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Blessed (Conversations)

Conversations and Morning Walks

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Mayor -- November 10, 1971, New Delhi:

Viṣala: I've been reading the Brahma-saṁhitā, and uh, by His Divine Grace Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī, and he mentions that to receive the mercy of..., Kṛṣṇa's mercy, one has to be free of all mundane desires, and also he has to receive the grace of God at the same time. So it's all, it's like the son, he mentions. He doesn't know how wealthy his father is, but by the grace of his father, he says, "My dear son, I have a lot of money and I..., you will be in my will, and you will have this all and I will give you all these instructions." So similarly, by finally gradually becoming free of all mundane desires and completely being influenced by the cit potency, by the superior cognitive energy of Lord Kṛṣṇa, one will receive the mercy of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. But the most important thing is to receive the mercy of the spiritual master, because only by the guru's mercy can one be blessed by God. So that means we have... (break)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He's been reading your Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam every morning, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Huh?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We've been reading Śrīla..., Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Prabhupāda: Yes, read.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Should I get a copy of that?

Prabhupāda: Yes. So here is microphone. You did not know? Śrīmatī has brought two microphones.

Room Conversation with Mayor -- November 10, 1971, New Delhi:

Viṣala: I've been reading the Brahma-saṁhitā, and uh, by His Divine Grace Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī, and he mentions that to receive the mercy of..., Kṛṣṇa's mercy, one has to be free of all mundane desires, and also he has to receive the grace of God at the same time. So it's all, it's like the son, he mentions. He doesn't know how wealthy his father is, but by the grace of his father, he says, "My dear son, I have a lot of money and I..., you will be in my will, and you will have this all and I will give you all these instructions." So similarly, by finally gradually becoming free of all mundane desires and completely being influenced by the cit potency, by the superior cognitive energy of Lord Kṛṣṇa, one will receive the mercy of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. But the most important thing is to receive the mercy of the spiritual master, because only by the guru's mercy can one be blessed by God. So that means we have... (break)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He's been reading your Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam every morning, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Huh?

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Dai Nippon -- April 22, 1972, Tokyo:

Prabhupāda: (aside:) What is this? Japanese tea? I see. Water? Cold water. Ice water. So you try to satisfy Kṛṣṇa, and you will be blessed and your son will be blessed. You pray to Kṛṣṇa. Wherever he may be, he will be happy. You believe in incarnation, next birth? Next birth?

Karandhara: Reincarnation?

Prabhupāda: Reincarnation? Yes. So your son, he must have taken some body somewhere. So if you pray to Kṛṣṇa, wherever he may be, he will be happy. He will be happy. How many sons?

Dai Nippon representative: This is my only son now.

Room Conversation with Dai Nippon -- April 22, 1972, Tokyo:

Dai Nippon representative: This is my only son now.

Prabhupāda: Be blessed. He is youngest. He was oldest?

Dai Nippon representative: No. My younger brother also died. My younger brother.

Prabhupāda: Oh, your younger brother. Oh, you are eldest.

Dai Nippon representative: He is my son.

Prabhupāda: Yes, I can understand. How many sons you have got?

Dai Nippon representative: Three.

Prabhupāda: Three. That is nice. And daughters?

Morning Walk -- June 29, 1972, San Diego:

Devotee (1): Someday by Kṛṣṇa's grace we'll put a big festival right here. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...forgetfulness of Kṛṣṇa. When there is Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is no longer material. That is spiritual.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Those of us who have been blessed by your teachings, we still are conditioned to forget Kṛṣṇa. It's very painful when we forget. I know myself, I am still a rascal. It's very difficult when I forget. (break)

Prabhupāda: It is your duty to give protection.

Devotee (1): When he was very small, he came back from the temple one Sunday chanting and dancing, and finally we went to see what it was.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

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

Prabhupāda: Now what he has translated.

Devotee: "The Blessed Lord said, 'I instructed this imperishable science of yoga to the sun god, Vivasvān. Vivasvān instructed it to Manu, the father of mankind, and Manu, in turn, instructed it to Ikṣvāku.' "

Prabhupāda: Now what is the explanation?

