Prabhupada: In the Bhagavad-gita Krsna says, the first beginning of the teachings of Bhagavad-gita you have to take. (aside:) No children. Otherwise it will be disturbed. When Arjuna accepted Krsna as the spiritual master, sisyas te 'ham sadhi mam prapannam [Bg. 2.7]. First of all, he was talking like friends. When he saw "The friendly talking will not help us," so Arjuna accepted Krsna as his spiritual master. Then as spiritual master He said, asocyan anvasocas tvam prajna-vadams ca bhasase: [Bg. 2.11] "My dear Arjuna, you are lamenting on the subject matter which is not the subject matter of lamentation, and you are talking like a very learned man." Gatasun agatasums ca nanusocanti panditah. This body, either alive or dead, it is not a serious subject matter of study, neither a learned man laments over it. This is the subject matter of Bhagavad-gita, or spiritual knowledge. Those who are not human being, according to Vedic sastra anyone who has no self-realization, he's animal. Yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke [SB 10.84.13]. If one is identifying with this body, "I am this body which is made of three elements, kapha, pitta, vayu..." Yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke. Tri-dhatuke, this combination of three elements. Sa eva go-kharah [SB 10.84.13]. He's animal. So practically now in this age especially, everyone is identifying with this body. That is the basic principle of nationalism, communism, or this "ism" or that "ism." The bodily conception of life. And according to Vedic version, anyone who is identifying with this body, he is animal. So under the circumstances-(aside:) Hare Krsnawe are trying to revive the spiritual education of the human society. That is Krsna consciousness movement. What is spirit soul, what is its identification, what is God, what is our relationship with Him, how to work on that plan. Then we become happy. Otherwise you may make various plan on material basis, it will never be successful and there is no question of happiness. Because the basic principle is lost. Apasyatam atma-tattvam grhesu grha-medhinam [SB 2.1.2]. This was spoken by Sukadeva Gosvami to Maharaja Pariksit, that srotavyadini rajendra nrnam santi sahasrasah [SB 2.1.2]. The subject matter of hearing, there are many thousands for persons who has no self-realization.

Guest (1): (indistinct)

Prabhupada: India is already there, but suppressed them. Bhagavad-gita is there, but are you preaching Bhagavad-gita? Why you don't preach this great science? Why you are disinterested? Answer this question.

Guest (1): But who has to preach?

Prabhupada: You have to preach, because you are born in India.

Guest (2): But you yourself didn't preach it here. First you went to USA.

Prabhupada: Yes, it is preaching. But the thing is that it is not in India, not outside India. But it is the duty of every Indian to do it. I tried preach it beginning from India, but nobody joined. Still they are not joining. What can I do?

Interviewer (3): But how to make the people realize importance of Bhagavad-gita?

Prabhupada: If you don't realize here is Bhagavad-gita as it is, Bhagavad-gita was spoken in India. If you don't take interest, who can induce you? If you don't take interest at all, those who are preaching Bhagavad-gita, they are making different interpretation.

Interviewer (3): I am a layman, I do not know the importance...

Prabhupada: You are not a layman, you are a representative of paper.

Guest (2): He doesn't mean that he's a layman, but suppose he is a layman...

Prabhupada: Layman, he must go to a person who is experienced.

Guest (2): But I am so preoccupied with my...

Prabhupada: You are taking so many education...

Guest (2): ...that I don't have to time to contemplate or study such things. Don't you think it's the responsibility of people like you to...

Prabhupada: That means you are not properly trained up. The thing is, the first business of human being is to inquire about the spiritual subject matter. Athato brahma jijnasa. This is the Vedanta philosophy. Now we have got this human form of body, it is your duty to inquire about the spiritual subject matter. But if your guardians, if your parents, if your government does not teach you, then it is our misfortune.

Interviewer (3): Do you want this to become a part of the educational system here?

