Submitted by: Damagosha Dasa
Hare Krsna-
Right now is spring time and I went back to some former articles to look at pictures of our gardens. I don’t know about everybody else, but just seeing these beautiful things that spring from Krsna’s earth gets me enlivened !!
Take a look at the youtube video below of a ten minute walk about one summer.
These pictures should inspire the normal person. These things, organic food, beautiful fragrant flowers, fresh air, personal safety, and the security of knowing that you will be able to eat and live on, simply by depending upon mother earth is a comfort of tremendous mental satisfaction. When I went to the city a few days ago, I was drained of my energy. When I got back home, I felt charged up again. It is very simple to understand.
Some say well its my karma to live in the city. If that is so, then why does Srila Prabhupada say everybody should go live in the country on farms, if it that was not possible? No it is possible, we just have to think a little bit about doing it, feel it happening, then Krsna will help us achieve it.
Why is it that city people get out of the city for vacations or just plain relief, and country people stay in the country and don’t go to the cities ? I will leave that up to your imaginations…
damaghosa das
Jan 11 1977 India
Hari Sauri:Should we try to make an effort to have our householders go and live on the farms, a special effort? If it’s ready to do that?
Prabhupāda: Why householders? Everyone. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (japa)
Rāmeśvara: Say, in America, most people live in the cities, and they already have their job, and they are set in their ways.
Prabhupāda: But you said that there is unemployment also.
Rāmeśvara: To a certain extent. But there are still 250,000,000 people. So most of them…
Prabhupāda: So those who are unemployed, let them come to us. We shall give them employment.
Rāmeśvara: Yes. But for the mass population…
Prabhupāda: Well, gradually you will increase and…
Rāmeśvara: We have to give them something that they can do in their home.
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.
Rāmeśvara: Because it is impractical to think that they will give up everything and move into the temple.
Prabhupāda: No, those who are unemployed, let them come. We shall give them employment.
Jagadīśa: On the farm.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Rāmeśvara: For those who are unemployed, that’s attractive.
Jagadīśa: But for those who are already employed…
Rāmeśvara: But most people have jobs.
Prabhupāda: Eh?
Rāmeśvara: Many people already have their jobs and their families.
Prabhupāda: All right, let them not come, but those who are unemployed, let them come.
Rāmeśvara: But what…? For those people who already have their jobs, instead of…
Prabhupāda: That job… They will be very soon jobless. Don’t worry. (laughs) They will come. They will be obliged to come. Now they have got job, but as the days are advancing in Kali-yuga, they’ll be jobless.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNBwKLqD-Nc&feature=c4-overview&list=UUIT8sc3Iy_XMi_UzOEhvgkQ
1. 741208SB.BOM Lectures
Here it is said, rayah pasavo grhah. Rayah means wealth.
Formerly a man was considered to be wealthy–now also it is…
Dhanyena dhanavan, gavaya dhanavan. If you have got many number of
cows, then you are considered to be rich man, not papers. Nowadays, if
you have got bunch of paper written “one thousand dollar,” but they
are paper only. You are dhanavan. Formerly, practical. Not dhanavan by
the papers, by the currency notes, but by how many cows you possess,
because that is life. You get milk. And dhanyena, if you have got food
grains, then you are rich, not by possessing some paper. No. Therefore
it it said here, rayah pasavo grhah. So these are the material
possession.
Here it is said, rayah pasavo grhah. Rayah means wealth.
Formerly a man was considered to be wealthy–now also it is…
Dhanyena dhanavan, gavaya dhanavan. If you have got many number of
cows, then you are considered to be rich man, not papers. Nowadays, if
you have got bunch of paper written “one thousand dollar,” but they
are paper only. You are dhanavan. Formerly, practical. Not dhanavan by
the papers, by the currency notes, but by how many cows you possess,
because that is life. You get milk. And dhanyena, if you have got food
grains, then you are rich, not by possessing some paper. No. Therefore
it it said here, rayah pasavo grhah. So these are the material
possession.
