Dvaraka (Conversations)

Expressions researched:
"Dvaraka" |"Dvaraka's" |"Dvarakadhama" |"Kusasthali"

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- January 17, 1971, Allahabad:

Prabhupāda: You may think, but we have concluded that there is nothing, such thing, which can satisfy everyone. It is not possible.

Guest (1): Until we hear all, we may do that...

Prabhupāda: That may be an ideal, but we take Kṛṣṇa as the highest authority. Even Kṛṣṇa's words are not accepted. That's a fact. Kṛṣṇa says, "You surrender unto Me." So a few persons might have surrendered to Him. Even Kṛṣṇa was present, only the Pāṇḍavas and the inhabitants of the Vṛndāvana and Dvārakā, some of them understood that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme. But many did not accept Him. Many insulted Him. Just like Śiśupāla insulted Him. So even Kṛṣṇa could not be accepted.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- June 30, 1972, San Diego:

Prabhupāda: Vṛndāvana is different. This is man-made.

Devotee (2): Is this like Dvārakā, when Krsna was living in Dvārakā, they had...

Prabhupāda: Yes, Dvārakā, yes. Vṛndāvana trees are all full of fruits and flowers. These are for fuel, these trees.

Devotee (1): For fuel.

Prabhupāda: That's all. For burning. There is no fruits and flowers. (break)

Devotee (1): ...come on shore and get drunk and make trouble. They have their own police.

Prabhupāda: Military has their own police.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Krishna Tiwari -- May 22, 1973, New York:

Prabhupāda: The temple is very old temple. So the proprietors of the temple are brāhmaṇas, Tiwari. So the eldest member, old Mr. Tiwari, was a very nice, great devotee. At home he had Deity, Rukmiṇī-Kṛṣṇa. He was worshiping at home Rukmiṇī-Kṛṣṇa, Dvārakā.

Śyāmasundara: Mr. Tiwari is a well-known scientist. Biolo... Biologist?

Krishna Tiwari: Yes.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Molecular biology?

Krishna Tiwari: Yes.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Studying at U. C..., University of California at Irvine.

Krishna Tiwari: I don't know how famous, but... (laughs).

Room Conversation with Reporter from Researchers Magazine -- July 24, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: They've got New Vrindaban, New Navadvīpa, New Jagannātha Purī, New Dvārakā...

Pradyumna: New Gayā...

Prabhupāda: ...New Gayā, and this is the New Gokula. You are in touch in politics, therefore I'm talking something of politics, that the politicians of India, they wanted the..., from the British government, India, a strong united nation. But they could not achieve that goal. Pakistan was taken away. They're now lamenting, or there is some, always unsettled anxiety due to Pakistan. So... So far this movement is concerned, we are spreading the Indian culture, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, all over the world.

Morning Walk -- December 10, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: At four dhāmas, and Dvārakā. Eh?

Karandhara: Hrishikesh?

Prabhupāda: Hrishikesh, yes, that is Haridvar. So one yogi friend was coming to my father. He said that, he said that "I went with my Guru Mahārāja." They simply sit down and touch guru and after few minutes, he's in Dvārakā. This is, this is yogic power. What your aeroplane will do? Just like Durvāsā Muni, he traveled all over the universe, up to the Vaikuṇṭhaloka within one year. But according to modern calculation, they say, with light year, in forty thousand light years we can approach to the highest planet. Is it not? If they want to go to the topmost planet, how much, how many years it will take? Is there an estimation?

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- February 25, 1974, Bombay:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Then, after Dvārakā, they are expecting us in Hyderabad by about the twenty... (break)

Prabhupāda: ...vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām.

Dr. Patel: Dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya. He must again become. Sambhavāmi yuge yuge. We must see that He comes. We are all praying sincerely that "Let God come now. Enough of this time!"

Prabhupāda: He has come already.

Dr. Patel: That is why some people say that...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Morning Walk -- March 25, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yes. No, that means Kṛṣṇa had all the colors. Śuklo raktas tathā pītaḥ.

