We simply say, “You chant God’s Name, holy Name.”

Allen Ginsberg: But what do you do when different religious groups claim to be the center? What do you do when different religious groups…

Prabhupada: No, we welcome every religion. We don’t decry any religion. Our point is the love of Godhead. Or Krishna is love, all- attractive. So we want to be attracted by Krishna. Just like a magnetic force and iron. Unless iron is rusty, it is automatically attracted by the magnetic force. Similarly, we are contaminated by material coverings. So we are trying to make it rustless so that immediately we shall be attracted. This is the program. Krishna is all-attractive. That is a fact. And we are attracted. But being covered with this rust, we are, instead of being attracted by Krishna, we are being attracted by maya. This is our whole program. So our central program is how to love Krishna, or how to love God. So we want to see… That is the Bhagavata definition, that how much you have enhanced your love of God. You call Krishna or something else, that doesn’t matter. Phalena pariciyate. The result. Your religious principle, what is the result? Are you enhancing your love for God or dog? That we want to see. If you are enhancing your love for God, it is all right. We don’t say anything. But if… People should learn how to love. That is the perfection of life. That we are teaching.

Allen Ginsberg: If you’re identifying love, however, with the sabda Krishna, what of those people who identify love with the sabda Allah?

Prabhupada: If that sabda, of course, identifies with God, we have no objection. That Caitanya Mahaprabhu said that namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-saktis. God has many names. God is attractive, His name is also attractive, because He’s not different from His name. If you have got exactly the same attractive name, we have no objection. We simply say, “You chant God’s name, holy name.” Then you become purified. That is our program. We don’t say that you change your Christianity. No. We don’t say. If you have got a nice name, all-attractive name, in your scripture—don’t manufacture but authorized—then you chant that. We simply request, “You chant.”

Allen Ginsberg: Well, then how would you adapt the Krishna chanting to Christianity? By seeing Krishna as Christ or Christ as Krishna and sounding Christ’s image in Krishna’s name?

Prabhupada: Krishna, Christ… Of course, this question was several times put to me. Christ says that “I am son of God.” And Krishna says “I am God.” So there is no difference. Son of God and God, we respect everyone. If I respect your father, I respect you also. Do you mean to say if I disrespect your father, you’ll be pleased upon me? No. That is our philosophy. So Caitanya Mahaprabhu says that I am servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of the servant of Krishna. So if anyone loves Krishna, he must love Lord Jesus Christ also. And if one perfectly loves Jesus Christ he must love Krishna. If he says, “Why shall I love Krishna? I shall love Jesus Christ,” then he has no knowledge. And if one says, “Why shall I love Jesus Christ? I shall love…”, then he has also no knowledge. If one understands Krishna, then he will understand Jesus Christ. If one understands Jesus Christ, you’ll understand Krishna.

Allen Ginsberg: Well, then do you think that the Hare Krishna chant could serve as an intermediary to link the religious tendencies of, both of Christianity and Muslim religions?

Prabhupada: Yes. Yes. Any religion. Any religion. If he’s serious about religion. If he takes the religion as a scapegoat, that is different thing. If he wants to understand religion and if he takes seriously to religion, then he will understand. We want serious persons. Now, according to Srimad-Bhagavatam, religion means creation of the laws of God. Dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam [SB 6.3.19] Laws of God. Who will deny it? Who will deny it? Any religion, Christian, Muhammadan or any. Who can deny that religion is the laws of God? Simple explanation. If you ask what is meant by religion, religion is laws of God. That’s all. And if you want to know what is God, that is also replied. “The original source of everything.” So one should try to understand in this way. But if one wants to remain in his compact ideas and does not want to go further, then it is very difficult. He should be open-minded and appreciating. Then everything is all right. We say, Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, it is not that you are necessarily to chant Krishna, but if you have no suitable name, then chant Krishna. Why do you make differentiate. Every name is the same.

Room Conversation
with Allen Ginsberg /
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
May 12, 1969, Columbus, Ohio