Saving Humanity - True Importance of the Kṛṣṇa Consciousness Movement
The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is often misunderstood as a sectarian religious group, but Śrīla Prabhupāda describes it as the most essential welfare activity for the entire human race. Its importance lies in its ability to save humanity from an "irresponsible life" of sense gratification that leads only to death. By offering a scientific understanding of the soul and God, the movement provides the only solution to the problems of political instability, poverty, and mortality itself. This article explores why the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is considered the only hope for a suffering world.
Only Path to Eternal Life
The ultimate importance of the movement is not social or political, but existential. Everyone naturally desires to live, yet everyone in the material world must die. Śrīla Prabhupāda argues that the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is vital because it offers the scientific process to stop the cycle of birth and death. While people waste their energy on "flickering happiness," this movement offers eternal life.
- If you want to live forever, then you have to take to Krsna consciousness. So Krsna consciousness movement is so important and nice. Everyone wants to live. So actually, if you want to live, then you take to Krsna consciousness.
- For flickering happiness, people waste their human energy, not understanding the importance of the Krsna consciousness movement but instead accusing the simple devotees of brainwashing.
- This human life was meant for understanding Visnu, God, but they did not use it. So thus, try to understand how much important is this Krsna consciousness movement, how we are trying to save the whole human society from their irresponsible life.
Political Importance: Leadership and Peace
Śrīla Prabhupāda connects the movement directly to the well-being of the state. He asserts that there can be no peace or prosperity without God-conscious leadership. He advises the public not to vote for anyone who is not Kṛṣṇa conscious. In a democratic age, the movement is crucial for training "real representatives" who have the wisdom to make life-and-death decisions, such as whether to go to war.
- Because of the importance of the Krsna consciousness movement, people should be Krsna conscious and should not vote for anyone who is not Krsna conscious. Then there will be actual peace and prosperity in the state.
- People in general must understand the importance of Krishna Consciousness, and they must in this democratic day send their real representatives who can make right decisions whether there should be war or no war.
- So this Krsna consciousness movement is so important, and there is practical result, that you introduce this chanting of Hare Krsna maha-mantra offenselessly, not with offense, then the world situation will improve very much. That's a fact.
Gurukula and Farm Projects
The movement's importance is also practical. Through the Gurukula system, it molds the character of the next generation, making them "steady within the cores of their hearts." Through farm projects, it demonstrates self-sufficiency, solving the problem of poverty by producing natural grains and milk. These are not merely religious activities but essential structures for a sane society.
- In our movement, the guru-kula plays an extremely important part in our activities because right from childhood the boys at the guru-kula are instructed about Krsna consciousness. Thus they become steady within the cores of their hearts.
- Our farm projects are an extremely important part of our movement. We must become self-sufficient by growing our own grains and producing our own milk, then there will be no question of poverty.
Conclusion
The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is the "best welfare activity" because it addresses the total needs of humanity—political, economic, and spiritual. Although māyā (illusion) is strong and puts impediments in the way of understanding this importance, Śrīla Prabhupāda encourages serious men to investigate the philosophy and science behind it. As he states, "Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you just imagine how important movement it is. It is the best welfare activities for the human society."
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Importance of the Krsna Consciousness Movement. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.