Prabhupada: This is the first education. Otherwise it is animal. Animal does not require absolute education. Animal is not able to understand what is self, what is God. But a man can. Therefore the man's first business is to understand this self-realization.

Interviewer (3): Do you think it will come to India via the West now?

Prabhupada: I don't follow.

Interviewer (3): Will it come to India via the West?

Prabhupada: India is already there. You are neglecting. Why don't you admit that you are neglecting?

Interviewer (3): Will that neglect go, disappear, through the West?

Prabhupada: How will that? If you don't like it, how it will go?

Interviewer (4): No, no, my colleague's point is, we have not been accepting, we are not able to understand Bhagavad-gita on our own. Just because first Western people understand, and because of their...

Prabhupada: No, no, you have neglected. My charge is that you have neglected. Bhagavad-gita is there. Bhagavad-gita is spoken in India. Bhagavad-gita is there. I think every home has got a Bhagavad-gita, but if you do not study it, you neglect it, that is your fault.

Interviewer (3): No, that is because it is not part of the educational system.

Prabhupada: Because you have it. It is the first educational system.

Interviewer (3): No, but the system that we have here...

Prabhupada: That you have introduced. That is your unfortunate case.

Interviewer (4): No, that is because of historical reasons. We were ruined by a foreign...

Prabhupada: If the real subject matter of study you neglect, that is your negligence, your misfortune.

Interviewer (3): Now how to rectify this...

Prabhupada: You can take it now. You are simply arguing. Why don't you take it? That means you don't want to take it. There is the thing, but if you want, you can take it. But if you don't want, then how we can help you?

Interviewer (5): On you return from West do you feel..., do you think your movement in India has gained ground or created consciousness...

Prabhupada: I am not interested in any particular country. This is meant for the whole human society. As you think "India" or "America," we do not think like that. We take the opportunity wherever it is possible to introduce more and more we take that opportunity.

Interviewer (5): What is the response in India?

Prabhupada: Indian response we have seen when we held meeting in Calcutta, Bombay, Madras, thousands and thousands of people come here to hear about Bhagavad-gita. Inherently they are inclined, but there is no systematic education. That is the defect. Now the Janmastami day is coming I think every Indian will observe Krsna Janmastami, without any fail. But they are not being educated systematically about Krsna. They know Krsna, they are inclined to Krsna, the education of Krsna is there, but nobody is interested to give them properly, systematically. That is the difficulty.

Interviewer (4): How is the response in the West?

Prabhupada: Of course it is a foreign thing for them, but still they are coming and taking it very seriously.

Interviewer (5): Do you think they are taking to it because it is novel?

Prabhupada: Huh? No, many novel things go from here, but they are sticking to it. They are now seriously taking to it. They understand that this is a great science and we are publishing books. We have already published eighty-four books like that. Eighty-four of four hundred pages. And you'll be surprised that throughout the whole world we are selling books about sixty thousand dollars a day. That means six lakhs of rupees. That is the basic income for our expenditure, 102 centers all over the world.

Interviewer (3): A central minister the Parliament recently said that he will conduct a probe to see if there was anything fishy in this...

Prabhupada: Therefore I am bringing before you, before probing, you try to understand what is our income. We are selling these books six lakhs rupees daily, and we are spending it fifty percent for reprinting the books and fifty percent for expanding temples all over the world. This is our activities. Now you probe it or understand it.

Interviewer (3): This is the only source of revenue for the society?

Prabhupada: Yes.

Interviewer (4): Fifty percent books and for temples fifty percent?

Prabhupada: Fifty percent for expanding temples and fifty percent for reprinting books.

Interviewer (4): Do you have any other source, like donations or something like that for your movement?

Prabhupada: Very small. Mostly we have got a few cases of donation of land and house. Not very large sum or money, never.

Interviewer (4): But I thought Henry Ford has given some... I thought the Ford family has given some huge donation.

