Prabhupāda: Unfortunately, the people, they do not believe in the next life. Although in every day affair they are experiencing that "I am eternal. I can remember the days of my childhood. I can remember the days of my youthhood, my boyhood, and I am still working. That means I am continuously there although my body in different ways have changed." So it is a fact that even after changing this body, you will have another body. Just like you are sitting in this room. Now, if you vacate this room, that does not mean you are finished. You have gone in some other room. So this is a great science. And people are neglecting this science. They have no, I mean to say, information. There are so many departments in universities, technological, medical, engineering, but where is the department to know or understand what is this life, what is God, what is our relationship? So this is not very good civilization. So there is life after this life. Just like progressive life, a child is progressing to youthhood, the youth is aspiring to become a big man, important man. As in this life there is progressive life, similarly, life after life, there is also progress. There are different grades of life. So we get information from authoritative books that there are 8,400,000's of different grades of life, and there are 900,000's of aquatic life, two million species of plants and trees, about eleven hundred thousand species of life of birds, three million types of species of beast, and 400,000 species of this human body. Out of that 400,000's, different kinds of human bodies, the civilized body is a great boon. At that time we can make further progress.
Important men (Conversations)
Conversations and Morning Walks
1968 Conversations and Morning Walks
1969 Conversations and Morning Walks
Similarly, we should also work outside-inside. And for making outside propaganda, I think he will be the best man. Suppose if he goes to New York, stays for some time, sees respectable foundation and presidents and just to attract their attention this side... Similarly, if he goes Los Angeles, San Francisco, all other cities, Boston, and sees important men, makes propaganda that "We are doing this. Please come and help," that will be very nice. Arrange lectures from... Our local temples may arrange lectures, and he can impress people about the importance of this movement. Not only one, I require several such preachers now. Now we are improving. We are increasing our propaganda. We require several such assistants. So those who have decided to remain brahmacārī, some of them, those who are experienced, they can accept this sannyāsa order and preach. Outside propaganda is also required. Don't you think? Outside propaganda?
Prabhupāda: That's all right. That's all right. In the meantime, you prepare the literature. You give me the literature. I'll get it printed somehow or other. You give me the synopsis. Both you consult, make a literature. And as soon as the literature is prepared, you will be out with that. And we have got so many centers. There is no difficulty of staying. He can stay in some center and go and see the important men there. He is educated. He is learned. He has known our philosophy. He can convince people. He can arrange a big meeting of respectable men. They must know what we are doing, the importance of this movement. And your people, your government, is anxious to have something tangible because there are already frustration in so many departments, in so many factions. So this movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, will, I mean to say, smooth everything, pave everything. So they must know.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Actually happened so. Similarly, in New York also happened. They were arrested in the subways, and when they were taken in the police custody, he also, "Oh, they are doing nice work. Let them go." (chuckling) So we must make the situation—people will know that they are doing some good work. And when the brahmacārīs go there to beg some contribution, they will be glad: "Oh, yes, they are doing nice work." So we have to do outside propaganda. First of all you make this literature, as I suggested. That you have got. You consult, both together. You do it, and I shall get it printed, at least a few thousand, five thousand or ten thousand. And then Kīrtanānanda Mahārāja will go to stay in every center for some days and make, see the important men and convince. That is necessary. Give me water. (wind blowing microphone)
1971 Conversations and Morning Walks
Mālatī: But the point is, we are..., he is taking from this country the greatest thing and giving. It is not like he is exploiting in some materialistic effort. Rather he is giving the greatest thing from this country.
Prabhupāda: Recently one paper has remarked that "such an important man is going unnoticed." They remarked like that.
Dr. Singh: Here?
Prabhupāda: No. Where it is?
Mālatī: Boston.
Prabhupāda: Boston. Also in Buffalo.
Mālatī: Buffalo, yes.
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Brahmānanda: It is called the Watergate scandal.
Prabhupāda: Oh, what is that Watergate?
