Garland (Conversations)

Expressions researched:
"garland" |"garlanded" |"garlanding" |"garlands"

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

Radio Interview -- March 12, 1968, San Francisco:

Interviewer: You also have a garland of flowers around your neck.

Prabhupāda: That is offered by the disciples as a matter of respect to the spiritual master. It is not necessary that a sannyāsī have a garland like this, but if it is offered with respect he does not refuse.

Interviewer: Now, one more thing, you have some paint or color down your forehead and your nose and on all your followers who are here in the studio.

Prabhupāda: Yes. These marks are a temple of Kṛṣṇa. We mark these different twelve parts of the body. The idea is that we are being protected by God from all sides.

Interviewer: One other thing, I went to shake hands with everybody and I found that all your right hands were wrapped. What is the significance of that?

Prabhupāda: Yes. That wrapping... It is not exactly wrapped. It is a bag for our beads. We are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare, Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare. So the beads are supposed to be sacred and therefore we keep it in a bag so that it may not touch the dust or any other impurities. So it is not wrapping, it is covering of the sacred beads.

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Allen Ginsberg -- May 14, 1969, Columbus, Ohio:

Allen Ginsberg: I'll call. Thank you for your words and thank you for letting me join you.

Prabhupāda: My... You are already chanting. But if we do together, it will be very nice.

Allen Ginsberg: So let's do something together in New York City this summer. I'm free all summer, so it's at your convenience this time 'cause I'll be free. I don't have any dates or appointments. So if you just let me know maybe two weeks or somebody let me know a few weeks in advance, then I can come down from the farm, spend a day with you and then we chant. I'd be happy to do that. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Give him that garland. (end)

Room Conversation With John Lennon, Yoko Ono, and George Harrison -- September 11, 1969, London, At Tittenhurst:

Prabhupāda: Would you like to record or not?

George Harrison: Don't mind.

Prabhupāda: Give this garland.

Śyāmasundara: Haribol.

George Harrison: Thank you. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: This Kṛṣṇa's blessings.

George Harrison: Hare Kṛṣṇa.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- July 4, 1972, New York:

Devotee: So shall I take your passport now, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Devotee: And health card?

Prabhupāda: Yes. So here is my passport, and here is my health cards. Is that all right?

Devotee: Yes.

Śyāmasundara: This we have to turn in when leaving the country.

Bali-mardana: Prabhupāda, can I offer you a fresh garland?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Thank you. It is too fresh.

Devotee: Huh?

Prabhupāda: Too fresh (laughter). Water.

Bali-mardana: Oh, I'm sorry.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. Now, you can take this. Kīrtanānanda Mahārāja, you can take this. Kīrtanānanda Mahārāja. Where is Viṣṇujana? He can take this.

Room Conversation -- July 5, 1972, London:

Sumati Morarjee: And this also, so I will always remember that I've been in London to meet Swamiji, my, Swamiji's godson.

Devotee: And you also (indistinct), board of trustees.

Prabhupāda: You president, you give her this garland.

Sumati Morarjee: Me?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Sumati Morarjee: But did you put 'round Swamiji's head?

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes.

Sumati Morarjee: Then I can take prasāda garland of Swamiji.

Devotee: Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Devotee 2: Jaya, haribol.

Prabhupāda: You consider Śrīmate Morarji as mother of the Institution (laughter) .

Devotee: And you're our father (laughter)

Sumati Morarjee: Yes, that's true.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Lord Brockway -- July 23, 1973, London:

Lord Brockway: It has been very, very kind of you.

Prabhupāda: ...to associate with you.

Lord Brockway: And, uh...

Śyāmasundara: She's bringing some dinner for you. Just, just coming.

Lord Brockway: Yes.

Śyāmasundara: One minute.

Prabhupāda: Give him this garland. I forgot to give the garland.

Lord Brockway: (laughs) As in, as in India.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Lord Brockway: Very often.

Śyāmasundara: Mālatī gave him a rose, but...

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Lord Brockway: These are very beautiful.

Prabhupāda: This is produced in our garden.

Lord Brockway: Yes. Very, very beautiful.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Now we can simply study the beautiful flower, and we can come to God consciousness. How it is made, so beautiful, unless there is brain? And what is that brain? Then you come to God. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate svā-bhāvikī-jñāna-bala-kriyā ca (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). Para, the Supreme, has got so nice brain that things are happening as if natural. But no, the brain is acting, brain is acting. But His energy and brain is so nice that He hasn't got to do it personally. As soon as He desires, immediately the energy works. Just like nowadays electronic. So simply by pushing one bud, a button, thousands of business is done immediately. So if it is materially possible, just we have to think how much it is great and possible by spiritual energy. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate, na tasya kāryaṁ karaṇaṁ ca vidyate. These are the Vedic description. God hasn't got to do anything with His hands. Just like here also. A big man, he has got secretaries, officers. He simply directs, "Do this," everything is done. Similarly, the Supreme Lord, how much energy He has got, and spiritual energy, that as soon as He desires something, immediately it is done. But it is done by employing energy. Not that it has come for nothing. No. This flower, it grows. There is energy. First of all, it was bud. But we cannot see how it is growing. But the act, action is going on. Therefore it is called svā-bhāvikī-jñāna-bala-kriyā ca. There is knowledge, there is brain, there is activity. Everything is there. But it is so quick and subtle, we cannot see. We say it is nat..., it has grown naturally. No. There is brain. How nicely it is done. Whatever color is suitable, it is there. So without color, without that brush, without that brain, without that energy, how it has come? How we can think of? Even if you make an artificial flower, oh, you have to take so many colors, you have to take brush, you have to apply your brain. So it has no brain behind? Simply explaining "nature." What is that nature? The nature is the brain of Kṛṣṇa. So those who can study, they can study even from this flower what is the greatness of God. This is God consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Everything he sees the hand of God. That is God consciousness. And when a man becomes God conscious, then he's qualified with all good qualities. That is God consciousness. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ (SB 5.18.12). If you train a person to become God conscious, then all the good qualities automatically becomes manifest in him. So why not try this?

