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Inquire (Conv. 1976 - 1977)

Expressions researched:
"enquire" |"enquired" |"enquirers" |"enquires" |"enquiries" |"enquiring" |"enquiry" |"inquire" |"inquired" |"inquirer" |"inquires" |"inquiries" |"inquiring" |"inquirous" |"inquiry"

Conversations and Morning Walks

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 16, 1976, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: There are so many brick fields.

Jayapatāka: But they've just started production.

Prabhupāda: Just inquire. If it is available you can do.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, inquire Jayapatāka.

Jayapatāka: I'll inquire. Because we just ordered four thousand bricks.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Jayapatāka: We ordered four thousand bricks. It took two weeks to get them.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, but now it's later.

Prabhupāda: You can make a big tent here, big tent. So people may come: women tent and men tent. There is no need of rooms. That will be nice.

Room Conversation -- January 19, 1976, Mayapur:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: His mentality is becoming like Kaṁsa, I think. At every moment he is thinking, "This Prabhupāda..."

Prabhupāda: So who...? Somebody inquired him that "What is this called? So many people are coming." Huh?

Bhavānanda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He knows no one is coming there. Not very many more people are coming there than are here. Because most of the people come here...

Prabhupāda: That they are realizing, that "We are becoming insignificant gradually." That they are realizing.

Morning Walk -- January 20, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Mimeograph. I was printing. Yes. Then he inquired this Dai Nippon, many place. At last he said that "Unless we print twenty thousand, they will not take up this work." I said, "Immediately take it." From three thousand to twenty thousand immediately. At that time they were giving us ten cent or less than.

Morning Walk -- January 20, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: But there is no remnants; we sell everything. Generally when there is some remaining copies, the publisher bound it up for future sale, reference. (break) Vedānta-sūtra, that is the topmost philosophy. So that first verse, athāto brahma jijñāsā. In this human form of life there is no other business—simply to inquire about Brahman. This is the fact. If anyone wants to fulfill the human form of life as distinguished from animal life, this is the only business, brahma-jijñāsā. And the whole civilization is on this basis. Therefore first brahmacārī, how to understand Brahman. So the children of human society is trained up, same principle, how to understand Brahman. So yesterday with that gentleman I told, "Where you got the sand?" Our beginning talk was that.

Morning Walk -- January 21, 1976, Mayapura:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Like Ajāmila. Ajāmila.

Prabhupāda: Yes. He had very good wife, young wife, and he became a victim to a prostitute and lost all brahminical culture. So if you create prostitute in the society, where is the hope of brahminical culture? There is a story that a gentleman... Not gentleman, a rascal. He was rich, and he was going to the prostitute. So the wife inquired that "What is wanting in me that you are going to the prostitute?" You know that story? "No, I go there because she dances, sings." So she learned dancing. So in this way, one after another, drinking, dancing, this, that. Still, he was going. The wife learned everything. Then when she said, "Now I have learned whatever you wanted. Still why you are...?" "No, one thing. I cannot express that." "What is that?" "You do not abuse my father and mother. That you cannot do." These prostitutes, they abuse the father and mother. In Bengal it is known, rakta kedara vega.(?) They address like that. Then she said, "All right. Stop. I am no more your wife. I cannot abuse your father and mother. That is not possible. I have learned everything for your satisfaction, but I cannot learn this thing." The prostitute will not only abuse the paramour but his father, mother, family, everything, culture.

Morning Walks -- January 22-23, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Viḍ-bhujāṁ ye. This is not civilization. This is civilization, tapasya: no meat-eating, no this, no this, that, and become perfect, ideal brāhmaṇa life, satya śama dama śuci jñāna vijñāna. This is civilization. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. Unless you become civilized like this, there is no opportunity of brahma-jijñāsā. And so long you do not inquire about Brahman, that you remain, that pigs and hogs and asses. If human civilization is wasted to cultivate the pig civilization, naturally, "All right, you come here. Become a pig now. Take this body." Kṛṣṇa will say, "Nature, prakṛti, he got this chance to become human being, but has misused. Kindly give him a body of pig."

Morning Walk -- February 3, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Guru. Therefore we go to guru. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). One who is actually serious about inquiring, he must go. Guruṁ prapadyeta. Must surrender to guru.

Śāstrījī: Śābde pare ca niṣṇātam.

Prabhupāda: Ah. That is... Therefore there is guru. Ādau gurvāśrayam. If you know, want to know, first of all take shelter of guru. That is the injunction.

Bhavānanda: Then we will ask, how do we know who is really guru?

Prabhupāda: That is another rascaldom. You see how others are taking guru, paramparā system. You are rascal. You will place so many questions. But the answers are already there. Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam (BG 4.2). Guru is he who knows Kṛṣṇa, who explains Kṛṣṇa. That is guru. Otherwise he's not guru.

Morning Walk -- February 4, 1976, Mayapura:
Prabhupāda: I can avoid God," and so many things. Therefore they are mūḍhas. He cannot do it. In every inch he is bound up, and still he is thinking, "independent." That is the first-class mūḍha. Mūḍho 'yaṁ nābhijānāti loko mām ajam avyayam (BG 7.25). Every... Dark, darkness. He keeps himself in darkness. This life was given to him by nature to become liberated by understanding God, but he does not take care of. He is making plan: "We shall be happy like this. We shall be happy like this. We shall be happy like this." Therefore they are mūḍhas. That will not help him. He does not know that. And if he simply tries to understand Kṛṣṇa, he becomes immediately liberated. Janma karma me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti.. (BG 4.9).. Everything is there. But he will do so many plans, and nothing will be successful. He'll avoid Kṛṣṇa. This is the first-class mūḍha. Athāto brahma jijñāsā, the Vedānta philosophy's first instruction: "Now you inquire about God. This is the only chance. As cats and dogs you cannot do that. Now, atha, ataḥ. You have enjoyed your senses so much as cats, dogs, tigers, so on, so on. Now you devote to understand, inquiry." Athāto brahma jijñāsā.
Morning Walk -- March 13, 1976, Mayapur:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: The government's duty, then, is to protect.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is government. That is kṣatriya. Ksat trāyate iti kṣatriya. Kṣat means injury, and one who gives protection from injury, he is kṣatriya. Just like Parīkṣit Mahārāja. As soon as he saw a cow is attempted..., immediately he said, "Who are you, rascal? You are trying to kill this cow in my kingdom?" That is kṣatriya. And nowadays, even if I kill you, the police will see from there; he'll not come. This is government. And when the finished killing, then he will say, "Who is this man?" He'll note down, "A man is killed." And then inquiry, and then finished. Who is the man killed and what is happened? Nothing of the sort. Inquiry and finish. Big commission report.

Morning Walk -- March 15, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. You are going for export and import. We want to export books, import incense. On this plea, exchange.

Hṛdayānanda: That is how the Westerners originally entered China.

Prabhupāda: Yes. And similarly, you have got already some inquiries from booksellers from Russia. On that plea—he is also sales organization—do something there. We have got philosophy, books, approved by learned circles. There is good chance. Our Trivikrama Mahārāja reported. He went to that Formosa? Trivikrama?

Guru-kṛpā: Taiwan.

Prabhupāda: You went there.

Trivikrama: Yes.

Morning Walk -- March 17, 1976, Mayapura:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: The pots of halavā. I inquired about it, and they said that semolina is very difficult to get now, that the government has only allotted some eighty pounds of semolina to be purchased.

Prabhupāda: No, it doesn't matter, but give him prasādam, other prasādam. (aside:) Hare Kṛṣṇa. (break) ...halavā with powdered dahl or...

Pañca-draviḍa: Powdered dahl. They could use whole wheat flour?

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Pañca-draviḍa: Whole wheat flour, they could use in?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Conversation with News Reporters -- March 25, 1976, Delhi:

Prabhupāda: That is the taste of Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra ca (SB 11.2.42). As soon as you advance in devotion, you become detestful to the all material enjoyment.

Reporter (2): Swamiji, may I inquire from which class of society people generally come to you in the States.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: From which class of society in the United Sates do most of your disciples come?

Prabhupāda: You can ask them. I do not know.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: All classes. Many educated people as well as people from all different classes, all racial backgrounds.

Prabhupāda: No, no, in America who is uneducated?

Hṛdayānanda: Yes, all coming from very nice families, the majority, education. Many, many of them coming from very wealthy families.

Conversation with News Reporters -- March 25, 1976, Delhi:

Prabhupāda: The CIA have become Vaiṣṇava and given up meat-eating and dancing with me, and they have no other means. (laughter) Just see how foolish question it is. The CIA men have come to me for inquiry. This question, rascal questions, are put. Such unfortunate insanity is prevailing in India. (laughter) The American CIA, they have come to me. Just see.

Morning Walk -- April 12, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: They have got good sympathy for Indian culture.

Dr. Patel: And if they read it, then Karl Marx teaching will go away.

Prabhupāda: And we are getting enquiries from Russia of our books, about our books. We are getting enquiries. I am sending Gopāla Kṛṣṇa to make market of our books.

Guru dāsa: They have some of our books already in Russia.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Morning Walk -- April 13, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That we are doing. We give each word's meaning. Each word of any Sanskrit śloka, we give the meaning. That is right.

Dr. Patel: That is the way I learned myself. I mean, a student of...

Prabhupāda: If one is serious to learn, he can learn. There is no difficulty. No, dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre (BG 1.1). Now, if he inquires, "The word is dharma-kṣetra. Why it is written kṣetre?" then it is grammar.

Dr. Patel: That is what I say. That is the way I learned.

Prabhupāda: So that, if he likes, he can learn it. Saptamī, adhikaraṇa saptamī, sthāna, kṣetra, kṣetre, dharma-kṣetre. If he simply tries to learn the nominative case, the objective case, or like that, then he'll learn.

Dr. Patel: (Sanskrit) Like that. All things in different ways.

Prabhupāda: Sañjaya uvāca. It is nominative case. Dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre samavetāḥ (BG 1.1), this is plural number, yuyutsavaḥ, plural number. Māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāś caiva (BG 1.1). Pāṇḍavāḥ is plural number, and when it is added with ca it becomes śca. The visarga... In this way he can learn. Eva, again sandhi. Māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāś ca eva.

Morning Walk -- April 15, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: ...detached to that, Jain. So he was advertising about that Jain Muni.

Dr. Patel: Susil Kumar.

Prabhupāda: Susil Kumar. He went to San Francisco. He met me there. (aside:) Hare Kṛṣṇa. So he has come back, so I inquired what is the result of his preaching.

Viśāla: All glories to Prabhupāda!

Prabhupāda: He said that he has converted one million persons to be vegetarian. So vegetarian, automatically our disciples, they are automatically vegetarian. There is no separate preaching. And what about the... He was talking about the ahiṁsā. And I told that vegetarian does not mean ahiṁsā.

Dr. Patel: The ahiṁsā should be practiced by... (Hindi)

Prabhupāda: No, in the śāstra it is said that ahastāni sa-hastānām apadāni catuṣ-padām.

Room Conversation -- April 20, 1976, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: All over the world. Especially in Europe, America.

Hariśauri: We even had some book orders just recently from Russia.

Prabhupāda: Yes. They are also inquiring.

Guru-kṛpā: Every university in America takes complete book. Every book Śrīla Prabhupāda writes, there is standing order. Oxford, Princeton, Harvard, UCLA, University of California...

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: All of the leading professors also have written very favorable reviews, citing these...

Prabhupāda: Where is that book, Professor Judah's book? Hare Krishna and Counterculture.

Carol Jarvis: Oh, yes.

Prabhupāda: You have read that?

Carol Jarvis: No, I haven't.

Prabhupāda: Oh, he has written big book, Professor Judah. He has very much appreciated. And he has given statistics and everything, very scholarly book. Hare Krishna and Counterculture.

Room Conversation with Siddha-svarupa -- May 3, 1976, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: No feeling, if you..., when you are surrendering to the spiritual... Śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam (BG 2.7). Find out this verse. Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā.

Hari-śauri:

tad viddhi praṇipātena
paripraśnena sevayā
upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ
jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ
(BG 4.34)

"Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Enquire from him submissively..."

Prabhupāda: Mm? Where are they? Mm.

Hari-śauri: "Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Enquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth."

Prabhupāda: You have to submit. You cannot remain independent. That is the first condition. Śiṣyas te 'haṁ, śiṣya. Śiṣya means voluntarily accepting the rules offered by the spiritual master. That is śiṣya: "Ah, yes, I agree to abide by your order." Then he becomes śiṣya. Otherwise where is the question... "I am thinking like this, I am thinking..." So long you are thinking otherwise, you don't try to become a śiṣya. You remain outside and you are welcome: chant, dance, take prasādam, and remain independent. There is no objection. But when you become śiṣya, then you cannot remain independent.

Room Conversation -- May 5, 1976, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: Some lady inquired, "Is there any instruction about the power shortage?" "Oh, yes." (laughs) So she purchased, and the next day she said, "There is nothing about power." So suppose Tripurāri has sold one book. The lady inquired, "Is there any basic instruction about power shortage?" And he said, "Yes." So you think it is wrong. That is your version.

Bhūrijana: I think a simple lie like that is not bad.

Prabhupāda: But a devotee's view is that whatever may be her inquiry, if she purchases one book, she'll be benefited. This is the point. But you, as big moralist, you, (laughs) you think that he has cheated. He has not cheated. He has benefited her. Somehow or other he has given a book to her. Someday she'll read and she'll benefit. But you people, you think that why we should sell like that, that, "Yes, there is some solution of power shortage." Actually there is, but you think that he has lied.

Room Conversation -- May 7, 1976, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: Yes, she has already sent some article, why it is not published?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, whenever I see her she asks, "Why they don't publish?"

Prabhupāda: Yes, and they inquire.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So we should start to make enquiry now throughout the world, how to push these books forward. Just as you are pointing out-sending books from India to Russia—in this way there may be so many arrangements.

Prabhupāda: Oh yes. Just find out what is the venues to push our books. As much as possible.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Should I concentrate my time for this?

Prabhupāda: Yes, only. This will be your only business. All over the world, see how the books can be pushed. In their language or in English, now we have got several languages. You have seen the latest Portuguese edition?

Guru-kṛpā: Spanish.

Room Conversation -- Honolulu, May 20, 1976 :

Prabhupāda: They are being carved, Kṛṣṇa's wood form, but he was so impatient, he said "Whatever is done now, establish." It is said that Viśvakarmā was enquiring. So the term was, Viśvakarmā said that "Unless I finish, don't open the door." So this king, he went impatiently, and calling out whether he is finished. Then he forced, forcibly opened the door, and it was unfinished. So he said "Never mind, (indistinct)." Unfinished Kṛṣṇa (indistinct). So Kṛṣṇa, finished or unfinished, is Kṛṣṇa. That is omnipotency. That is Jagannātha form, (indistinct) doesn't matter finished or unfinished. (end)

Morning Walk -- May 26, 1976, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: Their policy is "High living and poor thinking." They live in skyscraper but don't care for where they are going to next life, as a cat and dog. Never mind. Now live in skyscraper. Poor thinking. High living, poor thinking (laughter). No, that "Now I am living in the skyscraper building on the twenty-fifth story, and next life I'm going to be cockroaches here." (everyone laughs) They don't know that. He doesn't inquire, "Wherefrom the cockroaches coming?" (everyone laughs) He has got attachment for this twenty-fourth story, so, but he's working so that he'll become a cockroach. So Kṛṣṇa has given chance, "All right. You live in the twenty-fourth story as cockroach." And then you'll be again killed by some.... What is called?

Devotee (5): Tenants. Exterminator?

Morning Walk -- June 3, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: "Studies" means if they do not take the science of God as the most important items. Then they'll say: "Yes, you have freedom, you can do. I have got my freedom."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah. They make a lot of information available on the.... In other words, it'll help our saṅkīrtana movement because they make inquiries into the freedom of an individual, for example, to.... As we want to distribute literature in various countries, they have so much facts and figures on where that would be possible.

Prabhupāda: And the newsreel will say that this saṅkīrtana movement is nuisance, it is disturbance. Then what they'll do?

Rāmeśvara: There's also some respectability if we become connected with...

Prabhupāda: That is all right.

Morning Walk -- June 5, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: So why not ask them to make a post office here, ISKCON post office?

Svarūpa: Each day fifty letters are coming. Some are inquiries, some are orders. (break) ...program Prabhupāda, we continue writing letters to these people, until they become devotees.

Prabhupāda: That's nice.

Svarūpa: And last year thirty became devotees. They wrote us letters saying that they have moved into a temple and that they are very happy now.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Svarūpa, he does all this writing; he's the secretary. He keeps correspondence with all of these people every month.

Rāmeśvara: In your book, there is an invitation in every book: "For more information, write to the secretary."

Prabhupāda: Yes, I've seen.

Room Conversation -- June 8, 1976, Los Angeles:

Devotee: You were staying in the YMCA.

Prabhupāda: Yes. (break) So I did not say anything seriously, but perhaps he took it very seriously, Gopal's father. So he might have written to Gopal that "Swami Bhaktivedanta wants to go to America. If you sponsor, then he can go." So whatever the correspondence was there between the father and son, I did not know. I simply asked him, "Why don't you ask your son Gopal to sponsor so that I can go there? I want to preach there." So after some months, three, four months, the No-Objection Certificate from the Indian embassy in New York, Gopal sent to me, yes, that he had already sponsored my arrival there for one month. So all of a sudden I got the paper, No-Objection Certificate by the Indian embassy. After so much inquiry, I learned that so much inquiry was done and so on, so on. Then I tried to take a passport and paper process. So I got the passport. Then I approached that Śrīmatī Morarji. She once gave me five hundred rupees in exchange of my Bhāgavata book, so I approached her, that "Give me one ticket." They have got their shipping company, Scindia Navigation. So she said, "Swamiji, you are so old, you are taking this so responsibility. Do you think it is right?" "No, it is all right." (laughs) At that time, I was seventy years old. So all the secretary, they thought that "Swamiji is going to die there." Anyway, they gave me the ticket, one return free ticket by their ship. Then arrangement was going on. So there is another process to get a P-form. You know.

Room Conversation -- June 8, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: I was extending. The immigration officer came in Boston in my boat. He inquired about this. So he asked me, "Sir, Swamiji, how long you want to stay?" So I thought that I have no shelter, I have no money, but I have got the return ticket. So I did not know how long I... (laughs) He asked me, "How long you want to stay?" So I thought, "In these circumstances, I can stay at most two months, because I have no means where to stay, how to eat, and where shall I go? So I may struggle for two months." So I told him: "I may stay at most two months." He immediately, two months, sanctioned immediately. I could not think that I shall be able to... (laughs) That one month were there, sponsoring. So I thought "Another one month, that's all," that "This gentleman has sponsored for one month. So that is guaranteed. Then I can stay another one month. That's all." So after that, so I was staying here and there without any fixity. So I was extending the visa. Each time, I was paying ten dollars. Another three months, another three months, like that. And when one year was finished, they refused: "No extension."

Morning Walk -- June 9, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Three? And down, motor garage.

Hari-śauri: Right.

Rāmeśvara: That is the biggest, but I discussed with Karandhara, and he said they will not give permission for more than two stories. He has already inquired.

Prabhupāda: Why?

Rāmeśvara: They have some crazy reason. They make very strict laws regarding housing. It is a problem everywhere in the United States, so many things you have to comply with. Just like in Dallas there were so many things they wanted us to do for housing. (end)

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

Jagadīśa: A lawyer, he's come to see your darśana in the garden for the last two nights. He's been giving us a lot of assistance in our legal needs. He seems to be very inquisitive about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He's downstairs now. I wonder if he could come up.

Prabhupāda: He has some inquiries?

Jagadīśa: Well, he seems to be eating up the philosophy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He's very eager to hear.

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Jagadīśa: He's downstairs right now.

Rāmeśvara: He's charging us lower rates, doing, working as hard as he can for us at practically no profit to himself.

Prabhupāda: Yes, something must be given.

Morning Walk -- June 11, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: The prisoners.... Haridāsa Ṭhākura was very well known, so all of them assembled and offered him respect. Haridāsa Ṭhākura blessed them, "Stay in this condition." (laughs) So they were surprised, that "We offered respect, and the blessing is that 'Stay in this....' " Then they were explained, " 'Stay in this condition' means your attitude to offer respect to a Vaiṣṇava." That was the intent, not that "You stay in the prison house." Viṣṇu, Vaiṣṇava, offering respect.... (break) ...ārādhanam. When Pārvatī inquired from Lord Śiva what is the best form of worship, he advised, viṣṇor ārādhanaṁ param: "Oh, to worship Lord Viṣṇu is the best form of..." Then he said, tasmāt parataraṁ devi tadīyānāṁ samarcanam: "And greater than viṣṇor ārādhana, Viṣṇu worship, is to worship tadīyānām, anything in connection with Viṣṇu." Anything.... That is Vaiṣṇava. Just like we are worshiping tulasī, tulasī plant. Why tulasī plant? It is a plant only, not even human being. Tadīyānām. Because tulasī is liked by Kṛṣṇa. Similarly, anything in connection with Viṣṇu, to worship, that is better than Viṣṇu worship.

