The life, the aim of life is to realize God. This is human life. But they are so much embarrassed with this uncontrollable senses that they are going to the darkest region of material existence. Adānta-gobhiḥ. Adānta means uncontrolled. They cannot control the senses. They have become so unfortunate that simple thing, little effort, little austerity, to control the senses. The yoga process means to control the senses. Yoga does not mean that you show some magic. The magic, magician also can show magic. We have seen one magician, he created immediately so much coins—tung tung tung tung. Next moment it is all finished. So the life, they're missing the aim of life. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayaḥ. Why? Manda-bhāgyāḥ. They are unfortunate. So you take it for granted. We are trying, even our Kṛṣṇa consciousness mission, we are trying to awaken. Still they are so unfortunate they cannot give up sense gratification. So unfortunate. Condemned, unfortunate. Repeatedly we are spending our gallons of blood—"Don't do this"—still they are doing. Cannot give up even sleeping. So condemned. Kali-yuga. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayaḥ.
Coins (Lect., Conv. and Letters)
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Some way or other, these Rūpa and Sanātana contacted Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and they retired from their service and joined. And after all, they became the most important leaders of this movement, Rūpa and Sanātana. Now, this Rūpa and Sanātana, when they retired from their service, they brought home gold coins. At that time there was no currency notes. Actual value gold coins were in... Now, that gold coins was about two and a half ounce weight. Just like imagine what is the value now, whatever it may be. That means the estimation is some millions of rupees they brought home after their retirement. And they divided the money in this way: 50% for God... Whatever they accumulated, they set aside 50% for God or God's service. God means God's service. God is not want of your money. (chuckles) He is quite competent to earn money. He doesn't require anything.
Mercury. Yes. (chuckles) Yes. Mercury. They eat mercury. They eat mercury, and after, the next morning, they pass urine, and in that urine they put some copper coins, just like you have got, cents. And when it is heated, the copper coins becomes gold. And it is a chemical, theoretical truth that the mercury, molecules of mercury, the molecules of gold are almost similar. Only one molecule is different. So mercury can be turned into gold. That is a chemical fact. And we have got information from Vedic scripture that formerly gun metal, gun metal mixed with mercury, could be transformed into gold. So these are some of the chemical process, physical process, which is being done by scientific advancement of knowledge. There are many yogis who can do by yogic power. Just like by physical process...
The same thing just we have explained before, that the results should be given to God. Just like Rūpa Gosvāmī. Rūpa Gosvāmī... The other day I cited the example. When they retired, they brought home two boats full of gold coins, millions of rupees. But before retirement they spent 50 percent of the accumulation of wealth for God's cost. And 25 percent he distributed to the relatives. They also expect some money. And 25 percent they kept in the bank for personal needs in some extraordinary times. So here Kṛṣṇa also said that saktāḥ karmaṇy avidvāṁsaḥ. Just like fool, those who are after sense gratification, as they are working with full attachment, that "I must have this money. I must accumulate this bank balance and so on, so on," so similarly, yathā kurvanti bhārata, as they devote, similarly, vidvāṁs... Vidvān means learned also may work in that way, but he would spend the money in such a way that is example. That is example. That example—"Oh, such a big man, such a rich man. He distributed his money..." Just like Rūpa Gosvāmī. He distributed his money like this. Oh.
Why don't you be intelligent—"Why shall I take the piece of paper? Give me food"? But that intelligence you have lost. Therefore my Guru Mahārāja used to say the present human society is combination of cheaters and cheated, that's all. No intelligent person. Formerly money was gold and silver coins. It had some value. But what is the present currency? Simply piece of paper. Bunch of papers. During the last war the government failed in Germany, and these bunch of papers were thrown in the street. Nobody was caring. Nobody was caring.
So our civilization is based on that way. You require food. That's fact. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, annād bhavanti bhūtāni (BG 3.14). You produce your food. Anywhere you can produce your food. The land is enough land. In Australia you have got enough land. In Africa you have enough land, uncultivated. No. They'll not produce food. They will produce coffee and tea and slaughter animals.
Therefore Rūpa Gosvāmī, the example, when he wanted to retire from family life, he gave 50% to Kṛṣṇa. He was very rich man. After retirement he brought one full load of boat, golden coins. Just imagine the value. What is the price of gold coin now? I think there is no gold coin at the present moment. It is all finished. Now it is paper coins. (chuckles) This is going on. But even five hundred years ago or four hundred years ago there were gol... Not four hundred years ago, in our childhood, we have seen gold mohor, guinea. They were used in practical use. And silver coins, gold coins, we saw. But now it is, everything, paper. So we are so advanced that there is no more gold and silver.
So anyway, cintām aparimeyāṁ ca, that should be transferred to kṛṣṇa-cintā. Satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ (BG 9.14). If you always be busy in glorifying or chanting the holy name of the Lord, then your cintā, anxiety, is transferred. By same cintā... Cintā will go on; you cannot stop it.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Why shall I go to guru? I do not find any guru."
These things are current very much. "It may be there is no guru." Not at all. You cannot say that. Just like there are imitation coin. You have met with some imitation coins. That does not mean there is no real coin. You are unfortunate. You met with imitation coins. So don't make that calculation that "There is no real coin, all imitation coin." That is nonsense. There is imitation coin, and there is real coin. It is up to you to find out which is the real and which is the imitation.
So Bhāgavata gives you direction that "If you are actually serious about finding out a guru..." Who requires a guru? Who requires? Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta (SB 11.3.21). One should surrender unto guru. Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. One who is inquisitive to understand the transcendental knowledge... The ordinary man does not require to search out the guru to find out astrology: "Guruji, kindly tell me what will be the price next...?" Not that guru. Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. One who is serious to understand about the transcendental knowledge.
