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British Empire

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 7

SB 7.7.39, Translation and Purport:

One's riches, beautiful wife and female friends, one's sons and daughters, one's residence, one's domestic animals like cows, elephants and horses, one's treasury, economic development and sense gratification—indeed, even the lifetime in which one can enjoy all these material opulences—are certainly temporary and flickering. Since the opportunity of human life is temporary, what benefit can these material opulences give to a sensible man who has understood himself to be eternal?

This verse describes how the advocates of economic development are frustrated by the laws of nature. As the previous verse asks, kiṁ viṣayopapādanaiḥ: what is the actual benefit of so-called economic development? The history of the world has factually proved that attempts to increase economic development for bodily comfort through the advancement of material civilization have done nothing to remedy the inevitability of birth, death, old age and disease. Everyone has knowledge of huge empires throughout the history of the world—the Roman Empire, the Moghul Empire, the British Empire and so on—but all the societies engaged in such economic development (sarve 'rtha-kāmāḥ) have been frustrated by the laws of nature through periodic wars, pestilence, famine and so on. Thus all their attempts have been flickering and temporary. In this verse, therefore, it is said, kurvanti martyasya kiyat priyaṁ calāḥ: one may be very proud of possessing a vast empire, but such empires are impermanent; after one hundred or two hundred years, everything is finished. All such positions of economic development, although created with great endeavor and hardship, are vanquished very soon. Therefore they have been described as calāḥ. An intelligent man should conclude that material economic development is not at all pleasing. The entire world is described in Bhagavad-gītā as duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15)—miserable and temporary. Economic development may be pleasing for some time, but it cannot endure. Thus many big businessmen are now very morose because they are being harassed by various plundering governments. In conclusion, why should one waste his time for so-called economic development, which is neither permanent nor pleasing to the soul?

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 6.13-15 -- Los Angeles, February 16, 1969:

Just like we have seen a practical example of Mahatma Gandhi in India. Now, he started a movement, non-violent, non-cooperation. The movement, the fight was declared against the powerful British Empire, just see. And he determined that "I shall fight with the Britishers non-violent. Without any weapon," because India was dependent, there was no weapon. And several times it was attempted armed revolution. But these Britishers and more powerful, they cut down. So Gandhi, he invented this method, that "I shall fight with the Britishers, even they become violent, I shall not become violent. So I shall get world sympathy." So this was his plan. He was great statesman. But his determination was so fixed up because he was a brahmacārī. From, at the age of thirty-six years he gave up. He had his wife but he gave up his sex life. He was a family man, he had children, he had his wife. But from the age of thirty-six, young man, a thirty-six year old, he gave up sex life with his wife. That made him so determined, that "I shall drive away these Britishers from the land of India," and he did it. You see? And actually he did it. So controlling the sex life, to refrain from sex life is so powerful. Even if you don't do anything, if you simply restrain your sex life, you become a very powerful man. People do not know the secret. So anything you do, if you want to do it with determination, you have to stop sex life. That is the secret.

Lecture on BG 6.16-24 -- Los Angeles, February 17, 1969:

Just see, a sparrow is trying to dry up the ocean. (laughs) This is called determination. Just like our Gandhi. He declared war against the Britishers. War is that non-violent, noncooperation. You see? But the determination was there. That "I must drive away the Britishers." And he did it. And what is the weapon? Nonviolence. "All right, you fight, you kill me, I shall not attack you." You see? He became, what is that? Determination. People laughed. "Gandhi is declaring war with the Britishers, so powerful, British Empire." And actually after the Britishers lost India, they lost all Empire. Because that was the jewel of British Empire. They lost all possession in the Far East, they lost possession in Egypt, they lost possession on Suez Canal, everything lost. So determination is so nice thing. Go on.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.4 -- London, August 27, 1973:

Therefore sumanda-matayaḥ. Their philosophy, their opinion, they are all condemned. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyāḥ (SB 1.1.10). Mostly unfortunate. Mostly. They cannot get even the primary necessities of life, eating, sleeping, mating and defending. Even in your country, the British Empire, the Empress Queen, oh, so many people are lying on the street. Manda-bhāgyāḥ. Unfortunate. They can get all the facilities of life, but because unfortunate, they are lying on the street. In America, such a big nation, with everything complete, no scarcity, so many hippies. Manda-bhāgyāḥ. Unfortunate. If one is unfortunate, you cannot make him correct. Condemned. You cannot check one's unfortunateness. If one's unfortunate position can be changed, that is only by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is no other way. You cannot make any philanthropic work and change the fortune of any person. No. That is not possible. Tāvad tanu-bhṛtāṁ tvad-upekṣitānām. These are very nicely discussed. Bālasya neha śaraṇaṁ nṛsiṁha, pitarau nṛsiṁha. It is not that because a child has got his father and mother, he is happy, he should be happy. No. In spite of rich father and mother, he must be unhappy. Just like these hippies. In spite of they have parents, they have grandparents, they are all very rich, but they are lying on the street. I have seen. Torn clothes, this, why? Means condemned. Condemned by God. Tvad-upekṣitānām.

Lecture on SB 1.2.4 -- Rome, May 28, 1974:

So you know the story, that one dog was crossing over a small rivulet, and he saw the picture of another dog in the water. And actually, there was no dog. He was carrying some food in his mouth, and he saw another dog within the water. So he thought, "Let me take his foodstuff from the mouth," and as he opened the mouth, he wanted to take the other dog's foodstuff, so whatever he had, gone. You see? This is dog philosophy, "Take away." Take other's meal; he loses his own. This is called illusion, māyā. You did not read this, Aesop's Fable story? It is very instructive story. This is dog's philosophy. This is dog's philosophy. All these so-called empire... This Roman Empire was expanded. The British Empire was expanded. Now they have lost everything. Finished. Finished. The dog's business was finished.

Lecture on SB 1.2.8 -- Bombay, December 26, 1972:

Cāṇakya Paṇḍita, the great politician, he says... He was not a..., he was a religious brāhmaṇa, but he was not for salvation—he was more or less politician—still he says, san-nimitte varaṁ tyāge vināśe niyate sati. San-nimit, if you have got some money, it will be spent up. In your life or your next life, your son's life, it will be spent up. Vināśe niyate sati, that is the nature's way. Suppose you earn crores of rupees. It will not stay after one generation, after two generations. It will not stay, because in this material world, Lakṣmī, the goddess of fortune, is called cañcalā. She does not remain at one place. We have got experience. Today one man is very rich; next generation is no longer rich. That is also nationwise applicable. Just like we have seen British Empire. While I was in London I was thinking that "These Britishers brought money from all parts of the world, by business or all other means." I saw in front of St. James Park, Lord Clive's statue. Very, very nice buildings, but it is now difficult for them to repair. That opulence has gone. They have lost their empire. No more income, sufficient income. This is the nature of material world. So many empires were there. There was Roman empire, there was Carthaginian empire, there was Mogul empire, there was British empire, and so many empires.

Lecture on SB 1.2.14 -- Los Angeles, August 17, 1972:

So kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. At the present moment, 99.9%, they are śūdras. Therefore the society is chaotic condition. Therefore in your country, you are the richest country in the world, you are producing hippies, frustration, confusion. Chaotic condition. And if you continue this, then you'll lose all your opportunities. Artificially, you cannot remain opulent for many days. There were so many empires-Roman Empire, British Empire, Moghul Empire. These were artificial. If you systematically follow the Vedic principles as it is ordered by Kṛṣṇa... Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). You must divide the society according to quality and work, four classes of men: brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. And less than śūdra, they are neglected. Not neglected, they are incorrigible. But Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice, even those who are incorrigible, they can be devotee.

Lecture on SB 1.15.20 -- Los Angeles, November 30, 1973:

So you American people, you have become tiger now, Nixon tiger. But if you don't behave obligely, if you don't feel obliged, if the tiger feels obliged that "By the grace of the saintly person, I have come to the stage of becoming a tiger, I must be very much obliged to him..." But instead of becoming obliged, if you want to eat, then again become a mouse. If the saintly person has got the power to make you from mouse to tiger, then he can convert you again from tiger to mouse. You must always remember this. So by the grace of God, Kṛṣṇa, you have become so powerful nation, rich, beautiful, educated. By grace of Kṛṣṇa you have become, but if you forget Kṛṣṇa, then you are again going to be mouse. Remember that. Nobody will care for you. Just like Englishmen. Englishmen, they established the British Empire, great, powerful, most powerful nation in the world. Now they are not so. Because they misused their power. So you get power, opulence, by the grace of Lord, Kṛṣṇa. And if you misuse it, then you become again... That is happening. That is the nature's law. Nature's law.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1-5 -- Boston, December 22, 1969:

So why I am so much anxious of protecting this family? Everyone will die." Paśyann api na paśyati. They see, but still do not see. They see daily that "I am working so hard for these things, but these things will be destroyed, as it has been destroyed previously in the history." So many empires were destroyed. The British empire destroyed, the Roman empire destroyed, the Egyptian empire destroyed, the, I mean to say, the Indian empire... Formerly..., just like Parīkṣit Mahārāja. He was the emperor of the world. So these things, paśyann api na paśyati, they see that "They cannot give me protection. When I shall be called for death..." Just like Parīkṣit Mahārāja is preparing. "At that time, all these, my soldiers, my bank balance, my good wife, my good children, my good countrymen—no. Nobody can give me any protection." Just like when you have to fly in the sky, you have to protect yourself. No other can... Take it for the birds or for the airplanes. If you are being crushed in the airplane, no other airplane can protect you. You'll have to come down from the sky. (laughter) Similarly, when death will come, none of you will be able to give me protection. Either my good state or good family or good bank balance or good this, that. No. That's all, finished. You see?

