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Conversations and Morning Walks

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Darsana -- June 28, 1971, San Francisco:

Prabhupāda: When you are not married, you gave me five thousand dollars. Now you are married, you must give me now ten thousand, double. Come on. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (indistinct) Where is your brother?

Makhanlal: I think he is in London.

Prabhupāda: What he is doing now?

Makhanlal: Building the Ratha-yātrā carts.

Prabhupāda: Ohh.

Makhanlal: For the festival.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes, you are Nara-nārāyaṇa's brother. (devotees enter and pay obeisances) Hare Kṛṣṇa, come on. Nara-nārāyaṇa is very nice boy. Everything is all right? Where is your center?

Darsana -- June 28, 1971, San Francisco:

Prabhupāda: Anyone shall (indistinct). (more devotees enter) Come on. Śyāmasundara inaugurated this Ratha-yātrā here. You know? I advised him to perform Ratha-yātrā on a motorcar, and that was the first Ratha-yātrā. Then gradually it came to cart, now it is three. It is very nice. We are improving. More improve, more and more. Your prasādam this year, I think it is not sufficiently distributed. Why?

Makhanlal: Not sufficient amount, you mean?

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Makhanlal: Not sufficient menu?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Previous year... Anyone? Everyone you have got? All right. So this is the difference. I have been in Moscow. So there is... I couldn't find this. I could not eat fruit. Now your country, Kṛṣṇa has given so nice, so nice flowers, and so nice Vaiṣṇavas. And that country is very proud of advancing, but there is no fruit, there is no flower, there is no Vaiṣṇava, and there is no freedom. And this is the... They are proud. You see? "We are advanced."

Room Conversation -- London, August 10, 1971:

Dhanañjaya: Three hundred pounds. And the material for the Rathayātrā cart. All the material.

Prabhupāda: Where he is?

Dhanañjaya: He lives in Stretton.

Śyāmasundara: Yeah.

Dhanañjaya: Near Stretton.

Śyāmasundara: Do you have his phone number? I'll call him, call him. He's, I'm sure he..., we could count on him to give something for...

Prabhupāda: So take their consult, what price they want.

Room Conversation with Dr. Karan Singh, -- November 25, 1971, Delhi:

Dr. Singh: We go to work in the office, which is equally hard, I can assure you. (laughs) We go from morning till evening. I wish I could go to the field, in fact.

Prabhupāda: You cannot put a cart before a horse. That is not possible. Of course, the Communists, they are trying to do that, but they have also failed. I went to Moscow. They have got a worker class and they have got a manager class, manager class. They cannot do without it. It must be there. Someone must be their manager. So this division of the society... Just like natural division, one can study by his own body. This body has got four divisions—the head division, the arm division, the belly division, and the leg division. All of them are important in cooperation. But the hand cannot do the work of the leg, nor the leg can do the work of the head.

Dr. Singh: But they are all four in the same body, Swamiji...

Prabhupāda: That is wanted.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk Conversation -- September 28, 1972, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Physics has nothing to do with spirit. (break) ...manufacture the subtle(?) parts of motorcar, easily you can go. So this rascal thinking this is advancement, says, "I am killing the soul. The soul is going to become a dog next life after riding motorcar." That is written, and they have no knowledge. But because you have advanced from bullock cart to motorcar, this is.... So rascal they are. They have no knowledge what is advancement. What is the time?

Jayatīrtha: It's quarter to seven, thirteen minutes to seven. The advancement of material science really means to complicate the problems of life.

Prabhupāda: That's all, increasing the problem. They have to dig out petroleum oil from the midst of the ocean. Is it easy job?

Jayatīrtha: No.

Prabhupāda: But they will do it because they have got motorcars, they must find out petrol.

Morning Walks -- October 1-3, 1972, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: That I explained last time, that they are simply misusing their advancement, and they are satisfied when they have got a motorcar instead of bullock cart. That's all. They think, "Now I am advanced. We had bullock cart, now we have got motorcar with three hundred thousand parts. And every part will give me trouble as soon as it is (indistinct)," (chuckles) and that is advancement. As soon as one part is broken, the bullock cart is called for. They get a bullock cart to carry this motorcar. (break) Everyone is servant. Therefore, we teach our students to address "prabhu." "I am your servant, you are my master, prabhu." That is the meaning of prabhu. Prabhu means master. And Prabhupāda means supreme master. That is the meaning.

Jayatīrtha: In this country there's a saying that everyone should be their own master. That's the philosophy. It's called individualism.

Prabhupāda: Own master... He does not know how to become own master. That he does not know. He speaks only. Now, what is their explanation to become own master? How they explain? Explain.

Jayatīrtha: The idea is that they want to be... to determine their own destiny.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Jayatīrtha: They want to determine their own destiny. They think if they work very hard, they'll be able to build up their environment... (noise of plane taking off).

Prabhupāda: This is not explanation. Own master means master of the senses.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

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

Prabhupāda: Well, what I am? I am insignificant. I have no objection. Our, some of our artists may paint this picture. I liked it very much. (Probably speaking of picture of Ratha cart in the Guardian newspaper)

Śyāmasundara: It's a very good photo.

Mukunda: It was taken in such a way so that the cart looks like it is almost as tall as Nelson's Column. Fish-eye lens.

Śyāmasundara: Very clever person who has thought up this idea.

Prabhupāda: No other publication?

Śyāmasundara: I didn't see the newspapers today.

Room Conversation with Anna Conan Doyle, daughter-in-law of famous author, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle -- August 10, 1973, Paris:

Prabhupāda: Just see. So going to the higher planetary system means to achieve higher standard of life, but that does not mean solution of material problems. Just like Western countries, they are supposed to be living in higher standard of life than Eastern countries, but that does not mean they have conquered over death. That's not possible. They might possess a nice motor car, but the Eastern man may not possess. He has a bullock cart. This much advancement may be there. But the death, birth, death, is the same, in the Eastern and the Western.

Guru-gaurāṅga: Why should we think that birth and death is so painful, Śrīla Prabhupāda, because wherever we are, we can think about Kṛṣṇa...

Prabhupāda: But you feel pain, or do you like to die?

Guru-gaurāṅga: Well, some people like to travel.

Prabhupāda: Why it is painful. That is painful. You, even if you think, shudder, that "I have to die immediately," you'll shudder immediately. It is very painful. It is very painful because as soon as you die, you are again packed up within the womb of the mother to develop another body. And that is also not certain. Nowadays the father, mother is killing the child. So even if you develop a body to come with the expectation to come out, the father, mother kills you, again you have to enter another mother's body. Again you may be killed.

Room Conversation with Sanskrit Professor -- August 13, 1973, Paris:

Haṁsadūta: Three carts like this.

Professor: The big wheel. That's nice.

Haṁsadūta: You can see. There it's taking prasādam, serving prasādam. Everyone, so many devotees.

Prabhupāda: Were there color pictures, small?

Haṁsadūta: Yeah, there's a small...

Śrutakīrti: This one here.

Prabhupāda: No, the small...

Śrutakīrti: No, oh, the small pictures...

Professor: Oh, you got three different carts.

Haṁsadūta: Yeah, three carts.

Prabhupāda: Here is the gigantic ratha behind the crowd. The police cooperate.

Professor: Oh, yes?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Everyone likes. Yes. Even Christian priests they also like. No, any sane man will like because... Somebody sends me money: "Sir, you are doing so nice work, spreading God consciousness. Here is my little contribution."

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk at Villa Borghese -- May 25, 1974, Rome:

thousands and millions of cars and buses are running all over the world, simply wasting petrol.

Bhagavān: When there was the oil crisis in the United States, they were giving reports how some person would go in his car, go ten miles in a big car to buy one pack of cigarettes.

Prabhupāda: Stick to your own place and grow your food. There is no question of transport. Little transport is required, that bullock cart. Kṛṣṇa was being carried on bullock cart. There is no use of petrol. Use simply the bull. They are already there. Utilize them. No. The bull should be sent to the slaughterhouse. Petrol should be used.

Morning Walk -- May 27, 1974, Rome:

Dhanañjaya: I remember, Śrīla Prabhupāda, you were saying that all we require is some oxen, and the oxen can carry.

Prabhupāda: Yes. The oxen will solve the problem of transport. That bullock cart. Just like Kṛṣṇa, when He was transferred from Gokula to Nandagrāma, so they took all the bullock carts, and within a few hours they transported them, the whole thing, their luggage, family member, everything.

Bhagavān: How far can a bullock cart travel in one day?

Prabhupāda: At least ten miles, very easily, very easily. And maximum he can travel fifteen miles, twenty miles. But when we are localized, we don't require to go beyond ten miles, five miles. Because we have created a rubbish civilization, therefore one is required to go fifty miles for earning bread, hundred miles, hanging.