2. KB 5 Meeting of Nanda and Vasudeva
It is very important to note in this connection how wealthy the
inhabitants of Vrndavana were simply by raising cows. All the cowherd
men belonged to the vaisya community, and their business was to
protect the cows and cultivate crops. By their dress and ornaments and
by their behavior, it appears that although they were in a small
village, they were still rich in material possessions. They possessed
such an abundance of various kinds of milk products that they were
throwing butter lavishly on each other’s bodies without restriction.
Their wealth was in milk, yogurt, clarified butter and many other milk
products, and by trading their agricultural products, they were rich
in various kinds of jewelry, ornaments and costly dresses. Not only
did they possess all these things, but they could give them away in
charity, as did Nanda Maharaja.
It is very important to note in this connection how wealthy the
inhabitants of Vrndavana were simply by raising cows. All the cowherd
men belonged to the vaisya community, and their business was to
protect the cows and cultivate crops. By their dress and ornaments and
by their behavior, it appears that although they were in a small
village, they were still rich in material possessions. They possessed
such an abundance of various kinds of milk products that they were
throwing butter lavishly on each other’s bodies without restriction.
Their wealth was in milk, yogurt, clarified butter and many other milk
products, and by trading their agricultural products, they were rich
in various kinds of jewelry, ornaments and costly dresses. Not only
did they possess all these things, but they could give them away in
charity, as did Nanda Maharaja.
3. SB 9.14.47 P When there is sufficient rainfall, the earth becomes fit to produce everything
(sama-kama-dugha mahi). If one can utilize the land properly, one can
get all the necessities of life from the land, including food grains,
fruits, flowers and vegetables. Everything one gets for material
wealth is produced from the earth, and therefore it is said,
sarva-kama-dugha mahi (▼Bhag. 1.10.4). Everything is possible by
performing yajna.
(sama-kama-dugha mahi). If one can utilize the land properly, one can
get all the necessities of life from the land, including food grains,
fruits, flowers and vegetables. Everything one gets for material
wealth is produced from the earth, and therefore it is said,
sarva-kama-dugha mahi (▼Bhag. 1.10.4). Everything is possible by
performing yajna.
4. 750716SB.SF Lectures
Prabhupada: So you have got big, big stock. That is required. There
may be scarcity at times, but if you keep stock, then there is no
trouble. This one, no foolish rascal should be worshiped, food grains
should be nicely stocked, and the third thing, most important,
dampatyoh kalaho nasti: “There is no disagreement between husband and
wife.” If these three things are there, then you haven’t got to pray
to the goddess of fortune, “Kindly be merciful.” She will
automatically come. “Here is a very nice place. I shall stay here.”
Prabhupada: So you have got big, big stock. That is required. There
may be scarcity at times, but if you keep stock, then there is no
trouble. This one, no foolish rascal should be worshiped, food grains
should be nicely stocked, and the third thing, most important,
dampatyoh kalaho nasti: “There is no disagreement between husband and
wife.” If these three things are there, then you haven’t got to pray
to the goddess of fortune, “Kindly be merciful.” She will
automatically come. “Here is a very nice place. I shall stay here.”
5. Bg 3.10 Karma-yoga
In the beginning of creation, the Lord of all creatures sent forth
generations of men and demigods, along with sacrifices for Visnu, and
blessed them by saying, “Be thou happy by this yajna [sacrifice]
because its performance will bestow upon you all desirable things.”
In the beginning of creation, the Lord of all creatures sent forth
generations of men and demigods, along with sacrifices for Visnu, and
blessed them by saying, “Be thou happy by this yajna [sacrifice]
because its performance will bestow upon you all desirable things.”
750514mw.per Conversations
Amogha: He was saying that your solution was too simple. He said that
people will not accept it because it is too simple.
Prabhupada: That is his ignorance. They will say it is primitive.
Amogha: He was saying that your solution was too simple. He said that
people will not accept it because it is too simple.
Prabhupada: That is his ignorance. They will say it is primitive.
