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Brahmacari (Conversations 1977)

Expressions researched:
"Brahmacarya" |"brahmacari" |"brahmacari's" |"brahmacaries" |"brahmacaris"

Conversations and Morning Walks

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Roof Conversation -- January 5, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: What that cultural...? If he does not practice, what is that culture? It is practice.

Dr. Patel: Practice in Bhagavad-gītā and practice..., in the subjects.

Prabhupāda: What is the use? They will produce that, such blind leaders.

Dr. Patel: They will not produce so bad leaders perhaps. At least they will have a little better understanding than those fools who have no background of religion at all. Well, your schools, so-called secularism, means no religion.

Prabhupāda: Therefore we have to follow the śāstra. Then it will be possible. Brahmacārī gurukule...

Indian lady: Christian has their own government schools everywhere. And we can have our own Kṛṣṇa consciousness school.

Prabhupāda: Yes. We are having our own all over the world. We don't follow the government regulations

Indian lady: The Christian... (break)

Trivikrama: How about Dr. Patel?

Dr. Patel: I am a fool. (laughs) He has called me.

Devotee (2): Well, at least you realize that you're part of the fool, and we all are! We realize that. There's still some hope for...

Prabhupāda: Caitanya Mahāprabhu also used to say that "I am a fool."

Room Conversation -- January 5, 1977, Bombay:

Indian man: Actually if a man is literate but if there is no saṁskāra, I can't say he is better than... If saṁskāra is there and no education, then still I call he is better man. The man without saṁskāra is nothing.

Prabhupāda: It is..., that brahmacārī means saṁskāra, to become satyaṁ śamo damas titikṣā ārjavaṁ jñāna... Jñāna... You can have knowledge simply by hearing, not by reading books.

Indian man: Yes, by reading and writing all these things. (Hindi) By hearing, knowledge by hearing.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: It gave him rāja-vidyā, which that Mrs. Dutt... you know that editor of that government paper? So I just wanted him to have a final look, grammatical... (Hindi)

Room Conversation -- January 7, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: "We shall not fall down again," that is also not believable. What is the use? Better go and speak philosophy in your gṛhastha dress, not this dress, but you have nice coat, pants, gentleman. Who says no? I never said. Rather I shall be glad to see that up-to-date gentlemen with tilaka and śikhā are speaking. That is very prestigious everywhere. Why this false dress? What is the wrong to become gṛhastha? I was gṛhastha, pākā caliber gṛhastha. My Guru Mahārāja was brahmacārī, This is ever... Just see his character. Caitanya Mahāprabhu was gṛhastha, but when He took sannyāsa: "Oh, I am now..." For sober person. That is wanted. That is ideal. He married twice. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura married twice. Caitanya Mahāprabhu married twice. What is the wrong there? One has to become pure devotee, that's all. Other things, of course, are circumstantially favorable, either a gṛhastha, brahmacārī or vānaprastha or sannyāsa.

Morning Walk -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Just like we accept so many things compulsory, similarly, to give up family attachment after fiftieth year, that is compulsory. We therefore invite all the compulsory, what is called, renouncement. Of course, nobody can go to the forest. That is not possible. They are not trained up as a brahmacārī. So this Hare Kṛṣṇa Land—"Come on." All the vānaprasthas, they can live in this land or Vṛndāvana, Hyderabad, simply for bhagavad-bhajana and no other purpose, anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ (Brs. 1.1.11), making all other purposes zero. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam (CC Madhya 19.167). Jñāna and karma, these are bondage. Karmī, jñānī, yogi—they are especially bewildered. They want something, but still they say that "I am now renounced." So long there is want, he cannot be renounced. Renounced means no more want. Svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi: "I am fully satisfied now. I don't want any..."

Room Conversation -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Mūḍho nābhijānāti mām ebhyaḥ param... They do not know the aim of life. Therefore apaśyatām ātma-tattvam (SB 2.1.2). Cannot see what is the aim of life. Therefore it is the duty of the parents. That is advised by Prahlāda Mahārāja. Kaumāra ācaret prājño dharmān: (SB 7.6.1) "From the very beginning of life they should be taught about this Bhāgavata-dharma." That is brahmacārī. Brahmacārī, train him to be self-controlled... If I ask you, "Give me your sons. We shall teach him how to become self-controlled," you'll laugh. Because you know, "What will be the benefit by becoming self-controlled? There is struggle for existence. He has to earn money, maintain himself." I have got this experience.

Room Conversation -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: If some dish is broken we used to try to join it. That is child's play.

Pradyumna: And the thing about Śukadeva Gosvāmī, that he was actually a different... That chāyā-śuka. He was different from that other... Brahmacārī Śukadeva Gosvāmī, speaker of Bhāgavata, was different from the householder.

Prabhupāda: What is the word?

Pradyumna: It said in the purport, chāyā-śuka. So you said that is like imitation Śuka, duplicate Śukadeva.

Prabhupāda: Oh, chāyā-śuka. Yes. Duplicate. Yes. So it is up to date?

Pradyumna: One little...

Room Conversation -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Also, he also. He also takes. So if it is practiced, it keeps health very nice. I was taking all along. Since I was attacked, heart, they said you should be kept from catching cold.

Hari-śauri: You wanted that description of Vāmanadeva as the dwarf brahmacārī? It says, "Mother earth gave Him a deerskin, and the demigod of the moon, who is the king of the forest, gave Him a brahma-daṇḍa, the rod of a brahmacārī. His mother, Aditi, gave Him a cloth for underwear, and the Deity presiding over the heavenly kingdom offered Him an umbrella. O King, Lord Brahmā offered a waterpot to the inexhaustible Supreme Personality of Godhead. The seven sages offered Him kuśa grass, and mother Sarasvatī gave Him a string of rudrākṣa beads. When Vāmanadeva had thus been given the sacred thread, Kuvera, the king of the Yakṣas, gave Him a pot for begging alms."

Room Conversation -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: In Kanpur there is a brahmacārī aśrama. Sometimes gṛhasthas, they invite the brahmacārīs to feed them, and when a brahmacārī is initiated, they give them this pot. So that brahmacārī aśrama, the man who is maintaining, he occasionally collects these pots, so, and he sells all these pots to a brass merchant. People give sacred thread, a pot. As they give in charity to the brāhmaṇas, they give in charity to the brahmacārīs.

Hari-śauri: It says, "Kuvera, the king of the Yakṣas, gave Him a..."

Prabhupāda: Another system is: during the initiation time, somebody becomes godmother of the brahmacārī and gives some money.

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

Prabhupāda: "These soldiers will give me protection, dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣu. I have got a strong body, and I have got very faithful wife. My children are so obedient and working. Dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣu. And so I am safe." Ātmā sainya asatsu. Asatsu means... (Hindi). And still, pramatto tasya nidhanam. He knows that "These soldiers will be slaughtered in this battle, struggle for existence." Paśyann api na paśyati: "Although he knows, still, he is blind."

dehāpatya-kalatrādiṣv
ātma-sainyeṣv asatsv api
pramatto teṣāṁ nidhanaṁ
paśyann api na paśyati
(SB 2.1.4)

(Hindi with guests) (aside:) There is some cardamom? (break) Everyone is dedicated to Kṛṣṇa's service—the gṛhastha, sannyāsī, brahmacārī. That is external. And actual everyone is sannyāsī, and they have no other business than to serve Kṛṣṇa, if they are actually seriously doing. More than sannyāsī. Anāśritaḥ karma-phalaṁ kāryaṁ karma karoti yaḥ, sa sannyāsī (BG 6.1). He is yogi, sannyāsī. Anāśritaḥ karma. Nothing for personal interest. Then you'll be successful.

