This material creation is manifested and subsequently destroyed during Lord Brahmā's day and night. But beyond this material world is an eternal existence—the spiritual sky—which is untouched by creation and annihilation. That spiritual abode is known as the Vaikuṇṭha planets. Even when this material creation is destroyed, the Vaikuṇṭha planets remain unscathed and intact. Once anyone enters these planets, he never again suffers the repetition of birth and death, which is inevitable for earthly beings. While the material world is covered and pervaded by the material sky, the spiritual planets are suspended in the spiritual sky, known as paravyoma. All the planetary systems within the paravyoma are transcendental abodes where the Supreme Lord performs His pastimes eternally.
Suspended
Bhagavad-gita As It Is
BG Chapters 1 - 6
Shutting out all external sense objects, keeping the eyes and vision concentrated between the two eyebrows, suspending the inward and outward breaths within the nostrils, and thus controlling the mind, senses and intelligence, the transcendentalist aiming at liberation becomes free from desire, fear and anger. One who is always in this state is certainly liberated.
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 1
They said: Here He is, the original Personality of Godhead as we definitely remember Him. He alone existed before the manifested creation of the modes of nature, and in Him only, because He is the Supreme Lord, all living beings merge, as if sleeping at night, their energy suspended.
On His journey through these provinces He was welcomed, worshiped and given various presentations. In the evening, in all places, the Lord suspended His journey to perform evening rites. This was regularly observed after sunset.
By constantly visiting this neighboring temple and copying the ceremonies in connection with my own Deities of play, I developed a natural affinity for the Lord. My father used to observe all the ceremonies befitting my position. Later on, these activities were suspended due to my association in the schools and colleges, and I became completely out of practice. But in my youthful days, when I met my spiritual master, Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Mahārāja, again I revived my old habit, and the same playful Deities became my worshipful Deities in proper regulation. This was followed up until I left the family connection, and I am pleased that my generous father gave the first impression which was developed later into regulative devotional service by His Divine Grace. Mahārāja Prahlāda also advised that such impressions of a godly relation must be impregnated from the beginning of childhood, otherwise one may miss the opportunity of the human form of life, which is very valuable although it is temporary like others.
He will have to suspend all the actions of the senses, even from the outside, and will have to be impervious to interactions of the senses, which are influenced by the modes of material nature. After renouncing all material duties, he must become immovably established, beyond all sources of hindrances on the path.
The living entity, as he develops from lower animal life to a higher human being and gradually to higher intelligence, becomes anxious to get free from the clutches of death. Modern scientists try to avoid death by physiochemical advancement of knowledge, but alas, the controller of death, Yamarāja, is so cruel that he does not spare even the very life of the scientist himself. The scientist, who puts forward the theory of stopping death by advancement of scientific knowledge, becomes himself a victim of death when he is called by Yamarāja. What to speak of stopping death, no one can enhance the short period of life even by a fraction of a moment. The only hope of suspending the cruel slaughtering process of Yamarāja is to call him to hear and chant the holy name of the Lord. Yamarāja is a great devotee of the Lord, and he likes to be invited to kīrtanas and sacrifices by the pure devotees, who are constantly engaged in the devotional service of the Lord. Thus the great sages, headed by Śaunaka and others, invited Yamarāja to attend the sacrifice performed at Naimiṣāraṇya. This was good for those who did not want to die.
SB Canto 2
When the Supreme desired to speak, speeches were vibrated from the mouth. Then the controlling deity Fire was generated from the mouth. But when He was lying in the water, all these functions remained suspended.
SB Canto 3
There is nothing wanting in the creation of the Lord; all the potencies are there in a dormant state. But unless they are combined by the will of the Lord, nothing can progress. The suspended progressive work of creation can only be revived by the direction of the Lord.
The Lord is eternally enjoying transcendental bliss by His internal potency, whereas the external potency is suspended during the time of the dissolution of the cosmic manifestation.
Then the Lord, playing like an elephant, suspended the earth on the edge of His curved white tusks. He assumed a bluish complexion like that of a tamāla tree, and thus the sages, headed by Brahmā, could understand Him to be the Supreme Personality of Godhead and offered respectful obeisances unto the Lord.
The demigods prayed to Brahmā: Please look upon us mercifully, for we have fallen into a miserable condition; because of the darkness, all our work has been suspended.
Because of complete darkness throughout the universe, the regular activities and engagements of all the different planets were suspended. In the North and South Poles of this planet there are sometimes no divisions of day and night; similarly, when the sunlight does not approach the different planets within the universe, there is no distinction between day and night.
A golden streak on His chest, the famous Kaustubha gem suspended from His neck, He stood in the air with His lotus feet placed on the shoulders of Garuḍa.
His loins are covered by a shining cloth, yellowish like the filaments of a lotus. On His breast He bears the mark of Śrīvatsa, a curl of white hair. The brilliant Kaustubha gem is suspended from His neck.
SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)
Keeping the eyes half closed and fixed on the tip of one's nose, being enlivened and alert, one should meditate on the lotus flower situated within the heart. This lotus has eight petals and is situated on an erect lotus stalk. One should meditate on the sun, moon and fire, placing them one after the other within the whorl of that lotus flower. Placing My transcendental form within the fire, one should meditate upon it as the auspicious goal of all meditation. That form is perfectly proportioned, gentle and cheerful. It possesses four beautiful long arms, a charming, beautiful neck, a handsome forehead, a pure smile and glowing, shark-shaped earrings suspended from two identical ears. That spiritual form is the color of a dark rain cloud and is garbed in golden-yellowish silk. The chest of that form is the abode of Śrīvatsa and the goddess of fortune, and that form is also decorated with a conchshell, disc, club, lotus flower and garland of forest flowers. The two brilliant lotus feet are decorated with ankle bells and bracelets, and that form exhibits the Kaustubha gem along with an effulgent crown. The upper hips are beautified by a golden belt, and the arms are decorated with valuable bracelets. All of the limbs of that beautiful form capture the heart, and the face is beautified by merciful glancing. Pulling the senses back from the sense objects, one should be grave and self-controlled and should use the intelligence to strongly fix the mind upon all of the limbs of My transcendental body. Thus one should meditate upon that most delicate transcendental form of Mine.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Madhya-lila
Although the Lord was fatigued, Nityānanda Prabhu kept Him steady by holding Him. At that time Advaita Ācārya suspended the chanting and, by rendering various services to the Lord, made Him lie down to take rest.