Room Conversation with Mother and Sons -- June 13, 1976, Detroit:
Prabhupāda: To understand God, a simple method. Simple method to.... Just like the earth is there, everybody knows. And from the earth different varieties of living entities are coming. The grass is coming, the plant is coming, then insects are coming, flies are coming, then by eating the grass or flies, the bigger animals are coming or they're existing. Take for four-legged animals, they are eating the grass, the plants. So they are living, their generation is going on. Then the human being is coming by evolution. So anyway, ultimately, they are coming from the earth. Is it not? Is there any difficulty? So we are coming from the earth or water or air, fire, there are five elements. Therefore on the total material elements is our mother. The mother means wherefrom one comes. He's your child because his body has come from your body. Everyone knows it. So every living being is coming out of this earth in different forms. Now if it is established, the mother is the earth and everything that is coming out of mother, they are children, then where is father? Is it not the next inquiry?
Room Conversation with Mother and Sons -- June 13, 1976, Detroit:

Mādhavānanda: Is that not the next inquiry?

Prabhupāda: The mother is there, the children are there. The next inquiry is..., suppose unknown man comes to him, "Where is your father?" So who is the father? And father says, ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā: (BG 14.4) "I am father." Finished. Father is God. God has created this earth. He has impregnated the earth with the living entities, and they are coming out. Where is the difficulty? But because they are in ignorance, rascals, it takes long, long time to understand this simple truth. So dull-headed. The children are there and mother is there, and why father, there should be no father? What is the answer?

Satsvarūpa: That the mother is just some symbolic idea, there is no...

Prabhupāda: Whatever it may be, mother it is. Mother means who begets, who gives birth. You practically see, grass to the highest form of life, they are coming from earth, living at the cost of the earth. The earth is supplying food, food grains, vegetables.

Room Conversation with Mother and Sons -- June 13, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: Whatever it may be, mother it is. Mother means who begets, who gives birth. You practically see, grass to the highest form of life, they are coming from earth, living at the cost of the earth. The earth is supplying food, food grains, vegetables. So mother..., as child is growing by sucking the mother's breast, so we are living at the cost of mother. She is giving us milk, she is giving us everything. That is mother. And śāstra, the earth is considered mother. Ātma-mātā guroḥ patnī brāhmaṇī... but they have no knowledge. Mother means who creates my body, who gives me feeding in the beginning, gives me strength. That is mother. How you can understand mother otherwise? So mother is there, earth. Dhenur dhātrī tathā pṛthvī. Pṛthvī is mother. And practically we see. She is giving, the mother earth is giving birth to so many varieties of children-8,400,000. Then the next inquiry should be: the mother is there, the children are there, then where is the father? That answer is given by Kṛṣṇa: ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā (BG 14.4), "I am the father." So where is the difficulty to understand the Supreme Lord? But they are so dull-headed that they have no even common sense, and they're passing as philosopher, politician, and scientist, big leader, big rascal. This is going on. This is going on. And big, big rascals, they have taken the leadership of the world, and the world is in chaos, chaotic condition, everyone is unhappy, suffering.

Garden Conversation -- June 14, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: That's a fact. The fish may be swimming in the water, but a sensible fish must inquire that "Who has created this water?" He is enjoying in the water, or in the land, so the enquiry should be, "Who's land it is?" We are demarkating this land "mine," he has demarkated this land "mine," but originally, who is the owner of this land? Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). Everything is God's property. That is natural. And God said, bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). Somebody must be proprietor. I am proprietor of this land. Who is the proprietor of this water? That is natural question. If somebody is proprietor of this land, then somebody must be proprietor of that water.

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

Prabhupāda: One priest in Boston, he issued one booklet that "These boys, they're our boys, mostly they are coming from Christian or Jewish families. But before this movement, they were not coming even to the church, never inquired about God. Now they are mad after God." He issued one pamphlet like that. These boys.

Scheverman: Oh, you're referring to the young men right here, coming from Boston, that's what you're saying, I see. Right.

Prabhupāda: We have got many places. Los Angeles we purchased one church, a very big church. That church was vacant, nobody was coming. They tried so much to invite men, but nobody was coming. But after we have purchased, the church is the same, and the inhabitants are residents of Los Angeles, but it is always packed up.

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

Prabhupāda: What is the difference? Can you explain? Young..., I have been several times inquired that why young people coming in this movement? What is the reason?

Jayādvaita: The specific qualification of our movement is that Śrīla Prabhupāda is giving information very scientifically in understanding God as the Supreme Person. Understanding not just that God is great, but understanding how God is great. Generally, we understand God is great, but how God is great, what His name is, what His form is, what His world is, there's no specific information.

Room Conversation -- June 17, 1976, Toronto:

Prabhupāda: When he came to India, he was my intimate friend. So he was telling me that "In our country, when some Indian student comes, especially while returning home after their education, they stop for some time in Germany, we used to inquire from him how much he is aware of his Indian original culture." Because they have got very good respect. All over the world they have got. Even Russia. They have got good respect for Indian culture. They have liked our books only on account of the..., because the Sanskrit verses are there. They took it, "Oh, it is original." Scholarly people like our book on that account, because we explain original Sanskrit verse. That they have got very good regard, that there is knowledge. They're impressed. And Britishers made propaganda only that India had no culture, almost uncivilized: They push women forcibly in the fire after the death of her husband, and in the temple, the priests, they make all nonsense with women, and so on. This was their.... Just to prove that "India was uncivilized, and we are making them civilized. By our compassion for the uncivilized persons, we are occupying."

Room Conversation -- June 17, 1976, Toronto:

Hari-śauri: Yes, at that time, anything that was made in England automatically was considered first class.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes, any rascal thing. They made a good market. And British Empire means to sell their goods. And they, for that purpose, they became rich. Money was drawn from all parts, especially from India. Everything. Later on, gradually we came to understand. In Lucknow, because I was in medical business, so I saw one Japanese salesman was selling one medicine, one or two items, potassiodide. Do you know? No. Potassium iodide. And another, iodine. He was selling at four rupees, eight annas a pound. But we were accustomed to purchase English potassiodide and iodine, thirteen rupees a pound. That Howard's.... Very famous, Howard's chemicals, like that. They were selling. So I doubted that "How so much cheap this Japanese firm can supply?" And they used to advertise that all these Japanese goods are third class. Yes, "German goods are second class. Our goods, first class." So I inquired from the salesman, "How is it that you are supplying so cheap?" "They're supplying.... The price is the real price." "Now why they charge more?" "They purchase from us and pack and sell." There are many big chemical concerns in Germany. Germans are very good manufacturers, especially of chemicals, iron, machine. Still you find, all this Uher and, what is called, Gundsag?

Hari-śauri: Grundig.

Interview with Professors O'Connell, Motilal and Shivaram -- June 18, 1976, Toronto:
Prabhupāda: So our position is servant of God. Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). One singular number and plural number, ceta, eternal. The singular number cetana is the maintainer, and the plural number cetana is the maintained. So our position is maintained. Just like father maintains the children. That is natural. And children's duty is to remain obedient to the father. That's all. That is bhakti. Then the family is all right. Family means father, mother and children. They're missing.... The children they are seeing, the mother they are seeing, and they are saying there is no father. This is modern civilization. How is that? The children are there, the mother is there. How is that there is no father? What is this conclusion? A sane man's conclusion is if the children are there, the mother is there, there must be father. Without father, how mother can beget children? Is there any experience that without father, mother has given birth to children? The modern civilization is: mother is material nature and we are all sons, born in the womb of the material nature. So who is the father? That inquiry is lacking. But there is father, undoubtedly. And the answer is given in the Bhagavad-gītā: sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya (BG 14.4). Find out this verse. Sambhavanti mūrtayaḥ tāsāṁ mahad yonir brahma, ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā. Bījo 'haṁ sarva-bhūtānām (Bg 7.10).
Morning Walk -- June 18, 1976, Toronto:

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Mām evaiśyasi asaṁśaya. Kṛṣṇa says. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru mām evaiśyasi asaṁśaya (BG 18.65). Asaṁśaya, without any doubt.

Indian: But by taking initiation, will that speed up the process?

Prabhupāda: Yes. (break)

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: I inquired yesterday. (break)

Satsvarūpa: ...professor who's going to see you tonight, Professor O'Connell, he wrote a book review of Dr. Judah's book about our movement. And he said it was a very sympathetic book, Dr. Judah's, he said, and a little bit too sympathetic on one point. He made his statement. He thinks that our movement, the way we deny the flesh, he said, he called, "denying the flesh," it tends to make us a little cold in our relations to each other, and people in the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement are denying the natural affection that is somehow connected with the flesh.

Prabhupāda: No, we want to, what is called, reject that society. We cannot become sympathetic with everyone. That is not our policy. Asat-saṅga-tyāga vaiṣṇava ācāra. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, when He was asked what is the general behavior of a Vaiṣṇava, He said that the first thing is that you should give up bad company. So these are bad company. We cannot have any sympathy. We cannot make any compromise with everyone. That is not possible.

Conversation in Airport and Car -- June 21, 1976, Toronto:

Kīrtanānanda: I think it was just ten years ago when I first met you.

Prabhupāda: Yes. I never said that "You have to give up this, you have to do this." Never said. Then gradually ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). When the heart becomes cleansed, then little. There is no hopelessness. So many people have come, and they are coming. Both black, white, everyone is coming. There is no question of (indistinct). But you cannot expect that cent percent people will come; that is not possible. But even, even one-fourth percent people come to this, then it will be successful. Compared to the American population, what percentage we have got? Still they have made some impression, the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. Literatures are selling, they are appreciating, learned circle. Takes some time, but if we stick to our principles and do not make any compromise and push on—in this way, I have given you instruction, it will never stop; it will go on. It will never stop. At least for ten thousand years it will go on. That is your... (indistinct) And this movement is meant for these fourth-class, fifth-class, tenth-class men. Not this movement is fourth class, fifth class. They are so fallen that they cannot be counted even third class, fourth class-tenth-class of men. Deliver them. Patita-pāvana-hetu tava avatāra. Caitanya Mahāprabhu's incarnation is for delivering these classes of men. Caitanya Mahāprabhu never meant to start this movement for high-class brāhmaṇas, sages, saintly persons—no. This class of men. For the all fallen. Don't be disappointed, go on, go on. Stick to the principles. When there was no response, I did not know where to live, where to eat. Sometimes at Dr. Mishra's, sometimes with some friend somewhere. Where to live. And I was going to inquire the shipping company when the next ship returning to India. Still I was renewing my visa: "Let us hope. Let us hope." In this way, we started Second Avenue in month of July, I think?

Conversation in Airport and Car -- June 21, 1976, Toronto:

Hari-śauri: Not in the West.

Prabhupāda: But they publicized in India that they have made all, everyone In India they were doing like that. "Vivekananda Road," "Vivekananda Square," and rascals, they do not inquire even what is Vivekananda's contribution. Pradulika(?) prabhāva.

Hari-śauri: You made a good point about why although now thousands of American boys and girls are coming to India, no one is going to the Ramakrishna Mission, so what kind of impact has he had?

Prabhupāda: In Vṛndāvana they have got hospital and Ramakrishna temple. Who is going there? This is practical example. In our temple, thousands and thousands of foreign boys and girls are coming, and who is going there? It is because actually, if they did something, they should at least gone there out of inquisitiveness: "Oh, where is Vivekananda?" Nobody going. Not even to pass urine there. (laughter)

Morning Walk -- June 21, 1976, Toronto:

Prabhupāda: That is the material disease. When you contaminate some disease, do not try to find out the history. Treat the disease. That is intelligence. How I got this disease, instead of inquiring, better treat the disease. That is intelligence. Go to the doctor and get treatment and cure it.

Indian man (3): Prabhupāda, karma-yoga, Kṛṣṇa has said, "Do your duty, look after..."

Prabhupāda: But you do not know what is your duty.

Indian man (3): Yes, that's what we are trying to...

Prabhupāda: Know from Kṛṣṇa what is your duty.

Prabhupada Visits Palace and Garden -- June 22, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: And they also will be very pleased. India is now so congested. If they get food.... Especially many East Bengalis who migrate in West Bengal for the troublesome condition there, they'll be very happy here. You can write to Gopāla to inquire that we require here some Indians to come to help us.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Mistris for construction?

Prabhupāda: Mistri or anyone, to develop this Kṛṣṇa culture, so the Society will give guarantee. Why not take permission? And they may not come back. They may reside.

Kīrtanānanda: I don't understand. That seems to be the government's, the Indian government's objection was that they wouldn't come back.

Prabhupāda: So they are disturbed with overpopulation.

Prabhupada Visits Palace and Garden -- June 22, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Kīrtanānanda: We carry out these activities in relationship with the eternal soul. So that by performing the activities one is gaining knowledge.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Provided you have got the knowledge of the soul, then you are advanced than the birds and beasts. Otherwise, where is the advancement? Athāto brahma jijñāsā. The human beings, they can inquire about the spirit soul. These birds, beasts, they cannot.

Kīrtanānanda: Then we find so many purported religious people. Just like Christians, they may say "Well, I believe in the soul," but nonetheless they are going on with their materialistic civilization.

Prabhupāda: That means you do not know seriously what is soul. You have simply an idea, but you do not know in detail. Just like they say, the Christians, "God is great." But they do not know who is God and what is the meaning of greatness. That they do not know. They accept this theoretically or religious sentimentally, "God is great." Just like your state says, "In God We Trust." As soon as I inquire what kind of trust and to whom, there is no reply. That means they do not know what is God, what is trust. As a matter of slogan they write, that's all. Even the state heads, and what to speak of the nonsense ordinary citizens. Seriously taking, it is very important question. They should have reply. But they do not know how to reply.

Garden Conversation -- June 27, 1976, New Vrindaban:
Prabhupāda: God gives us bread. So traditionally we are trained up. So we go to God, "Give us our daily bread." Similarly, one who wants to know what is God. Just like in our society, in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they see that these boys, young boys, they have given up everything, they are after Kṛṣṇa. What is this Kṛṣṇa? That is intelligent. Why they are after this Kṛṣṇa? Then he has to go to a person, guru. In this way, there are many circumstances. But the real purpose is to know the Supreme. One who is inquisitive or anxious to know about the Supreme, then there is necessity of guru. Otherwise, what is the use of it? One who is not inquisitive to understand the Supreme, he has no business for a guru. But everyone has necessity to understand the Supreme. That is human life. A dog cannot inquire what is God, because he is dog. But a man can do that. He has got that developed intelligence. So if a man does not inquire about the Supreme Truth, he is no better than a dog. If one does not seek after spiritual master, he's a dog. He's in the standard of dog. Because that inquiry is the particular business of human being, to inquire about the Supreme. If he does not inquire, then still he's on the platform of dog. First of all, you have understood it or not? So any human being with developed intelligence must go to a spiritual master. If he does not go, then he's still in the animal platform. Tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Abhigacchet means he must. If he does not, then he is in the animal platform.
Garden Conversation -- June 27, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: That is, if you want to purchase something, you must know where to purchase. Otherwise, you may be cheated. You, generally, you ask your friend that "I want to purchase some diamond, so can you give me some reliable address where I can go and purchase?" Generally, people do that. So you have to do that. If you want to purchase, you must know the preliminary understanding where diamond can be purchased. And if you are not aware of it, you may be cheated. That preliminary knowledge you must have. That means best thing is, those who are dealing with diamonds, you go there. Just like if anyone is inquisitive to understand God, so best thing is those who are dealing with God only, they have no other business. Then you go there. That is the intelligent. Why should you go to a cheater? This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is especially distributing knowledge about God. So why do they not come here and inquire? First thing is, unless one is inquisitive to understand God, or Absolute Truth, he has no necessity of guru. But if he is actually serious, then he must go to a person where the dealing is only God, that's all. Just like ordinarily, if anyone wants to purchase some share of company, he goes to the share market and he sees the price of different shares, and he selects. So everything requires little intelligence, then it is all right.

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

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: So to accept a spiritual master must mean that one is in ignorance and one is enlightened.

Prabhupāda: For ignorance there is no need of guru. An ignorant cannot inquire about God. Intelligent man can inquire about God.

Guest: We have to pick up our children. Thank you. (break)

Prabhupāda: Pick up children from a school? Do you know him?

Devotee (2): They're from Wheeling.

Answers to a Questionnaire from Bhavan's Journal -- June 28, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: First of all, you have to understand what is religion. The religion is God's law. You have to understand. Religion does not mean your manufactured, concocted ideas. What God says, that is religion. So here Kṛṣṇa is God. He is saying. Therefore this is religion. Is that clear? Make it clear. So long one point is not clear, don't go to the next point.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Especially he is trying to inquire that it appears that India, for example, today...

Prabhupāda: But India, they have given up the real religious system, sanātana-dharma, or varṇāśrama-dharma. Fictitiously, they have accepted a hodgepodge thing which is called Hinduism. Therefore there is trouble. Everywhere, but India especially, they are... Vedic religion... Vedic religion means varṇāśrama-dharma. That is... Kṛṣṇa says, God says, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭam (BG 4.13). So that is, what is called, obligatory. Just like law is obligatory. You cannot say that "I don't take this law." No. You have to take it if you want to have a happy. You cannot become outlaw. Then you'll not be happy. You'll be punished. So God says mayā sṛṣṭam. "It is given by Me." So how we can deny it? And that is religion. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Dharmam means the order given by the God. The God says that cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). "For the proper management of the human society, there should be these four divisions, social divisions." So you have to take it.

Answers to a Questionnaire from Bhavan's Journal -- June 28, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: The so-called Vedantists are bluffers. They do not know what is Vedānta. But the things are going on that people want to be bluffed and the bluffers take advantage of it, and therefore... Veda means knowledge, and anta means end of knowledge. That is the combination of Vedānta. So in the Vedānta the beginning is, Vedānta-sūtra, athāto brahma jijñāsāḥ. "Now, in the human form of life, they should inquire about the Absolute Truth." That is the Vedānta philosophy. And what is that Absolute Truth? Sūtra means in aphorism, in small words, a big philosophy is given. That is called sūtra. A little link. So Vedānta-sūtra begins when one is inquisitive to understand the Absolute Truth. That is called Vedānta-sūtra. And it is answered, first question is now about brahma-jijñāsa, inquisitive, inquiry about Brahman. So Brahman is, in nutshell, described: "Brahman means the origin of everything." Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). And in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). All the Vedas, all the book of knowledge, their business is how to search out God. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). So the whole Vedānta is description of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But because in this Kali-yuga people will not be able to study Vedānta nicely on account of lack of education, therefore Vyāsadeva personally wrote a commentary on the Vedānta.

Answers to a Questionnaire from Bhavan's Journal -- June 28, 1976, Vrndavana:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa:

kāmasya nendriya-prītir
lābho jīveta yāvatā
jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā
nārtho yaś ceha karmabhiḥ
(SB 1.2.10)

"Life's desires should never be aimed at gratifying the senses. One should desire to live only because human life enables one to inquire about the Absolute Truth."

Prabhupāda: That is the Vedānta-sūtra, athāto brahma jijñāsā. Here it is same thing explained, that don't be entrapped with these temporary bodily necessities of life, sense gratification. You must inquire about the Absolute Truth. In the next verse it is explained, vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jñānam (SB 1.2.11). Tattva. Tattva means truth. The truth is explained by the tattva-vit, one who knows the truth. How? Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate. He is explained as Brahman, as Paramātmā, or as Bhagavān. This is Vedānta-sūtra. Now one should learn what is Bhagavān, what is Brahman, what is Paramātmā. In this way one should make advancement of his spiritual consciousness. That is the purpose of Vedānta-sūtra.

Answers to a Questionnaire from Bhavan's Journal -- June 28, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: If there is rock, if there is sand, then why don't you colonise there? What is their answer? If there is same sand, same rock there, then why not... (break) ...some money and can bring some sand and bluff people that you have gone to moon planet. And people are satisfied, they're paying for another excursion to the Mars. This is going on. If you have gone there, there is land. If you fly in the sky and if you get a land then you can stay there. And because you cannot stay there, you come back again. So their... The Māyāvādīs position is there, āruhya kṛcchreṇa param, they merge into the impersonal Brahman but there is no place to stay, they come down again to this material world. You may go many thousands and millions of miles in the sky but you want to stay somewhere. But if you cannot get any place to stay then again you come to this Moscow and New York. So our enquiry is that if you have gone there, then why don't you stay there? What is the answer? Hm? Kīrtanānanda Maharaj?

