Then, as it is stated during the reign of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, kāmaṁ vavarṣa parjanyaḥ (SB 1.10.4). Then nature also will help. If you keep things all right, according to the direction, then nature also will help you. Nature will give you sufficient foodstuff. Vavarṣa parjanyaḥ, kāmam. Whatever the necessities of life, it will be supplied by nature simply by proper pouring of water, vṛṣṭi. Actually, now the whole world is suffering for drought. There is scarcity of rain. And if the rain is stopped for one or two years more, there will be havoc. It is already there, havoc. In India there is famine, because they are more, mostly agriculturists. So there is famine. In other countries they have got industries. But India is not so industrially advanced. So without water, nothing can be produced.
Industrial (Lectures)
Expressions researched:
"industrial"
|"industrialism"
|"industrialist"
|"industrialist's"
|"industrialists"
|"industrialization"
|"industrialize"
|"industrialized"
|"industrially"
|"industrials"
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
You sit cross-legged, not like that. All of you. So a small industry, there are so many motor parts, so many other parts. About 200, 300 items, government is ready to help a small industry. But the government does not know or the leaders do not know that to engage people in such industrial affair means to bring them to the śūdra platform. Śūdra platform. Every government is encouraging people how to become śūdra. But actually, the human society must be divided into four parts. Four divisions: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra. Just like in our body there is division. The head department, the arms department, the belly department and the leg department. You cannot say, "Let there be only leg department. There is no use of head and arms and belly." Will that go on nicely? If your body, you cut off all other parts and simply keep the legs, will that be very nice proposal?
The action of Kṛṣṇa conscious activities will never be lost. That is the purport of this verse. Just like I am doing very large-scale business in my present body. I am earning... Just like Rockefeller, Ford, in your country. In our country also, Birla. There are many big industrialists earning money like anything, hoarding money. But this money, this acquisition or educational qualification... Suppose in this life you become a great scientist, a great scholar, M.A., Ph.D, D.A.C., LL.D., so many titles, and very good opulence, or very good beautiful body, so many material... These are material acquisitions, to get birth in high family, to become highly educated, highly educated, to become very rich, these are material acquisitions. But Śrīmad-Bhāgavata says that all these acquisitions will be finished as soon as the body is finished. The people, they do not know it.
So we have to cooperate. It doesn't matter. One is very intelligent. One is less intelligent. One is less intelligent. The four classes are there. The most intelligent class is the head, brain. And the next intelligent class, the administrator, government. The next intelligent class, the industrialists, merchants. The next intelligent class is the worker. All of them are required. But at the present moment, there is only this mercantile industrialist and worker. There is no brain. How to conduct society? How to become perfect human society, how to fulfill the mission of human society, for these things, there is no brain.
Kāmān means the demands of the body. But we should not take up a civilization which teaches to fulfill the necessities of our life with great labor, kaṣṭān kāmān, because that kind of civilization is existing amongst the hogs and dogs. They are working whole day and night. So perfection of human life is not (to) increase our industrial enterprise or economic development or so many things we are now planning. The perfection of human life is to understand Kṛṣṇa, to understand God. If you have got any objection to speak "Kṛṣṇa" as the name of God—you may have—but actually, if there can be any name of God, that is "Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa means all-attractive. All-attractive. That is defined in the śāstra. So Kṛṣṇa, when He was present as a historical person.
This is not India's business, to imitate how economic development: "Money, money, money, money, money." This is not India's business. India's business is to understand Kṛṣṇa. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. That is India's business. These Americans and Europeans have come here not to see how much you are economically developed, industrially developed. They have got enough of this, enough, more than enough. They don't care for it. The modern young men, they do not like. They are fed up. They have come here to understand Kṛṣṇa. They come here to understand Kṛṣṇa. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3).
There are so many sounds going on. If you remember Kṛṣṇa. And also, pauruṣaṁ nṛṣu. Pauruṣam. You meet so many men in your dealings with this material world. There are many very big, big men. Big, big industrialists, big, big scholars, big, big manufacturers, and big, big bankers. So this is pauruṣam, ode(?) who has attained perfection in the material world. So instead of envying him, if you simply think that "He has attained because he has got little power from Kṛṣṇa." Yad yad vibhūtimat sattvaṁ mama tejo 'ṁśa-sambhavam. Anything wonderful that is done, that is done by any person, pauruṣam, that is also Kṛṣṇa's energy.
And those who are in the modes of goodness, they are brāhmaṇa. Name may be another thing. You may say, "Oh, this person, this man is very intelligent, very moralist." That means he is a brāhmaṇa. Or "This man is very good administrator." That means he is kṣatriya. "Oh, this man is very good industrialist, merchant." That means he is vaiśya. "This man cannot do anything." He is śūdra.
So Lord Kṛṣṇa says that tribhir guṇamayair bhāvaiḥ: "By these three qualities, everywhere, all over the universe..." You must know whenever Kṛṣṇa says something, it is nothing limited. Universally true, He says. When He says sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya (BG 14.4), He claims to be father of all living entities.
