Everyone should grow his own food–SP

So let us try to make an attempt to organize a New Vrindaban scheme, and I shall request all my students to develop this idea and show a good example to this Western part of the world where people are always engaged in ugra-karma, asuric-karma.”
Everyone has to earn his livelihood by agriculture,..”
Every man must possess a piece of land..”
The first necessity is that you should be self-sufficient. That is God’s arrangement.”
There are so many land. Come here and grow food. Grow fruit. That is… That is the desire of Krsna. Annad bhavanti bhutani. Produce food and eat in sufficiently, be strong, and chant Hare Krsna. That is our philosophy.”
When men are uncivilized, they do not how to grow food, they kill animals in the jungle and eat. When they are civilized, they know how to grow food now and the nice food grains, fruit, flowers”
There is a proverb: agriculture is the noblest profession. Is it not said? Agriculture is noblest, and Krsna was farmer, His father”.
I wish to introduce this ideal now. Then if we are successful this cheating civilization will stop.”
The beginning of life is how to become cent percent obedient to guru.”
We want two favours. One from guru, one from Krsna. That’s all. We don’t want anyone’s favour. “
Hare Krsna-below and above we have compiled some quotes and realizations based upon these quotes and the application in our personal life of these quotes or instructions by Srila Prabhupada. Everybody knows-chant Hare Krsna and be happy. How that instruction was to be applied as the days move more into kali yuga can be found within this article.
Hare Krsna
damaghosa das
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Srila Prabhupada explains why everyone should grow their own food—this is to be done gradually- because for so many lifetimes we are addicted to city living
May 28 1974 Rome
Yogeśvara: Śrīla Prabhupāda, the way you’ve been describing our solutions to the problems of the world, they seem to be on two levels. One is the extended solution, that is to say, the ultimate solution of Kṛṣṇa conscious.
Prabhupāda: No, there is no question of extended. You keep yourself in a limited solution. And then, when it is appreciated it will be automatically extended. You don’t touch the extended. You become ideal civilized man. Others will follow.
Yogeśvara: Well, for example, ultimately, we want to live locally. These cities are not necessary.
Prabhupāda: No, you make the best use of a bad bargain. We shall depend more… Just like in New Vrindaban. They are coming to the city for preaching. So not absolutely we can abstain immediately because we have been dependent so long, many, many lives. You cannot. But the ideal should be introduced gradually. And make it perfect more and more and more and more. But there is possibility. Possibility if you live locally and make your arrangement, you get your foods… The real necessity is, bodily necessity is, eating, sleeping, mating and defending. This is necessity. So if you can eat locally, you can sleep locally, you can have your sex life also locally and you can defend locally, then what is the wrong? These are the necessities. We are not stopping this. We are not stopping, “No more sex life.” That is nonsense, another nonsense. You must have. Marry. That’s all. So you can marry locally and live. Where is the difficulty? Defend. If somebody comes to attack, there must be men to defend. And eating and sleeping. Where is your difficulty? Manage locally, as far as possible. After all, these are the necessities of body. So it can be solved locally. Is it impossible? To solve the bodily necessities? What do you think? Is it impossible?
This one below Srila Prabhupada is telling us how everybody in kali yuga is lazy, all sudras, and nobody wants to work. And then so much land is then laying fallow-empty of food growing there.
March 12 1974
Make a small unit of community and show ideal life, not idle life. Ideal life. Then this mis… That… Now in Bombay, they have refused. Because they are under the impression that “They, these Europeans have come here under some sentiment, and what is the use?” They have taken some plea and rejected our… [break] …is there. As we are making counterpropaganda against māyā, the māyā is also very strong. She will also make propaganda against you, very strong. So unless you become very sincere devotee, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā [Bg. 7.14], then it will not be possible to conquer over māyā. You’ll be succumbed. Hare Kṛṣṇa. [break] …taranti te, mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. In India the, the brāhmaṇa class, they say, “Oh, I am born in brāhmaṇa family. Why shall I do this work?” You see. Therefore the whole society has gone to hell. In your country still, they accept any kind of work. It doesn’t matter. And here, in India, if he happens to be a brāhmaṇa, he’ll not take any kind of work. Means… Just like plowing. He’ll not agree. Therefore so much land. The kṣatriya is thinking, “I am kṣatriya.” The brāhmaṇa is thinking, “I am brāhmaṇa.” And the land is lying fallow. There is no production. He will go to the office and fight with the pen as a kṣatriya. And instead of studying Vedas, he’ll study the rules and regulations given by the office. But he’ll not come to plow. Therefore this scarcity of food. He’ll go to a mill to work as ordinary laborer. (Hindi) He’ll not come. So much land we see lying unutilized. And they’re crying for grain.
The above conversation Srila Prabhupada is telling us that everybody-be he a so called brahmana, ksatriya vaisya or sudra-nobody wants to work growing their own food. He says the so called brahmanas will work in some office and study the rules of that job, but to the plow he will not come-and so much land is laying empty. The ksatriya will fight with a pen, the brahmana will study office rules and regulations, but to the plow, neither of them will come!! So to me this means that he wants everybody to grow their own food and stop wasting time doing useless occupations meant to only make others rich. This is an emergency situation right now with the vast majority of the population (95%) living in cities and only 5% living out of cities and many of them not even growing food ! We all know kalau sudra sambhava-in this age everybody is born a sudra. Only by samskara does one elevate himself beyond that status. So if we get the brahmana threads around our neck, and we still are not doing the actual day to day work of a brahmana, then we are brahmanas in name only. One has to work and be qualified in that occupation to be called a brahmana. Prabhupada used the example of a lawyer-he gets the law degree, but if he doesnt work as a lawyer, then he is not a real lawyer. So why the strong emphasis above by Srila Prabhupada for all the castes-brahmana ksatriya Vaisya sudra if none of them can “come to the plow”. He says they all will refuse to do this kind of work. And what is the result of that?
So much land laying vacant and food prices only on the rise as less people grow food and more people have to eat. In emergency times the actual brahmanas can do the work of vaisyas if nobody is doing that, or the work of a ksatriya, but he never accepts the position of servant to anyone else, like the sudra.
June 6 1974 Geneva
So anyway, the whole world situation is degrading, that people are not producing their own food. This is the problem, real problem. Kṣetra-kṣetra-jña. This example is given. As every man must possess a piece of land… Therefore this… Because it is very common thing, this example has been given. Kṣetra-kṣetra-jña.
So as we till our land and gets foodstuff according to my labor, according to my intelligence... Food grains I can produce once twice, thrice, if I work hard. Generally, they work two times: three months, three months. And those who are very lazy, they work three months. But even working for three months, they can acquire foodstuffs for the whole year. That I have seen…
My practical experience is that we grow about 80% of our food needs here, on our own land of what we offer and eat. The little I have to spend at some store for that other 20% is far far less than what the karmis are paying. When I go thru some store checkout, I usually pay about $10-15 dollars for maybe some fruit, or milk, or nuts, etc like that but the karmis right ahead of me in line are forking over at least
$200-300 dollars for their shopping cart full of processed foods filled with chemicals, additives, pesticides, insecticides , fillers and GMO products.
