# Perfect Questions, Perfect Answers, Philadelphia, 1975 **Location:** Philadelphia (1975) **Duration:** 66:38 <div class="video-container" style="position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%;"> <iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KNqJ080rAC8" style="position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; pointer-events: auto; z-index: 10;" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> </div> [Watch on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNqJ080rAC8) --- ## Transcript **[00:00]** So sometimes I’m going to be asking you questions, and most of the time I might be able to answer them **[00:01]** myself, or it might be a question which I know the answer to, but I’m going to have to ask you it as if... **[00:10]** It might sound as if I’m stupid, but it’s what I’m going to do. The first question could be a very long... **[00:16]** I’ve got fifteen questions. If I could get them all answered, I’ll feel just great. The first one is very basic: **[00:23]** What is Krsna consciousness? **[00:24]** Krsna means God, and we are all connected with Krsna, God. God is the original father. **[00:41]** Therefore we have got intimate connection with Krsna. So we have forgotten it, what is Krsna, **[00:55]** what is my connection with Him, what is the aim of life. All these questions there are. **[01:08]** And when one becomes interested with such questions, he is called Krsna conscious. **[01:16]** How did Krsna consciousness develop? **[01:23]** Krsna consciousness is already there in everyone’s core of heart, but due to one’s material conditional life, **[01:40]** he has forgotten it. So this process of chanting Hare Krsna maha-mantra means to revive that **[01:54]** consciousness. It is already there. Just like a few days ago these American, European boys and girls, **[02:05]** they did not know who is Krsna. But now you have seen yesterday how their whole, **[02:19]** that procession, throughout the whole procession, how they were chanting and dancing in ecstasy. **[02:27]** So do you think that is artificial? No. Artificially nobody can chant and dance for hours together. **[02:37]** That means the awakening of Krsna consciousness. It was there; by the bona fide process, **[02:48]** it is now awakened. That is explained, **[02:54]** nitya-siddha krsna-bhakti sadhya kabhu naya sravanadi-suddha-citte karaye udaya **[03:03]** The Krsna consciousness is dormant in everyone’s heart. So when he comes in contact with devotees, **[03:18]** that is awakened. Just like to be attracted by a young girl or young boy, it is there in the child. **[03:32]** That small child, it is there. And when he will be young, then it will be awakened. It is not that artificial **[03:44]** something. So in association it is awakened. The potency is there already, but in good association, **[04:01]** by hearing about Krsna one is awakened to the status of Krsna consciousness. **[04:10]** What is the difference between Krsna consciousness and Christ consciousness? **[04:18]** Christ consciousness is also Krsna consciousness, but people do not follow the rules and regulations **[04:30]** of Christianity. Therefore they are not awakened. The commandments of Christ, they do not follow. **[04:41]** Therefore they do not come to the standard of consciousness. **[04:46]** What is unique about Krsna consciousness that separates it from other religions? If it’s a religion. **[04:59]** Religion means primarily to know God and love Him. That is religion. And nobody knows God, **[05:12]** and what to speak of loving Him? Nobody is trained up how to know God and how to love Him. **[05:21]** They are satisfied by going to the church: "O God, give us our daily bread." That also not everyone goes. **[05:36]** So the Communist says that "You don’t go to the church. Bread we shall supply." So poor innocent persons, **[05:48]** they get bread elsewhere, so they do not go to church. But nobody is serious to understand what is God **[06:00]** and how to love Him. Nobody is serious. Therefore in Bhagavatam, it is said, it is cheating religion. **[06:15]** I profess some religion, but I do not know what is God and how to love Him. That’s all. **[06:23]** So that type of religion is cheating religion. Religion means to know God and love Him. But generally, **[06:34]** a man does not know what is God and what to speak of loving Him? **[06:38]** So therefore that is cheating religion. That is not religion. But so far Christian religion is concerned, **[06:46]** there is ample chance of understanding God. But they do not care for it. Take for example, the commandment **[06:57]** is "Thou shall not kill." But in the Christian world, best slaughterhouses are maintained. **[07:05]** So how they can become God conscious? They disobey the commandments, do not care for Lord Jesus **[07:22]** Christ’s order. So this is not only in Christian religion. **[07:27]** Every religion, it is going on. It is simply rubber stamp. "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian." **[07:33]** And none of them do know what is God and how to