Newspaper (Conversations 1977)

Expressions researched:
"newspaper" |"newspaperman" |"newspapermen" |"newspapers"

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

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

Prabhupāda: Cow's milk means buffalo with water.

Gurudāsa: With a little bit of the newspaper inside also.

Prabhupāda: Acchā.

Gurudāsa: For to put, to make it look like cream, they put newspaper also.

Hari-śauri: Make it thick. They grind paper. You have to strain it before you drink it.

Gurudāsa: But I... We tasted it. We came to the conjoint opinion that it was passable.

Prabhupāda: Less newspaper. (laughter) So why such milk should be taken, with newspaper?

Devotee (1): Śrīla Prabhupāda, in the Muslim countries, the Muslims, they feed the cows fish, dried fish. And the Hindus will not take the local milk there.

Prabhupāda: Where?

Devotee (1): Because the Muslims are feeding the cows dried fish, and the milk is smelling like fish even. There's no grass for them to eat there in this Arabia, so they're feeding them dried fish, like in a soup. Hindus will not take the milk there even because of that.

Gurudāsa: So do you think I should organize this meeting with Chandra Swami also, taking some part in organizing? Or just meet him to get him to see you. Not any special, but I mean to say that he knows the situation. He can...

Prabhupāda: Or if he wants to see, he may come. He may find out.

Discussion on Deprogrammers -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: But they do not know whom to expose. That they do not know. That's nice.

Rāmeśvara: They are making it possible for us to preach in all the TVs, radios, and newspapers.

Prabhupāda: (chuckles) That is our opportunity. The governor has invited.

Jagadīśa: In the Kṛṣṇa book, after Kṛṣṇa told Rukmiṇī that He would have to leave her...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Jagadīśa: ...then she was speaking to Him and saying that "You say that no one can understand Your activities. And also no one can understand the activities of Your devotee." So nobody knows what we're doing. They all put some psychological name, but they can't grasp the essence of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So they're afraid.

Rāmeśvara: One of their big charges is that when we go out and distribute our books we are very aggressive, and therefore it is a sign that we are not actually religious.

Prabhupāda: Every salesman must be aggressive. That is a qualification.

Rāmeśvara: They say we are interfering with the right of the person. He doesn't want to speak to us, but we insist that he speak to us.

Prabhupāda: That is salesman's qualification. Nobody is dying for our book, but if we can create market for our book, that is our qualification.

Discussion on Deprogrammers -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: So to become devotee means to do the best service to the family. If there is one devotee in the family, all the forefathers, they are delivered. So anyway, don't be disappointed. Go on fighting and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Everything will be right. There is no cause of disappointment.

Rāmeśvara: Actually the field now for preaching in America is better than ever. More people are becoming interested to hear what we are and what our message is than ever before because of all this controversy. Whenever something is making newspapers that is confusing or controversial, they immediately want to hear about it because they have a tendency to look for faults.

Prabhupāda: That is everywhere.

Rāmeśvara: But they're very eager to have us come to the colleges and high schools...

Prabhupāda: Envious.

Rāmeśvara: ...to speak. It's much easier now to get lecturing engagements than ever before. They are after us to give our lectures.

Prabhupāda: So why not engage Brahmānanda in that business?

Rāmeśvara: I think he could do well.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Morning Walk -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Rāmeśvara: But the medical association does not take up twenty-four hours.

Prabhupāda: No. Not only twenty-four hours, twenty-six hours.

Rāmeśvara: That is their charge, that it is too extreme. They say we isolate the devotees from the real world. We don't let them read newspapers, we don't let them...

Prabhupāda: That is your real world, but you do not know what is reality. Your real world is this body. But this body is not real. That, you rascal, you cannot understand. Your reality is this body, but body not real.

Rāmeśvara: Even if this world is not real, temporarily it's real.

Prabhupāda: Temporary, yes. So I am eternal. I must associate with eternity. Why shall I..., temporary. Suppose if somebody comes in India, American, that is his temporary residence. Why shall I accept India as everything? Similarly this body is another India or for Indian, American. It is temporary, asann, asat. Asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ (SB 5.5.4). This body is temporary. That you have no knowledge. Why shall I be attached to the temporary things? I am the owner of the body, I am reality, so I must realize myself. Self-realization. This is self-realization, that "I am not this body, I am pure soul, Brahman."

Arrival of BBT Manager -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Jaya! Rāmeśvara Mahārāja!

Rāmeśvara: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda!

Prabhupāda: I was just talking about you, that "When Rāmeśvara is coming? What is time?" Very good, early in the morning.

Rāmeśvara: Śrīla Prabhupāda, you look well. Are you feeling well?

Prabhupāda: At the present moment I am feeling well because you are here. (laughing)

Rāmeśvara: This is dakṣiṇā from Los Angeles temple.

Prabhupāda: Yes, bring more money. (Hari-śauri laughs) (break) I am going to spend this money in huge advertisement propaganda. I have given him the idea. Because here in India we haven't got devotees pushing as in USA and America we have got our devotees. They are attacking and pushing. Here there is no such devotee. And therefore I have proposed huge, big advertisement in the paper.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Paper and billboards.

Prabhupāda: Especially newspapers. I have given the instruction. You are here, and you can arrange, three. I am reading the matter also like this. Read it. It is very simple.

Arrival of BBT Manager -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: We are presenting God, His address, His father's name, His residence, everything. If you are intelligent, you can go back home, back to Godhead. If not, you may suffer. Others will go.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: That example you gave of the dead husband... Prabhupāda gave an analogy, it is very good. To indicate who is being brainwashed. The example was a dead husband is calling his wife. That is very good example.

Rāmeśvara: They're actually doing service because they are forcing all these newspapers...

Prabhupāda: That is... Hare Kṛṣṇa—this name has become popular all over the...

Rāmeśvara: Yes. (to Gopāla?) You have experience. (laughs) The learned people in America are very concerned that we are being...

Prabhupāda: Harassed.

Rāmeśvara: ...harassed, and they are organizing groups to defend us. In Harvard University...

Prabhupāda: That is very good.

Conversation on Train to Allahabad -- January 11, 1977, India:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Rāmeśvara: You said, "Take the opportunity to be well advertised."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes.

Rāmeśvara: So we have to scheme in so many different ways to take advantage of this. (train stops) (break) ...friends with all the newspaper, television and radio people. Already in Los Angeles they know us by our first names, and we know them by their first names. There is some familiarity.

Prabhupāda: Intimate with...

Rāmeśvara: And there's also a chance to meet government leaders.

Prabhupāda: Someway or other, it is becoming popular. (chuckles) Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Rāmeśvara: Śrīla Prabhupāda, should we be thinking in our minds that one day the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement will have to manage the cities and the nations of the world?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Conversation on Train to Allahabad -- January 11, 1977, India:

Prabhupāda: Naked? Fully naked?

Rāmeśvara: Yes.

Hari-śauri: They would hold the festivals sometimes in the hills with a stream. It was very popular; everybody would go to the stream and bathe naked. And then the TV would come and film. There was one big one that they had in England, and the front pages on all the newspapers was one hippie couple that... Someone had spread some foam everywhere, and in the middle of the foam this hippie couple were naked having sex, and they put the picture in all the papers. This was love and peace.

Prabhupāda: I have seen John...

Hari-śauri: John Lennon.

Prabhupāda: ...naked.

Rāmeśvara: Naked. With his wife.

Prabhupāda: That picture is in his sitting room. I was talking with him in his sitting room, and fireplace and... Of course, that Chandler Place(?), a very big and glorious picture.

Conversation on Train to Allahabad -- January 11, 1977, India:

Prabhupāda: Yes. We hate to mix with you. No gentleman tries to mix with loafers. In England still, the rich quarter is different from the poor quarter. Is it not?

Hari-śauri: Not so much. It was though, formerly, very strongly.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Aristocratic will never live... Even in America, they don't like to live with the blacks.

Rāmeśvara: No.

Prabhupāda: (aside:) That child...? So that separation... Crows will not like to live with the ducks and white swans. And white swans will not like to live with the crows. That is natural division. "Birds of the same feather flock together."

Jagadīśa: And honest men don't like to associate with thieves and criminals.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is natural. We are not interested even with these daily newspapers. We are interested Bhagavad-gītā. We don't keep any news. We know the dogs are barking. That's all. But that does not mean we have to mix with the dogs.

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

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Rāmeśvara: But dressed as Santa Claus. And he is saying, "Would you believe Hare Kṛṣṇa?" So that actually is very good for us, that cartoon. They are putting us with Jesus. For them to do that is very good for us.

Hari-śauri: (indistinct)

Rāmeśvara: Yes. Somehow, whatever we do now, they find some fault and then they write about it in the newspaper, and millions of people read about us.

Prabhupāda: "Hare Kṛṣṇa." Svalpam apy asya dharmasya. Any way, if something is done in this connection, it becomes an asset.

Rāmeśvara: Now, this Governor of California, he invited us to assist him for helping the conditions in these mental retarded hospitals. So that is like mundane charity, in one sense. So is it all right for our men to take some time? Because the end result will be that we will become appreciated.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes, you do. Wherever we get opportunity, we shall chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. That's all.

Room Conversation on 1976 Book Scores -- January 16, 1977, Calcutta:

Prabhupāda: This is our men?

Rāmeśvara: Yes. This is at an ārati. You can see the donations that people have put on the tray. But it makes it look very strange, this picture with the lighting. They have deliberately selected this.

Prabhupāda: Very big article.

Rāmeśvara: Yes. I have just been reading it.

Hari-śauri: What newspaper is that?

Rāmeśvara: It's a very small-time newspaper called the Soho Weekly News.

Prabhupāda: And bad propaganda is going on.

Gargamuni: Some good, some bad.

Prabhupāda: Yes. There are two. Any movement will have such.

Gargamuni: So I mentioned this morning about Sumati Satetur(?), Mr. Hoksa Buddhi,(?) that he was considering becoming a devotee. So I told him you were here, so he immediately came tonight. He's waiting now.

Prabhupāda: Oh. So then bring him. That's all right.

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Indian: (Bengali)

Prabhupāda: Yes. (break) No, people have become so dull-headed that they are believing all these nonsense.

Hari-śauri: It is brainwashing.

Prabhupāda: No. The brainwashing... They are making brainwashing that "From garbage, newspapers; scrap, they'll make food."

Hari-śauri: Oh, scientists.

Prabhupāda: Acchā. And you said that they are drinking their own urine?

Hari-śauri: Yes. The astronauts.

Prabhupāda: It is a fact?

Rāmeśvara: Yes. They recycled it.

Hari-śauri: They recycled it. After they passed urine, they put it through a machine that was supposed to purify it, and then they could drink it again.

Prabhupāda: And still, they have to go to the Mars. Just see how degraded they have become. By drinking urine, they are going to Mars and bringing report, all false propaganda to keep the prestige of the scientists.

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Rāmeśvara: I'm going to go get that survey to show Prabhupāda. It's printed...

Prabhupāda: The Bankim Babu, Bankim Chatterji, a famous novelist, he wrote a book, one comic book. Trial is going on, so the witness charged the... First of all the judge charged that "I see you are witness in every case." He was a professional. So, "You are speaking he is sixty years old for the last five years. You do not increase your age?" (laughing) "No, sir. A gentleman has one word. He does not change his word. And do not think me that I am either a lawyer or a prostitute or a newspaper editor."

Gargamuni: Oh. Because they're all liars. Yeah.

Prabhupāda: "My word is one. I do not change my word."

Gargamuni: So a newspaper editor, a lawyer...

Prabhupāda: And a prostitute. (laughs) He classified them in one category.