Lecture on SB 3.26.6 -- Bombay, December 18, 1974:

So you cannot solve the problem of janma, or you cannot solve the problem of mṛtyu. You cannot solve the problem of being old, invalid, disease. Then where is your solution of problems? But still, they are proud, "We are advancing." What you have advanced? The real problem are there. Nobody could solve. Try the history of the whole world. There have been so many big, big empires: the Roman Empire, the British Empire, the Mogul Empire. But where are those empires, and where are those emperors? When I go to Agra, I pass through the fort, and they show, "Here the emperor Shah Jahan lived. Here the emperor..." Where is that Shah Jahan now? The place is there. Similarly, in France, in a park there is Napoleon's statue: "Napoleon and France, the identity." And I asked them that "Your France is here, but where is your Napoleon?" (laughter)

Lecture on SB 4.14.14 -- November 16, 1971, Delhi:

So by His favor we get opulence, riches, but when we are opulent we forget Kṛṣṇa, because māyā is very strong. Māyā will detect, "Oh, you have got so much money, why don't you enjoy wine and woman?" As it is going on in European and American countries, anyone who gets money, he utilizes it for wine and woman. He has no other engagement. He does not know how to utilize money. Therefore, now the British Empire, we have seen it practically, how opulent British Empire was and now how they are coming down. Recently we have seen in London that people are lying down on bench. So this is the nature. Luxury leads to poverty. So we should be very much careful. Don't think that "Because I am now initiated, I am chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, now everything is guaranteed. Now I shall do whatever I like." No. Then it will deteriorate. We should not utilize this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement for any material purpose. Then it will fall down. Either the man will fall down or the status will fall down. As it has become in India. Practically they have lost all spiritual interest, although India is the country for spiritual advancement of life. So either individually, collectively, socially, or politically, if we forget God, Kṛṣṇa, then it is sure to deteriorate. But foolish people, they do not know this. They think that "Our good days will go on like this," as the Britishers thought. I give the example of the Britishers because I have seen in my life how opulent were these Britishers, and I have seen now in London how they are dwindling. Everywhere.

Lecture on SB 6.1.52 -- Detroit, August 5, 1975:

So anyone can live very peacefully without any hard labor. What is this civilization? For getting foodstuff one has to go hundred miles away from home, daily passengers. And some of them are going in the foreign countries also. Recently there was news that in Africa, Uganda, that, the President Amin, he asked some very respectable English gentleman to carry his palanquin just to insult them. But the Englishmen, now they are in a precarious condition. The British Empire is now finished. Now they had to carry this man. And under protest they could not go away because they have got business. So why one should go so far distance? Everyone can produce his foodstuff at home. Nature's arrangement is so nice. If not, little trade. So it is not meant for so much hard labor. Śāstra says, "This kind of laboring hard simply for satisfaction of senses is the business of the hog and pig. It is not the business of the human being." Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1).

Lecture on SB 6.1.52 -- Detroit, August 5, 1975:

By Kṛṣṇa's mercy, by guru's mercy, both... Don't try to take mercy of one. Guru kṛṣṇa kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja. By guru's mercy one gets Kṛṣṇa. And kṛṣṇa sei tomāra, kṛṣṇa dite pāro. To approach a guru means just to beg from him Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa sei tomāra. Because Kṛṣṇa is devotee's Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the master, but who can control Kṛṣṇa? His devotee. Kṛṣṇa is the supreme controller, but He is controlled by devotee. That is, Kṛṣṇa is bhakti-vatsala. Just like a big father, a high-court judge and There is a story that the Prime Minister Gladstone, somebody came to see him. And the Mr. Gladstone informed that "Wait. I am busy." So he was waiting for hours, then he became inquisitive: "What this gentleman is doing?" So he wanted to see within that He had become a horse, and taking his child on the backside. That business he was doing. You see? The prime minister, he is controlling the British Empire, but he is controlled by a child out of affection. This is called affection.

Lecture on SB 7.5.22-30 -- London, September 8, 1971:

So Prahlāda Mahārāja first of all said, "My dear father, anyone whose vow is to live in this material world very comfortably, although there is no possibility of comfort..." This is called māyā. But they are trying to be comfortable. They are trying to be comfortable. Punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30). They have seen that Roman Empire was lost, Greek Empire was lost, Mogul Empire was lost; still, they tried for British Empire, and it has failed. They are called punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30). The things which have been thrown away after chewing, again chewing the same thing, that is called gṛha-vratānām. You cannot make any permanent settlement within this material world. That is not possible. The nature is made so, whatever you do, for the time being you relish that "I have done something, I am now very comfortably situated," and so on, so on, but time will come, you will be kicked off from your position. You will be again thrown into the wilderness. Therefore they do not know. That will be explained also. They do not know what is the aim of life. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). They do not know. They are foolish. Andhā yathāndhair. Their foolish leaders also misleading them.

Lecture on SB 7.6.4 -- Toronto, June 20, 1976:

This is the essence of instruction of all Vedic instructions. What is that? Na tat prayāso kartavyo. Everyone is engaged for developing economic condition. The whole world is engaged how to develop economic condition. There were so many empires, especially in the Western countries. The British Empire, what was their aim? To develop economic condition. Bring money from all over the world in London, and become lord, baron, this, that. So Prahlāda Mahārāja says, "Don't endeavor for all these things." Don't endeavor. "Why not? Shall I not?" "No," he said, "No, you should not." Why? Yata āyur-vyayaḥ. "You are simply wasting time." Wasting time. The so-called economic development may be temporary. Actually, you cannot improve. We can see practically, so many people, in big, big cities, they are trying to develop their economic condition to improve their status of life, but do you think that everyone is successful? In big, big cities, in our country India, Calcutta, Bombay, at least, we have seen it that everyone, there are so many millions of people, they are trying, but still you'll find somebody is living in palace building and somebody is living in slum.

Festival Lectures

Sri Rama-Navami, Lord Ramacandra's Appearance Day -- Hawaii, March 27, 1969:

And it is necessary that a class of men should be trained up in that way, kṣatriya, fighting men. In India, because this training was there since a very long time, so there is no difficulty in recruiting soldiers there. There is a class of men, they are very much forward in fighting still. They are called... Just like the Gurkhas, the Nepalese. You have heard the name of Nepal. Still a small state, independent state. They are not within India. Between China and India. The whole Nepal population, they are kṣatriyas. Oh, they are very good fighters. Similarly, the Sikhs, the Jātas. There are classes. So they're always forward for fighting. And you'll be surprised that the British Empire was voluntarily liquidated because they lost India. The Britishers, they understood that because we are now losing India, there is no more possibility to keep our eastern empire. Therefore they liquidated. Why? Actually, the whole British Empire were being administered or managed by Indian soldiers, these Sikhs and Gurkhas. They extended their empire. After taking their position with India, they extended British Empire in the Middle East and Far East simply by these Sikhs and Gurkha soldiers. They got supremacy on the Burma and everywhere.

Nrsimha-caturdasi Lord Nrsimhadeva's Appearance Day -- Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.5.22-34 -- Los Angeles, May 27, 1972:

They are hoping against hope to become happy within this material world. That is the whole history. Take the history, any history, modern history. There are so many empires: the Roman Empire, the Carthaginian Empire, the Greek Empire, the British Empire recently, Hitler's Nazism, and so many. For some time they become very powerful. Just like Hiraṇyakaśipu, he's now very powerful. He's thinking, "Nobody can..." Now today he'll be killed. Keśava-dhṛta narahari rūpa is coming. So this demonic civilization will never be successful. That's a fact. But they are so fool, they do not see even historical evidences. So many empires failed. The Roman Empire failed, the British Empire failed. Still, somebody is trying to create another empire, another, different empire. Just like your President Nixon, he's trying to influence all other nations under his control. Why? Of course, I should not speak all these things. There may be criticism. But that is the way, going on. That is the way. We can understand. We can understand politics, economics, everything, but we do not bother about. But our aim is that this way of life, to increase materially happiness, it will never be successful. That is our conclusion. We are not fools that we have given up everything for advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Because we know that this, this way we shall never be happy. It is not possible.

His Divine Grace Srila Sac-cid-ananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura's Appearance Day, Lecture -- London, September 3, 1971:

So this Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura's birthday, we should adore, we should worship, because in the modern age he reintroduced the disciplic succession. From Caitanya Mahāprabhu... Five hundred years ago, Caitanya Mahāprabhu taught this philosophy, but within two hundred years... Because this material world is so made that whatever you introduce, in due course of time it will deteriorate. You make a nice house, but after one hundred years, two hundred years, or nowadays, even after fifty years, it becomes dilapidated. That is the nature's law, kāla. Time will destroy everything. Now, British empire, such a big, vast empire, now it is finished. The kāla, the time, will make everything finished. That is material. Anything material, it has birth, it has growth, it has got some opulence, then dwindling, then finished. That is the way of material... So we are interested in spiritual subject matter. Therefore the process is ādau gurv-āśrayam. One has to accept a bona fide spiritual master. That is our process. Without accepting a bona fide spiritual master, we cannot make any progress. It is impossible.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Lecture -- Melbourne, April 19, 1976:

The president addressed all the learned brāhmaṇas and scholars assembled... Because Kṛṣṇa consciousness is meant for very first-class men, not for the loafer class. In the Bhagavad-gītā this is clearly said, imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). Not for the loafer class. But a loafer class man can become rājarṣi by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is the secret. As the rājarṣi becoming... By materialistic way of life, a rājarṣi becoming as a loafer class... Just like you see, so many kingdoms were there, Moghul Empire, British Empire, Roman Empire, and so many empires were there. Where are those empires? Finished all. That will finish. It will not stay. Now the so-called kings, the emperors, they are now practically beggars. So if we do not decorate Kṛṣṇa, if we decorate our personal body, then gradually it will be finished. You'll be forced to become naked, what to speak of decoration? This is the way of nature. But if you try to decorate Kṛṣṇa, then without decoration you'll be worshiped; you'll be beloved. And this is the secret, just opposite. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, yat karoṣi yaj juhoṣi yad aśnāsi (BG 9.27).

Initiation Lectures

Talk, Initiation Lecture, and Ten Offenses Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 1, 1968:

What is that māyā? Māyā means to plan how to become materially happy. This is māyā. All the people of the world, they are simply making plan how they will be happy within this material world. That's all. This is māyā. The history of the whole world studied, it is experience that the Roman Empire planned, the British Empire planned, the... So many empires, they flourish sometimes. All fail. The Britishers, they were, two hundred years ago, they were planning to rule over this vast land of America. George Washington declared independence; their plan failed. Similarly, in India they were planning to exploit. Now Gandhi's movement made it fail. So this is bigger plan. Similarly smaller plan also. There are many... Individually, we make so many plans that "I shall be happy in this way, in that way, in that way." So this plan-making business is māyā, because that will never be successful.

