Prabhupāda: Everyone is busy on the concept of body. So what is the position of the world? Apaṇḍita, ignorance. And such people are going on as learned scholars, as politicians and leaders and so on. So how there can be peace? If you bring different types of dogs, greyhound and bulldog and Indian dog and bring them—the "United Dog Association" (laughter)—so will there be peace? That is the position. I declared in Melbourne in a public meeting that this United Nation is the unity of barking dog. I told. It was published in the paper. They also criticized me, "The Swami has come to hound." (laughter) But that is actually the fact. If you become impartial judge, not on behalf of CID or anyone, then you see the actual.
Leaders (Conversations, 1977)
Conversations and Morning Walks
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Morning Walk -- January 4, 1977, Bombay:
Dr. Patel: He must have been disillusioned by all this. He has really done work in this way that anybody would be disillusioned.
Prabhupāda: Now, our point is that if you are not liberated, how you can become leader? That is cheating.
Dr. Patel: This is the (indistinct). The political, socio-political... I don't know the sort of...
Prabhupāda: Our point is that if you do not get knowledge from liberated person, that knowledge is useless. That is cheating. (break) It is very easy. Just like a child. If he takes your direction, he liberated, and if he acts according to his childish nature, then he's conditioned. If you take Kṛṣṇa's instruction, then you are liberated. If you manufacture your own idea, then you are conditioned. Two things. Child is not actually liberated.
Morning Walk -- January 4, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: If you have no eyes, then how can you lead others? If you are blind and they are blind, then what is the use of becoming their leaders? Actually all the so-called leaders and scholars, they are blind themselves and they have become big, big leader. That is the misfortune of the present life. And, therefore, our proposition is you take direction from Kṛṣṇa and His representative. That's all. That will help you. Try to understand this point.
Roof Conversation -- January 5, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: What is the use? They will produce that, such blind leaders.
Dr. Patel: They will not produce so bad leaders perhaps. At least they will have a little better understanding than those fools who have no background of religion at all. Well, your schools, so-called secularism, means no religion.
Prabhupāda: Therefore we have to follow the śāstra. Then it will be possible. Brahmacārī gurukule...
Indian lady: Christian has their own government schools everywhere. And we can have our own Kṛṣṇa consciousness school.
Prabhupāda: Yes. We are having our own all over the world. We don't follow the government regulations
Morning Walk -- January 6, 1976, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Fundamentally they have no knowledge. So we are trying to enlighten them with our teeny effort. Although it is single-handed, still it is genuine. If you kindly try to understand the whole philosophy—the first thing is, andhā yathāndair upanīyamānā, the whole world is now being conducted by blind leaders. And they're keeping people in darkness because they are themselves in darkness. They do not know what is light. So they do not know what is the object of life, what is the destination of life. Simply in blind faith they have created so many isms. It is simply misleading. It is little difficult to understand that we are simply leading others... That's a fact, that's a fact. If you impersonally try to understand this philosophy that every man is kept in the darkness of a different stamp, different ism. That is the first instruction of Bhagavad-gītā, tathā dehāntara-prāptir, after death you have to change your body. Then where is your ism? Whole ism changed. That they do not understand. They're so much in darkness, mūḍha. "Today I am very great national leader, my country, my..."
Morning Walk -- January 6, 1976, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: That is our mission, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, para-upakāra. They're living like cats and dogs, do something good for them so that they may live like actual human beings. This is our... So you kindly stay here for some days, read our books and if there is any question, doubt, I shall be very glad to enlighten you. But this is the fact, the whole world is misguided by the rascal leaders, I must say that. Andhā, andhā is the last word of rascaldom, andhā yathāndair upanīyamānā. If I say (to) somebody, "You are rascal."
Evening Darsana -- January 7, 1977, Bombay:
Jagadīśa: (reading letter) "Enclosed please find a clipping showing a press interview with California Governor Jerry Brown, who is a potential presidential candidate in the next election, asking the Hare Kṛṣṇa followers to help humanize conditions in the state mental institutes. He recognized that what is needed is for religious leaders to come in and to give these patients new life. And he recognized us as religious leaders. This is a great credit for us, and we immediately called the five biggest state institutes and got permission to visit their patients. We sent fifty devotees with gift-wrapped 'Krishnas' presents of prasāda, Bhagavad-gītās and Kṛṣṇa books, calendars, records, and so on. And all of the doctors were so appreciative that they invited us back to show movies, put on plays, and continue helping their patients."