love Him. **[07:37]** How does one know a bona fide spiritual master, then, that can lead them? **[07:44]** Who teaches these things-how to know God and how to love Him-he is spiritual master. **[07:48]** Otherwise bogus, rascal bogus. Sometimes they mislead that "I am God." Poor people, they do not know **[08:07]** what is God, and a rascal proposes, "I am God," and they accept it. Just like in your country they elected **[08:20]** Nixon president and again drag him. That means they did not know who is really bona fide president, **[08:28]** elected somebody, and again they had to business of dragging out. Similarly, people are foolish. **[08:37]** Any rascal comes. He says, "I am God." They accept. And again they accept another. This is going on. **[08:47]** So one must be serious student to understand what is God and how to love Him. That is religion. **[08:57]** Otherwise, it is simply waste of time. That we are teaching. That is the difference between others and our... **[09:11]** We are presenting Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the science, how to know Him. **[09:19]** The Bhagavad-gita is there, Bhagavata is there. Not bogus. Authorized. Therefore this is the only institution **[09:30]** which can teach how to know God and how to love Him. Two business. There is no third business. **[09:41]** It is not our business to ask God to give us our necessities. We know God gives necessities to everyone, **[09:54]** even one who has no religion. Just like cats and dogs. They have no religion. They do not know what **[10:04]** is religion. But still, the cats and dogs are supplied with necessities of life. So why we should bother Krsna, **[10:16]** asking Him, "Give us our daily bread"? He is supplying already. Our business is how to love Him. **[10:25]** That is religion. Dharmah projjhita-kaitavah atra paramo nirmatsaranam satam vastavam vastu vedyam atra. **[10:38]** Sa vai pumsam paro dharmah yato bhaktir adhoksaje: "That is first-class religion which teaches **[10:48]** how to love God." And that love-not for any material motive: "God, You give me this. Then I will love." **[11:02]** No. Ahaituki. Love means without any personal profit. If I love God for some profit that is business. **[11:17]** That is not love. Ahaituky apratihata. And such love of God cannot be checked by any material cause. **[11:32]** In any condition, one can learn how to love God. It is not conditional, that "I am poor man. **[11:41]** How shall I love God? I have got so many things to do." No, it is not like that. Poor, rich or young or old, **[11:51]** black or white, there is no impediment. If one wants to love God, he can love God. **[11:58]** Are there different paths that one can learn to love God? **[12:04]** No. There is no different. **[12:06]** I mean, are there other spiritual paths... Do all spiritual paths lead to the same end? **[12:11]** Spiritual paths are divided into four. Not spiritual. Real spiritual, mixed spiritual. **[12:22]** Just like this, "God, give us our daily bread." It is mixed spiritual. One has approached God, **[12:34]** God is spiritual, but one is asking for material profit. So this is mixture, matter and spirit. **[12:46]** So there are four classes generally known as karmi, fruitive actors, they work for getting some material profit. **[13:02]** They are called karmi. Just like all men, you will see, they are working so hard day and night, **[13:10]** driving their cars, (makes noise of cars) this way and that way. The purpose is how to get some money. **[13:18]** This is called karmi. And then jñani. Jñani means he knows that "I am working so hard. Why? **[13:35]** The birds, beasts, the elephants, big, big..., eight million different types of..., they are not. **[13:45]** They have no business. They have no profession. How they are eating? So why unnecessarily I work so much? **[13:55]** Let me know what is the problem of life." So they understand the problem of life is birth, death, old age **[14:04]** and disease. And they want to solve it, how to become immortal. So they have conclusion that **[14:19]** "If I merge into God’s existence, then I become immortal or immune from birth, death, old age and disease." **[14:28]** This is called jñani. And some of them are yogis. They try to acquire some spiritual power to make a show **[14:47]** how he can play wonder. A yogi can become very small. If you put him in a room, he will come out. You lock it. **[15:04]** He will come out. If there is little space, he will come out. That is called anima. He can fly in the sky, **[15:14]** float in the sky. That is called laghima. In this way, if somebody can show this magic, then immediately **[15:24]** he is accepted as very wonderful man. So yogis, they... The modern yogis, they simply show some gymnastic, **[15:33]** but they have no power. So I am not speaking of these third-class yogis. Real yogi means **[15:43]** he has got some power. That is material power. So yogis also want this power. **[15:54]** And jñanis also want salvation from the unnecessary working like ass, the karmi. And karmis want **[16:07]** material profit. So they want, everyone. But the bhaktas, devotees, they don’t want anything. **[16:17]** They want to serve God out of love. Just like a mother loves her child. **[16:23]** There is no question of profit. Out of affection, she loves. So when you come to that stage, **[16:32]** to love God, that is perfection. So these different processes, karmi, jñani, yogi and bhakta, **[16:45]** out of these four processes, if you want to know God, then you have to accept this bhakti. **[16:52]** That is stated in the Bhagavad-gita, bhaktya mam abhijanati [Bg. 18.55]. **[16:58]** "Simply through the process of bhakti, one can understand Me, God." He never says by other processes, no. **[17:08]** Only through bhakti. So if you are interested to know God and love Him, then you have to accept **[17:19]** this devotional process. No other process will help you. **[17:23]** What are the methods used in attaining Krsna consciousness? How does one get to... **[17:34]** Yes, by Krsna consciousness you achieve the goal of life. In the present condition we are accepting one body, **[17:48]** and we are dying after a few days. Then accept another body. And that body is according to your activity. **[17:59]** There are 8,400,000 different types of body. You can get any one of them. You’ll have to accept one body. **[18:10]** That is called transmigration of the soul. So if one is under this consciousness that "I am eternal. **[18:24]** Why I am changing body? How to solve it?" that is intelligence. And not to work like cats and dogs and die, **[18:35]** that is not intelligence. One who makes solution of this problem, he is intelligent. **[18:43]** So therefore this Krsna consciousness movement is the ultimate solution of all problems of life. **[18:52]** What transformations does one undergo on the path of Krsna consciousness? **[19:05]** No transformation. The consciousness is there. It is now filled with all rubbish things. **[19:12]** You have to cleanse this, and then Krsna consciousness... Just like water. **[19:18]** Water is, by nature, clear, transparent. But when it is filled up with rubbish things, it is muddy. **[19:27]** You cannot see very clearly. But if you filter it, all muddy things, dirty things, **[19:35]** then again comes to the original position, clear, transparent water. **[19:41]** Does one function better in society as a result of affiliation with Krsna consciousness? **[19:53]** What is the meaning? **[20:03]** Is he a better citizen? **[20:06]** And also sociologically or cultu... Can he work better in the community? **[20:13]** That you can see practically. They are not drunkards, they are not meat-eaters. **[20:26]** From physiological point of view, they are very clean. They will never be attacked with so many diseases. **[20:39]** Then they do not eat meat, means that is the most sinful, to kill others for the satisfaction of the tongue. **[20:51]** God has given to the human society so many things to eat: nice fruits, nice flowers, **[21:02]** nice grains, first-class milk. And from milk, you can prepare hundreds of nutritious foods. **[21:12]** But they do not know the art. They are maintaining big, big slaughterhouse and eating meat. No discrimination. **[21:23]** That means they are not even civilized. When man is not civilized, he kills one animal and eats **[21:35]** because he does not know how to grow food. Just like we have got one farm land, in New Vrindaban. **[21:45]** So we are preparing so first-class preparation from milk, the neighbours they come, they are astonished **[21:54]** that from milk such nice preparation can be done, hundreds. So that means they are not even civilized, **[22:05]** how to prepare nutritious food from milk. Milk--accepting that cow flesh and blood is very nutritious, **[22:23]** that we also admit--but a civilized man utilizes the blood and meat in a different way. **[22:33]** The milk is nothing but blood. But it is transformed into milk. And again, from milk you make so many things. **[22:47]** You make yogurt, you make curd, you make ghee, so many things. And combination of these milk products **[22:58]** with grains, with fruits and vegetables, you make similar hundreds of preparation. So this is civilized life, **[23:07]** not that directly kill one animal and eat. That is uncivilized life. You take the-- **[23:22]** accepting that cow’s flesh and blood is very nutritious--you take it in a civilized way. **[23:30]** Why you should kill? It is innocent animal. Is simply eating grass given by God and supplying milk. **[23:43]** And from milk you can live. And the gratefulness is that cut his throat? Is that civilization? **[23:56]** What do you say? Is that civilization? **[24:00]** No, I agree a hundred percent. I want you to say these things, though, instead of me. **[24:06]** I’m asking you questions so that hopefully that not by me describing anything... **[24:12]** So these things are uncivilized way of life, and what they will understand God? That is not possible. **[24:23]** I’m asking these questions for others, of course, a field(?) that is