Successful (Conversations 1977)

Expressions researched:
"succesful" |"successful" |"successfully"

Notes from the compiler: VedaBase query: succesful or successful or successfully not "successful life" not "never be successful" not "never successful" not "not be successful" not "not successful" not "cannot be successful" not "life is successful" not "life successful"

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

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

Prabhupāda: So you can take... You have taken to bhakti-yoga, but take it seriously, pure bhakti-yoga. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam (Brs. 1.1.11). (break) ...favorable, according to bhakti-yoga, then he is successful.

Trivikrama: Śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā.

Yogi Amrit Desai: Pure bhakti. (Hindi) jñāna...

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) Kevala-bodha-labdhaye, kliśyanti. Just to know things, if he's simply troubling, his gain is that troubling only. Śreyaḥ-sṛtiṁ bhaktim udasya kliśyanti ye kevala-bodha-labdhaye. So jñāna... This jñāna is to understand. Just like the scientists, they are getting some knowledge, studying some features, and what do they gain more?

Yogi Amrit Desai: Just information and a memory.

Prabhupāda: They cannot give any real position. They are studying so many molecules, so many atoms, so many this, so many... They are mixing... They are... That is already going on. How it is going on? Who has set up the machine going on? That they do not know.

Yogi Amrit Desai: Right. They don't know the key part of it.

Prabhupāda: Neither they can set up similar arrangement. They're simply studying.

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

Prabhupāda: So Govinda dāsī, you are feeling all right? Like this atmosphere? So Caitya-guru, your program, that you are going to construct temple there? (break) Aiye (break) You must accept the standard way, then you'll get siddhi, you'll get sukha and parāṁ gati. Unless you follow the standard way, na sukhaṁ na parāṁ gatim. So if you have interest in bhakti-yoga, then you practice the bhakti-yoga properly. That will make you successful. Otherwise, teṣām asau kleśala eva śiṣyate, simply whatever labor you are doing, that is your profit and no other profit. Kleśala eva. Nānyad yathā sthūla-tuṣāvaghātinām. The example is tuṣa. Tuṣa you know? The skin of rice? Husk. Yes. So if there is paddy, if you beat it, you'll get rice. But if you beat on the husk, then...

Yogi Amrit Desai: You won't get anything.

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

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Yogi Amrit Desai: I'll call them.

Prabhupāda: So Govinda dāsī, you are feeling all right? Like this atmosphere? So Caitya-guru, your program, that you are going to construct temple there? (break) Aiye (break) You must accept the standard way, then you'll get siddhi, you'll get sukha and parāṁ gati. Unless you follow the standard way, na sukhaṁ na parāṁ gatim. So if you have interest in bhakti-yoga, then you practice the bhakti-yoga properly. That will make you successful. Otherwise, teṣām asau kleśala eva śiṣyate, simply whatever labor you are doing, that is your profit and no other profit. Kleśala eva. Nānyad yathā sthūla-tuṣāvaghātinām. The example is tuṣa. Tuṣa you know? The skin of rice? Husk. Yes. So if there is paddy, if you beat it, you'll get rice. But if you beat on the husk, then...

Yogi Amrit Desai: You won't get anything.

Prabhupāda: But your gain is only that labor. So similarly, if you don't know what is the substance, you go on laboring, that laboring is your only achievement and nothing else.

Yogi Amrit Desai: Such a beautiful example. If you keep on beating the husk...

Prabhupāda: What you'll get?

Yogi Amrit Desai: The labor you get.

Roof Conversation -- January 5, 1977, Bombay:

Mr. Gupta: By God's grace I'm a very successful man. I'm youngest chief mechanical engineer on the Central Railway. I know kāma, krodha, lobha, moha—all are, taken to extreme, it's pāpa. I know it. But when they overcome in the heat of the moment, they you're not able to retract yourself. It's only when...

Dr. Patel: Then... Then...

Prabhupāda: No, let him. That you have to practice, how to use kāma, krodha. That is described by Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura. Kṛṣṇa-sevā kāmārpaṇe. Kāma means you have a strong desire to do something. That is kāma. So convert it, this kāma desire, for Kṛṣṇa's activities. Kṛṣṇa-sevā kāmārpaṇe. Krodha bhakta-dveṣi-jane. And persons who are envious of the devotees, you become angry upon them. You have got this quality, kāma, krodha, lobha, but you can utilize it. Just like Hanumān. He became very angry, and he set fire in the Lanka. Unless one is very angry, he cannot do that. But that krodha was applied to the demon. Krodha bhakta-dveṣi-jane. So we can utilize kāma, krodha, moha, bewilderment. When we cannot find out a bhakta, then we should be bewildered. Śūnyāyitaṁ jagat sarvam. So therefore bhakti process means that everything has to be purified. Krodha, Hanumān's krodha to set fire Laṅkā, it is purified krodha. But they cannot understand the krodha, how it is purified. But krodha can be purified. When it is bhakta-dveṣi-jane... Those who are envious of God and His devotees, upon them you should be always angry. "No, I have become a bhakta. I cannot become..."

Roof Conversation -- January 5, 1977, Bombay:

Mr. Gupta: Lord Kṛṣṇa has been good to me right from my childhood. I was brought up in a good religious family. I have always been able to have my way. I think that's what's wrong. I get very strong desires, likes, dislikes. I have been successful, very, very successful, in material sense, in work. I want to... Doesn't leave me with peace.

Prabhupāda: Hmm? Hare Kṛṣṇa. What is your full name?

Mr. Gupta: Rabindranath Gupta. I'm not a Bengali. I belong to Delhi. I've lived eight years in Bengal, Citra and then Durgapur.

Prabhupāda: Oh. So you can speak in Bengali.

Mr. Gupta: I can understand (exchange few words in Bengali).

Prabhupāda: Bengali is not at all very difficult.

Mr. Gupta: No, not at all. Once upon a time I could read and write. But it's just out of touch.

Prabhupāda: The Calcutta Marwaris, they speak very fluently. Yes.

Roof Conversation -- January 5, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Pāpa, everything... In the material world, whatever you do, that is pāpa. In the material world, "This is pāpa, this is puṇya"—this is mental concoction. Everything is pāpa. Dvaite bhadrābhadra sakali samāna. In the world of duality, material world, we have manufactured something—"This is good; this is bad. This is moral, this is immoral"—but Caitanya-caritāmṛta author said, "These are all mental concoction. Everything is the same, material." Material means bad. But we have made some convention—"This is good; this is bad; this is..."

Mr. Gupta: By God's grace I'm a very successful man. I'm youngest chief mechanical engineer on the Central Railway. I know kāma, krodha, lobha, moha—all are, taken to extreme, it's pāpa. I know it. But when they overcome in the heat of the moment, they you're not able to retract yourself. It's only when...

Dr. Patel: Then... Then...

Prabhupāda: No, let him. That you have to practice, how to use kāma, krodha. That is described by Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura. Kṛṣṇa-sevā kāmārpaṇe. Kāma means you have a strong desire to do something. That is kāma. So convert it, this kāma desire, for Kṛṣṇa's activities. Kṛṣṇa-sevā kāmārpaṇe. Krodha bhakta-dveṣi-jane. And persons who are envious of the devotees, you become angry upon them. You have got this quality, kāma, krodha, lobha, but you can utilize it. Just like Hanumān. He became very angry, and he set fire in the Lanka. Unless one is very angry, he cannot do that. But that krodha was applied to the demon. Krodha bhakta-dveṣi-jane. So we can utilize kāma, krodha, moha, bewilderment. When we cannot find out a bhakta, then we should be bewildered. Śūnyāyitaṁ jagat sarvam. So therefore bhakti process means that everything has to be purified. Krodha, Hanumān's krodha to set fire Laṅkā, it is purified krodha. But they cannot understand the krodha, how it is purified. But krodha can be purified. When it is bhakta-dveṣi-jane...

Morning Walk -- January 6, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: And here is fact. So one side is: people are no more interested. (indistinct). This is our business. I think western countries the young men, they're joining this successfully. Adānta gobhir viśataṁ tamisraṁ punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30). (indistinct) first part. Find out this matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā. Matir na kṛṣṇe. This is our law book.

Devotee:

matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā

mitho 'bhipadyeta gṛha-vratānām

adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisraṁ

punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām

(SB 7.5.30)

"Prahlāda Mahārāja replied: Because of their uncontrolled senses, persons too addicted to materialistic life make progress toward hellish conditions and repeatedly chew that which has already chewed. Their inclinations toward Kṛṣṇa are never aroused, either by the instructions of others, by their own efforts, or by a combination of both."

Prabhupāda: Read the purport.

Morning Walk -- January 6, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: (Hindi conversation with lady) You cannot do anything. Ultimately they will say no and for this they are paying (indistinct). (Hindi with lady) Very nice. You have got the desire and Kṛṣṇa will fulfill your desire. (Hindi) Then with practice, then it becomes successful. Ādau śraddhā tato sādhu-saṅgo 'tha bhajana-kriyā. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness can be increased by gradual process. First thing, just like you have got faith, it is nice thing. This is śraddhā. Then to associate with persons who are already engaged in this business, sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83). That is called sādhu-saṅga. Ādau śraddhā tato, and then act like them, bhajana-kriyā. Simply theoretical will not help.

Indian Lady: (more Hindi conversation with S.P.)

Prabhupāda: So where you have given her place, Girirāja?

Girirāja: In the, one of the guest rooms.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. (pause) Biragati, biranadi (?). (break) ...to me. (indistinct) Not personally, but the daughter of the, wife of the, the mother of the, that is right position. Just like Kunti, she was the mother of Vir, Arjuna's mother. Mm.

Morning Walk -- January 6, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Shooting, one man. (laughter) At least 50 cents stories (indistinct).

Girirāja: They could see stories of Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Mm? Mythology.

Girirāja: That is mythology.

Prabhupāda: And here is fact. So one side is: people are no more interested. (indistinct). This is our business. I think western countries the young men, they're joining this successfully. Adānta gobhir viśataṁ tamisraṁ punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30). (indistinct) first part. Find out this matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā. Matir na kṛṣṇe. This is our law book.

Devotee:

matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā

mitho 'bhipadyeta gṛha-vratānām

adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisraṁ

punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām

(SB 7.5.30)

"Prahlāda Mahārāja replied: Because of their uncontrolled senses, persons too addicted to materialistic life make progress toward hellish conditions and repeatedly chew that which has already chewed. Their inclinations toward Kṛṣṇa are never aroused, either by the instructions of others, by their own efforts, or by a combination of both."

Evening Darsana -- January 7, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: You arrange, I will advise her. I am not proud, but I am the authority at the present moment. It is not pride. It is the fact! So let her take! Let her understand. The authority is there. And what is understanding? It is simple truth. Everyone can understand. Any child can understand. There is no difficulty. We make it difficult by our rascal interpretation. And that is very simple thing. Kṛṣṇa says, aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2). So there must be somebody, original person. You are existing, you are coming from your father. Your father coming from his father, his father, his father... Now, who is the original father? There must be somebody. You may or may not know. So here is the answer: aham ādir hi devānām. So why don't you take? Where is the difficulty? If you are finding out who is the original person and the original person is presenting Himself and He is being accepted by great authorities—formerly Vyāsadeva, Nārada, Asita, Devala, and later on Rāmānujācārya Madhvācārya, and all big, big stalwart ācāryas, Caitanya Mahāprabhu—so why don't you accept Kṛṣṇa the supreme original authority? What is the difficulty? The fact is very plain, but I'll not take it. If I misguide myself, then who will guide me? If I sleep while I am not sleeping, then who will help me? Take Kṛṣṇa's instruction. If Indira Gandhi... I know she is intelligent, she is religious. Let her follow strictly the instruction of Kṛṣṇa. Just his, all her ambition, all her programs, will be successful—if he's (she's) serious.

Room Conversation -- January 7, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: We give free food, free apartment, cloth and everything. "Come here. Live. As far as possible we shall provide." But this is specially meant for bhagavad-bhajana. Attend ārati, early rise in the morning, attend the functions, take prasādam... In this way everything will be reorganized, not loose things. Then what is the use of...? We have got such a... And so far the tenants are concerned, if it is possible, give them money; let them go. One, two, some have gone, and others... This whole campus should be for devotees. We don't want tenant. And it should be developed for that purpose, for developing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Either here or outside India or anywhere, this principle should be followed. And this hodgepodge association, society, is not the... Let it be very pure. Ekaś candras tamo hanti na ca tārā. That one moon is sufficient. There is no need of millions of stars. Hm? What do you think? One moon gives light. So, in this way, if we can make one person really Kṛṣṇa conscious, then our mission is successful. What is the use of millions of stars twinkling? What is called? Twinkling? You should discuss all these things, but you... These two brothers should be, P. Bannerji and M. Bannerji... The address is there. You can write as secretary, "Dear Sir, I am instructed by His Divine Grace Prabhupāda to thank you for your postcard dated such and such. And we condole for your bereavement in the absence of your father late, Principal N. Bannerji. You know that your father was intimately related with Śrīla Prabhupāda, and he assisted him with some money, loan.

Room Conversation -- January 7, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: This is going on.

Indian (1): That is by ignorance.

Prabhupāda: Now we are preaching the Kṛṣṇa's words only, and we have become successful all over the world.

Indian (1): Yes, all over the world.

Prabhupāda: And they go, the so-called yogis, swamis go. They, it enters into this ear, goes out this ear. That's all. No effect. "Bag bhak."(?) (Hindi) ...effective. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt. (Hindi) "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord."

Indian (1): It's a wonderful thing.

Prabhupāda: "And you just surrender unto Him." And anyone who is doing, he's getting the perfect wisdom.

Indian (1): Hundreds and thousands people are listening to the message of the Lord.

