Prabhupada: ...stated in the Caitanya-caritamrta:

Acyutananda: "At the present moment, groups of people are engaged in welfare activities in terms of society, community or nation. There is even an attempt in the form of the United Nations for world-help activity. But due to the shortcomings of limited national activities, such a general mass welfare program for the whole world is not practically possible. The Krsna consciousness movement, however, is so nice that it can render the highest benefit to the entire human race. Everyone can be attracted by this movement, and everyone can feel the result."

Prabhupada: Yes. Now the human welfare activities are now developed in the form of United Nations. They are tackling various subject matter, but still, it is not possible. They are trying for the last twenty years, but still, even the nations have not become united, what to speak of other welfare activities. It is just a comparison, a little comparison, but this Krsna consciousness movement was started, practically, from 1967. I went there in 1965, and for one year I could not do anything. In 1966 this movement was registered in New York, and from 1966 it is spreading. So within four or five years it has spread all over the world. We have got branches in every part of the globe. And at least, these people know there is a movement, Krsna consciousness, and we are welcome everywhere as Krsna conscious people, "Hare Krsna People." Our name is "Hare Krsna People." So people may take note of it that within a short period, it has spread so widely. In comparison to United Nations, what we are? We have no money. We have no means. We have no influence. We have no government support. Nothing of the sort. But still, it is spreading.

Acyutananda: "Therefore Rupa Gosvami and other learned scholars agree that a broad propaganda program for the Krsna consciousness movement of devotional service all over the world is the highest humanitarian welfare activity."

Prabhupada: Rupa Gosvami has recommended:

Acyutananda: "How the Krsna consciousness movement can attract the attention of the whole world and how each and every man can feel the pleasure of this Krsna consciousness is stated in the Padma Purana as follows: 'A person who is engaged in devotional service in full Krsna consciousness is to be understood to be doing the best service to the whole world and to be pleasing everyone in the world.' "

Prabhupada: Yes. This is statement in the Padma Purana. And many other Puranas, Vedic literatures, the same thing is confirmed. But simply by taking shelter of Mukunda, one can be free from all types of obligation. Devarsi-bhutapta-nrnam pitrnam [SB 11.5.41]. There are so many obligations. We have obligation to perform to satisfy the demigods; the great sages; general human society; pitrnam, the pitrs, forefathers. So many obligation. But one who takes shelter of Mukunda, he has no other, no more obligation. Nayam rni na kinkara rajan. Simply by... Just like watering the root of the tree, you can satisfy the trunks, the branches, the twigs, the leaves, the flowers, everything. Similarly, sarvarhanam acyutejya. Simply by executing devotional service, you can execute all other obligations without any deviation. Go on.

Acyutananda: "In addition to human society, he is pleasing even the trees and animals, because they also become attracted by such a movement.' A practical example of this was shown by Lord Caitanya when He was traveling through the forests of Jharikhanda in central India for spreading His sankirtana movement. The tigers, the elephants, the deer and all other wild animals joined Him and were participating, in their own ways, by dancing and chanting Hare Krsna."

Prabhupada: Yes. Caitanya Mahaprabhu practically exhibited that hari-nama sankirtana, krsna-kirtana, can attract even animals, tigers, elephants. They also join with Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Of course, His power, our power is not the same. But there is potency. The potency... The potency, as we become powerful, gradually, by chanting Hare Krsna mantra, Caitanya Mahaprabhu has shown that one can come to the stage of enchanting the forest animals also. Go on.

Acyutananda: "Furthermore, a person engaged in Krsna consciousness, acting in devotional service, can develop all the good qualities that are generally found in the demigods. It is said by Sukadeva Gosvami in the Fifth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Eighteenth Chapter, 12th verse, 'My dear King, persons who have unflinching faith in Krsna and are without any duplicity can develop all the good qualities of the demigods.' "

