“In the Kali-yuga, simply by performing yajnas you can satisfy the Supreme Lord”

"Now when there is scarcity of foodstuff you cannot eat the Goodyear tires. But people’s attention has been diverted in the industrial activities."

Prabhupada, Vrndavana, September 5, 1976: […] Just like we require some food. That is essential. We cannot live without taking food. That is not possible. So Krishna is giving very simple formula, that annad bhavanti bhutani. If there is sufficient quantity of anna, or eatables, then people become very nice, well-satisfied, either animal or man.

If he can eat sufficiently, he’s satisfied. So annad bhavanti bhutani. Bhavanti means flourish. He becomes healthy, he becomes strong, and he can think nicely, he can work nicely. So anna is required. But simple method is given how anna is produced. That is also given, annad bhavanti bhutani parjanyad anna-sambhavah.

If there is sufficient rain, then you can easily produce food grain. Just like this year, the rain is sufficient; everywhere we go it is green. Green means sufficient food for the animals. And if the field is very soft, you can till it and you can get easily, very nicely, foodstuff. Therefore parjanya, water, rain, is required. Parjanyad anna-sambhavah. And yajnad bhavati parjanyah [Bg. 3.14] And by performing yajna there will be cloud and rain.

That was the… Yajna is required. In this age, Kali-yuga, it is very difficult to perform the Vedic ritualistic yajnas. It requires tons of ghee and food grains. And people have nothing to eat even. But sastra has made it very easy.

Yajnaih sankirtana-prayair yajanti hi su-medhasah [SB 11.5.32]. If you perform the sankirtana-yajna, then it is as good any other yajna. Yajna means to satisfy the yajna-purusa, Vishnu, Lord Vishnu. So in the Kali-yuga, simply by performing yajnas you can satisfy the Supreme Lord. Yajnaih sankirtana-prayair yajanti hi su-medhasah. We have seen in many places by performing yajna, the sankirtana-yajna, where it was very dry, rain has fallen.

This is practical. So things are very easy. But instead of producing food grains, we are producing Goodyear tires. So how we can eat? Now when there is scarcity of foodstuff you cannot eat the Goodyear tires. But people’s attention has been diverted in the industrial activities. They are given allurement, “Come here. I shall give you twenty rupees per day.

You give up your agricultural activities. You come in the factory. Produce tire tube, iron stool,” and so on so on. So we are violating the orders of Krishna. Krishna says that produce foodgrain. But we are producing unnecessary things. And therefore you are suffering. Krishna is giving very good advice: annad bhavanti bhutani. You produce sufficient foodgrain, all over, not only here. Another anartha is this nationalism. Nationalism: “This is America,” “This is India,” “This is Africa,” “This is Australia.” Why? Isavasyam idam sarvam.

Simple thing. Everything belongs to God. Isavasya. There will be no scarcity. I have studied very thoroughly that there are sufficient land still without any cultivation. In Africa I have seen sufficient land. But they are utilizing it for producing coffee and tea. No food grains. So these are the anarthas. Anartha. Unnecessary. People will not die without coffee and tea. But they have made the whole world self-dependent on coffee and tea, mercantile policy. There is anartha.

So anartha, if you want happy life, peaceful life, progressive life, then you have to curtail these anarthas. Anartha-nivrttih syat. Without curtailing these anarthas, unwanted things, you cannot become happy. So that is recommended here. Anartha-nivrttih syat saksad bhaktim adhoksaje. As soon as you become a devotee, all anarthas become immediately vanquished.

Just like here, these Europeans and Americans, they are accustomed to anarthas from the very beginning of their life. And the latest anartha was their intoxication, LSD. But by bhakti-yoga, because they have taken to bhakti-yoga, very easily they have given all these habits. Even government is surprised. In Europe, and especially in America, their government is spending millions of dollars to stop this LSD habit.

They cannot do it. They praise our movement in this connection. And as soon as one comes to this movement, he immediately gives up. Immediately, without any hesitation. I make this first condition, that you have to give up all kinds of intoxication. Not only LSD, but even drinking tea, coffee, smoking, everything you have to give up. Chewing pan, everything.

And they agree. We do not make any compromise that “You can do any nonsense and still you become initiated. Give me some money.” No. We don’t make such compromise. You must first of all agree to give up all these sinful activities. Then I can accept you. I can initiate you. This is our process.

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