Grandmother

Expressions researched:
"grandmother" |"grandmother's" |"grandmothers"

BG Chapters 7 - 12

BG 9.17, Purport:

The entire cosmic manifestations, moving and nonmoving, are manifested by different activities of Kṛṣṇa's energy. In the material existence we create different relationships with different living entities who are nothing but Kṛṣṇa's marginal energy; under the creation of prakṛti some of them appear as our father, mother, grandfather, creator, etc., but actually they are parts and parcels of Kṛṣṇa. As such, these living entities who appear to be our father, mother, etc., are nothing but Kṛṣṇa. In this verse the word dhātā means "creator." Not only are our father and mother parts and parcels of Kṛṣṇa, but the creator, grandmother and grandfather, etc., are also Kṛṣṇa. Actually any living entity, being part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, is Kṛṣṇa. All the Vedas, therefore, aim only toward Kṛṣṇa. Whatever we want to know through the Vedas is but a progressive step toward understanding Kṛṣṇa.

SB Canto 1

SB 1.13.9, Purport:

Vidura went out from the palace to detach himself from household affairs, especially political intrigues. As referred to hereinbefore, he was practically insulted by Duryodhana's calling him a son of a śūdrāṇī, although it was not out of place to talk loosely in the case of one's grandmother. Vidura's mother, although a śūdrāṇī, was the grandmother of Duryodhana, and funny talks are sometimes allowed between grandmother and grandchildren. But because the remark was an actual fact, it was unpalatable talk to Vidura, and it was accepted as a direct insult.

SB Canto 3

SB 3.14.14, Purport:

Generally the daughters were too shy to express their opinions before their father, but the father would accept the daughters' intentions through someone else, such as a grandmother to whom the grandchildren had free access. King Dakṣa collected the opinions of his daughters and thus handed over thirteen to Kaśyapa. Every one of Diti's sisters was a mother of children. Therefore, since she was equally faithful to the same husband, why should she remain without children?

SB Canto 9

SB 9.24.53-55, Translation:

The eight sons born of Sahadevā such as Pravara and Śruta, were exact incarnations of the eight Vasus in the heavenly planets. Vasudeva also begot eight highly qualified sons through the womb of Devakī. These included Kīrtimān, Suṣeṇa, Bhadrasena, Ṛju, Sammardana, Bhadra and Saṅkarṣaṇa, the controller and serpent incarnation. The eighth son was the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself—Kṛṣṇa. The highly fortunate Subhadrā, the one daughter, was your grandmother.

SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)

SB 10.49.14, Translation:

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Thus meditating on her family members and also on Kṛṣṇa, the Lord of the universe, your great-grandmother Kuntīdevī began to cry out in grief, O King.

SB 10.86.1, Translation:

King Parīkṣit said: O brāhmaṇa, we would like to learn how Arjuna married Lord Balarāma's and Lord Kṛṣṇa's sister, who was my grandmother.

CC Antya-lila

CC Antya 1.145, Translation and Purport:

“"Upon seeing peacock feathers in front of Her, this girl suddenly begins trembling. When She sometimes sees a necklace of guñjā (small conchshells), She sheds tears and cries loudly. I do not know what kind of new ecstatic influence has entered the heart of this poor girl. It has imbued Her with the dancing attitude of a player creating wonderful, unprecedented dances on a stage.""

This verse (Vidagdha-mādhava 2.15) is spoken by Mukharā, a friend of Lord Kṛṣṇa's grandmother, in a conversation with Paurṇamāsī, the grandmother of Madhumaṅgala.

CC Antya 1.150, Translation and Purport:

“"When one hears praise from his beloved, he outwardly remains neutral but feels pain within his heart. When he hears his beloved making accusations about him, he takes them to be jokes and enjoys pleasure. When he finds faults in his beloved, they do not diminish his love, nor do the beloved"s good qualities increase his spontaneous affection. Thus spontaneous love continues under all circumstances. That is how spontaneous love of Godhead acts within the heart.’"