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

Prabhupāda: Let him go to the colleges accompanied by some other.

Rāmeśvara: I was thinking that especially right now, this time, is the prime time for preaching in America.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Let as many sannyāsīs as possible. Sannyāsī, brahmacārī or gṛhastha, it doesn't matter.

Rāmeśvara: Cannot possibly cover all the territory.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Rāmeśvara: There's so much engagement in America right now.

Prabhupāda: As far as possible, I think Brahmānanda should be engaged with some assistant or some superior. Two. He should not be alone. That is the best solution.

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

Prabhupāda: No, dhotī, I don't say. You have nice coat-pant. I don't say that you have to... I never said that. You have adopted it. (laughs) I never said that "You put on dhotī." But those who are sannyāsīs, brahmacārīs, their dress is different. But it doesn't require that one has to become a sannyāsī.

Hari-śauri: The wigs he's suggesting are just short ones, short hair wigs.

Rāmeśvara: Yeah. As long as it's not hippy, it is all right. It has to be attractive. Gentlemen. I have taken this record, "Change of Heart," to the biggest record companies in America, and they are very encouraging. They think that we have got a very wonderful message.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is a fact.

Conversation and Instruction On New Movie -- January 13, 1977, Allahabad:

Prabhupāda: That Kṛṣṇa... Svakarmana: "All right, be engaged in your occupational duty."

Rāmeśvara: Just give something. Actually, if some gṛhasthas would do some business, it would take a little pressure off the brahmacārīs, and they can pass out more books. Now because the overhead is high in certain temples like New York, very high overhead, LA, very high, so we are collecting so much money. We could be giving out more books if we had extra money from the gṛhastha's business.

Prabhupāda: They are willing to work?

Rāmeśvara: I think if we encourage them...

Prabhupāda: Then why not?

Room Conversation on 1976 Book Scores -- January 16, 1977, Calcutta:

Prabhupāda: All brahmacārī and sannyāsī.

Rāmeśvara: My zone is all gṛhasthas (laughs) with a few brahmacārīs. Anyway, next year we can beat Tamāla Kṛṣṇa. (Prabhupāda chuckles) He has only beaten us by a few hundred thousand dollars.

Prabhupāda: But don't tell him now.

Rāmeśvara: Or it may be ruined.

Prabhupāda: He may be very careful.

Rāmeśvara: I think we should send him a congratulations letter.

Room Conversation -- January 19, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Gargamuni: But they, I think annihilated all of the... Anyone who had any education... Just like that boy. He was translating your books? They shot him in front of firing squad. One boy. I printed one book there in Bengali, I think, three thousand copies: The Peace Formula and Who is Crazy, I think. It was about fifteen pages. They gave me some donation. Even the Gopāla... His name was Gopāla Kṛṣṇa Brahmacārī. He also gave me from his pocket. And I printed... We had it translated in Bengali, but then...

Prabhupāda: He was killed?

Gargamuni: Yes, for translating. He was shot in... Not him but this other brahmacārī, young boy, very nice boy. His name was Karuṇāmayī.

Room Conversation -- January 19, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Hindu.

Gargamuni: Hindu. Yes. He was brahmacārī there at the āśrama. He was the chief pūjārī. But he joined us. We toured a few areas, and he came with us and arranged for everything. And he joined us, and he was translating.

Prabhupāda: (aside:) Now take this.

Gargamuni: And we printed the book. I saw it. But then the war broke out a few days after it was ready, so I had to leave all the copies there. When I go there I will try and find it. Maybe it is still there. We spent about five hundred rupees. Five, six hundred rupees.

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Rāmeśvara: He's... What is it? Śivānanda? Divine Light. They advertise, "Come to our summer camp for yoga practice, and our women will teach you." They are swamis.

Gargamuni: His students sued him one time because he preaches brahmācārya.

Prabhupāda: I have seen their sannyāsī kissing woman on the street.

Rāmeśvara: On the street.

Prabhupāda: Yes. He came to see me in London, and I saw in the street there was some woman; he is kissing her. I have seen sannyāsī.

Nanda-kumāra: This Rajneesh makes woman sannyāsīs too.

Prabhupāda: Rajneesh makes husband and wife sannyāsī. That we saw, that, in Poona?

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Gargamuni: They were in Assam, one of our traveling parties, and they met a Gauḍīya Math temple managed by Mādhava Mahārāja. And there were three or four brahmacārīs in the village, and they had the whole village actually engaged. They saw some of the activities. So they were engaged in making the village Kṛṣṇa conscious in their way. So similarly, we can do the same. Prabhupāda: Yes.

Gargamuni: Just like Gaura-Govinda, he's bringing many villagers here.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. He's good preacher.

Hari-śauri: Yes, he's doing nicely.

Gargamuni: And there's 500,000 such villages all over India. And they're more pious. In Sundarban, when Bhavānanda went to the Sundarban jungle, they had tremendous reception.

Prabhupāda: Just see.

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: No... Vedic process is that unless you create nice children or you can give them protection from death, don't create children. Brahmacārī. Remain brahmacārī. That is sensible, that "Why shall I beget children like cats and dogs if I cannot take care of them properly?" That is very gentlemanly. What is this? I create and kill? Most uncivilized. Don't create. That is civilized man. "If I cannot take care of them properly, I'll not create children."

Gargamuni: They're not educating the population in brahmācārya.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Gargamuni: Therefore these beggars are there.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is gentlemanly, that "Why shall I take responsibility of family if I cannot maintain them properly?" That is very gentlemanly. That is civilization. "And I accept so-called family for sense gratification; I cannot maintain them and kill them"—what is this? Is that civilization? They should be ashamed to be called civilized men. Here is civilized way. Preach this because the Vedic civilization is real civilization. "You are not civilized. You have killed Jesus Christ who instructed, 'Thou shall not kill.' So you should be ashamed of your present civilization. It is... Brainwash is required."

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: So many rooms, big, big.

Hari-śauri: Oh, yes. The place is huge.

Prabhupāda: If you can make brahmacārī, brahmacārīni separate, each room can accommodate fifteen men. Very high.

Rāmeśvara: You may remember the property in Los Angeles. Right next to the temple there are these groups of stores. There's a Mason Temple. There's the karate place. Then there's a laundromat, then a meat restaurant, barber shop. So we have just bought half of the block.

Prabhupāda: Acchā? Which side?

Rāmeśvara: Furthest away from us. We purchased the laundromat...

Morning Walk -- January 24, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Yes. The giving them bluff that "You become liberated" means "We shall exploit you, young girls." This is the idea behind. Because the karmīs, they want sex, young girls, and they get energy to work. The Europeans, Americans, they work so hard. They get energy from new, new girls. This is psychology, Therefore they work like hogs and dogs. Dog civilization. Hog civilization. Because the hog has no restriction, either mother, sister, or anyone, "Come on." Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājām..., kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). This civilization is for the hogs, to take energy by sex with mother, sister, and anyone, and work hard. It is stated in the Bhāgavata. I have not manufactured. Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). And here is the civilization. Tapo divyam. Be brahmacārī, undergo austerities and rectify your, this conditioned life, birth and death. This is human civilization. Why you are under birth and death? One life remain brahmacārī and solve all the question.

Evening Conversation -- January 25, 1977, Puri:

Satsvarūpa: Yes. He says it tells about that even after he pledged to be brahmacārī he traveled with some young girl.

Prabhupāda: No, even when he was old man and leader he would go, keeping, resting his hand on two young girls. That means he was very fond of sex. There is no doubt about it. What business he...? He is speaking of "Mahatma" Gandhi. He could not get the help of two young men? Why two young girls?

