731231 - Morning Walk - Los Angeles

Morning Walks by Date, 1973

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

731231MW-LOS ANGELES - December 31, 1973 - 39:16 Minutes

Prabhupāda: . . . theologician?

Prajāpati: Here I am, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: No theory?

Prajāpati: Actually, I was concerned this morning about inflation. The government and the newspapers, they say the biggest problem today is inflation. From our Kṛṣṇa conscious standpoint, how can we cure this problem of inflation?

Prabhupāda: It is very simple. Don't accept paper currency. It must be gold or some metal worth. Just like one dollar, it must be worth one dollar metal. Then it is solved. But they want to cheat. How it can be solved? Because if I pay you one dollar, I must pay you value for one dollar. But it is the cheating process is going on, "I pay you one dollar, a piece of paper." That's all. So you accept cheating, and I also cheat. Government allows. So how the problem can be solved? It is cheating. But the government allows it as law. And you accept, I accept. Then how they can be solved, solution? This is the solution.

Prajāpati: In the economy itself there isn't actually enough money to . . . that's even in the banks . . .

Prabhupāda: That is cheating. Therefore I say cheating. I have no money. I give you simply paper. I promise to pay hundred dollars. What is the use of that promise if I have no money? But you want to be cheated, I cheat you. That's all. You are satisfied of being cheated by me; so I take the advantage and I cheat you. I give you a paper. That's all.

Bahulāśva: Real money is gold and silver?

Prabhupāda: Any . . . it must be value. According to the market price, it must be value, whatever it may be. Gold is taken, because gold is the most valuable metal. A small piece of gold, it can carry two hundred dollars. But if I give you iron, then you have to bring another, what is called, bus, to carry it. (laughter) So therefore gold standard is accepted everywhere. There is a standard price of gold, so when I pay you money, it must be . . . carry the value in gold. That's all. Then there is no inflation. The people want to be cheated, and people cheat. That's all.

Bahulāśva: In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Prabhupāda, you say that Kali became gold standardized.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Bahulāśva: In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in the purport . . .

Prabhupāda: That is another point, that one who has gold, he can purchase these four kinds of sinful activities: meat-eating, gambling, intoxication, illicit sex. If you have money, you can get illicit sex from big, big quarters. Is it not?

Karandhara: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Yes. The sinful activities have increased because the world has produced too much wealth. Because they can purchase sinful activities. And that is being increased by inflation. False money I have got, and with that false money I can purchase all this illicit sex, wine, intoxication and . . . because it is just like nowadays, bank is giving you a card, "American . . . Americard . . ." What is that?

Karandhara: Charge card. Bank Americard.

Prabhupāda: Ah. So you simply show the card, you get the goods. So to exchange, it has become very cheap. So cheaply you can purchase. Therefore cheaply you can purchase sinful things also. The people are becoming sinful. The modern economy is, "Engage people in hard working to produce, and by artificial cheating, secure the goods, commodities." This is modern economy. So a worker is getting three thousand dollar per month, but he is getting paper. But he is thinking that, "I am getting money." He is giving his labor, and things are being produced. This is the policy. "Cheat him. Without giving money, give him paper, and get his labor and produce goods." This is modern economy. Is it not?

Bahulāśva: Yes.

Prabhupāda: A laborer, a worker, is given high salary, high wages. So what he is getting? It is paper. And he is very enthusiastic to give his labor. So production is more. And when you go to purchase the products, then you have to pay again. Whatever you have earned, you have to pay everything, pay to the bank or pay to the man. Simply cheating process is going on. There is no solution. People are cheaters.

They have been taught how to cheat. Everyone has got a cheating propensity. That is conditioned life. Four defects: to commit mistake, to become illusioned, to cheat and imperfectness of the senses. So cheating propensity everyone has got. So that cheating propensity is being encouraged more and more. Instead of minimizing it or stop it, it is being encouraged.

