14. Return To Real Life

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, the final question is: “What is your view regarding proselytizing, or preaching?”

Śrīla Prabhupāda: We are simply attempting to bring people to the real understanding. Kṛṣṇa says, mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ: all living entities are part and parcel of Me. He says, sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya  … ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ: “Of all forms of life, I am the seed-giving father.” In other words, the natural position is that every living entity – animals, plants, and human beings, including Indians, Americans, Czechs – everyone is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa.

So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not a process of trying to convince people of some speculative idea. This movement is actually bringing people to their real position – that they’re all part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. It is not artificial proselytizing: “You are Christian; now become a Hindu.” It is not like that. This movement is actually bringing people back to their natural position – part and parcel of God.

The effects of artificial proselytizing will not stand. But when one comes to the real understanding of his position, then that will continue. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is that real understanding – bringing everyone back to his original position. At the present moment everyone is in a diseased condition: people are thinking they are something other than servants of Kṛṣṇa. Now this movement is trying to bring everyone to the position of recognizing that they are eternal servants of Kṛṣṇa.

This movement is not some kind of rubber-stamp proselytizing – “You were Christian; now you are Hindu.” After all, if one does not know what his position is, what benefit will he derive by simply being stamped “Hindu”?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: No benefit. He’ll still be in ignorance of his real, spiritual identity.

Śrīla Prabhupāda: If you keep someone on the ignorant platform, then what is the benefit of making a Christian or a Muslim into a Hindu? No, artificially changing someone into a Hindu will not help. One must know the philosophy of life. One must know what God is. One must learn how to love God. That is real life.