Prabhupada: Ford, he has given us two, three houses, not donation. But we have purchased two, three houses by the money of Mr. Ford, Alfred Ford, he's my disciple.

Interviewer (4): Some members the Parliament says, the movement is in some anti-Indian activities. What do you...?

Prabhupada: So you are intelligent man, you see what is that anti-Indian. We are spreading Indian culture, and this is anti-Indian. How foolish they are. Just see. We are spreading Bhagavad-gita as it is, and it is anti-Indian. Do you think like that?

Interviewer (5): What if somebody is using this as a cover-up?

Prabhupada: Huh? But if you have no eyes to see inside, you see the cover only. What can I do? (laughter) If you are so blind, what can I do?

Interviewer (5): What has the (indistinct) doing about solving world problems...

Prabhupada: Every problem can be solved by Bhagavad-gita. Every problem can be solved by Bhagavad-gita. You put any problem and there is answer.

Interviewer (5): How this movement has helped in solving any specific issue, any special problem?

Prabhupada: We think the real problem is they do not know what they are.

Interviewer (4): You mean to say that this should become part, an integral part of the educational system?

Prabhupada: That is the most important part. If you do not know what you are, then you are talking like a nonsense. If you have lost your identity, then what is your education?

Interviewer (4): No, but we should realize the politicians...

Prabhupada: It is not a question of politician or economics. It is general education, that you must know your identity, what you are. Then knowledge...

Interviewer (4): I am living under the system, and that system is...

Prabhupada: But if the system is wrong, then you are living wrongly. You are misled.

Interviewer (4): That means the movement should make an attack on the politicians, people who make the decisions.

Prabhupada: No. Politician, of course, it is, in the Bhagavad-gita it is stated imam rajarsayo viduh [Bg. 4.2]. This system, this science, was understood by the rajarsi, kings who were as good as rsis, rajarsis. So where is that politician, politician as good as a rsi? That is the difficulty. It is meant for rajarsi. Raja and rsi. Just like Janaka Maharaja, Pariksit Maharaja, Yudhisthira Maharaja, Prahlada Maharaja, they were kings, but they were at the same time so great and saintly, they were called rajarsi, and this is a subject matter for the rajarsis. Imam vivasvate yogam proktavan aham avyayam [Bg. 4.1], manur iksvakave 'bravit, uh...

Harikesa: Vivasvan manave praha.

Prabhupada: Ah, vivasvan manave praha manur iksvakave 'bravit, evam parampara-praptam imam rajarsayo viduh [Bg. 4.2]. So where is rajarsi? That is the difficulty. Where is that brahmana, where is that ksatriya, where is that system? Now anyone can capture the political power by hook and crook, that is another thing. But it is meant for the rajarsi, imam rajarsayo viduh. Where is their training? The politician, where he is trained up as rsi? There is no such service.

Interviewer (4): Has there been any official opposition to your movement in any country?

Prabhupada: No, no.

Interviewer (3): Your movement is spreading largely. Do you think that it will be welcome in the Communist countries?

Prabhupada: Yes, I have been in Moscow. I saw many learned professors. We are selling our books there.

Interviewer (3): You are selling your books in Moscow?

Prabhupada: Oh, yes. Everyone, every intelligent man will accept. We are selling books in East Germany, which is Communist. They are taking our books.

Interviewer (4): Are there any centers of the society in the Communist world?

Prabhupada: We have not tried so far. Anukulyena krsnanusilanam [Cc. Madhya 19.167].

Interviewer (4): Maybe such a thing is not allowed.

Prabhupada: No, we have gone there, but there are difficulties to start. People are interested. Everywhere people are interested.

Interviewer (4): What is the response in the Islamic countries?

Prabhupada: Yes, we have got many students. In Iran we have got center and there are many Muslims. They are our student.

Interviewer (5): What is the response in Iran?