Dr. Patel: Because all the mūrtis, other mūrtis in big, our temples... Just like in Dvaraka...

Prabhupāda: No, in Gujarat...

Dr. Patel: All dark color.

Prabhupāda: That's right. And here, there are white also.

Dr. Patel: Senaji, dark.

Prabhupāda: In the...

Morning Walk -- April 4, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: No, apart from that, actually, He had sixteen thousand wives when He was in Dvaraka, but these rascals say, "Rural boy." "Rural boy" means when He was in Vṛndāvana. So he does not know even the history, and he is trying to write about Kṛṣṇa. This is going on. And that is the proof. Kṛṣṇa had sixteen thousand wives. That is the proof that He is God, because you cannot maintain even one wife at the present moment. So He maintained sixteen thousand wives. That is the proof that He is God. That is the proof. But they will not take that side. They will take in other way, "Oh, this is all stories and fictitious." That's all. Paraṁ bhāvam ajānanto (BG 9.11). They do not know. They do not know what is Kṛṣṇa, and they try to write upon Kṛṣṇa, to imitate Kṛṣṇa.

Morning Walk -- April 8, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Vivekananda. (break) ...physical strength. (break)

Yaśomatīnandana: ...Dvārakā.

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa was transferred to Vṛndāvana. Not other (indistinct).

Yaśomatīnandana: Kṛṣṇa had other brothers and sisters besides Balarāma and Subhadrā?

Prabhupāda: We hear only two. (break)

Devotee: Once I asked you that question in 1968, and you answered that Subhadrā sat on Kṛṣṇa's lap and smiled. That was her activity.

Morning Walk -- April 13, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Ah, hita-kārtṛkā(?) (break) ...vacate his chair to receive a brāhmaṇa, a purohita. Just like Sudāmā Vipra went Dvārakā. He was poor man, but he was brāhmaṇa. Immediately Kṛṣṇa left His, offered His chair. Yes. And Rukmiṇī began to fan him. So much respect. Where is that respectful person? (aside:) Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Girirāja: He received Gargamuni with the feeling of one who is worshiping God or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He offered him a nice sitting place and when he sat down Nanda Mahārāja offered him a warm reception."

Prabhupāda: (break) ...presence of a brāhmaṇa, of a sannyāsī, in the household, in the house of a householder, means to enlighten. Mahad-vicalanaṁ nṛnām gṛhinām gṛhacet dīna-cetasām. The gṛhasthas, they are very cripple-minded. They are satisfied with the family, and they do not know that anything else to do.

Morning Walk -- May 9, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Prostitute is necessity. Otherwise these rascals, they will pollute all the woman. Therefore, for the rascals there must be some provision. Just like opening wine shop. It is not meant for everyone. But there are drunkards. Unless they get drinking, they will create some disturbance.

Bhāgavata: So just like in Dvārakā there was prostitutes, and they were all devotees of Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Yes. There are many devotees, prostitutes.

Bhāgavata: So that was their service, not their service, but that was their work.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

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

Prabhupāda: Yes, in the Bhāgavata.

Professor La Combe: I could not recognize from this...

Prabhupāda: So immediately she brought from Dvārakā-dhāma palace direct to the palace of Uṣā. What is called, the asura, what is his name?

Yogeśvara: Bhaumāsura.

Prabhupāda: Bhaumāsura, Bāṇāsura, Bāṇāsura. The picture, where is that picture, find out. Bāṇāsura. Bāṇāsura was appreciating, "Oh, very nice couple." But he had to challenge, "Why you have entered my palace and talking with my unmarried girl?"

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk Through the BBT Warehouse -- February 10, 1975, Los Angeles:

Jayatīrtha: New Dvārakā is leading the society in child production.

Prabhupāda: Oh, that's nice. But make them devotees. That is the real father and mother, who begets children and make him devotee. That is real father and mother. Otherwise cats and dogs. A Tulasī dāsa, he has written one poetry that "A son and the urine comes from the same way." Son... Son means it is born out of the semina. That also comes through the genital, and the urine also comes through the genital. So he is giving this example that "Putra and Mutra..." Mutra, means urine, and putra means son, comes from the same passage. So if the son is a devotee, then he's putra; otherwise he's mutra. (laughter)

Conversation with Devotees -- April 14, 1975, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: So many things are coming according to their research.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What about the city of Dvārakā? We do not find it remaining anymore.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. Might have (indistinct).

