Kumbha-mela

Expressions researched:
"Kumbha mela" |"Kumbha-mela" |"Kumbhamela" |"Magha-mela" |"Maghamela"

SB Preface and Introduction

SB Introduction:

At Mathurā, the Lord visited all the important places; then He reached Vṛndāvana. Lord Caitanya appeared in the family of a high-caste brāhmaṇa, and over and above that as sannyāsī He was the preceptor for all the varṇas and āśramas. But He used to accept meals from all classes of Vaiṣṇavas. At Mathurā the Sanoḍiyā brāhmaṇas are considered to be in the lower status of society, but the Lord accepted meals in the family of such a brāhmaṇa also because His host happened to be a disciple of the Mādhavendra Purī family.

At Vṛndāvana the Lord took bath in twenty-four important bathing places and ghāṭas. He traveled to all the twelve important vanas (forests). In these forests all the cows and birds welcomed Him, as if He were their very old friend. The Lord also began to embrace all the trees of those forests, and by doing so He felt the symptoms of transcendental ecstasy. Sometimes He fell unconscious, but He was made to regain consciousness by the chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa. The transcendental symptoms that were visible on the body of the Lord during His travel within the forest of Vṛndāvana were all unique and inexplicable, and we have just given a synopsis only.

Some of the important places that were visited by the Lord in Vṛndāvana were Kāmyavana, Ādīśvara, Pāvana-sarovara, Khadiravana, Śeṣaśāyī, Khela-tīrtha, Bhāṇḍīravana, Bhadravana, Śrīvana, Lauhavana, Mahāvana, Gokula, Kāliya-hrada, Dvādaśāditya, Keśī-tīrtha, etc. When He saw the place where the rāsa dance took place, He at once fell down in trance. As long as He remained at Vṛndāvana, He made His headquarters at Akrūra-ghāṭa.

From Vṛndāvana His personal servitor Kṛṣṇadāsa Vipra induced Him to go back to Prayāga to take bath during the Māgha-melā. The Lord acceded to this proposal, and they started for Prayāga. On the way they met with some Pathans, amongst whom there was a learned Moulana. The Lord had some talks with the Moulana and his companions, and the Lord convinced the Moulana that in the Koran also there are descriptions of Bhāgavata-dharma and Kṛṣṇa. All the Pathans were converted to His cult of devotional service.

CC Madhya-lila

CC Madhya 17.149, Purport:

If one performs sacrifices at Prayāga, he certainly gets immediate results without difficulty. Prayāga is also called Tīrtharāja, the king of all places of pilgrimage. This holy place is situated on the confluence of the rivers Ganges and Yamunā. Every year a fair takes place there known as Māgha-melā, and every twelve years a Kumbha-melā is also held. In any case, many people come to bathe there every year. During Māgha-melā, people from the local district generally come, and during Kumbha-melā people come from all over India to live there and bathe in the Ganges and Yamunā. Whoever goes there immediately feels the place's spiritual influence. A fort located there was constructed by the emperor Akbar about five hundred years ago, and near the fort is a place called Triveṇī. On the other side of Prayāga is an old place known as Pratiṣṭhāna-pura.

CC Madhya 18.145, Purport:

Bathing during the month of Māgha at the Māgha-melā still takes place. This is a very old melā (assembly), dating from time immemorial. It is said that ever since the Lord in the form of Mohinī took a bucket of nectar and kept it at Prayāga, holy men have gathered there every year and observed the Māgha-melā. Every twelfth year there is a Kumbha-melā, a great festival, and all the holy men from all over India assemble there. The brāhmaṇa wanted to take advantage of the Māgha-melā and bathe there.

Bathing at the confluence of the Ganges and Yamunā, near the fort at Allahabad (Prayāga), is mentioned in the revealed scriptures:

CC Madhya 18.150, Purport:

There are two great occasions for bathing in the Ganges during Māgha-melā. One is on the day of the dark moon, and the other is on the day of the full moon during the month of Māgha.

CC Madhya 18.222, Translation:

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu finally arrived at Prayāga and for ten successive days bathed in the confluence of the rivers Yamunā and Ganges during the festival of Makara-saṅkrānti (Māgha-melā).

CC Madhya 24.230, Purport:

The great saint Nārada is so liberated that he can go to the Vaikuṇṭha planets to see Nārāyaṇa and then immediately come to this planet in the material world and go to Prayāga to bathe in the confluence of three rivers. The word tri-veṇī refers to a confluence of three rivers. This confluence is still visited by many hundreds of thousands of people who go there to bathe, especially during the Māgha-melā, which occurs during the month of January. A liberated person who has no material body can go anywhere and everywhere; therefore a living entity is called sarva-ga, which indicates that he can go anywhere and everywhere. Presently scientists are trying to go to other planets, but due to their material bodies, they are not free to move at will. However, when one is situated in his original spiritual body, he can move anywhere and everywhere without difficulty.

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Krsna Book 79:

From here He traveled to the delta of the Ganges, where the sacred river Ganges mixes with the Bay of Bengal. This sacred place is called Gaṅgāsāgara, and at the end of January every year there is still a great assembly of saintly persons and pious men, just as there is an assembly of saintly persons in Prayāga every year called the Māgha-melā fair.

After finishing His bathing and ritualistic ceremonies at Gaṅgāsāgara, Lord Balarāma proceeded toward the mountain known as Mahendra Parvata, where He met Paraśurāma, an incarnation of Lord Kṛṣṇa, and offered Him respect by bowing down before Him. After this Lord Balarāma turned toward southern India and visited the banks of the river Godāvarī. After taking His bath in the river Godāvarī and performing the necessary ritualistic ceremonies, He gradually visited the other rivers—the Veṇā, Pampā and Bhīmarathī.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 6.4-12 -- New York, September 4, 1966:

And that is possible, rahasi. Rahasi means in a secluded place. In a secluded place. It is not... I cannot concentrate my mind in the hubble-bubble of this society or in a big city.

The yoga system, you will find that all the yogis formerly... Still in India there are many yogis. They come at Kumbhamela. We have seen some of them. They are some of them are 700 years old, and you'll see him just like a boy of 25 years. They are doing something, yoga. So they, rarely they come when there is some special function. In India there are four places. Just like in the modern days there are conferences of different parties, similarly, in India there are still about thirty hundred thousands of saintly persons. Not one, two. And they, not all, but at least, major portion of them, they meet together after twelve years in some particular places. There are four places. One at Prayāga.

Lecture on BG 13.8-12 -- Bombay, October 2, 1973:

Everyone was happy because... Still in India you go to the village. They are happy with their destination. This is the Indian culture. Now we are injecting discontentment, injecting. Otherwise everyone was happy in his position: "God has given this position. So this is all right. Let me do my work." That is satisfaction. Everyone was satisfied.

Still it is going on, although great propaganda is going on to kill the Vedic culture. Just as some in 1971, we attended the Māghamela. In 1971? Or which year? That Allahabad Māghamela.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- London, August 26, 1971:

There are several places in India. One of them is this Naimiṣāraṇya, and another place, important place is, that is called Prayag, generally known as Allahabad, but original name is Prayag. That is considered to be one of the most sacred place in India, and still every year there is a fair called Māgha-mela. Māgha means during the month of January, February, a fair takes place in which all the sages, saintly persons, from all over parts of India, they gather, and they take their bath on the confluence of Gaṅgā and Yamunā. That is also very nice place. When you... If you visit India, you should see all these nice places.

So there was big meeting of the sages, and Sūta Gosvāmī was on the chair. So amongst the audience, one sage, his name was Śaunaka, he was putting questions to the speaker and he was answering chapter by chapter. So one question was there, that in this age, Kali-yuga... Kali-yuga means the age of dissension, disagreement.

