He was very God conscious when he made the atomic bomb,
This morning's beach walk gave rise to a long, interesting conversation between Prabhupada and the barefoot Dr. Patel. Srila Prabhupada explained everything to him from the uselessness of vegetarianism, to the perfection of Communism.
As far as being vegetarian goes, Prabhupada told us about a Jain monk who came to meet him in Berkeley, America. When Prabhupada had asked him what the results of his preaching were, the man replied that he had converted one million people to vegetarianism. But Prabhupada didn't give him much credit for that. Although the Jains advocate nonviolence, Prabhupada pointed out that being vegetarian is violence, since one has to kill the vegetables. Nor does being vegetarian or nonviolent mean one is on the spiritual platform. Garuda is the personal carrier of Lord Vishnu, yet he eats snakes; and Krishna ordered Arjuna to kill his enemies. He said that the real point is to follow the order of Krishna.
Dr. Patel interpreted the meaning of this as "feeling that one is doing every thing for Krishna."
Prabhupada responded that the orders are factual, not feelings. He also showed the vital role the spiritual master plays. "Not feel, but actually it's an order. Arjuna did not feel; he took order to kill. Not that you manufacture your idea. No. You take order directly and then do it otherwise you'll be responsible. Therefore the guru is required to act as representative of Krishna. If he says, 'Yes, it is all right,' then it is all right. Otherwise not. Yasya prasadad bhagavat-prasadah. Otherwise why guru is required? We must take every moment order from him."
Prabhupada told the doctor that simply by becoming Krishna conscious one develops all good qualities, so there is no need for a separate endeavor to be vegetarian.
The discussion moved on to the topic of scientists, and Srila Prabhupada highly praised his disciple Svarupa Damodara, for writing the book The Scientific Basis of Krishna Consciousness. "Dr. Svarupa Damodara, Ph.D.; you have read that book? It is first class. The scientist, so-called scientist, unless he is insane, he cannot say that there is no God. He has written so nice."
"But the real scientists are also God conscious," Dr. Patel interjected.
"That is all right. He is real scientist."
"You have been unfortunately against them," Dr. Patel argued, "but think of Albert Einstein. He was totally God conscious throughout his life."
"Yes," Prabhupada agreed. "He is all right, but mostly they say, 'What is the use of God? Now science, everything science.' They say like that."
Dr. Patel protested. "You have been very harsh to the scientists."
"They are misleading," Prabhupada said. "These rascals are misleading. That is the way."
"He was very God conscious when he made the atomic bomb," Pushta Krishna added sarcastically.
Dr. Patel found it disagreeable and bridled a bit at his junior's disrespect. "How many of us are scientists here? He might help you also!"
Prabhupada gave the ultimate perspective to settle the issue. "We know a real scientist because we know the biggest scientist, Krishna. Therefore we are scientists. Without Him we don't claim to be scientists fools, rascals. He is everything. If you simply understand Krishna, then you become scientist, philosopher. And I was never a scientist, so we challenge the scientists, and I have produced this scientist [Svarupa Damodara] to challenge them. But I was never a scientist. That book is actually revolutionary amongst the scientists. Scientific Basis, you have read that? Very nicely he has written, very, very nicely, from all scientific... He has challenged the scientists. He has clearly declared, 'Darwin is wrong, and scientists, they do not know.'"
The conversation moved on to one of their favorite topics, Communism. But this time Prabhupada offered a different perspective. He disagreed when Dr. Patel said that Communism is finished. He said that it simply needs the addition of Krishna, then it has value. Like a zero with a one placed in front.
The Communists say that religion is the opiate of the people, but Prabhupada pointed out that opium also has its proper medical use. It is poison undoubtedly, but if it is in the hand of a physician, it is nectarine. Dr. Patel agreed that opium is the first thing they use in heart-attack cases. Therefore, Prabhupada said, whatever God has created has some use; one must simply know how to utilize everything properly. Thus Communism will become perfect, as soon as it is connected with Krishna.
Reference: Transcendental Diary Volume 1 by Hari Sauri Dasa
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