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So we cannot believe what we don't see.

Haṁsadūta: Actually the scientists don't accept this theory at all any more about the man...

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Morning Walk -- June 28, 1975, Denver:

Prabhupāda: Modern stone does not produce. They have become modernized? (laughter) (break)

Kuruśreṣṭha: In Dvaraka, when Kṛṣṇa was here, they would have such parks?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Kuruśreṣṭha: Nice walkways?

Prabhupāda: Mmm. Better than this.

Kuruśreṣṭha: Mangoes growing?

Prabhupāda: Oh yes. In a time the swan gives birth, dozen children, and there is no overpopulation. And men are killing so many children, and still, they say overpopulation? Why overpopulation? In the animal society, bird society, they do not say it is overpopulated, neither they kill. Rather, those who are bird eaters, they will be glad, overpopulation. "We shall be able to eat them." You see. How many there are?

Morning Walk -- June 30, 1975, Denver:

Prabhupāda: (break) It's coming out.

Sudāmā: It's stopped up. They haven't cleaned it evidently, so the water is backing up with stools.

Devotee: (break) In Dvārakā, did Kṛṣṇa's queens play tennis?

Prabhupāda: What is the use of playing tennis? There is mention that Dvārakā they were playing ball on the roof of the palace, the queens. Maybe tennis also there. (break) ...playing this there, on the roof. Kind of exercise for the woman, queens.

Devotee (1): Only for the women?

Prabhupāda: Yes. No men.

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

Prabhupāda: Yes. He was therefore called king. But he was a vaiśya. He engaged his land for agriculture and cow keeping. And Kṛṣṇa took charge of the cows, the calves, although still calf, He, (indistinct) This is the system. He was going with the calves whole day, playing with the boys and taking care of the cows, in the evening come back. Mother then washes and bathes and gives nice food. And immediately goes to sleep. And Kṛṣṇa is clever. At night He goes to the gopīs. (laughter) Then Mother Yaśodā did not know, when she thought, "My good son is sleeping." And the gopīs also would come at a place and they'll dance. This is called life, childhood life. And when He was grown up, then He was brought to, I mean to say, Mathurā and He fought with His maternal uncle, killed him, and then His father Vasudeva, took care, sent Him to, what is that? Sāndīpani Muni. He was educated. He was learning every subject every day. Then He was taken to Dvārakā, married so many queens, and became king.

Morning Walk -- September 18, 1975, Vrndavana:

Dhṛṣṭaketu: It says that, er... stated that the Lord's pastimes in Vṛndāvana and Dvārakā are passing through the universe just as the sun passes over the face of the earth.

Prabhupāda: Where is that?

Dhṛṣṭaketu: So, and each time they are the same. The same pastimes beginning from His birth up to mauṣala-līlā, they are the same each time.

Prabhupāda: No.

Dhṛṣṭaketu: No? They are different in different universes? Oh.

Prabhupāda: Varieties.

Morning Walk -- November 8, 1975, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: Dvaraka, sir. They had a plan to go to Dvaraka.

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Dr. Patel: You have to take me. You told me you will take me. I am waiting for it.

Bhāgavata: When I was in Dvaraka I stayed at the Birla guesthouse, and they said that any time you come you can stay there in Mr. Birla's room right on the oceanfront, very nice room.

Prabhupāda: This time is good, Dvaraka?

Morning Walk -- November 8, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: This time is good, Dvaraka?

Dr. Patel: We can go by train to Braman. (?)

Bhāgavata: We have to take a long trip in the car from Jangagara(?) to Dvaraka. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...like this place. And I have seen London, New York. (laughter)

Dr. Patel: I have not seen Hardwar myself.

