I have heard (Conversations)

Expressions researched:
"I have heard"

1967 Conversations and Morning Walks

Discourse on Lord Caitanya Play Between Srila Prabhupada and Hayagriva -- April 5-6, 1967, San Francisco:

Prabhupāda: When Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya was meeting the King, the King inquired that "I have heard that there is a big sannyāsī has come here. What is the details of the sannyāsī? I've heard that you have also become a disciple."

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

Interview -- September 24, 1968, Seattle:

Prabhupāda: Naturally, out of inquisitiveness, somebody comes. Somebody came and, "Oh, what this Indian swami is doing? Let me see." So he sat down. Some other came. He sat down. Then some of them took it, "Oh, Swamiji speaks very nice. Let me come again." He comes, he comes, and then he gets some faith: "Oh, Kṛṣṇa consciousness is very nice." Then next point is that he wants intimate relationship with the swami, or me: "Swamiji, I have heard you so many days. I think it is very nice. So I want to be your student." So faith is the basic principle.

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

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

Prabhupāda: So Keśava Kāśmīrī was informed that first of all he'll have to talk with Nimāi Paṇḍita. So one day Nimāi Paṇḍita, boy Nimāi Paṇḍita, was talking with his disciples, students. And Keśava Kāśmīrī was strolling on the Ganges side. So he heard that this boy is Nimāi Paṇḍita. "Oh, I will have to talk with Him? He is a boy." So he went there, and when He was acquainted that Keśava Kāśmīrī..., "Oh, please come down, sit." So Nimāi Paṇḍita said that "I have heard that you are so learned scholar. Now we are on the Ganges side. You can chant the glorification of mother Ganges. She may hear and enjoy." So he was very learned scholar. Immediately he composed hundred verses, one hundred. And fluent, very fluently he went on. Then, out of that one hundred verses, in the sixty-fourth verse there was some poetic discrepancies.

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

Prabhupāda: Dośa. In Sanskrit word it is called dvir-ukti-dośa. Dvi means two. Rukti means utterance. And dośa means fault.

Allen Ginsberg: Fault. Yes.

Prabhupāda: Fault. Yes. So dvir-ukti-dośa. So he was conscious. Then he said, "Well, I understand that you are a student of grammar. How do you detect this, this literary discrepancies?" "No. I am student. I am your student. I do not pose. I am not scholar, but I have heard this is told like that. From other scholars I have heard." "How could You remember? I cited one hundred verses and how do You remember the sixty-fourth verses?" "Oh, I can repeat the whole verses."

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Interview with Reporters -- November 10, 1971, New Delhi:

Reporter: Have you been to Russia (indistinct) and (indistinct)?

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes.

Reporter: They allowed you to preach?

Prabhupāda: So why not? We are not afraid of anybody.

Reporter: Because they have their own (indistinct).

Prabhupāda: They may have, but the public is not their own. Public is different.

Reporter: That's all right. But you've got to get a visa. How do you... How can you get?

Prabhupāda: Then one Russian professor invited me already.

Reporter: Ah. And to receive visa. Did you give some...

Prabhupāda: Professor Kotovsky.

Reporter: Kotovsky?

Prabhupāda: Yes. You know his name?

Reporter: Well, I have heard of him.

Prabhupāda: Yes. He, not invited me officially, but he, we had correspondence. He said, "Swamiji, you come this side, I shall be very glad to meet you."

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- June 14, 1972, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Therefore, according to Vedic order it is said, tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Abhigacchet means you must to a person to understand that science of God. You must go to a guru or a man who knows. Guru means who is more intelligent. Guru means weight, heavy, heavier, heavier in knowledge. So you have to find out a person who is heavier than you, not ordinary. Must go. Not that may go or may not go. No. Must go. Tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). And what is the symptom of guru? Śrotriyaṁ. Means he has heard about God from his superior, his guru. Śrotriyaṁ. And how can I know that he has heard from his superior about God? He might say that "Yes, I have heard," but what symptoms? Brahma-niṣṭham. Brahma-niṣṭham means that he has become a complete devotee of God, result. Just like a man, physician. A physician means he has attended the medical college, passed the examination, and the result is that he's practicing as a physician. Not only passing will do, but he's actually passing and he's actually practicing and he's curing patients.

Conversation with Bajaj and Bhusan -- September 11, 1972, Arlington, Texas, At Their Home:

Prabhupāda: We present Kṛṣṇa as Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, "I am the Supreme Personality of Godhead." We present Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Kṛṣṇa says, "You surrender unto Me." We teach people, "You surrender to Kṛṣṇa." Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). We say, "You become Kṛṣṇa bhakta. You offer worship to Kṛṣṇa." We don't change anything. And therefore people are accepting. Adulteration, how long it will go on? You know very well. You are from Delhi. There is a Punjabi halwai (?), in the Chowry Bazaar. You know that?

Guest (4): No, I have heard about it.

Prabhupāda: Because he sells, I mean to say, confectionery made of pure ghee you'll find always hundreds of customers waiting. And there are many dalda ghee shop not so crowded. Some cheap men are going there. So anything you present pure, there will be automatic customer. And that is being proved. We are presenting Kṛṣṇa as He is, and He is being accepted everywhere, all over the world.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- May 9, 1973, Los Angeles:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Guru Mahārāja?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Not that. (laughs) That Kṛṣṇa was requested by His teacher that, when He was offering that "Now I am going home. What shall I present to you, guru-dakṣiṇā, giving to the guru?" So he requested, "Kṛṣṇa, I have heard that You are so powerful. I lost my two sons. If you bring them..." So Kṛṣṇa immediately went and brought them from within the ocean. This is God. Similarly, Devakī also requested Kṛṣṇa that "Kṛṣṇa, before Your birth I lost seven children. Your maternal uncle killed them. So I want... I have heard that You have returned back the sons of Your teacher. Why not my sons?" So He brought them. That is Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa went to Kāraṇārṇavaśāyī Viṣṇu, penetrating the covering of this universe. Arjuna also went with Him.

Room Conversation with Krishna Tiwari -- May 22, 1973, New York:

Prabhupāda: And there must be one who is above the laws of nature.

Krishna Tiwari: No problem, yes.

Prabhupāda: No, no problem. This is a fact.

Krishna Tiwari: We do not know for fact, and nobody else does.

Prabhupāda: What?

