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Conversations and Morning Walks

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

Interview -- February 1, 1968, Los Angeles:

Interviewer: You spoke of initiation. What is that initiation?

Prabhupāda: Initiation means formally acceptance of the line of activities in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Before that, before initiation, we invite everyone to come and sit down with us, chant, dance, take prasādam, hear philosophy. And if he understands, "Oh, this is very nice," then he offers himself to be initiated. Then we accept. Then we impose this restriction that "If you want to be initiated..." We get hundreds of letters by everyone who has attended our classes. Daily we are getting some married couples or boys and girls, but most of them are younger. My students are within thirties. The oldest student I have got at the present moment, he is twenty-eight years. No, Kirtanananda is about thirty years old. That's all. So, of course, I do not get any older people. That is nice, hopeful, because younger section, if they take it very seriously, then I have hopes that they will preach in future, even in my absence. And old people, if a man becomes too much accustomed to a certain limited habits, in old age it is very difficult to give it up unless one is extraordinarily intelligent.

Talk After Lecture -- May 30, 1968, Boston:

Satsvarūpa: Swamiji? Can I make an announcement? Swamiji has said there are fifty important pilgrimage cities in India, but as far as we're concerned here, it's whatever city His Divine Grace is residing in. So right now it's Boston. And he will stay here so long as it's the best place to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So you have some taste for it. You can help us to keep Boston this city of pilgrimage. We need engagements for Swamiji. The universities will be closing... Well, some of them are almost already closed. But if you have any access to a nice engagement, a church or a club where people attend, please approach us and help us to spread in this way. Also we have a love feast here in the temple every Sunday at noon, and this is very sumptuous bhakti-yoga love feast with Indian delicacies that you'll certainly enjoy. So approach this way. We'll take collections at this time also. You can help us very solidly by putting in all that you can. Our next kīrtana is scheduled for Wednesday-Monday, Wednesday, and Friday—but it won't be, because it will be held at MIT instead in the student mezzanine lounge in the third floor at eight.

Prabhupāda: Wednesday there will be no meeting here?

Satsvarūpa: Yes, there'll be no kīrtana. That's the next engagement, May 8th. Also, does anyone have a car? Swamiji lives nine blocks away.

Prabhupāda: You have got a car? Thank you.

Interview -- September 24, 1968, Seattle:

Interviewer: (break) I wanted to find out more about attending the services, that is, are there any books written about Kṛṣṇa consciousness here available in Seattle or any other organizations besides the temple?

Prabhupāda: We have many books already published. One, first, is Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. This is published by Macmillan and Company. You can have any number of these books from our temple. And the next book is Teachings of Lord Caitanya. That is also available from our temple. And the next book, in three parts, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So if somebody... These are the, I mean to say, covering of the books. So if somebody carefully reads these books, Kṛṣṇa consciousness science will be understood very easily by him. Besides these books, we have got our monthly magazine, Back to Godhead. So if the students... It is not very costly. The monthly magazine is only 35 cents per copy and the subscription four dollars yearly. And this Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, it is only $2.95. Of course, this Teachings of Lord Caitanya, it is hardbound, it is $5.95. So they will be greatly profited.

Room Conversation -- October 27, 1968, Montreal, With First Devotees Going to London On Evening of Their Departure:

Janārdana: Yes.

Prabhupāda: How you are feeling, Śāradīyā? Nice?

Śāradīyā: I'm fine.

Prabhupāda: You are going to Europe? No? You have got to attend your school? That's nice. So your program is starting tomorrow morning?

Yamunā: Five o'clock.

Prabhupāda: Five o'clock?

Yamunā: That's when we have to get out.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. So you are going by taxi?

Guru dāsa: To the airport?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Press Interview -- December 30, 1968, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: We ask people... We don't say that "You give up your, this religion. You come to us." But at least you follow your own principles. And... Just like a student. Sometimes in India it happens that although they have passed M.A. examination in Indian university, they come to foreign university to study more. So why does he come? To get more enlightenment. Similarly any religious scripture you may follow, but if you get more enlightenment here in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, why should you not accept it if you are serious about God? Why should you say, "Oh, I am Christian. I am Jew. I cannot attend your meeting." Why should you say, "Oh, I cannot allow you to speak in my church." If I am speaking about God, what objection you have got?

Journalist: Well, I couldn't agree with you more. I'm sure you know and I'm certainly aware that it's only recently that, for example, a Catholic couldn't even come in here because of some other church. That's changed.

Prabhupāda: Now I have written one letter to Pope. You have seen that? Where is that paper?

Hayagrīva: It's in here.

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

Radio Interview -- February 12, 1969, Los Angeles:

Interviewer: And do they raise questions or is it a formalized ritual?

Prabhupāda: Yes. First of all we pray to God to help us in the, our, I mean to say, preaching or chanting process. Then we begin chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare, Hare Rāma Hare Rāma, conjoinedly, congregationally. And it immediately transfers the atmosphere to a spiritual feeling, and if you sometimes attend our class, you can see practically how the boys and girls, they become ecstatic and chant and dance. So after chanting and dancing for a few minutes, say, fifteen to twenty minutes, then we speak something from Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam about theology and philosophy, ethics, morality. Then again we chant and pray to God and then close our class.

Conversation Including Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.1-34 Recitation & Explanation -- April 1, 1969, San Francisco:
Prabhupāda: It doesn't matter whether Christian or Buddhism or Hinduism or anything. A human being must follow. That is civilized. That is the behavior of civilized world. At the present moment they are neglecting. But in every country, either there may be temples or churches or mosque, people were very religious-minded before this age. I was very much satisfied when I came to New York... no, not only New York. First of all, I went to Pittsburgh, Butler. In that Butler County there were at least one dozen churches, very nice churches. That's a small county. So I was very much satisfied. "Oh, the American people are very religious. They have got these churches." And I saw on Sunday people were attending churches. And in New York also I saw. They may understand or not understand, but that religious spirit is there. You are responding to my appeal because you have got that spirit. Otherwise, why should you come and waste your time with me? So religious principle must be there in the human society. And what is the purpose? Why? The religious principle means that this material life is not happy. And we are searching after happiness. So real happiness is not in this world. You take any, I mean to say, messiaḥ. You take Lord Jesus Christ or Buddha or Lord Caitanya or Kṛṣṇa, or anyone you take. Nobody says that "You make adjustment here and live peacefully." No. Nobody says. You know that. So religious principle means to know that this is not the place to live happily. This is the principle aim of teaching religion. We are trying to live here, making things nicely adjusted, peace and prosperity. That will never be possible. This is foolishness.
Room Conversation -- April 27, 1969, Boston:

Haṁsadūta: He wants to go to Palm Beach. Palm Beach is the richest place in the country.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. That's all right. So chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and everything will be all right. And Buffalo is also doing nice. Oh, yes. The students are educated circle. They are taking interest, both the boys and girls. And three meetings I attended. Every meeting was full, two hundred boys and girls. They were dancing, chanting, asking very intelligent questions. And Rūpānuga is holding class. There will be some examination of the students. They accept papers. Yes. Some Indians are coming from long distance. One Indian gentleman, he came to see me from, what is that place? Ninety-two miles away from Buffalo.

Lord Caitanya Play Told to Tamala Krsna -- August 4, 1969, Los Angeles:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They will pay nice money to hear us?

Prabhupāda: Yes. (reading letter:) "This can be made extensive by your team of followers from America arriving in..." They are greater. So Indian and American combined kīrtana, oh, it will be very nice. Big kīrtana, and every city will receive. And we shall preach that "Here is the common platform for everyone. There is no distinction of nation or religion or anything. Come to the platform." So the Mohammedans also will join. The government will appreciate that here is something secular, real secular; at the same time, God is there. Actually, it is that. All religious people, so-called religious, come here. And religion means this, to love, I mean to say, develop love of God. That is religion. What is this formularies? Simply formula that "I keep this, I copy that." That is not religion, simply by dressing in different way or sitting in a different way. Where is your understanding? You have no understanding of God. You simply formally attend some church or mosque or temple for some material benefit or for some, make some show, but where is your love of God? That is the test of religion, Bhāgavata says. A religious person means he has got complete love of God. Then he is religious. All right. Śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8). Simply wasting time. Bhāgavata says, without developing this love of Godhead, if somebody is engaged in religious ritualistic performance, he's simply wasting his time. Śrama... That particular word is used, śrama eva hi kevalam. Śrama means labor. Eva. Certainly, it is simply laboring. What is called? Labor of love? What is called?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Labor of love.

1970 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- December 13, 1970, Indore:

Prabhupāda: ...your devatā finished. But your relationship with Kṛṣṇa will never finish-nityo nityānāṁ—because you are nitya, Kṛṣṇa is nitya. That relationship, we have to reestablish that relation. That is the function of the human body. If you are simply busy with this temporary nature, then you are losing time. The temporary relationship will... Just like I came here; now, tomorrow I am going. So, say, for fortnight the relation was there. Now you'll have another relation. Similarly, after this body I do not know what relation, what father, mother, I will get and what relation will be established. What community will be established I do not know. And then I will forget. Now those who are Indian, but suppose in his last birth he was Chinaman. He has forgotten. Now he's fighting for India's cause. If the Chinaman is fighting for China's cause. This is disease. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu teaches, jīvera svarūpa haya nitya kṛṣṇa dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). We are ready to serve all the dayitas(?), but eternal servitude is Kṛṣṇa. That we have to establish. Then tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9). Then, after leaving this body, he has no more to accept this material body and create another society, another family, another relationship, another atmosphere. So because we are not Kṛṣṇa conscious, in Kṛṣṇa society, therefore we are dividing. Suppose one animal is born in India or in America. We don't take him as "my brother. He is also born in the same national." No. He kills it. He gives protection only to the animal with hands and legs, not to the animals who are four-legged. Because he is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, therefore his knowledge is imperfect. Paṇḍitaḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). We are fighting between the different religions because there is no Kṛṣṇa religion, no eternal religion, temporary religion. "I am Christian," "I am Hindu ," "I am Muslim." Therefore, to solve all the problems the Kṛṣṇa consciousness: sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ (BG 18.66). Take to Kṛṣṇa; everything will be solved. So they are reading Bhagavad-gītā but they do not know this. Therefore we have to preach. For thirteen years they are attending this Bhagavad-gītā class or Gītā Bhavan, but nobody knows that this is the Gītā, this is the fact. Why? (Hindi) You tell me. So Bhagavad-gita As It Is we are presenting, as it is. Then it will be nice. If you understand Bhagavad-gītā as it is, then you'll be profited. If you make your irrelevant commentaries, that "Kṛṣṇa means this, and Pāṇḍava means this, and the Kurukṣetra means another thing, another thing," volumes of books and years together lecturing, what is benefit? You do not know the principles. Simply waste of time. Śrama eva hi kevalam.

Room Conversation -- December 13, 1970, Indore:

Prabhupāda: So there we are already engaged. Cannot go Surat immediately. Let us follow that.

Haṁsadūta: (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is his version. Version. There is no cost. Simply (indistinct).

Haṁsadūta: So what is the program there?

Prabhupāda: Never mind. "Due to heavy engagement, cannot go Surat immediately. Letter follows."

Devotee (2): Motorcycle...(indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Are you sure, that motorcycle? Can? To go and come back here for attending meeting here? By train? How far it is?

Haṁsadūta: About fifteen minutes.

Prabhupāda: Oh, that's all right. That's all.

Haṁsadūta: No, no, we won't take any prasādam today.(?) We are fasting till noon because it is the appearance day of our Guru Mahārāja's spiritual master.

Yamunā: Disappearance.

Haṁsadūta: Disappearance? Oh. We won't be taking anything at all. Nothing.

Prabhupāda: Up to twelve we don't take. Fast.

Room Conversation -- December 21, 1970, Surat:

Prabhupāda: Therefore it is not advancement, although they are very much proud of advancement. This is not sign of advancement. According to Bhagavad-gītā it is said, yasmin sthite guruṇāpi duḥkhena na vicālyate: (Bg. 6.20-23) "If one is situated in such a position that even in the greatest, gravest type of dangerous position, he is not agitated, he is not agitated, that is the real happiness." Yasmin sthite guruṇāpi duḥkhena na vicālyate. These are the words, yasmin sthite: "Situated in such a position that although he is facing greatest danger, he is not agitated." There is one instance. Not very long ago, say, about two hundred years ago there was a big zamindar. He was known as king in Krishnanagar. So he was charitably disposed. He went to a brāhmaṇa and asked him—he was a great learned scholar—"Can I help you any way?" And the pandit replied, "No. I don't require your help. I am quite satisfied." "How you are satisfied?" "Oh, my, these students, they bring some rice. So my wife boils that, and I have got this tamarind tree. I take some leaves and prepare some juice out of it. That is sufficient." So he was satisfied. That's all. But he was a learned scholar. Similarly, Canakya Pandit... You have perhaps heard. He was the greatest politician. He was prime minister of India. He was living in a cottage and just giving instruction. So that is India's Vedic civilization. Everyone is satisfied, self-sufficient. And now in your country, oh, you have to attend office fifty miles off. And because you have to take this trouble, Kṛṣṇa has provided with car. You are thinking, "I am advanced." You don't think that "Although I have got car, I have to go fifty miles off from my home." This is illusion. You are thinking, "I am advanced. I am happy. I have got this car." This is illusion. Yes. Gaurasundara was going to maintain, and he drives fifty miles off, Honolulu. The poor fellow had to rise early in the morning. You see? And so much haste.(?) Therefore: "Gaurasundara, you better give up this job. Just depend on Kṛṣṇa." So he has given up. What is this? Fifty miles going by motorcycle or motor car, how much tedious it is. But still, they are satisfied that "We are advanced." And because they have many cars, therefore in your country always there is that (makes traffic noise), "sonh, sonh, sonh, sonh, sonh, sonh, sonh, sonh," wherever I go.

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Conversation with Prof. Kotovsky -- June 22, 1971, Moscow:

Prof. Kotovsky: But does that mean the students, they abstain for normal West European universities their own, all their... How to explain it? Their... For instance, can a normal student from, for instance, from one of the best universities, who is attending lectures in normal way, etc., also be initiated and admitted to your community?

Prabhupāda: No, both ways. Both ways. If you want to be initiated, you are welcome. If not, you come. Try to understand our philosophy. Read our books. There are so many books, magazines. And question, answer. Try to understand the philosophy. It is not that all of a sudden a student comes and becomes our disciple, no. They first of all come, associate, try to understand. Then... We do not canvass. When he voluntarily says that "I want to be your..."

Prof. Kotovsky: No, yes.

Prabhupāda: Yes. There is no canvassing.

Prof. Kotovsky: No, yes. That's what I thought. But what I am most interested in... For instance, not a student but a young worker or a young son of a farmer, he would abstain from his old life and he would be initiated and join your community into a given center. How he would entertain himself?

Prabhupāda: The thing is... I have alre...

Prof. Kotovsky: In the sorts of day to day life...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Television Interview -- July 29, 1971, Gainesville:

Interviewer: Now let's say, in the part of the world where, if I'm understanding your philosophy and your history correctly, in the part of the world where this particular philosophy and this particular belief originated, which is in India, in the Eastern part of the world, at least as we look at it. Is it successful there? Do you have a large following over there?

Prabhupāda: Oh yes. Recently I was in India. I held two meetings continued for ten days everywhere, and 20 to 30 thousand people were attending daily. So India's position is that they are naturally Kṛṣṇa conscious, but at the present moment by the so-called leaders, they want to replace this Kṛṣṇa consciousness into material consciousness.

Interviewer: Is the Kṛṣṇa consciousness belief or philosophy compatible with the Hindu religion which...

Prabhupāda: With any religion.

Interviewer: Beg your pardon?

Prabhupāda: Any religion. Because God is one. It is the science of God. The "two plus two equal to four," it is understood by everyone. It is not that it is to be understood by the Christian, not by the Hindus. "Two plus two equal to four" is a fact for everyone. Similarly God is fact for everyone. Now how to love God. This is the only process. That is.

Room Conversation -- July 18, 1971, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: Our everyone's future is Kṛṣṇa. You believe in Kṛṣṇa and nobody of our group has got any need, because we believe in Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that "Those who are engaged in my service, I personally attend to their needs," yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham (BG 9.22). Perhaps you know this. Those who are engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service, Kṛṣṇa is supplying the necessities of everyone, because Kṛṣṇa is God. So God is supplying the necessities of everyone. That is one thing. But He takes special interest for those who are devotees, pure devotees. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā:

samo 'ham sarva-bhūteṣu
na me dveṣyo 'sti na priyaḥ
ye bhajanti tu māṁ bhaktyā
teṣu te mayi
(BG 9.29)

"I am equal to everyone. Nobody is my enemy; nobody is my friend. But anyone who is engaged in my service with love and devotion, I am especially attached." So Kṛṣṇa is feeding even cats and dogs, and why He shall not feed us, we are engaged in His service? Why? It is simply a question of understanding. One should know that Kṛṣṇa is feeding the elephant, Kṛṣṇa is feeding the ant. So there are 8,400,000 species of living entities. So if one who has completely forgotten Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa is feeding them, then why not we? We have no other business than Kṛṣṇa. So it is a question of confidence and surrender. And actually we have no problem. So far our children are going, these boys, they are taking prasādam, we are taking prasādam, we are traveling all over the world, spending, as I told you, over 700,000's of rupees per month, but we have no source of income fixed. We have no business. Nobody goes to the factory, nobody goes to work, but still we are maintaining our establishment.

Interview -- July 29, 1971, Gainesville:

Interviewer: ...is it successful there?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Interviewer: Do you have a large following there?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Recently, I was in India. I held two meetings, I mean continued for ten days, everywhere, and twenty to thirty thousand people were attending daily. The India's position is that they're naturally Kṛṣṇa conscious, but, at the present moment, by the so-called leader, they want to replace this Kṛṣṇa consciousness into material consciousness.

Interviewer: Is the Kṛṣṇa consciousness belief or philosophy compatible with the Hindu religion, which is...

Prabhupāda: Any religion.

Interviewer: Beg your pardon?

Prabhupāda: Any religion.

Interviewer: Any religion.

Prabhupāda: Because God is one. It is a science of God. If two plus two equal to four, it is understood by everyone. It is not that it is to be understood by the Christian, not by the Hindus. Two plus two equal to four is a fact for everyone. Similarly, God is a fact for everyone. Now, how to love God, this is the only process. That is.

Interview with Reporters -- November 10, 1971, New Delhi:

Prabhupāda: Then you are always in ugly reality. Why do you say this blackout? This is one of the features of that ugly reality. That's all.

Reporter: Yes. At the moment I see, but has it...

Prabhupāda: Huh? (laughs) You are all, you do not realize that, that you are twenty-four hours in ugly reality! (break) ...attended. Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadām (SB 10.14.58). Every step danger. Why taking this?

Reporter: I know, sir, but this is collective, national danger here. Have you anything to offer to us as a, as a...

Prabhupāda: This Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Our only remedy is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You take to this and you will be happy. That's all.

Reporter: We'll..., yes, sir. I think somebody should go to (indistinct), to those who are threatening us. Some, I wish...

Prabhupāda: What benefit you will derive by going to (indistinct)?

Reporter: But, well, he'll go to the... Supposing somebody is out to kill me. That's changing, if you can't tell him...

Prabhupāda: But suppose (indistinct) does not kill you. Will you be safe?

Reporter: No, sir. That I can see, but...

Prabhupāda: Then what is the use of going to (indistinct)? You will die today or tomorrow. That's all. If you want to save yourself, then go to Kṛṣṇa. That is our proposal. (laughter) As soon as you go the (indistinct), he does not fight, do you mean to say you will live forever?

Reporter: No, no, sir.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- April 2, 1972, Sydney:

Devotee (1): Yes. He surrendered to the void.

Prabhupāda: Simply sitting down like this. He cannot ask whether he is hungry or not. His daughter is always attending, giving him some food, then he is eating. Otherwise, he does not say. Lost everything. He has mentioned Bhagavad-gītā as a mental speculation, in his Indian Religion. So he is such a great offender, he must suffer. But it is good for him. Because he is a gentleman, therefore his offenses are being compensated in this life.

Devotee (1): So he hasn't got to pay next time.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Next time he may be getting chance. Because he was at heart afraid of God. Because sometimes he was, "Swamiji, you pray for me to God." He told me that. At heart he was. But because he is impersonalist and mundane scholar, he was writing all nonsense.

Śyāmasundara: There's a whole class of scholars now called literary critics who simply take one book, or not even a scripture but any mundane book, and they spend their whole lives making comments what this must mean, what that must mean, "This is my opinion," "this is my thesis."

Prabhupāda: Punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30), chewing the chewed.

Room Conversation -- June 14, 1972, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: That may be, but you may be cheated, that is another thing. Suppose you ask something from somebody. If he cheats you, that may be your mistake or his, but the process is the same; you cannot avoid it. If you want to know God, then you have to go to a person who knows God. You might have gone to a person who does not know. That is another thing. You went to a wrong person. But actually if you want to know God, you must have to go to a person who knows God. That you have to search out. That requires intelligence. But you cannot give up the idea. Because you have been cheated, "I could not get information"; therefore, you cannot give up that business. You have to find out somebody else. But because you say "I have been cheated. I could not get the right information. I stop this business," that is not allowed. You must. Therefore, according to Vedic order it is said, tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Abhigacchet means you must to a person to understand that science of God. You must go to a guru or a man who knows. Guru means who is more intelligent. Guru means weight, heavy, heavier, heavier in knowledge. So you have to find out a person who is heavier than you, not ordinary. Must go. Not that may go or may not go. No. Must go. Tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). And what is the symptom of guru? Śrotriyaṁ. Means he has heard about God from his superior, his guru. Śrotriyaṁ. And how can I know that he has heard from his superior about God? He might say that "Yes, I have heard," but what symptoms? Brahma-niṣṭham. Brahma-niṣṭham means that he has become a complete devotee of God, result. Just like a man, physician. A physician means he has attended the medical college, passed the examination, and the result is that he's practicing as a physician. Not only passing will do, but he's actually passing and he's actually practicing and he's curing patients.

Room Conversation -- July 4, 1972, New York:

Prabhupāda: That's nice. Rising early in the morning?

Devotee (6): Yes.

Prabhupāda: Attending maṅgala ārati?

Devotee (6): Yes

Prabhupāda: Chanting? Dancing? These are our programs. Class, little a-b-c-d, no?

Devotee (6): But no force, yes?

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Devotee (6): They, they... She was questioning me about force, that there should... I told her that, that your instruction to us was that no...

Prabhupāda: Force?

Devotee (6): ...there should not be force ever.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Hitting, hitting the children.

Devotee (6): Or forcing them to do activities. That no..., that should not be done.

Devotee (4): Forcing the children to do the activities.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: To use force. Hitting them.

Devotee (6): Or hitting them.

Prabhupāda: Not hitting. By otherwise engage.

Conversation with Bajaj and Bhusan -- September 11, 1972, Arlington, Texas, At Their Home:

Guest (2): No, not challenge... I'm not saying... I mean, I'm not...

Prabhupāda: No, it is not possible. Kṛṣṇa accepted Himself a guru. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted a guru. They are God Himself. So how you can accept: "I can approach Kṛṣṇa without guru"? Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpā. Kṛṣṇa... When actually you want Kṛṣṇa seriously—you do not know who is guru—then Kṛṣṇa will give you a guru. Just like Dhruva Mahārāja. He was advised by his mother that "If you go to the forest you can see God." So he went there. But when he was very serious, then Kṛṣṇa sent him Nārada Muni. So if you are actually serious about Kṛṣṇa, then Kṛṣṇa will send you some of His representative and he will take charge of you. That is the process. If you do not find a guru, that means Kṛṣṇa is not yet pleased, either you are not serious. Just like when you become serious of studying any subject matter, you find out some college, some institution. You cannot purchase the books and read at home and become expert engineer, expert, no. That is not the process. Therefore the Vedic knowledge is called śruti. Śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet, śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham (MU 1.2.12). So we have to hear by paramparā system. You attend the lectures of a professor because he has heard. He has listened the same instruction from his professor. You don't go to a professor who has never gone to school and college.

Conversation with Bajaj and Bhusan -- September 11, 1972, Arlington, Texas, At Their Home:

Prabhupāda: Such poor fund of knowledge, he is advertised as great scholar. He has no knowledge, and he writes Bhagavad-gītā. And now he is... For this offense he is now dead body. He cannot recognize any man, like this. He cannot say, "I am hungry." His daughter is always attending, giving some food, sitting idly. Just... What is the month?

Śyāmasundara: In Madras? We were there in February.

Prabhupāda: Yes. February. Yes. I was there. I saw him. I saw Mr. Raja Gopala Acarya with him. So he is a dead body, living dead body.

Guest (2): Raja Gopala Acarya has also written a lot of books.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Not lot of. Some books he has written. So our request is to the Indians especially that we have got something to give to the world. Simply don't beg. Give something. Then you will be honored. You cannot compete with them by technology, by learning here. That is not possible. If you can give them something, that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- February 25, 1973, Jakarta:

Prabhupāda: He's a nonsense. He's a nonsense. Now he's suffering. I saw him last year in Madras. He has lost his brain. He's suffering now. You cannot ask him whether he's hungry or whether he wants some... Only his daughter is attending and here he cannot understand who is standing before him. He cannot speak. Like that. (Hindi) He has committed so much offenses under the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. (Hindi for some minutes) ...very meritorious. I think you cannot understand Hindi.

Devotee: He speaks English.

Prabhupāda: Ah. So you can understand English then. So (Sanskrit). Duṣkṛtinaḥ means... kṛtiḥ means meritorious, very meritorious. But duṣkṛtiḥ. Whatever merit he has got... Nowadays at the present moment the civilization is so mad that everyone as human being... Any human being he has got some merit because he is not cat and dog. He's a man. As a man he has got brain, better than the cats and dogs. That's a fact. And actually they're doing so many things. Just like this picture. It is a very meritorious workmanship. So everyone can do some meritorious workmanship. But when that workmanship is diverted to, for the use of sinful activities... Just like one man is very meritorious, he's planning to form a party how to plunder. This requires merit. Without merit you cannot form a party. But the merit is being used for plundering, for harassing, for so many other sinful activities. So that is called duṣkṛtinaḥ. Merit is there but the merit is being misused for sinful activities. Therefore duṣkṛtiḥ. Just like modern scientist. It is meritorious that they have discovered the atomic bomb. The merit is used for killing.

Morning Walk -- March 1, 1973, Jakarta:

Prabhupāda: They are selling new.

Devotee (1): Yes. This is a very well attended market, this area.

Prabhupāda: Yes. I can see. When the market opens?

Devotee (1): About 9 o'clock or 9:30. Then they open until 1(2):30 and close all afternoon. All over Jakarta they close all afternoon and at five o'clock then they open...

Prabhupāda: And go then up to 10:00.

Devotee (1): 8:30.

Devotee (2): It's a good system in a country with this weather, very hot in the afternoon, to close the business in the mid-day. (indistinct)

Devotee (1): Some type of military school. Looks like naval.

Prabhupāda: this road is very nice. (indistinct) What is meaning of toko?

Devotee (1): Toko means store, shop.

