Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Now the incentive in modern society to become educated or to become engineer is money. What is the incentive in Vedic culture?
Prabhupāda: There is no need of money. The brāhmaṇa teaches everything free of charge. There is no question of money. Anyone can take education as a brāhmaṇa or a kṣatriya, as a vaiśya. There is no... Vaiśya doesn't require any education. Kṣatriyas require little. Brāhmaṇa require. But that is free. Just find out a brāhmaṇa guru and he will give you free education. That's all. This is society. Now, as soon as... At the present moment, as soon as one wants to be educated, he requires money. But in the Vedic society there is no question of money. Education free.
Harikeśa: So the incentive is the happiness in society?
Prabhupāda: Yes, that is... Everyone is hankering after: "Where is happiness?" This will be the happiness. When people will be peaceful, happy in their living condition, that will bring happiness, not by imagining that "If I have got a skyscraper building, I will be happy," and then jump over and commit suicide. That is going on. He is thinking that "If I have a skyscraper building, I will be happy," and when he is frustrated, he jumps down. That is going on. This is happiness. That means all rascals. They do not know what is happiness. Therefore everyone requires guidance from Kṛṣṇa. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Now you were saying that there is high rate of suicide here?
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Why? This is the country possessing gold mine, and why they are...? And you said that it is difficult to become poor here.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Yes. You have to try hard to become poor man here.
Prabhupāda: Yes. And still there is suicide. Why? Every man is rich man, and why he is committing suicide? Hm? Can you reply?
Devotee (1): They lack central happiness?
Prabhupāda: Yes. There is no happiness. (pause) Nobody can remain lazy, because he will be hungry. So how he will remain lazy? He'll have to go somewhere, begging food, and he'll say, "First of all work. Then get your food." He'll work. So there is no question of remaining lazy. Just like the hippies. They do not work, but when they do not get food from anywhere, they go and work. Is it not? So he will be obliged to work.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: That is the incentive, then.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Devotee (2): Some of them steal. Instead of working, they steal their food.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Steal... When he is arrested, then he has to work in the prison. That's all.
Harikeśa: Chopping rocks.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Otherwise whipping. In Bhagavad-gītā it is recommended that instead of keeping yourself lazy without working, better to steal. Better to steal.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: How is that?
Prabhupāda: Huh? That is there. Stealing is bad work, bad work. It is also working, but bad work. So Kṛṣṇa recommends that instead of keeping yourself lazy, better do bad work.
Harikeśa: "Action is better than inaction."
Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. Yes.
Harikeśa: A man cannot even keep his own body in shape.
Prabhupāda: Yes. So stealing is still better than keeping oneself lazy.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: "It is better to perform one's duty, even though it may be imperfect, than to perform another's duty"?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. (laughter)
Harikeśa: I've always wondered... The food will be taken care of in a perfect varṇāśrama society; government is taken care of...
Prabhupāda: Government means you, like rascal fools like you. So how you will take care?
Harikeśa: When it is properly set up.
Prabhupāda: First of all you see the government, what is government? Government means a pack of rascals and fools. That's all. This is modern government. All these thieves and rogues are voted to be government men. So how you expect good government? It is not possible. "People's government." All people are rascals. That means government rascal. People's government.