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 out-
side 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.
Srila Prabhupada: 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.
Srila Prabhupada: Arjuna, before understanding the Bhagavad-gita, was
: a fighter, and after understandirig the Bhagavad-gita 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. ‘‘Krsna, I don’t want to kill my relatives.
I do not want this kingdom.” But he was taught the Bhagavad-gita, and at
the end when Krsna inquired, ‘‘What is your decision now?”’ he said,
karisye 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 tech-
nology. No, but we try to make one understand this Krsna conscious-
ness. That is our program. .
Prof. Kotovsky: Of course, at the same time the final goal of any con-
sciousness is to change the society—to make it a better society.
Srila Prabhupada: 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.
Srila Prabhupada: That preliminary change is to follow rules and regula-
tions of austerity. For example, don’t take intoxicants.
Prof. Kotovsky: No indulging in intoxicants—simplicity, etc.
Srila Prabhupada: So if one takes to this process...
Prof. Kotovsky: Then the others will come automatically.
Srila Prabhupada: One’s whole life will change, because these four
