Unless there is Bhakti, this Tulasi Plant will not grow

video credit: Lila Mohini devi dasi

Prabhupada, New Orleans Farm, August 1, 1975: […] So I am very glad that you are seriously interested, and Krsna is pleased upon you. And that you are sincerely trying, I can understand from these tulasi plants. Yes. This is the practical demonstration.

Unless there is bhakti, this tulasi plant will not grow. We must be very much thankful to our Govinda dasi. She first of all cultivated the tulasi plant in Hawaii. And now our tulasi plants are distributed. So she has done a great service. I think I gave her the seeds, and she very nicely done it. Now everywhere we see tulasi plant. It is very pleasing.

So the same thing—Deity worship and watering the tulasi plants, chanting sixteen rounds at least, and observing the rules and regulation, regulative principle… Then your life is successful. Don’t neglect. Very seriously continue.

And in this one life you are going back to home, back to Godhead. It is sure. I am not flattering you. Krsna says, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru, mam evaisyasi asamsayah [Bg. 18.65]. Asamsayah, “Without any doubt, simply following these rules and regulation,” mam evaisyasi, “you come back to Me.”

So take these words of Krsna, guru-Krsna. The guru will also…, the same thing, what Krsna has said. And follow the principles. Your life is successful. Now, this place I see, although I have not seen all, is a nice place. And the grhasthas may come here, have some small cottage, and grow your own food grains, vegetables, and have your cow’s milk.

Get nice foodstuff, save time. Why should you go in the city, hundred miles in car and again hundred miles come back and take unnecessary trouble? Stick to this spot and grow your own food, your own cloth, and live peacefully, save time, chant Hare Krsna. Very nice program. This is actual life.

What is this nonsense life, big, big cities and always people busy? If he wants to see one friend, he has to go thirty miles. If he has to see a physician, he has to go fifty miles. If he has to go to work, another hundred miles. So what is this life? This is not life. Be satisfied. The devotee’s life should be yavad artha-prayojanam. We require material necessities as much as it is required, no artificial life. That is spiritual life.

Simply increasing artificial life, even for shaving, a big machine is required. What is this? Simply wasting time. Devil’s workshop. Make life very simple. And simple living, high thinking, and always conscious to go back to home, back to Krsna. That is life. Not this life, that simply machine, machine, machine, machine.

So if you show practical example that how you are living simple life and how you are advanced in Krsna consciousness, then people will learn from you. You American people, if you show example, people will try to follow you, and they will be happy. So I am very glad to see this farm. Develop it nicely, live peacefully, and chant Hare Krsna.

Thank you very much.