Shopkeeper

Expressions researched:
"shop keeper" |"shop keepers" |"shopkeeper" |"shopkeeper's" |"shopkeepers" |"shopwala"

BG Preface and Introduction

BG Introduction:

If we go on searching in this spirit, it will be seen that there is no exception in the society of living beings to the activity of service. The politician presents his manifesto for the public to convince them of his capacity for service. The voters therefore give the politician their valuable votes, thinking that he will render valuable service to society. The shopkeeper serves the customer, and the artisan serves the capitalist. The capitalist serves the family, and the family serves the state in the terms of the eternal capacity of the eternal living being. In this way we can see that no living being is exempt from rendering service to other living beings, and therefore we can safely conclude that service is the constant companion of the living being and that the rendering of service is the eternal religion of the living being.

SB Canto 2

SB 2.4.21, Purport:

The Lord reserves the right of not being exposed to such mental speculators. And because they cannot enter into network stem of the lotus stem of the Lord, all material speculators differ in conclusions, and at the end they make a useless compromise by saying, "as many conclusions, as many ways," according to one's own inclination. (yathā-rucam). But the Lord is not like a shopkeeper trying to please all sorts of customers in the mental speculator exchange. The Lord is what He is, the Absolute Personality of Godhead, and He demands absolute surrender unto Him only. The pure devotee, however, by following the ways of previous ācāryas, or authorities, can see the Supreme Lord through the transparent medium of a bona fide spiritual master (anupaśyanti).

CC Antya-lila

CC Antya 6.91, Translation:

When the shopkeepers of many other villages heard about the festival, they arrived there to sell chipped rice, yogurt, sweetmeats and bananas.

CC Antya 6.216, Translation:

If they see a Vaiṣṇava standing at the Siṁha-dvāra begging alms, out of mercy they arrange with the shopkeepers to give him something to eat.

CC Antya 6.315, Translation:

Lord Jagannātha's prasādam is sold by shopkeepers, and that which is not sold decomposes after two or three days.

CC Antya 11 Summary:

The summary of this chapter is given by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura in his Amṛta-pravāha-bhāṣya as follows. In this chapter it is described how Brahmā Haridāsa Ṭhākura gave up his body with the consent of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and how the Lord Himself personally performed the funeral ceremony and carried the body to the sea. He personally entombed the body, covered it with sand and erected a platform on the site. After taking a bath in the sea, He personally begged prasādam of Jagannātha from shopkeepers and distributed prasādam to the assembled devotees.

CC Antya 11.73, Translation:

Approaching the Siṁha-dvāra gate, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu spread His cloth and began to beg prasādam from all the shopkeepers there.

CC Antya 11.75, Translation:

Hearing this, all the shopkeepers immediately came forward with big baskets of prasādam, which they jubilantly delivered to Lord Caitanya.

CC Antya 11.76, Translation:

However, Svarūpa Dāmodara stopped them, and the shopkeepers returned to their shops and sat down with their baskets.

CC Antya 11.78, Translation:

Svarūpa Dāmodara said to all the shopkeepers, "Deliver to me four palmfuls of prasādam from each and every item."

CC Antya 11.104, Translation:

Out of His causeless mercy the Lord personally covered the body of Haridāsa Ṭhākura with sand and personally begged alms from the shopkeepers. Then He conducted a great festival to celebrate the passing away of Haridāsa Ṭhākura.

Light of the Bhagavata

Light of the Bhagavata 31, Purport:

Without this relationship, all the regulative principles of varṇa and āśrama become burdensome duties, as they have in the age of Kali. When the regulative principles have no aim, the varṇas become a caste system and the āśramas become the business of various shopkeepers. All these anomalies of the present social system can be reformed only by cultivation of the human spirit in the devotional service of the Lord.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Introduction to Gitopanisad (Earliest Recording of Srila Prabhupada in the Bhaktivedanta Archives):

The shopkeeper serves the customer and the artisan serves the capitalist. The capitalist serves his family and the family serves the head man in terms of the eternal capacity of eternal being. In this way we can see no living being is exempted from the practice of rendering service to other living being, and therefore we can conclude that service is a thing which is the constant companion of the living being, and therefore it may be safely concluded that rendering of service by a living being is the eternal religion of the living being.

Lecture on BG 2.22 -- Hyderabad, November 26, 1972:

So if you think of Kṛṣṇa, then you will increase your prema for Kṛṣṇa. This is the process. Prema is not you have to get it outside. It is already there. Just like a young boy, young girl. As soon as they meet, there is natural attraction. That is already there. It is not that he has brought this attraction from, purchased from some shopkeeper. No. It is already there. Simply by combination, it becomes aroused. That's all. Similarly, kṛṣṇa-prema is there. Nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-prema sādhya kabhu naya (CC Madhya 22.107). It is not that by artificial means we are getting kṛṣṇa-prema. It is already there. But just like the attraction for young man and young woman, it comes at a certain stage, similarly, if you develop this śravaṇa-kīrtana, then that kṛṣṇa-prema will be aroused, automatically. It is already there.

Lecture on BG 4.1 and Review -- New York, July 13, 1966:

The third imperfection is that cheating. Everyone thinks himself very clever and he can cheat others. Everyone thinks, "Oh, I am so clever. Oh, I shall do it. Oh, I shall cheat him." In every, our dealing, it is going on. The customer and the shopkeeper. The shopkeeper thinks that "I am giving him nonsense things and making profit," and the customer is thinking, "Oh, I am getting it very cheap." So this is going on, even in ordinary dealing. So this is called cheating process. Now, even in animal you'll find that they are searching after some food, and it is thinking, "Oh, I'm cheating my master and taking this food." That means in the conditional life this cheating propensity is there.

Lecture on BG 8.20-22 -- New York, November 18, 1966:

Just like in cinematographic picture you see the shadow of the real thing behind, similarly, this is only shadow. And in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said that janmādy asya yataḥ anvayād itarataś ca artheṣu abhijñaḥ svarāṭ, yatra tri-sargo 'mṛṣā (SB 1.1.1). This material world is a combination of matter. Just like you have seen a nice girl's doll in the showcase of the shopkeeper's exactly just like a nice, beautiful girl. But that is imitation. Imitation. Every sane man knows, "Oh, this is imitation."

Lecture on BG 9.27-29 -- New York, December 19, 1966:

If He is sama—sama means neutral—then how we find different grades of people or different grades of species of life? That is samatā. Now, I will give you a crude example. Suppose I am a shopkeeper. I have got different varieties of goods. Now, if you pay me less, then I can supply you inferior quality of goods. Another customer is paying me a good amount; then I will supply you superior quality of goods. Now, I supply to some customer inferior quality of goods; to another customer I supply superior quality of goods. Is there any partiality? No. That is not partiality. So God gives you result of your actions. Samo 'ham. He is impartial. If you do good acts, then you get good result. If you do bad acts, then you get bad result.

Lecture on BG 10.4 -- New York, January 3, 1967:

It is not meant for material enjoyment. Material enjoyment means eating, sleeping, and defending and mating. These four principles, they are called material enjoyment. Just like we see advertisement. The other day I was seeing the New York Times magazine. So all advertisements were based on mating. That's all. So because mating is most attractive, therefore the shopkeepers, they advertise their dress, putting before one very nice girl. Because our attraction is for mating, so as soon as we see a nice girl our attention is diverted immediately. That is the psychology. So these are all material enjoyments: eating, sleeping, defending and mating.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.2 -- London, August 15, 1971:

Prabhupāda: Hmm. That is going on. The great two wars began from Europe simply on this basis. The German and Englishmen. The Englishmen, by their colonization, they made the whole world red in the map. Africa and Asia, India and America, Canada. And the Germans thought, "So this shopkeepers' nation..." Hitler used to say "shopkeepers' nation." "How they have occupied the whole world, and we are so intelligent? We are manufacturing so many things. We have no market to sell." That is the cause of the two great wars. This is a fact. Anyone, any politician, any gentleman knows what was the cause. The cause was Germany is always envious of England.

Lecture on SB 1.1.9 -- Auckland, February 20, 1973:

So how this Kṛṣṇa consciousness can be developed by the easiest method? tatra tatrāñjasāyuṣman bhavatā yad viniścitam. Now, this question is asked from a person who is self-realized, not from a shop-keeper. Tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Here is a guru because he has learned sufficiently from Vyāsadeva and other sages therefore they are asking from him, not from a... Āyuṣman. They are blessing, "Be blessed with long span of life." Although he was young, still he's asking, they're asking, great, great learned brāhmaṇas and sages, "What you have decided to be the easiest process to achieve the highest goal of life?" Puṁsām ekāntataḥ śreyas. Ekāntataḥ, absolute. Śreyas. Śreyas means benefit.

Lecture on SB 1.2.2 -- Rome, May 26, 1974:

One must undergo the saṁskāras, the reformatory method, and act in life. If I have taken the saṁskāra of brāhmaṇa, if I have accepted the sacred thread, then I must act as a brāhmaṇa. It is very practical. Just like if you have passed your examination as an engineer, then you must act as an engineer. Not that simply you have got the qualification of engineer, and now you are engaged in the business of a shopkeeper. No. You must act as engineer. That is qualification.

Lecture on SB 1.2.12 -- Vrndavana, October 23, 1972:

Just like in Europe and America, the papers are now discussing about our Movement. They say, "They are nice people, and we want more of them." At least, they are saying like that. Yes. "These Hare Krishna people, they are very nice, and we want more of them." And in Berkeley, when our procession was taken, the neighboring shopkeepers, they remarked that "These people are not window-breaking crowd." Because as soon as there is some crowd, or procession, immediately they begin to break the windows and throw stones. That is, that has become a custom. So when they see that these people are very peaceful... Even the police, they also give certificate that "We don't have to take much worries to control this crowd," when our Ratha-yātrā festival go.

Lecture on SB 1.2.14 -- Los Angeles, August 17, 1972:

So this is kṣatriya. And brāhmaṇa, giving direction. All the kṣatriya kings were taking direction from highly learned sages and brāhmaṇas... Just like Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja. So these two classes are now wanted. Here is stated, cātur-varṇyam..., eh, varṇāśrama, varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. Otherwise, this present human civilization is dead. There must be these two classes of men: brāhmaṇa and kṣatriya. Śūdras and vaiśyas are there. There are so many shopkeepers and workers and laborers. There is sufficient number. Now there is no brāhmaṇa and kṣatriya.

Lecture on SB 1.16.22 -- Los Angeles, July 12, 1974:

So how this principle should be observed? Just like government, still they regulate. In your country there are so many regulative principles. Just in the shop, foodstuff or fruits, they should not be too old, or rotten. The inspector is there. If there is not to the standard, they are thrown away. Similarly, not only, only these stores and shopkeepers, but even in household affairs, there should be government inspection. That is stated in the śāstra. Whether a man who is professing to become a brāhmaṇa, whether he is following strictly the brahminical rules and regulations.

Lecture on SB 3.25.21 -- Bombay, November 21, 1974:

This conditioned life, different forms of life, we have got daiva-netreṇa, by superior, superior administration. Netreṇa means netṛtva, leadership. So superior leadership. Just like Yamarāja. Karmaṇā, according to my karma, he offers me some body. Daiva-netreṇa. Jantur deha upapatti. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu (BG 13.22). Karma... Guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). Guṇa and karma... Just like here, in the practical world, you can work as an engineer, karma, if you have got the qualification. If you have got the qualification of a shopkeeper, you cannot act as engineer. That is not possible. If you have got the qualification of a teacher, educationist, then you can become a teacher.

Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Hyderabad, April 15, 1975:

Generally people, they're interested how to maintain this body, because they are in bodily concept of life. Just like we pass through the streets, there are so many shopkeepers, and they're all decorating their shop to supply the needs of the body. Cloth shop, tailor shop, wine shop, this shop, that shop, but what are these shops? Dehambhara-vārtikeṣu, they are simply interested in maintaining this body, that's all. This is only business in the big, big cities, you'll find that business is going on, how to maintain this body. There is advertisement, as you look just like a human being, not some, something advertisement. So that is going on.

Lecture on SB 6.1.24 -- Chicago, July 8, 1975:

Either you are a gṛhastha or a vānaprastha, or apart from that, either you are a medical man or engineer or politician or businessman or shopkeeper—something your position is there—so you remain in that." Sthāne sthitāḥ: "You remain in your position. Simply you have to hear the message of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, through the realized saintly person." This recommendation. If you go on speculating, you will never be able to understand. Therefore give up this practice. Jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva. "Be submissive." If you think, "Oh, I am so much advanced. I can speculate.

Lecture on SB 7.7.22-26 -- San Francisco, March 10, 1967:

It is appearing just like truth. Just like another example: if you find some beautiful doll in the shopkeeper's window, oh, it appears, oh, just like, exactly a beautiful, nice girl. But it is not. But how it looks so nice? It is the craftmanship of the person who has manufactured that doll. Similarly, this separated energy, material energy, it is false, just like the doll. Nobody's attracted. Nobody's going to love offer, offer love to that doll girl because everyone knows, "This is false." Similarly, those who are intelligent, they are not interested to take any serious part in this material world because it is separated energy, and it is acting so nicely, with the complication of three modes of nature, goodness, passion and ignorance... This is also discussed, that there are three guṇas, and if you multiply it with three, three into three, it becomes nine.

General Lectures

Lecture -- Seattle, October 18, 1968:

This is recommended therefore, for this age. And others also will be benefited. You chant loudly. Others who are not accustomed, they will also. At least... Just like on the street, in the park, they say "Hare Kṛṣṇa!" How they have learned? By hearing this chanting. That's all. Sometimes the children, as soon as they see us, they say "Oh, Hare Kṛṣṇa!" In Montreal the children, when I was walking on the street, all the children, the shopkeepers, the storekeepers, they will say "Hare Kṛṣṇa!" And that's all. So we have forced Hare Kṛṣṇa within the mind. If you practice yoga, meditate, it may be beneficial for you, but this is beneficial for many others. Suppose something very good, you are enjoying yourself, some sweetballs—that is one stage. But if you distribute sweetballs, that is another stage. So by chanting on the road, on the street, you are distributing sweetballs.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, April 10, 1971:

All right, accept that he may be the same Rāma and same Kṛṣṇa. But when Kṛṣṇa is there, why should we accept an imitation Kṛṣṇa? Why? Suppose if you go to purchase some medicine in a drug shop and the shopkeeper says, "Here is a medicine, sir, which is equally good, but the price is very cheap. You can take it," and if you are sane man, you will say, "No, no. I don't want it. Give me that original. Why shall I take this? Let it be cheaper, but I don't want it." Similarly, why should we accept so-called incarnation of Kṛṣṇa? We should accept Kṛṣṇa, original Kṛṣṇa.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Carl Gustav Jung:

Prabhupāda: The people are cheaters, so you have to become cheater also; otherwise you cannot live. What can you say? Just like a shopkeeper, everyone knows that he is making profit, but he has to make bargain. So a shopkeeper says, "I am taking (indistinct). You are my friend, I am not taking a single paisa profit." How he'll do it, come on (indistinct). But if you know that he is making business, he must make profit. But he's cheated. He doesn't want to be cheated. That's all. So therefore my Guru Mahārāja used to say that "This is a society of cheaters and the cheated." That's all.

Philosophy Discussion on George Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel:

Prabhupāda: That means there are already different occupations, and you have freedom to select one of them. But the occupation is already there, created by somebody else. You have the freedom to make a choice. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam: (BG 4.13) "I have created these four principles of occupational duties." Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). Now, if according to your qualification you can make a selection, "I, I like this occupation." But the occupation is already there. Just like a shopkeeper, he has got varieties of goods. The customer goes, he can say, "I like this." "All right, you can take it. This is the price." Similarly, the occupational duties are already there. The (indistinct) are already there. That is created by God.

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

Lord Caitanya Play Told to Tamala Krsna -- August 4, 1969, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Then Caitanya Mahāprabhu took this body, and Himself He went... He carried the body. He was very stout and strong. And He was dancing and... Then He went to the seaside, and He bathed the body, and in His own hands He buried Caitanya, uh, Haridāsa Ṭhākura's body within the sand. So that burial place is still there in Purī, Haridāsa Ṭhākura's samādhi. Then He personally went to the shopkeepers and begged prasādam. "You give Me some prasādam." All people gave Him so many things. Caitanya Mahāprabhu was so well-known. So He asked all the devotees to take prasādam after the burial ceremony was over. In this way Haridāsa Ṭhākura's... Niryāna. This is called departure of Haridāsa Ṭhākura. That is stated in Caitanya-caritāmṛta.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Conversation with Bajaj and Bhusan -- September 11, 1972, Arlington, Texas, At Their Home:

Prabhupāda: That is another question. Don't bring controversial. If you have got Kṛṣṇa, what is the use of Ramakrishna? When you have got Kṛṣṇa original, why should you go to Ramakrishna? A shopkeeper says, "This is the same medicine, sir, but it is very cheap." But a real customer says, "No, I want the original. I don't want this imitation. Give me the original." Accepting Ramakrishna as incarnation, so why shall I go to incarnation when I have got Kṛṣṇa?

Morning Walks -- October 1-3, 1972, Los Angeles:

Jayatīrtha: ...so many riots by the students at the university there that the shopkeepers in the local area are suing the State because the windows have been broken so many times and so much merchandise has been stolen by the students, they think the State should pay them back.

Prabhupāda: Yes, they must. The State must be responsible. What the State reply?

Jayatīrtha: Well, they're having to litigate in court over it. The State doesn't want to do it. So this university there is one of the most famous universities in the whole country. They spend so many millions of dollars to maintain it nicely. (break) (dog barking) ...changing their bodies in particular ways to make them look (indistinct).

Prabhupāda: When you do not take care of God, you must take care of dog.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- February 26, 1973, Jakarta:

Prabhupāda: Even in Punjab, I think. I think you have seen also, they take the dough for professional bread maker. The householder they make the dough and took to a shopkeeper, and they make the bread. You haven't got to take the chaval, and make the bread.

Morning Walk -- April 21, 1973, Los Angeles:

Brahmānanda: A nation of shop-keepers only.

Prabhupāda: That's right. Why the shop-keeper's nation should predominate all over the world? Kill them. That is their (indistinct). And actually it is the German people who killed Britishers, British lion. Apart, after the Second War...

Morning Walk -- May 2, 1973, Los Angeles:

Karandhara: They say there is no difference between that life and that matter.

Prabhupāda: No, how can you say rascal? Then you are rascal immediately. There is so much difference. Then immediately you talk like rascal. There is difference. You have to accept superior, inferior. Just like two things. When you go to purchase something the shopkeeper gives you, "Here is superior." Although there is no difference, but there is difference of superiority and inferiority. That you have to accept. Therefore you pay more price to the superior. How there is no difference? This is another rascaldom. You have to distinguish between superior and inferior.

Morning Walk -- December 6, 1973, Los Angeles:

Hṛdayānanda: Well, then they will say that everyone... The Christians would say that they're on the top step, and the Buddhists say they're on the top step.

Prabhupāda: No, they may say, but if Kṛṣṇa is God, what He says, that we'll have to accept, what Kṛṣṇa says. Kṛṣṇa says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat: (BG 7.7) "There is no more superior than Me." That you have to accept. Everyone will say, "I am very good." But is that the fact, that everyone is very good? There is comparative, superlative degrees. Just like shopkeepers, they say, "All my goods are good." They are competition. One has to judge. That comparative study... What the highest Buddha philosophy? Ahiṁsā. Ahiṁsā, nonviolence. That is our preliminary study. Amānitvam adambhitvam ahiṁsā kṣāntir ārjavam (BG 13.8). There are many other things after ahiṁsā. They do not know this.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 5, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: ...purāṇas, not new manufactured. (break) If I have to offer my obeisances and surrender, why not to Kṛṣṇa? Why an imitation Kṛṣṇa? Why? Just like if you go to purchase some medicine, the shopkeeper may say, "Now, here is a medicine equal to this medicine, and its price is less." So no sane man will purchase. "Why I shall purchase the imitation for being less price? Give me the original." (break) ...the life of Ramakrishna. It is said that at the time of his death he said to his disciples, especially to Vivekananda, that "I am the same Rāma, I am the same Kṛṣṇa," and he took it. And he preached that "This Gadadhara Chatterjee, Ramakrishna." That's all. Then if he is referring to the original Rāma and Kṛṣṇa, so why not take the original Rāma and Kṛṣṇa? What is the proof? Simply by his words one can accept? Just like he is taking the proof, Arjuna. Yes.

Morning Walk -- April 22, 1974, Hyderabad:

Satsvarūpa: The other important point is that we love God not for getting some reward. You say that the other important thing is that this person claims to be pious, but he approaches God for material reward.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is business. That is not love. I go to somebody and flatter him to get something. Just like a shopkeeper does also like that. He flatters the customers in so many ways to sell goods so that he can make some profit. So there is no question of love.

Morning Walk at Marine del Rey -- July 13, 1974, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: "We shall burn it down." They are seeing practically. After all, they are businessmen. "Shopkeeper's nation." They see practically that if such kind of movements go on... People are already, have no interest in the church. In Chicago, they wrote "American Hindus." They wrote in the paper. Then Hindu, Hindu religion will be prominent.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Coversation with Psychiatrist and Indian Boy -- May 12, 1975, Perth:

Prabhupāda: You live with us and you will become pure devotee. They are pure devotees. You live with them and do whatever they are doing, their examples, and you will become pure devotee. Just like in a workshop, if you admit yourself without any knowledge, if you work with the workshop man, gradually you will learn how to work. It is not difficult. Formerly this was the custom in India, that when somebody sends his son to any workshop or any shopkeeper without any pay, so gradually he learns. And the master says, "Now I engage you with some pay." That is the way. Sataṁ prasaṅgāt. By living with devotees, you'll learn devotion. So if you are serious, you are welcome. You can live with us and behave according to the other devotees.

Room Conversation after Press Conference -- July 9, 1975, Chicago:

Brahmānanda: Yes. "This cigarette is meant just for you to show that you're superior."

Prabhupāda: I think there was some objection, woman taking this objection, why woman's idol should be displayed in the shopkeeper's show windows.

Brahmānanda: The mannequins.

Prabhupāda: Yes. There was some protest. Generally, they keep the dolls of woman, beautiful woman. So there was some protest.

Morning Walk -- September 18, 1975, Vrndavana:

Dhanañjaya: Viśvambhara is going to arrange that today, to purchase for fifteen days.

Prabhupāda: Any shopkeeper will supply fifteen days. He will bring at your home and your pay him, forthrightly? (indistinct)

Indian man (1): Śrīla Prabhupāda? Should not the temple be kept open earlier than six o'clock in the afternoon? Many people are...

Prabhupāda: Six o'clock?

Morning Walk -- October 6, 1975, Durban:

Prabhupāda: They were obliged to do that. In the country there is no food, no shelter, nothing. Therefore Hitler's determination was, "I shall make this shopkeeper nation again fishers." What is called? Fishermen. "I shall ruin their empire." So he did it. But he also became ruined. He did it. He ruined the Englishmen, but he also became ruined, finished, Germany finished. But Germany will be able to rise again. Englishmen will not be able to.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 20, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: That is Vivekananda, daridra-nārāyaṇa-sevā. The answer is that if you do not prepare rasagullā for Kṛṣṇa, then there will be no supply of rasagullā. So everything will be finished. Because bhuñjate te tv aghaṁ pāpā ye pacanty ātma-kāraṇāt (BG 3.13). Anyone who is preparing rasagullā for himself or expanded himself, so they simply become implicated with sinful activities. So if you are... Suppose if you prepare rasagullā, stealing from the shopkeeper sugar and..., then how long you will go on? One day you'll be captured. Stena eva sa ucyate (BG 3.12). What is that verse? Stena eva sa ucyate. (Bengali) Yajña-puruṣa. Real point is to satisfy. You cannot supply rasagullā, but if you supply rasagullā as prasādam, then the rasagullā-eater is benefited, you are benefited, and Kṛṣṇa is pleased.

Room Conversation -- May 7, 1976, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: Find out cost. Some shopkeepers, stores. Some return. If we can get our cost price of the books.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We should get cost price.

Prabhupāda: Not should, but must as far as possible.

Room Conversation -- June 17, 1976, Toronto:

Prabhupāda: That was the mission of Hitler, that "These people are shopkeepers' nation, fisherman's nation. How they have become so big? This must be finished." Because their business was being hampered by the Britishers. In India we have seen. German and Japan, very cheap and first-class goods they will supply. The Britishers would not allow.

Evening Darsana -- July 8, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Guest (3): Your Grace, may I ask a question? Before I asked about a man not knowing what his duty was, and you spoke of the highest duty of giving up all to Kṛṣṇa and becoming detached from the fruits of your action. But suppose the question is What shall I become—a shopkeeper, a teacher, a carpenter?

Prabhupāda: In any condition, you can surrender yourself to Kṛṣṇa. Svakarmaṇā tam abhyarcya.

Evening Darsana -- July 8, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Guest (3): Whether a man should be a shopkeeper or a teacher or a carpenter, the Bible won't tell me that, and the Bhagavad-gītā won't tell me that.

Prabhupāda: Bhagavad-gītā is there, the four divisions of human society, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. So each one's duty is prescribed. Brāhmaṇa's duty, kṣatriya's duty, vaiśya's duty, śūdra's duty, brahmacārī's duty, everything is there.

Evening Darsana -- July 8, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Guest (4): Your Grace? I don't understand how it can be all right for a person to lie, even if he is a shopkeeper or a diplomat.

Prabhupāda: But you cannot do business without speaking lies; you have to do it. What can be done?

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- January 23, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Bhāgavata: They want to use it as an excuse why they should not take up spiritual life—"If I renounce, how I'll live? Therefore I cannot take this spiritual life. I will not be able to live." That is their excuse.

Prabhupāda: No, even in your country. Here there is poor country. Even in your country, Los Angeles, the neighborhood shopkeepers...

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

Rāmeśvara: America now has this policy that they will sell their guns to both sides.

Prabhupāda: That is all right, because they are doing business. So I am shopkeeper. Anyone pays, I shall... That is good.

Rāmeśvara: But no discrimination.

Prabhupāda: Why discrimination? I am selling. You come. Pay me. I shall give you.

Room Conversation -- January 26, 1977, Puri:

Prabhupāda: Ah. So he was taking every fortnightly 150 dollars by telephone, and Rāyarāma, he was paying. He took about five hundred, six hundred dollars and did not do anything, simply extending the date. The lawyers will plunder. The government men will plunder. The physician will plunder. Ordinary dealing, they will plunder. The shopkeepers will plunder. The... And bank will say that "You take money. You pay your bills. We'll give you loan, we'll charge interest. And when you get your salary, then you have to deposit it in the bank." And they'll adjust. And again you are penniless. Again you take loan. The social arrangement is so made that you simply depend on loan. And to earn this money you'll have to go five hundred miles away from your home, early in the morning, in the car.

Room Conversation With Artists and About BTG -- February 25, 1977, Mayapura:

Rāmeśvara: One point that was felt, not the specific defect, but a very general point, is that this magazine is being distributed by the hundreds of thousands to very ordinary people who go shopping in stores, housewives and so on.

Prabhupāda: No, still, we cannot make it a shopkeeper's magazine.

Morning Talk -- April 18, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Britain is... They are shopkeepers. Hitler gave them this title, "Shopkeepers' Nation." That was his determination: "The shopkeepers' nation, I shall turn them again to be shopkeepers, not the empire holder." That he did. Although he was finished-Germany was finished on account of this—but they executed their determination, British empire finished. That they did. After the second war, British...

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

Prabhupāda: "Shopkeepers' nation." The Parliament has become a shop. Artificially they're maintaining an atmosphere of aristocracy. There is not... I talked with some of their Lords. Artificial. The have lost all prestige. Still, "I belong to the Lords' House." The priestly order, the Lord family, I talked with them. Simply artificial.

Conversation: 'How to Secure Brahmacaris' -- June 24, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Educated means brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya. Brāhmaṇa will give real knowledge, and kṣatriyas will govern. For vaiśyas and śūdras, there is no... It is waste of time. Formerly it was done so. The vaiśyas, they have got a son, goes to a shopkeeper: "Please here let my son work with you. He doesn't want any salary." So he gets engagement. Then, by seeing, seeing, he becomes little important. And the proprietor gives him some hand expense. And then, one day, he becomes very expert. He starts his own business. That was the system. Why he should go and waste time for education? A boy is given to a carpenter. He learns very easily. A weaver, he learns very easily. A shopkeeper, grocer, he learns very easily.

Room Conversation with Devotees -- July 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: I know that. I have given receipt. There is no... That is all right. Work will go on like that... Now that belongs to somebody else. Anyway, the things are there. There will be no difficulty. But the work is being done like that. He does not know. He does not know. What is called? There is a story. A man went to a shopkeeper. He was shaven-headed. You know that?

Room Conversation about Mayapura Attack Talk with Vrindavan De -- July 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think Hitler said they're...

Prabhupāda: "Shopkeeper's nation." Yes. Naturally they are very poor. They cannot produce anything. It is so cold.

1966 Correspondence

Letter to Panchu -- New York 11 October, 1966:

At Gopinatha Bazar almost in front of Mahaprabhu's Temple, there is a Bengali gentleman's shop for selling Pan and pictures. I want one dozen each of Sri Radha Krsna and Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu dancing with His associate pictures. Please ask him what is the price. Whether he can send these pictures by post to my above American address. On hearing from you I shall send you the money either to the above shop keeper or to you as you write to me. How is Sarojini and other devotees of the temple.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Kris -- Los Angeles 13 November, 1968:

Gandhi was simply interested to get the Britishers out of India—what has this to do with self-realization, the prime goal of life? And here and there, there were signs of all sorts, like "Be still and realize I am God"—what is this, by becoming silent and still one becomes God?! The stone is silent for millions of years, does that mean it has become God? This is all conglomeration of nonsense ideas. Practically, this Yogananda has no philosophy or authority, he simply drags in Buddha, Jesus Christ, Gandhi, and whoever else he can think to put, so that whatever you like it is in his shop. He is just a good shop keeper.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Pradyumna -- New York 13 April, 1969:

Regarding your questions, generally tulsi beads are required for initiation, but if it is not available, ordinary beads can be used. Sometimes the shopkeepers give ordinary beads and say it is tulsi, so it is very difficult to get tulsi beads without personal attendance. So far as your getting a Kartamasi Murti, you may take information from Govinda Dasi in Hawaii. Radha-Krishna Murtis may be purchased from Vrindaban. The cost is about $200.00, but they are very nice, 24 inches high. I shall speak with Nara Narayana to inform him that he should also go there to help you with constructing the items you have mentioned.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Syamasundara -- Los Angeles 10 February, 1970:

I think if George writes a small foreword, then we can include it along with other description in the pamphlet. I think if we issue such prologue pamphlet and put it within the paper cover of the album, we can expect some order from many customers before the book is out of the press, and in that case perhaps we have to mention the price and delivery terms to save time. If the shopkeepers who will sell the records will send us order, we shall give them sufficient trade discount. So I shall be glad to hear from you how you like this idea. If you like it, then please let me know by return mail the latest date on which you will require them, so that I can arrange for that.