Brahmānanda: Well, that was the place where the headquarters of the Democratic party were. It's called Watergate. And the big, big important men...
Prabhupāda: They were being bribed.
Brahmānanda: Well, they went to put tape recorder devices so they know what the opposite party is doing.
Prabhupāda: Who is that?
Brahmānanda: The Republicans.
Prabhupāda: Oh, Republicans. Who is in power now?
Prabhupāda: Parsee. I see. Parsees are Gujarati also.
Lady: We speak Gujarati and Parsee.
Prabhupāda: Formerly the Parsees were prominent community in Bombay. They are big businessmen, important men.
Banker: Mr. Tata...
Prabhupāda: Yes. Tata, Sarpiosa Mehta. (?) Now from the Parsee community no such big men are coming. What you think? Last big man was Nariman. You do not know? Nariman. He was of our age. I saw him. That Nariman Point. He was a political leader. Come on. So Nariman was a Parsee. I know that.
Lady: I know name like that, but...
Prabhupāda: Yes. The main point is that "In God we trust," on this slogan... So the same point that, "What do you mean by God and what do you mean by trust? That you do not know." So you have to explain what is God and what is trust, thoroughly, from our books. Our point of propaganda should be that "It is very good that you write this slogan, 'In God we trust,' but nobody has got clear conception of God; neither they do not know what is the meaning of trust. Under the circumstances, so you have to learn it scientifically. And our propaganda is like that, to teach actually what is God and what is trust. And you important men of the state, you come forward, try to understand, and open schools, colleges. Make it perfectly known what is God. And make America strong. As the Communist party, they are preaching godlessness, now America should preach, 'No, in God we trust.' Now there should be a fight, not on the political point of view, but actually it includes everything. A class of men godless and a class of men who knows God. There should be fight.
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Dr. Patel: Yes, they are taking bath. (break)
Prabhupāda: ...says that "Why don't you go to the forest?"
Dr. Patel: But that somebody must have told you.
Prabhupāda: No, no. One of the important men. What is the name of that...?
Girirāja: Yogendrabhai.
Prabhupāda: Yogendra. Yes. He's Yogendra. Yogi.
Dr. Patel: Yogendra Patel.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Here is the sample of yogi. Kṛṣṇa says, imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ. Imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). And a yogi says that "Go to the forest." Eh? The rājarṣis are in the forest?
Prabhupāda: Well, people are now shameless, you see? They are being kicked in so many ways. We are giving the prescription, "Here is the remedy," but they are not taking to it. But they will take it. Some of them will take it, provided you remain also ideal. If you become also degraded, then who will take it? Ideal character, ideal behavior, ideal preaching. People will appreciate. (break) ...pure character or position, people will take, in any condition. There may be revolution or no revolution. They will take it. (break) ...that our movement is actually good. They will take in any condition. That standard we must maintain. Somebody... Yes, Balavanta, when he was speaking against smoking, one candidate—he was important man—he was smoking. Immediately he wanted to hide. (laughter) So immediate effect was there. He understood that "Yes, this is bad habit."
Prabhupāda: I requested that "You are one of the important men. Why don't you agree? Close the slaughterhouse. If you want to eat meat, take it when the cow is dead. We shall supply you?" What is their objection? What is the possible objection?
Bhagavān: Objection is that the people have become so impatient for sense gratification, they have no patience anymore. They can't wait... There was some story. In the United States, there has been this trouble with petrol, and... All over the world, there's been this trouble with petrol, gasoline. So there was rationing. That means people could only get a little gas. So the cars would line up for a great distance in the gas station, and they'd wait for a long time. And sometimes the gas station would run out of gas. And the people would get so angry that they killed the gas station attendant. (break) ...does not teach anyone to be austere or patient.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Revatīnandana: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Who are they? Very important men?
Revatīnandana: Well, it just said... The magazine was not terribly detailed. It just said that many scientists involved in this are claiming that within twenty-thirty years they will reverse the aging processes. I think it is a bogus claim actually. They dream all kinds of things like that.
