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Bombay (Conversations 1977 May - Nov)

Conversations and Morning Walks

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- May 8, 1977, Hrishikesh:

Prabhupāda: Duty, profit, so on, so on. And all these big, big millionaires, they are exacting money from the poor like that, and when they have got money, they spend little for daridra-nārāyaṇa. "Oh, very big man." And our program? Why you making daridra? Daridra? Our policy is this, that "Why should you make him daridra?" First of all make him daridra, and then take credit—"daridra-nārāyaṇa"? Just see how cheating is going on. But we are projecting this path for them: let them remain in their home, produce their own food only and cloth and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. This is our policy. Our policy means Kṛṣṇa's policy. Let them have sufficiently to eat, and they'll be all satisfied. If the mind is Kṛṣṇa conscious, then they don't want anything, either liquor or meat or anything. No. This is the advantage. And this is not social... What is that? That first of all drag him from the innocent life of village and engage him in the factory in the hope of getting more money, and then he's habituated to liquor. When he cannot pay, they purchase this poison and die.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Like in Bombay.

Prabhupāda: Like rats(?). Is that progress like that? Keep them daridra forever and take credit—"daridra-nārāyaṇa." Just see. Simply bluffing and cheating.

Trivikrama: Misdirected society. Misdirected. So how will we change?

Prabhupāda: Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa con... (break)

Indian man (1): (Hindi) (break) (Hindi)

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) Why one? Let him come. (Hindi) I think I speak in English. Otherwise they will not understand. The first thing is that "I am not this body." This is the first instruction of Bhagavad-gītā. And if you do not understand the first instruction, then where is the use of going ahead? This is the defect.

Conversations -- May 17, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) I was very anxious to print my books. So he was the first one to come forward, a five thousand dollar check. (Hindi) What is this cloth is hanging?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It says, "Welcome, Śrīla Prabhupāda."

Prabhupāda: Oh. Where is Gopāla?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He went back to Bombay.

Prabhupāda: (Hindi)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He was in Delhi. He was there day before yesterday.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He was in Delhi only about two days ago. He'll be coming back here, he said, in about one week from now, one week to ten days.

Prabhupāda: You can keep here. When Mr. Bose has come?

Akṣayānanda: Mr Ghosh?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Bose.

Akṣayānanda: Oh. Just three days ago.

Prabhupāda: How long he'll stay?

Discussions -- May 20-22, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What can I suggest?

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That in regard to the three temples, Māyāpur, Bombay and Vṛndāvana, you should designate who you want the trustees to be.

Prabhupāda: That I shall do.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And in regard to the money which is held in your name, which will be used for the society, that should also be... Your signature should be given as a power of attorney to two or three other persons.

Prabhupāda: That's all.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Other than that, you already formed the Māyāpur-Vṛndāvana Trust. Everything is there.

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: BBT is there.

Prabhupāda: These are the points.

Discussions -- May 20-22, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Hm? What you are thinking?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I was just thinking that... I was remembering in Gorakhpur, Hari Prasad Podhar. So I was thinking that when Kṛṣṇa wants His devotee to come back to Him, then it seems like He gives the devotee notice. But it seems like you're... I mean, when you were in Bombay you were hoping very much to recover. Seems like you're not... You know... That will seems not to be so strong as it was then, maybe because there's been so many... You've made such a effort to get better and it still hasn't improved. So how long one can keep trying like that?

Prabhupāda: Therefore I do not wish to leave Vṛndāvana.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah.

Prabhupāda: If by Kṛṣṇa's desire I survive, then we shall see later on. Otherwise...

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

Prabhupāda: All right. Then you shall begin. Jaya. (break) Daily or alternately, (makes bleating sound:) "Myaaaḥ, myaaḥ." And there is religious process that the head should be eastern side and the throat should be cut up. And when the animal dies, bifurcate, cleanse it and the skin and everything... And they have got cāpāṭi. Government subsidizes. So they cook at home the meat, and in market they purchase a cāpāṭi according to the family, one big cāpāṭi, two cāpāṭi. That's all. Our men who has eaten that cāpāṭi, they say it is very nice, very soft and digesting. Huge deserted country, but some stock, some spots, water. There are trees. They raise the cattle there. Eighty percent of the land, all desert. Or ninety percent. No, eighty. Say seventy-five. And because they have got now money, they are having big, big buildings, foreign cars, roads in the air, developing. And they're importing at any cost. From Bombay the best mango they are importing at any cost.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Five hundred rupees per dozen.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They are paying five hundred rupees, a dozen mangoes.

Prabhupāda: They don't mind. "We must have mangoes." Money is very insignificant thing. Gold is the... And as soon as there is enough money, there is debauch, debauchery. Still there are Oriental moral principles. Girls who have become modernized... Otherwise they do not mix with any man. Their husband, that's all. And covered body, they are, very beautiful girl. And those who have become modernized, they are just like European girls. There is no difficulty to become modernized. They have got money. And they tour from one country to another extensively. Formerly for Muhammadans, drinking was the greatest sin. Now it has become... Drinking is strictly prohibited amongst the Muhammadans, according to their religious system. And sex? Before Muhammadan religion was introduced, they used to have sex even with mother.

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

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Jaya. In Tehran the royalty, the court, is very interested in your teachings and philosophy. There is a prince and princess, very high and very rich, and they are regularly hearing, and they are now recently visiting our Bombay temple. They have come to Bombay, and they are really seeking for a teacher. And there is many intelligent people who are very interested. We are actively preaching and giving them Śrīla Prabhupāda's books.

Prabhupāda: It is plain fact. God is one. Why God should be Muhammadan, Christian, Hindu? That is not God. God is God. Gold is gold. This example I give always. Because a piece of gold is coming from some Muhammadan gentleman, does it mean it is Muhammadan gold? It is gold. It may come from any source, but one must know that it is gold, not imitation. That is wanted. If it is imitation, then it is Muhammadan gold, Hindu gold. And if it is real gold, it is neither Muhammadan nor Hindu. (end)

Conversation Pieces -- May 27, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa phobia. And that is my idea. Let there be repeatedly the sounding, "Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa he. They want to avoid it, and I don't allow.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That reporter in Bombay complained against you that you had a one-track mind.

Prabhupāda: Yes. They say, "Why you are stressing so much on Kṛṣṇa?" And that is the only business.

Rāmeśvara: At the end of this year we will have sold at least sixty-five million books on Kṛṣṇa, magazines and books. By end of December, sixty-five million throughout the world, mostly in the last five years.

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa is already known, "Hare Kṛṣṇa movement."

Rāmeśvara: Every year we are selling at least fifteen to twenty million books now, books and magazines.

Prabhupāda: It will increase more. People will be inquisitive. Yes, everything there is. What is the wrong? We are talking of Kṛṣṇa, and all of a sudden I collapse. Oh, that is the greatest profit. Greatest profit. Kṛṣṇa tvadīya...

Ādi-keśava: Kṛṣṇa tvadīya-pada-paṅkaja-pañjarāntam.

Prabhupāda: Hm. Kṛṣṇa tvadīya-pada-paṅkaja-pañjarāntam adyaiva viśatu me mānasa-rāja-haṁsaḥ (MM 33), prāṇa-prayāṇa... Ordinary dying, kapha-pitta-vāyu: "Ghara ghara ghar," choking and... But in the kīrtana if we die, oh, it is so successfully... Injection, operation... Who needs it? That atmosphere death and kṛṣṇa-kīrtana death? Glorious death. Oxygen gas... (laughs) Dying and so much trouble. Never call. Please accept my request. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, bas, and let me die peacefully. Never be disturbed, call doctor—no. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Go on chanting. Chanting, hearing, chanting. You have got so much material. Read. Read something from this book. Rāmeśvara, you can read. It is your book.

Conversation Pieces -- May 27, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: That you select amongst yourselves. Why you are taxing me?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: All right. I didn't know if you wanted us to do that.

Prabhupāda: You do not know? I have repeatedly said. You do that.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, for Bombay and Māyāpur and Vṛndāvana, I mean.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Hyderabad.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, these three places are most important.

Prabhupāda: Everywhere. (pause) Among yourselves, there is no strong man. That is the defect. All like child. That is the defect. And it requires a very strong man. That is lacking. In every minute details I have poked my nose. Anyone, whatever you have got, sit down and select trustees, and the format is there. Make a trustee. So...? (break) ...should be so many copies. Every one of you GBC and important men must have that copies.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I'll distribute copies today.

Prabhupāda: Among few, Rāmeśvara will be printed in(?). Anyway, do your best. Otherwise there is a very big undercurrent. They are looking for the opportunity. (pause) They want some money first.

Conversation Pieces -- May 27, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Caitya-guru?

Indian devotee (1): Actually I was wondering that I should go and conduct him, 'cause last time, when he met our devotees, when he mentioned that he was very eager to have your darśana in Bombay, then you were not feeling well. So you were unable to see him.

Prabhupāda: But if he can come to see me... This program he's taking. The whole world will be happy. (break) Land was made wet by milk, not with water. This is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. You can find out that verse.

Yaśomatīnandana: Which one?(?) Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Prabhupāda: Siṣicuḥ. Gāvaḥ siṣicuḥ, like that. Sarva-dughā mahī. Ah. Kāmaṁ vavarṣa parjanyaḥ sarva-kāma-dughā mahī (SB 1.10.4). Kāmaṁ vavarṣa parjanyaḥ. The situation in Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira's kingdom... This is the beginning of the verse. Find out. Kāmaṁ vavarṣa parjanyaḥ parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ (SB 1.10.4), er, sarva-dughā mahī, sarva-kāma-dughā mahī. First part. (pause)

Conversation Pieces -- May 27, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Rāmeśvara: This is based on the BBT Trust document that you wrote many years ago, the same idea almost. "I, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder-Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, disciple of Oṁ Viṣṇupāda 108 Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Mahārāja Prabhupāda, and we, the members of the Bureau of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, hereby give and transfer the properties and all the property rights incidental thereto, as hereinafter described, to the following persons as trustees in trust for purposes hereinafter stated and to be administered in accordance with the provisions hereinafter set forth." And there are five different trusts. The first one is for Māyāpur, and the proposed trustees are Jayapatākā Mahārāja, Bhavānanda Mahārāja and Gopāla Kṛṣṇa. The second one is for Bombay, and the proposed trustees are Tamāla Kṛṣṇa Mahārāja, Girirāja and Gopāla Kṛṣṇa. The third one is for Vṛndāvana, and the proposed trustees are Akṣayānanda Swami, Gopāla Kṛṣṇa and Viśvambhara.

Prabhupāda: Viśvambhara is not our regular disciple.

Jayapatākā: Shouldn't be included.

Prabhupāda: Then he has to accept sannyāsa from me.

Jayatīrtha: Jaya.

Prabhupāda: He should know...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Become initiated.

Jayapatākā: Trustee must be initiated disciple.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Conversation Pieces -- May 27, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Inventory.

Rāmeśvara: Inventory, yes, inventory. Then "Section 2: Name of the Trust. This trust shall be known by the name..." So for each trust there's a different name. For Māyāpur it is proposed, "Śrī Māyāpur Chandrodaya Mandir Trust." For Bombay, "Śrī-Śrī-Rādhā-Rāsa-Vihārījī Temple Trust," for Vṛndāvana, "Śrī-Śrī-Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma Mandir Trust," and that will include the Gurukula. For Bhuvaneśvara, "Śrī-Śrī-Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma Bhuvaneśvara Trust." It goes on to say, "In so far as possible, the trustees shall conduct the trust activities in that name. Section 3: The Purpose of the Trust. This trust is created and shall be operated exclusively for fulfilling the aims and objects of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness as per the memorandum of association. ISKCON is registered as a society under the Society Act of 1860, and is registered as a public charitable trust. We direct that no part of this trust shall inure to the benefit of any private individual, and no part of the activities of this trust shall consist of participating in or intervening in any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office." Then "Section 4: The Use of the Trust. Irrevocably, the properties, the temple and the Deities thereupon and all other holdings of the trust shall never be mortgaged, borrowed against, sold, transferred..."

Prabhupāda: Stole?

Rāmeśvara: "Sold."

Prabhupāda: Sold.

Srila Prabhupada Vigil -- May 27, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: No, I am confident when I am in Vṛndāvana I'm all right.

Guest (3): (Hindi) So many people committing crimes, they are doing sins. They have got their own fortunes. And you are affected by all that. Therefore you are... (Hindi) (Hindi conversation with Prabhupāda)

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) You just receive him very well.

Guest (2): Bombay temple ke... Girirāja.

Prabhupāda: He is the president.

Guest (3): (to Girirāja:) I am coming on llth June, so some day by will of the Supreme, I will be there.

Girirāja: You can stay with us if you like.

Guest (3): ...program I will come. (pause)

Prabhupāda: He is useless, tell(?).

Guest (1): (Hindi)

Prabhupāda: Whole thing. We have no hope for...(?)

Srila Prabhupada Vigil -- May 27, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Just now everything is going on, but after my demise it may be taken away from your hand.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Phew! You understood that from this discussion here with this man?

Prabhupāda: I understood it long ago. It has been stayed, (?) Bombay, Vṛndāvana. So how you are going to guard yourself? That is the problem.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I... Your order that it be a trust property with lifetime trustees...

Prabhupāda: So now you are all here. Very cautiously and everything agree.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That will protect it. At least the property will be protected.

Prabhupāda: You should be very much determined, strong-minded. Otherwise it will slip. Such huge property...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually these properties are the envy of all of India. They're the best properties in each place.

Prabhupāda: Not only property. Our prestige, our position... Everything is envied. Everywhere we are first class.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. There's no rival.

Bhavānanda: There will be men, I know. There will be men who want to try and pose themselves as guru.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That was going on many years ago. Your Godbrothers were thinking like that. Mādhava Mahārāja...

Bhavānanda: Oh, yes. Oh, ready to jump.

Prabhupāda: Very strong management required and vigilant observation. (background whispering, Tamāla Kṛṣṇa and Bhavānanda) So you are foreign...

GBC Meets with Srila Prabhupada -- May 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Of this committee.

Girirāja: Yes.

Prabhupāda: That's nice.

Girirāja: And then the signers would be, in Bombay, Tamāla Kṛṣṇa Goswami, Gopāla Kṛṣṇa and myself, two out of the three. And then in Los Angeles, jointly, Rāmeśvara Mahārāja and Satsvarūpa Mahārāja.

Prabhupāda: Very good.

Girirāja: Then, for the BBT, the idea would be that the principle amount should not be touched, but it can be given, you know, for loan if absolutely necessary, just as you have been doing. But the idea is that that amount should always be repaid.

Prabhupāda: On principle.

Girirāja: Yeah.

Prabhupāda: Even by chance it is not paid, don't mind. Business should not suffer. That's all.

Girirāja: Yes.

GBC Meets with Srila Prabhupada -- May 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: That you can keep in your books, not in the bank.

Girirāja: So all the funds can be consolidated...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Girirāja: ...in the accounts in Bombay.

Prabhupāda: Yes. To see your accounts...

Jayapatākā: This evening we're going to change the names.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Girirāja: No, no, what he's saying...

Rāmeśvara: We should consolidate the accounts. Just on paper keep it simple.

Girirāja: Yeah. And then for the BBT money the decision to give out loan should be unanimously approved by all three of us, Tamāla Kṛṣṇa, Gopāla and myself.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Morning Conversation -- May 29, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Cover you can get there, cover.

Gargamuni: In Bombay we might be able to do cover much cheaper and then the inside cheaper in Orissa. That we have...

Prabhupāda: Better quality also.

Gargamuni: It is good quality, similar quality. They agreed, they could get same paper as we had in previous books, but for printing cover that would be very difficult.

Prabhupāda: And tell, we can get from Bombay cover.

Gargamuni: Oh. But I had written you in the report that out of the first twenty thousand we have printed, still 18,500 are remaining.

Prabhupāda: So not selling?

Gargamuni: Because we have very few men, so now Gaura-Govinda is taking on bullocks cart. He'll go to the villages, and he'll distribute. Then some portion of what I will collect, I will put in... I have separate account for book fund and one for construction. Some portion I'll put in book fund. Then we'll print, and I will bring...

Prabhupāda: No, you gave money. I can give you. There is Book Trust.

Gargamuni: I just feel...

Prabhupāda: No.

Conversations -- May 31, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: And there?

Rāmeśvara: If we did it in America, it would not be less expensive. It might be even more expensive, because you have to order a special font for the Hindi alphabet. I've gone over this with Gopāla, and he says that so far, he is able to keep up with the translators. He is just now in Bombay, giving some more books in Hindi to the printer. Bhāgavatam 1.3 and Bhagavad-gītā in Hindi are going to the printer. And the translator is just still working on the first volume of Second Canto. As far as printing, this printer in Bombay called Usha is giving us very good service at a very low price. So it's a good place to print the books, the Hindi books. (pause) There's no question of buying equipment in India because it's too expensive for us to buy our own equipment.

Prabhupāda: No, that is...

Rāmeśvara: Plus it will not be repaired when it breaks.

Prabhupāda: That is very risky.

Rāmeśvara: We can tell these composers that "We are offering so many books for many, many years to come. We will give you so much business if you work faster." (pause)

Prabhupāda: Bring little bhaskar lavan.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Little bhaskar lavan. (pause)

Indian devotee (1): They are just coming with it, Prabhupāda. (pause)

Conversations -- May 31, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Seminar.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Seminar. Conference. Yeah, we'll bridge the gap. And I think that would be quite appropriate. It will be quite appropriate, so that we can start propagating the message. Then I will... They're making a pamphlet for tomorrow. Dr. Sharma is going to print it in Delhi. So we can do some nice program in Bombay. And in a little time most of the schools in India are closed, so we can have nice conference in Vṛndāvana and have slide shows and... I'm going to see that film tomorrow. Messages that we have... And I proposed that we have nice form so that we present nice slide show and specific objects.

Prabhupāda: That will be very nice. Good idea.

Devotee (2): What time do you recommend they come?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes, we can invite some scholars. I saw two students from Delhi today. They are students. So I will start a program of the Institute here if they are interested.

Prabhupāda: Keep always busy. Make execution. Something must go on. We have got our guesthouse to provide respectable gentleman with quarter.

Conversations -- May 31, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Do some writing also.

Prabhupāda: When your books are being published?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: It will be ready in September, just before Janmāṣṭamī. So we are coming at that time to open also in Bombay.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So make program indirectly.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: We are actually making a brochure, saying that Bhaktivedanta Institute Natural Studies.

Prabhupāda: We have saved some money, Los Angeles. So you can arrange. Always keep busy every cent.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: We titled the series of the talk as "Bhaktivedanta Institute Lecture Series on the Origins of Life and Matter," and we will give a little synopsis of what Bhaktivedanta Institute is, and then we'll give the little biography of the candidate who's going to speak. We'll also announce the topic that we are going to speak.

Prabhupāda: Call Bhakti-prema Swami. (pause)

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Rādhā-vallabha told me that one of the manuscripts... It is already in Los Angeles in our press, English press. He told me that he will send us the final for reading. Rādhā-vallabha, he told me that one he just got a few days, our booklet, so but four... I planned to have four. So we start actually so we can distribute also. Gargamuni Mahārāja promised me that his party will make all engagements in India.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: He's traveling from college to college. So I'm sending him our brochure and the timetable that... I plan to spend about..., till the next Māyāpur festival to do all the India program, finish all over India programs.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Discussions -- June 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: ...this summer and he can come. We can provide free lodging and...

Prabhupāda: Yes, everyone should be provided free lodging.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: We can invite about two hundred guests and have a week-long conference.

Prabhupāda: If they voluntarily give contribution, that's all right. Otherwise we shall provide. We have got guesthouse. It is very nice. Even they do not pay, we shall pay.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: We can make scientific propaganda. And we can also do the same thing in Bombay. Bombay will be bigger.

Prabhupāda: Therefore you have been trained up, (chuckles) for this purpose. (break)

Girirāja: So we drafted a will, including the trust for the properties of India and some of the other...

Prabhupāda: Will? Will, there will be direction that "Management should be done like this." That's all.

Girirāja: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Nobody can say in court case that "This temple will be in charge of this person, this temple..."

Rāmeśvara: Yes, just like you said.

Girirāja: So we've included those points and the points in your brief will. Should I read it?

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Discussions -- June 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Hm, yes.

Girirāja: "The system of management will continue as it is now. There is no need of any change. 3. The property in India will be managed by the following committee members: A. Properties at Śrī Māyāpur Dhāma, Panihati, Haridaspur, and Calcutta-Gurukṛpā Swami, Jayapatākā Swami, Bhavānanda Goswami, and Gopāla Kṛṣṇa dāsa Adhikārī; B. At Vṛndāvana-Gurukṛpā Swami, Akṣayānanda Swami, and Gopāla Kṛṣṇa dāsa Adhikārī; C. At Bombay-Tamāla Kṛṣṇa Goswami, Girirāja dāsa Brahmacārī, and Gopāla Kṛṣṇa dāsa Adhikārī; D. At Bhuvaneśvara-Gaura-Govinda Swami, Jayapatākā Swami and Bhāgavata dāsa Brahmacārī; E. At Hyderabad-Mahāṁśa Swami, Gopāla Kṛṣṇa dāsa Adhikārī, and Bali-mardana dāsa Adhikārī."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And Śrīdhara.

