Prabhupāda: Now Caitanya Mahāprabhu preached that simply by the saṅkīrtana movement everything will be fulfilled. You need not do anything. So the priest class brāhmaṇas they became very much dissatisfied that "He is inviting Muhammadans and all others..." Because according to Hindu society, except the brāhmaṇas... Especially in those days, only the brāhmaṇas were considered the highest in the society, and even the kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, they all calculated to, in the group of śūdras. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu was allowing everyone, the Muhammadans, the śūdras, the low class, the high class, the brāhmaṇas... He was amalgamating everyone. So these brāhmaṇas, they took objection.
Invite (Conversations 1967 - 1975)
Expressions researched:
"invitation"
|"invitational"
|"invitations"
|"invite"
|"invited"
|"invitees"
|"invites"
|"inviting"
Conversations and Morning Walks
1967 Conversations and Morning Walks
Discourse on Lord Caitanya Play Between Srila Prabhupada and Hayagriva -- April 5-6, 1967, San Francisco:
Prabhupāda: So he asked his men that "You carry this body, unconscious body to my place." So his men took away Caitanya Mahāprabhu's body unconscious, and Sārvabhauma also and exit. Then after their departure His party entered the temple. Nityānanda, Gadādhara, and Murāri, all these men entered. So Gopīnātha Ācārya was present there. He was known to Gadādhara and Gadādhara inquired that is there any sannyāsī who came here? Then Gopīnātha Ācārya said, "Yes, we have seen one sannyāsī. He fell down in ecstasy and Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya has taken Him to his home." So he invited, "All right, you come with me. I am taking you there." So all the parties were taken to Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya's place.
Discourse on Lord Caitanya Play Between Srila Prabhupada and Hayagriva -- April 5-6, 1967, San Francisco:
Prabhupāda: Why a sannyāsī should chant and dance? He should concentrate his mind in studying Vedānta. He is a fool." In this way Caitanya Mahāprabhu was criticized. So one Maharastrian brāhmaṇa, he was devotee of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. He said that "This incident gave us much pain, sir. If You kindly meet this sannyāsī and talk with him about Vedānta-sūtra, that would be a nice thing." In the meantime one brāhmaṇa came and invited Lord Caitanya that "I have invited all the sannyāsīns of Benares, but I know You do not meet these Māyāvādī sannyāsīs, but still I have come to invite You. You kindly accept my invitation." So Caitanya Mahāprabhu saw this opportunity of meeting Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī. He accepted his invitation, and there was a meeting, and there was discussion of Vedānta-sūtra with Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī, and He converted him to be a Vaisnava. That is another incident.
1968 Conversations and Morning Walks
Interview -- February 1, 1968, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: Yes. I am an ordained minister for preaching these missionary activities. So I came here in September, 1965. Then, for one year, I was traveling in many parts of your country. In the beginning I was in Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh, and then I went to Philadelphia. Then I came to New York. And in this way I was traveling, not very much. And in 1966, in July 1st, I started my class in New York at 26 Second Avenue. That is my first starting. Then the younger generation began to come to me, and they started the San Francisco branch, Montreal branch. In this way the institution is going. And we have sent our students to Europe also. They have already started one branch in London, one in Hamburg. And we have sent our students in Honolulu. They have started a branch there. So our program is to start several..., as many branches as possible to spread this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. And it is very easy. We simply invite persons to come and chant with us. It doesn't matter what he is, what is his language, what is his religion.
Interview -- February 1, 1968, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: Initiation means formally acceptance of the line of activities in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Before that, before initiation, we invite everyone to come and sit down with us, chant, dance, take prasādam, hear philosophy. And if he understands, "Oh, this is very nice," then he offers himself to be initiated. Then we accept. Then we impose this restriction that "If you want to be initiated..." We get hundreds of letters by everyone who has attended our classes. Daily we are getting some married couples or boys and girls, but most of them are younger. My students are within thirties. The oldest student I have got at the present moment, he is twenty-eight years. No, Kirtanananda is about thirty years old. That's all. So, of course, I do not get any older people. That is nice, hopeful, because younger section, if they take it very seriously, then I have hopes that they will preach in future, even in my absence. And old people, if a man becomes too much accustomed to a certain limited habits, in old age it is very difficult to give it up unless one is extraordinarily intelligent.
Interview -- March 9, 1968, San Francisco:
Prabhupāda: So that I am doing. That I am attempting. And with this mission, I have come to your country with the hope that if the American people take it very seriously, then it will be the greatest contribution to the world. So I have already published this, my magazines and my books, in this connection. So if people take advantage of this movement, try to understand these books, they will be benefited greatly. So that is the basic principle of my teaching. It is the most perfect humanitarian work. Try to understand. We invite anyone. And take it diligently, put your arguments, logic, understanding, and you will find it is sublime. That is the basic principle of my movement.
Room Conversation -- July 16, 1968, Montreal:
Prabhupāda: All the members of the neighboring people, they will come, very big crowd, and they will hear, and whatever they can pay, they will pay. And with that impression, at nine o'clock or ten o'clock, they will go to bed. Very nice arrangement. Usually the meeting was taking place after night, dinner, you see? Say, about at nine o'clock. And from nine to ten, eleven, the discussion would go on, and then the members dispersed and go to their respective home. We have seen. And all the ladies, whole road, they were discussing, "The priest told me..." They discussed very seriously to understand. So they don't require any education. Simply by hearing they become advanced. This is recommended. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ... Śṛṇvatāṁ. Just try to hear, hear, hear. Very nice process. So we are inviting people. We have got so much big space.
Interview -- September 24, 1968, Seattle:
Prabhupāda: Eatables are just within this jurisdiction of fruits, flowers, vegetables, grains, and milk. But we can prepare thousands of preparation, very nice palatable preparations. And I invite you to our temple. When love feast is distributed on every Sunday, you will see how they are nicely prepared. But they are prepared... Only if we get some grains and some butter and some fruits and some vegetables, we can prepare hundreds of preparations, hundreds, very, very palatable. You will forget all other eating.
Room Conversation -- October 27, 1968, Montreal, With First Devotees Going to London On Evening of Their Departure:
Prabhupāda: Virāṭa rūpa, yes. That is also nice, right, that through fire He eats, yes, or through the mouth of the brāhmaṇas and devotees. Two things are there. Therefore, according to the Vedic religion, the brāhmaṇas or Vaiṣṇavas, devotees, are invited to take food in some ceremonies. In śraddhā ceremony they are especially invited with great honor. In pilgrimage somebody goes to Vrndavana, Prayag, Mathura. They invite the brāhmaṇas and Vaisnavas so that through them Kṛṣṇa is eating. They have come to satisfy Kṛṣṇa in a place of pilgrimage. These are the systems. So for the purpose of eating, so many brāhmaṇas have sprung up. Because brāhmaṇas are invited, so so many so-called brāhmaṇas there. They'll be present when eating, and when there is chanting of Vedas they are not present there. (break) Baby has also tilaka. (chuckles) She is very happy. You see? I never seen such small child not crying. That means she is always happy. She's not crying means... Because baby cries when there is discomfort. And with her face shows that she is very happy. (laughs)
Press Interview -- December 30, 1968, Los Angeles:
Journalist: At least, five thousand years ago the last time that any, that we would... Are they in human form?
Prabhupāda: Yes. So far we get information, sometimes great sacrifices were performed, and demigods from other planets, they were invited, and they used to come.
Journalist: Where...? Where...? And this is... Your authority for this statement is based in the Vedic literature?
Prabhupāda: Yes.
1969 Conversations and Morning Walks
Radio Interview -- February 12, 1969, Los Angeles:
Interviewer: ...or is it simply that that is the age group that has been attracted to your teaching?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes, yes. That is the fact. I invite everyone, old and young, but generally the youngsters, they are attracted.
Interviewer: Have you any idea what the number of the people are nationally?
Prabhupāda: So far initiated members, they are about, not less than hundred. But there are many others, admirers. In each center there are at least fifty to sixty members.
Prabhupada Listening to Recording of His Own Room Conversation with Students -- April 25, 1969, Boston:
Student (3): I wanted material world, being in spiritual consciousness is to get...
Prabhupāda: Yes. We are trying that. Calling everyone, "Come and push your conscious." We are inviting everyone. There is no restriction. And it is very easy. Just try to dance and chant. That's all. In the treatment they are taking part. That child is taught something of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He'll be a very good child. So it is open to everyone. There is no restriction.
Student (4): (inaudible)
Prabhupāda: That I have explained, that changing our body, there are 8,400,000's of bodies. So after death, you enter in one of the bodies.
Room Conversation -- May 10, 1969, Columbus, Ohio:
Prabhupāda: Never, never, never. That is his insanity, another. As soon as he thinks that "I am independent," that is another insanity. He is under control. Just like the same man. He is thinking, "I don't care for state laws." He is insane. He will be forced to accept state laws in the prison house by the police. But he thinks, "Oh, I am free man." Still... He is slapped by the police. He says, "Oh, I am independent. Go on slapping." This is insanity. Is it not insanity? The police slaps him, and he says, "I am independent." Do you think independence? So that sort of independence we are having. We are kicked by māyā always, and we are thinking, "independent." This is insanity. He does not think, "Why I am independent? I am servant of my senses. I cannot remain, enjoying senses, for an hour, and I am thinking I am independent." That means insane. He cannot think properly. Where is his independence? Cannot be independent. He is born dependent because part and parcel of God. His constitutional position is dependent. Just like child. A child declares independence. What is the meaning of that independence? Danger. That's all. Simply inviting dangers. A child wants: "Oh, I don't care for my parents. I shall cross the road. I shall go everywhere." So if he is allowed to do that, that means he is simply inviting dangers.
Room Conversation with Allen Ginsberg -- May 14, 1969, Columbus, Ohio:
Allen Ginsberg: Well, this university he chose because it's supposed to be typical of America. So if in this typical university the young people greet him by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, then he may well invite you.
Prabhupāda: (laughs) No. I came here with this idea, that in America they are in need of these things, and they are wanting something substantial. So if some is given... Of course, I am doing my bit as far as possible. But if some organized things are done like government help or people help, then this movement can be pushed further nicely. Otherwise slowly it will go on, as Kṛṣṇa desires.
Meeting with Devotees -- June 9, 1969, New Vrindaban:
Prabhupāda: That is... No. So far, if you ask my advice, he should do that work, outside propaganda, preaching. But as you say that his presence is required, therefore I say he may remain here. Otherwise, to remain here is not his duty as a sannyāsī. That is actually your duty, to organize the local management and everything. And his duty is outside work, preaching. He may have one assistant, and he can travel. He can educate your countrymen that "Here is a nice thing we are developing. Please come and cooperate." Invite him, and when he comes you receive him and give him good reception. In this way you have to make propaganda, outside and inside. Just like Kṛṣṇa is making outside and inside propaganda.
Meeting with Devotees -- June 9, 1969, New Vrindaban:
Hayagrīva: Have you any plans yet to go to England? Is anything definite?
Prabhupāda: Yes. That plan is pending. But I have just now received letter from Mukunda that they are negotiating three houses. Out of that, one they must get. And if they invite me, then I shall go. That is already settled. But I don't wish to go unless they have got their own house. I have waited so long, so I don't wish to go as a third person. I must go... Just like I have come here definite, New Vrindaban, similarly, when they get nice temple I go and open it.
Lord Caitanya Play Told to Tamala Krsna -- August 4, 1969, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: So He went with many followers, and many followers playing mṛdaṅga, and Kazi became afraid that "The people have become agitated." So he fled away. Then the people began to create disturbance in his garden. Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, "Don't do this." Then Kazi came back, and Kazi was very submissive, and he said, "My dear Nimāi, You are in relationship my nephew." Because Hindus and Muslims in those days, although they had different religions, they had no animosity. They were living very friendly. So the Muslim elderly man will be said by the Hindus as Chāchā. And the Muslims they'll call Ṭhākura Mosai. Like that. Friendly terms. They will invite. In this way they were living. So the Kazi said that "Your grandfather, I call him Chāchā. He's elderly man. So Your mother is my sister.
1970 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation -- December 12, 1970, Indore:
Prabhupāda: So if they invite, I can go. Why don't you ask them to invite us? Then we can go immediately.
Guest (6): Whole temple there is a pracāra(?) Gītā.
Prabhupāda: But how many preachers they have produced?
Guest (6): You must be knowing that Vidyananda, Swami Vidyananda.
Prabhupāda: Oh, he's a great nonsense.
Guest (6): Oh, no.
