"Hijack," Syamasundara said.
"Yes, so this is going on. We are making something for our convenience but we are creating something else which is inconvenient. So this is due to Godless civilisation. But if we become God conscious, then our progress of civilisation will be very peaceful and happy. Anyone who has got devotion to the Lord, he is qualified with all the good qualities. Just like you are God conscious, so you have invited us to speak because in you, the good qualities are there. So without God consciousness, there cannot be any good qualities. We are trying to educate people to be honest, to be gentle, fair-dealing, but actually people are becoming dishonest, miscreants, rogues, thieves, due to lack of God consciousness."
Prabhupada gave a very practical example. "Just like in the airport, all gentlemen are searched. What does it mean? That every one of us is dishonest. This is to be understood. So what the education has produced? Simply dishonest men. Why? Because of Godlessness, that's all. So it doesn't matter whether you are Christian or Hindu. People must be raised to God consciousness scientifically. Otherwise it is doomed."
Another monk wondered how it would be possible to understand God, Who was infinite, by way of the finite mind and senses.
Prabhupada confirmed that God was indeed unapproachable by mental concoction. There was, however, another process -- the parampara system. Prabhupada explained this by way of analogy. "Just like on this roof there is some sound and every one of us is making some suggestion what is the sound. 'This may be like this. This may be like that.' This is one process of knowledge, to understand the unseen by speculation. This is one way. It may be successful or not successful -- there is no certainty. But if somebody from the roof says, 'The sound is due to this', then our knowledge is perfect. Similarly, if we speculate about God, Who is adhoksaja, Who is beyond the range of our mind and speculation, then we can come no further than to the conclusion of Brahman realisation, impersonal God. But if we hear from God or His representative, then we get perfect knowledge of God."
A young priest in the audience paraphrased one of the teachings of The New Testament and asked Srila Prabhupada if he agreed: "If any man says he loves God and does not love his neighbour, then that man is a liar."
Prabhupada concurred. "If one loves God," he said, "he must love everyone." Prabhupada pointed to a goblet of water on the lectern before him. "Just like my heart is now thirsty. I am quenching by drinking water and putting here [in the mouth]. So, as soon as I put this water here, immediately the energy is distributed all over the body. So a God conscious person cannot be neglectful or envious to anyone. That is the test; sarvair gunais tatra samasate surah -- all good qualities. So this is a good quality -- to love your neighbour, to give them service. So if actually one person is God conscious, he may be sympathetic with the troubles of his neighbour. Anyone, not only human beings, but animals also. They are also living entities. A God conscious person has no discrimination between human beings and animals or trees or plants, because they are also living entities."
Prabhupada halted, and Hanuman Prasada Goswami thanked the members of the monastery for their kindness in receiving Prabhupada and the devotees. Father Daniel concluded with a few words of appreciation.
In the kirtana that followed, many monks heartily joined in chanting and dancing alongside the devotees. Father Daniel then invited Prabhupada and the devotees to an adjoining room to take refreshments. The devotees were pleasantly surprised to discover a vast array of food, spread before them on a large medieval-style wooden banquet table: hot milk, fruit juice, varieties of nuts and dried fruits, and many types of whole and cut fresh fruit, including large bunches of grapes from the abbey's vineyard. The devotees looked at Prabhupada for his assent. Prabhupada smiled approvingly. "Yes, we can take."
Father Daniel introduced Srila Prabhupada to the elderly Abbot, Dom Kevin O'Farrell, to whom Prabhupada took an immediate liking. The devotees paired off, each speaking to a different member of the community. Meanwhile, Prabhupada sat in a wooden rocking chair and spoke to the Abbot.
Jagattarini: Srila Prabhupada and the Abbot were contemporaries in age. It was impressive to see how kindly and respectfully Prabhupada dealt with him. At one stage, the Abbot began speaking about the war. They both laughed and Prabhupada appeared like a young boy. Even Prabhupada patted him affectionately as if the two were old friends. Prabhupada looked completely at ease. I was struck by their intimate exchange.
As Srila Prabhupada prepared to leave the abbey, Father Daniel asked him one last question: "Your Grace, what is your meditation?"
"My meditation," Prabhupada answered thoughtfully, "is my writing."
- From "The Great Transcendental Adventure" by HG Kurma Prabhu
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