Gargamuni: Especially these newspapers. When you give an interview, they always print something else.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Gargamuni: They never print exactly what one says.

Prabhupāda: They're not honest.

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Gargamuni: They never print exactly what one says.

Prabhupāda: They're not honest.

Gargamuni: No.

Rāmeśvara: This was printed in the Los Angeles Times on January 21. No, January 2nd.

Prabhupāda: I think this opinion printed you send to all newspapers editors.

Rāmeśvara: That book that he printed?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Gargamuni: That book can be expanded with more references.

Rāmeśvara: Yes. When I reprint it I'll do that.

Gargamuni: Those European reviews.

Prabhupāda: With a covering letter: "Sir, there is much agitation about Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. You'll kindly read this following pamphlet, and you'll understand the value of the movement." And it is good that you have given the heading, "The Hare Kṛṣṇa Movement."

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Hari-śauri: Skyscraper.

Prabhupāda: Skyscraper.

Rāmeśvara: That's the plan. We're making money by truck business. (break) ...the farms. Sometimes we may invest in some advertising or promotion. And you gave Gopāla Kṛṣṇa the hint that he should take paid ads in the newspapers.

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Rāmeśvara: So in America...

Prabhupāda: If there is response, good.

Rāmeśvara: We should experiment in different areas also in America.

Prabhupāda: America, I don't think so good.

Rāmeśvara: Although there is a way to develop mail order business. We found out that mail order businesses in America make millions of dollars.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation with Film Producer about Krsna Lila -- January 22, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Guest (2): When you are giving a darśana... Yesterday we came to see you. That, these people, had to go to Bombay yesterday. But when a certain uttered that you have come here, we were astonished. They ran to my office, told me that "Guruji has come." "No, you are wrong." "No, you see. It is from our local newspaper." He's from Bengal. So he came for us and told me he would let us go and see. By five o'clock they had told him... "Let us go." We came here, and there's some people here I was talking to him. That engineer when Guruji tell that no rain, he was searching for the water, (indistinct) in that I was telling him that way. So Guruji when you are giving the light, wisdom, or making blessing that you become filled the superness. You surrender yourself.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is our propaganda.

Guest (2): The surrender to... So similarly, suppose I am a drunkard.

Prabhupāda: No, it is no disqualification.

Room Conversation -- January 24, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Satsvarūpa: As research editor, you could write a nice review of Śrīla Prabhupāda's reviews. We have many reviews. All the big Sanskrit scholars.

Guest (1): Yes, I will write. Actually if I get a small literature about Prabhupāda I will write an article in newspapers. People of Orissa could not know that an international figure came to Orissa, and they could not avail of the opportunity.

Hari-śauri: That would be very nice. International.

Gurukṛpa: Interplanetary.

Hari-śauri: These are appreciations from all over the world, France...

Guest (1): Pradyumna Mahārāja put some pertinent questions on Bhāgavata when he came to know that I am Sanskrit scholar. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...Leyland.

Gargamuni: Yes, Leyland(?) Bank.

Prabhupāda: Yes. "Our Guru Mahārāja went to America with this hope—that Indian culture and American money combined together will save the world." That's a fact. Everything requires money, but we are securing money with hard labor. If money little easily comes, we can make very nice program.

Room Conversation -- January 24, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Gargamuni: I told him this. He was interested. He was. But he told me, "Under the present..." The CIA used to give money to certain groups to stop Communism, he said, but recently they have been under investigation for this, so he said it would be very dangerous for them to do such a thing now. But he said he would talk it over. Since then, though, I have not met him. This was at the time when we were called CIA in Calcutta, when it came in the papers. I went to them for advice because they also became very much upset because just before that, the Consulate with his wife came to Māyāpur and saw all of our activities. They were very impressed. And they printed this in the newspaper, trying to show that the Consulate General was also an agent along with Bhavānanda. So he became very angry. He became very angry that they should try to make this up. He said, "Actually I had personally... My wife wanted to come, but I was not so much interested. But because my wife came, I came also. But I don't see why they are trying to link me along with your society as CIA." He said, "This is very bad." And from what I know, they made a formal complaint to the Home Minister of West Bengal, the Home Secretary.

Prabhupāda: That is good.

Evening Conversation -- January 25, 1977, Puri:

Prabhupāda: Many. It is in the śāstra. "He was formerly like this, and now he has become this." There are many.

Gargamuni: Well, that's in the śāstra. They say now we want...

Prabhupāda: But śāstra is the proof. Our proof is śāstra. Your proof is your śāstra. Did you go to the moon planet or you believe the newspapers? Have you gone?

Gargamuni: No.

Prabhupāda: Then if you can believe newspaper, why shall not believe in the Veda, Vedānta?

Gargamuni: No, but one man has come.

Prabhupāda: So one man... You have not done. You have no experience. So one man you believe authority.

Gurukṛpā: But we saw the television. They showed on the television.

Prabhupāda: No. Television could not show that. You can arrange in the laboratory such television, cheat others. And you have done it. But anyway, television or man or newspaper—you believe on others. You have not personally gone. So you believe some authority. We believe some authority. What is the difference. You take newspaper as authority. We take Vedic literature as authority. Where is the difference? You have personally not gone. How do you believe? The difference is that you believe somebody, we believe somebody. I asked this question to Professor Kotovsky, that "You believe Lenin; we believe Kṛṣṇa. Then where is the difference between philosophy?" Now it is to be judged whether Lenin is all right or Kṛṣṇa is all right. That is another thing. But the principle is there. "You believe in Lenin; we believe in Kṛṣṇa. The process is the same. So where is your improvement?"

Room Conversation -- January 27, 1977, Puri:

Prabhupāda: It is horrible to hear even. Therefore para-upakāra. The rascals are less than the asses and dogs. Therefore to give them Kṛṣṇa is the best para-upakāra.

Gurukṛpā: Yesterday, Śrīla Prabhupāda, you were speaking about a man who becomes very educated but he can't get a job. He becomes like a dog. Well, I was reading in the paper that this one man in Sydney, he put an ad in the newspaper saying, "I will become your house dog, because I think a dog's life is better than my life because I cannot get a job. So now I want to have a job as a human dog. Anybody want to hire me?"

Prabhupāda: Yes. (pause) If these people are making against our movement, so we should not be surprised. The parents who are leaving their children, dropping their children—"Yes, go and have homosex dancing"—if such parents protest against our movement it is not at all astonishing. But we should not stop it for that reason. This is apparent. So this thing should be brought in the court, that "This is the parent. The parent also requires this brainwash. Why the sons and daughters only? The father, mother..."

Gargamuni: In the court they also have no standard. They don't know what moral life is. They think this is normal.

Prabhupāda: At least you should take our books, that "This is our statement. Defense is. You first of all read this; then give your judgment."

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

Prabhupāda: So from next year we shall not do that.

Hari-śauri: No, if it becomes controversial then there's no point.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Oh, there's many, especially in the newspaper.

Nanda-kumāra: Terrible publicity in the newspapers.

Gargamuni: It came in the Calcutta newspaper, but it was not bad. It was not bad article. It was good article.

Prabhupāda: And what is the...? "Do you believe that the Hare Kṛṣṇas, they are in...?"

Hari-śauri: "Would you believe three Hare Kṛṣṇas dressed in Santa Claus suits?"

Prabhupāda: "...in Santa Claus?"

Gargamuni: I think people were more amused than they were angry.

Prabhupāda: Yes. It is amusing.

Gargamuni: At least the newspaper article in the Statesman was very amusing. It did not criticize, because it mentioned that by wearing these suits we are able to distribute many literatures on God consciousness, which is the real meaning of Christmas. They wrote this in the States... So it was favorable.

Room Conversation -- February 14, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: It is good certificate. And University of Calcutta. So you publish this.

Satsvarūpa: Śrīla Prabhupāda sent letters to Rāmeśvara and Ādi-keśava to put it in the newspaper.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Ādi-keśa is here in India.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He'll be coming here in about three days, he and Tripurāri Mahārāja.

Prabhupāda: So who will come by the 747?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, there's still about three hundred devotees coming on that flight.

Prabhupāda: Oh. It is already fixed?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yes.

Prabhupāda: When they are coming?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They're coming on the 24th morning.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Room Conversation -- February 14, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Very good. The more it is prolonged, it is good for us. Things will be discussed.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah. We are relishing the opportunity.

Prabhupāda: Yes. (laughs) And it will be published in the paper. It is a good opportunity.

Brahmānanda: Even they had a preliminary hearing, and all the major newspaper, Time Magazine, Newsweek, they were all present. And also from the Indian government.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, the Consulate. The Indian Consulate came. Ādi-keśa Mahārāja has been contacting some of the important officials. He has had a lot of meetings with the Ambassador. So the Ambassador ordered that from the Consulate one person must come to give a statement that the Indian government supports the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. So they came and made this statement.

Prabhupāda: Oh, that is... (laughs)

Brahmānanda: And this representative will attend every hearing.

Prabhupāda: That is nice. That is very nice.

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

Prabhupāda: That is... Your criminal law will also criticize that "Why you are giving this instruction?" The two parties must be there, duality. If I accuse you of some criminality, you'll say, "Why you are checking my freedom?"

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Because they have forgotten God, they no longer understand what is best for themselves.

Prabhupāda: They are like animals.

Hari-śauri: They don't know how to discriminate properly. Like that newspaper article, "The Hare Kṛṣṇa Puzzle. Are they good or are they bad?"

Prabhupāda: (laughs) Yes. Why do they take "puzzle?"

Bhavānanda: You wanted that map of the pukura?

Prabhupāda: Hm hm. (break) Cats also do not disturb. But everyone is fully fed and happy. The first problem is eating. So if you produce like tons, this corn alone can feed everyone. It is so nice food. Corn you can smash, and the powder portion you can use as flour, and the portion which is not powder, the hard portion, you can use as rice. And it is more nutritious than flour, wheat flour, and ordinary rice, and very cheap, cheaper than the ordinary rice and cheaper than the ordinary wheat. But you can utilize it—both dāl, bhāta. Vegetable and fat. From milk you get so much fat. Complete food.

Evening Darsana -- February 15, 1977, Mayapura:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And we're going to. All of the intelligent people acknowledge. All the newspapers, everybody who we talked to confidentially, they all say, "You cannot lose this case." Everyone is surprised why that D.A. is pushing this case.

Prabhupāda: He's earning salary. That's all.

Hari-śauri: Trying to make a name for himself. That's all.

Prabhupāda: Money. Unless he makes devices and talks very overintelligently, how he'll get money? Just like the so-called scientist says and doctor says, big, big jugglery of words, and they get money.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They have their doctors and psychiatrists now. Just as we are getting armed with so many statements, they are also gathering together their groups of doctors and psychiatrists to all attest to the fact. But they have nothing to say. They're trying to get behind them some men, but the men are not of as much consequence as our people are. But then you see another thing they do is they cause trouble through other processes. For instance, they will audit the accounts, look into the Society's money, and they'll try to...

Prabhupāda: They'll try to give us trouble in so many ways.

Evening Darsana -- February 15, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: So we have to close.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's already closed.

Brahmānanda: And they seized our books.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Books were seized for twenty thousand dollars worth of books.

Brahmānanda: But there has been some reports in the newspapers that Argentina is now a military dictatorship, and it's very bad place. Many people are being taken and shot regularly.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Now... But also in Venezuela, there, now the government wants to audit the accounts. They are asking for a public auditing of our books.

Prabhupāda: Public property?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Audit. Audit.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Evening Darsana -- February 15, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: In Russia also, simply eating meat.

