Go to Vanipedia | Go to Vanisource | Go to Vanimedia


Vaniquotes - the compiled essence of Vedic knowledge


Manager (Conversations 1976 - 1977)

Conversations and Morning Walks

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- January 19, 1976, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: You gave him some book, this Surendra?

Jayapatākā: That was a long time ago I gave one book. Since then you wrote that don't give any books, but that was a long time ago I gave.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. So you have talked and dealt with him?

Jayapatākā: He came to me and said he wanted a job here. He said he wanted to be our manager, this and that. And then he was hinting about that they were getting one wage, allowance, so he was expecting to get some allowance also, a little more.

Prabhupāda: So he is coming now. What is the purpose?

Jayapatākā: He wanted to be our..., to work for us. To work for Your Divine Grace, maybe.

Prabhupāda: How did you find him by dealing with him?

Jayapatākā: I didn't find him. He found me.

Prabhupāda: No, no, how you have...? How do you...?

Morning Walk -- January 21, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: No. And why they should accept Bhāgavata? We are not accepting Bible, so why they should accept Bhāgavata? That is no argument. You must present the Vedic knowledge in such a way that they will be obliged to accept: "Yes, it is right." (break) ...something, Mr. Agarwal, that "Nobody complains about eating," you will do a great service, I tell you. Everyone will come and say, "Oh, such a nice food." They will come here for eating, if not for anything. (break) You were proposing about our Vṛndāvana. So if this thing is done, that the eatables are very nice, then visitors will come. Otherwise this manager, that manager, this manager will not help you. Phalena paricīyate. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Morning Walk -- February 3, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to the Kazi. His first question was that "What kind of religion you are following? You are killing your father and mother?" This was His beginning of the talk. "What kind of religion it is?" "How is that? I am killing my father, mother?" "Yes, cow is your mother and bull is your father. You are killing them. The bull is giving you grains by working in the field, and the mother is giving you milk, and you are killing them." This was his first question. So this is a civilization of killing father and mother. All over the world they are killing bulls and cows. In England there is law that you can maintain a cow but you cannot maintain a bull. It must be killed. Yes. When I was a guest in John Lennon's house the manager in charge, he was telling me. "You cannot keep bull. This is our law." I learned from him.

Meeting with Bankers -- April 6, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Indian (1): Now Mahārājajī has told you the story about the Kuvera of the old days. I will tell you the story of the Kuveras of the today. That is us. In fact, it was in a paper. There was a cartoon. A bank manager, means today's Kuvera, was sitting in an office, and he received a call, such and such big Dalmiya or Birla, "We want two lakhs of rupees just now." He said, "Yes, come along. Here is our Swamiji. He'll pay you two lakhs." Then there was another call. There was some industrialist or a small-scale industrialist man. He said, "I want to start an industry. Could I get a lakh of rupees as a loan from you?" He said, "Yes, yes. Please do come along and we'll make some arrangements." Then he also. And ultimately the third picture in the cartoon, that the manager—that is today's Kuvera—he goes out of the bank. He is standing on the gate, and he says to that caukidāra, (Hindi punchline-laughter). It is today's Kuvera is not in any position to give anything. He also wants your blessings, you see, in fact.

Prabhupāda: Very good.

Room Conversation with Siddha-svarupa -- May 3, 1976, Honolulu:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: I think it will turn out OK.

Prabhupāda: But this dealing of the bank is very...

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Not good. I know. I complained to the bank manager also.

Prabhupāda: So this is right.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: They said their hands were tied because the specimen signature on the check...

Prabhupāda: They give me writing check.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

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

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: One time when I was staying in the Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma mandira, I saw a man smoking a bidi in his room. If that happens—in the bedroom—should the managers go and say this is not permitted?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They should. They should go down to the smoking room.

Prabhupāda: "Kindly go to the smoking room."

Devotee: The Deities in Vṛndāvana are in need of paraphernalia, and.... Which is more important, that the Deities get Their paraphernalia, or should the money be used...

Morning Walk -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:

Ambarīṣa: I think they're seventy-five cents. They are very highly taxed.

Prabhupāda: Who cares for it? (laughter) Wine is highly taxed in India. When I was manager in Dr. Bose's laboratory, he was manufacturing alcohol(?) for medicinal purposes. The cost was one rupee eight annas per gallon. The government was levying duty. For medicinal purpose, five rupees per gallon, whereas purchasing liquor, fifty-eight. The government would take profit out of it, fifty-eight rupees.

Satsvarūpa: (indistinct) Fifth Canto (indistinct)

Morning Walk -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:

Dhṛṣṭadyumna: Śrīla Prabhupāda was pointing out that at seven o'clock in the morning you'll see everyone in the liquor stores, but they don't organize them to come and clean. You were mentioning that everyone is lining up to buy liquor in the morning with their money from the government. They don't work. But instead the government should have them working cleaning the parks, but they are not expert managers. (break) ...in the early hours the people are sweeping the streets, cleaning.

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

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

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

Room Conversation -- June 17, 1976, Toronto:

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

Hari-śauri: Oh, Prabhaviṣṇu?

Prabhupāda: Prabhaviṣṇu. So, who would become the president, there was war. (laughter) Haṁsadūta wanted Prabhaviṣṇu, and Mādhavānanda wanted that he would become president. In this way, there was great faction. So the management was being done nicely. He was attracting Indians, faithful, they were following. But there were several complaints that he spent very lavishly on his personal account. Purchasing (indistinct).

Room Conversation -- June 17, 1976, Toronto:

Prabhupāda: Now one thing is, that he has given service for the benefit of the society. Very tangible service. He can be in charge of book distribution.

Jagadīśa: Mādhavānanda.

Hari-śauri: Yes, that would be good, if they were co-managers or something like that.

Jagadīśa: Govardhana president?

Prabhupāda: Yes, why not? You should recognize his service. He induced persons to do some.... That you cannot neglect. (break) Paper men coming?

Hari-śauri: Yes, Jayādvaita's going to talk to them a little first, give them prasāda, just explain the basics of the movement so that they, you know, they may be a little favorable.

Room Conversation -- June 17, 1976, Toronto:

Prabhupāda: No. During British period, high British officers, big, big managers, they liked Indians with original culture. They did not like any Indian with European imitation-pants, coats. They didn't like these imitations. My Godbrother, that German, Sadānanda.... You have heard his name or you have seen him?

Jagadīśa: No.

