Category:Questions From... Journalists, Reporters, Writers
- Here we place the questions that were asked to Prabhupada as page titles and the answers he gives are inside the pages as headings written in the colour green.
Pages in category "Questions From... Journalists, Reporters, Writers"
The following 107 pages are in this category, out of 1,054 total.
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- A person (Krsna)? Person in the ordinary sense of the word, or...?
- About how many followers would you say there are in the United States?
- All right. But in terms of specific, say, choosing, specific things, specific details (Krsna said this knowledge to Arjuna and Arjuna said to others and it is open. Everyone can take it, there is no secrecy. We have to accept only, that's all)?
- An extra burden on the mind (when there is bunch of hair, we feel it is an extra burden)?... Makes it, weighs heavily on the mind?... So that's the reason why? It makes the mind lighter?
- And how long does this go on (are you say that we were perhaps something else before we were born as well? And we keep coming back in something else next time)?
- And lastly, a very trivial question. The uniform, the haircut, why is that?
- And so that group of eighteen secretaries will choose another leader (he has appointed from all the disciples a group of secretaries. Each one is in charge of a different sector of the world... Presently there is eighteen)?
- And that's why the Krsna movement is separate (the general world's activities are like a non-moving car? A lump of matter)… Appears to be separated, that's the way you would put it. Well, is it separated?
- And the actual importance of the Hare Krsna chant, is that in saying the name?... Or is it a... continuous flow?
- And to your mind is it possible to come to God consciousness through other means than yours?
- And what about with people (we are maintaining animals, giving them food, giving them security of life in all our farms the animals are very free)?
- And what is the upasana you will be prescribing for those people who want to achieve jnana?
- And what will be the benefit of classifying men according to their qualities?
- And what will it profit us if we get to know about Him (Krsna)?
- And where did it (the Krsna consciousness movement) first start, which country?
- And you in turn choose others (I have been chosen by my spiritual master)?
- And you think there's enough food (now, so far I have studied, that in America, in Africa, in Australia, there are so much vacant places that the present population of the world, if it is increased ten times, still there is enough food)?
- Apart from Catholicity of the American church, what can be the other reasons of their indifference towards your positive ideas?
- Apart from giving spiritual enlightenment, do you also..., are you also concerned for people's physical well-being?
- Are changes visible in Hinduism in its doctrinal content, mode of individual and collective worship as a result of Hinduism's contact with the West?
- Are fasting and other dietary regulations necessary for leading a spiritual life?
- Are many people joining you?
- Are people using the wrong things to live too sophisticated?
- Are the teachings themself spiritual?
- Are there any books written about Krsna consciousness here available in Seattle or any other organizations besides the temple?
- Are there any centers of the society in the Communist world?
- Are there fundamental differences between, or is it simply a difference in approach between your awareness and interpretations and, for example, those of the people who are involved with Zen?
- Are there other paths to awareness of spirit consciousness other than the Krsna consciousness path?
- Are these bad conditions or ailments not part and parcel of God?
- Are they brahmanas (devotees in the Krsna consciousness movement)? Not by birth?
- Are they supposed to chant the mantra throughout the day?
- Are you a Bhagavan?
- Are you also obliged to help animals, to help other human beings?
- Are you at all concerned about the, what seems to be an increasing number of gurus and swamis throughout the world?
- Are you attempting to form a college?
- Are you getting any opposition from the church?
- Are you happy with the way the movement has really spread?
- Are you prepared to die?
- Are you say that we were perhaps something else before we were born as well? And we keep coming back in something else next time?
- Are you saying that there are people on the moon?
- Are you suggesting then that what is taken to be liberty is actually enslavement? And what is assumed to be the pursuit of happiness is nothing more than a rat race in which you try to make the best of what you can?
- Are you surprised at the great success you've had?
- Are you surprised at the way this organization has prospered?
- Are you surprised to see the popularity of your teachings in the last few years?
- Are you there referring to references from the scriptures (that is explained very elaborately in the Bhagavad-gita: na jayate na mriyate va kadacin na hanyate hanyamane sarire)?
- Are you training a successor?
- Are you yourself or do your followers regard you as an incarnation of Krsna or as the teacher of His teachings?
- Are you, sir, writing off all scientists because they've failed to understand the spiritual dimension in life?
- Are your disciples supposed to chant the mantra all the time?
- Are your followers encouraged to visit with their... (all family members, children, husband, wife, they are present there. How do you say it is against family? Wrong criticism)?
- As (a man is supposed to be educated when he sees every woman as mother)?
- As the man's concentration through which progresses, how, in what forms he goes on seeing Him (you cannot see unlimited. That is His mercy, that He presents Himself before you in three dimension because you have no eyes to see Him)?
- As the world is coming to be divided into just two classes, atheist and theist, is it not advisable for all religions to come together, and what positive steps can be taken in this direction?