That is the only solution. According to the Vedic system, you cannot use
anything which you cannot produce. Suppose this we are using, but
according the Vedic system we should not use it because I cannot
produce it. Then the whole solution is there. Nobody will manufacture
this because there will be no customer. If I refuse this use of this
machine, thinking that “I cannot produce it; I should not use it,”
then where is the customer? The so-called industry will automatically
stop, and he has to go to the village outlying.
anything which you cannot produce. Suppose this we are using, but
according the Vedic system we should not use it because I cannot
produce it. Then the whole solution is there. Nobody will manufacture
this because there will be no customer. If I refuse this use of this
machine, thinking that “I cannot produce it; I should not use it,”
then where is the customer? The so-called industry will automatically
stop, and he has to go to the village outlying.
[and become self sufficient]
————————————————————————-
720916SB.LA Lectures
The scientists, they are very much busy. Just this morning our
scientist, Svarupa Damodara, was speaking about an article: the
scientists are very much busy that the source of supply is being
decreased. Just like petroleum. Petroleum, gas, that is diminishing.
Now, whole modern materialistic civilization is depending on the
motorcars and aeroplanes, transportation. So if the petroleum supply
is stopped, then what will be the condition of the society? Formerly
there was no need of going to see a friend thirty miles away, because
every friend was within the village. Now, because we have got
motorcar, we create friendship with a man who lives fifty miles away.
We accept a job fifty miles away. In Hawaii our Gaurasundara was going
to attend office fifty miles off. By fifty miles off… In big, big
cities like New York, Calcutta, we have seen people are coming to
attend their office from hundred miles off. I have seen also in
aeroplane there are many people… I have seen in England. Many
workers or gentlemen, they are coming from Glasgow to London for
working, by aeroplane.
So we have created a civilization that… We have created a
facility for transport by motorcar or by aeroplane, but side by side,
we have created another difficulty, that a man has to go to his work
The scientists, they are very much busy. Just this morning our
scientist, Svarupa Damodara, was speaking about an article: the
scientists are very much busy that the source of supply is being
decreased. Just like petroleum. Petroleum, gas, that is diminishing.
Now, whole modern materialistic civilization is depending on the
motorcars and aeroplanes, transportation. So if the petroleum supply
is stopped, then what will be the condition of the society? Formerly
there was no need of going to see a friend thirty miles away, because
every friend was within the village. Now, because we have got
motorcar, we create friendship with a man who lives fifty miles away.
We accept a job fifty miles away. In Hawaii our Gaurasundara was going
to attend office fifty miles off. By fifty miles off… In big, big
cities like New York, Calcutta, we have seen people are coming to
attend their office from hundred miles off. I have seen also in
aeroplane there are many people… I have seen in England. Many
workers or gentlemen, they are coming from Glasgow to London for
working, by aeroplane.
So we have created a civilization that… We have created a
facility for transport by motorcar or by aeroplane, but side by side,
we have created another difficulty, that a man has to go to his work
three hundred miles away. Side by side. Formerly, a man used to work
on his field, a few steps from his house. Now we have created facility
of transport; therefore we have to go to work three hundred miles away
from home. This is the position. But they have no brain. They’re
thinking they’re advancing. (chuckles) Advancing in this way, that
“For my livelihood I have to go three hundred miles, three hours at
least, not less than three hours. Or six hours I have to spoil. Then I
can go to my office. Then I work there whole day, and again come,
again six hours. Then I come at night to sleep along with my family
for three hours.” Yes. This is our facility. Yes.
on his field, a few steps from his house. Now we have created facility
of transport; therefore we have to go to work three hundred miles away
from home. This is the position. But they have no brain. They’re
thinking they’re advancing. (chuckles) Advancing in this way, that
“For my livelihood I have to go three hundred miles, three hours at
least, not less than three hours. Or six hours I have to spoil. Then I
can go to my office. Then I work there whole day, and again come,
again six hours. Then I come at night to sleep along with my family
for three hours.” Yes. This is our facility. Yes.
770618rc.vrn
Upendra: The reason the original faith was placed in the scientists
was because radio, airplanes, tape recorders have been manufactured,
and people are impressed by these originally.
