Prabhupāda: Two things are required. Dekha śroṇa(?), seeing and hearing, for gaining knowledge. So he has got knowledge by seeing and hearing, but still... That means the heart is not clear. So this thing will be helpful for clearing the heart. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ (SB 1.2.17). Simply by legal obligation one cannot be purified. You may enact thousands of rules and regulation and laws. You cannot purify the heart of the people. Here is the process to purify the heart of the people. Therefore they should be taken advantage of. Simply by saying that "If you do this, then you'll be punished," nobody cares for that.
Unclear (Conversations)
Conversations and Morning Walks
1968 Conversations and Morning Walks
Interview with LA Times Reporter About Moon Trip -- December 26, 1968, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: Therefore they haven't got the ticket. Even going near sixty miles, still they could not enter. So they are supporting my statement. Whether you admit or not, this? If they could not enter even being off sixty miles, then my statement is strongly supported, that you cannot enter. You go, you went there sixty miles up to, just off sixty miles; still you could not.
Reporter: Well, I think I'm still not clear on whether...
Prabhupāda: Why you are not clear? Just making clear.
Reporter: It is your opinion that... Perhaps you can help me, that you cannot go to the planet unless you...
Prabhupāda: You take some, take some... Take this.
Reporter: Oh, thanks. ...go to a, have a suitable body, and his belief that the spacesuit is not a suitable body or a substitute or whatever. It is not the same thing, and yet if this is accomplished it seems to be that he's also saying that there's no contradiction to his statement.
Prabhupāda: Because I say if you get a suitable body. So if you think that this is suitable body then you can enter. There is no contradiction. But I think it is not suitable body. But in all cases if you get suitable body you can enter there.
1969 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation -- September 9, 1969, Hamburg:
Prabhupāda: You stay with your son?
Woman: No. I am ...(unclear).
Prabhupāda: So why don't you stay here and join your son for preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness? Because your son is so good, you must be good. Because a son cannot be good unless the mother is good. Because son inherits the mother's quality. That is nature. This Hayagrīva's mother wrote me first one letter of congratulations, and she came also to see me in New Vrindaban, his father and mother. Especially his mother is very happy. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement will produce good father and mother, and therefore they will have good children, and there will be no problem in the world. If everyone is Kṛṣṇa conscious. Not everyone, even ten per cent people become Kṛṣṇa conscious, there will be no problem. Problem is created due to bad children. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Varṇa-saṅkara. So if there are good children, there is no problem. Even in this material world, everything will become happy. The basic principle of Vedic civilization is to create good children. All the rules and regulations, everything is there just to create good children. In the first chapter of Bhagavad-gītā these things are described very nicely by Arjuna. There are many purificatory processes to create a good child. A human being is not meant for creating offspring like cats and dogs. They must produce very good child. That is Vedic civilization. Good child means Kṛṣṇa conscious child. That's all.
1970 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation -- November 7, 1970, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: It is difficult, but there is way.
Guest (9): There is some ceremony for that.
Prabhupāda: Yes. So this is upādhi. (Hindi) I identify myself as Hindu, yes. Then they would not have accepted. They would have said, "We have got Christianity. Why should I accept your Hinduism?" (Hindi)
Guest (9): This sort of distinction was not clear to us, but now, after hearing you this morning...
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Guest (9): ...and your ceremony...
Prabhupāda: Yes. Now, if you go anywhere, if you want to preach Hinduism, why they should be interested in Hinduism? They can hear some words. But we are not talking of Hinduism and Mohammedanism; we are talking on the science of God.
Guest (9): The true philosophy.
Prabhupāda: Yes. What is God? What is the conception of God? Oh, they have accepted, therefore: "Yes, here it is right conception." Yes.
Room Conversation -- December 12, 1970, Indore:
Prabhupāda: Of course, so far Vedic culture is concerned, they advocated monarchy because the one man's training, a good king guided by the brahminical culture, although it was autocratic sometimes, but because the king was very cultured there was no possibility of doing any harm to the citizens. But democracy means simply they are given the post by votes, and they may be all rascals. Then what they can think of good to the citizens?
Guest (4): Mahārāja, don't you think that monarchy (unclear)
Prabhupāda: No, that is also not possible. And therefore we are training people to be Kṛṣṇa conscious. And when the Kṛṣṇa conscious people will elect Kṛṣṇa conscious leaders there will be peace and prosperity. And now, because the minority is Kṛṣṇa conscious, they cannot elect Kṛṣṇa conscious leaders and therefore havoc is being played.
Guest (4): Mahārāja, do you think the West is being Hinduized?
Prabhupāda: The "Hinduized" is a sectarian view. We are not...
Guest (4): I mean this, being brought up on sanātana culture.
Prabhupāda: Vedic ways. Yes. You can... The perfect word is Vedic civilization.
Room Conversation -- December 12, 1970, Indore:
Guest (4): Vedic civilization.
Prabhupāda: Yes. That is original civilization. Out of Vedic civilization there are so many outcome now, but if you go originally to the Vedic civilization, that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In the Bhagavad-gītā you will find the word is vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). That means to follow the Vedic way of life means to become Kṛṣṇa conscious.
Guest (5): (unclear)
Prabhupāda: Yes, Vedic way means they are following principles, regulative principles.
Guest (5): So what principle?
Prabhupāda: That I was explaining. That is a big principle. But it has been shortened, shortened in this age. Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam, kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā (CC Adi 17.21). In the Kali-yuga you cannot reform the whole population by any other means except this harer nāma. Therefore we are introducing Hare Kṛṣṇa movement everywhere.
Guest (4): Mahārāja, do the Western and Eastern societies respond differently to this call...
Prabhupāda: No. You cannot say that. Two plus two equal to four everywhere, East and West. There is no difference, East and West. It is scientific. It is vijñaṇa. So when you call of, talk of science, there is no difference of understanding in the East and West. The same thing is understood.
Room Conversation -- December 12, 1970, Indore:
Guest (6): He's all (unclear).
Prabhupāda: But I think he is dead.
Guest (6): He is dead now or he... Sadhanananda is dead, Swami Sadhananda.
Prabhupāda: I know. So that is the test. That is the test. Therefore it is a revolutionary movement. Even so-called followers of Gītā, they will be caught up by this movement as rascals. Because the real purpose of Gītā they do not know. Real purpose of Gītā is to know Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That you will find in the Bhagavad-gītā. Sarvam etad ṛtaṁ manye yan māṁ vadasi madhava (BG 10.14). And Arjuna says that "Whatever You have said, they're all right and I accept them in toto without any revision." So Kṛṣṇa says that "I am the Supreme Personality of Godhead." One who does not understand Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Person, what he has read Gītā? He is useless. Śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8). Simply has labored. That's all. That is the test. Don't you agree to this point? So anyone who does not accept Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he has no knowledge of Gītā. He immediately becomes foolish. That is our test. So Muktananda, what do you think?
Muktananda: Yes, Prabhupāda.
Room Conversation -- December 12, 1970, Indore:
Guest (6): (unclear)... From the very day I saw this movement, I have intent only in Kṛṣṇa, not in any other movement.
Prabhupāda: So that is our movement. Wherever we go, we find out sincere persons, immediately attract. Yes. But if he's not sincere, we cannot attract. If he's sincere, immediately attract. That is the value of this movement. All my students, they were attracted only because they were sincere. Anyone sincere in seeking after the Absolute Truth will be attracted.
Guest (6): I am not getting ...(unclear)
Prabhupāda: Ekāgra. Ekāgra. Yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ, therefore it is said. "One has to perform this bhakti-yoga under My representative." Mad-āśrayaḥ.
Guest (6): I am very grateful to you.
Prabhupāda: And there is Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura-Prārthanā. Āśraya laiyā bhaje, kṛṣṇa nāhi tare tyāge: "One who takes āśraya, shelter of a devotee, Kṛṣṇa does not give him up. Kṛṣṇa accepts him." Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ... **. Because if that person who is giving shelter, if he's pleased, Kṛṣṇa is immediately... If he recommends a fool, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa, here is a devotee," Kṛṣṇa will accept immediately. It doesn't matter whether he's a fool or rascal. Because he is recommended by representative, he will be accepted. Yasya pra... This is the meaning of yasya prasādad bhagavat-pra... Without his recommendation there is no entry in Kṛṣṇa's kingdom. Yasya-prasādad na gatiḥ kuto 'pi. If he displeases Kṛṣṇa's representative he has no entrance to the Kṛṣṇa's kingdom, however learned he may be or whatever he may be. Immediately rejected. In a business office, suppose a secretary is there. A clerk does not accept the order of the secretary. Immediately he should be dismissed. In my personal experience, when I was young manager in a big chemical concern, one correspondent clerk, he disobeyed me. I reported to the head boss. He immediately came and he said, "Get out immediately from the office." And he wanted to plead in so many ways. Said, "No, I don't want. If you don't go out, then I shall call my doorman. He will forcibly get you out. Get out." I was sorry because this man is dismissed immediately, but he took. Disobedient... "Obedience is first discipline." So if Kṛṣṇa's representative is disobeyed—"Get out immediately." Kṛṣṇa is very strict.
Room Conversation -- December 12, 1970, Indore:
Guest (6): (unclear) ...From tomorrow he was not able to get (unclear)
Prabhupāda: Yes. Just see. Yes. Therefore in our system Vaiṣṇavāparādha is the greatest offense, to commit offense at the lotus feet of a Vaiṣṇava, and spiritual master is to be considered the first Vaiṣṇava. If there is aparādha, that is great, greatest offense. That will spoil the whole spiritual life. These are stated in Caitanya-caritāmṛta. In Teachings of Lord Caitanya you'll find.
Guest (6): In yesterday's paper I read that somebody donated some land to you.
Prabhupāda: Yes. No. He has proposed to donate; not he has done. Where you learned this?
Guest (6): In that (unclear)
Prabhupāda: Yes, somebody has promised. Somebody has promised.
Guest (6): And it will (unclear) Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa mandir, I will possibly able to get (unclear)
Prabhupāda: Yes, why not?