Scholar: Herein we find the history of the Bhagavad-gītā traced from a remote time when it was delivered to the royal order, the king of all planets. This science is especially meant for the perfection of the inhabitants, and therefore, the royal order should understand it in order to be able to rule the citizens and protect them from material bondage to lust. Human life is meant for cultivation of spiritual knowledge, the eternal relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the executive heads of all states and all planets are obliged to impart this lesson to the citizens by education, culture and devotion. In other words, the executive heads of all states are intended to spread the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness so that the people may take advantage of this great science and pursue a successful path, utilizing the opportunity of the human form of life...

Room Conversation with Sir Alistair Hardy -- July 21, 1973, London:

Revatīnandana: In the Bible it says, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes.

Revatīnandana: It's possible to see God, but only if there's purity of heart. And a sinful person has not got that purity of heart.

Sir Alistair Hardy: Yes, I... Some of the very simplest people have been years at home (?) and there's great intellectual standing. That's true.

Revatīnandana: Not simple. Sinful.

Sir Alistair Hardy: Simple.

Revatīnandana: Not simple. We're saying "sinful."

Prabhupāda: Sinful.

Room Conversation with Sir Alistair Hardy -- July 21, 1973, London:

Revatīnandana: Yes, it's, it's, it's sin... I'm saying... Here in the Bible it says, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."

Sir Alistair Hardy: Yes.

Revatīnandana: And how can a, how will a sinful person have that purity of heart?

Sir Alistair Hardy: No, well, a sinful person hasn't got purity of heart. No, quite.

Revatīnandana: Yes.

Prabhupāda: So do you...? Don't you think that killing of animal is sinful activity?

Sir Alistair Hardy: Well, it's a very difficult problem because surely the whole of creation has been part of God's work, and the whole of evolution, building up to man, has consisted in the killing of animals, one species killing another.

Prabhupāda: So why a human being should be like one species of animal?

Room Conversation with Lord Brockway -- July 23, 1973, London:

Pradyumna:

tejaḥ kṣamā dhṛtiḥ śaucam
adroho nātimānitā
bhavanti sampadaṁ daivīm
abhijātasya bhārata

"Translation: The Blessed Lord said, fearlessness, purification of one's existence, cultivation of spiritual knowledge, charity, self-control, performance of sacrifice, study of the Vedas, austerity and simplicity, nonviolence, truthfulness, freedom from anger, renunciation, tranquility, aversion to faultfinding, compassion and freedom from covetousness, gentleness, modesty and steady determination, vigor, forgiveness, fortitude, cleanliness, freedom from envy and the passion for honor, these transcendental qualities, O son of Bhārata, belong to godly men endowed with divine nature."

Prabhupāda: Then the demonic nature?

Room Conversation with Sanskrit Professor, Dr. Suneson -- September 5, 1973, Stockholm:

Pradyumna:

śrī bhagavān uvāca
bahūni me vyatītāni
janmāni tava cārjuna
tāny ahaṁ veda sarvāṇi
na tvaṁ vettha parantapa

"The Blessed Lord said, 'Many, many births both you and I have passed. I can remember all of them, but you cannot, O subduer of the enemy!' "

Prabhupāda: Purport.

Pradyumna: "In the Brahma-saṁhitā we have information of many, many incarnations of the Lord. It is stated there:

Room Conversation with Banker -- September 21, 1973, Bombay:

Banker: We have had a long history of debate in America over wealth. We have had one group, the fundamentalist Protestants, who argue that... Most of them are poor, and they feel very guilty if they have money. And then you have another group of Protestants, the Gospel of Wealth Protestants, who say that if you are truly holy, then it is better that the money be entrusted to your hands than to a man who is unholy. And then you have still another group that regards money as an end in itself, rather than a means to, committing you to do other things, And this confuses people in America. Your parents will be one thing, you'll be another. In my case, my mother is a Gospel of Poverty person. Blessed are the poor. She thinks you won't get into heaven unless you are poor. And I'm in the Gospel of Wealth category. (laughter) And you just select your own philosophy along the way. Carnegie was in that philosophy. He even wrote a book about it a one hundred years ago. The steel Carnegie, Carnegie steel.

Prabhupāda: Yes, Carnegie's name I know.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 4, 1974, Bombay:

Girirāja: (reads synonyms) "Translation: The Blessed Lord said: My dear Arjuna, O son of Pṛthā, behold now My opulences, hundreds of thousands of varied divine forms, multi-colored like the sea."

