Risky civilization

Expressions researched:
"risky civilization"

SB Canto 8

People are working so hard simply for bodily comforts, without education regarding the spirit soul. Thus they are living in a very risky civilization.

SB 8.16.19, Purport: Education means spiritual education. To work hard in the bodily conception of life, without spiritual education, is to live like an animal. Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛ-loke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate vid-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). People are working so hard simply for bodily comforts, without education regarding the spirit soul. Thus they are living in a very risky civilization, for it is a fact that the spirit soul has to transmigrate from one body to another (tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ [Bg. 2.13]). Without spiritual education, people are kept in dark ignorance and do not know what will happen to them after the annihilation of the present body. They are working blindly, and blind leaders are directing them. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ (SB 7.5.31).

CC Antya-lila

Human society should be saved from a risky civilization and the danger of animalism by awakening to God consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

CC Antya 4.98, Purport: One who has taken birth in the land of Bhārata-bhūmi, India, should take full advantage of his birth. He should become completely well versed in the knowledge of the Vedas and spiritual culture and should distribute the experience of Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world. People all over the world are madly engaging in sense gratification and in this way spoiling their human lives, with the risk that in the next life they may become animals or less. Human society should be saved from such a risky civilization and the danger of animalism by awakening to God consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement has been started for this purpose. Therefore unbiased men of the highest echelon should study the principles of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and fully cooperate with this movement to save human society.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

This educational institution, universities—there is no department of knowledge how the living entities are working and how they are being transmigrated. A very risky civilization.

Lecture on BG 3.31-43 -- Los Angeles, January 1, 1969: Yes. Just like you are stepping some staircases. You go to the second floor or third floor, but some way or other, you fall down again. So you have to cross again the steps. Do you follow? That does not mean because you crossed all the steps and went to the third floor... Now you have fallen down. You have to cross again.

So there is a regular evolutionary process from trees to worms, reptiles, from reptiles to birds, from birds to beasts, varieties of beasts, and from beasts to human life. These are the stepping stone, evolutionary process. But even if you are human being, if you fall down to the category of the trees, then you have to again go up step by step. You have to come to the form of the worms and reptiles, then birds, then beasts.

Therefore we should not miss this chance. This is intelligence. If I miss this chance, then I do not know where I am falling down again. So there is no teaching. There is no knowledge in the whole world. They are driven out just like animals. This educational institution, universities—there is no department of knowledge how the living entities are working, how they are being transmigrated, they are falling down, how they are... No. A very risky civilization. So people should try to understand this Kṛṣṇa consciousness philosophy very seriously if they at all want their own good.

They do not know. They are thinking, "This is a flickering lamp. Oh, let us enjoy." Very risky civilization.

Lecture on BG 3.31-43 -- Los Angeles, January 1, 1969: From trees, the worms. Do you see from the flower there are some butterflies. You have seen? The flowers generates some worms, and they transform into butterfly. You have seen it. Then gradually they'll become birds from butterfly. And from birds, different birds, then they'll become beast, four-legged. And then the four legs turn into two hands and just like gorilla, monkey. Then he will come to this beautiful form. And if you miss this opportunity, again you want to become butterfly, go on. Who will check you? Become butterfly. Nature will not excuse you. As soon as you want to become butterfly, "Yes, come on. Here is..." (laughter) They do not know. They are thinking, "This is a flickering lamp. Oh, let us enjoy." Very risky civilization. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati.

There is no guarantee that he'll get human body. Therefore it is very risky civilization at the modern time.

Lecture on BG 7.4 -- Nairobi, October 31, 1975: s it that a man becomes a man after the death?

Prabhupāda: No guarantee. Indian man (8): He may go to an animal.

Prabhupāda: Species. He may become a dog, and he may become a demigod also, according to his karma. Mad-yājino 'pi yānti mām. Api. Yānti deva-vratā devān pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ bhūtejyā yānti bhūtāni [Bg. 9.25]. So according to his karma, he gets the next body. There is no guarantee that he'll get human body. Therefore it is very risky civilization at the modern time.

