Our test is...

Expressions researched:
"our test" |"our only test"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

That is our challenge. Anyone, he may be a ordinary man, he may be so-called swami or maybe so-called yogi or so-called leader, but our test is whether he's Kṛṣṇa conscious.

Lecture on BG 9.2 -- Calcutta, March 8, 1972: The nonsense civilization, they do not know that what is our main business. They do not know. Ajñānata. Parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto. Abodha jāta, these, all these living entities born in this material world in different forms of life, abodha jāta, all rascals. All rascals. We can prove they're all rascal. Nobody is intelligent. As soon as he'll become intelligent, kṛṣṇa ye bhaje seva(?). As soon as he becomes intelligent, he must be Kṛṣṇa conscious. If he's not Kṛṣṇa conscious, then we must accept him as rascal number one. (indistinct) He may be a very big man in the society, but we take him as rascal number one. That is our challenge. Anyone, he may be a ordinary man, he may be so-called swami or maybe so-called yogi or so-called leader, but our test is whether he's Kṛṣṇa conscious. One test. If he's not, then he's a rascal. That is our challenge.

So our test is there. If one is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, then he must be within these division: narādhamāḥ, mūḍhāḥ, duṣkṛtinaḥ, māyayāpahṛta-jñānā.

Lecture on BG 9.2 -- Calcutta, March 8, 1972: So our test is there. If one is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, then he must be within these division: narādhamāḥ, mūḍhāḥ, duṣkṛtinaḥ, māyayāpahṛta-jñānā. And one who has surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, then what he is? Aahh, sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ. Sa :mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ.

bahunam janmanam ante

jñānavān mam prapadyante

vasudevaḥ sarvam iti

sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ

[Bg. 7.19]

That is the test. As soon as he has become Kṛṣṇa conscious, he has fully surrendered to Kṛṣṇa. Immediately he becomes the greatest mahātmā.

Therefore a person who is devoid of knowledge, who is not devotee, Kṛṣṇa conscious, he has no value. He cannot have any good qualities. This is our test.

Lecture on BG 13.14 -- Bombay, October 7, 1973: Therefore a person who is devoid of knowledge, who is not devotee, Kṛṣṇa conscious, he has no value. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇāḥ. He cannot have any good qualities. This is our test. We are not very learned, but we can test because we have got the testing tube. Just like a scientist tests chemically, analytically tests, how pure one chemical is within the test tube, similarly, we have got a test tube. What is that? That test tube it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā,

na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ

prapadyante narādhamāḥ

māyayāpahṛta-jñānā

āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ

[Bg. 7.15]

As soon as we see that one is not surrendered soul to Kṛṣṇa, he is māyayāpahṛta-jñānā. Then what is the category? Duṣkṛtina, always sinful. Must be. Because he is sinful, he cannot surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

So our test is if anyone is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, he is either of these: duṣkṛtinaḥ, mūḍhāḥ, narādhamāḥ, māyayā apahṛta-jñānāḥ.

Lecture on SB 1.2.15 -- Vrndavana, October 26, 1972: Chindanti kovidās tasya. Kovida means very intelligent person. Unless one is very intelligent, he cannot take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is not our manufactured words. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ [Bg. 7.15]. So our test is if anyone is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, he is either of these: duṣkṛtinaḥ, mūḍhāḥ, narādhamāḥ, māyayā apahṛta-jñānāḥ. This is our conclusion. You may say it is very sectarian, but Kṛṣṇa says. What can I do? (laughter) Kṛṣṇa says.

Anyone who is unfit to take the lessons given by the jagad-guru, he is mūḍha. Therefore our test tube is: if one does not know Kṛṣṇa, if one does not know how to follow Bhagavad-gītā, we immediately take him as a rascal.