This verse from the Vidagdha-mādhava (5.4) is spoken by Paurṇamāsī, the grandmother of Madhumaṅgala and mother of Sāndīpani Muni.

Nectar of Devotion

Nectar of Devotion 33:

Sometimes among contemporary personalities there are signs of ecstasy in anger because of love for Kṛṣṇa. An example of such anger was exhibited in a quarrel between Jaṭilā and Mukharā. Jaṭilā was the mother-in-law of Rādhārāṇī, and Mukharā was Her great-grandmother. Both of them were talking about Kṛṣṇa's unnecessary harassment of Rādhārāṇī when She was walking on the street. Jaṭilā said, "You cruel-faced Mukharā! By hearing your words my heart feels like it is burning in a fire!" And Mukharā replied, "You sinful Jaṭilā, by hearing your words, there is aching in my head! You cannot give any evidence that Kṛṣṇa has attacked Rādhārāṇī, the daughter of my granddaughter Kīrtidā."

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Krsna Book 47:

Kṛṣṇa advertises Himself as magnanimous, and He is praised by great saints. His qualifications would be perfectly utilized if He would only show us some mercy, for we are so much downtrodden and neglected by Him. You poor messenger, you are only a less intelligent servant. You do not know much about Kṛṣṇa, how ungrateful and hardhearted He has been, not only in this life but in His previous lives also. We have all heard this from our grandmother Paurṇamāsī. She has informed us that Kṛṣṇa was born in a kṣatriya family previous to this birth and was known as Rāmacandra. In that birth, instead of killing Vāli, an enemy of His friend, in the manner of a kṣatriya, He killed him just like a hunter. A hunter takes a secure hiding place and then kills an animal without facing it.

Krsna Book 86:

After hearing of the incidents described in the last chapter, King Parīkṣit became more inquisitive to hear about Kṛṣṇa and His pastimes, and thus he inquired from Śukadeva Gosvāmī how his grandmother Subhadrā was kidnapped by his grandfather Arjuna at the instigation of Lord Kṛṣṇa. King Parīkṣit was very eager to learn how his grandfather kidnapped and married his grandmother.

Krsna Book 90:

Aniruddha was so powerful that he could fight against ten thousand elephants. He married the granddaughter of Rukmī, the brother of his grandmother Rukmiṇī. Because the relationship between these cousins was distant, such a marriage was not uncommon. Aniruddha's son was Vajra. When the whole Yadu dynasty was destroyed by the curse of some brāhmaṇas, only Vajra survived. Vajra had one son, whose name was Pratibāhu. The son of Pratibāhu was named Subāhu, the son of Subāhu was named Śāntasena, and the son of Śāntasena was Śatasena.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.8.42 -- Mayapura, October 22, 1974:

When we were young, young married, so my grandmother-in-law, my father-in-law's mother, she was talking very loosely, just like husband and wife. So that's a practical... Because she... She is hopeless of getting another husband because she is old enough. So where is the husband? She accepts or talks like husband to the grandson-in-law. So similarly, the Māyāvādī philosophers, they do not accept Kṛṣṇa or Kṛṣṇa's līlā. They think it is māyā. They do not accept it. So there is no ānanda. Therefore they come down again. Punar mūṣiko bhava. Again open hospital because there is no engagement. And he has to raise fund. So this is very easy thing: "Sir I am going to open a hospital. Give me some fund." Nowadays, especially, it is very difficult to collect fund. If you say, "I am going to open a temple," nobody will give you. But if you say, "I am going to open a hospital," he'll give you.

Lecture on SB 2.1.1 -- Vrndavana, March 16, 1974:

Somebody prescribed something, somebody prescribed something. So he was perplexed. Fortunately, Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī arrived there, and he advised, "Mahārāja, you simply hear harer nāma, the name, the form, the quality, the pastimes. About Kṛṣṇa, you simply hear." That was the... Therefore... And Parīkṣit Mahārāja was a devotee from the very beginning of his life. He's a grandson of Arjuna and Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. Naturally, he was kṛṣṇa-bhakta. He, Kṛṣṇa was his grandmother's brother also. There was family relation. And he studied thoroughly... Although, when he was born, he did not see Kṛṣṇa, but still, he knew that Kṛṣṇa saved the whole Pāṇḍava family.