Prabhupāda: This is another instruction. That I explained, that before accepting a so-called incarnation of God, one should ask him to show that "How you are God?" But they do not ask him. A group of persons... Because he is accepted by a group of persons, not by all... There are so many avatāras. But who knows them?

Dr. Patel: Shall I read?

Morning Walk -- April 5, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yes. It is already planned. So even if you don't kill, it is there already.

Girirāja: (reads synonyms for following verse:) "Translation: The Blessed Lord said: Time I am, destroyer of the worlds, and I have come to engage all people. With the exception of you, the Pāṇḍavas, all the soldiers here on both sides will be slain."

Dr. Patel: Shall I read further, sir, or you want to comment?

Prabhupāda: Yes. The process is going on. Although we have got so many plans to save, nobody can be saved. The destination, the bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19), that will go on. Simply vīta-rāga-bhaya-krodhā man-mayā mām upāśritāḥ (BG 4.10), they will be saved. Otherwise all finished.

Morning Walk -- April 5, 1974, Bombay:

Girirāja: "The Blessed Lord said: All the great warriors—Droṇa, Bhīṣma, Jayadratha, Karṇa—are already destroyed. Simply fight, and you will vanquish your enemies."

Prabhupāda: So this is our duty. Just like in this particular case, about our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that so many people are giving me the credit. Actually, I have no credit. It is already desired or it is already planned that "This time in Western countries, this saṅkīrtana movement..." So it is our duty. Similarly, our only duty is to carry out the order of the Supreme. Other things is already done by Him. So if we abide by the orders of the Supreme, then we get the credit. We should know that.

Morning Walk -- April 12, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That is impudency. That is impudency. The worship of the Deity should begin from the leg, from the feet. That is respect. Just like my disciples offer respect and touches my feet, not my head. That is impudency. You cannot touch head. Head is touched when I give him, "All right, be blessed." I shall touch his head, and he shall touch my feet. This is the process. You cannot touch the superior head. That is impudency. You cannot jump over like that.

Indian man (1): It's a part of the body. It is only a...

Prabhupāda: That's all right. But that is the system. That is the system. You should begin. That... That is described in the Bhāgavatam. The First and Second Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam are the two legs of Kṛṣṇa. That is the beginning. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). These professional reciters, they read Bhāgavata. They jump over immediately to the face. The Tenth Canto is described as the face of Kṛṣṇa. So you cannot go immediately to the head. You must begin from the feet.

Morning Walk -- April 24, 1974, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: No, no, only twenty-five. (break) ...all these culprits, the burglars, the thieves, they should be punished exemplary. (chuckles) Yes, that should be done. (break) One telegram: "Come immediately Bombay. Everything is all right, Kṛṣṇa has blessed you." (break) I mean to say intelligent in their part, they'll at least give a chance to him. Yes. (break) ...doing all right.

Satsvarūpa: He said he didn't feel well, he was not going to take a walk.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Satsvarūpa: He said he felt too...

Prabhupāda: He has come.

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

Satsvarūpa:

śrī bhagavān uvāca
aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ
prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase
gatāsūn agatāsūṁś ca
nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ
(BG 2.11)

"Translation: The Blessed Lord said, While speaking learned words you are mourning for what is not worthy of grief. Those who are wise lament neither for the living nor the dead."

Prabhupāda: What is your opinion about this?

Professor Durckheim: May I ask a question? How do you teach your disciples to become aware of this force which is no matter that makes matter alive?

Prabhupāda: That active principle, life, or living soul.

Morning Walk -- June 21, 1974, Germany:

Professor Durckheim: Well, he explained from his theologian point of view, when Moses was asking God, "Who is Thy name?" God didn't give a name but said only, "I am who I am." And then He explained if in the prayer one says, "Blessed be thy name," they use this in order to avoid a direct name. So just only say, "The name." But I don't understand the whole thing because the word God already is... What do you want more? And I believe that in the Christian religion, everybody just says God. They think the word God is the name and nothing more needed.