not understanding Krsna consciousness. **[24:30]** To understand God means one must be first-class civilized man. Just like university is meant for **[24:41]** first-class student, similarly, God consciousness means meant for the first-class human being. **[24:51]** O.K. This question’s a hard one for me to ask because it shows ignorance on my part. **[25:00]** But I’m not asking it in ignorance. I want your answer on tape, O.K.? **[25:07]** Does all desire ultimately have to go, including the desire to attain Krsna consciousness? **[25:16]** Without Krsna consciousness, you will have simply rubbish desires. And when you are Krsna **[25:26]** conscious, then you desire rightly. **[25:30]** The aim of many spiritual paths is to find the guru within. **[25:44]** Within? **[25:46]** The guru within. Is this different...? **[25:50]** Who says that, to find guru within? **[25:53]** Um... **[25:55]** Kirpal Singh, he’s one person who says that. **[26:02]** Krishnamurti says that also. **[26:09]** So why does he come to teach? (laughter) This rascal, why does he come to teach? This is the answer. **[26:22]** These things are spoken by rascals. He has come to teach, and he says, "Find out guru within." **[26:32]** Then why you have come to teach? Because people are not intelligent, they cannot catch him. **[26:40]** He talks all nonsense, and they hear, that’s all. **[26:44]** He also has written a book about "No books are needed." (laughter) **[26:53]** So you can find out how rascal he is. Is it not? Do you admit or not? He writes book, and he says, **[27:03]** "There is no need of books." He has come to teach, and he says, "There is no need of teacher. **[27:10]** Teacher is within." Is he not a rascal? **[27:12]** Well, they say... Those people... **[27:15]** No, first of all you answer my question. If he says contradictory things, is he not a rascal? **[27:21]** Well, he’s contradicting himself. **[27:24]** Therefore he is a rascal. He does not know how to defend him. **[27:28]** Can the Vedas be taken symbolically as well as literally? **[27:37]** As it is. We are presenting Bhagavad-gita As It Is, not symbolically. **[27:46]** Are you attempting to revive... I feel like asking this question two different ways. **[27:57]** First I’ll ask it one way which is, in a sense, incorrect. Maybe I’ll just ask it this way **[28:03]** and just get your answer. Are you attempting to revive in the West the awareness... **[28:07]** Are you attempting to revive the ancient Indian caste system in the West? **[28:15]** Where do you find we are reviving caste system? Where do you find? First of all let me know. **[28:23]** Why you are asking this question? If you have seen that we are trying to introduce the Indian caste system, **[28:34]** then you say. But if there is no such attempt, why you are asking this question? **[28:41]** Well, because a lot of people are interested, and... **[28:45]** No, no, lot of people, you are also one of them. So where do you find that we are trying to **[28:54]** introduce caste system? First of all find out where is the attempt. Then you ask question. **[29:02]** Otherwise it is irrelevant question. **[29:05]** The Gita mentions the caste system. **[29:11]** Gita, what mentions, do you know? **[29:16]** The four castes and an untouchable caste. **[29:19]** What is that? On the basis of what? **[29:22]** I can’t locate it directly. But the Brahma... **[29:29]** Brahmananda. Who has said that this is caste system? This is not caste system. **[29:44]** Catur-varnyam maya srstam guna-karma-vibhagasah [Bg. 4.13]. According to quality and according to work, **[29:57]** there are four divisions of men. Just like you can understand there are engineers and there **[30:09]** are medical practitioners. So do you take them as caste? "Oh, he is engineer caste. He is medical caste." **[30:21]** Do you say like that? **[30:22]** I don’t want to say what I feel because I’m recording you. (laughs) **[30:28]** I’m asking you, I’m asking you... **[30:29]** Well, I think there’s always been castes. It’s just that we don’t recognize the fact that they’re there. **[30:36]** No, recognize means if a man is qualified medical man we accept him as medical man. **[30:42]** And if a man is qualified engineer, we accept him as engineer. **[30:47]** Similarly, Bhagavad-gita suggests-not suggest, it is there-there are four classes of men, **[30:57]** the most intelligent class of men, the administrator class of men, the productive class of men **[31:05]** and ordinary worker. That is already there. Bhagavad-gita says how they should be classified, **[31:15]** that "He belongs to this class, he belongs to that class." That is described in the Bhagavad-gita, **[31:22]** not that by birth, hereditarily, one becomes a caste. You don’t try to misunderstand. **[31:33]** The classification is already there: one class of men, very intelligent. Is he not there in the human society? **[31:47]** Do you think all men are equally intelligent? Do you think? There must be one class, **[31:56]** very highly intelligent class. So what are the symptoms of the