Prabhupāda: Your only business is to understand what you are, what God is, what is this world, what is your relationship. This is your main business. This is your main business. Not that you earn money and employ it for sense gratification, as it is going on in this materialistic way of life. Nobody is inquisitive to know what he is. How can he? Very big businessman or very rich man or so-called advancement, can you say what you are? What is your duty? Nobody can't. So that is the main business, that jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā nārtho yaś ceha kārmabhiḥ. By your... By the result of your activity... Or your main activity should be inquiring about your spiritual existence. So this should be our inquiry.
Businessmen (Conversations)
Conversations and Morning Walks
1969 Conversations and Morning Walks
Discussion with BTG Staff -- December 24, 1969, Boston:
Satsvarūpa: More reading material. More reading material. The customer gets more for his money.
Prabhupāda: That's all right. We should be businessmen. They should get less for their money. (laughter) We are to please Kṛṣṇa, not our customers. So if we are not increasing the price, then why should we increase the pages? Either we print in our own press or Japan, there is extra labor, extra energy. But we are not getting extra money. So there is no need.
1971 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation -- January 17, 1971, Allahabad:
Prabhupāda: So the society is very important thing. Any, anything, society... The businessmen, they have got their association, society, to improve. Therefore the standard of this International Society should be kept very carefully. Then who will come in touch with this society will be improved automatically by association.
Room Conversation -- February 17, 1971, Gorakhpur:
Prabhupāda: Suppose I am earning for my livelihood. Everyone is working for... Livelihood requires only six annas per day. But he is earning six thousand per day, and he says, "It is my livelihood." Is it not fact? Very, very... Many, many big businessmen, they are earning six thousand per month...per day. But actually, for his livelihood he requires six annas. Why he's earning six thousand? Then Kṛṣṇa says, "Give it to Me." Yat karoṣi kuruṣva tad mad-arpaṇam.
Conversation with Journalists -- August 18, 1971, London:
Journalist (2): I read somewhere that possibly you wanted to convert people who were politicians and businessmen. Why?
Prabhupāda: Who said? Where you have got this idea that I am trying to convert politicians? Where?
Journalist (2): In a newspaper.
Prabhupāda: Where is that newspaper? This is not a fact. You are telling something which is not a fact.
Conversation with Journalists -- August 18, 1971, London:
Journalist (2): You want to convert everyone.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Everyone requires to understand God. Why politicians and newspapermen? Everyone. God is for everyone. Everyone requires... The human life is meant for understanding God. Why politicians and businessmen? Without knowing God, he cannot be happy, whatever he may be.
Interview with Reporters -- November 10, 1971, New Delhi:
Reporter: ...I cannot prove it. Nobody can prove it that he is my father.
Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. Therefore that is the beginning of knowledge. That is the beginning, adau śraddhā. That is stated in the śāstra: adau śraddhā, faith. Then if you have got śraddhā, then ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15). Suppose if you are, if you are very much anxious, you have got faith to understand Kṛṣṇa, then next step is to associate with persons who know Kṛṣṇa. Just like you are doing some business, so you have to enter into some association, businessmen, to understand the business from them. Similarly, if you have faith in Kṛṣṇa, then you have to understand Him through the association of devotees.
1972 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation -- April 18, 1972, Hong Kong:
Guest (1): The Hare Kṛṣṇa movement has started in the United States. Why did it start in the United States, rather than India?
Prabhupāda: Because the United States, they are our best customer. A businessman goes to a place... Just like you have come here. Why you have come here? Wherever there is best possibility of doing your business, there you must go. I went to United States because I know these people are not poverty-stricken. And our Indian people, they are now, they have been trained to think like that—they are poverty-stricken. Actually, they are not poverty-stricken, but the leaders have educated them that, "You are all poverty-stricken." This is India's position.
Room Conversation with Dai Nippon -- April 22, 1972, Tokyo:
Dai Nippon representative: Divine Grace, please allow that we are, we getting to the businesslike (laughter) conversation but...
Prabhupāda: One thing I shall request you, that our missionary activities, we are not exactly businessmen. You see? Our only idea is these books are published for missionary activities. So exactly we are not business power. So I will request your chairman that even sometimes you find something, discrepancies, you don't mind it, because we are not strictly businessmen. Yes. But we are very sincere. We shall reciprocate very sincerely. But sometimes we are not strictly like businessmen. (Japanese)
Dai Nippon representative: What Mr. Tajima(?) would like to tell you, that he is also businessman. So our talking is getting to be businesslike. So please allow him. But if we send one liaison officer in Los Angeles, we need some expenditure over there. You see? So we, Mr. Tajima(?) expects you to increase the publishing of your books more and more.
Prabhupāda: Oh yes, oh yes. That we shall do, certainly.
Room Conversation with Dai Nippon -- April 22, 1972, Tokyo:
Dai Nippon representative: This factory(?) is going to have ninety-seventh year anniversary. And Mr. Tajima has been working for this company since...
Prabhupāda: What is his age?
Dai Nippon representative: ...twenty-seven years old, for forty-three years.
Prabhupāda: He is in connection. So by God's grace he is a successful businessman. Nice.
Conversation in car -- April 22, 1972, Tokyo:
Sudāmā: Right. Because they are businessmen, they have intelligent mind to use.
Prabhupāda: They are... This is only starting. Otherwise they'll have enough business.
Conversation with the GBC -- May 25, 1972, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: And bhakti is so pure that it has nothing to do with material activities or speculative, or mystic yoga, it has nothing to do. Just like gopīs. Anyā... They had nothing to do with all this nonsense, karma, jñāna, yoga. They are neither yogīs, nor very learned scholar, Vedāntist, nor very good businessmen, economist, simple boys and girls. But their devotion is exalted. Because they did not know anything beyond Kṛṣṇa.
Room Conversation -- June 29, 1972, San Diego:
Guest (2): So whoever cannot stand on his own legs as an independent businessman or landlord or whatever it be, he's a śūdra.
Prabhupāda: Yes. These are described in the Bhagavad-gītā. I have not manufactured these things. These are śāstra, that "He's brāhmaṇa,"—the qualification. "He's kṣatriya,"—qualification. "He's vaiśya,"—qualification. "He's śūdra—by qualification."
Room Conversation -- June 29, 1972, San Diego:
Guest (2): But how does this differ from the Hebrew scriptures? Hebrews also say the same thing, you know, that you have fallen down from the heaven and go back...
Prabhupāda: But Hebrew... Hebrew, Indian, there are... The aims is the same—back to home, back to Godhead. The process may be different. The process may be different. Just like everyone wants some money. Without money he cannot exist. The process may be different, how he's earning money. Similarly, every religion, the aim is to go back to home, back to Godhead. Now the process may be different according to country, time, climate, men. That is another thing. But the... The same example. Either you are businessman or in service or working, craftsman, the aim is you require some money. Without money you cannot exist. This is crude example. Similarly, the aim is we are part and parcel of God. We... Unless we go back to home, back to Godhead, there cannot be any peace.
Room Conversation and Interview with Ian Polsen -- July 31, 1972, London:
Devotee (2) (Kulaśekhara?): He used to be a shepherd three years ago. He used to be a shepherd for some years. And, ah, he was with a Muslim man who was telling him about sac-cid-ānanda, explaining to him about the philosophy of sac-cid-ānanda, about the soul and the spirit. So in Spain—that's where I first met him—he said, "I may appear to you to be a businessman, but also I've been known as a shepherd."
Prabhupāda: So you can read our Teachings of Lord Caitanya. You have got?