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- Rome, May 24, 1974:

So there was no need of this democratic meeting, but there was meeting of the first-class brāhmaṇas. For the benefit of the whole human society they used to meet sometimes, and that meeting is still continuing in India. It is called Kumbha-melā. Kumbha-melā. Recently this meeting took place in Haridwar. All the saintly person used to come and in four places: one at Prayāga, Allahabad, one at Vṛndāvana, and one at Haridwar, and another at Rāmeśvaram, something like that. Four places. So similar meeting was held at Naimiṣāraṇya. Naimiṣāraṇya, that place is still existing, very nice place.

Lecture on SB 1.2.7 -- Delhi, November 13, 1973:

Because by acting piously, one day they come to the stage of bhajana.

India is trained... By culture, by birth, the land of Bhāratavarṣa is puṇya-bhūmi. Still, you will find in Kumbha-mela many millions of people will come to take bath, to take a dip into the Ganges, because they think it is pious. So through the veins of Indians, the spiritual fluid is flowing. Unfortunately the leaders are misguiding them, and they are becoming atheists generally. It is very regretful situation.

So anyway, after many pious activities, one may come to the platform of bhagavad-bhajana.

Lecture on SB 1.2.23 -- Los Angeles, August 26, 1972:

Generally, we see tree downwards, root, but in the reflection you will find the roots upward. Therefore ūrdhva-mūlam adhah-śākham means these material varieties are simply an imitation of the original variety. Just like I'll give you very nice example. Just there will be a great fair. Just like we had in this Allahabad, Māgha-melā. So because government knew that many people will come to take bath in the Ganges, confluence of Ganges and Yamunā, all of a sudden, a great city, practically, was developed. Those who have seen—so many houses, camps, electric lights, post office, everything. Temporary, created. But as soon as... It is maintained also so long the melā, the fair, is going on. And as soon as the duration of melā is finished, all people go away and the temporary township is also demolished. That we have seen. Similarly, this material world means it is a kind of fair, assembly of so many men. What is the purpose? The purpose is to give them chance, just the Māgha-melā is a chance to become purified, to become pious. They take bath in the Ganges. They become, get an opportunity, an auspicious moment to take bath.

Lecture on SB 1.2.31 -- Vrndavana, November 10, 1972:

So we have entered this material world for enjoyment, and to give us facility for enjoyment, the plenary portion of Kṛṣṇa, Paramātmā, brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti (SB 1.2.11), He's also within this body. The..., this can be explained by one example. Just like when there is some fair. In India, just like we had attended that Kumbha Mela fair. So because the people would come and gather there, the government takes precaution, or makes necessary arrangement. There is actually a small government; the commissioner, the magistrate, they go there and manage things, that things are going on nicely so that people may not be in inconvenience, let them take bath peacefully. That is the idea. Similarly the government is Kṛṣṇa. And because we wanted to come here to enjoy, the Kṛṣṇa has made so many nice arrangements. The... Sometimes they question, "Why this material world is created?" That is created for us.

Lecture on SB 1.2.31 -- Vrndavana, November 10, 1972:

And because we wanted to come here to enjoy, the Kṛṣṇa has made so many nice arrangements. The... Sometimes they question, "Why this material world is created?" That is created for us. Because Kṛṣṇa knows that some of them, they want to enjoy this material world, to give them facility everything is arranged there. This is a, a replica of the spiritual world, but it is temporary, exactly like the Kumbha Mela camp is temporary. Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19). A chance is given to the living entities to enjoy to their satisfaction, and the Vedic instruction is there so that they may follow and again come back home, back to home, back to Godhead. This is the whole arrangement.

Lecture on SB 1.15.49 -- Los Angeles, December 26, 1973:

When he thinks, "Now I am fully prepared. Now I shall leave this planet. I shall go to such and such planet, such and such loka," he will be immediately transferred. That is yoga practice. So that practice is not possible. Therefore still in India you will find many yogis are there. They come to Kumbha-melā—that will be held in the month of February—from distant places. And you will see, just like young men, but some of them are three hundred years old, four hundred years old. Still. How they are preparing themself? They think, a yogi thinks that "Now I am not prepared. There may be mistake. I am not prepared to enter such and such planet." So that concession is given there by the yogic practice. Just like you appear for an examination. Unless you are fully prepared, you are certain that "I must pass," you do not appear. Similarly, the yogis, unless one thinks that "I am fully competent to enter such and such planet," he does not give up this body.

Lecture on SB 6.1.6 -- Bombay, November 6, 1970:

Prabhupāda: Amritsar. How people were anxious to hear. Then there will be the Kumbha-melā. If you go to Kumbha-melā you'll see how from all different parts of the country, millions of people will come to participate.

Devotee: (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Yes. Millions and millions of people. There is no advertisement but they will come. Government wanted to discourage them in so many ways. In Jagannātha Purī you will find daily, in Vṛndāvana and all sacred places. The Ārya-samājīs, the government, they tried to condemn this temple worship, this...

Haṁsadūta: Nehru.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Nehru, yes. Nehru was such a rascal that he came... Ramakrishna Mission has a big hospital in Vṛndāvana. So on the opening day he came from Delhi by helicopter. He stayed there the whole day. He came in the morning, and the function took place in the evening. Or in daytime. He left the same day. But he did not visit a single temple. You see? Such an atheist he was.

Lecture on SB 6.1.13-14 -- New York, July 27, 1971:

Austerity's painful. Brahmacarya is painful. Because we want, unrestricted, to do everything. But no. As soon as it is regulated it appears to be painful. When it is practiced, it is not painful. One brahmacārī in Indian city, in severe cold, he was sleeping in the open air, without any covering. And it was severe cold. But it was practice. During Māgha-melā, many saintly persons come there on the bank of the Gaṅgā, Ganges. This year we had our own camp; we have seen. The whole night they are sitting in the open air, without any covering.

So practice. So practice means if you undergo austerity, tapasya, everything will be practiced. That is a Bengali proverb: śarīre nā mahāśaya(?). Mahāśaya is a word used in India, a very respectable gentleman, mahāśaya. So this śarīra, this body is mahāśaya. Ya sa haye sa taicha(?). Whatever he'll practice, it will be accustomed.

Lecture on SB 6.2.9-10 -- Allahabad, January 15, 1971:

Haṁsadūta: Sixteen heads arrived at the Kumbha-melā, January 5, 1971. Śrīla Prabhupāda arrived on the morning of January 13, 1971, and the following lectures were recorded beginning January 15, 1971, at the Kumbha-melā, crossing of Kali and Yamunā roads, just across from the Hanumān Mandira, a temple which is said to be at least one million years old. Prabhupāda said it was standing since the time of Lord Rāmacandra. (break)

Prabhupāda: (recites prema-dhvani prayers, etc.) We have been discussing Ajāmila's upākhyāna after finishing the speeches by the Yamadūta, assistants of Yamarāja, the superintendent of judgment after death. Yamarāja is one of the appointed officers, mahājanas. He's a Vaiṣṇava, but his thankless task is that he has to punish all the sinful activities. That is his position. Just like superintendent of police, he is also a government officer, responsible officer, respectful servant of the government, but the task is simply to chastise the sinful persons.

Lecture on SB 6.2.11 -- Allahabad, January 16, 1971:

Just like this arrangement, this Kumbha-līlā arrangement, is a prescription by the Brahmavādīs. There is a prescription that one should go during this time, maghamelā, and live in the confluence, on the bank of the confluence of Gaṅga and Yamunā and at least three days he must live. Then he becomes eligible to enter into the heavenly kingdom. These people who have come here, their ambition is to enter into the heavenly kingdom. But a devotee does not care for heavenly kingdom. A devotee cares a very fig in any planet within this material world. As Kṛṣṇa says, ā-brahma-bhuvanāl lokān punar āvartino arjuna. Means they know what is the benefit of entering into heavenly kingdom. There is no benefit. Suppose I may get thousands of years' age and I enjoy very high standard of life, woman, money, wine. Just think. But what is the benefit? There is no benefit. I was very glad to read one article sent by Satsvarūpa in Boston. He has said, "What is this society, family?