Initiations -- New York, July 23, 1971:

Prabhupāda: Maṇḍeleśvara. Maṇḍaleśvara means a leader, leader of a group. He is called maṇḍaleśvara. Not ordinary rogues' group but Vaiṣṇava group. Hare Kṛṣṇa. There are different kinds of groups.

Viṣṇujana: Naradevī.

Prabhupāda: Naradevī. Naradevī means queen, like Queen Victoria. Is that all right? (laughter-girl offers obeisances) Hare Kṛṣṇa. Queen Victoria was very popular in British Empire. Yes.

Trivikrama: Hṛṣīkeśa.

Prabhupāda: Hṛṣīkeśa. Hṛṣīkeśa means the same thing, master of the senses. Hṛṣīka means senses, and hṛṣīka-īśa..., īśa means ruler or master. So actually hṛṣīkeśa means Kṛṣṇa. He is the master of the senses. And bhakti means hṛṣīka..., hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa-sevanaṁ bhaktir ucyate (CC Madhya 19.170). Our hṛṣīkeśa means if we be under the control of Hṛṣīkeśa, then these senses now being used for other purposes, upādhi, designations... Just like one is very busy in his national work. Means he is giving service to a designation, falsely thinking that "I am this body," "This body is American," "This body is Indian," "This body is this." So under this false impression he is giving service. This is one stage. And when we are freed from this, all these false impressions, and give service to Kṛṣṇa, that is our perfect stage. So Hṛṣīkeśa means Hṛṣīkeśa dāsa, to become the servant of the Hṛṣīkeśa. Kṛṣṇa is Hṛṣīkeśa, so your name is Hṛṣīkeśa dāsa. Come on. Hare Kṛṣṇa. All right.

Devotee: All glories to you, Śrīla Prabhupāda. (end)

General Lectures

Hare Krishna Festival Address -- San Diego, July 1, 1972, At Balboa Park Bowl:

Sex life is not denied, but in a regulated form so that you can get nice population, you can live very happily. Not that you produce unwanted children and they turn out rogues, thieves and drunkards, like that. That is not allowed. You must produce nice children. For that purpose, sex life is allowed. And especially in this age, at the present moment, if you can produce children to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, that will be a great service to the Lord. Because we want now Kṛṣṇa conscious population. Otherwise this world is going to hell. That's a fact. We are dwindling, liquidation. There were great empires like Roman empire, Greece empire, Carthaginian empire and, later on, Moghul empires, British empire. So many empires there were. There was Hitler. There was Mussolini. There was Napoleon. So these powerful emperors or men came and gone. Their name is only there, and nothing is remaining.

Lecture -- London, August 26, 1973:

If you accumulate more than your need, I also imitate to accumulate more than my need, there is competition. That competition is going on. And that is the cause of war. Those who are aware of the history, the two big wars in your Europe was started by German people because they are very much envious of the English people. The Germans, they could not do business throughout the whole British Empire. We know, Indians. So they are very much envious of these British people, and therefore they started two big wars, world war. So if we collect more... Now the British Empire is finished. So if we collect more, if you want to acquire more, then other becomes jealous. And in this way, our jealousies increase, and that is the cause of war, that is the cause of fight. But if you are satisfied with your minimum or maximum needs, nobody will be jealous. Just like an elephant is eating forty kilos of foodstuff at a time. We cannot eat even one-fourth kilo, but we are not envious of the elephant because we know he needs to eat so much. Neither the elephant is envious to us. So whatever you need you can collect, you can eat—but don't take more. Then according to the God's law, you become criminal, you are punishable. That is God's law.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on William James:

Prabhupāda: Spinning wheel, yes. Gandhi was himself devoting, just like we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, he thought that you spin. So he first of all inquired whether in your temple you spin this charka. They replied, "No, sir. We worship Kṛṣṇa, God, and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. This is our regular routine work." Gandhi replied, "Oh, then I am not going to your temple. My charka is my God." He said that. And actually, for him, charka was God in this sense: by introducing charka the whole Manchester closed. You see? And the British Empire half broken, simply by killing this Manchester industry. So many mills they closed. But later on the, (laughs) Manchester came to Ahmedabad. Now when we are taking supplies from Manchester, we are getting cloth, one rupee 8 annas per pair, now we have to pay twenty-five rupees per pair.

Philosophy Discussion on Arthur Schopenhauer:

Prabhupāda: Yes. So here is a perpetual conflict with māyā. Daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). This is a fight against, māyā is putting impediments, what I think it is right, māyā is breaking it.

Śyāmasundara: That's what he sees in it, the irrational.

Prabhupāda: Hitler's plan, Nazism, in so many ways, māyā has broke it into pieces. The Britishers, they also found the British empire, and māyā broke it. Roman empire... So, this frustration. But we are so fooled that in spite of repeated frustration, we are still trying to do the same thing. That is explained in the Bhāgavata, punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30), chewing the chewed. Chewing the chewed. He has been frustrated in so many ways, in sexual life, divorce this wife, again another accept, another wife. So what is the another wife? The same thing, sex, but he is making he is (indistinct): "Now again another." That is very nicely experienced in your country. In a year, three times divorce, three times accepting. That is named carvita-carvaṇānām, chewing the chewed. He should have experienced that "I am changing, but what is the change? The same sex life. So what is the use of changing?" But he has no intelligence. Punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30). His business has become like that.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- July 16, 1968, Montreal:

Prabhupāda: You can sit down. So everyone is working. Never mind in whatever occupation one is engaged. That doesn't matter. But one has to test whether he is becoming successful. Because everyone wants success. We are not animals that without any success we shall work hard labor. That is animals' business. Just like several times I have given the example, dophara gadha, the ass of the washerman. That kind of business and work is no use. Dophara gadha, ass of the washerman. Here, of course, you have no experience. In India there is a class who are called washermen. In India there are different castes. Washerman, a class; barber, a class. I mean to say... So many departmental. So each and every one, there is a class who take up that work. Sweeper, a class. All the necessities. The clerk, even clerk, there is a class; priest, there is a class; the fighter, there is a class. That is nice arrangement. In India... And florists, there is a class, florist. Their business is simply to supply flower. Fisherman there is a class; butcher, there is a class. Just like we have got a temple, now we require potter. Potter, there is a class. In Jagannatha temple the arrangement is that... One does not know since how long... (someone enters) Come on. In Jagannatha temple... Sit down. Jagannatha temple, the prasādam is cooked every day in new earthen pot. No old pot is used. Once used, it is thrown away. Formerly, this was the system in India. Even dishes, once used, it is thrown away. No washing. Even golden dishes, silver dishes, once used, it is thrown away. And now golden dishes, there is no use of golden dishes, neither nobody throws it away, but that was the system. Now the earthen dishes... Just like china clay dishes, this is considered impure because it is repeatedly used. In India, those who are strict Hindus, earthen dishes, once used, it will be thrown away. Clay dishes. So this is china clay dish. It is not to be used again. It is thrown away. Just like you have got paper plates and glass here. You eat it and throw it away. Similarly, India... Now it is being introduced, these paper dishes, gradually, but from very old time, refreshment or foodstuff supplied in clay dishes, and after eating, it is thrown away. So there is a potter class, who flourish. They sell their products. Just like in your country also, so many things are thrown away so that the manufacturer get chance to sell again. So everyone has got a particular type of profession. The potter, the washerman, and the florist, the grain dealer, the silver or gold dealer, the banker, and... Everything. And the priest, and the warrior. So even in India still, there is no difficulty for draftboard. There is a class, kṣatriya; they will be very glad to be recruited as soldier. They are very strong. Jat. They are called jat, Gurkha. They don't like any other occupation. Fighting they like. The Sikhs. The Sikhs they are jat class, and the Gurkha, oh, the whole British Empire was extended with the help of the Sikhs and the Gurkhas. The Britishers took these Gurkhas and the Sikhs to Burma, to Messopotamia.

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Conversation with Journalists -- August 18, 1971, London:

Journalist (1): What is your view of predominant Western civilization, Sir?

Prabhupāda: This predominance is dwindling. Where is your British Empire gone?

Journalist (1): Yes, quite. In fact, I was asking you about...

Prabhupāda: So this is artificial. There was Roman Empire, there was Mogul Empire, there was Carthagian Empire, there was Egyptian Empire and Greece and so on. They come and go. And there is a song by a Vaiṣṇava, kata caturānana, māri māri yāvatā.(?) There are so many Brahmās come also and they died. So this kind of empirical imperial, onslaught, they will come and stay for hundred or two hundred, and create some problems. There were...Just like there was Napoleon, there was this and that. So they will come and go. They will come and go, create some disturbances and go. Nobody will stay.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- June 29, 1972, San Diego:

Prabhupāda: Well, President Nixon means this country. Why he went to China? Why he went to Russia? He's also afraid. If there is war there will be great calamity. So everyone is afraid. Everyone is under the control of the laws of nature. Everyone is hungry. So actually nobody's powerful in this material world. Even if he's powerful, it is for temporary. So many Hitlers, so many Napoleons, so many Churchills and others came and gone. There was powerful British Empire, powerful Roman Empire. So nobody's powerful. That's a wrong idea. In due course of time everything will be kicked out and finished. That is the law of nature.

Guest (2): Yes, but what I'm trying to get at is that it seems to me that if you carefully look at the world history during the past...

Prabhupāda: World history is that history repeats itself. Everything comes into existence and then vanquished.

Guest (2): No, that's not what I mean. What I meant is that during the past two thousand years, whoever was very powerful was who was doing all these four things which we are, which you are suggesting that we should give up, you see.

Prabhupāda: But I say that my challenge is nobody's powerful. That is my challenge.

Room Conversation and Interview with Ian Polsen -- July 31, 1972, London:

Prabhupāda: Coat, yes. So this so-called scientific improvement, nice medicine, nice medicine or not nice medicine, what is the difference? I fall..., I become diseased. You cannot stop disease. Therefore Bhagavad-gītā says, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). You may think that "I have overcome so many distresses," but real distress is birth, death, old age and disease. What you have done for that?

