Metal (Conversations and Letters)

Expressions researched:
"metal" |"metallic" |"metallurgic" |"metallurgists" |"metallurgy" |"metals"

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- July 18, 1971, Detroit:

Mohsin Hassan: How about the meaning of the chanting. You are insist on chanting.

Prabhupāda: Chanting is to make the process very easy. Because in this age people are unfortunate, short living, and they are attracted in false things, they are very slow, they do not take it very seriously. Therefore chanting is a common platform. Anyone can chant. Anyone, even the child can chant, the old man can chant, the fool can chant, the intelligent can chant, the rich can chant, the poor can chant. So the chanting is a common; therefore it is becoming successful. And chanting means, Kṛṣṇa being absolute, Kṛṣṇa's name and Kṛṣṇa there is no difference. Absolute means there is no duality. As in this dual world there is difference between the name and the substance, in the absolute world there is no difference between the name and the substance. Both of them are the same. So therefore chanting of Kṛṣṇa's name means associating with Kṛṣṇa directly. And because they are associating with Kṛṣṇa directly, they're quickly becoming purified. Just like if you touch a metal rod to the fire, it becomes warm and then it acquires the quality of the fire. The metal rod, you can touch anywhere, it will burn, although it is metal rod. But because it acquired the quality of the fire, it can burn, it can act as fire. Similarly, if we constantly associate with Kṛṣṇa, then we acquire the spiritual quality. Then we can act as spiritual very quick. This is the point.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Talk with Bob Cohen -- February 27-29, 1972, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: But you cannot say that sunshine is not sun. But without sun, where is the sunshine? So you cannot say sunshine is not sun. But at the same time it is not sun. It is sun and not sun, both. That is our philosophy. Acintya-bhedābheda, inconceivable. In the material science you cannot conceive that a thing simultaneously positive and negative. That you cannot think. That is inconceivable energy. And because everything is Kṛṣṇa's energy, Kṛṣṇa can manifest Himself from any energy, and act. Therefore, when we worship Kṛṣṇa made of something of earth, water, or something like that, that is Kṛṣṇa, that is not Kṛṣṇ... You cannot say it is not Kṛṣṇa. When you worship this metal form of Kṛṣṇa, that is Kṛṣṇa. That's a fact. Because metal is energy of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore it is non-different from Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa's so powerful that He can present Himself fully in His energy. So this Deity worship is not heathenism. It is actually worshiping God, provided you know the process.

Room Conversation -- April 1, 1972, Sydney:

Prabhupāda: Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura said, jaḍa-vidyā jato māyāra vaibhava tomāra bhajane bādhā, anitya soṁsāre moha janamiyā jībake karaye gādhā. Jaḍa-vidyā, this material advancement, jaḍa vidyā, they are simply stumbling blocks for advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The more one is enamored by this so-called material advancement, the more he is disqualified to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Because time we have got limited. If we waste our time for so-called material advantages, then we spoil our time. We cannot utilize the time for Kṛṣṇa consciousness, which is the necessity of human life. Therefore, in the history of India there is opulence, but that opulence is of different kind. By nature they used to enjoy life—enough jewels, enough gold, enough silk, enough food, enough metals. You see? By natural product. They could find where there is a big hill of gold only. These are there. And actually gold is found in some mine within the material arrangement. Why there should not be any hill of gold? As there are hills of stone, and marble, why not gold? You do not know. Your utensils are only plastic. It is worth nothing. So that was their material advancement. Gold, silver, jewels, corals, sapphire, diamond. Just see Kṛṣṇa's palace described.

Room Conversation with Maharishi Impersonalists -- April 7, 1972, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: (aside:) Come on.

Śyāmasundara: ...the whole. So Kṛṣṇa, He is the source of our individual nature also. We are... We exist as part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Because He has personality, we have personality. Just like you have a piece of gold. The ring has a certain color and weight and characteristics of gold, the metal. You find the same qualities in the mine. So we have the same qualities as Kṛṣṇa has because He..., we are parts and parcels of Him.

Impersonalist: Then is it necessary to see Kṛṣṇa in the form that is depicted in the pictures, or can one see Kṛṣṇa in other forms?

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

Prabhupāda: Mythology. So we are presenting facts, not mythology. That should be the spirit of all our artists and philosophy, writing. (devotees pay obeisances and leave)

Devotee (10): A brush.

Prabhupāda: No soap?

Devotee (10): I don't think so, it's too hard, metal

Prabhupāda: What?

Devotee (10): It's a metal brush. It would be too hard for the nails, for the body.

Devotee: Yeah. For toes? For toenails.

Devotee (10): For feet?

Devotee: Toenails, perhaps.

Room Conversation -- October 25, 1972, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is real (indistinct).

Pañca-draviḍa: I was being trained up in this. For one-and-a-half years I was going to MIT in Boston and planning to go into this chemical, chemistry or chemical engineering or metallurgy, something like that. But I could see that actually the people around me, my student body, all the people in the school, they were so maladjusted and miserable that I decided "If this is the result of their scientific training that they are so miserable, I'm going to leave here immediately," and I did so. I got out as quickly as I could. (break) ...see that their training is just simply bringing them misery in life and, therefore, there is no purpose in acquiring such knowledge. And Prabhupāda describes it as being like the jewel on the hood of a snake, more dangerous.

