Cow Quote #15 - Prabhupada's version of Vedic Civilization self-

[Guest guest]

"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"

 

Another wonderful quote from Srila Prabhupada. Here Prabhupada is saying that

an important aspect of Vedic civilization is that everyone should produce

everything he requires -- especially food. That's Srila Prabhupada's version

of

Vedic civilization.

 

I am constantly struck with wonder by how often we seem to veer off into a

different direction than Prabhupada proposes. Instead of trying to further the

cause of agricultural self-sufficiency, as Prabhupada recommends in this

passage

-- rather many devotees are introducing all kinds of things that he did not

stress, such as different Vedic rituals for different stages of life, complete

fasts for ekadasi -- and in India, at least a few years ago, ISKCON gurukula's

were training children how to conduct fire sacrifices instead of training them

to value self-sufficiency and to learn a whole range of skills which would make

a spiritual self-sufficient village thrive. They were being trained up to be

parasitic "brahmanas" instead of being trained how to fulfill the vision of

Vedic civilizations which Prabhupada advocates below. I can only hope that now

that Phalguna prabhu is helping out in Mayapur that the educational focus has

shifted more towards self-sufficiency and away from elaborate rituals which are

merely a superficial showbottle example of Vedic culture.

 

your servant,

 

Hare Krsna dasi

 

 

"Gauranga Prema (das) BCAIS (Cape Town - SA)" wrote:

 

> Srimad Bhagavatam Lecture Canto 1 Ch.10 text 4... London...November 25 1973

>

> That was being maintained during the time of MahArAja YudhiSThira. That is

> being described. MahArAja YudhiSThira maintained this standard of

> civilization. Just see how the economic problems will be solved simply by

> one movement, this KRSNa consciousness movement. Try to understand. MahI.

> Because mahI will produce everything.

> Just like here in this Letchmore Heath there are so many, so much land lying

> vacant. You produce you own food. Why you are going to London, to the

> factories? There is no need. This is wrong civilization. Here is land. You

> produce your food. If you produce your food, there is no need of going

> hundred miles, fifty miles on your motorcycle or motor to earn your

> livelihood. Why? There is no need.

> Then you require petrol. And petrol there is scarcity. Then you require so

> many parts, so many That means you are making the whole thing complicated

> unnecessarily. Unnecessarily. There is no need. Simply you keep to the land

> and produce your food, and the cows are there. They will supply you milk.

> Then where is your economic problems. If you have sufficient grains,

> sufficient vegetables, sufficient milk from the land where you are living,

> where your economic problem? Why you should go to other place?

> That is Vedic civilization. Everyone should remain in the spot and produce

> everything as he requires, and God will help you. 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.

 

--

Noma Petroff

Academic Department Coordinator

BOWDOIN COLLEGE

Department of Theater & Dance

9100 College Station

Brunswick ME 04011-8491

 

Phone: (207) 725-3663

FAX: (207) 725-3372

e-mail: npetroff (AT) bowdoin (DOT) edu