Whatever we are seeing, they are simply expansion of Kṛṣṇa's energy. Just like a big merchant, a big industrialist, he has got big, big factories. So these factories, he, one can say that this is Mr. Birla's factory or Mr. such and such gentleman's factory, Tata's factory. But still, although the factory belongs to Tata, the factory is running on by the energy of Tata, but you cannot find, if you want to see where is Tata here, Mr. Tata, that you cannot see. Tata is seen sitting in his room and is pulling button and everything is going on. Similarly, goloka eva nivasaty akhilātma-bhūto (Bs. 5.37). Kṛṣṇa in His place, He is with Rādhārāṇī. He is enjoying playing on His flute. Why He has to do anything? Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). This is Vedic injunction.
The Lord is not taking away to His abode, to His kingdom. It is for you. But if you eat and if you distribute that sort of prasādam to the public, you are doing great service and the public is getting spiritual consciousness, God consciousness. Just establish, just propagate this everywhere. In the hospital, in the charitable societies, in industrial places, everywhere distribute this prasādam and chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa. Just see what is the result.
You want peace? These are the process of peace. But we do not take care of this, what is peace. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). Just we have discussed previously. We should simply acknowledge. There is a process of worship of the Ganges. You have perhaps heard the name of the Ganges River. The Ganges river is the sacred river, Ganges and the Yamunā.
Before the Americans, the Europeans or from other countries, mostly Europeans, they went to America... And the American land was there. The ingredients were there. But because the red Indians, they had no sufficient intelligence, they could not make America like present time. Lack of intelligence. So we are manufacturing so many things industrially, but the intelligence is also given by Kṛṣṇa. Bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhiḥ. The buddhi is also given by Kṛṣṇa. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭaḥ. "I am sitting in everyone's heart." Mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca: (BG 15.15) "From Me, one gets intelligence, memory, and also forgets."
We are completely dependent on Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise why a man is extraordinarily intelligent, another is not? Why this difference?
Especially in a country like India where the population is very big and there is no land available, there must be scarcity of food. Especially the Britishers, they have divided India: Pakistan and Hindustan. So all the food grains are there on the Pakistan side, and in the Hindustan side all the industries are there. So they are fighting. They have no industrial facilities, and they have no agricultural facilities. All policies. They would fight all along. The Britishers wanted that "You have taken your independence. All right, you'll suffer all the time, fighting between your..." This was a policy. So it is going on nicely.
So anyway, the whole world situation is degrading, that people are not producing their own food. This is the problem, real problem. Kṣetra-kṣetra-jña. This example is given. As every man must possess a piece of land... Therefore this... Because it is very common thing, this example has been given. Kṣetra-kṣetra-jña.
So anyone who is simply exploiting the resources of nature, the so-called industrialist, others, they are taking all goods from Kṛṣṇa. Now, suppose you are making some machine. In making machine, you want the iron. But have you produced the iron? Wherefrom you have got the iron?
Therefore, in the human society, because there are three modes of material nature, the classification should be made scientifically according to these three modes of material nature. And that is explained by Bhagavān, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, in the Bhagavad-gītā, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam: (BG 4.13) four classes of men. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra. Brāhmaṇa means the most intelligent class of men who can understand even up to the knowledge of Brahman, brahma jānāti iti brāhmaṇa. And the second class are the kṣatriyas or the administrative class of men, and the third-class are the mercantile class of men, industrialists, traders, agriculturalists. Everything will be explained. And the fourth-class men means workers. They have no intelligence, but they find out some good master and get some money. That's all. So there are four classes.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
They are instructing, If you want economic development, why you are going to church and temple? Just start industry. You'll get money. That is, propaganda is going on. At least, in our country, in India, it is going on. "Forget now God and temples. Just try to imitate America. Overnight become industrialist." But they are not teaching them that America or Western countries, after industrialization, now they are producing hippies. That they do not see. They are seeing one side, that "America and Western countries, they have become so prosperous by industrialization. Let us imitate them. We must have." Actually, India, after independence, should have distributed this spiritual knowledge. Why we should compete with industrialization? They have got also demand for the spiritual knowledge. So India should have given the spiritual knowledge to the Western countries instead of competing with industry. And that is a fact.
The human life is meant for tapasya, self-realization, tattva-jijñāsā. That is the basic principle of Vedic civilization.
In the Vedic, in Mahābhārata, we don't find there is any industrial development or trade development. No. Nothing like that. Why Mahābhārata? Even two hundred years ago, before the British advent, there was no industry all over the India. And they were happy. So it is not that simply by increasing your fruitive activities, karmabhiḥ, you can become happy. No, that is not possible. If you simply restrict yourself for life, inquiring about the Absolute Truth, then you'll be happy. Jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. That is, that is the only business of the human form of life and not working hard like asses and cows. Sa eva go-karaḥ. These examples are there in the... I was giving the example while coming. Who was there?
That is the idea, so that people, educated people, modernized people may not come here. They do not want. That is the policy, I am seeing. They are introducing in the Vṛndāvana area so many industrial things so that the spiritual atmosphere is to be killed. That is the policy is going on. Nobody... The chur..., I mean to say, the temples are neglected. No question of improvement. The whole idea is not to come here: "Please do not come." They cannot say directly, but this is the idea going on.