Brahmānanda: Meat and vodka.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Brahmānanda: They have no vegetables available. I read in the newspapers here in India now that Poland, they are putting up a vodka factory. Punjab.

Prabhupāda: What is that vodka?

Brahmānanda: It's a liquor made from potato. So now they're making a factory in Punjab.

Prabhupāda: Punjab?

Brahmānanda: Yes.

Prabhupāda: So government has allowed.

Brahmānanda: Oh, yes. So they will make vodka here for exporting to Poland because the Polish people like vodka very much. So now they will produce in India.

Prabhupāda: The Polish Embassy is there near our Calcutta for seeing this business going on.

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

Prabhupāda: And I gave him 22,000 rupees.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Gopāla Kṛṣṇa?

Hari-śauri: Yes. He was supposed to put it in all the newspapers.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He didn't mention anything to me. I was there only for one day, but he did not mention it. I can write him if you want. He'll be coming here...

Hari-śauri: The 25th or 26th.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Ten days. I'm sure he must have done it, if you have told him to.

Prabhupāda: We cannot understand what is the position of this land acquisition. They'll remain silent?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There's some political thing behind it. That's sure.

Prabhupāda: The political was Ramakrishna Mission and Tīrtha Mahārāja.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Really? Ramakrishna Mission. Envious. Even though they're not near here, still they can understand how prominent we would become.

Prabhupāda: We have already become more than, more important than.

Room Conversation -- February 17, 1977, Mayapura:

Brahmānanda: That was headline in the newspaper. "My daughter should better be dead than to be Hare Kṛṣṇa."

Hari-śauri: That's for her own good.

Prabhupāda: (Bengali) (break)

Tripurāri: People involved in this deprogramming have read most of the books. They have read and studied, and when they try to deprogram someone they quote from the books different things. So is it that they can't understand this philosophy even though they're reading it, or they just don't want to understand it? Just like this man Ted Patrick. He has read so many of the books.

Prabhupāda: How...? What does he say about our books?

Satsvarūpa: One time I heard he challenged a devotee, "Where is your Lord Nṛsiṁha-deva now to save you?" And also, "We have heard that if the Lord is blasphemed, you're supposed to either give up your life or leave the place, so why don't you do? Or cut out the..., cut out your tongue. So why don't you do that now?"

Ādi-keśava: They used that as one legal argument. They said that one of our devotees should be put in the mental hospital for his own protection, because otherwise he would go and kill himself. And the court said, "Why is that?" They said, "Well, because in their books it says that if a devotee hears someone blaspheming the spiritual master or Kṛṣṇa, then they have to commit suicide."

Prabhupāda: No, they will argue on so many things.

Room Conversation -- February 17, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: No, actually when there is some news about the moon planet, I personally did not go with him. So how shall I believe him? Come to practical point of view. I did not go. You publish something, news. Why I accept it? If you say that "I did not go," er, "I did not see," that is everything. We believe some paper, that's all. So why shall we not believe the Vedic literature?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Look at the difference of the writers. The writer of the newspaper is a fool.

Prabhupāda: Vedic literature is so authoritative. It has been accepted by the ācāryas.

Tripurāri: So they are reading our books, but they do not believe that they're not the body, so many foolish people. They read, but they don't believe that they're not the body. They think it's just fantasy.

Prabhupāda: What do they believe?

Tripurāri: They believe that they're just a body, and to enjoy the body till death, and then nothing. You present such nice philosophy, but they would rather think that they were just a bag of bones.

Room Conversation -- February 18, 1977, Mayapura:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Well, in our Bible it doesn't say that."

Prabhupāda: "Your Bible, you take, but we have got our Kṛṣṇa. Dharmāviruddha-kāma. Then why you are taking contraceptive, rascal? You're killing your children. That is very good? Unrestricted sex, and when she is pregnant you kill. Are you human being or rākṣasa demon?" Challenge them like this.

Hari-śauri: I saw a Chicago newspaper. I think Jayapatākā's mother must have brought it. And there was a page, and there was two big columns advertising abortion, so many different places you could go...

Prabhupāda: Everyone knows.

Hari-śauri: ...for quick and easy abortions.

Prabhupāda: Abortion, child-killing. They are civilized?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They're becoming very quickly rākṣasas.

Prabhupāda: And eating fetus. So you are rākṣasas, less then rākṣasas. And they're criticizing us.

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

Prabhupāda: This... There are some statements. Just like molten iron, a man can break for illicit sex. What is their objection?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well they think it's superstition. They think it is simply some stories.

Hari-śauri: Some fantastic...

Prabhupāda: Story means it is story for you. Do you know the details of the whole universe, where, what is what? Can you do? You go and say there is no moonshine, but this rascal conclusion will be taken. Why there should be shine? From the sand such brilliant moonshine is coming? We have to believe that? So many books have said (indistinct) brilliant. Sun is brilliant. This... So you rascal, you can believe in that, but we'll not believe. You can say. What do you know about moon? It is all rascaldom. It may be good for rascals like you, not for intelligent man like me.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That statement is always published immediately in newspapers. They love to publish that statement, that we say they've not gone to the moon. Immediately...

Prabhupāda: Question is how it is.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We should push on these points.

Prabhupāda: Such a brilliant thing, soothing, and we'll take as...? We'll never take. Tell them. We see such a nice place. If you have gone there, why you have come back?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They say there's nothing there but craters and barren land, like a desert, Mohave Desert.

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

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You don't mind those steps going up?

Prabhupāda: No. They say they have gone from the paper. We say from the paper they have not gone. Then where is the difference? We have got our paper; they have got their paper. They say they have gone. Nobody has gone with them. I have not gone. They have not gone. They say from the paper.

Hari-śauri: Well, they'll produce so many astronauts.

Prabhupāda: Third-class, third-class newspaper, and we have got the knowledge.

Hari-śauri: They'll produce so many astronauts who'll say, "Yes, I was there on the moon. I went."

Prabhupāda: So that is foolish action of that...? Some witness, drunkard witness for the liquor men. This is their own philosophy. Anyway, they'll produce some, what is called? Aeronauts. But still I have not gone. You are still hearing from a third person.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Hearsay.

Prabhupāda: Hearsay. You cannot say that he has gone, because you have not seen. The argument is to see. You have not seen.

Room Conversations -- February 20, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Which I sung.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah. And also the "Hare Kṛṣṇa" which they sung, you remember, in London, that was very popular. Even in Communist countries it was popular.

Jayapatākā: There was a headline in the newspaper, Hare Kṛṣṇa rock... (break) ...and put this in our exhibit. That will go a long way for making the people more Kṛṣṇa conscious. They really... The only thing...

Prabhupāda: You give your mother. She can utilize it. She's very intelligent girl. (break)

Svarūpa Dāmodara: ...Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Sit down. I am little better today. Sometimes for the last... How many days? I am... (break) ...think great. I told you this must have been published.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Should I read it, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Yes. You can get this light on.

Room Conversations -- February 20, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Anywhere. I told you that it must have been published.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. You can see that the Bombay newspaper is better than these Calcutta papers.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Certainly.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Because the Calcutta paper has not yet carried it. It may be that Times of India has a relationship with some New York Times.

Prabhupāda: It is as good as The Statesman.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, it's actually more prominent than The Statesman, I think. Yeah. There's no mention. There's no mention in these other papers.

Prabhupāda: So you are also coming to Bombay?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda. I'm also thinking to go to Delhi to make that inner pass for possible visit to Manipur.

Prabhupāda: That may be suspended for the time.

Room Conversations -- February 20, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Many of our enemies in that brainwash case, they are starting to say, "This Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is the greatest threat to our modern civilization."

Prabhupāda: They?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Oh, yes, they said it. In the newspaper it was reported.

Prabhupāda: Yes, they say, "It is spreading like epidemic." What is that?

Devotee: Little more? (sound of eating)

Prabhupāda: What is that civilization? Do they think that civilization is correct?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They say that they are the most advanced civilization ever. This is the topmost yet. Man is becoming more and more evolved, from the ape until now. This is the pinnacle so far.

Prabhupāda: And what you have gained? Criminals, fire brigade, always "dungdungdungdungdungdung," in every big city. And criminality increasing. Do you think it is civilization? Always anxious, and covering yourself by drinking, intoxicated. In New York street you would go out ordinary-hell! Two sides hell.

Room Conversation -- February 25, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Ācchā.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yes. They were saying, those two Bengali gentlemen this morning, the film producers, were saying that the scholars here now and some of the newspaper people are beginning to expose, that "This is a complete cheater. This Sai Baba is cheating, and why are the innocent people falling for him? What kind of fool is he that he says he's God?" It's a good thing that they're exposing him, because he was the most acclaimed so-called "bhagavān" of them all. He is the most respected around India of all of these bogus gurus.

Bali-mardana: Now all the other gurus have faded away. You are...

Hari-śauri: There's only you left, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Bali-mardana: You're the only one left. All the bogus gurus have faded away. The Maharishi...

Prabhupāda: That Sadaji Vilal has said that "Bhaktivedanta Swami... (Hindi)"

Hari-śauri: "Blackened everybody else's face."

Prabhupāda: He said.

Hari-śauri: "Blackened the face of all the other yogis."

Prabhupāda: (laughs) He said that.

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

Kīrtanānanda: They are legal...

Prabhupāda: So if it is legal, why shall they be...?

Rāmeśvara: The reason it was decided is that even though it is legal in America, in foreign countries there is bad reaction. The Americans do not mind as much as the foreign countries. So we are concerned for the international image of our movement.

Jayatīrtha: It was published in practically every newspaper in the world, a picture of Santa Claus being arrested by a policeman in America. We got a lot of questions. Also the President of the United States questioned one boy in a Santa Claus outfit.

Rāmeśvara: We felt that it would not seriously decrease the book distribution if we stopped this.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Then it is all right.

Rāmeśvara: That's the real thing. That's the key factor.

Prabhupāda: All right.

Room Conversation -- March 22, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: "Give me some food." "Hut hut hut!" Then another animal.(?) And as soon as you give some food, oh, so many—"ka,ka,ka,ka,ka,ka,ka." For five hundred posts, 300,000 applications. Did you see that?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Coming in Churchgate.

Prabhupāda: No, there was a newspaper publication. For some post there is five hundred posts vacant.

Guest (1): Oh, yes. For application for a job, five jobs and five thousand people applied.

Prabhupāda: Five thousand. Is that education? Better not to be educated. Those who are not educated, they purchase ten rupees' worth of potato and sit down anywhere and half... (laughter) Five rupees. Yes.

Guest (1): All vegetable are...

Prabhupāda: You take some dāl. Go to house to house, dāl. They have no scarcity. And after spending so much money, living at the cost of fathers, mothers—unemployed. No job. No food. Then plan something, Naxalite, this party, that party. Join some political movement and help Indira Gandhi. They are paid to make propaganda. They are paid. And they earn money by smuggling.

Room Conversation -- March 24, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Regular ārati is going on?

Girirāja: Yes.

Karttikeya Mahadevia: Two āratis.

Girirāja: And everyone appreciated the Vaikuṇṭha Players. And there were nice reports in the newspaper.

Prabhupāda: In the newspaper there is report?

Girirāja: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Where is that report?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That was yesterday. Today we have checked up. Yesterday's press conference was reported.

Lokanātha: They covered yesterday.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: There was one photographer from England. He told me that he came especially to take your pictures. He said he's from an English newspaper. He was flying back to England last night. He came especially to take your pictures, he said.

Girirāja: Some foreigners from some other so-called spiritual institutions are also coming.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: There are two people from Bhagavan Rajneesh's āśrama.