Krishna Tiwari: See, when we do not..., we say we do not know, we are just being modest.

Śyāmasundara: But he knows.

Krishna Tiwari: I don't know about that.

Śyāmasundara: But he's trying to tell if you'll listen.

Krishna Tiwari: I, I have heard about those things, but I just don't know about the, how to believe...

Prabhupāda: That means, that means you are unbeliever.

Krishna Tiwari: No, not at all.

Prabhupāda: Certainly. Certainly! That you are unbeliever.

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

Karandhara: Well, about a year ago another scientist came forward, and he charged that those two scientists actually stole the knowledge from him. They were working with him, and they stole it to win Nobel Prize.

Prabhupāda: Yes, there are many scientists like that. Just like this Marconi, he stole the knowledge from Dr. Jagadisha Candra Bose. You know that?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: I have heard this.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Jagadisha Candra... I was present. He said that "This man cheated me. I talked with him. Next morning he published the theory."

Karandhara: About radio?

Prabhupāda: No, newspaper. Because both of them were friends, scientists, they talked. And he took the clue, immediately published the theory.

Bali Mardana: Which theory was that?

Prabhupāda: That Marconi wireless.

Bali Mardana: Wireless, radio.

Prabhupāda: Yes, radio. That was Jagadisha Candra Bose's discovery. But the government will not give the credit to the Indians. Because Jagadisha Candra Bose happened to be Indian. These Britishers they are so much envious. Therefore they will never admit that Bhagavad-gītā was spoken five thousand years ago. They bring all within the Christian period. That is their rascaldom.

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

Karandhara: But the definition of the Absolute Truth is inconceivable, so it must violate the logic.

Prabhupāda: Ah?

Karandhara: Their logic...

Prabhupāda: No, it's inconceivable by them, not by us. Therefore we call them fools. It is not inconceivable by us. But so you know the Truth from the Truth, Absolute Truth. A layman or a foolish boy does not know where..., which side the sun will rise. His father can say, "This side it will rise." That is the difference. Because he knows how to suggest which side, because there is reddish, how do you say? Illumination. He knows that "This side it will rise," by the symptom. Both of them, the foolish man and the intelligent man, just at present do not see that where is the sun. But the intelligent man knows "Here is the sun," although the sun is not visible both to the intelligent and foolish man. That intelligence means he knows how to find out where is sun. That is intelligence. And this is not discovery. I am intelligent speaking "This side is sun." It is not my discovery. I have heard from authority that from the eastern direction the sun rises, so I know it.

Morning Walk -- December 5, 1973, Los Angeles:

Umāpati: I was reading the writings of Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura in Jaiva Dharma.

Prabhupāda: Ah.

Umāpati: And he is explaining the word "śraddhā," and he defines it in there as the tendency of the mind towards devotion without regard to jñāna or karma.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Yaśomatīnandana: Śraddhā.

Umāpati: Śraddhā. And I have heard it variously interpreted as meaning "faith" or "belief," which really falls short of that interpretation.

Prabhupāda: What is that interpretation?

Umāpati: Could you elaborate on the definition of śraddhā?

Prabhupāda: Śraddhā is explained in Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Śraddhā means firm conviction. That is śraddhā. Just like Kṛṣṇa says that "I am the Supermost." So if you have firm conviction in Kṛṣṇa's words, that is śraddhā.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 3, 1974, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Nāsato vidyate bhāvo nā..., asataḥ vidyate bhāvaḥ. What is the next line? So, we take things which is conclusive. The scientists, they are making experiment, where is the beginning of life. Misled. They are thinking life is from matter. They have no experience. Still, the rascal Darwin gave a theory. They are persisting on it. They have no practical experience that life is coming from matter. That is called vṛścika-taṇḍula-nyāya. You have no experience in your country. We have got. Sometimes you'll find, scorpion is coming out from the stack of rice. You have seen it?

Karandhara: I haven't seen it, but I have heard of the example.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So they are thinking the rice is..., rice is producing the scorpion. It is called taṇḍula-vṛścika-nyāya. But rice cannot produce a life. The real fact is a scorpion lays down the egg within the rice, and by the fermentation it comes out. Just eggs. And the small creature comes out. And foolish creatures, they think it that the rice is producing scorpion. That is not possible. So they are putting forward this evolution theory that man is coming from monkey, but no monkey is producing a man. Nobody has seen. There are so many things. They put forward some theory, but it is not fact.

Morning Walk -- February 20, 1974, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: Oh, that Goenka of Gītā Press.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Dr. Patel: Yes.

Guest (4): (Hindi)

Dr. Patel: No. That is because of degeneration of the lower fellows. They are not understanding the real teaching of Bhāgavata.

Prabhupāda: Yes. I have heard about that, about the Vallabha-sampradāya. Yes. I do not know whether it is fact. I have heard.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, about?

Dr. Patel: He belonged to Vallabha-sampradāya.

Prabhupāda: I do not know. I have heard that after marriage the girl was offered to guru.

Mr. Sar: No, that is not in Vallabha-sampradāya.

Dr. Patel: No, no, no.

Mr. Sar: No, on ours... Not on Gujarat side.

Morning Walk -- March 23, 1974, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: He says the Kṛṣṇa's all names are all, God is also His name. Because the God, it is Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: No, no. What does he say about personal Kṛṣṇa? Does he know anything?

Bhāgavata: He said, "You are your own guru," Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is...

Devotee: I have heard him.

Prabhupāda: You see? Kṛṣṇa says, tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet... (MU 1.2.12). Tad viddhi praṇipātena (BG 4.34). He says, "Everyone is guru." Just see. "Everyone is guru." Then why you are instructing? Why you are becoming guru?

Dr. Patel: He's not becoming guru of anybody.

Prabhupāda: No, no. Why does he say that "You do this"? That is guru. Guru means one who orders. That is guru. That means you reject all other gurus... That means... He means to say that "You reject all other gurus. Accept me guru." That's all.

Morning Walk -- April 12, 1974, Bombay:

Indian man (1): Have you seen?

Prabhupāda: And you have not seen so many things. Does it mean that does not exist? You are researching. You have not seen. As a scientist...

Indian man (1): I have heard lots of ghost stories, but...

Prabhupāda: No, no, it is not stories. We are hearing from Bhāgavata. It is authority. We are not hearing the stories of a third-class man. We are hearing from Vyāsadeva. Vyāsadeva...

