Design (Conversations)

Expressions researched:
"design" |"designed" |"designer" |"designing" |"designs"

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

Meeting with Devotees -- June 9, 1969, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: So then the Paramānanda is there, and he is there. They are not fools. They are also intelligent. They can manage.

Hayagrīva: Well, whatever situation you want to set up.

Prabhupāda: No, no, I think this will be nice because if he does outside propaganda, that will help development of this center. You make nice, what is called? Prospectus? I gave you the idea, that what is the idea of this center and make plans and where we want to construct temple, the, what is called, design of the temple, and make nicely and put before the people, and they have already known that Kṛṣṇa conscious movement is going on. So there are so many rich people in our country. If somebody comes forward, we can make very nice progress very quickly. So we have to make some propaganda amongst them. Actually it is the nicest possible thing. Simply they have to be convinced. That's a fact. Nobody can challenge our sincerity and our purity in this world. Let anyone come, any so-called society, yoga society, this society, this, that. The best thing we are presenting. There is no doubt about it. Now people has to know it, how to make it known. We have to go to the newspaper man, magazine man, to the foundations.

Meeting with Devotees -- June 9, 1969, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Kṛṣṇa is in charge. Everyone should think that "I am acting to satisfy Kṛṣṇa." That's it. And you, immediately you make that literature for outside propaganda, the aims and objects of what we want to do and the plan, entire plan, where we want to... So long I am here, at least you make a plan, and I give you instructions where to construct which temple, the design of the temple, guesthouse. In this way you make a plan. Have you got an entire plan of this land?

Kīrtanānanda: No. But I can get one.

Prabhupāda: You get it. Then I give you direction and make it nicely, and you print it, nice paper. We have to make propaganda.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- April 1, 1972, Sydney:

Pradyumna: "Chance." It's a noun and adjective. "1. The way things fall out. Fortune, undesigned occurrence, opportunity, possibility, probability. Especially in plural, as 'the chances are against him.' Absence of design or discoverable cause. Course of events regarded as a power, fate. 'By chance': as it falls or fell out; without design. 'On the chance': in view of the possibility. 'Take one's chance': let things go as they may. Consent to take what comes."

Prabhupāda: So it can be adjusted with the meanings of chance and necessity. I want something; that is my necessity. And it will come by chance? Or I have to endeavor for it, and then I get it? Shall I depend on chance? I have a necessity for something. So should I wait for the chance?

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- May 3, 1973, Los Angeles:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Politicians are the greatest cheaters.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Scoundrel. Some philosopher said that "Politics is the last place of the scoundrel. That is their last resort." In India we see same thing. Harer nāma, harer nāma (CC Adi 17.21). So design some means how to fight with these.

Room Conversation With Three College Students -- July 11, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: So but you do not know who is God. That is the difference.

Revatīnandana: Kṛṣṇa's saying, "I am the cause of everything. From Me the whole creation flows." He is the person who has designed the flower that you cannot design. And if you want to see Him directly, if you want to associate with Him personally, He says, "Only by pure love and devotion can I be seen." Therefore our yoga is to love Kṛṣṇa. And then you can see everything when you see Kṛṣṇa.

Student (1): But this is your yoga, right?

Revatīnandana: It's Kṛṣṇa's yoga.

Prabhupāda: Yoga means connection. As soon as you study Kṛṣṇa in this way, you make your connection with Kṛṣṇa. That is perfection of yoga. Yoga means connection, the Sanskrit word yoga. And the opposite word is viyoga, disconnection. Yoga-viyoga. So yoga means, real yoga means, to connect your relationship, your identity, with Kṛṣṇa. That is called yoga. So take little prasādam.

Room Conversation with Sanskrit Professor -- August 13, 1973, Paris:

Prabhupāda: He's a householder. Yes.

Professor: You are still working?

Yogeśvara: I design books and magazines.

Professor: Where? I mean, in connection with this society?

Yogeśvara: I do work for the society.

Professor: But is it possible to work outside?

Prabhupāda: Oh yes. We have many professors. They're being outside. But one thing is that after being interested in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they cannot remain outside.

Room Conversation with Sanskrit Professor -- August 13, 1973, Paris:

Yogeśvara: My wife translates, and I design the book.

Professor: So do you think it is possible, for instance, to have the husband being involved in this movement and not his wife?

Prabhupāda: No, wife also involved. Everyone is involved. The child is also involved. You'll find in our class a small child dancing to the tune. Yes. We have opened one school for children in Dallas. All the gṛhastha-bhaktas, those who have got children, we send there. Have you got pictures of Dallas? So there we have got very nice building, and, about, for the present, about near about hundred students. They're simply taught Sanskrit and English.

Professor: Nothing else.

Prabhupāda: Nothing else. Later on, little geometry, geography, mathematics. They're not meant for outside work. They're meant for as soon as they learn Sanskrit and English, they'll read these books.