Girirāja: There was one boy who was quite interested from Swami Muktananda's āśrama.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Room Conversation -- March 24, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: In the history of India there is no woman leader. Throughout Mahābhārata you'll find... Mahābhārata is the greater history, history of greater India. Mahā means greater, and bhārata. So "Greater Bhārata." That means this whole planet. So you won't find woman leader

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: These are... Some letters have come from some prominent personalities. Here is one from Mr. S. P. Mondalia. Surya Prakash Mondalia. "Your Holiness..." It's from Industry House, Real(?) House. "Your Holiness, I was indeed happy to know from yesterday's newspapers that the suit filed against ISKCON has been decided in favor of ISKCON by the New York High-Court. Admittedly this is a clear vindication of the dharmic way of life chosen by ISKCON. I have great pleasure in extending my heartiest congratulations, and I hope that the ISKCON will progress from strength to strength in the service of the Lord. With respectful regards. Yours sincerely, Surya Prakash Mondalia."

Hṛdayānanda: Jaya Prabhupāda.

Room Conversation -- March 26, 1977, Bombay:

Hari-śauri: ...for myself? That boy who was with me from Australia, I've sent him back this morning. He's gone back this morning. There is actually two or three major things going on there, so I have to try to get back as soon as possible. There is a purchase of the farm, eight hundred acre farm, which comes up in about seven or eight days, and then we have to consider whether to buy that building in Sydney. You've seen that picture already. And also there's a big court case coming up in Melbourne. The deprogramming thing is going on there also. But this time the court case is being pressed by... It's a civil case. The police wouldn't take it up. So the girl who was kidnapped, we are pressing charges, but through her against the parents. So this is going to be a big case also. So that's coming up in the end of April. So I have to see what the presentation is like and get more information from Ādi-keśava and make sure that we will press it very strongly, the whole issue. Someone just sent a newspaper clipping about the whole thing. I expect to be going to Delhi in about two days, to try to speed up the process of getting a re-entry permit. Then once I do that, I can go on. (long pause) (break)

Girirāja: This evening, the chief guest is going to arrive at about a quarter to seven.

Prabhupāda: Who is the chief guest?

Girirāja: His name is Dr. Dattrey.

Karttikeya Mahadevia: He's an (indistinct).

Girirāja: Yeah. He is supposed to be one of the leading doctors in India. Especially of heart, cardiology. So I also thought this would be a good night for Svarūpa Dāmodara Prabhu to make his presentation, so that this leading doctor can also attend that.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- March 26, 1977, Bombay:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Just like Indira Gandhi.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Personal importance they have...

Svarūpa Dāmodara: From the newspaper I see that the United States is praising a lot this election.

Prabhupāda: Yes. The democratic campaign. But from our point of view, these are not the solution. Temporary. Temporary relief. Daṇḍya jane rāja yena nadīte cubāya.(?) You know this? Daṇḍya jane rāja yena nadīte cubāya. I have spoken several times in... Formerly, the criminal was taken in the middle of the river and he was drowned. And when he was suffocating, he's held up. Then he, ahhh (takes deep breath). This relief is like that. That means as soon as he takes little strength, again, put again. Then daṇḍya jane rāja yena nadīte cubāya.(?) These rascals are like that. For the time being there is little relief: "Oh, we are now free from the leaders." And there is another hand is being created. Bābājī or something like that. Then again they shall put his... This is going on.

Room Conversation -- March 26, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Tomorrow speak.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's what you were thinking originally, that you would be going only on certain days to the pandal, important days. Do you want to ask Prabhupāda about the press conference?

Girirāja: So we wanted to invite the newspaper men to Juhu, and usually they are more inclined to come for these meetings if we give them a nice meal. So that would be..., what I was thinking is that if you are taking your meal at 12 o'clock, then if you could meet them for a short time after that, say, at about 12:30, and then, after that, then they can take their prasādam. Otherwise we could have it in the afternoon, but I don't think we'll get as good response, because they are after that; they like that meal to be served.

Prabhupāda: Well, whatever time, you decide. But after taking my meals, I require a little rest.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: How much rest, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: One hour.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So by one-thirty or two.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that time would be better.

Room Conversation -- April 2, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: I think due to Bhavānanda Mahārāja. He is taking care.

Guru dāsa: Then he should always be with you.

Prabhupāda: I have no objection. He is good preacher in Bengal.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He is famous as an avatāra there. They say that there is three avatāras of the age. One newspaper reporter reported that there are three avatāras of this age. First one is...

Bhavānanda: Mao Tse Tung of China, Satya Sai Baba from the South...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And Bhavānanda Goswami of Māyāpur. (laughter)

Bhavānanda: (laughing) I was an avatāra.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And I have seen practically, even if they don't regard him as an avatāra, I was amazed, Prabhupāda, that people come and they ask, "Where's Bhavānanda Goswami?" And they look everywhere for him, and then they all bow down. He is famous. Simply because he performed strict cātur-māsya, so many people took notice.

Guru dāsa: He has descended to give you massage. (Bhavānanda is massaging Śrīla Prabhupāda?) (laughter)

Bhavānanda: I think this side is no longer sore.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Striking on the bone, so for an old man striking on the bone is very harmful.

Room Conversation -- April 5, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That is honest life. Earn your livelihood. Who is the elder?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: This pilot. I got a letter from Vrinda De today. He says we are getting very good inquiries from our newspaper advertisement and producing a special catalogue, which we are going to give to everyone who writes and which is going to be cheap, because the American catalogue is very expensive. So he is asking...

Prabhupāda: We wanted some.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda said he wanted some hundred copies.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, those were the American. But now we are doing the Indian version, which is costing us 30 paisa each. So that we can give away to anyone who writes in. So I am going to send them. But he says many inquiries are pouring in. And when I was in Calcutta three weeks ago I saw him in his office. He showed me letters. They are coming from all over east India, from Orissa, from Cuttack, about our books. During the month of March, BBT India distributed over about fifty thousand pieces of books and magazines, to the temples, libraries, everything included. Fifty thousand pieces of books.

Prabhupāda: I have asked already Tamāla Kṛṣṇa. Can you give me a statement of the account?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. It's ready.

Morning Conversation -- April 11, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: What is this "Distressed Nanda"?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: (reading newspaper) "Distressed Nanda could come... Mr. Gujarilal Nanda, former home minister and acting prime minister, has resigned from the Congress after his close association with the party for fifty-six years. But he has let it be known that he is not joining any other party. His resignation is a protest against the failure of the Congress leaders to learn the bitter lesson of the recent chain of events. 'The growing dissensions and acute hostilities among warring factions have given me a severe jolt,' he says in a statement. 'I can see no prospect of abatement of these unseemly encounters and any effective role for myself.' Mr. Nanda, who is seventy-six, says that 'The Gandhian modes and principles are as relevant and valid for the future of the country as they were in the past, and this is the path for me.' Mr. Nanda released the text of three letters he wrote to Mrs. Indira Gandhi on June 27th, July 19th, 1975, and January 21, 1976. In his first letter Mr. Nanda said, 'I have been greatly troubled by the developments during recent weeks. What is happening now must cause deep concern to everyone in the country. I do not comprehend the full import of the measures that have been taken during the last two days, and the consequences they may bring in their train.' On January 21st, 1976, he wrote to Mrs. Gandhi, 'The present circumstances call for some new initiative. The people would expect this to come again from you, considering the position of vantage and eminence which you have occupied. It is your responsibility to guard the vital interests of the nation. On this account, there is room for necessary precautions and exercise of special powers in certain specific fields.' "

Prabhupāda: What is that picture?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: (reading) "Handicapped though, these foursome make a cheerful group as they paddle along on three wheelers every day from their homes in the King George Memorial Infirmary on Jagtap Marga, Maha-Lakshmi."

Morning Conversation -- April 11, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: These rascals, wherever they go, they create trouble.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: (reading:) "Why she was silent." This is from the Readers View column. "In the farewell talk she gave to the outgoing Communist Party members of Parliament, Mrs. Indira Gandhi is reported to have told them that she was to blame for the rout, but she does not mention what is common talk among people everywhere, and especially among the village folk: her connivance at the build-up of her son Sanjay Gandhi as the probable future prime minister of India. Mrs. Indira Gandhi's refusal throughout the last two years to face the facts about her son's inordinate ambitions has shocked most of her admirers. Could she not see that this get-rich-quick son of a mother who swore by Garibihato, as the person running the maruti,(?) was playing ducks and drakes with money taken in advance from motor agents for a people's car which has still to come on the road? Was she unaware that he was put next to the late president of India on the flagship of the Indian navy at the naval parade, though he has no position in the government of our country? And is it possible that she did not know of his interference from her own house in the exercise of executive authority in many matters of appointments? Did she not see newspaper reports of vast gatherings often paid for and brought to the pandals by her chief ministers to provide an audience and popular build-up for the Raj Kumar, as he came to be called? Those of us who knew her father are sanguined that Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru could never have allowed himself to entertain a dynastic order."

Prabhupāda: He wanted.

Morning Conversation -- April 11, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Hm, come near.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Sit over here.

Bhakti-caru: (reads newspaper) "The farewell talk she gave to the outgoing Congress party members of Parliament, Mrs. Indira Gandhi was reported to have told that she was to blame for the rout. (Times of India, March 29th, 30th) She seems to have accepted her failure to assess her injury cause to the sentiments and feelings of the masses in the area where many excesses were committed during the emergency. And a failure of the Congress organization to fine against (indistinct) during the emergency and before. But she does not mention what is common talk amongst people everywhere, and especially among the village folk. Her connivance at the buildup of her son Sanjay Gandhi as the probable future prime minister of India...."

Prabhupāda: Probable?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Future prime minister.

Prabhupāda: That everyone will say.

Morning Conversation -- April 11, 1977, Bombay:

Bhakti-caru: (break) "And is it possible that she did not know of his interference from her own house in exercise of executive authority in many matters appointments? Did she not see newspaper reports of vast gatherings often paid for and brought to her family by her chief minister to provide an audience and popular build-up for the Raj Kumar, as he came to be called. Those of us who knew her father are sanguined at Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru could never have allowed himself to entertain a dynastic order. When Mrs. Gandhi was elected president of the Congress, we recall that her father first disapproved of the proposal made by S. K. Patila at a Bombay meeting." (break)

Prabhupāda: ...is to bring her in limelight again, Indira.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Now it's purposely there. Actually, that's a fact. It seems like now they are purposely not...

Prabhupāda: Mentioned.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ...mentioned. Out of sight, out of mind. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...release her on account of mercy of Ānandamaya(?).

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Really. She was thinking like that.

Prabhupāda: And this is also mercy of Ānandamaya(?). Some young yogis she was keeping?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, there was one who was coming to America who seemed that to have been very intimate with her. He was able to call her on the telephone. She would come to the telephone. He helped us, though, in our court case. Ādi-keśava warned him. Because he was sometimes meeting all these women. Many women were coming to see him in New York. Many fashionable wealthy people. So Ādi-keśava Mahārāja warned him that "If you associate with these women, you will fall down." He liked Ādi-keśava very much and helped him, because he could see that he was strict sannyāsī. (break)

Prabhupāda: At this time, in other parts of India it is very hot.

Room Conversation -- April 13, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: He's impressed. He told Mr. Rajda? He informed Mr. Rajda?

Girirāja: Um, not... No, he didn't, not when I was there. But I am sure they had talked. I mean, people are very aware of our movement, at least superficially, that we are building something, we're doing some... One weekly newspaper editor...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think I'm going to write... If you leave me a tiny bit of room, I'll write "For International Society for Krishna Consciousness Building Fund" just above.