Room Conversation -- January 7, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: It is very precarious condition. So we want to give them, all of them, "Come and live." But when you come here, if you get husband we have no objection. But don't canvass. That is not good. And that is making our sannyāsīs fall down. Of course, it is difficult, that young men, young women living, intermingling. But it is... Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to reform everything. Even there there is such desire it should be checked. And that can be checked if one is strictly Kṛṣṇa conscious. Otherwise not possible. So these things should be... Because the Kali-yuga, the more it advances, people will be suffering in so many ways. And the only solace is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, only solution. If one becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, then he (she) doesn't require husband. He (she) does not require. He... She knows that "Kṛṣṇa is my protector. Why shall I artificially seek after father or...?" And what protection, for a few days either the father or the son or the husband may give? Real protection is Kṛṣṇa. This is temporary, but because we have got this material body we require some. In this way... And this kind of hypocrisy—they have taken sannyāsa and mixing with woman. This is not to be allowed. If you want woman you get yourself married, live respectfully. We have no objection. But this hypocrisy should be stopped. There have been so many fallen down. First of all there will be no sannyāsī anymore. I have got very bad experience. And at least, we are not going to create new sannyāsīs. And those who have fallen down, let them marry, live like respectable gentlemen. I have no objection. After all, young man, fallen down—that's all right. It is by nature's way. But marry that girl. That I am insisting from the very beginning, that no friendly liaison. If you want, get one nice... They are, all of them qualified. Get one wife and live like a gentleman. Similarly woman. Live with one husband fastidiously, with children. What is the wrong there? We have so many gṛhastha devotees. You have got children. Pradyumna has got child. Gopāla has... Live with husband, wife. There is no restriction for husband and wife. But what is this nonsense that you take sannyāsa and make relation with...? This should be completely stopped. And in our, this campus, actually those who are eager to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they should live, nobody else. We give free food, free apartment, cloth and everything. "Come here. Live. As far as possible we shall provide." But this is specially meant for bhagavad-bhajana. Attend ārati, early rise in the morning, attend the functions, take prasādam... In this way everything will be reorganized, not loose things. Then what is the use of...? We have got such a... And so far the tenants are concerned, if it is possible, give them money; let them go. One, two, some have gone, and others... This whole campus should be for devotees. We don't want tenant. And it should be developed for that purpose, for developing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Either here or outside India or anywhere, this principle should be followed. And this hodgepodge association, society, is not the... Let it be very pure. Ekaś candras tamo hanti na ca tārā. That one moon is sufficient. There is no need of millions of stars. Hm? What do you think? One moon gives light. So, in this way, if we can make one person really Kṛṣṇa conscious, then our mission is successful.

Room Conversation -- January 7, 1977, Bombay:

Indian (1): Succumb to some passions and all this.

Prabhupāda: This is going on.

Indian (1): That is by ignorance.

Prabhupāda: Now we are preaching the Kṛṣṇa's words only, and we have become successful all over the world.

Indian (1): Yes, all over the world.

Prabhupāda: And they go, the so-called yogis, swamis go. They, it enters into this ear, goes out this ear. That's all. No effect. "Bag bhak."(?) (Hindi) ...effective. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt. (Hindi) "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord."

Indian (1): It's a wonderful thing.

Prabhupāda: "And you just surrender unto Him." And anyone who is doing, he's getting the perfect wisdom.

Indian (1): Hundreds and thousands people are listening to the message of the Lord.

Prabhupāda: We are selling these books, daily five to six lakhs, daily. What is the message? "Surrender to Kṛṣṇa." That's all. In one week, how many books you have sold?

Jagadīśa: In one week we sold 700,000 books. Seven lakhs.

Prabhupāda: Seven lakhs' books in one week.

Room Conversation -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Girirāja: No bother.

Prabhupāda: This I want to introduce. And it has become successful in the Western countries. They are doing very nicely, New Vrindaban. Very nice. And Philadelphia, New Orleans. Men, they're happy. So why not in India? India is mainly agricultural country. On this principle you can take. There is no objection. I left Haṁsadūta in charge, but he left everything.

Girirāja: Actually, it seems that in your system of management, the basic principle is to depend on Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Why not? He says ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo (BG 18.66). Distress will be if I am disobedient. This is nature's law. And if I surrender to Kṛṣṇa, where is the question of distress? Sukha se saba hari bhaje duḥkha se haje. This is one Hindi poetry, that "When one is in distressed condition, he goes to God: 'Please save me. Give me this mercy.' " So duḥka se means: "In distressed condition he becomes a devotee." But if he becomes a devotee when he's happy, then where is the question of duḥkha, or distress? Sukha se saba hari bhaje. When you are happy, at that time if you worship Hari, then there is no question of duḥkha. That Vivekananda's policy, daridra-nārāyaṇa-seva. Why not seva-nārāyaṇa? Why He should become daridra? Why not engage in? That he does not know. "He becomes a daridra-nārāyaṇa, and I become his servant." Foolish rascal. A discovered philosophy. (end)

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

Prabhupāda: Deha, śarīre, apatya, offspring, children. Dehāpatya-kalatrā, kalatrā, patnī. Dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣv asatsv api ātma-sainyeṣu. (Hindi) ...struggle for existence. But we think that "These soldiers will give me protection, dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣu. I have got a strong body, and I have got very faithful wife. My children are so obedient and working. Dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣu. And so I am safe." Ātmā sainya asatsu. Asatsu means... (Hindi). And still, pramatto tasya nidhanam. He knows that "These soldiers will be slaughtered in this battle, struggle for existence." Paśyann api na paśyati: "Although he knows, still, he is blind."

dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣv

ātma-sainyeṣv asatsv api

pramatto teṣāṁ nidhanaṁ

paśyann api na paśyati

(SB 2.1.4)

(Hindi with guests) (aside:) There is some cardamom? (break) Everyone is dedicated to Kṛṣṇa's service—the gṛhastha, sannyāsī, brahmacārī. That is external. And actual everyone is sannyāsī, and they have no other business than to serve Kṛṣṇa, if they are actually seriously doing. More than sannyāsī. Anāśritaḥ karma-phalaṁ kāryaṁ karma karoti yaḥ, sa sannyāsī (BG 6.1). He is yogi, sannyāsī. Anāśritaḥ karma. Nothing for personal interest. Then you'll be successful.

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

Prabhupāda: Yes, I heard all this. In Germany they accused me. You told me.

Haṁsadūta: Yes, they also say that you're enjoying all this money.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Hari-śauri: Harikeśa said that if they're successful in their prosecution against Haṁsadūta, then they'll prosecute yourself, one leader to the other. They say that the leaders are manipulating, and the other ones are just robots.

Trivikrama: Yes, we're all robots.

Rāmeśvara: Whenever they meet a devotee who appears to be intelligent and not have any symptoms of being brainwashed, they accuse him of being one of the leaders. If I'm debating with one of them, or if any devotee, and they see he's very intelligent, they say, "But you are one of the leaders."

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

Prabhupāda: (Hindi)

dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣv

ātma-sainyeṣv asatsv api

pramatto teṣāṁ nidhanaṁ

paśyann api na paśyati

(SB 2.1.4)

Deha, śarīre, apatya, offspring, children. Dehāpatya-kalatrā, kalatrā, patnī. Dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣv asatsv api ātma-sainyeṣu. (Hindi) ...struggle for existence. But we think that "These soldiers will give me protection, dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣu. I have got a strong body, and I have got very faithful wife. My children are so obedient and working. Dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣu. And so I am safe." Ātmā sainya asatsu. Asatsu means... (Hindi). And still, pramatto tasya nidhanam. He knows that "These soldiers will be slaughtered in this battle, struggle for existence." Paśyann api na paśyati: "Although he knows, still, he is blind."

dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣv

ātma-sainyeṣv asatsv api

pramatto teṣāṁ nidhanaṁ

paśyann api na paśyati

(SB 2.1.4)

(Hindi with guests) (aside:) There is some cardamom? (break) Everyone is dedicated to Kṛṣṇa's service—the gṛhastha, sannyāsī, brahmacārī. That is external. And actual everyone is sannyāsī, and they have no other business than to serve Kṛṣṇa, if they are actually seriously doing. More than sannyāsī. Anāśritaḥ karma-phalaṁ kāryaṁ karma karoti yaḥ, sa sannyāsī (BG 6.1). He is yogi, sannyāsī. Anāśritaḥ karma. Nothing for personal interest. Then you'll be successful.

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

Prabhupāda: Yes, I heard all this. In Germany they accused me. You told me.

Haṁsadūta: Yes, they also say that you're enjoying all this money.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Hari-śauri: Harikeśa said that if they're successful in their prosecution against Haṁsadūta, then they'll prosecute yourself, one leader to the other. They say that the leaders are manipulating, and the other ones are just robots.

Trivikrama: Yes, we're all robots.

Rāmeśvara: Whenever they meet a devotee who appears to be intelligent and not have any symptoms of being brainwashed, they accuse him of being one of the leaders. If I'm debating with one of them, or if any devotee, and they see he's very intelligent, they say, "But you are one of the leaders."

Prabhupāda: Certainly that is a fact. (laughter) All GBC, they are leaders.

Jagadīśa: So you're not brainwashed.

Rāmeśvara: No, the leaders are the ones who are brainwashing everyone else.

Hari-śauri: But then if someone becomes a leader...

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

Prabhupāda: That's all. And if we have to take contribution, take ISKCON. They're free. But for Bhaktivedanta Trust there is no need of contribution. Then there will be exemption certificate required and so on. We don't want any contribution. If anyone wants to contribute, let him contribute to the ISKCON. They're tax free. And here there is no tax, no tax free. That's all. Print book and sell and spend. Follow this policy there and here also, and push these books. That is our main preaching. Somehow or other, it must go, from door to door, hand to hand. Then our preaching is successful. Anyone who will read, he'll get some benefit. That is sure, because such literatures are not available throughout the whole world. It is a new revolution to the people in general. Am I right or not?

Rāmeśvara: Definitely.

Prabhupāda: That's all. (laughs) Then do it now. And I shall spend all this money for advertisement. That's all.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: One of the biggest bookstores in Bombay, International Book House, has arranged a whole window display of your books.

Prabhupāda: That is useless.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Many people were seeing it.

Prabhupāda: Useless. I know these men. But you can get some customers. That's all right. Do they purchase or simply display?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: No. They purchase also.

Prabhupāda: That's nice.

Morning Darsana and Room Conversation Ramkrishna Bajaj and friends -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: It is... You... You have been taught that Kṛṣṇa is an ordinary person, maybe little more in knowledge. That you are taking like that. Kūpa-maṇḍuka-nyāya. Kūpa-maṇḍa, the toad in the well, he is informed, "Oh, I have seen one Atlantic Ocean." So he is thinking "Atlantic Ocean may be.... This well is three feet. It may be four feet. Or five. Come on, ten." These rascals are thinking like that—avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā (BG 9.11)—that "Kṛṣṇa may be more intelligent by one feet or two feet. Let us compromise-ten feet." This is going on. And Kṛṣṇa says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat: (BG 7.7) "I am the Supreme." They won't believe. They'll manufacture their ideas. This is going on. Aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2). They won't believe that. And still, they'll declare, "I am student of Bhagavad-gītā." They won't believe a word of Kṛṣṇa, and they'll say, "I am student of Bhagavad-gītā." This is going on. This is our position. In India everyone says, "I have read Bhagavad-gītā three hundred times," but he does not know even a word. So this should be stopped. If we want to advance actually, you take every word of Bhagavad-gītā and try to apply in life. Then everyone will be happy. That is a fact. The instruction is there. There is no difficulty to understand. There is no question of interpretation. Simply take it as it is and try to apply it in life—you'll be happy. And your human life will be successful. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). Up to this human form of life, we have passed through so many evolutionary process, but if you understand Kṛṣṇa, then, after leaving this body, no more material body.

Morning Darsana and Room Conversation Ramkrishna Bajaj and friends -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) The real purport of Bhagavad-gītā is to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Then it is successful. (Hindi) If you take Bhagavad-gītā, the speaker of Bhagavad-gītā says this is the purpose: man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66). Duṣkṛtino narādhamāḥ. That... Na māṁ prapadyante mūḍhā duṣkṛtino narādhamāḥ. "One who does not do that, he is sinful, duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ. And fool, rascal, narādhamāḥ, lowest of the mankind." He is chastising like that. So if you have got other purpose, that means you come to this group. Duṣkṛtino mūḍhā narādhamāḥ.

Guest (7): So about (Hindi) Ramakrishna Mission.

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) But why do you take Bhagavad-gītā? You are free to do whatever you like. That freedom is given. Kṛṣṇa has given. Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante (BG 4.11). That you have got. But when you speak of Bhagavad-gītā, then you speak what Kṛṣṇa wants.

Morning Darsana and Room Conversation Ramkrishna Bajaj and friends -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: It is... You... You have been taught that Kṛṣṇa is an ordinary person, maybe little more in knowledge. That you are taking like that. Kūpa-maṇḍuka-nyāya. Kūpa-maṇḍa, the toad in the well, he is informed, "Oh, I have seen one Atlantic Ocean." So he is thinking "Atlantic Ocean may be.... This well is three feet. It may be four feet. Or five. Come on, ten." These rascals are thinking like that—avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā (BG 9.11)—that "Kṛṣṇa may be more intelligent by one feet or two feet. Let us compromise-ten feet." This is going on. And Kṛṣṇa says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat: (BG 7.7) "I am the Supreme." They won't believe. They'll manufacture their ideas. This is going on. Aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2). They won't believe that. And still, they'll declare, "I am student of Bhagavad-gītā." They won't believe a word of Kṛṣṇa, and they'll say, "I am student of Bhagavad-gītā." This is going on. This is our position. In India everyone says, "I have read Bhagavad-gītā three hundred times," but he does not know even a word. So this should be stopped. If we want to advance actually, you take every word of Bhagavad-gītā and try to apply in life. Then everyone will be happy. That is a fact. The instruction is there. There is no difficulty to understand. There is no question of interpretation. Simply take it as it is and try to apply it in life—you'll be happy. And your human life will be successful. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). Up to this human form of life, we have passed through so many evolutionary process, but if you understand Kṛṣṇa, then, after leaving this body, no more material body.

Morning Darsana and Room Conversation Ramkrishna Bajaj and friends -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Hm? So I can go and take my massage now. (Hindi)

Girirāja: Actually we could show the book movie. I don't think anyone here has seen it.

Prabhupāda: Ah. Yes.

Girirāja: (aside:) You didn't see that. Okay I'll get that. It's a very short movie, fifteen minutes. Very inspiring.

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) The real purport of Bhagavad-gītā is to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. Then it is successful. (Hindi) If you take Bhagavad-gītā, the speaker of Bhagavad-gītā says this is the purpose: man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66). Duṣkṛtino narādhamāḥ. That... Na māṁ prapadyante mūḍhā duṣkṛtino narādhamāḥ. "One who does not do that, he is sinful, duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ. And fool, rascal, narādhamāḥ, lowest of the mankind." He is chastising like that. So if you have got other purpose, that means you come to this group. Duṣkṛtino mūḍhā narādhamāḥ.

Guest (7): So about (Hindi) Ramakrishna Mission.

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) But why do you take Bhagavad-gītā? You are free to do whatever you like. That freedom is given. Kṛṣṇa has given. Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante (BG 4.11). That you have got. But when you speak of Bhagavad-gītā, then you speak what Kṛṣṇa wants.

Guest (7): You should take Bhagavad-gītā as it is. You explain it but not interpret it.

Prabhupāda: There is no need of interpretation.

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

Rāmeśvara: Well, that they'll realize when they hear it. Just like our book distributors. They're not dressing as Hare Kṛṣṇa devotees; therefore they are successful. As soon as the people see that they are Hare Kṛṣṇa devotees, they do not want religion.

Prabhupāda: No... Suppose a military dress... Then there are different dresses. When it is understood properly, dress is immaterial. The military dress... Everyone knows that their business is to kill. That does not mean they are hated. Similarly, people see, and when they understand, that is the process.