Indian: That's the hardest (indistinct).

Prabhupāda: Just like your British Empire. You are British?

Ian Polsen: Yes.

Prabhupāda: British Empire, when there was British Empire, when they were getting money from all over the world, somehow or other they constructed so many big, big buildings. Now they are encouraging not so big, and now it is difficult to maintain it. We can see practically that you have got so nice buildings in London, but it is not being properly maintained. You haven't got sufficient means now to maintain them. Therefore it was..., British Empire was for the time being that prosperity. Now to keep up your prestige you are concerned in so many ways. So anything you do in this material world, that is temporary. So many-Roman Empire, Moghul Empire, British Empire, Hitler Empire—they came and gone. But my real problem is that I am eternal, so what I am doing for my eternal life? That is it. Temporarily I may become very rich or poor, it doesn't matter. But people are being taught, "Oh, you are poor? You become rich." That's all. Just like our India trying to imitate the Western world. But they do not see that in the Western world, in America, in Europe, why these young boys, they are rejecting this materialistic way of life? These boys have come to me because they have rejected, they don't like.

Introduction Speech By Dr. Kapoor and Conversation -- October 15, 1972, Vrndavana:

Yaśodānandana: We want to put Kṛṣṇa in palace.

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa is giving you the opportunity, you Americans. Now you are taking Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you will be the most opulent nation of the world. Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa both. You have got Lakṣmī, but if you take Nārāyaṇa, Lakṣmī will be permanent. Lakṣmī will not go. And if you reject Nārāyaṇa, then Lakṣmī will stay for some time. That is Cañcalā. Her name is Cañcalā. The British empire has failed, the Roman Empire has failed, the so many empires, the Mogul empire has failed, because they wanted Lakṣmī, not Nārāyaṇa. If you take Nārāyaṇa, your Lakṣmī will stay. Just try to convince your countrymen, just like President Nixon. It is Kṛṣṇa's desire that I was dictated to go to America, because Kṛṣṇa wants that you should take this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa wants. So you have taken. Now spread. It will be grand success. And there are so many candidates, very nice. All right, go on, take... (end)

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 21, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Before that, there were no brain.

Brahmānanda: 'Cause they didn't understand his theory.

Prabhupāda: Just see.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Because before that, they're thinking that there's no intelligent person...

Prabhupāda: That, that, I am pointing out, that all intelligent persons, during the British Empire, they came out. The whole aim was to defy the Indian civilization.

Karandhara: They call it the "Age of Enlightenment."

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Karandhara: After the fifteenth century, they call it the "Age of Enlightenment."

Prabhupāda: So the Britishers, they wanted to rule over India, and they were advertising, at least in India, that: "We are making you civilized. Before British rule, the Indians were rude, primitive natives." That's all. That is their propaganda. The whole propaganda was to make the Indians known that: "We are giving you life and civilization. Before this, you were not even human beings." That is their propaganda. So they accept this literature, but they date within one thousand years, one thousand-five hundred years. Even this rascal, Dr. Radhakrishnan, he dates Bhagavad-gītā within two thousand years. That's all. Perhaps I am the first person making propaganda that Bhagavad-gītā was spoken five thousand years ago. I am the first person. All other so-called scholars, they have dated within two thousand years. (pause) There was a book: "England's work in India," written by one rascal Indian, M. Ghosh. In that book... That was taught in the schools in our days. The theme of the book is that before British rule, India was not at all advanced in any way. The incidence of satī... Satī.

Room Conversation with David Wynne, Sculptor -- July 9, 1973, London:

Śyāmasundara: They're bringing some prasāda.

Prabhupāda: Is there any other paper? No, it is a very impressive picture.

David Wynne: It's wonderful.

Prabhupāda: Yes. And they have given, "A Rival for Nelson." So this movement is a rival... Days were there in British Empire that Nelson was a hero. Now Kṛṣṇa is going to be hero in this country. (laughter) It is a good admission, "A Rival for Nelson." Actually, He should be.

Śyāmasundara: Now no one even remembers Nelson.

Revatīnandana: I have.

Śyāmasundara: I never heard of him.

Prabhupāda: Lord Nelson, he fought the Spanish battle, I think.

David Wynne: I don't know.

Prabhupāda: He died, but became victorious. Yes. I think during Queen, last Elizabeth's time, or something...?

David Wynne: Yes. The last words: "England expects that every man this day will do his duty." And all that. He was a hero because he died young, I think.

Prabhupāda: Maybe. I do not know. But Nelson, Lord Nelson, was famous man, soldier.

Room Conversation With David Lawrence -- July 12, 1973, London:

David Lawrence: They offer nothing, is it, in the material world.

Prabhupāda: So you give... Yes. That is the... The only difference is that in human form of life you can awaken your Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In the animal form... Here we are sitting with all human form of life, gentlemen, civilized men. I cannot call cats and dogs and sit here, and to understand what is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is not possible. Therefore this opportunity should be given. This opportunity should be given. And especially, you are English nation, recognized, great nation, respectful, you are respected... Especially in India, we have got very good respect for English nation. We had connection for so many years. And the politicians, they spoiled. Otherwise, the, I, we liked the British Empire, means unity of the human being all over the world. That can be revived again. That can be revived again. If you come to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, your Queen comes to that,... There is process. There is process. You can revive your British Empire. It is not story. If you people take little advice from me, I can help you. Yes. You are intelligent nation. So kindly do this service to the students and awaken their dormant Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It will be a great service. And we are meant for helping you all. So you can inquire. You are at liberty to come at any time and inquire.

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

Pradyumna: Yajñād bhavati parjanyo...

Prabhupāda: And yajñād bhavati parjanyaḥ (BG 3.14). And when we regularly perform yajña, then there is regular cloud in the sky. And when there is cloud in the sky, there is regular rainfall, and when there is regular rainfall, there is sufficient production of food grains, fruits and other vegetables so that both the animal and the human beings, they eat sufficiently, they grow strength, they become happy and again perform yajña. And the animals supply, the cow supplies milk. In this way, the whole society becomes happy. These are the prescriptions, or directions, given by the Vedic literature. So if people take advantage of this instruction, as you have mentioned in your article "The Great Seers," so if we follow their instruction, the whole history of the human being can be changed. There is no difficulty. But whether the people will accept or not, that is the business of the leaders of the society. So far I think that British people, they organized very nicely the British Empire, but some way or other, it is now lost. But still, the British prestige can be elevated if actually, according to the Vedic instruction, you try to make your social construction, the political institution and economic development... Every direction is there. So you are all great historians. And there are many politicians. If you take this instruction of the Vedas little seriously, you can make your state an ideal state, and people are still ready to follow you. Then the whole history of the world will change. And if you people agree, then I can help you. I can help.

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

Dr. Arnold Toynbee: Yes, yes, yes.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So they were feeling the... Actually, in India... In our childhood, we know. Every Indian felt very secure. They never expected that Britishers will go. They were so sympathetic. And now they... This is the pulse felt by that statistics officer. They are not very much satisfied with the present system of government. British administration was very much appreciated by the Indians. Even Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura appreciated. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, he has written in something, somewhere, that "The Britishers also very nice because they don't interfere with the religious affairs." So as soon as they changed their views and tried to divide the Hindus and Muslims, the British Empire lost. According to Queen's declaration, the Britishers pledged that "They will not interfere with your religious affairs." Later on, for political purposes, when they interfered with this Hindu-Muslim question, then the British Empire lost.

Dr. Arnold Toynbee: Yes, yes. But the people who rule India now have a western education mostly. The Indians who...

Prabhupāda: Yes. Perverted, converted. Just like Nehru. Nehru was western-educated. He was educated in London. But he hated everything Indian.

Room Conversation with Indian Ambassador -- September 5, 1973, Stockholm:

Ambassador: It's an express... It's another type of poverty.

Prabhupāda: They're also thinking that "We are not sumptuously fed," or something. Some demands is there. Some demand. And they are lying down, Amsterdam and here, on the street. And why? But they are coming of rich families, rich nation. Especially America. In London also, I have seen. Regent Park. They're lying down. Police is kicking. Police is kicking: "Get up, get up!" Why? Behind them the British Empire is, British government is there. Why he's lying down there? Who has told him to...? Government is requesting, "If you have no home, come on. I shall give you home." In Bombay also, these, what is called? The huts?

Haṁsadūta: Huts?

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Haṁsadūta: Those tent huts?

Prabhupāda: They are on the... You have seen in Bombay?

Ambassador: Yes.

Morning Walk -- December 30, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: This Subhash Chandra Bose. And he organized the INA, Indian National Army. So when this Indian National Army was organized and the Britishers... They were great politicians. They saw, "Now the army is going to national movement. We cannot be." Then they left. Because it was not possible. They were maintaining British Empire with Indian money, Indian men. You see? They did not conquer by their British soldiers all round the Far East, Burma and the Mesopotamia, and the Egypt. That was Indian army, the Sikh soldiers and the Gurkha soldiers, and Indian money. On the pretext that "For Indian protection, we are maintaining this army." Actually, they were expanding their empire. Africa, Burma. And when they saw that "India is lost," voluntarily they liquidated all others. Went back... Back to home, back to Godhead. (devotees laugh) So in politics this is nonsense, non-violence. It is nonsense, cowardism. In politics in sweet words you cannot get. There must be fight, arms. That is army. "If you don't agree, then fist." That is politics. There must be violence. Otherwise you cannot control. When there is educated good men, then you can argue. But when people are ruffians, there is no question of good... Argumentum vaculum, I told you the other day... (break) ...in the beginning of creation, the fight between the demons and the demigods, devāsura-yuddha. That is always there. In the European history, without revolution, no order changes. Even the Russian Revolution was there. French revolution was there. In England, Cromwell? Cromwell? Cromwell Revolution?

Nara-nārāyaṇa: Yes.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- March 16, 1974, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So non-cooperate with them, they will fail. And that was successful. He started non-cooperation movement, that "Don't cooperate with these Britishers," and when they saw there is now full non-cooperation, they left voluntarily. It is not possible to bring so many administrators, military strength, men, men too. Actually the British empire was expanded through the help of Indians.