Morning Walk -- May 27, 1974, Rome:

Satsvarūpa: Not that we dictate to the... Not that we are going to force everyone.

Prabhupāda: No, we are not going to force anyone. "Our mode of living is like this. If you like you can adopt." Just like we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. So we are not forcing anyone that "You also, you must chant." No. We live like this.

Dhanañjaya: So in fact, Śrīla Prabhupāda, we should start using bullock carts.

Prabhupāda: Yes. No, first of all you start the community project, as we have already started in New Vrindaban. Make this perfect.

Morning Walk -- May 27, 1974, Rome:

Prabhupāda: After the war they will come to sense. The Communist problem... Communist is not a problem. It is good proposal, but they are missing one point. They are making Lenin the leader. If they make Kṛṣṇa the leader, then the Communistic idea will be very fruitful. They are picking up a rascal leader, but if they pick up the nice leader, God the supreme dictator, then every-thing is all right. They are catching up a dictator, but they do not know that he is rascal number one. But if he catches the Supreme Lord as dictator, as Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66), then he will be happy, immediately. Keep amongst yourself and produce. Produce food grain, produce cotton, mustard seed. Self dependent, no use... And we don't require motorcar. Bullock cart is sufficient. There is no need of going anywhere.

Bhagavān: We can make our own cloth? Khādi.

Prabhupāda: Yes, cotton. From cotton you can make your own cloth.

Room Conversation with Professor Oliver La Combe Director of the Sorbonne University -- June 14, 1974, Paris:

Prabhupāda: Where is that poster? Australia? Yes.

Bhagavān: And in all these cities we are joined... In San Francisco there are ten thousand people who come at least every year to help pull the carts and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: In Chicago also. Philadelphia. There will be Ratha-yātrā. this is the...

Satsvarūpa: This is for Melbourne, Australia, Ratha-yātrā parade, (shows a poster), picture of the parade last year.

Professor La Combe: Last year.

Prabhupāda: No, this year they are advertising.

Professor La Combe: Which is to come.

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- March 2, 1975, Atlanta:

Guest (3): You mean Swamiji then that all scientific efforts, whatever they are, should be stopped altogether?

Prabhupāda: No, not stopped. Just like you have got ordinary car and you purchase a Rolls-Royce car. The business is the same. It is simply an artistic improvement. In the ordinary car there is much jerking and the Rolls-Royce car there is no jerking. That will not benefit you. After all it is car. You can use it for going here to there, there to here, that's all. Therefore our Vedic civilization, they are not very much eager to manufacture a motor car, they are satisfied with the bullock cart. Because after all you have to go from this place to that place. And there was no need of big, big roads, three thousand miles long for driving the car. You see. The bullock cart was sufficient, here to there, a few miles. But they were interested to cultivate spiritual knowledge. That is Indian civilization. Vyāsadeva was living in a cottage and just see literature. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita was prime minister of India and he was living in a cottage, drawing no salary and he has given his politics and moral lesson, so sublime. So here at the present moment, the motor car civilization, he's anxious how to get a Rolls-Royce motor car, that's all. That is his business.

Conversation with Devotees -- March 31, 1975, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: They do not help.

Acyutānanda: No, when we were talking to him, he said that every temple should have its budget, and over that budget, the GBC should sanction. They have two accounts.

Prabhupāda: (Hums) Hmm...

Acyutānanda: Prabhupāda... (break) Mahāṁsa Mahārāja got the customs duty waiver for the buses from Germany... (break) What about the bullock carts?

Prabhupāda: Bullock cart is very good for India.

Acyutānanda: But that's for the small villages. The big towns, they're very far apart.

Prabhupāda: Hm hm. Well, you are not supposed to go to the small villages.

Morning Walk -- May 8, 1975, Perth:

Paramahaṁsa: But he himself was nonviolent.

Prabhupāda: Nonviol... That's alright, he was a fool. Therefore I say you cannot bring nonviolence in politics. There is no such history. Just like Arjuna wanted to be nonviolent. Kṛṣṇa chastized him, that you are a foolish number one. So... This is to bring a horse before a cart. Politics and nonviolence, it is incompatible. It is not possible. And he did it. Therefore he was a fool. Just like if you want to cook without fire. Is it possible?

Devotee: No.

Press Conference -- July 16, 1975, San Francisco:

Bhaktadāsa: ...photograph, we'd like to introduce the founder-ācārya spiritual master of the entire Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, who founded this movement in 1966, coming here to America from Calcutta. Now His Divine Grace has very kindly once again come to San Francisco to lead us in this holy Rathayātrā Jagannātha cart parade. And we will ask him the questions that you have written down, and he will answer those questions, like that. So the first question, Śrīla Prabhupāda, is "What is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement?"

Prabhupāda: Yes. Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means that every one of us is in some type of consciousness: "I am American," "I am Indian," and, "It is my property," "America is my property," "India is my property." But we say that "Everything is Kṛṣṇa's property." Kṛṣṇa is the... Kṛṣṇa, God, when we say Kṛṣṇa, we mean God. God is the original proprietor. And He is, therefore, the supreme enjoyer, and He is everyone's friend. If we understand these three things, then we become peaceful. If all the nations in the United Nations assembly accept that everything belongs to God, then their quarrel between one nation to another nation immediately stops. But present fighting is that two hundred years ago the Americans were mostly in Europe. Now they have migrated and claiming America is theirs. So we think always that "All land belongs to God." Just like this big ocean. Who has created this ocean? Man has not created. Therefore, if God has created, then God is the proprietor. Take land, water. These are the material elements. Who has created such vast sky? That is also material. So we think in that way and try to find out the answer from authoritative sources. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Press Conference -- July 16, 1975, San Francisco:

Reporter (3): Is that the significance, then, of the festival, to remind people of God?

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. This is the significance. Jagannātha. Jagannātha. Jagat means the whole universe, and natha means the lord or the proprietor.

Reporter (3): What is the purpose of the large carts and other things you use?

Prabhupāda: Large car mean God is very great, He requires very great car. (laughter) Why should He go in a small car? (laughter)

Bhaktadāsa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, there was one question. They would like to know why is it that the children are separated from their parents and sent to Gurukula?

Prabhupāda: And what is the benefit of remaining with the parents to become hippies? For training. We are trying to train first-class men. So if, from the very beginning of life, one is trained... That is the Vedic civilization. Kaumāraṁ ācaret prajño dharmān bhāgavatān iha. "One should be trained up to become God conscious from the very beginning of life," kaumāra. Kaumāra means after five years. Up to five years the children may have all freedom. Whatever he likes, he may do. But when he is five years old, he must be under training. That is the old system. Gurukula means to send the boy, especially boy, not the girl, to be trained up at the place of the spiritual master or teacher. Just like what is that public school? They also send their small children to the public school.

Morning Walk -- July 17, 1975, San Francisco:

Prabhupāda: Just to teach these rascals to work. Because here, without working, you cannot get your food. Therefore laziness condemned here in this material world. And in the spiritual world the Supreme Person is the most lazy person. (laughter)

Bahulāśva: Just like yesterday you told the reporters. When they asked why such a big cart, so you told them that God should have a big car.

Prabhupāda: And where is this car? When God assumes the universal form, where is the car? You have no such car. So this car is the smallest car of all. He has got... When He showed His Viśva-rūpa to Arjuna, so for that Viśva-rūpa where is the car? You cannot do.

Devotee: When Kṛṣṇa is demonstrating work, He demonstrates in the form of Lord Viṣṇu, not in His pastimes in Vṛndāvana but more in the form of Viṣṇu, or how does He show?

Prabhupāda: In Vṛndāvana there is no work. Outside Vṛndāvana there is killing of the demons. When He came out of Vṛndāvana, he began His business by killing His uncle, that Kaṁsa. Then so many other demons came, one after another. He had to fight. Even He had to marry by fighting.

Morning Walk -- July 17, 1975, San Francisco:

Prabhupāda: And even in the material world, Kṛṣṇa superficially has gone to Mathurā, but He has captured the heart of the gopīs. So He is not leaving. Gopīs are enjoying Kṛṣṇa by separation. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's feeling, how He is appreciating Kṛṣṇa by separation.

Bahulāśva: Out here on the campus, Śrīla Prabhupāda, different people come with little carts and they sell food things.

Prabhupāda: Food?

Bahulāśva: Food. They get a permit. We were thinking to have a little car and sell Bengali sweets.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Bengali sweet selling is not our business. We should not waste in that way. Our business is how to make him Kṛṣṇa conscious. If we find such opportunity by selling Bengali sweets, then we can sell. Otherwise it is useless. You should always remember this. We are not for selling Bengali sweets or any such thing unless it is connected with preaching our Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You should remember it.

