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Bangladesh (Conversations)

Conversations and Morning Walks

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

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

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Then His wife, she died?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So His mother was feeling...

Prabhupāda: Yes. Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to East Bengal for teaching, and actually, the girl felt too much separation, and she died. And figuratively it is used that the separation took the form of a serpent and bitten her and she died. And when He came back His mother requested that "You should marry for the second time," and He agreed. And so next marriage was with Viṣṇupriyā. In the first marriage, Lakṣmīpriyā, He used to see her when she was bathing in the Ganges ghāṭa, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu desired that "I shall marry this girl." So His father sent one matchmaker. So when the matchmaker came to His mother that "Such and such brāhmaṇa..." I forget his name, but the name is there in the Caitanya-Bhāgavata.

1970 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- December 13, 1970, Indore:

Prabhupāda: Well, from every city we can publish. Every city there is a newspaper place.

Devotee (4): ...national, just like the national...

Prabhupāda: Yes. So we have to organize. First of all let us publish in one city, big city like New York, like London, yes, Bombay, Tokyo. Big cities, world's big cities. In India only two cities are big: Calcutta, and Bombay, important. If you publish simultaneously, Calcutta... Delhi is given importance due to capital; otherwise not important as big city, as Bombay and Calcutta. Delhi, without government offices it is a dead city. Just like Washington. What is the value of Washington? It is nothing. Simply because it is headquarters of the President, it has got importance. Similarly, Delhi is that. Otherwise it is not important. But Calcutta, Bombay, is really important city in India, big business, port, all rich men, every kind of, all cultural, everything—Calcutta, and Bombay. Originally only Calcutta, now Bombay also. Because the Britishers, they made Calcutta capital. And Calcutta was very, very important city. But these Calcutta men, they create sometimes situation, very complicated. So once in 1905 the same situation was there, politically. Sir Surendranath Bannerjee made, Surendranath Bannerjee's movement, partition of Bengal. Lord Collier, he wanted to divide Bengal, made it East Bengal and West Bengal. And Surendranath Bannerjee... He is the practically father of Indian politics. Gandhi's not. He was. He was. And in the beginning, in European circles he was famous. He was called "Surrender-not." The spelling of the name, s-u-r-e-n-d-e-r, Surendranath. In Parliament he was known as "Surrender-not." He was a very powerful politician. So there was trouble in Calcutta; so therefore they transferred, 1911, capital to Delhi. Otherwise, from the very beginning of British occupation Calcutta was the capital. You have seen the government viceroy's house near that Hamilton building where you were trying to purchase.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- February 12, 1972, Madras:

Guest: You belong to West Bengal?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Guest: Or East Bengal?

Prabhupāda: My birthplace is in Calcutta.

Guest: Calcutta.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Guest: Great and famous place. Looked after...

Prabhupāda: Where you are governor also.

Room Conversation -- April 18, 1972, Hong Kong:
Prabhupāda: ...Bangladesh. That is his vision.
rādhā-kṛṣṇa bol bol bolo re sobāi,
(ei) śikhā diyā, sab nadīyā,
phirche nece gaura-nitāi

Gaura-Nitāi, these two brothers, Gaura and Nitāi. There are Pañca-tattva: Śrī Caitanya, Nityānanda, Śrī Advaita, Gadādhara, Śrīvāsa, five tattvas. So rādhā kṛṣṇa bol bol, bolo re sobāi, ei śikhā diyā: "This is the teaching of Lord Caitanya." And he says, jay sakal bipod: Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, the composer of this song, he says that "you get out of all kinds of dangers," jay sakal bipod, gāi bhaktivinod, jakhon o nām gāi. "If you simply take to chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra." And at last he says, rādhā kṛṣṇa bolo sañge calo: "Please cooperate with Me," Lord Caitanya says, "and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." Ei mātra bhikhā: "I am asking all this. I am begging." So our mission is like that.

Room Conversation -- July 5, 1972, London:

Prabhupāda: So, what is the use of keeping Pakistan? Let it, let, let, let them have another.

