Fine (Conversations 1976 - 1977)

Expressions researched:
"fine" |"finely" |"fineness" |"finer" |"finest"

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- March 17, 1976, Mayapura:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: When I was in America, I got one report. One person was telling me they had read of this person. It shows the limit..., how unlimited one can eat anything. This one man, he has, he has been for twenty years eating an automobile. He takes the different parts of the automobile, grinding it down, and daily eats different parts of it.

Prabhupāda: Ācchā? Just see. Madman. There is iron, metal. He was eating?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He's eating by grinding it very finely into powder. He's.... His program is to consume one entire automobile-tires, windshield, everything.

Dharmādhyakṣa: Just so he'll become famous.

Prabhupāda: And how he'll live?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Apparently he takes a little enough quantity that it doesn't disturb. And it's ground down very finely into powder.

Trivikrama: He eats other stuff too.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, he eats other things also, meat.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Morning Walk -- March 17, 1976, Mayapura:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Apparently he takes a little enough quantity that it doesn't disturb. And it's ground down very finely into powder.

Trivikrama: He eats other stuff too.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, he eats other things also, meat.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Guru-kṛpā: I talked to one lady. She was daily eating one glass of dirt.

Prabhupāda: Who?

Morning Walk -- March 25, 1976, Delhi:

Ātreya Ṛṣi: So this question of freedom of jīva and control of Kṛṣṇa, that there is freedom but at the same time there is no freedom, is a very fine line between the two that sometimes we do not understand.

Prabhupāda: But why don't you understand? Just like you belong to a free nation, the American. Does it mean you are free to do anything and everything?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: With your limited freedom.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: There's a fine line between this freedom.

Prabhupāda: When you say, "I belong to this free nation," then yes, you are free. But that does not mean that you can do anything and everything.

Morning Walk -- March 26, 1976, Delhi:

Prabhupāda: ...mana, buddhi, ahaṅkāra. And then false identification, ahaṅkāra, then soul. And the soul is so fine. I have given the definition. How they can see, "There is soul"? Dr. Kapoor: But in the ātmā, you see.... You have given a very beautiful description. The smaller the part—as they call it, potency—more powerful it becomes. So you see, they think that the bigger thing is more powerful, but here science has also proved that greater the potency, the smaller the dose, smaller the size. So similarly, as you describe that what is soul? It's fractional, fractional, fractional, fractional.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Fractional. It is smaller than the atom.

Morning Walk -- April 8, 1976, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: Hah, yes. Everyone is trying to get more, and nature's order is that you take only to maintain your body and soul together. That's all. If you take more, then you are thief, you'll be punished by the laws of nature. This is going on. Laws of nature are so fine that by material activities you'll never be satisfied, and at the time of death, he'll lament that "I could not satisfy my desires. Let me take..." "All right, take another body. Satisfy." This is nature's punishment. Karmaṇā daiva netreṇa jantur dehopapattaye (SB 3.31.1). Simple things. We desire, and nature will give you another body. māyā-yantrārūḍhāni. He'll give you, "Ride on this car, you wanted, on this body." And this... This is creation of māyā. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe... (BG 18.61). Kṛṣṇa is there, orders māyā, "He wants to enjoy life. Give him this body." "Come on, here is a hog's body, eat nicely, stool. Come on."

Morning Walk -- April 14, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: How are you?

Viśāla: Fine, thank you.

Prabhupāda: Wherefrom you are coming?

Viśāla: From Rome and Paris.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Viśāla: Bhagavān took real good care of us.

Prabhupāda: Where is your wife?

Viśāla: She is here, Your Divine Grace.

Morning Walk -- April 14, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Thank you.

Dr. Patel: He is such a man. He has all the characteristics of a sannyāsī in the home. He is a multi-millionaire's son. But absolutely untouched by wealth, and very fine man, extremely fine.

Prabhupāda: If our gurukula children comes here they can have very good sporting. And this idea I have given you?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Remain healthy.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Twice a day.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Twice a day can come, take bath and enjoy sporting life and then chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, take good prasādam. That's all. Why they should waste their time in technology to become a coolie?

Room Conversation -- April 20, 1976, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: Yes, the word begins with s. Spirograph or like that. You do not know? They smear with black, what is called, carbon, and the fine...

Devotee 2: Cardiograph.

Prabhupāda: Cardiograph, like that.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Cardiograph.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Sensation.

Prabhupāda: No, no, the machine is called some special name.

Room Conversation -- April 23, 1976, Melbourne:

Guest (3): Fine. It would be an honor.

Guru-kṛpā: We'll read this. We promise to read this if you promise to read that.

Guest (3): Fine.

Prabhupāda: No, there is no question of...

Guru-kṛpā: Because he has read.

Prabhupāda: So you can read one of the best portion from this book.

Room Conversation -- April 23, 1976, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: That means that respect is partial. Our process is whomever we respect, we worship him. That is more perfect.

Guest (2): Well, all right. That's fine.

Prabhupāda: That is perfection. If you respect somebody you must worship him. Just like.... Nowadays it has become a fashion. I don't.... That is European fashion, that you respect some gentleman, political or social, who has done good service to your country, but you keep him in a public park and the crows are passing stool on his head.

Hari-śauri: Make a statue.

Prabhupāda: Statue.

Room Conversation -- April 23, 1976, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Why don't you read one of these? I think you'd be interested in some of the finer points in the philosophy.

Guest (2): How much would that be? We can't afford too...

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: It only costs four dollars.

Guest (2): We can't afford that. Something small.... Does it have a picture of him in there?