Room Conversation with Devotees -- August 1, 1975, New Orleans:

Prabhupāda: They'll enter into the mouth of Aghasura. "Oh, Kṛṣṇa is there. He will kill." This is Vṛndāvana. There is no need and I don't find in Bhāgavata big factory and slaughterhouse, no. Nothing. The whole atmosphere is surcharged with sinful life. How people will be happy? Now they are coming to crimes and hippies and so many things, problems, diplomacy, CIA and what other? So many unnecessary waste of energy, time, and money. Vicious condition. Better give up city. Make Vṛndāvana, like this. City life is abominable. If you don't live in the city, you don't require petrol, motor car. It is no use. They may criticize that "You are going to the farm in a car." So for the time being, there is no vehicle. Otherwise bullock cart—where is the difficulty? Suppose you are coming, one hour, and it takes one day. And if you are satisfied, such life, there is no question of moving. Maybe local moving, from this village to that village. That is sufficient, bullock carts. Why motor car? Drive here and park problem. Not only park problem, there are so many things. There are three thousand parts, motor car. You have to produce them, big factory.

Morning Walk -- August 25, 1975, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Oh. D.M. is coming?

Dhanañjaya: No. The film is coming this morning.

Devotee (1): There's a cart.

Brahmānanda: The D.M. heard that Indira Gandhi saw the film. So there's so much talk going on now. So now he wants to see the film.

Prabhupāda: So then he will come.

Brahmānanda: Yes.

Prabhupāda: And then we shall give him good refreshment.

Morning Walk -- August 28, 1975, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Go on. What is the trouble? See. (break)

Dhanañjaya: They stop everyone so they can extract taxes from them. They want to stop every single person, even the buffalo carts. (break)

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: (to life member:) There was no trouble. It's okay now.

Prabhupāda: Jaya. Thank you.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: He's a life member from Nellore.

Member: Nellore, Andhra Pradesh.

Prabhupāda: Thank you.

Morning Walk -- September 27, 1975, Ahmedabad:

Indian man (7): Should we go back to the bullock cart age?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes, certainly. Then you will be sukhī. (Hindi) This is the first instruction: dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). (Hindi) This is the first instruction. (Hindi) This is the first to be given up in order to understand spiritual knowledge. (Hindi) So how you can expect tranquillity and peacefulness if the society is conducted by go-khara? This is the defect. (Hindi) This is the rule, nature's law. And if it is a fact... It is a fact. You believe or not believe; that is a different thing. (Hindi) Professor Kotovsky... (break) "Swamiji, after death, everything is finished." He said like that. And he is a big professor of Indology. (Hindi) ...sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). He is a professor. (Hindi) Thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Morning Walk -- October 3, 1975, Mauritius:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Progress.

Prabhupāda: Progress, yes. The progress is that they have got motorcar, and they have progressed how to die quickly. This is the progress. At any moment he can die. As soon as he on the car, 70 miles speed, that means taking the risk of dying at any moment. This is the progress. Formerly people were going in bullock cart or horse carriage from one village to another. "That was primitive. Now we can go hundred miles away from home for earning money and taking risk to die at any moment. That is progress." Is it not?

Brahmānanda: Oh, yes.

Prabhupāda: Formerly they were satisfied by tilling the ground, getting food grains. Now they have started factories. At the cost of thousands of men's labor, some director is getting money and enjoying life. That is progress. And these rascals, laborers, they are thinking that "These men are getting the profit, cream of this business. We are working. Why not take ourself?" That is Communism.

Room Conversation -- October 5, 1975, Mauritius:

Guest (3): Car is a necessity, Swamijī, don't you think so? Car is a necessity.

Prabhupāda: Not necessary. What is the use of car? If you locate yourself to get everything, your necessity, then where is the use of car? If you require car, you have a bullock cart. That's all. Why should you hanker after petrol, mobile (Mobil?) oil, machine, this, that, so many things.

Morning Walk -- November 21, 1975, Bombay:

Mahāṁsa: Also another party of five devotees, they have started on the bullock cart saṅkīrtana, going village to village. But it's very austere. They were... I told them, "You go for two months, come back after two months." But they returned in six days. (laughter)

Prabhupāda: Why?

Mahāṁsa: Because first of all, they did not know how to ride the bulls, so the bulls gave a lot of trouble.

Prabhupāda: Then there is no professional driver?

Mahāṁsa: Well, now we are going to hire one driver to take care of the bulls. And secondly, even the axle of the cart was a little defective. Otherwise the program was a great success.

Prabhupāda: Oh, that is success. People were coming.

Morning Walk -- November 21, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Distribute rice and dahl and little vegetables, and they will come, take prasādam and chant.

Mahāṁsa: Also this bullock cart party can recruit many persons from villagers to come and stay at the farm.

Prabhupāda: That is first business, that they should join this movement and eat prasādam and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. (break) ...food, they have begun spinning their own cloth.

Devotee (2): Oh, yes.

Mahāṁsa: Most of the land at the farm is black cotton soil, very favorable for growing cotton. So a piece of that we can take, ten acres or so for growing cotton, and spin our own cloth.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is required. Why purchasing cloth, twenty-two rupees per pair? No? What is the charge nowadays?

Morning Walk -- December 14, 1975, New Delhi:

Prabhupāda: What is written there? Ravindra. Ravindra's Gate. Ravindra's gate is, how to enjoy illicit sex. This is his gate. He introduced māgha-melā, inviting young boys and girls to dance together. And taking this opportunity, he was enjoying young girls. That was his purpose. They would come, the young girls would come, Ravindra (Bengali), grandfather, and he'll, "Alright you sit down on my lap." That's all. This is Ravindra Bhavan, to become debauch. And if you teach young man debauchery, he can attract millions. There is no doubt of it. The pride(?) philosophy. Hm? Debauchery. Allow sex without any discrimination. (observes passing hand drawn cart) Economic development. Where is economic development for these men? There, when there was no economic development, the same taila and poor people with black cloth was there, and now the same thing is still there, so where is development?

Tejas: It's increasing actually.

Prabhupāda: Nature's law you cannot check. It must go on. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). Bhāgavata says, "Don't try to improve all these things, it is not possible. Improve your Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That will be benefit for your life." (sees another sign) Sangeet (indistinct). Means you can dance. And when our men dance, what do they call? Crazy, crazy. (reads signs) Śrī Rāma. Śrī Rāma for art and culture. So arrange dancing in this Sangeet dance, here. (laughter)

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 17, 1976, Mayapur:

Jayapatāka: Up? People can also sit up. So it will be very nice to sit up on the top. We're making one special stair for all that. (break) ...cart.

Prabhupāda: ...men you are going.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That boat?

Jayapatāka: Twelve, fifteen men.

Prabhupāda: So that can be easily accommodated?

Jayapatāka: Oh, yes. We could accommodate even twenty men. But that will be easy to accommodate, just twelve.

Prabhupāda: No. Don't take many.

Morning Walk -- January 21, 1976, Mayapura:

Jayapatākā: They can carry sand by bullock cart.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He's got a bullock cart and a nice house. He is...

Prabhupāda: If possible, engage him in some permanent work.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He was a good friend.

Prabhupāda: Yes. And then also, see... Engage that Ghosh also, who sold us... Kappa Ghosh?

Jayapatākā: They all want to carry sand.

Prabhupāda: Sand?

Jayapatākā: They all want to carry sand.

Prabhupāda: Oh. Only?

Morning Walk -- March 9, 1976, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: ...and these are.... You are being plundered. They are very expert in the plunder. But I thought, "Some Indians will help. He is also 'big belly,' you. It is simply in my eyes. I am the only fool." I criticize like that. Just see how much money they have taken. One day, they are charging ten rupees, and fifty men working, so all spoiled. This is going on all over. Baro baro baṅgole baro baro peṭ, lanka dingate mata kara het. (?) Hm? (break) (Bengali) He did not take the cart?

Jayapatāka: I took a jeep also.

Prabhupāda: No, no.

Jayapatāka: The card. I got your passbook and deposit book.

Prabhupāda: Baro baro pet. How you are being looted. Just see. Farce. They are making farce and taking money.

Morning Walk -- March 12, 1976, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: All right. (break) ...He taught them to steal then: "Mother is not giving. You steal." That picture is going on. (break) Juhu is so small?

Rādhāvallabha: Yes, we should have made it bigger.

Rāmeśvara: The size of the cart is restricted.

Pañcadraviḍa: What year is that?

Rāmeśvara: Recently.

Revatīnandana: It was this past year or the year before last when we had it. Two years ago it was full.

Prabhupāda: They want to stop it. That is their... (break) A new temple?