Indian man (1): But you see, up till now, in my long life of eighty years...

Prabhupāda: No, no, you have not so many experiences. That does not mean these things does not exist. Your experience is not all in all. Don't think like that. So these are existing actually. That is the defect, that you do not accept the authorities. That is the defect. Here Vyāsadeva is describing, who is called Vedavyāsa, full of all knowledge, and Bhāgavata is a mature experience. We are hearing from him. Why you should not believe? I may not have experience. This ghost means the living entity is subtle life without any material body. That is ghost. When one is very sinful, he does not get the material body. He lives in the subtle body: mind, intelligence and ego. That is ghostly life. And they display. Because they have no body, one cannot see, but they display so many mischiefs. That is ghostly life. (break) Seeing or not seeing doesn't matter. Therefore it is enjoined in the Vedānta-sūtra, śāstra cakṣuṣā.

Indian man (1): But it should be proved.

Prabhupāda: It is true because it is spoken by Vyāsadeva. How you say it is false? You cannot say that. That is blasphemy.

Morning Walk -- April 12, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Evil spirit everyone believes, every country. In London there are so many ghosts. When I was in John Lennon's house, so they complained, "In this one house, every night a ghost comes." You see? So I advised them "Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. It will go away." Then it actually so happened.

Yaśomatīnandana: In many of our temple buildings also...

Prabhupāda: Yes. No, I have got experience. In our Calcutta house, there was ghost. In Lucknow when I started that laboratory in Mr. Bhattacarya's house in Vat-nagara(?), there was a ghost. I have practical experience. My servant...

Indian man (1): I have heard a few cases. You see. I was reported that they see in that house there was ghost, and he used to put clothes to fire and they have to run for water to extinguish it. Then I went and examined. He was a friend of mine. Then I ultimately detected that his own wife got hysterical and used to do all those things.

Prabhupāda: No, that is also possible. But...

Indian man (1): You see? So I discovered that there is no ghost, and I explained to them...

Prabhupāda: No, that is also possible. Sometimes we are misled. But ghosts, in every country, there are so many books, and especially it is mentioned in the Vedic literature also. Bhūta-preta-yoni. Bhūta-preta-yoni. That is described. Out of many forms of life, these bhūta-preta-yonis is also. Nana-yoni. Nana-yoni. There are different sources of birth. So bhūta-preta-yoni is also mentioned there, species of life. (break) Bhūta-preta is mentioned.

Room Conversation -- June 20, 1974, Germany:

Prabhupāda: It is material. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, sarva dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). "Give up all these types of false religions." Mam ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. That means come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Ekam, anyone. So unless one becomes fully Kṛṣṇa conscious, he's in trouble. (indistinct) And our difficulty is that when we want to convince a person on Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he thinks that I am Hindu, I am Christian, I am Mohammedan. I am trying to proselytize, that is (indistinct).

Guest: No, it was not that I was really saying. Rather that what I have heard from others comes to the same thing as you were saying.

Prabhupāda: Others, if they try for the same thing, then it is alright. Because that type of religion, that system of religion, is first-class which teaches people to come to the platform of God consciousness, to love God, then that is first-class religious system. It doesn't matter what is the designation.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- February 3, 1975, Hawaii:

Rāmeśvara: I have heard there is a philosophy here amongst some of the devotees that if you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, you can go back to the spiritual world even if you do not give up your independence.

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Rāmeśvara: Many devotees who have moved outside of the temple are feeling that if they just continue to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, they can go back to the spiritual world, but they are not giving up their independence.

Prabhupāda: So? What is your philosophy?

Rāmeśvara: Well, it seems somewhat hypocritical because chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa means you are praying to Kṛṣṇa to please be engaged eternally in His service and to become completely dependent on Him. So we try to explain like that. And to follow all the teachings and instructions, attending maṅgala āratik and morning and evening class.

Prabhupāda: So they are doing that or not?

Guru-kṛpa: No. They are not even following regulative principles.

Prabhupāda: Then?

Rāmeśvara: They think just by chanting, they will go back to the spiritual world. That is enough.

Prabhupāda: Then what is the meaning of the ten kinds of offenses? If he is chanting without offense, then it is all right, but if he is committing offenses, it will not be effective. There are ten kinds of offenses. Whether he is strictly offenseless? Then it is all right. If he is offender, then it will not be fruitful.

Room Conversation with Professors -- February 19, 1975, Caracas:

Professor: How can I get with my imperfect senses the perfection brought by the master?

Prabhupāda: The same example. Just like the mother has seen the father, and the mother says not only to her son but other gentleman that "Here is the father of the son." So the other gentleman who has not seen the father but on the verification by the mother, he accepts the real thing. Hearing from the perfect is also perfect. If I get the chance of hearing from the perfect, then I may not be perfect, but because I have heard from the perfect, what I say, that is perfect.

Room Conversation with Svarupa Damodara -- March 1, 1975, Atlanta:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: They ask, "How are you so much sure about 8,400,000 species?"

Prabhupāda: Because we have heard from authority. As you are asking assurance from me, so I give you the knowledge from where I have heard. You want to hear from me. I have heard from authority. That's all. What is the difficulty? Why you are asking me? You want to hear from me. So I have also heard from authority. This is the statement. You take it

Room Conversation with Canadian Ambassador to Iran -- March 13, 1975, Iran:

Prabhupāda: Whatever it may be, it is material. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). "Give up all this type of false religion." Mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja. That means come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Ekam, only one. So unless one becomes fully Kṛṣṇa conscious, he is in trouble of this material condition. And our difficulty is that when we want to convince another person about Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he thinks that "I am Hindu, I am Christian, I am Mohammedan, so they are trying to proselytize me." That is the difficulty.

Ambassador: No, it was not that I was really saying. Rather that what I have heard from others comes to the same thing as you are saying.

Prabhupāda: Others, if they try for the same thing, then it is all right, because that type of religion or that system of religion is first-class which teaches for this thing, that "Come to platform of God consciousness and love God." Then that is first-class system of religion. It doesn't matter what is the designation. But where is that happening?