Prabhupāda: When he came to India, he was my intimate friend. So he was telling me that "In our country, when some Indian student comes, especially while returning home after their education, they stop for some time in Germany, we used to inquire from him how much he is aware of his Indian original culture." Because they have got very good respect. All over the world they have got. Even Russia.

Room Conversation -- July 5, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: That's a fact, everything is created by God. It is being done by one, that Supreme. We are simply studying how it is acting. Otherwise everything is being done by Him. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). That is a fact. How He is working so nicely, that is the subject matter of our study, or something is explained in the śāstra or something has been studied by these material scientists, but the things are being done by the supreme arrangement of manager. That is a fact.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: The difficulty in this Christian aspect is that they claim that it was created about five thousand years ago. That is the reason why we want to bring up this...

Prabhupāda: That is nonsense. (laughter)

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

Prabhupāda: Yes, I was connected with some chemical industry. I was manager in a big chemical industry. Then I started my own business. In this way I was family man.

Rāmeśvara: But at the same time, Śrīla Prabhupāda was always Kṛṣṇa conscious.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Bali-mardana: And He was writing.

Rāmeśvara: And also he was writing transcendental or spiritual books even at that time.

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

Prabhupāda: Basis, just to see whether he's qualified, that's all. Just like ordinarily one manager is appointed by the superior authority on the merit, on his qualification. That's all.

Interviewer: Okay, is it a mediated choice or is it a direct communication from Kṛṣṇa, that's my question.

Prabhupāda: No.

Rāmeśvara: He's asking whether we claim that God speaks to us directly.

Conversation with George Harrison -- July 26, 1976, London:

Prabhupāda: Oh, you don't require. Now you can eat, go on. Prasāda prapti mātrena. Our Jayatīrtha prabhu is a good manager. Management, looking after. Yes, he's a very good manager, experienced.

George Harrison: Hm?

Prabhupāda: He's experienced manager.

Jayatīrtha: Not very good managing this place now.

George Harrison: Well, it seems okay. Seems to be taken over pretty good. Peacefully.

Room Conversation With French Commander -- August 3, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Jayatīrtha: Just like in India.

Prabhupāda: If possible, we can talk or... Is it possible to talk with the manager? Punjab National Bank?

Jayatīrtha: Oh, yes. Call him.

Prabhupāda: He was to send by registered post, but I have not received. You gave the address and everything.

Jayatīrtha: Oh, yes, I wrote it down.

Prabhupāda: Was he bona fide manager or not? (laughter)

Jayatīrtha: He didn't have his seal with him.

Evening Darsana (on night of arrival) -- August 16, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: You can give me little puffed rice. (long pause) During wartime some, during noncooperation movement, so one firm, they were supplying printing machine, and, very famous firm, forgot the name. So they had 113 branches all over the world. So somebody questioned that "If you British boycott, if by boycott movement, if your firm is closed..." So the manager replied, "So what is wrong there? If one branch is closed, we'll still have 112 branches all over the world." So if the Communist party in India they want like that, so we have our own branches all over. (slapping sound—for mosquito?) Don't kill.

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

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Jayapatākā: So he's a capable...

Prabhupāda: Manager.

Jayapatākā:...manager in his own right. He wanted to meet you.

Prabhupāda: So let us cooperate with him. You take it. And he is there. In the meantime, our men may be trained up.

Jayapatākā: He's invited us to come. He has some festival coming. Then we can just go...

Prabhupāda: Yes. That...

Room Conversation -- August 21, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: It was a very good place. This Prabhākāra helped me. Ninety percent was... But if I did not leave, nobody could drive me, that was a fact. But I thought "Who is going to..., for litigation? She is the governor's wife, and she is pressing through collectors, through..." The manager who was in charge, he had some cinema house. So they had to renew the license, cinema house. And the collector pressed him that "Unless you arrange for this house, we are not going to renew your license." I thought, "Unnecessarily this man will be in trouble. I'll have to pay so many rupees, and she is governor's wife." And that lady came to me in Bombay several times. "You take my press. You have got so many publications." So I said "I can take your press. I have got money. But what shall I do with it? It is letter press.

Evening Darsana -- September 1, 1976, Delhi:

Prabhupāda: He, her son he is the father and mother, he's an Indian, in Detroit, very good boy, getting very nice. He, living in the temple, husband wife, child we have. Bacā, ek bacā? He's getting very happy, very nice boy. (Hindi) Just like their son, he's educated very nicely. Educated boys are joining, from foreign countries and not from here. (Hindi) Here is Gopāla Kṛṣṇa, he was sales manager in Coca-cola. (Hindi) ...dollar, he has given. (Hindi for some time) You have bought that book? Ah. Stillson Judah's?

Room Conversation -- September 9, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: It was all by chance. I was for a few days guest at his father's place in Agra. I did not know that his son is in America. So he was talking about his family. He was little sorry that his eldest son went to America to study electric engineering, and he was entrapped by an English girl, and he married and settled there and did not come back. In this way... So I took the opportunity, that "Why don't you ask your son to sponsor me?" I wanted to go to America. So I did not know how seriously he took it. But I simply told him that "Why don't you ask your son to sponsor me at least for one month. So I am thinking of going to America." Then that was talking, beginning and end, that's all. I did not know that he took it very seriously. Then after two, three months, some documents came. I was receiving my letters in a post box. So when I left Delhi I used to keep my key of post box with some nice bookseller, Atmaram, he was manager.

Room Conversation -- September 11, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Prem Yogi. So give him that place vacated by the old man.

Hari-śauri: Next to Akṣayānanda's room. Seventeen. Take him up there.

Harikeśa: Actually you can just bring him to Bhakti Pradhāna and tell him. Bhakti Pradhāna is the manager of the guest house, so he should take care of it.

Prabhupāda: No, this old man has gone. So give him that place. Yes.

Devotee: I believe there are two men.

Prabhupāda: Two men that's all right. Yes.

Devotee: Thank you.

Prabhupāda: So, you just officially receive them. He's got M.A. Ph.D. Good man. This is etiquette.

Room Conversation -- September 16, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: All the Vaiṣṇavas, they are expert. Just like Rūpa, Sanātana, expert manager. Even in worldly affairs. Not that "I am so much big devotee that I cannot manage worldly affairs." Expert, must be expert. Dakṣa. (pause) So she can give me the fruits now. So... (break) ...intelligent policy to kill India's spiritual status.

Haṁsadūta: To kill India's spiritual status?

