# Back to Godhead Magazine #12 *1977 (05)* Back to Godhead Magazine #12-05, 1977 PDF-View *Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare* Many people in our materialistic world are feeling a void in their lives—a lack of *something* that they can't quite put their finger on. To fill this void, many are taking up "consciousness-raising" or "meditational" techniques. Several individuals and groups have marketed various techniques to a largely innocent public, while some mention that most of their methods are "inspired by" or "adopted from" the spiritual disciplines of India. What these entrepreneurs have really done is to water down and exploit genuine spirituality. However, one spiritual teacher has consistently refused to compromise. And from Harvard to Oxford to the Sorbonne, the world's leading scholars agree: His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda is delivering India's sacred devotional culture *as it is.* The key to understanding this culture and elevating ourselves to clear consciousness—*Kṛṣṇa* consciousness—is the simple, easy, yet sublime process of chanting the *Hare* *Kṛṣṇa* *mahā-*man**tra*. Mahā* means "great," *man* means "mind," and *tra* means "release." Mahā-*man**tra*, then, means "the great chanting for releasing the mind from illusion." The mahā-*man**tra* consists of three names for God: *Hare* (God's pleasure energy), *Kṛṣṇa* (God, the all-at*tra*ctive Supreme Personality), and *Rāma* (God, the reservoir of all pleasure). Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that simply by chanting and hearing these sounds, "one can achieve all the benefits of spiritual life." India's most respected spiritual books and teachers all bear out Śrīla Prabhupāda's statement. For instance, six centuries ago Śrīdhara Swami said, "If one always chants the holy name of the Lord with great devotion in the morning and evening, one can become free from all material miseries." If the process is so easy, can we learn it from anyone? The *Padma Purāṇa* explains, "Unless one receives his mantra from a bona fide spiritual master in the authorized disciplic succession, his mantra will be without any effect." Śrīla Prabhupāda, the foremost teacher in the *Brahma-Madhva-Gauḍīya* disciplic succession, freely offers the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra* to fill whatever void may exist in our lives. ## Beyond Animal Technology Though today's scientist has devised a lofty technology, essentially he knows about as much as his dog: how to eat well, how to sleep peacefully, how to have an enjoyable sex life, and how to defend against enemies. But what about *human* technology—How is a living body different from a dead body? Who are we really? Where have we come from? Where are we going at death? We can find out all these things… from someone who knows. *An excerpt from* Kṛṣṇa Consciousness, the Matchless Gift, *by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda.* The purpose of this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is to bring man back to his original consciousness, which is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, clear consciousness. When water falls from the clouds, it is uncontaminated like distilled water, but as soon as it touches the ground it becomes muddy and discolored. Similarly, we are originally pure spirit soul, part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, and therefore our original constitutional position is as pure as God's. In *Bhagavad-gītā* Śrī Kṛṣṇa says: > mamaivāṁśo jīva-loke > jīva-bhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ > manaḥ-ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi > prakṛti-sthāni karṣati "The living entities in this conditioned world are My fragmental parts, and they are eternal. But due to conditioned life, they are struggling very hard with the six senses, which include the mind" (Bg. 15.7). Thus all living entities are part and parcel of *Kṛṣṇa*. By *Kṛṣṇa* it should always be remembered that we are speaking of God, *Kṛṣṇa* denoting the all-attractive Supreme Personality of Godhead. As a fragment of gold is qualitatively the same as a gold reservoir, so the minute particles of *Kṛṣṇa*'s body are therefore qualitatively as good as *Kṛṣṇa*. The chemical composition of God's body and the eternal spiritual body of the living entity is the same—spiritual. Thus originally, in our uncontaminated condition, we possessed a form as good as God's, but just as rain falls to the ground, so we come in contact with this material world, which is manipulated by the external material energy of *Kṛṣṇa*. When we speak of external energy or material nature, the question may be raised, "Whose energy? Whose nature?" Material energy or nature is not active independently. Such a concept is foolish. In the *Bhagavad-gītā* it is clearly stated that material nature does not work independently. When a foolish man sees a machine he may think that it is working automatically, but actually it is not—there is a driver, someone in control, although we sometimes cannot see the controller behind the machine due to our defective vision. There are many electronic mechanisms which work very wonderfully, but behind these intricate systems there is a scientist who pushes the button. This is very simple to understand: since a machine is matter, it cannot work on its own accord but must work under spiritual direction. A tape recorder works, but it works according to the plans and under the direction of a living entity, a human being. The machine is complete, but unless it is manipulated by a spirit soul, it cannot work. Similarly, we should understand that this cosmic manifestation which we call nature is a great machine, and that behind this machine there is God, Kṛṣṇa. This is also affirmed in *Bhagavad-gītā*, where Kṛṣṇa says: > mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ > sūyate sacarācaram > hetunānena kaunteya > jagad viparivartate "This material nature is working under My direction, O son of Kuntī, producing all the moving and unmoving beings, and by its rule this manifestation is created and annihilated again and again" (Bg. 9.10). So Kṛṣṇa says that material nature is acting under His direction. Thus behind everything there is a supreme controller. Modern civilization does not understand this due to lack of knowledge. It is the purpose of this Society for Krishna Consciousness, therefore, to enlighten all people who have been maddened by the influence of the three modes of material nature. In other words, our aim is to awaken mankind to its normal condition. There are many universities, especially in the United States, and many departments of knowledge, but they are not discussing these points. Where is the department for this knowledge that we find given by Śrī Kṛṣṇa in the *Bhagavad-gītā*? When I spoke before some students and faculty members at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the first question I raised was: "Where is the technological department which is investigating the difference between a dead man and a living man?" When a man dies, something is lost. Where is the technology to replace it? Why don't scientists try to solve this problem? Because this is a very difficult subject matter, they set it aside and busily engage in the technology of eating, sleeping, mating, and defending. However, Vedic literatures inform us that this is animal technology. Animals are also trying their best to eat well, to have an enjoyable sex life, to sleep peacefully, and to defend themselves. What, then, is the difference between man's knowledge and the animals' knowledge? The fact is that man's knowledge should be developed to explore that difference between a living body and a dead body. That spiritual knowledge was imparted by Kṛṣṇa to Arjuna in the beginning of the *Bhagavad-gītā.* Being a friend of Kṛṣṇa's, Arjuna was a very intelligent man, but his knowledge, as all men's, was limited. Kṛṣṇa spoke, however, of subject matters which were beyond Arjuna's finite knowledge. These subjects are called *adhokṣaja* because our direct perception, by which we acquire material knowledge, fails to approach them. For example, we have many powerful microscopes to see what we cannot see with our limited vision, but there is no microscope that can show us the soul within the body. Nevertheless, the soul is there. *"Where am I? What am I?"