Satsvarūpa: "Such great kings were more responsible than modern elected executive heads because they obliged the great authorities by following their instructions left in Vedic literatures. There was no need to enact daily a new legislative bill by impractical fools and to alter it again and again conveniently to serve some purpose. The rules and regulations were already set forth by great sages like Manu, Yājñavalkya, Parāśara, and other liberated sages, and the enactments were all suitable for all ages and all places. Therefore the rules and regulations were standard and without flaw or defect. Kings like Mahārāja Parīkṣit had their council of advisors and all..."

Evening Conversation -- January 25, 1977, Puri:

Prabhupāda: Yes. No, you can accept a suitable situation according to your convenience. There is brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, sannyāsa. Four orders are there. Whichever is suitable for you, accept. But don't forget the problem and the aim of life. And we don't want men giving some quotation from a book just like these so-called scholars do. He has not gone through the book, but take some suitable passage and note, and then he advertises himself that he has studied so many book. "Bibliography." Is it not? So-called scholar?

Satsvarūpa: Footnotes, bibliography.

Prabhupāda: Footnote scholar they are now.

Room Conversation -- January 31, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Preaching work is meant for the sannyāsīs, not for the married persons. Sannyāsī and brahmacārī, they go... (microphone rattling) Married couple also go... Generally it is meant for that. So if you have got sufficient men for preaching work, so you can make one center here and traveling...

Yogeśvara: Yes.

Prabhupāda: So. GBC... What I can do?

Hari-śauri: The second language is French, isn't it?

Yogeśvara: Not too much French. English there is. Is there a GBC for Thailand?

Prabhupāda: Every GBC is for everywhere. Let it be considered in the next meeting.

Room Conversation -- January 31, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa-twenty-four hours. Japa-tapa. Tapasya. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyed sattvam (SB 5.5.1). Japa means tapa, tapasya. And that is dṛḍha-vrata. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa (SB 6.1.13). Tapasya begins with brahmacarya. There is no tapasya, there is no brahmacarya, there is no dṛḍha-vrata, there is no understanding, and they are becoming guru. Just see these Europeans, Americans. Their life beginning was meat-eating. And they have given up everything. This is tapasya. And we shall eat everything, do everything... Yato mata tato patha. "Whatever I like, I do, and still a devotee." What is this nonsense? Jaya.

Guest (6): Viśvāsa first, faith strong.

Room Conversation -- February 4, 1977, Calcutta:

Prabhupāda: Yes, mostly we do. Don't say about that flower. That may be. That is also not restricted. We can beg. In India still, high scholarly sannyāsīs, they beg. That is allowed. Bhikṣu. They like. Tridaṇḍī-bhikṣu. So begging in Vedic culture is neither illegal nor shameful—by the proper person. Begging is allowed to the brahmacārīs, to the sannyāsīs. And they like openly. Tridaṇḍī-bhikṣu. Bhikṣu means beggar.

Satsvarūpa: Tridaṇḍī-bhikṣu.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Here, the Indian culture, brahmacārī, sannyāsī and brāhmaṇa, they are allowed to beg alms. That is the Vedic culture. And the householders treat them as their own children. This is the relationship.

Room Conversation -- February 4, 1977, Calcutta:

Prabhupāda: Therefore there are hippies. This is your culture hippies and murderer in the name of religion. This is their culture. And abortion. Because there is no such culture, therefore the result is the abortion and killing and bombing, making the whole atmosphere abominable. This is your culture. Fighting between Protestant and Catholics, and bombing... People are terrified. They cannot go out in the street. This is your culture. And begging is bad. To keep the people, whole population, in terrified condition, that is very good, and if anyone in a humble way begs, that is bad. This is your culture. Vedic way allows the brahmacārī to beg just to learn humbleness, not beggar. Coming from very big, big family all family, they practice it. This is not begging. This is to learn how to become humble and meek. And Christ said, "To the humble and meek, God is available." It is not begging. You do not know what is this culture. You have your own culture, devil's culture, to kill even one's own child. How you'll understand what is this culture? Am I right or wrong?

Room Conversation -- February 10, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: They are like wasp.

Jayapatākā: Even yesterday, Madhusūdana Mahārāja, he was insulting Dāmodara to his face. He said, Dāmodara Mahārāja... His brahmacārī asked him, "Are you coming?" And he said, "No. I'll stay." And Madhusūdana said, "Yes, you have to stay and give all the reports to Śrīdhara Mahārāja. Getting all the information, now you have to give all the reports. You have much important things to discuss. You stay and give all these secret reports."

Prabhupāda: Ācchā? He was saying like that?

Jayapatākā: Yes. I was surprised.

Prabhupāda: When?

Room Conversation -- February 12, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Where? Within our campus or outside?

Jayapatākā: That would be a separate area. Of course, in that vast city project there was enough room for different quarters where one place brahmacārīs could stay, other place, families. Just like now it's actually getting overcrowded for the handlooms. We should have a separate, one big handloom place. That would be more efficient.

Prabhupāda: Where you have?

Jayapatākā: Where... Just the place would have to be... Their place is a bit irregular. Seeing the ultimate plan, we have to find out one place. It would be in this area somewhere. Now they're keeping records of how much is spent on agriculture, and how much is received. So what is the profit or loss, that can be ascertained. And actually that's not such a threat because I know that many of the things he is doing by contract.

Conversation on Roof -- February 14, 1977, Mayapura:

Brahmānanda: She wears all white sari. Other women that age, they would be looking for another husband, another husband, another husband.

Prabhupāda: This widow life is also brahmacārī life. This printing is all right? At least for India it is very good.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. The paper quality I saw that Gopāla is using now is getting much better.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The book could be sold anywhere in the world. The most recent publications of his could be sold anywhere.

Brahmānanda: His Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Prabhupāda: Yes. (indistinct) Very good.

Brahmānanda: When we were there he was putting together a Hindi Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Evening Darsana -- February 15, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Jīvo vā māro vā: "Either you live or you die, it doesn't matter." And for butcher, nā jīvo nā māro: "Don't die; don't live. So long you are living, every morning you have to cut throat of so many. And if you die you shall go to hell and suffer for this cutting throat. So don't live; don't die." And for a devotee: "Live or die." And for prince, king's son. "Don't die." And for brahmacārī... (break) All night screaming, and they have to hear, the Indians.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Publicly.

Prabhupāda: Because they know the Indian Hindus, they have got sentiment for cow killing.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So why? Why...?

Prabhupāda: They may go away.

Room Conversation -- February 17, 1977, Mayapura:

Ādi-keśava: Just like in the case of Vasu-gopāla. When he was held in his house, he managed to get to the phone and call me. So we went out to his house with some of the brahmacārīs from the temple and starting breaking all the windows in the house and smacking down the doors. And as he was running around the house, his brothers and friends were grabbing him and throwing him down against the walls and locked him in a room to try to get him away from us, and they were fighting. Finally, they say in Ted Patrick's book, they thought there were twenty-five of us. There were only four of us or five of us. So finally, in the end, they were so terrified that all of them began to fight. Even this Ted Patrick came at me with a straight razor. In those cases, generally, they use the family members for the fighting.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This clouds the issue in the courtroom, because everyone naturally feels very sympathetic towards the fathers and mothers. So always... These deprogrammers are very intelligent. They personally try to avoid the physical part, so they get the parents to do it.

Ādi-keśava: And then, if the person strikes out at the parent, they say, "Just see how crazy he's become!" Just like with Vasu-gopāla, he took a stick and hit his mother across the head and ran out shouting the name of Nṛsiṁha-deva as they were holding him captive, so he could run away. And so they said, "Just see how crazy he's become that he hit his own mother." Of course, the fact is they didn't mention they locked him in the bathroom for thirty hours just before. They kept him in a little bathroom. They locked the door, put him in there for thirty hours. All they mentioned is that he come out and hit her on the head with some stick. So then they say, "Just see! He's acting against his parents." So then the judge says, "Oh, what can I do? Naturally the father loves the son."