Prabhupada: So what is the benefit? Without radio, people were dying,
or with radio they are not living?
Upendra: They say they are living more comfortably.
Prabhupada: Nonsense comfortably… They have changed the season? Is
it comfortable? We have to take this cooling machine. What is the
practical benefit? You can say that it is comfortable. That’s all
right. But that does not mean that you have moved the uncomfortable
situation. You are struggling against. That much you can take credit.
Real benefit is not there. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita.
Janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi. Real unhappiness is this, that you are: “Why
I am struggling? I don’t want death.” Actually why I am taking massage
and so on, so on? So that I may not die. So where is the scientists’
guarantee, “No, you’ll not die”? Has he any…? You’ll struggle only.
That’s all. The scientists cannot guarantee, “No, you’ll not die.”
That is real guarantee. “You’ll die comfortably.” Hm? Die comfortably?
Now there is no appetite. Where is the scientist, assuring, “Take”?
What actual benefit they have done? They are giving some… Nothing
Upendra: The reason the original faith was placed in the scientists
was because radio, airplanes, tape recorders have been manufactured,
and people are impressed by these originally.
Prabhupada: So what is the benefit? Without radio, people were dying,
or with radio they are not living?
Upendra: They say they are living more comfortably.
Prabhupada: Nonsense comfortably… They have changed the season? Is
it comfortable? We have to take this cooling machine. What is the
practical benefit? You can say that it is comfortable. That’s all
right. But that does not mean that you have moved the uncomfortable
situation. You are struggling against. That much you can take credit.
Real benefit is not there. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita.
Janma-mrtyu-jara-vyadhi. Real unhappiness is this, that you are: “Why
I am struggling? I don’t want death.” Actually why I am taking massage
and so on, so on? So that I may not die. So where is the scientists’
guarantee, “No, you’ll not die”? Has he any…? You’ll struggle only.
That’s all. The scientists cannot guarantee, “No, you’ll not die.”
That is real guarantee. “You’ll die comfortably.” Hm? Die comfortably?
Now there is no appetite. Where is the scientist, assuring, “Take”?
What actual benefit they have done? They are giving some… Nothing
they have given. It is simply bluff. Things without which we could do,
such things are there. There were no motorcars. There was horse
carriage and bullock carriage. Things were going on. Not that without
this horseless motorcar society would have been vanquished. No. There
are other alternatives. Rather, they were complicated. As soon as you
ride on a car, there is anxiety, especially in your country, so many
cars. When you ride on a car, full of anxiety… At any moment there
may be accident. It is not comfortable. If you are full of anxiety.
Aeroplane may be. At any moment you can die. It is your time only.
They’re going in good faith: “I shall go there.” But before rising to
the sky, finished, crash. So many airplane has been… So where is the
comfort? As soon as you get on the aeroplane, you are in full anxiety
that at any moment there may be crash. Is it not? Then where is
comfort? Real comfort is without anxiety. That is real comfort.
such things are there. There were no motorcars. There was horse
carriage and bullock carriage. Things were going on. Not that without
this horseless motorcar society would have been vanquished. No. There
are other alternatives. Rather, they were complicated. As soon as you
ride on a car, there is anxiety, especially in your country, so many
cars. When you ride on a car, full of anxiety… At any moment there
may be accident. It is not comfortable. If you are full of anxiety.
Aeroplane may be. At any moment you can die. It is your time only.
They’re going in good faith: “I shall go there.” But before rising to
the sky, finished, crash. So many airplane has been… So where is the
comfort? As soon as you get on the aeroplane, you are in full anxiety
that at any moment there may be crash. Is it not? Then where is
comfort? Real comfort is without anxiety. That is real comfort.
…Canakya Pandita has given, real comfort means, arni akyavad(?): “One
who is not out of home and one who has no debts, he is happy.”
who is not out of home and one who has no debts, he is happy.”
Nowadays people are going out of home, and everyone is debtor to the
bank and so many… The economic machine is so made that one is put
always in debts for some so-called comforts, and he’s full of anxiety.