So only thing is that you get money some way or other. Then you can pass on as a nice gentleman, polished. You keep yourself always polished, and within you may be full with all dirty things, but if you have got your pockets filled up with coins and notes, then you are nice. Formerly it was not like that. One must be qualified. Varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ.
Vibhāgaśaḥ. There must be division. But people are very much anxious to make classless society, no division. And that is Kṛṣṇa consciousness society. We have no such division. Division means under the jurisdiction of the three modes of material nature. That is division. Otherwise, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, these divisions are calculated when one is under the control of the material nature. But if you become devotee, the material nature has no more any control over you.
Therefore sannyāsa. Sannyāsa means simply possess Kṛṣṇa and no other possessions. That is niṣkiñcana. You have to possess something. Suppose you have got something, one copper coin or silver coin. So if you dispossess, if you throw it away, then what is the gain. Whatever you had, gone. But if you throw the copper coin, or the silver coin, and if you accept a gold coin, then you are profited. Then it is profit. So niṣkiñcana, to simply become niṣkiñcana, renounced of everything... Just like Māyāvādī sannyāsīs. They do... Brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. Yes. But brahma satyam, they do not understand what is the actual satya-vastu. That satya-vastu is Bhagavān. They do not search after Bhagavān; simply the light, effulgence of Bhagavān, brahmajyoti. They are satisfied. (yelling in background) (aside:) What is that, trouble? Stop them.
This kind of education will not help us because our sufferings are different. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9).
So this Sanātana Gosvāmī, I was speaking to you. He was minister. He had enough money. When he retired, he came to home bringing money with him, one big boat full with golden coins. Just imagine. Big, big coins in those days. Aseraphee.(?) It is... At that time it was eighty rupees worth. Now there is no gold. Where is aseraphee.(?) It is paper only. One-rupee note. So, so Sanātana Gosvāmī, in those days... Even we have seen in our childhood in India, there was gold coins available, any number you want. People used to purchase this guinea gold for making ornament. We have seen it. There was no... Now you cannot get this guinea gold. So that is all finished. So Sanātana Gosvāmī was very rich man. Still, he's asking Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu that grāmya-vyavahāre paṇḍita tāi satya māni: "These foolish villagers, or my neighbor men, they call me 'Paṇḍitajī.'
You, somehow or other you gather this paper, and there will be competition and the price will increase. This is the economy. Because they have got false money, therefore there is false increment of price. Bad money. Gresham's theory: "Bad money drives away good money." As soon as there is bad money, this paper currency, the coin, gold coins and silver coins, they are finished, they are no more.
So hṛdaya-granthi, we are, how we are becoming tied up between so-called one heart to another. Ataḥ gṛha, first of all attachment for man and woman, then attachment for the apartment, gṛha, then land, gṛha-kṣetra, then suta, children, then āpta, friends, society, friendship, love. Suta, āpta, then vitta, money. In this way we increase our, the knot, one after another. One knot, two knots, three knots, fourth knot, it is going on. And self-realization means opening the knots, opening the knots. The knots began like that. Janasya moho yam ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8).
Just like today, 15th March, 1968, now it is half past seven or past seven, thirty-five. Now this 1968, 7:35, gone, as soon as it is 7:36, you cannot bring back that 1968, 15th March, evening, 7:35, again. Even if you pay millions of dollars, "Please come back again," no, finished. So Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says that "Time is so valuable that if you pay millions of golden coins, you cannot get back even a moment." What is lost is lost for good. Na cen nirarthakaṁ nītiḥ: "If you such valuable time spoil for nothing, without any profit," na ca hānis tato 'dhikā, "just imagine how much you are losing, how greatly you are loser." The thing which you cannot get back by paying millions of dollars, if that is lost for nothing, how much you are losing, just imagine.
A moralist who knows śāstra, he will also advise, just like Cāṇakya Paṇḍita. I was saying, Cāṇakya Paṇḍita said, āyuṣaḥ kṣaṇa eko 'pi na labhyaḥ svarṇa-koṭibhiḥ. Formerly there was exchange for... Means of exchange was coins, gold mohan(?). Even in India, even in Muhammadan, there was gold. Not this paper, cheating: "I give you money, one thousand rupees, some paper. That's all." Where is money? But people are satisfied. "Yes, I have got one thousand rupees. It is written there. That's all." But actually money is the gold, gold exchange. So therefore Cāṇakya Paṇḍita said... This means at that time there was gold coin exchange. Even in our childhood we have seen in India there was coins, gold coins, silver coins, everywhere, all over the world. In England there was pound, gold coin. So Cāṇakya Paṇḍita said, svarṇa-koṭibhiḥ. Svarṇa means gold coins, and koṭi means ten millions. So suppose today is 6th December. Now seven o'clock, morning, seven o'clock, 6th December, passed. Can you bring it again by paying one crores of gold coins? Hm? That "Let me get back again seven o'clock, 6th December, 1975, again"? No. It is gone forever.
We have forgotten... The modern civilization has... In your country I was reading a little history that in 1813 or some year the government introduced that "We trust in God," "Trust in God," and that was declared by the secretary to be published on the coins or on the paper currency, and we see sometimes. But simply trust in God is not sufficient. We must know what is God. Trusting something oblivion, something fantasy, that is no trust. You must know where to put your trust. That is Bhagavad-gītā. You have to know this, what is God. You simply believe in God... Faith in God is very nice. That is said then the... Very nice. It is better than godless person, that one who believes in God. That is all right. So this writing, that "We trust in God," it is very good. It is better than the communist countries, who say, "We do not trust in God." It is better. But simply official writing or trust will not do. We have to understand. And if you want to understand God, then this is the movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. There is no other alternative.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
Lord Caitanya met the two brothers, Dabira Khāsa and Sākara Mallika in a village known as Rāmakeli in the district known as Maldah, and after that meeting the brothers decided to retire from government service and join Lord Caitanya. Sakara Mallika, who was later to become Rūpa Gosvāmī, retired from his post and collected all the money he had accumulated during his service. It is described in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta that his accumulated savings in gold coins equaled millions of dollars and filled a large boat. He divided the money in a very exemplary manner, which should be followed by devotees in particular and by humanity in general. Fifty percent of his accumulated wealth was distributed to the Kṛṣṇa conscious persons, namely the brāhmaṇas and the Vaiṣṇavas. Twenty-five percent was distributed to relatives. And twenty-five percent was kept against emergency expenditures and personal difficulties. Later on when Dabira Khāsa also proposed to retire, the Nawab was very much agitated and put him into jail. But Dabira Khāsa who was later to become..."