Lecture on SB 1.8.25 -- Vrndavana, October 5, 1974: So Kṛṣṇa is jagad-guru. He is the original teacher. That teacher is teaching personally in the Bhagavad-gītā, and we rascals, we do not take the lesson. Just see. Therefore we are mūḍhas. Anyone who is unfit to take the lessons given by the jagad-guru, he is mūḍha. Therefore our test tube is: if one does not know Kṛṣṇa, if one does not know how to follow Bhagavad-gītā, we immediately take him as a rascal. That's all. Never mind he... He may be prime minister, he may be high-court judge, or... No. "No, he is prime minister. He is high-court judge. Still, mūḍhaḥ?" Yes. "How?" Māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ: [Bg. 7.15] "He has no knowledge of Kṛṣṇa. He is covered by māyā."

Just like I have said many times that our test tube testing is Kṛṣṇa's word that "One who is religious or unreligious..." What is that? Catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ sukṛtinaḥ arjuna: "Four classes of men who are pious, they come to Me for worshiping."

Lecture on SB 6.1.43 -- Los Angeles, July 24, 1975: So therefore it is said here, etair adharmo vijñātaḥ. One who is religious or irreligious, there are so many witnesses. They inform. Kṛṣṇa personally sees also. He is there within the heart. So it is not very difficult for Kṛṣṇa and His agent to understand who is religious or irreligious. Just like I have said many times that our test tube testing is Kṛṣṇa's word that "One who is religious or unreligious..." What is that? Catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ sukṛtinaḥ arjuna: "Four classes of men who are pious, they come to Me for worshiping." Who are they? Ārto arthārthī jijñāsuḥ jñānī, four classes. One who is distressed, he goes to God: "Sir, I am very much distressed. Kindly give me relief." Arthārthī, one is poor, he also goes, provided he is pious. The impious, they'll "Uh, what is God? I will do it."

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Our test is, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje. That system of religion is first class which teaches how to love God. That's all.

Arrival Address -- London, September 11, 1969: We are not Christian nor Hindu nor Muslim. We are God's servant. That's all. Anyone who is God's servant, there is no disagreement. And when one is māyā's servant, servant of māyā, illusion, there is disagreement. So it doesn't matter. Our test is, sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje [SB 1.2.6]. That system of religion is first class which teaches how to love God. That's all. It doesn't matter whether it is Christian religion, Muhammadan religion or Hindu religion. We shall see. If the follower of the religion has learned how to love God, then his religion is perfect. Otherwise it is useless.

If you have developed your sense of loving God, then you are perfect, your religion is perfect. But instead of loving God, if you have developed your sense of loving dog, then you have wasted your time. That is our test.

Arrival Address -- London, September 11, 1969:

Reporter: But do you not think it's worth going to such places as Ireland and trying to talk to the people out there to stop warring?

Prabhupāda: Now, this is our talking, that the first-class religion is that which teaches how to love God. Try to understand this. This is the simple formula.

Reporter: Yes, but don't you think it's worth going over there to try and help them?

Prabhupāda: We shall see. Suppose you are Christian. If you have developed your sense of loving God, then you are perfect, your religion is perfect. But instead of loving God, if you have developed your sense of loving dog, then you have wasted your time. That is our test.

General Lectures

We are interested to enlighten people about the science of God. That is our business. And our test of religion is how one has developed God consciousness or love of God.

Lecture at Christian Monastery -- Melbourne, April 6, 1972: We are interested to enlighten people about the science of God. That is our business. And our test of religion is how one has developed God consciousness or love of God. Practically throughout the whole world they are rejecting God. You know also very well. In England there are many, many churches, they are vacant now, redundant. And they are..., in the Parliament they have passed law that these redundant churches can be sold for any other purpose. So it doesn't matter whether one is Christian, one is Hindu, or one is Muslim. Our simple request is that whatever you may be, you make cultivation of God consciousness. That is our program. Scientifically try to understand what is God. And if you consult Vedic literature you'll get very accurate, scientific, authentic information.

