We are against all so-called cheating religion. The Hinduism is also a cheating religion. We are preaching Bhagavata.

Krishna Not a Hindu God, Rathayatra Not Owned by Hindus

ISKCON Rathayatra in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, 1975

There is no Hindu

PRABHUPADA: Europeans, they are coming here not for religion, but they are coming for the Krishna culture. You have to make that. Religion they have already got, Christian. Why they should come?

MAHAMSA: They will say that this Krishna culture is Hinduism.

PRABHUPADA: Then he's a rascal. Prove it in the court. Krishna is not Hinduism. Never.... Is there anything in the Bhagavad-gita that Krishna says, "I am for the Hindus or for the Indians"?

ACHYUTANANDA: The Hindu law is so elastic, anyone who calls himself a Hindu or who practices any branch...

MAHAMSA: Or puts on tilaka.

ACHYUTANANDA: Puts on tilaka, he may have the lowest character or the highest standard, anyone, he will be all considered a Hindu.

PRABHUPADA: So this should be taken to court, on the Supreme Court.

HARIKESA: But if there is no definition of Hindu, how can you prove...

PRABHUPADA: There is no Hindu. It is not.... Therefore we are not Hindu.

ACHYUTANANDA: Well, they'll say, "This is our definition. This is what we say a Hindu is."

PRABHUPADA: Huh?

ACHYUTANANDA: The court says, "This is what we say a Hindu is. So you're Hindus."

PRABHUPADA: No, no. And court can say anything, but then why not put it into the judgment of many judges?

HARIKESA: Then we have to establish what is Hinduism...

PRABHUPADA: Yes.

HARIKESA: ...and what is Krishna consciousness.

ACHYUTANANDA: It is already established.

PRABHUPADA: You can define anything. That does not mean that your definition is perfect. Actually we have to.... Who...? Suppose Hindu. So who is not accepting Bhagavad-gita? But where is...? In the Bhagavad-gita where is the mention of "Hindu"? Hm? Krishna says that "I am the father of all living entities." So why do they say that this is Hindusim?

ACHYUTANANDA: [suggests court will argue:] "Well, all religions say that they are the best. Jesus Christ says, 'Everyone who comes to me, they will get the grace of God.' So the same thing. But still they are Christians and you are Hindus."

PRABHUPADA: So this cannot stay in the court. Krishna's instruction is not for the Hindus. Nowhere it is mentioned.

TAMAL KRSNA: The word "Hindu" doesn't appear in the Vedas anywhere.

ACHYUTANANDA: "Then why do you use in the Krishna consciousness the Hindu caste marks, Hindus caste marks and tilakas? This is all Hinduism."

PRABHUPADA: No, this is not Hinduism. Appears like Hindu. Just like you appear like an Indian sannyasi, but you are not Indian.

ACHYUTANANDA: The judge is wearing a white wig and a British suit. He's not British either.

PRABHUPADA: No, we are clearly stating Krishna consciousness.

HARIKESA: "Yes, but Krishna is a Hindu god."

PRABHUPADA: That is your definition. Krishna doesn't say.

HARIKESA: "But my definition counts because I'm in charge."

PRABHUPADA: You can do any nonsense. That is.... Therefore you have to be taken to the court, that "How you can..."

TAMAL KRSNA: But they are the court.

PRABHUPADA: "...talk like nonsense and do like nonsense? Then anyone can do any nonsense thing? Then who will control you?"

HARIKESA: That's the point.

MAHAMSA: The chief justice himself was saying like that in Madras. Their opinion will come in their favor.

PRABHUPADA: No, they can give opinion, but there is supreme court. There is international court. We shall go...

MAHAMSA: International court?

GOPAL KRSNA: That's only for disputes between countries, international court.

PRABHUPADA: Yes, it is country—"We are American. They are forcing us to become a Hindu." This is between country. You have to tackle with intelligence.

MAHAMSA: It's become a world issue.

ACHYUTANANDA: In most books about Hinduism they describe that Hinduism is a cult where they worship many gods and ultimately God is formless.

PRABHUPADA: No.

ACHYUTANANDA: So we are against that. Then we are not Hindus even philosophically according to that.

PRABHUPADA: Yes. We are against all so-called cheating religion. The Hinduism is also a cheating religion. We are preaching Bhagavata, and Bhagavata beginning that "We have kicked out all cheating religion." What is cheating religion? That one has to understand. And Bhagavata says, dharmam tu sakshad bhagavat-pranitam: [Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.3.19] "Religion means the order given by God." If you do not know who is God, "imperson," then where is your religion? We have to tackle things.

GOPAL KRSNA: They will consult all the standard dictionaries about Krishna's definition and all the...