Prabhupāda: (Hindi) Aiye.
Guest (1) (Indian man): Humanity is hungry for love of father Śrī Kṛṣṇa, devotion, yes.
Prabhupāda: Yes. That is the only...
Guest (1): That is only medicine. That is only remedy.
Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Guest (1): Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is only medicine. That is only remedy.
Prabhupāda: (Hindi) ...directly presented, "Here is God." Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). "But why you are making research and wasting time, 'Whether God is person or imperson or this or that? What is His...?' Here is God."
Evening Darsana -- January 7, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: And they are interpreting in different way, "Two plus two equal five." Big, big men, they are doing that. Two plus two equal five because somebody, some big man has said? This is going on. Somebody said, "Two plus two equal to three"; somebody says "Two plus two equal five." "In my opinion it is five." And somebody: "In my opinion it is three." What is this nonsense? This is going on. And they are big men. They are leaders, mūḍha. This is the position of India.
Room Conversation -- January 7, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Yes. One... Who was speaking, that in...? Some gentleman, he was Feroz(?) Gandhi's friend. He went to America, and he was eating beef like anything.
Dr. Patel: Feroz? He was, Gandhi?
Prabhupāda: Not... No, another Indian leader. He's a Marwari brāhmaṇa.
Dr. Patel: Parsee would never eat beef, sir, huh? I heard they are...
Prabhupāda: No, no. They are eating everything.
Room Conversation -- January 7, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Refusal or not, (?) people do not teach also, that "Here is Kṛṣṇa, the Almighty, the Supreme. You surrender here." And the Almighty is canvassing, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī mām. But they'll not do that. And neither their so-called leaders will teach them to do that. So this is going on. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu said that "You become a guru." Āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa (CC Madhya 7.128). "You become a guru and deliver them." So "I am a fool. I have no education. How can I become a guru?" So answer is "No, no. Yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128)." If you simply advise people what Kṛṣṇa has said, then you become guru. But if you manufacture your ideas, then you are not a guru.
Discussion on Deprogrammers -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:
Rāmeśvara: "There are two legal cases in progress at this time that we must support—one in New York and one in Los Angeles. In New York the two ISKCON leaders have been indicted by the Queens County Grand Jury for unlawful imprisonment and attempted grand larceny. In Los Angeles, ISKCON and Madonna Slavin have accused her family of kidnapping, and charges of unlawful imprisonment have been entered against the mother and several other members of the Slavin family and two friends." These two friends are the professional deprogrammers. Then it says, "As in nearly all of these cases, the media will greatly influence the outcome. Do not underestimate the power of the media. We therefore must tell our story..."
Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa's already become media.
Rāmeśvara: "We must therefore tell our story to them in great number, and in this way the world will hear of it. As of this date, HK," short for Hare Kṛṣṇa...
Prabhupāda: They're chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. (laughter) They're chanting Kṛṣṇa. Yes.
Rāmeśvara: They say, "As of this date, Hare Kṛṣṇa has been able to flood both the media and the District Attorney's offices with support for their side..."
Prabhupāda: They're admitting. That's good.
Discussion on Deprogrammers -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:
Rāmeśvara: If the family wants them out, we have a reputation that we will hide them, so the family cannot get them. "One example is in the Queens case." That's Ādi Keśava Mahārāja. The charge of attempted grand larceny stems from an alleged extortion attempt against the Shapiro family by the temple leaders who wanted money from the parents and threatened to harm their son..."
Prabhupāda: This is false.
Rāmeśvara: "...unless the money was given."
Prabhupāda: This is false.
Rāmeśvara: This is false, completely false. "One of the things we can do is give moral support to these families. How better to do it than to show your support by writing to the..."
Prabhupāda: This we can bring a charge against them: "Prove that we wanted money."
Discussion on Deprogrammers -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: So nowhere they have mentioned my name. That is good. (laughter) Otherwise, I would have been the target. That was very dangerous.
Rāmeśvara: Sometimes... One of the general charges they make against all the different religious groups in America is that the leader is actually making a lot of profit for himself.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Rāmeśvara: Like this Reverend Moon, he lives in a very, very big house, and he has a big car. And this Guru Maharaj-ji, he has his own airplane.
