Prabhupāda: Yes. From your, these Western countries. Just week before, I got hundred dollars from one gentleman. Simply appreciated that I am spreading God consciousness. So actually we have no program of proselytizing or making Hindu from Christian, Christian... We have no such program. We simply want to see that everyone is God conscious. Never mind through which venue, he becomes a God conscious. It doesn't matter. That is the verdict of Bhāgavata:
- sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo
- yato bhaktir adhokṣaje
- ahaituky apratihatā
- yayātmā suprasīdati
- (SB 1.2.6)
Find out this verse. First, first... Yes.
- sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo
- yato bhaktir adhokṣaje
- ahaituky apratihatā
- yayātmā suprasīdati
- (SB 1.2.6)
You read.
Guru-gaurāṅga: "Translation: The Supreme occupation, dharma, for all humanity is that by which men can attain to loving devotional service unto the transcendent Lord. Such devotional service must be unmotivated and uninterrupted in order to completely satisfy the self."
Prabhupāda: Yes. That is self-satisfaction. Yayātmā suprasīdati. Ahaituky apratihatā. So the bhakti cult is open for everyone. Ahaituky apratihatā.
Professor: Yeah, but people following you, could, could they stay in normal life, I mean have a business, etc...?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Why Not? There are so many...
Professor: You, for instance, do you do that?
Prabhupāda: He's a householder. Yes.
Professor: You are still working?
Yogeśvara: I design books and magazines.
Professor: Where? I mean, in connection with this society?
Yogeśvara: I do work for the society.
Professor: But is it possible to work outside?
Prabhupāda: Oh yes. We have many professors. They're being outside. But one thing is that after being interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they cannot remain outside.
Professor: That's it, the point, yes.
Prabhupāda: Because they don't find any suitable place.
Professor: No.
Prabhupāda: That is the difficulty.
Professor: Yes. But this gentleman told me that he is married, for instance.
Prabhupāda: He is married. So we have got so many married couples.
Professor: Your wife is here?
Yogeśvara: Yes.
Professor: In the same society?
Yogeśvara: Yes.
Professor: And in the same...
Prabhupāda: She also translates.
Yogeśvara: My wife translates, and I design the book.
Professor: So do you think it is possible, for instance, to have the husband being involved in this movement and not his wife?
Prabhupāda: No, wife also involved. Everyone is involved. The child is also involved. You'll find in our class a small child dancing to the tune. Yes. We have opened one school for children in Dallas. All the gṛhastha-bhaktas, those who have got children, we send there. Have you got pictures of Dallas? So there we have got very nice building, and, about, for the present, about near about hundred students. They're simply taught Sanskrit and English.
Professor: Nothing else.
Prabhupāda: Nothing else. Later on, little geometry, geography, mathematics. They're not meant for outside work. They're meant for as soon as they learn Sanskrit and English, they'll read these books.
Professor: I see. But to get the initiation, you have to be how many years old?
Prabhupāda: At least ten years.
Professor: Ten years.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Ten to twelve years. That is the Vedic system. Twelve years old. He can be initiated.
Professor: Yes, yes. It is the same as the upanayana.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Upa means "near," nayanam, "to bring." Upanayana-saṁskāra. And the sacred thread means that he has been accepted by the spiritual master by bringing him near to spiritual consciousness.
Professor: So at the time of initiation, you not only give the Gāyatrī-mantra, but also the sacred thread.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Professor: Oh, I see.
Prabhupāda: Just we have given Gāyatrī-mantra... You have got that paper? Yes. Show him. Give him.
Professor: Can I take it with me?
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Professor: I'd like to read it. Well, I have been very pleased to be with you.
Prabhupāda: Take prasādam.
Professor: Thank you. I may take just one, thank you.
Prabhupāda: No, take.
Professor: More, I cannot take. It's not possible. Thank you very much.