Yajïa means we have to satisfy the Supreme Person. That is called yajïa. And this process can be executed when the human society is very regulated. Regulated means there must be division of these varëas and äçramas. Varëa means four varëas: brähmaëa, kñatriya, vaiçya, çüdra. And four äçramas: brahmacäré, gåhastha, vänaprastha, sannyäsa. They have got their respective duties.

I must say it was a memorable event, spending 2 weeks at the Saranagati Eco Village community focusing primarily on compiling a document that will hopefully help further the cause of varnasrama dharma development. The invitation to spend quality time at Saranagati came from one of the pioneers and most seasoned farmer of this mature community of senior Vaisnavas going back some 30+ years, Sriman Bala Krsna das who operates his own personal farm of some 160 acres [Bhumi Farms] in addition to government forestland covering over 1000 acres that he manages practically single-handedly.

Guyana is one of the smaller countries of South America with less than 1 million in population and traditionally having an agrarian based economy. In the past few decades, however, as in many other parts of the world, the social structure has been undergoing drastic changes with more and more villagers leaving their traditional occupations opting for an urban lifestyle. As a result, agriculture has been neglected. Fortunately, the present government has been pushing for agrarian reforms. One can see large billboards on the highway saying GROW MORE FOOD!

The present civilization is clearly a "Slaughterhouse Civilization"! There is an act of murder in every fiber of it's construction. Ever increasing greed for economic gains is the goal. We all know, this experiment has been disastrous. The rebelliousness on the values and culture of a sustainable past propagated by scientists and leaders combined has entered the blood of every citizen of the modern world. It has taken the form of violence against nature. It is definitely an act of TERRORISM!

On the Monday following the grand celebrations of the 20th annual Prabhupada Festival at New Dwaraka Dhama in Los Angeles, we went to the temple for Darshana Arati and stayed through Guru Puja and the Bhagavatam class given by HG Mukunda Prabhu. After the class, we approached HG Govinda Mataji to express our appreciation for so wonderfully sharing her memories of Srila Prabhupada along with HG Shyamasundara Prabhu on the previous day. Govinda Mataji was talking with Mukunda Prabhu as we went up to her to speak. We introduced ourselves as devotees visiting from San Jose and both of them inquired about us. This way we started talking and one topic led to another and soon enough we were talking about Varnasrama and farm communities.

Ataù pumbhir dvija-çreñöhäù. Pumbhiù, by person. Everyone is engaged in some occupational duty. Formerly it was the varëäçrama: brähmaëa, kñatriya, vaiçya, çüdra, and brahmacäré, gåhastha, vänaprastha, sannyäsé. Everyone has got some particular duty according to his position. Now, the different occupational duties have expanded. It doesn’t matter. If you are engineer, if you are medical man, if you are something else, it doesn’t matter. Sva-karmaëä tam abhyarcya. But try to serve Kåñëa by the result of your work. That is bhakti.— SB 3.25.24 LECTURE
Bombay 24 November 1974

Thirty devotees from ISKCON farms all over Europe attended the fourth annual ISKCON European Farm Conference from May 10th through 12th this year, hoping to gain inspiration as well as practical advice for their various rural projects.

Devotees hailed from farms in England, Sweden, Czech, Slovakia, New Mayapur in France, and Hungary. Some wanted to establish ox programs, some were developing businesses based on selling vegetables and other natural products, and some simply wanted to learn more about the principles of agriculture and sustainable living.

H.G. Krishna Chandra Prabhu (who is Karnataka State co-ordinator for IDVM based in Bellary ) with the assistance of few local devotees took us to a nearby village for a preaching program , the devotee crew consisting of H.G Sridhar prabhu, H.G Venugopal prabhu,Bhakta Shyam , Bhakta Anand and HG Ram Lakshman Prabhu.

India has more than 4000 Gaushalas (cow shelters) in its length and breadth. Most of these take care of the old and hapless cattle. However, interspersed amongst these, there are around 200 exemplary Gaushalas that show the path to developing the Indian cow – whatever its numbers and capacities – as a self-reliant animal.

In the line at the store, the cashier told the older woman that plastic bags weren't good for the environment. The woman apologized to her and explained,

"We didn't have the green thing back in my day."

That's right, they didn't have the green thing in her day. Back then, they returned their milk bottles, Coke bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, using the same bottles over and over. So they really were recycled.