Room Conversations with Sannyasis -- March 15, 1974, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: By engaging. That is our school. It is a school. If a student does not learn nicely, you cannot say, "Get out." As far as possible. But when it is absolutely impossible to correct him, then you have to ask. And if there is money, equal you have to manage some money, what can be done? But I don't think if we try our best to correct him, this ultimate punishment will be required. Human being, after all human being, and our business is to teach and become ideal ourself. Āpani ācari prabhu jīvere śikhāya. We have to teach by our personal behavior. If you rise early in the morning, if you take your bath, if you sit down regularly and keep them (indistinct), how he can deny? How one can deny? It is not possible. But if I smoke, I ask others not to smoke, that will never be possible. Āpani ācari prabhu jīvere, first of all you have to be. If one is not cleansing, you shall tell me (indistinct) this way. We have to do like that. Not that I (order), "Come on, you do this. Oh, you cannot do, get out." Not that. We show him. After all, our life is sacrificed for preaching and that preaching means one should behave himself, nicely. He cannot say that "You do not do this." Just like one day in London there was some talks with Nanda Kumāra, you. He was accusing you, you were accusing him. I heard from (indistinct). So you should do in such a way that he cannot accuse you. If you ask him to rise early in the morning, take your bath, and if you do not take. Supposing some special case. I was taking early bath. Now I do not take, because due to my health. That is because... Otherwise regularly I was taking. Not even hot water. Regularly. This hot water bath I have begun in your country, otherwise I have never taken. Even in severest cold. Here also I am trying to avoid. I am keeping tub of water sunshine. Whatever little warm may become, that's all. So, of course, for special health reason one cannot rise, he is sick and cannot attend, otherwise everyone should rise early in the morning, take bath and be ready for performing our service by six o'clock or five o'clock. And the kīrtana party, you should know everyone go. It may be small distance, but all our men should go. That will be real (indistinct), early in the morning. So many parties come.

Room Conversation -- March 17, 1973, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: So 1928 there was a Kumbha-melā, I think. And during that Kumbha-melā, Tīrtha Mahārāja with a party came to my shop, Prayāg pharmacy, all of a sudden, and I thought, "Oh, these are the people I saw, Gauḍīya Maṭha. Yes." So, I was so glad. So Tīrtha Mahārāja asked me that "We are come new here. We are going to establish a temple in Allahabad. We have heard your name, so we have come to you. Please help us." "Yes, I will help you." So in this way I contributed, my attending physician contributed, and some other friends. In this way we became friends, and Tīrtha Mahārāja, old Tīrtha Mahārāja had first meeting in my house at Allahabad, with I think the Sarvesvara brahmacārī and Dhīra Kṛṣṇa brahmacārī...

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: (indistinct) Mahārāja and (indistinct) Mahārāja.

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. So, my father was Vaiṣṇava, but when I invited these Gauḍīya Maṭha sādhus, my father thought that I have invited some sādhus of the Ramakrishna Mission. So he was not very interested. When Tīrtha Mahārāja is speaking, I call my... My father was that time invalid, I called him that "Please come down, there is a meeting of the Gauḍīya Maṭha sādhus." So, he could not resist my request, he came down, but he did not think that some devotees have come. They thought, these Ramakrishna Mission rascals have come. (laughter) So he was not very happy, but I told, he was sitting. He, so the meeting he just criticized. Then when he heard the speech of our old Tīrtha Mahārāja, our old Godbrother, he understood, "Oh, they are Vaiṣṇavas." Then immediately after the meeting, he came down on his feet. "I misunderstood you sir, that you are the Ramakrishna Mission sādhu. I am so glad to meet you. So that is the beginning of my intimate relationship with Gauḍīya Maṭha. And they are coming, and whenever somebody would come, I would invite them to lecture in my house. In that way Śrīdhara Mahārāja, at that time Rāmendra Sundara Bhaṭṭācārya, he was also invited at my house, and before (indistinct)... No, I think I invited Bhāratī Mahārāja, and you were with Bhāratī Mahārāja.

Conversation with Sridhara Maharaja -- June 27, 1973, Navadvipa:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: And they are exploiting him. He's exploiting them.

Prabhupāda: This time, in their meeting, they made me chief guest. But I did not attend.

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: That's a lower position.

Prabhupāda: In, in a big meeting, they made me chief guest.

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: He wants to show, so that, "I have got..."

Prabhupāda: That, that...

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: ... such big man.

Prabhupāda: Oṁkāranātha...

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: Was president, was made president.

Prabhupāda: And that uh...

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: And yourself, Mādhava Mahārāja and Tīrtha Mahārāja invited to be vice-President. I heard.

Prabhupāda: Oh. Mādhava Mahārāja went there.

Room Conversation with Indian Guests -- July 11, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: Intelligent, this is intelligent.

Guest (3): "...if there's a greater association." And that really led me to India, and say, "Well, in India I would have more of these spiritual things and more of that atmosphere, environment." And, well, you know, that particular incident really struck me.

Prabhupāda: No, you can attend here. You remain here.

Guest (3): And, you know, it was the first time she saw a sat-saṅga, first time in her life.

Prabhupāda: No, no, the wonderful thing is that this is a method of spiritual realization which attracts even a child. Unless one denies to be attracted, everyone is attracted. Even a child, even a dog. This is the... Therefore it is universal. Unless you deny to accept it, attraction is for everyone. If the child is innocent, he immediately exhibits his attraction.

Guest (3): I was really surprised when she said that, you know.

Prabhupāda: Oh, I have seen many. As soon as there is chanting and dancing, small children, automatically they do like this. Automatically. They dance. We have got many children. They dance, they chant. And they fall down and murmurs all the mantras. What is his name?

Satsvarūpa: Bhakta Viśvareta.

Room Conversation with Educationists -- July 11, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: How, that you have to learn, but this is the process.

Guest (1): That is the end product.

Prabhupāda: Hm. You learn... We have got this institution. You can come and learn how others are doing, others are learning. We have got class in the morning at seven. If you've got time, you can, you are welcome. We don't charge anything. You can come and join. There is no business. You can live with us. We don't charge anything. Or you can come and go, attend class. There is no charge. Kṛṣṇa gives us everything. Just like this house. This is two hundred thousand pounds. George Harrison has purchased it, and he has given us. Similarly, everything comes from Kṛṣṇa. None of our members go to office or factory. But we eat also, nicely.

Guest (2): Yes, but if somebody didn't go to the factory, you wouldn't, would you?

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Guest (2): Somebody has to go and do the work to make the food, keep the country running.

Prabhupāda: No. We don't hate to work. That is not our business. If we get work, we work for Kṛṣṇa. The income comes to Kṛṣṇa. But if we don't get work, we are not bothered, that "There is no work. Where shall I eat? Where shall I sleep? Where shall I go?" No, there is no such botheration. So all the members, I think, eighty, ninety percent, they do not go to work outside.

Room Conversation with Educationists -- July 11, 1973, London:

Guest (1): Yes.

Prabhupāda: Oh. So whenever you find time, you can come, or, if you like, you can live with us. We have got ample place. Girls and ladies, they live separately. Boys and gentlemen, they live separately. Those who are married, we have got apartments for householders. And gradually, we are improving, I mean to say, arranging further facilities. First of all you try to attend our class in the morning and inquire all about your doubts. Have some clear idea what is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Read our literatures as far as possible. You have taken some book, I see, I saw. And if you agree to this principle, we take charge of you. You haven't got any botheration, how you'll get prasāda. We shall arrange for that...

Guest (3) (young British woman): Religion, meaning trying to serve God, is any more right than another?

Prabhupāda: This is not religion. This is the only business. Religion is different thing. Suppose... Just like... I have already explained, that you are sleeping, and you have got a good engagement. And somebody's trying to awake you, that "You have to go there. Just get up! Get up!" So this kind of business is not religion. Religion is a, what is a kind of faith, a sentiment. That is different thing. It is the main business of human being. Because we are part and parcel of... Just like a boy, he's very rich man's son. Some way or other, he's out of his home, and he's suffering for want of food, want of shelter. And somebody's giving information that "I know you are such and such big man's son. Why you are loitering in the street? Why don't you go back to your home, back to your father?" So is it not the best business. So everyone is suffering. That I have already explained, how they are suffering. We are trying to save his suffering by dispatching him back to home, back to Godhead. This is our business. So it is not religion. It is the most important humanitarian work. What do you think?

Haṁsadūta: Yes.

Room Conversation With David Lawrence -- July 12, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: The, the priest also, he's surprised, that "They are our boys. They did not come to church, never cared for religion. And now they are after God, mad after God. What is this?" They are surprised.

David Lawrence: Well, I think a lot of our boys could understand it, having been to a service, you know, attended ārati, and they...

Prabhupāda: So that is, that is due to our strict following the principles. That is making them stout and strong in spiritual platform.

David Lawrence: Yes. This is surely it, that so much, so many other movements, as such, and sectarian groups have compromised so much, haven't they? They, they... If one goes past the average English church which is these boys' experience of religion, they pass the biggest cars in the neighborhood on a Sunday morning. This is, this is what they see. And, of course, when they came to the temple, they found people living out a lifestyle, which, even though was so totally alien from their own, they could feel that it was worthwhile.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation with Malcolm -- July 18, 1973, London:

Paramahaṁsa: But there's always a chance that they may not as well.

Prabhupāda: That chance is also to you also. Māyā is always there. But our duty should be like that. You become Kṛṣṇa conscious and raise your children to that standard. (indistinct) Just like we are teaching in Dallas. There is nothing extraordinary. The children are there, they're learning how to read, how to write, at the same time rising early in the morning, attending maṅgala-ārātrika, joining in the saṅkīrtana, playing mṛdaṅga, dancing, taking prasādam. (Aside:) That's all right. By such training, automatically they'll be Kṛṣṇa conscious. And then all your duties are complete. If you make him Kṛṣṇa conscious, then all your duty is finished.

Malcolm: Can you make a child Kṛṣṇa conscious without believing yourself?

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Haṁsadūta: Can you make a child Kṛṣṇa conscious if you yourself don't believe in Kṛṣṇa consciousness?

Prabhupāda: If you do not believe, if the father does not believe? You mean to say?

Malcolm: If the father does not feel.

Prabhupāda: Yes well, everything is individual. Father is individual and child is individual. Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu.

Room Conversation -- July 19, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: Yes...

Pradyumna: My wife's typing up all your lectures. She has finished L.A. lectures. Now she is typing Māyāpur lectures, this lecture, that lecture. She has permanent machine and typewriter and apartment. So she types all during the day and she minds the child. And then it is in the same apartment.

Prabhupāda: Attending class also?

Pradyumna: Oh, yes.

Prabhupāda: That's nice.

Pradyumna: They live now across the street, in the temple apartments.

Prabhupāda: In our house?

Pradyumna: Yes.

Prabhupāda: That's nice.

Pradyumna: Typing.

Prabhupāda: Now this house will facilitate our business. Just opposite the temple. So round about. Therefore I asked him, "Purchase these houses, purchase." Never mind. So that is not lost. They were paying rent elsewhere. They can pay here. We get our permanent tenants.

Room Conversation with Sir Alistair Hardy -- July 21, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: But his literatures are not read by our... A section.

Revatīnandana: Mostly in Bengal. And because he was accepted in the West, therefore they are very proud of it. But otherwise...

Prabhupāda: The Russians read. I have heard that in your Oxford University there is study of Rabindranath's books? They study?

Sir Alistair Hardy: They study which books?

Prabhupāda: Rabindranath.

Sir Alistair Hardy: Oh, I think they produce some of them, yes. He gave a course of lectures in Oxford about 1923, or, '22 or '23, which were very well attended. I wasn't there, unfortunately, but I read them.

Prabhupāda: 1953?

Haṁsadūta: '23.

Prabhupāda: '23.

Sir Alistair Hardy: '23. (end)

Room Conversation with Cardinal Danielou -- August 9, 1973, Paris:

Prabhupāda: We shall install Deity tomorrow morning. So...

Cardinal Danielou: Yes, you...

Prabhupāda: Have you got time to attend?

Cardinal Danielou: Yes.

Yogeśvara: (French)

Cardinal Danielou: Ah... I don't know. Perhaps. What, what, what, at quel heur, what time?

Yogeśvara: Nine o'clock.

Cardinal Danielou: Nine o'clock, nine o' clock. Nine o'clock is perhaps difficult.

Prabhupāda: Nine...

Cardinal Danielou: Nine, it is...

Prabhupāda: Nine to twelve, the ceremony...

Cardinal Danielou: Ah, nine to twelve. Perhaps. In the end of the morning, perhaps it is... It is an inauguration, inauguration?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Deity installation.

Room Conversation with Anna Conan Doyle, daughter-in-law of famous author, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle -- August 10, 1973, Paris:

Anna Conan Doyle: The fire, yes. Yes, oil and... Was it a third eye?

Prabhupāda: No.

Anna Conan Doyle: That means you are dust and you become dust again, or what?

Prabhupāda: No, we attended the ceremony. (laughter)

Bhagavān: It is a souvenir of the ceremony.

Prabhupāda: You were not marked because you did not attend the ceremony.

Anna Conan Doyle: I see. It's just a sign. It has no particular meaning.

Prabhupāda: No, this is the general meaning. And this is blessing. After, after the ceremony, if there is any blessing, you get the blessing. Yes.

Guru-gaurāṅga: It's a nicer kind of souvenir than the kind you find in Paris.

Anna Conan Doyle: Exactly, (indistinct) to my eye.

Prabhupāda: Just like nowadays, voting, the man who goes to put his vote, he's marked with a star here. You know that? That means he cannot come again. He cannot represent a false voter. Like that. (break) ...book you are reading now, my books?

Anna Conan Doyle: At the moment, Gītā.

Room Conversation -- September 2, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: Then where there is no logic, the authority must be accepted. Therefore we accept that authority. Śabda-pramāṇa. The best evidence. Śabda-pramāṇa. There are different evidences. Out of that, veda-pramāṇa, śabda-pramāṇa is first class. All right, thank you very much. Jaya.

Mukunda: Śrīla Prabhupāda, Pearl has been attending our temple and following the regulative principles.

Prabhupāda: Very good.

Mukunda: And she wants to become initiated.

Prabhupāda: Oh yes.

Pearl: I would like to have a Sanskrit name too please.

Prabhupāda: Oh yes, you'll have.

Pearl: Thank you.

Prabhupāda: You'll have. You like to be bald-headed?

Pearl: (laughs) No, I think I'll keep my hair if you don't mind. I can't give up everything.

Prabhupāda: All right.

Room Conversation with Sanskrit Professor, Dr. Suneson -- September 5, 1973, Stockholm:

Prabhupāda: You are this...?

Paramahaṁsa: Swedish.

Professor: Swedish, yes.

Prabhupāda: So he can attend our meeting. He can introduce. That will be nice.

Professor: Yes.

Paramahaṁsa: Yes. We're having a meeting, as you know, tomorrow night, at the Stockholm University.

Professor: Yes, I'll probably be coming, yes.

Paramahaṁsa: If you would, would you be kind enough, perhaps, to give an introductory lecture or, you know, to...

Professor: Well...

Paramahaṁsa: ...say, praise, or your appreciation of our movement or Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in front of the audience.

Professor: I, I, I don't know exactly... I hope I can come, but I can't say for sure.

Paramahaṁsa: I understand. I understand. Well, you're kindly invited. That goes without saying.

Professor: Yes, yes, I'll try to come. That will be at the University.

Paramahaṁsa: Yes, tomorrow evening at seven-thirty.

Professor: No, I'll try to come. Do you think, this one, do you think I could...?

Prabhupāda: Yes, this is also available.

Room Conversation -- September 19, 1973, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That is very dangerous. Then you will all fall down. If you make a joint mess, if you go and collect something and then eat and sleep, then everything will be... Therefore I do not want to keep separate. The temple worship means there will be regulative principles, that you will have to rise early in the morning, you have to attend class, kīrtana... These things, as soon as you give up all these things, zero. Then it will be like karmīs, as they are, hard labor, collecting money, and enjoying senses. That's all. So that is the pitfall everywhere. In the church, temple, as soon as they get some nice income, then in the name of "priest," "sādhu," "sannyāsī," they do the same thing. Therefore Gosvāmīs, they left everything. That is the danger of viṣaya, viṣaya touch. Viṣaya chāḍiyā se rase majiyā. As soon as we give up this śravaṇam, kīrtanam, then it becomes viṣaya. Viṣaya means materialism. There is no spiritualism. Kṣurasya dhārā, kṣurasya dhārā. Kṣura means sharpened razor. If you are careful, you cleanse very nicely. If you are not careful, immediately blood. Immediately. So the spiritual life is like that. As soon as you become little inattentive, immediately māyā captures, "Yes, come on." Then everything failure. We have got the tendency to enjoy sense. So senses are strong. As soon as there is opportunity, the senses will take advantage immediately. Then your whole business finished, Choṭa Haridāsa, and rejected by Mahāprabhu, "Get out." Even associate of Caitanya Mahāprabhu failed, personal associate. So there is chance of falling down even from the personal association of God. Jaya-Vijaya, they had to become demons.

Room Conversation -- October 31, 1973, Vrndavana:

Guest (1): We have to attend a Bhāgavata-paṭha, at 3.30.

Prabhupāda: Where?

Guest (1): Rādhā-Dāmodara.

Prabhupāda: Ācchā. So who is reading?

Guest (1): Nṛsiṁhānanda Goswami.

Prabhupāda: Ācchā. This verse is very important verse.

Guest (1): Very important.

Prabhupāda: Huh. Idaṁ hi puṁsas tapasaḥ śrutasya vā. Idaṁ hi puṁsas tapasaḥ śrutasya vā sviṣṭasya sūktasya ca buddhi-dattayoḥ (SB 1.5.22).

Gurudāsa: That volume is packed, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: All right. Nāmāny anantasya yaśo 'ṅkitāni yad avicyuto 'rthaḥ kavibhir nirūpitaḥ. Nirūpita means it is already decided. The perfection of your education is this. What is that? Nāmāny anantasya. Anantasya. Yaśaḥ aṅkitāni. Yaśaḥ. That is perfection. If you scientific knowledge, philosophical knowledge; cannot establish the glories of the Supreme Lord.

Morning Walk -- December 2, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Yes, certainly. In Greece I think some people know of our movement. Because in the airport as soon as some young men saw us, they chanted "Hare Kṛṣṇa!" Yes. Maybe they are Europeans, but I had practical experience. (break) which..., that Park Avenue?

Bali Mardana: Wednesday they are having a meeting. Perhaps on Wednesday.

Prabhupāda: Wednesday. So you have to attend? No.

Bali Mardana: No, I don't have to attend. The lawyers attend. If I attend, it may ruin everything. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...one is yogi. Karmī, jñānī, yogi or bhakta. What is the difference between karmīs, jñānīs, yogis and bhakta?

Hṛdayānanda: Karmī wants to enjoy the gross senses, the jñānī wants to enjoy the subtle mind, mental speculation, the yogi wants to manipulate the universe, mystic powers,...

Prabhupāda: Material power.

Morning Walk -- December 21, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: But they say that.

Guest (1): No sir. I am attending their lectures, classes, and discussing with them.

Prabhupāda: Vivekananda's philosophy is yata mata tata patha: "Whatever you have got, your opinion, that is all right." They organize Kālī-kīrtana in competition to...

Guest (1): Yes, in their mandira. In the mandira. In the mandira their kīrtana is Kālī-kīrtana.

Prabhupāda: But that is not recommended in the śāstra. Śāstra is: śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23).

Guest (1): You are right, but then when it comes to... That was why it was outdoor kīrtana. And they said if they come, they can be our guests and they called the kīrtana out to do what they like. He said, "So that is how..."

Prabhupāda: Which car? No, it is my auto? (break)

Jagajjīvana: We don't have that many Spanish books.

Prabhupāda: English books.

Morning Walk -- December 29, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: (Bengali) ...Mahatma Gandhi Road.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Daniel, come here. Daniel Sardar.

Sujit: Sujit.

Prabhupāda: Sujit, oh. (Bengali conversation regarding his being a student of science, chemistry and plastics engineering, and Śrīla Prabhupāda tells him that he attended Scottish Churches' College) (break) ...astrology?

Sujit: What is my opinion?

Prabhupāda: No. I am asking scientist.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: First of all I did not believe astrology in the beginning. I thought it was a pseudo science.

Prabhupāda: No, you may think, but what is the opinion of the scientist?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Oh, scientists would say that there is no background.

Prabhupāda: So how it so happens?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Because they say something which cannot be proved by experimental science, that does not work, calling science.

Prabhupāda: So then how do you say that life is from matter? That cannot be proved by experiment.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- February 13, 1974, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Take your time and...

Devotee: Saṅkīrtana, when you're able.

Guru dāsa: She (Guest 3) was attending all the lectures at the pandal in Delhi.

Prabhupāda: Yes, I have seen her.

Guru dāsa: And Philadelphia also.

Prabhupāda: So, you understand our philosophy?

Guest (3): Understand...?

Prabhupāda: Our philosophy?

Guest (1): Philosophy.

Guest (3): Yes, I do. I think I do. (laughs) I was in New York at Hare Kṛṣṇa (indistinct) time, and we have a temple in our apartment, picture of the Deities.

Prabhupāda: Where?

Guest (3): Philadelphia.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Morning Walk 'Varnasrama College' -- March 14, 1974, Vrndavana:

Satsvarūpa: What would his business be at that varṇāśrama college?

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is also training, to become obedient. Because people are not obedient. What are these hippies? They are not obedient. So obedience also require training. If you have no intelligence, if you cannot do anything independently, just be obedient to the other, higher three classes. That is śūdra. He must agree to abide by the orders of brāhmaṇa, kṣatriyas, vaiśya. That's all. So that nobody will be unemployed. Everyone should be trained up to sleep six to eight hours and attend meeting, chant, and ārati. And balance—he must work hard. Not that sleeping unlimitedly. There is no limit.

Yaduvara: Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Yaduvara: What class does the arts and crafts come under?

Prabhupāda: Eh? Śūdra.

Yaduvara: Śūdra.

Prabhupāda: They are śūdras. Little arts and crafts can be trained up to the śūdras. They, at the present moment, they have given too much stress on the arts and crafts.

Morning Walk 'Varnasrama College' -- March 14, 1974, Vrndavana:

Satsvarūpa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, is this school for women also, or just for men?

Prabhupāda: For men. Women should automatically learn how to cook, how to cleanse home.

Satsvarūpa: So they don't attend varṇāśrama college.

Prabhupāda: No, no. Varṇāśrama college especially meant for the brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya and vaiśya. Those who are not fit for education, they are śūdras. That's all. Or those who are reluctant to take education-śūdra means. That's all. They should assist the higher class.

Hṛdayānanda: Would the brāhmaṇas learn Sanskrit?

Prabhupāda: Eh? Not necessarily.

Hṛdayānanda: Not necessarily. Just more philosophy.

Prabhupāda: Just like I am translating all the books, similarly, any book of knowledge can be translated into different languages. Not that one has to learn Sanskrit. Why?

Hṛdayānanda: Not necessary. So in this varṇāśrama college there would be two divisions, varṇa and āśr... Learning a materia...

Prabhupāda: First of all varṇa. And āśrama, then, when the varṇa is perfectly in order, then āśrama. Āśrama is specially meant for spiritual advancement, and varṇa is general division. It must be there in the human society, or they're on the animals. If varṇa is not there, then this is a society of animal. And when the varṇa is working perfectly, then we give them āśrama. Varṇāśrama. That is later on.

Morning Walk -- March 31, 1974, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: No, that man has not got the Nobel Prize.

Prabhupāda: Oh yes. I know. In California University he was there. So one of, one of my students, he's also professor in the... Dr. Svarūpa Dāmodara. He challenged that "Suppose if I give you the chemicals, can you produce life?" That time he said, "That I cannot say." From that day, his meeting was not attended by the students. Yes. He theoretically said that "From chemicals life has come into existence."

Dr. Patel: As a matter of fact...

Prabhupāda: No.

Dr. Patel: ...life keeps the chemicals together. As soon as the life goes away, the chemicals dissolve.

Prabhupāda: Dissolve, yes. As a medical practitioner, you know. Where is chemical? Where is chemical? That is a fact.

Dr. Patel: Always fact.

Mr. Sar: So still we are researching it.

Prabhupāda: No...

Dr. Patel: There is no research...

Prabhupāda: That is... But when the fact is there, what is the use of your researching? When the fact is already there, what is the use of your so-called researching?

Guest (3): How can we see Kṛṣṇa?

Prabhupāda: That is being explained.

Morning Walk -- April 13, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: ...gṛha-medhinām. Apaśyatām ātma-tattvaṁ gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām (SB 2.1.2). Those who are gṛhamedhis and do not know anything else except maintaining the family, they are called gṛhamedhi. And those who cultivating spiritual consciousness in gṛhastha life with family and children, they are called gṛhasthas. That is the difference between gṛhamedhi and gṛhastha. So gṛhamedhi, they have no aim of life, of self-realization. Apaśyatām ātma-tattvam (SB 2.1.2). That is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Nṛnāṁ santi sahasraśaḥ. (break) ...self-realization. Nṛnāṁ santi sahasraśaḥ. Apaśyatām ātma-tattvam (SB 2.1.2), who cannot see what is the ātma-tattvam, what is the path of self-realization. Gṛheṣu gṛhamedhinām. Therefore it is the duty of the sannyāsī... Sannyāsī does not mean that he will beg for fulfilling his hungry belly. Sannyāsī means he must enlighten—that is sannyāsī—in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. (break) ...rājendra nṛnaṁ santi sahasrasaḥ apaśyatām ātma-tattvaṁ gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām (SB 2.1.2). This is the Sukadeva Gosvāmī says that śrotavyādīni rājendra (SB 2.1.2), subject matter for hearing nrnam, for the human being, nṛnāṁ santi sahasraśaḥ, thousands of... Just like in the newspaper in the morning, thousands of varieties of news they will attend, and ask them to attend the maṅgala ārati for self-realization, "No, that is not... You are disturbing, nonsense." This is gṛhamedhi. Gṛheṣu gṛhamedhinām. Vedic culture is that one must rise early in the morning. And even Kṛṣṇa in His gṛhastha life, immediately He rose up. Rukmiṇī was disturbed because womanly nature, and again immediately taking bath, meditation. This is Vedic culture. And sleeping up to seven and then unless takes bed tea, without washing teeth, and he is advanced. You see. And if one is asked to "Rise early in the morning and wash yourself, take your bathing and attend maṅgala ārati." "Oh, this is old way, bhajana nonsense." You see. Gṛheṣu gṛhamedhinām.

Morning Walk -- April 23, 1974, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Well, people are now shameless, you see? They are being kicked in so many ways. We are giving the prescription, "Here is the remedy," but they are not taking to it. But they will take it. Some of them will take it, provided you remain also ideal. If you become also degraded, then who will take it? Ideal character, ideal behavior, ideal preaching. People will appreciate. (break) ...pure character or position, people will take, in any condition. There may be revolution or no revolution. They will take it. (break) ...that our movement is actually good. They will take in any condition. That standard we must maintain. Somebody... Yes, Balavanta, when he was speaking against smoking, one candidate—he was important man—he was smoking. Immediately he wanted to hide. (laughter) So immediate effect was there. He understood that "Yes, this is bad habit." So people will take it, any condition, provided you are ideal. Āpani ācari prabhu jīveri śikṣāya. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement. He teaches others by behaving Himself. "Example is better than precept." If you cannot rise early in the morning, then how can you ask others to rise early in the morning? What is the effect? There is no effect. We have got business early in the morning, to attend maṅgala ārati. And if you sleep yourself and teach others, so who will take it? (break) ...we have introduced. Very, very simple thing. But still, if he cannot... (break) ...(indistinct) Mahārāja. He is, he admitted him, smārta paṇḍita, but he cannot rise early in the morning. Never. And he is imitating the smārta paṇḍitas. You know that? Smārta, and one pot, and this and that and āsana (laughing). And "I had some..., consult with some smārta paṇḍita," and the real business, to rise early in the morning, he will never do. He will never do. Brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa means he must rise early in the morning. What kind of brāhmaṇa? Oh, he is coming. (laughs) Early in the morning at half past seven. If he walks early in the morning, all his disease will be cured. That he will not do. After all, everyone can do after performing maṅgala ārati, take a morning walk. Bathing. (break) How did you know we were here?

Morning Walk -- April 24, 1974, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Oh, he's a Life Member?

Mahāṁśa: Oh, yes.

Prabhupāda: He studies our books?

Mahāṁśa: Oh, yes, he has taken our books and he especially asked that "I am reading these books and please give me." And he attended all the three days of the exhibition grounds.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Mahāṁśa: You maybe remember, no?

Devotee: Yes.

