Prabhupāda: Animal condition. Not only horrible, it is animal condition. They do not want to know God. Just like these animals, they are not interested. So they have no church, the animals, or temple. But in the human society, either he is Hindu or Muslim or Christian, there is some arrangement for understanding God. Now they are also neglecting that, everyone, all over the world. Now they are clearly. . . The Communists, they hate to say anything about God. So ultimately they are coming to such position, the Communists, that "No word about God." So this is the position. Now apart from them, just like theologists and theosophists, they are, at least, after understanding what is God, but they cannot ascertain definitely. So why do they not take? We are offering, "Here is God." Where is the objection? Why they should object? If you do not know something, and if I give you the information, why you should not take?
Dr. Judah: That's a good question.
Prabhupāda: That is my question. (break) Just like in India, for higher technological knowledge they come to foreign countries. So for knowledge, we can take it from anywhere. There should not be sectarianism, "Oh, why shall I take knowledge from here and there?" Wherever knowledge is available, we should take it. That is the real position of seeker of knowledge. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says, nīcād apy uttamā vidyā strī-ratnaṁ duṣkulād api. He says, viṣād apy amṛtaṁ grāhyam. Viṣa, viṣa means poison. "In the pot of poison, if there is little nectar in, take it." Viṣād apy amṛtaṁ grāhyam. Poison is not to be touched, but if there is little nectar in, take it. And amedhyād api kāñcanam: "And in a filthy place there is gold, take it." Not that gold has been polluted because it is in the filthy place. If there is gold in the filthy place, don't hesitate. Take it. And nīcād apy uttamā vidyā. Generally, people used to take education from brāhmaṇa.
So Cāṇakya Paṇḍita advises that "If there is education, actual education, even he is a lower-class man, śūdra or caṇḍāla, take it. Accept him as master." And nīcād apy uttamā vidyā. Nīcād apy uttamā vidyā strī-ratnaṁ duṣkulād api. And in India, according to Vedic civilization, the marriage is done after seeing the family tradition very scrutinizingly. So here it is advised that duṣkulād api: "In a abominable family, if there is nice girl, educated, beautiful, accept her. Accept her." Nīcād apy uttamā vidyā strī-ratnam. Ratnam means jewel. "Wife, she is like jewel although born of a low family, accept." So anything very good, even it is available from a place which is not desirable, one should accept it. So if you are actually seeking after God, so here is God available from Vedic literature. Why don't you take it? Why you should refuse it? That is not very good sign.
Dr. Judah: No, that is true.
Prabhupāda: Yes. So we are offering here God. Why should you not take it seriously? I am speaking to you, because you have got this Theological. . . What is that?
Bahulāśva: Union.
Prabhupāda: Union. So they should take it. If they have no information of actual God, take it from us.
Dr. Judah: Yes, well, I do. I. . . As I say, as I said last night. . .
Prabhupāda: No, you have got that mentality, I know that. But because you are president or chairman of that center. . . What is that? Union.
Dr. Judah: I'm chairman of the department of the history and phenomenology of religion.
Prabhupāda: So who is the chairman of this union?
Dr. Judah: I'm just the chairman of this one department of the history and phenomenology of religion.
Prabhupāda: That's. . . Then you are also important officer. So you can induce them that "Here is God."
Dr. Judah: Well, I'm going to try to do what I can to. . . as I told you, to. . .
Prabhupāda: (laughing) No, no, if they do not take, refuse to take, so what kind of theologians they are? That is my. . . Here is the knowledge. Why one should refuse to take it?
Dr. Judah: I want to. . . When you have your temple there in Berkeley, I want to continue on chanting and being with the devotees and doing what I can to further Kṛṣṇa consciousness in the. . .
Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa, in the Bhagavad-gītā. . . If you take this, that "Kṛṣṇa is Indian, Kṛṣṇa is Hindu. We shall not take," but the words, Kṛṣṇa, if you take it, "God said," or whatever you. . . So the wordings are God's. Just like Kṛṣṇa says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7): "There is nobody superior element than Me." So God can say that. So you remove the word kṛṣṇa uvāca, but take the words of God. Who can be superior than God?
Dr. Judah: It's true.
Prabhupāda: So in this way, if you read simply Bhagavad-gītā and separating the word Kṛṣṇa, it is God's word. All factual. So why should you not take the science of God?
Dr. Judah: Yes.
Prabhupāda: God can say that "There is no more greater principle than Me." Is it not?
Dr. Judah: That's true.
Prabhupāda: You may accept anyone God, but God can say that. So that is the statement in Bhagavad-gītā:
- mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat
- kiñcid asti dhanañjaya
- mayi sarvam idaṁ protaṁ
- sūtre maṇi-gaṇā iva
- (BG 7.7)
Every word is God's word. You may accept Kṛṣṇa God or not, the words are God's words. That is Bhagavad-gītā. (break)
Bahulāśva: . . .statements like that in the Bible, Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Prabhupāda: Hmm? Hmm?
Bahulāśva: You'll not find statements like that in the Bible, that "There is no one superior to Me." You don't find those things in the Bible.
Prabhupāda: No.
Bahulāśva: A little indication that there's God, but no real philosophy. (break)
Prabhupāda: . . .manufacturing so many things—United Nation, World Health Organization, and this philanthropism—but the real thing is wanting, that the human life is meant for understanding God. There is no such organization. This is the only organization, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. (break) . . .and neglectful I do not know.