Prabhupāda: Once I was invited to speak in that institution, MIT. So I questioned, "Where is your department of technology to understand the difference between dead body and living body?" So I spoke on this. So the students appreciated. After my lecture, they gathered around me. How do you explain? What is that technology, why the man is dead? Science is simply based on this bodily concept. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13).

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 30, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: ...things of value, they're disappearing. Just like formerly people used to have some dishes of valuable metals. Now it is plastic. This is the advancement.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes.

Prabhupāda: It's...

Svarūpa Dāmodara: That's what they call.

Prabhupāda: Rascals, they are thinking it is advancement. And if he goes to sell the plastic plates, nobody will pay even cent. But one of those metal plate, if he's in difficulty, he can get some money. This is scientific advancement. Instead of gold coins, now there is papers: "I trust in God. We trust in God." Cheating, "We trust in God." Take hundred dollars. And what is this hundred dollars? It is paper. "We trust in God." By the name of God, I give you. And it is scientific. That's all.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: They call it convenience.

Morning Walk -- April 30, 1973, Los Angeles:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Because they produced the synthetic fibers, nylons.

Prabhupāda: Useless. And big, big cars. They are charging thousands and thousands of dollars. But what it is? Tin car. As soon as the machine gone, nobody will pay for the tin even. Especially in this country, they are thrown away to the garbage. No value. (pause) In India, we have seen still, they are going on. People stock metal utensils. You know.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes, we use.

Prabhupāda: Never use this china clay. Never. No respectable gentleman will use china clay. Still. So if a poor family is in need of money, immediately he can take one Benarsee sari, or some metal utensils to the pawn maker. He'll immediately offer some money. "Yes." So these are conveniences. Investment was in gold ornaments. Still we have seen that so many jewelry shop, silver dishes shop, ornament shop. Still. Every marriage, the father must give at least fifty tolās. I was not a rich man. Still I had to give to my daughter fifty tolās of gold during marriage. Fifty tolās. Two and a half tolās makes one ounce. So what is the value of fifty tolās?

Room Conversation with David Wynne, Sculptor -- July 9, 1973, London:

David Wynne: No, I'm all right, really. I'm doing very well.

Śyāmasundara: ...and something to wash hands in. (door closes)

Prabhupāda: No, he's bringing. You can take.

Śyāmasundara: David has said that he would like to spend some time, a day or something, making also your form into stone. Is that...? Or into some metal. Is that all right?

Prabhupāda: Well, what I am? I am insignificant. I have no objection. Our, some of our artists may paint this picture. I liked it very much. (Probably speaking of picture of Ratha cart in the Guardian newspaper)

Śyāmasundara: It's a very good photo.

Morning Walk -- December 8, 1973, Los Angeles:

Hṛdayānanda: It's wonderful to hear you talk about Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa is wonderful, either I talk or you talk. (laughs) He's wonderful. A sweetmeat is sweet. Either you give or I give, it is sweet. (break) ...your scientist will try to understand that "Kṛṣṇa has given us the metal, Kṛṣṇa has given us the intelligence, now we have prepared nice airship, and Kṛṣṇa has given us the sky to fly." Appreciate like that. Then your Kṛṣṇa consciousness... Actually that is the fact. If there was no sky, where would you fly your scientific advancement? And if there was no metal, how could you manufacture? If you had no intelligence, how could you do it? So everything is given by Kṛṣṇa, and you are denying Kṛṣṇa. How fool you are, just see? This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Simply accept that "Everything is given by Kṛṣṇa. We are utilizing it." That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Morning Walk -- December 31, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prajāpati: Actually, I was concerned this morning about inflation. The government and the newspapers, they say the biggest problem today is inflation. From our Kṛṣṇa conscious standpoint, how can we cure this problem of inflation?

Prabhupāda: It is very simple. Don't accept paper currency. It must be gold or some metal worth. Just like one dollar, it must be worth one dollar metal. Then it is solved. But they want to cheat. How it can be solved? Because if I pay you one dollar, I must pay you value for one dollar. But it is the cheating process is going on, "I pay you one dollar, a piece of paper. That's all." So you accept cheating, and I also cheat. Government allows. So how the problem can be solved? It is cheating. But the government allows it as law. And you accept, I accept. Then how they can be solved, solution? This is the solution.

Prajāpati: In the economy itself there isn't actually enough money to, that's even in the banks...

Morning Walk -- December 31, 1973, Los Angeles:

Bahulāśva: Real money is gold and silver.

Prabhupāda: Any... It must be value. According to the market price, it must be value. Whatever it may be. Gold is taken, because gold is the most valuable metal. A small piece of gold, it can carry two hundred dollars. But if I give you iron, then you have to bring another, what is called, bus, to carry it. (laughter) So therefore gold standard is accepted everywhere. There is a standard price of gold, so when I pay you money, it must be, carry the value in gold. That's all. Then there is no inflation. The people want to be cheated, and people cheat. That's all.