Room Conversation -- October 27, 1972, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: Therefore, to become brāhmaṇa means satyam. You know the meaning of satyam? Satyam means truth. The first quality is he is truthful. Satyaṁ śaucam ārjavam āstikyaṁ jñānaṁ vijñānam. The beginning is satyam. Generally the people in pilgrimages like Vṛndāvana, they have taken this religiousness as a profession to earn money, just like other businessmen do. That is cheating. Generally they do so.
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation -- March 17, 1973, Mayapur:
Prabhupāda: Yes. So in this way my connection became developed with Gauḍīya Maṭha. Then, gradually the process began, hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ śanaiḥ. (chuckles) I wanted to become very big businessman and there was good opportunity. I was very nicely associated with the chemical industry of India. Dr. Bose's laboratory, Bengal Chemical, V.K. Farr (?), and all of them, they liked my business organization.
Morning Walk -- April 27, 1973, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: God says, Kṛṣṇa says. Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni (BG 9.4). "Everything is existing on Me." Na cāhaṁ teṣu ava... "But I am not there." This is the personal and impersonal features of the Lord. The whole cosmic manifestation is the impersonal, it is resting on the energy of God, but you cannot find God here. The example is just like a big businessman, he has got a big factory. The factory's depending on the energy of that man, but if you want to see that man in the factory, you cannot see. Is that example nice? You cannot say that the factory is existing without him. It is in his brain the whole factory's running on. But if you want to find out where is he, that will be difficult.
Morning Walk -- May 12, 1973, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: It is done. Just like sometimes I think that I came here alone without any expectation of success, and this movement has become so nice. Actually, by one man's effort it was not possible. But it has become so. This is acintya-śakti, Kṛṣṇa's, inconceivable. Even a modern businessman, he cannot organize such a worldwide organization in such short a time. We have talked with many businessmen in India. Some said, "We have got thirty branches," somebody says, "We have got forty," another twenty branches. Our students say "My Guru Mahārāja has 102 branches." So they say, "No, we cannot compare with your Guru Mahārāja."
Garden Conversation with Mahadeva's Mother and Jesuit Priest -- July 25, 1973, London:
Revatīnandana: I just met a gentleman who told me exactly that. Just a few min... He's a businessman here in London. He's about forty years old. And three months ago, he decided, because he learned, heard this from us, he decided to become a vegetarian. And a few weeks later, I talked to him. He said, "You know, it's amazing the difference in my consciousness." He says, "I have become a completely different man." Yeah, he told me that.
Prabhupāda: Well, yes...
Revatīnandana: And he's a very intelligent man. He's in the Mensa Society.
Prabhupāda: In the Vedic literature it is said the animal killers cannot understand God.
Room Conversation with Graham Hill Former World Champion Race Car Driver -- London, August 26, 1973:
Prabhupāda: The actual aim of life should be back to home, back to Godhead. Then this human form of life is successful. Just like your son. If he goes out independent. Now he is under father's protection, he is very happy. But if he declares his independence... Just like Śyāmasundara. He is very rich man's son. His father, I met him. His father is a big lawyer, big businessman. But he declared independence. And I know his life history, how much he had to go through so many tribulations.
Room Conversation with Indian Ambassador -- September 5, 1973, Stockholm:
Prabhupāda: Now, happy attitude. Now the cow are going to be killed. They know it, that "We are going to be killed." They're also intelligent living entity. So how they can be happy? If some human being concentrated in a camp, and they know that "We are going to be killed," can they be happy? So if one is not happy, if the cow is not happy, can she supply sufficient milk? No. No. Therefore just they were happy. Therefore milk was supplied so much that the grazing ground became wet with milk. Muddy. With milk, not with water. So we, we have no intelligence how to live. We... Our Bhagavad-gītā says, kṛṣi-go-rakṣya vaiśya. Means kṛṣi-go-rakṣya, to protect cows. Nowadays not to protect cows—to kill cows. Just see, business. Vaiśya means businessman. So vaiśya's business is kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). But no go-rakṣya. Cutting the throat of go. This kind of sinful activities are going on, and they want to be happy.
Room Conversation with Banker -- September 21, 1973, Bombay:
Lady: We speak Gujarati and Parsee.
Prabhupāda: Formerly the Parsees were prominent community in Bombay. They are big businessmen, important men.
Room Conversation with Banker -- September 21, 1973, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Practically all my students... Here, Brahmānanda, his father, at least he was a big industrialist, mother. But he did not like. He joined this movement. Similarly, Girirāja, his father is a big lawyer, rich man. But he did not like that. There are many, many students, their father's are... Śyāmasundara's father is big lawyer, rich man, businessman. He is the only son.
Room Conversation -- November 3, 1973, New Delhi:
Prabhupāda: Yes. No, that is small manufacturing. So I got very, very good chance. But Kṛṣṇa did not allow it. He wanted me to come to this point. That is my practical experience. And now I'm seeing that it is Kṛṣṇa's so much favor. You see? Yasyāham, anugṛhnāmi... It is, it is, actually it is His grace. "What he'll do by becoming Birla, rich man like Birla?" That was Kṛṣṇa's plan. "Come here. Do this work." You see. My Guru Mahārāja ordered. Kṛṣṇa wanted. I was resisting Him. That's all. I was actually very expert businessman in chemical line. I did it very creditably in Bose's laboratory as manager and my own business. And everyone knows... Even in manufacturing also.
Room Conversation -- November 4, 1973, Delhi:
Guest: Greater productions is one of the keys to lower prices.
Prabhupāda: This is one of the businessman's tricks. When there is new harvest they purchase and keep it and they keep the stock.
Morning Walk -- December 18, 1973, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: "Anyone who does not know what is God and does not know how to trust in God, he is animal. So how you can expect a human civilization composed of some animals? That you have to learn from us. If you are serious. If you simply make it a slogan, but you remain same as the man who does not know what is God, then what is the meaning of this slogan? That will not help you." Just like sometimes they put the signboard, "Goodman and Company," businessmen. The signboard is "Goodman," but he is cheating simply, from business point of view. That kind of signboard will not help you. If you actually believe in God, then try to understand what is God. Otherwise how you can believe?
Morning Walk -- December 18, 1973, Los Angeles:
Prajāpati: It is a question of business. Businessmen have so much control...
Prabhupāda: Business or whatever nonsense it may be, but our first proposal is that you become sinless. But they will not agree. They will remain sinful, and still they will say, "In God we believe, we trust," these slogans. "We go to church, we pray," like that. This is the defect.
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Morning Walk -- January 5, 1974, Los Angeles:
Devotee (2): Actually we can see that happening very practically. At Spiritual Sky many big, big businessmen they come, and they see how these boys are making money and yet they are singing and dancing all the time. (laughs)
Prabhupāda: This is practical. It's practical. Therefore in India we are considered as the richest community. They was a question in Parliament, "Wherefrom these Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement they get their money?" And the Parliament would reply, Home Member, that "They get money by distributing literature." This is the reply. This is recorded in the Parliament, Indian Parliament.
Morning Walk -- January 21, 1974, Hawaii:
Prabhupāda: Yes. She was very friendly. Mrs. Max Linder. Her husband is the proprietor, and she would call her husband, "Max, why don't you take these books," like this. She was friendly. And that Mr. Max was first-class businessman. He will extract as much profit as... (laughs) Hare Kṛṣṇa. It was sold. Practically, in the beginning, they were selling. I was getting some money. There was no other income. Another bookseller, Oriental.
Room Conversation -- February 6, 1974, Vrndavana:
Guru dāsa: People carry on business for happiness and enough to eat and enough clothing. That, no separate endeavor is necessary. Kṛṣṇa gives it all, and more happiness. We can attest to that because we did business. All of us were businessmen.