Prabhupāda: So why don't you quote from our śāstra that "He is not father." Pitā na sa syāj jananī na sā syāt. Find out this verse.

Room Conversation -- February 18, 1977, Mayapura:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And practically, the position that our society is coming into now, I think it's actually... We should do it, because it will give our society a more balanced appearance. Otherwise they think everyone is beggar. But at least if they see that the brahmacārīs' business is begging...

Prabhupāda: Just like this Gauḍīya Maṭha has become. They have no other way of income except begging in different way. Now they have taken to this business, parikrama. They earn something, lump sum, by calling men to parikrama, and they pay, say, two hundred rupees. Out of, a hundred rupees they save, minimum, and that is their whole year's livelihood.

Room Conversation -- February 18, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Ādi-keśava: All right. We'll arrange that.

Indian man (3): Mahānāmavrata brahmacārī. Which class of Vaiṣṇavism he follow?

Prabhupāda: I don't recognize him as a Vaiṣṇava. If you want more, then I will have to use more strong words.

Indian man (3): No, if he's...

Prabhupāda: He's not a Vaiṣṇava. He's a bogus man! He wants to establish that Jagabandhu is incarnation of Caitanya. Where he got this authority? And he got the title Doctor and so... Why does he not preach in America? Some of our men say it is bogus, purchased title. You can get such title if you pay money.

Evening Darsana -- February 19, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: You find out that man. (Bengali) ...chai ne, drinking ne, smoking ne. It became too much inconvenience. Wife is separated. This is tapasya. It cannot be accepted by ordinary person. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa (SB 6.1.13). Tapasya begins from brahmacarya. And brahmacarya means "no," so many. No "yes." Only "no's." "Not this, not this, not this." It is very difficult. Therefore the Americans are surprised: "How our sons have accepted so many 'no's' unless there is brainwash? And this man knows some mind control, and he's controlling their mind, independence. Bas. Deprogram. Capture them." This is the... "How our sons can accept so many 'no's'? " And important items—no meat-eating, no illicit sex, no intoxication. Everything, life, is no. (laughs) Rāyarāma said, "It is simply 'no's.' " He left. What is their daily necessity, all "no." The same thing is happening now, that "How they have accepted the 'no's'? It is brainwash, mind control."

Room Conversation with Adi-kesava Swami -- February 19, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Actually it is brainwashing, educating. (break) "You take this. This is our aim. Remain brahmacārī, no bother. Is that bad? You will have your sex unrestricted and make your wife pregnant and kill him and eat him. You'll be implicated with so many sinful activities, and if I say, if you are so much afraid, 'Don't have sex,' what is the wrong there? And you are thinking, 'Oh? No sex? It is so brainwashing, mind-controlling.' But what is... You want that in a sinful way. We want in a pious way."

Hari-śauri: Yes. Same thing. No one wants the suffering.

Room Conversation with Adi-kesava Swami -- February 19, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: That is the difference. "Your brain is so filled with stool that you do not know how much sinful activities you are..., and how much you are becoming entangled in this material body. You are killing the child. You have to become his child again, or you have to become again a child and you will be killed. And then you will enter another mother's body; you'll be again killed. As many child you have killed, you'll have to be killed so many times. You'll never see the light. In the womb, womb, womb, you'll be killed. So your brain is so filled up with stool, you cannot understand. This is your education. This is you education. We are trying to save you, that 'You'll suffer so much. You've made the situation so complicated. Better remain a brahmacārī.' If there is little trouble without sex enjoyment, take it just like itching. Itching trouble, if you don't itch, it will not increase. And if you itch, more and more it will increase.' That is advised. Kaṇḍūtivan manasijaṁ viṣaheta dhīraḥ. One who knows, one who has got brain, 'All right, let me suffer little itching. I'll not itch it.' It will...This is intelligence. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa (SB 6.1.13). The suffering from the itching sensation by brahmacārī, that is recommended in our śāstra. Tapasya means voluntarily accepting some trouble.

Room Conversation with Adi-kesava Swami -- February 19, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: No, we... "It is voluntary. In our society we find so many brahmacārīs, so many gṛhasthas. And if you cannot stop this itching sensation, all right, marry one girl and live peacefully like a gentle... What is this nonsense, every three weeks divorce? We are not so rascal. If we accept one girl as my wife, I take full responsibility. Because I require a girl or woman, so this woman, that one... We are not so rascal that at home I have got woman, I am searching after another woman, another naked woman. We are not so madman. The sex pleasure is there at home, and I am seeking after sex pleasure in here, here, in the club, in the... What is that? Is that vagina is different? You are so fool. You require vagina; take one vagina. Be satisfied. And lick it. Why you are going here and there, here and there, here and there? Even old man is going to the nightclub to lick another vagina. Is that civilization? You are proud of your civilization." Tell them like that. "Licking of the vagina, different, obnoxious smell. You are less than the dog. The dog likes to smell the vagina. You are like that. What is business of going another vagina? You require vagina. Take one and be satisfied. That is intelligence. First of all there is no need of vagina.

Room Conversation with Adi-kesava Swami -- February 19, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Actually this is the fact. But they are fools. They still like to lick up new vagina. Exactly dogs. We are restricting that "Give up this business, licking of vagina," and they are seeking up to the point of death another vagina, another vagina, another... Which is better? If we say that "Give up this nonsense business," is that brainwash? And if it is brainwash, it is for good. What is this civilization, who is never satisfied? The same business is going on up to the point of death. Our civilization is: "All right, you are attached to vagina-licking. Do it up to fifty years. Then give it up." This is our civilization. "You are so much accustomed to the vagina-licking business—up to fifty years, so long you are young. Then give it... Don't do it anymore." This is our civilization. And that also, after twenty-five years. For twenty-five years teach him, "It is no good business. Brahmacārī. Remain alone. You have got so much botheration." If he's still unable: "All right, take one wife. Be satisfied. Lick up one. And then, at the age of fifty years, give up." This is our... Is that wrong?

Room Conversation -- February 19, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Hm. Just like our Rādhā-Dāmodara temple, it was established... This temple was established by Jīva Gosvāmī. He was brahmacārī. So how these gosvāmīs, they are worshiping? He had no sons. It was... The temple was established by him, but the worship was transferred to the gṛhasthas bhakta. So they are doing by generation. All these Vṛndāvana temples, Govindajī temple, Rādhā-Ramaṇa temple, Rādhā-Dāmodara. Rādhā-Ramaṇa temple, he was also brahmacārī, Gopāla Bhaṭṭa. He did not marry. Jīva Gosvāmī was brahmacārī. Sanātana Gosvāmī and Rūpa Gosvāmī, they sannyāsīs. So how these gṛhasthas got this sevā? They were disciples, gṛhasthas. So gṛhastha disciples were meant for worshiping Deity. And others, they are meant for preaching. This is the primary principle. So if you are engaged in preaching... Deity worship, it must be done in scheduled time, this time, this time, this time. Then that is very difficult for you.

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

Prabhupāda: Offenseless, he must be properly initiated. It does not mean that he should not be initiated and chant. That is not the idea. You can... Must be initiated, either you are a gṛhastha or sannyāsī or brahmacārī. Not that without being initiated you'll whimsically chant and the effect will be the same. No. You must be initiated. Ādau gurvāśrayam. You must accept a guru.