Gurudāsa: Yes, they did all the work.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Gurudāsa: Actually if the British were more intelligent they could have continued.

Prabhupāda: Oh yes.

Gurudāsa: Just like that mutiny. The grease was used in the guns, and the brāhmaṇas mutinied.

Prabhupāda: That is propaganda. Now, this is urine?

Devotee: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Just see nonsense.

Morning Walk Excerpts -- May 1, 1974, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: German. All of them.

Prabhupāda: No, not Germany. Not Germany. Germany never tried for colonization.

Dr. Patel: Belgium, such a small thing, they have half of the Central Africa like a pyramid standing on its tip. (break)

Prabhupāda: Britishers were maintaining the British Empire at the cost of India. Soldiers, money...

Dr. Patel: Indian Army was Indian Civil totally. Even today it is so. Indian Army fought... (break)

Prabhupāda: Pathans, Sikhs, they fought so nicely.

Dr. Patel: This Mount Hazenot(?) battle, which I read very...

Prabhupāda: (break) (laughter) Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Girirāja: "Śukadeva Gosvāmī has used the word śraddhānvita for one who is trained in the spiritual life. Śraddhā, or faith, is the beginning. One who has developed his faith in Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the supreme spirit soul, can both describe and hear." (break)

Prabhupāda: Why?

Devotee: They're in the hospital.

Bhāgavata: Caranaravinda was the hospital.

Prabhupāda: So who is take care, him? (break) ...authorities. Anu. Anu means follow. Anuśṛṇuyat. Śṛṇu means "hear." Krīditaṁ ca idaṁ ca vikrīdita vraja-vadhūbhiḥ, viṣṇoḥ anuśṛṇuyāt. Don't directly read. Don't directly. Anuśṛṇuyāt: "Hear from the authoritative person."

Morning Walk -- May 29, 1974, Rome:

Devotee: Yeah, but they criticize us that we don't want to feed...

Prabhupāda: No, why the hippies are lying on the street or in the park? Why? You give them relief. The whole Amsterdam city is full of hippies lying on the street and park. What you are doing for them? They are not poor men. They have got enough to eat. Their parents, father, grandfather, they can give. Why they are lying? What you can do? Go and pick them up. Make them nicely living. Why don't you do that? Talking nonsense. What is their answer? Why they have become hippies? They are not... The Indians may be poverty-stricken, but they are not poverty-stricken. In England the whole British empire is there. The whole American government is there. And still, western countries, they have got resources. They have means. They are not poor. Why your sons and grandsons are lying on the street? What is their answer? They are making plan that everyone would live materially very comfortably, but why these people, in spite of possessing material facilities... (break) Yes, this is the real problem.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Canadian Ambassador to Iran -- March 13, 1975, Iran:

Prabhupāda: So when that cooperation was withdrawn, naturally they could not... They were trying to the last point, but when the Subhas Bose's organization, INA... You have studied that Indian history. Yes. INA. Indian National Army. So this National Army was formed by Subhas Candra Bose outside India with the cooperation of Hitler and Tojo. He's formed that, what is called, Indian government outside India, the INA, the soldiers... The INA soldiers means all the soldiers that were arrested in the battlefield, they were given to Subhas Candra Bose, either by the Japanese or by the Germans. So the soldiers took this opportunity; they voluntarily surrendered to the enemy. So when the Britishers understood that the soldiers, Indian soldiers, are now noncooperating, then they decided, "No, no more. It is not possible." So they voluntarily withdrew, that Sir Sirpiting(?) Lawrence, the secretary of state for India. Then they voluntarily settled up. And they settled up means the last parting kick was partition-Pakistan and India. And they partitioned in such a way that these two people will fight everlong. That is going on. They are very good politicians. So after all, it is all... There is a verse in the Bhagavad-gītā:

sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo
mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca
vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaṁ
vedānta-vid vedānta-kṛd ca aham
(BG 15.15)

Kṛṣṇa said that "I am in everyone's heart." Sarvasya. Sarvasya ca aham hṛdi. Hṛdi means the heart. Sanniviṣṭaḥ: "I am there." So He is witnessing everything. So Britishers would have been... They were accepted by the Indians very nicely. People liked, because after the Mohammedan period, when the Britishers came, they did something which was very, very nice for the Indians, and the Indians, they liked them very much. Later on, they became too much greedy. For their own men they wanted to sacrifice everything Indian. So that Jalianwala-bagh. Then the Gandhi came and took this vow that "The Britishers must go, quit India." So Britishers got a very good opportunity for world unity under British Empire. But their only policy was that to exploit others and enrich London. That was their bad policy, yes. They should have ruled for the benefit of the people. Then British rule was very nice.

Morning Walk -- April 19, 1975, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: No, the colonizing propaganda was amongst these three nation. France, English...

Dhanañjaya: Spanish and Portuguese. Spanish also.

Prabhupāda: Ah, that side, is, means Western side.

Guru-kṛpa: Spanish went to South America.

Dhanañjaya: But the British used to say, "The sun never sets in the British empire."

Prabhupāda: Yes, that we knew in our childhood.

Jayādvaita: Now there's no empire for the sun to set on.

Prabhupāda: No. Now they have made it Commonwealth, keeping some scent, flavor of British empire. Commonwealth.

Rāmeśvara: Prabhupāda? In those early days of colonization they were trying to sail to India by a quick route to get the spices, and it was the same time that Lord Caitanya's movement began. So is that just a coincidence, that they were trying to go to India at the same time?

Prabhupāda: No. What it has got with Caitanya's movement?

Rāmeśvara: I heard... A devotee once told me that they were actually...

Prabhupāda: Oh, again, "heard it from devotee." (laughter) That is very dangerous. What Caitanya's movement has got with politics? Nothing. They drag Caitanya's movement, that. Many rascals do that. It has nothing to do with politics. It is simply spiritual. Rather, even the Mohammedans, they were very much respectful to Caitanya Mahāprabhu. They never took it as, His, the political movement. Now it has become a fashion to take everything from political point of view. Just like in India, they are suspecting you as CIA. "CIA has come to become Vaiṣṇava." (laughter) (break) That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu says. If anyone remembers Kṛṣṇa by seeing somebody, that somebody is a Vaiṣṇava. He gives impetus to remember Kṛṣṇa. Therefore he is Vaiṣṇava. You stick to your principle, Vaiṣṇava. Then māyā will not touch. (break) Where is Prajāpati? He is not here?

Morning Walk -- September 29, 1975, Ahmedabad:

Brahmānanda: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Take as many bricks as you like. And we have got one address. You have taken, Agra, they will supply this lime. (break) (Hindi) ...rich men. Still, they are adulterating cement. (Hindi) (break) I heard it from very reliable source, my teacher. He was second teacher in my school, graduate, very good gentleman. He said that Edward VIII, er, VII, he was stealing jewels. You see?

Indian man (3): A very bad habit.

Prabhupāda: Emperor of British Empire, and he was a thief. Just see.

Brahmānanda: You've said that a fly sitting on a throne is still a fly.

Prabhupāda: Yes. (break) ...one gentleman, young man, he was very rich man's son. He would come in the evening in the Howrah station nicely dressed and would approach any gentleman, "Sir, I am very sorry. I have lost my purse. Can you give me? Otherwise I cannot return." So he will collect five, ten rupees and go to a restaurant and eat and go home. (break) It is the second nature. Now the door is open? We can go?

Kartikeya: Yes. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...enter. Not the cows.

Indian man (4): Physical world, this earth is there. Are there any other earthly planets of this type where human beings or other beings are staying other than spiritual beings?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Morning Walk -- September 29, 1975, Ahmedabad:

Indian man (5): Continues delusion.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Therefore Kṛṣṇa has imposed death, that "You may make your plan as free man, but you'll not be allowed to stay. I'll kick you out." These poor men, they did not think of it, that "I am making so nice plan, but at any moment I'll be kicked out. So where is my freedom?" Dull brain does not think of it. A prisoner, if he thinks that he is free to act, is it not foolishness? A prisoner, in prison, and if he thinks that he is free to act, is it not foolishness? So that they do not think. Therefore Kṛṣṇa has grouped them: mūḍha, these rascals, mūḍha. They conduct freedom movement. Just like in our country also, before this British Empire or this Mohammedan Empire there was no knowledge about this freedom. Indian people never thought of freedom. They know that "We are not free. Where is the question of freedom?" These things have come from the foreign countries, freedom movement. What is freedom? Where are you free? You are completely under the laws of nature. Where is your freedom? So they were thinking of greater freedom, to get out of the clutches of the laws of nature. That is real freedom. What is this freedom? From frying pan to the fire? (chuckles) Now we have freedom means from frying pan to the fire. Formerly there was one viceroy. Now in each state three dozen viceroys, and you have to maintain that. So many legislators, so many secretaries, so many ministers. All, they are sucking our poor blood. That's all. Hare Kṛṣṇa. And as soon as you approach them for some grievances, "All right, give me application," and, after six months, "No." So we are maintaining for this purpose? Yes. "I say no." That's all. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Jaya. (break) ...ing of freedom, but we have no freedom even to stay in this body.

Morning Walk -- October 16, 1975, Johannesburg:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: So complex.