Mahāṁśa: Channa Reddy. He's very nice. He'll be coming today at ten o'clock. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...the modern politicians. Here at the present moment their philosophy is that one must be very cunning diplomat, then he's successful politician. This is their philosophy. The most crooked man, like Cāṇakya. But our philosophy is that the political head should be like Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, Lord Rāmacandra, that is difference. Here Churchill or Hitler or similar man, crooked man... Without being crooked one cannot become politician. Lloyd George, the British Prime Minister, he said that "Consistency in politics is the qualification of an ass." Consistency. You must change.

Room Conversation with Catholic Cardinal and Secretary to the Pope -- May 24, 1974, Rome:

Prabhupāda: Nepal. My birthplace is in Calcutta.

Cardinal Pignedoli: Yes, very nice. In Delhi, and Monsignor too, he has visited all the places, huh?

Monsignor Verrozano: South India.

Cardinal Pignedoli: In Kerala?

Monsignor Verrozano: Kerala, Tirusrilapatti(?), Cochin, Madras, Bombay of course. Yes, last year I attended a kind of manifestation of your movement in Bombay.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Monsignor Verrozano: Yes, I visited.

Prabhupāda: Bombay, there was function.

Monsignor Verrozano: Yes.

Prabhupāda: At that time, you were there?

Monsignor Verrozano: In January.

Dhanañjaya: At Cross Maidan.

Monsignor Verrozano: Yes.

Room Conversation with Catholic Cardinal and Secretary to the Pope -- May 24, 1974, Rome:

Bhagavān: We had a festival program in India. We've had one in Bombay, Calcutta, Delhi, and for one week, and Srila Prabhupāda has spoken many times every night there. There's been thousands of people, ten thousand people.

Monsignor Verrozano: Yes, yes. And just last year about the 20th of January, it was this week of festivals also, this conscience of preaching sermons, many manifestations. Many people attended, and I too visited this, yes, also.

Prabhupāda: In Calcutta also we had such functions. About thirty thousand people were coming in Bombay.

Monsignor Verrozano: Could you be so kind to say to us something about your movement which is spread in the world.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Our movement is that, that is first-class religious system which teaches how to love God. This is the sum and substance of our movement. There is a Sanskrit statement in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam,

sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo
yato bhaktir adhokṣaje
ahaituky apratihatā
yayātmā suprasīdati
(SB 1.2.6)

If you want to be happy, then you must take to the superior type of religious system which teaches the followers how to love God without any motive, and which is never checked by any material condition. God's name is given here as Adhokṣaja. Adhokṣaja means beyond experimental knowledge. God has got many name according to different situation, and one of the name, for the materialistic person, adhokṣaja. Akṣaja means experimental knowledge. Akṣa means eyes or senses. Beyond sense perception. So we cannot speculate about God, but we can understand about God from authorities. This is the conception of Bhāgavata-dharma. So the human life is especially meant for understanding God.

Morning Walk at Villa Borghese -- May 25, 1974, Rome:

Prabhupāda: As long as they will not take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they have to tolerate. They must suffer. That is nature's law. That is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā... (BG 7.14). You cannot escape all these miserable conditions of... Mām eva ye prapadyante. If you become Kṛṣṇa conscious, then you escape. What is difficulty to become Kṛṣṇa conscious? Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru: (BG 18.65) "Simply always think of Me." We have got nice Kṛṣṇa. And attend the temple, and we see. And what is the difficulty to think of Him always? Or chanting, hearing His name. So there is no difficulty in remembering Kṛṣṇa always. Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. To become devotee, worship the Lord in the temple, prepare food for Him, and take the prasādam—where is the difficulty? The program which we have introduced, where is the difficulty there? But the rascals will not take. That is the difficulty. They will become hippies, but they will not become devotees. Although a better position. This is their misfortune. Duṣkṛtina, misfortune. In spite of the things being so easy to perform, they will not take to it, on account of misfortune. Duṣkṛtina. Because they have committed so many sinful activities, it is difficult to accept this. Otherwise, the thing which we are presenting is very easy to be accepted by anyone, even by a child. And actually we see. The children, they are also dancing, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and very happy. In Dallas. In all schools the children are unhappy, their face. And we see in Dallas, all children, they are so happy. The teacher is happy. The student is happy there. Have you not marked the face in the picture, how they are happy. Did you mark it?

Devotee: Yes.

Room Conversation with devotees about Twelfth Canto Kali-yuga, and Conversation with Guest -- June 15, 1974, Paris:

Bhagavān: The total attendance yesterday was close to two thousand people. And at least one thousand people stayed until twelve o'clock.

Prabhupāda: Ācchā? Twelve o'clock.

Bhagavān: Oh, yes. The manager of the hall was pleading with us to ask them to leave. He wanted to go home. (French)

Yogeśvara: He says that's very good that so many stayed to find out more information, to ask, to discuss.

Prabhupāda: Yes, any reasonable man will find subject matter interesting. There is a statement of Caitanya-caritāmṛta, śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya-dayā karaha vicāra: (CC Adi 8.15) "Just consider and then give your judgement after studying the mercy of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu." It is never recommended to take it blindly. Karaha vicāra: "Just judge with reason and argument." And vicāra karile citte pābe camatkāra: "If you consider it with logic and judgement, then you'll find it is sublime." (French)

Bhagavān: So an interpretation of a scripture, whether it be Bible or Bhagavad-gītā, cannot simply be an opinion, but it must be based on logic and reason.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Just like in the Bible it is said, "There was only word in the beginning." So in the beginning, there was word. That means that word is not the word of this material creation.

Morning Walk at Marine del Rey -- July 13, 1974, Los Angeles:

Bali Mardana: Yes. Just like in the San Francisco paper they admitted, "This is the most popular festival."

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. San Francisco also. Fifteen thousand people attended my lecture silently. So they are seeing now there is something in this movement, and if this movement, it is allowed to go on without any objection, then Christianity will be finished. That is the conspiracy behind it. That lecture is recorded? The, which I gave in the, that society of the priests and...

Satsvarūpa: The fathers?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Satsvarūpa: Yes, I...

Prabhupāda: So you can hear that lecture, how it was. They appreciated so much. We have no disrespect for Christianity. (pause) At least, expose our so-called Indian ambassador and others... Approach them, that "Help us. What is this? What for you are here?" Even they do not allow by agitation, make the movement very important. Make profit this side or that side. That is businessman. The businessman makes profit when the price is going down and when the price is going up. They make their profit. That is businessman. Just like our Tripurāri, he goes on selling his book in any condition. He finds out some means how to sell in this condition. This is intelligence, how to deal in different circumstances and make profit. That is brain. And if you make condition, "If these conditions are there, then I can make business," that is foolishness.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- February 3, 1975, Hawaii:

Prabhupāda: So? What is your philosophy?

Rāmeśvara: Well, it seems somewhat hypocritical because chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa means you are praying to Kṛṣṇa to please be engaged eternally in His service and to become completely dependent on Him. So we try to explain like that. And to follow all the teachings and instructions, attending maṅgala āratik and morning and evening class.

Prabhupāda: So they are doing that or not?

Guru-kṛpa: No. They are not even following regulative principles.

Prabhupāda: Then?

Rāmeśvara: They think just by chanting, they will go back to the spiritual world. That is enough.

Prabhupāda: Then what is the meaning of the ten kinds of offenses? If he is chanting without offense, then it is all right, but if he is committing offenses, it will not be effective. There are ten kinds of offenses. Whether he is strictly offenseless? Then it is all right. If he is offender, then it will not be fruitful. It will be fruitful; it will take long time because first of all you have to become offenseless. Then you will be admitted. (aside:) Don't come very near. That's it. So they are committing offenses, so how they can become perfect? He is committing not following the rules and regulation. That means he is thinking that "Whatever I do, it will be adjusted by chanting the name." Is it not?

Guru-kṛpa: Yes. That's one of the offenses.

Rāmeśvara: That is their philosophy.

Room Conversation -- March 2, 1975, Atlanta:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Oh, yes. His topic was classical, statistical (indistinct) proof. That was allotted to Jñāna dāsa Prabhu, to Germany. (indistinct) Mahārāja sent a telegram, and I also personally wrote a letter saying that he should participate in writing (indistinct). He has a (indistinct) background, he told me (indistinct).

Prabhupāda: Yes, this is nice, attend. Kṛṣṇa will help you. They are wiping out Kṛṣṇa, and your business will be to establish Kṛṣṇa. Hm.

idaṁ hi puṁsas tapasaḥ śrutasya vā
sviṣṭasya sūktasya ca buddhi-dattayoḥ
avicyuto 'rthaḥ kavibhir nirūpito
yad-uttamaśloka-guṇānuvarṇanam
(SB 1.5.22)

You know this verse? Find out Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Satsvarūpa: 1.1?

Prabhupāda: Take the index, otherwise how you will find out?

Rūpānuga: The index.

Prabhupāda: This I want. You are nicely educated. Now by dint of your education, you prove that background is Kṛṣṇa, that's all. Then your education will be perfect. Otherwise you are one of these fools and rascals, that's all. The particular type of education, mathematics, chemistry, physics, what you have learned after working so hard, now you should by your educational-departmental education—you prove that the background is Kṛṣṇa. Then your education is perfect. That is the verse, idaṁ hi puṁsas tapasaḥ śrutasya vā.

Room Conversation with Yoga Student -- March 14, 1975, Iran:

Prabhupāda: Lacking, there are so many things. But one who is actually chanting Rāma, the result will be that he will get attachment. That is the process. Ādau śraddhā tato sādhu-saṅgaḥ atha bhajana-kriyā, tato anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt tato niṣṭha tato ruciḥ tathā āsaktiḥ tato bhāvaḥ. This will increase. Just like if you have gone to school—you have learned, began to learning—then your learning will increase. And one day you will come to the stage of passing M.A. examination. And if it fails, that mean you did not go to school very seriously. Otherwise the general process is you make progress and come to the standard of passing M.A. examination. Then if you have gone to school and you have not followed the rules and regulations, you have not attended the teacher, the lessons, then you failure. That I am saying, that that is not very seriously taken that "I am going to school. I must learn it." If one is serious, then... That is recommended,

utsāhāt dhairyāt niścayāt
tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt
sato vṛtteḥ sādhu-saṅge
sadbhiḥ bhaktiḥ prasidhyati

These are the process. First of all the first process is utsāhaḥ, enthusiasm: "I must advance in spiritual life." That is required. And if you are failing enthusiasm, then in the beginning it is failure.

Morning Walk -- April 2, 1975, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: Māyāvādīs means they are speaking that "Everything is māyā; Kṛṣṇa is also māyā." And impersonalist means they are thinking that "To merge into the Brahman effulgence is better than to keep our personal identity."

Satsvarūpa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, this Professor Dimmock was going to arrange a Vaiṣṇava conference at which we were going to attend. You yourself was going to be invited with many professors, but I received a report from one of the professors that when they tried to contact other professors, none of them wanted to come because they said, more or less, that we are like fanatics and we wouldn't actually discuss things in a philosophic way, that we would just use the conference to proselytize. So in this way, they're rejecting us from...

Prabhupāda: What is the harm? Let them reject.

Satsvarūpa: We don't need them.

Prabhupāda: Our business will go on, and there will be many professor Dimmocks who will support us. And they are doing that.

Morning Walk -- May 12, 1975, Perth:

Prabhupāda: They say, "God is great," but they do not know how great He is. That is explained in the Vedic literature. Of course, those who are saying "God is great," they are pious. And those who are saying that "I am God," how foolish they are. Therefore I say that anyone who says, "I am God," immediately kick with your shoes on his face. Such a cheater.

Amogha: There is... One of the disciples of Guru Maharaj-ji, Bala Yogesvara, is in Perth. They have their center here. And he is giving lectures daily, and many people are attending.

Prabhupāda: That he is God.

Amogha: There was an article in the paper yesterday from India that says that the Indian court has banned Guru Maharaj-ji from leaving India. They have issued an order that he must stay until the court has finished because his brother is suing. Because his brother published a photo showing Guru Maharaj-ji embracing and kissing an American girl in the paper. So the Guru Maharaj-ji published a picture of his brother doing the same thing. But they say it was a fake photo, so the court is holding him in India, and they're having a legal battle, suing each other to see who is God.

Prabhupāda: Farce.

Room Conversation with Dr. Copeland, Professor of Modern Indian History -- May 20, 1975, Melbourne:

Dr. Copeland: (laughs) You can't just say that they don't exist. They're there. And surely there were other people...

Prabhupāda: No, that is... That was... About hundred years ago Vivekananda came, and he stayed in New York, but these people... When I came, I asked, "What is...? Do you know Vivekananda?" They said, "No, we do not know." I had to find out, search out, where is Vivekananda's center. It was not very prominent. Nobody was going. So for hundred years they worked, this Ramakrishna Mission. They could not establish even half a dozen centers in America. And I established forty centers within six years. And in each center there is devotees not less than twenty-five, up to 225. In Los Angeles we purchased one church. The church was sold because nobody was coming. And since we have taken... If you sometimes go to Los Angeles, you will see it is packed always. The same people, the same church—why it is packed now? And why it was sold without any attendance? What is the difference? I have not brought these men from India; neither I brought that church from India. The church was there, and these people were there.

Room Conversation with Director of Research of the Dept. of Social Welfare -- May 21, 1975, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: Unless you are ripe old age. At least up to fifty years. What is your age now?

Devotee: Um, twenty-eight.

Prabhupāda: Twenty-eight. So up to fifty years you remain gṛhastha and take care of wife, children. Work honestly and attend the... You prove an ideal gṛhastha. That will be very nice. Don't change your mind.

Devotee: So they'll be able to take care of the situation there by themselves?

Prabhupāda: Who?

Devotee: In Hong Kong?

Prabhupāda: They are taking. Pañca-draviḍa Mahārāja is there. He is a sannyāsī. That is all right. You don't change your mind. You are already trained up about Kṛṣṇa consciousness, so you try to become an ideal householder in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Because we are not rejecting householder. We are accepting everyone. Gṛhe vā thāke hā gaurāṅga bole ḍāke. Anyone, either he remains as a sannyāsī in the forest or he remains a gṛhastha at home, if he is cultivating this Kṛṣṇa consciousness and Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mercy, then he is all right. That is the verdict. So now you are living as gṛhastha. Live as an ideal gṛhastha, don't change your mind. Be fixed up. They are all gṛhasthas, all these Pañca-tattva, you see? Advaita Prabhu was a gṛhastha. He did not take sannyāsa. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu also was married. Nityānanda Prabhu was gṛhastha. They were all gṛhasthas, but ideal gṛhastha. So you become an ideal gṛhastha. That also wanted.

Morning Walk -- June 7, 1975, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: They say boys, they are boys.

Ambarīṣa: Unsophisticated.

Prabhupāda: Ah, yes. They are in the make-up, not yet fully civilized. (break)

Devotee: I was thinking if you would like to stay here for Ratha-yatra we can make it big Ratha-yatra here.

Prabhupāda: Ratha-yatra?

Devotee: Yes. (break) ...different places, you like to stay here in this nice place, you can translate. Everyone wants you to stay here. I heard one of your letters quoted in Śrī Govinda's letter that you like Ratha-yatra very much. So I think you would like to go somewhere. So if we can have it here, you can attend here.

Prabhupāda: What he is doing?

Śrutakīrti: Cleaning his fishing net. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...ratha?

Devotee: We can build it. We have few carpenters here, four or five carpenters. We can build it. (break)

Prabhupāda: If you can build it, do it. I may be here or may not be here, but you observe the Ratha-yatra. (break) ...trying to make Ratha-yatra in Kurukṣetra. That is the origin of Ratha-yatra. (break) It is light?

Devotee: Light. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...introduce in India two places: one at Kurukṣetra, one at Bhuvaneśvara. Ratha-yatra. (break) ...the cost of one house like this?

Ambarīṣa: One of those condominiums?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Morning Walk -- June 21, 1975, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Did he speak anything about Hare Kṛṣṇa?

Bahulāśva: He's always speaking about this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. (Prabhupāda chuckles) He gave one lecture just about two weeks ago. It was very very nice. I attended, and I was also speaking something.

Prabhupāda: No, he is serious about studying this movement.

Bahulāśva: Yes.

Prabhupāda: That is nice. Anyone who is serious, he will appreciate. (break)

Bahulāśva: ...that any intelligent person who hears this philosophy and reads your books, he'll have to accept.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Bahulāśva: No one can even challenge. (break)

Prabhupāda: They are giving standing orders. They understand this is worthly. (break) ...is up? No.

Jayatīrtha: A little bit early still.

Prabhupāda: Then we can go this way. (break) ...many rooms are there in the new house?

Bahulāśva: Oh, there are many rooms. Two very, very large rooms, at least as big as the temple room in San Francisco, er, in Los Angeles, excuse me. Two rooms that big. Then there's about four rooms for living quarters, a big kitchen, and then several offices, and then a nice quarters for Your Divine Grace with a bath, with a shower right there.

Prabhupāda: What it was before?

Bahulāśva: It was a Mormon church.

Prabhupāda: Ohh.

Morning Walk -- June 22, 1975, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: The other, that member, the same?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Different men. I know. I made these men life members in Bombay, and I happened to be in Washington D.C. when they came there. And they attend the āratis, you know. It's very nice. They are very, very impressed.

Revatīnandana: When Kartikeya Mahadevia came to America some time back, he remarked to me that he had come to see all the sights like the Grand Canyon and like that, but primarily he seemed, now he was just simply going from temple to temple because the temples were nice. Nothing else was so nice as he expected.

Bahulāśva: Some life members came to San Francisco, and we picked them up in this Mercedes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, that's him, that same man.

Bahulāśva: And they were so impressed that we had such a nice car for greeting the life members. (laughter)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They talked about that. It's the same man I met in Washington D.C., Mr. Poddar.

Bahulāśva: Mr. Poddar, yes. They said, "Oh, this is the life member car."

Prabhupāda: One gentleman came to see me in Hawaii. He's also life member.

Room Conversation with Dr. John Mize -- June 23, 1975, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Sattva-guṇa, goodness. In that platform one can understand very quickly. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is little successful because we are trying to bring the students on the platform of goodness. Therefore it is becoming little successful. If you keep them in the platform of ignorance and passion, then it will be difficult.

Dharmādhyakṣa:

naṣṭa-prāyeṣv abhadreṣu
nityaṁ bhāgavata-sevayā
bhagavaty uttama-śloke
bhaktir bhavati naiṣṭhikī
(SB 1.2.18)

Translation: By regular attendance in classes on the Bhāgavatam and by rendering of service to the pure devotee, all that is troublesome to the heart is almost completely destroyed, and loving service unto the Personality of Godhead, who is praised with transcendental songs, is established as an irrevocable fact.

Purport: Here is the remedy for eliminating all inauspicious things within the heart which are considered to be obstacles in the path of self-realization. The remedy is the association of the Bhāgavatas. There are two types of Bhāgavatas, namely the book Bhāgavata and the devotee Bhāgavata. Both the Bhāgavatas are competent remedies, and both of them or either of them can be good enough to eliminate the obstacles. A devotee Bhāgavata is as good as the book Bhāgavata because the devotee Bhāgavata leads his life in terms of the book Bhāgavata and the book Bhāgavata is full of information about the Personality of Godhead and His pure devotees, who are also Bhāgavatas. Bhāgavata book and person are identical.

The devotee Bhāgavata is a direct representative of Bhagavān, the Personality of Godhead. So by pleasing the devotee Bhāgavata one can receive the benefit of the book Bhāgavata. Human reason fails to understand how by serving the devotee Bhāgavata or the book Bhāgavata one gets gradual promotion on the path of devotion. But actually these are facts explained by Śrīla Nāradadeva, who happened to be a maidservant's son in his previous life. The maidservant was engaged in the menial service of the sages, and thus he also came into contact with them. And simply by associating with them and accepting the remnants of foodstuff left by the sages, the son of the maidservant got the chance to become the great devotee and personality Śrīla Nāradadeva. These are the miraculous effects of the association of Bhāgavatas. And to understand these effects practically, it should be noted that by such sincere association of the Bhāgavatas one is sure to receive transcendental knowledge very easily, with the result that he becomes fixed in the devotional service of the Lord. The more progress is made in devotional service under the guidance of the Bhāgavatas, the more one becomes fixed in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. The messages of the book Bhāgavata, therefore, have to be received from the devotee Bhāgavata, and the combination of these two Bhāgavatas will help the neophyte devotee to make progress on and on.

Prabhupāda: So we are giving this chance to everyone, devotee Bhāgavata and grantha-Bhāgavata, to get them raised from the lower condition of life. Kāma-lobha, lusty desires or greediness. This is the process. And practically you can see all these young men. They have no more lusty desires or greediness. They are also young men. They never ask permission from me any time, "Now, today, I want to go to the cinema." They have got all the monies in their hand. They never misspend without my permission. They are also young men, born in the western countries, addicted to so many bad habits. But they have given up. This is practical. Professor Judah has written me letter. You know him?

Dr. John Mize: No, I do not.

Room Conversation -- June 26, 1975, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: So you better ask my so many other disciples?

Devotee (1): They don't have any answers.

Prabhupāda: Then there is no answer. I cannot attend so many things.

Devotee (2): We are not so many.

Devotee (1): But these are the same questions which we have talked over with Revatīnandana Swami and Jayatīrtha. A great many...

Prabhupāda: If my disciples, advanced students, cannot answer, then I am sorry. I cannot answer. I cannot answer.

Devotee (2): That we did not know. That we did not know.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Now you know it. I have appointed so many GBCs because to help me. It is not possible to see everyone, individual. This is not...

Devotee (1): But these are the same questions which they themselves are posing to you.

Revatīnandana: I have never met any other people who asked questions on the level that they are asking questions. I cannot answer many of their questions. I have studied all your books.

Prabhupāda: I cannot. If you cannot, I cannot also. Because you have been taught by me, if you cannot, then it is...

Devotee (2): We have also been taught.

Morning Walk -- June 28, 1975, Denver:

Prabhupāda: (in car:) ...Denver. And how we are getting response from the public?

Satsvarūpa: They get nice attendance on Sunday. Many people come.

Prabhupāda: There is good hope.

Satsvarūpa: Oh, yes. Good book distribution here too.

Prabhupāda: That is the most successful. Wherever book distribution is going on nicely, that is successful, because people are in gross ignorance. They are taking this temporary life as everything. Very horrible condition. We are trying to explain what is the actual life.

Satsvarūpa: Here in Denver they have to compete with many bogus groups. This is the world headquarters of Guru Mahārājaji and many other... They like to come here, the mountains. So they're always making our propaganda against them.

Prabhupāda: So make propaganda against them vigorously. We have got sound footing. What these nonsense have? Tell them all nonsense, bogus. This rascal Guru Mahārājaji is God, and the other rascals are accepting him God? This rascaldom is going on in such civilized city? He is God?

Satsvarūpa: Well, Kuruśreṣṭha, the president, says that the local people are very much disgusted with him. They don't like him.

Prabhupāda: Challenge that "I shall kick on the face of this rascal, and if he is God, let him punish me. If he is God, let him punish me. I am prepared. So come on in the public. I kick on his face, and let him do whatever he likes. I am prepared. If it is God, let me (him) kill me by his mantra or by his will. Then I will accept him." This is challenge, that "I shall kick on his face in public, and if he is God, let him punish me." And you are so fool that you are accepting this rascal as God? You belong to American nation, advanced. You have become so rascal? Challenge like that. He has come to cheat you, and why you are so befooled that you are being cheated? He is convicted in the court that he is a, what is called, deceiver. Yes. The court judgment is there. He is a deceiver.

Morning Walk -- July 1, 1975, Denver:

Prabhupāda: Hmm. That's it. That is the difficulty. She said frankly.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Because we asked her to attend the cornerstone ceremony at Māyāpur.

Prabhupāda: So, shall we take a chance?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think it might be nice.

Prabhupāda: All right. Then write two registered letters, one to Jaya Prakash Narayana... (break) ...astrologer, who was telling me?

Brahmānanda: Oh, Bhāvānanda Mahārāja, he knows. The astrologer in Māyāpur?

Bhāvānanda: Oh, Mr... In Svarūp Gañj there's one big astrologer. So he saw your photograph, and he said, "This is the face of the most powerful spiritual personality on the planet."

Prabhupāda: (laughs) Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Brahmānanda: Then what else?

Bhāvānanda: Then he said that "I can tell from his face that he can make a house in which the whole world can live peacefully."

Devotees: Jaya Prabhupāda!

Prabhupāda: At least I desire so. (break) Where your preaching was going on?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We were preaching in Berkeley, California. Our other parties are spread out all over the country. One party is in Massachusetts, another party is in the South, southern United States.

Prabhupāda: Where in Massachusetts?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Amherst area. Then another party is in Michigan, another party in Illinois, another party is in Washington, in the state of Washington. There's a couple of others.

Room Conversation with the Rector, Professor Olivier and Professors of the University of Durban, Westville -- October 8, 1975, Durban:

Prabhupāda: Kīrtana?

Prof. Olivier: Might I just explain. I don't know whether we will have an audience. May I first of all say thank you very much for coming to the university. We are very honored also, sir, that you have been able to come, also that your guests have come, and that you have been able to come. Thank you very much for visiting the university. I unfortunately have a committee of my council meeting this afternoon, and the chairman is coming over shortly. So I will unfortunately not be able to attend your lecture. Thank you very much for coming. Some of you have been here before. We have this week a student break for a week before they start their examinations, so I do not know whether Professor Oosthuizen will have an audience at all. Maybe a few members of staff.

Professor: I told Mr. Bhoola when he asked me about the lecture, I told him that this would be a problem.

Prof. Olivier: Thank you very much for coming.

Prabhupāda: If there is no audience, what is the use of holding class?

Prof. Olivier: Well, Professor Oosthuizen here will take charge of you, but if there isn't an audience, I agree that one must be careful not to press too far. It may be more in the nature of a seminar. There might be people sitting around like this, and then there could be discussion. So that would depend on whether there is an audience. Students are funny people. They must be very strongly motivated before they will come away from their examination books at this time.

Prabhupāda: So my time for taking bath is half past eleven. They can... You can stay. I can go.

Room Conversation with the Rector, Professor Olivier and Professors of the University of Durban, Westville -- October 8, 1975, Durban:

Prof. Olivier: Thank you very much.

Prabhupāda: So I think I shall not be able to attend that class because I take my bath at half past eleven.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: That's okay, Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: I will go. These people will remain.

Prof. Olivier: Have you transport?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yes. We'd like to show you some of the books and also... (break)

Prof. Olivier: ...searching for truth. If it is not doing that it is no longer science.

Prabhupāda: No longer science.

Prof. Olivier: I think this is your point. We have neglected the science of the spirit.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Prof. Olivier: And this is what we have to rediscover and work at.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That I want. Without science, simply sentiment will not help you.

Prof. Olivier: That's right. Sentimentality...

Prabhupāda: "I believe; you believe..." You may believe something, I may believe something, but everything should be on the scientific basis. That is wanted. So unless we understand this point, that "I am not this body; I am something else than the body," there is no question of spiritual education.

Morning Walk -- October 12, 1975, Durban:

Devotee (1): Śrīla Prabhupāda, in this country we have to do army training, and on a Sunday we have to attend a church service. We have to attend it. Is it all right to say that we won't attend it because we follow Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or must we go anyway? It's sort of a Christian denomination service on a Sunday.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is good. Those who are doing nothing, for them to attend the church at least for one hour, that is better than... Something is better than nothing, you see. That is good. People have completely forgotten God. They are doomed. So better to remember at least for some time. That is good.

Indian man (3): We would like you to stay more longer in this country.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Indian man (3): We would like to request you to stay more longer in this country.

Prabhupāda: So if you start a good center I will stay and see that things are going on. (aside:) Just take this stick.

Indian man (3): Then I could... I think we would be able to benefit from you much more. See, your arrival in this period in Durban, with so many functions that we are carrying on today in this whole week, that people were sort of distributed and quite a lot of them were unable to even come to your meetings.

Prabhupāda: Oh. No, our meetings were well attended.

Room Conversation -- October 29, 1975, Nairobi:

Prabhupāda: Oh, Ācārya.