Bahulāśva: So unless they become Kṛṣṇa conscious, then there is no solution.

Prabhupāda: No. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇāḥ (SB 5.18.12). There cannot be any good quality in human society unless accepts Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is the . . . this dog is thinking that we may not cheat him; from the back we may not attack him. Just see. Therefore he is stopping.

Bahulāśva: He doesn't know that you are the ever well-wisher, Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: (laughs)

Bahulāśva: He doesn't know that you are the ever well-wisher.

Prabhupāda: So you are going to carry the message to the government?

Prajāpati: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda. We're working on a . . .

Prabhupāda: That issue metal coin and the problem will be solved. But they will not take your advice. (laughter)

Prajāpati: This is part of our platform. To even run for political office, we need solutions to the problems to offer as a platform. We will draw up various bills, ready for legislation, show them that we are serious.

Prabhupāda: So how you'll present it? The cheating process is going on. Unless you become God conscious, the cheating process will not stop. So there is no solution.

Prajāpati: So therefore we introduce bill into the schools to introduce God consciousness to all the children there.

Prabhupāda: Yes. God consciousness. Then everyone will be honest, and everything will be adjusted. Everyone can understand this is pure cheating. I give you a hundred dollars, a piece of paper, that's all. And you accept it. You want to be cheated. You thought that, "I have got now daily, hundred dollars. So let me work very hard." He does not consider that, "I am not getting a hundred dollars. I am getting a piece of paper." So people have no brain to understand even, "This is not hundred dollar. Give me cash, hundred dollar."

Then everything, solution will be . . . there will be no inflation. Because I know that paying you a piece of paper, I can cheat you, therefore I am printing notes to cheat so many people. Therefore inflation. But when there will be no possibility to cheat you, then there will be no inflation. Here I have got the opportunity, because I know that pushing forward a piece of paper, I can cheat so many people. So there must be inflation. Is it not? This is not psychological? If I know that I can cheat you by this instrument, so why shall I not increase that? That is inflation. What do you think, Karandhara?

Karandhara: That's the basic principle, yes.

Prabhupāda: Yes. I am cheating you, and people accepting my cheating.

Karandhara: The governments actually started the whole thing. They instituted paper money, and they instituted it because it is a cheating process. But everyone is participating, so it is just going on and on. That is the real cause of inflation.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That's it. They are getting encouragement in their cheating business.

Bahulāśva: They won't let you have any gold.

Prabhupāda: Now they have made law that you cannot store gold?

Bahulāśva: Yes.

Karandhara: That's been since 1933.

Prabhupāda: Just see.

Karandhara: Americans cannot own gold, store gold. Pretty soon they are going to pass the same law for silver.

Prabhupāda: Just see. Even they cannot have ornaments.

Karandhara: Well, you can have ornaments, jewelry.

Prabhupāda: So by law they are cheating. So how you can stop?

Karandhara: Now they have introduced a law that even the penny, which is the smallest denomination, it used to be made out of copper, so now they are going to make it out of aluminum, because copper is too expensive.

Prabhupāda: Just see.

Bahulāśva: It will be worth less than a penny when it is made out of aluminum.

Prabhupāda: Why not cement? (laughter) Because by law everything will be acceptable. Make it cement.

Bahulāśva: Śrīla Prabhupāda, what can we do to curb down these rascals?

Prabhupāda: Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Bahulāśva: That will curb them down.

Prabhupāda: Yes. They will be purified. The more you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, they will be purified. This is . . . all problems are there on account of misunderstanding. What we are distributing? We are simply moving misunderstanding and bringing them to knowledge. This is our propaganda. So Mr. Theologician, is this suggestion appealing to you?

Prajāpati: It seems all right for ordinary dealings, Śrīla Prabhupāda, having this money, for the . . . what's going on, but for large-scale transactions it might be very difficult.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Prajāpati: And as the practical basis, transactions of thousands and thousands of dollars would be . . .