Girirāja: "And Śrīdhara Goswami. The committee members who have herein been designated are appointed for life. In the event of the death or failure to act for any reason of any of the said committee members, a successor committee member or committee members may be appointed by the remaining committee members, provided that the new committee member is an initiated disciple and following strictly all the rules and regulations of ISKCON as detailed in the books of His Divine Grace..." Oh. "...detailed in my books, and provided that there are never less than three or more than five committee members acting at one time. 4. I have created, developed and organized the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, and as such, I hereby will that none of the immovable properties in India in the name of ISKCON shall ever be mortgaged, borrowed against..."

Prabhupāda: Why India? Everywhere. Everywhere.

Rāmeśvara: See, in America sometimes we will borrow against the temple to "fry the fish in its own oil." So we wanted to make this language just for India, that they can never even mortgage it or risk it in any way.

Prabhupāda: All right. But outside they can do?

Rāmeśvara: Outside they have...

Discussions -- June 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Rāmeśvara: "I, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder-Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, disciple of Oṁ Viṣṇupāda 108 Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Mahārāja Prabhupāda and settler of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, at present residing at the Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma Temple in Vṛndāvana, hereby solemnly declare, say and confirm as follows: 1. That I am the Founder-Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, known as ISKCON, a society registered under the Society Registration Act of 1860, with its headquarters at Juhu, Bombay, and branches at..." And then it's to be filled in. "2. That some properties with movable and immovable..." What is this word? "...have been donated to me by the devotees of the International Society of Krishna Consciousness or purchased or otherwise acquired by me in my name which still stand in my personal name; 3. That I hereby categorically declare and say that I am just a benāmadāra (benāmi) of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness..."

Prabhupāda: What is benāmadāra?

Girirāja: It means... Just like in the Chand Society. Due to some reason we could not take in the beginning in the name of BBT, so we appointed someone to keep in his name, but actually it is not his. He is the only the benāmadāra on behalf of the society.

Prabhupāda: Oh, benāmadāra.

Room Conversation -- June 18, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Why not?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I mean, you have no... I'm just trying to think in terms of pacing ourselves, what the schedule...

Prabhupāda: No, we can stay here unless business is finished. There is no other engagement.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No. The only other engagement is the opening of Bombay temple coming up. But that's not until the end of October.

Prabhupāda: So time is up? Not yet.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, any time... (break) Did you get a little rest? The sun wasn't disturbing? (break) Always you came out victorious. Always. I have never seen you ever defeated. In Bombay it was absolutely impossible. It seemed to be impossible.

Prabhupāda: Nobody encouraged.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No.

Prabhupāda: Nobody, not a single man. Who could see that a big project would come out?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Only you could see that, you and Rādhā-Rāsa-vihārī. I was...

Prabhupāda: Nobody... Still, I was determined: "No, this place is very nice."

Room Conversation -- June 18, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: This girl had to introduce line(?).

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And she didn't give the front piece. At first, she didn't give...

Prabhupāda: Didn't give.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Now she has given, but at first... But still, you said, "Build a wall." Hyderabad also there was a little dispute. Everything was a struggle. (break) Our temple is the best—in Māyāpur, Vṛndāvana, Hyderabad, Bombay.

Śatadhanya: All the people think that our Deities are made of gold. They've never seen so shiny and such śṛṅgāra before.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Here?

Prabhupāda: In Māyāpur.

Śatadhanya: In Māyāpur especially, yeah. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...wanted to see our. Is it not?

Śatadhanya: Yes.

Prabhupāda: All inhabitants of Navadvīpa were...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda said we should get some launch. Just like in Hrishikesh there's some launches and they take people free of charge back and forth, Prabhupāda said we should do that, take people back and forth from Navadvīpa Ghāṭa.

Prabhupāda: Not Navadvīpa Ghāṭa. Others, from...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, Svarup Ganj?

Śatadhanya: Navadvīpa.

Prabhupāda: Navadvīpa side.

Conversation with Svarupa Damodara -- June 21, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So you are listing all the men who will participate?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes. I'm going to have all the... I'm leaving tomorrow in the morning, and I'm leaving for Bombay. From there I'm leaving to the States on Friday morning.

Prabhupāda: I want to give you the best place in Bombay.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes, Tamāla Kṛṣṇa Mahārāja told me that.

Prabhupāda: Because you have to invite so many respectable, big scientists.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: We are coming back just at the end of August. It's only two months. At this time we are all coming together, and I have organized the Vṛndāvana conference. That's October 14, 15, 16. I have organized for three days. There will be six topics, in each day there'll be two topics.

Prabhupāda: Morning, evening.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Morning and the evening. And I'd like to have six chief guests. All, they will be scientists from Delhi and surrounding areas, some well-known scientists. And also I'm thinking of inviting a few political...

Prabhupāda: Leaders.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Leaders. Governor of the state and Educational Minister. Dr. Sharma told me that he can arrange those things easily.

Prabhupāda: So do that.

Conversation with Surendra Kumar and O.B.L. Kapoor -- June 26, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: ...Surendraji here, you make this application draft. Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Surendra Kumar: And I and Gopāla Kṛṣṇa, we can meet any number of times.

Prabhupāda: So you go with him.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, I think in about two weeks we will go.

Surendra Kumar: Again, after he has been to Bombay, etcetera, we will meet him again.

Prabhupāda: So the application prepare in consultation, taking help and guidance. He is real devotee.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, we'll do it.

Prabhupāda: Don't do alone. Don't do alone.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: No, no, no.

Surendra Kumar: I told him, first thing, that I am here because I am a life member and I am a devotee of Prabhupāda. That's why I'm here.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Surendra Kumarji praises your efforts very much.

Surendra Kumar: No, there is no question of my praising. The world knows about in fact. His wonders may be...

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: This is Prabhupāda's Īśopaniṣad in Arabic. The Middle East countries are buying it.

Surendra Kumar: These people from Tehran... And my friend is a Muslim. He is very... He is just like my sister and my wife's very intimate friend.

Prabhupāda: We have no such question, Hindu, Muslim...

Surendra Kumar: She said, "I'm going to become a devotee. I'm going to become a life member."

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, very good. She's from Delhi?

Surendra Kumar: No, from Aligarh. So yesterday my wife said that "I am going to see Prabhupāda," she said, "I am coming with you."

Mrs. Kumar(?): (Hindi)

Surendra Kumar: She was there when you were there in Aligarh, in my house.

Prabhupāda: I have many Muslims.

Conversation with Surendra Kumar and O.B.L. Kapoor -- June 26, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: (Hindi)

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: He has here nice room. He's had prasādam. He had lunch with us.

Surendra Kumar: Everything is your mercy, Divine Grace.

Prabhupāda: (Hindi conversation) How long we have left Bombay?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We left Bombay about a month and a half ago.

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) ...recommended that... What is that?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Hrishikesh.

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) (Hindi conversation)

Dr. Kumar: Going and coming, you see, that gives him a lot of strain.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yes. Prabhupāda feels at home here in Vṛndāvana.

Dr. Kumar: Mentally as well as physically.

Prabhupāda: Yes. I am feeling... (Hindi)

Dr. Kumar: You have fulfilled the mission of your life. You, if at all you pass away, you'll pass with that satisfaction which...

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) Gurukula building... (Hindi conversation) Very, very... Very exalted building.

Dr. Kumar: (Hindi) You got it here or at Bombay?

Prabhupāda: Where we got that, that...?

Dr. Kumar: My book?

Talk About Varnasrama, S.B. 2.1.1-5 -- June 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That means the husband is irresponsible. That means the man is irresponsible, to let his wife do that. And they let their unmarried daughters do.

Prabhupāda: And woman left alone means prostitution.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's what's going on now in Bombay, Calcutta. The men send their unmarried daughters to become secretary. She must be... And even before that, they go to college, freely mixing with the men.

Prabhupāda: As soon as they allow young girl to mix with young boys—finished.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This coeducation is very bad.

Prabhupāda: And in the Western countries it is openly allowed, dating. "Please learn this art." (pause) And if you keep woman chaste, then nice children will come, no hippies.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, just like that boy, Dapni, Dapni's(?) grandson. Nice boy.

Prabhupāda: That's it. And if nice children are there in the society, they will become responsible men. Then there will be no disturbance in the society. Everything will go on smoothly. Brāhmaṇa is acting as brāhmaṇa; kṣatriya is acting as... They are both... No quarrel. No animosity. Everyone is cooperating with one another. The whole society becomes peaceful. Family becomes peaceful. The man personally becomes peaceful. Then he will be able to make progress. Kutaḥ śānti ayuktasya. If you are not peaceful, how you can attain? Or if you are not a devotee, you cannot be peaceful. Or if you are not peaceful, you cannot become devotee. But if you can become devotee, you become peaceful. So I have studied practically. Vedic way of simple life is the best. And unless you adopt the Vedic way of simple life, you'll be implicated, material desires. There is no end. The Western civilization, they are after sense gratification, but there is no limit where it will end. The psychology is that everything new. They are changing—"change, change, change." And there is no limit. Where the sense gratification will be satisfied, this much? Kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma. Kāmasya na indriya-prītir lābho jīveta yāvatā (BG 18.44). Na indriya-prītiḥ. We require sense gratification—we have got senses—but not for the matter of sense. Just to live. Just like sleeping—we require bedding. And why shall I be dissatisfied if there is no good bedstead and no silk, silver and, or, and this, that, so...? Within my means, whatever comforts are available, I make satisfaction. Why shall I make competition?

Conversation with Bhakti-caitanya Swami-New GBC -- June 30, 1977, Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: They have got money.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah. Very often the Marwaris, they are in that...

Prabhupāda: Gujarati.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The Gujarati, yeah, Gujarat. In Bombay there is a big Bombay Tri(?). Pañcadraviḍa Swami, that was his special area. He would go down there, huge spice area.

Prabhupāda: There is a special name of that place. Everyone, every poor man or rich man, must use quantity of spice.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I was surprised. In Bombay this one life member, very wealthy man... I thought, "Oh, this man must have many businesses." And I found that he only had one business. He simply exports cardamom. And he's a very wealthy man, and he simply exports little cardamom seeds, but such quantities, and it fetches a very good price abroad.

Prabhupāda: Yes, there are many merchants. They deal in quantity and stock huge. Nobody can compete with him.

Conversation with Bhakti-caitanya Swami-New GBC -- June 30, 1977, Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: Combine together. What is the difficulty.

Trivikrama: The one thing in my mind is that... I've been in Delhi a little while. I see that such a good pla... We could. Seems like if he was there also, somehow if we had... If we had Delhi as well as the whole... And you say Punjab. If that also included Delhi, I think we could manage, because the boy who's a president, he's a neophyte devotee, and aside from that, there's so many big men who've been our members for years. They want to help, but no one is cultivating them. Caitya-guru, er, Bhakti-caitanya and myself, we went to see a man yesterday, and they were so respectful. They've seen our movement in the foreign countries, and they've been our member five or six years, but no one is there who is capable of drawing them. So he was also... Because he knows the language and he... It was my feeling is... Because Gopāla Kṛṣṇa, he's always in Bombay, he doesn't... Not always, but he couldn't take as much interest in the Delhi affairs.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, there's a couple of points. I discussed this with them. One thing is that your idea was that Trivikrama Mahārāja should go with Bhakti-caitanya to Punjab. So bringing up Delhi now doesn't solve anything, 'cause Trivikrama is already in Delhi. Whether Bhakti-caitanya Mahārāja is eventually in charge of Delhi or Gopāla Kṛṣṇa is in charge of Delhi, in any case the real point is that Prabhupāda advised that he wanted you to go to Chandigarh 'cause that's where we want to develop.

Prabhupāda: So if you cannot combinedly manage the Delhi...

Trivikrama: There he is...

Prabhupāda: Do that.

Conversation with Bhakti-caitanya Swami-New GBC -- June 30, 1977, Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: If he can also join, what is that?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He won't... I'm speaking... I'm just... We don't want him to become disappointed. I know in the past sometimes Gopāla gets disappointed.

Trivikrama: He has so much to do in Bombay with the book, BBT.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I'm not giving my opinion. I'm only speaking on the fact that we should not any way...

Trivikrama: Yeah, discourage our Godbrothers.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ...discourage him so that he feels, "All right..." Sometimes in the past that happened in Vṛndāvana.

Trivikrama: I can call him. I'm his friend. There's not some plot or something.

Bhakti-caitanya: No, he can also look over, but he should work, let us allow to work in Delhi.

Trivikrama: We can work together. We're all brothers.

Bhakti-caitanya: But we have to spread the..., put the Prabhupāda's books in everyone's house and spread this movement.

Trivikrama: To think "big ISKCON."

Bhakti-caitanya: Anywhere, doesn't matter.

Prabhupāda: Try to bring that cooperation. So he is GBC for Delhi.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah.

Prabhupāda: So let him be a GBC. He's GBC for Punjab. Both together, let them work. What is the wrong?

Bhakti-caitanya: Actually Delhi comes under north India.

Prabhupāda: Delhi is part of Punjab.

Conversation with Bhakti-caitanya Swami-New GBC -- June 30, 1977, Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: So let him be a GBC. He's GBC for Punjab. Both together, let them work. What is the wrong?

Bhakti-caitanya: Actually Delhi comes under north India.

Prabhupāda: Delhi is part of Punjab.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It is, Punjab... And it makes sense, perfect sense.

Prabhupāda: No, we have to work. If he has got more business in Bombay for printing work and mostly he spends his time in Bombay...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, too, he spends at least two weeks in Bombay, and then he spends about another week here in Vṛndāvana.

Trivikrama: He's two or three days out of a month only.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah.

Prabhupāda: No, we have to adjust things. It is not sentiment. It is business. So whenever he is required, we can do for printing.

Trivikrama: Yeah, he can go and...

Bhakti-caitanya: He can help us. He can help us.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- July 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: He alone doing?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He says he was going to do it in conjunction with the temple presidents in India. And me. Said he was going to do it in conjunction with me and the temple presidents. I don't see how he's going to do that, sitting in Bombay.

Prabhupāda: You did not ask that "You are here, and I am seven hundred miles away. How you'll do?"

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually I wrote him a letter stating...

Prabhupāda: Simply explanation, but there is no practical. I receive only explanation—"I did it. I did it." That's all. Where is the action?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I told him to...

Prabhupāda: You told him, that's all. Where is the action? That is idea, "I told him." What is the result? Nothing. In every day, "I told him." This is the sign of irrespons... It is so important thing—simply "I told him." That's all. Then my business is finished.

Room Conversation -- July 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He left the day he came here, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: That is going on, simply explanation, "I told him." That...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I don't know what further I could have done, because he left.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. Then do it like that. That is guḍākeśa. This practice you'll never be able to.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually I wanted to do this when we were in Bombay. I was going to write all of the presidents. At that time you advised me that we should wait until something, you know...

Prabhupāda: It is very important to select the names. He is doing alone. "He told me."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I didn't tell him to do it alone. I told him with Gargamuni and Girirāja and himself, they should sign. I told him specifically not to do it alone. And I wanted to write the temple presidents, but you advised me a few months ago not to. I was going to get a list from them, recommended, and then sit with, you know, Gopāla, and decide which of the fifty people chosen...

Prabhupāda: That's all right. Don't require. (end)

Conversation -- July 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Mr. Myer: Well, here the problem is that, you see... I'm just wondering what is the form of management, because it may happen that... I attended one committee meetings the other day when GBC was here from Bombay, and I was not able to find out that somebody who normally would take some action... There would have to be one person who has to be given some guidelines, and then he must take action. But then the trouble thing will be, if he has to go to a committee, it will only delay things. One can't really act in... In committees, see, there are different people. They have different opinion, and very little can be consensus of all the different ideas. So I think it's good to have a committee meeting where a man reports the problems, evaluation like, where we have a... I will attend a meeting in England, where... That is about twelve... Yatita Prabhu(?), he was conducting a meeting on a Sunday, and they were trying to take the stock of what had happened in the week and what was the budget for next week. That kind of a meeting is very... Because then there are some statistics. We have some performance of what happened and what we wish to do.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So make... You have to develop. You have to teach them how to do that.

Mr. Myer: Quite right.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But you had... But he had a reservation that before any change like this can be made, Akṣayānanda Mahārāja should also be acceptable to his proposal, because right now he's managing everything himself. So...

Prabhupāda: That... Whatever I'll say, he'll accept. There is no question of refusing.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Right.

Prabhupāda: Whatever I'll order...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I mean, he has to hear that from you. That's what I was trying to indicate.

Prabhupāda: I'll give you whatever you demand.

Conversation -- July 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Mr. Myer: In Bombay.

Prabhupāda: That.

Mr. Myer: That will be very big event.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: For Them you will do anything. 'Cause actually They have done everything for you, Śrīla Prabhupāda. You asked Them to stand there despite...

Mr. Myer: Yati Prabhu was telling me the entire story, how Śrīla Prabhupāda moved into his..., when it was not even completed, and all the devotees had to...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, recently?

Mr. Myer: Yes, I learned about some time back. I was watching big picture and all. There are also...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Mrs. Singol, she wrote a letter.

Prabhupāda: Doctor.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Dr. Singol's wife.

Prabhupāda: His wife?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: She wrote you a letter, very feelingful letter.

Prabhupāda: Hm hm. She is very attached.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Want to hear the letter?

Prabhupāda: I'll wait.

Conversation -- July 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Or you can read. No harm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: She says, "Our most revered Guru Mahārāja, my crores of charan and vandana at the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa and at the lotus feet of our revered Guruji. When you were here we could not have your darshan due to your illness, and after that, you left Bombay and went to Vṛndāvana. We prayed to Lord Kṛṣṇa for your life, and our Lord Kṛṣṇa is so kind that He again heard our prayers, and now you are better. We are informed by the devotees that Guru Mahārāja is better. May Lord Kṛṣṇa give you a long life, happiness and good health and your stay with us for a few more years. We were in dark, and you have enlightened our life and taught us real religion. You shower your blessings on us. I always feel your presence near me always in the heart. We want you. Your life is very essential for us. Kindly, Guru Mahārāja, take care of your health. We believe in both prayer and medicines, so kindly do not neglect yourself. Your dream of Bombay ISKCON temple has come true. It is just like Kṛṣṇa's palace in Dvārakā. It is a top building, a jewel and (indistinct). Now I close my letter with my prayers for your good health. Your faithful devotee, Nirmala Singol."

Prabhupāda: You reply that I am progressing little.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Mr. Myer: It's actually not only imagining that if we double the book distribution, then Śrīla Prabhupāda will improve.

Prabhupāda: Everywhere book selling is...

Mr. Myer: Everywhere it's just going on doubling. That's how the whole world people are looking toward your good health and balance(?). Sometime...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We're looking forward to the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, tenth, eleventh and twelfth cantos. That is what we're all...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

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

Prabhupāda: And the cabinet minister... But they are in prestigious position. They do not come here. They want me to go to them. I could have come, but in this position...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, and, you know, if your health improves a little, what we may be able to do is to arrange a program in our center in Delhi simply for the selected persons like cabinet ministers, or maybe at one of their homes, and have them invite just the cabinet members and Mr. Desai, and that would be very nice, very high-level meeting. That could be... You know, just like supposing when you go to Bombay, you'll have to stay in Delhi overnight. So on that evening we can make an arrangement like that.

Prabhupāda: Or we can stay in Delhi. No fault.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: One or two days. Probably you wouldn't be able to speak to all of them 'cause they're not all in the station at once, but even if a few of them came, it would be very good.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Very meaningful.

Prabhupāda: We shall go now?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, I think you could. (break)

Prabhupāda: Whether you have studied, and his proposal is, some money can be saved. The present management is going on, and if he takes little care... You said up to thirteen thousand?

Akṣayānanda: Right.

Prabhupāda: Can be saved. So why not let him do and let us see practically? If some money is saved, it is very... So you remain as president. How he manages, how he saves, you see. What do you think?

Akṣayānanda: Yes. First-class.

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

Prabhupāda: Let government help us. If they do not help us even with some men to stay here... Indians are not joining. But they are willingly joining, sacrificing everything.

Mr. Myer: No, but it is worked down now. You see, what it is people were not moved so much. I think...

Prabhupāda: And I want simply some of them to stay, not money. Money they are bringing. Whatever money we are spending here, Bombay, they are bringing. They are... I am writing books. They are selling books. I am working them always: "Make double. Make double." And they are bringing money. So we'll not touch even India's money a farthing. Let them stay here. "No, that is not... Get out. Get out. Get out. Get out." That's all.

Mr. Myer: Yes, the posts will change now because it is very good man over here, new business in America and on the Prime Minister.

Prabhupāda: And "Get out. Get out."

Mr. Myer: This "Get out..."

Prabhupāda: And "Get out" means another ten thousand rupees. He has to go out, again come back.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's a big harassment.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Discussion about Bhu-mandala -- July 5, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: This is acintya for the Māyāvādīs. They say kalpanāyā. These Akhandananda and other Māyāvādīs, they explain Bhāgavata-kalpanāyā. They are making some imagination that "I am God," but they are alleging us, that "You are in illusion." God, as soon as there is some toothache, he goes to the doctor. He's such a rascal hypocrite. There was some heart attack going on, so Akhandananda, immediately he called one of his chief disciples, that Mishra, Jasri, and he was taken to Bombay hospital. And he's God.

Bhakti-prema: He's expired?

