Tehran

Expressions researched:
"Tehran"

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.7.6 -- Hyderabad, August 18, 1976:

Now these foreigners, they are neither Hindus nor Indian nor brāhmaṇas. How they are taking? They are not fools and rascals. They are coming from respectable family, educated. So we have got our centers in Iran also. In Tehran, I am just coming from there. We have got so many Mohammedan students, and they have also taken to it. In Africa they have taken to it. In Australia they have taken to it. All over the world. So that is the Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission.

Lecture on SB 3.22.20 -- Tehran, August 9, 1976:

Just like our Atreya Ṛṣi, he's gṛhastha, he's living in Iran, Tehran, but it doesn't matter. If he speaks kṛṣṇa-kathā, then he's guru. It is very simple thing. We should not speak beyond what is spoken by Kṛṣṇa. Take Bhagavad-gītā and try to preach the principles, speak whatever is spoken in the Bhagavad-gītā. Then it doesn't matter whether you are a gṛhastha or a sannyāsī or brahmacārī. You become guru.

So our mission, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the same mission as Caitanya Mahāprabhu, yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). This kṛṣṇa-upadeśa I have translated into "Kṛṣṇa conscious," how to make people Kṛṣṇa conscious. This is our mission. On this principle, either gṛhastha or vānaprastha or sannyāsī, everyone can take part. Ye kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā, sei 'guru' haya. Caitanya Mahāprabhu was taking instruction from Rāmānanda Rāya.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Lecture -- Calcutta, March 20, 1975:

Śruta-kīrti: Tehran.

Prabhupāda: Tehran. Yes. I forgot. He has come. Here is the Tehran representative. Yes. So there was very nice meeting in Tehran. Many scholar, Muhammadan, came to see me. So everyone is understanding the importance of this movement. So in Tehran I discussed about chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that there are many names. Nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktiḥ. Kṛṣṇa's name, manyfold. So I pleaded to the Muslim audience that "You can chant the name of Allah also. Not necessarily that you have to chant the Kṛṣṇa name, but any name indicating the Supreme Lord can be chanted." Because in the śāstra it is said, harer nāma, harer nāma, (CC Adi 17.21) the holy name of the Lord. But it must be the name of the Lord. Actually, Kṛṣṇa has thousands of names, and His names are enumerated by His activities. Just like Kṛṣṇa accepted to become the son of Mother Yaśodā; therefore He is called Yaśodā-nandana.

Arrival Conversation -- Los Angeles, June 20, 1975:

Prabhupāda: So he said, "I am again surrendered." (laughs)

Jayatīrtha: I hope so.

Prabhupāda: So he has gone to Tehran?

Jayatīrtha: Yes. A letter just came from him recently saying that he was very enthusiastic in his service there.

Prabhupāda: He is business-minded. Let him do business for Kṛṣṇa.

Jayatīrtha: Yes. He says there is so much money there they don't know how to spend it. In Iran people have so much money they don't what to do with it.

Prabhupāda: Yes. They are getting money for nothing. (laughs)

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- February 28, 1973, Jakarta:

Prabhupāda: Get pension from Japan?

Guest (1): From Japan, twenty-five percent of salary. So it's not enough, same society, same society, salary time in Japan (indistinct) evacuation. I left, moreover, I have two (indistinct) in Tokyo (indistinct) by my mother and father. This is (indistinct) Before I had four—one wife and one only daughter but both (indistinct) passed away, and widower. So I was anywhere safe alone, widower, so I left Japan '63, for India first. (indistinct) Kabul, Peshawar and Tehran, Karachi and come here '66. Too long, (indistinct) easiest place to live, easiest places to live. But too long (indistinct) So I will leave from here maybe next year (indistinct) Alexandria, Egypt and from there along the south coast Mediterranean up to Rabat, Morocco. Before pre-war time I was several times (indistinct) Suez Canal (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: He has traveled all over the world.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk at Marina del Rey -- July 14, 1974, Los Angeles:

Bali Mardana: Do you have his telephone number?

Jayatīrtha: It's his business. (very loud waves in background)

Prabhupāda: You have to take visa for Tehran?

Jayatīrtha: (indistinct)

Bali Mardana: (break) ...sanctify the whole world by your footsteps. You are criss-crossing the world.

Prabhupāda: That is stated in the śāstra. Tīrthī-kurvanti tīrthāni svāntaḥ-sthena gadābhṛtā. Because a pure devotee carries Kṛṣṇa within his heart, therefore wherever he goes he makes a holy place. It is said in the śāstra. So not me, but every one of you, if you are pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa, then wherever you'll go, that is a holy place. Tīrthī-kurvanti tīrthāni svāntaḥ... To become sannyāsī means that, that he'll be pure devotee, and wherever he will go, he will purify. That is sannyāsa means. Mahad-vicalaṁ nṛnāṁ gṛhināṁ dīna-cetasām. Mahātmās, they'll travel so that the householders, who are cripple-minded and full of sinful activities, they'll go there and make them purified. This is the idea of sannyāsa.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- March 15, 1975, Tehran:

Devotee: Yes, then you can rule the world.