intelligent class? That is described **[32:05]** in the Bhagavad-gita. The first-class intelligent man is he who can control his mind, who can control **[32:16]** his senses, who is very truthful, very clean, very simple, very tolerant, very advanced in knowledge, practical **[32:28]** application of knowledge in life and staunch faith in God. This is first-class man. So it is not within India, **[32:43]** whereever you find all these qualities, he is first-class man. So we are trying to introduce that, **[32:52]** that without first-class man, the society is useless. **[32:59]** So there are first-class men. You train up. Just like a boy... **[33:17]** ...How do you feel about women’s lib? **[33:21]** She wants to know about the women’s liberation. What is our feeling about women’s liberation. **[33:28]** That I don’t want to discuss because... (laughs) (laughter) They... As you have asked, **[33:39]** I may explain that how foolish women are being cheated by the intelligent man. You see. **[33:49]** Srila Prabhupada is liberating everybody who chants Hare Krsna. **[33:59]** They have given. In your country, they have given you liberty. Liberty means equal rights, is it not? **[34:09]** Man and woman has got equal rights. **[34:13]** They’re trying in this country. **[34:17]** All right, trying. But you women, you cannot see that this so-called equal right means cheating the woman. **[34:29]** Now I say more clearly that a woman and man meets. Now they become lover. Then they have sex, **[34:46]** and the woman becomes pregnant, and the man goes away. The simple woman, she has to take charge of **[34:59]** the child and beg from government alms, "Please give me money." This is your independence. **[35:06]** Do you admit this is independence, that the man makes the woman pregnant and he goes away **[35:17]** without any responsibility, and the woman cannot give up the child, she maintains, begging from the **[35:27]** government or she tries to kill the child? **[35:31]** Do you think it is very good independence? What is your answer? **[35:38]** To... Whether or not it is good to kill a child? Is that the question? **[35:43]** Yes, they are killing now, abortion. **[35:47]** He wants to know that kind of independence. **[35:53]** For the child? For the woman. For the woman. **[35:53]** This is liberation. She has an affair with a man, and she gets pregnant. The man leaves. **[35:59]** Then she has to beg alms from the government to support the child... **[36:03]** Or kill. **[36:05]** Or she kills the child. So is that good or bad? **[36:07]** Well, she has made the choice to have... **[36:12]** That means, that is 34 ounce. You have made your choice to kill your own child. Is that very good choice? **[36:20]** It’s the worst crime you could commit. **[36:26]** Her brain is getting larger. (laughter) **[36:33]** Do you think it is very good business? **[36:38]** I think this is a very complicated question. **[36:44]** Therefore I say they are cheating you in the name of independence. That you do not understand. **[36:52]** Therefore 34 ounce. They are cheating you, and you are thinking you are independent. **[37:04]** They forget the responsibility that comes with freedom. **[37:08]** Yes, they do not take the responsibility. They go away. They enjoy and go away. **[37:12]** And the woman has to take the responsibility, either kill the child or maintainer, begging. **[37:18]** Do you think begging is very good? In India, although they are poverty-stricken, still, they do not remain independent. **[37:34]** They remain under the husband, and the husband takes all responsibility. **[37:40]** So she has neither to kill the child nor go to beg for maintaining the child. So which is independence? **[37:48]** To remain under husband is independence or to become free to be enjoyed by everyone? **[37:55]** That’s not where the freedom is anyway. **[38:00]** So there is no freedom; still, they think that they have freedom. That means under some plea, **[38:13]** the men are cheating the women, that’s all. So in the name of independence, **[38:20]** they have agreed to be cheated by another class. This is the situation. **[38:33]** In spite of that, can women know Krsna as... **[38:38]** We have no such distinction. **[38:40]** No distinction... **[38:41]** We give Krsna consciousness both to the woman and man equally. We do not make any such distinction. **[38:49]** But to protect them from this exploitation by man, we teach something, that "You do like this. **[38:57]** You do like that. You be married. Be settled up. Don’t wander independently." We teach them like that. **[39:09]** But so far Krsna consciousness is concerned, we equally distribute. There is no such thing that **[39:13]** "Oh, you are woman, less intelligent or more intelligent. Therefore you cannot come." We don’t say that. **[39:24]** We welcome women, men, poor, rich, everyone, because in that platform equality. **[39:38]** vidya-vinaya-sampanne brahmane gavi hastini **[39:43]** suni caiva svapake ca panditah sama-darsinah [Bg. 5.18] **[39:46]** We do not refuse