Prabhupāda: Yes. This is going on. "These Britishers do not allow me to go there? All right, kill them." That was the Hitler policy and Kaiser's policy, to kill British empire. They did it. They were successful. But they were also killed. This is going on, unnecessary. Why you produce so much razor and scissor? And then find out market, and when there is competition, there is anger, there is enviousness, there is fight, one after another, one after another. Where is peace? Why do you produce so many unnecessarily? Why do you produce so many cars, when there is scarcity of power, and fight with Arabians? Anartha. Therefore it is called anartha, unnecessary. Anarthopasamaṁ sākṣād bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje (SB 1.7.6). As soon as people will be devotee, they will not require unnecessary things. They will be satisfied, simply bare necessities of life. That is peaceful condition. You create unnecessary needs of life, and then there is competition, there is hellish life, the factory, and then the factory man requires wine to forget his hard labor, so on, so on. Then he become thieves. He become rogues. This is your society. How you can expect peace?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: The only solution is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Prabhupāda: That's it, only solution.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- February 27, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Bengali culture was very much adored. Surendranath Bannerjee started the political movement, and he was so well known. Even in Parliament, the Englishmen, English M.P.'s, he... They were speaking of Surendranath. They used to say "Surrendered not." "Here is a person who is not 'Surrender not.' He'll never surrender. 'Surrender not.' " Actually, the British Empire was startled by the agitation of Surendranath Bannerjee. The Congress was started by Surendranath Bannerjee, this one Congress. Two Bengali and one Englishman started this Congress sometimes in 1887, 1867, like that. So in our childhood we used to see that Surendranath Bannerjee was being elected president of Congress almost every year. And Gandhi came into prominence when Surendranath Bannerjee surrendered. Formerly he was not surrendering. But the government gave him the first ministership, that "You become minister." So he became a government man. Then Gandhi came in prominence. Surendranath Bannerjee was the first minister in India. (break) ...in our childhood, if he would speak, thousands, thousands men will gather in Calcutta. (break) ...Surendranath Bannerjee Road.

Interview with Jackie Vaughn (Black Congressman) -- July 12, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: You can change, but if you do not change for the real good, then time will come, another change, another change. That is going on. Just like in Russia they wanted to change. They brought in revolution. But what is changed? They are still begging grains from America. So what is the use of that change? If you have to beg from other country for your food, then what is the benefit of such change? So this is going on. One thing established, and again it is changed. That is described in the śāstra: punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30). Chewing the chewed. Just like sugarcane. One has taken the juice by chewing and thrown it in the street, and somebody again takes it and chew it, what he will get it? It is already chewed. Experiment. So all, everything has been experimented. Big, big empires, big, big society, big, big nation. That Hitler, he wanted to make something big. Napoleon wanted to make something big. Nothing big has been done. Where is Napoleon? Where is Hitler? So these are all temporary attempts. It is sure to be failure. Because they do not know how to do things. That is the defect. They are simply imagining, concoction. Here is a practical and sure proposal in the Bhagavad-gītā. God comes and He's giving personal instruction, that "Do things like this." Your economic problem, your political problem, your social problem, everything.... You ask any question, any problem, the answer is there, perfect. All problems. Why people should not take this perfect answer to all problems? That is intelligence. Experiment we have made so many materially. They have all failed. We were under British rule. So where is that British rule now? And before that, there was Roman Empire, Carthagian Empire, Egyptian Empire, so many, Mogul Empire, then British Empire, now your American Empire. But these things will not help.

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

Prabhupāda: Maybe few, but why there should be at all?

Scheverman: You mean in a rich country like this, why should anyone be on the street?

Prabhupāda: You cannot do anything. There will be a third-class or poor class man, which you even want to help them, they'll not accept your help. That is another thing. These three phases.... I have seen in London, the British Empire, and the hippies, they are lying on the park, and the police kicking, "Hey, ut, ut," (laughter) But I mean to say, the nature is law, nature's law, that a richer class, middle class and a poorer class. That will continue.

Scheverman: Jesus said the poor you have always with you. But at the same time, he said we must go out and give what assistance we can as a Christian community.

Prabhupāda: That assistance means to.... First of all, a man is...

Scheverman: Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the homeless.

Prabhupāda: A man is poor when he's in ignorance.

Room Conversation -- June 17, 1976, Toronto:

Prabhupāda: Ah, yes. So these English people, they were very expert in making propaganda. They killed Hitler by propaganda. I don't think Hitler was so bad man. What do you think? You are Englishman. (laughter)

Hari-śauri: It's getting.... (laughs) Just from hearing you speak in the last few months I can understand that the whole history that I was ever presented in school is completely warped around to the way that the English saw it, especially the last two centuries, when the British empire was on the move. It's completely...

Prabhupāda: But actually, the war was between Germany and England. Others joined, some interest or something. Actually, the war was to be fought between England and Germany.

Jagadīśa: There's one devotee who joined in Toronto, Frenchman, and he was in France at the time of the war. He's an older man. And he told me also.... His father was French, but he was sympathetic to the Nazis, and that it was actually Maxmillian or one of the Frenchmen who sided with the British, but the majority of the French people didn't mind the German occupation. It was due to one of the political factions siding with the British that there was a French underground and...

Prabhupāda: France, they are always enemy of Englishmen. There is is old history-Hundred Years' War, Seven Years' War. Napoleon also wanted to cut down the Britishers. France is dead enemy of England, and there is always competition.

Room Conversation -- June 17, 1976, Toronto:

Hari-śauri: England has always been inimical with the rest of Europe. With Germany, France, Spain, everyone.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Because they thought, "This is a third-class nation, a small island, fishermen, and they have wealthy (indistinct)?" That is natural. Whole world. In our childhood, we used to see map, almost whole world red-red means British. (laughter) They said that there was no sunset in the British Empire.

Jagadīśa: This Frenchman also says that he...

Prabhupāda: German people still hate England. They do not like to speak in English; that I have seen. In the bank they know English, but they won't speak it. English everyone knows. The Kaiser was against. They said that Kaiser is the grandson of Queen Victoria, from daughter's side. And King George from the son's side—Edward's seventh son. They were cousin brothers. So this Kaiser, when he was young boy, went to paternal uncle's house, when he was a young boy. So there was some playing, cut with a knife. So royal family, so many doctors came. So the boy was saying, "Why you are trying to cure it? Let the English blood go away." So from the childhood he was so inimical, that "I have got some English blood in my body, my mother is English, father German, so let the English blood go away." I do not know if that is fact, I heard it. (laughs) Maybe. It is joking also and serious. In our childhood in school, a book was there, "England's Work in India." One Mr. M. Ghosh, he wrote this book just to flatter the Englishmen. This, that "white man's burden." And it was the impression in those days: just to become like Englishmen, that is civilization. The Parsees in Bombay, they were the first-class flatterer, imitation, how to become like English lords, barons. This Tata factory was started by such ambition. They wanted to be English baron, lord, industrialist. In Calcutta also. Where our temple is, that is called saheb quarter. In our childhood we used to say saheb quarter. Saheb quarter means European neighborhood. They say our temple is saheb mandira in Māyāpur. And in Vṛndāvana aṇgrejī mandira. The same impression. To become saheb, that was great prestigious. Yes.

Room Conversation -- June 17, 1976, Toronto:

Hari-śauri: Yes, at that time, anything that was made in England automatically was considered first class.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes, any rascal thing. They made a good market. And British Empire means to sell their goods. And they, for that purpose, they became rich. Money was drawn from all parts, especially from India. Everything. Later on, gradually we came to understand. In Lucknow, because I was in medical business, so I saw one Japanese salesman was selling one medicine, one or two items, potassiodide. Do you know? No. Potassium iodide. And another, iodine. He was selling at four rupees, eight annas a pound. But we were accustomed to purchase English potassiodide and iodine, thirteen rupees a pound. That Howard's.... Very famous, Howard's chemicals, like that. They were selling. So I doubted that "How so much cheap this Japanese firm can supply?" And they used to advertise that all these Japanese goods are third class. Yes, "German goods are second class. Our goods, first class." So I inquired from the salesman, "How is it that you are supplying so cheap?" "They're supplying.... The price is the real price." "Now why they charge more?" "They purchase from us and pack and sell." There are many big chemical concerns in Germany. Germans are very good manufacturers, especially of chemicals, iron, machine. Still you find, all this Uher and, what is called, Gundsag?

Hari-śauri: Grundig.

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

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

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

Hari-śauri: That was when he died? He died then?

Prabhupāda: He was so much insulted. Because every European countries were harassed, they had very bad idea about this Napoleon. Unnecessarily expanding the interest of France. "France and Napoleon, one." Now where is that rascal? France is there. This is going on. British Empire means bring money, hook or crook, in London, and you get the title, "lord," "baron," this... This was their policy. "Sir." All hooligans, thieves, rogues, they were made big, big respectable people. A deposit in the government, this lord family means they have to deposit, say, ten million pounds, like that, and the government takes that money as fixed deposit, and the interest the family will maintain the aristocracy. This is the lord's family. Some way or other you deposit ten million pounds and your family becomes lord's family. So people become mad after money, somehow or other bring money. There was no other culture. In order to introduce their Manchester cloth, how they killed the home industry of India, cloth merchant, this weaver... Just like we are trying. It is very long time, this, the handloom. They cut the finger.

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

Prabhupāda: That may be, you may be a teacher, but you'll remain only a worker. That is another thing. Just like Dronācārya, he taught, he remained a teacher. So we can become a teacher of a particular subject matter, but that does not mean you should be worker. Still, there are many professors, they are teacher, they are not worker. But if the teachers are available, why you should become a teacher? Let them teach. We have to save our time for advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. After all, this, in the modern world they have invented so many varieties of occupations unnecessarily, to develop economic condition. Is it not? But our philosophy is that you cannot develop your economic condition than you are destined to suffer or enjoy. So one should not waste his time for so-called development of economic condition. He should utilize his time for advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, which was not possible in any other form of life. When we had cat's and dog's life, tree's life, we could not do that, development of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Now we have got human form of life, we should fully utilize it for developing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Why should we waste our time for economic development? Economic development is not possible. Then every work, every city, they are trying to develop this economic condition, but they're struggling. Why they word it of "struggle for existence" is there? It is not possible. Why there are varieties of social position? Everyone could come on the same standard. That is not possible. Anywhere you go, the three classes of men, upper class, middle class and lower class, is there. Is there any country where there is not these three classes, only the upper class? Is there any country? Then what is the use? Anywhere you'll go, you'll find this upper class, middle class and lower class. In the beginning, I thought that America, everyone is richer class. So when I came I saw the three classes are already there. The lower class, although the country has good facilities not to become lower class, still, voluntarily they are hippies, lower class. They are lying on the street. Although he has got very good opportunity to become first class, but he is lying on the street. Why? What is answer? British Empire, London, one is lying on the bench. New York, lying on the bench. There is no sufficient clothing? Why? Actually, he can live very comfortably, but why he's living in that condition? What is answer?

Harikeśa: It's his nature.

