# Part 8: Living as Kṛṣṇa Lived ## Living as Kṛṣṇa Lived Philadelphia, July 15, 1976 Evening Lecture At Gītā-Nagarī Farm HIGHLIGHTS: **Live as Kṛṣṇa lives...how to use milk...protect Kṛṣṇa's cows...the village idealSo Kṛṣṇa consciousness means to follow the instruction of Kṛṣṇa.** Our life has a certain aim in this material world, sometimes we forget. Material world means forgetting our aim of life; that is natural. The basic principle of material life is forgetting Kṛṣṇa: > kṛṣṇa-bahirmukha jīva bhoga-vāṣchā kare nikaṭa-stha māyā tāre jāpaṭiyā dhare [From Jagadānanda Paṇḍita, *Prema-vivarta*: "Turning his face away from Kṛṣṇa, the*jīva* develops the desire to enjoy. Standing nearby, Māyā slaps him and seizes hold of him." {Translation by Gopīparāṇadhana dāsa.}] Forgetfulness is our nature, we are not as perfect as God, therefore, there are so many inefficiencies. So forgetfulness is also another material quality. So material life means forgetting Kṛṣṇa. *Mayā*means when one has forgotten his relationship with Kṛṣṇa, that is called*mayā*. So Kṛṣṇa is very kind. When we forget too much, this material world is forgetfulness, but still,**according to the Vedic system, Kṛṣṇa consciousness is maintained to some extent if you follow the Vedic principles, then we revive our consciousness, our relationship. That is explained by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu when he was talking with Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, that the Vedic principle is to revive or to remind our relationship with Kṛṣṇa. In the *Bhagavad-gītā*also Kṛṣṇa says,*vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ*[Bg [[bg/15/15|15.15]]], the real purpose of Vedic knowledge is to come to the understanding of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.**So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to revive the original, constitutional position. So one of them, in Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, is village organization, as you are trying here.Kṛṣṇa, in His natural life, is a village boy in Vṛndāvana.**Vṛndāvana is a village. There is no factory, there is no motor-car, there are no big, big sky-scraper buildings;**it is village. That Kṛṣṇa likes.**In the*śāstra*it is said,*vṛndāvanaṁ parityajya, sa kvacin naiva gacchati*[From Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī,*Laghu-bhāgavatāmṛta* 1.5.461: "...Kṛṣṇa manifests His pastimes in the cities of Mathurā and Dvārakā, but Kṛṣṇa the son of Nanda Mahārāja never at any time leaves Vṛndāvana.] Kṛṣṇa is so fond of that Vṛndāvana village life, with His cowherd boys and cowherd girls, His *gopīs*, Mother Yaśodā, Father Nanda, and Upananda, uncles, and big family, the cows and the calves, the trees, the Yamunā River. He is satisfied in that life.**So at least those who are Kṛṣṇa conscious, they should be satisfied with simple life in the village.** That is part of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But it does not mean that we shall avoid city life or town life, not. Everything, every place is Kṛṣṇa's place. Everywhere there should be Kṛṣṇa consciousness. **But if we keep ourself within the village and properly organize as Kṛṣṇa personally showed us the example, He was personally taking care of cows, calves.**When He was a child, He was taking care of the calves.**When He was grown up, He was taking care of the cows, although He was a very rich man's son**; Nanda Maharaj was the village king.**But still, He was working hard the whole day, going in the morning to the pasturing ground and coming back in the evening.**Then He used to take His bath, change dress, and immediately go to sleep. This was Kṛṣṇa's pastime.**So we should follow His footprints.** What is that verse? > aśraddadhānāḥ puruṣā dharmasyāsya parantapa aprāpya māṁ nivartante mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani [Bg [[bg/9/3|9.3]]] [*Bg*9.3: "Those who are not faithful in this devotional service cannot attain Me, O conqueror of enemies. Therefore they return to the path of birth and death in this material world.] So whatever Kṛṣṇa has taught by His personal life, by His teaching, to follow that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Everything is there in the *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam*. His personal life is there, and*Bhagavad-gītā*, His teaching are there, and He comes for this purpose: > paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya sambhavāmi yuge yuge *[Bg* [[bg/4/8|4.8]]] [*Bg*4.8: "To deliver the pious and to annihilate the miscreants, as well as to reestablish the principles of religion, I Myself appear, millennium after millennium.] Those who are naturally God-conscious, to deliver them, to make their life perfect, in this life. This life