Greece

Expressions researched:
"Greece"

SB Canto 4

SB 4.27.20, Purport:

King Yayāti had five youthful sons, and he begged all his sons to exchange their youth for his old age. No one agreed except the youngest son, whose name was Pūru. Upon accepting Yayāti's old age, Pūru was given the kingdom. It is said that two of Yayāti's other sons, being disobedient to their father, were given kingdoms outside of India, most probably Turkey and Greece. The purport is that one can accumulate wealth and all kinds of material opulences, but during old age one cannot enjoy them.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.32 -- London, September 2, 1973:

The brāhmaṇas will examine whether the kṣatriyas are doing their duty nicely. Just like Paraśurāma, when he saw that all the kṣatriyas have become rascals, he wanted to kill them all. You know that. Twenty-one times he killed. Some of the kṣatriyas, they fled from India, and they came to this side in European countries. Therefore, origin of the Europeans, they are kṣatriyas. Turkey, Greece, and other countries also.

Lecture on BG 2.48-49 -- New York, April 1, 1966:

Now India there is scarcity, scarcity of foodstuff. But the same India was producing so much grains, even during British time, that many thousands and thousand tons of rice were being exported from India to other countries. You see? That I have seen. I have seen. My maternal uncle was very rich man by simply exporting rice to the foreign countries. Yes. Spices... And old history you will find that India, they had got their own ships for exporting spices to Greece and other countries of Europe. The history is there. And they were supplying muslin cloth, even just before the British period, Muslim period. So India's export, export, I mean to say, status was far greater than other countries.

Lecture on BG 9.3 -- Melbourne, April 21, 1976:

The best form of human life, the Aryans... Aryans. Aryans means those who are advanced. So the Aryan family, the history of Aryan family... From Central Asia, Caucasian ranges, they divided, the Indo-Aryans, Indo-Europeans. This is the history of mankind. So the Europeans, they belong to the Indo-Europeans, and some of the Europeans, not the uncivilized, the civilized, they came from that side, eastern side, when there was a threatening by Paraśurāma to kill the kṣatriyas. So most of the kṣatriyas, they came to Europe, and some of them settled in the middle, the border of Europe and Asia, Turkey, Greece. There is a big history, Mahābhārata. Mahābhārata means the greater history of India.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.10 -- Vrndavana, October 21, 1972:

But we require so many preachers, so many young men, to preach all over the world this sublime movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. People are accepting. Even in Africa, who are supposed to be uncivilized, they are also accepting. Everywhere. There is no impediment. Ahaituky apratihatā. People are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. You'll be surprised to know that I was going from London to Nairobi, Africa, and our plane stopped for forty-five minutes in Athens, and as soon as we dropped down, some young men there, in Athens, Greece, they immediately began to chant, "Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa." So the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is now well spread all over the world.

Lecture on SB 1.5.2 -- Los Angeles, January 10, 1968:

There is a long history, how the human society was distributed all over this planet. So far Mahābhārata is concerned, you Americans or Europeans, you also originally belonged to India, according to Mahābhārata. Turkish civilization and Greece civilization was originally from India. Two sons of Mahārāja Yayāti, they were given kingdom of Turkey and Greece, and from Turkey and Greece the European civilization or population has increased and from Europe, the Americans, they have come here. Of course, that is historical point.

Lecture on SB 1.7.25 -- Vrndavana, September 22, 1976:

When these rascals and fools increase, it becomes a burden to the earth. Just like a practical example: a child or a man, you weigh him. When he's alive you will find one weight, and when he's dead you will find another weight. That is practical. It will be heavier. Why heavier? Because there is no more spirit soul. So the more people will be materialistic, the world will be burdened. Therefore there must be war, pestilence, famine, to clear these rascals, clear out. You'll find these things. In Europe, every ten years, twenty years, there is a fight, war. It is the history. From the Greece history, Roman history and Seven Years War, Hundred Years War-wars. There must be war, because they are sinful. The same sinful, killing animals continually. So there is war, reaction. So what is that war? To lessen the burden. To lessen the burden. It becomes very heavy, unbearable by the earth. And to reduce the weight there is natural...

Lecture on SB 5.5.1-2 -- London (Tittenhurst), September 13, 1969:

Similarly, you'll find the history of Cāṇakya Paṇḍita. He was a great politician, prime minister of Emperor Candragupta. Those who have read history of India, they know it. The Candragupta was during the time of Alexander the Selkar(?) in Greece. He also visited India to conquer. That history is there. So at that time Candragupta was the emperor of India, and he had his prime minister Cāṇakya Paṇḍita.