Morning Walk -- December 3, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Yes, they are satisfied. Real satisfaction will prevail when one knows God. That is real satisfaction. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). A devotee will see how by God's design the sea is working, how the sky is staying, how the sun is rising. He is satisfied, "Oh, how my Lord is great, how He has arranged." That is satisfaction

Svarūpa Dāmodara: But Śrīla Prabhupāda, the living entities, the jīvātmā within the..., and the Paramātmā within, why the living entities suffering even the Paramātmā is directing the living entity within?

Prabhupāda: That is not very difficult. Government is always with you, but why you are suffering, and why one is enjoying? Government is not partial. You have created your situation to suffer. That's all. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says that "You surrender to Me. I will give you all protection." But you will not do. You must suffer. Suffering is there. As soon as you are disobedient to God, immediately suffering begins. That is māyā. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, "Now you give up all this nonsense business. Surrender to Me. I will give you all protection." That you will not do. Then you must suffer. That is the song:

Morning Walk -- December 16, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: There is no chance. That is rascaldom. There is no chance. There is no chance.

Karandhara: By their theory of evolution, selectivity, that whatever develops, develops out of necessity, but not out of design.

Prabhupāda: No, there is design. They do not know it. Mayādhyakṣeṇa (BG 9.10). It is said in the Bhaga... Adhyakṣeṇa means "under My superintendence." That means under some plan. What is the plan of this material world? The plan of material world is that some rascals, living entities, they wanted to enjoy. So God has given this plan, "All right, you enjoy." This is the plan. And not only enjoy. "You enjoy; again come back." This is the plan. Pravṛtti-nivṛtti. First of all he is given that "All right, you take all facilities of enjoyment." Therefore Veda is that "You enjoy like this, and after you have fulfilled your enjoyment, come back again." This is God mercy.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 7, 1974, Los Angeles:

Karandhara: "Real leaders of human society."

Prabhupāda: Yes. That... You have seen that design I have given?

Karandhara: No, I haven't seen it.

Prabhupāda: Oh, it is not yet done?

Karandhara: No, it's being worked on.

Prabhupāda: Hm. You can give him the rough idea. That will be very nice propaganda, to select real leaders of the society. The... We are misled by rascal leaders. That is the difficulty, all rascals. If the society is led by real, learned scholars, then it will be nice.

Morning Walk -- March 14, 1974, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: This is also preaching. So it is not that preaching means simply talking. Preaching means everything. The construction is also preaching. The designing is also preaching. Everything is... Otherwise what is the use of spending so much money if it is not preaching?

Devotee: Jaya.

Haṁsadūta: Yeah. (break) Everything that has to do with propagating Kṛṣṇa...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Haṁsadūta: ...in any way.

Prabhupāda: That is preaching. Just like... Nava-vidhā-bhakti.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- February 21, 1975, Caracas:

Prabhupāda: Mathematics? So you can calculate, "After so many years the whole universe will be destroyed." (laughter) Not of the universe but everyone's life. This body will be destroyed. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). And again you get another body. It will stay for so many years. Again you annihilate. Again you get. In this way eternal time is being wasted.

Hṛdayānanda: In the modern world the engineers are designing everything. So how can an engineer use his talent for Kṛṣṇa?

Prabhupāda: Design a temple, nice temple. There are wonderful temples, very expert engineering. And they were ordinary men but the engineer was so nice that nobody can manufacture such temple in the whole world, still.

Room Conversation -- March 2, 1975, Atlanta:

Guest (1): I mean nature's way is designed as a ecological balance of the...

Prabhupāda: Nature's... If you follow the nature's law, then everything is there. If you deviate (from) the nature's law, then that is defective. (indistinct—some guests reply all together)

Guest (1): Swamiji, nature's balance has been upset by us, us...

Prabhupāda: That's all right. Therefore I say...

Guest (1): Otherwise there would not be that many human beings here. It was all the time checked by nature's forces. We have just constrained nature by our efforts.

Prabhupāda: So that is, that is my point that nature is doing. As soon as you violate nature, then you become defective. That is... Therefore one should live natural life.

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

Guest: And when Muhammad said that God is great, he simply said God is great, and he adds nothing to it for somebody who is well acquainted with Islam culture and he who knows well about Koran's teachings, it cannot be understood and accepted. It is the same with somebody who is well acquainted with Christianity and the truth spoken through Christianity. It is the same with the Buddhism or other ways which are designed, which are...

Prabhupāda: So your point is that God is understood in different ways. That is not point?

Atreya Ṛṣi: That's one of his points.

Prabhupāda: And what is the other point?

Morning Walk -- May 14, 1975, Perth:

Devotee (1): Yeah, the big jets, and no one can... There's not enough people to fly in them. Therefore they have to finish them. They have to scrap their big jets. They're not of any use because there's not enough people to fly. They're coming to the end of their technological research. Also in the cars they cannot... There's one car, the Volkswagen. They cannot refine the body any more, so now they're simply making the same car each year without any change in the design, because they've reached the perfection of their design and they're not making any more advancement. They're coming to a halt.

Prabhupāda: When they will come to a halt to their sex desire? They have designed so many ways sex desire. The... Who was telling me that some beach, all naked women are there?

