SPD05-01 Śrīla Prabhupāda in Germany

[15.18 minutes]

[commentary in German; subtitles in English]

[00:10] [Narrator:] Young Krsna devotees prepare for a wedding ceremony in the ancient Hindu tradition.

[00:16] Krsna is the Indian name of God in His personal form, and there are many followers in the country.

[00:23] The International Society for Krishna Consciousness is probably the most striking choice

[00:29] among the youth who are searching for spiritual meaning from the ages of 18 to 25.

[00:38] The saffron-robed male members shave their heads as a sign of renunciation from the bodily concept of life and a pathto humility.

[00:46] A lock of hair is left on the back of the head. It indicates the devotee is a "personalist,"

[00:53] someone who understands God as a spiritual personality instead of an impersonal concept such as "light" or "void."

[01:14] In 1966, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness was founded and incorporated in the USA

[01:19] by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

[01:26] The foundation of the sect's teachings is from the ancient Vedic literature from which all Hindus derive their philosophy.

[01:31] There are four thousand full-time members worldwide. In Germany there are more than 150 (census in 1974).

[01:38] The mission is led by the founder and managed worldwide by a Governing Body Commission.

[01:44] The individual centers are managed by temple presidents.

[01:55] [German Devotee:] "The purpose of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness is to help people of all religions

[02:00] to understand that God, Krsna, is the proprietor of everything and that everything should be employed in the service of God.

[02:04] The Krsna devotees believe that quarreling like cats and dogs has manifest

[02:08] because people have lost their understanding of who is the real owner of everything.

[02:11] They promote the non-sectarian chanting of the holy name of God,

[02:15] Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare,

[02:21] as the best way in this age to awaken our original, blissful consciousness.

[02:27] I hope that all human beings utilize their life for the highest purpose-to learn to love God and all His parts and parcels.

[02:31] Please try to seriously understand this profound knowledge offered in these books.

[02:35] Hare Krsna."

[02:37] [Narrator:] The involvement in Hare Krsna life means to completely break with the past and minimize mundane relationships.

[02:46] For some, that is quite a change.

[02:50] [German Devotee 2:] "I did many things before joining.

[02:53] I took a lot of drugs,

[02:56] I tried numerous jobs, studied various philosophies, but they weren't satisfying

[03:07] until I came to Krsna consciousness.

[03:10] There I really found the strongest drug."

[03:14] [Narrator:] Among the younger Krishnas, many were looking for answers that would help them find inner peace.

[03:22] However, spiritual life requires discipline and other obligations.

[03:31] [Woman Devotee:] "Spending time with devotees on the road, I found myself fascinated by their philosophy and lifestyle,

[03:37] so much so that I wanted to become one of them."

[03:41] [German Devotee 3:] "Before I met the devotees I had taken many drugs. I thought that I was committing suicide.

[03:50] The devotees helped me out of this awful condition. Finally, I found relief from my misery."

[04:01] [Narrator:] The younger Krishnas are not generally employed in businesses.

[04:04] Their life is rather austere. They don't live a luxurious existence.

[04:08] At 4 a.m. they rise together in the temple for their morning prayers.

[04:11] The monks spend the afternoon chanting publicly.

[04:16] This activity could be considered missionary employment.

[04:18] The devotees sell their books with a hopeful attitude that the entire world will come to understand

[04:23] the bliss and freedom that comes from being Krsna conscious.

[04:26] Who does it interest?

[04:31] [German Devotee 4:] "Primarily young people are most attracted to learning about Krsna consciousness."

[04:35] [German man on the street:] "How do they earn their living?"

[04:37] [German Devotee 4:] "We are busy translating many books of our spiritual master into German, and devotees are eagerly distributing them.

[04:44] We are producing music and making incense to sell."

[04:54] [Narrator:] There is no question that they are busy, but their methods of distribution are suspect.

[05:01] In 1974 the Frankfurt Public Prosecutor's office investigated their quarters in Rettershof.

[05:10] The officials looked into whether their street collections were lawful.

[05:14] The Krishnas claimed that their solicitations of thousands of marks were going to feed hungry children in India.

[05:34] In reality, the money went into the general treasury of the local organization in order to expand their mission.

[05:51] However, the devotees themselves lead a demanding life.

[05:56] Their food is strictly vegetarian and prepared according to Vedic recipes.

[06:00] The Vedas are a collection of sacred hymns, prayers, mantras and incantations. They form the philosophical foundations of Indian beliefs.

[06:08] Veda means knowledge. The Vedas explain both material and spiritual principles.

[06:15] The Krishnas believe that prasadam, food offered to God, Krsna,

[06:23] is spiritualized, and that everyone who eats it will attain self-realization.

[06:26] They also believe that anyone who takes even the smallest amount will be guaranteed a human birth in their next life.

[06:44] In the temples, living quarters and hallways, pictures of Krsna,

[06:51] and His most recent incarnation as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, are present.