Festival Lectures

Jagannatha Deities Installation Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.13-14 -- San Francisco, March 23, 1967:

Guest (2): Somebody... I have heard or read somewhere that Christ had studied in India. Is this true?

Prabhupāda: Yes, I have also heard, but I do not know whether it is true. Maybe, because India is the place of learning. From China, from other places, from Greece, the history says, they used to go to India. So quite possible. And I have heard from reliable sources that Christ was absent from his home for twelve years, and he went to India for studying. Maybe.

General Lectures

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

There is a great politician of the name Cāṇakya Paṇḍita. He was prime minister of Emperor Candragupta, a contemporary to the reign of Alexander the Great, in Greece. So, he was Prime Minister of that Emperor Candragupta, and he has many moral instructions and social instructions.

Hare Krishna Festival Address -- San Diego, July 1, 1972, At Balboa Park Bowl:

Because we want now Kṛṣṇa conscious population. Otherwise this world is going to hell. That's a fact. We are dwindling, liquidation. There were great empires like Roman empire, Greece empire, Carthaginian empire and, later on, Moghul empires, British empire. So many empires there were. There was Hitler. There was Mussolini. There was Napoleon. So these powerful emperors or men came and gone. Their name is only there, and nothing is remaining.

Lecture on Gurvastakam at Upsala University -- Stockholm, September 9, 1973:

So you may try your best to live very peacefully, but nature will not allow you. There must be war. It is not possible. In the history, especially in European history, there were so many wars—Carthagian War, Greece War, Roman War, Seven Years' War between France and England, and Hundred Years' War..., so..., so far we have read in the history.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on The Evolutionists Thomas Huxley, Henri Bergson, and Samuel Alexander:

Śyāmasundara: But, for instance, in ancient Greece, they fabricated so many myths, mythology...

Prabhupāda: Well, that I have already answered. Anything manufactured by man, that is not religion. That is not religion. That I have already explained. Religion is not manufactured, but it is given by God.

Philosophy Discussion on Plato:

Prabhupāda: Pañca means five, five selected men from the village sit down and decide the case. That will be accepted by the government.

Hayagrīva: Greece, Greece was not a country as such; it was composed of small towns or cities, and Athens was...

Prabhupāda: Anywhere.

Hayagrīva: ...Athens was the biggest, and everyone got together and the wisest men spoke, and they voted on their decisions.

Prabhupāda: That is the beginning of Parliament.

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Conversation with Prof. Kotovsky -- June 22, 1971, Moscow:

Prabhupāda: Now, as I was going to speak, Candragupta, Candragupta, just the lastest Hindu king, Candragupta... Candragupta is the age of Alexander the Great because at that time, during Candragupta's..., little before Candragupta, Alexander the Great from Greece, they went to India and conquered some portion. So this Candragupta, when he became emperor, he had his prime minister, Canakya.

Conversation with Prof. Kotovsky -- June 22, 1971, Moscow:

Prabhupāda: Candragupta is the age of Alexander the Great because at that time, during Candragupta's..., little before Candragupta, Alexander the Great from Greece, they went to India and conquered some portion.

Conversation with Journalists -- August 18, 1971, London:

Journalist (1): What is your view of predominant Western civilization, Sir?

Prabhupāda: This predominance is dwindling. Where is your British Empire gone?

Journalist (1): Yes, quite. In fact, I was asking you about...

Prabhupāda: So this is artificial. There was Roman Empire, there was Mogul Empire, there was Carthagian Empire, there was Egyptian Empire and Greece and so on. They come and go.

Conversation with Journalists -- August 18, 1971, London:

Journalist (1): What is your view of predominant Western civilization, Sir?

Prabhupāda: This predominance is dwindling. Where is your British Empire gone?

Journalist (1): Yes, quite. In fact, I was asking you about...

Prabhupāda: So this is artificial. There was Roman Empire, there was Mogul Empire, there was Carthagian Empire, there was Egyptian Empire and Greece and so on. They come and go.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Dr. Arnold Toynbee, Famous Historian, at his home or office -- July 22, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: What book you are writing now?

Dr. Arnold Toynbee: Oh, I'm writing a book about Greece, about the effect of ancient Greece on present-day Greece.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Dr. Arnold Toynbee: The Greeks, like Indo-China, have a great past, and this is quite a difficulty for them. They're rather overshadowed by their own past. They don't quite know how to deal with it. I am writing about that.

