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America (Conversations 1976 May - Jun)

Expressions researched:
"america" |"america's" |"americas"

Conversations and Morning Walks

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- May 4, 1976, Honolulu:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, we went to New York to meet with Dhṛṣṭadyumna Mahārāja's father, and he was very helpful. We approached him in a frank way, and he immediately got the help of his office. He's the president of this Far East American Council.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. And not only China, this is for all of Asia. It includes as.... Some of the persons belonging to it are the chairman of Coca-Cola, the Bankers Trust Company first vice president, all of the big banks, Bank of America senior vice president, First National City Bank vice president, all of these men.

Prabhupāda: So you can contract with all big, big men.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. And he's the president of the council.

Prabhupāda: His father?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Then he is very influential man.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Very. So he immediately got...

Prabhupāda: So you should be like father like son.

Room Conversation -- May 4, 1976, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: Yes. And you have got the intelligence. I have seen. I have studied you. Now you combine. Both of you, you are intelligent. You turn the whole America Kṛṣṇa conscious. Bas. Then success all over the world. America is the leader of the nations. Now, if the America becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, then our movement is perfectly successful. And you have got the potency in America.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: These men are all in Asia, though. His father's biggest concern.... See, his father.... The company is divided into two: the American branch of Seagrams, and the overseas, which incorporates the whole world outside of America. His father is the president of overseas. So his father has all connections with all of the embassies overseas, all of the big corporations overseas.

Room Conversation -- May 4, 1976, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: Then don't try. Don't waste time. Don't try. Better try in your country. You have got enough field, and they are intelligent and they are favorable. So why should we waste our time? There is no need. If you make your country, America, God conscious, Kṛṣṇa conscious—they are already—that will be example to the whole world. These men, rascals' program, will be failure, finished, this, today or tomorrow. They'll never be successful. It is not.... That is not possible. If they have so foolishly declared that "We are going above the laws of nature," they're first-class rascals. Which is impossible. What they have conquered over the nature? These rascals will not die?

Room Conversation -- May 7, 1976, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: Oh. He could not do anything?

Guru-kṛpā: I don't know, he has left there. He went for 3 weeks and left. Now he's in Japan. I don't know where. He's doing something.

Prabhupāda: If he could not do anything, he can come back to America. What do you think?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think that it's good for him to come back to America. He's been away from America for 5 or 6 years now.

Prabhupāda: Yes, let him come back.

Room Conversation -- May 7, 1976, Honolulu:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They believe that the... Of course it's a fact, the leaders are very corrupt, but the people want the change, that's what they believe. "And if we go, the people will work with us and overthrow this government and establish a true communistic government, a government for all the benefit the people." That's their idea. They feel that way about the whole world, the Chinese. They feel in America also—of course that's nonsense—but they think like that. That in America there is a huge working class and the working class are feeling oppressed. But that's nonsense.

Prabhupāda: I think American working class are paid more than any country.

Room Conversation -- May 7, 1976, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: This is printed in America also. American books.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Printed in...

Devotee: (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: USA.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: USA.

Prabhupāda: In this way if possible print in Russian language, in black market.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, that's possible and they'll be eager.

Room Conversation -- May 7, 1976, Honolulu:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, we have to go now, catch our (indistinct). You'll be coming to America in about a month's time?

Prabhupāda: I think so.

Hari-śauri: Two weeks.

Prabhupāda: Three.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The Ratha-yātrā in New York is taking place on July 18th.

Prabhupāda: So if I go earlier in New York, my place is available?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh yeah, if you like to come it's ready.

Morning Walk -- May 26, 1976, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: There's so many, so much land vacant all over the world—Australia, Africa, South America.

Devotee (3): Why would someone who is not Kṛṣṇa conscious have a hundred children?

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Devotee (3): Why would someone who is not Kṛṣṇa conscious have one hundred children? For example, why would someone like Dhṛtarāṣṭra, who is not particularly Kṛṣṇa conscious...?

Morning Walk -- May 26, 1976, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: You have got your..., so many hippies are malnutrition. You have got enough food right there—malnutrition. What is this? Another...

Hari-śauri: That's not actually a very good argument of theirs anyway, because here in America they were found to be dumping excess grains in the ocean, excess milk they give to the pig farms, like that.

Prabhupāda: Mismanagement. This, of course nature's way, sometimes something is produced in large quantities, sometimes less quantity. Therefore the arrangement should be where there is less quantity, the large country with production will be distributed. But they'll throw into the ocean. Still, they will not supply to the country where there is less production.

Morning Walk -- May 27, 1976, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: This is communism. First of all, you accept one father, or the whole world is father's property, and every living being has a right to enjoy the father's property. Why you are thinking this portion is Russia, this portion is American? It is father's property. So if there is rush in China or India, why not allow them to come to Russia or America? "No. That is my property." What is this philosophy? A father's property, everyone has got right to enjoy the father's property. Can this rascal Marx propose communism on this basis? The animals should be slaughtered. Do the father like that if this son is useless, it cannot do any service, so another big son says, "I'll finish him"? The father will like that? So where is that communism? All selfish motive. That's all. Rascal. And devils citing scripture, philosophy. Rascal citing philosophy. He's a rascal. Let him accept that God is... First of all his business is "No God." His only business is "No God." First of all, mother, father is not needed, that's all.

Morning Walk -- May 27, 1976, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: Therefore America has so much over-production. Let the hungry men come here. Greediness is not allowed. Whatever... Tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). This is śāstra. Everything belongs to God. Whatever He allots to you, you take it. In the family the father says, "My dear boy, take of this." That's all. Why should he claim more? The father knows how much he'll eat, and He'll give it. He's supplying the elephant his food, the ant his food. Elephant's not dying starvation. Why you are worried? You want to eat forty kilos. All right. Take it. The father is able to supply. Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. He's supplying everyone.

Morning Walk -- May 27, 1976, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: Nature will punish them. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). Nature is Lord's (indistinct) maintainer, he's observing, factually. (indistinct)

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Excuse me. Just like, say, America takes up this idea, that God is the Supreme Father and...

Prabhupāda: Therefore I say (indistinct) God in trust.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: We trust. Justice. Don't trust blindly. Try to understand what is God. That I am... Later on, I have not received any reply.