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

Revatīnandana: This von Braun is a big rocket scientist from the old days. He designed the V-2 missile in Germany during World War II, and then he designed the American missiles during the space program.

Prabhupāda: What benefit he has done?

Revatīnandana: Well, he's recently said... He retired, and he said now he thinks the only purpose of life is to research about God, to find out about God. He's very famous, so...

Prabhupāda: That is good. They have finished already science. Now if they do not come to God, then they are finished. They have nothing to say any more. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. That is Vedānta. Now they have finished all their so-called talent. Now they have to come to brahma-jijñāsā, inquiry about the Supreme. That is their concern now. Now they have cheated public and bluffed them, they are going to this, going to this, but they are all failures. Now they are anxious how to keep their position. That is the problem.

Morning Walk -- June 23, 1975, Los Angeles:

Indian guest: They are saying they are trying to learn the universe creation, see the relationship between earth's soil and geology and the geology of the moon, if there is some relationship. If the evolution process came through in some kind of joint relationship, they can establish some kind of hereditary of evolution process. They are trying to... On the top of that, they came out with a lot of electronic and gadgets to go over there. And to do any kind of adventure like this they have to design all kinds of gadgetry. And those gadgetry, they claim, is useful to human being on the earth over here because that came out...

Prabhupāda: The useful is that they have squandered so much money of the human being.

Morning Walk -- September 18, 1975, Vrndavana:

Dhanañjaya: Well, he made a design of the front of the temple, and he put underneath, "Come and stay at the Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma āśrama for..."

Prabhupāda: "Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma temple," not "āśrama."

Dhanañjaya: "Temple." All right. "And become..." Something like, "and become enlightened with transcendental knowledge," something like that. He's explaining briefly.

Prabhupāda: He... What does he know? He'll explain? He is explaining. What does he know. He'll explain?

Room Conversation -- October 29, 1975, Nairobi:

Cyavana: This park? The British. They designed all these parks and roads.

Brahmānanda: I know that other park-yesterday or the other day we went—that was done by the British. They've taken plants from all over East Africa.

Prabhupāda: All these buildings are constructed by the Britishers.

Cyavana: Some Indian organizations, firms, come also. Big construction companies from India, they are combined.

Brahmānanda: Usually, in all of the business concerns here, the top man is British, managing their activity.

Prabhupāda: So when they kill such brutally in the farm, the Britisher did not take any step?

Morning Walk -- November 15, 1975, Bombay:

Saurabha: Lot of time will go in the domes because there's many, many towers. Pillars is not so difficult. (break) ...two men have been making sketches on different designs for panels and columns, and as soon as you decide to pay, then they can start work immediately.

Prabhupāda: So we have decided. Do it.

Saurabha: Yes. It takes them about ten more days, fourteen days to get the drawings done. It will be all done in Makrana. They carve it there. They won't do it here. And then they bring it. Only small carvings will be done. There they have all facilities and many, many people.

Prabhupāda: Yes. They have kaligarhs. (?)

Morning Walk -- November 15, 1975, Bombay:

Saurabha: Yes, but it's not there yet. You either have to break down the old house or the hutment. But it may be now, because the situation is more favorable, that they allow, that they believe us. We can try it. We will make a design for the whole building.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Including that... And request them to come to our, one of the top floor. And as soon as the building is... They'll... In this way. (break)

Saurabha: ...plan and we make everything to submit to the municipality and then we will hear from them what is required and we will try to do that, whatever they want.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Morning Walk -- November 21, 1975, Bombay:

Brahmānanda: ...culture should be designed to cure the material disease.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is Aryan culture. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). That is Aryan culture. But they do not know what is punar janma, how we can stop this birth and death, nothing of the sort. Simply dogs and cats, that's all, jumping, very busy. (aside:) Hare Kṛṣṇa. Sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). That's all. Immediately the verdict: "Oh, he does not know anything. He's as good." So? Everything is going nice?

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 19, 1976, Mayapur:

Bhavānanda: Going up this way. I'm not exactly sure how the engineering works. Jayapatāka designed it.

Prabhupāda: It has been a mistake. The staircase should have been from this, within this.... Why it has not done, that? What is this nonsense, a ladder? (break) ...going to.... Yes.

Indian man: One person, he is coming today.

Prabhupāda: One person?

Indian man: From Krishnanagar he came yesterday and....

Prabhupāda: No, no, his rate is higher. Why should you engage him?

Morning Walk -- February 3, 1976, Mayapura:

Jayapatākā: He came out here and gave one design. From Howrah Botanical Garden?

Prabhupāda: Oh. He is the in-charge? Superintendent.

Jayapatākā: Yes. He came with his wife and family. They were very pleased. He stayed for a day or so and then made a whole plan for us.

Prabhupāda: (break) Sun is moving—that uttarāyaṇam and dakṣiṇāyanam. This ayanam means gamanam. Is it not?

Jayapatākā: Northern and southern course.

Devotee (1): In Bhagavad-gītā there is mention, when yogis...