Rāmeśvara: If you want to sell some product, you may make so many claims, and then the public will buy. So sometimes we quote these psychologists who have done studies that "If you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, there are some good effects."

Prabhupāda: Good there is undoubtedly. If you eat something, there will be some effect of eating. But if it is properly eaten, properly made, it will be, have better effect. That is the idea.

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

Rāmeśvara: So in the past, in the magazine, we have only shown people chanting if they were initiated devotees, shaven-headed, living in temple. And recently they have adopted to show people who have jobs outside the movement, and they are not brahmacārī or sannyāsī. They're also chanting, to give the public the idea that...

Prabhupāda: So that we are giving, the facility to chant and take prasādam, but at the same time, gradually, if chanting is effective, then next we have to make it in the process.

Brahmānanda: We want to bring them to the process.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is the ultimate. That is stated by Rūpa Gosvāmī,

yena tena prakāreṇa
manaḥ kṛṣṇe niveśayet
sarve vidhi-niṣedhā syur
etayor eva kiṅkarāḥ

that "Somehow or other, bring him to chant Kṛṣṇa or to become little Kṛṣṇa conscious. Then, when he's little purified, then the vidhi-niṣedhāḥ..." He's not rejecting the vidhi-niṣedhāḥ. Vidhi-niṣedhāḥ means regulative principles.

Room Conversation -- February 25, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: They are never satisfied, the vagina business. Tṛpyanti neha kṛp—although it is followed by so much miserable condition—bahu-duḥkha-bhājaḥ kaṇḍūtivan manasijaṁ viṣaheta dhīraḥ. One who is dhīra, sober, he tolerates little itching sensation: "What this nonsense?" And if you practice toleration, there will be no more. Finished. You become liberated. Therefore, from the very beginning of life, childhood, this teach him, that "Don't be a vagina-smelling animal." Brahmacārī. Brahmacārī guru-gṛhe vasan dāntaḥ. To learn how to control the senses, that is brahmacārī. Where is that civilization? So establish. Give them food. Give them shelter. Give them knowledge. That is para-upakāra, doing welfare to others. But don't be entangled in vagina civilization. Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukham (SB 7.9.45). It is most abominable civilization, tuccham, condemned civilization.

Evening Darsana -- February 26, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: (Bengali) (break) People have been trained up not to become sober. Sober. Childish. And Vedic civilization is to teach the youngsters from the very beginning how to become sober-under restriction, under regulation, just to make him very sober. Brahmacārī (sic:) guru-gṛhe vasan dāntaḥ. Dānta means sober. And where is our paṇḍita.

Lokanātha: Next room.

Prabhupāda: Call him. (break) Find out from your dictionary what is the meaning of dānta.

Pradyumna: Dānta.

Evening Darsana -- February 26, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Vasan dānto guror hitam. The word is used, dānta. Dānta means sober. Children are generally restless, and the brahmacārī-āśrama means to train him how to become peaceful. That is the first training, not that to make him very good scholar in grammar. It is not said there. That is later on. First thing is how to make him sober. What is that? Dānta?

Pradyumna: Dānta, from verbal root, dam. "Tamed, broken in..."

Prabhupāda: Tame. Tame. Just see.

Pradyumna: "Restrained..."

Prabhupāda: That's it.

Evening Darsana -- February 26, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Subdued. So then there is no chance. Kancai no wale basa mas korbe tas tas:(?) "If you want to bend this bamboo, when it is green, you can do it. And if it is yellow, can't. It will break." Tas, tas. This is Bengali. If you take one yellow bamboo, to bend it, it will crack and make sound, "Tas, tas." But when it is green, you can bend it. Kancai no wale paca means green. (Bengali) Kancai no wale basa mas korbe tas tas.(?) First human civilization begins when you restrain the children not to become restless. This is the training. Brahmacārī guru-gṛhe vasan dānto guror hitam. This training is lacking. Therefore even in old age, the washerman business. I am bodily conscious, and I am training others also to become bodily conscious: "You feel like Indian," "You feel like American," "You feel like Englishman." This is education, the same dehātma-buddhi, that "I am this body," extended. The extended feeling of bodily consciousness, is that advancement?

Room Conversation with Ratan Singh Rajda (Member of Parliament) -- March 27, 1977, Bombay:

Mr. Rajda: Yes, religious principles.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Brahmacārī guru-kule vasan dānto guror hitam (SB 7.12.1). We are opening gurukula in Vṛndāvana. We can open here also. We have got land, so let us cooperate. The things are there. We haven't got to manufacture it. Simply we have to take the program seriously. Then everything will be all right.

Mr. Rajda: Por how many days you are here in Bombay?

Prabhupāda: At least for one month.

Mr. Rajda: To one month. I am returning on seventh again here. Then I shall come here. Tomorrow I am going for Delhi, but on seventh I am returning. Seventh I will come here again.

Prabhupāda: So you come and let us (indistinct).

Mr. Rajda: And we can detail some letters for business.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Interview with Mr. Koshi (Asst. Editor of The Current Weekly) -- April 5, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Because you have not been taught by proper teacher.

Mr. Koshi: That I accept.

Prabhupāda: That is not your fault. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). This is Vedic injunction. So therefore our brahmacārī system. First of all one becomes brahmacārī. Brahmacārī guru-kule vasan dānto guror hitam (SB 7.12.1). These things are there. Everything is there and we don't take advantage of this knowledge. We are after becoming dogs, that's all.

Mr. Koshi: But there are several millions like me.

Room Conversation -- April 5, 1977, Bombay:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They say that they are going to replace this family planning with yoga. Instead of using artificial means, they're going to teach yoga.

Prabhupāda: To become brahmacārī.

Girirāja: The minister of health and family planning, he said, he denied, that "This name should be changed to just minister of health, because this type of family planning is against the traditional values of India."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It is totally against it. It's Western, the whole Western conception.

Girirāja: Actually, a short time ago, everyone knew that these things were wrong, but now they are trying to pretend that it is not wrong. They are trying to forget.

Prabhupāda: They can do, all their political divisions. These rascals, they can do. Anything. They have no principles, no morality, no standard of morality, nothing. Simply all rogues and thieves. It will more and more.

Conversations -- April 19, 1977, Bombay:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It says, "The birthplace of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in the district Nadia, prepared under the direction of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda and by his disciples, His Holiness Surabhīr Abhipālayantam Swami, ISKCON Māyāpur Project architect and director of construction; His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami, ISKCON Māyāpur project president and Governing Body Commissioner; Śrī Patita Pāvana dāsa Brahmacārī, Bhakti Śāstrī, ISKCON Māyāpur; and the editors of Back to Godhead magazine, ISKCON Press, Los Angeles, California."

Prabhupāda: Perfect article.

Room Conversation -- April 19, 1977, Bombay:

Bhakti-caru: This one is Mr. Charan Singh addressing a press conference in Delhi on Monday, Charan Singh, Indian Prime Minister. (Hindi) "The passport of Mr. Sanjay Gandhi, Mr. Motilal, and Mr. Dhirendra Brahmacari, who runs a yoga center here, have been impounded. Official sources also said here today the necessary instructions have been issued in this regard to the concerned authorities."

Prabhupāda: Impound? Impound? What is the impounding?

Bhakti-caru: Cancelled today.

Prabhupāda: Where there is?