Room Conversation with Sanskrit Professor, Dr. Suneson -- September 5, 1973, Stockholm:

Professor: Well, that's one. Yes. And also there is Edgarton (?). He was an American Sanskrit scholar.

Prabhupāda: No, translation, there is, there is good translation. But he comments like that. Just like Sarvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya. When Caitanya Mahāprabhu was asked that "You are hearing; You do not speak anything," He said, "Yes, I am understanding the original verse of the Vedānta very clearly, but you are trying to cover the meaning. Therefore I am puzzled." This is the business of the Māyāvādīs. They'll simply puzzle. That's all.

Professor: Who? The Māyā...?

Prabhupāda: Māyāvādī.

Professor: Māyāvādī, hm.

Prabhupāda: Yes. You also told me that it is very difficult to understand the jugglery way of presentation.

Professor: Well, I think it's time for me to leave.

Prabhupāda: All right, thank you.

Professor: I have a long way home.

Prabhupāda: Give him this garland. Hm. Jaya. (end)

Morning Walk -- December 20, 1973, Los Angeles:

Hṛdayānanda: Shivananda, I gave a lecture at an āśrama where his disciple was teaching, Vishnu Devananda. So he told a story how Shivananda, he would find out the lowest class of people, and he would go and garland them and worship them just like the Deity. And so his argument was that in Bhagavad-gītā it says, paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18).

Prabhupāda: Why he is to the lower class? Sama-darśinaḥ means he is equal to higher or lower. Why he is going to the lower? He could not answer this? Sama-darśinaḥ, equal. Then he must be equal to the lower and the higher. So why he is particularly to the lower class? Then he is not sama-darśinaḥ.

Hṛdayānanda: Then his argument would be that he is trying to teach a lesson that the higher...

Prabhupāda: No, no, no. He may say nonsense. The fact is this. That if he is sama-darśinaḥ, equal, then why he is particularly aiming to the lower class? That means he is not sama-darśinaḥ. He has not come to the stage. He is simply talking nonsense. Sama-darśinaḥ means he is equal to everyone. That is sama-darśinaḥ. Sama-darśinaḥ does not mean to get a cheap adoration, popularity, I go to the poor. That is their Ramakrishna Mission. They also are doing that same thing. Daridra-nārāyaṇa-sevā, like that. Why daridra? Why not real Nārāyaṇa? Just like this morning we read nārāyaṇa-pade. Never said daridra-nārāyaṇa-pade. To the great. Surrender does not mean to the lower. Does it mean surrender? Surrender, this relationship means that to whom I surrender, he is greater than me. And to the lower, mercy. These two words. One who is lower than me, I may show my mercy, but one who is greater than me, there is the question of surr... (break) (end)

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 1, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. (break) ...garland, this girl. Garland just like beads.

Satsvarūpa: Make a garland out of stone?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Not stone.

Satsvarūpa: Shells.

Prabhupāda: They are conch shells, small conchshells. They are called gunja, gunja. They are called gunja? (break)

Guest (4) (Indian man): ...ahaṁ yogī nikita.(?) So what is that? Can you give me some light on that?

Prabhupāda: Karma-yogī means one who does everything for Kṛṣṇa. He's karma-yogī.

Morning Walk -- April 4, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: So even in the universal form, there is personality. Divya-mālya, divya-gandha, kirīṭina, dressed, well-dressed. Well-dressed is possible not in the imperson. If you want to dress somebody, he must be a person. You cannot dress in the sky. "Here is helmet, here is garland." Where you put? (laughs) So in the universal form also there is personality.

Girirāja: (reads synonyms to:) "ābharaṇam-ornaments; divya-divine..."

Prabhupāda: You have to understand.

Morning Walk -- April 4, 1974, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: Combination, combination.

Prabhupāda: Yes, changing. These are in the śāstra, siddhārtha-saṁhitā, how many forms are there. This is aneka. Not evasively, that "All is one." No. There are so many, so many varieties, variegated, all spiritual, aneka.

Girirāja: "Mālya-garlands..."

Prabhupāda: These things are there. Each of them were garlanded, had helmets, had, I mean to say, ornaments. Everything aneka.

Dr. Patel: Mālyāmbara-dharam.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Dress, everything, garment, all varieties.

Girirāja: (continues synonyms to:) "divya-divine..."

Prabhupāda: Divine. That means they are not material. Kṛṣṇa's dress, Kṛṣṇa's helmet, Kṛṣṇa's bedding, Kṛṣṇa's shoes, they are all expansion of Lord Sesa. They are not material.