But this is due to wrong direction of civilization. They do not know what is the aim of civilization. The aim of civilization is to understand Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But they're missing the point.
So Nārada Muni recommends that yad atra, anything you are doing, kriyate. Atra means in this material world, atra. Yad atra kriyate karma bhagavat-paritoṣaṇam. It doesn't matter that you do not understand these Vedic rituals, but you want to develop the economic position of your country by industrial enterprises. Yes, that is also good. That is also good. How? Bhagavat-paritoṣaṇam. If it is conducted for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa, then it is good.
So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement does not say you stop anything. No. Whatever you have got liking, you can do, but bhagavat-paritoṣaṇam. By your work you try to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. This is our proposal. We do not say the negative, stop. No. And it is confirmed in the śāstras, ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhāḥ... Generally, according to Vedic principle, there are four division of karma. Not four; eight division.
So things are very easy. But instead of producing food grains, we are producing Goodyear tires. So how we can eat? Now when there is scarcity of foodstuff you cannot eat the Goodyear tires. But people's attention has been diverted in the industrial activities. They are given allurement, "Come here. I shall give you twenty rupees per day. You give up your agricultural activities. You come in the factory. Produce tire tube, iron stool," and so on so on. So we are violating the orders of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says that produce foodgrain. But we are producing unnecessary things. And therefore you are suffering. Kṛṣṇa is giving very good advice: annād bhavanti bhūtāni. You produce sufficient foodgrain, all over, not only here. Another anartha is this nationalism. Nationalism: "This is America," "This is India," "This is Africa," "This is Australia."
And poor man, also, even they do not require jewelries, but they were not hungry. Everything was complete.
So (reading) "Human prosperity flourishes by natural gifts and not by gigantic industrial enterprises." This is the purport. This gigantic enterprise, industrial, they are called ugra-karma. Ugra-karma. Just like now, New Delhi, there is industry. Every town has got industrial area, and big, big industries are flourishing. Especially when you go from Vṛndāvana side to New Delhi, the first big industry we see—that Goodyear Tire, very big factory. So people are being dragged there that "Come here. You'll get good salary. Why you are working in the field so hard? Come here. You'll get good salary, and..." So they go. But the result is that they are not happy.
Gandhi's movement was to stop this wine, flesh, and as we are prohibiting. But at the present moment, the government is encouraging. It is very regrettable.
(reading:) "The gigantic industrial enterprises are products of a godless civilization." Godless civilization, they no more can depend on the natural gifts. They think by industrial enterprises, they will get more money and they'll be happy. And to remain satisfied with the food grains, vegetables and natural gifts, that is primitive idea. They say, "It is primitive." When men were not civilized, they would depend on nature, but when they are advanced in civilization, they must discover industrial enterprises. So instead of eating on metal dishes, the civilized men should eat on, what is that called, plastic. That's all. Now plastic utensils, not even metal.
There is no need of industry. Because you want some food, nice food, nice milk, nice fruit, that will be produced by nature. You cannot manufacture all these things in the factory. So therefore the..., at the present moment, the big, big factories, they are the activities of the asuras, ugra-karma. All the people are dragged in the city, industrial area, to engage them in the produce of iron bars, big, big iron bars, Tartiron(?) iron industry, and so many other industry. Capitalists, they have drawn all the innocent people from the village. And they think that "We are getting fat salary." But what is the use of fat salary? One side you get fat salary; another side you have to purchase three rupees a kilo rice. Finish your salary. This is going on. Let them produce their own food. Let him have some land. Let him produce his own food. Let there be cows. Let cows become happy.
Generally, it is divided into four classes-intelligent class, administrative class, productive class and worker class, the whole human society. There are certain men who are very intelligent. They are scientists, philosopher, writers, thinker. There are so many department. So similarly, there are politicians, diplomats. Similarly, there are industrialists, agriculturalists and general worker. They are neither intelligent nor administrator, nor producer, but simply worker. You give them some money and they are satisfied. So that is natural division of a society. And you call it by different names. But scientifically the division is already there.
So in human society the central point is Kṛṣṇa, central point is Kṛṣṇa. If we forget Kṛṣṇa, this intelligent class of men, this administrative class of men, these productive class of men, the worker class of men, they're all useless. They're all useless.
This is the division of four orders of life: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. The brāhmaṇa means the most intelligent class of men in the society. Kṣatriya means the administrators, the politicians, the rulers of the society. Vaiśya means the productive class, traders, industrialists, those who are producing money or food, vaiśya. And śūdra means ordinary workers. That is the Vedic social system. And in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13), "The social order, the brāhmaṇa, the kṣatriya, the vaiśya, and the śūdra, they are created by Me." So anything created by God is present everywhere within the universe.
So point is that don't think that the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, these divisions of society are in India only, no. Everywhere. Everywhere there are men who are very intelligent. They are supposed to be brāhmaṇa class. Then less, the politicians, the rulers, kṣatriya class. Then less, the traders, industrialists, they are vaiśyas. And the ordinary workers, they are śūdras.