Jagadīśa: In the Kṛṣṇa book, when Kamsa was being a little lenient with Vasudeva, Nārada Muni thought to speed things up, so he instigated Kamsa to become frightened about Vasudeva and Devaki and their children. So similarly, it appears that in order to speed up Kṛṣṇa consciousness's infiltration and overtaking this materialistic society, that all of these brainwashing charges and...

Prabhupāda: It has got... The chanting has got spiritual power. That will rectify everything. Even there is misunderstanding, it will be rectified. That is spiritual power.

Rāmeśvara: The chanting for the mass of people is by reading your books.

Prabhupāda: That will rectify everything. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). All misunderstanding gone away.

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

Prabhupāda: Before that, he was accepting a false father. And now they understood that "He is not my father. He's my enemy." Therefore he's going... According to Bhāgavata it is said, "One should not become father if he cannot save his son from the imminent danger of birth, death, old age and disease." So the so-called father, they are not father. So after enter into Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, one understands that "He's my false father." So if he gives up the relationship, that means he's successful.

Rāmeśvara: So, then they will say, "We do not want this movement in our country because it is breaking up the families."

Prabhupāda: You do not want? Who cares for you? We shall go on with our movement. Who cares for you?

Rāmeśvara: "You are ruining family life."

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Rāmeśvara: We are simply ruining our families.

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

Prabhupāda: That may be for a certain class.

Rāmeśvara: It can become very popular, but if they find out it is Hare Kṛṣṇa, they will think it is religion and they will not buy it. But if we do not mention that it is Hare Kṛṣṇa right at the beginning...

Prabhupāda: Either you mention or not mention, unless they realize that it is good...

Rāmeśvara: Well, that they'll realize when they hear it. Just like our book distributors. They're not dressing as Hare Kṛṣṇa devotees; therefore they are successful. As soon as the people see that they are Hare Kṛṣṇa devotees, they do not want religion.

Prabhupāda: No... Suppose a military dress... Then there are different dresses. When it is understood properly, dress is immaterial. The military dress... Everyone knows that their business is to kill. That does not mean they are hated. Similarly, people see, and when they understand, that is the process.

Jagadīśa: In the Kṛṣṇa book, when Kamsa was being a little lenient with Vasudeva, Nārada Muni thought to speed things up, so he instigated Kamsa to become frightened about Vasudeva and Devaki and their children. So similarly, it appears that in order to speed up Kṛṣṇa consciousness's infiltration and overtaking this materialistic society, that all of these brainwashing charges and...

Prabhupāda: It has got... The chanting has got spiritual power. That will rectify everything. Even there is misunderstanding, it will be rectified. That is spiritual power.

Rāmeśvara: The chanting for the mass of people is by reading your books.

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

Prabhupāda: Before that, he was accepting a false father. And now they understood that "He is not my father. He's my enemy." Therefore he's going... According to Bhāgavata it is said, "One should not become father if he cannot save his son from the imminent danger of birth, death, old age and disease." So the so-called father, they are not father. So after enter into Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, one understands that "He's my false father." So if he gives up the relationship, that means he's successful.

Rāmeśvara: So, then they will say, "We do not want this movement in our country because it is breaking up the families."

Prabhupāda: You do not want? Who cares for you? We shall go on with our movement. Who cares for you?

Rāmeśvara: "You are ruining family life."

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Rāmeśvara: We are simply ruining our families.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. We are ruining the dog's family, cat's family. That's all right. We are entering into Kṛṣṇa's family. That is our improvement. What is the use of keeping with the dog's family, cat's family? The dog has also family. So to remain in the dog's family, it is very prestigious position? We have now constructed our own family, Kṛṣṇa family. We are entering there. What is the use of remaining in the dog's family, cat's family?

Hari-śauri: "But if you're actually followers of God, then why are you breaking up the families? Shouldn't you have love for everyone?"

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

Prabhupāda: Yes. This is (indistinct). Otherwise (indistinct). Let them eat. They can eat.

Hari-śauri: If they get a (indistinct) successful and they get regular amounts...

Prabhupāda: It will be successful.

Hari-śauri: Then they could increase that.

Prabhupāda: It will be successful.

Rāmeśvara: I think we can make a million dollars a year.

Prabhupāda: Oh yes.

Rāmeśvara: After it has been developed.

Prabhupāda: And purchase grains. (indistinct) purchase books.

Rāmeśvara: I've studied but more Americans buy records than books. They spend more money buying records than buying books.

Prabhupāda: Mm. That is natural.

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

Rāmeśvara: But they... That way a whole new...

Prabhupāda: Therefore I started Māyāpur this prasāda distribution. And it is coming to be successful. People are, politicians are appreciating that here is Hindu-Muslim unity.

Rāmeśvara: All the devotees will appreciate this then. That the records now, the money is going to be used for food relief.

Prabhupāda: Yes. And we can increase. The same thing (indistinct) in the farm, in the village, "Come on, any number, I shall feed you. Come here, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and take prasādam." And we shall increase the quality of the prasādam. They will be very much pleased to come and chant. That I want. I am interested in these rascals (indistinct). Fighting amongst them. What can we do? You can go for some time, see what is the reason you have come. (indistinct) ...elderly person, he will come. (indistinct) younger brothers (indistinct) but that he has no power to do. Misunderstanding there will be, after all it is the material world. You go and see why (indistinct). I used to think like that. In all our temples the prasāda distribution should be so random (?), that within ten miles nobody should remain hungry. There are many persons in India, they are half time hungry. So if you distribute prasādam, "Come over here. You are hungry, take prasādam. If I cannot supply daily, I'll supply at least two days, three days weekly." And they're coming. You have seen Māyāpur (indistinct). A big prasāda distribution hall. Regular two thousands are coming (indistinct). And Hindu, Muslim, they're sitting down. No (indistinct).

Hari-śauri: Is there any reason why we are just distribute on a Saturday and Sunday?

Prabhupāda: Oh, (indistinct) we can distribute every day.

Hari-śauri: Let them come every day.

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

Prabhupāda: Yes. This is (indistinct). Otherwise (indistinct). Let them eat. They can eat.

Hari-śauri: If they get a (indistinct) successful and they get regular amounts...

Prabhupāda: It will be successful.

Hari-śauri: Then they could increase that.

Prabhupāda: It will be successful.

Rāmeśvara: I think we can make a million dollars a year.

Prabhupāda: Oh yes.

Rāmeśvara: After it has been developed.

Prabhupāda: And purchase grains. (indistinct) purchase books.

Rāmeśvara: I've studied but more Americans buy records than books. They spend more money buying records than buying books.

Prabhupāda: Mm. That is natural.

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: We keep the ideal style of life. You learn and do it. I am not encroaching upon your independence, but if you want to be happy, you follow. This is our process. Āpani ācārī prabhu jīveri śikṣāya. You be happy, very ideally, and people will learn. But this can be possible only on the basis of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If you make minus Kṛṣṇa consciousness this thing, it will never be possible. Then it will not be possible. All these scheme will be successful if there is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Hari-śauri: Only if the chanting and prasādam is there.

Prabhupāda: Prasādam, Deity worship, devotional life... Then it will be all right.

Hari-śauri: Yes. Gandhi could never implement his program.

Prabhupāda: Nobody can do. They simply... Even... What is that? Marx? He could not. There is no real attraction. Artificial, by force. Here the real attraction is Kṛṣṇa. So other thing he doesn't mind: "Let there be little inconvenience. I don't mind."

Hari-śauri: A devotee is actually getting a higher taste. He's getting some real enjoyment, so he doesn't care for the other things.

Prabhupāda: So unless there is enjoyment he cannot stick. But that enjoyment is Kṛṣṇa.

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Nobody should be allowed to keep himself lazy. That is not good. Niyataṁ kuru karma tvam. That is... Find out this verse. Oh, he has taken away?

Hari-śauri: Bhagavad-gītā. Oh, I can get another Gītā.

Gargamuni: And they will be successful.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Why not?

Gargamuni: If they are sincere, they will be successful.

Rāmeśvara: So it is little taxing...

Prabhupāda: Not taxing. I was doing alone this. I was printing Back to Godhead and going to the press. I was writing. I was posting.

Gargamuni: In one room you had many corners for your different projects. (chuckles)

Rāmeśvara: But if you have hundreds and hundreds of devotees in one center, then you have to be concerned with their spiritual life, how they are engaged, how they're supported.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Spiritual life...

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: ...port an worldwide movement. Very cautiously, very intelligently, we should use our resources, intelligence. This is a worldwide movement. And feeling our pressure. There is obstruction, therefore. And it is genuine. There is no doubt about it. No doubt about it. We are not going to be defeated. I am confident. And with this confidence I went to your country that "Why Caitanya Mahāprabhu's..." That is substance. "So many rascals are going and talking nonsense. They are becoming successful. Why not Caitanya Mahāprabhu?" That was my confi... Otherwise I never expected that I shall be able to write so many books and it will be so much appreciated. It is wonderful appreciation. Is it not?

Rāmeśvara: Oh, yes.

Hari-śauri: Yes.

Prabhupāda: I never expected. I thought that "Who will hear me if I say all this nonsense to them?" To them it is nonsense. Therefore they say "brainwash." They cannot appreciate.

Hari-śauri: There's never been such appreciation of one author's work before. It's just amazing.

Rāmeśvara: Even our own men are taking our mission more seriously now that these appreciations have come. They are understanding more how this is the only hope for the whole world, very grave work.

Conversation During Massage -- January 23, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Terrorism. Very dangerous. Now it is published in the paper how they exploit the people. And our India also thinking in terms of Russian philosophy. Lenin's philosophy.

Hari-śauri: They're not so successful here, though. The people are too pious to accept Communist philosophy so much here.

Prabhupāda: Hm, yes. It will be difficult here.

Hari-śauri: They've been trying for years, but they haven't made much ground.

Prabhupāda: No.

Hari-śauri: We've made a lot more impression than they have.

Prabhupāda: They are making... Therefore I was saying... The Russians, they have made a propaganda to show, but nobody purchases their literature. Nobody purchases, either educated or uneducated. Maybe few interested. But they are making vigorous propaganda to spread their literature. They have been unsuccessful.

Morning Walk -- January 24, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Then why you are trying United Nation, rascal? It may be complex, but we must try for it in the proper way. That is humanity. Why you are attempting United Nation? You know it is complex. But you do not know how to unite. This is my position. Unite on Kṛṣṇa center. Then you'll be successful. You are already trying for uniting, unity, but you do not know how to unite.

Satsvarūpa: Just like you say there has to be a universal center.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Satsvarūpa: So if it's complex, at least we have to start with a universal center.

Prabhupāda: Yes. No, you can. We... It is already there, United Nation Organization, UNO. So take the ideas. Why you are thinking of... What is that? WHO. World Organization or..., health?

Hari-śauri: World Health Organization.

Room Conversation -- January 24, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Satsvarūpa: That remains to be done.

Prabhupāda: Every gentleman should have a valuable library of these. That we want. Then our preaching is successful.

Hari-śauri: Once people recognize the worth of spiritual literature, then they'll purchase. Just like they sell these Encyclopedia Brittanicas from house to house.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Hari-śauri:...on the basis, "You've got so many children. They need this knowledge and education for when they go to school." So they purchase whole volumes.

Prabhupāda: Introducing as study book in higher colleges, universities, text book, then it will be... What is the use, a so-called scholar having a Ṣaṭ-sandarbha? And this has been failure... Our one Godbrother, he did. Simply he printed. It was not sold, and then it was mishandled, distributed like anything.

Evening Conversation -- January 25, 1977, Puri:

Prabhupāda: He is also... He becomes recognized by the master. "Oh, he is trying for this, what I want." Naturally he becomes immediately recognized, although he has no qualification. If he tries. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu... Yāre dekha tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa: (CC Madhya 7.128) "You become guru. No qualification required. Simply you repeat what Kṛṣṇa has said." Just see how simplified. Don't talk anything nonsense. Yāre dekha tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-bas. So who cannot do it? Anyone can do it, even a child. (laughs) Our Śyāmasundara's daughter. She was preaching, "Do you know Kṛṣṇa?" They said, "No I have got no..." "The Supreme Personality." This is preaching, simply if you say that "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality, supreme controller. Just be obedient to Him." Where is the difficulty? Anyone can preach. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Bas. Three words: Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead; surrender unto Him; and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Your life will be successful. What is the difficulty in preaching these three words? Hm? Is there any difficulty? Even a child like Sarasvatī, she can preach. Then what to speak of others? Those who are educated, grown-up, advanced, they can put the matter more nicely, more convincingly, more philosophically. That is another thing. But these three words, that "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Lord; you are servant; and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa"—bas, preaching complete. Very simple thing and the sublime instruction. Everyone can become guru by simply teaching these three words.

Evening Conversation -- January 25, 1977, Puri:

Prabhupāda: Not sophisticated, but he must also understand not blindly. Bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra, janma sārthaka kari (CC Adi 9.41)'. He must also understand these three words perfectly. Then wherever he speaks, he'll be successful. Not that "For you I am speaking. I can do everything independently." No. I am also servant of Kṛṣṇa. Realized. This is realization.

Satsvarūpa: How does a preacher realize? How does a preacher come to realize?

Prabhupāda: He must know that he's servant.

Satsvarūpa: By hearing.

Prabhupāda: By practically knowing he's a... Are you independent, anyone? Everyone is servant. He's serving his senses. That's all. He's servant. He's never master. But he has become the servant of māyā or senses. That's all. He has to change only; instead of becoming servant of māyā, be servant of Kṛṣṇa. Servant he is. Where he'll go? How he will become master? To remain a servant is his position. He cannot become master. That is false pride. As soon as he wants to be master, that is false pride. That is māyā. "So if I am servant, then I have to serve. So why shall I serve the senses' dictation? I will serve Kṛṣṇa, what He says." So he's self-realized immediately, within a second. Where is the difficulty to become self-realized? Hm? Is there any difficulty? He must know that "I am serving. I am never master. But serving the senses, that's all, whims of the senses in the name of independence." That is not possible. Very simple philosophy.

Evening Conversation -- January 25, 1977, Puri:

Prabhupāda: That is not required.

Gargamuni: They won't follow, anyway.

Prabhupāda: These two books, Bhāgavata and Bhagavad-gītā, if they actually read and assimilate, their life will be successful. So we want to organize widespread publicity of these books. They'll be benefited.

Satsvarūpa: I think one important principle in this individual book-selling will be a science to find out of all the masses people, the likelier people... (end)

Room Conversation -- January 28, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Whatever it may be, this is the position. Those who are neophyte, they are always in danger. Therefore their duty is to be guided by sādhu-śāstra-guru. That's all. That is our... Now, I'll say from my practical life... It is not pride. Actually everyone knows that my Guru Mahārāja had thousands of disciples. So out of thousands of disciples, practically I am little successful. That everyone knows. Why? Because I firmly believed in the words of my guru. That's all. This is the... There may be many other Godbrother, maybe very learned and very advanced, whatever it may be, favored, and... Everyone claims that "I am the most favorite." And practical point of view... So I think sometimes that "Why this wonderful thing has happened to me?" So I search out. I search out only that I cent percent believe in the words of my spiritual... That's all, nothing else. Guru-mukha-padma-vākya, cittete koriyā aikya, āra nā koriho mane āśā **. Don't think of any nonsense. Simply execute what your guru has said. That is success. You are daily singing, guru-mukha-padma-vākya **. You know the meaning?