anyone. That is equality. **[39:54]** How do you deal with negativity? In the outside world do... The devotees encounter negativity **[40:07]** every day, people that are not interested. How, not just on the outside world, but how **[40:14]** does one deal with that within, how does one relieve oneself of that negativism? **[40:19]** Negativity means... Just like we say, "No illicit sex." We say, we teach our students, "No illicit sex." **[40:31]** Do you think it is negative? What does she mean by...? **[40:40]** The situation is that other people think that it’s negative, and therefore they feel negatively **[40:47]** towards us. So how should we react to that? **[40:49]** Well, how to do, you deal with it within yourself? **[40:54]** What do you mean negativity within yourself? **[40:57]** No, no, not just criticism but if you get a lot of people that are working against you all the time... **[41:07]** Here you’re surrounded by people that are positive and that are reinforcing. **[41:13]** But when you get yourself in the outside world in a position where there are people that are **[41:18]** draining you and taking your energy, how do you replenish that energy? **[41:22]** How do we stay fixed when there are so many people against us? **[41:27]** So nobody is against you? Do you think nobody is against you? I am asking you. **[41:40]** Do I think nobody is against me? Oh, sure, there’s people for me, against me, that don’t care about me. **[41:47]** So there are against and for. Why do you bother about the against? As there are some people against us, **[41:56]** there are many people for us. So that is the position in every field of activity. **[42:01]** So if somebody is against us, why should we bother about it. Let us go on with our policy of work. **[42:09]** For instance if the day goes by and the devotee meets only with people who are against him, he makes **[42:20]** bad contacts and he feels drained, how does he replenish... **[42:24]** Our devotees are not so fickle. They go to the person who is against us and induces him to purchase **[42:37]** a book. We are selling books daily, a huge amount. **[42:47]** So there is no question of against us. Anyone who is even against us, he is persuaded to purchase one book. **[42:59]** So how he is against us? He is purchasing our book. What is the daily amount of sales, our books? **[43:12]** We sell about twenty-five thousand books and magazines a day. **[43:15]** What is the price? ; [43:21] : The collection would probably be around 35 to forty thousand dollars a day. **[43:26]** We are collecting forty thousand dollars a day by selling books. How I can say they are against us? **[43:34]** You’re very positive. I like that. **[43:44]** Where is the any other institution who can sell forty thousand dollars a day? **[43:50]** So how do you say that they are against us? **[43:56]** My last question. Could you tell me about the Hare Krsna mantra because it’s so important **[44:06]** to Krsna consciousness. And I’d like to have... **[44:08]** It is very simple. Hare means "O the energy of Lord," and Krsna means "O Lord. Both of You kindly **[44:19]** engage me in Your service." That’s all. "Both of You, Krsna and His energy..." **[44:31]** Just like here we have got conception of male and female, similarly, originally, God and His energy, **[44:43]** God is male and energy female, prakrti and purusa. This idea of male and female, wherefrom it comes? **[44:55]** God is manufacturing so many male and female. So the male and female idea, wherefrom it comes? **[45:08]** It comes from God. He is the origin of everything. So the female, or prakrti, or energy of God, **[45:22]** and God Himself... He is called purusa. So we are appealing both God and His energy, combined together, **[45:33]** engage us in Their service. This is Hare Krsna. O Hare means "O the energy of God," O Krsna, **[45:47]** "O Lord, both of You take care of me and engage me in Your service." That’s all. This is meaning. **[46:03]** O.K., thank you. And I lost some on the way, I guess. When I moved into the house, there were these... **[46:13]** just came out of the earth and it was so beautiful to see them. **[46:17]** So your questions also is answered? **[46:23]** May I ask you a few questions? Could you please tell me a little bit about your life and **[46:34]** how you knew that you were the spiritual master for the Krsna consciousness movement? **[46:41]** My life is simple. I was householder. I have still my wife, my children, my grandsons. So my Guru Maharaja **[46:56]** ordered me that "Go and preach this cult in the western countries." So I left everything on the order of **[47:06]** my Guru Maharaja, and I am trying to execute the order. That’s all. **[47:10]** And is this picture here the man...? **[47:17]** Yes, he is my Guru Maharaja. **[47:20]** And he is no longer living. **[47:23]** No. **[47:24]** He spoke to you spiritually? **[47:26]** So this is my (indistinct). That’s all. **[47:31]** At what point was it that he told you to do this? It was very late in your life that you...? **[47:39]** Yes. When