It is indeed true that Indians are especially able to benefit others world-wide. But if the Indians do not meet this responsibility and instead get enticed and bedazzled by the illusory energy as it is manifest in the West in such variegated forms, then they will become known as misers and end their lives in disgrace. The sun is not visible at night because of the rotation of the earth, yet the sun is very much present in the sky, and the entire solar system is working under its influence. Similarly, the light of India's knowledge, contained in the sublime philosophy of the Vedas, the Upaniṣads, the Vedānta-sūtra, the Purāṇas, the Gītā, and their corollaries, is certainly available, but by divine will it is temporarily beyond our view due to the influence of ignorance and passion. Of course, by the Lord's will and by the mercy of His pure devotee, this knowledge will again spread everywhere.
Worldwide
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 2
The above-mentioned historical names are different nations of the world. Even those who are constantly engaged in sinful acts are all corrigible to the standard of perfect human beings if they take shelter of the devotees of the Lord. Jesus Christ and Muhammad, two powerful devotees of the Lord, have done tremendous service on behalf of the Lord on the surface of the globe. And from the version of Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī it appears that instead of running a godless civilization in the present context of the world situation, if the leadership of world affairs is entrusted to the devotees of the Lord, for which a worldwide organization under the name and style of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness has already been started, then by the grace of the Almighty Lord there can be a thorough change of heart in human beings all over the world because the devotees of the Lord are able authorities to effect such a change by purifying the dust-worn minds of the people in general.
SB Canto 3
More than five thousand years ago, while Saint Vidura was traveling the earth as a pilgrim, India was known as Bhāratavarṣa, as it is known even today. The history of the world cannot give any systematic account for more than three thousand years into the past, but before that the whole world was under the flag and military strength of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, who was the emperor of the world. At present there are hundreds and thousands of flags flapping in the United Nations, but during the time of Vidura there was, by the grace of Ajita, Lord Kṛṣṇa, only one flag. The nations of the world are very eager to again have one state under one flag, but for this they must seek the favor of Lord Kṛṣṇa, who alone can help us become one worldwide nation.
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Renunciation Through Wisdom
The cycle of four yugas, or millenniums—namely, Satya, Tretā, Dvāpara, and Kali—goes around a thousand times in one day of Lord Brahmā. The Bhagavad-gītā (8.17) confirms this: sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ. "By human calculation, a thousand ages taken together form the duration of Brahmā's one day." According to the Vedic calculation, one day of Brahmā sees the coming and going of fourteen Manus. Therefore, each Manu lives for seventy-one cycles of the four millenniums. At present we are in the period of Vaivasvata Manu, in the twenty-eighth cycle of the four millenniums, and it is the Kali-yuga. This Kali-yuga is very special, however, because Lord Caitanya appears in this age in His original form and propagates the esoteric science of pure love of Godhead. All this we learn from the scriptures. We have great expectations that this science of pure love of Godhead will be propagated world-wide in the immediate future.
The word hari-kīrtana used in these verses, which means "singing or chanting the glories of Kṛṣṇa," could very well apply to the Bhagavad-gītā, the song sung by God Himself. The promulgation of the Bhagavad-gītā's knowledge on a world-wide scale will establish a foundation upon which the edifice of the science of love of God will be constructed. This edifice will be the repository of the sublime treasure of devotional service as taught by Lord Caitanya in Kali-yuga, and it will serve as a shining monument to the transcendental endeavors of the Lord's pure devotees.
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
This planet was formerly known as Ilāvṛta-varṣa, and later on, after the Emperor Bharata, this planet was known as Bhārata-varṣa. So Bhārata-varṣa means not only India, but the whole planet. At least five thousand years ago it was known as Bhārata-varṣa. Bhārata-varṣa name is there, but it indicates only India. So this Bhagavad-gītā is a chapter of Mahābhārata. Perhaps you know the book Mahābhārata, "Greater Bhārata-varṣa," "The History of the Greater Bhārata-varṣa." That is Mahābhārata. So the background of this Bhagavad-gītā is that there was worldwide fight, battle, called the Battle of Kurukṣetra. Kurukṣetra, the place is still there. If some of you went to India, (you) might have seen it is near Delhi, New Delhi. The railway station is called also Kurukṣetra. So there was a battle five thousand years ago. The parties were two cousin-brothers, and this Bhagavad-gītā was spoken by Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavān. Therefore it is called bhagavān uvāca.
To think of God, to offer some obeisances to God, and to be, to serve something, to render some service unto Him, and just to become a party of God. That, just like we identify, everyone identifies to some party, either politically, socially or religiously, economically. We have got so many fields of activity. But, in each and every field, we have got a party feeling. You cannot avoid that. In political field, oh, we have got so many parties. Even in your own country, even there are democratic party or conservative party and this party, that party. Worldwide is also the capitalistic party, the communistic party. In our country also there is congress party. So party's already there. Socially also, oh, we are Christian, I am Jew, I am Hindu. Of course, this is religiously. And socially also. In India, there is very social party. So you cannot avoid this partyism. All ladies and gentlemen who are present here, I ask you, do you not belong to any party? Can you deny that "I don't belong to any party"? Oh, everyone belongs to some party.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
There is no money. There is no qualified brāhmaṇa. Therefore this yajña... Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi sumedhasaḥ (SB 11.5.32). Those who have got brain substance, not cow dung, they will take this process, yajñaiḥ. Let everyone chant Hare Kṛṣṇa home to home. Whatever they have got, all right. Just begin chanting. Just see what happens. We are trying to introduce this chanting. But the rascals will not take it. What can be done? There is no loss if they chant Hare Kṛṣṇa worldwide. Where is the loss? But still, they will not. And everything can be had. Sarva-kāma-dughā mahī. Mahī. Kṛṣṇa, He is... The mother... Kṛṣṇa, how He has arranged this mahī? Everything is coming. Actually you will find that the rose flower is coming, the mine is coming, the gold is coming, the coal is coming, the petrol is coming. Everything is there in the mahī. And who has arranged it? Just see. Sarva-kāma-dughā mahī. And if there is regular waterfall, then you get everything supply. And by performing yajña, you get regular waterfall, rainfall. And in this age all other types of yajña is not possible.
So that is not being done. Everyone is trying to become happy without Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Just like in your country I heard in a... The Archbishop of Canterbury... There was some meeting. So he said that "You want kingdom of God without God. That is your philosophy." The modern, so-called politicians, they want to make everything very nicely going on. They have discovered this United Nations so that there may not be any war or any strife or any scarcity. They have medical department, W.H.O. Do you know the W.H.O.? W.H.O. department. W.H.O. means World Health Organization. W means World and H means Health and O means Organization, of the United Nations. So there is a W.H.O. organization but there is no health. (laughter) The W.H.O. organization is there, worldwide, but there is no health. This is their business. Because there is no Kṛṣṇa.
So if we become no more designation, then immediately the whole world becomes Vaikuṇṭha. We are fighting—"I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," "I am American," "I am Indian," "I am German." The whole disturbance is there. "This is my land. This is your land." The whole world is doing. As soon as they become Kṛṣṇa conscious, immediately this hellish world become Vaikuṇṭha, immediately, tat-kṣaṇāt. Simply one has to learn.
So such important movement we should take very seriously and try to spread it all world wide. That will be the best service to the human society.
Acyutānanda: Another question. (break—repeating question) This is a world of śakti or energy. There is a worldwide rise in prices of energy resources, like oil, coal, gas, and electricity. This means that there is a depletion of these energy resources. Naturally, there will be worldwide destruction of mankind and other living beings and materials in the near future. What are your views?
Prabhupāda: So yes, these material things, they are energies. That is described in the Bhagavad-gītā. Bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca, bhinnā me prakṛtir aṣṭadhā (BG 7.4). The petrol is also another form of Kṛṣṇa's energy. Parasya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). Any energy. There are many millions of energies. Na tasya kāryaṁ kāraṇaṁ ca vidyate. Kṛṣṇa has nothing to do because everything is being done by His energy. Although He is the ultimate source of everything, but He is doing everything by His energy. Parasya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate svabhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca. And it appears that it is being automatically done. Not. It is not automatically done. It is done by Kṛṣṇa's energy. So this material energy is also Kṛṣṇa's energy. It is not a different energy. Kṛṣṇa says, bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ. Now, this petrol is liquid thing, so āpa. It is a kind of liquid thing, āpa, so it is Kṛṣṇa's energies. So our Vaiṣṇava philosophy is that Kṛṣṇa's energies should be utilized for Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So everything can be utilized for service of Kṛṣṇa.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
So if anyone derides the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then... That means we must have impetus to know. But one who has no such impetus, he is called demon, or asura. So asura, one who does not want to understand the position of God, for them, Kṛṣṇa says that tān ahaṁ dviṣataḥ krūrān. Dviṣataḥ means there is a class who are always envious of God. As soon as you speak something about God, they become fire: "Oh, what is this God nonsense?" So they are dviṣataḥ. Dviṣataḥ means envious. They cannot even tolerate the name of God. "Don't talk of God." So it is not now individually infection; it is now worldwide. And therefore, the result is that the Communist party is developing all over the world due to this godlessness. And we have got experience, personal experience, in our selling our books, the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. I have seen many gentlemen, as teachers and educationists. As soon as he sees Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, "Oh, it is about God. Oh, we cannot purchase. We cannot purchase. Because it is God, therefore we have no connection with it. We cannot purchase." Such is the mentality. So that, by that such mentality, godless mentality, atheistic mentality, the people of the world, they are not happy. But still, they are fools. Because they are fools, they'll not take to God consciousness or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But it is our duty to canvass, to request.
