Ekadasi (Conversations)

Expressions researched:
"ekadasi" |"ekadasis"

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Allen Ginsberg -- May 12, 1969, Columbus, Ohio:

Allen Ginsberg: But I'm wondering what future is there? What's the future of a religious observance so technical as this? So complicated as this? Requires so much sophistication in terms of diet, daily ritual, ārati, ekādaśī, all, the whole thing that you've been teaching, how far can that spread by it's very complexness...

Prabhupāda: Yes. All are complex. The whole idea is to keep the devotees always engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the program. Gradually, we shall introduce more and more so that he has no scope to go outside Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Talk with Bob Cohen -- February 27-29, 1972, Mayapura:

Bob: Tomorrow's fasting?

Acyutānanda: Tomorrow we fast. Up until evening.

Prabhupāda: Up to evening.

Acyutānanda: Until the moon comes. Then we take ekādaśī or feast?

Prabhupāda: You can feast. Feast.

Acyutānanda: So we'll fast up until the rising of the moon and then take feast, full prasādam.

Room Conversation Vaisnava Calendar Description -- March 11, 1972, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: The next important day is on the 26th, no, 12th September, 12th September, 1970, the advent day of Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī Prabhu. (pause) On that day there are three functions. First of all, Ekādaśi, a special Ekādaśi called Pārśvaika Ekādaśi. Then on that day, actually, Ekādaśi according to calendar, Ekādaśi was to be observed on the 11th September, but because the next day is Vāmana Dvādaśī.... Vāmana Dvādaśī means the advent of Lord Vāmanadeva. Therefore we have fast., Ekādaśi fasting, and we observe two fastings in one day, Ekādaśi and Vāmanadeva, Vāmana Dvādaśī. The same process as we observe Ekādaśi, and the evening there should be a meeting discussing on the life and work of Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī. He is one of the very important ācāryas in our sampradāya, so especially his Sandarbhas should be discussed.

Room Conversation Vaisnava Calendar Description -- March 11, 1972, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: No, special observance means to discuss about the life and works of Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, thats all. Then 26th September, Ekādaśī. Then 10th October, Vijayā-daśamī, appearance date of Śrīla Madhvācārya, and the victory day of Lord Rāmacandra. So there is no fasting, but in the evening we should celebrate some feasting and discuss about the life and works of Śrī Madhvācārya as well as Rāmāyaṇa incidents where Rāma and Rāvaṇa fought.

The next day is Ekādaśī, that is means 11th October. Then 12th October is Raghunātha Dāsa Gosvāmī, there is no fasting, but we should have discussion of Raghunātha Dāsa Gosvāmī.

Room Conversation -- March 12, 1972, Vrndavana:

Devotee: You want to take massage now, Srila Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: So give some prasādam.

Dr. Kapoor: You are observing Ekādaśī today?

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Dr. Kapoor: Ekādaśī today?

Prabhupāda: Ekādaśī? (indistinct)

Room Conversations -- April 22, 1972, Japan:

Devotee: On ekādaśī, we can offer the Deity grains?

Prabhupāda: Oh yes. But not guru. Ekādaśī observed by jīva-tattva, not by Viṣṇu-tattva. We are fasting for clearing our material disease, but Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, Caitanya Mahāprabhu... Caitanya Mahāprabhu also may not be offered grains because He is playing the part of a devotee. Only Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, Jagannātha can be offered grains. Otherwise, Guru-Gaurāṅga, no. And the prasādam should not be taken by anyone. It should be kept for next day.

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

Prabhupāda: When is Ekādaśī?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Ekādaśī?

Rāmeśvara: Tuesday is Ekādaśī.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Tuesday, tomorrow?

Rāmeśvara: Our calendar says Tuesday.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Indian Guests -- July 11, 1973, London:

Guest (3): Swamiji, tomorrow is Gaura-pūrṇimā. And a friend of mine, his father, or his mother died on Ekādaśī day. Husband and wife were, they had been fasting Ekādaśī doing Satya-nārāyaṇa-kathā. So now father, he is very lonely, and he said, "I have got no guru." Then I told him about you. So he immediately grabbed the idea. He wants to come tomorrow, in the morning to have your blessings. But then is it possible that he could have the initiation?