The modern civilization does not care for all these things, and... It is very risky civilization

Lecture on BG 13.5 -- Bombay, September 28, 1973: Human life is meant for achieving knowledge and vairāgya, not that to increase the animal propensities even up to the point of death. That is not human life. Human life is meant for tapasya. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattvam [SB 5.5.1]. Unfortunately, the modern civilization does not care for all these things, and... It is very risky civilization.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Simply for sense gratification, that is going on in the name of advancement of civilization. Actually it is very risky civilization.

Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Bombay, December 26, 1972: Therefore, this artificial civilization for sense gratification is not very good. It is not good for us. We may gratify our senses while we are living, but when we quit this body, we are completely under the grip of material nature. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ [Bg. 3.27]. And when you are on the clutches of prakṛti, you cannot dictate that "Give me this kind of body." That will be decided by superior authority, daiva netreṇa, karmaṇā daiva ne. These are the scientific knowledge, but unfortunately, there is no culture of this scientific knowledge. Superficially, simply for sense gratification, that is going on in the name of advancement of civilization. Actually it is very risky civilization. Suppose after this body, human form of body, if I get the body of an animal or a tree. There is every chance. Wherefrom the tree comes? Wherefrom the tiger comes, the cat comes, the dog comes? There are demigods also. So you can get any form of life.

The Western people, they do not do that. They keep themselves in the modes of ignorance. That is very risky civilization.

Lecture on SB 1.13.10 -- Geneva, June 1, 1974: But don't associate with the modes of ignorance. That is very risky. That is very risky. So at least, either you remain in the householder life or brahmacārī life or, I mean to..., sannyāsa life, you keep yourself always in goodness. Then your position is all right. Otherwise, it is very risky. But these people, the Western people, they do not do that. They keep themselves in the modes of ignorance. That is very risky civilization. So at least you Europeans and Americans, you should know it, and you distribute this knowledge. It is your duty to save them.

There is no training. So, gardulika pravaha.(?) It is going on, very risky civilization.

Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- Delhi, November 28, 1975: "If one cannot give lesson to the children how to avoid death." This is the duty of the guardians, of the government, how to avoid death. Where is that education? So that is the defect of the modern education. There is no training. So, gardulika pravaha.(?) It is going on, very risky civilization.

They have no training, you see. These children, no training. So it is a risky civilization.

Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Boston, May 4, 1968: They have no training, you see. These children, no training. So it is a risky civilization.

So therefore this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is the greatest welfare activity to the human society. Those who are intelligent enough, they should try to understand it and help it as much as possible. Otherwise it is very risky civilization

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Sydney, February 17, 1973: So at the modern age the people are simply kept into ignorance so that they can work like ass and cow and be satisfied. This is the present civilization. And this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is a fight against this civilization, this wrong civilization. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness... the people are being denied their privilege. The human life is meant for getting out of this ignorance of life. But people are being put into ignorance, and their human life is being spoiled. So therefore this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is the greatest welfare activity to the human society. Those who are intelligent enough, they should try to understand it and help it as much as possible. Otherwise it is very risky civilization. People are kept into ignorance. He does not know what is the value of life. He does not know what he is. He does not know what is God. He does not know what is life. He does not know what he is going to become next life. He's completely in darkness. Therefore Bhāgavata says, parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam. So long he does not inquire that "What I am? What is my necessity? Why I am suffering?" Unless one comes to this position of inquisitiveness, whatever he is doing, it is all defeat for him. It is all defeat for him because he does not know what is his position. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is just to giving him the chance to understand himself, and it is very easy, it is very easy.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

So it it a very risky civilization without any understanding of Kṛṣṇa.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.98-99 -- Washington, D.C., July 4, 1976: Without Kṛṣṇa consciousness, everyone—this is a challenge—everyone is low born. Everyone is nīca, badly associated, fallen, and the lowest of the mankind because he's missing the chance of understanding Kṛṣṇa in the human form life, and nobody knows what he's going to be, next life. So it it a very risky civilization without any understanding of Kṛṣṇa. Be careful. Those who have taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, execute the Kṛṣṇa consciousness business very cautiously so that we may not fall down. There is risk of fall down, but if we stick to Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet—mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti—then there is no fear.

