Unique (Conversations)

Expressions researched:
"unique" |"uniquely" |"uniqueness"

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

Questions and Answers -- Montreal, August 26, 1968:

Prabhupāda: So He showed His opulence in wisdom also. Just like Kṛṣṇa showed His opulence by speaking Bhagavad-gītā in wisdom, not only miracles. Miracles a magician can also show. That is not very important thing. A yogī also can show so many miracles. But scholarly presentation of a certain thing, that requires opulence. And the most wonderful opulence He showed that is very unique, especially in this age, that at the age of twenty-four years He renounced the world. He had His very beautiful and obedient wife, Lakṣmī devi, sixteen years old. She was by name Lakṣmī, and actually she was goddess of fortune.

Questions and Answers -- Montreal, August 26, 1968:

Prabhupāda: In our childhood we had the occasion of taking part in a drama, Caitanya-līlā. I took the part of Advaita, and our friends, others, somebody took the part of Caitanya, Nityānanda. So that drama was so successful, it was unique in Calcutta. Because we were not, we were not professionals. I saw from the stage a huge gathering, they're all crying. I was surprised, "Why these people are crying?" You see? It was great successful, because we were not professionals. We were not devotees at that time, but some of us were devotee by family tradition, but not exactly what is actually meant by devotee. But still, because we were not professionals, the drama was so successful, unique. And there was no female. Now Śacidevī, Śacidevī, the friend who take the part, took the part of Śacidevī, his shoulders were so big, (laughing) so just see. So there was no question of beautiful woman taking part. So still the drama was very successful. Similarly, when Caitanya Mahāprabhu staged, all the devotees took part.

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Interview with Reporters -- November 10, 1971, New Delhi:

Reporter: It's very, I think, sir, that we must, as you say, live and have our being in Kṛṣṇa...

Prabhupāda: Yes. It is already, but you have forgot.

Reporter: It is unique. It is so unique. Of course, I mean to say...

Prabhupāda: Huh? Why it is not easy?

Reporter: It is not easy to be able to live, everybody... You know what a pāpī I am. I don't think the Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so easy...

Prabhupāda: No, no, no. Even if you are pāpī, if you see... Don't you see the sunlight?

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Two Buddhist Monks -- July 12, 1973, London:

Buddhist Monk (1): What happens when similar statements are made by other people that we have, they have their own god, who is, they made a unique system, and someone else says, "No, we have our own unique system." Someone else says, "No, all those three systems we do not agree with. We have got our unique system." What's going to happen in that thing?

Prabhupāda: That will... Phalena paricīyate. The system which is accepted more, that is successful. You can present so many system, but the test will be which system is more accepted by the people, by the mass, general people. That is successful. Phalena paricīyate. And if somebody says that "I have got my own god," and some other says, "I have got my own god," but this is a fact: God is one. You may call by different names. That is different thing. But God cannot be manufactured, that "You manufacture your god, I manufacture my god, he manufactures his god." That is not God.

Morning Walk -- December 5, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Jīva Gosvāmī. Jīva Gosvāmī has stated that unless we accept acintya, inconceivable energy, there is no conception of God. There is no conception of God. If you bring God to your conception, he's not God.

Umāpati: Acintya, acintya-bheda is a unique contribution of Vaiṣṇavas to the concept of God.

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. Actually, that is the fact. We cannot explain what is God. We have to accept what is God from God.

Morning Walk -- December 15, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: So he has appreciated this?

Rūpānuga: He has made that remark. He has noted that difference.

Prabhupāda: (laughing) Therefore I am unique. Yes. Then I can, become unique. Yes. I am not amongst the rascals.

Morning Walk -- December 15, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: No, it is very intelligent. Yes. Just like guru does not accept, although he is worshiped like Kṛṣṇa, he never accepts that "I am Kṛṣṇa." That is our paramparā system. Śiṣya has to accept guru as Kṛṣṇa, but guru will never accept that he is Kṛṣṇa. This is our relationship. Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstraiḥ. Samasta-śāstraiḥ, all revealed scripture.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: This is the unique quality of Vaiṣṇava.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Nowhere we can find these things.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 16, 1974, Bombay:

Girirāja: "The mothers of the boys heard the vibrations of their flutes before their entrance and to receive them they came out of their homes with great..." (break)

Prabhupāda: They took the position of Yaśodā, directly feeding. This is the unique position of Vṛndāvana. (break) ...yogamāyā.