Hari-śauri: There's a picture of Prabhupāda in the back of that one, in the back. On the inside also there's just a few notes about him.

Prabhupāda: Paper is ripped. Another copy. (end)

Morning Walk -- May 28, 1976, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: (break) ...śūnyāyitaṁ jagat sarvaṁ govinda-viraheṇa me. That necessity, that without Govinda I'm feeling everything vacant. That is necessity. That makes it finer (indistinct).

Devotee (1): Is this the anna-maya, prāṇa-maya, mano-maya, like that?

Prabhupāda: There are so many stages. Here is the highest status. Govinda-viraheṇa me. Yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇa. "For want of Govinda, I am thinking one moment as twelve years." Yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇa cakṣuṣā prāvṛṣāyitam. "I'm crying like torrents of rain from my eyes." This is the highest necessity. This is also necessity. Yugāyitaṁ nimeṣeṇa cakṣuṣā prāvṛ.... Śūnyāyitaṁ jagat sarvam. "I don't see anything. Everything is vacant." And that we have experience. If somebody whom you love very much, he dies, you think, "I don't want anything.

Morning Walk -- May 30, 1976, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: Go-rakṣya, the point is that cow's milk is very important. Therefore specifically mentioned go-rakṣya. Kṛṣṇa does not say that don't eat meat. It is not really said that meat-eating is forbidden. But meat-eating is tāmasika, prāmādya (indistinct). But He's speaking of go-rakṣya for our special material benefit, that if we protect the cows, we can have the facility of drinking milk, which will help us in keeping our health in order and developing very nice brain tissues to understand spiritual subject matter. Fish-eaters, they're all dull. They cannot understand finer philosophy of life. Meat-eating, not good. But the śūdras, and the less than śūdras, they eat. But for them there's lower animals, not cow.

Room Conversation with Reporter -- June 3, 1976, Los Angeles:

Reporter: No, this is fine.

Rāmeśvara: Oh, good. Indian style. How large is the newspaper? The circulation?

Reporter: 450,000.

Rāmeśvara: Half a million.

Reporter: Ah, Swami. What is your purpose here with your ah.... with the faith in seeking the growth and so on.

Prabhupāda: (to Rāmeśvara) That is the purpose you can explain.

Room Conversation -- June 9, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: He wants chair?

Rāmeśvara: He likes sitting Indian style. (Prabhupāda laughs)

Jay Warner: No, this is fine, thank you.

Rāmeśvara: His name is Jay Warner.

Prabhupāda: Yes, I.... Ācarati śreṣṭhas tat tad evetaro janaḥ:"Anything which is accepted by leading men, that is accepted by others." So you are one of the leading men in the society, lawyer. If you understand our philosophy, then many others will follow. So kindly try to understand our philosophy thoroughly, and then others will follow: "He's big lawyer. He's a Kṛṣṇa conscious man." If you have any doubt, you can ask. We will try to explain. Asaṁśayaṁ samagraṁ māṁ yathā jñāsyasi tac chṛṇu (BG 7.1). Find out this verse. (break) It must be distinct from other paintings.

Garden Conversation -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: No. It is all right. You sit down. It is fine, you can sit. No, no.

Hari-śauri: Sit over this side.

Jayādvaita: "The sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, whom if we killed we should not care to live, are now standing before us on this battlefield." Arjuna did not know whether he should fight and risk unnecessary violence, although fighting is the duty of the kṣatriyas, or whether he should refrain and live by begging. If he did not conquer the enemy, begging would be his only means of subsistence. Nor was there certainty of victory, because either side might emerge victorious. Even if victory awaited them (and their cause was justified), still, if the sons of Dhṛtarāṣṭra died in battle, it would be very difficult to live in their absence. Under the circumstances, that would be another kind of defeat for them.

Conversation with Clergymen -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:

Scheverman: This is just fine.

Kern: We're happy the way we are.

Scheverman: I don't think I could quite sit too long like that. I have to practice more.

Prabhupāda: (break) ...habituated to sit cross-leg. They have learned also. Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa. So people in general, they are now out of God consciousness. Is it not?

Conversation with Clergymen -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:

Kern: Oh, do you? Very good, that's fine.

Scheverman: And we too. We have always responded to those who have a need for food or clothing or shelter. This comes to us every day, too.

Kern: But to make a person ask is not the right kind of society. Shouldn't, if a person be the first-class citizen and therefore independent and therefore seek his own so that he could serve God by his own intelligence and his independence.... There's no virtue to be giving; it's more of a virtue to receive.

Jayādvaita: He's suggesting that because we are requiring that a person come to us for food, that somehow this is interfering with his independence.

Prabhupāda: Where is that independence? With his family he can come and take food. What is wrong there? We say that we should not..., we are not simply supplying food. Anyone who is coming, he is getting spiritual education. Not that it is a free hotel. No. It is not that.

Conversation with Clergymen -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: Yes, why not? If there is arrangement for financing such school we can start, very nice.

Kern: Father would sell you a fine school.

Scheverman: We have a building that will be available shortly (laughs) if you want to start a school.

Prabhupāda: So let us cooperate.

Scheverman: (laughs) Let us cooperate. And your teachers. There's no question about the kind of thing you're talking about here is needed.

Prabhupāda: "Father" means responsibility. According to our Vedic literature, one should not become a father unless he can deliver his son from the cycle of birth and death. Pitā na sa syāj na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum. At the present moment we are in the cycle of birth and death in the conditioned stage. So it is the duty of the father how to save the son from the cycle of birth and death. This is responsibility.