Sri Isopanisad Lectures

So if I do not change for the better, then my life is very risky.

Lecture on Sri Isopanisad, Mantra 1 -- Los Angeles, May 4, 1970: So this is a very risky civilization. I may feel very comfortable that "I am a spiritual master," or you may think very comfortable, "I am born of a very rich nation, American," but this status of my life is temporary. I will have to change. I'll have to change. So if I do not change for the better, then my life is very risky. Suppose a healthy man, if he is in the society of contamination, is it not his life is very risky? He may be contaminated and infected by disease any moment. So this ignorance should be dissipated.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Especially women prayed for return of their husband, brother, father. And nobody returned. So they thought, "There is no God. So forget about all these things." People became atheist. So this risky civilization is going on.

Room Conversation with Indian Guests -- March 13, 1975, Tehran: Prabhupāda: Yes, we are in trouble. Even last war, when the trouble was too much, they began to go to the church. Even Churchill. And one gentleman—he is my Godbrother in Germany—he told me, after this war many German men and women became atheist. Everyone went to the church and prayed. Especially women prayed for return of their husband, brother, father. And nobody returned. So they thought, "There is no God. So forget about all these things." People became atheist. So this risky civilization is going on. They don't want to know what is God, neither they want to satisfy Him. And our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is just the opposite, that "Here is God. You satisfy Him." That's all. "Never mind what you are, but by your occupational duty you satisfy Him. That is perfection." This is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

They have dismissed the idea, that there is no life after death, that's all. There is no education. They are kept in ignorance. That is the problem, risky civilization, that people are kept in dark ignorance about the problems of the life.

Evening Darsana -- July 8, 1976, Washington, D.C.: Prabhupāda: He makes his choice. This is an opportunity. And the instruction is there in the Bhagavad-gītā, whether you want again go to the higher planetary system, demigod's residence, yānti deva-vratā devān. Or you want to remain here, bhūtejyāḥ. Or you want to go down. Or you want to go back to home, back to Godhead. That is your selection. Make your selection. So you can do. Either you go again to this human form of life. This opportunity is there. If you want you can go again to the higher planetary system, live there for so many years, and again when your resultant action of pious activities is finished, you again come and become a grass, and again begin... This is going on. But where is the science to understand how the process is going on? Therefore people are kept in ignorance. They have dismissed the idea, that there is no life after death, that's all. (guest leaving ) There is no education. They are kept in ignorance. That is the problem, risky civilization, that people are kept in dark ignorance about the problems of the life.

At the present moment the human civilization is a very risky civilization, so in order to save them from this state of ignorance, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is essential.

Interview and Conversation -- July 8, 1976, Washington, D.C.: Prabhupāda: This is a spiritual movement, and at the present moment people are more interested with material improvement, but our real interest is... Not only our, every human being's interest should be for spiritual upliftment. Just like our body is there, and within the body I am the spirit soul, also I am there. So we are taking care of the body but not of the spirit soul. So the nature's law is that a spirit soul, changing in different position of the body, as we experience in this life, from childhood to boyhood, boyhood to youthhood, similarly, after giving up this body, we'll have to accept another body, and there are 8,400,000 different forms of body. We do not know what kind of body we are going to accept according to our activities and mentality. At the time of death the mentality will ascertain what kind of body we are going to get next. So these things are completely not discussed, neither they have any knowledge. So at the present moment the human civilization is a very risky civilization, so in order to save them from this state of ignorance, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is essential. It is not a sectarian religious movement, faith or sentiment. It is actually scientific movement. Here are many scientists present. They are also taking very seriously about this movement. So we invite all important men to contact us and try to understand the basic principle of this movement, how to elevate the human society to the proper standard of life and become peaceful in this life as well as in the next life.

