Clap

Expressions researched:
"clap" |"clapped" |"clapping" |"claps"

SB Preface and Introduction

SB Introduction:

When the Lord was on the lap of His mother, He would at once stop crying as soon as the ladies surrounding Him chanted the holy names and clapped their hands. This peculiar incident was observed by the neighbors with awe and veneration. Sometimes the young girls took pleasure in making the Lord cry and then stopping Him by chanting the holy name. So from His very childhood the Lord began to preach the importance of the holy name. In His early age Lord Śrī Caitanya was known as Nimāi. This name was given by His beloved mother because the Lord took His birth beneath a nimba tree in the courtyard of His paternal house.

SB Canto 3

SB 3.17.8, Translation:

Misty halos appeared around the sun and the moon during solar and lunar eclipses again and again. Claps of thunder were heard even without clouds, and sounds like those of rattling chariots emerged from the mountain caves.

SB Canto 4

SB 4.12.10, Purport:

At the present moment, however, almost all forms of sacrifice are not at all possible; therefore, it is recommended in the śāstras that people should perform saṅkīrtana-yajña. Any householder, regardless of his position, can perform this saṅkīrtana-yajña without expenditure. All the family members can sit down together and simply clap their hands and chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. Somehow or other, everyone can manage to perform such a yajña and distribute prasāda to the people in general. That is quite sufficient for this age of Kali. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is based on this principle: chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra at every moment, as much as possible, both inside and outside of the temples, and, as far as possible, distribute prasāda. This process can be accelerated with the cooperation of state administrators and those who are producing the country's wealth. Simply by liberal distribution of prasāda and saṅkīrtana, the whole world can become peaceful and prosperous.

SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13

SB 10.11.7, Translation:

The gopīs would say, "If You dance, my dear Kṛṣṇa, then I shall give You half a sweetmeat." By saying these words or by clapping their hands, all the gopīs encouraged Kṛṣṇa in different ways. At such times, although He was the supremely powerful Personality of Godhead, He would smile and dance according to their desire, as if He were a wooden doll in their hands. Sometimes He would sing very loudly, at their bidding. In this way, Kṛṣṇa came completely under the control of the gopīs.

SB 10.12.24, Translation:

Then the boys said, "Has this living creature come to swallow us? If he does so, he will immediately be killed like Bakāsura, without delay." Thus they looked at the beautiful face of Kṛṣṇa, the enemy of Bakāsura, and, laughing loudly and clapping their hands, they entered the mouth of the python.

CC Adi-lila

CC Adi 14.22, Purport:

In the Caitanya-bhāgavata this pastime is described as follows: "The Lord, with His beautiful eyes, would cry, but He would stop immediately upon hearing the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. When the ladies, understanding the fun of the Lord, discovered that He would cry and then stop upon hearing the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, they all took it as a clue to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa as soon as the Lord cried. Thus it became a regular function. The Lord would cry, and the ladies would begin chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, clapping their hands. In this way all the ladies of the neighboring houses would assemble in the home of Śacīmātā to join in the saṅkīrtana movement twenty-four hours a day. As long as the ladies continued to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, the Lord would not cry but would very pleasingly smile upon them."

CC Adi 17.207, Translation:

“‘Now He loudly sings all kinds of songs, claps, and plays drums and hand cymbals, making a tumultuous sound that deafens our ears.

CC Adi 17.207, Translation:

“‘Now He loudly sings all kinds of songs, claps, and plays drums and hand cymbals, making a tumultuous sound that deafens our ears.

CC Madhya-lila

CC Madhya 6.238, Translation:

Seeing that Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya was firmly fixed in the cult of Vaiṣṇavism, Gopīnātha Ācārya, his brother-in-law, began to dance, clap his hands and chant, "Hari! Hari!"

Teachings of Lord Caitanya

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 1:

This means that Kṛṣṇa's qualities are not material but are pure and transcendental.

The highest stage of ecstasy is characterized by the following thirteen transcendental activities: (1) dancing, (2) rolling on the floor, (3) singing, (4) clapping, (5) stretching the body, (6) thundering, (7) yawning, (8) breathing heavily, (9) forgetting social conventions, (10) drooling, (11) laughing, (12) shaking the head, and (13) hiccoughing. All these symptoms are not awakened simultaneously; they appear according to the exchange of transcendental mellows. Sometimes one symptom is prominent, and at another time another is prominent.

There are five transcendental rasas, or mellows. The initial stage is called śānta-rati, wherein one who is liberated from material contamination appreciates the greatness of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One who attains this stage does not exactly engage in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, for this is the neutral stage.

Nectar of Devotion

Nectar of Devotion 9:

In the Dvārakā-māhātmya the importance of dancing before the Deity is stated by Lord Kṛṣṇa as follows: "A person who is in a jubilant spirit, who feels profound devotional ecstasy while dancing before Me, and who manifests different features of bodily expression can burn away all the accumulated sinful reactions he has stocked up for many, many thousands of years." In the same book there is a statement by Nārada wherein he asserts, "From the body of any person who claps and dances before the Deity, showing manifestations of ecstasy, all the birds of sinful activities fly away upward." Just as by clapping the hands one can cause many birds to fly away, similarly the birds of all sinful activities which are sitting on the body can be made to fly away simply by dancing and clapping before the Deity of Kṛṣṇa.

Nectar of Devotion 45:

Seeing this fun, Nārada also began to dance, and his shoulders trembled, and his eyes moved. Due to his smiling, his teeth also became visible, and on account of the glaring effulgence from his teeth, the clouds in the skies turned silver.

When a smiling person claps his hands and leaps in the air, the smiling expression changes into atihasita, or overwhelming laughter. An example of atihasita was manifested in the following incident. Kṛṣṇa once addressed Jaratī thus: "My dear good woman, the skin of your face is now slackened, and so your face exactly resembles a monkey's. As such, the King of the monkeys, Balīmukha, has selected you as his worthy wife." While Kṛṣṇa was teasing Jaratī in this way, she replied that she was certainly aware of the fact that the King of the monkeys was trying to marry her, but she had already taken shelter of Kṛṣṇa, the killer of many powerful demons, and therefore she had already decided to marry Kṛṣṇa instead of the King of the monkeys.

Nectar of Devotion 45:

On hearing this sarcastic reply by the talkative Jaratī, all the cowherd girls present there began to laugh very loudly and clap their hands. This laughter, accompanied by the clapping of hands, is called atihasita.

Sometimes there are indirect sarcastic remarks which also create atihasita circumstances. An example of one such remark is a statement which was made by one of the cowherd girls to Kuṭilā, the daughter of Jaṭilā and sister of Abhimanyu, the so-called husband of Rādhārāṇī. Indirectly Kuṭilā was insulted by the following statement: "My dear Kuṭilā, daughter of Jaṭilā, your breasts are as long as string beans—simply dry and long. Your nose is so gorgeous that it defies the beauty of the noses of frogs. And your eyes are more beautiful than the eyes of dogs. Your lips defy the flaming cinders of fire, and your abdomen is as beautiful as a big drum. Therefore, my dear beautiful Kuṭilā, you are the most beautiful of all the cowherd girls of Vṛndāvana, and because of your extraordinary beauty, I think you must be beyond the attraction of the sweet blowing of Kṛṣṇa's flute!"

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Krsna Book 11:

He just might have done it.” Nanda Mahārāja smiled to hear about the extraordinary abilities of his son. He came forward and untied the knot just to free his wonderful child. After being freed by Nanda Mahārāja, Kṛṣṇa was taken onto the laps of the elder gopīs. They took Him away to the courtyard of the house and began to clap, praising His wonderful activities. Kṛṣṇa danced along with their clapping, just like an ordinary child. The Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa, being completely controlled by the gopīs, sang and danced just like a puppet in their hands.

Sometimes Mother Yaśodā used to ask Kṛṣṇa to bring her a wooden plank for sitting. Although the wooden plank was too heavy to be carried by a child, still somehow or other Kṛṣṇa would bring it to His mother. Sometimes His father, while worshiping Nārāyaṇa, would ask Him to bring his wooden slippers, and Kṛṣṇa, with great difficulty, would put the slippers on His head and bring them to His father.

Krsna Book 12:

Then they further consulted among themselves: "If we all at one time entered into the mouth of this great serpent, how could it possibly swallow all of us? And even if it were to swallow all of us at once, it could not swallow Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa will immediately kill him, as He did Bakāsura." Talking in this way, all the boys looked at the beautiful lotuslike face of Kṛṣṇa, and they began to clap and smile. And so they marched forward and entered the mouth of the gigantic serpent.

Meanwhile, Kṛṣṇa, who is the Supersoul within everyone's heart, could understand that the big statuesque figure was a demon. The boys did not know this, however, and thus while Kṛṣṇa was planning how to stop the destruction of His intimate friends, all the boys along with their calves entered the mouth of the serpent. But Kṛṣṇa did not enter. The demon was awaiting Kṛṣṇa's entrance, and he was thinking, "Everyone has entered except Kṛṣṇa, who has killed my brother and sister."

Krsna Book 18:

They walked into the midst of newly grown leaves of trees whose flowers resembled peacock feathers. They were garlanded by those flowers and decorated with saffron chalk. Sometimes they were dancing and singing and sometimes wrestling with one another. While Kṛṣṇa danced, some of the cowherd boys sang and others played on flutes; some bugled on buffalo horns or clapped their hands, praising Kṛṣṇa, "Dear brother, You are dancing very nicely." Actually, all these boys were demigods descended from higher planets to assist Kṛṣṇa in His pastimes. The demigods garbed in the dress of the cowherd boys were encouraging Kṛṣṇa in His dancing, just as one artist encourages another with praise. Up to that time, neither Balarāma nor Kṛṣṇa had undergone the haircutting ceremony; therefore Their hair was clustered like crows' feathers. They were always playing hide-and-seek with Their boyfriends or jumping or fighting with them. Sometimes, while His friends were chanting and dancing, Kṛṣṇa would praise them, "My dear friends, you are dancing and singing very nicely."

