Prabhupāda: Bhāvanaḥ(?) means it is, it is by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa. If one is sincerely surrendered soul unto Kṛṣṇa, then He gives the intelligence how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. It is not a mechanical way.
Guest: No.
Prabhupāda: It is not a mechanical way. Simply one has to become very serious and sincere, then you develop. yasya deve parā bhaktir yathā deva tathā gurau, prakāśaḥ (ŚU 6.23). He becomes revealed. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ (BG 7.25). He is not revealed to everyone. It requires the qualification how to become a devotee, surrendered soul. (Hindi) Your daughter, as soon as there was kīrtana, how she was dancing?
Guest: Hm.
Prabhupāda: She is young girl.
Guest: She is very devoted.
Prabhupāda: She has the advanced devotion. Therefore.... She is a young girl, she was not ashamed, so immediately she began to dance.
Guest: She has always been like that.
Prabhupāda: This is automatic, so this is not an artificial thing.
Guest: No, no she feels it. That is her mission.
Prabhupāda: No, I was very surprised how this nice girl.... Other girls they are also dancing. So this dancing, I was explaining to him that this dancing was not artificial.
Guest: It is from heart.
Prabhupāda: Ecstatic.
Guest: Ecstatic, yes. Otherwise nobody will get up at 3:30 in the morning.
Prabhupāda: Locovāca(?). Doesn't care that here is my mother, here is my father, here is my.... No. Effortless(?).
Guest: She says today she is going to the park to make a temple.
Prabhupāda: So, she has got the tendency to become a perfect devotee. As a father and mother you should not hamper it.
Guest: (laughs) I tell her that too, you know.
Prabhupāda: ...because it is not easy to become a devotee.
Guest: I know.
Prabhupāda: It is not easy. manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye yatatām api siddhānāṁ kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ (BG 7.3). Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). To become a devotee and surrendered soul unto Kṛṣṇa is not so easy thing. Bahūnāṁ janmanām. And if she has developed it is the duty and śāstra says pitā na sa syāj jananī na sā syāt na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum. These things are there. So, if she has got the natural tendency you should give all possible help to her. This is the duty of the father.
Guest: This is quite right.
Prabhupāda: This is the duty of the father.
Guest: We give it at home, because we told her whatever she wanted to put things, mūrtis, other things, we have installed it.
Prabhupāda: Yes, let her enjoy this devotional life. She has developed it. It is a fortune for you because if one member of the family becomes a devotee of the Lord he can deliver all the members. Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja. Prahlāda Mahārāja, his father was Hiraṇyakaśipu, a demon.
Guest: I know.
Prabhupāda: Demon. Demon. (laughs) Prahlāda Mahārāja when he was asked, "Take benediction, whatever you like", he said, "Sir, what benediction I shall take? I have seen the benediction of my father. He was so powerful even the demigods trembled by his red eyes and You finished it within a second. So what is the value of this benediction? Kindly engage me in Your service." Then Prahlāda Mahārāja he did not ask anything for himself, but later on he asked Nṛsiṁha-deva, "Sir, my Lord, one request I can make. My father was great demon, he was against You, but still I pray that his liberation will be granted."
Guest: Very nice of him, very good of him.
Prabhupāda: (laughs)
Guest: To save his father.
Prabhupāda: So Nṛsiṁha-deva replied, "Don't be worried about your father. Not only your father, but your father's father, his father, up to 14 generations because a devotee like you, because you are born in this family, 14 generations they are also liberated." Best service. If your daughter can give best service to your family by becoming a devotee. She gives service to you, to your husband, to your husband's father, your father, that is the śāstric injunction.
Guest: What exactly is a devotee?
Prabhupāda: Huh?
Guest: What exactly is a devotee?
Prabhupāda: Devotee means he does not know anything better than Kṛṣṇa, that's all.
Guest: But suppose a man who is working in life with always that consciousness, is he...
Prabhupāda: What is that consciousness?
Guest: That he knows nothing but Kṛṣṇa. (indistinct)
Prabhupāda: That his actions will prove.
Guest: No, not action. Just you say the brāhmaṇa must do by actions.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Guest: So a devotee is also by actions he can do it?
Prabhupāda: By symptoms.
Guest: Symptoms.
Prabhupāda: Just like your daughter, she is always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Even she does not like to live with family because she does not find very congenial atmosphere.
Guest: (indistinct)
Prabhupāda: A devotee.... Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura prays, tādera caraṇa-sevi-bhakta-sane vās, bhakta-sane vās. You must live amongst the devotees.
Guest: (indistinct)
Prabhupāda: In our society he has come from America, he has come from Canada, I am from India, but we have forgotten all our family relations, we have nothing to do. We are in a different atmosphere. They can die for me, I can die for them, but we have no family relationship. He coming from America, I'm from India, he's from Canada, but the central point is Kṛṣṇa. You see? That is devotee. Tādera caraṇa-sevi-bhakta-sane vās, bhakta-sane vās. Therefore we have made this society, Kṛṣṇa conscious society. Anyone who is Kṛṣṇa conscious let us live together. We are also living together in a house—we are eating, we are sleeping, doing this, but everything in a society of devotees. Just like if you want to do some business if you become a member of the association, stock selling exchange, you can do better business.
Guest: (laughs) But not all the time.
Prabhupāda: No, no I say.... Not all the time because it is material, this is material. They cannot do all the time because this is temporary. You can work as a stock exchange broker for a few hours then it will be havoc(?). But it is not like that. If you can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra 24 hours, you'll never be worried. You'll never be tired. That is the difference between material and spiritual activities. Just like these boys they are working day and night (indistinct). I do not pay them. They are all qualified. Suppose if one wanted to keep a servant like him, how much he will have to pay? They are doing for nothing. Rather if I become angry they become afraid. (laughs)
Guest: But I also.... No, no, I mean I...
Prabhupāda: But you are also helping us.
Guest: (indistinct) ISKCON.
Prabhupāda: That I know, that I know. Therefore you have got such a nice daughter.