Interview with Kathy Kerr Reporter from The Star -- June 17, 1976, Toronto:

Prabhupāda: Yes, many. Many educated. They are coming, trying to understand. But it requires little brain. So-called educated with dull brain cannot understand. So to make their brain finer to understand, we are prohibiting four things: no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no intoxication, no gambling. If one refrains from these four prohibited things, then he can develop his brain to understand. And if one indulges in these four things, his brain will never be able to understand. Just like a dog having sexual intercourse on the street, so if I request the dog that "Don't do this, it is not very good," he'll never understand.

Morning Walk -- June 17, 1976, Toronto:

Prabhupāda: Oh, (laughs) how are you?

Bhakta Gene: Very fine, very fine. I'm told that you met with Thomas Merton some years ago. Is this correct?

Prabhupāda: The French?

Bhakta Gene: No, the Cistercian monk from Kentucky.

Prabhupāda: I do not know.

Garden Discussion on Bhagavad-gita Sixteenth Chapter -- June 26, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Dhṛṣṭadyumna: Now they are just taking our collection. Today two of my boys, they were arrested just north of here. So as a fine they have taken their saṅkīrtana collection.

Prabhupāda: Robbing. In the name of law, robbing.

Dhṛṣṭadyumna: Right, the court has taken it.

Devotee (1): Did this happen in court or the police...?

Dhrtadyumna: In court.

Prabhupāda: And then they let go?

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

Prabhupāda: (laughs) Our Detroit property is like that.

Rūpānuga: White elephant.

Prabhupāda: Nobody was taking, but it was quite suitable for us. And that is the finest property. You have seen it?

Rūpānuga: I have not been there. I have seen photographs.

Vṛṣākapi: I have seen it.

Prabhupāda: Is it not?

Vṛṣākapi: It is the finest, the finest.

Prabhupāda: And we have got very cheap. One room will cost three hundred thousand, it is so costly. They said they spend about two millions dollars fifty years ago.

'Life Comes From Life' Slideshow Discussions -- July 3, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: That is already there, one life after another. That is already there by superior arrangement. Very fine arrangement, exactly to the percentage of different qualities, the body is already there. Simply the soul has to be put into that body by superior arrangement. Say, first-class passenger, what does he require? The apartment is already made by expert, what is needed for a first-class passenger?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: He needs some more money. He must be rich to get a first-class apartment.

Prabhupāda: Yes, but so far arrangement, just like Western hotels, everything is so complete. They know what a first-class man wants. So expert. They have already made. You don't require to say anything, that "I want..." So complete. But the steps are already mentioned. Aquatics, then plants, vegetation, then insects, reptiles, then birds, then beasts. These are the gradual...

Room Conversation With Scientists -- July 6, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: Give psychology. Say "Who asked him about Arizona? Why he is speaking Arizona?" That means they are in Arizona.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: So. Śrīla Prabhupāda, is it all right to include that, these ninety-two chemical elements as finer, er, finer form of earth?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Mixture of so many things. But actually, that is the fact. Just like iron, gold, everything you find. Just like earth, but you have to purify.

Rūpānuga: So earth is a mixture of all these different elements?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: So we can call this...

Prabhupāda: Different quality of earth.

Room Conversation With Scientists -- July 6, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: And it would, get one fine paper, you'll get.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Hairs will stand on end.

Prabhupāda: So magnetism means another action of the fire. (laughter)

Svarūpa Dāmodara: We talk sometimes things very complicated, Śrīla Prabhupāda, but Prabhupāda explains it very simply. (laughs)

Prabhupāda: Because I am not scientist. (laughter) Just like I captured immediately, common sense.

Room Conversation -- July 6, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: In speaking (at) colleges and universities. The other day when you spoke there, we were not speaking about astronomy, you were speaking of the origin of life, and these people, outsiders, they already had the concept to raise up that question. So without any connection they brought up. So the question was, "Whatever you present is very nice, fine, but what about the moon? Do you believe that the moon is farther away than the sun?"

Prabhupāda: But they have already...?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yeah, they already studied, they are ready to ask those things, and they say, "Just give me an answer, yes or no."

Prabhupāda: They asked you? They asked you?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes.

Prabhupāda: So what did you answer?

Evening Darsana -- July 13, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: They're welcome. That's fine. So make world party.

Satsvarūpa: Yes, we're very excited to do that. We're going to present it to the GBC.

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

Satsvarūpa: What our practical plan is. Take this same party everywhere, Europe and then India and then other places too.

Prabhupāda: We are getting good response for our books all over the world.

Devotee (6): Constantly growing. Any new volumes coming out?

Morning Walk -- July 13, 1976, New York:

Rāmeśvara: (break) ...that by genetics they can develop the higher qualities in man, and they can arrange at birth to develop the finest qualities, strength, different talents also, like artistic talents, musical talents, better intelligence, all by chemistry.

Prabhupāda: So how much chemical he has devoured for becoming so intelligent? That man who is proposing chemicals, so how much quantity of chemical he has eaten to speak all this nonsense?

Bali-mardana: One of their programs is selective breeding. Only let the so-called intelligent people have children and let all the unintelligent people not have any children.

Conversation with George Harrison -- July 26, 1976, London:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Estimated eight crores of rupees. Is there any dahi preparation? Oh, that's all right. Now, there is fruit. You...

George Harrison: Very good. Fantastic. Maybe just a little bit of, but now I'm not.... Thanks. That's fine. No, okay, thanks, fine, that's enough, that's fine.

Prabhupāda: That watermelon, you can give. It is water.

