Mad After God
Satsvarupa:
satatam kirtayanto mam
yatantas ca drdha-vratah
namasyantas ca mam bhaktya
nitya-yukta upasate
[Bg. 9.14]
"Always chanting My glories, endeavouring with great determination, bowing down before Me, these great souls perpetually worship me with devotion." (German) [break]
Dr. P. J. Saher: …and when I was in Africa I saw the people are looking for the name and chanting like you chant. But they have a complete different idea of thought. My question is how can I know what is the right thing? From where do you know this?
Prabhupada: But, as a human being you can study what you have seen in Africa and where you are seeing here. There's much difference.
Dr. P. J. Saher: I mean, my question only I saw singing the people…
Prabhupada: No, just like these boys and girls, they are coming from Jewish group or Christian group. They have not come from India. Now how they're chanting and enjoying you can see.
Dr. P. J. Saher: No, I mean the intention was the same. They're looking for (indistinct)
Prabhupada: (indistinct) …you have to see the resultant study.
Dr. P. J. Saher: I was quite surprised.
Prabhupada: Yes. And ask them to induce to chant any other name. They'll not do that. Phalena pariciyate, you have to study by the result of the activity, not theoretical. (German)
Dr. P. J. Saher: Yes. That would be the criterion for me.
Prabhupada: Yes.
Dr. P. J. Saher: Yes, that's the same what the Christian criterion when St. Paul speaks. They had the same…
Prabhupada: No. We say that you follow Christian principle, you become perfect. But the difficulty is nobody follows anything. He follows his own opinion. That's all. "In my opinion." What you are, your opinion? That is the difficulty. Yes you can take.
Vedavyasa: Srila Prabhupada, in the Bible there are a lot of statements regarding chanting, instructions that people should chant the holy name of God. Like in the Old Testament it says from the morning to evening you should chant the holy name of God.
Prabhupada: Yes. That is the business in this age. Chant the holy name of God.
Professor Durckheim: Whatever you do, do in the name of Jesus Christ, the Bible…
Prabhupada: That's all right. You take this in the name of Jesus Christ.
Hamsaduta: Prabhupada, would you like to take your prasadam now?
Prabhupada: Not now. Later. The simplest method-chant the holy name of the Lord. That's all.
Prof. Pater Porsch: Should this chanting be loud? Or can it also be half loud, whisper or silently, mentally? Does it play any difference? Does it make any difference?
Prabhupada: If you chant loudly then others can hear. They also take benefit.
Vedavyasa: Should we translate?
Prabhupada: Hm?
Vedavyasa: Should we translate?
Prabhupada: Yes. (German) Even the birds and beasts they will hear and be benefited. (German) Therefore loud chanting is recommended. So that even the birds, beasts, trees, plants, they can hear. (German)
Prof. Pater Porsch: I seldom saw so many happy faces as today, this evening, below.
Prabhupada: Yes. That is the case. In America also the ladies and gentlemen ask them, "Are you Americans?" Because they do not see Americans with such nice face. One Christian priest — I was going from Los Angeles to Hawaii — so he came to talk with me. He inquired "Swamiji, how is that your disciples look so bright?" He inquired. Yes.
Prof. Pater Porsch: Without drugs.
Prabhupada: Yes. And one Christian priest he showed one pamphlet that these boys, they're our boys but before this they're not coming to the church. They do not want to ask anything about God. Now they're mad after God. How is it? He admitted, "They're our men." And I give you another example. In our Los Angeles temple — this was a church, big church — but it was not going on. It was being closed. And it was sold to us. And now you go and see there is daily thousands of… the same men, the same place. The crowd is so… Why? I have not brought all these men from India. Judge. Unless it is something sublime, how they're accepting it? And they're all young boys. Not that they have become old, therefore they're seeking after God. (everyone laughs) And young men have got so many aspirations, they go to the restaurant to smoke, to enjoy girlfriend, boyfriend, these… They have given up everything.