* *Bhagavad-gītā* informs us that in this body there is a proprietor—the spirit soul. I am the proprietor of my body, and other souls are the proprietors of their bodies. I say, "my hand," but not "I hand." Since it is "my hand," I am different from the hand, being its owner. Similarly, we speak of "my eye," "my leg," "my this," "my that." In the midst of all of these objects which belong to me, where am I? The search for the answer to this question is the process of meditation. In real meditation, we ask, "Where am I? What am I?" We cannot find the answers to these questions by any material effort, and because of this all the universities are setting these questions aside. They say, "It is too difficult a subject." Or they brush it aside: "It is irrelevant." Thus engineers direct their attention to creating and attempting to perfect the horseless carriage and wingless bird. Formerly, horses were drawing carriages and there was no air pollution, but now there are cars and rockets, and the scientists are very proud. "We have invented horseless carriages and wingless birds," they boast. Although they invent imitation wings for the airplane or rocket they cannot invent a soulless body. When they are able to actually do this, they will deserve credit. But such an attempt would necessarily be frustrated, for we know that there is no machine that can work without a spirit soul behind it. Even the most complicated computers need trained men to handle them. Similarly, we should know that this great machine, which is known as the cosmic manifestation, is manipulated by a supreme spirit. That is Kṛṣṇa. Scientists are searching for the ultimate cause or the ultimate controller of this material universe and are postulating different theories and proposals, but the real means for knowledge is very easy and perfect: we need only hear from the perfect person, Kṛṣṇa. By accepting the knowledge imparted in *Bhagavad-gītā,* anyone can immediately know that this great cosmic machine, of which the earth is a part, is working so wonderfully because there is a driver behind it—Kṛṣṇa. Our process of knowledge is very easy. Kṛṣṇa's instruction, *Bhagavad-gītā,* is the principal book of knowledge given by the *ādi-puruṣa* Himself, the Supreme Primeval Person, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is indeed the perfect person. It may be argued that although we have accepted Him as a perfect person, there are many others who do not. But one should not think that this acceptance is whimsical, He is accepted as the perfect person on the evidence of many authorities. We do not accept Kṛṣṇa as perfect simply on the basis of our whims or sentiments. No—Kṛṣṇa is accepted as God by many Vedic authorities like Vyāsadeva, the author of all Vedic literatures. The treasurehouse of knowledge is contained in the *Vedas,* and their author, Vyāsadeva, accepts Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and Vyāsadeva's spiritual master, Nārada, also accepts Kṛṣṇa as such. Nārada's spiritual master, Brahmā, accepts Kṛṣṇa not only as the Supreme Person but the supreme controller as well—*īśvaraḥ paramaḥ* *kṛṣṇaḥ:* "The supreme controller is Kṛṣṇa." There is no one in the creation who can claim that he is not controlled. Everyone, regardless of how important or powerful, has a controller over his head. Kṛṣṇa, however, has no controller; therefore He is God. He is the controller of everyone, but there is no one superior to Him, no one to control Him; nor is there anyone equal to Him, no one to share His platform of absolute control. This may sound very strange, for there are many so-called gods nowadays. Indeed, gods have become very cheap, being especially imported from India. People in other countries are fortunate that gods are not manufactured there, but in India gods are manufactured practically every day. We often hear that God is coming to Los Angeles or New York and that people are gathering to receive Him, etc. But Kṛṣṇa is not the type of God created in a mystic factory. No. He was not made God, but He is God. We should know, then, on the basis of authority, that behind this gigantic material nature, the cosmic manifestation, there is God—Kṛṣṇa—and that He is accepted by all Vedic authorities. Acceptance of authority is not new for us; everyone accepts authority—in some form or another. For education we go to a teacher or to a school or simply learn from our father and mother. They are all authorities, and our nature is to learn from them. In our childhood we asked, "Father, what is this?" and father would say, "This is a pen," "These are spectacles," or "This is a table." In this way, from the very beginnings of life a child learns from his father and mother. A good father and mother never cheat when their son inquires from them; they give exact and correct information. Similarly, if we get spiritual information from an authority, and if the authority is not a cheater, then our knowledge is perfect. However, if we attempt to reach conclusions by dint of our own speculative powers, we are subject to fall into error. The process of induction, by which, reasoning from particular facts or individual cases, one can arrive at a general conclusion, is never a perfect process. Because we are limited and our experience is limited, the inductive process of acquiring knowledge will always remain imperfect. *Kṛṣṇa, the Perfect Source of Knowledge* But if we receive information from the perfect source, Kṛṣṇa, and if we repeat that information, then what we are speaking can also be accepted as perfect and authoritative. This process of *paramparā*, or disciplic succession, means hearing from Kṛṣṇa, or from authorities who have accepted Kṛṣṇa, and repeating exactly what they have said. In *Bhagavad-gītā* Kṛṣṇa recommends this process of knowledge: evaṁ *paramparā*-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo *viduḥ.* "This supreme science was thus received through the chain of disciplic succession, and the saintly kings understood it in that way" (Bg. 4.2). Formerly, knowledge was passed down by great saintly kings, who were the authorities. In previous ages, however, these kings were *ṛṣis*—great learned scholars and devotees—and because they were not ordinary men the government which they headed worked very nicely. There are many instances in Vedic civilization of kings who attained perfection as devotees of God. For example, Dhruva Mahārāja went to the forest to search out God, and by practice of severe penance and austerity he found God within six months. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness process is also based on austerity, but it is not very difficult. There are restrictions governing eating and sex life (only *prasāda*, food first offered to Kṛṣṇa, is taken, and sex is restricted to married life), and there are other regulations which facilitate and foster spiritual realization. It is not possible in these days to imitate Dhruva Mahārāja, but by following certain basic Vedic principles, we can make advancement in spiritual consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. As we advance, we become perfect in knowledge. What is the use in becoming a scientist or a philosopher if we cannot say what our next life will be? A realized student of Kṛṣṇa consciousness can very easily say what his next life is, what God is, what the living entity is, and what his relationship with God is. His knowledge is perfect because it is coming from perfect books of knowledge, such as the *Bhagavad-gītā* and the *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam*. This, then, is the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is very easy, and anyone can adopt it and make his life perfect. If someone says, "I'm not educated at all, and I cannot read books," he is still not disqualified. He can still perfect his life by simply chanting the *mahā-mantra*: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Kṛṣṇa has given us a tongue and two ears, and we may be surprised to know that Kṛṣṇa is realized through the ears and tongue, not through the eyes. By hearing His message, we learn to control the tongue, and after the tongue is controlled, the other senses follow. Of all the senses, the tongue is the most voracious and difficult to control, but it can be controlled simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa and tasting Kṛṣṇa *prasāda*, food offered to Kṛṣṇa. We cannot understand Kṛṣṇa by sensual perception or by speculation. It is not possible, for Kṛṣṇa is so great that He is beyond our sensual range. But He can be understood by surrender. Kṛṣṇa therefore recommends this process: > sarva-dharmān parityajya > mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja > ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo > mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ "Give up all varieties of religiousness, and just surrender unto Me; and in return I shall protect you from all sinful reactions. Therefore, you have nothing to fear" (Bg. 18.66). Unfortunately, our disease is that we are rebellious—we automatically resist authority. Yet although we say that we don't want authority, nature is so strong that it forces authority upon us. We are forced to accept the authority of nature. What can be more pathetic than a man who claims to answer to no authority but who follows his senses blindly wherever they lead him? Our false claim to independence is simply foolishness. We are all under authority, yet we say that we don't want authority. This is called *māyā*, illusion. We do, however, have a certain independence—we can choose to be under the authority of our senses or the authority of Kṛṣṇa. The best and ultimate authority is Kṛṣṇa, for He is our eternal well-wisher, and He always speaks for our benefit. Since we have to accept some authority, why not accept His? Simply by hearing of His glories from the *Bhagavad-gītā* and the *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* and by chanting His names—Hare Kṛṣṇa—we can swiftly perfect our lives. ## KRSNA — The Personal Form Of God *"The Supreme Lord walks and does not walk. He is far away, but He is very near as well He is within everything, and yet He is outside of everything."