So these Māyāvādīs, they coin words by grammatical jugglery. This word may be meant, may be meaning like this. They're all grammatical jugglery. Then nyāya jugglery. So they take advantage of this jugglery. Kṛṣṇa is not subjected to this jugglery of words. Kṛṣṇa keeps always His independence, and if you fulfill the condition, if you surrender unto Him, then He will be revealed unto you. Not by your jugglery of words. That is not possible.
Festival Lectures
Rūpa Gosvāmī first resigned..., not officially resigned, because he was very much eager to meet Caitanya Mahāprabhu, so he first of all retired. And then Sanātana Gosvāmī, later on, he wanted to resign in a tactful way, but the Nawab did not like the idea. So he was imprisoned at his house. No, he was actually imprisoned. And later on, Sanātana Gosvāmī bribed ten thousand gold coins to the jail superintendent and got out of the prison house and went to meet Caitanya Mahāprabhu at Benares.
So when he met, he very humbly approached and he said, "My dear Lord, I am born of lower family." Actually, he was born of a sārasvata-brāhmaṇa family, but because he associated with the mlecchas and yavanas, the Muhammadans, so they were rejected from the brāhmaṇa community, and therefore he represented himself as having born of a lower family. "My associations are all abominable." Ordinary men, especially he was mixing with the Mohammedans, they were habituated to drinking, meat-eating, which have become a fashion in the gentleman's society nowadays. So he considered himself as fallen.
There are many examples. Just like Rūpa Gosvāmī. Rūpa Gosvāmī is the direct disciple of Lord Caitanya. When he retired from his service—he was government minister—oḥ, he brought home golden coins, full, a boat full, full of gold. Now, just imagine how much the amount was. But he divided like this: fifty percent of his accumulated wealth, he spent for Kṛṣṇa. There are many expenditure for Kṛṣṇa. If you ask, "How we can spend for Kṛṣṇa?" this society for Kṛṣṇa conscious give you very nice program. If you have got millions of dollars to spend, we can give you program. Unfortunately, we are not getting. But our program is ready. For Kṛṣṇa consciousness we can spend any amount of money. So Rūpa Gosvāmī, he gave fifty percent to the persons who are working for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Twenty-five percent he gave to his relatives, because they expect something. If I am a family man, I have got my children, my wife. So they expect something. So they must be given—but twenty-five percent, not all.
Arrival Addresses and Talks
So anything pure will attract. That is natural. Pure love, pure foodstuff, anything pure. Pure gold. In economics also. It is said, "Bad money drives away good money." If you put bad money, just like nowadays the currency is some paper, paper currency, so drives away good money. Good money means gold coins. They are not to be seen. That's economic law. As soon as you put bad money, the good money will vanish.
So try to present Kṛṣṇa as He is. People will be attracted, because everyone has got Kṛṣṇa's intimate relationship. We are all part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, mamaivāṁso jīva bhūta (BG 15.7), all living entities, not only human being, other than human being, everyone, all living entities. They have got different bodies only, according to their different desires and inclinations. Otherwise, every living entity from..., beginning from Brahma down to an insect, a small ant, they are all living entities, and they are all parts and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, or God. We are all part and parcel of God. Therefore, just like you are part and parcel of your parent, so there is some intimate relationship with your parents. It cannot be broken, even if you are absent from home for many years.
And the Bengali saying, dhula mati bhatta kare mata (?): "They are catching dust and it is turning into coin." This proverb is there, dhula mati bhatta kare mato. He is thinking that I am taking some dust, but when it is in hand, it is coin. That is good time. And when it is bad time, if you catch coin and when it is in your hand, it is dust. We should think that time may also come. Yes. Because after all, it is Kṛṣṇa's desire, turn dust into coin, to turn coin into dust. So we should be always careful. If we remain Kṛṣṇa conscious, then the coin will never turn into dust. Otherwise it can be turned. So you American, you are now full of coins. Before turning into dust, catch Kṛṣṇa with the coin. It will never turn into dust. It will remain coin. Hmm? I am very hopeful of the Americans. Because you are so nice devotees, you can keep your country coinful, no dustful. India is giving up Kṛṣṇa, and therefore they are turning into dust.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1972 Conversations and Morning Walks
Indian man: (Hindi) (referring to Sarasvatī) Don't eat that She is licking the...
Śyāmasundara: What, coins?
Indian man: No. Licking the (indistinct) also.
Prabhupāda: Oh, how you have come here?
Indian man (3): (indistinct)
Śyāmasundara: This is a new edition?
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Śyāmasundara: Oh, all the dogs are coming. (dogs barking) Is the driver here? There's the driver. Should we walk, or...
Prabhupāda: (Hindi with guest) (break) ...and how it is concerned, we can get many. The thing is, will he get his (indistinct).