Indian: He was staying in the International Hotel, so I asked him, "Why don't you come and stay with us? Stay there and attend the Ārati and take Kṛṣṇa prasāda," but he refused.

Cyavana: But he visited the temple here.

Indian: He visited. He said, "No, hotel is good."

Prabhupāda: Once they are accustomed to take these four things, especially meat-eating and drinking, it is not possible to give it up. Very difficult. Without drinking wine or without eating meat, they do not feel refreshed.

Cyavana: They're in such anxiety all throughout the day that at night they cannot sleep unless they have a woman and some meat and some wine. Their minds cannot rest unless they take that.

Prabhupāda: When we shall go?

Cyavana: Shall we go now?

Prabhupāda: No, I am asking when we shall go.

Morning Walk -- November 2, 1975, Nairobi:

Cyavana: Then what is your instruction? If they won't accept your instruction, then what is your instruction? Must be bogus. Huh? If your instruction is pure, then they'll accept. If your instruction is not pure, who will accept? I will not accept.

Prabhupāda: No, "Example is better than precept." If you actually follow strictly the rules and regulations and chant sixteen rounds, why they'll not follow? They'll follow. If you are not attending class, if you are not attending maṅgala ārati, if you are not finishing sixteen rounds, then that is bad example.

Brahmānanda: This boy didn't attend mangal ārati.

Prabhupāda: Don't set bad example. That is detrimental.

Devotee (7): Śrīla Prabhupāda, is it for the advanced devotees...?

Prabhupāda: Nobody is advanced. Everyone is student. He must follow. There is no question of advanced.

Devotee (7): I mean, they call śūdras...

Prabhupāda: Śūdras? Śūdra, how he can be devotee? Śūdras are never devotee.

Indian man (4): No, he says sometimes the devotees, they call the other devotee that "You are śūdra."

Prabhupāda: That is jokingly. (laughter)

Morning Walk -- November 21, 1975, Bombay:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: That's the governor of Karnataka?

Mahāṁsa: Yes. He was the chief minister of Rajastan previously.

Prabhupāda: Yes, some governor went to our temple, I heard.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Akṣayānanda wrote to me. Governor of Karnataka State.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So that is a good response, that after seeing our temple he decided to attend our conference. That is very good.

Mahāṁsa: The boys are selling more than fifteen hundred rupees' worth of books, Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: In Bangalore?

Mahāṁsa: Yes. And the most popular book there now is that Scientific Basis of Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. Everyone, everyone is buying. (Prabhupāda laughs)

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: They wanted us to print lakhs of copies of that book.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- November 25, 1975, Delhi:

Prabhupāda: So in every center they must rise early in the morning. They must follow the regulative principles. They must attend class. Otherwise let them go out. We don't want. And if anyone wants to marry, first of all he must show that he has some earning capacity. Not that "Because there are so many girls, and I marry one to satisfy my senses..." I thought that boy was nice, and I heard all these stories. That is also another defect, that we have got young boys and young girls open for lovemaking. And brahmacārī means strictly prohibited to see the face of woman. But we cannot stop it. That is also another defect. Fire is good and butter is good, but when they come together everything become bad. Is it not? Fire is good, just like heat. And butter is good, healthy. But when they come together the butter melts and the fire extinguished. This is māyā's arrangement. Puṁsa striyā mithunī-bhāvam etam. This whole world is going on by the sex attraction, and when they come together both of them become spoiled. Therefore it has to be dealt with very, very carefully, so many rules, regulation. (break) ...used, Nitāi?

Nitāi: Whenever there is necessity.

Prabhupāda: Compulsory.

Morning Walk -- December 4, 1975, Vrndavana:

Akṣayānanda: You mean He eats fire in His representation as the fire-god?

Prabhupāda: No representation. As He is. He never assumed as fire-god. He was boy and playing, and there was fire and He ate it. That is God, not that He became a fire-god. What is fire-god? Thousands of fire-gods are staying on the nail of His feet. Why He should become a fire-god? Mahat-padam. Kṛṣṇa's another name is mahat-padam. The whole energy of material world is on His feet. Samāsrit ye pada-pallava-plava mahat-pada puṇya-yaśo murāreḥ. So they attend maṅgala-arati?

Guṇārṇava: Yes.

Prabhupāda: They do?

Devotee: Yes, they do.

Prabhupāda: Very good. (break) ...there are cycles. The cycles are more dangerous than the motor car.

Haṁsadūta: Because you can't hear them.

Prabhupāda: No, no, hear... Gives you dash. You see? From the behind. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (break) ...God, they do like that. They give this example, "In such and such yajña, ṛṣis were eating meat; therefore we shall eat meat." In the Rāmakrishna Mission, sannyāsīs, they say like that. (end)

Morning Walk -- December 14, 1975, New Delhi:

Tejas: And we can make very good... In the newspaper, if we get, then we'll get... We can sell the tickets also.

Prabhupāda: Yes, you attend all these Kala Bhavan. Utilize like that way. You will have always engagement. This our chanting, dancing, prasāda distribution. And they will pay also. We'll sell books. Why don't you take advantage of this institution? It requires organisation, that's all. Why LIC grounds, so much money? Three thousand daily and 40,000 monthly and so on.

Tejas: So much endeavor also.

Prabhupāda: And so much endeavor.

Tejas: This Vijñāna Bhavan we can get, it's very nice.

Prabhupāda: So do it! Am I right or not?

Hari-śauri: Programs like that would work very successfully in the west also.

Prabhupāda: Yes. And what is three thousand, four thousand? You get two members and it is...

Tejas: No. People will contribute. No problem.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Do it immediately.

Morning Walk -- December 18, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: (Hindi)

Dr. Patel: (Hindi) is sufficient. If you get one man who follows you, he is more than thousands who is...

Prabhupāda: Yes, if you attend daily, I can speak daily.

Dr. Patel: I do come daily, don't I? (laughing)

Prabhupāda: Then I'll speak. Just like Śukadeva Goswāmi, he spoke Bhāgavatam, and there was only candidate Parīkṣit Mahārāja. But he said continuously for seven days.

Dr. Patel: Those ṛṣis came to hear.

Prabhupāda: Yes, because he knew that "Here is a gentleman, he'll understand."

Dr. Patel: But I am not that.... Parīkṣit.... I am a fool.

Prabhupāda: No, the standard is like that.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- January 8, 1976, Nellore:

Acyutānanda: Yes. Two homosexuals were married by a priest.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Now they have a church where the priests are homosexuals and the attending people are homosexual.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Now they have churches for homosex. That means the priest is a homosexual, and the persons who come are homosexuals. A special church for homosexuals.

Prabhupāda: Just see. Is that religion?

Yaśodānandana: The simple fact that the Christians have to sprinkle water to convert means that they do not have any potency to by philosophy, to preach to them with strong philosophy.

Prabhupāda: There is no.... So, go on reading.

Harikesa: I'll backspace two sentences.

Morning Walks -- January 22-23, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: But they clapped.

Harikeśa: Yes. (laughter)

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. They appreciated. Although they do not take Indians very seriously...

Harikeśa: "Third-class citizens."

Prabhupāda: Third class. But they attended my lecture, they purchased my books and they clapped.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh. South Africa...

Prabhupāda: Yes, South Africa. That I... Very much I was astonished that how these...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Many of them?

Prabhupāda: Oh, many of them.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh. I thought only Indians attended.

Harikeśa: Oh, no.

Prabhupāda: No, no. White men. Yes. And in Melbourne the priests also appreciated. So any sane man will appreciate our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. These are very strong words, that "You have created a civilization of pig, and for making perfect that civilization you are working like ass." So what is the advancement? A ass is trying to become a pig. What is that civilization? The ideal is to become a pig, and for that, fulfillment of that idea, they are working like ass. Is it not? Just see. Think over.

Morning Walk -- February 26, 1976, Mayapura:

Jayapatākā: No, I'm talking not about the reading half, but the service half.

Prabhupāda: Service also... Everything depends on advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If Kṛṣṇa is there, either you read or work as a coolie, the same thing.

Jayapatākā: You instructed that service is as good as reading, but only... We see that devotees only doing service without reading, then they become agitated in their mind.

Prabhupāda: That means there is no Kṛṣṇa. The real disease is there is no Kṛṣṇa. Therefore he'll be agitated, either reading or working.

Jayapatākā: So how can they, the Kṛṣṇa...?

Prabhupāda: That, if they... One must go through this practice. Everyone must attend the ārā..., maṅgala-ārātrika. One must attend this. One must attend this. Otherwise no prasādam. If one says, "I am sick," no prasādam. "You are sick. You cannot digest. That's all." And sick, sleeping, and at the time of prasādam, voracious eating, that is not sickness. If you are sick, you cannot take food. Don't take. (end)

Morning Walk -- March 2, 1976, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: So now you make some regulation. Otherwise... Attending class? No.

Hṛdayānanda: Excuse me?

Prabhupāda: They attend class?

Gargamuni: Yeah.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Gargamuni: Yeah, they attend aratikas and class because there's no other activity there.

Prabhupāda: No, that is also good.

Gargamuni: No, they should attend. They are attending. I have... We had nice... Bhakti... Your Guru Mahārāja appearance day, we had nice program. Some people came...

Prabhupāda: Everyone should be engaged. That's all. No idle life. That should be... Karma jyāyo hy akarma-kṛt. (sic) What is that? Śarīra-yātrāpi te na prasiddhyed akarmanaḥ. Ah. Niyata.... Niyataṁ kuru karma tvaṁ karma jyāyoḥ' akarmanaḥ, śarīra yātrāpi te. Kṛṣṇa never encouraged laziness, never encouraged. (break) "...people are maintaining some lazy men." Then everything will be spoiled.

Morning Walk -- March 14, 1976, Mayapur:
Prabhupāda: Oh. Come on.

Devotee (3): Jaya. Guru-krpa: This boy leads kīrtana for two or three hours nonstop by himself, playing the drum. Prabhupāda: Oh. So parikrāma party has not come back? Madhudviṣa: No, they didn't show up yet. Prabhupāda: Oh, that is not good. The class must be attended. Madhudviṣa: They'll be back by the time class starts, I think, Śrīla Prabhupāda. Prabhupāda: Then they should not go in the morning. They must attend class. That is very important. Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: You once gave the example of your spiritual master also, how people were invited on parikrama and you stayed back to hear. Prabhupāda: I never went. (break) Otherwise they should not go in the morning. (end)

Morning Walk -- March 15, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Where the head of office? It should...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Now it's in Phoenix, but it may be shifted soon to New York. Airport distribution. This is the installation of all the Deities you were attending in Chicago. That was a big ceremony.

Prabhupāda: Oh. Chicago? Did I install? No.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, you were present on the vyāsāsana...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ...when the ceremony was performed. Here is some of our vans and men, Viṣṇujana and Rādhā-Dāmodara. Here's the grandfather of airport book distribution, Tripurāri Mahārāja, dressed as a karmī to distribute in his distribution.... You can't tell, but he's wearing a wig. That's Tripurāri there. That's how he looks when he's in the airport. He never misses.

Guru-kṛpā: The master of book distribution.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Here's Tripurāri giving a class. Here's a priest buying a Bhagavad-gītā. Gurudāsa Mahārāja preaching on campus. Dhṛṣṭadyumna leading a kīrtana. Here's a television show. That was that television show.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Morning Walk -- March 19, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: That's nice. Bengali (break)

Jayapatākā: The Gurukula teachers had one question, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Jayapatākā: At one time, you had instructed that all the children should attend the main class. They say that some of the very small children have trouble to keep their attention...

Prabhupāda: No, no. Not small...

Jayapatākā: So they found that if they attend a separate...

Prabhupāda: It is common sense. Also attend many child in the lap of his mother. You see? He should also...?

Jayapatākā: Yeah, they find those seven-, eight-year-old, they attend better a small, private reading.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that's nice. But one thing is that if they can attend, even by hearing the Vedic mantras they'll be benefited. Even they.... Therefore I give stress on chanting the mantra, so that if one cannot chant and can under.... Simply by hearing, he'll be benefited. (break) Hm.

Morning Walk -- April 13, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ: "To become My devotee means you shall think of Me twenty-four hours," man-manā. Then you become a bhakta. Not that meditation—I meditate fifteen minutes and twenty-four hours thinking of something else.

Dr. Patel: Then you never, I mean, even for, it is just like you, even for a moment you slip down, just like a (indistinct). It should be perpetual conscious within yourself.

Prabhupāda: I have seen Gandhi's prayer meeting, and I attended. Utmost, five minutes reading Bhagavad-gītā, then again politics immediately. Immediately politics. I was in Delhi. I attended the meeting when Nawa Khalia (Noakhali?) fast. So this was his prayer. I have seen. And as a result of this, in that prayer meeting he was killed. (Hindi) So nature punishment are there. (Hindi) The last stage of Kali-yuga means you die.

Dr. Patel: But the way the modern civilized nations are exploiting the resources of the world, another fifty years there will be no resources left, and civilization automatically will die out.

Prabhupāda: Wars. The occasional war, pestilence, famine, that's all.

Morning Walk -- May 15, 1976, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: Because they do not know the karma. Karmaṇā daiva netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). According to one's activities, pious or impious, he gets the next birth. That is quite reasonable. But they do not believe in karma. When I was student in Scottish Churches College, so we had to attend class, half an hour, Bible. So the Dr. Urquhart, he did.... The argument was: "So if karma is there and I am suffering for my karma, who is the witness?" But because they do not know that the witness is God.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: He asked that question?

Prabhupāda: Yes, he asked that question. (break) Paramātmā.... They say "Holy Ghost." What is that Holy Ghost?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: The Holy Ghost is supposed to give knowledge to persons who have embraced the teaching.

Prabhupāda: Therefore He is seeing what you are doing. So according to your action, the Holy Ghost gives you another birth. (break) ...sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati. (break)...dictating everyone's heart, and He is observing. Bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni yantrārūḍhāni māyayā (BG 18.61).

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

Prabhupāda: Hmm. Ekaś candras tamo hanti. Stars, they cannot do anything; they simply glitter, that's all. Glow-worms.

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?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

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.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They're dictating.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The mass is dictating. Same thing as in...

Prabhupāda: That means, conclusion is, on account of sinful life churches being closed. Not the Pope, but the sinful. Pope said, "You cannot do this sinful," and they are sinful. Therefore they desert their church.

Rāmeśvara: Even the priests, they said that when the Pope issued that document, they lost faith in him as the representative of God.

Prabhupāda: Just see. Rascal priests also so sinful. Yes, they're supporting homosex. So when the priests are sinful, the public is sinful, how the church will go on? Churches, they are expecting church must support abortion and child killing.

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

Prabhupāda: After all, imitation is imitation. Sometimes it is perfect imitation.... Perfect cannot be. But as far as possible. But imitation is there. And the material life is imitation. Because material life means we want to imitate God. That is material life. God is all-powerful; we want to become all-powerful. That is material life. And the struggle for existence. Because we cannot become God, it is impossible, but artificially, they are trying to become God. And that is struggle for existence. So material life means imitation. Everyone is struggling to become God. Even when one is so-called liberated, self-realized, just like the Māyāvādī philosophers, they are also writing "Self, my own self," but "I am independent." That is the material disease. Ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā. He's always thinking that "I am independent," which he's not. He's completely under the laws of nature, prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni (BG 3.27), but he's thinking "I'm independent." That is foolishness. They'll not accept knowledge given by God; they'll manufacture knowledge. That is material disease. And that knowledge is also uncertain. One stalwart man of knowledge is speaking, "I think, I believe," and another stalwart is saying, "No, no, I think, I believe." What is the meaning of this "I think, I believe"? We say "You are all rascals. Whatever you believe, whatever you think, they are all rascaldom." That's all. This is our decision. There are many persons, they are simply saying, "I think, I believe," and we say, "You all people who are thinking independently, believing independently, you are all rascals." That's all. So far our position is concerned, we never say "I think." Whatever we say, we support it immediately by some quotation of the Vedic literature. That is our process. So this morning I was talking with Hari-śauri that our test is this: that because it is written in the Bhagavad-gītā that na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15), so anyone who is not surrendering to God, he's thinking independently, so he is either miscreant, a rascal, lowest of the mankind, māyayāpahṛta-jñānāḥ, all knowledge taken by māyā, in these groups. Our test is very simple. As soon as we see somebody is not thinking as God thinks, as Kṛṣṇa thinks, we take him in either of these groups. That is our test. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ—we see, practically, they do not speak or they do not think as Kṛṣṇa says, but he's thinking independently. Therefore he is mūḍha. His thinking is imperfect, so therefore, he's mūḍha. And because his thinking is imperfect, another mūḍha comes, he says that "I think like this." This is their controversy. So many independent thinking philosophers have spoiled the broth. Too many cooks spoil the broth. Real knowledge is lacking. Hmm? Anyone, any questions? Yes? Just attend to the question.

Interview with Jackie Vaughn (Black Congressman) -- July 12, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: Why not? He's the most beautiful. Otherwise, why people are attracted? There is a verse in the Brahma-saṁhitā: kandarpa-koṭi-kamanīya-viśeṣa-śobham (Bs. 5.30); barhāvataṁsam asitāmbuda-sundarāṅgam. He has got one peacock feather on His head and He's blackish, but wonderfully beautiful. These words are used. Kandarpa-koṭi-kamanīya. He's so beautiful that thousands of Cupids cannot be compared with His beauty. Cupid is understood to be the most beautiful person within this universe. You know Cupid? Yes. He enchants by beauty. But Kṛṣṇa's beauty is so great that millions of beauty, kandarpa or Cupid, cannot be compared with Him. Kandarpa-koṭi-kamanīya-viśeṣa-śobhaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi (Bs. 5.30). It is a question of attraction. It is not a question of black and white. Attraction. So unless Kṛṣṇa is beautiful, why He has got so many millions of devotees? This very word is kandarpa-koṭi. Barhāvataṁsam asitāmbuda-sundarāṅgam. His blackness is compared with the black cloud. Asita-ambuda, ambuda means the cloud. The black cloud is full of water. When there is black cloud in the sky, you can be sure that the rain is going to fall down. Not the white cloud. White cloud means no water. Is it not? So you understand this philosophy and add water to the suffering humanity. They are suffering in the burning, blazing fire of material existence. So blazing fire can be extinguished when the water falls from the sky, not by your fire brigade. When there is blazing fire in the forest, it is beyond your control. You cannot get there fire brigade. So these small attempts of fire brigade is useless to extinguish the blazing fire of this material existence. The water must come from the cloud. That is by Kṛṣṇa's grace. You have no control over the cloud. But that water wanted. Not your fire brigade water when there is all around blazing fire. The small fire brigade-(imitates bell) dung-dung-dung-dung-dung. It can vibrate very loudly-dung-dung-dung—"I'm going to, going to," but they'll go when everything finished. That is practical. I have seen in India. There was a fire in a house, and they came late, when the business is finished. And still they're insisting, "We shall pour some water." (laughter) Everyone asked them, that "What is the use of?" "No, this is our system." (laughter) The house is burnt into ashes, and they are looking the formality, "Yes, we must put some water." So that they can write in their books, "Here we attended the fire and we have..." (laughter) This cheating is going on. In every problem, this kind of cheating is going on. Official, that's all. The same example, you ask to the charity taker of welfare activities. The fire is going on, but officially the government satisfied, "Yes, we are pouring water." So what is the use of pouring water if the fire is going on? But officially, that's all. We must see that the purpose is being carried. No. The house is burnt into ashes, but we are satisfied that our fire brigade man has poured some water, that's all. They do not know that they cannot do any benefit to anyone by this imperfect process. If the whole money of the government is given to us, we can show result within six months how it is beneficial. Will the government give us money? (pause) Actually, people do not want to trust in God. That is the real fact. But this writing of slogan is a formal (indistinct). At the present moment, nobody has got any idea of God nor faith in God. What do you think?

Morning Walk -- June 13, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: (break) (in car) These people waste money.

Devotee (2): Frivolousness.

Prabhupāda: Childish. They do not know the value of life.

Hari-śauri: These parks are not very regularly attended.

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

Hari-śauri: Very dirty and overgrown. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...the Indian park. Not like American park.

Hari-śauri: Living in the city is a very fearful existence.

Garden Conversation -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:

Jayādvaita: Sometimes they say that it's not to have more and more money, but we have to go to school so that we can get some job, otherwise how will we live? So we tell them that we haven't done anything, for eight years we haven't worked, and we have that, we have (indistinct).

Prabhupāda: We are not attending any job.

Jayādvaita: No. (laughs) We're living better than them.

Prabhupāda: And still we are living very comfortably.

Dhṛṣṭadyumna: Another proof is even when there are austerities, we do not mind to accept it because there is a higher pleasure.

Prabhupāda: Yes. We have greater pleasure, that this austerity will please Kṛṣṇa. So we must do it. Our aim is how to please Kṛṣṇa. That is our argument. Go on reading.

Room Conversation with George Gullen, President of Wayne State University -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: There must be practice, that we are teaching. That simply not theoretical, but practical. Here in our institute, we teach all the students practically how to become God conscious. Theoretical knowledge will not help us. There must be practical behavior. They are rising early in the morning, attending maṅgala-ārati, then having class, Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, chanting, in this way, twenty-four hours engaged. It is not fifteen minutes recreation. No. Twenty-four hours program.

George Gullen: I think this is good for the world. I think the world needs it very much so.

Prabhupāda: So we are trying, although we are not supported by any government, we are trying in our own way. Own way.... The way is standard, but unfortunately people have lost interest in these things. Animal life. As soon as we forget our interest in spiritual life, then immediately we're animals.

George Gullen: We're very much creatures of habit, and it's difficult for us to give up our habits.

Prabhupāda: Habit can be changed. Habit can be changed by practice. Just like we advise no illicit sex, no intoxication, no meat-eating. So all these Europeans, Americans, they were habituated to all these habits, but now they have stopped. It can be, by practice, bad habits can be changed.

Room Conversation -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: You may read that.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: "One of India's biggest and most ancient religious festivals, Ratha-yātrā, the festival of the chariots, which has been enacted in several Western cities in recent years, is to be staged in South Africa in July. The festival in honor of Lord Kṛṣṇa is planned to be held in Durban next month by the local branch of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, widely known as the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. Based on the thousands-of-years-old annual parade of the three main deities of the Jagannātha temple on huge chariots through the streets of Purī, Orissa, the festival has been staged by devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa in major world cities such as London, Paris, New York, Washington, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Chicago, Montreal and Melbourne, following the spreading of Kṛṣṇa consciousness amongst thousands of Westerners in the decade since the founding of the movement in 1966 by Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda. Almost a million devotees participate in the chariot festival held every summer at Purī, where they offer oblations to Lord Kṛṣṇa; lend a hand, tugging the ropes, to pull the huge chariots; line the grand route; or simply attend to see the color and pageantry from high vantage points. Jagannātha-The three colossal chariots from which the term Jagannātha is derived carry the three Jagannātha Deities of Lord Balarāma, the Lord who gives spiritual strength and pleasure; Lady Subhadrā, one who is the auspicious one; and Lord Jagannātha, the Lord of the universe,"—with a capital L—"on the three-kilometer journey symbolizing Lord Kṛṣṇa's visit to the town of His childhood pastimes. This year ISKCON will sponsor Ratha-yātrā festivals in ten cities worldwide. Durban, however, is not amongst them, as the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is fairly new and has not yet established itself on a firm basis and increased its following in Durban. Branch members are enthusiastic and are hoping to organize a procession of their own through the streets of Durban to coincide with the festivals which will be held in several major cities."

Prabhupāda: They are arranging like that or not? Our branch there?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: They want to. I told them that better to wait until they have some more local support, because they would have to have Deity worship, and I don't think they're ready for Jagannātha deities there. There's only eleven devotees in Durban. So when they have some more local support, they can start holding.

Prabhupāda: No, this Jagannātha festival will be participated by all the Indians. There is no doubt about it. So our few men, and with the cooperation of the local Indians, it can be successful.

Room Conversation -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: Kīrtana party and truck, all Indians will come.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: One thing though is, July is, like in Melbourne, it's wintertime there. So is it okay if they have the festival in summer months?

Prabhupāda: Not necessarily.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: As they do in Melbourne, in the summertime?

Hari-śauri: They have it in January down there, because they get a better attendance and everything. It's a lot nicer.

Prabhupāda: It is now winter there?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Yes, wintertime now. Middle of the winter now. Very cold.

Prabhupāda: So better summer is all right. Then they can make ratha regular.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Yes. (end)

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

Prabhupāda: The real education is life. Gurukula means it is a way of life training. It is said that brahmacārī gurukule vasan dānta. This is the way of life: how to learn controlling the senses. Nowadays we have got school, colleges, universities, but this method is not there, how to become dānta. The method is different, that "You can do whatever you like; you simply attend class." That is not the way of life. This is tapasya.

tapasā brahmacaryeṇa
śamena ca damena ca
tyāgena satya-śaucābhyāṁ
yamena niyamena vā
(SB 6.1.13)
This is tapasya. This can be done.
kecit kevalayā bhaktyā
vāsudeva-parāyaṇāḥ
aghaṁ dhunvanti kārtsnyena
nīhāram iva bhāskaraḥ
(SB 6.1.15)

All these things, tapasya can be executed simply by learning devotional service. Then everything is there. Kecit kevalayā bhaktyā. So we are describing these things in our books. If these books are made textbook.... I think in some of the colleges they are making textbooks, our books, in Germany, in Hamburg University. There is university of the name Hamburg?

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

Prabhupāda: Therefore they are selling churches. Nobody is attracted. In London city there are so many churches closed. Nobody goes.

Devotee (1): In Cleveland, also, Prabhupāda, there are so many churches, only five, ten, fifteen people attend, and they are all elderly, elderly ladies.

Hari-śauri: Due to the Pope's taking a firm stand over the not allowing abortion and contraception, like this, they said that the number of practicing Catholics was reduced from seventy-five percent to fifty percent, just simply because of that one principle that he'd stuck to. So twenty-five percent immediately left.

Prabhupāda: Where they have gone? (laughter)

Hari-śauri: Well, they gave up going to church at least.

Dhṛṣṭadyumna: Hopeless life.

Prabhupāda: No, why hopeless? There is hope—Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Dhṛṣṭadyumna: Yes.

Arrival Comments in Car to Temple -- July 9, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: It appears more congested than before.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, business is increasing.

Prabhupāda: Population are increased.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They had a festival to celebrate the Fourth of July in the Battery, down at Battery Park. Four million people attended. We sold prasādam there, over one thousand dollars of prasādam (laughs) was sold from our prasādam cart.

Prabhupāda: They like?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yes. They were selling kacuris, sandwiches.

Prabhupāda: This Doubleday Company, they take our books?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Ah...

Rāmeśvara: I don't know.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I'm not sure.

Rāmeśvara: I don't know. Generally the bookstores, they don't take our books because our distributors are distributing on the street in front of the bookstore, they say it is competition. But the college bookstores, they all take our books. We just got a report from Satsvarūpa Mahārāja that this past month of June in America they sold seventy-five standing orders. And that is remarkable, because all the schools are closed in June, and still they sold them books. They closed for the summer, and still they are ordering your books.

Prabhupāda: In this street I think there is one library office...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, it's Fifty..., it's either Fifty-fifth or Fifty-third, and it's called, it's one of main sub-branches. Yes, it's a very well known one.

Prabhupāda: Free rent?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Free rent.

Comments on Bhagavad-gita Play -- July 12, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: Generally attended by Indians?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, all the guests come. No, actually this kind of performance will be more appreciated even, I mean the ordinary American people will very much appreciate it.

Prabhupāda: Do they come?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yes. Usually at least half or more of our attendance on Sunday is from the Americans.

Sudāmā: And here in New York is very much a theatrical city, entertainment, Broadway and... This theater we have here in our temple is situated in off-Broadway. Our theater downstairs is as high a standard in its interior as any other off-Broadway theater house.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There are two classes, Broadway and off-Broadway theater. Two different classifications. Broadway is very costly, big productions, very elaborate, and off-Broadway is more simple, but also very often there are good plays there. So this particular temple is located in an off-Broadway location. And actually it's very prestigious. We can advertise, and people will attend. They will definitely attend, and they'll even pay for the performances. We don't feel that we should charge yet, until the caliber of the performance is first class and until they have some full program. Because right now, just like this play only took about..., the dance only took about twenty-five minutes.

