720419 - Arrival and Interview - Hong Kong

Conversations by Date, 1972

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

720419AR-HONG KONG - April 19, 1972 - 25:51 Minutes

Prabhupāda: . . . gītā. Unfortunately, there are so many interpretations by so many unscrupulous persons, so-called scholars and philosophers, that they have spoiled the precept of Bhagavad-gītā. So we are just trying to present Bhagavad-gītā as it is to the world, and I am very happy to inform you, you know, that all over the world, wherever I am going, I am preaching this philosophy, they are being accepted. So I am also very glad that in this distant place, Hong Kong, from India, you are training your children in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is a very good sign. Their life will be very happy. So continue this process, try to understand the Kṛṣṇa philosophy, try to help this movement.

I may refer in this connection that Subhas, you know Netajī, he organized his Indian National Army outside India, because in India he was unable to organize. The circumstances were so awkward, even Mahatma Gandhi would not allow him. That was his position. So you know very well how Subhas Chandra Bose came out of his country and organized the INA movement, and practically India's got independence due to Subhas Bose's INA movement, not Gandhi's non-cooperation movement. That is a fact.

So India has to give something to the world, and that is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is so nice it can solve all the problems of human society. So in India, even our Indians are prepared to help to propagate this movement all over the world. Our government is so nice that it will not allow. It will not allow. Not a single farthing is allowed to come out of India. So there are so many obstacles, but I am working in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement single-handed, so it is very pleasing to me that you are taking so much interest. So continue to support this movement spread all over the world, and I am sure people will be benefited.

Actually they are being benefited. All these boys from Europe and America, how they are making advancement in spiritual consciousness you have seen, one or two examples. There are many thousands, and they are accepting it very seriously. So this movement is very important movement, and it is India's gift, and I would request you all Indians present here to support this movement:

prāṇair arthair dhiyā vācā

śreya-ācaraṇaṁ sadā

etāvaj janma-sāphalyaṁ

dehinām iha dehiṣu

(SB 10.22.35)

This body, to make this body successful, this human form of body is meant for making our life success. Otherwise, if you remain like cats and dogs, that is not success. The success is:

ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā

varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ

svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya

saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam

(SB 1.2.13)

You may remain a Brāhmin, varṇāśrama, varṇa and āśrama, as I have already explained. Whatever you may be, you must be within this one category, either Brāhmin or Kṣatriya or Vaiśya or Śūdra or brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha or sannyāsī. In whichever classification you may remain, it doesn't matter, but try to see that your life is successful.

ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā

varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ

(SB 1.2.13)

This is an instruction given by Sūta Gosvāmī to the great learned scholars in Naimiṣāraṇya, that ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā, "My dear learned Brahmins, dvija-śreṣṭhā . . ." All the members present there were highly learned Brahmins, so he gave this advice. "My dear dvija-śreṣṭhā, the best of the Brahmins," ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ.

There are divisions of social order or spiritual order, but one should try to see . . . (indistinct) . . . he must try to see that his life is successful. And what is that life is successful? Varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. Svanuṣṭhitasya dharmasya saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam: you have to see whether by your activities, by your behavior, by your actions Kṛṣṇa is satisfied. That is all. If you try to understand this only one point, that by your work Kṛṣṇa is satisfied . . . just like Arjuna satisfied Kṛṣṇa by fighting. Similarly, by your whatever occupation you are doing, if you try to satisfy Kṛṣṇa, that is perfect.

So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is meant for that purpose, and we . . . you are already helping, and we shall be very glad if you cooperate and push this movement all over the world. Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Prabhupāda!

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Child: Prasāda.

Prabhupāda: Prasāda. Thank you . . . keep it here. Very good boy. You take some prasāda first. Take it.

Child: No, take little.

Prabhupāda: All right. (laughter) You want prasāda? Take it. (laughter) Oh, it is very nice, hmm. I shall eat, or you shall eat?

Child: . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Oh . . . (indistinct)

Lady devotee: Samosās (laughter)

Prabhupāda: Very nice prasāda.

Child: . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Not . . . (indistinct)

Lady devotee: Pakoras.

Prabhupāda: They have not yet come?

Śyāmasundara: Yes, they are putting the luggage . . . they do not stay on this floor . . . (indistinct) . . . some floors down.

Prabhupāda: They have come?

