0 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:01,961 Interv FIJ 1975-05-25 Radio--You Can Make Whole World India 1 00:00:01,962 --> 00:00:04,566 ANNOUNCER: The following is a radio interview, 2 00:00:04,567 --> 00:00:09,815 with His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, 3 00:00:09,816 --> 00:00:20,691 recorded on May 25th, 1975, in Fiji. 4 00:00:20,692 --> 00:00:23,665 INTERVIEWER: Why did you choose to go to America 5 00:00:23,666 --> 00:00:29,353 and propagate the teachings of Lord Kṛṣṇa in a western country? 6 00:00:29,354 --> 00:00:32,965 PRABHUPĀDA: Because Indian people, 7 00:00:32,966 --> 00:00:44,286 being subjugated for at least one thousand years, they have lost their original culture. 8 00:00:44,287 --> 00:00:56,062 And, being poverty-stricken, they are simply after money, by hook and crook. 9 00:00:56,063 --> 00:01:04,001 So in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that 10 00:01:04,002 --> 00:01:09,829 Bhogaiśvarya-prasaktānāṁ tayā apahṛta-cetasām [Bg. 2.44]. 11 00:01:09,830 --> 00:01:14,912 Persons who have lost their consciousness 12 00:01:14,913 --> 00:01:22,325 on account of being too much attached to material enjoyment, 13 00:01:22,326 --> 00:01:27,198 they cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. 14 00:01:27,199 --> 00:01:37,712 So I thought that America, they have enjoyed enough of this material happiness, 15 00:01:37,713 --> 00:01:44,522 money and women, and they are now becoming disappointed. 16 00:01:44,523 --> 00:01:50,403 So they are at least on the platform of renunciation. 17 00:01:50,404 --> 00:01:56,693 They don’t want any more like their fathers and grandfathers. 18 00:01:56,694 --> 00:01:59,752 Of course, they are not guided. 19 00:01:59,753 --> 00:02:04,371 Therefore I preferred to go there to guide them. 20 00:02:04,372 --> 00:02:11,130 So almost fifty percent of my devotees are, 21 00:02:11,131 --> 00:02:18,707 they are collected from these disappointed persons, young men. 22 00:02:18,708 --> 00:02:21,646 They are going astray. 23 00:02:21,647 --> 00:02:27,295 So they appreciate that I have saved them. 24 00:02:27,296 --> 00:02:32,848 Therefore they are after me, this younger generation, 25 00:02:32,849 --> 00:02:39,375 and they are helping me in broadcasting this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. 26 00:02:39,376 --> 00:02:43,091 So I think my attempt was successful. 27 00:02:43,092 --> 00:02:49,292 This Oriental philosophy generally and in particular the Kṛṣṇa consciousness 28 00:02:49,293 --> 00:02:53,285 has found a lot of devotees in the Western civilization. 29 00:02:53,286 --> 00:02:55,974 What is the main reason for this? 30 00:02:55,975 --> 00:03:02,690 You are thinking this is Oriental civilization, but that is not the fact. 31 00:03:02,691 --> 00:03:07,583 The fact is this is human civilization. 32 00:03:07,584 --> 00:03:11,676 There is no question of east and west. 33 00:03:11,677 --> 00:03:15,443 Every living being, not only human being, 34 00:03:15,444 --> 00:03:25,109 even other beings… There are 8,400,000s forms of life, 35 00:03:25,110 --> 00:03:28,776 and Kṛṣṇa claims that 36 00:03:28,777 --> 00:03:33,021 Sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya mūrtayaḥ sambhavanti yāḥ 37 00:03:33,022 --> 00:03:37,584 tāsāṁ brahma mahad yonir haṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā [Bg. 14.4]. 38 00:03:37,585 --> 00:03:44,813 So Kṛṣṇa is for the aquatics, the animals in the water. 39 00:03:44,814 --> 00:03:48,537 The vast sea, there are so many animals. 40 00:03:48,538 --> 00:03:52,959 Then, from the water, the trees are coming out. 41 00:03:52,960 --> 00:03:55,910 Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati [Padma Purāṇa]. 42 00:03:55,911 --> 00:04:00,197 In this way evolutionary process is going on. 43 00:04:00,198 --> 00:04:07,397 But all of them, living entities, and part and parcel of God, Kṛṣṇa. 44 00:04:07,398 --> 00:04:15,476 So by the evolutionary process they come to the human form of life. 45 00:04:15,477 --> 00:04:18,454 Now there is developed consciousness. 