Bhāgavata: Hardwar, there is also very new āśrama that was built up there only a few years ago called Africa āśrama, in Hardwar. And the sannyāsī there is very well known to me and he also said any time you come you can stay there at his place. Very nice āśrama.

Morning Walk -- November 8, 1975, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: Dvaraka temple was under control of Mahārāja of Baroda, but he appointed a committee of Vaiṣṇavas to control it. It was completely free. (break) (laughing) You have been very unkind to people.

Prabhupāda: He is a first-class Carvaka, he is.

Bhāgavata: The dog is also trying to defend himself against the Lord.

Prabhupāda: No. That is not the question. Question is anyone who does not know what is God, he is a Carvaka, that's all. Mūḍha nābhijānāti mām ebhyaḥ param ayayam. He's a Carvaka. That's all. The same bodily concept. Russian, American, Chinese. Then? Yasyātmā-buddhiḥ kunape tri-dhātuke, sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13).

Morning Walk -- November 16, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: ...name that... Kṛṣṇa... They brought the assembly house from heaven and located in Dvāraka. There is a name like that. I shall give you the name.

Brahmānanda: (break) ...robi. You can give a name for Nairobi mandir.

Prabhupāda: Yes. (break) Devasadan.

Brahmānanda: Devasadan. What is the meaning?

Prabhupāda: Celestial building.

Ambarisa: What does it mean?

Brahmānanda: Celestial.

Morning Walk -- November 16, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Just like the queens of Dvāraka were plundered by the Ābhīra. That's why. There is no pasturing ground. Otherwise this cow would have been taken there. He would have eaten grass. That's all. What she will eat here in the town? Even Sumati Morarji's cows, they are not healthy. (Hindi) (pause) It appears to be so because in the evening the milk, whatever you give me, that appears to be powdered milk.

Morning Walk -- December 16, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: We are opening gurukula, but who will give? A gentleman will not give. Hare Kṛṣṇa! (man stops and Patel introduces him)

Dr. Patel: He's a great scholar and poet of Gujarati literature, and he comes from the same place where the... Bet, he's from Bet, Dvaraka-bet, where all those temples are.

Prabhupāda: He's a great devotee of Kṛṣṇa.

Dr. Patel: Yes, he's a brāhmaṇa devotee of Kṛṣṇa. And a great teacher, he was at university, a professor of Gujarati literature and a great, well-renowned poet...

Prabhupāda: So you do not come to our temple?

Morning Walk -- December 16, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Dr. Patel: Dvaraka-bet.

Prabhupāda: (Bengali:) ...puri sankhe bole mane ram. That don't go to any... Sit down anywhere and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Dr. Patel: Places of worship are sacred because of the, because sacred people are living there.

Prabhupāda: Govinda caraṇa kara sau—always think of Govinda caraṇa. Prahlāda Mahārāja also. Mukundaṁ caraṇambujam. Make this business only. And Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī also, he, "Don't execute dharma, neither commit sinful life. Simply think of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet." Kṛṣṇa also says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto...

Morning Walk -- December 17, 1975, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: One of the renowned poet of Gujarat. His house is right next to the main temple in Dvārakā.

Prabhupāda: There was one devotee, he, some Queen or somebody, she was approached by somebody, that two poets are come... Ah, Kalidāsa, yes. "Kalidāsa poet has come to see you." So she immediately said, "I know only two poets, Vyāsadeva and Valmikī, and all other poets I kick out!"

Dr. Patel: This is Rāmāyaṇa and Mahābhārata.

Prabhupāda: "I know only two poets." So she refused to see Kalidāsa.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 8, 1976, Nellore:

Prabhupāda: (chuckles) What directly He says, you have to take. And if you interpret, that can be interpreted.

Acyutānanda: They have rewritten the Bible, "Thou shalt not murder."

Prabhupāda: (break) ...can be used as paper weight. (laughter) (break) ...use anything for Kṛṣṇa.

Yaśodānandana: ...temples they are worshiping this Dvārakā-śilā with the śalagrāma-śilā.

Prabhupāda: That's all right, but we have no such instruction. (end)

Morning Walk -- January 9, 1976, Madras:

Prabhupāda: Yes. I don't find any fault.

