Go to Vanipedia | Go to Vanisource | Go to Vanimedia


Vaniquotes - the compiled essence of Vedic knowledge


Risk (Conversations 1976 - 1977)

Conversations and Morning Walks

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walks -- January 22-23, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Yes... They don't say cow. They say better kill one big animal. "So instead of becoming sinful for killing so many animals, you better kill..." And that is also sacrificed in the mosque, and that is called koravāni. Restriction is there.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So there's no... The karma for killing many goats is more severe than killing one cow.

Prabhupāda: No, no. You become responsible for each and every animal.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Irrespective of what kind of animal.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Now if you can serve the purpose by killing one animal, why should you take the risk of killing many animals?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Even if that one animal is a cow.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Animal is animal. And we say protect cow from economic point of view, kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyam (BG 18.44). Without saving cows you cannot get good food, not from the animal point of view. You require milk and milk preparation.

Morning Walk -- March 25, 1976, Delhi:

Prabhupāda: No, no.... These things are very common. Just like in your country the government has written on the cigarette box, "It is harmful to health." But if you still smoke at your risk, do it.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: So freedom.... You can smoke, but you cannot avoid suffering from the result.

Prabhupāda: Yes, from the result.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: You have to suffer.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: This is the law.

Morning Walk -- April 10, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: All rascals. How they are risking their own life, karma-bandhana. Just like a thief. He is thinking "I am doing very nice business. Without any..., I am getting so much money." That is risky.

Hari-śauri: Perhaps we cut across this way? This is a dead end here.

Prabhupāda: No, we shall come back.

Jayādvaita: You gave that other example in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that Nṛsiṁha-deva let Hiraṇyakaśipu slip from His hands for a little while just to play with him.

Morning Walk -- April 24, 1976, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: That is the animal life. If you do not understand what is unhappiness, then you are animal. You are not human being. But his unhappiness, that's a fact, to remain in a airtight bag for ten months. If you have no sense, "Oh, what is this?" And still being killed, is it not unhappiness? And if you say, "Where is unhappiness?" then you are a stone. The Bhagavad-gītā says, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi. Janma is unhappiness. First of all you have to remain ten months in a packed-up bag and that also risk your mother will kill you, and still you say, "It is not unhappiness"? Then what is happiness? You are so dull that you see there is no unhappiness in birth. Practically see.

Guru-kṛpā: But they're so nonsense, they say, "Well, I can't remember..."

Prabhupāda: But therefore I say animal. Nonsense means animal.

Morning Walk -- May 29, 1976, Honolulu:

Hari-śauri: They get their enjoyment from taking a risk.

Prabhupāda: Yes. What is not suffering, they're taking risk as enjoyment.

Devotee (2): Material life is great suffering. Totally insensitive that they take such suffering to be enjoyment.

Prabhupāda: This is their punishment. They are being punished, but if you think that "I am punished," they will die. You must take it "I'm enjoying." This is māyā's energy. They are being punished, but punishment they are taking as enjoyment. Illusion. The conditioned soul is illusioned.

Morning Walk -- June 3, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: But you insist, so Kṛṣṇa, in disgust, says, "All right, do at your own risk. You rascal. You will not hear Me." That's all. I have given this example many times, that my son wanted to touch the table fan. Did I say it?

Rāmeśvara: I never heard it.

Prabhupāda: Oh, so, when he was only two years old, so the table fan was running, and the child, he wants to touch it. So I am: "No, don't touch." So, and he was.... So there was another friend, he was a doctor. He said that "Slow the speed and let him touch." So I did it. So he touched, "Tung." (sound imitation) Then I said, "Touch again?" "No!" (laughter) So it is like that.

Morning Walk -- June 7, 1976, Los Angeles:

Hari-śauri: They're risking living in Naraka-kuṇḍa.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I remember one boy was living there for about three months, and you got very angry and told him that there were already enough monkeys in Rādhā-kuṇḍa. Do not try to jump over like a monkey.

Rādhāvallabha: (break) The scientists have found some more brass pottery. So now they say that man first started using brass around thirty-five hundred years ago. They've announced this to the world.

Prabhupāda: Now they're not using?

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

Prabhupāda: Here is a very nice example. Soldiers. They know "We are going to give up our life." And what for? "Money." (laughs) They are prepared to give up life for money. Money is so sweeter than honey. (laughs) And thieves, they go at night for burglary. He knows that "If I trespass anyone's house, he can kill me immediately." But still he takes the risk for money. That is all explained here. What is the verse?

Hṛdayānanda: "Thieves, professional servants, soldiers and merchants try to acquire money even by risking their very dear lives."