I was twenty-five years old I met him first. On the first meeting he ordered me to this. **[47:52]** So at that time I was married man. I had two children. So I thought, "I shall do it later on." But I was trying **[48:11]** to get out of family life. It took some time. But I was trying my best to carry out his order. **[48:23]** In 1944 I started magazine, Back to Godhead, when I was grhastha. Then I started writing books in **[48:39]** 1958 or ’59. In this way in 1965 I came to your country. **[48:54]** You have said that you are very small and that you are not God, and yet it appears to me as an outsider **[49:06]** that the devotees treat you as if you were God. **[49:09]** Yes, that is devotee’s duty. Just like a government officer. Personally he is not very important, **[49:23]** but so long he executes government order, he should be respected as government. That is the way. **[49:38]** Even a ordinary policeman comes, you have to respect him because he is government man. **[49:45]** But that does not mean he is government. He is respected. Saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastrair **[49:57]** uktas tatha bhavyata eva sadbhih. If that man thinks that "I have become government. **[50:03]** People are respecting me," then he is foolish. So... But it is the etiquette. **[50:13]** If the government man comes, you should respect him as government. **[50:21]** Along the same idea, I wonder also about the many beautiful material things that the devotees **[50:32]** bring to you, and, for instance, when you left the airport, you left in a beautiful, big, fancy car, **[50:40]** and I wonder about this because... **[50:44]** That is teaching them how to respect. If you respect government man as government, then you must treat him like that. **[50:57]** But... **[50:59]** If you respect spiritual master as God, then you must offer him the facilities of God. **[51:04]** Otherwise how you treat him as God? Simply in mind? In action also. **[51:10]** I’m sorry. What was the last you said? **[51:17]** If the spiritual master is treated as God, so he must show, practically show, that he is treating as God. **[51:26]** So God travels by golden car. So if the spiritual master is offered ordinary motor car, so still **[51:37]** it is not sufficient, because he has to be treated like God. What is this motor car for God? **[51:48]** (laughter) They are still deficient. If God comes to your home, will you bring Him in ordinary motor car **[52:06]** or you would arrange for a golden car? If you treat him as God? So your point is that they offer me **[52:17]** nice motor car, but I say that is not sufficient. That is still lacking to treat him as God. Be practical. **[52:39]** Yesterday I met a devotee from New York who said that there were many people present at the festival **[52:46]** from other planets and that you could see them. Is that true? **[52:50]** Yes, yes. Everyone can see. If you have eyes, you can see also. But if you have no eyes, therefore **[53:00]** you are envious because they have offered a nice motor car. So you have to make your eyes to see. **[53:10]** A blind man cannot see. The eyes are to be treated how to see. **[53:18]** Is this true also with your other senses? **[53:23]** Every senses. If you want to see something, you must be trained up how to see. Like a scientist **[53:32]** is seeing something through the microscope, and you want to see with naked eyes. How it is possible to see? **[53:42]** You must adopt the process to see. Then you can see everything. **[53:50]** I have just one more question, and that is also from an outsider’s point of view. **[54:06]** It appears to me that one of the most difficult aspects of Krsna consciousness for someone to accept **[54:12]** who’s been brought up outside of that point of view is the Deities and the idea that they represent Krsna. **[54:23]** Could you talk a little bit about that? **[54:25]** Yes. At the present moment, because you are not trained up to see Krsna, so Krsna kindly appears **[54:41]** before you as you can see. You can see wood, stone. You cannot see what is spirit. Even you don’t see yourself. **[54:46]** You are thinking, "I am this body." But you are spirit soul. You are seeing your father and mother daily, **[55:09]** and... **[55:12]** He is everything. He is spirit and matter, everything. But you cannot see Him as spiritual identity. **[55:22]** Therefore He has appeared in material form so that you can see. This is Deity. **[55:31]** He is God, but you cannot see Him in His original spiritual form at the present moment. **[55:48]** Therefore, out of His unbounded mercy, He has appeared before you just like made of **[55:57]** wood and stone so that you can see. **[56:00]** Thank you very much. **[56:07]** Hare Krsna. So you are coming daily in our meeting? **[56:15]** Not daily, but I’ll come. **[56:19]** That’s nice. This gentleman...? This is my father. Your Grace... **[56:33]** Oh. Thank you very much. (chuckles) And my mother. Hare Krsna. **[56:36]** Oh. So you are all fortunate. You have got such a nice son. **[56:39]** Thank