I was the other day remembering in a lecture how in the Vedic times the kings would perform very great yajna and sacrifices. Maharaja Yudhistira performed the (Sanskrit) sacrifice. And it was a big thing. Big. There was a big arena which was made with (Sanskrit) for people to sit, so they could watch the whole thing, and all kinds of amazing rituals were being performed. There was a wealth there, an incredible wealth. So much gold and jewellery and someone was being brought for the sacrifice and not only that, afterwards it was also, some of it was being distributed to the to those who were there. So there was a good reason to go to a sacrifice also! There were the sacrifices, they were big events and they attracted the attention of the whole world. Now that has been replaced for a football match!
………So, like this we are, we are seeing that in modern times our intelligence is becoming smaller and smaller. And we are getting all excited about 22 guys running after a ball right? And people die, you know they die they get a heart attack over like the goal “Oh noooooooooooo!”. It’s like we’re losing “aaaah!”, and every football match some people give up their lives. They’ve literally given their lives for football. And Prabhupada said that: “Actually, we should understand that when we look at a game of football, we should understand the position of the game” He said: “We are not the player, we are the ball! We can be kicked out any moment.”
(HH KKS 31/07/2005)