Prabhupāda: Altogether.

Morning Walk -- July 12, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes, why not?

Rāmeśvara: Because their body is meant...

Prabhupāda: Even Arjuna even went higher planetary systems. But different way. In Bhagavad-gītā it is yānti deva-vratā devān (BG 9.25). And formerly when big, big sacrifices were done, they used to come and attend sacrifice.

Rāmeśvara: The demigods. But in this earth body they can go to another planets?

Prabhupāda: Yes. But he must be competent. The yogis can go. Perpetually, they can go. Just like Durvāsā Muni did. He went.

Hari-śauri: But they want to go and come back.

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Hari-śauri: But they want to go and come back.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is going.

Evening Darsana -- July 13, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: Our men's productive. There must be food production, otherwise how the society will live. That is also a requirement. Good direction required, good government required, good production required, and good worker required. You can explain that there is no understanding of spiritual life. That they are missing the opportunity of human life.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: This Kṛṣṇa consciousness is a spiritual culture, and basically speaking the human society begins from dharma, or accepting the principle of God. Dharma begins with this acceptance of the principle of God, that human beings, their activities, have to be regulated. Just like in human society there is marriage. This is according to scripture. Every scripture regulates there must be marriage. This is dharma. It regulates certain activities that should be done, certain activities that should not be done. And basically speaking this is the beginning of human civilization; otherwise, they're simply living in a civilization of gross sense gratification which is in reality no different or no better than the society of animals. So from dharma, human society begins and generally... You can see practically that dharma generally focuses... People are taking that dharma is for the basis of economic development. This is proven practically because in pioneer times in America for example, people they were simple going to churches and synagogues, and temples and all kinds of things, what have you. And economic development was going on very nicely, in fact, economic development could not have gone on unless there was this principle of religion. People were very, practically speaking... In a pioneer situation people are very barbaric, struggle for existence—you know, you're in the country, there is no road, there's no cities—everyone is very, simply interested to maintain themselves. But by churches and things of this nature, people saw the need for a civilized give-and-take way of living—economic development. Then gradually, the ideas developed further and further, but in modern days we can see that people are having economic developments and there's no need for God, they think at least. In other words, people are no longer attending churches, synagogues, things of this nature, because they are making sufficient money without the need of religion. Therefore, the basic principle is being missed that human life is not simply meant for economic development. Human life—we analyze, we can say that...

Prabhupāda: Human life is meant for making a solution of all material problems.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Evening Darsana -- July 13, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: That is good cause.

Devotee (1): So we are requesting if all the devotees can possibly go?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Devotee (1): In that way they can all attend, if we have a big force...

Prabhupāda: At least, let them hear Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Devotees: Yes.

Devotee (1): I have a feeling it could be just like with the Chand Kazi. When he was... Lord Caitanya made a civil disobedience mood, perhaps if we chant loudly enough...

Prabhupāda: No, by hearing this transcendental vibration they will benefited.

Devotee (2): The actual presidential candidates will be there.

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Devotee (2): Presidential candidates, the candidates for the president of the United States, they'll be there.

Satsvarūpa: They'll all be there tonight.

Prabhupāda: All right, go ahead chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Interview with Newsday Newspaper -- July 14, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: You can take that book.

Interviewer: You are participating in it, are you not?

Prabhupāda: Somewhere when I have opportunity I participate, otherwise they do it.

Rāmeśvara: In other words, Prabhupāda doesn't attend every festival all over the world.

Interviewer: Will you attend the one here in New York?

Prabhupāda: Yes, I go.

Interviewer: How do you choose, you are responsible for the organization.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Interviewer: Are you the one who chooses who runs each center, who is responsible in each temple.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Our program is to open centers in every village, every town, to propagate Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Interview with Religious Editor Of the Associated Press -- July 16, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: We take care, but we take care more for the spirit soul than the body. That is our basic principle.

Interviewer: But do you think most of the Hare Kṛṣṇa members will vote in the election in November?

Prabhupāda: They're attending? (indistinct)

Bali-mardana: He's asking if you think that they will vote, our members will vote.

Interviewer: Will they participate in the election? Will they register and vote do you think?

Prabhupāda: Personally I never give votes.

Interviewer: Never voted. You're a citizen however, aren't you, a U.S. citizen?

Prabhupāda: I am permanent resident.

Bali-mardana: Permanent resident.

Prabhupāda: Immigrant.

Interviewer: Well will they follow your example and not vote?

Prabhupāda: I do not know, but our principle is that I vote for this man or that man, so what is spiritual benefit, that is our point.

Conversation After Interview with Religious Editor, Associated Press -- July 16, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: So you have been in the GBC meeting?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Yes, I was earlier.

Prabhupāda: What is the subject matter?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: We discussed Jagadīśa Prabhu's request to primarily attend his engagement with Gurukula, and we also discussed Satsvarūpa Gosvāmī's desire to attend primarily Library Party.

Prabhupāda: It is good proposal.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: We discussed various difficulties that have been happening in Australia, and that Tamāla Kṛṣṇa should go there and help for..., just for visit, just to help. And then they will report to you.

Prabhupāda: What is Iran's business going on? I got some good report from Nandarāṇī that she is in contact with the Shah's daughter, princess. Is that a fact?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Well, Nandarāṇī Prabhu is doing very well. She's got a Gurukula, a school for the Indian children, they are being well attended. Also Mahārāja, Parivrājakācārya Svāmī, he has been in touch with the Shah's daughter and he's been preaching to them.

Prabhupāda: Shah's son-in-law is interested, I have heard.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Yes, he is interested.

Conversation After Interview with Religious Editor, Associated Press -- July 16, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: They have got two daughters.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Yes. They are there, they also attend Gurukula. They have it regularly now.

Bali-mardana: So that reporter was very impressed. He's a very big reporter. He works for the API, the Associated Press. They give their news to papers all over the world, the news.

Prabhupāda: So let him represent properly.

Bali-mardana: Yes. You have given him a very unique interview, I think, with your analogies.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is there. Why they think Eastern, Western, Jewish, and...? We are talking of the human being. That is the misunderstanding going on, that this is Hindu religion, Eastern religion. Kṛṣṇa begins from the word dehino 'smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13). Find out this. The rascals are taking Hindu, Muslim, Christian. Dehe, the body, and the inner force of the body, He's beginning His teaching. Where is the question of Hindu, Muslim, Christian and Jewish? Still they are misunderstanding, "This is Hindu."

Bali-mardana: It is very hard for them to understand.

Prabhupāda: This is science. Read that.

Room Conversation -- July 17, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: Poughkeepsie. Where it is?

Indian man: It is hundred miles north of New York. I work there. I am an engineer, and I have been trying to spread Kṛṣṇa conscious movement of yours, trying to teach from your Gītā to the Indian community, and I have been slowly trying to get American people also involved. And, as I see, more and more American people are now coming in. And in fact, those people who are very steadfast, who come to attend my class, are the American people. I am very glad to see that they are taking very great interest. And...

Prabhupāda: Indians are not taking so much.

Indian man: No, sir, I'm...

Prabhupāda: Indians are baḍa sāheb(?) (laughs)

Indian man: Ah. You see they have been going to...

Prabhupāda: Ready?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda. I wanted to just finalize when you would join the festival tomorrow. I wanted to fix that up, so I could, you know, just do that. We're leaving Fifty-ninth Street at two o'clock, and we're reaching downtown, the park, at four o'clock. In other words, it takes two hours, the route. At four o'clock we're going to have a Winnebago. Winnebago is like a small bus which has a, it has a lavatory in it.

Hari-śauri: Like Satsvarūpa Mahārāja's traveling bus.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Right. It has a bathroom in it. That's going to accompany the parade in case at any time you require it, that will be right there. So it can go alongside the cart. At four o'clock we'll arrive, and at about four-thirty Kīrtanānanda Mahārāja will give a short introduction for you, and at four forty-five you'll speak. So at four forty-five you're expected to give the lecture. It begins at two o'clock at Fifty-ninth Street for two hours. Then by five or five-fifteen the whole thing will be over. So I wanted to know what time you would like to join the parade.

Prabhupāda: So you suggest.

Room Conversation -- July 18, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: And that cannot be expected from any other group, only in this group. Such a huge crowd, and there was not a single instance of violence.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Except that one tie. One boy was punched out.

Hari-śauri: (referring to 7-UP) I sent someone out.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The procession was very well attended.

Prabhupāda: Television.

Bali-mardana: Oh, yes, ABC, CBS, and Channel Five.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: All of the GBC men said it was the biggest single festival ever held in ISKCON's history. They all admitted that there was no festival ever held anywhere, even in India, no single festival in India. There was not any one day at any pandal where there was that many people who took prasādam and who attended such a long procession for two hours.

Prabhupāda: I think in the beginning... (microphone rattling) You were there.

Room Conversation -- July 18, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Even without getting a card.

Prabhupāda: No, this is better, to give a card. Many Indians were standing when I came.

Bali-mardana: Did you see the Indians?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think at least three thousand Indians attended, minimum. A huge crowd of Indians, but the big thing was not the Indians, it was the American people.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's a good location for the festival, very important place, Washington Square Park. It's the center.

Prabhupāda: Best thing would have been to keep the Deities for a week there.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That would not have been permitted. They only permitted us legally two hours for everything. That's why we were rushing everything. We only had two hours legally for the whole program.

Prabhupāda: Yes, then there is no need.

Room Conversation -- August 2, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Prabhupāda: And if you do it very carefully, then you'll never get disease. Take simple food, neat and clean, you'll not get disease. So everything depends on eating to keep the health proper. But these things can be simplified when the life is simple. If I go to work in office at this time, then so many things become topsy-turvied. But if you depend on yourself, either as a brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya, you haven't got to depend on others, then you can do timely. Now we have to go fifty miles at least to attend office. In your country at least, this is the system. They are coming from Long Island, Liberty Island. In New York I have seen. Three, four hours to go to work. And again three, four hours to come to home. And work there eight hours. Then what is value? He's shattered. He has no other solace than wine, and he has no other culture. No family, dog friend (laughter) and television idea, that's all. What his life? Every man has got a dog friend because he has no family. Men, women, and television, engagement, I have seen it, all this, in New York.

Room Conversation -- August 2, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Prabhupāda: The classes should be regularly held. Those who are engaged in the field work, then let them work, but woman or others, they should hear in the class. They should attend.

Bhagavān: There is regular class for everyone in the afternoon after prasādam.

Prabhupāda: That's nice. What they are saying now? (kīrtana heard from downstairs)

Bhagavān: Downstairs? "Haribol." People cannot understand how just by chanting enthusiastic kīrtana so many problems can be solved.

Prabhupāda: Yes. What they understand, all rascals? Wasting time. Going to the moon planet, going to the Mars planet. Why? What you will gain? Still they are going. Simply spending money. In Bengal it is called ostādi. Ostādi, in English? One who places himself as very intelligent leader. What is called in one word?

Bhagavān: Presumptuous?

Prabhupāda: Presumptions?

Bhagavān: Presumes he's something that he's...

Prabhupāda: No, it is a very nice word.

Room Conversation -- August 11, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: So in other words, that they are not yet conversant with the things, and still they are claiming to be scientist. They do not know thoroughly how things are happening, and still they are taking the credit of becoming scientist.

Dayānanda: They have developed a branch of mathematics that deals with chance, things happening with chance.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that mathematics department is now being closed. You know that? Nobody cares to attend that mathematic meeting. People are becoming disinterested with these chance theories. There is one Dr. Henderson, you know? He became doctor in that field. He's not getting job, now he's manufacturing incense.

Dayānanda: Oh, George Henderson?

Prabhupāda: George Henderson. He has no job here. All these theoretical doctors are no longer required by (indistinct).

Devotee (2): I was reading the other day that they are doing some experiments on Mars. They have twenty-two different theories about this one idea. Just this one little idea, twenty-two different theories.

Prabhupāda: Theory means they are not certain.

Evening Darsana -- August 15, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Your mind, his business is to think something. But ordinarily the thinking is we accept something and reject something. Or accept the same thing and again reject the same thing. This business is going on. But if you think of question, there is no question of rejecting. Simply accepting. Then it is fixed up. Other things you accept and reject. Something we accept as "Oh, it is very good." Again, "No, no, it is not good." Accepting childish. Child is playing, one type of playing, "No, no, another one." That is material. And when you fix up, no rejection, simply accept it, that is Kṛṣṇa... So if you think of Kṛṣṇa... Just like here is temple. If you come and, as other devotees are doing, if you do, if you attend maṅgala-ārati, if you attend bhoga-ārati, always see, then offer obeisances, then naturally you will think of Kṛṣṇa. Then as you think of Kṛṣṇa, you become purified. Just like if you touch with fire you remain always warm. Similarly man-manā, if you always think of Kṛṣṇa, you gradually become fully Kṛṣṇized, Kṛṣṇa's devotee, Kṛṣṇa's servant. That is perfection. There is no difficulty. People will not do that. That is the difficulty. "Why shall I think of Kṛṣṇa? I shall think of this, I shall think of that." This is difficulty. Otherwise not difficulty. You have to think something, think of Kṛṣṇa. That's all. Finished. (Hindi with guest) Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). Duṣkṛtinaḥ (Hindi) Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). (Hindi) Beating with shoes by māyā, that's all. (Hindi) "Come here, māyā, kick on me."(?) (Hindi) (someone enters) Oh, when you have come?

Woman: This morning.

Room Conversation About Mayapura Construction -- August 19, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Jayapatākā: Now the price of rice has gone up by about eighty paisa. From two rupees to two-eighty. So the poor class of people, they are in a very bad situation. So now our attendance has gone up from twelve hundred to two thousand on that Saturday and Sunday, each day. So we have two shifts. So many people are coming that they come from ten o'clock in the morning and wait because otherwise they can't get a boat in time to cross the river. So then we were very surprised to read in a recent newsletter from LA that "They're going to restart the food relief." But we never knew it stopped. We never knew that they had stopped the food relief. We saw then that he said, "They're going to restart." But we never stopped, and we were very surprised to see that. And now they say...

Prabhupāda: Who said?

Jayapatākā: Rāmeśvara.

Gargamuni: To maintain this food relief from the centers only requires what? Fifteen hundred dollars a month. So little amount and so much service is done.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation About Mayapura Construction -- August 19, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: He can do, Svarūpa. He can take training, and he can do. And then, gradually, others will join.

Jayapatākā: I think all the children, they could become brahmacārīs. If the parents would be agreeable, they could become brahmacārīs and attend morning some class, then go to school. In this way the whole village could be made Kṛṣṇa conscious at least by chanting and...

Prabhupāda: Chanting is the main thing. Chanting and distributing prasādam.

Jayapatākā: If we get prasādam, then... I think that they all contribute some grain. They are very poor agricultural people, but there's no theft there. I asked. There's one man who has three acres. Three bighās of land he's giving. So they just grow their rice there and...

Prabhupāda: You can ask that instead of making paraṭā, a light khicuḍi in the morning. That is...

Hari-śauri: Instead of that sabji and everything.

Prabhupāda: No, sabji can make.

Room Conversation About Mayapura Construction -- August 19, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Ācchā? What is your fault?

Jayapatākā: They always thought, because I am not so outspoken, that "Jayapatākā, we can get him to do as we like." But ultimately I don't do anything for them either, so now they don't like me either. Bhavānanda openly was against, and I was passive. I didn't say anything. But when they came to me I also... Actually I am afraid. Mādhava Mahārāja he invited me to attend his program, some festival day.

Prabhupāda: Where?

Jayapatākā: At his Maṭha.

Prabhupāda: Ten days? Ten days.

Jayapatākā: No, it was a three-day program. He invited us for one day. But I was afraid to go. He might even poison me. They personally went...

Prabhupāda: That is their business, especially Mādhava Mahārāja.

Room Conversation About Mayapura Construction -- August 19, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Yes, it may not be the association of lazy people. Free hotel. No.

Jayapatākā: Bhavānanda, he's strict on that.

Gargamuni: He's very strict. Without working, no one can eat.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Not only work. Attending the program. That is essential.

Jayapatākā: They all attend maṅgala-ārati, evening ārati. They should also attend morning class.

Prabhupāda: That's nice. Work is partial. These things are essential.

Jayapatākā: Maṅgala-ārati and morning class.

Gargamuni: But some of these men are workers. They're not...

Prabhupāda: No, our cloth necessities are supplied by ourselves? The cloth?

Jayapatākā: The difficulty is right now we have twenty thousand rupees worth of cloth in stock. That is all profit. We only are three thousand rupees in debt. But we have all the cloth. We have no customers.

Prabhupāda: Why?

Gargamuni: There's no customers. We have a huge stock...

Prabhupāda: You send immediately to America. They will pay.

Room Conversation About Mayapura Construction -- August 19, 1976, Hyderabad:

Jayapatākā: Purchase one room. Eight, ten thousand rupees.

Prabhupāda: No, fifty thousand, I think. In Vṛndāvana we are selling sixty thousand. Sixty thousand.

Gargamuni: No, but those rooms have attached baths. In our room there is no attached bath.

Prabhupāda: No, I mean to say in Vṛndāvana, that... Or anywhere. Whatever money is fixed up, let him pay, live in his room comfortably and we give him free prasāda. There is no harm. But he must attend the ārati and rules and regulations. There is no...

Jayapatākā: No tea, nor... All the rules he should follow.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Jayapatākā: Attend the program.

Prabhupāda: Even if old men cannot follow, still, he should be given.

Gargamuni: What about tea?

Prabhupāda: Tea. Tea can... Then he'll caught. That is not.

Morning Walk -- August 31, 1976, Delhi:

Indian man (3): This is same reincarnation. They think that he has gone. I won't be going, so I'll keep everything with me. We attend so many places where people die and we think, "Oh, he is gone but maybe I am not going to go."

Devotee: The ancient Egyptians used to put all their treasures...

Indian man (3): We don't understand that "All right, this is the end." So why not we understand and think in that line? That day you said that by chanting he thinks that he's chanting, maybe other people don't chant. So they don't know that they have to go. They think they are going to survive here only. They don't want to accept that they have to go, I think.

Prabhupāda: That means they do not want death. That I have...

Indian man (3): Yes. But definitely others are going and we won't go also.

Prabhupāda: That means he doesn't want to die. That is a concoction. Other side is that he doesn't want to die. It is the expression of the same sentiment in a different way.

Room Conversation -- September 5, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Four batches. That means six hours, four. Three hours. Three hours. Not four hours. So one batch four hours. From morning six to nine. Another batch from nine to twelve. Another batch twelve to three. Another batch three to six. Again the morning batch six to...

Akṣayānanda: Eight different batches, that makes a total of thirty-two.

Prabhupāda: That's all. Not, why thirty-two? Twice one batch. One batch attending once in the morning, once in the evening.

Indian man: Sixteen. (Hindi)

Prabhupāda: So then if there is fifty men, we cannot spare sixteen men?

Akṣayānanda: Very nice.

Prabhupāda: Everything is nice. Only to be managed. Only to be managed. So I am prepared, I'll pay you. Even if you have no money I'll pay you five thousand rupees. Keep fifty men.

Akṣayānanda: I don't think it's necessary for you to pay.

Prabhupāda: So if necessary, I'm prepared. That's all right.

Room Conversation About Gurukula -- November 5, 1976, Vrndavana:

Jagadīśa: Some of the younger boys chant six or eight rounds instead of sixteen. They chant that much during that time and then they study. Then they attend the temple program, guru-pūjā and Bhāgavatam class. And then after that, they go upstairs, wash their clothes and clean the āśrama. That takes them about an hour, to wash their clothes and sweep and cleanse the floor, cleanse the shower room, wash their clothes...

Prabhupāda: Now, when they chant the mantras?

Jagadīśa: Brahma-saṁhitā?

Prabhupāda: Or any...

Jagadīśa: Any mantras. At... Right now they're chanting from nine until 9:30 in the morning with Yaśodānandana Mahārāja.

Prabhupāda: Not in the, early in the morning?

Yaśodānandana: In the early morning I take some of the boys in the Deity room between 5:30 and six the boys and the Deities.

Prabhupāda: Deity means temple.

Jagadīśa: Yes.

Morning Walk -- December 25, 1976, Bombay:

Guest (1): Yes. That is the truth.

Prabhupāda: Yes. And Subash Bose was always against this nonviolent means. That is the difference of opinion with Gandhi. So he wanted to capture the whole power, and he captured, but Gandhi became so angry upon him that he did not attend the Congress when Subash Bose was elected President. Then other lieutenants-Subash Bose also was Gandhi's student—so when others planned, requested that "Gandhiji is not happy. You better resign." So he resigned, and tactfully he went out of India. He knew that "So long Gandhi is there, my policy... I'll not be able because there will be..."

Guest (1): Always opposition.

Prabhupāda: "...opposition." Therefore he went out and organized the INA, and that was successful. It is not Gandhi's noncooperation movement.

Room Conversation -- December 27, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Chanting, dancing.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually...

Prabhupāda: They haven't got to attend other classes. Let them chant and dance, kīrtana, other one hour. Because here is the class. They'll simply sit down in that yogic posture and hear. That's all. You explain.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: These people are... I understand this...

Jagadīśa: No, they have a misconception what yoga is.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I know, I know. But if we want to get repeat business...

Prabhupāda: No no, we are not after business. This is our...

Hari-śauri: Our program is the most attractive.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Roof Conversation -- January 5, 1977, Bombay:

Indian lady: But the students go for examination in the board also.

Prabhupāda: Examination or no examination, if you, they practice the rules, that is sufficient examination. Suppose one of the items, that one has to rise early in the morning... So if one is rising early in the morning, then what is the examination? That is already examined. If one has to rise early in the morning, attend the maṅgala-ārati, sitting in the class and reading Bhagavad-gītā, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa... These are all practical. There is no need of examination. If he is doing, then it is examination passed.

Indian lady: But the parents want certificate.

Prabhupāda: Therefore, if you want to satisfy the parents, the government, then it is not possible. You have to satisfy Kṛṣṇa.

Indian lady: They have to go in colleges.

Prabhupāda: I know that. Therefore I said that if you have to satisfy so many masters, it is not possible.

Room Conversation -- January 7, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: It is very precarious condition. So we want to give them, all of them, "Come and live." But when you come here, if you get husband we have no objection. But don't canvass. That is not good. And that is making our sannyāsīs fall down. Of course, it is difficult, that young men, young women living, intermingling. But it is... Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to reform everything. Even there there is such desire it should be checked. And that can be checked if one is strictly Kṛṣṇa conscious. Otherwise not possible. So these things should be... Because the Kali-yuga, the more it advances, people will be suffering in so many ways. And the only solace is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, only solution. If one becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, then he (she) doesn't require husband. He (she) does not require. He... She knows that "Kṛṣṇa is my protector. Why shall I artificially seek after father or...?" And what protection, for a few days either the father or the son or the husband may give? Real protection is Kṛṣṇa. This is temporary, but because we have got this material body we require some. In this way... And this kind of hypocrisy—they have taken sannyāsa and mixing with woman. This is not to be allowed. If you want woman you get yourself married, live respectfully. We have no objection. But this hypocrisy should be stopped. There have been so many fallen down. First of all there will be no sannyāsī anymore. I have got very bad experience. And at least, we are not going to create new sannyāsīs. And those who have fallen down, let them marry, live like respectable gentlemen. I have no objection. After all, young man, fallen down—that's all right. It is by nature's way. But marry that girl. That I am insisting from the very beginning, that no friendly liaison. If you want, get one nice... They are, all of them qualified. Get one wife and live like a gentleman. Similarly woman. Live with one husband fastidiously, with children. What is the wrong there? We have so many gṛhastha devotees. You have got children. Pradyumna has got child. Gopāla has... Live with husband, wife. There is no restriction for husband and wife. But what is this nonsense that you take sannyāsa and make relation with...? This should be completely stopped. And in our, this campus, actually those who are eager to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they should live, nobody else. We give free food, free apartment, cloth and everything. "Come here. Live. As far as possible we shall provide." But this is specially meant for bhagavad-bhajana. Attend ārati, early rise in the morning, attend the functions, take prasādam... In this way everything will be reorganized, not loose things. Then what is the use of...? We have got such a... And so far the tenants are concerned, if it is possible, give them money; let them go. One, two, some have gone, and others... This whole campus should be for devotees.

Room Conversation -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: ...in Vṛndāvana. And try to organize this Gurukula as their world attraction. That will be your success. Simply teach them nicely English and Sanskrit. And our books are there. And regular habits: going to the Yamunā in procession, timely get up early in the morning, attending class, clean dress, clean bedding, clean room. Śikhā-sūtra. The Vāmanadeva gave this description. Where is that book?

Jagadīśa: I don't know. Pradyumna may have taken it.

Prabhupāda: There were two books. Woman... Girls should be taught how to become faithful wife, how to learn nice cooking, cleansing, dressing. Simple method. There is no objection of their becoming scholar, but that is not necessary. They have got natural inclination to give service by cooking, cleansing, dressing. Cleanliness is the first necessity. That is hygienic, spiritual, and calm, quiet. India has got special facility to remain clean. Only in this country you can take thrice bathing. In other countries... Easy there. In your country there is hot water. There is no difficulty if one practices. I think our men have such practice. But this cleanness is this taking bathing at least twice. That keeps a man very clean.

Morning Discussion about Kumbhamela -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Our visitors, they have got facility to come?

Gurudāsa: Yes. We have Life Member tents, and some visitors have been coming. I have been receiving them. So we have... There's one thing I wanted to ask you. A lot of youths are coming, Western youths, some hippies, but mostly clean. Some hippies. But there are two hippies, and I saw what they were like, and I didn't allow them to stay. But mostly our camp is... Until the devotees come, there are some tents that are empty. So they said, "We need a place to stay. Is it all right?" So I said, "Tonight you can stay. Then I'll let you know later on." And we preached to them. We have a morning program there, and we have an evening program. So they attended. So I thought with your permission I could erect some tents, not in our living area... The chokidhars I put outside, right on the gate, because I didn't think they should live in our area, but they should be there, so the chokidhars have a tent. I thought behind the pandal I could erect some tents, or even behind our tin where people wouldn't see them so much, we could invite some guests, charge them something for living and preach to them.

Prabhupāda: Hm. But they smoke.

Gurudāsa: Yes, some will.

Prabhupāda: That is bad.

Room Conversation -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: You are not attending Kumbha Mela. You are going to Delhi from here.

Jagadīśa: I'm thinking about going to Kumbha Mela first, for a couple of days.

Prabhupāda: Anywhere, this is our main program. Print books as many as possible and distribute. This is our main program. All other programs are secondary. So with this aim in view, work all together. Our Caitanya-caritāmṛta is unique literature. For Caitanya-caritāmṛta, we are above any ācārya. There are four ācāryas: Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī... But our Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's legacy, ācārya's, that is unique. Anarpita-cariṁ cirāt karuṇayāvatīrṇa kalau. Here the Supreme Personality of Godhead is personally teaching-ācārya. Anarpita-cariṁ cirāt karuṇayāvatīrṇa kalau samarpayitum unnatojjvala-rasam. The highest topmost bliss, madhurya. These dealings of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, madhurya-rasa, is the contribution of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. All other ācāryas, they could not give up to this. All other ācāryas, they contributed up to friendship, no vatsalya, neither madhurya. That is this contribution of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. There was dealings of mother Yasoda with Kṛṣṇa in the Bhāgavata. The Vallabhācāryas'...,they have got Bala-kṛṣṇa. But the dealings of gopīs with Kṛṣṇa, that was not granted. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's contribution. Anarpita-carim means was never contributed. Anarpita-cariṁ cirāt karuṇayāvatīrṇa kalau samarpayitum unnatojjvala-rasaṁ sva-bhakti-sriyam, hariḥ pūvata-sundara-dyuti-kadamba-sandipitaḥ sadā hṛdaya-kandare sphurati... That is the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. How do they like Caitanya-caritāmṛta in Western...?

