Those who are not liberated, mukta-puruṣa, they have got four defects. What is that? He must commit mistake. Just like we can give you instance: Our Mahatma Gandhi, he was so great personality, but he also committed so many mistakes. Even on the day of his death, it is heard that he was forbidden not to go the meeting. The other persons, they scented some danger, but he forcibly went there and he was killed. So mistake, committing mistake. To err is human. That is not fault. That is our habit. We commit mistake. And we also, we are illusioned. Illusioned. Just like I am not this body. I am spirit soul. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. But we are giving identification with this body. "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am brāhmaṇa," "I am śūdra." So this is illusion.
Scent (Lectures, Conv. and Letters)
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Death means to leave this body and carried by the subtle body to another gross body. That is called death. We are carried by the mind, intelligence and ego, subtle body. Just like we can experience a good scent of rose flower is carried by the air. We cannot see, but we know that the flavor is being carried by the air. Similarly, although we do not see how the spirit soul is being carried by the subtle body, but it is being carried, and it is being put into the womb of another mother to develop another gross body. So this body is offered by nature. This body is given by the material nature. Similarly, we, or I, the spirit soul, being carried by the subtle body, and the nature is giving me another gross body. In this way we are transmigrating from one body to another. This is called evolution. And there are 8,400,000's of bodies, and we are going through one after another.
Now here is a hint of the yoga practice, shutting out the external sense objects. This is another process. But the bhakti-yoga process is automatically yoga process. Here it is said, "shutting out all external sense objects." Sense object, what is that sense object? Just like I want to see some beautiful woman or beautiful man. I want to smell some nice flower or scent. The flower is the sense object, woman is the sense object. There are so many sense objects. We have got five senses and there are five objects also. Otherwise what is the use of sense? Now this yoga practice is to withdraw the senses from the sense object. But the bhakti-yoga process is that if I do not like to see artificially the beauty of woman or man, if I try to see the beauty of Kṛṣṇa, naturally my, this propensity of seeing beautiful man or woman becomes extinguished. You do not require to shut your eyes. There are so many beautiful girls sitting. I do not require to shut my eyes. If my mind is concentrated on the beauty of Kṛṣṇa I can see these beautiful girls as Kṛṣṇa's gopīs. That is another vision.
He is describing more elaborately. How is that? Now, puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca. Puṇyo gandhaḥ means flavor, the flavor. Any flavor, that is Kṛṣṇa, that is God. You cannot create any flavor. Synthetically, we may create some scent, but that is not as good as natural scent. So that is... When you have a good flavor, you can remember, "Oh, here is God. Here is Kṛṣṇa." When there is some natural beauty, oh, you can understand, "Here is Kṛṣṇa." And when there is something uncommon, very powerful, wonderful, oh, you can understand, "Here is Kṛṣṇa." And when there is life, jīvanam... As long a tree lives, as long a man lives, as long as animal lives, so you understand, "This life, this life is part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa." As soon as the part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, the spark, is taken away from that body, oh, everything goes. No meaning. So nice brain, we are acting—Sir Isaac Newton, Sir Jagadish Chandra Bose.
So we cannot decide by theorizing. But if we take shelter of Kṛṣṇa, here is the perfect knowledge, that aham, "I am the background." Otherwise, how we can explain? Svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca. Just like if you have to paint one flower or if you have to create some scent, you have to mix so many chemicals. But He's so powerful, His energies are so perfect, that svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca, simply by His willing, immediately, everything is there. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). That is the appreciation of the energy of God. If you are not appreciating, that is your fault, but there is brain, there is work. But the energy is so perfect... Just like nowadays, electric, electronic energy. You simply push on one button and so many things happens immediately. It is still, still, hundred thousand times subtler. Simply by His willing, everything has come out. This is understanding. But because we have no such brain, neither we can think, we evade the issue.