Prabhupāda: (Hindi with guest) Oh, I see that are (indistinct).
Morning Walk -- February 19, 1974, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Sarva-karma-tyāga. Where is Girirāja? These boys collecting not less than thirty thousand per month, but not a single farthing for him. This is sarva-karma-phala. Is there any man, businessman?
Morning Walk -- March 9, 1974, Mayapura:
Guest (1): This is the definition of a disciple.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Āmāra ājñāya guru haña tāra ei deśa (CC Madhya 7.128), yāre dekha... You have to... Anywhere, any friend, any businessman, "Are you Kṛṣṇa conscious? Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." That's all. What is the loss in that? "My dear friend, I request you to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra." Where is the difficulty?
Morning Walk -- March 27, 1974, Bombay:
Dr. Patel: You are talking of this, but I am the knower of the private character of so many businessman.
Prabhupāda: Why you know? Everyone knows.
Morning Walk -- March 31, 1974, Bombay:
Dr. Patel: Is that so because of the reason of not understanding Kṛṣṇa, they go on...
Prabhupāda: No, no. Kṛṣṇa is enjoyer. Just like a big businessman, and his secretary is working under him. So he sometimes thinks, "Why shall I work under him? Why not become another Birla like him?" That is the fall down. He's happy there, becoming secretary of a big man, but he gives up the job and tries himself and becomes a vagabond. That's all. This is the position.
Morning Walk -- April 3, 1974, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Now, this is to be understood, how "You are all-pervading by Your influence, by Your power." That means "You are always there." "You" person is there. Just like a big man, big businessman, is sitting in his room, but he is all-pervading, all-pervading.
Morning Walk -- April 10, 1974, Bombay:
Indian man (4): He is not a paṇḍita. He is a pukka businessman.
Prabhupāda: Mean, I say this is going on. But śāstra says if one is engaged in a particular type of occupation, he should be called that. Yasya hi yal-lakṣaṇaṁ proktaṁ varṇābhivyañ-jakam. To designate into certain type of varṇa, there are symptoms. That symptoms, yadi anyatra vidhiṣyeta, if it is found somewhere else, tat tenaiva vinirdiśet (SB 7.11.35), one should ascertain by the symptoms. This is the sastric injunction.
Morning Walk -- April 16, 1974, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: She became widow at the age of eighteen years. So my father engaged her in worshiping Deity. My father was worshiping, and she was the assistant. Of course, she had two children by that time. Yes, go on. (break) ...Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa is all attractive. So immediately they attracted the other cows, although they were not actual mother. (break) ...doctor in Calcutta, young man, he married the daughter of a very rich man. So his father-in-law gave him a motorcar, so he advised... He was a businessman. He advised that "Even if you have no practice, you simply ride on this car and go around."
Press Conference -- April 18, 1974, Hyderabad:
Guest (5): How is it that there is so much moral degradation in our country?
Prabhupāda: Because you did not lead them, you did not teach them spiritual books. You allowed them to read Communist books.
Guest (5): Is it the failure of our spiritual leaders?
Prabhupāda: What is a spiritual leader? First of all we have to think..., if the businessman is not spiritual leader.
Guest (6): So you mean the lack of spiritual leadership has driven us to this state of affairs?
Morning Walk -- April 20, 1974, Hyderabad:
Prabhupāda: Yes, local language is required. No, Hindi also, you should learn, but... We can have publication in Hindi also. But when we speak of international organization, English must be there.
Pañcadraviḍa: (break) ...them into all the schools.
Prabhupāda: Yes. School, college, library, enlightened gentlemen, businessmen, they have all accepted.
Morning Walk -- April 29, 1974, Hyderabad:
Prabhupāda: Parliament questioned that "These Americans, they are supposed to be..." What is that? "CIA. CIA." Is there any information to the government? "Besides that, they have got fabulous money. They are spending. Wherefrom they get the money? And if they are CIA, then what steps the government is going to step, take against them?" So the reply was three. First reply was "The government has no information that they are CIA people. Therefore the third question doesn't require to be answered, what steps? And so far their fabulous money, it is understood they collect by selling their literature and public contribution." Yes. Home member replied like this.
Mahāṁsa: This was in the papers also?
Prabhupāda: Oh yes. (break) Mirzapur, near Allahabad?
Gargamuni: Yes, in UP.
Prabhupāda: Oh, when I was businessman.
Morning Walk -- May 9, 1974, Bombay:
Bhāgavata: But, still they were devotees of Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: Yes, that is their profession, livelihood, but they are devotees. In Calcutta, there is a big temple. It is called Kāca-Kāminī's temple. Kāca-Kāminī means she was a prostitute, but she was kept by a very big businessman who was dealing in glass, mirrors and all... So he has made a temple for her with glass and mirrors. Therefore it is called kāca. Kāca means glass. Kāca-Kāminī.
Room Conversation with Mr. C. Hennis of the International Labor Organization of the U.N. -- May 31, 1974, Geneva:
C. Hennis: But that would cover businessmen and tradesmen and farmers.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. Farmers means... Nowadays especially in the western country, I see the farmer means they are raising cows for being killed. There is no cow protection.
Morning Walk -- June 11, 1974, Paris:
Prabhupāda: So we are not sorry that minority. Where is the...? Insignificant. Don't talk of minority. But we are not sorry. Minority, majority, all these are foolishness. The whole platform is mistaken. (pause) Rūpa Gosvāmī was a minister. He was in the majority. But voluntarily, he accepted minority. He went to Vṛndāvana and living alone, underneath a tree. He was enjoying so much honor. Tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīm. His associates were big, big zamindars, big businessmen, politicians. Because he's minister. But he preferred to resign that post and become a minority, to live alone in Vṛndāvana underneath a tree.
Room Conversation with Mr. Deshimaru -- June 13, 1974, Paris:
Prabhupāda: Nirvāṇa. Finish everything.
Karandhara: Yes. Zen allows a man... According to the precepts of Zen, you can act within the world. You can be a businessman, you can be a soldier, you can be anything, and still attain the same state of perfection by acting without desire, by acting unattached to the results.
Prabhupāda: So that is our philosophy. We... Arjuna acted as soldier, and still, he was recognized as devotee.
Room Conversation with devotees about Twelfth Canto Kali-yuga, and Conversation with Guest -- June 15, 1974, Paris:
Prabhupāda: Anywhere. In Calcutta it was dangerous to go out because the next... You do not know whether you'll come back. People are so afraid. He's going to work in the office. It will be God's grace if he returns back. It is such a city. Actually so happened. We were sitting, I was at that time in a... I was guest in our life member's. Sitting in morning, afternoon, o'clock (?). "Oh, that gentleman is killed." He was very important businessman. He went to the temple, a Marwari, and on his coming back, he was killed from the backside. Life is still so, but it is little diminished.
Morning Walk at Marine del Rey -- July 13, 1974, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: That is the... It is actually rational discrimination. The Christians, they thought, "Now these Englishmen, they'll make Hindu religion very prominent." Because it is a fact. If we introduce such three-four celebrations, then Christianity will be finished. But what is there? Christianity, there is nothing. Simply some dry words. And actually, they're seeing, nobody's coming to the church. So in this way, if they some, relish something better, then whatever is there, that will be finished, also. Therefore in London we wanted to purchase a church.
Bali Mardana: A big cathedral.
Prabhupāda: Ah. And they said, "We shall burn it down; still, we shall not give to Bhaktivedanta Swami." They said like that.
Bahulāśva: Rascals.