Prabhupāda: Yes. (break)...combined together it is very pleasing. (break) Eh?

Devotee: Tehran used to be very beautiful before there were so many cars. Very clean, very clear. The land, and when I was a child the land was very cheap here. So, now it is very, very expensive and very polluted with cars.

Prabhupāda: Due to the cars?

Devotee: Yes.

Devotee: Everyone was a farmer, now everyone is a factory worker.

Devotee: Yes. It was very nice, very clear and very nice.

Prabhupāda: Again, let them become farmers. (break)

Morning Walk -- March 15, 1975, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: Where, where?

Devotee: In India.

Prabhupāda: In India. Oh.

Devotee: One industrialist friend, (indistinct), who has come to Tehran, I visited him. Very, very rich industrialist, he built a temple, very nice temple, (indistinct), and the government was not pleased that he has built a temple and they came in and searched his house and they gave him 20,000,000 rupees penalty.

Prabhupāda: For constructing a temple?

Devotee: No, for taxes and but their real reason was they were not happy that he was spending his money constructing a temple. (indistinct)

Conversation with the GBC -- March 27, 1975, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Atreya Ṛṣi: They should always... And this spirit should go on amongst the twelve. Or if I'm in Tehran, and if there is a financial matter...

Prabhupāda: Yes. Don't bring politics. Then it will be ruined.

Atreya Ṛṣi: Yes. The spirit should be that you write me and ask me, and I will give you all the service that I can. This should come in us.

Jayatīrtha: For example, in the United States...

Atreya Ṛṣi: Not so much, necessarily, committees and formal...

Prabhupāda: So if a committee is necessary, it should be decided, first stage, decided by the GBC, and I'll give final sanction.

Morning Walk -- May 16, 1975, Perth:

Prabhupāda: Cāpāṭi, in Middle East also they eat.

Devotee (1): Yes, in Lebanon.

Paramahaṁsa: In Tehran we saw those big cāpāṭis.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Paramahaṁsa: Six feet long.

Prabhupāda: Yes, so big. One cāpāṭi is sufficient for the whole family. They are sold in market, purchased.

Śrutakīrti: Very cheaply.

Paramahaṁsa: Only three or four cents apiece.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 12, 1976, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: No, I think we must.... If.... Now the modern world is getting smaller and smaller and, I mean, the Islamic countries are also getting women with the modern sciences and...

Prabhupāda: When I was in, what is called? Tehran. Tehran. Many Muslims were coming.

Dr. Patel: They are all Aryans. They are more enlightened people.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Dr. Patel: In fact, they were the real Aryans. Iran.

Prabhupāda: Iran, yes, Aryan.

Morning Walk -- April 21, 1976, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: Switzerland.

Guru-kṛpā: ...four or five weeks. Altogether it's eleven weeks, maybe even two and a half, three months.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: I think you were possibly wanting to stop in Tehran this year on the way back to India?

Prabhupāda: Hm, yes.

Devotee (2): We have word from the Melbourne City Council that they intend now not to let us have our annual Rathayātrā festival.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Magazine Interview -- June 10, 1976, Los Angeles:

Rāmeśvara: Prabhupāda has a very busy schedule coming up in the next month and a half. He's going to Detroit, Toronto, Pittsburgh, and our farm in that area, then Washington, D.C., New York, London, Paris, Rome, Tehran, and back to Bombay, all within about forty-five days.

Prabhupāda: Athens, Athens, Athens.

Rāmeśvara: Athens?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Rāmeśvara: Oh. The new center in Athens.... It opened so fast, it's...

Interviewer: How long will you spend at each stop?

Conversation After Interview with Religious Editor, Associated Press -- July 16, 1976, New York:

Ātreya Ṛṣi: They are there. They're very happy.

Prabhupāda: Where?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: In Tehran.

Prabhupāda: They have gone there?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: They have come.

Prabhupāda: Oh, when?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: About two months ago, a month.

Prabhupāda: I saw them in Los Angeles.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Yes, they left.

Room Conversation -- July 26, 1976, London:

Hari-śauri: The other thing is, though, that if you go to Paris, then it means you have to go up the steps to get into the airplane, not just in Paris.... At least in London you have to, and then again you have to do it in Paris, and then again you'll have to do it in Tehran.

Bhagavān: Yes, but he doesn't have to.... He can stay there for a while. He doesn't have to go to Tehran.

Hari-śauri: No, you can't fly direct to India from Paris.

Jayatīrtha: He has to stop somewhere along the way. Otherwise...

Bhagavān: We're hoping he'll rapidly recover.

Jayatīrtha: Well, Srila Prabhupāda is not expecting it at this point. Of course, we're all praying for it.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Jayatīrtha: I said we're all praying for your rapid recovery, but whether or not...

