Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, this is Mr. B. T. Koshi. He is the assistant editor of The Current, which is a weekly news magazine.
Prabhupāda: "Current"?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Current."
Prabhupāda: Betiye.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You want to set this tape recorder up? (break)
Prabhupāda: He can sit.
Mr. Koshi: I have come from the material world. Totally different from what is the situation outside. You have been in the news at the festival. I decided to try and see you. There is a lot of curiosity as to what the movement is about. Not only here, but abroad. A lot of controversy. I would like to know how this movement started, what gave you the idea. What is the background? And why it was called the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement? Is it a return to something very fundamental?
Prabhupāda: This movement is started to give something to the whole human society about the real culture. And that is India's prerogative. India can give it. The whole world is in darkness of ignorance. So India was expected after independence to give the real knowledge. But instead of giving the real knowledge, they became victimized by their glimmer of material civilization. So I wanted that such a magnificent gift from the side of India, it shall remain uncontributed to the world, let me try. This is my... This culture is based on Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa. Therefore it is named Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In India practically every home, every person, every leader, they read Bhagavad-gītā. But unfortunately they do not understand the human life. Because in the beginning of the Bhagavad-gītā we find Kṛṣṇa says,
- dehino 'smin yathā dehe
- kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā
- tathā dehāntara-prāptir
- dhīras tatra na muhyati
- (BG 2.13)
- Take Bhagavad-gītā.
- aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ
- prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase
- gatāsūn agatāsūṁś ca
- nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ
- (BG 2.11)
This is beginning. When Kṛṣṇa began to instruct, began instructing Arjuna about Bhagavad-gītā, the first chastisement was given to Arjuna that "You are talking like a paṇḍita, but you are a rascal."
Mr. Koshi: Because you are a...?
Prabhupāda: "Because you are a rascal. Because you are giving stress on the body." Aśocyān anvaśocas tvam (BG 2.11). The body is a lump of matter. It is not the subject matter for discussing or lamenting. It is a lump of matter. Now this, what is called...
Mr. Koshi: Machine. Tape recorder.
Prabhupāda: This machine, so long it is working, it is valuable. If it does not work, what is the value? Throw it out. Similarly, the machine is not important, but so long it is working, it is important. So we must know what is that working principle. That is knowledge. So generally, people, they are embarrassed with the machine, this body. But they do not know what the power in the machine. Am I right or wrong?