Prabhupāda: No, no, no. That is not very good sense, that president, president of America. People say " 'President' is sufficient." Then why "Mr. Nixon"? They are all fools? No, they say, "Mr. Nixon," sometimes they say, and sometimes, "the President." Rather, they say more "Mr. Nixon" than "the President." Why?

Room Conversation with Reverend Gordon Powell, Head of Scots Church -- June 28, 1974, Melbourne:

Reverend Powell: Yes? Hm. Another thing. We, of course, have been impressed by the number of young Australians who have become interested in the Hare Krishna Movement and we really congratulate you, sir, on the very fine work (Prabhupāda chuckles) that you've done, and the ones who have rescued the ladies from the fire the other day. But I think everybody recognizes that they're most sincere, that they're not involved because they're not being blessed. They feel they're getting something out of it. But how do you explain... I gather that most countries, in Britain and America and so on that there are many thousands...

Prabhupāda: In Africa. In China, in Japan. Everywhere.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- March 2, 1975, Atlanta:

Satsvarūpa: Ūrdhva-mūlam adhah-śākham. "The blessed Lord said: 'There is a banyan tree which has its roots upward and its branches down and whose leaves are the Vedic hymns. One who knows this tree is a knower of the Vedas.' "

Prabhupāda: Ūrdhva-mūlam adhah-śākham (BG 15.1). Where you have experienced this tree? You have experience: a tree is adhaḥ, down, a mūla, the root, is down and the tree is up. And here it is said, ūrdhva-mūlam, the root is up and the branches and twigs, they're down. Where you have experienced? Eh? Dr. Wolf, where you have experienced this tree?

Room Conversation -- August 21, 1975, Bombay:

Harikeśa:

sri bhagavān uvāca
imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ
proktavān aham avyayam
vivasvān manave prāha
manur ikṣvākave 'bravīt
(BG 4.1)

"The Blessed Lord said: I instructed this imperishable science of yoga to the sun-god, Vivasvān, and Vivasvān instructed it to Manu, the father of mankind, and Manu in turn instructed it to Ikṣvāku." Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2).

Prabhupāda: Imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ.

Harikeśa: Sa kāleneha mahatā yogo naṣṭaḥ parantapa.

Prabhupāda: Again, rājarṣayo viduḥ, sa kāleneha yogo naṣṭaḥ. Rājarṣaya (Bengali) India culture... (Bengali) Now I can help you. This is my... (Bengali) Sa kāleneha?

Morning Walk -- August 28, 1975, Vrndavana:

Member: Yes, I feel. In the heart of hearts I feel like that. I am very happy to see you and have your blessings. And I think that the whole world will be blessed or be benefited by your presence. I think we must take opportunity of utilizing your service and get benefit. That is what I feel.

Prabhupāda: So Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that every Indian should do like that. I am only one Indian. If I can do as, according to your estimate, so much, so if every Indian does like that.

Member: Unless he has been directed by God. He must be ...

Prabhupāda: No, God is directing. This is the direction of God.

Morning Walk -- November 1, 1975, Nairobi:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Your, this punishment condition is also God's creation, external energy. You cannot live for a second without God. But one who knows, he is blessed, and who does not know, he is condemned. But you know or not know, you are always with God. That is your position.

Devotee (12): Śrīla Prabhupāda, how best can we present the teachings of...

Prabhupāda: Just abide by the orders of God and His representative. Then you be happy. Otherwise not.

Harikeśa: This side, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 20, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: No, it will not continue. A few hours in a day, stop. Yadi varṣe māghera śeṣa, daṇḍa-rājā puṇya-deśa. This is the month of Māgha. So at the end of Māgha, if there is little rain, then it is to be understood that the king of that country is very pious and blessed. This time a little rain is required. Yadi varṣe māghera śeṣa, daṇḍa-rājā puṇya-deśa. There is a book, Khanāra Vacana, astronomical prediction in this small verses.

Jayapatākā: Pradyumna Prabhu had a copy of that book.

Prabhupāda: Khanāra Vacana?

Jayapatākā: I was looking at it. It was very practical. Even how to... How many feet you should plant the different trees, banana and others.

Morning Walk -- May 3, 1976, Fiji:

Prabhupāda: Very good idea.... (break) ...Kṛṣṇa, and everything will be all right. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has blessed: ihā haite sarva-siddhi haibe tomāra. "Every perfection you'll get by chanting." That is His blessing.