Prabhupāda: Well, let him come. First of all let him understand...

Room Conversation with Guest -- July 11, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: Tāmbūla. Yatra pāpaś catur-vidhā.

Guest: (Sanskrit or Hindi: Kṛṣṇa is offered tāmbūla in the temple.)

Prabhupāda: No, Kṛṣṇa can take.

Guest: Yes. And that prasāda of Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Guest: ...the devotees can take also...

Prabhupāda: No, prasādam, according to our principle... Just like on Ekādaśī day, we do not accept even prasādam. Anna. We keep it. So prasādam... Just like on Ekādaśī anna is prohibited, but not the Deity. Deity's offered anna, but we cannot take the prasādam even. So following strictly the principle, even tāmbūla is offered to Kṛṣṇa, it is not for us. Yes. Strictly following the principle. The same example... Just like on Ekādaśī day, anna is offered to Kṛṣṇa, but we don't take.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 16, 1974, Hawaii:

Prabhupāda: Eh? All abominable things. Not natural products. So, did you like that preparation?

Bali Mardana: Which one was that?

Prabhupāda: Yesterday.

Bali Mardana: Oh yes, it was very nice. You have taught them very well.

Prabhupāda: When is Ekādaśī?

Sudāmā: Saturday.

Prabhupāda: Harer nāma harer nāma (CC Adi 17.21).

Bali Mardana: Only thing I did not like was the bitter melon.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Bali Mardana: I did not like the bitter melon.

Prabhupāda: You did not like?

Morning Walk -- April 3, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: This is only ekāṁśa vibhūti. All this described, this is only one part. The three parts—in the spiritual world. This is all description of the material world. Now, this is only one part manifestation, and the three part manifestation—in the spiritual sky.

Chandobhai: Tri-pāda... (Hindi)

Dr. Patel: This thing. Today is Ekādaśī.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- May 8, 1975, Perth:

Prabhupāda: Everything being systematically done. Such a big ocean, vast water, it is just on the brink, no more. It is so organized. The sun is rising exactly in time, astronomically. The astronomical watch is one ten-thousandth part of a second. It is so accurate. You'll find everything is going on. (break) Today is ekādaśī, eleventh day of the moon, the moon shall be like this. There one can see the moon and he can calculate. "Today is ekādaśī." This is not machine? It is exactly, machine.

Morning Walk -- July 2, 1975, Denver:

Prabhupāda: Mental platform is mixed sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, not pure. But if you keep always Kṛṣṇa in your mind, then you are purified. The mind has no other opportunity to keep anything else. Kṛṣṇa is sitting there, then guarantee. (break) ...they keep always seeing Viṣṇu form within the heart. Therefore they keep in sattva-guṇa. Similarly, if you keep Kṛṣṇa, then you are in sattva-guṇa. And when that concentration on Kṛṣṇa is not disturbed, then it is śuddha-sattva. That is spiritual platform. (break) ...ekādaśī?

Nitāi: It's Saturday, the 6th.

Morning Walk -- July 5, 1975, Chicago:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Sometimes we have heard that ekādaśī is a inauspicious alignment of the planets and therefore one has to counteract this inauspiciousness by more chanting.

Prabhupāda: (laughs) No, no. It is the most auspicious. And chanting is more effective. (break) Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I remember you were instructing once that all of your initiated disciples should chant twenty-five rounds...

Prabhupāda: Minimum.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Minimum on this day. Is that a rule that we should all follow in our temples?

Prabhupāda: We are sixteen rounds.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, I mean on ekādaśī.

Prabhupāda: Oh yes. Ekādaśī, simply you should chant. No other business. Nirjala.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No preaching work? Should they go out for preaching?