Jayatīrtha: Old temple, Śrīla Prabhupāda. (break) Who was talking about casting?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: That was in Australia, Adelaide. Cittahārī.

Prabhupāda: This is very nice. This mūrti should be standard.

Morning Walk -- March 22, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. Jaya. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (break) Make the bullock cart an international. They'll be surprised. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Bhakti kaile sarva-karma kṛta haya. We must be always convinced that if we simply take up the knowledge given by Kṛṣṇa, then you are perfect. That's all. If little success is there for me than other swamis and yogis, it is due to my conviction on this point. I never compromised with anything which is not spoken by Kṛṣṇa. Did you mark it or not?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Devotee: One time you told us, Śrīla Prabhupāda, to meet every man at his door and ask him to give up everything he knows and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is simple. "You rascal, you give up whatever you have learned, you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." Don't say "rascal," but indirectly (laughter), that "Whatever you have learned, it is all nonsense." Sakalam eva vihāya dūrāt, "You give up everything, kicked out, and simply become adherent to Caitanya." This is our preaching. And what Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128), that's all. Because ultimately He is Kṛṣṇa.

Room Conversation -- April 4, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: They lost their culture.

Jagat-guru: Śrīla Prabhupāda, we were thinking that this is 1976, and in July there is Ratha-yātrā. So by next year, '77, we hope to be able to have Ratha-yātrā in Durban. There may be a quarter of a million, half a million Indian people. One cart and three deities on one cart.

Prabhupāda: And whether government will allow?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: I think so. They already have permission.

Jagat-guru: They can give permission, will do probably. And also we want to establish also, apart from the temple, one bus program which will reach all the towns and villages there in South Africa.

Prabhupāda: Very good.

Morning Walk -- April 7, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: ...dozen carts.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: It looks like it came from...

Prabhupāda: (break) ...cannot say, Hare Kṛṣṇa. There is such competition. (Hindi with others) I like this garden very nice. (Hindi) It is maintained very nicely. We can get flowers. (Hindi) Water is supply there? (Hindi)

Indian man: There are two wells. (Hindi) The river is very near. Just after that garden, Yamunā. (Hindi)

Prabhupāda: These people, they like Vṛndāvana. (Hindi) What is our telephone number?

Akṣayānanda: 179.

Garden Conversation -- June 8, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati (BG 15.7). The struggle for existence—this word is used also among the philosophers. This is struggle. He is creating something by the mind, manaḥ, and the senses are engaged according to the dictation of the mind. Manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi. In this way, prakṛti-sthāni, within this material world, he's living a life of struggle for existence. Prakṛti-sthāni karṣati. Karṣati means with hardship he's pulling on. Just like an animal yoked with cart, bull, with hardship he's pulling on, but he cannot get out of it. And if he slacks, immediately there is whip, he has to go. Therefore this word is used, karṣati. He doesn't like this, but he has to do it. Struggle for existence, survival of the fittest. (someone enters) Hare Kṛṣṇa. The man may come.

Rāmeśvara: He's a good friend of ours, Śrīla Prabhupāda. He helps us in many legal affairs.

Prabhupāda: So if he wants to come forward. (break) Go on reading.

Room Conversation with Ambarisa and Catholic Priest -- June 14, 1976, Detroit:

Ambarīṣa: Oh, pier, pier. Oh, yes, it is near there, Prabhupāda, that's where you landed.

Prabhupāda: Yes. (laughs)

Ambarīṣa: Yes, it is not far. We're having Ratha-yātrā in Boston for the first time this year, and we're going to take the Ratha carts down to Commonwealth Pier in honor of your arrival.

Prabhupāda: Yes. (laughs) There is one A.P. store?

Ambarīṣa: A P?

Prabhupāda: A-P, A-P store.

Ambarīṣa: Market? Yes, it's still there.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that I saw first. (laughter) I remember.

Room Conversation -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: Do it immediately; they are eager. Begin this year. Yes, they'll get life, the Hindus. Immediately advise them. Just like I began in San Francisco on the truck. You know that? So you can begin in that way.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: That was the first ratha cart?

Prabhupāda: Yes. I suggested Śyāmasundara that on a truck you make a ratha-like dome, and put this. It was successful.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: It was in New York?

Prabhupāda: It was San Francisco. The first beginning was in San Francisco.

Hari-śauri: There was pictures of you riding on that ratha cart, that was a truck?

Prabhupāda: No, rather, that was second or third. In the beginning, it was in a truck. So if the people are eager, you immediately organize.

Room Conversation -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: (break) Yes, I'll inform them: "If cart is not possible to be made or (indistinct), then they can do it on the back of a flat truck with a canopy with a nice cloth."

Prabhupāda: Kīrtana party and truck, all Indians will come.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: One thing though is, July is, like in Melbourne, it's wintertime there. So is it okay if they have the festival in summer months?

Prabhupāda: Not necessarily.

Morning Walk -- June 22, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: Oh. It is the first time?

Kīrtanānanda: Yes. They have a big cart, and they will go down the main street.

Prabhupāda: How far it is?

Kīrtanānanda: How far to Cleveland? About 130 miles. (break) Our land is on the left side.

Prabhupāda: Oh. So this land, how you are utilizing it?

Kīrtanānanda: We are growing a kind of grass, sudan grass. Then we cut that and put it in the tall silos for the cows to eat in the winter.

Prabhupāda: In the winter this is all covered with snow?

Kīrtanānanda: Most of the winter not.

Room Conversation and Reading from Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 1 and 12 -- June 25, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: Is this Cleveland?

Devotee (1): Yes. There are many skyscrapers, tall buildings, there are many tall buildings, and people were looking out at the Ratha-yātrā cart and at Lord Jagannātha.

Prabhupāda: Here, the daytime is...

Dhṛṣṭadyumna: We have found, Śrīla Prabhupāda, when the buses are going to many of these cities, they have never seen our devotees, because when we go, we are dressed like they are for distributing the books. So now the boys are going again in the streets with a kīrtana party once a week downtown, and they have all done front-page newspaper articles, because although they have been reading the books, they have never seen the devotees in many years. I think festivals like this...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation and Reading from Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 1 and 12 -- June 25, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Hari-śauri: Oh, yes, Indian reviews?

Prabhupāda: You can open this file. I don't want, but...

Devotee (1): Prabhupāda, how should we have these Ratha-yātrā festivals. Should they be big? Should they be big festivals? Should I plan on having three carts next year, just one, or a small cart?

Prabhupāda: As you can afford. Minimum one cart. Otherwise, three carts. In India the Ratha-yātrā festival is going on, according to rough estimate, for the last two thousand years, and the crowd never diminishes. One secretary of Parliament or something like that.

Arrival Room Conversation -- July 2, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: That is foolishness. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This human life is meant for becoming educated about Brahman. They will not take it. They want to remain animals, eating and sleeping, this animal life. Eat nicely, sleep nicely, have sex life nicely, defend nicely, that's all. Nicely, according to the standard of the body. Here in America, to have a conveyance nicely like a car like this, but in Indian village, a bullock cart is nicely. So this nicely and that nicely, according to the body. You have got this American body, this is nicely. He has got Indian body, that is nicely. But the feeling of niceness is there and here. We are having sex in a very nice apartment, decorated and so on, so on, and a dog is having sex on the street. But the pleasure of sex life is both the same. But we are thinking this is nice. But that is not the fact. The niceness, the feelings of niceness, is there and here.

Arrival Comments in Car to Temple -- July 9, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: Population are increased.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They had a festival to celebrate the Fourth of July in the Battery, down at Battery Park. Four million people attended. We sold prasādam there, over one thousand dollars of prasādam (laughs) was sold from our prasādam cart.

Prabhupāda: They like?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yes. They were selling kacuris, sandwiches.

Prabhupāda: This Doubleday Company, they take our books?

Morning Walk -- July 10, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: Yes, no, if you keep it very nicely...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The other carts are..., this one is not yet finished as much as the others. Jayānanda, did you build this cart?

Jayānanda: No, no.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This is Chicago's old cart. Not the last year's one, an old one, we got it from them, they did not want it anymore. This will be Subhadrā's. They only want one cart, the one they have now. So we called them up and we said "Oh, don't throw it away, we'll take it."

Rāmeśvara: How tall will they be with the canopies?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Fifty foot high. These are the ones that Jayānanda and the men have built from scratch here in New York. You can see the powerful wheels. He heard what you had said, and then he decided to make it.

Prabhupāda: As powerful as the other wheels?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: More powerful. Look at them, Śrīla Prabhupāda, this is steel. This is steel. He built the carts in Australia.