Prabhupāda: "We shall burn it down." They are seeing practically. After all, they are businessmen. "Shopkeeper's nation." They see practically that if such kind of movements go on... People are already, have no interest in the church. In Chicago, they wrote "American Hindus." They wrote in the paper. Then Hindu, Hindu religion will be prominent.
Morning Walk at Marine del Rey -- July 13, 1974, Los Angeles:
Bali Mardana: Yes. Just like in the San Francisco paper they admitted, "This is the most popular festival."
Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. San Francisco also. Fifteen thousand people attended my lecture silently. So they are seeing now there is something in this movement, and if this movement, it is allowed to go on without any objection, then Christianity will be finished. That is the conspiracy behind it. That lecture is recorded? The, which I gave in the, that society of the priests and...
Satsvarūpa: The fathers?
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Satsvarūpa: Yes, I...
Prabhupāda: So you can hear that lecture, how it was. They appreciated so much. We have no disrespect for Christianity. (pause) At least, expose our so-called Indian ambassador and others... Approach them, that "Help us. What is this? What for you are here?" Even they do not allow by agitation, make the movement very important. Make profit this side or that side. That is businessman. The businessman makes profit when the price is going down and when the price is going up. They make their profit. That is businessman. Just like our Tripurāri, he goes on selling his book in any condition. He finds out some means how to sell in this condition. This is intelligence, how to deal in different circumstances and make profit. That is brain. And if you make condition, "If these conditions are there, then I can make business," that is foolishness.
Brahmānanda: You told me that when I came from Pakistan to India. I was complaining how difficult it was, but you said that a businessman makes profit in any circumstances.
Prabhupāda: Yes. That is business. They are... Police has no eyes to see that the Bala-Krishna (Guru Maharaji) is regularly cheating. Any man can understand.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Morning Walk Through the BBT Warehouse -- February 10, 1975, Los Angeles:
Rāmeśvara: It's very convenient for him to print here because he has all the credit from BBT, so the printers immediately want to do business with him.
Prabhupāda: That's it. Yes, businessman never invests his own money. He does business with others' money. That is business.
Room Conversation with Professors -- February 19, 1975, Caracas:
Prabhupāda: Whatever it may be. It may be by time. Suppose a child, he can say, "I am now foolish for the time." But he is foolish at that time. That is not argument, that this child expects to become an M.A. That does not mean he can say he is M.A. at that time. So you cannot make time. Unless you are perfect in knowledge, you cannot say that you are in knowledge. Time, everyone has got the chance. In time he will be in perfect knowledge. That is not... There is no disagreement. But so long he is imperfect, he must admit that he is imperfect. Now, a businessman, a small businessman, he is trying to become millionaire, and if he says, "I will become millionaire in time," that does not mean he is millionaire. He must first of all become millionaire. Then he should claim.
Room Conversation with Metaphysics Society -- February 21, 1975, Caracas:
Prabhupāda: But one law... When he was president, he was powerful than the government. When he resigned from the presidency, then he became less important. This is a crude example. The another example is that the sunshine is universally spread, and the sun globe is situated in one place. So which is important, the sun globe or the sunshine? And just like this light is situated in one place and the illumination is spread. So what is important, the illumination or the lamp? The fire is one place, and the fire light and heat is expanded, so the fire is localized, and the light and heat is expanded many miles. So which is important, the fire or the heat and light? Therefore, God is person, but He is not a person like you and me. But His personality is expanded just like the heat and light of the fire is expanded. Similarly, whatever we see, that is the expansion of God's energy. Just like there are many big businessman. The man is person, but he is conducting hundreds of factories, big, big area. The factories are important or the man is important? If an ordinary person in this material world becomes so important and personal, you can just imagine how the person of God is important in spite of unlimited expansion of this material world.
Morning Walk -- May 8, 1975, Perth:
Paramahaṁsa: It's very difficult in Kali-yuga to get the advanced materialists such as ministers and big businessmen...
Prabhupāda: You can convert. It is not difficulty. How the Rūpa Gosvāmī was converted? Because the expert man... That person was Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. So if you become expert, you can convert. How this governor was coming, how these politicians were coming?
Room Conversation with Director of Research of the Dept. of Social Welfare -- May 21, 1975, Melbourne:
Prabhupāda: I have seen many of my students, their family, whole family disrupt on account of father and mother, even in old age, divorce. I have seen Brahmānanda's mother. His father was very... still living. Very good businessman, very nice family, good income. All of a sudden the father and mother disagreed, they divorce. The sons were somewhere; the daughters were somewhere.
Room Conversation with Two Lawyers and Guest -- May 22, 1975, Melbourne:
Prabhupāda: Just like you have helped this institution in a difficult position. That means you have pleased Kṛṣṇa. That is your success. My devotees are in difficulty.They wanted some legal help. You, as a lawyer, helped them, so you have pleased Kṛṣṇa, God. That is the aim of life. Whether by my work in different spheres, as a lawyer, as a businessman, or as a scholar, as a philosopher, as a scientist, as an economist... There are so many demands. It doesn't matter. But you should see whether you are successful. And what is the standard of success? The standard of success is whether you have pleased God.
Morning Walk -- June 30, 1975, Denver:
Prabhupāda: Yes. He is businessman. Picking up the... (break) ...in Hong Kong, they are picking up some food from this garbage.
Morning Walk -- August 6, 1975, Detroit:
Ādi-keśava: Even my father is a big businessman. He said to me, "Who is this person that taught you to manage like this?" He said, "I wish I could get him to teach all my men."
Prabhupāda: So why don't you ask your father to join for management? Eh?
Morning Walk -- August 6, 1975, Detroit:
Prabhupāda: In what subject he is scholar?
Ādi-keśava: Well, he's a businessman, but also he is a big philosopher. He thinks that by working very hard that God will give you the result-karma-mīmāṁsā philosophy.
Prabhupāda: Hm. Karma-mīmāṁsā.
Morning Walk -- September 1, 1975, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: So miserable condition... That is our conclusion, that either you remain this side or that side, it is miserable. By mental concoction you think that "This is better than that." Therefore Kṛṣṇa says frankly, sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). That is only shelter. Mām upetya kaunteya duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam nāpnuvanti (BG 8.15). (break) ...take Kṛṣṇa's words as it is. Everything is there. He said, "This material world is duḥkhālayam; it is the place of suffering." Industrialist, businessman, anyone, even ordinary man, actually everyone is suffering, but everyone is thinking, "I am happy."
Morning Walk -- November 2, 1975, Nairobi:
Brahmānanda: He's a businessman.
Prabhupāda: Business. So is that...? The business is the occupation of brāhmaṇa? You are already fallen. How he can criticize others?
Morning Walk -- November 29, 1975, Delhi:
Tejās: In Bombay, even if any businessman brings more than five kgs of rice, they will seize him. They search the baggage many times in the trains at the station.
Prabhupāda: You see. This is the kalākendra.
Morning Walk -- November 30, 1975, Delhi:
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: All of the kendras are supported by businessmen. They would much rather support a kalākendra rather than the temple because they think...
Prabhupāda: Temple is useless now. You see, Nanda has spent so much money in that Kurukṣetra, and not a single temple. You see?
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Morning Walk -- January 18, 1976, Mayapur:
Prabhupāda: "I shall give you all protection. I shall supply whatever you want," Kṛṣṇa said. So I shall do such thing when Kṛṣṇa will be my protector and supplier and everything. He is all-powerful, so He will do that—if I require. I don't require anything. I.... Simply I have to become a sincere, pure devotee. But if I require something, it will come from Kṛṣṇa. Why shall I try for it? A rich man's son, he doesn't do anything for earning money. He knows, "My father is rich and as soon as I require money, he will give me. So why shall I become a big, big businessman and become a karmī?"