Morning Walk -- December 31, 1973, Los Angeles:

Bahulāśva: He doesn't know that you are the ever well-wisher, Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: So you are going to carry the message to the government?

Prajāpati: Yes. Śrīla Prabhupāda. We're working on a...

Prabhupāda: That issue metal coin and the problem will be solved. But they will not take your advice.

Prajāpati: This is part of our platform. To even run for political office, we need solutions to the problems to offer as a platform. We will draw up various bills, ready for legislation, show them that we are serious.

Morning Walk -- December 31, 1973, Los Angeles:

Karandhara: Yes. There's a... They buy now. They buy the goods before they are even grown, from the commodity market.

Prabhupāda: Yes, because they can pay in this paper, the bank will advance. So as soon as you... You have to introduce this metal coins, value. The whole cheating scheme will fail.

Jagajjīvana: In the past there was a lot of gold on the planet. What has happened to it? There used to be a lot of gold on the planet?

Prabhupāda: Yes. They used as utensil, as household pots. Just like now you are advanced, using plastic, because you have become very advanced. So you are using plastic. They were using gold.

Morning Walk -- December 31, 1973, Los Angeles:

Jagajjīvana: So what has happened to that gold?

Prabhupāda: What happened? If you keep utensil at home, what happens? You eat nicely on the plate. That's all. Why you are concerned, what happening? It is in your store. That's all. And gold is such a metal, any part of the country, any part of the world you go, you get immediately value.

Karandhara: Yes. Whenever there is an economic depression, then gold remains valuable. Just like when the stock market crashed in 1929, if you had gold you could still purchase goods. No matter how bad the economy was, people would accept gold as barter, but not currency.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- February 17, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: All of them. But according to the position, it is more developed.

Dr. Patel: Yes.

Prabhupāda: You see? In the earth, this sound is very... Just like you take any earthly object, metal. The sound is very strong there. Is it not?

Dr. Patel: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Just like water. There is sound. But that sound and metallic sound are different. Sound is there, but the sound of the water and sound of the metal—in the metal the sound is more prominent than in the water. But the sound is there. Similarly...

Dr. Patel: Love is there.

Prabhupāda: Yes, love is there.

Dr. Patel: But there is more close love.

Room Conversation with Biochemist, Dr. Sallaz -- June 4, 1974, Geneva:

Dr. Sallaz: Result. Result, only with physical heat, eight hundred, and pressure, only this. No laser, no atomic energy, nothing at all. Simply by natural measures.

Prabhupāda: We can give you one information, that metals like bell metal. Bell metal is combination of...? What is called? Tin? Tin? What is another name of tin?

Yogeśvara: Copper.

Prabhupāda: Anyway, tin and copper and mercury; if you can mix, it will become gold.

Morning Walk -- June 29, 1974, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: Yes, in the beginning there is no love. Let him work on the direction of God's representative. (break) Therefore it has been warned, arcye viṣṇau śilā-dhīr guruṣu nara-matir vaiṣṇave jāti-buddhiḥ. The Deity of Viṣṇu, if one thinks, "This is made of stone; this is made of wood; this is made of metal," and spiritual master as ordinary human being, these are hellish considerations. Arcye viṣṇau śilā-dhīr guruṣu nara-matiḥ. Guruṣu means the spiritual master. Nara-matiḥ, a ordinary human being. And vaiṣṇave jāti-buddhiḥ. And Vaiṣṇava, a devotee—"Oh, he is brāhmaṇa Vaiṣṇava. He is European Vaiṣṇava.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- February 21, 1975, Caracas:

Prabhupāda: That's all. You cannot produce petrol. Just like gold is already there, manufactured by God. You can make only different types of ornaments, that's all. Everything. This metal covering of this body, you have not produced this metal. They are like the carpenter. The carpenter has not produced the wood nor the metal instrument nor himself, but he is working. This body is also not produced by him. That is also made by Kṛṣṇa. His intelligence is also made by Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is giving the body. Kṛṣṇa is giving the intelligence. Kṛṣṇa is giving the wood. Kṛṣṇa is giving the instrument. Now, if you produce some furniture, to whom it will belong? To the carpenter or to the supplier of everything? Who will enjoy it? Who will enjoy it? If the carpenter claims that "I have done it," that is foolishness. You have done it as a worker, and you have been supplied with everything, your intelligence, your food, your instrument, your ingredient. Therefore the supplier should be the proprietor, not the carpenter. That is real philosophy.

Room Conversation -- March 2, 1975, Atlanta:

Rūpānuga: Neither is the driver dependent on the car for his existence. He doesn't need the car. The car needs him.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Devotee: They also say that the car created itself somehow or other, the metal and everything.

Prabhupāda: That is not the fact. Car requires the help of the driver.

Morning Walk -- July 19, 1975, San Francisco:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda. (break)

Jayatīrtha: What is the position of a soul that's in a sacred tree like a fig tree?