Prabhupāda: Guru Maharaj-ji has got?
Rāmeśvara: He had his own airplane, which they had to sell.
Hari-śauri: That fat boy, Guru Maharaj-ji.
Prabhupāda: No, he had. So what is his position now?
Discussion on Deprogrammers -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:
Hari-śauri: Harikeśa said that if they're successful in their prosecution against Haṁsadūta, then they'll prosecute yourself, one leader to the other. They say that the leaders are manipulating, and the other ones are just robots.
Trivikrama: Yes, we're all robots.
Rāmeśvara: Whenever they meet a devotee who appears to be intelligent and not have any symptoms of being brainwashed, they accuse him of being one of the leaders. If I'm debating with one of them, or if any devotee, and they see he's very intelligent, they say, "But you are one of the leaders."
Prabhupāda: Certainly that is a fact. (laughter) All GBC, they are leaders.
Discussion on Deprogrammers -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:
Jagadīśa: So you're not brainwashed.
Rāmeśvara: No, the leaders are the ones who are brainwashing everyone else.
Hari-śauri: But then if someone becomes a leader...
Rāmeśvara: Then they say, "The next best thing to do after you get the deprogramming is to hold a press conference to explain all the reasons that there is a need for criminal conviction of destructive cult leaders. Have ex-victims, especially of Hare Kṛṣṇa, present. The truth of their personal experiences carry great weight with reporters. It is now necessary to awaken America to how widespread..."
Prabhupāda: I... In the beginning... I have told many times when I first went that "If I say these prohibitions, who will accept?" And now it has taken a shape, it has become a problem throughout the country. I was thinking, "Who will hear me? As soon as I'll say this, they'll say, 'Go home.' " But by Kṛṣṇa's arrangement it has become a problem. That is Kṛṣṇa's grace. It has become a problem for them; it is success for me. Yes. I presented something which is now a problem for them.
Discussion on Deprogrammers -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:
Rāmeśvara: Just minor devo... They're never leaders.
Jagadīśa: Initiated?
Rāmeśvara: One girl. And they're vicious, very hateful. Because they are constantly being told that we are evil.
Prabhupāda: Nitāi has gone there to do it? (chuckles) No.
Discussion on Deprogrammers -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:
Rāmeśvara: Anyway, this goes on, but then what they're saying is there has to be a very big case where a cult leader of Hare Kṛṣṇa is sentenced to jail. So they're writing to say that "Now we have to find lawyers who will be willing to take up this cause very inexpensively."
Prabhupāda: That means there is no money.
Rāmeśvara: But one recent development which will change that is that they have appealed to the government that they are an educational group. Therefore they should be tax exempt like any other educational organization, and the government has agreed. Now they have gotten their tax exemption, so now these parents can donate lots of... Different people will start donating lots of money to them as tax write-offs. So I think that we will see that their activities will be expanded this year, because now they are tax exempt, they'll get a lot of money.
Hari-śauri: That news article said that someone had given them $105,000. Some parents of a cult...
Prabhupāda: No, there are rich parents. They can do that. And every parent is unhappy. (chuckles)
Discussion on Deprogrammers -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:
Rāmeśvara: Actually, one argument that they use... They have found an old Back to Godhead article that I think you wrote, Śrīla Prabhupāda. It was about Arjuna's position during the battle of Kurukṣetra, where he had to fight against his relatives. You were commenting that "So sometimes you may have to even kill your family members for Kṛṣṇa." So they take this magazine article, and they say that "Hare Kṛṣṇa leaders are teaching all the devotees to kill their parents." So this is an example of how they will distort everything.
Prabhupāda: That... You can distort anything. If there is expert distortion, it is...
Room Conversation -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: So you can invite this opposition cult to see what we are doing. "Why you are after us," ask, "like the barking dog? There is good use. It is the highest culture." Make some compromise: "Why you are after simply spoiling? Don't you want advancement in culture and knowledge? Why you are so envious?" Just try to bring the leaders, that "What is use? You also join. It is a culture. There is no need of repressing us. We are serious to introduce a new culture for the benefit of the whole nation. Why don't you study this? Do you mean to say we are publishing books only, all sentiment, brainwash, and people are purchasing?"
