Human prosperity flourishes by natural gifts and not by gigantic industrial enterprises.

Making money does not amount to prosperity

Wealth is not man-made

Cities and towns does not mean big, big slaughterhouse, cinema, brothel, and factories and all dirty things. Here it is not mentioned. Here Kuntidevi says, ime jana-padah svriddhah supakvaushadhi-virudhah [Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.40]. She never said, "These towns and cities are flourishing on account of having so many industries, slaughterhouse, brothels, cinema, clubs, nightclubs." Not like that. There was no such thing in those days. These are modern inventions to make the whole world hellish. If you want to be rich, then you can get riches... Wherefrom? Vanadri-nady-udanvantah. From seas, from river, from hills. You can get valuable jewels, gems, pearls, from these natural sources. So India's wealth, formerly, it was depending on these things: gold, silver, jewels, pearls, silk—not industry. And from the forest, from the herbs, from food grains—all natural products.

So from the river... The saintly persons, they depended mostly on the riverside. Anywhere they will put a cottage on the river... Still that is going on. A saintly person, if he wants to remain in a secluded place, so they select any place on the riverside, have a small cottage. Still you'll find in many places, especially on the bank of the Ganges, Narmada, Godavari, Kaveri. There are many saintly persons, especially on the bank of Yamuna and Ganges. If you go to Allahabad, you'll find they are living very peacefully, a small cottage on the bank of the Ganges.

When Narada Muni made the hunter Mrigari a disciple, he dragged him to the riverside, Ganges, and gave him a Tulasi plant: "You sit down here and chant Hare Krishna mantra. And the Tulasi plant is here. You offer obeisances." Then he was very much anxious because he was hunter. He has been stopped, his main business, killing business. So he was thinking that "My Guru Maharaja may not cheat me. He has stopped my business. He has broken my bows and arrows. And now he has dragged me here to sit down and chant Hare Krishna." Then he asked, "What about my food, sir? I'll sit down here or..." Narada Muni assured him, "Don't bother. I'll send you your food. You sit down here. You chant, and I will send your food." So he was little doubtful. Anyway, this news, as soon as the news spread in the neighboring places that a hunter has become a Vaishnava, out of curiosity, people used to come to see the hunter-Vaishnava. The hunter... When one is Vaishnava, he's no longer a hunter or belonging to the any caste. But people used to say "the hunter-Vaishnava." So it is the custom of grihasthas [householders] that when a grihastha goes to see a saintly person, he should bring some gifts. Never mind however insignificant. At least one palmful of rice or dal or atar [wheat flour], put there. Give something. If one comes to the temple... Here are many temples in India still. People come there with offerings. One who hasn't got many things, even he brings one palmful of atar or rice or dal. This is useful. And in the temple there are three pots [for dal, atar and rice]. So in this way the inmates of the temple can live without going outside. But people have lost such habit. They come empty-handed—"darshan"—that "I'll not give you anything, but you are a saintly person. Give me darshan, and give me your ashirvad [foot dust], and then I enjoy my senses. That's all. Nothing to give you, but you give me your ashirvad. You give me the dust of your feet. I become benefited. You starve." But [chuckling] that is not the process. So the hunter, he was following the instruction of his Guru Maharaja, Narada Muni, chanting Hare Krishna and sitting very peacefully. So people would come, and they were surprised. So, so many people came—heaps of atar, heaps of rice, heaps of vegetables. So he became little agitated: "What shall I do with so many, so much quantity? Why he's sending so much? We are simply two, husband and wife. So why he's sending this?"