Room Conversation -- August 2, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Prabhupāda: Just see how rascal they are. My Guru Mahārāja every step condemned this Ramakrishna Mission and Vivekananda. He said frankly that if there are any impediments for our movement, that is this Gandhi and Vivekananda. He said frankly. Hodge-podge. Gandhi's also hodge-podge. He was a politician, and in politics he mixed some spiritual ideas, hodge-podge. And this Vivekananda was also politician. His name was recorded in the government as "sannyāsī-politician." Because after returning from America, he began to preach to make the poor man rich, and these weak, fatty, and so on, exercise. So the government took it that he's, under the dress of a sannyāsī, he's preaching social and political upliftment. So his name was recorded as "sannyāsī-politician." And his name was also recorded, "political saint," Gandhi. After all, the British government, they were very intelligent. They could understand what is what. Otherwise, how they were managing this big empire? Very intelligent, there is no doubt about it. And actually they were intelligent. When they were managing, we were happy, actually. Nobody can deny it. Although they were exploiting. But nobody could understand. Everyone was feeling happy. And as soon as they left, everyone is unhappy. That distinction I can give evidence, I can, from my personal experience. Things were very, very nice. Calcutta, oh, it was so nice city. Now it is hell. It is same Calcutta. Why it is now hell? Hidden(?) garden, that was a nice garden. So... Everywhere hell, only hell. Calcutta was considered the nicest city in India, better than Bombay, but it has become now hell. The streets, especially those quarters in our temple.

Hari-śauri: I think Calcutta was voted the second dirtiest city in the world.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Ācchā? Just see. And it was next to London. People used to say, "In the British Empire, first London, second Calcutta." And now it is...?

Hari-śauri: Second dirtiest city.

Prabhupāda: And who is the first?

Harikeśa: Karachi.

Hari-śauri: Karachi. (laughs)

Prabhupāda: Both of them got sva-rāja, Pakistan and India. That means after getting sva-rāja..., Karachi was one of the first-class city, yes. They cannot manage. Unfit persons, they are on the top of government.

Room Conversation -- August 14, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: No, you come and preach. The country is going to hell, the human society is going to hell for misguidance. These rascal leaders, they're going to hell themselves and they're leading others. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ (SB 7.5.31). These fools and rascals are leading, they are going to hell, and they are taking the followers to the hell. This is going on. Stop this. At least in India. Save. That is real para-upakāra. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission.

bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra
janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra
(CC Adi 9.41)

Para-upakāra. Our India is not meant for exploiting others. Doing good to others, that is India's mission. Our teachers, our ācāryas, do not teach us "Go and exploit others and bring money"—British Empire. This is not India.

Indian Doctor: Even Jesus never taught that. These are the wrong followers.

Prabhupāda: Jesus is different thing than that. I mean to say generally, generally, the people they want to exploit others.

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

Prabhupāda: We are trying to elevate the demoralized human society to God consciousness.

Pradyumna: Then, "John Erdman, a U.S. citizen who sails under the label of (sic:) Jayapak Swami and is in charge of the flourishing Māyāpur complex of the Society, recently had discussions with his chums to set up an In God We Trust Party in India also." Then, heading: "Bigger Than Defunct British Empire." "In a recent communication with Gargamuni Swami, alias Gregory M. Scharf, who looks after West Bengal, the chief from headquarters says, "Now we have become more than the British Empire"

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: This is your quote.

Prabhupāda: And what is British Empire? British Empire could not occupy the whole world. We are occupying the whole world.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: But what they've done is they opened a newsletter which Rāmeśvara Swami sent. And it must have been addressed to Gargamuni Swami. They must have stolen it from the postman by giving him two rupees.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. We are trying to expand our empire, and it is already done all over the world.

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

Prabhupāda: That's all right. We are trying to expand our empire, and it is already done all over the world.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Okay.

Pradyumna: "Now we've become more than the British Empire. Even the British Empire was not as expansive as we are. They had only a portion of the world, and we have not completed expanding. We must expand more and more unlimitedly."

Prabhupāda: You also explain, that British Empire expanded by military strength. And we are expanding by Ratha-yātrā. We are expanding our empire simply by Ratha-yātrā.

Hari-śauri: East meets West.

Pradyumna: Singing, dancing and chanting.

Prabhupāda: Yes. We introduce three chariots in big, big cities, and conquered them.

Hari-śauri: "Rival to Nelson's Column."

Gargamuni: We are marching through the streets not with guns.

Prabhupāda: They admitted, "Rival to Nelson Column" in Guardian even. So who is strong enough? We are stronger than British Empire. Simply by Ratha-yātrā we are conquering. And actually that is being done. What I have got strength? Forty rupees beginning. Simply Hare Kṛṣṇa and Ratha-yātrā, that's all. That's a fact. They can see, they have got eyes.

Garden Conversation -- September 3, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Nepalese. They are very brave.

Hari-śauri: Yes, they're very renowned.

Prabhupāda: Sikhs are very brave. They're martial. And another martial race, Jats. They are kṣatriyas. Oh, they can fight... When Britishers possessed India they organized this military with Sikhs especially, Jats, and Gurkhas. And they expanded their empire, Burma, Ceylon, Africa, all these British Empire possessions. And not only that, they fought two big world wars with these Sikhs soldiers. They conquered over this Mesopotamia, Middle East.

Caraṇāravindam: They worked so hard. It's a pity they weren't doing it for Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: They like military. They want military jobs. Very kṣatriya spirit.

Caraṇāravindam: They collected so much, but they lost it because they didn't give it to Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Ah, their bad policy that they wanted India for Britishers' benefit. That is not duty of the government. Government should be for the welfare of the people. Then that government will continue. But they exploited the Indian people for the benefit of their own countrymen. That is the failure. That policy was not good. Therefore they finished within two hundred years. They began their ruling 1775, like that. And 1947... Not even two hundred years.

Garden Conversation -- September 3, 1976, Vrndavana:

Caraṇāravindam: And now nothing.

Prabhupāda: Now, after losing India, they have no more British Empire. Because they cannot maintain without Indian soldiers. Therefore they voluntarily left.

Caraṇāravindam: I used to see in my grandmother's house, in her front room she used to keep special...

Prabhupāda: Where? In London?

Caraṇāravindam: That was in Yorkshire, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Yorkshire.

Caraṇāravindam: Yorkshire, near his birthplace.

Prabhupāda: You are also Yorkshire?

Hari-śauri: Almost. Just near, Lincoln.

Caraṇāravindam: And in her front room she had many things that my great-grandfather collected...

Prabhupāda: ...from India.

Room Conversation -- October 31, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Management that is in your hands. You have to... Who will give you management? You have to manage local, local men. Bon Mahārāja was failure that he could not get the local men. But I did not try to bring men from India and preach in England or America.

Devotee: Hm.

Prabhupāda: How is it possible? The British Empire was established on management. They did not bring men from England. Few managers, that's all. That is called management. One man can control hundreds and thousands of men, that is management. (long pause) Locally attracted. These Britishers came here and they introduced this zamindari system.

Haṁsadūta: The what?

Prabhupāda: Zamindari system.

Haṁsadūta: Zamindar.

Prabhupāda: Landlord.

Haṁsadūta: Yes.

Prabhupāda: So any third class man, if he's given some land, naturally he will be very much pleased. They created that aristocracy. So he selected some men that you give me four annas per bigha and what ever you can collect that is your... That is the old system in India, zamindari system. So collector, collector, the local collector, he appointed somebody. They used to give one lease, that you give government four annas per bigha, and whatever you can collect, that is your business. So that created an aristocratic society and they all supported Britishers, because they're obliged.

Room Conversation -- October 31, 1976, Vrndavana:

Devotee: Hm.

Prabhupāda: First of all friendship, and that established them. And then they began to create enmity. Hindus against Muslim, Muslim... They wanted to stay. When they forgot this idea that if they wanted to stay for the benefit of the people, nobody could drive them away. But their policy was for the benefit of the English people. Therefore they failed. Lord Curzon, he says a statement that, "If you want to stay in India, rule India for the benefit of Indian people. You can keep control over India. They are fond of kings, so one member of the royal family can become king here and they'll earn respect and honor (from) these Indian people. But rule for their benefit. Then British Empire will stay." Very good advice, but his advice was not taken. You have seen Lord Curzon's statue near the, in front of the Victoria Memorial Hall?

Haṁsadūta: Hm.

Prabhupāda: He was a very good governor-general. Many gentlemen came, they wrote very conscientiously and the last one, that rascal Chelmsford (chuckles), he created havoc.

Room Conversation on New York court case -- November 2, 1976, Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: Then whole civilization finished. Even theoretically taken, no smoking, no gambling, no intoxication, no illicit sex, their whole civilization is finished. Lord Zetland said... Not only that, one Sir Valentine Chiro (?), I think, Sir Valentine Chiro, British, important, when Gandhi started non-cooperation. So he remarked that "If Gandhi's movement, this non-cooperation movement is one percent successful, then we will have to leave it." And actually that happened. Because they were ruling over India by Indian cooperation. Gandhi struck to the right point, non-cooperation, and he scented the danger, and he remarked at that time, that if one percent of the Indian people non-cooperate then we are, our British empire finished. So there are intelligent persons, they are thinking in their own way that this movement is so strong against this modern material civilization, if it is allowed to spread then our whole civilization, whole economic structure will be finished.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

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

Guest (4): We are the victims of the British Empire who ruled us.

Prabhupāda: Huh? No, you are victims of yourself. Why...? British is not here now.

Guest (8) (Indian man): We are indoctrined.

Prabhupāda: British is not here now.

Guest (8): No, they have indoctrined such a philosophy.

Guest (2): But what was there before British came? This is human weakness of our own.

