Prabhupada on Racism

Prabhupada on Racism

Srimad Bhagavatam, 1.11.36, 1964 Edition 

The cupid, therefore, throws his arrow upon the living being to become mad after his opposite sex never mind whether the party is actually beautiful or not. Such action of the cupid is going on even on the negroes and beastly societies who are all ugly looking in the estimation of the civilized nations. Thus cupid’s influence is exerted even in the ugliest forms (of living being) and-what to speak about the most perfectional stage of personal beauties.

Room Conversation, Varnasrama System Must Be Introduced, February 14, 1977, Mayapura ‒

Prabhupada: Sudra is to be controlled only. They are never given to be freedom. Just like in America. The blacks were slaves. They were under control. And since you have given them equal rights they are disturbing, most disturbing, always creating a fearful situation, uncultured and drunkards. What training they have got? They have got equal right. That is best, to keep them under control as slaves but give them sufficient food, sufficient cloth, not more than that. Then they will be satisfied.

Room Conversation, October 5, 1975, Mauritius ‒

Prabhupada: This is Vedic civilization: plain living, high thinking. And poor thinking, poor in thought, poor in behavior, and living with motorcar and this, that, nonsense. It is all nonsense civilization. A first-class Rolls Royce car, and who is sitting there? A third-class negro. This is going on. You’ll find these things in Europe and America. This is going on. A first-class car and a third-class negro. That’s all. Is it not?

Discussion with Syamasundara dasa about John Dewey, 1976 ‒

Sudras have no brain. In America also, the whole America once belonged to the Red Indians. Why they could not improve? The land was there. Why these foreigners, the Europeans, came and improved? So sudras cannot do this. They cannot make any correction.

Lecture on SB 1.16.4 Los Angeles, January 1, 1974 ‒

Prabhupada: So here, this man was cheating. Because here it is said: nrpa-linga-dharam. He was dressed like a king. Just like king is very gorgeously dressed. But his bodily feature, he was a black man. The black man means sudra.

Room Conversation, January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara ‒

Ramesvara: That’s the trend, then, everywhere, because unemployment is increasing.

Prabhupada: And especially in your country it will be dangerous because these blacks, if they don’t get employment, they will create havoc, these blacks. And they are not civilized. They want money, and if they don’t get money, then they will create havoc.

Gargamuni: Money and liquor.

Hari-sauri: Yes. If they do get money, they just buy it.

Room Conversation, August 2, 1976, New Mayapur, Lucay le Male, France ‒ 

Prabhupada: Dravidian culture. Dravida. They are non-Aryans. Just like these Africans, they are not Aryans. Now they are mixing up with Europeans and Americans. In India, it was, one from the higher section, brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, they will be fair complexion. Sudras, black. So if a brahmana becomes black, then he’s not accepted as brahmana. Kala bahu (?). And if a sudra becomes fair, then he’s to be know that he’s not pure sudra.

Letter to Satsvarupa from Prabhupada, San Francisco, 9 April, 1968  ‒

Certainly we are not going to say these things about the negro people publicly; we have no distinction between black or white, or demon or demigod, but at the same time, so long as one is demon or demigod, we have to behave in the proper way. Just like Caitanya Mahaprabhu; He had no distinction between a tiger and a man. He was so powerful that He could convert even a tiger to dance. But so far as we are concerned, we should not imitate and go to some tiger and try to make him dance! But still, tiger is equally eligible like a man. So, you can understand that these talks are not for the public, as they have not got the ability to understand.