July 13 1975 Philadelphia
Prof. Hopkins: Is that… It’s difficult for people outside the Kṛṣṇa consciousness group to see what the purpose of the movement is.
Prabhupāda: Eh?
Prof. Hopkins: It’s difficult for people outside the society of Kṛṣṇa consciousness to see what the purpose is. How would you understand the purpose? Simply to make God known? How would you state…
Prabhupāda: Our purpose is how to become happy. Everyone is struggling how to become happy. Somebody is thinking that “If I can get money then I’ll be happy.” Somebody is thinking that “If we become one with the Supreme, then I’ll be happy.” And somebody thinks that “If I can get material power, then I’ll be happy.” So those who are thinking in terms of money, they are karmīs. And those who are thinking in terms of becoming one, they are jñānīs. And those who are thinking in terms of getting material power, they are yogis. But the bhaktas, they don’t want any such perfection. They, bhaktis, “Let me worship the Supreme, that’s all.”Therefore he has already (indistinct) and they are all in want. Bhakta is satisfied simply by worshiping the Lord. Svāmin kṛtārtho ‘smi. And all others, karmīs, jñānīs, yogis, they want something so they cannot be happy. So if happiness is my aim, then I must become a bhakta, otherwise there is no happiness. You are always in want. Somebody is in want of money, somebody is in want to becoming one with the Supreme, and somebody wants to show some jugglery, mysticism. So they want something. And a devotee, he doesn’t want all these things. He wants to serve Kṛṣṇa, that’s all. No demand. And he serves Kṛṣṇa without any motive. Ahaituky apratihatā. That is bhakta.
Prof. Hopkins: So what you are doing is simply showing people how to be happy.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Prof. Hopkins: I like that.
Prabhupāda: Thank you. That is the real want, how to become happy.
Prof. Hopkins: It’s remarkable how complicated simple things get.
Prabhupāda: The example is also very simple. Just like a child is crying and somebody is offering some milk, somebody is offering something but he is still crying. Could not find any cause. Then when the child goes to the mother’s lap, immediately (claps)-stops. He understands immediately, “Now I am on the lap of my mother, then everything is all right.” Yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ manyate nādhikaṁ tataḥ. Everyone is hankering after making some profit, this way, that way, this way, that way. But when one becomes, gets that supreme thing then he thinks, “Oh, I don’t want anything.” That is happiness.
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This little black headed grosbeak bird below was snoozing on our outside pond bowl a couple of days ago obviously not afraid of anything coming to get him. I have never seen a bird do this, usually they are always afraid, looking this and that way constantly. But I got so close to him I could have touched him, finally after the camera shutter going off several times, he woke up and decided it was time to fly away. I thought this a nice example similar to the one Srila Prabhupada just gave about a baby feeling safe in his mothers arms. I can only guess that this bird “felt” the same way being here….at Sri Sri Gaura Nitai mandir. The sastra states that if somebody dies within 2 miles of where Salagram Silas are being daily worshiped, they go back to Godhead. So there must be “something” to all this that animals and birds can feel. I remember very clearly, a few years back, when Mt St Helens blew her mountain top, ALL the animals around here (over 200 miles from the blast) could all feel its
in auspiciousness and were afraid. All the dairy farmers, I was told, noticed it in all their cows , and the coyotes out back were braying out of sorts during the daytime, something they never do. So this chanting of Hare Krsna mantra is the only authorized medicine recommended for all in this age because its transcendental vibration reaches and effects all levels of life.
damaghosa das
