Prabhupāda: That is also explained in the Bhāgavata. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). That activity is considered to be the highest pious activity. The Bhāgavata does not say what kind of activity. "That activity which leads one to be a devotee of the Lord." That activity is not limited. Any activity that makes one progressing for realization of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is higher, the highest pious activity. That is the description. Just as military art is not a very pious activity, killing art. But because the killing art exhibited by Arjuna was leading him to this platform of satisfying Kṛṣṇa, so that became the highest pious activity. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro... We have to see whether by his activity he's gaining strength in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then it is highest. It doesn't matter whether it is photography or business or painting or cooking. It doesn't matter. Whether Kṛṣṇa is being satisfied by his activities? Just like you are engaged in different activities. But as soon as you bring your money and engage in the Society's cause, oh, I am very gratified. I do not inquire... Of course, we do not encourage impious activity. That is not the meaning. But phalena paricīyate. Because you offer the result of your activities to Kṛṣṇa, that becomes pious. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje (SB 1.2.6). So that is the standard of pious activity. Now, this is also pious activity, heeding before teacher. That if by satisfying the poor teachers one becomes pious, how much pious he is who is trying to satisfy the supreme teacher, Kṛṣṇa. He's also a living creature. He's also individual person.
Photograph (Conversations)
Expressions researched:
"photo"
|"photocopied"
|"photocopies"
|"photocopy"
|"photoelectric"
|"photogram"
|"photograph"
|"photographed"
|"photographer"
|"photographers"
|"photographic"
|"photographing"
|"photographs"
|"photography"
Conversations and Morning Walks
1968 Conversations and Morning Walks
Journalist: Did you get formal training with a...
Prabhupāda: Yes, I was initiated by my Guru Mahārāja. His, here is that, my spiritual master's photo.
Journalist: Oh, I see.
Prabhupāda: Yes. So when your country wanted a certificate for making me permanent resident, so I got a certificate from my Godbrothers that I am initiated. That's all. But otherwise, in our country, there is no necessity of certificate.
1969 Conversations and Morning Walks
Candanācārya: Because he saw photographs that audience was hippies.
Prabhupāda: Oh. So that we cannot cancel: "These hippies are not admitted." No. We admit everyone. We cannot say that "Such and such person cannot enter into our temple." We cannot say. Everyone is welcome. Everyone is welcome. And, if they do not come, how they'll converted?
Miss Rose: I think that the confusion is...
Prabhupāda: We cannot say, just like, in some hotels, that "Such and such persons are not admitted." No. We cannot. We admit everyone. Our mission is to elevate persons from down state of life to the highest state of life. So everyone is in down state. Lord Jesus Christ also said that "You do not hate the sinners, but hate sin." Is not that, Lord Jesus Christ said? So hippies may be sinners.
Prabhupāda: I want complete for being photographed.
Jayadvaita: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Yes. This is all right. You see? So you can take some photograph like this picture. This is also... Kṛṣṇa is patting a cow.
Hayagrīva: These are photographs, these are pictures.
Prabhupāda: Oh, pictures. Then it is all right. All right. It is all right?
Satsvarūpa: Yes. That's all.
Prabhupāda: That's all. So now distribute prasādam. First of all, chant once more Hare Kṛṣṇa.
1971 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: No, no. First thing is that when we speak of Bhagavad-gītā, it is spoken by Kṛṣṇa. So why there is no Kṛṣṇa photograph?
Guest (1): They didn't put the picture.
Prabhupāda: Yes. That means you have not understood Kṛṣṇa. Therefore your, this so-called Gītā society is not bona fide. At least even in ordinary feature, suppose if there is political meeting, you keep Gandhi, this photo, Jawaharlal Nehru's photo because they are the political leaders. You are preaching Bhagavad-gītā, Gītā Samītī, and there is not a single picture of Kṛṣṇa.
1972 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: I have seen the Sai's photo. From his photograph, it appears he has a guru. From his appearance, I can understand.
Devotee: I feel that it is my duty to see that the devotees who are staying at the other temples are respectful and are following your wishes.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Devotee: Some things that Sai mentioned in that letter that I should answer, he asked about photographs, spiritual photographs.
Prabhupāda: My photograph?
Devotee: Yes, he said something about photographs, that the devotees had photographs of him and he didn't want them to have them if you didn't want them to.
Prabhupāda: Oh, that is not harmful.
Śyāmasundara: Yeah, photocopies.
Dr. Kapoor: You promised to give me a photo of Prabhupāda.
Guru dāsa: I'll give you one.
Prabhupāda: If you have got any colored photo, you can give him. So we have now increased eighty-seven.
Prabhupāda: Actually, because they are following strictly, māyā cannot touch them. Yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya vartate kāma-kārataḥ, na sa siddhim (BG 16.23). Kṛṣṇa says vidhi. Bhakti-vidhi. Must be followed. (aside:) This is cut piece? Cut piece from the book cover? No. It is original photo?
Guru dāsa: A copy.
Prabhupāda: Copy.
Dr. Kapoor: It is fine. (break) (laughs) But now I changed so there is a Radha-Kṛṣṇa photo in the background which is cut.
Prabhupāda: You can give some of that. It is not very nice.
Yamunā: We need the nice ones.
Guru dāsa: We don't have any others.
Yamunā: We didn't bring so many things with us, but we'll give him very nice.
Prabhupāda: Here Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa photo is cut, it's not good. You have got any in your photo...
Śyāmasundara: Not color.
Prabhupāda: So can you make a rough sketch just of this building and in front a temple with arches. I will take and give you photograph. You have got those photographs, Śyāmasundara?
Śyāmasundara: You haven't given me yet.
Prabhupāda: Second set of photographs that was taken?
Śyāmasundara: Oh, oh, of the temple. Yes, I have.
Prabhupāda: Yes. So you can make drawing.
Cintāmaṇi: Make a sketch of this end...
Prabhupāda: Yes. And in front a temple, high arches, big temple. I will give you the photo. Where is the photo?
Śyāmasundara: I have negatives. I have to get some photos made.
Prabhupāda: No, you got some photos made?
Śyāmasundara: That other boy in Sydney, Śyāmalālānanda, he has.
Prabhupāda: Anyone takes, but he sleeps. He doesn't deliver. I wanted to send immediately to Bombay.
Bali-mardana: This is a photograph we've received of your Guru Mahārāja.
Prabhupāda: Oh.
Bali-mardana: Yadubara, I think he has sent many from the family collection of Lalitā Prasāda. The painters...
Prabhupāda: So keep it and frame it, and keep it in my room.
Prabhupāda: That is all. Opposite. Whatever message it is... He was supposed to be a very good scholar of Bhagavad-gītā. His photograph is with the Bhagavad-gītā. But he did not speak a single word that "You become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa." He talked so many nonsense. All others... The real Bhagavad-gītā is Kṛṣṇa says that "You surrender unto Me." Nobody says, neither Tilak, Gandhi, this Ramakrishna, this Aravindo. Nobody says that. He's made purposefully avoiding his duty. And these rascals are going as dutiful. His duty was to say as Kṛṣṇa says, if he is actually student of Bhagavad-gītā. Here is Kṛṣṇa saying that you surrender, you surrender to Kṛṣṇa. We are doing that. We are not speaking something nonsense. We are speaking, "Here Kṛṣṇa says surrender. You surrender unto Kṛṣṇa." That's all. Simple thing. We don't manufacture duty. We are servant of Kṛṣṇa. Our duty is to say people, "Here Kṛṣṇa says man-manā bhava mad-bhakto (BG 18.65). You become His devotee, you always think of Him, you offer Him obeisances." Our simple duty.
Prabhupāda: (Hindi) So after the Gosvāmīs came here, practically, all this Vṛndāvana city has developed. Before that, it was open fields. (Hindi) You developed this photo here in India also?
Devotee (1): Ah, some of it.
Indian man: At least mine and Swamiji.
Prabhupāda: You send some copies here.
Devotee: Yes.
Prabhupāda: (Hindi) You can take one photograph alone. Have you got (indistinct).
Śyāmasundara: This man here. This man.
Devotee: Where?
Śyāmasundara: Right here. Is he one of your old friends?
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Prabhupāda: (Hindi) Accha. If you want to take photo, you can take.
Indian: If you wish, you can take photo.
Prabhupāda: Is it ready? Film is ready? Where is he? He has gone?
Śyāmasundara: You can take photos of the Deities if you like.
Devotee (1): He has gone to the other side.
Prabhupāda: All right.
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Śyāmasundara: Oh. That's a good idea. We'll try to get the photograph of that, original photograph from the paper.
Prabhupāda: Hm. That will be very nice.
Śyāmasundara: We can use it in our magazine. Cover photo.
Prabhupāda: Hm? Yes.
Śyāmasundara: Make it a cover photo for a magazine.
Prabhupāda: "Rival of Nelson."
Śyāmasundara: Yeah, "A Rival of Nelson." Just before, maybe two months ago, the boy who was in charge of Ratha-yātrā, Mahā-Viṣṇu, we were, he was in so much torment because where was the money going to come from to create such an extravaganza. He wanted to have the best festival ever made. And suddenly he got a letter in the mail: "Your aunt has died, has left you eight thousand pounds." (Prabhupāda laughs)
Prabhupāda: Just see.
Prabhupāda: Yes, why don't you see Kṛṣṇa? There is picture of Kṛṣṇa. Why don't you see, driving horse? Here is Kṛṣṇa. Why don't you see? If you see the photograph of your father, is it not seeing your father?
Student (2): No.
Prabhupāda: No, then what can I talk with you?
Student (2): All I was saying was is it, when someone comes...
Prabhupāda: Your the photograph of your, seeing the photograph of your father, is it not seeing your father? That's your argument?
Student (1): No, it's seeing a photograph of your father.
Prabhupāda: False?
Revatīnandana: It's seeing a photograph of your father.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Now, but God is Absolute. God and God's photograph, there is no difference. God and God's name, there is no difference. Therefore God is Absolute. He is not relative. You can say, "The photograph is not my father," that because it is relative. But God is Absolute. God's name, God's form, God's pastimes—everything is God. That you have to understand, Absolute nature. Otherwise are these boys and so many thousands and thousands of devotees... They are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. If Kṛṣṇa, this name, is different from Kṛṣṇa, are they foolishly simply chanting Kṛṣṇa?
Student (2): I don't know but...
Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's name is the same. Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's photograph is the same. That you have to understand. Kṛṣṇa is Absolute.