Acyutānanda: It's not rasābhāsa?

Prabhupāda: Huh? Not rasābhāsa. But it is not mentioned in anywhere. This is mental.... They should not have done like that. Several times He requested the gopīs, I think, that "You come to Dvārakā," but they refused.

Acyutānanda: The gopī-candana comes from the lake where they say the gopīs drowned themselves, and that is near Dvārakā. Is that a true story?

Prabhupāda: Maybe they might have gone. (break) ...these houses.

Indian man (1): These private houses given by the government.

Morning Walk -- February 19, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: That independence has to be accepted, little independence. We can misuse that. Kṛṣṇa-bahirmukha hañā bhoga vāñchā kare. That misuse is the cause of our falldown.

Acyutānanda: In Kṛṣṇa book it says that there were some color fighting in Dvārakā. They were throwing color. And some men became lusty seeing the women. So is... Will that be the first part of their falldown, to be in Vaikuṇṭha and think of personal lust with Kṛṣṇa's associates?

Prabhupāda: Yes. (break) Whatever He likes, He'll do. That is God. God is not meant for satisfying you.

Morning Walk -- April 10, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Vedic civilization is in the forest. Go to the forest.

Hari-śauri: Renounce.

Prabhupāda: Neither in the city nor in the village. Go to the forest.

Lokanātha: But there were cities like Dvārakā.

Prabhupāda: That is another thing, but the ideal is vanaṁ gato yad dharim āśrayeta (SB 7.5.5). Go to the forest and depend on Kṛṣṇa and live there. And that is perfection. Vanaṁ gato yad dharim āśrayeta (SB 7.5.5). Go to the forest and remain, depending on Kṛṣṇa. That's all.

Lokanātha: There are no forests left.

Hari-śauri: The whole material world's a forest.

Morning Walk -- April 13, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Local men.

Dr. Patel: All the big temples in India have got management committees, practically people from various parts. Our own Jagannātha Purī, I mean, this, our Dvārakā temple is managed by people from Bombay. Bombay, Delhi, and many other places. So they must have all...

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Even one of our Indian men they stopped. Caitya-guru told me that when he went there they thought he was Westerner. They wouldn't let him in the second time he tried to go in.

Dr. Patel: This gentleman is coming before the judge of the Bombay high-court.

Guru dāsa: We can see the cakra on the top.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Room Conversation -- Honolulu, May 20, 1976 :

Prabhupāda: This Ratha-yātrā is in memory of Kṛṣṇa's coming there with His brother and sister during one eclipse, to take bath, coming from Dvārakā.

Devotee (7): And the gopīs also assembled there?

Prabhupāda: The gopīs got the information that Kṛṣṇa is coming from Dvārakā, so from Vṛndāvana they went to see Him. And when Kṛṣṇa and Rādhārāṇī met, that Rādhārāṇī lamented that Kṛṣṇa—He was the same Kṛṣṇa and the same Rādhārāṇī—so "this is not a good meeting place. So, if You come to Vṛndāvana, then I shall be happy." So it is inviting Kṛṣṇa to Vṛndāvana. That is the feeling of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Ratha-yātrā. He is inviting Kṛṣṇa to Vṛndāvana. So in Jagannātha Purī still the same feelings are there.

Room Conversation -- Honolulu, May 20, 1976 :