Dr. Patel: Yogamāyā samanvitaḥ.

Prabhupāda: Ah. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yogamāyā-samāvṛtaḥ (BG 7.25). So two māyā is working.

Room Conversation with Catholic Cardinal and Secretary to the Pope -- May 24, 1974, Rome:

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is legitimate.

Dhanañjaya: "More than that, in this translation the Western reader has the unique opportunity of seeing how a Kṛṣṇa devotee interprets his own texts. It is a Vedic..."

Cardinal Pignedoli: Yes.

Prabhupāda: A Kṛṣṇa devotee interpreting on Kṛṣṇa, and a nondevotee interpreting on Kṛṣṇa. There is far difference.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- July 1, 1975, Denver:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And one of the things I see about the unique feature of all the diets that they have in common is that the devotees more or less stop taking the prasādam which is offered to the Deity.

Prabhupāda: This is not good. (break)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It seems to me that one of the important aspects of bhakti-yoga is to depend upon Kṛṣṇa for one's maintenance.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So whatever is offered to the Deity, one should accept.

Prabhupāda: The prasādam is not suitable?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well it is standard prasādam. Capatis, rice, dahl, subji, fruits.

Room Conversation with writer, Sandy Nixon -- July 13, 1975, Philadelphia:

Sandy Nixon: What is unique about Kṛṣṇa consciousness that separates it from other religions? If it's a religion.

Prabhupāda: Religion means primarily to know God and love Him. That is religion. And nobody knows God, and what to speak of loving Him? Nobody is trained up how to know God and how to love Him. They are satisfied by going to the church: "O God, give us our daily bread." That also not everyone goes. So the Communist says that "You don't go to the church. Bread we shall supply." So poor innocent persons, they get bread elsewhere, so they do not go to church. But nobody is serious to understand what is God and how to love Him. Nobody is serious.

Room Conversation with Reporter of The Star -- October 16, 1975, Johannesburg:

Prabhupāda: No, I am going to every country because everywhere the same mistake is going on, bodily concept of life. So I am trying to bring them to the real life and then make their plan. They will be happy. It is not for South Africa. For any Africa, or any country, South America or South India or anywhere. The problem is the same. Everywhere the same conception: "I am South African." "I am American." "I am Indian." "I am this." "I am that." So all these things are on the bodily concept of life. Nobody says, "No, I am not this body. I am different from body." Nobody says. We are simply preaching that "You are not this body. You are different from this..." That is our unique situation. Perhaps throughout the whole world we are trying to preach that "You are not this body. You are different from body." And we have not manufactured this idea.

Morning Walk -- November 7, 1975, Bombay:

Bhāgavata: Unique.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is wanted. It is already there in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Bhāgavata: Things show... Dolls displaying practical examples of the philosophy.

Prabhupāda: Yes. There are so many things in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavata. Just like a dog is swimming, and somebody captures the tail of the dog, and he thinks that "The dog will help me to cross the ocean," this kind of. So everyone is trying for liberation, but they are catching the tail of a dog for liberation.

Morning Walk -- December 16, 1975, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: She also stood first. My son also stood first and got the gold medal. She also got the same, by your grace!

Prabhupāda: (laughs) By Kṛṣṇa's grace.

Dr. Patel: This is unique perfomance in Bombay, that no doctor's two children have got first like this.

Prabhupāda: Hm. All of them, M.D.?

Dr. Patel: M.D. Very distinguished, first class. I was very much pleased...

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- February 27, 1976, Mayapura:

Jayapatākā: So then people can... Then advertising, "Come here."

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Actually it will be an unique thing in the world. There is no such thing all over the world. That we shall do. And not only simply showing museum, but educating people to that idea.

Hṛdayānanda: Preaching.

Prabhupāda: Right. With factual knowledge, books, not fictitious.

Room Conversation -- April 4, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: South African mission, very good.

Devotee: At this present moment, Prabhupāda, we have a really unique situation, the best of all.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Devotee: A unique situation in South Africa, because there are many Europeans that are being drafted into the Army, but they will not allow the Indians to be drafted. They don't want them to go into the military forces because they're afraid they're too intelligent.