When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu regained His external consciousness, He saw that many Māyāvādī sannyāsīs and other people were gathered there. He therefore suspended His dancing for the time being.
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Renunciation Through Wisdom
The mode of ignorance induces illusion, covering the jīva's intelligence; then he slides down to the lowest consciousness, spending time only in sleeping and laziness. And the material mode of goodness also turns the jīva away from the Absolute Truth and makes him conditioned. With an increase of the mode of passion, goodness and ignorance both decrease. When the mode of goodness increases, passion and ignorance decline. In this way the material modes wax and wane in varying degrees. The mode of goodness promotes mundane knowledge and elevated material consciousness, the mode of passion produces untiring energy for work and insatiable desire for results, and the mode of ignorance drags the jīva down to nescience, laziness, sleep, and delusion. The jīva in goodness moves up to more elevated consciousness, one in passion remains suspended in the mediocre state, and one in ignorance descends to the depths of depravity.
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Viṣṇujana: Their bondsman? The case?
Prabhupāda: No.
Jaya-gopāla: I was allowed to preach in court.
Prabhupāda: Eh?
Jaya-gopāla: I preached to the whole court. And I had a lady judge, she let me. So she suspended my sentence.
Prabhupāda: Huh?
Jaya-gopāla: She suspended the sentence and took the (indistinct) and (indistinct).
Prabhupāda: Oh. So she has suspended.
Jaya-gopāla: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Oh. All right. Where is that book, Bhagavad-gītā? You must have the book in your hand, everyone. (laughter)
Sudāmā: Our copies came today.
Prabhupāda: Which copy? Ah...
Sudāmā: Each of us will have a copy now.
Prabhupāda: Back to Godhead?
Sudāmā: Bhagavad-gītā.
Devotee: Verses 27 and 28. "Shutting out all external sense objects, keeping the eyes and vision concentrated between the two eyebrows, suspending the inward and outward breaths within the nostrils—thus controlling the mind, senses and intelligence, the transcendentalist becomes free from desire, fear and anger. One who is always in this state is certainly liberated (Bg. 5.27-28)."
Prabhupāda: Now here is a hint of the yoga practice, shutting out the external sense objects. This is another process. But the bhakti-yoga process is automatically yoga process. Here it is said, "shutting out all external sense objects." Sense object, what is that sense object? Just like I want to see some beautiful woman or beautiful man. I want to smell some nice flower or scent. The flower is the sense object, woman is the sense object. There are so many sense objects. We have got five senses and there are five objects also. Otherwise what is the use of sense? Now this yoga practice is to withdraw the senses from the sense object. But the bhakti-yoga process is that if I do not like to see artificially the beauty of woman or man, if I try to see the beauty of Kṛṣṇa, naturally my, this propensity of seeing beautiful man or woman becomes extinguished. You do not require to shut your eyes. There are so many beautiful girls sitting. I do not require to shut my eyes. If my mind is concentrated on the beauty of Kṛṣṇa I can see these beautiful girls as Kṛṣṇa's gopīs. That is another vision. So artificially if I close my eyes and if some beautiful girl is in my imagination even after closing my eyes here, what is the use of closing your eyes?
Guest (2): Swami, are we now... Are we all part of Kṛṣṇa and at the time of death if we think of Kṛṣṇa, like we become what? Like meshed in with Kṛṣṇa? Like now we're, say, suspended within Kṛṣṇa. But at the time of death, if we think of Him we merge. Is that what you're saying?
Prabhupāda: Yes. You merge means you merge into the spiritual existence, but that does not mean you lose your individuality. You are already merged in the matter. We are all merged. Now your soul, my soul, his soul, you cannot distinguish where is the soul. But body, the material body, we have got everyone. But in spite of our being merged in the matter, we have got our individuality. Similarly, to become merged in spiritual existence does not mean that we lose our individuality. Try to understand. Just like we are all merged into the matter. If you dissect my body, you won't find where is that small particle spirit. It is already merged, but still, we have got individuality. That means spirit soul is individual. Otherwise, so far your body is concerned, my body is concerned, there is blood, you have got blood; you have got muscle, I have got muscle; you have got bones, I have got bones. What is the difference? But why you are individual, I am individual? Because the spirit soul is individual. We are merged in the matter but we keep our individuality. Similarly, you merge in the spirit, you keep your individuality.
Philosophy Discussions
Śyāmasundara: He outlines three techniques for finding the essences of things. The first step is called the phenomenon of phenomenal logical reduction, which begins by excluding consideration of everything transcendent, including all theories or scientific knowledge—everything—only presenting to our immediate senses the objects to be considered, without any preconceived idea of what is that object. So he calls this the suspension of judgment. Suspend all judgment about an object—just look at it, and the object itself will be intuitively understood. This is his idea.
Prabhupāda: Yes. If you study the object scrutinizingly, then you will come to the conclusion, the source of that objective idea.
Śyāmasundara: He says that only this knowledge is absolutely certain.