Answers to a Questionnaire from Bhavan's Journal -- June 28, 1976, Vrndavana:

Kīrtanānanda: It makes perfect sense, Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Yes. For nothing. And it is sure certainly you can write down, their Mars going also will be failure. Let it, you take in writing. I may die. I am old man. Take it down. It will be failure. I told ten years before that "It is childish." One press reporter inquired in San Francisco, what is your... "No, this is childish, wasting money." The reporter came to see me in Los Angeles. He remembered that. If you want to spend for nothing like that, you can do that. You have got money.

Answers to a Questionnaire from Bhavan's Journal -- June 28, 1976, Vrndavana:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: "Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth."

Prabhupāda: So this is guru. What, is that? One who has seen the truth.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ.

Prabhupāda: So one who has seen... Just like Arjuna has seen Kṛṣṇa. That's a fact. He was talking. How that if you take instruction of Arjuna, then you understand. So what is the instruction of Arjuna? Find out in the Tenth Chapter.

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

Prabhupāda: Next, the third part, how many pages?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: The third part of Seventh Canto?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: What is the last chapter in the... I'm not sure, Śrīla Prabhupāda. I have to inquire from him. The fifteenth chapter, though, is very long.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: It should be long. So many long purports in the fifteenth chapter of the Seventh Canto.

Hari-śauri: What's it about?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Nārada Muni...

Prabhupāda: About the foretelling of Bhāgavatam. The other day I recited so many verses. One of them, long hairs. Now see how practical. And now this is confirmation of the foretelling. Who knew five thousand years that people will keep long hairs and think of themselves as very beautiful? It is mentioned in Bhāgavata. How it is possible unless they can see actually what is going to happen? That is foretelling. And other description, they are also fact. Everything is there. And all this is five thousand, two thousand years' foretelling. The millions and millions of years' foretelling they are.

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

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Viśākhā was wondering who..., if you have any idea or choice who should do the Hindi translation or Bengali translation and speaking for the film like this. Did you have anyone in particular in mind, or inquiry should be made?

Prabhupāda: It requires some professional man. Laymen cannot go with the film.

Hari-śauri: It needs a trained speaker.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Hari-śauri: Needs someone who's trained to speak nicely.

Prabhupāda: Anyone can do. We can do also.

Interview with Mike Darby -- June 30, 1976, Wheeling, W. Virginia:

Darby: I see. Then in the Bible, the beginning of it says that God created the heavens and the earth, and yet they say, give the description in Genesis as the way God created the heaven and the earth. Does this not conform with Brahmā's work?

Prabhupāda: Yes, God has created everything. Just like father, son and the mother. Mother gives birth to the son when the mother is impregnated by the father. This is the law, everyone knows. Now you can see that so many trees are coming from earth. Is it not? Trees and plants and grass. And we eat them, we live. Therefore the earth is mother, and the children are so many. The plants are about two million types of plants. Jalajā nava lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati. Then there are insects, reptiles, then beasts, then man. In this way there are so many living entities. The living entities are produced from the earth. The earth is the mother and the living entities are the sons. Then where is the father? This simple thing, why do they not inquire? Who is the father?

Darby: Kṛṣṇa?

Prabhupāda: Yes, Kṛṣṇa, God, or whatever you speak, there must be father. You cannot say that these children, the offsprings are coming automatically. Then you are a fool if you say like that. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā.

Arrival Room Conversation -- July 2, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: They don't want to worship anyone. They want to worship their senses. That's all. Sense gratification. What is dictated by the senses, they agree to worship. Servant of the senses. In the material world nobody worships nobody. Everyone serves his own senses: "I like it." That's all. There is a Bengali song, yoke yadi lage phala kena dag botai(?). "If it satisfies my eyes, why shall I not see? I shall see." This is the sum-substance of... Yoke yadi lage phala kena dag bhajai.(?) Everyone wants sense gratification, to be servant of the senses. If the senses want "Do this," he will do it. And our movement is that we shall not hear the dictation of the senses; we shall do what Kṛṣṇa says. That is just opposite. So long I am carrying out the orders of the senses, then I am involved in this material birth, death, transmigration. Today I am running on this nice car. Next I can stand up here as a tree. Who can check it? After death you are completely under the... You are... Your life also completely under the laws of nature. So there is no discussion, no understanding, no knowledge about this. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). We have to change our body. What kind of body we are going to get, nobody knows. This life is everything. This body is everything. Very risky. They do not inquire even wherefrom this body has come. They are also coming. They are also living. They are also eating. The trees, they are also eating water.

Arrival Room Conversation -- July 2, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: Everyone has mixed-up ideas because nobody is properly trained up. Some ideas they have got, some inquiries they have got. But unless one comes to the right person, he cannot be enlightened. Tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Therefore one must approach the proper guru.

Rūpānuga: Everyone has accepted the wrong authority. Everyone has accepted the wrong authority.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Because he's misled by sense gratification, so even he approaches a guru, if the guru cannot satisfy his senses, he doesn't like. Because he's under the subjugation of senses, he expects that guru also will satisfy his senses, then he is guru. If guru says something against his sense gratification, "Ah, he is not guru." (laughs) Guru also must be a person who can satisfy your senses. This is his sense gratification.

'Life Comes From Life' Slideshow Discussions -- July 3, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Now most of these slides will appear in our book, the origin of life and matter, Life Comes From Life. Now Sadāpūta and myself made these slides. These are some of the... Only a few slides. We specifically want comments from your Divine Grace Śrīla Prabhupāda, whether these slides will be appropriate to be in the book. Now this is the philosophy between the difference between life and matter. So this is sāṅkhya philosophy. The principles and the philosophy, as Śrīla Prabhupāda comments in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in the Third Canto, the sāṅkhya philosophy is especially meant for persons who are conditioned by this material world, and by understanding the science of devotional service and sāṅkhya philosophy, one can become free from the modes of material nature. So we want to impose that in order to understand the distinction between life and matter, one must at least have a glimpse of the Absolute Truth, at least some idea of the Absolute Truth. Otherwise, it is completely impossible to understand the difference between what is life and what is matter. That is why scientists nowadays are so much confused about the concept of life and matter. So in fact the scientist Orgell, in his book The Origin of Life, he starts with saying "What is life? The question 'What is life?' should not be inquired." He says...

Prabhupāda: One minute. That Absolute Truth is explained in the Vedānta-sūtra, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Absolute Truth is that from whom everything comes into existence, everything emanates. Now that has been discussed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, because Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is the natural commentary by the same author. So he begins janmādy asya yato 'nvayād itarataś cārtheṣv abhijñaḥ (SB 1.1.1). This word is used. He's not dead body, dead matter-abhijñaḥ, like that. In the beginning. That source of everything... Janmādy asya yato 'nvayād itarataś cārtheṣv abhijñaḥ (SB 1.1.1). Just like a mother gives birth to a child. She knows everything, how the child was born in the womb, how it developed, how it is coming. At least, on the whole, she knows everything. Similarly, the original source of everything is immediately informed in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that abhijñaḥ, experienced, knows everything. Anvayād itarataś ca, directly and indirectly, everything it knows. So the origin of everything cannot be a dead man. That is the beginning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

'Life Comes From Life' Slideshow Discussions -- July 3, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: So the scientists, since they do not know the Absolute Truth, they say such fundamental and most important questions, "What is life," should not be asked, say it is very unscientific. That is their verdict. But we say no, that shouldn't be the case. We say what is life should be inquired and it should be understood. Otherwise, how can one study the origin without knowing what it is? It is rather meaningless to study the origin of something which is not known.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

'Life Comes From Life' Slideshow Discussions -- July 3, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: This is the proof. Consciousness developed and the symptoms are there. Just like we are studying this. Our consciousness is developed. This discussion is not possible by the animals, although it has got the all life symptom. Therefore because our consciousness is developed, we can inquire. Therefore in the human form of life it is the only business to inquire about the Absolute. Now, athāto brahma jijñāsā. The animals, they can inquire where is some food, where is some stool. That much. They have no other power. But when one becomes..., gets this machine of human form of body... The Vedānta axiom is "Now it is the time for inquiring about the Absolute Truth." Athāto brahma jijñāsā. That is real human life, when he inquires about the Absolute Truth. Otherwise, it is animal life. And there are so many department of education means inquiries. In the human society, there are departmental education. Physics department, chemist department, mathematics department, this department, that... Why? Because there are different inquiries. So Vedānta-sūtra says that the prime inquiry is to inquire about the Absolute Truth. That is human life. If there is no inquiry about the Absolute truth, then still he is animal. So those who are simply satisfied with the physics and chemistry, they are still animals. They are not human beings. This is the challenge. Still they have not developed the consciousness. And that inquiry, when it is for Kṛṣṇa, that is the final development. And when he understands Kṛṣṇa, his life is perfect. Then he goes back again to the spiritual world. He's quite fit to live there. Otherwise, he's unfit, he must be here in this material world. And if he understands Kṛṣṇa, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9). This is perfection.

Conversation with Prof. Saligram and Dr. Sukla -- July 5, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: Certainly, in the sense that you can utilize for higher purposes. Just like you have got this human form of body. Therefore you are sitting here to hear me. The dog has no such facility. The dog has got the same legs, hands or mouth and tongue, and so on, so on, in a different way. But it has no capacity to hear about spiritual advancement of life. Therefore the human body should be engaged not simply for sense gratification. Kāmasya nendriya-prītir (SB 1.2.10). Find out this verse. Jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. This is the business, tattva-jijñāsā. Tattva-jijñāsā means to inquire about the Absolute Truth. That is the only business.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Kāmasya nendriya-prītir labho jīveta yāvatā (SB 1.2.10).

Prabhupāda: Labho jīveta yāvatā. You can satisfy senses as far as it is required to live. That's all. Jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. The only business is to inquire about the Absolute Truth. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. That is the only business.

Conversation with Prof. Saligram and Dr. Sukla -- July 5, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: It's called durācara, misbehavior. So atonement, according to Śukadeva Gosvāmī, is not simply repenting and saying, "Oh, I'm sorry." But becoming intelligent. Atonement means coming to the platform of real intelligence. That intelligence, "Why I am becoming implicated in this material world, in so many ways which will simply produce more and more suffering for myself?" Just like if he steals, he knows he goes to prison, so he knows it beforehand, he's not ignorant of the fact. In this instance, one.... He knows that if he steals, he goes to prison. So in the same way we should become intelligent and should understand the laws of nature, the laws of God. That's athāto brahma jijñāsā. Inquiry what is the real nature, what is the real nature of Brahman, how Brahman has manifested this material world and how it's going on. Then become intelligent, act for your own self-interest, become Kṛṣṇa conscious.

Devotee: It is explained that the intelligence is the next door neighbor of the soul, can you explain exactly what that means, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: So what is his question?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: His question is that the intelligence, sometimes you've gone like this, I've seen, you say that the soul and the intelligence are like that, that the intelligence is very close to the soul.

Guest: (indistinct) the relationship between the intelligence, working in the soul.

Prabhupāda: Soul is above intelligence. This is the relationship. Intelligence is above the mind, and soul is above the intelligence. Senses, then mind, then intelligence, then the soul.

Conversation with Prof. Saligram and Dr. Sukla -- July 5, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: You do not know what is Vedānta. (indistinct) In the beginning of Vedānta, athāto brahma jijñāsā. "Now try to inquire about this Supreme, (indistinct) Brahman." The next verse is janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1), Brahman is there, from whom everything emanates. So now, what is that thing from which everything emanates? What is the nature of that thing? That is explained in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Bhāgavatam is the real explanation of Veda. Brahma-sūtra, (indistinct) mahasyam brahma-sūtrānāṁ vedasya parividyatam (?), this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, vedasya parividyatam, (indistinct) avyayam, brahma-sūtrasya (?) uvaca, by Vyāsadeva himself. Vyāsadeva is the writer of Vedānta-sūtra, so he's writing himself under the instruction of Nārada. So to understand Vedānta, you have to study Bhāgavatam. He's explained janmādy asya (SB 1.1.1). Brahman is the original source of everything. Janmādy asya yataḥ. So what is the nature? Janmādy asya yataḥ anvayād itarataś ca... (end)

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

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa... (japa) And you prove that sun planet is first. It is stated in the Bible.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: I was going to inquire about that.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: The order, Sunday, Monday, whether it has to do anything with the distance.

Prabhupāda: Distance, whatever it may be. But the sun is first, then moon, then Mars, then Jupiter, then like that. One after another. Otherwise, why Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, like that?

Yadubara: That means the distance, then, from the earth?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Evening Darsana -- July 8, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: What is that scientist? What is their definition? What do they say?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Svarūpa Dāmodara?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Life is a..., they say the question "What is life?" you should not inquire. (laughter)

Prabhupāda: Oh, that is... You keep yourself in darkness. You remain fool. That is scientific. So long you remain a rascal, it is scientific. This is their...

Svarūpa Dāmodara: They say it is unscientific question.

Prabhupāda: And because they cannot answer you, bobā śatru naya. In Bengali, if one is dumb, he has no enemy, but he cannot speak anything. Tāvac śobhate mūrkha yāvat kiñcin na bhāṣate mūrkha (?)(Bengali) So mūrkha, you remain mūrkha, then that is scientific.

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

Prabhupāda: Because I was on that Bowery Street, it is not very far away. So I was coming, walking there, and sitting under the bridge. And thinking, "Whether I shall return to India?" (laughs)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You said you were always inquiring when the boat was returning.

Prabhupāda: Yes. There was one sub-railway station, beginning with F?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Fulton Street?

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Fulton Street.

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes, yes. Sometimes I am going there. Fulton.

Morning Walk -- July 11, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: So? (pause) That is the question put by Sanātana Gosvāmī. Ke āmi, kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya. "I want to live, but what is that force that does not allow me to live?" This is the question, this is the question. They are trying to find out so many laws, so many, what is the purpose? They want to live, but there is a force that will not allow you to live. That is the human question. When this question arises, then he is human being; otherwise he's a dog. Dog never inquires.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: He has no control over it.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: He has no control over it.

Prabhupāda: Neither he can understand, he has no intelligence.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Today is the disappearance day of Sanātana Gosvāmī.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Morning Walk -- July 12, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: That any rascal will do. Bambharambhe laghu kriya. Aparkulasvenavargolajagundakuligondoliojalīlāvale... (gibberish) (laughter) You can talk like that—what is the meaning? That intelligence they have got, to manufacture... I know, I was in the medical business. So any petty medicine, and you inquire medical man, and he'll present it in such a scientific way that people will think that it is very important thing. I know it well. In Bose's laboratory we used to do that. Aparkulavenavargolajdgunda... This is... (gibberish) Simply soda bicarb and little this and that. So the modern world means how to befool persons, that's all. Not to enlighten, but to keep them in ignorance and befool them more and more, and they like it. Under the influence of māyā they like to be cheated. (sounds of fire engines) Now just see the whole night there is blazing fire, and they are thinking they are happy. And if we sing saṁsāra-dāvānala-līḍha-loka **, "the material world is blazing fire," that is sentiment. And this is not practical. Whole day and night, simply fire, disturbing.

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

Devotee: Sometimes they say it's just a dream and they say if you are bothering me, and you are just my dream; I don't have to worry about it, I'll have another dream and you'll go away.

Prabhupāda: No but dream is... It may be, but when there is fire, you call it dream, but why do you call fire brigade? When you are diseased why you go to physician? Dream it. (laughter) The major problem is birth, death, and old age, and disease. You do not want that. You must seek the measures. That is human life. Whether birth, death, old age, disease can be stopped? If there is any such life that there is no more birth, death, that is human life. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. That is the Vedānta philosophy: "Now the human life is meant for enquiring about these things." If you don't enquire, then you remain animal. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to save the human society from this animal life. To bring him to the real human life. Animal life means there is suffering—go on suffering. Human life means there is suffering—how to get, how to counteract. That is human life.

Interview with Newsweek -- July 14, 1976, New York:

Bali-mardana: After you realize that you're not the body, then what comes next?

Prabhupāda: Ha! That is intelligent question. Then one has to find out that "I am engaged only in this bodily concept of life. Then what is my engagement?" That is the inquiry of Sanātana Gosvāmī, that "You have relieved me from this material engagement. Now let me know what is my duty." For that reason one has to go to the spiritual master, to know, understand that what is his duty now. "If I am not this body, then what is my duty? Because I am busy whole day and night for this body. I am eating, I am sleeping I am having sex, I am defending—these are all bodily necessities. If I am not body, then what is my duty?" That is intelligence.

Interview with Trans-India Magazine -- July 17, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: So we have got our temple, that is considered the best temple in Vṛndāvana. You can show the pictures. So thousands and thousands of Americans went to Vṛndāvana for our temple and other temples. But there is another Vivekananda, Ramakrishna āśrama, nobody went there. Not a single. So what preaching they have done, from practical point of view? So many men went to our temple. They had no inquiry even that "We have heard that there is a Ramakrishna Mission Temple here. Where it is?" It is not..., Vṛndāvana is not a very big city. Everyone knows. Nobody, not a single person went there. And they visited other temples. So what kind of preaching, hmm? What do you think?

Interviewer: It seems to me that what you are saying is that you cannot have a religion, you cannot expect a religion to survive or prosper when the culture which is supposed to serve it is its opposite, is its antithesis. And that's why your movement, you are trying to suggest that the only way you can attain mokṣa, or liberation, or whatever, is through a particular kind of culture that you are propagating.

Prabhupāda: It is not..., it is the culture, it is the culture. Because you are suffering under material conditions and you are struggling for existence, that means you are struggling to get liberty. So this is the liberty. As it is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9).

Room Conversation -- July 17, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: That's all.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So I'll just inquire. This is a general idea of what's going on the whole day tomorrow. I'll leave it with Hari-śauri.

Prabhupāda: The preaching is going on. Nobody has become our student?

Indian man: Among the Indian people...

Prabhupāda: Indian or European or American, it doesn't matter. Since you are preaching there, has anybody joined this movement?

Indian man: No, sir. I have been begging. I've been begging people. Now I know that two American people will become steadfast, and I will make sure that they join the movement, but among the Indian people...

Prabhupāda: Whether you have joined?

Indian man: I have joined.

Conversation at House of Ksirodakasayi dasa -- July 25, 1976, London:
Prabhupāda: So this institution, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we have started. Now we have opened this center. I am very glad that you are coming here, but study the science of Kṛṣṇa. Don't remain blind. The science of Kṛṣṇa means science of God. The human life is meant for understanding the science of God. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is the Vedānta-sūtra. "This human form of life is meant for inquiring about the Absolute Truth—Brahman." That Brahman, Para-brahman, is Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, when Arjuna studied Bhagavad-gītā, his conclusion was... He addressed immediately, "Kṛṣṇa," paraṁ brahma paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān (BG 10.12). Bhavān. "Yourself..." So don't waste your time even by a minute. Try to understand the science of Kṛṣṇa. That is the only business. Other business, they are subsidiary. They are not very important business. Why Kṛṣṇa understanding is important business? Because it will give you liberation from this material condition life. We are foolishly thinking we are very independent, we can do whatever we like, but that is not the fact. The fact is we are completely dependent on the laws of material nature. Even if you defy a little bit, immediately you'll be punished. That is the strict laws of nature. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). So we do not understand. There is no education throughout the whole world how we are being controlled by the material nature and why we are being controlled. Why we are put into this position of being controlled? These questions should be raised. That is human life. Otherwise it is animal life. The cats and dogs, they cannot inquire, "Why I am being controlled?" But they agree to be controlled. But human life there is struggle. They are called struggle for existence.
Room Conversation -- July 26, 1976, London:

Prabhupāda: So long one will remain a karmī, he'll get body. And what body? There is no guarantee. That will depend on your karma. But you'll get a body. So read it. It is very important. Again.

Jayatīrtha: "As long as one does not inquire about the spiritual values of life, one is defeated and subjected to miseries arising from ignorance."

Prabhupāda: Everything, whatever he's doing—the so-called nonsense advancement of civilization is defeat, simply defeat. What is your advancement? You are completely under the control of the laws of material nature. What is your progress? So yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam. Only this hodgepodge. They are wasting so much time going to the Mars, spending so much money. But there is no inquiry, ātma-tattvam: "What I am? What is my goal of life?"

Bhagavān: They are zero.

Prabhupāda: Such zero. Apaśyatām ātma-tattvaṁ gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām (SB 2.1.2). Ātma-tattva, there is no...

Bhagavān: They are thinking that they have become advanced because they have become atheists. They have let religion go. They say that religion was a...

