Meeting with a journalist
Sabhapati, who had been instrumental in arranging all the previous year's engagements, had once again lined up a number of gentlemen to speak with Prabhupada. In accordance with Prabhupada's decision not to hold any more outside programs, all the meetings and lectures would be held at the temple. "Now that we have our own place," Prabhupada said, "let them come here."
A journalist from The Age arrived at 10am. As Prabhupada sat cross-legged on his blue chaise longue, the man sat comfortably before him on a matching antique chair. Prabhupada explained how in civilised human society, there must be some system of religion. He defined religion as "that system whereby civilised human beings try to understand God and His laws". Prabhupada continued to give an overview of the philosophy of Krsna consciousness while the man listened politely.
The journalist had a few questions. Taking Prabhupada's use of the word "religion" to mean "a set of beliefs", he asked, "What about other religions?"
Prabhupada was frank. "Well, when we speak of religion, there is no question of 'other religion', 'your religion', 'my religion'. We are speaking of God. God is God. Just like gold is gold. Because it is in the hand of a Christian, you cannot say that 'It is Christian gold'. The gold is gold."
"But do you accept the validity of other religions?"
"Any religion that is seeking after God, that is valid. If any religion does not obey God, does not know God, that is cheating. That is not religion."
The man also wanted to know how modern society was going wrong.
"Wrong," Prabhupada replied, "because they do not care for the original Father. The Father has given so many facilities. We require water. There are oceans and big, big seas. Father has given. We require light. The Father has given the sun. We require heat, everything; arrangement is there so that we can live very nicely and thank the Father. This is our duty, but people are becoming more or less rebellious: 'Oh, there is no God. We are God.' What is this foolishness?"
"When was the Krsna consciousness movement founded?" asked the journalist.
"The Krsna consciousness movement," Prabhupada explained, "is existing since 5,000 years ago or before that. You may say 40 millions of years ago, as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gita. By taking it by modern history, in your country, in the Western countries, I have started it since 1966 from New York. The movement is very, very old, but it is started in the Western countries since the last seven or eight years." After a few more questions, the journalist left.
- From "The Great Transcendental Adventure" by HG Kurma Prabhu
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