# Part 3: Self-Sufficiency and Farm Life ## Get All Your Necessities from the Land London, November 25, 1973 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Lecure: 1.10.4 **Regulative principles to fulfill desires...protect cows and prosper, kill cows and suffer...get all your necessities from the land...work according to your capacityPradyumna:** (leads chanting, etc.) > kāmaṁ vavarṣa parjanyaḥ sarva-kāma-dughā mahī siṣicuḥ sma vrajān gāvaḥ payasodhasvatīr mudā [SB [[sb/1/10/4 1972|1.10.4]]] Translation: "During the reign of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, the clouds showered all the water that people needed, and the earth produced all the necessities of man in profusion. Due to its fatty milk bag and cheerful attitude, the cow used to moisten the grazing ground with milk." **Prabhupāda:** *Kāmam*.*Dharmārtha-kāma-mokṣa*[SB [[sb/4/8/41 1972|4.8.41]]].*In the human society, to make everything very regulated, the prescription is*dharma*,*artha*,*kāma*and*mokṣa*.*Dharma*means to be situated in one's position. That is called*dharma*.*Dharma*is not a kind of faith. Faith is sometimes blind. That is not*dharma*. Just like we say,*varṇāśrama-dharma*.**Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam**.**[Bg [[bg/4/13|4.13]]]Varṇa*.*Brāhmaṇa*,*kṣatriya*,*vaiśya*,*śūdra*,*brahmacārī*,*gṛhastha*,*vānaprastha*,*sannyāsī*. This combination of eight makes*dharma*, constitutional position. Everyone is animal. So if one is not trained up in these eight principles of human society, so that is not*dharma*; it is sentiment. But that does not stand very long. It will vanquish. But if*dharma*is accepted on the principles of this*varṇāśrama-dharma*, that is... For material purpose. That is not for spiritual purpose. Although there is hint of spiritual life, still, they are*prākṛta*. So *dharma*,*artha*,*kāma*,*mokṣa*[SB [[sb/4/8/41 1972|4.8.41]], Cc. Ādi [[cc/adi/1/90|1.90]]].***Dharma*means to stay in one's constitutional position.**That is*dharma*.*Artha*means keeping oneself in one's constitutional position to get livelihood,*artha*. Without*artha*, livelihood,*kāma*, the sense gratification, or fulfilling the needs of life...That is*kāma*. Just like devotees, they have also got*kāma*. We are trying to become devotee. This is also one kind of*kāma*, but this is spiritual*kāma*. It is not material. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has described,*'kāma' kṛṣṇa-karmār paṇe*. Because there is *kāma*, and when the*kāma*is not fulfilled... Generally, materially,*kāma*means lust, desire. So if our*kāma*, lust or desire, is not fulfilled, the next position is*krodha*.*Kāma krodha lobha moha mada mātsarya bhaya*. These are different associates, one after another. If your desire is not fulfilled, then you become angry. Then after becoming angry, you become very greedy. Then you become bewildered, then become illusioned, then you become fearful. **Therefore there must be some regulative principle to fulfill our desire.**And how the regulative principles come to be fulfilled? Here it is said,*kāmaṁ vavarṣa parjanyaḥ*[SB [[sb/1/10/4 1972|1.10.4]]].*Vavarṣa*means showering, showering. And*parjanyaḥ*means rain.*Parjanyaḥ*, rain. So our all needs are showered from up. Therefore we pray.*Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān*. God. Rain is not under your control.**Rain, it comes from sky, through the clouds. It is not under your control. When there is scarcity of rain, it is not your so-called science can produce rain.**No. That is not possible. Drought. Drought, so many places, last two-three years. So*kāmān*, our necessities of life, from material point of view, it is fulfilled by rainfall from the sky. If there is no rainfall, you cannot produce anything.*Kāmaṁ vavarṣa*... This is the description during the reign of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was the king of this earth, and he was so pious that on account of his piety, Kṛṣṇa supplied everything sumptuously, sumptuously. Now, have you ever experienced...? Now, here it is stated, *siṣicuḥ sma vrajān gāvaḥ* [SB [[sb/1/10/4 1972|1.10.4]]]. Now, we are hankering after milk, but in those days, during Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira's time, milk was so sufficiently produced that before milking the cow, it supplied milk so sufficiently that the... What is called? Grazing ground? Pasturing ground, they become muddy. They become muddy with milk. Now, with the scarcity of grain, the earth also does not become muddy. It becomes dry earth. But in those days, with milk it was muddy. Just imagine how much milk was... And how it is possible? *Siṣicuḥ sma vrajān gāvaḥ payasodhasvatīr mudā*[SB [[sb/1/10/4 1972|1.10.4]]].**The milk bag was so fatty and full with milk. Why? mudā, they were so happy.**They were so happy. So if you keep the cows happy, then cow will supply large quantity of milk. If the cow knows that you are going to kill it, she is always afraid, always fearful: "Oh, this man will kill." They can understand. I have seen in New Vrindaban. One cow, she was crying because her calf was taken away. So she was feeling so sorry. Now in our New Vrindaban, we see how the cows are happy, how they are dealing. They are not afraid. This is our duty, to keep the cows happy.**Just like I want to see my wife and children happy, similarly, it is the duty of the human society to see that the cows feeling very happy.**This is human civilization. Otherwise it is tiger civilization, meat-eaters. Meat is not eaten by human being. It is eaten by the dogs, by the tigers, by the animals. So we have created a society for killing cows and eating the meat and maintaining slaughterhouse in the name of religion. This is going on. So how we can be happy? There cannot be happiness. It is not a sentiment. Therefore this is most sinful activity, meat-eating, cow killing. Most sinful activity. And you have to suffer for that. Unfortunately, these rascals, they do not know that what is the result of this sinful activity. They think the life will go on, and there is no more life. "After finishing of this body, everything will be finished." Atheistic theory. *Bhasmī-bhūtasya dehasya kutaḥ punar āgamano bhavet*. [Cārvāka Muni, an atheistic philosopher: "If you have no money, then beg borrow or steal, but in some way secure ghee and enjoy life.]*Kutaḥ*. "Oh, who is coming?" But that they do not know, rascals. We get information from Kṛṣṇa,*tathā dehān tara-prāptiḥ:* "Oh, you have to accept another body after finishing this body." But they are not responsible. They are so irresponsible, they do not care for the next life, the result of pious and sinful activities. So it appears that how much strictly the cow protection was there so that the *gāvaḥ, payasodhasvatīr mudā*. They were... You'll see Kṛṣṇa. He is always with cows, and how the cows look very happy with Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa is personally teaching how to protect cows. He became a cowherd boy. He was king's son, Mahārāja Nanda; but His business was to take the cows and the calves daily to the pasturing ground. And it was very sportive engagement with the cowherd boys. The cows were grazing, and the boys, they took their meals in a pot, tiffin carrier. Not tiffin carrier in those days. Some way or other. And they used to eat them, distribute amongst the friends. Sometimes a tiffin carrier was stolen by one boy, and he was searching, and then it was... So just like the boys do. This was the children's life, to take protection, to give protection to the cows, to the calves. The small children, up to six years, seven years old, they used to take care of the calves, and the elderly men, the used to take care of the... Or elderly boys, they used to take care of the grown-up cows. So the cows were fed very nicely. *Vrajān*. Therefore Vṛndāvana is called Vrajabhūmi, "where there are many cows." It is called Gokula. Gokula.*Go*means cows, and*kula* means group. Gokula. Govardhana. Govardhana Hill. Because the cows were grazing on the hill, and profuse grass was being grown, and they are enjoying. So there should be arrangement. Just like here we see, there are so many open fields and the cows are grazing. But they cannot be happy because they know that they are simply raised for being killed. They cannot be happy. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not a sentimental movement. It takes care of all-round 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, *kāmaṁ vavarṣa parjanyaḥ sarva-kāma-dughā mahī*[SB [[sb/1/10/4 1972|1.10.4]]].*Mahī*means land,*bhūmi*.