Room Conversation -- April 20, 1976, Melbourne:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Devotees are working very hard to spread this consciousness, knowledge. (background talking)

Prabhupāda: Religious book, selling daily so much, huge amount, that is unique in the history.

Carol Jarvis: Are they sold mainly in the Western countries?

Prabhupāda: All over the world. Especially in Europe, America.

Room Conversation -- May 4, 1976, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: No, intelligence also. Father's intelligence he must inherit. There is an Indian proverb, bāpakā beṭā sepāikā ghoḍā, kucha nehi to thoḍā thoḍā (indistinct), mean "The father's son and the soldier's horse, they acquire the quality, if not all, some, must." If one is good soldier, his horse is also trained up. There is a history in India. The horse has played heroic. The Queen of Jhansi's horse and this, our, what is called, Shivaji's horse, they have played unique part in the history. Sepāikā ghoḍā. It is animal, but because it is the horse of a famous hero, it has played. Similarly, the son of father must be as good as father. If not, to some extent. Yes. So you are the.... Your father is the leader of so many big, big businessmen. You also become leader.

Room Conversation -- June 9, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: "All right, let me see how your strength is coming. Now I shall kill you, come on. Let me see (laughs) how your God is coming to save you." This is atheism, challenging. And when He appeared, the Hiraṇyakaśipu became a fly (laughs) in front of.... Eh? Where is such language? Even there are many Sanskrit scholars now, they cannot produce such language. That is not possible. And five thousand years before, Vyāsadeva presented this unique language.

'Life Comes From Life' Slideshow Discussions -- July 3, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: We can't read it. I cannot read

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: :One side it says "matter," the other side it says "life."

Svarūpa Dāmodara: On the left side, it is matter; on the right side, it is life. Now it is little different from the way that this different set-up by biologists. This is quite unique in a sense because we all take this from the sources of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Bhagavad-gītā. So the first point says that matter is the inferior energy of the Absolute Truth, and on the right column, it is the superior energy of the Absolute Truth. Now in the...

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā.

'Life Comes From Life' Slideshow Discussions -- July 3, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: No, the three modes induces chemical composition. Then RN, DNA (laughs)...

Svarūpa Dāmodara: But this is very unique in science itself. It's a very novel concept just from scientific level.

Devotee: The scientists have a desire to explain things. They like to see that you can explain so many different things. Perhaps it doesn't have any real utility to explain,

Prabhupāda: So, as far as possible, you can give explanation from Bhāgavatam. Otherwise, how you can...

Interview with Trans-India Magazine -- July 17, 1976, New York:

Interviewer: Can you briefly tell us what the difference, how your approach is different from the approaches of the other gurus who have come? You seen to have rather a unique place in...

Prabhupāda: First of all, we do not accept anyone as guru if he's not competent to understand Bhagavad-gītā and preach it also. He's not a guru. The guru's definition given in the Bhagavad-gītā, imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam (BG 4.1), in the Fourth Chapter you'll find, vivasvān manave prāha manur ikṣvākave 'bravīt.

Room Conversation -- July 18, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: I do not take anything at night.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Morning, you are drinking milk? Is it...?

Prabhupāda: Very good.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Those cows are unique, that a cow can give her own weight in milk in eleven days.

Prabhupāda: They are selling milk also.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In our farm?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- August 12, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: No, we can supply nim leaves from India, any amount, from Vṛndāvana.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Nim leaves from Vṛndāvana is unique, nobody can imitate us.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Nim leaves we can export from India. In the United Provinces there is ample nim trees. That time I shall give you instruction also.

Evening Darsana -- August 14, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: In the country of Hindus it is selling very less in comparison to what we are selling daily.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: It's hard to talk (?). Vṛndāvana also is doing six, seven hundred rupees a day in book sales.

Prabhupāda: Still, six lakhs or six hundred. No, I say this is unique in the history. Now we have got... we are going to print, next our printing program... Bring it from Harikeśa. I am being surprised. Fifty thousand, one lakh, five hundred thousand each item.

Room Conversation -- August 21, 1976, Hyderabad:

Gargamuni: They have to accept you as an international leader.