Śyāmasundara: They are loading the luggage now . . . (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: No, they have come?

Śyāmasundara: Yes, they have come . . . (indistinct)

Devotee (2): Mr. Mack.

Prabhupāda: If there is any question you can ask, on the subject matter on which we . . . eh?

Devotee: (indistinct) . . . this gentleman, he takes care of the . . . (indistinct) . . . United States, and he has a present for you.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Devotee: This is Larry Mack.

Prabhupāda: What is that? Oh. This is for sannyāsī, or for lady? (laughter)

Devotee: It is for the health.

Prabhupāda: Oh, thank you very much. I am very glad that you have trained, so many boys. Undo this. Hmm. Yes?

Child: Kṛṣṇa . . . (indistinct) . . . a forest fire. What was the forest fire?

Prabhupāda: Hmm? (laughter in background)

Prabhupāda: Forest fire? It takes place automatically.

Devotee: We read them Kṛṣṇa book and we ask them questions at the class.

Prabhupāda: Hmm. Forest fire, nobody goes to set fire in the forest, but it takes place. Therefore this material world is compared with forest fire. However you may try to keep yourself in peace and tranquility by your dealings with one another, there will be misunderstanding, and both the parties will suffer.

Just like we tried to become independent out of the hands of the Britishers, to live peacefully, but the Pakistan and the Hindustan is still going on and fighting. Formerly the fighting was not organized; somewhere in the cities in some quarters there was fight. Now it is organized fight with lethal weapons. This is the position of the world.

The United Nation is trying to stop war, but the war is increasing. They could not stop the Vietnam War. It is going on for the last fifteen years. So this forest fire example is there: nobody wants to set fire in the forest, but automatically, by nature's way, this world is such that there will be fire in the forest, and all the living entities within the fire, they will suffer. Similarly, this whole material world is just like a forest fire. But if we take the shelter of Kṛṣṇa, then He will swallow up the fire.

Devotees: Jaya.

Prabhupāda: You have seen the picture, Kṛṣṇa is eating.

mām eva ye prapadyante

māyām etāṁ taranti te

(BG 7.14)

That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā.

daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī

mama māyā duratyayā

mām eva ye prapadyante

māyām etāṁ taranti te

(BG 7.14)

So long you do not surrender to Kṛṣṇa, there will be forest fire always within your heart. Saṁsāra-davanale, divā-niśi hiyā jvale (Gītāvalī). The heart will be burning always. Any big man or small man who has no information of Kṛṣṇa, his heart is always burning. Sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahaḥ (SB 7.5.5). This forest fire is like that. Nobody wants forest fire, but it takes place.

And this forest fire cannot be extinguished by your so-called fire brigade for tubs of water. No. That is not possible. Suppose there is forest fire, eh? You cannot go with . . . you cannot go in the forest with the fire brigade or tubs of water. Then how it will be extinguished? It will be extinguished. There is a process. What is that? When there is rainfall. Rainfall from sky, that is not in your hands. Similarly, this world of forest fire can be extinguished when Kṛṣṇa's mercy will fall down from.

saṁsāra-dāvānala-līḍha-loka-

trāṇāya kāruṇya-ghanāghanatvam

(Śrī Śrī Gurv-aṣṭaka)

Therefore the forest fire is going on, and we are trying to draw the cloud of Kṛṣṇa and pour water on it. That is our mission.

Śyāmasundara: Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Yes?

Śyāmasundara: There is a man here from a radio station. He would like to have a short interview with you if possible.

Prabhupāda: Yes. I have already spoken. (break) Have you taken it?

Reporter: Yeah.

Devotee: You have a question?

Reporter: Could you explain the Hare Krishna movement briefly to our listeners?

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is Hare and Kṛṣṇa and Rāma. There are three words that make . . . (indistinct) . . . Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. So this is a prayer addressing Harā. Harā, this word, Sanskrit word, when it is addressing, then it becomes Hare. So Harā means the energy of the Lord.

There are multi-energies of the Supreme Lord. They are practically working everywhere. Just like fire, fire . . . in one place there is fire, but it is distributing the energy. Just like in one place there is sun planet, and the heat and light is being distributed. The heat and light is sun, at the same time not sun. So there is energy of the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa. Those energies, spiritual energy and material energy, they are working.