Prabhupāda: Yes. That is called brahma-jijñāsā. In the Vedānta-sūtra it is called brahma-jijñāsā, inquiring about brahma. That is the prerogative of human life. In the human life one can make inquiries what is the ultimate source, cause. And in animal life it is not sought. So if such inquisitive is not there, then it is animal. Just like at the present moment the newspaper is full of fighting news. But these things are animal news. Such kind of fighting was there also in the animal life—dogs and dogs fighting. They are not very important. Real important thing is what I am. That is real important. Just like Sanātana Goswami inquired from Caitanya Mahāprabhu, "So what I am? I do not want to suffer, but I have to suffer." These (indistinct), they are busy with the suffering, how they, this party or that party, but we are busy, "Why you are suffering?" That is human life, athāto brahma jijñāsā, why you are suffering. Not that superficially you see people are suffering and giving some relief, and then again suffering, again relief. (Sanskrit) But they don't inquire, "Why suffering?" That is intelligent. That is human life. These rascals, they have established this United Nations for the last twenty-five years, and they never inquire that "We have tried so much, but still, why you could not stop war?" The establishment of U.N. was that there should be no war, because they had very bitter experience of the World..., Second World War. So they established this United Nations, but the (indistinct), just like the Americans, they thought that "We are very rich. We have got..., we are very powerful, so under the girth of this United Nations, we shall control over all the world." That was the policy. So this superficial phenomenon, as just might have seen, will not help us. We must go deep to the root, why people are suffering. That is intelligence.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1971 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Fighting?
Karandhara: Yes.
Prabhupāda: But he is weak. With whom he'll fight?
Karandhara: Yes. It was actually very... We have a lawyer working on it to get a suspended sentence. We've got a lawyer who is trying to get him a suspended sentence because he was sick and he..., they had him taking drugs and he was weak and he had been in the hospital for four months. Why they should put him in jail? He just got a little irritable.
Śyāmasundara: They mocked him. I think they mocked him for having this and finally he couldn't take any more, and he probably hit the guard, so they threw him in jail for six months.
Karandhara: And in jail they won't give him anything to eat except... They won't give him a special diet, so all he can eat is just a little bit of vegetable. They have... On a plate they give him mostly meat and a little vegetable. They won't give him any extra vegetables.
Prabhupāda: Yes? Where the jail is?
Śyāmasundara: Which jail is it?
Karandhara: County jail, Los Angeles County Jail.
Parivrājakācārya: He hasn't got very many Africans. I think only about two.
Prabhupāda: Then suspend that installation.
Parivrājakācārya: They haven't been making any devotees there.
Prabhupāda: Then there is no... (break) ...and if we conquer our eating then we can conquer our sleeping also. Nidrāhāra vihārakādi vijitau **. (break) Don't make fuss. If you are serious, then it is all right. Otherwise, you are young men. If you again give up sannyāsa or you try to marry, it will be scandalous for our society. Don't do that. If you are steady... But so far report is you are not very steady. Do you admit this or not?
Kulaśekhara: Yes. Prabhupāda.
Prabhupāda: Then how you can take sannyāsa? It is a very great responsibility. (break) There is no need of taking sannyāsa. If you are sincere in preaching you can do in this dress. Where is the harm? Simply by changing, taking a rod, you'll not become God immediately. You have to work, steadily. What is there in sannyāsa? Do you mean to say taking a rod one becomes sannyāsa? Sannyāsa means you must be sacrificing everything for Kṛṣṇa. That is sannyāsa. Anāśritaḥ karma-phalaṁ kāryaṁ karma karoti yaḥ, sa sannyāsī (BG 6.1). Sa sannyāsī, he's sannyāsī. Anāśritaḥ karma phalaṁ kāryaṁ karma karoti. You went to Israel but again came back. Why? What was the difficulty?
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: And Veda also, points out, yato vā imāni bhūtāni jāyante. So your New York going is suspended now?
Mukunda: No, I'm still going.
Prabhupāda: When you are going?
Mukunda: As soon as possible. (pause) (break)
Prabhupāda: Then talk of all this moral instruction. If you are killing yourself, then why do you object? Why? (break) ...ācari prabhu jīve śikhāilā.
Revatīnandana: Caitanya-caritāmṛta?
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Revatīnandana: I recognize the Bengali. What's the...?
Prabhupāda: You should teach philosophy by behaving yourself.
Revatīnandana: Very nice. So simple.
Prabhupāda: (break) ...talked with many gentleman, lawyer. That Goldsmith, he was against war, but when I asked him, "Whether you are meat-eaters, killing animals?", "Yes, that is our food." So if the poor animals can become your food, the big nation can say, "The small nation is my food. I can kill them. We can kill them." Everyone can say. And that is happening like, "Might is right."
David Lawrence: Oh, the redwood...
Prabhupāda: Yes.
David Lawrence: ...the redwoods, yes. Makes Walt Disney look a bit...
Prabhupāda: So this kind of longer life, what is the value?
David Lawrence: Yes, you know he had his body put into suspended animation. I don't know what they call it, cytology is it or something? They have them put into chemicals and bathed. Because he died of cancer and he wants to be woken up in about fifty years time when they've got the cure for cancer and then he can live again and make a few more films apparently. (laughter) It's extraordinary attitude to life isn't it really? One of the other problems that I was going to raise, and in fact it appears in the question sheet, it seems to be some, in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, is that the right pronunciation? I always get these things wrong.
Prabhupāda: Yes, Bhāgavatam.
David Lawrence: A very great deal of what one could call demonology if you like. Now, I confess this raises problems for me. When a book like that...
Prabhupāda: Bhāgavata was written five thousand years ago.
