Karandhara: It means they themselves want to be that God.
Prabhupāda: Eh?
Karandhara: They themselves want to be that God.
Prabhupāda: (laughs) That doesn't matter. You become God. But our point is there is need of God.
Karandhara: Well, on that basis, on that logic, they would say: "Yes, there is need, but we can fill that need."
Prabhupāda: You fill, that's all right, but if you cannot . . . that is the question. (laughter) Our definition of God is that He maintains everyone. Can you maintain everyone?
Karandhara: They are thinking they are maintaining.
Prabhupāda: They again thinking. What is your present position? You are maintained. You cannot maintain. You are maintained by your boss. He gives you some salary and you fill up your bellies. You rascal, you want to be maintainer. You cannot maintain even a family of five heads. Therefore we say all full of rascals. Harāv abhaktasya kuto . . . (SB 5.18.12).
That is our śāstric conclusion. Anyone who is atheist, nondevotee, he is a rascal number one. Bās. It doesn't matter what post he holds. Our conclusion is that he is a rascal number one. That's all. He cannot have any good qualification. There is need of God. Who will maintain? Just like children: they require care of the parents. The people require the care of a head man, executive. This is essential. You cannot do without God. Who is maintaining that the moon is exactly in time rising, exactly in time setting?
Yaśomatīnandana: Only God.
Prabhupāda: Under whose order it is being done?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: They'll say: "By nature."
Prabhupāda: What you mean, "By nature"? That is another rascaldom. Why this wood is not moving by nature unless somebody comes and moves?
Prajāpati: They will say: "That is just the way things are."
Prabhupāda: But it stops. Your body is moving. But when it stops, you cannot make just the way it is going on.