46 00:04:18,455 --> 00:04:25,465 Now, the human being has to decide which way he has to go, 47 00:04:25,466 --> 00:04:34,529 again to the lower species of life or higher forms of life. 48 00:04:34,530 --> 00:04:40,179 The higher forms of life are there in the upper planetary system. 49 00:04:40,180 --> 00:04:46,149 Their duration of life, material standard of living, very, very comfortable, 50 00:04:46,150 --> 00:04:49,545 thousand times better than here. 51 00:04:49,546 --> 00:05:01,281 So Kṛṣṇa says that if you like to go to the higher planetary system, you can go there. 52 00:05:01,282 --> 00:05:07,999 That it is said, Yānti deva-vratā devān [Bg. 9.25]. 53 00:05:08,000 --> 00:05:15,513 If you cultivate yourself for going to the higher planetary system… 54 00:05:15,514 --> 00:05:21,579 But first of all we have to understand that we are eternal, part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. 55 00:05:21,580 --> 00:05:24,415 We are simply changing body. 56 00:05:24,416 --> 00:05:26,592 This is material condition. 57 00:05:26,593 --> 00:05:32,514 Either lower grade of bodies or higher grade of bodies, but we have to change. 58 00:05:32,515 --> 00:05:35,384 Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ [Bg. 2.13]. 59 00:05:35,385 --> 00:05:40,564 Just like we are changing our bodies from childhood to babyhood, 60 00:05:40,565 --> 00:05:46,490 babyhood to boyhood, boyhood to youthhood… Then old age. 61 00:05:46,491 --> 00:05:48,577 Similarly, when this body will be finished, 62 00:05:48,578 --> 00:05:53,239 no more usable, then we’ll have to accept another body. 63 00:05:53,240 --> 00:05:59,308 But we… The present civilization is so foolish they do not know— 64 00:05:59,309 --> 00:06:04,208 even big, big professor; I have talked—that there is life after death. 65 00:06:04,209 --> 00:06:08,350 They do not know, although it is very evident. 66 00:06:08,351 --> 00:06:11,740 That they have no such knowledge, even common sense. 67 00:06:11,741 --> 00:06:15,053 And they are big, big educationist. 68 00:06:15,054 --> 00:06:17,700 Anyway, there is no such department 69 00:06:17,701 --> 00:06:22,592 which deals with the transmigration of the soul. 70 00:06:22,593 --> 00:06:26,452 That is the defect of the modern civilization. 71 00:06:26,453 --> 00:06:28,920 So there is transmigration of the soul. 72 00:06:28,921 --> 00:06:35,028 By evolution, by transmigration of the soul, we have come to this human form of life. 73 00:06:35,029 --> 00:06:37,849 Now here we have to decide again. 74 00:06:37,850 --> 00:06:46,290 Because we are part and parcel of God, a small particle of the same quality… 75 00:06:46,291 --> 00:06:48,322 So God is fully independent. 76 00:06:48,323 --> 00:06:52,645 We have got also a little independence. 77 00:06:52,646 --> 00:06:58,811 So God does not interfere with our independence. 78 00:06:58,812 --> 00:07:03,932 Now here we have to decide which way again we shall go. 79 00:07:03,933 --> 00:07:07,652 We have come by the evolution, by nature’s way. 80 00:07:07,653 --> 00:07:10,775 Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi [Bg. 3.27]. 81 00:07:10,776 --> 00:07:14,491 Nature has brought us and given us a chance, 82 00:07:14,492 --> 00:07:23,127 whether we shall go to our original spiritual life or we shall remain in this material world 83 00:07:23,128 --> 00:07:25,199 by changing body one after another. 84 00:07:25,200 --> 00:07:27,986 That is to be decided. 85 00:07:27,987 --> 00:07:33,171 Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is educating people 86 00:07:33,172 --> 00:07:36,709 “Stop your so-called material advancement. 87 00:07:36,710 --> 00:07:41,133 You come again, back to home, back to Godhead.” 88 00:07:41,134 --> 00:07:45,039 Therefore our paper’s name is Back to Godhead. 89 00:07:45,040 --> 00:07:47,688 Don’t make any false advancement. 90 00:07:47,689 --> 00:07:49,717 You will never be happy. 