Sumati Morarjee: I know, I know, but what about this Bangladesh also, you'll have to.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Sumati Morarjee: Do something, because I met so many people from Bangladesh they were completely subverting our culture.

Prabhupāda: Ah.

Devotee: That's, we're going there next month. Tamāla Kṛṣṇa. I think you remember him.

Sumati Morarjee: Yes, yes, very well.

Devotee: He's got his visa now, he's taking a party there, to Bangladesh.

Sumati Morarjee: Very good, but I hope they put, don't put you somewhere. That's not a very...

Prabhupāda: Ah, reliable, I say. You have your office in Dacca?

Sumati Morarjee: Huh?

Prabhupāda: Dacca? No?

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Indonesian Scholar -- February 27, 1973, Jakarta:

Prabhupāda: Arabic countries also, our men from (indistinct) that is an Arabic country. We send to Pakistan also, but due to this war, the American Embassy, they asked us to (indistinct). We are going again, Bangladesh. We have got Russia and we are negotiating with China also. So because you are here, you have taken the importance of Bhagavad-gītā, why not do it rightly and propagate nicely. That is our proposition.

Room Conversation with Dr. Arnold Toynbee, Famous Historian, at his home or office -- July 22, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: I... In some business I saw him sometimes in 1948, like that. (pause)

Dr. Arnold Toynbee: Sad that Bengal has been divided.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Dr. Arnold Toynbee: Very sad.

Prabhupāda: Bengal is now divided. East Bengal is now called Bangladesh, and West Bengal is there.

Dr. Arnold Toynbee: They still keep to the language, and they feel themselves Bengalis, though they're just (most?) Muslims.

Prabhupāda: Oh yes. They're keeping the Bengali language.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 19, 1974, Hawaii:

Prabhupāda: No... In Bengal. In Bengal the staple food is rice. Like Japanese.

Sudāmā: Yes.

Prabhupāda: General people, they eat rice and fish, especially Bangladesh. They have got enough quantity of fishes. So they use rice and fish. Harer nāma, harer nāma, harer nāma... (CC Adi 17.21).

Morning Walk -- February 25, 1974, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: That is on the day of Holita. Holi? No.

Prabhupāda: Holi, yes.

Dr. Patel: Māyāpura is in East Bengal?

Prabhupāda: No, West Bengal. Border of East and West.

Room Conversation with Professor Durckheim German Spiritual Writer -- June 19, 1974, Germany:

Prof. Pater Porsch: And during the Bangladesh crisis you also...

Prabhupāda: Yes, anyone came; we feed. That much... There were many refugees, so we fed them.

Prof. Pater Porsch: But that automatically answers the question of this gentlemen also, the body in the service of other people, you see...

Prabhupāda: No, we give food. Anyone come and take food. Here also. There is no question of Bangladesh. Let anyone come and take food. In our Māyāpura center we especially give food distribution on Saturday and Sunday. At least five thousand people come. So all humanitarian work is included.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- April 4, 1975, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: That war was also Russian instigated. This war, last war between Pakistan and India, was practically between India and Pakistan, uh, yes...

Devotee (1): Russia.

Prabhupāda: No. The Bangladesh, they were Bengalis. Although the whole Pakistan, including Bangladesh and the other part, West Pakistan, East Pakistan, Bangladesh... So actually, Bangladesh is bigger than West Pakistan. They should have taken the government, majority. But the West Pakistan, by force they were ruling. They are not majority. So after all, they are Bengalis, maybe Muslim. They're intelligent than these Punjabis. Punjabis, they have got bodily strength, not brain. So these Bengalis, in Mujjhamat Raman, that was his demands, that: "We are majority. Why they should govern us? We should govern over them." This is the movement. So, but they're already in power.