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Rascals, they are thinking it is advancement. And if he goes to sell the plastic plates, nobody will pay even cent. But one of those metal plate, if he's in difficulty, he can get some money. This is scientific advancement. Instead of gold coins, now there is papers: "I trust in God. We trust in God." Cheating, "We trust in God." Take hundred dollars. And what is this hundred dollars? It is paper. "We trust in God." By the name of God, I give you. And it is scientific. That's all.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: They call it convenience.
Prabhupāda: Eh?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: They call it convenience.
Prabhupāda: Yes, convenience means going to hell. That's all. It is very convenient to go to hell. Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa. Everything synthetic. Cotton is disappearing.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Everything's artificial.
Prabhupāda: Does not take it.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes, he's also not good. And the one who takes up and says, "Whose coin is this?" Then he's good.
Prabhupāda: Yes, his service is better.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes, but how about the one who picks up and he doesn't find the owner of the coins but he offers to Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: No, he must find out. Because there are so many men, some of them must have lost that. So so far Kṛṣṇa's property is concerned, everyone knows, "This is Kṛṣṇa's property." There is no need of finding out. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). Just like everyone knows, "This is American state." Where is the difficulty to find out? That was an example, but so far things are concerned, we know that, as we know that this land belongs to the American state, similarly this is false. Actually, everything belongs to God. There is no difficulty to understand. You have not created this ocean. You have not created this land. You have created nothing. You are simply stealing. That is your business.
David Wynne: I'm making also the new coins for this country, and they were thinking of leaving off the words "Fin def," which means in Latin "Defender of the faith." And I refused to do it if they left that off the coin. Because it's the most important. It means she's, it acknowledges that she is the, although it's only a tradition, but she's the defender of the faith of the people. And they were going... They said, "Oh, this is just now archaism." But I got them to keep it in. (pause) What I was going to ask was to praise, I feel, and I may be wrong... I was going to ask you. When I make a piece of sculpture of... The other day, I made two dancing figures. They were just a boy and a girl dancing. But I felt that this was praising God because these were as God, I tried to make them, as God had made them, and in joy and simple, but happy. And is this, is this presumptuous, or is this right, to try to praise the creation by making sculpture?
Prabhupāda: Oh yes.
David Wynne: That's all right.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Śrutakīrti: Yes, it will cost money.
Śyāmasundara: That's all right. We tried to sell your coin today, but it's only worth three or four pounds.
Prabhupāda: Well, that's not bad. (laughter) One rupee.
Śyāmasundara: Yeah. That's not bad for one rupee.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Just like...
Śyāmasundara: Prabhupāda has this mint 1935, 1835 rupee piece. Show it to him.
Prabhupāda: Indian rupee.
Śyāmasundara: Indian rupee. And we thought it might be pretty valuable. So old, more than one hundred years. We went to three places, they all said three, four pounds.
Prabhupāda: So highest bid, what was?
Śyāmasundara: He won a competition over many others for that privilege to make the coins. And his point was that the Queen Mother, the Queen on the coin, it should not be false representation. It should be... What was the...? You were telling us, that it should be as she is, depicted as she is. And they did not agree. But then he showed he, but then he showed them an old British coin. What year was it?
David Wynne: Yes. Well, Queen Elizabeth the First, a gold coin, very beautiful. And I said this was a work of art, and I showed them. It's a very beautiful thing. And I said, "I could do you one like that." So they... So I got the job. But he was very annoyed.
Śyāmasundara: East India Company, it says on here.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Śyāmasundara: So the coins were given out by the East India Company.
Śyāmasundara: Disguise. So we should sell it for any price?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Formerly, people could purchase any amount of coins from the currency.
Śyāmasundara: From who?
Prabhupāda: From the currency, government currency.
Śyāmasundara: Government.
Prabhupāda: Any amount of coins. In our childhood... Why our childhood? Even when we were young men, the Indians, generally, they like Guinea gold, British Guinea, what is called, pound?
Śyāmasundara: One pound, one shilling.
Prabhupāda: So in India it was available, any amount. You pay price and take. And they would melt it and make ornament, that Guinea gold. There was no restriction. You can purchase any amount.
Prabhupāda: That is their argument. Then what is the standard of that aspect? Just like in the material world we see, somebody richer than others. This is also aspect of material situation. So if one is millionaire, he is better than a person who has got a few coins. So similarly, your realization of God and my realization of God, different. So I may be greater realized than you. What do you say, theologian?
Prajāpati: Well, today, Prabhupāda most of the literature is written on subjects of death of God, an eclipse of God, the fact that the people in general, it's a secular society and no one is even discussing God.
Prabhupāda: That means they have failed. After discussing when they could not find out actually what is God, they have given up the idea. Failure.
Prajāpati: They think of it as actually a maturity. "We needed to talk about God when we were infants, and now we are advanced."
Prabhupāda: So maturity, you must give what is that standard God, if it is mature. Mature means you must give the real standard. That is mature. But if nobody of you can give the what is the real standard, then how it is mature? Bali Mardana Prabhu, what do you think? Mature means the final conclusion. Just like in scientific theory. All the scientists come into conclusion, "Yes, this is the..."
Prabhupāda: Well, something wrong was done; therefore everything is wrong. If somebody, he might have seen some counterfeit coin, does it mean the whole currency is counterfeit? You cannot say like that.
Nara-nārāyaṇa: The śūdra mentality does not know how to correct the situation. They try to make liberty for themselves without instituting real religion again. (break)
Prabhupāda: This idea also. Now there should be examination whether so-called brāhmaṇas, they are actually following the brāhmaṇa regulative principle and chanting the mantra regularly. Otherwise they should be converted again śūdra. If we become safe simply by having a thread and do not do properly, then what is this? This should be examined. Every individual should be asked, "Now chant this Gāyatrī-mantra." He must. Are they doing properly?
Prabhupāda: So you are going to carry the message to the government?