Festival Lectures
So in his life he was akhaṇḍa brahmacārī. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura had many other sons, and he was the fifth son. And some of his other brother also, they did not marry. And my Guru Mahārāja, he also did not marry. From the childhood he is strict brahmacārī, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Mahārāja. And he underwent very severe penances for starting this movement, worldwide movement. That was his mission. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura wanted do this. He, 1896, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura wanted to introduce this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement by sending this book, Shree Chaitanya Mahāprabhu, His Life and Precepts. Fortunately, that year was my birth year, and by Kṛṣṇa's arrangement, we came in contact. I was born in a different family, my Guru Mahārāja was born in a different family.
Purports to Songs
Everyone is interested how to eat, how to sleep, how to have sex and how to defend. That is going on, nationwide, worldwide. Therefore our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is interested to make a section of the people brāhmaṇa, brain. They can guide. It is not that everyone requires; neither it is possible. Unless one is very intelligent, he cannot become brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa means the most intellectual class of the society. That is brāhmaṇa. Satya śamaḥ damaḥ titikṣa ārjavaḥ, jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). These are the brāhmaṇa's qualification. He must be truthful, so much so truthful that even to his enemy he will not keep any secret. That is called truthfulness. And śamaḥ. Śamaḥ means controlling the senses. Damaḥ. Śamaḥ means controlling the mind. Mind is our enemy; mind is our friend. So if we can control the mind, the mind can act as very good friend. And if we do not control the mind, then he acts as enemy. Therefore the yoga system means controlling the mind, controlling the senses so they can act as my friend. Otherwise they will act as my enemy. Kāma krodha lobha moha.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1971 Conversations and Morning Walks
Dr. Weir: Swamiji you'll be glad to know your society like ours is worldwide and not based upon color, creed, or designations
Prabhupāda: Yes, designation means falsely identifying that I am this body. Now the soul is in this body. Next time the soul is in another body. So according to the body we are having designations. As soon as we get American body, I think myself American. Next life, if I get a body of a dog, then I think myself dog, designate. According to the body I create my designations. But one has to become free from all designations. That is called liberated stage. This is own constitutional position. That position is eternal servant of God. That is the real position of every living entity. But because at the present moment the living entity is in contact with matter, so according to the material modes of the body, he's identifying himself with this body. That is called material designation. "I am American." "I am Englishman." "I am Hindu." "I am Muslim." "I am this." "I am that." These are all designations.
1972 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Huh?
Śyāmasundara: I'm thinking that if we developed a very large center here, like a headquarters, it would have worldwide impact.
Prabhupāda: Uh.
Śyāmasundara: Because, just like a throwing a rock in the pond, first of all the devotees of India would all be coming...
Prabhupāda: Uh.
Śyāmasundara: ...and it would revitalize the spiritual life of India from this point, and then the whole world would come to Vṛndāvana.
Prabhupāda: So, now next thing, what to do?
Śyāmasundara: I was thinking perhaps I would like to devote a lot of time to raising funds for such a project—in the United States, England.
Prabhupāda: (indistinct)
Śyāmasundara: Manage.
Prabhupāda: Manage? There's no scarcity of funds.
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Scholar: Yes.
Prabhupāda: But still it has to be expanded, has to be more explicitly ex..., advertised. So our point is this, that we are trying to spread this knowledge of Bhagavad-gītā. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means that we are spreading the knowledge of Bhagavad-gītā. So this is a world-wide organization and you know something about us, about this movement. So this part of the world, this is Southeast Asia?
Scholar: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Southeast Asia. Why not combine it, join together, and scientifically preach this cult of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. People will be very glad to accept it.
Scholar: What is the place of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam here, in this movement?
Prabhupāda: Eh?
Scholar: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam?
Prabhupāda: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is... The Bhagavad-gītā is the preliminary study of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Just like before learning any literature, one has to read the first book, ABCD. The Bhagavad-gītā is the ABCD. It is just beginning of understanding of what is God. ABC. When one has passed the entrance examination, then he gets the opportunity of studying Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In the Bhagavad-gītā the last instruction is sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). That Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord, is explaining Himself, and at last He says that you surrender unto me.
Prabhupāda: It is done. Just like sometimes I think that I came here alone without any expectation of success, and this movement has become so nice. Actually, by one man's effort it was not possible. But it has become so. This is acintya-śakti, Kṛṣṇa's, inconceivable. Even a modern businessman, he cannot organize such a worldwide organization in such short a time. We have talked with many businessmen in India. Some said, "We have got thirty branches," somebody says, "We have got forty," another twenty branches. Our students say "My Guru Mahārāja has 102 branches." So they say, "No, we cannot compare with your Guru Mahārāja." So this is acintya-śakti. You can see so many things, the acintya-śakti is working. So unless we accept acintya-śakti of God, it is not possible to understand what is God. Inconceivable potency. And that is actually a fact. We want to bring God to our level, that's frog philosophy. Atlantic Ocean to the level of well. That is foolishness. That is foolishness.
Professor: It's a big feast.
Prabhupāda: So you are Sanskrit scholar. You can join with this movement and help us.
Professor: Thank you.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Because it is worldwide movement.
Professor: I cannot help you. That's, that's...
Prabhupāda: No, you can help us.
Professor: That's very strange.
Prabhupāda: Some of our students are trying to learn Sanskrit. You can help them.
Professor: Well, he knows very well Sanskrit. He pronounce it very well.
Prabhupāda: Yes. He has learned out of his own accord, without taking help from anybody.
Professor: Really?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Whatever little help I give, that's all.
Śyāmasundara: Yeah, with that same experience now you've organized a world-wide society...
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Śyāmasundara: And that's a big business.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Śyāmasundara: Difficult work.
Brahmānanda: Just like before coming to India, in Japan, with simply five thousand dollars, you took fifty thousand dollars worth of merchandise.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Brahmānanda: And you brought it, had it sent...
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Brahmānanda: And then everything...
Śyāmasundara: Life members...
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Brahmānanda: And then you devised the program for distributing them.
Prabhupāda: Yes, practically India's, our, whatever we have got, it is starting with that five thousand dollars.
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Guru dāsa: One who works hard for Kṛṣṇa day and night and one who controls his senses.
Prabhupāda: Yes. That is the first thing. Vāco vegaṁ krodha-vegam udara-vegam upastha-vegaṁ manasa-vegam, etān vegān yo viṣaheta dhīraḥ pṛthivīṁ sa śiṣyāt (NOI 1). One who can control these kinds of urges, vāco vegam, talking nonsense—that is called vāco vegam. Krodha-vegam, anger. Urges of the mind. Mind dictates, "Do this, do that." Then udara-vegam, eating vegam. "Eat more, more, more." Udara-vegam. Upastha-vegam. Genital. When one can control these six vegān, urges, then he is fit for becoming gosvāmī, and he can make śiṣya all over, śiṣya, disciple, all over the world. Pṛthivīṁ sa śiṣyāt. This is gosvāmī. Not that a business. (Hindi) Is there any mention Bhāgavata-saptāha in the Bhāgavatam? There are so many big, big commentators. They have never recommended. But this business is going on. They are holding Bhāgavata-saptāha and bringing money and employing it for the sons', daughters' marriage very opulently. And the, their supporters, they're also invited. They say, "Oh here is a gosvāmī." This is going on here. (break) ... of gosvāmī, there is not a single gosvāmī. At least visible. Where is that vāco vegaṁ krodha-vegam udara upastha-vegam (NOI 1) control? And where is that pṛthivīṁ sa śiṣyāt, all world-wide?
Guru dāsa: Yes, disciples...
Prabhupāda: (chuckles) Ah, where is that? Śiṣya.
Prabhupāda: So actually, by his going round, he increased his practice. (Indians talking Hindi)
Prabhupāda: (break) ...between demigod. Demigods are also expansion, but that is separated expansion, separated expansion, vibhinnāṁśa. In the Varāha-Purāṇa it is said, vibhinnāṁśa. And here, svāṁśa, personal expansion. (break)
Indian Man (3): I have worked with men of international fame like Colonel De Gaulle, Colonel Acton, Colonel Knowles, but worldwide... (break)
Prabhupāda: Because you do not accept the soul, medical science.
Dr. Patel: Soul is already everywhere. But what do you say? Everywhere means only on the earth, not away from the earth, and then outer space. You want to say... Do you mean outer space also?
Prabhupāda: Oh yes. Sarvaga. Sarvaga means...
Dr. Patel: But these boys have to be kept in those living bags, with saturation of oxygen, who have been to the moon. (break)
Prabhupāda: ...the statement in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, kṛṣṇa yei bhaje sei baḍa catur: "Unless one is very, very extraordinarily intelligent, he cannot be a devotee of Kṛṣṇa." Svalpa-puṇya-vatāṁ rājan viśvāso naiva jāyate.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Acyutānanda: Why do we give anything to them? (?)
Pañcadraviḍa: But when you came to France, Śrīla Prabhupāda, you spoke at the Theology Club. About four years ago you came for a conference. They arranged a big meeting at the Theology Society in France, a world-wide society. And one thing I was... One thing I was considering. They must be interested because the Christians say that there is soul, and they say that there is God, so then wouldn't our question be: "What is the relationship of the soul to God?" They admit there is a soul. Every human being, they say, has a soul.
Prabhupāda: No. That, that is also beginning of understanding. But first, preliminary understanding should be that God is one. There cannot be Christian God. There cannot be Hindu God. There cannot be Muslim God. That is not complete idea of God. That is imperfect. Just like in Vedic literature, brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti: (SB 1.2.11) three phases of understanding of the Absolute. First, beginning, is Brahman, then, further advanced, Paramātmā, then, final advancement, Bhagavān. Similarly, the final realization of God is the Supreme Person. And then we should seek (see?) who is that person. That is real theology.
