An Awareness of What Is
Best and Most Beautiful
In Rome, during May of 1974, Srila Prabhupdda meets with Mr. Desmond
James Bernard O'Grady, a noted Irish poet: “My request to you is this. You
are a poet. Just describe God. You are expert in describing, and therefore I
ask you to kindly describe God in your occupation. Then your life will be
successful. ...”
Mr. O’Grady: Your edition of the Bhagavad-gita is very nice.
Srila Prabhupada: It is the fifth edition in two years.
Mr. O’Grady: In which country has the Hare Krsna movement been the
most successful?
Srila Prabhupada: Everywhere. In Africa, America, Canada, Japan,
China. But actually it has been most successful in America. Many
Americans have taken to Krsna consciousness. ;
Mr. O’Grady: What about here in Rome? Have you had problems with
the police?
Srila Prabhupada: We have problems everywhere. Police sometimes
harass us, but usually they become tired and eventually don’t do any-
thing. [Laughter.]
Mr. O’Grady: The system give up? That’s marvelous. I feel very tired of
the system myself. Something is wrong with the present state of affairs.
Maybe you can give me some advice on how to beat the system.
Srila Prabhupada: You Irish people! You are never tired of fighting.
Mr. O’Grady: No. [Laughter.] It’s inside us.
Srila Prabhupada: Actually, the fighting has been going on constantly.
Mr. O’Grady: Well, what do you suggest we do about it? I mean, is it
morally correct for me to be sitting here...
Srila Prabhupada: As long as we remain illusioned by the bodily concep-
__ tion of life, thinking we are these bodies, one man thinking “‘I am Irish,”’
another thinking ‘‘I am Italian, American, Indian,’ and so on—as long
as this goes on, the fighting will go on. You cannot stop fighting between |
dogs and cats. Why do they fight? The dog simply thinks, ‘‘I am a big
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