Morning Walk -- March 11, 1976, Mayapur:
Prabhupāda: ...take shelter at the lotus feet of Nitāi. Nitāi-pāda-kamala, koṭi candra suśītala. Because the shelter is so cool, a thousand times cooler than the moon.... Where is that..., Yaśomatīnandana? He is not here? Yesterday he met Mādhava Mahārāja. So he had some talks. (chuckles) In that talk he mentioned that "Your Guru Mahārāja was previously a businessman, so.... And we are, from our childhood, we are Vaiṣṇava. So therefore he is doing business and getting money."
Morning Walk -- March 11, 1976, Mayapur:
Prabhupāda: (chuckles) No, don't say like that. But the thing is.... Business means.... Business means four things. Yes, we are businessman. I was student of economics. I know how to do business, and the business principle means you require four things: land, labor, capital, organization. So, ordinary man cannot do that. Otherwise, everyone would have done some business and become millionaires. But it requires these four things: land, labor, organization, and capital. So where you have got these? You have neither land, neither capital, neither place. So how you can do business? I am doing business because I have got all these things. I went to America-land. Then I worked-labor. Then I earned some capital, and I have got brain how to do it.
Morning Walk -- March 11, 1976, Mayapur:
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: (break) ...businessman.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. We are selling Bhāgavatam; they are selling fish.
Morning Walk -- March 15, 1976, Mayapura:
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: My passport is already like a businessman. I already.... I was thinking to do this for a long time.
Prabhupāda: And therefore it was burst out last night. Do it.
Meeting with Bankers -- April 6, 1976, Vrndavana:
Indian (1): So if about the bankers, if you permit me, I'll give you another interesting story. There was a man who was very ill in America and he had a heart trouble. In fact he had no heart, I would say. So, you know, they can replace the hearts nowadays. He went to a hospital, and the doctor offered him two or three hearts, "Which one would you like? One is of the general, the other is of a big businessman, and the third is of a banker. What would you like?" So he thought, "Let me have the heart of a..."
Prabhupāda: Banker.
Indian (1): "...banker." (laughter) So the doctor said, "Why do you want to have the heart of a banker?" He thought, "Because I'm sure it has never been used." (laughter)
Morning Walk -- April 13, 1976, Bombay:
Dr. Patel: People give them money.
Prabhupāda: No, no, that money is utilized for business. They are so businessman that people go and sacrifice their hair, and they are selling.
Dr. Patel: That I know. They are selling hair to foreign countries. Selling hair.
Prabhupāda: And they are investing money for so many business, not for preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Recording of TV Interview -- April 20, 1976, Melbourne:
Carol Jarvis: But you led a rather normal life—before this you were married. You were a businessman.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Carol Jarvis: What made you change suddenly?
Prabhupāda: By this association. Just like we are holding meeting, and so many boys, girls, they come. If somebody is capturing the idea, he makes further progress.
Room Conversation -- April 22, 1976, Melbourne:
Hari-śauri: That habit is spreading. I've seen in India. Even the Indian businessmen that come to see you...
Prabhupāda: They are imitating.
Room Conversation -- April 22, 1976, Melbourne:
Brian Singer: How did you find the transition, or how did it affect you, the transition from leading a life in the business world...
Prabhupāda: No, no, business.... Business world is not bad. Why do you think that because I was a businessman, therefore I could not be...?
Room Conversation -- April 22, 1976, Melbourne:
Brian Singer: No, no. I just want to know how you found the transition.
Prabhupāda: No, this is our regulative principle, that first of all you be trained up as brahmacārī. Then you be entered into family life. Then you retire from family life. Then you become a sannyāsī. This is a general procedure, not that you shall stick to one position. So a businessman does not mean he's fallen man. He can become first-class Kṛṣṇa conscious.
Doug Warvick: And still be a businessman or...?
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Why not? Just like Arjuna. He's a military man. That is also another business. He's military man. He knew how to fight. Similarly businessman's how to make trade. So this is different grades of livelihood. And Kṛṣṇa consciousness does not depend on this life or that life. Everyone can become.
Guru-kṛpā: They know Ugra-srava(?). He's a businessman here, that's all he does.
Brian Singer: Yeah, I understand.
Prabhupāda: Everyone can be devotee.... It is a question to understand that "I am not this body." That is beginning. So a businessman can try to understand, a lawyer can try to understand, or a philosopher can try to under.... Everyone can do that. The real point is, first of all try to understand that you are not this body. So where is the hampering, becoming a businessman or family man or this or that? There is no hampering. We are trained up from the very beginning of our life by our parents. We got the opportunity. And businessman, no businessman, it doesn't matter. Ahaituky apratihatā yayātmā suprasīdati. Sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo... (SB 1.2.6). Find out this verse. Ahaituky apratihatā. Kṛṣṇa conscious is unhampered by anything material. It does not mean that because you are a businessman you cannot be Kṛṣṇa conscious. No. That is not. You may be whatever you are, but you can become Kṛṣṇa conscious at the same time.
Room Conversation -- April 27, 1976, Auckland, New Zealand:
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: They're feeling threatened by our kīrtana parties.
Prabhupāda: Who?
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: He said that some of the town councils are trying to pass laws against our chanting in the streets.
Devotee (2): The Christians are behind it in Whangarei.
Prabhupāda: So, can they pass such law?
Devotee (2): I don't think so. We're having.... Some of our men are going to meet with the council the day after tomorrow at the meeting. They're open to our side. The reason is that the businessmen have complained, some of the businessmen have complained.
Prabhupāda: Not all of them. You take some signature from other businessmen.
Devotee (2): Yes, all right.
Prabhupāda: You present that.
Devotee (2): Yes. The men who are going to speak are businessmen, devotees. One is an architect.
Prabhupāda: Then he can organize so many signatures.
Room Conversation -- April 27, 1976, Auckland, New Zealand:
Guru-kṛpa: We gave the argument before that they say it is a disturbance, but there are so many cars and airplanes which are making disturbance. They should also be stopped.
Devotee (2): Last week we wrote letters to the newspaper, and they published them, showing our view. And in Whangarei.... It's another city, a hundred miles from here. It's near the farm up north, and the devotees chant there. And the businessmen complained. And the devotees wrote a letter criticizing the materialistic businessmen, and that they didn't care for the people, only they wanted money. And they printed it this big in the newspaper, completely criticizing, and the people liked it. They put it in everything, word for word what the devotees said. So it was good.
Prabhupāda: So there is agitation against chanting. That is also good. Yes, "Hare Kṛṣṇa is bad."
Room Conversation -- May 4, 1976, Honolulu:
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Very good class of people are coming to the restaurant, businessmen, like that.
Prabhupāda: And there is book display?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yes. Oh, yes, there's a book display.
Prabhupāda: They are purchasing book also?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. They give them a Back to Godhead, complimentary copy...
Prabhupāda: Ācchā.
Room Conversation -- May 4, 1976, Honolulu:
Prabhupāda: No, intelligence also. Father's intelligence he must inherit. There is an Indian proverb, bāpakā beṭā sepāikā ghoḍā, kucha nehi to thoḍā thoḍā (indistinct), mean "The father's son and the soldier's horse, they acquire the quality, if not all, some, must." If one is good soldier, his horse is also trained up. There is a history in India. The horse has played heroic. The Queen of Jhansi's horse and this, our, what is called, Shivaji's horse, they have played unique part in the history. Sepāikā ghoḍā. It is animal, but because it is the horse of a famous hero, it has played. Similarly, the son of father must be as good as father. If not, to some extent. Yes. So you are the.... Your father is the leader of so many big, big businessmen. You also become leader.