George Harrison: Now let me finish all this.

Prabhupāda: This is that mango preparation.

George Harrison: Okay.

Devotee (2): It's coming.

Prabhupāda: You like that preparation? Yes.

Room Conversation -- August 3, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Prabhupāda: I don't have any.

Hari-śauri: (laughs) We can't make, it's not finely ground enough. We can't make it into cāpāṭis. It's just too coarse.

Prabhupāda: You could do one thing. You just smash that and boil with milk.

Hari-śauri: You mean a mortar and pestle?

Prabhupāda: Smash and boil with milk. Don't put sugar. Then I shall put sugar according to my taste.

Hari-śauri: You want that this evening?

Prabhupāda: No.

Evening Darsana -- August 9, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: And evaporation. Even the ocean can be evaporated by the air. So we have got this experience of the five or eight elements. They are physical because they are subjected to be cut into pieces, to be burned into fire, to be moistened, to be evaporated. But it is, soul is not affected. Then we have to think of—what is that. Therefore these scientists, they are puzzled. When the soul goes out of the body, they cannot imagine what thing is missing that the body is dead. Because they have physical ideas. But it is not physical. So everything is described. We have to study thoroughly and apply our brain. The brain must be sharp and finer tissues. Then spiritual understanding will be there. With dull brain, physical brain, we cannot understand. That is not possible. Therefore to spiritualize the brain, the senses, requires a process. Just like to keep a vegetable in frozen condition, it requires a process.

Room Conversation -- August 12, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: No, that will come out. The powder must be made very fine. Otherwise, it will not come out.

Hari-śauri: If it's pulverized with a machine it comes out.

Harikeśa: Yes, if there's a machine it would be nice.

Prabhupāda: Very fine powder.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: What about if we served it in a different shape. Tube is common. If we make it a little different it would be more attractive.

Prabhupāda: That you have to think, how it will be attractive here. Otherwise paste, put into the collapsible tube, then it becomes complete. The formula is there and everything. You don't take... Simply it has to be made very fine pulverized.

Room Conversation -- August 12, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. No, it was not made good because... It is not his fault, the powder was not very fine. But it will be better, nice, when the powders are very, very finely pulverized.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: What other products do you recommend?

Prabhupāda: That you want me I shall give you.

Hari-śauri: The one on leg that you put that nim oil. That cleared up that cut in two days.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Where is that nim ointment?

Room Conversation -- August 12, 1976, Tehran:

Ātreya Ṛṣi: I shall... Yes, that's fine.

Prabhupāda: No, purchase one small book, like passbook. So you become my banker, I deposit with you. You receive it and send the interest, that's all. I make you banker. That's all. There is no botheration. You become banker, you send the interest. Now how you are utilizing, you know, I don't bother. But if I get the interest, then I think it is all right. What is it? Is it all right? Simple? So just purchase one small passbook. And... You have got that passbook? Or you...?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: No, I know. I shall do it. I will do it. We will put in this bankbook, your account, two thousand dollars now, today.

Arrival Conversation -- August 13, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Everything is all right?

Nitāi: Yes, everything is fine.

Prabhupāda: So, now you can disperse.

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Jaya. Take prasāda and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, that's all. And we have now nice buildings. Live there peacefully, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Bas. This is my success. If I see that you are living very nicely, chanting very nicely, then all my labor is successful.

Arrival Conversation -- August 13, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: So, how are you?

Girirāja: Fine.

Prabhupāda: Everything is going?

Girirāja: Yes, very nicely.

Prabhupāda: And the lift is... Oh! Thank you. Lift is not available.

Hari-śauri: They're all here now, Śrīla Prabhupāda. There was one key that dropped off the hoop. There's one, two, and the small cash box inside.

Harikeśa: This is the cash box key. For this box.

Hari-śauri: What are these keys? This, this...

Prabhupāda: Oh, how he can know?

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

Prabhupāda: I think if you prepare according to the order of our foreign centers, then you won't be... They will all give. You can make fine cloth?

Jayapatākā: We can make up to eighty count. Eighty count we can make now.

Prabhupāda: They are purchasing cloth, shirt, and everything.

Jayapatākā: They're saying... Sometimes they say that "The cloth you make is not what we like." But I tell them we can make any cloth. You give us sample. You tell us. We'll make to your specification." They don't...

Prabhupāda: Even... Tamāla Kṛṣṇa, Jayatīrtha, Bhagavān dāsa, they'll help.

Room Conversation -- August 20, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Gargamuni. He was also not in favor, going to Hill Station.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Okay, that's fine. When you come to Bombay in October, you can go, October or November, whenever you come...

Prabhupāda: Hill Station, I have also heard—I do not know—that during rainy season they get some diarrhea. Get some diarrhea. And that hill diarrhea is not...

Gargamuni: Good.

Prabhupāda: Not at all.

Gargamuni: Best season for Hill Station is May and June. May and June.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: That's when most people go, in the summer months.

Gargamuni: Very nice. Very warm.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Summer period.

Room Conversation About Blitz News Clipping -- August 21, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: And some fine cloth. And you can decorate with this gopī-candana. That's all. And make a small linen dhoti and cādara, and flower and tulasī. That's all. And you have got that pot water, pañca-pātra. Bas. That's all. Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalam. We have got the picture of Advaita Prabhu offering. The same thing here. Where is that picture?

Pradyumna: That is in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Must be Ādi-līlā.

Hari-śauri: Where did He come from, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Pradyumna: Sampat Bhaṭṭācārya.