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

Hṛdayānanda: Purport: "How money can be dearer than life is indicated in this verse. Thieves may enter the house of a rich man to steal money at the risk of their lives. Because of trespassing they may be killed by guns or attacked by watchdogs, but still they try to commit burglary. Why do they risk their lives? Only to get some money. Similarly, a professional soldier is recruited into the army, and he accepts such service, with the risk of dying on the battlefield, only for the sake of money. In the same way, merchants go from one country to another on boats at the risk of their lives, or they dive into the water...

Prabhupāda: In 1942 I have seen when war was going on, so, these Britishers wanted soldiers, so they created artificial famine. The people became in need of money, so they enrolled them as soldiers. I have seen it.

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

Prabhupāda: That is another thing, because you do not know that you are risking your life without Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the.... You do not, that I have already said, that an innocent person doesn't know what is going to happen, but things are going to happen. That you do not know.

Rāmeśvara: After death.

Prabhupāda: So you must be aware what is going to happen after death. Then if you become fearless, that is secure. But without knowing, if you are not afraid, that is risk.

Conversation with Clergymen -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: Because, I have got this life, you have got this life, so we shall give up this body, we have to accept another body. We have to enter again in the womb of the mother, and packed up for so many months. And nowadays there's a risk of losing life also. The mother is killing child.

Scheverman: There's an area hopefully where we might be able to cooperate, this area of slaughter, senseless slaughter.

Prabhupāda: So many things. It is going on. So unless there is first-class man, who will guide them?

Evening Darsana -- July 7, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: They are mūḍhas, that is already explained. If you cannot convince them, then avoid them. What can be done? Instead of wasting time, you better avoid them. Upekṣā. Useless. Because godless persons means duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ narādhamāḥ. So it is the duty of the preacher to enlighten them also, to take some risk. But if one is unable to take risk, he may avoid them.

Evening Darsana -- July 8, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: And when they were attacked, they were running away. Because they are śūdras. How they can fight? They are not trained up as kṣatriyas. Huh? Anyone who is unemployed, let him become a soldier, but he cannot fight. That is not possible. Neither this class of men can have good brain to give direction to the society. The democracy means anyone can go to the government, and because he's not kṣatriya, his only business is how to get money so long he's on the post. Just like you did not like your President, Mr. Nixon. So that is the risk. If you keep the society in chaotic condition, any department, intellectual, administration, production, they'll be all topsy turvey, and there cannot be any peace in the world.

Evening Darsana -- July 8, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Vipina: Then He's not fulfilling the desire.

Prabhupāda: No, you wanted to enjoy-enjoy at your risk. Sometimes you'll become the king of heaven, and sometimes you become the germs in the stool.

Vipina: Hm, enjoy at your risk. (laughter)

Prabhupāda: Yes. No, that is the fact.

Vipina: Instead of under His protection, you enjoy at your risk.

Evening Darsana -- July 8, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Vipina: Instead of under His protection, you enjoy at your risk.

Prabhupāda: Therefore He advises, "Rascal, you give up all this enjoying spirit. You just surrender to Me, you'll be happy." But we don't accept it. Therefore sometimes we are in the heavenly kingdom, sometimes as a worm in the stool. That is going on. That is your risk. What is that? Bhuñjate te tv aghaṁ pāpāḥ?

Room Conversation -- July 10, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: In America alone over the past decade, tens of thousands have come to Carnegie Hall in New York and dozens of other centers of public hearing all to hear him." He says, "Meditation can make this claim alone, and it's yours to keep. Your own mantra free, even if you return the report itself. Mail this coupon at no risk today. 'Gentlemen, please rush me a copy of Norbell's five minute de-mystified transcendental meditation.' " (laughter) De-mystified, taking the mystery out. "Confidential report. 'I enclose nine dollars and ninety-eight cents in full payment. I understand that I may examine this confidential report for thirty days at your risk or money back.

Room Conversation -- July 26, 1976, London:

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa has sent you His grain. You cannot waste it. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Live that way. And Kṛṣṇa is providing so much facilities for becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious, and why should we deviate and spoil this life, take the risk of again going into the cycle of birth and death? Commonsense affair. We have got the good, greatest opportunity to solve this problem of repetition of birth. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9). And only for little sense gratification we are going to sacrifice so great opportunity of life? This much education is wanted. Na sadhu manye yata ātmano 'yam.

Room Conversation -- July 26, 1976, London:

Prabhupāda: And only for little sense gratification we are going to sacrifice so great opportunity of life? This much education is wanted. Na sadhu manye yata ātmano 'yam. Eh? Find out the verse, Fifth Canto. Fifth Canto, Fifth Chapter. Na sadhu manye yata atmano 'yam asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma yad indriya-prītaya āpṛṇoti (SB 5.5.4). Very bad civilization. Mad civilization, pramattaḥ. Simply for little sense gratification they are prepared to take so much risk. Next life you may become cat, dog or a small grass or a tree by laws of nature. So nūnaṁ pramattaḥ. Is it Fifth Canto?