Morning Darsana and Room Conversation Ramkrishna Bajaj and friends -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: When we forget our relationship with Kṛṣṇa, that "Kṛṣṇa is the original master, and I am the servant," as soon as you forget this relationship, this is contamination, immediately. Everyone is trying to become another Kṛṣṇa. This is struggle. Here in this material world you'll find everyone is trying to become very, very big-big leader, big politician, big businessman, big, big, big. But he is not big. That is the disease. He is not big, and he's trying to become big.
Morning Darsana and Room Conversation Ramkrishna Bajaj and friends -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Vimūḍha means a great rascal. Mūḍha means rascal, ass, and vi, viśeṣa, particularly, first-class ass, vimūḍha. Under false pride, he is thinking, "I am everything." Ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham iti... (BG 3.27). "I can do anything by science, by this technology." That's... Vimūḍhātmā, great rascals. And these great rascals, they are leading the world. Therefore people are in darkness. They have become leaders, the so-called scientists and educationists and political leaders. All set of rascals, and they have become leaders. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). They are blind, and they are leading other blind men, so people are kept in darkness, and the opportunity of this human life is lost.
Morning Darsana and Room Conversation Ramkrishna Bajaj and friends -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Sat-saṅga means that. Tad-yoṣanāt aśu apavarga-vartmani. Sat-saṅga means you have to take the knowledge and use it for practical purpose. That is sat-saṅga. So our this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to give the sat-saṅga, opening centers all over the world. If people take advantage of it they'll be benefited. But if he is ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā, then it is very unfortunate. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyā hy upadrutāḥ (SB 1.1.10). This is Kali-yuga. The leaders also do not associate with sat, and they create their own imagination. Sat, oṁ tat sat. Bhagavān is the supreme sat. So they do not care for Bhagavān, so there is no sat-saṅga. Asat-saṅga.
Morning Darsana and Room Conversation Ramkrishna Bajaj and friends -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā. Not only aham. Aham is good. Ahaṁ brahmāsmi. That is good. But ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā, when he becomes rascal by false ahaṅkāra, then it is dangerous. It is dangerous. And that is going on, these dangerous leaders, by ahaṅkāra, spoiling the whole atmosphere. That is dangerous. Our preaching is... We say that "Here is Kṛṣṇa speaking. He says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). So you simply think of Kṛṣṇa, and you chant His name and go to the temple, offer your obeisances. And if you can, offer something for His pūjā." Bas. Our mission is completed. Where is the difficulty? There is no difficulty. The words are there. (break) (Hindi) Ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham iti manyate (BG 3.27).
Conversation on Train to Allahabad -- January 11, 1977, India:
Rāmeśvara: And there's also a chance to meet government leaders.
Prabhupāda: Someway or other, it is becoming popular. (chuckles) Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Conversation on Train to Allahabad -- January 11, 1977, India:
Prabhupāda: Where is leisure time? You rise early in the morning and start for your office. Where is your leisure time? All imagination. I have seen in New York. They are coming from the other parts, starting early in the morning, two hours in the ferry and two hours in the cars, and standing two hours. What is this? Leaders, rich men, can think like that, that "I have leisure," but a worker, lower class, they have no freedom. That is illusion, and we are trying to give freedom to everyone. That is freedom. You are forced to go to the factory and work there in a hellish condition of life. Is that freedom?
Conversation on Train to Allahabad -- January 11, 1977, India:
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes, cent percent devotees, by this process: ask them to chant and take prasāda.
Jagadīśa: People in general are very much inclined to accept whoever their leader is if they feel happy. So if we give them kīrtana and prasādam, if their economic needs are met, then how can they avoid? Economic needs are the main thing. That's why they...
Prabhupāda: If they can eat nicely and they have no complaint for living conditions, they will become.
Conversation on Train to Allahabad -- January 11, 1977, India:
Rāmeśvara: So when the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement becomes so powerful that it is in charge of the government, is it because of a small group of people or because of a mass?
Prabhupāda: It is due to quality of the leaders.
Rāmeśvara: But will it be like Russia where there is only a small group of people who are Kṛṣṇa conscious?
Prabhupāda: No, it is not that. The quality of the people will be changed.
Conversation on Train to Allahabad -- January 11, 1977, India:
Prabhupāda: No, no. You can have government when you are in even minority. But the mass of people, on account of this quality, will have to see.