Hari-śauri: Oh, the South Indian paṇḍita.

Prabhupāda: They are pleased with us. Otherwise, he would not have given.

Room Conversation -- August 24, 1976, Hyderabad:

Hari-śauri: They can't see any use for philosophy and fine arts any more.

Prabhupāda: Because they do not know what is soul. They do not know what is missing. Why the body is useless. They do not cultivate... The most important thing they do not cultivate. This man was so important one second before. Now the whole body is useless. It has to be thrown away. They do not give attention even to this. How he becomes... Second before he was Mr. Churchill or Mr. such and such, very important man. All men showing respect. And now he is useless. If somebody kicks on his face nobody will say. Out of sentiment they protest, but the man will not protest.

Room Conversation with Dr. Theodore Kneupper -- November 6, 1976, Vrndavana:

Dr. Kneupper: Okay, okay, fine. Yes, that would be good. Very good. Thank you very much.

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Dr. Kneupper: Thank you very much for your time...

Prabhupāda: Yes, I thank you very kindly. (indistinct) educated boy like you.

Dr. Kneupper: Good. I will communicate what you said.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Room Conversation -- November 15, 1976, Vrndavana:

Hari-śauri: Once you're in there, then it's... In Melbourne we told them that it's just strictly private, it was going to be like a monastery, there was just going to be a few monks who were going to do our worship, like that. And then when we were in we just had the Sunday feast and everything and everything was fine.

Devotee: Well actually, the way...

Prabhupāda: Śaṭhe śāthyaṁ samācaret. That is that if the other is cheat, you become cheat. Why you should be honest? Śaṭhe śāthyaṁ samācaret.

Devotee: Well, in this case actually I don't think there will even be a problem if we said "temple." Because...

Prabhupāda: That is your... I say, "Don't declare it a temple." It is our community, living quarters, residence, that's all. We live like this, our style of living is this. How you can...?

Room Conversation on Farm Management -- December 10, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Give them nice prasādam by which they are attracted. It doesn't matter khicuṛi, puri, kacuri, lāḍu. Whatever they are attracted, we must give. Whatever that will attract them. That I want. Kṛṣṇa-prasādam. Don't waste, give them nice palatable foodstuff. Give them one finest kacuri, one nice samosā, two puris, they will be very glad. Make very, very, nice prasādam. What is this rubbish, the dog cannot eat even? They have done a great mistake, all rascals. I am very angry. I say that if you have got no money, I'll spend, I will give you money. Why should you make such tenth class, and no food at all. It is to be thrown away. Simply waste of grains and energy. Engage nice professional cook, prepare nice foodstuff. I shall spend for that if you have no money. Gentlemen who are coming immediately should be offered some prasādam.

Morning Walk and Room Conversation -- December 26, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That's fine. That's your process. You are trying to do something for the disease.

Dr. Patel: You see we must know exactly what is happening. After all, science is the same with the āyurvedic or allopathic or any. Science is... I mean, advancement of man's evolution of the man's understanding about things.

Prabhupāda: I say but somebody says that... What is the medicine? I take some āyurvedic medicine.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Letter to Russian -- January 5, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: So, "A preliminary booklet is presented herewith to your good self. Kindly read it carefully and let me know your reaction. We are prepared to answer all intricate questions in this subject." In this way present.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Fine. I have made a lot of friends in Russia. I was going to send them. Only problem... Actually, I'll tell you what's happening with my correspondence with Russia. The Russian spying agency is so strong, they're not letting my letters get through, because...

Prabhupāda: Then don't send. What is the use of sending?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Actually what I was thinking of was, in my letters...

Prabhupāda: First of all see one man. Test.

Room Conversation -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām: (SB 7.5.30) "Again and again chewing the chewed." But if they make it point that "If one is not Kṛṣṇa consciousness, I'll not give a vote," then everything will be perfect, nice.

Hari-śauri: Some countries fine you if you don't vote. If you don't vote, they fine you just to make people vote, because they know otherwise everybody's so disgusted...

Prabhupāda: Just see. I have never given vote. Since we have got this sva-rāj, as soon as the vote question, I go away. Because I think, "Why shall I give this nonsense vote? None of them are liked by me." I avoid it. In my gṛhastha life, the municipal board and the..., I avoid. I don't believe in. So give Mr. Asnani some fruits.

Room Conversation -- January 10, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Competition.

Rāmeśvara: Very competitive. And it's overall much more.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, it's a fine paper. Therefore we decided.

Prabhupāda: Please see that there is no printing mistake.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: No, we won't.

Prabhupāda: That is...

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda. I'm giving Bombay address; Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, Hare Kṛṣṇa Land, Juhu, Bombay; Bhaktivedanta Book Trust; and the Delhi address. Delhi temple also.

Prabhupāda: No. Why Delhi temple? They are not executing?

Conversation on Train to Allahabad -- January 11, 1977, India:

Prabhupāda: That means—that's all right—that God is so powerful that He can do by His thinking. We also admit. But that does not mean God is not doing. But He is doing in a finer way. You rascal, you do in a grosser way. God does in a finer way. But that does not mean God is inactive.

Rāmeśvara: And he was criticizing our description of God coming as a boar...

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is God.

Rāmeśvara: ...and God coming as a tortoise...

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is God.

Rāmeśvara: ...and a fish, half man, half lion.

Prabhupāda: That means God.

Conversation and Instruction On New Movie -- January 13, 1977, Allahabad:

Prabhupāda: Fine, allow this.

Rāmeśvara: Then it seems like a foreign thing.

Prabhupāda: Oh yes, you can...