91 00:07:49,718 --> 00:07:53,015 This is our propaganda. 92 00:07:53,016 --> 00:07:56,028 It is called nivṛtti-mārga. 93 00:07:56,029 --> 00:07:59,992 Nivṛtti-mārga means stop material way of life. 94 00:07:59,993 --> 00:08:04,458 Begin spiritual way of life and come to Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, 95 00:08:04,459 --> 00:08:06,917 back to home, back to Godhead. 96 00:08:06,918 --> 00:08:10,128 Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti [Bg. 4.9]. 97 00:08:10,129 --> 00:08:17,177 If you cultivate spiritual life, then, after giving up this body… We have to give up. 98 00:08:17,178 --> 00:08:19,213 This is material body. 99 00:08:19,214 --> 00:08:22,697 And after giving up this body, we can accept… 100 00:08:22,698 --> 00:08:30,166 We can continue our spiritual body or we can accept again material body. 101 00:08:30,167 --> 00:08:35,393 That will require our sense how to cultivate. 102 00:08:35,394 --> 00:08:40,230 So if we cultivate spiritual life, some percentage, 103 00:08:40,231 --> 00:08:45,334 not that everyone will be able, at least the higher class, 104 00:08:45,335 --> 00:08:53,518 higher section of the society, if they cultivate spiritual life and remain ideal, 105 00:08:53,519 --> 00:08:56,215 so others may follow. 106 00:08:56,216 --> 00:08:58,344 This is our propaganda. 107 00:08:58,345 --> 00:09:02,447 Coming back to this question of the Western type of civilization, 108 00:09:02,448 --> 00:09:10,360 do you feel that the success of the movement in the Western society 109 00:09:10,361 --> 00:09:14,121 is an indication of the need being felt by the western man 110 00:09:14,122 --> 00:09:19,157 that has been lacking in spiritual ideologies? 111 00:09:19,158 --> 00:09:20,772 Yes, yes. 112 00:09:20,773 --> 00:09:26,186 But the thing is that they are very intelligent. 113 00:09:26,187 --> 00:09:28,274 There is no doubt about it. 114 00:09:28,275 --> 00:09:35,271 Materially, they are always advanced. 115 00:09:35,272 --> 00:09:45,230 Materially, when they are manufacturing machine of the airship, 116 00:09:45,231 --> 00:09:51,770 in India we are manufacturing sewing machine or cycle. 117 00:09:51,771 --> 00:09:57,925 I have seen in the World Fair the Indians were very proud 118 00:09:57,926 --> 00:10:01,644 of manufacturing cycle and sewing machine, 119 00:10:01,645 --> 00:10:04,847 whereas the Americans and Europeans, 120 00:10:04,848 --> 00:10:11,428 they were showing the how subtle machine of this jet plane are there. 121 00:10:11,429 --> 00:10:15,715 So materially, they are advanced. 122 00:10:15,716 --> 00:10:17,088 There is no doubt about it. 123 00:10:17,089 --> 00:10:19,223 Hundred years. 124 00:10:19,224 --> 00:10:22,147 But spiritually they are not. 125 00:10:22,148 --> 00:10:28,079 Therefore, I am an Indian, poor Indian—they are coming to me. 126 00:10:28,080 --> 00:10:32,660 Because they understand that spiritually… Not only me, 127 00:10:32,661 --> 00:10:39,844 any swami who go, they crowd to him, “If there is something spiritual?” 128 00:10:39,845 --> 00:10:46,142 Unfortunately, the other swamis, they go to exploit them, to cheat them. 129 00:10:46,143 --> 00:10:50,523 They do not… Neither they do know what is spiritual life; 130 00:10:50,524 --> 00:10:52,895 neither they could give them. 131 00:10:52,896 --> 00:10:58,830 For example, for the last two hundred years or more than that the swamis are going, 132 00:10:58,831 --> 00:11:06,065 not a single person was a Kṛṣṇa devotee in the history in the western countries. 133 00:11:06,066 --> 00:11:09,173 But now we are putting Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. 134 00:11:09,174 --> 00:11:15,045 Hundreds and thousands are coming. 135 00:11:15,046 --> 00:11:18,684 Swamiji, it’s been said sometimes that India has too much philosophy 136 00:11:18,685 --> 00:11:20,631 and the west has too much materialism. 137 00:11:20,632 --> 00:11:21,086 Yes. 138 00:11:21,087 --> 00:11:23,600 Where is the right balance in this modern world? 