Krsna Book 33:

The necks of the gopīs became tinted with red due to their desire to enjoy Kṛṣṇa more and more. To satisfy them, Kṛṣṇa began to clap His hands in time with their singing. Actually the whole world is full of Kṛṣṇa's singing, but it is appreciated in different ways by different kinds of living entities. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā: ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham (BG 4.11). Kṛṣṇa is dancing, and every living entity is also dancing, but there is a difference between the dancing in the spiritual world and that in the material world. This is expressed by the author of the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, who says that the master dancer is Kṛṣṇa and everyone else is His servant. Everyone is trying to imitate Kṛṣṇa's dancing. Those who are actually in Kṛṣṇa consciousness respond rightly to the dancing of Kṛṣṇa: they do not try to dance independently. But those in the material world try to imitate Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The living entities are dancing under the direction of Kṛṣṇa's māyā and are thinking that they are equal to Kṛṣṇa. But this is not a fact. In Kṛṣṇa consciousness, this misconception is absent, for a person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness knows that Kṛṣṇa is the supreme master and everyone else is His servant.

Krsna Book 44:

All the cowherd boyfriends of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma approached Them and congratulated Them with great pleasure. While trumpets resounded and drums were beaten, the leg bells on the feet of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma tinkled.

All the people gathered there began to clap in great ecstasy, and no one could estimate the bounds of their pleasure. The brāhmaṇas present began to praise Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma ecstatically. Only Kaṁsa was morose; he neither clapped nor offered benediction to Kṛṣṇa. Kaṁsa resented that the trumpets and drums should be played for Kṛṣṇa's victory, and he was very sorry that the wrestlers had been killed and had fled the assembly. He therefore immediately ordered the band to stop playing and addressed his men as follows: "I order that these two sons of Vasudeva be immediately driven out of Mathurā. The cowherd boys who have come with Them should be plundered and all their riches taken away. Nanda Mahārāja should immediately be arrested and killed for his cunning behavior, and that rascal Vasudeva should also be killed without delay. Also my father, Ugrasena, who has always supported my enemies against my will, should be killed."

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.22 -- Hyderabad, November 26, 1972:

Why not engage all the people to perform this saṅkīrtana-yajña? Every village, every house, every home, just perform this saṅkīrtana-yajña: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Simply you sit down, all family members. Where is the difficulty? Husband, wife, children, friends. Sit down together. There is no need of instrument. Simply clap and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Then you'll see the face of the world is changed. That is recommended... But we have no faith. We do not believe. Although there is no expenditure, there is no loss, still, we shall not do. We shall make plan by raising fund. So after raising fund, what is done, we know everything. So that will not relieve. Take this yajña process. Yajñād bhavati parjanyaḥ (BG 3.14). If you are in scarcity of rain, perform yajña, the saṅkīrtana-yajña. There will be regular rain, and if there is regular rain, there is ample food production. There is no question of overpopulation. God can supply you more than you want, provided you become God conscious, Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is the way.

Lecture on BG 2.62-72 -- Los Angeles, December 19, 1968:

You have to take some shelter. But if you have no shelter in the higher planets or higher situation, then you shall have to come down. So... The same example can be repeated. Suppose if you go in the outer space... Just like the sputnik men, they go sometime. People think, "Oh, where he has gone, so high, so high." But he has not gone anywhere. He's coming down again. So it is false clapping, "Oh, he has gone so high, so high." What is the use of going so high? You are coming down next moment. Because you have no power to enter into another planet. So what your machine, this sputnik or these planes, will help you? You have to come down again. Rather, you shall fall down in some Atlantic Ocean, or Pacific Ocean, and somebody will go and pick you up. You see? This is your position. So voidism means to fly in the sky and be puffed up, "I have come so high, I have come so high, so high." (laughs) That foolish man does not know how long he'll keep in that high position. You see? He will come down. This is māyā's attraction. He'll have to come down.

Lecture on BG 3.1-5 -- Los Angeles, December 20, 1968:

Just like our students, going door to door, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. And people are taking advantage of it, they are hearing. So this process is beneficial to the public. Even a small child who joins here, he also claps, tries to clap. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is not to remain in a secluded place to get cheap advertisement, "Oh, that man is meditating." No. Go, practically work.

Just like Lord Jesus Christ, he practically worked. So there is practical work. No question of going into a secluded place. We should remain in the congested city and preach this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement without being affected by this contamination of city life. That is perfection. They shall not be contaminated, touched by the contamination of the city life, but still, they will go on with Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is perfection. Yes.

Lecture on BG 4.8 -- Montreal, June 14, 1968:

And it is very easy. You simply sit down. If you don't like to come to this temple, it doesn't matter. At, in your home only, you sit down with your friends, with your boyfriend or girlfriend or family members, children. Sit down and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. If you have got a nice musical instrument it is all right. Otherwise, God has given you these hands. You can clap, Hare Kṛṣṇa. Very easy. Just try it and you will understand everything gradually.

Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). By simply chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, gradually all coverings all dust accumulated on the mirror of your... (break)... and what are these activities, these five things are there God, the living entity, the material nature, the time, and the activities. If you can thoroughly study these five principles, then you become perfectly advanced in knowledge and your life is successful. And all this will be possible simply by this chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. And when your mind will be clean, you will be able to understand the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā automatically. These things are there. Thank you very much.

Lecture on BG 6.25-29 -- Los Angeles, February 18, 1969:

You are giving them chance to, as much as possible, to take part in the kīrtana, to taste the prasāda. That child who comes, imitates like this, oh, don't think that it is growing in vain. Something done in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, knowing or not knowing it will have it's effect. These children who are bowing down or trying to vibrate "Kṛṣṇa" or clap. These things are being accumulated in bank account of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Just like if the child touches this fire, it will act. It will not excuse the child, that, "Oh, he is child, he does not know." The fire will act. Similarly if Kṛṣṇa is the supreme spirit, a child who may take part in it, Kṛṣṇa will act. You may know it do not know it. It doesn't matter. Because Kṛṣṇa is there. So it is so nice. Therefore every living being should be given chance. These boys are inviting outsider, "Come on," this love feast. What is the idea? The idea, let them come, take little prasāda and it will act someday in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It will act. So that is their propaganda. They are seeing everyone. Kṛṣṇa, they are seeing Kṛṣṇa in everyone, in that way. Not that everyone is Kṛṣṇa. Don't make this mistake. Kṛṣṇa is all-pervading.

Lecture on BG 6.30-34 -- Los Angeles, February 19, 1969:

Yes. So this aṣṭāṅga-yoga is not possible. Therefore this yoga system, bhakti-yoga system, is applicable to anyone. You have seen when this chanting, bhakti-yoga system goes on, even a small child, he also begins to clap. You see? Without any training, without any education, automatically he takes part. So therefore Lord Caitanya has said that this is the only system in this age: harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma eva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21). Simply chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa. Kalau, in this age of Kali. Kalau nāsty eva, nāsty eva. Nāsty eva: there is no other alternative, no other alternative, no other alternative. If you adopt this system, this bhakti-yoga system, very simple, simply chanting. You'll find immediately result. Pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyam. Any other yoga system, if you practice, you are in the darkness. You do not know how far you are making progress. But this system, you will understand, "Yes, I'm making such and such progress." This is the only yoga system, bhakti-yoga system, that one can practice for quick result and self-realization and liberation even in this life. He hasn't got to wait for another life. It is so nice, Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on BG 6.32-40 -- New York, September 14, 1966:

Bambhārambhe laghu-kriyā. Aja-yuddhe, fighting between two goats... Now, they are very serious about fighting, and somebody comes, (claps) does like this, (claps), and they go away. The fighting stops. You see? So bambhārambhe, the attempt is very great, but the effect is little. Aja-yuddhe muni-śrāddhe: "And a ceremony observed by some sages in the jungle..." What they have got? They have got some leaves and flowers. That's all. What arrangement will be made? And prabhāte megha-ḍambare: "And in the morning, thundering sound of the cloud..." And similarly, dam-pate kalahe, I mean to say, "war between husband and wife..." So these things are to be taken as insignificant. So, of course, in India the quarrel between husband and wife, nobody cares. Nobody takes very seriously. The husband may complain, the wife may complain. Everyone says, "Yes, yes. That's all right. It will be all right." They never go to court for divorce. You see? But it is... There is no seriousness. And actually it is fact. I have seen a serious. They are divorced, but still, the husband is anxious for the wife, and the wife is anxious for the husband. The divorce is artificial. The husband and wife, the combination, that cannot be cut off. So one should tolerate these things. If there is some misunderstanding, they should not go to the court for divorce. They should tolerate. These are some of the rules for spiritual advancement.

Lecture on BG 6.46-47 -- Los Angeles, February 21, 1969:

Somebody is gardening, somebody is typing, somebody is cooking, somebody is cooking, somebody is doing something else, everything. But it is in connection with Kṛṣṇa. Therefore the Kṛṣṇa consciousness is prevailing, always, twenty-four hours. That is the highest type of yoga. Yoga means to keep your consciousness intact with Viṣṇu or Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord. That is the perfection of yoga. Here it is automatically, even the child can do it. The child is coming along with his mother and bowing down, "Kṛṣṇa, I bow down." So he is also Kṛṣṇa conscious. A small child, he's clapping. Why? "Hey Kṛṣṇa." So anyway, everyone is remembering always Kṛṣṇa. Keeping Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Even a child here is the highest yogi. It is not our boastfulness. It is stated in authorized scripture like Bhagavad-gītā. We don't say that we have created these words for our boastful. No, it is a fact. Even a child can keep in the highest platform of yoga practice in this temple. That is the highest gift of this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Lecture on BG 7.4 -- Nairobi, October 31, 1975:

Up to ether, you can see, but the mind, which is still finer than the ether, mana, that you cannot see. Mind, everyone knows you have got mind, I have got mind, but you cannot see the mind, neither I can see your mind. Here is the subtle. First gross: bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ, up to ether. Ether also we cannot see, but we can understand here is ether by (claps) sound. As soon as there is sound, this is the understanding of ether. Ether, vāyu, you can touch, but you cannot see. Then fire, you can see. And then water, you can see also, and then earth—gross. From the finer, we are coming to the gross. Begins from the finer.