And they usually do this once a week-that adds up 4 times a month. So all that time they are spending at some “job” which they do not like, nor their “boss”, usually 40 hours per week , plus drive time, car expenses to do that, stress on the mind and body in freeway traffic, smog, pollution they breathe in daily, etc etc. This is your reward for being an obedient servant to maya- by not being self independent.
740602mw.gen Conversations 364211/530501 Prabhupada: Wasteful, yes. Therefore I say they have no brain All, they are rascals. Rascal leaders. A little labor in  agriculture will be sufficient to produce the family’s food stock for the whole year. You can stock. You work only three months, and you get sufficient food for your whole family. And less nine months, you chant Hare Krsna. But these rascals will not do that. They will work hard like ass simply for eating. Nunam pramattah kurute vikarma yad indriya-pritaya aprnoti. They will not accept easy life.
oct 2 1975 Mauritius
So I see in your this Mauritius land, you have got enough land to produce food grains. You produce food grain. I understand that instead of growing food grains, you are growing sugar cane for exporting. Why? And you are dependent on food grains, on rice, wheat, dahl. Why? Why this attempt? You first of all grow your own eatables. And if there is time and if your population has got sufficient food grains, then you can try to grow other fruits and vegetables for exporting. The first necessity is that you should be self-sufficient. That is God’s arrangement. Everywhere there is sufficient land to produce food grains, not only in your country. I have traveled all over the world—Africa, Australia, and other, in America also. There are so much land vacant that if we produce food grains, then we can feed ten times as much population as at the present moment. There is no question of scarcity. The whole creation is so made by Kṛṣṇa that everything is pūrṇam, complete. Pūrṇam idaṁ pūrṇam adaḥ pūrṇāt pūrṇam udacyate, pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya pūrṇam evāvaśiṣyate [Īśo Invocation]. If we don’t produce food grain—you require it—and put unnecessarily men into scarcity, that is sinful. That is sinful. Everything, every instruction for our happy life and to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and make life perfect .
In this conversation Srila Prabhupada is telling us we should all be self sufficient-rely upon nature and Krsna for our needs. This makes one strong in body, strong in mind, builds character, and a much more dependent servant of the Supreme Lord. He says “that is Gods arrangement”. He also tells us at the end that if we don’t grow our own food, this puts men into scarcity which is sinful. There is a saying that God helps those who help themselves, to which Prabhupada explains this to mean -helping ourselves means putting ourselves under His protection. Means doing what He wants us to do, not what we want to do, independently of Him and His plans for mankind.
August 22 1968 montreal
So fortunately, one of our students, he has taken a very large tract of land in West Virginia to develop a society like that, that simple life, eat simple things, grains, vegetables, fruits, milk, and save your time for advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Don’t be implicated in the ugra-karma. Modern civilization is implicated in ugra-karma—vast machinery, everything complicated. The government complicated, the society complicated, economics rule complicated, foreign exchange complicated. Everything has become complicated. So Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has sung very nice song. Satsaṅga chāri kainu asatye vilās, ei kāraṇe lāgila more karma bandha-phāṅsa. Because we have given up Kṛṣṇa consciousness, therefore we have been entangled in the different varieties of material activities. Now we have to simplify it. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to simplify, to save the valuable life, to save the time of valuable life. This human form of life is very valuable. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante [Bg. 7.19]. After many, many births we have got this important life. So we have to save our time to utilize it for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That should… So far we have got this material body, we want to maintain it. The body and souls live together. That is all right. For that, Kṛṣṇa has given every chance. Anywhere you sit down, you have got land and cow. You produce something and cow’s milk. That is sufficient for maintenance. So let us try to make an attempt to organize a New Vrindaban scheme, and I shall request all my students to develop this idea and show a good example to this Western part of the world where people are always engaged in ugra-karma, asuric-karma. Things are becoming very implicated, complicated.
This was way back in 1968 that Srila Prabhupada wanted his disciples to buy land and start growing their own food. He says he requests all my students to develop this idea, which by so doing will show by example how good this idea is and how bad is ugra karmic work . Practical action is better than precept.
May 3 1973 LA
Now, after the attachment increases to some degree, then next degree is find out nice apartment to live together. That is another increase of attachment. Then we have got an apartment. Find out some means of earning money. Formerly, they were earning…, there were no factories. Everyone has to earn his livelihood by agriculture, kṣetra. Ato gṛha-kṣetra. First of all, apartment must be maintained by working, by earning something, gṛha-kṣetra.
April 23 1976 melbourne
Guest: If we produced all of the foods that we could produce and we literally gave them away to other countries that need them, we’d produce a tremendous disincentive in those countries for their own production. I don’t think it’s as easy, the world…
Prabhupāda: Production…. You take the total land as God’s property, and all the population, they are sons of God. Then whole problem solved. Everything solved. If economic problem is solved, then social, political, religious, philosophical, everything is solved.
This conversation is particularly interesting because the first necessity is food to eat and he says by so doing that, then all the other important functions of society (social, political, religious,etc) will all be taken care of nicely. All these other problems solved-in one stroke ! “Be thous happy by the performance of this yajna because by its performance it will bestow upon you all beneficial things. BG 3.10
750403mw.may Conversations
There are so many land. Come here and grow food. Grow fruit.  That is… That is the desire of Krsna. Annad bhavanti  bhutani. Produce food and eat in sufficiently, be strong, and chant  Hare Krsna. That is our philosophy. Why you  are producing bolts and nuts, tire and tubes? Eat. Rascal. They do not know  that first of all you must eat. No, everyone is engaged in industry.  Why? Krsna does not say that Take to  industry.” Krsna says, “Produce foodstuff.” Annad  bhavanti bhutani. If you produce foodstuff, then both your  animals, yourself, will be happy, becoming  strong. Why do they manufacture other  things?
Everyone is trying to become fortunate. Now, Cāṇakya Paṇḍita gives three things, formula, “If you want to be fortunate, then do these three things.” What is that? Mūrkhā yatra na pūjyante: “Do not give any credit to the rascal.” That is first qualification. Don’t be carried away by the rascal. Mūrkhā yatra na pūjyante. If you worship a rascal, then your life is spoiled. You must worship a really learned representative of God. That is very good. And dhānyaṁ yatra susañcitam: “Food grains, they are properly stocked.” Not that for your foodstuff, getting your food grain or earning your livelihood, you have to go hundred miles, fifty miles. No. At home, you produce your food grain and stock it. In India still, they work for three months during this rainy season, and they get their food grains for the whole year. You can save time so nicely. So these things are required for happy home. There must be food grains. You cannot be happy without eating. That is not possible…
and the third thing, most important, dampatyoḥ kalaho nāsti: “There is no disagreement between husband and wife.” If these three things are there, then you haven’t got to pray to the goddess of fortune, “Kindly be merciful.” She will automatically come. “Here is a very nice place. I shall stay here.”
Extra quotes if not sufficiently convinced yet…..
►740524r2.rom                Conversations …  Yes, naturally. If this man is fed up with  this industry, he can go back to village and  produce his own food. But he is attached to this industrial  activity because he is thinking that “We are getting more money for wine and  woman and meat. Let me enjoy.” That is the perfect, imp…  But  if he chants Hare Krsna maha-mantra, his consciousness  will be purified and he will be made not interested this kind of work. He will go back to village  and produce food.