Room Conversation with Reporter -- June 3, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Misery. Misery is caused due to ignorance. They admit or not. The more we are kept in darkness of knowledge, we suffer. What is the difference between ah..., what is called? Developed nations and not developed nations. This America belonged to the Red Indians. And because they are not developed, their condition was developed, ah, different from the present America. They could not construct such big, big house, and big, big roads, and like that because they are in ignorance. That is the difference. Prosperity, no prosperity. Happiness, not happiness. They are ignorance and knowledge.

Room Conversation with Reporter -- June 3, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Faith may be different. You may have faith, I may not have faith. That is not the question. Just like in the bank you deposit some money. If some may have faith or no faith, but that bank is trustworthy. You know that your money deposited in the bank will not be cheated. Similarly if you trust in God, you must know whether God is trustworthy. Whether.... What do you mean by God? This is not the question of faith. Faith is bad. It is a question of understanding. So that we want, that America-specially you are favorite amongst all other nations; you are well-to-do, richer than other nations—so why don't you take God seriously? Why should you trust in God as faith? No, you understand what is God and have your faith at full, that "God is, yes, trustworthy," so that others may also know that God is trustworthy.

Room Conversation with Reporter -- June 3, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: How they can? Do you mean to say dogs simply barking, they will come to a conclusion? (chuckles) It is not possible. There is no aim, what is the actual aim of life. So this is very important movement. At least the intelligent class of men, they must understand it thoroughly. Just like there is body. There are different parts, different sections of the body, but the most important section is the brain. Similarly, the important section of society means one who is fully in God consciousness. I.... You can cut my hands, I shall live. You can cut my legs, I shall live. But if you cut my head, (indistinct). So, at the present moment, there are big, big scientists, big, big technologists. That's all right; that is hands and legs. But there is no brain. Therefore in one sense, you can take it as dead society. So in my opinion, I like your country, America. Sometimes I call, "This is my fatherland," because these American boys, they are helping me pushing on this movement. I am very much obliged to these boys. Now, let us take it little more seriously statewise. And if America takes it seriously, other nations will follow. And there is the United Nations Organization in America. And make a nice organization to understand God. United Nations God Consciousness. People will benefit.

Room Conversation with Reporter -- June 3, 1976, Los Angeles:

Reporter: Do you see America getting more God consciousness?

Prabhupāda: At least I see majority of my disciples are Americans. Why not expanding?

Rāmeśvara: Prabhupāda, before Richard asked me a question: what is the difference between our movement and say another religion like the Sikhs or some other religion?

Prabhupāda: Don't misunderstand. It is.... Religion, it means a kind of faith. Just like you are Christian, I am Hindu. So you have faith in Christian religion, I have faith in Hin.... That is another thing. But this is.... We understand religion in a different way according to English dictionary. But real religion means the law given by God. This is the shortcut definition of religion.

Room Conversation with Reporter -- June 3, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: There is no meaning of religion. If blindly, if I have some faith in some dogmas and ritualistic ceremonies, that is not religion. Religion means the science by which you can understand God and the law of God. That is religion. It is not the kind of faith. Just like state laws. You may have faith or no faith. The state law is law; you have to obey it. Just like I have come in America. In our country, the street law is "Keep to the left." So I have come to America, you say "Keep to the right." If I say, "No, I have no faith in this 'Keep to the right.' " No, I must obey. That is law. Similarly, religion means you may have faith or no faith, but you must obey. It is a must. It is not optional. That is religion. That, I explained it many times that (indistinct) means characteristic. Just like everyone of us, we are servant. So, the living entity is servant. He may have faith or no faith, he must be a servant. And if you don't become servant of God, then you become servant of dog. That is your advancement of civilization.

Morning Walk -- June 4, 1976, Los Angeles:

Rāmeśvara: They don't have..., the reason they don't have an idea is because before you came to America, the understanding of the science of God was presented on a kindergarten level, the Bible. So it did not satisfy their scientific mind. So because before you came to give them the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, they had not information, and they did not accept the Christian version.

Prabhupāda: No, apart from Christian or Hindu, the general mass of people, how they can say that there is no creator? From common sense?

Morning Walk -- June 4, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Adoration. These are the material demands.

Hari-śauri: Because, originally, it was built up as a big thing between Russia and America, who would get to the moon first.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Now they are shaking hands, and none of them has gone. "I thank you."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's like the emperor's new clothes.

Prabhupāda: "You failed, my dear sir. I failed also. Come on."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There's a story, "The Emperor's Clothes," "The Emperor's New Clothes." There were these tailors, and they made believe that they were making clothes for the emperor, but actually they were doing nothing, but they were making the motions. So they, everybody was saying what nice clothes and finally...

Morning Walk -- June 4, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: That's all. You have now got the power. You cheat more.

Rāmeśvara: The people in America that claim that the American government is controlled by Communists. They say that these big, big bankers, the very rich, rich people, that they are actually..., their theory is Communist government, or, not Communist, dictatorship, and that they are secretly manipulating.

Prabhupāda: What is their aim?

Rāmeśvara: Power.

Prabhupāda: Power..., anyone who has got money, he has got power. That is open secret. What is the secret? (laughs) If you have got money, you have got all power.

Morning Walk -- June 5, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Yes, therefore they do not like this program anywhere. No meat-eating, no drinking, no illicit sex. Then what remains? Everything is finished.

Rāmeśvara: Actually, we have many enemies in America.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes, naturally.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Everywhere.

Rāmeśvara: When we printed that Kṛṣṇa Consciousness is Authorized, that little booklet, we gave the names of professors who appreciated our movement, and their school, their college. So there are some demons in America who.... Well, like we gave the name and address of the professor in that book. So some demons in America got a hold of that book, and wrote all the professors letters blaspheming our movement and Your Divine Grace and telling them that

Morning Walk -- June 5, 1976, Los Angeles:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: (laughs) It's a good propaganda, I think.

Rāmeśvara: But we're trying to stop that.

Prabhupāda: America is feeling the strength of Hare Kṛṣṇa movement.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, they're getting pinched. You have really come as an aggressor, Prabhupāda. (Prabhupāda laughs) Actually I think we are the most dangerous revolutionaries in the whole world.

