Indian man (1): The Ramana Maharshi is actually a . . . Read Bhagavad-gītā. He requested you, "You should always read it."
Prabhupāda: "Always read it," but he never preached about Kṛṣṇa.
Indian man (1): Eh?
Prabhupāda: But he never preached about Kṛṣṇa. He may be always reading, but he did not know what is Kṛṣṇa. He never spoke that "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord." Never spoke. So what is the use of reading?
Indian man (1): Ramana Maharshi?
Prabhupāda: Ramana Maharshi, yes, I am speaking of Ramana Maharshi. He never preached about Kṛṣṇa's superexcellent position, never preached. This is going on. Everyone is taking advantage of Bhagavad-gītā and he's preaching in his own way, foolish way. "Own way" means foolish way. This is going on. You cannot . . . Suppose you have got your philosophy, but you cannot take my book and preach your philosophy. If you have got philosophy, you write your philosophy. Why do you take advantage of my book and misinterpret? This is cheating. Because my book is very popular, you take advantage of my book and preach your own nonsense philosophy. This is going on. If you want to smoke gañjā, you smoke in your own hand. Why you capture my hand and smoke? What is this? So the gañjā-smelling will be in my hand, not in your hand. This is going on.
Why do they take advantage of Bhagavad-gītā and preach their nonsense philosophy? That is our protest. You preach your nonsense philosophy—we have no objection—but don't touch Bhagavad-gītā. This is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. What is the . . . Do you think it is honesty that you want to preach something of your own philosophy and you take advantage of my book and mislead others? Is that very good, honest business? This is going on. This is going on, very dangerous position. In our country, and what to speak of other countries, all these svāmīs, yogīs and politicians and scholars, they are doing like this. Very dangerous position. Why should you touch Bhagavad-gītā? You speak, you preach your own philosophy. There are so many philosophies. But our only objection is that "Why should you preach your nonsense philosophy through Bhagavad-gītā?" Do you think it is right?
Indian man (1): It's not right.
Prabhupāda: Eh?
Indian man (1): It's not right.
Prabhupāda: Yes. That you should understand.
Indian man (2): To not believe Kṛṣṇa and preaching Bhagavad-gītā . . .
Indian man (1): The thing is, Ramana Maharshi did preach Bhagavad-gītā. He had . . . (indistinct) . . . so he kept quiet.
Prabhupāda: Why should he kept quiet if he has read Bhagavad-gītā?
Indian man (3): No. But, say, it's like this. Man who has understood philosophy of Bhagavad-gītā probably will not attach much importance later whether it's Kṛṣṇa, Śiva or somebody else, once he has reached the supreme state.
Prabhupāda: No, if Kṛṣṇa . . . Kṛṣṇa says that "I am the supreme . . ."
Indian man (3): Yes, He says . . .
Prabhupāda: So if you read Bhagavad-gītā, then you must accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme. Otherwise, what is the use of . . .?
Indian man (3): No, thing is . . . is that Kṛṣṇa is not Supreme. Just because somebody doesn't pronounce the name of Kṛṣṇa, that doesn't mean that . . .
Prabhupāda: That means he does not accept Kṛṣṇa as Supreme. Therefore he does not pronounce. That is the . . . If he understands that Kṛṣṇa is Supreme, he should . . . Just like we have understood. We are chanting always, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa . . . This is understanding, not, not . . . If you . . . Kṛṣṇa says, satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ (BG 9.14). That is Kṛṣṇa. Satataṁ kīrtayanto mām: "Always chanting about Me."