Prabhupāda: Anyway, you have followed somebody at least, standard.
John Fahey: Oh, yeah, people I heard.
Prabhupāda: Yes. So that is the way of learning what is God. The main business is that one must know God. It is not that because I approach some person and he did not know, he could not give me the right knowledge of God, then I give up this idea of knowing God. No. That will not . . . that is not good for human life. Then you remain animal. I might have been cheated or I might not have approached the proper person, but that does not mean I can stop that idea. That is not . . .
In another place it is said, tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). One who is actually inquisitive to understand the highest benefit of life, he must approach a guru. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ. Jijñāsu means inquisitive. Śreya—the highest benefit of life. Uttamam—highest. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. Ṣābde pare ca niṣṇātaṁ (SB 11.3.21).
What is the qualification of such a person? Ṣābde pare ca niṣṇātaṁ: he is completely well versed in the transcendental science. And what is the symptom that he is well versed? Brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam: he has taken shelter of Brahma or Kṛṣṇa or God, upāsanā, finishing all material desires. These two things: he is a devotee, but he has no more material desires. He must be well versed in the science, he must be a devotee, and he has no attraction for material things. These three things if you can find, then he's perfect guru.
Everything is there in the śāstra; and therefore books should be consulted. If you have no books, those who are discussing books, you should approach them, you should hear them. Just like we are holding class morning, evening. People can come here, take advantage what we are speaking, then gradually they can understand. But we cannot avoid that. That is not good idea. If I say that, "I went to church. I was not very much enlightened; therefore I give up this attempt," oh, that is not good.
John Fahey: Oh, I didn't give it up. I'm still looking.
Karandhara: He comes for ārātrika.
Prabhupāda: That's nice.
Karandhara: He takes prasāda.
Prabhupāda: That's nice. Very good. You also come?
Marilyn: I just got here a little while ago.
Prabhupāda: Huh?
Marilyn: I just got here a few days ago, but I've been twice. We'll be here Friday or Saturday or so. I chanted on the street.
Prabhupāda: You chanted?
Marilyn: Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Karandhara: Saṅkīrtana party.
Prabhupāda: Very good.
John Fahey: We want to get some cymbals. Cymbals.
Marilyn: Cymbals. We sang Hare Kṛṣṇa on the airplane.
Prabhupāda: You're chanting on the airplane?
John Fahey: Yeah, it was fun.
Prabhupāda: You can chant anywhere. There is no restriction. There is no special rules and regulation. You can chant anywhere convenient. Whenever you find it convenient, you can chant.