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

Our test of religion is how one has developed his God consciousness or love of God. We do not accept any principle of religion as genuine if we see that the followers have no love of God but they have got love of matter.

Interview -- September 24, 1968, Seattle: Prabhupāda: But people are becoming godless. That is the problem. They are thinking that "There is no God. Nature is everything." That is their foolishness. They are unhappy for this godlessness. And as a result of this godlessness, the Communist party have sprang up, the hippies have sprang up and so many other things will gradually spring up. So there is no check. It is... The only check is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, if people are taught that he can be happy only by reestablishing his eternal relationship with God. So our test of religion is how one has developed his God consciousness or love of God. We do not accept any principle of religion as genuine if we see that the followers have no love of God but they have got love of matter.

That is our test. Whether you are developing your love of Godhead.

Press Interview -- December 30, 1968, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: If we see that following a particular type of religious principle one is developing his love of Godhead, that is first-class religion. But if one is developing his love for demon or mammon then where is the religion?

Journalist: True.

Prabhupāda: (laughs) You see. That is our test. If you have developed... We don't say that you follow Christianism or Muhammadanism or Jewism or Hinduism—we don't say. Whether you are developing your love of Godhead. But they deny, "Oh, I am God. Who is God? I am God." You see? Everyone is taught nowadays that everyone is God. Just see how fun. Everyone is God.

1970 Conversations and Morning Walks

He may advertise himself as scholar or this or that, but our only test is whether he accepts Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Room Conversation -- December 12, 1970, Indore:

Guest (6): You must be knowing that Vidyananda, Swami Vidyananda.

Prabhupāda: Oh, he's a great nonsense.

Guest (6): Oh, no.

Prabhupāda: I know.

Guest (6): He has constructed that from Gujarat. He's a Gujārati.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Guest (6): He constructed a temple there.

Prabhupāda: I have seen in Ahmedabad his temple. He established one deity, a woman shape, and there is no Kṛṣṇa. "Gītā." "Gītā" means a woman. So I don't think he has full understanding of Gītā. He has money; he has spent. That's all. But he does not understand Gītā. Gītā means unless one takes Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead he does not understand anything of Gītā. That is the test. He may advertise himself as scholar or this or that, but our only test is whether he accepts Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja [Bg. 18.66]. That is the test. Is that person accepting Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead? He himself accepts that "I am God." Is it not? Therefore he's a foolish. He is squandering money, public money. That's all. That is his business. He might have some qualification to collect money, but he does not know what is Kṛṣṇa.

Anyone who does not accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he has no knowledge of Gītā. He immediately becomes foolish. That is our test.

Room Conversation -- December 12, 1970, Indore:

Guest (6): He is dead now or he... Sadhanananda is dead, Swami Sadhananda.

Prabhupāda: I know. So that is the test. That is the test. Therefore it is a revolutionary movement. Even so-called followers of Gītā, they will be caught up by this movement as rascals. Because the real purpose of Gītā they do not know. Real purpose of Gītā is to know Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That you will find in the Bhagavad-gītā. Sarvam etad ṛtaṁ manye yan māṁ vadasi madhava [Bg. 10.14]. And Arjuna says that "Whatever You have said, they're all right and I accept them in toto without any revision." So Kṛṣṇa says that "I am the Supreme Personality of Godhead." One who does not understand Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Person, what he has read Gītā? He is useless. Śrama eva hi kevalam [SB 1.2.8]. Simply has labored. That's all. That is the test. Don't you agree to this point? So anyone who does not accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he has no knowledge of Gītā. He immediately becomes foolish. That is our test.

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Our process of test is how far he is advanced in God consciousness. That is our test.

Room Conversation with Dr. Weir of the Mensa Society -- September 5, 1971, London: Prabhupāda: Our process of test is, how far he is advanced in God consciousness. That is our test. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇāḥ. It is said yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā [SB 5.18.12]. If one has developed God consciousness all good qualities must develop in them. All good qualities. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇāḥ. And one who has not developed Kṛṣṇa consciousness or God consciousness, he cannot have any good qualities because his business is mental speculation, mano-rathenāsati dhāvato... By simply mental speculation, he'll be fixed up in this material world.

