Room Conversation with Guest
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
July 11, 1973, London

Prabhupada: So I do not know why these people protest against me. Krsna says, Sukadeva Gosvami says, Caitanya Mahaprabhu says. I do not know what Sankaracarya says, but…

Guest: When, when advaita-darsana was the main doctrine of adi-sankaracarya. So there should not be any dvaita between brahmana and sudra.

Prabhupada: (laughs) That is, from argument, it is all right. Yes. Why one should see Brahman and not-Brahman? Yes.

Guest: There is only one God.

Prabhupada: There is only one God.

Guest: Eko brahma dvitiyo nasti.

Prabhupada: Nasti. So…

Guest: Only one God dwells everywhere.

Prabhupada: And Krsna says that sarva-yonisu kaunteya murtayah sambha…aham bija-pradah pita [Bg. 14.4]. He’s the original seed- giving father of all living entities, in any form. So not only human beings, but also animals, birds, beasts. Krsna is the original father. Jivera… Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, jivera svarupa haya nitya-krsna-dasa [Cc. Madhya 20.108-109]. And Krsna also: mamaivamso jiva-bhutah [Bg. 15.7].

Guest: Jiva-bhutah sanatanah [Bg. 15.7].

Prabhupada: So why other jivas should be left aside? Why they should not understand Krsna. And actually, they are understanding Krsna better than many Indians. They have taken very seriously. They do not put any competitor of Krsna. Our Hindus, they put forward so many competitors of Krsna: “Why Krsna shall be God? I have got my own God.” Especially after the preaching of this Vivekananda, that “You can create your own God,” it has become very simple business to create one God.

Guest: Well, then, that time, when Swami Vivekananda went to America, the country was not independent, not liberated. So at that time…

Prabhupada: Who?

Guest: Swami Vivekananda, at that time…

Prabhupada: No, who was not liberated?

Guest: This country of India. India was not liberated. So…

Prabhupada: So what was the connection with liberation?

Guest: Ne. Because at that time there’s some proud of nation and some proud of culture. He wanted to…

Prabhupada: No, I don’t think in America there was such conception. America had nothing to do with the British ruling. Rather, they declared independence from British rule.

Guest: I don’t know what was the main idea of Swami Vivekananda at that time, when he preached that, this Vedanta.

Prabhupada: No, I have read his Chicago speech. In that speech, he openly says, “Why do you care for God? You work hard, and why do you give credit to God?” Like that. Rather, one Christian priest protested…

Guest: But many times Swami Vivekananda himself went to temples and bowed down before Kali, before Sri Krsna, before Sri Bhavani, and many other temples. He went to Kanya-kumari and prayed before Mother.

Prabhupada: Hm. Distribute the prasada. Bhagavan ka prasada. Hm. That’s all. So it is a great pleasure for us. Your Holiness visits us voluntarily. Although I could not invite you, but still, you are so kind, you came. So I am doing my bit, following in the footsteps of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. That’s all.

Guest: It is a great service to Hindu dharma and Hindu society and humanity as well.

Prabhupada: They are strictly following Vaisnava principles. They… Whenever one comes to become my disciple, the first condition is that no illicit sex; no meat-eating, eggs, fish, nothing of the sort; no intoxication up to smoking cigarette, drinking tea and coffee; and no gambling. So they strictly follow these things. In our society, there is no tea-drinking even. We don’t drink tea. So… Intoxication, pana, chai pana, pana… Pana is intoxication.

Guest: Tambula…

Prabhupada: Tambula. Yatra papas catur-vidha.

Guest: (Sanskrit or Hindi: Krsna is offered tambula in the temple.)

Prabhupada: No, Krsna can take.

Guest: Yes. And that prasada of Bhagavan Sri Krsna…

Prabhupada: Yes.

Guest: …the devotees can take also…

Prabhupada: No, prasadam, according to our principle… Just like on Ekadasi day, we do not accept even prasadam. Anna. We keep it. So prasadam… Just like on Ekadasi anna is prohibited, but not the Deity. Deity’s offered anna, but we cannot take the prasadam even. So following strictly the principle, even tambula is offered to Krsna, it is not for us. Yes. Strictly following the principle. The same example… Just like on Ekadasi day, anna is offered to Krsna, but we don’t take.

Guest: The devotees are not allowed.

Prabhupada: Not allowed, yes.

Guest: Accha.

Prabhupada: Accha.

Guest: I’m very grateful to have your darsana. Om namo narayanaya.

Prabhupada: Jaya. Hare Krsna. (end)