should be the last material life and next life they should go directly to Kṛṣṇa. > janma karma ca me divyam evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti so 'rjuna [Bg [[bg/4/9|4.9]]] [*Bg*4.9: "One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna.] If we become fully Kṛṣṇa conscious, simply try to under stand what is Kṛṣṇa, there is no difficulty: Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Controller, that's all. There is a supreme controller—that we have to accept, as we were discussing in the bus this morning. There is no way out, there is not way out that you will deny the Supreme Controller, that is not possible. So there is a Supreme Controller. If you are a sane man you'll understand very easily, and that Supreme Controller is Kṛṣṇa. He comes personally and says: > mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiṣcid asti dhanaṣjaya mayi sarvam idaṁ protaṁ sūtre maṇi-gaṇā iva [Bg [[bg/7/7|7.7]]] [*Bg*7.7: "O conqueror of wealth, there is no truth superior to Me. Everything rests upon Me, as pearls are strung on a thread.] **There is no other controller above Kṛṣṇa, therefore, He is the Supreme Controller**:*īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ*[Bs 5.1], the Supreme Controller. The Supreme Controller, He is giving us instruction.**If we follow His instruction, very simple, and remain in this village, satisfied with simple life, agricultural produce, milk, how many nice things you have produced, where is the difficulty?** There is no economic problem. You are getting so much milk that it is becoming a problem how to utilize it. **In India we are in scarcity of milk. So,***kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ***.**[Bg [[bg/18/44|18.44]]]: "Farming, cow protection and trade are the natural work for the*vaiśyas*...]**If you have got enough milk you can make trade.*Vanijyam*, that is Kṛṣṇa's instruction.**It is not that we hate the modern system. No, we do not hate anything.*Nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe.*[From*Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu*2.255: "When one is not attached to anything, but at the same time accepts everything in relation to Kṛṣṇa, one is rightly situated above possessiveness. On the other hand, one who rejects everything without knowledge of its relationship to Kṛṣṇa is not as complete in his renunciation.] we want to try to engage everything in Kṛṣṇa's service. If modern machine is there, we don't hate it. We must find out the means how this machine can be utilized for Kṛṣṇa's service.**So if you have got excess milk, you can make it powdered milk and you can send to India in any amount. It will be consumed. At least we can use it in out different centers, we can distribute.** So there is no question. Besides that, you can prepare ghee from milk. **From milk first of all drink as much as you like. then convert it into yogurt, next day, next day, next day. And then, when that is also enough, then churn it, take out butter...buttermilk and butter...and drink butter milk with***capātī***. It is very palatable, very nutritious. Then butter...if you have got excess butter, then turn into*ghee*, and*ghee*can be preserved for years. There's no question of preservation.**You send it to cities and towns. And we are now encouraging to open*prasad*distribution restaurant. They can utilize the ghee. Then where is the problem? There is no problem.**Each drop of milk you can utilize to the perfect utility point.And if there are excess cows, you have got some woods, so you cut out the trees and make an encirclement and keep them there. They will live there.**So there is no problem. Kṛṣṇa was maintaining 900,000 cows. There is no problem. But**give protection to the cows. That is the order of Kṛṣṇa.**We cannot be so ungrateful that we kill our mother. Milk is so important.**We are drinking the milk of the cow, and in exchange, if we cut the throat of our mother, that is not civilization.**That is barbarism, less than animal. Animals also, they have respect for mother.**So try to give protection to the cow, that is a pious activity, and you'll not be in scarcity.Live village life, simple life, and be satisfied with the bare necessities.**There is no need of luxury. And save time and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.**This is ideal life. So I am very pleased that you are doing that, and do it more nicely so that others may be attracted.This town life, industrial life, factory life, is asuric life. It is killing human ambition.**It is killing civilization. So there are many other businesses for a Kṛṣṇa conscious person, because in the*Bhagavad-gītā*,**Kṛṣṇa speaks all around: sociology, politics, philosophy, religion, culture, economics, everything is there.