Prabhupāda: No, those who are preaching, not for them. Those who are sitting idle, or they... (laughter) (break) ...has no other regulation, simply preaching. A preacher is so exalted. He hasn't got to follow any regulation. But don't take it. (laughter) And actually if one is busy in preaching work, that is first-class. (break) ...not my manufactured word, my Guru Mahārāja, that the... That Mādhava Mahārāja, when he was a brahmacārī, his name was Hayagrīva. So he was to go somewhere. So but he was sick. Guru Mahārāja was informed that he was sick and "Today is ekādaśī. He cannot take his regular meals." So Guru Mahārāja said, "No. Let him take immediately meals and go."

Morning Walk -- September 18, 1975, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Then? Because five rupees allotted, then it must be spent. Never mind the fruits are rotten. What is this intelligence? To save money or to squander it, that is your policy.

Dhanañjaya: So when you told Smara-hari to purchase in quantity, the first thing he purchased was bananas.

Prabhupāda: Because he is monkey, he wants banana, very nice.

Smara-hari: You see, Prabhupāda, yesterday we fasted in the morning and because it was ekādaśī there were extra bananas bought for yesterday morning, and they weren't used, so there are some left over. So this is why...

Prabhupāda: Why some left over?

Smara-hari: Because they weren't used yesterday morning.

Prabhupāda: They weren't, but why it is left over?

Smara-hari: They were saved for this morning to save money, Śrīla Prabhupāda. Rather than eat a lot of bananas yesterday afternoon, they were saved for this morning.

Morning Walk -- November 29, 1975, Delhi:

Prabhupāda: (break) Unnecessarily there are so many parties, and they fight one another. This is democracy. Today is ekādaśī?

Tejās: Today.

Prabhupāda: From the moon it can be made.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- February 11, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Observe. You have got any pañjikā?

Jayapatākā: Yes. Just now bringing.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So there is mention what to do.

Jayapatākā: (break) Bhaumī ekādaśī or Varāhadevir, āvirbhāva-janita upavāsa.

Prabhupāda: Today. Today.

Jayapatākā: Budhabāra, yes.

Prabhupāda: Both together, upavāsa.

Jayapatākā: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Then next day?

Jayapatākā: The next day it says, dina ata pañcāś gote dostha madhye se varāhadevir arcanam te bhaumī ekādaśīr o varāha-dvādaśīr param.(?)

Prabhupāda: So today, ekādaśī as usual, the Varāha-dvādaśī will be also observed and tomorrow breakfast.

Morning Walk -- February 11, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Up till sunset. Lord Rāmacandra.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Also. And Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī?

Prabhupāda: Half.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Half day. (break)

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What kind of fast is that?

Prabhupāda: Balarāma? Half day. It is fifteen days before Janmāṣṭamī.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We should always chant twenty-five rounds on ekādaśī if initiated.

Prabhupāda: Initiated? Everyone. Why initiated?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So that should be standard for our movement on ekādaśī day?

Prabhupāda: Standard is sixteen, but if one can chant more, then he is welcome.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's not mandatory for ekādaśī.

Jayapatākā: Recommended.

Prabhupāda: No. Ekādaśī means that, fasting and chanting.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Sometimes I'm wondering, because our men have to go out on book distribution.

Prabhupāda: No, no. That is also preaching work. For that purpose you can stop this, but generally, one who has no preaching work, he can chant.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Extra.

Prabhupāda: Extra.

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

Rāmeśvara: On the calendar it says it is Bhīma-ekādaśī.

Prabhupāda: Bhīma-ekādaśī, yes.

Rāmeśvara: So I've been told that if one fasts on Bhīma-ekādaśī, that it is like fasting on all the ekādaśīs. Is that true?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Ekādaśī is meant for fasting, either Bhīma or Arjuna. But we cannot fast, therefore we have to take little fruits and.... Otherwise, ekādaśī means fasting.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: If it is possible, should we go without eating at all?

Prabhupāda: Yes. But don't lie down and sleep.

Mahendra: Eating mahā-prasādam is also fasting.

Prabhupāda: Who says?

Mahendra: You said that to Paramahaṁsa Swami once.

Prabhupāda: And you heard from Paramahaṁsa.

Mahendra: No, I was in the room. It was when he was trying to observe Caturmāsya.

Prabhupāda: I never said that.

Mahendra: Oh, okay, I must have heard wrong.