Prabhupāda: Expired? No, no. He's living. But talking all nonsense, reading Bhāgavatam, and hundreds of people go to the...

Bhakti-prema: Today we were discussing...

Prabhupāda: That difference of opinion will continue. You cannot stop.

Bhakti-prema: This Pacific Ocean is saltwater...

Prabhupāda: Why you are trying to adjust Pacific Ocean? Pacific Ocean, any ocean, it is just like kūpa-maṇḍūka. It is very big for you, but you are a very teeny identity. Take the universe. What is the Pacific? Is it not a drop. There are so many Pacific Oceans floating in the sky. Everything is acintya. Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ (Bs. 5.48). This is acintya. So acintyāḥ khalu ye bhāvā na tāṁs tarkeṇa yojayet. You cannot make an experiment or see it. Take some information from the authority and be satisfied. With your limited knowledge, if you want to bring it to experiment, that is not possible. That is not possible.

Bhakti-prema: If this is the background I can give a lot of material. But they want logic.

Prabhupāda: Where is the logic?

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

Prabhupāda: So both of them are going?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, Gopāla... His point... He said Jayapatākā wants Śatadhanya Mahārāja and Prabhāsa to go.

Prabhupāda: Then let them go.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That was his whole point in calling, because they cannot call from Māyāpur to Vṛndāvana. The telephone line will not do that. So Māyāpur called Bombay and Bombay called here.

Prabhupāda: So some of the dacoits are arrested or not?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He didn't say. I'm certain that some of them must have been arrested. They couldn't have all gotten away. I mean, some of them are in the hospital. The ones that Bhavānanda shot are in the hospital.

Prabhupāda: So one is in the hospital.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Two.

Prabhupāda: Two.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Bhavānanda shot down two of them.

Prabhupāda: No, no. From their? Dacoits?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, two. Bhavānanda shot with a gun two dacoits, and they're in the hospital.

Prabhupāda: So then there is clue. Then others should be arrested.

Room Conversation -- July 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: You have read it?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. More or less, just a report about things going on there. Did you say your brother has a press?

Mr. Myer: Actually my brother is doing a lot of printing work in Bangalore. What he does is similar to what Bibil(?) does. He has got his own equipment, this IBM typewriters. He makes all the stencils, and then the photo film, it is printed on special paper. So he's got two presses, one in Bombay and one in Madras.

Prabhupāda: What is his name in Bombay?

Mr. Myer: Bombay, there's one gentleman, he is... The name of the press where he's...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Your brother owns the press?

Mr. Myer: No. He's getting a contract. He doesn't invest very much money in that. He wrote a very nice directory of India. It's the most beautiful directory. It took him about seven years to make. All the manufacturers in India, all the different economy of India, the various festivals.

Prabhupāda: Oh, directory

Room Conversation -- July 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Mr. Myer: Whole things is done in one. I'll bring a copy when I come next time. It was done on very special paper made by Triveni Tissues in Calcutta. And whole thing is just so thin, and it covers everything, whatever, all Indian bases, all foreign embassies, banks, newspapers. (indistinct) Bombay this gentleman is. He's got a very big press. But he has a problem in managing it. So my brother is trying to give him some business. They have got very good facilities, offset. People don't believe such good printing can be done in India, five color, six color.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Your brother is a printer by trade? No.

Mr. Myer: He is publisher.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He's a publisher by trade.

Mr. Myer: He is actually doing agency business and publishing as his hobby. He's trying to bring out a few books.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Where does he live?

Mr. Myer: He lives in Bangalore.

Prabhupāda: So why not bring some samples?

Mr. Myer: I'll bring. I'll bring samples. And also I think if you want to print Back to Godhead issue, he can easily do it. He's got a very good mind for it.

Prabhupāda: No, if your brother has got good press, we can print so many books.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You say he has a mind to print for us?(?)

Mr. Myer: Very good. I'll show you some work he's done.

Prabhupāda: In press we are very much interested. Our twenty-five, yes, fifty percent activities on press.

Room Conversation-Recent Mail -- July 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Try to sell them Bhagavad-gītā, which explains.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He says, "I remember in Bombay in 1974 that this would make our preaching successful all over the world."

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Now I am practically..."

Prabhupāda: Without reading books they'll understand the philosophy. That is the advantage. Mass of people, without education, they will understand the philosophy.

Bhāgavatāśraya: It's like the circus.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He says, "I have sent out an advertisement to all centers to encourage them to order Guru and Gaurāṅga Deities from us. We can deliver these to them in very short time and at a lower cost than the Jaipur craftsmen."

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "I hope that this meets with your approval."

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Very good.

Room Conversation-Recent Mail -- July 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Read the covering.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's pretty much the whole thing.

Prabhupāda: Oh. Pamphlet.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, it's a pamphlet. Should I read it to you? It says, "Bhaktivedanta Book Trust Encyclopedia Department, Hare Kṛṣṇa Land, Juhu Road, Juhu, Bombay. In 1970 His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda founded the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust for worldwide printing and publishing of Vedic knowledge. Today the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust publishes in twenty-five languages with total of 55,000,000 publications printed in six years." Phew! Fifty-five million! That means an average of nearly ten million a year, pieces of literature. No other publishing house can boast that, I don't think, such a big amount. "The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust offices are located in Los Angeles, New York, London, Paris, Frankfurt, and Bombay. Śrīla Prabhupāda has..."

Prabhupāda: You can send one copy to Dr. Kapoor by post.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I'll tell Gargamuni. It will be more impressive coming from Bombay.

Prabhupāda: Yes. And one to Bon Mahārāja at Vaṁśī-vaṭa(?).

Room Conversation-Recent Mail -- July 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Organized very nice. Hm. "Gargamoney." (laughter)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Kindly fill in the form below to receive your first volumes." Then it says, "Name and age, date of purchase, address, city, state, country, type of business, phone, number of sets to be purchased." Number of sets to be purchased. It's very hopeful. "Whether encyclopedia is for personal use or other, please explain." 'Cause they're going to keep a file to see what people use it for. "Number of books to be received each year. Amount given as advance." He says, "At least fifty percent of the total cost can be given for the complete set as advance, and balance to be made in yearly installments. Signature of purchaser. Please note: The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust shall fulfill its obligation to supply all books to the purchaser as agreed upon and shall ship all books postage prepaid to any part of the world. Dated and signature of the salesman. Checks to be made out in the name of Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, Bombay. The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust Library Encyclopedia of Vedic Knowledge, Founder-Ācārya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda. Recommendations and appreciations by leading scholars of India on the BBT Library Encyclopedia of Vedic knowledge." He seems to have got a lot... I don't know how he did this. It says... These are different recommendations. It's from the Minister of Education, Government of Maharastra. Shrimati Patiba Patel. " 'I therefore wholeheartedly recommend this encyclopedia of our culture and all BBT publications to all educational institutions, schools, libraries and colleges concerned with the moral and cultural development of their students within the boundary of Maharastra and throughout the world.' " See, each one he has the word encyclopedia bold and underlined. "Ph.D. from Harvard University." All different big personalities. "The Mayor of Bombay. Padma Bhushan, Vice-Chancellor of Baroda University. Professor of Gujarati language, Gold Medal winner and author of 36 Gujarati books." Another man. "Award-winning Gold-medalist in Gujarati literature." "Award-winning author in Sindhi literature." All these people are giving their recommendations. "Award-winning author in Sindhi literature." "Head of the Department of Sanskrit at Bombay University." "Head of the Department of Sindhi in RC College, Bombay." Then he has a review by P. M. Joshi. "Dr. P. M. Joshi, past director of Archives and Historical Monuments, Maharastra government; past professor in charge of History, Bombay and Poona University." So many different titles. Then he has one from Prabhudas P. Patwaria, a governor of Tamil Nadu. And another one from the Deputy Director, Research of the Lok Sabha. Would you like to see some more things, Śrīla Prabhupāda? The next one looks... This next one is also from Gargamuni. It includes a letter, Śrīla Prabhupāda. "My dear Śrīla Prabhupāda, please accept my humble obeisances at your divine lotus feet. We fervently pray that Your Divine Grace continue to remain in this world because we need your personal guidance. Even when Lord Kṛṣṇa disappeared, Arjuna lost all strength temporarily."

Prabhupāda: I shall remain your personal guidance, physically present or not physically, as I am getting personal guidance from my Guru Mahārāja.

Room Conversation-Recent Mail -- July 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: No. Then you have to manage that department also. How... There must be sufficient stock, not depend on one press. That Mr. Myer's... What is the address? Do you know?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No. He wants to bring us samples from...

Prabhupāda: Very soon I shall send you good address of printing Bhāgavata in Bombay. So at least three, four, printing printers should go on, continuously printing our books. If you have money, you spend it for reprinting books.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He says that he has three lakhs' rupees credit so far, and "our accounts receivable still amount to two lakhs." So five lakhs in one year.

Prabhupāda: So invest. Invest in printing books.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He says, "No school has defaulted in their payments." None of them. "I am also enclosing a complete list of our standing orders in India. We pray for your guidance and blessings in our march towards successful spiritual life."

Prabhupāda: Yes. All success to your forward march.

Room Conversation-Recent Mail -- July 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Very good.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Here's one from the Mayor of Bombay, Murali S. Deora. He's the new mayor. " 'The good work of the members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness is well known to me. It is especially commendable that the founder-ācārya of the society, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, has been able to convince so many foreigners all about the simple purity of India's exalted philosophy-plain living and high thinking. Swamiji is a very highly respected Vedic scholar, and he has seen to it that his numerous disciples from all over India and the world stick to the actual disciplines required of students of our ancient philosophy. The growing cultural and educational center now under construction at Juhu...' " He refers it as the growing cultural and educational center. He's understood your purpose, Śrīla Prabhupāda. " '...is an object of deep interest and pride to myself and all fellow Bombay citizens. The members of Kṛṣṇa consciousness are always well mannered and cheerful due to the blessings of their benign Swamiji. Anyone who reads Śrīla Prabhupāda's clear translations and commentaries of well-known Sanskrit and Bengali literature can understand his secret of success. I do not think such accurate scholarly and clear expositions of Vedic culture can be found in English elsewhere. His Bhaktivedanta Book Trust publishing house has made sure that the immortal words of our classics have been presented in first-class style. Among the BBT publications, the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Caitanya-caritāmṛta, comprising an encyclopedia of Vedic knowledge, are especially notable. I have examined volumes of these sets and recommend these sets not only for our municipal corporation libraries and municipal-funded libraries, but for all libraries of the world...' "

Prabhupāda: They are approaching municipal libraries?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah. " 'But for all libraries of the world, wherever people have a sincere interest to go into the depths of Vedic philosophy.' Signed Murali S. Deora, Mayor of Bombay."

Prabhupāda: Very good.

Room Conversation-Recent Mail -- July 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Next, from the Indian Institute of Technology in Bombay. This is from Dr. Ram Kanstanari(?) Chairman of the Department, Indian Institute of Technology, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences. " 'Sir: I am pleased to make the following comments concerning your beautiful and learned publications, Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta of Gosvāmī Kṛṣṇa Kavirāja and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, both written by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda. I feel that these works are the result of Swami Prabhupāda's extraordinary commitment to the bhakti cult in the Indian tradition. Swami Prabhupāda's style and language are full of the flashes of his intuition. They clearly represent his realization that love for God and for mankind should be the foundation of all interpersonal relations. Kṛṣṇa is the symbol of this love. He is the Absolute in an incarnate form. Love for Kṛṣṇa therefore sung in all forms of devotion-laden language asserts man's empathy towards His entire creation. The Central Library of the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, has already secured, on my recommendation, the above-mentioned works complete. These works are read by the faculty and students here, not only for their religious message but also for the unique interpretation they embody of the traditional cult of bhakti in India. The poetic and devotionalistic tenor of these works, I am sure, would make one realize the meaning of man's dependence on God. I have no hesitation to state that His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda has done an immortal service to the movement of devotionism and Hinduism in particular and in world religions in general, by so ably bringing out these works in beautiful English. Every library in the world that is engaged in promoting the welfare of the human self by turning it towards the supremacy of the divine spirit...' "

Prabhupāda: Everyone is recommending. All libraries.

Room Conversation-Recent Mail -- July 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: " '...should have on its shelf these works.' " Next is a letter from Trinvak Govind Meinpark(?), Professor of Sanskrit and Head of the Department at the University of Bombay. " 'His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, the renowned Vedic scholar and founder-ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, has translated into English the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Caitanya-caritāmṛta, the Encyclopedia of Vedic Culture.' " Now it's getting to be known like that. " 'The special feature of this publication is to be seen in the explanatory notes, added with a view to summing up the purport of the passages rendered. The Bhāgavatam is a classic of the Kṛṣṇa cult, and in the manner of sweetness, sincerity of devotion and purity of emotion, it surpasses all other texts of the Purāṇas, as well as other texts of the Bhāgavata religion. As such it is no wonder that it has become a veritable scripture of the devotees of this cult. Again, of all incarnations of the highest Lord, the Kṛṣṇa incarnation has a peculiar fascination for the Indian mind and has all along exercised a great influence over the Hindu religious mind—in fact, of all minds that have God consciousness. The Lord's grace, His interest and deep concern for His devotees and even for sinners, His great love for all beings without any distinction of order, caste, creed, and sex, His ever-willingness to look after all ardent devotees, His extreme sweetness, all these qualities have made Him the most easily lovable of the divine manifestations. The text of the Bhāgavata, scenes of the whole life of the Lord from His childhood to His withdrawal from the world, yet the philosophical aspects receive greater emphasis than the historical ones.' " Not simply that it's some stories, but full of philosophy. " 'Along with the Bhāgavata, the Caitanya-caritāmṛta has received as much care and attention in the translation by Śrīla Prabhupāda. The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust is presenting these two sets as an encyclopedia of our culture, and our university has made a standing order of these volumes, which our students delight in reading. There is no doubt that the Swamiji has immensely obliged all lovers of our Vedic culture and devotees of Kṛṣṇa cult by this simple, clear, faithful, and illuminating rendering into English. The notes bring out beautifully the subtle implications of the Sanskrit and Bengali text. The lay reader is thus greatly helped in appreciating and understanding the brilliant simplicity of the path of bhakti.' "

Prabhupāda: What he is?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He is the Head of the Department of Sanskrit at the Bombay University. " 'The printing is really excellent and the general get-up highly attractive. I have nothing but the highest praise for this splendid publication. The BBT's encyclopedia would be a valuable asset to each school and college library as well as all general libraries throughout the world.' " These reviews are as good as your books, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Room Conversation-Recent Mail -- July 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So the Communist country they will be following.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: " 'Any educational center interested in giving a complete education to its pupils should follow the example set by the University of California, the British Library, the Oxford University, and the University of Bombay, among many others, who have ordered sets of the BBT's encyclopedia. As an Indian, I am proud of the vast accomplishments of my fellow countryman, Swami Prabhupāda.' "

Prabhupāda: That's all.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Maybe later on I can read some more of these to you, Śrīla Prabhupāda. They are very ecstatic. Yeah. Later on I'll read more to you. We haven't even touched this section. This is the list.

Prabhupāda: So send Gargamuni many thanks for arranging in the libraries. Kṛṣṇa is blessing him. Organize in Bombay office very nicely, and arrange for printing enough stock. All money collected should be invested immediately. This is giving me new life, all these. Somebody is proposing to give us some dairy land? Dairy.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Dairy land in Agra?

Prabhupāda: Agra?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I heard also someone was proposing. One man who's staying here now is proposing four acres in Agra. They went today to see it. I think Bhagatjī went and also Akṣayānanda Mahārāja. They'll give you a report on it.

Prabhupāda: Supply of ghee from that dairy land would be very good.

Room Conversation Mayapura attack -- July 15, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Because the government is Communist.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Right. The newspapers are being told what to print. They're afraid to print anything else. But foreign press can print anything. And other press, Delhi press, Bombay press, they can print anything. This was dated the eleventh.

Prabhupāda: Government published this. The Statesman, therefore, has not given any description.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I didn't notice. Here's a little news clipping. It's probably the same. You probably have seen this already. This is from Indian Express. "Why Krishna Mandir Men Fired Salvo." By a... "An attack on the devotees and destruction of the premises of ISKCON Māyāpur Chandrodaya Mandir, West Bengal, led to the shooting incident, according to Mr. Gopāla Kṛṣṇa Dāsa, Secretary, Bombay center of the organization. Mr. Dāsa, in his statement issued on Monday, said the news from their sources in Bengal stated that on July 8th about fifty miscreants were found encroaching on our agricultural field and stealing our crops. When a devotee requested them to stop, they became angry and beat him up, fracturing his skull. Nearly 250 supporters of the miscreants..." Notice how they're not going to use "Muslims." They say "miscreants." They don't say "Muslims." Probably the paper wants to avoid. This is a hot issue. No one wants to write "Hindu-Muslim." "Nearly 250 supporters of the miscreants armed with sticks and spears suddenly appeared from behind the bushes and all of them entered the temple area. Mr. Dāsa said the miscreants beat several more devotees, including the Gurukula school headmaster, whose both hands and skull were broken. They also stripped naked a female disciple. They cut off electrical connections, telephone lines and water pipes. The police did not come for two hours, and meanwhile the group destroyed the gate, broke windows and stole two bulls. According to ISKCON Secretary, as a final resort, one ran for a gun, appropriately licensed and registered with the government, and fired a shot in the air. As the group persisted, he fired again into the ground which injured eleven of the miscreants. All of those injured have been discharged from the hospital." They're not injured seriously at all. "Mr. Dāsa said the police advised the devotees to go to the Krishnanagar police station to report the incident, and when they did go there they were arrested. Two devotees in critical condition were also detained in the jail hospital. Asked why our men have been kept in jail, the police replied, 'As a precaution.' "

Prabhupāda: This report is already there.

Room Conversation Mayapura attack -- July 15, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: This is published in?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This is published in the Indian Express. Good newspaper.

Prabhupāda: Bombay.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Bombay. July 12th. There's a lot of touchy items here. One very touchy item is this Hindu-Muslim thing. And this... The Communists are very intelligent. They purposely chose... (break) What about the actual ministers? Cabinet ministers?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Cabinet ministers, there are sober, Morarji Desai and some of them. This Vajpayi.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Vajpayi. That means that they took it that we were a threat. They are feeling the weight of our movement.

Prabhupāda: They are practically seeing that we are going village to village and people are receiving us. So if these Americans push on the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, naturally people will take it. And that was my idea from the beginning, that if the Americans become Vaiṣṇavas, then others will be. It is four?

Upendra: Three. (break)

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa men. They want Bengal completely godless.

Room Conversation Mayapura attack -- July 15, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: That is purposefully planned.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And how is it that 250 men suddenly were waiting in the bushes?

Prabhupāda: It is all planned.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Now we've finally got the facts on this case. We practically already knew it. I think actually this will probably come out in all the newspapers. They held a press conference in Bombay. That means it will hit all the newspapers in India.

Prabhupāda: Oh. They held?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yeah. They held a press conference in Bombay. It says... Here it is. "The Press release, which has been... We are issuing the correct story at the request of the journals to publish the correction."

Prabhupāda: Who said?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Gopāla. And Rāmeśvara is doing it from the international side. It came in all the papers. Imagine, they're getting calls from Rāmeśvara in Los Angeles, Jayatīrtha in Africa. Jayatīrtha visited Africa recently. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...they would have done. The first news was that "The founder was not there." Otherwise the police would have charged me that "He has given order."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Order to fire.

Prabhupāda: "Fire it." That we shall see by and by. Police can do that.

Room Conversation about Grhasthas -- July 17, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: ...gṛhastha life. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura independently... Or I was also gṛhastha. Our aim was different. But this neophyte, if they remain aloof from temple connection without attending the function, gradually they will be lost.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That was the reason that I suggested to Abhirāma Prabhu that he should make his business in Bombay. Actually the gṛhasthas have no desire to live independent of the temples. Just like Mādhavānanda, he's got an apartment now just near the temple so that he can attend maṅgala-ārati and the other functions.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Unless these things are continued, the karmīs' poison will spoil them. He can do independent business; there is no harm. But must be connected with the devotional service.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah.

Prabhupāda: Just like Abhirāma constructed that house. That's all right. He is within the campus. There is no harm. And now if he goes away after so much training, advancement, if they are lost, then that's a great loss for the Society. With such... With great difficulty we make one Vaiṣṇava. And again, if he goes like Śyāmasundara, then it is great loss. The whole idea is to give up attachment for material world and increase attachment for Kṛṣṇa. That is perfection. Now, according to one's position, gradually... But this is the aim. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 2.59). Nivṛtti.

Room Conversation about Grhasthas -- July 17, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So he wants to organize a center there?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, he was thinking of organizing business.

Prabhupāda: Then Bombay is better place than Bangalore.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. He admits it's a better place. No, he can be encouraged very easily to go to Bombay. I mean, generally, throughout our Society, I don't think the trend of the gṛhasthas is to move away from temples and live independently. If they live independently from the temple, it's in close...

Prabhupāda: No, no. There is chance, I said.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: The karmīs' association is very contaminous. Asat-saṅgī. So for him the best thing will be to take a room in Bombay. Let him do business.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I'm sure now that... I'll convey all...

Prabhupāda: Gṛhastha should not be dependent on Society. At the same time, he should not be independent of the Society. (laughs) This is the position. Because Society cannot take charge of a family. There will be so many number of families. How it is possible? At the same time, if they remain independently of the Society, without touch, then the karmīs' poison will infect.