So finer than the ether is the mind, and finer than the mind is intelligence, ego. And finer than the intelligence and ego is the soul. So how you can see soul? You cannot see even the material things, as soon it becomes finer. How you can see the soul? They cannot see, but soul is there. Therefore when the soul departs from the body we see the bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhi-ahaṅkāra... (BG 7.4). Buddhi-ahaṅkāra The man, the dead man, is lying.

Lecture on BG 8.21-22 -- New York, November 19, 1966:

There is no cause of doubting. The only thing is how to feel it, how to understand it. That understanding will gradually be developed, and it will be..., the truth will be revealed to you if you go on with this chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma... This is simple process, very simple process. Even children can take part in it. Even a child of six months took part in it. Perhaps in the last meeting you have seen. There was a small child, sitting on the lap of his father, and he was also (claps) joining. You see. Because automatic. A dog will dance, a cat will dance, a child will dance. There is no necessity of preliminary qualification for understanding, because it is from the spiritual platform. It is from the spiritual platform.

So this simple process will reveal before you what is spiritual kingdom, what is God, what you are, what is this material world, why you are conditioned, what is the remedy. Everything will be... Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam (CC Antya 20.12). Gradually, step by step by step by step.

So avyakto 'kṣara ity uktaḥ: "It is in the Vedic literature it is said that that spiritual world and the spirit, everything is nonmanifested, but still, that is eternal, eternal." We have to see through the books of knowledge. We have to believe.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.8.28 -- Mayapura, October 8, 1974:

There is no misunderstanding of the authorities. The misunderstanding, the common man... Just like in Australia, when I spoke, there was no misunderstanding. There was agreement by the priests and myself. There was complete agreement. (aside:) You were with me? Or... No. You were not. They, after hearing my lecture for one hour, they agreed and clapped for ten minutes. So there cannot be any misun... Those who are actually... They questioned, "What is your opinion of Lord Jesus Christ?" and I said, "He preached God consciousness. He's our guru. Anyone who preaches the message of God, he is guru." So they very much appreciated, and actually it is so. Vaiṣṇava who is preaching, it may be in a different way, according to time and place and the party—they have to change something, deśa-kāla-pātra—but we have to see the essence. Wherever there is God consciousness, wherever is there understanding... Just like we sometime consult dictionary, a small dictionary, pocket dictionary, and a big international dictionary.

Lecture on SB 3.25.14 -- Bombay, November 14, 1974:

So here Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa is present. Even a child comes and offers his respect, it is taken into account, that "Here is a devotee." He does not know anything. Simply by seeing the chanting and dancing—you'll see practically—even a small child, he dances, he claps, he enjoys. He takes part. So the temple means to give chance to everyone, even to the child, to advance one step to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One step. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt. Even little is accepted and is done, it becomes into account. Just like if you deposit even two annas in the bank, it is kept on your account. It will increase with interest. Similarly, devotional service even done very little, it is not lost. In the śāstra it is said that even it is lost... Not lost. Suppose some reason a man comes and joins this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, and in the middle he falls down, he does not make further progress because he falls down. But whatever he has done, that is permanent credit. That will never be lost. Even he stops, then from that point, again he will begin as soon as there will be chance.

Lecture on SB 3.25.42 -- Bombay, December 10, 1974:

Just like we are doing here saṅkīrtana-kīrtana and saṅkīrtana. Kīrtana means alone, and saṅkīrtana means in the assembly of many others. That is called saṅkīrtana. So that is recommended, that many persons, you sit together. There is no need of even instrument, but because Lord Caitanya introduced this khol, karatāla. Otherwise this clapping is sufficient. So it is very easy, saṅkīrtana-yajña. You sit down familywise, all the family members. If you perform saṅkīrtana, Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, with the clapping of hands, that is saṅkīrtana-yajña, very easy to perform. But people will not do that. Instead of performing saṅkīrtana-yajña in the evening to become free from all fears of life, they will go to the restaurant, to the cinema and other places, talking unnecessarily in clubs, societies, waste their time. This is going on. This is modern education. This is modern civilization. They are not aware of the tīvraṁ bhayam, the most fierceful situation of birth, death, old age, and disease. This is the opportunity, the human life, how to get out of it. The means are there. But we are so fools.

Lecture on SB 3.26.11-14 -- Bombay, December 23, 1974:

So the sky is known by śabda, sound. This is tan-mātra. This is... By sound, you can understand there is sky. If you clap, there is sound (claps). You understand there is sky. Sky is understood by the śabda. Then air is understood by sparśa. Just like electric fan is running, but even if I do not see it is running, because the air is touching my body, I can understand the air is there. Sparśa. Rūpa, rasa, śabda. Śabda, sky, and rūpa, fire. From the fire, rūpa begins, form. Rasa. Rasa is in the taste in the water. And gandha is in the earth. So five gross elements and five subtle elements. The gross elements is understood by the subtle elements. Subtle means we cannot see it directly, but we can perceive it. So pañcabhiḥ pañcabhiḥ . And then daśabhiḥ , ten senses, knowledge-acquiring, cakṣuḥ, karṇa, nāsikā: eyes, ear and nose and tongue, hands, in this way. And karmabhiḥ . We work with hands, legs, genital. In this way, there are five working sense organs and five senses to gather knowledge. So five, five, and ten, twenty-four. And the subtle senses, mano buddhir ahaṅkāraś cittam-four.

Lecture on SB 3.26.44 -- Bombay, January 19, 1975:

He gave very good example, that if a man learns how to bark like dog and if he makes a show, many thousands of people will purchase ticket and go and see how he is barking. But by nature's arrangement, so many dogs are barking; nobody takes care. You see? So similarly, in the laboratory, if a scientist can produce a life some way or other, so they will go and see and give him clap. Just like this airplane is flying in the air. Little discrepancy is immediately crash down. So he is getting so much credit, and the scientists also saying, "There is no need of God. Now we have solved all the questions." But nobody is giving credit to Kṛṣṇa who is floating millions and trillions of stars and planets in the air. So by taking Kṛṣṇa's stock, the petroleum or gas, we become scientist and fly the airplane, and Kṛṣṇa has given the petrol, and He has no credit. He has no credit. That is the difference between demons and bhakta. A bhakta sees in everything presence of Kṛṣṇa. "Oh, here is Kṛṣṇa's energy is there. Here is nice taste. Oh, here is Kṛṣṇa." Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya (BG 7.8).

So Kṛṣṇa has manifested Himself in so many ways by His different energies.

Lecture on SB 5.5.19 -- Vrndavana, November 7, 1976:

Avicintya or durvibhāvyam, the same thing. Even if you try to understand God or want to go to God, vāyor athāpi, by your airplane at the speed of the mind, not ordinary speed... Mind's speed you can imagine. You are sitting here, and fifteen thousand miles away, New York, you can immediately see your room there. This is mind's speed. Immediately within a second. Just imagine how much the mind is speedy. Mind is subtle. Everyone, you have got mind, I have got mind, but I cannot see your mind; you cannot see my mind. Subtle. This is a material thing. Bhūmir āpo'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano, mano (BG 7.4). The sky, ether, we cannot see but we can perceive. When you press the sky like this, (claps) there is sound. You can understand, "Here is sky." But mind you cannot see, still subtle.

Lecture on SB 6.1.32 -- Surat, December 16, 1970:

Then to become such spiritually advanced, is it very difficult task? No. Su-sukham: very easy and very happy. How it is happy? Happy because this spiritual consciousness is developed by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. That is very pleasing. With music, with musical instrument we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. There is no trouble. Even a child can take part, experience. A child also claps; he also dances. So what can be easier method than this? Any other method you take, you have to exercise, you have to tax your brain, press your nose, or so many other things. But here automatically you chant before ārātrika and you become spiritually enlightened. Even the child becomes. Therefore it is susukham, very happy to execute. Susukham kartum avyayam (BG 9.2). And whatever you do, little, that becomes a permanent asset, avyayam. It is never to be vanished. Even one percent of devotional service you execute, it will help you again to begin from that point.

Lecture on SB 6.2.8 -- Vrndavana, September 11, 1975:

Devotee: (loud chirping of bird) (someone claps)

Prabhupāda: That's all right. "Nārāyaṇa, please come here. Take your meal. Nārāyaṇa, please sit down here. Nārāyaṇa, take your meals," like that. So although he was addressing his son, he did not know that this chanting of Nārāyaṇa is going to his credit, although he did not know. This is called ajñāta-sukṛti. He did not know what is the use of chanting Nārāyaṇa, these four alphabet, catur-akṣaram. But some way or other, he was chanting.

So Nārāyaṇa is so kind that although he did not mean real Nārāyaṇa—he was meaning his son—but the affection was there for Nārāyaṇa. So Nārāyaṇa is so kind that consciously or unconsciously, if you chant the holy name of the Lord, it goes to your credit. Just like sometimes when you walk in the street, people say "Hare Kṛṣṇa!" So this is also going to their credit.

Lecture on SB 7.5.1, Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, January 12, 1973:

This instruction of bhakti is so powerful that even a child can receive it in any condition of life. We have seen when our saṅkīrtana is performed, especially the children, they immediately imitate... Because they cannot vibrate, small children, but they give claps. The saṅkīrtana movement is so perfect that there is no question of any material condition. In any condition Kṛṣṇa consciousness can be aroused, provided it is in touch with a Kṛṣṇa conscious bona fide spiritual master.