you. **[56:40]** Yes. And he is giving you the best service by becoming Krsna conscious. Don’t think that he is **[56:54]** out of home, he is lost, no. He is giving you the best service. **[56:59]** Well, we’re very pleased with him and we always have been. Thank you for helping him find happiness. **[57:09]** It’s something which he was able to find through your order. (indistinct) **[57:14]** They are very good boys. **[57:16]** What’s amazing to me is where you get the strength to keep the pace that you have. **[57:20]** Can you tell me how you do that? I am some years your junior, and I have difficult pace, keeping up. **[57:30]** The process is genuine, the process which I recommend and they follow. Then it is sure. **[57:41]** Yes. He’s saying that our lifestyle will enable you to have that strength also, by worshiping God. **[57:50]** Just like the physician. He gives you medicine, and he give you the process, the dose, how to **[58:03]** take the medicine, how to take diet. If the patient follow, then he is cured. **[58:26]** That is the opportunity, human life. This process of God realization can be accepted by human being. **[58:58]** It doesn’t matter where he is born. Either in India or outside India, it doesn’t matter. **[59:06]** Any human being can take it up. That is the difference between the animal life and human life. **[59:17]** The animal, the dog, he knows how to bark only, that’s all. He cannot be taught about this process. **[59:27]** But a human being can be. He has got that intelligence, every human being. **[59:36]** So in this human form of life, if we do not take this process, how to become Krsna conscious, **[59:44]** then we will remain dogs. Because we are loosing the opportunity. **[59:52]** What is it that Krsna consciousness has that offers people so much more than other religions do? **[60:02]** This is religion. I have already explained that religion means to become lover of God. That is religion. **[60:16]** When there is no love of God, that is not religion. Religion means--I have already explained-- **[60:26]** to know God and to love Him. So if you do not know what is God, where is the question of loving Him? **[60:35]** So that is not religion. It is going on in the name of religion. But religion means to know God and to love Him. **[60:50]** Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam [Bhag. 6.3.19]. Can you find out this verse? Give him. You don’t find? **[61:35]** Yes, 3.19. Third Chapter, nineteen verse. **[62:02]** dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam na vai vidur rsayo napi devah **[62:22]** na siddha-mukhya asura manusyah kuto nu vidyadhara-caranadayah [Bhag. 6.3.19] **[62:31]** Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam: "The principles of religion is given by God." **[62:43]** Just like the law. Law means the process of activities which is given by the government. **[62:54]** You cannot make law at home. Is it clear? **[63:02]** No, I’m having a language problem, I’m afraid. **[63:06]** He says that law means that which is given by the government. You can’t make your own law at home. **[63:13]** So similarly, religion means that which is enunciated by the Lord. You can’t make up your own process. **[63:19]** Well, I guess I’m missing the point. My question was what does the Hare Krsna consciousness **[63:28]** have to offer that other religions don’t have to offer as far as... **[63:31]** This is offering that you want to be religious, so you try to understand religious principles from God. **[63:41]** Because if one is lawyer, if one wants to become a lawyer, he must learn laws which is given **[63:56]** by the government. He cannot become a lawyer at home. Similarly, if you want to become religious, **[64:05]** you must learn what is religion from God. You don’t manufacture your own religion. That is not religion. **[64:13]** This is the first principle. But if I do not know what is God, what is the order given by God, **[64:29]** then what is religion? That is going on. Everyone is manufacturing his own religion. This is the modern method, **[64:42]** that religion is private. Anyone can accept any type of religion. That is liberalism, is it not? **[64:52]** Yes. **[64:53]** Just convince him. **[64:55]** So do you understand? The idea is that this Hare Krsna movement is based on authority of the Vedas. **[65:07]** And the Vedic literatures are coming directly from Krsna. So we only accept it as truth what **[65:15]** Krsna says and we don’t accept anybody’s mental concoctions or speculations as being truth. **[65:22]** And this is the problem with so many other religious movements today, that they depend on the interpretation or the... **[65:31]** Concoction. **[65:33]** ...philosophy of some ordinary man. So this is the primary differential. **[65:40]** We don’t say anything which is not spoken by God in the Bhagavad-gita. Therefore it is appealing everywhere. **[65:52]** Although it is in Sanskrit language, still, it is appealing. Just like if you go on the street and the signboard is, **[66:22]** "Keep to the right..."