So formerly, instructions were given to the administrators so that their brain may be adjusted how to rule over the people. Rājendra Mahārāja Parīkṣit-rājendra means the emperor of the world—he was taking instruction at the point of his death. This subject matter we discussed in the last meeting last night that Mahārāja Parīkṣit, King Parīkṣit, was just awaiting his death within seven days.
The thorns the camel eats cut the tongue of the camel, and so blood begins to flow within the camel's mouth. The thorns, mixed with fresh blood, create a taste for the foolish camel, and so he enjoys the thorn-eating business with false pleasure. Similarly, the great business magnates, industrialists who work very hard to earn money by different ways and questionable means, eat the thorny results of their actions mixed with their own blood. Therefore the Bhāgavatam has situated these diseased fellows along with the camels.
The camel also sucks his own blood while chewing the thorny twigs. The thorns that the camel eats cuts the tongue of the camel. And so blood begins to flow within the camel's mouth. The thorns mixed with fresh blood create a taste for the foolish camel, and so he enjoys the thorn-eating business with false pleasure. Similarly, the great business magnates, industrialists who work very hard to earn money by different ways and questionable means, eat the thorny result of their action mixed up with their own blood. Therefore the Bhāgavatam has situated these diseased souls along with the camels."
What advanced? Simply plastic and paper. I see in Japan, all paper, simply papers. All big, big buildings packed up with papers. I was observing from the train all the big, big... What is the contents? Contents means paper. That's it. The house is made of paper. And Japan is considered to be very advanced, and industrialist. Simply outward dress. Actually nobody has got any wealth. The money is also paper. No pearl, no gold, no silver, nothing. But they are satisfied with papers. That's all. Paper house, paper money, paper book, paper everything. Plastic, paper.
Now intelligent person should be anxious that if Kṛṣṇa says, mad-dhāma gatvā punar janma na vidyate. Yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma: (BG 15.6) "If you go to this planet..." Why you are trying nonsensically to go to the moon planet? Suppose you have gone there? What is there? You see piles of dust. That is your explanation.
People will be so much harassed that ācchinna-dāra-draviṇā gacchanti giri-kānanam. They'll be disgusted so much, they will give up their family all of a sudden... Dāra-draviṇāḥ. Dāra means wife, children and bank balance, everything, "Let them go to..." Recently we have seen one big industrialist, he has committed suicide. So people will do that. They'll be so much harassed. This is Kali-yuga.
So in this position of harassment, how the peaceful varṇāśrama can be revived? It is very difficult. It is almost impossible. Therefore this system should be taken. What is this system? Saṅkīrtanair yajñair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ. Those who have got brain, they will worship Viṣṇu. Yajña means to satisfy Viṣṇu. Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyaiḥ. Viṣṇur ārādhyate panthā nānyat tat-toṣa... The whole aim is to satisfy Viṣṇu.
There is no end of ambition. "More money, more money, more money." Nobody is satisfied.
Recently one of our life members—he is a big industrialist—he has jumped from the, what is called, that Daksinasvara(?) Bridge, down to the Ganges. No, Wellington Bridge, I think. So committed suicide. In Western countries also, because there is no end of greediness: "More, more, more, more, more." Ask him that "What will be satisfaction for you?" Oh, there is no such limit. This is rajas and tamas. And some people, they are śūdras. So some political party, by agitation, by propaganda, makes them convinced to accept some way, and they do it. Another party will do another... They have no their own discretion. They elect some president, and again they want to dethrone the president.
For this purpose, bharam udvahato vimūḍhān, big, big adventure, big, big things, they are contemplating, planning. That is called ghora, ghora-rūpa. Here it is called ghora. Śānta-ghora. If you go to some industrial place in a factory, iron factory like Tata's, you will see how they are engaged in ghora activities, horrible activities—after all, you have to eat something—but they have planned a ghora activity, very fierceful, ugra-karma. By nature's way, Kṛṣṇa has given us everything. You can simply work little. You get food grains. Kṛṣṇa says like that. Kṛṣṇa never says that "You open big, big fierceful, horrible industries." You will never find in Bhagavad-gītā. For your livelihood, Kṛṣṇa says very simple method. Annād bhavanti bhūtāni (BG 3.14). Annād. Anna, you produce anna.
So with hard labor, ultimate end of hard laboring is sense gratification. Now, not only in your country, but also in all other countries at the present moment, everyone is trying to make economic development. What is that economic development you have got very good idea: industrialization, high standard of living and so many other things. But the end is sense gratification. The purpose of economic development... It is wonderful for us. We are Indian. When we see... When I was in Los Angeles, there is a freeway. So eight lines of cars running in seventy miles speed this way, and eight miles of lines running cars on the opposite side. And unfortunately one day we had one car which was running at thirty-five miles only, and our Gaurasundara was driving. (chuckling) Immediately he was arrested by the police. Not exactly arrested—stopped. That means you cannot run your car in this way, thirty-five miles speed.
And tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīm. As a minister his association was with very big, big men, maṇḍala-pati. Maṇḍala-pati means very, very big leaders. Actually big merchant, big businessman, big industrialist, big politician, they used to visit him. So he gave of up this company. Sadā tuccha-vat: "Eh, what is this nonsense? What is the use of meeting all these men?" Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā succha-vat. And what they became? Bhūtvā dīna-gaṇeśakau karuṇayā kaupīna-kanthāśritau. Here is the Gosvāmīs' photo. You can see how they have become mendicant. A small loincloth, one waterpot only, that's all, finished, no possession. So why? Bhūtvā dīna-gaṇeśadau karuṇayā. They wanted to show their mercy to the suffering humanity.
Now, you know the silkworm, the silkworm entangles itself in cobweb, and it cannot get out. Perhaps most of you know. And those who are industrialists in silk industry, they collect those cobwebs of silkworms and boil in the water, and the worm dies, and then silk comes out. So similarly, we are manufacturing the cobweb of silk in this so-called society, family, and being attracted in it. It is very good example. And the attraction is aupasthya-jaihvaṁ bahu-manyamānaḥ. Aupasthya means sex, sex, the organ for progenating. That is called aupasthya. And the other important sense is this tongue. So we are attached to this paraphernalia on account of this tongue and on account of that sex genital. That's all.
Feverish condition, one becomes sick, attacked by fever—his joyfulness goes away. He becomes sick. Similarly, our natural position is joy. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt. Kṛṣṇa is joyful. I am part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa; therefore I must be also joyful. That is natural. If my father is black, then I am also black. If my mother is black, I am also black. So our father, the supreme father Kṛṣṇa, is joyful. Don't you see Kṛṣṇa's attitude? Anywhere you see, Kṛṣṇa is joyful. He is not engaged in some industrial work or in some heavy machine making. He is simply playing on His flute. You see? And Rādhārāṇī is there. That is joyful nature. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt.
So this ugra-karma, formerly this ugra-karma was entrusted to the demons. Those who were in the sattva-guṇa, they do not like this ugra-karma. Sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. Rajas-tamo-bhāvāḥ (SB 1.2.19). The... Those who are under the control of rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa, they are engaged in ugra-karma, ugra-karma: industrial enterprise, big, big roads, big, big skyscraper. This is called ugra-karma. So ugra-karma is very pleasing to the ugra-jātis (just like) Hiraṇyakaśipu. What was the trouble between the father and the son? The father was for ugra-karma, and the son, Prahlāda, was for sattvika life. So when Prahlāda Mahārāja engaged himself in sattvika life, not only sattvika, śuddha-sattvika... In the material world there are three guṇas: sattvika, rajasika, tamasika. The sattvika is the best. So, and devotional activity is śuddha-sattvika, where there is no contamination.
So Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, means that nobody can excel Him in richness, in fame, in strength, in beauty, in wisdom, and renunciation. However you may exhibit or manifest your opulences, still it is very insignificant. We can practically experience. Just like this very nice city, perhaps the greatest city in the world, New York, with so many skyscraper buildings, industrial enterprises, everything very opulent. But as soon as you go seven miles or eight miles high by airplane, you will see just like they are matchboxes. You have practical experience. And if you still go high you will find this whole planet just like a point. As you are daily experiencing that so many planets in the sky hanging just like small spots, but they are as big or greater than this planet. So nobody can excel the opulence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is not possible. If you want to purchase the favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead by your material acquisition, it is impossible. It is impossible.
Everything is explained there. So unfortunately, we are forgetting our Vedic culture and we are very much puffed up as if we are advancing. This is not advancement. We learn many industrial houses, commercial houses, they have contributed enough lumps of money to the war fund, defense fund. What for? To burn the money in gunpowder, that's all. But they are not prepared to burn the money in sacrifice. So you have to meet all these calamities more and more. This is the fact. You cannot avoid. The law of nature, the law of God is there. You may deny the existence of God, but the God's agency, Durgā-devi, Candi, is there. Sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana-śaktir ekā chāyeva yasya bhuvanāni bibharti durgā (Bs. 5.44). Durgā, the Goddess Durgā, the material energy, she is working under the direction of Kṛṣṇa.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
So... But why these American boys are frustrated. Their fathers, their grandfathers have got enough money, enough skyscraper buildings, but they are not satisfied. They don't want to work like their father and grandfather. They've left. I have got many students, my disciples, their father, very rich man, industrialist, lawyers. But they don't like.
So this kind, this kind of so-called happiness will never satisfy us. The real happiness which is within, our love, loving propensity for Kṛṣṇa, that has to be revived. Nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-bhakti sādhya kabhu naya. It is not by artificial means one becomes a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. That is not possible. Nobody can become a lover or devotee of anyone else by artificial means unless there is some natural tendency. So that natural tendency for, to love Kṛṣṇa is there in everyone's heart. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is how to invoke that natural tendency to love Kṛṣṇa.
