Satsvarupa: Some people say they don’t like to talk to Hare Krsna people because we’re like that. We always say we know everything about everything.

Prabhupada: Yes, we know everything. That’s a fact.

Satsvarupa: They resent it, and they say, “Oh, you people, we can’t talk with you.”

Prabhupada: You may resent, but we know everything. That is a fact. [chuckles]

Satsvarupa: So how do we deal with that attitude, if they’re turned away by our…?

Prabhupada: No, no. He’s a rascal. How we can…? We know everything, and he denies. Then what is the use of talking with him and waste your time? Let him know everything. We have nothing…, no business.

Satsvarupa: We can’t compromise and just say that we don’t know.

Prabhupada: Eh?

Satsvarupa: What does he…

Prabhupada: No, no. How you can…? You know everything. How you can say, “I don’t know”? [laughs]

Satsvarupa: Yes.

Prabhupada: You do not know practically that. You must be also a man of knowledge. Otherwise, you cannot say. You cannot be…, falsely say that “Yes, I know.” You must know. Then you say. But if you think that you do not know, don’t say foolishly like that. Then you’ll be slapped. You must know also. So how do you know? The next question will be, “How do you know everything?”

Satsvarupa: It’s not that I am great, but it’s the authority of my spiritual master and the sastras.

Prabhupada: Yes. Or Krsna. Krsna is great. So I am talking of what Krsna has said. Therefore I am great, I am knowing everything. It is not that I know everything. I do not know anything, but I, I am surrendered to a person who knows everything. Therefore I know everything. I take my knowledge from Him. So you should think how much knowledge you have assimilated. The knowledge is there, guru-krsna. Guru is there. Krsna is there. So we have to take advantage of guru and Krsna, sad-dharma-prccha, ask him, and become man of knowledge. Then you can say. If you simply think that “I have my guru, and there is Krsna. Now I am perfect,” no. You should ask and know. You must be man of knowledge. Then you can say, “Yes, I know everything.” Diksa. Diksa, initiation, diksa. This Sanskrit word, diksa, means divya-jnanam ksipayati: to ask from spiritual master with service and surrender the transcendental knowledge. The more you ask, you become a man of knowledge. Then you can challenge, “Yes, I know everything.” [japa] Actually, you know everything. Just like when I speak, I immediately ask reference from Bhagavad-gita, and we stop the man’s argument. So if you become well conversed with the whole Bhagavad-gita, then you have full knowledge. There is no need of saying that “I do not know.” You’ll become full knowledge, man of knowledge. But you must study.

Morning Walk — June 11, 1974, Paris