Reporter (2): How many members in the United States? I'm told two thousand. Is that correct approximately?
Prabhupāda: That they can say.
Jayatīrtha: Well, our published figure is that worldwide membership is ten thousand. How much of that is in the United States isn't exactly broken down.
Reporter (2): I did a story on this movement five years ago and the figure at that time was two thousand in the United States also.
Prabhupāda: It is increasing.
Reporter (2): It is increasing?
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Definitely.
Jayatīrtha: I said that the worldwide figure is ten thousand.
Reporter (2): Yes, I understood. Could you tell me how old you are?
Jayatīrtha: He wants to know your age, Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Prabhupāda: After one month I will be eighty.
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.
Haṁsadūta: We noticed this year at the book fair that they gave so many stands to the Communist publishers. There were at least ten or fifteen stands. And formerly they were not even allowed. They were not allowed. There was not a single one. Three years ago there was not a single stand which had Communist literature in the book fair, and this year there must have been fifteen.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: There's a worldwide trend towards communism today.
Prabhupāda: Hm?
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: There's a worldwide trend towards communism. In Europe, communism is becoming very strong. Italy has almost become communistic. Communist party has captured...
Kṛṣṇa-caitanya: Portugal.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Portugal, there's a struggle going on. Even in France the Communist party is very, very strong.
Prabhupāda: Disappointment. Disappointment. People are becoming more and more poverty-stricken. This is the...
Haṁsadūta: They are forced to accept it.
Prabhupāda: The European economic problem is failure.
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: He does not mention his name. He says... All right, go. His sannyāsī name is... All right. Then?
Bhavānanda: "All the desires for future work of Śrīla Prabhupāda Sarasvatī Ṭhākura used to come to the present ācāryadeva as an impulse first, which he translated into action at once. In spite of a hundred hindrances from so-called religionists with a vision of a future worldwide mission, Śrīla Prabhupāda established Śrī Caitanya Maṭha at Śrī Māyāpur, the birthplace of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, on the Phālguna Pūrṇimā day, the seventh March, 1918, which was a red-letter day in the history of theistic religious revival in this age. He started a countrywide movement to carry the message of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu to every door. In a hectic manner within a couple of years he preached Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavism throughout India and sent disciples to England, Germany, and other parts of Europe and Burma to preach the message of Śrī Caitanya and establish sixty-four branches under the name of Śrī Gauḍīya Maṭha throughout India and abroad, and a vast literature flowed through his versatile pen. The large number of publications in different languages and the vigorous missionary activities and door-to-door preaching by the sannyāsīs and brahmacārīs of the Maṭha, who held meetings in the remotest villages, duly spread Śrī Caitanya's teachings, which today are followed in every part of India. His songs are sung in chorus and a great interest is created among the intelligentsia of India. After having become the president of the institution..." In this last paragraph, all of these activities of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, there is no mention of his name. His whole mission, there is actually no mention of his name, that he is the one who has done it. "After having become the president of the institution, Śrīla Bhaktivilāsa Tīrtha Gosvāmī Mahārāja has been traveling throughout India and Pakistan preaching the devotional cult of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and he has come in contact with many savants of present India who are all struck with reverent admiration for his deep knowledge of philosophy. Dr. Rādhākamal Mukherjee, vice chancellor of Lucknow University, remarks, 'There is no more distinguished and erudite interpreter of Śrī Caitanya's Vaiṣṇava thought than His Holiness Śrīla Bhaktivilāsa Tīrtha Gosvāmī Mahārāja.' "
Prabhupāda: And what is Rādhākamal Mukherjee?
Bhavānanda: " 'He has been a prolific writer and commentator and has traveled and discoursed widely in different parts of India.
Reporter: Does it...? Is it more difficult to do this when you're traveling a lot?
Prabhupāda: No. I..., my work is going on. By traveling also, I carry this machine. Dicta..., dictaphone. I dictate, and then my assistants, they write, transcribe, and then it is..., it goes to the Press. In this way my work is.... (noise comes from outside)
Reporter: I'd like to ask one.... Is your role in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement in the United States particularly or worldwide? Ten years ago, when you first came to the United States, did you take a very active role in the organization, and I'm wondering whether you do much of that now?
Prabhupāda: No, although the volume of work has.... (break) ...a hundred times, but these American disciples, they are helping me, so I haven't got to work personally so much. I simply give the instruction and they carry out, but the work has increased voluminously, there's no doubt it. I came here alone in 1965 without any help practically. Where to live, where to sleep, there was no destination. Sometimes some friend's house, sometimes some friend's house, practically loitering on the street. And in this way were passed more than one year. I arrived here in 1965 in September, end of September, 17th of September, in Boston. Hm. Is it Boston?
Devotee (1): Yes, Prabhupāda.
Prabhupāda: This is fulfilling Caitanya Mahāprabhu's desire: pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi-grāma. (CB Antya-khaṇḍa 4.126) Go to every village and town. So you are doing very nice to satisfy the Lord. He wanted this. Pṛthivīte nagarādi—all over the world. So when He meant all over the world, naturally He meant all the people of the world. Why Indian? Pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi-grāma, it will include all the villages, towns, all over the world. That means all people of the world should take up this. Bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra (CC Adi 9.41). The Indians' duty is to carry the message, give it to the other people, and then they'll do. (break) ...a worldwide movement, not any particular. They may not misunderstand that this is Indian or Hindu. It is not that. Kṛṣṇa is meant for everyone. So, we shall have to go?
Devotees: Yes.
Prabhupāda: First class, everything is first class.
Satsvarūpa: They have all your books here too, Śrīla Prabhupāda. All your books are here. (kīrtana starts)
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Satsvarūpa: ...full of your tapes. (end)
Prabhupāda: You may read that.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: "One of India's biggest and most ancient religious festivals, Ratha-yātrā, the festival of the chariots, which has been enacted in several Western cities in recent years, is to be staged in South Africa in July. The festival in honor of Lord Kṛṣṇa is planned to be held in Durban next month by the local branch of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, widely known as the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. Based on the thousands-of-years-old annual parade of the three main deities of the Jagannātha temple on huge chariots through the streets of Purī, Orissa, the festival has been staged by devotees of Lord Kṛṣṇa in major world cities such as London, Paris, New York, Washington, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Chicago, Montreal and Melbourne, following the spreading of Kṛṣṇa consciousness amongst thousands of Westerners in the decade since the founding of the movement in 1966 by Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda. Almost a million devotees participate in the chariot festival held every summer at Purī, where they offer oblations to Lord Kṛṣṇa; lend a hand, tugging the ropes, to pull the huge chariots; line the grand route; or simply attend to see the color and pageantry from high vantage points. Jagannātha-The three colossal chariots from which the term Jagannātha is derived carry the three Jagannātha Deities of Lord Balarāma, the Lord who gives spiritual strength and pleasure; Lady Subhadrā, one who is the auspicious one; and Lord Jagannātha, the Lord of the universe,"—with a capital L—"on the three-kilometer journey symbolizing Lord Kṛṣṇa's visit to the town of His childhood pastimes. This year ISKCON will sponsor Ratha-yātrā festivals in ten cities worldwide. Durban, however, is not amongst them, as the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is fairly new and has not yet established itself on a firm basis and increased its following in Durban. Branch members are enthusiastic and are hoping to organize a procession of their own through the streets of Durban to coincide with the festivals which will be held in several major cities."
Prabhupāda: They are arranging like that or not? Our branch there?
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: They want to. I told them that better to wait until they have some more local support, because they would have to have Deity worship, and I don't think they're ready for Jagannātha deities there. There's only eleven devotees in Durban. So when they have some more local support, they can start holding.
Prabhupāda: No, this Jagannātha festival will be participated by all the Indians. There is no doubt about it. So our few men, and with the cooperation of the local Indians, it can be successful.
Prabhupāda: So how it is fact? You cannot do. So what is the fact?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: They are cheating. There is also a big man in Bombay who is working on this line. He's a member of this International Society for the Study of the Origin of Life. Now they call... In fact, they use a Sanskrit word for this life coming from chemicals, they call jīvana particles of life. So they are also catching this idea that life is nothing but molecules. So along with this article, they are also writing from Bombay. So actually it is worldwide, all over, this concept. In India I think a little more interesting to give seminars along these lines. In India in the universities, the reaction of the... My feeling is that it will be different.
Prabhupāda: Hmm. So do it.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Just like that Dr. Sharma, who came yesterday, he's very much along our thought.
Prabhupāda: Who wrote the book?
Rūpānuga: No, no, an Indian gentleman. He has several degrees in science area, and he has an important post.
Prabhupāda: Dr. Sharma?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Who came yesterday. Sanskrit, he knows Sanskrit well? From Hardwar?
Prabhupāda: Oh. So why don't you take him?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Oh, yes, he's very willing to help anything along these lines. But he told me that once we have this Bhaktivedanta Institute and we have this done, he told us that he can find some means by which we can get some grant from the government. There are several funding agencies, and he's one of the important men for giving grants, this National Institute of Health, and he has several connections with the top rank...
Prabhupāda: Authorities. So keep connection with him.