Guest (6): Swamiji, you are here still.
Prabhupāda: But if somebody gives me land I may go on staying here.
1971 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation -- August 17, 1971, London:
Revatīnandana: A related question also: just like there is at the same time the oneness is there, there is distinction, then, between the spirit...
Prabhupāda: That distinction you cannot make clear.
Revatīnandana: I know. But still it's, not clear, but clear, there is some distinction, where a distinction...
Prabhupāda: Distinction, there is distinction, there is no distinction.
Revatīnandana: Yes, simultaneously.
Prabhupāda: Simultaneous. Now, which one will we accept? Therefore inconceivable.
Śyāmasundara: You can't accept one or the other; you have to accept them both.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Revatīnandana: Everything is related in Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
1972 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation -- April 2, 1972, Sydney:
Śyāmasundara: Yes. In Madras?
Prabhupāda: No, Allahabad during Kumbha-melā. They said, "Swamiji, God is person, you are the first man speaking." Why first man? It is already there. They cannot believe that God is person.
Śyāmasundara: As long as there is imperson, there is doubt, there is unclear, unclear.
Prabhupāda: Unclear.
Śyāmasundara: As soon as there is person, there is no doubt, clear.
Prabhupāda: But we have tried to explain how He is person. Just like we try to explain how God is working. So one should have brain to study things. One must have clear idea how God is person, how He is working, how this cosmic manifestation is manifested by God's energy. Kṛṣṇa says, mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ jagad avyakta-mūrtinā (BG 9.4). "In My impersonal feature, everything is manifested there." Tatam idaṁ sarvam. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). So one has to apply his brain—that is intelligence—how it has become person. That is not false, that is fact. You cannot understand; your brain is teeny. That is different thing. Now you make your brain competent to understand this philosophy. (break) ...vijñātaṁ bhavanti. So take this philosophy nicely, understand this philosophy, and preach. You will be victorious everywhere, because we can challenge anyone. If you know the trick, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you can challenge. Nārāyaṇa-parāḥ sarve na kutaścana bibhyati (SB 6.17.28). One who is nārāyaṇa-parāḥ, he is never afraid of anything.
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation -- February 26, 1973, Jakarta:
Prabhupāda: That is my, not opinion, but is the fact. Things should be taken as it is. Call a spade a spade. Now, interpretation is required when things are not clear. When things are not very clear, not easily understood... There is example in Sanskrit grammar, gaṅgāyāṁ ghoṣa bali(?). The neighborhood of ghoṣa family is on the Ganges. Now, on the Ganges-Ganges is water—how there can be a village? Now, here interpretation required. When the matter is (break) ...on the water but on the bank of the Ganges. So when the meaning is not clear, then you can interpret. But when the meaning is clear... Just like Bhagavad-gītā: dharmakṣetre kurukṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ (BG 1.1). Now Kurukṣetra is still there, in..., about 90 miles away from Delhi. Perhaps you have been there. The station is there, Kurukṣetra. Now how one can interpret that kurukṣetra means this body? This is going on. In spite of clear understanding, they interpret in their own way so that they have got their own philosophy, they want to support. This is going on. So if you kindly avoid this misleading interpretation, and if you take Bhagavad-gītā as it is, then you get the science of God, science of religion, which is applicable either to Indonesian or Indian or African or American, everyone. The science is appreciated everywhere. Two plus two equal to four, this mathematical science is applicable everywhere. It doesn't matter whether one is a Christian or Hindu or Muslim. Similarly, Bhagavad-gītā is the science of religion, science of God. So if you take this book seriously, and try to spread this knowledge among your countrymen, I think you'll be very much benefited. And it can be... We are preaching that. We are the, our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, is meant for one God, one scripture, one mantra, like that, for all people of the world. And we are happy that people are accepting it in that way, very nicely. And it is very easy. It is very easy. So Mr. Director he has read Bhagavad-gītā?
Morning Walk -- April 19, 1973, Los Angeles:
Brahmānanda: The frogs, croaking, yes.
Prabhupāda: Ca ca canh, ca ca canh, ca ca canh, ca ca canh, ca ca canh... That's all. They're thinking: "Oh, we're talking very nicely." The result is the snake, they find out here is a (unclear). Pop. Finish. So this ca ca canh, scientists, means when death comes, oh, everything's finished. That's all. All their ca ca canh, scientific investigation, finished. And he becomes a dog, cat and something like that. That's all. Therefore mūḍhāḥ. They do not know that "I have got this valuable life, human form of life, advanced intelligence. I'll have to take lesson from Kṛṣṇa, and make my life successful." They do not know that. Ca ca canh, ca ca canh, ca ca canh, ca ca canh. And then die, and become again. When he dies, there is no question of science and talking nonsense. That is under the grip of nature. "Yes, come on. Enter this body. Finished." Just like the rascal rogue. He's very much proud of his strength. And the police comes arrest: "Come on. Enter this custody. Finished." It is like that.
Morning Walk -- May 2, 1973, Los Angeles:
Svarūpa Dāmodara: I am not clear about the life equal to matter.
Prabhupāda: Life equal to matter means the same thing. Just like here you pinch, you feel, but here with a, I mean to say, iron instrument you pinch, you will not feel. Both things are the same, is it not? But here you feel, here you do not feel. So matter means where there is less feeling, and life means where there is acute feeling. That is meaning.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: I can understand that matter is a part of life.
Prabhupāda: This matter... You can understand by the finger. This matter, this nail, is production of this part. This part is life and this part is not life. But it is a production of this life. When you have cut your nails, you don't feel pain. But same instrument you touch your little, half inch down, immediately you feel pain. So therefore although qualitatively... This is also produced of matter, as produced of this part. But where there is feeling, that is spiritual, and where there is no feeling, that is matter. What is Kṛṣṇa consciousness? The human being is the same. But as soon as he feels that "There is Kṛṣṇa," he is spiritualist. As soon as he does not feel, he is materialist. That is the difference. It is the question of feeling. Matter means where there is absence of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In other things there is also consciousness. Because there is not Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is material. And so far we are concerned, we have got the same consciousness, but Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore we are superior, spiritual. So this material world means this part, and spiritual world means this part. This is the difference. Here you have got feeling. So the conclusion is when you have feeling in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is spiritual, that is superior. When you have no feeling of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that is inferior. The same thing can be turned into superior and inferior by the change of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Morning Walk -- May 14, 1973, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: Aha, cuffles.
Devotee: Oh, jaya. Do you like I buy from you?
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Devotee: I give you my soul for the cuff links?
Prabhupāda: No, you take it and sell it. (pause) (break) The last four days this students are not clear.
Devotee: Man's best friend.
Prabhupāda: Hmm. Because he has no knowledge who is the best friend. According to the quality, friend is selected.
Karandhara: And one is known by the company he keeps.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Kāranaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya (BG 13.22). The best friend will lead him to take birth in that family. He'll help him next birth because he'll always think of dog, so next birth, dog. Yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvam (BG 8.6). At the time of death, if you are attached to something then you'll think of it, and next birth is that.
Room Conversation with Reporter from Researchers Magazine -- July 24, 1973, London:
Prabhupāda: This is going on. If you want to speak your own word, why you take Bhagavad-gītā? How much, aḥ, devilish mentality. You want to speak your own philosophy-speak. Why you take advantage of Bhagavad-gītā? But that is going on. They take advantage of Bhagavad-gītā and speak their all nonsense things. They're not representative of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa's representative is he who exactly speaks what Kṛṣṇa has spoken. It is not very difficult. So everyone can become Kṛṣṇa's representative, provided he speaks exactly like Kṛṣṇa.
Reporter: Hm. No, but... Can I take you back to the point which is not clear to me? When you said that sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Kṛṣṇa is speaking in a context of a clear defined action for Arjuna, whereas now that clearly defined action is not available to us.
Prabhupāda: Why not available?
Reporter: 'Cause we don't know what is our action. Now, going to the...
Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa says sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66).
Reporter: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Now, dharma means occupation. Dharma is not translated as religion.
Reporter: No, no.
Prabhupāda: This is wrong translation. Dharma means occupation.
Room Conversation with Reporter from Researchers Magazine -- July 24, 1973, London:
Prabhupāda: You are thinking wrongly that we are not responsible. Why you are thinking like that? You are thinking wrongly. Kṛṣṇa did not take in politics, part? Then why you are thinking?
Reporter: No, no, I'm not saying Kṛṣṇa did not take... I'm just saying that it seems that He sometimes, it seems, that people who emphasize the spiritual consciousness do not clarify enough..., it is not clear enough—and I'm not saying it's not there but it's not clear enough—the social political dimension, social action, political action, how we run our society in its practical terms. So it is not clear.
Prabhupāda: It is clear. If you are actually surrendered soul, then to you it is clear, it is very clear. Kṛṣṇa gives direction, that this is the business of the brāhmaṇa, this is the business of kṣatriya. So politics is the business of the kṣatriya. So if you act according to Kṛṣṇa's direction in politics, then you are surrendered soul. It is not that because we have got this mālā and tilaka we are surrendered soul, and a kṣatriya cannot be surrendered soul, or a vaiśya cannot be surrendered soul. You have to act according to the direction. Kṛṣṇa is giving direction: "This is brāhmaṇa's karma." You do it. That means you are surrendered soul, at the same time you are acting as a brāhmaṇa. But if you act whimsically, then what is your surrender? And why did you become a brāhmaṇa? Then there is chaos. That is the present position of the society. They are not surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, they do not abide by the direction of Kṛṣṇa. Still, they have become leaders. Then the whole thing is chaos.
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation -- May 20, 1974, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: Zurich, before that I stopped at Geneva. I saw the airport, very big airport. Then I went to Zurich. And from Zurich I went to some Mount St....
Devotee (2): St. Hellish.
Prabhupāda: You have been there? You are right, St. Hellish. (unclear)
Devotee (2): (laughs) Śyāmasundara.
Prabhupāda: Yes, Śyāmasundara, "Oh, I have to..." He spent money for that. I thought "It is hellish." (laughter) Always covered with snow, I could not get out. Two days I was imprisoned in that hotel room. But people go there.
