True religion means knowing God and serving Him as a spirit soul, not mental speculation or dogma.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Room Conversation with Ian Polsen — August 2, 1972, London 720802R1-LONDON [63:43 Minutes] Conv_720802R1-LONDON Prabhupāda: ...and if we repeat that, what is our fault? [laughter] [Hindi], Caturbhuja. [Hindi] We say Kṛṣṇa said that "He is a rascal who does not surrender unto Me.'' [laughs] Kṛṣṇa has chastised in so many places. Tān ahaṁ dviṣataḥ krūrān kṣipāmy ajasram [indistinct] [Bg. 16.19].
"Those who are envious, like that, I put them in the darkest region of hellish condition.'' [laughter] Kṛṣṇa says like that. Another place He says, avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā [Bg. 9.11]: "A person who is rascal, he considers Me as ordinary human being.'' [break] Ian Polsen: ...to surrender.
Prabhupāda: Thank you very much. Ian Polsen: And you said that prostrate [indistinct]. [laughter]
Prabhupāda: Very good. [laughs] Very nice. Ian Polsen: And I have come to ask Your Grace because I cannot make spiritual progress without the grace of the spiritual master.
Prabhupāda: Thank you. You will make progress. Your attitude is very nice. This is the asset.
Prabhupāda: Our Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā amāninā mānadena kīrtaniyaḥ sadā hariḥ [Cc. Ādi 17.31] The... [aside:] You are feeling uncomfortable? [aside:] You can give him some seat. He is not accustomed. Ian Polsen: No, thank you. I can sit here. Prabhupāda: [laughs] The..., our present conditional life is rebellious. We have rebelled against the authority of Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Lord.
It is very simple thing. Just like a person, a citizen, if he becomes rebellious, then he is arrested and put into custody, and his life becomes conditioned; he has no freedom. Similarly, as soon as we are rebellious to the authority of the Supreme Lord, we are captured by māyā—that is also an energy of Kṛṣṇa—and we become conditioned. So this is our position. So in this conditional life we can never be happy.