Room Conversation -- April 4, 1975, Mayapur:
Prabhupāda: They organized freedom soldier. And India consulted Russia. Russia was friendly, that: "We want to help Bangladesh." So they said: "Yes, you help. If there is fight, then we shall help you." This was the... So these bahini, sanan bahini, sandana bahini, or something like that, they organized, "freedom soldiers." The freedom soldier means Indian soldiers. They entered Bangladesh because East Bengal, West Bengal. And they started this freedom soldier. But this is Indian soldier. Pakistan could understand that, that where this Bangladesh will get so nice soldiers? It is Indian soldiers. So when the movement was increasing, then Pakistan was in a very precarious condition. So they wanted American help. The Americans also said: "Yes." So they got American planes, American... to crush down this Bangladesh. And the Bangladesh means Indian soldiers. So later on it was discovered. So Pakistan attacked directly India. That was to go on, increase. But when the Americans were helping, these Pakistani, the Russians also came. So it was going to be a, the same, Third World War, immediately. So Americans considered something, that: "Let us take some time." Therefore the war was stopped. Otherwise it was already started. That policy is going on.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- March 21, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Clerk. And he's the chief man.

Jayapatākā: He's a secretary. They have lawyer also, but he is the treasurer or something. I've only met with Śacīnandana. (break) He does some preaching. He goes to Bangladesh and does kīrtana on village to village sometimes. (break) ...if they give us the place or lease...

Prabhupāda: What is the use of talking?

Jayapatākā: What is the use of talking with Lalitā Prasāda?

Prabhupāda: Eh? No. That was the.... Last talk was like that. I wanted that "You have to consider that whatever portion you can spare, give us on lease. We develop." That's all. Ninety-nine-year lease.

Morning Walk -- May 26, 1976, Honolulu:

Devotee (4): The example that if God is supplying, then why doesn't He supply the underprivileged countries? Just like in some places like India people are starving. So why doesn't He supply places like that?

Prabhupāda: Who says India is starving? You are saying. I'm Indian, I don't starve. You are false propaganda, "India's starving."

Devotee (4): Bangladesh they...

Devotee (3): I was in Bangladesh also; they're not starving.

Prabhupāda: No one is starving. This is all propaganda. This propaganda.... You know in your country there are so many foundations. There is so many false organizations. They're under the name of India, they draw the money and take it. I've seen it. They have got arrangement with the trustees of the fund, and with some propaganda they draw money, and then they divide, the trustees and the organization. That's all. I've seen.

Room Conversation About Mayapura Construction -- August 19, 1976, Hyderabad:

Jayapatākā: No, that's been, Haridaspur, since time of Lord Caitanya, for many, many years, four hundred... Right from the time of Lord Caitanya they are calling that. They say there's no doubt that Haridāsa Ṭhākura came that way.

Prabhupāda: That must be. It is 2-two-three miles. If he was a person belonging to Venapur, so two-three miles surrounding he must have gone. There is no doubt. And if you can establish good relationship with Pakistan, Bangladesh, then our whole question is solved. Go there, seek some preaching and come here, and all these motor care problems...

Room Conversation -- October 31, 1976, Vrndavana:

Haṁsadūta: Great victory for the enemy. Just like because a high ranking officer in the army was captured by the enemy, then they would brainwash him. They had this, some process...

Prabhupāda: In Pakistani they kill all brain, in Bangladesh. Anyone who worked in high profession like businessman, they caught shut down. It was worse to kill.

Haṁsadūta: Yeah.

Prabhupāda: Because everywhere the big men they guide the nation.

Press Conference -- December 16, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: And in Parliament it has been denied. Rather, Home Member said that "We have no information that they are CIA." Parliament challenged, "What steps you are going to take?" And "No step. There is no information." They are afraid of the American government because of this Bangladesh affair. And otherwise government appreciates this movement. But because the Americans are there they think, "Some may do something," in this way. Yes. But there is no such chance. They are all devotees. They have nothing to do...

Room Conversation -- December 26, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Language does not make united. This Bangladesh, they speak Bengali. They write Bengali. But why they are separate? America and England, they speak the same language. Why Washington declared independence? Australia, they have also declared independence from England just a piece of land. So there cannot be unity on any platform unless there is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is impossible.

Room Conversation -- December 26, 1976, Bombay:

Hari-śauri: Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the only thing that encompasses everything.