Bhagavān: Ṛṣabhadeva.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- July 26, 1976, London:

Prabhupāda: He was lamenting that "These men, they did not make, publish any number of books. They are simply after this stone and bricks." He condemned. He was very, very sorry. So I thought that I must take a risk. And he's pleased.

Bhagavān: So now you have books and temples.

Prabhupāda: Yes, temple is automatically.

Jayatīrtha: Without fighting, you've got so many temples.

Room Conversation -- July 26, 1976, London:

Bhagavān: But I mean, if you have to risk that eight-hour plane ride, that's much more difficult than going to the farm. The farm is only three hours in a comfortable car.

Hari-śauri: It's not just that. It's the problem that you have to fly from France to somewhere else and then from somewhere else back to India. I said the main problem is that if you do go to France, then it means a great deal more traveling than would be involved in simply flying to India, because you'd have to travel back and forth to the Paris farm. Then you would also have to stay in Tehran, up and down like that in the plane, and then again fly to Bombay.

Bhagavān: But he doesn't have to stay in the farm for just nine days. He can stay there for long time.

Prabhupāda: If the health suits, I can stay there. If the health improves, I can stay.

Evening Conversation -- August 8, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: Such liberation of the living entity from material bondage is not at all easy. The impersonalists and the yogis attain liberation only after much trouble and many, many births. Even then the liberation they achieve, merging into the impersonal brahma-jyotir of the Lord, is only partial and there's the risk of returning again to this material world. But the devotee, simply by understanding the transcendental nature of the body and activities of the Lord, attains the abode of the Lord after ending this body and does not run the risk of returning again to this material world. In the Brahma-saṁhitā it is stated that the Lord has many, many forms and incarnations: advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam (Bs. 5.33).

Morning Walk and Room Conversation -- August 9, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: What is the ground of your this rascal philosophy? Wherefrom you get this idea that I create something for somebody else? I create for myself, for my enjoyment. But I can allow you to enjoy with me. That is another thing. A father creates family for his own enjoyment. Wife, children, he wants enjoyment—society, family. Therefore he takes the risk of maintaining so many people. He feels some enjoyment, therefore he takes the risk. Otherwise he has no business. Why should he create unnecessary trouble to maintain a family, maintain wife, children and society? The principle is if you create something, it is created for your personal enjoyment. But I can allow my sons, my wife, my family members to enjoy with me. But the basic principle is for my enjoyment. This is natural. Where do you get this philosophy that...? What you said? That God cannot enjoy.

Evening Darsan -- August 10, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: Without hearing the good advice of Kṛṣṇa, he does it at his risk. That's all. He'll be arrested, he'll be put into jail. That's all. He'll suffer. But Kṛṣṇa gives him good counsel, "Don't do it." Mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca (BG 15.15). He's situated in every heart, but if you persist to do something, He gives, "All right, do at your risk. What can I do?" You suffer. That independence you have got. Just like State. State does not advise anyone that "You become a criminal." But when he becomes criminal, then put into jail. State says, "Everyone go to the university, be educated," but if you make your choice, go to the prison house, you can make your choice.

Room Conversation -- September 11, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Anyway, we should not take risk at any rate.

Harikeśa: Rādhā-Rāsabihārī, also, when They came from Akash-Ganga there was a disturbance with Them also. Rādhā has a tendency to crack on the arm. Her left arm cracks.

Prabhupāda: Where?

Harikeśa: Slightly. There was a very weak, it was very weak. Very weak. I remember 'cause they had to move three times. I was there all the times when They were moved.

Prabhupāda: In Bombay.

Room Conversation -- September 11, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: This risk should not be taken at any gain. Never mind Hari-bhakti-vilāsa, this-vilāsa—no risk. You must always know. No risk. That is the first point. Then we consult Hari-bhakti-vilāsa. Nobody can give reference to Hari-bhakti-vilāsa at risk. No. Not at all. Do? Anything more?

Dhanañjaya: Can I ask one question? You were mentioning that you wanted to start local industries, casting Deities.

Prabhupāda: Yes, we can purchase... We can...

Dhanañjaya: Purchase raw materials?

Press Interview -- October 16, 1976, Chandigarh:

Prabhupāda: It is not religion. I have already explained. Did you not mark that this is spiritual knowledge? You are combination of spirit and matter. The spirit I have already explained. And if you don't take care of the spirit portion then you are making suicide. You are losing the opportunity of your human life. It is essential. One should be cognizant of the spiritual necessity of life. Otherwise, you are losing the opportunity of this human form of life. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. Then you remain as cats and dogs and there is risk, very risky life. Tathā dehāntara-prāptir. You do not know what kind of body you are going to get next life. It is essential. You must be prepared... (break) ...body, but you do not know what kind of body you are going to accept. That knowledge is lacking.