Prabhupāda: To the rākṣasas.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And everyone is rākṣasa practically. If the government even understood your mission in coming here, they would never have granted you this permanent residence visa. (laughs)

Morning Walk -- June 5, 1976, Los Angeles:

Rāmeśvara: Śrīla Prabhupāda, one boy joined our temple here, he was attending a very well known college and straight A's in physics, a scientist. So his parents were a little concerned. His father is a very big professor at California Institute of Technology, the biggest technical school in America. His mother is a professor of anthropology, and she is in the family of millionaires from Germany, German industrialists, so they were very concerned. So they came to visit their boy at our temple, and now the mother is coming regularly, giving nice donations and sometimes spending the weekend.

Prabhupāda: (indistinct)

Dānavīr: Yes.

Prabhupāda: So give him nice. He's living with us?

Morning Walk -- June 5, 1976, Los Angeles:

Devotee: Who asked me? I'm asking you which is more important.

Prabhupāda: I'll have to .... If you want to give some money, you transfer to the Bank of America, account number 1606.

Rāmeśvara: The Māyāpur-Vṛndāvana Trust Fund? Oh.

Prabhupāda: Yes. And let me know that "I've transferred so much money."

Devotee: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Then I will do it.

Jagannātha: The Deity pūjā has been improving in Vṛndāvana. Right now Nitāi is the head pūjārī there.

Morning Walk -- June 5, 1976, Los Angeles:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: When people ask me, "How many members do you have, how many people?" I don't answer any more "Five thousand," or something like that. Now I tell them many millions. Because the thing is when they ask, when you ask someone how many Christians are there in America, of such and such sect, they don't mean priests, they mean also the people who are coming.

Rāmeśvara: Congregation.

Prabhupāda: Congregation.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So we should give that number, not as five thousand, but as so and so many millions.

Prabhupāda: That I say, when people ask me that how many followers you have got in India.... They're wholesale.

Morning Walk -- June 5, 1976, Los Angeles:

Hari-śauri: Śrīla Prabhupāda? Before you were mentioning that we should start to try to get on friendly terms with some of these governmental people. Would that be done in the same way as they do in India? Just like we have so many government ministers that have become life members and things like that. Is that possible to do in America?

Prabhupāda: Yes. There are many government men. Why not? Human psychology is the same. How many lines in...?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: How many lanes.

Rāmeśvara: Four lanes.

Prabhupāda: That is biggest.

Morning Walk -- June 5, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: No, now people are civilized. It is.... But they want to do it.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They are thinking. So...

Prabhupāda: But on the garb of civilized person it looks odd. Especially in America when religious freedom is there. Otherwise they would have done. (break).... real peace formula, anyone who is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, he's rascal. This is very revolting. "Because I am not Kṛṣṇa con..., because I am a rascal?" "Yes." (laughter)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, they don't like that.

Prabhupāda: (laughing) This is too much.

Morning Walk -- June 6, 1976, Los Angeles:

Rāmeśvara: (break).... on the decline of the churches in America, and they say that the biggest reason in the last few years is that Pope, he issued one big statement against birth control and abortion. He said, "Catholics cannot practice birth control and should never have abortion." So they did not like this. So that is the biggest reason for the decrease in attending the church. They broke away from the authority.

Prabhupāda: That means if the church allows sense gratification without restriction, then they'll attend church. That is the conclusion.

Morning Walk -- June 6, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Nature's law is not like that, that you suffer for me. No. I suffer for my. It is magnanimity that I'll suffer. Sometimes they do so, but actually nature's law is different. If you have committed theft, you will suffer; why I shall suffer? Even if I say in the court that "I'll go to jail," he'll not go. (break) ...city in the world except in America, such nice roads.

Hari-śauri: The Americans are expert at building highways.

Prabhupāda: They have got money and all these.... They want to do it (laughs) (unclear) money.

Rāmeśvara: They use these arguments that they are civilized, that they are making progress.

Morning Walk -- June 6, 1976, Los Angeles:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The Indians would argue that "Just see. The Americans are not so religious, but they have good material wealth."

Prabhupāda: No. In America, Kṛṣṇa consciousness has developed. What you have done? Why don't you say?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But our forefathers have done, and just see the mess we are in because of it.

Prabhupāda: Forefathers ate ghee, so lick up your hand. My forefathers ate ghee.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: All you have is dalda now,

Prabhupāda: (laughs) Why dalda? Your forefathers had ghee. You enjoy it now.

Morning Walk -- June 6, 1976, Los Angeles:

Rāmeśvara: Actually, if we introduce ghee in America, we'll be very famous. That will make us very popular.

Prabhupāda: Yes, do it. You have got enough milk, you can do it.

Rāmeśvara: I was thinking yesterday, Śrīla Prabhupāda, that as our movement becomes greater and greater, then taking Kṛṣṇa prasādam at a restaurant or at our Sunday feast will be like a national pastime.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Rāmeśvara: Everyone in the country.

Prabhupāda: And the Rathayātrā also.

Morning Walk -- June 8, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: That's all right. The life is there. You make some arrangement that it will not take part. That is another thing. If it is a fact that the egg is not life, then why you rascal do not manufacture a chemical egg and get a chicken? Why you rascal talking nonsense? That is our challenge. We say "rascals" not without consideration, because actually they talk like nonsense. Rascals. They cannot do, and still they'll insist they will do. That is rascal. Is it all right? (laughs) South, South America, er, South Africa, there are so many factories of begetting chicken.

Room Conversation -- June 8, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Yes. (break) So I did not say anything seriously, but perhaps he took it very seriously, Gopal's father. So he might have written to Gopal that "Swami Bhaktivedanta wants to go to America. If you sponsor, then he can go." So whatever the correspondence was there between the father and son, I did not know. I simply asked him, "Why don't you ask your son Gopal to sponsor so that I can go there? I want to preach there." So after some months, three, four months, the No-Objection Certificate from the Indian embassy in New York, Gopal sent to me, yes, that he had already sponsored my arrival there for one month. So all of a sudden I got the paper, No-Objection Certificate by the Indian embassy. After so much inquiry, I learned that so much inquiry was done and so on, so on. Then I tried to take a passport and paper process.

Garden Conversation -- June 10, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Oh, she is here in America.

Dr. Wolfe: Yes, she lives here. She has worked in a clinic for many years, and exclusively with dying people.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that.... One has to come to this conclusion undoubtedly. And that is education. Her education is now complete, that he (she) has understood, he (she) is trying to explain scientifically that there is life after death. That is complete education. So everyone should try by his education to establish what is already said in the śāstras. That is a fact. When Kṛṣṇa says, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13), one gets another body, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre... (BG 2.20). Kṛṣṇa says there cannot be any mistake.