Prabhupāda: But what you have gained out of it, rascal? Now, there is no water. Bring water and become atheist. Why do you see: "When there will be water?" Bring water by scientific method. Why you are looking on the sky: "Whether there is any cloud."

Conversation with George Harrison -- July 26, 1976, London:
Prabhupāda: "At that time I may be not able to utter 'Kṛṣṇa' or think of You, and now I am healthy, let me finish this business." That means "Let me die immediately. Now I'm healthy, I'm quite fit." This is the ideal. Ante nārāyaṇa-smṛtiḥ (SB 2.1.6). At the time of death, if one remembers Kṛṣṇa, then his life is successful. Immediately he goes to Kṛṣṇa. Just like Ajamila. He chanted "Narayana," and immediately his path to Vaikuntha become clear. So this practice means, whatever we practice all through life, there is chance of coming that remembrance at the time of death, and then it is successful, life is success. If at the time of death one can remember Kṛṣṇa, then his whole life is successful. Our one student, Kārttikeya, his mother was very fortunate. So his mother had nothing to do with this Society, but the boy was attached, and she heard several times "Kṛṣṇa," that this boy is attached to Kṛṣṇa. At the time of her death, she asked her son, "Is your Kṛṣṇa here?" and died. Just see how fortunate she is. She simply uttered this word, "Is your Kṛṣṇa here?" then she died. Very fortunate. So on account of her son she got salvation. Otherwise, Kārttikeya told me that he went to see his mother, and the mother was going to ball dance, and the mother did not receive him well. "All right, you sit down. I'll come again." She was such lady. But by Kṛṣṇa's grace, at the time of death, she inquired her son, "Is your Kṛṣṇa here?" Very fortunate.
Radio Interview -- July 27, 1976, London:

Mike Robinson: That's cold. (laughs)

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Mike Robinson: That was very good. Thank you very much.

Prabhupāda: Why young men are attracted to, they inquire? Why young men are attracted in this movement?

Mike Robinson: What is the answer?

Prabhupāda: They are receptive. Young man is blank slate. They are not sophisticated. Therefore they receive very nicely.

Jayatīrtha: Mind is more open.

Prabhupāda: Huh? Mind is open. That is.... And they are not so sinful, because they are young.

Hari-śauri: Not quite so defeated by material nature.

Prabhupāda: Yes. There is time.

Room Conversation -- July 27, 1976, London:

Prabhupāda: That's a fact. If one actually interested in real philosophy, they must come to spiritualism. Ātma-tattvam. That is ātma-tattvam. Parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam. So long they do not come to this platform of understanding ātma-tattva, whatever rascal they are doing, simply defeat, that's all. Parābhava. Simply frustration and defeat. This very word, parābhava, means defeat. Parābhavas tāvad abodha-jātaḥ. Why he's defeated? Abodha-jātaḥ. Because by birth he's a rascal. Abodha-jātaḥ. And this will continue yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam. So long he's not enlightened to inquire about spirit and the science of spirit, he'll remain in that, that, what is called, defeat position or conquered position. So we have to now increase our scope. Everything we have got. And if you don't come to this platform, ātma-tattva, then your all attempt will be defeat. You are already defeated, frustrated, simply struggling, that's all. Either take the capitalist or communist, who has conquered? Everyone is defeated. One party may be proud that "We have been victorious." What victory you have got? What is the victory? Not that the communist countries, they are all happy. This is not the fact. Then where is your victory? Simply beating the drum that they have got victory, victory? "We have gone to moon planet. We have gone to Mars." Cheating innocent public. Is that victory? The girls are working that side? No.

Room Conversation -- July 27, 1976, London:

Prabhupāda: Yes, cats and dogs they are eating. Yes. Hong Kong. they are eating. Who said that one gentleman came to Hong Kong hotel? Eh?

Hari-śauri: One of the devotees in America. Some man came with his pet dog. So in America they tie up the dogs outside the restaurant, so he did that and he went in. And then he pointed, he showed the doorman his dog, meaning that he was liable to look after him. So after he'd eaten his meal he went out and his dog was gone. So after some inquiry they found out that when he showed the doorman the dog, he misunderstood and thought that he wanted to eat it, that he was bringing his lunch with him, so he took the dog and killed it and served him. He ate his dog.

Jayatīrtha: A local policeman said that in England there are more laws protecting the dogs than there are protecting the children. If you beat your children, then no problem. If you beat your dog, immediately they'll come arrest you.

Prabhupāda: Ācchā?

Jayatīrtha: Yes.

Bhagavān: I've seen in India, they are bringing foreign dogs.

Jayatīrtha: Even that one gosvāmī in Vṛndāvana, he has got French dogs.

Prabhupāda: That poodles. He's rascal. And such a fool, "Jagat-guru." So you go.

Jayatīrtha: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. (end)

Room Conversation -- July 31, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Prabhupāda: Let them do that, befool others. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās (SB 7.5.31). Because others, they are blind, this blind man, whatever he says, they believe. They will say "Perhaps ten millions of years ago there was life, perhaps." These things are going on. But we know every planet is full of living entity. There is regular life and there are streets. The streets are paved with pearls, corals, in Svargaloka. We have got information. And what is their information? Scratching some sand and bring it, that's all. As if sand is not available. But we give information there are planets where the pavements are with pearls. Go and bring some pearls. There is the ocean of milk. Bring some milk from there. And then we shall understand that you are making some research. Simply all over the universe dry sand? And here the population is increasing. Just see. We have to believe all this. Everything is by nature vacant and all people and animals are here. And we have to believe that. Hmm. Read it. They are exposing more and more about their nonsensical scientific inquiry.

Room Conversation With French Commander -- August 3, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Prabhupāda: So, if he has got any difficulty to understand? Ask him. And purport is there. If there is any difficulty, he can inquire.

Translator: He says he admires you very much for the work you have done in spreading this message all around, and especially the fact that you have made it so clear that anyone can understand.

Prabhupāda: So let him come, join, and help. (laughter)

Translator: He says as much as he can he will.

Prabhupāda: Why as much? Why not fully? (laughter) The sooner he helps fully... (someone comes in) Oh.

Devotees: Jaya, haribol.

Prabhupāda: That Punjab National Bank has not sent the...

Jayatīrtha: Just like in India.

Prabhupāda: If possible, we can talk or... Is it possible to talk with the manager? Punjab National Bank?

Jayatīrtha: Oh, yes. Call him.

Prabhupāda: He was to send by registered post, but I have not received. You gave the address and everything.

Room Conversation With French Commander -- August 3, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Prabhupāda: Was he bona fide manager or not? (laughter)

Jayatīrtha: He didn't have his seal with him.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Anyway, just inquire. These are our garden flowers.

Jayatīrtha: Oh, very nice.

Prabhupāda: This is also?

Bhagavān: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Anything grown in the garden, that is hundred times valuable than it is purchased from the market. (pause) Bhagavad-gītā is a book which can guide the whole human society. In all different branches of knowledge, namely in politics, in sociology, in religion, in culture, in philosophy, in economics, everything, all lines are described very vividly, and the human society can take advantage of it. The Bhagavad-gītā begins in the battlefield with politics. And when Arjuna declined to fight, how Kṛṣṇa chastised him, that is described, kutas tvā kaśmalam idaṁ viṣame samupasthitam.

Room Conversation -- August 8, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: Good pomegranate?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Not very good.

Prabhupāda: These boys, do they inquire about something?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Yes. Hussain Prabhu has been coming here for...

Prabhupāda: Bring some spittoon. You can keep it here. They understand English?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: They understand English, yes, some English. Hussain Prabhu has been coming here for a few months. He's chanting. He's a very, very pious boy. Before he came here, he was chanting names of God and following the four regulations.

Prabhupāda: Very good.

Room Conversation -- August 8, 1976, Tehran:

Ātreya Ṛṣi: You must inquire.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Oh, very good. Then is bigger than you. Very good. There is a verse in Caitanya-caritāmṛta, siddhānta baliyā citte nā kara alasa ihā ha-ite kṛṣṇe (CC Adi 2.117). To know, we have got limited knowledge, we cannot understand full what is God, but still we must try to understand what is God. This is the general definition of God. Suppose you take one item, God is rich, richest. Try to understand how He is richest, what is the topmost idea of all richness. Whether God possesses that richness. He possesses, but we do not understand. In this way we have to study, and all the saintly person have studied Kṛṣṇa, about these six things. They have analyzed the characters and symptoms and they have found īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Not blindly, but studying thoroughly about these qualities of God, they have decided īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). So you have to study God. Not that we accept God anybody and anything, no. Siddhānta baliyā citte nā kara alasa. Don't be lazy to understand God. The more you understand, the more you become a devotee.

Room Conversation -- August 8, 1976, Tehran:

Harikeśa: I heard you like it very much.

Prabhupāda: Yes. The more you become eager to know God, God will reveal Himself. From our side, we should not be stereotyped. People in different sects of religion, they say, "We believe." But they do not want to go further than they believe. That is very difficult. You must be dynamic and progressive, then you will have. I have talked with many sects, especially Christian priests. They will say "We believe," no more further than that. So knowledge is not like that. Knowledge must be progressive. "We believe there is no soul of the animal"—bas, fixed up. You believe like a rascal, so I shall remain rascal. What is this? We should be progressive. That is wanted. Of course, in the lower stage one may have a type of belief, but if you want more clearly, you must be progressive. According to Vedānta system, the life, human life, is only for inquiring about Brahman. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. We shall talk again.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. (end)

Evening Darsana -- August 9, 1976, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: So everything depends on the sincerity and seriousness. And if we take these ritualistic ceremonies, "Now I've gone to church or mosque, I have gone to temple, finish. Now let me do whatever I like." Then that is waste of time. Śrama eva hi kevalam. That is simply waste of time. That is going on practically. He doesn't want to see "How much progress I have made in the matter of loving God." That he does not inquire. He takes God as order supplier. So "He's supplying my order, that's nice." He'll never learn to supply the order of God. Neither he will come any stage on that platform. The highest stage is to supply the order of God, not make God my order supplier. That is neophyte stage. Just like a small child, he simply wants to take supply from the father. But when the child is grown up and he's educated, he wants to see "How I can supply the order of parents." That is good stage. "My parents have taken so much pain to raise me, now I am educated, now they are old man..." Sentiment, I am speaking, this family sentiment. "I must see my..." (someone enters) Come on. The whole day. That is the stage of love, that "I have taken supplies from my father so long, now I must supply the order of the father." That is the stage of love. I'll not take. I have taken so much, sufficient. Now I'll not take anything from my parents, I shall simply supply what they want. That is good son, loving son. That is perfection of spiritual or religious life, when we love God and we are prepared to sacrifice anything for God. That is perfection. So, whole day you were engaged?
Evening Darsan -- August 10, 1976, Tehran:

Atreya Ṛṣi: No, but not everyone is prisoner.

Prabhupāda: No, this question. Anyone can become criminal, any moment. There is no question of beginning. At any moment you can begin. You are honest gentleman, very good. You are working in a nice spot. At any time, any moment, you can become a criminal and go to prison house. That is... You are prone to... As soon as you misuse your little independence, you become a criminal. That is the difficulty. You have got some independence. As soon as we misuse that independence, immediately we are criminal, go to prison house. Daivī hy eṣa guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). You cannot cheat material nature. Immediately she captures. Kṛṣṇa bhuliya jīva bhoga vañcha kare pasate māyā tare japati 'dhare. That beginning is possible at any moment. You haven't got to trace out the history. Even if you are very honest, you can become subjected to these criminal law at any moment. You are prone to that. So there is no use wasting time how it was begun. You are criminal. Now make your treatment that you may not become criminal again. If you go to a doctor, you have got some sickness, and if the doctor inquires, "How it began?" How it began? What business? Now I have got sickness, you treat me. That's all. What is the use of wasting time how it began? Some way or other, it has begun. Now I've come to you, make treatment. That's all. Why should we waste our time to find out the history how it began? That beginning can be possible at any moment. As soon as we misuse our little independence, immediately the beginning is there. A criminal means one who has violated the laws of the state. That is a fact. So when that violation began, so that is not very important thing. You have violated, you are in the prison house. That's all. That is important thing.

Evening Darsan -- August 10, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: Fall or rise also. Why do you say fall? You can rise to the highest platform from the fallen condition. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. That you are in a fallen condition, come to the highest platform and talk with God, play with God, dance with God. That is our opportunity. Now it is up to you to take it or not to take it. That is up to you. But our propaganda is this, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti kaunteya (BG 4.9). You simply try to understand Kṛṣṇa. Then janma karma ca me divyam evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ tyaktvā deham (BG 4.9)—this is our propaganda. We are trying to induce people to understand Kṛṣṇa. Then his life is successful. But if you don't try to understand, that is your business. But we are offering that here is a movement, you try to understand Kṛṣṇa. What is the wrong there? But if you don't like, who can force you? We are going country to country, door to door, town to town. What is our business? We are simply requesting that "You try to understand Kṛṣṇa." And Kṛṣṇa says, "As soon as you understand Me, you come to Me." Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9). Now it is up to you. If you take theoretically, that "If by understanding Kṛṣṇa I can go to the eternal, blissful spiritual life," why not try it? And if you inquire that, "All right, it is very good proposal. By going back to Kṛṣṇa, everything is solved. Yes, I'll go. So what is the method?" Then if I say, "Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa," where is the difficulty? Why you are so much determined not to do anything to go back to home, back to Godhead? That is your misfortune. If it is so easy, and it is the means of solving all the problems, why not try it? "All right, let me try in this life." Why don't you do it? It is not a very difficult task. If you don't do it, then you are misfortunate. Therefore Caitanya, kono bhāgyavan jīva. This is the process to be adopted by the some fortunate persons. But they do not want to become fortunate. They want to remain unfortunate. That is the difficulty.

Room Conversation -- August 10, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: Suppose there is little success, but in comparison to the money expended, that success is little. Just like I, in the beginning I advertised my books in the Times, New York Times. They charged me sixty-three dollars, a small space. So there was inquiry, not order, three inquiries. Not even order. I have got this experience. For me, at that time, sixty-three dollars were too much. So I did not get any response. That is my practical experience. I got three inquiries, not even order. But the Times, New York Times, they have got millions of customers and millions of readers, but I got three inquiries.

Evening Darsana -- August 11, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: ...the existence of God. There must be. How can you deny existence of God? It is not possible. Now, if you are convinced that there is God, then the next question will be What is that God? Is He a living being or a stone? What is the nature of God or the features of God? Whether He has... So many things we have to study about. But first of all we have to accept there is God. God, what kind of thing is that God, that is called brahma-jijñāsā. That is the beginning of philosophy. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. What is God, what is His nature, what is His feature, what does He do—these things can be inquired by human beings. A dog cannot inquire. So if a human being is not interested in these things, he's a dog. Do you agree or not? If a human being is not interested to know about God, then he's dog. This is our first charge. Now let the agnostic refute. Hmm? In human life... There are varieties of living entities, so many. The trees are also living entities, but it is standing, it has no other capacity. The birds are there, they're little improved, they're flying, they can move from one tree to another, but they have no capacity to inquire about God. There are so many insects, they are also living entity, but they do not inquire about God. It is only human being, he can inquire. That particular facility is given.

Evening Darsana -- August 11, 1976, Tehran:

Harikeśa: Why is that?

Prabhupāda: No, the first thing is that we have to accept there is God. Now, to inquire about God, this facility is given to the human being. So you must utilize it. Otherwise you are not human. Your business is, by nature's creation, your business is. The human being... Just like you dress yourself nicely, you comb your hair. That is possible by the human being. An animal may have big hair, but it cannot dress because he has no intelligence. So if you have got intelligence, if you utilize it, then life's profit is there. If you don't utilize it, then you remain lower-grade animal. So in the human form of life, the preliminary is that he can inquire about God, he can understand about God. So if he does not utilize his life for that purpose, then he is animal. So Aniruddha Prabhu requires spectacle? Or it is...

Arundhatī: No, it is just a toy glasses, toy. He does not require.

Prabhupāda: You require spectacle, glass?

Arundhatī: No.

Evening Darsana -- August 11, 1976, Tehran:

Jñānagamya: But the religionists, they say "We don't know."

Prabhupāda: No, we do not say about religion. We are talking of science. It will take three millions of years to understand religion for these rascals. They are now animals. Religion is not so easy thing to be understood by the cats and dogs. Religion is meant for the human being. In the human society there is religion, not in the dog society or the cats and dogs. They do not understand religion means they are cats and dogs, they are not human beings. Human being is that: athāto brahma jijñāsā, to inquire about the nature of God. That is human being. Otherwise cats and dogs.

Shahrezad: So why we are so involved in the material world that most of the human being don't have...

Prabhupāda: They are being misled by misleaders, that is the difficulty.

Evening Darsana -- August 11, 1976, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: Unless we agree to that point, we have to continue this material life, life after life, and suffer. Material body means suffering. Either you get human body or animal body or tree body or any body, suffers.
na sādhu manye yata ātmano 'yam
asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ
parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto
yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam

So long one does not inquire about his spiritual position, he'll have to accept this material body and suffer. This is the law of nature. So therefore our business is how to stop accepting this material body. That is the, our... Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9). That is wanted. How to stop accepting this material body. So that is bhakti. Karma, jñāna, yoga, you'll have to accept material body. Maybe better body you may have. But better or bad, worse, whatever body you accept, you have to suffer.

Evening Darsana -- August 12, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: A little bit of army took him, plus a little bit of māyā. He's a very sincere, nice boy.

Prabhupāda: So. Let him go on chanting. Chanting cannot be checked, any position. So what is your inquiry further?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: What is your further inquiry?

Prabhupāda: Our latest Vṛndāvana report is very encouraging. He has used the word "jam-packed," always people. They are selling good number of magazines, books, prasādam. Guesthouse is also filled up. Now we have festival going on nice. Hare Kṛṣṇa. What is your further inquiry?

Shahrezad(?): I'm thinking to ask a question. (long pause) (break)

Ātreya Ṛṣi: There have been very few of them.

Prabhupāda: Yes. You find out this verse: manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye.

Evening Darsana -- August 12, 1976, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: Everyone worships Him, yaṁ brahmā varuṇendra-rudra stunvanti divyaiḥ stavaiḥ, by glorified prayers. And gāyanti yaṁ sāma-gāḥ. Vedaiḥ sāṅga-pada-kramopaniṣadaiḥ—by Vedic hymns, by Upaniṣad, by Vedic literature. Gāyanti yaṁ sāma-gāḥ. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). The yogis in meditation try to find out Him within the core of the heart. Yasyāntaṁ na viduḥ surāsura-gaṇā devāya tasmai namaḥ. The same prayer. The difference is the action. Difference is in the action. So far prayer is concerned, God is great, accepted, either by the Christian or the Muhammadan or the Hindus or the followers of Vedic principles. Now "God is great, glorify Him, and that is the business of human life," that they are not taking. Practically. That is the defect. And that is to be done. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. Brahmā means the great. Brhavad brhanantvad iti brahma.(?) Brahmā means the greatest. Now here we get the information God is great. So naturally one should be inquisitive to know how He is great. That is human life. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. Just like if I introduce, "Here is a gentleman, very rich." So naturally next inquiry will be, "How he is rich? What is the position that he is very rich?" These inquiries are natural. If I simply remain satisfied by hearing that he is rich, that is also good. You have got some respect. But if you know how he is rich, to what extent he is rich, then your respect will be increased.
Evening Darsana -- August 12, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: Yes, if I understand that he is rich, I may consider, "Well, I have got one thousand dollars, so he may have one hundred thousand dollars," that's all. But if you understand that he has got millions and millions of dollars, then you'll appreciate, "Oh, so rich!" Then your regard for him will increase. That is not being done. Stereotyped, "God is great." How He is great, to what extent He is great, what is His greatness activities, if you know more and more, then your regard for God will increase. But that they are not doing. Simply officially, "God is great, God is great," finished. No jijñāsā, no inquiry. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. One should be inquisitive. Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). One who has become inquisitive of the uttamam, the most exalted subject matter, he requires a guru. Otherwise, who will answer his inquiries? Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ. If he's not jijñāsuḥ, what is the need of guru? And where is the question of advancement? He must be jijñāsuḥ. That is, people are not interested. Officially, go to church, go to mosque, go to temple and do something. Then drop it and go to your own business and do whatever you like. No discrimination. They're not serious. Not very serious. One who is serious, he'll inquire. Otherwise, the formula is all right, "God is great, there is no more greater than Him." But inquire, "How He is great?" (guests enter) Thank you. Jaya. Therefore society is required, association is required, to inquire. Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ (SB 3.25.25). There is need of association for discussing how God is great. That is needed-jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. Unless one is inquisitive... Sharmaji, you can come here. So, that is the... Simply we should not remain satisfied to understand... That is not proper understanding, officially, "God is great." No. Try to inquire how great He is, why He is great. Then your regard for God, your devotion for God will increase. And because we do not inquire how God is great, therefore cheap gods are coming. Any rascal, he is repre... "I am God." Because we do not know actually what is God. But if you inquire about God, if you go through the śāstra, as it is stated in the Brahma-saṁhitā:

yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya
jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ
viṣṇur mahān sa iha yasya kalā-viśeṣo
govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi
(Bs. 5.48)
Evening Darsana -- August 12, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: That people are not interested. Only officially chanting "God is great," that's all. These are the... You try to understand. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is the Vedānta-sūtra. Go, inquire, be inquisitive. Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). One should be inquisitive. That is human life. And as soon as you become inquisitive, you become aware of God more and more, then your devotion increases. That is wanted.

