Morning Walk Conversation
with His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
December 11, 1973, Los Angeles

Prabhupada: …innocent child, woman, they’re innocent. They should be given full protection. There is no such thing. They’re being exploited, keeping them unmarried, and the hotels, and the clubs, and the, what is called? Top… top…

Devotees: Topless.

Prabhupada: Topless, bottomless. That is going on. It is a regular policy that girls may remain unmarried, and the drunkards and the meat-eaters may take advantage of the prostitution. This is the policy. They have no sympathy. So many hundreds and thousands of innocent girls, they’re like children. And they’re exposed to prostitution. They have no shelter. Now these girls who are with us, they’re feeling some shelter, you see? That we are giving some shelter. Everything should be reformed, political, social, and be, you American nation—you’re favored nation, that I am always speaking; you should utilize the favor of God and be yourself perfect—and be leader of the whole world. Anyone who is not believer in God, he should be punished. Because he’s animal. He is animal, and he is posing himself as human being. Cheater. Human life is meant for tapasya, for understanding God. That is human life. This dog’s life, cat’s life, this is not human life. If you become a very powerful tiger, is that human life? They’re thinking like that. “If I become as strong as a tiger, then there we are perfect nation.” Then what is the use of tiger? It is simply kill only. What other intelligence he has got? So in your country there are so many things to be done. I give you the idea, now you take the leaders. [break] Rascal. Sentimental. Be yourself leader. [break] …you give up all this material advancement. But there must be Krsna consciousness. Otherwise it is waste of time. Live very comfortably, gentlemanly. Krsna never says that “You live like wretched urchins.” Krsna never says that. Yuktahara-viharasya yogo bhavati duhkha-ha. And this was practically introduced by my Guru Maharaja, that living in palatial building and riding on first-class cars, one can become the best devotee. Not that one has to live underneath a tree, imitating Rupa Gosvami. That is not possible in this age. That is the continuation of my Guru Maharaja, that if one is sincere he can remain a first-class devotee even in this material opulence. And if he would not have introduced, then it was not possible to come here and preach this gospel. That because the principle was to live underneath a tree, go to Vrndavana, and have loincloth, just like the babajis are imitating. No. Even in full material opulence we can become a perfect devotee, provided you follow the principles. It doesn’t matter. Grhe va… It was sung by Narottama dasa Thakura long ago. Grhe va banete thake. Either you live in the forest or in the city, opulent city, the business is gauranga bole rakhe: always thinking of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Narottama mage tarsan.(?) Narottama dasa Thakura says, “I want their association, who is a devotee of Lord Gauranga.” It doesn’t matter whether he lives in the forest or in the opulent city. It doesn’t matter. He must be devotee. [break] Household life or in city life we should not be extravagant, unnecessarily eating, unnecessarily enjoying. No, that is not the… One man’s food, another man’s poison. We must know this philosophy. [break] …and even we…, my health is not always going on nicely. Still, why I am trying? That is my ambition. I want to begin one revolution. Their godless civilization…, against godless civilization. That is my ambition. The America will be the best person to be educated in this line and to lead, to become the leaders. They’re already leader, but they must be real leader now, so that the whole world may be happy. That I can give direction. If the topmost American gentlemen come to me, I can give them direction how they can become the world leader. Actual leader. Actual leader, not bogus leader. Because God has favored them, so many things. And this movement has been started from America. I started this movement from New York. So it should be taken very seriously by the government. [break]

Hrdayananda: …important?

Prabhupada: Ah?

Hrdayananda: You’re saying that America is the most important?

Prabhupada: Yes.

Hrdayananda: You think…

Prabhupada: Therefore I come to your country…

Hrdayananda: So perhaps…

Prabhupada: …because you’re most important. Now you must… Under my guidance you must be real important, not false important.

Hrdayananda: So perhaps I should stay here then and preach.

Prabhupada: Ah?

Hrdayananda: If it is so important, I think perhaps I should stay here and help Rupanuga.

Prabhupada: Yes. Turn your whole nation, turn into God consciousness, because they’ve declared in the Constitution, “In God we trust.” Now they must take it very seriously. What does it mean by “God”? What does it mean by “trust”? You take this propaganda. We are doing, actually. We trust in God; therefore we have sacrificed our whole life for God. This is trust in God. Not that smoking in the parlor, and you trust in God. Not that kind of trust. Real trust. Trust means first of all you know what is God. Suppose that if you say “Trust this man.” But I must know what is this man. Then my trust will be convinced, that “He is very respectful man, he’s rich man, he’s able man…” Yes, I can trust. But simply trust in God, you do not know what is God, what is trust, and it is going on. Why this bluff? Ah? What you say?