Prabhupāda: The gopīs got the information that Kṛṣṇa is coming from Dvārakā, so from Vṛndāvana they went to see Him. And when Kṛṣṇa and Rādhārāṇī met, that Rādhārāṇī lamented that Kṛṣṇa—He was the same Kṛṣṇa and the same Rādhārāṇī—so "this is not a good meeting place. So, if You come to Vṛndāvana, then I shall be happy." So it is inviting Kṛṣṇa to Vṛndāvana. That is the feeling of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Ratha-yātrā. He is inviting Kṛṣṇa to Vṛndāvana. So in Jagannātha Purī still the same feelings are there. Kṛṣṇa, Jagannātha, from the temple goes to Guṇḍicā. So, Lakṣmī is angry that "Kṛṣṇa is leaving me, He has gone to Vṛndāvana." So she was, she is punishing. That is called Herā-pañcamī. Punishing the servants of Kṛṣṇa. The maidservants of Lakṣmī chastising them, threatened them, "Why without permission?" So they, out of very fearful condition, offering their respect to Lakṣmī, "Mother, you don't be sorry (indistinct), we are (indistinct)." So this, this is the play performed, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu associates they saw, and they enjoyed very much when the maidservant of Lakṣmī was slapping the servant of Viṣṇu. That is mentioned Caitanya-caritāmṛta. All the servants arrested, brought before Lakṣmī, and they are punished. But they came to invite Kṛṣṇa, Rādhārāṇī and other gopīs. And actually they do not go at that time. But this Ratha-yātrā ceremony means Kṛṣṇa is coming from Dvārakā to Kurukṣetra. This is the history of Ratha-yātrā.

Morning Walk -- June 7, 1976, Los Angeles:

Rāmeśvara: Śrīla Prabhupāda, in Egypt, they have been able to dig underneath the ground and find the remains of ancient cities. So this is proof of the ancient civilization of Egypt. But they have not found ancient ruins of the cities of Dvārakā or Hastināpura. They do not have such...

Rādhāvallabha: There are ruins in Dvārakā.

Rāmeśvara: So they do not accept that the ancient civilization of India is old, very old.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I read one anthropology book, and it said that about 3,500 years ago in India people were only living in all the caves, and they were simply using stones and things like that, very primitive tools. No knowledge at all.

Mahendra: But they cannot explain how it was that these people evolved, these cavemen evolved such a language as Sanskrit, which not even the greatest scholar today can even begin to comprehend. It is a very great language.

Prabhupāda: That is their grudge. When they see such exalted literature, they are envious.

Garden Conversation -- June 10, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: So if that moment is improperly passed, then what is more loss than that? So avyartha-kālatvam. We should not let even a moment of our life misused. Avyartha-kālatvam. Nāma-gāne sadā ruciḥ. This is advanced life of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Prītis tad vasati sthāle (Cc. Madhya 23.18-19). Attachment for living at places where Kṛṣṇa had His pastimes, like Vṛndāvana, Mathurā, Dvārakā. Prītis tad vasati sthāle. And avyartha-kālatvam (Cc. Madhya 23.18-19). These are advanced spiritual consciousness. Go on.

Conversation with Prof. Saligram and Dr. Sukla -- July 5, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Dr. Sukla: Māyāvādīs like Swami Vivekananda, he questions "Who was Lord Kṛṣṇa?" Was Kṛṣṇa King of Dvārakā or anybody else, he don't know even that.

Prabhupāda: He's a fool. He does not know, therefore other does not know. It is not the fact. He's a fool, he does not know.

Dr. Sukla: He does not know. He said that Gītā is karma-yoga, and writes volumes and volumes...

Prabhupāda: That is foolishness. That is his foolishness. Gītā is completely bhakti-yoga. Sarva dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). Everything is finished. And what is karma-yoga? What is karma-yoga?

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

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually, New York doesn't have a name. We have to give it some name. We call Los Angeles as New Dvārakā. Here it's just New York. (break)

Rāmeśvara: (whispering) Rādhāvallabha.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Huh?

Rāmeśvara: Rādhāvallabha.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ...monkey.

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Morning Walk -- August 14, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Acyutānanda: We're invited to do kīrtana to inaugurate a Bhāgavata-saptāha and the Dvārakā Śaṅkarācārya will be present.

Prabhupāda: Where?

Acyutānanda: It's Sumati Morarji's...

Prabhupāda: Place?

Acyutānanda: I don't know what the place is.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: It's somewhere in Braverly, but she's sponsoring or she's associated with it.

Morning Walk -- August 14, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That Mādhavendra Purī or somebody delivered to Vallabhācārya. Mādhavendra Purī is not possible, somebody else. (break) Dvārakā Śaṅkarācārya, he's a Māyāvādī, and he'll give Bhāgavata?