Sir Alistair Hardy: Temple gates. Yes. And I was making a drawing of this. So I had a very big crowd around me. And my Indian friends... I'd been staying at Mandapam (?) which is the... It was a naval settlement. Well, it was really a settlement of the Indian fisheries. My biological interest had always been in the sea. And these friends came over, and they left this case while they went to take photographs. And they came back. And so the crowd were very excited. "Would you like to know what they're saying?" And so I said, "Yes." So he said, "What they're saying is, 'Isn't he wonderful! Isn't he wonderful! He's taking photographs with his fingers.' " They were more used to photographs, I think. They'd never seen anyone doing an actual... They'd seen symbolic drawings, but... I was reproducing the temple gates, and they said I was taking photographs with my fingers. I thought that was a wonderful expression really, "taking photographs with my fingers." (Someone brings in prasādam) Oh, thank you.
Prabhupāda: No, you can keep it here.
Prabhupāda: Yes. There was newspaper photograph. You have seen that?
Śyāmasundara: Guardian.
Prabhupāda: Guardian. "A Rival for Nelson." Yes.
Prabhupāda: Now, in each of our centers we have got minimum fifty heads, maximum two hundred, 250. In Los Angeles, you see... Just we have got recent photograph. Bring the photograph from my room. You can bring. So we are giving them place, we are giving them food, we are giving them education.
Prabhupāda: Yes. So that is our mission. Now, if you find it difficulty, you can come and join with us. That's all. Practically, in Europe and America, they are all coming from Christian group, Jewish group. So... Yes. This is a recent photograph of our Los Angeles center. They are regularly living in the temple, as they are living in the temple.
Banker: Oh yes, I saw the photograph of him.
Gargamuni: Yes, he is the same one. We call him Paṇḍitjī.
Prabhupāda: How he saw his photograph?
Gargamuni: I have a photograph of him with all his books. Very nice photograph.
Lady: Is this the same book that you have in three small editions?
Prabhupāda: Yes, we have a small book.
Prabhupāda: Well, mundane figure, because you have got picture of George Washington, that's... We have got picture of Kṛṣṇa. That's all. You think George Washington fact because you see the picture of, that's all. So we see daily the picture, the photo, the statue.
Prajāpati: No. There is one rascal, Prabhupāda, who can do tricks. His name is Sai Baba. He can make jewels appear, give people photographs of himself, give them to people like tricks.
Prabhupāda: But another rascal will be victim of that tricks. Why shall I accept him as God?
Karandhara: Besides, they're insignificant tricks.
Prabhupāda: Insignificant tricks. So if gold is the standard of becoming God, then there is gold mine. So who has created the gold mine, I shall accept Him God. Why shall I you. If gold is the standard, why a little chaṭāka(?) of...? We are not so fools. You can make this trick for other fools, not to us.
Jagajjīvana: No. We have a translator. He speaks and someone translates. And there is a school there with 25,000 students. Scientist students. (break) ...all photographs of the chanting to show how people are taking this.
Prabhupāda: Taking part. That's nice.
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Guru dāsa: ...an Indian edition of it. We should let Dr. Karan Singh patronize an Indian edition of it, without, with one photo. As he was suggesting, let him patronize it, the Indian printing.
Prabhupāda: Oh.
Guru dāsa: Because there is so much demand. He wants to see it. He wants to see it.
Prabhupāda: So why don't you get the manuscript and let us have an Indian edition. I told Rūpānuga that the difficulty is that the enlarged edition when we are attempting to publish, MacMillan says that "We are publishing your book, why not we, we publish." If we publish, then we save our investment to publish. That has not been decided, so therefore I advised my secretary in New York that MacMillan's permission or no permission, you should immediately print. If they print it is all right, otherwise print ourself.
Prabhupāda: This Brahmānanda and Acyutānanda, they first danced in my chanting in the park. The photograph was published in the Times of New York.
Prabhupāda: Oh, I think...
Guest (2): She printed a photo in the London papers also and challenged that "I can beat any computers in the western world." (break)
Guest (1): Under one high-court?
Prabhupāda: Under one high-court, yes.
Prabhupāda: And if you take bath in the Yamunā, you will get double energy. These are nature's gifts. And then we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. To live a spiritual life (is) very easy. (break) ...take photo.
Devotee: Oh, I can do that.
Prabhupāda: One side.
Devotee: Yes.
Prabhupāda: So if somebody can manufacture by seeing the photograph in Jaipur. That's all right. Otherwise we shall test (?). (break) ...marble statues, by seeing the morning. (break) ...actual measurement.
Dr. Patel: It was not right thing, but we have not seen in the dark. It was right thing, it was Kṛṣṇa's own photograph, and there were no four hands.
Prabhupāda: But I saw the picture. The guru has four hands.
Prabhupāda: Oh, that Yaduvara. He is very good. Where is Yaduvara? He is here? No. His wife. Yes. She's also... Viśākhā. They are, husband and wife, both of them, very expert, photography.
Prabhupāda: We have got your photo. So... but the difference is that your photograph and you are different. Because the photograph is of the temporary body, therefore it is not absolute. But Kṛṣṇa, being everything, Kṛṣṇa's photograph is also Kṛṣṇa.
Italian Man (1): Yes, okay, thank you. Thank you.
Prabhupāda: Is it all right?
Italian Man (1): Yes, thank you.
Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa is everything. So His photograph is also Kṛṣṇa. It is not that foolish people, they worship a photograph. No. It is reality. It is reality. Yes. (break) Kṛṣṇa is everything. Can you explain? That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. Who can explain? Explain, yes.
Prabhupāda: Bhaktisiddhānta Saras... That is the photograph of my guru. His Guru Mahārāja and his Guru Mahārāja...
Professor La Combe: And so on.
Prabhupāda: Yes. This is paramparā. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). Bhagavad-gītā. Find out this.
Bhagavān: Do you have the photographs?
Yogeśvara: Some slides somewhere.
Professor La Combe: But that is an old shrine. It is not a new establishment.
Prabhupāda: Yes. No, formerly I was staying. I have got my place there also, one of the oldest temples, Rādhā-Dāmodara temple. Rādhā-Dāmodara. This temple was established by Jīva Gosvāmī. There are seven important temples: Govindajī's temple, Madana-Mohana, Rādhā-Dāmodara, Rādhā-Ramaṇa, and Rādhā-Śyāmasundara.
Prabhupāda: Yes, that experience is also material. That is not spiritual experience. That experience is going on continually so long we are materially attached. Because in the material world we are constantly changing our body. Your experience in childhood is different from the experience at this time. So as we are changing our body, we are getting different experiences, and all those experiences are photographed within the mind. And they sometimes come out and make an intermixture, and we see dreams and so many contradictory things. This is going on, mental speculation. That is hovering on the mental plane.
Prabhupāda: Yes, he is in Cali... His description is there in the last page, his photograph.
Pater Emmanuel: Oh, yes, I see. Vaiṣṇava, Manipur.
Prabhupāda: He (indistinct) his MS from Buffalo University and his Ph.D, chemistry from California University. And he graduated himself from Gauhati University. Very learned scholar.
Prabhupāda: No, no, your photograph is not yourself?
Guest (2): Yes it is.
Prabhupāda: Yes, similarly, it is Kṛṣṇa's painting. But the difference is that you cannot talk with your photograph, but we can talk with Kṛṣṇa's photograph. That is the difference.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: This is developed photo.
Rāmeśvara: It is a drawing by a boy in New York named Peter Hawkins.
Prabhupāda: Drawing?
Rāmeśvara: A drawing.
Prabhupāda: Oh. Harer nāma harer nāma... (CC Adi 17.21).
Rāmeśvara: We have two warehouses... (break) ...to the wall and up to the ceiling.
Prabhupāda: So they are going or simply stock?
Rāmeśvara: No. It is greatly reduced since they have arrived.
Prabhupāda: So Haṁsadūta, he has to make a go-down like this.
Prabhupāda: He is my guru. Show the photo.
Devotee: It's just above you, Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. He is my guru.
Prabhupāda: That he is God.
Amogha: There was an article in the paper yesterday from India that says that the Indian court has banned Guru Maharaj-ji from leaving India. They have issued an order that he must stay until the court has finished because his brother is suing. Because his brother published a photo showing Guru Maharaj-ji embracing and kissing an American girl in the paper. So the Guru Maharaj-ji published a picture of his brother doing the same thing. But they say it was a fake photo, so the court is holding him in India, and they're having a legal battle, suing each other to see who is God.
Prabhupāda: Farce.
Prabhupāda: Then the other party will go to appeal. Where he is being judged, in the Supreme Court or lower court?
Amogha: I'm not sure. Actually, the judgment is whether or not he put a false picture in the newspaper of his brother with a girl. The older brother is claiming that... First he put a picture in the paper showing the younger Guru Maharaj-ji kissing an American girl. So Guru Maharaj-ji put another counter-photo showing his older brother with an American girl. So the suit is over whether this second picture is a real picture or is it artificially made. That's what the court will decide.
Prabhupāda: Oh. That is the suit.
Prabhupāda: That—because you are student of history-Mahatma Gandhi's photograph with Gītā. Did he speak anything about Gītā or Kṛṣṇa in the history of his life? Then how he is mahātmā?
Dr. Copeland: People called him that.
Prabhupāda: People call, that is another thing. That is the defect of the modern civilization, that vox populi. The people may be asses; still, their votes are accepted. The people are trained up as the fourth-class, fifth-class men, and their votes are appre... This is the defect of the modern... They are not trained up as first-class men, and still, their votes are accepted. Therefore, even a very advanced country, America, there was mistake, Nixon. They elected him president. Then they dragged him down. That is the mistake. Yes.
Madhudviṣa: Very nice. So he has taken many photographs for us. And we are particularly indebted to Wally and Raymond for giving us a lot of good guidance in our dealings with the police. And one time we had one incident about three years ago, when some of the boys were a little enthusiastic about Ratha-yātrā festival, and they went out and they picked many flowers illegally. So they were caught.
Prabhupāda: Illegally? Where? In the park?
Madhudviṣa: No. In one flower-growing nursery.
Prabhupāda: Oh.
Madhudviṣa: So they were found out and caught. But Raymond was able to get them off free due to Kṛṣṇa's mercy. But it taught us a good lesson.
Guest 1: Actually I think they had the wrong people.