Room Conversation -- January 31, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Yogeśvara: But then they will say "We have produced so many successes also."

Prabhupāda: What is nonsense success? We don't take that success!

Yogeśvara: Well, we have polio vaccine, we have aspirin.

Prabhupāda: I am so successful that I am going to die tomorrow. I am so successful.

Hari-śauri: Aspirin won't save you from death.

Prabhupāda: Mother asked... Mother Durgā asked the devotee... Because Durgā comes every year. Asked the devotee, "My dear son, you are happy?" "Yes, mother, very happy." "So there is no complaint?" "Only two complaint." "What is that?" "There is no food and there is no cloth. Otherwise we are very happy." (laughter) Two difficulties: no food, no cloth. That's all. These rascals are like that. Everything advanced, but when the question of death, "Oh, that..." Einstein also died.

Room Conversation -- January 31, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: To know about Kṛṣṇa. It is not also difficult. Science of Kṛṣṇa is there, Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa speaks Himself. So to know the science of Kṛṣṇa is also not difficult. But because we are unfortunate, we go to rascal, and they interpret Bhagavad-gītā in a rascaldom way, and we are missing. So you should be very careful not to go to a rascal. Then your mission will be successful. If you want to purchase gold, you must go to a shop where actually gold is purchased, gold. If you do not know, then you'll be cheated. That is not also very difficult. That I have repeatedly said. Those who are interpreting in their own way, Bhagavad-gītā, he's a rascal; he's not guru. (loud kīrtana in background) As soon as he says an interpretation, "I think like this," you reject that. Why should we think like that? You should preach what Kṛṣṇa says. Then you are right. Why should you say something which Kṛṣṇa does not say? Then you are misguided. He does not know Kṛṣṇa. He's not kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā. So he's cheating. That is going on.

Room Conversation -- January 31, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: With determination. Otherwise, satataṁ kīrtayanto mām (BG 9.14). Satatam means twenty-four hours. Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31). Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma eva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21). But that we cannot do. Therefore to keep dṛḍha-vrata, we have fixed up a certain quantity. Chant that. Saṅkhyā-pūrvaka-nāma-gāna-natibhiḥ kālāvasānī-kṛtau. About the Gosvāmīs-saṅkhyā-pūrvaka: "So many times." Not only chanting, also offering obeisances. Saṅkhyā-pūrvaka-nāma-gāna-natibhiḥ. Nati means praṇati. "I shall offer obeisances hundred times." Gosvāmīs, they used to do that. Still in Rādhā-kuṇḍa, Vṛndāvana, you'll see many devotees. They offer, counting, flat, so many times. So we have to take some labor. It is not so easy thing that you realize (chuckling) God so easily. Saṅkhyā-pūrvaka-nāma-gāna-natibhiḥ kālāvasānī-kṛtau. The valuable time of human life should be utilized only for cultivating Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is perfect. No other business. Sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). That is sarva-dharmān. But if you cannot do that, all right, make

minimum: "So many times I shall chant. So many times I shall offer obeisances." Make some dṛḍha-vrata. Then gradually it will be successful.

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

Hari-śauri: So at least if we successfully introduce the varṇāśrama system in our own society, then when all the demons finish themselves...

Prabhupāda: At least... At least... At least they will see, "This is the ideal."

Hari-śauri: Yes. Then if there is a war after that, it will be all right.

Prabhupāda: At least ideal must be there. That we are doing.

Hari-śauri: This will more or less revolutionize the way we're running our centers. If we introduce it, it will more or less revolutionize the way we're running our centers.

Prabhupāda: Why? Why revolution?

Hari-śauri: Because right now our only emphasis is just to simply produce brāhmaṇas.

Prabhupāda: So why you are taking "we"? Why not others? This is kaniṣṭha-adhikārī. You are thinking of "we." That is kaniṣṭha-adhikārī. It is not that "we." Na tad-bhakteṣu cānyeṣu. You have to think for others also.

Evening Darsana -- February 15, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Yes. South Af... He had no practice here. One attorney, he told me in Bombay that "Your Gandhi was waiting for cases here, sitting in this chair." He was not even successful lawyer. Then he got a case in Africa. He thought it wise, "Let me go there." And there, instead of becoming a lawyer, he became a political agitator. So to take equal status for the Indians he fought there. And that was failure. Still it is going on. They are very determined not to give any advantage to anyone except these whites.

Hari-śauri: They know as soon as they give little leeway, then their whole government will be finished.

Prabhupāda: Very strict. Still, they purchase my books.

Brahmānanda: The whites.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Brahmānanda: They were... I think the first time you went there they even were bowing down...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Evening Darsana -- February 15, 1977, Mayapura:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. This is the most successful farm at least in our society from the production point of view.

Prabhupāda: Yes. No, I saw personally. He is working very hard, and everyone is happy. You were there?

Hari-śauri: Yes.

Prabhupāda: It is very nice. I always remember. Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Jaya Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Jaya. (end)

Room Conversation -- February 18, 1977, Mayapura:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: A number of temples have been trying to hold parents' meetings. So in New York... In Los Angeles they held one. That was fairly successful for two reasons. One, when they did it, Mukunda was the chief man there. Mukunda's in Los Angeles now. So he didn't speak any philosophy. He just showed off all of the buildings. And another point was that most of the devotees in Los Angeles are married, and they have children, and they have proper apartments. So the meeting was fairly successful. Now, in New York, Rūpānuga did the speaking and he spoke the philosophy, very strong and straightforward, for one hour. The parents became outraged. In fact, they interrupted him and would not let him finish his lecture. And secondly, in New York, most of the devotees are brahmacārīs, so there's no families. We don't have..., no wife, no children. It means the parents have no grandchildren. They don't like that. So the parents are saying that "My boy came here on a Sunday feast, and the next day he called me from Chicago. He was on a bus, traveling on one of your buses, and I have not seen him since, the last year and a half." In this way they were very angry. Very angry. The only way we calmed them down is that we gave them prasādam in the restaurant and then took them into the theater for a performance. Then they were placated. Otherwise they were very angry. They want us to have the children go to their homes with them.

Hari-śauri: And then they'll influence them away. Actually we have a good reason for not letting them see their parents now, because when the parents call them on the phone and say, "I want to see you for five minutes," it's so they can kidnap them and deprogram them. That's how the kidnap them. The parents call and they say "Oh..." They make some arrangement to meet their child, and it's a trick. They have these gangsters waiting. I can see now my parents weren't so bad after all.

Prabhupāda: Hm? Hm!

Room Conversations -- February 20, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: And big heading?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. "Hare Kṛṣṇa Movement is Bona Fide Religion." You couldn't pay for an advertisement this good.

Prabhupāda: So my mission is now successful.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: In 1965 I went there, and this is now recognized after ten years ago. Ten or twelve years, eh?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Twelve years.

Prabhupāda: Loitering in the street. Nobody cared for me. Alone carrying the books. Now organize Bombay as our headquarter, New York as sub-office. Or headquarter in America.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: What about Los Angeles?

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

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

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Certainly.

Room Conversations -- February 20, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: No. So you are coming from, now? Manipur.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: I'm coming from Manipur. I made several preaching engagements in the law college, the colleges and universities in Manipur also.

Prabhupāda: So it was all successful?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Oh, yes. They are very anxious to hear about the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Prabhupāda: Oh. That is good.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Especially in law college. The title is very appropriate. We say "The Laws of Nature." In the law college we speak about the laws of nature and the fundamental principles of knowledge from not only the scientific angle.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: And it's quite appropriate. The theme is...

Evening Darsana -- February 24, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: So you have taken money from my account? No.

Jayatīrtha: No, Śrīla Prabhupāda. We didn't need to.

Prabhupāda: So there we shall have restaurant?

Jayatīrtha: Yes. It should be very successful. Restaurants in that area... Vegetarian restaurants... There's one that sells about ten thousand pounds (sterling) a week of food. So ours may not be quite that big.

Prabhupāda: So we have already started restaurant? No.

Jayatīrtha: Not yet. It takes some time. We just got permission finally from the planning commission from the city. That was a technicality. But we just got that. There was no problem. Now we're starting to do the refurbishing. We have to do a lot of painting and...

Arrival of Devotees -- February 24, 1977, Mayapura:

Rāmeśvara: Well, we want to have a press conference tomorrow.

Gargamuni: We're going to have... At the Calcutta Book Fair we finished decorating our pandal. It promises to be very successful. We're just opposite the Americans, who have spent fifty thousand rupees, the American Embassy. And next door to us is the German Embassy, and on the other side is the British Embassy. So we're in a very good spot, and we'll have all our books. We'll have the displays as well as the movie, the BBT movie, and we have our men there, who will take orders and sell books. It starts tomorrow afternoon. And we'll have a press conference also and release these figures.

Prabhupāda: That's nice.

Rādhā-vallabha: Want to hear more?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Rādhā-vallabha: Sixth is Portuguese, 835,000. Seventh, Dutch, 593,000. Eighth, Italian, 448,000. Ninth, Hindi, 315,000. Tenth, Bengali, 305,000. Eleventh is Telegu, 115,000. Twelfth is Swahili... This is also another estimate, 110,000. Fourteenth is Chinese... Thirteenth is Gujarati, 90,000. Fourteenth is Chinese, 55,000. Fifteenth is Marathi, 25,000. Korean, 20,000. Yugoslavian, 20,000. Oriya, 20,000. Polish 10,000. Hungarian, 10,000. Czechoslovakian, 10,000. Tamil, 10,000. Russian 5,000. And the total is 55,314,000.

Evening Darsana -- February 25, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: That you have to manage, how to collect. You give him in credit, but keep men also to collect.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Collection agency.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Then it will be successful. You can give it... Americans are expert to take in credit, but the banking arrangement is nice, that they get back. Similarly, you give them credit. They will take it and then make such machinery that it will be collected. Collected means to go and ask. Then it will be collected.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What do you have to do? Go and ask.

Prabhupāda: Go and ask. In India it is called takata. Takata(?) means "send men." If somebody owes money, you go and ask him. So he'll pay something. If not all, he'll pay. In this way realize.

Room Conversation -- March 1, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Yes. We can do everything for Kṛṣṇa—for Kṛṣṇa, not for personal sake. So your drama is going on.

Gargamuni: Yes, I heard about it.

Prabhupāda: Last night it was very successful.

Hṛdayānanda: I think in India the people never become tired of Rāmāyaṇa. The people here never becomes tired of seeing Rāmāyaṇa.

Gargamuni: Even our men at the stall, they were very much appreciative that the people coming were very much... They were accepting prasādam without any hesitations. They were taking it very humbly.

Prabhupāda: What prasāda you have?

Gargamuni: Some sabji and cāpāṭi, mixed, we gave to everyone.

Prabhupāda: Like sandwich.

Gargamuni: Yes, like a sandwich. We wrapped the sabji in the cāpāṭi, and they took.

Prabhupāda: One. One cāpāṭi.

Room Conversation -- March 26, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: You will be invited. You stick to your position and train up your assistants and recruit more and more. We shall come out successful. Write books. You can take. Now yesterday Dr. Dattrey, did he say anything?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: He didn't say much, but Dr. Sharma, he was discussing, and he was telling that he will definitely make an arrangement in Bombay Hospital for us to speak. But he was very impressed. And some life members came later on when the greeting of the pandal was finished. And some engineers also. They want to discuss something today also.

Prabhupāda: Recruit them. And speak in such societies. We have now our prestige and preaching. It will be very nice honor everywhere. So Kṛṣṇa has given you some talent. Utilize it. These rascals are misleading. Although the instruction is there, they are misinterpreting in their own way, misleading themselves and misleading others. They say the name of God. They do not know what is God, although God is explaining Himself. Such a rascal. God is explaining, "Here, I'm God." He is accepted, and they do not... When you ask them what is God: "That we do not know. Our God is (indistinct)." Such things are there. So they have to be convinced that these half-educated leaders cannot make you happy.

Room Conversation -- March 31, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: How is Vṛndāvana going on?

Dhanañjaya: By your mercy, Śrīla Prabhupāda is there. Our community is growing very nicely. The festival is very successful. Everyone enjoyed very much—kīrtanas and all the different programs.

Lokanātha: At Janmasthāna we had program last year, for four days having programs. Same as we have here. Kīrtanas, discourses, dramas, cinemas, prasādam distribution, book distribution. Many, many people came. Whole ground was...

Prabhupāda: This year or last year?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: This year. Over ten thousand people came.

Prabhupāda: They are, after all, Mathurā men, after Kṛṣṇa. They have got natural love for Kṛṣṇa.

Room Conversation -- March 31, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: ...little education. In the Bengali, it is called rural relationship.(?)

Lokanātha: Prasādam distribution could be very successful.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So Śrīla Prabhupāda, generally visitors will not come up here, right? Because now that Girirāja is here, if you can explain to him what, you know, the policy should be.

Prabhupāda: You explain.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda said that he will go once a week to the darśana.

Prabhupāda: No, I shall go daily in the morning. At seven. And I'll stay there half an hour or more than half an hour.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Guru-pūjā.

Prabhupāda: Those who are visitors, they can see me. And for lecturing, on Sunday I shall lecture. You can fix up time, which time. But Sunday I shall speak from Bhāgavatam. This is general program. And if it is required some special, that is another thing. So what is the use of inviting visitors here?

Girirāja: I agree with that policy.

Prabhupāda: What do you think, Dr. Sharma?

Room Conversation -- March 31, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That standard should be maintained. Everywhere.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: It will be nicer now after the court case. All the devotees must be very enthused now because court was very favorable, New York case.

Prabhupāda: How is Vṛndāvana going on?

Dhanañjaya: By your mercy, Śrīla Prabhupāda is there. Our community is growing very nicely. The festival is very successful. Everyone enjoyed very much—kīrtanas and all the different programs.

Lokanātha: At Janmasthāna we had program last year, for four days having programs. Same as we have here. Kīrtanas, discourses, dramas, cinemas, prasādam distribution, book distribution. Many, many people came. Whole ground was...

Prabhupāda: This year or last year?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: This year. Over ten thousand people came.

Prabhupāda: They are, after all, Mathurā men, after Kṛṣṇa. They have got natural love for Kṛṣṇa.

Dhanañjaya: Also the decoration was very gorgeous in the temple. All the domes were lit, and in the front door two cakras and one lotus flower, opening and closing. Thousands of people were coming daily to attend it. We inherited all the American devotees that come. So they were very anxious to see the arrangements made. Also the signs are up on the road, Bhaktivedanta Swami Marga. Big marble plaque. Very nice stone fitting. In two places on the road.

Prabhupāda: On all the roads.