Room Conversation -- October 3, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: But he peacefully took it. I could have fought but I did not like. All the pleaders in Jhansi, they said, "Don't leave." She was pressing through the collectors, to the manager. That house belonged to some zamindar. But it was under the management of another man, Reba Shankara(?). So he was proprietor of one cinema hall. So the governor's wife was pressing him through the collector because the license has to be renewed from the collector. Collector was insisting that "You give that house, Lilavati Munshi. Indirectly. Otherwise, your license will not be issued."

Room Conversation -- October 31, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: How is it possible? The British Empire was established on management. They did not bring men from England. Few managers, that's all. That is called management. One man can control hundreds and thousands of men, that is management. (long pause) Locally attracted. These Britishers came here and they introduced this zamindari system.

Haṁsadūta: The what?

Prabhupāda: Zamindari system.

Haṁsadūta: Zamindar.

Prabhupāda: Landlord.

Morning Walk and Room Conversation -- December 7, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Now let them spend here for the temple.

Mahāṁśa: And live here.

Prabhupāda: Yes. They will be glad.

Mahāṁśa: Then the Tirupati managers will become envious.

Devotee (4): How shall the worship be in the temple, Śrīla Prabhupāda, the small temples. What shall they worship?

Prabhupāda: Yes, you introduce kīrtana.

Devotee (4): Kīrtana?

Prabhupāda: That's all. And whatever they eat must be offered. That's all.

Devotee (4): Pañca-tattva picture?

Room Conversation -- December 7, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: No. Nobody can go without sanction. This is sense gratification, "I want to." This is not good.

Jagadīśa: The temple right now is in lack of a full time manager. Mahāṁśa Mahārāja spends most of his time here, and I can see that the temple management is not going right.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Not very nice. So do you require...? But you also do not remain here.

Mahāṁśa: No.

Room Conversation -- December 7, 1976, Hyderabad:

Mahāṁśa: I mean, the problem that came up in the temple, it was going on okay before, but then there was suddenly so many more devotees that came. Half of them were here, half of them were there, and they were moving around every day. So the temple managers were confused. They didn't know how much, how many devotees...

Prabhupāda: No, temple... Who is temple manager?

Mahāṁśa: Ānandamaya is managing now. He's very good. He can do it nicely but he was confused because there were devotees...

Prabhupāda: Now there is no confusion. Immediately they can go, all the devotees. They are not required. What is the use?

Morning Walk and Room Conversation -- December 26, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: So when Kṛṣṇa said, mayā tatam idam, mayā means, "I am there." But "I" is existing. That "I", person, is existing. Just like if I say that "It is I who has expanded, I am expanded all over the world by this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement," that's a fact. But that does not mean I am not a person. If I say that "I am, this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement means I am, I am spread by spreading this movement," that's a fact. But does it mean that I am imperson? That is, Kṛṣṇa says, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā. Avyakta. So the same example we can give you that in all my branches, 110 branches, they worship me as their guru. Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni (BG 9.4). "Everything is existing on My management." Nāhaṁ teṣu avasthitaḥ. "But I am not there." It is a fact. All these 110 branches, they are going on under my direction, but not that I am present everywhere. But that does not mean I am not a person. So the supreme, the supreme manager, the supreme controller, how he can be nirākāra? That is my first question.

Room Conversation -- December 26, 1976, Bombay:

Indian man: I tell you Prabhupāda... Very, very, old... Before 1937, in Bhavnagar, Saurastra, we had our office in '37, '35 we had. I was in Karachi. We sent one manager from Peshawar, twenty-year man. So he used to eat meat and fish and everything and a young man he was...

Prabhupāda: Punjabi.

Indian man: Hindu brāhmaṇa. But there the brāhmaṇas also eat meat. Kashmiri brāhmaṇas eat meat. So he was about 25, 24 years old at that time. When he reached Bhavnagar, he could not get a house. There were so many "To Let's" but wherever he went he was told no. So after all he got fed up, he inquired what is the reason.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Conversation and Instruction On New Movie -- January 13, 1977, Allahabad:

Prabhupāda: Hm? They cannot. They... Those who are intelligent, they are making something, Śrīdhara Mahārāja and others. But this man was envious, this Tīrtha Mahārāja, because... He advertised that he is the only favorite student of Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī. (laughs) But spiritually he was empty. Materially he was capable, how to manage things. But spiritually he was zero. That Prabhupāda also knew and everyone knows. He had no spiritual understanding. Materially he helped Guru Mahārāja how to organize. Therefore he liked him, that "This man is expert manager."

Conversation and Instruction On New Movie -- January 13, 1977, Allahabad:

Prabhupāda: So they, in the beginning, if they are not working... They'll work. We shall supply food, everything. And that... That is well beginning. In Hyderabad they are coming daily, two hundred people. And I kept with them fifty thousand rupees and told... But as soon I came, they have stopped, this, our Haṁsadūta. I do not know what is the reason. He said, "There is no money." I gave them fifty thousand rupees. He said, "There is no money." He's not good manager at all. It has been proved. He's not a good manager. Everywhere failure.

Room Conversation -- January 22, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Gargamuni: No. I told him "Actually Prabhupāda, he has done more work than Vivekananda in helping to spread India's dharma all over the world." I had to very careful because there were many other people sitting around, including the manager, and I didn't want to start a fight. So I said, "Actually Prabhupāda has done greater work." He said (in shocked tone), "What have you said? You have said that your guru is greater than Vivekananda?" I said, "He has done more work." And he started, "No. You cannot say that." Then two other men who were sitting there stood up and said, "No! He has done more work. I was at the Olympic games, and I heard the whole thing was chanting in Montreal. Last year I was at the Olympic games, and I saw them all chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. He has done more work." Two men, they came. So I just sat there and let those two men argue.

Prabhupāda: It is Kṛṣṇa's grace.

Conversation on Roof -- February 14, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Not courtyard. Within the boundary, compound. The ramma badhi, vaihama badhi, merde badhi, purusdera badhi,(?) four different courtyards. And who cared for city life in those days? Nobody. Everyone was satisfied in village. General people, they would not come to city. Only servant class. What business they have got from the city? Because their main income from the field, kṛṣi-go-rakṣya. What they have got to do with the city? In the city, big, big zamindars, personally they had nothing to do. They are managers and sircars(?) were collecting money. That's all. And their extra money, they're constructing Ṭhākura Badhi,(?) temple, just like that Mullick's Ṭhākura Badhi, and festival going on. That was aristocracy. They devoted their money for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. What is that? You have seen the Bengali?