Indian: (Hindi) (break)

Prabhupāda: That's nice. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Indian: (indistinct) ...he works in town council.

Prabhupāda: Oh, he's South Indian.

Indian: South Indian. (end)

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

Rāmeśvara: It is written in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta that when Lord Caitanya entered this universe, the entire universe was blessed, or benefited. So I'm wondering how Lord Caitanya's movement is going on on other planets other than this planet. Is there some organized saṅkīrtana?

Prabhupāda: Yes. How other planetary system is going on, you do not know, but we can guess it is going on like this. Anumāna. Pratyakṣa anumāna. One thing is direct perception, another by guessing. Pratyakṣa anumāna and śabda and śruti, aitihya. There are so many evidences. Harer nāma harer nāma (CC Adi 17.21). Śrī kṛṣṇa caitanya prabhu...

Morning Walk -- June 11, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: The prisoners.... Haridāsa Ṭhākura was very well known, so all of them assembled and offered him respect. Haridāsa Ṭhākura blessed them, "Stay in this condition." (laughs) So they were surprised, that "We offered respect, and the blessing is that 'Stay in this....' " Then they were explained, " 'Stay in this condition' means your attitude to offer respect to a Vaiṣṇava." That was the intent, not that "You stay in the prison house." Viṣṇu, Vaiṣṇava, offering respect.... (break) ...ārādhanam. When Pārvatī inquired from Lord Śiva what is the best form of worship, he advised, viṣṇor ārādhanaṁ param: "Oh, to worship Lord Viṣṇu is the best form of..." Then he said, tasmāt parataraṁ devi tadīyānāṁ samarcanam: "And greater than viṣṇor ārādhana, Viṣṇu worship, is to worship tadīyānām, anything in connection with Viṣṇu." Anything.... That is Vaiṣṇava. Just like we are worshiping tulasī, tulasī plant. Why tulasī plant? It is a plant only, not even human being.

Conversation with Clergymen -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:

Scheverman: Many of these expressions that you are reading sound very similar to what we call the "Wisdom Literature" of the Old Testament of our Bible, of Syrac and Ecclesiastics and Ecclesiasticus, and also, of course, some of the sayings of Jesus are very close to what you're saying here. Jesus said "Seek first the kingdom of heaven, and all these other things will be added besides." That's the first-class man, who's constantly working toward the kingdom. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, blessed are the meek" and so on.

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. If there is a first class, set a first-class man on the head of the society, then everything will be done properly.

Conversation with Clergymen -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: No, I mean to say, it we look for Eastern, Western, then it become sectarian. But it is for all. If you teach a person to become peaceful, it is not the question of Eastern and Western. It is meant for everyone.

Scheverman: Jesus said "Blessed are the peacemakers; they shall see God." Yes.

Prabhupāda: That's right. That's right. So why should you say that it is Eastern or Western?

Scheverman: Well your methodology, much of your personal vocabulary, your garb, is from the East.

Prabhupāda: It is not personal. It may be said that in Eastern countries or in India, these things are very much appreciated and developed. That is another thing. But the thing as it is, it is neither Eastern or Western.

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

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.

Kulaśekhara: Anyone who gets to render you personal service, Prabhupāda, they are most blessed, they are most fortunate.

Prabhupāda: Anyway, you have got this jewel, utilize it properly, make your life perfect.

Interview with Mike Darby -- June 30, 1976, Wheeling, W. Virginia:

Hari-śauri: From 4.1?

śrī bhagavān uvāca
imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ
proktavān aham avyayam
vivasvān manave prāha
manur ikṣvākave 'bravīt
(BG 4.1)

"The Blessed Lord said: I instructed this imperishable science of yoga to the sun-god, Vivasvān, and Vivasvān instructed it to Manu, the father of mankind, and Manu, in turn, instructed it to Ikṣvāku."

Prabhupāda: So Kṛṣṇa instructed first to the sun-god. Sun-god instructed his son, Manu; he instructed his son, Ikṣvāku. In this way things are coming. Then read the second verse.

Morning Walk -- July 5, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: Whatever it may be, you can say any name, any style or any trademark. Where is the independence? That is the question.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: But Śrīla Prabhupāda blessed yesterday around the Capitol. There were so many people, and they seemed like they liked...