Morning Walk -- July 10, 1976, New York:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Pretty big carts. These carts have the same mechanism, they go up and down, Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Morning Walk -- July 10, 1976, New York:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This is John. He's always helping us with the building. He works very hard. Which cart will Śrīla Prabhupāda ride on? Jayānanda? Which cart will Prabhupāda ride on?

Ādi-keśava: We wanted to know which one. Which one would you like to ride on?

Hari-śauri: Balarāma's cart goes in front?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, Jagannātha's was going in front in San Francisco, then Subhadrā's.

Hari-śauri:...told us Balarāma's is at the front,

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, really.

Hari-śauri: And then Subhadrā's then Jagannātha at the back. That's the way they do it in Purī.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What's that cart, Jayānanda?

Jayānanda: This is a little Ratha-yātrā cart from last year. We use it as an advertisement for the Ratha-yātrā.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, it's a good advertisement. Quite an improvement from last year to this year.

Prabhupāda: The whole go-down is rented.

Morning Walk -- July 10, 1976, New York:

Rāmeśvara: No, they have just reduced to one cart.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They only had one cart. This was their old cart. Then last year they built a new cart. So this was just in storage there, not being used.

Prabhupāda: It is very strongly built.

Morning Walk -- July 10, 1976, New York:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, it is first-class. So we sent our big truck there and we picked it up, and we brought it here and assembled it, and now we have three carts. And these carts will be disassembled and kept in the garage. And the nice thing is that we are now on 60th Street and Eleventh Avenue and the festival is on 59th and Fifth. Very easy to get there. (break) These are mostly warehouses, Prabhupāda, this part of the city.

Rāmeśvara: The city of New York is the most mismanaged city in the United States. The city government has a big debt. They borrow money from the banks and they cannot pay it back. So they..., the banks were closing the debt, the loans, calling for the loan, and they had no money, so they were firing everyone and there was great unemployment, and finally the United States government had to give them a free gift of money to bail them out. It is the worst management of any city in America. One of the big reasons is because of welfare. They give away free money to so many people in New York who don't want to work.

Prabhupāda: Yes, welfare is actually waste of money. But social construction is so bad they have to give welfare. If they take our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we can stop this welfare money, let them pay.

Morning Walk -- July 10, 1976, New York:

Rāmeśvara: ...carts all the way down.

Ādi-keśava: It's fifty-two blocks, so it's going to take us at least two hours.

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Rāmeśvara: About two to three hours.

Hari-śauri: The parade, Ratha-yātrā.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Two hours. (break)

Prabhupāda: Lord Rāma's, what is this?

Hari-śauri: There's shop there with a sign of Lord Rāma's.

Rāmeśvara: Train station? Grand Central?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Grand Central Station.

Ādi-keśava: You want to go on the upper level and around?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...underneath there is subway.

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

Ādi-keśava: That's when we ah... Toṣaṇa, isn't that the picture that you showed them to show what our carts look like? He told the police, to get our permit, that our carts were like those little small rathas, so that we could get the permit. He said that we were having a parade with hand-pulled floats. When they thought of hand-pulled floats, they thought of little wagons.

Hari-śauri: They're going to get a shock.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He's breaking the news to them slowly.

Hari-śauri: We did that in Melbourne. But then gradually we let them see. Then they took us out for a trial run and everything. (break)

Prabhupāda: Note down in the account book.

Morning Walk -- July 12, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: So this Paul Murray... Haridāsa left New York, he went to San Francisco. His name was something else. What is this?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's a steel factory. This is near the Ratha-yātrā carts.

Prabhupāda: Oh. Steel factory, but very good house?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Hari-śauri: Paul Murray, he was the boy that went crazy?

Prabhupāda: Yes, he was LSD man.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: LSD man. He tried to attack you.

Prabhupāda: Not attack, but he showed some ferocious mood. I thought...

Devotee (1): Very dangerous.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So you thought to leave right away.

Prabhupāda: Yes, immediately.

Morning Walk -- July 14, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: Calcutta, all aristocratic buildings, they are made according to English pattern, London pattern. Just like our temple, it is made London pattern. It was designed by one high-court judge. (pause) The land acquisition at Māyāpur, no news?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No news. (break) ...who are building the Ratha-yātrā carts and who help in the temple construction? (break)

Prabhupāda: Ah, this is so cold. (laughter)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Unbearable (break) ...too cold then we can go in our bus to Florida for preaching. In the winter you go to Florida, eighty-five, ninety degrees.

Prabhupāda: Florida. And in summer?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Summer it's not very pleasant.

Room Conversation -- July 17, 1976, New York:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Right. It has a bathroom in it. That's going to accompany the parade in case at any time you require it, that will be right there. So it can go alongside the cart. At four o'clock we'll arrive, and at about four-thirty Kīrtanānanda Mahārāja will give a short introduction for you, and at four forty-five you'll speak. So at four forty-five you're expected to give the lecture. It begins at two o'clock at Fifty-ninth Street for two hours. Then by five or five-fifteen the whole thing will be over. So I wanted to know what time you would like to join the parade.

Prabhupāda: So you suggest.

Room Conversation -- July 17, 1976, New York:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, it depends on a number of things. One thing is your rest. After taking massage you take prasādam, and then your resting period. Another thing is how long you want to ride along on the cart. It depends on... I think it should depend on... I can't... No one can make that decision. We're agreeable to anything that you suggest. Devotees are enlivened simply that you're here in New York with us.

Prabhupāda: So at two o'clock you start?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Right.

Prabhupāda: You want me at the starting point?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We want you to do simply what you feel would be best.

Prabhupāda: No, no. What is the best? Starting point, my presence required?

Room Conversation -- July 17, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: Of Satya Sai.

Hari-śauri: One man, he challenged that he could prove that Sai Baba is a fake. So he's written so many letters to Sai Baba to challenge him, but he's never received a reply. So that paper gave this article criticizing Sai Baba like that and other gurus, and then in the same paper there was a very nice article concerning our Jagannātha Cart Festival. So practically they were appreciating that Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is bona fide and these other people are nonsense.

Indian man: Right. In fact, several people, even in our community in Poughkeepsie, received letters from Satya Sai Baba's followers that "Here is a letter. Make ten copies and send the ten copies to ten different people. If you don't, Satya Sai Baba's thunderbolt will come and strike your family, and they'll be destroyed." Now no guru ever puts a thunderbolt on his devotee, and I said, "If that is a guru, I'll stay ten thousand miles away from him, because my guru is very kind and he'll bless me." I said, "No guru should ever put a thunderbolt on his devotee."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. You can turn towards this.

Morning Walk -- July 18, 1976, New York:

Rāmeśvara: (break) ...were just amazed at the dancing of Lord Caitanya. How Lord Jagannātha would stop His car just to see. It says that Lord Jagannātha is maintaining the whole universe, so who can carry Him? Only by His sweet will for His own pastimes can He be moved. And the cart that moves Him is as tall as Mount Sumeru.

Prabhupāda: Potamkin..., and what was that in Washington, Potomyer?

Devotees: Potomac.

Rāmeśvara: And you wrote that just like the cart of Jagannātha is compared to Mount Sumeru, similarly, in London they were comparing it to that statue of Lord Nelson.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Lord Nelson's column.

Rāmeśvara: Lord Nelson's column.

Prabhupāda: Rival to Nelson. They published, Guardian.

Morning Walk -- July 18, 1976, New York:

Ādi-keśava: Well, they're pulling the cart up. Can't really go right down next to them. It's a very steep incline.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Ādi-keśava, can you just go and let us see the carts?

Rāmeśvara: Yes, just drive right up to it, they should wait.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They can wait for a minute. It's not budging, so there's no loss.

Rāmeśvara: No, they announced that this cart was not moving, and they needed fifteen more men. They announced that in the temple room.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Go down there, Ādi-keśava.

Prabhupāda: More fifteen men required?

Rāmeśvara: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Very big. Others have been moved?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No.

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

Prabhupāda: Janmāṣṭamī, take Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa procession.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: On carts?

Prabhupāda: No, on siṁhāsana, carried by hand.

Bali-mardana: Palanquin.

Prabhupāda: Palanquin; no, the siṁhāsana as it is. Just like this is siṁhāsana, two big poles down, and tie it with..., cut it with legs and carry, four men or eight men change. Change the soldiers.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But not on carts, not on big chariots.

Prabhupāda: No. Chariot, only Ratha-yātrā.

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

Prabhupāda: And Jayānanda should be congratulated. Yes. Give one letter, written. I...

Bali-mardana: The carts looked magnificent.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Two people worked the hardest Prabhupāda, Jayānanda and all of his assistants, and Toṣaṇa Kṛṣṇa. He did all of the publicity and advertisement.