Satsvarūpa: They say when a person is born, there is a kind of clock inside them that runs so long. If they can change that clock, then they'll make it stretch out.
Prabhupāda: Another foolishness.
Prabhupāda: Dr. Atmaram, that "We have simply learned how to bark like dog, but we don't care so many dogs are already barking." He admitted that if a man learns how to bark, people will purchase ticket and see him, and so many thousands of dogs, dog, are barking—nobody cares. This is scientist. You learn how to bark, imitate the dog, and you become important man. You have create one third fruit by mixing peach and plum, and one who is creating millions and trillions of fruits that is lying on the floor—nobody cares for that—he has no credit. These rascals wants credit for this most insignificant...
Satsvarūpa: They say their barking is an improvement on the original dog.
Prabhupāda: To another dog appreciates like that. (laughter)
Prabhupāda: So I compared it just like there are many zeros: one zero, two zero, three zero, or hundreds and millions of zero. All these zeros together—the value is zero. But if there is one, then one and zero, it makes 10. The ten times of one value increases. Another zero, it is hundred. Another zero, it is thousand. Similarly, this material advancement of America, if it is added with God consciousness, then the value will increase. Otherwise, it will remain zero. You may advance materially as far as possible. but if you don't take God consciousness or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then the value of all this material advancement is equal to zero. Nobody will be satisfied. So therefore this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement should be taken very seriously. It is the finishing touch of American advancement of material comforts. Then people will be very happy, and America is already leader of the world. They will be first-class leader. The world will be benefited, and you will be benefited. And my endeavor will be also successful. Don't keep yourself in zero. Take the one. Then it will be very nice. Just like... You can understand very easily. This life, very important man, but if there is no spirit soul, it is zero. It has no value. However an important man may be, when the spirit soul is out of the body, it is a lump of matter; it has no value. Anything you take—this machine, that machine, any machine—if somebody, some spiritual being, some living being is not tackling it, what is the value? No value. Therefore, everywhere this spiritual consciousness must be there. Otherwise it is zero.
Prabhupāda: (Hindi) ...mandāḥ, all bad men. Mandā sumanda-matayaḥ. And if he is supposed to be a good man, he will manufacture some mata, manda-mata, not approved by the śāstras. This is going on. They will not hear Kṛṣṇa. They will give quotation from Brahma-kumārī. This is the greatest defect of modern civilization, that they won't accept real authority. They will create some authority. Or rascal, he becomes authority. Especially in India, this is the drawback. In the Western countries they do not know much about this. Therefore they accept what I say. But here they bring so many. So such an important man, he is bringing authority, Brahma-kumārī, a house of prostitution. If he is bringing their quotation as authority, then what to speak of others? (break) Just like that Christian convent house. They supply woman to rich men, and they supply money. That's all. This is Brahma-kumārī. Rich man, the same disease is there—yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukha hi tuccham.
Prabhupāda: ...this society. Only the important men, they can live as gṛhastha. Not that "Now I am in love with this girl and get me married and yajña and then sleep." These things should be stopped. That, that what is his name, the rascal's name, that, whom you have driven away?
Devotee (1): Srnghadi(?).
Prabhupāda: Srnghadi?
Devotee (1): Śrīnati.
Prabhupāda: Śrīnati.(?) From his face it appears that he's woman hunter. Did he talk with you?
Devotee (1): Yes.
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: So our arrangement should be to give them some prasadam, very nice treatment.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We've got to do this. We've got to do this.
Prabhupāda: And if important man should write something in the visitor's... Reception.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There should be a reception, proper receptionist.
Prabhupāda: So where the reception?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Will sit?
Bhavānanda: We'll make some arrangement.
Prabhupāda: Make it immediately. Reception.
Hari-śauri: Ernest Hemingway. Ernest Hemingway. When he found out, when the doctor told him he couldn't have sex life anymore, he killed himself.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: He was a very big and rich author.