[07:01] Krsna is seen as the origin of all incarnations, even Visnu.

[07:06] In the Bhagavad-gita, the Bible of all Hindus, Krsna speaks 700 verses

[07:12] which describe all knowledge of the spiritual realm and how to achieve it.

[07:15] The Bhagavad-gita concludes that bhakti, loving devotional service to the Supreme Lord, is the best path to God.

[07:30] Four hundred years ago, in what is now known as Bengal, Sri Caitanya displayed the perfection of the path of bhakti.

[07:45] Their leader, His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, is the spiritual master, guru, of our

[07:48] age, according to their opinion. Only by the grace of a pure devotee of Krsna can a person be given correct instruction

[07:50] on the path to Krsna, and thus be thoroughly fulfilled in loving devotion to God.

[08:08] His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada came to visit the Rettershof castle, where the devotees

[08:16] have their temple and asrama. Though more than 80 years old, this former businessman from

[08:20] Calcutta engages in the daily chanting of the maha-mantra, the "great chant for deliverance."

[08:29] The devotees have vowed to repeat the mantra 1,728 time each day.

[08:40] They chant on a string of 108 beads kept in a bag, and they keep track on a separate counter of small beads.

[at an initiation ceremony]

[08:54] [Hamsadūta:] [to initiate] Say the four principles in German.

[08:59] [Initiate:] [in German] No eating of meat, fish or eggs, no drugs, no illicit sex and no gambling.

[09:08] [Satsvarūpa:] Kalagni.

[09:13] [Prabhupada:] Kalagni. Kalagni means who sets fire to the time immemorial.

[09:21] [Hamsadūta:] [explains name in German]

[09:27] [Prabhupada:] Right hand.

[09:28] [Hamsadūta:] [explains in German]

[09:33] [Narrator:] The four principles specify the way of life for the Krsna devotees.

[09:37] The consumption of meat, drugs, coffee, nicotine, etc., is not allowed.

[09:47] Gambling is forbidden.

[09:49] Sexual relations are permitted only between married people, and then only for the purpose of procreation.

[09:57] Upon acceptance of the beads, the initiation ceremony is completed.

[10:02] From now on, the devotee must be Krsna's servant with body and soul.

[10:07] A disciple must be submissive to the authority of the guru.

[10:13] Often, such surrender does not appear liberating to the outsider. It can be interpreted as restrictive.

[10:20] Swami Prabhupada, previously known as Abhay Charan De, studied philosophy, economy and English at university in Calcutta.

[10:29] He has written approximately sixty books.

[10:32] He writes exclusively on subjects about Krsna consciousness.

[11:15] Ardent dancing and chanting will restore the world's harmony and bring about unity in God's service.

[11:24] The devotees engage in different activities to attain this goal.

[11:35] The Krishnas established schools to educate their children in spiritual values.

[11:39] There are boarding schools in Dallas, USA, and outside Paris.

[11:48] In India, the Society is establishing new temples, which will become centers of pilgrimage.

[11:53] In the USA and England, devotees apply their Krsna consciousness to develop self-sufficient farm communities.

[12:06] What is the basic philosophy of the Krsna devotees?

[12:08] Srila Prabhupada describes his teachings in this way:

[12:17] [Prabhupada:] "We beings, part and parcel of God, or sons of God, originally we have got our..."

[12:27] [Narrator:] [translating Prabhupada's lecture] We living beings are part of God.

[12:31] Originally, we were all Krsna conscious,

[12:34] or God conscious.

[12:37] In this artificial material civilization, we have forgotten it.

[12:41] We want to only satisfy the senses of our body.

[12:46] Now this God consciousness must be revived.

[12:50] It is just like the fool who leaves his home in order to live independently because he has forgotten that his father is a very rich man.

[13:03] He becomes unintelligent and forgets his father.

[13:06] Therefore, it is best for this fool to go back to his father, so he can regain his original consciousness.

[13:15] That is the meaning of Krsna consciousness.

[13:19] It is nothing unnatural. This is the program of Krsna consciousness. It is not new or manufactured...

[13:24] [Prabhupada:] "...is to cure that madman to his original consciousness and get him back to his rich father; and then he will be happy.

[13:31] This is the program of Krsna consciousness, and there is nothing manufactured."

[13:43] [Narrator:] The day ends in the asrama.

[13:47] A final prayer is offered to Krsna before the devotees rest at 10.30 p.m.

[13:58] Compared with other spiritual movements, the community of young Krishnas is very small.

[14:04] Nevertheless, like all other religious communities of Asiatic origin which preach in this country,

[14:13] the Krsna phenomenon should be taken seriously, despite criticism.

[14:20] The Western so-called "progressive" thinking of our age has failed in answering the questions of life for our young people.

[14:32] The East offers alternatives.

[14:36] Is the increasing interest in it more than only a fashion?