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►740525mw.rom                Conversations …  That is yajna. So in the Kali-yuga the yajna is made  very easy. Chant Hare Krsna. So anywhere you go, chant Hare Krsna, and see  that there will be clouds, there will be rainfall, and just work  little, you get your foodgrains, and chant Hare  Krsna.
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740524r2.rom                 Conversations                           1/1 eatables to the animals and to the men, then everything is  prosperous. So where is that arrangement? There is enough land,  enough possibility, enough water. Now utilize them and produce food  grain, eat nicely and live peacefully and chant Hare  Krsna and go back to home, back to Godhead. This is our  philosophy. Why there should be industry? You want to eat after  all. Instead of eating this flesh, killing poor animals, why don’t you  produce food grains, fruits, flowers, food grain, and take milk from the  animals and produce milk products, all nutritious food, all nice food, and be  happy and remember God for His kindness. This is  civilization. What is this nonsense civilization? Now there is  petrol problem. I see so many buses, and not a single man, one or two men.  And for two men a big huge bus is being run, and so much petrol is consumed  unnecessarily. I have seen. I went from Nairobi to London in a  plane–only five passengers. Out of that, four passengers we were. Why?  Why this nonsense? And there is petrol problem now. They are creating  simply, the so-called advancement of civilization, creating problems,  that’s all. And that is due to these rascal leaders. Andha  yathandhair upaniyamanas te ‘pisa-tantryam uru-damni baddhah. They do not  know what is the ideal of life, what is the aim of life. They are  creating
hodge-podge  civilization and putting the mass of people in chaotic condition.  This is the sum and substance. I do not know whether  you’ll agreed with me, but this is my study of the whole  situation.
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►740525mw.rom                Conversations Prabhupada: Yes.  (break) …encouraging in our society to take to agriculture to  support this center. I am purchasing land in Vrndavana and Mayapura to  become self-sufficient. Whatever production you make, you  be satisfied. Little vegetable, little grain and little milk. That is  sufficient.
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►740525mw.rom                Conversations Prabhupada: Yes, that was Gandhi’s philosophy, village  organization. These people, they are attracting villagers to work in the  factory, and they are exploiting them…. our philosophy. Make your  life successful. By becoming Krsna conscious, you become free from  all these troubles of material  condition. This is our education. Don’t be after these  motorcars, television, and all nonsense things, sporting, wine, women. Don’t  be after these. Simply eat sufficiently, keep  your health nicely, chant Hare Krsna, realize Krsna, and  go back  to home This is our  philosophy…
———————— 740525mw.rom                Conversations Prabhupada:  Stick to your own place and grow your food. There is  no question of transport. Little transport is required, that bullock cart.  Krsna was being carried on bullock cart. There is no use of petrol. Use  simply the bull. They are already there. Utilize them.
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740527mw.rom                 Conversations                 363471/53050 Dhananjaya: So in fact, Srila Prabhupada, we should start  using bullock carts. Prabhupada: Yes. No, first of all you  start the community project, as we have already started  in New Vrindaban. Make this  perfect. ——————————
740527mw.rom                 Conversations                           1/2 newspaper, nonsense  newspaper, huge, huge quantity? So everything will be nice provided you  become ideal. Live in community. Produce your  own food. Even you can produce your own  paper. You don’t require printing of so many books. If there is one book,  others can …
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►740527mw.rom                Conversations … Keep amongst yourself and produce. Produce  food grain, produce cotton, mustard seed.  Self dependent, no use… And we don’t require motorcar. Bullock cart is  sufficient. There is no need of going  anywhere…
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►740527mw.rom                Conversations Prabhupada: No, no. These varieties… Suppose you grow half a  dozen different types of vegetables. So from this half a dozen you  can make three dozen varieties. If you are a good  cooker. So the varieties  of enjoyment will be fulfilled. We have got some  desire of different quality of varieties. That you can make.  From milk, vegetable, grains, the three things,  you can make three hundred  varieties.
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►740527mw.rom                Conversations Prabhupada: Yes, it will go on, but when they will see that  your ideal community is better than city life, people will take to it.  Param drstva nivartate. When one gets a better standard of life,  naturally he will give up the lower standard of  life.
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►740528mw.rom                Conversations  So you have to set up real human society in a  small scale so people will see, “Yes.” Because man has got  intelligence. Just like, although I am … my preaching. So why you are  coming? So if you stick to your position, real  human civilization, people will come, gradually. Because they  have got the sense….
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►740528mw.rom                Conversations Prabhupada: No, there is no question of extended. You keep  yourself in a limited solution. And then, when it is appreciated it will  be automatically extended. You don’t touch the extended. You become  ideal civilized man. Others will  follow.
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740602mw.gen                 Conversations                 364211/530501 Prabhupada: Wasteful, yes. Therefore I say they have no brain.  All, they are rascals. Rascal leaders. A little labor in  agriculture will be  sufficient to produce the family’s food stock for the whole  year. You can stock.  You work only three months, and you get sufficient  food for your whole family. And  less nine months, you chant Hare Krsna. But these  rascals will not do that. They will work hard like ass  simply for eating. Nunam pramattah kurute  vikarma yad indriya-pritaya aprnoti. They will not accept easy  life.
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740605r2.gen                Conversations Prabhupada: Sacrifice means to satisfy God. So you  satisfy God. By God’s mercy there will be sufficient rain. And  when there is sufficient rain you produce sufficient food, food grains, and  both th animals and men eat and live in God  consciousness.
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►740611r2.par                Conversations Prabhupada: No, we have to make this propaganda because we are  servant of Krsna. And Krsna orders, krsi-go-raksya-vanijyam. So we  must take to agricultural work to produce food and give  protection to the cows. And if there is excess product, we trade. This simple  thing we must do. Therefore I’m anxious to take outside Paris this  center. Our people should live there peacefully, produce  food grains, give protection to the cows, and work  hard. And if there is excess product, you can make money also.
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►740611r2.par                Conversations Therefore I’m anxious to take outside Paris this  center. Our people should live there peacefully, produce  food grains, give protection to the cows, and work  hard. And if … this point. We can make good money. We’ll not  be loser. Krsna conscious men, they’ll be never loser by following the  instruction of Krsna. They’ll live comfortably without any material want,  and tyaktva deham punar janma naiti, and after leaving this body, go to,  directly back to home…
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►740619rc.ger                Conversations Prabhupada: My idea is that all our centers should be  self-supported. We do not like that idea that for your support you  have to go 100 miles to get your bread.  That is a very dangerous drawback. You produce your food  locally and then support yourself. The main problem is what to eat, where to  sleep. So we get some place and support ourself by producing our own  food. We  have already begun in New Vrindaban, New…, West Virginia, Virginia, and  similarly in other centers, we are producing our food, grains, vegetables,  fruits and milk. That is sufficient.
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►740621mw.ger                Conversations Prabhupada: Most unnatural life. City life, most  unnatural.
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►740709mw.la                 Conversations Prabhupada: (laughs) Yes. Murkhayopadeso hi prakopaya na  santaye. If you advise rascals, they’ll be angry. No good result.  Murkhayopadeso hi prakopaya na santaye, payah-panam bhujanganam kevalam  visa-vardhanam. So we have to become very strong  preacher. Then this movement will stay. If you simply  take the temple worship, it will not stay  very long. Just like…
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►750401mw.may                Conversations … don’t distribute. You live only, till the ground  and take your food. Where is the question of  distribution? Whatever you can till, you take so much land. God has enough  land. Why do you possess more? One acre of land is  sufficient for producing your food. Why do you  take more?