The whole world is disturbed, agitated with so many problems, but for a devotee, there is no problem. Viśvaṁ pūrṇa-sukhāyate. And they are trying, the whole world is trying to become very big man. Somebody's trying to be very big merchant or big industrialist, or minister, or this or that, and others, they are trying to occupy the post of Indra, Candra, devata. That is competition, going on. As soon as there is some competition, even persons, demigods, like Indra, Candra, they become disturbed, and they try to stop it. But a devotee has no such concern. He's not disturbed. Because he's engaged in the service of the Lord, he feels so much happy that he has no disturbance. Viśvaṁ pūrṇa-sukhāyate. Neither he is anxious to occupy any very big post. Because for a devotee, vidhi-mahendrādiś ca kīṭāyate. He knows that "What is this position? Say, for some years, ten years, twenty years, fifty years, hundred years, millions years." It is limited.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
I was minister, I was in a very good position." Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tucchavat. He was minister. Naturally, his associate were very, very exalted persons. Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati, maṇḍala-pati, big, big leaders, big, big merchants, big, big industrialists or something like that, very, very big men. They are called maṇḍala-pati. One who has control over many people, he is called maṇḍala-pati. So who will have control unless he is a very big man? So about these Gosvāmīs it is said, tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tucchavat. They gave up such position, exalted position, tucchavat, "Eh. Insignificant. What is this?" There is no meaning of this. He was not madman, but he gave up. He understood that these exalted posts... They are hankering after, they are trying to capture the big, big post, materialistic persons, laboring so hard, spending so much money. And he already possessed that position, and out of his own, or the inspiration by Kṛṣṇa, he resigned it.
Is there any scientist, is there any philosopher, any great man who can stop being killed by the cruel death? Is there any man? That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham (BG 10.34). "I am mṛtyu." Mṛtyu means death, which takes away everything at a time. Just like "I am very rich man," "I am very big industrialist," "I am prime minister," this, that, so many things. "I am in possession of all I survey. I am the master of my country and everything." That's all right. As soon as death comes, "Oh, I am Jawaharlal Nehru," "I am Gandhi," "Oh! Never mind! Please go away! Finish Stop your all leadership." That is God. You don't believe, you may not believe God, but when death comes you have to believe in God. Let the scientists and let the big leaders and rich men protect himself from death. Then you can say that there is no God. (break) This atheism, denying the existence of God, is not very good. Therefore Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very important. (pause) Prasāda, you have given prasāda? I'll take first of all... (end)
Festival Lectures
They are third class. And the fourth-class men, they are called śūdras. That means they have no other ambition than to fill up their belly also. That's all. They have no intelligence to become brāhmaṇa, neither to become kṣatriya, administrator, or to occupy political powers; neither they have energy to become very rich businessmen or industrialists. Therefore they are called fourth-class men.
So that division is there all over the world. Either you name differently, but these four classes of men are there, either in India or in America or Hawaii or Japan or anywhere. If you divide all people, they will..., you will find one class of men: they are not interested with this opulence of material happiness. They are seeking-philosophers, learned scholars, scientists, religionists, reformers. Their business is different. So naturally, the brāhmaṇa class of men, they are not very rich.
So Dr. Bose liked that dress, khādar dress. He told me one day that "Out of your whole Gandhi's movement, I like this khādar only." Dr. Bose said. And why? "No, because this will give impetus to industry. This hand spinning will gradually give impetus to India." Actually that happened. He was himself an industrialist. Actually in India the chemical industry was given birth by Dr. Kartik Chandra Bose. He was very important man. He started this Bengal Chemical.
So 1922 I met my Guru Mahārāja through the exigency of my intimate friend, Mr. Narendranath Mullik. And I would not go. He told me information, "There is a nice sādhu. Let us go and see." I did not like very much these sādhus in those days, national spirit. So I said, "I have seen many sādhus. They come at my father's care. I was not very much pleased with their behavior." So he dragged me forcibly: "No, I have heard this person is very exalted." So I went.
Arrival Addresses and Talks
So first of all I must thank you all for bringing me in this new temple, because when I first came my ambition was to start temple here in New York, and I was seeking the opportunity living in the 72nd Street. There was a house, very small house, one part of this space-25 feet by one 100 feet. So they wanted $100,000. So I wrote one rich friend in India, industrialist—perhaps you know him, that Kanpurwalla, Singaniya. So he agreed to pay me, but the government did not allow. The Indian government did not allow to transfer money from India to here. Then I approached the, what is that? Salvation Army, the chief man. I offered him that "You are spending money in India. So I have got a friend, he'll pay you, you pay me here." So he asked me "What is the rate you want to pay me?" So I told him, "The present rate is five dollars..., five rupees, one dollar." So he remained silent. That means he wanted more. In this way I had no place.
General Lectures
So we Indians, we should know that we cannot imitate the Western countries. They are far advanced. So far materialistic way of life is concerned, you cannot compete with them. Just like some years before there was industrial exhibition in India in which the government was very proud to show that they are manufacturing cycle and sewing machine. When Western part of the world, they are manufacturing so many complicated machineries, we are proud of manufacturing cycle and sewing machine. Similarly, in every respect... In medicine also, there are so many laboratories in India, but still, seventy-five percent of the medicines are imported from foreign countries, because they are lagging behind. So my point is that in every country, in every human society, there is a special qualification.