Room Conversation with Yoga Student -- March 14, 1975, Iran:

Prabhupāda: Just like Gandhi says that "I do not believe that Kṛṣṇa ever lived." Just see. He does not believe in the ācāryas. All the ācāryas, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, they have written big, big comment on Bhagavad-gītā, even Śaṅkarācārya. He does not believe anyone. He believes himself. And that kind of belief is not help. And our process is: because Kṛṣṇa has been accepted by all the ācāryas, all the great sages, Arjuna has accepted—we accept, that's all. We have no difficulty. If I am child, I ask my father, "What is this, my father?" The father says, "My dear child, it is called coconut." Then, if I distribute this knowledge, "This is coconut," then my knowledge is perfect. I may not be perfect, but because I have heard it from my father, who is perfect about the knowledge of this fruit, so I have taken that word from my father, and I am preaching, "This is coconut," and this is perfect. So our, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is like that. We are simply repeating the perfect statement of our predecessor. That's all.

Morning Walk -- June 10, 1975, Honolulu:

Harikeśa: I become very fascinated when I read these descriptions in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam about the creation and the universal...

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. That's gist idea of the universal position. That is sufficient.

Harikeśa: So, in other words, Śukadeva Gosvāmī is always bringing Mahārāja Parīkṣit to the platform of "Why bother with all of this? Simply perform devotional service"?

Prabhupāda: Huh? No, no. He's giving full knowledge of the universal affairs. He also says at the end that "I have described whatever I have heard." That's all.

Harikeśa: So we should simply describe it without being concerned that the scientific mind may make sense out of it or not?

Prabhupāda: What is this nonsense scientific? That is... We reject immediately. What is scientific? A tiny brain, what is their science? Phene bare dhake nate ute. A snake catcher... There is a kind of snake which has no poison. So he cannot catch even that non-poisonous snake, and he's trying to catch one cobra. So these scientists, what is their value? What they have done anything contribution to the world for the benefit of the human society? They could not give any relief from the disease, relief from old age, relief from death or birth. These are the real problems. So what is their contribution? They have given some horseless carriage.

Morning Walk -- June 24, 1975, Los Angeles:

Nitāi: I have heard many people in Vṛndāvana say that our temple is the best in Vṛndāvana.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that's a fact.

Nitāi: There's no more beautiful temple.

Devotee: Especially the Deities. They are most impressed by the beautiful Deities.

Prabhupāda: They are dressing nicely?

Nitāi: Yes, very nicely.

Room Conversation -- June 26, 1975, Los Angeles:

Revatīnandana: I have never met any other people who asked questions on the level that they are asking questions. I cannot answer many of their questions. I have studied all your books.

Prabhupāda: I cannot. If you cannot, I cannot also. Because you have been taught by me, if you cannot, then it is...

Devotee (2): We have also been taught.

Revatīnandana: I have read your books, and I have heard you lecture. And so many things they are asking, I am, have no capacity to answer them. But you must have the capacity because you know Kṛṣṇa. Therefore they want to ask you personally.

Devotee (1): So that is the...

Prabhupāda: So far I am not so able to answer. I admit my fault.

Devotee (1): Oh, so then that is...

Prabhupāda: I cannot answer.

Morning Walk -- July 4, 1975, Chicago:

Viṣṇujana: For that, they spend millions of dollars on a telescope.

Prabhupāda: And just see. That which is impossible, they are trying for that. Punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30), chewing the chewed, that's all. When your senses are imperfect, then what you will see? Whatever you see, that is imperfect. So what is the meaning of seeing? Therefore our seeing is śāstra-cakṣuṣāt: "We should see through the authorized scriptures." That is our... You will see in the description of Śukadeva Gosvāmī of the whole universe, conclusion, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, "So far I have described as I have heard." He never says, "As I have seen." This is required. (break) ...that we believe in the creation. And others also, just like Christians, they also believe God created. But who has seen God is creating? Who has seen? Simply hear from God. He says, "I have created." That's all. But if you challenge, "I have not seen that You have created; neither I have seen You," then how can you believe? God says, "I have created," so those who are God believers, they will accept that. So what is the use of seeing again, observatory? We trust in God, but don't trust in His word. This is going on. You write in America, "We trust in God," but don't trust in His word. (laughs) Just see. If God you trust, then whatever God says, you believe. "No, that we cannot do."

Room Conversation with Devotees -- August 1, 1975, New Orleans:

Prabhupāda: Why powdered milk if there is sufficient milk?

Upendra: I don't know. I can't say firsthand, but from the man who lived there, one of the householders who lived there, he said powdered milk...

Prabhupāda: I don't think so.

Devotee (1): I have heard that.

Prabhupāda: No. This is not good. Ghee should be prepared where there is no more use. The Indian village, simply by keeping cows, they... Just like Nanda Mahārāja was keeping cows. Similarly there are many villages. So the system is: they have got a big pan, and whatever milk is collected, put into that pan. It is being warmed. So they drink, the whole family members. They drink milk whenever they like. So whatever milk remains at night, they have to convert it into yogurt. The next day they use milk and yogurt also, as he likes. Then, after converting the milk into yogurt, still, it remains. It is stocked. So when there is sufficient old yogurt, they churn it and then butter comes out. So they take the butter, and the water separated from the butter, that is called whey? Whey, yes. So they... Instead of dahl, they use this whey, for capati. It will be very healthy and tasty. And then the butter they turn into ghee. So where is the loss, (indistinct)?

Morning Walk -- August 25, 1975, Vrndavana:

Brahmānanda: ...going on in that Pagala āśrama?

Gurṇārṇava: Very slow.

Dhanañjaya: They say another five years before it's finished.

Prabhupāda: By that time he may be finished.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I have heard he's a chain smoker.

Brahmānanda: Yes.

Prabhupāda: And the Marwaris are after him, "avatāra." He is called "līlā-avatāra." Whatever he does, it is līlā. Smoking is also "līlā."

Morning Walk -- November 3, 1975, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: I have heard that the man could have first landed on moon and then...

Prabhupāda: Nobody landed. This is all bogus.

Morning Walk -- November 8, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Eh? No, no. This is the difficulty, that whatever I am doing... Therefore I am very much in anxiety when the government says, "Now you go away. Your visa is finished."

Dr. Patel: From here?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Dr. Patel: Your visa from here?

Prabhupāda: Mine, no. My disciples! Dragging.

Dr. Patel: Well, government... I have heard like this, but government think that in this group there may be some those C.I.A. people. I don't know whether they are right...