Prabhupāda: If there is service and, on my fasting, service will be stopped, then I can take. First consideration, service. Now if somebody feels weak, he can take mahā-prasāda, render service.

Answers to a Questionnaire from Bhavan's Journal -- June 28, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Just like in the Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad it is ordered that one must go to the spiritual master. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). So there is no question of voluntarily, but it must be. And one must carry out by the order of a spiritual master and the order of the śāstra. That is called tapasya. Just like in our line ekādaśī is compulsory. One may feel some inconvenience fasting or simply eating fruits. No. It must be done. There are so many rules and regulations which is essential. It must be done. That is called tapasya. Without consideration whether it is convenient or inconvenient for you, which is, must be done, that is called tapasya.

Room Conversation -- July 8, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes.

Dr. Sharma: Once we get started on that... You must be very tired now. You have...

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Today is Ekādaśī also.

Dr. Sharma: I do not know when I will be fortunate to have your darśana again, but I certainly think God will again give me the blessing to have your darśana. India is fortunate to have...

Prabhupāda: We shall see every moment, every day with our work. If the work is going on, then I see you, you see me. (laughs)

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

Prabhupāda: Positive engagement is devotional service. So if they are attracted by devotional service, other things will be automatically "no." Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate. Just like Ekādaśī day. Ekādaśī day, we observe fasting. And there are many patients in the hospital, they are also fasting. But they'll "No, no." They'll, within heart, "If I get, I shall eat, I shall eat." But those who are devotee, they voluntarily "no." The same fasting is going on for the devotees and the hospital patient. And that "no" and this "no," there is difference. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 9.59). It is not meant for the mass of people, but at least if we keep a section of people ideal to the human society, they will be guided.

Room Conversation -- August 17, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Therefore wanted.(?)

Yaśomatīnandana: Vaikuṇṭha Ekādaśī. In Shri Rangam they have this giant festival every year, the biggest festival in India. It's Vaikuṇṭha Ekādaśī in December.

Guest: Last December we went there.

Yaśomatīnandana: November-December is a very good time. Pañca-puram. Bharadvāja.

Guest: (Bengali) This is the original birth, Shri Rangam.

Prabhupāda: Now with Suraji's(?) cooperation make a program.

Room Conversation About Mayapura Construction -- August 19, 1976, Hyderabad:

Gargamuni: He came on the last ekādaśī. Just last ekādaśī, what, ten days ago? Seven days he came for the ekādaśī to Māyāpura just to see.

Prabhupāda: Who?

Gargamuni: Tarun Kanti Ghosh. He took prasādam, he took the ekādaśī and he liked it very much.

Jayapatākā: I just saw him also just before Janmāṣṭamī, and he was still very favorable then. We talked for about an hour and a half. He introduced me to all the M.L.A's of the twenty-four paraganās.

Prabhupāda: Tarun Kanti?

Room Conversation -- August 20, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Yes. The Mahabaleswar(?) is well known. Yes.

Jayapatākā: They have nice cows there, nice vegetables.

Saurabha: Oh, yes. Everywhere... What is the name of that root we ate on ekādaśī?

Prabhupāda: So take it and develop according to your plan. Develop.

Saurabha: It's a place known for strawberry cultivation.

Prabhupāda: What do you think will be the expenditure to develop it into a nice place?

Room Conversation -- August 22, 1976, Hyderabad:

Gargamuni: Yes. I have also told they should eat nice fruits and vegetable so they will keep healthy.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Vegetable, fruits, very innocent, little milk. That's all. Even if you don't eat these foodgrains, that is preferred. Better. Vegetable and fruits and milk, that is sufficient nutritious. There is no question of disease. But for our tongue taste we eat so many cooked food, but if we eat vegetables, boiled vegetables and fruits and milk, ah, it is sufficient. Ekādaśī. (laughter) Daily ekādaśī.

And these peanuts, a few grains. Not much. That is also nice. Cashew, peanut. Yes. So thank you very much. You are working so much for Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission. Yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). Bas. You become a guru. Actually you are doing the guru's work. "Here is a message from Kṛṣṇa. Please take it." Bas. Simple. Yāre dekha. And whomever you meet, tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa. Either you speak personally or give him a book.