Room Conversation about Grhasthas -- July 17, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It seems like the solution is to get apartments near the temple, get room near the temple.

Prabhupāda: Why not in the temple? Why? If he pays, what is wrong?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, in a place like Bombay where we have so many buildings, in the temple. But sometimes... Just like in America, if there's only one building with only...

Prabhupāda: No, America also... Just like Los Angeles we have got.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's different. There there are apartments.

Prabhupāda: Similarly, you have to arrange like that. They should not live completely independent. That will be future danger.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It has to be a community of devotees.

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa conscious ideal gṛhasthas. That we want. Just like Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. There are many. I was gṛhastha. There was Deity worship, everything nice. I was publishing Back to Godhead from gṛhastha. So aim was there. But I could not leave family life for some circumstances. That is a different thing. Must be in touch with the devotional service as in the temple. If live nearby temple, it is easier, or in the temple. But aloof, that is dangerous.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: If they live in the temple, then there's the problem of... You know.

Prabhupāda: No. Temple, he can take one room, pay for it. He wants to pay. That is also payment. And further, if he can pay, that's all right.

Room Conversation about Grhasthas -- July 17, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: If they can pay for prasādam also, it is nice. Sex... Husband-wife living, there must be sex, so who can...?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So how can that be in the same building as the brahmacārī ashram?

Prabhupāda: No, no, no, so many other gṛhastha tenants.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's in, like, Hare Kṛṣṇa Land in Bombay. But supposing in a...

Prabhupāda: That you cannot check. Gṛhastha means they must have sex. But they're living independent, separately.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, that's in Hare Kṛṣṇa Land.

Prabhupāda: No, anywhere. If they are doing independent business, let them do that.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So in the New York...

Prabhupāda: Karmīs' concession, sex.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In the New York they can live families together? In that building, families can live together and have sex life?

Prabhupāda: What is wrong?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In that building. It's all right?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Why not? In a building there are so many different types of men. In a big building, apartment building, you cannot expect all of them of the same class.

Room Conversation about Grhasthas -- July 17, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: What is wrong?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In that building. It's all right?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Why not? In a building there are so many different types of men. In a big building, apartment building, you cannot expect all of them of the same class.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Hm. 'Cause in Bombay you had said that is was better that in an immediate building of the temple they should not live together with wife. They should live separately.

Prabhupāda: No, that is, they are not doing business. They are attached to temple activities. Anyway, these things have to be adjusted. You cannot follow very rigid in case of gṛhasthas. Some way or other, you have to adjust. We cannot allow them to be lost.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No. That's clear.

Prabhupāda: Better allow them to live together. What can be done? But we cannot lose them. After training so much, if they are lost, then that is a great loss. This I am giving hint. Now you GBC, you change them. Make process.

Room Conversation about Grhasthas -- July 17, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: What is business there?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He wants to go where there's a business center.

Prabhupāda: No, business means he must do business in some city.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah. Bombay.

Prabhupāda: Anywhere. Bombay is the best city. He has got facility to stay there. For business Bombay is the best city.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In India.

Prabhupāda: In India. No, world. It is a very important city. Export, import, local. Tremendous business possibility there. Many poor men goes and becomes very rich men. Bombay is very important center. You have to get a place by giving bribe, fifty thousand, sixty thousand, to stay there.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They call that huṇḍi.

Prabhupāda: Not huṇḍi.

Bhakti-caru: Pagri.(?)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Pagri, I mean.

Prabhupāda: Pagri, yes. To get a place there... Bombay is so important that if you want to get a place you have to pay no less, fifty thousand, lakh of rupees to stand. Then do business. Very important. Anything you do, you must have land first of all to stand. Otherwise what you'll do? To stand in Bombay you have to pay lakh of... Don't you see—we drive away the tenants—how much we recompense. We pay compensation.

Room Conversation about Grhasthas -- July 17, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: That's it.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ...so that they can pay for some other place.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's true. Nowadays it's very difficult.

Prabhupāda: This is system in Bombay. Without paying, you cannot get even inch of land.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Trivikrama Mahārāja told me in Japan it's getting like that also, Tokyo.

Prabhupāda: Wherever there is scarcity, that is the system.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In America that is not there.

Prabhupāda: America, enough places.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They have paying a few months' rent, but not pagri.

Prabhupāda: There are so many houses. Why they should pay?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah. That's true.

Prabhupāda: Multi-story building. Why people should pay? Now Bombay have got many multi-story building; therefore that demand is reduced. But still, you have to pay in important place, pagri or underhand. What is called?

Room Conversation about Grhasthas -- July 17, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Then what is the preaching? Alexander the Great? He was conquering, and as soon he went to conquer another place, the last place lost.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What happened?

Prabhupāda: Suppose I have conquered Bombay. Then I go to Karachi. In the meantime, Bombay is lost. That was being done, Alexander the Great. Means no proper management. Just like British Empire lost. They could not manage. So long they were managing well, it was going on.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Too much expansion with not enough good management.

Prabhupāda: No.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Similarly, we should not expand too quickly...

Prabhupāda: No.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ...unless we have the proper management.

Prabhupāda: I am stressing, therefore, book selling.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Hm.

Prabhupāda: Not opening temples.

Room Conversation -- July 19, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We have plenty of devotees here. There the devotees are being...

Prabhupāda: You see how things are mismanaged. There is no place for accommodating the cooks. What is the question of cooking? Have you seen it? They have no place where to accommodate the cooks, so many cooks. Similar thing I noticed in Bombay also, so many laborers. What can I do? Anyway, don't be discouraged. But things are going actually. I am discouraged. At the same time, let things go on like that. Therefore I say do not mind for little more charges. If things are coming quickly, good work, pay. You are already squandering money in this way, in the kitchen. Why not for your own?(?) Hm? Unnecessarily you're feeding some rascal paratha, halavā, and paying him. Who is going to see?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So now, with this new arrangement, they can't do that.

Prabhupāda: You cannot eat more than dahl, roti. That's all. Halavā...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They shouldn't even be here.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: First point is that all those cooks aren't even needed.

Prabhupāda: Dismiss. Whoever will remain, they'll eat in front of us. Nobody will be allowed to take food.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That was the problem. There were three different kitchens, so they were all eating one place or the other, and you couldn't watch them. Now everything...

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: In one kitchen is very good, Gurukula.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually there were four kitchens. Including the snack bar, there were four kitchens.

Prabhupāda: One pakki, one kachi. Expert.

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

Dr. Kapoor: This is solid work.

Prabhupāda: Now we are going to hold Bhaktivedanta Institute scientific meeting. What is that? Where is that paper? Bombay. Scientifically presenting, among the scientists.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's called "The First International Scientific Conference on 'Life Comes From Life,' sponsored by Bhaktivedanta Institute, Founder-Ācārya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda." Should I read this?

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Current scientific theory holds that life is a product of molecular interaction." (break)

Dr. Kapoor: I think they should attack the very basic concept of science.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Dr. Kapoor: The very basic concept of science should be attacked, the molecules and the atoms. They say life comes out of molecules. But what, according to modern science, are molecules themselves? You see, before... (break) ...molecules disappear. As a matter of fact, particle disappears, you see. What remains...

Prabhupāda: Oh, they knew... They have written... That they have denied. It is not chemical-physical.

Dr. Kapoor: The scientists themselves admit that what remains in the last analysis is something akin to consciousness, and not what we call matter or particle. Even supposing life comes out of molecules...

Prabhupāda: So he has met many scientists.

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

Prabhupāda: Jñānaṁ te paramaṁ guhyam. Sa-vijñānam. This word is there. Paramaṁ guhyam. Paramaṁ guhyaṁ sa-vijñānam. (Hindi)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Probably it will be held October 28th, around that time.

Prabhupāda: So they wanted to hold this conference here, and later on, we decided Bombay... (Hindi) Let them decide.

Dr. Kapoor: (Hindi) ...place for this kind of ...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Bombay.

Prabhupāda: Many... He has met with big, big institute, Bose Institute, head of the, and they are appreciating, "Yes, please go on describing."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They've invited the Bhaktivedanta Institute speakers now in many universities, wherever he went, Delhi...

Prabhupāda: Caitanyera dayāra kathā karaha vicāra. (Hindi) No sentimentalist. "Come on, scientist." Caitanyera dayāra kathā karaha vicāra. Vicāra karile citte pābe... Vicāra... (Hindi) High-court judges. (Hindi) But so far, it is encouraging. (Hindi)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Now you're going to also get that planetarium in Washington.

Prabhupāda: Hm? Yes.

Room Conversation -- July 27-28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: We are going to sell it for sixteen rupees or twenty rupees. Actually our life members love these books.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I was in Calcutta. Adri-dhāraṇa Prabhu told me that the Marwaris love it, even in Bombay.

Prabhupāda: Yes, the ladies can read at home.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Also, Śrīla Prabhupāda, the cover for First Canto, Part Three, is already printed. I'm going to take 1.3 now, but we've already printed the cover. This is 1.3.

Prabhupāda: This I want. Books are coming.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: And 1.3 will be ready before the end of August. The cover is already done. The inside end leaf is done. I just have to send...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What is the quantity you've printed of these?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Two thousand. Next, from 1.3, we're increasing it to three thousand.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda was hoping you could print in larger quantities.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, there's no need at the moment because we print these by offset. If we need more we can...

Prabhupāda: All right. Whatever manuscript you have ready, print.

Room Conversation -- July 27-28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So why not print?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: We are.

Yaśomatīnandana: Just we have to... The titles are being printed in Bombay.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. (indistinct) And Bombay is not far away.

Yaśomatīnandana: We have Teachings of Lord Caitanya ready, Nectar of Devotion is being ready. Perfection of Yoga is ready.

Prabhupāda: Gujarati books will sell very nice all over the world. Gujarati people are all over the world.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. I told England to take five thousand.

Prabhupāda: Everywhere they have made colonies. So I am getting very good news, book distribution, from Europe and America.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Rāmeśvara Swami told me the book distribution has doubled in America.

Prabhupāda: And Communist country wonderfully.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I'll show you that letter that I got from Russia inviting us to come to the...

Prabhupāda: Caitanya-caritāmṛta. They have sold at least thirty to forty lakhs' worth Caitanya-caritāmṛta.

Yaśomatīnandana: Pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma (CB Antya-khaṇḍa 4.126) .

Prabhupāda: Bengali's price.(?) Still, they are purchasing. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mercy.

Room Conversation -- July 27-28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: It's been raining very, very heavily in Bombay. Because of this, all the ships, everything, have been getting delayed. It's very heavy rainfall. Last seven days it's raining continuously, day and night.

Prabhupāda: That is Bombay. Three days, four days raining continually, that is not unusual in Bombay.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: We are now printing the small books for Australia also. Hari-śauri just sent me an order for twenty thousand Rāja-vidyās...

Prabhupāda: Just see.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: ...which I'm going to ship by third week of August. August we'll ship thirty thousand small books to Australia.

Prabhupāda: No, give first attention to the question, printing.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, I'm doing that.

Prabhupāda: Other things you can do, but you... This your only main business. Now do it very pleasingly so that you can... So whatever you have done, it is very pleasing.

Meeting With Governor of Tamil Nadu -- July 31, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So when you think it will be suitable?

Governor: I am going tomorrow to Ahmedabad with our chief minister. He has come here. Ahmedabad I stay for four days. I go to Bombay. And from Bombay I'll be in Madras on 8th back. Then I am there.

Prabhupāda: Eighth, August. So we can if you think. So kindly submit my application to the Prime Minister.

Governor: Oh, yes.

Prabhupāda: That's it. This should not...

Governor: The difficulty because of not ours, but what happened in our Madras state, there is that Pondicherry. Pondicherry has made one Auroville. Auroville is international town. There are more than four to five hundred foreigners from various countries of Europe and America. Families also. Now they and those Aurobindo society people, they are going on always, some disputes. And that they have developed so much that physical violence, traffic obstruction... And law and order is not there. So I receive complaints from both that "You send your police. Help us. Help us," like that. So that has come to the notice of government of India. And so they are worried that we must have some restriction on so many foreigners living here and creating disturbance.

Prabhupāda: No, these foreigners...

Governor: Because of this, everybody is put into trouble.

Prabhupāda: But these foreigners, they will die. They will die. If I say that "You die, they will die," there is no dispute.

Room Conversation -- August 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Poor means... The party, Congress Party, practically achieved. Credit is there. And they are now ruined. This is their progress.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: They're fighting even more now. Śrīla Prabhupāda? Surabhī Swami is going back to Bombay...

Prabhupāda: So what can I do? Money. Money is... If there is here, you can take. Surabhī Swami comes for money, I know that. He'll give me some plan. If there is money, we'll pay.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: How much money do you want?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I had a meeting in Bombay by Girirāja...

Prabhupāda: Meeting or no meeting, you want money and squander. That I know. So if there is money, he'll give you. Throw away.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They want a lot of money, though.

Prabhupāda: Lot of money give and throw. What can be done! I know.

Room Conversation -- August 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: That is my only request. Otherwise, you are squandering money. Do it. Do it. But after all, do it in time. I'm not going to live for long. If possible, I'll see and...

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Every Sunday in Bombay hundreds of people come just to look at the building. It is so attractive.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So kindly finish it. Take money and squander and finish it at a time.

Surabhī: Śrīla Prabhupāda? When I was in Jaipur I inquired from some people regarding your health, because I met Yaśodānandana Swami in Delhi, and he told me that you wanted to know from an astrologer about the situation. So I went to one man who was previously the advisor of the Mahārāja of Mansingh of Jaipur. One life member brought me to him. So I inquired.

Prabhupāda: What he is?

Surabhī: He's a paṇḍita. He uses numerology.

Prabhupāda: Hm? Numerology?

Surabhī: Numerology. By numbers. So he takes the name and then he... So he said... You want to know what he said? He told me that your disease is going to last altogether about two and a half years, two years and five months, of which eight months have passed.

Prabhupāda: Still I shall live?

Surabhī: He said that these three months now are most critical, but then, after three months, things will go better, but there will be ups and downs for about one and a half more years. Then he said after that it will be quite all right.

Prabhupāda: Three months?

Room Conversation -- August 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: See money. Earn money and see money. I don't follow this policy.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: When you wanted something, you'd spend anything.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Just like that land in Bombay, that house...

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Whatever everyone wanted, "All right, take it." Finish. I know. I am giving ten thousand more, fifteen thousand more. I didn't mind. "Take it and finish business tomorrow. Take it."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That man was surprised that you didn't bargain with him.

Prabhupāda: No. I simply asked, "Whether you are going to finish it tomorrow. So I have agreed to pay." He said, "Yes, I can." What is that?

Dhanañjaya: This is a Deity of yourself, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Dhanañjaya: This is a Deity prepared here of you.

Prabhupāda: (laughs) So what shall I do? (laughter)

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: He just wanted to show it to you, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Nice.

Dhanañjaya: This is one for the temples.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: They like it very much.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- August 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: They know that we are the only enemy against their movement. Let me...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: A letter has come from Haridāsa. In Bombay, your disciple, Haridāsa Brahmacārī? (break)

Prabhupāda: ...by good association. This is the result of our movement. (break) (Bengali)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Bhakti-caru? Should I call for him?

Prabhupāda: Hmm... Such nice color display, and there is no brain. The animal-killer civilization, Western country, has killed all their brain, good sense, good sentiment, everything.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Gone.

Prabhupāda: Rotten.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's a wonder how they take so many of Your Divine Grace's books.

Prabhupāda: No, they have got the capacity. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). It has to be awakened by process. They've lost everything, but it can be revived.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We shouldn't give them a choice. We should insist that they revive it. Prabhaviṣṇu, according to that letter, it seems like in Bangladesh there's a very good reception.

Prabhupāda: Everywhere.

Room Conversation -- October 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: The buses stopped?

Bhagatji: Buses stopped, Prabhupāda, taxis stopped. Only they are allowing some cars to go. Yesterday only car could go.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But the planes were on strike. The planes were not going either. In Bombay no planes were leaving. We were lucky to get the first-class train.

Hari-śauri: The road is very bad though, anyway. It wouldn't have been passable, not for Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It would have taken three to four hours to go by car from Delhi in this condition. And bumpy. The train journey was not so bad, I think, not so bad. The weather was nice.

Prabhupāda: (indistinct) (break) ...water for drinking?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Upendra Prabhu? Is there a drink for Prabhupāda?

Hari-śauri: Mung jal is ready.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's ready. Yes, we prepared mung water. Praṇava's wife, she was cooking with Kulādri today. She prepared two things, mung jal and the water from spinach. So that's supposed to be very good also. Would you like to try? Praṇava said that the feature of the spinach water is that it's very good for strength and very easily digestible. That's what he said. You might like to try something of both.

Prabhupāda: There is fresh milk? Half water, half milk.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Right now would you like to have some mung water?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- October 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: I must thank you that you took me to London and again brought me without any difficulties. That's a great credit for you. That I am thanking you, that in this condition, a bundle of bones, you did it. Kṛṣṇa will... Yesterday I saw that Central Station, Bombay, so much crowded. Unexpectedly. Is it not remarkable?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Because they have introduced this train. Twenty-four hours this Deluxe train is running.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There's a train that's even faster, called the Rajdhani. Seventeen hours.

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 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: That is from Calcutta?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There's two. One comes from Calcutta, between Calcutta and Delhi, and the other goes Bombay-Delhi and Delhi-Bombay. Both of them take about seventeen or eighteen hours. The one going from Calcutta stops only once, Śrīla Prabhupāda, in Kanpur, I think. Between Calcutta and Delhi it makes one stop at Kanpur. That's all. It's all air-conditioned.

Prabhupāda: And the other?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The other one stops once, I guess, but I'm not certain of the place. Between here and Bombay it makes one stop, so far I know. I'm not sure what is that stop. They're very popular trains. They run only about twice a week. But the train we were on was quite quick also. But not so quick as this. The train we were on took about twenty-two hours, Bombay-Delhi. But Rajdhani, I think, takes seventeen. It's about five hours faster.

Prabhupāda: They are also very fast. No?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That one we were on?

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, it was very good. And it was very much on time. (end)

Room Conversation -- October 3, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So call him immediately.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: All right. He said you're living by the grace of Kṛṣṇa. That means it's a miracle that you're alive.

Prabhupāda: I tell him...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In Bombay you appeared to be very hopeless for living. Now that you're in Vṛndāvana, I think you will become more hopeful.

Prabhupāda: That kavirāja was also hopeless.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Which one?

Prabhupāda: Bombay.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: (laughs) That Bombay kavirāja was also hopeless.

Hari-śauri: Today's was as well?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, no. That Bombay kavirāja was a businessman. He had a Seiko watch on, special Cross pen, pān in the mouth. He was a pākā bāniyā. (Prabhupāda coughs up mucus) This man appears to be a genuine kavirāja.

Prabhupāda: I think so. So are you sending him telegram?

Room Conversation -- October 4, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Everywhere.

Brahmānanda: The governor who came to see you in Bombay, practically his only qualification is that he was arrested. He was in jail for nineteen months. Before, he was a very small man. Now he's a big man simply because he was in jail for nineteen months.

Haṁsadūta: The new prime minister, we met him a few days after he was inaugurated. We gave him Kṛṣṇa book and a nice letter. He doesn't smoke or drink. He's a Buddhist. He seems to be a, relatively speaking, a nice man. But he's quite old. He's also seventy years old. But, Prabhupāda, eventually, our movement practically around the world will attract the attention of the government.

Brahmānanda: They will not like.

Haṁsadūta: They won't like it. Just like Germany, it's actually the government. The people are innocent. But these governments, they can see the danger in Hare Kṛṣṇa movement.

Bali-mardana: Would you like Haṁsadūta to chant some more?

Prabhupāda: Hm, hm. Yes. (Haṁsadūta chants) (break)

Girirāja: On the one hand, the full management of the society rests with Your Divine Grace. But on the other hand, as a society, there is also a bureau which passes resolutions. So they were confused as to the relationship between Your Divine Grace and the Bureau. So they wanted to clarify some of these issues with their legal department.

Prabhupāda: Is there any difficulty?

Girirāja: There's no difficulty.

Room Conversation -- October 4, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Girirāja: They just confirmed that they transferred the two amounts, and they gave the date, and they gave that it's transferred to the Central Bank in Bombay and the account number.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They were very impressed with Girirāja. I mentioned to Mr. Gupta here that Girirāja's father was the biggest lawyer in Chicago. So they also felt that he was like a lawyer. So they were very impressed by him, and he was dealing with them in a very patient but intelligent way. So they just... Actually they realized more things today, I think, than ever before about the position of our society. They got a little bit more knowledge. And they also revealed more today about how they were thinking 'cause of the way Girirāja was talking with them. I think it was the most... It was a very progressive conversation. They are awaiting a telephone call that we would be going with them to Delhi tomorrow morning.

Prabhupāda: Wrote it?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We have to call them to confirm that we will be going. Should we utilize the car, Śrīla Prabhupāda, or go in the train?

Prabhupāda: No, you can go by car.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The road is open. Upendra is here now. Should we give him the kismis(?) to make?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Upendra...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Here's the kismis. Prabhupāda said mix with honey and smash.

Prabhupāda: Four kismis.

