Room Conversation
with Devotees
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
July 2, 1974, Melbourne

Prabhupada: This industry is horrible work. Simply by tilling your ground you get food grains, and keep some cows, you get milk— your economic problem is solved. Why such big, big industries? Ugra-karma. Then? Go on.

Caru:

kamam asritya duspuram dambha-mana-madanvitah mohad grhitvasad-grahan pravartante ’suci-vratah

“The demoniac, taking shelter of insatiable lust, pride and false prestige, and being thus illusioned, are always sworn to unclean work, attracted by the impermanent.”

Prabhupada: The big two wars of the world happened only on account of this industry. Do you know that? The cause is the big, big industry. Germany industrial, they produce goods. They must have market. But when they go to sell, there is no market. Britishers will not allow to sell them. The Britisher will take, purchase from them, and stamp it “Made in England” and sell it. And this is the cause of two big war. Therefore German declare twice war. Disaster. Therefore it is said, jagata ahitaya. Then? Go on.

Caru: Purport?

Prabhupada: No, the other sloka.

Caru: Other sloka.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Caru:

cintam aparimeyam ca pralayantam upasritah kamopabhoga-parama etavad iti niscitah

Prabhupada: Translation?

Caru: There is one more verse.

asa-pasa-satair baddhah kama-krodha-parayanah ihante kama-bhogartham anyayenartha-sancayan

“They believe that to gratify the senses unto the end of life is the prime necessity of human civilization. Thus there is no end to their anxiety. Being bound by hundreds and thousands of desires, by lust and anger, they secure money by illegal means for sense gratification.”

Prabhupada: Then? Next.

Caru:

idam adya maya labdham imam prapsye manoratham idam astidam api me bhavisyati punar dhanam

asau maya hatah satrur hanisye caparan api isvaro ’ham aham bhogi siddho ’ham balavan sukhi

adhyo ’bhijanavan asmi ko ’nyo ’ti sadrso maya yaksye dasyami modisya ity ajnana-vimohitah

Translation: “The demoniac person thinks: ‘So much wealth do I have today, and I will gain more according to my schemes.’ ”

Prabhupada: Next. Next bank balance. Then?

Caru: “ ‘So much is mine now and it will increase in the future, more and more. He is my enemy, and I have killed him; and my other enemy will also be killed. I am the lord of everything, I am the enjoyer, I am perfect, powerful and happy. I am the richest man, surrounded by aristocratic relatives. There is none so powerful and happy as I am. I shall perform sacrifices, I shall give some charity, and thus I shall rejoice.’ In this way, such persons are deluded by ignorance.”

Prabhupada: Just like Hitler, Napoleon. They thought like that. Yes. Then? Next verse?

Caru: Aneka-citta-vibhranta moha-jala samavrtah…

Prabhupada: Now where is Hitler? Where is Napoleon? Finished. Then?

Caru: Moha-jala-samavrtah, prasaktah kama-bhogesu patanti narake ’sucau: “Thus perplexed by various anxieties and bound by a network of illusions, one becomes too strongly attached to sense enjoyment and falls down into hell.”

Prabhupada: Then?

Caru:

atma-sambhavitah stabdha dhana-mana-madanvitah yajante nama-yajnais te dambhenavidhi-purvakam

“Self-complacent and always impudent, deluded by wealth and false prestige, they sometimes perform sacrifices in name only without following any rules or regulations.”

ahankaram balam darpam kamam krodham ca samsritah mam atma-para-dehesu pradvisanto ’bhyasuyakah

“Bewildered by false ego, strength, pride, lust and anger, the demon becomes envious of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is situated in his own body…”

Prabhupada: Next stage. “What is God? I am God.” Then?