Room Conversation with Scientists, Svarupa Damodara, and Dr. Sharma -- March 31, 1977, Bombay:

Dr. Sharma: Or financial. They only waste their time, and this is, you know, an example of how stubborn man can be, especially the scientists. The real transplant that was done was done by the Lord Śiva when he did transplant of the head of Lord Gaṇeśa. That was the only successful transplant I know of.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: So we will come back about four or five hours. (speaks to Dr. Sharma about setting up preaching engagements)

Dr. Sharma: (replying to Svarūpa Dāmodara) ...to some of the basic scientists. Some of them have a spiritual background, you know. Just they probably are waiting to meet a person like your background or Mādhava's background. Normally it has come out like this. People talk half-heartedly here, and they don't pursue it, they don't have the conviction to pursue it in this country. Very quickly give up. If I get this idea, then next morning I forget about it, and then whatever... I don't even, you know, I am afraid to talk about it. So you have very boldly come out with this, and so many centuries of tradition is there to back you up. So I think you should pursue it with all your enthusiasm, and with Prabhupāda's blessing you will really go a long way, as I say about it.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Only by Prabhupāda's blessings.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So you can... Śrīla Prabhupāda, you wanted to ask Dr. Sharma about altitude?

Prabhupāda: Seven thousand feet high altitude, it is good for a person to go there?

Room Conversation -- April 5, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yes. I would not have given up. I would have spent all my assets to fight this case. But Kṛṣṇa's grace, in one day. Not fourteen days even. This is Kṛṣṇa. On the first review. Yes. I wanted even fourteen years. Yes. I was prepared. I will spend all my money. But Kṛṣṇa is so kind, He wanted: "Take it, this advent(?). Finished." This is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is wonderful. I have written one chapter...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Wonderful Kṛṣṇa."

Prabhupāda: Yes. If simply they appreciate that Kṛṣṇa is wonderful, their life will be successful. This very simple thing. A child can do it. Kṛṣṇa is wonderful, there is no doubt. Let them admit only. They will be pushed forward in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. I'll request only these big, big men that maintain this institution to attract intelligent persons from all over the world. And you do all nonsense, whatever you like, but maintain this. And if possible, after retirement come and do practical something. What is this nonsense? Andhā yathāndhair upa... What he will do? They are promising so many rascal things. What you will do? What you have got? Indira promised so many things. Bluffed. What she can do? Now she is, herself, Indira Gandhi. Te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ. Īśa-trantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ. They want to do something. What happens? Gandhi, when he started nonviolence, "Within one year" And he dragged for fifty years. Twenty years in Durban and thirty years in India. Could not do anything. If you say that Gandhi could not do anything, people will be angry. But see, study the whole history. What did he do? Did the Britishers care for Gandhi's nonviolent movement? Pat him. "Let this rascal go on with his movement. We'll go on." That was the disagreement with Subhash Bose. Subhash Bose said, "Mahatmaji, they will never go by this nonviolence. You have to take to violence." He said that "I will never have independence, but I will not take it." Therefore he left India. When he organized that INA and when the Britishers felt the (indistinct), "Now the soldiers have joined," all hopes lost. They did not give up India for Gandhi's nonviolence.

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

Mr. Rajda: It is universal activities.

Prabhupāda: It is universal, science. It is science. So why this science is kept locket up and distorted by the leaders? If you understand one line of Bhagavad-gītā, your life becomes successful. Now our leaders are supposed to read Bhagavad-gītā, but who understands this one line, tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13)? Nobody understands. And they are scholars of Bhagavad-gītā. They cannot understand this one line in the beginning. This is going on. So I would request you to take this matter seriously and... And it is being responded. I am writing these books on Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and we are selling daily five to six lakhs' worth of books. In a foreign country, where their religious system is different, and during Christmas festival we are selling our books, large quantity.

Mr. Rajda: That's a novel thing, no, novel thing.

Prabhupāda: So unless there is something substantial... They are intelligent.

Mr. Rajda: Intelligent people.

Prabhupāda: Why they should accept this? And this is one man's attempt.

Mr. Rajda: It has got to be institutionalized.

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

Prabhupāda: Yes. First of all you can talk. It is not expected that everyone will be able to understand. It is not expected.

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu

kaścid yatati siddhaye

yatatām api siddhānāṁ

kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ

(BG 7.3)

It is not easy job. But still, some ideal institution should be there who are actually serious to understand. They may be given the chance. That must be there. In the university, when we were students, there were some postgraduate classes that no student was coming. But still, the university maintained that class, paying, in those days, 1,200, 1,500, salaries to the professors. They maintained that. So here there is no question of salary. Here the institution must be maintained, strictly following the principles of Bhagavad-gītā. It is open. It is not difficult at all. Just like Kṛṣṇa says the perfect life, how one can become perfect, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru: (BG 18.65) "Always think of Me," man-manāḥ, "just become My devotee," mad-bhaktaḥ, "worship me," mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru, "simply offer your obeisances unto Me." One, two, three, four-four items. If you do one item at least, your life becomes successful. Even this child can do this. So to understand Bhagavad-gītā and follow the principle—not at all difficult. It is not reserved for any particular class of men or country or society, such a nice thing, and the human body is meant for understanding this knowledge, not to imitate the cats and dogs, jumping. This is being done by the cats and dogs. By evolutionary process, when we come to the human form of life, it is meant for understanding this science. So this opportunity there is, but we are blocking them not to take this knowledge and try to understand how to jump like cats and dogs. Greatest disservice to the human society. We have got such chance, so instead of helping you to get the chance, if I mislead you another way, is it not greatest disservice?

Room Conversation with Ram Jethmalani (Parliament Member) -- April 16, 1977, Bombay:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda sent Ātreya Ṛṣi to Pakistan. He writes, "My dear Śrīla Prabhupāda, please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to you who are the only guiding light in the world of darkness. India is that holy land in which the Supreme Personality of Godhead Lord Śrī Caitanya appeared and in whose inhabitants He instructed to go all over the world and spread the science of love of Godhead. It is in this way that I realize your emphasizing the activities of ISKCON in India after your very successful endeavoring in the West. Pakistan is a nonseparable part of India, and I appreciate your compassion towards them and your desire to help them."

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "In accordance with your desire I went to Karachi and spent two days there. I first visited the marble factory of Mr. Azis Pir Mohammed. This man belongs to the Ismaili sect of Islam, the followers of Aga Khan. His factory is very small, and he and his three brothers manage it. Their primary business is cutting alabaster into vases, tiles, plates, cups, etc., and they sell their products mainly to foreign countries. I made two visits to their factory and preached extensively to Azis, his brother, his friends and workers. They all liked Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They are intelligent enough to understand and in due time will be able to follow your instructions seriously. However, they need more association and a devotee to constantly engage them. I did not see fit to ask them for the use of their house as a center yet, but I told them that I would be opening a center in Karachi, and they were happy to hear this. They promised to help in whatever way they could as soon as our men appear on the scene."

Morning Conversation -- April 19, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: There is no excepting an Englishman. So anyway, you make these four men, subcommittee, and you take whatever land is given, given up to Kṛṣṇa. Then pick up selected persons from each family and make a strong body. And then we organize Burma and Bangladesh. And he's going to Ceylon. Formerly India, Burma, Ceylon, they were one. And somebody's going to Pakistan. So there is chance of uniting all these different parts of India by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You have to organize. At least you organize here, Manipur center, Burma, and Bangladesh, and Assam. It will be successful.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: In Tripura also there are many Manipuris.

Prabhupāda: Eh? Yes.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Tripura.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Indians... And Manipur, there are many men from Bangladesh.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes. Sylhet.

Prabhupāda: From Sylhet. Sylhet is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's place. There is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's forefathers' house, Sylhet. So what talk you had with that doctor?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes, his name is Dr. Sir M. S. Thakur, and we had a very interesting talk yesterday, and he's willing to come and stay in the temple for at least a week. He's going to come and stay here for at least a week.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Meeting with Mr. Dwivedi -- April 23, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: But... So your duty is to cooperate. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7). Living entities, Kṛṣṇa says, they are part and parcel. Just like this finger is part and parcel of my body. It's duty, primary duty, is to cooperate what I say. I say the finger, "Come here." Immediately... That is the duty. That is cooperation. And I say the finger, "Come here," and finger goes anywhere, that is not cooperation. Similarly, whatever Kṛṣṇa says, you do it. That is cooperation. Then it will be successful. If you manufacture your own meaning, amendment, and your scholarship, nonsense, then you spoil. In politics, nonviolence? Hm? Just see. Do you think Gandhi became successful by nonviolence? Do you think? Violence. When Subhas Bose organized this I.N.A. it was successful. Otherwise he failed in South Africa; he failed in India.

Mr. Dwivedi: I had the privilege of being fairly nearly with Subhas Bapu. The last I met him was just some time before his going when he wrote a message...

Prabhupāda: He was... He was for...

Mr. Dwivedi: ...for my paper for all India. I do not know whether it was Subhas Bapu's influence or I do not know my own karmas, but at least in Gandhi...

Prabhupāda: That it is a fact.

Mr. Dwivedi: I could not appreciate him.

Second Meeting with Mr. Dwivedi -- April 24, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: It is... I think it is a good proposal. If President comes, it must be very successful. It is very good chance.

Mr. Dwivedi: So if I have your permission, I'll do this.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. I... For mine, that... You told that "You gain your weight, increase your weight." That induced me.

Mr. Dwivedi: The very fact that Your Holiness will be going there, that has manifold increased our... We are not worried about that.

Prabhupāda: (laughs) Then accept. Then accept.

Mr. Dwivedi: As the saying goes in Rāmāyaṇa, sevaka sādhana svāmī avagamanu, maṅgalun amaṅgala harlun(?).

Prabhupāda: And you are inviting Mr. Jetthi. So it is good opportunity. Let us...

Mr. Dwivedi: Failing that... If, somehow or other, he's not free... Because time is short, and if Jetthi says yes, then I have to go to the Chief Minister, because on previous occasion I told him I wanted him on a particular function. He said, "You do this. Then get this straight. Otherwise the president of our league(?) becomes expensive, so the expenditure will go over the head of the state." He showed me the way. So then immediately after, he said, "Yes." Then I, right from Delhi itself, I made a telephone call to the Chief Minister, and I said, "Such and such appealing, Mr. Jetthi is going, and I want to be present in the matter, and I request you also that you please participate."

Prabhupāda: Now the Chief Minister...

Second Meeting with Mr. Dwivedi -- April 24, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) So what you will gain from naṣṭa, bhraṣṭa? (Hindi) We shall give pure. Then you see how your country becomes happy. That is real dayā. (Hindi) Śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8). (Hindi)

bhaktim udasya te vibhoḥ kliśyanti

hi kevala-bodha-labdhaye

teṣāṁ kleśala eva avaśiṣyate

nānyat yathā sthūlaṁ tuṣāvaghaṭṭainam

Bhagavad-gītā is for bhakti. Bhakto 'si priyo 'si me rahasyaṁ hy etad uttamam: (BG 4.3) "I am speaking to you..." When Kṛṣṇa spoke to Arjuna Bhagavad-gītā to understand, he was not a vedāntī. He was not even a brāhmaṇa. He was not a sannyāsī. So why he was selected? Bhakto 'si. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Without becoming kṛṣṇa-bhakta, what one will understand Bhagavad-gītā? A politician cannot understand. His motive is different. He cannot understand. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī... Bhakta... How to become bhakta? Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55). Kṛṣṇa says, "By bhakti one can understand." He never said, "By jñāna, karma, yoga..." No. Yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gata... (BG 6.47). Eh? What is that? Antar-ātmanā, śraddhāvān bhajate yo māṁ sa me yuktatamo... So if you want to organize on that line, then it will be successful. Otherwise it is waste of time. That is real cooperation, that we must accept Bhagavad-gītā as it is and preach as it is. Then people will be happy. Otherwise waste of time. Śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8).

Second Meeting with Mr. Dwivedi -- April 24, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Now, that is wanted. (Hindi) Those who lead the sevā-saṅga, they must learn how to do benefit to the people. They must practically assimilate, apply in their practical life, and teach others. Then it will be successful. There is no doubt. And the proof is here. In our foreign countries, they are foreigners. They are practicing different religious systems. Now, why they are taking to Kṛṣṇa con...? Millions of copies, Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, we are selling. Kṛṣṇa book, how many?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Now about three and a half million copies, thirty-five lakhs copies.

Prabhupāda: In Christmas festival they are performing Christmas festival and purchasing our book, Kṛṣṇa book. Now they have accepted this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is three thousand years old or some thousands of...

Kārttikeya: Five thousand.

Prabhupāda: No, thousands of years.

Kārttikeya: No, thousands of years.

Prabhupāda: So do something—the people will be benefited, actual. And the whole instruction is there. Then it will be success. Otherwise... Moghāśā mogha-karmāṇo mogha-jñānā vicetasaḥ (BG 9.12). Find out this verse. Moghāśāḥ. (Hindi)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Moghāśā jñānam.

Prabhupāda: Hm. (Hindi)

Room Conversation -- May 8, 1977, Hrishikesh:

Prabhupāda: Yes, this is knowledge. You meditate upon this, that "I do not want to die. Why there is death?"

Young man (6): "I don't want..."?

Indian man (1): "Why is there death? I am forced to die."

Young man (3): I'm thinking he's not (indistinct) properly.

Prabhupāda: So the real problem is birth, death, old age and disease, and by following any rules, if you can stop this problem, then you are successful. It doesn't matter what is your brand of rules, but the problem is there. And we are suggesting that mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etām... If you want to avoid the rules of material nature, then you surrender unto Kṛṣṇa. We are suggesting. If you like, you can take it. But you are under the rules of material nature. That you cannot say, "No." (aside:) Now give them prasādam.

Trivikrama: Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: If you come tomorrow again at five o'clock, every day there'll be darśana.

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. Thank you very much for your coming. Jaya. Jaya. Five to six? (end)

Evening Darsana -- May 12, 1977, Hrishikesh:

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), and one who has got faith in these words—"Yes, if I surrender to Kṛṣṇa, all success will follow..."—this is faith. So faith is the beginning of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15). So if we have got faith in the words of Kṛṣṇa—they are very openly spoken—then our life becomes successful. But we have no faith in Kṛṣṇa. They take Kṛṣṇa as ordinary human being. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ (BG 9.11). If you say that "You have no faith in Kṛṣṇa. Then you are a mūḍha," he becomes angry. But I don't say; Kṛṣṇa says. We are simply repeating the words of Kṛṣṇa. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). So if we say, people become angry. And we don't say anything. We simply repeat. That is our business. We are not learned scholars. But our mission is to repeat the words of Kṛṣṇa. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's order. He says, āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa: (CC Madhya 7.128) "You become guru." "Now, how shall I become guru? I am neither learned nor Vedantist, neither sannyāsī. How can I become guru?" "No, no, you have no difficulty. You, on My order, become guru simply..." Yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). Bas. "You become guru. Whomever you meet, you simply try to convince him what Kṛṣṇa has spoken. Then you become guru." So we request everyone the same thing. And become guru. It is very urgently necessary. I... People are becoming godless, atheist, nonbelievers, and they are suffering. So every village, every home, every neighborhood, they require guru. But who will be guru? One who repeats the instruction of Kṛṣṇa. Yāre dekha tāre kaha. It is very easy. So people are accepting all over the world the instruction of Kṛṣṇa. These books we are selling. Daily our collection is five to six lakhs of rupees. Now this recent publication, how many copies we have printed, this?