** If you simply follow Kṛṣṇa's instructions, then you get cultural life all around. **So this is an ideal village. Develop it more and more.** Our Paramānanda is there. He is very experienced, and others are there. Do it very nicely. I am very happy to see that things are going nicely. Thank you very much. Prabhup**ā**da on Cow Care, August 2, 1976: Room Conversation at New Māyāpur Farm --- ## From the Cities to the Villages May 27, 1977, Vṛndāvana, Conversation Pieces **Improve rural organization so city people will be attracted..."Farm, farm, farm, farm"--it's Kṛṣṇa's program...*Bhāgavatam*as a reference book...selecting workers from worst class and transforming them into devotees...don't bother about big, big buildings. Mahāṁsa: Actually now, in the monsoons, we're going to take up a lot of cultivation. This is watermelon juice. Prabhupāda: So give it to the Deity and distribute *prasādam.* Mahāṁsa: Yes, Prabhupāda. It got a little spoiled while traveling. The tomatoes got a little squashed, but some of them are ripe. Prabhupāda: That's all right. It doesn't matter. So what is your news? Yaśomatīnandana: So we also gained a farm. We have started cultivating now. Prabhupāda: Yes. Kṛṣṇa is giving you good chance. Develop farm and have temple. Go on enthusiastically. Mahāṁsa: This morning I read in the newspapers about the exodus to village soon by the Prime Minister, and there the Prime Minister says that he is eager on developing village programs, to establish agriculture facilities and village programs. Prabhupāda: That is real work. If the Prime Minister has got this thing in his brain, then I can understand that he can do so. Mahāṁsa: And this is a very nice thing he said, Prabhupāda. He said that "We want to improve things in the countryside to an extent that people from the cities start running to the villages." Prabhupāda: Yes. That I want. I... Everywhere I go and I say, "How these rascals...?" So much land is lying, and these rascals are not developing. And they are making... What is that? Coal stone. Coal. They are interested with these bricks and stones, not green vegetables. Such a rascal government. Give them facility. We know how to do it. Annād bhavanti bhūtāni parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ, yajñād bhavati parjanyaḥ [Bg [[bg/3/14 1972|3.14]]].* Let them engage in *kīrtana.*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 Vṛndāvana life. And they are absorbed in this so-called opulence. Kṛṣṇa has taken birth. They are bringing so many nice, pleasant foodstuff, coming very well-dressed and ornamented. These are description. In the morning we were reading. How they were happy, the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana with Kṛṣṇa and living and cows. That I want to introduce. At any cost do it and... 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 sumptuous. Eat sumptuously. The animal is happy. The animal even does not give milk; let them eat and pass stool and urine. That is welcome. After all, eating, they will pass stool. So that is beneficial, not that simply milk is beneficial. Even the stool is beneficial. Therefore I am asking so much here and..., "Farm, farm, farm, farm." That is not*my*program—Kṛṣṇa's program. Annād bhavanti bhūtāni [Bg [[bg/3/14 1972|3.14]]].* Produce greenness everywhere, everywhere. Vṛndāvana. It is not this motorcar civilization. If it has taken in his brain, then it is to be understood that he can do it, this plan. He'll be able. Somebody said that he is eager to see me. Hmm? Mahāṁsa: Yes. Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Mahāṁsa: Caitya-guru was saying. Prabhupāda: Caitya-guru? Caitya-guru: Actually I was wondering that I should go and contact him, 'cause last time, when he met our devotees, when he mentioned that he was very eager to have your *darśana* in Bombay, but you were not feeling well. So he was unable to see you. Prabhupāda: But if he can come to see me... This program he's taking, the whole world will be happy. [break] Land was made wet by milk, not with water. This is stated in the *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.* You can find out that verse. Yaśomatīnandana: Which one?[?] *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.* Prabhupāda: *Siṣicuḥ. Gāvaḥ siṣicuḥ,*like that.*Sarva-dughā mahī.*Ah. Kāmaṁ vavarṣa parjanyaḥ sarva-kāma-dughā mahī [SB 1.10.4]*. Kāmaṁ vavarṣa parjanyaḥ.*The situation in Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira's kingdom... This is the beginning of the verse. Find out.*Kāmaṁ vavarṣa parjanyaḥ parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ,*er,*sarva-dughā mahī, sarva-kāma-dughā mahī.