Morning Walk -- April 4, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Therefore it is said, avyaktaṁ vyaktim āpannaṁ manyante mām abuddhayaḥ (BG 7.24). They, these Māyāvādīs, they think, "Originally the Absolute Truth is avyakta. Now He has assumed, Kṛṣṇa, the form, accepting a body of māyā." This is called Māyāvāda. Abuddhayaḥ. They have no intelligence that spiritually the Lord is always vyakti, a person. Either Nārāyaṇa, Viṣṇu, Kṛṣṇa, any way, He is always person.

Girirāja: "He was garlanded gloriously and there were many scents smeared over His body."

Prabhupāda: It is all personal description: "Dress, ornaments, flowers, garlands, scents." This is offered to the person.

Girirāja: "All was magnificent, all-expanding, unlimited. This was seen by Arjuna."

Prabhupāda: This is spiritual. Unlimited. Yes.

Dr. Patel: Shall I read?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Morning Walk -- April 20, 1974, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Then he is not a śūdra. One who is engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service, he is neither brāhmaṇa nor śūdra. He is devotee. He is brahma-bhūta (SB 4.30.20). Brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26). Apparently he looks like śūdra. Just like we have got so many men from different quarters, but we do not belong to that quarter any more. Vaiṣṇave jāti-buddhiḥ. Therefore anyone who takes, "Oh, here is an American Vaiṣṇava, here is an Indian Vaiṣṇava," that is nārakī. He is Vaiṣṇava. That understanding required.

Mahāṁsa: Just like that devotee who was making garlands for Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Mahāṁsa: He is a devotee. He is not a śūdra making garlands.

Prabhupāda: No. He is not a ordinary gardener.

Pañcadraviḍa: Or that devotee who was making leaf bowls for worshiping the Ganges.

Prabhupāda: Any engagement, any engagement for Kṛṣṇa, he is Vaiṣṇava. If he is under the guidance of his spiritual master and doing the business according to the direction, he is Vaiṣṇava. He is above all these.

Morning Walk Excerpts -- May 1, 1974, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: They say, some of them, there was not one Vyāsadeva, but multiple Vyāsas and all sorts of things.

Prabhupāda: So which Vyāsa you accept? There may be multiple but which Vyāsa? That means if someone... I do not know if there were multiple Vyāsadeva.

Dr. Patel: Vyāsa is the surname.

Prabhupāda: No, Vyāsa, Vyāsadeva... The guru is called Vyāsa. That is one... But the original Vyāsa is one. Just like we. We worship the birthday of guru as Vyāsa-pūjā day because guru is representative of Vyāsa. (break) ...eating, if this tāmbūla is offered and sandal pulp, it becomes a garland. It becomes very comfortable. Yes.

Yadubara: "When Akrūra finished eating..." (break)

Room Conversation with Professor Durckheim German Spiritual Writer -- June 19, 1974, Germany:

Dr. P. J. Saher: So at all times, "Remember Me."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam (SB 7.5.23). Then worshiping the Deity, to offer flowers to the lotus feet of the Lord, to garland, to dress, pāda-sevanam, arcanaṁ vandanam, offer prayer, dāsyam, serve. In this way, there are nine different processes.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- May 8, 1975, Perth:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Terrorism. This Communism means terrorism. (aside:) Thank you.

Amogha: I have a garland, but it's not finished. Almost...

Prabhupāda: Communism means terrorism. That I have seen. I have studied personally. By threat, by pressure, that's all. Nobody is communist in Russia.

Jayadharma: Is the whole world going to become Communist, Prabhupāda? Or is the whole world going to become Kṛṣṇa cons...

Prabhupāda: Nobody is Communist, but if the demons are powerful, they will declare.

Paramahaṁsa: They will introduce it.

Prabhupāda: They will not introduce; they will declare like that, falsely. That's all.

Talk -- May 16, 1975, Perth:

Amogha: He is thinking of the vox populi, but he forgets about himself.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Amogha: He is saying "I don't know if it's practical because they won't take," but he doesn't realize that he should take even if they don't take.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Amogha: I must go and make the flower garlands. (end)

Morning Walk -- May 22, 1975, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: Hmm? In the beginning there was word. So what is the difficulty to understand?

Devotee 1:. He's saying if everything is eternal, then how was there a beginning?

Prabhupāda: Beginning of this material world. This material world has beginning and end. Just like this material season, it has beginning and end. Hm. This is troublesome.

Madhudviṣa: Garland.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Madhudviṣa: There should be flowers all over there.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Madhudviṣa: To make you garlands. (break)

Room Conversation with Lt. Mozee, Policeman -- July 5, 1975, Chicago:

Prabhupāda: Phalena paricīyate. It is very difficult to distinguish which is good medicine, which is bad medicine. By the effect. Thank you.

Lt. Mozee: I thank you for your time, sir.

Prabhupāda: Give him this garland.

Lt. Mozee: Thank you.

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. (break)

Room Conversation -- July 31, 1975, New Orleans:

Brahmānanda: They have difficulty in understanding how all the varieties can cooperate, because they don't have the center. They don't have a center; therefore to have varieties cooperating is difficult for them to understand.

Prabhupāda: Center to please, just like we have kept these varieties of flowers, to please me.

Brahmānanda: Because you're the center.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Brahmānanda: But they have not center.