Garden Conversation -- June 10, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: (laughs) No, education, everywhere, all over the world, education is given when one is young. That is the time. I think here in America there is adult education?

Hṛdayānanda: But not so much. Some. That's usually for making more money. Someone has a job and he wants further training to get a higher-paying job, but not so much for knowledge.

Prabhupāda: So, what is the next verse?

Garden Conversation -- June 10, 1976, Los Angeles:

Rādhāvallabha: That's going on now in America. Previously they had to force men to join the Army because they had such a shortage. Now, because there are so few jobs, it is harder to get into the Army. Even volunteers, there are so many volunteers just to get a job that they have too many practically.

Prabhupāda: Even in Army there is no service? They don't want?

Rādhāvallabha: Now they want because they can't get a job.

Hṛdayānanda: More selective.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Garden Conversation -- June 10, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: These Dutchmen, Englishmen and Frenchmen were the pioneers of colonization. Spaniards also, Spanish. In America mostly the Englishmen came?

Hṛdayānanda: Yes. English and French.

Prabhupāda: French.

Hṛdayānanda: Mostly English.

Prabhupāda: The Germans were not for colonization.

Dr. Wolfe: They were before World War I. They lost their colonies at the end of World War I. They lost Cameroon and Togo and East Africa. That is where Nairobi is now; Nairobi was German before.

Magazine Interview -- June 10, 1976, Los Angeles:

Interviewer: Is this your last trip to America?

Rāmeśvara: He's asking if this is your last visit.

Prabhupāda: Not necessarily.

Interviewer: You feel that you can continue to make those serious travels?

Prabhupāda: Well, I began my traveling in foreign countries at very ripe old age, seventy years. Ten years I'm traveling. This is the fifteenth tour all over the world.

Interviewer: Are you surprised to see the popularity of your teachings in the last few years?

Magazine Interview -- June 10, 1976, Los Angeles:

Rāmeśvara: I've shown him the books already. The universities and the scholars are also very appreciative. At least ninety percent of the universities in America have already ordered these books.

Prabhupāda: In India, also.

Guest: They are sold throughout the world.

Rāmeśvara: Yes, and they're published in many different languages. French, Dutch, Swedish, German, Italian, Indian languages. Spanish, very big.

Prabhupāda: Get this light.

Interviewer: Where did you get these paintings?

Morning Walk -- June 10, 1976, Los Angeles:

Rāmeśvara: There is no training how to live in New Vrindaban. They are educated only to live in the cities and work like mūḍhas. Even now.... One of the biggest problems that they're predicting is unemployment. They cannot...

Prabhupāda: Yes. In America it has begun, what to speak of other countries.

Hṛdayānanda: Worse in other countries.

Rāmeśvara: Today there are many articles in the papers that college students graduate and cannot find any jobs, so their degree is useless.

Prabhupāda: This.... This was the problem in India, and now it is also in America. (break)

Mahendra: Graduating with Ph.D.'s and then becoming truck drivers.

Room Conversation -- June 10, 1976, Los Angeles:

Hṛdayānanda: And they have been defeated by Mexico.

Prabhupāda: (laughs) Mexico is selling more?

Hṛdayānanda: Yes. This month, last month in Mexico they sent in for a month, $23,000 for a month. Now the, all of South America combined this month has almost defeated Rādhā-Dāmodara. (Prabhupāda laughs) Almost on the same level now, South America.

Prabhupāda: This competition must go on. (laughter) That is.... (end)

Morning Walk -- June 11, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: It is very difficult to.... Sarva-dharmān—everything to give up, except Kṛṣṇa. It is very difficult. Sarva-dharmān. They are proud if they are little rich. And America is very proud. They are trying to accumulate money, and we are trying.... We say, "Give up this nonsense." Is it very easy thing, that "For Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement we shall give up everything, our attempt to earn money"? Nobody will accept it. "Our industry, our trade, our opulence—everything we shall leave?" But the meaning is that. Yes. Who will take it? Jñānīs, yogis, the same thing—"Oh, I am so.... I am great yogi. So many people considers me that I am God, and I shall give up this profession?" Is it possible? Who will do it? Caitanya-caritāmṛta there is a verse, eta saba chāḍi' āra varṇāśrama-dharma, akiñcana hañā...(?) That's it.

Morning Walk -- June 11, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: That is after eight years. Actually it is proved, and still, they.... (break) What is this dome?

Rāmeśvara: (break) ...street has more banks than any other street in America, Wilshire Boulevard. Everywhere, banks everywhere. (break)

Prabhupāda: Wilshire, yes. I remember.... There is a park. Soldiers, there are soldiers in a corner. I used to come to that park. (break) ...this rich.... (break) ...is the costlier quarter in America. (break) ...he's got a house here.

Hari-śauri: George Harrison?

Rāmeśvara: Yes, also Ravi Shankar.

Morning Walk -- June 11, 1976, Los Angeles:

Hari-śauri: ...just in what they call death duties. When you die, they take all your money away from you.

Rāmeśvara: That's in America also. If your father dies and he leaves you his wealth, the government will take half of it. You have written in the Fourth Canto that because the government is so expert in taxing, the people are becoming so expert in cheating the government...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Rāmeśvara: ...to avoid the taxes. So the government is simply training the people how to cheat.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Morning Walk -- June 11, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: The lords are roaming on the street. I have seen many lords. They're ordinary.... Even they haven't got car. The Queen also, just like ordinary, common man. Royal family.

Rāmeśvara: One day America will be poor like that also.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Luxury leads to poverty. When the American becomes too much luxurious, they'll not be able to defend their country. Then it will be finished.

Rāmeśvara: That is the fear even now, that America has lost their fighting spirit against the Communists.

Morning Walk -- June 11, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes, yes. Yes. Vietnam. It is proof. When the Vietnam is attacked, American soldiers, they began to fly, flee away, became afraid. Naturally. They were not soldiers. They have no fighting spirit. By force they have been made soldiers. Let them take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. America will be saved. (japa)

Rāmeśvara: Śrīla Prabhupāda, you said yesterday, or a few days ago, that this movement will go on unimpeded for ten thousand years, so...