Morning Walk -- December 5, 1976, Hyderabad:

Devotee (3): "A person in Kṛṣṇa consciousness certainly sees Lord Kṛṣṇa everywhere, and he sees everything in Kṛṣṇa. Such a person may appear to see all separate manifestations of the material nature, but in each and every instance he is conscious of Kṛṣṇa, knowing that everything is the manifestation of Kṛṣṇa's energy. Nothing can exist without Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa is the Lord of everything—this is the basic principle of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the development of love of Kṛṣṇa—a position transcendental even to material liberation. It is the stage beyond self-realization at which the devotee becomes one with Kṛṣṇa in the sense that Kṛṣṇa becomes everything for the devotee, and the devotee becomes full in loving Kṛṣṇa. An intimate relationship between the Lord and the devotee then exists. In that stage, the living entity attains his immortality. Nor is the Personality of Godhead ever out of the sight of the devotee. To merge in Kṛṣṇa is spiritual annihilation. A devotee takes no such risk. It is stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā, premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti (Bs. 5.38)."

Prabhupāda: Santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti. He sees every moment.

Room Conversation -- December 31, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Therefore He says "I am performer. If I give him instruction, he does something, so he is not doing. I am doing. I say, 'Do like this,' and he does like that, then he's not performer, I am performer." So whatever mantra they are chanting, if Kṛṣṇa does not give him intelligence, he cannot do that. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭaḥ. Mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca (BG 15.15). Everyone, whatever we are doing, it is being supplied, the intelligence, the everything, but according to my desires. I cannot do anything independent. Just like we are constructing, practically, with the sanction of the municipality, the sanction of the government. Independently I cannot do. Similarly, we cannot anything without sanction of God. But that sanction is ye yathā māṁ prapadyante (BG 4.11). I insist, "God give me this facility, give me this facility." "All right. You do it at your risk." But God says, that "You don't do this." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66). "What I say, you do. Then you'll be happy. What I dictate you do. But you are dictating Me. Because you are my son, what can I do? All right. Do it."

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Conversation with Yogi Amrit Desai of Kripalu Ashram (PA USA) -- January 2, 1977, Bombay:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. But Bhagavad-gītā, we're doing one lakh copies now, and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is our first experiment with the paper manufacturer here. He's making paper for us exactly like American, especially for us. So I've given Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, First Canto, Part Two. We are printing ten thousand. Four thousand we'll print on this government paper, softbound, for cheap distribution, and six thousand on expensive American paper, hardbound, for export, because we will be able to export it for a dollar forty, which is two dollars below what Los Angeles charges. Substantial... So as an experiment, I only wanted to... I've ordered paper for six thousand expensive hardbound. Let's see how the paper is. If it's good, then we'll use the same paper for one lakh. Before taking a risk on one lakh, I wanted to experiment on a smaller run.

Trivikrama: So I'm also thinking about printing again. Now we have just enough...

Prabhupāda: We can print here.

Room Conversation -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Some motive behind. Or they may be in the lower position. By serving, gradually they'll come to the real position. But if they do not hear what Kṛṣṇa said, then just imitates again, same. So if we decide that "Whatever Kṛṣṇa has said, we have to do it at any risk," that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. "Kṛṣṇa has said. My Guru Mahārāja said. We have to do it."

Hari-śauri: I was just reading how Bali Mahārāja decided that he would please Lord Viṣṇu at any cost, and he gave everything.

Room Conversation -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: So they are taking risk for Kṛṣṇa. That is great service. Kṛṣṇārthe 'khila ceṣṭaḥ. That is one of the valuable service—for Kṛṣṇa's sake, all kinds of dangerous position. Somebody's knocking.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I'll explain this to Rāmeśvara, and if he approves, then... Because now we have just finished hundred thousand Gītār Gāns...

Prabhupāda: Anyway, it will be paid. Just wait. (hums)

Rāmeśvara: Śrīla Prabhupāda, would you like to see some photographs of Bharadraja's work? I'll go get them.

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Pandemonium, yes. This has to be reformed. You cannot avoid these four classes working under the superior instruction of brahminical culture. Then everything... This life successful, next life is back to home, back to Godhead. That is civilization, no speculation. The formula is already there. Bhagavad-gītā is the guidance, as it is. "Be happy here, and next life hope. Why you are disappointed? Take this way and be happy." This is our movement. We are not going to exploit anyone. We are giving the right path: "Be happy in this life and next life also." This is our mission. Para upakāra. They are blindly following some ways of life. Blind men, certainly, without guidance, we are falling down in the ditch. Once this human life is misused, he falls down in the ditch. He does not... He becomes a tree. "Stand up there for one thousand years. What you can do?" This risk they are taking.