Room Conversation with Cardinal Danielou -- August 9, 1973, Paris:

Cardinal Danielou: He's now in Rome, in Rome, in Rome. He, he had especially in Greece language not in French. He lived in Rome, in Berlin. You visited Italy, Italy yourself?

Prabhupāda: Not yet.

Cardinal Danielou: No. Not yet, not yet. France. France...

Prabhupāda: I've got invitation from the secretary...

Cardinal Danielou: Yes.

Bhagavān: We are beginning one branch in Italy.

Cardinal Danielou: Yes, yes, yes, yes.

Bhagavān: Your brother, he has acquired a little philosophy from India.

Cardinal Danielou: Yes, yes, very acquainted with Indian philosophy and religion. He read very well Sanskrit and...

Morning Walk -- December 2, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: It is very expensive, golf?

Karandhara: Well, if you play golf, you don't have to work. People who are rich, they don't work. They just play golf all day. (break)

Citraka: ...newspapers, that now he is follower of Śaṅkarācārya in India. The queen of Greece. She's a follower.

Prabhupāda: Queen of Greece.

Morning Walk -- December 2, 1973, Los Angeles:

Citraka: ...open a temple in Greece?

Prabhupāda: I would like to open temples in every village, every city, what to speak of Greece. But we haven't got sufficient men.

Karandhara: This boy is from Greece.

Citraka: I will translate the books later.

Prabhupāda: Oh, then you can open. But alone... You can be assisted with some of our men. That's nice proposal. We want to open in every city, every village, village to village. So go this way or around the...?

Karandhara: This isn't too bad. We can go this way. It's not too wet.

Citraka: Sometimes you have said that the Greek mythology comes from the Purāṇas.

Prabhupāda: Yes, certainly. In Greece I think some people know of our movement. Because in the airport as soon as some young men saw us, they chanted "Hare Kṛṣṇa!"

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Irish Poet, Desmond O'Grady -- May 23, 1974, Rome:

O'Grady: This is my friend, Michael Robert (indistinct) We are colleagues together since we teach literature, English literature. And this is another friend of ours who has just come from Greece. Everybody seems to be traveling within the last twenty-four hours. This is a young painter friend of mine, Bob Jackson, also from Ireland, whose first time in Italy, out of Ireland, and he's staying with me at the moment. He came back with me from Ireland just a few weeks ago.

Prabhupāda: We are also writing books, so many. You have seen our books?

O'Grady: I have seen some, yes, because some of the friends have come up and...

Room Conversation with Irish Poet, Desmond O'Grady -- May 23, 1974, Rome:

Woman: What about Greece?

Prabhupāda: I never went to Greece.

Satsvarūpa: You said you went to the airport and they were chanting.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

O'Grady: Really?

Woman: I would think they would be in danger in Athens.

Bhagavān: It is danger.

Woman: There's no way that this movement could be very successful in Athens or in Greece. Not too many things are successful in Greece.

Prabhupāda: Yes, when I was going to Nairobi from London I got down, transit, on the hall. Some young men, as soon as they saw me, they began to chant, Hare Kṛṣṇa.

O'Grady: No, really? In Greece, this was, in Athens?

Prabhupāda: Athens, yes.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- March 11, 1975, London:

Prabhupāda: So the Europeans, they were kṣatriyas originally. On account of Paraśurāma's massacre process, they fled from India to European side. And Greece and Rome, they were given—I think, Turkey also—given to two sons of Mahārāja Yayāti. They refused the order of the father. The father was very licentious. So he begged from two sons that "You give me your youth." They refused. So therefore they were banished in this part of the world.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Into England.

Prabhupāda: Not England. Greece, Rome, Turkey. Next to India, they were civilized. So European race mostly come from that part.

Morning Walk -- October 3, 1975, Mauritius:

Prabhupāda: Everything Indian wanted to do, they would suppress: big businesses, this mining... They would suppress. This Morarji, Sumati Morarji, her father-in-law started that... He had to face so many impediments from the Britishers to start the shipping company. Formerly there was no shipping company, Indian. Now, before that, there was shipping, not shipping company, but navigation was there from India to Rome, Greece, Turkey, there was regular business of spices and fine cloth. Later on, this large-scale shipping industry, that was done by the Europeans. So when Indian wanted to start, they would supress. The Tata iron industry, he had to face so many difficulties. Formerly, even if you wanted to bring some iron frame, it would come from Sheffield.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- March 18, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: So how this literature came?

