Professor: (Spanish)
Hṛdayānanda: (translating) He's saying that in this world we're all so limited, and we're like prisoners, and the more laws that we submit to, the more we become slaves.
Prabhupāda: No, no more law. You simply follow the law given in the Bible, as you are speaking of Bible. The Bible says: "Thou shall not kill." Why you are violating? (break) . . . if you don't follow, then you are not spiritualist; you are fool. You remain again in this, then ignorance.
Professor: (Spanish)
Hṛdayānanda: (translating) He said: "In others words, is all humanity a fool, then?"
Prabhupāda: Yes. (laughter) Otherwise why there is Bible?
Sruti Kirti: Why is there Bible.
Professor: (Spanish)
Hṛdayānanda: (translating) He said that . . . basically what he's saying is that it's impossible for . . . to follow . . . he said we have to approach a perfect person, but that means we have to accept so many restrictions, and this is actually impossible. It cannot be done.
Prabhupāda: Then it is impossible for you to become a perfect man.
Professor: (Spanish)
Hṛdayānanda: (translating) Why should the knowledge be so limited?
Prabhupāda: No, it is not limited, it is unlimited. But to come to the unlimited, you have to cut down your limited knowledge.
Hṛdayānanda: Have to . . .
Prabhupāda: Cut down. Yes?
Professor: (Spanish)
Hṛdayānanda: (translating) He said he noticed that there are only men here. Does that mean that women cannot become transcendental?
Prabhupāda: Why not? There are so many women.
Professor: It's all imperfect . . . (laughter)
Prabhupāda: Knowledge is not restricted to men. It is open for everyone. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā:
- māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya
- ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ
- striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās
- te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim
- (BG 9.32)
Hṛdayānanda: (reads Spanish translation) (break)
Prabhupāda: Everyone, is open. Just like in university. University is not restricted to a certain class. It is open for everyone. Everyone can go, take the knowledge. And similarly, prison house is open for everyone. (laughter) Now you make your choice whether you go to university or prison house.
Professor: (Spanish)
Hṛdayānanda: (translating) How can one cut his limited knowledge . . . cut down his limited knowledge if he's habituated to material life?
Prabhupāda: Well, habit can be changed. Just like nobody is habituated smoking from the very beginning of his life, but by association he learns smoking. And again, by association, he can give it up. These boys, American, European boys, they were habituated so many bad things. Now they have given up.
Professor: Sorry . . . (Spanish)
Hṛdayānanda: (translating) How can we know what is good and what is bad? How can we define them?
Prabhupāda: When you come to the good, you will understand what is good. When you come to the bad, you understand what is bad.