Prabhupada: Iran? The response, they are hearing, but some of them, they are already converted student. Our head of the institution in Iran is Atreya Rsi. His name was Attar (indistinct).

Interviewer (5): You have some project here. Can you kindly explain what is that?

Prabhupada: Our project is Bhagavad-gita, learn Bhagavad-gita and apply it practically in your life.

Interviewer (5): (indistinct)

Prabhupada: Yes, we are trying to establish an institution in Kuruksetra to teach Bhagavad-gita in practical life and inviting students all over the world. That is our program. We have asked for some land from the government. So if the government gives us the land, we can try it also.

Interviewer (5): (indistinct) Hyderabad?

Prabhupada: The same program.

Interviewer (4): Here also you have some land or something, I was told.

Prabhupada: Here?

Interviewer (5): In Hyderabad.

Interviewer (4): You have some project?

Prabhupada: Yes, we are trying to... (to devotee:) Land, what is that land? You can give the description.

Devotee: It is near (indistinct) village. It has not yet been confirmed, it is under procedure, but we are trying to develop a big project there, depending on formal procedures...

Prabhupada: Our project is Krsna consciousness. Come here, live peacefully, keep your body fit, and work for yourself, you produce your own food, you produce your own cloth, don't be very much anxious for artificial necessities, and save time, and be advanced in spiritual life.

Interviewer (3): Some sort of religious epithet.

Prabhupada: It is not exactly religious. You have taken by it because we misunderstand the meaning of religion. Religion generally understood as a kind of cult and faith. But in the Vedic literature, religion means the characteristic. Just like sugar is sweet, that is its religion. If sugar becomes pungent, that is not sugar's characteristic. Similarly, a human being must be God conscious. So that God consciousness is religion. Because in the human form of life one can understand what is God, and if he does not become, he remains an animal. Animal cannot understand. So therefore his business is how to athato brahma jijnasa. This is not our manufactured word, this is the Vedanta words. Atha, now we have got this human form body, based on that transmigration of the soul after millions and millions of years, bahunam janmanam ante [Bg. 7.19], you have got this human form of life, now it is your business to inquire about the Absolute Truth. This is the business of human life. And ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithuna, how to eat, how to sleep, how to enjoy sex life and how to defend, that is animal business. If you remain busy with these four principles of bodily necessities of life, ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithuna, then you remain on he animal platform. Beyond that, when you inquire about God, that is human life. Athato brahma jijnasa. So we are trying to raise him from this animal life to human life. This is our business.

Interviewer (3): So you help people inquire God.

Prabhupada: Yes, because that is business. Athato brahma jijnasa But they are forgetting that, that there is necessity of inquiring about God. To inquire about my relationship with God, what is God, they are neglecting this. Not only here, all over the world, it is becoming more and more acute.

Interviewer (4): So in relation to your movement, where does Marxism stand?

Prabhupada: It is not my movement, it is the Vedic culture. Don't think... If you say "my movement," I have manufactured something. Not. This is the Vedic culture.

Interviewer (4): No, from the standpoint of this culture...

Prabhupada: Standpoint is that I am trying to revive the Vedic culture, that's all. That is my business. I am not manufacturing anything.

Interviewer (4): No, but how do you explain the advance that Marxism has made in the world?

Prabhupada: Huh?

Hari-sauri: How do you explain the advance that Marxism has made?

Prabhupada: There are so many "isms." If I go to criticize and study, it will take most of our time. Better positively present what you want. If you like you can take it, that's all. There are so many "isms." When we become animal, then we manufacture so many "isms."

Interviewer (4): So is it correct from what that any culture...

Prabhupada: It is correct because Krsna says. Krsna is infallible. We are not manufacturing anything, so it is correct because Krsna says. Mattah parataram nanyat [Bg. 7.7], He is the supreme authority. But we have no faith in Krsna, therefore we manufacture something other than Krsna. That is our misfortune.

