Krishna: The Man and His Philosophy - Osho - Oshorajneesh.com

CHAPTER 13. KRISHNA GOES TO THE WEST
POET ALLEN GINSBERG; SO FAR THE INTELLIGENTSIA DOES NOT SEEM TO HAVE
BEEN IMPRESSED BY IT. YOU SAID THAT THE SOCIETY IN WHICH KRISHNA WAS BORN
WAS PROSPEROUS, BUT THE GEETA AND THE BHAGWAD MENTION KRISHNA’S FRIEND,
SUDAMA, WHO WAS THE VERY PICTURE OF POVERTY. KRISHNA SAYS IN THE GEETA THAT
AMONG SACRIFICES HE REPRESENTS JAPA OR CHANTING AND THAT CHANTING WILL
BE THE PATH FOR THE KALI-YUGA, THE DARK AGE, IN WHICH WE ARE LIVING. PLEASE
COMMENT.
No, I did not say that no one was poor in Krishna’s time, or that no one is poor in the present-day
West. There are poor people in the West, but their society as a whole is affluent. In the same way,
although poor men like Sudama existed in Krishna’s time, his society was very prosperous. A poor
society is one thing; the existence of a handful of poor people in a rich society is different. The
Indian society today is definitely poor, although there are Tatas and Birlas among us. The presence
of Tatas and Birlas does not make the society affluent. Similarly, in spite of the Sudamas, Krishna’s
society was prosperous and rich.
The question is whether a society on the whole is rich or poor. There are rich people even in
an utterly poor society like India’s, and similarly there are poor people in the very affluent society
of America. The society of Krishna’s time was rich; good things of life were available to the vast
majority of people. The same is true in today’s American society. And only an affluent society can
afford celebration; a poor society cannot.
As a society sinks into poverty it ceases to he celebrative, to be joyous. Not that there are no festivals
in a poor society, but those festivals are lack-luster, as good as dead. When the Festival of Lights
– Diwali – comes here, the poor have to borrow money to celebrate it. They save their worn out
clothes for Holi – the Festival of Colors. Is this the way to celebrate a festival like Holi? In the past,
people came out in their best clothes to be smeared with all kinds of colors; now they go through it
as if it is a kind of compulsory ritual. The festival of Holi was born when Indian society was at the
peak of prosperity; now it is only dragging its feet somehow. In the past people were pleased when
someone poured colors on their clothes; now in the same situation they are saddened, because
they cannot afford enough clothes.
The West now can well afford a festival like Holi. They have already adopted Krishna’s dance;
sooner or later they are going to adopt Holi as well. It does not need an astrologer to predict it.
They have everything – money, clothes, colors and leisure – which is necessary to celebrate such a
festival as Holi. And unlike us they will celebrate with enthusiasm and joy. They will really rejoice.
When a society on the whole is affluent, even its poor are not that poor; they are better off than the
rich people of a poor society. Today even the poorest of America does not cling to money in the way
the richest of India does. Living in a sea of poverty, even the rich people of this country share the
psychology of the poor. Their clinging to money is pathetic.
I have heard that on a fine morning a beggar appeared at the doors of a house. He was young and
healthy and his body was robust and beautiful. The housewife was pleasantly surprised to see such
a beggar, he was rare, and she gave him food and clothes with an open heart. Then she said to the
beggar, ”How is it that you are a beggar? You don’t seem to be born poor.”
Krishna: The Man and His Philosophy 249 Osho