You have heard his name. But at the end he was so much disgusted—that I have seen personally—wherever he used to go, he used to plug his ears like this. Why? Now, wherever he would go, thousands of people would gather and will cry, "Mahatma Gandhi ki jaya!" So the poor fellow could not sleep even. The person, as soon as there is some scent that "Mahatma Gandhi is coming here," at least five thousand people will gather and will cry, "Mahatma Gandhi ki jaya." So at the last stage of his life he could not sleep due to this crying. Just see. And he was so much disgusted, the very morning when he was, I mean to say, assassinated—he was killed by bullet shot—he said to his secretary, "I am so disgusted, I wish to die." You see. This very word was published in the paper. Now see. Such a big worker, such a..., simply a worker, but still, he felt baffled. And what to speak of others. So mogha-karmāṇaḥ. Unless we become Kṛṣṇa conscious, then all our activities will be baffled at the end. Take it what Kṛṣṇa is saying, not ordinary person like me.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
That everyone, after taking bath, he should smear over the body with sandalwood pulp. It will keep the body whole day nice, cool and calm. So that was the cosmetic. Now, in the Kali-yuga, that is called prasādhanam. Just like, every country, the system is, after taking bath, you dress your hair, add something scented. So in India it was the system that after taking bath, having tilaka, going to the Deity room, offering obeisances, then the prasādam, candana-prasādam was taken from the Deity room and it was used. This is called prasādhanam. In Kali-yuga, in the, it is said that: snānam eva hi prasādhanam. If one can take bath nicely, that is prasādhanam. So much. No more this cosmetic or sandalwood oil or rose scent or rose water. These are finished. That snānam eva prasādhanam (SB 12.2.5). Simply by, taking bath...
While I was in India, in the beginning, so taking bath is very ordinary thing because even the poorest man will take early morning bath.
It can grow anywhere. Not necessarily that it has to grow in Malaysia, or Malaya Hill. There is no such rules and regulations. It can grow anywhere. But because this sandalwood is grown in large quantity in such part of the world, the sandalwood is known as malaya-candana. Malaya-candana.
Just like in, in your western countries, the scented water: eau de cologne. Eau de cologne. Cologne is a country in France...? And there it is manufactured, therefore it is called eau de cologne. Similarly eau de cologne can be manufactured anywhere, but originally because it was manufactured in that Cologne city, it is known as eau de cologne. Similarly sandalwood also can grow anywhere but because originally it was very prominent in the Malayas...
Now 5,000 years ago, Kuntī is offering this prayer. That means before 5,000 years, the sandalwood was growing in the Malaysia. So this Malaysia is not a new name.
The prakṛti is there. All the riches are there. Everything is there on the ground. Just like we are getting so many things from this ground. The trees, the plants, the foodstuffs, the minerals, so many things. There is everything, complete. You'll see in your garden there are different types of flowers, color, scent, flavor. But wherefrom it is coming? It is coming from the earth. Can you make any scent from the earth? But the scent is coming from the earth. The rose flavor, wherefrom it is coming? It is there. Anyone can understand. But you cannot extract that. Kṛṣṇa requires His hand. When Kṛṣṇa is there in the form of seed... Kṛṣṇa says, bījo 'haṁ sarva-bhūtānām: (Bg 7.10) "I am the seed of all living beings." The seed. That... Just like there is sex. Unless the seed is there, there is no child. Similarly, unless the seed is there, there is no plantation. The banyan tree is there because the seed is there.
That is the technique of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. At the time of, if we keep our Kṛṣṇa consciousness intact, that is our perfection of life. Otherwise we do not know what is my next life. The example is given just like air is passing. Air is very subtle matter. If it is passing on the rose flower, the flavor is carried in other place also, rose scent. And if the air is passing on the stool, the scent or the bad smell of the stool is carried to the other place. Similarly, if you make your consciousness rosy, then your next life is rose flavor. (laughs) And if you make your consciousness stool, then your next life is condemned.
Or invented machine. Everything. Jātiḥ śāstraṁ japas tapaḥ. Activities, very methodical. On the road there is light arrangement. Everything is all right. But if it is less Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then it is... What is that? Aprāṇasyeva dehasya maṇḍanaṁ loka-rañjanam. Just like a dead body, if you decorate. A body, dead body, and you apply pomade and nice dress and scent. What is the meaning? Loka-rañjanam. Loka-rañjanam means you may please some of the people, "Oh, how you are decorating a dead body." But it has no meaning. It is useless waste of time. Similarly very nice arrangement, big nation, politics, everything, minus Kṛṣṇa consciousness is like that.