Prabhupāda: Therefore I have given center, Kṛṣṇa.

Brahmānanda: Yes, that is..., therefore we can solve this commotion.

Prabhupāda: That is Kṛṣṇa. Give this garland... Center is Kṛṣṇa. That I (indistinct) to say. Bring one, the zeros will have value. And if you get out the one, all zeros. This is our philosophy. (pause) World can be ruled, they believe so also. Is that

Brahmānanda: The modern civilization has made everything easy, everything convenient.

Prabhupāda: Not easy, difficult.

Room Conversation -- October 15, 1975, Johannesburg:

Harikeśa: Dog is man's best friend.

Prabhupāda: Yes, doglike man's. We don't keep dog. But we don't hate dog also. Let them keep their own position. In India still, they keep dog, but dog is not allowed to enter the room. No, outside. They are trained up in that way. When food is to be given, they will call, "Come on," and he will take food from outside and go away, always remain outside. Dog is never allowed to enter room or in the house. Outside compound, that's all. Still. No dog is allowed to enter the room and jump over the body of the master and sit down with the seat. No. What is that?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: These are marigolds. In the summertime, each one of these little seedlings, we transplant them. They give many, many nice yellow flowers with fragrance. We make garlands for Gaura-Nitai.

Devotee (1): It was in the paper that one lady left four million dollars to her dogs, to dogs in general, to help dogs. Last week, Roosevelt family.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Four million dollars. (break)

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- January 3, 1976, Nellore:

Hariśauri: A straw roof, they call that thatching. Thatch.

Prabhupāda: Thatching, yes. That is right. So the windows are thatched. So where is the production? Vivekananda is standing as preacher. So where is the preachers? People should have gone there in hundreds; there should have been some program. So where is the program? Simply "Vivekananda house." Lick up the house. (break) ...rows of statues on the beach, many statues—for passing stool by the crows. I have seen in Calcutta one statue of Sir Asutosh Mukherjee. So in the morning, on the day of the birth anniversary, in the morning the municipal sweepers with their brush, they will rub it to cleanse the solidly stuck-up crow's stool with water. It will be done for three, four hours. Then in the evening, big, big men will come, gather, and offer him garland one after another, just like they were offering me. In this way the meeting will be held. In the morning it is brushed with the sweeper's street brush, and in the evening it is offered garland. I have seen it. Here also I see that she has kept Kṛṣṇa's mūrti outside. It is aparādha.

Room Conversation -- April 23, 1976, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: If I expose the statue on the open field and the crows and birds are passing stool on his head and it is going down his mouth, is it respectful? Do you think it is respectful?

Guest (2): Probably not.

Prabhupāda: So if that statue is kept in a temple and you dress, you garland, you offer food, is it not more respectful?

Guest (2): Offer food to an idol?

Hari-śauri: It's not an idol. This is a point Prabhupāda is making.

Prabhupāda: The point is how to offer respect, that if you respect a person, so if you expose this form of the person on the public park, giving the crows chance to pass stool on his head, that is more respectful? Or if you keep that statue in a temple and daily dress him and garland him and offer him food, that is more respectful? Which is more respectful? You are doing the same thing, but you are exposing to the stool of birds and crows.

Room Conversation -- May 7, 1976, Honolulu:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This place is the best facility we have in the movement. (break)

Prabhupāda: (indistinct) Nitāiyer karuṇā habe braje rādhā-kṛṣṇa pābe. (indistinct) Balarām hoile nitāi, so this word bolo akutibe(?), it is supporter (indistinct) the verse (indistinct) nāyam ātmā bala-hinena labhyaḥ. Lord Baladeva. Give this garland to him and this flower to that boy. (dictation tape recording plays) (end)

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

Hṛdayānanda:

nāhaṁ bibhemy ajita te 'tibhayānakāsya-

jihvārka-netra-bhrukuṭī-rabhasogra-daṁṣṭrāt

āntra-srajaḥ-kṣataja-keśara-śaṅku-karṇān

nirhrāda-bhīta-digibhād ari-bhin-nakhāgrāt

"My Lord, who are never conquered by anyone, I am certainly not afraid of Your ferocious mouth and tongue, Your eyes bright like the sun, or Your frowning eyebrows. I do not fear Your sharp, pinching teeth, Your garland of intestines, Your mane soaked with blood, or Your high, wedgelike ears. Nor do I fear Your tumultuous roaring, which makes elephants flee to distant places, or Your nails, which are meant to kill Your enemies."

Prabhupāda: Now he'll come to the point in which he's afraid of. Next verse.

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

Scheverman: Do you use the Judeo-Christian scriptures at all in your work?

Prabhupāda: I know that there are good instructions. So generally.... We haven't got to fight with anyone or disagree. We have to accept the general principles for the welfare of the whole human society. Just like to become peaceful: it is the duty of everyone. At least, those who are in the top rank. (aside:) Just bring. First of all, give it to the Father. (referring to prasādam or garlands?)

Devotees: Jaya! This is from the altar.

Scheverman: Praise God, for His beautiful things.

Prabhupāda: Give. Give one to the president.

Kern: We are grateful for the time that you have given us.

Prabhupāda: I am also very much obliged that you came.

Kern: And we are happy. And if we can be helpful, we would be...

Prabhupāda: Yes, let us cooperate for the whole human society.