Room Conversation -- April 19, 1977, Bombay:

Bhakti-caru: New Delhi. (Bengali) "The instructions have been issued in this regard to Assam authorities. Mr Brahmacari is known to be close to Mr. Sanjay Gandhi." "Morarji Wants Prices. The Prime Minister, Mr. Morarji Desai, today promised in a radio broadcast to check the recent rise in prices on certain goods. 'If necessary by comparing quotas in the current stocks and even by imports, where feasible.' Mr. Desai observed that prices had declined since between February 25 and the end of March but have again increased in the last few weeks in the case of essential goods like oil seeds, cotton, edible oil, til, pulses and food grains. This has raised apprehensions in the minds of (indistinct). Some traders and some stockists have taken advantage of the shortage of certain commodities to increase prices. The form of exploitation would not be tolerated. The Prime Minister said that 'Lifting of the emergency does not mean that traders should try and make extra profits. That will hinder them in the eyes of the law, the people and government. I should like to emphasize that the ordinary law of the land is sufficient to deal with any antisocial conduct.' "

Prabhupāda: They should severe punishment. Then... We shall see.

Conversation: Vairagya, Salaries, and Political Etiquette -- April 28, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: So that should be stopped. So to live with wife, together as a gṛhastha, and enjoy gṛhastha life, at the same time to live in temple, this should be discouraged. Temple is meant for brahmacārī and sannyāsī, our, mainly, not for gṛhastha, because they have got inclination to enjoy. To live with wife means enjoyment. They'll have sex. This should be discouraged. But one who is absolutely required, they also cannot be allowed to live together. It is badly done(?). Suppose if one is gṛhastha, he is in devotional service, but he has no money to look after his wife. In that case the wife can live in the temple but separately with women, not together. Together living is very disturbing. It is not at all recommended. Give this point. At least, this should not be encouraged.

Room Conversation -- May 8, 1977, Hrishikesh:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: You told them in that meeting we had in Warda. You were very bold. You said, "Unless you surrender to Kṛṣṇa and understand Kṛṣṇa, it's all useless." There is one very great yogic teacher in India like Maharishi Yogi called Brahmacari Virendra or something like that.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Dhirendra Brahma... Prabhupāda was reading about him this morning in the newspaper.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, you were? Oh, with that case...?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda has been following.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Room Conversation -- May 8, 1977, Hrishikesh:

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That Dhirendra Brahmacari.

Trivikrama: Who was caught with the woman.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: The so-called yogis...

Prabhupāda: All these yogis... They get cheap food, cheap women. That's all. And debauched women, in Hindu society, they cannot mix with other men, take advantage of these yogis, swamis and cheaters. Just becoming so-called devotees, they have sex attraction.(?) From both sides. Sex... Sex impulse is so strong that in different ways it should be taken, as a yogi, as a swami, as a gṛhastha, as a debauch, as a loafer. All... The central point is sex. Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukham (SB 7.9.45). These asses...

Trivikrama: Working so hard.

Prabhupāda: Working so hard and then sex, and the female kicks on the face. They enjoy, "Ah." You have seen this?

Room Conversation -- May 8, 1977, Hrishikesh:

Prabhupāda: Dog is also doing that. Is he householder? Taking care of children, the dog is also doing that. So is he householder? First of all, you do not know what is meant by householder. Taking care of children, that is done by the birds. In the nest the small kiddies are there, and they are bringing food and pushing in the mouth, (makes bird noise:) "Tee, tee, tee, tee, tee." Are they householder? And if you think they are householder, you are also householder like the dogs and birds. You do not know what is householder. Therefore you have to consult śāstra, who is a householder. Śāstra says, pitā na sa syāj jananī na sā syāt, na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum: "You should not become a father and mother unless you take the responsibility for children that no more birth." Because this is the problem, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). If you are so able father and mother that you can stop this miserable condition of your children, then you become householder. That is householder. Otherwise what is the use of becoming a householder like dogs and cats? There is no use. There are so many cats and dogs. What is use of increasing? Now government is forcing: "Do not produce cats and dogs. Take these inhibitions(?)." Because the whole world is fed up with these cats and dogs householders. Real householder is, śāstra says, "Don't become a father, don't become a mother, if you cannot protect your children..." Samupeta-mṛtyum. And they are required. If you can do that, then you are welcome. You can produce hundreds of children. But you cannot protect yourself; how you'll be able to protect your children? All bogus. Householder is allowed, as brahmacārī-āśrama, gṛhastha-āśrama.

Evening Darsana -- May 13, 1977, Hrishikesh:

Prabhupāda: Of course, it is not that we should not take care. But that is superficial. Real care should be taken of the soul within the body. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13). Dehinaḥ, dehī. Dehinaḥ and deha. So anyone who is identifying with this body in either... According to Vedic civilization, the bodily identification is divided into eight: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. Varṇāśrama-dharma. So human civilization begins, according to Vedic understanding, when there is varṇāśrama system. Otherwise it is not human civilization. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is stated, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13). This system should be followed. Then, gradually, one has to come to the spiritual. Chaotic society cannot help us. There must be systematic social order: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, cātur-varṇyam, and brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa. Sannyāsa is not voluntary, but it is compulsory. At the last stage one must take sannyāsa.

Evening Darsana -- May 15, 1977, Hrishikesh:

Prabhupāda: So this is direct process. Because Kali-yuga, they cannot actually undergo severe austerities, penances, vairāgya. Little difficult. Not difficult. Very difficult. But that is a special concession for this age. Because we are very fallen, we cannot undergo severe austerities, penances, yamena niyamena vā, brahmacarya. Very, very difficult. So Bhāgavata, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, recommends that "Kali-yuga is full of faults." Kaler doṣa-nidhe rājan: "It is a ocean of fault. But there is one great opportunity." Kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ. Specially for this age. What is that? Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ param: (SB 12.3.51) "Simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa he can become liberated and go back to home, back to God..."

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

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, he has a big degree now.

Prabhupāda: (laughs) Nonsense degree. Who cares for his degree?

Bhavānanda: You've got many nice young staunch Bengali brahmacārīs, eighteen, nineteen, twenty, twenty-one, twenty-two years old.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They joined?

Prabhupāda: Where?

Bhavānanda: At different times. Now all, they have become very strong. Finally it's happened. We have a brahmacārī core. And they're all anxious... This week they're all going out preaching, everyone.

Prabhupāda: Gītār Gān selling nice?

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

Prabhupāda: And that judgment is still wrong.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This was written by one Sākṣī Gopāla dāsa brahmacārī. Named Sākṣī Gopāla dāsa.

Prabhupāda: Ācchā?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He's one of Prabhupāda's English disciples.

Guest (2): (Hindi)

Prabhupāda: (Hindi)

Guest (3): (Hindi)

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) (Hindi conversation)

Morning Conversation -- May 29, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Bhavānanda: Would you like to have kīrtana now?

Prabhupāda: Yes. (break) ...come directly, brāhmaṇas sometimes brahmacārī, gṛhastha. That will impress. (break) ...hodgepodge. Respect is no. Ideals become a leader. He'll do. He'll do. There must be some strong men. Tilaka always must be there. That is our great standard. Kaṇṭhī-mālā. Every fifteen days you should be cleansed. (break) (indistinct) Don't be in all this (indistinct). Go on very nicely. Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Prabhu Nityānanda, Śrī Advaita Gadādhara Śrīvāsa... (break)

Gargamuni: Well, we only printed two Oriya books. Both were printed in Calcutta so far, because there's one Oriya printer there. Gaura-Govinda Mahārāja is investigating completely the... We went around investigating the presses in Cuttack and Bhuvaneśvara, if we might get some cheaper or easier price. It appears that some things we can do cheaper there, like the inside part, but cover cannot do cheaper there.

Prabhupāda: Cover you can get there, cover.

Discussions -- June 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

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.

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

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: No, when our gurukula children apply for entry visas, they should give them visas right away, because these kids from abroad will come to India for gurukula...

