Prabhupada statements on India and Indians
bhärata-bhümite-haila manuñya-janma yära
janma särthaka kari’ kara para-upakära
“One who has taken his birth as a human being in the land of India (Bhärata-varña) should make his life successful and work for the benefit of all other people”
Therefore Shri Caitanya Mahäprabhu said,
janma särthaka kari’ kara para-upakära:
“If an Indian is educated in the Vedic principles, he is able to perform the most beneficial welfare activity for the entire world.”
Every Indian is a devotee. That is the privilege of taking birth in India. Naturally he is a devotee, and if he takes a little education, takes advantage of the Vedic instructions, then his life is successful. In the sastra it is said even the demigods
desire to take birth in India because of the facility here. The land is so sanctified that anyone who takes birth here is born sanctified.
Now, if he takes further advantage of the Vedic knowledge, then his life becomes successful. Therefore Caitanya Mahäprabhu’s mission is that anyone who has taken birth in India should make his life successful, and then preach this knowledge to the outside world.
Outside India they are in darkness. So it is the duty of the Indian to make his life perfect and spread this spiritual knowledge to the outside world. That is real welfare activity for the human society. That we are trying to do.
In other countries there is no civilization. In India there is civilization. Just you become civilized and distribute this knowledge. This is Caitanya Mahäprabhu’s
preaching. The ocean of mercy was blocked. Let it be opened and distributed throughout the world.
So work vigorously. This is epoch-making history, how real culture is being distributed for the benefit of the whole human society.
India is the best country—there is no doubt. Even these American boys say India is the best. Punya-Bhumi.
These Western boys do not come to India to learn so-called science. They have enough in their own country. They do not come to learn how to manufacture airplanes. There is no need for technology. It is simply bogus.
Live simply, save time, and understand your relationship with God—that is India. This is Vedic civilization. India is based on these principles. India is especially meant for understanding God.
Everyone who happens to take his birth in India is a potential benefactor of others, because it is on Indian soil alone that the culture of transcendental knowledge has been most elaborately presented, from ancient times to the present.
The saints and sages of Bhärata-varsa, as India has long been known, never tried to cultivate or satisfy artificially the needs of the body and the mind exclusively; they always cultured the transcendental spirit soul, which is above the material body and mind. And even now, the saints and sages continue to do so, in spite of all difficulties.
The special feature of a birth in India is that a person born in India becomes
automatically God conscious. In every part of India, and especially in the holy places of pilgrimage, even an ordinary, uneducated man is inclined toward Krishna consciousness, and as soon as he sees a Krishna conscious person he offers obeisances.
A short life in the land of Bhärata-varsa is preferable to a life achieved in Brahma-loka for millions and billions of years, because even if one is elevated to Brahma-loka he must return to repeated birth and death. Although life in Bhärata-varsa, in a lower planetary system, is very short, one who lives there can elevate himself to full Krishna consciousness and achieve the highest perfection, even in this short life, by fully surrendering unto the lotus feet of the Lord. Thus one attains Vaikuntha-loka, where there is neither anxiety nor repeated birth in a material body.
In the Kürma Purana, there is this statement about the desires of the demigods:
“Although the demigods are situated in exalted positions in the heavenly planets, they nevertheless desire to descend to the land of Bhärata-varsa on the planet earth. This indicates that even the demigods are unfit to reside in Bhärata-Varsa. Therefore, if persons already born in Bhärata-varsa live like cats and dogs, not taking full advantage of their birth in this land, they are certainly unfortunate.
This is the land of religion. It is admitted by other parts of the world. Columbus was searching after India for trade, even hundreds of years ago. People are coming to India for knowledge, philosophy, trade, and money. Why did the Britishers come?
For money. India was exploited for thousands of years and the standard of civilization deteriorated. Still, India’s position is unique, even in this fallen condition. Now people are degraded from their previous, high standard, both spiritually and materially. Still, they have their feelings for religion. It is still going on.
Actually India, after independence, should have distributed this spiritual knowledge. Why should we compete with industrialization? The Westerners also have a demand for spiritual knowledge. So India should have given spiritual knowledge to the Western countries instead of competing with industry.
Fortunately, in India we have got everything, but our modern leaders are
neglecting their own thing. They are begging technology from other countries. That is their misfortune. I am singlehandedly trying to present the original Vedic culture. People all over the world are accepting it very happily. India should have tried for this. The government should have known better. Unfortunately, they are all bereft of knowledge of their own culture.
Therefore Krishna Himself appeared as Shri Chaitanya Mahäprabhu and ordered all Indians to take up the cause of distributing the knowledge of
Bhagavad-Gita throughout the entire world:
yäre dekha, täre kaha ‘krishna’—upadesha
ämära ajnaya guru haïä tära’ ei desha
Whomever you meet, instruct him on the teachings of Krishna. In this way, on My order, become spiritual master and deliver the people of this country. (Caitanya-caritäåmta 2.7.128)
The practical effect of our spreading the Krishna consciousness movement all over the world is that now the most degraded debauchees are becoming the most elevated saints. This is only one Indian’s humble service to the world. If all Indians had taken to this path, as advised by Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu, India would have given a unique gift to the world, and thus India would have been glorified.
Caitanya Mahäprabhu instructed everyone to become a guru. The world is suffering for want of Krishna consciousness. That was His mission. He wanted everyone from India to become a guru and preach outside: “Become a guru on My order, and deliver your country or other countries.”
“But I have no qualification, no education. How I can become guru?”
Caitanya Mahäprabhu says, ämära ajnaya: “By My order.” “Then what is Your order, Sir?” “My order is “yäre dekha täre kaha ‘krishna’-upadesha.”
This is My order. Simply explain what Krishna has said, or what has been said about Krishna. That is Krishna-upadesha. Simply preach Krishna-upadesha, then you become a guru.
Not only that, He has empowered all Indians: bhärata-bhümite haila manuñya-janma yära janma särthaka kari’ kara para-upakära.
To spread thisKrishna consciousness movement is the best welfare activity in human society.
You (Indians) have to make your life successful by reading Bhagavad-Gita and preaching the truth all over the world. Then the world will be happy and you will be happy. This is required.