Acyutānanda: No, he's just going to give blessings to the... He's presiding, I guess. (break)

Prabhupāda: That is also complete like this?

Saurabha: Yes. The other side we are making one special room for you on the roof. So...

Prabhupāda: One special room like this? No.

Room Conversation -- November 15, 1976, Vrndavana:

Mr. Saxena: I have been to all these four corners of India, Badarikāśrama, Rāmeśvaram, Jagannātha Purī and Dvārakā and he told me what they say, Viśvavarūpa Śaṅkarācārya, he's in Purī Śaṅkarācārya and (Hindi) ...and about 800 rooms in that Paratmaniketan.

Prabhupāda: Eight hundred?

Mr. Saxena: Eight hundred rooms. Very big temple and the daily income is about more than 1500 rupees per day, donation. I still get from three months. His speech is at nights, their sannyāsīs. But if you see that practical life, you realize all this tīrthas, what you call? They are no more tīrthas now. All (indistinct) use that word shopping centers, what we call. I have been to the Sivananda Ashram. Some Cidanandaji is there. Sivanandaji is no more. When I went to Yoganiketan, there is one Gangesvarananda...

Room Conversation with Life Member, Mr. Malhotra -- December 22, 1976, Poona:

Mr. Malhotra: On this road. Of course, I went by air to Bangalore and from there we went by car. But this road goes straight. (break) ...by car, to Calcutta by air, then from there to that Bhuvaneśvara by train, and then from there by car like that. (break) It is very small place, Dvārakā, it is very small place, and in that leak was, an entire area was destroyed completely. Even communications could not be restored for three months. But Dvārakā itself was untouched completely. But on the way we found, because we went by car from here, we found roads, everything was destroyed completely. You could see demolished, the tops of houses gone away in the cyclone.

Prabhupāda: Maharastra Province is rich? I don't think so.

Room Conversation with Life Member, Mr. Malhotra -- December 22, 1976, Poona:

Prabhupāda: Mad-bhakta-pūjābhyadhika (SB 11.19.21). Kṛṣṇa is pleased when His devotee is worshiped. (Hindi)

Mr. Malhotra: When I went to Dvārakā Purī, so there is Bheda Dvārakā in the sea. One is Dvārakā Purī, then about I think 10, 12 miles away there is Bheda Dvārakā. At Bheda Dvārakā, that is the residential palace of Lord Kṛṣṇa. And seven rāṇīs of Lord Kṛṣṇa. They show each building, their whole building. So what was that?

Prabhupāda: He had 16,108 queens.

Morning Walk -- December 27, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: So anyone's question about this, this misdirected civilization? In India there was no such misguided civilization. Now they have learned how to misguide people, and they have taken this ideal, that "Unless we become like the Europeans and Americans our progress is checked." This is going on. Actually there is no progress. We are condemned. Why they should waste so much energy not for progress. Before British period, India, there were cities, but not like this because their energy was utilized. Cities were constructed especially in pilgrimages, like Mathurā. Mathurā is very old city, but that is a pilgrimage. Dvārakā, that is also very old city. First of all there was no need of big, big cities because there was no industry. They did not know what is industry. And there were ample food-food grains, milk, vegetables.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 2, 1977, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: Because the elephantitis, that's very common in the (indistinct). The mosquitoes are infected by elephantitis and they infect you. These mosquitoes are (indistinct) ...carry malaria carry this elephantitis. All these villages on the coastline, right from Ratnagiri up to Dvārakā, whole coast is infected by elephantitis. Everywhere you go you see big, big leg. In fact it is right from Bhuvaneśvara. On Bhuvaneśvara sea water these mosquitoes breed even in (indistinct). I made a special study of malaria, so I have studied all the types of mosquito, and that particular mosquito on that coast is called (indistinct). Because they came right from Sundar Island. (swamps)

Prabhupāda: Sundar island, Sundarban, Bengal.