Prajapati: That that’s right, Srila Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: Yes. So you must take this clue, that we Americans, we say “In God we trust.” Now, every American should know what is God, what is trust. This is propaganda, Krsna consciousness. The government must come forward to patronize this. This is my proposition. So you write articles, you are theologicians. The America must rise up to the occasion. They have pledged themselves, “In God we trust.” Every human nation or every human being should be like that. In God they must trust. So America, especially taken up the slogan as part of Constitution. Now there should be regular educational program, that every child, every man, every woman will trust in God. And this is Krsna consciousness. So? Am I wrong in my arguments?

Devotee: No, correct.

Prabhupada: So why don’t you take it seriously, you American boys?

Prajapati: Also in the Constitution, Srila Prabhupada, there is a thing called separation of church and state, that they would have…

Prabhupada: Yes, that is all right. We want to educate, we don’t want to take part in administration. But the administration should be under our guidance; they should take advice from us, how to do it. That is required. We are not going to be president. We are satisfied in our humble temple.

Karandhara: According to traditional American values, though, the government should not take instruction from the church.

Prabhupada: That is their… But… Church means… Because they’ve seen church is useless.

Karandhara: Yes.

Prabhupada: Now here is scientific church. They refuse to take advice from the church because at the present moment church is a bogus thing. So what is the use of taking advice from them?

Hrdayananda: That was actually… That was actually the reason they made that separation.

Prabhupada: Yes.

Hrdayananda: They became disgusted with the…

Prabhupada: Yes. It’s simply, we can say, what is called? Stereotype, the church. Just like you said they want more pay. Payment… They have no knowledge, so what is the use of taking advice from such rascals? What is the use? But here it is not like that. We know the science of God. We know who is God. It is not a vague thing. Now you try to understand. Let there be educational institution. America has got so many universities. Let there be a department. There is already a religious department. So let the students learn the science of God. We have got so many books. Why they will not? They are actually appreciating. So this should be introduced in the university, in colleges, in schools. Why they should neglect such a, such an important scientific knowledge?

Devotee (1): When we try to introduce it sometimes, they very often say that it is sectarian.

Prabhupada: Not sectarian. You do not know. Why do you say sectarian? How it is sectarian?

Devotee (1): They say that it represents…

Prabhupada: We are preaching God consciousness. So is it not for everyone? God consciousness is sectarian? Is it meant for certain sect? Or it is meant for human beings?

Hrdayananda: The difficulty is that nowadays every common man has his own God…, theory of God consciousness.

Prabhupada: No, no, every common man he says “I got my mathematics.” Will he be accepted?

Hrdayananda: No.

Prabhupada: So why these things should be allowed? That is our proposition. Every man will say, “No, I’ve got my own mathematics.” Will he be allowed? So we have to fight, otherwise what is the meaning of preaching?

Hrdayananda: Fight.

Prabhupada: If you think that everything will be accepted very easily, then what is the necessity of preaching?

Hrdayananda: Jaya!

Prabhupada: And propaganda.

Hrdayananda: You have to fight.

Prabhupada: You must know that they are all rascals. That I said, rascals, unbelievers. You have to convert them to be sane man. That is preaching.

Hrdayananda: Jaya.

Prabhupada: That is preaching. What do you expect that every man will immediately go and he’ll agree with you? Why do you expect like that? That is foolishness.

Hrdayananda: Jaya!

Prabhupada: You must know that everybody will disagree with you, and it is your preaching work that you will make him agree with you. That is your preaching work.

Hrdayananda: Jaya, Prabhupada! As your example.

Prabhupada: Yes. We do not expect that everyone will agree. Everybody will disagree. Just like our book. Say, four, five years ago, nobody knew these books. So there was no market. But we have created our market. That is preaching. We have created our market. Nobody was dying for want of these books. So that is preaching. Preaching does not mean everyone is ready to accept your theories. You must expect that everyone will not accept it. Now it is your power to convince him, “Yes, you must accept.” That is preaching.

Hrdayananda: Jaya, Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: They must know what is God, how to trust Him, why we shall trust God, what is the benefit. These things should be known, properly educated.