Prabhupāda: They should be congratulated.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: These two men, they worked the hardest.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They worked for two months in a row, solid. The carts were very good, I think.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes, very nice, very strong.

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

Prabhupāda: Now, where these things will be kept?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In our garage. No problem. That's one of the advantages of our garage. It's one block away and it has ten thousand square foot of area, so we can store all the carts easily.

Hari-śauri: Good storage is very important.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And one block away in Manhattan is very unusual.

Prabhupāda: Be careful that termite may not attack.

Car Ride -- July 20, 1976, New York:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It took about seven hours to bring the carts back. All night they worked. Jayānanda was slaving out there, and Ādi-keśava Swami. Ādi-keśava finally got back at five in the morning, collapsed on the carts, he was exhausted.

Prabhupāda: They should be given some recommendations(?) in writing.

Car Conversation -- July 21, 1976, New York:

Rāmeśvara: And I've been told that all the TV stations showed our Ratha-yātrā. That means millions of people saw the ratha cart. And everyone has seen it in the newspapers.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Rāmeśvara: That Newsday also had coverage. We didn't get that paper for Prabhupāda, but they also... This is even before their interview.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh. What about Newsweek and...?

Rāmeśvara: When those interviews that those reporters took are published, we'll send them to you immediately. (aside) Newsday, Associated Press and Newsweek. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...higher(?) to temple.

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

Prabhupāda: Berkeley. Very horrible condition. Let them do whatever they like, you live apart from them. Live peacefully in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Be happy. Let these cats and dogs go to hell; what can be done? We are trying to educate them as far as possible, but if they do not take it, that is their business. We are doing our duty, going door to door, "Read these books. If you like, you can come and live with us." What we can do more? We do not make any condition, that if you live with us you have to fulfill. Of course, the condition is that you should not act sinfully. That is the first condition. But we never say that you have to pay so many dollars. Come. Whatever little food we have got, we shall share. So try to understand the importance of this movement. Kṛṣṇa is giving us. This is a first-class place. You can develop it into a Vaikuṇṭha. It is already Vaikuṇṭha, Kṛṣṇa is there. But develop it very nicely, peacefully live. Hundreds of miles away from the hellish cities. For little conveyance we can have bullock carts, when we have to get, transport. Very peaceful life. Introduce it and live peacefully. Am I right or wrong?

Devotee: Oh, yes.

Room Conversation About Gurukula -- November 5, 1976, Vrndavana:

Jagadīśa: Hyderabad?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Hard work. He should be given hard work. This gurukula is for high, high class brāhmaṇa, kṣatriyas, not for the vaiśyas and śūdras. (man laughs in background) No, everyone is required for Kṛṣṇa's service, but there... That I was describing today. There must be division. Don't put horse before a cart.

Pradyumna: Race horse before the cart.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Pradyumna: Race horse before the...

Prabhupāda: Yes, that will not be nice.

Room Conversation -- December 29, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Again because. There is no subject matter there. You have no right to bring that. That is our fault. To bring a horse before a cart. We are talking of Bhagavad-gītā. There is no mention of Kṛṣṇa and gopīs' saris there. So let us talk. Finish that.

Guest (3): So you clearly said that interpretation is wrong.

Prabhupāda: Interpretation means lost.

Guest (3): No, no. You clearly said that interpretation is wrong.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

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

Prabhupāda: Formerly they used to stock huge stock in Calcutta. Burma Sale. And new tin, if you exchange the container, then six annas less. Not very costly. Of course, in those days it was costly, taking consideration of the purchasing power of money. Four rupees, I remember, a few annas. My father did not like to purchase anything retail. For his daily necessity he'll purchase, he would purchase potato, one bag. So one bag means, maybe, one rupee, eight annas. (laughs) One anna per seer, kilo, I have purchased. Rice, fifteen mounds he will purchase. And what is the price? Three rupees, four annas. First-class rice. Coal, this coal, coke. Five annas per mound, purchase one cart load, fifteen mounds. The other day I was calculating. My father's income was, utmost, three hundred rupees per month in those days. And taking gold standard, my mother was purchasing gold from my cousin—he has gold shop-twenty rupees per tolā, first-class gold. Now it is six hundred rupees per tolā. (break) ...in those days thirty rupees per month. For thirty rupees, clerical staff, if you increase thirty times, how much it comes?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Nine hundred.

Prabhupāda: Nine hundred rupees. So where the clerk is getting nine hundred rupees?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That is upper middle class.

Evening Darsana -- February 15, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: They are very glad.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Some of them come for thirds and fourths, regular customers.

Brahmānanda: Then they have a cart that goes on the street and keeps it hot.

Prabhupāda: Distribution.

Brahmānanda: Yes. I went to see it. Regularly people are coming. Even the taxi drivers.

Prabhupāda: Here also they are selling. They are paying sufficiently, khicuṛi and other, and they prepare very nice. This should be continued, prasāda distribution.

Room Conversation -- February 18, 1977, Mayapura:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Restaurant and prasādam carts, and we're getting good profit from it.

Prabhupāda: We can do everywhere the same.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Here we're doing.

Prabhupāda: Yes. No, here also, in India. That is very good, honest.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. And it's very spiritual. There is no contamination there.

Prabhupāda: Now in Hyderabad we have got the farm. We can produce ghee and grains and make restaurant.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In Hyderabad.

Prabhupāda: City.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Especially the location of our temple is so first class.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Evening Darsana -- February 24, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: They oppose our Ratha-yātrā.

Jayatīrtha: Our Ratha-yātrā, yes. I don't think they'll ever stop opposing. This year when I went to the Ratha-yātrā, when we had the Ratha-yātrā, I saw that their feeling is so strong about it I don't think they'll ever let us have a good cart on that route. I wish they would, but I don't think they will. They told us that they only way they'll let us have a big car is if we change the route. So actually that's one thing I wanted to discuss with you while I was here, whether... If we had the Ratha-yātrā in the Indian district, like Wembley...

Prabhupāda: No.

Jayatīrtha: Then we could have a big cart.

Prabhupāda: No.

Evening Darsana -- February 24, 1977, Mayapura:

Jayatīrtha: The trouble is, with a small cart, people are not very attracted to the Ratha-yātrā.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Jayatīrtha: With a small cart there's nothing so exciting about the Ratha-yātrā that people will come for miles, at least English people. They won't come just to see this small cart. In San Francisco these three huge carts makes it so exciting and colorful that people come just to see the carts.

Prabhupāda: They will not allow.

Evening Darsana -- February 24, 1977, Mayapura:

Jayatīrtha: Well, that argument won't work on the British bureaucracy. There hasn't been any accident in the past, nor in the future there will be any accident. They... Simply they don't want a big cart.

Prabhupāda: But Wembley quarter is not good.

Jayatīrtha: No, that quarter is not so good. There may be other quarters where they'd do it, but...

Hṛdayānanda: New Dvārakā comes down to(?) San Francisco.

Prabhupāda: We can make another Ratha-yātrā from Bhaktivedanta Manor to Wembley and other places.

Jayatīrtha: Hm. Actually we were thinking to have... If we kept a small cart and had Ratha-yātrās, one in London, one in around Birmingham area, there's a lot of Hindus in that area that will come. One in the north around...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Jayatīrtha: ...Liverpool-Manchester area.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That will be nice. Take the Ratha-yātrā along—we have this bus program—do publicity with the bus program, and then, at the end of the month, have a Ratha-yātrā somewhere in the city. I think if we keep the small cart, do at least three Ratha-yātrās this summer... Our big car is there?

Jayatīrtha: It's still standing.

Prabhupāda: So that we can move? No, that will not be possible.

Evening Darsana -- February 24, 1977, Mayapura:

Hṛdayānanda: There's no place in London where you can do big carts?

Jayatīrtha: It depends. In the Hindu quarters I don't think they could stop us. But in other quarters they would.

Prabhupāda: The Watsford area there are many Hindus.

Jayatīrtha: Few in Watsford. Mostly down by Wembley, which is not very far from Watsford. It's only three stops on the tube. I think they may let us do a big cart there. And in other cities they may also. We just came to this idea recently to do them in other cities, because especially in the Mid... It's called the Midlands. There is Leicester and Coventry and many cities with many Hindus there. And those people up in those cities, sometimes they're more pious than the London Hindus. They're very... One of our life membership makers in the north made twenty-four members in two weeks.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Jayatīrtha: In the north they're very active there, and they're very anxious for some interest by us for them. Anyway, at least we could have three smaller Ratha-yātrās this year in different places.

Prabhupāda: Simply by Ratha-yātrā, you can attract many people. So still we are going to that Trafalgar Square?

Jayatīrtha: Yes. It's hard, though.

Evening Darsana -- February 24, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: The crowd is the same? No. Diminished.