Prabhupāda: So why you did not come yesterday?

Room Conversation -- July 26, 1976, London:

Jayatīrtha: Harikeśa Maharaja and I were discussing last night about your travel plans, and we were debating on what was actually the best place for you to go. So someone was saying Tehran, someone was saying Paris farm, like this, but the point that came out was that as far as health is concerned, India is not the best place for you to go at all.

Prabhupāda: India.

Jayatīrtha: Not the best place. However, the main point is that you want to go there. That was what was felt by the devotees who were discussing, that you want to go to India immediately and that you will feel more comfortable by going to India immediately. That was what was being discussed. Although for health purposes that may not actually be the best.

Hari-śauri: For us India is not very healthy. But for Prabhupāda it's the best place.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Room Conversation -- July 26, 1976, London:

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

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

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

Pṛthu-putra: Air India is direct from Geneva.

Prabhupāda: I shall not stay...

Room Conversation -- July 26, 1976, London:

Prabhupāda: I shall not stay...

Pṛthu-putra: I came back from Bombay to Geneva by direct plane.

Prabhupāda: Yes, there is plane.

Pṛthu-putra: I didn't have to stop in Tehran, and Geneva is very near.

Bhagavān: I think you can recover there. The atmosphere is so nice.

Pṛthu-putra: From the farm Geneva is the same distance than to Paris.

Bhagavān: I mean, more or less whenever you get sick everyone thinks that India is not really the best place, because you're always obliged to so many people. Whether you are feeling like it or not, they always come in the room.

Room Conversation -- August 2, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Prabhupāda: You were there, yes. Is that life? How they can be happy if this is the condition? So what further advancement?

Harikeśa: In reference?

Hari-śauri: Tehran.

Harikeśa: Oh, your tickets are definitely booked on the nonstop flight. I finally managed to...

Prabhupāda: Take the ticket. Oh, we have got ticket.

Harikeśa: The reservation, I mean... And if for some reason we can't get on that flight, we have reservations on another flight that arrives four hours later.

Prabhupāda: That doesn't matter.

Room Conversation -- August 8, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: It can be changed?

Harikeśa: I suppose.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Of course. We know the President of Air India in Tehran.

Harikeśa: He's on Iran Air.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Iran Air also, no problem. You'll get the best flight.

Prabhupāda: It is very good climate.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda, you must rest.

Harikeśa: Last year when we were in Denver, I think you were very healthy there, and this is the same altitude.

Evening Darsana -- August 12, 1976, Tehran:

Mr. Sahani: Here the land prices are five times what they are in America.

Prabhupāda: Never mind. Eh? There?

Mr. Sahani: The price of land here in Tehran is five times what it is in New York.

Prabhupāda: Ācchā? (laughter)

Mrs. Sahani: Highest, most highest in the world, next to probably Tokyo.

Mr. Sahani: The house which you have seen today is worth two lakhs of dollars. In two lakhs of dollars you can have palace in America.

Prabhupāda: No, not that...

Arrival Conversation -- August 13, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Iran night, very nice.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I was there a year ago. I've gone to Tehran.

Prabhupāda: In the morning also it is very nice.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: You go on the morning walk now, Śrīla Prabhupāda, I heard?

Prabhupāda: No, not...

Hari-śauri: Prabhupāda can't climb up stairs. Once he goes upstairs then he'll stay.

Prabhupāda: What about the lift here?

Evening Darsana -- August 14, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Fiji and New Zealand...

Kartikeya Mahadevia: Are very prosperous.

Prabhupāda: Yes. They have got good dealings, purchase and sell.

Kartikeya Mahadevia: Did you meet Mr. Patel met you in Tehran? Bokumi(?) Patel? One Indian is settled there, Patel.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Kartikeya Mahadevia: They are very good friends of mine. So I am going to him only. Maitreya Muni is also there, he is also there.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. She came to see me twice, Mrs. Patel. She is very nice...

Evening Darsana -- August 14, 1976, Bombay:

Yaśomatīnandana: That is the most favorite slogan of everybody.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Because they're asses. Asses, they want... Even in Tehran, I saw the ass. This is Indian civilization. Loaded.

Indian man: With pots or something.

Prabhupāda: Right. Some tons of things. The ass does not know why he is carrying so much load. Therefore mūḍha. What for he is carrying? What is his profit? He does not know. But he's carrying so much. "I am big industrialist. I have got so much business." What for you are doing industry? That he does not know. Ass. Karmīs are described as asses. They do not know what is the interest.

Morning Walk -- August 14, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Whole Europe, there is no cloud, no rain.

Dr. Patel: There's lot of rain here.

Prabhupāda: Fortunate vṛṣṭi. Still India fortunate. I'm coming from London, Paris, and Tehran. All fields yellow. And Europe, so much scorching heat and sunshine, I never seen. Especially in London. This time I saw everything has become yellow. Greenness gone.