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►750403mw.may                Conversations There are so many land. Come here and grow food. Grow fruit.  That is… That is the desire of  Krsna. Annad bhavanti  bhutani. Produce food and eat in sufficiently, be strong, and chant  Hare Krsna. That is our philosophy. Why you  are producing bolts and nuts, tire and tubes? Eat. Rascal. They do not know  that first of all you must eat. No, everyone is engaged in industry.  Why? Krsna does not say that Take to  industry.” Krsna says, “Produce foodstuff.” Annad  bhavanti bhutani. If you produce foodstuff, then both your  animals, yourself, will be happy, becoming  strong. Why do they manufacture other  things?
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►750403mw.may                Conversations Prabhupada: Therefore we are offering this place. Come here.  Why do you not come here and live with us? Then this is… The  Krsna consciousness movement is… This is the movement, that you  come here, live with us, and produce your food,  produce your milk, be happy, healthy, and chant Hare Krsna.  This is our movement. Therefore we are creating New  Vrindaban and farm, and we are trying to purchase… This is our movement,  that we give you sufficient food, shelter, health, philosophy, religion,  character, everything, purity. Come here. Why don’t you come? They come here  on the weekdays, and then fly away, go away. You see? We are giving such nice  room, but they will not live here. They will go to the hubble-bubble of the  city. They like to come here. Therefore they spend so much money for gas and  … here. They will go to the hubble-bubble of the city. They like to  come here. Therefore they spend so much money for gas and come here.  But because they are not accustomed, they go back again. Return  ticket. From hell to heaven, and again hell (laughter)  Return ticket–coming back to hell again, not going back to  God.
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►760912rc.vrn                Conversations Prabhupada: No, they’re thinking that so many people are coming  to the cities, how we shall provide them? That’s a problem. After  all government has to supply them rations. Where is so much foodstuff?  And if they are not supplied, then there will be resentment. That’s  a fact. What they are doing in the city, so many scooter (makes  motor sound), going here and there. Actually no engagement. The girls  are loitering in the street by dressing. It will become more and  more problems, city life. So this is the solution, that they must go  back to the village. But they are trained up  to enjoy the facilities, so-called facilities, of the city. They are not  going to village. But if we can introduce this hari-sankirtana, and if they  have little taste, that is success. It’s a great program. And that taste  will come–ceto-darpana-marjanam. If he simply becomes little  sober that “I want to eat, I have to sleep, I want  some sense enjoyment and defense. So if I can get easily in  the village, why shall I go three hundred miles  away? Just keep in mind the psychology. So that simple  life will be possible if one is bhakta. Bhaktih  paresanubhavo viraktir anyatra syat. Only by devotion. Not  by otherwise. Not by artificial means, by manufacturing toilet.  Only bhakti. If they get little attachment for
Krsna the questions  will be solved automatically. And they will be happy. Undoubtedly. That is  the Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s first instruction. Ceto-darpana.
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760916rc.vrn                 Conversations                 452281/530501 Prabhupada: Yes, also. Otherwise, we have seen in our  childhood how happy people were. They were. Simple. If one has  five rupees income per month he’s happy. I’ve seen  it. Husband, wife, a small family. If he has got five rupees  income, they can maintain very nicely, happily. Why not? Suppose he has got  five rupees income. The rice was selling at four rupees. So two person, say  one-fourth kg., one-fourth share each. A gentleman cannot eat more than that.  So means half a share. And the whole month, fifteen share. It is about one  rupee eight annas. And further, one rupees eight annas add for vegetables and  other things. With three rupees they can maintain, the husband and wife.  And two rupees still there. He can spend for other purposes. I have  seen it. Fresh vegetables, rice, this and… Just like with banana  leaf. The pots were of earthen, the wife is cooking and she’s utilizing  dry foliage as fuel, a little temperature, everything is cooked.  The husband takes one banana leaf and spreads, and the wife  gives sufficient rice, vegetables. And things were so cheap. I have seen  it. And fresh.
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►760916rc.vrn                Conversations Prabhupada: Otherwise, within the village you can get  everything. Village economy. Everything very cheap. And as soon as  they got these transport facilities, the local men, they could not  eat, and these lazy rascals, they are getting everything. Big, big cities  like Calcutta, Bombay, they (have) millions of population. They are  not producing anything. The producer is different man. They are  simply artificially cheating them by paper money and they  …
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►760926rc.vrn                Conversations … other important members said, “Why Abhaya Babu is  living separately? He should be the president of the Bombay.” I never  said, but they said. I was living separately. Then Prabhupada … ll  do himself everything. You haven’t got to recommend him.” These  very words. (break) …Krsna require any president or any GBC. He’s  giving chance to everyone, that’s all. Otherwise  thousands of presidents and thousands of GBC may come and  go, His work will go on. Krsna is complete Himself. He doesn’t  require anyone’s help. That is Krsna. (break) …sei hetu pracara. One who  has got life, he can preach.
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►761016iv.cha                Conversations … Bhagavad-gita, krsi-go-raksya vanijyam vaisya-karma  svabhava-jam. That you must produce enough food grains by agriculture and  give protection to the cows. That means if you have got enough food  grains to eat and if you have got enough milk to get fatty substance,  then your whole economic question is solved.  Annad bhavanti bhutani. If you get sufficient food there is no  question of agitation. Everyone is satisfied. Animal and man. So you  must produce. That is recommendation in the Bhagavad  gita.
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►761102rc.vrn                Conversations Prabhupada: How they can defeat us? We have got so solid  ground. How they can defeat, these rascals? We consider them simply rascals  and fools. And we call them rascals and fools. What do they know  of religion? What do they know of God? They know slaughterhouse  and killing and illicit sex, and killing the fetus. That’s all. What  do they know? They are not even civilized. We have come to make  them civilized. They should understand. They are not civilized. They do  not (know) how to eat even. The first principle of life is eating. They  do not know how to eat. We are teaching them how to eat. They  simply challenge, that’s… When men are uncivilized, they do not how  to grow food, they kill animals in the  jungle and eat. When they  are civilized, they know how to grow food now and  the nice food grains, fruit, flowers, now  why should say, “You eat the meat.” The meat-eating is meant for the most  uncivilized persons. That means they do not know even how to eat. They do not  know how to eat. How to eat, how to sleep, how to have sex. Nothing. They’re  having sex like cats and dogs.
———————–
►761102rc.vrn                Conversations Prabhupada: No, we don’t care for Indians and Europeans. We  care for Krsna, that’s all. I didn’t care for anyone. I simply care …  s protection, that’s all. That is wanted. Guru-krsna-krpaya  paya bhakti-lata-bija. We want two favours. One from guru, one  from Krsna. That’s all. We don’t want anyone’s  favour.