* This mantra is from the *Īśopaniṣad,* the oldest of the famed *Upaniṣads,* which are the philosophic heart of the sacred scriptures of India. The mantra presents contradictions—by way of proving the inconceivable potencies of God. In India, as well as throughout the world, those who admit God's existence have always disputed whether God is impersonal or personal. The *Māyāvāda* school accepts only an impersonal aspect of the Lord and rejects His personal feature. The *Bhāgavata* school (devoted to Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and represented today by the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement) accepts the Lord as both impersonal and personal. We should not take it for granted that just because we cannot see God with our eyes, the Lord does not have a personal existence. The *Īśopaniṣad* mantra refutes this argument by warning us that the Lord is "far away but very near as well." The abode of the Supreme Lord is far, far beyond the material sky, and its distance cannot even be measured. But despite the Lord's being so far away, He can at once, within less than a second, descend before us with a speed swifter than the mind or wind. And there is no power to prevent the primeval Supreme Being from coming before us in the material world in His supreme personal form. For example, the Lord can appear in the form of Deities supposedly made of earth, stone, or wood. Although engraved from wood, stone, or other matter, these forms are not idols (as the iconoclasts contend). In our present state of imperfect material existence, we cannot see the Supreme Lord because of our imperfect senses. Yet those devotees who want to see Him by means of material vision are favored by the Lord, who appears in a so-called material form to accept His devotees' service. One should not think that such devotees are worshiping an idol. They are factually worshiping the Lord, who has agreed to appear before them in an approachable way. Nor is the Deity form fashioned to the whims of the worshiper. (This is the actual meaning of the Biblical injunction, "Thou shalt not worship a graven image"—one is forbidden to imagine a form and worship it as God.) The Deity form is authorized by scripture and exists eternally with all His paraphernalia. This can be actually felt by a sincere devotee, but not by an atheist. For the surrendered soul the Lord is always within reach, whereas for the unsurrendered soul He is far, far away and cannot be approached. ## Man on the Moon *A case of mass brainwashing* By now it's no secret that the space scientists have cheated us out of billions of dollars. But the hoax is even more colossal than we could have imagined. ### by Satsvarūpa dāsa Goswami Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, the spiritual master of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, once described materialistic civilization as "a society of the cheaters and the cheated." Looking at our modern world, we can easily see why: massive advertising campaigns for cigarettes and liquor that promise pleasure but deliver disease; widespread gambling rackets of all kinds, some government-sponsored, that bilk the public of billions each year; high-level corruption of many leaders in industry and government that reveals a nearly total disregard for the public's welfare. From all this, and much more, the only conclusion to draw is that the vast majority of people, out of ignorance of a meaningful goal of life, actually *desire to be cheated—*actually feel the need for the false promises and outright lies of the hucksters to provide some hope of happiness from day to day. Thus a few clever, aggressive professionals take advantage of the ignorant masses and engage in large-scale cheating for their own selfish interests. While cheating goes on in all fields of endeavor, one of the most outstanding is modern science. Scientists can make useful contributions to material life, but they become cheaters when they claim that science is (or someday will be) independent of the laws of nature. Theories such as "Life originates from matter and can be created in the laboratory," or "Since there is no supreme intelligence directing the universe, we [the scientists] are the only ones who can explain existence," are all bluffs perpetrated *without a shred of scientific proof.* Their only purpose is to advance the prestige of the scientists and net them billion-dollar government grants for endless research. Recent efforts to travel to the moon provide a prime example of this kind of lucrative mass "brainwashing," which is still succeeding with a large portion of the gullible public. Despite the tremendous volume of propaganda proclaiming the "conquest of outer space," we have information from a very reliable source, the Sanskrit Vedic scriptures, that the so-called "astronauts" *never actually went to the moon.* Although most people hold it as an article of absolute faith that man first reached the moon in July, 1969, the manned moon landing is actually a colossal hoax. We realize that this is very difficult for you to accept, since it directly contradicts your established beliefs. But since you yourself *have* *not* actually gone to the moon, you owe it to yourself to consider why you are so confident that the "astronauts" actually *have* gone there. Why do you accept the popular version of the manned moon landing? Because you believe the authority of the scientists, the journalists, and the politicians who propagate that version. When we cite the Vedic scriptures, which state that the "astronauts" could *not* *have* gone to the moon, we are simply favoring a*not*her authority. In both cases, it is a matter of accepting an authority and believing what it says. Now, why do we believe the Vedic scriptures rather than the material scientists? Because the Vedic scriptures differ from the conclusions of material science in that they are not based on imperfect sensory investigation, but are *apauruṣa,* i.e., they emanate from God, who is beyond the material world. In other words, Vedic evidence stands above the defects of conditioned souls within the material world. Thus, when it comes to real scientific knowledge, the standard of Vedic authority is perfect because it originates directly from the all-perfect, omniscient Personality of Godhead. The Vedic account of our planetary system is already researched, concluded, and perfect. The *Vedas* state that the moon is 800,000 miles *farther* from the earth than the sun. Therefore, even if we accept the modern calculation of 93 million miles as the distance from the earth to the sun, how could the "astronauts" have traveled to the moon—a distance of almost 94 million miles—in only 91 hours (the alleged elapsed time of the Apollo 11 moon trip)? This would require an average speed of more than one million miles per hour for the spacecraft, a patently impossible feat by even the space scientists' calculations. Another important reason why the manned moon landing must be a hoax is that, according to the *Vedas,* each planet has its particular standard of living and atmosphere, and no one can transfer from one planet to another without becoming properly qualified. This means that if someone wants to go to Mars, for instance, he has to give up his present gross material body and acquire another one suitable for life on that particular planet. Vedic knowledge teaches that the living being doesn't die with the death of the body, but that he is an eternal spirit soul. As Lord Kṛṣṇa says in the **Bhagavad-gītā*,* "As the embodied soul continually passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death" (**Bhagavad-gītā*,* 2.13). At the time of death the human being transfers to another material body according to the desires he cultivated and the work he performed during his lifetime. Therefore, since the moon has a particular standard of life and atmosphere, if one wants to travel there he has to adapt his material body to the conditions of that planet. Even on the earth planet these restrictions hold true. For example, a human being cannot possibly live in the water, nor can a fish live on land. These are the rigid conditions of life, and any attempt to defy them is artificial and will fail. Similarly, just as you have to change your dress if you want to go from India to Europe, where the climatic conditions are different, so you also have to change your physical "dress" if you want to go to the specialized atmosphere of the moon. In other words, if you want to go to the moon or the sun or any other higher planet, you can keep your finer dress of mind, intelligence, and ego, but you have to leave behind your gross dress (your physical body) made of earth, water, fire, and other material elements, and acquire a body suitable for your destination. Of course, none of this will help you solve the real problem of life—entrapment in the vicious cycle of birth and death. As Kṛṣṇa states in the *Bhagavad-gītā,* even if one transfers in his next life to a very elevated position in the highest planet in the universe, Brahmaloka, he will still have to experience birth and death. The goal of human life is to free the soul from its continuous transmigration among different species of life on various planets, and to transfer to the spiritual planets, where life is eternal. To reach these planets, a complete change of both gross and subtle bodies is necessary, for one can reach the spiritual sky only in a spiritual form. We will elaborate on this a little later, but our point here is that you cannot simply force yourself onto another planet without the proper qualification. Just as in the United States there are laws controlling the entry of foreigners through the issuance of visas, so in the universe there are also laws controlling the movement of all living beings—even astronauts and scientists—and unless one's karma is such that he deserves to take birth on the moon or the sun or the earth or wherever, he cannot defy the laws of nature and go there by