Prabhupāda: Let government supplies some men who does not belong to the C.I.A. And where is that? That is all.

Dr. Patel: That is what they say.

Prabhupāda: They may say anything nonsense.

Morning Walk -- November 17, 1975, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: About this Kakubh Kapoor Cakra(?), our scientist, Mihila(?), has planned it, and according to the eclipse and sun and the moon eclipse come. That means his science was perfect. Otherwise it would not come at that particular day, time, and...

Prabhupāda: We... Our... Five thousand years ago Śukadeva Gosvāmī said that "As I have heard it, I am explaining." That means time immemorial, the thing is, same thing is coming. There is no change, not that after few days, "No, no. It was wrong. This is now right." Again somebody comes.

Dr. Patel: They are explaining the truth in their own way. That is the change of theory. But the truth is the same.

Prabhupāda: That is the truth of rascaldom, as soon as you change your position.

Dr. Patel: Theory is rascal, but the truth is never rascal.

Prabhupāda: No, no, truth you do not know. Therefore rascaldom.

Morning Walk -- November 20, 1975, Bombay:

Indian man (2): 1959 or '60 the price was ninety-six rupees.

Dr. Patel: Then suddenly it rose. Now, because Americans are buying gold, the gold standard has been left out. They have taken, cornered the gold of the whole world. But I have heard that the Russians have got some gold mountains on the surface. They can take out gold very easily from there. Here you have to dig up deep down.

Prabhupāda: No, in South Africa there is gold. In the city there are so many gold mines in South Africa.

Morning Walk -- December 10, 1975, Vrndavana:

Indian man: But the rascal philosophers, they have put in their book that you don't need to go to a spiritual master. Like one lady, she is staying in our temple now. She is a life member from, I think from Kanpur. So I was discussing with her yesterday. She said that "Your devotees, they are forcing me," that she should accept Śrīla Prabhupāda as spiritual master. She said, "No. I know Kṛṣṇa. I am reading Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam." And she told me that she has read in the book that one not need to go to spiritual master.

Prabhupāda: But what she is? Why she is staying here? Huh? You have asked them to go? No?

Akṣayānanda: This is the first I have heard of it.

Indian man: I am going to tell her to go if she will not... She told me...

Akṣayānanda: I never heard this before.

Prabhupāda: No, no. No. Is she is staying there as a paying guest or what?

Indian man: No, she want... She paid us eleven hundred rupees in Kanpur and, I don't know... The devotees, they promised her she can come and she can stay in our temple but they never told her the four regulative principles and to accept the guru.

Prabhupāda: No, no.

Akṣayānanda: No, that is not true.

Indian man: So she wants the money back.

Prabhupāda: So give. Give her back.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 6, 1976, Nellore:

Mahāmṣa: Nowadays people are going in silence, but they write questions and answers by paper. They say, "I am observing silence..."

Prabhupāda: As if there is no sound.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In Allahabad we met a man like that. He was moving around so much that he was more active than if he had talked.

Prabhupāda: No, that "ooohh." That is the...

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Even Basarilal Nanda, I have heard, one day a week, on Sunday, it's his silence day. He doesn't speak to anyone on Sunday.

Acyutānanda: Yes, Mahatma Gandhi.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's a good day to ask him for a donation.

Prabhupāda: (break) What is the use of becoming silent? What is the utility?

Morning Walk -- January 8, 1976, Nellore:

Prabhupāda: ...not vegetarian. We are neither nonvegetarian. We eat kṛṣṇa-prasādam. Kṛṣṇa says, "Give me this food." Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ (BG 9.26). So we offer Him, and then we eat it, so we have nothing to do with vegetarian and nonvegetarian. If Kṛṣṇa says that, "You give Me flesh," then we can eat flesh also. But Kṛṣṇa does not say that.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda? I have heard one person say that patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ doesn't include other things. There are many other things that we offer Kṛṣṇa besides patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So similarly, why can't we offer meat? He doesn't say, "Don't offer me meat."

Prabhupāda: Hm. Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In the Bhagavad-gītā it doesn't say you can't offer Kṛṣṇa meat.

Prabhupāda: So if you like, you can do that.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I don't want to.

Prabhupāda: (chuckles) What directly He says, you have to take. And if you interpret, that can be interpreted.

Morning Walk -- March 17, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Whole British Museum means stolen properties from many countries, that's all, especially in India.

Yaśodānandana: Prabhupāda, I have heard that previously in India, some paṇḍita says, that when they used to put the jewels on the Deities they used to put some mantra that, when they install the Deity, that "Whoever takes this mantra will never be able to have peace or will die," some curse mantras.

Yaśodānandana: Whoever steals the jewels.

Prabhupāda: Yes. It is possible.

Rādhāvallabha: Even just recently they were laughing at this curse, and they took the jewel from Sītā-devī in their car to go to the museum, and their car crashed on the way.

Pañca-draviḍa: Did they die?

Rādhāvallabha: No, they didn't die. A severe crash, though.

Prabhupāda: Don't you think the whole British nation is now ruined?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That has crashed.

Prabhupāda: What do you want more? "But he has not suffered. He has simply died." This is the argument. He has suffered. But "No, no, there was no suffering. He has simply died." What is the more suffering than death?

Meeting with Bankers -- April 6, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So it was sarcastic remark, but Dhruva Mahārāja, although he was a child, four or five years old, he took it very seriously. A kṣatri..., kṣatriya... (Hindi) He became very angry. So he immediately left the place and went to his own mother, that "Stepmother has insulted me like this." He began to cry, and the mother said, "My dear son, what can I do? Your father does not treat me even as a maidservant, so I cannot take any step." "So how I can take revenge on it?" She said, "If Kṛṣṇa likes, then you can take revenge. Otherwise there is no possibility." "Where is Kṛṣṇa? I want to see Him." Child.... (Hindi) She said, "I have heard that Kṛṣṇa is in the forest. Big, big saintly persons go there and meet Him, so far I know, my dear son." "So I'll go there."

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

Rāmeśvara: Satsvarūpa Mahārāja and Jayādvaita will be in Detroit also.

Prabhupāda: Ah.

Rāmeśvara: Anxiously waiting.

Prabhupāda: You have seen our Detroit, new?

Kīrtanānanda: No.

Prabhupāda: Oh, it is a great palace.

Kīrtanānanda: I have heard it is very...

