One scientist explains something to some extent, and then another rascal comes along and explains it again, but differently, with different words. And all the time the phenomenon has remained the same.

Scientific Method for Extracting Money from Taxpayers

Scientists powerless to do anything about it

PRABHUPADA: It is said in the Vedas, yasmin vijñate sarvam evam vijñatam bhavati (Mundaka Upanishad 1.3): "If one knows the Absolute Truth, then all other things become known." I am not a Ph.D., yet I can challenge the scientists. Why? Because I know Krishna, the Absolute Truth. Yasmin sthito na duhkhena gurunapi vichalyate: "If one is situated in Krishna consciousness, then even in the greatest calamities he will not be disturbed." (Bhagavad-gita 6.22) Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.5.22) declares, avichyuto 'rthah kavibhir nirupito yad uttamashloka-gunanuvarnanam: "Great personalities have decided that Krishna consciousness is the perfection of life." This kind of knowledge is required. Not that we do some research, come up with a theory, and after fifteen years say, "No, no, it is not right—it is another thing." That is not science; that is child's play.

DR. SINGH: That is how they discover things—by research.

PRABHUPADA: And what is the cost of the research? It is a scientific method for drawing money from others, that's all. In other words, it is cheating.

Scientists juggle words like plutonium, photons, hydrogen and oxygen, but what good will people get from this? When people hear this jugglery of words, what can they say? One scientist explains something to some extent, and then another rascal comes along and explains it again, but differently, with different words. And all the time the phenomenon has remained the same. What advancement has been made? They have simply produced volumes of books. Now there is a petrol problem. Scientists have created it. If the petrol supply dwindles away, what will these rascal scientists do? They are powerless to do anything about it.

Now there is a scarcity of water in India, but what are the scientists doing about it? There is more than enough water in the world, so why don't the scientists bring water where it is urgently required? They should employ irrigation immediately. But instead they are going to the moon, the dusty planet, to make it fertile. Why don't they irrigate this planet? There's plenty of seawater, so why don't they irrigate the Sahara or the Arabian or Rajasthani Desert? "Yes," they say, "in the future. We are trying." In their pride, they immediately say, "Yes, yes. We are trying." In Bhagavad-gita it is said that when one is engaged in the business of satisfying unnecessary desires, he becomes bereft of all intelligence (kamais tais tair hrita-jñanah [Bg. 7.20]).

This moon project is childish. Those who aspire to go to the moon are like crying children. A child cries, "Mother, give me the moon," so the mother gives the child a mirror and says, "Here is the moon, my dear son." And the child takes the mirror, sees the moon in it and says, "Oh, I have the moon."

Unfortunately, this is not just a story.

KARANDHAR: After spending all that money to go to the moon and bring back just a few rocks, the people on the space project decided that there was nothing more to do there.

BRAHMANANDA SWAMI: Now they want to go to another planet, but they are short of money. Going to other planets costs millions and billions of dollars.

PRABHUPADA: People work very hard while the rascal government takes taxes and spends money unnecessarily. There should be no sympathy when so much hard-earned money comes from the public and is spent so foolishly. Now the leaders are presenting another bluff "Don't worry, we are going to another planet. Now we shall bring more dust. We shall bring tons of dust. Oh, yes, now we shall have tons of dust."

DR. SINGH: They believe there may be life on Mars.

PRABHUPADA: They may believe or not believe. What is the difference? Life exists here, but people are fighting. So suppose there is life on Mars. There is life on Mars, undoubtedly. But what will we gain from this?

DR. SINGH: People are curious to know what is going on there.

PRABHUPADA: That means that for their childish curiosity they must spend vast sums of money. Just see the fun. And when they are asked to help one of the many poverty-stricken countries, they say, "No. No money." Do you see?