Prabhupāda: This is the important men.
Guru-kṛpā: That one Marwari spent eighteen lakhs of rupees.
Prabhupāda: I do not know eighteen lakhs, but I know he went to Germany for medical operation and changing the gland with monkey's gland. Yes. He was eighty years old at that time.
Devotee (2): The leaders are so infected. There was an article recently...
Siddha-svarūpa: I don't think that is possible.
Prabhupāda: No, I mean to say, I am not so important man. But it is the, this is the way of the law. If we become weak by factioning, then that is not good. We must be strong and... But you do not expect that this movement will be accepted. In India the so-called yogis, Rama Krishna Mission—they are also being afraid of. There are so many... But if we remain sincere, even we are feeble, new-born, nobody can kill us. That is a fact. Just like Kṛṣṇa when He was three months old, attempt was made by Putanā to kill Him, but the Putanā was killed. A big demon, gigantic, six miles long, and what is killed by a small child playing on the..., sucking breast and sucking life. That is Kṛṣṇa. So the other day I have explained that by guru, he is accepted as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. You have typed it?
Richard: Well, his ability to share...
Prabhupāda: What is that ability? That is my question. Why this important man is now useless although the same hands, legs, mouth, everything is there, but it is useless?
Richard: Well, he's no longer...
Prabhupāda: What was the important thing?
Richard: The important thing was his ability to share physically and intellectually.
Prabhupāda: Yes, that means that important thing was within the body; now it is missing. That is distinction between dead man and living man.
Prabhupāda: How is that, is not obstacle? You are planning something, that "I shall do this..." You may not be very important man, but there are many important men. The leaders of the society, they are planning that "I shall make my nation like this way, my family like this way." Everyone is planning. But where is the guarantee that he'll be able to fulfill the plan? Death may take place any moment. So is it not obstacle?
Richard: Hm. I really don't view it as an obstacle, the fact that my plans may be altered.
Prabhupāda: You may not. You may not, but we have got personal experience that people do not want to die until he fulfills some, his brainwork plan. I have seen. One, my friend, he was dying, he was at that time fifty-four years old only, and he was begging the doctor, "My dear doctor, medical man, can you not give me four years time only, I can fulfill my plan?" He was very big businessman, so he was planning something to do, but doctor said that "You cannot survive." So he was begging the mercy of the doctor, "Doctor, can you not give me at least four years time?" As if the doctor can give him life. He was feeling this is obstacle: "I'm going to die without fulfilling my plan." I think that psychology is everywhere.
Prabhupāda: Just see how forcefully they are being kept into ignorance, and we want to give knowledge, they don't, won't allow. This is government. So anyway, it is good news that our books are being read in that way. That means people are very eager, but they are being suppressed by the so-called government. What is the wrong there, that they cannot read these books publicly, because there is God? What is the wrong? When I was in Moscow airport, as soon as they found Bhagavad-gītā, they called police, the customs checking. The foolish man was kind enough, he said, "Not serious offense. Don't send him in the concentration camp." They can do. In Russia, even if you are foreigner, they can immediately send you to the concen..., without any knowledge, they don't care for your embassy or your... Such a rascal state, there is no civilized method. They send their own men, such an important man like that Kruschev. He was sent into oblivion; nobody knows where he is. Such a rascal government. Very difficult to live in. People are...
Prabhupāda: Dhana means money. So if you have got money, then everyone will respect you. Personally you may be less than a dog, but because you have got money, people will respect you. Is it not? (laughs) In England I was guest in John Lennon's house. He has taken a photograph, naked. And he's a big man. He gives opinion to the newspaper reporter. People go there to take his opinion about some serious subject, and he speaks, and the man is so shameless that he is standing naked, and he's important man—because he has got money. Especially in the Western countries this is very prominent. If you have got money, then you have got everything. Therefore they are after money only, that "If some way or other, if I get money, then I get everything. I get respect, I get honor. I get everything. Bring money somehow or other." This is the attempt. Therefore there is so much hard struggle. From early in the morning, four o'clock, they are going to the office to get money.