Mr. Sahani: It is also said that you have a blind faith.

Prabhupāda: Blind faith?

Mr. Sahani: You should have a faith in your God. But when you are inquisitive and you keep asking more and more and more, and...

Prabhupāda: And who says that you keep blind faith? Who says?

Mr. Sahani: You should have faith, in God, should have faith.

Prabhupāda: No, no. God, it is not blind faith. God is there, you have to accept. It is not blind.

Room Conversation -- August 14, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: So they were not crying very loudly, but the grandfather inquired, "So why there is, it appears there is some great suffering?" So my father's eldest brother, he inquired, "Is your mother dead?" I consider like that, no, no. "So I am also dead." He died later on. Next day. He simply inquired, "I think your mother is dead." They said, "No, no." "No, I am also going to," and he died.

Indian Doctor: These things are not very wonderful.

Prabhupāda: From spiritual point of view this has no meaning. This is worldly affection. It is worldly affection. That is not very good asset for spiritual life. Āsakti. One has to give up āsakti. That is the process, renouncement. Voluntarily.

Indian Doctor: Anāsakta-manaḥ.

Prabhupāda: Anāsaktya. Yes. Our Vedic process is that at a certain age you must retire from family life. Voluntary, forceful, giving up association.

Room Conversation -- August 14, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Bandha.

Harikeśa: "As long as one does not inquire about the spiritual values of life, one is defeated and subjected to miseries arising from ignorance. Be it sinful or pious, karma has its resultant actions. If a person is engaged in any kind of karma, his mind is called karmātmaka, colored with fruitive activity. As long as the mind is impure, consciousness is unclear. And as long as one is absorbed in fruitive activity, he has to accept a material body."

Prabhupāda: That's all. By lābha-yoga (?) woman will become man and the man will become woman.

Indian Doctor: So long you are taking birth...

Prabhupāda: What action you have got? Before that the verse is,

nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma
yad indriya-prītaya āpṛṇoti
na sādhu manye yata ātmano 'yam
asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ
(SB 5.5.4)

So this body is temporary, but it is very miserable. That they do not understand.

Evening Darsana (on night of arrival) -- August 16, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Let them inquire. Our... Everything is open secret. We are selling books throughout the whole world to the extent of six lakhs rupees per day. So money is coming from Kṛṣṇa.

Indian man (1): Here only Swamiji, Prabhupāda, just now this...

Prabhupāda: If you don't like this, you can close India, we can go all over the world.

Indian man (2): Yes, there is a very big scope there.

Indian man (3): No, but here even it would declare it. Minister of State. Only Communist have put those questions.

Prabhupāda: Communists are seeing this movement as a great danger.

Evening Darsana (on night of arrival) -- August 16, 1976, Hyderabad:

Mahāṁśa: "New Delhi, August 13th. Mr. Om Mehta, Minister of State for Home, informed the Rājya-sabhā yesterday that government will order an inquiry into the activities of Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Society in Nadia District of West Bengal to find out whether there was something fishy about it."

Hari-śauri: This is the same report Gopāla Kṛṣṇa read you.

Mahāṁśa: You have read this, Prabhupāda?

Indian man (3): It must have come in earlier.

Prabhupāda: But the name is "Kṛṣṇa Caitanya." (laughs)

Mahāṁśa: Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Society.

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa Consciousness.

Press Interview at Muthilal Rao's House -- August 17, 1976, Hyderabad:
Prabhupāda: Those who are not searching after self-realization, they have got many subject matter for hearing and deliberate. That means material subject matter. We have in the newspaper different subject matters for different public interest, but those who are searching after spiritual realization, athāto brahma jijñāsā. As it is stated in the Vedānta-sūtra, also in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also, jīvasya tattva-jijñāsā. Human life means tattva-jijñāsā, inquiry about the Absolute Truth. That is now stopped. People are not interested, self-realization, tattva-jijñāsā. So this is an attempt to revive their spiritual consciousness, and it is authorized on the basis of Bhagavad-gītā as it is, without misinterpretation, and people are taking to it. So it is India's culture, and if we distribute this knowledge systematically, there are departments, cultural departments. So the things are there. If we cooperate, government and the public, then we can give to the whole world something which is very substantial. And there is no difficulty. The things are there, Bhagavad-gītā as it is, and this is our movement. Now if you have got any question.
Press Interview at Muthilal Rao's House -- August 17, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: That means you are not properly trained up. The thing is, the first business of human being is to inquire about the spiritual subject matter. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is the Vedānta philosophy. Now we have got this human form of body, it is your duty to inquire about the spiritual subject matter. But if your guardians, if your parents, if your government does not teach you, then it is our misfortune.

Interviewer (3): Do you want this to become a part of the educational system here?

Prabhupāda: This is the first education. Otherwise it is animal. Animal does not require absolute education. Animal is not able to understand what is self, what is God. But a man can. Therefore the man's first business is to understand this self-realization.

Interviewer (3): Do you think it will come to India via the West now?

Prabhupāda: I don't follow.

Press Interview at Muthilal Rao's House -- August 17, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: It is not exactly religious. You have taken by it because we misunderstand the meaning of religion. Religion generally understood as a kind of cult and faith. But in the Vedic literature, religion means the characteristic. Just like sugar is sweet, that is its religion. If sugar becomes pungent, that is not sugar's characteristic. Similarly, a human being must be God conscious. So that God consciousness is religion. Because in the human form of life one can understand what is God, and if he does not become, he remains an animal. Animal cannot understand. So therefore his business is how to athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is not our manufactured word, this is the Vedānta words. Atha, now we have got this human form body, based on that transmigration of the soul after millions and millions of years, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19), you have got this human form of life, now it is your business to inquire about the Absolute Truth. This is the business of human life. And āhāra-nidra-bhaya-maithuna, how to eat, how to sleep, how to enjoy sex life and how to defend, that is animal business. If you remain busy with these four principles of bodily necessities of life, āhāra-nidra-bhaya-maithuna, then you remain on he animal platform. Beyond that, when you inquire about God, that is human life. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. So we are trying to raise him from this animal life to human life. This is our business.

Press Interview at Muthilal Rao's House -- August 17, 1976, Hyderabad:

Interviewer (3): So you help people inquire God.

Prabhupāda: Yes, because that is business. Athāto brahma jijñāsā But they are forgetting that, that there is necessity of inquiring about God. To inquire about my relationship with God, what is God, they are neglecting this. Not only here, all over the world, it is becoming more and more acute.

Interviewer (4): So in relation to your movement, where does Marxism stand?

Prabhupāda: It is not my movement, it is the Vedic culture. Don't think... If you say "my movement," I have manufactured something. Not. This is the Vedic culture.

Interviewer (4): No, from the standpoint of this culture...

Prabhupāda: Standpoint is that I am trying to revive the Vedic culture, that's all. That is my business. I am not manufacturing anything.

Room Conversation -- August 20, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: No, they said Gandhi, Juhu Road?

Saurabha: No. Now on the latest letter that I got from the government it was written A. B. Nyer Road. Maybe it was an old letter, I don't know. When we submitted the new plans for the gurukula building, there was a letter I had to sign about the work, that we have given to the architect, an official letter so that we can get the permission. And it was written that the plot was on the A. B. Nyer Road, our land. So I inquired, and they said, "Yes, that's the name of that road."

Prabhupāda: Is there any signboard, A. B. Nyer Road?

Saurabha: No.

Prabhupāda: Then?

Saurabha: That is only in the back near that new hotel, that Holiday Inn Hotel. This one portion says A. B. Nyer Road. So that road goes like this-here is the Juhu Market and the road goes...

Prabhupāda: No, we go on as Hare Krishna Land, Juhu.

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

Prabhupāda: No, I can, (Hindi) (break) (Unless) one is enthused, he cannot preach. It is not possible. I went there when I was seventy years old. I was sitting in Vṛndāvana. So I thought that my Guru Mahārāja wanted me, Caitanya Mahāprabhu wanted me... So in this old age let me try. (indistinct). But by Kṛṣṇa's grace it is becoming successful. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam, dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ tam (BG 10.10). So there is good field for propagating this cult. See our young men they are... (Hindi) Juhu mai beef(?) shop (Hindi) And I inquired some of the Hindu boys that "Do you eat meat?" So they began to smile, then they accepted. (Hindi) (break) ...platform is finished. (Hindi) Yathecchasi tathā kuru (BG 18.63). Yathecchasi, yathā icchasi tathā kuru.

Minister: No, we are agreed (?) to that. There is actually no difference at all than what you are saying. As a matter of fact government is..., that's what I said, they have started their own society, society of Kṛṣṇa bhaktas. (indistinct) This country, our country, this country itself, it is such a great service.

Prabhupāda: Whole world will accept.

Morning Walk -- August 27, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Yes. (break)

yānti deva-vratā devān
pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ
bhūtāni yānti bhūtejyā
yānti mad-yājino 'pi mām
(BG 9.25)

After this body, one has to go somewhere. So this is the description, who will go where. Mad-yājino 'pi mām. Those who are preparing to go back to Godhead, they can go. Otherwise, if you go, want to go in the higher planetary system or in the lower planet... That you also go. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: We go from here. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...inquires, "Why you are chanting?" The simple reply is that "We have to go somewhere after death. We are going to Godhead. And you do not know where you'll go." Thik hai? They do not know where they will go. The animals do not know. Huh?

Indian man: We know where we have to go, to...

Prabhupāda: Yes. (end)

Meeting With Member of Parliament, Mr. Krishna Modi -- August 31, 1976, Delhi:

Prabhupāda: It is Indian culture.

Krishna Modi: Indian culture. Then he told me that you are perfectly right and I am also an Indian and I have that right also that we have no knowledge about all these things. If you have something then you please let us know so that we may inquire the particular matter. And I told him that you inquire first and then why I should have to inquire. Why I have? There is no matter, no anything, then how can I give the order for inquiry. On what basis? Let the something come, then I will... And I told them that why you are harassing? This sign, this sign, all these things, this passport, and in all these things, and you say that you go over and, Why you are...? Visa.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Visa.

Room Conversation -- September 5, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: That's all right. Money is not the strength for understanding Rādhārāṇī. If you have got some money, by the strength of money you'll understand Rādhārāṇī. That is another bogus thing. Rādhārāṇī...

Indian man: (Hindi conversation for some time)

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Girirāja was asking me for the books.

Prabhupāda: Just see. The man who paid him, he was inquiring where are the books? (Hindi) That Mukunda, his class friend, he was doing that. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu rejected him. (Hindi) "He goes everywhere." (Hindi) We have got index in Caitanya-caritāmṛta. You can find out what is the meaning of... (Hindi) ...one who is rejected. (Hindi) (end)

Room Conversation -- September 9, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So the result was all of them became without passing stool. So the king could understand there is some offense. So... Because formerly the kings were saintly persons. He asked all his men, "What you have done?" Then the girl said, "Father, I have done something." Then he made this plea that, "Kindly excuse this girl... Out of ignorance..." He was very angry, that Cyavana Muni. His attitude was always angry. Then all of them became very much aggrieved. Then he asked, "Whether your girl is married?" King could understand that "He wants to marry my daughter. Otherwise, why he's inquiring." And he was so old... I have got my skin still tight. All loose.

Press Interview -- October 16, 1976, Chandigarh:

Interviewer: Sir, apart from Catholicity of the American church, what can be the other reasons of their indifference towards your positive ideas?

Prabhupāda: Not indifference. They are... You see, there is a remark of a politician. There is no indifference. They are appreciating that it is spreading like epidemic. There is no question of indifference. But the leaders, they appreciate. Some of the fathers of my disciples, they come to offer their thanks, "Swamiji, it is a great fortune for us that you have come to our country." They say like that. They appreciate that their sons were going to be hippies. Now they are devotees, God conscious. So any sane man will never object to this. The priests also, they say that "These boys are our boys..." In Boston, one priest said. "And they never cared to come to the church or inquire about God. And now these boys are mad after God." Not only that, practically, in many places we have purchased churches and converted into temples. So we see these churches were sold because nobody was coming. But since this movement is there, the same church is there and the same persons are there. You will find always it is crowded. This is practical. I have not imported men from India to fill up the temples. Their men and their church, but the philosophy is different. It is filled up.

Room Conversation -- November 3, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Our only business is how to establish Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is the only business. Our quarrel with our men: Why this temple is not clean? Why there is no flower in the Deity room? This is our fight. We have no other cause of fight. And why should we show magic? But these inquiries are going on—it is good—these rascals will be exposed.

Hari-śauri: Hm. The people are so confused because they don't know...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- November 4, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: ...one hour.

Pradyumna: Just after it gets dark.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Pradyumna: Just after sun does down it gets a little dark.

Prabhupāda: Then at what time it should be happened? You can inquire from other temple.

Akśayananda: Last winter we had, 6:30.

Pradyumna: With the season it changes little.

Prabhupāda: So is there any regulation given in the pañjikā, when?

Pradyumna: Just... Only regulation given for timing is that for Deity going to rest at noon. The Deity should take rest at noon, two yāmas after sunrise, and take rest in evening, one yāma after sunset. But it didn't say anything about the other āratis.

Prabhupāda: The ārati, it is called sandhya ārati. Sandhya ārati means just in the evening. So when evening time is there... After sunset it is not evening. What is the time of sunset nowadays? Bring pañjikā.

Room Conversation with Dr. Theodore Kneupper -- November 6, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Rich man you can become but for how long you shall be rich? The nature is so cruel; at any moment he'll take away everything. Then what is the use of becoming? No, you become rich man. There is no... But you should know that "Although I am rich, powerful, everything can be taken by nature at any moment." Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham (BG 10.34). That is statement of God, that "Any moment... You try to become rich, powerful, and president or minister, that's all right, but any moment, I can take everything from you." So who will protect himself? They have no brain that "Whatever I have created, it can be taken at any moment." So what is that confidence? They have no inquiry even. That this is a fact. Either you become Napoleon, Hitler or Gandhi, or this or that, any moment everything will be taken away. "Get out." Not only that, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13), you have to accept another body. And that is no guarantee what body you are going to get because fully under the control of nature. They therefore don't believe in transmigration of the soul. And that is very great botheration. They try to evade. But Kṛṣṇa says, God says, "You cannot evade. It is nature's law." Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā (BG 2.13). Within your body the soul is there. On account of presence of the soul—you were a child; now you are a grown young man—the body has changed. You were a boy; now you are young man. So on account of presence of the soul, the body is changing. So when this body will be finished, the soul will exist. Therefore, naturally you have to conclude, there will be another body.

Room Conversation with Dr. Theodore Kneupper -- November 6, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: That should be educated from the very beginning. Therefore we are opening gurukula, sane brain. Otherwise their brain is spoiled by so-called bad education. I inquired from your state secretary that "You write on the bills, 'In God We Trust,' so why not spread this God consciousness—what is God? You blindly say, 'God in Trust,' but what is God? Do you know? So why not spread this science?" I received no reply up to date. They might have said, "Here is a crazy fellow. Nobody has inquired like this." That's all. They do not like to enter into the controversy. Actually they do not believe in God, but they write, "In God We Trust," is it not?

Dr. Kneupper: That's what they write.

Room Conversation with Dr. Theodore Kneupper -- November 6, 1976, Vrndavana:

Dr. Kneupper: Have they progressed much now?

Prabhupāda: Yes, the enquiry is finished. Now government is considering to give that land. (indistinct) that land. There were many others, land offers in Hyderabad, but I wanted to start this institution in the, on the birth site of Lord Caitanya. Otherwise we have got better land. We have asked government for 350 acres but we have already bought in Hyderabad, 600 acres. Here also we can get immediately 500, 600 acres, like that. We have already got another plot of land, 100 acres in Ahmedabad. So there are so many lands available but I wanted to start this project in Māyāpur, the birthsite of Lord Caitanya. Therefore we are (indistinct). If they say no, then we shall attempt it somewhere else.

Room Conversation with Indian Man -- December 22, 1976, Poona:

Prabhupāda: That is wrong. Not maybe. Then let us try to understand. It is not the question of maybe. Self-realization must be. That is self-realization. Apaśyatām ātma-tattvaṁ gṛheṣu gṛha-medhinām. Śrotavyādīni rājendra nṛṇāṁ santi sahasraśaḥ (SB 2.1.2). (aside:) You come to this side, that's all right. Those who are not self-realized, they have got many questions and many answers. And those who are, one who is self-realized, he has only one question and one answer. One question, that what I am. There is no self-realization, one question, what I am. And now what I am, do you think there is, a student, he is inquiring, what I am, and whatever he thinks, that is his answer? If the student is ignorant... Therefore there are many students and many questions about self-realization. Do you think that there are many answers?

Indian man: Answer will be one.

Prabhupāda: This is self-realization. The answer is one, that "I am not this body." This is self-realization. You cannot say that because there are many students, so there are many answers.

Room Conversation with Indian Man -- December 22, 1976, Poona:

Prabhupāda: Hm. Self-realization that, that you are seeking what I am. Am I this body or something else? That is your inquiry. And the answer is that, "No, you are not this body."

Indian man: But questions remain the same.

Prabhupāda: No, no, not... Then it is explained, how you are not this body. In the beginning He explains, dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā (BG 2.13). Just like you see the body has changed every daily, per minute, the body is changing, imperceptively. But try to understand that you were a child, now your body has changed in a different body. But you understand, you remember, that "I was a child." But the child body is no longer. So you remember or not remember, the body is changing. This is the answer. This is self-realization.

Indian man: I am the constant change, the process?

Prabhupāda: You are not changing.

Morning Walk -- December 25, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Forty-three lakhs worth of books we have sold in one week.

Guest (1): Girirāja said that's the main source of income for this movement, as a matter of fact.

Prabhupāda: Yes we are getting ten lakhs of rupees every month from that book department.

Guest (1): Yes, that's the main source. Because I inquired with him that whether it is not something to do with CIA, wherefrom your money comes?

Prabhupāda: Just see how foolish. The CIA, American CIA, they will pay us, (laughter) and these boys, CIA boys, will come and dance with me. (laughter) Just understand how these Indians have become rascals. They have no common sense.

Guest (1): Perverts I would say. Perverts.

Prabhupāda: And that is being supported, "Oh, they are CIA."

Morning Walk and Room Conversation -- December 26, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That I have to say again? That means Rāvaṇa. He's asking. I am repeatedly saying that follow, and he's asking. That means he's Rāvaṇa. Why you are inquiring like that. If you know this is the solution, why don't you do it? That means Rāvaṇa. If you know this is the solution, why don't you do it? (break)

Śrutaśrava: ...one week ago and in just four days time the devotees there have distributed over one lakh of Back To Godhead magazines in just four days.

Prabhupāda: But you do not do here. Huh? That means Rāvaṇa. (laughter) (break) ...to become less intelligent, less active, and therefore I say, yāya sei laṅkā sei haya rāvaṇa,(?) "Anyone who comes to Laṅkā, he becomes Rāvaṇa."

Morning Walk and Room Conversation -- December 26, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is Vedānta. Yes. That is Vedānta. Brahma-sūtra. This is Vedānta. So this life is meant for Vedānta. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. And what is Brahman? Janmādy asya yataḥ. Brahman means the Supreme Soul of everything. And Kṛṣṇa replies, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ (BG 10.8). Then Vedānta study... I'm inquiring what is the ultimate source of everything and here is the answer. If you don't believe, that is another thing. You go on talking like anything. That is another thing. But answer is there. Aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2). Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). So we have to go to such mahātmā who knows vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti. Then it will be all right. If we want to waste time, that is another thing. I am very glad to see you. So I wish that you may spread real Vedānta. That is essence of Vedas. Vedānta means the essence of Vedas. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). Light is, of course there is light in the sunshine and there is light in the sun-globe, but the source of light is coming from the sun-god. Just like electric bulb, thousand power. So the illumination is also light and the source of illumination, the bulb, that is also light. And what is that? Filament within? That is also light.

Room Conversation -- December 26, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Simply reading will not do. You have to learn from the right person.

