Individual souls eternally remain distinct persons; true oneness means sharing Krishna's interest, not merging into void.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Room Conversation with Maharishi Impersonalists — April 7, 1972, Melbourne 720407R1-MELBOURNE [36:09 Minutes] Conv_720407R1-MELBOURNE Prabhupāda: You are all individuals. Every one of us is individual. So how you conceive of merging? Suppose, just like we are here—one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.
How we can merge? You just study philosophy. We are here, eight persons. How we can merge into one?
Have you got any idea how we can merge? These eight persons, how we can merge into one? Impersonalist: To realize ourselves.
Prabhupāda: Well, if suppose you have realized, now, how to merge? Impersonalist: In realization there is that. In realization there is merging.
Prabhupāda: This realization... Now, there are five fingers—one, two, three, four, five. How they can merge into one? Impersonalist: By realizing this.
Prabhupāda: Huh? Impersonalist: By realizing this.
Prabhupāda: No. These are five fingers—one, two, three, four, five. So these... There are different, five fingers.