Universal Movement

This is a universal movement. Don't think that it's something only for Indians or Hindus. It is a movement for every living being. Krsna is the supreme living being, and we are subordinate living beings. Because we are part and parcel of Krsna, we are qualitatively one with Krsna, but because of our material association, we have forgotten that our qualities are in the same category as His. We are qualitatively the same as Krsna but quantitatively different, just as a drop of ocean water is equal in its qualities to the entire ocean, although the drop is but an insignificant portion of the great ocean. We are part and parcel of God, God is great, and we are small; God is the maintainer, and we are maintained; God is the predominator, the master, and we are the predominated servants.

This understanding that God is great and that we are all servants of God is the essence of self-realization. Self-realization means knowledge of one's own identity. The self-realized person must be able to answer the question, "Who am I?" and since this movement enables one to do so, it is a movement of self-realization. I am therefore very glad that you are taking part in it.

We celebrate the Ratha-yatra festival every year. I started the Ratha-yatra festival here in San Francisco in 1967, and in your great country it has continued here since then. We also celebrate the same festival in other cities, such as London. Last year when I was in London, more than ten thousand people followed our procession from Piccadilly Circus to Trafalgar Square. Our Ratha-yatra festival was well received. In fact, there is a great monument in London called the Nelson column, and because our Jagannatha car was so high, a leading London newspaper, The Guardian, reported that the car competed with that monument.

So I am glad that in Europe, in America and, indeed, all over the world, the Krsna consciousness movement is being very well received. A few days ago, we had a meeting in Melbourne, Australia, in which the Bishop of Melbourne and many other priests greatly appreciated this movement. Indeed, they admitted that they can learn a great deal from it.

I therefore request you not to consider this movement a sectarian movement or a cultural import from India, for this is a movement meant for all humanity. Its purpose is to educate men in such a way that humanity will be lifted to the brahma-bhūta platform, the platform of self-realization. Bhagavad-gita says:

The meaning of this verse is that if you come to the platform of self-realization, or brahma-bhūta understanding, you will always be jubilant. By our constitutional position we are meant to be jubilant, and therefore, despite frustration due to our contact with matter, we are always hankering for happiness. We have to get out of contact with matter and come to the stage of self-realization in order to be always jubilant. If you become self-realized, you will have no more hankerings and desires. Instead, you will feel, "Now I have everything and am fully satisfied." The Krsna conscious devotees here come from the same country as you, and formerly they also felt frustrated. Now, however, they feel complete, and that is why they are chanting and dancing.