Chanting Krishna's names cleanses the heart and awakens the human privilege of God consciousness.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Interview — December 17, 1968, Los Angeles 681217IV-LOS ANGELES [35:07 Minutes] Reporter: I think the first question is kind of basic, is why is everything always taped at all the... Prabhupāda: Because we have got so many branches, they want to hear me, my singing, my speech; therefore they record it and send it to different branches. We have got thirteen, fourteen branches: one in New York, one in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Buffalo, Boston, Montreal, Vancouver, London, Hamburg. We have got so many branches. Reporter: What are the basic beliefs of the Kṛṣṇa religion? Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa means God. God, this word, does not explain the nomenclature of God.
Now this Kṛṣṇa is Sanskrit word, and it conveys the full meaning of God. Kṛṣṇa means all-attractive. All-attractive means He is full of all opulences. In this world we are attracted by one who is very rich, we are attracted by one who is very famous, we are attracted by one who is very highly educated, we are attracted by someone who is very beautiful. Similarly, these are features of attraction.
And when all these attractions are reposed in one place without any rivalry, He is God. That is the conception of God. So Kṛṣṇa means all these six opulences in fullness together. That is the full definition of God. Reporter: What effect to the followers does chanting give?
I heard from one that it transports them to a utopian-type situation. I wondered if you could elaborate on that a little more.
Prabhupāda: Which situation? Reporter: Utopian-like, where there is no harm, no..., all is good, and... Prabhupāda: Yes. Now, this our process is chanting. It is very innocent. If you sit down and chant with us, you have no loss, no harm, but there is great gain.
You see? By chanting, you gradually cleanse your heart and you can realize what is God. That is the greatest gain. Human life is meant for knowing God. The animals, they cannot know, although the bodily demands of the animal and the human being are the same.
The animals, they sleep; man also sleeps. Animal, they eat; man also eats. The animal, they are also afraid of some enemy; man is also afraid of some enemy. The animals, they mate with the opposite sex, and men also do that.