Rāmeśvara: The devotees like it. They relish.

Prabhupāda: It is for the devotees. It is not for the neophyte.

Morning Darsana and Room Conversation Ramkrishna Bajaj and friends -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Faith. Yes. Faith means firm faith. Faith does not mean... Anyway, ādau śraddhā. This śraddhā, if we increase this śraddhā, you have to associate with sādhu.. And who is sādhu? Bhajate mām ananya-bhāk sādhur eva samantavyaḥ. He is sādhu, who is simply engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service. He is sādhu. Api cet sudurācāraḥ: "Even though you find there is some discrepancies in his character, because he is fully engaged in My service, he is sādhu." Sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ samyag vyavasito hi saḥ (BG 9.30). If he has got other engagement, he is not sādhu. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam: (Brs. 1.1.11) "Other engagement zero." That is sādhu. The sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83). You have to associate with such sādhus who are cent percent engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service. Ādau śraddhā tato sādhu-saṅgaḥ tato bhajana-kriyā. If you mix with the sādhu, then you'll learn the activities. Sādhu-mārgānugamanam. The sādhus are rising early in the morning; they are attending maṅgala ārati, they are reading Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, then dressing the Deity and having ārati and so on, so on, so on. This is called bhajana-kriyā. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgo 'tha bhajana (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15). Then anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt: then all these material activities will stop. Because if you are engaged in spiritual act..., where is your time for material activities, for drinking wine and eating meat and going to the restaurant and...? No time. These boys, although they are trained up from childhood how to eat meat, how to drink, but now they have no time. They never ask me, "Swamiji, give me one rupee. I shall go to the cinema." Never. They have no time. Anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt, all anarthas finished. These are the stages. Then his life becomes of devotion.

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Rāmeśvara: So this is a study published in Los Angeles Times on January 2nd. It says, "The year 1976 could mark the beginning of a new religious revival in America, judging from recent Gallop surveys of public opinion. The surveys found: 1) For the first time in nearly twenty years there was an increase in church attendance"—first time in twenty years—"with 42% of all adults in America attending church or synogogue in any typical week." Once a week 42% of the adult population, almost half. "2) The proportion of Americans who believe that religion is increasing its influence on American life has tripled since 1970." In other words the public thinks that religion is now influencing American life. The number of people who think like that has gone up.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is due to this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement.

Rāmeśvara: I think so.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Rāmeśvara: Then number three—this is very significant—"A substantial number of Americans have developed an interest in the inner, or spiritual, life." They make a distinction between religion and spiritual.

Prabhupāda: Actually religion means spiritual.

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Rāmeśvara: "To estimate the average church attendance in 1976, surveys..." Oh, this just tells you how they took the survey. "So analysis of these figures shows that church attendance is up among all major population groups. The Catholics are better attendees than the Protestants. Women go more often than men." Women go more often than men in America. "Southerners and the Mid-Western"—from the South and the Mid-West—"they attend more frequently than they do in the East, and far more than those living in the West." So this says that people in the West, like California, they're the least religious. People in the East, like New York and Pennsylvania, they're a little more religious, and people in the Mid-West and the South, they're the most religious according to this survey. "Those who are under thirty years of age are less likely to go to church than those who are thirty and over." Younger people... Same trend, giving up...

Prabhupāda: They come to us.

Rāmeśvara: Yes. They come to us. "Whites and nonwhites attend with equal frequency." Not that the white people are more religious; black people are less. "People with a college background are more likely to go to church regularly than those who never went to college, but people who never went..." In other words, they're saying if you went to high school but you did not go to college, the chances are you will not go to church as much as if you went to college. But if people went to grade school and then they left without going to high school or without going to college... That means they left at, say, fifteen years old. Then they have the best chance for going to church. That means the less education you are given in America, the more religious.

Prabhupāda: That is everywhere.

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Torture. They like to see that somebody is tortured by another.

Hari-śauri: All the movies are becoming increasingly more violent. And on TV.

Rāmeśvara: Yes, actually there is... I was just told. There is one movie now which is breaking all the records for attendance. It is called "The Omen," and it is about a prophecy in the Bible called the Antichrist. This idea is that the Devil comes from hell to the planet earth, and he impregnates one woman, and then his son is born. So the son is called Antichrist, son of the Devil. And he is very powerful with mystic power, very evil, and he takes over the whole world. So there's a movie now about this, and it's breaking all the sales records. And in the movie they have all sorts of ghastly things happening. This is what people like to see. They like to be scared. Horror movies are also very popular. People go to the movie, and they come out, and they have nightmares for a week. It is so frightening with special effects, and that is... They are paying money to be frightened.

Prabhupāda: While sometimes the movies that are demonstrated in the plane, I close my eyes. I do not like to see them because that impression carries. It is a very disturbing fact to me.

Evening Conversation -- January 25, 1977, Puri:

Prabhupāda: Our things on the veranda can be kept inside. Because they are here, somebody may... So many men are coming and going.

Satsvarūpa: "All the members of the council were either great sages or brāhmaṇas of the first order. They did not accept any salary, nor had they any necessity for such salaries. The state would get the best advice without expenditure. They were themselves sama-darśī, equal to everyone, both man and animals. They would not advise the king to give protection to the man and instruct him to kill the poor animals. Such council members were not fools or representatives to compose a fool's paradise. They were all self-realized souls, and they knew perfectly well how all living beings in the state would be happy both in this life and the next. They were not concerned with the hedonistic philosophy of 'Eat, drink, be merry and enjoy.' They were philosophers in the real sense, and they knew well what is the mission of human life. Under all these obligations, the advisory council of the king would give correct directions, and the king or executive head, being himself a qualified devotee of the Lord, would scrutinizingly follow them for the welfare of the state. The state in the days of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira or Mahārāja Parīkṣit was a welfare state in the real sense of the term, because no one was unhappy in that state, be he man or animal. Mahārāja Parīkṣit was an ideal king for the welfare state of the world."(text 1, Ch. 16, First Canto Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Continues to read text two and purport with no comment from Śrīla Prabhupāda) Text 3:

ājahārāśva-medhāṁs trīn
gaṅgāyāṁ bhūri-dakṣiṇān
śāradvataṁ guruṁ kṛtvā
devā yatrākṣi-gocarāḥ

Translation: "Mahārāja Parīkṣit, after having selected Kṛpācārya for guidance as his spiritual master, performed three horse sacrifices on the banks of the Ganges. These were executed with sufficient rewards for the attendants. And at these sacrifices, even the common man could see demigods." Purport: "It appears from this verse that interplanetary travel by the denizens of higher planets is easy. In many statements in Bhāgavatam we have observed that the demigods from heaven used to visit this earth to attend sacrifices performed by influential kings and emperors. Herein also we find that during the time of the horse sacrifice ceremony of Mahārāja Parīkṣit, the demigods from other planets were visible even for the common man due to the sacrificial ceremony. The demigods are not generally visible to common men as the Lord is not visible. But as the Lord also by His causeless mercy descends to be visible to the common man..."

Prabhupāda: This is the real answer. They want to see.

Evening Conversation -- January 25, 1977, Puri:

Prabhupāda: By practically knowing he's a... Are you independent, anyone? Everyone is servant. He's serving his senses. That's all. He's servant. He's never master. But he has become the servant of māyā or senses. That's all. He has to change only; instead of becoming servant of māyā, be servant of Kṛṣṇa. Servant he is. Where he'll go? How he will become master? To remain a servant is his position. He cannot become master. That is false pride. As soon as he wants to be master, that is false pride. That is māyā. "So if I am servant, then I have to serve. So why shall I serve the senses' dictation? I will serve Kṛṣṇa, what He says." So he's self-realized immediately, within a second. Where is the difficulty to become self-realized? Hm? Is there any difficulty? He must know that "I am serving. I am never master. But serving the senses, that's all, whims of the senses in the name of independence." That is not possible. Very simple philosophy. One who understands, he's self-realized. And if he preaches, then he becomes recognized. On this principle we shall help everyone. "Come here. Stay with us nicely. Nicely you can. But serve Kṛṣṇa. We take responsibility." Organize in this way throughout the whole world. Give them shelter; give them food; give them cloth. That is the most benevolent welfare activity in the human society. So here people have generally tendency to come to the beach to enjoy. "All right, we shall give you a place. Come on. Stay here. You haven't got to pay anything for food or lodging. Simply attend ārati, classes. Then... For experiment, three days' period, you see."

Evening Conversation -- January 25, 1977, Puri:

Prabhupāda: Anyone.

Satsvarūpa: Even those three days they have to attend the maṅgala-ārati?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Maṅgala-ārati they must attend. It is not that sleeping, "gongongon," and taking free food, no.

Gargamuni: No. Even in Māyāpur we wake them up at four.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that must be. Why Māyāpur? Vṛndāvana, they are accustomed. Yā devī sarva-bhūteṣu nidra... This sleeping is the māyā's influence. It is stated in the... Yā devī sarva-bhūteṣu nidra-rūpeṇa saṁsthitaḥ.(?) The Devī, this material energy, has captured everyone, and she is there... The more one sleeps, that means he's under the control of māyā. And the more he is not sleeping, he's free from māyā. Nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau **. The Gosvāmīs, they conquered over three things: nidrā, sleeping; āhāra, eating; and mating. These things are the clutches of māyā. More we have sex, more we have eating, more we have sleeping, that means I am entangled. The more we conquer over it, we are free. That we have to try. Whether I am in the clutches of māyā or not can be tested—whether I am sleeping more, whether I am eating more, whether I am more sexually inclined. He can test himself. And bhakti means vairāgya-vidyā, to conquer over these three things. So practice this. They are... To rise early in the morning and attend maṅgala-ārati is compulsory. It is part of this education, spiritual education. And not to eat more than necessary. Then you'll not sleep more. You'll find, if you observe fast, you won't feel sleepy. Have you tested this?

Gargamuni: Yes. I can remember.

Prabhupāda: Therefore ekādaśī. One day or two days in the month he should practice fasting, and then he'll be able to conquer over these things. These are all practical. So we should practice ourself and teach others. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. And if he thinks that he's quite all right in this material atmosphere, then he's doomed. Mūḍhaḥ nābhijānāti. That means aprāpya mām—without achieving Kṛṣṇa—nivartante—again he goes back-mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani (BG 9.3)—the cycle of birth and death. Take one birth, suffer, again take another body, again take another body, another body. There are 400..., eight million four hundred... That's all. Sometimes so-called happiness, he is born as demigod, sometimes as dog, sometimes as insect, sometimes as tree. What is this business? "I am eternal. Why shall I suffer this?" This is sense. They are simply trying how to become a hog, how to become a dog, or how to become a god. God you cannot become. You may have some partial happiness just like the demigods. They have got power. They have got high standard of living. But that does not mean the solution of the problem. Solution of problem means no more birth, no more death. That is solution. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). That is solution. And if he remains in the birth-and-death cycle, that is not solution of material problem. Who can understand this science? They have accepted birth and death. But birth they do not believe. They think accidentally it grows within the womb, a lump of matter, and at a certain stage there is life. This is their... Do they not think like that?

Satsvarūpa: Oh, yes.

Room Conversation -- January 27, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31). Do that. Where is the loss? You gain. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu has recommended, kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva. You chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Guest (1): Because he must be attending ārati and all that, so...

Prabhupāda: Then he'll not require. If he's in office...

Guest (1): He didn't want to change his clothes.

Prabhupāda: No, no, that...

Guest (1): He can do japa

Prabhupāda: No, no. It doesn't matter. If you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa always, the medicine is there already. Then it will rectify you automatically. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Where is the loss? It is open for everyone. Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam, kalau nāsty eva (CC Adi 17.21). Especially in this age it is very difficult to... But if you take to this harer nāma, then gradually ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). Everything will be cleansed within your heart and you'll understand. You take to this immediately. Somebody is giving prasāda?

Room Conversation with Two Indian Guests -- January 27, 1977, Jagannatha Puri:

Guest (1): Had to go.

Prabhupāda: Yes. No. They knew that "We are not going. So long the nonviolence is there, we are safe." They were occasionally calling Gandhi and patting him: "Sir, why you are doing this? Let us compromise," because he knew that "So long nonviolence will continue, we are safe." But Subash Bose's protest was that "If you don't take to violence, then these people are never going." That was the difference of opinion between Subash Bose and... So when he was taking the Congress in hand, Gandhi became so angry that Subash Bose, being elected President, Gandhi did not attend the Congress. So other workers, he requested Subash Bose that "You resign. Otherwise Gandhi will not."(?) So he resigned. He done right. And then he thought that "Unless I go out of India, I cannot do anything." Then he managed to go out of India, and Singapore, he... Indians with their help and Hitler's intervention, he organized this INA. And when the Britisher's saw that "Now the soldiers are joining national movement, then we cannot rule over," then they decided, "Let us make some compromise, and as much possible, do harm. Divide this India, Pakistan and India, and go away." This is fact.

Room Conversation -- January 28, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Gurukṛpā: Nor could they afford one sweet apiece. They were giving us...

Hari-śauri: Breaking off our one sweet. And no one's attending their āratis or...

Gurukṛpā: In Māyāpur now so many people come. The road is not big enough. The road is not big enough.

Prabhupāda: Ācchā?

Gurukṛpā: Yes. There's that many people coming. I could not believe. So many people. And just a regular weekend. We need one way in and one way out.

Prabhupāda: Big road.

Gurukṛpā: Yes. So many people coming, all respectable people.

Prabhupāda: Our gateways, you mean to say.

Gargamuni: This year we've noticed that more respectable people are coming, well dressed, from the areas.

Prabhupāda: That, er... Behind our new house, that Muhammadan wanted to sell that land. But if he wants to sell at our price, not his price, we can take it.

Room Conversation -- February 3, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Yes, not joke. Unless he's God representative, how he can be so famous? That we know. I told in Melbourne, "What is your idea of Jesus Christ?" And "He's our guru," I told. You remember that?

Hari-śauri: I don't... That was at one of those...

Prabhupāda: The priest meeting.

Hari-śauri: Yes. I didn't attend that. I wasn't there.

Prabhupāda: They asked me. And, "He's our guru." They very much appreciated. He is preaching God's consciousness, so he is our guru, spiritual master. That's a fact. Don't take him otherwise. He's guru.

Hari-śauri: It's just his nonsense followers.

Prabhupāda: Guruṣu nara-matiḥ. Such person, great personality, why shall think of him as ordinary human being? That is nārakī-buddhi.

Hari-śauri: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Anyone who is preaching God's glories, he is guru. So how can I decry him? He is guru. Tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Unless one is guru how he can preach about God?

Hari-śauri: Yes. Actually we have a much better appreciation of Jesus than anyone.

Room Conversation -- February 12, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Ordinary soil flower does not grow?

Jayapatākā: No, it... Not so well. In our city project we are thinking that those laborers who would be devotees, mostly the labor class, they won't like to live separate from their families. So we were thinking that they could be paid something, and then they would give half of that, as you suggested, back. In this way they would be devotees, And they would eat prasāda with everyone and attend all the programs, but they'd buy their own cloth and things with the other half. But they would have to have separate quarters somewhere.

Prabhupāda: Where? Within our campus or outside?

Jayapatākā: That would be a separate area. Of course, in that vast city project there was enough room for different quarters where one place brahmacārīs could stay, other place, families. Just like now it's actually getting overcrowded for the handlooms. We should have a separate, one big handloom place. That would be more efficient.

Prabhupāda: Where you have?

Jayapatākā: Where... Just the place would have to be... Their place is a bit irregular. Seeing the ultimate plan, we have to find out one place. It would be in this area somewhere. Now they're keeping records of how much is spent on agriculture, and how much is received. So what is the profit or loss, that can be ascertained. And actually that's not such a threat because I know that many of the things he is doing by contract. If at some time we need outside laborer for, say, harvest time, we need to harvest—so we pay them ten rupees or twenty rupees to harvest one bighā. So there is no question of labor. That is the contract.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- February 14, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Oh, that is... (laughs)

Brahmānanda: And this representative will attend every hearing.

Prabhupāda: That is nice. That is very nice.

Brahmānanda: As official... And he was ordered to do so by Indira.

Prabhupāda: Yes, the Home member. The Home member said to... "We want that this movement should be spread all over the world."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The representative said that "Our government is nonsectarian, but within our country so many people are Hindus, and this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is the religion of all these people. This is the actual religion of these people. It is authentic."

Prabhupāda: Yes. How they can...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, they... They have no case at all.

Prabhupāda: (laughs) They want to speak brainwash, and here is the university psychiatrist. He says, "No, it is not brainwash." So handle very carefully.

Morning Room Conversation -- February 16, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Ācchā?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, they love that. Of course, Bhagavad-gītā is the most well known, but people enjoy that Kṛṣṇa book. From the Kṛṣṇa book they get the clear idea who Kṛṣṇa is.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That was my... "Let them know at least what is Kṛṣṇa." That is selling nicely.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Very nicely. I would say that the lay public, that is to say the people who attend our temples but are not becoming the full-time devotees, they especially read Kṛṣṇa book and Gītā.

Prabhupāda: And that theologian, he says, "I want to support Kṛṣṇa." He said?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yes. "It must be Kṛṣṇa's name; otherwise I'm not..."

Prabhupāda: (laughs) Then he has become devotee.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He's a big man, Harvey Cox, the top theologian in the country.

Prabhupāda: Our George Harrison, he also liked Kṛṣṇa book.

Hari-śauri: Yes. We sold so many Kṛṣṇa books on the strength of showing them that...

Prabhupāda: George Harrison.

Room Conversation -- February 18, 1977, Mayapura:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Jayapatākā's mother is here.

Prabhupāda: Oh. What does she say?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, she's very nice. She wears sari. She's attending your lectures in the morning, taking prasādam. She's a very nice woman. He's such a nice son, and it's due... You can see... She's very nice. She could be a devotee easily, in my opinion. I never talked to her, but just from the way she carries herself, immediately putting on sari, quite happy to stay here for the time she's staying. He said he was going to bring..., bring her here one evening to meet you. Acyutānanda's mother came here.

Prabhupāda: Hm. He has returned?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. She was very surprised at how big he is.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: She was very surprised to see how huge he is, because the last time was 1967. He was very skinny.

Prabhupāda: Oh. (laughing) Hm.

Room Conversation with Adi-kesava Swami -- February 19, 1977, Mayapura:

Ādi-keśava: Sometimes in their propaganda these deprogrammers they complain about our sannyāsīs the most. They say, "Because they are saying everything in the material world is evil, so therefore they are the worst."

Prabhupāda: Yes, it is worst. Because I am spirit soul, I am now imprisoned with this material body. It is my unnatural state, and I am eternal, and because I have accepted this material body I have to undergo birth, death, old age and disease. So that is my effort, how to get out of this material body and remain in my original spiritual identity. That is our whole propaganda. We think material atmosphere is our imprisonment, suffering. Material body means suffering. Otherwise I am eternal, blissful, full with knowledge. That is my position. But because I have been impact... (aside:) Again you have the same disease. Attention, you attend, draw there. Don't do that. Very bad habit. Immediately you sit down, you do it. You cannot check it. So actually this is our punishment. This is māyā. That example I have explained this morning, very nice verse, that the moon in the sky is reflected in the water, in hundreds of pots of water, and the wind is agitating the water, and the moon is also agitated—sometimes round, sometimes long, sometimes... The moon is fixed up, but the reflection in the pot making him different. Similarly, I am spirit soul, and I have been captured or I have voluntarily surrendered to this material world, and it is being agitated by the mind, so I am taking this shape, that shape, that shape, this shape, eight million four hundred... That is my trouble. My nature is to be fixed up, always illuminating, but circumstantially I am being agitated by mind, and working with my mind, I am accepting this body, that body, this body, that. So this is very troublesome. Those who have no knowledge, no brain, they are satisfied with this material condition, agitated condition, and driven by the thinking, feeling, willing of the mind. This is very dangerous. We want to get out. This is psychology.

Arrival of Devotees -- February 24, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: So these are the recommendation how we wash brain.

Rāmeśvara: "As you can imagine, it is not every community group who is able to work with these people so well as you. The staff and clients will welcome you back any time you care to arrange another visit! Again we thank you for your wonderful party and for all your thoughtfulness and concern which made it possible." This woman is from the governor's office, and we go now every week to these different state institutes. We've gotten so many different letters from them. And this one is from the state hospital for prisoners, Camarillo. It's the most notorious in America. And it says, "This letter is to thank you for the interest and service that you have given to Camarillo State Hospital and our patients. It was a pleasure to provide an orientation program for your group on Saturday, January 29th. I hope to see many more members attend the orientation classes which are scheduled for February. I hope to be hearing from you soon." This is also from the governor's office. (end)

Room Conversation -- February 27, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Deprogramming. The Indian government are taking seriously, yes, that is private arrangement—that "Why they are opposing this movement? We allow Christian to come here. Why not Kṛṣṇa?" The Consulate General, ambassador, has taken.

Harikeśa: It is very important.

Prabhupāda: They are taking it from national point of view. That is... Anyway, there is some defense from government side, their representative attending every court case. Yes?

Hari-śauri: Yes. Every hearing.

Prabhupāda: Ādi-keśava told me.

Harikeśa: In Germany the court case is fixed in November now. They have made a date.

Prabhupāda: In the meantime you overflood with books.

Harikeśa: (laughs) Yes. An amazing thing is happening now. Used to be...

Prabhupāda: They are delaying.

Room Conversation -- March 1, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: When it is going to be held again?

Hṛdayānanda: Yes. We just stopped for lunch break, and then, after lunch, again, around two o'clock.

Prabhupāda: So you attend?

Gargamuni: Yes, I'll attend. I just wanted to stay in Calcutta a few days to...

Prabhupāda: Pick up some fight. (laughs) There was no fight?

Hṛdayānanda: Just little fight.

Prabhupāda: (laughs) Don't fight. Then everything will be spoiled.

Hṛdayānanda: Not very much fight this time. It was much more peaceful than before.

Prabhupāda: (chuckling) Yes. For Kṛṣṇa's business why there should be...? Even there is fight it should be mock fight, not real fight. Then it is right.

Room Conversation with GBC members -- March 2-3, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: That's nice. Now we have got enough place.

Jayapatākā: There's not adequate room. There's supposed to be a new building.

Satsvarūpa: Resolution about restaurants, that they may be named either Hare Kṛṣṇa restaurant or Govinda's restaurant. Then we passed a resolution about attendance at the temple functions. All GBC members and temple presidents are responsible to see that all devotees in their zone attend the morning and evening program except when there is alternate bona fide preaching in the evening, like if there's some book distribution in the evening. Otherwise everyone must go to the morning and evening.

Prabhupāda: Very good.

Room Conversation -- March 26, 1977, Bombay:

Girirāja: Yeah. He is supposed to be one of the leading doctors in India. Especially of heart, cardiology. So I also thought this would be a good night for Svarūpa Dāmodara Prabhu to make his presentation, so that this leading doctor can also attend that.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Girirāja: And the television people are also supposed to come tonight, and show you and them the drama.

Prabhupāda: When you have to go?

Akṣayānanda: The boys can leave at 6:15.

Karttikeya Mahadevia: We have enough time one hour. And K. K. Dattrey and I are working together in one association for the psychic surgery. He is the president, I am the vice-president, so I know him very well, personally.

Prabhupāda: Cardiologist.

Room Conversation -- March 26, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Instead of going on Monday, we shall go on Wednesday.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, that is fixed up now. I think Saurabha will be quite relieved. Śrīla Prabhupāda, the turn-out at the pandal has been quite good. Many good class of people have been coming. So Girirāja Prabhu and Gopāla Kṛṣṇa Prabhu are thinking to extend the pandal on about another week, because there is not any extra costs more than about a thousand rupees, since the main cost is in actually building it. So Bhavānanda Mahārāja and myself felt that they could continue the pandal, and you wouldn't have to attend. Perhaps on the last day, which would be very big again, next Sunday, you could come. But they could, the devotees themselves could speak as they....

Prabhupāda: I know that very nice. I want it may be possible for you.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Why it should be closed?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah. You once told us in Delhi that if we could arrange to continue it throughout the year, that would be good.

Prabhupāda: You want to do that, then do it. I don't mind. Every week, you can... At least...

Room Conversation -- March 31, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: This year or last year?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: This year. Over ten thousand people came.

Prabhupāda: They are, after all, Mathurā men, after Kṛṣṇa. They have got natural love for Kṛṣṇa.

Dhanañjaya: Also the decoration was very gorgeous in the temple. All the domes were lit, and in the front door two cakras and one lotus flower, opening and closing. Thousands of people were coming daily to attend it. We inherited all the American devotees that come. So they were very anxious to see the arrangements made. Also the signs are up on the road, Bhaktivedanta Swami Marga. Big marble plaque. Very nice stone fitting. In two places on the road.

Prabhupāda: On all the roads.

Dhanañjaya: Everyone knows, this is now Bhaktivedanta Swami Marga. No longer Chattikara Road.

Prabhupāda: But you have printed Bhaktivedanta Marga.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Bhaktivedanta Swami Marga.

Prabhupāda: No. In the book, I see. Why?

Devotee: Bhaktivedanta Road.

Room Conversation with Ram Jethmalani (Parliament Member) -- April 16, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: So inform him. Prasāda?

Girirāja: Actually, there is supposed to be prasāda coming up right now.

Prabhupāda: So please wait, let the prasāda come. Take.

Girirāja: I will bring it up here.

Ram Jethmalani: We will take it in the car, because it will help us to attend a public meeting in time. I am on a thanksgiving tour of the constituency.

Indian man: We are taking him to Andheri. There is a meeting. We have kept a huge vote.

Prabhupāda: No, no, how they will take prasādam?

Girirāja: Well, I think if they could wait one or two minutes.

Prabhupāda: No, it is not... Kindly wait.

Ram Jethmalani: Yes. But here?

Prabhupāda: Yes, why not?

Ram Jethmalani: We won't eat in your presence.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Room Conversation -- April 22, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Condemned, especially the Indian Muhammadans. I had one friend. He is of Afghan... (background noise) What is the trouble?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Just check...

Prabhupāda: So he was coming daily to see me in my pharmacy. We talked sometimes little intimately, friendly, with his son. So one day we were talking. Dr. Jīva also was attending. So one Muhammadan woman... They're very dirty. So she was passing to go to see doctor, and that... His name was Ser Khan. He belonged to the royal family of Afghanistan. So he was doing like this. So I said, "You hate Muhammadans? She is Muhammadan woman." "Oh, we don't accept Muhammadan. They are (indistinct)." That means Indian Muhammadans are not even accepted by the Muhammadans in other countries.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He was a Muhammadan.

Prabhupāda: He was Muhammadan, Afghanistan, very royal family.

Meeting with Mr. Dwivedi -- April 23, 1977, Bombay:

Mr. Dwivedi: I am leaving on the 25th night. Then, on... I am reaching there 26th night. On the 27th I have to attend the marriage of my younger brother's son. That will take about two days, to 27th and 28th. And then, then, till about the 3rd I am busy in the sense that our president of Abhesivasana(?), he expired recently. So he left two sons. They... They just need my little guidances in such matters, the young boys. Not young. Pretty old, but yet, because they, being the sons of a yajnirdatta(?), did not much look up to the work, now suddenly the responsibility has fallen over their heads. So... But after the 3rd or 4th, I am free.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's good, gives a little time for preparing.

Mr. Dwivedi: The weather at our headquarters is always pleasant. Summer, very pleasant. You'll gain in weight.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Mr. Dwivedi: And strange enough, you gain in color also in summer.

Prabhupāda: Attractive.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Said the right thing.

Second Meeting with Mr. Dwivedi -- April 24, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Nanda knows me very well. Nanda...

Mr. Dwivedi: He also knows me, and he wanted to start a yogāśrama over there but for himself, and he had a mind.

Prabhupāda: I don't think... If Jetthi does not come, then don't attend from any other.

