Dearest Śrīla Prabhupāda,
Please accept our humble obeisances. All glories to you on this most auspicious day of your appearance.
Traveling to the ruins of ancient civilizations provokes in some a sense of historical irony. All of the great empires of the world declared themselves everlasting. One can still visit the temple dedicated to Roma Aeterna, “the eternal Roman Empire,” which collapsed more than fifteen hundred years ago. When asked, anyone with an understanding of history will declare that no matter how mighty a nation, empire, or any other power is, it will eventually fall. But it is a rare occurrence for us to apply such wisdom to our own situation. Such a fate of destruction could not possibly befall us; any downturn in our fortune, we reason, must be a fluke, a simple cyclical variation. But when the tide turns back in our favor, the good times will roll, we think.
It seems increasingly likely, however, that such a correction will not save us any time soon. Over the last several years, the situation in practically every nation in the world has degraded, and there is no clear indication of how or when recovery will come. World leaders have been exposed as demons, and yet justice has not found them. Food prices increase, even as our food is chemically modified into “product” rather than nourishment. Petroleum, the lifeblood of modern civilization, is increasingly expensive, its price dependent on the egos of madmen. The people are thus forced to spend more time working in unnatural and artificial occupations, increasing their work hours until they have nothing to do but sleep and labor. This intense suffering causes them to take shelter of the modes of passion and ignorance, leading to an increase in violence, conquest, and genocide.
Yet still, most inmates of this society hold onto the hope that a correction is just around the corner – that all we must do is wait a while longer, and the good times will surely begin. You, however, see only through the eyes of śāstra. You taught us, through your books, lectures, and all your teachings that the wheel of sense gratification only has so many turns before catastrophe.
You explained in so many ways how the modern demoniac society is unsustainable. An often-repeated reason is the industrialized slaughter of cows. The various means of advertisement and social engineering, meant to fan the flames of anger, lust, and greed, deserve a mention as well. The list you gave us goes on and on, showing that this modern society is but a small push away from collapse. There is also another critical reason that you gave when explaining how the collapse would come: no one knows how to grow food.
The increased chaos in the world shows that your prescription is critically needed. Almost none of the residents of Gītā-nāgarī have a background in farming. We came from offices, labs, and classrooms, from cities, where food came not from the ground but from a supermarket. But as much as we are able, we are attempting, under the direction of your servants, to take up your instruction to protect cows, grow food, and live simply off the land.
The other philosophies of the world, utopian and apocalyptic in their design, rely on political machinations, social subterfuge, or violent uprisings to achieve their aim. Ultimately, this aim is not a true rebirth of society, but only a reordering of who is on top. Meanwhile, the social revolution you envisioned is a complete cultural overhaul, and begins in the most unlikely places: a mantra chanted, a book distributed, a cow cared for, and a seed planted.
Please give us your blessings, Śrīla Prabhupāda, that we can fulfill your mission in showing the world that competition and exploitation is not the only life conceivable, but that it is indeed possible for humanity, the land, animals, and Kṛṣṇa to live in cooperation and harmony.
Your servant,
Kāla-Svarūpa Dāsa
On behalf of the Gītā-nāgarī Farm community