View source for When I was in Africa I saw the people are looking for the name and chanting like you chant. But they have a complete different idea of thought. My question is how can I know what is the right thing? From where do you know this?

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{{terms|"But they have a complete different idea of thought"|"From where do you know this"|"My question is how can I know what is the right thing"|"when I was in Africa I saw the people are looking for the name and chanting like you chant"}}
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[[Category:Questions asked to Srila Prabhupada]]
[[Category:Questions asked to SP... 1974]]
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<div id="Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" class="section" sec_index="5" parent="compilation" text="Conversations and Morning Walks"><h2>Conversations and Morning Walks</h2>
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<div id="1974_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" class="sub_section" sec_index="7" parent="Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" text="1974 Conversations and Morning Walks"><h3>1974 Conversations and Morning Walks</h3>
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<div id="RoomConversationwithProfessorDurckheimGermanSpiritualWriterJune191974Germany_0" class="quote" parent="1974_Conversations_and_Morning_Walks" book="Con" index="123" link="Room Conversation with Professor Durckheim German Spiritual Writer -- June 19, 1974, Germany" link_text="Room Conversation with Professor Durckheim German Spiritual Writer -- June 19, 1974, Germany">
<div class="heading">But, as a human being you can study what you have seen in Africa and where you are seeing here. There's much difference... No, just like these boys and girls, they are coming from Jewish group or Christian group. They have not come from India. Now how they're chanting and enjoying you can see.
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<span class="link">[[Vanisource:Room Conversation with Professor Durckheim German Spiritual Writer -- June 19, 1974, Germany|Room Conversation with Professor Durckheim German Spiritual Writer -- June 19, 1974, Germany]]: </span><div style="display: inline;" class="text"><p style="display: inline;">Dr. P. J. Saher: ...and when I was in Africa I saw the people are looking for the name and chanting like you chant. But they have a complete different idea of thought. My question is how can I know what is the right thing? From where do you know this?</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: But, as a human being you can study what you have seen in Africa and where you are seeing here. There's much difference.</p>
<p>Dr. P. J. Saher: I mean, my question only I saw singing the people...</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: No, just like these boys and girls, they are coming from Jewish group or Christian group. They have not come from India. Now how they're chanting and enjoying you can see.</p>
<p>Dr. P. J. Saher: No, I mean the intention was the same. They're looking for (indistinct)</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: (indistinct) ...you have to see the resultant study.</p>
<p>Dr. P. J. Saher: I was quite surprised.</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: Yes. And ask them to induce to chant any other name. They'll not do that. Phalena paricīyate, you have to study by the result of the activity, not theoretical. (German)</p>
<p>Dr. P. J. Saher: Yes. That would be the criterion for me.</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: Yes.</p>
<p>Dr. P. J. Saher: Yes, that's the same what the Christian criterion when St. Paul speaks. They had the same...</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: No. We say that you follow Christian principle, you become perfect. But the difficulty is nobody follows anything. He follows his own opinion. That's all. "In my opinion." What you are, your opinion? That is the difficulty. Yes you can take.</p>
<p>Vedavyāsa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, in the Bible there are a lot of statements regarding chanting, instructions that people should chant the holy name of God. Like in the Old Testament it says from the morning to evening you should chant the holy name of God.</p>
<p>Prabhupāda;: Yes. That is the business in this age. Chant the holy name of God.</p>
<p>Professor Durckheim: Whatever you do, do in the name of Jesus Christ, the Bible...</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: That's all right. You take this in the name of Jesus Christ.</p>
<p>Haṁsadūta: Prabhupāda, would you like to take your prasādam now?</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: Not now. Later. The simplest method-chant the holy name of the Lord. That's all.</p>
<p>Prof. Pater Porsch: Should this chanting be loud? Or can it also be half loud, whisper or silently, mentally? Does it play any difference? Does it make any difference?</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: If you chant loudly then others can hear. They also take benefit.</p>
<p>Vedavyāsa: Should we translate?</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: Hm?</p>
<p>Vedavyāsa: Should we translate?</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: Yes. (German) Even the birds and beasts they will hear and be benefited. (German) Therefore loud chanting is recommended. So that even the birds, beasts, trees, plants, they can hear. (German)</p>
<p>Prof. Pater Porsch: I seldom saw so many happy faces as today, this evening, below.</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: Yes. That is the case. In America also the ladies and gentlemen ask them, "Are you Americans?" Because they do not see Americans with such nice face. One Christian priest—I was going from Los Angeles to Hawaii—so he came to talk with me. He inquired "Swamiji, how is that your disciples look so bright?" He inquired. Yes.</p>