Caru: “And in the bodies of others and blasphemes against the real religion.”

tan aham dvisatah kruran samsaresu naradhaman ksipamy ajasram asubhan asurisv eva yonisu

“Those who are envious and mischievous, who are the lowest among men, are cast by Me into the ocean of material existence, into various demoniac species of life.”

asurim yonim apanna mudha janmani janmani mam aprapyaiva kaunteya tato yanty adhamam gatim [Bg. 16.20]

“Attaining repeated birth amongst the species of demoniac life, such persons can never approach Me. Gradually they sink down to the most abominable type of existence.”

tri-vidham narakasyedam dvaram nasanam atmanah kamah krodhas tatha lobhas tasmad etat trayam tyajet

“There are three gates leading to this hell—lust, anger, and greed. Every sane man should give these up, for they lead to the degradation of the soul.”

etair vimuktah kaunteya tamo-dvarais tribhir narah acaraty atmanah sreyas tato yati param gatim

“The man who has escaped these three gates of hell, O son of Kunti, performs acts conducive to self-realization and thus gradually attains the supreme destination.”

yah sastra-vidhim utsrjya vartate kama-karatah na sa siddhim avapnoti na sukham na param gatim

Prabhupada: I think you missed that verse, jagato ahitaya. Anyway, these are the description of demonic activities. So this is practical. The last two disastrous war was waged only for this industry. This is the cause. German, they are actually in Europe very intelligent and their machine products and other things, they make very nice things. At least, I have got experience, German chemicals are first- class chemical. So they manufacture and British occupied the half of the world in their colonization, whole Africa, and they controlled India and China, Japan, yes, China, Burma, Ceylon, Australia. So these poor people, they manufactured. They have got goods enough; where to sell? As soon as they go to the British territories, “No, you cannot sell. If you want to sell, then hundred percent duty.” So price increase. This was the grudge. Everyone knows. This is the cause of two wars. The jagato ahita. Now, why so much? You require a scissor? Go to a blacksmith and pay something. He’ll make a scissor. “No. Produce millions of scissor.” Then where is market, sir? This is going on. Produce millions of TV machine. Simple they are used for wasting time. One or two or five made for some important business. Now they are producing millions of sets. They must sell. And people are induced to purchase. And as soon as they purchase, they simply see television. Idol worship. And learning vicious things. Some unnecessary picture is produced there. They like to see it. Two train are coming and they are smashed. (laughs) I have seen some television. People are learning how to smash, how to steal, how to harass people. Things are being shown like that. Not that “You are soul. You are spirit soul. If you degrade yourself, you then get this.” You make that television, that how transmigration of the soul is taking place. They have manufactured the machine, so utilize for your propaganda. We have got to do so many things. We can utilize everything. So if they are not used for Krsna’s purpose they’ll be used for committing disaster in the world. Just like the atomic bomb. They are meant for creating disaster, that’s all. What else they can do? And now everyone is having atomic weapon, just like India has now got. That means they are preparing, by nature’s course they are preparing for war, and “I put my atomic bomb on your head, and you put on my head. You die, I die, that’s all.” They simply die. Now what was the result of the disastrous war twice? The whole European nations ruined. They are not no more rich. I saw in Paris, in Germany. They are not as rich as the Americans. Because American inland, there was no such big war, so their opulence is existing, but on account of these two wars, British completely finished. Yes. British completely. It is now… Hitler wanted that “I shall again make these English people a fisherman’s island. They have to take their business to fishing only.” (laughter) That was Hitler’s declaration.

Madhudvisa: That has happened.

Prabhupada: That has happened.

Madhudvisa: They are fishing all over the world, trying to get some oil, trying to get some steel, how to get some grain.

Caru: They only work two days in a week now in England.

Madhudvisa: That’s finished now. During the petrol shortage they had to cut themselves down to two days a week.

Prabhupada: Now they have got Australia. Australia is English possession?

Madhudvisa: No.

Prabhupada: No, no more.

Caru: Not any more.