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

Prabhupāda: So why should take such risk? (laughs)

Guest (2): No. No, no, no. What happened...

Prabhupāda: It happened, and it must happen. It must happen. So why should you take that risk?

Guest (1): This is... We are depicting the līlā...

Prabhupāda: Any... Anyway...

Guest (1): You are telling and your disciples are always telling about Kṛṣṇa's sacred(?) līlās. So we are your disciples, and we are telling the līlā in different form. It is in vision. And we are starting from Sarva-bhumna or Sarvabhauma...

Train Conversation -- February 4, 1977, Calcutta:

Satsvarūpa: But we have to take the risk to go and see their face, to preach to them.

Prabhupāda: Yes. But if you are engaged in preaching, you are not affected. (break) ...Himalaya just to avoid seeing the face of the vicious.

Satsvarūpa: In Bhagavad-gītā one of the items of knowledge is to go to a solitary place...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Satsvarūpa: ...and avoid the congested...

Room Conversation Varnasrama System Must Be Introduced -- February 14, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: If you think Mother, then you must think that Mother of the goat also. Why Mother will tolerate? This is justice. Actually the mantra is there, that "Goat, you are sacrificing your life. You get immediately chance of human being." That is his profit. He would have evolved himself in so many lives and then get a human life. But because he's sacrificing his life before Mother, he gets immediately an lift to become a human man. And the human, because he becomes, he has got the right to cut the throat of the man who sacrificed him. This is the mantra. So if you take this risk, do that because how to become a goat, how to become a man, that is in the hands of Mother. That is not in your hand.

Room Conversation Varnasrama System Must Be Introduced -- February 14, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Mother is just to everyone. "All right, this man is cutting your throat. You just become human being and cut his throat. I shall make him a goat." How you can say, "No"? Can you say? And Mother is all-powerful. Then you take the risk. And why Mother will make injustice? The poor goat, you shall cut the throat, and you remain human being, Mother's pet son? What is this logic? She is Mother means she is equal to every son. The goat is also her son; you are also her son. So you are taking advantage of this poor goat, and now he'll get this advantage. You, you become a goat. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi (BG 3.27). When you are being made into a goat, you cannot check it. That is in the hand of mother. Then what is your answer? Will you take that risk?

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

Prabhupāda: No. You don't take much risk. But there is customer.

Harikeśa: We have a... Actually we have a very secret preaching center there.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. Do cautiously so that everything may not be capsized. If you cannot do... Dhairyāt. Caught dhairyāt tat-tat-karma... Patient. Then?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: " 'This unfortunate situation must be due to my past sinful lives. I have already accepted Śrīla Prabhupāda as my spiritual master, so I desire...' "

Prabhupāda: So encourage him to start. We can help.

Room Conversation -- March 22, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Still, I took the risk that "I have no money. If he cheat me, that's all, but let me attempt."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Then you installed the Deity as soon as possible.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Immediately Akash Ganga left. All Kṛṣṇa's desire.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Everyone is appreciating how wonderful this project is, all of Bombay.

Prabhupāda: So much obstacles, one after another, one after another, one after another.

Room Conversation -- March 26, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yajñād bhavati... Why you should go three hundred miles away from your home, hanging in the daily grinding, risking life? So much labor? It is not required.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: More like an ass than a human being.

Prabhupāda: This is civilization? Swarms of men, church-haters. In the morning they are coming, just like swarms of ants. Is that right?

Hari-śauri: Then in the evening again rushing home.

Interview with Mr. Koshi (Asst. Editor of The Current Weekly) -- April 5, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: They do not know what is the risk of mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani. After all, you have to die. After death, if you become a tree in front of my house, who can check it? It is law of nature. You cannot check it. Then what will be your position? Stand up for thousands of years in one... So risky. They do not understand. They do not discuss these things in the Bhagavad-gītā, and still they are scholars of Bhagavad-gītā. They write comment on the Bhagavad-gītā, whimsically. This is going on. There are so many things to be learned from Bhagavad-gītā. They do not understand. And they are writing comment on Bhagavad-gītā, misleading others. It is clear. Dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre samavetā (BG 1.1). It is clear. They will comment, they will make some bogus meaning.

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

Prabhupāda: And I took the risk. I told you the story, that I was keeping my foodstuff in the same Frigidaire that dog's flesh is here. What can I do? Circumstance. Therefore this rascal, Ginsberg, he used to say, "Swamiji, you are very conservative." And "You do not know what is conservative. I'm so lenient. You do not know what is the meaning of conservative," I used to reply him. If I was conservative, then for a single moment I could not stay here. Immediately I would have gone.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But with yourself you were very conservative. With others you were very lenient, but in your own personal...

