Sarva-dharmān: Everything give up. That is India's Vedic civilization. They are not concerned with the material advancement. Simple life. That's all. And our present leaders, they are thinking that "brainwashed." They are not deeply thinking, "Why our great sages and ācāryas recommended this life, not the skyscraper life? Why? They were not less intelligent." They are not thinking in that way. They are thinking that "Because we neglected the skyscraper thoughts, we are so backward." At least this rascal Nehru was thinking like that. "So finish this." The Russia is... What is called? Opiate, brainwashed. These things are accepted like that. "It has no value, simply some prejudice and superstition, and they are thinking like that and they are spoiling their material side of life." This is their idea. "What is this? No meat-eating?" (knock on the door devotee enters with prasādam ) That little dāl, daliya,(?) bas.

Pālikā: Nothing else?

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Pālikā: Nothing else?

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Conversation on Train to Allahabad -- January 11, 1977, India:

Prabhupāda: Yes. We are brainwashing from bad to good. That is our business. We are washing the brain from all rascaldom. That is our business. You are... Your brain is filled up with all rubbish things: meat-eating and illicit sex, gambling. So we are washing them. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ, hrdy antaḥ-stho abhadrāṇi (SB 1.2.17). Abhadrānī washing. Abhadrāṇi means bad things. The bad things should be washed off. Don't you cleanse your home? Don't you cleanse your room? Is not that brainwashing? So if you wash your room very cleansed, who blames you? But you are so rascal that "Why you are washing this garbage?" you are protesting. You are such an intelligent man. We are washing the garbage; you are protesting, "Why you are washing the garbage?" This is your intelligence. But intelligent men wash the garbage. That is the law of nature, cleanse. That we are doing. According to Vedic civilization, you are actually untouchable. Now we have come to touch you; therefore wash you must first. You are untouchable. In Indian civilization, dog is untouchable, and that is your best friend. So you are not touchable. Therefore we have to wash you. And unless your brain is washed, you cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. So it is necessary. Is that all right? Dog is your best friend. In India dog is untouchable. So "Man is known by his company." If your best friend is dog, then what you are? We can understand your position because you sleep with dog, you eat with dog, your best friend is dog, so what you are? You must be washed. It is a fact. Every woman, every man, has some dog.

Jagadīśa: Dog or cat.

Evening Darsana -- May 9, 1977, Hrishikesh:

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) "I don't care for you." (Hindi) Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, mama māyā. That means he's engaged, she's engaged for beating with shoes. But he cannot understand, although Kṛṣṇa is coming personally to make him understand, paritrāṇāya sādhūnām (BG 4.8). (Hindi) Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. You surrender to Kṛṣṇa; everything is finished. So it is up to you, whether you prefer to be beaten by shoes continually or you surrender to Kṛṣṇa. That depends on you. (Hindi) (Hindi conversation) Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Don't manufacture nonsense things. (Hindi) Rascaldom. "Simply surrender to Me." (Hindi) ...manufacture... (Hindi) ...ism, this ism, that ism, that ism. (Hindi) The Bhagavad-gītā is spoken in the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra. (Hindi) ...nonviolence... (Hindi) Dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ (BG 1.1). The first word is (Hindi). And you want to prove it, nonviolence. (Hindi) ...rascaldom... (Hindi) The first word is used, yuyutsavaḥ. (Hindi) (Hindi conversation) Violence required to keep the society in order. (Hindi) Who will give protection? Sab scientific. (Hindi) (Hindi conversation) "So don't trust woman and politician." This is Cāṇakya Paṇḍita. And she is both politician and woman. We have got Mahābhārata, there is not a single instance... We had very, very great, qualified women. But they were in charge of state...? Very, very qualified women. You know. Na svatantratām arhati, striyaḥ. For woman there is no independence. The Manu-saṁhitā. They must stay under father, under husband, or under elderly sons. Three stages. Kuntī...

Indian man (6): (Hindi)

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) A young girl cannot go out without father's, mother's... She cannot mix with any other young man. Strictly prohibited. (Hindi) If you want to revive real Indian civilization or Vedic civilization for the good of the whole human society, take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You'll be happy. There is no doubt. (Hindi) Why do you try to undo something which is spoken by Bhagavān, Vyāsadeva? (Hindi) So how can you make nonviolence? (Hindi) Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ (CC Madhya 17.186). We are not following mahājana, but we are transgressing. (Hindi) (aside:) Bring. Bring cutting. Dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyāṁ mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Vrindaban 17 September, 1974:

I beg to acknowledge of your letter dated from Denver September 7, 1974 with enclosed outline of the book "A Vedic Reader: Sources of Indian Civilization" The synopsis is very nice, and if properly written the book will be very nice. From this book they will understand the importance of our society. So do it nicely.

It is all right that you present only the verses with a short description and that you can also write parts of the essays in the first part of the book, as you have suggested.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Svarupa Damodara -- Bombay 21 November, 1975:

That is one movement. The second movement is that the sun is revolving around the universe, or as if it were going around the tree. That is the second movement. The sun is not fixed. If this is proved, then their whole scientific theory collapses. According to them, the stars are all suns. The stars may have the same composition as the sun but they are not suns. The Brahma-samhita says that the sun is the king with unlimited light and temperature. The Srimad-Bhagavatam sublime literature describes all these things and it was written five thousand years ago. And they say that five thousand years ago there was no civilization. That Srimad-Bhagavatam has this information proves that Indian civilization is the oldest civilization.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Sri Tikandas J. Batra -- Mayapur 26 January, 1976:

I beg to thank you for your nice letter dated January 20th, 1976.

Those who take Indian philosophy and scripture as mythological are not at all intelligent. They have been described in the Bhagavad-gita as "sinful", "rascals", "lowest of mankind", "bereft of all knowledge", and "atheistic". Na mam duskrtino mudhah prapadyante naradhamah/ mayayapahrta-jnana asuram bhavam asritah (BG 7.15). This psychological conception of the so-called Indian philosophers has killed Indian civilization. There is no question of mythology when Krishna says: dehino 'smin yatha dehe kaumaram yauvanam jara/ tatha dehantara praptir dhiras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). A baby grows to become a child, and a child grows to become a boy, and a boy grows to a young man, and a young man develops to middle age, and grows to an old man, and then what is next for the old man. The so-called mythologists don't know what will happen to the old man. Neither they believe in the next life, and even if they do believe they don't know what will happen to the old man or what kind of life he will get next. Therefore they are all fools and rascals.

How a rascal can become a professor? That is the defect of modern day education. It is said in the Srimad-Bhagavatam: Na te vidhuh svartha gatim hi visnu. Philosophy means to find out the actual source of everything. Our Vedanta philosophy begins athāto brahma jijñāsā, to enquire about Brahma, that is real philosophy. And the Supreme Brahma is described as the original source of everything: Janmady asya yato (SB 1.1.1), etc. Srimad-Bhagavatam is the real philosophy because it describes the original source of everything—Janmady asya yatah. The first chapter of Srimad-Bhagavatam begins with this verse. Accept this, all other philosophies are simply jugglery of words to mislead the less intelligent class of men. You are benedicted by Lord Krishna that you are doubting the philosophical speculation of the mudhas. Please try to read real philosophy—Vedanta Sutra and its right commentary by Vyasadeva, Srimad-Bhagavatam. And the preliminary study, Bhagavad-gita.