Prabhupāda: Our program is open. Brahmacārī gurukule vasan dāntaḥ. We are training like this, covered in the Bhāgavata. Never mind government.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: If you get accepted by the government, you may have to change you curriculum so much.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: No, I mean, just this is a Vaiṣṇava institute, so when our students apply abroad for an entry visa, they'll get it right away, and they can get a student visa for four, five years. I don't think the gurukula kids come from abroad and then train them six, you know...

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

Prabhupāda: (indistinct-bad tape) (break) So now our next business is to bring students, brahmacārī. So easy process is to approach wealthy(?) gentleman. In their family there are many children, one, two, three, like that. So approach them and plead them that "Children from your family are expected to be very respectable boys, character and devotee, educated. From your family, people expect like that. According to Cāṇakya Paṇḍita's instruction, he says, ko 'rthaḥ putreṇa jātena yo na vidvān na bhaktimān. 'What is the use of begetting children like cats and dogs?' The children must be vidvān, that is, learned, and bhaktimān, devotee. This is the ideal. And what is the use of begetting cats and dogs? Ko 'rthaḥ putreṇa jātena yo na vidvān na bhaktimān. Either he should be bhaktimān or vidvān. This vidvān and bhaktimān, that is ideal. So we are going to teach your son to become vidvān and bhaktimān. So don't you like to bring your son?" You have to tell them like that. And present it rightly.

Gurukula Inspection -- June 26, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: At least five hundred.

Guṇārṇava: The top portion also will be kept for gurukula purposes. We were thinking the brahmacārīs and sannyāsīs should move from the guesthouse and live on the top.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Guṇārṇava: So they can mix with the gurukula?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Why not?

Yaśodānandana: What about householders and ladies?

Prabhupāda: No, no. Not at all.

Gurukula Inspection -- June 26, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Now your business is bring students. That is first duty. Let people convinced. Before going to the foreign countries, I had a very bad experience. I asked so many men to give students, Vedic students. "Swamiji, (Hindi) We have to earn money." Nobody wants that the children should be honest, brāhmaṇa, brahmacārī. Nobody wants. He wants all thieves, rogues, cunning cheater. "So the money bring." That is the difficulty. So you have to face this difficulty. But try to. (Hindi) Loafer class, śūdra, they want. (Hindi) Still, keep an ideal institution. That experience I had. When, before going foreign countries, I tried, all friends: "Swamiji, (Hindi)"

Dr. Sharma: Indians also?

Prabhupāda: Indians? Foreigners, they were hippies; they come.

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

Prabhupāda: And if required, one man can take care of more than one wife because woman population is greater.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Right. And some boys want to remain brahmacārī. So naturally there's fewer men for women.

Prabhupāda: And those who are able, you can keep more than one wife. Just see Kṛṣṇa-sixteen thousand wives. God. That is God. Come on, if there is anyone to compete. Sixteen thousand palaces, sixteen thousands wives, each wife, ten sons. That is God.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No one is equal to or greater than Him.

Conversation -- July 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes, sannyāsī, brahmacārī, means preaching. They are not meant for material management. They have dedicated their life for spiritual-although this material service is also spiritual—but they are doing on such a strength. You cannot expect a very expertly management and... But they act. Simply ask them to do the needful.

Mr. Myer: That's right.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, out of desire to serve you, they carry out whatever you ask.

Prabhupāda: They cannot be expert, these men, managers. They are not... They are giving up everything. But as soon as there is big establishment, we require a top manager.

Mr. Myer: Sometimes there are so many different areas. There is temple management. There is book distribution. There is guesthouse. Now the gurukula is coming.

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

Bhakti-caitanya: They do that. There was one Indira Gandhi's..., like as a guru, Dhirendra Brahmacari, and now every day news, bad news, are coming in the newspaper, we understand, because he becomes very much close to Indira Gandhi and his son. All his yoga-āśrama in Kashmir... He built up big āśrama, and the government, they were giving him aid, many lakhs rupees, every year. Now this Janata government took over. He had a... They took over the land and everything, and now they are going to send even back here, because he was so much mixed with the politicians.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

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

Prabhupāda: They do not marry for being... Or they kill children. They are doing that. Where is the question of "four," "two"? These are all nonsense program. They do not know how to do things. We welcome. Four, nei. Four hundred. Come on. My Guru Mahārāja used to say that "I am a brahmacārī-sannyāsī, but if I can bring Kṛṣṇa conscious child, I can beget hundred children. I have no objection." And that is... There is no question of four or two. Four hundred—if you can make them Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is the criterion. That is required. But that, they do not know. They'll not be able to maintain properly even one children, one child. That's not possible. But that is the difficulty in In... They do not know the laws of nature, the laws of God, how things are going on, although they are being explained. They'll... There are so many things. They are jumping like monkey.

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

Prabhupāda: So you show by example. Bring these brahmacārīs. Teach them, and gradually... Just like our organization not all of a sudden has become so big. I was... For more than one year I was simply loitering on the street of New York like a vagabond. Who was hearing me? Still, I am going once in a month to the ship company that "When your next ship is coming to go to India?" So the manager: "Swamiji, you are coming. When you are going away?" I said, "Yes, I have no business practically here. But still, I want to stay and see if things can be pushed." Therefore I am writing. Otherwise I am useless. I am simply loitering and seeing the Fifth Avenue and the... And within the subway station, after taking my lunch I used to go by bus here and there, in the subway, anywhere go, it stops. No shelter. I was cooking, myself, in a friend's house. So he took it as a free cook he has got. And two men, of course, we... Sometimes some guest would...

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

Prabhupāda: Brainwash.

Upendra: Unhealthy. And these Arabs, they were here visiting the temple. They saw a brahmacārī, and they explained brahmacārī means celibate. "Oh, he is sick." "Unhealthy," they said.

Prabhupāda: General idea is "How a young man can live without a young woman?" Not now. This is the material idea. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, "Oh, you are after woman? Oh. You are more than committing suicide."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Diametrically opposed.

Prabhupāda: Hā hanta hanta viṣa-bhakṣaṇato 'pi. "You are after woman? It is more dangerous than drinking poison." Who will accept? And Western country—"Oh, without young woman, what is life?" Madhudviṣa became victimized by woman. So he became so ashamed that he left, that "My career is finished now." He's conscious.

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.

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

Prabhupāda: No, that's a great loss.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Because if husband and wife live together in the temple itself, where there are so many brahmacārīs and... (break)

Prabhupāda: ...he makes love with a girl and marries and live at the cost of Society, and that is to be discouraged. If you want to marry, you work independently. Maintain yourself. And whatever you can contribute, do that. That is the... Just like Abhirāma. He's very good. And I don't want to be lost. He constructed that house, I never forbade. And it is in the campus. Let him remain a little separately. It doesn't matter.

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

Prabhupāda: That's nice. What is the wrong?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: At least for five or six years now the system has been that no man and woman should live together in the same building as where the Deity is.

Prabhupāda: That is the system. Temple is meant for retired men. Brahmacārī, sannyāsī, vānaprastha.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So then how we can let them live together, man and woman?

Prabhupāda: But if there is no alternative, what can be done?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Hm. No, but there is alternative always. There are available rooms and apartments just adjoining the temples.

Prabhupāda: Then it is all right, but he must be connected with temple.

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

Prabhupāda: So you can go.

Upendra: Prabhupādajī? I have one question since you are speaking about gṛhastha. If a brahmacārī decides to get married and then enters into married life, should he be encouraged to maintain that responsibility throughout his life?

Prabhupāda: No, no, unless he can maintain family, why should he marry?

Upendra: Well, I'm specifically questioning the fact that some... Of course, our movement is young, but so many women, their husbands leave them, and they are so young and they're left. So these young women I'm thinking may become a disturbance in the future to the movement, because how a woman can remain unmarried for so many years? Her husband has left her after a few years of marriage. Generally...