Aprāṇasyeva dehasya maṇḍanaṁ loka-rañjanam. Therefore your young men, young girls, they have become frustrated, in spite of all this arrangement, nice arrangement. There is no comparison of your country's arrangement. I am traveling all over the world. Such nice roads, such every... Everything nice.
That is chemical analysis. So you will find taste, rasa. And rūpa, rasa, śabda you will find also. Any metal you strike together, there will be śabda. Rūpa, rasa, gandha. There is smell. You see so many plants are growing, flowers. Wherefrom they are getting this scent? You see? You getting from the earth. The bad smells and good smell, everything is coming from the earth. And where is the chemist that they can take out rose scent from earth? That is not possible. But there is. There is no doubt about it. Otherwise wherefrom the scent is coming? The rose flower, you are smelling so nicely, but where it has got this smell? From the earth. The earth is there. Rūpa, rasa, gandha, śabda, and sparśa. Then, in the water, one thing is minus. And then, in the fire, two things are minus. And from the air, three things are minus. And from the sound, four things are minus. Only sound is there. The sound is the original cause of this creation where we are materially bound up.
So we have to understand, as Kṛṣṇa says, bījo 'haṁ sarva-bhūtānām: "I am the seed." Such subtle things, how it is coming out? In the small seed what is the chemical composition? You put the seed, sow the seed, anywhere and put little water, that tejo-vāri-mṛd-vinimayaḥ, but the things are coming out differently. How the variety is possible? Therefore we cannot mix up. There is rose scent within the earth. Otherwise wherefrom the rose is getting its scent? There is. Puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca. Pṛthivyām, on this earth, there are potency of different flavor, different taste. Now let the chemist come and take the earth and make different taste. That is not possible. That is not... Therefore you cannot simply say that prakṛti is the cause of everything, no. Prakṛti is there, the same water. Prakṛti means earth, water, air, fire. The same water is there, the same fire is there, same water is there, and same earth is there. So why varieties are coming? You take from the water, from the earth, varieties of smell, varieties of taste. So that you cannot do.
Just like Nadia, Navadvīpa. It was formerly, even in Caitanya Mahāprabhu's time, inhabited by brāhmaṇas, learned scholars. So similarly, in northern India this place, Kanauj, since very long, long time, it is a very celebrated place. Now this place is very much famous for manufacturing perfumes, rosewater, scented attars, like that.
So anyway, it is history. Long, long ago there was a brāhmaṇa, dvija. Dvija means twice-born: first birth by the father and mother... That kind of birth is obtainable by any person, man or animal. As soon as you take birth, there must be father and mother. Without father-mother, there is no question of birth. Therefore, in the human society they do not take this birth as very important. We are very much proud of becoming American or Indian on account of birth, but according to the Vedic civilization, simply the birth by father-mother is not very important. There must be second birth, dvija. Dvi means second, and ja means birth.
The hand is there, but if you engage your hand in cleansing the temple, then you are transcendental. If your... If you walk to go to the temple, then your desire for walking will be spiritual. If you smell the flower offered to the Deity, then your desire for smelling so many scented things will be finished. If you eat prasādam, then your desire for going to the restaurant and making satisfy..., satisfaction of the tongue will be finished. Therefore if we simply desire eating, sleeping, mating—everything, even mating also... If you desire that "If I can beget a child who will be Kṛṣṇa conscious," then you have sex life; otherwise stop it. If you take this responsibility that you will beget a child who will be Kṛṣṇa conscious, you can produce thousands of children, allowed; otherwise don't become mother and father. This is śāstra. Don't become. Pitā na sa syāj jananī na sā syāt na mocayed yaḥ samupeta. Why? That is the duty. Make your children Kṛṣṇa conscious, then your duty is all right.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
Just like one potency is working, producing flowers, producing flowers. We are seeing that a flower is being produced automatically, so nicely scented, so nicely colored. But because we are fools, therefore we think it is being produced automatically. No. It is produced by the kriyā-śakti, by the active potency of God, kriyā-śakti. Jñāna-śakti: and there is such perfect knowledge that nobody can see any defect. You see a butterfly, how it is nicely painted. You just see duplicate in both the wings. Just like an artist paint nicely, it is painted. So we think it is coming out of nothing. This is our foolishness. Here is, that it is coming out of the jñāna-śakti. But His jñāna is so wide that simply by His desire, simply by His will, it can be executed. These are the things to be studied.