Prabhupāda: It was constructed by spending six million dollars. (laughs)

Kīrtanānanda: Many years ago.

Prabhupāda: Yes, and it is nice palace, and we got it for 300,000.

Room Conversation After Film -- June 28, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: There were a funny man. They are called Gopal Bhan. So formerly kings, they used to keep some funny men because they are always full of anxiety, and one funny man would give them joke.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: They call them jesters, court jesters.

Prabhupāda: Jester.

Kīrtanānanda: Court jester.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Court jesters, yes. So there was a man, court jester, in Bengal. So the Muhammadan governor asked one Gopal Bhan, jester... He was jester in the court of Raja Krishna Chandra. So he asked him, Nawab, that "Gopal Bhan, I have heard you are very expert. Can you write a similar book, Mahābhārata, about my kingdom?" (laughter) "Oh, yes. Why not?"

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

Yadubara: So no matter what they say we should present it at least.

Prabhupāda: Yes. You have become all scientists, and everything within 200 years. What is the age of your European, Western civilization? It cannot go more than 3,000 years? Our Bhāgavata is written 5,000 years ago. And before that, Śukadeva Gosvāmī says, "I have heard like this." That's all. Millions and millions (of years ago)...

Devotee (1): You were saying that everything they say is wrong, and that is our position. We take that position, that everything they say is wrong.

Prabhupāda: Yes, because they are imperfect, they are speculating.

Room Conversation -- August 19, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Everything is all right?

Devotee (1): Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda

Prabhupāda: Let him dance (?). Wherefrom you are coming?

Acyutānanda: From Calcutta, Māyāpura, Calcutta.

Prabhupāda: My health is not well.

Acyutānanda: Yes, I have heard. We brought you some medicine from your sister.

Prabhupāda: Oh, oh!

Acyutānanda: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Yes I wrote her.

Acyutānanda: Yes. We have that with us.

Prabhupāda: So. Everything all right?

Room Conversation -- August 21, 1976, Hyderabad:

Gargamuni: Even people come to the temple in Calcutta, they want ten, fifteen copies. Village people. Poor people. They come and say, "Gītār Gān, where is that? I have heard." And they take ten or fifteen copies, they wrap it in their cloth and bring it to the village. It is becoming very popular. Wherever you go, "Where is this Gītār Gān?"

Jayapatākā: I went to Writer's Building, I had four or five copies with me. I didn't go for selling. I went to see ministers. But all the peons, they were buying the Gītār Gāns from me. I sold out. People were coming up with rupees saying, "Gītār Gān." I didn't have any more.

Prabhupāda: Out of their own accord they...

Gargamuni: No, they've heard of it. It's becoming famous.

Jayapatākā: That's our inspiration, that if we can make Gītār Gān and Your Divine Grace famous all over Bengal, then we will feel that our mission...

Prabhupāda: Yes, I could not write any... I wrote some Bengali book, that is now... It can be collected from Devānanda Gauḍīya Maṭha. I continually wrote one book, Bhagavāner Kathā.

Meeting with Endowments Commissioner -- August 24, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Find out that verse when he says, "I have heard it from my father." Pariniṣṭhito 'pi nairguṇya. The verse begins pariniṣṭhito 'pi nairguṇya.

Harikeśa: Idaṁ bhāgavataṁ nāma? Idaṁ bhāgavatam...

Prabhupāda: No no, before that. Pariniṣṭhito 'pi. The word begins with pariniṣṭhito. Idaṁ bhāgavataṁ nāma. No?

Harikeśa:

idaṁ bhāgavataṁ nāma

purāṇaṁ brahma-sammitam

adhītavān dvāparādau

pitur dvaipāyanād aham

Prabhupāda: Ah, yes.

Harikeśa: "At the end of the Dvāpara-yuga, I studied this great supplement of Vedic literature of the name Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, which is equal to all the Vedas, from my father, Śrīla Dvaipāyana Vyāsadeva."

Prabhupāda: That's right. And these rascals say Bopadeva. The speaker of Bhāgavatam, he says that "I learned it from my father." His father is Vyāsadeva. And these rascals say Bopadeva. Just see. And they are posted in big post. With such nonsense knowledge, they are posted in big post. He does not know who is the author of Bhāgavata. Here it is distinctly said, "I learned it from my father." So his father is Vyāsadeva. You take this verse. If anyone says... So Śukadeva Gosvāmī is the speaker of Bhāgavata, he's admitting that "I've learned it from my father." And where the Bopadeva comes? Is that right?

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation on 1976 Book Scores -- January 16, 1977, Calcutta:

Prabhupāda: So it is Kṛṣṇa's mercy. "You can do all kinds of opposition, but we shall go forward. The caravan will pass. You may bark." So take all these things as Kṛṣṇa's mercies and engage more enthusiastically. Why should we be defeated? Yuddhyasva mām anusmara (BG 8.7). Just remember Kṛṣṇa and fight. Bas. Fighting is... This material world is fighting. Manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati (BG 15.7). The karṣati is struggle, but struggle for Kṛṣṇa. That is perfection. That's all

Rāmeśvara: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Thank you. Work very hard for Kṛṣṇa one life.

Rāmeśvara: You may like to see these, so I can leave them here?

Prabhupāda: I have heard it. Śruta. It is śuśruma.

Rāmeśvara: When these come out, I frame them on my wall.

Prabhupāda: Our method is iti śuśruma: "I have heard it." That's all.

Room Conversation -- January 19, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Rāmeśvara: I have heard that now, this month, we have already been on the biggest television shows in America, big night shows. They have these shows that go two, three hours at a time, and everyone in America watches them. Forty million people watch them. So we've already been on those shows now. Our devotees have already been on those shows now because of this controversy. We're becoming more famous.

Prabhupāda: And they are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Rāmeśvara: Yes.

Jayapatākā: You are getting everyone to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. Yadaiva śraddhāiva(?). Some way or other, let them chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. So that is being done, whole countrywide. It has become a national show. (laughter)

Gargamuni: All over the world.

Prabhupāda: That is wanted.

Room Conversation -- January 24, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Satsvarūpa: kuṅkuma?