Prabhupāda: That will be good for the people. Because large-scale transaction is there, therefore the capitalists hoarding. Capitalists hoarding. Goods are there, everything is there. You pay black price, you get it. Then, when somebody's hoarding, he is not giving to the market. So if the large-scale industry and trade becomes stopped, that is good for people.

Jagajjīvana: Does that mean the same amount of gold is here?

Prabhupāda: No, larger scale . . . suppose if you want to store, say, thousand kilos or a thousand bags of rice, so you have to pay me gold. But you have no such gold. Therefore large-scale industry will be stopped. Just see.

Karandhara: Then the price of rice would go very low.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Then you get actual price and actual value. Goods are there, any part of the world you . . . there is enough commodity. But these rascals, they are hoarding, and they are not giving in right time. So people are suffering.

Karandhara: Yes. There's a . . . they buy now. They buy the goods before they are even grown, from the commodity market.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes, because they can pay in this paper, the bank will advance.

Karandhara: They don't even pay in paper. They . . .

Prabhupāda: So as soon as you . . . you have to introduce this metal coins, value. The whole cheating scheme will fail.

Jagajjīvana: In the past, Śrīla Prabhupāda, there was a lot of gold . . .

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Jagajjīvana: In the past, there was a lot of gold on the planet. What has happened to it? There used to be a lot of gold on the planet?

Prabhupāda: Yes. They used to . . . as utensil, as household pots. Just like now you are advanced, using plastic, because you have become very advanced. So you are using plastic. They were using gold.

Jagajjīvana: So what has happened to that gold?

Prabhupāda: What happened? If you keep utensil at home, what happens? You eat nicely on the plate. That's all. Why you are concerned what happening? It is in your store. That's all. And gold is such a metal, any part of the country, any part of the world you go, you get immediately value.

Karandhara: Yes. Whenever there is an economic depression, then gold remains valuable. Just like when the stock market crashed in 1929, if you had gold you could still purchase goods. No matter how bad the economy was, people would accept gold as barter, but not currency.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Indian economy was that if you have got extra money, you get gold ornament for your wife. So then your money is stocked there. Or purchase some utensils, silver utensils. That was Indian economy. This depositing in the bank and thinking that I am getting good interest, that is another cheating. It is another cheating. If things are not available, what will you get by getting interest? Therefore I am advising that purchase land and produce our own food. There will be no problem.

Karandhara: The inflation rate is higher than the interest rate.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Karandhara: The inflation rate is higher than the interest rate. If you earn 5 3/4% interest in a year, the inflation has gone up 6% in a year. So actually your money is . . . at best it's kept the same.

Prabhupāda: The money should be kept in cattle and grain. That is Indian economy, cattle and grain. If you have got many cows, you get milk, milk preparation. And if you have got grain, then what is your problem? You prepare your foodstuff at home and eat, and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Where is your problem? You want to eat and live peacefully. So if you have got grains and milk, you have got enough food and there is no problem. You haven't got to go fifty miles for your work, and then you require a tin car. So many problems. But if you get your food at home, then eat them and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and go back to home, back to Godhead. Simple thing.

Prajāpati: So many people now employed in sinful activities, jobs that are to do with sinful life. If we get rid of these sinful activities, what will we find for these people to do to replace their jobs?

Prabhupāda: Do pious activities. Do you mean to say we have to continue sinful activities for their job? (laughter)

Prajāpati: They say like that.

Prabhupāda: No, we shall give engagement.

Prajāpati: Cattle industry, liquor industry, tobacco industry, all these big industries.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Let them be without industry. Come to us. We shall give them food. Yes. Just like that . . . what is that? Mṛgāri, Mṛgāri. He was thinking that, "Unless I kill animals, how I will eat, I shall live?" And Nārada gave him that, "I will give you to eat. Come here." So he became Vaiṣṇava. So that is our propaganda. "Stop this nonsense business. If you think that how you shall eat, I shall give you eating. Come on." This is our program, "First of all you stop it. Then I will . . . see how I will give you." Just see. When I came first I was alone. I had no shelter, no food. And how we are maintaining now thousands of people, and giving them to eat, and nice shelter? How it is possible? It is possible. Because after all, Kṛṣṇa gives everything. So if they become Kṛṣṇa-ized, everything will come. Why they bother about the sinful activities?

