Go to Vanipedia | Go to Vanisource | Go to Vanimedia


Vaniquotes - the compiled essence of Vedic knowledge


Marxism

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 5

SB 5.19.9, Purport:

In this age there are different forms of so-called advanced scientific knowledge, such as anthropology, Marxism, Freudianism, nationalism and industrialism, but if we work very hard under their guidance instead of adopting the process practiced by Nara-Nārāyaṇa, we shall waste our valuable human form of life. Thus we shall certainly be cheated and misled.

Lectures

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung:

Hayagrīva: But he feels that socialism or Marxism, Communism, cannot possibly replace religion in the proper traditional sense.

Prabhupāda: No, it is not religion. It is simply mental speculation—how to adjust material things. It will never be able to adjust it. That is their simply imagination. It will all fail at the ultimate end.

Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung:

Hayagrīva: He feels that a materialistic Western capitalism cannot possibly defeat a pseudoreligion like Marxism. He says that the only way to combat atheistic Communism is for the individual to adopt, to adopt a nonmaterialistic religion.

Prabhupāda: That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It has nothing to do with materialistic "isms." It is directly connect, connected with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. God demands that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām (BG 18.66). So we are teaching that "You, you are servant, but your service is wrongly placed; therefore you are not happy. You place or render the service to Kṛṣṇa, you will be happy." This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We are neither for capitalism nor for so-called Communism, or not for so-called religion also. We are only for Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung:

Hayagrīva: Jung laments the fact that such a nonmaterialistic faith does not presently exist in the West. He writes, "Not only does the West lack a uniform faith that could block the progress of a fanatical ideology"—that is Marxism—"but as the father of Marxist philosophy," because Marx was a Westerner, "it makes use of exactly the same spiritual," so-called spiritual, "assumptions, the same arguments and aims." So he feels that man is desperately in need of a religion that has immediate meaning, and he feels that Christianity is no longer effective in combating this.

Prabhupāda: He has predicted very nice. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, which is above everything, either Christianism or Marxism or capitalism or anything. It is based on Bhagavad-gītā, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). So actually it is a fact. Kṛṣṇa says that if you adopt this principle of life, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then you will remain above all sinful reaction of life and make progress spiritually, gradually.

Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung:

Hayagrīva: "The salvation of the world consists in the salvation of the individual soul. Man's individual relation to God would be an effective shield against these pernicious influences," that is, atheistic Marxism.

Prabhupāda: Yes. At least those who have taken Kṛṣṇa consciousness seriously, they never be converted either by Marxism or this "ism" or that "ism." That is not possible. They can convert the Marxist into Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but a Kṛṣṇa conscious person can never be turned into Marxism. That is not possible. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 9.59). That is explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Because they have seen the highest perfection of life, they cannot be misled by all these third-class, fourth-class philosophies.

Philosophy Discussion on Jean-Paul Sartre:

Hayagrīva: Lately he's turned into a Marxist.

Prabhupāda: Whatever it may be, there is government. In the Marxist, Communist country, there is government, so how you can avoid the government and leadership? That is not possible. Then the society is in chaotic condition.

Philosophy Discussion on Mao Tse Tung:

Śyāmasundara: He thinks in this philosophy, Marxist philosophy, that that is the truth so that he can present slogans to the people in such a way that they become controlled by that truth.

Prabhupāda: What is the value of your slogan if you are yourself controlled? Our point is that if you are yourself blind, how you can lead other blind men?

Conversations and Morning Walks

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Indian Ambassador -- September 5, 1973, Stockholm:

Ambassador: It is Marxist materialism.

Prabhupāda: But Marxist materialism, does it mean a congregation of some fools and rascals?

Ambassador: I think so, true.

Prabhupāda: Does it mean they like that some congregation of fools and rascals? Such a big professor, he does not know, he cannot understand even that there is life after death.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Roger Maria leading writer of communist literature -- June 12, 1974, Paris:

Jyotirmayī: He said all the social forces in India wants to keep their own privileges.

Prabhupāda: So? The communist does not? (French)

Jyotirmayī: He said that in Marxism there is no religious references.

Prabhupāda: But the, what is called, terrorism facility, there is. There is no religious sentiment, but there is terrorism sentiment. Some sentiment is there. (French)

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- November 29, 1975, Delhi:

Harikeśa: Well, lots of people take the Russian philosophy.

Prabhupāda: No, they are exhibiting here in India, but why in Europe, America, they are not taking?

Harikeśa: But there are many Marxists in America. Like on the subway...

Prabhupāda: Many Marxists, there are many capitalists. That is another thing. But why the Russians could not make everyone Marxist in spite of so much propaganda? What is the basic principle of Russian philosophy?

Morning Walk -- November 30, 1975, Delhi:

Ambarīṣa: That's why the Chinese and the Russians don't get along. The Chinese say that the Russians have diverted from Marxism.

Prabhupāda: They will have to divert because both, either Chinese or Russian, these are all rascaldom. It is not perfect system.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- May 7, 1976, Honolulu:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In your article in Back to Godhead about Marx, you call him a nonsense, you call Marxism nonsense.