Hari-śauri: Well, they say that it's not older than 1,000, 1,500 years old.

Prabhupāda: One thousand.... But where are other literatures like that, 1,500 years, in Europe and other places?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: No such thing.

Prabhupāda: So only the literatures were here in India?

Pañca-draviḍa: No, they have them. They also have mythology in Greece, and Roman mythology too.

Prabhupāda: Mythology maybe, but so purposeful verses, where is in other country?

Pañca-draviḍa: Nowhere.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Evening Conversation -- January 25, 1977, Puri:

Prabhupāda: And whatever plan he's making, it will be all frustrated. That is the whole history. Big, big emperor, big, big politicians, they have tried. Roman Empire, the Carthagian Empire, Greece Empire, Egyptian Empire, and Mogul Empire, British Empire—all frustrated. It will never be successful. For a few days, hundred, two hundred years or five hundred years, it may go on.

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

Harikeśa: We made it very scholarly, because I remember last time you said it should be very scholarly. We printed ten thousand copies of this.

Prabhupāda: Selling?

Harikeśa: Yes, we can sell these like anything, because in Yugoslavia we can pretend we're going to Greece, and we can bring as many as we like and then we can sell these.

Room Conversation -- October 11, 1977, Vrndavana:

Ātreya Ṛṣi: And actually Persians have very high philosophy, but they don't have no one who will engage them in devotional service. And the most intelligent ones see that you are actually engaging people in devotional service. And there is no one—no one in Iran-despite their high philosophies, who is engaging anybody in devotional service. So they see the results, and that's why they respect you.

Prabhupāda: So as soon as I get opportunity, I shall go and meet them.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Thank you very much.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Thank you, Śrīla Prabhupāda. (break)

Prabhupāda: Very good chance.

Parivrājakācārya: These people, they are the door to people all over the world who are rulers, because they are the closest friends of King Khalid(?) of Saudi Arabia, King Hussein of Jordan, King Constantine and Queen Tina of Greece. They know all over the world this whole set of rulers who have great opulence and great intelligence and who simply lack spiritual knowledge.

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

Letter to Members -- Bombay:

Back to Godhead is devoted to this mission for all round human welfare work with wider outlook and for this there are many appreciations by educated circle. It is now decided that copies of the above paper will be posted to the leading men of the world in the following scale: (1) Afghanistan 1,000, (2) America 10,000, (3) Argentina 500, (4) Belgium 500, (5) Brazil 500, (6) Burma 1,000, (7) Canada 500, (8) Chile 500, (9) China 10,000, (10) Czechoslovakia 500, (11) Denmark 500, (12) Egypt 1,000, (13) Ethiopia 500, (14) France 1,000, (15) Germany 5,000, (16) Greece 1,000..

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Brahmananda -- San Francisco 25 January, 1967:

Sriman Karalapati (Carl Yeargans) has sent me one check for ten dollars which I am enclosing herewith for credit of his account and he has said that some of his relatives would pay $50.00. If not received please let Sri Karalapati be informed of his dues till now and he would remit. His address in Greece is as follows:

K. Yeargans, Poste Restante, Lindos

Rhodos, Greece

Also please send him all the copies of Back to Godhead and other literatures so far published. He is very anxious to get my commentary on the Bhagavad-gita.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Dina Dayala -- Nellore 6 January, 1976:

My Dear Dina Dayala,

Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated December 12, 1975, giving a report of your preaching in Greece.

Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu desires that in every city, town and village Krishna Consciousness should be preached. Therefore I left Vrindaban to come to your country. And now you have left your country also on behalf of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, therefore your life is glorious. May Krishna bless you that your preaching attempt becomes successful. As soon as a devotee endeavors to serve Krishna, Krishna immediately wants to help that devotee. Krishna will certainly protect and maintain you. You are an intelligent sincere boy so try to introduce this movement to the people of Greece.

Letter to B.R. Sridhara Maharaja -- Los Angeles 6 June, 1976:

My program is until the middle of August, 1976, in Europe and America. In Europe we are going to open 2 new centres, one in Athens, Greece, and the other on Corsica, a French island.

Letter to Bhagavan -- Vrindaban 7 November, 1976:

It is very good news that we are opening a center in Greece.