Prabhupāda: There was a great devotee in South India. He was a treasury officer. So he took money from the treasury and constructed very nice temple. (laughter) Yes. Later on, he was caught, and he was put into jail by the Nawab. At that time the Mohammedan king, Nawab, he saw in dream that two boys, very beautiful, they have come to the Nawab: "Sir, what money he has taken, you can take from me and release him." So the Nawab said, "If I get my money, I can release him." Then, when his dream broke, he saw the money on the floor, and nobody was there. Then he could understand that he is great devotee. He called him immediately, that "You are released, and you take this money also. Whatever you have already taken, that's all right.
Paramahaṁsa: Well, they have photographs and things.
Prabhupāda: Photograph, what is this nonsense photograph? How long it can go up?
Ambarīṣa: They're taken from hundreds of miles up in space, and then they say there is no life.
Prabhupāda: What is hundreds of miles? It is, er, forty billion, what is that?
Paramahaṁsa: Four billion.
Prabhupāda: Four billion. So how they can calculate?
Paramahaṁsa: If they took a photograph of the earth planet from up in space, they would probably also say there is no life.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Prabhupāda: ...photo must be there.
Siddha-svarūpa: Yes, here's his, his photograph is also on this round bucket. He puts his photograph on the bucket.
Prabhupāda: He has become a very big man.
Siddha-svarūpa: Yes.
Prabhupāda: By killing chickens.
Bhāvānanda: Oh, Mr... In Svarūp Gañj there's one big astrologer. So he saw your photograph, and he said, "This is the face of the most powerful spiritual personality on the planet."
Prabhupāda: (laughs) Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: Yes. They are not educated properly. Not only that they have given photograph: the children take small..., yes, weapon, knife. And examination is held under police vigilance. This is the education.
Prabhupāda: His photo was published in New York Times, dancing. He and another boy... (laughter) Yes. He and another boy, Acyutānanda—he is now in India; he is also sannyāsī—these two boys were dancing hand to hand, and this was published in New York Times.
Prabhupāda: ...was seeing in that paper, the meeting, a photograph of Jaya Prakash Narayana and Mrs. Gandhi. Both of the meetings were overcrowded. So who is right and who is wrong? People were hearings in throngs both of them. So? Who is wrong, who is right? (break)
Brahmānanda: ...newspaper report here was that the crowds who came to cheer Indira Gandhi that they were paid, paid crowds. They would pay them one rupee each.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Viśakha, take photo. (break)
Prabhupāda: And the steps...
Harikeśa: The steps also.
Prabhupāda: Just try to understand. Our lake in Māyāpur we shall make like this, all sides clear and four sides, the steps, ghāṭa, and garden.
Nitāi: She's going to ask the same questions, but no need to answer. They're just going to photograph her. This is for on TV they will show her asking the questions. (break)
Woman reporter: What will you do in Philadelphia?
Prabhupāda: The same thing. I have got my temple there. I stay there, and I teach people according to my philosophy.
Prabhupāda: No, the fish immediately. He has to cook, he has to..., another thing. That means it is not his food. Artificially, he is eating. (break) ...has taken this photograph?
Brahmānanda: Yes, she did yesterday. (break)
Devotee (1): ...why do some of them carry these sticks.
Prabhupāda: Sticks?
Tripurāri: Daṇḍa.
Prabhupāda: To drive away dogs. (laughter)
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ...hoping to bring the buses here to take a photograph with you, Śrīla Prabhupāda, this morning. (break)
Śrī Govinda: ...Mr. Candra Ahuja Tir(?). He has loaned us the Continental which we have been using to drive you in.
Prabhupāda: Oh. You are medical practitioner? (break) Cooler, cooler nowadays? (break) Then other big, big telescope, how many miles it can see?
Jayatīrtha: You can see millions of miles.
Prabhupāda: How many million? (laughter)
Prabhupāda: So this photograph will go on? (Cameras clicking)
Jayatīrtha: Just for a few moments.
Prabhupāda: Let it be finished. Otherwise, attention will be diverted. (break)
Bhaktadāsa: ...photograph, we'd like to introduce the founder-ācārya spiritual master of the entire Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, who founded this movement in 1966, coming here to America from Calcutta. Now His Divine Grace has very kindly once again come to San Francisco to lead us in this holy Rathayātrā Jagannātha cart parade. And we will ask him the questions that you have written down, and he will answer those questions, like that. So the first question, Śrīla Prabhupāda, is "What is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement?"
Prabhupāda: Yes. Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means that every one of us is in some type of consciousness: "I am American," "I am Indian," and, "It is my property," "America is my property," "India is my property." But we say that "Everything is Kṛṣṇa's property." Kṛṣṇa is the... Kṛṣṇa, God, when we say Kṛṣṇa, we mean God. God is the original proprietor. And He is, therefore, the supreme enjoyer, and He is everyone's friend. If we understand these three things, then we become peaceful. If all the nations in the United Nations assembly accept that everything belongs to God, then their quarrel between one nation to another nation immediately stops. But present fighting is that two hundred years ago the Americans were mostly in Europe. Now they have migrated and claiming America is theirs. So we think always that "All land belongs to God." Just like this big ocean.
Prabhupāda: Yes, my Guru Mahārāja is there. Where is my photo of Guru Mahārāja? I think... Here is.
Reporter (2): Why does the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement not engage in social protest?
Prabhupāda: We are the best social worker. People are fools and rascals. We are teaching them nice idea of God consciousness. We are the best social worker. We will stop all crimes. What is your social work? Producing hippies and criminals. That is not social work. Social work means the population must be very peaceful, wise, intelligent, God conscious, first-class man. That is social work. If you produce some fourth-class, fifth-class, tenth-class of men what is social work? We are producing that. Just see. Here is first-class man. They do not have any bad habit, illicit sex, intoxication, meat eating, or gambling. They are all young men. They are not addicted to all these things. This is social work.
Prabhupāda: He has, yes. So those who are really scientist...
Paramahaṁsa: Śrīla Prabhupāda? Using modern observatories or large telescopes, scientists have photographed other brahmāṇḍas{ūl . At least to my impression they appear to be other solar systems. Like they have a sun and planets around them. Does that mean the material covering between the different brahmāṇḍas is invisible?
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Prabhupāda: No, I am not dependent on him. I can cancel, accept anything. (laughter)
Lalitā: (Bengali) ...only one, small, as a spiritual guide. And... (Bengali)...the photographer, with permission... (Bengali)
Jayapatāka: The photographer can stay outside in the waiting room, and if they give permission, then we can enter.
Prabhupāda: They can go, but when I meet, I'll take two, two secretaries.
Lalitā: I have to tell two secretaries. "He is accompanied, two secretaries."
Prabhupāda: Two secretaries, that's all.
Prabhupāda: No, you can take. What is there? You can take photograph. You? Or you?
Brahmānanda: Yes.
Prabhupāda: No, she has got political situation, so that's all right. We should not record. We shall talk and photo can be taken. That's all. (Bengali) Where is my, that letter? I wrote one.
Akṣayānanda: Not directly. But when we explain how many things, what is being done and we show photographs, how people have become devotees, they will say, "Yes, but have you heard of Swami so and so?" And we'll say, "Yes, we have heard of him. But our Guru Mahārāja has got thousands of devotees all over the world." "Yes, he has also got thousands of devotees." They'll minimize, even though it's there in black and white.
Prabhupāda: But where they are?
Brahmānanda: Yeah. Where are those thousands of disciples of these other swamis?
Prabhupāda: "Here we are, but where are the swami's disciples?" Ask them.
Brahmānanda: I'll ask Bhārgava. He has his camera. He can take photographs.
Prabhupāda: Yes. And downstairs, all shops. Only the roadside. Other side...
Brahmānanda: Oh, no. That's the courtyard, and then other side, a building. (break)
Bhavānanda: ...at the Gurukula best thing is outdoors classes. As soon as they're in rooms it gets too hot.
Prabhupāda: As far as possible, outdoors.
Faill: I was thinking we might try and get a photographer out and get the group leaving, if that would be all right.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. That can be done.
Faill: That's fine. Well, I'll try and get a photographer out and just get the group with you when you're catching the plane.
Prabhupāda: Thank you. Yes.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Photo?
Prabhupāda: Gram.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Photogram. Photogram.
Harikeśa: That's out here?
Prabhupāda: We saw one advertisement. So we are remaining these three, four only?
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: There's three of us. We're flying, and then Rūpa and Gokulendra will drive the gray car back to Johannesburg. One devotee will drive to the airport, Vapu.
Harikeśa: I'm almost finished.
Prabhupāda: They are making so many wonderful things, but they cannot stop death.
Dr. Patel: His mother. She was dying, and she said, "I don't want to see anybody; bring only Kṛṣṇa's photo before me." (Hindi to other man) No, no. His mother-Mr. Jani's. And then looking at the photograph of Kṛṣṇa, she breathed her last.
Prabhupāda: I saw in Delhi one old man, just a few minutes before his death he asked his son to bring Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa picture, and it was put before him, and he died.
Dr. Patel: In my school, sir, where I was educated, in the entrance there is a statue of Sarasvatī, and nearby there is a photograph of Kṛṣṇa. I don't know how it came, that one.
Prabhupāda: Hm?
Dr. Patel: All are not like that. In my school where I was educated, secondary school, in the entrance there was a statue of Sarasvatī, and near that was Kṛṣṇa's photo. (pause) (someone shouts Hare Kṛṣṇa)
Prabhupāda: In good health.
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Acyutānanda: So we took a photograph of ourselves standing next to him with the sign in the picture. So we can use that, in case anybody tries to check us.
Prabhupāda: So one thing, if you can do, that India, at the present moment, that Swami Cinmayananda is prominent.
Prabhupāda: Just see. What he is? He's standing naked and taking photograph. His wife and he, standing naked. I have seen. And that picture is there in his sitting room, fireplace. That is the picture. (laughs) I went to see him. I was his guest. So one day I was... I saw there that big picture on the fireplace. And here is a public... Newspapermen go to him to take his opinion. "What is your opinion?" Just see. What is his value? Nobody... He is public leader because he has got some money. Money is the criterion. Therefore people are accumulating money some way or other. He knows that "If I got money, then I'll have all influence over the society."
Prabhupāda: No, no. That... One French girl entrapped him. That woman spoiled him. He was actually practicing yoga very nice. After his release from political entanglement, actually he became a yogi, but this Frenchwoman, who became later on "Mother," she spoiled her ca..., his career. He became a bhogī then. (laughter) Instead of yogi... Otherwise, he was becoming yogi. You'll find from his photo. In the beginning, he was very lean and thin, and later on, when he died, he was very fatty. Means bhogī. (break) ...yogi bhogī, rogī. There are three.