Prajāpati: Yes. Śrīla Prabhupāda. We're working on a...
Prabhupāda: That issue metal coin and the problem will be solved. But they will not take your advice.
Prajāpati: This is part of our platform. To even run for political office, we need solutions to the problems to offer as a platform. We will draw up various bills, ready for legislation, show them that we are serious.
Prabhupāda: So how you'll present it? The cheating process is going on. Unless you become God conscious, the cheating process will not stop. So there is no solution.
Prajāpati: So therefore we introduce bill into the schools to introduce God consciousness to all the children there.
Prabhupāda: Yes, because they can pay in this paper, the bank will advance. So as soon as you... You have to introduce this metal coins, value. The whole cheating scheme will fail.
Jagajjīvana: In the past there was a lot of gold on the planet. What has happened to it? There used to be a lot of gold on the planet?
Prabhupāda: Yes. They used as utensil, as household pots. Just like now you are advanced, using plastic, because you have become very advanced. So you are using plastic. They were using gold.
Jagajjīvana: So what has happened to that gold?
Prabhupāda: What happened? If you keep utensil at home, what happens? You eat nicely on the plate. That's all. Why you are concerned, what happening? It is in your store. That's all. And gold is such a metal, any part of the country, any part of the world you go, you get immediately value.
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Anna-vastra, anna-vastra-dhana. Charity means to give in charity anna and vastra and cows. (break) ...give in charity some paper, one hundred rupees. (laughs) Another cheating. And he is also satisfied, "One hundred rupees." What is this one hundred? It is a paper, a piece of paper. (break) ...earned, black market, white market. Because when one does business, he has to do it, but it should be purified. I have seen the Marwaris, they do that. Although when earning money, they don't care, they do anything, but they give in charity. (break) ...purify the body by taking bath, similarly, the wealth is purified by the charity process, giving it to the brāhmaṇas and Vaiṣṇavas. Just like Rūpa Gosvāmī. He accumulated much wealth. He brought in a big boat, all gold coins.
Prabhupāda: That is, means rascal. He does not see Kṛṣṇa's wonderful. If you want to see wonderful things, why don't you see the more wonderful things? But they are foolish; they are captivated with small wonderful things. That means less intelligent. Just like small children, they will be amazed by seeing small wonderful things, but his father will not be. What is the amazement, wonderful thing, Sai Baba has done? If he is creator of gold, then why he is doing business of incense? You know that? He has a big incense business exactly like us. He can create gold? Why there is incense business? (break) Caitanya Mahāprabhu used to give to His mother some gold when there was need of money. "Mother, I got this gold. So you can utilize it." The mother would think that "We are poor men, we have no gold. Wherefrom this boy brings gold?" So he (she) was doubtful because he (she) was thinking, "My son is mad, sometimes crazy." So he (she) would go, "Is it real gold? Just see." Then. "Yes, it is real gold." "Hm, how He got it?" You see. (break) ...many yogis, they make such gold for meeting their expenditures. Yes. Still in India they know how to make gold from copper. Yes. The process is they will drink mercury at night, and in the morning they will urine on the copper coins. And then, after some hours, the copper coins taken and put into the fire, it becomes gold.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: University education is simply to learn some art, materialistic art. It is not education. Education is different. Education is brahma-vidyā, self-realization. Therefore in politics the so-called leader, because there is no standard, they change government, revolution. Why? From nature's study we can see one tree is producing a particular type of fruit and flower. There is no revolution. It is standard. But these people, because they have no standard, they change every moment, every year. Nature's way—the sun is rising from the eastern side—that is standard. (chuckles) These rascals, they will say, "Let the sun rise from the north." It is childish, simply childish. "Eastern philosophers, Western..." What is this philosophy? Philosophy is philosophy. Why they talk of Eastern, Western?" Eastern sun, Western sun." Sun is always Eastern, never Western. How one can say, "Western sun?" (break) Just see. It is in the water, but the water is not over it. If the water increases, it also increases. See? There is no water on the leaf. Here you see. The water must be always down. (break) ...falling from the top of the Sumeru Hill, a big tree, and the juice, after falling down, turns into a river of mango juice. And the blackberries, they are just like the body of elephant and small seed. They also turn into river, Jambu-nada. And the both sides of the river, being moistened by the juice and dried by air and interacted by the sunshine, it becomes gold. And that gold is used for the denizens of heaven for their ornaments, helmets, bracelet, belt. Where is gold here? Paper. They cannot make even gold coins. They are reducing into poverty. In our childhood we have seen gold coin currency, silver coin. And now there is no such thing. Plastic. Paper and plastic. This is their advancement. Yes, it is a nice garden.
Prabhupāda: So we are recommending to chant the name of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa means all-attractive. So God is all-attractive. Otherwise how He can be God? God cannot be attractive for you and not for me. This is very accurate word. God has no name. That's a fact. But we coin His name according to His dealings. Just like we call God Yaśodā-nandana. So God came as the son of Yaśodā. Therefore we call Him Yaśodā-nandana, son of Yaśodā. So you can take it as name. Similarly, God's name the total summarization—"all-attractive." That is perfect name.
Reporter: Is this the same name that is spoken of in the Bible where it says "the word of God"?
Prabhupāda: Hmm? What is that?
Reporter: In the Bible it says "the word of God." Is that the same name that...
Prabhupāda: Yes, word is God. Kṛṣṇa is God. If you use this word Kṛṣṇa—because God is all-attractive—then immediately you associate with God. And if you associate with God, then you become purified.