Interviewer (4): You mean to say that any system that doesn't subscribe to this movement has no future at all?

Prabhupada: No.

Interviewer (4): But that is (indistinct).

Prabhupada: Yes, that we say practically. What is the use of "ism," manufactured by imperfect senses. We have got defects. Our..., we commit mistake. Who is the person who does not commit mistake? None. We accept this body, which I am not, this is called pramada. Pramada vipralipsa,(?) without any perfect knowledge you want to teach. That is cheating. Vipralipsa. And karnapada(?), our senses are imperfect. So how you can give perfect knowledge with all this imperfection? Unless you become perfect, you cannot give perfect knowledge. So any knowledge given by any imperfect person, we reject immediately, useless waste of time. And actually that is the fact. If you are blind, you cannot see. You say, "Here is the elephant, a big stambha, pillar," by seeing his leg, by touching his leg. But elephant is just like a pillar? That is our speculation. Andha-kupa, what is called? Kupa-manduka. A frog in the well is trying to study Atlantic Ocean.

Devotee: Kupa-manduka.

Prabhupada: Kupa-manduka. What you know about the Atlantic Ocean who's living within three feet of land, water? Kupa-manduka.

Interviewer (?): (Hindi)

Prabhupada: Upastha means...

Interviewer (?): (Hindi)

Prabhupada: Samasa. So we are imperfect, just like they are going to study the planets. What they will study from here? This kind of knowledge has no value, speculation.

Interviewer (4): That is something inborn, isn't it? That scientists...

Prabhupada: Yes, that is your inquisiti... You have got born inquisitiveness, jijnasu, that is especially manifested in human form of life. So for jijnasu it is recommended, tasmad gurum prapadyeta jijnasuh sreya uttamam [SB 11.3.21]. You have to go to the proper person. So that we are not doing. Tasmad gurum prapadyeta. Tad vijnanartham sa gurum evabhigacchet [MU 1.2.12]. These are the Vedic injunctions. Jijnasu is our natural instinct, but we go to who has no knowledge. That is the difficulty. We are misled. But the knowledge is there already, the Vedic knowledge is there. There are so many Vedas, Upanisads, Vedanta-sutra, and Bhagavad-gita, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Puranas, but there is no systematic study of this literature. We are neglecting.

Interviewer (5): Swamiji, another doubt. In this maha-mantra that you publicize, Hare Krsna, it is Krsna that is emphasized. (indistinct) emphasis His Bhagavata and other things are popularized. Is it corresponding...

Prabhupada: Krsna is the origin of everything. If you have studied Bhagavad-gita, Krsna says aham adir hi devanam [Bg 10.2]. Aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam pravartate [Bg. 10.8]. Mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya [Bg. 7.7]. So Krsna is the Supreme. If you accept it that this is supreme name of God, Krsna, Hare Krsna, Hare Rama.

Interviewer (4): The same claim is made by Durga also.

Prabhupada: What is that?

Interviewer (4): (indistinct)-sakti cult, they also give you the same...