Prabhupāda: Write there.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Okay.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Girirāja: He's asked us to have a column in his newspaper every week for questions or answers, so that the readers can send their questions and then we will give our answer. He will pay. He wants to make a regular weekly feature. It's called The Bombay Times.

Prabhupāda: Newly started?

Girirāja: I don't know how old it is, but now they're making a big push to make it popular.

Prabhupāda: At least one day or two day in a week important men may come here, live here. You hold meeting in that auditorium.

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

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Mr. Rajda: He was a municipal councilor here in Bombay.

Prabhupāda: Oh, the municipal councilor... (Hindi) What is that?

Devotee (3): It's Chawan's cutting from the newspaper.

Prabhupāda: Why don't you read other? Read it loudly.

Bhakti-caru: "Chief Minister lauds Krishna movement. Kṛṣṇa consciousness was the essence of every faith and belonged to the world, Maharastra Chief Minister Mr. M. P. Chawan said at the Third International Hare Krishna Festival at the Cross Maidan in Bombay on Wednesday. Mr. Chawan lauded the work done by Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder-Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. He said that Swami was responsible for popularizing Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world. Speaking after the chief minister, Swami Prabhupāda emphasized the need for scientific understanding of the Bhagavad-gītā to solve the problems confronting humanity. 'When human society is without dharma,' he said, 'it becomes animal society.' The festival, scheduled to end on Tuesday, has been extended another five days."

Prabhupāda: So his wife also...

Mr. Rajda: But now, poor fellow, he's also going. That is his fate.

Prabhupāda: That's all. This is political struggle. It doesn't matter. A man is what he is. That's all. And to come to this field of activities, one has to become free from all designation. "I am the chief minister" or this or that, that is designation. So I have to give up.

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

Prabhupāda: That is another thing, "when we catch." Who will catch? "Bell the cat." It is going on. I know. During wartime, one Chinese man was coming from China, and one business friend, he was appointed his purchasing agent. He was giving a list of goods to purchase. And this man, whatever money he'll charge, he'll immediately-Indian currency. He'll not say, "Why so much price?" No. Then he will pack up the goods and through some channel he'll dispatch it. That is also through our way, not in the... The China is in on the border. There also, if you pay money, smuggler's rate... They try to do.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That seems to be a big issue now, these smugglers. I notice in the newspapers every day.

Prabhupāda: The smugglers get with money, printed money. Who can check it?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So printed money should have gold behind it.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is the theory. What is the rate of economy?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What is the idea...

Prabhupāda: That is called...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Gold standard.

Prabhupāda: Not gold standard, but there is a technical name. That means if you print notes, currency note, immediately you have to keep stock of gold in the reserve bank. Reserve. Therefore it is called...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The gold reserves.

Conversations -- April 19, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Did you publish it by consulting your other colleagues, or whimsically you have published?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda's asking whether this article was published in consultation with other, with your Godbrothers, or how it came about that you got this article published.

Surabhīr Abhipālayantam: Well, it was in... I think he went to different newspapers, just like the Indian Express and this one, and they wanted to speak with him.

Prabhupāda: So such an important article, there are so many discrepancies, and you have published without consulting others?

Surabhīr Abhipālayantam: I haven't seen it.

Prabhupāda: And your name is simply, "Swami..." There is no other name behind this plan? As if you are doing everything. You are maybe architect, but is that your plan?

Surabhīr Abhipālayantam: Well, we had that... We had the interview in the... And I very clearly mentioned all these things.

Prabhupāda: There is no mention of any other name, even your guru's name. You are everything there. This is very bad. This is not at all my request(?). It is objectionable, very much objectionable. You have done a very wrong thing. Why did you not consult others before publishing?

Conversations -- April 19, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Therefore I say you have done independently, whimsically. This is... This is to be stopped. You are acting too independent.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I'd just like a point of clarification, 'cause I don't understand. What exactly is your engagement? I see that you're traveling all over India. What exactly are you going...? Has Prabhupāda told you to travel like this continuously, all over...?

Patita-pāvana: No, he told me to go South India and find some paṇḍitas.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And now you're planning to go to Delhi.

Patita-pāvana: No, no, Surabhī Mahārāja has asked me to do some press releases for the newspapers.

Prabhupāda: So Surabhī Mahārāja has asked. So you are conducted by Surabhī Mahārāja.

Patita-pāvana: Yes, Prabhupāda. At least I'm trying. If I have acted untimely, I...

Prabhupāda: And this is the result. This is the result, this disastrous article. You do independently when you like under the direction of Surabhī Mahārāja and create disaster.

Patita-pāvana: Well, he asked me to go down there. (break) (end)

Room Conversation -- April 19, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That means rascal. Obstinate means rascal. Obstinate is not a sane person.

Girirāja: Actually they're animals.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So these animals, they are passing on as big scientists, philosophers, theologician, and so on, so on. We have to stop them. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). This is the qualification of a person who does not accept God: duṣkṛtina, narādhama, mūḍha, māyayāpahṛta-jñāna-although highly educated, no knowledge-āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ, simply atheist. So as Kṛṣṇa conscious leaders, we have to punish them, chastise these rascals. They are demons.

Girirāja: Actually, it's... It's actually relishable to chastise them.

Prabhupāda: Yes. (laughs) It is a pleasure sport. So you come here. What is the news? What the, all these rascals saying? Newspaper means all the statement of rascals.

Bhakti-caru: "Earnest Plea to Nine Congress Chief Ministers."

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Room Conversation -- April 19, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: But for Manipur business...

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Oh, for Manipur? Oh, yes.

Prabhupāda: For Manipur business don't mistake. Don't use them. We form this five-man subcommittee and take the donation. Then you develop. (looking at newspaper) Whose photo is there?

Bhakti-caru: Mr. J. C. Shah, an agent... "Former Chief Justice, Mr. J. C. Shah, who is going to assist (indistinct) during the emergency. The former Supreme Court Judge is an agent into the affairs of..."

Prabhupāda: Ācchā?

Bhakti-caru: Enquiry...

Prabhupāda: Now...

Bhakti-caru: But it depends on... Everything depends on how much honest they will be.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Bhakti-caru: How honest they will be.

Prabhupāda: Kānā-māmā (?). If there is no māmā, blind māmā is all right. And who is that, this photograph?

Bhakti-caru: This one is Mr. Charan Singh addressing a press conference in Delhi on Monday, Charan Singh, Indian Prime Minister. (Hindi) "The passport of Mr. Sanjay Gandhi, Mr. Motilal, and Mr. Dhirendra Brahmacari, who runs a yoga center here, have been impounded. Official sources also said here today the necessary instructions have been issued in this regard to the concerned authorities."

Prabhupāda: Impound? Impound? What is the impounding?

Bhakti-caru: Cancelled today.

Room Conversation -- April 19, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: No Indira Gandhi's news?

Bhakti-caru: (continues to read news articles) No... Indira Gandhi... "Infighting with Civic Congress Party leads to more powers for laborers." "Civil judge regrets motives against magistrates." (reads more headings and newspaper articles) " 'The revolutionary work of eliminating poverty and unemployment in the rural areas can be accomplished by a considerable extent through the khādi and village industries. To achieve these objectives modern technology must be used to rise to the extent possible.' He hopes the new commission would take steps in this direction." (continues reading news articles; Prabhupāda is silent)

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

Girirāja: ...lal to meet you. So far, he hasn't shown himself to be too...

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Girirāja: So far, he seems to be more preoccupied with his own ideas, so we don't know whether there will be any benefit to this meeting.

Prabhupāda: But if he wants to meet, I have no objection. (break) ...and the host was very rich man in anywhere. And he has no son. He expressed his desire to father to take me. This is the position.

Room Conversation -- April 22, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: "Any or other, take. Finish that business." Now I don't want. I don't care for them. Our temple is always crowded. My achievement is there. In the beginning I spent. Now every, all over India, they are praising me.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Architect of the Bhagavad-gītā boom." That's how they praised you in the newspaper yesterday.

Prabhupāda: That's a fact.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I was amazed to see how much you translated last night. You translated more last night than in months, almost two hundred digits. I think it was 190. I think eating these pakorās at night is giving you strength.

Prabhupāda: No, not that. Something must be eaten. I was feeling weakness in the evening. But what can I eat? I have no taste for fruits. Milk also, not very much taste I have got. Naturally I won't eat now(?).

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You have a taste for nim?

Prabhupāda: That is compulsory. Whatever little benefit is there in the leaf of nim... Still, I have got taste for nim begun(?). You like that? I think I shall take little, little milk.

Room Conversation -- April 22, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: (in disbelief) Hm?!

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: One hundred rupees a dozen they are being sold for, and they are being sent to the Gulf states, to the Arabs, and the Arabs are paying up to five hundred rupees a dozen for Alphonso mangoes. Fifty rupees per mango they are willing to pay. So the newspaper commented that "It may be that the poor people will not eat mango this year." Mangoes are so costly, over double the cost of last year.

Prabhupāda: Fifty rupees, twenty-five rupees per mango—who will pay?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Nobody. Of course, here in India they won't be so costly. The most costly ones are selling for one hundred rupees a dozen, so about eight rupees apiece. But then you can get lesser quality, and once the season is more in, then it will be available. But they are becoming increasingly costly. But isn't that an unheard of price? In your childhood I don't think they were that costly.

Prabhupāda: One rupee, dozen.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Phew! Good ones?

Prabhupāda: And later on, '53 or so, we saw, one rupee, half a dozen.

Morning Conversation -- April 23, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That is Muhammadans' theory. They can do merciless thing.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We were discussing that this paper that it came out in is a small, very small paper. Probably... The question is whether any newspaper... I mean, why such a small newspaper carried the story and not a big newspaper? That is the real question. I mean, obviously the man must have gone to many places. But why no one would touch that story? That is the next thing. Because they're all afraid. They're also implicated. They all reported. That means they were also implicated.

Prabhupāda: I don't think we shall add in our...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, we concluded that... The thing is that it's clear... This man will probably get no... No one will listen to him. Everybody will think that it is raving of a madman. Just like whenever the reporters... I remember the Los Angeles...

Prabhupāda: He has given very good reasoning.

Morning Conversation -- April 23, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yes. (indistinct) Lie.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Right. Why no other newspaper carried the story?

Prabhupāda: It is only because I disbelieved, he disagreed. (referring to Puruṣottama?) He disagreed with me from that moment. He thought me foolish that I do not believe scientific research.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That was in London, I think. I remember.

Prabhupāda: He was a good boy, very good boy. Only for this reason he left. The whole institution he left. Where he is now?

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.

Morning Talk -- April 25, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yes. "Oh, he has talked so much." (laughter) I saw that "These two dogs are barking only. One of them fainted."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There was a picture in the newspaper showing the students going to school, and each one of them was shown as a dog with a hat, graduation hat on, comparing the students to dogs. There was a cartoon, very apt.

Prabhupāda: Yes, they are creating so many dogs. "Can you give me any service?" "No vacancy! Get out!" And somebody becomes a... "All right, a bit of bread..." And: "Oh, oh, you are so kind." These śūdras... The number of śūdras have created this world situation so bad. (break) In your country also the farmers wants to go to the city to become educated and never comes back again. They are no more interested.

Conversation with Vedic Astronomer -- April 30, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: So Surabhī, come. You can come.

Indian Astronomer: And I am very glad to meet Your Holiness.

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Indian Astronomer: Till now I saw only in the papers, newspapers and magazines and pamphlets and books. I am so fortunate to gain darśana directly at your...

Prabhupāda: It is very kind of you. So...