Prabhupāda: "In association with pure devotees." So if you are karmīs, then where is the..., What is the value of this association? Sat-saṅga. Sat-saṅga means assembly, discussion. Bodhayantaḥ parasparam, tuṣyanti ca ramanti ca. If you are not interested in association, discussion, then you are finished. So... karmīs, they are fools and rascals. When you have got this center, it is not that you should be engaged from morning till you go to bed for sense gratification. That is not life. That is karmī's life. You have no time for sat-saṅga, for association. You cannot make any progress by this sort of karmī's life. We have to work for organization, but not that whole day and night engaged and no sat-saṅga. That is a misguided policy, and it will spoil the whole structure. In Los Angeles, they regularly assemble during ārati and class. If this regulative principle is lost, then you are karmīs. They must come back by six o'clock, suspending all other duties, and assemble by seven o'clock. Joint mess program is not good. "You bring some money, you bring some money and spend us jointly for eating, sleeping." That is called joint mess. You know the joint mess? This word? What is that, meaning?
Brahmānanda: Well, it means... I thought it had something to do with civil servants, where they all live in a dormitory and eat in a large hall.
Prabhupāda: Yes, yes.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Why? Why? The scientists' failure?
Harikeśa: Maybe people don't believe it.
Prabhupāda: No, it is made by the scientists. (break)
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: ...behind the frozen body was that if someone had an incurable disease, they thought that they could suspend the life by freezing it, and then, when they found the cure for the disease, they would unfreeze him or thaw him out and cure him of his disease so that he could live again.
Prabhupāda: And these childish activities are taken as scientific advancement.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Is there a Vedic definition of science?
Prabhupāda: Vijñāna. Jñāna-vijñāna. (break) ...not this science, experimental. That is not science. Vedic knowledge is science.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: So there is no experimental science in Vedic culture.
Prabhupāda: Experimental science is condemned. What you will make, ex... You are imperfect. What is the value of your experiment? Therefore it is rejected. Whatever you'll do, that is imperfect. First of all you become perfect; then you make experiment. But you are... You remain imperfect, and you making experiment. What is the value of it? (break) ...is no experimental knowledge. All established truth. That is vijñāna, or science.
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Not good.
Guest (5): No, but you are taking that medicine or...?
Prabhupāda: I stopped that medicine.
Guest (5): Too much bitter, I think.
Prabhupāda: Not only bitter. I got some trouble in the teeth. Pap(?) means suspended.
Guest (5): Pills are taken or not taken?
Prabhupāda: Pills? No. If required I shall take again.
Guest (5): If possible, I'll come tomorrow. Otherwise I'll see you when we come back or I'll see you there.
Prabhupāda: All right. Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Trivikrama: Thank you, Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Prabhupāda: Jaya. (everyone leaves the room... long silence. Knock on the door)
Haṁsadūta: Jaya, Prabhupāda.
Prabhupāda: He has cooked very nice.
Gurudāsa: Anyway, I have three men cooking now and... So that will be all right. Now, the officials are cooperating with us nicely, of the Mela. The other day Kamalapati Tripati was there, and we saw him, and all the officials were there, and he said, "Oh, hello! How are you? Everything all right?" And we said, "Yes." And it was a very nice conversation. And all the other officials saw that we were on friendly basis with the minister, so they were also more friendly. One unfortunate thing happened, a small unfortunate thing, a sukhi-duḥkhi. We went to the saṅgam with our kīrtana party during the time of the big..., the fifth bath. It's not the biggest one, but many pilgrims came. And we said we should chant and also bathe. So first we chanted. Then we went in for bath at four o'clock in the morning. Very refreshing, very nice. We went in, and we had our bath. Then we put our clothes on. We chanted, and we were very happy chanting. The police came, many police on horses, and said, "Get out!" And they were demons, like "Get out!" And I got a press pass. I said, "Why should we get out? We're only here to chant the holy names of God. This is a Mela." "Well, then," he said, "get out!" He's a demon, and he's taking his horse and pushing it on me and the other devotees. So he forced us out. So Bhāgavata dāsa went to the Mela officials who we had some..., and complained. And the policeman was suspended and made a public apology. And now we have a letter that says we can chant any place we want in the Mela with police cooperation.
Prabhupāda: Then it is fortunate, fortunate.
Gurudāsa: Yes, very good. A blessing in disguise, yes. So they're trying to organize. There's many bhangis who pick up the stool.
Prabhupāda: The place is nice then.
Indian: From libraries?
Prabhupāda: Yes. So many libraries, they have ordered. There is a list in Orissan. (aside:) You can give me little, little sample... (break) ...for life that it is a dead body. A dead body. So what is the use of decorating a dead body? So if anyone accepts Christ actually and his instruction, then it proves that he has got a good soul. Otherwise what... He's dead body. That's a fact. If one accepts that Christ says, "Thou shall not kill. Thou shall not do this," if one is actually a person with soul, they must accept this. Otherwise where is the use? Dead body. The same thing, as we say, aprāṇasya hi dehasya maṇḍanaṁ loka-rañjanam. What is the use of decorating a dead body? A dead body means soul-less. When the soul is not there, it is called dead body. So even one has got the soul, but he does not act... They possesses the soul. Then it is dead body. So when we shall hear about the land? One program is suspended. That program is for constructing a house for me.
Gargamuni: Oh, in Māyāpur.
Prabhupāda: Yes. I have suspended it. So first of all let us see how much land we are going... Then we shall select.
Gargamuni: Well, I feel this land acquisition is not going to take place so soon 'cause... (break)
Prabhupāda: Yes. Why should we think?
Gargamuni: That has always been your program.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Why should we think Kṛṣṇa is poor man?
Gargamuni: You used to give us ISKCON bullets when we came.
Prabhupāda: (laughs) Yes. You were from the very beginning. Alone, I was preparing. "Give them at least one or two capatis. That's all."
Gargamuni: On the ship twice? Oh.