The people are kept in darkness about the laws of nature. That is a very risky civilization.

Evening Darsana -- July 13, 1976, New York: Prabhupāda: That is the best qualification. If he becomes disinterested with these so-called modern civilized activities, that is the perfection of life. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra caiṣa [SB 11.2.42]. Bhakti means the more you become God conscious, you become disinterested with these material activities. And that is needed, because material activities means you are wasting our time. What is the value of animal life? It is risky. If we become like animal, then we'll become animal next birth. Yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ tyajaty ante kalevaram [Bg. 8.6]. At the time of death, the mind's position will give me another body. That is nature's law. That you do not know. There is no education how the body is being transferred, how the soul is transferred to different bodies. And there are 8,400,000 different forms of body, and at the time of death, according to our mentality, we have to accept by nature's law a type of body which may not be human body. That we do not know. There is no education. The people are kept in darkness about the laws of nature. That is a very risky civilization.

Very, very risky civilization. Keeping the whole human society in darkness.

Radio Interview -- July 27, 1976, London: Prabhupāda: Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma [SB 5.5.4]. Very, very risky civilization. Keeping the whole human society in darkness. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ bahir-artha-māninaḥ [SB 7.5.31]. By material adjustment they are thinking that "Everything we will enjoy."(?) There are two different things, matter and spirit. The spirit requires spiritual food.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

They are taking this short duration of life, making big, big plans, forgetting they're completely under the control of nature. A very risky civilization.

Room Conversation -- February 14, 1977, Mayapura: Prabhupāda: Everywhere, all over the world. It will be a revolution from godlessness to understanding of God. That is wanted. Otherwise the whole human society is suffering. Harāv abhaktasya kuto. This advancement of so-called education has no value. It is very risky. They do not know how the nature's law is working. Rascals. They are taking this short duration of life, māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān [SB 7.9.43], making big, big plans, forgetting they're completely under the control of nature. A very risky civilization. A living being gets the opportunity to understand all the secrets of nature's path, but he's denied the opportunity. Very dangerous He's thinking like animal. Eating, sleeping, that's all. And big, big educationist and in... Like Professor Kotofsky, he said, "Swamijī, after this body is finished, everything (is finished.)" Just see.

Such a risky civilization... The knowledge is there, and people are kept in darkness.

Room Conversation -- April 13, 1977, Bombay: Prabhupāda: It is a dangerous civilization. You... You should... (pause) Dangerous civilization that labdhvā su-durlabham idaṁ bahu-sambhavānte. After many, many millions of years one gets the chance of becoming a human being, especially civilized and especially in India. They will bring the same. And Kṛṣṇa personally says that if this chance is missed and a person does not become God realized, then he again returns back to the..., to the... Today I am a prime minister. Tomorrow, if I become a dog... What is this civilization? And they will have to become. Nature's law we cannot avoid. And there is no question, "Why you are touching me? I am prime minister." Who cares for you? You have to take account of your activities, karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa [SB 3.31.1]. So human life is so important, and we are simply wasting this valuable life with this temporary adjustment of so-called happiness or distress, big, big plans. Simply bluffing. Indira Gandhi, one daridrāṇaṁ hata(?): "Poverty drive away." Now she is poverty-stricken. "Oh, you want to drive away poverty? Now drive away your own poverty. Where is your position? How you can drive away? You do not dare to come out." Twelve nights. Within one day. Who has made this? This is possible for everyone. Why do they not care, this important knowledge? This knowledge is India's knowledge, and India government is callous. They are not interested in distributing this knowledge. Sarasvatī jñāna-khale yathā satī. Just like a person who has got enough knowledge, but he does not give it to others, it is to check the flame. Such a risky civilization... The knowledge is there, and people are kept in darkness. What is this? Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ [Bg. 2.13]. So we are the only friends, within this world, of the human society.