force. The scientists are always claiming *they* are independent of nature's law, but even *they* have to submit to death and rebirth; *they* cannot check them. Similarly, *they* cannot go to the moon planet, which the *Vedas* describe not as a lifeless desert but as a heavenly planet of extraordinary material pleasures. Where the astronauts actually went, or how this fabrication of lunar visitation will one day be exposed to people in general, are not part of our present discussion. But the Vedic teachings warn us that the manned moon landing is certainly an empty bluff. When we contradict the revered scientists like this and warn people that, through the use of brainwashing propaganda, they are being cheated out of billions of hard-earned tax dollars—we ourselves are accused of brainwashing. But which is better: a sober warning or a colossal multi-billion-dollar hoax? Furthermore, even if, for argument's sake, we accept that the "astronauts" *did* go to the moon, our main contention still holds: the moon excursion is a hoax, a mass brainwashing job. Why? Because it has no value. Even the scientists now admit its uselessness, and their interest in going to the moon has subsided. After many years of concentrated effort and billions of dollars of public money spent, the scientists have concluded that the moon is uninhabitable and have stopped trying to go there. But the public is encouraged to regard this failure as a wonderful achievement! "Just see! They have come back with some moon dust!" Long ago the Vedic literatures said the moon was uninhabitable by man, before going there the scientists themselves predicted they could not live in that atmosphere, and upon reaching the moon they discovered the same thing—that they could not live there. So what is the value of this kind of billion-dollar excursion, which has produced only a few rocks? The scientists' stubbornness is like that of a boy who is repeatedly warned by his father not to stick his finger in the revolving blades of a fan, but who goes ahead and does it anyway, and is hurt. The scientists insisted that a lunar landing would prove the United States to be the most advanced nation. Never mind that it cost billions, which could have been spent on worthwhile projects, such as feeding the starving. The brainwashing was so extreme that at one point Pan American Airlines was even selling tickets to the moon, and there was talk of colonizing it, although everyone acknowledged that it is impossible to live there. And yet if *we* speak out strongly against this nonsense, people say *we* are brainwashed—for not believing in the bluff of the moon excursion. Now, having squeezed as much prestige as possible out of their great "success" in reaching the moon, the scientists have become disappointed and set their sights on Mars—and the huge expenditure of public funds goes on. Again, we do not say that man should neglect science, but rather that he should practice science according to the authorized knowledge of the laws of nature. The scientists should not attempt to defy the laws of nature, or those of God, but should work humbly in harmony with the real purpose of human life—liberation from the cycle of birth and death. Despite all scientific theorizing, research, and technology, the scientists do not even know the nature of the life within the body, how life enters the body, and where life goes after death. Not being able to produce even the smallest living creature, and being unable to stop death, the modern scientists should not consider themselves the all-in-all. If we desire to praise someone for scientific achievements, let us praise the Great Brain who is actually controlling all living beings by directing His material energy, and who regulates the immense machinery of the universe. Let us follow Lord Brahmā, who sings in the Vedic scripture *Brahma-saṁhitā* (5.52): "I worship Govinda [Kṛṣṇa], the primeval Lord, by whose order the sun assumes immense power and heat and traverses its orbit." The sun is a creation of God; it is not a creation of the scientists. So also are the oceans and the great mountains, the resources of nature, and outer space—all are works of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As for machine-making, the material energy of Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Energetic, has expertly fashioned male and female forms that go on reproducing themselves without further assistance from Him. And this happens over and over in millions of species. Can the scientists create such replicating machines? Can they create a sun and keep it floating perpetually in space? Can they create the oceans, the brain of a great scientist like Einstein, or even an ant or an amoeba? No. All these scientific achievements are the works of God. And when God Himself speaks through authorized scriptures like the *Bhagavad-gītā,* He explicitly says, "Do not waste your time trying to go to the moon; that is not your place." If the godless human scientists defy this Supreme Scientist and Supreme Controller, then disaster will befall them and whoever follows them. Therefore we are protesting a godless science that defies God's laws. In *Easy Journey to Other Planets,* written back in 1959, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda warned us that attempting to reach the moon by materialistic methods is a waste of time. In a speech ten years later he further explained: If we go to live on the moon—assuming that it is possible—even with an oxygen mask, how long could we stay? Furthermore, even if we had the opportunity to stay there, what would we gain? We might gain a little longer life perhaps, but we could not live there forever. That is impossible. And what would we gain by a longer life?… Near San Francisco I have seen a forest where there is a tree 7,000 years old. But what is the benefit? If one is proud of standing in one place for 7,000 years, that is not a very great credit. Of course, scientists, journalists, and politicians are not known for considering things in the philosophical light of transcendental knowledge, but a sober fact to consider is this: if, even after all the scientists' achievements, we must *still* die and suffer the miseries of repeated birth and death, then what is the benefit of that science? Kṛṣṇa tells us not to waste our valuable time with things that are only temporary and do not lead to liberation from birth and death. "Don't waste your time going from this planet to that planet," He says in the *Bhagavad-gītā.* "Your material miseries will only follow you." So the moon excursion is a hoax in yet another, all-important sense: the scientists are leading people to believe they will be happy if they go to the moon, but when considered in the context of the eternal soul's welfare, going to the moon and living there for many, many years *still* won't solve the problems of life. It is a hoax to claim that the endeavor to travel to other planets will bring happiness. A person can be happy only if he receives information from authorized scriptures about the nature of the soul and the method of liberating the soul from his suffering condition. This liberation is the goal of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And yet, when we warn people not to waste their lives in temporary achievements, when we warn them not to engage in sinful activities that will force them to transmigrate to lower planets and lower forms of life—they accuse us of being duped and spreading false propaganda. But we will not be quieted by their accusations. As devotees of Kṛṣṇa, we must go on repeating His instructions for everyone's benefit. As Kṛṣṇa tells us in His incarnation as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, "Instruct everyone to follow the teachings of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa as they are given in the *Bhagavad-gītā* and the *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.* In this way become a spiritual master and try to liberate everyone in the world." So you have to decide who is actually cheating: the materialist, who promises happiness in the context of temporary advancement and enjoyment, and who thereby ignores the eternal soul, or the spiritualist, the Kṛṣṇa conscious person, who says, "Always think of Kṛṣṇa and become His devotee. Worship Him and bow down before Him. If you practice in this way, at the end of life you will certainly return to the supreme spiritual planet, which is eternal and free from all miseries, because of your full absorption in and devotion to the Lord." ## Calling the Blind Scientists' Bluff When we state that the material scientists are mistaken about where the planets are situated in space, we go against the deep faith of most people. The common man thinks, "But they have figured everything out mathematically. They have Ph.D.'s and Nobel Prizes, and they are using gigantic telescopes to measure the heavens with great accuracy." In fact, however, the scientists themselves are the first to admit that they constantly make mistakes and have to revise their theories. The real point is that no matter how huge a telescope is, or how precisely the data it reports is handled by a computer, the scientists themselves, being ordinary conditioned souls, suffer from four basic defects that completely invalidate their conclusions. These defects are stated in the Vedic scriptures to be *bhrama, pramāda, vipralipsā,* and *karaṇāpātava.