Prabhupāda: So many people, there are so many earthworms also. Ants also, gathered together. Does it mean they are independent? Hare Kṛṣṇa. You know the earthworms? They heap up earth and disappear. So you are, if you take it in that way, that big, big buildings, just like earthworms gathering up earth and then disappears. Actually that is the... Like the worms, we gather together and become a nation and apply all our energy, heaps of buildings, then finished. We go somewhere, you go somewhere. And who knows what he's going to be next life? Everything is going like that, family, community, national. Like the same earthworm, they gather so much huge dipi..., what is called dipi (?)in English?

Room Conversation -- July 10, 1976, New York:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There's a special article about prasādam, Prabhupāda, called "Food for the Gods." "Of all the ways of getting to heaven, or nirvāṇa, or whatever your ideal place may be, the Hare Kṛṣṇa way is one of the most pleasant. Believers of this faith are convinced that you can eat your way into higher spiritual realms. Of course, this doesn't mean that food itself is sacred and the more you eat the holier you are. To begin with, there is a strict prohibition against the killing of animals, so meat, fish and eggs are not included in the diet at all of the Kṛṣṇa devotees. Furthermore, there are many special rules for preparing the food which may be offered to Kṛṣṇa to be blessed by Him and therefore to bring blessings to anyone who partakes of it." Should I read this whole article?

Prabhupāda: Um, hmm.

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

Prabhupāda: And above all, the atmosphere, the weather, was very nice.

Bali-mardana: Oh, yes, Kṛṣṇa has blessed us.

Prabhupāda: Yes. (laughs) The breeze was there. We did not feel any...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No discomfort.

Prabhupāda: ...fatigue.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And there was nearly four hundred to five hundred devotees there.

Prabhupāda: Yes. They will stay in the temple?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, they've been staying here.

Evening Darsana -- August 12, 1976, Tehran:

Harikeśa:

śrī bhagavān uvāca
aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ
prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase
gatāsūn agatāsūṁś ca
nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ
(BG 2.11)

"The Blessed Lord said: While speaking learned words, you are mourning for what is not worthy of grief. Those who are wise lament neither for the living nor the dead."

Prabhupāda: Purport.

Harikeśa: "The Lord at once took the position of the teacher and chastised the student, calling him, indirectly, a fool. The Lord said, 'You are talking like a learned man, but you do not know that one who is learned—one who knows what is body and what is soul—does not lament for any stage of the body, neither in the living nor in the dead condition.' As it will be explained in later chapters, it will be clear that knowledge means to know matter and spirit and the controller of both.

Room Conversation About Blitz News Clipping -- August 21, 1976, Hyderabad:

Pradyumna: "Besides, they are planning to set up a Sanskrit university in Purī, the home of famed temples and one of the few spots in India blessed by Ādi Śaṅkara. Two devotees, Gurudāsa Swami and Abhirāma dāsa visited Bhuvaneśvara in April last to explore means to set up the university." Then in big heading, "Patnayak's interest in Kṛṣṇa cult."

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: This is going to get us...

Prabhupāda: That's nice.

Pradyumna: "They reportedly met also our deputy defense minister, J. B. Patnayak, who hails from Orissa. It is understood that Patnayak has asked the district magistrate of Purī to find land for ISKCON's Sanskrit university there. ISKCON is pursuing not only Kṛṣṇa, it has started taking interest in politics also. It has founded a political party in the United States called "In God We Trust" Party. It has already contested civic elections in Los Angeles and intends to put up candidates for the U.S. Congress." We didn't do anything in Los Angeles. Only in Georgia. All wrong, complete...

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Rāmeśvara: Yes. So we're thinking that it must be because He came into this world, then everyone was blessed.

Prabhupāda: Pāpī tāpī jāta chilo, hari-nāme uddharilo. That is the beginning. And He enthused Indians, "Take this knowledge and distribute." Bhārata bhūmite haila manuṣya janma yāra (CC Adi 9.41). That is Kṛṣṇa Caitanya.

