The world evolves and some things just disappear, just like the sickle. This is the inexorable march of time to which we are subservient. It is hard to acquire a sickle. Is it because sickle and hammer are the symbol of communism? Negative, because hammers are available is unlimited numbers and shape. But sickle is really hard to get. But a sharp sickle is extremely handy to cut grass. This more or less brings us back to agrarian societies. I am sure in India sickles are easy to get, even good quality ones. The same may apply to China. But this is more or less wishful thinking and not based on practical experience. It is not experimental knowledge.

“Labourage et pâturage sont les deux mamelles de la France.” These words were vibrated by Maximilien de Béthune, duc de Sully (1559-1641), in the year 1638, while talking with King Henri the fourth, as a tribute to the agricultural sector. Srila Prabhupada always stressed the fact that fruits, vegetables and grains can not be manufactured in factories where inedible nuts and bolts are manufactured. He also encouraged us to acquire land to create a self-sufficient life style. And Iskcon has in fact established many such successful communities around the world. The cow and the bull play a very important function in this regard. The cow’s body is a machine with grass input and milk output. That is a very profitable machine.