* The first defect *(bhrama)* is the tendency to make mistakes. For example, Columbus discovered America, but he thought it was India. Similarly, the so-called "astronauts" may have gone somewhere, but it wasn't to the moon, as they believe. The second defect *(pramāda)* is the tendency to become illusioned. A good example of mass illusion is that almost everyone identifies himself as his body rather than as his real self, the soul *within* the body. This indicates a nearly universal lack of the most basic knowledge. The third defect *(vipralipsā)* is the tendency to cheat. There are many cases on record of researchers attempting to prove a pet theory by doctoring up their laboratory findings. But doubtless the most harmful deception occurs when the scientists, knowing themselves prone to error and illusion, still put forward their jerry-built theories as gospel truth before an innocent public. The fourth defect *(karaṇāpātava)* is the imperfection of our gross senses. For instance, regardless of how perfect a telescopic lens may be, it is the defective eyes and brain of a human being (the scientist) that have to perceive and interpret the data. Therefore his conclusions are bound to contain some error. These are some serious reasons to reject the material scientists' contention that they possess real, factual knowledge. We should not give them much credit, nor should we accept what they say about the nature of the universe. Rather, we should realize that they are fallible men, subject to great imperfection. Perfect knowledge is beyond them. ## Every Town and Village ### A look at the worldwide activities of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) *"Deprogramming" Smashed in NY Court* The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement has defeated a highly publicized challenge to the authority and value of its spiritual teachings. On March 17, New York State Supreme Court Justice John J. Leahy threw out indictments charging two leaders of the Society's New York chapter with attempted extortion and illegal imprisonment of members through "brainwashing." Last October, Queens District Attorney Michael Schwed had raised many eyebrows—and spurred scholars, lawyers, Hindus, devotees, and many others to protest—when he jailed Trai dāsa and Ādi-Keśava Swami on the "brainwashing" and extortion charges. At that time Schwed had spoken of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement as a "frightening group that uses mind control to create an army of zombies, or robots, who could undermine the government and law enforcement." But the District Attorney fled the courtroom in embarrassment on March 17 when Justice Leahy handed down his decision. "The entire and basic issue before this court," said the judge, "is whether or not the two alleged victims in this case [Merylee Kreshower and Edward Shapiro] and the defendants will be allowed to practice the religion of their choice—and this must be answered with a resounding affirmative. "The Hare Kṛṣṇa religion is a bona fide religion, with roots in India that go back thousands of years. It behooved Merylee Kreshower and Edward Shapiro to follow the tenets of that faith, and their inalienable right to do so will not be trammeled upon… The presentment and indictment by the grand jury was in direct and blatant violation of the defendants' constitutional rights. "It appears to the court that the people rest their case on an erroneous minor premise to arrive at a fallacious conclusion. The record is completely devoid of one specific allegation of a misrepresentation or an act of deception on the part of any defendant." Justice Leahy stressed that his decision was a "dire caveat to prosecutional agencies throughout the length and breadth of the land." Citing the constitutional guarantee of freedom of religion, he said: "The freedom to practice a religion is not to be abridged because the religion is unconventional in its beliefs and practices or because it is approved or disapproved by the mainstream of society or more conventional religions. Without this proliferation and freedom to follow the dictates of one's own conscience in one's search for and approach to God, the freedom of religion will be a meaningless right as provided for in the Constitution. "Any attempt, be it circuitous, direct, well-intentioned or not, presents a clear and present danger to this most fundamental, basic and eternally needed right of all American citizens—freedom of religion." His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda has commented in this connection that "by false propaganda you cannot suppress the truth." Certainly those interested in God consciousness may have to tolerate criticism, or even persecution, for that is the way of history. But we are sure that in due course of time all sincere, intelligent persons will appreciate Śrīla Prabhupāda's great benediction to humanity: devotional service to the Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. *Scholars Shed Light On "Cult" Controversy* An increasing number of academicians are taking strong objection to the accusation of a few self-proclaimed "deprogrammers" that the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is a type of "brainwashing cult." Protesting the charge that Kṛṣṇa consciousness robs an individual of his freedom of thought, dozens of members of the New England Psychological Association recently signed a petition decrying "the use of colloquial terms [like 'brainwashing' or 'mind control'] as legal weapons against a legitimate religious minority." And in St. Louis, at a joint convention of the American Academy of Religion, the Society of Biblical Literature, and the American School of Oriental Literature, over two hundred scholars declared the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement to be a bona fide spiritual organization in the Indian tradition. Indeed, scholars all over the world have expressed their deep appreciation of ISKCON's work, particularly the publication of many volumes of classic Vedic texts in English, French, German, Spanish, and other languages. One of ISKCON's most outspoken supporters has been Dr. Joseph T. O'Connell, Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at St. Michael's College and Assistant Director of the Center for Religious Studies at the University of Toronto. He recently wrote as follows: "The Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is but the most recent phase of an ancient tradition of religious piety known in India as Vaishnavism. The devotees in the Hare Kṛṣṇa temples live a full and active life of study, prayer, singing, and day-to-day management of the temple's activities. Many are also active in a variety of more practical tasks, such as the publishing and sale of books, the manufacture of incense, the operation of vegetarian restaurants, and the launching of a small dance-drama company. All observe abstention from meat, intoxicants, and drugs. Only between married couples is sexual union permitted. In my judgement, it is indeed fortunate for these individuals and for the society in which they live that there has been available this outwardly exotic but inwardly authentic and well-rounded way of religious communal life. "Accordingly, it is deeply disturbing to me to find young men and women who are finding personal religious authenticity in the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement being subjected to gross misrepresentation, kidnapping, and other harassment of their personal integrity and religious convictions. I can well appreciate that many parents are baffled and disappointed to find their children alienated from their former way of life. To such parents I would say, 'Please try to be calm and talk with persons who have some understanding of young adults and of the new communities into which they have gone. But please, do not be misled by the professional "deprogrammers." They are engaged in a parasitic business that feeds upon fear and misunderstanding and uses illegal and brutal means. Whatever may be the mixture of misguided zeal and pecuniary interest motivating the "deprogrammers," what they are doing is wrong and should be stopped.' " *Thousands Attend ISKCON Festival in Bengal* Each spring hundreds of ISKCON devotees from all corners of the world assemble in the sacred Indian villages of Māyāpur and Vṛndāvana for a joyous celebration. The occasion is the anniversary of the appearance of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the incarnation of Lord Kṛṣṇa who inaugurated the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement some five hundred years ago. This year more than four hundred devotees undertook the pilgrimage. For many it meant over twenty-five straight hours of travel by chartered 747 jet. After the flight from New York City landed in Calcutta, the devotees boarded buses for the short ride to ISKCON temple grounds in Māyāpur, on the bank of the Ganges in West Bengal. Finally, the weary but joyful pilgrims settled into newly-built quarters just a few minutes' walk from Lord Caitanya's birthplace. Each day of the two-week Māyāpur festival was packed with a variety of Kṛṣṇa-conscious activities. The devotees toured local holy spots, attended classes on *bhakti-yoga,* and saw the Vaikuṇṭha Players of New York perform dance and drama from the *Ramayana* and the *Mahābhārata,* traditional Indian histories. The highlight of the program was the evening lectures on Kṛṣṇa-conscious culture given by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, founder-*ācārya* of ISKCON, and prominent Indian citizens like M. Bannerjee, Minister of