Mr. Dwivedi: And Jetthi will be best, definitely.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Mr. Dwivedi: Jetthi will be the best.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda's idea is that unless...

Mr. Dwivedi: So Nanda I'll drop. Only if Mr. Jetthi comes, all right.

Prabhupāda: That's all, yes. Otherwise, let us go...

Mr. Dwivedi: And for your stay for the night I'm giving a call today to the Birla brothers at Gwalior, and if their guesthouse is free, then I will try to accommodate you there for the night. Of course, all this means little more spending of the petrol, but that is inevitable. We'll have to spend it. There is no go...

Prabhupāda: That doesn't matter.

Second Meeting with Mr. Dwivedi -- April 24, 1977, Bombay:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "As per your request and as per interview you had with His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda on 23/4/77, His Divine Grace with his entourage will..." (break) ...is a Thursday. Fifth: the program was to be from 5th to 8th, meant Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Now whether these days will be easier for people to attend? Just like your idea is that some people from Gwalior will come and others. My feeling is that they'll have an easier time to come on a Sunday or on a Saturday evening.

Mr. Dwivedi: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But if we arrive on 7th, which is Sunday night, and the program begins on Monday night, then I think it will be all weekdays, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, which is...

Prabhupāda: There is... In the village there is no such consideration.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But his idea was also to invite some of the respectable gentlemen from the neighboring areas, Śrīla Prabhupāda, and they may...

Prabhupāda: That is...

Mr. Dwivedi: It could be... When you... If the program should really start on Saturday, er, Sunday...

Kārttikeya: Thursday.

Mr. Dwivedi: Sunday.

Kārttikeya: Saturday. May also on Sunday, but starting on Friday, Saturday.

Mr. Dwivedi: No, you may reach there on Saturday, but program should be start on Sunday. Saturday-Sunday.

Prabhupāda: We are starting on Friday, hm?

Second Meeting with Mr. Dwivedi -- April 24, 1977, Bombay:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: All right, so let's keep it at that. I mean, I'm not trying to go against everybody. I'm only trying to think for your well-being.

Prabhupāda: No, no, my attendance there... Actually kīrtana and other things will be done by you.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah.

Prabhupāda: So I'll sit down. That is all.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Okay.

Prabhupāda: So the most important thing is, if the President is coming, it will be very good starting.

Mr. Dwivedi: I can say I'm not conversant with your physical condition. That's my misfortune. Personally, though, I am very young before you, though I am running sixty-eight. I don't find any difficulty. I go anyway, standing, sitting, and I...

Prabhupāda: No, you are quite healthy.

Morning Conversation -- April 29, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That is the test of first-class yogi. These rascals, they say like that.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They call that tāntrika-yoga?

Prabhupāda: I do not know what is that also. I... One rascal fool, medical man, was attending my pharmacy. Dr. Ghosh was also. He used to say like that. He was practicing yoga.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He was... That's what they're all doing.

Prabhupāda: And he'll not discharge. Still remain with his sperm. Yogi. Tāntrika-yogī.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Tāntrika.

Prabhupāda: And practice yoga in the crematorium. Nine woman friend and sex and perform meditation without discharge.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Where do they do this?

Prabhupāda: In the burning ghāṭa, where this dead body is burned.

Conversation with Shri Narayan -- May 2, 1977, Bombay:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, I immediately feel attracted to going there...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ...'cause it's a holy site. These other places were not so... This Hrishikesh is holy site.

Prabhupāda: It is nearer.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So tomorrow I'm going into the city, anyway. I'll go and meet either Bhogilal or Pranlal. I have nice acquaintance with them, so I can meet them. Even if Bhogilal is not here, Pranlal is here.

Prabhupāda: One of them can...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He can do also.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So I'll make arrangements. Dr. Sharma is waiting for me, Śrīla Prabhupāda, so...

Prabhupāda: All right, you go now.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I should attend.

Prabhupāda: You are free. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (end)

Room Conversation -- May 8, 1977, Hrishikesh:

Prabhupāda: Hm? Or I can write to Mr. Chandan(?).

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There's one thing we could do. I haven't seen the article, but he must have spoken at some institution or some meeting. We can write a letter to the secretary of that institution and meeting, telling them what we intend to do and to forward to us a list of the people who attended and their addresses. And that way we can... Should... Of course, I can do it, but do you want us to do it or should Surabhī's office do it?

Prabhupāda: Surabhī?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Why?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, he's already got letters like this, and he's receiving letters from people. He has... I don't mind doing it.

Prabhupāda: Surabhī... No. I shall deal with personally.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: All right, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Otherwise there is chance of being cheated.

Short Dissertations -- May 24-25, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's good. Prabhupāda, should I bring up the point that these rooms should be... (Hindi conversation)

Guest (3): On 28th May, he is expecting to attend the civil judge, Mathaura, you see. So on that day, if he comes here, have a discussion from him.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Madana Mohana Goswami?

Guest (3): Yes. What he says?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There actually... What about latrine?

Guest (3): Latrine is behind there. You put one inside, Swamiji's latrine.

Guest (2): (Hindi)

Guest (3): That was closed by Madana Mohana Goswami.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He closed off that latrine.

Prabhupāda: That is backside. (Hindi conversation)

Guest (3): I don't want to talk with the tape recorder. I come to honor my Swamiji and my elder brother...

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Conversation Pieces -- May 27, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So how things were explained? It has been explained by me before that. Why don't you take it? There is no need here.

Yaśomatīnandana: He told the devotees that he has got your edition of Bhagavad-gītā and he has read it. His son purchased it. And he has got some other books also. He liked it very much.

Indian devotee (2): There was meeting of Arya-samaj, so we went to attend that. They invited him there. And later on, they asked that the government should help them to open a big hospital there. And he said that "Because I myself do not use allopathic medicines, so how can I help you? How can I introduce? I believe in nature cure. I can't help. If you produce something, that nature cure hospital, my government will help you." He said, "I never took medicine in my life." Morarji Desai says. And he was in jail. He said that everybody was seeing that they were nineteen months in jail, and they have disease, some pain, and some this one, some this one. He said, "But I got something from there. I learned whole Bhagavad-gītā by heart. I was worshiping Kṛṣṇa. I was reciting Bhagavad-gītā in the morning and evening. I got something, whereas others, they have failed. They couldn't get anything. I took something from that jail."

Yaśomatīnandana: (reading) "Regulative rains not only help ample production of food grains and fruits, but when they combine with astronomical influences there is ample production of valuable stones and pearls. Grains and vegetables can sumptuously feed a man and animals, and a fatty cow delivers enough milk to supply a man sumptuously with vigor and vitality. If there is enough milk, enough grains, enough fruit, enough cotton, enough silk and enough jewels, then why do the people want cinemas, houses of prostitution, slaughterhouses, etc.? What is the need of an artificial, materialist's life of cinema, cars, radio, flesh and hotels? Has this civilization produced anything but quarreling individually and nationally?"

Prabhupāda: Like hog.

Conversations with Kirtana Groups -- May 29, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I don't know who.

Prabhupāda: Nobody has got...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Bhavānanda said that they should come here.

Prabhupāda: No, they should attend the fire sacrifice.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He hasn't begun the sacrifice yet.

Prabhupāda: You go and begin and then come. Fire sacrifice finished. Our...

Indian devotee (1): Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: He said that fire sacrifice not yet... They'll do...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, I know when I got sannyāsa, first...

Indian devotee (1): I was also that it is... It should be...

Prabhupāda: All right. All right, you shall go. So one by one, they should change their cloth. Can you help them?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Conversations with Kirtana Groups -- May 29, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Your?

Prema-bhakti: Prema-bhakti Swami.

Prabhupāda: And your?

Bhakti-caru: Bhakti-caru Swami.

Prabhupāda: So now you can go attend the, yes, sacrifice. Then, conveniently, you have to take the gāyatrī-mantra, and he has to take the gāyatrī-mantra. Then it will be all right.

Bhakti-caitanya: So come again to take that...

Prabhupāda: Yes, after initiation. And here is...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He already had gāyatrī.

Prabhupāda: Oh, he has got?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Oh. (Bengali) Hare Kṛṣṇa. Help them, all senior sannyāsīs. If there is some mistake, correct them. Cooperation and... (Bengali) Everyone... That's all. There is mālā? Give them mālā each. Yes. That's all. Give them.

Conversations with Kirtana Groups -- May 29, 1977, Vrndavana:

Indian devotee (3): (Hindi)

Prabhupāda: (Hindi conversation) He has already gone?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, he... Śrīla Prabhupāda, Bhakti-prema Swami wants to know if he can get the gāyatrī now, if you want to give him gāyatrī...

Prabhupāda: No, first of all attend.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: All right. (break)

Prabhupāda: Where is the gāyatrī-mantra sheet?

Indian devotee (3): Where is gāyatrī-mantra? Thread?

Prabhupāda: Gāyatrī-mantra sheet? Let the... (indistinct) All right, finish this business. Finish up. (Bengali) All together, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. (kīrtana begins) Loudly.

Discussions -- June 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Dr. Ghosh should be one of the witnesses. According to Mr. Sharma, if a doctor witnesses, it's very good, attending physician.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Girirāja: So what should we do about the clause which appoints the executors?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What does that mean? The people acting to see...

Girirāja: They're responsible to see that the will is carried out.

Rāmeśvara: They'll see that it's registered and it's brought before the...

Prabhupāda: How many executors?

Girirāja: I think he suggested two or three.

Prabhupāda: No, he suggested not less than three, up to seven or eleven.

Girirāja: Oh.

Rāmeśvara: Originally we told him that all the GBC are executors, and he said, "But out of them, just pick a few. It is a technical thing." 'Cause the GBC are already mentioned as the heirs or the managers of what you are giving.

Prabhupāda: So I'll give you seven names.

Talk with Svarupa Damodara -- June 20, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: (Bengali)

Svarūpa Dāmodara: You look better, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Acchā? (break) ...I want.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Neither would simply just begging some rice and dāl to feed ourselves.

Prabhupāda: Now Kṛṣṇa is (indistinct) (break) Do you think that the..., if the scientists attend meeting, they are interested? Or they feeling dry?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: I think they are very interested, very much. Otherwise they won't take time to discuss. In fact, some of them feel that it's very unique.

Prabhupāda: Unique it is. There was no such proposal before. They have taken God as something mystic, imagination. Especially this rascal Darwin's theory, "People are animals," and they accept that "We are animals. My father was monkey." Very easy. This rascal has convinced them that "Your father, grandfather, were monkeys, and you are Sir Walton Rose(?)." "How I became a Sir Walton Rose, the son of a monkey?" This is their business. How much bluff. Disgusted learning and jump. A monkey has become man. Body's changed.

Talk with Svarupa Damodara -- June 20, 1977, Vrndavana:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: The other day, when I went from Delhi to Calcutta in the plane, I happened to see that Dr. Chatterjee from Calcutta University. She's a lady, woman, but she's very well known. International scientist she has become. Her name is Asina Chatterjee. And I never saw here, though I was studying side by side in the next building, in Calcutta University. She discovered some drug. That's why she became famous. And she's also a member of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research all over India, and also a member of University Grants Commission. So she told me that she went for a meeting to attend in Delhi, and there was also an engineer who was sitting in between me and her, and I was discussing about our plan for scientific conference on Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He was also Bengali from Calcutta. Somehow she became very interested. I was explaining how scientists misleading, thinking that life can be chemical. And I was describing about how life can be nonchemical and nonphysical. So Chatterjee immediately joined the talk. And I immediately recognized that she must be Chatterjee. So I asked her, "Are you Dr. Chatterjee?" I never saw her before, but I just guessed right. She was Dr. Asina Chatterjee. And she became very interested in the talk, and then she was completely agreeing to our discussion that life is something spiritual, beyond physics and chemistry. So she actually invited me to come and give a talk in chemistry department Calcutta University. So I said that we are coming back with our scientific group from Kṛṣṇa consciousness and would like to present the philosophy in that chemistry department. So like that, there are many...

Prabhupāda: Yes. Recruit them, at least some.

Conversation with Svarupa Damodara -- June 21, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: You can use this letter.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, he says that "I heard..." This is from ex-president Ford. There was some discussion that perhaps he would be a candidate in the 1980 Presidential election here. Anyway, he's an important man. Then he lists some of the people who have gotten your Bhagavad-gītā as well as other small book in Russian or other languages or prasādam. "Mr. Igor Orligalik, Deputy Director (gives list of many Eastern Bloc professors and directors) You see, he keeps a file on all these people, so if ever we go to these countries, we know which people got our books, and these are all highly placed people, very prominent people. Good work. One of these lunches is very expensive-$7.50 per person. (reads:) "Los Angeles World Affairs Council cordially invites you to attend a special luncheon discussion meeting with the USSR-USA Society Delegation to the Soviet Union." This is one such invitation that's put out by these people. Every one of these people who spoke there, all these delegates, he gave them Bhagavad-gītās, the Russian Easy Journey and a calendar. (break) (kīrtana)

Prabhupāda: ...slaughter, bigger slaughter. This is my practical experience. Father hates. (break) We saw lots of people.

Conversation -- July 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Mr. Myer: It's a beautiful temple. I've also been attending the various classes, reading some of the books, and I think it's something we need in this country very badly.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Mr. Myer: We need in this country very much, in every city, in every town. For twenty years I was searching for something like this, and I think something exactly what I have dreamt of. And I think there are some very few problems that might come up, because most of the people are sannyāsīs. They are doing lot of preaching work. They aren't necessarily bothered with lot of administrative work. And if their administrative work is done by some other people, then they can concentrate more on preaching, which is very necessary.

Prabhupāda: Yes, sannyāsī, brahmacārī, means preaching. They are not meant for material management. They have dedicated their life for spiritual-although this material service is also spiritual—but they are doing on such a strength. You cannot expect a very expertly management and... But they act. Simply ask them to do the needful.

Conversation -- July 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Mr. Myer: Well, here the problem is that, you see... I'm just wondering what is the form of management, because it may happen that... I attended one committee meetings the other day when GBC was here from Bombay, and I was not able to find out that somebody who normally would take some action... There would have to be one person who has to be given some guidelines, and then he must take action. But then the trouble thing will be, if he has to go to a committee, it will only delay things. One can't really act in... In committees, see, there are different people. They have different opinion, and very little can be consensus of all the different ideas. So I think it's good to have a committee meeting where a man reports the problems, evaluation like, where we have a... I will attend a meeting in England, where... That is about twelve... Yatita Prabhu(?), he was conducting a meeting on a Sunday, and they were trying to take the stock of what had happened in the week and what was the budget for next week. That kind of a meeting is very... Because then there are some statistics. We have some performance of what happened and what we wish to do.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So make... You have to develop. You have to teach them how to do that.

Mr. Myer: Quite right.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But you had... But he had a reservation that before any change like this can be made, Akṣayānanda Mahārāja should also be acceptable to his proposal, because right now he's managing everything himself. So...

Prabhupāda: That... Whatever I'll say, he'll accept. There is no question of refusing.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Right.

Room Conversation With Son (Vrindavan De) -- July 5, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes. "Probably," "maybe," "in millions of years."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We call that "closet talk." That means when you start talking like that, we advise him to go into the closet and close the door. Then only they will have to hear it.

Prabhupāda: We take Kṛṣṇa's word. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante... (BG 7.15). (break)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Very positive. He says, "One additional note. Our Library Party in America recently attended the annual convention of the largest organization of libraries." That's called the American Library Association. It's made up of all of the libraries in the US, and it's the most prestigious library association. "At this convention, the booth of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust won the first prize..."

Prabhupāda: Just see. This is our triumph.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "...for the most attractive booth. And a plaque was awarded to our representative, Śeṣa dāsa." He was called up in front of all of the gathering of librarians. They awarded him a plaque. "He had the booth arranged with a portable movie projector showing one of the ISKCON films. Incense was burning, Indian sweets were distributed, and all your books were displayed as well as tapes. So it was nice that such a big organization recognized Kṛṣṇa was all-attractive."

Prabhupāda: That's the kind of propaganda.

Room Conversation about Grhasthas -- July 17, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: ...gṛhastha life. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura independently... Or I was also gṛhastha. Our aim was different. But this neophyte, if they remain aloof from temple connection without attending the function, gradually they will be lost.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That was the reason that I suggested to Abhirāma Prabhu that he should make his business in Bombay. Actually the gṛhasthas have no desire to live independent of the temples. Just like Mādhavānanda, he's got an apartment now just near the temple so that he can attend maṅgala-ārati and the other functions.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Unless these things are continued, the karmīs' poison will spoil them. He can do independent business; there is no harm. But must be connected with the devotional service.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah.

Prabhupāda: Just like Abhirāma constructed that house. That's all right. He is within the campus. There is no harm. And now if he goes away after so much training, advancement, if they are lost, then that's a great loss for the Society. With such... With great difficulty we make one Vaiṣṇava. And again, if he goes like Śyāmasundara, then it is great loss. The whole idea is to give up attachment for material world and increase attachment for Kṛṣṇa. That is perfection. Now, according to one's position, gradually... But this is the aim. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 2.59). Nivṛtti.

Meeting With Governor of Tamil Nadu -- July 31, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Thank you very much. But I am not very inclined for medical treatment, their injection, operation. (laughs)

Governor: No, they won't give you injections. They also... There doctors give yogic treatment also, and nature cure treatment. But... See I have taken that Ravi Shankar Maharaj. You've heard the name in Gujarat, he was one of the very great saintly person, Ravi Shankar Maharaj from Gujarat. I have taken him there. He's stays in my Raj Bhavan, and best doctors attending him, he is improving the health. And we have very good Raj Bhavan, big Raj Bhavan.

Prabhupāda: After all, the thing is that so long we have got this body, the janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9), you have to accept. This is the statement in the Bhagavad-gītā. So the human endeavor should be diverted how to stop this repetition of birth and death. That is the prime instruction in the Bhagavad-gītā.

Meeting With Governor of Tamil Nadu -- July 31, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: This is our homemade.

Governor: And there I find many good institutions working for Vedānta, Veda. The pronunciations are also...

Prabhupāda: Very nice.

Governor: Very nice there. I attend many yajñas there.

Prabhupāda: Our men, they have learned Sanskrit.

Governor: This Chinmayananda Swami is also there. He is making good propaganda about Gītā everywhere, moving...

Prabhupāda: Gītā propaganda, there are many persons. But if you don't mind, all these men, they do not understand what is real meaning of Gītā.

Governor: Once, three men that come here, back in Madras. So I arranged with our government libraries to have all your books in our libraries there.

Prabhupāda: Thank you. Gītā should be accepted as it is. It should not be interpreted. Then there will be no benefit. And that has become... (Hindi) Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). That is Gītā. It is not meant for the loafer class. It is meant for the rājarṣis. Rājarṣayo viduḥ.

Room Conversations Bangladesh Preaching/Prabhavisnu Articles by Hamsaduta -- August 11, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Ah!

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Ah. He's exposed now. "...whereas these men have actually qualified themselves in bona fide institutions of learning by submitting their theses for Ph.D. degrees. Dr. Kovoor boasts that for over twenty years he has challenged holy men to show him God or the soul, and no one has ever dared to take up his challenge. But now someone has come forward to challenge him. I have rented the Ramakrishna Mission Hall on the 20th of August, Saturday, 6:30 PM, and invite him to accept my challenge on the stage before the public to produce life from chance biochemical combination. All are invited to attend. Admission free. Bring some chemicals if possible." He rented a hall. He's put out a challenge in the newspaper. Now we'll hear what the public is saying. I think he gave a good reply.

Prabhupāda: Very good. This is preaching.

Room Conversation -- October 13, 1977, Vrndavana:

Purī Mahārāja: Yes. Jagannātha, yes. Dark eyes. (laughs)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Very good eyes. And such a crowd. Two lakhs' people attended. So many people came.

Purī Mahārāja: Jagannātha's Ratha-yātrā. (Bengali-explains to others.)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Lord Jagannātha is all-attractive. You cannot keep Him here. He's going out the door. This is... One of the sannyāsīs was giving a big lecture. We had some elephants. The children were riding on them. See, "Free Love Feast." Prasādam distributed... You can see these people are...

Purī Mahārāja: Love Feast.

Jayatīrtha: They served full prasādam to fifty thousand people.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Fifty thousand people took full prasādam free of charge. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...ratha (Bengali) prasādam.

Purī Mahārāja: Prasādam.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I just sent Hari-śauri to...

Purī Mahārāja: Yes, yes. They are preparing.

Hari-śauri: The prasādam will be ready in about five minutes, Śrīla Prabhupāda. They're just cooking the puris now. The halavā is done, and the sabji is almost ready. (break)

Prabhupāda: (Bengali)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The prasādam is here, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Purī Mahārāja: (laughs) There is so much prasādam.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, not so much.

Prabhupāda: What you have given?

Purī Mahārāja: Puri, halavā and gulabjamin. You have prepared very costly feast.

Room Conversation -- October 13, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So cooperate. You have heard what the arrangement?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: You have heard about the arrangement here in the conference?

Kīrtanānanda: Yes.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: I'm inviting, requesting all the GBCs, and also the sannyāsīs, mahārājas, to kindly attend the conference unless they're engaged at that time.

Prabhupāda: According to horoscope, life is finished. Still, I am living. What should be the interpretation?

Kīrtanānanda: The interpretation?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: About the conference?

Prabhupāda: No, about... About me.

Hari-śauri: Life is different from matter.

Kīrtanānanda: Śrīla Prabhupāda, even the astrologers all say that you are transcendental, that if you want, you can change your horoscope. And that's what you told us, that Kṛṣṇa said the choice is up to you.

Prabhupāda: So what do you think?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think, Śrīla Prabhupāda, that you should continue to try, and that Kṛṣṇa will help you, because we all want you. The whole world wants you very much, and there's no reason why Kṛṣṇa cannot do this. If we remain determined, then Kṛṣṇa will surely fulfill our desires. We're not desiring it for any selfish reason that you should live. We're desiring for the benefit of the whole world. There's every reason to continue to try and make the effort to remain.

Prabhupāda: So something to eat. What shall I eat?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Something liquid.

Room Conversation -- October 14, 1977, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: Catur-vidha-śrī-bhagavat-prasāda-svādv-anna-tṛptān hari-bhakta-saṅghān, kṛtvaiva tṛptiṁ bhajataḥ sadaiva **. This is also bhajana, to be satisfied that others are taking first-class prasādam.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Bhuṅkte bhojayate caiva ṣaḍ-vidhaṁ prīti-lakṣaṇam. Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes. We want to treat them very nicely outside the conference, like giving nice prasādam. (break) ...yes. So we have specifically arranged for this nice prasādam. Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Inside you're not going to be nice to them? (laughter) Svarūpa Dāmodara: Inside we are going to say very strongly about our philosophy and science. So anybody who's going to oppose that, we're going to duel them. Also we'll show some films, our Hare Kṛṣṇa films, just after the conference. The evening, I have some entertainment program. That program is for showing our films and our activities, ISKCON activities throughout the world. So I have brought all the slides from Los Angeles that we have from our BBT department, and also I have all the films ready. Also they can attend maṅgala-ārati, and in the evening they can also attend the sandhyā-ārati. And also some of them want just to see our temple, Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma. They have heard that the architect is very nice, and it's very nicely decorated. So some of them already heard about it, so they just want to see how the temple is here. Overall, our idea is also to make them devotees. Prabhupāda: Yes. That is wanted. So go and arrange. That's all. Svarūpa Dāmodara: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda. (end)

Room Conversation -- October 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Elegant.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Very elegant. All the scientists who are attending, they're dressed a little informally. But our men are very formal. They have the ties on. Everybody has a badge. All the people who are attending have a special badge mentioning the scientific conference's name and the individual person's name. That's in one place. Then in another room is the conference room. It was the room where we were going to have the bank there. Really big room with fancy backdrop. Some decorator has come and made a very fancy backdrop with a big... There's a long table and podium with microphones and very nice seats. In the dining hall all the seats have special white linen cloths over all the chairs. Very fresh looking and clean. And in the other room it's very cool. There's curtains so that the sun can't come in, and now there's a big yajña going on. Yaśodānandana Mahārāja and the Gurukula boys are inaugurating the conference by chanting Sanskrit mantras, and some of the scientists are... Actually they were very amazed to see how our men could chant like that. The whole building is first-class for this purpose. When we build this Bhaktivedanta Institute hall... It's the most wonderful idea to have this conference here, Śrīla Prabhupāda. These scientists, they're going to be converted to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. I was certain of it by seeing these arrangements. They never could have... They're being tricked.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So it's wonderful.

Prabhupāda: How many scientists have come?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I don't know.

Room Conversation -- October 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So I am thinking now to lay down. (break) Meeting is going on here, and you have gone to Bhagatji?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, I haven't gone yet. I was in the conference for a little while. The scientists took prasādam at about 11:30. The conference was supposed to start at ten, but it didn't start till about nearly noon. And at the same time, Bhagatji has apparently arranged a program of prasādam and kīrtana at his house, and it was to be the same time when ordinarily the conference would have halted for lunch. So as the conference began two hours late, now that has upset things a little. Not very much. I was in the conference for a while and all the guests are there, scientists are there. Svarūpa Dāmodara Prabhu is giving a lecture. There weren't very many GBC or sannyāsīs there, but I think it was on account of the fact that the conference started so late today. There is another conference this afternoon, as far as I know. And then two more tomorrow and again the next day, and I'm pretty sure everybody will be attending. I found it very interesting. The only reason I left was that I wanted to know whether I should attend Bhagatji's lunch or not. He invited everyone and made big arrangement. But I'm your secretary, so I don't want to go unless it's proper to go.

Prabhupāda: How you have accepted invitation today?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The time it was fixed for was the lunch time of the conference.

Room Conversation -- October 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Why did you not go there?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: See, the scientists did not come on time. They did not come on time. They came late. The conference was to begin at ten, but it began at noon. I mean I don't think it's... The main point is that the devotees will start to attend probably the afternoon session, because it will be on a more regular schedule again. This was just a very irregular... Even the scientists... There was only thirty of them in the conference, because although more than that have arrived, they haven't yet settled into their quarters. This first... The first lecture is a little like that. Everybody's getting settled in.

Prabhupāda: I do not know what to say.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I don't know what to say. The devotees should all attend the conference. I think that's the point.

Prabhupāda: Not necessarily. But where (whether?) the conference is going on or Bhagatji's feast is going on? This is perplexing me.

Room Conversation -- October 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Not necessarily. But where (whether?) the conference is going on or Bhagatji's feast is going on? This is perplexing me.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Why it is? Because some of the devotees may leave by next week. So Bhagatji wanted to have a feast when everyone was here. And I told him to arrange then for Thursday, which was yesterday. But he said that that was not sufficient time. Therefore then I told him, "Then if you can't arrange for Thursday, then the best day is Friday, because Saturday and Sunday are the more important days of the conference." I advised him that the feast should not be held simultaneously with the conference, but he said that there was no... (break) In other words, I attended the lecture and the program, but I came out on account of Bhagatji's invitation. The lecture should have been over by one according to their program that they published. But on account of the scientists' arriving late, they did not want to push anyone. This was the whole point, Śrīla Prabhupāda. I think it's just a, what would you call it, a circumstantial mistake. It was not planned that the two would..., one would interfere with the other. And the conference is in no way being interfered with. It's going on.

Prabhupāda: That I want.

Room Conversation -- October 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Okay. That's good. Because otherwise... I looked at the audience this afternoon. First of all, there weren't that many. There was only about fifteen men attending this afternoon's lecture.

Gurukṛpā: Scientists, fifteen.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, Fifteen scientists. There were devotees. Our sannyāsīs, GBC men were there. And I looked at them, and some of them weren't that interested, mainly because it's just... It's just too one-sided, I think. There's not enough action going on to keep their attention. I'm going to speak... I haven't spoken to Svarūpa Dāmodara yet. I'm going to right now. I spoke to Rūpānuga, who was in the back, because he's helping to organize. I think it's very good, because gradually, as we hold more conferences, they'll learn to improve their presentation. This is why Svarūpa Dāmodara wanted to begin in India, so that when he finally got to the West he'd be very strong and it would be very good. Here it's a little easier.