Lecture on SB 6.2.12-14 -- Allahabad, January 17, 1971, at Kumbha-mela:

Therefore we always recommend to our students that you write articles, read our magazine, read our book. In this way if we keep ourself... Work for Kṛṣṇa. This... We have come here in this paṇḍal or in this Kumbha-melā not for any other purpose than to glorify the Supreme Lord so that people may understand the importance of this movement. So citta-śodhaka, here recommended by the Viṣṇudūta. Viṣṇudūta means the direct associates of Lord Viṣṇu. Tat karma-nirhāram abhīpsatāṁ harer guṇānuvādaḥ khalu sattva-bhāvanaḥ. Be always engaged in glorifying the transcendental qualities of Hari. Again it is said hareḥ, not any other person, Hari, Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Lecture on SB 6.2.24-25 -- Gorakhpur, February 13, 1971:

Especially in this age, these sacrifices are not possible. Our... There is a sannyāsī leader, many sannyāsī leaders, they attract people by this performance of yajña, although in this age yajña is not possible because there is no yajñic brāhmaṇa. The mantra... Perhaps you have seen in the Kumbha-melā some government officers were... They are also born in a brāhmaṇa family, and they are performing yajña. Actually the brāhmaṇas had so much power in those days that simply by mantra, they would ignite fire. The fire was not ignited by matches—by mantra. And the animal... Just like in medical science, in physiology sometimes experiment is made by plying the knife on some animal, similarly, how the yajña was being performed, that was tested by animal sacrifice. Animal sacrifice was not meant for killing one animal and eating. No.

Lecture on SB 6.3.12-15 -- Gorakhpur, February 9, 1971:

And the Aurobindo, he approached up to the Brahman liberation, but he could not approach to the understanding of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That is... Arjuna says also in the Bhagavad-gītā, "It is very difficult to understand Your personality." Everyone becomes... The other day in the Melā, Māgha-melā, one Gangeshvarananda, retired high-court judge, he said that "This is the first time, Swamijī, that we are hearing from you on solid basis about the Personality." The whole world, nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādi... Nirviśeṣa... Means the impersonalists and voidists, that's all. They have no understanding what is Personality of Godhead. Gobhir indriyair hṛdā cittena na vicakṣate. One cannot, a gobhiḥ, by exercise of the senses. Gobhiḥ and indriyair hṛdā, heart also, meditation. The jñānīs, the speculators, they are speculating by sensual activities, and the yogis, they are trying to find out the Supreme within the heart, cittena. So na paśyanti: "But they cannot see." They cannot see. So jñānīs, the yogis, they cannot understand. Although they are trying for it, they cannot understand. It is clearly said, hṛdā girā vāsu-bhṛto vicakṣate.

Festival Lectures

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Disappearance Day, Lecture -- Los Angeles, December 13, 1973:

Not officially, but in my heart. That was in 1922. Then, in 1923, I left Calcutta on my business tour. And I made my headquarter at Allahabad. Allahabad is about five hundred miles from Calcutta. So I was thinking that "I met a very nice saintly person." That was my thinking always. So in this way, in 1928, there was a Kumbhamelā. At that time, these Gauḍīya Matha people came to Allahabad to establish a center there, and somebody else said, somebody informed them that "You go to that Prayāga Pharmacy." My drug shop was named as Prayāga Pharmacy. My name was also there. "You go and see Abhaya Babu. He is religiously... He will help you." These Gauḍīya Matha people, they came to see me. So "Sir, we have come to you. We have heard your good name. So we want to start a temple here. Please try to help us." And because I was thinking of these Gauḍīya Matha people that "I met a very nice, saintly persons," and as soon as I saw them, I was very much engladdened: "Oh, here are these persons.

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Disappearance Day, Lecture -- Hyderabad, December 10, 1976:

Then officially I was initiated in 1933 because in 1923 I left Calcutta. I started my business at Allahabad. So I was always thinking of my Guru Mahārāja, that "I met a very nice sādhu." Although I was doing business, I never forgot him. Then, in 1928, these Gauḍīya Maṭha people came to Allahabad during Kumbhamelā. As the Kumbhamelā is going to be held this year, a similar big Kumbhamelā was held in 1928. In those days they came to open their branch in Allahabad, and somebody recommended that "You go to..." At that time I was running on my big pharmacy and I was very well known man in Allahabad as the proprietor of the pharmacy. So somebody recommended them that "You go to Abhaya Babu. He is a very religious man. He'll help you." So when they entered my shop I was very much pleased that "These men I met in 1922, and now they have come." In this way I became reconnected. And in 1933 I was officially initiated, and my only qualification was when I was introduced to my Guru Mahārāja for initiation, so Guru Mahārāja immediately said, "Yes, I shall initiate this boy.

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Appearance Day, Lecture -- Los Angeles, February 7, 1969:

Practically he initiated me because I was thinking of..., always.

Then, in 1928, there was a big fair which is called Kumbhamelā. At that time I was doing business in Allahabad. My business was very flourishing. It was well-known drug shop. So the persons who went to organize our Gauḍīya Maṭha's camp in that fair, somebody has told that "Here is a Bengali gentleman's business. You can go, and he is very religious man. He will help." So all the disciples of Guru Mahārāja, they approached my shop, my store, drug store. And because I was thinking of them, so I thought, "Oh, here is the men." You see? You see? I was very glad—"So they have come again"—because I was separated from them in 1923, and again I saw them in 1928 after five years, and I was thinking of Guru Mahārāja simply in this way, "Oh, I met a very nice saintly person. Very nice saintly person.

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Appearance Day, Evening -- Gorakhpur, February 15, 1971:

Then, in 1923, I left Calcutta on business account, and I started my business at Allahabad. But I was always thinking of my Guru Mahārāja, although I was that time not initiated. But the impression was there. I was thinking, "I met a very nice saintly person." So in this way, I passed from 1923 to 1928, I think. Then during Kumbhamelā... (child making noise) Stop that noise he's making. In 1928 my Guru Mahārāja, along with other disciples, came to Allahabad for starting their branch there. So some gentlemen known to me might have told them that "The proprietor of such and such business, Prayāga Pharmacy, he's a very nice gentleman. He can help you in so many ways." So they came to me, and I saw the same saintly persons whom I met 1922. I was very glad to receive. In this way, my connection was more intimate with my Guru Mahārāja. And in 1936, or 1933, I was initiated officially, although I was initiated 1922. But officially, I was initiated in 1933, although from 1922 to 1933 I was always thinking of His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Mahārāja. So in 1936, he was to pass away by 31st December.

General Lectures

Speech to Indian Audience -- Montreal, July 28, 1968:

You'll be surprised to know that for a few-hour visit, about six million people assembled from all parts of India. And government had to make a special arrangement for their taking bath in the sea and visiting the temple. Similarly, there is Kumbha-melā. These assemblies are not advertised. People know it by paramparā. I am speaking to you; you are speaking to your friend. In this way they know it, and on that particular day they assemble at a place, just like Prayāga, on the confluence of Ganga and Yamunā. Millions of people will assemble. So still, in spite of our present leaders' policy to completely eradicate all religious ideas... They have made secular state. But people are so born that naturally they are inclined to take part in spiritual movement. That is the nature. Therefore Lord Caitanya said that bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya-janma haila yāra (CC Adi 9.41). To take one's birth in the land of India, to take one's birth as human being, is great opportunity undoubtedly. But still more great opportunity is there who has taken his birth in India. We are... We must be proud, provided we do not forget our own Vedic culture.

Tenth Anniversary Address -- Washington, D.C., July 6, 1976:

That is not possible. It is to be executed alone. Still you'll find in India, many places-Hardwar—there are many yogis, they are sitting alone. They have nothing to do with this material world, and dhyānāvasthita, and not only for one, two, three years, but for many hundred years. Still many yogis come during Kumbhamelā. Their age is three hundred years, four hundred years, five hundred years old. It is possible. It is possible. By exercising the breathing, one can prolong his life. That is called samādhi. If you can stop your breathing, then you enhance your duration of life. That is possible. Therefore you'll find the picture of the yogis, they are controlling the breathing. Because everyone has got a destined breathing period by superior arrangement. So if you don't spend your breathing, then you prolong your life. If you can remain in samādhi, don't breathe, then... Just like if you have got a bank balance, one thousand dollars.