Prabhupāda: I know.
Guest (6): He has constructed that from Gujarat. He's a Gujārati.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Room Conversation -- December 13, 1970, Indore:
Prabhupāda: No, we can arrange in the Birla's house. He has a nice dharmaśāla. You know Birla's house?
Yamunā: Yes. We were invited to stay there for ten days.
Prabhupāda: So that's all right. So, who invited?
Devotee (3): One of the people connected with the temple has associated with us in Delhi and (indistinct) has invited us.
Prabhupāda: So first of all take information from the Pujari(?) in which train they have booked our seats for Delhi, and you write immediately one letter to Dhruva in Bombay and Tamal Kṛṣṇa also, that Dhruva may instruct the Delhi Birla's dharmaśāla to accommodate us immediately. So their dharmaśāla. It is Birla's dharmaśāla. First of all we have to see how they have made our seats.
1971 Conversations and Morning Walks
Discussion with Indians -- January 18, 1971, Allahabad:
Prabhupāda: This is misguided. That's all. Now, "Gītā Bhavan," and they have invited me because we are teaching Bhagavad-gītā, and that was Gītā's Jayantī—and the speaker of Gītā is not present? Therefore I say that there are so many places, here also. They are wrongly representing Bhagavad-gītā. So our position is to rectify that wrong propaganda of Bhagavad-gītā.
Guest (2): What is that wrong propaganda?
Prabhupāda: That is one of the instance. There are many instances, many instances, many instances. Just like Dr. Radhakrishnan. In the Ninth Chapter there is verse, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Radhakrishnan says, "It is not to the person Kṛṣṇa." Where he gets this nonsense idea?
Guest (1): No, that Vivekananda also has said.
Prabhupāda: They are all nonsense! Therefore I say they are all nonsense, who deviates from the original text of the Bhagavad-gītā.
Room Conversation -- February 17, 1971, Gorakhpur:
Prabhupāda: He never surrendered to Kṛṣṇa. I wrote him letter. "Mahatma Gandhi, you have got so much influence. You just preach the gospel of Kṛṣṇa, Bhagavad-gītā. Now we have attained svarāj. You don't be in politics." But he was still in politics after attainment of svarāj. And his assistants became disgusted because he was interfering, and therefore he was killed. And that is open secret. If he would have surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, "All right. Now I have worked for svarāj. My people have got svarāj. Now let me work for Kṛṣṇa,"... He never did that. You cannot say that he surrendered to Kṛṣṇa. He should have taken immediately sannyāsa and preached Bhagavad-gītā if he was actually surrendered to Kṛṣṇa. What did he do for Kṛṣṇa? We have to know from practical point of view. I'll tell you another story about Mahatma Gandhi. My Guru Mahārāja invited him in our maṭha, Mahatma Gandhi. So Mahatma Gandhi inquired... The, my godbrothers went to invite him. "What you are doing in your maṭha?" They replied that "We are worshiping Lord Kṛṣṇa." So he inquired, "Are you pulling on charka?" They said, "No sir," He said, "Charka is my God. If there is no charka, I am not going there." He said like that.
Room Conversation -- February 17, 1971, Gorakhpur:
Prabhupāda: Handloom. And there was very good business. So many charkas and that handloom was sold in the shops because everyone was purchasing and purchasing. And they were stacked and thrown away some time after. So... Because Mahatma Gandhi asked, everyone did. You see? So he also asked our maṭha people that "Are you spinning a charka?" They said, "No, sir." "Then I am not going." He refused the invitation. Does it mean he surrendered to Kṛṣṇa? He surrendered to charka. That's all. (laughter) And if you say, "Charka is also Kṛṣṇa," oh, there will be no more argument. (laughter)
Darsana -- June 28, 1971, San Francisco:
Prabhupāda: When one is paramahaṁsa just like Haridāsa Ṭhākura, three hundred thousand times, no eating unless he finishes his chanting. No eating, no sleeping. That is another thing. "I shall eat so much, I shall sleep so much, and I shall do nothing, simply chanting." No. That is not recommended by my Guru Mahārāja. He says that you are cheating people. (Bengali) There is a song written by Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī: "What kind of Vaiṣṇava you are?" (Bengali) "Your chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa in a secluded place," (Bengali) "is simply cheating." What do you know what you are chanting? First of all prepare yourself to come to the stage of perfect chanting. This is sevā. Always be engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service: how to decorate the temple, how to invite people, giving the feast, write books, distribute books and knowledge.
Room Conversation -- July 18, 1971, Detroit:
he follows the Vaiṣṇava principles, it is a little difficult to understand.
Mohsin Hassan: I thank you very much for this wonderful interview. I hope, I'll give you a copy of what you said as soon as I type it out, and I shall keep in contact with you in the future. There are many, many teacher of DePaul University—I am of DePaul University—interested to meet you, and this just to invite you in the future for some lecture.
Prabhupāda: So you try to understand our philosophy from any angle of vision and we shall be able to answer. There will be no difficulty, because we are taking our lessons from Kṛṣṇa. So there is no difficulty to answer any opposite element.
Temple Press Conference -- August 5, 1971, London:
Prabhupāda: It's Kṛṣṇa's mission to awaken man's original consciousness. At the present moment we have got designated consciousness. I am thinking "I am Indian," you are thinking Englishman, another is thinking American. But actually we are neither American nor Indian nor any that sort of designation. We are part and parcel of God. That is our real identification. If we come to that consciousness, then all the problems of the world will be solved. Now, due to our designated consciousness, we are thinking, "You are different from me, I am different from you," but if we come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then we shall know that we are one, the same spirit soul, maybe in different dress. That is the explanation given in Bhagavad-gītā. Just like we are all human beings, gentlemen, ladies. Maybe in different dress, but our aims and objects are the one and the same. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is purificatory process. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). To make people free from all designations. Tat-paratvena nirmalam. And in Kṛṣṇa consciousness they become purified. And when they're purified their activities by purified senses make them perfect. That is the ideal perfection of human life. And our process is also very simple. There is no need of becoming a great philosopher, scientist, or thoughtful man. Simply by chanting the holy name of the Lord we can immediately contact with the Lord, because the Lord as the person and His name and His quality are all absolute. So this is a great science. Unfortunately, there is no department of education for this science in any one of the so many universities. So we invite, therefore, all kinds of serious men for the welfare of the human society to understand this great movement and if possible take part in it and cooperate with us. That will solve all the problems of the world. That is the verdict of Bhagavad-gītā. Very authoritative book of knowledge. Most of you may know the name Bhagavad-gītā. So our movement is based on this Bhagavad-gītā, the authorized book of knowledge, and approved by big ācāryas in India, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Lord Caitanya. So you are all responsible representatives of papers. Try to understand this movement and ventilate it as far as possible for the good of the whole human society. That's all.
Temple Press Conference -- August 5, 1971, London:
consciousness.
Woman Interviewer: Thank you. So presumably you would encourage this movement of more people to find a spiritual life. You...
Prabhupāda: Yes, unless you take to this movement, you cannot be happy. That's a fact. Therefore we invite everyone to study, to understand this great movement.
Woman Interviewer: What worries me slightly is that since the arrival in Britain some while ago of the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, a lot of... He was the first guru that most people ever heard of, and since then there have been a lot of people and a lot of gurus that have suddenly appeared out of nowhere. And one gets the feeling that sometimes they're not all as genuine as they ought to be, and I wondered whether you feel that it's right that you could perhaps issue a warning to people who are seeking some new spiritual life that they should take care to make sure they have a genuine guru to teach them.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Room Conversation -- August 21, 1971, London:
Prabhupāda: Then I will advise.
Haṁsadūta: He may. I don't know. He's also having a little, even though he's working, having a little money problem. And another thing I want to ask Your Divine Grace: We have not invited you to Germany because I thought that I didn't want to impose on your time because your time is very valuable, but if you'd like to come to Germany, we can arrange a program for you in Heidelburg, and there, Pradyumna says, there are some big professors there that are important. If you like to come there, it's not that...
Prabhupāda: If you can arrange a meeting amongst the scholars.
Haṁsadūta: Some scholars.
Prabhupāda: But another thing is that I do not know German language.
Pradyumna: They all speak English.
Haṁsadūta: They generally speak English very well. Generally, they all know English.
Prabhupāda: Then if some scholars' and philosophers' meeting is going on that will be nice.
Room Conversation with Dr. Weir of the Mensa Society -- September 5, 1971, London:
Dr. Weir: And we would welcome you if you would just comply with our simple requirements. We don't have as one of our requirements the acceptance of anything other than the task of spending about, at the maximum an hour and a half doing some simple problems. It's an open invitation.
Śyāmasundara: To one of your meetings.
Dr. Weir: Oh no, to the test for the qualification.
Śyāmasundara: Oh, a test. They have a test for entry into their society and they want to know if you can take this test.
Prabhupāda: Why not you come to our society and we test you.
Dr. Weir: We test something different, you see.
Prabhupāda: We also test (indistinct).
Dr. Weir: That's right, yes, quite right.
Prabhupāda: We have process of test, we have also process of test.
Interview with Reporters -- November 10, 1971, New Delhi:
Prabhupāda: Then one Russian professor invited me already.
Reporter: Ah. And to receive visa. Did you give some...
Prabhupāda: Professor Kotovsky.
Reporter: Kotovsky?
Prabhupāda: Yes. You know his name?
Reporter: Well, I have heard of him.
Prabhupāda: Yes. He, not invited me officially, but he, we had correspondence. He said, "Swamiji, you come this side, I shall be very glad to meet you."
Reporter: So you went there?
Prabhupāda: Therefore, therefore I got the visa.
Room Conversation with Dr. Karan Singh, -- November 25, 1971, Delhi:
Prabhupāda: So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is purifying everyone. This bodily concept of life, "I am Indian," "I am American," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," they are forgetting. Just like in our society there are devotees from many religious sects, many countries, but they are nobody in that concept of life. They are purely thinking, "I am servant of Kṛṣṇa." This is bhakti. This is spiritual platform. So far the material platform is concerned, there is already division. An intelligent class of men, the administrator class. Just like not all everyone is interested taking part in administration. Just like we, at least myself, if you invite me to come to the administration, I will not be interested. We are interested in different thing. So similarly, naturally there is a division. The intelligent class of men, they like to study philosophy, they like to understand what is the ultimate goal of life, so many things. So intelligent class of men should be engaged in that business.
Room Conversation with Dr. Karan Singh, -- November 25, 1971, Delhi:
Prabhupāda: I am inviting everyone, all Europeans.
Śyāmasundara: The temple we have now is packed day and night.
Dr. Singh: You have a temple?
Śyāmasundara: Oh, a very big temple.
Mālatī: But it's not... Every day there's people from not only the Indian community, which you know is very large there, but everywhere. (others talking-indistinct) And they're beautiful. People are always amazed. And all the jewelry and all the mukuts and all the dresses, we make them ourself, and people are amazed. They are so beautiful. They have very big smiling faces and they're very shiny.
Prabhupāda: Next time when you go to London.
1972 Conversations and Morning Walks
Conversation with Author -- April 1, 1972, Sydney:
Prabhupāda: No. We invite everyone, "Please come and take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness." So if one disagrees, why he will come?
Author: But don't you suggest that if somebody feels that they can find fault in your philosophy...
Prabhupāda: Then let him explain what is that fault. Then we can reply. But without fault, if they make some, what is called?
Pradyumna: Complaint?
Prabhupāda: Complaints, that is very difficult thing. What is our fault? Please tell me?
Room Conversations -- April 22, 1972, Japan:
Sudāmā: So we should take the Deity prasādam and our prasādam and go to all the houses?
Prabhupāda: No no. You invite them, that "Anyone, you are welcome. Take prasādam." We can announce. Then you can judge how many people are coming daily. You should announce that "Anyone can come and take prasādam at noon." It is the duty of a gṛhastha to loudly cry, "If anyone is hungry, please come. We have got still food." That is the duty of a gṛhastha. If one does not come, then the chief of the house, he takes prasāda. If somebody says, "I am hungry," so he should offer his own food. "You eat." This is duty of gṛhastha. Bhuñjate te tv aghaṁ pāpā ye pacanti. Those who are cooking for themselves, they are simply eating sinful things. That's all. Bhuñjate te tv aghaṁ pāpā ye pacanty ātma-kāraṇāt (BG 3.13). So hospitality is one of the duties of the householder. Atithi. Atithi means guest without any information. That is called atithi.
