Guest: So what is the easiest way to see the Supreme Being with our own eyes?
Prabhupāda: That you have to take advice from the Supreme. The Supreme says: "If you want to know Me . . ." Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). You have to take the way of the Supreme. "Simply by devotional service one can understand Me, what I am actually, is." You have to take this way. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We are teaching everyone this bhakti-yogam so that one can understand the Supreme and submit to Him. Yes. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). When one understands by acquiring knowledge after many, many births, then he surrenders to Kṛṣṇa. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ. This is the first-class mahātmā. That we are teaching. It is not a sentiment. Most scientific.
Guest: Is it possible for poverty-stricken people, those who have to earn bread and money by the sweat of their brow?
Prabhupāda: According to śāstra, poverty is no impediment for understanding God. Because we see practically that those who are great souls, they have voluntarily accepted poverty.
Guest: Just like . . . (indistinct)
Prabhupāda: Many. Just like Vyāsadeva. There is no comparison of his literature. One cannot write one line like him. But he was living in a cottage. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita, such a great politician, he was living in a cottage. He did not keep any Rolls-Royce car or like that. Rather, this material opulence is impediment to understand God. So it is not that I say, comparatively . . . (indistinct) . . . not that material opulence is also another check. No. Neither poverty is check nor material opulence is check. Anyone can understand if he follows the principles, or process.
Guest: Process as laid down in Gītā?
Prabhupāda: Yes, that is the A-B-C-D. Then you can go further on. If you read Bhagavad-gītā as it is, there is everything explained. Everything. All problems are solved. Any problem you propose, there is solution in the Bhagavad-gītā. Now this poverty, as you raised this question, poverty, so what is written there in the Bhagavad-gītā? Annād bhavanti bhūtāni (BG 3.14). This is instruction that, "You produce food grain." Now, suppose Calcutta is a big city. Who is producing food grain? Everyone is trying to purchase food grain, but who is thinking that "Wherefrom the food grain will come?" Just see the foolishness of the people. You have to produce food grain. And there is ample facility. But throughout the whole world there are hundreds and thousands of cities. Now, who is producing food grain? The solution is there in the Bhagavad-gītā. He said, annād bhavanti bhūtāni. Kṛṣṇa never said: "By motor tire bhavanti bhūtāni." Bhavanti means flourish. Everyone is engaged in producing motor tire, car, and they are flattering the Arabians for petrol. The same energy, if it would have been engaged in producing food grain, then where is the poverty? (devotees enter) Oh! Hare Kṛṣṇa! Jaya.