Civilization And Transcendence

CIVILIZATION AND TRANSCENDENCE

Civilization and Transcendence is a conversation between Srila Prabhupada and Pusta Krisna regarding the questionnaire sent by bhavan’s journal, a cultural and religious magazine in Bombay. It gives answers to some of the important questions that are perplexing people today such as how can there be happiness or peace in animal society? Especially when there is no religion, human beings are simply animals. Religion means the order of God, just as the law means the order of the state. Srila prabhupada explains that the vedic civilization of self realization begins from the varnashrama system of social organization. But the members of the modern so-called civilization do not know of varnashrama that how the varnashrama system has four social and four spiritual divisions mainly brahmans, kshatriyas, vaisyas and sudras.

 The book mentions how the followers of varnashrama dharma never tried for false progress of economic development because the vedic system of varnashrama is meant for realizing God. visnur aradhyate. If most people would have asked how humans have progressed over the past centuries the answer would have been technology and science and the knowledge and luxuries they have bought. But the question is how do these things fulfill the soul’s desire for happiness and eternal life. Science and technology have their own good place but they shouldnt divert us from our most significant destination : to transcend this world and awaken our spiritual nature.