Los Angeles: June 24–28

Shortly After His Arrival At The Los Angeles Temple, disciples arranged for a meeting between Srila Prabhupada and Dr. John B. Orr (Chairman of the Department of Religious Studies, University of Southern California), Dr. Stillson Judah (Chairman of the Department of Phenomenology and History of Religion, and head librarian at the Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, California), Dr. John P. Crossley (University of Southern California), Dr. Mize (Long Beach City College), and other scholars from various universities. After all the guests had assembled and were seated comfortably in a small garden within the Los Angeles temple complex, Srila Prabhupada walked in with a quick step, sat down before them, and began to speak.

"All the revealed scriptures indicate that having achieved the human form of life, we should now find out what God is. That is real science-to inquire about the problems of life. And what are those problems? The real problems are birth, death, old age and disease.

"Our struggle for existence means that we try to avoid distress, and we seek happiness. Our real distress is that we have to die. You may have taken birth in a rich American family, and you may work in a big skyscraper and drive a very nice automobile, but at any moment you can be kicked out by death. We are looking for happiness, but we must find out where there is permanent happiness. That is intelligence; not that I create a circumstance where I am happy for some years and then get kicked out."

Prabhupada finished his brief talk and the guests were introduced to him. A lively conversation ensued that continued late into the evening.