General Lectures

Lecture -- Seattle, September 27, 1968:

If I would have seen that, rather if we would have felt that "I have served so many years my senses, now my senses are satisfied..." No. They are not satisfied. Still dictating. Still dictating. "I am very..." Of course, it is very natural, but I may disclose herewith that some of my students said that in an elderly age of his mother, he's(she's) going to marry. Just see. She has got grown-up children. And somebody complained that his grandmother also married. Why? Just see. In seventy-five years old, in fifty years old, the senses are still so strong that she is being dictated: "Yes, you must do it." Try to understand practically how the senses are strong. It is not that simply the young men are servant of the senses. Even seventy-five years old, eighty years old, or at the point of death, they are all servants of senses. The senses are never satisfied. That is the material dictation. So I'm servant. I am servant of my senses, and by serving my senses, neither I am satisfied nor my senses are satisfied nor they are pleased upon me. There is chaos. So this is the problem.

Sunday Feast Lecture -- Los Angeles, January 19, 1969:

For example, in your country the stature is also reducing. Formerly in our childhood, I saw Europeans and Americans, they were very tall. But not only in your country, every country the stature is reducing. The memory is reducing. The duration of life... Your grandfather or great-grandfather, perhaps he lived for hundred years. I saw. My grandmother lived for ninety-five years. My father lived for eighty-four years. So I do not know how long I shall live. Still I am living. So in this way the age, duration of life, will reduce in this age. And it is also said that at the ultimate stage, at the end of this age, if a man lives for twenty to thirty years, he'll be considered a grand old man. So because our human assets are reducing... Practically there is no mercifulness now, dayā.

Lecture Engagement and Prasada Distribution -- Boston, April 26, 1969:

Kali-yuga means seventy-five percent or more than seventy-five percent, they are impure, and twenty-five percent, I mean to say, that is in book, but actually ninety percent or more than that are impure and maybe five percent pure. This is the situation of this age. And they are also living very short time. In this age, life, duration of life, is reduced, memory is reduced, man's compassion is also reduced. Similarly, there are so many things, they are reduced. Although we are thinking that we are advancing, but actually the most important things we are reduced. Take for example the duration of life. Every one of us knowing very well that as your father or forefather or grandfather lived for long duration of life, it is very difficult to find out a man who is over seventy years or eighty years. I have got experience. My grandmother lived for ninety-five years.

Lecture at Engagement -- Columbus, may 19, 1969:

So the summary of this age is described that, in this age, the duration of life is very small. Prāyeṇālpāyuṣaḥ kalāv asmin yuge janāḥ. Everyone, we are decreasing our duration of life. You know, every one of you, your forefathers, your grandfather lived for hundreds, at least one hundred years. I have seen my grandmother, she died at the age of ninety-six years. My father died at the age of eighty-four years. So, I do not know how long I shall live—I am now seventy-three—maybe a few years more; but actually the duration of life gradually decreases. This is the symptom of this age, practically. And it is said that at the end of this millennium, that if somebody lives from twenty to thirty years, he will be considered as very old man. So, memory is decreasing also. People's sentiment for doing good to others, or to become merciful, that is also decreasing.

Lecture at Auckland University -- Auckland, April 17, 1972:

According to our past activities, we have got a body whose duration of life is already fixed up. The standard of happiness and distress, that is also fixed up. You cannot change it. Suppose one has got one hundred years age to live. Nowadays nobody lives for one hundred years. Utmost, eighty years or ninety years very rarely. My grandmother lived for ninety-six years. My father lived for eighty-four years. I do not know how long I shall live, but still I am living. But duration of life in this age is gradually decreasing. You are all students of the university, but there is no science how you can increase the duration of life or how you can stop death. That is not possible. Death... Birth, death, old age and disease—these are the four problems of our life. Nobody wants to die, but death is sure. We must die.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:

Karandhara: According to modern information, man now is living longer, is more healthy and is more well off than ever before.