Room Conversation with Dai Nippon -- April 22, 1972, Tokyo:
Dai Nippon representative: Even you catch cold, you don't go to, you don't consult with doctor, medical doctor.
Prabhupāda: Yes. We avoid doctor's bill. Yes. As far as possible. And we, because we are vegetarian, hardly we get sick. If you take strictly vegetarian food, you will avoid so many doctor's bills. Yes. Because our constitution is meant for eating vegetables. Just like this teeth. This is not meant for eating meat. It is meant for eating fruits, vegetables, grains. Our constitution is made like that. In India still 80% population (break) ...grains, milk products, vegetables, fruits, and sugar. You can make hundreds of nice palatable dishes. Sometimes we invite Mr. Tajima. You accept our invitation. You'll see. The other day I invited your assistant.
Room Conversation -- June 29, 1972, San Diego:
Prabhupāda: To do good to others, para-upakāra. So those Indians who are here, it is all right you are earning for some economic development, but at the same time, you try to make your life perfect by Kṛṣṇa consciousness and spread it to the foreigners as far as possible. That's your duty, not that, that you are getting decent salary than India, and enjoy life and forget your culture. That is suicidal. You have got a culture... So this culture is Vedic culture and Vedic culture means Kṛṣṇa conscious. As it is said in the Bhagavad-gītā, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). Vedic culture means to understand Kṛṣṇa. One who has not understood Kṛṣṇa, he has no Vedic culture. But every Indian is supposed to have Vedic culture. And to have Vedic culture means to understand Kṛṣṇa. Therefore all Indians, they should cultivate this Kṛṣṇa consciousness personally, make their life successful, and distribute it to the, our neighbors. Of course, I do not think... If you invite your neighbors, they do not come, you said?
Guest (1) (Indian man): Obviously, they have got some other work, this, that.
Room Conversation -- August 1, 1972, London:
Prabhupāda: They'll contribute. And if she canvasses, she can collect lakhs.
Devotee: But one thing is, if Giriraja takes advantage and begins preaching in her school daily... She's invited him, open invitation.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Then it will be pleased.
Devotee: Then when she'll see her students improve, then she'll give us all help.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Now we have got land, many people will contribute materials. Materials, we can get materials from many big, big merchants.
Devotee: Yeah, like, ah, Tarachand.
Prabhupāda: Cement, iron, they will.. "All right. Give it." Goods, anyone will give.
Room Conversation -- August 1, 1972, London:
Devotee: Iron merchant.
Prabhupāda: He wanted to invite me one day. He met me on the park. Do you remember?
Devotee: Yes, I remember.
Prabhupāda: He's one of the richest men.
Devotee: Yes. I think when you go back there the next year, or next autumn...
Prabhupāda: Now we have created some impression that we are doing something nice. Even Keating is also impressed.
Room Conversation -- August 1, 1972, London:
Prabhupāda: Hm. In this way you raise funds.
Devotee: Meanwhile, he should start utilizing her invitation to teach in the schools sometimes.
Prabhupāda: Yes, and she'll cooperate. And write letter for permission for carrying our motorcar and incense.
Devotee: Yes, and inform Gurudāsa...
Prabhupāda: She has already agreed, that, ah, what is called? Punks? The punks sent to Calcutta, and from there then send to Los Angeles.
Interview with the New York Times -- September 2, 1972, New Vrindaban:
Prabhupāda: The government may create a prisonhouse, but why do you go there? Does the government invite you there? No, you become a criminal and go there. The prisonhouse is there and the university is there. Why do some people go to prison rather than the university? The government is not partial to people; it does not say, "You live in this university and be educated, and you go to the prison and live there." It is in the individual's choice. Similarly, God has created so many things, but it is our duty to follow God's instructions. God says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja: (BG 18.66) "Just give up all nonsense and surrender unto Me. I shall give you all protection." That is God's declaration. Why don't you take to that? God is all powerful, and He may create so many things for some purpose, but why don't you follow God's instructions? God says, "Surrender unto Me," so why not surrender? Why surrender to māyā? That is the individual's choice.
Interview with the New York Times -- September 2, 1972, New Vrindaban:
John Nordheimer: I hope so.
Prabhupāda: Yes, we invite everyone to come here to listen to our philosophy, take prasādam and sing and dance with us. This program is very nice. We do not make distinctions in human society. We do not say that we shall serve the Indians and not the Americans or the Americans and not the Africans. We are going everywhere with this movement. We take all human beings to be part and parcel of God. Not only human beings, but every living entity—animals also.
Conversation with Bajaj and Bhusan -- September 11, 1972, Arlington, Texas, At Their Home:
Satsvarūpa: So please come to the temple tomorrow, to take darśana. I know everyone works or is busy, but try to come at least in the evening and see this. As Śrīla Prabhupāda was saying, the name is not different than Kṛṣṇa. We chant on our big japa beads. The holy name is the same as Kṛṣṇa is in His form or in the picture or the same as His philosophy. And so these Deity forms, we don't consider them as marble Deities but as Kṛṣṇa Himself. People misunderstand. They think this is idol worship, that we are worshiping some idol, bowing down to idols. Same with the food, they don't understand. We offer food to the Deity. But Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that "If you offer Me a little fruit or a leaf or water..."
Prabhupāda: So Śyāmasundara, you can invite all these gentlemen tomorrow.
Śyāmasundara: He is doing that now.
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.
Conversation with Bajaj and Bhusan -- September 11, 1972, Arlington, Texas, At Their Home:
Prabhupāda: I have taken it, little. That's all. (pause) Harer nāma, harer nāma (CC Adi 17.21). (pause) So tomorrow you are all invited. Please come. You are also invited.
Śyāmasundara: A special ceremony tomorrow.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Guest (2): Can we get one picture of the group?
Prabhupāda: Yes, sit down. No.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Śrīla Prabhupāda, (Hindi)
Prabhupāda: (Hindi)
Guest (2): Why don't you all move and please stand... (Hindi) Can some of them stand over that side?
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Room Conversation with Kenneth Keating, U.S. Ambassador to India -- October 14, 1972, New Delhi:
Prabhupāda: Russia... Last time when I went to Europe I visited Russia. I was invited by one Professor Kotovsky. Perhaps you know him.
Ambassador: No, I don't.
Prabhupāda: Ah. A very nice gentleman. Indology. He is charge of the Indological department. Russia has got very good respect for Indian culture.
Ambassador: Yes. That's right.
Prabhupāda: They have very good respect. So that.... (break)
Ambassador: ...have much, they don't believe in God.
Prabhupāda: They do not know the (indistinct).
Mrs. Keating: Do you have many Indian followers? Many Indian followers as well as foreign?
Prabhupāda: Yes. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness, so far Indians are concerned, everyone accepts Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Room Conversation -- October 25, 1972, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: Once I was invited to speak in that institution, MIT. So I questioned, "Where is your department of technology to understand the difference between dead body and living body?" So I spoke on this. So the students appreciated. After my lecture, they gathered around me. How do you explain? What is that technology, why the man is dead? Science is simply based on this bodily concept. Yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke (SB 10.84.13).
Indian man: But about body also they don't know anything.
Prabhupāda: That also they have no perfect knowledge.
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation -- March 17, 1973, Mayapur:
Śrīdhara Mahārāja: Yes, yes.
Prabhupāda: Yes. He was my intimate friend. So in their house, old Tīrtha Mahārāja went to beg some alms—they are very rich man. So, he informed me that "One nice sannyāsī came to our house," and he was invited, "in Ultadanga there is Gauḍīya Maṭha, so he has invited me. I wish to go there. Why don't you come? Let us go together." He was my very intimate friend. So at that time I was a little pessimistic (?), "I know all these sādhus there, I am not going." So he forced me, "Oh, why not come? Let us go." "All right, let us go." So I went to see His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura in 1922 in that Ultadanga building, and that time Prabhupāda was sitting on the roof. There was small house (indistinct) room, and we were welcome, because they thought Naren Mullik was very rich man and he has contributed some money.
Room Conversation -- March 17, 1973, Mayapur:
Śrīdhara Mahārāja: (indistinct) Mahārāja and (indistinct) Mahārāja.
Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. So, my father was Vaiṣṇava, but when I invited these Gauḍīya Maṭha sādhus, my father thought that I have invited some sādhus of the Ramakrishna Mission. So he was not very interested. When Tīrtha Mahārāja is speaking, I call my... My father was that time invalid, I called him that "Please come down, there is a meeting of the Gauḍīya Maṭha sādhus." So, he could not resist my request, he came down, but he did not think that some devotees have come. They thought, these Ramakrishna Mission rascals have come. (laughter) So he was not very happy, but I told, he was sitting. He, so the meeting he just criticized. Then when he heard the speech of our old Tīrtha Mahārāja, our old Godbrother, he understood, "Oh, they are Vaiṣṇavas." Then immediately after the meeting, he came down on his feet. "I misunderstood you sir, that you are the Ramakrishna Mission sādhu. I am so glad to meet you. So that is the beginning of my intimate relationship with Gauḍīya Maṭha. And they are coming, and whenever somebody would come, I would invite them to lecture in my house. In that way Śrīdhara Mahārāja, at that time Rāmendra Sundara Bhaṭṭācārya, he was also invited at my house, and before (indistinct)... No, I think I invited Bhāratī Mahārāja, and you were with Bhāratī Mahārāja.
Morning Walk -- May 2, 1973, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: So did you not protest?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes. Then there was... After his lecture... It was a one hour long seminar, and there was question and answer. So they invited questions. Nobody asked.
Prabhupāda: So you did not ask?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: No, I asked later on. I asked, that "Your topic is about origin of life, but you are not talking about the origin of life. So there is no basis of your argument."
Prabhupāda: Very good.
Morning Walk -- May 2, 1973, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: Oh, then what kind of scientist he is? So they know that you are theologist?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: In the department everybody knows. (laughter) There is one theoretical chemist. His name is Max Muster (?). He is from Germany. He is a theoretical chemist. Once I invited him to come to Los Angeles to talk with Prabhupāda. He agreed, and but then he told me that he will think for one day whether he will come or not. Then next day he told me that he is afraid. "I cannot come because I am afraid that I will be put on the walls." (laughter) But he is very philosophical. He believes in God. He has some... That's why if you talk with him, very nice.
Prabhupāda: So that is also nice. We are not afraid of meeting any philosopher or scientist, but they are afraid. That is our credit. All scientists know that they are on the wrong basis, but because they are scientists, they say like that. That is their position. They do not believe in their own statement. Therefore he said, "I do not know."
Morning Walk -- May 3, 1973, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: By logic, by science. Anyway, that we have to make program. Because this is most misleading. The whole human society is affected by this misleading theory. We have to make program, go from place to place and invite all big men, all scientists. That program we have to make. We cannot allow this nonsense theory to go on. We must make something. Brahmānanda, how to make this? This is a fact, that, that life comes from life. In another sense life does not come. Life is existing. It is not exactly the word that life generates, no. Life is existing. The matter is generated. Matter is generating, and it stays for some time, again it is vanished. Just like this body. This body is born at a certain date, and it will be finished at a certain date. This is matter.
Morning Walk At Cheviot Hills Golf Course -- May 15, 1973, Los Angeles:
Svarūpa Dāmodara: I remember this in Pittsburgh last year Śrīla Prabhupāda, in that meeting with the bishops, there was a Christian father, a Catholic father. So the question raised that Śrīla Prabhupāda said, "Thou shalt not kill," in the Bible, in the Commandments.
Prabhupāda: Yes. I was invited by some Christian priest in Melbourne, very good gathering. I said also the same thing.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: I think his answer was "When the Bible was written, Christ didn't mean this way." That was his answer.
Prabhupāda: Oh, He used that part. He has found out. The rascal. Beat with shoes, that what "Christian, Christ could not find out, you have found out. You are so great. Thank you very much. You are more intelligent than Christ. Oh. So why Bible. Why not write your Bible? Let us follow."
Room Conversation with Guest -- July 11, 1973, London:
Prabhupāda: Hm. Distribute the prasāda. Bhagavān ka prasāda. Hm. That's all. So it is a great pleasure for us. Your Holiness visits us voluntarily. Although I could not invite you, but still, you are so kind, you came. So I am doing my bit, following in the footsteps of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. That's all.
Room Conversation With David Lawrence -- July 12, 1973, London:
David Lawrence: The difference is irrelevant then.
Prabhupāda: No. There is no difference. Just like we are talking. You have got a coat. I have no coat. That does not make any difference. We are talking as gentlemen. That's all. The last time when I was in Calcutta I was invited by the Indo-American Cultural Society, and they gave me the subject matter: "East and West." So I talked, "We don't find any such distinction, 'East and West,' when we come to the spiritual platform. This is all material platform."