Morning Lecture -- Allahabad, January 15, 1977:

And if we follow the path of mahātmās, mahat-sevā, that is dvāram āhur vimukteḥ. We are making progress towards liberation.

So this is a chance. This Kumbhamelā is a chance to get opportunity of mahat-sevā. Mahat-sevā dvāram āhur vimukteḥ. Many... Of course, it is Kali-yuga. There are so many so-called mahātmās in dress for earning livelihood. That kind of mahātmā is not required. Mahātmā is also described in the Bhagavad-gītā: sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ. Actually we have to associate with such mahātmā who is su-durlabhaḥ, not very easily obtainable. And who is that su-durlabhaḥ mahātmā? That is also described.

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Allen Ginsberg -- May 13, 1969, Columbus, Ohio:

Allen Ginsberg: One Sufis, Yogis, Saints, poets like Muktesvara. And then another of Mīrā. Two volumes of Mīrā with a life of Mīrā. And then one on the Kumbhamela, a book on the Kumbhamela.

Prabhupāda: They are good scholars.

Allen Ginsberg: Yes. Good scholars. They know Blake also. They know English.

Prabhupāda: Mataji?

Allen Ginsberg: Śrīmata Kṛṣṇaji.

Guest (1): Mathurā, I think this Mātājī lives so(?).

Allen Ginsberg: In India.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- April 2, 1972, Sydney:

Prabhupāda: No, Allahabad during Kumbha-melā. They said, "Swamiji, God is person, you are the first man speaking." Why first man? It is already there. They cannot believe that God is person.

Śyāmasundara: As long as there is imperson, there is doubt, there is unclear, unclear.

Prabhupāda: Unclear.

Śyāmasundara: As soon as there is person, there is no doubt, clear.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- March 17, 1973, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: "Yes, here is a sādhu in whose hands Caitanya Mahāprabhu's message is there, and it will be done. I think this is very nice." That was my appreciation. Then 1923, I resigned my post as manager in Bose's laboratory, and I accepted the agency of whole U.P., beginning from Mughalsarai (?) up to Delhi, and I made my head office in Allahabad. So I was always thinking, "Oh yes, I met a very nice sādhu." From the very beginning, that was my impression, that "I have met a real sādhu." So, actually the words, lava mātra sādhu saṅge sarva siddhi haya (CC Madhya 22.54), was actually... I perceived a kind (?) for a moment, and he impressed so much, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, that it was, it continued. Then in 1928, when there was Kumbha-melā... Mahārāja, when you joined Gauḍīya Maṭha?

Room Conversation -- March 17, 1973, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: So 1928 there was a Kumbha-melā, I think. And during that Kumbha-melā, Tīrtha Mahārāja with a party came to my shop, Prayāg pharmacy, all of a sudden, and I thought, "Oh, these are the people I saw, Gauḍīya Maṭha. Yes." So, I was so glad. So Tīrtha Mahārāja asked me that "We are come new here. We are going to establish a temple in Allahabad. We have heard your name, so we have come to you. Please help us." "Yes, I will help you." So in this way I contributed, my attending physician contributed, and some other friends. In this way we became friends, and Tīrtha Mahārāja, old Tīrtha Mahārāja had first meeting in my house at Allahabad, with I think the Sarvesvara brahmacārī and Dhīra Kṛṣṇa brahmacārī...

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: (indistinct) Mahārāja and (indistinct) Mahārāja.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 11, 1974, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Then Brahmānanda give me assurance. "I can take charge." Therefore I signed. But factually, he was as good as Madhudviṣa. (laughs) He made a contract with a, that camp, forty thousand rupees. I settled up for ten thousand rupees. So our work is going on in India and money's spent. Fifty percent is spoiled by this American brain. What can be done? There is no... They'll loot. They cheat. Like anything. Just like this camp. It was, it was Brahmānanda and Madhudviṣa combined together made a contract-forty thousand rupees. Then I said that "Then I am not going to pay you. You go." In Kumbha Melā also, the contract was ten thousand. So five thousand already paid. So I said, "I have no money. You have to become satisfied with the ten thousand." So they began some trouble, but after all, accepted. Because they make five hundred percent profit.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- March 11, 1975, London:

Brahmānanda: Does that have something to do that Kṛṣṇa appeared there?

Prabhupāda: Puṇya-bhūmi, pious land. Still, so fallen, whenever there is a question of spiritual meeting, thousands, lakhs, will come. You have seen Kumbha-melā?

Brahmānanda: No.

Prabhupāda: You have seen?

Śrutakīrti: No.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: I've seen pictures.

Prabhupāda: Very poor men, still, they gather, sixty lakhs, without any advertisement.

Room Conversation with Dr. Copeland, Professor of Modern Indian History -- May 20, 1975, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: That... Saintly person should depend on Kṛṣṇa. If Kṛṣṇa is not supplying cloth, all right, find out some torn, thrown-out cloth on the street. And food? Go to the tree. Take some fruit. And for water, go to the river. There is sufficient water. And for shelter, go to the cave. So these are already arranged. And above, over and above, do you think that the Supreme Lord does not take care of the person who has fully surrendered unto Him? Then why you are going to flatter this rich class of men for your food? This is the... And that is the... Especially throughout the history in India you will find, many hundred thousands of these sādhus. They do not go anywhere. I have seen at Allahabad, Kumbha-melā. They take bath in the Ganges and sit down in their place, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, without caring wherefrom the food will come. They sit down. And everything is coming. Still in India, if there is information, even in the remotest villages, "There is a saintly person has come in the village," they will approach. "Bābā, what can I do for you?"

Room Conversation -- August 21, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yes. They understood that "This man does not show any magic, and he is playing wonderful thing." That, every gentleman, every man, can understand. When I was at Kumbha-melā all these Māyāvādī sannyāsīs, they were receiving me like anything because they understand that they could not do anything. How they can do? Kṛṣṇa śakti vinā nahe nāma pracāra. One must receive strength from the superior; then it is possible. It is not a bogus thing, that anyone can do it. Kṛṣṇa śakti... It is stated in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Have you got Caitanya-caritāmṛta?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Kṛṣṇa śakti vinā nahe pravartane.

Prabhupāda: Nāma pracāra.

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?

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

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

Prabhupāda: No, he has no sense what is God. This is going on.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Isn't it that song they sing at the Kumbhamela? You know, they were singing all the time at the Kumbhamela, "Give me this, give me that." What is that song?

Prabhupāda: Yes, the ārati, ārati.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That ārati song. Oṁ jaya jagadīśa?

Indian man (1): Hare.

Prabhupāda: Viṣaya paiye, dhana sampatti paiye. What is that? (laughter) Jaya bhagavān. Dehom ki viṣaya(?), jaya bhagavān.

Indian man (2): Sab ko sampatti de bhagavān.

Prabhupāda: Duḥkha jaye sampatti paiye de bhagavān, jayo kara. (Bengali) Whole world, they have accepted God as order-supplier. "I order, and You supply." They all, this Christian Church also: "God, give us our daily bread."

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

Prabhupāda: No, no. Progress... The thing is that if you try progress vainly, what is the use of trying? If it is a fact you cannot change your destiny, so why should you try for that? Better... That is the... Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta. Therefore whatever energy you have got, you utilize it for understanding Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Make it clear. Just like our society. We are, our main business is how to make advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We are not very enthusiastic to open big, big factories and big, big money-earning machine. No. We are not interested. We'll be satisfied with the amount of happiness or distress, whatever we are destined. Let us utilize our energy for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is the point. So the Vedic civilization is meant for realization of God. Viṣṇur aradhyate. So they try for that. And now, at the present moment.... Actually, the varṇāśrama-dharmi, they never tried for economic development. You'll find in India still, thousands of men taking bath in the Ganges. In the Kumbhamela... You have been in Kumbhamela?