So this child, Prahlāda Mahārāja, from, in the womb of his mother he learned spiritual instruction and he became Kṛṣṇa conscious. Therefore from his birth he was chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, and his father was very, very much unhappy: "What kind of child is born? He is Kṛṣṇa conscious." Because he is, he was very much against Viṣṇu. Because Lord Viṣṇu killed his brother Hiraṇyākṣa, so Hiraṇyakaśipu always considered Viṣṇu as the enemy. So he did not like that his son Prahlāda Mahārāja should become a Vaiṣṇava. Vaiṣṇava means viṣṇur asya devatā iti vaiṣṇava.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- New York, April 9, 1969:

So please excuse me. I am trying to make your son forget this nonsense Hare Kṛṣṇa, but I do not know. By nature, he chants Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, and not only he's spoiling himself, he's spoiling my whole school. (laughter) Because as soon as he chants Hare Kṛṣṇa, all the boys join with him and they clap and they dance. So this is going on." So he's teaching his classfellows now. Kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān bhāgavatān iha (SB 7.6.1).

Now, this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam which is in this table, this book is a great, grand edition of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Each verse contains eight commentaries by great stalwart devotees. They represent different disciplic succession of devotee. They are... There are four authorized disciplic successions. As I have already mentioned that Brahmā is one of the authorities, similarly, he has got the disciplic succession from Brahmā. From Brahmā to Nārada, from Nārada to Vyāsadeva, from Vyāsadeva to Madhvācārya, from Madhvācārya to Mad... I am making shortcut. From Madhvācārya to Mādhavendra Purī, from Mādhavendra Purī to Īśvara Purī, from Īśvara Purī to Lord Caitanya, from Lord Caitanya to Svarūpa Dāmodara, from Svarūpa Dāmodara to six Gosvāmīs, Rūpa Gosvāmī, Sanātana Gosvāmī, from Gosvāmīs to Kṛṣṇadasa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, the author of Caitanya-caritāmṛta, and from him Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, and from Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, Viśvanātha Cakravartī, from Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura to Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī, from Jagannātha dāsa Bābājī to Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, from Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura to Gaurakiśora dāsa Bābājī Mahārāja, and from Gaurakiśora dāsa Bābājī my spiritual master, and then we are descended.

Lecture on SB 7.9.9 -- Montreal, July 6, 1968:

They imitate. Now we go on the road, and the small children, they say, "Hare Kṛṣṇa." Just see. Nāma is so strong that the boys, they also chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. It is so easy. We have seen it. The small children immediately, they clap, "Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa." And some of our students' children, in Buffalo they are dancing, in San Francisco. I received recently one letter from the mother of my disciple. He (she) wants to instruct his two children, other two children. So it is so nice. It doesn't require any material acquisition. Simply God has given you this nice apparatus, ear. Simply you hear Hare Kṛṣṇa.

So bhaktyā tutoṣa bhagavān gaja-yūtha pāya. Yathā kevala-bhaktyaiva gajendrāya tuṣṭuyavaḥ (?). The example is Gajendra, the elephant. It was not even a human being. Now, how he satisfied? You have seen that picture of, that... Here I don't find that picture in my apartment, that a calf is by the side of Kṛṣṇa, and it is trying to lick up the body of Kṛṣṇa like this, and Kṛṣṇa is embracing immediately. What this animal has got? No education, no strength, no beauty—nothing of the sort. Simply he has got the feeling: "My Lord, I love You." That's all. Bhaktyā tutoṣa bhagavān gaja-yūtha-pāya. So this is the universal form of spiritualism, the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 25, 1973:

This obedience, the sense of obedience to higher authorities, to love somebody, these propensities are there in everyone. Even a child, we have seen, when there is saṅkīrtana, they also clap their hands. They also try to dance. This is natural. So this has to be little organized. That is called practice. Otherwise the things are there, dormant. Sometimes by bad association that dormant propensities are cut down. They forget. The present situation is like that. The so-called material advancement has curbed down the dormant propensities for loving God, or Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says that jaḍa-vidyā saba māyāra vaibhava. Jaḍa-vidyā saba māyāra vaibhava, tomāra bhajane bādhā. The more artificially we make advancement of material civilization, the more we become away from devotional service. Practically we can see. People are engaged in developing their material resources. Everyone is busy. And we, if our men approach, then they think it is simply waste of time. "All right. They're asking something. Give them some money. Let them go away, and let my business be done nicely." So this is the propensities observed (by) Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura: jaḍa-vidyā saba māyāra vaibhava.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.108 -- San Francisco, February 18, 1967:

"Those fools who are thinking that 'Simply by thinking myself, "I am God, I am Brahman, I have become liberated," ' " but ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas tvayy asta-bhāvāt (SB 10.2.32), "but there is no knowledge about You, Kṛṣṇa," āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padam, "they, after performing so much austerity and penances, they rise up to the highest position, Brahman realization, but," patanty adhaḥ, "they fall down." We have got so many instances. They take sannyāsa. They say that brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā: "This world is false. Brahman is truth." But after some days, they come to politics, they come to sociology, they come to hospital, they come to this and that. That's all. Finished. Brahman finished. Patanty adhaḥ. They must fall down because they have no shelter in Kṛṣṇa. Just like the sputnik goes very high, clap, hear clap. Uh, come down again. Where you'll go? Yes. Simply for the time being clapping, that's all. (laughs) But the fools, they are so nonsense, they are satisfied with that temporary clapping. That's all.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 25.31-38 -- San Francisco, January 22, 1967:

Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ (SB 10.2.32). You may go high, very high. That's all right. But if you don't approach the moon planet or the Venus planet, or any other planet for which you started But these people, they are so foolish they are taking simply clap by wandering in the space a few thousand miles. They think, "This is our perfection. Because I have come so high, and 20,000 miles off from the earth planet, and there is clapping, 'Oh, sputnik has gone...' " But where is your result? The result must be you must reach to the moon planet. Then That is minus. Similarly, all these exercises, all this cultivation of knowledge, if they do not reach to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, they are sure to come down again to these material activities. They are sure. Because they have no taste for Kṛṣṇa, they have to They will come again for opening hospitals and so on, so many activities, material activities.

General Lectures

Lecture at a School -- Montreal, June 11, 1968:

And the only way you can do it is by listening very carefully, everybody, So give your attention to these words: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Now, if everybody will do this, and stand up, close your eyes very tight, put your hands up in the air and sing this song, so you really learn the words, and you can go home and teach it to your brothers and sisters and your mother and your father, and tell them what you learned today. You have to say you learned something. So if you teach them this song, that would be very nice. But you must learn it by listening. So listen to the words. Then get up, close your eyes and just sing. And you'll find it's a very nice song. But unless you try it, you won't learn it. Just like all the other songs you learn in your class. So try it. So I'm going to say the words, and then you say the words after me. We're going to practice it once. Okay. (with children repeating) Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Okay. Now we're going to clap our hands too.

Lecture Engagement -- Montreal, June 15, 1968:

We are following the footprints of Lord Caitanya. Because He chanted Hare Kṛṣṇa, therefore we are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. But Lord Caitanya has recommended that God has innumerable names, and any one of them can be chanted, and there is no hard and fast rules and regulations for chanting. It is not that you have to prepare yourself or you have to educate yourself or you have to adjust yourself for chanting. No. Everyone. Just like immediately we began to chant. You were not prepared, but you joined with us, you clapped with us, you danced with us. So similarly, there is no preoccupation or any rules and regulation. You simply chant. And this is very easy. While walking, you can chant whatever name you like. We like Kṛṣṇa. We chant always: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. While walking the streets, while you are going in the bus, and whatever, even while working with your hands, you can chant. There is no loss on your part. There is no expenditure on your part, but the gain is very great. Why don't you try it? Try it. That is our request.

So the benefit will be that gradually you shall understand what you are.

Lecture -- Hawaii, March 23, 1969:

"Maharishi Mahesh Yogi had a plan to start teaching the people at sixteen..." Well now, we can teach even a child, without waiting for sixteen. We can teach even... Today this boy's wife has not come. We have got a little child, his daughter. Only one and a half years... She's also learning how to bow down, how to eat Kṛṣṇa prasādam, how to clap during kīrtana. There is no question of waiting for sixteen years. That is artificial. That is artificial. Why one should...? Who knows? Who will live up to sixteen years? Begin immediately. Begin immediately. You have got this chance of human form of life. That is the duty of the father and mother. All right, here is a child. Let him take a little prasādam. All right. Little beginning. And it is simple. Why one should wait for sixteen years or sixteen or thirty-two years? No, there is no waiting. Immediately. (reading:) "Will ISKCON accept people this young?" Oh, yes, we, younger, even younger. Even one child is within the womb of his mother, we can teach. It is so nice thing. The instance is Prahlāda Mahārāja. Prahlāda Mahārāja, when he was in his womb of his mother, one saintly sage taught his mother about Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and the child became Kṛṣṇa conscious from the womb of his mother.

Lecture at Engagement -- Columbus, may 19, 1969:

This movement is to see everyone, every human being, not only human being, even the animals, everyone be happy. Sarve sukhino bhavantu. And the process is very simple. Very simple. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. That you have already seen. This chanting is not at all difficult. Anyone, even a child was sitting here, he was just trying to clap and understand. It is immediately appealing, because this vibration is from the platform of the soul. Try to understand that we have got different platforms of our life. In the beginning we understand that this body, "I am this body." Therefore, so long the bodily concept of life is there, we are interested in sense gratification, because body means the senses. And when we fail to achieve any gratification by indulging in the senses, then we become philosophers or thoughtful. That is the mental platform. Indriyāṇi parāṇy āhur indriyebhyaḥ paraṁ manaḥ (BG 3.42). Because these senses are centered round by, of the mind. Mind is practically the controller of the senses. So when you fail to achieve real, I mean to say, pleasure from the senses, we go to the mental platform: poetry, philosophy, similar, songs.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, April 7, 1971:

This yajña should be performed. Because without performing yajña, you cannot become pious. So, because in this age there is no possibility of performing big yajñas, there is no qualified brāhmaṇas how to perform that yajña, there is no supply of pure ghee, you have no means how to arrange for such yajña—therefore, by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, He is recommending this yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtanaiḥ—this yajña at your home, in your office, in your factor, anywhere, without any cost. Simply you sit down together and clap on your hand and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. (applause)

So by performing this yajña, you become purified. Yajña-dāna. And so far dāna is concerned, that is, of course, different way. You can give in charity. Prāṇair arthair dhiyā vācā. You can make charity. Not that because you have no money, you cannot make charity. You can make charity. What is that? You can dedicate your life, prāṇaiḥ. Just like these boys and girls. They have not brought any huge amount of money for this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Because this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement has not attracted the richer class of America. Now they are little, little coming.

