Category:Animal Civilization
Theme Analysis
Śrīla Prabhupāda's definition of civilization challenges the very foundation of modern sociology and economics. While modern thinkers measure a civilization by its technological advancements and economic prosperity, Śrīla Prabhupāda points out that these endeavors are simply an expansion of animalism. The bodily demands of eating, sleeping, mating, and defending exist in the animal kingdom just as they do in human society. If a society utilizes its advanced human intelligence merely to construct better slaughterhouses (eating), taller skyscrapers (sleeping), unrestricted intermingling of the sexes (mating), and nuclear weapons (defending), it has not surpassed the animal platform. It is simply a polished animal civilization.
A primary theme in this category is the necessity of Vedic culture to elevate human beings above this degraded state. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that true human civilization begins with the acceptance of varṇāśrama-dharma, the systematic division of society designed to regulate material life and encourage spiritual progress. Without tapasya (godly austerity) and proper spiritual training from birth (such as garbhādhāna-saṁskāra), humans naturally revert to the habits of dogs and hogs. Because modern leaders are completely absorbed in the bodily concept of life—falsely identifying the temporary physical body as the self—they mislead the masses into suffering and exploitation. Therefore, Śrīla Prabhupāda emphatically declares that the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is the essential, thorough overhauling required to counteract this widespread animal civilization and guide humanity back to its true purpose: self-realization and eternal happiness.
- The Bodily Concept of Life: Identifying the self with the temporary material body is the root ignorance that creates an animal civilization. Human life is meant for realizing the eternal spirit soul.
- Polished Animalism: Improving the standard of eating, sleeping, mating, and defending is not actual advancement; it is merely a highly polished, technological version of animal life.
- The Need for Varṇāśrama and Tapasya: Without a regulated societal structure (varṇāśrama) and a commitment to godly austerities (tapasya), human beings inevitably degrade into a civilization of cats and dogs.
- The Ultimate Cure: The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is the practical, urgent solution needed to reform this misguided society, counteract the exploitation of nature, and educate people in the supreme science of self-realization.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Animal Civilization - Overhauling the Bodily Concept of Life.
Pages in category "Animal Civilization"
The following 33 pages are in this category, out of 33 total.
A
- A civilization that allows men to mix unrestrictedly with women is an animal civilization. In Kali-yuga, people are extremely liberal, but mixing with women and talking with them as equals actually constitutes an uncivilized way of life
- Actually human civilization begins when this institution of varnasrama is accepted. Otherwise it is animal civilization - eating, sleeping, mating, and dancing, that's all
- Austerity, penance, that is human life. Otherwise, it is animal life. Simply animal civilization. It is not human civilization
F
- Flesh is eaten by tigers, dogs. So if you have learned how to eat flesh, does it mean that you advance in civilization? It is the business of tigers and dogs. The dog civilization
- For this purpose there is the varnasrama-dharma, composed of four varnas and four asramas. Unless society is divided into these eight categories, it is simply an animal civilization. There must be some systematized, regulated arrangement
I
- If we don't cultivate the spiritual side, simply we take care of the bodily side, then we remain animals. And because people are taking only care for the body, this is animal civilization
- If we say frankly, everyone is in the bodily concept of life. Therefore the modern civilization is animal civilization. It is not human civilization. Human civilization will begin when one will understand that - I am not this body. I am spirit soul
- If you say that they are animal civilization, that is a great credit for them. It is less than animal civilization. Write all this in papers and everything, all openly. Challenge strongly. First of all, realize, then challenge
- In another part of SB, the acceptance of the body as oneself, the acceptance of others as kinsmen in relationship to this body and the acceptance of the land of one's birth as worshipable are declared to be the products of an animal civilization
- In order to stop this civilization of dogs and hogs, the Krsna consciousness movement is essential. Krsna consciousness means to take instruction from Krsna
- In the Bhagavad-gita, God says that "All living entities are My part and parcels." He's undergoing a great struggle for life under the bodily impression that he is this body, but this kind of understanding is animal civilization
- It is the civilization of pasu, animal civilization, polished animals. It is not civilization. It is the duty of the guardian, father, guru, government or elderly relative - everyone should be compassionate with the dependent
P
- People should be educated in how to give birth to good children through samskaras, beginning with the garbhadhana-samskara; birth should not be controlled by artificial means, for this will lead to a civilization of animals
- Prahlada Maharaja says, "Don't waste your time in the matter of animal civilization." Na tat prayaso kartavyo. It is very important verse. Everyone is trying to improve the condition of animal life, that's all. Eating, sleeping, sex and defense
S
- Self-complacence with a polished type of animal civilization geared to sense gratification is delusion, and such a "civilization" is not worthy of the name
- So anyone who is under the bodily concept of life, he's no better than animal. So actually, if we say frankly, everyone is in the bodily concept of life. Therefore the modern civilization is animal civilization
- 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
T
- The animals, they are suffering, but they do not care for it. they forget. So practically this sense gratification civilization means animal civilization. A little polished, that's all
- The whole human civilization, how they are wasting their time in animal civilization. It is very serious thing, to be thought of by serious, thoughtful men
- The whole world is going on in a way which is animal civilization. So if you want to be happy, you have to come to the spiritual platform, reality. That is wanted, thorough overhauling
- These four principles are common between human being and animal. So advancement of these four principles is not human civilization. That is animal civilization. That is not human civilization
- They are expanding animalism, animal civilization. Now we have to counteract for the benefit of the human civilization
- This is a wrong type of civilization, a civilization of ignorance. Animal civilization. Just like animals: a cat, a dog, the cow, he does not know what is the working principle in the body
- This is an animal civilization (where the students are even smoking in front of their teacher, and it is tolerated). This is not human civilization. No tapasya, no brahmacari life. Real civilization means tapo divyam (SB 5.5.1), godly austerity
V
- Vedic civilization desires that everyone be happy. Sarve sukhino bhavantu. Vedic civilization is not animal civilization, exploiting others
- Vedic culture is actual civilization, varnasrama-dharma. That is the beginning of civilization. Without Vedic culture and varnasrama-dharma it is the animal civilization