Hari-śauri: Yes. They had a blackout in New York once for an hour or so.
Prabhupāda: Yes, I know that. I was that time.
Hari-śauri: Oh, you were there.
Prabhupāda: Not hour. It was four hours. And fortunately I was not out on the street. I was in my place. That accident took place just after few days of my arrival, 1965. One gentleman, he, I know, he brought me some candle. I had no candle even. Simply I was sitting in darkness. What can be done? But Kṛṣṇa sent him with some candle. Yes. (chuckling)
Hari-śauri: Nine months after that incident they had a record number of births . . .
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Hari-śauri: . . .in New York.
Prabhupāda: What can they do in darkness? (laughter) That is the only engagement in darkness.
Jayapatākā: They could have chanted Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: No . . . Even Hare Kṛṣṇa people. Nāviviktāsano bhavet, mātrā svasrā duhitrā vā (SB 9.19.17). It is strictly forbidden: "You should not sit alone even with your mother, sister or daughter, what to speak of wife." Balavān indriya-grāmo vidvāṁsam api karṣati: "The senses are so strong, even learned persons, advanced, they also become victimized." Balavān indriya-grāmaḥ. Balavān means "very strong." When the . . . It is forbidden even with mother, sister or . . . and daughter. That is the only capturing instrument in the material world. Maithunyam agāra, prison house of sex, this material world. It is a prison house, but locked up by sex. The ordinary prison house, they are locked up by guards, and here the locking process is sex. Maithunyam agāra. The words are selected in Bhāgavata. They are thinking free. (laughs) They are imprisoned, locked up. And everyone falsely thinking, "I am free. Our nation is free. I am free." What nonsense free? You are locked up already. That he does not . . . Now this word is used, maithunyam agāram ajñaḥ. He has preferred to remain in this prison locked up by sex because he is rascal. Maithunyam agāram ajñaḥ.
Pradyumna: Where is that, Śrīla Prabhupāda?
Prabhupāda: In the . . . Find out, Fifth, Fifth Canto, Fifth Chapter. (pause) Bhāgavata is the only guide. Read Bhāgavata repeatedly, whole life. Safe. Always. Always, whenever there is time, read, read, read.