Rāmeśvara: So should we have both names?

Prabhupāda: Oh yes.

Rāmeśvara: Use both names.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Rāmeśvara: They were, actually considered themselves to be in the Dark Ages. They call it the Dark Ages. And then, all of a sudden, there was what they call the Renaissance, where man's intelligence became greater, expanded. He became interested in finer things.

Prabhupāda: Not man, but the Westerners.

Rāmeśvara: Yes, Westerners.

Prabhupāda: Intelligent stock was there in India,

Rāmeśvara: Yes. So it's very amazing that the period in Europe called the Renaissance coincides with the appearance of Lord Caitanya.

Prabhupāda: Fifteenth century.

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Rāmeśvara: Yes. Then the professor and the head of the Department of Bengali and the dean of the faculty of Fine Arts and Music at the University of Calcutta says, "The world, tormented by psychic troubles like avarice, hate, and other baser qualities of the mind, will never escape from utter annihilation of the soul unless it finds refuge in His Divine Grace. I have particularly read some portions of this English translation of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, and I think this book is capable of saving mankind from the clutches of māyā. I have no doubt that the ISKCON will lead the world to the path of divine grace."

Gargamuni: He's a very big scholar, too. He's a Ph.D.

Prabhupāda: No, all of them Ph.D.'s. All...

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: They know. (chuckling) They think the hundred chickens' vitamin comes into one.

Hari-śauri: Māyayāpahṛta-jñānā.

Prabhupāda: And by eating such chicken, you don't require one cloth. That is aristocracy. They, during severe cold, they will have fine panjabi. You know panjabi?

Hari-śauri: Yes, very thin.

Prabhupāda: And if you wear... (end)

Room Conversation -- February 12, 1977, Mayapura:

Jayapatākā: ...fertile and particularly fine soil that has to be dug and chopped and cleaned out.

Prabhupāda: Ordinary soil flower does not grow?

Jayapatākā: No, it... Not so well. In our city project we are thinking that those laborers who would be devotees, mostly the labor class, they won't like to live separate from their families. So we were thinking that they could be paid something, and then they would give half of that, as you suggested, back. In this way they would be devotees, And they would eat prasāda with everyone and attend all the programs, but they'd buy their own cloth and things with the other half. But they would have to have separate quarters somewhere.

Prabhupāda: Where? Within our campus or outside?

Room Conversation -- February 16, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Every book is... Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Nectar of Devotion. Whichever he will read, he will become Kṛṣṇa conscious. (break) And then Kṛṣṇa, then Bhāgavata, then Caitanya-caritāmṛta, simply development.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This book is now very nice because there are many fine illustrations inside, more than there used to be. They've added. The Teachings of Lord Caitanya, I was thinking in particular. I have a copy of that, and there are many color illustrations inside now. Wonderful book, the summary of all of Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Like Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura's introduction gives a whole... It's like all of the pastimes of Lord Caitanya condensed into a few pages.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is there in the Teaching of Lord Caitanya.

Room Conversation -- February 16, 1977, Mayapura:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Very big man. I don't remember his name. New member. Girirāja was giving a tour. It should be very finely built. It should not be too hastily made.

Prabhupāda: No, no.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Just like I notice that this building is actually first class. The construction is very first class. It's very solid.

Prabhupāda: Hm. Very solid.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We should not sacrifice the quality.

Prabhupāda: No, no. We have appointed there first-class engi...

Room Conversation -- February 16, 1977, Mayapura:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Just like I notice many modern, many newer buildings in India, because they are rushing the work it is not of the same quality. Just like Birla's. All of their homes are very fine. And also the Bangurs of Calcutta. Their homes... They take a lot of time that all the marble is made properly, everything. The walls are done nicely.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So let it be done like that.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Our members, they have discrimination. They can tell when something is done first class or not.

Prabhupāda: You have been in Vṛndāvana?

Room Conversation -- February 18, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: The body is yantra, perfect yantra. That is supplied by māyā. Māyā. Daiva-netreṇa. He wants this, to give up this body. This machine is dead. Now you simply think of a tiger, and you are carried to the womb of the tiger. And the mother gives the body of a tiger. He comes out, enjoys. This is transmigration. The art is so fine. (hammering sound) What is this sound?

Jayapatākā: The electric cable from the generator, they're putting clamps on the building.

Prabhupāda: Just try to understand how transmigration, that tyaktvā deham. Tathā dehāntara. How dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13) is... He has proposed or desired, "If I could have possessed such body... If I could have gone in heavenly planets... If I could have become tiger..." In this way he's desiring. Hañā māyāra dāsa kari' nānā abhilāṣa. That's all right. Let him work. Otherwise...

Room Conversation -- February 18, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: These two girls, they are very fine. (break)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: One of the big points of criticism is that we do not encourage our members to visit and spend time with their parents. In that way they say we are destroying the family.

Prabhupāda: Actually that we want to do.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually, we wouldn't mind our members seeing the parents, but the parents are rākṣasas. How can we see them? They are so abominable. They are not actually father and mother, as you described.

Evening Darsana -- February 24, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Yes. So this is very fine, but there is no Bhāgavata?

Jayatīrtha: Śrīla Prabhupāda, it's only being published quarterly...

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Jayatīrtha: ...and we thought to publish one section every three months, people would lose the track of the thing. That's why we... The British economy is so bad that we had to give fairly inexpensive literature. So it's either a question of printing sixteen pages color and eight page Bhāgavata, or twenty-four pages color. We couldn't do twenty-four pages color and eight pages Bhāgavata. We thought that since it is quarterly...