This is a fact: one who has no Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or God consciousness, he may go on speculating but he'll never come to the platform of goodness. That is our test.

Room Conversation with Dr. Weir of the Mensa Society -- September 5, 1971, London: Prabhupāda: Sometimes in America the authorities they are surprised. They want to consult us on that: "How you people have given up this (indistinct)." They are spending so much money to stop this bad habit. How it is that your members used to (indistinct) Not only LSD, all kinds of intoxications. So if you take it as a good quality, that good quality is developing due to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore this is a fact: one who has no Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or God consciousness, he may go on speculating but he'll never come to the platform of goodness. That is our test.

Our test is there. The test is, unless one comes to the point of understanding the Personality of Godhead, the knowledge is imperfect.

Room Conversation -- December 11, 1971, New Delhi: Prabhupāda: Our test is there. "I am liberated. I am Nārāyaṇa." Why? "How you call me rascal?" Yes, we have got a test: ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ. Tvayy asta-bhāvād. Still they have not reached the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Simply impersonal idea, and self-complacent that "I have become now Nārāyaṇa." So this kind of knowledge is aviśuddha, impure, impure knowledge, because the test is, unless one comes to the point of understanding the Personality of Godhead, the knowledge is imperfect. So they are impersonalists, and falsely thinking themselves as Nārāyaṇa. Therefore we can immediately test that "Here is a rascal.'

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

You follow Christianity or Muhammadanism, anything you follow, we don't mind. Whether you are developing your God consciousness, love for God, that is our test.

Room Conversation -- July 4, 1972, New York: Prabhupāda: So, we don't want to enter into arguments, but we must know, but if somebody comes to argument, we have to say. What can be done? We say that "You follow Christianity in perfect order, you'll be benefited." That we say. Our test is whether you're advancing in God consciousness. That is our test. You follow Christianity or Muhammadanism, anything you follow, we don't mind. Whether you are developing your God consciousness, love for God, that is our test. But if your process has failed, then you can try this. And you'll see, in our process within so short time, how they are becoming God conscious. You have to admit. And they admit also.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

One who does not take Kṛṣṇa's instruction, they're all rascals. That is our test.

Morning Walk -- June 14, 1974, Paris:

Puṣṭa-kṛṣṇa:. So it's a very responsible position, to become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Yes, Therefore those who do not do that, they have been described, mūḍhāḥ. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ [Bg. 7.15]. One who does not take Kṛṣṇa's instruction, they're all rascals. That is our test. A man may be very nicely dressed, running fast in the motor car. Ask him, "Do you know Kṛṣṇa?" "No, sir." "You are a rascal." That's all. Finish all business. We don't give any respect. We can give respect as a formality, but we can understand immediately, "Here is a rascal." That's all. Is that correct? Yes. To find out a rascal is very difficult job? Simply see that he's not Kṛṣṇa conscious. He's a rascal. That's all. That they may say, "You are very sectarian." Just like a criminal, he's punished, and he may say to high-court judge, "You are very sectarian. You are punishing me, and the other man, you awarded one million dollars. What is this?" Because he gave before a judgement that "This man must get this one million dollars," and next moment, he punishes one man, "Go to jail for six years." So the criminal may say, "Oh, you are so partial. You are giving, sending me to cell, and the other man, you are giving one million dollar. How is this?" But he does not know that he judging according to his work.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

That is our test. Anyone who is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, he is a mūḍhā.