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

Mr. Malhotra: About two years back, two, three of your devotees came to our house here. Naturally we offered them, "Would you like to have coffee, tea?" They said, "No." Then we said, "Would you like to have Coca-cola." They said, "No." Then I said, "What would you like to have, milk?" "Yes." Lassi, chach?(?) Yes. Fruit. Yes. It happened so that Girirāja came to us twice, and twice it was this ekādaśī. Now ekādaśī day they are not supposed to eat this wheat or flour or anything. So when last we came to Bangleswara (?), so we brought some paraṭās with this gobi(?) in it.

Prabhupāda: Ekādaśī.

Mr. Malhotra: We didn't know about ekādaśī. When we came to Mahabaleswar, we opened. They said "No, we can't eat because it is ekādaśī." So we said that "No you won't eat, so it looks odd that we should eat." But we were very hungry, you know. In the morning we didn't take anything. We said "All right, we eat, now we will go to the bazaar and see if we could get something." Then we went to Mahabaleswar, it was all closed, because it was raining season. And then there was one shop which had bananas, good amount of bananas. So we took one dozen or two dozen bananas, and then...

Prabhupāda: Banana is very good. You can make banana and potato. Potato boil and mixed with banana, and make nice puri. And then...

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

Mr. Malhotra: How Girirāja, I just ask you, how you took to all these good things of life? I mean in natural form or with some self-discipline or with some coercion or with some what?

Girirāja: It was Prabhupāda's mercy. I was looking for a guru. Actually whenever I heard there was a swami or a yogi, I would always go, even hundreds of miles. But I was never satisfied. But Śrīla Prabhupāda perfectly satisfied all of my questions. And I liked the process, chanting, dancing, taking prasādam, offering ārati, and I liked the devotees. It was very pleasing. So I immediately decided this is my real life.

Mr. Malhotra: No, but not taking any wheat, like on ekādaśī day, all such things.

Girirāja: That's training. Once we surrender to the spiritual master, then he trains us in the process of spiritual life.

Prabhupāda: Sādhu-mārgānugamanam, ādau gurvāśrayaṁ sad-dharma-pṛcchāt sādhu-mārgānugamanam.(?) These are the process.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Roof Conversation -- January 5, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 9.59). Just like a man is observing Ekādaśī, fasting. Another, in the hospital, he's also fasting. So these two fastings, they are different.

Dr. Patel: Here fasting of all the senses and applying to God.

Prabhupāda: For satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa. And there compulsory fasting, but he has got desire. So paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate. When you get better taste, when you stop this nonsense for better taste, that is positive. Artificially, if you do, it will not benefit.

Dr. Patel: Ekādaśī, according to the Purāṇas and the stories, all the eleven senses should be withdrawn from their sense objects...

Prabhupāda: No, Ekādaśī, that is automatically... By Ekādaśī is one of the process for... (Hindi)

Morning Discussion about Kumbhamela -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yes, we will be his guest. He will pay rent. That's all right. Very good.

Gurudāsa: So anyway, he said it verbally. We'll see when Abhirama comes. I think he'll do it.

Prabhupāda: He's gentleman.

Gurudāsa: Yes, he is. He's offering all his prasāda, and he's following ekādaśī. And he told me yesterday... He showed me a picture of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa and yourself. And he said he sleeps on his back, and he puts it on his heart.

Prabhupāda: (laughs) Acchā.

Gurudāsa: So he has your picture in his room, etc. So he appreciates.

Prabhupāda: That is nice.

Evening Conversation -- January 25, 1977, Puri:

Prabhupāda: Whether I am in the clutches of māyā or not can be tested—whether I am sleeping more, whether I am eating more, whether I am more sexually inclined. He can test himself. And bhakti means vairāgya-vidyā, to conquer over these three things. So practice this. They are... To rise early in the morning and attend maṅgala-ārati is compulsory. It is part of this education, spiritual education. And not to eat more than necessary. Then you'll not sleep more. You'll find, if you observe fast, you won't feel sleepy. Have you tested this?