Prabhupāda: Yes. This is false idea that by language, linguistic unity there will be... There are so many different examples. Pakistan, they speak Hindi also. Yes, they speak Hindi. And why there is separation? Bangladesh, they speak Bengali. Why they are separated from West Bengal? The linguistic unity is not... Any material platform, there cannot be unity. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54).

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- January 19, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: He's not killed.

Gargamuni: No. He survived.

Prabhupāda: (laughs) Long life.

Gargamuni: Yes. He's very old. I think he's eighty, eighty-five or something. So I have to leave the country by the thirtieth 'cause my visa is finished. So I was thinking that I should go to Dacca for a few days and meet him again and see about this land and also whether we can get the society registered in Bangladesh.

Prabhupāda: That you can...

Gargamuni: Yes. Well, a Muslim state, but maybe he can help us. And I want to see if he's really serious or whether he... You know...

Prabhupāda: He was under whose control?

Gargamuni: Tīrtha Mahārāja. But they never gave him anything. They never gave him men; they never gave him money, nothing.

Room Conversation -- January 19, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Yes. He had no spiritual idea. Simply he wanted to exploit the property. That's all.

Gargamuni: So maybe we can save that place.

Prabhupāda: Yes. If we can do, it will be a great service.

Gargamuni: 'Cause still there is fifteen million Hindus in Bangladesh.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- January 19, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: What Pakistan has gained by this separation? Actually they have not gained.

Gargamuni: By the separation.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Gargamuni: Of Bangladesh?

Prabhupāda: No.

Gargamuni: Or of India?

Prabhupāda: India.

Gargamuni: Oh, they haven't gained anything.

Prabhupāda: Karachi is finished. Nobody goes there.

Room Conversation -- January 19, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Take some Gītārgān.

Gargamuni: Yes, I'm going to take. I was thinking if my vans get kicked out of the country because of the customs, that we would go to Bangladesh and take trunkloads of Gītārgāns and go to Dacca and Chittagong and some of the big cities.

Prabhupāda: Bangladesh. It will be great service.

Room Conversation -- January 20, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Gargamuni: You can do so much saṅkīrtana.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Gargamuni: We could come...

Prabhupāda: If... The Ganges comes in this way. Then you come to Bengal, Bay of Bengal—this side, Orissa, this side, East Bengal. Is it not?

Gargamuni: Yes. They recently went to Sagar Island, and they did very nice saṅkīrtana there. But this boat is not large enough, and it's also very... It takes so much time.

Prabhupāda: So why not another boat like that?

Room Conversation -- January 20, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Bay of Bengal is rough.

Gargamuni: I've been on the Bay of Bengal. No, actually I was not on the Bay of Bengal. I was near the mouth, in Bangladesh. It's rough...

Prabhupāda: Bay of Bengal is very rough.

Gargamuni: But Sagar Island, isn't that in the Bay?

Prabhupāda: Not actually in the bay. It is on the...

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

Prabhupāda: And actually India was saved on account of Russia. During the Pakistan and Hindustan fight, there was ninety percent chance that America will openly take part with the Pakistan. And because the Russians were there, seen in the Indian Ocean—they have come with their warfare materials—the Americans stopped, that "It is going to be great conflict." Otherwise that was the chance to take over India by the Pakistanis with American help. That was the plan. That is a great achievement of Indira Gandhi, that (s)he, tactfully showing herself in the side of Russia, (s)he separated Bangladesh from Pakistan, and Pakistan is physically finished, that great achievement, separated Bangladesh. Now Pakistan has no value.

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

Hari-śauri: Pakistan is finished.

Prabhupāda: Pakistan is finished, because the Bangladesh was supplying jute, rice, pan, great business.

Rāmeśvara: The government of Bangladesh was just murdered.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Rāmeśvara: They were all murdered.

Prabhupāda: It is due to this American CIA. Therefore I...