Room Conversation With David Lawrence -- July 12, 1973, London:
Prabhupāda: Sometimes invite them all and give them prasādam. Nice boys.
Śyāmasundara: Have them all out here, yeah. (break)
Prabhupāda: You just work little, produce your food, eat, and save time, and try to understand Kṛṣṇa. This is the nature's arrangement. Anywhere, any part of the world, you can produce your food. Simply you require a little land and some cows. Everything is complete. You take milk from the cows and just till the field and get some food grains. That is sufficient. Whole economic question solved. And save time for developing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is the arrangement.
Room Conversation with Malcolm -- July 18, 1973, London:
Prabhupāda: General, general. Reply.
Mukunda: We've also invited him to come here.
Śyāmasundara: No one defended him in the newspaper, Observer.
Prabhupāda: So other protests have been published in the paper?
Śyāmasundara: Yes. I'll bring them up to you. (end)
Room Conversation with Lord Brockway -- July 23, 1973, London:
Prabhupāda: We can, we can discuss on higher intellectual platform this philosophy. It is a science. Therefore we invite the best intelligent person to take part in it. Then other people will follow. That is our proposal.
Garden Conversation with Mahadeva's Mother and Jesuit Priest -- July 25, 1973, London:
Prabhupāda: In this way. So we invite anyone, everyone, without any distinction, without any discrimination. He may be Christian, he may be Hindu, he may be Mohammedan. "Come on. Live with us, and learn how to love." That is our mission. We say, according to our Vedic description,
- sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo
- yato bhaktir adhokṣaje
- ahaituky apratihatā
- yayātmā suprasīdati
- (SB 1.2.6)
If you actually want peace of your mind, then you must try, you must learn how to love God. So our preaching is... It doesn't matter, whatever religion you are following, it doesn't matter. If you have achieved this aim, how to love God, then your system is first-class. That's all.
Room Conversation with Cardinal Danielou -- August 9, 1973, Paris:
Prabhupāda: Not yet.
Cardinal Danielou: No. Not yet, not yet. France. France...
Prabhupāda: I've got invitation from the secretary...
Cardinal Danielou: Yes.
Room Conversation with Sanskrit Professor -- August 13, 1973, Paris:
Prabhupāda: So you can come sometimes. No you can stay there. It is very nice place. We have 17 acres of land, open, with a lake. It is a royal palace.
Professor: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Yes. We are installing our Deity next 21st. So if you have time, I invite you. It is not far, London.
Professor: London is not far. Yes.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Room Conversation -- September 2, 1973, London:
Prabhupāda: This is due to government post.
Guest (1): And he also accepted an invitation, we invited him, He said he'd also come, but this Pakistan war started.
Prabhupāda: Still there are so many respectable person came. The governor came, the high-court justices and that, the Canadian ambassador came. Many men came. And he was very humble. He sat down below.
Guest (1): You didn't see the high commissioner there. He sat down.
Prabhupāda: He's also a very nice man.
Guest (1): Maybe some pious activities that they have.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Room Conversation with Indian Ambassador -- September 5, 1973, Stockholm:
Prabhupāda: Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇāḥ. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ (SB 5.18.12). If one has got faith and devotion to God, God is one... God is neither Christian nor Hindu nor Muslim. God is one. So religion means according to... Not according to... This is the Vedic conclusion.
- sa vai puṁsāṁ paro dharmo
- yato bhaktir adhokṣaje
- ahaituky apratihatā
- yayātmā suprasīdati
- (SB 1.2.6)
One must be religious. Without being religious, he cannot be satisfied. Therefore there is confusion, dissatisfaction all over the world because, because people have become irreligious. If you want to keep... In Calcutta, there was, in the American Consulate Office, I was invited. There, they have got a department: "Indo-American Cultural Society." Perhaps you know.
Room Conversation with Indian Ambassador -- September 5, 1973, Stockholm:
Prabhupāda: I was invited there to speak: "East and West." So I explained that so far we are concerned, we have no such thing as east and west. But still, there is difference between east and west that in the Eastern countries, especially in India, even in the remotest part of the village, a cultivator, poor cultivator, he'll understand God consciousness very easily. And so far in the West, I talked with Professor Kotofsky... Perhaps you know.
Room Conversation with Indian Ambassador -- September 5, 1973, Stockholm:
Prabhupāda: Yes, that...
Ambassador: ...distributed the invitations to all the Indians, you see. But I'm afraid the Indians in Sweden are extremely...
Prabhupāda: Eh?
Ambassador: How shall I put it? Extremely material and...
Prabhupāda: No, everywhere. Everywhere.
Ambassador: So I do not expect much response. I'm being very honest with you, you know.
Prabhupāda: No, everywhere. In India also. Indians are everywhere.
Room Conversation -- September 19, 1973, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: But you are living since a long time there.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We have been living, but we have not invited others there.
Prabhupāda: No, you invite others or not, whether your program was going on?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, till then it wasn't, Prabhupāda.
Prabhupāda: Then it was simply a joint mess, that you go and collect and come and eat and sleep.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.
Prabhupāda: That is very dangerous. Then you will all fall down. If you make a joint mess, if you go and collect something and then eat and sleep, then everything will be... Therefore I do not want to keep separate. The temple worship means there will be regulative principles, that you will have to rise early in the morning, you have to attend class, kīrtana... These things, as soon as you give up all these things, zero. Then it will be like karmīs, as they are, hard labor, collecting money, and enjoying senses. That's all. So that is the pitfall everywhere. In the church, temple, as soon as they get some nice income, then in the name of "priest," "sādhu," "sannyāsī," they do the same thing. Therefore Gosvāmīs, they left everything. That is the danger of viṣaya, viṣaya touch. Viṣaya chāḍiyā se rase majiyā. As soon as we give up this śravaṇam, kīrtanam, then it becomes viṣaya. Viṣaya means materialism. There is no spiritualism.
Conversation at Airport -- October 26, 1973, Bombay:
Brahmānanda: We called them. We gave them invitation to come to a press meeting.
Śrutakīrti: We could distribute this...
Prabhupāda: They are not interested. Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They clearly says that "What this Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or saṅkīrtana will do?" They says, yes. (laughs) They have become so dull. The Bhagavad-gītā, the culture of India, they have forsaken. They are now taking culture from Russia. Yes. This is the advancement of education. They are taking instruction from Lenin than from Kṛṣṇa. This is the position. Especially in India. Outside India they are interested, so many European, American, Western countries' boys and girls, they have joined and sacrificed their life. But in India they are callous. They think that "What is this Hare Kṛṣṇa? We know that. It is very old story. Now we want technology."
Room Conversation -- November 2, 1973, New Delhi:
Prabhupāda: I got everything, still, I haven't got anything. (laughter) So you can invite the neighboring people. We can hold an evening class or morning class. I'll give you one matter for... (break) This is a nice place. If you invite the neighboring..., they may come and take advantage.
Morning Walk -- December 16, 1973, Los Angeles:
Rūpānuga: Just because a man goes in the prisonhouse doesn't mean his thieving is cured. He will come out a thief unless he is actually rectified.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. Yes. Otherwise again he will commit the same thing and again he will come. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). Therefore he requires instruction, good instruction. Sometimes government invites. We were invited that Ahmedabad jail. You remember?
Śrutakīrti: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Oh, there was big meeting of the prisoners. Kīrtana, everything, yes.
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Morning Walk -- January 10, 1974, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, yes. She invited me this time.
Yaśomatīnandana: She is writer, I think.
Prabhupāda: Yes. She is very educated. Now, her husband made very great attempt for publishing book, but there is no sufficient customer. Now the press is going to be sold, and nobody customer. That is letter-setting press. Now it is obsolete. So they were perplexed. She wanted that I shall purchase. And what shall I do with this press? Letter setting is now abolished. That is not good job now. There must be litho press or, what is called, offset.
Room Conversation -- February 6, 1974, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: Generally we improve our material condition just to become happy with relatives. When we construct a new house, we invite relatives. So they may come, they will say, "Oh, you have done very nice," and he is also pleased, "My relatives, they have seen." But "If all the relatives are killed, then how it will be possible for me to enjoy the kingdom?" Yeṣām arthe kāṅkṣitam rājyam.
Morning Walk -- February 19, 1974, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: I forced him to go to U.S.A. and get...
Dr. Patel: I invited him to stay in my house, but he said that he won't come.
Prabhupāda: No, no, he is not interested for his person.
Dr. Patel: We have invite him. When he is ill, he may stay with me. We may have a little sat-saṅga.
Prabhupāda: But he is sarva-bhūta-hite ratāḥ. Why he should be concentrated one?
Mr. Sar: Adveṣṭā sarva-bhūtānām.
Prabhupāda: Ah, adveṣṭā. It is not, "I am Hindu. Why shall I preach amongst the Christian?" The dveṣṭā.
Dr. Patel: Adveṣṭā sarva-bhūtānām.
Prabhupāda: But one has to become adveṣṭā. This is adveṣṭā.
Morning Walk 'Varnasrama College' -- March 14, 1974, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: Just like we do not want money. But they are having money by so many ways. So we take their money and construct a temple. We can sit down here and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. We don't require that temple. But these rascals are accumulating money for wine and women. Take their money, some way or other, and builds a temple. And invite them, "Come and see." Give them prasādam. This is our policy. We are not constructing big, big buildings and temples for our convenience. For their convenience. This is sannyāsī.
Morning Walk -- March 15, 1974, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: Then whatever field is not being worked, we occupy them, and begin to work. And invite all the unemployed, "Come and join us. We shall give you food, shelter, everything." (break) ...how Kṛṣṇa is setting example. Kṛṣṇa is saying that "I have already arranged the result of this fighting. Everyone will be killed." Nimitta-mātraṁ bhava savyasācin. But still, He is inducing Arjuna to work. Not that He's already (indistinct), "I am your friend, Kṛṣṇa. Everything will be done." "It will be done, but you have to work."
Morning Walk -- March 17, 1974, Vrndavana:
Guru dāsa: One who works hard for Kṛṣṇa day and night and one who controls his senses.
Prabhupāda: Yes. That is the first thing. Vāco vegaṁ krodha-vegam udara-vegam upastha-vegaṁ manasa-vegam, etān vegān yo viṣaheta dhīraḥ pṛthivīṁ sa śiṣyāt (NOI 1). One who can control these kinds of urges, vāco vegam, talking nonsense—that is called vāco vegam. Krodha-vegam, anger. Urges of the mind. Mind dictates, "Do this, do that." Then udara-vegam, eating vegam. "Eat more, more, more." Udara-vegam. Upastha-vegam. Genital. When one can control these six vegān, urges, then he is fit for becoming gosvāmī, and he can make śiṣya all over, śiṣya, disciple, all over the world. Pṛthivīṁ sa śiṣyāt. This is gosvāmī. Not that a business. (Hindi) Is there any mention Bhāgavata-saptāha in the Bhāgavatam? There are so many big, big commentators. They have never recommended. But this business is going on. They are holding Bhāgavata-saptāha and bringing money and employing it for the sons', daughters' marriage very opulently. And the, their supporters, they're also invited. They say, "Oh here is a gosvāmī." This is going on here. (break) ... of gosvāmī, there is not a single gosvāmī. At least visible. Where is that vāco vegaṁ krodha-vegam udara upastha-vegam (NOI 1) control? And where is that pṛthivīṁ sa śiṣyāt, all world-wide?
Guru dāsa: Yes, disciples...
Prabhupāda: (chuckles) Ah, where is that? Śiṣya.
Room Conversation -- March 20, 1974, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: ...disciple has read it that from government side there is an article that in Iranian country they want meat, so all these skinny cows should be killed and meat should be exported so that you can get oil economically. So one should not think of this religious sentiment. They should be practical. They should not object. Government is going to open many slaughterhouse to get oil, and kill these loitering, mischief loitering cows, no food. Like that. So government policy is that religious (indistinct) is an opiate of the (indistinct). It is a sentiment. It has no value. That is government conclusion. So therefore their decision is not to encourage these temples and this bhajana. To their point of view, it is useless. So indirectly or directly, they will patronize this. So under the circumstances, we have to make vigorous propaganda, public opinion. You see? Therefore I suggest that various meetings should be arranged in big, big halls and public meeting so that public may understand, at least, that this movement is very important. And let there be advertisement, different subject matter, to invite people here. They may come. Then I will explain. And all my students and others, they may hold, arrange for pan... I'll also speak. In that meeting make a nice gentleman president. In this way, create public opinion so that they will come here and they will sign this, "Yes, here must be one temple."