Dr. Patel: The non-monsoon countries can produce more food than the monsoon countries. The monsoon comes only three months in a year. Those people get rain all year 'round, they can grow better crops. This is how so many parts of North America and Europe, they can have sufficient crops all the year. We can't have it here.

Prabhupāda: No, there is scarcity of water also. They are killing the animal premature. They cannot do it. It has come to this point.

Room Conversation -- August 14, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yes, but the mission should be, human being should be meant for doing good to others. Para-upakāra. That para-upakāra spirit is gone on account of losing our own culture. Otherwise, India's culture is para-upakāra. India was open, "Come everyone, learn." Lord Jesus Christ also came here. All the Chinese, learned scholars, they used to come. The history is there. And India was open. Gṛhe śatrum api prāptaṁ viśvastam akutobhayam. This is Indian culture. Even the enemy comes, "Yes, please come, you stay." But later on, they took advantage: "Oh, they are very liberal, enter there." And still we are liberal. "Please come here, stay here and take prasādam free, and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." Open to everyone. I shall manage anyway, I shall travel, still I shall lay down my life and bring money. Come here, stay. Still we are liberal. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission, janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra (CC Adi 9.41). First of all, make your life successful by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Then do good to others. Yesterday, I think, in Tehran, one boy came.

Room Conversation -- September 5, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: This is his taste. Sit idly, and become famous as very good scholar.

Rūpa Vilāsa: He did not come to class so often. He did not even come to teach so often. Śrīla Prabhupāda, when Dayānanda prabhu was teaching the children he was a very good teacher and he liked very much to teach. Now I know he is in Tehran upon your order, but still he was very effective as a teacher of Bhagavad-gītā to the children.

Prabhupāda: Restless, that's all. Mind not fixed up. Restless. Now what he'll do with that four thousand rupees? It is very good program. If I get some thousands of rupees and sit down in Rādhā-kuṇḍa and eat, that is very good idea.

Press Conference -- December 16, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Ah, Ātreya Ṛṣi, yes. He is Iranian.

Dr. Ramachandra: He is also Muslim?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Many Iranians, they have become our devotees. We have got a temple in Tehran.

Devotee: In Hyderabad there is Muslim. He is a life member.

Prabhupāda: No, that, life member... God consciousness... Who will deny God? It is a science. So we are teaching the science, not the bigotry, "my God, your God." God is one. Gold is gold. Gold does not become Hindu gold, Muslim gold, or Christian gold. Anywhere gold is available, it is gold. That is our definition. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmaḥ. That is highest, topmost type of religion, yato bhaktir adhokṣaje, where one can learn how to love God, that's all. That is wanted. We are teaching that. There is no question of "this God, that God." God is one. You just practice how to love Him. Then your religion is first-class.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- January 30, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: That is good the first, beginning, let them come. Let them sit down, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and take prasāda. In Iran we are doing that. Gradually it is becoming interesting. You had been in our Iran, Tehran?

Pṛthu-putra: I went there also some time, long time ago. But Iran is a different concept. They're not so strict about following the Koran. For example, these Arabic countries like Algeria, Libya, Egypt, and Tunisia, they don't recognize Iran like being part of them. Iran and Turkey and Afghanistan they think is another Muslim world. For example, in Iran there is much more Sufis, the different... But in these Arabic countries like Egypt, they're really conservative. They're very strict.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Conservative means fanatical.

Room Conversation 'GBC Resolutions' -- March 1, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: You deposit in the Māyāpur.

Rāmeśvara: In Los Angeles, that check.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: That's the check. And also the Tehran yātrā is making an additional two thousand dollar donation to Your Divine Grace. Shall I give him a check or shall I put it in your account? Which way you like?

Prabhupāda: No, no. You can directly put in my account.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Put it in which account? In Māyāpur account? Or shall I put it in my account and give you interest?

Prabhupāda: That's all right

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

Prabhupāda: He is Muhammadan. He was Attanya. So I have given him the name Ātreya Ṛṣi. There are many like that. In Iran we have got center, Tehran. We have got many Muhammadan disciples there, prosecuting our method. And he is the head there. Just see. Ātreya Ṛṣi. What he has said?

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.

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

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Jaya. In Tehran the royalty, the court, is very interested in your teachings and philosophy. There is a prince and princess, very high and very rich, and they are regularly hearing, and they are now recently visiting our Bombay temple. They have come to Bombay, and they are really seeking for a teacher. And there is many intelligent people who are very interested. We are actively preaching and giving them Śrīla Prabhupāda's books.