Prabhupāda: ...be superintend when the garden opens. (break) ... saw the question, but he cannot answer. So he began to write words like this, whole book, and the examiners saw that it has no meaning. But he has coined so many words. They said, "Very intelligent." They passed him. (laughter) Now, "upperfluous." You don't find all these words in dictionary. "Upperfluous rain of agua was dogbendikulali gondolized by lacticism of wine." It appears very gramatically nice composed, but it has no meaning. So he coined such words, a full book. Because he could not answer. So the time was there. He began to coin words. And he was passed, for his intelligence. Similarly, these people are putting words which you cannot understand, and they are getting their salaries, that's all. (break) ...invent something, that they will not die, there will be no disease, there will be no old age. That is something. What is this nonsense, simply speculating? (break) The cloud is standing there. It is not systematic. Then why the gravitation is not working? There are millions and millions tons of water. Why the gravitation is not working? The law of gravitation, why it is not working?
Prabhupāda: No, why? Because you have received some counterfeit coin, therefore you should reject all coins?
Paramahaṁsa: That's the logic.
Prabhupāda: That is not logic; that is foolishness.
Paramahaṁsa: Right.
Prabhupāda: That is foolishness. You must be experienced, that "There are counterfeit coins. I shall be very clever, intelligent, to see before accepting any genuine coin." That should be your conclusion. Not that I have met one or two counterfeit coins, therefore I conclude there is no genuine coin.
Bahulāśva: Just like in the old days when they would get a gold coin, they would bite it with their teeth to see if it was real gold, make a test. (break)
Prabhupāda: Gold coins. Formerly there was gold coins. We have seen in our childhood gold coins, silver coins. There was no paper.
Harikeśa: But you have to do something to get it.
Prabhupāda: Yes. I will have to do something. That is another thing. But why you are cheating me? Instead of gold, you are giving me paper. Formerly... You have seen in Kṛṣṇa book that one fruit man came, and Kṛṣṇa was taking some grain. It was falling down. So that was the... A fruit man come, and you give him a packet of grain. Then whatever exchange is possible, the fruit man gives you fruit. That's all.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: That is called bartering.
Prabhupāda: Yes. That is going on. Therefore price is increasing daily. Formerly British government, in the beginning, to prove their honesty, as soon as you go to the currency for changing, they will offer you, "You want coins or paper currency?" So if you think that paper currency will be convenient, you can take. Otherwise, if you want coins, they will pay you.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Gold coins.
Prabhupāda: Yes, gold, silver, whatever you want. That was the... Now this is stopped. You can not ask now gold coins and silver coins. Whatever government will give you, you have to accept. Where is honesty?
Devotee (2): Śrīla Prabhupāda, in South Africa they have a coin called the Krugerrand. And one rand is worth one hundred cents, one rand of paper money. But one rand gold is worth about seventy-eight rand.
Prabhupāda: Just see.
Prabhupāda: Yes. So evaṁ manasa-gocaraḥ. You cannot have it. śruti-pramāṇam. You have to hear from the authority. Jaya. So if you want to waste your time in that way, you can do that. And next birth, you become a dog. That's all. This human life you waste in this way, dog's obstinacy; Kṛṣṇa will say, "All right, come on. You become a dog." Human life... Even Cānakya Paṇḍita says, a??cyuṣaḥ kṣaṇa eko 'pi na labhyaḥ svarṇa-koṭibhiḥ: "Even one part of your duration of life, one moment, you cannot get it back again in exchange of millions of golden coins." Svarṇa-kotibhiḥ. Sa cet nirarthakam: "If you waste that time unnecessarily, then you do not know what you are losing, even from material point of view." This is Vedic civilization, not to waste a single moment of life for useless attempt. That is Vedic civilization. Every moment should be utilized. Especially for the human being, it's so valuable. And they are finding out sporting, swimming and surfing—simply all programs of wasting time, especially in the Western countries. How much they have invented, I see only and laugh. The elderly men of your age, of course, maybe my age also, they are swimming and surfing. How they have invented means of...
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Oh, Garga, garga means "big jug," and "money," full of money. Big jug full of coins. Formerly they used to...
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Keep.
Prabhupāda: Not.... Cheat the government. There was no income tax, but still they used to keep in big, big jugs all gold coins and put into the..., underneath the ground. Nobody could understand where is the money. Very easy thing.
Pañcadravida: Hoarders.
Prabhupāda: And he did not disclose at the time of death; then it remained. And then, after some years, somebody digging, he got.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There's a nice example given in Nectar of Devotion about the digging for a treasure.
Prabhupāda: Hm? Yes. (break) ...shenai on the gate, that is nice. Jayapatāka?
Prabhupāda: (laughter) The story is that one poor man was informed by his friend that "Money draws money." That's a fact. If you have got money, you can draw money. So he went to the bank, and the cashier was counting huge amount of money, and he threw his coin on the cash..., (laughs) and he was waiting: "When the whole money will come to me?" Then the cashier saw this man is standing: "What is the...? Why you are standing?" "Sir, I heard that money draws money, so I had one coin. I have dropped with your money. I am waiting when it will come to me." So he said, "No, no. The fact is that, money draws.... Now my money has drawn your money." (laughter) So.... (Hindi)
Indian (1): Perhaps it is in the Bible that "Those who have shall be given more. Those who have not shall be taken of what they have already." I don't whether it's right or not, but more money draws the lesser money.
Prabhupāda: Yes. (Hindi)
Prabhupāda: Yes. (to devotee) What is the purport? You just explain.
Hari-śauri: Prabhupāda wrote that on the bills, the monetary, on the coins or whatever, they put "In God We Trust," but actually no one understands. If you want to trust someone, then you have to know who that person is, you have to know that he's actually trustworthy. So he was asking that we could cooperate together, the American government and our movement, and we could train people practically how to trust God, like that. So Prabhupāda sent that letter. But that was a month ago, and there's still no reply.
Scheverman: To the Secretary of the Treasury? Is that it?
Devotees: The Secretary of the President.
Scheverman: The President, White House Secretary, his personal secretary.