Indian lady: By reading, reading, we learn.

Prabhupāda: No, if you read as it is, then you will be benefited. But if you read these rubbish commentaries, then (speaks to another man) You inquired about that land? He wants to avoid the land.

Room Conversation -- December 26, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Punjabi.

Indian man: Hindu brāhmaṇa. But there the brāhmaṇas also eat meat. Kashmiri brāhmaṇas eat meat. So he was about 25, 24 years old at that time. When he reached Bhavnagar, he could not get a house. There were so many "To Let's" but wherever he went he was told no. So after all he got fed up, he inquired what is the reason. He said "You are a non-Katyawari, non-Saurastri. You are from the frontier, so you must be eating meat and eggs. So we'll not give you our house." So ultimately, one of his business friends, because he was the manager of the office after a month or so, one of the business friends he said, "All right, I'll get you a house if you give a written undertaking that you'll not eat meat." So he said, "Okay, thank you. I'll write undertaking that I'll not eat meat." One year passed. But when he used to come back from office, in front of a particular shop he used to see... In those days even a crowd of twenty persons in front of a shop was a big thing. So he would see ten, fifteen people and eat what is stop in a shop and take a small tiffin box, drop off a small tiffin box and walk away. So one day he also stopped there and he asked the shopwala for this tiffin box. "What you are giving in there?" "That," he said, "is not for you." "What is this?" He said "It's not for you. You'll not get it." Then he visited that fellow five, six times, then ultimately, that man said, "Look here, why you want to know all about that? It's not meant for you, and you'll not be able to use it." He said, "What is, can you tell me." Then he brought it, gave it to him, he opened it. It was minced meat. "But it's meat." How do you know it is meat?" He said, "I have been living in Punjab for all of my life. I know what is meat." He said, "Now don't shout. Go away from here. They are my customers." "They are your customers? They are the very people who have been refusing me a house!" The same people.

Prabhupāda: Meat-eating is now world wide. I have seen now in the airplane one Marwari gentlemen, he was eating the intestines of the (indistinct).

Room Conversation -- December 26, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Now how is this (indistinct) because the bride and bridegroom is selected by the parents.

Indian man: Yes, the parents would not select that boy.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Indian man: Because parents, as they inquire today, how much you are educated, that was one of the qualifications.

Prabhupāda: So what is the purport?

Indian man: (laughs) I don't know. But to learn all these etiquettes of methods when you are in a sabhā (indistinct) these cabarets and all the... That type of cabaret, how you should behave?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: We will leave at 7:25, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Hm. What is the time?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Fifteen, twenty minutes.

Prabhupāda: What will be about the light?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: They are fixing it up now.

Room Conversation -- December 26, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That can be also done. I am waiting for one letter from Gaura-Govinda Swami.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Then from Kumbha-mela you can go to Orissa, from Orissa to Māyāpur. Then you have go to Kodekana.

Prabhupāda: Kodekana, have you been ever? I have to inquire whether it is zigzag.

Indian man: Oh, Kodekana. That is very famous place.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Is it zigzag or is it straight?

Indian man: No, zigzag. In the mountain side.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: No that is not good.

Prabhupāda: OK, then it is...

Indian man: Kodekana is outside (indistinct).

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I mean, is there a train station or airplane, airport?

Indian man: Railway may be going, but even that will be zigzag.

Prabhupāda: Simla, er, Darjeeling is not so zigzag but big, big loops (?).

Room Conversation -- December 26, 1976, Bombay:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Kodekana there is no train at all?

Prabhupāda: No, there is train from Madras.

Indian man: Kodekana you'll have to change and then go by motor car.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Indian man: That inquire.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I can inquire.

Indian man: When you come in Ootacamund there is a direct train. (Prabhupāda rings bell)

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: You want Jagadīśa or Hari-śauri?

Prabhupāda: Anyone. He can take this.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: I like that place Hyderabad.

Indian man: Hyderabad.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation with Fate -- December 27, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Hm, hm.

Rādhā-vallabha: This is the very beginning. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the First American Theistic Exhibition. Since time immemorial we have inquired about our origin. We have tried to understand our place in the universe, the nature of birth and death, free will and predestination, time, God, and nature. However, even after countless years of philosophical study and comprehensive research these questions still remain for the most part a mystery. The words you are about to hear were written five thousand years ago in a language no longer spoken called Sanskrit."

Prabhupāda: No longer spoken? Why?

Rādhā-vallabha: I was just wondering about that myself. No longer spoken on the earth?

Prabhupāda: Yes, it is spoken in India. There are many scholars who speak Sanskrit. In Europe also.

Rādhā-vallabha: So we should just say, "Five thousand years ago in a language called Sanskrit."

Prabhupāda: Which is still continuing, but in a limited circle.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Letter to Russian -- January 5, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: First of all see one man. Test.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I was going to mention to him in my letter that I'm surprised how I'm not getting replies to my letters from the people I visited in Russia.

Prabhupāda: Why? Why you should inquire from him? If you know that there is difficulty, why should you inquire?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, he can then have his Moscow address office get me the replies.

Prabhupāda: Why? Why you are anxious to get their reply? Their country is like that. Why...? Yes. Why should you bother and strain your brain unnecessarily? You should know they are all rascals. That's all. But here we get an opportunity. You can write, present it to... Where is the other book?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh. So I can take one. And I can order some more from Stockholm and send them to these people as gift.

Prabhupāda: Yes. No, they can send directly. They can write under instruction.

Evening Darsana -- January 7, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: One lady... She is Subash Bose's niece, Lalitā Bose. You see? Because these family are very intimately..., Subash Bose's family and Nehru family. So she calls Indira "Didi," means "elder sister." So she took me, and she gave me interview at a very critical moment, just day before that Bujhibanlal(?) was killed, and she was guarded by heavy number of police and soldier. Still, she allowed my car to enter. I am very much obliged. But it was ten minutes' time. So what Bhagavad-gītā could be discussed in ten minutes? Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā (BG 4.34). One has to learn Bhagavad-gītā submissively, praṇipātena, paripraśnena, by sincere inquiry, and learn it from a person who has seen. Upadekṣyanti tad jñānaṁ jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ. You cannot have any knowledge, who has not seen the truth. If you say that "How it is possible that you have...?" We have seen through this paramparā system. The same thing: "This is pencil." I have learned it from my father, "It is pencil," that's all. You cannot call it stick. It is pencil. My father has taught that "This is pencil." I know this. That's all. It is very easy. But if one follows, his life is successful. Very easy.

Evening Darsana -- January 7, 1977, Bombay:

D. D. Desai: So your impression is that ten minutes or whatever time is not adequate, and unless she prepares her ground for stable, continuous...

Prabhupāda: No, she can... Paripraśna. From scientific point of view, from logic, that is accepted. But if he (she) thinks blindly something, then it is not possible.

tad viddhi praṇipātena
paripraśnena sevayā
upadekṣyanti tad jñānam
jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ
(BG 4.34)

Just like Arjuna learned Bhagavad-gītā from Kṛṣṇa. He submitted, śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam (BG 2.7). So in that attitude... But pariprasna, counter-inquiry is allowed. Just like good logician, good scientist, one can... That answer is there. But if one inquires as a blind person, keeping her faith or his faith in something differently, then it is as useless. It must be flexible to the level of logic and science. Then it is very easy. That is like I explained. Kṛṣṇa said, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). So where is the difficulty? I am changing my body. So why I shall not get another body after my death? Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). And wherefrom this knowledge is coming? From Kṛṣṇa, the supreme authority.

Evening Darsana -- January 7, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Everyone is very worried. That is described by Prahlāda Mahārāja. When Hiraṇyakaśipu... After all, they are father and son. He inquired from the son, "My dear son, what best thing you have learned?"S So he said, "My dear..." He did not say "My dear father." He said "The best of the asuras." He addressed his father, "The best of the asuras." Tat sādhu manye asura varya dehinam. "My dear the best of the asuras..." He was the best of the asuras. "So I think that is best education..." Tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehinām. Dehināṁ sadā samudvignam asad-grahāt. (break) We have got good rooms like this, not that one has to go to the forest. Even in the Vṛndāvana we have got very good room, but nobody's coming. This is the position. After fiftieth year, voluntarily one must commit civil suicide—no family. And that is Vedic. But he will think of family up to the point of being killed by this revolver. This is going on. Even Gandhi, what to speak of others. He presented himself as very tyāgī, but unless he was killed, he did not give up his ambition. "How my sons, how my countrymen will be happy?" And what happiness you can give? You are not God. Who is taking care of them? But this is māyā. He was thinking, "If I am not there, then whatever I have got, it will be finished."

Room Conversation -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That is always, trespass. Their trespass law is very strict in USA. There are dogs, and there are revolver, and trespasser, if he is killed, there is no offense. Is it not? It is very dangerous. I know one incident in New York. Some yogi came. So he was... You know that? So I became very irritated. So I asked him, "Get him out immediately." So my men got him out. He went to the police and he said that he was assaulted and so on, complained. The police came and inquired. So there were so many inquiries. But I did not know... Then I said that "He came to me without invitation." "Oh!" Immediately he dismissed. "I did not ask him to come. He came to me and disturbed me." So immediately, "Oh..." He decided. He said, "Oh..." So that law is very strict. And that is very good. Nobody can come without invitation or engagement. Otherwise they trespass. Is it?

Rāmeśvara: Sometimes they use this law against us.

Prabhupāda: Acchā?

Rāmeśvara: We're coming to these shopping centers to sell our books and they say, "We have not invited you. Please go away." It is called the right of the property owner to allow on his property whoever he wants. So these gigantic shopping centers invite the public to buy only from them, not from us. So they restrict us.

Prabhupāda: They are not inviting us.

Conversation on Train to Allahabad -- January 11, 1977, India:

Prabhupāda: If they have no conception, we should give them conception that the body is dead, decomposed, then where is the sex? Where is the inclination? Similarly, the soul originally... As it is said in the Vedānta-sūtra, that "Everything is coming from Brahman." Athāto brahma jijñāsā: "Now let us talk about Brahman." This is the meaning of athāto brahma-jijñāsāh. Then next verse is..., sūtra, code-janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). And Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo (BG 10.8). So unless sex comes from God... It may be perverted in the material world. That is another thing. But originally, pure sex must be there in God. Otherwise how it comes? Everything is emanating from the Supreme. Janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1). So how you can say there is no sex? Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura explains that janmādy asya, ādi-rasa. Ādi. Ādi-rasa means sex enjoyment. So he has explained that sex has come from... Because we have used perverted sex, we have got a very bad idea. But actually sex is there in the original. Otherwise there is no question of mādhurya-rasa. Hlādinī-śakti. There is no question of sex. You do not understand Absolute. The opposition party will inquire you, but sex is originally from Brahman.

Conversation on Train to Allahabad -- January 11, 1977, India:

Prabhupāda: There is ev... There is evidence. Because... But you are so fool that you do not inquire, "If the Christ is son of God, who is God?" They never inquires. Why did you not inquire?

Rāmeśvara: He said that God spoke to Moses. God did not tell Moses that He was Kṛṣṇa. He told Moses that He is Jehovah.

Prabhupāda: Did Christ say that "Jehovah is my father"?

Rāmeśvara: That makes it very clear.

Hari-śauri: I can't remember ever seeing... Jesus never used a name. He only spoke about "my father."

Prabhupāda: And who is that father? Why did you not...? So here is the father. You should be obliged to us that we are bringing...

Hari-śauri: There are so many names anyway.

Prabhupāda: Then why not Kṛṣṇa?

Hari-śauri: Yes, exactly.

Conversation and Instruction On New Movie -- January 13, 1977, Allahabad:

Prabhupāda: Mm.

Rāmeśvara: Suppose we make a profit. Someone may enquire, "Isn't it better to use the money to distribute more books rather than giving it to the food program."

Prabhupāda: No, no, books department, that is already sufficient income.

Rāmeśvara: I would personally like to use it for the food program.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Book we are getting.

Rāmeśvara: So that's the answer then.

Prabhupāda: And we are not taking any profit. Neither the seller, neither the author is taking any profit. So there is enough money. You haven't got to pay either to the seller or to the writer, then why not spend the whole income? No profit. So we save income tax. And whatever little excess is there, (indistinct), advertise or pay some gṛhasthas some pocket expenses. In this way make it meet. No profit. By our arrangement there is no question of profit but even there is profit, we should pay the gṛhasthas some expenditure. He has... Family man there is... In this way, make always no profit. I was doing from the very beginning (indistinct), then I began to sell books. I was working, I was selling, I was collecting, I was spending, going to the printer, everything. Forcing (indistinct) I was publishing. Work nicely. If I don't force (indistinct), they'll not give me the concession rate, still I am doing. So I think this book department (indistinct) all right, you don't require to invest. But whatever income you'll get from this record business, spend it for giving prasādam. So we have got so many centers, they will feed.

Conversation and Instruction On New Movie -- January 13, 1977, Allahabad:

Prabhupāda: But that is English and in India vernacular so there is no question of competition.

Rāmeśvara: Right. So the question is that the magazines in America, the readers like very much to have a feeling of who the author is, who the different writers are, the editors. So we are using our spiritual names on the list of writers and editors and so on. So they have asked me to enquire whether in parentheses they can also have their legal names.

Prabhupāda: Why not?

Rāmeśvara: That way, because they cannot pronounce these names, Gopīparanadhana.

Prabhupāda: Fine, allow this.

Rāmeśvara: Then it seems like a foreign thing.

Prabhupāda: Oh yes, you can...

Rāmeśvara: So should we have both names?

Prabhupāda: Oh yes.

Room Conversation -- January 19, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Tīrtha Mahārāja was planning to exchange that property with a Calcutta Muhammadan, that he would give him that property, and this Muhammadan would give him this property, his property. I checked it. I approached the donor, the Bali-hatti(?) zamindar, that "You donated this temple and it is going to be in the hands of Muhammadan. Do you like it?" So he said, "No, I don't like it." I said, "Make it inquiry." He inquired, and he immediately wrote Tīrtha Mahārāja that "You are contemplating. This we do not approve. We are the donor." So Tīrtha Mahārāja replied him that "It is no more in the hands of the donor. I am the trustee. Whatever I like, I can do."

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: No. Luminous when they are taken by Viṣṇudūtas.

Rāmeśvara: And according to these people, this luminous being is inquiring from them how they have lived their life and is inquiring them about searching for knowledge and about developing love.

Prabhupāda: That is not... That is some imagination.

Rāmeśvara: Something imagination.

Hari-śauri: The thing is they all report having that experience.

Rāmeśvara: In any event, they all report encountering another, a luminous being, when they leave their body. Every one of them said the same thing. So if they're Christians, it describes that they were thinking that "This must be Jesus coming to save me."

Prabhupāda: That may they think. There is no harm.

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

Prabhupāda: ...fourth, Thirty-fifth Chapter, when Parīkṣit Mahārāja was inquiring from Śukadeva Gosvāmī that Kṛṣṇa came to establish religious principles...

Hari-śauri: I just read that.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Hari-śauri: I just read that today.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes, yes. Find it.

Hari-śauri: "Songs of the Gopīs," I think.

Prabhupāda: He pointed out this, that "He came to establish religious principles. How is that He danced with other's wife in midnight?" This question was raised by Parīkṣit Mahārāja to Śukadeva Gosvāmī, and how he has answered?

Room Conversation -- January 24, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: ...Orissa government?

Gargamuni: Yes. I think so.

Prabhupāda: And why not?

Gargamuni: I'd have to inquire, but I'm pretty sure it's managed by the government, because they're allowing us to enter the temple. There's also a place being offered in West Bengal. I personally went there and took photographs. It's in Kharampur.

Prabhupāda: Kharampur.

Gargamuni: Yes. It's near the Bangladesh border. It's about 80 kilometers north of Krishnanagar...

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Room Conversation -- January 26, 1977, Puri:

Prabhupāda: There is a book, novel. The subject matter is that the man, when he goes out of home the child is sleeping. He has to rise four o'clock to prepare to take the six o'clock train. At that time his child is sleeping. And when he comes back at ten o'clock, the child is sleeping. So he does not know. So when he's grown up, on Sunday he's asking his mother, "Who is this man?" (laughs) This is the subject matter. They have written in a very... He is asking, "Who is this man?" When he was child, he did not see, neither inquired. Now, when he's grown up, on Sunday he sees that this man is very intimately talking with his mother. He... In this way...

Gurukṛpā: The poor man, his office is cheating him, and then his wife stays home and spends all his money and he is being cheated by her.

Prabhupāda: Yes. He comes, taking so much trouble for the wife. He will lie down with her from eleven at night up to three o'clock. For that, that is home. This is his home. And to maintain this home, he has to take so much trouble. And this is civilization. He does not think, "For this little happiness why I am here? Better to become a sannyāsī and live independently. Why I'm taking so much...?" No. And after working so hard, in old age if you ask permission from the wife, "I have done so much for you, for family. Now let me retire." "Eh? You'll retire? Then who will look after me?" The home member not satisfied, and you are not satisfied. You are working so hard—how you can be satisfied? And they find still insufficient income. They are not satisfied. But what is this home? To sense gratification.

Room Conversation -- January 27, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: And you must see that what you are doing, that is according to the principle which all other sādhus and devotees do. They have tilaka, and you say, "I have no tilaka." That is not sādhu-mārgānu. Sādhu-mārgānugamanam. They have kaṇṭhi. You say, "I can avoid it." That is not sādhu-mārgānugamanam. So, from very beginning, if you disobey, then how you'll make progress? Then?

Pradyumna: Sad-dharma-pṛcchā.

Prabhupāda: Sad-dharma-pṛcchā. You have to inquire from guru how to make progress. That is sad-dharma. Asad-dharma and sad-dharma. Sad gamaya, asato mā: "Don't remain in darkness. Make progress." Oṁ tat sat. So sad-dharma-pṛcchā. Then?

Pradyumna: Then bhogādi-tyāgaḥ kṛṣṇasya hetave.

Prabhupāda: Ah. For Kṛṣṇa you have to give up sense gratification. No illicit sex, no meat-eating, no intoxication, no gambling—you have to adopt so many things, tyāga. Anartha-nivṛtti. These are anartha, unnecessary things. Do you think if you do not smoke, you die? Unnecessary. What is absolutely necessary, you accept. So bhogādi-tyāgaḥ kṛṣṇārthe. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya: (BG 18.66) "You have created so many unnecessary things. Give up." So that is not possible immediately, but it is possible.

Room Conversation with Svarupa Damodara -- January 30, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Affectionate.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes. How that can come about by this..., those pushes and pulls? That is our question. We inquire how can this be explained just in terms of atoms and molecules? If we assume that life is nothing but a manifestation of these pushes and pulls of these molecular interactions, then science has no explanation. Then we take example from Darwin himself, his own words.

Hari-śauri: Did you read this caption, Śrīla Prabhupāda, for this crocodile? 'Cause it explains how the male crocodile, he takes the egg underneath his tongue and he rolls it backwards and forwards very gently until the young crocodile hatches, and then he leaves his mouth open, and the little crocodile jumps out and swims ashore.

Prabhupāda: Ācchā?

Hari-śauri: So the point they were making was that if it was simply a question of chemical reaction, that tendency...

Prabhupāda: How it is... How would that..., eggs.

Hari-śauri: Yes. How would he have that loving feeling to hatch the baby?

Gargamuni: After all, they are man-eaters. They would immediately eat.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Morning Walk -- February 1, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Yes. They must combine. Otherwise there is no place for them. As soon as they accept that there is something beyond physical, then they'll have to accept God.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Just like when we say life is nonphysical and nonchemical, then they're very amused.

Prabhupāda: That is...

Svarūpa Dāmodara: "What is it? If it is nonphysical nonchemical, then what it is?" They inquire.

Prabhupāda: Spiritual.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes, but...

Prabhupāda: That means they have to accept two things—material and spiritual. (break) ...little difficult. Therefore we have to understand from the authority. The same argument, that you have to understand who is your father from the mother. There is no other... (break) ...Kṛṣṇa says in the beginning, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ: (BG 2.13) "The real living being is within this body, and he's changing." We have to accept. There is no experimental... (break) Because they are not sober... A sober man does not hesitate. Accept. Dhīras tatra... Therefore this word has been used. Rascal cannot understand. So indirectly one who does not understand, he's a rascal number one. That's all.

Conversation on Roof -- February 14, 1977, Mayapura:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: People have become poor, poor materially and spiritually. Actually it's clear that the devotees are becoming wealthy materially and spiritually, and that is one of the reasons that these demons are so angry—because they see our opulence.

Prabhupāda: Yes. They are surprised (laughs) that "These people do not do anything, and they're living so opulent?" They inquired in Los Angeles. You know that?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Hm? Brahmānanda you know that?