Dhṛṣṭadyumna: For Kṛṣṇa.
Room Conversation -- May 5, 1976, Honolulu:
Bhūrijana: That's what I felt. See, when I was in Hong Kong, people I would meet, they used to yell... They'd yell at me, "What have you done to Kṛṣṇa?" Some Indians used to say that. People we'd meet, they'd tell us they see the Hare Kṛṣṇa devotees and they hate Kṛṣṇa. I remember one specific time when I was speaking to one businessman who was helping us and...
Prabhupāda: He said that "We hate Kṛṣṇa"?
Bhūrijana: No no. He said that, "Your members of the Hare Kṛṣṇa, they're making people in Australia hate Kṛṣṇa. They make people inimical." Making people inimical to Kṛṣṇa.
Room Conversation -- June 10, 1976, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: You may not. You may not, but we have got personal experience that people do not want to die until he fulfills some, his brainwork plan. I have seen. One, my friend, he was dying, he was at that time fifty-four years old only, and he was begging the doctor, "My dear doctor, medical man, can you not give me four years time only, I can fulfill my plan?" He was very big businessman, so he was planning something to do, but doctor said that "You cannot survive." So he was begging the mercy of the doctor, "Doctor, can you not give me at least four years time?" As if the doctor can give him life. He was feeling this is obstacle: "I'm going to die without fulfilling my plan." I think that psychology is everywhere.
Room Conversation -- June 17, 1976, Toronto:
Prabhupāda: You see these two things especially, that they.... English is their mother tongue, mother language. They can easily become English scholar very easily. And Sanskrit language is no difficulty. Read and write, read and write, then he will learn. Our education in Sanskrit was in college. Of course, I was the best student in my class of Sanskrit. I was standing first. But we are not like the so-called Sanskrit scholars. But for our purpose we can read and write, that's all. Similarly, we don't want any very learned scholars, Sanskrit grammarian to manufacture jugglery of words, meanings. No, we don't want that. Simply we can conduct our business, that's all. Just like Marwaris, they, their education is up to their business understanding, that's all. They don't want to be scholars or technologists. You won't find in big, big Marwari family they have become a doctor, engineer or technologist, no. But in business dealings they are first class. (laughs) That they train. I had one Marwari friend in Calcutta. He was a very rich businessman and has got several (indistinct). So sometimes I went to his house. I saw that he had engaged a Sanskrit paṇḍita and an English teacher.
Garden Discussion on Bhagavad-gita Sixteenth Chapter -- June 26, 1976, New Vrindaban:
Dhṛṣṭadyumna: Mafia, organized criminals, organized like businessmen. They are controlling the politicians by money. But although they are exposing, still it goes on. It is worse than ever.
Prabhupāda: What is that? Explain further.
Hari-śauri: The Mafia is an organization that was originally coming from Sicily. They were an organized group of men that would control all the politics in the area by manipulation of money and businessmen.
Evening Darsana -- July 6, 1976, Washington, D.C.:
Guest (5): I'm a bureaucrat, no longer a professor.
Prabhupāda: Whatever it may be... Because yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhas tad tad evetaro janaḥ (BG 3.21). If a chief man practices something, the followers also practice. So a businessman, professor, scientist, philosopher, they chant the holy name of God, there is no taxation, no income tax, but the income is very good. (laughter) So why people do not do it?
Evening Darsana -- July 8, 1976, Washington, D.C.:
Prabhupāda: That is when you do not know what is the ultimate duty. Because you are thinking that you are Indian, somebody is thinking he's America, somebody is thinking he's this or that. So there the advice is try to relinquish the result of your action. Don't be attached to the resultant action of your duty. The idea is to become detached, but because you cannot do it immediately, therefore the advice is, "All right, you remain in your so-called duty, but don't be attached to the result of your actions." Then where the action will go? Suppose I am a businessman and I have earned, say, two million dollars. So mā phaleṣu kadācana, the result is already there, what shall I do it? Two millions of dollars, I shall throw it in the street? What do you think?
Dr. Sharma: Not to be attached to it.
Morning Walk -- July 11, 1976, New York:
Prabhupāda: No, they know that "These people they are wanting something, so let us go and cheat." This is going on.
Bali-mardana: They're simply businessmen.
Prabhupāda: So far I am concerned, I have not come here to cheat you nor to gain. I've come to execute the order of my Guru Mahārāja.
Evening Darsana -- July 13, 1976, New York:
Prabhupāda: So later on, he establishes his credit (and) without any payment, he gets supplies. And they keep their credit. On the day of payment, they must pay.
Mr. Kallman: Yes, exactly.
Prabhupāda: Therefore the Marwaris, they become very big businessmen.
Interview with Newsday Newspaper -- July 14, 1976, New York:
Interviewer: Were you a businessman?
Prabhupāda: Yes, I was connected with some chemical industry. I was manager in a big chemical industry. Then I started my own business. In this way I was family man.
Room Conversation -- July 18, 1976, New York:
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You once said, "A good businessman, if he knows how to do it, he can make more money sitting in one place..."
Prabhupāda: No, no, no. Money is not our aim. Our aim is how people will understand Kṛṣṇa.
Room Conversation -- July 26, 1976, London:
Prabhupāda: No, pramattaḥ, that we can see, pramattaḥ, mad. And everyone, especially in the Western country, so many madmen. The hippies, their whole sect-mad. Pramattaḥ. Then so-called businessmen, so-called scientist, so-called philosopher—everyone is mad. And kurute vikarma, all sinful activities, especially the slaughterhouse, horrible. Everyone is taking share of these sinful activities.
Radio Interview -- July 27, 1976, London:
Prabhupāda: Besides that, when we require a nice house, somebody gives. Just like George has given us. Similarly, we have got many houses. One boy, his name is Alfred Ford, he's the great-grandson of Mr. Ford, Henry Ford. He has given us two, three very nice properties. So the money, there is no scarcity, and Kṛṣṇa is everywhere. If Kṛṣṇa dictates "Give him this," he'll give, that's all. And that is being happening actually. Within ten years nobody can expect to construct a house like this in a city like London. Is it possible? Even if he is a very big businessman. Not only one, there are so many. It is all Kṛṣṇa's mercy.
Room Conversation -- August 3, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):
Prabhupāda: Such marble floor they never saw. (pause) (break) ...who has paid you more than five thousand dollars and he has joined, that does not mean that he's a foolish man. He's a businessman. So what about his business? Leased to somebody else? He leased out to somebody else?
Room Conversation -- August 4, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):
Hari-śauri: Yes. It's their only qualification.
Prabhupāda: If I cheat somebody and get some money, you are very expert.
Hari-śauri: Top-class businessman.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Evening Darsana -- August 9, 1976, Tehran:
Nandarāṇī: Yes, we actually want two places because when Iranian businessmen come, we cannot just show them the altar and say, "Here is our program." It must be very careful. And yet when the Indians come we want to have Deities, we want to have kīrtana. So we are trying to do two things in one house and it is very difficult. So he wants a separate place for a restaurant, for Deities, for my Gurukula school, a big room for my classroom, and then a separate home when we have some sophisticated guest we can bring them for dinner. But then we have many Indians, we can bring them for Deities. The Indians, they think this is a temple, but because there are no Deities, then they are not inclined to come. They want to see the Deity.
Prabhupāda: Indians, they want Deity.