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

Prabhupāda: That is not possible.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Of course, he might be thinking, "Well, I'm a pūjārī, so the temple should pay me money to maintain my family."

Prabhupāda: If we have got brahmacārī pūjārī, why should we maintain a gṛhastha? He is not only one pūjārī. We have got sannyāsī, brahmacārī. Why should we maintain a gṛhastha? And where is the means? After all, these things are to be adjusted. I can give you the ideas. The pūjārīs were given in Vṛndāvana the temple, and they made it a source of income. Just like the gosāis are doing. Their pūjā goes to hell.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Who?

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

Prabhupāda: The interest will go to the family, not to the Deity.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's not good.

Prabhupāda: Jīva Gosvāmī was brahmacārī. So he gave to a gṛhastha śiṣya to maintain Rādhā-Dāmodara. But what is the position now? Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī was also a brahmacārī. Everything depends on training and mentality. If the attention is diverted otherwise, then it is lost.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think Mādhavendra Purī, he gave his Deity. Now it's again... You know, who has Govardhana Deity. Vallabhācārya's line now worships.

Prabhupāda: They gave to the Vallabhācārya. But somehow they are maintaining the status quo.

Room Conversation -- July 19, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Who has written?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: By a brahmacārī named Tattvavit dāsa brahmacārī. Because you said just like they have an American Christian movement, now we should be known as the American Krishnas. So he wrote, "The American Krishna Movement." Then the public likes it: "Oh, it's American."

Prabhupāda: American (indistinct) is nice.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It says, "The Society's founder is A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda. He left India at an advanced age aboard the merchant ship Jaladuta with only seven dollars and a trunk containing scriptures he had translated into English. The ship's captain became Śrīla Prabhupāda's friend and purchased the first books distributed in the US. Śrīla Prabhupāda had been instructed by Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī, his spiritual preceptor, to broadcast Kṛṣṇa consciousness in the English language. That request was made in 1922. In the years that followed Śrīla Prabhupāda wrote an English commentary on the Bhagavad-gītā and started an English magazine in 1944, which he wrote, printed and distributed himself.

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.

Room Conversation -- October 9, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Good house.

Rāmeśvara: Also in downtown they purchased one house which cost $170,000. And the brahmacārīs live on the top floor, and then the ground floor is the restaurant.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Didn't you see that house, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think you went there when there were still other people living there. You said that the man received you very properly?

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Room Conversation -- October 12, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: He wants to sell it. What does he want?

Jayapatākā: Right now he's asking... Actually right now he's more eager than ever to sell his land. The sādhu next to us, Praphulla Brahmacari, both of us, we met together, and we made a verbal agreement that we wouldn't give him any hope for purchasing his land at a high price. And as the result, now because of this incident... Before he had some hope that some outside person would come and buy land. But now the outside people, they don't want to purchase land at Māyāpur. So now he has no other hope than to sell either to us or to that brahmacārī. So now he's still asking four thousand. He's come from six to four. But it's even appearing that within a short time he may come down to three thousand.

Room Conversation -- October 12, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So if he comes three thousand... How much land there is?

Jayapatākā: There's four bighās.

Prabhupāda: So purchase it. Do you follow?

Jayapatākā: Yes. That brahmacārī, he would purchase it also. If you wanted to have him purchase, he would purchase and give us a piece. He said he would give us a piece alongside the building as big as we want, and he would purchase the rest.

Prabhupāda: My idea is it is a land where we shall dig another pond. No building.

Jayapatākā: Build another pond.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- October 15, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He is using the same idea as that brahmacārī, putting hot on different places.

Upendra: Leg. Tell him the leg.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You have to explain to him about massaging.

Upendra: We did already.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh. You have pain in that hip, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Maybe he can give some special massaging there.

Indian man (1): (Hindi)

Upendra: After some time I think it will go away with the massage. I mean from lack of movement.

Room Conversation -- November 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's called Preaching is the Essence. "His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda." It says, "Compiled by Rāmeśvara dāsa Swami and Śubhānanda dāsa Brahmacārī." It says, "A note of explanation. Every word of the text of this book is taken directly from the books of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, founder-ācārya of the International Society for Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. The text appearing in boldface type is Śrīla Prabhupāda's translations of verses from the Vedic literatures. The text in regular roman type consists of excerpts from His Divine Grace's summary studies and purports. Contents in brief: 1) The mission of the Lord—to give all living entities the benediction of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. 2) It is the duty of the devotee to preach." Each one of these subjects, then they give verses or purports.

Room Conversation -- November 3, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: The arrangement is nice.

Gaura-govinda: It requires a little modification. We made some constructions there for brahmacārīs. There is one Deity room, that is pakka house, and one more... (break) (whispering) ...Anantadeva and Dr. Śyāmasundara.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, I've been writing them.

Gaura-govinda: Yes, they have written letters to Prabhupāda. (whispering)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You can talk out loud. You can talk now. You said Anantadeva and Śyāmasundara dāsa Brahmacārī, they were dealing with the pāṇḍās.

Room Conversation -- November 3, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Who is Anantadeva?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda said, "Who is Anantadeva?"

Gaura-govinda: Anantadeva... They have written letters to you, from that Śyāmasundara Brahmacārī and Anantadeva.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But Anantadeva is connected with which group?

Gaura-govinda: He is a disciple of Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He's disciple of Bhaktisiddhānta or Bhaktisiddhānta's disciple's disciple?

Gaura-govinda: No, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Directly.

Room Conversation -- November 5, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: What is that sound?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's one of the brahmacārīs shaking out the dust in the rugs. In my office we have some rugs, so he takes them outside and shakes them. He's a nice brahmacārī, young boy from the Gurukula, from Mexico. Is it time to go on, Śrīla Prabhupāda? (break) ...today. So I would meet him last night, and if he was to come this evening I wouldn't think that there would be any harm, that he could come this evening, I think it's not bad in that it sort of sometimes has an effect to encourage the patient if the doctor or kavirāja comes. It's reassuring. So I think it's nice that he comes. There should be someone with a little bit of knowledge who we can consult each day. He may not be as expert as the Calcutta kavirāja.

Room Conversation -- November 6, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: And make a dighi.

Jayapatākā: Yes. That Praphulla brahmacārī or Prabhupāda dāsa or whatever he's called, next door, he has built a small temple now. The dome has come up. It's about 45 feet high.

Prabhupāda: On top?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Temple with a dome.

Jayapatākā: Very narrow one.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Is he friendly?

Jayapatākā: He's very friendly. He came by and he said that... He recommended about two months ago that for a while we shouldn't say anything to the Muhammadan. Then he will bring the price down. Then mutually we can decide that who will take the land.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He wants the land?

Room Conversation -- November 6, 1977, Vrndavana:

Jayapatākā: Yeah, so then consider. (break) ...his birthday was a couple days ago, and then he invited us. So I sent two brahmacārīs to his āśrama for his birthday celebration.

Prabhupāda: His temple is completed?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: His nātha-mandira?

Jayapatākā: I didn't ask, actually. I think he's a year older than Śrīla Prabhupāda? Or two years older.

Prabhupāda: At least one year. I want to develop Gauḍa-maṇḍala. So in yoga-pīṭha they could not build even a darśana-maṇḍapa in fifty, sixty years. So we can construct a, what is called, hall.

Jayapatākā: Without mandira.

Room Conversation -- November 13-14, 1977, Vrndavana:

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)

Page Title:Brahmacari (Conversations 1977)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:21 of Feb, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=90, Let=0
No. of Quotes:90