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760814rc.bom                 Conversations                 446983/530501 Prabhupada: :So people are being trained up to become  mad, pramattah. And do anything, bring money. This is the modern civilization. Nunam pramattah kurute  vikarma. Things which are forbidden, they are doing that. Why?  Indriya-pritaya aprnoti, only for sense gratification. They have no other  ambition. Bring money and gratify senses. This is modern civilization. This  is the exact explanation–nunam pramattah kurute vikarma. Black money, white  money, this money, that…, never mind, bring money. Indian Doctor:  (laughter) By any way. Prabhupada: Yes, this is modern civilization. Big man,  big rich man means bring money some way or other. This is big man. This  is Kali-yuga. Because if you have got money, you have got respect,  you have got honor, you are recognized. So therefore they are after  money. Bring money, that’s all right. When I shall get  money, I may have done black money, force money, this money,  nobody will remember it. Bas. This is modern  civilization. Bring money and enjoy sense. Nunam pramattah  kurute vikarma. What for it is, struggle so much  working
hard? Yad indriya-pritaya.  Only for the satisfaction of the senses. They have no other ambition. Because  most of them, they do not believe there is next life. Most of them, 99.9  percent, they do not believe. Big, big professor, I have talked with so many  big, big men in  Europe. ————————————–
760817iv.hyd                 Conversations                 447289/530501 Interviewer (5): You have some project here. Can you kindly  explain what is that? Prabhupada: Our project is Bhagavad-gita,  learn Bhagavad-gita and apply it practically in your  life.
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►760817iv.hyd                Conversations Prabhupada: Our project is Krsna consciousness. Come here,  live peacefully, keep your body fit, and work for yourself, you  produce your own food, you produce your own cloth,  don’t be very much anxious for  artificial necessities, and save time, and be advanced in  spiritual life.
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►760731r2.par                Conversations … little cottages, grow little vegetable, little barley or  wheat and milk. That is sufficient. We don’t require much. We don’t want  luxury. We want just to subsist. Yavad artha prayojana. We hate the idea  of luxury, unnecessary.
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►760802rc.par                Conversations … of how to utilize the whole land. The situation is very  good, good prospect. I want that self-independent here, as  far as possible. But you have got enough materials. With woods you can make  cottages. Then land becomes clear, then utilize it.
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►760802rc.par                Conversations Prabhupada: Plan is that we have got woods. Cut the woods, make  small cottages, and engage them for growing fruits, flowers, grains,  and make the complete arrengement nicely…
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►760802r3.par                Conversations  And if there are several brahmanas, so each one of them  will cook his own food. In Calcutta, mostly the rich men they used to keep  the collector’s darwans, they …  family, they used to take, accept the  job. But each of them, even in police, I have seen, they are cooking  separately. They take bath thrice, cook their own food, very strictly.  The government had to give them a big hall for cooking. So, it will  not take much space, say, little space. One small oven and  demarcated: “This, you see, is mine, and then I, you get, this is yours, this  is yours.” So within that space they’ll sit down and cook dal,  capatis, rice, one vegetable, and cook, and immediately all the utensils  will be cleansed and washed, and the space washed and kept. You’d like  to eat, they cook so nicely, although simple. And I have got  practical experience, if you cook your own food,  whatever it may be, it is  healthy. ——————–
►760802r3.par                Conversations .And they can make hundreds of devotees. In this way we can  expand. Are you realizing that there is no civilization? Actually  civilization we are introducing. Except Aryan civilization, Vedic  civilization, there is no civilization–animal society. What  do you think? Are you convinced about it?
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►760803r2.par                Conversations … peas, grow fresh. Eat very nicely, keep strong,  drink milk, chant Hare Krsna.  Bas. Don’t depend on this outside work and then  gradually become debauch, thief, rogues,  prostitutes. Is that civilization? They cannot imagine that … go without  all these things. Do they not? Slaughterhouse, brothel, cheating, diplomacy,  roguery, drinking–without this, no civilization. We are quite opposed. We  want to show it is possible, yes. You can stop all this nonsense and  still you go on as a perfect civilized man. With character,  knowledge, satisfaction, everything……
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►760803r3.par                Conversations Prabhupada: So show the simple example that  how by simple living and thinking of Krsna, one can become perfect  and happy. ————————-
►760812mw.teh                Conversations Prabhupada: No, that work is recommended. Your question is  how Krsna is giving you instruction. Just like food, Krsna says annad  bhavanti bhutani. You produce anna. Krsna never said that you produce tire  tubes. Never says.
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.►760714iv.ny                 Conversations … So we get enough milk, enough food grains,  enough fruits. So there is no economic problem. Our purpose is to save  time from  unnecessary necessities of life, from unnecessary  necessities of life, to save time and utilize the time for developing  Krsna consciousness. And so far the body is concerned, as much as it  … is required take and maintain the body. That’s all.
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690511rc.col                 Conversations                 321594/53 Prabhupada: Yes. Farming, agriculture, that is nice. There is  a proverb: agriculture is the noblest profession. Is it not  said? Agriculture is noblest, and Krsna was farmer, His  father.
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►770527rc.vrn                                             Conversations …  There will be more water for gardening, and it will  be moist, and then produce fodder for the animals and food for you. And  animal gives you milk. That is … .. Don’t bother about big, big  buildings. It is not required. Useless waste of time. Produce. Make the  whole field green. See that. Then whole economic question solved. Then you  eat … is beneficial. Even the stool is beneficial. Therefore I am asking  so much here and…, “Farm, farm, farm, farm…” That is not  my program–Krsna’s  program. Annad bhavanti  bhutani. Produce greenness everywhere,  everywhere. Vrndavana. It is not this  motorcar civilization.
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►760610r3.la                 Conversations Prabhupada: All fresh vegetable, fresh milk, this is  celestial. Who has got the opportunity in the city? Automatically.
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►760423rc.mel                Conversations Prabhupada: Production…. You take the total land as God’s  property, and all the population, they are sons of God. Then whole  problem solved. Everything solved. If economic problem is solved,  then social, political, religious, philosophical,  everything is solved.
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760427rc.auc                 Conversations                 419704/530501 Prabhupada: Not only one, you hundreds of temples construct.  Village to village, town to…. At the same time, man. And it  will revolutionize the whole rascal situation. At the present moment, it  is rascal situation. They’re simply satisfied by driving the  motor…. putputputputputputputputput! (Prabhupada makes the sound of a roaring motor). They are thinking, “Oh,  how highly I am situated.” All crazy. But this has been taught to them  that “This is civilization. If you have got a motorcycle and you can come  like the wild cat, (all laugh) then you are civilized.” They are thinking  how great civilized they are; we are thinking how wild cat he is. And  what is the difference between wild cat and running dog and this motorcycle?  Put-put? What is the difference?
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►760120mw.may                Conversations Prabhupada: A devotee will never accept materialism, even if he  dies of starvation. You’ll see so many still. They are sticking …  that. They don’t care for any bodily care. “Some food comes; I shall  eat. Never mind.” Still you’ll find. They are sitting in their place  and chanting or meditating …
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Prabhupada: Hm? Yes.  So you have to preach all over the world that “You are simply wasting time by  so many department of knowledge. You are so foolish, rascal.” Srama eva hi  kevalam. Simply wasting time. I think I explained that to that gentleman last  morning? He said in one hour, two hour you should  devote… Not two hour. Twenty-four hour. Did I not  say? Yes. Because that is the only business. We have  no other business. Our Society is practically demonstrating that this  is the only business and no other business. We therefore do not try  even to earn our livelihood. That is the natural instinct of every  animal. But we do not try even for that. Is it not? Prabhupada: Yes. Let  them see practically. We are not busy how to go to the office, how to the  business place. We are not interested. We are simply interested for  mangala arati, for class, for chanting, dancing. That’s all. Practically see.  We are not going to any office or any business.