Conversation: Bogus Gurus -- April 25, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Tīrtha-goru, that is called. That risk is there because in India there are so many places, holy places. If you are not expert, you'll be victimized.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What about this svarūpa-siddhi?

Prabhupāda: Svarūpa-siddhi, that is bogus. Svarūpa-siddhi is not that you do all nonsense things and svarūpa-siddhi... Svarūpa-siddhi means when he is actually liberated, he understands what is his relationship with Kṛṣṇa. That is svarūpa-siddhi. Sākhya... So that is far away. Unless... If he's such a fool, then where is svarūpa-siddhi?

Morning Conversation -- April 29, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: So immediately I transferred myself to Jergens, keeping my goods at Mukunda's place, Michael. Then I searched out that 26 Second Avenue. From going to 26 Second Avenue taking this risk of two hundred dollars, then I became little relieved. Before that, I was simply vagabond. That was the first shelter. Then this Kīrtanānanda, Hayagrīva, Satsvarūpa, Umāpati, they guided. Brahmānanda. Some other boys also came, and they left.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Stryadhīśa.

Morning Conversation -- April 29, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That is also not difficult.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But why should you take that risk?

Prabhupāda: No, I shall not. I fell down...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I know, in Calcutta.

Prabhupāda: ...in Calcutta. That is bathroom, very slippery. Anyway, why shall I take the risk?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, we don't want that.

Discussions -- May 20-22, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: This is India's culture. The whole world is in darkness, and they are risking their life in the transmigration of one body to another, mṛtyu-saṁsāra-var... The rascals do not know what they are doing. They are simply taking account of few years. He does not know that he's eternal. A few years, a fragment, a pass, passing way, that's all. A passing flash. And bharam udvahato vimūḍhān. This is Vaiṣṇava philosophy. This rascal... Māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān (SB 7.9.43). Śoce tato vimukha-cetasa, māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān (SB 7.9.43). This is Vaiṣṇava's concern that "These, what, rascals, they are doing?" That is Vaishnavism.

Discussions -- June 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Rāmeśvara: See, in America sometimes we will borrow against the temple to "fry the fish in its own oil." So we wanted to make this language just for India, that they can never even mortgage it or risk it in any way.

Prabhupāda: All right. But outside they can do?

Rāmeśvara: Outside they have...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Jayapatākā Mahārāja just said that the temple buildings should never be mortgaged. Other buildings might be, but what about the temple buildings? Just like in Los Angeles you have many buildings. The temple building should never be mortgaged, but others may be.

Discussions -- June 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: There is a word, devāyatana,(?) Indian. Devāyatana property can never be mortgaged, sold or risked. (background whispering)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In America... Just like in New York there's a twelve-thirteen-story building. The temple only occupies the ground floor. They can't mortgage... Sometimes if they want to get other properties, they may want to use the asset of that building. If they have this clause, they won't be able to.

Rāmeśvara: Also sometimes we have got one property in America, and you have allowed us to sell it. Just like in Miami we had to sell the property in Coconut Grove and we bought that big farm.

Discussions -- June 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Girirāja: But then there's risk.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That you consider.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There's risk right now. There's a risk right now.

Rāmeśvara: The only time they should ever be sold is in some emergency? Why should...?

Prabhupāda: With the consent of all the GBC.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, the point is "with the consent of the GBC committee members."

Prabhupāda: Better not to be sold.

Room Conversation -- October 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So yesterday you took barley water and you didn't get mucus. So why not stick with that for a little while and get some more strength? See, if you get mucus now, because you don't have much strength, it will be difficult for you to cough. First of all, better to get more strength. Then we can take up drinking some things like milk which might cause a little mucus, but then you'd have the strength to cough. Now we should not take any risk. Is that a fact? At least that's how I'm thinking. It may be better you drink some barley water. Do you mind drinking it?

Prabhupāda: With little milk mixed up.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Little Complan or milk?

Room Conversation -- October 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Tomorrow shall I take the risk of taking little milk?

Hari-śauri: Generally when you take milk it causes lot of difficulty with mucus. This sweet lime juice, that seems to be doing some good, though. Perhaps it might be better not to take the milk for a little while until your system becomes more healthy.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Hari-śauri: Is there any difficulty from the solid food?

Prabhupāda: No taste.

Room Conversation -- October 30, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: If he can't stay here, then he should help to take Prabhupāda to Māyāpur. And actually that will make him very responsible, because then he'll see that Prabhupāda is taking risk simply to be under his care. So that will make him feel even more obligated to take proper care of Śrīla Prabhupāda even after going to Māyāpur.