Prabhupada: But I know, all educated and advanced educated Englishmen, they were coming to Australia for good job. Therefore most of the technical posts, they are occupied by Indians in London. As soon as one is highly qualified medical man, he comes to Australia. So who will take care of them? So therefore they imported some brain from India. Anyway, our time should be saved for self- realization. That is perfect civilization. And not for creating unnecessary necessity of life. That will increase problem. So scientists, they disagreed or agreed with us?

Madhudvisa: They did not want to get… They did not want to…

Prabhupada: But they could not answer “Who is the manufacturer of the brain of the scientist?” That they could not.

Madhudvisa: You have said in one of your tapes, “They want to start half way.” Like they say, “All of a sudden there is an aeroplane, appeared in the sky.” They do not trace out where that aeroplane is coming from. So similarly, they are interested in the problems of today, but they do not want to delve into the essential problem. They are talking about building nice houses, using this, that. They do not want to delve into…

Prabhupada: This is practical. The scientists have got good brain, but who manufactured the brain? You cannot do. You have not manufactured your brain. If you say, “By nature,” then nature is more powerful than you. But nature is dead. It cannot create life. That is in the hand of Krsna. Mamaivamso jiva-bhutah [Bg. 15.7] As soon as the question of jiva, living entity, there, this, mine, you can say it is nature. And other things? Prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarva… [Bg. 3.27]. Prakrti, nature, is doing. Everything explained. In the Brahma-samhita it is said, srsti-sthiti-pralaya-sadhana-saktir eka: [Bs. 5.44] “There is an energy which can create, maintain, and destroy the whole cosmic manifestation.” Srsti-sthiti-pralaya-sadhana-saktir eka [Bs. 5.44], one. There is one energy. Chayeva yasya vibharti bhuvanani durga: “That energy is working just like shadow under the direction of Krsna.” That is big energy, but that energy… Just like atomic energy, big energy, but it is done by a scientist, not that the ingredients automatically mix together and become an atomic… No. That is not possible. Big, big brain, scientist, they are dealing. Similarly this big energy—creation, maintenance, and destruction of nature—that nature is called Durga. Durga. Duh. Duh means difficult, and ga means going or to understand. To understand the laws of material nature is very difficult. That is called Durga. Or Durga means… Durga means this is like a fort. We are kept within this, and the superintendent is Durga. Therefore Durga’s picture is ten hands, ten directions with different kinds of weapon protecting. Srsti-sthiti-pralaya-sadhana-saktir eka chayeva yasya bhuvanani vibharti durga, icchanu… [Bs. 5.44]. Now the conclusion. Icchanurupam api yasya ca cestate sa: “She is working not independently, according to the desire of somebody else.” Who is that somebody? Govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami **: “That is Govinda. I am worshiping Him.” And this is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita.

mayadhyaksena prakrtih suyate sa-caracaram hetunanena kaunteya jagad viparivartate [Bg. 9.10]

What is the use of…? Why should we go to research? Everything is there. Our position is very safe. We get the perfect knowledge without wasting our time. We take from Krsna. That’s all. Finish. We know everything. Just like so many scientists, so many psychology, psychiatrist, and religionist, they come to me, but I am neither of them. I never was a scientist nor I am a psychologist nor a psychiatrist nor this or that. But I speak on the strength of Bhagavad-gita; I defeat them. It is practical. So many people came to me but nobody went unharmed. Yes.

Madhudvisa: Digvijaya.

Prabhupada: Because we are getting perfect knowledge from Krsna.

Madhudvisa: Their question may be, what would you advise them to do…

Prabhupada: That… This, this boy, Svarupa Damodara. He has written this book, hearing me, hearing me, hearing me… [break] …addition, alteration. Therefore we present Bhagavad-gita As It Is, no addition, alteration. The same thing. As soon as there is addition, alteration, it is gone, finished.

Madhudvisa: Srila Prabhupada, aren’t you presenting Krsna consciousness according to time, place, and circumstances?

