Modern civilization deceives people through false scientific claims while neglecting real spiritual progress and self-control.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
[in room] Prabhupāda: This is their position, and they are proud of their knowledge. Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Not at all scientific. Bali-mardana: But they make up many very big words. Prabhupāda: That any rascal will do. Bahvārambhe laghu kriyā. [The beginning is very gorgeous, but the outcome is insignificant, Cāṇakya Paṇḍita] [speaks gibberish:] Aparkulasvenavargolajagundakuligondoliojalīlāvale... [laughter] You can talk like that, but what is the meaning of it? That intelligence they have got, to manufacture...
I know, I was in the medical business. So any petty medicine, and you employ a medical man, and he'll present it in such a scientific way that people will think that it is very important thing. I know it well. In Bose's laboratory we used to do that.
[gibberish:] Aparkulavenavargolajdgunda... This is... Simply soda bicarb and little this and that. So the modern world means how to befool persons, that's all.
Not to enlighten them, but to keep them in ignorance and befool them more and more. And they like it. Under the influence of māyā they like to be cheated. [sounds of fire engines] Now just see, the whole night there is blazing fire, and they are thinking they are happy.
And if we sing saṁsāra-dāvānala-līḍha-loka, "the material world is blazing fire," that is sentiment. And this is not practical. Whole day and night, simply fire, disturbing. Such a big, important city, and they are disturbing always twenty-four hours, gon-gon-gon-gon-gon-gon-gon.
They are so expert that this ordinary fire they can control. Another side is that nobody wants this fire, and why it is coming? Yathā duḥkha... Prahlāda Mahārāja, long, long years ago: yathā duḥkham ayatnataḥ [SB 7.6.3].
As this fire business is coming without my endeavor, similarly, the other part—distress; this is distress—other part, happiness, also will come. Why shall I endeavor for it? So my energies should be utilized only for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is civilization. And whole life, day and night, they are trying for material happiness, and that is not happening.