Room Conversation -- October 6, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: No, they have good practice.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But the same thing, as they were recommended, similarly, this kavirāja in Bombay was recommended. We can call him, but...

Prabhupāda: Consult him.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I've lost hope with these doctors, Śrīla Prabhupāda. I'll consult if you insist, but I... I mean... I've lost hope.

Prabhupāda: And they know me also very well.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So you want me to bring them here?

Prabhupāda: No, he'll bring.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He can bring them here, and then they can examine you.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: All right. You think you can bring the father and son here? All right. You think you can bring them this evening? This afternoon or evening?

Sac-cid-ānanda: At four o'clock.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You'll leave here at four o'clock?

Sac-cid-ānanda: What time is it?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Now it is ten past three. You'll leave at four, and they'll get here by 4:35. That's all right. That's a good time. Let us see, Śrīla Prabhupāda. Maybe they can... I mean I'm just not a blind follower of these doctors anymore. Experience makes one... No harm in their coming, especially if they know you, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: They know me very well.

Room Conversation -- October 6, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: My point is, I don't wish to keep money in the bank. Invest in printing.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda. And now we are making a big go-down in Bombay, a professional go-down for BBT.

Prabhupāda: Where?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: In Bombay.

Prabhupāda: In our?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, in our Hare Kṛṣṇa land. In that Gurukula building, because now we have so many books and we don't have enough space, so we're going to start work on the go-down. I just need three lakh rupees, but when Rāmeśvara comes I'll talk to him and then start it.

Prabhupāda: No, three lakhs we have got.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Okay. Because this will be a professional go-down then. Also New Zealand is ordering books from India, and the second print of the Bhagavad-gītā, which is going to leave on the 10th of October, that has come out even better than the American, the color work. I'm going to show it to Hari-śauri and you. Actually we should print some Bhāgavatams also, because many Bhāgavatams are out of print, and I have been using this mail order company. We are advertising our Gītā, and we've already sold more than thousand Gītās in two months. And this mail order company is paying for the advertisement. So they are very keen to also promote the Bhaktivedanta Encyclopedia. But before I do that, I must have all your Bhāgavatams in stock, because as the order comes, we have to fulfill them right away. This is working out to be very, very big, Śrīla Prabhupāda, this mail order technique. That is, we advertise, and the people write...

Prabhupāda: And print Hindi books, Gujarati books also.

Room Conversation -- October 6, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: And now we have got..., sent four lakhs.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Sent four lakhs?

Hari-śauri: Prabhupāda just transferred four lakhs from matured fixed deposits.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: To?

Hari-śauri: To Bombay, was it, Śrīla Prabhupāda? Tamāla knows better...

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Should we use that four lakhs for printing?

Hari-śauri: For that go-down.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: We can use it for the go-down, for building that go-down.

Prabhupāda: Whatever it may be, there is no need of keeping in the bank.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Because we can print more books and keep them in stock. And now we are finding out that this mail order technique is selling thousands of books. Like in two months I sold more books than Gargamuni's party did in one year with this mail order technique.

Prabhupāda: Hm. It is very good.

Room Conversation -- October 6, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Apartment?

Haṁsadūta: No. It's a house. Quite a large house. Large area.

Prabhupāda: What foot is area?

Haṁsadūta: It's forty feet wide by maybe three hundred feet long. It's ten minutes from the center of the city. That particular piece of land is worth about two lakhs. There's another man, very rich man. He saw the Bombay project, and he promised to give us a piece of land right on the beach for which he already had zoning permission to build a hotel. It's also a very nice area. But the most important thing is we're trying to get some books published in Tamil and Singhalese languages. And we do a lot of preaching. Is there something special you want me to do there, Prabhupāda? Do you have some...

Prabhupāda: No. There is every chance of making it successful, and the... As Kīrtanānanda has developed New Vrindaban, similarly you can do.

Haṁsadūta: Something along that line?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Haṁsadūta: You mean like a community, spiritual community like Kīrtanānanda?

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Room Conversation -- October 9, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: The villagers will like it very much. You smash it by that ḍheṅki. You know that machine?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The ladies jump on it.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So as much as it is powdered, make it ruṭi, and the hard portion make rice. The kṛṣāṇas will like, and it is very nutritious.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually, Śrīla Prabhupāda, you gave your word to Kṛṣṇa in Bombay that you would see Him sitting in His new big temple. So you have yet to keep your word fully to Him.

Brahmānanda: We have fixed a date for the opening of the Bombay temple-January 1st.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Brahmānanda: So we would like to invite you to come, Śrīla Prabhupāda. It is your temple. You have asked Kṛṣṇa to come there, and when we all gave up, you carried on the fight.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Everything I do is(?) fighting. Out of (indistinct), fighting, survival and construct such a big temple is a great triumph.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I don't think Kṛṣṇa will come into that temple unless you personally are there, Śrīla Prabhupāda, to open the door for Him.

Prabhupāda: All right. But chanting should not be stopped.

Room Conversation -- October 9, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: It should go naturally. Kīrtanānanda's...

Kīrtanānanda: Yes?

Prabhupāda: ...palace, when it will be ready?

Kīrtanānanda: Early spring. Soon as the weather starts to warm up. It just gives you a little time to recuperate here and then go to Bombay and open the temple there and then come to your palace. I have about fifty or seventy-five letters from the devotees at New Vrindaban. They're just all begging you to come. They say their life is finished if you don't.

Prabhupāda: Hm. So let me take a little rest. Then I shall take strawberry.

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Brahmānanda: Thank you very much.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: While you're resting you want soft chanting? Soft kīrtana? Haṁsadūta?

Hari-śauri: Śrīla Prabhupāda ki...

Devotees: Jaya! (break)

Haṁsadūta: Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Girirāja? Did not go to the bank?

Room Conversation -- October 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: I am living still.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There's so much to be done, Śrīla Prabhupāda. Your activities are not completed yet. You have to install the Deities in Bombay, you have to live in your palace in New Vrindaban, you have to show varṇāśrama, you have to complete the Bhāgavatam, you have to live in a new house in Māyāpur, and we have to at least make a good start to begin the big temple in Māyāpur. Everything is still incomplete, what to speak of the fact that we are all very much neophyte still. We need you more than anything else. This movement has to last ten thousand years. We're not ready yet. We're still very much conditioned and contaminated. If you stay with us for another ten years at least, then there's chance that we can become purified more. And it's within your... It's within you to be able to do that. Kṛṣṇa will allow you to do that.

Prabhupāda: People are coming like before?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I'll have to start looking again, Śrīla Prabhupāda. My eyes have not been able to see everything very clearly in the last few days.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Due to your being in this condition, I am not seeing very... I've not been very alert to looking at those things because I was worried about you. Today I'll try to see.

Prabhupāda: No. In Māyāpur.

Room Conversation -- October 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Bhavānanda: That sweet sun.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Then, January 1st, we can go to Bombay for opening the temple. Then, if the temple is open, there should be not much work left, hopefully.

Bhavānanda: The women at Māyāpur at busy making nimbu ācār.

Subhaga: (Bengali with Prabhupāda)

Bhavānanda: One older Bengali lady, Mrs. Shaha, widow, very respectable lady, has come to stay. Very respectable, nice.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What does she do?

Bhavānanda: She was a nurse, so she's taken charge of the dispensary, seeing to everyone's...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Kṛṣṇa gave you the best...

Bhavānanda: Very high-class Bengali woman.

Bhakti-caru: And one doctor from Krishnanagar, he's going to visit us every Thursday.

Subhaga: Once a week, Prabhupāda.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What kind of doctor? Allopathic?

Bhavānanda: Allopathic. The flowers will be blooming, wintertime flowers, so many nice flowers, so many nice sabjis. But without Your Divine Grace's presence, Śrīla Prabhupāda, it's not complete.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Everything we've done there is for you, Śrīla Prabhupāda. Actually, everything we've done in this movement is for you. We're so... We don't know Kṛṣṇa at all, Śrīla Prabhupāda. We only know you.

Prabhupāda: But I know you.

Room Conversation -- October 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I remember when we were in Māyāpur last, Śrīla Prabhupāda, before going to the Bombay pandal. Every morning we would take you upstairs, and you would sit in the sun, and Bhavānanda Mahārāja would massage you for two hours. Remember? You said you were getting your strength from that sun and the massage. It's also very nice to take you around. Even as you say it's wonderful how we do it, but we like to take you in any condition, traveling.

Subhaga: (Bengali)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually, Śrīla Prabhupāda, the motive behind which we do everything is to please you. You must be present to accept whatever service... We are not very good servants, but whatever little we do, we do for you. Without you being present, we would lose our very reason for working hard and serving.

Prabhupāda: (Bengali with Subhaga)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Now you can go to your respective...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda? Do you want to take rest now for a while? Little rest. You want kīrtana or anything?

Prabhupāda: Not now.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Not now. Okay. (break)

Prabhupāda: Is it cloudy?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, Śrīla Prabhupāda, it's not. It's clear weather.

Room Conversation -- October 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: But he is my old friend.

Dr. Kapoor: Friend. If he comes, well and good.

Prabhupāda: He recommended when I was in Bombay, he would come to Bombay. And that hospital?

Girirāja: Jhaso.(?)

Prabhupāda: In Jhaso(?) hospital J. P. Narayan was admitted? Again he was sent to foreign country. This is the difficulty. They want up-to-date scientific treatment, which means taking blood, injection, operation, like that.

Dr. Kapoor: Yes, yes. No. You can't stand all that. (break) I think Raj Vaidya Pandit Lakshmi-Narayan. Let him examine. (Bengali) The doctor wouldn't be able to say anything unless he checks of your blood and everything, you see, which is a very troublesome task. But old vaidya, he can feel the pulse and say what exactly is wrong.

Prabhupāda: He can be brought now?

Dr. Kapoor: I can try.

Prabhupāda: So give him...

Girirāja: I'll arrange a car.

Prabhupāda: Yes. (break) ...strength even for sitting.

Visit From Allopathic Doctor -- October 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Doctor: No improvement. You went with him, no? Bombay, you took. No improvement. But he was better here. Eating something. Does he ask for food?

Upendra: No

Doctor: Never. You are giving nothing except coconut water and these Horlicks.

Bhakti-caru: (Bengali)

Doctor: (Bengali)

Hari-śauri: This is a record of what Prabhupāda's been taking the last few days. (break)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Did you send telegram to this doctor?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Doctor Ghosh?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Visit From Allopathic Doctor -- October 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Kīrtanānanda: Śrīla Prabhupāda? It's Kīrtanānanda. It seems that someone has to be in charge of your care. One day it's this allopath, one day this quack, that quack. That's not good. I'd like to see you ask one of us... I'll be glad to do it. Anyone... Take charge of your care, and we can do the best we can. But just one thing, one thing...

Prabhupāda: But we have already asked Dr. Ghosh of Allahabad, but he has not come.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, he hasn't. We received a letter from him. I think he may have missed our letter, but he said that any correspondence should be sent to Allahabad and would be forwarded to him. But he hasn't come yet.

Prabhupāda: You can see that letter. He is qualified man.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He suggests immediately that Prabhupāda go into a hospital.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Doctor Ghosh's letter, you remember, he suggests that we immediately take you to that Bombay hospital.

Hari-śauri: He wanted to do that last March when he saw you there at Māyāpur.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That was his opinion.

Prabhupāda: You can show him bile. Show him the bile. (end)

Room Conversation -- October 11, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: What meeting is going on?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We had two meetings today. One meeting was the BBT meeting for the completion of the Bombay project. And then another meeting was about our community Gītā-nagarī. Describing how it will be... Dhṛṣṭadyumna Mahārāja has come with his brother, who's the architect. And we're having a meeting for planning this ideal community very exactly, everything. The people present at the meeting are Bhavānanda Mahārāja and Paramānanda, Vāmanadeva, Dhṛṣṭadyumna Mahārāja, Tripurāri Mahārāja, Balavanta, Rūpānuga. All these people have experience with..., you know, like Bhavānanda in Māyāpur. Balavanta has two farms, Rūpānuga, all of these people. In other words, we're just trying to plan out... And Surabhī Mahārāja. And Dhṛṣṭadyumna Mahārāja's brother is an architect. In fact I've just been told that his architectural firm is the same one that's designing the... What is that? Designing a big thing in Tehran for the Shah of Iran. It's a very big architectural firm. So we're just trying to plan a very ideal community. We don't want to make a hodgepodge of it. I mean it should be so ideal that it becomes one of the most wonderful preaching tools for our movement, to show that "Here is an ideal community based upon Vedic principles, and it's perfect in every respect." So it takes a little cooperative thought and planning. That's why we've invited so many people to sit in the meeting.

Prabhupāda: I was very happy when I heard, respectable gentlemen, out of love, they are washing dishes. You know that? Ātreya Ṛṣi told me.

Room Conversation -- October 12, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Come here. (heavy coughing) Mucus is generating, either you take milk or fruit juice. I have given my opinion in that correspondence. And he's a qualified man. If you want him, then somebody may go to him and talk.

Kīrtanānanda: Yes, that should be done. We'll do that today.

Prabhupāda: He wanted to retire and start a clinic here.

Kīrtanānanda: So he can come now.

Prabhupāda: So we can help.

Kīrtanānanda: Yes. It's a very good idea.

Prabhupāda: So, what is the report, Jayapatākā?

Jayapatākā: Since I left you in Bombay, then I returned and presented the Show Cause to the additional district magistrate. And he just looked at it and postponed it till November 18th. He postponed, so as far as that goes, there's nothing until November 18th. Then, I think, Bhavānanda Mahārāja gave the report about the court. They released... They reduced the bail restriction on the devotees. I went on a tour of Orissa to the two temples there, Bhuvaneśvara and Bhadrak. In Bhuvaneśvara they have nice garden (Prabhupāda coughing up mucus) and about six or seven devotees. They had a nice Vyāsa-pūjā and Janmāṣṭamī festival.

Prabhupāda: Magistrate wants my presence?

Jayapatākā: No.

Room Conversation -- October 12, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Magistrate wants my presence?

Jayapatākā: No. It is not required that you talk to him. There's no... Everyone says that there's no case for that. The previous ADM said that actually the person that was doing it is this woman district magistrate. That woman is quite inimical to us. So there's very strong talk that after Durgā Pūjā she'll be transferred. If she's transferred, then our situation would become much better, I hope, by Kṛṣṇa's mercy. She's just trying to harass us, but actually she has no legal scope. Indian Overseas Bank came out, the additional general manager, to Māyāpur, and he's very eager to open up the branch at Māyāpur also, because they have already in Bombay. I think... They have here also? I don't know. But he was eager to open a branch there. They have made us an application. The Central Bank sent a letter, withdrew their application for opening the bank. Right now the Gurukula, they have just finished their examinations. Their examinations were writing an English sentence in Sanskrit and writing Sanskrit in English and similar type tests. They, most of the students got seventy percent on the examination. Then the bigger children went out on saṅkīrtana with the two traveling parties, one to Darjeeling. In Darjeeling they sold seven thousand books in less than ten days. They had very good reception in Darjeeling. And one party is still in Bihar. They did four thousand books.

Prabhupāda: Bengal book.

Room Conversation -- October 13, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Where is Hari-śauri?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Hari-śauri? He's bathing, Śrīla Prabhupāda. (break) ...comfortably, Śrīla Prabhupāda? Śrīla Prabhupāda? In order to finish the Bombay temple, we're making a... We're sending some money to them for completion. So we have a committee called the Māyāpur-Vṛndāvana committee. Persons on the committee are Jayapatākā Swami, Girirāja, Gopāla Kṛṣṇa, Ātreya Ṛṣi, Rāmeśvara Mahārāja, Gurukṛpā Mahārāja and myself. That committee was formed by the GBC last Māyāpur festival. So they decided that they would give a loan, because the BBT was a little short of money... The BBT sends the money to Bombay. So the BBT wants to loan some money from the Māyāpur-Vṛndāvana account in Los Angeles, and they'll pay it back with the same bank interest.

Prabhupāda: Make me centered.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Make a loan from Los Angeles to the BBT, and the BBT will repay it with the regular bank interest. Is that all right? Had you given power of attorney, now that the MV trust has approved it, Girirāja and I can sign on your behalf. See, we'll never sign on our own. We only sign after we get authority from the respective committee or from Your Divine Grace.

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We're only mechanical signers.

Prabhupāda: Very good. Make the body centered.

Room Conversation -- October 13, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Other business may not suffer.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Hm. Publishing books should not suffer, and lecturing, like that.

Prabhupāda: We have already place in Bombay.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes.

Prabhupāda: So if Bombay is sufficient, don't bother in Delhi.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes. I will do it slowly first of all to make sure that whatever we have done is going on nicely, then we can expand later on. But in India it is true that everybody I met, very respectful to Śrīla Prabhupāda's movement to what we are trying to do.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That much we want to keep. The people may not think of it as bogus.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Our chief guest for tomorrow has already arrived. And he's very impressed. I took a tour of our temples, also the Gurukula. And they're very impressed with the whole building and the whole program that we have here. Very nice. He brought also an architect. He's a retired engineer, Chowdury from..., together. Also we already have a mathematician from Delhi University for tomorrow. So I took three of them tour of our temple and gave them nice prasādam. They were very impressed.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This has never happened before, Śrīla Prabhupāda. You are the real ācārya for this age, Śrīla Prabhupāda. You perfectly know how to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You're making people who would ordinarily never take interest in Kṛṣṇa consciousness become devotees.

Prabhupāda: In the beginning, when I was selling Back to Godhead alone, I wrote one practical businessman, Mr. Bande(?) I think. He said, "Swamiji, why you have made Vṛndāvana headquarter? (laughs) It is not a place for..." (break)

Room Conversation -- October 13, 1977, Vrndavana:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes. Once we get incorporated in Bombay, then we can also get some grants from the government, also in the United States when we get it properly established. And the word bhakti-vedānta is so important that it seems everybody knows what it means, at least in India. When they say bhakti, "Oh," they say, "Oh, that's different from Maharishi Yogi. That's different from anybody else. You have to start with bhakti." So the word is so nice also.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And Prabhupāda is very famous also. So people think about Prabhupāda and Hare Kṛṣṇa movement when they hear it also.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: When they hear "Bhaktivedanta," they immediately know that this is Prabhupāda. Many of them told me that "Oh, I have heard Swamiji's lecture in Delhi. It's very nice and very impressive and very convincing." Many of them told me like that.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Your lectures in Delhi drew the most intelligent class of people, Śrīla Prabhupāda. The other swamis, when they would lecture, they would get just the typical pious Indian people, but yours also drew very intelligent group of people, sophisticated people.

Prabhupāda: They danced. (laughter) With coat-pant. I have seen.

Room Conversation -- October 13, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Soviet country, why don't you read...? Where is our Harikeśa?

Guest (1): In Russia. (laughs)

Hari-śauri: That book of Stillson Judah's is in Bombay I think, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Where is Harikeśa? (Bengali) Why these books you do not keep with us?

Hari-śauri: Generally they do carry them, but it was left...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There was a copy here also, and I don't see it now. There was a copy on these shelves.

Prabhupāda: Where is Kīrtanānanda Swami? (Bengali)...New Vrindaban scheme... (Bengali)

Hari-śauri: This is a palace that they're building in our New Vrindaban farm community. This is built by our own men. This is not complete yet, but it's being built, the dome. Kīrtanānanda Swami is in charge. These are the devotees. Everything is being made by our men. They learned how to cast concrete, how to make these pillars, archways. This marble laying is all done by our men. They came here and learned, and they have a marble shop. This is the kīrtana hall inside. This is on the walls. Here's the floor. This is onyx and marble together. This is pressed concrete, sculptured. This is a support piece, little decorative. This is a guesthouse that was built by the devotees. This is another new building they're building now, and this is present installation and silos for storing cow fodder. You want to sit up, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: I can sit down for some...

Hari-śauri: Yes.

Room Conversation -- October 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes. We shall do.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And also I took darśana of Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma, and Lord Balarāma's club looks like it will destroy anyone (Prabhupāda chuckles) who dares to interfere with Kṛṣṇa's plan. He has a very big club, silver, all silver. And many people were coming, many pilgrims. Just you were asking me whether there's many people coming as when we were previously here. There are as many. The temple was very much crowded with people having darśana. I could tell that some of the people were pāṇḍās, the guides. They have to bring everyone to this temple, because the people want to see Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma Mandir. People were making a lot of expressions of joy to see Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma. They were very surprised to see how beautiful They were appearing. And also Rādhā-Śyāmasundara is very big attraction, because that boy dresses Them very beautifully. All the Deities look very nice today. They look especially happy about this science conference, I think. If we do this in Bombay, also Śrīla Prabhupāda, it will be tremendous success. I think that Kṛṣṇa postponed...

Prabhupāda: Bhakti-caru? (Bengali with Bhakti-caru)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It might be that Kṛṣṇa postponed the opening of Bombay to get you..., so that you could have enough time to get a little health. It could be.

Prabhupāda: (Bengali) He has arranged alone.

Room Conversation With Svarupa Damodara -- October 15, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: That will be very good.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: So we'll concentrate here, near Delhi and Punjab, this time, Aligarh and Agra. We'll try to finish this area within this coming month or so. And after that, I'll move to Bombay. I'll try to organize better in Bombay. Also Bombay will be much more effective. There are so many scientists there. I'd like to make a strong show in Bombay.