Evening Darsana -- February 15, 1977, Mayapura:

Brahmānanda: Yes. Actually one of our members in Mombassa, he wanted to buy us a farm. Unfortunately Cyavana rejected it. Anyway, he went and bought the farm for eighty thousand, and now he's developed it, and it's a wonderful farm. We went there for a program. It's very productive. He has one manager, an Indian manager, and the Africans do all the work. He has cows and mangoes, growing vegetables. He's very thankful to us because we helped...

Prabhupāda: Gave the idea.

Evening Darsana -- February 15, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. I remember. He told, the woman's brain, thirty-four ounce, man's brain, up to sixty-four ounce. He told. I remember. He was very saintly man, Dr. Urquhart. And before that there was one principal. He's Watt, Mr. Watt. He was the roughest man. He'd fight with the students like guṇḍā, Mr. Watt. But he was very good manager, principal.

Satsvarūpa: Did they try to make you Christian? Like that?

Prabhupāda: No. There was Bible class, compulsory, half an hour, from one to half past one.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No Bhagavad-gītā.

Prabhupāda: Huh? No. They used to supply yearly one Bible, very nice.

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

Prabhupāda: Yes. This I want to increase more and more. No money in the bank. In the books. And as soon as there will be stock of book, it has to be sold. Otherwise you will starve. (chuckling) That I want.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That will force the book sales to increase. The manager...

Prabhupāda: You may take it as business or whatever you like. I am not taking anything. You are selling five to six lakhs daily?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: So my royalty would have been one lakh, fifty thousand daily. Big authors, they take twenty-five percent. So that is not the ambition, but my ambition is these books shall be sold. That's all. Whole... Every house should have our books, every gentleman, in any language.

Room Conversation -- February 18, 1977, Mayapura:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They like that. They would also... Probably they would respect if we did some businesses, some of our members.

Prabhupāda: We can do. Manager is there.

Hari-śauri: Spiritual Sky.

Prabhupāda: When we have got excess produce, either milk or grain or anything, we can sell that.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That we won't have, though. The kind of businesses we do are not kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyam (BG 18.44). It's more or less businesses of incense business, jewelry business. We don't have extra milk products or grains, not very much.

Room Conversations -- February 20, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Of course, own son is own son, but he liked me very much, very, very much. He selected.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Above other more senior men.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes, selected me. "Someday I shall appoint him manager."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The other people working there couldn't understand that so easily.

Prabhupāda: Three, four men liked me very, very much. One is my father, one is Dr. Bose, Kartik Chandra, one my Guru Mahārāja, and..., who else? One, my maternal uncle. Rakal Chandrardha. He was very rich man.

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

Prabhupāda: So many people came?

Gargamuni: Oh, yes. At least... Full plane, 350.

Prabhupāda: No, the dignitaries, you said?

Gargamuni: Oh, yes, the general manager of Air India... In fact, the head of all the pilots of India himself landed the plane. He's the president of the whole pilots, eldestmost pilot.

Prabhupāda: Who is...?

Gargamuni: He said, "I must do this."

Prabhupāda: What is his name?

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

Prabhupāda: One pilot, he was coming in Bombay, Mr. Sharma. He was driving this 747, and one Parsi gentleman, he was also driving. Might be.

Gargamuni: The general manager of Air India for this side is a Parsi man. I was speaking with him.

Prabhupāda: Oh, then two...

Gargamuni: And he said, "It is thanks to your society that this is landing now." He thanked us.

Room Conversation With Artists and About BTG -- February 25, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Yes. But organized business means there must be so many men, secretary, manager. That is regulated. So in the beginning, "All right, bring some money somehow. Then I shall..." So you cannot reject this organization because he's chanting. Then what is the use of writing so many books, the nāma-aparādha and other discussions, if anyone can chant?

Rāmeśvara: So it definitely has to lead them to that.

Room Conversation -- February 28, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Not best cook. The best cook is available. Management is not good.

Hari-śauri: We need a very expert manager for that guesthouse.

Prabhupāda: And in Bombay-before we get bad name—then it is lost.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Everything has to be set up beforehand perfectly.

Prabhupāda: If required, we shall appoint professional man and keep everything very vigilant; things are going. Otherwise, once bad reputation—finished, so much attempt.

Room Conversation -- March 1, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Electric? Electricity they supply?

Gargamuni: Yes. They had a loudspeaker next to our stall. So this was hindering the film. And the manager, they wouldn't turn it down, you know, because so many people were being attracted, they wanted to stop us, so I gave some small bribe and made a man climb up and take it down, and now it's all right. (laughter)

Prabhupāda: This is called how to do business, (laughter) natural instinct from his father.

Gargamuni: I had no intelligence till I met you, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Yaśomatī-nandana: Even Sanātana Gosvāmī bribed to get out of the...

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

Prabhupāda: Subject matter. This is for subject matter committee. Subject, committee of subject.

Satsvarūpa: Then today there was some new selection of assignments. One: That Jayapatākā Mahārāja be made acting GBC along with Gurukṛpā Mahārāja, both be co-GBC managers of Bengal and Orissa. And Gargamuni Mahārāja be GBC of the traveling party going to colleges and libraries for sales in India and Asia and the Mid-East. Gargamuni should first go to countries around Iran and evaluate his work... And his work will be evaluated, and if done nicely, then he can enter Iran also.

Room Conversation -- March 26, 1977, Bombay:

Śrīdhara: I remember one example, you said we do not care who is manager of the stool room.

Prabhupāda: Daṇḍya jane rāja yena nadīte cubāya. So make plan to speak in these big, big institutions. And recruit members from them.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Do you think that in America there will be much receptivity at this time?

Prabhupāda: Make first of all in India.

Girirāja: From India you can be famous.

Room Conversation -- April 2, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That I know. Therefore I am keeping him. He is not qualified manager, but he is first-class devotee, and he has no visa problem.

Guru dāsa: And he also is not duplicitous.

Prabhupāda: No. Therefore he has got some special qualification. So managerial, it is not always possible. But these things required. We want one man that he has no visa problem, and at the sane time devotee.

Room Conversation -- April 5, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: No, but that bank manager wanted to come?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He came, but I only got back by four-thirty, and he said he would come again at eleven o'clock tomorrow morning.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Indian Overseas?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, State Bank.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I was reading, going through my mail. State Bank had written to me earlier. They are also applying for an extension counter, and we want a full bank, because they were seeing me before, their manager here.

Room Conversation -- April 5, 1977, Bombay:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Everyone has seen that. The bank manager at Central Bank today said that "I saw your movement is now respected as genuine religion."

