This is our incapability. We cannot manage—we accuse that "overpopulation." But actually if you study śāstra, if you accept Kṛṣṇa as the father, the Supreme Lord, He is not a poor man. He knows. Vedāhaṁ samatītāni (BG 7.26). He knows past, present and future. So it is not that because there is overpopulation there is scarcity of food. No. That is not the cause. The cause is that as soon as people will become godless, the supply will be stopped. That time is coming. That time is coming. It is predicted in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that anāvṛṣṭi, durbhikṣa and kara-pīḍitāḥ. People, gradually being godless, they will be suffering from these three principles. There will be no more rainfall. Therefore last time when I was in Europe—I do not know what has happened now—there was scarcity of rain, and England was making plan to import water. So this is scientists' program. There is enough water in the sea, but they cannot use it. So there is hand of God. Unless God helps, Kṛṣṇa helps, mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram . . . (BG 9.10). The vast ocean, although the water is there, you cannot use one drop. You are so controlled.
- prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni
- guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ
- ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā
- kartāham iti manyate
- (BG 3.27)
Ahaṅkāra, our false egotism, we are suffering by the punishment offered by nature.
So the cause is godlessness. If we become godless, the prakṛti will restrict supply—so much so there will be durbhikṣa, anāvṛṣṭi. How we can control? Because you may be very great scientist, you may deny the existence of God, but when there is anāvṛṣṭi you are looking up on the sky, "When there will be cloud? When there will be rain?" Then, and taking this plea, our government will tax for relief fund. That is all mentioned in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Anāvṛṣṭi durbhikṣa, karo-pīḍita. People will be so much harassed. And durbhikṣa, ācchina-dāra-draviṇā giri-kānanam (SB 2.2.8). They will be so much harassed by these three principles—no rainfall, scarcity of grains, and taxed heavily by the government . . . They will be so much harassed that ācchinna-dāra-draviṇā yāsyanti giri-kānanam, they will be forced to leave home, that "Now it is hopeless. I cannot manage. Let me go to the forest." And there will be . . . Now we are getting rice or wheat or sugar. But these things will be completely stopped. Now we are getting milk powder, but there will be no milk. It is not my imagination. They are described in the symptoms of Kali-yuga, that the end of Kali-yuga these things will happen. That means more and more suffering. More and more you become godless, more and more suffering will be inflicted by the laws of nature.