“You are very good; you are following your religious principles very strictly. That’s all right – but what about your love of God?” “Oh, that I do not know.” So, the Bhāgavatam says, śrama eva hi kevalam: “Your religion is simply a waste of time – simply laboring. That’s all. If you have not learned how to love God, then what is the meaning of your religion?”

But when you’re actually on the platform of love of God, you understand your relationship with God: “I am part and parcel of God – and this dog is also part and parcel of God. And so is every other living entity.” Then you’ll extend your love to the animals also. If you actually love God, then your love for insects is also there, because you understand, “This insect has got a different kind of body, but he is also part and parcel of God – he is my brother.” Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu: you look upon all living beings equally. Then you cannot maintain slaughterhouses. If you maintain slaughterhouses and disobey the order of Christ in the Bible – “Thou shall not kill” – and you proclaim yourself a Christian, your so-called religion is simply a waste of time. Śrama eva hi kevalam: your going to the church and everything is simply a waste of time, because you have no love for God. That foolishness is going on all over the world. People are stamping themselves with some sectarian label, but there is no real religion.

So if all people are to come together on one platform, they have to accept the principles of Bhagavad-gītā. The first principle is that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If you do not accept in the beginning that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord, then try to understand this gradually. That is education. You can begin by accepting that there is somebody who is supreme.

Now, if I say, “Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord,” you may say, “Why is Kṛṣṇa the Supreme Lord? Kṛṣṇa is Indian.” No. He is God. For example, the sun rises first over India, then over Europe. But that does not mean the European sun is different from the Indian sun. Similarly, although Kṛṣṇa appeared in India, now He has come to the Western countries through this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

So you should try to understand whether Kṛṣṇa is God or not. But He is God. There is no doubt about it. If you have the intelligence to understand what God is, then try to understand. But Kṛṣṇa is God, undoubtedly. So take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and abide by the order of Kṛṣṇa. Then everyone can come together on the same religious platform. One religion, Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, sometimes in our preaching activities we meet people who claim to be very devout Christians or Muslims but at the same time blaspheme Kṛṣṇa. Is it possible that such persons can actually be associates of God?

Śrīla Prabhupāda: No. If one is serious about understanding what God is, then he will accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Lord. Once he knows what God is, he’ll understand, “Here is God – Kṛṣṇa.” If he remains in darkness and does not learn what God is, then how will he understand Kṛṣṇa? He’ll understand Kṛṣṇa as one of us. That’s all. But if he knows what God is, then he’ll understand about Kṛṣṇa: “Yes, here is God.”

For instance, if a person knows what gold is, then anywhere he comes upon gold, he’ll understand, “Here is gold.” He won’t think gold is available in one shop only. And if a person knows what God is, what the meaning of “God” is, then in Kṛṣṇa he will find God in fullness. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam: “Kṛṣṇa Himself is the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” The śāstra explains what Bhagavān, or God, is, and how Kṛṣṇa is Bhagavān. You should understand and see from the activities of Kṛṣṇa whether He is or is not Bhagavān. It requires a good brain to understand. If I say, “Here is God,” now it is up to you to test my statement. If you know what God is, then test my statement about Kṛṣṇa, and then you’ll accept Him as God. If you do not know how to test my statement, then you may refuse to accept it. That is another thing. You may also accept iron as gold. That is your ignorance: you do not know what gold is. But if you actually know what God is, you will accept Kṛṣṇa as God. There is no doubt about it.

So this is the common platform – Bhagavad-gītā. Everyone, come and take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Understand God and learn how to love Him, and your life will be perfect.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: But many people claim to have the best religion, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Śrīla Prabhupāda: But we have to look at the result. how will we decide what is real religion? Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmaḥ yato bhaktir adhokṣaje: by seeing whether the followers have learned how to love God. If one has no love of God, then what is the use of claiming that one’s religion is the best? Where is the sign of love of Godhead? That is to be seen. Everyone will say, “My understanding is the best.” But there must be practical proof.

If someone claims to have the best religion, we ask, “Tell us how to love God. What is your process of loving God? If you do not know your relationship with God and others’ relationship with God, then how can you love God?” That process of loving God is lacking. Nobody can give a clear conception of God. If you have no understanding of what God is, where is the question of love? Love is not mere fantasy or imagination. You cannot love air. You love a person, a beautiful person. If you merely say, “I love the air, I love the sky,” what question is there of love? There must be a person. So who is that person we want to love?

Unfortunately, most people have no personal conception of God. Nor can they describe the Lord’s personal beauty, knowledge, strength – His fullness in the six personal opulences. There is no such description. They have some conception of God, but actually they do not know what God is. But religion means you must know God and love Him. Love is something tangible. It is not merely fantasy or imagination. So we Kṛṣṇa conscious people accept Kṛṣṇa as God, and we are worshiping Kṛṣṇa, and we are making progress.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Recently a priest visited us and admitted that he didn’t know what God looks like. He couldn’t say anything about God, but he said he loved God.

Śrīla Prabhupāda: Then? What kind of love is it?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Nor did he say his people were very enthusiastic about coming to church. He said, “At best they come once a week.” He said that’s all that is necessary.