Prabhupāda: That is another nonsense. I have seen my grandmother lived ninety-six years, but I don't expect I shall live ninety-six years. My father did not live more than eighty-one years; so gradually the span of life is decreasing. They are not healthy enough. Decreasing means they are not getting proper food or proper bodily comforts; therefore they're decreasing their life.

Philosophy Discussion on B. F. Skinner and Henry David Thoreau:

Prabhupāda: They are, difficulty, that is missing, that what is their ideal life, what is the aim of life. So he is prescribing so many things. That will not help the human society. And women, about women, this idea that (s)he should be married at sixteen years old, that is good, but it is not that women stops child breeding by the twenty-two years age. No. There are many women and they can beget children in, in advanced age. I, so far personally I know, my mother was the youngest daughter, and she was born when my grandmother was fifty years old. So it is not that the woman stops child begetting at the age of twenty-two years age. Nowadays up to thirty years, twenty-five years, woman, woman is married, so how he, she can stop?

1970 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- November 4, 1970, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: One of our relatives, long, long ago, he happened to be, as my grandmother..., my cousin's, oh, grandfather. He went to England in those old days and he became a parsiyas(?) doctor, very... When he came home the brāhmaṇas prescribed that "You went to England, so you have to make this prāyaścitta and this and so many prescriptions, and unless you follow the prāyaścitta you cannot live at home. Then your family will be extricated." So when these things were presented to him he said, "Then I am going out of home." His mother and father, everyone requested that...

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- May 4, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Due to medical science, death is...?

Brahmānanda: Decreasing. People are living longer.

Prabhupāda: It is all nonsense. Who lives now hundred years. Thirty, forty, fifty, finished. It is another nonsense. At the present age, does anybody live like his grandfather? No. No. That's not a fact. At the present moment the maximum years-eighty years. Formerly they were living a hundred years. My grandmother lived for ninety-six years.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: They take a statistical average, they call. That means the average number of people living now, they have longer lives, on the average.

Prabhupāda: Average duration of life in India is thirty years. Thirty years. It has decreased.

Garden Conversation with Mahadeva's Mother and Jesuit Priest -- July 25, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: Because you have become a priest, that means you love God.

Jesuit Priest: Yes. Fifty-two years ago I made up my mind.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is understood.

Mother: Yes.

Prabhupāda: You are brāhmaṇa because...

Mother: How do you know I'm a grandmother?

Revatīnandana: No, he said brāhmaṇa.

Mother: Oh! I thought you said grandmother! I am a grandmother.

Prabhupāda: Now, that's it.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversations -- September 11, 1974, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: This is the talk. Old men, retired men, they will also talk of the sex (indistinct), and they will enjoy. Now they could not enjoy sex, but by talking... And we have practically seen when we were young, our grandmother-in-law, my mother-in-law's mother, old lady, she would talk freely about sex. She will ask me, "You capture the breast of your wife." She would make a pun and enjoy. "You do like that, you do like that." She teaches like that. We were... I was twenty, twenty-three years, so I was just married, but she will enjoy sex. She had other grandchildren. My father-in-law were two brothers. So my father-in-law, he was younger brother, and his elder brother, her daughter also the same age, she would enjoy (indistinct) son-in-law. (break) Ministers, prime ministers. The minister, famous.

Room Conversations -- September 11, 1974, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Especially in India you will find, they spend thousands lakhs of rupees for son's and daughter's and grandson's sex life. Is it not? That is their happiness. "I am enjoying sex life." Just like my grandmother-in-law. She is concentrating on sex life. She was old, she had no opportunity. Let grandson-in-law, granddaughter. One who is impotent, he wants to see others enjoying sex life. You know this? He enjoys. He cannot do it. There are many persons, he is impotent, so he brings another man to his wife, then he watches. You know this? This is going on. Sex. They will see the dog's sex life, very (indistinct), how he is enjoying. Cow's sex life. Dog is having sex, and there will be crowd. This is the basic principle of material life: sex. In this way, prostitution, this way, that way, that way, that way, this is the only point. There is no other aim. Yan maithunadi-grhamedhi-sukham hi tuccham (SB 7.9.45).