Yamunā: For health.
Prabhupāda: Eh?
Yamunā: For their health.
Prabhupāda: What is the health there? But one wonderful I saw from there. Down 10,000 feet, (indistinct) hill.
Devotee (2): Mountain.
Prabhupāda: Mountain, yes. Down I saw the railway is going on... (break) ...has entered the sky. That is (indistinct). That is (indistinct). And the railway is very nice. Not like Darjeeling.
Room Conversation with Roger Maria leading writer of communist literature -- June 12, 1974, Paris:
Jyotirmayī: This man, for example, the one that he just cite, he is also a religious man, but he is against the change now. He wants to keep as it is imperialism. You know. So he said that there are so many of these people who are religious and they are, of course, all they have good goals, that is to help people. You find people referring Bhagavad-gītā on the side of those who are struggling now to change the situation and the side, on the side of those who are keeping the situation as it is. So he says there is an ambiguity there.
Prabhupāda: Ambiguity means he is not clear in his knowledge. What is religion and what is liberation—these things he does not know clearly. (French)
Jyotirmayī: He says that now they are using religion for their own interests and for their own goals.
Prabhupāda: Who is that man? (French)
Jyotirmayī: He said all the social forces in India wants to keep their own privileges.
Prabhupāda: So? The communist does not? (French)
Jyotirmayī: He said that in Marxism there is no religious references.
Prabhupāda: But the, what is called, terrorism facility, there is. There is no religious sentiment, but there is terrorism sentiment. Some sentiment is there.
Room Conversation with Pater Emmanuel (A Benedictine Monk) -- June 22, 1974, Germany:
Prabhupāda: I do not know many testament, but I see in the Ten Commandments these words are there. If you want to support it by many testaments, that is, of course, your business, but we take the direct meaning, "Thou shall not kill"—the Christians should not kill. Interpretation you can give in your own way to support your business, but we see openly. If we can understand openly, there is no need of interpretation. (German)
Pater Emmanuel: No, I understand.
Prabhupāda: Why should we interpret? Interpretation is required when the things are not clear. Here it is clear, "Thou shall not kill," plainly advised. Why should we interpret? (German)
German devotee: (translating for Pater Emmanuel:) To eat plants, is it not killing? To eat vegetables, is it not killing?
Prabhupāda: Then vegetable killing and animal killing is the same?
Pater Emmanuel: It's not the same. Not the same. But human killing and animal killing is also the same.
Prabhupāda: So we are not killing. Our Vaiṣṇava philosophy, we do not kill even vegetable because our Kṛṣṇa says... Find out this verse. Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26). (German)
German devotee: Should I read this in Sanskrit, Śrīla Prabhupāda?
Prabhupāda: Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati, tad aham aśnāmi bhakty-upahṛtam.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation with Metaphysics Society -- February 21, 1975, Caracas:
Prabhupāda: So has he understood himself?
Guest (Hṛdayānanda): He said that to a certain extent he feels he has achieved this, but that the reality is unlimited, it cannot be described and that it's more a certain consciousness or appreciation of life that is beyond words.
Prabhupāda: Not clear understanding.
Guest (Hṛdayānanda): He said that they try to have a clear understanding, but he must confess that he is limited.
Prabhupāda: He is limited. Then what is unlimited?
Guest (Hṛdayānanda): He says that the unlimited is that which always was, is and always will be, and the limited is that which is in this material phenomenal world.
Prabhupāda: That means that limited is material, he says? And unlimited is spiritual?
Guest: i, pero... (Spanish)
Prabhupāda: So what is the conception of the spiritual?
Guest (Hṛdayānanda): That which is, has been and will be and which is not limited to form.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Limited to form. Then how he is unlimited?
Guest: (Spanish)
Hṛdayānanda: There are some other guests here, so I'm going to have to arrange things at this moment to bring the other guests in. Some of the devotees have to go in the other big room. There's room.
Śrutakīrti: OK, well, there's ten guests.
Room Conversation with three Trappist Monks, Psychologists from the University of Georgia, and Atlanta Lawyer, Michael Green -- March 1, 1975, Atlanta:
Guest (4): I am not clear on what you're saying that for someone...
Prabhupāda: It is clear. If you have got some motive and with motive you go to God, that is not pure devotion.
Guest (4): It is wrong to petition God?
Prabhupāda: No, it is not wrong, but it is not pure devotion.
Guest (4): I see.
Prabhupāda: Some way or other, if you go to God, that is very good. With motive or without motive, you have come to God, that is piety. That is better than to become impious. Impious men, they do not go to God. Just like nowadays nobody goes to church. Church are selling. Simply... Temples also. So now there are in India so many township development. They are constructing very fashionable houses, but no temples. Nobody is constructing temple. At the present moment everybody has become disinterested with anything religion and God. All over the world. That is degradation. Especially I am seeing in Bombay, that Juhu scheme, very nice houses are being manufactured. You have all seen. But nobody is constructing a temple. The modern economists, they say "nonproductive endeavor"—means there is no income. Simply you have to spend money for maintaining the temple. So they are not interested in nonproductive things. So this is degradation of the human society. Either as Christian or Hindu or Mohammedan, nobody is interested. A few may be interested.
Room Conversation with Yoga Student -- March 14, 1975, Iran:
Indian man: Oh, I thought Kṛṣṇa conscious only for this...
Prabhupāda: No, no, no. Any association which is Kṛṣṇa conscious, you can join.
Indian man: Thank you for the enlightenment. But I have got one other doubt. You had told that some great scholars like Mahatma Gandhi had confused and they did not believe in the Kṛṣṇa living, He ever lived, and Dr. Radhakrishnan and another also were not clear in enunciating the theory of Kṛṣṇa. I would like to know whether Kṛṣṇa living or not living, is it very important? And will the movement depends upon one Kṛṣṇa living, positive...
Prabhupāda: No, no. No, no. Kṛṣṇa is never not living—He is living. Otherwise how He can be Kṛṣṇa? But if you do not know whether He is living or not living, that is your lack of knowledge.
Indian man: Do you believe Kṛṣṇa...
Prabhupāda: No, first of all settle up this one question, that Kṛṣṇa is always living, and if you do not know whether Kṛṣṇa is living or not living, then your knowledge is imperfect. Therefore your knowledge will not be accepted, because you are imperfect. That is the point.
Indian man: When we speak of Bhagavad-gītā, do we mean...
Prabhupāda: You cannot say, "Kṛṣṇa is living or not. That doesn't matter." No, it matters.
Room Conversation with Yoga Student -- March 14, 1975, Iran:
Prabhupāda: Yes, that is the way. You read any book; you learn first of all about the author, his life, his everything.
Indian man: Sometimes we need not...
Prabhupāda: No, it is needed. It is needed. No, that is the way.
Indian man: We need not approach the guru. What he speaks that is enough sometimes.
Prabhupāda: No, that is the way. You read any book. You try to understand, to know something about the author. That is natural.
Indian man: When He rips up (unclear) pārtha, that's enough, just we will start out. Then when He say, mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja, again we will go to Him. But we need not go through...
Prabhupāda: No, no. That is needed. That is needed. That is needed. If you do not understand what is Kṛṣṇa, when Kṛṣṇa says, mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja, how you will accept it?
Indian man: I will accept, but not as Kṛṣṇa of Bhāgavata. I may not know anything about Him as of...
Prabhupāda: No, no, this is not very good theory. You do not know anything about Him, and you surrender to Him. What is this?
Indian man: We may have our own idea.
Prabhupāda: No, we don't accept that. If we surrender, we must know Him first of all, what He is. Then we surrender. We are not blind. Suppose you tell me that "You surrender unto me." Shall I do that? Why shall I do it?
Indian man: But...
Prabhupāda: No "but." First of all answer this. If I do not know anything about you and you demand from me, "You surrender," shall I do it?
Room Conversation with Kim Cornish -- May 8, 1975, Perth:
Kim: From my own understanding I took it to be just the world, everything that is, but I don't understand.
Prabhupāda: Not clear idea.
Kim: I had an experience in New Zealand...
Prabhupāda: So therefore you have to experience from authority—what is Brahman. This is explanation of Brahman. So this Brahman realization is first, then Paramātmā realization, then God realization. Just like you realize the sunshine, very big, all over the universe, but you have to see wherefrom the sunshine is coming—the sun globe. That is localized. You are seeing just like a small ball, but actually this big thing, sunshine, is coming from it. Is it not? So which is important, the sunshine or the globe?
Kim: They are both important, but the sun is what produces the sunshine.
Prabhupāda: Similarly God the person is important, and by His bodily rays the whole thing is going on. Yasya prabhā prabhavato (Bs. 5.40). Brahmaṇo hi... Find out this verse-brahmaṇo hi pratiṣṭhāham.
Room Conversation with Carol Cameron -- May 9, 1975, Perth:
Prabhupāda: Therefore we should advocate that Bhagavad-gītā is not like that. It is coming in the same form as it was taught to Arjuna. If you challenge that "How you know that it has not been changed?" the ācāryas are there. The ācāryas are there, and they are accepting. Therefore it is correct. We have to follow the ācāryas. So when we see the ācāryas have accepted, then we accept. All the ācāryas, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, before that other ācāryas also, they accept. They never say that "This was not in the original scripture. It has been changed." You don't find any such statement of the ācāryas. The best thing, therefore, if you want a religious system, Bhagavad-gītā is coming without any contradiction, change, for the last five thousand years. You accept it. Other scriptures are (unclear), and there are so many doubts, so many interpretations. So, if you want real religious system, this is the scripture spoken directly by God, and accepted by all the ācāryas, so take it. If you are really after God, so you take enlightenment from this perfect scripture. If you want truth, it doesn't matter wherefrom it is coming. I must accept the truth.
Morning Walk -- May 14, 1975, Perth:
Devotee (1): Saṅkīrtana movement is vijñānam.