Lecture -- London, August 11, 1971:

And that love will never be ended. Pūrṇa. Love of Kṛṣṇa is so complete that you go on distributing this love; it will never be expended. It will remain the same stock. So I am very glad to see you in this temple. Please try to understand our philosophy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We have got books, and at the same time we have got the simple method, chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa, in which even a small child can take part. The small... Most erudite scholar also can take part, and an innocent child who has no education, no literary sense, he can also take part equally. And equally, both of them take the same advantage. A small child who comes before the Deity and dances and claps, he is getting the result. Don't think that it is in vain. He is also getting the same... Just like fire. Either a child touches or an adult touches, fire's action will be there, equal. Similarly, anyone who is coming in this temple, offering obeisances, taking little prasāda, joining with the chanting, hearing some talks, everyone will be benefited spiritually. That is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

Radio Interview -- March 12, 1968, San Francisco:

Interviewer: Get everybody on the mike. Okay. (Prabhupāda and devotees all chant in unison, clapping hands, for a few minutes) (Prema-dhvani by Prabhupāda)

Interviewer: That is the opening of your ceremony?

Prabhupāda: That is, at the end we...

Interviewer: At the end.

Prabhupāda: Yes, thanks(?) to the devotees.

Interviewer: All right, thank you. Caller, you're on the air with the Swami on KGO.

Caller (woman): Oh, hi. Is this on? I just wanted to ask to Swami where karma enters in as far as his teachings are concerned and also whether his concept of God is that of a being that is good and so reflected through healings?

Interviewer: Okay. Karma, is this a part of your religion?

Prabhupāda: Yes, karma. Karma means work, fruitive work.

Room Conversation -- July 16, 1968, Montreal:

Prabhupāda: I mean to say, a plug so that next day he will come and he'll again begin sawing. So went away. So one monkey came. So monkey sat down there and began to pull on the plug because monkey's business is simply mischievous. So he did not know that his plough (?) and some portion of his thigh was within the hole and when he took out this plug it was, (claps) I mean to say, clipped, and he could not get out and died. So the instruction is that... 'Khila pārthiva vānaraḥ, vyāpare suvyaparam. Avyāpara means a occupation, an occupation which is not fit for you. That is avyāpara. Avyāpara-suvyaparam. And one occupation which is not exactly fitting you, you do not know how to do it, so avyāpare suvyaparam yo kartu... If one wants to act in a business in which he is unable to do, then he is killed just like this fool monkey. Avyāpare suvyaparam yo naraḥ kartum icchati, sa-mulo hanyate. That foolish person is killed just like this monkey. The monkey's business was not to imitate the sawman, but he wanted to imitate. The result was that he was killed. So that is not expertness. Expertness is you just try to do which is easily performed by you.

1970 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- December 21, 1970, Surat:

Prabhupāda: The practice is very simple. Anyone, when you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, even child joins. Even a small child, he also claps and joins. Therefore it is recommended in the śāstras, harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma iva kevalam, kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva (CC Adi 17.21). In this age nobody can meditate actually. It is very difficult. Maybe one or two persons can meditate, but that is not for all. But here Kṛṣṇa conscious, the chanting, is so nice, that even a child can take part. It doesn't require that he should be educated, he should be rich or he should be enlightened, no. As he is, simply if he takes part in this... Even woman. We were chanting. There was some roaring. As soon as we begin chanting, it stopped. This is authorized. This is recommended. And this is practically being... Now in European and American countries, four or five years back.

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- August 14, 1971, London:

Prabhupāda: Everywhere. Everywhere. In Bombay, everywhere we go, "Hare Kṛṣṇa." In Montreal. They joke, they'll clap, but they'll chant. And that is wanted. I want to see that everyone is chanting. And if chanting has effect, then either he's chanting jokingly or seriously it will have the effect. Fire, if you touch either jokingly or seriously or cautiously, it will act. So our request is that you also preach this cult. Let us cooperate. The whole world is suffering for want of God consciousness. So it is the duty of all religious sects to teach this simple art of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa or any other name which you have got. That's all.

Revatīnandana: They have got this prayer, "Lord Jesus have mercy on me, a miserable sinner." And she was showing me they have a, almost like japa beads. Show him.

Sister Mary: You see, here.

Revatīnandana: They're almost like japa mālā.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

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

Prabhupāda: Nidhuvana. So that was a place... Still people go to visit. So one Bhagavān dāsa Bābājī, he was chanting, and in the middle of his chanting he made (makes sound with hands like clapping) like this. So his disciples... (pause) Yes. His disciples asked him: "Sir, why did you (makes clapping sound) do like this?" "So there was a goat entered Nidhuvana. So I drove it away." So where is that machine by which you can see...? It is not the time, but see the activities of everywhere? But that is possible. Yes.

Brahmānanda: Oh, even though he did not see the goat, he knew it was there.

Prabhupāda: No, he's seeing. Otherwise, how does he (makes sound) "Hut, hut, hut." He's seeing. Where is that machine? So this Darwin's theory says that there was no intelligent man or brain but how these books were written, thousands and thousands of years ago? These Vedic śāstras. If there were no intelligent brain? Vyāsadeva, like Vyāsadeva. Before Vyāsadeva also, other great sages, they compiled.

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

Prabhupāda: Because in the Bhagavad-gītā... Because they are student of Sanskrit. And in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). "So you are amongst these. You are duṣkṛtinas, sinful, lowest of the mankind, and the university is responsible for creating such rascals." So professors clapped and later on they said, "Swamiji, you have rightly said." All the professors said. And so far economic question is concerned, the birds, beasts, animals, they have no economic concern. Why you have got? You are less than bird and beast, you have created this economic problem. Harer nāma harer nāma (CC Adi 17.21). Where is the economic question? The small birds, tiny birds, they are solving their economic question, coming (makes sound:) "bup, bup," finished. They are not stocking, they are not thinking of tomorrow, but are satisfied. They have got eating, sufficient eating, sufficient sex, sufficient intelligence to defend. As soon as we go, immediately they fly away. That is defense. They know how to defend them. They immediately understand, "They are human beings, stronger. They may do some harm. Let us fly away."

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

Prabhupāda: Everyone will understand. Because hearing is there. Everyone, even a child, after hearing Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, he claps, he dances, he joins. That is practical. We have seen. Small child, say, four, five months old, on the lap of the mother, he's also moving, clapping. So this, this is also yoga system, bhakti-yoga. So it is so practical that even a small child can take part in it, without any advanced knowledge. Universal. Universal. Even dogs sometimes, they take part. We have got practical experience. They don't like to leave us. Yes, I have seen.

Devotee: I have too.

Prabhupāda: Yes. They like this chanting and dancing. So we are, our business is to awake the sleeping man. Sleeping man means when you sleep you have no knowledge. If somebody kills you, you cannot protect yourself. Sleeping, that is sleeping stage, that we do not know what is happening. That is called sleeping stage. Even if you are so-called awakened, if you do not know the value of life, that is sleeping stage. That is sleeping stage. So in that sleeping stage, we are trying to awake the human society. A man, a human being, may be materially very qualified, but he does not know what is the value of human life, he's sleeping. He's sleeping.

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

Prabhupāda: No, education is different. Education may be wrong or right, but science is always the fact. "Two plus two equal to four,"—that is equally good in the East and West, not that in the western countries, two plus two will be five. So similarly, any scientific knowledge, it does not depend on East and West understanding. It is good for everywhere. Similarly, to understand the science of God, it does not depend on the Western culture or Eastern culture. One must be serious to understand. Then it is equally available. Ahaituky apratihatā. These material impediments cannot check progress in the science of God, cannot. Apratihatā, without any checking. That we are experiencing, that Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not checked anywhere. We have got branches all over the world. Any country, there is no language difficulty. Wherever we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, they join, "Hare Kṛṣṇa." There is no checking. Even Africa, they are also chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Even the child will chant. They clap. You have seen that a small child is...? I think he..., about six months old. So there is no checking. For spiritual understanding there is no checking. The child, six months' old child, clapping, that means he's joining with the system. He's not sophisticated. He's new child, but automatically... So there is no checking.

Morning Walk -- August 30, 1973, London:

David Lawrence: One day it's in, and the next day it's out. And while it's in, everybody claps and applauds. One or two other points, perhaps I can raise one or two of them. Some of them are longer in fact. An interesting thing that came out of my study of the Christian, or certainly the Jewish tradition, and I wondered, really, on your views on this, whether it relates at all to the Indian one. It seems when you get to the really high spot of Jewish religion, which many people consider the prophets of Judah...,

Prabhupāda: What is their high spot?

David Lawrence: Well, exactly,(laughs) that is, in inverted commas.

Prabhupāda: They are rotting in the lowest spot, still. What is their high spot?

David Lawrence: Let's think, somebody like, perhaps Isaiaḥ or somebody like this who was a universalist and uh...

Prabhupāda: Somebody, somebody says so many things...

David Lawrence: Yes, that's right. Oh yes, I mean if you take them, they all differ in their views. But one of the things, one of the themes that comes through is the idea that...

Prabhupāda: Therefore the gentleman the other day was asking, "How is that you say electricity?" Oh you were not present that time? Because we have translated there is no need of sun, there is no need of moon, there is no need of electricity in the spiritual world. So when he heard the word electricity, he became astonished.

Śyāmasundara: He thought the word did not exist at the time?