Arrival Addresses and Talks
Prabhupāda: Even if we have not got, there is no impediment. Kṛṣṇa-bhakti is without any check by any material condition. Anyone can execute this devotional service, provided he wants to do it. And especially when one is endowed with other blessings, it is just like good scent in gold. Gold is appreciated by everyone. It is valuable, but there is no good flavor. Similarly, janma aiśvarya, to... You American boys and girls, you are born of a very big nation. That is very good. You are all educated, you are beautiful, and janma aiś..., śruta śrī, four things. These things are just like gold. But if you add Kṛṣṇa consciousness along with these qualification, then gold with flavor. Gold is valuable, and if there is flavor, it is more valuable. Of course, in the material world there is no gold which has got good scent. But in the spiritual world that is possible. So with your intelligence, with your opulence, add Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
General Lectures
So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is for training brahmacārīs. Brahmacārī means who are being practiced to the brahminical culture. So, there must be a portion of the population well versed in brahminical culture. Ekaś candras tamo hanti na ca tara sahasrasaḥ. Just like in a garden if there is one nice flower plant, rose, with good scent, the whole garden becomes flavored, you see? Scented. Similarly, we do not expect that the whole population of the human society will be taking to this brahminical culture; but even one percent of the whole population accepts this brahminical culture, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then the whole world will be peaceful. Not even one percent, less than one percent. It is so nice.
So Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very scientific movement. Unless you raise the population from the animal propensities, how you can expect peace? Do you think is there any peace in the dog society, in the cat society? No, it is not possible.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1968 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: It is just like a beautiful man without any qualification.
Devotee (1): Ah! No scent.
Prabhupāda: No scent.
Guru dāsa: Is that a qualification, is that part of the age of Kali-yuga? Flowers with no scent?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Trees will have no fruits. The fruit will have no juice. That is mentioned. Just like in a mango there is a seed. In many fruits there is seed. In Kali-yuga you'll find simply the skin and seed, no pulp. And cloud without rain. These are mentioned. (laughs) What can you do? If the cloud becomes without rain, if the fruit become without pulp, if the paddy becomes without grain, then what you have to eat? You have to eat the grass, the husk, the skin, and the seed. Or kill another man and eat. Just like in Africa, still, they are doing. Cannibals. Killing the grandfather, that is a great ceremony. Do you know that?
1969 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: So therefore attraction for any flower is not the solution of the question. That is also stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham (BG 4.11). Kṛṣṇa is Supreme Absolute. Anyone wants Him in any way, He also presents Himself in that way. Just like the same example. If you want a yellow flower, never mind whether there is any scent or any flavor or not, so that flower is there. It is for you. That's all. But if anyone wants rose flower, Kṛṣṇa gives him rose flower. But when you make a comparative study which one is better, then rose will be considered better. (chuckling) So ye yathā māṁ prapadyante. That means the Absolute is realized... Of course, varieties there are, but the original division of the Absolute is three: Brahman, Paramātmā, and Bhagavān. Now, Brahman, Paramātmā, and Bhagavān is the same Absolute. Different names. The jñānis, or the empiric philosophers, they reach or they aim at Brahman, impersonal Brahman. The yogis, they, I mean to say, focus on the Supersoul, Paramātmā.
1971 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: What is that?
Śyāmasundara: The rose has nice scent. It appears...
Prabhupāda: ...beautiful.
Śyāmasundara: ...beautiful.
Mensa Member: (indistinct) be subjective (indistinct)
Dr. Weir: And you see, a lot of people would like a red rose because that has a symbolism to it. Why have a yellow rose? It must have a sort of subjective reaction. It has nothing to do with the fact that it's got a chromatic wave length.
Prabhupāda: So there is a cause. That means there is a cause. We have to accept the cause. So that cause, we go further till we find out the cause of all causes.