Short Dissertations -- May 24-25, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Anyone.

Jayapatākā: The gurukula put on a drama just the day before we left. What was the play?

Bhavānanda: Valmiki Dasu Ratnagara(?).

Jayapatākā: Dasa Ratna, Dasa Ratnakara, and Nārada Muni, how he became Vālmīki, that... Two or three gurukula students and two or three teachers, in Bengali.

Bhavānanda: English, Western devotees speaking Bengali. (Prabhupāda chuckles) Very successful.

Jayapatākā: That who will take his pāpāṁśa? Neither his wife nor his son nor his old father, no one would take share of his sin.

Bhavānanda: Only his money.

Jayapatākā: So he took shelter of Nārada Muni and became Vālmīki Muni.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Good news, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: A translation has come from the...

Prabhupāda: Hm. Very good.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He wrote a little note. Do you want to hear it?

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Conversation Pieces -- May 27, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: It will increase more. People will be inquisitive. Yes, everything there is. What is the wrong? We are talking of Kṛṣṇa, and all of a sudden I collapse. Oh, that is the greatest profit. Greatest profit. Kṛṣṇa tvadīya...

Ādi-keśava: Kṛṣṇa tvadīya-pada-paṅkaja-pañjarāntam.

Prabhupāda: Hm. Kṛṣṇa tvadīya-pada-paṅkaja-pañjarāntam adyaiva viśatu me mānasa-rāja-haṁsaḥ (MM 33), prāṇa-prayāṇa... Ordinary dying, kapha-pitta-vāyu: "Ghara ghara ghar," choking and... But in the kīrtana if we die, oh, it is so successfully... Injection, operation... Who needs it? That atmosphere death and kṛṣṇa-kīrtana death? Glorious death. Oxygen gas... (laughs) Dying and so much trouble. Never call. Please accept my request. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, bas, and let me die peacefully. Never be disturbed, call doctor—no. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Go on chanting. Chanting, hearing, chanting. You have got so much material. Read. Read something from this book. Rāmeśvara, you can read. It is your book.

Rāmeśvara: I'm simply your servant, by your grace, Prabhupāda. This Chapter One of this second volume, "Kaṁsa Sends Akrūra for Kṛṣṇa." "Vṛndāvana was..." (break)

Prabhupāda: As soon as this Indira Gandhi and her son disturbed Vṛndāvana people, within a week... Just see. This is practical. The poor, these bābājīs, they were going to beg, and by force, once, twice, injection. So immediately, after one week...

Rāmeśvara: For sterilization?

Conversations with Kirtana Groups -- May 29, 1977, Vrndavana:

Brahmānanda: Going to Mars? They've stopped propaganda?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yeah, they are a little silent.

Prabhupāda: (chuckles) Hoax. First hoax was little successful. Now they say it will not be very successful.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: One aspect in science that they're worried more nowadays is called biomedical ethics. That means they are worrying about so-called this genetic engineering. They say by this engineering they can develop some small insects or microbes that will be great harmful. It will be very harmful to the society. So these big, big schools like M.I.T. and Harvard, they are... Some of the leading scientists in this field, they're very much concerned about this new development. (end)

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

Prabhupāda: You are God—limited. Limited God. You cannot maintain. Therefore you are limited. You can become God within your family, within your office, within your kingdom. You are not Supreme God. To a limited extent you are God. Because you have got the quality of God, so according to your capacity, within limited jurisdiction, you may be God. So dictionary is there. Vedic assertion is there. Logic is there. Science is there. Prove. Then your education will be successful. Avicyutaḥ arthaḥ kavibhir nirūpitaḥ. When you can prove this, then the meaning of your education will become... Avicyutaḥ arthaḥ kavibhir nirūpito yad-uttama-śloka-guṇānuvarṇanam (SB 1.5.22). To glorify the exalted position of God, that is... Is it clear?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Bhagavad-gītā says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7). That is Kṛṣṇa. That Supreme Being is Kṛṣṇa.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: The origin of life is Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2). From Brahmā we have come. And Brahmā is generated from Kṛṣṇa. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Paraṁ satyaṁ dhīmahi. So let them come forward and discuss. So we have to prove to the world that it is not brainwashing. It is real knowledge. Why you should keep it suppressed and leave the people in ignorance? It is not your duty to bluff and cheat. That is not science. You are cheating people and getting Nobel Prize. That we have to..., in a large scale.

Morning Conversation -- June 23, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: No, that is... Therefore it will be a failure. We are... Just like in Hyderabad we are trying to make an ideal farm. If we can do, that will be success.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: There was recently an article. Previously there was oil shortage in the world. Now they are predicting that there is going to be a water shortage.

Prabhupāda: Everything will be shortage. That is nature's arrangement. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). They cannot make any plan successful without Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So long they'll insist upon this point, that "Without Kṛṣṇa consciousness we shall do everything successfully..." That is durāśā. As long as they persist on this, they'll remain rascals. Every plan will be failure. Durāśā. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī. Nature, material nature, is against them. No plan will be allowed to be... Just trace out the history. Every plan has been unsuccessful, either Eastern, Western. Napoleon made plan, Hitler made plan, Gandhi made plan. So many rascals, they made plan. Everyone's plan, impersonalist, they are unsuccessful at the end. Gandhi was killed, Napoleon was dishonored, Mussolini was killed, Hitler nowhere... Take all these big, big...

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Still they have not learned their lesson.

Prabhupāda: Therefore they are rascals. Punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30), chewing the chewed. It has been unsuccessful many times. Still they'll do. When the sewer ditches will be complete? Sewer ditches?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: The sewage line? They should be completed in a month. Before the Gurukula opens, it has to be finished.

Gurukula Inspection -- June 26, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So that I am seeing, how to... That was the problem. They said, "What will be the benefit, satyavādī?" Satya śamo damo titikṣa, jñāna... (Hindi) So culture is lost. That is the difficulty.

Indian man (4): The other day two parents have come, and they have said, "We will give our two boys and let them be first class, for the school here."

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) That is... (Hindi) This is the defect of modern civilization. And Kṛṣṇa wants to impress in the beginning, na jāyate na mriyate vā. (Hindi) Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). (Hindi) This darkness is going on. People are kept in darkness in the name of so-called university education. This is... (Hindi) It will be successful. It may take time. That's all.

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) ...this manager, that manager. But who to manage? Bring that first. (Hindi) In Bengali there is a superstition that "Don't keep your head towards the northern side." So the man said, "I have no head. Where is the question of keeping northern side or southern side?" So you are contemplating all management. First of all bring whom to manage. Simply office manager, this, that and... Bambhārambhe laghu-kriyā. (Hindi) All right.

Guṇārṇava: Take Prabhupāda to the bank.

Prabhupāda: Utilize it very properly. So where is the bank manager?

Akṣayānanda: They're calling for him, Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: So calling from yesterday, but still... Calling? Then let me talk.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This is also very nice for the bank. I mean, they get a whole front courtyard.

Gurukula Inspection -- June 26, 1977, Vrndavana:

Guṇārṇava: It's bigger than the downtown office of Punjab National Bank.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: All the banks.

Guṇārṇava: It's big.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. Let him come. I shall talk.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Jaya. Do you want us... Is there anything else to see...?

Prabhupāda: No.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's all.

Prabhupāda: And very nice.

Guṇārṇava: Jaya. Glories to Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Now, the first thing is, bring student. Then it will be successful, very good.

Guṇārṇava: Jaya Prabhupāda. (kīrtana) (end)

Conversation with Bhakti-caitanya Swami-New GBC -- June 30, 1977, Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Bhakti-caitanya: Or couple of... What I was wanting... If we will make our Delhi office, from all the BBT payments we will make a conserving of that collection from there, and from there we can supply books all over north India, no problem. And I have a little bit brain to expand it, and I have seen, experienced, since about six months. I don't have any help from anyone except your blessings. So I was trying my best, and I am successful. I can... You can see our work.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So what is that?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, I... I mean, everything sounds rather nice to me, and there's always... You know, everything has to be done so that nobody... People should not be sentimental.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But since they are sentimental, we have to work in such a way that even the sentiments aren't hurt. That's all I'm trying to say.

Trivikrama: But also that bill should be paid. The BBT should be paid.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, it has to be a two-way thing. You have to get books, and you have to pay for them.

Letter from Yugoslavia--'Books!' -- June 30, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He writes, "Many days... After working for more than one day at several universities, my presence became too obvious, and this becomes politically and legally dangerous, although in some little cities I became practically the talk of the town because people had not seen one with a dark body as mine, speaking only English and a little French." He's very dark. (break) He says, "Most important at this school was that after four days of trying to meet the Indologist, we were successful. I met the man and his assistant. They kept stressing that we were..." (break)

Prabhupāda: If required, you can show this line to Mr. Koku(?). In foreign countries they are no more interested in philosophical speculation. Actually they are not, neither in America nor India.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Right, Śrīla Prabhupāda. "Lord Caitanya did not let them escape, so He..."

Prabhupāda: Our books are sold not for philosophical speculation but practical solution of the problems. The philosophical classes are now being closed everywhere.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, that's a fact.

Prabhupāda: The professors are starving. No students are interested in philosophy. Rather, they take admission in the technological class.

Letter from Yugoslavia--'Books!' -- June 30, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, every night it's packed solid. And all high-class people. There's no low-class people there. And they all listen very attentively. And he's lecturing. He gives lecture seven nights a week. Then there's ārati, and the people flock. Even more people come for the ārati, because they love to see the Westerners jumping up and down, and they love to see the ārati. Both things are big attraction. And then there's an English lecture. Then people leave by then, because by then it's 7:45. Everyone has to go home. So the devotees are there for English class, Bhagavad-gītā class. This temple has a tremendous life already. It's really very successful. I was wondering that isn't there some kind of system where we can give everyone who comes some prasādam?

Prabhupāda: I introduced that.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They are doing. They give for free.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But the thing is, you know... I feel like some people, they... Oh, yeah. They sell and they give. Selling is in a nice cup. You can buy mahā-prasādam. And beyond that, they also give to anyone who wants.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I guess it's going on. They do that at one time in the evening. See, they don't do it...

Prabhupāda: That's all right. That is all right. Little prasāda from our side should be given.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But it's not done throughout the day. It's only...

Room Conversation with Alice Coltrane -- July 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: When?

Alice Coltrane: (indistinct) I'm going to go to Delhi today, and bring... We have to go back to (indistinct).

Prabhupāda: I was very glad that you stayed here for some time.

Alice Coltrane: I will live after this(?). But I have to (indistinct).

Prabhupāda: So if you want to do something, take this idea and introduce. Then it will be successful.

Alice Coltrane: This idea that...?

Prabhupāda: Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and everything will be clear. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). The more you chant, the spiritual life will be revealed. So it is very easy: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma... As much as possible, you chant. Then everything will be revealed and you'll be able to do something. I started this movement simply by chanting.

Alice Coltrane: Yes, I started chanting as soon as I got your message.

Prabhupāda: Now we are... It has spread all over the world.

Alice Coltrane: Yes, it's a fact.

Prabhupāda: And we are still chanting.

Alice Coltrane: (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: That's right.

Room Conversation -- July 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Maddened with gladness. You were sitting by my side. That was very nice.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That was the big festival. Remember how many people came?

Prabhupāda: No, it was very, (I) mean, engladdening festival. Everyone...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Remember that hall at the end? Everybody was standing and jumping and chanting. You stood up with all the chanting.

Prabhupāda: It was very successful.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You even danced on the cart that year. Because the cart could not pass under the tunnel, so instead you stood up and got everybody dancing. Twice you stood up.

Prabhupāda: Now they are demonstrating something else. Let them make their...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Demonstrating?

Prabhupāda: That space? They're making some huts.

Conversation -- July 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So for the person who picks it up, it's new.

Mr. Myer: Quite right. I should liken to Readers Digest. I bought recently the fiftieth anniversary. They have published articles from last fifty years of books almost. So...

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I tried to suggest to Mr. Myer that one thing is that before he introduces too many new things, first of all make the things that are already introduced successful.

Prabhupāda: First of all thing is that the money is unnecessarily squandered. Try to save it.

Mr. Myer: Quite right.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's the first point.

Mr. Myer: Actually what we have to do is study the results of the last five months, and I think that if we can do it department ways, find out the individual operation of each area, then only it is possible to do some improvements and even then to control...

Prabhupāda: So do that.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That you know how to do.

Mr. Myer: Quite right. So...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Whether you have some reservations?

Room Conversation with Mr. Myer -- July 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: There is a street, Loiya Bazaar. So there is a Punjabi's shop. He makes all preparation, first-class ghee. So whenever I used to pass that area, at least fifty customers are waiting. Somebody wanting something, somebody wanting something. That gave me the impression that if you have goods genuine, customer will come. If your dealing is straightforward and the goods are nice. So, so many religious institution and missionary and other, they are all over the world. Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission, substantial, genuine, so why this will not be appreciated if we present properly? So I fought on that, and some way or other it is successful.

Mr. Myer: Our new prime minister is now very much appreciating the movement, especially about Prabhupāda. He may like to visit. He says he does not want these foreign industries. He wants people to have religious... And he is very big sannyāsī himself. That is why he is...

Prabhupāda: Who?

Mr. Myer: Morarji Desai. He is very much in favor of the movement that we are carrying on.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Mr. Myer: Because he himself is following the four principles very nicely for fifty years.

Prabhupāda: So why does he not do? Let him do it.

Mr. Myer: Due to...

Prabhupāda: We can help him in so many ways.

Room Conversation with Mr. Myer -- July 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Eighty, eighty-two.

Mr. Myer: Now is a very good time for ISKCON because this new government, all their policies is what ISKCON is already doing.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Let us see actually if it is good.

Prabhupāda: No, it can be successful, provided they do it nicely. It can be successful very easily, especially in India. That one line of Bhagavad-gītā, kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). We have to take this. Satyaṁ śamo damas... There is cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma... (BG 4.13). If they follow this program, everything will be... The face of the world will... Everything. Annād bhavanti parjanyaḥ. Eh? Annād bhavanti bhūtāni parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ. Eh? Parjanyād...

Akṣayānanda: Yajñād bhavati sam...

Prabhupāda: Ah, yajñād bhavati parjanyo yajñaḥ karma-samudbhavaḥ (BG 3.14). Yajñārthe karmaṇo 'nyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ (BG 3.9). All prescription of material life, spiritual life, social life, political life, religious life, artistic life—Bhagavad-gītā is full of knowledge. At least in India there must be an institution that is strictly following the principles of Bhagavad-gītā. This is my institution. We don't want anything more, other help. We simply request them that "Give some of our men permanent residentship. We shall guide it(?)." That they'll institute...(?) What help... What is the harm? Have we got...