Devotee (1): I do not understand how they are greater than the lower person who surrenders.

Prabhupāda: Suppose you have got your spiritual master and you, if somebody says that you can come into the..., any one of you can come in this car. So spiritual master goes, you also go. Does it mean that spiritual master is not greater than you? Do you think like that?

Devotee (1): No.

Prabhupāda: Then? It is the same thing. Suppose Kīrtanānanda Mahārāja has brought this car, so he says, "All of you can come." So I go, you go, does it mean that you and your spiritual master is equal? Do you think like that? It is same thing. Everyone can go to Godhead, there is no doubt, but still there is difference between brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, śūdras. So far going into the car, the equal right is there, but it does not mean that your spiritual master or the next group, they are not greater than you. Don't think like that. The same car, Kīrtanānanda Mahārāja is driving, I am also there, you are also there. Does it mean that we are all equal? There must be gradation. The right is given to everyone. It does not mean that immediately they become all one. It is Kṛṣṇa's mercy that He accepted everyone, "Come on." But the distinction is there. We are inviting everyone to partake Kṛṣṇa prasādam. That does not mean that immediately all of them have become of the equal rank. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He was so kind, but still there was distinction. When He was taking prasādam, personal associates, they were sitting with Him. Is it not? So this is called maryādā. Maryādā means honor. That must... Varieties must be there. Otherwise we become Māyāvādīs—everything is equal, all one. This is Māyāvāda philosophy. No varieties. There must be variety. That is Vaiṣṇava philosophy. And as soon as you make it varietyless, all equal, that is Māyāvāda. Just see even in this flower, this is also flower and this is also flower. Does it mean they are of the same rank? This is understanding. Together they look very beautiful, but if you take separate value, then it is valuable than this flower. That distinction must be there. If somebody says "I am accepting even the leaf in this garland," then what to speak of rose? It is like that. Kṛṣṇa says that. That does not mean leaf and rose have the same value. One is making a beautiful garland, "I am accepting everything." Mixed together it looks very nice, but individually the leaf has value, the rose has value, the flower has value. Not that because they are put together they have equal value. This is Vaiṣṇava philosophy.

Garden Conversation -- June 27, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Devotee (1): Śrīla Prabhupāda, in that story, the cobbler actually was more advanced than the brāhmaṇa, and yet in Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa explains that "Anyone can approach Me, even the strī śūdra dvija bandhu," they can all approach the supreme destination. Then in the next verse he says "How much greater, then, are the brāhmaṇas, the righteous, the devotees, the saintly kings." I was wondering how are they greater?

Prabhupāda: You do not understand it?

Devotee (1): I do not understand how they are greater than the lower person who surrenders.

Prabhupāda: Suppose you have got your spiritual master and you, if somebody says that you can come into the..., any one of you can come in this car. So spiritual master goes, you also go. Does it mean that spiritual master is not greater than you? Do you think like that?

Devotee (1): No.

Prabhupāda: Then? It is the same thing. Suppose Kīrtanānanda Mahārāja has brought this car, so he says, "All of you can come." So I go, you go, does it mean that you and your spiritual master is equal? Do you think like that? It is same thing. Everyone can go to Godhead, there is no doubt, but still there is difference between brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, śūdras. So far going into the car, the equal right is there, but it does not mean that your spiritual master or the next group, they are not greater than you. Don't think like that. The same car, Kīrtanānanda Mahārāja is driving, I am also there, you are also there. Does it mean that we are all equal? There must be gradation. The right is given to everyone. It does not mean that immediately they become all one. It is Kṛṣṇa's mercy that He accepted everyone, "Come on." But the distinction is there. We are inviting everyone to partake Kṛṣṇa prasādam. That does not mean that immediately all of them have become of the equal rank. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He was so kind, but still there was distinction. When He was taking prasādam, personal associates, they were sitting with Him. Is it not? So this is called maryādā. Maryādā means honor. That must... Varieties must be there. Otherwise we become Māyāvādīs—everything is equal, all one. This is Māyāvāda philosophy. No varieties. There must be variety. That is Vaiṣṇava philosophy. And as soon as you make it varietyless, all equal, that is Māyāvāda. Just see even in this flower, this is also flower and this is also flower. Does it mean they are of the same rank? This is understanding. Together they look very beautiful, but if you take separate value, then it is valuable than this flower. That distinction must be there. If somebody says "I am accepting even the leaf in this garland," then what to speak of rose? It is like that. Kṛṣṇa says that. That does not mean leaf and rose have the same value. One is making a beautiful garland, "I am accepting everything." Mixed together it looks very nice, but individually the leaf has value, the rose has value, the flower has value. Not that because they are put together they have equal value. This is Vaiṣṇava philosophy.

Garden Conversation -- June 28, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa:

nāhaṁ bibhemy ajita te 'tibhayānakāsya

jihvārka-netra-bhrukuṭī-rabhasogra-daṁṣṭrāt

āntra-srajaḥ-kṣataja-keśara-śaṅku-karṇān

nirhrāda-bhīta-digibhād ari-bhin-nakhāgrāt

"My Lord, who are never conquered by anyone, I am certainly not afraid of Your ferocious mouth and tongue, Your eyes bright like the sun, or Your frowning eyebrows. I do not fear Your sharp, pinching teeth, Your garland of intestines, Your mane soaked with blood, or Your high, wedgelike ears. Nor do I fear Your tumultuous roaring, which makes elephants flee to distant places, or Your nails, which are meant to kill Your enemies."