Prabhupāda: I must be international leader. Yes, they are surprised how... This is unique in the history, that a single person's books are sold in so many large quantities. I don't think any author has sold so many books. Huh?

Morning Walk -- October 2, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: He can do every panel in three days.

Haṁsadūta: I've written him that Prabhupāda suggested he might come and do it.

Prabhupāda: He knows the art, how to do it. (break) ...unique, American. What is this American? I could not reach. (?) (break) ...conditioner, to keep the air conditioner. There was (indistinct).

Room Conversation About Gurukula -- November 5, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: For feeding. Feeding. Give them sumptuous food so that they may become healthy, nice food. (laughter) Yes. That is also wanted. Children, they must eat sufficiently. Not overeat. Even overeat, that is not wrong for children. And that will be exercise, by going to Yamunā and coming? That will be bodily exercise. This is nice. Do that. Strictly follow. There is no scarcity of space there, yes. Vṛndāvana is holy place. And there is no government interference, so increase it. Bring more student from all over the world. Then it will be unique. And you also make scheme to get Indian children from aristocratic family. Śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo 'bhijāyate (BG 6.41). Those who are born in high-class, rich family or brāhmaṇa family, they are not ordinary. But there is no brāhmaṇa family now.

Room Conversation with Life Member, Mr. Malhotra -- December 22, 1976, Poona:

Girirāja: It will be almost completed, but we will open. Everything will begin, our activities.

Prabhupāda: You have seen?

Mr. Malhotra: Ah.

Prabhupāda: They say it will be a unique temple in Bombay. (break)

Mr. Malhotra: My son is getting married on 24th of January. The younger son who went to factory this morning. He is getting married. And we are going, taking bride from here to Juhu. There is Hotel Horizon there, near Kṛṣṇa Land. So the bride will be staying there in Horizon, and then from there procession will be going to Sun and Sand, so on 24th. Whether you will be in Bombay or not? 24th January?

Prabhupāda: May not. Because Kumbha-mela is there. (break)

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Discussion about Kumbhamela -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Gurudāsa: Everyone is serving, that is serving, capati and dahl.

Prabhupāda: That's nice.

Gurudāsa: But everyone is serving that already. That's another reason I thought that puṣpanna would be nice because it would be unique.

Prabhupāda: No, I have no objection. That is all right. But puri-śāk is better. Is it costly?

Morning Discussion about Kumbhamela -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Gurudāsa: Their uniqueness is that they display the head on a spear.

Prabhupāda: Oh. Any head.

Dr. Patel: And they dance, even as they do in Africa. Nagas are very much civilized now.

Prabhupāda: Civilized?

Dr. Patel: In this way...

Prabhupāda: No, they were civilized. Otherwise...

Room Conversation -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Anywhere, this is our main program. Print books as many as possible and distribute. This is our main program. All other programs are secondary. So with this aim in view, work all together. Our Caitanya-caritāmṛta is unique literature. For Caitanya-caritāmṛta, we are above any ācārya. There are four ācāryas: Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Viṣṇu Svāmī... But our Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's legacy, ācārya's, that is unique. Anarpita-cariṁ cirāt karuṇayāvatīrṇa kalau. Here the Supreme Personality of Godhead is personally teaching-ācārya. Anarpita-cariṁ cirāt karuṇayāvatīrṇa kalau samarpayitum unnatojjvala-rasam. The highest topmost bliss, madhurya. These dealings of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, madhurya-rasa, is the contribution of Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: So he immediately agreed. Anyway, that's a very nice place. You have seen?

Rāmeśvara: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Very nice place, unique palace.

Hari-śauri: Yes, a very good center.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Very nice building. We haven't got such building anywhere. On the waterside, big, big rooms, very nicely decorated, aristocratic, really aristocratic, really aristocratic.

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

Rāmeśvara: But in past ages there is many... There's history of many Kali-yugas, but this Kṛṣṇa con..., Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, is unique.

Prabhupāda: Yes, it must be unique because it's genuine. It is not cheating.

Rāmeśvara: Jaya Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Jaya.

Morning Room Conversation -- February 16, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: This is Saurabha's credit. He has designed.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The utilization is especially unique. It is so much more than just a temple. That is what's impressing—the restaurant, the theater, temple...

Prabhupāda: Every inch is utilized.

