30 THE SCIENCE OF SELF-REALIZATION
Mike Robinson: Yes, that’s right, there is.
Srila Prabhupada: And that literature comes along with the creation of
the microphone.
Mike Robinson: That’s right, yes.
Srila Prabhupada: So, similarly, the Vedic literature comes along with
the cosmic creation, to explain how to deal with it.
Mike Robinson: I see. So, these scriptures have been in existence since
the beginning of creation. Now, if we could move on to something I
believe you feel very strongly about. What is the main difference be-
tween Krsna consciousness and the other Eastern disciplines being
taught in the West?
Srila Prabhupada: The difference is that we are following the original
literature, and they are manufacturing their own literature. That is the
difference. When there is some question on spiritual matters, you must
consult the original literature, not some literature issued by a bogus man.
‘Mike Robinson: What about the chanting of Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna...
Srila Prabhupada: Chanting Hare Krsna is the easiest process by which
to become purified, especially in this age, when people are so dull that
they cannot very easily understand spiritual knowledge. If one chants
Hare Krsna, then his intelligence becomes purified, and he can under-
stand spiritual things.
Mike Robinson: Can you tell me how you are guided in what you do?
Srila Prabhupada: We take guidance from the Vedic literature.
Mike Robinson: From the scriptures you quoted?
Srila Prabhupada: Yes, it’s all in the literatures. We’re explaining them
in English. But we’re not manufacturing anything. If we were to
manufacture knowledge, then everything would be spoiled. The Vedic
literature is something like the literature that explains how to set up this
microphone. It says, ‘‘Do it like this: some of the screws should be on
this side, around the metal.’ You cannot make any change; then every-
thing would be spoiled. Similarly, because we are not manufacturing
anything, one simply has to read one of our books, and he receives real
spiritual knowledge.
Mike Robinson: How can the philosophy of Krsna consciousness affect
the way people live?
Srila Prabhupada: It can relieve people’s suffering. People are suffering
because they are misunderstanding themselves to be the body. If you
think that you are your coat and shirt, and you very carefully wash the
coat and shirt but you forget to eat, will you be happy?
