Guest (1): I'd like to know how physical things that are done, as chanting or dancing or... Are there no...? If you consider , as having any importance. How do these physical things affect our spiritual understanding?
Prabhupāda: Physical... Just like a milk preparation. You take large quantity of milk, you get diarrhea. But the same milk, if it is prepared into yogurt, if you take it, your diarrhea will be cured. So physical things, when treated spiritually, it cures physical disease.
Guest (4) (Indian man): You said the approach to spiritual goal, through this way, Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Rāma. Okay. Now there is another philosophy which has been preached by Ramakrishna and Vivekananda: "The service of man is the service of God."
Prabhupāda: And why not service of God service of man?
Guest (4): No...
Prabhupāda: First of all answer this. If service of man is service of God, why not service of God, service of man?
Guest (4): Okay. It is one and the same thing because within man is within the soul, which is...
Prabhupāda: So, one thing, suppose that service of God is service of man, then why should you go door to door serving ... If God is service of man, if you say service of man is service of God, then service of God is service of man.
Guest (4): Okay. Fine.
Prabhupāda: That's all. Now if by serving God I can serve whole humanity...
Guest (4): That's good.
Prabhupāda: That's good. But you, how many human beings you can serve? So my process is better.
Guest (4): But I don't know what is God, but I know man within which God is present, a part of God is present.
Prabhupāda: That's all right. That's all right. That means we are, I mean to say for argument's sake. If God is everything...
Guest (4): We are the parts of God.
Prabhupāda: That's all right. Now parts of God, just like your finger is part of your body. Suppose if you wash your finger, does it mean you are taking bath whole body?
Guest (4): No, no, no, no. No.
Prabhupāda: Then how we can serve the whole by serving the part?
Guest (4): Well, because it is a problem today, and right now, we country...
Prabhupāda: Your argument is that service of man is service of God. That is your point. I say that if service of man is service of God, then service of God is service of man. First of all you yes or no, you say it.
Guest (4): It is one and the same but because I don't know God...
Prabhupāda: Then we serve God. You serve men. That's all.
Guest (4): I don't know God. That's why... Which is present and which is a philosophy. That's why...
Prabhupāda: Now, philosophy,... Your argument is service of man is service of God.
Guest (4): It is not my argument. It is argument of Ramakrishna and Vivekananda.
Prabhupāda: Now you are representing Ramakrishna. You are representing Ramakrishna. That's all. I take it.
Guest (4): Because I am also in doubt about... I want to know the truth.
Prabhupāda: The truth is... The example I have given you, that service of the body means service of the stomach. Service of the body does not mean service of the finger.
Guest (4): Service of the body means the service of part of God because body is an embodiment of the...
Prabhupāda: Now, I'll give you the example. Suppose if you want to... Take the whole body. If you want to serve this body you must give food. So where to give the food? To the finger or to the stomach? Therefore God is the stomach. Supply food there and every part of the body will be full.
Guest (4): Okay good. Stomach is the part of God. I don't say he's the whole of God. Part of God. Because... (several people are talking)
Prabhupāda: All right. Car is waiting.
Satsvarūpa: Come to the temple and ask any questions you have.
Guest (4): Okay. Next time I go to Harvard I'll just get...
Prabhupāda: Thank you. I thank you for your questions.
Guest (4): Oh, okay, fine. I'll ask you again. (end)