Prabhupāda: This is a spiritual movement, and at the present moment people are more interested with material improvement, but our real interest is... Not only our, every human being's interest should be for spiritual upliftment. Just like our body is there, and within the body I am the spirit soul, also I am there. So we are taking care of the body but not of the spirit soul. So the nature's law is that a spirit soul, changing in different position of the body, as we experience in this life, from childhood to boyhood, boyhood to youthhood, similarly, after giving up this body, we'll have to accept another body, and there are 8,400,000 different forms of body. We do not know what kind of body we are going to accept according to our activities and mentality. At the time of death the mentality will ascertain what kind of body we are going to get next. So these things are completely not discussed, neither they have any knowledge. So at the present moment the human civilization is a very risky civilization, so in order to save them from this state of ignorance, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is essential. It is not a sectarian religious movement, faith or sentiment. It is actually scientific movement. Here are many scientists present. They are also taking very seriously about this movement. So we invite all important men to contact us and try to understand the basic principle of this movement, how to elevate the human society to the proper standard of life and become peaceful in this life as well as in the next life.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Oh, yes, he's very willing to help anything along these lines. But he told me that once we have this Bhaktivedanta Institute and we have this done, he told us that he can find some means by which we can get some grant from the government. There are several funding agencies, and he's one of the important men for giving grants, this National Institute of Health, and he has several connections with the top rank...
Prabhupāda: Authorities. So keep connection with him.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes. And he even wants to write some articles along these lines.
Prabhupāda: Yes. He is favorable, keep in touch. (long pause)
Satsvarūpa: We are arranging, I have arranged that each time in the morning when we go for a walk, we are taking all the devotees...
Prabhupāda: Only for outsider you keep, say from 5 to 6, and...
Rāmeśvara: Important men.
Prabhupāda: Ha.
Rāmeśvara: If they are important.
Prabhupāda: Let them come one by one. If they come one at a time, they will sit down. They'll not try to go away. But if they come, see first too many, and go away, then another comes. Then it will be nice interview.
Rāmeśvara: I see. There must be management.
Prabhupāda: Because they do not know what is soul. They do not know what is missing. Why the body is useless. They do not cultivate... The most important thing they do not cultivate. This man was so important one second before. Now the whole body is useless. It has to be thrown away. They do not give attention even to this. How he becomes... Second before he was Mr. Churchill or Mr. such and such, very important man. All men showing respect. And now he is useless. If somebody kicks on his face nobody will say. Out of sentiment they protest, but the man will not protest.
Hari-śauri: They stick him in the ground. Put him in a box.
Prabhupāda: Paramahaṁsa may speak all nonsense, but Kṛṣṇa is accepted by all the ācāryas, Madhvācārya, Rāmānujācārya, Nimbārka, Caitanya. They are important men. Evaṁ paramparā prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). So we have to give up the instruction of ācārya and accept some rascal? That we cannot do. Ācāryopāsanam. In Bhagavad-gītā it is recommended that you should worship the ācārya, not these rascals who talks all nonsense. Then he'll make progress. Ācāryopāsanam. Is it not? Ācāryopāsanam is there. And still in India the ācārya's paramparā system existing, sampradāya. Rāmānuja sampradāya, Madhvācārya sampradāya, Nimbārka, going on. (Hindi) (end)
Prabhupāda: So arrange for bringing Bhogilal tomorrow.
Mahāṁśa: Yes, tomorrow afternoon or evening we can arrange.
Prabhupāda: No. Yes, so immediately arrange for that. He is very important man. If he comes you can all mature consultation about this female, about managing. He is practically doing. He has one thousand acres of land.
Mahāṁśa: Oh, yes, it's not a joke.