Prabhupāda: There are also sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa. Sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, tamo-guṇa is working throughout the universe. (break) ...was attempt to manufacture gold by combination of metals. They are not doing that?

Jayatīrtha: No, I don't think they're doing that.

Prabhupāda: Why?

Morning Walk -- July 19, 1975, San Francisco:

Sudāmā: They've replaced it now with science, higher truth of science.

Prabhupāda: No, it is not legend. If you can mix copper, tin and mercury—this is stated in the śāstra—you can make gold. It is not legend. The particular metals to be combined, that is stated: copper, tin and mercury. You mix, and there will be gold.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Why aren't they doing it?

Morning Walk -- July 19, 1975, San Francisco:

Prabhupāda: Yes. So you can try. You are...

Paramahaṁsa: That's brass. That's the constituents of brass.

Prabhupāda: Tin and copper?

Paramahaṁsa: Like bell metal.

Prabhupāda: Yes. And add mercury.

Paramahaṁsa: Is first the metals mixed together?

Prabhupāda: I do not know that. (laughter)

Paramahaṁsa: I'll give you all the profits.

Morning Walk -- July 19, 1975, San Francisco:

Prabhupāda: I can give you suggestion. This example is given by Sanātana Gosvāmī.

yathā kāñcanatāṁ yāti

kaṁsyaṁ rāsa-vidhānataḥ

tathā dīkṣā-vidhānena

dvijatvaṁ jāyate nṛnāṁ

This is the definition, that "As kaṁsya, the bell metal, by manipulating with mercury, it becomes gold, similarly, a person by the process of dīkṣā, initiation, be becomes a brāhmaṇa. This is the example he has given. Yathā kāñcanataṁ yāti. Kāñcanatam means gold. Rāsa-vidhānataḥ, by process of mercury manipulation. Why he has not taken other metal? This is in the śāstra. And the scientists—I do not know—they say that some, what is called, molecules? Some molecules added with mercury, it can be turned into gold.

Room Conversation with Devotees -- August 1, 1975, New Orleans:

Nityānanda: Hand machine?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Nityānanda: Metal?

Prabhupāda: Yes, they manufacture, hand, hand in the sugar cane, two men. Even we can prepare hand machine by cutting the wood. They do that. We are not against machine. You can utilize machine. But we should not allow others unemployed and use machine. This should be point. You can use. Use machine, that's good, but not at the risk of keeping others unemployed. This should be noted. First thing is that everyone should be employed. If you have got many men, then why should you engage machine. These rascals, they do not know. They're taking machine and keeping so many men unemployed. And the welfare department is paying them. They do not know how to organize society. And therefore hippies are coming out. Crime, criminals are coming out. (indistinct) The government is paying for becoming criminals and hippies and prostitutes. And how you can be happy, a society full of prostitutes, hippies, and criminals.

Morning Walk -- November 20, 1975, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: That South Africa is in the belt of Brazil more or less. And Brazil is very difficult place to search about this because they are all jungle, no? Brazil and south of Brazil. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...Russians do not utilize the gold...

Dr. Patel: They think gold has got no value so far as value... Because it is a stamping metal. Otherwise what use it can be made of? So far as the society is concerned, iron is more important than gold, to tell the truth.

Prabhupāda: So let them exchange.

Dr. Patel: From the utility point of view.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 16, 1976, Mayapur:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They can manufacture brass items?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Jayapatāka: To make karatālas... To make mṛdaṅgas doesn't require much capital, but to make karatālas requires a lot of capital because the metal is very expensive.

Prabhupāda: We shall invest. If we get good manufacturer, we shall invest. What is the capital wanted?

Jayapatāka: About four, five thousand rupees.

Prabhupāda: Oh, we shall invest.

Morning Walk -- January 19, 1976, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: Outside?

Bhavānanda: Outside stairs.

Prabhupāda: How?

Bhavānanda: Metal stairs.

Prabhupāda: Where to do it within?

Bhavānanda: No. Outside will be fixed.

Morning Walk -- March 17, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: When I was in America, I got one report. One person was telling me they had read of this person. It shows the limit..., how unlimited one can eat anything. This one man, he has, he has been for twenty years eating an automobile. He takes the different parts of the automobile, grinding it down, and daily eats different parts of it.

Prabhupāda: Ācchā? Just see. Madman. There is iron, metal. He was eating?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He's eating by grinding it very finely into powder. He's.... His program is to consume one entire automobile-tires, windshield, everything.

Morning Walk -- March 17, 1976, Mayapura:

Guru-kṛpā: I talked to one lady. She was daily eating one glass of dirt.

Prabhupāda: Who?

Guru-kṛpā: Soil. One lady was eating soil, one glass, saying it was good for health.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think the goat, the animal, the goat, they eat cans. They can eat metal.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. The pigeons, they can eat stone.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, you once explained how the cow eats grass, and it produces such a rich vitamin food like milk.

Morning Walk -- May 29, 1976, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Devotee (3): They feel that it is no more than a wish. That it is just simply a desire.

