[Posted August 20, 2009]

Not Possible to Check Population Growth

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

We can only do our bit to ensure that we do not take birth again in this material world

Allianz Oct 1, 2007 - VALDIS WISH

Who’s Afraid of Thomas Malthus?

None of the troubling predictions about overpopulation and global starvation have come to pass. So should we still be worried about too many people on Earth?

The specter of too many people and not enough food has haunted scientists and philosophers since at least the time of Aristotle. The most famous is Thomas Malthus, who in 1798 grimly predicted that population growth would outpace food production, resulting in human death and misery. go to story

The Bhaktivedantas World Sankirtan Party and Inside Nam Hatta are hosted by Hansadutta das, a senior disciple of Srila Prabhupada and trustee of The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. Participate or learn more about World Sankirtan Party.

The numbers do not change

Overpopulation a Myth A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

There is already overpopulation [the living entities are eternal - never born, never annihilated - their numbers do not increase or decrease]. And they can be provided by Krishna. Eko bahunam yo vidadhati kaman. Krishna is not limited; He is also unlimited. He can provide unlimited living entities. There is no scarcity of food. So this theory of overpopulation is nonsense. It is also nonsense. There cannot be overpopulation. more

Supposed to leave the material world

excerpt from lecture in Hyderabad (SB 5.5.2), April 11, 1975

ACYUTANANDA: "When a person dies, his soul will take another body? Then why is the population today increasing?"

PRABHUPADA: Because they are blocked-up, bottle-necked. They are not going back to home, back to Godhead. Therefore it is crowded.

Cycle of repeated birth and death

excerpt from Life Comes from Life, "A Mustard Seed in a Bag of Mustard Seeds"

DR. SINGH: So we cannot curtail their reproduction?

PRABHUPADA: No. How could we? There are so many living entities that have come into this material world to enjoy life, and therefore reproduction must continue. This material world is like a jail. You cannot put an end to jails. As soon as one man leaves the jail, another is ready to enter it. This same question was discussed by Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. One of His devotees, Vasudeva Datta, said, "Please take all the living entities of this entire universe and release them from material bondage. And if You think they are too sinful to be rectified, then just give all their sins to me." But Chaitanya Mahaprabhu said, "Suppose I were to take this entire universe and all the living entities with it. This is only one of innumerable universes. It is just like a mustard seed in a huge bag of mustard seeds. If you removed one seed from the bag, what would be the difference?" So reproduction cannot actually be stopped. Living entities are unlimited in number, and therefore it must continue.

DR. SINGH: You have said that this material world is like a correction house to teach one to get out of material entanglement and the cycle of repeated birth and death.

PRABHUPADA: Yes. Therefore you must practice Krishna consciousness.

Coming and going

excerpt from conversation, Bombay, Feb 17, 1974

One old lady... You know, in the villages there is fair, or market. So in the morning she saw that so many hundreds of men have assembled. So one lady of that village, she thought that "They have become my guests." So she began to cry and was asking his son, her son, "Oh, how I can accommodate so many people? How can I receive them as guests?" So the son said, "My dear mother, don't be agitated. In the evening you come." So in the evening when she came, there was nobody. There was nobody, because a marketplace. So this botheration is just like the old lady. After seeing so many men, she is agitated. And in the evening there is none. So it requires intelligence, that "They are coming and going. Why I should be bothered about that? Let me do my duty as human being."

Comments

Sri Guru and Gauranga