Evening Darsana -- August 9, 1976, Tehran:
Nandarāṇī: He wants a separate place. Because it is difficult for all of us to do two things. It's very..., it's just very difficult. So having two places would mean we could have one run like a temple and one run like a home. If many devotees come here and wear old clothes and live... Devotees, sometimes they want to dress in old clothes, they want to be very strict, they want to be very austere, but when the businessmen come and they see a devotee with shaved head and old rags on, then they think...
Prabhupāda: Shocked...
Evening Darsan -- August 10, 1976, Tehran:
Atreya Ṛṣi: How can she be sure that the spiritual master is bona fide?
Prabhupāda: If when you see that he does not speak anything except Kṛṣṇa, that is tattva-darśi. If you are expert businessman in certain line, you have no other business than to talk with on that line. Suppose if you are to purchase some gold, then you have to go to the gold market for dealing with gold. Why should we go to the ice market? That is your ignorance. If you want to know Kṛṣṇa, then you have to know from the persons who are dealing with Kṛṣṇa. That's all. They have no other business.
Evening Darsana -- August 14, 1976, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Just like, practice is also not very difficult. Just like Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). So if you daily come to the temple, see the Deity, he'll have some impression and he can think of Kṛṣṇa, how He is playing flute, how He is nicely dressed, how Rādhārāṇī is standing (indistinct). Then man-manā, he can think of Kṛṣṇa very easily. So man-manā bhava mad-bhakto, and as soon as you think of Kṛṣṇa, you become a devotee. Because a businessman will not spare so much time thinking (of) Kṛṣṇa, how He is playing flute. He has no business. Without being bhakta, nobody will be interested to meditate on Kṛṣṇa, how He's standing, how He's playing flute. This is bhakta's business.
Evening Darsana (on night of arrival) -- August 16, 1976, Hyderabad:
ndian man (1): Political situation remains the same. No elections, nothing for the time being.
Prabhupāda: Mahāṁśa was saying that the businessman is in trouble.
Indian man (1): Yes, business is not prospering since last two, three years. Business conditions are not picking up.
Room Conversation About Mayapura Construction -- August 19, 1976, Hyderabad:
Gargamuni: He's lives in Bara Bazaar. His name is Mr. Buwalka.
Prabhupāda: Bara Bazara Marwaris are all businessmen.
Room Conversation -- October 31, 1976, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: A broker club business. So the businessmen, the zamindars, and gradually they started their factories, railways, in this way they started. And they are big politicians, so it is their management. And they failed when things were mismanaged. First of all they created friendship, and later on when they were in power, they created enmity. Then it is failed.
Room Conversation -- October 31, 1976, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: In Pakistani they kill all brain, in Bangladesh. Anyone who worked in high profession like businessman, they caught shut down. It was worse to kill.
Room Conversation on New York court case -- November 2, 1976, Vrindaban:
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: So we can mobilise all the Indians, that's the best process.
Prabhupāda: Yes, Indian opinion. I have already given suggestion. The Indians should come forward. And from here also, similar if the member... Respectable Indian businessmen they should say that this Kṛṣṇa cult is very, very old, genuine and we are so enlightened that Swami Bhaktivedanta has taken this movement to the foreign countries. We are so proud, like that.
Room Conversation -- November 13, 1976, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: He was a politician. That you cannot blame. Politics require all these things. A politician cannot be a saintly person. That is not possible. For politics he has to do so many things. That is necessary. Just like Arjuna wanted to be a nonviolent. Immediately it was condemned by Kṛṣṇa, "What is this nonsense? You are a military man. Nonviolent." And similarly, politicians, they require all this. Businessman must deal in black market. It is inevitable. Otherwise he cannot improve.
Room Conversation on Farm Management -- December 10, 1976, Hyderabad:
Prabhupāda: Not nice, it is not eatable even by the dogs. But you are less than the dogs if you (prepare) such thing. I was surprised. You allowed a sweeper to cook. I was surprised. We have distribution prasādam, not dog's food. Such rascals as here. You do not know. I do not wish to discuss anymore on this point. You have murdered the whole thing in two days. Now if possible, bring them, bring them first class prasādam, very palatable. Foodstuff means even one has no appetite he'll eat. That is food. Not that even one has got appetite, he'll forget. That is not food. So do like that and for money produce, use cane, sugar cane, rice. We shall spend for that. Don't spoil money, but do like businessman. He invests money, he gets a return. Spend it for Kṛṣṇa.
Room Conversation with Life Member, Mr. Malhotra -- December 22, 1976, Poona:
Prabhupāda: That is siddhi, magic also siddhi. You are successful businessman, that is also siddhi. That is also siddhi. Yatatām api siddhānām (BG 7.3). Even one is siddha, he cannot understand Kṛṣṇa. That is said, yatatām api siddhānām (BG 7.3). Even one is siddha, still he cannot understand Kṛṣṇa.
Morning Walk and Room Conversation -- December 26, 1976, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: They are all engaged in doing business.
Dr. Patel: Have you wanted a businessman to come?
Prabhupāda: I am doing business.
Morning Walk and Room Conversation -- December 26, 1976, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Another place, Vaiṣṇava says, either he is businessman, or doctor, anyone, they are all madmen.
Room Conversation -- December 31, 1976, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: That is Ram-Krishna, he's a big brother.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: He's also dying now, Tejiyas told me. He's old now.
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. He's of my age. Not less. But he's after three, four wives. His business is to go from one wife's house to another wife's house and each wife's house, expenditure of ten thousand rupees per month. (chuckles) He's a very funny businessman. He has made his wife director and they take money. So to avoid income tax... So, huge expenditure. Each, one house. Income tax cannot say, "Why you are maintaining?" (indistinct) That is not their business. It is comparison.
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Letter to Russian -- January 5, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: No, businessmen are there all right. I was doing that business. So in my shop they..., visitors used to come there.
Room Conversation -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: No, you convince him. If he recommends, I'll give you. He is businesslike. I know him. So if he recommends, I'll give. He's very correct to his word. Businessman is correct to his word. That is the... No speculation. Now our Hyderabad affair is not in very order.
Room Conversation -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: So you keep account in such a way that whatever income it is, it is spent for books. Print some... You also do there. Whatever income you get, you spend for promotion. This principle should be followed. All businessmen are doing that. Whatever income is there, it is spent for maintenance establishment. That's all.
Morning Darsana and Room Conversation Ramkrishna Bajaj and friends -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: When we forget our relationship with Kṛṣṇa, that "Kṛṣṇa is the original master, and I am the servant," as soon as you forget this relationship, this is contamination, immediately. Everyone is trying to become another Kṛṣṇa. This is struggle. Here in this material world you'll find everyone is trying to become very, very big-big leader, big politician, big businessman, big, big, big. But he is not big. That is the disease. He is not big, and he's trying to become big.
Room Conversation -- January 10, 1977, Bombay:
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I got an order from Jayatīrtha for sixty thousand. (Prabhupāda chuckles) And this is just...
Prabhupāda: His wife is good businesswoman.
Rāmeśvara: Bali-mardana's.
Prabhupāda: Bali-mardana.
Conversation and Instruction On New Movie -- January 13, 1977, Allahabad:
Rāmeśvara: Even by your example they have not learned anything.
Prabhupāda: No, my... Of course, I did not attempt in the beginning. I started my activities when I was seventy years old. So they thought, "This man is gṛhastha. He is embarassed with family life. What he'll do?" (laughs) That was their impression. But I never neglected. Guru Mahārāja told me. I was simply thinking, "How to do it? How to do it?" I thought, "Let me become a rich businessman. The money will be required." That was my thought. But Guru Mahārāja was asking me, "You give up this. I'll give you money." That I could not understand. I was planning. My plan was not wrong. But I was thinking "The money required, so let me earn some money. Then I shall begin." And Guru Mahārāja said, "You give up this money-earning endeavor. You come completely. I'll give you money." I can understand now. But my desire was there. Therefore he guided me.