Room Conversation about Mayapura Attack Talk with Vrindavan De -- July 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: If one man is turned by this, the movement is successful. So there is good prospect, good hope. And you all combine together, try. Push this movement more and more.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: A lot of encouraging... I mean, everywhere there's victory.

Prabhupāda: Now I am assured. If I die or live, this movement will go on. Is it not?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This movement cannot die. Too many... Implanted in so many people's hearts now. We cannot get it out anymore.

Prabhupāda: Then?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: A very nice magazine.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I can just show you some pictures. (break)

Prabhupāda: There is no danger at Vṛndāvana-candra's... Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ pra... (BG 9.31). So now they are printing, huh?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, this is on their own press, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Oh!

Room Conversation-Recent Mail -- July 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "We have a model of saṁsāra on display in our shop window, and all day long we are getting dozens of curious passersby from the street who inquire submissively and listen attentively to the philosophy. I remember Your Divine Grace telling me emphatically..."

Prabhupāda: Try to sell them Bhagavad-gītā, which explains.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He says, "I remember in Bombay in 1974 that this would make our preaching successful all over the world."

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Now I am practically..."

Prabhupāda: Without reading books they'll understand the philosophy. That is the advantage. Mass of people, without education, they will understand the philosophy.

Bhāgavatāśraya: It's like the circus.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He says, "I have sent out an advertisement to all centers to encourage them to order Guru and Gaurāṅga Deities from us. We can deliver these to them in very short time and at a lower cost than the Jaipur craftsmen."

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "I hope that this meets with your approval."

Room Conversation-Recent Mail -- July 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: I shall remain your personal guidance, physically present or not physically, as I am getting personal guidance from my Guru Mahārāja.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He says, "Arjuna was a great, powerful devotee, and he could overcome the shock. But we are most fallen and cannot endure such a shock of having you leave us. We are already mortified by such a thought. Your movement is just now being accepted, and we want you to remain to lead all your devotees towards successful spiritual life. Despite our offenses, all of us deeply have great love for Your Divine Grace, and our world will become dark without your presence. Materially you have provided all of your devotees with everything: big temples, money, prestige, and honor, nice prasādam." (chuckles) That's not material. "But I would relish more being with you without all of these things..." He says, "But personally I would relish more being with you without all of these things, as we began at 26 Second Avenue. Simply hearing you chant and talk for hours is my only solace. I don't want anything else. We left all these material things to be with you only, so please have mercy with your devotees by allowing us to have your personal appearance as long as..."

Prabhupāda: He was from very beginning. Brahmānanda. He has worked very hard from the beginning.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He says "I may also come to cook and clean for you."

Prabhupāda: Yes, you are welcome.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "If you so desire. And carry you also."

Room Conversation-Recent Mail -- July 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He says that he has three lakhs' rupees credit so far, and "our accounts receivable still amount to two lakhs." So five lakhs in one year.

Prabhupāda: So invest. Invest in printing books.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He says, "No school has defaulted in their payments." None of them. "I am also enclosing a complete list of our standing orders in India. We pray for your guidance and blessings in our march towards successful spiritual life."

Prabhupāda: Yes. All success to your forward march.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Do you want to hear some of the reviews, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Hm hm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You're not feeling tired at all now.

Prabhupāda: No.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think this is invigorating.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

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

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: A hundred's nothing. They'll all do that.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: So both consulting, you can see.

Yaśomatīnandana: Oh, yes, I can sell. I think this will be very successful.

Prabhupāda: So far the printing is concerned, there is no question. First class. Very nice.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, this is costing the BBT only...

Prabhupāda: Whatever it costs, I don't mind. You make some profit. That's all.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, and actually, all these books that I'm now printing in Hindi, I'm all printing these from the profit of this export order. Even though I have...

Prabhupāda: So you have sent the export books?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. I shipped 26,000 books this month. That's why I got delayed. We shipped 21,000 books to Australia and 11,000 to England.

Prabhupāda: Bhagavad-gītā is...

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: They've all gone. Plus, we shipped a big order to Africa, to Fiji...

Room Conversation -- October 4, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, it's something that she made for you. Should I bring it?

Prabhupāda: I shall see it tomorrow.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Okay. Anyway, all of the devotees all over the world are simply praying now. They have been placed into great transcendental anxiety, Śrīla Prabhupāda. They are simply praying for your recovery. Do you think that this powder has been successful, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: (laughs) Not yet.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: (laughs) But now it is very dry, so what does that mean, that we have to apply fresh again? Or even when it's dry does it have effect? (pause) Śrīla Prabhupāda, I was thinking to take rest now. It's about 9:30. Is that all right?

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I'll be in the next room if you want me for anything. (end)

Room Conversation -- October 6, 1977, Vrndavana:

Haṁsadūta: It's forty feet wide by maybe three hundred feet long. It's ten minutes from the center of the city. That particular piece of land is worth about two lakhs. There's another man, very rich man. He saw the Bombay project, and he promised to give us a piece of land right on the beach for which he already had zoning permission to build a hotel. It's also a very nice area. But the most important thing is we're trying to get some books published in Tamil and Singhalese languages. And we do a lot of preaching. Is there something special you want me to do there, Prabhupāda? Do you have some...

Prabhupāda: No. There is every chance of making it successful, and the... As Kīrtanānanda has developed New Vrindaban, similarly you can do.

Haṁsadūta: Something along that line?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Haṁsadūta: You mean like a community, spiritual community like Kīrtanānanda?

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Haṁsadūta: Yes, that would be very good there because it's also a very ideal climate. Everything grows there very easily because there's plenty of rain, fertile soil, and there's only one city—that's Colombo. And it's a very small city. People are all agriculturalists. The government is also giving land free to encourage agriculture. Simply that it has to be cleared. It's jungle land; it has to be cleared. Shall we try for something like that?

Prabhupāda: What you can do it easily...

Room Conversation -- October 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

Brahmānanda: You said that when you first came to New York. You went to the United Nations. The very first day I came to the kīrtana there in New York. The next day you went for that peace vigil outside the United Nations, and you were chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa and saying that this Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the only method for making United Nations.

Prabhupāda: That is fact. Āśraya lañā pāile, kṛṣṇa nāhi tāre tyaje, āra sama māre aphala.(?) If we try under the protection of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, things will be successful. Others, they'll simply waste time and be disappointed and change his body and suffer. Today is Ekādaśī?

Haṁsadūta: Today is Ekādaśī.

Prabhupāda: Two songs especially, Cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu, and Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, should be continued as well as any song, especially, I mean to say, here in this room.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You want to drink something now, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: When I shall want, you will give me caraṇāmṛta.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We can give you some now. Would you like it now?

Prabhupāda: I am not thirsty now. But caraṇāmṛta, little can be given also in the..., no harm. But don't take me, hospital.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, Prabhupāda. Under no circumstance. Even if you are unconscious, we will simply chant.

Prabhupāda: Yes. I am quite all right here.

Room Conversation -- October 9, 1977, Vrndavana:

Rāmeśvara: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: How are you?

Rāmeśvara: I'm feeling very well, knowing that you're feeling better.

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Rāmeśvara: I was just visiting in Tehran with Ātreya Ṛṣi and Parivrājakācārya Swami. They are successfully preaching to the most important people in that country.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Rāmeśvara: Actually, just yesterday Parivrājakācārya met the king.

Prabhupāda: Hm. Shah.

Rāmeśvara: The Shah. Very briefly. And he is allowing Parivrājakācārya to visit the court. Practically every day they send a car to pick him up, chauffeured car. And he goes every day to the palace and he preaches to different members of the royal family.

Prabhupāda: He tries to understand the philosophy.

Rāmeśvara: Not yet the Shah. He is simply smiling that he's... He's happy that he's coming. But the other members of the family, some princes and princesses, they are taking it very seriously. They are eager to help us.

Prabhupāda: That's good news. What is this?

Room Conversation -- October 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Mādhava Mahārāja was there?

Bhavānanda: He was there two weeks back.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Anybody met him?

Bhavānanda: Jayapatākā Mahārāja went over, but he was out that time. That Hṛṣīkeśa Mahārāja in Caitanya Maṭha was also there. All favorable and helpful. That big nagara-saṅkīrtana on Pūrṇimā, that was very successful. It healed a lot of misunderstandings between the temples.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Everyone could see also that there was so much support.

Bhavānanda: Oh, yes.

Prabhupāda: Floodwater entered our new house? No.

Bhavānanda: No. The lawn, the park in front of the temple, there was water. There were fish there, swimming.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Where? In that big maidan?

Bhavānanda: No. That was filled with fish. The water was not from the river as much as it was... It was from rainwater.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Is this more water than that seven or eight...

Bhavānanda: No. Then it came over the road.

Room Conversation -- October 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Bhavānanda: The older boys, fourteen and fifteen, they're distributing 125, 130, 150 books a day.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What is the news from Calcutta?

Śatadhanya: In Calcutta also we have men, three men. They go out on the street, and they may go to Park Street, and they set up a little stand, and they're distributing Bhagavat Darshan, Bhagavāner Kathās and the people are... Without even having to approach the people, the people come and they buy it from the stand. So it's also very successful.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The books are in demand.

Śatadhanya: They do about one hundred, 150 a day. Dalhousie, Park Street.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: How many tables are set up each day?

Śaktimātā:(?): Usually about one or two in different places. As far as life members, it used to be we had to go fight and make life members. Now they come to the temple and they pay their baise o baise(?) rupee and they say, "I want to be a member."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Bengali people also?

Śaktimātā: Bengalis also. Mostly still Marwadi.

Prabhupāda: Bengalis have no money. (laughter)

Room Conversation -- October 11, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Do you follow?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Yes, Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: This is a good chance that you have got, a connection with royal family, and if you turn them to saintly, then the work is successful. Imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1). Not that third-class foolish can understand what is Bhagavad-gītā. The same building I went to see?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda. Jaya. That building now is a restaurant. We have many people every night come and take prasādam. About seventy to a hundred people come.

Prabhupāda: What do you supply?

Hari-śauri: What do you supply?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: We give them one thāli-two vegetables, ḍāl, rice, salad...

Prabhupāda: One thāli?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: One full thāli.

Hari-śauri: Plate.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Room Conversation -- October 13, 1977, Vrndavana:

Rāmeśvara: This was the procession on the opening day. We marched the Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa Deities all over the neighborhood, through the center of the town, and hundreds of people followed. There was a shenai band.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There is Vāsudeva. Rāmeśvara.

Rāmeśvara: This the was agni-hotra ceremony on the day the temple opened.

Hari-śauri: Just after this, there was a huge rainstorm. Very successful.

Rāmeśvara: And this is the altar, with Kṛṣṇa-Kāliya and the Nāga-patnīs.

Hari-śauri: Should Kṛṣṇa be dressed very, very opulently like this, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Hari-śauri: Yes. They had a question in Fiji. They wanted to know whether He should be dressed simply or opulently.

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa-Kāliya temple (Bengali).

Rāmeśvara: This is Kṛṣṇa's birthday cake for Janmāṣṭamī in Los Angeles.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Describe it.

Rāmeśvara: This cake weighs 2,000 pounds.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The cake, Śrīla Prabhupāda, weighs 2,000..., one ton. How high is it, Rāmeśvara?

Rāmeśvara: It is very tall.

Room Conversation -- October 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes. (break)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ...do some kīrtana? Do you want to know more about the conference?

Prabhupāda: No.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think we'll give you another report later on. It's successful. That's a fact. Only these are suggestions how it can be improved. We'll speak with Svarūpa Dāmodara about it. (break) ...from the devotees in France, Bhagavān's zone. In fact, it's a four-page telegram. Should I read it? It says, "Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda, please accept our most humble obeisances at your lotus feet. Knowing how dear your book distribution is to you, Śrīla Prabhupāda, the devotees in France would like to humbly offer you the results of our week-long marathon saṅkīrtana, hoping in some way to please you." Śrīla Prabhupāda? The devotees there, they went out on book distribution for twelve hours every day. All the devotees. They went out every day for seven days in a row, for twelve hours each day. And here is the results of their distribution. This is only for this one temple in France. It says, "We have distributed 25,061 hard-cover Bhagavad-gītās in one week." Twenty-five thousand, Śrīla Prabhupāda. We usually print of a Bhāgavatam 20,000 for the whole society. They distributed 25,000 Gītās in one week in French, Bhagavad-gītās in French. He says, "...to the conditioned souls of this country in seven days. We hope that these results are the biggest in the history of your movement and that they will give you some solace. Our top distributor were Bhakta Richard..." (laughter) Somebody who isn't initiated yet. "...who distributed 1,504 big books in one week." Every day he distributed over two hundred hard-cover books. That's pretty good. (laughter) That means he did about say 240 in twelve hours. He distributed about one book every three minutes for twelve hours in a row, Śrīla Prabhupāda, every day. "Jagad-vaśī dāsa, who distributed 1,125 big books; Ariṣṭa-nāśana dāsa, 864 books; Veśa-kīrti dāsa, 851 big books; Akhileśvara dāsa 835 big books; Kṛpā-siddha dāsa, 760 big books."

Room Conversation With Svarupa Damodara -- October 15, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Abhirāma: "And you bring those sacred texts which are studied by the holy men in India. These are the only two things I want." (break)

Prabhupāda: ...some way or other it has become successful.

Bhāgavata: There is no question of thinking, Śrīla Prabhupāda. It is a fact. It is reality that you have become successful, because you have converted even now the scientists. Even the scientists are becoming encouraged to take up Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and their minds are being changed. It is history, and we are seeing it right before our eyes. That is another one of your great contributions in your spiritual conquests, that you have converted the scientists. As Caitanya has conquered the Māyāvādīs, you have conquered the scientists. That's why we are very much eager that you shall remain with us more and more, to carry on these conquests, that we can somehow or other in some small way just help you. But your presence is definitely required. Actually all the devotees are just living to see you from time to time, so that they can get your darśana.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: It's a fact that we live only by Śrīla Prabhupāda's mercy. (break)

Room Conversation -- October 17, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Oh. So you can go now, America, eh?

Bhavānanda: Yes.

Prabhupāda: That's good. You attended the conference?

Acyutānanda: Yes.

Prabhupāda: You liked?

Acyutānanda: Oh, yes. It was very successful. One scientist has actually been touched. His heart is changed, Dr. Ramaya. He, in fact, defended our one point with one other scientist.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You are ready for bathing, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Yes. (end)

Room Conversation -- October 18, 1977, Vrndavana:

Girirāja: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Let them learn to rise early in the morning and cleanse. This is the first scheme. This will keep their health nice. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13). Unless in the human society the varṇāśrama system is introduced, no scheme or social order, health order or any order, political order, will be successful.