<p>Prof. Pater Porsch: Without drugs.</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: Yes. And one Christian priest he showed one pamphlet that these boys, they're our boys but before this they're not coming to the church. They do not want to ask anything about God. Now they're mad after God. How is it? He admitted, "They're our men." And I give you another example. In our Los Angeles temple—this was a church, big church—but it was not going on. It was being closed. And it was sold to us. And now you go and see there is daily thousands of... the same men, the same place. The crowd is so... Why? I have not brought all these men from India. Judge. Unless it is something sublime, how they're accepting it? And they're all young boys. Not that they have become old, therefore they're seeking after God. (everyone laughs) And young men have got so many aspirations, they go to the restaurant to smoke, to enjoy girlfriend, boyfriend, these... They have given up everything.</p>
<p>Professor Durckheim: And they are working in the society, they are working...</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: We are working, we are writing these books and selling them. That's all. This is our work.</p>
<p>Professor Durckheim: I see.</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: We have no other... Even in the Indian Parliament, the question was raised that "How is that this international society is spending lavishly? What is their income?" There is a rumor that Americans are sending these CIA, what is this? (everyone laughs) Rascal people, they think the CIA has come to dance and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. (everyone laughs) So, of course the reply was given that we have no information that these people are CIA but we know that they are maintaining themselves by selling their literature and public contribution. That's all. And we have got 102 centers like this. This is not very... If you go to our Los Angeles center, New York center and other, Vṛndāvana center and Navadvīpa center, not less than 200 men are there always. And we are providing with their food, shelter. We give education to their children. We are getting them married. We don't allow these boys to live as friends. No. "You get yourself married." Yes. (German) Here is a girl, Kausalyā. I picked her from Hawaii. Now you can ask what she was and what she is now. Now she's married. She's happy. She has everything here. Life is there. (pause) Hare Kṛṣṇa. So I think you are all learned gentlemen, you should give us support and cooperate with this movement. It is very nice movement. That is my request to you. (German)</p>
<p>Satsvarūpa: May we take your leave, Śrīla Prabhupāda?</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: No. You sit down. I do not... I can talk all night. (devotees laugh) Because it is Kṛṣṇa's talk that is your (indistinct) already. Satataṁ kīrtayanto mām ([[Vanisource:BG 9.14|BG 9.14]]). Why do you stop? Satatam. Go on. Continuous. What is that? Satatam means?</p>
<p>Satsvarūpa: Always?</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: Satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ, namasyantaś ca mām... ([[Vanisource:BG 9.14|BG 9.14]]).</p>
<p>Prof. Pater Porsch: In what way can he support, or cooperate with your movement? In what way can he offer optimal benefit to your movement?</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: That is a simple thing. You chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. That's all.</p>
<p>Prof. Pater Porsch: No. I mean in a further, in an extended way. For example...</p>
<p>Haṁsadūta: Yes. We have got a life membership program which can be (indistinct) can participate in that way.</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: You can become a life member and read all these books and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. There is no loss. Suppose you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa there is no material loss on your part, but if there is any gain, why don't you take it?</p>
<p>Prof. Pater Porsch: No, my question was perhaps a little, not quite clear. Many of us here, myself felt, represent not only our personal selves but are here on behalf of certain institutions and we are active in some form or other of public service, these gentlemen probably also. And in what way, for example, would we serve your movement by giving a clear explanation about the aims of your activity, for example, removing prejudices and supporting Sanskrit studies and the better distribution of the Bhagavad-gītā in this form, in such ways, perhaps?</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: Yes. We are writing these books for distribution.</p>
<p>Prof. Pater Porsch: Yes. Yes. Yes, I've already suggested that one.</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: Yes. And they are not manufactured knowledge. They are standard knowledge, Vedic knowledge, I am explaining for understanding of the people in general. Each word is being explained. Here is my dictaphone. I am sitting here. So as soon as I stop talking, I shall write immediately. At night also, I get up at two o'clock, one o'clock, and write these books.</p>
<p>Haṁsadūta: Prabhupāda came to United States in 1965, and this movement was started in 1966, '67, and since that time, he has published about twenty books like this, including Bhagavad-gītā, Caitanya-caritāmṛta.</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: And what is the number of books sold last year?</p>
<p>Satsvarūpa: Four million.</p>
<p>Prabhupāda: Four million copies.</p>
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