Jan 7 1977 Bombay.
Prabhupāda: We are increasing. There is opposition against our movement, and still, we are increasing.
D. D. Desai: When you say, “We are poor…”
Prabhupāda: No, no, so-called poor.
D. D. Desai: That’s it. Because the other day when I was reading Howard Hughes and his billion-dollar life, and then also Poli(?), I can say this much, that some of our poorest of Indians are far better off than these gentlemen.
Prabhupāda: Yes, culturally we are better off. Materially, we are certainly very poor. But because we are culturally advanced, even the actual poor man, he does not feel that he is in poverty.
D. D. Desai: Yes, that is the case. That is… There is a basic grace in poverty.
Prabhupāda: That is…yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ manyate nādhikaṁ tataḥ yasmin sthite guruṇāpi duḥkhena na vicālyate [Bg. 6.20-23]This is culture. “So long I have got money, I am very happy.” No! “If there is not a single farthing, still, I’ll be happy.” That is real culture. That can be done That is possible when one is Kṛṣṇa conscious. Yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ. Just like Dhruva Mahārāja. He went to the forest to ask Kṛṣṇa to give him a very nice kingdom, but when he met Kṛṣṇa, Nārāyaṇa—He wanted to give him benediction—he said, svamin kṛtartho ‘smi varaṁ na yace: [Cc. Madhya 22.42] “Bas, no more vara.” So we have got such things. Guruṇāpi duḥkhena na vicālyate [Bg. 6.20-23]. Never disturbed. That is culture. And “So long I have got money in the pocket, I am very happy”—that is dog civilization.
760814rc.bom Conversations 446983/530501
Prabhupada: :So people are being trained up to become mad, pramattah. And do anything, bring money.This is the modern civilization. Nunam pramattah kurute vikarma. Things which are forbidden, they are doing that. Why? Indriya-pritaya aprnoti, only for sense gratification. They have no other ambition. Bring money and gratify senses. This is modern civilization. This is the exact explanation–nunam pramattah kurute vikarma. Black money, white money, this money, that…, never mind, bring money. Indian Doctor: (laughter) By any way. Prabhupada: Yes, this is modern civilization. Big man, big rich man means bring money some way or other. This is big man. This is Kali-yuga. Because if you have got money, you have got respect, you have got honor, you are recognized. So therefore they are after money.Bring money, that’s all right. When I shall get money, I may have doneblack money, force money, this money, nobody will remember it. Bas.This is modern civilization. Bring money and enjoy sense. Nunam pramattah kurute vikarma. What for it is, struggle so much working
►760731r2.par Conversations … little cottages, grow little vegetable, little barley or wheat and milk. That is sufficient. We don’t require much. We don’t want luxury. We want just to subsist. Yavad artha prayojana. We hate the idea of luxury, unnecessary.
June 22 1969 New Vrndavana
So our main business is how to improve Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We should not divert our attention in any other material condition of improvement. That is actually not improvement. It is simply illusion, that “I am making improvement.” What improvement? Suppose you are earning now, say, five hundred dollars per month. If you earn, say, five million dollars, so then what? Will you eat more than four cāpāṭis? (laughter) You’ll eat the same four cāpāṭis. And you’ll occupy the same six feet bed. You may acquire the whole property of West Virginia, (laughter) but you’ll have to lie down on six feet. (laughter) That’s all. And you’ll have to eat four cāpāṭis. So this is māyā. This is māyā, “I am improving.” What you are improving? You’ll not be taller. You’ll not be great eater, nothing of the sort. Whatever you have already, you’ll have so the same thing. You see?
►740527mw.rom Conversations
Prabhupada: Yes, it will go on, but when they will see that your ideal community is better than city life, people will take to it. Param drstva nivartate. When one gets a better standard of life, naturallyhe will give up the lower standard of life.Some Conclusions–Srila Prabhupada notes in the above quotes about simple living and not living in the lap of luxury which is opposed to Krsna Consciousness. For those who are devotees this instruction will appeal to them but for those who are more materialistically inclined- it is like poison.
Hare Krsna–damaghosa das
some of the fall harvest