*Agnir mahī gaganam ambu marud-diśaḥ... mahī*. This is*mahī*. In another,*Brahma-saṁhitā*[5.51], it is said,*mahī*. > agnir mahī gaganam ambu marud-diśaś ca kālas tathātma-manasīti jagat-trayāṇi yasmād bhavanti vibhavanti viśanti yaṁ ca govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi [The three worlds are composed of the nine elements, viz., fire, earth, ether, water, air, direction, time, soul and mind. I adore the primeval Lord Govinda from whom they originate, in whom they exist and into whom they enter at the time of the universal cataclysm.] This *mahī*word is used there is*Vedas*,*Brahma-saṁhitā*. What is that*mahī*?*Agnir* *mahī*. You require fire. You require land. You require sky.*Agnir mahī gaganam ambu.*You require water.*Agnir mahī gaganam ambu marut*. You require air. You require space. These are requirements.*Agnir mahī gaganam ambu marud-diśaś ca kālas tathātmā*.*Ātmā*,*ātmā*means this body,*ātmā*means the mind, and*ātmā*means the soul. So in the*Brahma-saṁhitā*you see,*agnir mahī gaganam ambu marud-diśaś ca kālas tathātma-manasīti jagat-trayāṇi yasmād bhavanti*.*Yasmād 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 Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says in the*Bhagavad-gītā* [[bg/7/4|7.4]]: > bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca ahaṅkāra itīyaṁ me bhinnā prakṛtir aṣṭadhā [Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego—all together these eight constitute My separated material energies.] *Bhinnā me prakṛtiḥ*. It is Kṛṣṇa's energy, Kṛṣṇa's energy. **So the*mahī*, 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-kāma-dughā mahī*.*Sarva-kāma*, 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 *mahī*, 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*mahī*, from the land. Without land, you cannot. Similarly, instead of cutting the throat of the cows, you can grow your food. Why you are cutting the throat of the cows? After all, you have to get from the *mahī*, 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-kāma-dughā mahī*. You can get all the necessities of your life from land.**So*dughā*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*mudā*, 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 Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. That is being described. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira maintained this standard of civilization.**Just see how the economic problems will be solved simply by one movement, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Try to understand.*Mahī*. Because*mahī* 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. Because you can produce from the land anywhere. The rainfall is there. If you have got land and the rainfall is regular, then you can produce anything.*Kāmaṁ vavarṣa parjanyaḥ*[SB [[sb/1/10/4 1972|1.10.4]]].*And how the rainfall will be possible? How regular rainfall? That is described in the*Bhāgavata*.*Yajñād bhavati parjanyaḥ parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ*[Bg [[bg/3/14|3.14]]]. Is there a*Bhagavad-gītā*here?*Yajñād bhavati parjanyaḥ*. We are trying to give as much possible happiness to our students. Otherwise unless he is, one feels happy, how... It is little difficult. Unless one is very advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one cannot adjust things. Therefore our policy is that... What is called? *Yogo bhavati siddhi*.*Yuktāhāra-vihārasya.* *Yuktāhāra-vihārasya yogo bhavati siddhi*. We are yogis, but we are not that kind of*yogi*, unnecessarily giving trouble to the body. No.*Yuktāhāra*. You eat. You require to eat. You eat. Don't starve. Don't unnecessarily fast. But don't eat voraciously. That is bad. That is not *yukta*. You eat, but don't eat voraciously: "Because there is something very palatable, let me eat voraciously," and then again fall sick. And, if you cannot digest, then you will sleep. You will sleep only. Therefore don't eat more, but eat whatever is necessary.*Yuktāhāra*: > yuktāhāra-vihārasya yukta-ceṣṭasya karmasu yukta-svapnāvabodhasya yogo bhavati duḥkha-hā [*Bg* [[bg/6/17|6.17]]: " He who is regulated in his habits of eating, sleeping, recreation and work can mitigate all material pains by practicing the yoga system.] Eat whatever necessity, whatever you can... "One man's food, another man's poison." One man eats, say, so much voraciously. Another man cannot digest. If he imitates, "Oh, he is eating so much? I will also eat so much." No. He can digest it, let him eat. But if you cannot digest, don't eat more. That is required. Then what is that verse? **Pradyumna: > annād bhavanti bhūtāni parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ yajñād bhavati parjanyo yajñaḥ karma-samudbhavaḥ [Bg [[bg/3/14|3.14]]]: "All living bodies subsist on food grains, which are produced from rains. Rains are produced by performance of *yajña*{sacrifice}, and*yajña* is born of prescribed duties.] **Prabhupāda:**That's it. Everything is cycle. If you execute your prescribed duties as a*brāhmaṇa*, as a*kṣatriya*, as a*vaiśya*, or as a*śūdra*, as a*brahmacārī*, as a*gṛhastha*, as a*vānaprastha*, or as a*sannyāsī*... Divisions are there. Division must be there. Just like government. For executing nicely the governmental business, there are so many departments. Not that one department, only king, queen. Then government... Why the government is spending so much money, maintaining so many building? Simply queen's palace, that Buckingham, that is sufficient? No. There must be depart ments. So these are departments, this*brāhmaṇa*, this*kṣatriya*, the*vaiśyas*, the*śūdras*. Just like in your body there are departments. This department, brain, head. Therefore it is called head, head office, head office. Why do you refer to the head office? It has come from this head. Why Godhead? The Supreme Godhead, the Supreme. Therefore we say, "Godhead. That is described in the*Bhagavad-gītā*. [Bg [[bg/7/7|7.7]]]Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiṣcid asti dhanaṣjaya*: "There is no more superior person than Me." So the divisions required. The divisions required. So for these divisions,*brāhmaṇa*,*kṣatriya*,*vaiśya*,*śūdra*... Without the divisions... So what is... Read the verse again. **Pradyumna:** Annād bhavanti **Prabhupāda:** Annād bhavanti, huh? **Pradyumna:** ...bhūtāni. **Prabhupāda:** Ah, bhavanti bhūtāni. Annād. Anna means food grains. Either animal or man, they must eat sufficiently. Either you eat grass or you eat rice or wheat or oats, or..., something must be... So they are called anna. In Sanskrit language it is called anna. Anna means foodgrains. So annād bhavanti bhūtāni [Bg [[bg/3/14|3.14]]]. Every living entity lives. Nowadays there are scarcity of foodgrains. Even the human being cannot eat sufficiently. But formerly the kings, they used to maintain elephants. They were supplied very nice *chapātis*. Do you know that? Still there are kings, they have elephants. Therefore elephant can be maintained by very rich man. If suppose, if somebody comes, he says, "Take this elephant, I give you free," will you take? Will you accept? You know that elephant will devour you, your all your means or income and all family income, because you cannot maintain elephant. (laughs) Therefore in India sometimes, when, a hundred years ago, some students would come in England, especially London, and make a European, English wife... In old days they are doing that. So people would say that "This man is maintaining one white elephant." Because a European wife means very much expenditure. So one Mr. C.R. Das, he was high-court judge. So he was taking bribe on account of maintaining white elephant. He married one European wife. The expenditure very high. In those days for Indian it was a fashion to get a European wife. So this man married one European wife, and his expenditures was very, very heavy. So high-court judge, he was getting only four thousand *rupees*, and his expenditure was ten thousand rupees, and therefore he was taking bribe. He admitted. So when he was detected by the chief justice, he was dismissed from the post. But this is the position. You should not expend more than your income. So *kāmam*, yes, what is that?*Annād*,*annād bhavanti bhūtāni*[Bg [[bg/3/14|3.14]]].*Bhūtāni*means embodied, those who have taken, accepted, the living entities. They live by eating*anna*, either animal or human being.**You require*anna*. Produce foodgrains.**Foodgrains or grass or anything, as the animals eat and man eat, you must produce.**And that production is there on the ground, not your factory. Not in the Birmingham factories.