Prabhupāda: That's all right. So you have printed one...

Arrival of Devotees -- February 24, 1977, Mayapura:

Rāmeśvara: (break) I'm very fine, Śrīla Prabhupāda, but how are you feeling?

Prabhupāda: I am not feeling very well, but I am living in Vaikuṇṭha. I am not fit for this place. It is Vaikuṇṭha. Hm?

Rāmeśvara: This is inconceivable to us.

Rādhā-vallabha: If you're not fit, then we should leave immediately.

Prabhupāda: Hm? Always Hare Kṛṣṇa is going on. I am hearing. Where is such place throughout the whole world?

Room Conversation -- February 27, 1977, Mayapura:

Harikeśa: In Austria something very, very nice has happened. We were never able before to sell books because whenever Germans went there the Austrian government caught them and charged us thousands of dollars' fine and threw us out of the country. But now I've sent one devotee who was blooped for one year. His name is Cakravartī. He used to be the most important person in Germany.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Harikeśa: And so by your mercy I managed to drag him back by his hair one day, and I sent him and his wife to Austria, and now they are doing something amazing. They never spend even one penny. Everywhere they go, they beg as monks that someone should please give them a place to stay and something to eat, and they're begging gasoline and they're selling so many books, it's inconceivable. The bookstores...

Prabhupāda: German language. German language.

Morning Conversation -- April 11, 1977, Bombay:

Bhakti-caru: (reads newspaper) "The farewell talk she gave to the outgoing Congress party members of Parliament, Mrs. Indira Gandhi was reported to have told that she was to blame for the rout. (Times of India, March 29th, 30th) She seems to have accepted her failure to assess her injury cause to the sentiments and feelings of the masses in the area where many excesses were committed during the emergency. And a failure of the Congress organization to fine against (indistinct) during the emergency and before. But she does not mention what is common talk amongst people everywhere, and especially among the village folk. Her connivance at the buildup of her son Sanjay Gandhi as the probable future prime minister of India...."

Prabhupāda: Probable?

Conversation with Yadubara (after seeing film) -- April 17, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Details, you cannot show it. It is so fine. Just like here is the sky, but you cannot see it. The mind is finer than the sky. The air is sky. (claps) That is sky. Where is the proof? (claps) That you cannot see. Śabda, sound. Sound is the sign of presence of sky. But you cannot see it. But it is there. (claps) This is the proof.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It can be suggested only.

Prabhupāda: That's all. Therefore śruti, which is beyond the sense perception, you have to hear it from authorities. That is knowledge. Who has seen it? These rascals... Who has seen it? So grossly educated they are. "Everything can be seen." Why everything? The same example we give. You have not seen your father. You have to hear, "Here is your father." That's all. That is the proof.

Conversation with Patita-pavana -- April 20, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Here there is no difficulty with lift.

Patita-pāvana: With the lift, yes. Fine.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, but they're... I mean, there's no problem for getting them here to see you. The problem is whether they can..., where they will live, their residential quarters.

Girirāja: I was thinking of the Chand Society.

Prabhupāda: That's nice, Chand Society. There are three rooms. That is very nice.

Meeting with Mr. Dwivedi -- April 23, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Simply it has to be repaired. Climate, I think, it is good, eh? Eh?

Mr. Dwivedi: Climate is fine, particularly of the place where we have our headquarters, very pleasant, in summer especially, very pleasant. We don't have bad nights.

Prabhupāda: Why not go? If we go there, eh? In this time?

Mr. Dwivedi: The... In the way it might not be so pleasant, but when we have reached there it is quite pleasant because we are at a height of about 684 feet, then surrounded by forest. So therefore we don't have this heat wave in that area. And especially when we are at our college building we can telephone not to...

Prabhupāda: So why not go?

Meeting with Mr. Dwivedi -- April 23, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: So we shall go there.

Mr. Dwivedi: At our place it's quite fine.

Prabhupāda: Building is there.

Mr. Dwivedi: Yes, Swamiji, not one buildings. Lot of buildings.

Prabhupāda: So many. So why not think over it? Let us go there for some time and organize.

Mr. Dwivedi: You wanted me first of all to bring some workers to Your Holiness.

Prabhupāda: No, they may come or not come. There should be kavel(?).

Meeting with Mr. Dwivedi -- April 23, 1977, Bombay:

Mr. Dwivedi: And it will be fine, the line Your Holiness has suggested, a temple, although we do not have a temple in our colony itself, but we have a temple roundabout or the temple atmosphere where we are having our own...

Prabhupāda: No, so many buildings... If there is any hall, if there is any big hall for tem...?

Mr. Dwivedi: Yes, sir, very big hall. We have a hall to accommodate at least four hundred people.

Prabhupāda: Oh, that is quite good.

Meeting with Mr. Dwivedi -- April 23, 1977, Bombay:

Mr. Dwivedi: That will also be quite fine.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Morning is the best time for...

Mr. Dwivedi: Morning, evening, anytime is quite good. In the morning... Of course, morning is always cooler, like that.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And then we can rest up a little bit.

Mr. Dwivedi: Yes. Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: If we have to travel by car after long train ride, it will be exhausting to Prabhupāda, for everybody.

Mr. Dwivedi: So even if you want to travel by car, then...

Prabhupāda: No, we can get our car from Delhi.

Meeting with Mr. Dwivedi -- April 23, 1977, Bombay:

Mr. Dwivedi: Fine. Very fine.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You have well, deep well.