So actually, for Vaishnava, who is dependent on Krishna, there is no want. There cannot be. Yoga-kshemam vahamy aham, tesham nityabhiyuktanam [Bhagavad-gita 9.22]. If one is actually dependent on Krishna, there is no question of scarcity. That is Shukadeva Gosvami's instruction, kasmad bhajanti kavayo dhana-durmadandhan [SB 2.2.5]. He says to the saintly persons to become independent. So he advises that "Why you are anxious for bedding? There is very nice grass. And you have got pillows, this hand, arms. You can lie down here. And what is the necessity of keeping a waterpot?" Because a sannyasi, even giving up everything, he keeps one waterpot. So Shukadeva Gosvami criticizes, "What is the use of keeping waterpot? You have your palms. You can take water from the river and drink." And old cloth, thrown away. Formerly, grihasthas, in different ceremonies, after taking bath, they would throw away their garments, so that poor people can take it and use it. And new cloth also. Every religious function... In our childhood also we have seen. As soon as there was a new function or puja, there was new cloth. Even household puja that takes place practically every month. Lakshmi-puja, Karttika-puja.... Actually there are twelve months, but the festivals are thirteen. It was very difficult to adjust where the another festival, in which month it should be observed. So we have got experience—in Lakshmi-puja, all new cloth. The children, at least, at least the children and the housewife will have new cloth for every function. And what was the price of cloth? Very cheap. One rupee, four annas; one rupee, six annas, per pair. So we have seen it. So there was no scarcity. Why? People were religiously inclined. Even for a beggar, there was sufficient. The temple, sufficient, everything. That is called ime jana-padah svriddhah. Svriddha means opulent. All the cities and towns were opulent, villages opulent, without want. And they depended on the trees, plants, this river, the mountain, the sea. Those who were expert, they would go underneath the sea and pick up the pearls. That is very valuable. And still there are. So for rich men, the jewelries, the silk, nice food, nice building. And poor man, also, even they do not require jewelries, but they were not hungry. Everything was complete.

So [reading] "Human prosperity flourishes by natural gifts and not by gigantic industrial enterprises." This is the purport. This gigantic enterprise, industrial, they are called ugra-karma. Ugra-karma. Just like now, New Delhi, there is industry. Every town has got industrial area, and big, big industries are flourishing. Especially when you go from Vrindavana side to New Delhi, the first big industry we see—that Goodyear Tire, very big factory. So people are being dragged there that "Come here. You'll get good salary. Why you are working in the field so hard? Come here. You'll get good salary, and..." So they go. But the result is that they are not happy. And when they are not happy, they are, I mean, induced to take wine and meat. In this way, whole world... India, it was not there. Gandhi's movement was to stop this wine, flesh, and as we are prohibiting. But at the present moment, the government is encouraging. It is very regrettable.

[Continues reading:] "The gigantic industrial enterprises are products of a godless civilization." Godless civilization, they no more can depend on the natural gifts. They think by industrial enterprises, they will get more money and they'll be happy. And to remain satisfied with the food grains, vegetables and natural gifts, that is primitive idea. They say, "It is primitive." When men were not civilized, they would depend on nature, but when they are advanced in civilization, they must discover industrial enterprises. So instead of eating on metal dishes, the civilized men should eat on, what is that called, plastic. That's all. Now plastic utensils, not even metal. Still, according to Vedic civilization, these Hindus, they would not touch this china, clay utensils, or this plastic utensils or glass utensils. They'll never touch. Especially in South India they are very strict. A poor man would prefer to eat on the plantain leaf. And the rich men, they eat on silver utensils. They do not even like to eat on brass or other base metals.

So this is very good economy also. If you have got metal utensils, if you are in need of money, you can get immediately in exchange some money. There are pawn shops. So they will keep anything, a gold Banarsi sari, or metal utensils or ornaments, if you are need of money. Village bankers. Immediately. Suppose if you require five rupees, ten rupees. You haven't got, so how to get the money? You take something from your household paraphernalia and go to the pawn-broker. You get money. You are now relieved from the present anxiety. Then again you get back. But what this china, clay, the china pots and this plastic pot will bring? No, nothing. From economic point of view, this is also very good. So depend on nature.

So [resumes reading:] "The more we go on increasing such troublesome industries to squeeze out the vital energy of the human being, the more there will be unrest and dissatisfaction..."—that is practical—"...of the people in general, although a few only can live lavishly by exploitation."