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- May 9, 1974, Bombay:

Bhāgavata: The whole attitude was very dull and unhappy and morose, that "Oh, we are in the hospital. My body, my body..." As soon as we had the kīrtana, they all got out of the bed and they came and stood around and they watched and some were clapping and chanting.

Prabhupāda: Just see. Immediately life. Oh, just try to understand how much great responsibility you have got.

Bhāgavata: They all appreciated that we made this kīrtana.

Prabhupāda: Even the Russians appreciated. (aside:) Don't push it in my mouth.

Satsvarūpa (?): Oh, I'm sorry.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. (break) "...bright-faced." (break) They are surprised to see the American boys. "Are you Americans?" Do they not question? Yes. Completely changed. They cannot recognize. Is it not?

Devotee: Yes. (Śrīla Prabhupāda laughs)

Bhāgavata: They are only used to seeing the hippies.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation with Professor Durckheim German Spiritual Writer -- June 19, 1974, Germany:

Prof. Pater Porsch: But I also noticed on the faces of the devotees downstairs that many or several faces were, we would say in the West, sublimated, that the facial features showed that a certain form of sublimation had taken place. (German)

Prabhupāda: Even children are learning how to dance, how to offer obeisances, how to chant, how to clap. They are also learning, small children.

Prof. Pater Porsch: And I think that it comes at the right time so that people may not be misled into juvenile delinquency, all of those "easy riders" and motorcycles and adolescent criminality. They find creative outlets for their energies also as a by-product.

Prabhupāda: No. We are teaching... Of course, we do not defy this modern advance of material civil... We don't say that. But this is our main business, that is, jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā, to inquire about the Absolute Truth.

Prof. Pater Porsch: So can you not say that this knowledge is an ātma-vidyā, that we are trying to come to the knowledge of the ātman.

Prabhupāda: Ātmine?

Prof. Pater Porsch: Ātmā, self.

Prabhupāda: Oh, ātmā, yes. Tattva-jijñāsā means ātma-jijñāsā.

Room Conversation -- June 28, 1974, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: Formerly we were paying two rupees. Two rupees, and if it is this name, at most, three rupees. Now the things have increased twice. Forty years ago that black Bhāgavata was bound only for two rupees. This is very nice one. In the U.S.A the binding cost is very, very... Just like Macmillan Company. Bhagavad-gītā, hardbound, they charge ten dollars, ninety-five. And softbound, softbound, they charge four dollars. Six dollar difference on account of binding. So they have charged one dollar, seventy-five cents, and in America they charge six dollars. So all the fathers clapped for long.

Devotee: Yes.

Prabhupāda: They appreciated.

Devotee: Yes. Afterwards, Nick was speaking to one father from a different monastery, and he said he very much appreciated how much respect you had for other persons, that he could tell that you were really feeling respect for Lord Jesus.

Prabhupāda: Yes, why not?

Devotee: He appreciated that very much.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Svarupa Damodara -- February 28, 1975, Atlanta:

Prabhupāda: That's it. So millions of dogs are barking, and one man has learned how to bark like dog, and people will go to see him by purchasing ticket. This is their foolishness. Suppose if you somehow or other become able to produce life from chemical, then what is your credit? It is like barking dog. Millions of dog are barking. Now you have learned how to bark like dog. So what is your credit? It may be for the rascal fools that you are scientist, but we are not so rascal.

Rūpānuga: They will clap. The fools will clap.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. "How nice barking. Oh, how he has learned to bark." Just see. We are not so fools. Kṛṣṇa yei bhaje sei baḍo catura: "The first-class intelligent man is he who is Kṛṣṇa conscious." Sei baḍo catura. All rascals. Kṛṣṇa said, na māṁ duṣkṛtinaḥ mūḍhāḥ. "Oh? Also very scientist?" māyayāpahṛta-jñānā: "They have no knowledge, all rascals." Kṛṣṇa says. māyayāpahṛta-jñānā, that he is not thinking, that "Suppose I can produce life by chemical combination, then what is my credit? The life is already there. It is going on very nicely." What do you think, Balavanta? If the things are going on nicely, then where is my credit? Either you say, "by chance," or "by God's arrangement," "by nature," but things are going on nicely. So it is same thing, to learn how to bark, that's all. Barking is going on, but he wants to take credit by learning how to bark. That's all.

Morning Walk -- May 9, 1975, Perth:

Amogha: So actually many people like to see the chanting now. When we go downtown with a big party on Friday and Saturday nights, when they have late-night shopping and movies, many people clap, and they dance a little bit. Sometimes mocking, but also one can see they're affected. And usually if we stop in front of a cinema and chant there, fifty or more people they just stop and they stare, and they can't think of anything else. They just watch and watch and watch. They seem to be fascinated by the sound of Kṛṣṇa's name.

Prabhupāda: There is a natural tendency to hear. Artificially they stopped. Nitya siddha kṛṣṇa bhakti. Appeals to the heart immediately. Unless he is too much sinful it will appeal immediately.

Amogha: In Sydney there was one teacher in a school, a private school, for rich men's sons, very, very wealthy. And he is the head of general studies and the school chaplain. A Christian. One boy from the school became a devotee, although he still went to the school. And the discussion came up in class about what the Hare Kṛṣṇaś believe. So he invited us to come.

Conversation with Professor Hopkins -- July 13, 1975, Philadelphia:

Prabhupāda: The example is also very simple. Just like a child is crying and somebody is offering some milk, somebody is offering something but he is still crying. Could not find any cause. Then when the child goes to the mother's lap, immediately (claps)-stops. He understands immediately, "Now I am on the lap of my mother, then everything is all right." Yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ manyate nādhikaṁ tataḥ. Everyone is hankering after making some profit, this way, that way, this way, that way. But when one becomes, gets that supreme thing then he thinks, "Oh, I don't want anything." That is happiness. Unhappiness due to want. So the karmīs, jñānīs, yogis, they are all in want. They want something. Bhaktas are also sometimes in want. They want Kṛṣṇa. And in absence of Kṛṣṇa they are very unhappy, but that unhappiness is greater than happiness.

Morning Walk -- November 30, 1975, Delhi:

Indian man (1): In Mauritius on Diwali there was a very big festival the government arranged. There were more than forty thousand people, and they got one singer, Mukesh, from India, especially for that program. So when he was singing everybody was making noise. As soon as the Hare Kṛṣṇa people went on the stage everybody become quiet. Everybody was clapping, they were telling.

Prabhupāda: (break) Kalākendra. Here is kalākendra, there is kalākendra.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: This area is full of kalākendras.

Prabhupāda: This corner is something American?

Tejās: This used to be the U.S.I.S. but now this is closed. This is another...

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: This has become another kalākendra.

Tejās: This is also part of the Bharatiya kalākendra now. The U.S.I.S. used to be here, American information... (break)

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: New Delhi is a very social city. There are a lot of kalākendras so there's a lot of active...

Prabhupāda: No, because the government servant, they haven't got to earn money. It is father's property. They are getting money and balance time, kalākendra. And government servant means (Hindi)

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

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.

Morning Walk -- April 8, 1976, Mayapur:

Lokanātha: And you mentioned they were clapping for a long, long time after hearing you speak.

Prabhupāda: Not long, long time, but... Madhudviṣa, you remember that Catholic...

Madhudviṣa: Yes, they asked you about St. Francis, about him chanting to the dogs and the trees and the birds. And you said, "That is actually God-realization. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu."

Prabhupāda: And when they asked about Christ, and "He's our guru."

Madhudviṣa: You started your main lecture off there, "Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name." And then you went on to explain about the holy name.

Prabhupāda: Hm, (indistinct) are here. Why is it? Some wood. (break) ...grow foodgrains, simple living.

Devotee (1): The house is there, under the trees.(?)

Prabhupāda: Yes. (aside:) You have got this card.

Room Conversation -- May 1, 1976, Fiji:

Prabhupāda: So same thing: if the pilot is not expert, then goes down to the lowest, finished. Adho gacchanti tāmasāḥ. If the pilot is third class, instead of going up, he goes down, and everything is spoiled. So everything on the pilot. The machine is not important. The machine can go up if the pilot knows how to do it. And the machine can go down. Actually, it is happening. This landing point is very dangerous. If the pilot cannot handle very nicely, immediately smashed. The crash takes place while going up and coming down, generally. That is due to mismanagement of the pilot. When in the sky it is regular speed and balance, it is going nicely. There is no crisis. All crises take place while coming down and going up. Leaving the land and coming the land. I have seen sometimes, they clap as soon as they.... (Prabhupāda claps his hands. Devotees laugh) "The danger is over." So ūrdhvam and adhaḥ. Madhye tiṣṭhanti rājasāḥ. So in this way, you have to place the subject matter, that the living entity, the soul, is the important thing within this body. Because he's struggling. On account of his ignorance, he's struggling. Manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati (BG 15.7). This is his position.

Room Conversation -- June 18, 1976, Toronto:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: I remember in South Africa though, Prabhupāda, you called them, (laughs) at every meeting, dogs and cats. And afterward they were always applauding. (claps)

Hari-śauri: He did that, (laughing) you did that in South India as well.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: I think that...

Prabhupāda: No, no, when I come into emotion, I cannot check to speak the truth. But actually it is the fact. I cannot give any credit to these rascals (laughs) who are running at high speed, big, big car.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: What did we read? There was an article about Mars today.

Hari-śauri: Oh. Nonsense.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: The scientists, again...

Hari-śauri: They were speculating about.... They sent this spaceship to Mars, and they were speculating that maybe now the so-called smog that covers the surface of the planet, it could be fog. It could be made of ice and water particles. So now they..., so they were speculating like that. And then they said they were going to land the spaceship in a valley at a certain point that is four miles deep and that may..., it may have been filled with water fifty thousand years ago, and it could have fossils in it from the type of life that existed there, if it existed.

Morning Walk -- July 17, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: I used to keep some prasādam, anyone would come I would give.