Prabhupāda: Yes. It is genuine. It is genuine.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: This court case turned out to be a blessing. You had said that earlier, not to worry.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda wanted us to push it on for fourteen years.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: The court case?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Yes. I would not have given up. I would have spent all my assets to fight this case. But Kṛṣṇa's grace, in one day. Not fourteen days even. This is Kṛṣṇa. On the first review. Yes. I wanted even fourteen years. Yes. I was prepared. I will spend all my money. But Kṛṣṇa is so kind, He wanted: "Take it, this advent(?). Finished." This is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is wonderful. I have written one chapter...

Room Conversation about Harijanas -- April 10, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: His wife is also nice, but when they are combined together, they become little spoiled. He becomes little lusty. That is his wife's complaint. I got them married in San Francisco. (pause) So you can give another letter to the manager, Bank, "You take eighty thousand from current account and twenty thousand is coming from Calcutta. Both together, you make one M.M.D., M.M.D.A."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: For seven years.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Morning Conversation -- April 11, 1977, Bombay:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. It is quite a... It's about two weeks old. Somehow or other, Śrīla Prabhupāda, the mail is... This was sent to Hyderabad, this letter. So that accounts for it. "BBT Trustees' Meeting. 1) Yogeśvara dāsa was appointed the Los Angeles production manager for all international publications and will also act as assistant to the English production manager, Rādhā-vallabha." Yogeśvara dāsa was already in Los Angeles, and the various different foreign BBT's were com-plaining that they weren't getting the proper help from L.A. BBT.

Prabhupāda: He?

Room Conversation with Ratan Singh Rajda M.P. 'Nationalism and Cheating' -- April 15, 1977, Bombay:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda wanted to know, Girirāja, whether you thought Bank of America would give interest on a savings account weekly. We know they're giving it on the fixed deposits.

Girirāja: I'll ask the manager.

Prabhupāda: It is a charitable institution, so you'll... Why not give weekly?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That Kun... If he says no for any reason ... (break) Here they come. (guests enter)

Prabhupāda: Aiye. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Thank you very ... Aiye.

Talk with Svarupa Damodara -- April 18, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: No.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ...train up the local men as managers.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: We have a big lake in Manipur. It is very big. And this is the biggest lake in Assam, in Manipur, and since it is surrounded by all hills, so when there is a lake it looks like a bowl, and you can see this lake just from this place. It is very near.

Prabhupāda: Very nice water?

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

Prabhupāda: No, you can conveniently book. We shall wait.

Kārttikeya: No, it is easily bookable, this... For this purpose you go to the Mr...., Central Manager. I know the man.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So my only point is, should we book any specific date until it from, here from Mr....?

Prabhupāda: No, you... Suppose tentatively we accept that we shall start a program on Sunday. In that way you book. So if Jetthi cannot come, then we shall wait. What is that?

Morning Conversation -- April 29, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: All the contribution by the villagers. By their hard-earned money they keep something for going. You have seen Tirupati, Tirumal...? Standing for hours to contribute in a line. Hundreds of people. They'll come, contribute something. Then they'll shave their head, see the Deity, have some bath in the adjoining lake. Then they'll take prasādam. That is very big tank. Everywhere. In India, wherever some famous temple is there, there is a tank. Now the haircutting, that lakhs of rupees are sold to foreign countries is hair. Heaps. These managers, they are selling the hairs. Very big business. The foreign countries, the black hair, they purchase it at good price for making wig. (pause) So that is written nice. He wanted to criticize me, but he could not do it very strongly. He did not like the idea that I am sticking to Bhagavad-gītā.

Morning Conversation -- April 30, 1977, Bombay:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda? I told you that we have improved the quality of the composing. So this is a new style of composing. It is about... They have a new alphabet, cleaner. They are using better art paper. And I have shown it to our production manager. He also says the reproduction of it would be much better. I have improved the quality of art paper on which they are doing the art proofs. So I just got this one made, and I wanted to show it to you. We are experimenting with two types of composing. Now, this takes in more words, but what we will do at the time of printing, we will shoot it and it will become small, like the regular book, and this way we can get in more space. And this...

Prabhupāda: How many lines?

Room Conversation -- May 2, 1977, Bombay:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually the one in the Museum of Natural History in New York, they didn't even leave the skeleton. They recreated the body so it looks just real. We went with Bharadvāja and Rāmeśvara and myself for studying for the doll project. We were looking at how they made everything very authentic. It's amazing. They even have underwater scenes. Of course, there's no water, but it appears to be underwater by the way they make the diorama. So this evening in the... They'll be coming in to see you, the managers.

Prabhupāda: So let them begin the foundation.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Gurukula.

Prabhupāda: Hm. Let it go on slowly, but it must begin.

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

Prabhupāda: So why don't you see the donor of that place? I gave the address.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: To Prabhaviṣṇu.

Jayapatākā: I don't think he's seen him. Now the main manager has been handed authority. We've seen him. He's also favorable. But the people who are holding the main power, they are also favorable, so they've given us. Good facility for boat program. I went to a village by boat one day, and the villagers, they were very receptive also. They held a whole festival. Everyone, five hundred people, stopped their work, and they all came and chanted Hare Kṛṣṇa, and we cooked a big pot of... Official(?) said, "Everyone has provided ḍāl and rice. We don't eat at home today." And he cooked up khicuḍi and we gave everyone prasāda.

Discussions -- June 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Rāmeśvara: It's a different word.

Prabhupāda: Supreme managers.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Supreme managers. (laughter)

Prabhupāda: Or the ultimate managers, like that.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: The ultimate executives?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, the executors.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Ultimate executors.

Discussions -- June 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Rāmeśvara: Originally we told him that all the GBC are executors, and he said, "But out of them, just pick a few. It is a technical thing." 'Cause the GBC are already mentioned as the heirs or the managers of what you are giving.

Prabhupāda: So I'll give you seven names.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Our idea is to finish this will business as soon as possible.

Prabhupāda: Yes, I'll give you tomorrow. I'll think over this.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Okay. Any more, Girirāja?

Girirāja: That's all for the will.

Conversation, 'Rascal Editors,' and Morning Talk -- June 22, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They have to also be included in the decisions of the BBT. It can't simply be that managers make decisions.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Without their sanction, there will be... Let them... These all rascals...

Svarūpa Dāmodara: One time in that article they made a change. Saying that, the whole Vaiṣṇava philosophy became Māyāvādī in that scientific article. So I told them that "You are better than..., a better (indistinct)." It all become Māyāvādī, so it became all mad. That is why I strongly told them that "This shouldn't be the way. If you want to change, you have to consult with those who are writers."