Prabhupāda: Everywhere it is ment...

Śāstrījī: Agnir jyotir ahaḥ śuklaḥ ṣaṇ-māsā uttarāyaṇam.

Prabhupāda: That is in the Bhagavad-gītā. (break) ...line there will be pillars? No.

Morning Walk -- May 29, 1976, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: There is. Nobody can deny it. Only this tenth-class man will deny it. Even third-class man, fourth class, he'll not deny. But what is that intelligence, one should make it a science. Intelligence there is no doubt about it.

Devotee (2): There's another theory that God created the universe, and then things are just happening haphazardly. There's no actual design or ultimate plan of creation. Simply He created, and things were set in motion.

Prabhupāda: That is another foolish notion. Just like the seed, banyan tree seed, every plan is there: how the tree will grow, how the fruits will flower, flowers will come. Everything is there. That is intelligence. Within a small seed everything is there potency. Aśakti vividaiva. Sarvavidya. It comes certainly.

Morning Walk -- June 3, 1976, Los Angeles:

Jagannātha-suta: Śrīla Prabhupāda, when I was in New York recently to check the color printing of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, 7.2, we were presented with two awards which your books had won for color and design, two awards from the Printing Industries of Metropolitan New York. They gave us big wooden plaques with a certificate of excellence, yes, for Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and for Caitanya-caritāmṛta.

Hṛdayānanda: You should show Prabhupāda, bring him those plaques.

Jagannātha-suta: Yes, we have those plaques hanging up in the Press building now.

Prabhupāda: Hm. Bring it, I shall see.

Morning Walk -- June 3, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Yes, that's a fact.

Rāmeśvara: We have also won awards for Back to Godhead, the cover design.

Prabhupāda: Cover designs?

Mahendra: They like the cover, but they're afraid to look inside.

Rādhāvallabha: Śrīla Prabhupāda, at the time of death, when the soul leaves the body, at that time the body is destroyed. So at the time of sleeping, when the soul leaves the body, how is the body maintained?

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

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

Prabhupāda: They have to imitate. Otherwise, they cannot struggle. Just like they have made the 747 airship. But the shape is like a bird. You cannot make other shape. That you cannot do. If you make the shape of the 747 airplane like a man, it will finish. So you have to take knowledge from God's creation. You cannot create independently. That is not possible. Just like ships and boats, they are shaped like fish, the same shape; otherwise, you cannot run on water. That is not possible. The original design is made by God, and you have to follow.

Gopavṛndapāla: We told you yesterday, Śrīla Prabhupāda, about the hang-gliders? They hang on wings and then they glide down from the cliffs like birds. To make the gliders they had to study the birds' movements for many, many years just to get the right shape for the wings.

Morning Walk -- June 13, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: It is just like Jagannātha temple.

Hari-śauri: That, right in the distance there with the light on the top. Yeah, same design. (break)

Devotee (2): ...after us anymore because they don't have the money.

Prabhupāda: Detroit has got no money? Such a big industrial city. Neglected. They have got money.

Hari-śauri: They're not keeping this park up very well.

Prabhupāda: No. Because nobody comes here.

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

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

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

Prabhupāda: Oh. Very nice.

Kīrtanānanda: And Ātmabhū Prabhu is the chief construction man.

Prabhupāda: Oh, all our men.

Kīrtanānanda: All our men.

Prabhupāda: It is very nice.

Evening Darsana -- July 7, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: Automobile, automatically the automobile does not develop. When a man, a person, develops the design, that is a question of development. But the automobile as it is, it does not develop. It is matter. When matter is handled by a spirit soul, then there is change. Otherwise there is no change.

Dr. Sharma: Perhaps I can give you a scientific explanation. I'm a scientist. According to science every cell is changed within twelve years. Every single body's cell is changed.

Bill Sauer: It's continuous, yes.

Dr. Sharma: It's a continuing process, by the molecular process, all right? And Gītā says: vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya navāni gṛhṇāti naro 'parāṇi (BG 2.22). Just like you change the old clothes to new clothes-it's an exact word-to-word translation.

Sauer: We're a continually changing image, right.

Evening Darsana -- July 8, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: Yes. They want to prove "There is no God. Everything is science." However rascaldom it may be, "It is everything." But we are preaching about God. How we can tolerate? We must expose them. That is our business.

Mr. Boyd: There's a saying that's printed on a piece of stationery I get from one of my supply houses of a particular piece of equipment this man designs and sells. And on the bottom he indicates, "Somebody has to lead."

Prabhupāda: Yes. So this is a commonsense philosophy, that the earth is there, everything is coming out of earth. As mother is giving birth to so many children, similarly the earth is giving birth to so many children. So the children are there, the mother is there, and where is the father? But these rascals, they say "Without father." Is it possible for the mother to give children without father?