Unfortunately, the present policy is that students are being taught to forget their old Vedic culture and try to imitate the Westernized way of life, industrial life, technical life. That is being encouraged. But here I find that the young men and young girls and boys, both, they are very much interested about Indian original culture of spiritual life. Recently, you know, some yogi came, and he simply bluffed so many people that "If you pay me thirty-five dollars, I will give you one personal mantra, and you will be in transcendental life," or so many things. So thousands and thousands of European boys and girls, as well as in America, they flocked together, but later on, they were frustrated. That means while the Indian youths are coming to the Western countries for advancement of technological knowledge, the Western boys and girls, they are hankering after spiritual life. This I have very particularly studied. I am here, not in Canada, in America. I came here in 1965, and I am studying the mind of the younger generation especially.
They love Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa went to... Kṛṣṇa was a cowherd's boy, and with His friends, other cowherd's boy, He used to go with His cows in the pasturing ground the whole day. That was the system. Because people at that time were satisfied with land and cows, that's all. That is the means of solution of all economic problems. They were not industrial, they were not servant of anyone. Simply get production from the land and take milk from the cows, the whole food problem solved. So Kṛṣṇa used to go to the pasturing ground, and the gopīs at home... They were girls or women. They... Women or girls were not allowed to work. That is the Vedic system. They should keep at home, and they should be given protection by the father, by the husband, or elderly sons. They were not meant for going out. So they kept themselves at home. But Kṛṣṇa was, say, miles away in the pasturing ground, and the gopīs at home thinking, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa's feet is so soft.
This is the Sanskrit meaning, ārya. And śūdras... Aryans are divided into four castes. The most intelligent class is called brāhmaṇa, and the less than the brāhmaṇas means those who are administrators, politicians, they are kṣatriyas. And next to them the mercantile class, traders, merchants, industrialists, less than the administrative class. And less than that, the śūdras. Śūdras means worker, laborer. So this system is not new. It is everywhere. Wherever there is human society, these four classes of men are there. Sometimes I am questioned why there is caste system in India. Well, this caste system is there. It is by nature. Bhagavad-gītā says, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ: (BG 4.13) "The four classes of men are there. That is My law." How they are four classes? Guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ. Guṇa means quality, and karma means work. If you have got very nice quality, intelligence, brahminical qualities.
Just like you are advanced in material prosperity than other country. Does it mean that you are satisfied? Why there are hippies? Why there are so many frustrated youngsters? The richest country in the world. That, this richness of material world, the rascals, they are following that "If we become like America and some industrial, we shall become happy." That is rascaldom. Actual happiness is how you learn to love God. Then you get happy. That can be achieved without any material advancement. Anywhere you can have, without any expenditure, without any effort, without any education, without any knowledge. Simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and you develop that love. This is the highest service to the human society. Just try to understand. Everyone will say, "Oh, I am now satisfied, fully satisfied. I don't want. No more stealing, no more pick-pocketing, no more cheating, because I have no want. Why shall I cheat? Why shall I cheat?"
That means, that is the business of the administrators, government. So brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, then vaiśyas. Vaiśyas means productive class who are interested in producing things for consumption by the people. Mercantile class, industrialists, they are called vaiśyas. And the last class, fourth class, they are called śūdras. Śūdras means that they are neither intellectual, nor they're administrator, nor industrial or mercantile, but they can serve others. That's all.
So it is said that kalau śūdra sambhava. In the modern age, people are being taught in the university to become śūdra—neither brāhmaṇas nor kṣatriyas nor vaiśyas, generally. Because after education, they will have to seek after some service. He becomes a great technologist, but unless he gets a good job, his whole education is spoiled. You see? So therefore, in the Vedic śāstra it is said, in this age people are almost all śūdras. Kalau śūdra sambhava.
We have to eat what is offered to Kṛṣṇa. Yajña-śiṣṭāśinaḥ santo mucyante sarva. Yajñārthe karmaṇo 'nyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ (BG 3.9). If you simply work for Kṛṣṇa... That is called karma-yoga. One who is working simply for Kṛṣṇa, he is karma-yogī. You have got tendency to work. You have got tendency to flourish yourself by advancing industrialism. That's nice. You go on, do it. We don't forbid it. But do it for Kṛṣṇa. Make Kṛṣṇa center. That is the whole teachings of Bhagavad-gītā. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). You offer... Kuruṣva tad mad-arpaṇam. Yat karoṣi. "Whatever you do, it doesn't matter. Whatever you eat," yat karoṣi yaj juhoṣi, "whatever you sacrifice, whatever you give in charity, give unto Me." Kuruṣva tat mad-arpaṇam. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
So this is the beginning, as I have told you. Parābhava. Without understanding our relationship with the Supreme Lord, whatever we are creating by our industrialization, economic development or so on and so on, it is all defeat, because we are losing the chance. Lord Jesus Christ also said in one place that "If we are lost of our souls and if we gain the whole world, then what is the gain?" Actually that is the fact. We are losing ourselves. Suppose after making huge amounts of money in the bank balance, and if I die and if I take birth in the next life as a cat and dog, then what is the benefit of amassing such a huge amount of bank balance? We should understand this. Therefore unless we inquire about the Brahman or the Absolute Truth, then whatever activities we are performing without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, without the knowledge of the Brahman, then they are all defeat.