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- July 1, 1975, Denver:

Prabhupāda: I gave her proper respect. Mother, after all, she is. She is fortunate mother. She has produced such nice sons. And I offered her respect, yes. Any of your mother and father, they are all very fortunate. And you are doing... giving the best service to your family. Our Nitāi's mother came. She looked very nice lady, yes. I think you are the first child.

Nitāi: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Therefore she looks young, not very old. Within forty?

Nitāi: Over forty, I think. Within fifty.

Prabhupāda: Oh. But she looks younger. And your grandmother?

Nitāi: She is eighty.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- March 12, 1976, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: ...clean. That also we sometimes neglect. (break)...means rūpena jāyate iti prajā. Everything which is born, that is prajā. (break) ...children, our grandmother used to engage us for watering work, these pots. And that water was brought from down, two, three stories down, and we used to bring and put. That is good exercise and sport also, competition between children. (break) ...karma jyāyo hy akarmaṇaḥ. Everyone should be engaged. That is supervision. (break) ...are also engaged in serving Kṛṣṇa. They give flower, and they're offering: "Take this flower. Offer to Kṛṣṇa." This is service, dedicating. This is explained by Kṛṣṇa to Balarāma while going through the Vṛndāvana forest, that "Just see how the trees are welcoming You, how the birds..." You have got that picture?

Hrdayananda: Yes.

Morning Walk -- April 8, 1976, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: Just see, in all there are so many husbandless girls, and the children have not gone with the husbands, to the man. They are after the mother. How you'll have equal rights? They cannot. At this your heart will cry, "Oh, I have left my children, I am unhappy." That is... Just like our Hari-śauri's grandmother's advice to his mother to kill him. He said. And she refused. This is natural inclination. How... Artificially they are thinking like that, violating nature's law. Therefore they must suffer. As soon as you break ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham iti manyate (BG 3.27). These rascals, on account of being misled by misconception of life, ahaṅkāra, false ahaṅkāra, kartāham, I can do everything. Any little pinch of nature's law, if you break, you'll suffer. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). You cannot escape. But still they're thinking, "We're independent." That is ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā, by false prestige, by false identification.

Room Conversation -- April 20, 1976, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: So suppose if you say, "Perhaps I'll be able to keep my young age continually," is it possible?

Carol Jarvis: I don't know.

Prabhupāda: Then? You don't know. Then learn it. It is not possible. You must become an old lady. (laughter)

Carol Jarvis: How do you know?

Prabhupāda: Yes, I know. You know also. You are denying only. You know that you shall become...

Carol Jarvis: No, but I don't know anything. I'm prepared to not know anything. I'm prepared to wait and see...

Prabhupāda: Then you can know from the experience that every.... Your grandmother was young lady some years ago. Now she's old man, old woman.

Carol Jarvis: Yes.

Room Conversation -- April 20, 1976, Melbourne:

Carol Jarvis: But, you know, you could use that argument and say, "Yes, but I also know that they weren't able to cure a single disease."

Prabhupāda: Now, if you say that "My grandmother has become old lady. I'll not become," that is lunacy.

Carol Jarvis: No, no, no. I'm not suggesting that I'm not going to become old. I'm simply saying that I don't know...

Prabhupāda: So therefore, therefore you cannot stop the nature's process. You are dependent. You should first of all understand that you are dependent on nature's process. That is intelligence. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi... (BG 3.27). If you extravagantly say that "I shall stop this nature's process," that is lunacy, craziness. It is not possible. You have to accept that you are under the stringent laws of nature.

Room Conversation and Reading from Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 1 and 12 -- June 25, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Devotee (2): They say that men are living longer now. The scientists, they say that there's less disease. They say that a hundred years ago people had more disease than...