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

Prabhupāda: At the Kumbhamela millions of people are coming to take bathing in the Ganges because they are interested how to become liberated. They're not lazy. They're going thousands miles, two thousand miles away, to take bathing in the Prayāgaa. So they are not lazy. But they are not busy in the dog's race. Yā niśā sarva-bhūtānāṁ tasyāṁ jāgarti saṁyamī. Saṁyamī. He keeps night, he does not sleep. Others are sleeping. So similarly, the dogs and asses, they think that "They are not working." And they are working. The different platforms. So the Vedic civilization which is practiced in India... Now it is distorted, but actually, they are not lazy. They are very, very busy. Not only very, very busy, but from, they are trying to become self-realized from the very beginning of life. Kaumāraṁ...

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

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Kumbhamela we can show. You had been in Kumbhamela?

Ṛṣi Kumāra: No, I haven't. Last time it was Kumbhamela, I was in Bombay. I had to do some business with books and stuff.

Prabhupāda: So you begin this preaching work in India with this film. With few assistants go village to village. They'll appreciate very much. Here also they will appreciate. What do you think? School, college, university. They'll get an idea of new life.

Kīrtanānanda: Yes. There are many colleges that give courses now in alternate life styles.

Prabhupāda: Yes, this a...

Evening Darsana -- August 12, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: But why the Indians, they are not like the Americans? You find in India still millions of people will go to the Kumbhamelā with torn cloth. They are not like Americans, riches. Why they take? Indian is well-known poverty-stricken. So why almost ninety-nine percent people, they are after Kṛṣṇa consciousness naturally? Still they'll go, when there is Kumbhamelā, so many saintly persons are coming. They will come by lakhs. Have you seen it? You have seen Kumbhamelā? You have seen? That is the proof. Not only Kumbhamelā. In Vṛndāvana, just like in our temple, recently it was jam-packed. Why they are coming to Vṛndāvana? Mostly they are coming from villages. Especially during this time at least twenty thousand, fifty thousand men are coming, daily. Still. We held Hare Kṛṣṇa festivals in Calcutta, Bombay, Madras. As soon as it is advertised, you'll find fifteen thousand, twenty thousand men come. And if you hold for weeks, for weeks they will come. You have seen? They are not like Americans, rich. They are all poverty-stricken. To the general eyes they are poverty-stricken. Kumbhamelā you'll see, Hardwar, in Vṛndāvana.

Room Conversation -- August 17, 1976, Hyderabad:

Yaśomatīnandana: Yes, we will do like that. November-December will be very suitable time. Then in January the Kumbhamela, we will try to organize something big there also. January, Allahabad, Kumbhamela.

Prabhupāda: (Bengali) That's all. Stop now.

Harikeśa: I was just going to say you should take massage now. I was just going to say it's time for massage.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Harikeśa: Can I tell you about the bank? Punjab National Bank is down the street, and we have our temple account there.

Prabhupāda: Oh, Punjab National Bank is there.

Room Conversation -- August 17, 1976, Hyderabad:

Harikeśa: So we can do it any time. And before you arrange this Kumbhamela, it's very cold there.

Prabhupāda: Don't talk now.

Harikeśa: Okay. (long pause)

Prabhupāda: (indistinct)

Hari-śauri: Everything is going on. Wood carving, cement lay, painting, marble polishing. The yajña.

Prabhupāda: If we would have remained there. These people are coming. How they could see?

Room Conversation with Life Member, Mr. Malhotra -- December 22, 1976, Poona:

Prabhupāda: Yes. In Allahabad they actually hold every year. Māgha-mela.

Mr. Malhotra: Māgha-mela. But this is not every year, this time people are...

Prabhupāda: It is very, I mean to say, atmosphere becomes surcharged. Great spiritual advancement. Very nice.

Mr. Malhotra: (Hindi conversation)

Prabhupāda: Iran is like, that but no green, simply sand.

Mr. Malhotra: These are the mountains of Deccan. They say that these all mountains were under sea.

Prabhupāda: Yes, everything was... Pralaya-payodhi-jale dhṛtavān asi vedam **. (break)

Room Conversation with Life Member, Mr. Malhotra -- December 22, 1976, Poona:

Prabhupāda: May not. Because Kumbha-mela is there. (break)

Mr. Malhotra: ...at auditorium. This road goes to Bangalore straight, and we go to Mahabalesvara. This side.

Prabhupāda: Bangalore how many miles?

Mr. Malhotra: Total, from Poona, 520 miles. And you go from here on this road only to Goa also. To go to Madras, you go also on this road (break) ...dolak.(?) Some (indistinct) will give... I mean sounds are different, you know, instruments are music.

Prabhupāda: This is called musical science, Jala-taraṅga. Jala, taraṅga means vibration, different vibrations. Still there are, among the musicians, there are artists, they'll put vials and make the different tunes by filling it with water. (SP makes sound dn dn dn dn dn) (break)

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

Guest (4): During the Kumbha-mela we are having our rāma-kṣetra to serve the sādhus directly. We always started our camp on 21st December to last after tenth of February. If Mahārāja and all other devotees, they can definitely offer free arrangements over there because we have got the best camp. We have got the best camp.

Prabhupāda: Why should we spend for our camp? (laughter)

Guest (4): We are just on the bed of the river, far away from the mela, which is about three, four... We have our āśramas at various places, you know.

Prabhupāda: What is this philosophy? What is the philosophy?

Guest (4): Philosophy is bhajana of the Śaṅkarācārya.

Prabhupāda: But whether you recognize Kṛṣṇa...

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

Guest (5): There is no question of expenditure. We welcome you and your institution over there. We have an arrangement for about two hundred tents and we have got enough food to offer you, quality food, which you won't find in the whole of the Kumbha-mela. Because originally...

Prabhupāda: But suppose if we speak in this way, then you'll not agree. (laughter) Real food is finished. Only puris, kacuris... (laughter)

Guest (5): We'll have more real food when you come over there.

Prabhupāda: No, if you do not object our preaching like that, then I can go.

Guest (5): Yes, definitely.

Prabhupāda: Whether your swamiji will like that?

Guest (5): No, of course. Because actually there is nothing against your preaching. Otherwise, I would not have come.

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

Guest (5): No. Our main theme at the Kumbha-mela is to speak direct to sādhus who come from Himalayas because mainly since 150 years this institution is serving them at Hardwar and Prayaga. They don't walk down to Ujjain or Nasik. Mainly they come at Hardwar and Allahabad.

Prabhupāda: So if you kindly give us a camp, but we shall preach this.

Guest (5): You are at liberty. There is no ban on it. Actually, you see we, as we said, we are serving the humanity directly.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. That all right. Nice. But sometimes, if somebody differs, that is not very palatable .

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

Prabhupāda: Thank you very much. Then it will be very nice. We are willing to go there. And we must go there. It is Kumbha-mela. So if you give us five to six camps it will be very nice.

Guest (5): Even up to ten. You don't hesitate for the number.

Prabhupāda: Thank you. He's so liberal. You are actually Brahman.(laughter) Brahman means unlimited.

Guest (5): Virāṭ.

Prabhupāda: Virāṭ. Bṛhatyad, brnhanatya iti brahman.(?) Not only the largest, but increasing. That is Brahman. Bṛhatya brnghanatya.(?) I'm very much thankful to you. So you arrange immediately. (Hindi)

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

Prabhupāda: Yes. This Kumbha-mela we had every year.

Guest (5): First of all, you see, we have taken just near Yamunā bridge. As soon as the pilgrims come from various parts of the country we have got a...

Prabhupāda: Yamunā bridge, there are two bridges.

Guest (5): Just near Yamunā bridge there is an institution which belongs to Bombay and that institution is reserved for us just to give a shelter first to people who come by rail.

Prabhupāda: So take all these notes. We'll save so much money.

Guest (5): Transit camp.

Prabhupāda: So immediately.

Room Conversation -- December 26, 1976, Bombay:

Indian man: Śrīla Prabhupāda there is another request from Mrs. (indistinct) and she would like to invite you and other devotees to show the film and other things and they can arrange a good (indistinct) over there. (indistinct) And they have got a very good school over there. So anytime can be given within this or after going to Kumbha-mela?