Education for West Bengal. And, of course, *prasāda* (spiritual food) was freely distributed, both to the devotees and to the hundreds of thousands of Indian guests who visited the center during the festival. The climax was a ten-course feast for ten thousand on the full-moon night of Lord Caitanya's appearance. From Māyāpur, the devotees traveled 750 miles to Vṛndāvana, the rural village ninety miles south of Delhi where Lord Kṛṣṇa displayed His childhood pastimes five thousand years ago. The Vṛndāvana festival featured daily workshops in such arts as Deity worship and Vedic cooking. And in nearby Mathurā, the actual birthplace of Lord Kṛṣṇa, the devotees put on a lavish exhibition of chanting, lectures, plays, and ISKCON art and books—as well as *prasāda* distribution to thousands. *Chief Justice Praises Book That "Breathes Devotion on Every Page"* Dr. P.B. Mukharji, the eminent former Chief Justice of the province of West Bengal, India, recently expressed his great delight with the *Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta* *(The Character of the Living Force in Immortality*), by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda: "I was delighted to read *Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta*, by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, founder-*ācārya* of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. It is an account of the life of Lord Caitanya, the central themes of whose life were love for God, love for humanity, and love for the entire creation. This book breathes divinity and devotion on every page, and it brings an eternal message for the temporal world. "Although He lived five hundred years ago, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya is relevant to every aspect of modern life. Intellectually, He was the most supreme and superb scholar, learned in all the scriptures and an adept in all the yogic disciplines. Philosophically, His profoundly penetrating intellect cut through all the cobwebs of human thinking and pointed to the sure and final goal. In religion He is relevant today because He was cosmopolitan and universal, and socially He is relevant today because for Him there was no division, no difference, no castes, no priests, and no sects. In fact, all wealth, privilege, birth, and even tradition lost all validity before Him. From that point of view He was a great revolutionary. But His revolution did not hurt or defeat; it transformed human nature. Politically He is relevant today because He showed the way to passive resistance against evil. "This book, with the commentaries, is an intellectual, cultural, and spiritual landmark in the world. It is a book which should be in the library of every reader who values the essential glories of human life and the ultimate destiny of he universe." ## Śrīla Prabhupāda Speaks Out *On "Brainwashing"* Last October a Queens, New York, grand jury leveled charges of extortion and "imprisonment through brainwashing" against New York ISKCON Temple President Adi-Keśava Swami. In mid-February of this year, one month before State Supreme Court Justice John J. Leahy threw the case out of court, Adi-Keśava traveled to ISKCON's temple in Māyāpur, India, to take advice from his spiritual master, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda. The following excerpts from their conversations on the subject of "brainwashing" are reproduced from the journal of Śrīla Prabhupāda's secretary. February 17, 1977: Śrīla Prabhupāda said, "The whole world is under a misconception, and we are giving them knowledge. And yet they say we are brainwashing. People in general do not know that the body is valuable only as long as the soul is there. Therefore, their brain is rubbish and must be washed, or human civilization is lost." Later Śrīla Prabhupāda gave this argument: "We are not brain*washing*, but brain-giving. Where is your brain? You must first *have* a brain; then we can talk of *washing* it. You don't know who you are. Take a dead man and a living man—what is the difference? Because you do not know, you *have* no brain, and therefore you misunderstand. We can give evidence in court from the *Bhagavad-gītā* to show this. We can prove that you *have* no brain. You are like the cats and dogs, even if you pose as a philosopher. For centuries this information has been missing: *tathā dehāntara prāptiḥ,* 'The soul is changing, one body after another.' A person who has a brain will understand this simple logic. The body is changing from childhood to youth. When the important thing, the soul, is missing, it is a dead body. Where is your brain to understand it? Arjuna was chastised for this by Kṛṣṇa, who said, 'You *have* no brain, and you are lamenting about the body.' They don't know the real thing, despite their big talk. They say life is a combination of chemicals; but then mix them and let life come. You can't do it. You are cheating people. You *have* no brain at all." Ādi-Keśava Swami [playing the part of an opponent]: "But I have a brain; therefore, I am able to talk with you." Śrīla Prabhupāda: What is the difference between that talking and the barking of a dog? A dog is alert to someone coming from a distance, even more than a man. Your talking is not proof of a brain. Ādi-Keśava Swami: "But we have art and science." Śrīla Prabhupāda: Whatever you have, you cannot answer t*he* ultimate question. Within t*he* body is t*he* real power. Because *he* is t*he*re, t*he* body is changing. T*he* body is like a dress. You should quote t*he* *Bhagavad-gītā.* Ādi-Keśava Swami: Another complaint is that they say we make a person lose his identity by brainwashing him. Śrīla Prabhupāda: But who are *they?* They do not know who they *are.* They are identifying the self with the body. *That* is brainwashing. Ādi-Keśava Swami: Well, they may say that "all this discussion of the soul is beyond our knowledge." Śrīla Prabhupāda: "It is beyond our knowledge" means you can't understand. February 19, 1977: This morning Śrīla Prabhupāda called for all the *sannyāsīs* [fully renounced preachers of Kṛṣṇa consciousness]. "Be convinced of this," he said. "I am saying that everyone in the world has no brain, and we only are brain-giving. Why do I say this? Because I challenge the world's scientists and great thinkers: 'You just produce a machine like the body.' But they cannot. This machine is produced by God. Actually, God Himself does not make this machine. His servant, the material energy, makes the machine: Just see His intelligence. 'The Supreme Lord is seated in everyone's heart,' says the *Bhagavad-gītā.* I am an ordinary man, and yet I can get things done—not directly, but by asking my disciples. So why can't God do this? The machine of the body is made by His material nature. How is it made? They don't know. If I challenge them to produce such a machine, they cannot. How this machine is being made by *māyā*, or the material energy, we shall give them the brain to know. We should not be dull and simply accept whatever the scientists say, by noting, 'Yes, you are right.' No. At every step we must say, 'You are wrong. You have no brain.' " Ādi-Keśava Swami: Well, they say they have actually created a machine which is more complex than a man. Śrīla Prabhupāda: But that machine is worked by another man. And who made that man? They cannot even understand God's material nature, what to speak of the Supreme. Ādi-Keśava Swami: When we argue like this, they just change the subject. Śrīla Prabhupāda: Why do you let them? Capture them. Ādi-Keśava Swami: Well, they will say, "You are talking of religion… Śrīla Prabhupāda: We are not talking of religion! You don't know religion. We are talking of machines. An animal has no religion. Later we can talk of that. Now talk of machines. Religion is far away from you. And even if you could manufacture one living machine, these machines are now being created in such numbers that you are trying to stop their creation by abortion. So, so many are already being produced by nature. If you can create one, what will be your credit? Ādi-Keśava Swami: They will say, "We will make a better machine than God has made." Śrīla Prabhupāda: Oh. You cannot capture a garter snake, and now you are saying you will catch a cobra. Ādi-Keśava Swami: “Well, you can’t make a brain either.” Śrīla Prabhupāda: We don’t say that we have a great brain. We are a servant. Our Master will show the brain. But you are a godless rascal. You have the onus of proof on you. ## Spreading the Holy Life Around *A Report from France* *Now that they've seen everything from bad priests to bogey yogis, the French are more than a little embittered. But when they see people living the authentic life of devotion to God, they feel enlivened.* ### Text by Yogesvara dāsa By 6:00 P.M. on a chilly September day, rural France has already slipped into darkness. Passing swiftly through villages and towns in our Citroen van, we look out at row upon row of churches silhouetted against the moonlit evening sky—flimsy bastions against the forces of evil. We ride quickly down cobblestone streets, past small shops where old ladies in long black dresses weave precious *dentelles* for altars and parlors. The typical smell of French bread and cheese pervades the air. For a few weeks I have put aside my work of translating Kṛṣṇa-conscious books into French and joined the devotees in the field for book distribution. It has been three years since I went on traveling *saṅkīrtana,* but I seem to be making the adjustment well. We are five in the van and the hardy mood of spiritual pioneering predominates. There is a distinct sense of mission, devoid of false prestige. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the munificent incarnation of Lord Kṛṣṇa who appeared in Bengal, India, five hundred years ago, once predicted, "In every town and village My name will be chanted." Now, as we travel to the remotest corners of France to distribute the books of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, I am seeing the fulfillment of that prophecy. The other devotees in our party (Pītavāsa, Jagadvaśī, Sahasramūrdhan, and Prasannatma) are enthusiastic to interest the French people in the life of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And the French are a receptive audience. Every month more than forty thousand French BACK TO GODHEADS circulate in France and French-speaking Switzerland. The French edition of the *Bhagavad-gītā As It Is (La Bhagavad-gītā Telle Qu'Elle Est)* has already sold out two printings of twenty-five thousand copies in one year. In addition, despite recent controversy over the tactics and political ambitions of certain pseudoreligious sects in France, the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement has emerged with a unique reputation for integrity and authenticity. On the road, our party's daily routine is rigorous. Up at 4:00 A.M., we are more often than not parked in an open field, by a running stream if possible. We shower from jerry cans of fresh water, dress by candlelight. The resilience of *saṅkīrtana* devotees comes from a combination of youthful exuberance and a strong faith in the potency of Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission. Simply by giving out books and magazines on the science of *bhakti-yoga,* the devotees are helping people all over the world lend spiritual strength to their lives. Unlike communism, which is also popular among French youth, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement accomplishes with a few regulative principles and the chanting of the holy names what no political or social revolution could do: it cleanses the heart of lust, anger, and greed, and plants the seed of love of God. Often the devotees speak with priests in charge of particularly historic cathedrals, but these structures are mere vestiges of a Church once awesome in its political power and wealth. Today the youth of France are openly hostile to religion or anything reminiscent of Divine Right, because Church leaders have failed both to present God consciousness on a platform of intelligent dialogue and to practice what they preach. Thus, spiritualism in contemporary France has atrophied for lack of substance. The pages of Marxist-Leninist publications ("Bibles" for a large section of French youth) are best read between the lines. They reveal a bitterness toward Christian dogma and the threat of damnation, and a defiant affirmation of man's absolute independence, without need of any God to help him. This hubris finds its expression in popular French songs, such as "*Ni Dieu Ni Maitre*" ("No God, No Master"). On the other hand, the majority of French people, both young and old, have had a Catholic training early in life. There are relatively few political activists outside hot spots like Paris and Marseilles, and despite the prominence of communist sentiment (the President defeated his communist-supported opponent by less than one percentage point in the last national election), interest in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is strong. Two years ago over twenty-five hundred people turned out to hear Śrīla Prabhupāda lecture at the Salle Pleyel in Paris; every Sunday 150 to 200 guests attend the festival at the Paris temple; and every week hundreds of letters stream into our New Māyāpur farm in central France, requesting information, books, and membership. So, with full faith in the impact our preaching is having in France, we are now traveling from town to town and introducing hundreds of people to Kṛṣṇa consciousness each day. A typical encounter might go like this: "Bonjour, we are from the Kṛṣṇa movement. We have an album of traditional Indian songs [recorded by the Paris temple music group, "Vrindavan"] and books on the philosophy of Vedic culture. People make donations for our publications, and the money goes to maintain our programs in France. We have a farm near Valencay and a school for children." After some discussion people often ask, "Do you work?" "Oh yes, not only do we work the land on our farm, but many of us work outside the community as well. The President of our association, Monsieur Dilhaire, is a professional architect. In addition, apart from our own studies, we have lecture programs at the high schools and universities, a publications bureau that produces French translations of ancient Sanskrit texts…" On rare occasions, someone in a shop or office will ask, "What is your philosophy?" This is an opportunity for us to explain how the living being is not the material body but an eternal spirit soul, how each spirit soul is part and parcel of God, how Kṛṣṇa is the name of God given in the Vedic scriptures, how He is the cause of all causes, and how He can be known by serving Him with devotion under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master. As we talk with people, two topics appear foremost in their minds: the failing economy and the incompetence of organized religion to offer any viable solutions. Having so often had their confidence betrayed and their hopes for miracles shattered, people have become disillusioned with religion or anything related to it. In addition, outsiders masquerading as spiritual mentors have encouraged cynicism by creating an aura of politics and money around the search for truth. And rumors of nefarious tactics ("mind control," "brainwashing") have simply added fuel to the fire. Still, people are anxious to voice their concern to us. Regarding the miserable economy, one merchant in the Massif Central remarks, "What's happening today reminds me exactly of the conditions preceding World War II. Things are going down so fast, I expect a revolution of some kind." "So what to do?" I ask. "I thought you were the ones with all the answers. Maybe one day I'll join your movement. One never knows. What do I have to do—shave my head?" The combination of his friendly derision and frank helplessness strikes me as ironic, and many others echo his sentiments. Here are people who have seen Nazi occupation. They have known fanaticism. So naturally they are extremely cautious when approached by someone presenting an unfamiliar philosophy. Nonetheless, their desire to know an alternative to the present difficult conditions is unmistakably real. Thus, despite their reluctance and doubts, these people of rural France commonly establish a unique rapport with the devotees, as if the devotees were gradually replacing the village chaplains in their role of confidante and spiritual advisor. But suddenly the "chaplain" is no longer an agent of ecclesiastical manipulation ("Mr. Dupuy, we didn't see you in Mass last Sunday"), but a student of spiritual science, qualified to answer questions on practical spiritual life. "No, you don't have to shave your head," I reply. "You can keep your usual dress. The only necessity is to read the *Bhagavad-gītā* regularly, offer your food in devotion to Lord Kṛṣṇa, and not do anything to hinder your spiritual progress. We are having a conference next month at the Saint Etienne Cultural Center. Why don't you come? We're going to show slides of our farm community and discuss programs for this part of the country." "Perhaps," replies the merchant, "if I have the time. Not much time for anything these days. Business is so bad. But you're very nice. Here's a donation for your farm, and sure, I'll read your magazine." As I leave his shop, I can see several people in the street with *Bhagavad-gītās* under their arms. (They obviously have met my Godbrothers down the street.) By the end of the week, people are stopping us to ask for another book or record for a friend or relative. Pītavāsa remarks later in the van, "They're really interested. In one shop I met the head librarian and showed her the *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.* She said, *'Oh, un autre petit bijou!