Prabhupāda: So not all the doctors who...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No. In other words, there's a big enough program so that... They pick which conference they want to come to. They don't come to every lecture. They may only come to one or two in a day. Today I think there's three. Right? Three lectures? So probably they might attend one or two of them. Of course, some people might attend all of them.

Bhavānanda: Also many more are coming on Sunday. They're coming through the whole conference. Tomorrow more are coming, and Sunday is the biggest day.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: All in all, though, it's still very impressive and very much encouraging. It's just like everything—it takes practice. This is the first of its kind. So for being the first, it's very nice. And it certainly is well organized. That's a fact. Everything is there—good guesthouse, nice prasādam and qualified speakers. You can see our men are very... They must be presenting thousands of facts. I mean every sentence they are backing up with some quotation or some substantial reference. They are very well prepared for these lectures.

Prabhupāda: But other parties, they are not taking interest.

Room Conversation -- October 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Śatadhanya: So we all became very much enlivened from this conference. I think that it has very great potential for preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world, because they cannot challenge. Even Svarūpa Dāmodara, he asked, "Can anybody debate?" And all the scientists were quiet. They could not offer any challenge. So it's very effective, a very good means to preach, and we all became enlivened by attending this conference.

Prabhupāda: What is the time now?

Hari-śauri: Five past six, Śrīla Prabhupāda. (break)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Why don't you come around this side? They are all dressed in their shirt and ties, Śrīla Prabhupāda. They looked just like the scientists.

Prabhupāda: Give them chair.

Hari-śauri: Chairs.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: We're all right, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: You have got coat-pant. Sit down at the...

Hari-śauri: Prabhupāda said you've got coat and pant. He was concerned about whether you should sit or...

Prabhupāda: So sit down. Sit down on the chair.

Room Conversation -- October 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes. And the press people are coming tomorrow also, day after tomorrow. So we'll try to summarize what we have studied today and try to print it nicely in the newspapers. I requested them that this is a great responsibility for the newsmen to do this genuine scientific propaganda. So I requested them they should cooperate with us. They said that they will do it. I also requested the members of the delegate to kindly attend our temple functions. Right now I think they are in the ārati, sandhyā-ārati.

Prabhupāda: Hm. So let them.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes. And then we have prasādam at seven o'clock. Then I'm going to show Hare Kṛṣṇa film.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What are you serving at seven? What kind of prasādam?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: We have nice prasādam. I don't remember the menu, but I think they are very satisfied with the prasādam program that we have.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Then after prasādam?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: After the prasādam we are going to show movies on the "Spiritual Frontier" in the hall on our Fairchild.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Why not on a big screen?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes, we can also do it on a big scale.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: 'Cause when you have a big...

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes, actually we can do that. Dr. Kapoor spoke for about five minutes...

Prabhupāda: Māyāvādī?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Actually he's very much influenced by Māyāvādī ideas, I realized. Then later on, he spoke to me that there is some misunderstanding. I told him that this is not what we have learned from Śrīla Prabhupāda. (end)

Room Conversation -- October 17, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Huh? Rāmeśvara?

Bhavānanda: Rāmeśvara Mahārāja is sending a ticket for him to go.

Prabhupāda: Oh. So you can go now, America, eh?

Bhavānanda: Yes.

Prabhupāda: That's good. You attended the conference?

Acyutānanda: Yes.

Prabhupāda: You liked?

Acyutānanda: Oh, yes. It was very successful. One scientist has actually been touched. His heart is changed, Dr. Ramaya. He, in fact, defended our one point with one other scientist.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You are ready for bathing, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Yes. (end)

Room Conversation -- October 17, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: News from Bombay? (break)

Girirāja: ...activities are going on. Haridāsa promised that he would, you know, maintain the collections for maintenance. So he's doing that with the help of one or two other boys. And I asked about the attendance at the morning and evening programs, and they wrote back that the attendance at the morning program is very good, maṅgala-ārati and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And it's fair attendance in the evening. And then the construction is going on. It's in the final stages. And then you probably know we had a meeting to discuss the plans for the opening and the management of the new guesthouse and restaurant and theater. So I think the plans are very good. Actually last night we were discussing that the cullis pieces which go on the top of the domes, that those are ordered in, I think, brass or copper like here. But those become black very quickly. So we decided that we would try to plate them in gold. So we had also decided that we would not try to have more men donate for rooms, because we want to make sure we have enough rooms available for outside guests that might be coming. So some of the big men who might have donated for that, I could approach them to get donations so that we could gold plate... (break) So we decided that we want to open around January so that we could take advantage of the facilities immediately, so that the building doesn't lie vacant for two months.

Prabhupāda: No, no. Subhasya(?) śīghram. As early as possible.

Girirāja: Yes. So the reason we selected January 8th was because many of the important devotees like Yaśodānandana Swami, they're going out of India for collecting during the (indistinct) time, so they felt that it would be easier for them to be back by January 8th.

Prabhupāda: No, no. It cannot remain vacant. Consult with Jayatīrtha.

Hari-śauri: Jayatīrtha's here.

Prabhupāda: I'm asking Girirāja.

Room Conversation -- October 18, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But Dr. Ghosh never heard of it. I think Dr. Ghosh's value is that he's willing to stay here and attend to you. But I think that Dr. Gopal is better to...

Abhirāma: They both agreed on it was the same disease.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. They agree that the disease is the same. They understand what the disease is, and they both agree on that. But as to treatment, Dr. Gopal seems to be more aware of the more modern and up-to-date discoveries that science has made than Dr. Ghosh. Dr. Ghosh is aware, more or less, of things which were available ten or twenty years ago.

Bhavānanda: We can go and see Dr. Gopal this morning.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Bhagatji said Dr. Gopal is his close friend. He can bring him here once a day if necessary.

Bhavānanda: And explain to him that you've had some restless reaction to this medicine and get his opinion and new diagnosis, new medicines, if necessary. And for your liquid intake, if you can take just four glasses of Complan in one day, plus some juice now and then, it won't be so much, so many times you'll have to be bothered. They all recommended that Complan is the very best.

Prabhupāda: Hm? What?

Bhakti-caru: Complan, Śrīla Prabhupāda. It's a drink, beverage, like Horlicks. I gave it to you last night.

Bhavānanda: Is there some bad effect to it that you feel, Śrīla Prabhupāda, when you take that?

Prabhupāda: Not yet, but when it becomes mucus.

Room Conversation -- October 18, 1977, Vrndavana:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Also that will add attractions to the outsiders, if we have these nice places. Everybody who came here, those few scientists... About fifty-five, I think, all came. Most of them told me that they never knew that such thing existed in Vṛndāvana. It's such a nice place, and very peaceful and... They never expected that these things existed in Vṛndāvana. And they were very impressed. Even our incomplete building and with all our incomplete arrangements, they were very amazed that such thing existed. And one... Actually a few of them from Agra told me that "Next time, if you hold a conference," he said, "I will take all responsibility to bring all the scientists from around Agra, Delhi, and everything." He said he didn't know that such things might exist. So Vṛndāvana is also a place where people come and we can cultivate their..., to bring them to the spiritual consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Actually it's very true that when they see our temple and to see our children, oh, they were so impressed that they say they will come back. And some of them attended maṅgala-ārati and some of them attended Bhāgavatam class, even those who came for our conference. And so... Especially those who came with wives, very attracted to see our Deities and the photographs, nice, from all over the world. Everything was so attractive. Even the Mishra, who was so Māyāvādī during our conference, also was almost materialist, his wife was so influential. His wife was actually a devotee. And I spent about two hours in his room with them, and she was instructing him that "You think that everything is just chemicals." And she was telling him that "Why don't you think that God existed before, there was God, and everything's coming from Him? And do research on the basis of that. If you do that, then everything will be nice." She was telling him that "Without bhakti, your science isn't going to give you any happiness, no pleasure." So actually she... Then he almost became a devotee. He said, "Yes, yes, yes." (laughter) And they wanted to see Śrīla Prabhupāda just before they went. I told them that doctor told us that we shouldn't allow any, even the devotees, not so crowded in the room, because doctor advises not to do so. So I requested that "When Prabhupāda gets better, you please come back. Prabhupāda's going to get better. Then we'll have the opportunity to allow you to have Prabhupāda's darśana." So they say they will come back, bring their children. Especially they were very impressed by our Gurukula boys. They said it reminded them Kṛṣṇa's boyhood pastimes just seeing our Gurukula boys. Especially every day we had invocation by the Gurukula boys and Yaśodānandana Mahārāja from Brahma-saṁhitā. The vibrations were so potent that everybody was very impressed. Though we didn't have all the guests that we invited, but still, I think, those few who came, I think they have very good appreciation about Śrīla Prabhupāda's program. Especially bhakti-vedānta... Mishra's relation was very significant. He said he never had in his life to see this bhakti-vedānta. He called all of us Bhakti-vedantists. He said he was always Advaita-vedantist, and he said he never saw a bhakti-vedāntī. He said it was a great experience. He said he was very grateful that he came to the conference. And he had great appreciation of the whole movement. They said, "Just imagine that in about ten years a big empire can be built in such a pure spirit." So like that, Dr. Soni... Dr. Soni is the Deputy General of Indian Council of Agricultural Research. He's also a big government scientist. To see these people one cannot just go and see them. You have to wait for so many red tapes just to go to them. He came with his family. He was the chief guest on Sunday, and he had such a great appreciation of our whole movement, and he told me very frankly in his opening speech that a few years ago he saw the devotees in Picadilly Circus, first time in London. And about that time he said he had a very wrong impression, negative impression of the whole movement. He said he thought it was not very impressive. He told me very frankly that when I came to invite him for this to be the chief guest on Sunday, just on the basis of that, he was not willing to accept the invitation. But then, he said, after talking with me for a few minutes, he changed his whole attitude and decided to come. And he expressed that he was very grateful that he came and he learned a lot. He said this is one of the noblest causes that one can dedicate. So he had a great appreciation for the movement. So like that, we'd like to make some friends, especially in the higher, educated classes of people. I'm very hopeful, by the mercy of Your Divine Grace and Kṛṣṇa's mercy, that we can at least follow your instructions. Then I think we can do it.

Prabhupāda: A round table we have in Delhi?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Delhi?

Prabhupāda: That round table?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes.

Room Conversation -- October 24, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Very good news. Now can see. This material body may remain or not remain. This movement will push on.(?) That is wanted. Where is such thing throughout the whole world? Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There aren't, except in our temples. He says, "By Kṛṣṇa's grace the most wonderful Janmāṣṭamī celebration was held at the big farm āśrama in South Africa. The celebration included the opening of a new temple and prasādam facility, two new life membership cottages and three overnight guest rooms, initiation of four new devotees and two brāhmaṇa initiations, a play, a massive prasādam distribution, go-pūjā, a transcendental treasure hunt for the children, ecstatic chanting by all, and distribution of books, records, posters and tapes. We enclose pictures of the various events, as well as newspaper articles. The newspapers were all one-hundred-percent favorable, and one even had a four-page article on ISKCON. The Gujarati ladies from Durban and Pietermaritzburg all came early to help cook puris and halavā. They cooked about one quarter ton of halavā (Prabhupāda chuckles) and over eight thousand puris, all of which were distributed. At least fifteen thousand people attended the two-day festival, and all of the most important big Indian businessmen and millionaires attended. Two days before the event, a large marquee, able to hold twenty-five hundred people, was erected, and the initiations and the play were held inside. The play especially was most successful, as the top Indian stage and lighting men in South Africa were giving us technical assistance. It was so nice that even some of the ladies were in tears during the performance. The go-pūjā was also a massively popular event, as none of the local people had ever seen such a thing before. In fact, many people came up to the devotees and were saying things like, 'We left India thirty years ago, and I never saw anything like this before.' So far, the Indian community..." (break)

Bhavānanda: And the other one is that Ādi-keśava Mahārāja, he has a friend in Delhi named Chandi Das. He's a big yogi, I think?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, he's from America.

Bhavānanda: He has quite a bit of money. And so Ādi-keśava called him up, and he had a kavirāja in the Rāmānuja-sampradāya. And Chandi Das went to see his kavirāja, and his kavirāja had just gotten finished mixing makara-dhvaja medicine. He'd been preparing it for the past ten days. And Śatadhanya Mahārāja and Ādi-keśava were just now going over to see this kavirāja. That Chandi Das has purchased seven tolās of the medicine for Your Divine Grace as a gift. They are going over to pick it up.

Prabhupāda: (laughs) Just see. Kṛṣṇa arranges. Just see.

Room Conversation With Sri Narayana and Rama-Krsna Bajaj -- October 31, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) ...slaughterhouse... (Hindi conversation)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This is a temple that was built there. We have a big farm there as well as two temples. This is one of the temples.

Śrī Nārāyaṇa: Where in South Africa?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Near Durban.

Śrī Nārāyaṇa: Near Durban. Ācchā.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And they had fifteen thousand people attending at the Janmāṣṭamī celebration. Here you see some go-pūjā. (Hindi)

Prabhupāda: Without culture they're suffering. If you want to mitigate their sufferings, give this Gītā culture. That is my experience. (Hindi) We have sold this Caitanya-caritāmṛta even in Russian countries.

Śrī Nārāyaṇa: Russian countries.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Here are some of our African publications, Śrīla Prabhupāda, published in Swahili.

Prabhupāda: African, Chinese, Japanese.

Prabhupada Vigil -- November 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: And all the ācāryas say. We have to follow the ācāryas. Very good. They do not answer. And they... Is it not?

Brahmānanda: But they don't listen to you. We tell them the truth, but they don't want to hear it. They just want to come and become important by their attending this meeting, become puffed up and speak their own ideas and think that they're accomplishing some real...

Prabhupāda: That may be (indistinct).

Brahmānanda: One of the delegates, he is sitting there, and he was spinning thread on a hand spinner. Then afterwards he stopped and even he fell asleep during the meeting. We were arguing about personalism and impersonalism, and Mr. Bajaj, he interrupted that "Now, you shouldn't... The purpose of this meeting is not to discuss Bhagavad-gītā but just to discuss how to promote Bhagavad-gītā."

Prabhupāda: No idea of... He has no authorized.

Room Conversation -- November 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Akṣayānanda: Oh, I see. We didn't stay all through in the afternoon.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda's point is that all of the gosvāmīs of Vṛndāvana were attending.

Akṣayānanda: What did they say to Prabhupāda.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, they're attending, Bon Mahārāja, so that means the whole of Vṛndāvana has become Māyāvādī, because they're all attending this meeting. Our men should not attend this meeting any more, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: No, just see the, how they have functioned. It is our place. We should guard. So, and all the men were accommodated in their room?

Akṣayānanda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They could all fit in the meeting room?

Akṣayānanda: Yes.

Prabhupāda: And who was presiding?

Akṣayānanda: The Aurobindo.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That guy's a pakka Māyāvādī. That Aurobindo man?

Prabhupāda: Aurobind.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. He had a big argument with Brahmānanda. Not a big argument, but he was challenging Brahmānanda that "Kṛṣṇa means the divine consciousness. Kṛṣṇa is not a person. He is the... It is divine consciousness."

Prabhupāda: Māyāvāda.

Room Conversation -- November 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: (laughs) They are going away. Now they are finished. One day... What they will talk? Who will hear?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They have nothing to talk. Prabhupāda, they said that you are on a coordinating committee. So they want a second person from our Society also to be on the coordinating committee, because you may not always be able to attend the meetings.

Prabhupāda: No.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We'll tell them, "No, Prabhupāda said only he alone should be on it."

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: (laughs) They'll like that.

Prabhupāda: I also do not want.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You want your name to be taken off?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- November 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: What resolution they passed?

Akṣayānanda: I do not know. (Prabhupāda laughs) I could not attend it, Śrīla Prabhupāda. I had to go... Next door we had some work with one bābājī. We had given him money last year, and I had to get that money back for his land. They're given a security.

Prabhupāda: Money?

Akṣayānanda: Yes. We were using his land for a sewer, water waste. So we had given him two thousand rupees' security. We were going to buy that land. You remember once Your Divine Grace came to see it. We were going to put all that waste water and make a garden and all this. So now we have connected with the municipal sewer line, so there's no need for that land, and that problem is solved. So we took the money back that we had given as a security. I have been there for the last two or three hours, so I was unable to come.

Prabhupāda: They have returned the money.

Akṣayānanda: Yes, they have returned it. Bhagatji was there. He arranged everything. He is pakka bāniyā. He has arranged very nicely.

Prabhupāda: What about the gate?

Akṣayānanda: That's going on.

Room Conversation -- November 3, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: While they are busy discussing, we are busy doing it. We have not had any trouble distributing the Bhagavad-gītās. Even though we have not attended their meetings, the distribution is going on very well.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Practical application is more important than theoretical knowledge.

Bhakti-caru: That also they don't have.

Brahmānanda: Mr. Nārāyaṇa recognized that about our Society, that we are applying Bhagavad-gītā. He said, "I see from very early morning hours you are applying Bhagavad-gītā," because he attended the maṅgala-ārati.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He was very impressed. He is naturally a devotee, Gujarati. He's naturally a Kṛṣṇa devotee. He can appreciate the importance of ārati and Deities.

Brahmānanda: That man from that āśrama...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Aurobindo.

Brahmānanda: Auroville. He was poisonous, very poisonous. Mr. Bajaj wanted to conduct the proceedings in English just so that I would be able to understand, because I was sitting as your representative, but that man refused.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What did he say?

Brahmānanda: Well, he just spoke in Hindi, and he said something in Hindi to Mr. Bajaj that "I want to speak in Hindi," and he continued speaking in Hindi.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: All artificial platform, surface. "Hindu, Indian, Hindi."

Brahmānanda: He was very envious, that Auroville, of what is going on.

Jayādvaita: They're nothing.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They are nothing. No one ever heard of them outside of India.

Prabhupāda: Aurobindo never preached in Hindi.

Room Conversation -- November 3, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yesterday... No, yesterday some prominent men, Dalmiya. Who came?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Dalmiya was here, Rāma-Kṛṣṇa Bajaj, Śrīmān Nārāyaṇa, and some gentleman from Auroville Society was here to see you. I think they were participating in that conference, Gītā-pratiṣṭhāna.

Dr. Kapoor: I was also invited. I'm sorry I couldn't come because my wife was very ill.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Dr. Kapoor could not attend. His wife was very ill, he said. He couldn't attend the conference. Śrīla Prabhupāda, maybe you should rest now a little bit. Okay. (Bengali)

Prabhupāda: I'm tired.

Bhakti-caru: Ācchā.

Bhavānanda: Śrīla Prabhupāda? Would you like to take some nice pomegranate juice? Very good. (break)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Any difficulties?

Prabhupāda: Everything difficult.

Room Conversation -- November 6, 1977, Vrndavana:

Jayapatākā: The Manipur Mandir in Navadvīpa, when I was gone they had sent an invitation for attending one function. They're very favorable. When the party went to Assam, then they got invitation to go to Tripura, which is next to Manipur. It's eighty percent Bengali-speaking and also many Vaiṣṇavas. So we expect to distribute many books there. Next month party will be going to Tripura.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Book distribution has hit India, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Jayapatākā: And, Śrīla Prabhupāda, I was thinking that it's very important... We want to complete this temple during your stay here on this planet. Then your life's mission will be... There won't be anything that's left uncomplete if we could just complete the temple. The present... Just meditating that what are the obstacle... Actually we have already enough land for the temple itself, but the temple design... When you first came to Māyāpur, then the temple was going to be 225 feet. Then we asked Saurabha to make a design, and then he made 300 feet. At that time the estimate was fifteen million. Then again he was designing, designing, and it went to 350 feet. Then it went to thirty million. Then it went to 400 feet, fifty-five million. Now it's up to seventy million.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Dollars?

Jayapatākā: Dollars. Every time he thinks about it, he adds fifty feet, and it goes up twenty million. So now all the distributors in the world, they were very eager to see the temple built, but at the present time it requires so much money at seventy million dollars and 450 feet that no one can think of even starting it for five years. But if the temple was 300 or 350 feet and twenty-five or thirty million dollars, which I don't think anyone—it would be the biggest building even in India and the biggest temple in the world—then it could be started immediately, feasibly. Four temples in America said that if they just get five women each, that means twenty women from the Society, then they could each pledge 25,000 rupees a month for..., in collection. That means $125,000. Plus BBT's $100,000 a month and Gurukṛpā, that would be enough immediately even in the coming year to start the construction of the temple, simply if Saurabha was asked to just make the temple on a thirty million dollar budget, which would be 350 feet or 300 feet. And this is really inspiring the book distributors to have this temple begun, and to complete it within your lifetime, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: My lifetime... (laughs) It is now very brief. At any moment I can...

Room Conversation -- November 7, 1977, Vrndavana:

Citsukhānanda: She's coming now. There's another lady, Mrs. Forkash, and she has been working with Mrs. Forkash, and she's been attending the programs and also organizing for good publicity for the movement all over America. And she's been attending major functions that we do. Like we had a major function with all the important people of Los Angeles—movie stars, directors, politicians—and so she also assisted, and she was preaching, speaking about Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: She's becoming a devotee.

Citsukhānanda: Yes, very much.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: She's also connected with that Parents for Kṛṣṇa? There's one parent's group called Parents for Kṛṣṇa?

Citsukhānanda: Parents for Kṛṣṇa, yes. She assists in that Parents for Kṛṣṇa group.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That is your magic touch, Śrīla Prabhupāda. Anyone who contacts you becomes a devotee. You're just like the associates of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Whoever saw them...

Prabhupāda: She's already a good lady. Otherwise how she can have such nice son? (laughter)

Citsukhānanda: I asked her if she had met you, Prabhupāda. I asked Jayapatākā's mother if she had met you, and she said, "Yes..."

Prabhupāda: A fortunate lady. All your mothers, they are all fortu...

Svarūpa Dāmodara: I remember some parents used to come, Śrīla Prabhupāda, in Los Angeles while you were sitting in the garden in the evening. Once in a while, some parents would come and appreciate you so much that you've trained their sons and daughters to become a human being.

Prabhupāda: Tenants?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: The parents used to come in Los Angeles in the evening while you were sitting in the garden.

Room Conversation -- November 7, 1977, Vrndavana:

Jayapatākā: Now that your books are being printed in Hindi, in Calcutta, one of our life members, Mr. Tulsan, he got your Hindi Bhāgavatam and Caitanya-caritāmṛta, and he's begun reading, and now he said his whole life is transformed. He said that never he found anywhere that the knowledge was presented so simply and so clearly. All the paṇḍitas he could never understand. So now he's become so enthusiastic he's purchasing four rooms in Māyāpur-two for himself, and he's making two relatives purchase. And every month he comes out with his family, with the whole family. "Instead of going to other recreation," he said, "we'll go to the temple." And he brings big basket of fruit, and he comes out, and they stay for the weekend and they all attend maṅgala-ārati.

Prabhupāda: Four rooms, which side? New?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: New building or the old one?

Jayapatākā: He's going to purchase, I think, two rooms in the old building, and then two rooms in the new building he'll have his friends purchase.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They like the new building also?

Jayapatākā: Yes.

Room Conversation -- November 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "My dear Tamāla Kṛṣṇa Goswami and Dhṛṣṭadyumna Swami: Please accept my most humble obeisances unto your feet. All glories to our beloved spiritual master Śrīla Prabhupāda. May Lord Kṛṣṇa, if He so desires, please cure Śrīla Prabhupāda. I'm writing this letter as a brief report on the recent events as a result of my trip to Kwangchow, Canton China. I arrived on October 16th. Business—attended the Trade Fair but signed no contracts as all the prices were far too high. Research on some items may result in future business. Saṅkīrtana—our real business: I gave two Chinese Bhagavad-gītās to the Chungshan University, or Dr. Sun Yatsen University as it is called now, in Canton. They were accepted by the administration with assurance of being delivered to the appropriate departments. I inquired from the liaison office how to visit the university. They said it must be prearranged, but they did not know how. From past experience..." This boy had gone to China once before, Śrīla Prabhupāda. He's a Canadian. He says, "From past experience..." He's one of your disciples. "From past experience, because of limited time, I decided to just go, although warned not to. I walked past the guard's house at the gate of the university, hoping not to be seen. After I got forty to fifty yards, when a woman came running after me yelling in Chinese. I finally turned to her and said, 'No, it is all right,' and smiled and I kept walking on. She retreated, by Kṛṣṇa's grace, and I went on to the first building, where I saw some books through the windows. As I approached the front door, the first person I met was a middle-aged woman who spoke good English. She was a biology teacher, and we discussed the life principle as she took me to the history department and then reception. There, with two other Chinese persons, we discussed Chinese politics, and I explained the natural social body, varṇāśrama." He was discussing varṇāśrama with them. "However, as they began to understand how much sense it made, they said I had better talk to the people of the political philosophy but were unwilling to arrange it, and I was unable to also. They admitted to still having a class society in China, but the goal was to have no classes, with the means of production so arranged that everyone could have what they wanted. Such demons. They accept Marx, Lenin and Mao as absolute authority and plan to spread this perfect social system, as they call it, all over the world. I gave one Gītā to the main public library. They accepted when they found out that I was a Canadian and thanked me very much. Then, on October 25th, with saffron dhotī and Chinese cymbals, I went out on the main street in Kwangchow in the evening, chanting the holy name." This is in China, Śrīla Prabhupāda. "At first there were many suspicious looks, but in a few minutes I had a large crowd following me. Soon the children were running in front, with some of them dancing. I also began to dance, and a loud uproar ensued from the audience. The crowd grew larger and extended out into the road, where the buses began to honk their horns. Just then a cymbal fell from the string to the ground. As I picked it up and repaired it, the crowd came very close all around and tightly crowded. I chanted loudly, 'Hare Kṛṣṇa,' and heard one 'Kṛṣṇa,' in return. I responded with 'Kṛṣ-ṇa' loudly, and three or four answered. Soon I had about twenty responding to the chant, but decided to go on, as the crowd was getting too big. A few minutes later a man broke through the crowd and grabbed my arm and motioned me to stop. I continued, and soon another grabbed the other arm and pulled me into a shop, closed the doors and offered me a seat. The crowd responded with an uproar and banged on the doors for a little while. I had to wait about fifteen minutes until a person came who spoke English. He told me I was causing interference with traffic, and soon after they let me go. I did not go out again as I did not want to agitate them too far. I had previously chanted in a bus and showed the people pictures of Kṛṣṇa. It was very ecstatic. I have been told since then that the incidents would be heard of by nearly everyone in Kwangchow as a conversation topic. Perhaps the name of Kṛṣṇa will also be repeated many times by many people..." (break) Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: So China has sacrificed everything. What is their aim?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In China? Their aim... They say that their aim is to establish a classless society where everyone gets everything that they require. Economic aim.

Prabhupāda: What aim? Low-class men.

Room Conversation -- November 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Hm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Should we depart for taking prasādam now, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Okay.

Prabhupāda: Who is attending?

Bhavānanda: Upendra.

Prabhupāda: Upendra is very good attendant. (break)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We were discussing how to make this parikrama possible, and we've concluded that the best thing was, as we said earlier, to parikrama around Vṛndāvana to begin with. And for that purpose we sent Lokanātha Mahārāja and Pañca-draviḍa Mahārāja and Trivikrama Mahārāja to get a bullock cart ready.

Prabhupāda: Hired or purchased?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, for now just hired, not purchased.

Room Conversation -- November 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: That's nice.

Lokanātha: That will be ever-new experience for us also.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Jayapatākā: It will be historic. Many people have been invited to the temple here. Many people have been invited to attend the function here at the mandira.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Thousands of people are expected to come tomorrow.

Pañca-draviḍa: That can also go on.

Prabhupāda: When they have invited?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: To Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma temple, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: When?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Tomorrow.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "What time?" he's asking.

Bhavānanda: At 11 a.m.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: At around noontime, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: There's a big feast at one o'clock.

Prabhupāda: So half of our men may come back.

Page Title:Attend (Conversations)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Mayapur
Created:11 of Feb, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=206, Let=0
No. of Quotes:206