Prabhupada: Yes. A devotee can develop all the good qualities of the demigodsimmediately. Because ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. As soon as the heart is cleansed... Because the soul, as he is, he's pure. Asango hy ayam purusah. The spirit soul is not contaminated or does not associate with the material modes of nature. It is simply an illusion, misidentification. Just like water and oil does not mix, but it appears that oil is fallen in the water, similarly, although we are in this material world, in the material consciousness, our identity is not actually in material consciousness. It is simply... Just like dreaming. The example is dreaming. Just like in dream I see so many hallucinations. Actually, dream is false. I am separate from the dream. But while dreaming, I think I am actually enjoying or suffering. Similarly, by the association of the modes of material nature, we are thinking like that. Otherwise, we are free from the contamination of the material nature. Simply by changing the consciousness, immediately we can transfer ourself to the spiritual platform. So the more we become advanced in Krsna consciousness, our original characteristics, which are very pure, they become manifest. Yasyasti bhaktir bhagavaty akincana sarvair gunais tatra samasate surah. The factual example is here, these European and American boys. They were addicted to so many nonsense habits, but since they have taken to Krsna consciousness they have given up all these nonsense habits immediately, without any very great endeavor. So this is the fact. Yasyasti bhaktir bhagavaty akincana sarvair gunais tatra. Pure character, pure qualities will be manifest. Harav abhaktasya kuto mahad-guna [SB 5.18.12]. Similarly, just the opposite: if one is not a devotee of Krsna, he cannot have any good qualities, however he may be educated academically. That is not possible. Harav abhaktasya kuto mahad-guna [SB 5.18.12]. Therefore, at the present moment, although the leaders are all very educated academically, but still, they cannot bring in peace in the society, because they're godless. Harav abhaktasya kuto mahad-guna [SB 5.18.12]. Great, great leaders, on account of their godlessness, they cannot lead the people nicely. Therefore there is no peace and prosperity in the society. Go on.

Acyutananda: "Furthermore, a person engaged in Krsna consciousness, acting in devotional service..." Oh. "It is said by Sukadeva Gosvami, 'On account of a devotee's high grade of Krsna consciousness, even the demigods like to live with him, and therefore it can be understood that the qualities of the demigods have developed within his body.' On the other hand, a person who is not in Krsna consciousness has no good qualities. He may be highly educated from the academic point of view, but in the actual field of his activities he can be seen to be baser than the animals."

Prabhupada: Yes. We see sometimes one man who is very educated, highly, university educated, but practical lifebaser than animal. Because he, he has no Krsna consciousness. He's not a devotee of Krsna. A devotee of Krsna cannot be like that. Go on.

Acyutananda: "Even though a person is highly educated academically, if he cannot go beyond the sphere of mental activities, then he is sure to perform only material activities and thus remain impure."

Prabhupada: Yes. Our so-called advancement of education means to live on the mental platform. Harav abhaktasya kuto mahad-guna manorathena [SB 5.18.12]. They have no information of the spiritual platform. They... After bodily concept of life, the next platform is mental and intellectual concept of life. But spiritual life is beyond mental and intellectual concept of life. So unless one comes to the spiritual platform, even on mental and intellectual platform, he cannot do anything good to the society. Hm.

Acyutananda: "There are so many persons in the modern world who have been highly educated in the materialistic universities, but it is seen that they cannot take up the movement of Krsna consciousness and develop the high qualities of the demigods."

Prabhupada: Go on.

Acyutananda: "For example, a Krsna conscious boy, even if he is not very well educated by the university standard, can immediately give up all illicit sex life, gambling, meat-eating and intoxication, whereas those who are not in Krsna consciousness, although very highly educated, are often drunkards, meat-eaters, sex-mongers and gamblers."

Prabhupada: Yes, this is... There is a practical example in this connection. Lord Zetland. He was a great philosopher, and he was governor of Bengal, and many good posts he held. But sometimes one of our Godbrothers went in London to preach, and this Lord Zetland, Marquis of Zetland, he asked the Gosvami that whether he could make him a brahmana. So he said yes, he could be made a brahmana, provided he can give up these habits: illicit-sex, gambling, meat-eating and intoxication. The honorable Lord replied: "It is impossible. It is impossible." So actually, unless one is trained into Krsna consciousness, it is not a very easy thing to give up all these bad habits. But practically we see, because these boys, these European, American boys, they have taken to Krsna consciousness very seriously, without any external endeavour, they have been able to give up all these bad habits. Go on.

Acyutananda: "These are practical proofs of how a Krsna conscious person becomes highly developed in good qualities, whereas a person who is not in Krsna consciousness cannot do so. We experience that even a young boy in Krsna consciousness is unattached to cinemas, night clubs, naked dance shows, restaurants, liquor shops, etc. He becomes completely freed. He saves his valuable time from being extravagantly spent in the way of smoking, drinking, and attending the theater and dancing. One who is not in Krsna consciousness usually cannot sit silently for even half an hour."

Prabhupada: Yes. That is also another symptom, restlessness. A Krsna conscious person can sit down in one place. Just like Haridasa Thakura. He was chanting Hare Krsna mantra, sitting one place, day and night. There is not a single example in the world that one can sit down, I mean to say, ordinary persons. They cannot. They must be restless. But Krsna consciousness is so nice that one can sit down in one place. Of course, it is not to be imitated. It is to be attained. Anywhere. Just like Gosvamis. They used to live underneath a tree one night. So these things are possible when one is advanced in Krsna consciousness. Go on.

