Hari-śauri: God may have given us all the basic things, but it's taken man's intelligence to make the . . .
Prabhupāda: That is all right, but if God has given you so many basic things, then you can use your intelligence. Otherwise, your intelligence . . . there is a story that one man was asked by his friend, "Have you got intelligence?" He began to search out here. So, "What is this?" He said, "Intelligence means when there is money here. Otherwise, I am, even though I have got intelligence, useless." You can utilize your intelligence provided you have got the means. Intelligence also you cannot utilize properly if there is no supply.
Hari-śauri: Actually, Svarūpa Dāmodara pointed out when we were in Washington that most of these big, big men, they admit that they don't know where their inspiration comes from; it just comes. Just like that Mozart or one of those composers. He just used to write the music, but he had no idea where it was coming from. He did not think it out.
Prabhupāda: And that is the answer in the Bhagavad-gītā: mattaḥ. Mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca (BG 15.15). So intelligence also comes from God. Mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca.
Atreya Ṛṣi: One of the questions Iranians ask a lot is that if He is giving us the intelligence, why doesn't He give us enough intelligence so that we could be God conscious?
Prabhupāda: Yes, He's giving. Read the Bhagavad-gītā. But you rascals don't accept, what can be done?