1972 Conversations and Morning Walks
Sumati Morarjee: So let us see. Devotee: They're punks, without any scent, and then it... Sumati Morarjee: I know it (indistinct). Devotee: And when they come here, then they dip them into oil and make a scent. Prabhupāda: Anyway... Sumati Morarjee: (indistinct) Prabhupāda: You get from Hong Kong... Sumati Morarjee: And take where? Prabhupāda: Huh? Take to Los Angeles.
Prabhupāda: Scented Oil. That's...
Sumati Morarjee: Ah, and then it becomes...
Devotee: They're known as firelighters, because sometimes thy used them for lighting fireworks.
Sumati Morarjee: I know. Oh, I know now, I understand. So you can present, tell me. Yes, this is (indistinct).
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Sumati Morarjee: So you, you have started?
Prabhupāda: Yes, we have started.
Devotee: It's printed in Bombay.
Sumati Morarjee: Where.
Devotee: In Bombay.
Prabhupāda: Recently.
Devotee: This is the first one.
Sumati Morarjee: Oh, because I have not seen it.
Devotee: This is the first issue.
Prabhupāda: This is the first issue. They have sent one copy. Yes.
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Girirāja: "He was garlanded gloriously and there were many scents smeared over His body."
Prabhupāda: It is all personal description: "Dress, ornaments, flowers, garlands, scents." This is offered to the person.
Girirāja: "All was magnificent, all-expanding, unlimited. This was seen by Arjuna."
Prabhupāda: This is spiritual. Unlimited. Yes.
Dr. Patel: Shall I read?
Prabhupāda: Yes.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: No. Now they have made it Commonwealth, keeping some scent, flavor of British empire. Commonwealth.
Rāmeśvara: Prabhupāda? In those early days of colonization they were trying to sail to India by a quick route to get the spices, and it was the same time that Lord Caitanya's movement began. So is that just a coincidence, that they were trying to go to India at the same time?
Prabhupāda: No. What it has got with Caitanya's movement?
Rāmeśvara: I heard... A devotee once told me that they were actually...
Prabhupāda: Oh, again, "heard it from devotee." (laughter) That is very dangerous.
Prabhupāda: Black swans. Bhara nitya bhayamāyā. They are also aware how to protect their interest. Every living being knows how to eat, how to sleep, how to have sex, and how to defend from fear. These trees I find in America. Here, they are scented. What is called, these? Canada.
Gaṇeśa: They look like a maple tree.
Prabhupāda: Yes. It is maple tree.
Prabhupāda: No, why they cannot, by scientific, chemical or physical way, they cannot take the flavor from the earth?
Bali-mardana: They do make synthetic scents.
Prabhupāda: No.
Siddha-svarūpa: They come out synthetic, though, they do not smell the same.
Bali-mardana: Not as good.
Ambarīṣa: Actually they make perfumes from flowers.
Prabhupāda: Flowers, yes. That is... But not you take some dirt and extract the flavor. Then I will know that you are scientist. (laughter) (break) ...the vast water, but they cannot make it sweet. That you will have to depend on God. The water is, actually is taken, and it is made sweet. So how they can deny the hand of God?
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Sudāmā: Just like now they have created flowers, plastic flowers that give scent.
Guru-kṛpā: Yeah, sure.
Acyutānanda: But they have taken material from the already created, and here's without factory it's made.
Prabhupāda: If you ask for an artist to...
Acyutānanda: But there's no seed in the plastic flower, no seeds to create more.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes.
Acyutānanda: The scient... There was a scientific law called Heisenberg's Law of Uncertainty that—'cause this Heisenberg just died, so they wrote his philosophy—that you cannot observe anything and give a conclusive answer to anything that was uncertain. No one can make a decisive statement...
Prabhupāda: So why you are giving this conclusive answer? Why he is giving?
Prabhupāda: It is just like in your country, what is that fragrance? Scent. Scent.
Guru-kṛpā: Perfume?
Prabhupāda: Perfume is very popular.
Guest: But I would have thought that in some ways it might have perform the same sort of function for some people as, say, smoking some cigarettes performs for others.
Prabhupāda: No.
Guest: In other words, it...
Prabhupāda: That depends on the particular man, what kind of flavor he wants. That is another thing. But there are different varieties of incense. Generally we use rose flavor, sandalwood flavor. We offer to the Deity room to keep the atmosphere very favorable. Originally in India it was dhūpa. They used to put in the fire some flavored hulls, and it was very nice. That has been transferred into now stick incense.
