Quotes From Srila Prabhupada Regarding Farms

Now... We have come to the open field. How it is nice. And so long we were passing through that congested areas -- hellish, simply hellish. And now here is open space. How it is nice.

Hari-sauri: To enter into a city is so imposing on your consciousness.

Prabhupada: Up to that point, simply rubbish, all papers thrown here and there. People are living in... Now see here, how it is open and pleasing. Organize this farm project. Farm. (background talking)

Hari-sauri: He's just saying that in the West one requires a great deal of capital. To start a farm, to get the land, you need a lot of money because land is very expensive. And also we have to use modern farming techniques because we have so few men to run the farms.

Prabhupada: No, you show example. People will do automatically. When the people find it is very nice, they will take.

Hari-sauri: Should we try to make an effort to have our householders go and live on the farms, a special effort? If it's ready to do that?

Prabhupada: Why householders? Everyone. Hare Krsna.(japa)

Ramesvara: In America there is a very big emphasis on getting people to join us by moving into our temples. The temple presidents are very eager to get as many people to move in as possible, but in the long run most people cannot come up to the standard.

Prabhupada: Therefore I am [advocating] farms.

Ramesvara: So they have to be encouraged to have a little bit of Krsna consciousness in their own home, make their home a temple.

Prabhupada: No, let them go to the farm, New Vrindaban.

Ramesvara: Many people... Most people in the world, they are grhamedhis, and they cannot give it up so easily.

Prabhupada: "No, you remain...Come here with your wife, children. You remain grhamedhi."

Jagadisa: New Vrindaban is very austere. If we build little bungalows with modern convenience...

Prabhupada: Oh, yes.

Jagadisa: There has to be some modern convenience.

Prabhupada: Oh, yes. Then we shall do that.

Ramesvara: But for many people who live in the cities, they have their jobs already. They don't want to give it up...

Say, in America, most people live in the cities, and they already have their job, and they are set in their ways.

Prabhupada: But you said that there is unemployment also.

Ramesvara: To a certain extent. But there are still 250,000,000 people. So most of them...

Prabhupada: So those who are unemployed, let them come to us. We shall give them employment.

Ramesvara: Yes. But for the mass population...

Prabhupada: Well, gradually you will increase and...

Ramesvara: We have to give them something that they can do in their home.

Prabhupada: Oh, yes.

Ramesvara: Because it is impractical to think that they will give up everything and move into the temple.

Prabhupada: No, those who are unemployed, let them come. We shall give them employment.

Jagadisa: On the farm.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Ramesvara: For those who are unemployed, that's attractive.

Jagadisa: But for those who are already employed...

Ramesvara: But most people have jobs.

Prabhupada: Eh?

Ramesvara: Many people already have their jobs and their families.

Prabhupada: All right, let them not come, but those who are unemployed, let them come.

Ramesvara: But what...? For those people who already have their jobs, instead of...

Prabhupada: That job... They will be very soon jobless. Don't worry. (laughs) They will come. They will be obliged to come. Now they have got job, but as the days are advancing in Kali-yuga, they'll be jobless.

Hari-sauri: So we can expect that material conditions are going to become very much worse than this.

Prabhupada: They may come or not. We don't care for it. Let us establish an ideal society. That is the...

Jagadisa: If someone who is well-off wants to become a devotee, shall we encourage him to give up all of his material well-being or shall we ask him to instead put a temple in his house and encourage him how to make his house into a temple and make his whole family Krsna conscious?

Prabhupada: And what is your material well-being? Everyone is going hundred miles for well-being. Is that well-being? Either they may go by motorcar or by train... And as soon as there is -- what is called? -- bottle-neck, they become very much disturbed: "How to go to the office?" Where is well-being?

Ramesvara: Say, the Christian religion... The Christian religion has millions of followers.

Prabhupada: But what is the meaning of these followers? They do not understand anything. Simply by rubber-stamp they are follower.

Ramesvara: But if we can get a mass following, it is only possible by preaching to them little bit at a time.

Prabhupada: Yes. By your ideal life, ideal teaching, you'll get. This Christian or any religion, what is the use of that? It's not at all religion. It's simply rubber-stamp...

Ramesvara: Many people think that if you become a Hare Krsna you have to shave your head.

Prabhupada: That is very good.

Ramesvara: But it scares them and it keeps them from joining us.

Prabhupada: No, you save so much barbers' expenses. (laughter)

Hari-sauri: So much inconvenience for washing.

Ramesvara: These are misunderstandings that confuse people.

Prabhupada: The whole life is misunderstanding, material life.

Ramesvara: But we want them to chant Hare Krsna. That's the main thing.

Prabhupada: Why they are envious of us? When we live very nicely, they are envious that "These people do not do anything, and they are living so nicely."

Ramesvara: They will not be so envious if they see that people who dress in Western style and keep their families and keep their jobs are also chanting Hare Krsna.

Prabhupada: We say...We say that, that we simply say, that "You change your consciousness."

Ramesvara: Not change your dress, but change your consciousness.

Prabhupada: No, we never said. If you prefer that kind of dress, costly, you prefer it, but we are simplified.

Ramesvara: It's our choice.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Hari-sauri: As a person becomes more purified, then he'll simplify himself anyway. And if he really cultivates a desire to...

Prabhupada: Now, nowadays coat-pant is very costly. If you can spend your money, costly dress, we have no objection. Then you have to earn more; you have to work more. Therefore we are simplified.

Ramesvara: Ultimately, it is the best thing.