Conversation: 'How to Secure Brahmacaris' -- June 24, 1977, Vrndavana:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: The motorcycle has gone to bring the manager.

Prabhupāda: He is coming?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Will the manager come now? What is your guarantee that he'll come now? You should call him.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: We have already called him. (background talking, Tamāla Kṛṣṇa)

Prabhupāda: This is another management: without knowing whether he's coming, motorcycle.

Conversation: 'How to Secure Brahmacaris' -- June 24, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: This is management.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, you gave that example: If you want to kill a mosquito, use a gun. What does that example show...

Prabhupāda: Means four student and three hundred managers. That is mosquito and gun. (laughter) Student, you have got four. And managers? Three hundred. One manager requires three rooms, another four rooms. This is waste. One manager, first see at least fifty students. Then you can become manager.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Anyone who wants to call themself a manager, they have to maintain fifty...

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. So what kind of manager? But I am sure you can get students from outside, if not Indian students.

Conversation: 'How to Secure Brahmacaris' -- June 24, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So fifteen to five, 250. At least 150 students you can accommodate them, nice. So arrange for that. And throughout India and the whole world you cannot bring 250? So is it very difficult to bring 250 students? So what kind of managers you are? So these things should be considered. (bad tape) (break) So if you have got any other questions, you can ask me. But first business is to bring students. We are open to the whole world, India also. Our society has got so many children. They are doing there, and some of them may come here. In this way it must be filled up with students. That is first business. Then manager arrange. "This manager will be in this room; that manager..." That is secondary. (laughs) First of all you must have students to manager over.

Conversation: 'How to Secure Brahmacaris' -- June 24, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: This is ideal. The means is already there. And Kṛṣṇa says, janma karma ca divyaṁ me yo jānāti tattvataḥ, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). You can stop your birth and death, your son's birth and death. How? One who knows Kṛṣṇa. Janma karma ca divyaṁ me yo jānāti tattvataḥ. It is open to everyone. Simply one has to know. And where is the difficulty? Kṛṣṇa is explaining Himself. So know yourself, let your sons know, and you become free. Everything is there. So that ideal we want to give to the world. So throughout the whole world we cannot find out five hundred students? So what kind of manager? Hm? This is ideal civilization, that people are suffering mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani (BG 9.3). The human life is meant for understanding Kṛṣṇa and stop this repetition of birth and death. That is ideal. Kṛṣṇa says plainly that "If you do not take advantage of My instruction, then mām aprāpya: you'll not get Me." "So what is the loss?

Gurukula Inspection -- June 26, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes. All right.

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

Prabhupāda: You have asked the bank manager?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Akṣayānanda Mahārāja, have you asked the bank manager to come here?

Akṣayānanda: Yeah, he's coming.

Prabhupāda: When?

Akṣayānanda: He's notifying us. What time he said?

Indian man (4): I don't know. I am going now.

Gurukula Inspection -- June 26, 1977, Vrndavana:

Guṇārṇava: ...on these floors. If we have administrative offices mixing...

Prabhupāda: No, no, we have to invite them. Otherwise what is the use, for four students, such a building? And simply managers? That is not good. There must be students, not that four students and three dozen managers.

Guṇārṇava: No.

Prabhupāda: It has no... That is waste. Then the whole thing is waste. There must be five hundred students and ten managers. That's all. Then it is good. Is that all right? Mr. Sharma?

Dr. Sharma: Yes.

Gurukula Inspection -- June 26, 1977, Vrndavana:

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) ...this manager, that manager. But who to manage? Bring that first. (Hindi) In Bengali there is a superstition that "Don't keep your head towards the northern side." So the man said, "I have no head. Where is the question of keeping northern side or southern side?" So you are contemplating all management. First of all bring whom to manage. Simply office manager, this, that and... Bambhārambhe laghu-kriyā. (Hindi) All right.

Guṇārṇava: Take Prabhupāda to the bank.

Prabhupāda: Utilize it very properly. So where is the bank manager?

Conversation with Bhakti-caitanya Swami-New GBC -- June 30, 1977, Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: Yes. My father's friend.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Was he very close to your father?

Prabhupāda: Very. He appointed me manager for this relationship.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He trusted you personally, like a son.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. We were exactly like son.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Will you want to see Bhakti-caitanya Swami again today?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I was talking with him about the temple that he proposes to make.

Conversation -- July 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, out of desire to serve you, they carry out whatever you ask.

Prabhupāda: They cannot be expert, these men, managers. They are not... They are giving up everything. But as soon as there is big establishment, we require a top manager.

Mr. Myer: Sometimes there are so many different areas. There is temple management. There is book distribution. There is guesthouse. Now the gurukula is coming.

Prabhupāda: Therefore we want some expert manager to stick to this. When they cannot manage, it is not their fault, because they are not meant for this.

Mr. Myer: Quite right.

Conversation -- July 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Whatever I'll say to him, he'll do.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's a fact. We're all like that.

Mr. Myer: We want some quality of programs...

Prabhupāda: There is no problem. Now you manager... That means you have to...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So now it's on you, starting tomorrow, to show some something.

Mr. Myer: One thing, if I could just, Śrīla Prabhupāda, for initiation...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He wants to be initiated, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Mr. Myer: Then I could have your blessings to start the work.

Prabhupāda: Yes, you have all my blessings.

Conversation -- July 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, today's Friday, so day after tomorrow will be Sunday. Sunday morning. Is that all right? Actually Mr. Myer came here to get initiated. He had no idea to come here to become a manager here. Originally, before he went back to Madras to get his wife, he just came here for this thing, because he heard that you were very ill, and he didn't know what your position would be, so he wanted... So he rushed here, stopping all his work, simply to take initiation.

Prabhupāda: That is Kṛṣṇa's inspiration.

Mr. Myer: So one year I was reading books on..., listening to the tapes, and I...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What is your first name?

Conversation -- July 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: He can... You can see.

Mr. Myer: Yes, very nice.

Prabhupāda: These things you'll have to take.

Mr. Myer: He's not a (indistinct), so a very good manager...

Prabhupāda: He is the proper man.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This man is the biggest businessman in Lautoka, Fiji, and his brother is the mayor. And he became initiated disciple of Śrīla Prabhupāda's, and personally he has organized a society there, collected all the funds and built a beautiful temple with Kṛṣṇa-Kāliya Deity.

Mr. Myer: That is where Yaśodā-nandana Mahārāja is going for the opening.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah.

