Hare Krsna-below we put together this series of quotes because of the very first one I read last night before retiring, In this conversation Srila Prabhupada is pointing out that the great Acaryas and sages in India of days gone neglected building skyscrapers and instead focused upon simple living. He asks-why, they were less intelligent? But because their brains were not filled up with this so called material progress nonsense, they were so clear thinking that they left behind to us the clear path back to Godhead. This path does not include building skyscrapers, freeways, incomprehensible economic systems, and the like.But he says who will understand this? So that simple life willbe possible if one is bhakta. Bhaktih paresanubhavo viraktir anyatrasyat. Only by devotion. Not by otherwise.
Hare Krsna
damaghosa das———————————–
Nov 20 1976 Vrndavna room conversation
Akṣayānanda: …Kṛṣṇa will also increase?
Prabhupāda: Hm?
Akṣayānanda: The ability to remember Kṛṣṇa, that will also increase?Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes, if the brain is clear—it is not filled up with rubbish cow dung—then Kṛṣṇa consciousness easy. Yes. Kṛṣṇa consciousness means there is no more material consciousness. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam [Brs. 1.1.11]. That is required. In material existence we have got so many obligations, thoughts (indistinct), and so many things. Bṛthā.eta saba chāḍi’ āra varṇāśrama-dharmaakiñcana hañā laya kṛṣṇaika-śaraṇaSarva-dharmān: Everything give up. That is India’s Vedic civilization. They are not concerned with the material advancement. Simple life. That’s all. And our present leaders, they are thinking that “brainwashed.” They are not deeply thinking, “Why our great sages and ācāryas recommended this life, not the skyscraper life? Why? They were not less intelligent.” They are not thinking in that way.They are thinking that “Because we neglected the skyscraper thoughts, we are so backward.” At least this rascal Nehru was thinking like that. “So finish this.” The Russia is… What is called? Opiate, brainwashed. These things are accepted like that. “It has no value, simply some prejudice and superstition, and they are thinking like that and they are spoiling their material side of life.” This is their idea. “What is this? No meat-eating?”
►740525mw.room Conversations
Prabhupada: Yes, that was Gandhi’s philosophy, village organization. These people, they are attracting villagers to work in the factory, and they are exploiting them…. our philosophy. Make your life successful. By becoming Krsna conscious, you become free from allthese troubles of material condition. This is our education. Don’t be after these motorcars, television, and all nonsense things, sporting, wine, women. Don’t be after these. Simply eat sufficiently, keep yourhealth nicely, chant Hare Krsna, realize Krsna, and go back to home This is our philosophy…
►740527mw.room Conversations … Keep amongst yourself and produce. Produce foodgrain, produce cotton, mustard seed. Self dependent, no use… And we don’t require motorcar. Bullock cart is sufficient. There is no need of going anywhere…
►740527mw.room 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.
740602mw.gen Conversations 364211/530501
Prabhupada: Wasteful, yes. Therefore I say they have no brain. All, they are rascals. Rascal leaders. A little labor in agriculture willbe sufficient to produce the family’s food stock for the whole year. You can stock. You work only three months, and you get sufficient foodfor your whole family.And less nine months, you chant Hare Krsna. Butthese rascals will not do that. They will work hard like ass simplyfor eating. Nunam pramattah kurute vikarma yad indriya-pritaya aprnoti. They will not accept easy life.
►740619rc.ger Conversations Prabhupada: My idea is that all our centers should be self-supported. We do not like that idea that for your support you have to go 100miles to get your bread. That is a very dangerous drawback. You produce your food locally and then support yourself. The main problem is what to eat, where to sleep. So we get some place and support ourself by producing our own food. We have already begun in New Vrindaban, New…, West Virginia, Virginia, and similarly in other centers, we are producing our food, grains, vegetables, fruits and milk. That is sufficient.
►740621mw.ger ConversationsPrabhupada: Most unnatural life. City life, most unnatural.
►760912rc.vrn ConversationsPrabhupada: No, they’re thinking that so many people are coming to the cities, how we shall provide them? That’s a problem. After all government has to supply them rations. Where is so much foodstuff? And if they are not supplied, then there will be resentment. That’s a fact. What they are doing in the city, so many scooter (makes motor sound), going here and there. Actually no engagement. The girls are loitering in the street by dressing. It will become more and more problems, city life.So this is the solution, that they must go backto the village. But they are trained up to enjoy the facilities, so-called facilities, of the city. They are not going to village. But if we can introduce this hari-sankirtana, and if they have little taste, that is success. It’s a great program. And that taste will come–ceto-darpana-marjanam. If he simply becomes little sober that “Iwant to eat, I have to sleep, I want some sense enjoyment and defense.So if I can get easily in the village, why shall I go three hundredmiles away? Just keep in mind the psychology. So that simple life willbe possible if one is bhakta. Bhaktih paresanubhavo viraktir anyatrasyat. Only by devotion. Not by otherwise. Not by artificial means, by manufacturing toilet. Only bhakti. If they get little attachment for Krsna the questions will be solved automatically. And they will be happy. Undoubtedly. That is the Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s first instruction. Ceto-darpana.