Practicing Yoga in the Age of Quarrel 161

we are presenting the Bhagavad-gitd as it is, without any personal in-
terpretation. This is standard.

Mr. Faill: Yes, if you begin dressing things up, you inevitably change
them.

Srila Prabhupada: Krsna consciousness is not a new process. It is very,
very old—and standard. It cannot be changed. As soon as you try to
change it, then the potency is lost. This potency is just like electricity. If
you want to generate electricity, you must follow the standard regula-
tions, arranging all the negative and positive poles properly. You cannot
construct the generator whimsically and still produce electricity.
Similarly, there is a standard method of understanding Krsna conscious
philosophy from proper authorities. If we follow their instructions, then
the process will act. Unfortunately, one of the dangerous diseases of
modern man is that everyone wants to do things according to his own
whims. No one wants to follow the standard way. Therefore everyone is
failing, both spiritually and materially.

Mr. Faill: Is the Krsna consciousness movement growing?

Srila Prabhupada: Oh, yes, very much. You may be surprised to know
that we are selling books in the tens of thousands. We have about fifty
books, and many librarians and college professors are very appreciative
of them because until their publication there was no such literature in ex-
istence. It is a new contribution to the world.

Mr. Faill: Krsna consciousness seems to involve shaving the head and
wearing saffron robes. How can an ordinary man caught up in family life
practice Krsna consciousness?

Srila Prabhupada: The saffron robes and the shaven head are not essen-
tial, although they create a good mental situation, just as when a military
man is dressed properly he gets energy—he feels like a military man.
Does that mean that unless he is in uniform he cannot fight? No. In the
same way, God consciousness cannot be checked—it can be revived in
any circumstances—but certain conditions are helpful. Therefore we
prescribe that you live in a certain way, dress in a certain way, eat in a cer-
tain way, and so on. These things are helpful for practicing Krsna con-
sciousness, but they are not essential.

Mr. Faill: Then one can be a student of Krsna consciousness while going
about normal daily life?

Srila Prabhupada: Yes.

Mr. Faill: How about drugs? Can they help in the process of God
realization?