Morning Walk -- July 14, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: Calcutta, all aristocratic buildings, they are made according to English pattern, London pattern. Just like our temple, it is made London pattern. It was designed by one high-court judge. (pause) The land acquisition at Māyāpur, no news?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No news. (break) ...who are building the Ratha-yātrā carts and who help in the temple construction? (break)

Prabhupāda: Ah, this is so cold. (laughter)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Unbearable (break) ...too cold then we can go in our bus to Florida for preaching. In the winter you go to Florida, eighty-five, ninety degrees.

Prabhupāda: Florida. And in summer?

Morning Walk -- July 14, 1976, New York:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, Prabhupāda.

Rāmeśvara: Now they have designed these buildings so that many of them have fountains and big courtyards and you can walk from one street to the other by going through the center of the building.

Prabhupāda: Ācchā.

Rāmeśvara: And in the middle of the courtyard they have this crazy sculpture. All over the city. (break)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ...some of our artists make big sculpture out of metal?

Prabhupāda: Hm? No. That's not possible.

Room Conversation -- July 26, 1976, London:

Prabhupāda: First half...

Bhagavān: Would you like to see the design for the cover?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Bhagavān: This is...

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Bhagavān: This will be Kṛṣṇa book, 650 pages.

Jayatīrtha: This will also be coming out?

Bhagavān: Yeah. This is just the press proof. It needs improvement.

Prabhupāda: Fifty thousand?

Arrival at Farm -- July 29, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Bhagavān: Everything is designed for Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: So I can use this closet?

Bhagavān: All these are closets. These are many pillows, if people come, they can sit.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Very nice, so you can keep here. (break)

Hari-śauri: It's coming in a few minutes. Have to order that. Tapioca.

Prabhupāda: Is there any store near here?

Morning Walk Around Grounds -- August 2, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Devotee (2): This is our Indian package, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa.

Devotee (4): We're changing the design on this package, we have Gopal Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: But it is nice, why you are changing it? Unnecessary spending is not... (break) ...the sticks?

Devotee (3): From China.

Prabhupāda: What are in these bags?

Devotee (3): We're specializing in henna.

Prabhupāda: Honey?

Morning Walk and Room Conversation -- August 9, 1976, Tehran:

Pradyumna: Jñānagamya said that on Mars they found something like a crater with a house. Looked like a... Or a bombed-out thing. This Jñānagamya was working with a, he works with some information service, U.S. Information Service. So he was in charge of designing something here for Fourth of July. Some program. So he got this information from this U.S. Information Service which generally..., sometimes it isn't made public. It's just in their U.S. service. They'd seen some kind of a crater with...

Parivrājakācārya: Roads in it as well.

Pradyumna: Yes, something with roads in it or something.

Hari-śauri: The way they test for life is they take some soil and mix certain things with it, and then they wait and see if there is some life development from that.

Prabhupāda: That is nonsense.

Morning Walk and Room Conversation -- August 9, 1976, Tehran:

Hari-śauri: Now there's a second one going around as well. That's Viking 1 that's on there now, and they have another one, Viking 2, that's designed to orbit.

Pradyumna: Vikings were names of pirates. Viking means pirates. Pirate's a thief. Vikings, they used to be thieves. They named their spaceship Viking. (laughs)

Prabhupāda: (break)...the idea going to the other planet? Colonization or what?

Pradyumna: One thing, they say, is security, that American and Russia are fighting. So it was a race to get to the moon because they think that from other planets they can control conditions on the earth. From another planet they can control weather or they can control different things.

Prabhupāda: Just see how bogus.

Evening Darsan -- August 10, 1976, Tehran:

Mrs. Sahani: We interpret it according to our own design.

Prabhupāda: Eh? You cannot, if you have own design, don't touch Bhagavad-gītā. You make your own design and preach otherwise. Why you take advantage of the Bhagavad-gītā? This is criminal. If you have got a different philosophy, you preach. Everyone has got the right. But why you misinterpret Bhagavad-gītā? When you take advantage of the popularity of Bhagavad-gītā and you speak nonsense, that is not good. That has murdered the whole thing. And practically we see that. Bhagavad-gītā as it is, you try to understand, you get the benefit and you life is successful. Besides that, interpretation when it is required. When things are understood directly, there is no question of interpretation. The law of interpretation is like this: when the things are not distinct, then you can interpret in your own way, I can interpret in my own way, but when the things are distinct, there is no question of interpretation.

Room Conversation -- August 20, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: You have seen this temple?

Saurabha: I have not gone around, but it looks very nice.

Prabhupāda: It is after your design.

Saurabha: Yes. But I haven't been in Hyderabad for at least eight months.

Prabhupāda: They have done nice.

Saurabha: Yes. Mahāṁśa Swami has done very nice. There's many good workers also in the south of India. We have a lot of difficulty in getting those men from Vṛndāvana sent to America for Kīrtanānanda Mahārāja.

Prabhupāda: Is he anxious to get them?

Morning Walk Conversation About Bombay -- August 29, 1976, Delhi:

Prabhupāda: Then they've already owned (won) the case.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually, they don't know that you addressed the whole cabinet in that Endowment Minister's house. That Blitz doesn't know.

