Curing the Animalistic Mentality Through Kṛṣṇa Consciousness
We live in a world that boasts of its highly advanced educational systems and massive economic development. Yet, despite these achievements, human society is plagued by intense anxiety, conflict, and dissatisfaction. The Vedic literature provides a sharp diagnosis for this condition: modern civilization is suffering from a deeply ingrained animalistic mentality. Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches that until we utilize our human intelligence to transcend the bodily concept of life, we remain no better than sophisticated beasts.
The Misuse of Human Intelligence
Human beings possess a unique capacity for rational thought and philosophical inquiry. However, Śrīla Prabhupāda points out that when this rationality is used exclusively to improve the physical standards of eating, sleeping, mating, and defending, it is completely wasted. An education system that only teaches how to gratify the senses is an animalistic education.
- Man is called a rational animal, but his rationality is being used to further his animalistic propensities instead of to find out how to get liberation from this miserable condition - birth, old age, disease, and death.
- Unfortunately, at the present moment, the education is simply for sense gratification. That is animalistic education. Therefore, in spite of advancement of so many things, people are not happy.
- There is no education system, there is no university, nothing of the sort. Simply animalistic way of life: "How we can increase our eating capacity, our sexual capacity, and this . . ." This is going on.
- Any person who is not expert in understanding this science (of the soul) or is unwilling to understand it remains in the bodily conception of life, or the animalistic conception of life.
The Illusion of Economic Development
Modern leaders promise peace and happiness through continuous economic growth. Yet, Śrīla Prabhupāda observes that as wealth increases, so does envy, exploitation, and moral degradation. Because people are completely disconnected from their spiritual identity, their dealings with one another remain inherently animalistic, proving that money alone can never civilize a society.
- People have taken interest only in economic development and sense gratification. Despite sufficient economic development all over the world, dealings in human society have become almost animalistic.
- So whole world at the present moment is going on under this animalistic concept of life, animal civilization. Everyone is busy to take care of the body, but nobody knows how to take care of the proprietor of the body. That he does not know.
- In this age, neither parents nor their children are trained; both are animalistic and simply eat, sleep, mate, defend, and gratify their senses. This disorder in social life cannot bring peace to human society.
- Those who are animalistic try to find peace in the desert of material life. It is repeatedly said in different sastras that there is no pleasure in this material world. Furthermore, even if we agree to live without pleasure, we are not allowed to do so.
The Karmic Consequences
Nature provides the human body specifically for self-realization. Śrīla Prabhupāda warns that if a human being squanders this opportunity and insists on living an unregulated, animalistic lifestyle, the laws of karma will deal with them harshly. A person who lives like an animal is eventually forced to take the body of an animal, or worse, is condemned to suffer in hellish planetary systems.
- The animalistic person who lives simply in the bodily concept of life is not excused. He is put into the hell known as Maharaurava and attacked by ruru animals known as kravyadas.
- When everything becomes grossly animalistic, dissolution takes place. This dissolution is to be accepted as isa-vidhvamsitasisam.
- If parents simply give birth to children like cats and dogs but cannot save their children from imminent death, they become responsible for the activities of their animalistic children. Lately, such children are turning into hippies.
- Animals and animalistic human beings are simply interested in continuing the process of eating, sleeping, mating and defending, but in actuality this process is forced to break down.
Cleansing the Heart Through Bhakti
How do we cure this deep-rooted disease? Śrīla Prabhupāda established the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement specifically to counteract the dangers of animalistic life. By associating with pure devotees and engaging in the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, the dirty things that have accumulated in the heart over countless lifetimes of animalistic existence are completely washed away.
- The beginning is cleansing the heart, because we are impure on account of dirty things within our heart accumulated life after life in the animalistic way of life. So everything, advancement of spiritual life, culture, tapasya means cleansing the heart.
- This Caitanya Mahaprabhu's movement is to give chance to this animalistic civilization to associate with devotees and mahatmas so that they can also become devotee and mahatma.
- Saintly people preach God consciousness, or Krsna consciousness, because they are anxious to save the general populace from the dangers of animalistic life.
- Animalistic envy exists in human society as long as there is no performance of sankirtana-yajna, the chanting of the holy names - Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
Conclusion
Śrīla Prabhupāda makes it clear that true civilization has nothing to do with technological gadgets or material wealth; it is measured entirely by the spiritual advancement of the populace. By voluntarily restricting our animalistic propensities and dedicating our time to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we fulfill the true purpose of human life, transforming our consciousness from the darkness of ignorance into the brilliant light of eternal knowledge.
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 Animalistic. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience the teachings in their direct, verbatim form.