Prabhupāda: No. Alta it is called. And gumta (?). Somebody is giving massage. Lalitā Didi. Rayarāma dāsa's guru-bhai. This Rāma dāsa's, I have... "Nitāi gaura rādhe śyāma." This Rāma dāsa and that Lalitā, they're Godbrothers. So many... And amongst them there was fight—"You said that you have done this wrong," "You said you have done this wrong." But both of them are dead and gone. There are so many that, Sakhībhekhī. All women. Sometimes he—I have heard all this—he will observe the menstrual period. (laughter) To laugh or lament? "He's in menstrual period." This Ramakrishna did. He was also, because Jagamati experimented.

Hari-śauri: Oh, he became a woman sometimes.

Prabhupāda: Yes, sometimes. And there was menstrual, menstruation period. He became so perfect, there was menstruation. (laughter) This rascal Ramakrishna did it. And he was going to make experiment of the Muhammadan realization by eating...

Hari-śauri: Meat.

Prabhupāda: ...go-maṁsa, cow's flesh.

Morning Walk -- February 1, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: That is the position. And I have heard that among the scientists' society, if somebody speaks of God he's immediately rejected.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes. Just like, for example, NASA this, what is it? Aeronautics and Space Institute, they are applying a lot of grants especially to the study of the origin of life from chemicals and all these research schemes. They are spending billions of dollars. But once...

Prabhupāda: See. How foolish. Billions of dollars they are spending for a false thing, and they are educating. Durāśayā bahir-artha-māninaḥ. (chuckling) It is stated in the SB.. They're proposing something which is not the fact, which will never be possible. still, they'll do.

Room Conversation -- March 24, 1977, Bombay:

Hṛdayānanda: "When Mrs. I became All-I, the people said 'Goodbye.' " Also, on all the posters they put up for the election, I have heard, in one street, every poster, they have ripped down her face on, fifty posters. Everyone ripped the face off.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There may be some investigations now.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Against her son.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, we haven't seen it yet, but we've heard that there's a full-page feature story about our court case in Time magazine. Bali-mardana saw it.

Bali-mardana: One of the first pages, under "Religion."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's the most important magazine in the world, Time magazine. What is the circulation?

Hṛdayānanda: In every country in the world.

Devotee: Did I get enough?

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes.

Room Conversation -- April 5, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That I have heard it. Maybe in the Bhāgavata. Such a nice thing. Alone in this world I am struggling, and the so-called intelligent persons, they will not come. They have business. Why? If it is actually beneficial to the human society, why I should alone try? I will go on trying so long I'll live. There will be no checking of... But what kind of intelligent persons there are? (Govindam record in background) It has been approved by intelligent men like... From our section. Most wretched rogues. They do work. They are not so. They are intelligent. They have rejected all these "Lord" ideas and the... Because they have sinned, all humbug. Especially in the Western countries, in the Christian world, what is there? It is bogus. I have condemned it. You have seen that book? One Christian boy inquired. Have you got the copy? Bring. (pause) We shall go on playing govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam aham. People may hear or not hear. We don't mind.

Room Conversation -- April 5, 1977, Bombay:

Guest (1): Their passports are also taken away. That's what I have heard.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They were, in themselves, the most exalted, and now they are treated as criminals.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: In the Times of India you saw that starlight or side light or something, about Indira Gandhi. In today's paper, Indira Gandhi had gone to a ten-day function at one of the African embassies. She went with her daughter-in-law, and nobody even noticed her. Only fifteen minutes after she left the function did the host realize that Indira Gandhi had come. She went to a party, she stayed there, and she left and the host did not know that "Indira Gandhi is here." That shows how material nature changes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It also shows that actually she had no value, because one who is actually great doesn't lose his value simply by losing an election.

Prabhupāda: Vidvān sarvatra pūjyate. Vidvatāṁ ca nṛpatyāṁ ca naiva tulyaṁ kadācana.(?) She is not a learned man. She occupied the royal seat. That honor was so long there, the royal seat. And who will be honor her?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Her rule was "Might makes right."

Prabhupāda: And anyone who is vidvān, then that will be honored everywhere.

Morning Conversation -- April 11, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Oh, BBT.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: BBT, yes. They had a meeting in Māyāpur discussing some common points of interest and concerns. It says, "We will anxiously be awaiting a report on Śrīla Prabhupāda's reaction to the various points, and it would be good if you sent copies to all the trustees directly if there are any urgent points. I am going to L.A. in a few weeks, at which time I will make it my business, as one of the US trustees, to look into the Press matter. I will send a report after doing so. I also share your concern in this matter. I am going to France in a few days and will send a report on my findings. I am especially concerned to see that BBT be set up along standard lines. I have heard that Śrīla Prabhupāda's health has improved somewhat. Please be so kind as to send reports on this from time to time, as all the devotees are very much concerned. We are all praying to Lord Nṛsiṁha-deva that His Divine Grace's health will be completely restored. I remain your servant, Jayatīrtha dāsa. P.S. I will be visiting Africa in May." This letter is dated 25th March.

Prabhupāda: March?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Morning Talk -- April 18, 1977, Bombay:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They are very much glorified.

Prabhupāda: Yes. And the government gives them all facilities because they are dear patriots, laying down their life. During war everything is controlled, but they are supplied with immense. One store is destroyed; another one store is ready. Those who have gone to the warfield, they are... Because they have got that store of food and everything, sufficient, whatever they like, want. Now, in one point they have to go away. So how they can take the store? So from one point to another point there is another store. This store is blown, that enemy may not take advantage of it. This is going on, hundreds and thousands of worth of goods-blown, cut. Because they are going to another point and the enemies will take advantage of the store, therefore they blown it. Therefore in war there is store scarcity. And that Sadānanda, you know that, my German Godbrother? So he was lean and thin, tall. So I was asking him that "I have heard that the Germans are very stout and strong, so why you are so lean and thin?" So he gave me, gave me condition that in the first war he was a child. So there was so much control, only weekly he could get a little butter. He showed a, this spot, like that. "Because we were children, we were supplied little butter, weekly this much. There was no nourishment. And we had to eat anything nonsense." Germans, they were given much tribulation, all sides. Still, they fought the French. All sides, enemies. But still, the Germans are well-to-do. I have seen. In other countries they are well-to-do.