Kīrtanānanda: After class also you always distributed some prasādam. After kīrtana and class.

Prabhupāda: Yes. I was clapping my hand. In meeting, I used to collect not less than six dollars, not more than twenty dollars. And that was...

Rāmeśvara: Daily.

Prabhupāda: Not daily.

Kīrtanānanda: Three times a week.

Prabhupāda: Three times. (break) ...used to come sometimes.

Rāmeśvara: Prabhupāda said he sold his books then; they ordered his books.

Prabhupāda: Yes, they purchased my books. In Butler also, many churches would purchase.

Rāmeśvara: This month the first volume of the Eighth Canto is going to the printers.

Prabhupāda: Seventh Canto, last volume you saw.

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

Prabhupāda: Then squeeze it.

Hari-śauri: When do you want it? Now? (chanting becomes louder and faster, clapping)

Prabhupāda: (chanting ends) Come on. (children laughing) Distribute to the fathers, mothers. Give him one more, he has.... All right, give them first.

Devotee (1): They came from London, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Devotee (1): They came to Paris to see you, and when they learned that you were here, they came all the way here to...

Prabhupāda: Oh, give them this garland. (break) ...he begins with surrender. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). So anyone who voluntarily offers obeisances, immediately he becomes fifty percent advanced. Because.... Who is talking? This material world means nobody wants to surrender. Everyone wants to become master: "I am the monarch of all I survey." Everyone is planning how to become a master. Therefore the struggle for existence. Nobody wants to become a servant. You know very well in European history, Napoleon wanted to become the master of all Europe. Hitler wanted also. Similarly, there were so many leaders, sometimes Roman leaders, sometimes Greek leaders, sometimes French leaders, sometimes German leaders, English leader.

Room Conversation -- August 4, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Prabhupāda: Small children, they also clap and dance on the lap of the mother, they were smiling. Very fortunate children, otherwise from the birth, associating with devotees... (long pause) Nowadays cheating is a good qualification, huh?

Hari-śauri: Yes. It's their only qualification.

Prabhupāda: If I cheat somebody and get some money, you are very expert.

Hari-śauri: Top-class businessman.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Hari-śauri: First-class scientist. And the best politician. Just like in America, once they'd found Nixon was cheating, now they're investigating one man after another, and every one, they're finding all the same.

Prabhupāda: America, cheating is a policy. How a real estate man, lawyer, they're simply planning how to cheat.

Hari-śauri: The lawyers are the worst because they know the law. So they know how to cheat in such a way that they can stay within the law. They said Ambarīṣa's lawyer cheated us out of so many things when we got that Detroit property.

Morning Walk -- December 25, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: No, no, that may be, falsely representation, but where he is recommending that "You surrender to Kṛṣṇa and worship Him"? Has he done that? That means misleading. He can become a very good orator, and he can get claps, but what is the benefit? He's a good orator, there is no doubt about it. But Kṛṣṇa does not say that "You become a orator and cheat others." He does not say. He says, "Surrender unto Me." So if actually one is preaching, he should teach the audience that "Surrender to Kṛṣṇa." And that is reading of Bhagavad-gītā. If I take Bhagavad-gītā and speak something of my opinion, that means I am cheating. I am taking advantage of Bhagavad-gītā, and I am impressing people with my nonsense ideas.

Guest (1): That's right.

Prabhupāda: If you want to cheat others, you cheat in your own way. Why do you take Bhagavad-gītā?

Guest (1): Don't take the protection of Bhagavad-gītā. That is doubly wrong.

Prabhupāda: That is great cheating, great cheating.

Morning Walk -- December 27, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That is the real civilization. Soul is enwrapped with this material body and it has to be stopped. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma (BG 4.9). That is civilization. And he has no knowledge, na te viduḥ, what is the civilization. Then andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). The rascal leader is also blind and the followers are blind, so both of them are doomed. Therefore the conclusion is, the modern civilization is misguided. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ. Big, big leaders, they promises big, big ideal that "I shall give you this facility. Just elect me." What facility he will give? No facility. He gives some false promise and gets his election and claps. Śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ (SB 2.3.19). He does not know what is the aim of life. Puruṣaḥ paśuḥ. He is animal also. And the other animals clapping, "Oh, we have got such a big leader." Big elephant, yes. (laughter) And elephant he may be, but he is, after all, a animal. What he'll do? Misguided. Oh, Hare Kṛṣṇa. Jaya. You don't require any covering?

Press Interview -- December 31, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Ah. Not to mix with this rascal class of men. Aratir jana-saṁsadi. Not that I hold a meeting and some rascals give me clapping, (claps hands) I become... Don't be after this. Try to understand the reality. But we, we become political leader, and if one thousand or one lakh of people give me a few claps I think I become perfect. What you are perfect? The next moment by the laws of nature you'll be slapped and taken away. Who could save Gandhi when he was fired by the laws by the nature? That clapping would not save me. Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham (BG 10.34). When Kṛṣṇa will come and put you death, what you will do? With you clapping and your bank balance. You'll be taken away. Then?

Pradyumna: Adhyātma-jñāna-nityatvaṁ tattva-jñānārtha-darśanam.

Prabhupāda: Tattva-jñānārtha-darśanam. Tattva-jñāna. What is tattva? These things are absent completely from the whole world. But everything is there. Therefore we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. If people take it they'll be benefited. This simple mission. We are following Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said that you become guru. Everyone become guru. So how shall I become guru? Very simple thing.

Room Conversation -- December 31, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yes. No. One who knows and practices. Ācinoti śāstra. One who knows the real purpose. And there is no difficulty of understanding the real purpose. It is clearly said, everything. The process of knowledge is given, amānitvam adambhitvam ahiṁsā kṣāntir ārjavam (BG 13.8). Where is that? In the beginning, "Oh, I am such a big leader, politician. Whatever I say is nice." Dambha. Dambha. Because he's thinking puffed-up falsely. Some rascal fools give them clap. (Prabhupāda claps) They think, "Oh, I have become very great."

Dr. Patel: Nowadays sir, they collect people to clap them.

Prabhupāda: Yes. No. They make such a speech and practice. One political leader, he is young man, he was saying in Hyderabad... He was ambassador in... That Rao?

Hari-śauri: Yes, Motilal Rao.

Prabhupāda: So he did not know. He said that "When I was going to be ambassador, Dr. Radhakrishnan, he told me that, "You first of all write a speech and practice it and deliver it very nicely. Then they will applaud." This is Dr. Radhakrishnan. They want simply applause. That's all. Because they know, "If the public applauds, then I keep my position. I am... Whatever nonsense I speak or whatever nonsense I... it doesn't matter."

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 4, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That means another condition. From frying pan to the fire. (laughter) Dharmena hīna paśubhiḥ samaḥ. As soon as you give up religious principles, you are no better than animal. That means he will manufacture. The same disease. "I'll not follow the traditional." This is their death block. That they always think that "I am independent. I can manufacture my way. I can become happy in that way." They're always thinking like that. And in a meeting with hundreds of men claps, that he is his liberated. "Now it is approved." Who is approving? That is criticized by Bhāgavata. Śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ (SB 2.3.19). This. They are animals and they are applauding another animal. That's all. Big animal. Śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ. These ordinary persons, they are paśu and they are applauding. The man who is applauded, he's another big paśu. That's all.

Dr. Patel: Camels, asses...

Prabhupāda: Hmm? Śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ.

Room Conversation -- January 19, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Gargamuni: Yes. Very long flight. So I was number 15,000 on the list. Everybody camped out at the airport. Because of the war everyone wanted to leave. So there was a line of 15,000 people. They gave me my number. I was 15,000. So we waited at the airport. I said, "I can't wait here," because the bombs were dropping and the tanks were coming and the troops were coming and... I said, "I gotta get out of here." So I spoke with the commander, and I played him a tape of kīrtana. I had a tape, and they... All the officers, they were Mussulmen from Pakistan, and they started clapping: "Oh, kīrtana." You know. So I asked him, "Could you allow me to go on board before all the others? There's no use in us staying here. Who knows what will happen? We are foreigners." We were dressed as sādhus also. So he allowed us to go on in front of everyone. So we managed to leave.

Prabhupāda: What was the condition at that time, general, during the war?

Evening Darsana -- February 15, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Cow dung. Cow dung, no. Man's dung. (laughter) Cow dung is pure. Man's dung. In our youthful ages we used to say, dadang dang.(?) Our one professor, Mr. Cameron, English professor, he was Scotsman. In our I.A. class or B.A. class he was... So that time Patel's Bin(?), intercaste marriage... We were young man. We were supporting. So before the professor's coming in the blackboard we wrote, "Dadang dang Patel's Bin dang," (?)and like that, in Bengali. So Professor Cameron came. He saw, "The boys, they have written something." So he simply read it, remained silent. Then he began his teaching. Then when the hour is over, he erased the blackboard, and he wrote. He wrote in this way-jakhan tomār biye pas korbe, takhan tomār biye kote pade.(?) He wrote it and read it. So the purport is that tomār jana.... "When you'll pass your B.A. examination, then you'll be allowed to marry. Now you don't talk of this Patel's..." So we clapped him, and (laughs) it was very nice. Mr. Cameron.

Evening Darsana -- February 15, 1977, Mayapura:

Brahmānanda: ...in the airport. And this caused big sensation, because never, even when big Indian gurus have come to South Africa, never have any whites bowed down. It was the first time whites bowed down to...

Prabhupāda: They clapped. After hearing me they clapped. They purchased books. Now they are selling books. So I think my books are more important. We shall give more concentration for pushing on and publishing. What do you think?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. That is our weapons. They are our strength, they are our guidance and they are our ammunition. Everything is based on these books, everything. We are...

Prabhupāda: One Indian, a very learned scholar in Chandigarh, he has given very good certificate. What is that?

Satsvarūpa: He said that "There have been many commentaries on the Bhagavad-gītā including Rāmānuja, Madhva and Śaṅkara, and then," he said, "Tilak and Gandhi, but of all of them the commentary by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami is the greatest commentary." Punjab University. Then he said later that "In this suffering mankind, God has sent His Holiness A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami."