Prabhupāda: Nail is sufficient to kill an enemy like Hiraṇyakaśipu. No other weapon required. Simply tava kara-kamala-vare nakham adbhuta-śṛṅgam. Wonderful nails. Tava kara-kamala-vare nakham adbhuta-śṛṅgam, dalita-hiraṇyakaśipu-tanu-bhṛṅgam. Just like we sometimes press some insects; immediately dies. So this Hiraṇyakaśipu, simply by nails pressed and finished.

Arrival Comments in Car to Temple -- July 9, 1976, New York:

Rāmeśvara: Everything is very nice. We just had a big saṅkīrtana marathon for this Fourth of July, and they distributed up to thirty thousand Back to Godheads in just a few days.

Prabhupāda: (referring to garland) Make it smaller.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think it's all one garland, Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: You can just make smaller.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: All right.

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

Devotee (1): We'll be coming (indistinct) when we get (indistinct) ...to let you translate as much because now we're getting lots of tapes recorders. (indistinct) ...70, 90, 100 books for one class, so they...that's when the students are waiting for more books. They're constantly saying more and more.

Prabhupāda: So, you'll get it, you'll get it.

Rāmeśvara: Thank you, Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: So, give prasādam to Mr. Kallman.

Mr. Kallman: Prabhupāda, could you please accept this small donation.

Prabhupāda: Thank you. Give this garland.

Devotee: We are still building the front, left over from Gaurahari's work. So we're constantly putting more money into the front(?), for your use, whatever.

Prabhupāda: Yes, my funds are being utilized in printing books, and expanding centers. My book trust is divided into two. Fifty percent for the printing the books and fifty percent for expanding centers.

Room Conversation -- July 19, 1976, New York:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Very nicely written. "With everybody pulling together and everybody puffing together, a huge float is tugged down Fifth Avenue yesterday during the first Ratha-yātrā Parade of International Society for Krishna Consciousness. The parade moved south from Central Park to Washington Square Park, where a free feast, music, art, dance and theater festival was held. According to a spokesperson, Ratha-yātrā is a time when people come to dance, sing and feast amidst a sublime atmosphere of bright flags, festoons, banners, garlands, flowers and incense, simply to feel the poetry and blissful nature of life.' "

Prabhupāda: Very good, this is blissful nature.

Morning Walk -- July 20, 1976, New York:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Ādi-keśava, you have to make arrangements, garlands, flowers, devotees. (break) ...museum.

Prabhupāda: Which museum?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Museum of Natural History. Three hours we spent there, and we got a big headache.

Prabhupāda: Three hours?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, we got a headache.

Prabhupāda: Seeing only dead bodies?

Rāmeśvara: Dead bodies.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Stuffed dead bodies.

Morning Walk Around Farm -- July 31, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. (break).... to capture him. (cow bells) He's very young?

Devotee (1): One year.

Prabhupāda: Bull

Devotee (1): Cow.

Bhagavān: This here, and the vegetable garden is up here.

Devotee (2): This is mung dahl, Śrīla Prabhupāda, mung dahl. And these are marigolds. We put them in the greenhouse because it gives a longer season. Then we'll have more flowers for the garlands for the Deities.

Bhagavān: These are all table grapes.

Devotee (1): They are melons, Śrīla Prabhupāda. You can see here, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Hari-śauri: There are melons also, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Devotee (2): Here are flowers. This is a heater for the winter to keep the temperature up. We try to grow tomatoes for the Deities in the winter.

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. (end)

Room Conversation -- August 2, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Devotee (1): They came to Paris to see you, and when they learned that you were here, they came all the way here to...

Prabhupāda: Oh, give them this garland. (break)

Room Conversation -- August 2, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Devotee (1): These are flowers which decorate the vases, they are very tall. They put in the vases every day on the altar, Kṛṣṇa, and this morning, taking garlands made out of this, smells very nice. Also the carnation. It was the one I gave you yesterday on your walk. It has a very nice scent.

Prabhupāda: No, you have got this cucumber?

Devotee (1): Yes, there is cucumber.

Prabhupāda: So if fresh, why not eat?

Hari-śauri: We have fresh cucumber every day.

Prabhupāda: But when I take it does not appear to be fresh.

Devotee (1): These are bulk cucumbers.

Devotee (2): This is fresh cucumber from the garden.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Devotee (2): Tomorrow.

Prabhupāda: The cucumber which is supplied to me, that is not fresh.

Devotee (1): It is from the market. We were not aware that they had cucumber in the garden, because I asked...

Prabhupāda: You are not aware? Why not?

Devotee (1): I was not aware.

Hari-śauri: He's our supplier.

Prabhupāda: At least one cucumber, and this chili, you can make a nice salad. You say that there's no peas?

Devotee (1): They are just ready actually, Śrīla Prabhupāda. They're just ready for picking now.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Room Conversation -- August 2, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Devotee (1): There's many varieties of flowers in the gardens, many flowers for garlands for almost the next two months.

Prabhupāda: Grow more, more, all these fruits, flowers.

Bhagavān: This is from ours?

Woman devotee: Yes.

Devotee (1): Rose. We are growing 2,500... (break)

Meeting with Italian Printer -- August 5, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Jayatīrtha: You don't have to come outside for giving the names.