Conversation about Old Days in Calcutta -- July 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī later on, when I was young man, manager in Dr. Bose's laboratory... That my friend, Narend Mullik, he took me. There is direction. For real guru one can give up this professional guru.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah. Oh, yeah.

Prabhupāda: So all of a sudden I remember this Nanda Dulal Gosai. I was thinking of him. What a great devotee he was. He was observing some of the festivals, I think, Janmāṣṭamī or Nandotsava, something, inviting friends, offering good prasādam. And he was living in a quarter full of Muhammadans.

Room Conversation with Mr. Myer -- July 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So you show by example. Bring these brahmacārīs. Teach them, and gradually... Just like our organization not all of a sudden has become so big. I was... For more than one year I was simply loitering on the street of New York like a vagabond. Who was hearing me? Still, I am going once in a month to the ship company that "When your next ship is coming to go to India?" So the manager: "Swamiji, you are coming. When you are going away?" I said, "Yes, I have no business practically here. But still, I want to stay and see if things can be pushed." Therefore I am writing. Otherwise I am useless. I am simply loitering and seeing the Fifth Avenue and the... And within the subway station, after taking my lunch I used to go by bus here and there, in the subway, anywhere go, it stops. No shelter.

Room Conversations -- July 7, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No. Actually I'm right in the middle of doing these accounts, so I probably should...

Prabhupāda: (coughing) So this bank manager came. It means they are little serious.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, this is a real good sign. The last request of the head office is a very good sign. The head office is requesting, "Now please take the letter for him to sign..." It means that they're planning how to get the branch open. And I told this man that "If you get this opened, then surely we will open your branch in our Māyāpur center as well in all other centers."

Prabhupāda: That's nice.

Room Conversation-Recent Mail -- July 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes, Kṛṣṇa's blessings are there upon you. He is dictating the organizing capacity. Do it very nicely.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He says, "Pālikā, being the manager, is very active and happy and busily engaged in keeping all the files properly."

Prabhupāda: Now she has got right appointment. She's very intelligent girl. And give her proper assistance. She can do very nice work.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He says, "So far, I have credits of over three lakhs of rupees with BBT in our first year of distribution." He's given over three lakhs business.

Prabhupāda: Now print books and have enough stock.

Room Conversation -- July 19, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Then citizenship.

Yaśomatīnandana: At least for a few managers.

Prabhupāda: I don't think you have to give up your American citizenship.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, that's the thing. That's not the best. Try for, yeah, but if there's nothing else...

Yaśomatīnandana: Yes.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I'll leave this behind also. This is the cover of First Canto, Part Three.

Prabhupāda: The same cover?

Room Conversation -- July 19, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: One man is kneading flour, five sers, and he's getting two hundred rupees' salary, and paratha and halavā. This is management, going on. Now today it has been checked. They are eating paratha and our men are starving. He is getting two hundred rupees, three hundred rupees. This is management. What can be done? And he has... Three dozen manager, four dozen cook. This is... That's all. I am giving you report which he has given to me. Money is squandered like anything, and live blindly, and "Still, I want everything for myself." Everything is in my notice. I can feel now actually (indistinct) is coming. Anyway, we want... In India, the affairs are most mismanaged. That we see. In foreign countries they are doing very nice. In New York, in Los Angeles, in Chicago. Now there is Toronto report. This Toronto report... I do not know how things are managed there very nicely, and here..., three dozen cook. "Too many cooks spoil the broth."

Room Conversation -- October 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: No. What do they say?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And they also acknowledge having received it, having received the two fixed deposit receipts. The bank manager stamped it, dated it, signature. We gave them the receipts signed, so they acknowledged having received it.

Prabhupāda: But they have not issued any letter, "Yes, it will be done"?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, their acknowledgement of the letter should constitute that. I got them to acknowledge that they received the original. The fact that they would take the receipt of the fixed deposits indicates that they have to do the needful, as we have instructed them. And I have no doubt that they will do that.

Room Conversation -- October 3, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, he said that to me today. He said, "Now your fixed deposits are decreasing, and your bank balances in all accounts are very minimal." The manager said this to me today.

Prabhupāda: Because they are harassing.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Because... The reason... We are afraid of their psychology that they think that our money is now theirs. And that is giving us fear.

Prabhupāda: They're thinking like that. We cannot freely have our money.

Room Conversation -- October 4, 1977, Vrndavana:

Girirāja: See, their final position is that they want to help us, but they cannot go beyond the rules. And actually, they showed a letter from the Regional Manager not to pay that. But I feel that when we meet the chairman or the general manager...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Of the whole bank.

Girirāja: Because they will want our business, they'll be willing to go out of the way to satisfy us. And these local people, they say that if their higher authorities approve of these things, then they will be very happy to help us.

Prabhupāda: Make it clear. Organize gradually. Shift the money to other banks so they may not know. And that is the best policy.

Room Conversation -- October 9, 1977, Vrndavana:

Girirāja: The bank? Well, yesterday we delivered a letter signed by Tamāla Kṛṣṇa Goswami and myself officially instructing them to transfer the fixed deposits from here to Delhi. So there are a couple of formalities. And so the Delhi manager gave us a note what we have to do. And Tejiyas says that the former chairman of the Punjab Bank is a life member.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Girirāja: So he said that he could even come with us and meet them. So the new chairman, I mean the present chairman, is coming on Tuesday. So I think we'll get all the formalities ready, and then we can go on Tuesday. Today is Sunday, so we couldn't do anything today.

Prabhupāda: So these people have agreed?

Room Conversation -- October 9, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: We have reason.

Girirāja: Yes, we have reason. That is our choice. And the manager in Delhi already said that for our foreign remittances it would be much easier to bring it in Delhi.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Girirāja: So I think we could have an account at the main office in Delhi and the money can come first there, and that will make them satisfied. And since we have our office in Delhi, and since Delhi is the main city, it's more convenient for us to have our most things there. And then when we need it in Vṛndāvana it can be brought here. Manager of the Delhi branch asked us if we have a branch in Delhi. So when I said that we do, he said, "Then it will be more convenient for you to deal with the main branch."

Room Conversation -- October 9, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: What Dayānanda is doing?

Rāmeśvara: During the day he has a job with computer work, and in the evening he manages the restaurant. He is the general manager of the restaurant.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What does his wife do?

Rāmeśvara: His wife also helps in the kitchen. She spends the whole day working in the kitchen at the restaurant. And the two girls, they help as waitresses, serving the food and taking the plates.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Muslims come to eat there?