Rāmeśvara: Prabhupāda said we can make a photo album of all these pictures. (break)
Prabhupāda: ...ISKCON temples all over the world.
Hari-śauri: He's taking photographs.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, no. This boy joined us.... (break)
Gurudāsa: ...rather than the chaos.
Pañca-draviḍa: What is the Vedic explanation, Śrīla Prabhupāda?
Prabhupāda: Vedic explanation is that moon is not going round the earthly planet.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, the devotees.... Śatadhanya was asking if there could be a group photograph on the grass this morning after class? For five minutes?
Prabhupāda: (break) .... that we are killing vegetables, but actually we are not killing. They are already dead. Hm?
Gurudāsa: Also there's a verse in the Bhāgavatam that says there may be a fire on the ground, but the seed underneath the ground is still living. The tops may be cut, but the seed is still living. (break)
Prabhupāda: ...painting he has made?
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: He said he would complete it today.
Prabhupāda: Hari bol! So where is the artist for painting?
Devotee: (indistinct)
Prabhupāda: Photograph?
Devotee: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. Jaya. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (break) Make the bullock cart an international. They'll be surprised. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Bhakti kaile sarva-karma kṛta haya. We must be always convinced that if we simply take up the knowledge given by Kṛṣṇa, then you are perfect. That's all. If little success is there for me than other swamis and yogis, it is due to my conviction on this point. I never compromised with anything which is not spoken by Kṛṣṇa. Did you mark it or not?
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Yes, they published one big article, Nava Bharata Time, and the heading was, (Hindi). This was the heading. Actually they gave the photograph of our Deity and activities, everything. You can find out November issue of Nava Bharata in 1974.
Jayādvaita: The question came up because they have some pictures, photographs from these places, and we wanted to know if they were suitable for publishing or not.
Prabhupāda: So why you are bothering with that? Let it be accepted or not accepted. Worship Him.
Prabhupāda: Eka eka.... (Hindi) "We shall come automatically." So one day it was the turn of a rabbit. So he was a little late, so the lion, "Why you are late? My time is over." "Yes sir, another lion in the way, he wanted to eat me. So I said, 'No, you cannot eat me. I will be eaten by such and such Mr. Lion.' " So he became very..., "Who is that?" "Yes, come on. I will show you." So he got him near a well, and he said that "Here is the lion." So immediately, (growls) "Aww!" (laughter) And there was sound, "Aww!" Then he saw the photo, I mean, the reflection, and immediately jumped over.
Carol Jarvis: At the moment we're just taking some photographs.
Prabhupāda: No, at the.... You talk at the moment, sir. You don't give me post-dated check that "In future I shall be millionaire. Now you take a check of million or..." Shall I accept it?
Carol Jarvis: No, at the moment we're just taking some photographs. We can't let you talk at the moment. You're supposedly listening to my questions.
Prabhupāda: All right.
Prabhupāda: Yes. That is the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā. So because he accepted discipleship, so He immediately chastised him that "You rascal, you are talking like a very learned man, but you are on the platform of bodily conception of life, the platform of the animals." Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13). Anyone who accepts this body as self, he's animal. He's not even a human being. So the whole world is on this bodily concept of life. That is going on. "American," "European," "Hindu," "Muslim," "black," "white," this, that. They do not know what is education. That is the first education, that "You rascal, you are not this body. You are within the body." So who understands this? And they're declaring that "We are student of Bhagavad-gītā. We have studied Bhagavad-gītā." Hmm? Even Gandhi, he takes photograph with Bhagavad-gītā, but his fighting is for nationalism. The others are doing that. So what is the use of taking Bhagavad-gītā? The Pakistanis are also doing that. But you have taken Bhagavad-gītā, you are doing the same work. So what is your credit? This is going on. So nobody is learning Bhagavad-gītā. It is first time that we are teaching Bhagavad-gītā as it is. Otherwise, everyone is misled. The subject matter is that the soul is different from this body.
Prabhupāda: Otherwise, this John Lennon, how he dares to photograph naked with his lover? How lowest class man he is, that he has no shame even. And he's also big man. Press reporters go to take his opinion on certain subject matters. They do not know where I am going to take opinion. What is the value of this man? But people are after money. Why? "I have got money." That's all.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, well it's a bunch of notes they mail out on a regular basis. It's really poisonous. Pradyumna has been investigating. He got a bunch of their notes photocopied. The one thing I've noticed about the people that are involved with this, two features I particularly have noticed. One of them is that they don't go out on saṅkīrtana. Everyone I've seen...
Prabhupāda: Then everything will be finished. Preaching will be finished. In this sahajiyā party, then preaching will be finished. Siddha-praṇālī.
Prabhupāda: One young man in Tokyo or some airport, very nice young man. He came. I was sitting. "Swamiji, can I talk with you?" "Yes." So, "I have seen your photograph. Where you have got so much vast knowledge?" (laughs) And I..., "It is not my knowledge; it is Vyāsadeva's knowledge." So his first question was, intelligent boy.
Hari-śauri: Yes, that was the same article, in the Butler Eagle. It shows a photograph of you looking through one of your books.
Hṛdayānanda: Many times the devotees lament that we could not have been there to help you, because there was so much service.
Prabhupāda: Yes, you are helping me. (pause) Who can create such fragrance except Kṛṣṇa? (devotees laugh) Fragrance is coming from here, from the dirt, muddy dirt, and fragrance is coming. Unless there is fragrance, how it came here? The color is coming, the beauty is coming, the fragrance is coming, the arrangement is coming along the stem. Where is that scientist? They are seeing every day, and "There is no God." Just see, how foolish they are. You do it.
Prabhupāda: (break) And if we don't believe that they have gone to moon planet, they will reject us. They will immediately take as "Oh, these people are crazy." Even if you give sufficient reason or argument, they will not take it. That is their obstinacy.
Rāmeśvara: They're convinced by the photographs.
Prabhupāda: Eh?
Rāmeśvara: They have some photographs of the men in the spacesuits walking around on that other planet.
Kīrtanānanda: But they are convinced because the scientists have told them. They believe the scientists. They have faith, and the scientists can tell them anything, and they'll believe it.
Prabhupāda: Yes, that is.... That is the disease.
Prabhupāda: You are misled already so many lives. All right, be misled another life. Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66).
Hari-śauri: They're taking a photo today for the BTG, so they'd like if you would pose for five minutes.
Prabhupāda: Why not? (end)
Prabhupāda: But San Francisco we haven't got our temple. We haven't got any temple?
Devotee (1): No. We used the photograph. We made a publicity notice, a news release, and they printed it directly. It was easier for them. The picture is of San Francisco, but the festival was in Cleveland.
Prabhupāda: Dhana means money. So if you have got money, then everyone will respect you. Personally you may be less than a dog, but because you have got money, people will respect you. Is it not? (laughs) In England I was guest in John Lennon's house. He has taken a photograph, naked. And he's a big man. He gives opinion to the newspaper reporter. People go there to take his opinion about some serious subject, and he speaks, and the man is so shameless that he is standing naked, and he's important man—because he has got money.
Prabhupāda: That's a fact. Sunday is first, and Monday-moon is beyond sun. If they accept that nobody can approach sun, then how they can approach moon? In calculation, eighteen thousand miles per hour, and if the moon is situated 95,000,000 miles, then how they can go in four days? These are my questions. They have not been answered. It takes at least seven months. And they went in four days, and the man's mother... His photograph was there. She said, "At last my son has gone there." You have seen that photograph? I have seen it. Mother was satisfied. This is going on.
Prabhupāda: Best thing is to preach for some time. Go with the saṅkīrtana party. He's a good mṛdaṅga player also. His photograph is there.
Prabhupāda: That way they are successful—in getting money.
Hari-śauri: So they have to say it's a success. Just like this Mars thing. If they can land a spaceship that takes a few photographs, supposedly of Mars, then that's considered a success.
Prabhupāda: Photograph you can take anywhere.
Hari-śauri: Yes. Could they actually...? Are they actually sending these spaceships to another planet, or...
Prabhupāda: That they know. According to our calculations, they have not gone. Therefore false propaganda. They cannot go.
Prabhupāda: Nobody was taking, but it was quite suitable for us. And that is the finest property. You have seen it?
Rūpānuga: I have not been there. I have seen photographs.
Vṛṣākapi: I have seen it.
Prabhupāda: Is it not?
Vṛṣākapi: It is the finest, the finest.
Prabhupāda: And we have got very cheap. One room will cost three hundred thousand, it is so costly. They said they spend about two millions dollars fifty years ago.
Prabhupāda: To take photograph?
Vṛṣākapi: To take photograph of the place. It became a monument. (laughter)
Prabhupāda: Just to see a dead body.
Vṛṣākapi: Yes.
Devotee (1): This is a new picture of Mars, just came in the Washington Post today. Here is what the scientists say the mountains are on Mars. Big crater they are talking about. This is a recent photo.
Prabhupāda: So? What do they say?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Says it's a Grand Canyon. Just like in Arizona there's a canyon called Grand Canyon.
Prabhupāda: So might be from Arizona? (laughter) Like Arizona, that means Arizona.
Rūpānuga: Just like Arizona, the same rocks you find in Arizona.
Prabhupāda: Just see.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: This is called Martian Grand Canyon, and an ocean meandering gorge ten times the size of Arizona's Grand Canyon.
Prabhupāda: That we can photograph it and make ten times, hundred times. Their business is in Arizona.
Prabhupāda: That means they are working in Arizona. The mind is there. Arizona-minded because they are working in Arizona, so they are disclosing mind.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: But they are claiming that this photograph was taken two hundred million miles away from the earth.
Prabhupāda: That, they can say anything, but they are doing everything in Arizona.
Prabhupāda: They are different. Just like in the water, superficially we don't see any living being. But inside you go, there are many millions of living entities. They took photograph. What is the meaning of photograph from such a distance? If you take photograph of the sea, what you will find? It is vacant. So the rascals are taking photograph, and I have to believe it. Photograph, what is the meaning of photograph? There is no meaning. Take the photograph of the sea, if I know what is there. Then go deep into the water, you'll find millions and trillions.
Prabhupāda: ...and it is a fact, he did not fix it. I wanted both of you to take various detailed photographs of that Capitol.
Yadubara: The Capitol Building. For what purpose, Śrīla Prabhupāda?
Prabhupāda: We shall have picture, planetarium in Māyāpur. (aside:) That's better. (break) ...spiritual world, material world, and so on, so on. Planetary..., succession of the planetary systems, everything. A building like that.