This Harā is the energy. We are addressing, "O the energy of the Lord." And Kṛṣṇa, "O Lord," Kṛṣṇa and Rāma, the Lord. So we are addressing the Lord and His energies to engage us in His service, "Please engage us in Your service." We are already in service, but that service is not giving us any happiness. So "Please engage us in Your service," that is the Hare Kṛṣṇa.

And another advantage is God is absolute. There is no difference between His name and God. Just like here, there is difference. If you want water, simply "water, water" will not act. You must have the substance water, because it is relative world. But in the absolute world, Kṛṣṇa and His name, Kṛṣṇa the person, Supreme Person, and His name is the same.

So by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa we are associating with Kṛṣṇa, and as we are associating with Kṛṣṇa we are becoming purified. Therefore repeatedly chant, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, and you will be purified of your material existence; then your life will be successful.

Reporter: One often hears about the difference between Western and Eastern philosophy and religion. Why do you think that Hare Kṛṣṇa movement attracted so many followers in the West?

Prabhupāda: The Hare Kṛṣṇa is neither Western or Eastern. It is meant for human being. You see? This "Western," "Eastern," they are our own creation. God is neither Western or Eastern. God is God. So anyone who will chant God's name will benefit. That's all. There is no question of Western and Eastern.

Reporter: How can Hare Kṛṣṇa help us solve our very difficult . . .

Prabhupāda: Because if you are purified . . . the whole difficulty is that we are not purified. We are impure. Impure means we are thinking in bodily concept of life. "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," "I am white," "I am black," these are all designation of the body. We have to transcend the position of the body:

sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ

tat-paratvena nirmalam

(CC Madhya 19.170)

We have to become nirmalam, purified pure soul. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. This understanding, when I shall come to the stage, "I am pure soul, Brahman."

brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā

na śocati na kāṅkṣati

samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu

mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām

(BG 18.54)

So this is a great science, but the summary, I can inform you, that by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa you become purified. And as soon as you become purified, you become happy. That is it. You have to become purified. At the present moment we are not purified, we are all impure. But this process will help you to become purified.

So if you become purified, you understand everything. Just like if you are in delirium out of strong fever, you cannot see things what they are, talk so many nonsense things. So similarly, we being enchanted by this material energy or this material body, we are identifying with this body and we are unhappy. As soon as we are purified—we understand that, "I am not this body; I am pure soul"—then my happiness is guaranteed.

Reporter: Can we reach this stage of purification?

Prabhupāda: Yes. So many are reaching. Why not? You see these American boys and European boys, they have reached purification. They are, from the very beginning of their life, they were meat-eaters and so many things. Illicit sex life, meat-eating, intoxication and gambling, they are daily affairs. But they have given up everything. Are they not purified? They are being purified from sinful activities, actually, simply by chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. This is practical. Practical example. Thousands and thousands of boys and girls, they are becoming purified simply by following the rules and regulations.

So this is practical. If you do, you also become purified. Anyone will do. There is no question of "East" or "West," "Hindu," "Muslim." We have got students from all camps. The Africans, they are also dancing, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. We have got branches in Africa and Canada, in Europe, in America, in Australia. I am just coming from Australia. We have got two temples, one in Melbourne, one in Sydney, and just yesterday we established another temple, in New Zealand, Auckland.

So we have got ninety-five centers all over the world, and each center you will find not less than twenty-five, up to two hundred students like this, like Bhūrijana Prabhu. They are very happily living. Bhūrijana's wife, she was a very famous actress, but she has given up everything. Now she is chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, you see. Thank you.

Devotees: Hare Kṛṣṇa. All glories . . . Hare Kṛṣṇa.

(devotees offer obeisances, sing Gurv-aṣṭaka prayers) Very good. Come on, leader . . . (indistinct) . . . who is your leader? Students come here, leader. Who is your leader?

Devotee: Lalu Suresh Deepak.

Prabhupāda: Come on. Who is Lalu?

Devotee: Lalu Suresh Deepak.

Prabhupāda: Ah.

Child: The leader.

Prabhupāda: So come on. You take. Take.

Devotees: Hare Kṛṣṇa. Haribol! Haribol! Hare Kṛṣṇa. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Jaya Prabhupāda. Wow! Haribol! Haribol!

Prabhupāda: (indistinct) . . . ācchā. Thank you very much.

(kīrtana) (break) (end)