Room Conversation -- March 20, 1974, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: This will be propaganda and to invite people to come and let them give in writing that "Here the Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa temple must be there." Take thousand, millions of signatures. So prove that it is not nonsense. It is the most essential thing. This way. And so far traffic is concerned, now, there is big road. So make two gates, in and out, this side, so there is no question of traffic convenience. In this way, do presentation. That is my suggestion. And this letter will not be very much effective.
Room Conversation -- March 20, 1974, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Uncivilized. A similar thing is happening in India where the civilization is supposed to be so... And actually it is so, but they have become so degraded that a responsible officer in the government, he is saying that "Bhajana is nuisance." You see. He has no knowledge what, how much valuable, spiritually valuable, bhajana is. In the Bhagavad-gītā... Gandhi accepted Bhagavad-gītā. It is said, catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ sukṛti... Gandhi was chanting in temple: Raghupati rāghava. So what they are following? Gandhi was against drinking and intoxication. Now they're introducing. So this is the position of the government. Therefore I suggest that according to the word, so far traffic, we are diverting the ways this way. And let people come here, join with bhajana, take prasādam, and they sign, "Yes, there must be a temple here." Let this. And make propaganda that people may come here, and... I am present here. I will speak. The same thing, as it is going on, kīrtana and speaking from Bhagavad-gītā. And after they are convinced, let them sign, "Yes, there must be a temple here." In this way, gather public opinion, one point, that bhajana is not nuisance, essential, we want it, and the other thing, we are making gate in and out to get... Submit a plan like that, that this is... There will be no... That may be a small road, lane, but here is a big road. And purchase that land in front and make a gate. Call a good architects, make a nice gate and road. Take this proposition. Our business is there. If we invite people, "Come..." Even without temple, if it is go on like that, people may come and take prasādam, and they give their consent, "Yes, it is nice," that is sufficient. Even there is no temple.
Morning Walk -- April 12, 1974, Bombay:
Indian man (1): I know.
Prabhupāda: Yes. And he was earning fifty-thousand rupees at that time, fifty years ago. What is the value, just see. He was earning and spending like anything, lavishly, and he was so bad associated that wine and woman was his paraphernalia. That's all. As soon as there will be case engaged the first order is that "You have to supply so many cases of wine and so many batches of prostitute." That was C.R. Dasa's condition, first condition. In the Mopaceel(?) court when he would be invited to plead, the first condition is this. Then his fees. So in this way he was living. But he gave up. On Congress Movement he gave up everything practiced, but he died within one year.
Morning Walk -- April 20, 1974, Hyderabad:
Prabhupāda: Yes. Chain must be there. Now, whether strictly following the..., that is another thing.
Pañcadraviḍa: (break) ...invited us to their program at Udupi, Madhva-sampradāya. When they are changing the ācāryas every two years, they extended one invitation to come for their program, main temple program.
Prabhupāda: So why did you not accept?
Pañcadraviḍa: There was no transportation available.
Prabhupāda: Transportation?
Mahāṁsa: Should we go to such programs, Prabhupāda?
Prabhupāda: If they invite, why not? That means they recognize. But one thing, you be certain whether this Tirupati temple is going to allow our men.
Morning Walk -- April 29, 1974, Hyderabad:
Prabhupāda: Oh, when I was businessman.
Gargamuni: Some man has invited us there for kīrtana program. He wants to donate some building there.
Prabhupāda: Oh, that's nice. We get a nice place, on the Ganges side. If he donates, it will be very sanitary (salutary?) place.
Gargamuni: He wants to invite us in October.
Prabhupāda: Mirzapur is rich people. They have got carpet industry. Mirzapur carpet is very famous. They manufacture and sell big, nice carpets. Just like Persian carpets. So similarly, Mirzapur carpet. Besides that, they have got many other businesses. So it is on the Ganges side and the healthy quarter also. (break) ...still, he is the biggest practitioner in Allahabad. He has offered his house. In old days he constructed it for four lakhs.
Morning Walk Excerpts -- May 2, 1974, Bombay:
Girirāja: Well, it's on Marine Drive. Somebody just became a life member, but he is inviting six hundred guests on the terrace of the building.
Prabhupāda: Very good. This kind of meeting should be arranged. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (break) It is also our business, to kill all undesirable men so-called swamis, yogis, avatāras. What is that? Kṛṣṇa... Girirāja: (reading) "Kṛṣṇa, who advented Himself just to kill all undesirable elements in the world..." Prabhupāda: Yes. Similarly, this movement is advented to kill all the so-called yogis, swamis, avatāras, rascals, philosophers, commentators. We have to kill. Kill means... Where is your tilaka? You did not have tilaka in the morning? Devotee: (indistinct) Prabhupāda: Ah. So this is our one of the items, to vanquish all these rascals, so-called swamis. They say that "Why you criticize others also?" Because we have to vanquish them. Now these people cannot rise. When there is sunrise, there is no use of these glowworms. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is Kṛṣṇa Himself. Therefore they must be finished, all over the world. So-called religionists, so-called philosophers, so-called avatāras, swamis, yogis—finished. Our program should be like that. (break) ...all these rascals, anymore to flourish. That is one of our program.
Room Conversation with Irish Poet, Desmond O'Grady -- May 23, 1974, Rome:
Michael Robert: We have heard many profound things here this evening, Your Grace, Your Divine Grace, and I believe that this has been the most useful session and that the poet O'Grady has asked some good questions too. I should like to invite yourself and your followers perhaps to the Overseas School of Rome next Tuesday, if you'd care to come. No doubt your followers who are recording the session so carefully will record the address and the time. Tuesday at the Overseas School of Rome at 10:00 in the morning, if you'll care to come and met our students. They're invited to come.
Prabhupāda: Where it is?
Yogeśvara: It's a school in Rome.
Prabhupāda: Oh. They want me to go there? Yes, I will go. It is my duty.
O'Grady: Just to pay a visit, meet the children.
Prabhupāda: Yes. It is my duty to enlighten people about God consciousness.
Room Conversation with Catholic Cardinal and Secretary to the Pope -- May 24, 1974, Rome:
Prabhupāda: Yes. I went to Moscow. I was invited.
Cardinal Pignedoli: Because they need badly. They need this spirit of friendship with God and with His supreme values. God... Well, I wouldn't say to the Moslem world because they are good believers. And God is probably, they are more faithful to. And for instance, these areas of the modern world like, also in the States sometimes, because these big cities like New York or Tokyo or Toronto, and some, these are cities, where they are areas where spiritual values have no meaning for these people. It's a pity and we have to be very open and very friendly to them. I gather this. And your method is meditation and prayer, if I understand it well.
Prabhupāda: There are two things. We recommend two things. For the mass of people, this prayer, kīrtana, a prayer. Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma. So this is prayer. Hare means appealing to the energy of God, and Kṛṣṇa is God. "O the energy of God, O God, please engage me in your service." This is the sum and substance of the Hare Kṛṣṇa. Hare: "O the energy of God, 'Kṛṣṇa,' O the Lord, please engage me in Your service."
Room Conversation with Mr. C. Hennis of the International Labor Organization of the U.N. -- May 31, 1974, Geneva:
C. Hennis: Your disciples were kind enough to call on me and invite me to come and have a talk with you.
Prabhupāda: That is very kind of you.
C. Hennis: Thank you very much. I come from the International Labor Organization which is an organization in the United Nations family. It's the second organization after the United Nations itself, and it's interested in every form of labor, every form of activity connected with labor, and the protection of the worker, the welfare of the worker. And in many respects, of course, our preoccupations must overlap with yours in certain respects of the activities, of man in general and his protection and his well-being.
Prabhupāda: So according to our Vedic conception, the labor class man is supposed to be the fourth-class man. First-class man, intelligentsia, very intelligent, learned. Or intelligent—one who can understand up to God. To understand God requires great intelligence. So first intelligent class of men, up to, so they are called brāhmaṇa. The next intelligent class man, those who give protection to the society, kṣatriya. And the third class, those who produce food and distribute. They are third class. And other, all others, they are fourth class.
Room Conversation -- June 5, 1974, Geneva:
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ (SB 5.18.12). As soon as you become a unalloyed devotee of God, all the good qualities will manifest in you. If the good qualities does not manifest in you, that means you are not yet perfect in God consciousness. Just like you European boys, American boys, why you have given... (break) ...one of the item is that good quality that "Why shall I give trouble, pain, to other animals?" This is within the God consciousness. Just like poor-feeding. This program we also follow. In our temple, especially in India, any man can come and take his food. Yes. We have got arrangement. In the U.S.A also, Los Angeles, New York, we invite anyone, "Come and take food." We don't want to see that anyone is hungry. We don't want to see. So God consciousness means all the good ideas we are manufacturing, they will be manifested in God consciousness automatically. Therefore our duty should be, if we want to make all human being well-behaved, then we must try to make every one of them God conscious.
Morning Walk -- June 6, 1974, Geneva:
Prabhupāda: When I first came to America, Butler, in Pennsylvania, that is small county, but at least one dozen churches I found. I very much appreciated, that the people are not... And they're going regularly, churches. I was invited in many churches. I was...
Yogeśvara: To lecture?
Prabhupāda: Yes. The, the girl, that, my friend's son's wife... He's Indian. He has married an English girl. So I was guest at his house. So that girl, Sally... Selly or Sally?
Yogeśvara: Sally.
Morning Walk -- June 6, 1974, Geneva:
Prabhupāda: Oh. (break) ...fig, there are thousands of seeds. And each seed contains a tree like that. And there are thousands of fruits, figs. Where is that chemist who can prepare such figs? One, in Delhi, when our festival was going on, we invited a big chemist. He admitted that "Our chemical advance, scientific advancement is like this." He explained very nicely. You were present?
Yogeśvara: Where?
Prabhupāda: In Delhi? He said that a man who has learned the art to, what is called, barking like dog, and people will go to see, purchasing ticket, ten rupees, twenty rupees, how the man is barking like a dog. And there are so many dogs barking. They won't see. This is our advancement. If a man has artificially learned how to bark, they'll go to see by paying fees. And the natural barking, they don't care. So these rascals are like that. They're trying to manufacture life. And so many life is coming by nature's process, millions and millions, that is no credit. And he's trying, utopian, he'll create life by chemical combination, he's given all credit, Nobel Prize: "Oh, here is a man." This is rascaldom. So what credit you'll get. Suppose if you can manufacture a man or an animal in the laboratory, where is your credit? There are many millions and millions are coming automatically. We are trying to give credit to Kṛṣṇa who is making all this creation.
Room Conversation -- June 11, 1974, Paris:
Puṣṭa-kṛṣṇa: You said, Prabhupāda, about these restaurants, have people come, and invite them and give them everything. They can have wife, they can have family, they can have place to stay, nice food. Simply they have to be civilized.
Prabhupāda: That's all.
Puṣṭa-kṛṣṇa: Everything is there.
Prabhupāda: We do not deny anything. We simply request, "Be civilized, Kṛṣṇa conscious." And this is practical; everyone is seeing this. We have got gṛhasthas, vānaprasthas, brahmacārī, sannyāsī. We have no such objection.
Room Conversation with Roger Maria leading writer of communist literature -- June 12, 1974, Paris:
Prabhupāda: Hmm. Then? What did he...? Why he come here? What for?
Yogeśvara: We invited him. (laughter) (French)
Devotee: Well, at the end of Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66).
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Room Conversation with devotees about Twelfth Canto Kali-yuga, and Conversation with Guest -- June 15, 1974, Paris:
Prabhupāda: Hm. Vaiṣṇava philosophy.
Jyotirmayī: Vaiṣṇava philosophy. And we'd like to invite also M. Misraki. He's a compositor of music, but he also wrote book on life after death and many different things. So he was interested to come also. So they all came together.
Prabhupāda: So they are all nice gentlemen and ladies. It is...
Jyotirmayī: And very interesting too, that the first question, one of the first questions that Pere Fransad asked me, was: "Do you believe in love of God, and that God is a person? Some people say that God is not a person, and we say God is a person."
Bhagavān: So you can translate in French so that they can understand.
Prabhupāda: At least Christians cannot believe in impersonal God.
Room Conversation with Professor Durckheim German Spiritual Writer -- June 19, 1974, Germany:
Prof. Pater Porsch: May I please put a question before I forget. I heard from our, or I read in the invitation that this center is not only a center as such but something more. It should also be an āśrama and also a forest university in the tradition of the ancient times.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Prof. Pater Porsch: A kind of a university also.