Room Conversation -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is their theory: "Kṛṣṇa is contaminated. In His young age He's contaminated." Now then why... So-called advanced gentlemen say that "We don't want Kṛṣṇa of Vṛndāvana. We want Kṛṣṇa of Kurukṣetra." They say that. They don't want Kṛṣṇa of Vṛndāvana, dancing with the gopīs. Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, the great novelist, he had written on Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa-charitra. He has made distinction, that "Kṛṣṇa of Vṛndāvana is different from Kṛṣṇa of Kurukṣetra. Kṛṣṇa of Dvārakā is different." Like that.

Morning Walk -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: (Sanskrit) Everyone is (Sanskrit). That is according to his position. That does not mean equal. Kṛṣṇa Himself worshiped Sudāmā Vipra. That does not mean Sudāmā Vipra is as good as the Personality of Godhead. When Nārada was coming in Dvārakā, Kṛṣṇa immediately got down and... Nārada was smiling, "Just see the fun." But etiquette. Nārada never said that "I am better than Kṛṣṇa or equal to Kṛṣṇa." Never said.

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Just like in Kṛṣṇa's time there were cities like Mathurā, Dvārakā. They were cities, big, big city. And when Kṛṣṇa came, they were decorating, they were receiving. So that kind of city will continue, but not this hellish city-slaughterhouse, brothel and big, big tin car, and so on, accident.

Hari-śauri: Skyscrapers.

Prabhupāda: We have no objection to this, provided there is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Unfortunately these things cover more time for their maintenance, and they forget Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That should be stopped. The main business is development of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Room Conversation -- February 3, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Just see.

Gargamuni: When we were in Dvārakā they also showed us some shells.

Prabhupāda: How these Japanese died? In Manipur?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes.

Prabhupāda: How?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: They came. I think in the war.

Prabhupāda: Oh, they attacked Manipur, and they were killed.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Actually the main Second World War was in Manipur towards the end.

Evening Darsana -- February 24, 1977, Mayapura:

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?

Conversation with Tamala Krsna about Yadubara -- April 22, 1977, Bombay:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He says his general idea is "to present and establish Kṛṣṇa as a factual personality and not just some mythical character." To do this, he wants "to show historical sites of His pastimes combined with paintings to illustrate Kṛṣṇa's birth, His Vṛndāvana, Mathurā and Dvārakā pastimes, speaking Bhagavad-gītā to Arjuna, and His teachings as given in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Then we would show His, Kṛṣṇa's, teachings, how Kṛṣṇa's teachings were passed down..."

Prabhupāda: This is good.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: The idea is good.

Morning Conversation -- June 23, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: ...and prostitutes. So...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, it's even mentioned in the Kṛṣṇa book. Prostitutes came out of Dvārakā.

Prabhupāda: Yes. In Calcutta in our childhood I have seen many big, big prostitutes, Vaiṣṇavī.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Really?

Prabhupāda: All, their behavior, their living... Simply they were not married. They were kept by some big men. Otherwise everything was so nice. Big, big prostitutes.

Conversation -- July 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: She says, "Our most revered Guru Mahārāja, my crores of charan and vandana at the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa and at the lotus feet of our revered Guruji. When you were here we could not have your darshan due to your illness, and after that, you left Bombay and went to Vṛndāvana. We prayed to Lord Kṛṣṇa for your life, and our Lord Kṛṣṇa is so kind that He again heard our prayers, and now you are better. We are informed by the devotees that Guru Mahārāja is better. May Lord Kṛṣṇa give you a long life, happiness and good health and your stay with us for a few more years. We were in dark, and you have enlightened our life and taught us real religion. You shower your blessings on us. I always feel your presence near me always in the heart. We want you. Your life is very essential for us. Kindly, Guru Mahārāja, take care of your health. We believe in both prayer and medicines, so kindly do not neglect yourself. Your dream of Bombay ISKCON temple has come true. It is just like Kṛṣṇa's palace in Dvārakā. It is a top building, a jewel and (indistinct). Now I close my letter with my prayers for your good health. Your faithful devotee, Nirmala Singol."

Prabhupāda: You reply that I am progressing little.