Prabhupāda: And he is practical business man. So immediately... And besides that, he is already sympathetic. He is becoming interested more. So he can do so many things for us. He is a very nice man. So he volunteered to come here. So bring him immediately. So arrange. From tomorrow we go there. If it is not finished, then he may be given that place. I am at here. I shall stay. Or he can be given this room; I can go there. In this way... Because the doors are not yet fitted.
Prabhupāda: Oh, he's a very important man.
Jagadīśa: No, Shambu Devananda on behalf of Swami Vishnu Devananda. And Surendra Kumar Patel of the Vishva Hindu Parishad of America.
Prabhupāda: Oh, Vishva Hindu Parishad.
Jagadīśa: Umadatta Maharaja, Mahatma Gandhi Satsang Society, Hari-Hara Yoga Center...
Prabhupāda: It is very representative.
Jagadīśa: Some other statements by... There's a nice letter from one of the devotees to one important psychiatrist outlining our case. He does a very good job. Would you like to hear it?
Prabhupāda: Hm.
Jagadīśa: There's this conference which took place at Harvard, a symposium headed by Dr. Harvey Cox who is very important and a very famous theologian in America. Some of the things they said are very nice. Especially there's some quote from the Bible that gives it... This is actually stated by this Mr. Cox, or Dr. Cox, a very important man. He gives a quote from the Bible. "Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea and the great multitude from Galilee followed him. And many who had diseases pressed in upon him to touch him. And he went up into the hills and called to him those whom he desired and they came to him. And he appointed twelve to be with him and he sent them out to preach. And then he came to his home town and the crowd came together, so many of them that they could not even eat. And when his family heard about this they went out to seize him for they said, 'He is besides himself.' And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, 'He is possessed by Beelzebub and by the Prince of Demons.' And Jesus said to them, 'If the house is divided against itself, that house will fall. It surely will not be able to stand.' And then his mother and his brothers came and standing outside the house where he was, they sent a message in to him calling him. And the crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, 'Your mother and your brothers are outside and they are asking for you.' And Jesus replied, 'Who are my mother and my brothers?' And looking around on those who sat about him, he said, 'Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of God is my brother and my sister, and my mother."
Prabhupāda: Very good.
Indian lady: But the sheep has no sense of herd. What poor sheep can do?
Prabhupāda: That's all right. Because thousands of sheep following one shepherd, does it mean the shepherd is an important man?
Indian lady: One sheep thinks that "So many sheep are following, with me..."
Prabhupāda: That's all right. I say the shepherd is an important man because there is...?
Indian lady: No, not that. No no.
Prabhupāda: No. Then why you take that? That is explained the Bhāgavatam, śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ (SB 2.3.19). The shepherd may be followed by so many sheep but that does not mean he's an important man. That is the... That is the, going on. The so-called leaders, they are just like shepherd and we are like sheep. But that does not mean the shepherd is an important man.
Prabhupāda: (laughs) It's nonsense. Unless one is best why he should be given first? Any... If there is any meeting, the most important man is given the first position. At least out of respect. Everyone has given first position. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has therefore praised. What is his nonsense arguments?
Yaśomatīnandana: There are two other versions of Bhāgavatam. There also, Śrīdhara Svāmī has been considered the best commentator.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepts. Svāmī nā māne yei jana veśyāra bhitare. Everyone has given. Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, iti svāmī caraṇa kahe.(?) Jīva Gosvāmī, all authorities, they accept. And why they are criticizing Śrīdhara Svāmī?
Girirāja: That is the main point.
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: He's right. And he's a very important man.
Rāmeśvara: He has joined this society to defend us. He's now traveling different places in the United States to speak on our behalf.
Prabhupāda: He's serious gentleman. That is wanted. Kṛṣṇa will help us.
Dr. Patel: Aldous Huxley is another, he's also very...
Trivikrama: He's dead.
Dr. Patel: He is dead. No? He is dead? How long?
Trivikrama: Since 1962.