Room Conversation with Svarupa Damodara -- March 1, 1975, Atlanta: Prabhupāda: Yes. Māyayāpahṛta-jñānā. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. They are so-called educated, doctors, but actually they have no knowledge. Simply they are bluffing, cheating. Where is the question of creation? So many millions and trillions of living entities are there, and they are making conference, "How to create from chemicals?" Just see this childish proposal. And wasting time and misleading person, and wasting hard-earned money of the state. And big, big foundation supplying them money. And if you ask, "Give us some money for Kṛṣṇa consciousness," "No, no, we are not interested in religion. We are interested in science, and this is the science." All fools and rascal, mūḍhā. That is our test. Anyone who is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, he is a mūḍhā. Bas. We have got the test tube, this Bhagavad-gītā, na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ [Bg. 7.15]. So as soon as we see here is a man, if he has not surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, "All right, you are mūḍhā." That's all. We haven't got to test him. Test tube is already there.

We have to judge from this Bhagavad-gītā. Our test will be Bhagavad-gītā.

Room Conversation with Dr. Copeland, Professor of Modern Indian History -- May 20, 1975, Melbourne:

Dr. Copeland: But don't you look upon him as a religious man? Gandhi, religious man?

Prabhupāda: He was a politician. In the garb of. He consolidated the mass of Indian people, becoming a mahātmā, but he was not a mahātmā.

Dr. Copeland: Why not?

Prabhupāda: No. According to... Just see...

Amogha: Mahātmānas mām...

Prabhupāda: Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ [Bg. 9.13]. We have to judge from this Bhagavad-gītā. Our test will be Bhagavad-gītā.

Madhudviṣa: Read it.

Amogha:

mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha

daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritāḥ

bhajanty ananya-manaso

jñātvā bhūtādim avyayam

[Bg. 9.13]

"Translation. O son of Pṛthā, those who are not deluded, the great souls, are under the protection of the divine nature. They are fully engaged in devotional service because they know Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, original and inexhaustible."

Prabhupāda: That—because you are student of history-Mahatma Gandhi's photograph with Gītā. Did he speak anything about Gītā or Kṛṣṇa in the history of his life? Then how he is mahātmā?

So our test is whether one is Kṛṣṇa conscious. You can say that "If you are not a big animal, that does not mean that you are a big man."

Morning Walk -- June 23, 1975, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: So in this animal civilization there are many strong, big animals. So they are voted by the small animals, but we are not going to vote that he is very important figure. No. We immediately reject. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā [SB 5.18.12]. "One who is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, he is useless." That's all. We are not going to echo the small animals. That is not possible. We reject, "Oh, he is animal." That's all. So our test is whether one is Kṛṣṇa conscious. You can say that "If you are not a big animal, that does not mean that you are a big man." That is... We admit. But we have got our Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, "Here is a rascal." And so we say, "Here is a rascal." That's all. On the strength of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says,

na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ

prapadyante narādhamāḥ

māyayāpahṛta-jñānā

āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ

[Bg. 7.15]

Anyone who does not submit to Kṛṣṇa, he is useless, duṣkṛtinaḥ, mūḍhaḥ, narādhamāḥ. So why we shall give respect to the narādhamas, duṣkṛtinas, mūḍhās, māyayāpahṛta-jñānā? We shall not give any. We shall respect only Kṛṣṇa conscious person.

This is our test. Once you say something nonsense, you are wholesale nonsense. That is our test. You cannot say, “I am sorry. It was incorrect,” no. That is not allowed.

Morning Walk -- Durban, October 13, 1975:

Prabhupāda: What is that science? He said, “By chance, once, nature came.” Is that … ? That is not science. We don’t find, nature’s way, by chance it comes. No. As soon as you talk something nonsense, your whole statement will be accepted as nonsense because you are nonsense. What is the value of your statement? This is our test. Once you say something nonsense, you are wholesale nonsense. That is our test. You cannot say, “I am sorry. It was incorrect,” no. That is not allowed. Then your whole statement is incorrect. This is our…

Harikeśa: Scientists are always doing that. They’re always saying that.

Prabhupāda: Therefore they’re all nonsense.

