Prabhupāda: I have tried convince them, janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrīḥ (SB 1.8.26), to become moneyed, that also requires background. Pūrva-janmārjitaṁ dhanam. So they are born in rich country; that is due to their past pious deeds. Yes.
Guest (1): Good deeds.
Prabhupāda: There is no doubt. Yes. Now I request them that, "You have got everything. You take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then you are perfect."
Guest (1): We have degraded ourself to such an extent . . .
Prabhupāda: No, we can rise immediately.
Guest (1): Yes, yes, but foundation stone is there. City is there . . .
Prabhupāda: Foundation or no foundation, but we'll not agree. That is the difficulty. We'll not agree.
Guest (1): It's a difficult job, but it has to be done, because I . . .
Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice. Kṛṣṇa says:
- sarva-dharmān parityajya
- mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja
- ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo
- mokṣayiṣyāmi . . .
- (BG 18.66)
Our difficulties are due to our sinful activities. So Kṛṣṇa assures, "I will excuse you from the resultant action of all sinful activities. You surrender to Me." But I will not do that. What Kṛṣṇa will do? He says, He assures, but nobody will do that. I say to my tenants here that, "You become Kṛṣṇa conscious. You won't have to pay rent." (laughter) Because the whole rent . . . I am getting 2,000, 2,500. That is my one day's expenditure.
Guest (1): Eventually they will come around, but it will take time.
Prabhupāda: No, the leaders are not . . . because their position will be finished, the so-called leaders. They want to keep in ignorance the mass of people so their foolish leadership may go on continually. That is everywhere. (break) . . . (indistinct Hindi) . . . learn this philosophy and preach. That is the best service.
Guest (2): My son who lives in America is very Westernized, and as he picked up Gītā, and he tried to understand it, now he now is so much a follower of Gītā that every single letter he quotes Gītā to anyone whom he writes.
Prabhupāda: Which Gītā he has read?
Guest (2): He's very convinced about it.
Prabhupāda: No, no, which Gītā he has read?
Guest (2): Your Gītā.
Prabhupāda: My Gītā?
Guest (2): Your Gītā and Cinmayananda's, two Gītās.
Prabhupāda: Chinmayananda is atheist. Atheist. He does not believe in Kṛṣṇa.
Guest (2): He has donated over three hundred books in that haṭha-yoga, that can . . .
Guest (1): Yes, in USA, Santa Cruz.
Prabhupāda: Yes, he took some lakhs of rupees from Birla for distributing the Gītā. I know that.
Guest (2): He has also translated Gītā.
Guest (1): Shh! Swāmījī's saying is this, that Gītā is interpreted by different people in different way. That is true. Understanding of Gītā is a very big . . .
Prabhupāda: He does not present Bhagavad-gītā as it is. According to his own whims. But the original śloka is there.
Guest (1): But interpretation is his own.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Guest (1): Original śloka, of course, everybody would put. Then they interpret in their own way. I think, sir, most of us are accepted through this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, as you have rightly said.