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Yes.
Prof. Pater Porsch: Like Indian and allied sciences, Vedic sciences.
Prabhupāda: My idea is that all our centers should be self-supported. We do not like that idea that for your support you have to go 100 miles to get your bread. That is a very dangerous drawback. You produce your food locally and then support yourself. The main problem is what to eat, where to sleep. So we get some place and support ourself by producing our own food. We have already begun in New Vrindaban, New..., West Virginia, Virginia, and similarly in other centers, we are producing our food, grains, vegetables, fruits and milk. That is sufficient. But we don't kill any animals. That we don't do.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation with Professors -- February 19, 1975, Caracas:
Prabhupāda: Yes, everyone, by nature they are Kṛṣṇa conscious, but the modern leaders, they are trying to divert their attention. The leaders are trying to make them Kṛṣṇa unconscious. (laughter) Because they are of opinion that "Being Kṛṣṇa conscious, India is so backward. So we have to become American conscious or European conscious." That is their...
Professor (Hṛdayānanda): It was a great pleasure that you invited us to your...
Prabhupāda: Thank you very much. So you are welcome whenever you have got time. Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Room Conversation -- March 2, 1975, Atlanta:
Rūpānuga: There was another devotee, Jñāna dāsa, in Germany, who is a graduate from Oxford University, their school. And we have invited him to come to this meeting but he did not respond. Maybe he will come and help in the future.
Prabhupāda: Mm, yes.
Rūpānuga: He has, what is his field?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Oh, yes. His topic was classical, statistical (indistinct) proof. That was allotted to Jñāna dāsa Prabhu, to Germany. (indistinct) Mahārāja sent a telegram, and I also personally wrote a letter saying that he should participate in writing (indistinct). He has a (indistinct) background, he told me (indistinct).
Prabhupāda: Yes, this is nice, attend. Kṛṣṇa will help you. They are wiping out Kṛṣṇa, and your business will be to establish Kṛṣṇa.
Room Conversation -- March 2, 1975, Atlanta:
Prabhupāda: This is our position. God is maintainer and we are maintained. God is predominator and we are predominated. This is our position. We are not equal to God, neither over God. We are always subordinate. And why you are subordinate? Because He maintains us. That is the difference between God and ourselves. He is the supreme being and we are subordinate being. We are maintained by God. That is Vedic instruction. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13) This is understanding of God. He is nitya, He's eternal, and we are also eternal because we are samples of God. God is great and perfect and in our this position we are subordinate, and in material condition we are imperfect. So even if we become perfect, still we remain subordinate. Therefore our position is always to abide by the orders of God. This is religion. When we abide by the orders of God, then we are religious. When we do not, then we are demons or Satan. (speaks with arriving guests in Hindi, inviting them to come in and asking whether they have been to the temple in Vṛndāvana) Religion means to remain faithful to God and abide by His order. That is religion.
Room Conversation with Tripurari -- March 2, 1975, Atlanta:
Tripurāri: Sometimes the Christians are distributing papers still at the airports. We invite them to come and take prasāda with us every day.
Prabhupāda: They come?
Tripurāri: They are reluctant. Some, one or two, come.
Devotee (2): Every once in awhile someone we meet when we're distributing books comes and joins us for prasādam, one time a businessman and one time a soldier. Various people sometimes join us. We take a 12 o'clock, 12:30 lunch break. Sometimes we'll be joined by one of these people we distribute books to.
Prabhupāda: When you were with Maharishi? Come here.
Morning Walk -- March 4, 1975, Dallas:
Prabhupāda: "Poor Christ, he has to suffer for all the sinful activities, and he wanted to save us from sin, gave his injunction. That we shall not care." This is Christian religion. And therefore they have to close down this hypocrisy. (break) That Melbourne meeting, some of you were with me? No. In Melbourne I was invited by some, many priests. Twice I was invited. The first meeting I am speaking. So there was a good meeting, all respectable priests. So they asked me that "Why Christian religion is dwindling? What we have done?" So I asked them that "What you have not done?" (laughter) So they were not very much pleased. But I, in the open meeting, I said, "What you have not done? You have done all sinful activities. Therefore you have to close down this hypocrisy now." That was my answer, "What you have not done?" Now they are sorry, "What we have done?" That is called ignorance. They have done everything all sinful. They do not know that is sinful. (break) ...Bible, "Thou shall not kill," and they will not obey. That is sinful. Everything is there clearly, Ten Commandments, but they will not do that. Willful sinners. One may act sinfully, unaware. But they are willfully sinners. They know this is sin, and still they are doing.
Morning Walk -- March 11, 1975, London:
Brahmānanda: Oh, when he came to Calcutta?
Prabhupāda: Yes. I have seen. We were school children at that time. So on the two sides of the road, our first place was, the king, queen passed, we saw. We were given a flag. (laughter) "Jaya Rāja, Rājeśvara." We were... And very good tiffin was supplied. Two samosa, two kachori, two sandeśa, and one big tangerine. Twice I saw. Once when he entered Calcutta, and again, one day, when there was a parade of military... military parade. So both days we were invited, and we saw the king.
Conversation with Devotees on Theology -- April 1, 1975, Mayapur:
Pañcadraviḍa: No leaning.
Prabhupāda: No. You'll never see any picture, he was leaning. So that Lord Ronaldsey (?) was very good scholar. So we were... When he was invited, he was taken to all the classes. So I was, at that time, in the second year. So I took permission to sit down in the first benches. The... Our college was very big. So in each class there were 150 students. (break) Where is...
Brahmānanda: Tamāla Kṛṣṇa is taking a bath.
Prabhupāda: So they were giving role number according to admission. So I did not know that. So my role number was 105. So I thought it very incon... "I have to sit down after one hundred students?" So I took one certificate from Dr. Karttika Chandra Bose, who became, later on, my boss. Because he was our father's friend, so "Give me one certificate in this way, that I am hard of hearing. I must be given first row seat." So he gave immediately certificate.
Morning Walk -- April 2, 1975, Mayapur:
Prabhupāda: Māyāvādīs means they are speaking that "Everything is māyā; Kṛṣṇa is also māyā." And impersonalist means they are thinking that "To merge into the Brahman effulgence is better than to keep our personal identity."
Satsvarūpa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, this Professor Dimmock was going to arrange a Vaiṣṇava conference at which we were going to attend. You yourself was going to be invited with many professors, but I received a report from one of the professors that when they tried to contact other professors, none of them wanted to come because they said, more or less, that we are like fanatics and we wouldn't actually discuss things in a philosophic way, that we would just use the conference to proselytize. So in this way, they're rejecting us from...
Prabhupāda: What is the harm? Let them reject.
Morning Walk -- April 23, 1975, Vrndavana:
Guest: One restaurant near Metro was serving that type. And one man suffering from leprosy was given only about one month to live, and "If you want to enjoy, you enjoy. But if you want to get cured, you have to eat human flesh." "I don't eat human flesh." So he started eating anywhere. And he liked one place very much, and he started eating for one month at that particular place. And eventually he was cured. Then a police report was found out that they were serving human flesh by inviting very poor people from the South India for washing the dishes at night, giving five rupees. When they come, they kill him and serve in the morning.
Prabhupāda: That was being done long, long ago in a Chinese house in Calcutta. They'd call hawker.
Morning Walk -- April 28, 1975, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: Yes. That is the meaning of yātrā. Every one of our Godbrothers built here yātrā, but they have no other source of income.
Acyutānanda: Yesterday I was speaking to... I invited the chief guest, so I was speaking with... (break)
Prabhupāda: Sannyāsīra alpa chidra bahu-kori mane.
Tripurāri: During the āratiks here at the temple where should the women be standing?
Prabhupāda: Āratik, there are so many. That also... Caitanya Mahā..., saw Jagannātha. There was crowd. One woman got up on His shoulder.
Room Coversation with Psychiatrist and Indian Boy -- May 12, 1975, Perth:
Prabhupāda: So Australia, they are inviting people to come here for working, but how is that? They do not get job?
Paramahaṁsa: They are not in control. There is a jobless rate, unemployment. They call it unemployment. It goes out of control. Sometimes people lose their jobs, and they can't find a job. But the government is not able to control the economy very well. All over the world this happens. So sometimes people try to get a job and they can't get the job.
Prabhupāda: There is enough jobs if the government arranges to engage them in growing food. But there is no such arrangement.
Room Conversation with Justin Murphy (Geographer) -- May 14, 1975, Perth:
Prabhupāda: Yes. No, if this kind of man will understand—they are in position—that will be a great... He is better than so many clergies.
Paramahaṁsa: (laughs) Yes. I invited someone for Friday. I can't guarantee that he'll come. But anyhow, his name is... He's from the local government Alcohol and Drug Authority. And they are... They have hospitals to treat people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol. He is a social worker who has worked in a mental hospital, and he wants to bring a psychologist and a psychiatric nurse. And I hope he comes because he sounded intelligent like that also. These people are looking... They have problems on their hands, and they don't know what to do...
Prabhupāda: This world is full of problems. I have said. If you go this way, sense gratification, then you will have only problem. And if you go this way, towards God, there will be no problem. Because nature will put forward so many obstacles if you go. Because this is not the way of life, human life. Animal life, that is another thing. But they do not know. But human life, he is given the opportunity to go towards God, but he does not take this opportunity. He goes towards animal. Then there will be problem. Nature will not excuse. "So you are given the opportunity, and you are again becoming animal? You must suffer." This is nature's way. Therefore they are suffering problems. So many directors, so many government, the problem cannot be solved. That is nature's way. These foolish persons, they should know how nature is working. Find out this verse. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ, ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā (BG 3.27).
Discussion -- May 15, 1975, Perth:
Prabhupāda: Oh. Oh, you did not invite him?
Amogha: Yes, but he would not come unless he was interested.
Prabhupāda: In the modern society there is no idea of first-class man, what is first-class man. They take it, a minister is first-class man. A first-class man is by these qualities: śamo damas titikṣā. It is not by the fat salary. By the first-class qualities.
Room Conversation with Director of Research of the Dept. of Social Welfare -- May 21, 1975, Melbourne:
Prabhupāda: Tea was taken in our childhood if somebody is coughing, sometimes they used to tea. That was also later. But it was unknown. Drinking tea, drinking wine, smoking, meat-eating—these things were unknown. Prostitution. There was prostitution. Not that everyone is prostitute. Very strict. So these things should be taken care of—at least a class of men must be ideal for people others will see. And the training should go on, just like we are doing. We are inviting people to come to chant with us, to dance with us, take prasādam. And gradually they are becoming. The same (?) addicted to drinking, addicted to prostitution, addicted to meat-eating, he is becoming saintly person. This is practical, you can see, what was their previous history and what they are now.
Room Conversation with Director of Research of the Dept. of Social Welfare -- May 21, 1975, Melbourne:
Prabhupāda: We say everyone come and eat. Why he should remain hungry? We invite everyone, come here, eat, no charge. We don't charge. Why he should remain hungry? Let us increase this program. All hungry men of Melbourne city, come here, you take your eating sumptuously. We invite, "Come on." Why you should remain hungry?
Director: What if he's an alcoholic and he's hungry?
Devotee: We have a couple of alcoholics that come here, and we give them food every night.
Director: You do?
Devotee: Yes.
Director: Just like the Gordon House.
Devotee: Yes. They come, we have a feast every Sunday. They come and we give them food.
Prabhupāda: It requires little time to practice. Otherwise, it is open for everyone for reformation.
Room Conversation with Director of Research of the Dept. of Social Welfare -- May 21, 1975, Melbourne:
Prabhupāda: Then they can give us some contribution per capita for taking care. Then we can invite. We can increase the accommodation. Now we are doing. We have no business, no income. We are selling our books. So our income is limited. Still we invite anyone, come. But if government encourages us, then we can increase the program.
Room Conversation with Director of Research of the Dept. of Social Welfare -- May 21, 1975, Melbourne:
Director: I was invited.
Prabhupāda: Just to help you in your social activities, social welfare activities. To take some suggestion from us. But when we give the suggestion, you reject it. That is your position. You have come here to take some suggestion so that you can make your activities very nice, but when we suggest you reject it.
Room Conversation with Director of Research of the Dept. of Social Welfare -- May 21, 1975, Melbourne:
Prabhupāda: Yes, we are in the society, we are inviting everyone, they are coming. They are coming. Gradually they are becoming converted to this.