**There are many factories in Birmingham? You cannot produce foodgrains there. Therefore it is said,*annād bhavanti bhūtāni*. Then, next? **Pradyumna:** *Parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ.* **Prabhupāda:**And*parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ. Parjanya*means if there is waterfall, rainfall, then you can produce*anna*.*Parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ*. One after another. You require foodgrains, and for producing foodgrains, you require sufficient rainfall.*Parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ*. Then? **Pradyumna:** *Yajñād bhavati parjanyaḥ*. **Prabhupāda:** *Yajñād bhavati parjanyaḥ*[Bg [[bg/3/14|3.14]]]. And the rain supply be regular if you perform sacrifice.**Therefore, what is that next? **Pradyumna:***Yajñād bhavati parjanyo yajñaḥ karma-samudbhavaḥ*. **Prabhupāda:**Ah,*yajñaḥ karma-samudbhavaḥ. Yajña, karma*. Karma means, according to the varṇāśrama, brāhmaṇa should work according to his own position. They will chant Vedic mantra. That is also one karma, activity. They must understand what is Vedas; they must explain. That is brāhmaṇa's business. And kṣatriya's business, karma... This is called*kṣātraṁ karma svabhāva-jam*.*Brahma-karma svabhāva-jam*.*Vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam*.*Śūdra-karma svabhāva-jam*.**By nature, one has got a particular type of work.**So*yajñaḥ karma-samudbhavaḥ*, what is that? **Pradyumna**:*Yajñaḥ karma-samudbhavaḥ.* **Prabhupāda:**Ah,*karma-samudbhavaḥ*. If everyone is doing his duty nicely as a brāhmaṇa, as a kṣatriya, as a vaiśya or as a śūdra, then no..., there is no question of that you are do...**Everyone has to do his work according to his capacity. Just like in ordinary life also, we do not see that everyone is able to do everything.**No. There are certain class of men. If you want some help for repairing your electric wiring, you must call for an electrician, not a carpenter. But when you want to repair a door, you require a carpenter. That is Vedic division.**Therefore there was caste system.**Everyone... I have seen in India still. In you country also you'll find. The potters, during Diwali system, they make small dolls.**So I have seen the potter's house. The children, five or ten years old, they are also making small dolls, small dolls. Because by tradition, by family, the father is making doll, the mother is making doll, and the children also learning.**Similarly, the weaver, you will find. You supply the... Still there are this system. You supply.**Gandhi wanted to introduce this system. You produce your thread and give to the weaver, and weaver will give you cloth. Why you are looking after this Manchester cloth?** By this movement... (end) False Wealth or Real Wealth?, Los Angeles, December 31, 1973: Morning Walk --- ## False Wealth or Real Wealth? Los Angeles, December 31, 1973 - Morning Walk **Paper currency: cheaters and the cheated... gold standard is good because it discourages large scale industry and trade... real wealth as cattle and grainsPrajāpati:**Actually, I was concerned this morning about inflation. The government and the newspapers, they say the biggest problem today is inflation.**From our Kṛṣṇa conscious standpoint, how can we cure this problem of inflation?Prabhupāda: It is very simple. Don't accept paper currency. It must be gold or some metal worth. Just like one dollar, it must be worth one dollar metal. Then it is solved.** But they want to cheat. How it can be solved? Because if I pay you one dollar, I must pay you value for one dollar. But it is the cheating process is going on, "I pay you one dollar, a piece of paper. That's all." So you accept cheating, and I also cheat. Government allows. So how the problem can be solved? It is cheating. But the government allows it as law. And you accept, I accept. Then how they can be solved, solution? This is the solution. **Prajāpati:In the economy itself there isn't actually enough money to, that's even in the banks...Prabhupāda:**That is cheating.**Therefore I say cheating. I have no money. I give you simply paper. I promise to pay hundred dollars. What is the use of that promise if I have no money?** But you want to be cheated. I cheat you. That's all. You are satisfied of being cheated by me; so I take the advantage and I cheat you. I give you a paper. That's all. **Bahulāśva:** Real money is gold and silver. **Prabhupāda:**Any... It must be value. According to the market price, it must be value. Whatever it may be. Gold is taken, because gold is the most valuable metal. A small piece of gold, it can carry two hundred dollars. But if I give you iron, then you have to bring another, what is called, bus, to carry it. (laughter) So therefore gold standard is accepted everywhere.**There is a standard price of gold, so when I pay you money, it must be, carry the value in gold. That's all. Then there is no inflation. The people want to be cheated, and people cheat.** That's all. **Bahulāśva:In the*Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam*, Prabhupāda, you say that Kali became gold standardized.Prabhupāda:** That is another point. That one who has gold, he can purchase these four kinds of sinful activities: meat-eating, gambling, intoxication, illicit sex. If you have money, you can get illicit sex from big, big quarters. Is it not? **Karandhara:** Yes. **Prabhupāda:**Yes.**The sinful activities have increased because the world has produced too much wealth.**Because they can purchase sinful activities. And that is being increased by inflation.**False money I have got, and with that false money I can purchase all this illicit sex, wine, intoxication**, and... It is just like nowadays, bank is giving you a card, "Americard..." What is that? **Karandhara:** Charge card. Bank Americard. **Prabhupāda:**Ah. So you simply show the card, you get the goods. So to exchange, it has become very cheap. So cheaply you can purchase. Therefore cheaply you can purchase sinful things also. The people are becoming sinful.**The modern economy is, "Engage people in hard working to produce, and by artificial cheating, secure the goods, commodities." This is modern economy. So a worker is getting three thousand dollar per month, but he is getting paper. But he is thinking that "I am getting money." He is giving his labor, and things are being produced. This is the policy. "Cheat him. Without giving money, give him paper, and get his labor, and produce goods." This is modern economy. Is it not?**A laborer, a worker, is given high salary, high wages. So what he is getting? It is paper.** And he is very enthusiastic to give his labor. So production is more. And when you go to purchase the products, then you have to pay again. Whatever you have earned, you have to pay everything, pay to the bank or pay to the man. Simply cheating process is going on... **Prajāpati:** This is part of our platform. To even run for political office, we need solutions to the problems to offer as a platform. We will draw up various bills, ready for legislation, show them that we are serious. **Prabhupāda:** So how you'll present it? The cheating process is going on. Unless you become God conscious, the cheating process will not stop. So there is no solution. **Prajāpati:** So therefore we introduce bill into the schools to introduce God consciousness to all the children there. **Prabhupāda:** Yes. God consciousness. Then everyone will be honest, and everything will be adjusted. Everyone can understand this is pure cheating. I give you a hundred dollars, a piece of paper. That's all. And you accept it. You want to be cheated. You thought, that "I have got now daily, hundred dollars. So let me work very hard." He does not consider that "I am not getting a hundred dollars. I am getting a piece of paper." So people have no brain to understand even. "This is not hundred dollars. Give me cash, hundred dollars." Then everything, solution will be... There will be no inflation. Because I know that paying you a piece of paper, I can cheat you, therefore I am printing notes, to cheat so many people. Therefore inflation. But when there will be no possibility to cheat you, then there will be no inflation. Here I have got the opportunity, because I know that pushing forward a piece of paper, I can cheat so many people. So there must be inflation. Is it not? This is not psychological? If I know that I can cheat you by this instrument, so why shall I not increase that? That is inflation. What do you think, Karandhara? **Karandhara:** That's the basic principle, yes. **Prabhupāda:** Yes. I am cheating you, and people accepting my cheating. **Karandhara:** The governments actually started the whole thing. They instituted paper money and they instituted it because it is a cheating process. But everyone is participating. So it is just going on and on. That is the real cause of inflation. **Prabhupāda:** Yes. That's it. They are getting encouragement in their cheating business. **Bahulāśva:They won't let you have any gold**. **Prabhupāda:Now they have made law that you cannot store gold?Karandhara:** That's been since 1933. **Prabhupāda:** Just see. **Karandhara:** Americans cannot own gold, store gold. Pretty soon they are going to pass the same law for silver. **Prabhupāda:** Just see. Even they cannot have ornaments. **Karandhara:** Well, you can have ornaments, jewelry. **Prabhupāda:** So by law they are cheating. So how you can stop? **Karandhara:Now they have introduced a law that even the penny, which is the smallest denomination, it used to made out of copper, so now they are going to make it out of aluminum, because copper is too expensive.Prabhupāda:** Just see. **Bahulāśva:** It will be worth less than a penny when it is made out of aluminum. **Prabhupāda:Why not cement?