Bhāgavata: They have a space center there, don't they, in Bombay?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: They have got Trombay Atomic Research Center also. There is a place called Tata Institute of Fundamental Research.

Bhāgavata: And in Bangalore they have some good institutes.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes. We'll go all over India. In Calcutta will be very interesting because there are so many people,

Bhāgavata: Yesterday you took ḍāl and ruṭi?

Abhirāma: Just tasted.

Bhāgavata: Oh. Just tasted.

Prabhupāda: Simply touch.

Room Conversation -- October 15, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So actually the kavirāja says that the actual cure is simply to drink liquids. In Bombay you were drinking about 600 cc's of liquid a day. It wasn't very difficult. Say, at about four or five times in a day you'd drink about a half a cup of liquid. That's all it took. It wasn't difficult, and it all came out very easily as urine. Because you had that operation performed, there's no blockage. Simply we have to sit you up four or five times, which you're doing anyway in a day, drink a little liquid, and then you can lay down. And automatically it will come out as urine. And because you have liquid, it will clean out the poisons. If you take no liquid, then it's very dangerous. You don't have to eat anything.

Prabhupāda: I can.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You can just drink.

Prabhupāda: Yes, I can.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Very good. So, can I see that book? So about in a half hour we can give you some juice maybe? Grape juice? Do you like grape juice?

Prabhupāda: Whatever you give me, I will take.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Okay. We'll just talk amongst ourselves and decide what you should take.

Prabhupāda: But don't give much.

Room Conversation -- October 15, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No. You should drink simply like a half a cup. Is that too much? In Bombay we used to give you a full cup. But we can give you a half a cup here. And you try and drink a half a cup. It's only about a 100 cc's. You do that few times in a day, four or five times. Then there'll be no problem. I don't think it's very painful to drink, is it?

Prabhupāda: No.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What is the reason you haven't been doing it the last few days?

Prabhupāda: I cannot...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You cannot...? What, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: (coughs up mucus)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I don't think this milk should be given again, Śrīla Prabhupāda. It has caused maybe this mucus. So we'll give you something to drink after a half hour. Okay. (Yaśodānandana Swami leading Govindam prayers)

Prabhupāda: Viśvambhara.

Upendra: No, Śrīla Prabhupāda. (chanting)

Prabhupāda: Who is...?

Bhagavān: Bhagavān, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Bhagavān: Bhagavān.

Prabhupāda: Bhāgavata?

Bhagavān: Bhagavān. Bhagavān dāsa. (chanting)

Prabhupāda: I wanted to see Viśvambhara. Eh?

Room Conversation -- October 15, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So things are satisfactory now?

Girirāja: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Also another thing, that four thousand, er, four lakhs has reached Bombay?

Girirāja: Well, I sent a photocopy of that advice which they gave us here to the CBI, and I told them that they should be sure to get the money from Punjab Bank and put it in our account, BBT. But I didn't get any confirmation, because usually they give the advice to Bombay.

Prabhupāda: So?

Girirāja: So it's not confirmed that we got the money. But I'm sure that... Anyway, I think I'll be going to Bombay in the next week. Otherwise I can send another letter to the CBI to advise us here in Vṛndāvana confirming that the money has been credited.

Prabhupāda: CBI should have acknowledged. Why...? Hm?

Girirāja: Yes. But generally they send all of their advices to our Bombay office. So they might have sent the advice to Bombay office, the four lakhs.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, I got the advice. Today I got the, ad... I wrote to the Bombay office of Central Bank. I wrote a letter to... You wrote a letter. Girirāja wrote a letter to Central Bank of India, Bombay, Gwalior Tank. And just today... When Prasannātmā Prabhu went there... I told him to go to the bank, and he got the advice, and I received it today-four lakhs received on time before the tenth and deposited and credited to our account, in time for gaining interest this month.

Prabhupāda: So it is all right.

Room Conversation -- October 15, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: To?

Girirāja: To the Parliament Street Main Branch in New Delhi.

Prabhupāda: And before that, four lakhs?

Girirāja: Yes, four lakhs to Central Bank in Bombay.

Prabhupāda: So Dugal is very unhappy, eh?

Girirāja: Well, I mean he feels that he's losing everything. But the man from the head office tried to explain that, you know, "This is the reaction to your activities," and that "If you change your activities in the future, we may bring in more money." Actually we're going to expand and develop our activities more and more. So if they win our confidence, we don't mind giving them any amount of money.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He also said that the chairman has taken a personal interest in our Society's accounts and has sent him as an emissary. And he also said that he's coming back in about ten days again. He said, "This time when I come back you will not have any complaints." In other words, he's going to rectify whatever mistakes have been made. (whispering)

Prabhupāda: Hm? What is that "pish pish?" (laughter)

Room Conversation -- October 15, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So when you have to withdraw, you have to give ten days' notice?

Girirāja: What we did in Bombay is we made arrangement that if we could not give ten-day notice, we could predate a letter ten days before, and they would accept that.

Prabhupāda: Yes, the Bombay accept, but these people?

Girirāja: Well, we didn't discuss this, but the next time we meet the man from the head office I'm sure we can arrange it, because he wants to satisfy us.

Prabhupāda: The Central Bank, they do not mind.

Girirāja: No. These people are too fussy. Actually every bank always bends the rules to accommodate the customers. These people... This is one of the symptoms of nonsurrender, that they are too attached to following the rules and regulations without understanding the purpose.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Niyamāgraha?

Prabhupāda: Niyamāgraha. (laughter) Do everything very carefully. You were present in the conference?

Girirāja: Well, actually I wasn't, because I wasn't feeling too well this morning. But tomorrow I want to be present.

Prabhupāda: I don't see Brahmānanda?

Room Conversation -- October 15, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Why one printer?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And Jayapatākā was thinking his parties are distributing Hindi books also, in Bihar and other places, and they ran out of books, and even though they went to Bombay, he could not get the books he wanted. There was no stock.

Prabhupāda: So what he recommends?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So he says he can print cheaper anyway in Calcutta.

Prabhupāda: Then let him print.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. That's what I... I mentioned that to him.

Prabhupāda: Why depend on one printer?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No.

Prabhupāda: Where is Gopāla?

Girirāja: He went to Bombay today.

Prabhupāda: So, you arrange many printers.

Girirāja: Yes.

Room Conversation -- October 15, 1977, Vrndavana:

Hṛdayānanda: Anywhere in the world.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. And especially you can send them from Bombay to Calcutta. There's no hindrance. (Girirāja whispering)

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Girirāja: Well, I wrote a prayer to Lord Kṛṣṇa for your health. So I was... It's in the next room. I was thinking of bringing it and reading it.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Hṛdayānanda: Also a message arrived for your health, prayers from the devotees in Central America. They're all praying for you. A letter has just arrived.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I get many letters all week, Śrīla Prabhupāda, all praying for your recovery. The devotees cannot resign themselves to letting you go. They don't want to live without you. They cannot...

Prabhupāda: Viśvambhara, everywhere they want me. You also...

Viśvambhara: I can give my life, Prabhupāda. I can give some of my years. I pray that I may go early, Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: No, why you should go early? You live on.

Viśvambhara: Prabhupāda, you stay. I wish that... I told you already earlier here that please at least complete this Bhāgavatam, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: That is my desire also.

Room Conversation -- October 15, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So you'll get money. Print.

Jayapatākā: One of our parties has gone to Bihar, and they sold about twelve thousand books and they ran out. They just now ran out of books, so they went to Bombay to get Hindi books, but there was no stock. So they came here to... Spent four hundred rupees going there, they found no books. Then they came here to Delhi, and they got two thousand books from Vṛndāvana here, what stock they had.

Prabhupāda: So why stock lacking? Why this mismanagement? There is no question of shortage of stock. I give you open order. Print more than necessity. If you do not print, what shall I do?

Bhakti-caru: Should we start printing Hindi books in Calcutta, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: I do not know where to be... But get it printed in huge stock.

Bhakti-caru: Calcutta also has all the facilities in Hindi.

Prabhupāda: What is use of telling me?

Hṛdayānanda: What is the use of telling him?

Jayapatākā: He said, "I give an open order to print books. Always have big stock."

Hṛdayānanda: Huge stock, he said, more than necessary.

Kīrtanānanda: It's up to us to figure out where to print books.

Gargamuni(?): I have to put this question, Prabhupāda.

Jayapatākā: He already answered that question. Gaura-Govinda, he's already translated sixteen chapters of Bhagavad-gītā in Oriya, and he's translated three small books in Oriya.

Prabhupāda: Let him bring. There is fifty thousand rupees in Orissa.

Room Conversation -- October 17, 1977, Vrndavana:

Bhavānanda: Is that comfortable, Śrīla Prabhupāda? (doctors talking)

Dr. Gopal: Say "Ah."

Prabhupāda: Ahhhhh.

Dr. Gopal: (Hindi) (pause)

Prabhupāda: Bhavānanda?

Upendra: He's talking with the doctor, Śrīla Prabhupāda. This is Upendra and Girirāja. We're just with you while they're talking with the doctor, finding out information.

Prabhupāda: Girirāja?

Girirāja: Yes.

Prabhupāda: News from Bombay? (break)

Room Conversation -- October 17, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: No, no. It cannot remain vacant. Consult with Jayatīrtha.

Hari-śauri: Jayatīrtha's here.

Prabhupāda: I'm asking Girirāja.

Hari-śauri: Consult with Jayatīrtha.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda? For the Bombay opening, is it necessary to have those South Indian brāhmaṇas? If Yaśodānandana Mahārāja knows the ceremonies...

Hari-śauri: Which he does very, very well.

Prabhupāda: Then why?

Hari-śauri: He does know.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Because many of the... Gurukṛpā Mahārāja and others were expressing the feeling that Bombay is not like Vṛndāvana.

Prabhupāda: No.

Room Conversation -- October 17, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In Vṛndāvana there are so many smārta-brāhmaṇas, but Bombay is a very materialistic, modern, Western city. Some of our devotees have already been invited, Acyutānanda and one other, for themselves opening a temple. So it was the common opinion of most of the devotees, "What is the need of hiring these fourteen, fifteen brāhmaṇas? The people don't care in Bombay for this."

Prabhupāda: No.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Rather, they may be more impressed to have the Western devotees doing it, and we save so much...

Prabhupāda: Western brāhmaṇas.

Hari-śauri: Western brāhmaṇas, yes.

Girirāja: Imported. (laughter)

Prabhupāda: That was my prediction. As they're importing ghee, milk, similarly, brāhmaṇa also. Go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya. That's nice proposal.

Hari-śauri: Jaya. Yaśodānandana can do it very nicely. He did it very expertly in Fiji.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Hari-śauri: And the Indians there were very, very appreciative that the Western, white brāhmaṇas had done the installation. They were telling Vāsudeva that "Now we must take instructions from these men. They know the pūjā."

Prabhupāda: That is good proposal.

Hari-śauri: Jaya.

Room Conversation -- October 17, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually, Prabhupāda, your condition has become much weaker since you stopped eating more and more. In Bombay, when you had more strength, you were eating..., at least drinking three times what you are drinking now. So if you gradually increase your drinking, your strength will come back. As long as you're passing urine, it means it's being digested all right.

Bhavānanda: Everyone... All the doctors agree that your liver and digestion, spleen, is all in good working order.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And also the blood pressure is normal. It's 130. It's very reduced, Śrīla Prabhupāda. It's normal blood pressure now.

Bhavānanda: But he said that your pulse is so weak that every 18 beats it skips a beat, misses, because you're in such weakened state.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But he was hopeful in general.

Prabhupāda: Dr. Gopal.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda. Is he still here, Dr. Gopal?

Bhavānanda: Yes, he's still here. So, Śrīla Prabhupāda, I think that we should... Dr. Ghosh has come all this distance, and he'll get very upset if we don't at least try this course of medicines. I think that we should try and see what happens. It was a lot of medicines, but they can be combined together in one dosage, once in the morning, in the afternoon and in the evening, so it won't be all the time having to take.

Hari-śauri: It can be drunk down with some liquid as well.

Bhavānanda: Yes. You can mix it with fruit juices or...

Prabhupāda: So do it.

Room Conversation -- October 18, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: I wanted to speak to you all. Therefore I was asking Girirāja.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You wanted to speak to who?

Prabhupāda: To you all.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Shall we call Girirāja? The conveyance was sent to you, Śrīla Prabhupāda, here in Vṛndāvana.

Prabhupāda: You had to take care. But if by Kṛṣṇa's desire I do not exist during Bombay opening ceremony, then the ceremony should be very gorgeously performed, and everyone should be given sumptuous prasādam, whoever comes. Of course, the opening ceremony should be performed as early as possible.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Here is Girirāja now, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: So?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Girirāja?

Prabhupāda: You repeat what I have sa...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda said that if he does not exist till the Bombay opening, then it should be performed very gorgeously, and everyone should be fed sumptuous prasādam, and it should be celebrated as early as possible.

Prabhupāda: And one thing... Just now I am forgetting. And don't try to make preparation in the temple. Order the foodstuff from confectioner. Have good stock and distribute.

Room Conversation -- October 18, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: All of the prasādam, or just sweets?

Prabhupāda: Sweets. There are many nice sweet supplier in Bombay. Order them... (break) How do you like this idea?

Girirāja: It's very good idea, except that we feel that you should personally be present.

Prabhupāda: That is Kṛṣṇa's desire. You are trying. I am also trying. Now it is Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma's desire.

Bhagavān: You are the jewel that will make it all gorgeous, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: So I am giving the idea. Ha. HAAA!

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The Complan is here, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: So what shall I do?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Sit up and drink.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Hm. Hare Kṛṣṇa kīrtana.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Kīrtana? Do you want some kīrtana?

Prabhupāda: Soft kīrtana.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Okay. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...thakur re.(?) I want association of Vaiṣṇava. You are all pure Vaiṣṇavas. You have sacrificed everything, material comforts, for Kṛṣṇa's sake. That is Vaiṣṇava. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11). You have no other desire. You Europeans, Americans, you are born amongst material desires. And when you become free from material desires... Therefore you are all Vaiṣṇava, anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (CC Madhya 19.167). So you are so merciful. Where Tamāla gone?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I'm here Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: So, you are taking care of that conveyance?

Room Conversation -- October 18, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: 27th October?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: This month, yes, October 27th. It was Indian National Science Academy. There are some very well known scientists, including Kothari, D. S. Kothari and other... They told me there is a group of scientists in Delhi, actually from all over India. It's called "Mind Group." They like to do research on nature of consciousness. And they told me that it would be very good if we have a debate between our group and their group. So I agreed to that. And the Mishra, actually, the one who came last time, he also belongs to that group, and Kothari is the chairman of that group, and there's one Bengali called Lankadas(?) Gupta. He's the secretary. They all belong to that group. So they're going to invite us for a, they call, round-table debate. It will be about twenty people from their side and five from our side. So we're going to have a confrontation. And also Dr. Krana told me that when I come I can fix a television program in Delhi to appear us, and they're going to interview us in the Indian television. But I decided to establish Bombay as a... Since we have everything there ready, I'd like to furnish with office, and also I requested our members to stay here for some time. So they're going to establish the library also. I have plans to contact many leading scientists, personal goal. So we'll all go out with our books, and we'll try to make them members of the Institute. Also in the process we'll speak and make engagements, and also we'll try to request them to help us in pushing this movement, plus we'll request them to review our books on a scientific level. And, so that way we can make friends and they can help us in, I think, various ways. I think that... I'm thinking of charging one hundred rupees only for membership. This is called annual membership. It's like in any other institution we have this membership program. Just like I am a member of American Chemical Society. We have annual membership fees. So just like that, we'll generate, called subscriber members, and they will get our journal, Sa-Vijñānam, free. And they'll renew this every year. I just discussed this morning with my members that we should plan to make many members while we're here, six months in India. Then yesterday we were discussing about our possible permanent place in the United States. And I suggested that, from my experience, that Atlanta was very, very nice place especially to do writing, because the atmosphere is nice and the climate is also nice and it's natural setting. It is very conducive, especially thinking and writing type of work. So I decided that until at least we have a permanent place, I like to stay for a few years in Atlanta. Then they will stay about three, four years to do the, some of our main writing. And then also we can do the preaching, side by side. So instead of going to Europe, we'll go back to the United States after the Māyāpur festival, and then we'll do more writing, and in the process we'll also make several engagements in the United States. We'll start preaching now. Also Amarendra, that I requested... He's in Balavanta's zone. He's the president in Gainesville. He's the one who's good in making engagements for us. He's very enthusiastic. But he cannot come outside United States. So I thought it will also be very practical to be in Atlanta. Then in the process we'll look for a possible permanent place in Washington, DC, so that we can work out slowly, but... At least four or five years we'll be engaged in writing. So... And also we'll request, make many members as possible from the scientific community.

Prabhupāda: Enroll the intelligent men.

Room Conversation -- October 18, 1977, Vrndavana:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: In the meantime I'm thinking of a small office here in Vṛndāvana, because Vṛndāvana I'll come back now and then, often, and I'd like to have a small place also to do some writing here. It's a nice atmosphere, quiet, and also they have all the facilities here to do some writing. So I just went to buy a..., got this almirah for the office in Mathurā, Dr. Sharma. In about a month we'll go to Bombay temple and try to furnish the Institute offices and also try to make some contact with the scholars. I'm thinking of holding a short conference in Bombay. It will be like here in Vṛndāvana. Bombay's already many scholars, and right in the middle of the city, so it will be a lot easier in Bombay also. Big cities like Delhi, I think can get many scholars. In Vṛndāvana not so many came, but those few came, they were quite nice, and we learned something from this conference.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I was speaking with Śrīla Prabhupāda the other day that it doesn't seem that Vṛndāvana would be a good place to construct an entire building for Bhaktivedanta Institute.

Prabhupāda: Why? There is already a building.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There is already a building here. Judging by the reaction... Of course, this is the first meeting, but...

Prabhupāda: Later on...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Later on it may be done, but for now it's better to concentrate in bigger cities, where we're sure of the response.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He's asking for your...

Prabhupāda: Svarūpa Dāmodara?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes. Yes.

Room Conversation -- October 18, 1977, Vrndavana:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Actually it's not... Next time I don't want to spend any money on conveyance and prasādam. It's going to be charge now. This was just for Vṛndāvana. In Bombay I'm not going to do any more like this.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think that for now it's better not to spend ten lakhs or more of rupees to build a building, another building here. Better to wait, let the Institute become established in Bombay and see if there's some real backing, and then consider again whether we want to build it in Vṛndāvana.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes, that's all right. But still, I feel that even for a Gurukula child we need a hall, small or big. We need something... It's quite common in any academy, institute, whether it's big or large, something where people can get together. Just like friends meet or any other functions that is normally associated with academy institutions. So some sort of hall, it's, I think, will be of value.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Svarūpa Dāmodara says, Śrīla Prabhupāda, that even if the hall is not simply for the Bhaktivedanta Institute, that the Gurukula here requires to have at least one big auditorium with seats. And also if you remember, the upstairs was going to be living quarters for women. Right now the women are living on the inside part of the guesthouse, and they're very noisy with all the children there. So perhaps it's a good idea to go ahead with that building anyway. He says that the Bhaktivedanta Gurukula could use that hall in any case.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: It can be a multipurpose hall. It doesn't have to be just for Gurukula or Bhaktivedanta Institute. It can also be cultural...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Cultural or wedding... We could rent it for wedding ceremonies, things like that also.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes. It's already a cultural center. Just like the Gītā Conference is coming next month, I was told? They would like to hold here. Something like that, we can always get some engagements. Also we can get some...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What do you think, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: No, whatever you think is approved.

Room Conversation -- October 18, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: That round table?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes. There will be a round-table conference debate in Delhi. So all five will be there. Brahma-tīrtha, our geologist from Houston, he's going back, he told me, on 28th. So I decided to do on 27th. Also before that... Krishnamurti is the director general of television in New Delhi, and he's a good friend of our Dr. Khorana. Dr. Khorana is our life member in Delhi. So he also came to the conference on the last day. In fact, he brought the head of the All-India Medical Association also. So he told me that any day I come, any day we want, we can fix a date for a television appearance also. And since we are here, I also don't want to go far away from Vṛndāvana at this time. So in this process I'd like to go to Agra and Delhi and also possible Punjab areas, and I'd like to do some program and come back in Vṛndāvana. I don't want to go far away from Vṛndāvana at this stage. And in the process also we'd like to do some engagements. And then in about one or two months we'll work for Bombay. Bombay, I was told that three rooms are provided for the Institute. But we are at least four, and also we need a secretary for typing. So it seems to me that three rooms that are allotted for us will be not sufficient.

Prabhupāda: That's all.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Jaya. Thank you.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, would you like kīrtana? (break) ...would that be all right? Of course, first they're going to finish this gate. Should I go and see it tomorrow?

Prabhupāda: Not...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Just inquire. (aside:) You can keep chanting.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I just told them to keep chanting.

Prabhupāda: You did not read that conveyance?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, I did today. There's some things we have to get clarified.

Room Conversation -- October 20, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Now what you have got?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The fixed deposit slips. The actual receipts. See, but they've been stamped now. They've been handed over. We handed them over to this office here. We did everything according to letters and everything, and this office here in Vṛndāvana sent them by registered post to the head office. The head office got them, stamped them, and Girirāja went today to Delhi, collected them with Hari-śauri, and then Girirāja went to Bombay and Hari-śauri brought the receipts back. I took them and locked them away. Same receipts, simply stamped now with the head office stamp, entered in their accounts. So now the fixed deposits are officially held. We have them, but I mean to say they are with the Parliament Street Punjab Bank. Not Vṛndāvana branch.