Prabhupāda: Yes, what is his philosophy? (sic:) Dialectitude?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Dialectic Materialism.

Prabhupāda: So, we have written one Dialectic Spiritualism.

Press Interview at Muthilal Rao's House -- August 17, 1976, Hyderabad:

Hari-śauri: How do you explain the advance that Marxism has made?

Prabhupāda: There are so many "isms." If I go to criticize and study, it will take most of our time. Better positively present what you want. If you like you can take it, that's all. There are so many "isms." When we become animal, then we manufacture so many "isms."

vyavasāyātmikā buddhir
ekeha kuru-nandana
bahu-śākhā hy anantāś ca
buddhayo 'vyavasāyinām
(BG 2.41)

Those who are not fixed up, they have got so many "isms," and those who are fixed up, they have got one "ism"—that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). We are teaching that.

Room Conversation -- November 3, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: I don't think in any other edition such explanation is there. Dr. Radhakrishnan, other this Dada (?) Krishna. Radhakrishnan and Dada Krishna. Tribhir guṇamayair bhāvair ebhiḥ sarvam. Hm. Nābhijānāti mām ebhyaḥ param avyayam. Therefore they cannot understand what is God, especially the communist countries. Completely in ignorance. (Sanskrit) They're thinking that by external adjustment, by following the Marxist theory or Lenin's theory and killing the capitalists, inventing some bogus ways of happiness...

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- August 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually in Communist countries now, Eastern Europe, in the universities, they are cooperating. But why these Bengali Marxists, they are not? The Communists are cooperating.

Prabhupāda: They know that we are the only enemy against their movement.

Correspondence

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Vaikunthanatha, Patita Pavana -- Bombay 4 February, 1972:

Yes, actually this Hindu religion is a dead religion. In India, too, and in Africa, we have been offered many empty Hindu temples to take-over and manage. This Hindu religion has no philosophy, therefore it has died because in this age people have become very much hardened by material living and they are not much interested in sentimental religions like Hinduism. Sentiments are temporary and they always dry up. But what the people really want is a philosophy to give their life meaning and guide it under all changing circumstances—and the only philosophy available nowadays is profit, where is profit for sense gratification, or Marxism, or this -ism or that -ism. But none of these so-called philosophies have proven very successful in satisfying the people. Therefore, there is trouble all over the world, dissatisfaction, and people are taking to the only philosophy left or hopelessness philosophy. But our Krishna philosophy is bringing real meaning and hope to the modern people, we are opening up the dead churches and temples, so we may be certain that because our philosophy offers the substantial basis for everyone's life and the solution to all kinds of problems of miserable material life, that very soon the prediction of Lord Caitanya will come true and all men of the world will find shelter at the Lotus Feet of Krishna.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Syamasundara -- Bombay 1 April, 1974:

Without this division there cannot be any systematic peaceful running of human activities. There must be a very intelligent class to guide the whole population with brahminical qualifications. There must be a class of people to give protection to the people at the time of danger and ordinarily to maintain peace and order, the ksatriyas. There must be a section to produce food and grains sumptuously for feeding both animals and humans without discrimination. Especially cows must be protected by this class. The meat eater class may not be encouraged but if they are stubbornly attached they can eat hogs and dogs or goats or lambs under certain conditions only, but not by maintaining slaughterhouses. Then human society will be very peaceful and everyone engaged in employment without producing any idle brains which only are devils workshops. If England and America as well as France and Germany can understand this philosophy there will be great theistic revolution which will counteract the atheistic philosophy of Marxism. The present communistic philosophy must be countered by revival of the principles of catur varnyam.

Letter to Syamasundara -- Bombay 1 April, 1974:

I understand that some philosophers in Russia are thinking of autocracy with good sense. I am also advocating this philosophy. I have explained many times, the Vedic system of autocracy or monarchy in good training of God consciousness can save the world though less political thieves have failed with Marxism but if in England people can come to Krsna Consciousness monarchy is superficially maintained, and if the next Krsna Consciousness autocrat it will be a great revolution in the political field. Such noble king is not an autocrat but is guided by Brahmins how to rule and see everyone employed in their respective duties as Brahmana, Ksatriya, Vaisya, and Sudra and no one unemployed. There is no question of unwanted upheaval in society.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Jagannatha-suta -- Vrindaban 26 August, 1975:

The article on Marxism is very much appreciated. We can say all these big so-called philosophers are all simply mudhas. Perhaps I am the first to do it. Our philosophy is perfect, and we cannot be defeated by anyone. So it is up to you to learn it and be able to present it nicely. Now you have everything, respect, philosophy, money, temples, books, all these things I have given, but I am an old man and my notice is already there. Now it is up to you all how to manage it. If you cannot increase it, you should at least maintain what I have given you. You cannot accuse me that I have not given you anything. So it is a great responsibility you now have.

Page Title:Marxism
Compiler:Archana, Labangalatika
Created:01 of Dec, 2008
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=1, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=6, Con=8, Let=4
No. of Quotes:19