Prabhupāda: What you are wish? You are also taking the chance, a wish that things must act like this. But that is not happening.

Devotee (3): It is just like a person who wants to turn all the metal in the world into gold. He may be wishing and desiring to turn everything into gold, but actually it is not possible. So therefore they say that we want to be protected against the onslaught of material nature. But actually that will never happen. So therefore they create God in this way. Or some person who wants to turn all the metal into gold, but actually it's not possible.

Prabhupāda: But what you are doing? You are also doing everything hoping that you'll feel happy. Practically you're not doing anything. (aside:) Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Morning Walk -- May 31, 1976, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: They will try to make adjustments with material nature, everything will be failure. ...hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā. They'll never be able to adjust. Punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30), chewing the chewed. That's all. (break) ...adjustment to lie down in the skyscraper, and now they are coming. Why they have come to the ground? Punaḥ punaś carvita. Sometimes on the ground, sometimes the sky. (break) They reject the stool and urine and then accept it. They do like that. (laughing) (break) It is rejected. It cannot be utilized. In India still the system is they use metal; when it is broken you can sell it. They take half price and supply new.... They use metal pots, and the (inaudible) is that when it is broken and old we can exchange with new plates. And this kind of bowls you have to throw away. You cannot utilize.

Morning Walk -- May 31, 1976, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: No, whatever (unclear). Silver is not half price. Silver, little less than new one. They purchase one rupee less. It was 200 rupees new, and the purchaser will take 190 (unclear) ...India they use (unclear). Bell metal, copper...

Hari-śauri: Aluminium is becoming very popular now, aren't they?

Prabhupāda: They don't use aluminium much. If they have got excess money, they invest in metal-gold, silver, copper, bell metal.... Immediate loan—you can mortgage the metal pots, the metal ornaments, you get money immediately. (break) ...in a year, that is a metal purchasing ceremony. Every family will purchase, according to his means, some metal pots once in a year. Dhantraivesi(?) (indistinct) means desire some funds. So if there's some extra money—not big, big men; middle class storeman—they invest in metal purchase. If there is a good business day, (unclear) all the utensils (unclear). You know Diwali, Diwali?

Devotee (2): Yes.

Prabhupāda: Just one day before Diwali.

Devotee (2): Yes.

Prabhupāda: Huge quantity of metals. Everyone will count (indistinct)

Room Conversation -- June 10, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Bronze. Bronze will not be polished?

Bharadvāja: It is the American or the Western version of the aṣṭa-dhātu.

Prabhupāda: Oh, that is all right.

Bharadvāja: Or, not aṣṭa-dhātu, but bell metal.

Prabhupāda: It will be polished?

Bharadvāja: Yes, you can polish very nicely.

Kīrtanānanda: I've never seen bronze polished.

Room Conversation -- June 10, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is the problem. Why not make brass?

Bharadvāja: Out of brass? Bronze is harder. Bronze is harder.

Prabhupāda: No, why harder? You can make softer. Metal...

Kīrtanānanda: Gold is softer still. It will be much more brilliant in brass than bronze.

Bharadvāja: Generally...

Room Conversation -- June 17, 1976, Toronto:

Prabhupāda: It is more than hell. There is no life. I have been in Tata steel iron factory. I saw it is a hell. One melting pot just like a skyscraper building. You have seen?

Hari-śauri: I used to work on them, same thing. I was working where they pour the metal into ingots, into casings, and then when it solidifies they take a chunk of iron out, it's still white hot, and then they put it in ovens. And then after a while, when they need them, they take them out with big cranes and they put them on a series of rollers, and then it goes through a mill, what they call a mill. It's like a big mangling machine, and it crushes the steel ingot into plates, big plates.

Morning Walk -- June 27, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Brahmā is the origin. (break) ...a class of men, they are called vaidyas (doctors). They know all these herb, which herb is medicine for certain disease, and they sell in the market. Every one of these is meant for some medicine. They know it.

Hari-śauri: Is that kind of information given in the Vedas?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. Āyur Veda. There is a book. Dravya-guṇa. All kinds of herbs, metals, even different kinds of flesh of different animals, they are mentioned. Hundreds of different kinds of animals flesh, how it can be utilized for certain disease, the descriptions are there.

Hari-śauri: They use flesh for curing things?

Answers to a Questionnaire from Bhavan's Journal -- June 28, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: As by chemical process the bell metal can be turned into gold by adding with the mercury.... This is a chemical process. If you can add in the bell metal proportionately mercury, then it will turn into gold. Here is the process given in the śāstra. If you are able to do it, you can do it, turn gold some of these bell metals. So the example is given that as the bell metal, base metal, can be turned into gold by chemical process, similarly, by dīkṣā-vidhānena, by proper initiation by the bona fide spiritual master, everyone can be turned into dvija, twice-born.

