More on Simplicity
BY: PRAGHOSA DASA (ACBSP)
Nov 3, NEW YORK CITY (SUN) —
Reporter: If I wanted to be initiated into your society, what would I have to do?
Srila Prabhupada: First of all, you'd have to give up illicit sex life.
Reporter: Does that include all sex life? What is illicit sex life?
Srila Prabhupada: Illicit sex is sex outside of marriage. Animals have sex with no restrictions, but in human society there are restrictions. In every country and in every religion, there is some system of restricting sex life. You would also have to give up all intoxicants, including tea, cigarettes, alcohol, marijuana--anything that intoxicates.
Reporter: Anything else?
Srila Prabhupada: You'd also have to give up eating meat, eggs, and fish. And you'd have to give up gambling as well. Unless you gave up these four sinful activities, you could not be initiated.
Reporter: How many followers do you have throughout the world?
Srila Prabhupada: For anything genuine, the followers may be very few. For something rubbish, the followers may be many. Still, we have about five thousand initiated disciples.
Reporter: Is the Krsna consciousness movement growing all the time?
Srila Prabhupada: Yes, it is growing--but slowly. This is because we have so many restrictions. People do not like restrictions.
Reporter: Where is your following the greatest?
Srila Prabhupada: In the United States, Europe, South America, and Australia. And, of course, in India there are millions who practice Krsna consciousness.
Reporter: Could you tell me what the goal of your movement is?
Srila Prabhupada: The purpose of this Krsna consciousness movement is to awaken man's original consciousness. At the present moment our consciousness is designated. Someone is thinking, "I am an Englishman," and another is thinking, "I am an American." Actually, we do not belong to any of these designations. We are all part and parcel of God; that is our real identity. If everyone simply comes to that consciousness, all the problems of the world will be solved. Then we shall come to know that we are one--the same quality of spirit soul. The same quality of spirit soul is within everyone, although it may be in a different dress. This is the explanation given in the Bhagavad-gita.
Krsna consciousness is actually a purificatory process (sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam). Its purpose is to make people free from all designations (tat-paratvena nirmalam). When our consciousness becomes purified of all designations, the activities we carry out with our purified senses make us perfect. Eventually, we reach the ideal perfection of human life. Krsna consciousness is also a very simple process. It is not necessary to become a great philosopher, scientist, or whatever. We need only chant the holy name of the Lord, understanding that His personality, His name, and His qualities are all absolute.
Krsna consciousness is a great science. Unfortunately, in the universities there is no department for this science. Therefore we invite all serious men who are interested in the welfare of human society to understand this great movement and, if possible, take part in it and cooperate with us. The problems of the world will be solved. This is also the verdict of the Bhagavad-gita, the most important and authoritative book of spiritual knowledge. Many of you have heard of the Bhagavad-gita. Our movement is based on it. Our movement is approved by all great acaryas in India. Ramanujacarya, Madhvacarya, Lord Caitanya, and so many others. You are all representatives of newspapers, so I ask you to try to understand this movement as far as possible for the good of all human society.
Reporter: Do you think your movement is the only way to know God?
Srila Prabhupada: Yes.
Reporter: How are you assured of that?
Srila Prabhupada: From the authorities and from God, Krsna. Krsna says:
sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami ma sucah
"Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear." (Bhagavad-gita 18.66)
Reporter: Does "surrender" mean that someone would have to leave his family?
Srila Prabhupada: No.
Reporter: But suppose I were to become an initiate. Wouldn't I have to come and live in the temple?
Srila Prabhupada:Not necessarily.
Reporter: I can stay at home?
Srila Prabhupada:Oh, yes.
Reporter: What about work? Would I have to give up my job?
Srila Prabhupada: No, you'd simply have to give up your bad habits and chant the Hare Krsna mantra on these beads--that's all.
Reporter: Would I have to give any financial support?
Srila Prabhupada: No, that is your voluntary wish. If you give, that's all right. And if you don't, we don't mind. We do not depend on anyone's financial contribution. We depend on Krsna.
Reporter: I wouldn't have to give any money at all?
Srila Prabhupada: No.
Reporter: Is this one of the main things that distinguishes the genuine guru from the fake guru?
Srila Prabhupada: Yes, a genuine guru is not a businessman. He is a representative of God. Whatever God says, the guru repeats.
Our "gurus" are representing Srila Prabhupada and his International Society for Krsna Consciousness. They serve "on behalf of the mission" and if they don't wish to remain subservient to the sanction of the International Society for Krsna Consciousness - then they directly declare their independence and that is that. This mode of action was simply referred to by Srila Prabhupada as "Ritvik Representative of the Acharya" - guru of sorts - but as Srila Prabhupada said "By MY order". So it is limited in scope and responsibility and "personally" choosing such a man to confirm one's "initiation" was never even suggested by Srila Prabhupada.
In the recent example of HH Dhanudhara Swami - he declared his disregard for the direction of the leadership of the International Society for Krsna Consciousness - and stated that he would henceforward preach and accumualate disciples without their approval or sanction. They withdrew their sanction - he walked. Not unlike many men, no need to name them. Simple.
The International Society for Krsna Consciousness cannot be responsible for his actions one way or the other. And this is just one example of the simplicity and natural genius of Srila Prabhupada's arrangements for saving the whole world with this Krsna Consciousness Movement.
In the above quote taken from an interview recorded in the Science of Self Realization he states: "Therefore we invite all serious men who are interested in the welfare of human society to understand this great movement and, if possible, take part in it and cooperate with us."
I constantly insist - to the point of monotony perhaps and for that I apologise - that Srila Prabhupada made it sublimely simple. He said he was "whipping us" to distribute his books - in order to invite all "serious men" to take part in this movement and cooperate with us to share it worldwide "for the good of human society".
The sincere and "serious" man will never be able to pretend that it is more difficult or complicated than it actually is.
Respectfully,
Praghosa Das
