Amogha: We will take. (break)
Prabhupāda: . . . Vasudeva make introduction of these gentlemen.
Amogha: Yes. This is Mr. Ivy Mastra, and he is in charge of the Hindu and Buddhist Department of the Department of Religion. And this is his next-in-command, director-general, Mr. G. Puja. He was educated in India also.
Prabhupāda: Oh, really. Which city?
Mr. G. Puja: Benares in the University.
Prabhupāda: Oh, Benares University. That's nice.
Amogha: Actually, they have arranged, by giving a letter, that we can stay in the country. They simply say: "We do not object," and then the immigration gives us a good visa. They especially like your books.
Prabhupāda: Oh, thank you. You have read some of my books?
Mr. G. Puja: Yes.
Prabhupāda: They are not my books; I am simply translating. They are written by Vyāsadeva, the original Vedic scholar. So there are now many secular states. Our Vedic idea of secular state is that government must be responsible for proper execution of religious system. It doesn't matter whether one is Hindu or one is Christian, one is Muhammadan or Buddhist—it doesn't matter—but it is the government duty to see that one who is professing as Hindu, whether he's executing the Hindu principles of religion properly. That is government duty.
Just like government gives license to so many businesses. One man is selling liquor, wine, government issues license. So the government inspector, excise inspector, goes and sees that the man is doing business according to the license. Government should not be callous that, "You may go on with your so-called religion; we don't care for it." No. That is not government. Government's duty is to see.
Just like, for example, Christians, their commandment, first commandment is, "Thou shall not kill." It is the government's duty to see that anyone who is professing Christian, "Why he's killing?" Immediately he should be punished, that "You are professing a Christian and you are killing." This is government. Similarly, Buddhist religion also, ahiṁsā. Ahiṁsā paramaṁ buddhiḥ. The government duty should see.
And the ultimate test of first-class religion is: the follower has developed love of God. If he does not know anything about God, or if he has not developed love of God, then he has simply wasted time. It may be any religion. That is ultimate test. Because religion means it has got relationship with God. Otherwise what is the meaning of religion?