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Old culture

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

So India was so rich. But now how that India has become so poor? The same land is there. Why? Because they have lost that old culture, God consciousness.
Lecture on BG 2.48-49 -- New York, April 1, 1966: And old history you will find that India, they had got their own ships for exporting spices to Greece and other countries of Europe. The history is there. And they were supplying muslin cloth, even just before the British period, Muslim period. So India's export, export, I mean to say, status was far greater than other countries. And these spices and other export attracted persons from Europe, that Vasco de Gama, and the Columbus also wanted to go, but he fortunately came to America. You see? All these Europeans and the Britishers went and established their supremacy. So India was so rich. But now how that India has become so poor? The same land is there. Why? Because they have lost that old culture, God consciousness. You see? And at least my calculation is that, that a state, a secular state... Secular state means he has no... Here in America you have got state religion. You have got state religion. But in India there is no state religion. Every country has state religion. Even Pakistan, it has divided. It is now a part of India. But they have also their state religion. But unfortunately India has no state religion. That means deliberately they are trying to disconnect with God relation, godly relation.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

You'll find in India still, although they are poverty-stricken, because they are continuing that old culture, they are not disturbed.
Press Interview -- December 30, 1968, Los Angeles: The confusion and dissatisfaction is more in your country than in India which is said to be poverty-stricken. You see? But you'll find in India still, although they are poverty-stricken, because they are continuing that old culture, they are not disturbed. Yes. They are dying inch by inch, but still they are satisfied. "All right." You see? Why? Because they have got little tinge of spiritual platform. So it is necessary now that people should take spiritual life. That will make them happy. There is no hope. All these people, they're in darkness. They do not know where they are going. They have no aim. But when you are spiritually situated, you know what you are doing, where you are going, what is your future. Everything is clear. You see?

When India was actually standing on the old culture, they were never defeated.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- November 29, 1975, Delhi:

Devotee (3): Now they write in the mod... I see in the modern textbook in the Delhi schools. They make counterproposal. They said, "Because the Indian philosophy is not so perfect, India has become economically backwards on account of following the..."

Prabhupāda: What economical backwards?

Devotee (3): They say India is very poor country.

Prabhupāda: No. Indians economical backwards because they have given up their own culture. When India was actually standing on the old culture, they were never defeated. Even the Mohammedans, they ruled over India for eight hundred years, but they could not defeat the Indian culture. But the British government are clever. They spoiled the Indian culture. Therefore they are poverty-stricken. Otherwise if India would have continued in his own culture... The Gandhi started the boycott movement. So Indian culture automatically boycotted anything foreign. We know in our childhood nothing foreign-made could be used in some ceremony. Even this cloth, it must be country-made, that, what is called?

Haṁsadūta: Khadi.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

So the whole culture has to be revived. And this is an attempt, humble attempt, to revive our old culture, Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Evening Darsana -- January 23, 1977, Bhuvanesvara: Prabhupāda: In another place, Bhāgavatam, it is said, bhavauṣadhi. Nivṛtta-tarṣair upagīyamānād bhavauṣadhi chrotra-mano-'bhirāmāt [SB 10.1.4]. So this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra is bhavauṣadhi. And one must have faith rigidly. Otherwise.... Kṛṣṇa is the protector. In Bengali it is said, rākhe kṛṣṇa māre ke māre kṛṣṇa rākhe ke: "If Kṛṣṇa wants to kill somebody, who can give him protection?" That faith we are losing at the present moment. We.... In India especially, we are born in a country where God descends as Lord Rāmacandra, Lord Kṛṣṇa, Lord Buddha, Caitanya. Now they are asking, "What is God?" So the whole culture has to be revived. And this is an attempt, humble attempt, to revive our old culture, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We should join together. To this purpose we are attempting to open a center here. And Mr. Pandiya, how long you are here in...?

Correspondence

1976 Correspondence

One third of the world is Chinese speaking, and they are also human, they have a very old culture, so why shouldn't they be benefited by Lord Caitanya's movement.
Letter to Sridhara -- Los Angeles 4 June, 1976: I was very pleased to note that you are willing to go to China as we have just printed a Chinese Bhagavad-gita. I am most eager to see this distributed throughout Southeast Asia to as many Chinese speaking people as possible. For this reason I am sending Trivikrama Maharaja to Hong Kong immediately, and he will be followed by two of the big book distributers on the Radha-Damodara TSKP, being sent by Tamala Krsna Goswami. I wish that you will meet Trivikrama Swami in Hong Kong and combinedly organize distribution of the Chinese Gita profusely. It will be a great triumph. After all, one third of the world is Chinese speaking, and they are also human, they have a very old culture, so why shouldn't they be benefited by Lord Caitanya's movement.
Page Title:Old culture
Compiler:Visnu Murti
Created:17 of Nov, 2008
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=1, Con=3, Let=1
No. of Quotes:5