** (laughter) Because by law everything will be acceptable. Make it cement. **Bahulāśva:** Śrīla Prabhupāda, what can we do to curb down these rascals? **Prabhupāda:** Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. **Bahulāśva:** That will curb them down. **Prabhupāda:** Yes. They will be purified. The more you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, they will be purified. This is... All problems are there on account of misunderstanding. What we are distributing? We are simply moving misunderstanding and bringing them to knowledge. This is our propaganda. So Mr. Theologician, is this suggestion appealing to you? **Prajāpati: It seems all right for ordinary dealings, Śrīla Prabhupāda, having this money, what's going on, but for large scale transactions it might be very difficult.Prabhupāda:** Huh? **Prajāpati:** And as the practical basis, transactions of thousands and thousands of dollars, would be... **Prabhupāda:That will be good for the people. Because large scale transaction is there, therefore the capitalists hoarding.**Capitalists hoarding. Goods are there, everything is there. You pay black price, you get it. Then, when somebody's hoarding, he is not giving to the market.**So if the large scale industry and trade becomes stopped, that is good for people.Jagajjīvana:** Does that mean the same amount of gold is here? **Prabhupāda:** No, larger scale... Suppose if you want to store, say, thousand kilos or a thousand bags of rice, so you have to pay me gold. But you have no such gold. Therefore large scale industry will be stopped. Just see. **Karandhara:Then the price of rice would go very low.Prabhupāda:**Yes.**Then you get actual price and actual value.** Goods are there, any part of the world you..., there is enough commodity. But these rascals, they are hoarding, and they are not giving in right time. So people are suffering. **Karandhara:** Yes. There's a... They buy now. They buy the goods before they are even grown, from the commodity market. **Prabhupāda:** Yes, because they can pay in this paper, the bank will advance. So as soon as you... You have to introduce this metal coins, value. The whole cheating scheme will fail. **Jagajjīvana:** In the past there was a lot of gold on the planet. What has happened to it? There used to be a lot of gold on the planet? **Prabhupāda:** Yes. They used as utensil, as household pots. Just like now you are advanced, using plastic, because you have become very advanced. So you are using plastic. They were using gold. **Jagajjīvana:So what has happened to that gold?Prabhupāda:**What happened? If you keep utensil at home, what happens? You eat nicely on the plate. That's all. Why you are concerned, what happening?**It is in your store. That's all. And gold is such a metal, any part of the country, any part of the world you go, you get immediately value.Karandhara:** Yes. Whenever there is an economic depression, then gold remains valuable. Just like when the stock market crashed in 1929, if you had gold you could still purchase goods. No matter how bad the economy was, people would accept gold as barter, but not currency. **Prabhupāda:**Yes. Indian economy was that if you have got extra money, you get gold ornament for your wife. So then your money is stocked there. Or purchase some utensils, silver utensils. That was Indian economy.**This depositing in the bank and thinking that I am getting good interest, that is another cheating.**It is another cheating. If things are not available, what will you get by getting interest?**Therefore I am advising that purchase land and produce our own food.**There will be no problem. **Karandhara:** The inflation rate is higher than the interest rate. If you earn 5 3/4 % interest in a year, the inflation has gone up 6% in a year. So actually your money, at best it's kept the same. **Prabhupāda:The money is to be kept in cattle and grains. That is Indian economy, cattle and grains. If you have got many cows, you get milk. Milk preparation. And if you have got grain, then where is your problem? You prepare your foodstuff at home and eat and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Where is your problem? You want to eat and live peacefully. So if you have got grains and milk, you have got enough food and there is no problem. You haven't got to go fifty miles for your work, and then you require a tin car. So many problems. But if you get your food at home, then eat them and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and go back to home, back to Godhead. Simple thing.Prajāpati:** So many people now employed in sinful activities, jobs that are to do with sinful life. If we get rid of these sinful activities, what will we find for these people to do to replace their jobs? **Prabhupāda:**Do pious activities. Do you mean to say we have to continue sinful activities for their job**?**(laughter) **Prajāpati:** They say like that. **Prabhupāda:** No, we shall give engagement. **Prajāpati:** Cattle industry, liquor industry, tobacco industry, all these big industries. **Prabhupāda:**Yes.**Let them be without industry. Come to us. We shall give them food.** Yes. Just like that... What is that? Mṛgāri, Mṛgāri. He was thinking that "Unless I kill animals, how I will eat, I shall live?" And Nārada gave him, that "I will give you to eat. Come here." So he became Vaiṣṇava. So that is our propaganda." Stop this nonsense business. If you think that 'How you shall eat?' I shall give you eating. Come on. "This is our program." First of all you stop it. Then I will, see how I will give you." Just see. When I came first I was alone. I had no shelter, no food. And how we are maintaining now thousands of people, and giving them to eat, and nice shelter? How it is possible? It is possible. Because after all, Kṛṣṇa gives everything. So if they become Kṛṣṇized, everything will come. Why they bother about the sinful activities? Varṇāśrama to Save a Troubled World, Vṛndāvana, March 12, 1974: Varṇāśrama Walk --- ## Grow Your Own Food Rome, May 25, 1974 Morning Walk At Villa Borghese **Perform sacrifice and become self-sufficient...king grants land, taxes are in-kind and based on production...paper currency versus barter system...modern mismanagement, Kṛṣṇa conscious solutionDevotee**: Why is it that the rains come in certain parts of the world and in other parts people do not have enough? **Prabhupāda**: No, no part of the world is nowadays sufficient rain. Because they are not performing*yajña*. Sometimes it is seen that over-rain, overflood, not systematic. But if you perform*yajña*, there will be systematic rainfall, which you can utilize properly.*Yajñād bhavati parjanyaḥ.