* First part. [pause] Yaśomatīnandana: Where is it? First Canto, Part Two, which is not here. Prabhupāda: This shelf made for keeping always reference book... There is no book. Vṛndāvana. Just see. See. The shelves kept there, reference book. It is not there. Just see. What for we got shelf? Shelf is there for keeping reference book, somebody has taken away. That's all. This is our management. This is bad management. What can I do? This is our movement. We have to select men from the worst class. Pāpī tāpī jata chila—Śrī Narottama Dasa Thakura. [laughs] Nobody will come here after passing M.A., Ph.D. The most fallen we have to select. Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Lowest Prabhupāda: *Pāpī tāpī jata chilo, hari-nāme uddhārilo.*This is our position. We have to select our worker from the worst class of the society,*pāpī*and*tāpī.*But, we shall prove, by*hari-nāma*they become Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is the movement. You trace the history of everyone. All worst, third class. And they come forward. And that is Kṛṣṇa conscious movement. How many Doctor Svarūpa has come? If we speak frankly, [laughter] all from the worst class. Those who were finished. And Kṛṣṇa... It is said,*pāpī-tāpī jata chilo. Pāpī*and*tāpī,*they are not first class. They are the tenth class.*Pāpī-tāpī jata chilo hari-nāme uddhārilo.*This is the test of Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement, that how many*pāpī-tāpīs*have been picked up.*Brajendra-nandana jei, śaci-suta hoilo sei, balarāma hoilo nitāi.*This is Gaura-Nitāi. What is Their business? Now,*pāpī-tāpī jata chilo, hari-nāme uddhārilo.*"*Bās?*This is Their business?" Yes, to deliver all the*pāpīs*and*tāpīs.*"So how is that?"*Tāra sākṣī jagāi*and*mādhāi.* See Jagāi-Mādhāi. It is not imaginary. So we have to deliver all Jagāis and Mādhāis. This is our movement. That is the test of the..., of us. It is not sorry for that, but still, they should act like good men. Yaśomatīnandana: The verse is here. > kāmaṁ vavarṣa parjanyaḥ sarva-kāma-dughā mahī siṣicuḥ sma vrajān gāvaḥ... [SB 1.10.4] Prabhupāda: *Siṣicuḥ?* Yaśomatīnandana: *Siṣicuḥ sma vrajān gāvaḥ.* Prabhupāda: *Siṣicuḥ sma vrajān gāvaḥ.* Yaśomatīnandana: *Payasodhasvatīr mudā.* Prabhupāda: This is Yudhiṣṭhira... Come in everywhere. It was the position during Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira's time that land should be kept wet, and during Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira's time the land was wet not by water but by milk. This is Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira's time. Siṣicuḥ sma vrajān gāvaḥ [SB 1.10.4]*.* What is the meaning? Yaśomatīnandana: "*Kāmam*—everything needed." 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 profusely. Due to its fatty milk bag and cheerful attitude the cow used to moisten the grazing ground with milk." Prabhupāda: Introduce this, rascal. This party government, that party government, big, big belly, big, big monkey, eating cows and hogs and dogs, and they have become big, big minister. What they can do? That is not... This is the secret. What is the second line? Yaśomatīnandana: *Nadyaḥ samudrā girayaḥ...* Prabhupāda: No, no, no. Yaśomatīnandana: Siṣicuḥ sma vrajān [SB 1.10.4]*.* Prabhupāda: Ah. Let them remain happy, and automatically, just like in our Philadelphia, oh, such a big... Giving milk thousand pounds. Yes, we are doing this, fatty. Cans of milk. Even the cat is happy, the dog is happy. There is no fight. Cat is so happy, stroking on the back of the cows. Similarly, the dog is... There is no *"Ghew! Ghew! Ghew! Ghew!"* barking. I have seen it. Only through the medium of milk. These are not stories. I have seen. And who is Satyabhāmā's husband? Bhavānanda: Oh, Param... What's his name? [break] Prabhupāda: ...make the whole land, people, very happy. You show this example all over the world, this example, in America. Don't spoil money. Show by example. Enough science and enough motorcar, that's all. No more wanted. This is wanted. Kāmaṁ vavarṣa parjanyaḥ [SB 1.10.4]*.*Bring water from the sky. Keep always land moist and green. This is wanted. It is not my desire; it is Kṛṣṇa's. Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad-gītā, annād bhavanti bhūtāni [Bg [[bg/3/14 1972|3.14]]].* Here Vyāsadeva says, *kāmaṁ vavarṣa parjanyaḥ.*These rascals, they do not know. They do not consult*śāstra,*therefore they manufacture. In Chandigarh so much land lying vacant. Thirty years already passed. And they are developing the cities. And another four hundred years will be required. The land is lying vacant, and they are making two governors, five commissioners, six ministers and drawing fat salary. This is government. Government means to draw fat salary at the expense of poor people.*Dasyu-dharmabhiḥ. Rājanya dasyu-dharmabhiḥ.