"Take it immediately." Vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau (Bs. 5.33). Therefore Vaiṣṇava is vāñchā-kalpataru. He can fulfill all the desires of our life because he can deliver Kṛṣṇa.
So in our paramparā system we are trying to create some Vaiṣṇavas in the world. There are many industrialists, many scientists, many philosophers, many politicians, diplomats, and leaders—so many things. They are trying also to solve the problems of the world in different ways, but they cannot do anything. It is impossible. They cannot do anything. They are themselves blind. They do not know actually what is the objective of life. So what they can give you? They can simply create problems. That's all. Ugra-karma. By engaging you in pungent, karmī activities, life becomes most miserable.
So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is a, a spiritual movement. It is reformatory movement, inclusive all sides of life. Don't think that we are simply chanting and dancing. Our philosophy includes all different activities of humankind, either it may be religious or political or social or cultural. Anything. Industrial—everything. So my request is that this movement was started in your country, and these American boys and girls, they have taken it seriously. So kindly cooperate with this movement, and you'll be happy. That is my request.
So it is a great science. It is not sentiment. It is a great science. And anyone can achieve this benefit in this human form of life. Anyone. It doesn't matter what he is, provided he is serious about getting out of these material clutches and regain his spiritual life. That is possible. So Vedic civilization is aimed at this point. Therefore you don't find in the Vedic civilization industrial enterprise or so many material activities. But they were concerned how to get out of these material clutches and regain our original position. That is called mukti, liberation. Liberation means to be situated in our original position. We are part and parcel of God. God... Just like gold and part and parcel of gold is also gold. Therefore the Vedic literature says that "You try to understand that you are also Brahman. God is Supreme Brahman; you are also Brahman. And mold your life as Brahman." So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is how to mold this life to understand that we are all Brahman and our original source is the Parambrahman.
Everything is required in the social body. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). So this scientific social system, a class, intelligent class of men, should be the head of the society. And the fighting class or the martial class of men, they should be the administrators. And the productive class, merchants and industrialists, they should be the belly of the society. And the laborer class, they should be the legs of the society. This is the idea we get from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
So if we try to follow the already perfect statements in the śāstras, and if we apply in the, our practical life, then the whole human society will be perfect. Otherwise, if we do not follow the instruction which is perfect, already there in the śāstras—we manufacture or concoction—the social order will never be perfect and there will be always a confusion. And that is going on. I have seen. I have traveled all over the world, especially in America.
Philosophy Discussions
Prabhupāda: Yes. But one who knows how to earn money very easily, and one may not know. That is culture. That is culture. One man is sitting in one place earning daily one lakhs of rupees.
Śyāmasundara: So big industrialists and field workers are two different species of men.
Prabhupāda: Not species, class. Jāti.
Śyāmasundara: Jāti. So when you say 400,000 species of human life...
Prabhupāda: It is difference of culture.
Śyāmasundara: It's different from what we think of as species.
Prabhupāda: Culture.
Prabhupāda: Yes. You and your brother may be of the same type of body; there may not be a different, same type of consciousness.
Śyāmasundara: But you just said, for instance, the industrialist and farmers are two different species of men, but there could be a Negro industrialist...
Prabhupāda: I already said that. Why don't you listen? Species, definition of the scientists is different from ours. We say class.
Śyāmasundara: I'm trying to understand, because you said class but then you also said bodies. Negro bodies are different from white Caucasian bodies.
Prabhupāda: Maybe difference of bodies. But that does not...; therefore our classification on the basis of soul. The soul is equal. In spite of different types of body, the soul is one. There is no change of the soul. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that he does not see the species or the class or definition. He sees one: paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). Paṇḍita, one who sees to the (indistinct), the soul, he does not find any difference of these species or (indistinct). This is our point.
Karandhara: So Darwin and similar material scientists, they have no information of the soul, but yet they're...
Prabhupāda: Yes. So if I cannot give good food, good dress to my family... The same thing, I am working so hard, another man is working as laborer, I am scientist so my wife and children with the same dress and he is this, so I am losing my interest. And that is the position (indistinct). They are all impractical.
Śyāmasundara: He says that industrial and scientific work is the highest point of activity.
Prabhupāda: That's all right, but the... Unless the scientist and the industrialist get sufficient profit for himself, he will be reluctant to work for the state.
Śyāmasundara: Their goal is the production of material goods for the enhancement of human well-being.
Prabhupāda: The human well-being means if you don't agree to me, I cut your throat, that's all. This is (indistinct). I am thinking in my way: human well being. Just like Stalin, he was thinking in his own way, human well-being, but anyone who disagrees with him, cut his throat. This is (indistinct). Lenin also (indistinct) like that.
| Page Title: | Industrial (Lectures) |
| Compiler: | Mayapur, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 28 of Oct, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=60, Con=0, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 60 |