Prabhupada: If they want to come in that dress, come in. If you want, come in.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Localized economics -- a revolutionary social concept...back to the land, back to freedom...education made simple...give everyone a higher taste...how to get good leaders...farms are the future
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Mahamsa: And this is a very nice thing he said, Prabhupada. He said that "We want to improve things in the countryside to an extent that people from the cities start running to the villages."

Prabhupada: Yes. That I want. I... Everywhere I go and 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. Annad bhavanti bhutani parjanyad anna-sambhavah, yajnad bhavati parjanyah [Bg. 3.14]. Let them engage in kirtana. 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 Vrndavana life. And they are absorbed in this so-called opulence. Krsna has taken birth. They are bringing so many nice, pleasant foodstuff, very well-dressed and ornamented. These are description. In the morning we were reading. How they were happy, the inhabitants of Vrndavana with Krsna 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 simple 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-Krsna's program. Annad bhavanti bhutani [Bg. 3.14]. Produce greenness everywhere, everywhere. Vrndavana. It is not this motorcar civilization. If it has taken in his brain, then it is to be understood that he can do this plan. He'll be able. Somebody said that he is eager to see me. Hm?

Mahamsa: Yes.

Tamala Krsna: Yes.

Mahamsa: Caitya-guru was saying.

Prabhupada: Caitya-guru?

Indian devotee (1): Actually I was wondering that I should go and conduct him, 'cause last time, when he met our devotees, when he mentioned that he was very eager to have your darsana in Bombay, then you were not feeling well. So you were unable to see him.

Prabhupada: But if he can come to see me... This program he's taking. The whole world will be happy.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Conversation Pieces -- May 27, 1977, Vrndavana
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business, that requires so many other things. But if you take to agriculture you can do it immediately. Krsi-go-raksya. That... We are going to do that. Krsi... This is beginning, family life, maintenance, body and soul together. This is the beginning. Business is there when there is excess. Krsi-go-raksya-vanijyam [Bg. 18.44]. First of all you take care of the cows and engage yourself in agricultural products. Then when there is excess production, you trade, get some money for other purposes. But you... Agriculture means you work for producing food. That is wanted. Why immediately go to trade? Trade is required when there is excess product. Everything is there. Krsi-go-raksya. And the krsi you can produce independently. You simply work. You have got your hands and legs. You till the ground and throw some seed, and it will come. One kilo seeds, you'll get one hundred mounds. Then, when the product is excess, you trade. Everything is there. If you produce food grain, you'll eat nicely and you'll be strong. You'll be able to work more. Our point is take Krsna's instruction. Everything will be perfect. Not that Krsna is advising immediately sarva-dharman parityajya [Bg. 18.66]. For that stage you are not prepared. That I know. But in your present stage what you'll do, that is perfect.

Giriraja: You mean I should leave everything and start a farm?

Prabhupada: Where is the question of leaving? Agriculture... You take to agriculture -- that means you leave everything?

Giriraja: Well, what I have now.

Prabhupada: And what you have got? You are asking that "I require now food." That means you have nothing. You have no food even.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Room Conversation -- January 3, 1977, Bombay
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Yasomatinandana: And that was in the middle of the desert. Not desert, in the middle of like jungle, you know.
Prabhupada: That I want.
Yasomatinandana: It's fifteen minutes away from the...
Prabhupada: We don't want any profit. We don't want any profit. You produce. You eat. You chant. Organize. Don't go outside.
Yasomatinandana: Don't go to the cities.
Prabhupada: No. Be man of character. No illicit sex, no intoxication. Vaisnava. Eat sufficiently, dress sufficiently. Live very comfortably. Whatever profit is there, it should be invested again for books. That's... Because we are investing money, our land... Therefore we are not profited. Beneficiary, you. It is a cooperative society. You produce your needs, live comfortably, chant Hare Krsna. Our only interest is that you are taking interest in Krsna consciousness, working. Otherwise we don't want to exploit you. That is not... If there is no sufficient, you can... We help you manage it. You manage your own affair. We give you direction. Live happily, chant. This should be... Will not they agree?
Yasomatinandana: Yes, they will very much agree.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Yasomatinandana: They already like our program of chanting and dancing.
Prabhupada: That's all.
Yasomatinandana: Very much they love it. People come from distant villages in groups.
Prabhupada: Yes. Make them... In Gujarat it is very good. So you show an example that other camp will...
Yasomatinandana: This year we are taking some cash crops just to develop the farm.
Prabhupada: That's all right.
Yasomatinandana: But then, once we have developed, then we can have rice and wheat and then distribute free prasada to everyone. Because every inch of the land is cultivatable.
Prabhupada: I have given so much for... Try to repay.

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Room Conversation -- July 27-28, 1977, Vrndavana
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"Lord Krsna as Govinda is more inclined to the br�anas and the cows, indicating thereby that human prosperity depends more on these two items, namely brahminical culture and cow protection. Lord Krsna is never satisfied where these are lacking."
(Srimad Bhagavatam 1.8.21)
"The cow should be protected, milk should be drawn from the cows, and this milk should be prepared in various ways. One should take ample milk, and thus one can prolong one's life, develop his brain, execute devotional service, and ultimately attain the favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As it is essential to get food grains and water by digging the earth, it is also essential to give protection to the cows and take nectarean milk from their milk bags."
(Srimad Bhagavatam 8.16.12)

Prabhupada: "Yes. Whatever it may be... We should be satisfied locally by our food, by our cloth, by our milk. That's all. Let the whole world go to hell. We don't care. If you want to save yourself also, you do this. Here is an example. If you want artificial life, city life, and hellish life, you do. But we shall live like this. This is the ideal life."
(Srila Prabhupada Room Conversation, January 21, 1977, Bhubaneswar)