Prabhupāda: Inside, inside the... Have you got the photograph of inside?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes, it's photograph of Bhaktisiddhānta Prabhupāda...
Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: And... This is not the copy that I wanted. Then Bhaktivinoda. (aside:) That is wrong, I think.
Prabhupāda: So 1944, and it is '76. Thirty-two years?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes.
Prabhupāda: And as soon as we say that you take an egg and find out the chemicals and put it into the incubator or under a chicken, get life, "No, wait millions of years." This bluffing. And this moon planet going means Arizona. That is now disclosed. They take photographs in the Arizona. That's all.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Take photographs where?
Hari-śauri: In Arizona. There's an article, and it showed a picture of Mars and it compared, there's supposed to be this canyon four miles deep. So they said it compares to the Grand Canyon in Arizona, like that. So Prabhupāda said that by even mentioning Arizona they've revealed themselves. And he told one story about, there's a man, he heard a noise in his room, and he said, "Ah, who is that?" And immediately the reply came, "Oh, I'm not stealing." So even without asking, they've revealed themselves by saying Arizona, even mentioning Arizona.
Prabhupāda: Why these rascals compare it with Arizona? As if there is no other place in the world. Everything they are doing in Arizona. All photograph in this place. Now they have been caught. I was always protesting, "These rascals have never gone." For the last ten years I've protested. Whenever they asked me, I say straightly, "It is all childish. They have never gone, neither they'll be able to go." That has been proof available. Now they do not talk about it. That is finished, all propaganda, finished.
Prabhupāda: Called him back: "Call this rascal back." Every month he was being sent seven hundred rupees. That, in those days seven hundred rupees is a big amount. So at least ten time value has gone up. Seven hundred means seven thousand. He was spending for nothing, and he was publishing report, "Swamiji is playing on harmonium." And photo. This is first year, second, like that.
Prabhupāda: Other news, after Mars? No?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: I haven't seen the newspapers yet. Might have some more, been taking pictures, photographs.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda explained that the picture they took of Mars, they now say that there's..., they pointed out that there's a similar canyon, the Grand Canyon, in Arizona. So they were reporting like this, and Prabhupāda said this is an indication that actually it is a picture of, they have unintentionally they have let out the information that actually the photo is simply a photograph of the Grand Canyon.
Hari-śauri: He gave an example. There's a man in his room at night, and he hears a noise. So he says "Oh, what's that sound?" And then back comes the reply, "I am not stealing." So no one asked the man to say what he was doing, but he unintentionally let it out what he was actually doing there. He just asked what the noise was, but he said "I am not stealing." So in the same way no one asked them to say anything about Arizona, but they let it out.
Prabhupāda: They have disclosed unintentionally. That is going on. It is beyond their dream to go either to the moon planet or Mars planet. It is not possible. Not nowadays I say—I said it ten years ago.
Prabhupāda: He has taken photograph of it?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: (laughter) Yes. "...which is lathered up and shaved with a safety razor (right side). Even more striking than their saffron dhotis and shawls is the ISKCON men's practice of shaving their heads with the exception of one long lock in the rear, known as the śikhā. The first reaction of the layman is "Why do they do it?" The next is "How do they do it?" The Hare Kṛṣṇaś themselves advance three different answers to the first question. Some say that in countries that have hot climates, the religious have always shaved their heads to insure cleanliness. A clean body reflects a pure spirit."
Prabhupāda: That is the disease. Even Mahatma Gandhi, he was talking of Kṛṣṇa, Bhagavad-gītā, but throughout his whole life he never established a temple of Kṛṣṇa, although his photograph you'll find with Bhagavad-gītā. This is the calamity.
Indian man (1): In the last days Mahatma Gandhi kept saying rāma rāma, rāma-nāma is the only way chanting... One of his article he says there is no other cure but to chant the name of the Lord.
Prabhupāda: Mahatma Gandhi would have preached Bhagavad-gītā, the world would have taken very seriously, because he was respectable.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: One of the parents of the devotees who came the other day, they said they went to Vṛndāvana, and the gentleman who bought those pictures, photographs in Washington...
Prabhupāda: Hm.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: He said he was surprised how clean Vṛndāvana was.
Prabhupāda: Many, even the poorest man's house you go in the village, you'll find everything neat and clean. At least the kitchen and eating, very neat and... Climatic condition is also nice. Almost all the year there is sunshine. Only during rainy season the sun is... That is also cooling a bit. After summer season, the rainy season covering, there is enjoyable cooling. Now everywhere... (end)
Rāmeśvara: These gentlemen are a reporter and a photographer from a very large newspaper in Long Island called Newsday. This is Mr. Kevin Layhart...
Prabhupāda: So they require chair?
Rāmeśvara: He's asking if you'd like a chair.
Interviewer: No, this is all right.
Rāmeśvara: This is Mr. Bill Semm. He's a photographer from their newspaper.
Prabhupāda: Thank you. Sit down. You have seen our books?
Interviewer: Yes, I have. You translated all of those. (pause) (break) ...I wonder if you could tell me how you came to founding the movement here in the United States.
Prabhupāda: I was ordered by my spiritual master to do this work, so on his order I came in 1965. That is the beginning of this. I came alone with no help, no money. Somehow or other (laughs) I started.
Rāmeśvara: This is a photograph of what takes place in India every year. It's a traditional festival in India, we are bringing it to New York. We've got our permits and everything.
Prabhupāda: We have already got in San Francisco, in Chicago...
Rāmeśvara: Philadelphia.
Prabhupāda: In Philadelphia.
Rāmeśvara: The government announces to the public that so much money from the taxes has to be spent on this space exploration. But according to the information that you're giving us it is not possible for them to be spending so much money to photograph Phoenix so they must be stealing the money.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: You mentioned that in previous ages when there was yajña taking place on this planet, sometimes the demigods would come down. So that means that is it possible that they would be communicating with the people of this planet?
Prabhupāda: Hm. They're speaking Sanskrit language. In all other planets they are speaking Sanskrit.
Prabhupāda: It is all Kṛṣṇa's mercy. You have seen the first copy? They have brought photograph from which library?
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Congress Library in Washington. They found the original...
Prabhupāda: Yes. I do not know how they got my...
Rāmeśvara: Oh, your original, from India.
Prabhupāda: Yes, 1944, the first copy. I get them from selling. Perhaps they had been, American.
Prabhupāda: Whether you have joined?
Indian man: I have joined. I'm a life member. I come to the temple. I study your books all the time. I have your photo. I do your ārati every day without fail. Without fail. Nayanābhirāma came to my house two weeks ago, and I showed him everything, Kṛṣṇa and your photo next to it, and I every day do pūjā. Complete vegetarian and we are doing ārati every day, first obeisances to you, my father-mother, and Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: Your father-mother here?
Prabhupāda: And if they take photograph of the ocean, what they will understand what is within the ocean? Suppose they have taken photograph of the ocean. Does it mean the full knowledge of ocean?
Ātreya Ṛṣi: Only speculation, only speculation.
Prabhupāda: Simply speculation. They are bluffing, "We have taken photograph." Suppose you have taken photograph. Does it mean that you have known everything? Nonsense.
Hari-śauri: They don't even know all the species of life here, so how will they know which one's there?
Gurudāsa: Just like when a photograph of a person is there, it doesn't mean they know what is inside.
Prabhupāda: But they bluff, "We have taken photograph." And what you have known about it? Simply bluff.
Prabhupāda: I think I saw you before? No
Mukunda: Śrīla Prabhupāda, this is Mr. Cline Cross, who is the religious correspondent for The Observer. This is His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami. And this is Tony McGraw, who is a photographer.
Jayatīrtha: The Observer is one of the most respected newspapers.
Prabhupāda: You can give chair.
Hari-śauri: They included a number of photos also. In the picture sections they've headed each section with a photo. There's one of Vṛndāvana temple. They have a photo of your room in Rādhā-Dāmodara.
Prabhupāda: Oh! Where it is?
Hari-śauri: In one of the sections here.
Harikeśa: I have to go in and do some more.... (break)
Prabhupāda: Right in here.
Hari-śauri: Sometimes the devotees go down there and clean out the rooms, and they have kīrtana there sometimes. I think this is the first book that someone included this photo.
Prabhupāda: Yes. It was very calm and quiet. And people used to offer obeisances from outside because they knew. Practically everyone knew me. So they used to offer...
Hari-śauri: You were very well known in Vṛndāvana before you came?
Prabhupāda: Not very well known, but people knew me.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Then I decided. Everything was being dictated by superior.
Hari-śauri: I was told that one day you were told by Rūpa Gosvāmī that you must go.
Prabhupāda: But that was open secret. Everyone knew. This antique photo is very dull.
Hari-śauri: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Where this photo was?
Hari-śauri: I don't know. (end)
George Harrison: I saw the photograph, looks really nice. It's big.
Gurudāsa: Now they say it's the most beautiful modern temple in Vṛndāvana.
Prabhupāda: You have seen our.... There is any film of the temple?
Gurudāsa: No, but there's photographs.
Jayatīrtha: We have a nice photograph at the reception room downstairs.
George Harrison: Actually it was half built.
Gurudāsa: Yes. Even the building you went into, there's more, the roof.
Prabhupāda: That courtyard is very beautiful. There is a tāmala tree. That is a very valuable tree. The Bisanchand Seth asked me to cut.
Prabhupāda: No, that was another boy. He was drunkard. (laughter)
Harikeśa: Yogeśvara has many pictures of those meetings at 26 Second Avenue, with Hayagrīva with the beard and the long hair hitting this... There's pictures of all those meetings, photographs. Of Hayagrīva with the beard and long hair hitting the gong next to you.
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Long hairs almost everyone. This Umāpati was also one of them.
Prabhupāda: How they can see? Suppose you see from a distant place, this planet. So how you can see within water? You can take photograph of the water, but how you can take photograph within the water? So what is the value of their taking photograph? Does the photograph takes the picture within the water?
Atreya Ṛṣi: No.
Prabhupāda: Then what is the use of such photograph?
Jñānagamya: But they are not detecting with photographs, they are detecting with chemicals.
Prabhupāda: What class chemical? (indistinct)
Jñānagamya: They say the chemicals are giving off gases when they are feeding(?) the earth. They take the ground from Mars.