Hrdayananda: Jaya, Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: And we have got the science. We are not speaking blindly or, what is called, sentimentally. (japa) [break]

Prajapati: …movement for the church today, Srila Prabhupada, is called the ecumenical movement. Ecumenical movement means all the different divergent groups are trying to get together to understand…, you know, make a common ground. Now we have the perfect platform…

Prabhupada: Yes.

Prajapati: …for giving them that common ground.

Prabhupada: Yes, that is your duty. You do it as theologicians. Bring them on the platform. This so-called church is going on. They’re doing all sorts of sinful activities, and it is going on church and religion. Therefore the importance of Christian religion is diminishing. How they can bluff all the time? (japa)

Hrdayananda: When you came to America, for one year no one would help you.

Prabhupada: Ah?

Hrdayananda: When you came to America, you told us in Pittsburgh, that for one year no one would help you, you had no place.

Prabhupada: Yes. [break]

Hrdayananda: …child. (Prabhupada chuckles) The perfect example. [break] Jaya.

Prabhupada: That is Krsna consciousness. Real help for real friend is my Krsna. That is Krsna consciousness. Suhrdam sarva-bhutanam. He’s not only my friend, He’s friend of, even of the ant. That is Krsna consciousness.

Yasomatinandana: (indistinct) …when Prabhupada didn’t get help from anybody…

Prabhupada: Yes.

Yasomatinandana: …he just got help from Krsna.

Prabhupada: Krsna is the friend of everyone. We don’t take His help, that is the difficulty. He says, He’s guaranteed, that “If you just surrender to Me, I’ll give you all protection.” Such a friend who can give, there. But they’ll not do that. Actually if one trusts in God, then everything is there, perfectly.

Prajapati: So if they did trust in God, they would not have all these problems today.

Prabhupada: No. It is factual. Just like in modern… Immediate problem is the petrol. Nobody trusts in God. The Arabians, they’re thinking that this oil, “Our oil.” But actually, his father has not manufactured this oil. It is God’s oil. None of them believe in God, either the Arabians or the others. Therefore there is crisis. It is practical. Is the petrol manufactured by man? So why a section of man is claiming, “It is my petrol”? If somebody says, “It is my Pacific Ocean,” what is this nonsense? Because they are going on under this nonsense ideas, therefore there is problem.

Devotee (1): Sometimes they claim the Pacific Ocean as their own.

Prabhupada: Ah? Ah?

Devotee (1): Some countries claim, you know, twelve, three hundred miles of the ocean is being their ocean.

Prabhupada: That’s all right, three hundred miles, let them claim. But not the oil. (devotees chuckle) If I say “Now the sandy beach, two miles mine,” you can say, but what is that talk? (laughs) But it belongs to the government. You can say… A child may come, “Oh, this is my area, you cannot come.” (laughter) That is going on. But is that sanity? The father will laugh: “All right, let him, demarcation, this area.” So this foolishness is going on. Our philosophy… Isavasyam idam sarvam. Everything belongs to God. This is philosophy.

Hrdayananda: Jaya, Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: But these rascals, they won’t accept it, although it is fact. Although it is fact. But they will not accept it. Therefore preaching is required, education required, to bring him into sense. This is fact. This portion of the ocean does not belong to any nation or any person; it belongs to God. This moon belongs to God, the sky belongs to God. But they’re thinking, “It is mine.” And therefore there is trouble. Just like government. The Senate is there, so they sit down together, and if there is any problem they discuss together to find out the solution. Similarly, they have got this United Nation. Why do they not consider, “First of all let us settle to whom this planet belongs”?

Hrdayananda: Jaya.

Prabhupada: They’re United Nation, first of all let us settle. They are fighting: “I’m Arabian,” “I’m Indian,” “I’m American,” “I’m Englishman…” “All right, let us settle actually to whom this planet belongs.” They cannot do that, because all of them are thieves. None of them will agree that it belongs to God. The real fact, that they will not agree. Then how there can be peace? Because they’re all cheaters. They want to cheat God. God’s property, they’re claiming “ours.” All thieves and rogues, so how there can be any settlement? There cannot be any settlement.

Devotee (1): If we approached them and we said something like that, they would laugh.