Bhagavān: Everything is there very clearly in your books, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: A man-made scheme-useless. Sāttvika-yuga.(?) What is that verse? Sattvāvalambi-para-sattva-viśuddha-sattvam... From Brahma-saṁhitā?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Which verse, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Sattvāvalambi-para-sattva-viśuddha-sattvam.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Māyā hi yasya jagad-aṇḍa-śatāni sūte (Bs. 5.41)?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Traiguṇya-tad-viṣaya-veda-vitāyamānā, sattvāvalambi-para-sattva-viśuddha-sattvaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi (Bs. 5.41).

Prabhupāda: Yes. Māyā hi yasya...

Room Conversation -- October 20, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They were planning, in my... I talked with Girirāja about this. They were thinking "Here is an old sannyāsī, Prabhupāda. He has many foreign disciples, he has money. Let us get the money in fixed deposit. Then if he should pass away, then somehow by trick the money will be kept here and we'll never let them take it out." That was their plan. Therefore whenever Prabhupāda suggested that Gurukṛpā would sign, co-sign, "No, no," they would never allow. Their plan is that Prabhupāda would pass away, and all the foreigners would be there, and they'd never let them take it. When I showed them this power of attorney, they had a great shock. They were shocked how this had happened to them. I think this was their plan. Very deceiving type of people. Because they are here in Vṛndāvana. All their money is from fixed deposits from āśramas. So they know how to do this business of keeping the money. Now everything is clear. The money is there in Delhi. The Delhi office is not like that. They're businesslike. And we can keep dealing them, but on regular accounts. None of these fixed deposits. Not now. They "Now you must gain their confidence again." We told them, "We have nothing against you. But you deal properly, then again we'll deposit. But deal properly in a businesslike way." We have nothing against them. Punjab Bank is a good bank. Anyway, it's settled now, Śrīla Prabhupāda. It's finished. I wanted you to know that it's been successfully completed due to Girirāja's good efforts. Girirāja went to Bombay. His parents went with him.

Prabhupāda: You said this Trivedi is worse than him?

Doctor Visit and Conversation -- October 20, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Hm!

Hari-śauri: That's very good. Since you've been here in Vṛndāvana, I sent them a telegram that now they have to distribute more books so that Lord Kṛṣṇa will be pleased and allow you to stay with us. So they've doubled up since then. Now they're almost run out, they've distributed so many. (break) He said that up on the farm also things are going very nicely. Many, many people are coming now to see how we are living. And for Govardhana Pūjā they are planning a two-day festival. They're expecting to get many hundreds of people coming. Your farm is already very well known now up in that area, and people are becoming very interested to see what we have to offer. In the immediate district where our farm is, many people have tried to start communes—these hippies and people like this. But they've never been successful because they've never had any central point to agree on. Everybody's simply gone their..., lived their own way. But within a few months now, some of the more serious people have seen that within just three or four months we have achieved more on our farm than any of these communes have done in the last six years. So they're becoming very attracted to come and stay with us, and they appreciate the kīrtana and prasādam very much. (end)

Room Conversation -- October 21, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Hm!

Bharadvāja: So Īśāna has worked very hard to fulfill your order, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Now he's successful.

Bharadvāja: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Where is his wife?

Bharadvāja: She is in New York with the child. She is working with Yogeśvara there on children's books.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Bharadvāja: Īśāna has taken to vānaprastha. He is living in New Dvārakā, but he's living in a shack, in a very simple room, and living just like in Vṛndāvana. He has given up comforts.

Prabhupāda: Hm. Go on chanting. (break) ...of Rāmānuja-sampradāya, with that big, big...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Tilaka?

Prabhupāda: Hm. He is preparing makara-dhvaja.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What kind of jala?

Room Conversation -- October 21, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Āpnāra life full successful. (Bengali) Āpnāra family life, successful. Āmāra family life, failure

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Your spiritual family life...

Dr. Ghosh: (Bengali)

Prabhupāda: We started life together. His life, family life, is very successful, and my family life is...

Jayapatākā: So better to have an unsuccessful family life, Śrīla Prabhupāda, and be successful in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Prabhupāda: And done big, big business. Eh? Whatever Kṛṣṇa wanted to bring me, so this is work. Anyway... So I was sleeping?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda. You slept many, many, many hours. How do you feel?

Prabhupāda: Yes, feel good. In the morning part there is sleep. At night there is... Never mind.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's your old habit.

Prabhupāda: Even it is scratching... Yes. When I sleep, then do not disturb.

Upendra: When he sleeps, don't disturb.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, no. He doesn't get disturbed when he sleeps.

Room Conversation -- October 24, 1977, Vrndavana:

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

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

Room Conversation -- October 26, 1977, Vrndavana:

Bhavānanda: Last May, when everyone assembled here in Vṛndāvana, then that... What was his name? Goswami came? Atula-kṛṣṇa Goswami. And after he left, you had apprised us of the fact that there is a movement to, if you should leave, to take the society from us, the properties. And you told us at that time, "You are all children. None of you has any intelligence." That was only five months back. We have not grown that much in five months. We're still children. You have always practically directed us in every one of our activities. And where we followed your instructions, there we have been successful. But because we are only children, sometimes we...

Prabhupāda: What is the time now?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What is the time?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Eight o'clock.

Prabhupāda: And still it is dark?

Pañca-draviḍa: No, the drapes are closed.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's not dark, but it's not...

Bhavānanda: Sun is not up full.

Śatadhanya: Sun is not strong yet.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The sun only rises at about a quarter to seven now. It used to rise at like five-thirty. That's why ārati now is at five o'clock instead of four-fifteen.

Room Conversation -- October 26, 1977, Vrndavana:

Hari-śauri: Today is Rāsa-pūrṇimā.

Pañca-draviḍa: And tomorrow begins Kārttika.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So Kārttika is the proper time for parikrama.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Tell the... (break) So my suggestion for parikrama last night...

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Is successful.

Prabhupāda: Yes. (laughs)

Bhavānanda: Whenever we follow your instructions, Śrīla Prabhupāda, we always meet with success.

Prabhupāda: So, when there is sunshine, if you take me up, and I'll remain in sunshine.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Okay. Today we'll begin that.

Prabhupāda: There is no need of lying down in one place.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: It will also be better, Śrīla Prabhupāda. There'll be more oxygen, in the open air. (break)

Pañca-draviḍa: ...disciples are very excited now.

Prabhupāda: I am also excited.

Devotees: Jaya!

Prabhupāda: I had no difficulty. You could circumambulate more.

Room Conversation -- October 26, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Then, another day, we can go to some of the temples and see the Deities by parikrama. And then, when we've done that successfully and you're feeling fit from it, we will attempt the mahā-parikrama. Is that a good program?

Prabhupāda: Yes. (break) ...plastic mṛdaṅga?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Plastic mṛdaṅga. Should we get some? He saw one in London. Do you want us to have plastic mṛdaṅgas for the parikrama?

Prabhupāda: No, just a sample.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrīdhara Swami in Hyderabad has one. (break) ...parikrama is successful, we can attempt the Māyāpur parikrama. That will also be very good, Śrīla Prabhupāda. And then, if that is successful, we will do a world parikrama, ISKCON parikrama. That means world parikrama. We will go to all your temples around the world. That may be the sweetest parikrama of all, Śrīla Prabhupāda. (break)

Prabhupāda: I'll take little rest. (break) Makara-dhvaja will give strength. So for passing stool, whatever strength I have got, that will...

Room Conversation -- October 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So with cooperation of Tamāla and who else?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Chandra.

Prabhupāda: Chandra. And with your intelligence you can manage.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. You have to apply your intelligence to this. It's no doubt you're going to have to work hard to get this money. But otherwise where is any business successful unless there's endeavor? The money is there. It's a fact you'll have to work for it. That's a fact. I can see that. It's not completely simple, but it's there. Good business, it can be gotten.

Prabhupāda: So you can return immediately with the certificate?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, I think you should do that. Should not lose time now.

Prabhupāda: And Chandra there and...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: (to Vrindavan:) Whatever you need from here, I will help you. As far as I can do, any letters or anything I can give you, I am prepared to do. And I can give you the counterfoils, and I'll also give him the safe custody receipt.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Prabhupada Vigil -- November 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

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

Prabhupāda: That laying down and this laying down, that is different?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, then we have to think of what the alternative is. Staying here means being subject to the possible care of this assistant who you saw the other day, 'cause this kavirāja will not wait any longer. He can't stay here any longer. We can try and convince him to stay, but I don't know how successful we will be. And he may give his medicines, but if some unforeseen difficulty develops, then it means that we are under the care of this other person.

Bhavānanda: This palanquin parikrama is very rough. You're bouncing up and down. You're going swinging sideways.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: (aside:) It's not as rough as traveling to Māyāpur, though, not one tenth as rough or one fiftieth. You know, all you got to do is go on a rough road. It's nothing. This palanquin is smooth compared to that, going slowly and being carried. I think the main point, Śrīla Prabhupāda, is that we have to consider going as opposed to staying here with the possibility of being at the..., under the care of this other kavirāja. That to me is the choice. This kavirāja will give medicines... First of all, we can try to convince him to stay, but failing that, he's giving a series of medicines which he expects will be proper according to the condition. But naturally the condition can change on any date. Then what will we do?

Prabhupāda: I say no medicine.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No medicine. We should reject this kavirāja.

Prabhupada Vigil -- November 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But they won't change.

Akṣayānanda: I also said that many, many swamis and yogis and sannyāsīs have tried to bring the teachings all over the world. And they have given different versions, just like dhyāna, jñāna, karma, etc. But then I quoted two ślokas, na tad mām abhijānanti, and the other one, yas tas tu aham evaṁ viduḥ.(?) I said, "In this way our spiritual master has taught us. Even though we are foreigners, he has successfully made us come to the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa. So if you are all Indians and you know Lord Kṛṣṇa better than me, so come and stay with us. All over the world my Guru Mahārāja has established our temples. Please stay with us anywhere in the world and help us, join us at the lotus feet of the Lord." So they were very happy with this.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's good that you tell this to Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Bombay also.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Especially everybody's going to be after us for that air-conditioned hall. It's really good that you're telling us.

Prabhupāda: Be very careful.

Room Conversation -- November 3, 1977, Vrndavana:

Girirāja: I had a very nice dream last night in which Your Divine Grace appeared. And you were walking around the premises of the Vṛndāvana temple, and there were some doll exhibits. So you were saying that they should improve the quality of the exhibits, because this is their sādhana. So I felt that you were, actually, you were telling me that I should improve the quality of my service and that this was my sādhana, but to be, you know, polite, instead of saying it directly, you were pointing out to their service. And then you started to speak very directly and very boldly, and you were saying... You quoted the verse,

yāre dekha tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa

āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa

(CC Madhya 7.128)

And you were saying, "This is my order, so you do it for me." I mean, I felt that you were saying that since it was your order and we were doing it for you, even though it's very difficult, but it would be successful.

Prabhupāda: Anyway, there is a beginning in Nepal. Try to implement.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda? When you took prasādam today did you find a little taste? Not yet. Did you have any avocado?

Prabhupāda: That was little tasteful.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Hm. You've been thinking about having that for a long time. You talked about it on and off before. Avocado is said to be very good, nutritious.

Prabhupāda: What is the rent of the house?

Room Conversation -- November 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Very good.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Maybe our Deity will get known that people who bank in our bank, they get more money. (laughs) I think the I.O.B. is thinking like that, that to be connected with the Deity is very auspicious, so they're accentuating the involvement with ISKCON and Your Divine Grace and Rādhā-Rasabehari.

Prabhupāda: That's a fact.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We had no idea how that Hare Krishna Land would ever be successful.

Prabhupāda: Yes. It was a jungle.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's what we were thinking. "Why does Prabhupāda want us to live in a jungle?" So far away. Nothing there but mosquitoes, and so many rats. We thought, "Who will come there?"

Prabhupāda: Now when we construct the other building, further down, it will be (indistinct).

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Godown will be on the ground floor, and residences and Gurukula on the other floors. The only problem is that it's such a good place that now we can't get the residents to move out of those other buildings. They say, "Why should we move? Now we have a temple. There'll be a Gurukula. There's a bank." It's very hard to get them out. Of course, we don't care if they stay, if they're nice.

Prabhupāda: Gradually they'll be devotee.

Room Conversation -- November 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But the idea is that... According to him... I mean, obviously we're all conditioned, and... I mean, he's not claiming not to be a conditioned soul either, but according to him, going on this bullock cart is a suicide. He said within an hour or two hours, the bouncing and jumbling of the bullock cart will cause a heart attack. Just like you were having heart..., a little heart spasm the other day, just laying in bed two days ago. He says this going in a bullock cart, up and down, within one, two hours it can cause heart attack. So as his treatment has been better at least than any other doctor, and certain symptoms have improved, why are we giving up his advice? If you say his advice is wrong, then there's no comment, but all along, his advice seems to have been more accurate than any other doctors that we've had. I mean we who are closely around you, Śrīla Prabhupāda, your servants, secretary, our opinion of him is far superior than our opinion of any of these others. I see that he's able to take care of one symptom after another somewhat successfully. He's able to deal with these problems. He can deal with the problem of not enough urine...

Prabhupāda: That I know.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He feels quite confident that you can live for six, seven more years, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: We also feel very confident.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Better that you live for six or seven years productively than that you go on this parikrama and die within two hours gloriously. Why not live for six or seven years and then go on parikrama and die? If the parikrama can always be done, why not put it off for six or seven more years of preaching?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: You've already been glorious, Śrīla Prabhupāda, all over the world. Whether you're here or outside doesn't really matter. You're already glorious.

Room Conversation -- November 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Lokanātha: This is only for one day it is hired now, but we could continue to hire the same cart for several more days by paying extra money.

Prabhupāda: Hm. Tamāla Kṛṣṇa?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Our experiment...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It certainly is an experiment. Of course, we always like experiments to be successful.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Where he'll go?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What, Śrīla Prabhupāda? Where will we go? We thought tomorrow to go around the parikrama path.

Prabhupāda: Which parikrama path?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Vṛndāvana parikrama.

Lokanātha: Does a cart go?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I've never tried it with a cart. Smara-hari, you say a cart couldn't go?

Lokanātha: No, he says it cannot go.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Room Conversation -- November 13, 1977, Vrndavana:

Lokanātha: You'll be acting through us, by your mercy.

Jayādvaita: Śrīla Prabhupāda never does anything small.

Lokanātha: Prabhupāda is big. He thinks of big and he does big.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But first get a little more strength, Śrīla Prabhupāda. That we really request you to do so that the program... Let us do it so that it becomes successful, not that after two days we have to turn back. When going we should not turn back.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So let us become prepared properly.

Prabhupāda: (as they lift Prabhupāda?) You'll bruise.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "You'll bruise," Prabhupāda said.

Prabhupāda: It is already bruised enough.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It is already rough and bruised.

Bhavānanda: Śrīla Prabhupāda? We'll just lift your shoulders a slight bit so that we can pull the sheet out? Then it won't bruise. If I just lift you... Is that all right, Śrīla Prabhupāda? (pause) (break)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Or shall we discuss more? We can start discussing.