Rāmeśvara: That was the period when all the Europeans became very interested in traveling all over the world, and they discovered America, and they were very interested in coming to India for the spices. There was a great interest in India. Actually they say this man Columbus, he landed in America because he was looking for India, trying to cross the ocean, and he found this land America blocking his way.

Hari-śauri: That's how those islands became the West Indies, because he was looking for India, and he went West, and he hit some islands, and they call them the West Indies. Then later they went to America.

Room Conversation -- February 2, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Hari-śauri: "The blessed Lord said: 'One who is unattached to the fruits of his work and who works as he is obligated is in the renounced order of life and he is the true mystic, not he who lights no fire and performs no work.' "

Prabhupāda: Purport.

Hari-śauri: "In this chapter the Lord explains that the process..." (break)

Prabhupāda: So this is sannyāsī. Sannyāsī is not the dress. This mentality, that is sannyāsa. So you have taken all prasādam? No.

Jayapatākā: Now you take rest, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Yes. So things are going nicely?

Room Conversation -- February 16, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Vyāsa-pūjā. Vyāsa-prasādam. Unless one is blessed by Vyāsadeva, he cannot write transcendental literature. So now you have very good cook. Kīrtana is going on. It is Vaikuṇṭha. Maintain this status very nicely. You can. You are... From the very beginning you are... Do it very nicely. Tatra tiṣṭhāmi nārada yatra gāyanti mad-bhaktāḥ. If devotees chant always, that is Kṛṣṇa or Vaikuṇṭha. Tatra tiṣṭhā... Tatra tiṣṭhāmi. Yatra gāyanti mad-bhaktāḥ. They must be pure devotee and always talk about Kṛṣṇa, chant about Kṛṣṇa. Then it is Vaikuṇṭha. What about this generator? Is it going to work or not?

Room Conversation -- February 16, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Yes. And I have acknowledged his contribution and blessed him as good boy. And because he served Kṛṣṇa, then later on he became inclined to give us that house.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Has that house been transferred actually yet?

Prabhupāda: Never mind what is the... We are using it. If he says "Go out," we shall go out. What is that? We are not after property.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And he'll never say that.

Evening Darsana -- February 25, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Oh. Very good. The more you distribute books, the more you are blessed. There is no more or less. Everyone is blessed... (laughter) There is no such discrimination, but still, there is some competition. (laughter) In Vṛndāvana there is no discrimination that gopīs are the highest and others... No. Every one is all right. Still, from neutral point of view, the gopīs are the highest. Caitanya Mahāprabhu..., ramya kaścid upāsanā vraja-vadhu vargabhir ya kalpita,(?) that "There is no standard of worship, what was conceived by the gopīs." Caitanya Mahāprabhu said. There is no distinction between the cowherd boys and the gopīs or the trees and the flowers and the calves and cows. It is the absolute platform.

Evening Darsana -- May 11, 1977, Hrishikesh:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa:

idaṁ śarīraṁ kaunteya
kṣetram ity abhidhīyate
etad yo vetti taṁ prāhuḥ
kṣetra-jña iti tad-vidaḥ
(BG 13.2)

"Arjuna said, O my dear Kṛṣṇa, I wish to know about prakṛti, puruṣa, and the field and the knower of the field, and of knowledge and the end of knowledge. The Blessed Lord then said, This body, O son of Kuntī, is called the field, and one who knows this body is called the knower of the field."

Prabhupāda: Just like every one of us. I know, you know, that "This is my body. This is my finger. This is my leg." So the body is called kṣetra. We have been allotted a kṣetra. Just like the government distributes the land to a certain person, that "This is your land. You till it and grow your food," thirty bighās or something like that. This body is like that. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe arjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61).

Conversation Pieces -- May 27, 1977, Vrndavana:

Rāmeśvara: We are confident. By your words it will double.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Be doubly blessed. Yes. I say, America is my fatherland. So New Vrindaban is developing? Be happy everywhere.

Kīrtanānanda: How can we be happy when you're not well?

Prabhupāda: Hm? Hm?

Kīrtanānanda: We can't be happy if you're not well.

Prabhupāda: I am always well.

Kīrtanānanda: Why can't you give us your old age?

Page Title:Blessed (Conversations)
Compiler:Mayapur, RupaManjari
Created:29 of Oct, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=43, Let=0
No. of Quotes:43