Hari-śauri: So far, after one month, there's no reply.
Prabhupāda: Inflation problem, I suggested, make gold coins as medium of exchange.
Hari-śauri: That means that there'll be the same..., it'll have the same value all over the world.
Prabhupāda: No question of value. Money has to be paid by real money-gold, silver. No paper.
Hari-śauri: But whether it's gold or paper, isn't it all just representative of...
Prabhupāda: No, medium of exchange.
Hari-śauri: Yes.
Prabhupāda: If I have to pay you, if you don't accept paper, then I'll have to give you gold or silver, and international exchange is going on. Then there is no inflation, because you'll not accept paper, so what is the use of printing notes? They are printing notes without any gold reserve.
Prabhupāda: That's it. Bank will give you loan, they are eager to give you loan, and you haven't got to pay anything in gold and silver. One check, that's all. And with that check you can purchase lots of commodities and hoard it, and price will be increased. If I have to pay gold for (indistinct), then I have limited source. The price will not increase. This is the only way. Introduce gold only, gold and silver. In the British period in our childhood there was practically no notes. Silver. If I have to take payment from you, one thousand rupees, you will give me so much silver. For counting, counting, I have to see whether it is.... There were some imitation, counterfeit. So each coin you have to see, they were saying like that, that, "For thousand rupees I have to occupy so much space."
Prabhupāda: Dhana-māna. Because they have got money, whatever they think, that's all right. And their gurus also will say, "Yes, it is all right." If the guru says that "It is not all right," then nobody will come to him. He has to say "It is all right," because he's also after money and woman. That's all. He does not come here to teach something. This is going on. Therefore they come in so many numbers. They have now taken a good field. And in America you go, you say any nonsense, and they'll accept. And pay money for that. From the very beginning it is going on. Now, because it is going on like that, we are also counted amongst them. "It is folly to be wise where ignorance is bliss." This is the difficulty. They are also taking this movement, "Oh, these boys are chanting and dancing. This is also another sentiment, another edition of hippie movement." There is a, I think, Gresham's theory: "Bad money drives away good money." You know this? This is a economic theory. "Bad money drives away good money." Because nowadays bad money, that paper money, is going on, that gold coins no more in existence. Formerly we have seen gold coins in our childhood. You have not seen any. We have seen.
Prabhupāda: Formerly in the currency, when you go to take some exchange, it was the etiquette of the teller to ask you, "What you want, silver money, gold money or paper money?" It was their duty. If you say "I want gold money," they will pay in gold money. Not only it is written in the paper, "I promise to pay," but the promise was kept. If he wants, "Give me payment in gold," they will pay. And now, to keep gold, hoarding gold, is illegal. So you cannot ask. This is going on, legalized cheating. You have to accept this paper money. That's all. Don't ask for gold. And there is no honesty at all. I can take paper money for my convenience sake, but how you can force me to take paper money? That is not honesty. So dishonesty begins from the government. You cannot keep gold. If you have kept gold, there will be searching, and if it is found that you have gold, you'll be punished. In India it is now being done. There is no freedom even at your home, in your private life. Formerly, any common man could keep gold according to his desire. There was no such thing. Sometimes he would hide it even within the ground, because there was no bank. At least in India this was the practice. If you have got some gold, you keep it somewhere confidential within the ground so that it may not be stolen. So everyone should have right to keep his money as he likes. Why government should interfere? Therefore you see the Bhāgavatam, rājanya-dasyu-dharmaḥ.(?) The government men will be like rogues and thieves. By law they will take away. It is now going on in India. I think here it is also? You cannot keep gold. Why I cannot keep gold? If I have secured gold, I can keep it. I want gold. You write, "I promise to pay," so there must be gold coins. I must have. So many difficulties will come in the kingdom of māyā gradually. It is already come. The eight items... What are those items?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Once you told me that in Los Angeles.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Now you can do that experiment. Then our poverty will be... (laughter) It is fact. There are many yogis, they prepare gold by drinking mercury. They drink mercury, overnight, next morning they pass urine and dip copper coins in it. And then after some time the copper coins put into the fire, it becomes gold.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: That's alchemist.
Prabhupāda: Whatever it may be, they do that. But it is a fact that copper and tin and mercury proportionately mixed will produce gold.
Rūpānuga: On the cake it was marked on one side 1966, on the other side 1976. Like a coin. They make coins celebrating, commemorating.
Prabhupāda: And the cake is made very nicely. Who has made it?
Vṛṣākapi: This one girl, her name is Lalitā-sakhī. She stayed up all night.
Rūpānuga: And then it was decorated by Ambujākṣa, who is an artist.
Prabhupāda: Woman should be expert in cooking. That is their natural tendency. They should be educated how to cook nicely, how to please the husband, how to take care of the children. This is Vedic civilization. In the beginning a woman, childhood, she's trained up by the mother. Then as soon as she is married, formerly, child-marriage, so she's transferred to the care of mother-in-law. There she is trained up. Then she becomes very good housewife, takes care of household affairs, husband, children, and home becomes happy. What is this nonsense, divorce? There is no such thing in the Vedic civilization, divorce. You must accept whatever God has given you as husband or wife, you must.
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: You should introduce coin, real money.
Hari-śauri: Real gold coins. No paper.
Prabhupāda: Anyone has got money... It is fact. And what is this nonsense, keeping some paper and thinking he has got money? How cheating it is going on, from government's side. And therefore artificial inflation. You can print, so the price is increased. Because you haven't got to pay him real money, you print and pay him, and he will ask, "Give me this money. Then I'll supply." "All right, take." You print and pay.
Rāmeśvara: It's definitely a means that the government has for controlling. Because they can withdraw money, pull it back out of circulation by increasing the interest the banks give, or they can get more money in...