Viṣṇujana: Dhanañjaya. Like you said this morning, Dhanañjaya.

Prabhupāda: Yes, Dhanañjaya.

Viṣṇujana: Kṛṣṇa will tell us where to . . .

Prabhupāda: Yes, where to get money. We have solution for all problems. Don't bother. Go on with Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Do you think our solution all impractical?

Prajāpati: No, Śrīla Prabhupāda. They are not impractical.

Prabhupāda: Then, what do you think?

Karandhara: No. They are the only practical solution.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Karandhara: The karmīs are always saying there is no solution.

Prabhupāda: We say we have got solution.

Bahulāśva: They don't want the solution, Prabhupāda. They don't want the solution.

Prabhupāda: That is another thing. They want to be cheated. That's all.

Bahulāśva: Just like now is the gasoline problem. Now the scientists want to use sun energy. They want to make a new energy, solar energy, from the sun.

Prabhupāda: That is another bluff.

Bahulāśva: We were preaching in Mexico that, "You simply perform the saṅkīrtana-yajña and Kṛṣṇa will supply all energy."

Prabhupāda: Yes. He is the source of all energy.

Karandhara: Most economists, they realize that the economy is very faulty and superficial, but they say: "Well, that's the way it is. So I'm going to take advantage of it while I can."

Prabhupāda: Why not take advantage of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and try it? As you are trying so many method, why not try this?

Viṣṇujana: They say: "We want to regress and become like India." If everyone becomes devotees, then they'll all walk around like us and regress.

Prabhupāda: There is no devotee in India, real devotee, at the present moment.

Viṣṇujana: So they classify us like that. They say: "You Hare Kṛṣṇa people, you want to take us back to cholera and dysentery and everything."

Prabhupāda: But you are already suffering from cancer. What you have done? (laughter) Instead of cholera, you have got cancer. Is that very good exchange?

Viṣṇujana: One out of eight men has venereal disease.

Prabhupāda: From frying pan to the fire. Cholera has got some remedy, but here there is no remedy. Hmm? What is that?

Viṣṇujana: In this country they have the venereal disease. One out of ten men is suffering gonorrhea.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Long ago one professor, medical professor, he said—he was Englishman—that in our country, seventy-five percent students are suffering from venereal disease. Colonel Megor. Yes. Colonel Megor. There must be venereal disease, because sex life is so cheap. There must be venereal disease. And venereal disease, once infected, it brings so many other diseases, one after another, one after another. The cancer is also due to that. Madness. Yes.

And the Vedic civilization knew it. Therefore first restriction: sex. Brahmacārī. First beginning, brahmacārī, no sex life. You see? Just to save. This venereal disease is mentioned in the Āyur-veda. It is called phiraṅgā. Phiraṅga means "white Europeans." It is diseased. And medical science also says that it was begun from dog. The girls, they have sex life with dog, and there is beginning of venereal disease.

Viṣṇujana: Yes, from animal. Ass, dog, cow.

Prabhupāda: That is the beginning. So the girl becomes infected, and she distributes to all men who have sex life with. This is the beginning of sex life. And in Mexico I have heard that they regularly make theatrical demonstration, how a woman is getting sex with ass. Is it?

Bahulāśva: Yes. That is in Tijuana.

Prabhupāda: Just see. Brahmānanda told me. People have become so degraded. They make a regular show, how sex life can be enjoyed with animals.

Bahulāśva: That is abominable. It's abominable.

