Sentimental

And this must not be based on sentimental feelings but upon realization. We must see how the disciples are acting. Are they taking their knowledge to the people? How many of them are doing this?

Q. How worldwide is the International Society for Krishna Consciousness?

A. We have about 90 centres on all the continents. We have centres all over America, Canada, Australia, Asia, Africa and Europe.

Last week we were supposed to open a centre in Puerto Rico. This is the information I received in a letter.

Q. Do your teachings have any commandments; in other words, practical guidelines by which to live?

A. Yes, There are four regulative principles which we follow in order to become actual devotees of God. They are (1) no intoxication, and this includes all forms of alcohol, drugs, coffee and cigarettes; (2) no illicit sex life, meaning that if one is not married then he should have no sex life, and if one is married then only for the purpose of propagation; (3) no meat eating, including fish and eggs; and (4) no gambling or frivolous sports.

Hardly anyone is observing these principles; that is why life has become so degraded in this age. These four principles, if followed, are the pillars of religiosity, and neglect to follow is the pillar of irreligiosity.

Q. When did you become a devotee of Lord Krsna?

A. Fourteen months ago when I moved into the centre in New York.

Q. Since then what have you been doing?

A. Since then I have been studying under the instructions of my guru and my elder Godbrothers. I have been to different temples in America, to our farm community in West Virginia called New Vrndavana and from there to Columbus, Ohio, and now here.

Q. So you have not been to India?

A. No. I have found that many young Americans interested in spiritual life have gone to India and returned very disillusioned because by the nature of this age, which is called Kali-yuga-meaning the age of quarrel-every place, including India, has become degraded.

Q. Are there any prophetic concepts in your teachings?

A. Yes. The Bhagavata Purana and many of the other Puranas have explained this Age of Kali-yuga. These books were written down about 5,000 years ago, and they explain that this age will become much more degraded, with people becoming more atheistic in tendency.

During this age, of which we are only at the beginning, there will be advancement in spiritual life for a certain segment of the population. But towards the end, spiritual life will practically disappear for the great majority of people, who will then be living like animals. Man will become three feet tall, his material intelligence-his scientific and philosophical knowledge-will disappear. He will live a life very similar to what we understand of the cave man. And then at the end of this age, which is 427,000 years from now, there will be a partial devastation, and then a new age will start.

There are four ages of time. Satya-yuga is the golden age, where people are generally in the mode of goodness. Satya is a pious and religious age.

This is followed by Treta-yuga, which is still a great age, but already things begin to deteriorate. Then there is Dvapara-yuga, which is also a great age, but things are degraded even more.

And finally comes Kali-yuga, which is the actual degraded age. Kali-yuga began 5,000 years ago; it is 432,000 years long, but it is the shortest of the four ages, which are in constant cycle.

Q. If everything is a cycle, what then is the ultimate destiny, the ultimate purpose of life?

A. The ultimate purpose of life is to understand first of all: I am not this body; I am a spiritual entity in direct personal relationship to the Supreme Lord.