Prabhupāda: Consecutively two days, attack. Actually I would have died on the ship before reaching your country. I could not understand that was heart attack. The pain was so severe, I thought, "I am now dying." And it was done two nights. And I was very much afraid whether on the third night, that "If this night also again some pain like that comes, then I'll die." But third night did not pain. It was suspended. It came in New York. And you know it, left side was paralyzed.
Gargamuni: Yes. Left side. We had to massage constantly.
Prabhupāda: No, they were arranging for some operation.
Gargamuni: Yes. Those doctors.
Prabhupāda: I told Kīrtanānanda, "Give me massage."
Gargamuni: I can remember. I wheeled you down for test.
Prabhupāda: The heart was also very painful still.
Gargamuni: They wanted to take some blood, and I had to stop them.
Prabhupāda: They were examining my brain. Then I thought, "I must go away." I told, "Doctor, I am all right. I can go."
Prabhupāda: For the time being, suspended?
Jayapatākā: I don't like to make opinion till I go and see.
Prabhupāda: Hm. What was their proposal?
Jayapatākā: Well, they come and... (break)
Prabhupāda: Our mission is to preach Gaurāṅga philosophy. Therefore we are taking. So why the municipal cannot give land for this public purpose?
Jayapatākā: That's what I mean, is that I think that if we saw actually what law that is and then we discuss it in a proper way it might be possible.
Prabhupāda: It is lying vacant. So...
Jayapatākā: There are so many places which are like that, where there is mandira being built and and sevā-pūjā is going on, and there is one sevāita or one organization has got the sevā responsibility, and that's under their charge. I think that that legality can be worked around, whatever it may be. Because our purpose is public.
Prabhupāda: The municipal means public.
Jayapatākā: Yes.
Prabhupāda: So you are also coming to Bombay?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda. I'm also thinking to go to Delhi to make that inner pass for possible visit to Manipur.
Prabhupāda: That may be suspended for the time.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Oh. So shall I...?
Prabhupāda: We have to do so many things always.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: But at the same time traveling may not be so...
Prabhupāda: Fruitful.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Prabhupāda's health. It may not be so wise.
Prabhupāda: If Manipur is prepared to help me... What is this? The same tablet? No.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I've gotten a week's supply of these other tablets. I got the prescription filled.
Prabhupāda: Keep it here.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Last night I heard on the radio—they were having news-yesterday in the Raja Sabha (Senate of the Indian Government) the Communist leader Bhupesh Gupta, he said that the government should close the Māyāpur center.
Prabhupāda: That is their business. Now you have to take the opposite, that "Why these people are so anxious about this unrest? Let there be further inquiry by the Janata party. And suspend..." No. Yes. "And suspend the Communist government for the time being."
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Suspend the Communist government. Why suddenly the Communists are saying that "Oh, here is CIA"? Now, if they're saying that, Prabhupāda said, then you they should ask them "Oh, there's a big thing with them. Let us investigate." Investigate the whole matter thoroughly.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: They're doing that now. The CID is investigating.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But the Central Government should investigate. Then it will be...
Prabhupāda: It should be taken by the Central Government.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: The CID is under the Central Government.
Prabhupāda: Anyway, it is all ci... It is a Communist manipulation.
Prabhupāda: So they are their party men.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But we should take advantage of this and say, "Oh, there is an issue there? Then let us investigate." We should take advantage of this.
Prabhupāda: Yes. The party should take very serious investigation, and if possible, suspend government for the time being.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Suspend the West Bengal government.
Prabhupāda: So that will be nice step.
Abhirāma: So we should challenge these Communists.
Prabhupāda: What you'll challenge? They will challenge. Don't talk of... They say also, "Close this temple."
Correspondence
1947 to 1965 Correspondence
In reply to Srimati Suluxmona's letter, I am sending herewith one letter for her which may be delivered to her. I came here to improve my lot but I see that my bad luck is impossible to be improved. For the last two years approximately I have met expenses from this business to the extent of Rs 600/- month. Calcutta, Allahabad, Ranchi High-Court & Ry Journey altogether five different items of expenses have been so far met. But all of a sudden my sister opponent firms have designed to remove me from this place. By their trick the Drug Controller has suspended my business for the last one and a half month with the result that about Rs 1000/- has been locked up & sealed and I have been put to shame by my servants. I require immediately Rs 300/- to meet the establishment charges without which I am much humiliated.
1966 Correspondence
Due to my absence from India the printing works are suspended and now I wish to begin it again on hearing from you. The thing is that I am trying here to establish one Temple of Sri Sri Radha Krishna and one big industrialist of India has promised to pay for the cost. But there is difficulty of Indian exchange. So I am trying to get the exchange sanctioned through some friends in India and if I get the sanction then I shall remain here for many more days. So in my absence I wish that you may take charge of selling the books in India. Please let me know if there is any possibility of your taking such charge. So far my experience is concerned this publication can be introduced in all colleges and universities of India. If you have successfully worked out the business in your own Maharastra province as it is recommended by the Director of Education, then it will be possible for you also for other provinces. In Rajasthan and Delhi it is already recommended and similarly it could be recommended in all other provinces.
There is another impediment for my staying here. My publication work is suspended. You know I have already published three volumes of my Srimad-Bhagavatam and further copies are ready for printing. Please let me know if your establishment can take charge of publishing these books or can manage the publication in my absence. Due to my absence from India the publication is stopped and therefore it disturbs my mind. This publication work is my main function. So at any rate I cannot stop it. I can stop my foreign activities but I cannot stop my publication work. Please let me know if there is any possibility of your institution to look after these affairs during my absence.