Prabhupāda: After it would be (indistinct).

Indian man: During the 7th of January or...

Prabhupāda: I may be going away by the 3lst. And there visit the Kumbha-mela. (everyone talking at once)

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Devotees will be going there starting from the 5th by installments.

Indian man: We can keep it up till 20th, after 20th of January.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Kumbha-mela will be over...

Room Conversation -- December 26, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) ...31st to go for Bhuvaneśvara. Then come to Kumbha-mela.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Or you can stay here and go to Kumbha-mela straight?

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

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

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

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

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Is it zigzag or is it straight?

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

Morning Walk -- December 27, 1976, Bombay:

Hari-śauri: Yes, at Kumbha-mela.

Prabhupāda: That is a fact. Before me, for the last two hundred years, so many swamis and yogis went to the Western countries. Nobody could convert a single person to Hinduism. That is a fact in the history. These foreigners-giving up meat-eating, illicit sex, no intoxication, no gambling—it is a horrible thing for them. Lord Zetland said, "This is impossible for us." Factually it is impossible, because American government spent millions of dollars to stop this LSD intoxication but it was not successful. But they have seen that as soon as the same boy comes to our camp, he immediately gives up, immediately, without any protest, that "Why shall I give up?" No. I ask, "You have to give up." "Yes, we do." That's a fact. Therefore this Swami Chit?

Morning Walk -- December 30, 1976, Bombay:

Girirāja: Then it won't be for Kumbhamela. Prabhupāda wanted it for Kumbhamela. (break)

Indian: Well, I don't know. It will be a big program there from part of (indistinct) mission. They've spent four lakhs rupees.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: They never... I never thought they had so much money even for their own projects.

Indian men: They collect from the big Sikhs. (indistinct) He is very influenced. For Kumbhamela, all the Marwari want to wash off all the sins they did. (laughter)

Prabhupāda: So explain with that purpose. At least, they are sensible. (break) You cannot give up these four things: yajña, dāna, tapasya. So yajña for the brahmacārīs, begin yajña. And dāna for the gṛhasthas, and tapasya for the sannyāsīs. Yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-karma na tyājyam, Kṛṣṇa says.

Room Conversation -- December 31, 1976, Bombay:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Only thing is most of our devotees may be in Allahabad. January 10th? All the devotees will be in Allahabad for that Kumbhamela and I don't think we have enough to...

Prabhupāda: No, no. They can go after the tenth.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: After tenth. Okay.

Prabhupāda: By fourteenth or by thirteenth. It takes only one night from here to Allahabad.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Twenty-six hours. We're thinking of renting a small bus for devotees because coming back would be a problem.

Prabhupāda: I think Allahabad takes twenty-four hours.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Twenty-six hours.

Prabhupāda: Twenty-six hours by train?

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Conversation with Yogi Amrit Desai of Kripalu Ashram (PA USA) -- January 2, 1977, Bombay:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: You like it? We only did ten thousand each, but I think we'll sell it out in Kumbhamela. And if we have these two pandals in Ludhiana and Mathurā...

Prabhupāda: So why don't you order more?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Right now I don't have much money, so I'm going slow. But when we sell, we'll get the money back, print more.

Prabhupāda: No, I can give you some loan.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. We will do that. We may need a small loan because... Also the printer came to see me. I told him to bring down the Bengali Gītār Gān price, and I'll think we'll print only one lakh here because his quality is much better than a small letter press in Calcutta.

Prabhupāda: So if you regularly do businesslike, I can give you loan.

Conversation with Yogi Amrit Desai of Kripalu Ashram (PA USA) -- January 2, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: (referring to Kumbhamela?) When I was in midst of the crowd, the crowd was so big that I was afraid: "If there is any rush, this child will be finished." Because if there is little rush, you cannot go back; you cannot go forward.

Hari-śauri: Yes, if you go in a crowd.

Prabhupāda: It is very dangerous. And if there is some force, you become suffocated. So still, people were going slowly. By grace of Kṛṣṇa nothing happened. But same thing happened later years when Jawaharlal Nehru was present. So many people crashed and fallen in the river Yamunā and died.

Hari-śauri: Drowned in the river.

Prabhupāda: The rush came, and there was no protection.

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

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. But right now is Kumbhamela in Allahabad, everything's going to be in so much rush, it's going to be hard to do any business.

Prabhupāda: No, businessmen are there all right. I was doing that business. So in my shop they..., visitors used to come there.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: That shop. (pause) Śrīla Prabhupāda, this morning Rāmeśvara Mahārāja and Hṛdayānanda Mahārāja spoke to me.

Prabhupāda: I have heard that. That's good idea.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: That's good idea? So Hṛdayānanda Swami and Kīrtanānanda Swami are going to Africa. And on the 9th they told me to send a telegram signed by you saying you are sick and you want Brahmānanda to come immediately. So then Kīrtanānanda Swami will personally bring Brahmānanda Swami to India. But they want him to become your permanent secretary again.

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

Prabhupāda: So let him come to Bhuvaneśvara. I am going after Kumbhamela. And begin the work immediately. We have got one gentleman, professor. He is good learned scholar. I can engage him for translating.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Oriya. Very nice.

Prabhupāda: He has writing... That machine... I can see the manuscript. In this way, arrangement make.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Very good. We just printed two books in Oriya, Topmost Yoga and one more. One more.

Prabhupāda: He likes Oriya language.

Roof Conversation -- January 5, 1977, Bombay:

Mr. Gupta: By Calcutta Mail, or there's a special leaving for Allahabad. There's a special train. We are running Kumbhamela specials.

Prabhupāda: This one.

Mr. Gupta: This one is a regular train. This is Varanasi Express.

Dr. Patel: A special must not have first-class. Has it?

Mr. Gupta: Special has first-class.

Dr. Patel: That special will be better than.

Mr. Gupta: No, it won't be because it leaves on 10th night and it will only go to Naini. It won't go to Allahabad.

Dr. Patel: Isn't it faster...

Prabhupāda: And it changes. You have to change again. From Naini you have to change.

Roof Conversation -- January 5, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: From Naini they are going to the Kumbhamela.

Mr. Gupta: Naini, yes. It's a triangle. So from Naini they will go to Kumbhamela, come back to Naini, and come back this side.

Prabhupāda: Hmm. That's nice.

Dr. Patel: How far Naini is from Allahabad?

Mr. Gupta: Naini, railway stationwise is five miles from Allahabad, but people want to go to Sangamner just at the bridge at the bank of the river... (break)

Prabhupāda: It is not far away from the Sam... It is nearer. Rather, Allahabad main station is far away.

Roof Conversation -- January 5, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Fifty years before, when I was in Allahabad, 1920's, there was Kumbhamela. Then forty lakhs people came, fifty years ago.

Dr. Patel: With poor transport then. That transport was not so efficient as it is today, no? More trains and more...

Prabhupāda: No, the Bombay Mail was there, and I think this Kashi Express was not there.

Dr. Patel: Kashi Express is a new.

Prabhupāda: Not very new. That is also not very...

Mr. Gupta: About fifteen years old.

Prabhupāda: Fifteen years.

Roof Conversation -- January 5, 1977, Bombay:

Mr. Gupta: Actually Kashi Express was introduced before last Kumbhamela.

Prabhupāda: No, no. No, Kashi Express goes to Allahabad; then, from Allahabad, there is a straight line from Benares, to Benares. Then it goes to Mugger(?) side. Kashi Express, it goes up to Kashi or not?

Mr. Gupta: Up to Kashi.

Dr. Patel: And how long are you going to stay there, sir?

Prabhupāda: As long as Muratdev... (?)

Dr. Patel: (Hindi)

Prabhupāda: No, I'm not going to stay...

Room Conversation -- January 7, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: (aside) That's nice.(?) But first give me little cow's milk-cup—and put little flat rice, not too much, and little fruit. That's all.