Jayatīrtha: Well, the crowd that's in Trafalgar Square is mostly there already. That's the thing, because there's always people in Trafalgar Square. So when the Ratha-yātrā comes they stay and they make benefit by ajñāta-sukṛti. But the number of people that are out in the parade is not very great. I've been thinking how it can be increased, because they keep us in one small lane about as wide as this room along this road, and they make you have this small cart, and the people are spread out for so long. A lot of Hindus come, but sometimes they are so far away from the cart it's hard to keep the kīrtana very nice, so they can't see the Deities. And after being in San Francisco for so many years at the Ratha-yātrā, I didn't feel so enthusiastic. That San Francisco festival is so elevated, so wonderful. Therefore I was thinking that if we could move it...

Hṛdayānanda: (indistinct)

Jayatīrtha: Not in the same way.

Pañcadraviḍa: Do we use like a marching band in the Ratha-yātrā? If we used a marching band, a lot of people come, like a parade, like they use in the parades with trumpets and drums and all these things.

Prabhupāda: I think you can introduce in Africa also. (laughter)

Room Conversation First Day in Juhu Quarters -- March 30, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Money's, Kṛṣṇa's supplying; so there is no question of scarcity. Finish it as soon as possible. There is no question of money supply. Yes. So Lokanātha Swami, your bullock cart program, how it is going on?

Lokanātha: I have got just one letter from them when I was in Vṛndāvana. They were doing good, but there was not enough men with them. I left five boys when I left Māyāpur for Vṛndāvana. One of the boys, when he came to know that I am not traveling, he decided not to go. And one other boy was approached and was asked to stay in Māyāpur. So there are only three boys on the bullock cart.

Prabhupāda: Nobody is joining?

Lokanātha: Yeah, the boys who are on the party, they are confident that in Bengal they should get some more boys to join. That's what they wrote to me. So I did not get any more reports. They are pretty good boys, they should be doing...

Prabhupāda: It is difficult to make one devotee. That is... Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3). So if two, three men are there, that is sufficient for preaching also. You have to sit down any place and chant, and people will join. Local men. Not permanently, but at least to continue chanting.

Morning Conversation -- May 29, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So not selling?

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

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

Gargamuni: I just feel...

Prabhupāda: No.

Gargamuni: ...that so many books are there I have not distributed yet. I will print more and...

Prabhupāda: No, no. This will come out. Very good idea. Sell.

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

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, very much. Because vegetarian is becoming now a very popular thing. People are thinking that it is more healthy to eat vegetarian. They call it health food. It's called health food. In fact, they have places called "health food bar." Instead of getting a whiskey, they get carrot juice, like that. People come... They comes sometimes just for one glass of juice. They'll pay dollar and a half, any price. They'll pay anything in America. If you know how to sell it, you can ask any price. Now, this month of June, now the prasādam carts will be doing more and more, all day long, because New York...

Prabhupāda: No, I have seen. They are always busy. Always.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In our New York building we have two elevators. And that impresses people when they come there to see. If you own a building with two elevators in it, it's a big thing.

Prabhupāda: It goes up to the roof.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. And the roof is quite nice. When the viewers see...

Prabhupāda: Very nice.

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

Prabhupāda: That land we have got. Now you can make permanent.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There's a saying in English, "Don't put the cart before the horse."

Prabhupāda: Very first-class place.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually, Śrīla Prabhupāda, that building is built better than the Māyāpur building was built.

Prabhupāda: (indistinct-bad tape) Others, that we are purchasing, one. Otherwise, the idea was (indistinct-bad tape).

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This is four buildings, joined together.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- July 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: It was very successful.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You even danced on the cart that year. Because the cart could not pass under the tunnel, so instead you stood up and got everybody dancing. Twice you stood up.

Prabhupāda: Now they are demonstrating something else. Let them make their...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Demonstrating?

Prabhupāda: That space? They're making some huts.

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

Prabhupāda: And so beautiful printing, picture and... The beginning was three hundred, and Gargamuni, he took away somebody's hand cart.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He what?

Prabhupāda: It was on the street.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He took a hand cart.

Prabhupāda: And he was putting the magazines on the hand cart, selling near cinema and other crowded places. That is very good... So it was a hard struggle in the beginning.

Mr. Myer: The article of this, especially with the head of London Times and other people, they're very good. Lots of people asking all sorts of questions about them.

Prabhupāda: No, our Bengali... Bhagavāner-kathā, they have been very much appreciated. How many they'll sell?

Bhakti-caru: We printed, last issue, thirty thousand issues here.

Prabhupāda: Just see.

Room Conversation With Son (Vrindavan De) -- July 5, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They never get tired of trying.

Prabhupāda: Yes. They think by changing the body... (microphone moving) ...demigod's... That is called mṛtyu-saṁsāra. The facility is in that you have to die, you have to take again birth and again begin the same tasting, āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunam. No improvement of taste but improvement of the container. If you go by bullock cart and if you go by motorcar, the transport is the same. But we are thinking, "Now we have improved scientific." That's all. First of all improve that you'll not die. Because you are eternal. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). So where is that improvement? That improvement is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma (BG 4.9).

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

Prabhupāda: Oh!

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Look how nicely they've done. It says, "Serving Kṛṣṇa in the Land of Transcendental Bliss." Ox cart, cooking, Kulādri cooking in a big pot, cows, milking. Here they have all the people working on it.

Prabhupāda: Very nice.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Light of the Bhāgavata." It's a lecture by you. These are original illustrations.

Prabhupāda: Very good.

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

Prabhupāda: And they shifted very organizedly. The cows, tuck bag, then the guards with bows and arrows, then old men, women, children in carts.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They were in carts.

Prabhupāda: Yes. By procession...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The early pioneers in America, they would also go in the wagons, covered wagons. Now I understand we have one wagon going in America. It's heading towards Washington under the banner of "Simple Living and High Thinking." That will be unique.

Prabhupāda: And everywhere, how they were well dressed, well fed, and rich in milk products. When called, people, the brāhmaṇas give in charity cows, not at all poor.

Room Conversation -- November 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So you come at four, have kīrtana (?). (break) I wish that you GBC manage very nicely and consider I am dead and let me try to travel all the tīrthasthāna. Without any responsibility. If I become recovered from this malady I shall come back and then I shall die in, what is it when the dead body is there, let them bring to Māyāpur and Vṛndāvana. I am thinking in this way. Bring little medicine and no medicine, little milk, and travel one place to another and if there is death, what is the lamentation? My age is ripe. In the open air and bullock cart or during daytime, eh? Or you can say semi-suicide, although living what consider me dead for the time. You manage and nowadays there is in India ample sunshine. So during daytime I shall travel and nighttime you make a camp under a tree. In this way let me travel all the tīrthas. I am thinking in this way. What is your opinion?

Bhavānanda: Śrīla Prabhupāda, we promise that we'll manage everything to the best of our ability.

Prabhupāda: No, no, you are managing, I know, but you are all important men and unnecessarily you are bound up. You cannot go. So Lokanātha party has got some experience and let me go. In India the climate is now good. If I recover, it is very good. You know. So what is the wrong? If I die, then the body will be brought either in Vṛndāvana or Māyāpur, that's all. And if I live, it will be a great end of a life. You are all experienced.

Room Conversation -- November 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: No, no, bus will be not good. Bullock cart.

Bhavānanda: Bullock cart.

Jayapatākā: That is very bumpy.

Bhavānanda: Your Guru Mahārāja used to have bullock cart travel from Hulorghat (on the bank of the Ganges in Māyāpur) up to the Caitanya Maṭha. You told me you put a nice mattress down in the back and a cover, and you lay down there. You even told me once to go to Calcutta that way. You lay down, at night; you go little bit, little bit; and in the morning, when you wake up, you're in Calcutta.

Prabhupāda: Bullock, you get the cow dung.

Room Conversation -- November 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He has gone out for renting the bullock cart.

Prabhupāda: Oh. (Hindi)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Lokanātha says that the bullock cart could probably go around Vṛndāvana in about five to six hours, parikramming Vṛndāvana town.

Prabhupāda: Make an experiment. Then we shall decide.

Room Conversation -- November 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Haṁsadūta: Does it mean that Your Divine Grace will come on the experiment, or we should go without Your Divine Grace and experiment?

Prabhupāda: Why?

Jayapatākā: See if the road is very rough, if the road is passable by bullock cart the whole way.

Prabhupāda: Bullock cart is not smooth.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Bullock cart is not smooth. How would you propose that we go, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Come, let us take the risk.

Room Conversation -- November 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Not four, five, six...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's how long it takes to go around Vṛndāvana by bullock cart. It takes three hours walking at a good pace, and it takes at least five or six hours, Lokanātha says, by bullock cart. How...? We couldn't even go a half hour just around this temple.