Thank you very much for your enquiry about the printing of my books. I beg to inform you that the printing work is now suspended on account of my being absent from India. The books manuscript are ready for printing. I was printing them with great difficulty by collecting small amount of money and due to my absence they are not being printed. If your good self or somebody else come forward to cooperate in this connection the printing work can immediately be revived. In the meantime I have also prepared a commentary on the Bhagavad-gita purely on Bhakti principle and when published it will be an unique publication of Bhagavad-gita as it is. So far all the commentaries made on the Bhagavad-gita like Dr. Radhakrishnan or others, they have no knowledge in the Bhakti cult. Therefore such commentaries on the Bhagavad-gita are not authorized. "Bhakta asi priya asi me rahasya hi etad uttamam" Nobody has any access in the Bhagavad-gita without being devotee of the Lord. But all the commentaries in English now available in the market are made by the nondevotee mental speculators. As such if my Bhagavad-gita will be an unique presentation if they are published. I shall be very much glad if you kindly cooperate in this connection.
1967 Correspondence
I can understand that you are short of fund because you have retired from your service. Although you have not asked me still my conscience says that I may send you some money on account of the land you may give me on either lease terms or on sale. I am therefore advising my society to send you $100.00 one hundred dollars or Rs 750/- as earnest money. Please therefore send a receipt to my society as co-sebait of the property otherwise you cannot take charge or manage the property. Gauracandra has done everything illegally and as Receiver of the state appointed by the court you can recover all the misappropriated money from him. If you know that he has money in the bank on personal account you can suspend the payment as Receiver. Therefore you must take this step immediately as advised herein before. My society will not be agreeable to negotiate with any one who is not permitted by the court either to sell or give out on lease. The money sent by the society as earnest money may remain with you till such completion of negotiation and in the meantime you can send a receipt on the society's account.
1968 Correspondence
Bhagavad-gita is nearing completion—I heard this before I started from India. The editing has been too much delayed. Now I request you to come here for a week with the full manuscript so that I can see it personally, along with you, and finish the editorial work, within a week. Even after signing the contract, if the manuscript is not submitted, it is regrettable. If it is not inconvenient for you, somehow or other, it will be better if you come here for one week absolutely for this purpose so that we can finish this job without further delay. If need be, it can be retyped also here. We have got two nice girl typists. I wished that the editorial department should be combinedly worked but it has not been successful. You are overloaded with so many works therefore it is being delayed; I can understand this. Therefore, I wish that you may come here for a week, suspending all other business and finish this Bhagavad-gita in my presence.
I thank you for your nice letter of March 25, 1968, and the kind sentiments expressed therein. I am very happy to learn that you have a nice place in Florida, and you are feeling comfortable and your little Candra is enjoying the sun and the atmosphere. Candra's name is quite nice; you can simply add another word to make it become Candramukhi, which means, face resembling the moon. So sometimes the associate Gopis are are also addressed like that because all of the Gopis are transcendentally beautiful. I am very glad that you have invited me to Florida prior to my going to Bahamas. So far we have not received any letter from Bahamas, so my Florida program for the time being, is suspended. If I go however, to the Bahamas, in the meantime certainly I shall go to your place, and I shall inform you beforehand. But shortly I am visiting New York, and from there I shall go to Boston, then I may go to Montreal; this is the present program. But at the same time, I am seeking a place which will be both conducive to my health and comfortable. I understand that Florida is just prototype of Indian climate, like Bombay or elsewhere there. And I shall go, once, just to see how does it suit me. And from New York, it is nearer than San Francisco.
Regarding the Radha Krishna statues, for the time being, suspend it. Keep Them dressed nicely, as Janaki is doing. I have received the second transcribing set. On Wednesday, May 1, I am going to Boston, where there are so many nice college engagements arranged. Just recently we went to Philadelphia, to Temple University, where we held kirtana and lecture very nicely. And for our transportation and lecture they paid us $150.00; similarly, tomorrow we have got engagement at New York University at Stoney Brook, Long Island, and they are paying us $200.00 for our coming there. So we are spreading this Sankirtana very nicely here also. Please keep me informed of all your activities there, and hoping you are well.
I have already asked Hamsaduta to open correspondence with you. Please do expedite the arrangement for London Yatra by mutual correspondence. Here in Montreal there is postal strike. So I am posting this letter in Buffalo where one boy is going tomorrow morning. I think unless there is very important business you can suspend correspondence to Montreal address. My visa is up to 3rd of September 1968, and if by that time my London yatra is not completed, then I will have to extend the visa period. I think you should start for London as early as possible. The plan already made by you is agreed by me. So you can go ahead with the plan. Our only plan should be henceforward to spread the Sankirtana activities and sell our publications. Publication of Back To Godhead is entrusted to Rayarama, and for publication of books, Brahmananda is entrusted. For business Gargamuni is entrusted. So let us combinedly execute the Krishna Consciousness movement in full swing.
I am in due receipt of your letter of October 24, 1968, and due to constant change of addresses I could not reply earlier. Your desire for India should be suspended for the time being because formerly I thought that there would be development of a branch of our institution in Vrndavan, and the matter was entrusted to Achyutananda, but we could not give it practical shape till now. Neither I have any hope he will be able to do it. Now he proposes to come back. But the Samkirtan party which is developing may hope one day to travel over the world, and in that case, your service will be required. The present Samkitan party now working in Los Angeles is scheduled to join the London party in due course, and if it is successful there, they may propose to make a world tour, which certainly will be a glorious work. And at that time our tour in India will be very successful.
Under the present circumstance you are the only elder member of the Hamburg center, and if you leave, even for the fulfillment of some future scheme, it will not be nice. The New Vrindaban scheme is very nice, but even though you take it very seriously, you cannot do anything there at the present winter season. In the winter, the activities there are almost suspended. As such, I advise you to stay in Hamburg at least for three months longer. In the meantime I am trying to get Jaya Govinda to Germany, and when he goes it will be all right for you to arrange for leaving for New Vrindaban. Regarding the draft situation, I can send to you a letter and certificate verifying that you are our student. But anywhere you will be staying, you will be a student of the Bhagavad-gita, and as I have issued a certificate to some students here, I will also issue one certificate unto you. There will be no trouble.