Prabhupāda: It is plain fact. God is one. Why God should be Muhammadan, Christian, Hindu? That is not God. God is God. Gold is gold. This example I give always. Because a piece of gold is coming from some Muhammadan gentleman, does it mean it is Muhammadan gold? It is gold. It may come from any source, but one must know that it is gold, not imitation. That is wanted. If it is imitation, then it is Muhammadan gold, Hindu gold. And if it is real gold, it is neither Muhammadan nor Hindu. (end)

Conversation Pieces -- May 27, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Indian. Indian?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Yes, because so many Indians have not been granted visa in Iran, so they are now reciprocating like that, and I had to go back to Tehran to see the ambassador, who is our friend, getting visa and come back immediately.

Prabhupāda: Just see.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: The government are just playing these games.

Prabhupāda: Whimsical. Very, very difficult to deal with such unscrupulous government. But still, we have got open field all over the world.

Rāmeśvara: In America the book selling has now surpassed last year.

Prabhupāda: Ācchā?

Conversation with Surendra Kumar and O.B.L. Kapoor -- June 26, 1977, Vrndavana:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: This is Prabhupāda's Īśopaniṣad in Arabic. The Middle East countries are buying it.

Surendra Kumar: These people from Tehran... And my friend is a Muslim. He is very... He is just like my sister and my wife's very intimate friend.

Prabhupāda: We have no such question, Hindu, Muslim...

Surendra Kumar: She said, "I'm going to become a devotee. I'm going to become a life member."

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, very good. She's from Delhi?

Surendra Kumar: No, from Aligarh. So yesterday my wife said that "I am going to see Prabhupāda," she said, "I am coming with you."

Room Conversation -- October 9, 1977, Vrndavana:

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.

Room Conversation -- October 9, 1977, Vrndavana:

Rāmeśvara: And she requested one painting from the Tenth Canto, which she wants to hang in the palace. And in this palace the rulers of all the countries of the world pass through as visitors. So she is hanging this painting of Kṛṣṇa stealing butter. (Prabhupāda laughs) Very big painting. So I brought the painting with me when I went to Tehran so they could display it.

Prabhupāda: Anyone can scratch very hard?

Kīrtanānanda: I'm afraid you won't have any back left.

Prabhupāda: Oh, Kīrtanānanda, you are doing. (devotees laugh)

Jayatīrtha: He is your original masseur. He wants his old job back now.

Prabhupāda: Not so hard. (laughs)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Too hard.

Room Conversation -- October 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: At night snowfall?

Rāmeśvara: No.

Jayatīrtha: Snow there starts around December. It starts to get snow in Tehran.

Rāmeśvara: This is the best time in Tehran, the fall, autumn season. Parivrājakācārya Mahārāja told me that the Indian ambassador to Iran spoke with him and told him, "You are the real ambassador of India."

Prabhupāda: Hm. Why?

Rāmeśvara: Because he is becoming friendly with the royal family. Actually he goes every day to the palace. They send a chauffeured Mercedes to pick him up every day. He spends four or five hours every day talking to the royal family.

Room Conversation -- October 11, 1977, Vrndavana:

Dr. Kapoor: First in the world. (laughs)

Brahmānanda: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. (break) Ātreya Ṛṣi and Parivrājakācārya Swami are here.

Hari-śauri: They brought you a big plate of fruits and things, from Tehran.

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: This is sweet lemon.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: It is sweet lemon. The juice is very sweet.

Prabhupāda: Now give me.

Room Conversation -- October 11, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So you make good profit.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: It's your mercy, Śrīla Prabhupāda. (Prabhupāda chuckles) They respect you a lot in Tehran. The royalty respects you. The businessmen respect you. They really respect Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Persian civilization, very high, Aryan civilization.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: There was this Persian boy who was translating Bhagavad-gītā. He had come with me last month to Vṛndāvana to have your darśana. Then you had gone to London.

Room Conversation -- October 11, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: What meeting is going on?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We had two meetings today. One meeting was the BBT meeting for the completion of the Bombay project. And then another meeting was about our community Gītā-nagarī. Describing how it will be... Dhṛṣṭadyumna Mahārāja has come with his brother, who's the architect. And we're having a meeting for planning this ideal community very exactly, everything. The people present at the meeting are Bhavānanda Mahārāja and Paramānanda, Vāmanadeva, Dhṛṣṭadyumna Mahārāja, Tripurāri Mahārāja, Balavanta, Rūpānuga. All these people have experience with..., you know, like Bhavānanda in Māyāpur. Balavanta has two farms, Rūpānuga, all of these people. In other words, we're just trying to plan out... And Surabhī Mahārāja. And Dhṛṣṭadyumna Mahārāja's brother is an architect. In fact I've just been told that his architectural firm is the same one that's designing the... What is that? Designing a big thing in Tehran for the Shah of Iran. It's a very big architectural firm. So we're just trying to plan a very ideal community. We don't want to make a hodgepodge of it. I mean it should be so ideal that it becomes one of the most wonderful preaching tools for our movement, to show that "Here is an ideal community based upon Vedic principles, and it's perfect in every respect." So it takes a little cooperative thought and planning. That's why we've invited so many people to sit in the meeting.