Gargamuni: Yes. I can remember.

Prabhupāda: Therefore ekādaśī. One day or two days in the month he should practice fasting, and then he'll be able to conquer over these things. These are all practical. So we should practice ourself and teach others. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. And if he thinks that he's quite all right in this material atmosphere, then he's doomed. Mūḍhaḥ nābhijānāti. That means aprāpya mām—without achieving Kṛṣṇa—nivartante—again he goes back-mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani (BG 9.3)—the cycle of birth and death.

Conversations -- June 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: (laughs) Yes. It is a different type of civilization, to become sanctified and Kṛṣṇa conscious. Other things are not very important. If it is possible to rectify him, don't bother about this. Be Kṛṣṇa conscious. Increase this qualification.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We find that to increase fasting on Ekādaśī day makes that new (indistinct) come like anything.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You begin to realize you have nothing else beside Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Can't eat... Actually it's quite a nice realization. When food goes then you realize that the shelter is also bhakti.(?) With Kṛṣṇa you can go on chanting, reading Bhāgavatam.

Prabhupāda: In Marwari community they have now degraded. Otherwise they are very nice. Now they have become, recently, hippies.

Room Conversation with Alice Coltrane -- July 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: (indistinct)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "...one has to glorify the Supreme Lord, praising His holy name, His eternal form, His transcendental qualities, and His uncommon pastimes. One has to glorify all these things. Therefore a mahātmā is attached to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One who is attached to the impersonal feature of the Supreme Lord, the brahmajyoti, is not described as mahātmā in the Bhagavad-gītā. He is described in a different way in the next verse. The mahātmā is always engaged in different activities of devotional service, as described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, hearing and chanting about Viṣṇu, not a demigod or human being. That is devotion: śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ, smaraṇam, and remembering Him. Such a mahātmā has firm determination to achieve at the ultimate end the association of the Supreme Lord in any one of the five transcendental rasas. To achieve that success, he engages all activities—mental, bodily and vocal, everything—in the service of the Supreme Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. That is called full Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

In devotional service there are certain activities which are called determined, such as fasting on certain days, like the eleventh day of the moon, Ekādaśī, and on the appearance day of the Lord, etc. All these rules and regulations are offered by the great ācāryas for those who are actually interested in getting admission into the association of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the transcendental world. The mahātmās, great souls, strictly observe all these rules and regulations, and therefore they are sure to achieve the desired result.

As described in the second verse of this chapter, this devotional service is not only easy, but it can be performed in a happy mood. One does not need to undergo any severe penance and austerity. He can live this life in devotional service, guided by an expert spiritual master, and in any position, either as a householder or a sannyāsī, or a brahmacārī; in any position and anywhere in the world, he can perform this devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and thus become actually mahātmā, a great soul.

Prabhupāda: So all instructions are there. If you read it carefully, you get. But don't manufacture in your own way. That will not be successful. Yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya. Find out.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I don't know that verse, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya. Ya, y-a.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. They only have the first and third...

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They only have the first line and third line of each...

Prabhupāda: So why don't you read it?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, I haven't found the verse yet.

Prabhupāda: You don't find it?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, Śrīla Prabhupāda. Is that the first line of the verse?

Prabhupāda: Yaḥ śāstra... Yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya. It is in the Sixteenth Chapter. (break) Na siddhiṁ na avāpnoti. Na siddhim. Find out. (break) What is the first word?