►751103mw.bom                Conversations Prabhupada: No, no, no. That is not the fact. If you are  actually spiritually advanced, you don’t care for it. Deha smrti nahi  yar samsara bandhana kahan tanra. It is just like Raghunatha dasa  Gosvami. He had no spiritual… er, material con… He was eating …  quantity of butter. That’s all. How he was living in Vrndavana? So when  one is perfectly on the spiritual platform, there is no bodily  necessities. That is the sign.[not to be imitated,  however] Therefore our civilization is to decrease the  bodily necessities, not to  increase. Control. Control, from the brahmacari, control,  control, control. Ultimately completely control. That is perfectional stage.  Tyagena.(renunciation)
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►760731rc.par                Conversations Prabhupada: Vasan danto guror hitam. The beginning of life is  how to become cent  percent obedient to guru. That is Gurukula.  That training should be given. The whole process is that our life will be  successful when we strictly follow guru and Krsna. Guru means Krsna;  Krsna means guru. Not Mayavada, but guru means one who follows Krsna, he is  guru. ————————–
►761102rc.vrn                Conversations Prabhupada: No, we don’t care for Indians and Europeans. We  care for Krsna, that’s all. I didn’t care for anyone. I simply care …  s protection, that’s all. That is wanted. Guru-krsna-krpaya  paya bhakti-lata-bija. We want two favours. One from guru, one  from Krsna. That’s all. We don’t want anyone’s  favour.
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Conclusion: The above  quotes were selected from the Make Vrndavana Book Set which came  entirely from Srila Prabhupadas conversations. Over and over Srila Prabhupada  stresses the great importance of making ones own personal lifestyle as simple as  possible, and of becomming  economically independent from the system called  “the rat race”- by its own occupants. And also of the benefits that this  lifestyle provides to oneself–the most important of which is —more TIME  for spiritual life.
Since real life is  spiritual life, the best way towards that goal is to minimize ones daily wants  and needs, and a very important step of that is done by growing one’s own  food. Our philosophy is summed up thusly—
SIMPLE LIVING AND HIGH  THINKING.
Either is hard to  obtain without the other.
We would also like to  invite all interested devotees, not presently doing most or any of the  above, to move here to the very fertile Skagit Valley County in  Washington state and take up this transcendental lifestyle alongside us here. We  will  all be happy.
Jan 15 1975 SF
mūrkhā yatra na pūjyante
dhānyaṁ yatra susañcitam
dampatyoḥ kalaho nāsti
tatra śrīḥ svayam āgatāḥ
(Canakya pandit sloka)
Everyone is trying to become fortunate. Now, Cāṇakya Paṇḍita gives three things, formula, “If you want to be fortunate, then do these three things.” What is that? Mūrkhā yatra na pūjyante: “Do not give any credit to the rascal.” That is first qualification. Don’t be carried away by the rascal. Mūrkhā yatra na pūjyante. If you worship a rascal, then your life is spoiled. You must worship a really learned representative of God. That is very good. And dhānyaṁ yatra susañcitam: “Food grains, they are properly stocked.” Not that for your foodstuff, getting your food grain or earning your livelihood, you have to go hundred miles, fifty miles. No. At home, you produce your food grain and stock it. In India still, they work for three months during this rainy season, and they get their food grains for the whole year. You can save time so nicely. So these things are required for happy home. There must be food grains. You cannot be happy without eating. That is not possible. Annād bhavanti. Kṛṣṇa also says in the Bhagavad-gītā, annād bhavanti bhūtāni [Bg. 3.14]. If you have got sufficient anna, eatables, foodstuff, then you become happy.
So three things: one thing, that at home no rascal should be received or given credit… According to Vedic system, at home a sannyāsī is welcome, a brāhmaṇa is welcome. Because they will give good instruction, so they are welcome. Just like when Gargamuni came to Mahārāja Nanda, Nanda Mahārāja’s house, how nice reception he gave him. That is the… Especially… Of course, any guest is welcome, but especially a brāhmaṇa, a sannyāsī, is very well received. Still in Indian village, if a sannyāsī goes, he has no problem for eating or staying, residence. Everyone will request, “Swamiji, today you take prasādam at my place.” So there are many villagers. So he can stay three days, four days. So there is no scarcity. Still they will invite you, “Please come. Take prasādam.” So because… Why this system? Because sannyāsī means he will give good instruction, spiritual knowledge. But that is his business, parivrājakācārya, wandering all over the world and giving good instruction. Therefore parivrājaka. Parivrājaka means wandering, and ācārya means teacher. Parivrājakācārya. This is sannyāsī’s business. So they must be well received. At the present moment, if a sannyāsī is trying to enter in some householder’s house, immediately the doorman, “Please get out. Get out. Get out.” Because some of the sannyāsīs, they have taken this dress as a means of livelihood. But still in the village, any sannyāsī—he may be a cheater, still he is welcome. In the cities, of course, in India, they are now doubtful, “Whether he is actually sannyāsī or to fill up his belly he has taken this dress?” So this is the formula. So very learned men, the… generally, the sannyāsī and brāhmaṇas, they should be worshiped, not the fools and rascals. So mūrkhā yatra na pūjyante and dhānyaṁ yatra. Dhānyam means paddy, rice, well-stocked. Perhaps you have, in your country also what is called, barn? That, you keep…
Devotee: Silo.
Prabhupāda: So you have got big, big stock. That is required. There may be scarcity at times, but if you keep stock, then there is no trouble. This one, no foolish rascal should be worshiped, food grains should be nicely stocked, and the third thing, most important, dampatyoḥ kalaho nāsti: “There is no disagreement between husband and wife.” If these three things are there, then you haven’t got to pray to the goddess of fortune, “Kindly be merciful.” She will automatically come. “Here is a very nice place. I shall stay here.”
Statements by Srila Prabhupada advocating a simple way of life.
►720527SB.LA Lectures
… you can say that “If we are engaged in real business, then how the
economic question will be solved? We have to work.” That’s all right,
you work. But … there is milk, there is fruit, there is flower.
Anywhere, you can live peacefully. Whole economic question is solved.
►750403mw.may Conversations
Prabhupada: Yes. Why don’t you solve? There are so many land. Come
here and grow food. Grow fruit. That is… That is the desire of
Krsna. Annad bhavanti bhutani. Produce food and … ask, “You have to
pay this price.” And you have to pay. And if you grow your own food,
there is no such question. The simple economic problem, solution, this
rascal cannot take…..
750801SB.NO Lectures 1/9
►750801SB.NO Lectures
… a nice place. And the grhasthas may come here, have some small
cottage, and grow your own food grains, vegetables, and have your
cow’s milk. Get nice foodstuff, save time. Why should you go … and
again hundred miles come back and take unnecessary trouble? Stick to
this spot and grow your own food, your own cloth, and live peacefully,
save time, chant Hare Krsna. Very nice program. …….
