View source for If you want to do something, then maintain this institution rigidly, follow the principles of Bhagavad-gita. It doesn't require many men. If there is one moon in the sky, that is sufficient. You don't require millions of stars

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[[Category:If You Want To]]
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<h2>Conversations and Morning Walks</h2>
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<h3>1977 Conversations and Morning Walks</h3>
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If you want to do something, then you maintain this institution rigidly, follow the principles of Bhagavad-gītā. It doesn't matter. It doesn't require many men. Ekaś candras tamo hanti na ca tārā sahasraśaḥ (Cāṇakya Paṇḍita). If there is one moon in the sky, that is sufficient. You don't require millions of stars, twinkling.
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[[Vanisource:770415 - Conversation - Bombay|770415 - Conversation - Bombay]]
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Prabhupāda: Yes. First of all you can talk. It is not expected that everyone will be able to understand. It is not expected.

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:manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu
:kaścid yatati siddhaye
:yatatām api siddhānāṁ
:kaścin vetti māṁ tattvataḥ 
:([[Vanisource:BG 7.3 (1972)|BG 7.3]])
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It is not easy job. But still, some ideal institution should be there who are actually serious to understand. They may be given the chance. That must be there. In the university, when we were students, there were some postgraduate classes that no student was coming. But still, the university maintained that class, paying, in those days, 1,200, 1,500, salaries to the professors. They maintained that. So here there is no question of salary. Here the institution must be maintained, strictly following the principles of Bhagavad-gītā. It is open. It is not difficult at all. Just like Kṛṣṇa says the perfect life, how one can become perfect, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru ([[Vanisource:BG 18.65 (1972)|BG 18.65]]): "Always think of Me," man-manāḥ, "just become My devotee," mad-bhaktaḥ, "worship Me," mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru, "simply offer your obeisances unto Me." One, two, three, four—four items. If you do one item at least, your life becomes successful. Even this child can do this. So to understand Bhagavad-gītā and follow the principle—not at all difficult. It is not reserved for any particular class of men or country or society. Such a nice thing. And the human body is meant for understanding this knowledge, not to imitate the cats and dogs, jumping. This is being done by the cats and dogs. By evolutionary process, when we come to the human form of life, it is meant for understanding this science. So this opportunity there is, but we are blocking them not to take this knowledge and try to understand how to jump like cats and dogs. Greatest disservice to the human society. We have got such chance, so instead of helping you to get the chance, if I mislead you another way, is it not greatest disservice?

Mr. Rajda: Yes.

Prabhupāda: That is being done all over the world. If you simply understand this one line, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ . . . ([[Vanisource:BG 2.13 (1972)|BG 2.13]]). So today I am Indian, and after death I become something else. There are 8,400,000 different bodies. Today I may be very exalted minister, and tomorrow, if I become something else . . . I'll have to, because nature's law, you cannot check. Tathā dehānt . . . just like here is child. You cannot check to become young man. That is not in your power. She must become or he must become. Similarly, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ: it is not in your hand or in my hand. It is in the hand of the prakṛti. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ, ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā ([[Vanisource:BG 3.27 (1972)|BG 3.27]]). So there are so many things that . . . the human society requires this knowledge, and we are trying to give this knowledge alone with our humble attempt, and these foreigners are helping with their prāṇair arthair dhiyā vācā ([[Vanisource:SB 10.22.35|SB 10.22.35]]), by their life, by their money, by their intelligence, by their words. (aside) Give them pad. They cannot sit comfortably. There is pad. Give him. Pads. Yes. Do nah. Unko bhi do. Baithiye usme. Baithiye, nahi to taklif hota hai. Baithiye. (Come on, give it. Give it to her also. Please sit down on it. Please sit down or else you will feel uncomfortable. Sit.) (sounds of furniture being moved) Sukham āsinaḥ. First of all one must . . . give her.

So we have got, at least in Bombay, the most important place in India, this institution. So come here. Try to understand the philosophy. There is no difficulty. But we neglect it. We are simply ne . . . and distorting. Everyone is giving his own interpretation. Eh? Then when, where is the importance of Kṛṣṇa? If Bhagavad-gītā is a book who is authority, and if you interpret and give your own interpretation, then where is the authority? Suppose Parliament passes one law, and if I interpret in my own way, then where is the authority of the law? This is the idea. If you want to give some idea of your own, give it separately. Why do you take Bhagavad-gītā and distort it? This is not gentlemanly, this. We are presenting, therefore, Bhagavad-gītā as it is, and it is being accepted. And before me so many svāmīs, yogīs went there. They also tried to explain Bhagavad-gītā, but nobody accepted. There was . . . in the history there was not a single devotee of Kṛṣṇa before my going. Now there are thousands. Why? The secret is that I am presenting as it is.

Mr. Rajda: As it is. Correct.

Prabhupāda: No distortion, no cheating. This is the secret. They give me credit, "Swāmījī, you have done wonderful. You have done . . ." I say the secret of wonderful is this, that I have not distorted it. I have presented Bhagavad-gītā as it is. It is open secret.

Mr. Rajda: That creates . . . it has created . . . your attempts have created a good impact on the Western world.

Prabhupāda: Everyone is . . . (indistinct) . . . but we have rejected. Our misfortune is that our property, we have rejected.

Mr. Rajda: Instead of rejecting, it would be correct as you say that we have locked it up.

Prabhupāda: That means we don't take any importance. But now, if you want to do something, then you maintain this institution rigidly, follow the principles of Bhagavad-gītā. It doesn't matter. It doesn't require many men. Ekaś candras tamo hanti na ca tārā sahasraśaḥ (Cāṇakya Paṇḍita). If there is one moon in the sky, that is sufficient. You don't require millions of stars, twinkling. So let there be an institution, and it is open to everyone. There is no question of "secular" and particular . . . let them learn this art. That is wanted. Not blindly, but apply your consideration and take it after mature judgment. No, what is that? Everything is there. There is no difficulty.
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