Prabhupāda: He is so monied man. He cannot get nice food even, the primary necessities. And getting jaundice.
Hari-śauri: He had jaundice?
Jayatīrtha: Yes, he just recovered from jaundice. Thinks he was poisoned by something he ate. The main reason why he doesn't . . . he got jaundice because, he admitted this that he had Ravi Shankar's brother cooking for him.
Prabhupāda: Eh?
Jayatīrtha: He had one Kumar Shankar, the brother of Ravi Shankar, is cooking for him. So this man is a demon; therefore he is becoming sick.
Prabhupāda: Yes, they are all drunkards, all third-class men, fourth-class men, low-class men. In India, this naṭas, they are third class, fourth class. Naṭas means the artist—singer, dancers. They are meant for the fourth-class, fifth-class men. It was never taken by the . . . they are called, and they will expertly sing, dance, in some festival. The brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, they were not doing that. Still in India there is a class, very expert in dancing, singing. Low class. Their hereditary business is like that.
Bhagavān: So you have given everything. You have given all the structure. We have to present it rightly.
Prabhupāda: Even, say, hundred years ago, that Girish Chandra Ghosh, he wanted to introduce theatrical performances, imitating the European theatrical performances, man and woman taking part. So he wanted to invite woman artist. Not a single woman joined. Who will go to public stage to dance, respectable girl? They'll never. That is hundred years. I am speaking, say, about forty years ago. In one of our community, the girl was to be married, and it is the custom in India, the bridegroom's party comes to see the girl, whether she is right. Similarly, the girl's party goes to see the . . . so they came to see one of my friend's daughter. The daughter is very beautiful, rich man's daughter. So one of the bridegroom party questioned, "You know how to dance?" That was his question to the girl: "You have learned something about dancing and singing?" So she was my friend's daughter, my, that friend, Mukunda Mullik. His elder brother was there. He became very angry that, "This rascal is asking our daughter whether she knows dancing and singing." She took it as . . . he took it as insult that, "Respectable family, daughter should learn how to dance, and sing?" So immediately he protested, "No, no, no, she does not know how to dance, how to sing. She's not meant for that purpose. We like, of course, a young girl dancing and singing, but we cannot teach our family members. We spend for that outside. You cannot expect our Mullik's family daughter dancing and singing. No." He is very persistent. Actually that is . . . dancing? Singing? What is this nonsense? For a respectable family? It is meant for the low-class professional. Pay them, they will dance. Or go to some prostitute. She will dance. So he said that "We have got some taste for dancing, but not that our family members should do that. We pay for that outside."
So this art . . . and among the theatrical, Girish Chandra Ghosh could not get a single response from any respectable family. Then he had to seek some young girls from the prostitute class. They became later on famous artists, Kusumkamali Dasi, this Dasi . . . nowadays it has become a fashion that aristocratic family should join this cinema and spoil their character. Otherwise it was meant for the . . . no respectable man. You find the Bhāgavata description, especially for these professional who would come. They'll take their reward.
Bhagavān: This class is very influential today, this cinema artist, performer. Whenever there's a Presidential race . . .
Prabhupāda: Just like George. What is his value? He's artist, that's all. From educational point of view, from other things view, he does not know anything. But he has got some money on account of his artistic payment, and he's big man, that's all. Somehow or other get money, you become a big man. There is no question of culture or anything. That is stated in the Bhāgavata. The money will be the criterion—no family, culture, education. These things will not be taken into account. If you have got money, then you are big man. Never mind what you are. Therefore people are after money. Who is going to be Brahmin? If you become a perfect Brahmin, who will care for you? Nobody is interested to become a Brahmin. "Why we shall become Brahmin, starve? For starvation?" Nowadays in the college, they're not interested in art, philosophy, English literature. No, they . . . nobody. They go for technical, how they will get more money. They do not want. Some of the doctor, professor, they came to request us to give our student. They are not getting student. And after few years they'll be all dismissed. Who will pay them? Hayagrīva told me, he's not getting any job. There is another, Mr. . . . Dr. Henderson. He's also not getting any job. He's selling incense. And Bon Mahārāja, his institute is suffering from the very beginning till now, simply begging, begging and paying, paying the professor. No student. First of all he started Vaiṣṇava philosophy, so doctorate, Ph.D. So especially in India, who is going to take Ph.D. in Vaiṣṇava philosophy and starve? So this is failure. It is already failure, but he is persistent.