210
THE SCIENCE OF SELF-REALIZATION
everywhere I go, people still adore Indian culture. If this treasure-house of India's spiritual knowledge is properly distributed, at least people outside of India will understand that they are getting something from India.
Prof. Kotovsky:  Of course, you're right. The Indian cultural heritage is to be made known everywhere. But at the same time, in what way would this benefit the Indian masses themselves? They are sitting in India, and they have nothing to gain from the spreading of the Indian cultural heritage all over the world. Indian villages have to have fertilizers, tractors, etc.
Śrīla Prabhupāda:  Yes, we do not object to that.
Prof. Kotovsky:  Yes, I don't think you can object, but at the same time, something has to be done in India. One may call it westernization, but this introduction to an industrial-technological revolution is needed in all fields of Indian life—agriculture, industry, etc.
Śrīla Prabhupāda:  Arjuna, before understanding the  Bhagavad-gītā , was a fighter, and after understanding the  Bhagavad-gītā  he remained a fighter. So we don't want to change the position. For example, you are a respectable professor, a teacher. We don't say that you must change your position. We have come to convince you about our philosophy. That is all. Arjuna was refusing to fight. "Kṛṣṇa, I don't want to kill my relatives. I do not want this kingdom." But he was taught the  Bhagavad-gītā , and at the end when Kṛṣṇa inquired, "What is your decision now?" he said,  kariṣye vacanam tava —"Yes, I shall act as You say." [Bg. 18.72] That means that his consciousness changed. He was a fighter, and he remained a fighter, but he changed his consciousness. We want that. We don't want to disturb the present condition of society. We are not against technology. No, but we try to make one understand this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is our program.
Prof. Kotovsky:  Of course, at the same time the final goal of any consciousness is to change the society—to make it a better society.
Śrīla Prabhupāda:  That is automatic.
Prof. Kotovsky:  I am not really so happy that the ultimate goal is not to disturb society, because in modern society there are many things to be changed through consciousness.
Śrīla Prabhupāda:  That preliminary change is to follow rules and regulations of austerity. For example, don't take intoxicants.
Prof. Kotovsky:  No indulging in intoxicants—simplicity, etc.
Śrīla Prabhupāda:  So if one takes to this process . . .
Prof. Kotovsky:  Then the others will come automatically.
Śrīla Prabhupāda:  One's whole life will change, because these four