Prabhupāda: Hmm. What does he say?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Prabhupāda, ācārya-founder, born Abhay Caran De in India in 1895, the founder, future founder-ācārya, spiritual leader of ISKCON, came under the spiritual direction of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Mahārāja, ascetic scholar and preacher who had devoted his life to the spread of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Three years later, shortly before he died, Bhaktisiddhānta ordered Abhay to spread the Kṛṣṇa faith in the English language. One of the ways that Abhay, now known as Prabhupāda-'one at whose feet masters sit'-did that was to begin to translate the classic Vedic literature, but it was not until thirty years after he was charged by his spiritual mentor that he was able to make a trip to the United States. He arrived in Boston in September, 1965, a spry but grim-faced passenger of seventy years on the steamer Jaladuta. He had forty rupees in his pocket and a metal suitcase full of his books and translations. Finding his way to New York City, he set up a storefront temple at 26 Second Avenue in the East Village section. Gradually he drew a small coterie of students around him, mostly through his preaching in Tompkinson Park. As his movement grew, he found backers among his converts. Hare Kṛṣṇa centers were established in Boston, Buffalo and San Francisco, and an appreciation of Prabhupāda's Vedic translations by American university authorities, Columbia, Princeton, Yale professors among others, permitted the establishment of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust in Los Angeles. The Trust launched a promotion of Prabhupāda's translations and original works under the logo of the Living Library of Transcendental Knowledge. Remarkably, in the face of a worldwide economic recession, the Trust's book and magazine sales reached nine million in 1975, up 34.5 percent over 1974. Some of this was due to the determined promotion of groups such as the hundred-man Rādhā-Dāmodara group which criss-crosses the country in six Greyhound-type buses and ten vans giving lectures and kīrtanas at college university campuses. Now eighty-one years old, Prabhupāda still works at his writings and the spiritual direction of the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. His translation of Bhagavad-gītā, the Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, the most widely used in the Western world, is in great demand by professors of Indology and Vedic literature."
Prabhupāda: He has given advertisement for our books.
Prabhupāda: National Debt.
Rāmeśvara: National Debt. So then the banks are able to use their power to get favors. "Oh, you want to borrow money? Then you must give me some favor." It's common knowledge.
Hari-śauri: Everyone's trying to blackmail everyone else.
Rāmeśvara: Some people say that there is a worldwide conspiracy of bankers, that they can control any government. They can cause a depression. They say that the bankers caused the depression in the 1920s, 1930s, just to increase their power.
Prabhupāda: Yes. As soon as you become dependent on me, I pay money, you can create some trouble for me. That is conspiracy(?). (pause) What is this, memory?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Looks like World War I.
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.
- evaṁ paramparā-prāptam
- imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ
- sa kāleneha mahatā
- yogo naṣṭaḥ parantapa
- (BG 4.2)
Kṛṣṇa said to Arjuna, "My dear Arjuna, this Bhagavad-gītā philosophy or yoga system, first of all I spoke to the sun-god. And then he spoke to his son, Manu. Then Manu spoke to his son Ikṣvāku." In this way the knowledge comes down from the spiritual master to the disciple or from the father to the son. So unless one comes in this disciplic succession, he cannot become guru. Therefore I do not know all of them. All the swamis and yogis who came here, they do not belong to this paramparā system, so therefore they are not bona fide guru. They are presenting themselves as guru, but they are not guru. Therefore people are misled. People are misled, and this is the first time that we presented India's traditional philosophy and life as it is understood by the paramparā system. Therefore it is being so well received. Vivekananda came here, as you said, 1893, before my birth. I was born in 1896. But they have worked for, say, eighty-five years. What they have done? But I have worked here for seven or eight years. And it is now worldwide movement. Why? Because we presented the things as they are. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam (BG 4.2). Therefore it is effective. So if the things are presented as they are, the customers will automatically come.
Prabhupāda: Yes. You please send this. Get some copies and send this rascal editor Karanji. He is known to you? He is a Parsee?
Mahāṁśa: No, I don't know him.
Prabhupāda: (laughs) Go on.
Maṇihāra: ISKCON, which is a worldwide nonsectarian movement dedicated to propagating the message of the Vedas for the benefit of mankind. The society was founded in 1966 by Swami Prabhupāda, who had come to the United States a year earlier on the order of his spiritual master to teach Kṛṣṇa consciousness in the Western world. Over the years ISKCON has steadily grown in popularity and influence, and today it is widely recognized by theologians, scholars and laymen as a genuine and important spiritual movement."
Prabhupāda: This is "theologians, scholars," and they, he said... Just see. Go on.
Prabhupāda: Okay.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: "This society was formed strictly for the purpose of spreading God consciousness. We briefly submit below the misleading information as reported by Blitz and humbly inform you of the fact." What I've done is I've shown each point that Blitz has incorrectly said and then responded to it. Should I read? Okay. "Point one. Blitz Ungodly Face of Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. ISKCON: The International Society for Kṛṣṇa Consciousness is a worldwide community of devotees practicing the Vedic teachings, the eternal science of rendering devotional service to Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Society was founded by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, a pure devotee of God, who is coming down in paramparā started by Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa five thousand years ago. In other words, the roots of this movement trace back to at least five thousand years. It is not a modern concoction. In India our Society is registered under the Society Registration Act #21 of 1860. As we are a registered nonprofit organization, we are required to maintain complete account of all donations received, both within India and from abroad. Thus keep a complete account of all our expenses. Our accounts are audited every year and submitted to the income tax authorities and the charity commissioner. Very briefly, the main object of the Society, as registered with the government is..." I've given them the three main points from your memorandum of the association. "To advance, transmit, and spread the ethical and philosophical principles of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, as revealed in the teachings of Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And the doctrines and the observances which serve to promote and manifest the said ethical and philosophical principles in the furtherance of the subject. To build or to assist in building temples, schools, colleges, hospitals, and other buildings in connection with or for the advancement of the objects of the Society and to maintain, alter, and improve the same, including existing buildings, and to furnish and equip the same. To print, publish, sell, or cause to be printed, published or sold, or to distribute books, booklets, leaflets, daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, or yearly newspapers, magazines, or other periodicals for the purpose of giving information for the work of the Society. We refrain from four categories of sinful activities, such as meat-eating, intoxication, gambling, and illicit sex life. Furthermore, our entire life is dedicated to reading, chanting, and preaching about Kṛṣṇa. We rise at 4 a.m. all over the world. So how can Blitz say that we are ungodly when we are following Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa's teachings?" This is my reply to point one. It's okay?
Prabhupāda: Yes, this is nice. Very good.
Prabhupāda: Meat-eating is now world wide. I have seen now in the airplane one Marwari gentlemen, he was eating the intestines of the (indistinct).
Indian man: Not one. In our relationships, not one. They are competing with each other.
Indian man (2): What is the motivation?
Prabhupāda: They have learned it.
Indian man: No, no. Fashion. Now one thing is they can hold off the rich people in India. That is not now, but about, put it back to 1944-45, during the war time. British time. That hold has become stronger. If we do not eat West, particularly America, then we are called "uncivilized." So to prove that I am civilized, there are three things. I must speak English, my children must go to missionary or convent schools, we must adopt Western customs and etiquette, and we must adopt their eating habits. Now if I'm not accepted in the American society... Even the British is now called uncivilized comparatively. If I'm not accepted by the Americans, that, "Yes, I know the standards and I live like them or even better than them," then I am supposed to be common. This is the conception of civilization amongst the Marwaris and the Gujaratis of the richer class. Previously it used to be, as they say of ancient India, that if one did not speak Sanskrit he was supposed to be uncivilized. So now that has come out...
Prabhupāda: In our childhood, my father's generation, in Calcutta, if a gentleman does not keep a prostitute extra, he is not a respectable man.
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Everyone says. It is purely Indian culture, and I am not getting any help from the government although they have got cultural department. Some dancing party will go; they'll pay. That is culture. And cultural knowledge is religion. This is the position. (Hindi) Real culture is neglected. And some dancing party in the name of culture will draw money and go.
Guest (1): Perhaps he is right, Swamiji. Nobody has studied this movement deeply.
Prabhupāda: Why they don't study? It is going on worldwide. They are studying.
Indian lady (2): They do not study because they give their opinion.
Prabhupāda: Yes. (laughter) That there is possibility because these young men, they are taking. So everywhere revolution takes place by young men. So if it is actually spreading like epidemic, and young men, they are taking part, so within ten years it is not impossible.
Guest (1): It's a very good idea, then, to follow it. I'm quite serious.
Prabhupāda: And they are democratic. It can pull down even a President like Nixon. So if they like, if the majority becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, they can make Kṛṣṇa conscious government. There is no, I mean to say, wonder in it. So anyway, because these youngsters in the Western countries, both in Europe and America, are taking... And the recent telegram we have received... Just see how many books we have sold. (aside:) Make it little less.
Guest (2) (Indian man): (reading telegram) "Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda, please accept our humble obeisances. Here are the saṅkīrtana marathon results for all of ISKCON worldwide for the week of December 17th to 24th."
Prabhupāda: One week's report.
Prabhupāda: Especially newspapers. I have given the instruction. You are here, and you can arrange, three. I am reading the matter also like this. Read it. It is very simple.
Rāmeśvara: "Read worldwide Hare Kṛṣṇa literatures and be happy. Books by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda. 1) Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Cantos 1-9, twenty-seven volumes, Rs..." (aside:) Not so many. Per volume. "Bhagavad-gītā As It Is; Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, seventeen volumes; Teachings of Lord Caitanya; The Nectar of Devotion; Śrī Īśopaniṣad; Easy Journey to Other Planets; Kṛṣṇa Consciousness, the Topmost Yoga System; Kṛṣṇa, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, three volumes; Perfect Questions, Perfect Answers; and so on. Recommended by learned scholars and professors all over the world. Available for reading from all university, college and public libraries of the world, and can be purchased."
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: We can give the name of few leading bookstores in each city.
Prabhupāda: Not through bookstore. Only our...
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.
Prabhupāda: Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, and you can give that Calcutta agent, Vrnda Book... That's all.
Prabhupāda: That's all right. Then it is final. (laughter) Do it.
Rāmeśvara: I think... What if we mentioned how many copies of Bhagavad-gītā have been sold in the last year?
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, we can say "sold to date." I tell people over four million copies sold.
Prabhupāda: No, no, that is not required. We are selling all worldwide. That is there.
Rāmeśvara: And also the American universities are using these books in their courses as required.
Prabhupāda: That we have said, "Available for reading from university, public libraries all over the world."
Jagadīśa: Before you said that we should put also a line that "These books are available in all major languages of the world."
Prabhupāda: That is not very important. "All over the world" means it is understood in all other languages. Otherwise how they are reading?
Rāmeśvara: In Europe when men go to the libraries, sometimes they don't speak English. So they're already taking standing orders for the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in French and other languages.
Prabhupāda: So make this immediately.
Prabhupāda: ...port an worldwide movement. Very cautiously, very intelligently, we should use our resources, intelligence. This is a worldwide movement. And feeling our pressure. There is obstruction, therefore. And it is genuine. There is no doubt about it. No doubt about it. We are not going to be defeated. I am confident. And with this confidence I went to your country that "Why Caitanya Mahāprabhu's..." That is substance. "So many rascals are going and talking nonsense. They are becoming successful. Why not Caitanya Mahāprabhu?" That was my confi... Otherwise I never expected that I shall be able to write so many books and it will be so much appreciated. It is wonderful appreciation. Is it not?
Rāmeśvara: Oh, yes.
Hari-śauri: Yes.
Prabhupāda: I never expected. I thought that "Who will hear me if I say all this nonsense to them?" To them it is nonsense. Therefore they say "brainwash." They cannot appreciate.
Prabhupāda: In Aurobindo āśrama the same thing. Aurobindo said that "You simply think of me. Then you will be pure."
Gargamuni: One of our party went to this Pondicherry. He said the whole thing is simply propaganda. There's nothing there in this Auroville.
Rāmeśvara: What is Auroville?
Gargamuni: They're building a city. You've never heard of it? It's big, worldwide... Auroville. Building a city of spiritual life.
Rāmeśvara: Where?
Hari-śauri: Yes. That's all over the world. Aurobindo. That's in South India on the coast, Pondicherry.
Rāmeśvara: Who goes there? Westerners?
Gargamuni: Oh, yes. That's all that's there now. But there's only about twenty of them.
Prabhupāda: So if we faithful, we are faithful to Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa will help.
Rāmeśvara: Normally in the age of Kali there is no Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
Prabhupāda: No. This worldwide movement is a history. People have forgotten Kṛṣṇa or God. Is it not?
Satsvarūpa: Yes.
Prabhupāda: They simply..., a official church and temple, and they have no serious attachment, simply kaitava. Dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra (SB 1.1.2). That is another kind of cheating. He's not religious, but he's posing himself: "I am Christian," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim." That's all. He does not know what is religion. This is going on. Religion means direct touch with God. That is religion. So they have no idea of God. How there can be religion? Here is religion. We do not do anything which is not in interest of Kṛṣṇa. That is religion.
Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda. (break)
Prabhupāda: ...kicked out. They have no religion, simply bogus. There is no religion in the world at the present time. All bogus.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Cheater, one must be due to ignorance. Generally one who is fool, he commits criminality. No sane man does it. Sane means he knows what is what. He does not commit mistake. But to commit mistake means he's insane, ignorant. That is not innocence-ignorance, foolish.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There's a difference between ignorance and innocence.
Prabhupāda: Innocence, he..., like a child. But ignorant means he has no knowledge; he is animal. So what about the advertisement? He has not done?
Hari-śauri: The book advertisement? Did you see that? Prabhupāda wrote out an advertisement, "Read Hare Kṛṣṇa books, worldwide Hare Kṛṣṇa books, and be happy." Then he listed all the books and where to buy them from.
Prabhupāda: And I gave him 22,000 rupees.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Gopāla Kṛṣṇa?
Hari-śauri: Yes. He was supposed to put it in all the newspapers.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He didn't mention anything to me. I was there only for one day, but he did not mention it. I can write him if you want. He'll be coming here...
Hari-śauri: The 25th or 26th.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Ten days. I'm sure he must have done it, if you have told him to.
Prabhupāda: We cannot understand what is the position of this land acquisition. They'll remain silent?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There's some political thing behind it. That's sure.
Prabhupāda: The political was Ramakrishna Mission and Tīrtha Mahārāja.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Really? Ramakrishna Mission. Envious. Even though they're not near here, still they can understand how prominent we would become.
Prabhupāda: We have already become more than, more important than.
Prabhupāda: (break)...two years ago. (break) ...eighty-one. (break) Oh, very nice. (Bengali) (break) Very nice. (break)...quired, but I remember this movement, the Godbrothers.(?) (Bengali) (break)
Hṛdayānanda: This is from Professor K. D. Vajpay, Tagore Professor and Head of the Department of Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archeology, Director, Excavation and Exploration, Chairman, the Numismatic Body of India... (break) "The poetic excellence of the Bhāgavata has been recognized throughout the ages by eminent critics. It is gratifying to see that A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda has brought out an exquisite edition of this great work in several volumes. He has given the English rendering of the entire Purāṇa and has very ably interpreted its contents. The lucid style of his writing is discernable on every page of the volumes, which have been illustrated suitably. The printing and get-up of the volumes are superb indeed. Swami Prabhupāda has been known to me since his sojourn in Vṛndāvana when I was in charge of the Archaeological Museum, Mathurā. He has been propagating kṛṣṇa-bhakti movement in this country, in USA and Europe. It is to his credit that the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement has been made a worldwide discipline. He has been following the path of the ancient sages in serving the cause of Indian culture. The philosophy of humanity and all pervasive love of Indian culture has been effectively advanced by the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, of which Swami Prabhupāda is the very soul."
Devotees: Jaya Prabhupāda!
Hṛdayānanda: "Besides his commentary on the Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Swamiji has written on the Upaniṣads, the Gītā and on several other works of ancient bhakti lore. K. D. Vajpay."
Prabhupāda: So when I went to Vṛndāvana, he made friendship with me. The Mathurā Museum. He liked me very much. He remembered me.
Mr. Koshi: And what is your alternative?
Prabhupāda: Huh? What is that? We are preaching internationalism, everyone welcome. Come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is being done. Real United Nations. Here is Christian, here is Jew, here is African, here is Muhammadan, everything. Worldwide. That is real United Nations. They have no conception. If they would thought that "I am American," then why he is after a poor Indian man? Indians are known outside India as poverty-stricken, and that's a fact. So why he should come to the person born of poverty-stricken nation? But actually we are not poverty-stricken. If we cultivate our own standard of knowledge, Bhagavad-gītā, then we are the richest and we can give the whole world the gift. That should be... And they will welcome. That will be glorified if they accept. Just see. This is our... I am trying for that.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Not possible. No one can do it.
Prabhupāda: He'll have insomnia, cannot sleep at night. What would have been the cost of the establishment? So many men are working.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What to speak of worldwide.
Prabhupāda: This is one only.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: One of one hundred.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, it's not possible. Neither it's possible that... Just like yesterday Kṛṣṇa sends you a man who says, "Sir, I would like to translate your books into Russian." You did not go canvassing for Russian translator. Every single thing is coming... Kṛṣṇa is sending to you.
Prabhupāda: So take shelter of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet. That is the only way. Then everything is all right.
Prabhupāda: So we can pay you so much. What was your estimate? You made some estimate.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yeah. It is about six thousand, six thousand dollars.
Prabhupāda: Six thousand dollars, but we are ready to spend fifteen to twenty thousand dollars. Make it nicely, everything. We shall spend. Make worldwide propaganda. And there will be no scarcity of money. Tour. Make extensive tour, especially in Russia. In Russia send this film group, the scientific group, and if the Doctor is seriously our friend, let him translate. And that translation, it shall be good.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He said it's very good.
Prabhupāda: And the person who is translating, encourage him. Do this.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, Harikeśa, we have to reply his letters, so I have noted down to tell him that.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Let him translate as many as possible. And make this program. And that twenty thousand dollars should not be touched. It will be simply spent for this propaganda.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: And I also published this little concept about what these, all these lectures is about. So it says, "Announcing a worldwide lecture tour on the origin of life and matter, sponsored by Bhaktivedanta Institute for Higher Studies, Founder-Ācārya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda." And then I give a whole series from here to here, and I also give the topics and...
Prabhupāda: Very nice.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: So like to hear a little bit?
Prabhupāda: Yes. (Svarūpa Dāmodara reads pamphlet announcing worldwide lecture tour of Bhaktivedanta Institute) All glories to Svarūpa Dāmodara.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. And I already got some very positive remarks, especially in Manipur. They invited us... There is a center called Bhaktambabu(?) Research Center in Manipur, so they invited for a speaking engagement. They wanted in printed form so that they also publish. There is a Jawaharlal University in Manipur, and there is also low college. In several college they already invited.
Prabhupāda: So the Bose Institute of Research, they have invited you?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Oh, yes.
Prabhupāda: Did you not mention...?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Oh... Yeah, I haven't mentioned it yet.
Prabhupāda: So let them issue later on, and you can make.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Sometime we are preparing, called, a brochure for this lecture series. We'll make it color. So I already have the outline in Boston. So we're titling, "Announcing a Worldwide Lecture Series on the Origin of Life in the Matter, sponsored by Bhaktivedanta Institute for Higher Studies and Founder-Ācārya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda." And we have some colored pictures inside and a little also, synopsis of the theme, the topics. We said, "Chemical Evolution-A Molecular Fairy Tale," and we have about three or four lines describing what the lecture should be about and what is the main theme of the talk. And we also have photographs of four or five of us who are going to speak and a little background of the candidate. So we wanted to make it very official.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: And also making it nice-looking.
Prabhupāda: And print very well.
Prabhupāda: And you did not take?
Akṣayānanda: I take. (break)
Prabhupāda: ...I stressed in other that in India strictly maintain an institution, following Bhagavad-gītā's conclusion. That we are trying to do. It is not a new invention. It is already there. If it is not possible to maintain such an institution, then human civilization will be finished. There is no hope. And it is now being effective worldwide. Why India should not maintain?
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Actually he was very praiseworthy of your efforts. He said, "I know what Prabhupāda has done." If in some way Mr. Morarji Desai can be brought to you, that will be very...
Prabhupāda: No, no, he's a very big lion. He will not agree to come. You don't try for.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: No, we're not trying. Just if sometimes we're in Delhi or something, if we... Like he still has a lot of good habits. He's material...
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Oh. Pamphlet.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, it's a pamphlet. Should I read it to you? It says, "Bhaktivedanta Book Trust Encyclopedia Department, Hare Kṛṣṇa Land, Juhu Road, Juhu, Bombay. In 1970 His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda founded the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust for worldwide printing and publishing of Vedic knowledge. Today the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust publishes in twenty-five languages with total of 55,000,000 publications printed in six years." Phew! Fifty-five million! That means an average of nearly ten million a year, pieces of literature. No other publishing house can boast that, I don't think, such a big amount. "The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust offices are located in Los Angeles, New York, London, Paris, Frankfurt, and Bombay. Śrīla Prabhupāda has..."
Prabhupāda: You can send one copy to Dr. Kapoor by post.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I'll tell Gargamuni. It will be more impressive coming from Bombay.
Prabhupāda: Yes. And one to Bon Mahārāja at Vaṁśī-vaṭa(?).
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: (laughs) Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda. "Śrīla Prabhupāda has taken on the monumental task of translating the essence of all Vedic..." I want to get to the... Here it comes. "All in all, the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust library Encyclopedia of Vedic Knowledge includes at least one hundred published volumes. Scholars from all over the world have described Śrīla Prabhupāda as a literary genius after reading his treasure chest of Vedic knowledge. And now for the first time this treasure chest of transcendental knowledge is unlocked for everyone to dive deep into the ocean of transcendental bliss upon reading these classics." These words are nectar.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Who supported with money? Will they helpful with money, or what sort of support?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Actually he was speaking in general terms. This Professor Malsanda(?), he's the head of the physiology department in the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences. He's a very religious man. He's also a very well known scholar. He's medical doctor by profession. Also he belongs to many different scientific worldwide organizations, and he feels very strongly that we should have a center in Delhi for the Bhaktivedanta Institute.
Prabhupāda: So money is required.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: So he didn't say anything specifically, but he said he would be very happy to help us in establishing a center there. He's very favorable to our philosophy, and he invited me to his own home, and we discussed at great length about the philosophy that we are trying to present in the scientific community, and he feels that it's very genuine and we should... They should help us to push forward.
Prabhupāda: So with this cooperation, this institution will be very prestigious. So if it is possible, organize. But don't overburden.
Prabhupāda: Did you show them the invoice of what book already we have got?
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I told him the amount. I told him this year we have orders for Rs. twenty-five lakhs, and I said, "This is just the first year, and worldwide we print over eight crores. So this is just the beginning." So they liked it. And I also gave him the Hindi Bhāgavatam like you had told me. And he turned out... This man who is handling our case is a Marwari, Mr. Pandy. So Marwaris are very pious. They're better than these others. So he liked the Hindi Bhāgavatam very much. So I gave him the Hindi Bhāgavatam and the English. (break)
Prabhupāda: You are not to be gagged anymore?
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: No.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What, Śrīla Prabhupāda?
Trivikrama: Not to be gagged. (laughter)
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: That was our biggest problem. The president of India is presently in Hyderabad, so Mahāṁśa Mahārāja was in Delhi, and we have a life member, Panilal Peddy in Hyderabad, Polareddy, who knows the President very well. So I asked Mahāṁśa Mahārāja to go with Polareddy to the President to see if he will come to Bombay to inaugurate our temple. Also we are thinking of inviting some foreign ministers of countries like Nepal, which is a Hindu kingdom, and Mauritius. Because if these foreign ministers or some minister from these countries come, then it will lend more credit, and we'll get better coverage.
Prabhupāda: You can show our South African success.
Prabhupāda: (Bengali)
Svarūpa Dāmodara: We have also written books like this. This is a... (Bengali) This is our worldwide preaching program.
Prabhupāda: (Bengali) No sentiment—"Come on"—scientific challenge. (Bengali) No theory. (Bengali-Prabhupāda telling about Dr. Kapoor and scientific conference, Fiji, etc.) (Bengali) Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Here is Kṛṣṇa-kāliya, Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Prabhupāda: Ah. Jaya. (more Bengali conversation) What is that?
Śatadhanya: Well, this is the Bhāgavata-darśana in Bengali.
Prabhupāda: (Bengali conversation, with devotees showing Godbrothers various news-clippings, books, etc.) (break) Just get the curtain and try for urine. You read.
Prabhupāda: Hm.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The future of this movement? Page 88. "The future of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement can save the world. 'Kirāta, hūṇāndhra, pulinda, pulkaśa, ābhīra, śumbha, yavana (SB 2.4.18) and the khasa races, and even others who are addicted to sinful acts, can be purified by taking shelter of the devotees of the Lord, due to His being the supreme power. I beg to offer my respectful obeisances unto Him.' Purport: 'The above-mentioned historical names are different nations of the world. Even those who are constantly engaged in sinful acts are all corrigible to the standard of perfect human beings if they take shelter of the devotees of the Lord. Jesus Christ and Hajrat Muhammad, two powerful devotees of the Lord, have done tremendous service on the behalf of the Lord on the surface of the globe. And from the version of Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī, it appears that instead of running a godless civilization in the present context of the world situation, if the leadership of world affairs is entrusted to the devotees of the Lord, for which a worldwide organization under the name and style of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness has already been started, then by the grace of the Almighty Lord there can be a thorough change of heart in human beings all over the world, because the devotees of the Lord are able authorities to effect such a change by purifying the dust-worn minds of the people in general.' " Then it gives so many other quotes. "Kṛṣṇa consciousness will spread all over the world." Then it quotes from the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. " 'The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement will inundate the entire world and drown everyone, whether one be a gentleman, a rogue or even lame, invalid or blind. When the five members of the Pañca-tattva saw the entire world drowned in love of Godhead and the seed of material enjoyment in the living entities completely destroyed, they all became exceedingly happy. The more the five members of the Pañca-tattva caused the rains of love of Godhead to fall, the more the inundation increases and spreads all over the world.' " (break)
Prabhupāda: Jaya.
Śrī Nārāyaṇa(?): (Hindi) ...improvement?
Prabhupāda: (Hindi) What happened to the car?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Er, do you know the history?
Bhakti-caru: Yes. First thing they had a flat tire. Then they ran out of gas, and then there was no petrol station. Then they lost the track. They went to some...
Prabhupāda: So he missed the plane.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So we can chant japa for a little while.
Prabhupāda: All right.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And then we can read again. All right?
Prabhupāda: Yes. (devotees chant japa) (break)
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I received some results of book distribution from September, worldwide, very extraordinary figures. Actually they are astounding figures.
Prabhupāda: (chuckles) That is right. He misses news.(?) (break)
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This resting is very good. Kavirāja said that two things, resting and passing urine, are signs of recovery for you. Sleeplessness is bad. But constant resting means that the body is getting a chance to renew itself and take strength. He said that we should look for that resting as a sign of gradual recovery, called "rest and recuperation." (background talking)
Prabhupāda: So?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I'll just get it, Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Prabhupāda: All right feeling.
Prabhupāda: All right feeling.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Is that all right? Says, "Book distribution, worldwide." Says here... These are the world totals for the month of September, Śrīla Prabhupāda. In the month of September all over the world they distributed the following number of big books: 215,914. 216,000 big books in one month, Śrīla Prabhupāda. Medium books: 226,000 in one month. Small books: 237,000. And Back to Godheads: 433,000. Now I calculated, Śrīla Prabhupāda, also the total amount of money realized by the BBT. In the month of September the BBT sold, the temples sold 675,000 dollars' worth of books. In rupees, I figured out it's fifty-nine lakhs the BBT sold. Now, the temples, when they..., if they sell a book, they get double the amount of money. You know what I mean? If the BBT sells the book to the temple for say $2.50, the temple gets $5.00 when it sells the book. So I calculated that the temples collected $1,350,000 from selling your books in the month of September, which comes out to one crore, seventeen lakhs collections from book sales. Then I was calculating what this would mean... (end)
Correspondence
1947 to 1965 Correspondence
"So we search for new ways, new aspects of the truth more in harmony with our environment. And we question each other and debate and quarrel and evolve any number of 'isms' and philosophies. As in the days of Socrates, we live in an age of questioning, but the questioning is not confined to a city like Athens: it is worldwide".
As the Socratesian ways of reasoning is not bound up within the walls of Athens so also the Brahminical culture is not bound up within the walls of India. You can find out the nine prescribed qualifications of a Brahmin, the seven qualifications of Ksatriyas, the three qualifications of Vaisya and the one qualification of a sudra, world wide. You can therefore pick up Brahmins and other orders of society all the world over. Gandhiji although born in a Vaisya family, possessed almost all the nine qualifications of a Brahmin and if possible we can find out such Brahmin in other parts of the World.
The suggestion made by some friend that the paper may be printed from Calcutta is alright. But my suggestion is that either in Calcutta or in Delhi we must have our own press with good equipments so that we may be able to broadcast the message of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in all the important languages specially in Hindi and in English. Hindi is meant for all India propaganda while English is meant for world wide propaganda.
To make a world wide propaganda for this most essential service to humanity, it is necessary that your excellency will stretch the helping hand necessary in this matter, as your exalted honour is personally fit also to do this job. Although the method is very simple for universal adoption, it is not possible for me to express in this letter all the words that I wish to tell your honour. As such, I am seeking an interview with your honour herewith. When your excellency will see personally the papers and programme of work about my bona fides, I am sure your excellency will be interested in co-operating with me. There is immense work to be done so far India's spiritual asset is concerned and I think the Govt. may take up the matter scientifically for the good of all men. India's specific culture demands that there should be a ministry of spiritual affairs to save the great culture of "Bharatavarsa".
1966 Correspondence
I am glad to learn that you are chanting regularly and I hope you are gradually getting some enlightenment in Krsna Consciousness. Our path is genuine sublime and easy. So there must be an world wide organization for pushing the movement in the Human society so much afflicted by material advancement only. This is only medium to save the people from ruination.
1967 Correspondence
My blessings for Karunamayi also. By separate post I am sending my Pass book, which may be presented as and when required. Where is Rayarama? He may take back from Kirtanananda the letter of introduction to Miss D.C. Bowtell and may go to London as it was previously arranged. I entrusted this matter to Kirtanananda but he has disobeyed which has given me a shock. Once he disobeyed my order and we lost $1200.00 in connection with Mr. Payne. This time he has again disobeyed me. If he sets such example in the Society it will be a great impediment. Obedience is the first law of discipline. We are thinking of a great world wide organization which is not possible to be executed if there is disobedience.
1968 Correspondence
The younger section of this country, both boys and girls, are taking great interest in this movement. At present I have more than 100 students already initiated, strictly following the Vaisnava regulations. They are freed from following bad habits, namely; illicit sex life, intoxication, gambling, and non-vegetarian diet. So there is ample opportunity for spreading this original Indian cultural movement all over the world, and because you have interest in it, I shall be very glad to hear from you by return of post how you can cooperate in this world wide movement.
I think you can see the manager of this carrying company and try to get some concessional rates for things we import from India. Here in San Francisco, there is one carrying company, American Mail Lines, and they have agreed to give us 10% concession on the freight. When I go to S.F., I shall see that they may grant some more concession. You have to convince the carrying company that our this world wide Krishna Consciousness movement, so everything required is for the help of this society. Government gives us all facility of exemptions from the tax, and as we have got to import so many articles from India, and maybe we may export also so many things from America to India for maintaining the status of the institution, they may give us some concessional rates. You may mention that Scindia Steam Navigation Co. of Bombay was giving us concession all free, but recently, might be due to their internal dissension, they have stopped this concession. So we can claim some concessional rate from everyone because our society is for public welfare activities. Hope you are well.
1969 Correspondence
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated September 30th, 1969. Our temple is situated at 7, Bury Place, London, but I am staying at the garden house belonging to Mr. John Lennon, a world-wide famous man in music and one of the richest men in England. The news which you have read in the Gujarati newspaper that some young English boys are chanting Hare Krishna Mantra in a garden house near London is this place. Here also we have got a nice temple given to us by Mr. Lennon, and sufficient land is here also so we are collecting young, enthusiastic devotees to come and live here and make another colony of Vaisnavas like our New Vrindaban in West Virginia. So there was a nice reception here when I arrived, and I am enclosing herewith one of the newspaper clippings and my London lecture list also. Last Monday I lectured on "Teachings of the Vedas", and it was very much appreciated by the audience. I spoke for about one hour and after that they continued clapping, which confirms their appreciation. Our temple at 7, Bury Place is being nicely decorated, and as soon as my apartment is fixed up nicely I shall move there.
1970 Correspondence
So our centers are managed financially by selling the books and magazines and by accepting some voluntary contributions from the public. Sometimes we manufacture incense and the visitors gladly purchase it. In this way we manage the financial affairs of our society. In London, however, we get some income by sales of "Hare Krishna Mantra" record and similarly in the U.S.A. we get some income by selling "Govinda" records and other similar records. From London the "Hare Krishna Mantra" record has worldwide sales. This is managed by Mr. George Harrison, the famous English musician, who is my uninitiated devotee. This boy has paid me recently $19,000 for publishing my Krishna book. The whole amount will be required for publishing the book in Japan.
You have written to say that no one can deal with the devotees except Visnujana; that is not a good proposal. There are so many old and experienced devotees in London; but for management of other devotees, if there is no one to look after them, that does not sound very good. For musical training I think Mukunda has sufficient knowledge. Anyway, for the time being, Hamsaduta is going and Mukunda is there and you are also there. See if the Worldwide Sankirtana Party can be organized without Visnujana. For the present Visnujana cannot be freed from the Los Angeles engagements, but in future if somebody is trained up to take his place then I shall recommend him to go to London.
Kindly keep me informed of your activities at least twice in a week, otherwise I become very much anxious and due to my blood pressure sometimes do not eat, do not sleep. I am just trying to organize a worldwide movement not for any personal ambition but to execute superior orders, and by the grace of Krsna we are getting good encouragement. So I request my students to cooperate fully.
Yesterday Karandhara presented me a check signed by you for $4,000 in my favor, but I have countersigned in favor of ISKCON L.A. as they have already purchased our worldwide tickets. I am starting next week sometimes. I have asked Tamala to come here and Hayagriva to come here. Rupanuga, Bhagavan das and Kirtanananda Maharaja are already here, so I am fervently appealing to you all not to create fracture in the solid body of the Society. Please work conjointly, without any personal ambition. That will help the cause.
I know you are very busy in your professional work, but still I am giving you trouble because I know you love this cause. I am confident of this great Krsna Consciousness Movement for worldwide peace and prosperity. I am therefore coming to India as of the 29th August, 1970, to meet all respectable Indians to help me in this great Movement.
When I first came to your country I had no idea how much the American people would cooperate with my Krsna Consciousness mission. But now good boys like yourself and all my other spiritual sons and daughters all around the world have been giving me great hope that I may be able to successfully fulfill my Guru Maharaja's plan. I have formed this GBC for that purpose, to keep the devotional standards at the highest level and at the same time to manage a world-wide organization.
1971 Correspondence
I am so glad the press workers have become enlivened in their work. This is required if we at all wish to be a truly worldwide organization. Worldwide means worldwide distribution of literatures. That is the business of ISKCON Press. Now you are again in charge, so please see that everything gets done with the cooperation of GBC. Everything must be done cooperatively. Your present schedule of printing is very encouraging. The chapters of Srimad-Bhagavatam are very successful. They are selling good, that's nice. One dollar the students can easily pay and if they read, immediately they will get some sense.
Now I have got so many wonderful sons and daughters, that we require huge arrangement for chanting in the park, with many tents, kitchens, etc. Your plan is very nice. Our Delhi pandal was also very much well-received by everyone. From early morning, 6 am, to late at night, sometimes past midnight, thousands of persons came there to see and listen. One very popular feature was our "Question and Answer booth," wherein one of our elderly devotees would sit on a very high vyasasana and answer questions put by the visitors. This item became so controversial and popular that it was open at least until midnight daily to accommodate all the curious public. Everyone delights in lively debates and discussions of philosophy. Also there were many booths showing photo-displays of our worldwide activities and one exhibit of a large model of our Mayapur scheme. These things may also be included in your New York festival.
As for municipal land, see the municipal chairman personally. We wanted land within the city. In the meantime, you can show the chairman the enclosed pictures from "Dharma Yug" magazine, latest issue, how we are a worldwide organization, as well as other clippings from Toronto, etc. So far our devotees, Americans are concerned, they have nothing to do with politics. We are ___ Nixons. A statement was issued by me and published in ____ papers stating this fact and calling on the Indian _____ my disciples as Vaisnavas, who are above all mundane. ____.
1972 Correspondence
Also, because I received advanced royalties from MacMillan Co. for my first edition of Bhagavad-gita As It Is of $1,000.00, and that was before they were convinced of our ability to sell books. So under I. Rights and Royalties, please note that I have added the clause "an advance of $2,000.00 against the Author's earnings under this agreement," duly initialled, which you will also please put your initials, as also to the addition to XII., and then I think you are signing on behalf of International Society for Krishna Consciousness, so when this is completed, and when the Vice-President of MacMillan Co. has also duly signed, then the thing is done, I am satisfied. But one thing, kindly request them to publish this important book with all haste at their disposal, taking advantage of our Japanese contacts, because there is so much worldwide demand for this books that I think 40,000 copies will be sold within a few months' time. Karandhara reports that practically 5 centers have distributed 8,000 Krishna Books in only two months, so what to speak of such famous book as Bhagavad-gita. And Karandhara may publish that picture-book Bhagavad-gita with Dai Nippon right away, that will be very nice.
I beg to thank you for your letter giving ISKCON Press report dated February 12, 1972. I am very glad to hear that MacMillan Co. is going to print and distribute our other books Easy Journey and Topmost Yoga worldwide. You may send me copy of the contract also. One thing is, how many copies they are distributing?
So far the other books you are printing, I am very much impressed by your quick progress in making ISKCON Press an efficient and worthwhile contributor to pushing on this Krishna Consciousness Movement, and on the whole it is a good report.
