Optimistic...but where is God?

Technological advancement, Prabhupada pointed out, was not real civilisation. "They do not know what is advancement. They had no knowledge that: 'I have to die, and I have to accept another body after death.' They do not know it. So long as this body is there, they are trying to have a very comfortable position. But they do not know that after this body, they have to accept another body. So how will this technology help them? If, in this life, by technological advancement they live very comfortably, and next life they become a dog, then where is the advancement? That they do not know."Prabhupada gave the example of the three-week visa they had obtained to come to Australia. "Suppose in Perth I begin one skyscraper knowing that I shall remain here for only three weeks. Is this intelligence? Similarly, at any moment I can be kicked out."


Later, Prabhupada summed up. "Caitanya Mahaprabhu said: sunyayitam jagat sarvam govinda-virahena me. Sunyayitam means zero. The advancement of modern civilisation is zero, but if you add many thousands of zeros, does the value increase? No, it simply remains zero. But if you add a "one" it will increase the value. That "one" is Krsna consciousness. That will make this material civilisation important -- a hundred, a thousand times more important."

- Srila Prabhupada
- "The Great Transcendental Adventure" by HG Kurma Prabhu