Prabhupāda: That these rascals say, we do not say. We have seen in our childhood that my grandmother, she died at the age of ninety-six years. There was no disease. The scientists say that there was disease, now there is no disease?

Devotee (2): They say there is less disease now.

Prabhupāda: Less disease, everyone suffering from cancer.

Room Conversation -- July 4, 1976, Washington D.C.:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: It actually is that way. It actually goes on that way.

Prabhupāda: This is the mother.

Hari-śauri: Completely callous.

Rūpānuga: Not even mother love anymore.

Prabhupāda: Mother killing. He was about to be killed. He admits. His grandmother advised the mother. Yes. Kṛṣṇa saved him. Because he is devotee, some way or other, he was saved. Your grandmother still living?

Hari-śauri: Just.

Prabhupāda: Why don't you say, (laughs) "You wanted to kill me, just see, I'm chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa."

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

Bhagavān: The devotees are talking how nice it was to sit outside with you and chant and hear you speak tonight. I remember the last time I was in New Vrindaban many years ago, when I first became a devotee. You were sitting outside, giving some lecture, series of lectures on Vyāsadeva and the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Prabhupāda: Yes. No, I like this life, from my very childhood. And on our roof there were trees, plants, flower plants, and... My grandmother, she... We, all grandchildren used to water it. So downstairs we took water in, what is called? A jhāri?

Garden Conversation -- September 3, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: What is the age of your father?

Caraṇāravindam: Sixty-five I think.

Prabhupāda: Grandfather died.

Caraṇāravindam: Yes. (indistinct) when I used to go in the temple there...

Prabhupāda: Grandfather was living at that time?

Caraṇāravindam: No, when I was a little boy I used to see him. We were very close. He used to take me for walks, like this, and then he died. And grandmother lived long time and then she died. But she would not leave the family...

Prabhupāda: His grandmother is still living. Your grandfather also living?

Hari-śauri: Yes.

Room Conversation -- November 3, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Oh, hm. (break) ...just in front of our house, attached to our house. That means the house belonged to one of our relatives and her son, stepson, he sold the whole house to a Marwari without the knowledge of this, my, she was in relation grandmother. So when the house was sold in those days, about say about 100 years ago, not 100 years, about 90 years. In Mahatma Gandhi road, most important, that Mullik's house you have seen? That was one of the Mullik's house, for 12,000 rupees. One bighā of land and grand building. So it was unknown to the stepmother, the stepson sold it. Then she appealed to the high-court that, "I belong to a respectable family and this my spoiled stepson has sold the house without my knowledge, then where shall I go?" The high-court considered that, "The drunkard son has sold at a cheap price, and she's belongs to a respectable family, where she'll go?" And the high-court order was, "The half of the house shall be used by this lady. During her lifetime, you cannot take possession," the Marwari who purchased. So under that grandmother, we used to live. Therefore this half portion of the house was a Marwari school. So it is just like our temple and this. So my father first admitted me in that Marwari school.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Film Producer about Krsna Lila -- January 22, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Guest (1): Years long back, Orissa was full devotees of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, long back.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. I know that.

Guest (2): Kṛṣṇa līlā means when they read that Bhāgavata.

Guest (1): Our grandfather, grandmother, they are more well read and well known about Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

Guest (2): Still they are living if you go to a village.

Prabhupāda: But your grandmother did it, all right, but now you are asking, "What is God?" This is your position. Your position is that you are asking, "What is God?" That means you do not believe what is Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise why you are asking, "What is God?"

Room Conversation with Film Producer about Krsna Lila -- January 22, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Not story. So you have to learn Kṛṣṇa. That is my point. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaya... (BG 7.3).

Guest (1): (Oriyan)

Guest (3) (Indian man): Our grandfather, grandmother, all were addicted to Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. But we have forgotten it.

Prabhupāda: You have forgotten, so that now you are asking, "What is God?" This is your position.

Guest (1): That is what happened now.

Prabhupāda: So you should know your position first of all.