Prabhupāda: I was very happy when I heard, respectable gentlemen, out of love, they are washing dishes. You know that? Ātreya Ṛṣi told me.

Room Conversation -- October 21, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Hm. So how you are spending that money?

Dayānanda: Now I live in my own apartment, I'm giving fifty percent to the ISKCON Tehran projects, and fifty percent I keep for maintenance.

Prabhupāda: So there is no scarcity? Eh?

Dayānanda: No, there's no scarcity, Śrīla Prabhupāda. In my spare time I am working in the restaurant, helping to manage the restaurant.

Prabhupāda: It is a big company?

Dayānanda: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda, all over the world.

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Room Conversation -- October 21, 1977, Vrndavana:

Dayānanda: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda, all over the world.

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Dayānanda: They have offered me a position in Russia. They said I can go and work in Russia, but I am very much attached to Tehran project. So in companies like this we can go. I can go...

Prabhupāda: Anywhere.

Dayānanda: Yes.

Prabhupāda: What is the company?

Dayānanda: It's a computer company. Univac, it's called. It's like IBM. It's a competitor of IBM.

Room Conversation -- October 21, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: IBM also American, eh?

Dayānanda: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Yes, when there is opportunity you can go for preaching. But here you are situated nice, Tehran, eh?

Dayānanda: Yes. Ātreya Ṛṣi would rather have me stay. Ātreya Ṛṣi wants me to stay at least for this, for now. Maybe in the future I can go to some other place for preaching.

Prabhupāda: That is good. Jaya. Jaya. (break)

Room Conversation -- October 26, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Wash.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Śrīla Prabhupāda, last week one package was sent here, via Bombay, for Your Divine Grace, of fruit from the palace, from the king's palace in Tehran. And also there was a letter sent which... I don't know... It did not come.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, nothing came.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: The fruit came. It was the pomegranate and lemon.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Dayānanda brought it.

Bhavānanda: No, before then. The fruit came.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: And the letter wished you good health by the royal family.

Prabhupāda: No, preaching also, it is going on. I know that. Where is the cotton sweater?

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Sudama -- Tittenhurst 19 September, 1969:

I understand that Japan is growing in press industry and paper industry. Tamala has suggested me to go to Japan next year, and I am very much anxious for this. If we establish a strong center in Japan and subsequently in Hong Kong—and from this side we have already in Germany and two, three in the middle east, like in Tehran and Cairo, then there will be regular belt all over the world for Krishna Consciousness Movement.

I am enclosing herewith some paper cuttings showing the reception we had in London. Already we have held one very successful meeting in the Town Hall, and the BBC television station had an interview with us on a very popular program for forty minutes. So things are progressing very nicely in England as in our other branches.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Harivilasa -- Los Angeles 14 June, 1970:

Sometime before I met one gentleman in New York from Iran. His name and address is given below:

Mr. Majid Movagarh / Mehr Monthly Review

224, Shareza Avenue / Tehran, Iran

He informed me that people in Tehran are interested in such yoga societies like ours. They are also hankering after something like this for spiritual advancement.

So I have no definite idea, but I give you this hint that in the Middle Eastern countries like Egypt, Turkey, Iran, Armenia, there is need of spreading this Krsna Consciousness Movement. I hope you will understand the philosophy fully and try to spread it in these countries as far as possible; and Krsna will give you all strength and resources to fulfill your mission.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Atreya Rsi -- Mayapur 21 June, 1973:

Regarding your participation in New Vrndavana during the attack. Although a Krsna Conscious person is free of bodily attachment that does not mean that he does not defend for Krsna's purpose. But that you became fearful in the face of danger is not necessarily wrong.

When travelling from London to Calcutta we passed through Tehran, Iran. It appears to be a good city. We found the people to be just like here in India. Human nature is the same everywhere. So also the possibility of accepting Krsna Consciousness is everywhere.

Letter to Karandhara -- Bhaktivedanta Manor 1 September, 1973:

For second initiation find herewith the sacred threads duly chanted by me and you do the rest work.

My schedule of program is as follows; Sweden on the 5th September after returning I shall go to Japan by the 15th via Tehran and India. Then from Japan I shall return to Los Angeles via Hawaii, estimated by the 10th October. Certainly at that time I shall drive on my Rolls Royce car with great pleasure at least for three months. Pray to Krishna that I may execute my touring program without any disturbance.

Letter to Atreya Rsi -- Los Angeles 20 December, 1973:

Also, I have received the letter from Navayauvana along with the $150.00 daksina. I happily accept Navayauvana for second initiation. Enclosed find one sacred thread and one gayatri mantra sheet. You should hold a fire sacrifice amongst our members only, after which the initiate should listen to the gayatri mantra cassette tape which I have made once through the right ear. I hope that you are coming to our Mayapur festival March 1st to 8th. We are having a GBC meeting and your presence is required. After the Mayapur ceremony when I am coming to Europe, I will stop in Tehran for two or three days. Please offer my blessings to your wife, Navayauvana Prabhu, and all of the other devotees there.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Atreya Rsi -- Bombay 15 November, 1974:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated September 28, 1974, and it is received so late on account of touring. I have sent you one telegram as follows: AUDIT YOUNG ATTAR TEHRAN LT COME AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE BEFORE NOVEMBER 30 -AC BHAKTIVEDANTA SWAMI.