Indian Astronomer: As Patita-pāvana dāsa told me... I informed him, I am a student of religion and also working for religion. Single-hand, I made attempt to propagate Vedic concept and Vedic religion for the past forty years. I am not able to find out any help. But fortunately, when I informed about Your Holiness and saw in newspapers also, I have found you are the incarnation of Indian gods, (Prabhupāda chuckles) from my point of view, because the mission which is not fulfilled by other ācāryas, even Swami Vivekananda, so many. I know... I studied all variety of prophets. But it is only fulfilled by Your Holiness.

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Morning Conversation -- April 30, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Don't become impertinent. Then he will say something. They'll he'll spoil the whole thing.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. He wrote to him from England. So I'll write to him.

Prabhupāda: Don't make much correspondence. It is courtesy he has replied. That's all.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually we read in the newspapers that he gets 8,700 letters a day.

Prabhupāda: The Morarji?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So he's not personally replying all the... He didn't reply that letter. I don't think he did. He has a big staff of people who simply write letters and sign.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He didn't write that letter.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Room Conversation -- May 2, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: It requires training.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Is there some subject matter...?

Prabhupāda: Just like so much training we are giving; still, there is falldown. So simply by saying...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So you had... There was a newspaper article about a few weeks ago, and you had said that something could be written on this subject. That's the only reason I...

Prabhupāda: (Bengali) Hm.

Bhakti-caru: (Bengali)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Is there any subject that would be good to write on?

Prabhupāda: Oh, we have got so many subjects, positive. Read our books and present it in a different way. You can write intelligently. That's not bad. Just to induce them...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, I...

Prabhupāda: But they will not hear.

Room Conversation -- May 8, 1977, Hrishikesh:

Prabhupāda: That is another cheating.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: You told them in that meeting we had in Warda. You were very bold. You said, "Unless you surrender to Kṛṣṇa and understand Kṛṣṇa, it's all useless." There is one very great yogic teacher in India like Maharishi Yogi called Brahmacari Virendra or something like that.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Dhirendra Brahma... Prabhupāda was reading about him this morning in the newspaper.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, you were? Oh, with that case...?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda has been following.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That Dhirendra Brahmacari.

Trivikrama: Who was caught with the woman.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: The so-called yogis...

Prabhupāda: All these yogis... They get cheap food, cheap women. That's all. And debauched women, in Hindu society, they cannot mix with other men, take advantage of these yogis, swamis and cheaters. Just becoming so-called devotees, they have sex attraction.(?) From both sides. Sex... Sex impulse is so strong that in different ways it should be taken, as a yogi, as a swami, as a gṛhastha, as a debauch, as a loafer. All... The central point is sex. Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukham (SB 7.9.45).

Evening Darsana -- May 13, 1977, Hrishikesh:

Prabhupāda: It is our fault we won't take. A man has fallen in the blind well, and he's crying, "Save me! Save me!" and when somebody comes and gives him a rope—"You catch it. I shall lift you"—but he'll not touch it. Then who can save him? The rope is there, the man is there, and he is crying, but when we request that "You take it," he won't take. Aiye. So how he can be saved? And Kṛṣṇa said, mad-āśrayaḥ. But he'll not take mad-āśrayaḥ. He'll take āśraya of something else. This is the position. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha. People are harassed to understand God, whether there is God or not God, who is God. When I first went to America, the theory was going that "God is dead." And what was the...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There was a newspaper...

Prabhupāda: Paper... Yes?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: When Prabhupāda first did the first public kīrtana, they said that "We thought God is dead, but now we see that Swami Bhaktivedanta has made God alive again."

Prabhupāda: This was the first remark. Then, gradually, these boys joined. They were after God, but they were given to understand that "God is dead. Now you take LSD."

Conversation Pieces -- May 27, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: That's all right. It doesn't matter. So what is your news?

Indian devotee (1): So we also gained a farm. We have started cultivating now.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Kṛṣṇa is giving you good chance. Develop farm and have temple. Go on enthusiastically.

Mahāṁśa: This morning I read in the newspapers about the exodus to village soon by the Prime Minister, and there the Prime Minister says that he is eager on developing village programs to establish agriculture facilities and village programs.

Prabhupāda: That is real work. If the Prime Minister has got this thing in his brain, then I can understand that he can do so.

Morning Talk -- June 19, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: That is real evolution. What do they know of change of body? Therefore I say that, that you people, your brain is filled up with stool. You require thorough washing. You are not civilized. What is meaning of civilization? Improve animal life to civilized life. A dog can walk on the street naked; a man cannot. That is civilization. Otherwise dog is eating; you are eating. He's sleeping; you are sleeping. This is civilization. (indistinct) Culture. You have no knowledge of culture. Real knowledge is this: the body is there and changing; the soul is there, eternal. Then you become on the platform of God. If you remain in the same ignorance, then where is your advancement of civilization? If you cannot understand the simple truth, then where is your civilization?

Śatadhanya: They have no civilization.

Prabhupāda: No, where is civilization? If you remain like animals, where is that civilization?

Śatadhanya: Just from the daily newspaper one can see that it is all madness, insane. (break)

Prabhupāda: Because whole Vedic knowledge is concentrated on the point how to stop birth and death. Eternal life. That is... (Bengali) (end)

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

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I'll show you that article.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: In Time Magazine?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, in a weekly newspaper from Pennsylvania.

Prabhupāda: No, there are companies. They came to us. Your theory they'll present in a scientific way, so-called scientific way.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yes, company.

Prabhupāda: They have got all toys and take photograph.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: I am also feeling that in the last, about five years ago, scientists, though they were very arrogant about ten years ago, seems a feeling that they may be little bit on the humble side. They are not as arrogant as they used to be, say, ten years ago. We couldn't talk these things in the West, but now, since they promised all these things, and up till now, actually, we have all those things that they promised about ten years ago. Now nothing's happening. So they're making a second thought, that maybe whatever they thought, it's all wrong, so...

Prabhupāda: It is wrong.

Conversation with Svarupa Damodara -- June 21, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Very good. Their false propaganda... (pause) (break) Scientists, they should seriously charge for the prestige of their Vedic knowledge. "Yes, my... Yes, sir, you are stating." What is this nonsense? "You are creating some rascals? Yes, my lord." In the name of education.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: I made an advertisement in M.I.T. saying that... Korana is the man who synthesized this gene... They thought that might life. So I was putting in an M.I.T. newspaper in the campus, saying that "Korana's gene is not life, and virus is not life. These are all molecules. They have nothing to do with life." So we have a lecture coming up next month, July 10th, in the M.I.T. campus, so three of us are going to speak on life coming from life. Because this is an M.I.T. campus, so there'll be many people from his group coming, because it is directly challenging the biggest group in the United States about this...

Prabhupāda: So do they accept?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yeah, and some Indians are on our side, specially this Indian Student's Association, and also there is an association called Indian Association for Greater Boston. The president and the secretary came to me, and they are supporting us.

Prabhupāda: That's nice.

Conversation with Surendra Kumar and O.B.L. Kapoor -- June 26, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Food for crows.

Prabhupāda: (laughs) Yes. It is garbage. Tad-vaga-visarga-janata..., pragrnita, tad vayasa-tīrtham: "Garbage for the crows." Yes. No swan will come there. That is already explained. Kṛṣṇa has at least saved us from reading this garbage. We are not interested with any book or newspaper or anything. We kicked out. At least I am not interested in reading any other except Bhāgavata. That is there. Punaḥ punaś carvi... Sex literature, nonsense. "Phu!" Mukha-vikāraḥ bhava... Tad-avadhi bata nārī-saṅgame smaryamāne bhavati mukha-vikaraḥ suṣṭhu niṣṭhīvanam. This is the real... Hm. Let us go to the...

Yaśodānandana: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda. (break)

Prabhupāda: You open the door and close. And keep open. Why it is... (break) They will close the closet, and I'll open the door. Close it and go on, open and go on, throne, this... (Hindi) Very well. (break) There is a agent preparing the stolen papers.(?) That now...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Every time I go to the marketplace... (break)

Prabhupāda: And well done, to the next fair(?). What I have got? In the Deity room silver stand, silver lamp, silver plate. I do not find this. (break) ...is known there.

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

Prabhupāda: Just like our men. Little advanced, they have no more interest with hearing newspaper, ordinary sex novel. This is for the rascals. Apaśyatām ātma-tattvam (SB 2.1.2). We are interested in Bhāgavata. That's all. You can read. Go on.

Upendra:

nidrayā hriyate naktaṁ

vyavāyena ca vā vayaḥ

divā cārthehayā rājan

kuṭumba-bharaṇena vā

(SB 2.1.3)

"The life span of such envious householders is passed at night either in sleeping or in sex indulgence, and in the daytime either in making money or in maintaining family members."

Prabhupāda: So this business...

Śatadhanya: They waste all the time.

Upendra:

dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣv

ātma-sainyeṣv asatsv api

teṣāṁ pramatto nidhanaṁ

paśyann api na paśyati

(SB 2.1.4)

"Persons devoid of ātma-tattva do not inquire into the problems of life, being too attached to the fallible soldiers like the body, children, wife, etc. Although sufficiently experienced, still they do not see their inevitable destruction."

Room Conversation with Devotees -- July 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: That they are already presenting. We want this help. Let us see how the judgment... It is a test. And if there is no sympathy, then who would approve? Because we have to mix with these politicians very carefully. They can do more harm than good.

Bhakti-caitanya: They do that. There was one Indira Gandhi's..., like as a guru, Dhirendra Brahmacari, and now every day news, bad news, are coming in the newspaper, we understand, because he becomes very much close to Indira Gandhi and his son. All his yoga-āśrama in Kashmir... He built up big āśrama, and the government, they were giving him aid, many lakhs rupees, every year. Now this Janata government took over. He had a... They took over the land and everything, and now they are going to send even back here, because he was so much mixed with the politicians.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Bhakti-caitanya: From there we can see that result.

Prabhupāda: So if we mix with these politicians, very bad. Better not to mix. But sometimes this is very important thing, and we have already presented our case. Let us see how he does it. Everywhere you should be very careful about mixing with the politicians.

Bhu-mandala Diagram Discussion -- July 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: "Probably." Everything "probably."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It says here, "There is thick dust covering and no evidence to suggest that the moon has ever supported life." In that newspaper article the man who is exposing them said—because they say it is covered by dust—"How is it that no dust is shown on the astronauts' suits when they walked around?" He says, "If there's such a thick dust, then, when the rocket landed, it would have made a pocket within that dust." He says, "But there's no crater around the rocket. Then how it is possible that these things are like that?" 'Cause actually they forgot. When they were making the stage setting in Arizona, they forgot these things.

Yaśodā-nandana: One argument Your Divine Grace gave in 1971 was that if they went to the moon and they found it was rock, how do they explain the moon is so shiny and gives such a cooling effect? They cannot explain that.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Look at the earth. Now, this is a real question that we still have to answer. They picture the earth round, and we say, no. Bhū-maṇḍala is like a lotus, like this, and the earth is only one part of one island in Bhū-maṇḍala, and it's not, you know, it's not round(?). It doesn't look like that. And all the pictures they take of the earth when they go up in their satellites show round. And we're going to tell them that it's not. This is a very tricky question. In other words, if this is the picture of the world, like this, and we say that... If we take an airplane from here, from Los Angeles. Now, supposing we go to India, which is here. So there's two ways to go. One way, you can go like this, and the other way, you can go like that. But if the earth is not a round globe, then how is it sometimes people go from Los Angeles via Hawaii to Japan and then India? So we can't figure this out. We have experience, those of us who have flown, that actually the plane went from Los Angeles to Hawaii to Tokyo to Hong Kong and then to India. So it doesn't work out in our maps so far, right? We can't figure it out. This thing has to be very complete in its answers. Otherwise everyone will laugh at us. We can't leave any loopholes.