Brahmānanda: Yes the neighbors.

Prabhupāda: Yes. They were envious that "How do you live so opulently? You do not do anything? You have got so many cars. You eat so nicely. You live in such a nice house. And no anxiety." (laughs)

Room Conversations -- February 20, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: At that time I used to come to Conway Hall. It took at least one hour. Then they inquired. In that car I was singing with this tune, govindam ādi-puruṣam. So they adjusted this word, George, Mukunda and...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yamunā.

Prabhupāda: And took up this tune. I was repeating. They were chanting within the car while coming from Conway Hall to... That is intelligence.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Not to do anything new, simply to explain in one's own way.

Prabhupāda: This song was favorite to me since very, very long time. This album was very popular in Europe and America.

Room Conversation -- March 22, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: So the sum and substance is that I have got the opportunity of human form, everyone, and they should not be kept in the same animal consciousness. This is civilization. They should be raised to the standard of inquiring. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. That is civilization. This, civilization? To keep them in darkness? Hm? Sanātana Gosvāmī went to Caitanya Mahāprabhu. The first question is ke āmi kene āmāya jāre tāpa-traya. "Sir, I was prime minister, and I was very much eulogized by the people as paṇḍita." Grāmya-vyavahāre paṇḍita tāi satya māni. "These village people, they call me paṇḍita, and I also, such a fool, I accept, 'Yes, I am paṇḍita. Yes.' But factually, if I inquire, 'What kind of paṇḍita'? then āpanāra hitāhita kichui nā jāni: 'I am such a learned paṇḍita that I do not know what is the ultimate goal of my life. I am such a paṇḍita.' Therefore I have come to You, Caitanya Mahāprabhu. You say what is my ultimate goal of life." This is approaching guru, not that "I am paṇḍita, I am brāhmaṇa, or minister. Why shall I go to learn? I can teach everyone whatever nonsense I know. Let them..." What is that injunction? That emasculation? That Sanjay Gandhi became?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Sterilization.

Room Conversation First Day in Juhu Quarters -- March 30, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Old Samayadi or his son?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: His son. He liked the drama very much.

Lokanātha: It has become one of the main attractions of the public, this Vaikuṇṭha Player performance(?). After..., two nights after the program, I inquired from the public on the microphone, "Do you like this drama?" Immediately everybody raised their hands: "Yes!"

Prabhupāda: They were asking me whether they are professional men. "No, no, these all my disciples."

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: They're actually much better than any of the professional men.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. We played caitanya-līlā in our younger days. So we brought one very famous man, Amritlal Bose. He is one of the three chief men who started theatrical performances in Bengal. Amritlal Bose, Girish Candra Ghosh, and one some Pathan. This Amritlal Bose was a big author also, for writing comic books. And very expert lecturer. So somehow or other, we contacted him, and we used to call him, (Bengali:) dādā-mahāśaya. Dādā-mahāśaya means grandfather. He was of our grandfather's age. In the evening he was drinking. Very luxurious.

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:

Prabhupāda: And as soon as we go to Srinagar I shall call. From Delhi to Srinagar...

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: It's not far. This evening Girirāja and myself saw Jaya Prakash Narayan in his hospital. I gave him your Hindi Bhāgavatam and Kṛṣṇa Conscious Movement and your Gītā Girirāja gave. He liked it very much. He inquired how much Bhāgavatam you have translated. He inquired where our temple is. We said Juhu. He said he would come here. Of course, he is very, very sick. And I asked him for an appointment that we could come and show him our movie. And he has agreed to even see our movie. So in one or two days we will show him the movie in the morning. And in the evening there were hundreds of people, so we only saw him for three or four minutes. He has agreed to see us again. And he wants to meet you, he said. So when he is okay he will come to see you.

Prabhupāda: Girirāja said that the Prime Minister also.

Room Conversation -- April 5, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: How State Bank gave them?

Guest (1): That is a whole new inquiry. Last time it was fifty-six. It is the talk of the town actually. It comes in paper now.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: It has come in papers?

Guest (1): Yes. There are so many separate... Not the Times of India, not the press. I'll get you the cutting. I'll get it. Everything is coming out.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: They had lakhs money(?) or something in the bank.

Guest (1): So they had collected money for the election purpose. They have put in the State Bank for Congress money under some account.

Prabhupāda: They credited the account?

Guest (1): Yes.

Room Conversation -- April 5, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That is honest life. Earn your livelihood. Who is the elder?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: This pilot. I got a letter from Vrinda De today. He says we are getting very good inquiries from our newspaper advertisement and producing a special catalogue, which we are going to give to everyone who writes and which is going to be cheap, because the American catalogue is very expensive. So he is asking...

Prabhupāda: We wanted some.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda said he wanted some hundred copies.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, those were the American. But now we are doing the Indian version, which is costing us 30 paisa each. So that we can give away to anyone who writes in. So I am going to send them. But he says many inquiries are pouring in. And when I was in Calcutta three weeks ago I saw him in his office. He showed me letters. They are coming from all over east India, from Orissa, from Cuttack, about our books. During the month of March, BBT India distributed over about fifty thousand pieces of books and magazines, to the temples, libraries, everything included. Fifty thousand pieces of books.

Prabhupāda: I have asked already Tamāla Kṛṣṇa. Can you give me a statement of the account?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. It's ready.

Room Conversation -- April 13, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: But first of all we must know also what is the position. If we also become enamored by the so-called scientists, politicians, philosophers, then we cannot preach. We must definitely be convinced that they're all rascals. As a gentleman, I can give him some respect. That is another thing. But he's a rascal. You must know that "I am talking with a rascal number one." So I... He cannot deviate me from my position. But I can talk in a nice way, gentlemanly. That is another thing. That is courtesy. But I know that these rascals, number fools, number one fools, they have no idea. Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore said, ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva (CC Madhya 19.151). In this way they are rotting within this universe. Kabhu svarge kabhu martye narake ḍubāya. Sometimes by puṇya they are in the higher planetary system, some powerful lokas(?). Sometimes fish, sometimes demigod, sometimes dog and cat. This is going on. Kṛṣṇa says. Nivartante mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani (BG 9.3). Mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani, botheration. Then there is... We have got this... Any intelligent person gets the Bhagavad-gītā. The rascals are reading Bhagavad-gītā, do not understand a line even. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). They do not question even. And after the destruction, body, I am not annihilated. Then where I am going? What is my next life? Na jāyate na mriyate vā. He does not die. The body is changed. Vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya (BG 2.22). So everything is clearly said. They do not inquire even that "After changing this body or change dress, what kind of body or dress I am going to have?" Answer is there. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu.

Room Conversation -- April 13, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Why check? There is standing visa(?). Check, they will come.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, the reason why we need the check is that this letter is only signed by Your Divine Grace, but this check is signed by the joint signers, Śyāmasundara and...

Prabhupāda: Then inquire. What is the...?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think one check should be written out for those...

Prabhupāda: Pay to yourself. That's all.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, pay to self.

Prabhupāda: Pay to your... No.

Girirāja: Self.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Pay to self," yeah. Should I make the check out?

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Girirāja: At Mr. Rajda's office the ex-mayor was there. One of the ex-mayors of Bombay was there. He was the chief guest here on Vyāsa-pūjā day two years ago. So he had recently visited our New York center, and he liked it very much, New York and Washington, D.C.

Prabhupāda: He's impressed.

Room Conversation with Ratan Singh Rajda M.P. 'Nationalism and Cheating' -- April 15, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That will be a great help immediately.

Mr. Rajda: That I'll do immediately. Now only... That's why I was just inquiring what concrete thing you would like to do.

Prabhupāda: Immediately kindly help me, that give at least one hundred men permanent residential permission. They are not politicians. They are not interested. They are devotee. Then I can manage this big, big establishment like Bombay, Vṛndāvana.

Mr. Rajda: Now tell me with your men written over all this(?). I will give you immediately.

Prabhupāda: Have you got that, made any list...?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I called for the names, so within a short time.

Prabhupāda: That's all. Name is there. So this is the...

Indian (1): First progress thing.

Room Conversation Meeting with Dr. Sharma (from Russia) -- April 17, 1977, Bombay:

Dr. Sharma: Common sense is not common. (laughs)

Prabhupāda: No. Even they have no common sense... Just like sarva-dughā, what is called, sarva-kāma-dughā mahī. From earth, so many things are coming. The grass is coming, the tree is coming, and animals, they eat grass, they are coming, the human... Everything is coming. So Kṛṣṇa says that the material nature is the mother, because mother is giving birth. So the child is there, the mother is there, and who is the father? You cannot say that without father, a child can be born, or the mother can independently give birth to any offspring. That is not possible. So so many living entities are coming from the material nature, and the offsprings are there. Then who is the father? And the father is there. Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā (BG 14.4). "I am." So no sane man can deny existence of God. That is not possible. As soon as you deny the existence of God, means you are insane. You require treatment. There is no doubt. This is common sense. So many lives are coming from the earth. Bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ (BG 7.4). Either earth, water, air, there is life. They are coming. And the children are there, mother is there. Should we not inquire who is the father? If you say without father they have come, that is foolishness, madness. Immediately, he's mad. So you cannot deny the existence. If you deny, then you are mad. That is the sign of insanity. They require treatment. That is explained in one Bengali poetry.

Room Conversation -- April 19, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Ācchā?

Bhakti-caru: Enquiry...

Prabhupāda: Now...

Bhakti-caru: But it depends on... Everything depends on how much honest they will be.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Bhakti-caru: How honest they will be.

Prabhupāda: Kānā-māmā (?). If there is no māmā, blind māmā is all right. And who is that, this photograph?

Bhakti-caru: This one is Mr. Charan Singh addressing a press conference in Delhi on Monday, Charan Singh, Indian Prime Minister. (Hindi) "The passport of Mr. Sanjay Gandhi, Mr. Motilal, and Mr. Dhirendra Brahmacari, who runs a yoga center here, have been impounded. Official sources also said here today the necessary instructions have been issued in this regard to the concerned authorities."

Prabhupāda: Impound? Impound? What is the impounding?

Bhakti-caru: Cancelled today.

Evening Darsana -- May 15, 1977, Hrishikesh:

Prabhupāda: So if they... Inquire if there is any question.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So if... The process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness requires inquiry and then discussion. So if anybody has any kind of question about either of these two verses, if you can ask Śrīla Prabhupāda, that will give an opportunity for some discussion. Bhagavad-gītā is simply questions and answers between Arjuna and Kṛṣṇa. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is questions and answers between Parīkṣit Mahārāja and Śukadeva Gosvāmī. So this is... The beginning of knowledge is when one inquires from a self-realized personality.

Prabhupāda: Actually, spiritual life means questioning. (Hindi) Who requires a guru? Guru is not a fashion, as you keep some pet cat, pet dog. (chuckles) Guru is not like that. (Hindi) So when you require a guru? Aiye. (Hindi)

Short Dissertations -- May 24-25, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Full set? Full set?

Bhavānanda: I think one book.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I was just inquiring whether you were drinking fruit juice.

Prabhupāda: Fruit juice is very good.

Bhavānanda: I noticed, Śrīla Prabhupāda, your complexion is yellowish. Liver is...

Prabhupāda: There is no hope of life. Therefore we have called you. This condition is hopeless. We have given our will. Now we can... If I die in Vṛndāvana, there is no harm. But Kṛṣṇa can play anything wonderful. But from physical condition there is no hope.

Bhavānanda: But Kṛṣṇa is Parameśvara.

Prabhupāda: (laughs) Yes. That is another thing.

Morning Conversation -- May 29, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Hm. (break)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Gargamuni, Prabhupāda's inquired about Rādhā-Dāmodara. Jayaśacīnandana says he can't work there 'cause there's no electricity.

Rāmeśvara: No, he said he couldn't work there because it was too hot.

Prabhupāda: He could not work there?

Gargamuni: Well, during the day the electricity goes off all over Vṛndāvana.

Prabhupāda: Oh. So it is not that...

Gargamuni: It is not that he is turning it off.

Prabhupāda: Oh. (Hindi)

Indian man (1): (Hindi) (Hindi conversation)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So it's not that Gauracānda is playing any trick or anything.

Prabhupāda: No.

Talk with Svarupa Damodara -- June 20, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Therefore he is āśraya, electrified. Sākṣād-dharitvena samastra-śāstrair uktas tathā bhāvyata eva, kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya. Priya viśaya. Therefore he can act as āśraya. Āśraya laiyā bhaje, kṛṣṇa nāhi tāre tyaje, āra saba more akara. Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura. Āśraya laiyā bhaje, kṛṣṇa nāhi tāre tyaje, āra saba more akara. Others simply wasting time.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: The mental attitude of the inquirer or the seeker in this bhakti process, you also said, it plays a very important role in understanding this relationship between the jīva, or individual life, ātmā, and Paramātmā, these two relationships. So we proposed that since it is based on psychological interactions, willing, feeling and the thinking, so the attitude should be humble and it should not be arrogant, and it should feel the limitations. Actually we try to bring all the brahminical qualities in order to study this bhakti-yoga in a scientific manner, and we presented like that, briefly, in a scientific community, and it was mildly accepted. They were just thinking that...

Prabhupāda: Therefore in the society there must be qualified brāhmaṇa. The all rascals, śūdras, professors...

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Just like in a scientific experiment we have so many conditions...

Prabhupāda: Just this morning I gave: bālayor anayor nṛṇāṁ brāhmaṇo rūpa... Nanda Mahārāja. Bring that book.

Conversation, 'Rascal Editors,' and Morning Talk -- June 22, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Vadanti tat tattva-vidas... (SB 1.2.11).

Prabhupāda: That's all right. And therefore the civilization should be athāto brahma jijñāsā, simply to enquire about the Absolute Truth. And that is civilization. Now you can... Whatever little we have discussed, you can discuss now and close our book. How wrongly the whole civilization is carried on, how risky it is, that they do not know. Now, what the materialist has to say in this connection?

Śatadhanya: They say everything is getting better.

Prabhupāda: What is that better?

Yaśodā-nandana: Well, a few hundred years ago there was no airplanes, no cars, no facilities...

Prabhupāda: That's all right, but when you become a dog next life, then what is your gain? You are not going to use this airplane. You have to make a rest in this car, in this seat. What you are going to do that about? Dehāntara-prāptiḥ. Kṛṣṇa says most authoritative statement and giving the example, dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāram... (BG 2.13). So how you can check this dehāntara?

Conversation: 'How to Secure Brahmacaris' -- June 24, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: "Don't waste time by seeing these rascals," I told him. Still thinking of so many poli... I said, "No, don't see. There is no use." If a man is not of character, what... And especially if he's not a devotee... Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇāḥ. There cannot be any good qualities. Immediately he is rejected. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). As soon as one is not devotee, we tell him, narādhama. Bas. That's all, finished. Why should I waste my time with...? But for some business we have to do, associate. That is another thing. So the student, the ideal... Then think of managerial arrangements. "Don't keep your head on the northern side." And he searched out, "There is a whole head. Oh!" On the northern or western side. So anything, if you have to inquire, you can put. (break)...Kali-yuga. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10). They like this disturbed condition. "Politics, diplomacy, crookercy, I like." This is the position. One is a great cheater, crooked, diplomat—"Oh, he's very nice." You have seen it. This Sanjay Gandhi ruined the whole Congress organization, and he was being worshiped. Just see practically. It is due to him that the old, oldest political party, Congress, is ruined. And he was being worshiped. This is society's position. And Morarji Desai, he's now prime minister, he was put into jail. This is going on. This is the example to learn. For nineteen months he was put into jail. How much it is troublesome. If I am asked that "For so many months you cannot go out of this room," I'll become mad.

Conversation with Surendra Kumar and O.B.L. Kapoor -- June 26, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: (Hindi)

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, we'll prepare a draft and read it to you.

Prabhupāda: Take every step, this inquiry. He's experienced.

Surendra Kumar: And, sir, it is very necessary to mention. I will write what Prabhupāda wants that "These people should be given..."

Prabhupāda: The simple thing is that they are...

Surendra Kumar: "...to get Indian citizenship because they are doing this work. They will be doing this work. And their long-time stay, permanent stay in India, will be beneficial for the great work that you have started."

Prabhupāda: And actually, because they are helping me, I have been able...

Surendra Kumar: They have been giving you help.

Prabhupāda: No, I mean to say, these Europeans...

Surendra Kumar: Yes, yes, I know, disciples, they are...

Prabhupāda: Otherwise how could I do?

Morning Talk -- June 27, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: I think in Japan I have got. One European boy came. He came: "How you have got so much knowledge, sir?" His inquiry was that. In Dum Dum Airport some gentleman came, Indian. The thing is, knowledge was there. It was not presented. (pause) (aside:) He'll take one; you take. (break) Hm? Kṛṣṇa asked the gopīs that "You can take your cloth, one after another. You have done a great fault. Naked, you are taking your bath. So just offer to the deity namaskāra." (laughs) Chastised: "You are very naughty. Why you are doing like this? I tell you, this is for your good." So they did it. (pause) Gopījana-vallabha. (pause) Kṛṣṇa's naughty activities... In every neighboring house they would come, Mother Yaśodā, friends, and they'll repeat Kṛṣṇa's naughty activities, and Mother Yaśodā, stopping all household business, she would hear. She would hear again. This is kṛṣṇa-līlā. How ordinary person would understand? "What is this? Spiritual life? A child's naughty activities, and they are hearing, and this is spiritual?" But Kṛṣṇa has made easy salvation, that simply by hearing His naughty activities you'll be liberated. Who will understand this philosophy? Can you give me a little hot water with lemon?

Morning Talk -- June 27, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Hot water? There is... (pause) (break) ...advertised here. Why thousands of Americans come here, did not inquire about Vivekananda? They never inquire. Do they? Eh?

Devotee (1): No.

Prabhupāda: Then what kind of preaching he has done? Nobody knows him. This common sense they haven't got. And here it is advertised, "Vivekananda has converted whole America into Vedantist." (laughs) And they take money for that. (pause) Pradyumna may see me ten minutes a day. That will be simplified. He comes after week.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah. I talked to him. I asked him, "Why don't you discuss your questions with Bhakti-prema Swami first? And then, if he cannot answer, then go ask Śrīla Prabhupāda."

Prabhupāda: That's all right. He may come during my massage time daily, ten minutes.

Room Conversation -- July 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: You can write that "Our permanent visa is being considered by the Central Government."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Our application we turned in.

Prabhupāda: "If required, you can inquire from the Minister of..."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Home.

Prabhupāda: No.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, Foreign Affairs.

Prabhupāda: Foreign Affairs, that "My position, it is in his hand now."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, by the time I write my letter, my name will be one of the people on the list, so it's a fact.

Prabhupāda: When he's going to submit?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He said in two weeks he'd be returning to his committee, so I'm thinking about four or five days, around five.

Prabhupāda: Mention this.

Room Conversation with Devotees -- July 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So if we mix with these politicians, very bad. Better not to mix. But sometimes this is very important thing, and we have already presented our case. Let us see how he does it. Everywhere you should be very careful about mixing with the politicians. What is that?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This is a bottle of rosewater. I asked him to get it from Seth Visanchand. I asked this man, "Seth Visanchand sent this?" The boy who brought it said, "I'll just make inquiry."

Prabhupāda: They are so careful.

Room Conversation with Devotees -- July 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Trivikrama: Sargal Singh?