1969 Correspondence
I have received your letter dated January 28, 1969 regarding Jadurani's sick health. She requires complete rest. All of her work should be suspended, and she should be given liquid foods, just like barley water mixed with milk. Purchase pearl barley from the market, and the recipe is 1 cup of barley and four cups of water to be boiled for at least 1/2 hour. That liquid preparation may be mixed with milk and sugar, and she may take. Jadurani must not exert herself in any way. She should take complete rest and chant Hare Krishna. When she next wants to begin work, she must take my permission. For the time being, all work must be suspended.
Regarding your letter dated January 25, 1969, I have already sent to you tapes #2 and #3. As an experiment, I sent tape #3 by ordinary mail at the concession rate for tapes. Please let me know when this tape #3 has reached you. If it does not arrive too late then we can continue to exchange in the mail at this postage rate of five cents. You do not require to send finished tapes to Dinesh. Please send them directly to me.
I think that work on the pictures shall remain suspended for the time being. Altogether I have received four pictures for the Krishna book, and two pictures for the temple, one of My Guru Maharaja and one of Gaura Kisora das Babaji.
I am in due receipt of your letter of March 10, 1969. And I am glad to learn that you are feeling somewhat healthier. Now you have requested to begin working, but I think you shall just suspend your activities at least for one month more. By that time I shall be in Boston, and I shall examine you personally then I shall do the needful. In the meantime, you can sit down silently, and increase your number of chanting. That is your work for the time being. And now as you have Deity in the temple you can rise very early in the morning for Mangala arati. I hope you are following all the Deity worship rulings. That is necessary.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated May 14, 1969, and I have received a similar letter from Brahmananda also that you are finding some difficulty in keeping pace regularly with the routine work. My advice to you under the circumstances is that at least for one hour you must all go to have Sankirtana outside on the streets or in the park. That is your life and soul, first business. The next business is completing the chanting of 16 rounds every day. The next business is your editing, and if you find extra time, then you can attend the temple ceremonies. Otherwise you can stop these activities, but outdoor kirtana, your editing work and chanting of 16 rounds must be done. Outdoor kirtana must be done, even at the cost of suspending all editorial work. That is your first and foremost business. Temple worship is not so important. If need be, the whole temple can be locked, but the outdoor kirtana cannot be stopped.
Regarding Sivananda's plan to go to Paris, it may be suspended till I request him to do so. In the meantime I have received information from London that they have secured a nice house at the cost of $400 per month, so they want me to go there by the end of July. In the meantime, if you think my presence in Hamburg will help your organization, I can go there for a few days. But I do not know what is your financial condition. So if you are serious to call me, you can let me know by return of post. I have received a letter from Mandali Bhadra that they are positively going there on the 27th of June. Regarding the conch shell that was donated, it is welcome. You can use it in the temple.
So for the time being you can return this ticket, and as I am going to San Francisco to take part in the Rathayatra Festival which is going to be performed in a considerable grand scale, arranged by all the devotees on the West Coast; namely Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sante Fe, Seattle, Vancouver, etc. So your program may be suspended for a fortnight at least. Besides that, you have written that the schools will be closed by the 11th of July,* and they open sometime in September. Under the circumstances, why not postpone everything to that time? But still I am prepared to go if you think my presence there earlier will be nice. Then you can arrange for my ticket from San Francisco to Luxembourg. In some previous letter, Mukunda wrote that he would send tickets for both me and Purusottama. So if in the meantime he sends ticket for Purusottama, then he can also go with me. I think the best arrangement would have been if by mutual consultation you make the transportation arrangements for my European journey.
I thank you very much for your letter dated July 1, 1969, and I have noted the contents carefully. I am pleased to note that you are diligently going out on Sankirtana everyday, and you are managing the temple affairs nicely. You have requested that some brahmacaris may come out to help you in Montreal, but one problem is that the American boys cannot work in Montreal. This is one hindrance. I shall consult with Tamala Krishna to see if there are any boys available from the Los Angeles temple who may go there, but I do not think that these American boys will be able to hold jobs in Montreal. I am anxious to know what is the position of the French Back To Godhead. I received issue #3 several months ago, but since then there has been no further word about this very important publication. So please inform me what is the situation regarding French BTG. In Germany they are now printing a very beautiful German edition of BTG, and this is very, very pleasing to my Guru Maharaja because He wanted that peoples of all languages may understand this philosophy of Krishna Consciousness. Regarding further tapes of Vedanta Sutra, this has been suspended for the time being, but when I begin again I shall send the tapes to you. Recently we have finished our book, Nectar of Devotion, and now the book, Krishna, is in the process of being written. So when the project of Vedanta Sutra is again taken up I shall inform you.
I have already written to Brahmananda that we shall not accept outside work. That will complicate our situation as a tax-free organization. Brahmananda wrote me that Advaita wants to purchase a wagon, but I don't think the press department will require a wagon just now. You have already one bus, so money should not unnecessarily be spent up. For the present the idea may be suspended, and when I come to Boston I shall see if it is actually needed.
1970 Correspondence
Another thing, perhaps you have talked already with Gargamuni that Jayananda may be required to go to India. Do you think that his going away from San Francisco will be detrimental to your working there? If it is so then the proposal may be suspended for a time because I do not wish to disturb your nice work. So I will be glad to hear from you about this.
All my best students are now in Europe, in pairs. Yourself, Mukunda, Jaya Govinda, Syamasundara, Gurudasa, Tamala, etc., you are all advanced and selected, now your program will be to recruit many sincere souls from European countries, and open branches. Your desire for opening a center in Copenhagen may be suspended for the time being unless we recruit some members from Europe because all the best students have already gone there, so it will be difficult to send men from America at the present moment. In America also we have to open so many branches, so I think you should not expect any more members from America for organizing European centers.
