Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Everyone... Even if we don't surrender to Kṛṣṇa in this life, will everyone surrender to Kṛṣṇa? Will everyone go back to Godhead eventually?

Prabhupāda: Hm? So you have got doubt? Rest assured not everyone will do that. So you have no worries. It is not that everyone will do that. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva (CC.2:19:151). Unless one is bhāgyavān, very fortunate, he'll not go back to home, back to Godhead. He will rot here. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means we are trying to make people bhāgyavān. If he wants, he can become bhāgyavān. That is our attempt. We are creating so many centers. We are teaching how to become bhāgyavān, fortunate, how to go back to home, how he can be happy. Now, if one is fortunate, they will take this instruction and turn his life. Therefore this is mission. But without becoming bhāgyavān, nobody can go. Fortunate. So we are giving them chance to become fortunate. This is our mission. The most unfortunate is getting the chance of becoming fortunate. Any one of us can consider this, how from unfortunate life they are coming to fortunate. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that we are giving chance to the unfortunate. Everyone is unfortunate, everyone is a rascal. We are giving chance how to become intelligent and fortunate. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If the people are not so unfortunate and rascal, then what is the meaning of preaching? Preaching means that you have to turn the rascals and unfortunate to become intelligent and fortunate. That is preaching. But unless you are fortunate and intelligent, you cannot take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is a fact.

(Lecture on Bhagavad-Gita-------South Africa).

Devotee: For detachment, it's just austerities?

Prabhupāda: Detachment, when you'll understand that this is good, this is bad, naturally you'll have detachment for the bad. Unless you know this is good, this is bad, how there can be detachment? When you are offered two kinds of foodstuff, and if you know: "This is good, this is bad," then naturally you have detachment for the bad and pick up the good. First of all you have to know what is good and bad. Then, when you are convinced, naturally you know: "Oh, this should not be taken." Detached, automatically. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (B.g.2:59). Therefore knowledge is first required for detachment. Jñāna-vairāgya-yuktayā (S.B.1:2:12). Jñāna, first of all knowledge, then detachment. unless you have knowledge, artificial detachment will not work.

(Morning walk-------Los Angeles).

Guest (4): Gurudeva said the only aim of human being is to surrender to Śrī Kṛṣṇa, to the lotus feet of Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Guest (4): In India especially, there are so many temples and gods and goddesses...

Prabhupāda: That has been described in the Bhagavad-gītā. Those who are hṛta-jñānāḥ, less intelligent, all these gods and goddess are for them. Hṛta-jñānāḥ. Kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ yajante anya devatāḥ (B.G.7:20). "Those who are after other demigods, they are hṛta-jñānāḥ." Hṛta-jñānāḥ means they have got little knowledge—that is taken away by māyā. Māyayāpahṛta-jñānā. These words are there. So this demigod worship is for the less intelligent class of men, not the actual intellectuals. Actual intellectual is he-bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (B.G.7:19). So he's actual intelligent, when he surrenders to Kṛṣṇa. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ (B.G.7:19). So the demigod worship is recommended for the less intelligent class of men. Otherwise, to surrender to Kṛṣṇa is the highest stage of perfection.

(Evening Lecture--------Bhuvanesvara).