Prabhupāda: No, I'll come to that. So the grocer also thought, "Now I also should shave." Something saying like that. Then another man met him. He also said. He also said. Then at last, one intelligent man, he asked, "Who is this man?" Then again the news come back through the paramparā, (laughter) yes, who is this man. Then he called the man, first, who said. He was a dhobi, and his ass was dead. The ass was dead, so hearing, it has gone so far. The other men... The unintelligent persons are like that. They do not know, inquire what is the real thing. Just like twenty years ago I said, "This is all nonsense, moon-going." And now they are coming: "Oh, it is hoax." So that is the difference. Twenty years before and "This is all childish waste of money. This rascal will never be able to go to the moon." And now they are coming. That is the difference. I said from common sense. Nakṣatrāṇām ahaṁ śaśī. And we read in the Bhāgavatam that to go to the moon planet, one has to execute such yajñas, karma-kāṇḍa. We understand from śāstra. And how this rascal with a machine will go there? That is a common sense. But they do not believe in the words of the śāstra. Rascals, they were bluffed and they believe. Śāstra-cakṣus. Your eyes should be through the śāstra. Yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya vartate kāma..., na siddhiṁ sa... (BG 16.23). We believe in this. Therefore I said twenty years before. That is the difference. We take the words of śāstra, words of Kṛṣṇa, ultimate. That's all. So we have no difficulty. They do not believe in śāstra. They do not believe in Kṛṣṇa. So they were bluffed. That is the difference. We have... I started this movement. It is not manufactured by me. Take the words of authorities and spread. There is no adulteration. There is no alteration. That is... Mahājano yena gataḥ... (end)

Discussion about Bhu-mandala -- July 5, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Did you know that story, the Nārada was going to Vaikuṇṭha? Nārada came back and replied to a cobbler... Cobbler asked him what Nārāyaṇa is doing. "He has taken one elephant and He's drawing through the hole of a needle like this and again taking." The learned brāhmaṇa, he began to laugh. "These are all stories." And the cobbler began to cry, "Oh, Nārāyaṇa, Kṛṣṇa, can..." Nārada inquired, "How do you believe that elephant is being drawn through the hole of needle?" "No, why not? I'm daily seeing by sitting under this banyan tree, and within a fruit there are thousands of seeds. And each seed contains the big tree." Can the scientists make such small seed contain a big banyan tree? So it is acintya. That's a fact. (break) ...thing is inconceivable. And these rascals want to bring them as conceivable. He's conditioned, and he's trying to bring inconceivable thing to his conception. Useless, futile attempt. How the scientist will answer? We take a fruit. There are hundreds of seeds, and each seed contains a big tree. How you can explain? Is it not inconceivable?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Room Conversation with Vrindavan De -- July 6, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Solve this problem. And don't be poverty-stricken. That's all. That is happiness. There is no need of... So we, the members of Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we are living hundred times happily than anyone else, hundred times. They cannot dream. They are envious. In Los Angeles the neighborhood men, they're envious, that "These people, these devotees, they do not do anything, and they are living so comfortably—so many cars, nice palace, nice food." They inquire. They do not know. Don't expect in that way happiness. That is futile, that "Our father will leave lakhs of rupees and we shall get the interest and enjoy and then drink and go on." That is not happiness. Work hard how to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and be happy in this way. Kṛṣṇa will give. And yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham. Teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham (BG 9.22). He knows what is your need. Depend on Kṛṣṇa, but don't sit down like lazy. Yudhyasva mām anusmara (BG 8.7). This is instruction. We are trying to teach the whole world that "Be Kṛṣṇa conscious, and keep your status quo very nicely without any being poverty-stricken, and that is happiness." That is happiness.

Room Conversation during lunchtime -- July 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: It is not the Muhammadans.

Śatadhanya: Not according to this.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This is still not conclusive.

Prabhupāda: No. Police inquiry must be there.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Should I save this?

Prabhupāda: No.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śatadhanya Mahārāja is going to be leaving to go to Māyāpur.

Śatadhanya: Myself and Prabhāsa, we're going to be leaving now for Delhi, then to Māyāpur.

Prabhupāda: So what is the actual position, that they should...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Send a letter from there.

Prabhupāda: But why in the morning the cows will come?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It says here, "At 5 p.m. on Friday."

Prabhupāda: P.M.

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

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "We have a model of saṁsāra on display in our shop window, and all day long we are getting dozens of curious passersby from the street who inquire submissively and listen attentively to the philosophy. I remember Your Divine Grace telling me emphatically..."

Prabhupāda: Try to sell them Bhagavad-gītā, which explains.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He says, "I remember in Bombay in 1974 that this would make our preaching successful all over the world."

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Now I am practically..."

Prabhupāda: Without reading books they'll understand the philosophy. That is the advantage. Mass of people, without education, they will understand the philosophy.

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

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He says if it's not possible for you to come, then he'd like to make a film and bring it to India to show it to you. Is that all right?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "One point," he says... "One point I would like to clear up in connection with our distribution of mūrtis. I have had many requests and inquiries about placing the form of Your Divine Grace on the vyāsāsana along with or instead of on the altar for worship. Is this permissible? In some temples the altar is too small and will not accommodate the present size of the..."

Prabhupāda: No. Vyāsāsana is good.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So either one is all right.

Prabhupāda: No. If there is picture in the middle and vyāsāsana.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So these mūrtis can be placed on the vyāsāsana.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation Mayapura attack -- July 15, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: This report is already there.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Next, then the next is: "Probe Urged Into Krishna Cultists. Chief Minister Jyoti Basu has urged the Central Government to investigate how some of the foreign Vaiṣṇavas of Māyāpur temple of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness who clashed with the villagers last weekend could return to India after extradition from the country." And he's against us. Naturally, he's a big Communist. "In his report on the incident to Home Minister Charan Singh, Mr. Basu has drawn the Center's attention to reports that these foreigners came back to India by obtaining new passports and visas. This aspect, he felt, should be inquired into." He's against us. "The US Consulate visited the āśrama and met some of the American Vaiṣṇavas. The Consulate has not lodged any complaint with the government about the Friday incident."

Prabhupāda: I think he has gone.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This whole thing is planned by the Communists. Will the government understand that? The Central Government?

Prabhupāda: They surely understand.

Room Conversation Mayapura attack -- July 15, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: And the behavior of the police.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah. Indicates that everything else is wrong. His silence in reporting that the police...

Prabhupāda: Not only silence. In favor of or against us. Now if the Central Government properly inquires, the whole thing will be discovered.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And at least they're going to have to get our side. They're going to have to get our side.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And there are certain indisputable facts. For example...

Prabhupāda: Big, big ministers are in favor of our movement, Morarji Desai and Vajpayi.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But certain things are going to have to come out. For instance, two men seriously injured are refused outside medical treatment. That can be proven.

Prabhupāda: No, so many other things.

Room Conversation -- July 19, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: That is their business. Now you have to take the opposite, that "Why these people are so anxious about this unrest? Let there be further inquiry by the Janata party. And suspend..." No. Yes. "And suspend the Communist government for the time being."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Suspend the Communist government. Why suddenly the Communists are saying that "Oh, here is CIA"? Now, if they're saying that, Prabhupāda said, then you they should ask them "Oh, there's a big thing with them. Let us investigate." Investigate the whole matter thoroughly.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: They're doing that now. The CID is investigating.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But the Central Government should investigate. Then it will be...

Prabhupāda: It should be taken by the Central Government.

Room Conversation -- July 27-28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Please try to... Just try to understand. There is a story that a thief entered in a room, and the proprietor, he was in the other room. As soon as there was some sound, he inquired, "Who is there in that room?" The man said, "No, no, I am not stealing." You see? That means he is thief. So this voting board raised the question, "How they are getting visa?" In the Parliament also they are raising the same question. That means it is Communist manipulation, the Māyāpur affair. They put forward some Muhammadans because there are many Muhammadan Communist also. They wanted to give a communal color. But the whole thing is Communist plan. And their aim is to wipe out any religious movement. That is their open declaration in other Communist...

Yaśomatīnandana: This prabhu, Rāma-Krishna Prabhu, is very respectable gentleman. So if I take him to see the Home Minister...

Prabhupāda: Nice.

Meeting With Governor of Tamil Nadu -- July 31, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: After all, the thing is that so long we have got this body, the janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi (BG 13.9), you have to accept. This is the statement in the Bhagavad-gītā. So the human endeavor should be diverted how to stop this repetition of birth and death. That is the prime instruction in the Bhagavad-gītā. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9). Kṛṣṇa says that,

janma karma ca me divyaṁ
yo jānāti tattvataḥ
tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma
naiti mām eti...
(BG 4.9)

So our movement is on that platform, how to stop. Our whole Vedic culture is based on that process. When Viśvāmitra Mahārāja went to see Daśaratha about..., Daśaratha Mahārāja inquired from Viśvāmitra, aihistaṁ(?) yat punar-janma-jayāya: "You are great saintly person. You are trying to conquer over birth and death. Is your process going on nicely?" Viśvāmitra inquired Daśaratha Mahārāja about royal activities, government, prosperity, because he was kṣatriya and he was brāhmaṇa.

Room Conversation -- August 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: That is my only request. Otherwise, you are squandering money. Do it. Do it. But after all, do it in time. I'm not going to live for long. If possible, I'll see and...

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Every Sunday in Bombay hundreds of people come just to look at the building. It is so attractive.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So kindly finish it. Take money and squander and finish it at a time.

Surabhī: Śrīla Prabhupāda? When I was in Jaipur I inquired from some people regarding your health, because I met Yaśodānandana Swami in Delhi, and he told me that you wanted to know from an astrologer about the situation. So I went to one man who was previously the advisor of the Mahārāja of Mansingh of Jaipur. One life member brought me to him. So I inquired.

Prabhupāda: What he is?

Surabhī: He's a paṇḍita. He uses numerology.

Prabhupāda: Hm? Numerology?

Surabhī: Numerology.

Room Conversation -- August 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Pradyumna: Chapter Six: "The Meeting of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu..." (break)

Prabhupāda: You take this opportunity to give force(?) there. It is great movement. If impartial inquiry is made by the Central Government, everything will be complete.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah. And in the meantime, regarding America, he knows how we are. He can give report about what we are like in America. He's visited there.

Prabhupāda: He can give. Everyone can write very nice.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah. I mean he's very favorable towards us, so let him tell what we've done in America. We have wonderful temples. He knows this, the ambassador.

Prabhupāda: Phalena paricīyate: "By result." We are spreading Hindu culture throughout the whole world. He has to judge from this point of view, by the result. The persons, the people who are accustomed to kill cows, they are giving up meat-eating. Do you think it is ordinary thing? So he has... He must have good judgment before giving any adverse opinion. Engaged in horrible cow slaughter, they are becoming Vaiṣṇavas. Is it ordinary thing? Nārada did. What is the vyādha?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Nārada Muni?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- October 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: The leaders are... Similarly, leaders of this temple, they will have to organize.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Hm? No, we're able to see these things are going on.

Prabhupāda: But you never inquire.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, the bell went off on time.

Prabhupāda: What kind of ringing was going on? If it is going on whimsically, then that is not very good. I don't think I have seen Akṣayānanda from the morning.

Brahmānanda: He was here. When you arrived into your room he came. He was sitting in the room.

Hari-śauri: He was driving your car from Mathurā.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And he was also here when Bhagatji came.

Prabhupāda: He came?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa Hari-śauri: Yes.

Room Conversation -- October 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Do you think in this stage is it possible?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think it would be difficult. Better that we go parikraming around our temple, Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma Mandira. That's a little easier. Don't you think that's better? If you get a little stronger, then it may be possible. That will depend on Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa dāsa, we should bring him here. Anyone else you want to see? Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja? Yes. We went to see him just to inquire about the necessary ceremony, and he gave us instruction. I sent Bhakti-caru Mahārāja and Bhakti-prema Mahārāja, and they wrote down everything. But Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja was very concerned. He said he's going to try to come to see you tomorrow. That's all right, isn't it? So Kṛṣṇa dāsa can be called for. Anytime? Okay. He stays at Rādhā-kuṇḍa? We'll inquire... Does he stay at the Gauḍīya Maṭha here?

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He does. In Vṛndāvana. Okay.

Prabhupāda: Nārāyaṇa Mahārāja comes; then everything is all right.

Room Conversation -- October 13, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: There is a story. A bridegroom was selected. So, the other party, bride's party, they inquired how the bridegroom was quite qualified. So they said, "He's a doctor." Then they inquired, "What kind of doctor? Doctor of philosophy, doctor of medicine or...?"

Purī Mahārāja: Doctor which way?

Prabhupāda: So he said, "No, no, no. He's not all these nonsense. He's a big doctor." "What is that?" "Conductor." (laughter)

Purī Mahārāja: He's a big superior doctor, con-doctor. (laughs)

Prabhupāda: (Bengali) ...con-ductor. Bhakti-caru?

Brahmānanda: Just calling him. He's in the kitchen, Śrīla Prabhupāda. (pause)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Here he is, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: (Bengali) (break)

Purī Mahārāja: (Bengali)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda? Maybe Purī Mahārāja would like to see the pictures from the Los Angeles Ratha-yātrā. Remember those pictures I showed you in London?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- October 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: The calves were grown up, and still, the mother wanted to feed them. So Balarāma was a little surprised. So He wanted to inquire what is the reason from Kṛṣṇa.

Pradyumna: Next verse?

Prabhupāda: It is explained?

Pradyumna: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda. The calves, they were beyond milking, so when the cows were so affectionate, He could not understand.

Prabhupāda: Viśvanātha explanation?

Pradyumna: Yes, a very big one, big explanation.

Prabhupāda: Read it. We shall try to...

Pradyumna: Premardher hetor autkaṇṭhyaṁ mukta-staneṣv api vatseṣu nava-prasūta-vatsatarīṇām api gavām ahetu-vit hetum ajānan acintayad iti.

Prabhupāda: You can translate?

Pradyumna: Yes.

Room Conversation -- October 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So yogamāyā was acting in such a way that even Balarāma could not understand.

Pradyumna: (Sanskrit-varṣa-paryantam to avasīyate)

Prabhupāda: So as yogamāyā gradually withdrew her action, then others could understand, especially Balarāma, and inquired from Kṛṣṇa. So next?

Pradyumna: Kim etad adbhutam iva vāsudeve 'khilātmani vrajasya sātmanas... (SB 10.13.36)

Prabhupāda: One thing, you can keep open my Tenth Canto, Kṛṣṇa.

Jayādvaita: Kṛṣṇa book, Tenth Canto.

Prabhupāda: That will help.

Room Conversation -- October 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Jayādvaita: "One day when Kṛṣṇa, along with Balarāma, was maintaining the calves in the forest..." It's just up here. "Balarāma was astonished to see all the residents of Vṛndāvana so affectionate for their own children, exactly as they had been for Kṛṣṇa. Similarly, the cows had grown affectionate for their calves as much as for Kṛṣṇa. Balarāma therefore concluded that the extraordinary show of affection was something mystical, either performed by the demigods or by some powerful man."

Prabhupāda: Is it clear now? Balarāma was surprised to see the action of yogamāyā; therefore He inquired from Kṛṣṇa, "What is happening in this scene? What is that mystery?" Is it clear?

Pradyumna: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: In this way go very slow, but the discussion may be complete. So you can go on.

Room Conversation -- October 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Balarāma was surprised, "This māyā may be some rākṣasī-māyā. But how rākṣasī-māyā can influence upon Balarāma? That is not possible. Therefore it must be the māyā of Kṛṣṇa." Therefore He inquired. What is there in the English?

Jayādvaita: "Balarāma inquired from Kṛṣṇa about the actual situation. He said, 'My dear Kṛṣṇa, in the beginning I thought that all these cows, calves and cowherd boys were either great sages and saintly persons or demigods. But at the present it appears that they are actually Your expansions. They are all You. You Yourself are playing as the calves and cows and boys.' " This is later? Before that, "Balarāma had concluded that the extraordinary show of affection was something mystical, either performed by the demigods or some powerful man. Otherwise how could this wonderful change take place? He concluded that this mystical change must have been caused by Kṛṣṇa, whom Balarāma considered His worshipable Personality of Godhead. He thought, 'It was arranged by Kṛṣṇa, and even I could not check its mystic power.' Thus Balarāma understood that all those boys and calves were only expansions of Kṛṣṇa."

Prabhupāda: Is it now clear?

Pradyumna: Yes, Prabhupāda.

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 With Bharadvaja -- October 16, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Khāccho hābuḍubu bhāi. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura's song. Those who have eyes to see, they will see all of them being washed away by the waves of māyā, hābuḍubu.

Bharadvāja: Then we want to make another point, that in spite of so much chaos, there is solution, and that solution is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. And we show a scene from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. On the bank of Yamunā, Parīkṣit Mahārāja is there and so many sages, and he's inquiring from Śukadeva Gosvāmī.

Prabhupāda: Very good.

Room Conversation -- October 18, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Not...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Just inquire. (aside:) You can keep chanting.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I just told them to keep chanting.

Prabhupāda: You did not read that conveyance?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, I did today. There's some things we have to get clarified.

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, first of all a conveyance is drawn up according to the sales agreement. So without seeing the sales agreement, it's very hard to know if everything is accurate. The sales agreement is kept with the Central Bank of India in Calcutta. So we're...

Prabhupāda: Do not copy?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, we had never made a copy.

Room Conversation -- October 21, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So you can take the copy of the safe custody receipt and inquire into Bank of Baroda.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You want me to give him the receipt?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But then how will we be able to get the certificates out? The receipt has to be presented when you want to withdraw from a safe custody...

Prabhupāda: No, give him the copy and let him explain to the bank manager that we want to check it.

Guest (1): (Bengali)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Now, if I give you this... Prabhupāda wants me to give you this, but it says here that "This memorandum will be returned to the bank when delivery of securities is required." So if I surrender this memorandum now, then I... Prabhupāda wants me to give you this memorandum. My point is that if I give you the memorandum, then it's...

Prabhupāda: No, no, he can take a copy.

Room Conversation -- October 21, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: And inquire.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I can give him the details.

Guest (1): Yes. Details I have already understand.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I can give you the details and the number, account number. You can make a specific inquiry. The main thing is just to inform them of the fact that there's a power of attorney coming with a notarized specimen signatures are coming, and there will be a letter of direction with those two signatures, directing them to send the certificates by registered mail here, because Prabhupāda can't sign the same signature. That's basically all you have to do. This bank has already accepted one copy. (indistinct) Either way... (indistinct) (break) Śrīla Prabhupāda? Gopāla Kṛṣṇa is here. He just returned from Bombay.

Prabhupāda: What news?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda said, "What news?"

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I have a new Hindi Back to Godhead for you, Śrīla Prabhupāda. I have met the Home Minister about two months ago regarding permanent residency visas.

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Room Conversation -- October 21, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: They have made some inquiry.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. I met the Home Minister two months ago, and I gave him an application. So I've just received a reply.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Is it for permanent residency? Not for two or three years. Permanent.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Even if they give for five years, that'd be good. This would be very nice, because you always wanted this.

Prabhupāda: So do it carefully.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. We just printed twenty thousand copies of a new Hindi Back to Godhead.

Prabhupāda: Send to Fiji immediately.

Room Conversation -- October 22, 1977, Vrndavana:

Bhavānanda: ...in Vṛndāvana. That perhaps he could stop there and just inquire whether they had any kavirāja there, because that's Rāmānuja-sampradāya. Shall he do that? (break)

Prabhupāda: Eh? What is that? No. This doctor's treatment is failure.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, he's starting to guess.

Prabhupāda: Now... Where is Bhakti?

Bhavānanda: Bhakti-caru is just waiting to go and get the kavirāja in the front. Do you want me to bring him?

Prabhupāda: Call him.

Bhavānanda: He's up in the aradesko.(?)

Prabhupāda: They will simply guess.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, he's guessing.

Bhavānanda: On and on.

Prabhupāda: So it is failure. Now take makara-dhvaja, one dose, and leave everything for Kṛṣṇa.

Room Conversation -- October 30, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Anthology?

Jayādvaita: It's a collection-Rāmeśvara mentioned it while you were here, while he was here—a collection of different articles from Back to Godhead written by yourself. There's your conversation with Professor Kotovsky, and also from the old BTG you were publishing in India there's that article "Relevant Inquiries." That's very wonderful article. Your correspondence with Dr. Stahl, that's also there. And lectures from different places. When you first arrived in London there's a very wonderful lecture. So many wonderful articles that have been published over the years in BTG. But the real thing is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- November 7, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Softly. (break) Kavirāja says that he has so many nice patients he will not leave. So how he's treating now?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I have not inquired about that, Śrīla Prabhupāda. His point was that they depend upon his presence for treatment. That means that even if they were to die because he was not personally available to treat them, he did not think that it was very much important in comparison to treating Your Divine Grace. Because they are materialists, so whether they live or die does not affect anything so much. But because you are a great transcendentalist, your presence means that so many thousands of people can be saved. How are you feeling, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Not so good. I am passing stool.

Room Conversation -- November 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Hired or purchased?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, for now just hired, not purchased. Later on we can make a more permanent arrangement, and it can be fixed up as nicely as possible. At the same time while we were meeting, the kavirāja, he also was present. So we inquired from him what he thought about this program, from a medical point of view of course. Spiritually he is in complete agreement. So from a medical point of view, he said that you would not at all be able to withstand this kind of a trip. He said that in a bullock cart, moving around, bumping on the road, you might not be able to live more than a couple of hours. He's here now. He wanted to speak to you.

Kavirāja: (Hindi)

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) Lokanātha?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Lokanātha has already gone, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Haṁsadūta: He has gone to Mathurā for renting.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He has gone out for renting the bullock cart.

Prabhupāda: Oh. (Hindi)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Lokanātha says that the bullock cart could probably go around Vṛndāvana in about five to six hours, parikramming Vṛndāvana town.

Prabhupāda: Make an experiment. Then we shall decide.

Page Title:Inquire (Conv. 1976 - 1977)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Mayapur
Created:30 of Nov, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=199, Let=0
No. of Quotes:199