Happy Earth Day!

Let us remember on this day that Mother Earth is like us too. She is a devotee of Krsna, and she is most pleased when we offer her bounties to Krsna.

Developing our farm communities further and further, practically and intelligently, must be a leading priority of our sankirtana movement as our Mother Earth demands us to shift away from the burdens placed upon her by our over-mechanical, over-consuming culture.

If we can be more and more on the forefront of presenting the true spiritually based ideal-in-action of "Simple Living and High Thinking", then the boons for our society and for all living entities are boundless, as would be the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada.

Let us meditate on the words of Prabhupada, who amongst his many transcendental and ecstatic gifts was also an get-your-hands dirty environmentalist long before it was ever trendy to be "green."

...Being separated from family and property, they will take shelter in the hilly ranges or in the forest to get relief. This will be the position. Harassment, so much harassment, by nature, by government. So therefore for complete happy society, this Kåñëa consciousness movement is essential. All intelligent persons, they should join this movement and reform the present social, political, religious. All field of activities, they should reform. Then people will be happy. Not only happy in this life, but also next life. —Evening Darsana Washington, D.C. 8 July 1976

Prabhupäda: So one side, there is no rain; one side, there is no rice, especially in India; and one side, heavy tax. So they'll be all confused. They have already become confused. So in the confusion state it will be very difficult to make them Krsna conscious. Therefore preliminary help should be given.
Visnujana: Preliminary.
Prabhupäda: Yes. That they should not be in chaos and confusion. Otherwise, how the brain will work?
Visnujana: Yes. No one can give rapt attention without peace of mind.
Prabhupäda: Yes, yes. Our main aim is how to give them Krsna consciousness. But if they are already disturbed in every respect, then how they'll take it? Therefore we are taking these subjects, to help him to come to the Krsna consciousness. And this is the method-varnasrama.

Visnujana: ...This is the most auspicious work for now, is this remedial measure to stop the chaos in the world?
Prabhupäda: Yes.
Visnujana: That's most auspicious.
Prabhupäda: Most auspicious. Because if the people are in chaos, how they'll be able to accept the great philosophy? It requires cool brain.

Visnujana: ...When we first go to open a temple in a city we get an apartment or a storefront. But then, when more and more people come, then we should get land and cows and everything and...
Prabhupäda: Yes, yes.
Visnujana: ...and turn it into a society.
Hrdayänanda: Ah, that's wonderful.
—Morning Walk "Varnasrama College"
Vrndavana 14 March 1974

Prabhupäda: Yes. Our next program is to organize farming. Let anyone come. We shall give him free food and employment: "Come on." Not that "I want to work as a clerk in the city." You produce your own food. I give you ingredients. I give you land. And work for five, six hours, and take your food and chant Hare Krsna
Devotee: Anybody who comes to the farm has to agree to follow the four regulative principles? These people?
Prabhupäda: Yes. Otherwise you are not coming. Our main business is to make him Krsna conscious.
—Morning Walk
Perth 15 May 1975

Farm project is very nice. Krsna gives. Krsni-go-raksya-vänijyam vaisya-karma svabhäva-jam. [Bg. 18.44] "Farming, cow protection and business are the natural work for the vaisyas..."] This is economic problem solved. And brähmana, brain problem solved, and ksatriya, protection problem solved, and südra, labor problem solved. Four things combined together, live peacefully, happily. Chant Hare Krsna. Introduce this farm project.
—Evening Darsana
Mäyäpur 15 February 1977

Now, our next program will be to organize farming land to set an example to the whole world how people can be peaceful, happy, and free from all anxieties simply by chanting Hare Krishna Maha-mantra and living an honorable life in Krishna Consciousness. In India especially people are religiously inclined. They like to live in village and also like to love Lord Rama, Lord Krishna. This idealism is running through their blood and veins. We have to organize their natural tendency and elevate them again back to Home, Back-to-Godhead.
—Letter to: Kartikeya K. Mahadevia
Johannesburg 19 October 1975