Room Conversation -- October 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: January '77 we have passed.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: January '78, Śrīla Prabhupāda. It says that you're supposed to have lived for seventy-five years, but everything beyond that was an extension by Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Where is...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Juice? They're just making it, Śrīla Prabhupāda. It says here that "The moon is in the eighth house, which is very bad. The patient may not recover." Then he gives various planets which are also not well aligned. He says the conjunction of another two planets is very bad. "Hospitalization and ill health are intensified in the present year. The days which are not good is when the moon passes in the 22nd to the 23rd of nakṣatra, which are 27th to the 28th of September," that's already passed, "The 24th to the 25th of October, then some days in November and December." He says, "Sūrya will apply for Rahu on Saturday, the 8th of October." That's today. This is very bad, this day. Today is Ekādaśī. "Sūrya will apply for Rahu. Brashna, Lagnesh, Mangal, in the eighth house. The medicine will not give any relief. The native will make a fight for life as Sūrya-Mangal are good friends, and Saturn, or Śani, and Śukra are enemies. There is no benefics in the nine, six, eleven and three. Mangal indicates the effects of Sakini. There is difficulty in recovery. The seventh daśa starts on the 13th of January, 1978." It says, "We have noticed that the periods are all negative until March-April 1978, and the main trouble was due to Śani. We suggested that blue sapphire be tried, and he should keep it on. Hospitalization and travels are indicated." Then he says the worst days of all for you are today and tomorrow. He says it is very negative, as well as the llth, which is mixed. But these are all very inauspicious days. The 4th, 5th, 8th, 9th, and 11th of October. He says "The only remedy in this case is to do mahā-mṛtyum-jaya japa and havana. Previously also, now also, we have recommended Śiva. Lord Śiva is the presiding Deity of Śani, and with this, the native will be able to overcome disease and life span increases."

Hari-śauri: That's the mantra he gave to me.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Astrologically it is up to the eighty-one years, four months, approximately. Says, "Japa and havana."

Prabhupāda: Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. It is finished. So where is juice? You're asking him for juice.

Room Conversation -- October 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: That is fact. Āśraya lañā pāile, kṛṣṇa nāhi tāre tyaje, āra sama māre aphala.(?) If we try under the protection of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, things will be successful. Others, they'll simply waste time and be disappointed and change his body and suffer. Today is Ekādaśī?

Haṁsadūta: Today is Ekādaśī.

Prabhupāda: Two songs especially, Cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu, and Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, should be continued as well as any song, especially, I mean to say, here in this room.

Room Conversation -- October 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So he knows. When you are ready(?), let him have it. (Bengali)

Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja: (Bengali) You have fulfilled all, everything. (Bengali)

Prabhupāda: Don't fight amongst yourselves. I have given the explanation, my will. Execute like that.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: And then everything will be. They'll guide. Then what there is. (Bengali) Ekādaśī?

Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja: Ekādaśī.

Prabhupāda: (Bengali) (Haṁsadūta chants) (end)

Room Conversation Arrival of Jayatirtha and Harikesa -- October 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: This time what they supply?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What they supplied? You mean prasādam? There was some... Of course, today is the day after Ekādaśī, so they had some cereal made with gur and some guava fruit salad with guavas and bananas. That was all this morning. Lunch is usually substantial, very good. It's the best prasādam that we have had in many years in India here. This boy, Ayodhyā-pati, he's doing very nicely. He cooks usually... Do you want to know what he cooks for lunch? He cooks a ālu sabji with dahi sauce, and he makes bindi, very nicely spiced, and ḍāl, ruṭis, rice, apple chutney, and dahi, raita. Every day.

Prabhupāda: Who assists him?

Room Conversation -- November 3, 1977, Vrndavana:

Gaura-govinda: He suffered from fever. He had some fever, high fever. So he fell unconscious. The doctor came and gave some medicine. The fever was checked, but he gave some high-power medicines that affected his brain, and so he couldn't speak. He just collapsed and stayed still. We came to the hospital that night. Doctor tried his best. He gave saline and oxygen. He stayed the whole night, but at the daybreak he passed away, when the morning came, just on the morning, 23rd morning. It was ekādaśī day. That day he passed away. The day Bhāgavata reached. The very moment Bhāgavata reached there, he passed away.

Prabhupāda: Doctor gives treatment, not reliable. They make experiment.

Room Conversation -- November 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: No, let them take their time. They do that. It is very nice picnic.

Lokanātha: From my village there is this pilgrimage called Pandarpur. This is sixty miles. And still, old men, they just travel, walk. Every ekādaśī they go.

Prabhupāda: Just see.

Lokanātha: Every ekādaśī they go to Pandarpur, have darśana of Charukmari(?), and return on foot.

Haṁsadūta: You have assured us that in one day you're not going to die, and you want to make this experiment, so we should do it.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.