Prabhupāda: This is the right conclusion.

Bhakti-caru: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda. (Bengali)

Prabhupāda: (Bengali) He does not agree. Then?

Bhavānanda: Agree to remain?

Room Conversation -- October 31, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: And then we are at the mercy of this assistant. And that we do not want. This assistant is... We are not very anxious about it. No person of any great position would ever place themselves under an assistant like that, never. If Morarji Desai was to be treated, he would never allow that assistant to touch him. (Bhakti-caru translates) We prefer to take the risk... (kavirāja interrupts) You can explain this point. We prefer to take the risk of traveling than the risk of being treated by that assistant, because if you are personally present, there's less risk. (Bhakti-caru translates) Here's what it will entail. From here we will go in the car, a very good, big Western car with a mattress in the back seat, and Prabhupāda will be laying down. You can explain that. (Bhakti-caru translates) Then we'll have a wheelchair at the airport. The car will go right up to the plane and the wheelchair... We'll carry Prabhupāda right into a seat, and he can lay down in the three seats. Then again we'll take him off the plane.

Prabhupada Vigil -- November 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Bhavānanda: The kavirāja, he explained that if you remained here, that would be good. But he didn't think there was any risk of death for you to go to Māyāpur.

Prabhupāda: No, actually, when I was making parikrama, this corner, I was feeling fainted.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This corner?

Brahmānanda: At the turn. Prabhupāda felt like fainting.

Bhavānanda: I saw when he closed his eyes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, most of this traveling that we're going to do, you will be laying down.

Prabhupada Vigil -- November 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: At least there is risk of life.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: By traveling.

Prabhupāda: I see that.

Bhavānanda: We've also seen, Śrīla Prabhupāda, that while you've been here in Vṛndāvana without this kavirāja, your condition has steadily deteriorated. Now he's come, and there's some slight improvement. We can speak to him about staying, but it's highly unlikely that he'll be able to stay away from his practice for any time longer. Then, if your condition turns again, then what do we do? There's also risk.

Prabhupada Vigil -- November 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: No, no. Risk is there, and risk is here. So better take the risk here.

Bhavānanda: And chance of survival is here and chance of survival is there. But where is the...

Prabhupāda: No. Provided you reach there. There is survival or whatever it may be, but whether there is arrival? The best thing is no medicine and kindly give me some (sic:) circumambulation and leave me to the fate.

Bhakti-caru: But, Śrīla Prabhupāda, don't you think that the medicine is working, is having some good effect?

Prabhupada Vigil -- November 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: If it is working, then why I'm not feeling any strength?

Bhakti-caru: That will come slowly, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Ah. That means I have to take the medicine and not that risking. The best thing is, whatever service you can give, you arrange. Leave me without medicine.

Bhavānanda: Why is that the best thing, Śrīla Prabhupāda? Why is that the best thing?

Prabhupāda: Because all, everything has failed.

Room Conversation -- November 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Brahmānanda: Just translating what the doctor is saying. If there's any risk, Prabhupāda, in traveling, then you shouldn't take that risk. The doctor will come back here next week and then we can see.

Kavirāja: (Hindi)

Prabhupāda: In the morning the symptom was that.

Kavirāja: (Hindi)

Bhakti-caru: He's saying, from the treatment point of view, it's best if Śrīla Prabhupāda stays here for ten more days.

Room Conversation -- November 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. He said the only reason... He said, "However, if you really feel that you want to go," he says, "I guarantee you that there will be no risk." That he promises. If you want to go, there will not be risk. But from a medical point of view he says, "I advise you to get stronger before making the trip, because it will be easier."

Prabhupāda: So do that.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So that's our program. We're going to wait here ten days. After seven days, doctor is coming back. Kavirāja is coming back. He'll also by that time have arranged so that when he comes he can stay even up to a week if necessary.

Prabhupāda: And I'll get some strength.

Room Conversation -- November 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Bhavānanda: Preaching also means risk.

Prabhupāda: Yes. No risk. We take money from them. So we get some money. That is our gain. So anything, do very carefully.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So you said we should have a sign, "No Māyāvādī Meetings Allowed."

Prabhupāda: No. If this is allowed free.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh. Well, this wasn't free. They're paying for being here. They're paying to be here.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Room Conversation -- November 3, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We're not going to do that, Śrīla Prabhupāda. That Saṁjāta dāsa? You know Saṁjāta dāsa, the architect from Bhuvaneśvara? He passed away recently. So I asked Gaura-govinda what were the circumstances. So he explained that he had been very ill for four or five days. They took him to the hospital. So the doctors gave some drugs for reducing the fever. But suddenly he died. When he died he was unconscious. Gaura-govinda said maybe it was due to the drugs that caused some severe reaction. We see one example after another that these hospitals, they are simply meant to kill, not to save life. I mean, I don't think we have any faith either in them, Śrīla Prabhupāda. And apart from our faith, which makes no difference, you strictly ordered it. So we're not going to disobey your order under any circumstance, even if we risk our own life. If someone says to us that "We will kill you if you don't let us take your Guru Mahārāja," then we'll say, "Then kill us." Your order is our command.