Prabhupāda: Yes, provided we keep it uncontaminated. You should take this opportunity.

Morning Walk -- June 11, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Yes. You'll get the government.

Rāmeśvara: The whole world will be delivered?

Prabhupāda: Yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhaḥ (BG 3.21). America will be the best; people will follow. They are already following-skyscraper building, that's all. Any nation in the world, they are all aspiring to have skyscraper buildings. India has done? In Bombay?

Rāmeśvara: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Full of skyscraper buildings. Now they are thinking this is opulence, skyscraper building. When you are giving it up, no more skyscraper building, the others are imitating. Just like in this quarter you cannot construct skyscraper building.

Morning Walk -- June 11, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Full of skyscraper buildings. Now they are thinking this is opulence, skyscraper building. When you are giving it up, no more skyscraper building, the others are imitating. Just like in this quarter you cannot construct skyscraper building. They don't want it. Now others are imitating: "Let us have skyscraper building like America." (japa)

Rāmeśvara: This building is only two stories, even though it has three windows.

Prabhupāda: No, no, why two story? There is ground floor, first floor, second floor, third floor.

Garden Conversation -- June 14, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: New Vrindaban climatic condition is not so good. Here the climatic condition is good. Four months this climate is very good. It is in the central part of America?

Mādhavānanda: Little north.

Prabhupāda: North. So north is supposed to be cooler.

Hari-śauri: In the winter it's not so good. Winter's very bad.

Prabhupāda: Winter eight months? No. In winter this water becomes solid. You know that?

Satsvarūpa: Sometimes in Detroit there's three foot of snow, and the winter is, it's a very deep winter here, but the summer is nice.

Garden Conversation -- June 14, 1976, Detroit:

Mādhavānanda: You once asked that same question to Kenneth Keating in Delhi. You said, "You say that this is America, but who owns America?" He could not answer.

Prabhupāda: Kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata (BG 13.3). The best thing is to follow the formula given by Kṛṣṇa: na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). As soon as one denies the supremacy of God, he is either sinful, rascal, lowest of the mankind, in these categories. This is the qualification. So we shall take things very simplified. As soon as we see somebody not Kṛṣṇa conscious, immediately we take him in either of these groups. That's all. Then if he objects, then you come to argument. Hmm? What do you think?

Garden Conversation -- June 14, 1976, Detroit:

Jayādvaita: ...in Wisconsin we saw that there are many dairy cows. They are raising them especially for milk. It's called America's dairyland. And they have many, many big dairy cows. And they are getting so much milk. We were preaching that "If you take up Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then you'll have the richest state, because you have so many cows, and we are preaching that people should drink milk and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. So your state will be the richest."

Prabhupāda: No. We can.... From milk, we can make so many nice foods. You take ghee, and from ghee, from grains, from fruits, you make so many varieties. Just like dahl, pulses, soak it in the water and then fry in the ghee and put masalā, and it is so nice salty preparation, dahl mutta. Then make samosā.

Garden Conversation -- June 14, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: Yes, increase farm projects. It is very nice project. Self-dependent. Very good. Kṛṣṇa personally, He lived in village, farm, cows, calves, land, Govardhana Hill. It is very nice. Land, in America, you have got so much land. Produce vegetable, grains, milk, eat sumptuously, no economic question. Prepare very nice product. And make some money by sending ghee in the city. Śrutakīrti will take charge. (laughter) There is sea also? No.

Makhanlāl: There's a small creek in one...

Prabhupāda: Not ocean.

Makhanlāl: Not ocean, no.

Garden Conversation -- June 14, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. The clay is soft here?

Mādhavānanda: Well, usually they purchase clay, don't they? Bharadvāja's? Usually they purchase art clay in America.

Prabhupāda: Oh. Fuller's earth. That is wanted, Fuller's earth.

Mādhavānanda: Actually the previous owner of this house, he wanted to make this a restaurant, a very posh restaurant on the waterfront, and he applied for many, many months to get permission from the city. And finally he got it. So actually we have restaurant status here. It would be very easy for us to start a restaurant. People would come.... When people see the house, they are so amazed.

Hari-śauri: That would be a big attraction—a waterside restaurant.

Prabhupāda: Hmm, yes.

Morning Walk -- June 14, 1976, Detroit:

Dhṛṣṭadyumna: ...so powerful, Śrīla Prabhupāda, that all over the country young men are running away from home. We have one fifteen-year-old boy, he left everything after getting a book in a parking lot. Another boy is a sculptor, an artist. He's also runaway, seventeen years old. Just like Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, once he was attracted by Lord Caitanya's movement, nothing could keep him at home. So all the young men of America, as they read your books, will come and join us.

Prabhupāda: Our books are prescribed as textbook in Hamburg University.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Eastern Berlin.

Room Conversation with Ambarisa and Catholic Priest -- June 14, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: Yes, Boston is nice place for the Institute.

Śrutikīrti: Best place for it.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: It's the educational center of America.

Ambarīṣa: Academic center of the United States. So now we are fixing up the temple very nicely. We've spent about fifty thousand dollars putting in all new tile floor and a beautiful new onyx altar. Very, very gorgeous.

Prabhupāda: So it is framework or solid building?

Room Conversation with Ambarisa and Catholic Priest -- June 14, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: You see this black men. They earn sufficient money, but see their home. See their home. You America, you have given them equal rights, they are getting money, but they have no culture. Therefore you may pay them as much as you like, but still poverty-stricken. In Africa also I have seen that they have got their own kingdom, independence, but if we go to the African slums, they are poverty-stricken, wretched. So this civilization will not endure. If there is no culture, simply by money you cannot maintain a standard of civilization. That is not possible. Now the American leaders they are thinking, "Let us have money, then everything..." Of course, by money you are covering all the defects of the social culture. But this will not endure.

Room Conversation with Ambarisa and Catholic Priest -- June 14, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: No, no culture. There is no culture. There is no standard social life. Simply hodgepodge. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is the only hope to bring everything in proper order. Everything is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. So America is the leading nation of the world. If you work on the principle of Bhagavad-gītā and train up your people, it will be ideal state and example for the whole world. At least a certain section of the American population should be ideal. That will also do. Not that..., we cannot expect cent percent will take Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is not needed. But if there is one section of the people ideal, that will be followed. We want to create that section, our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Garden Conversation -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: (laughs) Your America has got so much money. Has it solved all the problems? Our Ambarīṣa Mahārāja will answer.