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Give him this garland

Devotee: Śrīla Prabhupāda, this is another admirer from Switzerland.

Hari-śauri: He can put it in some water, then it will blossom. (end)

Evening Darsana -- August 9, 1976, Tehran:

Atreya Ṛṣi: It is both nice location and a nice small house. We can also get a bigger one nearby, and a bigger one, we can take the whole city.

Prabhupāda: (laughs) Later on. Later on. No, we can member anyone, because we are proposing very pure thing, "You chant the holy name of God." Who will object?

Atreya Ṛṣi: You should let Dayānanda Prabhu and I live a thousand years. We will buy the whole city.

Prabhupāda: I shall go there. I am going. (devotees offer obeisances) So thank you very much. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Give this one garland to this boy and another to Atreya Ṛṣi. (end)

Arrival Conversation -- August 13, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: All right, we shall talk later on. Now let me...

Hari-śauri: Maybe somebody could take those flowers and put them in vases.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: All the pictures have a garland. Distribute it?

Prabhupāda: So you have come, it is good.

Pālikā: Would you like to take some fruit now?

Prabhupāda: I'll tell you. Not now.

Room Conversation -- October 4, 1976, Vrndavana:

Haṁsadūta: Just for example... (break) ...chanting from nine to twelve, could you please chant then? She became furious. She said, "I am already making garlands for four hours. I have no time."

Prabhupāda: No, no, if she is making garlands that is another thing.

Haṁsadūta: I know, but it's only four hours and I said there are twenty four hours, so that leaves twenty hours left over. It will take a little time to account their time and convince them that they have to accept more and more engagement.

Prabhupāda: No, if somebody is engaged in some business, so he may not chant. That concession may be given. But chanting...

Haṁsadūta: But, actually...

Prabhupāda: It is not very compulsory. Take it.

Haṁsadūta: But if we want to have a twenty-four hour kīrtana, I was speaking...

Prabhupāda: If that is not available, not possible, don't be very... But these things must be done.

Haṁsadūta: Yes. It's just that I want to comply with all your desires.

Prabhupāda: That may be taken as voluntarily. But nobody can sit idly. That is the point. If one is engaged in making for flower garland, all right, you may not take him. It is not compulsory for you. The twenty-four hours kīrtana may... Suppose if we haven't got sufficient men, it is not possible. It is required if there is sufficient men and they are not... We must see that they are not wasting uselessly time. That is the... If they are engaged in some business, there is no compulsory that he has to go and chant. But these things are... Śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mārjanādau **. That is compulsory. It must be done by you or me or... It must be done early in the morning. Whole temple should be... There is sufficient water supply in the pipe. Simply it takes half and hour. It is neglected. I see the temple is not washed. There's so much dust.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Discussion on Deprogrammers -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Trivikrama: We can kill our parents even, like Prahlāda.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is actually required. Prahlāda did not protest. It is a great sin, if your father is being killed before you, if you do not protest even, "Why you are killing?" not to give protection. But even if you do not, then you are not worthy son. So in that way Prahlāda Mahārāja was accused that in his presence his father was being killed. He did not protest, neither he... Rather, he was ready with the garland: (laughter) "As soon as my father is killed, immediately garland the Lord." So that is not the fact. And he is... Later on, he requested that "My father was a great offender. So kindly give him protection." So he's not..., that son. He knows... He knew that this, "My father is being killed by the nails of my Lord. It is his great fortune." Why shall he protest? He's seeing that "My father is being released from this material existence." Why shall he protest? And still to confirm it, he requested the Lord that "This, my rascal father made so many offenses..." But for him he did not ask anything, but he's such a good son that for demon father he requested. So how much faithful son he was, this is the proof. Not that he was unfaithful to him. He knew it, that "Let my father's body be separated from his soul by the Lord. That is good for him." And still to confirm it he personally requested that "My father may be excused." "Why your father? Your father's father, his father, everyone, up to fourteen generations."

Room Conversation -- January 31, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Hari-śauri: Even for a crude machine, it requires some intelligence to construct a design.

Prabhupāda: Anything you take, it requires intelligence. Just like you have made this garland. Somebody intelligent has decorated. So who has made it? That they have no intelligence. They decorate this garland, one red flower and yellow flower, make it very attractive, but who has made this flower? That they have no intelligence. And that is answered. Mām ebhyaḥ param, mūḍho nābhijānāti. I am trying to taking the flower to make it more beautiful by setting them in this way, but who has made this beautiful flower? Whose brain is there? And that is explained there.

Room Conversation with GBC members -- March 2-3, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: We have got very good encouragement from Budapest. You have read that letter. That means there is very good potency of our movement being accepted in communistic countries. Just read that letter.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda. You like this garland, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: All right. You have brought it; I must like it.

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Satsvarūpa: Shall I read on?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Morning Conversation -- April 11, 1977, Bombay:

Upendra: ... garlands. They should be taken down.

Prabhupāda: They are not changing?

Upendra: He has stopped bringing flowers.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Later he will bring. I told him. These should be probably taken down after one day. They get brown.

Prabhupāda: These can be distributed to the devotees.

Room Conversation -- April 13, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: (aside:) Fan.

Upendra: (bringing garlands) This one was made by a little girl. The boy who fixed the buzzers, his little daughter made.