Dr. Patel: I had no idea of it. I am reading his books thinking he is still alive.
Prabhupāda: Very good. Give them good place. We don't want tenants or... Turn the whole building into Bhaktivedanta Institute. And another building start. Yes. We have got enough place. I want that the intelligent man should come and learn this science. That is wanted.
- yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhas
- tat tad evetaro janaḥ
- sa yat pramāṇaṁ kurute
- lokas tad anuvartate
- (BG 3.21)
These people. Bring important men, important student. Take this opportunity. Give them nice place so that they may not be uncomfortable. Give them good food.
Girirāja: Yes. We have a lot of facility.
Prabhupāda: Oh.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: And he had some friends there in Bombay Hospital, and he is going to definitely make arrangement so we can give a seminar in the hospital.
Prabhupāda: Important man. Recognize him. Make him member.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: We will also make some engagements in... There is an institute called Patha Institute for Fundamental Research. They study about nuclear physics. So I am going to arrange for one of our people to speak.
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Speak in important institution like that. That will command respect.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: He is going to speak about quantum physics and Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Prabhupāda: Girirāja said that the Prime Minister also.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, that's Morarji Desai. That Ratan Singh Rajda had said that. Morarji Desai told Ratan Singh Rajda. Jaya Prakash Narayan is the most important man in the country now. He is like Mahatma Gandhi.
Guest (1): He is Mahatma Gandhi's second man, father of the nation.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: We saw him just now, Girirāja and myself. He was very favorable, Śrīla Prabhupāda, and we showed him your books.
Prabhupāda: He knows about our movement?
Prabhupāda: Newly started?
Girirāja: I don't know how old it is, but now they're making a big push to make it popular.
Prabhupāda: At least one day or two day in a week important men may come here, live here. You hold meeting in that auditorium.
Girirāja: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Make friends with them about real knowledge.
Girirāja: And then Mr. Bajaj... Mr. Bajaj was on the same plane going to Poona.
Prabhupāda: Oh.
Lokanātha: The requisition finished in next few minutes.
Prabhupāda: How many minutes? They have been detaining few minutes. Just bring immediately. You cannot detain all these important men. They have got other business.
Mr. Rajda: No, there is no other thing. Only thing, the roads are functioning, Bombay, and I have to visit them.
Prabhupāda: Yes. What is that?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "To Ratansingh Rajda, Member of Parliament, Bombay. Dear Sri Rajda, We thank you very much for visiting us at Hare Krishna Land and for sympathetically hearing our divine master Śrīla Prabhupāda. His Divine Grace mentioned several difficulties which are impeding his great work, and you have been kind enough to promise to remove these obstacles. 1) Our men are regularly being asked to leave India. How can we manage such important projects when our men are forced to leave? Every year we have to send so many men away from India and then again we have to bring them back.
Prabhupāda: Now the... We can see practically how the system of civilization is bad, that this Indira Gandhi, rākṣasī, she became exalted in the topmost rank, and she thought... A person who is equally good or more than her, he was imprisoned. Then how the system is bad, that a rogue comes to the topmost post and a good man is put into the prison? Is not the system defective? Imperfect? Some way or other, you can become very important, and the actually important man you can cut down.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Envious system.
Prabhupāda: Animal.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Animals are envious also.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Right.
Prabhupāda: Śva-viḍ-varāha-uṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ. So what is the value of such election, and what is the value of such important men? Therefore the whole system is condemned. Is it not the fact? Everywhere, not only in India. Not that the actual good man is on the head of the ruling power.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, rather, they look upon good qualities as weakness.
Prabhupāda: Whatever... That they'll achieve.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: If someone is humble, they think it is weak.
Prabhupāda: (Bengali)
Prabhupāda: Everywhere. (pause) Among yourselves, there is no strong man. That is the defect. All like child. That is the defect. And it requires a very strong man. That is lacking. In every minute details I have poked my nose. Anyone, whatever you have got, sit down and select trustees, and the format is there. Make a trustee. So...? (break) ...should be so many copies. Every one of you GBC and important men must have that copies.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I'll distribute copies today.
