Arrival Interview in San Diego

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Arrival Interview — June 29, 1972, San Diego 720629AR-SAN DIEGO [13:24 Minutes] Arrival_720629AR-SAN DIEGO Interviewer: My daughter is a member of the Los Angeles temple.

Prabhupāda: Oh. [laughs] What is the name of your daughter? Interviewer: I don't know what her Kṛṣṇa name is.

Prabhupāda: [laughs] Oh, very good. So we have got so many girls very nice, reforming their character. Interviewer: [aside:] Ah, can you get a head-on shot there? Photographer: Yeah.

Interviewer: Bring it level. 1, 2, 3, testing, 1, 2, 3… Assistant: Go any time. Interviewer: Your Divine Grace, I'm going to ask my first question taken right out of the brochure of the Kṛṣṇa Consciousness Society. Why would a nice-looking bunch of young people shave their heads, put on long skirts and stand around street corners singing strange songs?

Prabhupāda: Yes. So first thing is that we want to live very simply, without any artificial gorgeous..., and singing on the street means this transcendental vibration will benefit the people. Whoever will hear, he will get spiritual benefit. Interviewer: The main activity is chanting, is that right?

Prabhupāda: Yes. By chanting, by this transcendental vibration, by hearing, gradually the dirty things in the heart will be cleansed, and then he will be able to understand his position. At the present moment generally, people, there are under the bodily concept of life. Everyone thinks that he is this body. But actually he is not this body; he is spirit soul.

So this realization is essential to human form of life, but unfortunately there is no educational system to understand that one is not this body but is spirit soul. Interviewer: The main activity is chanting. How does this benefit the person himself, and how does it benefit humanity? Prabhupāda: Yes. Just like you, me, we are actually brothers; we are all sons of God. But on account of our different dress we are fighting.

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