Regarding the printing of the serialized chapter by chapter books of the Second Canto, why stop it. Let it go on as it is, do not stop it. We may suspend the Japanese printing for now. You have written to say that it seems in general that ISKCON Press is being taken over by Dai Nippon as far as satisfaction of our needs, but there is no such question at all. ISKCON Press must continue and expand also. So far the 5,000 copies of Nectar of Devotion are concerned, there is no sufficient money just now, so this may be stopped for the time being.
1971 Correspondence
You will be glad to know that I have written one letter to Dai Nippon asking that they suspend printing of Penguin series KRSNA book for the time being. And so far as the $6,000 saved up for repaying the loan of $20,000 for BTG, it may be sent to the Press for printing of Bhagavad-gita.
Why just 25 rounds? You should chant as many as possible. Real Ekadasi means fasting and chanting and no other business. When one observes fasting, the chanting becomes easier. So on Ekadasi other business can be suspended as far as possible unless there is some urgent business.
1972 Correspondence
For the time being you may suspend the program for taking sannyasa. You may remain with your wife until she recovers and then you may travel together and open branches.
I very much appreciate your attitude in saying "It is not sannyasa so much that I am interested in, its Krishna Consciousness and working to please my Spiritual Master." This is the correct understanding of devotional service, to be engaged one hundred percent in the Service of Krishna, never mind what position you are occupying. Please continue in this way and try to live peacefully with your wife.
I shall be very glad to know the names of your assistants such as Secretary, Treasurer and Accountant. Finally, I beg to repeat that ALL GBC ORDERS ARE SUSPENDED HEREWITH BY ME UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.
Actually, I have very great hope for these travelling parties, our Gurukula school, and all our other projects, that by engaging ourselves in these ways, so long we do not forget the purpose of such activity then we shall very much revise the nasty situation in the world as it exists present moment, and we shall observe that angelic persons like you all nice devotees will be very much prominent in public life everywhere. That is my hope. But I have been very much disturbed recently by the meeting which you all have had in New York, wherein you have passed so many resolutions and elected Atreya Rsi to GBC Secretary, and made so many other changes. I am very much puzzled by the whole business. Therefore I have not approved of it, and you may by now have received my letter why I have temporarily suspended the GBC. Let us not revive this old matter, but I want to know from you what is your opinion of the matter, and how is it that Hamsaduta and Atreya Rsi were able to persuade you all senior leaders of the Society to follow their foolish activities? Kindly inform.
It was detected only when it came to me. What will happen when I am not here, shall everything be spoiled by GBC? So for the time being, let the GBC activities be suspended until I thoroughly revise the whole procedure. In the meantime, you do your duty as president of Hamburg Temple, and try to improve spiritually. Our spiritual way should strictly observe the following points especially: (1). Neatness and cleanliness of all personal bodies. (I still see those who are initiated as Brahmins, they do not wash their hand after eating even; of course, there may be so many defects due to your births in non-Brahmin families, but how long it shall go on? It is very easy thing.); (2). Chanting 16 rounds daily.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated July 25, 1972 and with great pleasure I have noted the contents. It is of course regrettable that we are stopped for the time being from entering into Bangladesh for spreading our propaganda there. So for the time being, Bangladesh may be left aside. I am trying in a different way to help you in this respect, and I shall let you know. Meanwhile suspend trying to push something which is not possible. Now there is a very important job for you to do. I have just now understood from Gurudasa that practically no one is able to carry on the construction work at Vrindaban with good results. So many months they have been there but there is nothing tangible begun.
1973 Correspondence
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 25.9.73 and I have immediately informed the man in charge in Paris to suspend the marriage. the copy of the letter to Bhagavan Das, the man in charge, is sent herewith.
Herewith please find one letter from Mr. Khilnani father of Anita, and the contents will speak for itself. I wish that the marriage will be suspended for the time being unless the father agrees to this marriage. According to the Vedic system marriage takes place according to the sanction of the parents, although this is not being followed strictly at the present moment.
1974 Correspondence
Syamasundara has voluntarily suspended his responsibility as GBC and I am enclosing my letter to him in this regard. So you may continue as GBC. So I have asked Syamasundara to tell the others to cooperate and I am sure this will alleviate all party feeling.
You have taken the right decision. For the time being you suspend your GBC responsibilities and let Hamsaduta manage as he is doing nicely. Hamsaduta saw me recently, however, and was complaining that he is meeting with an opposing party there, although he is working as authorized GBC. I think if you ask all of them to cooperate with him while you stry to improve your business separately that will pacify things. I am hopeful and praying to Krsna that you become successful.
1975 Correspondence
So I am prepared to come to South America, but the Venezuela Consulate in Los Angeles informs that they have government order not to give me visa. What is the meaning? You can try to arrange programs in Panama, Trinidad, and Guyana, so I can get down there on my way to Brazil. But, if there is any difficulty in getting the visa for these countries, then we may suspend the program. I do not want to take any risk, just like in Nairobi I was refused entry and it was a great inconvenience. This is not good for me.
1977 Correspondence
As for the German court case, it now appears to be suspended. So keep prepared and let us depend on Krsna.
The tendency you report of the householders living at the expense of others in our Society, is not good. One way to earn money is by selling books, they can be given a salary or commission. But if you say that they do not want to do that, yes, they should do some honest work. As an overall problem, this can be discussed by the entire GBC at Mayapur.
| Page Title: | Suspended |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Mayapur |
| Created: | 16 of Mar, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=1, SB=13, CC=2, OB=2, Lec=4, Con=14, Let=34 |
| No. of Quotes: | 70 |