Dr. Patel: So, sir, you are going by train to Kumbhamela.

Prabhupāda: I like train.

Dr. Patel: I would have accompanied you if you had gone by plane. I would lose lot of time going and coming. While coming back, you will come out to ten days, five days.

Prabhupāda: No. Train, first-class is very comfortable.

Dr. Patel: But you see, after all, it takes upon the health, twenty-four hours.

Prabhupāda: No, no. Rather, doctor, your doc..., civil ser..., man, he said that, "Avoid plane." For me he had said.

Room Conversation -- January 7, 1977, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: When you go out after leaving some friend's house, it will be very difficult to come out because of the cold. It will be as big as Bombay practically, this Kumbhamela, at least twenty-five lakhs or thirty lakhs. It will be as big as cold. (?)

Prabhupāda: No, space is also.

Dr. Patel: I'll tell one of the friends to get me some water on that day. I'll take bath here. (laughs) I had gone to Allahabad once only.

Prabhupāda: Only?

Dr. Patel: We have not had the chance to go there. Delhi also. I've never gone to the Delhi also. Therefore it was calling me. I have seen Delhi in 1939. After that, I have never gone.

Prabhupāda: My family life was in Allahabad, 1923 to 1936 continually. I used to come to Bombay from Allahabad for business. And I was staying in that hotel, Empire Hindu Hotel. Yes, very nice. At that time it was very nice.

Morning Walk -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: That means sat-saṅga. Instead of doing sat-saṅga, people go to Kumbha Mela... (laughs)

Prabhupāda: No. Kumbha Mela is sat-saṅga. If you go to Kumbha Mela to find out a man of knowledge, then your Kumbha Mela is right. Otherwise, yad-buddhiḥ śalile sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). If one thinks that this śalila, the water, to take bath in the water, is Kumbha Mela, he is a go-kharaḥ. But the real..., that "Now there are assembly of so many saintly persons. Let me take advantage of their knowledge." Then he is intelligent. (break) ...of highly learned saintly persons. People should take advantage.

Dr. Patel: To bring people together on discussion there are different groups, no?

Prabhupāda: Still, you can go to different groups of saintly person. Different groups means brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti (SB 1.2.11). There are some yogis, some jñānīs, some bhaktas. They are of the same category, little difference. Otherwise...

Morning Walk -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Brahmeti paramātmeti. Some of them are brahma-parāyana; some of them paramātma-parāyana; some of them are bhakta. It doesn't matter. But they're all spiritual. They have no interest in this material world. Tattva-vit. Tattva-vit. They know what is truth. They say that Kumbha Mela is... That spot is very sacred because Mohinī-mūrti brought the nectar there.

Dr. Patel: But in India, Kumbha Mela...

Prabhupāda: Kumbha, that kumbha, means the waterpot.

Dr. Patel: There are different places round the Nasi. Now the last year and...

Prabhupāda: So might have been all these places.

Room Conversation -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Huh? You have done already upasannān. So is Kṛṣṇa unable to maintain you? Why should you go to this blind man? So we go not for our maintenance. We want to engage his hard-earned money to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. That is our mission. Not for this belly. For belly we refuse to go anywhere. You'll find in Kumbhamela, still there are sādhus, they are not going anywhere. And they are starving? We go-gṛhināṁ dina-cetasām—"This rascal is absorbed in the thought of comfortable life, and he has taken only these wife and children, everything. Give him some other..." This is our mission. Yāre dekha tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa.' Let him go there and sit down and talk with him and give some instruction of Kṛṣṇa. This is our... We are not going for this belly. (Hindi) They are criticizing that "This man is empty stomach, and he has come to me." What does he care for empty stomach? No. Even they insult that, "They are empty stomach," it doesn't matter. It is my duty to give him some enlightenment about Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Never mind. Let him insult.

Room Conversation -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Stop the fan? Śrīla Prabhupāda, I may not be going to the Kumbhamela. I'm going to stay in Bombay and later on go to Delhi and Vṛndāvana.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. There is Gurudāsa and there others.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Because there's lot of work to do, and I'm printing lot of books now, so...

Prabhupāda: No, you stay here.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Plus there's lot of income tax. The income tax is so bad, the government laws, that ISKCON cannot even sell books. Even if we sell books we are considered to be a profit-making organization. We can give books away for a donation but not sell it. They are such... Tomorrow our auditor is coming on site. He's coming with two, one income tax lawyer, who is our new lawyer now. Very nice man.

Prabhupāda: So you want to keep there? (end)

Morning Discussion about Kumbhamela -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Gurudāsa: Yes. They said... Abhirama says he's been trying for months for that room. So C. L. yesterday said that, "Yes, I want to give that. My brothers want that room, and my office wants the room, but I want you to have it." So the meeting was last night, and Abhirama is coming to the Kumbhamela. We'll know for sure when he comes. So that might be some good news.

Prabhupāda: That is very good. There our men suffer very much. If that room is available, then it is very good.

Gurudāsa: They made a... Abhirama made a bathroom. He put four tanks on the top, and there's running water in that bathroom.

Prabhupāda: In our side?

Morning Discussion about Kumbhamela -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Hari-śauri: Kumbhamela.

Prabhupāda: From that house.

Gurudāsa: Jagadīśa Prabhu can show me.

Prabhupāda: Jagadīśa has got that letter. So people are enthusiastic there about this Mela? People are coming now?

Gurudāsa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: How many men are found there?

Gurudāsa: When I was leaving there was about eighty thousand.

Prabhupāda: Acchā?

Gurudāsa: But they expect ten million. That's the estimate. Many camps, many pandals.

Room Conversation -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: So you have to go back? (break)

Rāmeśvara: They want me to be there to make sure the concert is a success. And Satsvarūpa Mahārāja is coming for Kumbha Mela. So he's planning to stay on with you for the whole month of February and March as secretary.

Prabhupāda: Oh. And you are going to Vṛndāvana?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: He's going to Kumbha Mela first.

Jagadīśa: ...has business there to be...

Prabhupāda: You are not attending Kumbha Mela. You are going to Delhi from here.

Jagadīśa: I'm thinking about going to Kumbha Mela first, for a couple of days.

Prabhupāda: Anywhere, this is our main program. Print books as many as possible and distribute. This is our main program. All other programs are secondary. So with this aim in view, work all together.

Arrival of BBT Manager -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: I did not go for a walk today.

Prabhupāda: Oh. You want to go to Māgha Mela? Er...

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Kumbhamela?

Dr. Patel: See, the thing is I am prepared to come, but difficulty would be to come back.

Prabhupāda: Why?

Dr. Patel: I would not stay all the time that you are there.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: We can help him get a ticket, because we have a letter of introduction from a very big Central Railway officer for the chief man in Allahabad at the Central Railway. He got us the tickets.

Prabhupāda: Or let us go by car.

Morning Darsana and Room Conversation Ramkrishna Bajaj and friends -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Guest (2): You are going to Kumbha Mela tomorrow?

Prabhupāda: Day after. So our movement is genuine. Now it is up to you to help this movement. And there is no concoction. From... Sa evāyaṁ mayā te 'dya yogaḥ proktaḥ purātanaḥ (BG 4.3). As Kṛṣṇa said five thousand years ago, yogaḥ proktaḥ purātanaḥ, so we are also presenting that purātanaḥ. This philosophy is not new. Purātanaḥ. So we have nothing to tax our brain to manufacture something new. So people give me credit: "Swamiji, you have done wonderful, wonderful." I do not know magic. But I am presenting purātanaḥ, that's all, no adulteration. If there is any credit, the credit is this-yogaḥ proktaḥ purātanaḥ.

Guest (4): Purātanaḥ and Śāśvata,

Morning Darsana and Room Conversation Ramkrishna Bajaj and friends -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Guest (3): Swamiji, I wanted to know the importance of Kumbha Mela.

Prabhupāda: This is the assembly of great saintly persons. That's all.

Guest (3): No, if we people go there at Kumbha Mela time, is it good?

Prabhupāda: Is it not good if so many saintly persons will come? The atmosphere is so nice.