Prabhupāda: So, they have issued any covering letter?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: More or less a covering letter.

Room Conversation -- October 20, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Do you think that is sufficient?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yes, definitely.

Prabhupāda: That's all.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I can find the... See, I didn't get to speak with Girirāja, 'cause he's gone to Bombay. He was quite eager to return to Bombay. He's been gone for awhile. So we were expecting to get new receipts. But anyway, these receipts will do. They have a new branch number marked on them, they have the stamp of the New Delhi bank stamped on them. They have the stamp, rubberstamp of the New Delhi Parliament office stamped onto the receipts now.

Room Conversation -- October 20, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They were planning, in my... I talked with Girirāja about this. They were thinking "Here is an old sannyāsī, Prabhupāda. He has many foreign disciples, he has money. Let us get the money in fixed deposit. Then if he should pass away, then somehow by trick the money will be kept here and we'll never let them take it out." That was their plan. Therefore whenever Prabhupāda suggested that Gurukṛpā would sign, co-sign, "No, no," they would never allow. Their plan is that Prabhupāda would pass away, and all the foreigners would be there, and they'd never let them take it. When I showed them this power of attorney, they had a great shock. They were shocked how this had happened to them. I think this was their plan. Very deceiving type of people. Because they are here in Vṛndāvana. All their money is from fixed deposits from āśramas. So they know how to do this business of keeping the money. Now everything is clear. The money is there in Delhi. The Delhi office is not like that. They're businesslike. And we can keep dealing them, but on regular accounts. None of these fixed deposits. Not now. They "Now you must gain their confidence again." We told them, "We have nothing against you. But you deal properly, then again we'll deposit. But deal properly in a businesslike way." We have nothing against them. Punjab Bank is a good bank. Anyway, it's settled now, Śrīla Prabhupāda. It's finished. I wanted you to know that it's been successfully completed due to Girirāja's good efforts. Girirāja went to Bombay. His parents went with him.

Prabhupāda: You said this Trivedi is worse than him?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Room Conversation -- October 21, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: I cannot go there?

Bharadvāja: You can do whatever you like.

Śatadhanya: After Bombay, Śrīla Prabhupāda, if you're strong enough, then we can go.

Prabhupāda: There is... And who is making khol?

Bharadvāja: Soul?

Prabhupāda: Khol, khol.

Bharadvāja: Oh, khol. Īśāna. Īśāna dāsa.

Prabhupāda: He's doing nice?

Bharadvāja: Yes. They are producing many, and they are very, very strong.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Bharadvāja: They are very strong, and they sound good.

Śatadhanya: They say that you can throw them on the floor and they will not break.

Bharadvāja: Made for Kali-yuga.

Prabhupāda: How many khols he has already prepared?

Bharadvāja: I don't know exactly, but I think it was close to about two hundred when I left.

Prabhupāda: Where he is making?

Bharadvāja: Well, they are having most of the part done outside by outside people, professionals, and Īśāna is assembling, and he's working very hard.

Prabhupāda: It is plastic?

Bharadvāja: Yes, Completely, everything.

Room Conversation -- October 21, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So why don't you do that?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's what we're doing.

Prabhupāda: It is going to be due within fortnight.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: First thing that has... Prabhupāda, one thing is that this power of attorney is to Girirāja and myself. So, one thing Girirāja is doing when he-he's reaching Bombay tomorrow—is that the power of attorney doesn't show our authorized signatures. In other words, a notary has to notarize our signatures, that these are actually the signatures.

Prabhupāda: This Asnani has gone? Asnani already left? That...? Our lawyer friend?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Mr. Asnani executed a power of attorney to Girirāja and myself for signing on your behalf. But our specimen signatures have to be notarized. So that, Girirāja is getting done by the same notary who notarized the power of attorney. Then Girirāja is sending me that document. Soon as he gets to Bombay, he'll have it done on Monday. Then he's sending it to me. Then I'll have the copy of the power of attorney plus the copy of the notarized signatures, and these two together I'll send with a letter to the bank to send the certificates here. When the certificates come here, then I'll present them to the local bank to make collection from the post office.

Room Conversation -- October 21, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's the system. It's going to take a little time. It will be matured. It may take a week or so more because we have to send from Bombay and then to Calcutta, then it has to come back here. Even if it takes an extra week, there's no great harm, I think. We'll try to have it done by the date, but I think it may take a few extra days.

Guest (1): No, even it takes more time, they will give you the tax for tax deduction.(?) (indistinct)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You can explain to Prabhupāda that the system we are doing is the correct system.

Guest (1): Because we cannot sign now.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No. But you should explain to him that you agree.

Prabhupāda: I can sign, but it will not be...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The same.

Prabhupāda: Therefore...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In any case, Śrīla Prabhupāda, we have to bring the certificates here. That's the first thing. Whether it's your signature or whether it's our signatures, the certificate has to be brought here.

Guest (1): You may sign. If both of these will be given to me, that will do.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. We'll give in this plus the certificates to the bank, and they'll give us a receipt.

Prabhupāda: So you can take the copy of the safe custody receipt and inquire into Bank of Baroda.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You want me to give him the receipt?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- October 21, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I can give you the details and the number, account number. You can make a specific inquiry. The main thing is just to inform them of the fact that there's a power of attorney coming with a notarized specimen signatures are coming, and there will be a letter of direction with those two signatures, directing them to send the certificates by registered mail here, because Prabhupāda can't sign the same signature. That's basically all you have to do. This bank has already accepted one copy. (indistinct) Either way... (indistinct) (break) Śrīla Prabhupāda? Gopāla Kṛṣṇa is here. He just returned from Bombay.

Prabhupāda: What news?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda said, "What news?"

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I have a new Hindi Back to Godhead for you, Śrīla Prabhupāda. I have met the Home Minister about two months ago regarding permanent residency visas.

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I got a letter from the Home Minister's secretary, saying that they're considering it seriously, and he just asked me for some more information, And actually the answers to all the questions that they have asked are positive. In other words, they have asked questions like "For these foreign students, will ISKCON pay for their boarding and lodging? How many years' course is it?" So it appears... I'm going to see them again next week. We may get our permanent residency visas. This is the first positive sign.

Prabhupāda: They have made some inquiry.

Room Conversation -- October 21, 1977, Vrndavana:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Plus we are starting to construct a BBT godown. Surabhī Swami is working on that because now we are printing so many books, and also we have a big shipment of books from America that we definitely need a very huge godown in Bombay. Last time you had approved giving a loan of four lakhs for the godown.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No. Three lakhs. One lakh for printing, three lakhs for the godown.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: (softly) No.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. You said that the godown would only cost three lakhs.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Three to four is the estimate. (to Prabhupāda:) So we are going to start work on the godown in November.

Prabhupāda: That's nice.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, that's nice. Now, as soon as our six Gujarati books are ready, we are starting this mail order campaign even for Gujarati books and for Hindi books. Actually by this mail order technique we will sell more books than we sell on the streets or in colleges. Just in two months I sold more Gītās...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: How many?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Over a thousand ...than we did in two years of library party. And I'm expanding this to...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No. They sell more. They have more than that, standing orders.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: What I'm saying it's very good. A thousand Gītās in two months is very good. Now I'm expanding this to the Bhāgavatam.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Unless you have good godown, it will be stolen and sold in the market at cheap price.

Room Conversation -- October 22, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Traveling by train? It will be a little difficult, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Upendra: Of course, Prabhupāda came from London, and the doctor said he couldn't come.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Upendra: The doctor in London... You came from London, and then you came from Bombay to Vṛndāvana in very weak condition.

Prabhupāda: So weak condition...

Svarūpa Dāmodara: It will be little warmer in Māyāpur. In Māyāpur the weather will be a little warmer. Also the air is fresher in that sense.

Bhavānanda: Śrīla Prabhupāda, here is Tamāla.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: (offers obeisances) Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: So you think over transferring me to Māyāpur.

Room Conversation -- October 25, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: When?

Hari-śauri: We just got a telegram today from Bhāgavata.

Prabhupāda: Who is he?

Hari-śauri: He was an elderly Australian devotee, the man who was doing the architecture. You saw him in Bombay, that older man. He was about fifty-six.

Prabhupāda: In Bombay?

Hari-śauri: You saw him in Bombay last year. He had just done some drawings for the development of Bhuvaneśvara, and you asked him if he would like... Oh, Haridaspur. At that time he was working on some plans for Haridaspur, and you asked him if he would like to stay there. He's... Bhāgavata put that he had died of some brain virus.

Prabhupāda: In Bhuvaneśvara?

Hari-śauri: Yes. That is part of Jagannātha Purī dhāma?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Hari-śauri: Is that a guarantee for going home, if someone leaves their body in the dhāma?

Prabhupāda: At least, he gets high standard of life for many years. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Find out in Bhagavad-gītā.

Room Conversation -- October 26, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There should be some improvement. Then desiring becomes easier. (to Upendra:) No.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Upendra says, "Do you want to first wash your face and teeth before going to the temple?"

Prabhupāda: Wash.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Śrīla Prabhupāda, last week one package was sent here, via Bombay, for Your Divine Grace, of fruit from the palace, from the king's palace in Tehran. And also there was a letter sent which... I don't know... It did not come.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, nothing came.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: The fruit came. It was the pomegranate and lemon.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Dayānanda brought it.

Bhavānanda: No, before then. The fruit came.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: And the letter wished you good health by the royal family.

Prabhupāda: No, preaching also, it is going on. I know that. Where is the cotton sweater?

Pañca-draviḍa: We brought one sweater from Peru, Śrīla Prabhupāda. (break) (loud kīrtana)

Prabhupāda: I'm not tired.

Room Conversation -- October 27, 1977, Vrndavana:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: That was our biggest problem. The president of India is presently in Hyderabad, so Mahāṁśa Mahārāja was in Delhi, and we have a life member, Panilal Peddy in Hyderabad, Polareddy, who knows the President very well. So I asked Mahāṁśa Mahārāja to go with Polareddy to the President to see if he will come to Bombay to inaugurate our temple. Also we are thinking of inviting some foreign ministers of countries like Nepal, which is a Hindu kingdom, and Mauritius. Because if these foreign ministers or some minister from these countries come, then it will lend more credit, and we'll get better coverage.

Prabhupāda: You can show our South African success.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Very grand opening is being planned for Bombay, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: So many.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: If the President of India comes, then it will get front-page coverage.

Prabhupāda: Who is the President?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Who is the President now?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Ansen Jiwar(?) Reddy. He's more religious than the previous one.

Prabhupāda: Ansen(?) Reddy, he was Home Minister? No.

Room Conversation -- October 27, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: And market it will be sold at cheap rate. Then it will reduce its importance.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That was happening in Calcutta many...

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I also got the loan for the godown. So in November we are starting construction of the BBT godown in Bombay.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That four lakhs, two lakhs was for the godown and two lakhs for book printing.

Prabhupāda: Money you'll get. There is no scarcity. Ātreya Ṛṣi will give you.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, he is very rich.

Prabhupāda: Their country is very rich now.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: We used to send devotees to collect from these Middle East countries.

Prabhupāda: Richest country now, Middle East. Everywhere we can make Vaikuṇṭha by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Let people understand gradually.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: When they see your books, that's when they really appreciate our movement.

Prabhupāda: Who has got such substantial books? Nowhere in the world.

Room Conversation -- October 27, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So it is good article.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: When we say Bhaktivedanta, they only know Śrīla Prabhupāda, because there's only one bhaktivedāntī, so everybody knows.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Hm. Śrīla Prabhupāda? There was a nice letter from Haridāsa in Bombay. Should I read it to you?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Okay. He wrote to the secretary, Śrīla Prabhupāda. Haridāsa. There's a letter written. He says, "Dear Tamāla Kṛṣṇa Mahārāja, please accept my most humble obeisances at your feet. All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. Gopāla Kṛṣṇa Prabhu has shown me the voucher where ISKCON Bombay owed to BBT India Rs. 70,000. When Śrīla Prabhupāda said he wanted to stay with us, I got greatly encouraged and had a desire in my heart to pay back this money to the BBT for Śrīla Prabhupāda."

Prabhupāda: Hm? I could not follow.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: I could not follow what he said.

Room Conversation -- October 27, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He says... He found out that the Bombay temple owed the BBT seventy thousand rupees. So he says when he heard that you had decided that you wanted to live and not leave us, he got very encouraged and inspired. So he decided on his own that he wanted to pay back this money to the BBT for you. He says, "I have been encouraging all the preachers here at ISKCON Bombay to go out and collect the money to pay off this debt to the BBT. Śrīla Prabhupāda has made all this arrangement very easily because of his encouragement to us. Even devotees who have engagements where they are not likely to make a life member are making life members very easily and are collecting money. And even persons not expected to become members are now becoming members. This is all due to the desire in the hearts of the preachers here in Bombay to serve Śrīla Prabhupāda. And by the grace of Śrīla Prabhupāda, everything is coming very smoothly. This is confirmed in our hearts that without Śrīla Prabhupāda, we cannot do any single work in this movement. Śrīla Prabhupāda gives us encouragement just to kindly agree to stay with us. So yesterday, on Daśarātrī, we collected over 21,000 rupees and made ten members." (Prabhupāda laughs) He says, "We cannot express in English what we are feeling in our hearts, but we are all very encouraged to go out and collect for Śrīla Prabhupāda and expand his life membership program, and we are all very thankful that Śrīla Prabhupāda has been merciful and..." (break)

Trivikrama: By your mercy.

Prabhupāda: No. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavat... Any devotee can become. That letter, mayor's letter also, it carries weight. What is his name?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Ganatra? That telegram he sent?

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. And the Statesman report, it is very very...

Room Conversation -- October 27, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Vaiṣṇava. Chāḍiyā vaiṣṇava sevā, nistār pāyeche... Vaiṣṇava's kṛpā... Vaiṣṇava is already merciful. Vaiṣṇava means merciful. Kṛpā-sindhu, ocean of mercy. That is Vaiṣṇava.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Just like last night, Dr. Pathak, the Dean of the College of Veterinary, said Śrīla Prabhupāda is a touchstone, can transform everybody.

Pañca-draviḍa: This change with Haridāsa is a miracle.

Prabhupāda: Hm. Bombay is the most rich city in India. And now they are willing to help us. So there will be no scarcity of money. Wherever you'll go, you'll get it.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But that building, that project, is so nice, you don't have to go anywhere. They come to you and give money.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes. That's Prabhupāda's mercy.

Pañca-draviḍa: Your project too, personal project.

Prabhupāda: So when it is going...?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: When is it going to open?

Prabhupāda: That building?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What? What, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: That, another building or godown?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You want to know when the godown is beginning to be built?

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Room Conversation -- October 27, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Gradually the whole world will be sympathetic. Everyone will recognize that they are doing real service.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: It's already so famous in Bombay. Everybody knows, all the taxi drivers. You say, "Hare Kṛṣṇa Land, Juhu." Everybody knows.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda? We'll sit you up now for you to take a little bit of prasādam. All right?

Prabhupāda: I think you have to cleanse my...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Okay. First we'll cleanse, then we'll sit Prabhupāda up. (break) For one thing, just like this prasādam that Bhakti-caru Mahārāja prepared is good for stopping... It's against passing stool. It will make a binding effect. That's why I thought you might appreciate it. Bhakti-caru made it especially because of that. It's like medicine. But nice-tasting medicine. You could try.

Prabhupāda: Yes, I can try.

Room Conversation -- October 27, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Let it become.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So there won't be any place to have any future meetings. There's no big room.

Prabhupāda: That we shall have in..., conveniently, not immediately. Immediately there is Bombay.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. (Hindi) And the mayor, ex-mayor, has given telegram. Where is that telegram? This is a telegram... It says, "Pray God, Kṛṣṇa, to give you long life to spread Indian culture in every nook and corner of the universe. Signed Raji K. Ganatra, ex-mayor of Bombay." He's very convinced, Śrīla Prabhupāda, about Your Divine Grace and this movement, because he traveled around the world and stayed as a guest at our temples, and he was amazed to see how this Indian culture had actually been transplanted and taken root in all of these countries all over the world. He could not believe it. He was so amazed and impressed. He said that he's seen genuinely that this Indian culture has been taken up in true spirit.

Hari-prasāda: This is the first movement that has started (indistinct).

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Hari-prasādaji said that...

Hari-prasāda: No Prabhupāda, this was the first mission which had started...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Hari-prasāda: ...mūrti-pūjā throughout the world.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- October 27, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But unless he's a little stronger, to travel...

Hari-prasāda: Yes, little strength, if he goes. That vaidya, kavirāja can come from Bombay. He had treated my father-in-law for about four-five years.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Who is that?

Hari-prasāda: He is Bhayernathji(?), Pandit Bayernath.(?) He is friend of (indistinct). He's a very good Ayurvedic. (break)

Prabhupāda: Svarūpa Dāmodara?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Stop the medicine.

Room Conversation -- October 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: What you are doing?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: With the press from the Indian Express and other newspapers. And also I went to the television and the All-India Radio for the engagement. And also I wanted to discuss with some of my members the immediate plan that we have. So I sent one to Bombay to organize a conference. So I'll try to cover this area very quickly, Agra, Delhi, and Punjab. I'm meeting a lot of scientists. And also I collected several copies of the newspaper, The Statesman. I went to the Statesman building, collected the newspaper coverings. How are you feeling, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: That kavirāja did not come?

Upendra: What happened? No one knows.

Room Conversation -- October 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

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.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: That kavirāja, I wanted. Somehow or other, it has not happened.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I don't feel that it's conclusively not happened.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Simply, one after another, frustration.(?)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Room Conversation -- October 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Who has come with him?

Śatadhanya: This is Adri-dhāraṇa dāsa, Śrīla Prabhupāda. I told you about him, that he's collecting very big in Calcutta, making many members. So he has come with the kavirāja personally.

Prabhupāda: He belongs to which province?

Adri-dhāraṇa: I was born in Bombay, but my parents are from Sindh.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But he's born in Bombay.

Bhakti-caru: And he joined in Florida, yes? (Hindi—kavirāja) About six months back we had a report.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Urine specimen report?

Bhakti-caru: Yes. This is the... He's asking about that time, four or five months ago.

Bhakti-caru: This one is from... Yes, this is very recent.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's better.

Kavirāja (1): (Hindi)

Bhakti-caru: Pressure is good. When Dr. Ghosh came, that other Dr. Ghosh came... (Hindi) ...pressure, 180 and 80. (Hindi) He's saying that in this condition, Prabhupāda can't take makara-dhvaja. That any medicine that contains mercury and arsenic is poison to him.

Bhavānanda: That's what Prabhupāda said.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That is a fact. He found that to be true.

Kavirāja (1): (Hindi)

Prabhupāda: (Hindi—long conversation with kavirāja)

Bhakti-caru: (Hindi) (end)

Room Conversation -- October 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Vrindavan De: I have sent money twice. Once in Vṛndāvana and Bombay.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, we got the 870 rupees. That we received here.

Vrindavan De: But took from Prabhupāda personally.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. But so far, the payment to the BBT has not come.

Vrindavan De: No, BBT is being arranged. I shall send check.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think your outstanding bill is about 25,000 rupees.

Vrindavan De: Yes, yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So that has not been paid.

Prabhupāda: So, why you have not paid?

Vrindavan De: That is also on a check basis.

Room Conversation -- October 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Against their money. (break) You are depositing some money with the...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We've already deposited money with them.

Prabhupāda: So against that, they can give. Bank can give.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think I'll write a letter to Girirāja. It will take some time. Vrindavan will have to go to Bombay for this if he wants to negotiate this loan. The loan has to be between the bank and him, not between our Society and the bank. That's my point. It's his private business. It has to be kept on a basis like that. Otherwise it's... If the bank... Girirāja may help them. Now we've given the bank instruction that five persons... See, one thing is that all... (break) This... If you think this arrangement suitable, then give them...

Vrindavan De: It is, moreover, a prestigious issue to us. And we have already committed them that we are able to supply, although we don't have any sufficient money.

Room Conversation -- October 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I know, but Prabhupāda was not... We never saw your man. He missed us. He missed both times.

Vrindavan De: When he came here, Prabhupāda had already left for London. And when my man went to Bombay, already left for Vṛndāvana.

Prabhupāda: But in business field, if the bank sees that you have got fifty percent, they will advance. If you have got fifty percent, any transaction, you wait to do some business...

Room Conversation -- October 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But you have not sent the money, Vrindavan. So why you're worried about the letter reaching late? First of all send the money, then worry about it. There's no worry. Once you send the money, the letter will come. I don't think that you can doubt that the letter will come. The main point is that the money has to come first. You have no reason to suppose that the letter will be delayed. It will come. They already know it. As soon as they receive five thousand rupees, the BBT, Bombay, will immediately inform Māyāpur, "Five thousand rupees been received. The car may be given." They know that. It's set up. It's a set-up. And you have to live up to your side to pay the five thousand rupees. It's not very much. It's not that much.

Prabhupāda: Now, with the help of Tamāla Kṛṣṇa and who else? Chandra. You can...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Take this order, I think.