Ambarīṣa: What is the question, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Question is that your forefathers and fathers have got so much money, whether it has solved the problems of life?

Ambarīṣa: No, it hasn't solved any of their problems. It has multiplied them. (laughter)

Morning Walk -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:

Devotee (1): People in America, they don't care, they don't care to even walk five steps to drop a paper in a can.

Makhanlāl: In the Upadeśāmṛta, in the eleventh verse, it says that if one takes his bath even once in the Rādhākuṇḍa he immediately awakens his love for Kṛṣṇa. I was wondering, some of those who have had the opportunity to take bath in Rādhākuṇḍa, it seems though it may take some time. I was wondering, is that because we don't see time in the proper perspective?

Prabhupāda: Why do you go to Rādhākuṇḍa? Unless there is some awakening of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. (break)

Conversation with Clergymen -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: Now, when I did not come to your country, I thought that in America, everyone is rich.

Scheverman: (laughs) Most everyone in another country thinks everyone in America is rich, yes. There's only one class here.

Prabhupāda: But when I came here I saw so many bums—are called bums? (laughter) They are lying on the street.

Kern: But we think that...

Prabhupāda: First of all, let me finish. So why, America, they are lying on the street?

Conversation with Clergymen -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: So if you produce enough food grains, both the man and the animal will live very peacefully. Food grains. And I've seen in your country, in America, in Africa, in Australia, so much vacant land without producing food grains. So men are not engaged to produce food grains, but they are brought in Detroit to manufacture of wheels of motorcar.

Kern: For ambulances to bring the sick to the doctor.

Prabhupāda: So we have to correct this. First of all, produce food.

Conversation with Clergymen -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: I shall request that.... There is no question of Eastern, Western. Now people are intermingling. Now I think that we shall have institution, especially in America, to train these first class, second class, third class, and the balance fourth class. Who cannot take up any training, they are fourth class. So how they should be trained up, that indication is there. It is not the question of Eastern and Western. You become peaceful...

Conversation with Clergymen -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is.... If I say that "Live peacefully," this instruction is neither exclusively for America or Indian. It is for everyone.

Scheverman: That's universal, peaceful, that's universal.

Prabhupāda: Universal. What is another quality? Peaceful, and then?

Dhṛṣṭadyumna: Self-control.

Prabhupāda: Self-control. This is also not either for American or.... "The Americans should not be self-controlled, only Indians should be self-controlled." (laughter) This is not the proposal. Self-control. Then?

Conversation with Clergymen -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: Here in your America.

Scheverman: America. I would like perhaps to hear some of your thoughts on the area of religious experience, God consciousness, how do you achieve that?

Prabhupāda: I wrote one letter to your secretary.

Mādhavānanda: The President?

Prabhupāda: Yes. (to devotee) What is the purport? You just explain.

Hari-śauri: Prabhupāda wrote that on the bills, the monetary, on the coins or whatever, they put "In God We Trust," but actually no one understands. If you want to trust someone, then you have to know who that person is, you have to know that he's actually trustworthy.

Conversation with Clergymen -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: No, I think that for the welfare of the whole human society.... America is opulent. They can start, that here is a college for training first-class men. Here is a college for training second-class men, and here is a college for third-class men, and balance fourth class. Fourth-class man doesn't require any training. They are simply to help the first class, second class, third class.

Kern: That would be difficult. (laughs)

Scheverman: That is one of the difficulties we have in this country. Everybody wants to be first class.

Prabhupāda: What is difficulty? You do not like to train first-class men?

Conversation with Clergymen -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: That's all right; fighting is also required. When there is enemy, we are not discarding fighting. Fighting there will be. So long we are in the material world, there will be disagreement and there will be fight. You cannot stop it; that is not possible. So a class of men, they should be trained up fighting. A class of men, they should be trained up for teaching. A class of men for producing food. Kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). There are so many things. If you take advantage of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement cooperatively, it will be very, very good for the whole human society. And if your America takes up this call very seriously, others will follow.

Room Conversation -- June 17, 1976, Toronto:

Jagadīśa: Bhagavān recommended him. He had been in Paris before coming to America. But his complaint was that he didn't speak French, so he didn't like to stay in France. Then he came to America, and he was distributing books with Tripurāri Mahārāja.

Prabhupāda: Oh, he is very intelligent, there is no doubt, intelligent, and for preaching work he is good. But for becoming the manager in London, there were.... What is that boy in Bombay?

Hari-śauri: Oh, Prabhaviṣṇu?

Interview with Professors O'Connell, Motilal and Shivaram -- June 18, 1976, Toronto:

Prof. O'Connell: Do you find, Swamiji, that the mood of the young people in North America is the same now as it was in '65, or has it changed?

Prabhupāda: That you can see.

Prof. O'Connell: Are they still willing to join in the same way?

Prabhupāda: Yes, many young boys are joining daily.

Viśvakarmā: Since we got the new building here, we have twelve new brahmacārīs that are being initiated this evening.

Prabhupāda: But to accept this creed requires some big qualification. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says in the Caitanya-ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva guru-kṛṣṇa-prasāde pāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya 19.151). Some selected, fortunate persons can accept. Kona bhāgyavān. Not everybody.

Room Conversation -- June 18, 1976, Toronto:

Prabhupāda: He was homosex and sex, everything.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Here, Śrīla Prabhupāda, in this city.... I haven't been back in so many years to America. Things have become more degraded. I'm watching women and women walking arm around each other. And I asked, "What is this?" "Oh," he says "they are lesbians." Women together, girlfriends. They don't mix with men.

Prabhupāda: This is now very much prevalent in America.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: No higher consciousness.

Prabhupāda: I had one disciple, she was for that purpose (?), yes.

Satsvarūpa: So one professor is already here.

Prabhupāda: Let him come.

Conversation in Airport and Car -- June 21, 1976, Toronto:

Prabhupāda: Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21). Is that railway line? No. (break) There are some roads in Los Angeles (indistinct) That is America. Everywhere.

Kīrtanānanda: Big cars and big roads.

Prabhupāda: Opulence.

Hari-śauri: America seems to be one big highway.

Prabhupāda: They have got cars and they have got roads also. Very good. That's all right. But why they should give up the real business of life?