Discussions with Devotees and Conversation with Dr. Ghosh -- June 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: (Bengali) You are all qualified. I can give you ideas. Now I am doing. So I wanted to see that you are all busy. That I want because now I am becoming invalid. I cannot move very swiftly here and there. But if you move, I take pleasure. There is a Bengali proverb, na pajimane na jamai datta(?). A old lady, so she has lost her husband. She cannot joke. Husband, wife, they exchange some joking word. So with whom she will joke? Then the grandson-in-law, grandson... So in our society, Bengal, the grandson-in-law... I have got experience also. When I was newly married grandson-in-law, so my grandmother-in-law was joking with me like anything, more than husband. (laughter) And granddaughter-in-law. So we sit down and she talks very openly everything. We remember that. Because she was enjoying. By talking like that, free, with granddaughter and grandson-in-law, she was enjoying. And we were also enjoying.

Conversations -- June 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

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

Śatadhanya: Hm. The young... This new generation, we have seen. They are copying Western...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: When I see that boy, that Dalmiya's grandson, unless he comes to our gurukula, he will be spoiled for sure.

Prabhupāda: Hm hm. But Dalmiya agreed. That means if you approach the grandmother, you'll get the boy.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And Aurora's son, he agreed. I talked to him yesterday. Before he left, he was determined to... He said, "I will send my son there."

Prabhupāda: They are (too faint).

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Kirtanananda -- New York 14 April, 1967:

It is very pleasing to learn that you had very good Kirtana on the 11th instant night with many devotees. Forget everything and go on with your Kirtana that will bring us all transcendental bliss. I received all letters from Janardana and I have duly replied to them including one meant for his grandmother who is ailing for some time past. You are all good souls and therefore Krishna has sent you all for giving me chance to serve Krishna.

Letter to Janardana -- New York 14 April, 1967:

I hope you have duly received the note sent for your grandmother. Although we have spent $500.00 till now for my permanent Visa, our Lawyer is not yet successful. He does not advise me to cross the borders of U.S.A. otherwise the Visa which is now extended to February 1969, will be cancelled. And I cannot return to U.S.A. It is very difficult to deal with these lawyers. Now if it is possible for me to have Canadian Visa as Kirtanananda has suggested in his letter under reply and which you have also confirmed that it can be done, then please do it immediately and I can start for Montreal never mind it is cancelled here.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Harer Nama -- New Vrindaban 23 May, 1969:

I thank you very much for your letter dated May 14, 1969, and I congratulate you and your good wife, Prabhavati, for your marriage. Live peacefully, husband and wife, and now you will be happy in the management of the temple. Both of you are initiated, and as it is necessary for you to work, your wife may take care of the temple in your absence. I am glad that you have received some money from your grandmother, and you wish to send it to me for my book fund. In the meantime, there is Rathayatra Festival propogation, and Tamala Krishna wishes that all branches on the Western Coast may conjointly perform this ceremony very pompously. I do not know if you have got any news already, but if you have, please cooperate fully to make the Rathayatra Festival a grand success.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Taittiriya -- Vrindaban 15 September, 1974:

So our foundation is very nice on the platform of Krsna consciousness. I am sometimes thinking of your grandmother who is so kind to me like my mother and I am looking forward to our meeting together in Japan. It will be a great event when we meet together for a greater program in Japan. I have got very good respect for Japanese people. So far I have met the Japanese boys and girls in our temple there, they are so well behaved that I was astonished that they were more respectful than my direct disciples. I think there is great prospect to spread Krsna consciousness in Japan as well as China, because both China and Japan belong to oriental culture.

Letter to Gopala Krsna -- Bombay 28 November, 1974:

I have read your letter dated November 21, 1974 addressed to Brahmananda Swami with enclosed picture from "Back to Godhead." Even they have changed her face, still it was not possible to hide the fact that she is old, like great grandmother. Because you are a devotee you could not tolerate the nonsense. You are a very good boy. I know that whatever money you have left over from maintaining your family, you give that to the Society. You do not even keep anything for yourself. This is very good.