Prabhupāda: Anything done artificially.
Prabhupāda: That barter system. You have got rice; I have got something else. So I give you something; you give me something.
Hari-śauri: But isn't inflation possible even with coins? Even if you have gold coins, isn't inflation still possible?
Prabhupāda: No, gold is acceptable by everyone.
Rāmeśvara: The main point is the barter system.
Hari-śauri: Yes, well its value is recognized by its purchasing power.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Hari-śauri: So you can alter... Say, you have one gold coin. You can alter what it...
Prabhupāda: No. If you introduce real metal coin, then there will be no inflation.
Hari-śauri: There's only a certain amount of metal.
Hari-śauri: So the idea is that with coins the man who has the goods, he can't...
Prabhupāda: Therefore... Suppose he has got ten coins; you have got ten coins. I am wanting fifteen coins. So there will be no competition. I have to accept either from you or you, ten coins.
Hari-śauri: Right. Because there's only that much money.
Prabhupāda: But if I increase price and if you print... If you have got power to print, "All right. Take fifteen coins, er, fifteen rupees." But you print and pay me. But if the gold, the coin, is there, you cannot increase on that.
Hari-śauri: He can't increase the price of the product, and the man who got..., 'cause there's only a certain amount of money there.
Prabhupāda: But I can increase the price provided you pay me. But by printing, it is easier. But if you have to collect coins, that will be difficult, so there will be no artificial increase of...
Prabhupāda: But I can increase the price provided you pay me. But by printing, it is easier. But if you have to collect coins, that will be difficult, so there will be no artificial increase of...
Hari-śauri: Yes. Coins is a check...
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Hari-śauri: ...on charging too much.
Prabhupāda: That is wanted. And these rascals, they are artificially printing paper as money. And I am a rascal; I'm demanding more because I have got customer.
Rāmeśvara: The difference between Vedic culture and..., the Kṛṣṇa conscious culture and the modern culture is very, very dramatic, very big difference. So the transforming of society...
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: See, the thing with this coin is that they did not mint very many copies.
Prabhupāda: That's another thing.
Brahmānanda: Becomes rare.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Therefore it becomes rare.
Devotee (2): We checked it, Mahārāja. There was four thousand of those minted in that year.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Four thousand.
Prabhupāda: Huh?
Devotee (2): There were four thousand of these minted in the year when this one was minted.
Devotee (3): Rare.
Prabhupāda: ...make the whole land, people, very happy. You show this example all over the world, this example, in America. Don't spoil money. Show by example. Enough science and enough motorcar, that's all. No more wanted. This is wanted. Kāmaṁ vavarṣa parjanyaḥ (SB 1.10.4). Bring water from the sky. Keep always land moist and green. This is wanted. It is not my desire. It is Kṛṣṇa's. Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad-gītā, annād bhavanti bhūtāni (BG 3.14). Here Vyāsadeva says, kāmaṁ vavarṣa parjanyaḥ (SB 1.10.4). These rascals, they do not know. They do not consult śāstra, therefore manufacture. In Chandigarh so much land lying vacant. Thirty years already passed. And they are developing the cities. And another four hundred years will be required. The land is lying vacant. And they are making two governors, five commissioners, six ministers and..., drawing fat salary. This is government. Government means to draw fat salary at the expense of poor people. Dasyu-dharmabhiḥ. Rājanya dasyu-dharmabhiḥ. Just like the rogues and thieves, they by force take money from us, these rascal, under some law, they'll take, this government. They will live at any cost. Never mind forty rupees (indistinct) a week. They have got cheap money. Print note and give him forty rupees. What is that? "You want forty rupees? Eh, take forty rupees." This is artificial inflation. They have got power to print notes. "Pay gold forty rupees." "No, that is illegal. Take paper." Means a cheating business from the government. He's giving him piece of paper, and the rascal is thinking, "I am making one thousand rupees." Formerly, in our childhood, we have seen a currency. They will offer, "What you want, gold, silver, or currency?" These three things were offered. If you want gold coins, take gold coins. If you want silver coins, take silver. And if you want currency, you take. We have seen it.
Prabhupāda: Yes, with my father.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You said that your grandmother would give you one gold coin each year.
Prabhupāda: Not gold coin. This copper coin, looking like gold.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And you'd keep it banked with your mother, and if she ever was angry with you, you threatened.
Prabhupāda: Yes. "Bring my money." The society was so nice, and everyone was happy, everyone. These Marwaris, especially, they are very good community. They... As family people, they know how to earn, how to become happy by family. I like these Marwaris.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, they also feel at home...
Prabhupāda: They're vegetarian.
Correspondence
1968 Correspondence
I also thank you for sending my passport along with the two certificates which I have duly received yesterday and I am utilizing it for my medical examination, and other activities in connection with my permanent visa in USA. It is so much encouraging that your Sankirtana party is going everyday collecting some money and encouraging also that you are selling Back To Godhead. Similarly the Sankirtana party here also led by Tamala Krishna is doing very nicely. I understand that the son of Tulasi devi, Karnapura, has chosen coins in his Annaprashan ceremony. It is very nice. I think this boy will earn enough money for spreading Krishna Consciousness.
1969 Correspondence
So raise Nandini very carefully in Krishna Consciousness, and surely Krishna will bestow all blessings upon you and your family. Regarding your question about the ceremony of offering Srimad-Bhagavatam and some coins to your child, yes, this may be done. Several months ago this same ceremony was performed with Visnu Arti, the daughter of Krishna Devi and Dinesh Candra, and Visnu Arti chose the Bhagavatam.
| Page Title: | Coins (Lect., Conv. and Letters) |
| Compiler: | Mayapur, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 27 of Oct, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=20, Con=36, Let=2 |
| No. of Quotes: | 58 |