Garden Conversation -- June 22, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: That is God's greatness. You'll have to spend so much money, labor, to bring a few buckets of water from other place. Beyond that, you cannot do anything. But God is so powerful, so great, that within a twinkling of, within a few minutes only, immediately He can overcast with cloud and overflood the whole tract of land. That is God's greatness. You have to understand God's greatness in that way. If the sinful, number of sinful men are great, God immediately starts one war, and within few years, all finished. Russia finished, America finished, everyone. That is greatness of God. In this way try to understand how God is great in every activity. In mercy He's great, in cruelty He's great. If He wants to show cruelty, He's the greatest cruel. No discrimination, all finished. Never mind women, children or cats, dogs—all finished. That is cruelty, greatness of cruelty. Then there is greatness of mercy.

Garden Conversation -- June 22, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: By this Kṛṣṇa conscious movement's propaganda. That is not for America—for everyone.

Kīrtanānanda: How can you trust God if you don't know anything about Him? First you have to know something about God before you can trust Him.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is sense. If you do not know about somebody and you trust him, what is this? Yes.

Raksana: Through the distribution of your books, through the...

Prabhupāda: That is distribution of knowledge. Our distribution of books means distribution of knowledge to these rascals, lowest of the mankind, bewildered. This is distribution of knowledge. Who was talking about that there is secretly, there is, our books are being read?

Garden Conversation -- June 22, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: Even in the stool, the worms in the stool, he's also thinking "I have got so much stool to eat." This same mastership. "I am the monarch of all I survey. I have got so much stool." And you just take the worm from the stool, put it here: "No, no, no, here is my enjoyment." This mastership mentality is there in Brahma, and the mastership mentality is there in the worm of the stool. This mentality you have to give up. Then you become liberated. That is liberation. The bondage is that mastership mentality. He's servant, but he's thinking falsely that he's master. Just like your President Nixon. He thought that "Now I have become master of America, I'm president." He forgot that he's servant. As soon as the people wanted, dragged him down. That he forgot, that "I'm servant of the people." So everyone is servant, but falsely thinking "I'm master."

Garden Conversation -- June 22, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: He has to be convinced that he cannot be master. Your constitution is to remain servant. If you prefer to remain servant of a big populace in America... But you are servant; don't think you are master. That is sane. And soon as you commit mistake as master, immediately he's in trouble. Is it not? That's it. You give up this false notion that "I am master." Then your all welfare is there. We teach that ask a Godbrother, "Prabhu." Don't become master, but become servant. Prabhu means "my lord." So everyone, if you address each other "prabhu," that mastership mentality will be less. If you remember that "I am not master. I am servant." Then?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: "How he is put into such different bodies is explained here. It is due to association with the different modes of nature. One has to..."

Prabhupada Visits Palace and Garden -- June 22, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: There is no such building in America. (break) These are our workers?

Kīrtanānanda: Yes, these are your builders here. Bhāgavatānanda Prabhu has done the design.

Prabhupāda: Oh. Very nice.

Kīrtanānanda: And Ātmabhū Prabhu is the chief construction man.

Prabhupāda: Oh, all our men.

Kīrtanānanda: All our men.

Prabhupāda: It is very nice.

Prabhupada Visits Palace and Garden -- June 22, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: What is the difficulty? If somebody wants to go, migrate in America, what India government will do?

Kīrtanānanda: They won't give them passport.

Prabhupāda: No, no, passport means coming back. But if he's going to domicile, Indian government cannot check. If I want to go somewhere and live there...

Kīrtanānanda: You have to have passport. As far as I know.

Prabhupāda: But passport means if he wants to return.

Kīrtanānanda: No, in other words, in order to get visa from US, you have to present your passport.

Prabhupāda: There are different kinds of visa. Immigration visa. Suppose if anyone wants to migrate in America, our society here, we give guarantee. I think there will be no...

Prabhupada Visits Palace and Garden -- June 22, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: But that is good for you, because you are harassed by overpopulation. You cannot feed them even. Why you object? Let them go and live somewhere else peacefully. Just like the Europeans came here. Originally, in America, Europeans came. Because it was overcongested and they got..., Columbus found this land, enough, and they migrated. So still there is so much land. The Indians are hard workers, they will develop very nicely. Just like this quarter; if Indians would be allowed, they'll come and make it very nice. In South America, they have done. Many Indian cultivators, they have come in remote villages. This cooperation should be. Everything belongs to God. Why a class or community should be congested? Just like China, Japan, India, so much congested. What is this nonsense United Nations doing?

Prabhupada Inspects New BTG -- June 24, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: "...God's property from being occupied by God's sons. America and other nations in the United Nations should agree that wherever there is enough land it may be utilized by the human society for producing food. The government can say, 'All right, you are overpopulated. Your people can come here. We will give them land, and they can produce food.' We would see a wonderful result, but will they do that? No. And what is their philosophy? Roguism. 'I will take the land by force and then I won't allow others to come here.' "

Reporter: "One American motto is 'One nation under God.' "

Prabhupāda: "Yes. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There should be one nation under God, and one world government under God as well. Everything belongs to God and we are all His sons. That philosophy is wanted."

Prabhupada Inspects New BTG -- June 24, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Jagannātha Suta. This was in Māyāpur. (continues reading) "But in America people are very much afraid of the central government"—this is the reporter—"because they think that wherever there is a strong government there will always be tyranny."

Prabhupāda: "If the leaders are properly trained, there cannot be tyranny."

Reporter: "But one of the premises of the American system of government is that if a leader has too much power, he will inevitably become corrupt."

Prabhupāda: "You have to train him in such a way that he cannot become corrupt."

Garden Discussion on Bhagavad-gita Sixteenth Chapter -- June 26, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Some of the materialists may argue that these activities are not all that unbeneficial. For example, they have made a tractor, and in America they can produce so many grains, so much so that practically they could feed the world.

Prabhupāda: Why do they not?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Because their mentality is very abominable.

Prabhupāda: Do that. There are so many overpopulation, and you can do it in America. So much land lying vacant here.

Dhṛṣṭadyumna: Better to put the people in factories in the fields. If they are going to work, let them work growing grain and milking the cows.

Room Conversation -- June 26, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: This is equal—Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Otherwise not.

