It is for you. Because you cannot sit cross-legged, we have arranged this couch for you.
Prabhupada gave a short interview to a TV crew from channel four and a freelance television reporter, Janice Johnson. The channel four interviewer asked what Srila Prabhupada's view was on the current state of affairs in the world and the role of his Movement in it.
Srila Prabhupada responded by telling him that people have no knowledge of the fact that they are the soul and not the body. "So at the present moment the human civilization is a very risky civilization. So in order to save them from this state of ignorance, this Krishna consciousness movement is essential. It is not a sectarian religious movement, faith or sentiment. It is actually scientific movement. Here are many scientists present. They are also taking very seriously about this movement. So we invite all important men to contact us and try to understand the basic principle of this movement, how to elevate the human society to the proper standard of life and become peaceful in this life as well as in the next life."
"Do you think mankind is making some improvement?" the interviewer asked.
"No," Prabhupada replied. "Materially they may be doing some improvement, but that is not spiritually important. Just like I give sometimes this example: a dog, animal, is jumping with four legs on the street, and we are going fast with four wheels, so that does not make any difference. The difference is the dog cannot understand about his spiritual identity; a man can understand if he's properly trained up. If the man is denied that facility, then he remains in the ignorance of an animal like cats and dogs."
Janice Johnson joined in. Unfortunately the questions that followed soon degraded to the simplistic, and Ms. Johnson did a great deal to reinforce Srila Prabhupada's already low opinion of women reporters. She asked, "Is this your first visit to Washington? Where have you stayed while in America? Why are you living in such lavish surroundings if materialism is not so important?"
Prabhupada's reply to the latter was good-humored and quickly reversed the implied criticism. "It is for you. Because you cannot sit cross-legged, we have arranged this couch for you."
The devotees laughed, but she doggedly persisted in reporter fashion. "Why is it necessary to live in such comfort as this for the spiritual?"
Prabhupada restated his answer more pointedly this time. "We can live on the street, but you cannot come and see on the street. For you we have arranged. We can live under a tree, but that does not make any difference. Our point is that you may live materially comfortably there is no harm but if you forget your spiritual identity then you remain like an animal. Just like sometimes a cat or a dog is allowed to sit on the couch, but that does not mean he has become a human being. He remains a cat or dog because the consciousness is lacking of a human being."
The other reporter seemed appreciative of Srila Prabhupada's answers, and kept his focus on Prabhupada's broader intentions. "What is your opinion of what this movement should be doing in terms of world activities and world affairs that it isn't doing now? Are there some new areas that you may try to influence?"
Srila Prabhupada liked his questions and was happy to answer. "No, we are pushing on this movement all over the world. It is not that this particular place is important, but our interest is that Western people they are so intelligent. They are very systematically making improvement in material condition of life. They should know also that spiritual life is more important than material life."
But Ms. Johnson seemed to be looking for fault. She was pointed and a bit aggressive. "Why is it that the Hare Krishna movement has in the last couple of years attempted to make itself a little bit more respectable in the public's eyes by having members wear street clothes and wigs and so forth while they are soliciting?"
"The clothes are not important," Prabhupada replied coolly. "We prefer our own dress, but you do not like, and since we have to do business with you therefore we change. What can be done?"
Prabhupada was unruffled despite her pushiness and after taking another couple of short questions the interview came to a halt and the reporters departed.
Reference: Transcendental Diary Volume 3 by Hari Sauri Dasa
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