Director: When will you be coming back to Melbourne?
Prabhupāda: Next January.
Director: Come again this often...
Prabhupāda: Yes. So I am going, but I only hopeful on these young boys. They will do. Take the whole plate. Take the whole plate, it is fruit, it is very nice. Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam (BG 9.26). This is meant for human being, the fruits. The tigers will not eat the fruits. The tiger, canine teeth, they will not like. We have got different teeth for eating fruit.
Room Conversation with Two Lawyers and Guest -- May 22, 1975, Melbourne:
Prabhupāda: So you must go on. Oh, yes. It is very nice. It is very nice function. The father-in-law, the grandson. (chuckles) Give some prasādam for them also.
Madhudviṣa: He invited everyone over to one, Ugraśrava's, house one night. We had a big party, and Wally came and Raymond came, and they became very much addicted to prasādam. (laughter)
Prabhupāda: Make his father-in-law also interested.
Raymond: Well, he was here on Sunday. He came down on Sunday.
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes? So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very nice. We can make friend anyone. So you are going? Thank you very much for your coming.
Morning Walk -- May 23, 1975, Melbourne:
Gardens on May 23rd, 1975.
Prabhupāda: ...filled with fruits and flowers, then it would have invited many nice birds. But they do not know that. (break) ...chirping, the beauty of the gardens would have been more beautiful. But they cannot invite. There is no fruits, no flower.
Sabhāpati: Śrīla Prabhupāda, all the devotees on the walk this morning, they are the book distributors.
Prabhupāda: Huh?
Sabhāpati: They are the Australian book distributors, all the devotees on the walk this morning.
Prabhupāda: It is a fact that they do not grow fruit trees because people will eat and will not work? Is that the policy? Somebody told me like that, that if there is enough fruit, then people will eat and they will not work.
Room Conversation with Yogi Bhajan -- June 7, 1975, Honolulu:
Prabhupāda: So they have not invited me, I don't think.
Yogi Bhajan: The invitation must have gone.
Prabhupāda: Hmm?
Yogi Bhajan: We invited everybody.
Prabhupāda: Ah, but I have not received an invitation.
Yogi Bhajan: Oh, it may be on the way.
Prabhupāda: Mexico City?
Yogi Bhajan: New Mexico.
Room Conversation with Yogi Bhajan -- June 7, 1975, Honolulu:
Prabhupāda: No, we should... The conference should be made that if there is God and God is one, then who is that God? What is His characteristic? That should be discussed.
Yogi Bhajan: Well, that's what I say. But what we are trying to do is spend all, what we have righteously earned, provide that platform, and invite somebody. My personal feeling is even if somebody comes and tell us there that we are the worst being on the world, but by coming and opening himself up, herself, he at least acknowledges that there is a mutual existence. At this time I have walked away to every corner, here and there, everywhere. Some people are not aware totally. I was asked one day a question, "Why these Hare Kṛṣṇa people dance in the streets?"
Prabhupāda: Ecstasy.
Room Conversation with Yogi Bhajan -- June 7, 1975, Honolulu:
Prabhupāda: Ah, "the parents who will understand them." My students, mostly they are young, mostly within thirty, some of them little above thirty. So some of their parents they come and congratulate me, "Swamiji, it is our great fortune that you have come to our country." That I receive many. But there are other many parents, they are not happy.
Yogi Bhajan: We are starting a parent organization for our kids. We invite the mothers, parents, ask them to stay, and send them back. Idea is basic, and the fundamental idea is: what you are doing is God's will, these people who are following you is God's will, and those who will receive it as God's will... But it is not that everybody sees that God will.
Prabhupāda: No. God's will is open. Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). God says that "You always think of Me. You just become My devotee, worship Me, and offer your respect to Me." This is God's will. "And if you do this, then you are coming back to Me." It is clearly said. God's will is declared. There is no secret.
Morning Walks -- June 18-19, 1975, Honolulu:
minister's guru. But now it's out of date. It will be out of date. He will have to print new thing.
Prabhupāda: He was distributing leaflet like that? Siddha-svarūpa: Yes, literature inviting people, you know, about the conference. (break) Is Cāṇakya Paṇḍita widely available in India? Prabhupāda: That is not very important thing. It has nothing to do with spiritual..., but moral instruction. Siddha-svarūpa: For kṣatriyas? Prabhupāda: No, for everyone. You can get from India, Canakya Paṇḍita. It is called Cāṇakya-śloka, "Verses composed by Canakya," Cāṇakya-śloka. (break) ...western country, they have come to a stage in which by nature they are now seeking after some spiritual importance. And that is available in India. But these rascals, they are taking advantage of it and exploiting, this Guru Mahārāja, these yogis, these... But these people, western people, they are searching after this. So it is our duty especially to give them the right thing. They are searching after, and they are taking advantage of it and exploiting them. (break) ...is one of them.
Morning Walk -- June 21, 1975, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: Oh. Then invite them and give them nice feast, yes. Make arrangement. Time, whatever suitable time you will fix up, I...
Jayatīrtha: We'll discuss it with Upendra when is the best time. (break)
Prabhupāda: ...hīna paśubhiḥ samānaḥ. "As soon as one become bereft of religion, he's animal." That's all. That is the difference between animals and man. They think to become polished animal is advancement of civilization. To become lion is advancement of civilization. "Because I am stronger than the dog therefore I am civilized." Americans think like that. "Because we are stronger than the Chinese dog or Russian cat, therefore I am civilized." (laughs) This is going on. "Because I am tiger, I am lion..." He doesn't think that after, "You be tiger or lion; You are animal." Just see. (break) ...puruṣaḥ paśuḥ. Śva-viḍ-varāha uṣṭra-kharaiḥ. I think we were discussing this verse?
Morning Walk -- June 21, 1975, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: Ah ha. He came to invite me.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Really? In Hawaii?
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Jayatīrtha: He came to our temple a few nights ago also, for āratik.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He has a big following.
Prabhupāda: So he came to invite me. I indirectly refused.
Morning Walk -- June 22, 1975, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: Give them invitations. Today is Sunday.
Bahulāśva: Yes, Cit-sukhānanda is speaking with them.
Prabhupāda: No, you have no card? Love feast card? Give them, that "come."
Jagannātha-suta: Jayatīrtha has one. (break)
Prabhupāda: ...is our enemy, it means Hare Kṛṣṇa is acting upon him.
Morning Walk -- June 23, 1975, Los Angeles:
Brahmānanda: Tagore?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Tagore also got his position because he got the Nobel Prize from western world. Therefore he was so much obliged. All the big, big men, governors, etcetera, he would invite at his home. He was rich man, zamindar. Not very rich but a descendant of rich. (break) ...became so enamored by the western people that there is a song, yo kūṭeko baralad galikiya uska tengri laya uṣka mutton chop bānāiya: "A dog, because he is killed by the governor, so we have made mutton chop out of it. Take it." (laughter) The dog became so exalted because he was killed by the viceroy." This is their philosophy.
Morning Walk -- June 29, 1975, Denver:
Prabhupāda: Not enough? Let them come, I shall give them. So much land in America. They say "No land"? The all...
Yadubara: Just like the tri-shaw driver. We invite him to our temple, but he says he has to work so hard. He will not come.
Prabhupāda: He will go to the brothel. That he has got time. To the liquor house to forget his labor. This is civilization. Mūḍha, mūḍha civilization. Why the Communist are coming? Why Communist party is there? What is the philosophy, Communist?
Satsvarūpa: That wealth should be shared by everyone.
Prabhupāda: That means they also do not wish to work so hard. They are seeing that "Capitalists are sitting very comfortably and (we) working." They are also thinking, "Escaping." Is it not? So the natural tendency is that "I will not work, and still, I will get my necessities." That is natural tendency. The material world means avidyā-karma-samjñānya tṛtīyā śaktir iśyate. This is out of ignorance they are working so hard. In the spiritual world there is no question of working. You get everything. Cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu. Everything, whatever you want. So why not endeavor to go there? Why should you work like hogs and dogs?
Viśakha: Śrīla Prabhupāda, they will accuse us of being parasites.
Morning Walk -- June 29, 1975, Denver:
Harikeśa: They would do it immediately if they knew how.
Prabhupāda: No, we are inviting them, "Come here." Why do they not come? And that is difficult for them. To chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and dance, oh, it is very big, heavy task for them. They will not come. The most difficult thing is that as soon as they come and they know there is no tea, no liquor, no meat, no cigarette, "Oh, so many no's? Oh." That draft man said? That one draft man came to inquire that some of the boys, to escape from the draft man's call, they joined this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. "So what is the comfort there? They joined instead of going to..." So when he studied that there is no meat, there is no liquor, there is no smoking, there is no gambling, so he said, "It is more difficult. Still, they come." It is more difficult than to go and fight. So how it is wonderful. Actually, for the karmīs, it is very difficult job. Even Lord Zetland he said, "Oh, it is impossible to do this." And actually, it is impossible. That is the adoration of Professor Judah, that "These drug-addicted boys, how they have become Kṛṣṇa conscious?" That is his wonderful thing. You can say that "We are escaping this horrible condition of life: meat-eating, drinking, and intoxication. We are escaping that, these thing, not escaping happiness. You are escaping happiness."
Morning Walk -- June 30, 1975, Denver:
Prabhupāda: He might have started. He might have started.
Satsvarūpa: And also he felt offended that the Brooklyn temple did not invite him. He said they knew he was there, but they didn't invite him.
Prabhupāda: (To Bon:) Why? You could see there. It is a Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava temple. Temple... I invited him from...
Brahmānanda: From Hawaii you wrote a letter. He spoke at several of our temples, Toronto and Ottawa.
Prabhupāda: So how did you go there? Did he...?
Satsvarūpa: He has some patrons among the professors. I know this one Professor O'Connell, he kept him at his home for some days and did some advertising for him for meetings. And then he has another professor friend in Montreal. So he knows different people. He has contacts. (break)
Prabhupāda: ...net result. Has he started anything?
Morning Walk -- July 1, 1975, Denver:
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Ah, it's very... And the devotees love it. Every day, Prabhupāda, we...
Prabhupāda: No, every temple give them example, invite them in your prasādam.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. That's what I'm going to do today.
Harikeśa: I noticed the devotees would wait for prasādam with great...
Prabhupāda: Yes, that is nice. It requires good leader, that's all. (break) ...Kṛṣṇa we must prepare very first-class foodstuff, and where is the complaint if it is first class?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's all a concoction. Certain devotees have concocted. They have taken advice from other masters, food masters, what to eat, what not to eat, all concoction. It's clearly written in Bhagavad-gītā, those foods which are sattvic-juicy, fatty. Everything is mentioned there.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Guide them. (break) ...here the main business is slaughterhouse.
Room Conversation with the Mayor of Evanston -- July 4, 1975, Chicago:
Śrī Govinda: Possibly we could invite the city manager also to come to discuss with Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Prabhupāda: No. So if we get a good place with the cooperation of the authorities, then our simple program is that, as Professor Judah has remarked, drug-addicted hippies, they have been turned into devotees. We shall invite anyone to come and chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and take prasādam and we are... I began this movement in New York alone, and these boys gradually came to me, but my process was this: chanting and giving them prasādam. He is one of the original student. He was. So this process, very simple process, everyone will be able to accept it. Chant, dance, and take prasādam. Within that process, everything is there. Then he will understand. They will read these books... They are practical examples. I am poor Indian, I did not bribe them neither I have money. (laughter) So now they have dedicated their life for this purpose. So I want to do it in a large scale.
Room Conversation with the Mayor of Evanston -- July 4, 1975, Chicago:
Prabhupāda: But I have no money. So if the authorities give me a place, and for feeding them necessary foodstuff, then I am sure it will be successful. These two things I want. I don't want any charges for my mantra, no. My mantra is open, Hare Kṛṣṇa, and there is no charge for it. And I have no necessity. I require a little clothing and two capatis. That's all. Anyone can bring. I thought Chicago is one of the important cities of your country. And when I first came, I saw this is vacant. So I thought if this house can be utilized in the beginning and we invite anyone, especially young men, come here, live with us at least for one week and associate with this chanting, dancing, and we give nice prasādam. There is no difficulty. We can attempt. And if the authorities give us this facility at least for one year then we shall talk of permanent. They can see the result.