*[Bg [[bg/3/14|3.14]]]: "Rains are produced by performance of*yajña* {sacrifice}.], **Devotee**: Kīrtanānanda Swami says that in New Vrindaban the weather is changing every year. It is getting nicer there. Much more sun and the winter is not so hard. **Atreya Ṛṣi**: In New Vrindaban it's getting better. **Prabhupāda**: Yes. Because there are so many devotees. The people are still being maintained on account of our chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa*mantra*. **Devotee**: By the grace of pure devotee. **Prabhupāda**: Yes. (break) ...encouraging in our society to take to agriculture to support this center. I am purchasing land in Vṛndāvana and Māyāpur to become self-sufficient. Whatever production you make, you be satisfied. Little vegetable, little grain and little milk. That is sufficient. **Yogeśvara**: In the Vedic culture, was the land divided, in the sense that some people would receive land free or...? **Bhagavān**: This is nice here, this ground. **Yogeśvara**: The land in the Vedic culture, some of it was...? **Prabhupāda**: Land belongs to the king, and you take land for cultivation, and you pay 25% tax to the king. That's all. All taxes. If you don't produce, then don't pay tax. **Yogeśvara**: Oh, it wasn't forced that you had to pay so much. **Prabhupāda**: No. **Atreya Ṛṣi**: You pay 25% of what you have produced. **Prabhupāda**: What you have produced, that's all. Very simple thing. Everyone was engaged producing. There was no necessity. And here the rascals are advising, produce bolts and nuts, tire, and drill petrol. They are not producing food. And the so-called government men, they are levying taxes, and they are enjoying. They haven't got to produce food. They are killing animals, eating, and digesting with wine. And then woman. That's all. This is their business. And food price is increasing daily. They don't mind because they will print paper, and to the supplier they will give paper. That's all. **Bhagavān**: Print more paper. **Prabhupāda**: Yes. That's all. This is the civilization, cheating, bluffing. That's all. They don't care for the citizens. And as soon as there is some agitation, they declare war, so that they can be engaged, attention is diverted. This is going on. **Bhagavān**: Now with paper money, any country can print any other country's money. **Prabhupāda**: Yes. That is going on. Therefore inflation. Suppose I am an enemy. I print dollars like that, and distribute. So the inflation is there. And the price is increased. If you get money for nothing, you will be prepared to pay anything. Suppose there is one mound of rice. I have got these printed notes. You are offering ten*rupees*. I will say twenty*rupees*. **Atreya Ṛṣi**: That's inflation. **Prabhupāda**: That's all. Because I did not earn this money, I have printed. I am prepared to twenty*rupees*. So he says, "Why shall I pay ten*rupees*? I must wait for the customer, for twenty*rupees*, and hoard it." Even there is sufficient stock, he will not sell. Therefore the other man, who is honest, he is suffering. This is going on. So to stop this inflation, the government must stop this paper currency. Then the inflation... There will be no more inflation. But that they will not do. They want to cheat people. "In God I trust. Take this paper and you be satisfied that you have got thousand dollars." That's all. This cheating is going on. Why should you pay me paper? Give me real dollar, in gold. That they have none. They haven't got. That's all. They will employ laborers and cheat them by paying these papers, and this rascal will think that "I am getting more money." That's all. Since this world has taken this paper currency, the situation has degraded. Formerly there was barter exchange. That was very good thing. Still in Indian villages, the remote villages, there is barter. Yes. He has produced some grains, paddy. He will bring to the storekeeper. And the storekeeper will take, "For so much oil, you have to give me so much paddy." So he will weigh and keep it and give him oil. So he will arrange to sell the paddy. But for the villagers, he brings the paddy and he takes. They require little salt, little oil, some spices. That's all. Otherwise they have got their own thing. They have got *dāl*, their rice, wheat, everything. They have produced. In this way, still there are, Indian villages. There is no question of scarcity. **Bhagavān**: The easiest way to manage, then, is to have everything more or less in small villages. **Prabhupāda**: Yes, that was Gandhi's philosophy, village organization. These people, they are attracting villagers to work in the factory, and they are exploiting them. Instead of producing food, they are attracted by so-called high salaries, to the factory, and they are producing bolts and nuts, motor parts. But food is produced somewhere else. But the food producers, they are working in the factory. Therefore scarcity of foodstuff. But this factory owner, he has got more money. He doesn't care. The poor public, they are suffering. Our philosophy is that you produce your food anywhere. You stay, and keep cows, take milk, produce vegetables, food grains, and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. That's all. This is our philosophy. Make your life successful. By becoming Kṛṣṇa 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 Kṛṣṇa, realize Kṛṣṇa, and go back to home. This is our philosophy. **Satsvarūpa**: But sometimes, because this materialistic society is so far advanced, you say we cannot actually hope to change it. **Prabhupāda**: No, no. That is a fact. We cannot hope to change. But we request everyone to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. **Yogeśvara**: In their factory or wherever they are. **Prabhupāda**: Yes. Because it is very difficult to close the factory. That is not possible. So whatever you have done, it is all right. But you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Then things will be adjusted. We are giving chance to everyone, who is degraded or who is not degraded, by the simple method of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. We do not neglect anyone. We do not say, "You are neglected. We don't accept you." No. I accept you and I accept others. What is this? Cemetery? No. It is also part of this park? (break) **Bhagavān**: ...people tolerate such obvious mismanagement. **Prabhupāda**: As long as they will not take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they have to tolerate. They must suffer. That is nature's law. That is said in the*Bhagavad-gītā*:*Daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā...*[Bg [[bg/7/14|7.14]]]: "This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome...] You cannot escape all these miserable conditions of...*Mām eva ye prapadyante*. If you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, then you escape. What is difficulty to become Kṛṣṇa conscious?*Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru*: "Simply always think of Me." [*Bg*[[bg/9/34|9.34]]] We have got nice Kṛṣṇa. And attend the temple, and we see. And what is the difficulty to think of Him always? Or chanting, hearing His name. So there is no difficulty in remembering Kṛṣṇa always.*Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ*. To become devotee, worship the Lord in the temple, prepare food for Him, and take the*prasādam*—where is the difficulty? The program which we have introduced, where is the difficulty there? But the rascals will not take. That is the difficulty. They will become hippies, but they will not become devotees. Although a better position. This is their misfortune.*Duṣkṛtina*, misfortune. In spite of the things being so easy to perform, they will not take to it, on account of misfortune.*Duṣkṛtina*. Because they have committed so many sinful activities, it is difficult to accept this. Otherwise, the thing which we are presenting is very easy to be accepted by anyone, even by a child. And actually we see. The children, they are also dancing, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and very happy. In Dallas. In all schools the children are unhappy, their face. And we see in Dallas, all children, they are so happy. The teacher is happy. The student is happy there. Have you not marked the face in the picture, how they are happy. Did you mark it? **Devotee**: Yes. **Bhagavān**: To accept our way, though, they think "That means I have been totally wrong." And they have so much pride that they don't want to change it. **Prabhupāda**: That is their misfortune.*Mūrkhāyopadeśo hi prakopayati na śamyati*(?). A*mūrkha*, a rascal, when he is given good advice, he becomes angry. He becomes angry. He does not take for solution of the problem, but he becomes angry.*Mūrkhāyopadeśo hi. Payaḥ-pānaṁ bhujaṅganaṁ kevalaṁ viṣa-vardhanam*(?). Because they are miscreants, like snakes, if you give him milk, his poison will increase.*Payaḥ-pānaṁ bhujaṅganaṁ kevalaṁ viṣa-vardhanam.