Girirāja: They mentioned that the Commissioner of Town Planning designed the temple. They mentioned that the Chief Minister came. They mentioned that we have a farm to help the poor people.

Prabhupāda: Oh, everything is there.

Girirāja: All of our credits are there.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Although they are Communist they just want to...

Prabhupāda: Harer nāma (CC Adi 17.21).

Meeting With Member of Parliament, Mr. Krishna Modi -- August 31, 1976, Delhi:

Prabhupāda: Yes. There are hundreds of reviews.

Krishna Modi: And you should also supply that to at least your interested members. Interested Parliament only.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: We'll design a special booklet just for...

Prabhupāda: I am asking you for so many months that you publish all these opinions.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: We have all the opinions, but we presently have them in sheets. Not in a book form. We can put it in...

Prabhupāda: Where is that? Where is that?

Room Conversation -- September 11, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: That is not very, well... That is not immediate. We shall see later on. You can make. That we shall see later on. Not immediately. Immediately you make this arrangement.

Dhanañjaya: And for design of Gaura-Nitāi and Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, we should just use the same design or we should make better?

Prabhupāda: Make a hand design like that and have your people make like that. Make a nice...

Dhanañjaya: Make, yes. I mean, better design.

Prabhupāda: Yes, make a better design. And the hand will be like this.

Room Conversation -- September 11, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: This is Navadvīpa style.

Dhanañjaya: Yes, I like this much better. Otherwise the arms are too long and thin.

Prabhupāda: In this way make a nice design Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. And Rādhārāṇī should be like this. This is Vṛndāvana style. Not this. This is Lakṣmī style. This. Make these arrangements. I am hopeful of this business. Very good business we'll have. I want to introduce in every family. They'll do it. If they do not worship, let them keep as dolls. That will also give them inspiration.

Dhanañjaya: Actually so many Indians in their house they're keeping just like dolls. They are not worshiping regularly. They're keeping on the mantlepiece or on the side.

Prabhupāda: In this way be encouraged and in full capacity do business and get others.

Room Conversation -- November 15, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Do, according to choice.

Devotee: And we were thinking about a design like a large dome.

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Devotee: You know and then on each corner, kind of like, what do you call those?

Devotee: Cornice?

Devotee: You know with a little thing. And then right in the middle of the dome, we want to put like a big gold, not real gold but you know, gold-colored thing with flags.

Prabhupāda: Flags.

Room Conversation -- December 7, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: So what kind of harvest? You finish and then you have to wait six months for the second.

Mahāṁśa: Now we are designing one plot for continuous...

Prabhupāda: Hm, so this... Where is Tejas Mahārāja? So you immediately arrange for producing vegetables.

Mahāṁśa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: No, I'm asking Tejas.

Haṁsadūta: Here is Tejas, here.

Prabhupāda: Oh, here he is. So, why don't you do that?

Room Conversation -- December 12, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: That, tomorrow morning we shall see and make a...

Mahāṁśa: A design.

Haṁsadūta: One more question. When... The first time you were here two years ago, you suggested that we should have Gaura-Nitāi Deity immediately.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Nṛsiṁha-deva, Gaura-Nitāi and Jagannātha.

Haṁsadūta: Right here?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Haṁsadūta: Shall we begin right here? We have this little place...

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes.

Room Conversation -- December 26, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yes. But the building is not yet sanctioned. You have seen inside temple?

Indian man: Yes. I come here once a week. (break)

Prabhupāda: This is... Of course, I gave him the idea. But Saurab's design. He's Dutch. He's Dutch boy. The Vṛndāvana is also his.

Indian man: How is the Kurukṣetra going?

Prabhupāda: Kurukṣetra, the government has not yet decided to give us land.

Indian man: The Hyderabad Gurukula?

Prabhupāda: Hyderabad land we have got.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Very natural. So I see the dolls... Intelligent boys, they can do it, educated, intelligent. Very good, nice. So many students are engaged...

Rāmeśvara: This is like pottery. Spinning on the wheel, he is designing the ornaments for the crown. Each doll of the demigods has a different crown. That's how they make them, on a spinning wheel just like a potter.

Prabhupāda: They are devising their own way. Eh?

Rāmeśvara: Sometimes.

Prabhupāda: That's nice.

Room Conversation -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yes. It was designed by Kṛṣṇa. But the idea was to kill. "Call them all together here and kill them. Bas, finished, all the demons finished." This is Kṛṣṇa. "Instead of killing them separately, call them here and kill. Finished." Like slaughterhouse. It was a slaughterhouse for the demons. "Call them and kill them. Bas, finished." Nimitta-mātraṁ bhava savya-sācin: "It is all my design. Even if you do not fight, they are not going back to their home. They must be killed." This is Kṛṣṇa's plan. "You simply take the credit. That's all. It is all My design. You are My devotee. I want to give you this credit. Otherwise without your help they are already killed." So... Kṛṣṇa... Paritrāṇāya... He has got two business. Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8). This is another side of His business.