Prabhupāda: What does he say? They will kill?

Room Conversation -- November 3, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I said supposing someone threatens us with our life, that "We will kill you if you don't let us take your Guru Mahārāja to the hospital," still, we will not let them take you. Your order is our business to follow, even at the risk of our life. So we are not going to take you to the hospital under any condition. Neither... Not only is it your order, but we also see absolutely no benefit from these hospitals. Your order is sufficient, but apart from that, also, from our own limited intelligence, we also see that the hospitals are condemned. These doctors are blind, these allopathic doctors.

Prabhupāda: That is my only request, that at the last stage don't torture me and put to death. So I am not eating anything, and if we chant, by batches chant, I'll hear. (Bengali)

Room Conversation -- November 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: They have got experience Indian, you can go village to village and, arrangement as you may, but it is trouble taken, and I am no longer, you manage. If I live, I can come again. I shall be very glad.

Devotee: Previously it was mentioned that there was some risk in travelling.

Prabhupāda: What is that risk? Nowadays there is no risk. What is the risk? Mm?

Devotee: Well from the medical point of view it's something with the organs or something, I don't know exactly but it's been considered.

Prabhupāda: This is my proposal and...

Jayapatāka: That would be after you gained some strength, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Yes. If I (have) free air and free movement why sunshine (?) and I can come back again in a year.

Room Conversation -- November 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

Bhavānanda: Only factor at this point is not to take any unnecessary risk.

Prabhupāda: No. As I think free, so I remain. Mm. Then when I am sane man, I shall come back again either Māyāpur or Vṛndāvana or Bombay, any other.

Jayapatāka: You would travel by a minibus.

Prabhupāda: Mm?

Jayapatāka: You would travel by a bus.

Prabhupāda: That you think of.

Room Conversation -- November 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Mm. You have tried doctor, kavirāja, medicine, everything. Everything has failed. Now suppose I am taking the risk of death, what is wrong? When the..., I am dead you go India, within India, you go and bring the body either in Māyāpur or Vṛndāvana. Māyāpur the land is already there. Vṛndāvana I think on the gate side, that's all. That's wherever you like you'll do.

Jayapatāka: Śrīla Prabhupāda, you commented that when Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda was put on the gate side that that was no way to respect a Vaiṣṇava.

Prabhupāda: Mm.

Room Conversation -- November 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Come, let us take the risk.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Go anyway. Let us take the risk.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: As your disciples, Śrīla Prabhupāda, we're all neophytes. We don't know what is right and what is wrong. But at the same time we feel that we're very hopeful that you'll get strength slowly and slowly. And this morning you were telling us that you get a little strength, so we are hoping every day that "Prabhupāda will gain even stronger and be with us for many more years." So we are taking advice from kavirāja that you take milk more and more, day by day, so that Prabhupāda will get stronger. Like kavirāja is suggesting that when Your Divine Grace gets stronger, he'll go with you in the parikrama, he will accompany you.

Room Conversation -- November 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Bhavānanda: Śrīla Prabhupāda, if we follow the kavirāja's instructions and advice, then he feels that within fifteen days, twenty days, you will have strength. To take an unnecessary risk at this time, we have to practically appraise what will be the loss. You have said, "If I live or die on this parikrama, it will be glorious," but the loss will be that Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam will not be finished, so many works will be unfinished. If it's just a matter of being a little patient and waiting fifteen more days—is only two weeks—then when you have strength, then we can all go on the parikrama, and you'll be able to hopefully gain more strength and finish up all of these works. But I think that the risk, in terms of the future of the whole world, is too great.

Prabhupāda: Vṛndāvana parikrama is not risk.

Room Conversation -- November 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: As your humble disciples, Śrīla Prabhupāda, we are ready to take my instruction that you've kindly given us, but at the same time, you have advised us many times that we shouldn't take unnecessary risk. Just like few days ago you were telling a Bengali saying, saying that when you are doubtful, don't do it. You instructed us.

Prabhupāda: That is material. (laughter)

Jagadīśa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, can you tell us why you want to go on the parikrama?

Bhakti-caru: (Bengali) (break)

Prabhupāda: ...good paddy.

Page Title:Risk (Conversations 1976 - 1977)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:10 of Dec, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=67, Let=0
No. of Quotes:67