Prabhupāda: So are you thinking on this?

Bhakti-prema: In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam... According to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, it is (indistinct).

Prabhupāda: Find out from our side, according to Bhāgavatam.

Bhakti-prema: Scientists are lacking in the main points.

Prabhupāda: Yes. They "probably," so many theories.

Room Conversations -- July 7, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Siddha-svarūpa's.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It was against the devotees' book distribution tactics. So...

Prabhupāda: So you can send them: "This is not good." Let him know.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So Satsvarūpa wrote a letter to the editor of the newspaper-it's a newspaper which is put out by Siddha's people-saying that "This is not at all proper. You should not..." He gave so many shastric references why it is not good.

Prabhupāda: It will be corrected.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, I mean the main... It's not so serious. The main point is, as you said, they're chanting and all these other activities.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So we shall go now?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. It's getting late.

Prabhupāda: Where is Jao Prasad? (break)

Room Conversation during lunchtime -- July 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So there was a newspaper clipping about Māyāpur published in the Hindustan Times. This newspaper clipping...

Prabhupāda: Hindustan Times?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Delhi.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Ah. The heading is "Eleven Krishna Devotees Held for Firing." "Five Indian and six foreign Vaiṣṇava devotees were arrested from Māyāpur maṭha of ISKCON, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, in Nabadwip last night when shots fired from inside the celebrated temple injured fifteen persons, most of them milkmen. A double-barreled gun was seized from the maṭha, it is reported. Police pickets have been posted since there is considerable tension in the nearby villages. Among those arrested is Swami Bhavānanda, an American in charge of the maṭha. Some time ago he was forced to leave the country after the expiry of his visa, but he returned later. The incident occurred at about 5 p.m. on Friday. Some boys were grazing their cattle on the fields outside the maṭha when some cows strayed into its compound. The cattle were beaten up by the inmates and driven out." It doesn't sound like our devotees. Beat up cows? "Angry milkmen from a nearby village crowded outside the maṭha. Shots were then fired from inside the maṭha, it is reported, injuring fifteen persons, two of them seriously. The police arrived on the scene within an hour. Among the six foreigners arrested are a Romanian, an Italian, and some Americans. The founder of the maṭha, Prabhupāda A.C. Bhaktivedanta, was not present." This is called slanted reporting. I mean, first of all, our devotees don't beat up the cows. We worship the cow. We don't beat cows. I can't take this as very factual account. So many statements here say, "It was reported," "It was reported." This is from a... It was published in Delhi, but it's datelined Calcutta, and the event happened in Māyāpur. So by the time it got to Delhi it seems to have taken a strange shape. I thought you'd want to...

Prabhupāda: These goyālas are very aggressive.

Room Conversation -- July 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Oh, directory

Mr. Myer: Whole things is done in one. I'll bring a copy when I come next time. It was done on very special paper made by Triveni Tissues in Calcutta. And whole thing is just so thin, and it covers everything, whatever, all Indian bases, all foreign embassies, banks, newspapers. (indistinct) Bombay this gentleman is. He's got a very big press. But he has a problem in managing it. So my brother is trying to give him some business. They have got very good facilities, offset. People don't believe such good printing can be done in India, five color, six color.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Your brother is a printer by trade? No.

Mr. Myer: He is publisher.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He's a publisher by trade.

Mr. Myer: He is actually doing agency business and publishing as his hobby. He's trying to bring out a few books.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Where does he live?

Mr. Myer: He lives in Bangalore.

Prabhupāda: So why not bring some samples?

Mr. Myer: I'll bring. I'll bring samples. And also I think if you want to print Back to Godhead issue, he can easily do it. He's got a very good mind for it.

Prabhupāda: No, if your brother has got good press, we can print so many books.

Room Conversation Mayapura attack -- July 15, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: And it has gone to the Central Government?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You said that. I guess you must have got that information from the newspaper. I didn't know that. I mean just see. Fifty of them together stealing the grass. That's organized. Two hundred fifty people waiting in the bushes, knowing that we will try to stop them from stealing, and suddenly they all rush into the gate, destroy the gate, cut the wires, cut the telephone line, destroy the waterpumps. Every one of these things is criminal. We did not do anything wrong, no wrong in any case. And yet they arrest us. The American government... Actually this should be pushed from the American government. That will have tremendous effect. We should let the American government defend us.

Prabhupāda: Is the Consulate has come?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. The Consulate went to Māyāpur.

Prabhupāda: We already said that this is a Communist plan.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They stripped a woman naked. Look at how these Muslims behaved. And after all these years of our distributing prasādam, and still they act like this.

Prabhupāda: They are Communist group. Muslims are not so bad, but the Communists... They are... Communists are creating as Hindu-Muslim or like that, religious group. He has written something about Communists?

Room Conversation Mayapura attack -- July 15, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He says, "Since the Communists took power in West Bengal, the police are caring less for religious groups." Before, the police would always give religious groups protection. Now they don't care. I mean just see, they didn't come for two hours, and then they said, "Come down and file a complaint." And when we came down, immediately arrested. This same thing happened in New York. They told Ādi-keśava Mahārāja and the other boy, Trayī dāsa, "You come down to file some statement." As soon as they came down they said, "You're under arrest." Same trick. (break) ...infirmary and they come in and they... I never heard of that. Someone is in the infirmary being treated and they beat him worse. And the newspapers all report it the other way.

Prabhupāda: Because the government is Communist.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Right. The newspapers are being told what to print. They're afraid to print anything else. But foreign press can print anything. And other press, Delhi press, Bombay press, they can print anything. This was dated the eleventh.

Prabhupāda: Government published this. The Statesman, therefore, has not given any description.

Room Conversation Mayapura attack -- July 15, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: This is published in?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This is published in the Indian Express. Good newspaper.

Prabhupāda: Bombay.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Bombay. July 12th. There's a lot of touchy items here. One very touchy item is this Hindu-Muslim thing. And this... The Communists are very intelligent. They purposely chose... (break) What about the actual ministers? Cabinet ministers?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Cabinet ministers, there are sober, Morarji Desai and some of them. This Vajpayi.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Vajpayi. That means that they took it that we were a threat. They are feeling the weight of our movement.

Prabhupāda: They are practically seeing that we are going village to village and people are receiving us. So if these Americans push on the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, naturally people will take it. And that was my idea from the beginning, that if the Americans become Vaiṣṇavas, then others will be. It is four?

Upendra: Three. (break)

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa men. They want Bengal completely godless.

Room Conversation Mayapura attack -- July 15, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: That is purposefully planned.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And how is it that 250 men suddenly were waiting in the bushes?

Prabhupāda: It is all planned.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Now we've finally got the facts on this case. We practically already knew it. I think actually this will probably come out in all the newspapers. They held a press conference in Bombay. That means it will hit all the newspapers in India.

Prabhupāda: Oh. They held?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yeah. They held a press conference in Bombay. It says... Here it is. "The Press release, which has been... We are issuing the correct story at the request of the journals to publish the correction."

Prabhupāda: Who said?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Gopāla. And Rāmeśvara is doing it from the international side. It came in all the papers. Imagine, they're getting calls from Rāmeśvara in Los Angeles, Jayatīrtha in Africa. Jayatīrtha visited Africa recently. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...they would have done. The first news was that "The founder was not there." Otherwise the police would have charged me that "He has given order."

Room Conversation Mayapura attack -- July 15, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Where they went? All bogus.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And they were rewarded by people throwing cut-up newspaper on their heads. That's considered a great... When someone gets this... It's called ticker-tape parade.

Prabhupāda: Purposely the Western money has been taken. What is the meaning of?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think Jayādvaita has called their number in the Back to Godhead article: demons. Right out he calls them demons.

Prabhupāda: Yes. We have to describe the demon very nicely.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually you described them. He was just repeating what you have written in Bhagavad-gītā. (sound of hammers)

Prabhupāda: Where work is being...? In this building or the other building? (break)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's what we were wondering. The guesthouse. The guests also like to rest after lunchtime. Well, anyway, even though the times have changed, you have, by spreading this movement, at least in all of our temples, it is at least one hundred years behind the times-peaceful. Everyone marks that in our temples it is very peaceful. People like it. I know when I joined I went to that temple and the thing I loved was that I felt it was very protective, that nothing could harm me when I was in the temple. (end)

Room Conversation -- July 17, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Indira Gandhi, finished. President Nixon, finished. They do not see, these big, big stalwart men of the world. They can be finished in one second. Prahlāda Mahārāja said that "I have seen my father, such a powerful man, finished. What benediction I shall ask, this material world? Don't allure me. Better engage me as the servant of Your servant." Anything, any opulence. Now nobody utters the name of Indira Gandhi. Every... Every day the people or newspaper filled up with Indira Gandhi. That the Russian minister, Krushchev? Nobody knows where he is.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He's unknown now.

Prabhupāda: They said he is living privately.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Why did they depose him?

Prabhupāda: The cause may be many, but we have to see the result. The main cause was that he was appointing his own men in big, big office.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Same thing as Indira.

Prabhupāda: Nepotism. Indira's plan was next prime minister, Sanjay.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Family heritage. I saw one cartoon in the..., in one newspaper. It said... A little conversation between Gandhi, Nehru and Indira. They're speaking with Cāṇakya Paṇḍita. Each one of them is discussing how he's gone wrong. Cāṇakya is advising them what they've done wrong. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita is advising each one of them what they did wrong.

Room Conversation -- July 19, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "People say they have never had such wonderful tasty food. If we can get money from Food Relief, it should be sent directly here."

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. First thing is you get ghee.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. We are already giving him one fifth of what Hari-śauri sends. "The newspapers gave some account of an incident in Māyāpur. When asked to make a statement to the press, however, I do not know what happened. Please let the secretary inform us." I made a copy of Jayapatāka's report, and I made five copies of it, so I'll send him one. I did it for this reason.

Prabhupāda: That's good.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Then... "I hope this letter finds Your Divine Grace in good health."

Prabhupāda: It doesn't depend on my good or bad health. It is all spiritual news. Spiritually I become very much enlivened.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Should I tell him that you're thinking about going to the West?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- July 27-28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: What you'll challenge? They will challenge. Don't talk of... They say also, "Close this temple."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah. One of the things they raised was they should close this... "This is said to be a temple of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, but actually it is the base of the CIA, American CIA in India, and now it should be closed." And in one newspaper we read that they're proposing that if it's closed, they can use it as a hospital and school. Prabhupāda said actually this is their intention, to drive us away and to take the buildings and use it as hospital and school. So they want to kill religion in Bengal. The Janata party is for religion. At least they say so.

Yaśomatīnandana: This Prabhudas Patwaria is just now in Delhi. I can go today. He already told me that he will take me to the Prime Minister, because he has very good relation with Prime Minister. And he was reading your books in the jail. Prabhudas Patwaria was framed by Indira Gandhi in the dynamite case of George Pramanas. And the George Pramanas was also in same room with him, and he was also reading books.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Wow! These men are important men now in the government.

Yaśomatīnandana: George Pramanas is minister of railway. And he was with Prabhudas. Prabhudas Patwaria can be a great help now. He's coming here on 30th.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You'll come with him?

Yaśomatīnandana: Yes. I'll come with him.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So you won't go back to Ahmedabad till afterwards.

Yaśomatīnandana: No, I won't go back. I think we should move on these matters. We should do something.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda? It seems like there's three things that we're... I'm just wondering... Here's Gopāla.