Conversations -- April 19, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: But how is that, they have avoided everything else? "Surabhī Swami is doing. It is his city." They're asking, "his city." And where is such incidence that any project, without mentioning the project makers, the architect's name... Where is that incidence, that "Here is the architect, architect, architect"? Nobody finds.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You look at any project in Bombay that's coming up, or anywhere in India. They'll always mention who is going to use the building or who is..., who paid for it. Hardly ever... If anything, the architect's name is mentioned in one line, "designed by so and so." But the architect never holds the press conference. That's another... I mean, I never heard of an architect holding a press conference. Neither I have heard the architect doing so many of the other things which the architect is doing. That, I think, is the essential thing. Whenever Bhavānanda Mahārāja...

Prabhupāda: Anyway, you form immediately joint committee. You cannot do independently. That is not possible. Whatever is done is done. Now, henceforward, you should be guarded. You, you published that article?

Patita-pāvana: What is that?

Prabhupāda: The Times of India?

Patita-pāvana: Pardon me, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Morning Conversation -- April 30, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: If I improve my health, I shall stay there.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: In Madhya Pradesh? It is good for health?

Prabhupāda: I have heard, they say.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Good water, they say.

Prabhupāda: But I have got little experience, that side is nice.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Madhya Pradesh side is good.

Prabhupāda: No, not Madhya Pradesh but especially between Jhansi and Gwalior, the Shivapuri, that is healthy place.

Evening Darsana -- May 12, 1977, Hrishikesh:

Prabhupāda: All over the world.

Indian man (3): No, all over the world I have heard about...

Prabhupāda: So all over the world does not include Europe?

Indian man (3): No, it does.

Prabhupāda: Then why you ask me? We have got in every country of Europe-England, Germany, France, Portugal, Spain, Rome, Sweden, everywhere.

German man: But the Pope is agreeing with you in Rome?

Prabhupāda: Eh?

German man: The Pope is agreeing?

Devotee (2): The Pope.

Prabhupāda: Pope.

Room Conversation With Son (Vrindavan De) -- July 5, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: I have heard that still he is keeping, "I am devotee of Kṛṣṇa," still, in this fallen condition. How (indistinct). Take this. (break) Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice. It is great ocean of such glory. Tad-vīrya-gāyana-mahāmṛta-magna-cittaḥ.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It says, "Now it is again possible for us to think, to act. Our senses have regained their consciousness, enabling us to expand the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement by selling more..." (break) He says, "We pray that your health may continue for years to come so you may conquer the whole world by your pure devotion and you may continue to bless us more and more so that we may be instrumental in this work. I am your puppet. You are controlling the strings. Make me dance as you like. I am simply awaiting the tugs of your lotuslike hands upon my strings. I would like to make a report of the activities here. Eastern Europe..." (break)

Prabhupāda: Where I landed in your country there is a storehouse of lobster. They have become so rotten that some of them are coming like pus.

Room Conversation -- July 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: I have heard that he's a big drunkard.

Mr. Myer: No, he wanted buy a car from my chairman.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What did you say, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: That man is a big drunkard.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Who?

Prabhupāda: This Sai Baba.

Room Conversation Gaurasundara, Dr. Kapoor -- July 26, 1977, Vrndavana:

Gaurasundara: No. I think she's... I have heard that she's married again. But anyway, she has not been in touch with me.

Prabhupāda: Oh. Never mind. These are all material things. It should be more than that. Kṛṣṇa consciousness means forgetting material things, coming to Kṛṣṇa. Now forget your past misdeed and take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness gradually. Deity worship is the first work, step. How many dresses you have prepared for the Deity? What is the name of?

Woman devotee: They each have twenty-two.

Gaurasundara: Twenty-two for Rādhā, twenty-two for Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Very good. Ornaments?

Gaurasundara: Yes.

Room Conversation -- October 12, 1977, Vrndavana:

Jayapatākā: Bhavānanda, when he... Just the day after he left here, there was a letter addressed to him. One gentleman wrote and said, "I am fifty years old and I am a M.A...." He was a professor of something. And he said, "Now my children are all grown up and I'm simply working. So I have heard that you are a pure Vaiṣṇava, so I want to take shelter and serve Kṛṣṇa at your āśrama." So although people are putting in paper so many things, but they are understanding that "No, he is a Vaiṣṇava." So people believe what they want to believe. So whatever... It's all that... The devotees are devotees. When we see people, they always say, (Bengali). They don't believe it that the report is true. Everyone doubts the reports. Only those that are of envious mind, they believe in, because they want to believe that.

Prabhupāda: What... (Bengali)

Bhakti-caru: (Bengali)

Jayapatākā: They all think that actually the matter was not properly presented. So they're always asking that "Everything is now all right? Was it actually a fact or not?" In other words, they don't believe the reports that were given in the paper. They feel that, just from their own side, although they don't have any access to the truth, they all have a faith that the thing as it was presented couldn't have happened.

Prabhupāda: So you can sit me up and wash.

Room Conversation -- October 13, 1977, Vrndavana:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: When they hear "Bhaktivedanta," they immediately know that this is Prabhupāda. Many of them told me that "Oh, I have heard Swamiji's lecture in Delhi. It's very nice and very impressive and very convincing." Many of them told me like that.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Your lectures in Delhi drew the most intelligent class of people, Śrīla Prabhupāda. The other swamis, when they would lecture, they would get just the typical pious Indian people, but yours also drew very intelligent group of people, sophisticated people.

Prabhupāda: They danced. (laughter) With coat-pant. I have seen.

Room Conversation With Svarupa Damodara -- October 15, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Let them make advance in scientific research, but still they cannot capture the real thing.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Just like I have heard it, when Socrates was condemned to death, the judges inquired that "How Mr. Socrates wants to be entombed?" When the judges inquired Socrates, "How you want to be entombed?" Socrates: "First of all capture me. Then to the question of entomb me." What he said?

Abhirāma: That is a historical fact.

Prabhupāda: No. What is the wording?

Abhirāma: He said, "First you'll have to catch me."

Room Conversation -- October 24, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What medicine the poor man would take. So he said, "Poor man or rich man, it doesn't matter. The price of it is about forty-eight rupees per tolā, because the gold that is given, it's given back at the end." It's just passed through, the gold. It's not utilized itself. So forty-eight rupees a tolā. This is what he said, very big Marwari kavirāja.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that I have heard.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So this Rāmānujī kavirāja was charging five hundred rupees a tolā. And Vanamali, when we gave him gold, he never returned any gold. So... This is the position, cheaters.

Prabhupāda: Vanamali was also.