►751002SB.MAU Lectures
… I see in your this Mauritius land, you have got enough land to
produce food grains. You produce food grain. I understand that instead
of growing food grains, you are growing sugar cane for exporting. Why?
And you are dependent on food grains, on rice, wheat, dahl. Why? Why
this attempt? You first of all grow your own eatables. And if there is
time and if your population has got sufficient food grains, then you
can try to grow other fruits and vegetables for exporting. The first
necessity is that you should be self-sufficient. That is God’s
arrangement. Everywhere there is sufficient land to produce food
grains, not only in your country. I have traveled all over the
world–Africa, Australia, and other, in America also. There are so
much land vacant that if we produce food grains, then we can feed ten
times as much population as at the present moment. There … purnam
adah purnat purnam udacyate, purnasya purnam adaya purnam
evavasisyate. If we don’t produce food grain–you require it–and put
unnecessarily men into scarcity, that is sinful. ………….
690323LE.HAW Lectures 245873/530501
We have created a civilization that one must earn thousands of dollars, then he can
live like a gentleman. Is that successful life? And for earning that
thousands of dollars he has to work so hard, just like animal, beast.
No. That is not successful life. Successful life is that, that we
should make our bodily necessities of life as far as required, not
more than that. I want to eat something. God has given sufficient
food. You grow. You live anywhere. You grow foodstuff. You grow
grains. You grow fruits. You grow vegetables. Keep cows. Take milk.
You can live anywhere. You haven’t got to go fifty miles off with a
car to attend your office at six o’clock with velocity of hundred
miles’ speed. Is that successful life, do you think? So where is
successful life? We are proposing successful life.
730722rc.lon Conversations 339138/530501
Prabhupada: And yajnad bhavati parjanyah. And when we regularly
perform yajna, then there is regular cloud in the sky. And when there
is cloud in the sky, there is regular rainfall, and when there is
regular rainfall, there is sufficient production of food grains,
fruits and other vegetables so that both the animal and the human
beings, they eat sufficiently, they grow strength, they become happy
and again perform yajna. And the animals supply, the cow supplies
milk. In this way, the whole society becomes happy. These are the
prescriptions, or directions, given by the Vedic literature. So if
people take advantage of this instruction, as you have mentioned in
your article “The Great Seers,” so if we follow their instruction, the
whole history of the human being can be changed. There is no
difficulty. But whether the people will accept or not, that is the
business of the leaders of the society.
751028mw.nai Conversations 400991/530501
Prabhupada: If you open farm for financial help, then it will not be
successful. You should take to farming for supporting yourself. That’s
all. Grow your own food. Grow your own cloth. There is no need of
financial help from outside. You get your food grains sufficiently,
rice, dahl, wheat, vegetables, milk, sugar. Bas You get everything.
From these five, six items you should be economically free. That you
have to do, not for trade to get money. Then it will be failure.
740314mw.vrn Conversations 354470/530501
Prabhupada: Business means if you have got extra grains or extra
foodstuff, you can sell where there is necessity, there is want. That
is business. We are not going to open mills and factories and… No.
We are not going to do that. That is sudra business. The real business
is that you produce enough food grains, as much as possible, and you
eat and distribute. That’s all. This is business. He does not require
any so high technical education. Anyone can till the ground and grow
food. Is it difficult? This is the business. The first thing is that
everyone, man and animal, especially the cows, they must be properly
fed so become very stout and strong. Cows will supply milk, and man
will work hard, without being suffered by dysentery. He must work
hard. Any capacity. Work as a teacher or work as a ksatriya, work as a
ploughman. Or work as general assistant. He must work. Everyone should
be employed. And his employment will be provided from any of these
groups, according to his capacity. Either as a brahmana, or as a
ksatriya, or as a vaisya, or as a sudra.
751019mw.joh Conversations 400136/530501
Lazy intelligent means brahmana, and busy
intelligent means ksatriya. So the catur-varnyam maya srstam. The
society should be divided into four classes. The sudras, they are busy
fools. Therefore they are to be guided. They are to be guided. If
there are, hundred workers are there, then one leader must be there to
give the direction: “Why you are doing this? Why you don’t do this?”
Otherwise he’ll create havoc. Busy fool. So the whole world is full of
busy fools. That’s all. In the Bhagavad-gita you will find that for
brahmana, samo damah satyam saucam titiksa arjavam, jnanam vijnanam
astikyam brahma-karma sva… There is no recommendation that “You work
hard day and night.” The brahminical qualification is controlling the
senses, controlling the mind, truthful, clean, knows everything
nicely, practical application of the knowledge, full faith in sastra
and Bhagavan. Jnanam vijnanam astikyam. These things are recommended,
not that a brahmana should become very busy whole day and night for
getting food. So sastra says, “There is no use of becoming busy for
your food. Food is there already.” Food is already there. He’ll get
his food. That is arrangement by God. But they are busy fool. They do
not understand the God’s arrangement. Only for food they are busy
whole day and night like cats and dogs. Now this land is there. You
can… Everyone can grow food if he works for two months. Everyone can
grow his whole year’s foodstuff. There is so much land. But no,
they’ll not grow food. They will grow hammer, manufacturing it. You
see? Tire tube, then atom bomb, then this and that. They are busy.
They are busy fool. Actually they are fools, and they are very busy.
Everyone is busy. There are so many parts in the motorcar, three
thousand part, and they are busy in manufacturing three thousand parts
of motor parts. So everyone is busy in producing things unwanted. But
they have created a society in such a way that they have to do that.
770215ed.may 472194/530501
Prabhupada: Yes. Farm project is very nice. Krsna gives.
Krsi-go-raksya-vanijyam vaisya-karma svabhava-jam. This is economic
problem solved. And brahmana, brain problem solved, and ksatriya,
protection problem solved, and sudra, labor problem solved. Four
things combined together, live peacefully, happily. Chant Hare Krsna.
Introduce this farm project. In America there is enough scope. So much
land is lying vacant
770322rc.bom 477642/53050
As Krsna
says, catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma. There must be ideal
brahmana, ideal ksatriya, ideal vaisya, as Krsna says. That is Krsna
consciousness movement. It is all-inclusive. Economic question? Annad
bhavanti bhutani. Grow food. Practical. Just like when I was going to
the pandals, millions of clerks were coming–“Education. Educated.”
And who is growing food? And they have to be provided in these pigeon
holes and depend on ration. Is that civilization? And throngs of
people are coming, just like machine, ants. Ants are coming. I saw
like that. And go to the village side–all vacant land. Nobody’s
interested to produce food. Everyone is interested to live within the
city, in these pigeonholes, and go to the cinema and go to the
brothel, go to the club and learn how to drink, how to become
gentleman. Is that civilization? Human life’s aim is lost. You do not
know why you are going to the office, why you are eating, why you
are… Keeping them all pet animal’s mentality, doggish mentality.
SB 7.14.5 P Ideal Family Life 2/5
A wise man, however, learns from the sastras and
guru that we living entities are all eternal but are put into
troublesome conditions because of associating with different … under
the laws of material nature. He therefore concludes that in the human
form of life he should not endeavor for unnecessary necessities, but
should live a very simple life, just maintaining body and soul
together. Certainly one requires some means of livelihood, and
according … is the basic principle of Vedic civilization. One
should be satisfied with whatever means of life comes automatically.
