Paramahaṁsa: You were saying everyone is inquisitive for happiness, but isn't that, shouldn't that be purified? Shouldn't we give up all desire for happiness?
Prabhupāda: No, no. Happiness is life. How you can give up?
Paramahaṁsa: But if we desire for happiness, then we are being selfish.
Prabhupāda: Yes, but you do not know where is your self in a sense. That is your foolishness. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31), they do not know. Everyone is selfish, everyone is self-interested. But he does not know how to fulfill it. That is foolishness.
Paramahaṁsa: But isn't it better to give up all ego altogether? Shouldn't we give up all of our. . .
Prabhupāda: Why? Why? That is Māyāvādī philosophy.
Paramahaṁsa: Then we become completely cleared of all. . .
Prabhupāda: We make our egoism purified: "I am servant of Kṛṣṇa." That is wanted. Not that to make my egoism zero. That is Māyāvāda. They are disappointed; they think, "Finish this egoism." It cannot be finished. Because you are individual soul, it cannot be finished. Simply it has to be purified. I am thinking "Indian"; you are thinking "American." You are neither American neither Indian. We are all part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. That we have to come to that point. Not to falsely think that "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am cat," "I am dog." That has to be finished. But you'll come to the real egoism, that "I am eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa." That "I am" will go on. Not that. . . They are thinking in a way to finish the "I am," or "I am the same." Wrong thing.
Gaṇeśa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, the material scientists are so inquisitive, yet they are leading lives like cats and dogs. How can they come to. . .?
Prabhupāda: Yes, because they are wrongly directed. You are inquiring me, "Sir, I want to such and such place." If that place is this way, if I say, "You go this way," you go this way, then you'll be baffled, and you'll be unhappy. Wrong direction.
Paramahaṁsa: But we are taking some direction from. . .
Prabhupāda: That's all right, but if you take wrong direction you'll be unhappy. Your destination will not be. . .
Gaṇeśa: So how can the scientists arrive at vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19)?
Prabhupāda: For that he has to take direction from Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says the destination Himself. He comes and says, "Here is. I am the destination. Come here." But if you don't take, that is your misfortune. The direction is here. The perfect director is there. But he's unfortunate—he does not accept this. Therefore he is baffled. We are. . . Our propaganda is, therefore, that "You rascals, all blind leaders, rascals, don't try to lead. Take Kṛṣṇa's instruction and lead. Then you'll be perfect." This is our propaganda. Leading must be there, direction must be there, but the direction and leading must be perfect, then you'll be . . . (indistinct) . . .. Or enquiries must be there, but if the answers or the leading is bad, then you have to . . . (indistinct) . . .. So we should make our enquiry to Kṛṣṇa and take His direction. Then you will be all right.
Paramahaṁsa: But some people say that the Bhagavad-gītā is the direction, and some people say that the Koran is the direction, some people. . .
Prabhupāda: Some people. . . Many authorities say it is right, and that is your fortune or misfortune. As some people say that it is written by some man or something, then it is not perfect. There are many others also, they say it is perfect. Now it is your choice whom you to follow. So that some people as they are against, there are for also. Now it is up to you to accept whom. It is up to you. We accept the direction of the ācāryas—Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Caitanya. Their word is perfect. And they take the direction of Gandhi or this man, that man. Both of them are taking direction, but when the direction is perfect, then you'll become perfect. If the direction is imperfect, you'll remain imperfect. That's all.