* [Oh, another little gem!]' and gave me seventy francs. She has all the other French editions of Śrīla Prabhupāda's books, from the time devotees were here last year." Jagadvaśī recalls an evening we spent with some interested people from Firminy. "There were about a dozen people. They had heard about the meeting from the lady who owns the health food shop. So when we arrived, cars were parked all up and down the road. We prepared a feast of *pakoras, saṁosas, subji, lassi,* and sweet rice and offered it to Kṛṣṇa with *kīrtana,* and we talked with everyone during the feast. They appreciated that we offered our food to God. They were already interested in *yoga,* so they had a lot of questions about different spiritual masters, exercises, and so on." "What do you tell people," asks Sahasramūrdhan, "when they want to know our opinion of such-and-such swami or guru?" "I cite those verses from the *Bhagavad-gītā:* > imaṁ vivasvate yoga > proktavān aham avyayam > vivasvān manave prāha > manur ikṣvākave ’bravīt > evaṁ paramparā-prāptam A real spiritual master is coming in disciplic succession from the Lord, therefore, whatever he presents is authentic spiritual knowledge. And it can be verified by reference to scripture. Also, he must practice the teachings of scripture in his own life." "But they always say, 'Yes, so-and-so was the disciple of so-and-so, and he was always in trance.' " "Then I would explain that you must judge a guru by the results of his teachings. If his teachings are authentic, then his followers will develop love of God. And the proof will *be* that they o*be*y the orders of God, such as 'Thou shalt not kill.' And there are other indications of a true spiritual master given in the scriptures. One is that he never claims to *be* God, but rather the humble *servant* of God, and he petitions people to *be*come God's devotees." "But then they argue…" "If they are looking to argue, then what can you do?" interjects Sahasramūrdhan. "If they are sincerely interested, they will be sensitive to what is real and what is bogus. But if they are just trying to haggle with us, how do you expect them to understand? The best reply I have heard was the one Śrīla Prabhupāda gave the Theosophists who came to see him in Geneva. He said that only one who is in knowledge of Kṛṣṇa can speak about Kṛṣṇa. If people want to know about something else, they can go elsewhere. That is their own concern. But in our movement we speak of Kṛṣṇa on the basis of *Bhagavad-gītā As It Is* and the predecessor *ācāryas* [spiritual masters]. If someone wants to know about Kṛṣṇa, he can come to us.' " Everyone agrees that Śrīla Prabhupāda's approach would be better than trying to argue the pros and cons of various other practices and teachers. The discussion returns to the *saṅkīrtana* program and its great success in France. "Sometimes," says Prasannātmā, "I have to walk for half an hour in these small towns before coming to a house. But then someone will open the door and say, 'Oh, I have been hoping you would pass by this way. Do you have the *Bhagavad-gītā?*' It's incredible, but many people greet us as if they'd been waiting patiently at the door." Jagadvaśī responds, "That's happened to me, too. Even in the poorest sections of town, people show such real interest." "That proves real religion is not something dependent on economic or political factors," remarks Prasannātmā. "The old lady in the pastry shop or the big boss from the local textile factory—you meet people in all kinds of social conditions, people frustrated by materialistic life and looking for spiritual knowledge. Their questions are often very elevated, about the nature of the soul or the purpose of yoga…" This is an important point. George Hegel, the German historian (much read in France), hypothesized that religion was a by-product of social necessity. He saw the function of religion as being what French youth call "white communism," the class struggle hidden behind a mask of self-righteousness and piety. The *brāhmaṇas* of Vedic times, said Hegel, were like today's bourgeoisie, feeding off the labor of the lower classes, the proletariat. Thus, according to Hegel, the ultimate issue in human society—that of the haves versus the have-nots, the exploiters versus the exploited—was found even in the Vedic culture. There are numerous fallacies in Hegel's arguments, but the most outstanding is simply that he has taken the India of recent history, a country twisted by colonialism and the influences of Western materialism, and drawn general conclusions about the intrinsic value of a God-conscious culture. The Kṛṣṇa conscious *saṅkīrtana* devotees, however, are living proof of a contrary conclusion. Their example of active devotion to God, decorated with the rare qualities of austerity, compassion, cleanliness, and honesty, disproves the theory that Kṛṣṇa consciousness is another brand of religious hypocrisy. The devotees are offering the greatest service to mankind by distributing God consciousness and introducing practical programs for the spiritual upliftment of society. In exchange for publications on the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they ask people to make some contribution. This should not be seen as charity, but rather as an insignificant price to pay for the most invaluable knowledge. After several weeks of distributing books with the *saṅkīrtana* party, I have now returned to the New Māyāpur farm. I see many new faces, and the farm is buzzing with activity: publishing work at the press, teaching at the Gurukula (the children's school), construction of houses and beehives, planting and harvesting, classes and *kīrtanas.* It is at moments like these that I feel closest to Śrīla Prabhupāda, seeing how, by his mercy, people everywhere are becoming happy in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. ## The Song of God *The Song of God in English Verse* ### by Hiraṇyagarbha dāsa (Based on the *Bhagavad-gītā As It Is,* translation and commentary by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda.) The Bhagavad-gītā, originally composed in Sanskrit five thousand years ago, is the literal record of the words of Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The essence of all Vedic scriptures, it contains the most advanced science of God consciousness in the world. There have been many translations of the *Gītā*, but the translation of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda is the only one that imparts the *Gītā*'s original spirit and not the commentator's self-interested opinions. In essence, the *Gītā* tells us that we should accept Śrī Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Lord and surrender to Him—this is the very purpose of human life. Hiraṇyagarbha dāsa, a disciple of Śrīla Prabhupāda, has carefully followed the authorized teachings without attempting to change the message. He has simply rendered it in his own poetic style. Here are a few excerpts from the second and fourth chapters, prefaced by a dedication and a glorification of the *Gītā*. *In Praise Of The Gita* > O Bhagavad-gītā, song of God, > I bow down at your feet. > Nondifferent from the Supreme Lord, > You therefore are complete. > You shower spiritual nectar > Throughout a hundred ages, > Praised by poets and by gods > And glorified by sages. > As one takes bath to cleanse himself > In water day by day, > So one who bathes in your nectar > Cleans all his sins away. > By your words alone we'll be freed > From Māyā's nasty hooks, > You spring from Kṛṣṇa's lotus lips, > What need of other books? > So let there be just one scripture— > The song of Devakī's son. > And let the son of Devakī be > Worshiped by everyone. > And let Śrī Kṛṣṇa's holy names > Be the one song to be sung, > And His transcendental service > The one work to be done. *From Chapter Two: "The Gītā Summarized"* Seeing intimate relatives and teachers on the enemy side, Arjuna loses his resolve to fight and sits down on his chariot in great fear and confusion. Kṛṣṇa then teaches him not to fear the outcome of the fight, because the soul is eternal and can never be killed. > The Supreme Lord said: > In matters for which learned men > Would never grieve, My friend, > You are absorbed in grief and still > You speak like learned men. > Those who don't know the scriptures' truths > Mourn at a man's demise; > In life or death from sorrow freed > Is he who's truly wise. > Neither you nor I nor all these kings > Here on this field of war > Did not exist before this birth, > Nor will we die hereafter. > Just as we pass from child to youth > Old age to final breath, > We simply make another change > Reaching the time of death. > Although we all must go through this, > One who's sober, calm, and clear > Remains undisturbed at that time— > From death he knows no fear. > The higher truth, which never dies, > Pervades the body whole, > It's conscious and is consciousness > And is known as the soul. > The body meets destruction, > But one can't destroy the soul, > Who's eternal and without death > And has eternal goals. > So therefore you should fight, Arjuna, > Knowing there is no death; > All these foes of yours won't die. > They'll just take other births. *From Chapter Four: "Transcendental Knowledge"* Here Lord Kṛṣṇa personally describes His own transcendental nature as the Supreme Lord and His purpose in coming to the material world. > The Supreme Lord said: > Through many births we both have passed > Without a start or end; > I can remember all of them, > But you cannot, My friend. > Arjuna, My friend, you too were there, > But in another form; > You have forgotten this because > You died and were reborn. > But Arjuna, I am never born, > And neither do I wane, > I am the Lord of all creation— > By My own will I came. > I have no need to come to earth; > I have no duty here. > For these reasons nonetheless > In each age I appear: > When irreligion dominates > And religion's in decline, > And the world situation > Follows no scriptural line, > When no one else but I could do > The thing that must be done— > Establish the paramparā— > It is then that I come. > I annihilate the miscreants > And save the holy men, > I preach the Bhagavad-gītā > And there is peace again. > My birth and My activities, > Are not material, you see, > One who understands this at death > Comes back at once to Me. (to be continued) *Dedication* > O Prabhupāda! You hold the torch > Which opens blinded eyes; > In this entire maddened world > Just you alone are wise. > You are the only preacher here, > Just you deserve all praise, > While I'm an ignorant weakling > Unlearned in Vaiṣṇava ways. > But my purpose is to please you; > Be merciful, please, to me. > Bless my pen with understanding > Of the Gītā's mystery.