Devotee (3): This is..., we're doing a cheaper line called Scented Garden, and the more expensive, this is for the cheaper customers.
Prabhupāda: This is scent?
Devotee (4): They're different.
Devotee (5): This is the cheaper oil. (laughter)
Devotee (3): This belongs to the previous owner of the chateau. He let us use these machines. He also helps us make very nice stands for displaying. These here are some for putting in the coloring, make them different colors. These come from India also.
Prabhupāda: What is this, sand?
Devotee (3): This belongs to the owner. (break)
Bhagavān: It stays light until quarter to eleven here.
Prabhupāda: Like Moscow also. I was there in June or July(?). Sarasvatī, you like this place?
Devotee (1): These are flowers which decorate the vases, they are very tall. They put in the vases every day on the altar, Kṛṣṇa, and this morning, taking garlands made out of this, smells very nice. Also the carnation. It was the one I gave you yesterday on your walk. It has a very nice scent.
Prabhupāda: No, you have got this cucumber?
Devotee (1): Yes, there is cucumber.
Prabhupāda: So if fresh, why not eat?
Hari-śauri: We have fresh cucumber every day.
Prabhupāda: But when I take it does not appear to be fresh.
Prabhupāda: Then whole civilization finished. Even theoretically taken, no smoking, no gambling, no intoxication, no illicit sex, their whole civilization is finished. Lord Zetland said... Not only that, one Sir Valentine Chiro (?), I think, Sir Valentine Chiro, British, important, when Gandhi started non-cooperation. So he remarked that "If Gandhi's movement, this non-cooperation movement is one percent successful, then we will have to leave it." And actually that happened. Because they were ruling over India by Indian cooperation. Gandhi struck to the right point, non-cooperation, and he scented the danger, and he remarked at that time, that if one percent of the Indian people non-cooperate then we are, our British empire finished. So there are intelligent persons, they are thinking in their own way that this movement is so strong against this modern material civilization, if it is allowed to spread then our whole civilization, whole economic structure will be finished.
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Yes. Karmuja. (?) And some sweet scent also.
Gargamuni: Yes. They're very nice. We ate so many of them. (Hari-śauri preaching to someone in background:)
Hari-śauri: Because He's the Supreme Person. You're worshiping Indira Gandhi or in America they're worshiping Nixon or Ford. In Britain they're worshiping someone else. Everyone is worshiping someone who is better than he is. You may go to work and worship your boss because he'll give you a better pay check.
Prabhupāda: That is preaching.
Hari-śauri: Here's one with good scent...(?)
Prabhupāda: I have seen this.
Hari-śauri: This flower?
Prabhupāda: Yes. So where is that girl who has designed?
Cāru: They asked her to leave.
Prabhupāda: She has not come?
Hari-śauri: She was here, yes. She's gone out.
Prabhupāda: Oh. Very good.
Prabhupāda: So this can be given to the Deities, these flowers.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They're very nice. Are they scented?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Some... We have another one. It has 108 petals exactly. It's white when full bloomed. Just started, this monsoon. The full season will come sometime in August, August and September. Lotus are everywhere, these flowers, on either side of the road, and all lakes full of lotuses.
Prabhupāda: Pineapple, your country is famous for pineapple.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Pineapple is very sweet. This is another season, but in about three weeks the larger variety will come. This is a little smaller type. The bigger ones, big. And it is green outside, but it's very sweet, full of juice. The hillsides all covered with pineapples, and it's very cheap.
Prabhupāda: So Calcutta, there was rain.
Correspondence
1968 Correspondence
Just like the hindus in San Francisco are being gradually attracted due to our nice temple arrangement here. They will hold a meeting here with me tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. to consider how to improve the temple. One of the Gujarati devotees has contributed a silver Vigraha of Krishna, and has donated $51.00. I came here to San Francisco last Sunday, the 8th, and there was a nice function of installing the Deity in the temple throne, and initiation of several newcomers devotees. I thought that Cidananda could go to Australia, but that idea has not been successful because the man in charge is an atheist, and as he scented that Cidananda is going to establish a center of Hare Krishna, he has withdrawn his cooperation and proved that his country is very unfortunate. So I am asking Gaurasundara to go to Hawaii or Florida. Gargamuni has already started one center at Seattle and Ananda Brahmacari from Montreal has gone to Vancouver. And New Vrindaban is being taken care of by several devotees.