Prabhupāda: Yes. (pause) (break) He is in goodness but sometimes he is attacked by the other two base qualities, passion and ignorance. Then he falls down. Where there is chance of being contaminated, that is not pure goodness. Pure goodness is never contaminated. That is (unclear).
Amogha: So pure goodness actually means those eight qualities mentioned in the Gītā but without any contamination of the lower qualities.
Prabhupāda: Yes. In the material world, goodness is prone to be contaminated. In the spiritual world, the other two qualities, they are not existing. So there is no question of contamination. Here all men are covered by these two base qualities, all men and animal, everyone, passion and ignorance. Therefore, first of all, they have to be brought to the platform of goodness. And if they can keep goodness uncontaminated, they are transferred to the spiritual world.
Devotee (1): Just like you say. Some of the devotees, they fall down although they're striving to be in the mode of goodness. If they're sincere, they still fall down?
Prabhupāda: If they are sincere, how they can fall down? They are not sincere; therefore they fall down.
Room Conversation with Dr. John Mize -- June 23, 1975, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: By taking lesson from professors who has mind clear. Why the students are coming to you? Because his mind is not clear. You have to clear his mind by teaching him psychology, feeling, thinking, feeling, willing. Therefore he has to come to a learned man who knows how to understand mind, how to understand the activities of the mind, how to deal with them. That requires education. A dog cannot take this education, but a human being can take. Therefore it is the duty of the human being, how to control the mind, not act like cats and dogs. That is human being. He should be inquisitive, "Why this happening? Why this happening?" and he should take education. That is human life. And if he does not inquire, if he does not take education, then what is the difference between him and the dog? He remains a dog. He has got this opportunity of human life. He should take advantage of understanding what is what, not to keep himself in the dog status, simply eating, sleeping, sex life, and defending. That is the distinction between dog and human being. If he does not become inquisitive how to control the mind, he is not even a human being. A dog never inquires. A dog knows that "When I bark, people become disturbed." He'll never ask, "How to control this barking habit?" Because he is dog, he cannot do that. A human being can know that "People hates me. I do something wrong. How to control my mind?" That is human being. That is the difference between human being and dog. Therefore Vedic injunction is "Go and inquire. You have got this human form of life." Athāto brahma jijñāsā: "Now, this is the time for inquiring about the soul." Tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). If you want to understand this science, then go to proper guru and take lessons from him. The same thing, as we instruct our children: "If you want to be educated in higher status of life, go to school, go to college, take lesson." That is human society. The dog's father will never ask the dog child, "Go to school." No. They are dogs.
Conversation with Professor Hopkins -- July 13, 1975, Philadelphia:
Prof. Hopkins: A Kṛṣṇa bhakta than to be a Christian, say?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Anything genuine is easy. Anything hodgepodge, that is not good. We don't recommend hodgepodge.
Prof. Hopkins: So the advantage then, or the greater value is that it is focused and clear rather than a hodgepodge where the goal and the activities are not clear.
Prabhupāda: The hodgepodge has killed the whole world, that so many pseudo-religious systems. People are misled.
Prof. Hopkins: So the truth may be there somewhere...
Prabhupāda: Truth is everywhere.
Prof. Hopkins: But you can't find it.
Prabhupāda: Just like there is butter in the milk but the milk is not butter. You churn it and then the butter will be there. Similarly, in every religious system... Every milk there is butter, but churning the milk and giving direct delivery of butter, that is the Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā and Bhāgavata.
Morning Walk -- September 26, 1975, Ahmedabad:
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: It's very difficult at the moment, Śrīla Prabhupāda. If we have that choice, then I humbly say we not open the Ahmedabad temple now because... At other temples, like Calcutta, which have (unclear) and which are in a very critical situation because I haven't given them any men...
Prabhupāda: (break) You require one man to your selection. So nobody will stay. Everyone has to go. Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa... (break) The Ahmedabad people cannot maintain this park. How they will maintain their center? And you are not making good life members? Then?
Yaśomatīnandana: These are only few days that they have started making... Last time we came they made eight members in five weeks.
Prabhupāda: Members are made after the festival.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: (unclear)
Yaśomatīnandana: My point is this, that people are very attracted to foreigners. If there is one good foreigner, then they will be attracted.
Prabhupāda: Then why do you discriminate, this foreigner to that foreigner?
Yaśomatīnandana: I don't mind anybody. Whatever you say is all right. But I was just thinking like this because if somebody's going to come for a month, two months, then go, he might not put his heart.
Prabhupāda: That is the position of everyone. When they will go away, there is no certainty. Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Rāma... Hare Kṛṣṇa. (Hindi) Hare Kṛṣṇa. (Hindi) You are student? You are student? Somebody suggested some meeting here? Yesterday.
Morning Walk -- September 26, 1975, Ahmedabad:
Prabhupāda: (Hindi) Gerau? Gerau? What is that Gerau? Gerau? You know Gerau? Naxalite?
Indian man (2): These are all important things. It is not in our concept. Even a small man, from the starvation, can stay in a hut, inside a bungalow. There the people are making delicious food. They'll starve and die. How? Because they won't give (unclear). It is not because they are taught by some gurus or... Not like that. They are themselves (unclear)
Indian man (3): Good and bad go together.
Indian man (2): These are other things.
Indian man (3): It is everywhere.
Indian man (2): But I am talking of good only.
Indian man (3): Satya... (Hindi)
Prabhupāda: (break) ...is not God?
Indian man (3): Lord Kṛṣṇa is not God.
Indian man (2): According to him.
Indian man (3): Lord Kṛṣṇa was the greatest man ever born. He was not God.
Indian man (2): You see, he has got the principles of Ārya-samāj. Because he is... "Everybody is God." That is his... They are brainwashed. Brainwash is there.
Prabhupāda: What is God? Let us have, understand.
Morning Walk -- September 26, 1975, Ahmedabad:
Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa is always smiling because Kṛṣṇa is ānandamayo abhyāsāt. That is the feature of God. He is ānandamaya.
Indian man (4): But (unclear) even in Mahābhārata at the time of chariot, while sitting on the chariot of Arjuna, He was always smiling. There was a lot of battle going on, but He never lost His...
Prabhupāda: Temper.
Indian man (4): Temper.
Indian man (5): Yes. How do you think about somebody in last few days defeated the existence of Mahābhārata itself? They say it is a...
Prabhupāda: Who is that man?
Indian man (4): They may, they may.
Prabhupāda: He has defeated?
Indian man (5): No, if they say that "There was nothing like Mahābhārata," you tell.
Indian man (3): They may say, but...
Prabhupāda: The foolish man can say anything. (Hindi) How he becomes more than all the ācāryas, this rascal?
Indian man (5): My question is...
Prabhupāda: Your question is that he has proved. What he has proved?
Morning Walk -- September 26, 1975, Ahmedabad:
Prabhupāda: That is his foolishness. He's a rascal.
Indian man (2): But we have seen a person rejecting his own father: "My father was also (unclear)."
Prabhupāda: Yes. Therefore a rascal can say like that. A rascal can say like that.
Indian man (2): Somebody said that "No, my mother's name should come after my name, or father's name."
Prabhupāda: Mūḍha. Therefore they have been called mūḍhas. Na mā duṣkṛtino mūḍhā prapadyante narādhamāḥ. They have been described in the Bhagavad-gītā as duṣkṛtinaḥ. First of all they are very, very sinful. They have got merit, but sinful merit, duṣkṛtinaḥ. Kṛti means meritorious, but duḥ, duṣkṛtina. So on account of their (being) duṣkṛtinaḥ they are mūḍhas. They cannot understand what is scripture, what is God, what is Kṛṣṇa. They cannot understand. It is not possible.
Indian man (3): Yes, I at least understand what is God.
Prabhupāda: You want to save yourself.
Indian man (2): His definition is different, absolutely. According to his...
Prabhupāda: No, God cannot be defined differently. God is one.
Morning Walk -- September 27, 1975, Ahmedabad:
Prabhupāda: This is supposed to be the biggest.
Kartikeya: Because here people are only after money, so they are not care to give charity for any park when it is (unclear). There is no private charity.
Prabhupāda: It is the duty of the municipality. (break) ...program?
Madhudviṣa: The whole thing was completely packed.
Prabhupāda: Who spoke?
Devotee (1): Acyutānanda Mahārāja.
Kartikeya: In Hindi.
Prabhupāda: In Hindi?
Kartikeya: For more than one hour.
Harikeśa: In Hindi?
Kartikeya: Yes. One hour he spoke. About ten percent English words, twenty-five percent Sanskrit, and rest in Hindi.
Devotee (1): He spoke very nice.
Kartikeya: People were very happy, and they could understand.
Prabhupāda: Philosophy was presented nice?
Madhudviṣa: Yes. Very nice.
Prabhupāda: You spoke? No.
Room Conversation -- October 21, 1975, Johannesburg:
Prabhupāda: What scripture you are... Bible?
Guest: Well, the Bible. But we only know the Bible as we've been told it, and it's been told to us by unrealized men, and we ended up being virtually atheistically inclined, until that led to...
Prabhupāda: So in Bible what is the conception of God?
Guest: It's very unclear.
Prabhupāda: That I was speaking. In every religion...
Woman: To identify with it.
Prabhupāda: There is no clear conception.
Guest: That's right. And I think this is the reason that leads you away. We've been led away from the Bible because of that. There is nothing clear, and everybody who has read it to us has read it to us in a different way. But I would say that the finest book we have read is Bhagavad-gītā. There's no question. (end)
Morning Walk -- November 2, 1975, Nairobi:
Indian man (6): (unclear)
Brahmānanda: What is that? The brāhmaṇas who come over from?
Indian man (6): From ISKCON center. We have a tendency (unclear)
Brahmānanda: Yes. So what is your question?
Indian man (6): So don't you think that the blame should not be, usually be laid on the Africans but on the whole...?
Brahmānanda: He's saying that the brāhmaṇas who comes from our overseas temples here, it's their responsibility to see that the Africans follow properly, because the Africans will follow their example.
Prabhupāda: Yes, it is for that purpose they have come. That is the purpose, missionary purpose, here. We come here not to earn some money but to see that this culture is spread. So what is his question?
