June 12 1974 Paris conversations.
Prabhupāda: Heat is also fire. But at the same time, heat is not fire. What is the difficulty to understand? If I say heat is also fire, but it is not fire, where is the wrong?
Devotee: Heat comes from the fire.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Therefore the fire quality is there. Heat is the quality of the fire. Just like I taste sugar. The sweetness is also sugar. And the form is also sugar.
Yogeśvara: Well, they would say, “If stone is also Kṛṣṇa, then why aren’t we worshiping all stone?”
Prabhupāda: Eh?
Yogeśvara: Then why don’t we worship all… Here is also some stone. Why don’t we worship this?
Prabhupāda: You worship. Because you are rascal, you worship.
Yogeśvara: No, they…
Prabhupāda: We, we worship Kṛṣṇa in His form, but you are formless. You worship that stone. When we make the form of Kṛṣṇa in stone, then we worship, not that any stone. Because Kṛṣṇa is everything, that does not mean I have to worship the dog. That you worship. Because you are impersonalist, you worship dog. And you are doing that. In the morning, you take a dog and worship it. That is your business. Our business is to worship the form of Kṛṣṇa. That is the, required. (pause)
Bhagavān: Could we say that anyone who is engaged in glorifying the body is actually engaged in idol worship?
Prabhupāda: Hmm?
Bhagavān: Anyone who’s engaged in…
Prabhupāda: That is already answered. Kṛṣṇa says, “The body is Myself, but still, I am not there.” So you cannot say by worshiping your body, you’re worshiping Kṛṣṇa. At that time, he’s not there, although the body’s also Kṛṣṇa.
Paramahaṁsa: Sometimes, they argue, “How do you know this Deity is Kṛṣṇa, and this one isn’t? Because each Deity looks a little different to the material eyes.”
Prabhupāda: So we have to pluck out the material eyes. Then you’ll see that it is all right. First of all, let me pluck out your material eyes. Then you’ll see. Therefore it is said, premāñjana-cchurita: “Eyes with love of Godhead.” Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He saw Jagannātha Deity, Jagannātha Deity’s not very beautiful. But immediately He saw Kṛṣṇa and fainted. You have to make that eyes, then you’ll see. So your present eye have to be plucked out. Then you’ll see. Hare Kṛṣṇa.
SRI SAKSI GOPAL