* **Yogeśvara**: When I was at the university, there were two kinds of strikes. One was by the students and the other one was by the professors. Prabhupāda: (laughing) And what about the clerks? They also strike sometimes. **Yogeśvara**: They took advantage of the two. **Prabhupāda**: Everyone dissatisfied—that's a fact. This is a bad civilization. **Yogeśvara**: Jyotirmayee [dasi] is giving a course in Paris at one university, and there we can't always have our classes. We are scheduled every week, but we've only had two or three. The whole rest of the time the university has been closed because the students were striking. Practically the whole year. **Bhagavān**: (car screeches as passing by) So fast and they go nowhere. **Prabhupāda**: He is proud that "How fast I can drive!" Just see. And where you are going? "I am going to hell, that's all. Never mind." That is described in the*Bhagavad-gītā*. Just like the flies. They are coming very forcefully. Where? In the fire. Pat! Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa!" They are very busy. And as soon as on the fire, finished. Just see. Very busy. Without inquiring, "Where I am going so forcefully?" But they are going to the fire. **Satsvarūpa**: We should go on the walk. The cars are coming on the road. **Prabhupāda**: So we shall walk? (break) ...containing three passengers, wasting petrol. Similarly, hundreds and thousands and millions of cars and buses are running all over the world, simply wasting petrol. **Bhagavān**: When there was the oil crisis in the United States, they were giving reports how some person would go in his car, go ten miles in a big car to buy one pack of cigarettes. **Prabhupāda**: Stick to your own place and grow your food. There is no question of transport. Little transport is required, that bullock cart. Kṛṣṇa was being carried on bullock cart. There is no use of petrol. Use simply the bull. They are already there. Utilize them. No. The bull should be sent to the slaughterhouse. Petrol should be used. **Atreya Ṛṣi**: They try to solve every problem by transportation, by airplanes, cars. For example, we had this big conference in Montreal. From all over the world came... (end) Petroleum vs. Ox Power, Rome, May 27, 1974: Morning Walk --- ## Every Man Should Own Some Land Geneva, June 6, 1974 Bhagavad-gītā Lecture: 13.35 **As the body is our field for cultivating Kṛṣṇa conscious ness, so the land is our field for cultivating food...Vedic civilization means every man should produce his own foodNitāi:** "One who knowingly sees this difference between the body and the owner of the body and can understand the process of liberation from this bondage also attains to the supreme goal." > [kṣetra-kṣetrajñayor evam antaraṁ jñāna-cakṣuṣā bhūta-prakṛti-mokṣaṁ ca ye vidur yānti te param —Bg. [[bg/13/35|13.35]]] **Prabhupāda:** In the beginning of this chapter, Arjuna inquired, > prakṛtiṁ puruṣaṁ caiva kṣetraṁ kṣetra-jñam eva ca etad veditum icchāmi jñānaṁ jṣeyaṁ ca keśava [*Bg* [[bg/13/1 bg 13.2 bg 13.1-2|13.1]]: "Arjuna said: O my dear Kṛṣṇa, I wish to know about prakṛti {nature}, puruṣa {the enjoyer}, and the field and the knower of the field, and of knowledge and the object of knowledge...] Yesterday evening, those gentlemen who came from Protestant Church? **Yogeśvara:** Yes. **Prabhupāda:**So they're talking about what is knowledge. Yes. This is very good question, what is knowledge. So Arjuna wanted to know this knowledge from Kṛṣṇa.**Knowledge means to understand this body and the soul.** *Kṣetra-kṣetra-jña*.*Kṣetra* means this body, and kṣetra-jña means the owner of the body. Just like if you study your body... "What is this?" Just like we ask any child. Sometimes we play with the child. We ask, "What is this?" He'll say, "My hand," or "My head." So even the child can say that the hand is different from him. We also say, "This is my hand," "This is my leg," "This is my head." We never say, "I head," or "I hand." No. "My hand." It is very simple thing. So Kṛṣṇa, being asked by Arjuna, He's giving the knowledge that this body is called *kṣetra*.***Kṣetra*means field of activities. Just like in agricultural land. You get a piece of land, and you produce your own food grain, or as you like. The government gives you a piece of land, and you have to pay a little tax, and you can grow your food grains as you like.**Similarly, as we wanted, Kṛṣṇa has given us this body. Now we can work with this body as we like. If you want, you can utilize this body for higher elevation, or you can utilize this body for your nonsense purpose and go to hell. That is your choice. Just like somebody is using this body, undergoing austerities, penance, according to the spiritual, regulative life, and one man is using this body only for sense gratification, drinking and sex. So it is my choice, to utilize this body as I like, and I also reap the result. The same example: **You are given a field, a piece of land. You can grow twice, thrice in a year very nice foodstuff, sometimes pulses, sometimes paddy, sometimes the mustard seed. Any land... In India, we have seen that a cultivator produces three, four kind of food grains in a year.**That is the system...That is the system that in India every man is producing his food grains independently. Now it is stopped. Formerly, all these men, they used to produce their food grain.**So they used to work for three months in a year, and they could stock the whole year's eatable food grains.** Life was very simple. After all, you require to eat. So this Vedic civilization was that keep some land and keep some cows. Then your whole economic question is solved. Now, in this country, Geneva, I heard there is... I am tasting the milk, first-class milk. I think the world's best milk. Unless one has got his own cows, one cannot get such nice milk. But I hear also that because there is excess production of milk, they have decided to kill twenty-thousand cows. **Devotee:** Last year, they decided to do it, but apparently they didn't do it. They wanted to do it. **Prabhupāda:**Just see how much foolish proposal it is. So for want of God consciousness, this mischievous intelligence can be found. The whole economic question can be solved. If you have got excess, then you can trade, you can send to some place where there is scarcity.**But every man should produce his own food. That is Vedic culture.** You get a piece of land and produce your family's foodstuff. But they are... What they are doing? In Australia, in Africa, they have got enough land, but the government... Maybe they have no sufficient men to utilize the land, but they won't allow any outsider to go there who can produce. I have seen in Africa. **Very, very large tract of land was lying vacant, nobody is producing any food. They are producing coffee.** That is not the local men. The Britishers who have gone there, They are producing coffee, tea, and keeping some cows for slaughtering. This is going on. In Australia, also, I have seen. ...I don't find many churches here in Geneva. They don't like to go to church here? Guru-gaurāṅga**:** They say they do. **Prabhupāda:**...But don't find many churches here, so this is not very good sign.**People should eat sumptuously, not overeating. Overeating is bad.**Not undereating.*Yuktāhāra-vihārasya yogo bhavati siddhaye*.*Yuktāhāra*, as much as you require, you must eat.*Yajñārthe*...*Annād bhavanti bhūtāni*[Bg [[bg/3/14|3.14]]].**Either human being or an animal, they must get sufficient food, and that means*anna*, food grains.**So I have studied it very thoroughly.**If people produce food grain in all the lands available all over the world, they can feed ten times population than it is at present.** Kṛṣṇa has made such arrangement. **In the**[Īśopaniṣad, Invocation]**, it is said,*pūrṇam adaḥ pūrṇam idaṁ pūrṇāt pūrṇam udacyate*. In the creation of Kṛṣṇa, there cannot be any scarcity. Everything is sufficiently there.** *Pūrṇam*, it is complete, perfectly made, either this planet, that planet. Everywhere, the living entities are there, and Kṛṣṇa has made provision for every one of them. There is no question of scarcity. But people are not obeying the orders of Kṛṣṇa or the authorities, that "You produce..."*Annād bhavanti bhūtāni*. Even in Bible, it is said, "Thou shalt not kill." They are not producing food grains, and they are killing the animals and eating. How they will be happy? It is not possible. Most sinful activities.**You produce your food. The bull will help you. And the cows will supply you milk. They are considered to be father and mother. Just like father earns money for feeding the children, similarly, the bulls help producing, plowing, producing food grains, and the cow gives milk, mother.**And what is this civilization, killing father and mother? This is not good civilization. It will not stay. There will be catastrophe, waiting. Many times it has happened, and it will happen because transgressing the law of nature, or laws of God, is most sinful. That is sinful. Just like you become criminal by transgressing the law of state, similarly, when you transgress the law of God, then you are sinful.