Prabhupada: That’s because they’re rogues. Against their ideals. “Why you’re laughing like fools? Does it belong to you or your father? This whole world? Why you are laughing like a fool?” You should have said like that. “You’re laughing not like a gentleman; you’re laughing like a fool. Can you say that it belongs to your father? Or you’ll be allowed to stay here in America? After some years you’ll be kicked out. Do you know where you were going? Why you are laughing like fools?” This should be the answer.

Karandhara: The Arabs, some of the Arabs, they say they believe in God, but that everyone else is…

Prabhupada: Nobody believes in God. That is our proposition. Nobody believes… All this bogus. Now they should come to understand what is God. This, in this Krsna consciousness movement. Nobody believes, neither know what is God. Here we are giving the name, the address, the form, the activities, everything of God—Krsna consciousness. Let all the Arabians, all the Americans, let come to us. Those who are chief men, intelligent man, we shall convince them. That is our preaching.

Karandhara: There’s one Arab leader, he goes to the temple five times a day, he doesn’t eat meat, er, doesn’t drink liquor or smoke or go out with women…

Prabhupada: Yes, these are, these are prohibited in Muhammadan villages.

Karandhara: Yes.

Prabhupada: Yes. But still it is good. To some extent, he’s advanced.

Karandhara: He doesn’t allow any liquor shops or tobacco shops in this country.

Prabhupada: Yeah, that’s good.

Karandhara: Khadafi.

Hrdayananda: Which country is it?

Prabhupada: All these things are sinful. To drink is sinful. Even among the Muhammadans. To smoke, sinful. They have got austerities. Their animal-killing is once in a year. (Hindi) Only animals should be sacrificed in worship. There are so many things. Every religion there is good thing, but then nobody follows. Simply defined, “I’m Christian,” “I’m Muhammadan,” “I am Hindu…” That’s all. He’s neither of them. He’s simply animal. He’s simply animal. Just like these rascal Christian. The first proposition is “Thou shalt not kill,” and see they’re simply killing, and they’re claiming “Christians.” Just see. All rascals, and they’re claiming, “We’re follower of Christian.” [break] …propaganda is to teach all these rascals. Therefore we say general rascals. It may be very strong… That professor was referring, “Yes, everyone is rascal.” You know that professor?

Karandhara: Yes. He thought “rascals” was a bit harsh.

Prabhupada: Yes. Krsna says rascal; therefore…

Yasomatinandana: But he… The professor, when he left he said that “Prabhupada is very, very gentle,” he said. He’s the most gentle man he’s ever seen.

Devotee: Gentle like a rose, and strong like a thunderstorm. [break]

Prabhupada: …India. Just start this movement seriously.

Yasomatinandana: Yes, Prabhupada.

Prabhupada: Yes. And Bombay is the best center.

Yasomatinandana: I’m being very enthused when you say these things to…

Prabhupada: Yes. There is great field to conquer, and you are educated and intelligent, capable. You have got qualification, you can do this very good work.

Yasomatinandana: We think that it may be impractical to go in the politics or like that. But then when you say so firmly, all the whole…, immediately our eyes get open, you see? “Yes, actually, this is possible.”

Prabhupada: Why not possible?

Yasomatinandana: What is impossible for a Krsna’s devotee?

Prabhupada: Yes.

Yasomatinandana: Krsna is the supreme controller.

Prabhupada: Yes. That conviction you must have. If you are sincere to Krsna, if you are actually serving Krsna, where is impossible to you? Where is impossible? There’s nothing impossible.

Yasomatinandana: Mukham karoti vacalam pangum langhayate girim.

Prabhupada: That one of my important Godbrothers says. He’s sincere. All others, they are rascals. He says that “In the Caitanya-caritamrta it is said prthivite ache yata nagaradi grama. So we were thinking that this is imagination, that Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s cult would be spread all over the world, everyone will chant. So you have done it.” So he’s appreciating in that way. “But we are simply thinking that it is not possible, it is simply imagination. But that you have made it possible.” So that is his appreciation.

Hrdayananda: Because you are so faithful. So (indistinct), more firmer. [break]

Devotee (3): That’s what he says.

Prabhupada: He says?

Devotee (3): He says that, yes.

Prabhupada: What they said?

Devotee (3): Ah… They believe him.

Prabhupada: Ah?

Devotee (3): The Maharaj-ji…

Devotee (4): He said that… He said that everyone in the world will become his devotees, but we’ll… The Krsna conscious devotees will be the last. But they’ll be the best.

Prabhupada: (indistinct) (everyone laughs) (end)