- As you, yourself have said: What is talking? What is lies?
- At what age did you realize God?
- At what time did you have your own personal realization, Swamiji? At what age?
B
- Basically, what have you to offer that is different than the Christian ethos or the Jewish ethos?
- Because they do not understand the difference between the soul and the body, that's why they don't understand what you are contributing… Do you think that...?
- Being an initiated member means that the individual has acquainted himself sufficiently with your teaching and gone through certain disciplines?
- Blind leaders and blind followers (another blind leader, so-called leader, he is blind himself. He does not know how to lead people. And the followers, followers are also blind. So what will be the result?)?
- Brain-washed they call it, you know, by getting up and having the two hours or three of chanting in the morning and prayer beads constantly and the group life, that they're sort of controlled, and denied their freedom. What do you say about that?
- But a renunciation of something?
- But are you asking people, if they accept your teachings, to retreat from the world, like for instance, the people who are surrounding us now?
- But aren't they also purified spiritually by doing this (distribute these books)?
- But aren't we impure and He is pure?
- But did you hold any meetings or anything?
- But do you accept the validity of other religion?
- But do you think it's unusual, the fact that it's an Eastern, mysterious Eastern religion has an appeal to American young people?
- But do you think most of the Hare Krsna members will vote in the election in November?
- But for what purpose and to what end? What's the final end (ultimate is that you are spirit soul, you are being materially engrossed, you are creating different situations and you are being transferred to different bodies. That is different situations)?
- But how many of them (people in India) practice it (Krsna consciousness)?
- But how problems of India... like poverty, and this lack of balance between rich and poor. How these problems can be solved?
- But how to make the people realize importance of Bhagavad-gita?
- But how would you be able to carry out your educational or book publishing program if you did not have a financial backing?
- But I mean, how about in your view (could you tell me why you think the Western world has espoused your sort of movement now, has been keen on looking to the East for spiritual...)?
- But I'm trying to ask does he (the Presidential candidate) have to be Krsna conscious, involvement, in order to be God conscious?
- But if man is small and imperfect, how can he execute God's perfect orders for a perfect government?
- But isn't the bhajana that you do for concentration?
- But isn't the Krsna consciousness has not spread in the Arab world?
- But it's the same with Arjuna, wasn't it (clear word is there, "Thou shalt not kill." And why they're maintaining so many slaughterhouses?)?
- But on the spiritual platform, everybody (on the material platform, nobody is prasannatma)?
- But people in general you say are walking on the dead platform in live bodies (this living condition is one platform and when I or you, we are dead, that is another platform. So generally people are working on the bodily concept of platform)?
- But she (woman) doesn't have any structure at all until marriage?
- But still, somebody must have seen Krsna... to actually paint Him?
- But suppose the government is atheistic (the leaders cannot control nature, so why don't they accept a supreme controller? That is the defect in society)?
- But then is that man that's hammering the bricks, isn't he going to quit hammering the bricks, too?
- But then what is the action for the... Practical action, practical... (when there is no more people following their sva-dharma)
- But there are some very intelligent men who are not spiritually enlightened, perhaps even men who understand that they are not, or the body is not all, the body is dead and there is something else. Why aren't these men spiritually aware?
- But there must be different stages that you go through, is that not correct?… Can you tell me from your own experience some of these different stages you've been through
- But to a layman what would you preach?
- But ultimately you're basing all your faith factually, aren't you, on your reasoning?
- But wasn't that school (the gurukula school in Texas) moved to India?
- But what do you see happening to (the future of) the actual world? Do you see any... You know, with Christianity and other religions? The world has... a beginning and an end
- But what if they asked you, "What is this all about?" (they came... Naturally they came and joined me and began to dance, that's all. That is the beginning)
- But what is the meaning of akarma?
- But why give names to Him? Why give names to that God?
- But why, why 1966 (my movement was started from U.S.A in 1966)? I mean what was there, what was there, special about the Sixties?
- But you can come to God consciousness through a variety of paths?
- But you don't find that the fact that your monks are wearing robes or shaving their heads is a difficulty in the West, where not many people...?
- But you don't require recognition of any court, do you?
- But you led a rather normal life - before this you were married. You were a businessman?
- But you might want to come back to the U.S.?
- But young men don't tend to be wise, do they (so at the early age, up to twenty-five, he's trained up. If he can, he can continue as brahmacari. He directly can take sannyasa)?
- But, sir, if we are drop of the same ocean, why should we be impure at all?
- By elaborate you mean effective, is that? You mean effective by elaborate? I mean is that the proper synonym for elaborate (well is Krsna consciousness very elaborate)?
- By preaching Krsna consciousness would you condemn other people's beliefs?
- By this (there are degrees of light), you mean that those who adopt the teachings coming from the Koran or from the Bible is lesser light than from the Gita?