* Just like the rogues and thieves, they by force take money from us, these rascal, under some law, they'll take, this government. They will live at any cost. Never mind forty rupees kilo ghee. They have got cheap money. Print note and give him forty rupees. What is that? "You want forty rupees? Eh, take forty rupees." This is artificial inflation. They have got power to print notes. "Pay gold forty rupees." "No, that is illegal. Take paper." Means a cheating business from the government. He's giving him piece of paper, and the rascal is thinking, "I am making one thousand rupees." Formerly, in our childhood, we have seen a currency. They will offer, "What you want—gold, silver, or currency?" These three things were offered. If you want gold coins, take gold coins. If you want silver coins, take silver. And if you want currency, you take. We have seen it. Yaśomatīnandana: Mohur Prabhupāda: Yes. You could purchase. In our family or every family, they used to purchase gold from the currency and melt it and make ornaments. There was no restriction. "Guinea gold." Gold was purchased and sold as you like. Where is that gold? Refusing gold and taking.[?] Yaśomatīnandana: You want me to read the purport? "The basic principle of economic development is centered about land and cows. The necessities of human society are food grains, fruits, milk, minerals, clothing, wood, etc...." Prabhupāda: I am not interested in [indistinct]. These I have already written some years ago. This is my idea. Yaśomatīnandana: "One requires all these items to fulfill the material needs of the body. Certainly one does not require flesh and fish or iron tools and machinery. During the regime of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, all over the world there were regulative rainfalls. Rainfalls are not under the control of the human being. The heavenly king Indradeva is the controller of rain, and he is the servant of the Lord. When the Lord is obeyed by the king and the people under the king's administration, there are regulative rains from the horizon." [break] Prabhupāda: So how things were explained? It has been explained by me before that. Why don't you take it? There is no need here. Yaśomatīnandana: He told the devotees that he has got your edition of *Bhagavad-gītā* and he has read it. His son purchased it. And he has got some other books also. He liked it very much. Caitya-guru: There was meeting of Ārya-samāj, so we went to attend that. They invited him there. And later on, they asked that the government should help them to open a big hospital there. And he said that "Because I myself do not use allopath medicines, so how can I help you? How can I introduce? I believe in the nature cure. I can't help. If you produce something, that nature cure hospital, my government will help you." He said, "I never took medicine in my life," Morarji Desai says. And he was in jail. He said that everybody was seeing that they were nineteen months in jail, and they have disease, some pain, and some this one, some this one. He said, "But I got something from jail. I learned whole *Bhagavad-gītā*by heart. I was worshiping Kṛṣṇa. I was reciting*Gītā* in the morning and evening. I got something, whereas others, they have failed. They couldn't get anything. I achieved from that jail." Yaśomatīnandana: [reading] "Regulative rains not only help ample production of food grains and fruits, but when they combine with astronomical influences there is ample production of valuable stones and pearls. Grains and vegetables can sumptuously feed a man and animals, and a fatty cow delivers enough milk to supply a man sumptuously with vigor and vitality. If there is enough milk, enough grains, enough fruit, enough cotton, enough silk and enough jewels, then why do the people want cinemas, houses of prostitution, slaughterhouses, etc.? What is the need of an artificial, materialist's life of cinema, cars, radio, flesh and hotels? Has this civilization produced anything but quarreling, individually and nationally?" Prabhupāda: Like hog. [break] Yaśomatīnandana: "Why don't you still take advantage?" Prabhupāda: Still you can take advantage of it. What you are doing? Here is this nice statement. Here is the thought. Yaśomatīnandana: Another, Home Minister, also is saying these same things: discourage the factories and industrialization... Prabhupāda: This is ruination. Factory means ruination. Factory means destruction. And agriculture means construction. The father is going to the factory, and the children are starving—destruction. Go on reading. Yaśomatīnandana: "The human being is the elder brother of all other living beings." [break] Prabhupāda: *Satkāra.* Now, whatever you... Yaśomatīnandana: Practical solution for all problems. "Made with Our Own Wool", Vṛndāvana, October 6, 1977: Room Conversation