Prabhupāda: Just see so many bogus words they manufacture to make believe. Because they are scientist, they'll talk all big, big words which we cannot understand. So you cannot argue. (talks gibberish) Like that. By common sense question, that they are simply finding out rocks and sand, and again they are saying somebody has bombed. The first... (coughing) If there is bomb, then there is fight; so if there is fight, there must be human being.
Prabhupāda: Anyway, he'll collect. That's all.
Jayapatākā: Your program everyone is appreciating. When the newspapermen came out, at that time the black development officer he came there, and when the newspapermen were there he sat down with all the poor people and he took also and said, "This is very good. This is our national service." And they photographed.
Prabhupāda: "National Service"?
Jayapatākā: Yes, he mentioned.
Gargamuni: "We challenge you that you are ungodly. But we are godly because we follow the four principles." This man drinks, it shows a photo of him drinking.
Prabhupāda: "Ungodly face of Kṛṣṇa cult." This is the charge. That very heading is a defamation.
Gargamuni: I have seen the photo. Big place.
Jayapatākā: That is still existing?
Prabhupāda: Very big place. That you have seen this Keśavajī Gauḍīya Maṭha in Mathurā? No. There is Caitanya Mahāprabhu Deity. That Deity was there. When I closed that I brought that big, big sannyāsī and delivered them, they will show.
Gargamuni: Because that place, I saw in the photo, everything was there. Nice big sign.
Prabhupāda: It was a very good place. This Prabhākāra helped me. Ninety percent was... But if I did not leave, nobody could drive me, that was a fact. But I thought "Who is going to..., for litigation? She is the governor's wife, and she is pressing through collectors, through..." The manager who was in charge, he had some cinema house. So they had to renew the license, cinema house. And the collector pressed him that "Unless you arrange for this house, we are not going to renew your license." I thought, "Unnecessarily this man will be in trouble. I'll have to pay so many rupees, and she is governor's wife." And that lady came to me in Bombay several times. "You take my press. You have got so many publications." So I said "I can take your press. I have got money. But what shall I do with it? It is letter press. Now printing is done by offset." That press, Associated Press, is very good press. It was... They got so many government contracts. The whole telephone guides were printed there. But because it is letterset press, it is costly. The government got offset press, cheaper price. So that contract was cancelled. So for her nefarious activity she is punished. Her husband died. She has no more importance, and she was one of the trustees of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. So she was exempted. Now she's an ordinary woman. Press is not working.
Prabhupāda: It is very difficult. Very difficult. You see. Big, big scholars, big, big politicians, they are supposed to be preaching Bhagavad-gītā. They take their photograph in front of Bhagavad-gītā, but without Kṛṣṇa. They'll never talk of Kṛṣṇa any time. Banish Kṛṣṇa. Even Gandhi has said, "My imagination of Kṛṣṇa is different." Perhaps you have read in his Gītā-Press edition.(?) Kṛṣṇa is speaking... Radhakrishnan said when Kṛṣṇa says man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ, he says "It is not to the Kṛṣṇa person." Kṛṣṇa says man-manā bhava mad bhaktaḥ, and he says it is not to the Kṛṣṇa person. Just see how misleading it is. And if a person like Dr. Radhakrishnan, Gandhi, misleads, then who will hear me? What I am? There is one big person in Bombay, he said that he has set aside ten lakhs of rupees for Gītā-pracāra. But when I proposed Gītā-pracāra means Kṛṣṇa pracāra, so he said, "No, I want Gītā without Kṛṣṇa."
Interviewer: Yes. Along with photographs.
Prabhupāda: In big, whole page article.
Prabhupāda: Parliament. All photograph (laughter) actually. Downing Street, 10 Downing Street, Prime Minister's office and so on. And actually it's all (chuckles) no importance. Parliament, big, big advertisement. People are still going, they are paying fees to see.
Prabhupāda: What they'll say? There is nothing to say. They do not go and even they go, they take photograph from millions of miles. What is the value of these things? But people are accepting that "Oh, scientific research." Perhaps I am the only man in the world who is protesting. (laughs) Eh? Everyone is accepting, "Oh, it is scientific."
Prabhupāda: You are seeing also Kṛṣṇa, but because you have no love, therefore you cannot appreciate how we are seeing. If you love some person you keep his photograph on the breast. Is it not? So you are seeing Kṛṣṇa in the temple, but because you have no love you think that "I am not seeing Him." That is the defect. They are seeing Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise why they have sacrificed everything for worshiping Kṛṣṇa, for dressing Kṛṣṇa, for feeding Kṛṣṇa? They are seeing Kṛṣṇa. They are not wasting their time. But you have no love for Kṛṣṇa. You're thinking that "They have not seen Kṛṣṇa. They are worshiping an idol." That is the difference. One who loves somebody he keeps his picture on his chest. He does not? He throws it, same picture. It is question of love. Therefore it is said, premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu (Bs. 5.38). One who has developed that love and bhakti, he can see Kṛṣṇa at every moment. Otherwise it is not possible. And because you cannot see, you ask them also, "Can you see?" But the seeing process is different. We do not know the process; therefore we are thinking that Kṛṣṇa cannot be seen. And one who knows the process, he sees every moment. Is it clear? You learn the process; you will see Kṛṣṇa every moment. Therefore this word is used, premāñjana-cchurita. By the eye ointment of love you have to smear your eyes; then you'll be able to see Kṛṣṇa. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ (BG 7.25). Find out this verse. Yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ. When one's eyes is covered by the yoga-māyā he cannot see, see Kṛṣṇa.
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: No, these young men, they have taken seriously. Otherwise what business they have got to join me? They have taken it seriously. And with their help I am little able to push on this movement. But they are taking it seriously. And big, big learned scholars, they have opined that this movement is not going to die.
CID Chief: I saw the photograph yesterday, Vinoda Bhave, meeting with Vinoda Bhave.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: They're showing the pictures of our Walda (?) meeting. I just showed him pictures of our Walda meeting.
CID Chief: Vinoda Bhave.
Prabhupāda: Vinoda Bhave is also... He has issued some statement.
Prabhupāda: They have published their photograph in the paper. They take it, whatever... But the things are already there. So "Dear Mr. such and such, I thank you very much for your greetings card received recently. This cultural movement is depending in future on Russian intelligence and Indian culture. On this cultural movement, recently our Stockholm center has published one book..." What it is written here?
Jagadīśa: Easy Journey to Other Planets.
Dr. Patel: Photographs, you mean to say.
Prabhupāda: Yes. "He's Vaiṣṇava." Bogus.
Rāmeśvara: Śrīla Prabhupāda, would you like to see some photographs of Bharadraja's work? I'll go get them.
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.
Pālikā: What kind of dahl would you like today?
Prabhupāda: You can make like yesterday.
Prabhupāda: That is our treatment. If you want that treatment, this is our treatment.
Rāmeśvara: So I have been thinking for some time... I have discussed this idea with Yadubara, because you wrote in your letter to Tamāla Kṛṣṇa that we should use movies also to convince them. So I had this idea to have a movie photographing India at different places...
Prabhupāda: In movie there is chanting, dancing.
Rāmeśvara: I was thinking to show that chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa is very old.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Rāmeśvara: And they'll also appreciate beautiful photography showing the beauty of India. They'll appreciate that also. And beautiful temples.
Prabhupāda: Artistic.
Rāmeśvara: Yes, it'll show the higher religious culture of India. That will impress many people in America. They think of India as so backwards, but they'll see that they have these beautiful temples.
Prabhupāda: So that is due to British propaganda. British propaganda was that they were staying in India to make India civilized.
Rāmeśvara: But then the best one is by Dr. Mukherjee, former Chief Justice. He writes that "This book is an intellectual, a cultural, and a spiritual landmark in this world. The beautiful printing and photographs evoke the spirit of the work. It is a book which should be in the library of every reader who values the essential glories of human life..."
Prabhupāda: This is the judgment of the Chief Justice. He's not ordinary man.
Prabhupāda: No, but... No, that's all right. That picture is in the book. That book is... We are translating Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And what...
Guest (1): No, even in mandir there is a big photograph of Rādhā, Hari Gopāla(?) rasa-līlā.
Prabhupāda: That is not presented in that way. So we do not say... But these warnings that... It is... We must understand it is very confidential thing. It is not for ordinary men. If we present as ordinary thing, that is distortion. Our... I have got stricture that we don't present...
Guest (2): (showing picture?) This is our... Here. You made this. This is...
Prabhupāda: This is Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. That's all right.
Gargamuni: I'd have to inquire, but I'm pretty sure it's managed by the government, because they're allowing us to enter the temple. There's also a place being offered in West Bengal. I personally went there and took photographs. It's in Kharampur.
Prabhupāda: Kharampur.
Gargamuni: Yes. It's near the Bangladesh border. It's about 80 kilometers north of Krishnanagar...
Prabhupāda: Oh.
Prabhupāda: "These are our statements, sir." That... You have piled this book. You have one photograph, like a mountain. You remember that picture?
Hari-śauri: Yes. On the back of the BTG there's a big stack of books.
Prabhupāda: According to... Oh, the statement must be read, argued, then judgment. Point to point.
Gargamuni: It goes around. Do you have that photograph? I'll show you.
Prabhupāda: So where is that photograph? Find out.
Gargamuni: I gave you one small photograph of the building.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Find out. I kept it in that, inside that booklet.
Hari-śauri: Which booklet?
Prabhupāda: Gargamuni has printed?
Hari-śauri: I don't even know where that book... Someone took that booklet away.
Gargamuni: I have another photo I can show. If you get my bag... (end)
Prabhupāda: Yes. Guru's business is on behalf of Kṛṣṇa. As Kṛṣṇa comes, causeless mercy, the guru is engaged in Kṛṣṇa's business. Ya idaṁ paramaṁ guhyaṁ mad-bhakteṣv abhidhāsyati (Bg 18.68). Faithful servant of Kṛṣṇa. And guru means faithful servant of the Lord. That is guru. Yāre dekha tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). Bas. You become guru, faithful servant. Don't make any change. That is guru. Guru..., to become guru is not difficult thing. But the rascals will not do. He'll manufacture his own words. He is more intelligent than Kṛṣṇa. He'll give another interpretation, another: "Take this." Take photograph with Bhagavad-gītā and talk all nonsense.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: That lecture that I gave, we made... Sadāpūta made that design so it's very attractive to science. That's from our Back to Godhead photograph. Fixed it up.
Prabhupāda: If they simply understand that all these laws of nature is going on under the direction of God... They are studying the laws of nature, how things are happening. But simply they have to understand that it is under the direction of Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: That is mind control, Another mind control. You are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Since the rascals have taken up, he is speaking differently. That is mind control.