You say that you are all fools. When you can understand that you are a fool that means that you are a little intelligent because you can detect your own foolishness. Caitanya Mahaprabhu wanted to remain a fool just to teach us how to make progress in spiritual life. All Vaisnavas not artificially but seriously think themselves as foolish. The more we remain foolish, the more we remain eager to learn for spiritual advancement in life.

Letter to Atreya Rsi -- Bombay 4 December, 1974:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated November 18, 1974 with enclosed letter about the restaurant. Why you could not come to India? I had wanted you to come to discuss some matters. Bhagavan dasa also wanted you to come.

Anyway I know the people of Tehran they like hatha yoga very much. I understand Parivrajakacarya Swami is teaching a course combining both hatha and bhakti yoga to attract the people. This is a very good idea. Somehow or other inject the bhakti yoga. That will save them from the degradations of sense gratification.

Regarding the restaurant, what kind of restaurant it will be? The people of Iran are very rich and they can supply money for this purpose.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Mrs. Mohini H. Singh -- Brooklyn 6 March, 1975:

I thank you for your kind letter of invitation dated 21st of Feb., 1975. I am just on my way to London from here (New York), and from there I shall have to go to Tehran, Iran, and then back to India by the 15th of March, 1975 for arranging the birthday anniversary of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu at our Mayapur center, (District Nadia), West Bengal, India. Therefore I am very sorry to inform you that I shall not be able to attend the auspicious meeting which you are going to hold on the 23rd of March. I am advising therefore my senior disciple, His Holiness, Kirtanananda Swami to attend the meeting and I hope he will be able to present the proper view of our Krishna Consciousness movement. Our movement is completely a spiritual movement, therefore sometimes it appears to be a little different from the materialistic cultural movement.

Letter to Dr. R.F. Rao -- Tehran 13 March, 1975:

I had not received any letter from you until now, Svarupa Damodara das is in our Atlanta temple. The address is: 1287 Ponce de Leon Ave., N.E. Atlanta, Georgia 30306 U.S.A. I have asked Svarupa Damodara to write you and I gave him your address. He promised that he would immediately write a letter. I have just completed a world-wide tour visiting Hong Kong, Japan, U.S.A., South America and Mexico, London, and now I am in Tehran. Our center here is very nice. I will be leaving for Bombay on the 15th of March and then on to Calcutta on the 19th from there. This year, we will again celebrate the birth day of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in Mayapur on March 27th. All the devotees will be coming about a week early for doing parikrama of the different holy spots. About 400-500 devotees will again come this year. I would be happy to see you there if you are able to come.

Letter to Dr. G. Ghosh -- Tehran 15 March, 1975:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated Feb. 8th, 1975 and have noted the contents. On my world tour, I have received your letter redirected to New York City. I started from Bombay on the 24th of Jan., then via Hong Kong, Japan, Hawaii, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Caracas, Miami, Atlanta, Dallas, New York, and London, now I am here in Tehran in our center as above mentioned. I shall be starting from Bombay tonight and will be staying for 2 or 3 days. Then I shall go to Calcutta from there. And after that, I shall go to Mayapur to hold our annual ceremony celebrating Lord Caitanya's Birth day. You are cordially invited to attend our ceremony there and then also our ceremony in Vrndavana. I wish that you may visit our temple along with your wife Mrs. Ghosh.

Letter to Radheswarananda Goswami -- Tehran 15 March, 1975:

I thank you very much for your letter dated Feb. 8th, 1975. I am now on world tour. I left Bombay on Jan. 24th, 1975 and traveled to Hong Kong, Japan, Hawaii, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Caracas, Miami, Atlanta, Dallas, New York, London, and now I am at our Tehran center as above mentioned. And again, I am going back to Bombay tomorrow. So, your proposal is very nice. I wanted to take a party of sankirtana movement all over India, if some of the leaders like you co-operate with us. So, I am reaching Bombay tomorrow and I shall stay there until the 19th. If possible, please come and see me at my Bombay center as follows: Hare Krishna Land, Gandhi Gram Road, Juhu, Bombay 400 054. Or, if the letter does not reach you in time, I am inviting you to come to our festival at Mayapur from the 23rd-27th of March.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Giriraja -- Auckland 27 April, 1976:

Tomorrow we go to Fiji for some time, and the laying of the foundation stone of our new temple there, then on to Hawaii, and by about June 1st, we should reach Los Angeles. After that we are planning to visit Detroit, New York Rathayatra tentatively scheduled in late June, then New Vrindaban. Before returning to India, we shall stopover in Europe for about 2 weeks, and possibly Tehran.