Hari-śauri: The idea is to convince them that what they need is good quality leaders, that not necessarily that they already have to become to that stage themselves.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Jagadīśa: Kṛṣṇa consciousness can be appreciated by any man because it's very simple.
Prabhupāda: Simple and it is natural also.
Hari-śauri: The desire for good leadership is there, so if we present good leaders, then they'll naturally take.
Prabhupāda: Our leaders must be very good.
Conversation on Train to Allahabad -- January 11, 1977, India:
They have not stopped Kṛṣṇa worshiping because Radhakrishnan has said, restriction. (?) Who cares for him? Vṛndāvana, there are five thousand temples. Every day thousands of people are coming. We have started Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma temple very recently, and thousands of men are coming. Who cares for Radhakrishnan? Daye mane nāpa ni more (?) "Nobody cares for him; he becomes leader." What is the value of such leader? If somebody cares for that person, then he's leader. Nobody cares for him? He's leader for you because you are a rascal. You do not know anything. So he may be leader for men like you, but India... Nobody cares for him. Is it not? Who cares for Radhakrishnan?
Room Conversation -- January 19, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:
Prabhupāda: Ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham iti manyate (BG 3.27). So on the whole, people are in darkness. And that is going on as advancement. This is the only institution to give them some light. There is no doubt about it. All in the darkness. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). They are in darkness, and some leader comes, he is also in the darkness, and both of them fall into the ditch. This is going on. Do you agree to this point? Otherwise you cannot become good preacher. You must yourself, must be convinced that actually this is the position. All these rascals, scientists, philosophers, politicians—they're all in darkness, and they're misguiding people. That's all. One of the first-class rascal in darkness is your Darwin. He's in favor of Darwin's theory. Another first-class demon is that Freud. (laughter) These are the guides of the modern civilization. Anthropomorphism. No? What is called?
Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:
Rāmeśvara: I'm thinking that by selling all these books, gradually hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions of people will want us to give them some advice. They'll want to elect Kṛṣṇa conscious leaders. They'll want us to guide the society. So it will require great intelligence...
Prabhupāda: First of all, we have to know where he is. Then we can give. What is his position? Then we can give him. Just like diagnosis. You have to see what is the disease. Then we give medicine.
Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:
So they're atheists. Sanmohāya sura-dviṣam. Lord Buddha appeared to cheat the atheist class of men. Sanmohāya sura-dviṣam. Sura-dviṣam means those who are envious of the believers, sura. They are called sura. And those who do not believe in God, they are called asura. Just to bewilder them that "Here is incarnation..." They do not accept incarnation. They do not accept God. Where is the question of incarnate? "Here is our leader."
Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:
Rāmeśvara: "This is a rare opportunity for people and leaders of every country, every race, and every community in the world to know and understand the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. I would say that this encyclopedia of spiritual knowledge is more important and fundamental than the encyclopedia of any other branch of knowledge and should therefore find a rightful place not only in the public and private libraries, big and small, not only in educational and other institutions, but also in every household, and above all, in the hearts and minds of every man and woman."
Prabhupāda: And he is not ordinary man. He is...
Room Conversation -- January 22, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:
Prabhupāda: That's all right. Then develop. We are getting good place without any monetary difficulty.
Brahmānanda: Then Mombassa, the leader of the community there, he has pledged to collect all the money for buying this big house, and the house is very nicely situated right in the Asian area. And he's a big contractor. Also they will do all the alterations. So this is another good opportunity.
Prabhupāda: If I go, they will have objection?
Brahmānanda: No, I don't think so. You mean the immigration? I don't know.
Prabhupāda: No, no, last time... Not last time. Before that.
Evening Darsana -- January 23, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:
Prabhupāda: Yes, weekly.
Guest (1): So spiritually they are innocent, comparing with India. We have become complicated after passing through many cultural ups and downs.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Due to these blind leaders. You see Bhagavad-gītā.
Evening Darsana -- January 23, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:
Prabhupāda: That's all. This is the dangerous... And they are considered as big men, and people follow, and they are misled. Otherwise, in India, so much fallen condition due to these rascal leaders. That I am speaking repeatedly, although it may be very harsh. But we have to say that. Everyone has distorted. Gandhi says Kurukