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Airplane (Conversations 1976 - 1977)

Expressions researched:
"aeroplane" |"aeroplanes" |"airbus" |"airbuses" |"aircraft" |"aircrafts" |"airfare" |"airline" |"airlines" |"airplane" |"airplanes" |"airport" |"airports" |"airship" |"airships"

Conversations and Morning Walks

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 4, 1976, Nellore:

Indian man: (break) ...Caitanya-caritāmṛta, all these things, Swamijī has brought out very vividly. I have read only introduction and some portion only. But what Caitanya Mahāprabhu had ordered, ordained, is taking place. It is very vividly brought out. (break) ...behind using the machinery, cars, airplanes, other things also, I think very convincing, Swamiji, when you say that they are meant only for Kṛṣṇa's service, and if it is dedicated for that, it is used. Otherwise it is misused, abused.

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. That is bhakti.

Morning Walk -- January 6, 1976, Nellore:

Prabhupāda: Now, the laws and legislative assembly there are, and there is punishment, there is court—everything there is. That we were discussing last night, that where is the honest men? Why? In spite of laws, legislative assembly, court and everything, the wholesale rogues and dishonest. Then what is the use of this? What is your answer? Why you are checked on the airport just like a culprit, criminal? They cannot trust even a gentleman, although he is educated, may be holding very good office, but still, he is not to be trusted. So this is the result of your so-called function, that there is no honest man throughout the whole world. Then, what is the use of such education? And what is the use of their living? Let them die. No hospital for them.

Room Conversation -- January 8, 1976, Nellore:

Acyutānanda: The word nature should be condemned. That.... No scientific-minded person can say the word nature.

Prabhupāda: No, they do not know what is nature. Nature is an instrument, and there must be an operator. So that they do not know, the operator. Just like a child is thinking the motorcar is going automatically. He does not know there is a driver. The child sees that the airplane is flying. They think it is automatically going. And there is a pilot, he does not know. Similarly, these rascals, they are studying nature, but nature is an instrument only. It is being operated by Kṛṣṇa. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). They have practical experience that without operator a machine cannot work. In the huge machine, how it is working unless there is operator? That they do not know.

Morning Walk -- January 18, 1976, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: That is.... Becoming God means the same, money and sex. That's all.

Harikeśa: Wouldn't it be handy, though, to be able to fly around without having to use airplanes?

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Harikeśa: I mean, if you had some mystic opulence like being able to fly.

Prabhupāda: Yes, the yogis can do that.

Harikeśa: Wouldn't that be handy? Couldn't a devotee utilize that?

Prabhupāda: What is the use?

Harikeśa: Well, instead of taking airplanes here and there, you could just...

Prabhupāda: No, no. What is the difference? If by practicing severe yogic means you fly, the birds are also flying. They are flying without airplane. Does it mean that it has become very great? There are many birds, garuḍa bird. They can fly from one planet to another. Just like small birds—they fly from one tree to another, take rest again—so they fly from this planet to another. Take rest, again another. What is the value of your airplane? You cannot go to another planet. There are birds; they catch up elephants and take it away for eating. Does it mean he has become, it has become God? There are Siddhaloka planets where the people can go without any airplane from one planet to another, Siddhaloka. They have got all yogic siddhi automatically, by birth. Just like we cannot fly, but a small bird, a small fly, from the birth it can fly. There are so many. So similarly, by birth they have got all yogic siddhis. This is called Siddhaloka. There are different varieties of planets, different varieties of perfection.

Room Conversation -- January 19, 1976, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: Bringing our men from Dum Dum airport to our roof.

Bhavānanda: Yes.

Prabhupāda: There are at least four roofs like this.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Right. The people will see. All the pilgrims will see. Like the demigods flying in.

Prabhupāda: At least we can make a show—it is coming twice in a day and going twice in a day. And they will see that "Oh, so many people are coming."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So you have to... The thing is we're simply waiting for your go-ahead, because unless we get the land and we can begin, we can't start this.

Prabhupāda: Therefore Kṛṣṇa has sent him. Let him come.

Room Conversation -- January 19, 1976, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: And he has understood the philosophy. He has got ten years experience of London.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. I met him in the London airport and I told him, "Why don't you come to India?" 'Cause I saw him, I thought he'd be really helpful here. So, Prabhupāda, another thing, is there any need to increase our prasādam distribution? Right now about a thousand people come.

Prabhupāda: No, what... They are coming, but if you see that more are coming, then increase. There is no question of advertising.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There isn't. We shouldn't advertise.

Prabhupāda: Rather, you make some arrangement that there'll be prasādam-selling there, and anyone comes within the temple give him something. Just like I give here.

Morning Walk -- January 20, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Bas. That's all. Not for the swans. They are admitting. Otherwise how it is selling unless they are admitting the value? Maybe a few, but they are realizing. I told you that one young man, very respectable, he came to me in airport, maybe Japan or some place. So he said, "Swamiji, can I talk with you?" "And yes, why not?" "Where you have got so vast knowledge?" And "This is not my knowledge. I am simply translating. That's all. It is Vyāsadeva's knowledge. It is not my knowledge." Mean... He appreciated the vast stock of knowledge. That is a fact. And this rascal says, even in India, that Bhāgavata is not written by Vyāsadeva. It is latest, within Christian era.

Morning Walk -- February 4, 1976, Mayapura:

Harikeśa: Therefore it is still. It's not rubbing against everything because everything is moving.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Just like this earth also. According to them it is going around the sun. But we don't feel anything. According to them. And according to..., it is running at the rate of twenty-five thousand miles, and if you, in airplane, it is going six hundred miles per hour, and still there is so many jerking. That is your creation, tiny machine. And God's creation, it is moving. Even it is moving, you cannot understand. That is perfect creation. Pūrṇam. The word is pūrṇam idam, everything perfect. Pūrṇam idaṁ pūrṇam adaḥ pūrṇāt pūrṇam udacyate (Iso Invocation). Because God is all-perfect, whatever He has created, they are all-perfect, relatively, all perfect. Just like this earth. It is all-perfect. Whatever you want, you inhabitants of this earth, they are all there. You want air, water, light? Everything is there. Pūrṇam idam. Pūrṇāt pūrṇam udacyate, pūrṇasya pūrṇam ādāya. So you are using so much water, so much light; still, it is perfect. Just like the cultivation. Every year you are taking so much production. Still, again you can take. This is pūrṇam idam, perfectly done. That is God's creation.

Morning Walk -- February 5, 1976, Mayapura:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Dormant implies He was active.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Was active, He is active, but you, you rascal, you cannot see. You cannot say, "Once He was active. Now He is no more active. He has finished His activity." That you cannot say. Dormant? What do you mean by dormant? Huh? Dormant means potential. He can act. And He is acting. That acting you have to learn, how He is acting. He appears to be not acting, but He is acting. That is knowledge. Just like airplane is running. A intelligent man knows that "The pilot is there. He is acting. Therefore it is running." And a foolish man will say, "The airplane is going automatically." That is the question of observation. A foolish boy... I have given this example many times, that I was thinking that in the fan there is a ghost. But the idea is, there must be somebody. Although I was a child... I could not explain how the fan is running in my childhood. I was thinking there must be some ghost. And in the gramophone box I was thinking there must be one man within this box. So this is foolish thinking, but I was convinced that without somebody, it cannot sing or it cannot run. Even one is very innocent child, he can think like that. So whole thing is going on, prakṛti, the activities of material nature... Just like there was cloud and rain. Now it is not raining. So there is activity already. It is being managed. So you cannot say that God is dormant. He is acting because His creation is acting, and God says that mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram: (BG 9.10) "Under My direction the nature is working."

Morning Walk -- March 15, 1976, Mayapura:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This man? He's a military man. This is one of our airport distributors, distributing books. Here is the bus construction. You can see how they're building the buses. That's our head office in-charge, Keśava-bhāratī.

Prabhupāda: Where the head of office? It should...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Now it's in Phoenix, but it may be shifted soon to New York. Airport distribution. This is the installation of all the Deities you were attending in Chicago. That was a big ceremony.

Prabhupāda: Oh. Chicago? Did I install? No.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, you were present on the vyāsāsana...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Morning Walk -- March 15, 1976, Mayapura:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ...when the ceremony was performed. Here is some of our vans and men, Viṣṇujana and Rādhā-Dāmodara. Here's the grandfather of airport book distribution, Tripurāri Mahārāja, dressed as a karmī to distribute in his distribution.... You can't tell, but he's wearing a wig. That's Tripurāri there. That's how he looks when he's in the airport. He never misses.

Guru-kṛpā: The master of book distribution.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Here's Tripurāri giving a class. Here's a priest buying a Bhagavad-gītā. Gurudāsa Mahārāja preaching on campus. Dhṛṣṭadyumna leading a kīrtana. Here's a television show. That was that television show.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Morning Walk -- March 16, 1976, Mayapura:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: They accept a better theory when it is presented.

Prabhupāda: Yes. It is presented. This is the beginning, that "Your knowledge is imperfect. You are believing your eyes, but that is not perfect knowledge. You have to see with knowledge." Paśyati jñāna... Paśyanti jñāna-cakṣuṣā. Śāstra-cakṣuṣāt. That is seeing, not seeing like a child. A child is seeing, a motor car is running, a airplane is running. He thinks a wonderful machine, but it is not the machine. It is the pilot. It is the driver. A child cannot see it. The father knows that it is not the machine. The machine may be however perfectly made; it cannot run. There must be a perfect pilot also. Just like we get on aeroplane. There are hundreds of men. If there is any trouble, then the pilot can stop it, not the hundreds of men.

Room Conversation With Radha-Damodara Sankirtana Party -- March 16, 1976, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: So our.... They are accommodated in how many buses?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Currently in six buses and six airports, because Tripurāri Mahārāja leads about twenty-five men distributing in different airports around the country, and then there's another hundred men who are working out of six buses. Now two more buses are being built to accommodate everyone. And then another ten men are working at our bus construction head office.

Prabhupāda: So, of course, you are not going to be absent for many, many days. You come and go.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There won't be any difficulty, because every...

Prabhupāda: They are trained up. That is the.... Training, that is the real perfection. Our Tripurāri Mahārāja is there, and Viṣṇujana Mahārāja.

Morning Walk -- March 17, 1976, Mayapura:

Pañca-draviḍa: In Los Angeles they have installed a speed walk at the airport, an escalator that you can walk on.

Prabhupāda: So you are not going to Calcutta? Calcutta?

Jayapatākā: I was going to go in a day or two.

Prabhupāda: So there is no news? (break) Of course, if there is devotee. Otherwise not.

Hṛdayānanda: I was thinking perhaps this year to begin with one car.

Prabhupāda: Hm? Yes. Last year, Philadelphia, there was one car. Oh, crowd was.... Like that.

Pañca-draviḍa: If there's no Jagannātha Deities we can use...?

Prabhupāda: No, no. Jagannātha.

Morning Walk -- March 19, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: (break) ...therefore they search. And who goes to the airport? All respectable gentlemen, who can pay lump sum for air fare. So he's also searched out. That means there is no gentlemen. The airport security is searching through. Then in this world there is no gentleman, no honest men.

Haṁsadūta: Everyone is suspected.

Prabhupāda: All rascals. This is the position.

Morning Walk -- March 19, 1976, Mayapura:

Devotee (1): That's a great mercy for them.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is mercy. When they excuse a saintly person, that is, that is their great mercy. Now, according to Vedic law, a saintly person is never subjected to any law. He's paramahaṁsa. He's never.... Rather, the order is he must be given all help that he wants. That is the Vedic civilization. And brahmacārī, sannyāsīs, they should be treated as children at home, so that wherever they go, they will be treated just like children: "Oh, he's my son. He's my dependent." They will treat like that. And they also go to every home: "Mother, give me some food." So he's children, as the child asks from the mother, "Give me some food." This is system. This is civilization. And M.A., Ph.D., and searching after woman, how to induce her, and being searched out in the airport, whether he's a rogue—what is this education? We don't want this education. (break) ...student life we have seen practically, one big professor, Dr. Brajendranatha Śrī. So he had another Ph.D. student, and that student kidnapped his daughter and went away. He was so educated that kidnapped his teacher's or the master's daughter and went away. . What is that word? Kāmātura.

Conversation with News Reporters -- March 25, 1976, Delhi:

Reporter (8): They don't have any fixed income.

Prabhupāda: No. None of us have any fixed income, but we are traveling all over the world, New York, London, Calcutta. It is just like going from this quarter to that quarter. Our men are moving like that. Immediately coming, one dozen men from Germany, one dozen from London, and immediately going. We are paying so much money to the airplanes, and we have got so many centers. So how it is going on? On Kṛṣṇa's grace. We depend on Kṛṣṇa. Our income, daily collection, is not less than one lakh of rupees, and we are spending everything.

Morning Walk -- March 26, 1976, Delhi:

Prabhupāda: In the material world the poor man thinks, "Oh, this gentleman has got such big, big house. If I could have one." Eh? And the spiritual world, without desiring there are so many big, big house we have got.

Guru dāsa: Everyone can ride in the airplane in the spiritual world because everything is a pleasure trip for Kṛṣṇa. You've written in a purport in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that in the Vaikuṇṭha planets everyone can ride in the airplanes.

Prabhupāda: Yes, there is. (break) They say that when they're combined, there will be life, but the way of analysis we suggest is not complete?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: The fact remains that even if they have a completely combined body, say a dead body, they still can't bring life back to it.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Even if there is a body that's already combined-say someone has just died—they still can't bring life back.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Morning Walk -- April 9, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Gentleman means that if you go to a gentleman's store, "Beware of the dog. Beware of the revolver." This is your culture. And when you go to the airport everyone is searched out, pocket. So who is gentleman? Is that gentleman? There is no gentleman in the world. All rogues and thieves, cheaters, bluffers. Now we are creating gentlemen. Otherwise there is no gentlemen. Here is the proof. If we are gentleman, why we are being checked in the airport? Hm? This is the proof. There is no gentlemen.

Akṣayānanda: Because they're not expecting any gentlemen.

Prabhupāda: That means there is no.... In other words, there is no gentlemen.

Room Conversation -- April 20, 1976, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: That is the soul, or consciousness. The same thing, the pilot. The pilot may be a small man, and the airship may be very gigantic. You can make still more. But the pilot is the same. So the body may be elephant or a small ant, but the pilot is the same. That is real understanding.

Mike Barron: Just getting off that, can I ask why you've come to Australia again?

Prabhupāda: I have already explained that, that this is my mission, to educate people to understand himself. They are under this misconception that "Every one of us, we are this body." That is misconception. You must know who is within the body. That is real education.

Room Conversation -- April 22, 1976, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: First of all you try to understand yourself. Then talk of God. If you do not understand yourself, how you'll understand God? That is a big thing. Try to understand the small thing, that you are not this body. Talk on this subject matter, that as.... When you understand that "I, the proprietor of the body, I am different from this body," then you will understand God also, very easily. Because you are the proprietor of this body and you are given the controlling power of the body by thinking, feeling, willing, by acting.... You have got this body. You are sitting here. You can say, "Now I am going away." The body is under your control. You can do that. Similarly, when you understand this fully, then you'll understand that in this huge, gigantic body, material cosmic manifestation, there is a controller, easily. But if you do not understand yourself, how you can understand God? God is not different in quality than from you. God means like you in huge, unlimited quantity. As you have got little intelligence—you can create a wonderful thing, 747 airplane flying in the air—so God has got unlimited brain. Millions and trillions of universes are floating in the air. The process is the same.

Room Conversation -- April 27, 1976, Auckland, New Zealand:

Guru-kṛpa: We gave the argument before that they say it is a disturbance, but there are so many cars and airplanes which are making disturbance. They should also be stopped.

Devotee (2): Last week we wrote letters to the newspaper, and they published them, showing our view. And in Whangarei.... It's another city, a hundred miles from here. It's near the farm up north, and the devotees chant there. And the businessmen complained. And the devotees wrote a letter criticizing the materialistic businessmen, and that they didn't care for the people, only they wanted money. And they printed it this big in the newspaper, completely criticizing, and the people liked it. They put it in everything, word for word what the devotees said. So it was good.

Prabhupāda: So there is agitation against chanting. That is also good. Yes, "Hare Kṛṣṇa is bad." (laughs)

Room Conversation -- April 27, 1976, Auckland, New Zealand:

Prabhupāda: And they're taking it, highly civilized way of life. Where you are going? You cannot go beyond this earth. You attempted so much to go to the moon planet, you failed. And where you can go, put-put-put-put? You'll have to stay here. But that rascal does not understand. He thinks, "I am going very fast." Where you are going? You are destined to stay here. That he does not understand. Not only this put-put motorcycle, the put-put airplane also. They're also trying to go to this planet around, round. That sputnik, first sputnik, eighteen thousand miles, and they simply rounded over the world in one hour and twenty-five minutes. And where did you go? And when he's tired, then come down again. They cannot understand, these so-called scientists, that we cannot go in this way. There is higher authority. Why it will allow us to go anywhere? Just like the horse running fast, but within the race course. That's all. It cannot go beyond the race course. And similarly, however heroic expedition we may show, you are, what is called, baddha-jīva, conditioned. You cannot cross the condition, that is not possible. Ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham iti manyate (BG 3.27). A rascal, on account of his false prestige, he is thinking, "Oh, I am independent. I can do whatever I like." Vimūḍhātmā, foolish, rascal. Mūḍha, not. Vimūḍhātmā, "especially the rascal, a special rascal." Ordinary rascal is better than the special rascal. (laughs) So all these scientists, philosophers, and political leaders, they're all special rascal, they are.

Room Conversation -- April 30, 1976, Fiji:

Guru-kṛpā: Kṛṣṇa also says, gām āviśya ca bhūtāni (BG 15.13).

Prabhupāda: Yes. There are so many verses. Another verse is mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ (BG 9.10). "The prakṛti is not important. Material energy is not important. My supervision is important." Yasyājñayā bhramati sambhṛta-kāla-cakraḥ. The sun is rising and setting by whose order? Govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam aham... This is to be understood. And if one understands that because the soul is there within the body, therefore the body is working so wonderfully, then he can very easily understand there must be a soul of this universe. How he can deny it? How he can say that it is working automatically? There is no such experience, working automatically. I have given several times the example: the 747, wonderful aeroplane machine, but that is not important. The important is the pilot who is pushing the button and it is, in such big sky, it will stay balanced; in balance it is flying in six hundred miles speed, onh-onh-onh-onhh. (imitates sound of plane flying). And as soon a little.... Finished. So it is a fact.

Room Conversation -- May 1, 1976, Fiji:

Prabhupāda: So with this instrument he's manipulating this machine, as exactly the pilot, with so many electronics, machine, he's working the flying of the plane. Where is the difficulty to understand? And this is, body is a machine. Bhrāmayan sarva-bhū.... Bhrāmayan, wandering. The aeroplane is wandering. This machine is wandering. It is also going. Ūrdhvaṁ gacchanti sattva-sthāḥ. Sometimes up, sometimes down. Huh? Find out this. (devotees look for verse) Same aeroplane, going up and down. Two wings, this hand, like this.

Room Conversation -- May 2, 1976, Fiji:

Prabhupāda: We can do that tomorrow. So it has been settled where we are going?

Guru-kṛpā: Well, I have to go to the airport this evening.

Prabhupāda: No, with Vāsudeva.

Guru-kṛpā: Yes. He is.... He thought it was best.

Prabhupāda: Don't do anything...

Guru-kṛpā: No, it was his suggestion because he doesn't want it to be another small program. He feels...

Prabhupāda: This is also cold water?

Hari-śauri: It was. It's still cold.

Prabhupāda: Darwin's theory is body is changing, but why it is changing, he does not explain.

Room Conversation with Siddha-svarupa -- May 3, 1976, Honolulu:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: We went to the airport.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: And practically they didn't even want to let us stay in the airport. We had to stay there only for four hours to catch the next flight. They are so much...

Prabhupāda: This is our position. Gradually they will show Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. In India also, although India's... They will want to crush down this movement. So this will be up to Him. Kṛṣṇa or Kṛṣṇa's movement, the same thing. And Kṛṣṇa was attempted to be killed by Kaṁsa class of men and his company, the demons. So it will be there; it is already there. Don't be disappointed, because that is the meaning that it is successful. Kṛṣṇa's favor is there, because Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's movement is not different, identical. So as Kṛṣṇa was attempted to be killed, many, many years before He appeared... At eighth child, if the mother produces child yearly, still ten years, eight years before His birth, the mother was to be attempted to be killed. So there may be attempt like that. And Lord Jesus Christ was killed. So they may kill me also.

Room Conversation -- May 5, 1976, Honolulu:

Harisauri: The thing is that the materialists will always find that. They see the devotees and we say that we renounce everything, but they don't understand that renunciation means to take everything and give it to Kṛṣṇa. So when... Just like that time there was such a great commotion when we hired that Rolls Royce to take Your Divine Grace from the airport to the temple. So in the papers they didn't put anything that you said. They simply put "His Divine Grace is arriving in a Rolls Royce." So this is the general attitude of the common mass of people.

Prabhupāda: That is envious. So if they sell books, so that is making Kṛṣṇa unpopular?

Bhūrijana: But one must learn to be a good book salesman I think.

Prabhupāda: But selling book, Kṛṣṇa, does it mean that the booksellers are creating unpopular opinion? Does it mean?

Bhūrijana: Automatically, no.

Prabhupāda: When you say that they're making enemies because they're pushing this, what is wrong there? Actually, I can so far understand that you do not like to sell books, or you cannot sell books.

Morning Walk -- May 25, 1976, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: Drop of water, the chemical composition is the same as big ocean. (airplane flying overhead) ...feet, they say.

Devotee: About 35,000 feet up. Just under seven miles.

Prabhupāda: Wants to go against the current. That is their sporting. There is an example is given by Tulasī dāsa. Baijad gajarāja(?)(indistinct) A small fish, it will go against the current, and if you put one elephant, he cannot, he'll be washed away. Why the fish, the small fish can go against the current and the elephant is washed out? Because that fish is under the shelter of the ocean; the elephant is foreigner. This is example. So one who takes shelter of the Supreme, he can do anything. Otherwise he'll be washed away.

Morning Walk -- June 3, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: That is all right.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's prestigious, and it also allows us to have a lot of information available. Just like, as we're finding out, for example, Rāmeśvara Mahārāja is working with our lawyer here, and we find that we have the legal right to distribute in airports. Legally, we have the right. Similarly, there are legal rights for our saṅkīrtana movement in various countries in the world, and through this group we would get access to all information on what the legal position is and other things of this kind.

Prabhupāda: Harer nāma (CC Adi 17.21). Yes, that's nice.

Morning Walk -- June 4, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: No, no. Sun is fixed up.

Rāmeśvara: It is moving by manipulation of air, just like our airplane is moving by manipulating the air.

Prabhupāda: First of all, solve this question, that how...?

Rādhāvallabha: You had us on that one.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Rādhāvallabha: You got us on that one.

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He said you have caught us. We cannot give a reply.

Prabhupāda: Yes, big, big belly. And what is that, Bhārgava, no, what is his name? Bhagavat?

Devotees: Bhagavat.

Prabhupāda: He has got big belly. (laughter) And Brahmānanda. Gargamuni also. Acyutānanda, yes.

Morning Walk -- June 5, 1976, Los Angeles:

Mahendra: Every day, the mail order department is delivering to the airport, or to the post office, a big stack of books to be mailed out.

Prabhupāda: So why not ask them to make a post office here, ISKCON post office?

Svarūpa: Each day fifty letters are coming. Some are inquiries, some are orders. (break) ...program Prabhupāda, we continue writing letters to these people, until they become devotees.

Prabhupāda: That's nice.

Morning Walk -- June 5, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: You, first of all you GBC think, then and (act?) Make one room, smoking room, that's all right. Just like a, that kind of restriction is there in the airplane, smoking, not, non. So you keep a room separately, a smoking room.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: One time when I was staying in the Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma mandira, I saw a man smoking a bidi in his room. If that happens—in the bedroom—should the managers go and say this is not permitted?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They should. They should go down to the smoking room.

Prabhupāda: "Kindly go to the smoking room."

Garden Conversation -- June 8, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: They have to imitate. Otherwise, they cannot struggle. Just like they have made the 747 airship. But the shape is like a bird. You cannot make other shape. That you cannot do. If you make the shape of the 747 airplane like a man, it will finish. So you have to take knowledge from God's creation. You cannot create independently. That is not possible. Just like ships and boats, they are shaped like fish, the same shape; otherwise, you cannot run on water. That is not possible. The original design is made by God, and you have to follow.

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

Prabhupāda: When everything fails, then, ultimately, "Now I shall become God." The same disease is there, how to become big, now the biggest. And that is the same disease in a different form. Therefore, Caitanya-caritāmṛta, it is said, kṛṣṇa-bhakta-niṣkāma, ataeva śānta, bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kāmī-'aśānta' (CC Madhya 19.149). Bhukti means material enjoyment. Karmīs... Just like ordinary men, they are working so hard day and night. This airplane is running here and there, (loud airplane passing over) day and night, carrying karmīs. So this is bhukti. How to enjoy this material world fully, this is called bhukti. So because they are after bhukti, how there can be peace? He has to work very hard. And mukti, those who are jñānīs, they are trying to become one with God. So that is also very difficult. But still, there are so many sādhanas. That is also... But the desire is there. The karmīs are desiring to enjoy material world, and the jñānīs are desiring to become the supreme. That is also another desire. So bhukti mukti siddhi. Yogis, they are trying to achieve some mystic power. And if you attain some mystic power, without airplane if you can fly... The yogis can do that.

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

Prabhupāda: Practically come to the... Suppose if you learn how to walk, or how to fly in the air. Nowadays they are flying, the big, big airplane flying. They have not learned this mystic power. By machine they are doing that. Suppose if you fly by mystic power from here, Los Angeles, to Bombay or Nairobi, and another man flys over by the plane. Then where is the difference? It is a question of pounds or dollars. So what benefit do we get? Why do you give so much importance, who is flying or walking on the water? Better utilize the time to realize God. Śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8). This is called in the śāstra, that anything you do, if it does not awaken your God consciousness, then it is śrama eva hi kevalam. It is simply working for nothing, waste of time. Śrama eva hi kevalam. (aside:) Hmm, give him some prasāda. And others, what about? No, you can take this... Prasāda. Others, them also.

Morning Walk -- June 9, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: One young man in Tokyo or some airport, very nice young man. He came. I was sitting. "Swamiji, can I talk with you?" "Yes." So, "I have seen your photograph. Where you have got so much vast knowledge?" (laughs) And I..., "It is not my knowledge; it is Vyāsadeva's knowledge." So his first question was, intelligent boy.

Hari-śauri: He'd obviously read fair amounts of your books.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Here is a house, four-story?

Hari-śauri: That one's three-story.

Prabhupāda: Three? And down, motor garage.

Garden Conversation -- June 10, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: And there is another problem, Irish problem. The Irish men, they are dropping bombs in London, in daytime. Creating always disturbance.

Gopavṛndapāla: I was in London just recently, and in the airport, where we distribute books, you cannot put your bag of books down because the police will come, hold you, and say, "You have a bomb in your bag." You must always keep it on your shoulder. And there are signs about every fifty feet, saying "Do not leave luggage unattended" because they are thinking anything which is unattended is a possible bomb.

Prabhupāda: London airport is very congested.

Gopavṛndapāla: Yes, very.

Prabhupāda: Very, very congested. Always thousands and thousands of men. If there is any such bomb explosion.... Life is becoming more and more insecure. The advancement of civilization is no relief for these other problems.

Morning Walk -- June 13, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: That means they cannot improve the condition of the people. Just like at the airport, everyone is checked. There is no gentlemen. Why everyone is checked? That means the whole mass of people, they're all rogues and thieves. Therefore it is necessary to keep an ideal, an ideal class of men brāhmaṇas. Then people will follow. But there is no such.... Everyone is coolie. That's all. Everyone is. They are making everyone coolie. Coolie civilization. One officer came to see me in Perth, Australia. So I told him, this is a civilization of fourth-class men. You remember?

Devotee (2): We heard the tape.

Prabhupāda: Yes. (laughs)

Garden Conversation -- June 14, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: What is that sound? Airplane?

Mādhavānanda: There is a very large factory over there. You can see the smokestacks. What is it? What kind of factory? Electrical company.

Prabhupāda: We have got open place, but not very pleasant. You cannot sit down for a long time. The wind is cold.

Mādhavānanda: Very beautiful here, all over the grounds. There's also very beautiful places over there and all over.

Prabhupāda: So develop it nicely. (break) ...fruit and flower trees. Mango trees, all fruits, banana, papaya, jackfruit, apple, guava...

Hari-śauri: Pineapple.

Prabhupāda: Pineapple. And flowers.

Garden Conversation -- June 14, 1976, Detroit:

Mādhavānanda: Now everyone wants to travel by air. In some large cities, the airports are so crowded, there is so much traffic overhead, that now they have to develop means of...

Prabhupāda: All accident takes place while coming down. Or while going up. On the sky there is no danger.

Devotee: They call it traffic control system in the sky. Just like there is traffic on the road, they call it the traffic control system. They have so much traffic in the air.

Prabhupāda: What they control?

Hari-śauri: They keep them flying around the airport until there's room for them to come in.

Prabhupāda: That already they are doing. When there is no space, they send news, that "Don't come down." So they come like this.

Garden Conversation -- June 14, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: So the airport is also becoming a problem.

Hari-śauri: Everything's a problem without Kṛṣṇa.

Dhṛṣṭadyumna: When we are traveling on the road we see so much land not used. And we think "Why not take everyone out of the factories, let them plant fruit and flower trees along the roads all over the country and build beautiful ponds. So everyone can bathe when they walk, for refreshment." Just like in Caitanya-caritāmṛta. I think Nṛsiṁha Brahmacārī, he was building a road for Lord Caitanya, very nicely.

Prabhupāda: No, they will create slaughterhouse, brothel, then liquor shop, gambling house. That's all.

Mādhavānanda: This is our biggest book distributor of the men-Pañca-tattva dāsa. One day in the airport he distributed three hundred Śrīmad-Bhāgavatams in one day. That is the record.

Morning Walk -- June 14, 1976, Detroit:

Devotee (1): (indistinct) We're having a lot of trouble distributing books in the airports now.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: What is the difficulty?

Devotee (1): It just seems legal problems. People don't like us there.

Mādhavānanda: People are opposing more. As our movement grows more and more, people want to check.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Devotee (1): ...trying to get it open in the terminals, and there's a possibility of maybe getting forty devotees inside the airport to distribute your books.

Prabhupāda: So, that is favorable.

Room Conversation with Ambarisa and Catholic Priest -- June 14, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. From New York it is not...

Ambarīṣa: No, it is very close to New York, half-hour airplane ride.

Prabhupāda: So it is ready?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: We were talking about different names for the restaurant yesterday.

Śrutikīrti: Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa Mahārāja did not care for "Saṅkīrtana Restaurant." (laughs)

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: I thought that there might be a name of Kṛṣṇa, like they were using "Govinda," but that's obviously a name for Kṛṣṇa. Because people don't...

Ambarīṣa: We wanted to have a name that was Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, just, exclusively Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. So we thought "Saṅkīrtana." No other movement, we're the saṅkīrtana movement. So we thought that name would show that it was exclusively Hare Kṛṣṇa, whereas many other Indians they have named their store "Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa Store," stuff like this. So we thought...

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Something perhaps more exotic. I was just thinking as a restaurant.

Ambarīṣa: We wanted something that was exclusively...

Prabhupāda: They have started "Govinda's"?

Ambarīṣa: Yes, that is in Hawaii. Yes.

Prabhupāda: Govinda's name is nice.

Morning Walk -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: No, intermediate station for supplying petrol.

Hari-śauri: For airplanes?

Prabhupāda: Yes. There was some suggestion. (Bengali) ...why Sunday first, and Monday second, all over the world?

Satsvarūpa: Sun, moon.

Prabhupāda: Yes. (break) Sun planet, moon planet, Mars, Jupiter, like this, last, Saturn. So if this is systematic, then this calculation also means sun planet first. Why Sunday first?

Hari-śauri: You've defeated everyone, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Any one of these boys can answer? Why Sunday first? Ambarīṣa Mahārāja?

Ambarīṣa: Why Sunday first? Because the sun is closer to the earth. (laughs)

Prabhupāda: That is my version.

Conversation in Airport and Car -- June 21, 1976, Toronto:

Prabhupāda: No, no.

Kīrtanānanda: To the airport from Toronto?

Hari-śauri: From leaving Toronto, we left one o'clock, and we arrived at, it was about two hours. We arrived just after three.

Kīrtanānanda: Some devotees were there from Buffalo?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. (break)

Kīrtanānanda: ...had a very nice place for you.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. (break) People are being kept in such an ignorant way that they do not care about sinful activities. They can do anything for sense gratification. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). Actually, there is no advancement of civilization. They are thinking, they are running on four-wheel motorcar, and the dog is running on four legs. What is the quality change? This is going on in the name of civilization, and people are kept in ignorance. Where is the advancement? Running by motorcar is advancement? They have no knowledge that there is next life, and "Today I am running on Ford car, tomorrow I may have to run like dog on four legs."

Conversation in Airport and Car -- June 21, 1976, Toronto:

Prabhupāda: This is Pennsylvania state?

Kīrtanānanda: Yes. The girls were saying that today at the airport was the most demoniac day they ever had.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Kīrtanānanda: Today was the most demoniac day at the airport they've ever had. They're getting very, very nasty. Every time they talked to someone, they come up and they say, "Don't take it. Don't take it. They're ripping you off. They're 'Moon' people."

Prabhupāda: "Moon people"? What is that?

Kīrtanānanda: You know there's a lot of publicity right now about this Korean so-called spiritual master, Moon.

Hari-śauri: We just read one article in the U.S. News, shows a picture, that man it describes.

Kīrtanānanda: It is causing a big stir, these "Moon" people. He has just bought the hotel in New York for five millions dollars.

Prabhupāda: He is also against our movement?

Kīrtanānanda: Well, I wouldn't say..., he never says anything about our movement.

Garden Conversation -- June 22, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Hari-śauri: On the airplane.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Immediately sun comes out, all darkness gone. That is His greatness. Do that like that. Then you compete with God. Can you do it? Then how can you avoid God? (laughs). Rascals only, mūḍha, narādhama. They cannot appreciate the greatness of God. Mūḍha. They're asses. Anyone who does not appreciate the greatness of God, they're asses, mūḍha. As good as the ass. And lowest of the mankind, narādhama. And their so-called scientific knowledge, useless. If by so-called scientific knowledge they want to defy God, then they are mūḍha narādhama, useless.

Garden Conversation -- June 22, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: Just see how forcefully they are being kept into ignorance, and we want to give knowledge, they don't, won't allow. This is government. So anyway, it is good news that our books are being read in that way. That means people are very eager, but they are being suppressed by the so-called government. What is the wrong there, that they cannot read these books publicly, because there is God? What is the wrong? When I was in Moscow airport, as soon as they found Bhagavad-gītā, they called police, the customs checking. The foolish man was kind enough, he said, "Not serious offense. Don't send him in the concentration camp." They can do. In Russia, even if you are foreigner, they can immediately send you to the concen..., without any knowledge, they don't care for your embassy or your... Such a rascal state, there is no civilized method. They send their own men, such an important man like that Kruschev. He was sent into oblivion; nobody knows where he is. Such a rascal government. Very difficult to live in. People are... Simply under terrorism the government is going on. In that sense your American government is so nice. Everyone has got the liberty. What is that nonsense government-terrorism.

Garden Conversation -- June 23, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: First of all, beginning with kṛṣṇe bhakti kaile sarva-karma kṛta haya. So bhakti, beginning is ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅga bhajana-kriyā anartha-nivṛttiḥ (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15). The material world means simply creating unnecessary duties. Simply anartha. Any material activities, you take, analyze, it is simply useless. Therefore we have called anartha. Anartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt. Take for example we say no meat-eating. So what is the difficulty there? I have seen in the airplane, they eat meat, a little piece, not a lump. But because everyone is eating little, little, we require huge number of slaughterhouses. But if one decides, "I have got so many preparations to eat, so why shall I eat little meat?" (indistinct) I shall forego. Immediately he is saved from so many sinful activities. It is not that he will die if he does not eat a little piece of meat, he will die. He'll not die. We are not dying, and we don't take. So similarly everyone, without eating meat, he can live very nicely. In the whole principle, there is no difficulty.

Prabhupada Inspects New BTG -- June 24, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: "God. God is perfect. He does that. According to the Vedic version, God is the leader of all living entities. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). We are different from Him because He is all-perfect and we are not. We are very small. We have the qualities of God, but in very small quantity. Therefore we have only a little knowledge, that's all. With a little knowledge you can manufacture a 747 airplane, but you cannot manufacture a mosquito."

Prabhupāda: (laughs) Is it possible?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: (continues reading) "God has created the mosquito's body, which is also an airplane. That is the difference between God and us. We have knowledge, but it is not as perfect as God's. So the leaders of the government have to consult God then they will rule perfectly." On this side it says "Leaders of government have to consult God, then they will rule perfectly."

Reporter: "Has God also devised the most perfect government?"

Prabhupāda: "Oh, yes. The kṣatriyas ruled the government in Vedic times. When there was a war, the king was the first to fight. Just like your George Washington. He fought when there was a war. But what kind of president is ruling now? When there is a war he sits very securely and telephones orders. He's not fit to be president. When there is war the president should be the first to come forward and lead the battle."

Room Conversation -- June 24, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: Oh. His father came to see me in London.

Kulaśekhara: He used to chauffeur you in his car. He would drive you in his car from the airport.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Kulaśekhara: He is a good man, but he's not intelligent.

Prabhupāda: No, he'll profit by your activities. Kṛṣṇa will give concession to your family. Because you are Vaiṣṇava, everyone will get the profit.

Kulaśekhara: In London you said thirteen generations.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. That is special concession. Hiraṇyakaśipu was given, such a demon. But your father is not a demon. He may be less intelligent, that is another thing. So Kṛṣṇa is prepared to give facility to a demon father of a devotee.

Garden Discussion on Bhagavad-gita Sixteenth Chapter -- June 26, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Dhṛṣṭadyumna: He was one of the richest men in the world, Śrīla Prabhupāda. He was owning all the..., like aircraft, they are making, the jet airplanes, and he was a movie star in his youth, and he had many beautiful women, fabulous wealth, he owned hotels all over the world, airplanes, airports, but...

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: At the end of his life he didn't even mix with women so much though. He became very despondent and depressed. He was like a hermit.

Dhṛṣṭadyumna: He was afraid of germs.

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: He became like a hermit. He withdrew into himself. No one knew very much about him; he was very mysterious so far as his life with the public was concerned. But towards the end of his life he didn't live a very elaborate life of sense gratification at all. No one knew much about him at all.

Hari-śauri: This description is perfect, actually, because most of his fortunes they calculate he amassed by many illegal methods, like paying off police and fixing so many things up. With his money, he was always able to buy government officials and like this and get so many contracts to further the development of his aircraft companies and this and that.

Prabhupāda: He has manufactured airplanes?

Hari-śauri: Yes, he had something to do with airplanes. And also he had a lot of land in Las Vegas, this gambling city. So many... He was involved in many mysterious maneuvers. It's open in the newspapers, they said that he got most of his money from illegal methods.

Dhṛṣṭadyumna: In his old age he was very afraid of germs. He didn't want to catch any disease. So he would wear..., he would live in perfectly sealed rooms with all artificial air and light, so no germs could exist, and he would wear these...

Prabhupāda: He did not know that he's creating germs within his body.

Room Conversation -- June 26, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: ...pilot for 747, paying him a large sum of money. And here is airplane, everything complete with a pilot. Create (indistinct) by your scientific brain. Rascal. You are so proud of your scientific...

Hari-śauri: In Māyāpur, you said that the mosquito's body is so perfect that although with one slap it's finished, still it has a syringe so strong that it immediately upon landing on the skin it can penetrate and extract blood.

Prabhupāda: Immediately, just see. And if you allow one second, he'll fill the whole body up by sucking the...Just see what is that nozzle and how quickly they can... There is no intelligence? The mosquito has better intelligence than any human being about his business. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja said sukham aindriyakaṁ daityā deha-yogena dehinām. That particular body, he is destined to enjoy a certain amount of sense gratification according to his body. Sarvatra labhyate daivād. God's arrangement is nice. He can get it. The mosquito is getting. He wanted to suck blood, so he has been given a teeny body, he can suck blood. Very little quantity. So arrangement is there. He'll satisfy his senses, daivād, by arrangement of God. So why you are endeavoring? Even it is there in the mosquito, even it is there in the tiger or any animal or man, it is already arranged. Why you are wasting time in that way? Simply sense gratification. Who will understand this philosophy? The fact is explained. That gentleman, Subramanya is very much appreciative.

Room Conversation After Film -- June 28, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: With pilot. 747, you have to pay expert pilot, but here with pilot. Make this. Simply talking. Not only mosquito: at night we see so many, just like full stop, the same mechanical, flying from here, there, from here moving. Airplane, exactly in the form of... Similarly standing and... That is our challenge. Challenge this. Go in public meeting. Bring these so-called scientists, "Why don't you make any...? Why do you talk all this nonsense and cheat people?" Simple. Why first of all Sunday? There is no Monday first. I think never this question's raised, anybody. Fool's paradise. The Western world is fool's paradise. Actually this is the time they are getting enlightenment. Otherwise they are all fool's paradise. No social life, no religious life, simply get money somehow or other and enjoy wine, women, meat. That's all. This is their civilization. Do live comfortably; there is no harm. But why misconception?

Hari-śauri: At least be honest.

Arrival Room Conversation -- July 2, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Vipina: Our distributors were in the airport not long ago, and they distributed a book to a man who has just recently written a book called The Fourth Kingdom. And he stopped off to visit our temple and talk with us because he was impressed with the devotees and the literature, and he would like to come and speak to you.

Prabhupāda: You have arranged some engagement?

Vipina: Yes. If it's all right with you, he'll come. He's very nice, but he has some mixed-up ideas.

Prabhupāda: Everyone has mixed-up ideas because nobody is properly trained up. Some ideas they have got, some inquiries they have got. But unless one comes to the right person, he cannot be enlightened. Tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Therefore one must approach the proper guru.

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

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Next point says, in the column of matter, it says it has temporary complex forms in association with life. On the other hand, life is immutable. From Bhagavad-gītā, it has neither beginning nor end. Now this is what actually we find when a living entity is in association with matter, now matter tends to the form, into definite specific forms. Like human body has a specific form, like that, other living entities have forms. But this is only due to in association with life.

Prabhupāda: Yes. As he desired, so he got a form. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). The form is offered by the Supreme Absolute Truth, as he desires. Just like the cloth has no form, but as the customer desires, the tailor gives a form suitable to his desire. Similarly, material world means we have got varieties. In the spiritual world also we have got varieties. Because we are originally of varieties of form, we are getting these varieties of body, being influenced by the modes of material nature. So I'm desiring that if I get such body, I can eat even stool. So God gives you, "All right, you take this body. Become a pig and eat stool." This is going on. Why? Your desiring. You eat, actually. So īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). He's friendly, He's sitting in everyone's heart, and the living entity is desiring. So bhrāmayan. Desiring means he wants to go here and there. Bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni yantrārūḍhāni (BG 18.61). He gives a particular type of yantra, machine. This body is machine. Body is machine, everyone accepts. This is a machine. If we want to go to India, we ride on a machine, airplane, and go there. Similarly, bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni. We want varieties of life, and God gives us a particular machine to ride on and travel, go to heaven, go to hell, become a dog, become a cat, become a demigod, become a tree. This is going on. Transmigration of the soul. God gives us a particular type of body, and we change from one machine to another. This is transmigration.

Morning Walk -- July 4, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: Airplanes. (laughter)

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Little flies.

Prabhupāda: They can manufacture airplanes like this with pilot.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: But they can manufacture bigger ones.

Prabhupāda: That's all right, do it.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: What will be the technique to attract the Bengali educational class? To attract the Bengalis who are educated, what technique will be most effective?

Prabhupāda: This kīrtana and prasāda distribution.

Evening Darsana -- July 7, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Eugene Thoreau: I have found it strangely appealing. I met it by accident at an airport, and one of the devotees gave me a flower, and I was struck by it. So I happen to be a lawyer and I offered my services, and I got a call just a few days after that.

Prabhupāda: Open the fan.

Carl Warentz: I find it interesting.

Vṛṣākapi: You like this speed, Śrīla Prabhupāda? Should we turn this on for you?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Āp? (Hindi, "You?")

Dr. Sharma: I'm professor at Berkeley, California. And I was Regents Professor at UCLA, University of California, Los Angeles.

Prabhupāda: Ācchā. In Los Angeles we have our mandira, we have... You sometimes go to our temple?

Dr. Sharma: Yes, I go to the temple in Berkeley. I was at Berkeley about a week ago. I'm in London now, at the Royal Institute of Chemistry. I was born in Haridwar.

Prabhupāda: Haridwar. (laughs) Bhagavān ka deśa hari. Hari, Hari means the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and dvāra means the door, the doorway to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There is a place in India, Haridwar, people go there for pilgrimage, very famous place.

Evening Darsana -- July 7, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: So asuric life is very dangerous, and it is punishable. This is the position. So we should not become asuric. With all material opulences, just like in the Rāmāyaṇa, Rāvaṇa was called asura. He was materially very advanced. He made his capital made of gold, he was so advanced materially. But he did not care for Rāma, therefore he is called asura, rākṣasa. He was son of a brāhmaṇa, but he did not care for the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He was a learned scholar, materially very intelligent, there was airplane, everything, but he did not care for Rāma, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore he is described as asura. So asuras are divided into four classes-duṣkṛtina, mūḍha, narādhama, and māyayāpahṛta-jñāna.

Evening Darsana -- July 7, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Mr. Davis: Everyone's body, therefore the thing we have in common is we are all a part of the spirit.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is fact. We are part and parcel of the supreme spirit, God. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. Mamaivāṁśo jīva-bhūtaḥ (BG 15.7). "All these living entities, they are My part and parcel." Qualitatively, we are one. Just like a small particle of gold is also gold. It is nothing else. Similarly, we being part and parcel of God, we have got that godly qualification. God can create. We can also create. That example I have given in my last magazine, that we have created this big 747 airplane, but we cannot create a mosquito. That is also plane, with pilot. That is God's creation. So the creative power, both of us, we have got, but we are limited, and He is unlimited. That is the difference. A drop of seawater contains the same chemicals, but the quantity of Atlantic Ocean and drop of Atlantic Ocean is not the same. So we are just like drop of the Atlantic Ocean, and God is Atlantic Ocean. That is the difference. But chemically test, the whole Atlantic Ocean is salty, we are also salty.

Room Conversation -- July 7, 1976, Baltimore:

Rūpānuga: "We have made some mistakes, but we have produced some good things in medicine and, anyway, you should accept our authority because we have done so many good things."

Prabhupāda: No, because you have done something, that I accept. Just like you have done very good, 747 airplane, but just make a mosquito, with pilot and everything. Can you do it? Then why do you take all the credit. Take credit for 747, that's all. But when I ask you create another plane like a fly or mosquito, you are unable to do it. Then why do you take, "There is no God; science is everything." Why do you say like that?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: That's why we want to bring up this point that "Scientists, we are not claiming that you are all nonsense, but you are all good men, but you should know your limits."

Prabhupāda: You should not be so proud falsely. That is our point. And mislead others that there is no God. Because you are accepted as authority, scientist, if you say that there is no God, they will accept it. Then our back to Godhead movement is stopped. Then we must stop your also nonsense. It is a fight. Because you say there is no God, and we say you are all nonsense. We must say it. You are challenging, we must challenge. But you accept God, then we have nothing... I think Sir Isaac Newton said like that: "The vast knowledge, we have simply gathered a few grains of sand on the beach of knowledge," something like that. That is good.

Room Conversation -- July 7, 1976, Baltimore:

Prabhupāda: That is good. But how you can say there is no God, everything is science? And misleading people. That must be stopped. You take credit as much as you have done. That we are ready to give you. Because you have created one airplane, 747, therefore you can do everything, if you give... Like that, that is misleading. That we cannot...

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes, once that very concept that they will be able to do all these things, if that is removed, then they come on the platform as...

Prabhupāda: Of sane man. They are talking like insane man.

Ravīndra-svarūpa(?): But that inspiration is that we can always do something bigger and better than we've done before.

Prabhupāda: But still you cannot do in the final. That is not possible. Because you are finite. You are not infinite. Your knowledge is limited. You can do something up to some extent.

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

Prabhupāda: Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ (BG 7.8). When you drink water, you drink water for some taste, nice taste to quench your thirst. So that taste is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says raso 'ham apsu kaunteya. Apsu does not mean only water. Suppose you are drinking, so you are getting some pleasure by the taste of the drinking, and if you think that this taste is Kṛṣṇa, then gradually you'll give up this drinking. Because you'll be purified by thinking of Kṛṣṇa. So some way or other think of Kṛṣṇa and your life is successful. Yena tena prakāreṇa manaḥ kṛṣṇe niveśayet. So the process is given, you can think of Kṛṣṇa twenty-four hours if you practice. Who can avoid drinking water? At least twice, thrice, we drink water, and if we think the taste is Kṛṣṇa... Prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ. Who can avoid seeing the sunshine and moonshine? As soon as you see the sunshine and the moonshine, if we think "Here is Kṛṣṇa," the sunshine is Kṛṣṇa. So this thinking of Kṛṣṇa, yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntarātmanā (BG 6.47). He is first-class yogi who is always thinking of Kṛṣṇa in every step of life. That is first-class yogi. He does not see anything except Kṛṣṇa. And the process is there. If we adopt, we can think of Kṛṣṇa. Satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ (BG 9.14). It is not difficult, simply it requires practice. (sound of thunder) Śabdaḥ khe pauruṣaṁ nṛṣu. Now this sound in the sky, that is recommended, that the sound in the sky, Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the sound." So we can think of Kṛṣṇa as soon as there is sound. Not only this sound, when the airplane goes, drurururururu, that is also Kṛṣṇa.

Arrival Comments in Car to Temple -- July 9, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: What is the name of this airport?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: La Guardia.

Prabhupāda: La Guardia, yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There are three airports.

Prabhupāda: I think these buildings are not ten years ago.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh. New York has three airports.

Rāmeśvara: This is the oldest airport.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Kennedy, La Guardia, and there's one just across the river, Newark. It's in New Jersey, but it's considered part of the Port Authority.

Prabhupāda: I hear, Māyāpur Project? You have not been sending money?

Rāmeśvara: Not yet.

Prabhupāda: They want money. Gargamuni has written.

Morning Walk -- July 12, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: So much vacant land in your country.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually, everywhere in the world. When we fly in the airplane, every country, mostly it's vacant land. It's only these big demoniac cities.

Rāmeśvara: Their philosophy is first we'll conquer nature, then we'll talk about self-control. That is one philosophy.

Prabhupāda: Which is impossible. They'll never be able. You can control nature only by self-control. Otherwise, it is not possible. Ajitendriyāṇām. Ajitendriya means those who cannot control the sense, sense organs.

Morning Walk -- July 13, 1976, New York:

Rāmeśvara: They say if everyone joined this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, then no one would have any desire to invent the automobile, the airplane...

Prabhupāda: But it is useless waste of time. The sooner they give up all these attempts, they become saner. (break)... it is said it is simply waste of time. Yato āyur vyayaḥ param. Simply wasting time, valuable life.

Rāmeśvara: But the natural instinct is to want to enjoy varieties...

Prabhupāda: That is material life. The material life means falsely he's thinking that he'll be happy by material adjustment. That is material life. Falsely he's thinking. He'll never be happy, but they are thinking like that. Bahir-artha-māninaḥ. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā (SB 7.5.31). Durāśayā means this hope will never be fulfilled. That is called durāśayā, a hope which is not going to be successful at any time. And throughout the whole history they have tried, the British Empire, the Roman Empire, the Egyptian Empire, so many they tried, but all failed. Napoleon, Hitler, but still they have no eyes to see. From the history you see, everything failed. Napoleon started with some ideal, conquering all over Europe, and at last he had to die drinking horse urine. You know that? It was, later on he was arrested by British, and when he was asking drinking water he was given horse urine. That was his last life.

Interview with Newsday Newspaper -- July 14, 1976, New York:

Interviewer: I've been accosted at airports, on streets, places like that by devotees, and I've been told that you operate drug centers and a number of other things.

Prabhupāda: Drug centers?

Rāmeśvara: He means we're curing people. Places where people will become cured from the bad habit of taking drugs. That's a drug center.

Prabhupāda: Yes. But our people are all free from all that drug disease.

Rāmeśvara: He is saying that he has simply met devotees at airports and other places where they approach him to maybe ask for some contribution, to see if he's interested, and they say that they are representing some drug center, something like that. So what's the question?

Interviewer: Well, and they think how to sell literature and... Is that the way to God consciousness, by selling and soliciting? Is that...?

Prabhupāda: No, no, if you are...

Interviewer: How does that fit in?

Prabhupāda: If you are God conscious, naturally you give up all intoxication habit.

Morning Walk -- July 14, 1976, New York:

Hari-śauri: You also said they had the ability to make themselves visible or invisible to the population. Actually, they have many sightings of what they call UFO's, so-called spaceships and things like this, or things that they cannot explain but the government doesn't release the information because they think that people will panic. Sometimes aircraft pilots, they've reported that their aircrafts are being inspected while they're up in the air.

Prabhupāda: Inspection?

Hari-śauri: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Who inspects?

Hari-śauri: Well they don't know who. But there's all kinds of things that they can't explain, but they don't release the information. What the scientists can't explain they won't tell anyone.

Rāmeśvara: After they claimed they have landed on the moon they announced that they wanted to build a gigantic dome on the moon's surface and within the dome they would have these pumps pumping air and in that way earth people could go to the moon and live there.

Prabhupāda: So what happened to their project? Stopped now?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: They're going to do it on Mars instead.

Morning Walk -- July 20, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda will be leaving for the airport tonight.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: About six-fifteen at the latest.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Six, six-fifteen.

Rāmeśvara: Oh, yes, six o'clock.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Ādi-keśava, you have to make arrangements, garlands, flowers, devotees. (break) ...museum.

Prabhupāda: Which museum?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Museum of Natural History. Three hours we spent there, and we got a big headache.

Prabhupāda: Three hours?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, we got a headache.

Prabhupāda: Seeing only dead bodies?

Rāmeśvara: Dead bodies.

Room Conversation -- July 26, 1976, London:

Jayatīrtha: On the way back from the airport we had to stop twice.

Bhagavān: Anyway, that trip to India is also long, eight hours. It's also long.

Hari-śauri: Thing is Prabhupāda is thinking that if he has to go to India anyway, so he may as well go straight there.

Bhagavān: The thing is you may be bothered in India. There are so many people who come, even though you say no. Even though you say no, there's always people.

Prabhupāda: No, the present problem is that I cannot go out.

Room Conversation -- July 26, 1976, London:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Prabhupāda: Eh?

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

Prabhupāda: So why you did not come yesterday?

Bhagavān: I was putting together your Vyasasana. (laughs)

Room Conversation -- July 26, 1976, London:

Jayatīrtha: Bhagavān, we should.... Couldn't we somehow arrange it so that Prabhupāda doesn't have to go through the heavy traffic to the airport?

Hari-śauri: We'll have to see what time they're flying.

Jayatīrtha: Every hour. All right, so you're sure that this is...

Prabhupāda: No, I want some nice water, digestive. Let us see there.

Jayatīrtha: Here the water is not good?

Prabhupāda: No, no, I don't say it is not good, but...

Bhagavān: This is our own water; it's not city water with so many chemicals in it.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- July 27, 1976, London:

Prabhupāda: Anyway, but if you or somebody argues, "Where is Lenin? You are.... Why you are worshiping? You cannot see Lenin..." Because they say, "Where is your Kṛṣṇa? You are worshiping a statue," so we can say the same thing, "Where is your Lenin? The statue, it is?" In the airport station, street crossing and everywhere there is picture. And they go to worship Lenin's tomb every day. Many other fools also go there, tourists, that Red Square. They tried in India for Jawaharlal Nehru's tomb, for Gandhi's tomb. So in the beginning there was little crowd. Now nobody goes. But Vṛndāvana, Govindaji's temple, Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma temple? Without invitation-crowd. This is culture. (loud chanting begins in background)

Bhagavān: Marx, he has written only little book, and you have written so many books.

Prabhupāda: What does he know, he'll write? What does he know that he will write? He can bluff people for.... That's all.

Room Conversation -- July 31, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Harikeśa: We were just deciding whether.... I think it's easier in Geneva, because the airport is only fifteen minutes from the temple.

Prabhupāda: Where?

Harikeśa: In Geneva. The temple and the airport are very close, and there's a direct plane on Friday from Geneva to Bombay.

Prabhupāda: Oh. How many hours?

Harikeśa: About seven.

Prabhupāda: That's nice, that is also nice.

Harikeśa: So we're just going to decide after this which is exactly the best thing to do.

Prabhupāda: That is also nice. Which day the...?

Harikeśa: The airplane is on Friday.

Prabhupāda: Friday, that is also. Harer nāma, harer nāma (CC Adi 17.21). Everyone is happy, the children, the woman. They don't demand anything, that "Give us this, give us that." They have simplified, automatically they have simplified their life. And gradually develop, make little cottages, grow little vegetable, little barley or wheat and milk. That is sufficient. We don't require much. We don't want luxury. We want just to subsist. Yavad artha prayojana. We hate the idea of luxury, unnecessary.

Room Conversation -- July 31, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Yogeśvara: I haven't seen any new devotees come from London, so probably not.

Harikeśa: No, it was air-freighted, it's sitting in the Paris airport.

Yogeśvara: It is? How do you know?

Harikeśa: Portal's in Paris airport, no?

Hari-śauri: Well, it was there at ten o'clock this morning. Did they pick it up?

Prabhupāda: That don't mind labor. You try to grow portal here. You have got greenhouse.

Devotee: Some bitter melons. Some karelā melons.

Prabhupāda: Everything. Bījaṁ māṁ sarva-bhūtānām (BG 7.10). The pitā is there. Properly put it into the womb of mother earth. That is the process.

Room Conversation -- July 31, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Hari-śauri: People in Thailand are quite pious.

Prabhupāda: Yes. They are Indian culture. Their original culture is Indian. It is called Siam. (pronounces like Śyāma) Kṛṣṇa's name. And they have got the airplane, Garuḍa.

Hari-śauri: Yes. Garuḍa Airlines.

Prabhupāda: So they are devotees originally, all Kṛṣṇa devotees.

Devotee (1): The king is speaking Sanskrit.

Prabhupāda: Yes. It was known, it has been changed now. Formerly, it was known as Syam state, Siam. Syam is the name of Kṛṣṇa. Whole state was named under Kṛṣṇa. So, and they manufacture very nice idol of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. They're accustomed.

Room Conversation -- August 3, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Hari-śauri: Airport lockers.

Prabhupāda: These are happening. But when you talk of that "You learn how to become brahmacārī," that they will refuse. This is the position. The aftereffect is very, very bad, either you get legally or illegally. Legally, we have to raise the children very nicely. Otherwise, they will, unwanted children, create so much trouble. You have to take care for their proper education, of their clothes.(?) We say, "Never mind, you have got children, give them proper education, make them devotees, make their life successful." We cannot say that "You kill them." That we cannot say. That is not possible. Neither we can pack them in the, what is that box?

Hari-śauri: Lockers.

Prabhupāda: Yes. This is not possible for us. We welcome. But we must be well organized to utilize these poor souls for becoming first-class devotees. That should be done. Otherwise, sex life and the by-product, that is always troublesome, either you take this way or that way, it is troublesome. If it is not troublesome, why they are killing their own children? To avoid trouble. This is psychology. They want to avoid trouble. But our process is, if you want to avoid trouble, then don't marry, remain brahmacārī. If you cannot, then, all right, have legal wife, get children and raise them very nicely, make them Vaiṣṇavas, take the responsibility. So we are organizing this society, we welcome.

Evening Darsana -- August 9, 1976, Tehran:

Ali: This was just only a presentation of the...

Prabhupāda: Yes, presentation. We are everywhere in that platform, but we have to transcend this platform. Then we come to the spiritual platform. Then spiritual knowledge begins. And if we stick to this platform, then there is no spiritual knowledge. That is material knowledge, but try to understand spiritual knowledge. That is the position. To try to understand spiritual knowledge from material platform, but when you actually come to the spiritual platform, then spiritual knowledge is perfect. Just like another example, just like water. Theoretically you learn swimming. That is not swimming. You get into the water and practically learn swimming. Then it is swimming. Theoretical knowledge, that you put yourself in the water, you move your hands like this, move your legs like this, that is good. But it will be... Just like in the airplane before starting, they give so much instruction. It is going on really. But when actually the airplane is danger, that will be practical. Is it not? They are giving so much instruction, who cares for it? (laughter) They're talking and people are hearing. But when it will be practically demonstrated, that is real life. So, spiritual knowledge, understanding theoretically, it is little good, but when it is done practically, then it is reality.

Morning Walk and Room Conversation -- August 9, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: You have to see from the book. Seeing from the book is real seeing. What you can see with these blunt eyes? I have seen in these navigators. They see in the different plans and books, and they direct their ship or airplane accordingly. How can he see where we are going?

Hari-śauri: Just like they land an airplane.

Prabhupāda: Yes. They have got all plans and direction, and altitude, latitude, which direction is going on(?) in front of the pilot. So everything is there. In what position the plane is there, how high it is and how low it will be, where it is, everything. On that direction they can fly. Otherwise, what they can see with the eyes? At most ten miles, and it is running at six hundred miles? What ten miles will do them? So śāstra-cakṣuṣā. Authoritative literature should be the eyes, not these blunt eyes. What is the value of these eyes? Here is authority: nainaṁ dahati pāvakaḥ. You should go to the school, colleges, and from Bhagavad-gītā give them rascal knowledge. The whole world is in darkness, and these rascals are guiding them.

Evening Darsan -- August 10, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: Well, starting, just like when there is a seed sown, the starting is there. Now it grows a tree and there is fruit, there is flowers. The fruit is green now. When it is yellow mango and ripe, you can take. The beginning is when you sow the seed. Just like child. The father puts the seed within the womb of the mother. The body begins from that moment, grows and grows. When it is fully grown up it comes out and acts and then walks. So beginning is there. You can begin at any moment. But it is spiritual, it does not take so much time. You should remember spiritual. Just like speed, there are different kinds of speed. Mental speed and physical speed. Physical speed, you have got a very good nice airplane. Still, you have to take ten hours to reach London. And mental speed, you can immediately, within a second, go to London. And spiritual speed, still more. Kṛṣṇa says tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma mām eti (BG 4.9), as soon as you give up the body you immediately go to Kṛṣṇa. That is spiritual speed. Immediately. Not that so many miles, oh, Kṛṣṇaloka is far, far above this material sky, then spiritual sky. No. The spiritual speed is so high that tyaktvā dehaṁ, as soon as you give up this body, immediately. You can compare material speed and mental speed. Although you haven't got spiritual idea, still, we can at least imagine what is that spiritual speed. The mental speed is so rapid that by the speedy airplane I'll have to take four hours, you can reach there in four seconds by mental speed. That is with our experience. Then we can imagine how speedy is spiritual. It is actually known by education. It is a science. It is not sentiment. And everything is there.

Room Conversation -- August 10, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: You cannot expect favorable situation. It is not possible. When I came in America, I never expected any favorable situation. I wrote that poetry in disappointment, that "Who will accept this?" That is the position. By Kṛṣṇa's grace, gradually it will become a favorable situation, but don't expect any favorable situation. You have to handle unfavorable situation and make favorable situation to preach. That is preaching. Any business. (to devotee fanning:) Just on the head. Just see, there is flies. So Nityānanda Prabhu, He went to preach to Jagāi-Mādhāi. There was no favorable situation. They were drunkards. They caused injury on the body of Nityānanda Prabhu. So this is preaching with only unfavorable situation. You cannot expect favorable situation. And still you have to preach. That is preaching. They will speak like madmen, so many things. They are mad, after all. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). They have no sense. All materialistic persons are madmen. Still, by the order of superior, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, we have to do this preaching work. Actually, the American boys are fighting against so many unfavorable situations. They are sometimes beaten in the airport, you know that? Still they are preaching; that is preaching, that is preaching. "The unfavorable situation, so let me give it up," that is not preaching. Yes, we must know that there is unfavorable situation, still I have to. That depends on your brain, how to tackle. You cannot expect favorable situation.

Room Conversation -- August 10, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: That means you are violate the laws of God. Every place is God's place, so you're all God's sons. You can go anywhere. Unless I do something harm, you cannot check me. In the airport, everyone is checked. That means everyone is dishonest. Nowadays everyone is checked. So in the airport, the passengers, at least it is to be supposed they are paying so much fare, they are all respectable gentlemen. But nobody is to be trusted. They are all dishonest. This is your position. Even though you are outwardly respectable gentlemen, the airport authorities accept you as dishonest, to be checked. This is the effect of your education, everyone is dishonest. (lamb crying in background) Why the lamb is crying? Eh? The lamb?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda, they have lamb.

Prabhupāda: So they do not give the lamb to eat something?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: They... I don't know, maybe they took the mother away or something.

Prabhupāda: No, I hear this sound always somewhere.

Evening Darsana -- August 11, 1976, Tehran:

Jñānagamya: You have said it's like two airplanes. If an airplane is in trouble, no other airplane can help.

Prabhupāda: God can help. Other airplane cannot. If God likes, He can save you.

Hari-śauri: You were saying that if one is intelligent he can just accept the father's instruction, and he knows it will be good. But most people have such bad experience that every time they've accepted instruction they've just been cheated, that they're a little slow to...

Prabhupāda: What is it? No, you said, cheated or...?

Hari-śauri: You were saying that by intelligence one can just accept what the father says will be good for him and he'll do it, but most people have such a bad experience in the material world, they get cheated so often...

Prabhupāda: That is his misfortune, if the father is cheating him. So that means he's most unfortunate. Father is not expected to cheat the son, but if he's cheated by the father, then he must accept himself as most unfortunate cheated in the world. Then there is no help. Because he's so unfortunate that he's under the care of a cheater father, then what can be done? Nobody expects that father will cheat. And nowadays it is coming. Mother is cheating, mother is killing, father is cheated. Yes. It is Kali-yuga.

Morning Walk -- August 14, 1976, Bombay:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, you can't go more than that. This is near the airport. Now they've introduced a new law that you can't go even below this. What we did is the new law has just come into effect, and so we did the slabs in the night.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: There's a new law which reduces the height even further. You can't have any big buildings in Bombay now.

Prabhupāda: Why?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I don't know the reason, but apparently Indira Gandhi doesn't like big buildings. So actually according to the new law we have already built more than what the legal limit is. So what we did...

Prabhupāda: No, we have got some assetship(?) for the road? We have left over? Where is Saurabha?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Saurabha is in the front. Shall I call him?

Prabhupāda: Yes. (break) ...quite nice place for walking.

Morning Walk -- August 14, 1976, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: I think that is a wrong system (much airplane noise-indistinct) this open Democracy is not a (indistinct) by consensus...

Prabhupāda: No, no. Now, either democracy or monarchy, the population is śūdra. So either you make it democracy or any "crazy," śūdra will be on the power. So they can...

Dr. Patel: In Kali-yuga, sir, the śūdras will rule according to the...

Prabhupāda: Everyone is śūdra. Kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. Who is going to become brāhmaṇa? We are inviting everyone, "Come here, become brāhmaṇa." Who is interested? He'll go to the factory. Instead of becoming brāhmaṇa he'll be hammerman. In America no students are coming to the philosophical class or higher mathematics class.

Room Conversation -- August 17, 1976, Hyderabad:

ndian man: Last night at the airport.

Devotee: They had prasāda.

Prabhupāda: (Hindi or Bengali)

bhagavad-bhakti-hīnasya
jātiḥ śāstraṁ japas tapaḥ
aprāṇasyeva dehasya
maṇḍanaṁ loka-rañjanam

Without bhagavad-bhakti, this so-called advancement of civilization is simply decorating the dead body.

Guest: Correct. Cent percent correct.

Prabhupāda: What is the use of decorating the dead body?

Guest: Correct. Yes. We must decorate real...

Prabhupāda: And this body is... Either dead or alive, Bhagavad-gītā condemns, gatāsūn agatāsūṁś ca nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ (BG 2.11). So these rascals are interested with this body, and they're proud of their advancement of education. Bhagavad-gītā says nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ. So they are passing as great scientists, philosophers, politicians, philanthropists, but all apaṇḍitāḥ. Nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ. That means apaṇḍita.

Room Conversation with Pandita from Tirupati and Government Minister -- August 24, 1976, Hyderabad:

Minister: So when shall we meet?

Prabhupāda: As you like.

Minister: I'll come to Delhi.

Prabhupāda: So if you are coming to the airport, then we shall talk further. That all. Thank you very much. You have taken little prasādam?

Minister: Yes, I have.

Prabhupāda: Thank you very much. (end)

Meeting With Member of Parliament, Mr. Krishna Modi -- August 31, 1976, Delhi:

Prabhupāda: In every big city...

Krishna Modi: Five or ten, they should go with all their expenses.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: They can stay at our temples. Wherever they go. We will pick them up at the airport and bring them to the temple.

Krishna Modi: Pre-arrangement should be done by our, this thing, this transport and fooding and lodging.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Local transport and...

Krishna Modi: That is. So that I may fix up this program with the...

Prabhupāda: Very good.

Garden Conversation -- September 3, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: And the mosquito is with the pilot. They are manufacturing jumbo 747 plane. It requires a pilot separately. But Kṛṣṇa is manufacturing an airplane, mosquito—everything complete, with pilot. This is inconceivable. You can manufacture a big airplane. The pilot is separate. You cannot manufacture the pilot. Kṛṣṇa is manufacturing not only the smallest airplane, but with a pilot. This is inconceivable.

Caraṇāravindam: Also he makes those, you wrote in the Bhāgavatam there are those giant birds that fly in space.

Prabhupāda: And there will be hundreds and thousands mosquitos, they will fly. There will be no accident.

Garden Conversation -- September 3, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Formerly I used to see three, four, more than four flies going together. Nowadays I do not see.

Caraṇāravindam: Flies.

Prabhupāda: No, aeroplanes. During wartime when they used to come to bombard they used to come in four, five together because the enemies, they used to shot down. So if one is shot down the other will be bombing.

Caraṇāravindam: You wrote in the Bhāgavatam, Śrīla Prabhupāda, that in outer space there are those giant birds like eagle. Very, very big. Giant size. Enormous.

Prabhupāda: They go from one planet to another.

Caraṇāravindam: It is like a big plane. Bigger than jet.

Prabhupāda: And while flying they lay down eggs. And the eggs, while falling down, they become birds. By the, what is called?

Hari-śauri: Friction?

Prabhupāda: No, no. When they, what it is called. Velocity of falling down, it becomes fomented, and then the birds come out. Just like parasites.

Garden Conversation -- September 3, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: While falling down, it opens. This is God's creation. Inconceivable. And that aeroplane, flying machine, is so perfect.

Caraṇāravindam: And it will find its own food.

Prabhupāda: There are birds who can take away the elephant for eating. Such big birds. They can carry elephant like a small rat.

Caraṇāravindam: Is such a bird the bird that was a servant of Sītā?

Prabhupāda: And monkey-eating birds I have seen in Los Angeles. They go very high on the top of a tree and capture a monkey. And take him high and drop him. As soon as he falls he dies, then again comes down and eats it.

Press Interview -- October 16, 1976, Chandigarh:

Interviewer: One American professor who is a teacher of Hinduism there, in some of the universities you mentioned, she said, I asked him a question about ISKCON, and she said, "Well this thing is creating a bad impression in the sense that people are accosted everywhere, in the streets, on the airport, at the bus stand. They accost you and force you to buy their literature, to buy their books. And this is creating a revulsion.

Prabhupāda: So why you are forced? Suppose as preaching work... In our childhood we saw the Christian preachers were also standing on the road. So if we stand on the road and preach and sell our books what is the fault?

Interviewer: I put that. He said you are doing what the Christian... (break)

Prabhupāda: No. The government allowed them, the Christian people. The government is allowing us also. Then where is the fault?

Interviewer: The fault is...

Prabhupāda: That is your imagination, fault.

Room Conversation with Dr. Theodore Kneupper -- November 6, 1976, Vrndavana:

Jagadīśa: "Within the next ten years, according to ISKCON plans, the Māyāpur project will extend to a complete Vedic city with fifty thousand inhabitants, its own university, airport, and stadium. It will also claim the world's largest planetarium with 410 foot high Temple of Understanding..." (break) ...civilization.

Dr. Kneupper: It sounds like a beautiful project. That is near Bombay, now?

Prabhupāda: No, that is near Calcutta.

Dr. Kneupper: Calcutta.

Prabhupāda: About sixty miles.

Dr. Kneupper: Have they progressed much now?

Prabhupāda: Yes, the enquiry is finished. Now government is considering to give that land. (indistinct) that land. There were many others, land offers in Hyderabad, but I wanted to start this institution in the, on the birth site of Lord Caitanya. Otherwise we have got better land. We have asked government for 350 acres but we have already bought in Hyderabad, 600 acres. Here also we can get immediately 500, 600 acres, like that. We have already got another plot of land, 100 acres in Ahmedabad. So there are so many lands available but I wanted to start this project in Māyāpur, the birthsite of Lord Caitanya. Therefore we are (indistinct). If they say no, then we shall attempt it somewhere else.

Room Conversation -- November 18, 1976, Vrndavana:

Hari-śauri: No one's got any literature like yours. At the most, they can produce a few pamphlets. They can't even produce one volume the size of the Bhāgavatam, what to speak of eighty. And if they could, no one would read them anyway.

Prabhupāda: No, on the whole there is now attempt to stop this movement. (break) ...but in... We have made so many court cases. Now, only loss we are feeling now—in some airports they have stopped our book selling. So formerly also, they were stopped and again revived.

Hari-śauri: Legally we haven't been stopped in any airport, I don't think.

Prabhupāda: Legally we have been stopped?

Jagadīśa: In Los Angeles, in Dallas and Atlanta.

Prabhupāda: Legally?

Hari-śauri: But that's only temporarily, I think.

Prabhupāda: What is the...?

Jagadīśa: It's a constant struggle.

Prabhupāda: Struggle must be there. You cannot stop it.

Room Conversation -- November 18, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: They have beaten even our book sellers in airports.

Hari-śauri: Chicago.

Jagadīśa: And the police mistreat the devotees. But still, the devotees continue and now in Montreal there's no trouble.

Prabhupāda: They crucified Jesus, what to speak of devotees. Prahlāda Mahārāja was persecuted, Haridāsa Ṭhākura. I think I shall not go to Europe, America, for some time. (laughter)

Morning Walk -- December 5, 1976, Hyderabad:

Guest (2): (indistinct) ...must be punished.

Prabhupāda: Eh? Naturally. Suppose if there is some infectious disease, the doctor says, "Don't go there." And if you go there, you'll be infected. You'll suffer. How the doctor can protect you? Doctor's duty is to warn you not to go to that area, "It is now infected with smallpox." But in spite of doctor's instruction, if you go there and if you infect that disease and suffer, then it is your fault. When a man is hanged by the judgment of the court, do you think that the high-court judge is inimical to that person? He's giving judgment to other persons that "This one must make one lakh of rupees from that person." And next judgment, "This man must be hanged." Does it mean the high-court judge is partial? He's simply giving judgment on the merit of the particular case. So there is no argument that "Why God has created so many varieties?" God has not created. You have created. Man is the architect of his own fortune. Fortune and misfortune you have created. So we have to suffer or so-called enjoy. There is no enjoyment here. It is simply suffering. But because you are under māyā, you are thinking suffering as enjoying. Just like a hog is eating stool. Other man is becoming... "Very abominable!" Oh what nasty thing he is..." But he is enjoying. He is thinking, "I am enjoying the best food." I have seen in airplane.

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

Prabhupāda: I will give you practical example. Just like you take red water, colored water. So put into the sea, does this mean that sea becomes red? That little spot may be for the time being. Besides that, merging, this is the philosophy of the Māyāvādīs. Actually that is superficial. Just like a bird, green bird, enters into the green tree. You see that bird is vanished. Because the tree is green and the bird is green, you do not know the separate identification. But the bird is there, separate identification. It is not the bird has become zero. A airplane goes to the sky, after some time you don't find the airplane. That doesn't mean the airplane has no more identity, separate. It is separate. It is your defective eyes that you cannot see, that it has got separate existence. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that, "I, you and all these kings who are assembled here, we existed in the past, we are now existing, and we shall exist in the future." That means individual existence will continue. He explains past, present and future.

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

Mr. Malhotra: Ācchā, then I said "What is this?" "This is śikhā." I said, "Well what it is meant for?" So he said "Well, this is the..." What he told me was this exactly, that the aerial of knowledge. He said that this is the aerial of knowledge. I said is it your own interpretation. No, but I think that I feel that way. This is the aerial of knowledge. (break) ...that "You come have prasādam in the morning." So next day we had to leave actually. So in the morning busy going to airport. Then I met in this New York. Then when I came to Europe, then I was sitting in one restaurant in London, and then a big group of about 15, 18, 20 devotees, they were having a good chanting, and they were...

Prabhupāda: Our men regularly go on the Oxford St.

Mr. Malhotra: Yes Oxford. On that street only there was Indian restaurant where this rasagullās and tea and all that is available. So we were sitting having our this thing, and then they passed.

Prabhupāda: Our men, they can prepare rasagullā, samosā, kacuri.

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

Indian man: (Hindi) All same...

Prabhupāda: No, actually, India is the best country. There is no doubt. Even these boys, they say India is the best. Puṇya-bhūmi. Religion and other studies of life, India. Communist (Hindi) that (if) you want to study religion then go to India." These boys of western countries, they come to India not to learn the so-called science. They have enough in their country. They do not come here how to manufacture airplane.

Mr. Malhotra: For technology we have to go there.

Prabhupāda: There is no need. It is simply bogus. The first thing you require... You have got this body. You have to eat and you have to dress yourself. You can get from this land. Keep some cows, grow your agricultural products, also cotton, then all economic problem is solved. And save time and understand what is your relationship with God. That is India. This is Vedic civilization.

Morning Walk and Room Conversation -- December 26, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Virāṭ. Bṛhatyad, brnhanatya iti brahman.(?) Not only the largest, but increasing. That is Brahman. Bṛhatya brnghanatya.(?) I'm very much thankful to you. So you arrange immediately. (Hindi)

Guest (5): I will send a message today and you will let me know the date. They will come and receive you either at the Benares airport or here at Allahabad station. Because it's not far away from Allahabad.

Prabhupāda: Yes, I know. I was in Allahabad for thirteen years.

Guest (5): I know.

Prabhupāda: Yes. This Kumbha-mela we had every year.

Guest (5): First of all, you see, we have taken just near Yamunā bridge. As soon as the pilgrims come from various parts of the country we have got a...

Prabhupāda: Yamunā bridge, there are two bridges.

Room Conversation -- December 26, 1976, Bombay:

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.

Room Conversation -- December 26, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: OK, then it is...

Indian man: Kodekana is outside (indistinct).

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I mean, is there a train station or airplane, airport?

Indian man: Railway may be going, but even that will be zigzag.

Prabhupāda: Simla, er, Darjeeling is not so zigzag but big, big loops (?).

Indian man: Loops are big. Roads are very difficult. Kodekana there is no train. In Ootacamund there is a train.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Kodekana there is no train at all?

Prabhupāda: No, there is train from Madras.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- January 7, 1977, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: I understand. The modern materialistic, I mean, advancement of society with this modern technology will, I mean...

Prabhupāda: No, even from that point of view, I was taking aeroplane. Aeroplane was flying. So we admit this is contribution of the Western technology. But it is not safe. But what I am giving, it is safe. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato... So our, this contribution of India's culture and this contribution, far different. That is not safe. At any moment you'll be finished. But here-svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). This Manipur state is mentioned in the Bhāgavata. And these people say that three thousand years before, there was no civilization.

Room Conversation -- January 7, 1977, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: I reach aerodrome from my place in three minutes. And you (indistinct). (discussion of airplanes and helicopters)

Prabhupāda: Chambur, I stayed there for a week. So almost on head, aeroplanes.

Dr. Patel: They come this way and they, on the head on Santa Cruz. Few of them are like that... (break) ...New York.

Prabhupāda: Kennedy airport? There are two, three airports. (break) ...forget spiritual body. Next time he is going to be dog. That he does not know.

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

Gurudāsa: Yes. And they're even making a temporary airport from the 14th on.

Prabhupāda: Where?

Gurudāsa: In Allahabad.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Dr. Patel: Allahabad has got an airport already.

Gurudāsa: Yes, but it doesn't function regularly. But now they're going to have planes going and coming.

Prabhupāda: Formerly there was airport. The place is called Babroli.

Discussion on Deprogrammers -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Rāmeśvara: Like this Reverend Moon, he lives in a very, very big house, and he has a big car. And this Guru Maharaj-ji, he has his own airplane.

Prabhupāda: Guru Maharaj-ji has got?

Rāmeśvara: He had his own airplane, which they had to sell.

Hari-śauri: That fat boy, Guru Maharaj-ji.

Prabhupāda: No, he had. So what is his position now?

Rāmeśvara: His family has called him a false guru. So there's a slip.

Prabhupāda: His mother.

Morning Walk -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: I denied, "No, you cannot have." I told them. One girl in the airship, she was seeing like (makes some gesture-laughter). I asked her, "Give me 7-Up." "It is locked now." So I frankly said that "No, no. You cannot have equal rights because your brain is thirty-four ounce." Actually that's a fact. Where is woman philosopher, mathematician, scientist? Not a single.

Dr. Patel: Apart from that, I mean, they are made for a particular mission.

Prabhupāda: How they can have equal rights? Up to date in the history there is not a single woman who is a great scientist or great philosopher or great...

Dr. Patel: Madame Curie was a...

Prabhupāda: All bogus. (laughter)

Room Conversation -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Rāmeśvara: Our book-selling is going on on the public property, like the airports. But the stores and the shopping centers are privately owned, so it's illegal. Sometimes our men will do it anyway, take a chance in disguise.

Prabhupāda: So they are taking risk for Kṛṣṇa. That is great service. Kṛṣṇārthe 'khila ceṣṭaḥ. That is one of the valuable service—for Kṛṣṇa's sake, all kinds of dangerous position. Somebody's knocking.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I'll explain this to Rāmeśvara, and if he approves, then... Because now we have just finished hundred thousand Gītār Gāns...

Prabhupāda: Anyway, it will be paid. Just wait.

Morning Darsana and Room Conversation Ramkrishna Bajaj and friends -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Girirāja: This is Mr. Sharma, the head technician at the airport, radar.

Prabhupāda: When I went to your MIT, I challenged that "Where is that technological department where a dead man can be brought into life?" It was interesting speech. The students gathered. This body is mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā as machine. Do you know that? This body is mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā as machine. Yantrārūḍhāni māyayā.

īśvaraḥ sarva bhūtānāṁ
hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati
bhrāmāyan sarva bhūtāni
yantrārūḍhāni māyayā
(BG 18.61)

Just like you make a tour by driving a motorcar, similarly, the jīvātmā is touring all over the universe riding on this machine. This is machine. So... Aiye aiye. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (guest enters) (Hindi) Aiye. We have arranged for your prasāda. Yantrārūḍhāni māyayā. This is machine.

Conversation on Train to Allahabad -- January 11, 1977, India:

Rāmeśvara: Now they say if we are thinking of our members to be gentlemen, then why is it when they go to the airports they are bothering so many people?

Prabhupāda: They are not bothering; they are educating. You take... A rascal, when he is advised... A thief when he's advised, "Kindly do not become a thief," he takes it botheration, but that is good advice.

Rāmeśvara: They say it is invasion of privacy.

Prabhupāda: Eh? Why privacy?

Rāmeśvara: They say every man has the right to think the way he wants.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Therefore I have go the right to think like that.

Conversation on Train to Allahabad -- January 11, 1977, India:

Prabhupāda: That's all right. But you cannot say that everyone is very rich. That is not... We admit your contribution, but... The other day I was saying that aeroplane is contribution, but it is not safe. So long it is flying, it is all right, but any moment... Similarly, this civilization will be contribution like that. It is not safe. Because this life, you are enjoying very good house, very good society, but next life, if you are going to be a tree by nature's law, then what is the value of your this life?

Rāmeśvara: "But I believe in God. I go to church every Sunday, and I confess."

Prabhupāda: But you go to church, but you don't do anything what God says.

Room Conversation on 1976 Book Scores -- January 16, 1977, Calcutta:
Rāmeśvara: And we gave this proof, another proof that our movement is transcendental to all material obstacles and impediments, that this year in America there was spiraling inflation and unemployment, and the cost of living was therefore rising like anything, but our books, in defiance of all these material trends, were being printed in larger quantities, but the temples were paying less for the books than ever before. And even though all the major airports were closed for, a minimum, six months or more, the hardbound book distribution—we just looked at the numbers-actually increased by one hundred percent.

Prabhupāda: So it is Kṛṣṇa's mercy. "You can do all kinds of opposition, but we shall go forward. The caravan will pass. You may bark." So take all these things as Kṛṣṇa's mercies and engage more enthusiastically. Why should we be defeated? Yuddhyasva mām anusmara (BG 8.7). Just remember Kṛṣṇa and fight. Bas. Fighting is... This material world is fighting. Manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati (BG 15.7). The karṣati is struggle, but struggle for Kṛṣṇa. That is perfection. That's all.

Room Conversation -- January 19, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Oh, long distance.

Gargamuni: Yes. Very long flight. So I was number 15,000 on the list. Everybody camped out at the airport. Because of the war everyone wanted to leave. So there was a line of 15,000 people. They gave me my number. I was 15,000. So we waited at the airport. I said, "I can't wait here," because the bombs were dropping and the tanks were coming and the troops were coming and... I said, "I gotta get out of here." So I spoke with the commander, and I played him a tape of kīrtana. I had a tape, and they... All the officers, they were Mussulmen from Pakistan, and they started clapping: "Oh, kīrtana." You know. So I asked him, "Could you allow me to go on board before all the others? There's no use in us staying here. Who knows what will happen? We are foreigners." We were dressed as sādhus also. So he allowed us to go on in front of everyone. So we managed to leave.

Prabhupāda: What was the condition at that time, general, during the war?

Gargamuni: Where? In Dacca?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: We do not approve anything which is not actually beneficial. Otherwise it doesn't matter, homeopathic or allopathic. But there is standard medicine given by Dhanvantari.

Rāmeśvara: Yes. But what about certain technological advancements like airplanes and automobiles?

Prabhupāda: There are subtler aeroplanes. Aeroplane is mentioned in the śāstras. Now they are working on machine, but there are aeroplanes which can work on mantra.

Rāmeśvara: But that science is lost.

Prabhupāda: Not lost. It is there.

Hari-śauri: It's hidden.

Rāmeśvara: We can't practice that.

Prabhupāda: No, we can practice what is called ākāśa paṭala. This book is there in Germany. It was purchased by the Germans.

Evening Conversation -- January 25, 1977, Puri:

Prabhupāda: They're all rascals. They do not know anything; still, they are claiming very high position.

Gurukṛpā: I heard one scientist on the airplane. There were three scientists sitting behind me, and they were speaking that they hope they are living in the year 2000. One man said, "I become so excited when I think how advanced we will be in the year 2000 that I just hope I do not die before then 'cause I want to see how everything will be then."

Satsvarūpa: By then they think they will be doing this, creating life.

Prabhupāda: That any insane man can say. Any crazy man can say. "Trust no future, however pleasant." "You are rascal. You are believing in the future. You have not show us, because in the past you could not do. There is no history. In the present you cannot do. So how shall I believe that in future you'll do?" So any rascal promises like that, so we take him as a rascal. That's all.

Room Conversation -- January 29, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Just like here it happened, Hindi and English. That enviousness is always there. I have seen in Montreal. All the officers, they are speaking in French. They won't talk in English. Airport. Purposefully. And there was fight, regular fight between these French speaking and English speaking, riot. People are so foolish. So it is bilingual. In everything, English and French. If you put one notice, it must be in English and French, as here (chuckling) they in the provincial language, Oriya, and Hindi, state language, and English for outsiders-three languages. You'll see in the railway station the local language and the Hindi language and English. Actually people take advantage of the English language and little more from the Hindi. Local language nobody knows. Just like we do not know what is Oriya.

Room Conversation with Svarupa Damodara -- January 30, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: No. I came to Calcutta. (Bengali) So I was planning to go to Bombay. Then I went to the temple. Last night I came, and I called the temple, but there was nobody, so I didn't know where Prabhupāda is. So I was trying to go to Bombay today. Then I learned from the temple that Prabhupāda is here, so I was planning to go by train. Then I found out there is an airplane also available, so I came by plane.

Prabhupāda: Yes, from Calcutta to Bhuvaneśvara there is plane.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: I have never been here before in Bhuvaneśvara.

Prabhupāda: Bhuvaneśvara, Jagannātha Purī. They are important places. So give him prasāda first, and then come.(?)

Svarūpa Dāmodara: We had a meeting before I came here...

Prabhupāda: Ah, ah.

Room Conversation with Svarupa Damodara -- January 30, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: June.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: We lost an airport in court, book distribution. That was just before I left. So people are trying to be very critical, especially in these different circles, with the New York problem and all these symptoms, becoming very critical.

Prabhupāda: Critical means they are taking this movement now seriously.

Gargamuni: Yes. It is coming up because their sons and daughters are joining.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Critical means our triumph.

Hari-śauri: Yes. They know we have some substance now.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- January 31, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Only danger. Padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadām (SB 10.14.58). Every step, simply danger, and we are proud of our scientific advancement. The aeroplane is scientific advancement, but the danger is also more. As soon as you crash, all are altogether... Without an aeroplane one or two men could die, but because you have made this scientific advancement, you all die.

Hari-śauri: Hundred at a time. (laughs)

Prabhupāda: Hundred.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Together.

Prabhupāda: This is your advancement. (laughs) Every line of action you see, you have created greatest danger. No solution. Solution is not there, but you have created greater danger. That is your credit.

Room Conversation Varnasrama System Must Be Introduced -- February 14, 1977, Mayapura:

Hari-śauri: But what is the use of having big strong body if now they're using airplanes and tanks and guns.

Prabhupāda: That is your useless waste of time. Why? Therefore the war does not stop, unnecessary war, and such a big war, Kurukṣetra, in eighteen days it is finished. This is decision. And this is going on, continually war, strain, politics, diplomacy, lecture, Parliament. There is no finishing of war. There is no finishing. It will go on. Just like same example: If you keep the dogs as dogs, they'll going on barking. It will never finish. So this is the civilization of dog work. It is not human civilization. Therefore it is going on. War is not stopped. Where is stop? War is stopped? No. Going on. And it will go on because they are dogs. You cannot stop their barking. There are so many things. If we follow the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā, then whole world will be... This is a fact. Now, how to implement it, that is another thing. It is a fact.

Room Conversation -- February 14, 1977, Mayapura:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: More than sufficient.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Now arrange for big festival. There is a program, Manipur. I want to start in that small state varṇāśrama idea. That is my dream. Small state it can be done, brāhmaṇa, kṣatri... So when you arrived in the airport?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, we first... The airplane that we came on landed in Delhi, and we went down to Bombay yesterday morning. So we stayed the day in Bombay.

Prabhupāda: You have seen the progress?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Going on all right?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, but I don't think it will be finished by... They say Daśaratha, but I have my doubts.

Prabhupāda: Then what can be done?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What is your opinion?

Brahmānanda: Not the finishing work. There is so much marble finishing work.

Prabhupāda: The marbles, they are working or not?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yes. They're working. I think there must be at least one hundred workers going full time.

Prabhupāda: Marble.

Room Conversation -- February 14, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: He has done wonderful. There is no such temple, at least in Bombay. No, and in India.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: When we took off in the Jumbo, or when we took off in the plane to Calcutta, we got a very clear vision of the whole temple complex. So if there's some sign put on the towers on the top, everyone from the plane will be able to read it. Hare Kṛṣṇa Land. Very prominent from the airplane. It stands out from all the other buildings because it's so big and very beautiful. Very nice. It is all your mercy, that building, Prabhupāda. It was up to us...

Prabhupāda: (laughs) My mercy or your mercy. You are all working. So anyway, this counter propaganda is doing good to us.

Evening Darsana -- February 15, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: This is very dangerous.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: One of our devotees in California was kidnapped out of the airport. She was distributing books in the airport in San Francisco, and because the court gave an order to the parents that "For thirty days you can take your daughter and commit her," so they have brought her to Arizona, where they have a special center set up for deprogramming, legal psychological tests. So for thirty days they ran these... They did some... We don't know what's going on there, some horrible things. Now the girl has sent a letter, and it showed that she is no longer in a devotional attitude. She said, "I'm very glad that I was rescued. Otherwise I would have been made to collect money all my life for your society, and now I'm saved from this."

Prabhupāda: She had been dictated to write like that.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yes. But probably they did some brain thing to her.

Prabhupāda: That is brainwash.

Evening Darsana -- February 15, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Brahmānanda: ...in the airport. And this caused big sensation, because never, even when big Indian gurus have come to South Africa, never have any whites bowed down. It was the first time whites bowed down to...

Prabhupāda: They clapped. After hearing me they clapped. They purchased books. Now they are selling books. So I think my books are more important. We shall give more concentration for pushing on and publishing. What do you think?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. That is our weapons. They are our strength, they are our guidance and they are our ammunition. Everything is based on these books, everything. We are...

Prabhupāda: One Indian, a very learned scholar in Chandigarh, he has given very good certificate.

Room Conversation -- February 18, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Huh? Suitcase stolen?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In Calcutta at the... There's a big hotel at the airport, and he left his bags there, three bags. And when he came back, one of them was gone with all of his wife's jewelries. Hindustan Hotel, I think it's called. Yeah, Hindustan, that big airport hotel. When you go down to Māyāpur by that road there's a big hotel near the airport.

Prabhupāda: I do not remember, but may be.

Room Conversation -- February 19, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Our real damage is there. Otherwise let them do whatever they like.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But I want to explain that. In other words... I'll give you an example. Now they have learned that the way they can hurt us is through book distribution. They're understanding that. For example, now in about three or four different cities they are going to the airports where we do our big book distribution. And three or four people are engaged to break up all the sales. This happened in Chicago, it happened in San Diego and it happened in Minneapolis all within the last two or three months.

Hari-śauri: Still happening there?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In Minneapolis it's still happening, and San Diego, it's still happening. They learned it from the Yanoff case. That Yanoff issue in Chicago. The deprogrammers then wrote to each other that "This is a very effective means to cripple their activities, because they will yield to this pressure."

Prabhupāda: That they will try, but we can find out another avenue.

Room Conversation -- February 19, 1977, Mayapura:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Sometimes we did that. There was one man, very, very big demon, who was breaking up all the sales in one airport. So finally the devotees hired a professional man, and this professional watched how this man went home, and after about a month of observing him, this professional man hid himself near the man's garage, so when the man came back home—after disturbing our sales for five months—the professional beat him very severely.

Prabhupāda: That's nice.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And then he never came back again.

Prabhupāda: That's it, tit for tat.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. He never came back.

Prabhupāda: So we should adopt that means. Anyone who is opposing, give him good beating.

Room Conversation -- February 19, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is allowed. That is within Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They are doing that, because the policemen and others are beating our men in the airports sometimes. We are getting hit and beaten. Tripurāri sometimes was punched in the face. Many times it has happened to him. He has been beaten for distributing.

Prabhupāda: We can also do that.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. And it's so horrible that when this happens... Just like...

Prabhupāda: No, best thing is we find out another venue. But if there is possible, we can also give. It is very nice, example: fight and give him some lesson. There are many examples. The Pāṇḍavas did it.

Room Conversation -- February 19, 1977, Mayapura:

Hari-śauri: No, we were out at the farm.

Prabhupāda: No, we were staying, but he supplied his car. But he came to airport.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We have to supply some good man for Fiji.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Vāsudeva was speaking that some proper person for teaching them pūjā...

Hari-śauri: This boy...

Prabhupāda: Trained, very trained.

Room Conversations -- February 20, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Oh. Where?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: In the airport, Calcutta airport. He arrived last night, but somehow his luggage was left in Bombay airport. So the luggage is coming tonight at seven o'clock for Bombay-Calcutta flight, and he told me that he's coming after, a taxi. So he'll be arriving about nine o'clock tonight.

Prabhupāda: Oh. He has received that telegram.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In Hawaii.

Prabhupāda: He is coming from Hawaii?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Ācchā. (laughs)

Room Conversations -- February 20, 1977, Mayapura:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: In the airport.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: (laughs) ...stationed in the Calcutta airport.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You have quite a big entourage now.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Scientist...

Prabhupāda: But our most auspicious sign is this, "Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is bona fide religion."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This is preceding your arrival in Bombay.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversations -- February 20, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Therefore I thought it. Ideal Vaiṣṇava state. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, they are doing very nicely, and people will be surprised, "Oh." There is no question of hatred. It is division for proper discharge of duty.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: But I saw in the airport, the policemen, they have this tilaka.

Prabhupāda: Tilaka.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Policemen, they are dressed, but they have tilaka.

Prabhupāda: Manipur? Manipur?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes, Manipur. And always give respect. Though I am nobody, but...

Prabhupāda: Tilaka.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Wow. The policemen wear tilaka. There is justice for sure.

Prabhupāda: So immediately do it. I shall go. If there is such possibility... Let us have a small ideal state. If respectable gentlemen take it, oh, it will be a great success, an ideal state throughout the whole world, Vaiṣṇava state.

Arrival of Devotees -- February 24, 1977, Mayapura:

Gargamuni: The jumbo jet arrived. There was at least one hundred dignitaries of Air India, TV, radio, watching the plane land on the airport.

Prabhupāda: When it is arriving?

Gargamuni: It arrived around 4:30 this morning. First time jumbo jet landing. They said, "Very good landing."

Prabhupāda: Has to be. Sky was clear also. I was very much doubtful about the sky, but Kṛṣṇa's mercy... Today there is no fog.

Arrival of Devotees -- February 24, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: And you did not send to the reporters and the...? No.

Hari-śauri: Did you give these figures to the reporters at the airport?

Rāmeśvara: Well, we want to have a press conference tomorrow.

Gargamuni: We're going to have... At the Calcutta Book Fair we finished decorating our pandal. It promises to be very successful. We're just opposite the Americans, who have spent fifty thousand rupees, the American Embassy. And next door to us is the German Embassy, and on the other side is the British Embassy. So we're in a very good spot, and we'll have all our books. We'll have the displays as well as the movie, the BBT movie, and we have our men there, who will take orders and sell books. It starts tomorrow afternoon. And we'll have a press conference also and release these figures.

Prabhupāda: That's nice.

Evening Darsana -- February 25, 1977, Mayapura:

Bali-mardana: Eastern coast of Australia. And it is twenty-five minutes from the airport. So it is very easy to get to. It is right near all of the resorts where the Australians go for going to the beach and vacation during the winter months.

Prabhupāda: One can get good appetite?

Bali-mardana: Oh, yes. Tonight very nice fruits.

Prabhupāda: Nowadays I cannot eat.

Bali-mardana: Mango is growing on the property.

Prabhupāda: Anyway, you maintain cows and get ghee.

Room Conversation -- February 27, 1977, Mayapura:

Harikeśa: I was going to bring with me the new Hungarian book, but the person who was bringing it from the printer, the car broke down before the airplane could... The car broke down. It was printed.

Prabhupāda: Could not reach.

Harikeśa: It could not reach me at the airplane, so, I think, when Bhagavān comes he will bring the book.

Prabhupāda: You have advised.

Harikeśa: I tried. I tried. I don't know. Otherwise it will come by mail. We printed ten thousand Hungarian books.

Prabhupāda: What is that book?

Harikeśa: It's Perfection of Yoga and Beyond Birth and Death in the same cover, because...

Prabhupāda: Oh. Like the German edition.

Room Conversation with GBC members -- March 2-3, 1977, Mayapura:

Brahmānanda: That is the center of the gambling in America.

Hṛdayānanda: Gambling, prostitution, intoxication.

Rāmeśvara: The whole city is managed by criminals. But they have given us permission to sell books in the airport.

Prabhupāda: Oh. That's nice.

Room Conversation -- April 2, 1977, Bombay:

Girirāja: Well, see he's coming because he is a leader in the municipal corporation, and tomorrow they are electing the new mayor. So I was thinking that probably on the way to the airport in the evening we could invite him to stop here.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Girirāja: Otherwise, he is coming back on the 8th to spend about a week here.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Girirāja: But he is very enthusiastic.

Prabhupāda: Very good. He is a good boy.

Girirāja: He said, "I am all out for this movement. I am all out for Swami Prabhupāda."

Prabhupāda: Send him this remark from the chief minister. He'll so much appreciate.

Room Conversation -- April 5, 1977, Bombay:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: He is a pilot with Indian Airlines. He, I have never heard anything.

Guest (1): He never heard about any politics or anything. He is just like an ordinary citizen.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: They say he is not as smart as Sanjay. That means he is not as crooked. So he is out of politics.

Bhakti-caru: He ran the...

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: No.

Guest (1): They have got. He is not living there.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: He is a pilot with Indian Airlines.

Prabhupāda: That is honest life. Earn your livelihood. Who is the elder?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: This pilot.

Morning Talk -- April 18, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: But the airport authorities, they're also coming favorably.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Gradually they'll come. We haven't got to be afraid of all, anything. That is the point.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's the point. Yeah. Just like the...

Prabhupāda: We have not minimized our program.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, we're increasing our program.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Being afraid of them, we have not decreased our activities.

Room Conversation -- June 18, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: That is also not sufficient. In Europe, when we go over the mountain, huge mountainous tract, who knows about it? We are passing just like on a roof, aeroplane. You have seen? Huge. They have no information of what is there. And Switzerland...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Switzerland.

Prabhupāda: I have seen mountain goat. Where it has gone, nobody knows. Still.

Bhakti-prema: In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is described more or less. Himalaya Mountain is 80,000 miles high and 16,000 miles wide. So each of these mountains are 16,000 miles wide and 80,000 miles high. And that means it is start from Badrinath up to Siberia. That is 60,000 miles, er, 16,000.

Prabhupāda: But height, they have no...

Bhakti-prema: 80,000 miles high.

Prabhupāda: 80,000.

Bhakti-prema: We cannot measure. Aeroplane cannot...

Prabhupāda: You have measured only 28,000.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Feet.

Room Conversation -- June 18, 1977, Vrndavana:

Upendra: The reason the original faith was placed in the scientists was because radio, airplanes, tape recorders have been manufactured, and people are impressed by these originally.

Prabhupāda: So what is the benefit? Without radio, people were dying, or with radio they are not living?

Upendra: They say they are living more comfortably.

Prabhupāda: Nonsense comfortably... They have changed the season? Is it comfortable? We have to take this cooling machine. What is the practical benefit? You can say that it is comfortable. That's all right. But that does not mean that you have moved the uncomfortable situation. You are struggling against. That much you can take credit. Real benefit is not there. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9). Real unhappiness is this, that you are: "Why I am struggling? I don't want death." Actually why I am taking massage and so on, so on? So that I may not die. So where is the scientists' guarantee, "No, you'll not die"? Has he any...? You'll struggle only. That's all. The scientists cannot guarantee, "No, you'll not die." That is real guarantee. "You'll die comfortably." Hm? Die comfortably? Now there is no appetite. Where is the scientist, assuring, "Take"? What actual benefit they have done? They are giving some... Nothing they have given. It is simply bluff. Things without which we could do, such things are there. There were no motorcars. There was horse carriage and bullock carriage. Things were going on.

Room Conversation -- June 18, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Nonsense comfortably... They have changed the season? Is it comfortable? We have to take this cooling machine. What is the practical benefit? You can say that it is comfortable. That's all right. But that does not mean that you have moved the uncomfortable situation. You are struggling against. That much you can take credit. Real benefit is not there. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9). Real unhappiness is this, that you are: "Why I am struggling? I don't want death." Actually why I am taking massage and so on, so on? So that I may not die. So where is the scientists' guarantee, "No, you'll not die"? Has he any...? You'll struggle only. That's all. The scientists cannot guarantee, "No, you'll not die." That is real guarantee. "You'll die comfortably." Hm? Die comfortably? Now there is no appetite. Where is the scientist, assuring, "Take"? What actual benefit they have done? They are giving some... Nothing they have given. It is simply bluff. Things without which we could do, such things are there. There were no motorcars. There was horse carriage and bullock carriage. Things were going on. Not that without this horseless motorcar society would have been vanquished. No. There are other alternatives. Rather, they were complicated. As soon as you ride on a car, there is anxiety, especially in your country, so many cars. When you ride on a car, full of anxiety... At any moment there may be accident. It is not comfortable. If you are full of anxiety. Aeroplane may be. At any moment you can die. It is your time only. They're going in good faith: "I shall go there." But before rising to the sky, finished, crash. So many airplane has been... So where is the comfort? As soon as you get on the aeroplane, you are in full anxiety that at any moment there may be crash. Is it not? Then where is comfort? Real comfort is without anxiety. That is real comfort.

Conversation, 'Rascal Editors,' and Morning Talk -- June 22, 1977, Vrndavana:

Yaśodā-nandana: Well, a few hundred years ago there was no airplanes, no cars, no facilities...

Prabhupāda: That's all right, but when you become a dog next life, then what is your gain? You are not going to use this airplane. You have to make a rest in this car, in this seat. What you are going to do that about? Dehāntara-prāptiḥ. Kṛṣṇa says most authoritative statement and giving the example, dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāram... (BG 2.13). So how you can check this dehāntara?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They argue that "We are getting people to live longer now than they used to live."

Prabhupāda: After all, you'll have to change. In a false platform, to live longer, is that very great profit?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, as we improve material life...

Prabhupāda: No, where is improved? You are going to be a dog, suppose. Where is your improvement?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: It's an illusion.

Prabhupāda: They lose.

Morning Talk -- June 27, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes, I received directly such congratulations in the airport many times. Many times.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: People would come up to you.

Prabhupāda: I think in Japan I have got. One European boy came. He came: "How you have got so much knowledge, sir?" His inquiry was that. In Dum Dum Airport some gentleman came, Indian. The thing is, knowledge was there. It was not presented. (pause) (aside:) He'll take one; you take. (break) Hm? Kṛṣṇa asked the gopīs that "You can take your cloth, one after another. You have done a great fault. Naked, you are taking your bath. So just offer to the deity namaskāra." (laughs) Chastised: "You are very naughty. Why you are doing like this? I tell you, this is for your good." So they did it. (pause) Gopījana-vallabha. (pause) Kṛṣṇa's naughty activities... In every neighboring house they would come, Mother Yaśodā, friends, and they'll repeat Kṛṣṇa's naughty activities, and Mother Yaśodā, stopping all household business, she would hear. She would hear again. This is kṛṣṇa-līlā. How ordinary person would understand? "What is this? Spiritual life? A child's naughty activities, and they are hearing, and this is spiritual?" But Kṛṣṇa has made easy salvation, that simply by hearing His naughty activities you'll be liberated.

Showing of Planetary Sketches -- June 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The airplane goes about eight miles. Five thousand feet equals one mile. And they go forty thousand. So how much is forty thousand? Eight miles.

Devotee (1): Forty thousand feet divided by five means approximately eight miles.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Airplane goes eight miles high, and this Meru Mandapa(?) is 800,000 total, a hundred thousand yojanas, one lakh of yojanas. So this is very high, nearly 600,000 miles high. An airplane only goes five miles.

Devotee (1): Eight miles.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They have no idea about distances.

Bhakti-Prema: If we rise above, man, six thousand miles, then we will arrive at sun planet.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation with Mr. Myer -- July 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: That can be done very easily. It can be done very easily, provided government wants. And we can help. We have to follow simply the Bhagavad-gītā. That's all. They are reading Bhagavad-gītā, but they do not follow. They manufacture their own interpretation. That is the difficulty. Otherwise the Bhagavad-gītā is the preliminary study of happy life and entrance, matriculation, and then Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, graduate, and then Caitanya-caritāmṛta, postgraduate. We are therefore presenting three books. So if we follow, our life is successful. But you don't follow. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). Māyā is so strong that untruthful things, we take it as truthful. Just like the modern scientists. These rascals, he could not, they cannot, they will never be able to produce life. Still, they are busy: "Yes, we will do. We shall do." The whole world is full of rascals. What they cannot do, what they could not do, what they'll never be able to do... Still, they will persist. This is the difficulty. They have never gone to moon planet, their aeroplane. They cannot go anywhere. You have got plane. They are conditioned. And they are thinking, "We are free." Just like an animal is bound up in a place, and he's going round, here and here. He's thinking the world is round. The world is round. He does not accept that "I am conditioned." They have got now aeroplane, jet plane and so many. Go anywhere. They cannot go. Still, they are proud: "We have measured." This dog's obstinacy of this modern world has killed the whole civilization.

Bhu-mandala Discussion -- July 3, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: There are... I have seen many places by aeroplane, hilly tract. Perhaps you have also seen. They could never go there. Hundreds and thousands of miles, simply stone.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, that we've seen.

Prabhupāda: Who is going there?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah...

Prabhupāda: You have seen from aeroplane?

Śatadhanya: Some. Some mountains.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In the Alps no one can go there. There's places in the Alps. There's simply so many mountains, no one can go there. The map as the modern people show it—India, Africa, Europe, America, North America, South America—do we accept that much?

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Do we accept the contour of the continents? Do we accept the general continents?

Prabhupāda: We accept nothing of their theory. They are prejudiced and nonsense. Formerly they were speaking that the world is flat. Now they have changed: "It is round." So what is the value of his estimate? And you'll find in that book, "probably."

Bhu-mandala Discussion -- July 3, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They'll want to talk about the point that the point on their compass that points west while they're flying in the airplane, and they keep it going west, and they eventually land in India from Los Angeles.

Prabhupāda: You are flying west or east—you do not know. You are controlled.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They say, "No, our compass shows it. And you accept the compass."

Prabhupāda: That's all right. You are going west, but do you think where you think that the west is end, that is not end. You can go further.

Room Conversation -- July 19, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Hm. That's a fact.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You're not... By nature you've never been inactive. We can begin the activity by airplane travel and then a little car journey to the temple, and then we can carry you around in certain places. Like at the New York farm. Oh, we can give you wonderful ride in the palanquin. That's very appealing. If you go on the palanquin in the fresh air. No? That'll be, I think...

Prabhupāda: No, activity will give appetite.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, it has to. Change of atmosphere gives appetite also.

Prabhupāda: So let us artificial activity. I think this is a nice arrangement.

Room Conversation Gaurasundara, Dr. Kapoor -- July 26, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: How big?

Gaurasundara: I would like to be able to carry them back on the airplane. I don't know how big I can carry them, but I'll see.

Prabhupāda: I think there is no need of changing Deity.

Gaurasundara: Leave small?

Prabhupāda: Huh? You have got?

Gaurasundara: Small.

Prabhupāda: Small.

Room Conversations Bangladesh Preaching/Prabhavisnu Articles by Hamsaduta -- August 11, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. (break) ...bad education. They have learned to... No education. (aside:) Get this down here. I am seriously thinking how to do. Organized, a society for sinful activities, Western. Now you are advanced, sincerely carry on. At least in America.

Gurukṛpā: This restaurant is very good propaganda. They get a higher taste. I've seen on the airplane when I went last time. I had some cookies from the restaurant, so I gave them to the pilot, the stewardess, and said to give them to everyone. And they came and said, "Oh, we have been to your restaurant. We appreciate very much. It is very nice."

Prabhupāda: In this way we have to change their mentality.

Gurukṛpā: If they..., we make aware of the actual suffering they are causing on the animals.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Gurukṛpā:. If they are aware... They are not really aware of the actual suffering that they're causing the animals.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They think the animals don't have any feelings or soul.

Prabhupāda: No, they think in so many way, nonsense rascals. What is the value of their thinking? Rascals, all number one rascals. They say, "Why do you...?" But they, how they can believe? Their whole life is belief, no factual knowledge.

Room Conversation With Madhudvisa and others -- August 17, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Actually, in mosquito you'll find the same arrangement like a big airplane, that wings, the body... But see the wonderful thing that not only there is mechanism but there is a pilot also. But your, this 747, it is big, there is mechanism, but pilot you have to bring outside. This is our challenge. And millions of such planes are born without your scientific knowledge. You produce one, then come to combat with God. This is our challenge. Simply jugglery of words, "We have manufactured this element, that element. Now, in future, we are going to...," this nonsense we shall not allow. Do it now. Hm? What do you think?

Śrutakīrti: Also, flying over here, that 747 I was flying on was three hours late because of some mechanical difficulty. So even they make it, they don't make it very nicely.

Prabhupāda: Imperfect.

Room Conversation -- October 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Brahmānanda: Also there was air strike. So people who would normally take airplane, they're taking train.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Girirāja made one life member aboard the train, a very nice gentleman living on Marine Drive, quite wealthy. He says he never takes the train, only flies. But he went to the airport at four o'clock, and the airport said, "We have no flights. All flights cancelled." They didn't even give the courtesy to call up the people to tell them the flight was cancelled, although they had the telephone numbers of the ticket purchasers. So the man had to take the train.

Prabhupāda: The strike instrument invented by modern civilization, so dangerous.

Hari-śauri: Means the government becomes completely controlled by the lowest working class.

Prabhupāda: Naturally. Without hands and legs, how one can function? Therefore Vedic civilization, that everyone is engaged.

Room Conversation -- October 22, 1977, Vrndavana:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: They have Airbus.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's useless. There's no benefit in Airbuses. The seats are the same in Airbus. There's no first class.

Bhavānanda: When you're feeling stronger, then the veranda is there for nice stroll.

Prabhupāda: There is ample space.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think change is good also sometimes. So we should make that program?

Prabhupāda: I think so.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, traveling with you is a great pleasure for us, Śrīla Prabhupāda. It's always very exciting to travel with you.

Prabhupāda: And in Māyāpur, if you keep me in my quarters, and take little care, that's all. Take little care, that's all.

Room Conversation -- October 24, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Because... There's a number of reasons. First of all, there's no Jumbo jets, and they're Indian Airlines planes. They're Indian Airlines smaller planes. They're jets, but they're not the big jet. The flying...

Prabhupāda: No, nowadays that bus...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Airbus.

Hari-śauri: I think the Airbus has been taken out of commission.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, even if it hasn't, it's a useless plane because the seats on the Airbus are as small as any seats anywhere else. There's no advantage to them.

Prabhupāda: But it will take only two hours.

Room Conversation -- October 25, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Instead of dying on the road, jerking of train, aeroplane, why not here?

Hari-śauri: Vṛndāvana is the best place.

Prabhupāda: So arrange like that. It doesn't matter. Which leaves his time with kīrtana, even I may die or live, it does not matter.

Hari-śauri: For us it matters, Śrīla Prabhupāda. For us it matters.

Prabhupāda: That... No... What can be done? If Kṛṣṇa desires...

Hari-śauri: At least all the devotees will be very happy to chant for you whilst you go around. (pause) One of our men just died in Bhuvaneśvara.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Hari-śauri: One man, one of our men, he died in Bhuvaneśvara.

Room Conversation -- October 25, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Instead of dying-train jerking (laughs) or aeroplane jerking—why not parikrama? Die or live, it doesn't matter.

Haṁsadūta: Parikrama is noble.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Either in palanquin or make a stretcher, but have parikrama.

Haṁsadūta: Yes, Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Do you like this idea?

Haṁsadūta: Yes, I think it's a good idea.

Prabhupāda: So arrange like that with leading men. Let me have parikrama. If I live, that's all right; if I die, that's all right. Both ways.

Room Conversation -- October 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: I don't think so.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I mean verbal agreement is enough, isn't it, in dealing with him? I would think so. I mean I thought it was sufficient if he agrees verbally. No contract or loan agreement. He wants to pay this money back by April. I didn't tell him he had to. I told him it was a donation. He seems to want to pay it back. So let him if he wants to. Then he wanted me to arrange, so I'm sending... I gave the receipts to him as you saw. I'm sending the letter... I'm sending a man to Delhi tomorrow to get a ticket for him, airline ticket.

Prabhupāda: Where he is?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He's gone to take his meals now. Then he's going to take rest, he said.

Prabhupāda: And he has got the papers?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He gave them back to me to keep in the almirah locked up. He said until he goes he wants me to keep them carefully. I said all right. And I'm getting him a ticket as well as sending the letters by special mail service to Bombay for Girirāja's signature, so that at least from our side there will not be any reason to delay. And when I showed him the letter that I had written to the bank, he was very satisfied. He could understand that there should be no difficulty now. He was quite confident after reading the letter. The letter is very clearly written, and with the power of attorney it's a complete document. I think everything was done all right. He seemed to be satisfied.

Prabhupāda: So what about kavirāja? He might think it is a whimsical. And that was my last desire. You could not.

Room Conversation -- October 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Bhakti-caru Mahārāja suggested that they may have taken the hopping flight from Calcutta, which stops in about three different places. I can just see my airline... I don't have an up-to-date airline schedule, but even the one I have might indicate the afternoon flight. Shall I see it?

Prabhupāda: Everything is theory.

Room Conversation -- October 30, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It will take three hours to the Delhi airport. Then it will take..., say, three hours, then one hour before take-off is four hours. Two hours on the flight is six hours, and three hours to Māyāpur, total...

Bhavānanda: No. Four hours to Māyāpur, 'cause we'll go slow.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Anyway, within ten hours from this bed to your bed in Māyāpur.

Prabhupāda: Ten hours?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Maximum.

Prabhupāda: How ten hours?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Three hours from here to the Delhi airport. One hour at the Delhi airport makes four hours.

Prabhupāda: You are going to Delhi airport in three hours.

Room Conversation -- October 30, 1977, Vrndavana:

Bhavānanda: It only takes half an hour to get to the airport, and we'll go slow.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Then four hours from the Calcutta airport to Māyāpur. Total of ten hours.

Prabhupāda: Four hours?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, I'm arguing this point with Bhavānanda Mahārāja, but he insists that he knows, so I'm accepting his statement. Three to four hours.

Bhavānanda: Because the road is...

Bhakti-caru: Yes, it's not so good now.

Bhavānanda: So if you go too fast, then it's too bumpy. If you go slow, then it's reasonable.

Prabhupāda: So let us go. And keep me in the open air.

Room Conversation -- November 3, 1977, Vrndavana:

atadhanya: So she very kindly made all the nice arrangements at the airport. There was a big caravan with flowers to take you to Māyāpur.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You expected Prabhupāda on that plane?

Śatadhanya: Yes. We had the car out. Everyone was expecting.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They couldn't get through in time to tell them you weren't coming, Śrīla Prabhupāda, so they were all ready at the airport with the cars.

Prabhupāda: So we failed to catch.

Room Conversation -- November 3, 1977, Vrndavana:

Śatadhanya: Everything is very nice there, very organized. Jayapatākā Mahārāja and Bhavānanda Mahārāja have organized it very nicely. Calcutta is very clean. Also Calcutta was prepared in case your Divine Grace was feeling tired. Then you could have stayed at Calcutta for a day or so and then gone on to Māyāpur. Many life members had come to the airport. Sita Ram Daga...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think we have to go soon, Śrīla Prabhupāda. Actually, to take you to different places is the greatest ecstasy, because there's no greater pleasure the devotees have than when you first arrive, they see you. Their feelings know no bounds. Airport arrivals have always been ecstatic over the years, Śrīla Prabhupāda. The newspapers always remark how ecstatic they are.

Prabhupāda: What is the condition of the road?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This road is hopeless.

Page Title:Airplane (Conversations 1976 - 1977)
Compiler:Rishab, Mayapur
Created:05 of Aug, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=165, Let=0
No. of Quotes:165