Prabhupada: Yes, Durga, we say

Host: With your permission I must thank with the permission of Swamiji, my friends, I welcome you to my humble house. Today, though you are all very, very busy, but you have made it a point to come and listen to Swamiji speak to you theory, lessons, and his belief and faith. It depends how we take it. Because I have faith in him, I have faith in his teachings, that is why, I being a politician, I being a member of Parliament and the legislative assembly, deputy minister and the ambassador, I have requested and begged of him to come to my humble house to spread his knowledge, which he is giving to the other parts of the world. Last time he visited in a very similar manner, we have got a small gathering here. So at that time I hope you will pardon me, I couldn't think of you all, thinking that, you know, the journalist friends are my good friends, and they are very knowledgeable friends, and that is why they can put so many questions. And by putting so many questions will get the answers by that we are enlightened. So that is why now it is the time for Swamiji to go for mangala-arati. He has given me something. I am a student of Bhagavad-gita. My guruji is there, he's doing puja. He has given me something when I met him, when I heard him, he has given me a gupta-dana. That is datavyam iti yad danam diyate 'nupakarine dese kale ca patre ca tad danam sattvikam smrtam. It is in the Seventeenth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita, it is as far as sukrta is concerned. So that is why he has given me something that indirectly gupta-dana. So I said always I should follow. Unfortunately, I could not meet him. Recently when I was..., till recently when I was an ambassador I was to go to Nairobi, I was in Somalia, but unfortunately things couldn't materialize. But now if at all I get an opportunity of going abroad I shall be visiting all the institutions, their organizations, their temples, because I am a member of this Krsna consciousness movement, life member. I have canvassed, some have become. Canvassed means I've just put a word. Some have become, I who requested, some of my friends who have not become, to become members of Krsna conscious, permanent members, life members, like Mrs. Yamuna is here. Yamuna's husband, Raman Rao is here. And I would like you also to become, others also to become.

Prabhupada: I was explaining, imam rajarsayo viduh [Bg. 4.2]. If the big big politicians, head of the state, they understand, yad yad acarati sresthah lokas tad anuvartate [Bg. 3.21], others will follow.

Host: Others will follow. So I must thank you for coming. I request you, if you have little time, you could sit there and listen to Swamiji, other people also are coming, and have little prasadam and go, see, after having come to my humble house, see my puja room also, how humbly I keep that puja room, so that we learn, we must learn to keep up our religion. When we become educated, when we become ministers, ambassadors, we forget our.... When we become big people, very big people, our eyes jump up and go to the head here. When we become rich people and money peoplewho is speaking to you? Not a rich man. A man who comes from a humble family. The man who was born in a tiled-roofed house. So I have never changed. My, among my friends, you have seen a friends sitting here, and also the village which I come from, he has seen where I staying and where I am staying now. But I am not changed. But at the same time I have not forgotten my religion. I have not changed my faith. Many people say you must know that I drink. Am I a drunkard? Am I a trouble-maker? No. Sometimes in the society it becomes a necessity. I am not a sadhu, I am not a sannyasi, I have not renounced the world. Many of you have drunk with me. Some of you at least. So what? Am I a sinner, if I remember my religion, if I pray my God, if I pray my Lord? No. I do not dupe anybody, do not cheat anybody, do not harm anybody, do not hurt anybody. That's what I have been following. That is why I think my God has been very very kind to me. That is why, because of Lord Krsna, all of you have been very kind to me throughout... Can you imagine a poor man born in a poor family winning four elections without money? People spend lakhs. Lord knows in 1952 how much money have I spent? Two thousand rupees. '58, '57 maybe twelve thousand rupees. '62 maybe about forty to forty-five thousand. Of course, '67 was expensive for me. I had to sell away my humble house. So this is all faith. Faith in God, faith in country, that is patriotism. Without patriotism we talk and yap a lot. "What do you think of this? What do you think of this?" My country is my country, no other country. This is my country. That is desa-bhakti. All people say that, you know, "My religion is my religion, that is my bhakti. But my country comes first." That is known as patriotism. In Urdu it is said, (indistinct) "We will die for the nation one day." If you remember, my friends, I was one of those in 1962 offered to join as a soldier against Chinese aggression. Not only offered, I have submitted my resignation to Jawaharlal Nehru, which was not accepted because of certain problems at that time. Because of my age, because of my age, and also the Bilateral Talks, Colombo Proposals came. Never mind. That should be the spirit among us, and particularly youngsters, particularly youngsters. They must not forget their religion, they must not forget their country. So anyway, leaders come and go, we all come and go. I am not a leader, please don't put me as a leader. I am one of the humblest workers in this country. I am coming from the humblest section of the society also. The leaders come. (Hindi) If you want to translate you translate, (Hindi). But the country remains (Hindi). (end)