Room Conversation With Scientists -- July 6, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: Whatever it may be, they do that. But it is a fact that copper and tin and mercury proportionately mixed will produce gold.

yathā kāñcanatāṁ yāti

kāṁsyaṁ rasa-vidhānataḥ

tathā dīkṣā-vidhānena

dvijatvaṁ jāyate nṛṇām

This example is given by Sanātana Gosvāmī. As kaṁsya... Kaṁsya is mixture of copper and tin, bell metal. When it is properly treated with mercury, it becomes gold. Similarly, a human being properly treated by initiation, he becomes a brāhmaṇa. This example has been given by Sanātana Gosvāmī. Tathā dīkṣā-vidhānena dvijatvaṁ jāyate nṛṇām. Nṛṇām, he says, "of all human beings." He doesn't say a particular class or particular country. Śuddhyanti prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ. Everyone can be purified by the initiation process, by expert spiritual master. That is accepted in the śāstra.

Room Conversation With Scientists -- July 6, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: These elements, that science calls elements, gold and mercury, are these several other elements in the Vedic scriptures? Little information how they separate it, the technique they use...

Prabhupāda: Oh, that, that is not given. But they, all these metals, they are different forms of earth. You find in ores.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: But they are all impure.

Prabhupāda: That's all right, you have to purify, but they are in the group of earth. We have to purify. Gold is also purified. It is taken from the mine, it is not pure gold. You have to treat it, then pure gold comes.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: But that treatment must involve a lot of process.

Prabhupāda: That may be, but by treating you can get, that's all. The metallurgists, they know.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes. So actually the Vedas must have known these techniques, because otherwise they cannot get this gold so easily.

Prabhupāda: No, there are gold mountains also.

Morning Walk -- July 10, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: What is this factory?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Jayānanda, what kind of factory is this?

Jayānanda: Steel. They make sheet metal. It's owned by the railroad company.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Another thing we're using it for is we're using this for parking garage also. So we save the money for that, too. (break) (in car)

Rāmeśvara: No, they have just reduced to one cart.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They only had one cart. This was their old cart. Then last year they built a new cart. So this was just in storage there, not being used.

Prabhupāda: It is very strongly built.

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

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.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Philosophically not possible?

Prabhupāda: No, practically.

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

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Brass.

Rāmeśvara: Or plexiglass, or fiberglass I mean, fiberglass.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Aṣṭa-dhātu.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Eight metals.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Just like they are in India.

Rāmeśvara: Oh, you mean for Deities, Deities are different, I thought you meant art for the temple rooms.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh.

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

Interviewer: ...is that the proper word, how would you put that?

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes.

Interviewer: How would you put it, that "We are..."

Bali-mardana: We are also utilizing the car but our attention is on the life principle, not on the dead metal.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Interviewer: Appears to be separated, that's the way you would put it. Well, is it separated?

Prabhupāda: It is always separated. It is always separated. Just like the driver and the car, they are always separated.

Garden Conversation -- September 7, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: He is not regular. That means he's another lazy fellow. All lazy fellows.

Harikeśa: He sits out here and he sleeps. He sleeps on the steps. I caught him last night.

Hari-śauri: When I was here before, sometimes I would go up to the caukidāra at night. They used to carry this big spear. A pole with a big sharp point on it. Metal point. And I would take his spear and stick it in his ribs and then he would wake up, "Oh." And then he would smile.

Prabhupāda: We have to maintain some paid...

Harikeśa: We've had so many caukidāras here and not one of them has ever...

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

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

Prabhupāda: And store, supplies, everything is...

Gurudāsa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Road is nice.

Gurudāsa: It's being improved. In some spots it's nice. But because it's on sand they have to always keep it wet and they put metal plates down. They're trying to do it very well.

Prabhupāda: There is a Māghmela committee. One magistrate is the head. A regular committee for managing this Mela.

Gurudāsa: We have contact with this committee.

Prabhupāda: And where is governor's camp from our?

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Hari-śauri: Yes, well its value is recognized by its purchasing power.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Hari-śauri: So you can alter... Say, you have one gold coin. You can alter what it...

Prabhupāda: No. If you introduce real metal coin, then there will be no inflation.

Hari-śauri: There's only a certain amount of metal.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. The exchange... The more demand, more price. So suppose here is a spectacle. I am demanding ten rupees. So both of you are customer, and you are asking for this spectacle. Then I am increasing my price. So if you can pay me by printing paper, you'll accept any price. That means artificially price is increased. Is it not?

Rāmeśvara: Yes.

Room Conversation -- January 22, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Brahmānanda: Before they were both unhappy. Now they're both happy.

Prabhupāda: No, the Indians, they do not like to sit down...

Gargamuni: No. Indians don't like to mix, and Africans also, they like to be with their own. The instruments we use... They make their own instruments out of different materials. They have these pieces of metal and wooden blocks. They love it. They can make much noise. Actually the Asians like it very much when they see the Africans doing that. So both are very happy.

Prabhupāda: That's nice. All right.

Rāmeśvara: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...calling brāhmaṇa. We are feeding so many Vaiṣṇavas daily. All right, make that arrangement.

Room Conversation -- February 17, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: No, or you go away from that place.

