Reporter (2): Swamiji, do you think that there are some people in this country in thousands or maybe tens of thousands who are getting spiritual solace from, say, people like Sai Baba or any of these other people who have interpreted the Vedas or who have followers all over the country? Do you think these followers are getting some amount of spiritual solace?
Prabhupāda: No, no. First of all, do you know what Sai Baba is preaching? Do you know?
Reporter (2): No.
Prabhupāda: Then how you are asking on behalf of Sai Baba?
Reporter (2): No, just like that. Just like.... I am just going.... I am very far removed from these...
Prabhupāda: No, no, why you are interested.... Twice, thrice you have said Sai Baba.
Reporter (2): No, anybody. Because he is among the better-known people. I, I am, I have nothing to do with.
Prabhupāda: So, but better known...
Reporter (2): It could be someone like, say, the Bala Yogeshwara, who also got some kind of following there.
Prabhupāda: That is.... That has spoiled our India's Vedic culture. Everyone has invented some ways, and they have misled the general people, people, followers. That is the misfortune of modern India. Yes. The standard instruction is there in the Bhagavad-gītā. They do not care to know it. They want to know about the greatness of Bala Yogi, Sai Baba, this bābā, that bābā. That is their misfortune. They give up the real instruction, Bhagavad-gītā, which is accepted by the great ācāryas—Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Śaṅkarācārya, Caitanya Mahāprabhu—and all over the world, they are not interested to know Bhagavad-gītā; they are interested to know about Sai Baba. Just see misfortune.
Reporter (5): But what would you attribute this to?
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: What would you attribute this to? What is the cause of this?
Prabhupāda: Cause of this? One simple cause is they have become unfortunate. They give up the real thing, and they accept the imitation. So that is their misfortune. If there are two shops, everyone knows "Here is real gold, and here is imitation gold." If you go to purchase imitation gold, that is his misfortune.
Reporter (5): What is it in your movement which has appealed to the Western world? I believe you have a sizable following in...
Prabhupāda: Yes, because we are supplying real gold. We are giving real gold. We are not supplying imitation gold. That is the credit. If you supply imitation thing, it may go for some time, but it will not endure. So many swamis and yogis go there, but just these.... Ask these American boys. They don't care for them.
Reporter (5): But even Mahesh Yogi has a considerable following in America and a lot of Western countries.
Prabhupāda: No solidified.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Amongst housewives.
Hṛdayānanda: No. Now it is going down, and the followers, they have..., they will not follow any regulative principles. They will not surrender. Simply.... They have no actual disciples who are following principles.
Devotee: Are we going to compare because of the larger following? Do you compare the relative and the unrelative? This is the...
Reporter (5): I didn't meant to compare Swamiji's teachings with that of Mahesh Yogi's, but I...
Prabhupāda: No, how many Mahesh Yogi has brought, disciples like this? Practical, come, come, practical point. Have you seen in India Mahesh Yogi's disciples like...?
Reporter (5): Well, whenever he comes to Delhi he brings two, three jumbo jets full of disciples.
Prabhupāda: This is my answer. Thousands of them are working here on my behalf. Just see their character and behavior.
Reporter (4): Swamiji, may I say something? A magician can create many charismas. But God also create charismas. Who will you compare? The magician charismas or the God's charisma? This is the difference. A magician can also sometimes impress upon people that he has godly powers, but are they the real godly powers as against real godly powers? This is the difference. I have been at least thirty times to America, talked to lot of people. They say if you want to go really for attainment of your soul, you go to ISKCON.
Prabhupāda: Even Mahesh Yogi says. Yes.
Reporter (4): And if you want to attain your bodily strength...
Prabhupāda: Yes, actually. One of his secretaries came to us. One of his secretaries, he asked that "I want real knowledge of God." He said, "Then you go to ISKCON."