Prabhupada: Yes.

Madhudvisa: So what enables a person to do that?

Prabhupada: No… But principle is that you try to understand that you are not this body. That is applicable in all time, all circumstances, all, for everyone. It is not that formerly one had to learn that he’s not this body, and now that is not required. The same problem is there still. Arjuna, five thousand years ago he was given lesson about this, that “You are not this body; you are soul.” The same problem is now also for the foolish person because the foolish person will always remain in the world, and the intelligent man is to teach him. This is fact always, without any consideration of time, space, and circumstance. There will be certain class of men, foolish, and there will be certain class of men who are intelligent. So the foolish man has to take intelligence from the intelligent man. This is perpetually truth in this material world. It is not, time and circumstances changes this principle. There will be foolish men. Just like now we read, “Two classes of men are there always, the demons and the demigods.” So at the present moment more demons. Two classes of men are there always, but at the present moment the demons, number of demons, are more and number of demigods are less because it is Kali-yuga.

Devotee: Srila Prabhupada, does this possible anyhow to teach consciousness in Russian and the country who are in the unitary trust in the East? Like here in the west or America and Australia, in the…?

Madhudvisa: His question is… He is… This boy is Yugoslavian, Yugoslavian, and he has done some translating of your Isopanisad into Yugoslavian. So he is wondering is it possible to spread Krsna consciousness in Yugoslavia?

Prabhupada: Everywhere possible.

Madhudvisa: And in other Russian… But these countries are all under Communist rule. It is very difficult in those countries.

Prabhupada: Not difficult. Nothing is difficult. For the time being it is difficult but in due course of time it will be very easy. Now who knew that in Europe and America or all over the world, Hare Krsna will go on? Bon Maharaja left the field; others left the field. You see? Other swamis came. They talked all nonsense, yoga, this and that, nose pressing, eyes pressing—all finished. Now Hare Krsna is going on. Now people, the nose-presser and eyes-presser, they are no more important. Is it not? Eh? Now our men go and challenge these rascals. And in New York they did it, huh?

Devotee: Yes.

Prabhupada: And they are afraid of our troops. (laughter) They are afraid.

Madhudvisa: One of those nose-pressers, he once was speaking, and he said, “These Hare Krsna people, they like me very much. They always come to my lectures and they sell all the books, all their books, and then they go away before I start to talk.”

Prabhupada: “You go on pressing your nose. We make our business and go away.” (laughter)

Madhudvisa: He was speaking like that because our men go into the lecture dressed in disguise, plain clothes, and we are going in the audience selling books to everyone. They all get the book, and then, when he begins to speak, then we all turn around and go out.

Prabhupada: Yes, they did it in the Guru Maharaji’s camp also. Hundreds of Bhagavad-gita As It Is sold.

Satsvarupa: Thousands.

Prabhupada: Thousands. So we take advantage of this meeting. We do our business and go away. And they have no books. They have simply that pressing of nose, that’s all, nothing else. They have no philosophy, nothing of the sort. What they will write? They have no philosophy. Simply cheat that “Press your nose; you get Bhagavan.” That’s all. And people think, “It is so easy. Why shall I go to Bhaktivedanta Swami? Let me go to this Guru Maharaja.” They think like that. And some of our men, feeling too much pressure, they go away. But here there is nothing cheap, that simply by pressing nose and eyes and you become God. Don’t make compromise. This principle must be observed. Then you’ll remain strong. As soon as you make compromise, then it is finished. Drdha-vratah. Find out this verse. Drdha-vratah. What is that? Bhajante mam drdha-vratah. Namasyantas ca mam…

Caru: Bhajante mam drdha-vratah.

Prabhupada: Ah, ah. That drdha-vratah must be there, strong determination. Then it will go on. The scientists will come to learn and the psychiatrists will come to learn if you keep drdha-vratah. And as soon as you make compromise, then nobody will care for. (end)