Harikeśa: “Last year we made a mistake. Now it’s all right.”

Prabhupāda: “Now we advance.” And what is the guarantee that it is all right? You will advance again. That means you are always incorrect.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

If you don't believe in Kṛṣṇa, you are rascal. That's all. Our test is very simple.

Morning Walk -- April 17, 1976, Bombay: Prabhupāda: So anyway, that is the test. If you don't believe in Kṛṣṇa, you are rascal. That's all. We are simple child, and Kṛṣṇa has said that anyone who does not surrendered, he's a rascal. So we say, "Are you surrendered to Kṛṣṇa?" "No." "You are a rascal." (laughter) No. Our test is very simple.

Our test is whether he's God conscious. If not, he's a rascal. That's all. Immediately.

Morning Walk -- May 27, 1976, Honolulu: Prabhupāda: Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad guṇāḥ. If one is not Kṛṣṇa conscious he has no knowledge. He's a rascal, immediately. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ [Bg. 7.15]. This is the definition given by... If he's not Kṛṣṇa conscious, he's immediately miscreant, rascal, and lowest of the mankind. [break] ...may say that he has passed M.A., Ph.D., D.A.C.(?) and he's a philosopher. But we..., our test is whether he's God conscious. If not, he's a rascal. That's all. Immediately.

So this is our test. That is stated in Bhagavad-gītā, that anyone who is not talking about God, he is either of these group: sinful, rascal, lowest of the mankind, and knowledge taken away by illusion. This is our conclusion, and that's a fact.

Room Conversation with Reporter -- June 4, 1976, Los Angeles:

Reporter: I wonder if you might have any opinions on some of the leaders of cults and groups in the United States, such as the Divine Light Mission, or the T.M. and so forth. I'm wondering if you have any opinions on Guru Maharaj-ji or Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

Prabhupāda: There are different groups. I know that. But I do not go in detail to understand them. But our..., we have got a crucial test. That anyone who is..., does not know about Kṛṣṇa, he is put into four different types of categories as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. One category is that he is sinful. Another category is that he is rascal. Another category is that he's lowest of the mankind. Another category is that his so-called knowledge is taken away by illusory energy. So this is our test. That is stated in Bhagavad-gītā, that

na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ

prapadyante narādhamāḥ

māyayāpahṛta-jñānā

āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ

[Bg. 7.15]

Anyone who is not talking about God, he is either of these group: sinful, rascal, lowest of the mankind, and knowledge taken away by illusion. This is our conclusion, and that's a fact. Because a person who does not know about God, what he is? He is animal. The animal has no knowledge about God. But a human being, if he poses himself to be very learned, then he must have knowledge about God, otherwise what is his knowledge?

So anyone who is not surrendering to God, he's thinking independently, so he is either miscreant, a rascal, lowest of the mankind, māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ, all knowledge taken by māyā, in these groups. Our test is very simple. As soon as we see somebody is not thinking as God thinks, as Kṛṣṇa thinks, we take him in either of these groups. That is our test.

Garden Conversation -- June 8, 1976, Los Angeles: Prabhupāda: They'll not accept knowledge given by God; they'll manufacture knowledge. That is material disease. And that knowledge is also uncertain. One stalwart man of knowledge is speaking, "I think, I believe," and another stalwart is saying, "No, no, I think, I believe." What is the meaning of this "I think, I believe"? We say "You are all rascals. Whatever you believe, whatever you think, they are all rascaldom." That's all. This is our decision. There are many persons, they are simply saying, "I think, I believe," and we say, "You all people who are thinking independently, believing independently, you are all rascals." That's all. So far our position is concerned, we never say "I think." Whatever we say, we support it immediately by some quotation of the Vedic literature. That is our process. So this morning I was talking with Hari-śauri that our test is this: that because it is written in the Bhagavad-gītā that na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ [Bg. 7.15], so anyone who is not surrendering to God, he's thinking independently, so he is either miscreant, a rascal, lowest of the mankind, māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ, all knowledge taken by māyā, in these groups. Our test is very simple. As soon as we see somebody is not thinking as God thinks, as Kṛṣṇa thinks, we take him in either of these groups. That is our test. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ—we see, practically, they do not speak or they do not think as Kṛṣṇa says, but he's thinking independently. Therefore he is mūḍha. His thinking is imperfect, so therefore, he's mūḍha. And because his thinking is imperfect, another mūḍha comes, he says that "I think like this." This is their controversy. So many independent thinking philosophers have spoiled the broth. Too many cooks spoil the broth. Real knowledge is lacking.