Brahmānanda: So it's the responsibility then of those who are coming as the missionaries to set the proper example.
Prabhupāda: Yes, certainly.
Brahmānanda: Because then the Africans will follow that proper example.
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Yes, he is right.
Morning Walk -- November 12, 1975, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Why he committed suicide?
Dr. Patel: He burned himself by pouring kerosene on his clothes. You Nara, you are here, no?
Nara: Yes.
Dr. Patel: All his sisters are not married excepting one. They are forty, forty-five years.
Nara: (unclear) either man or woman (break)
Prabhupāda: ...worldwide known...
Dr. Patel: In the Christian religion.
Nara: He was a loafer. He was not having two meals a day. (break)
Brahmānanda: Yaśomatīnandana has a book, and he would like to read a few sentences from that book.
Prabhupāda: Which is that book?
Brahmānanda: Hm?
Prabhupāda: What is that book?
Brahmānanda: Well, we thought that we could play a game that Dr. Patel, he could identify who has written this book.
Prabhupāda: What is that book?
Dr. Patel: Please don't allow him to read. (laughter) Let us talk about Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
Brahmānanda: This is Bhagavad-gītā.
Morning Walk -- November 13, 1975, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Whatever it may be...
Dr. Patel: Best brains of the world, they are attracted to America.
Prabhupāda: Money, everyone is trying to get money in Bombay. But why there are (unclear)? It is... Unless one is destined to get money, he cannot get. It is not that, so cheap thing, that I want money; money will come. It is janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrī (SB 1.8.26). Unless one is pious he cannot get money, he cannot get education.
Dr. Patel: Yatra yogeśvaraḥ kṛṣṇo yatra pārtho dhanur-dharaḥ.
Prabhupāda: Yes. So in that sense of materially, janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrī, these four thing...
Dr. Patel: (Hindi)
Prabhupāda: So... (break) ...taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, the greatest fortune. Thousands of young men joining, but here in India nobody is coming.
Dr. Patel: Because they have already joined.
Prabhupāda: All unfortunate, now they are. They have been so much trained badly. They say frankly, "Oh, this Hare Kṛṣṇa we have seen." In America when they chant... The Americans are chanting on the street, and the Indian students, "Oh, this we have done much. We have nothing to..." Here also they are thinking like that: "What is this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement? Eh? A beggars' movement." śāstra says, harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21), and these rascals are thinking, "Oh, Hare Kṛṣṇa we have seen." You see? They have become so greatly intelligent, these rascals. They do not believe in śāstra, in sādhu, in God. All these "incarnations" and big, big men, they say, "Oh, what is the use of śāstra?" Even this Ānandamāyā says that "In higher advancement there is no need of śāstra." He is above śāstra. He, she says like that. And Kṛṣṇa said, yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya vartate kāma-kārataḥ, na sa siddhim avāpnoti (BG 16.23), immediately condemned: "If you don't believe in śāstra, you are rascal." Kṛṣṇa said. And they say, "Oh, there is no need of..." And he's an incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. This Bal-yogi rascal is doing that: "There is no need of śāstra." This is going on. Now he's finished, of course. His activity is finished. (break)...strength of śāstra we are challenging that "You have never gone to the moon planet." Who can do so? The whole world is accepting they have gone to moon planet, and we are challenging, "You have never gone to moon." Hare Kṛṣṇa. Thank you very much. (end)
Morning Walk -- November 16, 1975, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Any animal, he knows that "I am ass." Dog knows, "I am dog." Similarly, if you know "I am Hindu," "I am Mussulman"— the same conception. What is the difference? If a dog thinks "I am dog," and if you think that you are Indian, then where is the difference? Simply by changing the name you become very big man? The conception is the same.
Indian man (3): That point is not clear.
Prabhupāda: It is clear. Just like two dogs. He is thinking, "I am dog of this quarter," and another dog is thinking, "I am this dog. Gow! Gow! Gow! Gow! Gow!" So what is that? Does that make any difference? Similarly, you are thinking, "Indian," he is thinking, "American." Fighting like dogs. Where is the difference between the dog and this conception?
Indian man (3): That point is right.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Indian man (4): (Hindi)
Indian man (3): Make your mind understand is very problematic.
Prabhupāda: It is not problematic. It requires the association. Association, teacher, then it will be possible.
Morning Walk -- November 20, 1975, Bombay:
Dr. Patel: Gold nuggets are there in the rivers, so many, in Africa.
Prabhupāda: Gold?
Dr. Patel: Gold nuggets. Because gold never get, I mean, oxidized. It is always in (unclear). So nuggets, they are available in big rivers even in Africa. Because when they come through the mountain, you know.
Prabhupāda: There is one river in India also, Suvarna-rekha, between Orissa and Bengal.
Dr. Patel: The sand is of the...
Prabhupāda: Yes. There you can find gold.
Brahmānanda: The city of Johannesburg is built on a gold reef, a reef of gold. There's so much gold there, and to dig it up they will have to break the city streets. They have deliberately built the city on top of the gold.
Dr. Patel: That South Africa is in the belt of Brazil more or less. And Brazil is very difficult place to search about this because they are all jungle, no? Brazil and south of Brazil. (break)
Prabhupāda: ...Russians do not utilize the gold...
Dr. Patel: They think gold has got no value so far as value... Because it is a stamping metal. Otherwise what use it can be made of? So far as the society is concerned, iron is more important than gold, to tell the truth.
Prabhupāda: So let them exchange.
Morning Walk -- November 26, 1975, New Delhi:
Haṁsadūta: I couldn't follow the numbers. I just heard that so much for sleeping, so much for the toilet, so much... The noise of the machine... I couldn't follow the years.
Prabhupāda: Out of hundred years, fifty years-sleeping. And fifty years balance twenty years-playing. And twenty years-old age, invalid. And ten years-frustration. Bas. (laughter)
Devotee (5): Prabhupāda said Prahlāda Mahārāja said (unclear).
Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. Hundred years finished and then become a dog. This is civilization. You got the hundred years for getting out of these material clutches, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhī (BG 13.9), but one will not do that. How spoiling civilization.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: In the Fifth Canto it is very nicely described how for each sinful activity a person goes to a separate type of hellish planet.
Prabhupāda: But they do not accept this, such a foolish person.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Any sane man, if he found out what the consequences will be, he would listen to the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
Prabhupāda: They do not believe next life, that, to dismiss all these ideas. If there is no next life... Bhasmi bhūtasya... Atheists, they do not believe next life. All big, big men in Europe, they say, "No, there is no life." Here also.
Morning Walk -- December 23, 1975, Bombay:
Indian man: Not ātmā.
Prabhupāda: You do not understand that you are ātmā. Aham brahmasmi. That you do not understand. You think "I am body." That is nonsense.
Indian man: That point is not clear.
Prabhupāda: Why not clear? That means your intelligence is not clear.
Indian man: (spluttering) ...naturally, but listen what I say.
Prabhupāda: So, the ātmā, that is stated in the Bhāgavata, antavanta ime dehā nityasyoktāḥ śarīriṇaḥ (BG 2.18). Nityasyoktāḥ, nityasyoktāḥ, śarīriṇaḥ. Śarīriṇaḥ means the soul who possesses this body, he is nitya. So, you have to enjoy or suffer the reaction of your activities. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). You have got a type of body on account of your activities.
Indian man: But how ātmā... Suppose I am doing some sins? So how ātmā can be controlling. Suffering...
Prabhupāda: You are doing sin, you have to control.
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Conversation with News Reporters -- March 25, 1976, Delhi:
Prabhupāda: Clear-cut criterion is that we living entity, being part and parcel, we are as good as God. But when we are under the control of the material nature, that is our diseased condition. Same example. Just like you, as a good citizen, you are as good as Indira Gandhi. You are Indian; you have got all the rights. But if you become criminal, you put into the prison. So we are in the.... Conditioned state means no freedom. It is not clear?
Reporter (1): No, sir, I just wanted you to tell me some yardstick from which one could...
Prabhupāda: But because you are suffering, that is the sign of impurity.
Reporter (1): Beg your pardon?
Prabhupāda: Because you are suffering.... Do you admit that you are suffering? Do you know this?
Reporter (1): Suffering means that there is some impurity.
Prabhupāda: No, are you not suffering?
Reporter (1): Yes, everybody is.
Prabhupāda: That is diseased condition. Just like diseased.... When you have got fever—you are suffering—that is diseased condition. So long you are suffering, you must be aware of the fact that you are in diseased condition. Because you are part and parcel, there is no question of suffering. Sac-cid-ānanda...
Reporter (1): But suffering may not necessarily be because of sin. It might be because of something else, you know?
Prabhupāda: "Might be something," that is your sinful activities. That "something" is some sinful activity.
Room Conversation -- May 5, 1976, Honolulu:
Prabhupāda: Humble, but if you do not follow your spiritual master's instruction, you follow others, then where is the humbleness? You say that... Your wife says that what Siddha-svarūpa says it is very clear and and others are not so clear. Is it not? What is that clear what is not clear?
Bhūrijana: He says chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: So who says that you don't chant?
Bhūrijana: Maybe the emphasis wasn't so much on the chanting even though everyone says harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma eva kevalam (CC Adi 17.21), everyone just chants their sixteen rounds a day, chants a half hour ārati in the evening and half hour ārati in the morning.
Prabhupāda: So what do you want more? What is your program? 24 hours?
Bhūrijana: I like more kīrtana than that.
Prabhupāda: So you don't like to sell books.
Bhūrijana: No, I think I like very much. I mean I think I would like to.
Prabhupāda: So what is difference?
Bhūrijana: Between selling books and kīrtana?
Prabhupāda: No no. Between others and you. Where is the difference? When you point out that this is the point, we differ. What is that point?
Bhūrijana: Well maybe the point about more kīrtana or less kīrtana.
Prabhupāda: So if you chant more, they're objecting?
Bhūrijana: No.