The whole month he has to work to pay debts. (end)
770108mw.bom
Indian man: Second thing is…
Prabhupada: No, first of all you understand this. Then bring second
thing. That you have no duty. Your only duty is to surrender to Krsna.
Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam. That is your only duty. But because
you are under the mental platform, you are creating duties, so but
that also must be finished after certain age. That is compulsory, that
“You are very good, responsible man. All right, do your duty up to
this. No more duty. No more duty.” So this “duty, no duty,” this is
our creation. We are under fully control of the nature. But we have
created our mental concoction: “This is duty. This is good. This is
bad.” That is our mano-dharma. Real dharma is sarva-dharman parityajya
mam ekam saranam vraja. This is real dharma. And everything is
mano-dharma, mental creation
Indian man: Second thing is…
Prabhupada: No, first of all you understand this. Then bring second
thing. That you have no duty. Your only duty is to surrender to Krsna.
Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam. That is your only duty. But because
you are under the mental platform, you are creating duties, so but
that also must be finished after certain age. That is compulsory, that
“You are very good, responsible man. All right, do your duty up to
this. No more duty. No more duty.” So this “duty, no duty,” this is
our creation. We are under fully control of the nature. But we have
created our mental concoction: “This is duty. This is good. This is
bad.” That is our mano-dharma. Real dharma is sarva-dharman parityajya
mam ekam saranam vraja. This is real dharma. And everything is
mano-dharma, mental creation
770322rc.bom 477642/53050
As Krsna says, catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma. There must be ideal
brahmana, ideal ksatriya, ideal vaisya, as Krsna says. That is Krsna
consciousness movement. It is all-inclusive. Economic question? Annad
bhavanti bhutani. Grow food. Practical. Just like when I was going to
the pandals, millions of clerks were coming–“Education. Educated.”
And who is growing food? And they have to be provided in these pigeon
holes and depend on ration. Is that civilization? And throngs of
people are coming, just like machine, ants. Ants are coming. I saw
like that. And go to the village side–all vacant land. Nobody’s
interested to produce food. Everyone is interested to live within the
city, in these pigeonholes, and go to the cinema and go to the
brothel, go to the club and learn how to drink, how to become
gentleman. Is that civilization? Human life’s aim is lost. You do not
know why you are going to the office, why you are eating, why you
are… Keeping them all pet animal’s mentality, doggish mentality.
►770107rc.bom
Prabhupada: No, even from that point of view, I was taking aeroplane.
Aeroplane was flying. So we admit this is contribution of the Western
technology. But it is not safe. But what I am giving, it is safe.
Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato… So our, this contribution
of India’s culture and this contribution, far different. That is not
safe. [western civilization] At any moment you’ll be finished. ….–
Aeroplane was flying. So we admit this is contribution of the Western
technology. But it is not safe. But what I am giving, it is safe.
Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato… So our, this contribution
of India’s culture and this contribution, far different. That is not
safe. [western civilization] At any moment you’ll be finished. ….–
740928SB.MAY Lectures
Therefore Krsna gives His instruction. He’s the supreme ruler. He
gives this order: annad bhavanti bhutani: “You require food grains.”
This is practical. Who will disagree with Krsna, that “We don’t
require food grains; we require bolts and nuts in the factory“? Who
will say? This is practical… But Krsna does not say that
“You open slaughterhouse and industries and brothels and cinema.” No.
Krsna does not say. Krsna says, “Grow more food, rascal! You’ll eat
and become strong.” And nobody is obeying Krsna. Is it not?
Therefore Krsna gives His instruction. He’s the supreme ruler. He
gives this order: annad bhavanti bhutani: “You require food grains.”
This is practical. Who will disagree with Krsna, that “We don’t
require food grains; we require bolts and nuts in the factory“? Who
will say? This is practical… But Krsna does not say that
“You open slaughterhouse and industries and brothels and cinema.” No.
Krsna does not say. Krsna says, “Grow more food, rascal! You’ll eat
and become strong.” And nobody is obeying Krsna. Is it not?