Room Conversation with Svarupa Damodara -- January 30, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: They are publishing one paper, Sa-vijñānam. How do you like this name? Sa-vijñānam. This is picked up from Bhagavad-gītā. Jñānaṁ te 'haṁ sa-vijñānam idaṁ vakṣyāmy aśeṣataḥ. Sa-vijñānam (BG 7.2). Sa-vijñānam means according to science. So did you see...

Svarūpa Dāmodara: I have some designs about the covers of the first issue. We wanted to show to Śrīla Prabhupāda. I think I have here.

Prabhupāda: We are challenging scientists that "Life cannot be produced by chemicals only. Life comes from life." They're all big, big chemists. There is another Ph.D. Another M.A.C., M.A.C., this Oriya, Faree(?). He can also join.

Gargamuni: Śrīla Prabhupāda? I would like to see Tarun Kanti Gosh. He once told me any time you wanted to go to Manipur he would give an official letter.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Room Conversation with Svarupa Damodara -- January 30, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Pradyumna: This is like Scientific American.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Oh, that is designed by Sadāpūta.

Prabhupāda: Who is he?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: That's Darwin.

Prabhupāda: Oh. The nonsense. (laughter) Nāstika vana eka sab duniyā(?). (break)

Svarūpa Dāmodara: ...cover, with this Māyāpur background. The idea is that at the bottom is the molecules, and...

Prabhupāda: This will be a revolution, science and Bhagavad-gītā.

Room Conversation with Svarupa Damodara -- January 30, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: He says... See, his theory of evolution cannot explain how these eyes are evolved, our eyes. So he felt very uncomfortable just seeing in the beginning these eyes, our eyes. But he says that stage he has overcome to some extent. But still, one particular phenomenon is bothering him very much. That is the eye in the peacock's tail. It is the delicate, nice design with is colorful structure.

Prabhupāda: How it evolved.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yeah, how it evolved. He cannot explain by his theory. So he said whenever he gazed at it, that makes him sick.

Pradyumna: It's the opposite of the devotee.

Prabhupāda: (chuckles) Rascal. Artificially how long you'll stand?

Room Conversation -- January 31, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: At least they are trying to understand.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: That lecture that I gave, we made... Sadāpūta made that design so it's very attractive to science. That's from our Back to Godhead photograph. Fixed it up.

Prabhupāda: If they simply understand that all these laws of nature is going on under the direction of God... They are studying the laws of nature, how things are happening. But simply they have to understand that it is under the direction of Kṛṣṇa.

Room Conversation -- January 31, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Hari-śauri: Even for a crude machine, it requires some intelligence to construct a design.

Prabhupāda: Anything you take, it requires intelligence. Just like you have made this garland. Somebody intelligent has decorated. So who has made it? That they have no intelligence. They decorate this garland, one red flower and yellow flower, make it very attractive, but who has made this flower? That they have no intelligence. And that is answered. Mām ebhyaḥ param, mūḍho nābhijānāti. I am trying to taking the flower to make it more beautiful by setting them in this way, but who has made this beautiful flower? Whose brain is there? And that is explained there.

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

Prabhupāda: This is Saurabha's credit. He has designed.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The utilization is especially unique. It is so much more than just a temple. That is what's impressing—the restaurant, the theater, temple...

Prabhupāda: Every inch is utilized.

Hari-śauri: What they call a complex.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Very unique. One thing we don't have is a university.

Prabhupāda: No, that is not possible within that small (laughs).

Evening Darsana -- February 25, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: I have seen this.

Hari-śauri: This flower?

Prabhupāda: Yes. So where is that girl who has designed?

Cāru: They asked her to leave.

Prabhupāda: She has not come?

Hari-śauri: She was here, yes. She's gone out.

Prabhupāda: Oh. Very good.

Hari-śauri: That's her on the picture, here.

Prabhupāda: Very good intelligence.

Evening Darsana -- February 25, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: So it is very nice temple.

Trivikrama: Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Oh, you designed?

Hari-śauri: No. That's not her. It's another one. We're just getting the ghee.

Brahmānanda: She has brought some ghee.

Prabhupāda: Oh. What is this, 3.92?

Bhāgavata: Three dollars, ninety two cents, Australian money, for four pounds of ghee. Seven cans.

Prabhupāda: So Australian dollar, about ten rupees?

Room Conversation -- March 2, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: No, you can go. In your presence you can get it done.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: I requested our Bharadvāja Prabhu a long time ago to... Our Bhaktivedanta Institute, that he design the logo. It's almost two years. He said he would do it, but I think he's also very busy. Things too slow on that...

Hari-śauri: To design the logo?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes. The design he told me. That was in New York when Śrīla Prabhupāda was in New York, and he talked very seriously of this request to do it. He's the expert.

Conversations -- April 19, 1977, Bombay:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You look at any project in Bombay that's coming up, or anywhere in India. They'll always mention who is going to use the building or who is..., who paid for it. Hardly ever... If anything, the architect's name is mentioned in one line, "designed by so and so." But the architect never holds the press conference. That's another... I mean, I never heard of an architect holding a press conference. Neither I have heard the architect doing so many of the other things which the architect is doing. That, I think, is the essential thing. Whenever Bhavānanda Mahārāja...