Mr. Dwivedi: Yes, we have got deep wells. And the water of our wells, particularly of the college well, is the best in the area.

Prabhupāda: So let us arrange like that. So... So let us arrange. Let us go there. If it is cooperation available, we take immediately. There is no doubt. Because we want to organize every village. Pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma. (CB Antya-khaṇḍa 4.126) That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission. Not only your vill...

Second Meeting with Mr. Dwivedi -- April 24, 1977, Bombay:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We should get a ticket for you? Okay. Fine.

Kārttikeya: It's a good opportunity for me to cure also.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yeah?

Kārttikeya: We are going to this Ananda(?) near Ahmedabad for five days near Śrīla Prabhupāda. That was a very good reception there. So we can have the same type of... And we can see also with that, they have a good land and everything.

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) Nature hai; you cannot change it. (Hindi) Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi (BG 3.27). You cannot stop it. Yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran loke tyajaty ante kalevaram (BG 8.6). (Hindi)

Conversation -- July 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Sit down. How are you?

Devotee (1): Fine. (pause)

Prabhupāda: (Bengali) (indistinct) So? What is the report? Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Want to give your report? You can...

Devotee (1): Yes, I'll just move in.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You want to hear any report, Śrīla Prabhupāda? Or just talk?

Prabhupāda: Just talk.

Conversation -- July 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: They'll do. They'll do whatever I ask.

Mr. Myer: That is fine. I shall... That way, it is very convenient, because Prabhupāda is now guiding us, and we have no problem. That is all for guru because I am managing only people, and as Prabhu said, it's more a spiritual management here. It's not just purely material management.

Prabhupāda: Whatever you think, you can do. Now, now... So let me see practically that... What is that? Thirteen thousand only?

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

Prabhupāda: Ācchā?

Mr. Myer: Now she is gone, so everything is fine.

Prabhupāda: She was making propaganda? I...

Mr. Myer: She was trying to say that this ISKCON is cheat.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Mr. Myer: They said that "This is... CIA people are here and then is happening. That is happening." That is why some of the Indians, you know, in the beginning, nobody has gone deep. You see, nobody...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Meeting With Governor of Tamil Nadu -- July 31, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So accept his invitation and fix up.

Governor: Very good trees. Mango trees. There are more than two hundred mango trees in our compound. Various fruit trees. Beautiful everything. Nearly 200 acres of land is in our compound, very fine, and very cool. The sea ... There is our one small bungalow on the sea also.

Prabhupāda: So when you think it will be suitable?

Governor: I am going tomorrow to Ahmedabad with our chief minister. He has come here. Ahmedabad I stay for four days. I go to Bombay. And from Bombay I'll be in Madras on 8th back. Then I am there.

Prabhupāda: Eighth, August. So we can if you think. So kindly submit my application to the Prime Minister.

Visit From Allopathic Doctor -- October 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Finely printed, everything first class.

Harikeśa: This is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Second Canto, Second Part. This is on the cover...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Rādhā-Govindadeva.

Harikeśa: Rādhā-Govindajī from Jaipur. Very nice picture. On the back is this universal form.

Prabhupāda: By seeing the picture they sell.

Room Conversation -- October 20, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: No. My...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I like him. He has fine features. He's thoughtful. Nice voice. I mean these kavirājas... The real point is how in this age, how deeply they understand kavirājī medicine, that I can't say. But from general point of view, comparison of doctors, they're the best. They're...

Upendra: More sensitive.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They're the most devotional and refined people of the doctors. How much they know kavirājī, that I cannot say. But he's not a bogus man.

Prabhupāda: Viśvambhara? (Bengali)

Room Conversation -- October 22, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Gauḍa-maṇḍala-bhūmi, jebā jāne cintāmaṇi, tāra hoy braja-bhūmi bās. And we have got such a nice place, open place, palatial building, such finer...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This will be added incentive to complete, to build your house.

Bhavānanda: Everyone will be in ecstasy, especially the Gurukula boys most of all. They're always asking, "When is Śrīla Prabhupāda coming? When he's coming? Tomorrow?"

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And I will cash those certificates when we get to Calcutta, Śrīla Prabhupāda. Then I don't have to call for them. If we go there, then I'll do everything there. It will be very easy.

Prabhupāda: So that is my proposal. Now you think over seriously and arrange for.

Room Conversation -- November 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Akṣayānanda: I have a plan, Prabhupāda. Myself and Bhakti-prema Swami can go there and sit, and if we hear any discrepancies, if we are given a chance afterwards, which we can arrange, to speak something, then we can rectify—in a gentlemanly way, of course. We can rectify. If we sit there, at least we know that they'll be careful what they say. And he can catch any finer points that I would miss, 'cause it's all in Hindi.

Prabhupāda: They are speaking in Hindi.

Akṣayānanda: Everything's in Hindi, the whole thing. No English whatsoever.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Then there's no chance of our men becoming...

Akṣayānanda: Our men can't understand anything.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's a good advantage.

Akṣayānanda: But for the purpose of maintaining our proper position, we can sit there and hear what they're saying, and when an opportunity is there we can rectify.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think Bhakti-prema may agree with them.

Room Conversation -- November 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: What aim? Low-class men.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Their entire outlook is an economic one. They have no... They don't feel that there's any importance to culture or any of the finer sentiments except that they may further the economic consideration. Politically also, their political understanding is also ultimately directed for economics. Any of their political dealings with other countries are all ultimately to establish this economic Communism.

Prabhupāda: How human society is falling down.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: From the definition given in the Vedas, they don't classify as human beings.

Prabhupāda: Don't try for China.