Ādi-keśava: In one case they were reading Fifth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam about the hellish planets. And they were reading to her, and they read how one who is too much attached to women, how they would have to embrace the form of a hot molten metal form of a woman. And so they were saying, "So do you think this is going to happen to us?" They were challenging like that, and she was saying, "Yes, actually you should be afraid." They were saying, "Actually..." They were going through each section of the Bhāgavatam and reading it and saying, "What about this? Do you really believe this? Do you really believe that the moon is farther away than the sun? (laughter) Do you really believe that they didn't go to the moon?"

Room Conversation -- February 18, 1977, Mayapura:

Satsvarūpa: They have some machines that have better memories, that can do things that human mind can't do.

Prabhupāda: Again you... Again we... How is that?

Satsvarūpa: They could challenge that nature's machine is very wonderful, but they can make a machine out of metal and electronics...

Prabhupāda: "They can make."

Satsvarūpa: There are such machines that have better memory and can figure...

Prabhupāda: What is that better memory?

Room Conversation about BTG the Moon -- February 18, 1977, Mayapura:

Hari-śauri: Which is sustaining the universe.

Prabhupāda: You can practically experience. A machine may be very complicated, but without the man who will push the button there is no value. It has no value, a lump only.

Hari-śauri: Nor could it have been made without the intelligence anyway.

Prabhupāda: Here is a lump of matter, some metal. It has been done by a living being; it is worked by living being; then it is working. And what is the value? Not even two paisa.

Hari-śauri: When they do their experiments in the laboratories they have to mix the chemicals themselves.

Morning Conversation -- April 23, 1977, Bombay:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We have not heard from him. Last time he was staying with St. Paul.

Prabhupāda: Yes, the incarnation of St. Paul.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But since that time we have not heard anything.

Prabhupāda: That is also insanity. (sound of metal dishes) No taste.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The milk has no taste or you have no taste, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: I have no taste. And maybe (laughs) has no taste.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In India there's no telling. Generally, recently the milk has been of a good standard, good quality. You might have more taste for lassi. That's a little sweet and nice.

Talk About Varnasrama, S.B. 2.1.1-5 -- June 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: You keep it. Don't deposit in bank.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They don't trust this banking system.

Prabhupāda: No, formerly there was no bank practically. Now they... Generally, ordinary man, whatever little saving is there, they will invest in metal utensils, in ornament, in Benarsi sari, like that.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Benarsi sari also considered very valuable.

Talk About Varnasrama, S.B. 2.1.1-5 -- June 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Must have value. That is Indian investment.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's the opposite of the Western.

Prabhupāda: And whatever you manufacture, you can show back. Suppose this tape recorder. If it is working, it has value. What is the use of it? Who cares for you? If it is in working order, it has value. Otherwise, (taps microphone) who cares for it? But if you have got gold, silver, metal... There was a small banker's. You require... I am poor man. I require only two rupees, but I have no money. You take one utensil and go to a small banker. He will keep this pot. "Give me two rupees." The pot is only five rupees' worth, so he'll keep it. He'll give you two rupees. So your immediate necessity is... This way, Indian economics.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I've noticed that the people in the villages, when they come to fetch water, they have very nice pots. The ladies are wearing some bracelets. Gold, I think, it must be.

Room Conversation -- October 6, 1977, Vrndavana:

Hari-śauri: Can you see it there, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Can you see it? Shall I sit you up?

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's a cādara you wear on a cold morning. Very ecstatic pose. It's made of metal. (taps it)

Prabhupāda: Strong?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. And this says, "His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Author of Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Śrī Īśopaniṣad, Nectar of Devotion, Nectar of Instruction, Back to Godhead Magazine, Founder-Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness." This is placed in prominent museums and libraries. There's four different models. This is solid wood, and this will be a bronze plaque, and this is made of bronze, metal. You can feel it. Nice?

Prabhupāda: Very nice.

Room Conversation -- October 13, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Rāmeśvara: This painting shows Kṛṣṇa about to bifurcate the Bakāsura demon. This is Kṛṣṇa's first birthday, Janmāṣṭamī, and Mother Yaśodā and Rohiṇī are bathing Kṛṣṇa, abhiṣeka. This painting is Kṛṣṇa eating butter. (laughter) These are fourteen new paintings for one book. These are the first pictures from the Fiji temple opening. Yaśodā-nandana is performing the abhiṣeka for the small Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. They have so many metal bowls with different...

Hari-śauri: This abhiṣeka took us seven hours.

Prabhupāda: Fiji Island.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Acyutananda -- Los Angeles 1 March, 1968:

I do not however, insist that you to stay, but if you like you can take that house at Rs 50 per month, and start an American House there immediately. Or as you have decided, you can come back to USA by end of March; I have no objection. But before coming, you should keep my things properly in my room, and lock it properly, and bring the keys with you and deliver them to me when I shall be in N.Y. in the month of April. The cooking utensils, blankets, and the typewriter, my be kept very safely in the room. The typewriter may be kept in the metal box, and the blankets and wrappers may be hanged from the ceiling hanger. And the money which you've got, may be deposited in my account in the Punjab National Bank, account number 9913.