Room Conversation with the Mayor of Evanston -- July 4, 1975, Chicago:
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. We invite. As soon as they have got a leisure hour, let them come and live with us for one week and see the result. They can remain forever. It doesn't matter. But for experimental sake they can come, live with us and associate with us. It is not difficult. And we invite everyone. We have no such discrimination that black, white, Hindu, Muslim, Christian, no. Anyone. It is universal. Because we consider every living entity is part and parcel of God. That is a fact. We are teeny gods, part and parcel. The same quality we have got—in minute quantity. Quality is the same, quantity is less. So God is good, so we are also good. But we have become bad under circumstances. Just like under infection, one becomes diseased. So if we cure that infection, again he becomes good. So it is the curing process. It is not an external artificial thing, imposed upon somebody, no. His goodness is there.
Room Conversation with the Mayor of Evanston -- July 4, 1975, Chicago:
Prabhupāda: Oh, wealthy community. So invite all the young men to come and live with us for some time, and simply chanting, dancing, and give them prasādam. And if they like, they can read the books. Give this chance.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda? Of course, it would be beneficial if we had such a big building, but why can't we do it with the present building?
Prabhupāda: We cannot accommodate many men there.
Morning Walk -- July 5, 1975, Chicago:
Prabhupāda: Unless he is pleased, what I am worth? It is due to his pleasure. Otherwise what I am worth? Everyone says, "You have done wonderful." What can I do wonderful? It is by his pleasure it is going on. Yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādaḥ **. (break) Bon Mahārāja has written that, last line?
Brahmānanda: That your accomplishment has been very great. He had to admit. (Prabhupāda laughs)
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He admitted it publicly.
Prabhupāda: (laughs) No. He has written me a letter. I invited him. (break) Now, he has returned.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, he has returned. (end)
Room Conversation with Lt. Mozee, Policeman -- July 5, 1975, Chicago:
Prabhupāda: It is not difficult, very simple task. To ask them "Please come here, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, dance, and take sumptuously prasādam, go home"—where is the difficulty? And they are coming; we are doing that. But we are doing—because we have no money—we are doing on a small scale. But if the government gives us facility we can expand this scale. That's all. We are collecting money... Of course we are doing our business by selling these books. We have got many books. And we are inviting men; they are coming, and gradually increasing. There is no dearth of men or devotees. But the government is faced with these difficulties, "Crime, why and what to do?" So we are suggesting this: because they are unclean in their heart, therefore there is crime and take this process, it will be successful. This is our... They are faced with the problem, "Why crime and what to do?" And we are giving the answer. So you take advantage of it. Why? We are saying, "Because they are godless." And what to do? Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and take prasādam. Now, if you like, you can take. Otherwise, we are doing our own business. Just like a poor medical man. He is also giving medicine. But if he is given facility, he can open a big hospital. So that is our proposition. We are already doing that business. But if we get facility from the authorities then we can open a big place, a big hospital. And the problem is already big.
Morning Walk -- July 14, 1975, Philadelphia:
Prabhupāda: Both sides forest. (break) Now in America there is no sufficient men to live in all these places, to cut, clear it and make cottages and utilize the land for producing. There is no sufficient men, I think. And where there is overpopulation, why not invite them to come here? That they will not do. (break) ...has given sufficient land for all the people, but we have made artificial national area, will not allow.
Morning Walk -- July 20, 1975, San Francisco:
Bahulāśva: So our statements are also backed up by observation. The Gītā's statements are also backed up by observation.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Science means observation and experiment. That is science. You observe that this man is moving. There is something... (sound of someone calling from a distance) (Prabhupāda calls:) Invite him. You are invited come. (laughter)
Morning Walk -- July 21, 1975, San Francisco:
Prabhupāda: Little faith... Therefore you associate. Just like we are inviting this morning lecture. Coming, coming, coming, coming-faith will come.
Yadubara: They will not come.
Prabhupāda: They will not come. Then he is condemned. Let them remain animals. If you don't go to school, there is no question of education. Where is the question of education? One must go to the school with faith that "I will be educated." That is required.
Room Conversation -- July 31, 1975, New Orleans:
Prabhupāda: Not necessarily. Invite him. But who is coming here? Nobody is coming.
Devotee (2): Śrīla Prabhupāda, you are seeing Kṛṣṇa at every moment. Does this mean you are seeing Kṛṣṇa in His two-armed form playing the flute at every moment?
Prabhupāda: What do you think?
Devotee (2): I don't know, Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Prabhupāda: Then? Seeing means Kṛṣṇa as He is. That's all. Santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti. You never read Brahma-saṁhitā? Do you read?
Devotee (2): Yes, Prabhupāda. What you have of the Brahma-saṁhitā in your books.
Prabhupāda: Brahma-saṁhitā it is said, santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti. Those who are saintly persons, they always see Kṛṣṇa within his heart. Everyone can see if he tries. Why you and me? Anyone can see. Kṛṣṇa is open to everyone. But He is not open to the rascals. That is Kṛṣṇa's distinguish... Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ (BG 7.25). He is open to everyone, but not to all others, only to the devotee.
Car Conversation -- August 3, 1975, Detroit:
Prabhupāda: ...people, just like China or India. The American invite them, "Come here. Grow your food." Immediately world solution. But they won't... "No, we shall keep it jungle. Still, we shall not allow you to come here." (break) ...come here to hunt. No?
Jagadīśa: No.
Ambarīṣa: I think they are protected. (break)
Prabhupāda: ...those who were killing tigers and not that, by making arrangement from behind, no.
Room Conversation -- October 4, 1975, Mauritius:
Prabhupāda: Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). So this process... Bring the... Invite them. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, dance, give them prasādam. Everyone will take part in this way, not immediately instructing that "You are not this body; you are soul." He will not be able to.
Cyavana: It's too difficult.
Prabhupāda: Therefore this process is recommended. Caitanya Mahāprabhu argued with Sarvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī, not with ordinary public. Ordinary public—"Go on chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa and dancing." Never argued, neither He discussed Bhāgavatam. For ordinary public-four hours' kīrtana, chanting and dancing, bas. And then give them sufficient prasādam: "Take prasāda." This process... Because unless he has got little śraddhā, he will simply put some false argument and waste your time. Not in the beginning. Mad-bhakteṣv abhidhāsyati. First of all create him a devotee a little.
Morning Walk -- October 7, 1975, Durban:
Prabhupāda: They were formerly Hindus. All Muslims were Hindus formerly.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: They have an Islamic propagation center here, and I went there. I was walking by one day. They invited me in. So they began to blaspheme this and that. So I asked them, "What is your conception of God?" He said, "God is beyond conception." So I told him that "Therefore you cannot say that Kṛṣṇa is God and you cannot say that Kṛṣṇa is not God, because you don't know what God is."
Prabhupāda: Then what did he say?
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: He couldn't reply.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Because you have no conception of God, how can you deny or accept? Remain fool, that's all. That is the difficulty. When you ask them, whole world, "What is the conception of God?" they'll not be able to answer. Still, they will say there is no God. This is the foolishness going on all over the world. Actually they are not concerned with God. They accept the idea of God or so-called God for their material facilities. "O God, give us our daily bread. That's all. If You supply daily bread, then I accept You. Otherwise I reject You." This is their... When there is a war, Churchill will ask them to go, victory, "V": "Go and pray to God." God is order-supplier. And when they declare war, they do not consult God. When there is reverse condition they go to it. This is going on, that God means order-supplier.
Morning Walk -- October 19, 1975, Johannesburg:
Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. This understanding, that soul is different from the body, it is meant for the dhīra, not for the adhīra. There are two classes men, dhīra and adhīra. So adhīra
means busy fool, and dhīra means lazy intelligent. But our, this movement is meant both for the dhīra and adhīra. Adhīra. We can make them really human beings. Never mind he is dhīra or adhīra. It is so nice movement. Dhīrādhīra. Kṛṣṇotkīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau premāmṛtāmbho-nidhī dhīrādhīra priyau. It is very pleasing both for the dhīras and adhīras. Why not? What we are doing? We invite people, "Please come here. Chant, dance, and take prasāda." So both the dhīras and adhīras, they will be attracted. Dhīrādhīra priya. (break) You cannot make everyone dhīra; that is not possible. There is necessity of adhīra also. That is also... But it should be guided by the dhīra.
Morning Walk -- October 28, 1975, Nairobi:
Prabhupāda: He has got experience that nobody can remain young. I'll also not remain young also, although I want it, "Yes, if I can remain young, that is good facility." That he knows, but he won't find the way how he can remain... Nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). Nitya. That path he will not take. Kṛṣṇa says, "Here is the way." Nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). Advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam adyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanam (Bs. 5.33). Kṛṣṇa, the oldest man, oldest living being, but nava-yauvana, always fresh, young... You can get that position. You can play also, play Kṛṣṇa. But that path they will not take. Kṛṣṇa, ever-existingly young man, He is displaying in Vṛndāvana and inviting, "You can also come and join and live like this." "No. That's all. It is all fictitious. There was no Kṛṣṇa. There is no such thing." Immediately dismiss judgment. And by pomade, by injection, by, what is called? Hormone? All these rascals, they are trying to be young. Just see. You are doctor.
Morning Walk -- November 8, 1975, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Avarana. He is in the most abominable condition, and he is thinking he is very happy. This is avaranatmika, covering him to see in the real position. Otherwise we are asking everyone that "You come here. I am giving you room. Take prasādam. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Read these books." "No. Why shall I come?" What is the difficulty here? But nobody will come. He will rot in the home-anxiety—how to maintain, how to... This is going on. This is called prakṣepatmika, avaranātmika. He will prefer rotting as hog and dog, but he will never prefer to live as Kṛṣṇa conscious. This is māyā. So many people are there on the beach. You invite them, "Please come to our place. Live nicely. We shall give you nice room, nice prasādam. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." Nobody will come.
Morning Walk -- November 21, 1975, Bombay:
Mahāṁsa: Oh, yes. We have very big publicity. And we get letters from different parts of Karnataka inviting us for programs in their villages.
Prabhupāda: Yes, you do that. (break) Some big man came to see me for cooperating with others like Chinmayananda and Vinoda Bhave.
Mahāṁsa: A businessman?
Girirāja: Bajaj.
Prabhupāda: Bajaj, yes.
Morning Walk -- December 10, 1975, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: They say? They say?
Indian man: Oh, yes. In Mauritius there are many cults. So they invited us, I went to two, three. So they asked me that "We are coming many temple. You people, why not you come?" I said, "Well, whenever you invite us, we are ready to come, but you accept our philosophy." So they said, "How we can accept your philosophy? Prabhupāda, he, wherever, he say that all the other are Māyāvādī. All other are rascal." (laughter) "Well, Kṛṣṇa has said that. Prabhupāda is not doing that. Kṛṣṇa said who don't accept Him, he is mūḍha; he is rascal. So Prabhupāda is giving as it is, whatever Kṛṣṇa has said." Oh, they were...
Prabhupāda: No... (break) Kṛṣṇa said, "The rascals do not surrender to Me." So as soon as we see somebody not Kṛṣṇa conscious, we call him rascal. So what is the wrong there?
Indian man: It is not wrong.
Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa says, na mā duṣkṛtino mūḍhā prapadyante narādhamāḥ. So we find out rascals, if he is not Kṛṣṇa conscious. So what is our fault? Kṛṣṇa says this is the test to find out who is a rascal. And who is rascal? Who is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, he is a rascal. So if you are not Kṛṣṇa conscious, you are a rascal. We have to see through the śāstra characteristic of a rascal, that he is not Kṛṣṇa conscious. That's all. We may be fool, but we take lesson from Bhagavad-gītā. That's all. And from the lesson we understand you are rascal number one." That's all.
Morning Walk -- December 14, 1975, New Delhi:
Prabhupāda: What is written there? Ravindra. Ravindra's Gate. Ravindra's gate is, how to enjoy illicit sex. This is his gate. He introduced māgha-melā, inviting young boys and girls to dance together. And taking this opportunity, he was enjoying young girls. That was his purpose. They would come, the young girls would come, Ravindra (Bengali), grandfather, and he'll, "Alright you sit down on my lap." That's all. This is Ravindra Bhavan, to become debauch. And if you teach young man debauchery, he can attract millions. There is no doubt of it. The pride(?) philosophy. Hm? Debauchery. Allow sex without any discrimination. (observes passing hand drawn cart) Economic development. Where is economic development for these men? There, when there was no economic development, the same taila and poor people with black cloth was there, and now the same thing is still there, so where is development?
Tejas: It's increasing actually.
| Page Title: | Invite (Conversations 1967 - 1975) |
| Compiler: | Rishab, Mayapur |
| Created: | 26 of May, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=144, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 144 |