Hari-śauri: What they call a complex.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Very unique. One thing we don't have is a university.

Morning Room Conversation -- February 16, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: That building is also coming very nice.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Gurukula.

Prabhupāda: Gurukula. Very gorgeous and nice. And if there are gates and road in our name, (laughing) that will be unique in India. Then people will come to Vṛndāvana to see our... Nowadays also, they are coming to see our temple. Anyone who comes. That prasāda distribution is going on in the evening?

Room Conversation -- March 26, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: I think also. He is a very kind doctor. Whole family is attentive. Living is... That we have already discussed. Trees also live for many years. That is not wanted. To live for living forever, that is wanted. Yad gatvā na nivartante tad dhāma paramaṁ mama (BG 15.6). That should be the human endeavor, not this dog race, changing condition, from four legs to four wheels. This logic was never taught, from four legs to four wheels. They are astonished.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And anthills. Yes, it's a very unique presentation of the philosophy. They have never heard it so nicely adapted to the modern situation.

Prabhupāda: So they have got farther two days, so I think they will be able to do it. That, my, apartment in Juhu.

Morning Conversation -- April 11, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: In the history it is unique. Crores of rupees' property, and all over the world, buildings, temples. It is all Kṛṣṇa's. Nobody can harm them. It is not for me. There is no history. In one, ten years only, books like this, which are being received with so much adoration. They are simply Kṛṣṇa. If I want to take credit personally, this is wrong, sir. So money does not come in that way unless Kṛṣṇa gives. Janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrībhiḥ (SB 1.8.26). If Kṛṣṇa wants, He can give the whole world. My father used to say, "God has got ten hands. If He wants to take away from you, with two hands how much you will protest? And when He wants to give you with ten hands, with two hands how much you will take it?" That's a common... But people are after money.

Morning Conversation -- April 23, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: This is a unique in the history that an Indian sannyāsī has done so alone. That is unique. It is recorded in history. So therefore they are appreciating. They can... They have got common sense that "These rascal go and talk." Now this Bala Yogi has stopped his activities.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Completely.

Prabhupāda: Because he has come to know that if we can capture, it will be dangerous. And this... What is that? Transcendental Meditation?

Talk with Svarupa Damodara -- June 20, 1977, Vrndavana:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: I think they are very interested, very much. Otherwise they won't take time to discuss. In fact, some of them feel that it's very unique.

Prabhupāda: Unique it is. There was no such proposal before. They have taken God as something mystic, imagination. Especially this rascal Darwin's theory, "People are animals," and they accept that "We are animals. My father was monkey." Very easy. This rascal has convinced them that "Your father, grandfather, were monkeys, and you are Sir Walton Rose(?)." "How I became a Sir Walton Rose, the son of a monkey?" This is their business. How much bluff. Disgusted learning and jump. A monkey has become man. Body's changed.

Room Conversation Mayapura attack -- July 15, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: And they shifted very organizedly. The cows, tuck bag, then the guards with bows and arrows, then old men, women, children in carts.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They were in carts.

Prabhupāda: Yes. By procession...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The early pioneers in America, they would also go in the wagons, covered wagons. Now I understand we have one wagon going in America. It's heading towards Washington under the banner of "Simple Living and High Thinking." That will be unique.

Prabhupāda: And everywhere, how they were well dressed, well fed, and rich in milk products. When called, people, the brāhmaṇas give in charity cows, not at all poor.

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

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: ...instead of in the city.

Prabhupāda: No, city should be... Make there.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: And this will be a very unique project in India then.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. There is no need of... City does not need temple. If there is a good temple fifteen miles, that is...

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. And then we can sell cottages to big life members. They can make cottages...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- October 6, 1977, Vrndavana:

Kīrtanānanda: Yes. It has a big dome on the top. Here's a better picture of it, closer. This was on vyāsa-pūjā day. All the devotees were there offering respects to Your Divine Grace.

Prabhupāda: Do it very nicely. (break) ...unique testament.

Kīrtanānanda: All of this detail work, Śrīla Prabhupāda, is being done in gold leaf on white background. This is all marble. This is the main temple room and kīrtana hall. The columns are being covered with marble cut in patterns like this.

Prabhupāda: It will be a very... What is called? Attractive spot? What is called? It will be tourist?