Letter to Jayananda -- Montreal 17 August, 1968:

You know that we worship Radha's Krishna. We should always understand that Krishna is sold to the loving service of Radha, therefore Krishna cannot be alone. And the Gaudiya Vaisnavas they want to see Krishna as Radha's property. Therefore, if Mr. Patel can present a Pair of Radha Krishna Murti, not less than 18" in height, never mind even They are made of yellow brass metal, that will be very nice. And if They are made of silver, that is still more nice. And it will be my great pleasure to install the Murtis in the temple as soon as They are ready.

Letter to Satsvarupa, Jadurani -- Los Angeles 1 November, 1968:

Regarding casting of Nrsimhadeva murtis, I could not follow what you mean by this. I know Rukmini can paint, so if she paints Nrsimhadeva pictures, let her do this as many copies as she can. So far casting in metal or in any other solid material is concerned, if she is able to do it, let her do the job in casting Radha Krishna murtis. We require many Radha Krishna murtis both in our temples as well as in private household homes. Yes, that is a nice idea to copy photos of lotuses and flowers.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Yamuna -- New Vrindaban 27 May, 1969:

Please accept my blessings. I have received your last three letters, and in the last one, dated 24th May, 1969, you have inquired about the Jagannatha Car. The crimson color with silver decorations is quite all right. There is no strict regulation about decorating the cars. We can decorate the cars very fascinatingly with gold, silver, and other shiny metallic embroidery work as far as possible. The idea is the more we decorate Krishna, Who is nondifferent from His car also, the more we become decorated indirectly. We are compared as the shadow of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and as it is stated in the Bible also, man is made after God.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Linda -- Los Angeles 19 February, 1970:

Regarding your questions about the difference between the picture of Krsna and the Deity, Krsna is equally there in both these forms. Krsna is so kind that he agrees to appear, for the benefit of the conditioned soul, in eight different kinds of forms. Such form is called arca or the form of the Lord manifested through material agency as metal, earth, wood, painting, stone, jewel, drawing, and mind. The arca is accepted as incarnation of God, and is worshiped by regulations. Generally the installed Deities are so worshiped and the regulative principles should be strictly followed in regard to Them.

Letter to Yamuna -- Los Angeles 17 May, 1970:

It is good news that Sriman Tirthapada has also engaged one carpenter to help rebuilding our London Temple house. As he is giving service, gradually he will come to Krsna Consciousness. His giving service is his qualification. As we accept valuable metal like gold from a filthy place, similarly we should allow any Karmi to work for Krsna.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Kirtanananda -- Sydney 18 February, 1973:

You may also dig one pit about 15 feet deep and have one golden Ananta form prepared, about two inches, put at the bottom of the pit. All during this, Kirtana should be going on. And then five types of various items should be placed in the pit, 5 types of jewels, 5 types of metals, 5 types of fruit, 5 types of grains, 5 types of amrta, like this different panca. These all should be carried down the ladder by the various Brahmins, and as they put each one at the bottom of the pit, the various fruits, flowers, etc. all of the Brahmins should one by one climb to the bottom of the pit and make their offering and chant the first verse of Gayatri Mantra.

Letter to Govinda -- Bhaktivedanta Manor 28 July, 1973:

Please accept my blessings, I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated July 23, 73 and I have very much appreciated the pictures of the deities and their surrounding, this is excellent, better than Los Angeles. I have named your deities Kisora Kisori. So go on with your worship and increase it more and more till all Chicago has become aware of Kisora Kisori in your temple.

Regarding Gaura Nitai deities either wood stone or metal, it is all right.

There should be no complaint, under all circumstances we must chant regularly 16 rounds and attend the morning and evening classes, for Krishna we can work like anything, but one lick done for maya it is useless, overendeavoring.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Ramesvara -- Vrindaban 15 September, 1974:

In Bengal there is a proverb that even if there are some dead metal utensils but when they are together they make so much noise, so what to speak of living utensils. So this is natural, but since we are all pledged to work for Krsna we should follow the principle of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu trnad api sunicena taror api sahisnuna. This is Vaisnavism. So my request is do not be agitated. Let us do our duty honestly. Krsna will give us the intelligence to do everything nicely.

Letter to Giriraj Prabhu -- Vrindaban 19 September, 1974:

I am also informed that you have received Rs. 50,000/- for a donation for Vrindaban project, so please arrange for this immediate transfer as well.

Are you having a spare key to Prabhupad's elmira (metal) in his bedroom? If so, the ms. of Madhya Lila is lying there and is needed by Nitai.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Madhudvisa -- Detroit 4 August, 1975:

Regarding Adelaide, unless you are sure that the Deity worship will go on nicely, do not install the Deity. Simply have kirtana and keep the Panca-tattva picture, that's all. What are the ingredients of the Lord Caitanya murti? Metal or wood is best, but not ordinary wood. Neem wood which is never attacked by moth is best. Regarding New Zealand Spiritual Sky, that you must decide. Spiritual Sky is not important.