Conversation and Instruction On New Movie -- January 13, 1977, Allahabad:
Prabhupāda: And another big businessman, he is coming from business and sitting: "Hare Kṛṣṇa!" These cartoons are there.
Room Conversation -- January 15, 1977, Allahabad:
Rāmeśvara: But the real problem is the businessmen, because they can influence the mass of people by advertising.
Prabhupāda: The mass of people should be educated. Just like we are educating, "No meat-eating." So automatically the meat-selling, slaughterhouse will be stopped.
Morning Walk -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:
Rāmeśvara: But now, suppose there is some businessman, and he knows that everybody is wanting this sex. So he is making movie or writing a book describing these things.
Prabhupāda: These things were formerly restricted-censor board.
Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:
Rāmeśvara: Many ordinary businessmen and middle-class people have spent the money and practiced Transcendental Meditation for a little bit, and they say it has helped them. It has given them peace of mind for a little bit.
Prabhupāda: That can give temporarily.
Evening Conversation -- January 25, 1977, Puri:
Gargamuni: I have found sometimes when going to the offices that these people, these businessmen in India, they have become so offensive because they always try to attack Kṛṣṇa's activities more than anybody else.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Otherwise where is the need of preaching? If you expect everyone is in favor of Kṛṣṇa, then where is the need of pushing on Kṛṣṇa consciousness?
Conversation on Roof -- February 14, 1977, Mayapura:
Prabhupāda: And give him hint. This is wanted.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This man is not simply a businessman because in his...
Prabhupāda: We want that.
Room Conversation about BTG the Moon -- February 18, 1977, Mayapura:
Prabhupāda: He's very clever.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. A good businessman. They outright... This they outrightly say. "This is not religion. No question of religion, nothing about God." They advertise like that. "It is not religion."
Prabhupāda: That is true.
Room Conversation -- February 25, 1977, Mayapura:
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And coming from him it's especially relishable, because he used to criticize you for denouncing all of them.
Prabhupāda: Means he's an intelligent businessman. (laughing) He can understand. He's the disciple of Chinmayananda. But he has realized that "What Chinmayananda is before Bhaktivedanta Swami?" That he realizes.
Room Conversation -- March 26, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Inhumanity means I do not like you; still, I have to mix with you. Is that inhumanity?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, if you are my relative, then...
Prabhupāda: Whatever you may be. If you have no business with me, I have no interest in you, why shall I mix with you? That is everywhere. If some very busy businessman is sitting in his room and some other man comes, he, first he will ask, "What is the business?" If he says something else, then "I have no interest." This is common thing. What is the wrong there? If he says that "I have no interest," what is the wrong there? How I can accuse that is inhumanity?
Morning Conversation -- April 11, 1977, Bombay:
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He is expert businessman. And one good thing is that because this Sarvabhāvana is here, so Gopāla...
Prabhupāda: He can read the proof.
Room Conversation with Ram Jethmalani (Parliament Member) -- April 16, 1977, Bombay:
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually, this gentleman who has written this letter from Pakistan, he is a big businessman. He is the head of a very, very large business consultant firm in Iran. But in his free time he also tries to do a little preaching work.
Prabhupāda: He is a very responsible officer. What is his position?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He is the managing director of Arthur Young and Company. It's a big international firm of chartered accountants.
Morning Talk -- April 25, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: I follow this. To accept me as guru I have to flatter you—I don't follow. If you want to hear me, then you become my disciple. Otherwise go to hell. Don't want. Here many big men came. And big men means the businessmen, big... I refused "If you cannot follow the instructions..."
Conversation with Svarupa Damodara -- June 21, 1977, Vrndavana:
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Besides ours, there's only one other Indian pure vegetarian restaurant. And it's always packed. Indian people want vegetarian. But we... On the other hand, we only get... About one third of our customers are Indian. Mostly we get Americans. The businessmen come and the secretaries, theater people, families.
Prabhupāda: They like prasādam.
Conversation: 'How to Secure Brahmacaris' -- June 24, 1977, Vrndavana:
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, I saw personally Hari-prasad Badruka in Hyderabad. He tried to send his son to college, and the boy kept failing. Finally he took him back, and immediately he took to business, because his father's a businessman.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Conversation -- July 1, 1977, Vrndavana:
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He's a good businessman, this Deoji Punja. His name is Deoji Punja.
Prabhupāda: His father was a goldsmith, very humble position. Now they are the richest man.
Room Conversation with Mr. Myer -- July 2, 1977, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: Yes. Therefore I say... It is practical. To earn money is not difficult, at least for me. But to save money is difficult thing, because that is not in my hand. So let us see how much money we save. Increase the income, that we can do. And there is no problem. I think this is a maxim that "To earn money is not difficult. To save money is difficult." Whatever property we have now made, Kṛṣṇa has given us. But now, to maintain this, to save this prestigious position, that is difficult. Little mismanagement, there may be so many difficulties. You are a businessman, so he knows very well.
Room Conversation With Son (Vrindavan De) -- July 5, 1977, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: So that fortune is... By fortune he gets a guru. And by the instruction of guru he gets Kṛṣṇa. So to create fortune we have to take this regulative principle, to become fortunate that someday he'll be able to meet somebody who is real guru and who will give him real guidance. "Man is the architect of his own fortune." Therefore pious activities and other things, yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-kriyā, these things are recommended, to acquire the qualities of brāhmaṇa. These things are required. If he remains like animal, that fortune will never come. This is the architecture. So that fortune begins when he enters the varṇāśrama-dharma, four varṇas and four āśramas. That is a easiest way. Fortune does not come that "This is very important. Man is the architect of his own fortune." He must accept some process to become fortunate. And if you want to become fortunate through the rich man, you should enter... (microphone moving) ...just like businessman... (microphone moving) And without doing something, how you can get fortune? That is now... There is no such program.
Room Conversation -- October 3, 1977, Vrndavana:
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, no. That Bombay kavirāja was a businessman. He had a Seiko watch on, special Cross pen, pān in the mouth. He was a pākā bāniyā. (Prabhupāda coughs up mucus) This man appears to be a genuine kavirāja.
Prabhupāda: I think so. So are you sending him telegram?
Room Conversation -- October 11, 1977, Vrndavana:
Ātreya Ṛṣi: It's your mercy, Śrīla Prabhupāda. (Prabhupāda chuckles) They respect you a lot in Tehran. The royalty respects you. The businessmen respect you. They really respect Prabhupāda.
Prabhupāda: Persian civilization, very high, Aryan civilization.
Room Conversation -- October 13, 1977, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: In the beginning, when I was selling Back to Godhead alone, I wrote one practical businessman, Mr. Bande(?) I think. He said, "Swamiji, why you have made Vṛndāvana headquarter? (laughs) It is not a place for..."
Room Conversation -- October 13, 1977, Vrndavana:
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes. Also, while I was typing in the Connaught Place, some business man came and he saw the letterhead saying "Bhaktivedanta Institute." Then he asked me later on, "What is this institute?" Then I told him Prabhupāda's projects and plans. And he was very sincere and serious. He was a big businessman. And he wanted to help me in setting up one center in Delhi.
Prabhupāda: So take this opportunity. And we will supply the place, suitable place? It will be very prestigious in Delhi.
| Page Title: | Businessmen (Conversations) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Sureshwardas |
| Created: | 29 of Dec, 2008 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=132, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 132 |