Morning Walk -- May 30, 1976, Honolulu:
Prabhupāda: Whatever is (unclear) nature, there is brain behind. That is the proposal. Why there is, that doesn't matter. But it will continue. World is and will continue. That's a fact. But who made it? That is the question.
Devotee (3): Karandhara and I were at a scientists' meeting, and he used that argument with the scientists. He said "The universe always has been." So Karandhara used your argument that "Yes, the sun has been there, and the sun rays are there along with it. Still, the sun is the source of the sun rays." The scientists could not answer. And everybody in the crowd...
Prabhupāda: What they will answer? Simply speculator, misleading (unclear).
Devotee (1): Well the next proposition is that if God is there, then let Him stay there, and we are here, let us stay here. Why do we have to be concerned with Him?
Prabhupāda: But you (unclear) you rascal, you'll die. If there is no sun, you'll die. Therefore you must be obliged, feeling every moment that God is giving sun, you're living. God is so kind that you're given sun so that you can live. So you must be obliged to God. (Sanskrit) bhūtāni, bhūtāni jayanti. So saṁsanti, saṁkleśa (indistinct) santi.(?) You are living on mercy of God. You're so ungrateful. You're so rascal, you do not give Him thanks. Even the sun. In this world tax collector comes. If you say "Why shall I give you tax? It is already there. It was before my coming. How I was there. And still there. Why you're asking me tax?" Can you say like that? "Oh it was already there." There or there, if you enjoy, you must pay tax.
Morning Walk -- May 31, 1976, Honolulu:
Prabhupāda: Hm?
Devotee (3): These plates, the silverware and things that people use?
Prabhupāda: No, whatever (unclear). Silver is not half price. Silver, little less than new one. They purchase one rupee less. It was 200 rupees new, and the purchaser will take 190 (unclear) ...India they use (unclear). Bell metal, copper...
Hari-śauri: Aluminium is becoming very popular now, aren't they?
Prabhupāda: They don't use aluminium much. If they have got excess money, they invest in metal-gold, silver, copper, bell metal.... Immediate loan—you can mortgage the metal pots, the metal ornaments, you get money immediately. (break) ...in a year, that is a metal purchasing ceremony. Every family will purchase, according to his means, some metal pots once in a year. Dhantraivesi(?) (indistinct) means desire some funds. So if there's some extra money—not big, big men; middle class storeman—they invest in metal purchase. If there is a good business day, (unclear) all the utensils (unclear). You know Diwali, Diwali?
Devotee (2): Yes.
Prabhupāda: Just one day before Diwali.
Devotee (2): Yes.
Morning Walk -- June 6, 1976, Los Angeles:
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Drunkard, exactly. And you can also, when you can do all the things that he did, then you can also drink wine.
Prabhupāda: No, Jesus was crucified, I shall crucify you. Come on. You're so pious that now you prepare to be crucified. Come on.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And you forgive me for doing it.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. You take my sins and be crucified. Then I shall know that you are real (unclear). Take all my sins and I crucify you.
Rāmeśvara: In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, you wrote that Vaiṣṇavas like Vāsudeva Datta, they're even greater than Jesus Christ.
Prabhupāda: Did I say?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. You said that Jesus only gave shelter to his few followers, but Vāsudeva Datta prayed that the whole sinful activities of the whole universe...
Rāmeśvara: "Be on me, I'll take them."
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You said, I think it said, he was a thousand times greater. You wrote that in the purport.
Prabhupāda: Nature's law is not like that, that you suffer for me. No. I suffer for my. It is magnanimity that I'll suffer. Sometimes they do so, but actually nature's law is different. If you have committed theft, you will suffer; why I shall suffer? Even if I say in the court that "I'll go to jail," he'll not go. (break) ...city in the world except in America, such nice roads.
Morning Walk -- June 6, 1976, Los Angeles:
Hari-śauri: The Americans are expert at building highways.
Prabhupāda: They have got money and all these.... They want to do it (laughs) (unclear) money.
Rāmeśvara: They use these arguments that they are civilized, that they are making progress.
Prabhupāda: Who?
Rāmeśvara: Americans.
Prabhupāda: Yes, that I say also. That you are fortunate. Take Kṛṣṇa consciousness and be the best nation in the world. Simply you take Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The Indians would argue that "Just see. The Americans are not so religious, but they have good material wealth."
Prabhupāda: No. In America, Kṛṣṇa consciousness has developed. What you have done? Why don't you say?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But our forefathers have done, and just see the mess we are in because of it.
Prabhupāda: Forefathers ate ghee, so lick up your hand. My forefathers ate ghee.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: All you have is dalda now,
Prabhupāda: (laughs) Why dalda? Your forefathers had ghee. You enjoy it now.
Morning Walk -- June 9, 1976, Los Angeles:
Hṛdayānanda: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda (break) ...a very clear day.
Prabhupāda: Clear? That is not clear. So many clouds.
Hṛdayānanda: I mean for visibility, for seeing.
Rāmeśvara: He says you can see the clouds.
Prabhupāda: Oh.
Hari-śauri: There's no smog.
Rāmeśvara: Śrīla Prabhupāda, we were painting one painting for the last volume of Seventh Canto which shows that Kṛṣṇa is in the heart of all living entities. Now, the question came up whether Kṛṣṇa.... Since Kṛṣṇa is inside every atom, are there living entities in every atom? So I said that you had already answered that, that Kṛṣṇa is never alone, so there must be some living entity within the atom. So then the question was: Is this atom one of the bodies, just like human body, and then gradually that living entity gets a higher body, higher body, or does he always remain inside the atom?
Prabhupāda: Body does not develop. He changes body. Why don't you understand this?
Rāmeśvara: He changes body.
Prabhupāda: The motorcar does not develop. I change this motorcar to another.
Rāmeśvara: But that's the question.
Prabhupāda: That is Darwin's theory. Motorcar is not developing to big motorcar. That is nonsense. Motorcar is motorcar, but I can change from this car to that car.
Interview with Jackie Vaughn (Black Congressman) -- July 12, 1976, Detroit:
Prabhupāda: So everyone should join this movement and be sure of his activity, result, good result. That is real United Nations—to work in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Every, any department, if we work for Kṛṣṇa, then it is perfect. That is sure. And it is open to everyone. Now this American government is giving so much welfare contribution, but still they are not happy. Huge amount is spent in welfare activities, but still they are dissatisfied. Then how you can make them satisfied? The American government is practically giving money to the sufferers, and why they are still suffering? What is the answer?
Jackie Vaughn: It's not clear.
Hari-śauri: Prabhupāda is saying that even though the American government is giving so much money to suffering people, still the suffering is there, there's no improvement in the condition. So why, what is the cause? What is the answer?
Jackie Vaughn: I think it's all in the theory. We are not making first things first.
Prabhupāda: That means whatever we do, we do in ignorance. You do not know what is the first thing or what to do first. That we are correcting. Here is the first thing. Pour water in the root.
Answers to a Questionnaire from Bhavan's Journal -- June 28, 1976, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: No, it is clear or now?
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Yes.
Prabhupāda: So long it is not clear, you can go on asking. One question after one question.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: The point was made by you that they don't understand what actual progress is.
Prabhupāda: Actually, destiny cannot be checked. That I have already given. Even Mahatma Gandhi could not. The destiny you cannot check.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: But then the question may be raised if destiny cannot be checked, then why not, when a child is born, simply let him like an animal run around and whatever happens to him...
Prabhupāda: No. That is the advantage of... you can train him spiritually. That is possible. Therefore it is said, tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido (SB 1.5.18). For that purpose you engage your energy. That is open. Ahaituky apratihatā. The devotional service, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, apratihatā, it cannot be checked. Material destiny can be checked, or it cannot be checked. Similarly, your advancement in spiritual life cannot be checked if you endeavor for it. But your advancement of so-called material happiness, that is already destined. You cannot check it. Try to understand this.
Answers to a Questionnaire from Bhavan's Journal -- June 28, 1976, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: First of all, you have to understand what is religion. The religion is God's law. You have to understand. Religion does not mean your manufactured, concocted ideas. What God says, that is religion. So here Kṛṣṇa is God. He is saying. Therefore this is religion. Is that clear? Make it clear. So long one point is not clear, don't go to the next point.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Especially he is trying to inquire that it appears that India, for example, today...
Prabhupāda: But India, they have given up the real religious system, sanātana-dharma, or varṇāśrama-dharma. Fictitiously, they have accepted a hodgepodge thing which is called Hinduism. Therefore there is trouble. Everywhere, but India especially, they are... Vedic religion... Vedic religion means varṇāśrama-dharma. That is... Kṛṣṇa says, God says, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13). So that is, what is called, obligatory. Just like law is obligatory. You cannot say that "I don't take this law." No. You have to take it if you want to have a happy. You cannot become outlaw. Then you'll not be happy. You'll be punished. So God says mayā sṛṣṭam. "It is given by Me." So how we can deny it? And that is religion. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Dharmam means the order given by the God. The God says that cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). "For the proper management of the human society, there should be these four divisions, social divisions." So you have to take it.
Answers to a Questionnaire from Bhavan's Journal -- June 28, 1976, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: Reason means people do not know. They cheat. Suppose I present something, a misconception, and if there are others also who can speak something on the... There are two lawyers. One is speaking one point of law, another lawyer is speaking. So if you take one side only, then how you will understand? So they are simply reading this Śārīraka-bhāṣya. They are not reading other bhāṣyas, just like the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which is natural. And they are cheating people. That's all. Why there are two lawyers? Two opposite parties, there are two lawyers. One lawyer says this law is like this, and the other party says, "No, it is this." And the judge is there, he will take what is the real meaning. But this interpretation is required when things are not clear. Now the Vedānta-sūtra says, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1), "The Absolute Truth is that from whom everything comes in, emanates." Now, here is... In the Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa said that ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). Clearly. That "I am the origin of everything, and everything comes from Me." So why don't you take it? Why simply you remain theoretically understood that Absolute Truth is that from which everything emanates. But when the Absolute Truth comes before you and says that "I am the origin of everything. Everything comes from Me." Why don't you accept Kṛṣṇa as Absolute Truth? Why do you take the so-called impersonalist view only, that God has no form? Here is God speaking, person. Why don't you take it? If you want to be cheated, then who can stop you? Here Kṛṣṇa says, sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo (BG 15.15).