Acyutananda: "The yoga system teaches that if you become silent, you will realize that you are God. This system may be all right for materialistic persons, but how long will they be able to keep themselves silent? Artificially, they may sit down for so-called meditation, but immediately after their yogic performance, they will engage themselves again in such activities as illicit sex life, gambling, meat-eating and many other nonsensical things. But a Krsna conscious person gradually elevates himself without endeavoring for this so-called silent meditation."

Prabhupada: Actually, yoga practice means yoga indriya-samyamah. The whole yogic process, astanga-yoga, is meant for controlling the senses. Durdanta indriya-kala-patali. Indriya, the senses, are just like snakes. As it is very difficult to enchant the snakes, similarly, it is very difficult to control the senses. And the yoga system (is) especially meant for controlling the senses, controlling the mind, and then concentrate on the form of Visnu. Dhyanavasthita-tad-gatena manasa pasyanti yam yoginah [SB 12.13.1]. This is yoga process. But practically we see the so-called yogis, or student of yoga class, I have seen in Western countries, they are habituated to all these nonsense habitsillicit sex, intoxication, meat-eating. Still, they're passing on as yogis. So that kind of yoga will not help. Go on.

Acyutananda: "Simply because he is engaged in Krsna consciousness, he automatically gives up all this nonsense and develops a high character. One develops the highest character by becoming a pure devotee of Krsna. The conclusion is that no one can truly have any good qualities if he is lacking Krsna consciousness."

Prabhupada: Harav abhaktasya kuto mahad-guna [SB 5.18.12]. This is the conclusion, that if one is not Krsna conscious, we do not accept him as highly qualified. That is the statement of Krsna Himself in the Bhagavad-gita:

Acyutananda: " 'Happiness In Krsna Consciousness.' Srila Rupa Gosvami has analyzed the different sources of happiness. He has divided happiness into three categories, which are (1) happiness derived from material enjoyment, (2) happiness derived by identifying oneself with the Supreme Brahman, and (3) happiness derived from Krsna consciousness. In the Tantra-sastra, Lord Siva speaks to his wife, Sati, in this way: 'My dear wife, a person who has surrendered himself at the lotus feet of Govinda and who has thus developed pure Krsna consciousness can be very easily awarded all the perfections desired by the impersonalists; and beyond this, he can enjoy the happiness achieved by the pure devotees.' "

Prabhupada: Go on.

Acyutananda: "Happiness derived from pure devotional service is the highest because it is eternal, but the happiness derived from material perfection or understanding oneself to be Brahman is inferior because it is only temporary. There is no preventing one's falling down from material happiness, and there is even every chance of falling down from the spiritual happiness derived from identifying oneself with the impersonal Brahman."

Prabhupada: Yes. Happiness, it is our experience that happiness derived from material enjoyment, that is not permanent. That we can understand. But happiness of identifying oneself with Brahman, aham brahmasmi, nirbheda-brahmanusandhana, that happiness is also not permanent. That is stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam: aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah patanty adhah anadrta yusmad-anghrayah [SB 10.2.32]. Aruhya krcchren... By great austerity, auspici..., and penance, one may rise up to the platform of Brahman realization, param padam. Aruhya krcchrena param padam patanty adhah [SB 10.2.32]. Again he falls down. We have seen many big, big sannyasi. they give up this world as brahma satyam jagan mithya, false. But after some time, when they cannot actually realize Brahman, they again come to this jagat for humanitarian work, for welfare activities. If jagat is mithya, then why do they come again to this welfare activity? So jagat is not mithya, but it is temporary. We do not say mithya. Vaisnava philosophers, they do not accept the jagat as mithya. Why? If it is emanation from the Absolute Truth, it must be true. It is not mithya, but we accept it as temporary. We do not accept as permanent. The permanent jagat is the spiritual world. Paras tasmat tu bhavah anyah [Bg. 8.20]. There is another spiritual world; that is sanatana, that is permanent. This world is not permanent. So even though it is not permanent, it can be utilized for the service of the Lord. Nirbandhe krsna-sambandhe yukta-vairagyam ucyate. That is our philosophy. We don't take the jagat as mithya; we take it as fact, because it is emanation from the supreme fact. So just like gold earring is also goldthat is not ironsimilarly, the, this material world is made of the external energy of Krsna. Therefore we do not find anything here wrong. We try to dovetail everything in the service of Krsna, because it is Krsna's. Just like one's property must be enjoyed by the proprietor. Krsna says that bhoktaram yajna-tapasam sarva-loka-mahesvaram [Bg. 5.29]. He's the proprietor of this world. Therefore everything dovetailed in His service for His satisfaction, that is devotional service. That is the professional (perfectional?) stage of serving Krsna. So we don't take the world as mithya.