Interviewer (2): Have you had a significant impact on the American society? The values you preach, have they influenced Americans to a certain degree?
Brahmānanda: Oh, yes. You can go in America, any country, any city, and everyone will know Hare Kṛṣṇa. We're getting . . .
Interviewer (2): That's not what I mean. What I mean is have Americans started to be less violent, for instance, or have they started to be less egoistical, or have they started to be less. . .
Brahmānanda: Well, not unless they follow our movement. But those who have followed our movement . . . recently there was one study that was published by a very eminent sociologist in America from the University of California, the Union Theological Center, and he stated in that book that the members of this movement, formerly they were drug-addicted hippies, and now they have become servants of Kṛṣṇa and humanity, loving servants. So he has given proof through intensive interviews that one who follows and joins this movement, dramatically his life becomes changed.
Prabhupāda: Perfect. He is a big professor, and his books are being sold in higher circles. Professor Judah. And he has studied this movement for five years. And . . . (aside) You have got that book?
Brahmānanda: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Show him. So they are appreciating. Appreciation has begun. Formerly they thought it is another edition of hippie movement, but now they are realizing it is not. A cultural. He has given the name of the book, Hare Krishna and Counterculture. He is selling at the cost of twelve dollars; still, all high class, educated class, are purchasing.
Interviewer (3) (Indian man): Have you any program for the common people?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Common people have joined. Everyone. We are opening centers so that any common man from any caste, any creed, any nation, they can come and join.
Interviewer (2): My friend, perhaps you would like to do is . . . I know you are doing some social work for . . .
Prabhupāda: This is the best social work. We are making animal into man. Already I have begun this, that because they are not educated how to become human being, so they remain animal. So this is the best social work, that we are bringing animal, two-legged animals, to real human being. If a human being is not properly educated, he remains an animal. So this is the proper education. Therefore we are bringing animals to human being.
Interviewer (3): Has your movement arranged once any political event which is a movement in a particular country?
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. When we are many in number, then we shall take politics also. Yes. First of all let there be perfect men. If there is no perfect men, the government will be imperfect. If there is perfect men, the government will be perfect.
Interviewer (4) (Indian man): Do you think, Swāmījī, that man can become perfect?
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. That is the chance of a human being. Therefore in the human society there is school, college, education, culture, not in the animal society, because they can be made into perfect, not the animals. So if they are denied proper education, that is the greatest harm. They got the opportunity, and the authorities are not giving them their opportunity.
Interviewer (4): No, but do you mean the perfectness is to become the God or to become the man? Then I want . . .
Prabhupāda: You cannot become God.
Interviewer (4): What does perfectness mean?
Prabhupāda: Perfect means to become godly.
Interviewer (1): Can you be interested directly in politics?
Prabhupāda: Why not? Kṛṣṇa . . . Kṛṣṇa was in politics. So He instructed Arjuna to fight. This is politic—for the good cause. When Arjuna denied that, "Kṛṣṇa, I am not willing to kill my . . . the other side, my brothers and my uncles," He chastised him that kutas tvā kaśmalam idaṁ viṣame samupasthitam: "How you are talking like non-Āryan? What is this nonsense?" He . . . kutas tvā. First of all . . . (aside) Find out.