Prabhupāda: Among few, Rāmeśvara will be printed in(?). Anyway, do your best. Otherwise there is a very big undercurrent. They are looking for the opportunity. (pause) They want some money first.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. So he's going to go to Allahabad after two weeks. (pause)
Prabhupāda: You can use this letter.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, he says that "I heard..." This is from ex-president Ford. There was some discussion that perhaps he would be a candidate in the 1980 Presidential election here. Anyway, he's an important man. Then he lists some of the people who have gotten your Bhagavad-gītā as well as other small book in Russian or other languages or prasādam. "Mr. Igor Orligalik, Deputy Director (gives list of many Eastern Bloc professors and directors) You see, he keeps a file on all these people, so if ever we go to these countries, we know which people got our books, and these are all highly placed people, very prominent people. Good work. One of these lunches is very expensive-$7.50 per person. (reads:) "Los Angeles World Affairs Council cordially invites you to attend a special luncheon discussion meeting with the USSR-USA Society Delegation to the Soviet Union."
Prabhupāda: So that fortune is... By fortune he gets a guru. And by the instruction of guru he gets Kṛṣṇa. So to create fortune we have to take this regulative principle, to become fortunate that someday he'll be able to meet somebody who is real guru and who will give him real guidance. "Man is the architect of his own fortune." Therefore pious activities and other things, yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-kriyā, these things are recommended, to acquire the qualities of brāhmaṇa. These things are required. If he remains like animal, that fortune will never come. This is the architecture. So that fortune begins when he enters the varṇāśrama-dharma, four varṇas and four āśramas. That is a easiest way. Fortune does not come that "This is very important. Man is the architect of his own fortune." He must accept some process to become fortunate. And if you want to become fortunate through the rich man, you should enter... (microphone moving) ...just like businessman... (microphone moving) And without doing something, how you can get fortune?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Wow! These men are important men now in the government.
Yaśomatīnandana: George Pramanas is minister of railway. And he was with Prabhudas. Prabhudas Patwaria can be a great help now. He's coming here on 30th.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You'll come with him?
Yaśomatīnandana: Yes. I'll come with him.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So you won't go back to Ahmedabad till afterwards.
Yaśomatīnandana: No, I won't go back. I think we should move on these matters. We should do something.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda? It seems like there's three things that we're... I'm just wondering... Here's Gopāla.
Prabhupāda: (laughs) So I thought that unless he brings some book, he won't come. Because every time I criticize him, "Where is the book? Where is the book?"
Prabhupāda: Some very important men was to come this evening?
Haṁsadūta: An important man was to come this evening? You mean for the conference, Śrīla Prabhupāda? I don't think any men have come yet, Prabhupāda. Svarūpa Dāmodara is here, but I think they're planning to come tomorrow and the following days.
Bhavānanda: Dr. Mishra, I think, is going to inaugurate the conference, and his friend, Dr. Chowdury, have just arrived. We've checked them into their room. They're taking a little prasādam. Svarūpa Dāmodara is with them.
Haṁsadūta: Yes, some men have come.
Prabhupāda: That's all right. (break)
Prabhupāda: No, no, you are managing, I know, but you are all important men and unnecessarily you are bound up. You cannot go. So Lokanātha party has got some experience and let me go. In India the climate is now good. If I recover, it is very good. You know. So what is the wrong? If I die, then the body will be brought either in Vṛndāvana or Māyāpur, that's all. And if I live, it will be a great end of a life. You are all experienced.
Jayapatāka: As much as you have trained us, Śrīla Prabhupāda, that is only how much we are experienced. We don't want that you be burdened any more with material management problems but...
Prabhupāda: No, not from that point of view. What is the use of lying down here?
| Page Title: | Important men (Conversations) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 25 of Mar, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=48, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 48 |