Room Conversation -- January 24, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Gargamuni: I'd have to inquire, but I'm pretty sure it's managed by the government, because they're allowing us to enter the temple. There's also a place being offered in West Bengal. I personally went there and took photographs. It's in Kharampur.

Prabhupāda: Kharampur.

Gargamuni: Yes. It's near the Bangladesh border. It's about 80 kilometers north of Krishnanagar...

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Gargamuni: ...near the Bangladesh border. It's five miles... In fact, we took the wrong road and we almost went over the Bangladesh border.

Prabhupāda: Acchā?

Gargamuni: We went through the border almost by mistake, and the guards came with their guns. Our driver took the wrong road. But it's five miles from the Bangladesh border. And the property... There's a temple there of Gaura-Nitāi.

Room Conversation with Two Indian Guests -- January 27, 1977, Jagannatha Puri:

Prabhupāda: When the Britishers saw, "Now the soldiers are coming in national movement. There is no hope. Better break this and go peacefully so that our business may not be disturbed, our relation may not be disturbed. Make a Commonwealth and so on, so on, hodgepodge. And do as much harm as possible dividing Pakistan and Hindustan, all the food in Pakistan, East Bengal and West Pakistan, gehun(?) and rice." And this Hindustan in starvation, because they were getting gehun(?) from Punjab and rice from East Bengal, and that is stopped. They very clever. Greatest harm they did. And in politics made in such a way that these two people, Hindustan and Pakistan, always fight. So they have gained. You have not gained. Gandhi wanted Hindu-Muslim unity. They made so bitter relationship that they will perpetually fight. That is Gandhi's qualification. They are so great diplomats that "This man wants Hindu-Muslim unity, so make such arrangement that this... They fight will continuous. And give all the food to the Pakistani, so they will starve. Let them eat coal." The Hindustan has got coal mine.

Room Conversation -- January 29, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Hm, hm, hm. Gargamuni may go and organize in Dacca. That will be a great service. He was speaking of going to Dacca. That will be greater service.

Satsvarūpa: I thought they were going mostly for the library work.

Prabhupāda: Whatever... No, he says there is possible, that Gauḍīya Maṭha. If in Pakistan, in Bangladesh, if he can organize one center, it will be great triumph.

Satsvarūpa: Dacca.

Prabhupāda: Kīrtana and prasādam distribution. This is our preaching mainly. And if they hear little philosophy, that is very good. Otherwise simply kīrtana and prasādam distribution is sufficient. Caitanya Mahāprabhu used to do that. He was not speaking philosophy to everyone. Kīrtana and prasāda distribution. So our men can perform very nice kīrtana, and if they come to take little prasādam, that is preaching. You have to maintain this standard, that kīrtana must go on and prasādam should be distributed.

Room Conversation -- April 2, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That's all, that's all. That will be very nice. So call him. You are now popular in Bengal, avatāra. (laughter)

Gargamuni: That's common in Bengal. I was seeing in Bangladesh many men were bringing this pamphlet saying, "Oh, this man is the incarnation of Nitāi and Gaura. This man is the incarnation of..."

Prabhupāda: Very good. Keep that position. When you meet them, "No, no, I am servant of Nitāi-Gaura."

Gargamuni: No, that wasn't referring to myself. They were bringing pamphlets of others.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Gargamuni: I was trying to point out that it is common to set up some avatāra, some man as avatāra. They also called us Gaura-Nitāi in Bangladesh, myself and Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa, because they never saw white sādhus before in their lives. And because of our light complexion, they referred us to as Gaura-Nitāi.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So ask Upendra to come. Let him be trained up.

Room Conversation about Harijanas -- April 10, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: So their staple food is rice and fish.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: East Bengal is very wealthy from that point of view. Rice.

Prabhupāda: Pakistan was rich only on account of East Bengal. The pān. Practically it supplies pān to all over India. And betel nut.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's a place that we have not...

Prabhupāda: And milk also produced in very large quantity. East Bengal is rich in vegetables, milk, fish.

