Prabhupāda: Therefore it is said, guṇa-karma, karma means by action. Just like you are educated nicely as a chemist when you act as a chemist then you are well educated. If you simply know chemistry and do not act then you are not a chemist.
So one should be trained up and at the same time will act then we will accept. That is clearly stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, your question, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). Pāpa-yonayaḥ born in sinful life, pāpa-yonayaḥ lower class, low born pāpa-yonayaḥ, striyo śūdrās tathāvaiśyās te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim. Even women, śūdras, vaiśyas if he takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he goes.
So there is no bar, there is no hindrance everyone can take it up it is open to everyone. So everyone should be given the chance to become a perfect brāhmaṇa—that is brahminical culture—that is Vedic culture. Because the human life is a chance to understand God in the lower animal life there is no such chance. A dog cannot be educated to understand God but a man can be. So if this human life is misused in the matter of animal propensities then it is a great loss. His propensities for understanding God should be aroused that is real education, āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca sāmānyam etat paśubhir narāṇām.
Eating sleeping sexual life and defence this is common to the animals and the human beings. This special significance of human life that he can understand God, the animal cannot. So if a human being is not given chance to understand God then he remains animal. So there is no such chance in the University education and there is no department of knowledge to understand God. You know so.
Guest (5): Śrīla Prabhupāda can you explain how we can become more Kṛṣṇa conscious? Without wearing a dhoti and shaving our heads?
Prabhupāda: Well, dhoti's these are not very important things.
Guest (5): (indistinct)
Prabhupāda: They are taking it I never said that you take dhoti. You can remain in your coat and pants that... what is that? But naturally they have simplified the methodology they can lie down on the floor they don’t require any furniture they don’t require any costly dress.
Any dress will satisfy them any simple food will satisfy them. The process is we should decrease our artificial material necessities of life and save time to understand God that is the value of life. By gorgeously dressing you do not become a big man by knowledge you become a big man.
Guest (6): Svāmī, in the International Society for Kṛṣṇa consciousness there is a governing board committee and you have as the Svāmī are directing this board and presidents of temples. Do you think this is a good organisation for a country?
Prabhupāda: What bad you think? What is the bad in it?
Guest (6): (laughs)
Prabhupāda: If it is not bad then it is good.
Guest (6): So there should be a Svāmī rather than a president as head of the Centre?
Prabhupāda: Well, I explained Svāmī means the master of the senses. If one becomes president and remains a servant of the senses what is the value? What is the value? He may become president to the fools but he is a servant of the senses that's all. So my request is that you are all leading personalities of the society kindly try to understand the value of our movement and cooperate that is the. It is a very good scientific movement authorised and very simple also...
And even a child can take part in it. Actually when we chant and dance in our temple many small children about three or four years, they also do it. They also offer obeisances, offer flowers and that is not going in vain. There from the very beginning of their life they are getting the association of good father, mother, devotees they are not eating anything which is prohibited. So it is acceptable even by a child. There is no need of having advanced education anyone can, striyo śūdrās tathā vaiśyās. Anyone.
Kirāta, Hūṇa, Āndhra, Pulinda, Pulkaśa, Ābhīra, Śumbha, these are uncivilised. Kirāta, Hūṇa, Āndhra, Pulinda, Pulkaśa, Ābhīra, Śumbha, kiṁ punar brāhmaṇāḥ puṇyā (BG 9.33) and what to speak of brāhmaṇas those whose background is pious life. Kiṁ punar brāhmaṇāḥ puṇyā bhaktā rājarṣayas tathā, anyone can take up, there is no difficulty.
Guest (7): Svāmī, I understand that in the Śrīmad-Bhāgwat that there is a part of it called the Uddhava-gītā which is supposed to be the essence of it. Can you tell us a little bit about that thing?
Prabhupāda: Brahmā was talking with Kṛṣṇa as Arjuna was talking with Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa was replying. Similarly Uddhava was asking and Kṛṣṇa was replying. Therefore that portion of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is called Uddhava-gītā and this portion of Mahābhārata is called Arjuna-gītā. Gītā means song so the song sung by the Supreme Lord. So the Supreme Lord was teaching Uddhava how to execute devotional service.
That is pure, here in the Arjuna-gītā Kṛṣṇa is teachings so many things, karma, jñāna, yoga and at last bhakti also but in Uddhava-gītā there is simply instruction of devotion. There is no other affair, karma, jñāna, yoga. Karma means fruitive activities as we are ordinarily engaged, we work and get some remuneration that is called karma. Jñāna means when one understand that what I’m getting by this process and working and getting so many benefits.