What is our test? Just explain. If someone does not know Kṛṣṇa, then he's either a fool, or he's a rascal or he's the lowest of mankind, most sinful, or his knowledge is stolen by illusion.

Morning Walk -- June 8, 1976, Los Angeles:

Candanācārya: You once said if someone sees saṅkīrtana and wonders "Who are those people?" then they are ten times more advanced than the greatest scientist.

Prabhupāda: Yes. What is our test? Just explain. In the morning...

Hari-śauri: Oh. Prabhupāda was explaining to the reporters yesterday, one man was asking what Prabhupāda's opinion was about these other yogis. So he said, he quoted a verse in the Bhagavad-gītā that if someone does not know Kṛṣṇa, then he's either a fool, or he's a rascal or he's the lowest of mankind, or his knowledge is...

Prabhupāda: Most sinful.

Hari-śauri: Most sinful, or his knowledge is stolen by illusion.

Our test is, whether he's a bona fide guru, whether he's talking what Kṛṣṇa has said. Then he's guru. Otherwise a rascal.

Garden Conversation -- June 27, 1976, New Vrindaban: Prabhupāda: Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that yāre dekho tāre kaho kṛṣṇa-upadeśa. Whomever you meet, you simply talk about Kṛṣṇa, what He has taught in the Bhagavad-gītā. You become guru. So why guru will stop? Guru will speak. But what kind of speaking? What Kṛṣṇa has spoken. Not nonsense. Not like that: "I have painted so many pictures, therefore I have become God realized." Where Bhagavān says "By painting pictures one may..." He does not say, Kṛṣṇa does not say. He has invented this. So therefore our test is, whether he's a bona fide guru, whether he's talking what Kṛṣṇa has said. Then he's guru. Otherwise a rascal. That's all, finished. Why should we bother? This is the test. If he's speaking, repeating the same thing, what Kṛṣṇa said, then he's guru. If he's talking something else, then he's rascal. Immediately take it. If you know this art, how to detect the rascal and guru, the test is already there.

1968 Correspondence

How can we discriminate who is honest and dishonest and butcher and not butcher? Our only test is how one is taking to Krishna consciousness: Even a so-called butcher comes we welcome to chant Hare Krishna.

Letter to Rayarama -- Los Angeles 19 November, 1968: We should always remember that we do not belong to any group like the karmis, jnanis, or yogis. We belong to pure devotional service group, following the footprints of great mahajanas. Our purpose should be that we are in one side and all others they are on the other side. We deprecate everyone, even one who is against animal slaughter. In the Caitanya-caritamrta, it is clearly said that there are two classes of activities. Pious and impious. We do not favor any one of them. Neither we favor any philosophical speculation, we simply stick to Krishna, and wish to render loving transcendental service unto Him. That should be our main objective, and the policy of BTG must be pursued on this line of action. I hope you will understand me rightly. Everyone who is not a KC person is a butcher. Even the so-called pious man, who is not in KC, he is also a butcher. Because he is killing his own self. So in our view, everyone is butcher, and everyone is thief also, because he is enjoying Krishna's property. So how we can discriminate who is honest and dishonest and butcher and not butcher? Our only test is how one is taking to KC: Even a so-called butcher comes we welcome to chant Hare Krishna.