Morning Conversation -- April 19, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: There is no excepting an Englishman. So anyway, you make these four men, subcommittee, and you take whatever land is given, given up to Kṛṣṇa. Then pick up selected persons from each family and make a strong body. And then we organize Burma and Bangladesh. And he's going to Ceylon. Formerly India, Burma, Ceylon, they were one. And somebody's going to Pakistan. So there is chance of uniting all these different parts of India by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You have to organize. At least you organize here, Manipur center, Burma, and Bangladesh, and Assam. It will be successful.

Morning Conversation -- April 19, 1977, Bombay:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: In Tripura also there are many Manipuris.

Prabhupāda: Eh? Yes.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Tripura.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Indians... And Manipur, there are many men from Bangladesh.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes. Sylhet.

Prabhupāda: From Sylhet. Sylhet is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's place. There is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's forefathers' house, Sylhet. So what talk you had with that doctor?

Short Dissertations -- May 24-25, 1977, Vrndavana:

Bhavānanda: They like the set, you know. One rupee for one book, they stop and think, but if they pay four rupees, 4.50 for four books, they think they're getting a lot for their money. But one rupee for one book is more difficult.

Prabhupāda: And Bangladesh?

Bhavānanda: Now Jayapatākā Mahārāja is here. He's filled with glowing reports, glowing, "the new frontier, new preaching frontier."

Prabhupāda: Muhammadans also.

Short Dissertations -- May 24-25, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So give the book, Teachings of Lord Caitanya.

Jayapatākā: Yes, we can give the book Teachings of Lord Caitanya, although the books in Bengali will be more suitable. But some English books will be... We are distributing about ten to fifteen big books a week and several thousand Bengali books. Everywhere we go, they are offering us a temple, but we are waiting to see what happens with the Gauḍīya Maṭha. The local secretary-president of the Gauḍīya Maṭha, they are going to see Govinda Mahārāja June 4th and tell them that they want to give the temple to us, because for forty years they haven't done anything. And then he said that if they refuse, then they'll go back and make a resolution that they should give it to us anyway.

Prabhupāda: Yes, they can give. It is Bangladesh law. It has nothing to do...

Short Dissertations -- May 24-25, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: They are very rich man, that Singh jeweler. They can give. He is very nice man, very nice man and very well-to-do. You have seen them?

Jayapatākā: Yes, before I went I saw him, and he gave me three or four names of very wealthy people in Bangladesh to see, and those people are also... One person already became a member, and they'll give us much support.

Prabhupāda: No, you'll get.

Jayapatākā: There are so many. They're scattered about. I couldn't see all the different people in a short period. It's a big place.

Prabhupāda: And whole Bangladesh is a picture.

Short Dissertations -- May 24-25, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Ātreya Ṛṣi can go for some time, Bangladesh. They... He went there. Both Hindus and Muslims, they have regard to our society. And explain.

Jayapatākā: I went to Bangladesh, and even the Muhammadans, hearing the philosophy we were preaching, they thought it was so appropriate for the time that they've sponsored a program. First they approached some of the Hindus to sponsor a program, the Muhammadans, saying that it is much more in line with their own preaching and what they felt was more needed for the world. And generally over there the young people, both Hindus and even some Muhammadans, they are very receptive to our philosophy as presented by Śrīla Prabhupāda. Śrīla Prabhupāda said that sometime you can visit there.

Conversation about Old Days in Calcutta -- July 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, it's hard to even find a butcher shop here.

Prabhupāda: No, no, no. In Mathurā there is slaughterhouse.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Wow! Government allowed. The government.

Prabhupāda: I do not know whether it is stopped or not, but formerly. In Bangladesh, fish you can get very cheap. It is... It is water. You can... Rivers.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So many rivers.

Prabhupāda: And especially for (indistinct), the branch of Ganges, it is full of fish, hilsa fish, very famous. You know hilsa fish?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, I've heard you talk about it previously.

Prabhupāda: It is full of oil.