PRABHUPADA: Dictionary is not the standard. The standard is the book itself. That is our preaching. You may bring some dictionary made by some fools. No. We have to take reference. Therefore we are presenting Bhagavad-gita As It Is.

ACHYUTANANDA: Well, even Jesus Christ just said, "I am for all," but there is Christianity.

PRABHUPADA: Yes, that is a fact. Either God or God's representative, He is for everyone. Suhridam sarva-bhutanam [Bhagavad-gita 5.29]. That is the definition of sadhu. Titikshavah karunikah suhridam sarva-bhutanam [SB 3.25.21]. A saintly person..., as God is for everyone, a saintly person is for everyone. Why he should be for Hindu or Muslim or Christian? That is the definition of saintly person. Suhrdah. Suhridah means well-wisher. So either Christ or any Vaishnava, he is well-wisher for everyone. Suhridah sarva-bhutanam. We are preaching all over the world and they are appreciating.

HARIKESA: So many others have preached Hinduism but have no result.

PRABHUPADA: No result. Why they should become Hindu?

ACHYUTANANDA: That sign is there, "Swami Vivekananda, the Hindu monk."

PRABHUPADA: But who cares for Ramakrishna Mission? Hindu monk, but who cares for the Ramakrishna Mission? For the last eighty-five years they are working. How many Hindus they have made? Simply bogus propaganda. They advertise that "We have made all Americans..." But where the Americans? They picked up two American ladies, that's all. Where is the Hindu sadhus eating meat?

...Foreign devotees, they are joining this movement not because it is a Hindu culture. They take it as a real spiritual culture. Otherwise why, for the last hundred, two hundred years, the Hindu sannyasis, yogis, were going there? Who did accept it? Did anybody? The Ramakrishna Mission, Hindu monk, within the eighty-five years, how many Hindus they have made? You can count maybe a dozen only. Huh? Did they make any Hindus, European, American young boys? And it is the Hindu custom that sannyasis eat meat?

TAMAL KRSNA: Drink wine.

PRABHUPADA: Drink wine.

TAMAL KRSNA: And have women.

PRABHUPADA: Drinking wine and eating meat, the next stage is illicit sex. Is that the business of the Hindu monk? There are sampradayas—Ramanuja Sampradaya, Shankara Sampradaya. But where the Hindu monk drinks and eats meat? They [Ramakrishna Mission] have introduced it. Is that Hinduism?

ACHYUTANANDA: The head of that Vishva-Hindu went to Delhi to get tax exemption. So they said, "You drop the name Hindu." They said, "No, we will never drop the name Hindu. Even if you don't give us tax exemption, we will be without the tax exempt but we will never give up our name Hindu."

PRABHUPADA: Whatever whimsically you make your law, that is law. Actually they are not fighting. Hindu law means Manu-samhita. So who is pressing them that "We don't require any law except this"? And where is that Hindu, strong Hindu? Hindu means Manu-samhita.Manave prahur. This Manu. Original instruction is coming from Manu. From the word Manu, the word manava has come. Just like he has started that manava-dharma. Manava-dharma means Manu. That he does not know. From Manu, manava has come, just like from sadhu, sadhava has come. They do not know even grammar. These leaders, they do not know even grammar.

From any country, creed or race

"'Now please hear from Me about the process of devotional service, which is applicable in any country, for any person, at all times and in all circumstances.

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, ISKCON Founder Acharya, presiding over Rathayatra festival in San Fransicso

PURPORT The cult of bhagavata-dharma can be spread in all circumstances, among all people and in all countries. Many envious people accuse the Krishna consciousness movement of spoiling the rigidity of so-called Hinduism. That is not actually the fact. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu confirms that devotional service to the Lord—the cult of bhagavata-dharma, which is now being spread as the Hare Krishna movement—can be spread in every country, to every person, in any condition of life, and in all circumstances. Bhagavata-dharma does not restrict pure devotees to the Hindu community. A pure devotee is above a brahmana; therefore it is not incompatible to offer the sacred thread to devotees in Europe, America, Australia, Japan, Canada, and so on. Sometimes these pure devotees, who have been accepted by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, are not allowed to enter certain temples in India. Also, some high-caste brahmanas and gosvamis refuse to take prasadam in the temples of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Actually this is against the instruction of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Devotees can come from any country, and they can belong to any creed or race. On the strength of this verse, those who are actually devotees and followers of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu must accept devotees from all parts of the world as pure Vaishnavas. They should be accepted not artificially but factually. One should see how they are advanced in Krishna consciousness and how they are conducting Deity worship, sankirtana and Ratha-yatra.

Considering all these points, the envious persons must henceforward refrain from their malicious atrocities.