Prabhupāda: Yes. And if the bank sees that you have got fifty percent, they will advance.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Hm. Especially with the presentation of the bill. Against the bill...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- October 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: What can be done?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The bowels should become tighter after a day or two. It shouldn't remain loose for so many days. I mean, surely it must get tighter. The medicine caused it to become like this.

Prabhupāda: So he's taking the certificate?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: When he goes I'll give it to him. He'll take the certificates, and I'll dictate a letter. I'll write a letter to the bank, which I'll send to Bombay for Girirāja's signature. I'll also give him a copy of the notary of the power of attorney. So with all of these documents... He has sufficient time. It's only on the 7th of November that it comes due. With Chandra's help, he can get everything. Then it's up to him to negotiate with the bank for the loan. I don't think I should do that for him. I'm a sannyāsī. If I have to start doing his business for him..., I don't think you would want me to do that, do you?

Prabhupāda: Not to help him... If he can get some...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Maybe he should try to get the loan through the Central Bank, Camac Street. They might be more inclined. They know he's, I think, connected with Your Divine Grace.

Prabhupāda: You have got some Central Bank passbooks?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We have Central Bank passbooks. I don't know if I have one with us. It may be in Bombay or Calcutta. Just the fact that that bank is familiar with us.

Room Conversation -- October 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Where is Gopāla?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He's in Bombay. He's gone to Bombay. I mean we'll know... Personally, I think that within a day's time you'll know everything about this kavirāja. If there's no such thing, then you'll know that. If there is, you'll either see him here or you'll get news of when he's coming. Or you may get news that there's no way he can come; we have to come there. But I think within a day's time you'll get the news.

Prabhupāda: No, this boy Śatadhanya, he said, "I have personally talked. He is very responsible."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Adri-dhāraṇa. He personal... Yeah.

Prabhupāda: But what kind of responsible?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, I don't think it's irresponsible.

Room Conversation -- October 30, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: And unless they send, Overseas...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, no. I am not sending a letter to Punjab Bank. The letter is being sent to Girirāja with the clear instruction on cover letter, "Only send this letter to Punjab Bank after you have it confirmed that they have begun to dispatch Rs. 1000 per month." The same way we did for Sulakshman De. When we stopped sending it from here and we began sending from Bombay, we only told them to stop when it had begun to be sent from another bank. In other words, she'll get the money first from Indian Overseas before the other payment's stopped.

Prabhupāda: So how she will get?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Rs. 1000 per month.

Prabhupāda: How?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: A transfer from Indian Overseas Bank to her account in Bank of..., I think it's in United Bank of India, direct into her account. Her account is joint signature of herself and Vrindavan-candra.

Prabhupāda: Oh. So she is informed?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yes.

Room Conversation -- October 30, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Mm. Which is better? Which is better?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That it should be just for Gauḍa-maṇḍala-bhūmi or general?

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, I think it's better for Gauḍa-maṇḍala-bhūmi. Because for general, we have ISKCON. For general, we have the... I'll explain, Śrīla Prabhupāda. For general, the GBC has formed the Māyāpur-Vṛndāvana Committee. That is more or less... Your original name of it was Māyāpur-Vṛndāvana Trust. So we've formed a Māyāpur-Vṛndāvana Committee made up of the following seven people: Jayapatākā Mahārāja, Gopāla Kṛṣṇa Prabhu, Girirāja, myself, Rāmeśvara, and Gurukṛpā Mahārāja and Ātreya Ṛṣi. so these seven meet, and they divide up the money that comes from all the interest of the fixed deposits in India, and they will recommend how that money should be spent. Once a year they will consider at Māyāpur all the different requests from Bhuvaneśvara, from Māyāpur, from Bombay, from Vṛndāvana, everywhere, and they will divide up the interest accordingly. So the Bhaktivedanta Charity Trust could be simply for the Gauḍa-maṇḍala-bhūmi area. That was my idea.

Prabhupāda: Whichever suitable.

Room Conversation -- October 30, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I don't know if I'm understanding your desires about all of these points.

Prabhupāda: No. My point is that all this interest will go for charity.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "All of the interest" means from all of the different fixed deposits or from these ten lakhs, sixty thousand? Just like we have... I'll give you an example. In Bombay we have that Māyāpur-Vṛndāvana Trust fixed deposits in Bank of America. So those are big amount. So those fixed deposits and other fixed deposits, that money, I was thinking, would be decided by that Māyāpur-Vṛndāvana Trust committee. Because those are all ISKCON men.

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Madhusūdana Mahārāja, Mādhava Mahārāja, they may decide for the Bhaktivedanta Swami Charity Trust with the other five of us.

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Is that all right, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: All right.

Room Conversation With Sri Narayana and Rama-Krsna Bajaj -- October 31, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: The film and... What happened to...?

Śrī Nārāyaṇa: (Hindi)

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) I do not know. What, what happened to the Hindu...?

Śrī Nārāyaṇa: What is the latest about the Bombay temple (Hindi)?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We haven't heard anything in the last two or three months, Śrīla Prabhupāda. This telegram came from the former mayor-Ganatra? Rajiv Ganatra? He wrote, "Pray God to give you long life to spread Indian culture in every nook and corner of the universe."

Rāma-Kṛṣṇa: That is the feeling of all, everybody.

Śrī Nārāyaṇa: (Hindi)

Prabhupāda: That is Bhagavān, Kṛṣṇa. Ye yathā māṁ prapadyate (Hindi) Para-upakāra. This is the mission of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, para-upakāra. Especially those who have taken birth in India...

Prabhupada Vigil -- November 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's good that you tell this to Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Bombay also.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Especially everybody's going to be after us for that air-conditioned hall. It's really good that you're telling us.

Prabhupāda: Be very careful.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually, Śrīla Prabhupāda, Your Divine Grace and this movement is the only substantial movement left in India now, in the whole world.

Prabhupāda: Yes. You can have signboard: "No Māyāvādīs visit (?) here." (laughter)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Wow. Just like "No dogs allowed." (laughter) Are you serious about that, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Hm. (indistinct)

Brahmānanda: If they come and they want to hold meetings, we show them the signboard that "We don't allow Māyāvādīs here."

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- November 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: "Don't speak of Gītā"?

Akṣayānanda: Yes. "Gītā-pratiṣṭhāna," but "Don't speak of Gītā." It's foolishness.

Prabhupāda: Now the danger is māyāvādi-bhāṣya śunile haya sarva-nāśa (CC Madhya 6.169). So Vṛndāvana is full of Māyāvādīs. Do you accept it? And I am afraid our men may be influenced. Caitanya Mahāprabhu's clear saying-māyāvādi-bhāṣya śunile haya sarva-nāśa. Hm? What is to be done? (break) They are coming to our Vṛndāvana temple, Bombay temple. What is their purpose? They may occupy it? Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, they can't occupy it.

Prabhupāda: So we have to be very careful. Hm?

Akṣayānanda: Yes, Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Akṣayānanda? And Tamāla?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, they're not going to get in. From now on we're going to have a sign on all of our temples, "No Māyāvādī Meetings Allowed."

Prabhupāda: It is clearly written, māyāvādi-bhāṣya śu... Sixth Chapter. Hm? The Sarvabhauma...

Bhavānanda: One sixty-nine.

Room Conversation -- November 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Now find out the way how to stop this class of men speaking in our halls.

Akṣayānanda: That's not difficult. We simply... We conduct our own meetings, that's all, Bhaktivedanta Institute.

Prabhupāda: Tamāla Kṛṣṇa?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, one thing is that in Bombay... I mean we really don't have a very attractive hall here, but in Bombay we have the most attractive air-conditioned hall of any place that has a religious temple. All of these people will want to speak in our hall. Not only these people will want to speak in our hall, but all of the nonsense theater people will want to perform there.

Prabhupāda: So we must charge.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Even if we charge, they're going to speak nonsense. If we don't mind speaking nonsense, then it's all right. Otherwise, just like Shubhalakshmi, she may want to give some concert in our hall as a benefit. But she's going to simply sing nonsense.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Bhavānanda? Where is Bhavānanda?

Bhavānanda: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Room Conversation -- November 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Tamāla Kṛṣṇa? Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah. I mean I'm more concerned about Bombay, because there in Bombay I feel that... I don't think that there's a proper understanding on the part of some of the leaders there about the danger of this. I think that the leaders there are not very clear on this point. I'm a little worried about Bombay. I think that they're... They're going to compromise. There's a danger for compromisation there.

Jayādvaita: To be popular.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. To be popular and profitable, they're approaching it on a very businesslike basis. And also the other point is that they're afraid that... In Bombay they've made this hall, such a beautiful hall. So they don't want it to lie vacant or empty, and they just can't think of what can be done inside that hall every single day of the year. It's a fact that hall should be used every day of the year.

Bhavānanda: By us.

Room Conversation -- November 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Bhavānanda: Of course, Śrīla Prabhupāda, another view is that we've constructed such attractive facilities here, and the purpose is to attract people to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So if we let out this auditorium in Bombay and here in Vṛndāvana, so those people will come. They may be Māyāvādī... Actually everyone is Māyāvādī today. So it's a good opportunity for preaching if we're strong.

Prabhupāda: Preaching means to convert Māyāvādīs to Vaiṣṇava. Otherwise where is the need of preaching?

Bhavānanda: Preaching also means risk.

Prabhupāda: Yes. No risk. We take money from them. So we get some money. That is our gain. So anything, do very carefully.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So you said we should have a sign, "No Māyāvādī Meetings Allowed."

Prabhupāda: No. If this is allowed free.

Room Conversation -- November 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Brahmānanda: You wanted this book. You gave the lectures in Bombay on Kapiladeva's teachings to Devahūti.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Ah, there's nothing like these books.

Upendra: Oh, it's beautiful, green cover.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What is the form of this book?

Brahmānanda: They're Prabhupāda's lectures on the particular verses from that...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: One lecture after..., one verse after another.

Brahmānanda: Plus the purports.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Text 29, text 28, text 27. It's one chapter of the Bhāgavatam.

Brahmānanda: Purports and the lectures.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There's more books.

Brahmānanda: This is beautiful, Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: This is another part?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Look at this! Very high class. You want to lean back, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Hand caught.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Here's a new book.

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's called Preaching is the Essence.

Room Conversation -- November 3, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Oh, they come to Bombay by car.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. They drive from Bombay to Hyder... I've also done that driving. Long trip, ten, eleven hours.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Ten or eleven hours, I think. Long trip. Maybe even longer.

Prabhupāda: Why kīrtana stopped?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Kīrtana?

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's just beginning again, Śrīla Prabhupāda. You like the kīrtana? For a few days we weren't having it.

Prabhupāda: Haṁsadūta was chanting.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You want him to chant again? Should he chant some more?

Prabhupāda: I think so.

Room Conversation -- November 3, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Remember when we flew to Bombay that lady helped us for getting special seating?

Śatadhanya: 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.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. You must have been surprised when Prabhupāda didn't come out of the plane.

Śatadhanya: Surprised? Yes. (laughs)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They arranged that special lift to take you out of the plane also. Remember when we went in the plane on British Airways from London? That way you don't have to get carried or bounced around, because it's a machine that goes up and down.

Prabhupāda: The difficulty is on the, this road.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, it's very bad.

Prabhupāda: What is the condition?

Śatadhanya: I came by train just now.

Room Conversation -- November 6, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Manipur boys are very good workers. We saw them in Bombay. Remember, Śrīla Prabhupāda? I brought three of them to meet you. They all looked like Svarūpa Dāmodara junior. Very humble, intelligent, hard-working.

Jayapatākā: The Manipur Mandir in Navadvīpa, when I was gone they had sent an invitation for attending one function. They're very favorable. When the party went to Assam, then they got invitation to go to Tripura, which is next to Manipur. It's eighty percent Bengali-speaking and also many Vaiṣṇavas. So we expect to distribute many books there. Next month party will be going to Tripura.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Book distribution has hit India, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Jayapatākā: And, Śrīla Prabhupāda, I was thinking that it's very important... We want to complete this temple during your stay here on this planet. Then your life's mission will be... There won't be anything that's left uncomplete if we could just complete the temple. The present... Just meditating that what are the obstacle... Actually we have already enough land for the temple itself, but the temple design... When you first came to Māyāpur, then the temple was going to be 225 feet. Then we asked Saurabha to make a design, and then he made 300 feet. At that time the estimate was fifteen million. Then again he was designing, designing, and it went to 350 feet. Then it went to thirty million. Then it went to 400 feet, fifty-five million. Now it's up to seventy million.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Dollars?

Jayapatākā: Dollars. Every time he thinks about it, he adds fifty feet, and it goes up twenty million. So now all the distributors in the world, they were very eager to see the temple built, but at the present time it requires so much money at seventy million dollars and 450 feet that no one can think of even starting it for five years. But if the temple was 300 or 350 feet and twenty-five or thirty million dollars, which I don't think anyone—it would be the biggest building even in India and the biggest temple in the world—then it could be started immediately, feasibly. Four temples in America said that if they just get five women each, that means twenty women from the Society, then they could each pledge 25,000 rupees a month for..., in collection. That means $125,000. Plus BBT's $100,000 a month and Gurukṛpā, that would be enough immediately even in the coming year to start the construction of the temple, simply if Saurabha was asked to just make the temple on a thirty million dollar budget, which would be 350 feet or 300 feet. And this is really inspiring the book distributors to have this temple begun, and to complete it within your lifetime, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: My lifetime... (laughs) It is now very brief. At any moment I can...

Jayapatākā: We're all praying that Kṛṣṇa will give your strength back. (break) ...neophyte devotees. Without your inspiration, association, it'll be very difficult.

Prabhupāda: That Muhammadan, what is his name?

Jayapatākā: Which one?

Prabhupāda: Back side our...

Jayapatākā: Badusheik.

Prabhupāda: He is selling the land also?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Is he selling?

Jayapatākā: Right now he's still asking four thousand rupees, but he seems to be weakening.

Room Conversation -- November 7, 1977, Vrndavana:

Jayapatākā: That was supposed to be done this year, but then Bombay took all the funds. Prabhupāda sanctioned it already last year. It was a good idea. But Māyāpur has become very popular. This is all due to your effort, Śrīla Prabhupāda. Simply due to your efforts Māyāpur and Navadvīpa is becoming so much more famous and popular. We want to make the Māyāpur temple so beautiful and make the city so nice that not only the Queen of England and the President of United States, but even the Russian and Chinese leaders, they'll all have to come to see this. They can't avoid. Will that please Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura? If all the leaders, all these presidents and kings would come and visit the temple at Māyāpur, that would please Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Seems like your activities, Śrīla Prabhupāda, are so much pleasing to the previous ācāryas.

Jayapatākā: This is the secret you are showing, working towards satisfying the desires of the previous ācāryas.

Prabhupāda: Tāṅdera caraṇa-sebi-bhakta-sane bās. So you are all bhaktas. To live with you, to serve the lotus feet of the ācāryas, that's good...

Room Conversation -- November 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

arrangements necessary."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He wants to bring the brāhmaṇas to inaugurate the Bombay temple, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: That we shall consider later.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: 'Cause we already told these South Indian brāhmaṇas to come.

Prabhupāda: Some of them may go also.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Do you know this man from a long time ago?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He wants some money for some temple?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Here in Vṛndāvana.

Prabhupāda: Hm. Now stop talking. (long pause) You have given him ten rupees?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: To that brāhmaṇa?

Girirāja: Yes. He gave ten rupees.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Tamāla gave him ten rupees?

Girirāja: Yes. Śrīla Prabhupāda? Would you like soft kīrtana now, or quiet?

Prabhupāda: You were reading something?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: No.

Room Conversation -- November 8, 1977, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: Photocopy of?

Girirāja: Of the trust deed forming the Bhaktivedanta Swami Charity Trust. And then I bought a copy of the income tax act, because there's some provision that if funds are used to restore some ancient place of worship or some place of worship which is famous in a particular state, then that is exempt from income tax. So I think that this fits in with the aims and objects of this new trust. So we should be able to get tax exemption for that. I spoke to Bombay to see how things were doing, and Gopāla Kṛṣṇa said that everything is going nice, and he's coming here on Friday, after two days. So I told him that your condition was very serious and that I wanted to stay here for a little longer. So he said that was okay. I confirmed with Yaśodānandana Swami's assistant that he sent the letter to the South Indian brāhmaṇas to confirm that they can come on the dates which we have fixed. So we're waiting to hear that reply. Prabhupāda: You can take some brāhmaṇa from here. Balaram... Girirāja: Yes. Prabhupāda: They'll chant Veda-mantra very nice.

Room Conversation -- November 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: That was my scheme, but we have not given full freedom to the tenant, or controllment(?).

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We're always on their heads.

Prabhupāda: You take four brāhmaṇas from South India, four from Vṛndāvana, and four from...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Bombay.

Prabhupāda: In this way, make it gorgeous.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I'm just thinking, Śrīla Prabhupāda, that each of these brāhmaṇas have their own style and method, and by bringing three different groups, it will be a..., you know, there may be some disagreement amongst them.

Prabhupāda: Go on like that.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Who should be... They will adjust. Each one should have a head brāhmaṇa plus three other assistants.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- November 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

Bhavānanda: Only factor at this point is not to take any unnecessary risk.

Prabhupāda: No. As I think free, so I remain. Mm. Then when I am sane man, I shall come back again either Māyāpur or Vṛndāvana or Bombay, any other.

Jayapatāka: You would travel by a minibus.

Prabhupāda: Mm?

Jayapatāka: You would travel by a bus.

Prabhupāda: That you think of.

Bhavānanda: We will all sit down and discuss the different arrangements that have to be made, plans that have to be made. It's a very nice idea. Real sannyāsa life.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Mm. You have tried doctor, kavirāja, medicine, everything. Everything has failed. Now suppose I am taking the risk of death, what is wrong? When the..., I am dead you go India, within India, you go and bring the body either in Māyāpur or Vṛndāvana. Māyāpur the land is already there. Vṛndāvana I think on the gate side, that's all. That's wherever you like you'll do.

Room Conversation -- November 13, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Two and a half months, Śrīla Prabhupāda, just to go from one tīrtha-sthāna to the next. We don't have that kind of time. Better that we go in very good caravan of vehicles, comfortable. You will have your own vehicle, the advance party will have one vehicle, and one or two others... Your party will have two or three vehicles, and the advance party can have one vehicle. We have enough cars. Your Divine Grace has a car in Māyāpur; we have a car here in Vṛndāvana; we have one of your cars in Bombay. There's so many vehicles and vans. So we have our choice. We can get very nice vehicles.

Jayādvaita: That will make a very nice impression also.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Otherwise... Svarūpa Dāmodara was mentioning to me, Śrīla Prabhupāda, that if we were to take you in a bullock cart... What did you say Svarūpa Dāmodara? People would accuse us of being very negligent of you, Śrīla Prabhupāda, and it would look very bad upon our Society. They would accuse us, how we have taken our spiritual master...

Lokanātha: They wouldn't understand these transcendental activities of the Vaiṣṇavas.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You've always preached that we should do things in a modern way, just appropriately.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: And use for Kṛṣṇa whatever available...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think if we fix up vehicles very nicely, that will be nice. Will that be all right, Śrīla Prabhupāda? Is that all right?

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Lokanātha: And most of the holy places are connected with good roads. During our preaching we also visit holy places. When they're on the way, we pass through them. And if we travel not very fast, with good drivers, it won't be much...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Bhakti-caitanya Swami is the fit driver for your vehicles, Śrīla Prabhupāda. Is that all right? I know he would want to come. Is that all right, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Room Conversation -- November 13-14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: (Bengali) (Bengali conversation with Bon Mahārāja)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This is a certificate arrived from the Soviet Union.

Bon Mahārāja: It's in Russian language or in English?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, some of it, I think, is in Russian. I have the translation. It says, the top wording here, this says that "Books in the service of peace and progress. A diploma for the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, Bombay, given by the First Moscow International Book Fair Exhibitions and Fairs, General Directorate of International Book Exhibitions and Fairs, USSR." (Bengali conversation)

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: All Russian universities ordered Prabhupāda's books. (Bengali)

Bon Mahārāja: (Bengali) (Bengali conversation with Prabhupāda) That's Bhāgavatam, Tenth Canto. That is up to which chapter?

Jayādvaita: Twelve chapters. This is up to chapter twelve. And now thirteenth chapter is also completed.

Bon Mahārāja: In and out, both are superexcellent. Inside, in Mahārāja's translation, and outside, your publication, printing, makeup, everything superexcellent. That is first attraction, when you take the book in your hand you feel that is something very nicely done. I don't think in India we can have this type of printing. You get them printed now in Los Angeles?

Jayādvaita: They're printed in Tennessee.

Bon Mahārāja: Tennessee. And the pictures are printed separately, then the pictures are sent to the publisher in pages.

Bon Mahārāja: Last time they told me in New York... Your press was in New York, and they were shifting it to Los Angeles. About two hundred brahmacārīs were working there and they told me.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Now it's in Los Angeles.

Bon Mahārāja: Los Angeles. Well, it is all Mahāprabhu's will, and Prabhupāda is our...

Prabhupāda: (Bengali) Los Angeles is godown... (Bengali) Howrah Station. (laughter)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I have a picture of it, Śrīla Prabhupāda. I have a picture of that BBT godown.

Prabhupāda: Show him.

Page Title:Bombay (Conversations 1977 May - Nov)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Mayapur
Created:23 of Dec, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=166, Let=0
No. of Quotes:166