Room Conversation -- July 19, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: ...known as a religious man so that they can do business very exploitively. They were called by Guru Mahārāja, dharma-dhvaji.(?) Exploit (Bengali). Guru Mahārāja used to say dharma-dhvaji. "Daṇḍavat class." Yes. He knows simply to offer daṇḍavats. (laughs) Even so nice word: "Oh, he's a daṇḍavat class." My Guru Mahārāja was very humorous. He was a Calcutta bhap.(?) Therefore he liked me. All others, they came from East Bengal. I was the only disciple, Calcutta. All others...

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

Prabhupāda: So beyond imagination. (laughter) We printed Caitanya-caritāmṛta, twenty thousand copies. Out of that, five thousand copies are already sold, and we have collected at least forty lakhs of rupees. And India also we are getting orders even from Bangladesh, Dacca, Dacca University. So by Prabhupāda's āśīrvāda things are going very encouraging. What we have sold in the last one week? The last report?

Room Conversation -- August 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: (Bengali) There is a... There was a great Bengali poet. He was very rich man, Micheal, Madhusūdana Datta. So he went to England, and because he was extravagant, he spent all his money. So he was in difficulty. He begged some money from his countrymen, help him. But nobody gave him. Only there was a big paṇḍita, Isvaracandra Vidyasagar. He gave him the money. He thought that "Such a big man is in need of money. Let me... He may pay or not." So after receiving that money, he thanked Isvaracandra Vidyasagar, that "You have got courage of an Englishman and the heart of a Bengali mother." He was poet, so he gave these two examples: the courage of an Englishman and the heart of a Bengali mother. So you are Englishman. You are famous for your forefathers' courage to expand British Empire. The America is also your creation. But everything in this material world deteriorates. That is not fault. But Englishmen were, at least formerly, famous for courage, enthusiasm, expansion of prestige. This Lord Clive was a crewman in a ship, and he established British Empire. So you have to show that Englishman-courage. So you have done something which has proved Englishman-courage. And go on doing it. That is your heritage. And two nice fields, Bangladesh and Nepal. Nepal is only Hindu free state, or it is called... Now India is also free. At least...

Room Conversation -- August 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhaviṣṇu: Śrīla Prabhupāda, in Bangladesh when we were doing programs, after the programs we'd distribute books, and there was such a great rush for books that we had to stay inside a locked room and sell the books through bars in the window.

Prabhupāda: That's very encouraging.

Prabhaviṣṇu: Everywhere we went the people would...

Prabhupāda: The best thing is that in Bangladesh you get foreign exchange. You print books there. It think it is cheaper there. Never mind for the quality, but you'll get good number of books. The government will be pleased.

Prabhaviṣṇu: Yes. Then we can export the books also into West Bengal.

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

Prabhupāda: All the Bengali literatures that we have already published, get it republished in Bangladesh and distribute hugely. And for that purpose we shall pay. And you spend that money.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's not difficult for us to do that.

Prabhupāda: Yes, why not? Plan like that.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: 'Cause we're sending money anyway for construction, so we can send some of that for printing and pay back the construction off of you. Can you send money from Bangladesh to India?

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I'm asking him whether he's able to send any money into India from Bangladesh.

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

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Fortunately we have no scarcity of money.

Prabhupāda: No. Why? Kṛṣṇa has no scarcity of money. Aiśvaryasya samagrasya. Why there is question of scarcity? Make scheme. You are all intelligent. So with how much foreign exchange you'll begin in Bangladesh?

Prabhaviṣṇu: Well, at the moment, Pañca-ratna Prabhu has gone to Bangladesh, and he's investigating in great detail the cost of printing. So when he gives his report, then we'll have a clear idea.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What my idea was, Śrīla Prabhupāda, was this: If he can print in Bangladesh, not only he can print for his own needs in Bangladesh, he can print for West Bengal. And Jayapatākā, instead of... We can pay him in foreign exchange from America, and Jayapatākā can pay the money for the books to the construction fund, which would have been coming from America anyway. In that way it will be very nice accounting.

Prabhupāda: So make that scheme.

Page Title:Bangladesh (Conversations)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Serene
Created:01 of Dec, 2010
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=45, Let=0
No. of Quotes:45