The modern materialistic civilization is just the opposite of the
ideal civilization. Every … the so-called leaders of modern society
invent something contributing to a cumbersome way of life that
implicates people more and more in the cycle of birth, death, old age
and disease.
731125SB.LON Lectures 216069/530501
So our Krsna consciousness movement is not a sentimental movement.
It takes care of all-found social organization. It is not something
like religious sentiment. Everything should be take care of. Therefore
we say cow protection, cow protection. Here it is said, kamam vavarsa
parjanyah sarva-kama-dugha mahi. Mahi means land, bhumi. Agnir mahi
gaganam ambu marud-disah… Mahi. This is mahi. In another,
Brahma-samhita, it is said, mahi.
agnir mahi gaganam ambu marud-disas ca
kalas tathatma-manasiti jagat-trayani
yasmad bhavanti vibhavanti visanti yam ca
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
This mahi word is used there is Vedas, Brahma-samhita. What is that
mahi? Agnir mahi. You require fire. You require land. You require sky.
Agnir mahi gaganam ambu. You require water. Agnir mahi gaganam ambu
marut. You require air. You require space. These are requirements.
Agnir mahi gaganam ambu marud-disas ca kalas tathatma. Atma, atma
means this body, atma means the mind, and atma means the soul. So in
the Brahma-samhita you see, agnir mahi gaganam ambu marud-disas ca
kalas tathatma-manasiti jagat-trayani yasmad bhavanti. Yasmad
bhavanti. All these things, wherefrom they are coming? They do not
know. Can the scientist say wherefrom so much water has come, so vast
ocean, seas? But it has come from Krsna. Krsna says in the
Bhagavad-gita,
bhumir apo ‘nalo vayuh
kham mano buddhir eva ca
ahankara itiyam me
bhinna prakrtir astadha
Bhinna me prakrtih. It is Krsna’s energy, Krsna’s energy.
So the mahi, the land, the land is there. Just like in America or
in Australia there are so much land. In Africa, so much land lying
vacant. But they do not know that this land can produce all the needs
of life. Sarva-kama-dugha mahi. Sarva-kama, whatever you want.
Actually we are getting… Just like this Western civilization has
created so may slaughterhouse for eating purposes. But wherefrom they
are getting? From mahi, from the land. If there is no pasturing
ground, grazing ground, wherefrom they will get the cows and the
bulls? That is also… Because there is grass on the land and the cows
and bulls eat them, therefore they grow. Then you cut their throat,
civilized man, and eat, you rascal civilized man. But you are getting
from the mahi, from the land. Without land, you cannot. Similarly,
instead of cutting the throat of the cows, you can grow you food. Why
you are cutting the throat of the cows? After all, you have to get
from the mahi, from the land. So as they are, the animal which you are
eating, they are getting their eatables from the land. Why don’t you
get your eatables from the land? Therefore it is said,
sarva-kama-dugha mahi. You can get all the necessities of your life
from land. So dugha means produce. You can produce your food. Some
land should be producing the foodstuff for the animals, and some land
should be used for the production of your foodstuffs, grains, fruits,
flowers, and take milk. Why should you kill these innocent animals?
You take. You keep them muda, happy, and you get so much milk that it
will moist, it will make wet the ground. This is civilization. This is
civilization.
That was being maintained during the time of Maharaja Yudhisthira.
That is being described. Maharaja Yudhisthira maintained this standard
of civilization. Just see how the economic problems will be solved
simply by one movement, this Krsna consciousness movement. Try to
understand. Mahi. Because mahi will produce everything. Just like here
in this Letchmore Heath there are so many, so much land lying vacant.
You produce you own food. Why you are going to London, to the
factories? There is no need. This is wrong civilization. Here is land.
You produce your food. If you produce your food, there is no need of
going hundred miles, fifty miles on your motorcycle or motor to earn
your livelihood. Why? There is no need. Then you require petrol. And
petrol there is scarcity. Then you require so many parts, so many That▒
means you are making the whole thing complicated unnecessarily.
Unnecessarily. There is no need. Simply you keep to the land and
produce your food, and the cows are there. They will supply you milk.
Then where is your economic problems. If you have sufficient grains,
sufficient vegetables, sufficient milk from the land where you are
living, where your economic problem? Why you should go to other place?
That is Vedic civilization. Everyone should remain in the spot and
produce everything as he requires, and God will help you.
770508r3.hri 484715/530501
Prabhupada: Duty, profit, so on, so on. And all these big, big
millionaires, they are exacting money from the poor like that, and
when they have got money, they spend little for daridra-narayana. “Oh,
very big man.” And our program? Why you making daridra? Daridra? Our
policy is this, that “Why should you make him daridra?” First of all
make him daridra, and then take credit–“daridra-narayana”? Just see
how cheating is going on. But we are projecting this path for them:
let them remain in their home, produce their own food only and cloth
and chant Hare Krsna. This is our policy. Our policy means Krsna’s
policy. Let them have sufficiently to eat, and they’ll be all
satisfied. If the mind is Krsna conscious, then they don’t want
anything, either liquor or meat or anything. No. This is the
advantage. And this is not social… What is that? That first of all
drag him from the innocent life of village and engage him in the
factory in the hope of getting more money, and then he’s habituated to
liquor. When he cannot pay, they purchase this poison and die.
3 August, 1975  
Detroit
Letter to Mahamsa Swami
 
The village organization is that the local people produce their necessities like grain, vegetables, milk, and cloth; and for recreation they have the chanting of Hare Krishna. They should live there comfortably and have spiritual recreation. They should not come to the cities.

I wish to introduce this ideal now. Then if we are successful this cheating civilization will stop. They have made these cities as hell. If people do not cooperate with them, then how will the factories run on? And, if the people are satisfied by this arrangement, then what will the communists do?”

 770322rc.bom 477642/53050
As Krsna
says, catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma. There must be ideal
brahmana, ideal ksatriya, ideal vaisya, as Krsna says. That is Krsna
consciousness movement. It is all-inclusive. Economic question? Annad
bhavanti bhutani. Grow food. Practical. Just like when I was going to
the pandals, millions of clerks were coming–“Education. Educated.”
And who is growing food? And they have to be provided in these pigeon
holes and depend on ration. Is that civilization? And throngs of
people are coming, just like machine, ants. Ants are coming. I saw
like that. And go to the village side–all vacant land. Nobody’s
interested to produce food. Everyone is interested to live within the
city, in these pigeonholes, and go to the cinema and go to the
brothel, go to the club and learn how to drink, how to become
gentleman. Is that civilization? Human life’s aim is lost. You do not
know why you are going to the office, why you are eating, why you
are… Keeping them all pet animal’s mentality, doggish mentality.
Jan 11 1977
Rāmeśvara: Many people already have their jobs and their families.
Prabhupāda: All right, let them not come, but those who are unemployed, let them come.
Rāmeśvara: But what…? For those people who already have their jobs, instead of…
Prabhupāda: That job… They will be very soon jobless. Don’t worry. (laughs) They will come. They will be obliged to come. Now they have got job, but as the days are advancing in Kali-yuga, they’ll be jobless.