-- S rila P rabhupada on M ayapur --
There we have got 600 acres of land to develop a farm project. We have got one very nice temple in Hyderabad City. As we are doing in Mäyäpur and many other places, I want to develop self-sufficient cen- ters with cloth and food production by the devotees locally and save time as much as possible to devote themselves to chant Hare Kåñëa. 3/4/74 BOMBAY - BHAVÄNANDA and JAYAPATÄKÄ MAHÄRÄJAS I have read in your letter how the brahmacaris find it very difficult to plough. It will be very difficult if we do not work the land ourselves. The difficulty can be overcome provided we are sincere. I think we can use modern machines, to drive a tractor, for example, is as easy as driving a car. Suppose we hire a tractor for the time being. I heard they are available from Krishnanagar. In America they take to agri- culture; they are farmers although they are not Indians. So why can’t the Americans work and farm in India? We just have to adjust in order to raise as much crops as possible for the animals and men. I have seen many farmers near New Våndävana working nicely with tractors and growing food. One day Kértanananda Swami hired one and within two hours he tilled many acres of land very nicely, although it was not even land. So in Mäyäpur it is even land; in a few hours we can till all the land we possess. My point is if somehow we cannot utilize the land then why purchase it at such expenditure? Self help doesn’t mean Rs 10,000 spent monthly. 18/1/76 MÄYÄPUR – A TRANSCENDENTAL DIARY VOL. 1 At the dispensary Prabhupäda said that he would give some herbal formulas for minor ailments. He also suggested that the devotees keep a stock of general medicines for curing common complaints without the need for a doctor. At least five or six rooms were being used for weaving. Looking in at the looms, Prabhupäda revealed a little of his vision of a spiritual society in Mäyäpur. He said, “Some en- vious persons might criticize, ‘Oh, this is temple and they are weaving. They are not worshiping?’ And yet others may accuse us as religion- ists—parasites. But in the Bhagavad-gétä Kåñëa says svakarmaëä
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