South American devotee: In south of Argentina, the soldiers, they have sex life with different animals. The soldiers, army, they have sex life with different animals. When they are so long alone without . . . and they have . . .

Prabhupāda: The government allow?

South American devotee: Oh, yeah.

Prabhupāda: It is legal. Just see. Where it is?

South American devotee: South Argentina.

Prabhupāda: Now if you analyze the present human society, you will find there is not a single human being. All animals. All animals. Not a single human being. Thag bachte ga ujar. (Everyone is a thug in this society (Bengali proverb).) What is time now?

Bahulāśva: Nine o'clock, Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: So let us go. (break) People, they do not know what is the aim of life. That is the difficulty.

Viṣṇujana: Yes. From childhood they are taught sense gratification.

Prabhupāda: That's all. They do not know that for sense gratification, enough facility is there in the animal kingdom. So if you want to give facility for sense gratification, does it mean that you want to become more than or less than animal? Not more than.

Viṣṇujana: They want dog's life. They think dog's life is good life. They have to work hard, and the dog stays at home all day and enjoys in their nice big house. So they think, "I would be better to be the dog."

Prabhupāda: So they have become. But when he becomes street dog? That means he has to depend on good master. Big apartment for dog means he belongs to the master. So he has to find out a good master. But if he fails to find out a good master, then he's street dog. Dog's life is good, provided he gets a good master. So therefore we have decided to become dog of Kṛṣṇa, (laughter) the best master. And the master says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ (BG 18.66): "I will give you protection." So why not become dog of Kṛṣṇa?

Prajāpati: He will be a flea on Kṛṣṇa's dog.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Prajāpati: We'll be fleas on Kṛṣṇa's dog.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes, everyone will be fleas. Therefore Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura sings, vaiṣṇava ṭhākura, tomāra kukura, boliyā jānaha more (from Śaraṇāgati): "O Vaiṣṇava, please accept me as your dog." Because to become Kṛṣṇa's dog, one has to become the dog of a Vaiṣṇava. Then he will be admitted as Kṛṣṇa's dog. Vaiṣṇava ṭhākura, tomāra kukura, boliyā jānaha more.

Boy passer-by: (yells out loudly) Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. (laughter)

Bahulāśva: Advancement.

Prabhupāda: So why don't you answer them, "Yes, you become a dog, but you become a dog of a good master." What is the use of becoming dog of another dog? Then what profit will be there? Is it not? We are . . . actually, every one of us is dog. And we are trying to satisfy so many masters. The masters are our senses. We are already dog, everyone, because everyone is servant of the senses: kāma, krodha, lobha, moha, mātsarya. So everyone is dog. Now he has to remain a dog, but by becoming dog of these senses, he is not happy. Find out a good master and become a dog, you become happy. This is our philosophy. And the best master is Kṛṣṇa.

We are also trying to be dog, but not of another dog, but real master. That is our philosophy. What is the use of becoming a dog of another dog? That is not proper. Here the material world is that, "I am dog, I have got a master, and the master has got another master. He has got another master, he has got another master." Nobody can say that, "I am absolute." Nobody can say. That is not possible. You must have a master. Therefore everyone is a dog.

So why don't you find out the absolute master, the biggest master? And that is God. "God is great." Capture Him, master. Then you will be happy. That is intelligence. When one comes to his senses, that "I have served so many masters. Neither the master has become happy, neither I have become happy . . ." That is frustration. Everyone. The master is not happy. You serve any master.

Ask him, "Are you satisfied?" And, "What you have done, that I will be satisfied? You have to do so many things." So he is not satisfied and you are not satisfied. Then to become dog of this ordinary master will never give us satisfaction. Always frustration. Just become the dog of the supreme master. You will be happy. Supreme master is Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Mahāprabhu. Prabhu means master. That Caitanya Mahāprabhu's name, Mahāprabhu, "the supreme master."

Viṣṇujana: He is easily pleased. He is easily pleased.

Prabhupāda: Heh? Oh, yes. (end)