Prabhupāda: We do not take, the philosophical side is not primitive then why they are reading Bhagavad-gītā and Vedas there are many scholars they appreciate. German people appreciate. Hitler was too much fond of Vedic civilisation he therefore marked his flag swastika. Why mark is there? That is appreciation. And still by comparison the idea of modern civilisation and the ideal presented there, one must have appreciation.
The social structure of Vedic civilisation, brāhmaṇa kṣatriya vaiśya, it is very scientific. If it is not scientific then why modern young men they are accepting it as nice? So by accepting Kṛṣṇa consciousness you’re going back to primitive stage? Or making advancement?
Karāndhara: Well so far as. If we consider dismantling the industrial pathological. (indistinct) the advancement? They are convinced they must have a newer newer machines, newer newer technology, newer newer medicines, more and more research. They considered this as manifest. (indistinct).
Prabhupāda: More and more researching means whatever you are doing that is imperfect. And with their ideas not everyone agrees. And why the section known as hippies they are not taking part in it? They are also born in this country.
The western tendency is always not to accept Vedic authorities. And imitating them Indians are also now declining to accept the Vedas. Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement are based on Vedic authorities. If people do not accept Vedic authorities then our movement has no sound foundation.
Devotee: (indistinct) very difficult.
Prabhupāda: Eh?
Devotee: To accept another authority other than your own, the process involved is very difficult.
Prabhupāda: No we have to accept in consideration of facilities or. Good and better, which is better?
Devotee: Wouldn’t a person have to be (indistinct) process before he could accept the process of Vedic authority at all?
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Devotee: Well already people are doing that.
Prabhupāda: At least one who is accepting (indistinct) the Vedic authorities.
Karāndhara: One of the main reasonings would be, why should we accept ancient Indian or Vedic history when look what has happened to India?
Prabhupāda: Hm?
Karāndhara: They’ll say look what's happened to India.
Prabhupāda: Yes, you’re actually looking, your generation are going there, looking something better in India. Everywhere, Europe and America they want to go to India. Your forefathers also wanted to go to India, Columbus, why? Why they were (indistinct) big big authors write that if you want to know philosophy, religion you must go to India but still they write.
Karāndhara: Those who are not so interested in philosophy they go to India and they say look how much poverty there is. If this is the result of the culture why should we follow this culture?
Prabhupāda: (laughs) actually they do not go to see the poverty. They go to see Indian culture but when they go at the present moment they see, they are poverty stricken. That is the position, actually they go for to see something better. Poverty stricken, there are many other countries less than India. Why do they not go there? Why do they not go Africa? Why do they go to India?
Karāndhara: Well either one, they’ll say, just like why should we accept the African culture?
Prabhupāda: Africans they have no culture. In Africa they go to see the animals, not for culture. But they go to India for (indistinct) our that God brother in Germany when he first came to India, so he said that I have come to India for understanding God, he said. I’m speaking to 40 years ago.
Devotee: India is also very insanitary, materially (indistinct) so people are not so inclined (indistinct)
Prabhupāda: Well materially India is not advanced like the Western countries.
Karāndhara: Most scientists aren’t so. Aren’t very philosophically disposed. We tell them of the super excellency of the Vedic culture and they will say "well look at India now".
Prabhupāda: India now, means they have given up Vedic culture. For the last one thousand years being foreign dominated they have lost their culture. They have been taught. Britishers especially from the very beginning they schooled. They used to teach that you had no civilisation after the Britishers came here you are becoming civilised. That was their propaganda. And they became victim to this propaganda. The higher circles began to drink wine, hunt after prostitutes, regularly it was propaganda.