139 00:11:23,601 --> 00:11:27,981 Balance is that you should be reciprocal exchange. 140 00:11:27,982 --> 00:11:32,545 What you haven’t got, you give me; what I haven’t got, I give you. 141 00:11:32,546 --> 00:11:35,518 This should be the process of exchange. 142 00:11:35,519 --> 00:11:38,308 Then the world will be united. 143 00:11:38,309 --> 00:11:42,072 When there is exchange of gifts. 144 00:11:42,073 --> 00:11:48,607 But our India followed the principle for begging. 145 00:11:48,608 --> 00:11:49,438 “Give me men. 146 00:11:49,439 --> 00:11:50,516 Give me money. 147 00:11:50,517 --> 00:11:51,634 Give me wheat. 148 00:11:51,635 --> 00:11:52,926 Give me rice. 149 00:11:52,927 --> 00:11:55,818 Give me war materials.” 150 00:11:55,819 --> 00:11:58,571 Simply begging. 151 00:11:58,572 --> 00:11:59,959 So we must give something. 152 00:11:59,960 --> 00:12:02,932 This is the first time we are giving something. 153 00:12:02,933 --> 00:12:08,024 Otherwise, India was a beggar simply to the western countries. 154 00:12:08,025 --> 00:12:12,028 For their technical education they are going to the western countries, 155 00:12:12,029 --> 00:12:17,449 and when there is war, they are asking America, “Please give us war materials.” 156 00:12:17,450 --> 00:12:21,123 And when they give war materials to Pakistan we become envious. 157 00:12:21,124 --> 00:12:24,750 But you are also taking rice, ḍāl for this. 158 00:12:24,751 --> 00:12:29,882 So why should you remain beggar? 159 00:12:29,883 --> 00:12:30,901 Finally Swamiji, 160 00:12:30,902 --> 00:12:34,644 what is the relevance of Kṛṣṇa consciousness in our modern society? 161 00:12:34,645 --> 00:12:35,687 Hmm? 162 00:12:35,688 --> 00:12:37,868 What would be the relevance of Kṛṣṇa’s teaching in… 163 00:12:37,869 --> 00:12:40,141 Relevance mean you are spirit soul. 164 00:12:40,142 --> 00:12:41,196 You are not this body. 165 00:12:41,197 --> 00:12:43,619 This thing first you have to understand. 166 00:12:43,620 --> 00:12:47,019 Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. 167 00:12:47,020 --> 00:12:50,786 That is India’s philosophy, that “I am spirit soul.” 168 00:12:50,787 --> 00:12:55,491 And if you realize brahmāsmi… 169 00:12:55,492 --> 00:12:59,404 Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na… [Bg. 18.54]. 170 00:12:59,405 --> 00:13:05,194 As soon as you realize that you are not this material body; you are spirit soul, 171 00:13:05,195 --> 00:13:08,269 then immediately you become jolly. 172 00:13:08,270 --> 00:13:10,721 Prasannātmā. 173 00:13:10,722 --> 00:13:14,817 Prasannātmā means Na śocati na kāṅkṣati [Bg. 18.54]. 174 00:13:14,818 --> 00:13:21,605 He has no more any hankering for things which he does not possess. 175 00:13:21,606 --> 00:13:25,797 No more any lamenting which he has lost. 176 00:13:25,798 --> 00:13:28,030 Take, for example, 177 00:13:28,031 --> 00:13:36,158 that we have lost our portion of country as Pakistan and fighting since… 178 00:13:36,159 --> 00:13:44,101 This was a plan by the British government that divide them in such a way. 179 00:13:44,102 --> 00:13:46,421 They will perpetually fight. 180 00:13:46,422 --> 00:13:48,880 They will never be happy. 181 00:13:48,881 --> 00:13:52,143 This was their plan. That has been successful. 182 00:13:52,144 --> 00:13:53,472 But we are lamenting. 183 00:13:53,473 --> 00:13:58,739 Both… Pakistan is lamenting or not, I do not know, but Hindustan is lamenting. 184 00:13:58,740 --> 00:14:00,907 Gandhi was against this partition. 185 00:14:00,908 --> 00:14:05,739 But Jawaharlal Nehru, just to become prime minister, immediately divided. 186 00:14:05,740 --> 00:14:09,557 So these things are going on. 187 00:14:09,558 --> 00:14:13,131 So lamenting, we have lost our… 188 00:14:13,132 --> 00:14:17,026 But if you take this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement very seriously, 189 00:14:17,027 --> 00:14:24,446 you can make the whole world Hindustan. 190 00:14:24,447 --> 00:14:24,448 Subtitles by 80.1.251.112, Causelessmercy.com