Satsvarūpa: So much for that.
Prabhupāda: Hm. That's all. Now, photograph ours? No.
Satsvarūpa: Yes. This is... (end)
Prabhupāda: (looking at photo) Who is this boy?
Ādi-keśava: A karmī. He's from another group. That boy in the front, he is taking the person. They're holding some girl. He is from another group, I think, some Christian group. There was an article in the New York Times where they went and watched one whole deprogramming experiment, and at the end of the experiment they wrote this article showing pictures of them taking the person, dragging him out of the building, throwing him in cars.
Prabhupāda: No. You cannot see. That is your imperfect... You should conclude from the general experience, that "Here there is life; there must be... We cannot." But what do you see? Just like they have taken photograph. What is that photograph? Suppose if you take a photograph of the ocean, can you see any life? The life is within. What is the use of your photograph? Your everything is imperfect. You cannot say anything final. And you are imperfect, your senses are imperfect; whatever you have got, that is imperfect. If Kṛṣṇa says, imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham, then Kṛṣṇa is there.
Rādhā-vallabha: Just photographs, no paintings.
Rāmeśvara: And now each book also has its own index in the back. That was also a reason for reprinting the First Canto.
Prabhupāda: This is?
Rādhā-vallabha: Kurukṣetra.
Prabhupāda: Kurukṣetra.
Rāmeśvara: Now, sometimes in our mantra page in the beginning of the magazine we have photographs of people who are not living in our temples but who have been induced to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa—sometimes parents of devotees...
Prabhupāda: So these things can be discussed. Of course, I could not read. Those who have pointed out the defects, so let them come and then discuss.
Prabhupāda: So that's all right. They're printing in England. That's all right. So why not the same magazine, but different article?
Rāmeśvara: I once asked Hṛdayānanda, "Why not have your men just translate the articles into Spanish from English and print the same magazine, since we have already done the layout?" And he said, "Because the photographs are just Americans. Now, to use this in South America, we want to have photographs of Latin Americans, and we want the preaching to be more specific, more current events and relevant..."
Prabhupāda: This is not very good argument.
Brahmānanda: Should we have karmī photographs in our magazines?
Rāmeśvara: What do you mean?
Brahmānanda: Like in the English issue they have three photographs of torture.
Prabhupāda: That is not good.
Brahmānanda: Three photographs.
Rāmeśvara: But not all karmī photographs are bad. Sometimes we use karmī...
Brahmānanda: And now our magazine has no pictures of Kṛṣṇa. The last English edition had not one picture of Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: That's not good.
Rāmeśvara: In the past we were using either a photograph of devotees on the cover doing something or a painting. And in the middle of the magazine we used to have stories either from Kṛṣṇa book or Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
Prabhupāda: Hm.
Rāmeśvara: Then there was the use for some pictures.
Prabhupāda: So, do this.
Hari-śauri: Yes. It's picking up. It's becoming a little busy. There were one or two big parikrama parties came too. The photo display should be ready tomorrow also.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Actually they say it is ready. Will you be looking at it this year?
Prabhupāda: Hm? (break) Pālikā has gone? No?
Hari-śauri: Yes. She left this afternoon.
Guru dāsa: Yes. Every day we put a nice photograph, that photograph that I took many years ago, in the frame.
Prabhupāda: Where is it put?
Guru dāsa: It is put on the upraised portion where your daṇḍa is. Is that all right?
Prabhupāda: Which room?
Guru dāsa: In the place where you took rest.
Prabhupāda: So offering every day.
Guru dāsa: Yes, that is being done.
Prabhupāda: That's nice.
Prabhupāda: Yes. It is not movement, it is knowledge. It is not artificial movement. It is knowledge, real knowledge, that you are not this body. You are not this machine. It is knowledge. It is meant for everyone. But you take an artificial movement. It is not. It is knowledge. And it is your duty to give knowledge to the people. If you have got any knowledge... All scientists do like that. It is not movement. When a scientist goes all over the world, he gives about his discovery, it is not movement. It is scientific knowledge. Movement is you create something and make your followers. That is movement. It is not like that. It is scientific knowledge that you are not this body. Dehino 'smin yathā. That is the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā. Those who are fortunate, they will accept it. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye, yatatām api siddhānām (BG 7.3). Find out this verse. Everything is there in the Bhagavad-gītā, but we are neglecting. Allah... We are getting photograph(?) in Bhagavad-gītā. This is... Actually understand Bhagavad-gītā and distribute the knowledge. That is our aim.
Bhakti-caru: Photo?
Prabhupāda: Which photograph is it?
Bhakti-caru: That Amritsar. The "One Hundred Million Harijanas Pick a New Messiaḥ."
Prabhupāda: Read that whole thing.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ...the BBT felt that he could be trained. Vipra dāsa is about forty years old, and he's a trained photographer for many years.
Prabhupāda: And every time Rādhā-vallabha changes something, that should be stopped. He is very much inclined to change something. This practice should be stopped.
Prabhupāda: Your photograph is there. That is also, they have done? Or you have given your photograph?
Surabhīr Abhipālayantam: They took a picture. I have only given them this picture and this picture.
Prabhupāda: Not a single man's name is there. "The Swami," your photograph... Nothing.
Surabhīr Abhipālayantam: We will go immediately. I will go today, immediately.
Prabhupāda: But what is published, that is already damage.
Prabhupāda: And your name is mentioned in every line, your photograph, as if you are doing everything.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There's another article in here about the Bhaktivedanta Institute. Have you seen it?
Prabhupāda: No.
Prabhupāda: Your photograph and your name and nothing else.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I mean, one point is this: When you hold a press conference you don't give them a fifty-page booklet and expect that they're going to read any of it. They're not going to read any of it. When you hold a press conference you give one sheet, and on that sheet everything is there in order of importance. Nobody ever gives this in a press conference. This is a book.
Prabhupāda: No, no...
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They don't have the time to read. I mean, that's why they won't publish any of this. This is good, but it...
Prabhupāda: No, no, where is mentioned that Surabhī Swami was...? His name? How they have picked up your name and your photograph as everything?
Surabhīr Abhipālayantam: Well, I usually have to go these places.
Prabhupāda: But his not there. Your name is there. Your photograph.
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.
Prabhupāda: No, that I have not said. Therefore I used so strong word on the, our Surabhī's action. This was made independently. He has written. He has given photograph. That is not good.
Prabhupāda: No, no. But what will be the benefit of our taking photograph of other procession? There are so many processions like that. So what will be benefit?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He says his general idea is "to present and establish Kṛṣṇa as a factual personality and not just some mythical character." To do this, he wants "to show historical sites of His pastimes combined with paintings to illustrate Kṛṣṇa's birth, His Vṛndāvana, Mathurā and Dvārakā pastimes, speaking Bhagavad-gītā to Arjuna, and His teachings as given in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Then we would show His, Kṛṣṇa's, teachings, how Kṛṣṇa's teachings were passed down..."
Prabhupāda: This is good.
Mr. Dwivedi: And some of the photographs which were shown to me yesterday, I find the ditto in that temple, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa's temple.
Prabhupāda: Good place.
Mr. Dwivedi: This is the... I think I got a view of that temple.
Prabhupāda: Good engagement. So Kārttika, you are coming?
Kārttikeya: If you're not going to Kashmir, I'll come with you.
Prabhupāda: Eh?
Kārttikeya: If you are not going to Kashmir for the month of May...
Prabhupāda: No, no.
Prabhupāda: (Hindi) (more Hindi conversation) So give him photograph, my photograph. Bring some photograph.
Mr. Dwivedi: All right. (Hindi) There are tentative date... (Hindi) So that can be fixed, that Your Holiness will be reaching there about the 6th.
Prabhupāda: Yes. That letter...
Mr. Dwivedi: (Hindi) In that letter, whatever changes you want to make, make changes. Kindly put the date 6th, that His Grace should be reaching Gwalior on the 6th.
Prabhupāda: Do... Otherwise call him.
Mr. Dwivedi: You kindly give me one or two photographs.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I don't have any photographs like that.
Mr. Dwivedi: You don't have.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But you can get them. I can tell you the person to see who may have them, Amogha-līlā. I can give you his name.
Prabhupāda: So ask him, Amogha-līlā. Why he shall go?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, I... We have no photos.
Prabhupāda: No, no, you have no; Amogha-līlā has got.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I have a photograph. Should I bring it?
Prabhupāda: Yes. (Hindi)
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: All we had was this Melbourne photo. We don't have the Sydney... We have the Melbourne Deities. Still, it's nice.
Prabhupāda: Melbourne and Sydney, white.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Any photographs, perhaps, of the persons involved? Any need of that? I think we can leave it up to Gopāla. He's in charge of printing.
Prabhupāda: No, not... We have said.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We should give a little background introduction of the court case and then this translation of the final verdict of the judge.
Prabhupāda: And "Translated by such and such judge." It will carry some weight.
Prabhupāda: You asked me whether photograph should be given. I said, "That cannot be decided by Gopāla."
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I see.
Prabhupāda: I don't think photograph is required.
Prabhupāda: Yes. It is always closed. They are cooking.
Bhavānanda: And the photo exhibit is very popular. Everyone goes.
Prabhupāda: To see.
Bhavānanda: Yes.
Prabhupāda: There is... Within, there is fan?
Bhavānanda: No fans, but it's cool. It's very cool.
Prabhupāda: It is down.
Prabhupāda: Another thing, the Hindi photographic pages, if you send to Los Angeles, the books can be printed there.
Rāmeśvara: Printed in America?
Prabhupāda: Hm.
Rāmeśvara: What language? Hindi?
Prabhupāda: The photographic pages...
Kīrtanānanda: For the photographic pages in the Hindi, the printing of the photography...
Rāmeśvara: The color? That's possible. I can talk with Gopāla to see if it is less expensive.
Prabhupāda: Because Hindi composition is not possible there. So after composing here, if they send you the photography, finished copy, from that copy, whether you can print there?
Rāmeśvara: Oh, yes.
Prabhupāda: I think you can work out.
Prabhupāda: What is that photograph?
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: They have one of your photographs.