Guest (3): So many people accumulate.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Not only... Not people, but saintly persons. Yes. They have actually executed bhajana, sādhana. Brahmeti paramātmeti. Maybe somebody is brahmavādī, somebody paramātmavādī, somebody bhaktas, but they're transcendental. They're not materialistic persons. So you get their association sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83). Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15). The Sādhu-saṅga is essential. And that is our civilization. Sādhu-saṅga.

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

Prabhupāda: And now we are going to Kumbha Mela, a religious assemble. In the Western countries you don't find so much.

Rāmeśvara: No. In the 1960's in America they tried to have such assemblies, but they simply were becoming naked and having drugs—LSD, marijuana—in the name of spiritual festival. I remember very prominent festivals in America, but everyone was simply naked. They thought that was spiritual.

Prabhupāda: Naked? Fully naked?

Rāmeśvara: Yes.

Room Conversation -- January 23, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: In Māgha Melā, er, Kumbha Melā?

Bhāgavata: Kumbha Melā, yes. One naga. He died due to cold. It became very cold one night after you left, so cold that the naga, he died from having no cloth.

Prabhupāda: He must die. They imitate.

Bhāgavata: Yes. He is a cheater.

Prabhupāda: No sādhana, bhajana, and simply naga.

Hari-śauri: They smoke chillums, so they're so intoxicated that they don't...

Gurukṛpa: I saw one naga. They said he was smoking a cigarette for twelve years. Not a chain smoker, "cable smoker."

Prabhupāda: Markaṭa-vairāgya, the renunciation of a monkey.

Morning Walk -- January 24, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: I was going to purchase ticket, Māgha Melā. He said "No, you don't go. That's it."

Bhāgavata: Then there is a lake over here and there is animals, birds, different types of birds.

Prabhupāda: Oh, zoological.

Bhāgavata: Yes, zoological. All types. And on this side they have the lions, tigers, bears... (break)

Prabhupāda: ...the forest and see actually. (laughter) Hare Kṛṣṇa. In Africa they're open.

Bhāgavata: Yes, in that national park in Nairobi.

Room Conversation -- February 10, 1977, Mayapura:

Jayapatākā: Who appointed, that I don't know. But that's his business. And then Dāmodara was telling about his journey on the bus and train, but Madhusūdana Mahārāja didn't seem very interested. He criticized, "Why do you go to Kumbhamela? What is going for bathing? What is special about that bath?" And then he challenged that, "We go for preaching." "But what preaching you did there?" "No, I preached, gave lectures."

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Jayapatākā: Dāmodara Mahārāja said, "I gave lecture at the mandira, Gauḍīya Maṭha."

Prabhupāda: In Allahabad.

Room Conversation -- March 24, 1977, Bombay:

Devotee: We went to this Gītā-bhakti's mini-Kumbhamelā in Ahmedabad, and they were distributing her life, book about her life. And we were distributing Back to Godhead. So we distributed three thousand magazines in three, four days, and all of her men were all upset that they weren't taking their books and they were buying all our books. So they said, "You stay there. You do not come here. This is Mataji's quarter."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Not Kṛṣṇa's.

Lokanātha: There only Mataji should be... Mataji's books should be sold.

Karttikeya Mahadevia: In one week sixty-four lakhs of people came all over Gujarat to Ahmedabad.

Prabhupāda: Kumbha...

Guest (1): People are so much religious.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

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

Prabhupāda: This is their... Apauruṣeyam. Actually India's culture is going on that way. Mass of people, they are going to Prayāga for taking bath. What do they know? They have received it from authorities that if you take bath in such and such place... Ah, lakhs of people will go. That is India's culture. Without any advertisement, without any means, walking hundreds of miles they are coming, yes, that is their culture. And the government is perturbed that people are so prejudiced. So how to make them forget? This is going on. But they don't listen. They just, "If I take bath I'll..." That is the difference between Western and Eastern. And as soon as there is interpretation, it is Māyāvāda. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu has rejected-māyāvādi-bhāṣya śunile haya sarva-nāśa (CC Madhya 6.169). You see in the Kumbhamela how peacefully they are sitting. They are accepting Vedic culture. So nice atmosphere. Simply by going there you'll be satisfied. That is the difference between East and West.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Anil Grover -- Los Angeles 5 February, 1970:

If Western people are expert in technological knowledge, and if their natural tendency is to develop it, let them do it. But as far as we Indians are concerned, our people are naturally inclined for spiritual elevation. Therefore, even in these days also when there is Kumbha Mela at Prayag or any other place, or there is a particular function in some pilgrimage like Jagannatha Puri, Vrindaban, Haridwar, etc., millions of people gather without any advertising. So these natural tendencies should not be disturbed, but the people of a particular section of the world should develop their indigenous talent and then exchange with others. So the Western people may give us their product, and we may give them our product; and by such exchanging policy, both of us may flourish in our civilized way of life.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Ksirodakasayi -- Allahabad 23 January, 1971:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 12th January, 1971, and I am very glad to hear from you after some time.

In the meantime our program for touring India has been going with all success in every place we are invited. Now we have come to the Ardha Kumbha Mela at Prayag and we have got undisputed prominance amongst all groups here in the large gathering. So things have gone on considerably and so it is a little late at this time to continue our older plan for a charter flight from London with party to India because our program is almost complete. So no flight should be booked at this time.

Regarding the Regent's Park land, I am very hopeful of your efforts to secure permission from the Queen and we are duly contacting Sri Karan Singh, who is already known to us, very shortly as you have suggested.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Gaura Govinda -- Vrindaban 18 September, 1976:

For example, lakhs of people still visit Jagannatha Puri during the Rathayatra Festival, lakhs still visit the Kumbha mela, and lakhs still visit the holy places of India, but there is no encouragement by the leaders. It is only a continuation of the original culture.

So there is no hopelessness; if we revive Krishna consciousness in a systematic way, within a very short time we can revive our original Indian culture on the basis of the teachings of Lord Krishna and the Bhagavad-gita. So we have to work very hard for this purpose and if you follow the path of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, it will be very easily done.

Letter to Shaktimati -- Bombay 29 December, 1976:

You can open a center along with all the members of your family. Just make sure to follow all the regulative principles. Wherever you stay just chant the Holy Name.

At present I'm in Bombay. In a couple of days I am going to Bhuvaneśvara, then probably to Kumbha Mela and then to Mayapur.

So, open a center now and when I get an opportunity I will come.

1977 Correspondence

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Bombay 1 January, 1977:

The parents' meeting in Detroit was very nice. It is a very good idea to organize a "Parents for Krishna" club. Try to do that. Regarding Chicago, why isn't the boy returned yet? He should be returned right away.

I will be going to the Kumbha Mela around the 10th or 12th of this month. I will stay as long as possible up to three weeks. then we'll be going to Mayapur until the festival.

Letter to Gaura Govinda -- Bombay 6 January, 1977:

That will be supplied. You have got all blessings of Krsna. You are so nice faithful servant of Krsna, surely you will be successful.

Come to the Kumbha Mela where I am going on the 11th instant and we shall talk in detail. Then with you I shall return to Bhuvaneśvara and start immediately the work. You can stay with us for four or five days at Kumbha Mela, then we shall go with you. Arrange for that. You can book one first class compartment for four of us from Allahabad to Bhuvaneśvara for the 17th or 18th.

Before coming to Allahabad you can go to see one professor. His name is Dr. Banshidhar Mohanty. He is in the department of Oriya at Utkal University in Bhuvaneśvara.

Letter to Giriraja -- Bhuvanesvara 31 January, 1977:

I have received your letter of January 28, and read the contents.

Yes, train the others in responsibilities in Bombay, and go on as you are doing.

In five days at Kumbhamela we were able to distribute 30,000 pieces of literature. Therefore we can expect to receive 1 lakh collections per month from all the centers.

It is good news hearing good preachers like Jagat Guru and Sridhara Swami Maharajas, and Madhavananda are arriving to Bombay to push on the membership, other preaching and collecting.