Evening Darsana -- February 24, 1977, Mayapura:

Rāmeśvara: At the Śiva-rātri festival in Los Angeles, at the end of a lecture I was reading these figures. We had about a thousand Indians who came to that festival in Los Angeles. When I read these figures they were so struck, they were cheering, "Jaya," and clapping. They were just amazed. And afterwards, outside they were coming up to me and folded hands: "We had no idea you were doing this work. Is there anything we can do to help your society?" as soon as they heard these figures. The leaders of the Indian American Association and all the Indian associations in LA were coming there, and when they heard these figures they were just offering their service.

Prabhupāda: And you did not send to the reporters and the...? No.

Hari-śauri: Did you give these figures to the reporters at the airport?

Rāmeśvara: Well, we want to have a press conference tomorrow.

Evening Darsana -- February 24, 1977, Mayapura:

Rāmeśvara: I have also gotten different letters from the state government of California, the mental hospitals that we're visiting. These are official letters on their letterhead. This one... I'll read the best one. "Dear friends, it is a great pleasure to thank you all for the extraordinary party you gave for Residence 32. The clients on 32 loved your chanting and enjoyed clapping along with you. This simple activity allowed them to take part in the fun and warm spirit. Everyone really liked the tempura-like cauliflower," the pakorās, "that you brought. It was a very tasty and special treat. We at Fairview," a very famous state hospital, "we at Fairview were so impressed with the way that you related to the clients on the residence..."

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."

Room Conversation -- April 5, 1977, Bombay:

Guest (1): And because of the Russian order and American work, he will be also very much pleased. Everybody was clapping at that pandal on Sunday. When Girirāja read about the order, the whole audience started clapping. That Russia is defeated by purchasing the books. In the final thing. He doesn't require any special recommendation.

Guest (2) (Indian man): Śrīla Prabhupāda, (Hindi) ("Only Vedic ślokas are here, not Bhāgavata")

Guest (1): Even Upaniṣads are not there?

Guest (2): No.

Guest (1): Only pure Vedas are there.

Guest (2): Atharva, Ṛg, Sāmaveda, Ṛg Sāma Yajur Atharva.

Prabhupāda: All the Veda, all the students for four Vedas.

Conversation with Yadubara (after seeing film) -- April 17, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Details, you cannot show it. It is so fine. Just like here is the sky, but you cannot see it. The mind is finer than the sky. The air is sky. (claps) That is sky. Where is the proof? (claps) That you cannot see. Śabda, sound. Sound is the sign of presence of sky. But you cannot see it. But it is there. (claps) This is the proof.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It can be suggested only.

Prabhupāda: That's all. Therefore śruti, which is beyond the sense perception, you have to hear it from authorities. That is knowledge. Who has seen it? These rascals... Who has seen it? So grossly educated they are. "Everything can be seen." Why everything? The same example we give. You have not seen your father. You have to hear, "Here is your father." That's all. That is the proof.

Talk with Svarupa Damodara -- June 20, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Now they will think twice.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This movement is very dangerous. They'll see. First they though it was simply some people clapping cymbals. Now they're beginning to feel the weight, these scientists especially.

Prabhupāda: Just like Tṛṇāvarta. He took away Kṛṣṇa as a small child. When he was up, He became as heavy as the mountain, and then he could not go up. Then he wanted to smash the child and throw it, but the child wrapped the neck of Tṛṇāvarta in such a way, he could not. The result was that he fell down and died. And the child was saved.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So in the same way Western civilization will fall down and die, and we will go on chanting.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: If we get some very leading scientists in the world on our side, at least few, let's say about three, that's enough.

Prabhupāda: So that I am asking to enroll as members of the Bhaktivedanta Institute.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Hayagriva -- Los Angeles 24 November, 1968:

Just yesterday I received your tape. I could not however play it immediately because the tape recorder that Govinda Dasi has wasn't big enough to hold the tape. So this morning I got Dayananda's larger tape recorder and heard with great enjoyment your speech and kirtana. Myself, Purusottama, Karatieya and Govinda Dasi joined with your kirtana clapping and we enjoyed transcendental bliss. Thank you very much for your endeavor and all blessings of Thakura Bhaktivinode and Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati will be bestowed upon you because you are trying to push on their life long mission. Thakura Bhaktivinode, in the year of my birth, first attempted to introduce these missionary activities in McGill University and the same attempt is being renovated by your combined efforts. I am sure that Lord Caitanya and His eternal Associates, Bhaktivinode Thakura and Bhaktisiddhanta Sarisvati, will be pleased to bestow their mercy upon you. Please try to continue this attempt and I am sure you shall be successful. I shall keep this tape for a few days more and then return it to you. I hope you have received my previous letters.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Mukunda -- Los Angeles 28 February, 1969:

"You will be pleased to know that we had a very successful kirtana engagement at two colleges in Pennsylvania, Dickenson College and Franklin and Marshall. At Dickinson the students were so enthusiastic that practically all of them (50 at least) were all dancing, what to speak of everyone singing and clapping. Even the professor, a dried stick scholar, danced in ecstasy." So in the future we will stick to the principle of Sankirtana movement and distributing our Back To Godhead specifically and the other literature generally. I am pleased to note that you are printing up 10,000 copies of the Prospectus of our society. Also your proposal of getting 1,000 subscribers to Back To Godhead from London alone is very encouraging and please do it. You should send your activities report every month in short for publication in Back To Godhead.

Please convey my thanks to Mr. Parikh because he has taken our movement very sincerely, and Krishna will be very much pleased upon him. Actually it is the duty of all retired men and women to devote themselves in the service of Krishna.

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Columbus, Ohio 13 May, 1969:

I thank you very much for your letter dated May 9th, 1969, and I have carefully noted the contents. I am pleased to note that you are doing nicely for giving the student community to hear about our Krishna Consciousness Movement. Yesterday, at the Ohio State University we had a tremendous meeting, and nearly two thousand students were dancing, clapping and chanting along with us. So it is clear that the student community has a nice potential for accepting this philosophy. I will not be going to North Carolina as I had planned, but I am sending Kirtanananda Swami in my place because they have extended my program here in Columbus. So now I have to create more sannyasis to lecture on our philosophy, and I shall pick these sannyasis from the brahmacaris who are firm in their decision not to marry.

Letter to Dr. Sham Sundarji -- Tittenhurst 8 October, 1969:

So there was a nice reception here when I arrived, and I am enclosing herewith one of the newspaper clippings and my London lecture list also. Last Monday I lectured on "Teachings of the Vedas", and it was very much appreciated by the audience. I spoke for about one hour and after that they continued clapping, which confirms their appreciation. Our temple at 7, Bury Place is being nicely decorated, and as soon as my apartment is fixed up nicely I shall move there.

I shall remind Brahmananda about your "True Conception of Religion", and you will be pleased to know that we are starting our own press in Boston in our own house. The house has cost $70,000, and the press will cost $20,00, which in Indian exchange comes to 9 lacs of rupees. So things are gradually improving. We have already opened our German center and are publishing our German Back To Godhead. From Montreal we are printing a French edition of Back To Godhead, and recently our men have gone to Japan. We have taken a house near Tokyo and our men are working there.

Letter to Balai -- London 15 November, 1969:

I always think of you how nice, Krishna Conscious, beautiful girl you are. So Krishna has given you a nice daughter to take care of. Here, the daughter of Malati, Sarasvati, is giving us much pleasure in her Krishna Consciousness activities. She is so nice that as soon as there is chanting sound of kirtana immediately she begins to dance and clap. Even the audience becomes astonished and they follow her activities. It is very nice. I think your daughter may now be walking, so she may also be trained for dancing and clapping.

So attend Sankirtana Party very regularly. Kirtana is our life and soul, and the press is part of kirtana. So both of you, husband and wife, always remember this and try to execute both these ways of activities. I understand that Saradia has come back to Boston, living with Vaikunthanatha. This is nice.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Krsna Devi -- Gorakhpur 16 February, 1971:

I'm so glad to learn that your daughter is growing into such a nice Krishna Conscious child and very soon she will be a great help to your activities. I've seen many pictures of our Krishna Conscious children. They are nicely chanting and clapping. It is very good sign. Here in India our preaching is very nicely going on, and especially to our membership program there is a good response. So work very enthusiastically and Krishna will bestow all His blessings upon you.

Your husbands letter along with yours is very encouraging and I have answered it separately. I'm so glad to know that both of you are enhancing your Krishna Consciousness by mutual cooperation. May God bless you. You are all helping me by abiding the orders of my Spiritual Master, His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami maharaj and He'll be pleased upon you who are His grand spiritual children. So this program to open a branch in Israel has got all my approval.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Hrdayananda -- Bombay 13 November, 1975:

After going there I was very much satisfied with how my movement is being received there. After my lecture in the University the Europeans clapped and they were very enthusiastically purchasing my books.

Now I have come back, so let me stay in India. I will remain in Bombay, Vrindaban, and Mayapur. As you have desired, now let me do that, to sit down tightly and concentrate on the translating business. But, if you disturb me, then my mind will be disturbed. I want that what I have established may go on nicely, but I see that some of the devotees are reviving their old "good" qualities. That is the difficulty. If the old habits come back, then everything is finished. If my mind becomes disturbed in this way, then how can I concentrate on book writing. It is not possible. Better not to inform me anything, and let me sit in Vrindaban.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Bombay 20 November, 1975:

Why not purchase the Houston temple? And I am glad to note the successful program in Gainesville temple.

Regarding the Africa preaching, in South Africa it was very successful. Although they do not like Indians there very much, still in the university when I spoke, all the European audience, they clapped after and then they purchased my books very enthusiastically. It was very encouraging. Anyone who is not biased and fanatically sophisticated will like our books. Yes, I am doing Srimad-Bhagavatam, trying to finish. I am trying my best.