1969 Correspondence
Another thing, the proprosal of Mr. Gupta to give you 150 Rs is simply ludicrous, and for us it is insulting. Do you think that an American boy like you can live in India on $20? This talk means they are not very serious or important men, so you should be careful to mix with them. There is no use asking any help from these embassy men. I know they will never help our Hare Krishna movement. The government is pledged to the policy of secularism, so as soon as there is any scent of religious fervor, they at once become opposing element.
1970 Correspondence
Regarding the court case, such kinds of case will come and go. We have to go on with our transcendental business. It is very encouraging that Sankirtana Party is going twice daily, that should be continued. Other things will be adjusted by the grace of Krsna.
I talked with Gargamuni, you can immediately begin the incense business. It is not very difficult and you can do very nice business in London. From Holland you can get very good scents. Holland is a great center of manufacturing essential oils.
One thing, all other centers print the Acarya's name on the letterhead of their stationary—you should also do that. And every center contributes $15 monthly towards my maintenance fund, so you also try to contribute this monthly. Besides that, in your book list I don't find the name of Srimad-Bhagavatam. You should have all the books in stock always.
This prayer immediately must be stopped.
Another thing is he asked me about Aurobindo's estimation. This means that he gradually wants to introduce Aurobindo philosophy. All these things do not sound very nice.
Please let me know what is the necessity of learning Devanagari script. We are transliterating all our books—Srimad-Bhagavatam, Bhagavad-gita, Brahma Samhita, etc.—in Roman type, So why you should waste your time in learning Devanagari script?
So I am very much anxious to know what is the actual situation because I can scent that Mr. Parikh wants to introduce something in my absence which is completely against Krsna Consciousness. I hope you will understand me right and reply this letter by return mail what is the actual situation.
Our London Temple is replica of Vaikuntha, so live there peacefully, chant the regular beads, and follow the regulative principles.
I am so much thankful to you for your respective presentations—they are as follows: one golden cup, mysore sandal soap, some scent in snuff box, one picture of London Radha-Krsna Deities and one xeroxed interview report. So I shall be glad to know what is the contents and its formula in the box, then I can use it as snuff.
I beg to thank you once again for these gifts.
I have received your pictures and the Deity's pictures look very nice, but I think you should decorate the Deities with more flowers. Krsna belongs to the village atmosphere of Vrndavana and He is very fond of flowers. I think in Germany the flowers are very expensive, so as far as possible try to increase the quantity of flowers.
Regarding Lord Jagannatha, it is alright to install Him as you propose with fire ceremony. Bath Him with water and milk mixed and scented, accompanied by chanting Hare Krsna Mantra. Regarding the picture of Radha Krsna in Vrndavana, if it is a nice picture, then it can be hung elsewhere on the wall, and the backdrop to the Deities' Throne may be painted simply Vrndavana woods—that will be nice.
I hope Vasudeva is painting very nicely. So he should be encouraged to paint the Pancatattva pictures and Acarya pictures; they will be required in our different centers. In Australia they have requested such pictures, so ask Vasudeva to paint and send them there—this is his first assignment. It does not matter if they are a little crude, but he will improve with practice.
1971 Correspondence
Even if there were some, they are all excused. Just like the mother who does not take the kicking of her child very seriously, so all these so called offenses are readily excused by me.
The incense and oil samples enclosed are very nice, and I am burning the incense in my room daily. These scents are so nice. But one thing is that you needn't spend $10,000 for machinery to package the incense. That is not required. Do not depend on machines. We are not going to be large-scale businessmen. Incense distribution is proving to be very important asset for raising funds for temple upkeep, etc., but we are more interested still in distributing our books. Incense sales are clearly business only, but when we sell our books that means we push forward our movement. Of course they can both be done together. That is nice program and has proven successful in many centers.
| Page Title: | Scent (Lectures, Conv. and Letters) |
| Compiler: | Rishab, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 04 of Feb, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=18, Con=17, Let=7 |
| No. of Quotes: | 42 |