Prabhupāda: So let them issue later on, and you can make.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Sometime we are preparing, called, a brochure for this lecture series. We'll make it color. So I already have the outline in Boston. So we're titling, "Announcing a Worldwide Lecture Series on the Origin of Life in the Matter, sponsored by Bhaktivedanta Institute for Higher Studies and Founder-Ācārya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda." And we have some colored pictures inside and a little also, synopsis of the theme, the topics. We said, "Chemical Evolution-A Molecular Fairy Tale," and we have about three or four lines describing what the lecture should be about and what is the main theme of the talk. And we also have photographs of four or five of us who are going to speak and a little background of the candidate. So we wanted to make it very official.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Prabhupāda: They invented stories for going to the moon planet.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yeah, they're making stories about everything.
Prabhupāda: A small toy sputnik, background, a big picture, and photograph.
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.
Prabhupāda: (laughs) When there is argument? Nonsense, how you can argue? And therefore you are rascal. And that is also forbidden. Acintyāḥ khalu ye bhāvā na tāṁs tarkeṇa yojayet: "Things which are beyond your conception, don't foolishly argue, rascal." That will prove your rascaldom. Better accept what the authority says. It is beyond your conception, rascal. Why you are wasting time? That we want to say, that all of them are rascals, and they are simply wasting time by false idea. Cheating. You know, there are companies. They'll... They have got photographic studio. So they adjust their moon hoax. They'll help you. If you have got particular idea... They are going to the moon planet, Mars. Nowhere the rascals go. There is no knowledge. How they can go? Teeny, imperfect.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Same thing is with the Back to Godhead. Just publish some photo, try to change so many things in order to make it popularized. They have been doing that even with the philosophy. (pause)
Śatadhanya: I remember when Rāmeśvara was here, he had mentioned that in one article you had denounced the Christians strongly, so he said he left one part out because he was afraid there would be a bad reaction from the Christians in America.
Prabhupāda: That is possible. That is possible. He should be careful.
Prabhupāda: ...there is sun, and above that, there is moon. And they are going to moon. They are going nowhere, simply taking laboratory photo, studio photo, and cheating. Why this cheating can go on? You do not know. That's all. Who is insisting that "We must know"? (end)
Prabhupāda: They do not marry for being... Or they kill children. They are doing that. Where is the question of "four," "two"? These are all nonsense program. They do not know how to do things. We welcome. Four, nei. Four hundred. Come on. My Guru Mahārāja used to say that "I am a brahmacārī-sannyāsī, but if I can bring Kṛṣṇa conscious child, I can beget hundred children. I have no objection." And that is... There is no question of four or two. Four hundred—if you can make them Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is the criterion. That is required. But that, they do not know. They'll not be able to maintain properly even one children, one child. That's not possible. But that is the difficulty in In... They do not know the laws of nature, the laws of God, how things are going on, although they are being explained. They'll... There are so many things. They are jumping like monkey. That's all. They... They take photograph for "Gītā student," and they do not understand one line, even one line. In the beginning, the Bhagavad-gītā is tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ: (BG 2.13) "This body will change." Do they take it seriously? So what is the use of their reading Bhagavad-gītā? Kṛṣṇa says, tathā dehāntara, na hanyate hanyamāne (BG 2.20). Do they take seriously, that "I am eternal. I do not die after the annihilation of the body. And the body will change. What I am going to do?" So this is going on, and still, they are... Gandhi is... "He is great student of Bhagavad-gītā." He is... "Tilak is a great student." "Dr. Radhakrishnan..." All rascals. All rascals.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Maybe I should show you the pictures first. I've brought your glasses. These are the photographs, Śrīla Prabhupāda, of the Deities to be installed in Fiji. He's sending to you for your approval. First, this is Śrī-Śrī-Guru-Gaurāṅga in day dress.
Prabhupāda: First class. Just like life.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Phew. Yeah.
Prabhupāda: Very, very nice. They're superexcellent. Not only excellent but superexcellent.
Prabhupāda: Everything superexcellent.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Here is the Deity of Lord Nityānanda dressed and undressed, so you can see. They've done very nicely with the two photographs. You can get the full idea. I think the proportions are first class. Just accurate.
Prabhupāda: Gaurāṅga.
Prabhupāda: That is Kṛṣṇa's mercy. That you are feeling like that, humbleness, that is Kṛṣṇa's mercy.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He says, "I have received your merciful letter, dated April 8th, in which you have instructed me to fashion Pañca-tattva vigraha for the Hawaii yātrā. You also revealed your desire to see photographs of the completed set of mūrtis for the Kṛṣṇa-Kāliya Mandir in Fiji. In regards to the Hawaii Deities, we have just now been able to begin the work, and it will be completed some time in the end of August. We have already received remuneration for fifty percent of the cost from Śrutakīrti dāsa. As far as the Kṛṣṇa-Kāliya temple vigrahas. I beg to inform you that they have been shipped two weeks ago along with two sets of dresses, one for the day and one for the night, for all of them. Enclosed please find a complete set of photographs of the Fiji mūrtis."
Prabhupāda: They're all superexcellent.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "I hope that they meet with your approval. We are now in the process of completing a reproduction of the saṁsāra display for the twofold purpose of museum publicity, a special photograph to be taken by a famous photographer..." It's funny. You told him not to do this, but they went ahead and did it. "...and an exhibit to be displayed at the Los Angeles First Annual Ratha-yātrā festival grounds. This saṁsāra diorama has an outstanding response from the general public, and we hope to make it available to many centers for the preaching work in the near future. In connection with this I had an idea of constructing traveling trailers housing one such exhibit, complete with lights and sound, explaining the process..."
Prabhupāda: Oh, it will be very nice.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He says he wants to make a trailer. Trailer means like a big...
Prabhupāda: Hm.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "...and sound, explaining the process of transmigration of the soul and other philosophical displays from the Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā."
Prabhupāda: It will be so attractive.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Another thing he says... The last point is that he saw... You know in New York they made those busts to be put in libraries, of Your Divine Grace? Some sculptures. Remember I showed you some photographs of...
Prabhupāda: Hm, hm, hm.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He says he understood that busts of divine images of guru and Kṛṣṇa are not to be made. He says in New York you explained this point with reference to photographs that were used in Back to Godhead of your divine self that it was impersonal to cut off some portion of the complete worshipable form.
Prabhupāda: No, if it is not worshipable, if it is to be kept in library, that can be done.
Prabhupāda: So you can give me little bit.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And they sent photographs. These Deities are superwonderful.
Prabhupāda: Very nice.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: (laughs) Give him a little heartache.
Prabhupāda: Just photograph a copy.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: All right. When Yaśomatīnandana goes to Delhi he can make a photocopy. Send it to the man by mail. "Thought we'd let you know, CIAs are back in Māyāpur." (break)
Prabhupāda: ...because there is psychological difference.
Dr. Kapoor: Good doll. Very lifelike, huh? I first thought this was your photo.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Just see how they've made these mūrtis.
Prabhupāda: Oh, they have made a statue—I am writing books like this, moving.
Prabhupāda: It doesn't matter. Every month, if we regularly publish, we get some postal (indistinct). That's... If you every month publish some in certain date, you get very cheap rate for posting. That... All right. So a good thing... (break) Very good boy. So Gaurasundara, if he joins there, it will be still more brilliant for both of them. Because you have got the talent. You are not to be taught. You can teach others how to make dolls. And profusely make this doll exhibition from Bhāgavata. Yes. There's no need of reading book. They will see and understand Bhāgavata. Everywhere, in every branch, you see how many tourists you attract. Do all these things. Kṛṣṇa has given all assistance: money, men, endeavor. Now utilize it properly. Just see how nicely they have made. Nobody will understand this is doll. As if actual photograph.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually, when I showed someone that photograph of Your Divine Grace in the Rādhā-Dāmodara room, you know, that doll exhibit, he said, "Who took this photo so many years ago?" I said, "No, this is not a photo. This is doll exhibit." This was a devotee of yours. They thought it was a photograph taken ten years ago or twelve years ago. They couldn't understand that it was a doll.
Prabhupāda: Yes. We said, "Why you say Hindu? We are not Hindu, Muhammadan. We are for humanity." (break) ...continue this kavirāja or we shall change? If we have to change, whether that astrologer has got any information? (break) New York Ratha-yātrā, there was no coverage in the press?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There was. I just finished reading Ādi-keśava's letter, and he says by separate post he's sending us news clippings and photographs.
Prabhupāda: That's nice. And so far the Indians are concerned...?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's strange that he did not write. I will question him what was the response from the Indian community.
Prabhupāda: Indian community, they are regularly coming in our temple?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yes. I would imagine that there was a good many thousand Indians at the festival. There must have been. We have quite a good relationship with the Indian community in New York. Ādi-keśava Mahārāja and others have developed it through the years now, in the last two years. (break)
Abhirāma: I just now returned from Delhi, Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: First devotee before his wife, yes. You convinced him. He did not come here thinking to become a devotee. Remember, he came for photography work.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But his good fortune was that he chose to photograph you, Śrīla Prabhupāda, and the devotees. So he became very attracted. (whispering)
Prabhupāda: Hm? What is that?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We're just getting Pradyumna.
Prabhupāda: Yadubara has freedom...
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What, Śrīla Prabhupāda?
Prabhupāda: Yadubara has freedom to do anything.
Girirāja: Oh, Tamāla Kṛṣṇa. He's... (break) Yesterday I spent the day in Delhi, and I opened an account with the Punjab Bank in the name of Bhaktivedanta Swami Charity Trust. And we also gave them a letter that the interest from the ten lakhs sixty thousand should go into that Bhaktivedanta Swami Charity account. And I took the original trust of the new trust, the original deed, and I made some photocopies and got them notarized by notary.
Prabhupāda: Photocopy of?
Girirāja: Of the trust deed forming the Bhaktivedanta Swami Charity Trust. And then I bought a copy of the income tax act, because there's some provision that if funds are used to restore some ancient place of worship or some place of worship which is famous in a particular state, then that is exempt from income tax. So I think that this fits in with the aims and objects of this new trust. So we should be able to get tax exemption for that. I spoke to Bombay to see how things were doing, and Gopāla Kṛṣṇa said that everything is going nice, and he's coming here on Friday, after two days. So I told him that your condition was very serious and that I wanted to stay here for a little longer. So he said that was okay. I confirmed with Yaśodānandana Swami's assistant that he sent the letter to the South Indian brāhmaṇas to confirm that they can come on the dates which we have fixed. So we're waiting to hear that reply.
Prabhupāda: You can take some brāhmaṇa from here. Balaram...
Girirāja: Yes.
Prabhupāda: They'll chant Veda-mantra very nice
| Page Title: | Photograph (Conversations) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Mayapur |
| Created: | 09 of May, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=193, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 193 |