Prabhupāda: But the living entity has become so foolish, that he does not understand how he can be benefited. Therefore he is not even interested to know.)
Prabhupāda: Just like Bhagavad-gītā, (Translated from Hindi: In Bhagavad-gītā it is stated,) manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3). So they are not interested. They are simply interested "Eat, drink, be merry and enjoy." Then? You were telling one, the other day, that "First of all, let us become rich like Americans, then we shall talk of Kṛṣṇa." When they go to preach about Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the people say that "We shall think of Kṛṣṇa later on." In India also they say like that, that "We are now poverty-stricken. Let us first of all become rich, and then we shall think of Kṛṣṇa." They say like that. They are not interested. They think to become rich is more than understanding Kṛṣṇa. That is the position. Therefore they are not interested. They say frankly that "We are not interested. Why do you bother us?" Just see. They say: "Why do you bother us? Why do you come here to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness?" How much difficult it is you can just understand. They are not ready to hear about it, and our leaders say, "All the śāstras, now throw away in the water."
Mrs. Patel: Do you think the deep-rooted Indian culture and religion will ever have a sort of a degradation, or will it continue?
Prabhupāda: Continue, because if you remain like animals, it will continue. If you become human being actually, then it will stop. But we want to continue as animals. That is the present position. The present civilization is very strong animal platform.
- yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke
- sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma-ijya-dhīḥ
- yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicij
- janeṣv abhijñeṣu sa eva go-kharaḥ
- (SB 10.84.13)
Go-khara. Go-khara means animal. Go means cow, khara means ass. So yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke. Anyone who is thinking that "I am this body composed of kapha-pitta-vāyu," sa eva go-kharaḥ, "he's animal." Now analyze everyone. Everyone is thinking that "I am this body." "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am this," "I am that," all in the bodily concept of life. So if you continue this bodily concept of life, then you remain animal. And if you take Kṛṣṇa's instruction, Kṛṣṇa's first instruction is . . . find out this verse:
- aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ
- prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase
- gatāsūn agatāsūṁś ca
- nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ
- (BG 2.11)
This is paṇḍita. Who does not think seriously about this body, he is paṇḍita. And everyone is thinking seriously about this body, then who is paṇḍita? All sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13), all cows and asses. If you keep yourselves as cows and asses, then where is civilization? What is that called? Hmm? Find out this verse.