Technology (Letters)

Expressions researched:
"technological" |"technologically" |"technologies" |"technologist" |"technologists" |"technology"

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Unknown -- Los Angeles 23 November, 1968:

Many men come here and by their talents, earn huge amounts of money, but it remains here, and he goes alone with his works only to accept another different kind of body, forgetting everything behind. But if he acquires some spiritual assets it goes with him, and even it is not perfect in this life, it begins again from that point in next life. So we wish that Sri Ravi Sankaraji may understand this spiritual technology, and utilize his talent for benefit of the human society. We are interested for the highest benediction of the human society, otherwise we do not expect anything from anyone in monetary consideration. Simply that these influential men come along and chant with us.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Kirtanananda -- Los Angeles 12 January, 1969:

So you have now taken charge of the sunrise of New Vrindaban. Our program is there for constructing seven temples. One Rupanuga Vidyapitha—that is a school for educating brahmanas and Vaisnavas. We have enough of technological and other types of educational institutions, but perhaps there is none where actual brahmanas and Vaisnavas are produced. So we will have to establish an educational institution for that purpose.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Bali-mardana -- Los Angeles 21 January, 1970:

So the disease of the human society is becoming more and more acute and Lord Caitanya desired that the Indians should preach this cult for the benefit of the human society. Unfortunately, the present generation of Indians is more attracted to technological knowledge than this cult of Krishna Consciousness. Their position is very precarious.

Letter to Anil Grover -- Los Angeles 5 February, 1970:

You have said that you have come to this country for getting higher scientific education. That is very nice; but I think that if Indians would have come to this country to give the people of this country higher education in spiritual knowledge, that would be the proper function of their section of the human society. If the people of this country have got higher technological and scientific education, they might go to India to teach them that part of knowledge; and Indians may come to teach them spiritual knowledge. To maintain proper balance of the society, both sides of education are needed.

If Western people are expert in technological knowledge, and if their natural tendency is to develop it, let them do it. But as far as we Indians are concerned, our people are naturally inclined for spiritual elevation.

Letter to Nevatiaji -- Los Angeles 16 July, 1970:

The India Government has a Department for Cultural Affairs; if they would have taken this cultural movement as the background of Vedic civilization, then the whole world would have been happy, and India's glories would have been magnified many thousands of times than by simply imitating the Western technology which is on the verge of failure.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Bhakta dasa -- London 18 August, 1971:

So, if you can make your temple as nice as L.A. then certainly when I go to L.A. next time I will visit San Diego. It is only a 20 minute plane ride to San Diego from L.A. but it takes 200 minutes to get to the airport and back. Just see the conveniences of technological advancement.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Mombassa, Kenya 16 September, 1971:

We must have a nice center at Mayapur because we are expecting there students from all over the world. Plans of the temple have already been made and you should have received them by now. The buildings should be exactly in the same pattern. The size may be changed according to the engineering technology. I have shown in London the Westminster Abbey to Syamasundara., Bhavananda and Nara Narayana. Perhaps you have also seen it. I want the inside just like the Westminster Abbey. You will understand from the plans what is my desire in this connection.

Letter to Upendra -- Delhi 8 December, 1971:

Practically speaking, history tells us that human life is becoming more and more degraded in respect of good qualities. Even there may be some temporary advancement of technology, where is the question of being higher than previously? In Vedic literature we find description of all kinds of wonderful machines, like great airplanes which moved as fast as the mind on the principle of sound vibration. Where is that science now? And how is their science advancing when their sons are all becoming hippies who have no interest in such science? Compare our so-called knowledge today with the giant brains who gave us Vedic literature.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Bombay 17 December, 1971:

They think that if their children get the right knowledge then they will become very successful in life, and that is their concern, so they sacrifice everything for good educational cause. Now their children are all becoming hippies, and they do not want so much technology and knowledge which gives them no real satisfaction, so they are losing all interest in education and only they want to enjoy life, that's all. But if such children are given practical guidance on the transcendental platform, above the bodily and mental conception of life, then they will develop into perfect citizens—moral, honest, hard-working, law-abiding, clean, faithful to home and country, like that. That is the unmatched success of our Krishna Consciousness schooling system, so you introduce it nicely, so that your country's leaders will see something very nice and come to our assistance.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Niranjana -- Brooklyn 21 May, 1973:

The position is that the whole world is full of sudras. The sudra's business is to somehow or other catch up some nice service under some good master and get a nice wife and home. That is their success in life. This is the position of India especially. The whole of India is now under technological instruction which means to become sudras. Just like a carpenter can manufacture so much nice furniture by his technological education, but in our Vedic society, the carpenter is considered a sudra. Similarly a tannery expert was called a cobbler. So these things are now lost. Everyone is prepared to become a cobbler, a carpenter, a chemist, a physicist, an electrician and so many other things, but they do not know that after such education one has to depend on other's mercy. So-called highly qualified technologists cannot earn their livelihood without getting a suitable job. It is just like a dog, however stout and strong it may be, it cannot be happy without having gotten a wealthy master. Without being protected by a wealthy master it is nothing but a street dog and he is never happy.

Letter to Niranjana -- Brooklyn 21 May, 1973:

We know it certainly that matter comes out of life. Simply we have to present this thesis in chemical, technological words. Svarupa Damodara has already written one small booklet, "Krsna Consciousness, Purely on a Scientific Basis." So this is the business of big, big, chemists and physicists to present the real facts in Krsna Consciousness.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Jagadisa -- Bombay 20 November, 1975:

Regarding Chicago, it is very surprising how they distributed 800 big books in one day. Here in India we could not sell 800 books in one month because there is no market. Here there is only a market for technology and black market. This is the advantage of the Western countries. There is enough resources, but simply it should be used in Krsna's service. Then it will be nice. Yes, you should develop better relations with the Indians in Chicago. 30,000; that is no joke. In the London temple the Indian devotees are doing everything for the maintenance of the temple. So as soon as the Indians in Chicago come to know, then they will help you. Here in India the temples are maintained by the grhastha bhaktas.

Letter to Tulsi -- Bombay 18 December, 1975:

Generally India people are not taking up this movement, although it is their original culture, they are now in favor of economic development and technological advancement which can never do any good to the people in general, neither material nor spiritual. After all a living being lives by the grace of God. He cannot eat nuts and bolts, however nicely they may be manufactured. We live by food grains, vegetables and milk products as it is stated in the Bhagavad gita "All living bodies subsist on food grains which are due to rains come by proper proformance of sacrifice" Human life is meant for sacrifice to please Visnu.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Svarupa Damodara -- Bombay 10 January, 1976:

I have read the aims and objects of the Institute and it is done very nicely. I am satisfied that you are properly understanding the philosophy. The analysis you have given in the section "What is the Bhaktivedanta Institute", regarding the scientists, technologists, and other so-called authorities is most accurate. According to Bhagavatam, they are all asses and cows, sa eva gokhara.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Mayapur 21 February, 1976:

They are getting a flat-bed truck, then no blocking. They can sit comfortably and chant and people will hear. He (Madhava das) is giving a class at MIT, that is very good. I challenged them where is the technology to understand the distinction between a dead man and a live man.

Letter to Giriraja -- Honolulu 4 May, 1976:

Even taking into consideration the economic point of view that India has already got overpopulation, that is not a very sound ground. Even it is accepted, these foreign devotees are ready not to take a grain of India's production. They can bring their own food sufficiently for taking prasada themselves, as well as for distribution to others. There is no question of economic problem. Why these cultural and religious facilities should not be given to the foreigners who have accepted them as their life and soul. Our students from India go to foreign countries for learning higher technology, why the foreigners should be be denied to learn the higher transcendental science in India. In addition, we have already published over 56 books which are highly appreciated by foreign and Indian scholars and the educated section. So it is a great science of God consciousness. The government should take it very seriously and help spread this Krishna Consciousness Movement all over the world.