Room Conversation -- October 11, 1977, Vrndavana:

Girirāja: Yes. We've given them the certificates and the letter, and they've taken the responsibility. They're sending the certificates by registered post to the Vṛndāvana people with their instructions to transfer the money to New Delhi. So those will definitely reach here by Saturday when the assistant general manager comes. And if there's any hesitation, the assistant general manager will take care of it when he's here on Saturday. And I would think that by Monday or Tuesday we could get the certificates changed officially. And then, I think, we should have a least one account in their main branch in New Delhi. It would probably be easier to get inward remittances there. And if we want the interest from the fixed deposits to be kept there, we can have an account there for that. And that will keep us in good contact with the head office.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. Hm. (break)

Room Conversation -- October 12, 1977, Vrndavana:

Jayapatākā: No. It is not required that you talk to him. There's no... Everyone says that there's no case for that. The previous ADM said that actually the person that was doing it is this woman district magistrate. That woman is quite inimical to us. So there's very strong talk that after Durgā Pūjā she'll be transferred. If she's transferred, then our situation would become much better, I hope, by Kṛṣṇa's mercy. She's just trying to harass us, but actually she has no legal scope. Indian Overseas Bank came out, the additional general manager, to Māyāpur, and he's very eager to open up the branch at Māyāpur also, because they have already in Bombay. I think... They have here also? I don't know. But he was eager to open a branch there. They have made us an application. The Central Bank sent a letter, withdrew their application for opening the bank. Right now the Gurukula, they have just finished their examinations. Their examinations were writing an English sentence in Sanskrit and writing Sanskrit in English and similar type tests. They, most of the students got seventy percent on the examination. Then the bigger children went out on saṅkīrtana with the two traveling parties, one to Darjeeling. In Darjeeling they sold seven thousand books in less than ten days. They had very good reception in Darjeeling. And one party is still in Bihar. They did four thousand books.

Prabhupāda: Bengal book.

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

Prabhupāda: That's nice.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And the bank manager said he was... I think he's one of the top men in the bank. He's completely disgusted—these were his own words—with how they have arranged things here, and he's going to completely redecorate this office, putting in rugs and full furniture and waiting facilities, and make it a first-class office. He says he cannot understand how this has been allowed to go on like this in the name of Punjab Bank. And he's having a new manager brought here who has been trained in Delhi, a younger man who is a little bit more capable of making proper decisions and acting in a nice way. And every single request...

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

Prabhupāda: But the defect is that here the head manager does not know English.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Well, this man, we'll have a little bit more freedom to act. Generally they're going to now rectify all of their mistakes. They feel very sorry. The senior people in the bank feel very sorry for the way in which business has been dealt with towards us, and they're going to transfer... The receipts have already been transferred. We're just finishing up all the formalities. Girirāja was right. The thing which he wanted to do now has been done. It's... The head men in Punjab Bank had no idea of how we were being dealt with locally. And when they were informed, they became very much desirous of rectifying everything, because they feel that we're a very worthy accountant holders with them, and they don't want anything to jeopardize. And we told them, "We have every intention of expanding our facilities here. Simply we want to be dealt with in a proper, normal way."

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

Prabhupāda: And the manager is not there?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, everybody's there.

Prabhupāda: Gupta.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Gupta's there, and Dugal. They've come twice. They came this afternoon and Girirāja fed them prasādam. They went to the conference hall where we were having prasādam with the scientists. They took full prasādam. The man has come with his wife. He's a devotee.

Prabhupāda: So Gupta is being transferred.

Room Conversation -- October 15, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So, the bank business?

Girirāja: The manager came, I mean, not the manager, the assistant general manager from the head office. He came, and he brought the letter with our eleven-points program which we want to have, and he agreed with all of the points. And he said that probably Tuesday I can go to Delhi and collect the fixed deposit certificates, and they will be endorsed on the New Delhi branch. And he said that after ten days... Within ten days there will be a new manager for the extension counter, and we'll never have to deal with Mr. Gupta again. So many different small points, he instructed the people to comply. And he's going to have the whole extension counter refurnished with carpets and nice chairs and sofas, so that there's a nice atmosphere. So, I mean, I think from now on everything should be very straightforward.

Prabhupāda: So things are satisfactory now?

Room Conversation -- October 20, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Huh? Dugal. What about him?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He's a rogue. I said it from the beginning, he's a rogue. Anyway, they couldn't throw the manager out. They had to throw the... That would have been a disgrace. They couldn't do that. This Dugal was president formerly of Hrishikesh for twenty-five years. I mean, how is that to deal with... (talking softly to someone else) Śrīla Prabhupāda, you haven't had anything to drink for awhile. Would you like something? It's been quite awhile since you last took. Upendra is here. He could make something for you.

Prabhupāda: Fruit juice?

Room Conversation -- October 21, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But then how will we be able to get the certificates out? The receipt has to be presented when you want to withdraw from a safe custody...

Prabhupāda: No, give him the copy and let him explain to the bank manager that we want to check it.

Guest (1): (Bengali)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Now, if I give you this... Prabhupāda wants me to give you this, but it says here that "This memorandum will be returned to the bank when delivery of securities is required." So if I surrender this memorandum now, then I... Prabhupāda wants me to give you this memorandum. My point is that if I give you the memorandum, then it's...

Room Conversation -- October 30, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Where is podda? (?)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Your sister. I'm just calling right now. (break) (long pause-Śrīla Prabhupāda is sleeping) ...of the different businesses of Vrindavan? Well, first of all he was getting money for traveling expenses. So I have written a letter to Mr. Bekkar, the manager of the Central Bank of India at Camac Street, informing him that henceforward the interest from the fixed deposits in the name of BBT should be stopped from giving it to Vrinda Book Company, and instead the money should be transferred by mail transfer to the Central Bank of India, Gwalior Tank Road, to BBT account. I gave all the details. That's one letter. Then furthermore, I also addressed a letter to the Punjab National Bank, Brabourn Road, informing them that the Rs. 500 should be stopped from being given to Shrimati Radharani De, because...

Room Conversation -- November 5, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: England?

Girirāja: He's about fifty-year-old gentleman who was the manager of a big club in London. So he had been associating with the devotees in London, and they suggested he come to India and help manage our restaurant and guesthouse. So he was the aide-de-camp of the Viceroy of India.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Remember, I told you about him, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Girirāja: So he knows a little Hindi. He has a very distinguished...

Prabhupāda: Which viceroy?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Which viceroy?

Page Title:Manager (Conversations 1976 - 1977)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:12 of Dec, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=95, Let=0
No. of Quotes:95