Prabhupāda: It is... You... You have been taught that Kṛṣṇa is an ordinary person, maybe little more in knowledge. That you are taking like that. Kūpa-maṇḍuka-nyāya. Kūpa-maṇḍa, the toad in the well, he is informed, "Oh, I have seen one Atlantic Ocean." So he is thinking "Atlantic Ocean may be.... This well is three feet. It may be four feet. Or five. Come on, ten." These rascals are thinking like that—avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā (BG 9.11)—that "Kṛṣṇa may be more intelligent by one feet or two feet. Let us compromise-ten feet." This is going on. And Kṛṣṇa says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat: (BG 7.7) "I am the Supreme." They won't believe. They'll manufacture their ideas. This is going on. Aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2). They won't believe that. And still, they'll declare, "I am student of Bhagavad-gītā." They won't believe a word of Kṛṣṇa, and they'll say, "I am student of Bhagavad-gītā." This is going on. This is our position. In India everyone says, "I have read Bhagavad-gītā three hundred times," but he does not know even a word. So this should be stopped. If we want to advance actually, you take every word of Bhagavad-gītā and try to apply in life. Then everyone will be happy. That is a fact. The instruction is there. There is no difficulty to understand. There is no question of interpretation. Simply take it as it is and try to apply it in life—you'll be happy. And your human life will be successful. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). Up to this human form of life, we have passed through so many evolutionary process, but if you understand Kṛṣṇa, then, after leaving this body, no more material body.

Evening Conversation -- January 25, 1977, Puri:

Prabhupāda: Anything. Śarīra nā mahāśaya, yā saha mithaya saha (?) There is a Bengali proverb that the body is very nice. If you practice something, it will tolerate. Jaya. (devotees offer obeisances) (break) And whatever plan he's making, it will be all frustrated. That is the whole history. Big, big emperor, big, big politicians, they have tried. Roman Empire, the Carthagian Empire, Greece Empire, Egyptian Empire, and Mogul Empire, British Empire—all frustrated. It will never be successful. For a few days, hundred, two hundred years or five hundred years, it may go on. So real plan is how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. Then everything is successful. Ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham iti manyate (BG 3.27). These rascals, on account of false prestigious position, trying to be happy without God... That is not possible. Throughout the history you study. So many rascals have tried. The Napoleon, the Hitler, the Gandhi, this, that. What they have achieved? Nothing. If we honestly study their lives and activities, what they have achieved? Hm? Do you think they have achieved anything?

Satsvarūpa: No.

Prabhupāda: They simply wasted their time. Śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8). Simply wasting time. Therefore this is the best service, to revive Kṛṣṇa consciousness for the human society and send them back home, back to Godhead. This is the best service.

Room Conversation -- April 5, 1977, Bombay:

Guest (1): I think they should be invited here to see what is being done.

Prabhupāda: No, they know it. Study the whole history of the world. What the big, big leaders have done? They are not new leaders. Before them, all over the world there were big, big leaders. Napoleon promised so many things. At last, he had to drink horse's urine and die. When he was captured by the Englishmen he wanted water and he was given horse urine. Envisioned, "I shall make my promise, the most important stage." The Britishers, so many, Gladstone, Churchill, Lloyd George(?), British Empire. Have they done any benefit? Indira made plan, Nehru family will be English terrorist. Now what is her position? So they studying history. Still, they are promising. Mūḍha.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But the great saintly persons, their works have done good for generations in thousands of years.

Prabhupāda: Imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). Become rājarṣi, try to understand what Kṛṣṇa says. Duṣkṛtinaḥ mūḍhāḥ. They will manufacture. Morarji Desai, he promised within ten years. Whether he will live ten years? He is already eighty. So this is the time for promising? This is the time for retiring for understanding Kṛṣṇa. You know. This man is rotting in the hospital, he's promising so many things.

Morning Talk -- April 18, 1977, Bombay:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And Britain?

Prabhupāda: Britain is... They are shopkeepers. Hitler gave them this title, "Shopkeepers' Nation." That was his determination: "The shopkeepers' nation, I shall turn them again to be shopkeepers, not the empire holder." That he did. Although he was finished-Germany was finished on account of this—but they executed their determination, British empire finished. That they did. After the second war, British...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Finished.

Prabhupāda: Now they are poverty-stricken.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yes.

Prabhupāda: So Hitler's grudge against the Englishmen, that is fruitful. Actually he owned the war.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He won. He won the war.

Prabhupāda: Because that was his determination. "I shall finish this British nation. Everywhere they have got flag, all over the world, I shall finish." That he did. And Britishers saved because the Americans joined. Otherwise... Churchill, he removed all valuables from London to Canada, all papers, all gold stock, everything. There is a book about this. Just like when there is danger you rush to save some valuables. Is it not?

Morning Talk -- April 18, 1977, Bombay:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, that's what you take first.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So British Empire, so many things in London, he all removed to Canada.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Then, after the war?

Prabhupāda: Then, after war they might have brought again.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, just like when the Muslims attacked India they removed the Deities from Vṛndāvana to Jaipur.

Prabhupāda: Jaipur.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So that shows that the Indian people know what the most valuable thing is.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Valuable.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: When Viṣṇujana had his bus they were traveling in Texas...

Prabhupāda: Viṣṇujana Swami committed suicide, I think.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What?

Prabhupāda: Viṣṇujana?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: There is no information.

Talk with Svarupa Damodara -- April 18, 1977, Bombay:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: ...to give one family, one member.

Prabhupāda: That's it. Very nice.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Actually they are very attracted to Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So let them be trained up and then go there and follow our instruction and develop. In the meantime you can take it. The Lord Clyde, a crewman in the ship, he developed a British empire in India, organization. He's an insignificant person. He established British empire.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Lord Clyde.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: From there we can also go to Burma.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: 'Cause that's the neighbor, it's only about ten miles from Manipur. It's close to Mandalay. Used to be... The kings of Manipur used to invade this Burma, especially Mandalay, to fight. So we can go to Burma from there.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Hm. Dr. Sharma must have this Hare Krishna Land as the address.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Is someone here? (?)

Prabhupāda: Come on. Give him one seat there.

Talk with Svarupa Damodara -- June 20, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: ...the Americans are very friendly, very nice actually, in general. When I studied in California, I was a stranger, but everybody looked like a friend, very different from England. England is very conservative. They don't say hello, and different.

Prabhupāda: England, nonsense number one. Worst false prestige, England. In that respect, other countries are better. They had a British Empire. They are still puffed up. And they will stay there to continue British Empire. Now they are earning money for eating, showing British Parliament House. Now there is no business.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They make money by tour of the Parliament House.

Prabhupāda: "Shopkeepers' nation." The Parliament has become a shop. Artificially they're maintaining an atmosphere of aristocracy. There is not... I talked with some of their Lords. Artificial. The have lost all prestige. Still, "I belong to the Lords' House." The priestly order, the Lord family, I talked with them. Simply artificial.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually you gave it up as useless. To talk with those priestly orders, I remember, you concluded, "This is a waste of time." They're not at all priestly.

Prabhupāda: They have no intelligence. Anyway, do something.

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

Prabhupāda: Broken.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Finished. I remember we were walking with you. So it was near the... You know, near Bury Place there's a little park.

Prabhupāda: That is very nice.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah. There was one building that they were constructing, and before finishing the building they were living in it, and you said, "This means this British Empire is finished. They cannot even afford to finish the building before living in it. This is a sign that they are not opulent at all." I remember you said that. They're not very opulent, the British.

Prabhupāda: No. Their opulence finished. Actually they're poor country. Simply by exploiting other countries they became rich. Otherwise they are... Naturally they are poor.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Peasants. Didn't Hitler say something about that?

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think Hitler said they're...

Prabhupāda: "Shopkeeper's nation." Yes. Naturally they are very poor. They cannot produce anything. It is so cold.

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

Prabhupāda: No. There was television girl. "What is the description of hell?" "Now, here is, London."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Whew! That must not have been a very popular statement.

Prabhupāda: No, he stopped immediately. Simply outwardly decorated, and it is hell. I told him. Actually that is, everywhere. No... Only cloud and that mist.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They say that the sun never sets in the British Empire.

Prabhupāda: But is always sets in London.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It never rose.

Prabhupāda: Setting of sunshine is monopolized by London.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There's a description in the Bhāgavatam about the setting of the sun. It's described that when the day..., that the water is darker by day. The ocean water is darker by day than by night. And the reason given is that the daytime, the daylight goes into the ocean at night. The ocean absorbs the light of the day, and therefore when you look at the water at night, it's lighter than it is during the day. That's a fact. The Bhāgavatam explains why, that there's some power within the ocean to attract the daytime. And in the daytime, the nighttime goes...

Prabhupāda: It is absorbed.

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.

Room Conversation -- August 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

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

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The only Hindu kingdom.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. They have got a sentiment of Hinduism. So with their cooperation, a little foreign exchange, you can establish a stronghold there. It will be a grat service. So how much foreign exchange will be required, minimum, to establish a stronghold there?

Correspondence

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Dayananda -- Delhi 5 December, 1971:

I am very pleased that everything is progressing nicely in London under your supervision. I want that my London center remain very strong for preaching this Indian cult to the Britishers. Let them appreciate that after so many thousands of years this Vedic culture is still strong and effective, and that it can practically solve all the problems of material existence. Empires come and go, so many huge empires and lands and properties—all vanished, just like the British Empire. Now we are offering the real solution, so present them our philosophy nicely and they are very intelligent people, they will understand and appreciate. By becoming Krishna Conscious, no more need for wasting time by acquiring this or that to expand our economy. Every Krishna Conscious man should know it for certain that this material world simply has no use for us. Now there is war here between India and Pakistan; tomorrow there may be war somewhere else. With every step there is danger and so many anxieties. No gentleman should want to live here in this material world. So preach to the Britishers very strongly in this way. You have got good opportunity for preaching there, and I am encouraged by so many people I meet here in India who have visited our London Temple and we are very impressed that we are teaching pure Krishna Consciousness and that we are having good success.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to All Governing Board Commissioners -- Honolulu 19 May, 1976:

Over the past ten years I have given the framework and now we have become more than the British Empire. Even the British Empire was not as expansive as we. They had only a portion of the world, and we have not completed expanding. We must expand more and more unlimitedly. But I must now remind you that I have to complete the translation of the Srimad-Bhagavatam. This is the greatest contribution; our books have given us a respectable position. People have no faith in this church or temple worship. Those days are gone. Of course, we have to maintain the temples as it is necessary to keep our spirits high. Simply intellectualism will not do, there must be practical purification.

Page Title:British Empire
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Mayapur
Created:09 of Mar, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=1, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=24, Con=48, Let=2
No. of Quotes:75