So our Krishna consciousness movement is all-round. If people understand that this is a religious movement... No. Religious movement is different thing. Krishna consciousness movement... Krishna. It is not our manufactured ideas. Krishna speaks in the Bhagavad-gita to make people Krishna conscious in every way. He's suggesting how to live, annad bhavanti bhutani; [Bg. 3.14] how the division of the society should be made, chatur-varnyam maya srishtam guna-karma-vibhagashah; [Bg. 4.13] everything—social, political also. He is enthusing Arjuna, "You must fight. They have committed so much injustice upon you. So you must fight. Don't consider that he is your brother, he is your..." Even when Arjuna said, "Yes. This is all right. I'll fight with my enemies, but how can I kill Bhishmadeva? He is not my enemy. He's my maintainer, my grandfather. We lost our father at early age. He took care. How can I kill? How can I kill my teacher, Dronacarya?" But Krishna supported that "You must kill them." "Why?" "Because they have taken the wrong side. Because Bhishmadeva, in spite of his becoming so learned, still, he has gone to the side of the Duryodhana, and simply for matter of getting some money, maintenance." And actually Bhishmadeva went to the side of Duryodhana, considering that "These people are maintaining me. How can I give up their company at times of danger?" That is also another consideration. So similarly, Dronacharya, although he's guru, teacher of military art, he also went to Duryodhana's side for money. Nobody came to this side. So Krishna was doing justice. This is politics, "Tit for tat." This is politics. Chanakya Pandit says. "If somebody is shatha"—shatha means very cunning—"so you should be also cunning." This is politics. You should not be, at that time, a brahmana, liberal. No. So the idea is that in the Bhagavad-gita Krishna teaches everything very rightly, properly. The whole Vedic literature is meant for that, not one-sided.

Now here, Kunti is speaking to Krishna how to live, how, by the association of Krishna, people will be happy, how they shall live happily in the towns and cities. These things are described. So we should always remember that this Krishna consciousness movement is for all-around development of the human society, not a sentimental religious movement. If people take to this... And it is based on the teachings of Krishna, on the teachings of Bhagavatam. Everything is described there. So the more we grow, or grow strength, rather... Because we are now weak, people are not understanding the seriousness of this movement. But the more we grow in strength and volume, we should take part in all-round activities of the human society to make them happy. Sarve sukhino bhavantu. This is the Vedic culture, that Vedic culture wants to see everyone is happy.

And especially the Vaishnava. Vaishnava has no unhappiness because he has got Krishna. One who has got Krishna, where is unhappiness? And where is want? He has no such thing as unhappiness, but he's unhappy seeing others, these so-called rascals who have forgotten Krishna, they are unhappy. Vaishnava is unhappy seeing these peoples' unhappiness, Prahlada Maharaja says: "I am lamenting only for these rascals who have forgotten You. And forgetting You, they are trying to become happy by so many rubbish activities." Maya-sukhaya bharam udvahato vimudhan [SB 7.9.43]. They want to be happy by inventing machine for shaving also. You see? The attention is diverted that for shaving they want machine, for brushing the teeth they want a machine... So that means the intelligence is being misused. Intelligence is being misused. Therefore a Vaishnava's duty is that even whatever they have discovered, that can be used for Krishna's service and to teach them how to engage everything in Krishna. Our policy is that we are using this microphone. It is not that if there is no microphone, we shall stop our speaking or preaching work. No. We have no attraction for this microphone. But when there is microphone, we take advantage for spreading Krishna consciousness. That is the formula given by Rupa Gosvami. One may say that "If you are condemning material civilization, why you are using?" It does not mean that we are attached to it. But if there is some advantage for spreading Krishna consciousness, we can use it. We can use the modern invention, but we are not attached to that. It is not that without it we become collapsed. No, that is not our policy. We can do with it and without it. When we use it, it is for the advantage of the person. His energy is being... Who has invented this microphone, his energy is being utilized for Krishna's purpose. So dovetail everything dovetailed in Krishna's service. So without Krishna, we cannot be happy. That is the right conclusion. And that is stated here, that "Everything is flourished on account of Your presence." And as we have repeatedly said, we can keep Krishna always present by Krishna consciousness. Then everything will be nice; we shall be happy, either in the town or in the forest, everywhere.