The phenomenal growth of ISKCON reflects a basic worldwide need for the type of instruction and training the Society offers. Heads of state, government officials, clergymen, professors and scientists, as well as professional men and businessmen the world over have commended the Society for its substantial, practical work in combating drug addiction, mental disorders, racial conflicts and the general moral decline of today's youth, as well as hunger and disease wherever they are found.
So I am advising my Bombay center to send you Rs. 1000/=. So now you do the needful, I am completely trusting in you in this matter. I am very glad that you are in contact with the chief minister of Orissa, Mr. Dass, he must have full knowledge of our world wide activities. Jagannatha Puri is one of the main headquarters of the Vaisnavas, so if the outsiders have trouble in entering Jagannatha Temple it will be a great scandal, so the government must be liberal on this point and co-operate, as we are trying to interest so many foreigners and tourists to come there. And if they co-operate we shall build a very nice center there. At least the government must agree to admit anyone who is certified by ISKCON. I know that they admit foreigners into the temple who are certified by some mayavadi sannyasis living there. So why not they shall allow anyone who is certified by me or the society? You know how strictly we are following the principles of Vaisnava way of life. So kindly try to persuade the government officials on this point and it will be a very great service to Srila Prabhupada's cause.
I am presently engaged here in London for celebrating the Ratha-yatra Festival also. A huge festival will begin at Marble Arch and proceed to Trafalgar Square, where I shall speak to at least 10,000 persons. Similarly, my disciples are holding Ratha-yatra festival at San Francisco, Philadelphia, New York, Tokyo, Melbourne (Australia), Calcutta, and other places. So what was my childhood play 65 years ago is now a worldwide event. The same Radha-Govindaji worship and Jagannatha worship is going on all over the world.
Prabhupada just spoke with me regarding the distribution of foreign (other than English) language literature. His direction is that 10% of the gross income on the sales of all of our literatures, books, and magazines, should be sent to The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. The BBT is financing many world-wide projects for the society, and therefore all income from literature distribution should contribute and support it. Please therefore make the necessary arrangements. A simple way to accomplish this would be to figure at the end of each month what your gross (total; before subtracting production costs and overhead) income from the sale of literature was for that month, calculate 10% of this figure , and send this to BBT in care of myself in Los Angeles. I know that you will understand that this subsidy will greatly facilitate the growth of Society-wide programs and everyone will benefit. From your local view it may appear to be an imposition, but I assure you that overall it is in the interest of Lord Caitanya's Movement. Regarding your regular remittance, it will be left solely to your integrity and "for the overall benefit" conscientiousness. I am sure you will do the needful.
I have heard from Syamasundara that there may be some difficulty with tax. That must be corrected. We are world-wide organization, and we must have the cooperation of the government authorities, so we shall not create any unnecessary misunderstandings by avoiding government requirements. That will not be good for our movement. Of course, Lord Caitanya led civil disobedience movement against the government because they used show of force to stop Him performing sankirtana movement. So if there is forcing us to stop this sankirtana movement, that much we must protest. But the government of your country is very nice, I think the best in the world at present moment, and they have not made any objection, even they are allowing our boys as ministers to be given relief from this drafting system. So we shall give them all cooperation. Now that requires proper accounts in all our temples.
Another thing is, if we get our headquarters in the very important business quarter of New York, just like I saw those photos, big, big skyscrapers surrounding, millions of people passing daily, oh, that will be very wonderful thing. But that quarter of 77th Street, that is costly also, but it is not very important. So I think if you get one place, one skyscraper building, just by the 5th Avenue, say, around 40th Street, 45th Street, Times Square, like that, that will be the beacon-light for our world-wide propaganda of Krishna Consciousness Movement.
Now you have promised me that it will be completed by Janmastami next, therefore I am completely relying upon you to fulfill your promise to me. Of course you will have to go quickly before the monsoon by June, but I think by that time there will be sufficient roof to keep everything dry from the rains. If you can construct nice temple in Vrndaban for me in this way, I shall be eternally grateful. Because we are world wide movement of Krsna, and if we do not have any nice place at Vrndaban, then what will be the use? Vrndaban is Krsna's land, and in future so many of our disciples will go there just to see, along with many tourists and other friends, so therefore we must have sufficient place for them. That will be our great contribution.
1973 Correspondence
Regarding the printing press for India: the press at ISKCON Press is too old and not practical to send to India. We are ready to manage a Press in India, but where is the money? We require new offset printing equipment. If we print in India we can get a much cheaper rate. Now, also there is a world-wide paper shortage but I have asked Mukunda in London to investigate exporting paper to India. I am in favor of this scheme but whether or not Mr. Gupta and others will support it and will the government allow?
The news of the preaching work in New Delhi is very nice—continue with it. There are many intelligent men in that quarter, mostly European. So far as the Russian correspondent, try to convince him about our philosophy. We want to unit the world on the platform of Krsna Consciousness under one state, one government, one religion and one scripture. It will be successful if we work cautiously and maintain our standards.
1974 Correspondence
Now that our ISKCON is growing into a huge, world wide organization, it has come to my attention that sometimes centers are printing my literature, taking collection and spending all outside the jurisdiction of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. This must not go on.
I specifically formed the BBT to invest in it exclusive rights for the printing of all literature containing my teachings, writings and lectures. In this way the collections are to be divided fifty percent for printing new books and fifty percent for construction of temples.
You will be glad to know that our books are selling very nicely. Last year we sold about four million books, and this year within six months we have completed last years quota, and therefore we can reasonably expect to double the sale of last year. The only difficulty is that we are expanded worldwide organization, and it requires very acute management to keep up the status quo. So by Krishna's grace everything is going on nicely, and I am reaching India by the 26th of July.
1975 Correspondence
I thank you very much for your kindly visiting our land the other day. Along with your secretary, Mr. Ramanbhai B. Tolat. The thing is that we are in a little difficulty on account of our entrance road being very narrow. Therefore, I request you to give up your strip of land in front of our Hare Krishna Land for opening the road which will facilitate the traffic congestions. Our Hare Krishna Land is an international institution for preaching Krishna Consciousness all over the world. So, I am seeking your sympathy for these world-wide activities. The other day, your secretary informed me that you will construct a community hall on the road-side, but I know that the strip of land in front of our land will not be required by you. Neither it can be used for any other purpose. So, if you will kindly recommend your committee to give for this great cause, Krishna will be very much pleased upon you without any doubt.
I am in due receipt of your letter dated Jan 21, 1975 and have noted the contents. I had not received any letter from you until now, Svarupa Damodara das is in our Atlanta temple. The address is: 1287 Ponce de Leon Ave., N.E. Atlanta, Georgia 30306 U.S.A. I have asked Svarupa Damodara to write you and I gave him your address. He promised that he would immediately write a letter. I have just completed a world-wide tour visiting Hong Kong, Japan, U.S.A., South America and Mexico, London, and now I am in Tehran. Our center here is very nice. I will be leaving for Bombay on the 15th of March and then on to Calcutta on the 19th from there. This year, we will again celebrate the birth day of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in Mayapur on March 27th. All the devotees will be coming about a week early for doing parikrama of the different holy spots. About 400-500 devotees will again come this year. I would be happy to see you there if you are able to come.
The original potency of the sastra remains in these books because I have not added or opinionated anything of my own. I have simply presented the scriptures such as Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam as they are. Therefore just see the effect they have on the world. At present, we have about 100 centers worldwide and about 10,000 fully dedicated students in those centers. You are welcome to visit or stay in any of our centers for your spiritual advancement. We have a nice center in Madras: 50, Aspiran Gardens, 2nd St., Kilpauk, Madras—600010. You can get all the books there. I will be in Bombay at the end of April and beginning of May. So, if you can come then, I shall see you there. In the meantime please correspond with or visit one of our temples.
This is to introduce to you Mr. Harjibhai M. Patel of Diamond Press Ltd., P.O. Box 40030, Nairobi, Kenya. He and his wife are going on world wide tour in April, 1975. Kindly receive Mr. Patel and offer him best accommodation, prasadam, and whatever assistance he might require. He is a pure vegetarian. He is my friend here in Nairobi, and he has kindly hosted me at his home on two occasions before we had our own temple here. He is also one of the important members in helping to assist our mission, especially through his press. So I want that he should have a favorable impression of our movement all over the world. So please do the needful.
1976 Correspondence
Please do not be worried. Our movement is essentially for spreading this chanting of Hare Krishna world wide. And the main responsibility of my disciples is to follow the four regulative principles and chant 16 rounds without fail. Please worry about that first.
The best thing is to send your daughter to Gurukula, but if you cannot do that, then somehow see that she is trained nicely in Krishna Consciousness.
I am in due receipt of the BBT Trustees report and have heard your proposal for funding the Mayapur project. Yes your proposal sounds very nice and you may do it. It is very good that this project be a world-wide effort.
Gurukrpa Maharaja has taken charge of the collecting for Mayapur now. You can simply send his food relief collection money to Mayapur. When the Bombay project is finished and Mayapur begins, the Mayapur project should be financed in the same way.
If you can collect money there as you have suggested and send it for Nitai Gaura TWSKP activities in India that will be good. There is no restriction for preachers, they may travel everywhere all over the world. Nitai-Gaura means world wide preaching, because Lord Caitanya appeared to spread this movement to every town and village of the world, and by the grace of good souls like yourself the desire of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu is being fulfilled in the modern age.
| Page Title: | Worldwide |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Mayapur |
| Created: | 16 of Mar, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=2, CC=0, OB=3, Lec=9, Con=46, Let=37 |
| No. of Quotes: | 97 |