Prabhupāda: Anyway, you form immediately joint committee. You cannot do independently. That is not possible. Whatever is done is done. Now, henceforward, you should be guarded. You, you published that article?

Gurukula Inspection -- June 26, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Hm. I think there is no other building in Vṛndāvana.

Guṇārṇava: It's the biggest building in Vṛndāvana.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You've done it again, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Yes, I gave the ideas to Saurabha: "Make a design."

Guṇārṇava: It's very protected, too, Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: People will compare this to a fort.

Prabhupāda: Yes. All right.

Guṇārṇava: Go down to the bank. Go downstairs to the bank.

Prabhupāda: You have asked the bank manager?

Room Conversation Arrival of Jayatirtha and Harikesa -- October 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: How the vaiśya community lives, how the different varṇas and āśramas function together, and what their responsibilities are to each other. We're trying to set up our Gītā-nagarī community based upon the teachings which you've given in your books. It is very enlivening and stimulating meeting. Dhṛṣṭadyumna Mahārāja will be coming tomorrow with his brother. And he has designed the very ideal plan for all of the varṇas and āśramas to live together.

Prabhupāda: Hm. Do it.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Jaya.

Prabhupāda: So go on.

Room Conversation -- October 11, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Hm. That is good. That's all.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Many people will come to this community to see how it is done. I think it will become very, very important in many different respects—for farmers, for people who are interested in designing ideal communities, for so many people who would like to live an ideal life, for people who want to come and see a unique place to visit, because there will be a temple of Kṛṣṇa-Arjuna there, a doll exhibit. I think it can be a wonderful preaching opportunity. And most wonderful of all is if we can exhibit self-sufficiency, that simply by farming the land, we can get enough grains, and taking care of the cows, we can get enough good foods to keep the body healthy. We can produce our own clothing.

Room Conversation -- October 13, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So Dhṛṣṭadyumna is, I think, the elder. His brother is here.

Dhṛṣṭadyumna: My brother is an architect, Śrīla Prabhupāda, and he's helping us to design the community plan for the small village and the temple. He's working very hard to help set up an ideal Vedic community.

Prabhupāda: Keep always engaged yourself in Kṛṣṇa activity. That is wanted. Jaya. (break) ...yad yad ācarati... (BG 3.21). You can give me two teaspoon glucose.

Brahmānanda: Two teaspoons?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Glucose.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Room Conversation With Svarupa Damodara -- October 15, 1977, Vrndavana:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: But by your mercy, Śrīla Prabhupāda, now I think many will come later. The man who came yesterday is the friend of our chief guest. His name is Dr. Chowdury. He's also a retired architect. He had a strong appreciation of the architectural design of the temple. He said the Gurukula also... They looked all over the Gurukula, and they were very appreciative. So I told him that we are planning to build another auditorium for the Institute and for the ISKCON activities. So they didn't know these things before. This Ghattack, Professor Ghattack, he's the head of the physics department of India Institute of Technology. He told me last night that never expected that such nice things might exist in Vṛndāvana. So he said there is an atmosphere of purity and cleanliness. He was thinking that maybe he could bring his child for the Gurukula.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Make it an ideal institution. Who are you?

Abhirāma: Abhirāma, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Massage.

Room Conversation -- October 22, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Here in one room, always closed.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah. That's a fact. It's closed. I felt it today, especially when you were translating. It got a little stuffy. When one can move around easily, then this house is very first class. But because the rooms are such design, if one has to stay in one room, then it can get a little bit stuffy. Just like here the only opening is from one side. In Māyāpur we'll get the cross ventilation.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: It's very healthy.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Perhaps there are also some good vegetables or fruits that may be in season in the winter.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Vegetable boiled. Fresh vegetables. I can take little.

Room Conversation -- November 6, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: No harm. It is too much.

Jayapatākā: The present design is too much. Yes, the present design means that every month, six hundred thousand dollars would have to be given, and that's just too much.

Prabhupāda: Too much strain is not good.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Also the tendency is that when you make an estimate, you're always higher. You say thirty million dollars-it's very likely that it will go more.

Jayapatākā: Yeah, so then consider. (break) ...his birthday was a couple days ago, and then he invited us. So I sent two brahmacārīs to his āśrama for his birthday celebration.

Prabhupāda: His temple is completed?

Room Conversation -- November 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: No, (indistinct). (laughter)

Lokanātha: I saw one in Maharastra. In Poona. Yes.

Prabhupāda: Hm. You can purchase immediately. (laughter)

Lokanātha: We'll have to design it. They're not ready-made like that. The kind which we want, the pull-on kind, with cover on top and nice arrangements, we have to design it and order it. Get it made. There's a place called Meerut, north of Delhi...

Prabhupāda: Therefore I sent you. You have got already experience.

Lokanātha: You said you want to make an experiment, so let us make an experiment with this hired bullock cart, and in few days' time...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So where will we go tomorrow if we go?

Prabhupāda: Govardhana?