Letter to Giriraja -- Los Angeles 6 June, 1976:

I am anxious to know when my quarters will be ready. In your last letter you gave me an attractive idea of my quarters, so I am anxious for it. Please keep me informed. From Los Angeles, I will go to Detroit, from June 11-16, then Toronto June 16-21, then New Vrindaban June 21-July 2, then Washington, D.C. July 2-July 9, then New York July 9-July 20, then London July 20-26, then Paris farm and Rome July 26-August 10; Then Tehran from August 10-13, expecting to arrive approximately in Bombay August 14.

Letter to Ramakrishnaji -- Washington D.C 5 July, 1976:

I shall be returning to Bombay on or about August 14, 1976, after which time I shall be able to attend the Coordinating Committee meeting when the date is fixed up. After visiting our Washington, D.C. centre I shall be going on to New York where we are scheduled to have our Rathayatra procession down 5th. Avenue on July 18th, then London, Paris, Rome, Tehran (Iran) where we have our centers, and reaching Bombay thereafter.

Letter to Bhagavan -- New York 14 July, 1976:

I am in due receipt of your letter dated July 8, 1976, and I have noted the contents with care.

Concerning the proposed meeting with the Pope, I have no objection cancelling or delaying the journey to Tehran if the meeting with the Pope is assured. That is important. But if it is simply a courtesy visit, then what is the use? If he is prepared to discuss seriously how religion is becoming degraded all over the world, then it is worthwhile. Religion is now being taken as a formality. People generally have no real conception of God. Ours is a tangible connection with God. We know who is God and how to serve Him. Everything is fact.

Letter to Gopala Krsna -- Tehran 9 August, 1976:

I have received your letter of July 31, which was addressed to Harikesa Maharaja and I have noted the contents. I shall be returning to Bombay from Tehran on Friday the 13.

I have received the color proofs for the books and have noted that it is not as good as the foreign printing. It is missing the luster, but it is not bad.

Regarding Tejiyas and Delhi, I have already said that you should arrange whatever is suitable by mutual agreement.

Yes, you may fix up the life member rooms by investing a little money.

Letter to Sumati Morarjee -- Valencay, France 7 August, 1976:

Since I have not heard from you for a very long time, I was very glad to receive your letter dated 29th July 1976. I came here to our temple to install Krsna Balarama murtis, and the function has now been completed. I shall go to Tehran, Iran from here and shall stay there for a few days before returning to India as soon as possible.

I am sorry to learn that you have become a little agitated regarding the publication of an article in our Back to Godhead magazine. It is certainly unpleasant, but the officers who publish the magazine do not know satyam bruyat priyam bruyat, in this material world only palatable truth should be spoken. Unpalatable truth should be carefully avoided. The cause of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's agitation was much the same as your own.

Letter to Dinesh Candra Sarkar -- New Delhi 26 August, 1976:

I am now staying at Delhi at the above address. From here I shall go to Vrndavana. I am also not keeping good health.

In New York I caught a cold and it continued for about one month of coughing at night without any sleep. But still I am travelling. I went from New York to London to Paris to Tehran to Bombay to Hyderabad to here.

So I am sorry to learn that you are not well. Pray to Krishna and chant Hare Krishna. The body is a temple of disease, janma mrtyu jara vyadhi (BG 13.9). Disease is our inevitable companion. We still have to execute our duty of Krishna consciousness as far as possible and Krishna will help us. We are going to have a very big project at Mayapur. We have to acquire 350 acres of land from the Government and construct a spiritual town at the expense of Rs. 200 Crores. The plans and contemplations are going on in different phases, now when Caitanya Mahaprabhu will be pleased it will be taken up.

Letter to unknown 2 -- 28 September, 1976:

With the grace of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu by and by ISKCON's 40 temples in America's important cities were constructed and throughout Europe in England, France, Germany, Italy and in Melbourne and Sydney in Australia, New Zealand, Auckland, Africa, Canada and Tehran and other places as well in the world all total of 102 such centres of ISKCON for distribution of Krishna cult were established. Amongst all these the very big temples in London, New York, Los Angeles, and Detroit can be specially mentioned. In these temples the minimum number of devotees attached is 50 and maximum 250 and they are engaged to distribute Krishna hymns leading an austentious life. Everywhere the Deity of Radha and Krishna is being worshiped.

1977 Correspondence

Letter to Atreya Rsi -- Bombay 20 April, 1977:

I also like the idea of Amoghalila going there. Just now Gopala Krishna has gone to Delhi and Vrndavana but when he returns I shall speak to him about Amogha-lila going to Karachi.

Thank you very much for opening up this encouraging field of preaching. I shall be very glad to receive a report how everything is going in Tehran.