Prabhupāda: No, I traveled. It takes two hours in the morning.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Walking.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- November 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But not by bullock cart. That's when a man walks very quickly you can do it in two hours, but by bullock cart it will take five hours. We have... You had difficulty even doing a half-hour parikrama around this temple. You became very faint. Whether you think that you can go five hours in a row?

Prabhupāda: From Mādhava Mahārāja's Maṭha, bring Kṛṣṇa dāsa Bābājī.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We should bring Kṛṣṇa dāsa Bābājī here? Okay.

Prabhupāda: And Indu.

Bhakti-caru: Indu-mati Prabhu?

Prabhupāda: Indu-mati.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Indu-mati.

Prabhupāda: Then talk.

Room Conversation -- November 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But the idea is that... According to him... I mean, obviously we're all conditioned, and... I mean, he's not claiming not to be a conditioned soul either, but according to him, going on this bullock cart is a suicide. He said within an hour or two hours, the bouncing and jumbling of the bullock cart will cause a heart attack. Just like you were having heart..., a little heart spasm the other day, just laying in bed two days ago. He says this going in a bullock cart, up and down, within one, two hours it can cause heart attack. So as his treatment has been better at least than any other doctor, and certain symptoms have improved, why are we giving up his advice? If you say his advice is wrong, then there's no comment, but all along, his advice seems to have been more accurate than any other doctors that we've had. I mean we who are closely around you, Śrīla Prabhupāda, your servants, secretary, our opinion of him is far superior than our opinion of any of these others. I see that he's able to take care of one symptom after another somewhat successfully. He's able to deal with these problems. He can deal with the problem of not enough urine...

Prabhupāda: That I know.

Room Conversation -- November 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So what do you think?

Lokanātha: Of what?

Prabhupāda: How many carts you have?

Lokanātha: I got just one today, one for you, and those who serve you, they could also sit besides you in the cart, and the rest could do kīrtana around the bullock cart, and the whole unit, bullock cart and saṅkīrtana group, will move together.

Prabhupāda: So what we have to pay?

Lokanātha: We'll pay hundred rupees, one day. Of course, you want to have it for all the time. Best thing is to purchase a set of bullocks, two bullocks, and a cart.

Prabhupāda: You have got experience.

Room Conversation -- November 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Hundreds rupees and food.

Lokanātha: No. He has his food for himself and bullocks. So that's for the cart, two bullocks and the driver.

Prabhupāda: That's nice.

Lokanātha: Yes. This is what they earn for living. Usually they carry different loads from place to another place. Each trip they take twenty rupees, thirty rupees, fifty rupees, according to distance and the load they carry. But it's expensive to keep it for many days.

Prabhupāda: No. If it is inconvenient, we may not keep.

Lokanātha: If it is convenient?

Prabhupāda: Then we shall keep.

Room Conversation -- November 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, all the devotees want to go, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Oh, that's nice.

Haṁsadūta: That's nice?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah.

Prabhupāda: So how many carts you require?

Pañca-draviḍa: Just one.

Lokanātha: One for now. We also had a meeting, and we were discussing that if we go around just in Vṛndāvana, all will go. But if we keep going from holy place to holy place, then we have to decide whether everyone goes or just a few of us go.

Prabhupāda: So you are hiring for how many days?

Lokanātha: This is only for one day it is hired now, but we could continue to hire the same cart for several more days by paying extra money.

Prabhupāda: Hm. Tamāla Kṛṣṇa?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Our experiment...

Room Conversation -- November 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Lokanātha: This Vṛndāvana parikrama is mainly for walking and circumambulating. It's not meant for going in a vehicle, motor vehicle or bullock cart.

Haṁsadūta: Suppose we would go to Keśī-ghāṭa or one of the important temples like Govindajī.

Lokanātha: Those are seven temples.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, another possibility is to go to the places where the main temples are, Śrīla Prabhupāda, the Gosvāmīs' temples.

Haṁsadūta: Tomorrow is Govardhana-pūjā, and a procession through the city of Vṛndāvana would be very ecstatic.

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Pañca-draviḍa: One parade.

Prabhupāda: Others will come also.

Room Conversation -- November 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Bhakti-caru: Lokanātha Swami, you apparently didn't get one question of Prabhupāda. He asked what do you think about this trip. You didn't answer that. You have some experience with bullock carts. What do you think? In this condition Śrīla Prabhupāda will withstand the trip? You know in what condition Prabhupāda is in now.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Bullock cart are usually very bumpy.

Devotee: This has rubber tires.

Lokanātha: If these roads are not bad, and the cart has tire wheels...

Prabhupāda: Yes?

Lokanātha: So we're discussing bumping, so won't be much bumping on the cart. Also, we always could go slow. If Prabhupāda wants to make an experiment, we could make one day...

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: A few hours.

Prabhupāda: I am thinking I am lying here... (break)

Lokanātha: ...should ride in very nice carts, a chariot.

Prabhupāda: No, (indistinct). (laughter)

Lokanātha: I saw one in Maharastra. In Poona. Yes.

Prabhupāda: Hm. You can purchase immediately. (laughter)

Room Conversation -- November 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Therefore I sent you. You have got already experience.

Lokanātha: You said you want to make an experiment, so let us make an experiment with this hired bullock cart, and in few days' time...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So where will we go tomorrow if we go?

Prabhupāda: Govardhana?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Govardhana.

Room Conversation -- November 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's quite a big experiment to make, going to Govardhana the first day, Śrīla Prabhupāda. You feel confident that you can travel nine hours in a row on a bullock cart?

Prabhupāda: I am sleeping here.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Lokanātha: He says he's sleeping here.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But this is not a bullock cart.

Prabhupāda: The same thing.

Room Conversation -- November 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So let us make experiment. Don't hesitate.

Pañca-draviḍa: So we can fix up the cart tonight.

Haṁsadūta: Where's the cart? Outside?

Pañca-draviḍa: It's coming.

Lokanātha: It will reach at eleven o'clock here. So I suggest right after maṅgala-ārati we'll go, or we should start.

Prabhupāda: As far as possible, take me in a comfortable position. That's all. As far as possible.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Comfortable position.

Prabhupāda: That...

Pañca-draviḍa: Arrange one bed on the cart. This mattress can go in nice arrangement.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- November 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Keep that palanquin.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Keep the palanquin on the cart?

Prabhupāda: Cart?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Palanquin.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Where should we keep it? With us on the cart?

Prabhupāda: Carry it.

Room Conversation -- November 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Lokanātha: That cart could be turned into house. Have bamboo sticks, cover it with...

Prabhupāda: So begin to plan.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: I think Lokanātha Swami should make the route, completely planned out, and the place also where we're going to picnic so that everything has to be arranged well ahead of time.

Prabhupāda: So do it.

Pañca-draviḍa: Yes, we'll prepare the cart tonight, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Lokanātha: When we started the bullock cart you said, "Go to the heart of the village," and we said, "What is this heart?" You said, "Wherever there is well, water, we should camp. We should stay." That is where we could remain clean.

Prabhupāda: That you have experience. I have no experience.

Lokanātha: Maybe you sent me to experience this bullock cart program so that you could...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Lokanātha: ...in future go on bullock cart.

Prabhupāda: For me it is experiment.

Room Conversation -- November 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So many well-wishers, I cannot refuse. This is not my business. (Bengali) All right. You take Bābājī Mahārāja. That will be my going. (laughter)

Kṛṣṇa dāsa Bābājī: Jaya.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, the bullock cart will go tomorrow.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: To Govardhana.

Prabhupāda: Yes, other devotees can go. I cannot go.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, they'll go on your behalf, but you will go one day. That we promise you.

Prabhupāda: All right.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Our greatest pleasure will be to take you on tīrtha-yātrā, Śrīla Prabhupāda. We wanted so much to go with you on that.

Prabhupāda: Thank you very much.

Room Conversation -- November 13, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ...the bullock cart to Vṛndāvana. You were thinking to travel again, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Not now.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Some pain? Oh, here he is. Here's Lokanātha, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Lokanātha?

Lokanātha: Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: You are coming back?

Lokanātha: Yes, we came back from saṅkīrtana. We had kīrtana in the town, Vṛndāvana, Loi Bazaar and Banke Bihārī temple, that route. We had a bullock cart filled in with Gurukula school children, and there was a big group of devotees chanting and dancing in front of the cart, and there was also van, making announcement, inviting people for our afternoon program of ārati, kīrtana, and prasādam distribution.

Prabhupāda: So go.

Page Title:Cart (Conversations)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Mayapur, Labangalatika
Created:04 of Aug, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=104, Let=0
No. of Quotes:104