**So this example is given:*idaṁ śarīraṁ kṣetram*. That means to own a certain piece of land is the basic civilization. Everyone must have a portion of land to produce his food.**There will be no economic problem. And we have seen even in our childhood that poor men, the laborer class, servant, they came from village in the town. We were residents of town, Calcutta, The servants class, they would come... Everywhere, not in Calcutta, everywhere. The villagers would come, and the small salary. Even in our young days, we were paying salaries to the servants, twelve *rupees*, fourteen*rupees*, without any food. And still they would save at least ten to twelve*rupees*out of that. And this money, the servant would send to his wife at home, and as soon as there is two hundred*rupees*, he'll purchase a piece of land.**And in this way, when he has got sufficient land for producing food for the whole family, then he would no more come to city for working.**We have seen it. **That means as soon as one has a land sufficient to produce, he is safe. His food problem—that is the real problem—is solved.**So people are not being trained up to... In America, I have seen. Now the farmers, the father is working on the farm, and the sons, they do not come. They live in the city.**This is the tendency all over the world. They are not producing food grains. Therefore there is scarcity.**There is scarcity of... Especially in a country like India where the population is very big and there is no land available, there must be scarcity of food. Especially the Britishers, they have divided India: Pakistan and Hindustan. So all the food grains are there on the Pakistan side, and in the Hindustan side all the industries are there. So they are fighting. They have no industrial facilities, and they have no agricultural facilities. All policies. They would fight all along. The Britishers wanted that "You have taken your independ ence. All right, you'll suffer all the time, fighting between your..." This was a policy. So it is going on nicely. **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. So similarly, as we get some land and work for ourself, similarly, this body is also like that land. And I am... This "I," the soul, I can reap good result or bad result as I work with this body. This is very similar. This is knowledge. Kṛṣṇa says, *idaṁ śarīraṁ kaunteya kṣetram*[*Bg*[[bg/13/1 bg 13.2 bg 13.1-2|13.2]]]. Kṛṣṇa does not say that "Arjuna, you are this body." That is the beginning of*Bhagavad-gītā*.*Dehino 'smin yathā dehe* [Bg [[bg/2/13|2.13]]]. [Within this body, the owner of the body is there. This is the beginning of knowledge. So this knowledge is lacking. Nobody knows that "I am within this body." Everyone is thinking, "I am this body." I am American, I am Indian, I am Czechoslovakian, or I am Swiss, and... Everyone is thinking. That means they have no knowledge. All fools and rascals. So the all fools and rascals civilization, how we can be happy? There must be intelligence. They have no intelligence. They are thinking of philanthropic work, but still thinking that "I am this body." So what that philanthropic work will do? We... With ignorance, with no knowledge, whatever you do, it is foolish. As there are... Sometimes they divide, four classes of men: lazy intelligent, active intelligent, and lazy fool and active fool. The active fool is fourth-class because whatever he'll do, it is foolish. So result will not be very good. Active fool. So lazy fool is better than the active fool. Just like the monkey. It is active fool. In your country, in the Western country, you don't see many monkeys. But in India, there are many monkeys. As soon as a monkey will come, he will create some mischief. He's very busy, jumping here, there, here, here, there, but always creating mischief. **So modern civilization... And the Darwin's theory is that they have come from monkey. (laughter) So they are also doing like that, jumping like monkey, this way, that way, this way, that way, but always creating mischief. So this is very good example, that *idaṁ śarīraṁ kṣetram*. He has given, God has given you a piece of land, this body. Now you work. You make your future with this body.*Karmaṇā*... Because the body is produced according to my*karma*. Otherwise, why there are so many varieties of body? We are all human beings. Everyone, we are, we possess two hands, two legs. Still, the bodies are different.**We don't find anybody's body is exactly equal to the other. No. Because we have got different mentality.** Every one of us, we are individual soul; we have got different mentality, different propensities, different ideas. So in this way we have got different bodies. This is the science. Science, they are searching out so many things, but they do... Why they cannot explain that why there are varieties of body. Why not exactly equal human being exactly of the same feature, same...? Just like we do some... In mold, the, all the dolls come out of the same body. It is not like that.**For each and every living entity, Kṛṣṇa has to prepare a different type of body.**Therefore we have got different types of body according to*karma*. **So this is knowledge, that "I have got this body as field."**As one gets the land for cultivating his food grains, according to his labor, according to his choice,**similarly, we have got this field of activity. Now we can make our future good or bad according to our choice.***Idaṁ śarīraṁ kaunteya kṣetram iti abhidhīyate*[*Bg*[[bg/13/1 bg 13.2 bg 13.1-2|13.2]]].**This is called*kṣetra*, working land. Just like father gives some capital to the son: "You do some business." Now, you lose the money or increase it hundred times; that depends on you. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa has given us. We wanted to enjoy this material world, and Kṛṣṇa has given us. The first beginning body is Brahmā, very exalted body. But on account of our abominable activities, from Brahmā, we come down to become the worm of stool. This is called *karma*,*kṣetra*. There are eight million four hundred thousand species of life, and according to our work, we get some body, some type of body. And if we work in the modes of goodness, then we get still better body in higher planetary system, long duration of life, better standard of living condition, more and more, thousand times, thousand times. Whatever comforts and facilities we have got here on this planet, if we work in the modes of goodness, then we get more and more facilities... Those who are trying to promote themselves in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, Kṛṣṇa says *mad-yājinaḥ*, "Those who are worshiping Me, they come to Me." So now it is your choice. This body is given to you. Now you make your choice whether you want to have, in this material world, better facilities, better duration of life, or if you want to degrade yourself to the animal life, or if you want to go to Kṛṣṇaloka, everything, whatever you want, you can get. And this is the chance, this human form of body. You make your choice. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says,*idaṁ śarīraṁ kaunteya kṣetram iti abhidhīyate*[*Bg*[[bg/13/1 bg 13.2 bg 13.1-2|13.2]]].**It is just like the land of cultivation. Now you cultivate. > idaṁ śarīraṁ kaunteya kṣetram ity abhidhīyate etad yo vetti taṁ prāhuḥ kṣetra-jñaḥ iti tad-vidaḥ [Bg [[bg/13/1 bg 13.2 bg 13.1-2|13.2]]] And... Just like the land and the proprietor of land. The proprietor of the land knows that "This is my land." It is not "I land." That is ignorance. So people are taking this, that "I am this body." That is ignorance. If they know, if one knows that "I am not this body; I am proprietor of this body, I'll have to work with this body for my future," then that is knowledge. *Etad yo vetti kṣetra-jña*, knower, one who knows. That is the beginning of knowledge. Then Kṛṣṇa says, > kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata kṣetra-kṣetra-jñayor jñānaṁ yat taj jñānaṁ mataṁ mama * *[*Bg* [[bg/13/3|13.3]]] Kṛṣṇa is giving His opinion, the Supreme Authority, that "If you want to know, if you want to be in knowledge, this is knowledge." What is that? "That this body, you are not this body; **you are the owner of the body**. And you should know also that the there is another person. As you are a person, you are owner of this body, there is another person." Who is that? "That is I am." Kṛṣṇa says. *Kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi*: "I am also owner of this body."**Actually Kṛṣṇa is the owner of the body.