Room Conversation -- July 6, 1976, Washington, D.C.:
Prabhupāda: Oh, effulgent, yes.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Now our point is whether this hiraṇmaya... In the mahat-tattva, the relationship between these two and pradhāna, how does that relate each other? It's not very clear in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, you're not very clear, this point. It said from pradhāna, by the impregnation with the Lord's internal potency, the hiraṇmaya is produced. That's actually the beginning of the injection of jīvas within these material modes.
Prabhupāda: Yes, it is little complicated. So is it not clear from the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: It is little difficult to understand the phenomenal descriptions.
Prabhupāda: In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta? Nityānanda-tattva? You can read it, you'll get some clue.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: We also get some clue from First Canto, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, in the puruṣa incarnations, where it explains about tattva. But there is a difference between... Now our understanding is this: pradhāna, both pradhāna and mahat-tattva, they are eternal, though they are material manifestations.
Prabhupāda: Everything eternal.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: No, eternal in the sense that it's different from prakṛti. Now prakṛti is, when it is completely manifested...
Prabhupāda: Prakṛti, pradhāna, puruṣa, these things are little complicated.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: But we wanted to clarify this, because this is the nice thing that we can show that matter comes from life. This is the source.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Sa īkṣata, sa asṛjata, by the glance of Mahā-Viṣṇu... Eko nārāyaṇa āsīt. In the beginning, Nārāyaṇa was there. There was no Lord Śiva, no neither Brahmā. This mantra was there. So originally by the glance...
Svarūpa Dāmodara: By the glance of Viṣṇu.
Evening Darsana -- August 9, 1976, Tehran:
Nandarāṇī: But their faith is there.
Prabhupāda: That is good, but that is called bhakta prakṛta smṛtaḥ. That is not exactly on the transcendental platform. In the material platform, just appreciating some great power beyond our reach, that's all. Not clear idea. Therefore they are disturbed when they think form. Form means limitation, they think. At least, they should think like that. They do not know. Nobody knows, except in our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Why we have described about God so many books? But they have this idea. Very poor idea. But they are accepting God is great, that will help in future.
Nandarāṇī: That's elevating them. That faith is elevating them?
Prabhupāda: Someday, if they come in contact with a real devotee, they'll appreciate. Just like you are coming. So they have to meet some devotee, then they'll be benefited. With the present idea there will be very slow progress. Practically no progress, but even there is little progress, very slow. So unless they come in contact with a pure devotee... Then...
Hari-śauri: Your books.
Nandarāṇī: If we distribute your books and prasāda, then that is as good as them coming to meet you personally.
Prabhupāda: No, personally also, you can do. If they come, you instruct them. But the prasādam and book distribution, very important line. If he's intelligent, by reading books will help him. In Europe and America, you have got intelligence. By reading books, they are coming to the sense. And in this part of the world they are not so intelligent.
Evening Darsan -- August 10, 1976, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: We want to become bigger than Kṛṣṇa, than Arjuna. This is our folly. But the process is, as recommended in the Bhagavad-gītā, evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). You have to understand from the higher authorities.
- imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ
- proktavān aham avyayam
- vivasvān manave prāha
- manur ikṣvākave 'bravīt
- (BG 4.1)
- evaṁ paramparā-prāptam
- imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ
- sa kāleneha mahatā
- yogo naṣṭaḥ parantapa
- (BG 4.2)
As soon as you give up this line of understanding, then it is lost. Yogo naṣṭaḥ parantapa. Then you are dealing in not Bhagavad-gītā, something else, something rubbish. Yogo naṣṭaḥ, it is naṣṭaḥ, it is spoiled. As soon as you interpret, it is spoiled. First of all, why you should interpret? If the meaning is clear, there is no chance of interpreting. If the meaning is not clear, then you can interpret. Dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre (BG 1.1) is clear. Why should you interpret? Baliye (Hindi) If dharma-kṣetra kuru-kṣetra is clear, why would you interpret? When things are clear, interpretation means you are playing joke. So our, this movement presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is. So they are being accepted all over the world, and we are getting good devotees, sincere devotees. All parts of the world.
Room Conversation -- August 14, 1976, Bombay:
Harikeśa: "As long as one does not inquire about the spiritual values of life, one is defeated and subjected to miseries arising from ignorance. Be it sinful or pious, karma has its resultant actions. If a person is engaged in any kind of karma, his mind is called karmātmaka, colored with fruitive activity. As long as the mind is impure, consciousness is unclear. And as long as one is absorbed in fruitive activity, he has to accept a material body."
Prabhupāda: That's all. By lābha-yoga (?) woman will become man and the man will become woman.
Indian Doctor: So long you are taking birth...
Prabhupāda: What action you have got? Before that the verse is,
- nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma
- yad indriya-prītaya āpṛṇoti
- na sādhu manye yata ātmano 'yam
- asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ
- (SB 5.5.4)
So this body is temporary, but it is very miserable. That they do not understand.
Indian Doctor: Kuṇape tri-dhātuke.
Prabhupāda: That they do not understand. That as soon as you accept a material body, either a very rich man's body or poor man's body or any body, either brāhmaṇa's body or śūdra's body, to accept material body means undergo miseries.
Room Conversation with Dr. Theodore Kneupper -- November 6, 1976, Vrndavana:
Dr. Kneupper: Do you think that there is a special way that Hinduism looks upon man's place in the universe?
Prabhupāda: The Hindu religion is a vague term. It is a vague term. It is not clear. It is not clear. Real term is, it is called, Vedic principle. Vedic principle. And in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said: Vedic knowledge means to understand God. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). So anyone who tries to understand God, he is in the Vedic line. Veda means knowledge, so as you get the stock of knowledge, that is called Vedas. But as soon as we say Vedas, they think it is Hindu. Mathematics is a science. So any scientific man will accept mathematics. Where is the question of Hindu mathematics? Gold is gold. If it is in the hand of Hindu, it is Hindu gold? Hindu, Muslim gold? Gold is gold. When we give the Vedic knowledge, they think it is Hindu idea.
Room Conversation -- December 20, 1976, Bombay:
Guest: But Swamiji, you have also given so much (indistinct). That is interpretation.
Prabhupāda: No, that is not interpretation. That is explanation. Interpretation, if I change Kurukṣetra into something else, that is interpretation. That is wisdom. That is wisdom.
Guest: (indistinct)
Prabhupāda: No, I mean to say instead of collecting so many hundreds and thousands of literature on the Bhagavad-gītā, why not take Bhagavad-gītā as it is? What is the difficulty? Kurukṣetra is this position is fact. Mahābhārata, Mahābhārata means greater India. And that is, it is itihasa. It is called itihāsa. Itihāsa, if you don't believe that there was a battle in the Kurukṣetra... But that is the fact. It is the history. Then how you can finish (?) Bhagavad-Gītā? Every point of Bhagavad-gītā, it is clear. It is clear. There is no need of interpretation. That is the first thing. If you interpret you spoil the whole thing. Because interpretation is required when the things are not clear. If everything is clear, why should you interpret?
Guest: No, it is explanation I think.
Prabhupāda: Explanation, you cannot explain that Kurukṣetra means this, dharmakṣetra means this, Pāṇḍava means this. Why?
Guest: No, no.
Room Conversation -- December 26, 1976, Bombay:
Indian lady: But through chanting also you get...
Prabhupāda: Yes, that is the easiest process. Now the previous (indistinct) was spoiled and it was not clear. So it is spoiled. But now it is clear, it is nice. Not clear means something added.
Indian lady: Adulterated.
Prabhupāda: Something adulteration. Adulterated things are not good. Pure thing, that is good. Why do they not accept? Let us discuss something. Why these people interpret? What is the reason to spoil it?
Indian lady: To gain the leadership?
Prabhupāda: But with that leadership, if you cheat others, does it mean leadership?
Indian lady: Or importance. Or the ego which they, "I have got so many followers. Whether I'm wrong or right, everyone thinks I'm right."
Prabhupāda: So what is the meaning of these followers who are all... What is called? Just like sometimes the... What is called? You take so many lambs, what is that called?
Devotee: Shepherd?
Prabhupāda: Shepherd. Yes. The shepherd has many followers. But does it mean any meaning?
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Morning Discussion about Kumbhamela -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Medical science do not accept the soul. Then how it is possible, next birth?
Dr. Patel: They have to accept. In the teaching of physiology, what we call certain vital forces which we don't understand, they are, this is nothing but God there. What is vital force? What is vital force? It's the soul, sir.
Prabhupāda: Vague idea. Not clear.
Dr. Patel: They will become clear later on. Slowly, slowly, the cloud is clearing away from them.
Prabhupāda: No, when... There is clear idea already. Nothing is going to happen, but because they are less intelligent, therefore next stage is when their intelligence will happen. Things are already there.
Dr. Patel: The greatest scientist of the world, Einstein, was a great believer in God, and he was a moral just like a ṛṣi.
Prabhupāda: Yes. I have seen his picture.
Dr. Patel: His behavior was that of a sādhu.
Gurudāsa: Simple. He lived simply.
Dr. Patel: Not only simply, but he never worried much about things. When he was asked in Christian university how much money he would want paid when first migrated to America, he said, "What is the standard of living here?" (indistinct)
Trivikrama: But still, the tendency... Kali-yuga means their tendency is away from...
Dr. Patel: It is Kali-yuga for all of us, for the good and the bad.
Prabhupāda: Kali-yuga means mandāḥ. Mandāḥ-two meaning. One is "slow"; another meaning is "bad." So mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā (SB 1.1.10). Four times this word used: mandāḥ, sumanda-matayo, manda-bhāgyā.
Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:
Rāmeśvara: And they say you can understand a person not by hearing his words but by catching the thoughts from his mind. These people report that kind of experience, that they can understand another man from his thoughts even before he speaks. But the most fantastic thing of all, which I'm not clear about, is they have a description... Almost every person that they interviewed had the same experience of a very bright light. Now this is the way they describe it. "The first appearance of this light is very dim, but rapidly it gets brighter and brighter until it reaches an unearthly brilliance." Every person agreed that this light was actually a living being and it had a definite personality. It was emanating a feeling of warmth and friendship, and it was asking them questions. And it describes the two main questions: "Are you ready to die?" "What have you done with your life to show me? What have you done with your life that is sufficient?" And then it goes on to say that all these people felt that this being who appeared to be like a luminous being was concerned with two things: how they had developed love and how they were searching for knowledge. Every one of them had this same description of a being of light. A luminous being.
Prabhupāda: That is fact. Because we are part and parcel of God, therefore there is illumination.
Hari-śauri: But what they describe is that as they were hovering on the subtle platform, this being came to them, and, it describes, it showed them their past activities during their lifetime. But he discounts the...
Rāmeśvara: Here's the description of that. "The initial appearance of this luminous being and his questions are the prelude to a moment of startling intensity, during which this luminous being presents to the person a panoramic review of his life. It is obvious that this luminous being can see the individual's whole life and he doesn't need the information," but he is getting the dead man to reflect on his past life. It says that "The remembrance is extraordinarily rapid. Everything appears at once and can be taken in with one mental glance. Yet despite its rapidity, all the..."
Prabhupāda: That is happening in dream also. So many remembrances come together; it becomes topsy-turvied. Therefore we see all of a sudden: "Oh, it is done long, long ago."
Interview with Mr. Koshi (Asst. Editor of The Current Weekly) -- April 5, 1977, Bombay:
Mr. Koshi: Interpretation.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Spoil their own life and spoil others. This is going on. The meaning is clear, but these rascals are thinking that "Meaning is not clear. Kṛṣṇa left for me to clear the meaning." That's all. Such rascals, they are touching Bhagavad-gītā. As if Kṛṣṇa left for him to clear the meaning. These rubbish things we want to stop. Of course, it is not possible. Many others are. But we are trying little, that's all. We cannot make any compromise. Therefore Kṛṣṇa consciousness. What Kṛṣṇa says, that is a fact. They are completely under the grip of material nature. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi (BG 3.27). They are declaring independence. Ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham iti manyate (BG 3.27). False, ahaṅkāra, egotism. Nature in one slap, crack! Indira Gandhi is so powerful, one slap, "Get out." What can you do? One slap is sufficient. They do not understand. Jump. They do not know. They are completely under the control of prakṛti, and prakṛti is under the control of Kṛṣṇa. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). They do not discuss this. Still they are scholar in Bhagavad-gītā. Simply picking up some words, they become scholar. Is that scholarship? They do not read even the whole Bhagavad-gītā, neither they understand. This is going on.
Interview with Mr. Koshi (Asst. Editor of The Current Weekly) -- April 5, 1977, Bombay:
Mr. Koshi: Is it that simple and clear for everybody?
Prabhupāda: No, that is the way of interpretation. Amongst the learned circle, interpretation required when the things are not clear. If the things are clear, why nonsense interpretation? There is no need of interpretation. Dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre (BG 1.1). Kurukṣetra is still there, and people go there for pilgrimage. And in the Vedas it is stated kuru-kṣetre dharmān ācaret. "Go to Kurukṣetra and perform ritualistic ceremonies." What is the difficulty? Why should I interpret, "Kurukṣetra means this, and means this, that"? Why? To mislead others and mislead himself. This is not required. But they are doing it. That is misleading. If you can interpret Bhagavad-gītā by your own interpretation, then what is the authority of Bhagavad-gītā? Everyone can do like that. Everyone can say "It is my interpretation." Then where is the authority of Bhagavad-gītā? These things should be stopped. Real Bhagavad-gītā should be studied. People should make life Bhagavad-gītā and preach all over the world. This is our movement.
Evening Darsana -- May 9, 1977, Hrishikesh:
Prabhupāda: I do not wish to discuss nonviolen... But we are talking of philosophy, that you cannot stop violence. That is not possible.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Kṛṣṇa says, mām anusmara yudhya ca (BG 8.7).
Prabhupāda: Yes. Yudhya ca. (Hindi conversation) There is some word; the meaning is not clear. Then you can suggest that "Meaning may be like this." But when it is clear, there is no, I mean to say, chance of interpreting.
Indian man (1): As, for example, vicāra, those such words which requires some clarification or..., these can be interpreted...
Prabhupāda: No, no, when it is clear, why it should be interpreted?
Indian man (1): No, for other words...
Prabhupāda: Other words... (Hindi) ...that when it is clear-yudhya ca—then why should you interpret? The example is there in the Sanskrit grammar. Just like... The example is given, where interpretation required. It is said, example is given like, gaṅgāyāṁ ghoṣa-pāli, that "There is a neighborhood called Ghosha-pali on the Ganges." So then you can ask that "Gaṅgā is water. How there is a neighborhood?" Then the interpretation: "Not on the Ganges water but on the bank." Then interpretation. But when it is clear that "On the bank of the Ganges there is a neighborhood called Ghosha-pali," then where is interpretation? Interpretation will be required when the meaning is not clear. Otherwise, if the meaning is clear, that is (Hindi), to interpret. But in Bhagavad-gītā, in the first line, the word is used, yuyutsvaḥ, "desiring to fight." So desiring to fight, they assembled; they must fight. So where is the question of interpretation? So prasādam ready or not?
Trivikrama(?): Yeah.
Morning Talk -- June 19, 1977, Vrndavana:
Śatadhanya: Yes. Nobody.
Prabhupāda: Still in doubt. The brain is not clear. Your background is that rascal civilization. (indistinct) If you understand Bhagavad-gītā, you cannot support all this... (too faint) That I never said.
Śatadhanya: You are not moved by the scientists.
Prabhupāda: You should be firmly convinced about our philosophy. Otherwise where is that firm...? How you can support these rascal scientists? That is your rascaldom. Take it for granted. One who cannot understand this fact, that soul is immortal, body is... He is no more human; he is animal.
Śatadhanya: Sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). Ass and camel, you say. But if we follow strictly your instructions, then we may gradually understand.
Prabhupāda: Why gradually? That means the background is foolish civilization, that's all. It is simple thing, very simple. Child is becoming boy. The body has changed. Where is the difficulty? How you can defy this argument? (break) ...means disciple. Still if it is so, that means a dog's obstinate rascal. Immediately. Or animal. Animal cannot be convinced.
Upendra: They... The karmīs, they made one movie where the whole world was monkeys, "Planet of the Apes," and one human being came...
Prabhupāda: Rascal, they were monkeys. Now they have become human being, that change of position.
Room Conversation -- October 12, 1977, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: Yes. If you drop, they get opportunity.
Jayapatākā: Yes. No, we have no intention to drop the charges. That will not clear our name. The day I returned, the Secretary General... Rather, the General Secretary of the State Congress Party, Mr. K. K. Sukla, he just happened to visit our mandira, and he heard the whole story, and he said that he'll give whatever support he can, and if they get back into any power, then he'll see that our programs get full assistance. Then our lawyer told us that he has been talking to some ministers in the present Communist government, and they're saying that they're willing to support our movement if we do some works that are beneficial for the people. They're not saying that we're not doing any so far, but any other things like the bridges or the schemes we have, they're willing to give us support for those. By your mercy everything is gradually changing around. The tantric astrologer there, he gave some predictions.
Prabhupāda: What is that?
Jayapatākā: Well, about two weeks ago he had told Bhavānanda that he would be called to Vṛndāvana and that all the GBCs or leaders of the Society would be called to Vṛndāvana to see Your Divine Grace. He said that actually Your Divine Grace is a pure Vaiṣṇava and like type of avatāra, empowered person of Kṛṣṇa, so that he shouldn't really speak anything, because he's simply a tantric type of astrologer, 'cause you are able to change your fate or change according to your desire. He predicted that all the GBCs would be coming. He said that up till the November 28th is the last date of the sickness, and that after that, then your sickness... You would take a month or so to fully recuperate, and then from January on you'd be quite healthy again, and for at least seven years you wouldn't have any trouble with health. The big day... He put the biggest day at November 28th.
Hari-śauri: The worst day?
Jayapatākā: That's the end of the bad period.
Hari-śauri: I'll get the other chart. This man in Delhi did another chart.
Prabhupāda: Why November 28th?
Jayapatākā: Why? That's just his... He may or may not be accurate.
Room Conversation -- October 22, 1977, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: So... (Bengali) Rāmānuja-sampradāya kavirāja (Bengali) Doctor treatment, failure.
Bhakti-caru: (Bengali) I was telling that it worked as far as urine was concerned.
Bhavānanda: We're not sure that that was the result of the medicine or the result of liquid intake.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The urine has been clear for five months in a row, so when it got unclear for three days and Prabhupāda wasn't drinking anything, then as soon as he drank it became clear. So I can't conclude that it was the doctor.
Bhakti-caru: (Bengali) (pause)
Prabhupāda: What he has said? Hm?
Bhavānanda: Well, he was stumped as to why you had no appetite, and he said that possibly because you are taking less air in your left lung than in your right lung, there may be some infection in the lung—he said that generally is denoted also by lack of appetite—of some tubercular or pleurisy or pneumatic nature.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: So he's prescribing that anti-tuberculin drug called Isotoxin. That's also called Isonayazid.(?) That is anti-tuberculin drug that he's prescribing.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But he doesn't even know. He doesn't really know if it's tuberculous.
Bhavānanda: He didn't prescribe any medicine.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: One of the medicines is that Isotoxin. I asked...
Ādi-keśava: That is a very, very strong drug, very, very strong. It has a very heavy effect.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Isotoxin is also called Isonayazid.(?) It's the chemical name. I know that, I discussed with...
Prabhupāda: Then he'll say, "Remove to the hospital."
| Page Title: | Unclear (Conversations) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Mayapur |
| Created: | 23 of Nov, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=68, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 68 |