Prabhupāda: Crowd, of course, whenever there is crowd, it is natural—police do not like it. So we don't create crowd. But generally, people, out of inquisitiveness they gather together and see how they are chanting. They are sympathetic. They contribute. They purchase our books and literature. The people, public is sympathetic. The police are also sympathetic.
They don't object when we go at night, but during busy hours, they object. So one of our student was arrested by the police. So he was taken to the court, and I gave them $315 for . . . what is called? Bail. But he was not convicted. He was immediately liberated, and now our money was returned. So it is not a problem.
Reporter: Were there any followers before you came to this country?
Prabhupāda: No. In this country, of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement there was none. It is the first time. I have introduced. But in India it is very, very old—since the advent of Kṛṣṇa, and at least since last five thousand years. So Kṛṣṇa is very popular in India. In every home, Kṛṣṇa is worshiped, and there are many millions of temples of Kṛṣṇa in India and followers also. Followers means almost all Hindus are followers of Kṛṣṇa. They read this Bhagavad-gītā.
So I have recently published Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. It is published by Macmillan Company, and this book is very nicely being received. It is being reviewed by several papers. I have got many others books. They are being gradually introduced. Perhaps you have seen in our counter. We have got books, magazines, calendar and other literatures.
So it is a very scientific movement. It is not a sentiment, bogus hoax. It is . . . anyone who wants to understand this movement philosophically, scientifically, they will be very much satisfied in this. The idea is that any religious movement without philosophical basis, it is simply sentiment or fanaticism.
And philosophy without idea of God is simply mental speculation. Therefore religious principles combined with philosophy, that is perfect. So the younger section become attracted to this movement because we are giving some religious principle based on philosophy.
Reporter: About how many followers would you say there are in the United States?
Prabhupāda: Initiated members, there are about one hundred, or little more, but sympathizers, admirers, there are many. Those who come, those who contribute, take sympathy, they help, and in that way there are many followers. But actually initiated members, there are about a little more than one hundred.
Reporter: Yes, what is the significance of . . . right after the chanting, everyone bows, and that I don't understand, what they're doing.
Prabhupāda: Yes. That is offering respect. The whole, our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, is to ask people to surrender to God. They have rebelled against God. Somebody says: "There is no God." Somebody says that, "I am God." These nonsense things are to be eradicated from human society. So they should be trained to submit. So the submission is symbolized by bowing down, "Yes, You are great; I am humble."
This should be taught. Otherwise, their, whimsically, their think somebody thinking that, "I am God." They do not know what is God. It is most foolish proposal if somebody claims that he is God. He is dog. We very much hate this proposal, when a man claims that he is God. It is most blasphemous.