Prabhupāda: (laughs) So I thought that unless he brings some book, he won't come. Because every time I criticize him, "Where is the book? Where is the book?"

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: We've got the First Canto, Part Two, this time, in Hindi.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Very nice. So you are being recognized. You are doing good, so he's doing good.

Room Conversation -- July 27-28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: It advertises all your books. Plus, Śrīla Prabhupāda, I had signed a contract with the biggest mail-order house in India, called Mail Order Sales. And this week their full-page advertisement on the Bhagavad-gītā is reaching 25,000 households. Their ad wasn't ready, but they are sending it to me in few days. It's a very beautiful ad. They have a monthly newspaper called Mail Order News, and that they've given a whole page. But they pay for it. We give them a straight commission on sales. Just like in America you have Book of the Month Club and selling books by mail. This is very big. Plus we are now doing the Bhaktivedanta Encyclopedia of Vedic Knowledge. We are preparing a brochure just like this. This is a Brittanica Encyclopedia advertisement. So we're going to have your nineteen or twenty Bhāgavatams here. The artists are working on it and this is going to be sent to about thirty thousand households. These are just for households, not libraries or anyone, just as selling to businessmen and executives.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Who's going to do this?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Mail Order Sales. It's a company that specializes in mail orders. This will be very good.

Prabhupāda: Everything you do, it is... Now, utilize. So one book has come only.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I've got three books. Two you can keep. One... I'll give one to Prem Yogi, Bhakti-prema Mahārāja.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Is his name in there?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, as the translator.

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) Translator? Anyway, it is the teachings.

Room Conversations Bangladesh Preaching/Prabhavisnu Articles by Hamsaduta -- August 11, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Ah!

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Ah. He's exposed now. "...whereas these men have actually qualified themselves in bona fide institutions of learning by submitting their theses for Ph.D. degrees. Dr. Kovoor boasts that for over twenty years he has challenged holy men to show him God or the soul, and no one has ever dared to take up his challenge. But now someone has come forward to challenge him. I have rented the Ramakrishna Mission Hall on the 20th of August, Saturday, 6:30 PM, and invite him to accept my challenge on the stage before the public to produce life from chance biochemical combination. All are invited to attend. Admission free. Bring some chemicals if possible." He rented a hall. He's put out a challenge in the newspaper. Now we'll hear what the public is saying. I think he gave a good reply.

Prabhupāda: Very good. This is preaching.

Room Conversation With Madhudvisa and others -- August 17, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Dr. Kovoor has responded, and now Haṁsadūta has booked a hall and challenged him in all the newspapers to produce a mosquito. Free admission. They're serving halavā prasādam.

Prabhupāda: Actually, in mosquito you'll find the same arrangement like a big airplane, that wings, the body... But see the wonderful thing that not only there is mechanism but there is a pilot also. But your, this 747, it is big, there is mechanism, but pilot you have to bring outside. This is our challenge. And millions of such planes are born without your scientific knowledge. You produce one, then come to combat with God. This is our challenge. Simply jugglery of words, "We have manufactured this element, that element. Now, in future, we are going to...," this nonsense we shall not allow. Do it now. Hm? What do you think?

Śrutakīrti: Also, flying over here, that 747 I was flying on was three hours late because of some mechanical difficulty. So even they make it, they don't make it very nicely.

Prabhupāda: Imperfect.

Room Conversation -- October 13, 1977, Vrndavana:

Purī Mahārāja: Life. (laughs)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So he challenged him to a big thing, and in the newspapers every day for two or three months there was discussion between Haṁsadūta Mahārāja on behalf of the belief that life comes from life, not from chemicals. Life comes from Kṛṣṇa. So he defeated this man, big scientist.

Purī Mahārāja: Ācchā. Ah, good.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And the man did not come.

Prabhupāda: You can read one newspaper article.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: One of the articles?

Prabhupāda: Yes. (Bengali) "Prepare one mosquito." (Purī Mahārāja laughs) (Bengali)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Shall I read, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- October 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Jñāna: The pressmen were very favorable.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes, we also had press conference today. So they told me that they'd like to release, so we have to summarize what we have said today so that they can print it in the newspapers.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Which newspapers came?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: From Mathurā the Times of India came. I think five?

Jñāna: There were five reporters here altogether.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Five reporters. Also from All-India Radio they came.

Jñāna: They're coming again on Sunday.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes. And the press people are coming tomorrow also, day after tomorrow. So we'll try to summarize what we have studied today and try to print it nicely in the newspapers. I requested them that this is a great responsibility for the newsmen to do this genuine scientific propaganda. So I requested them they should cooperate with us. They said that they will do it. I also requested the members of the delegate to kindly attend our temple functions. Right now I think they are in the ārati, sandhyā-ārati.

Prabhupāda: Hm. So let them.

Room Conversation -- October 24, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This Tulasī dāsa has sent different things. Here's a news clipping from the Leader. It's a newspaper. It says, "Hare Kṛṣṇa festivity. All roads lead to the Hare Kṛṣṇa farm āśrama at Cato Ridge last Sunday where thousands of well-wishers and devotees celebrated Kṛṣṇa Janmāṣṭamī. His Holiness Śrīmān Jayatīrtha dāsa Prabhu came out especially from the United States for the occasion and to officiate at the opening of the new temple of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness." One picture shows the devotees... It says, "Members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness and followers of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda lead the crowd in the singing of Hare Kṛṣṇa kīrtana. In the foreground is the havana-kuṇḍa on which the sacrificial prayer was performed prior to the opening of the new temple. A view of the large gathering...," it shows thousands of people, Śrīla Prabhupāda, "...at the Hare Kṛṣṇa farm āśrama at Cato Ridge at the weekend when the new temple was officially opened. The function was held in conjunction with Lord Kṛṣṇa's birth anniversary celebrations." Here's the temple. "Head of the group, Tulasī dāsa, seen with other devotees in front of their new temple." It's a very beautiful temple with pillars and arches. I don't know how they built it so soon. (laughs) It's a big temple they built there. It says, "The International Society for Krishna Consciousness, more widely known as the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, opened its temple to coincide with the celebration of the birth of Lord Kṛṣṇa. This birthday celebration..." (break) Here's another article, pictures of devotees opening the temple. Another article. "Śrīmān Jayatīrtha dāsa Prabhu, one of the top officials..."

Prabhupāda: Still, they criticize us. Hm? Affirmations(?) good character, good health...

Room Conversation -- October 24, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Very good news. Now can see. This material body may remain or not remain. This movement will push on.(?) That is wanted. Where is such thing throughout the whole world? Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There aren't, except in our temples. He says, "By Kṛṣṇa's grace the most wonderful Janmāṣṭamī celebration was held at the big farm āśrama in South Africa. The celebration included the opening of a new temple and prasādam facility, two new life membership cottages and three overnight guest rooms, initiation of four new devotees and two brāhmaṇa initiations, a play, a massive prasādam distribution, go-pūjā, a transcendental treasure hunt for the children, ecstatic chanting by all, and distribution of books, records, posters and tapes. We enclose pictures of the various events, as well as newspaper articles. The newspapers were all one-hundred-percent favorable, and one even had a four-page article on ISKCON. The Gujarati ladies from Durban and Pietermaritzburg all came early to help cook puris and halavā. They cooked about one quarter ton of halavā (Prabhupāda chuckles) and over eight thousand puris, all of which were distributed. At least fifteen thousand people attended the two-day festival, and all of the most important big Indian businessmen and millionaires attended. Two days before the event, a large marquee, able to hold twenty-five hundred people, was erected, and the initiations and the play were held inside. The play especially was most successful, as the top Indian stage and lighting men in South Africa were giving us technical assistance. It was so nice that even some of the ladies were in tears during the performance. The go-pūjā was also a massively popular event, as none of the local people had ever seen such a thing before. In fact, many people came up to the devotees and were saying things like, 'We left India thirty years ago, and I never saw anything like this before.' So far, the Indian community..." (break)

Bhavānanda: And the other one is that Ādi-keśava Mahārāja, he has a friend in Delhi named Chandi Das. He's a big yogi, I think?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, he's from America.

Bhavānanda: He has quite a bit of money. And so Ādi-keśava called him up, and he had a kavirāja in the Rāmānuja-sampradāya. And Chandi Das went to see his kavirāja, and his kavirāja had just gotten finished mixing makara-dhvaja medicine. He'd been preparing it for the past ten days. And Śatadhanya Mahārāja and Ādi-keśava were just now going over to see this kavirāja. That Chandi Das has purchased seven tolās of the medicine for Your Divine Grace as a gift. They are going over to pick it up.

Prabhupāda: (laughs) Just see. Kṛṣṇa arranges. Just see.

Room Conversation -- October 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: What you are doing?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: With the press from the Indian Express and other newspapers. And also I went to the television and the All-India Radio for the engagement. And also I wanted to discuss with some of my members the immediate plan that we have. So I sent one to Bombay to organize a conference. So I'll try to cover this area very quickly, Agra, Delhi, and Punjab. I'm meeting a lot of scientists. And also I collected several copies of the newspaper, The Statesman. I went to the Statesman building, collected the newspaper coverings. How are you feeling, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: That kavirāja did not come?

Upendra: What happened? No one knows. They left. They say he left Calcutta at twelve o'clock flight.

Room Conversation -- October 31, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Jaya. All glories.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: All glories to you. (break) ...were saying.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Some of our men went to the Delhi University, they also met the Dean of Sciences, Delhi University. In fact they told him, he told them that there is news release. So in fact he kept the cutting of the newspaper to them. So they have read. So it seems to me that there's some good publicity. (break) Most of them knew that we were coming from the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement.

Prabhupāda: A new light.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: There's going to be an international symposium in Madras early next year about the what they call complex light molecules in evolution and there's going to be some Nobel prize winning scientists. So we'll be writing a letter to present our paper in that symposium. That's first week of January next year. If we can present one paper that will be I think quite good. (break)

Prabhupāda: (Hindi with Kavirāja)

Adri-dharaṇa: Did you have good rest last night, Prabhupāda?

Kavirāja: (Hindi)

Prabhupāda: At the end of the night.

Room Conversation -- November 3, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think we have to go soon, Śrīla Prabhupāda. Actually, to take you to different places is the greatest ecstasy, because there's no greater pleasure the devotees have than when you first arrive, they see you. Their feelings know no bounds. Airport arrivals have always been ecstatic over the years, Śrīla Prabhupāda. The newspapers always remark how ecstatic they are.

Prabhupāda: What is the condition of the road?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This road is hopeless. We have to find an alternate way.

Bhakti-caru: How about going from Mathurā to Delhi by train?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Śrīla Prabhupāda, this morning you were asking for Bharadvāja? Here he is. We thought of a better way to go, Śrīla Prabhupāda, than car. We'll take the Taj Express from Mathurā to Delhi. It's quite a nice train ride. It takes only one hour and forty-five minutes, and it doesn't even stop one time.

Śatadhanya: I just took it from Delhi this morning. Very clean, very smooth.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We will have one devotee get on in Agra to reserve a compartment for us, and then we'll board it here in Mathurā, and it arrives in Delhi at about nine-thirty at night, nine forty-five. So then we'll spend the night in Delhi, resting, and then the following morning we'll take the morning flight to Calcutta and Māyāpur. This means also that you won't have to undergo any strenuous journey to Delhi and then immediately take a flight. The train journey is actually much easier than a car journey, and then we get the whole night to rest, which is also good. So basically it just means we take a plane and then the car ride to Māyāpur.

Prabhupāda: So I simply go by car from here to Mathurā.