“We should not be attracted to modern city life”--SP
Bhubaneshwar Jan 31 1977
Prabhupāda: So what is the report in France? Paris atmosphere is all right?
Yogeśvara: Paris? Paris, there is good enthusiasm because there is saṅkīrtana party. It is more difficult at the farm, because there is no saṅkīrtana.
Prabhupāda: Why? There are so many men. There is no saṅkīrtana?
Yogeśvara: Yes. It is far from the nearest city.
Prabhupāda: But within the farm there is no saṅkīrtana?
Yogeśvara: Regular temple activities are going on.
Prabhupāda: Saṅkīrtana is there.
Yogeśvara: There is once a week a party going out.
Prabhupāda: No, not going out. I mean to say in the temple.
Yogeśvara: Inside the temple. Oh, yes. Inside the temple regular programs are there.
Prabhupāda: So why outside? There is no sufficient men? But when I was there I saw so many men.
Yogeśvara: Wherever you go, thousands of people will follow.
Hari-śauri: They were not all from the farm. They were from everywhere.
Prabhupāda: Then not many devotees are there in the farm?
Yogeśvara: There are maybe thirty-five devotees traveling, saṅkīrtana devotees, and then...
Prabhupāda: Centering that farm?
Yogeśvara: Centered at the farm. They come back maybe once every two months. And then there are about eighty devotees at the farm, of which forty are children. Of those children, twenty or twenty-two are Gurukula children. The others are too small.
Prabhupāda: So nobody is engaged in production, fruit, flowers, grains, milk?
Yogeśvara: There are not many full-time devotees doing production, maybe four full time.
Prabhupāda: And why part time?
Yogeśvara: Part time, everyone is trying to do an hour a day.
Prabhupāda: So what they do, others?
Yogeśvara: Well, from the other forty devotees left there is the staff of pūjārīs, press, temple maintenance. So not so many are left for doing full-time work on the land.
Prabhupāda: You are not getting new devotees to join?
Yogeśvara: In Paris.
Prabhupāda: Yes. From Paris or here... In Paris... From Paris you can bring in the farm.
Yogeśvara: Well, at the farm there is not as much of a new bhakta program as in Paris. So the new men are encouraged to stay in Paris to get fixed up first.
Prabhupāda: So new... When they are trained up, they can come, live, especially gṛhasthas. My point is whether the farm is attractive. Not very much.
Yogeśvara: The potential is wonderful.
Prabhupāda: And therefore I'm asking. Potential is wonderful, so why they are not attracted to live in the farm and be self-independent and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa? That is our farm project. Our farm project is they should be satisfied with simple living. That is nice living. If you get milk, if you get fruit, if you get grain and open air, it is very healthy life. Why they should not be attracted?
Yogeśvara: It is still the beginning, and because it's the beginning, it is a little difficult sometimes.
Prabhupāda: That may be. But this should be our aim. We should not be attracted by the modern city life. Simplified life. Save time and utilize for advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is perfect life. Just like Vṛndāvana. Vṛndāvana life means agriculturist, cowherd boys, uneducated girls, cows and calves, and tree, fruits. This is Vṛndāvana. The center is Kṛṣṇa.
Some Conclusions-the book we just published (see below) is a must read for anybody who feels he should follow the above instructions given by Srila Prabhupada. And if we dont follow this instruction, unless we are doing daily dedicated preaching KC in some city, it is very difficult to avoid "modern city life"... and not become thoroughly entangled in its endless webs.
Hare Krsna
Damaghosa das
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