**Just like in a, in an apartment, there is the occupier and the landlord...Similarly, Kṛṣṇa is the real owner of this bodybecause**Kṛṣṇa has given me this body just to occupy it and work.**So far. Not that I am the actual proprietor of this body. Harnessing Natural Inclination, Vṛndāvana, April 20, 1975: Conversation with Governor --- ## Self-sufficiently or Commercial Production? Mauritius, October 2, 1975 - Morning Walk **Capitalism versus communism...grow to eat or grow to sell?—subsistence versus market-oriented productionCyavana**: The capitalists are so anxious for money that they exploit this tendency of the living entity to enjoy by tempting him. Every year they create some new way to entice him. **Prabhupāda**: And taxation. And the taxation is divided among them. The tax is meant for public welfare. Instead of public welfare, they divide it amongst themselves and enjoy wine, women, motorcar and flesh. That's all. This is going on. All this income tax-plundering process. This income tax means a plan how to take away everything from the actually earning members of the society. That is income tax. And that is divided amongst administrators. That's all. **Cyavana**: Here it is very prominent. The workers in the fields, they are barely making enough to live from day to day. But the planters who live in France, they are taking millions of*rupees* and living very comfortably. **Prabhupāda**: Therefore Communism is coming. Go this way? **Cyavana**: Is it this way? We can go this way. This way. Or better this way. Now he's coming the other way. **Prabhupāda**: (break) ...create another danger. Just like airplane. It is comfortable. You can quickly go from one place to another. But as soon as on the plane, immediately your life is at risk. There is no certainty. So this is the way of material world. You create some comfort and you create some greater danger also. Side by side. It cannot be unhampered comfort. That is not possible. You create a motorcar—the same thing—you drive very speedy and you meet accident. Railway, the accident. There was no need. You produce your food locally and produce your milk. Then eat, drink, and live comfortably. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. That is wanted. Make your life successful.*Yad uttama-śloka-guṇānuvarṇanam*. [SB [[sb/1/5/22 1972|1.5.22]]]: "...Transcendental descriptions of the Lord, who is defined in choice poetry.] And if you have got education, then describe the glories of the Lord by your scientific and educational qualification. (break) The rain is coming. We can go this way.*Yad uttama-śloka-guṇānuvarṇanam*. (break) **Prabhupāda**: Then... Then you are useless. Because you cannot go to the ultimate point of education, therefore your education is useless. **Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa**: But then they will ask, "You will come and bring me food?" **Prabhupāda**: Yes, I will give you food. Food is there. You are not creating food. It is... From the earth it is grown. **Brahmānanda**: But we have to work very hard; otherwise we won't get money for buying food. **Prabhupāda**: No. You work a very slight three months in a year and get all food. Food is there; milk is there; land is there. You have to work... **Cyavana**: That is their propaganda. (break) **Prabhupāda**: There was no... We don't require all these things because we know others are victims. They pay for it. And they work hard for the money and pay to work. That's all. Our men never touch this Coca-Cola and cigarette, but others, they are mad after it. **Brahmānanda**: They say they have to work so hard to get food, but actually they are working hard for this. **Prabhupāda**: He'll get food. Food they can grow very easily, but they... Anartha. This is called anartha.*Anartha*means unnecessarily.*Ādau śraddh tata sādhu-saṅgo 'tha bhajana-kriy tato 'nartha-nivṛtti syāt*. So*anartha-nivṛtti*civilization, not*anartha*increasing. Civilization means*anartha-nivṛtti syāt*because we are complicated by the*anarthas*, unwanted things. (break) ...this way there is bulls, horses for transport. But what is the use of these big, big motorbuses and acquire petrol, machine, factory, so many things? But nature's way there is already means of transport. The horses are there. The bulls are there. But they will eat them, and they will create these motor big, big buses and then petrol, then fight... **Prabhupāda**:*Accha bole tomare lagdha, suta jagat murare*.(?) You give me that*chewra* and milk and banana, nothing else. (break) ...and so much useless labor for growing tea, that will be stopped. You can grow food. (break) You drink tea, you'll require sugar. Then unnecessarily producing so much sugarcane. And the by-product of sugarcane, molasses, you'll have to utilize. Then produce wine, liquor. One after another. **Indian man**: But our country depends upon sugar. **Prabhupāda**: No, that is mistake. Your country, you can produce your own food. That's all. Why you should depend? You produce food grains. You produce milk. Then your all necessities is supplied. Why should you produce unnecessarily? **Brahmānanda**: Here they use powdered milk because they have no cows. **Prabhupāda**: Just see. And here even by this sugarcane, what is called? Upper part? This part? **Indian man**: We call it*ag*.(?) **Prabhupāda**: Ag, yes. You can maintain thousand of cows. **Indian man**: But that's actually best food, you know. In Punjab they use that. They store it for a year. **Prabhupāda**: But you do not know how to be happy. **Indian man**: Even this land, here they are producing sugarcane. So that is strong for wheat. They can grow plenty of wheat. **Prabhupāda**: Oh, yes. Everything can be grown. **Cyavana**: If sugarcane will grow, anything will grow. It's very fertile. **Indian man**: Because they don't want to do anything, they simply plant the sugarcane and then they want rest for few months, simply getting money and taking and drinking. **Prabhupāda**: Yes. **Indian man**: No work. (break) **Prabhupāda**: ...getting rice, wheat from outside, they can charge any price because the price of grain is increasing. **Indian man**: Any time, they can stop it. **Prabhupāda**: You can stop it. (end) Illusionary Progress, Mauritius, October 3, 1975: Morning Walk --- ## Home Grown is Best August 3, 1976 - Room Conversation New Māyāpur Farm HIGHLIGHTS: **Produce must be fresh...puffing grains in hot sand... anything grown in a garden is worth a hundred times more than if it is purchased in the market...how to create qualified husbands?—train them nicely when they are boy**s (Prabhupāda is eating) Umm, better give this fresh fruit. Don't bring all rotten. In the market you cannot get fresh. All three hundred years old. Anything fresh, that is full of vitamin. Grow fresh, take fresh. In India there is no system to purchase three-hundred-years-old bread and eat. It must be freshly made. Wife is preparing in the simple oven, husband is eating, children are eating. You know Yaśodāmāyī calling Kṛṣṇa? "Come back! Your father is waiting!" You remember this? That is Indian system. The father and the children, they sit down, mother will bring fresh *dāl*, rice and*chapāti*, and distribute, and they eat. We used to do that. Along with father we shall sit down for eating, separately. There was no need of table—on the ground. And mother will distribute, cook. No servant; mother personally, wife personally. **Prabhupāda**: The cucumber cutting, there is a process. I'll show you. Sometimes cucumber is bitter. By that process it can be avoided. **Harikeśa**: You mean chop the top and you go... **Prabhupāda**: Ah, yes. That's all right. **Devotee**: This is bitter? **Prabhupāda**: We tasted one piece. Yes, little bitter. **Prabhupāda**: Very good. This should be arranged with lemon juice. If you have got these fruits, there is no need of purchasing. **Bhagavān**: The tomatoes are supposed to be as good as oranges. The tomatoes are supposed to be as healthy as oranges. **Prabhupāda**: Yes. In our childhood, these tomatoes were called foreign eggplant,*bilāti* *beguna*. And because it was foreign, nobody will touch it. In our childhood we'd never eat the tomato. It was rejected by whole Indian Hindu culture. **Harikeśa**: Tomatoes don't grow in India? **Prabhupāda**: No. It was imported. Because it was imported they would not touch. The mill cloth, because they were imported, no gentleman will touch. No religious function would allow to use mill—made cloth. And so far medicine is concerned, they would never touch it. **"Smash and Boil with Milk",**August 3, 1976: Room Conversation