Hari-śauri: No. Materially speaking, they've tried so many ways to integrate the black with the whites here in America, but what has actually happened is, through those efforts, they've created a worse situation. By deliberately forcing black children and white children to go to the same schools... Sometimes they have what's called here bussing. It's a big major issue in politics now. Because they take all the black children and they take them to a white area just so that they can go to the school there. They actually take them further away from their local schools to another school, where it is all white children, so that they'll integrate and mix. So it's very controversial.

Prabhupāda: The parents won't like.

Garden Conversation -- June 27, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: This is stated in the śāstra. Anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ, because they have not understood Kṛṣṇa, even they have gone up to the Brahman, they cannot stand there; they fall down. Again they come to the material world. The Māyāvādīs, they say, brahma satyma jagan mithyā, "Brahman is truth, and this material world is false." They take sannyāsa, but after some time they fall down, again take to other businesses than Brahman in the material world. Just like our Vivekananda. He came to the Western countries to preach Vedānta, and he has advertised that "Whole America has become Vedantist." The proof of Vedānta is when he returned to India he became very enthusiastic to open hospitals like the Christian missionaries. So if the material world is false, so why he's trying to open hospitals? Brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. Jagat is mithyā. So why in the mithyā platform he's taking credit by opening hospitals?

Answers to a Questionnaire from Bhavan's Journal -- June 28, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: For your direct whims you have to spend so much money? The people are so befooled they do not challenge them. Yes. Everyone knows, suppose one is coming to the western country, Europe and America, we knew it, that it is cold country, we must take proper dress. And we have come and we are staying. So this is knowledge. So if you do not know what is the atmosphere there, what do you spend so much money? And again you are going to the Mars. Are you fixed up what is the position there? Then you'll again bring something, some dust and rock. (laughter) This business will go on at the expense of the... You can do. You have got money. You can do that. But we are Indians, we are coming from poor country. If you spend so much money for nothing, that is very, not very palatable for us. If one tenth of the expenditure you would have given to us for spreading this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement...

Garden Conversation -- June 28, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: Modern yogic society. "Transcendental Meditation." Whatever nonsense they like, they do. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is stated that yogis should sit down in a secluded, sacred place, and they are seeking after America's big, big cities. Hmm? They find out yogic class in America's big, big cities, hotels. This is their program. The prescription is that one should sit down in a solitary sacred place, alone, and these rascals are holding class. All smokers, drunkard, woman-hunters, (laughs) they are yogis. Hmm? What do you think? Is it all right? This is going on. And they are accepted, "Yogi this," "Yogi that." This is going on. In India they cannot find out because people are not so fool as yet that in big, big cities, in a big, big hotel, "yoga practice." India, although so fallen, they will not accept. They will at once detect, "Here is a rascal."

Garden Conversation -- June 28, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: Dhana-māna. Because they have got money, whatever they think, that's all right. And their gurus also will say, "Yes, it is all right." If the guru says that "It is not all right," then nobody will come to him. He has to say "It is all right," because he's also after money and woman. That's all. He does not come here to teach something. This is going on. Therefore they come in so many numbers. They have now taken a good field. And in America you go, you say any nonsense, and they'll accept. And pay money for that. From the very beginning it is going on. Now, because it is going on like that, we are also counted amongst them. "It is folly to be wise where ignorance is bliss." This is the difficulty. They are also taking this movement, "Oh, these boys are chanting and dancing. This is also another sentiment, another edition of hippie movement."

Room Conversation -- June 28, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: To any rascal. Does any rascal know that God is within? And He's witnessing all criminalities. Does he accept that? Then the yogis should not have illicit connection with their disciples. Do they believe God is...? It is simply business for earning money and getting woman. They have no other... Valueless. Therefore the government has said, "Fake." What is that? Actually that is a fact. So many rascals are coming, especially in America. Government, they are seeing, "What is this?" "Transcendental meditation and do whatever nonsense you like." Guru Maharajaji: "No use of books." Practically we are saving the whole world. What can be done? There are so many rascals. Let us do it sincerely. And if we also become victimized, then it will be stopped.

Room Conversation After Film -- June 28, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Dhānyena dhanavān. If you have got grain, then you are rich. And if you have got cows, then you are rich. This is the standard of Vedic richness. Dhānyena dhanavān gavayo dhanavān. They don't say, "Keep some papers and you become rich." All rascal, one thousand dollar I promise to pay, a piece of paper. Practical, we have got enough food grains. We have got enough... That is richness. What is use of paper? Even gold you have got, you have to exchange. And if you have grain, immediate food. Just boil with milk, and it is nectarean, param anna, immediately. Take some wood collected from the wood and have fire, put the milk and the grains-oḥ, you'll get so nice food, nutritious, full of vitamin, and so easily made. It is practical. So tasteful, so nutritious, and don't require. If you simply boil little milk and little grain, whole day, so much sweet rice, you take-bas. You don't require any more. And if you add little apples and fruits, oh, it is heavenly. Your whole day free from any food anxiety, and you can work. And you can work. You can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Make this ideal life here. America has got good potency.

Room Conversation After Film -- June 28, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: India could not improve on account of poverty, lame. And America? Blind for want of culture. So let the blind man carry the lame man on the head, and the lame man give direction that "Go this way," and he walks. So both men's work is done. There is no hampering because one is blind and one is lame. Combined together, they get the benefit. Andha-paṅgor nyāya.

Rādhāvallabha: The book distributors use that example sometimes.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Rādhāvallabha: It works too.

Room Conversation After Film -- June 28, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: Do it very sincerely. Don't spoil life. Be very sober and do this work. Whole world will be happy. After all, they are seeking after happiness. So there is happiness here. So our Ṛṣi Kumāra is very intelligent boy. He can do so many things. Don't spoil him. Whatever is done is done. Sometimes māyā is strong. He bewilders even Lord Śiva. That is... But Śiva immediately came to his senses—"What I am doing?" So things are going on nice. Continue this program. People will be happy. And I think America is the only place who can spread this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement happily for the benefit of the whole world. You have got everything sufficient. Now get the Kṛṣṇa intelligence. Now here, in this quarter, sun also rising very nicely. Formerly it was not so bright. Due to this Hare Kṛṣṇa chanting, sun is giving light. Is it not?

Page Title:America (Conversations 1976 May - Jun)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:17 of Dec, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=89, Let=0
No. of Quotes:89