Prabhupāda: This is our flower? Hm? Get all round, flower, the first land vacant. You should plant them. Puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca.

Upendra: Paramparā mālās. There's five mālās here for the paramparā.

Prabhupāda: First of all hear. Then tomorrow they... Kṛṣṇa is helping. He'll help more, more. We are not going to be misled by their leadership.

Girirāja: No. They have nothing to say. Actually, the way you've trained us is very good, that you always present their arguments and then how to defeat them or what is the defect, so when we go out for preaching, we're not baffled by their arguments.

Prabhupāda: That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's policy. Let the rascal Sarvabhauma speak first of all. Let his talk be finished. Hear silently. And then reply. He'll hear.

Morning Conversation -- May 29, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Doll exhibition you can have in this temple also. People will come to see.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Along the side?

Prabhupāda: Where is suitable.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually there's room up front where the water, the water fountain carrier, when you enter. There's a lot of open space there.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Now you can go and take rest. Again you can come at one. What is the time now?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: 9:20.

Prabhupāda: That's all.

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda! (obeisances)

Prabhupāda: Make just this garland... (break)

Room Conversation-Recent Mail -- July 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Here is a picture of the same Guru-Gaurāṅga in night dress.

Prabhupāda: You can say, "It is superexcellent."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I have written it three times. (laughter) Here is your Guru Mahārāja. He looks like a young man, Śrīla Prabhupāda. (chuckles) Very young. Here he is with full dress and garlanded. Here is Your Divine Grace, mūrti, fully dressed and garlanded.

Prabhupāda: Everything superexcellent.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Here is the Deity of Lord Nityānanda dressed and undressed, so you can see. They've done very nicely with the two photographs. You can get the full idea. I think the proportions are first class. Just accurate.

Prabhupāda: Gaurāṅga.

Upendra: What are they made of?

Devotee: Plasticene.

Room Conversations Bangladesh Preaching/Prabhavisnu Articles by Hamsaduta -- August 11, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhaviṣṇu: Śrīla Prabhupāda, in Bangladesh the people would welcome us with kīrtana everywhere we went. They came into the streets and held kīrtana, and then they offered garlands to the devotees.

Prabhupāda: And offer them prasādam without discrimination. Some Muslim also will be friends.

Prabhaviṣṇu: Actually many of the upper-class Muslims who are more intellectually advanced, they were quite appreciative of our philosophy.

Prabhupāda: Yes. We said, "Why you say Hindu? We are not Hindu, Muhammadan. We are for humanity." (break) ...continue this kavirāja or we shall change? If we have to change, whether that astrologer has got any information? (break) New York Ratha-yātrā, there was no coverage in the press?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There was. I just finished reading Ādi-keśava's letter, and he says by separate post he's sending us news clippings and photographs.

Prabhupāda: That's nice. And so far the Indians are concerned...?

Room Conversations Bangladesh Preaching/Prabhavisnu Articles by Hamsaduta -- August 11, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He says, "On the 28th and 29th of July we held Hare Kṛṣṇa festivals at one prominent hall and spoke on the origin of life and matter. The second evening this Dr. Kovoor showed up with seven or eight of his followers, all doctors and scientists of some sort. By your mercy and the mercy of the Lord-teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam (BG 10.10)—the lecture which somehow emanated from my mouth was so brilliant that the audience, about one thousand people who were all aware of Dr. Kovoor's presence and sensed the intention of challenge in the air, unanimously applauded as we spoke the last sentence." They unanimously applauded. "I then asked for questions, but the Dr. Kovoor and his friends did not make a peep, while everyone waited in dead silence. It was clear that he was defeated, hands down. After I came off the stage, he was still sitting in the audience. I went to him and gave him my garland so he might not feel bad." So anyway, that's what happened there. He says, "Now we have exhausted all possibilities of extending our visas here. We were not able to meet the Prime Minister again, so he is very busy rewriting the constitution of this country. So I thought the most inexpensive move is to come to India, and then I could also see you and perhaps be visiting secretary for some time, then return again. Or I could go to Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, etc., in the Far East, Southeast Asia, and try to preach there, touring different cities to see the prospects."

Prabhupāda: That is very nice.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's nice?

Prabhupāda: Anyway, all blessings of Kṛṣṇa upon them. They are doing very nice.

Room Conversation -- October 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, this is Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma's garland, tulasī garland. Fragrant.

Upendra: Would you like to go back into sitting up here, Śrīla Prabhupāda? It's more comfortable. (pause) (break)

Bhagatji: (Hindi) For eleven days it stopped, and then from since last two days it has again become.

Prabhupāda: And rate have been...?

Bhagatji: The rate of the grain has gone so high. Last year the rate of wheat was forty rupees; this year, seventy-eight rupees. Gram (flour) fifty rupees; this year, eighty rupees. And, Śrīla Prabhupāda, that everything has gone so high. Yaba, this barley, was thirty rupees; this year, fifty rupees at present. And it is only up to April. And new rate will be coming in the month of April. So this means after seven months.

Room Conversation -- October 15, 1977, Vrndavana:

Nava-yogendra: Śrīla Prabhupāda, can I put this garland? I want to make... It's very nice flower. Jaya Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Hindi (break) (Hindi with Nava-yogendra Swami)

Upendra: Girirāja is here, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: So, the bank business?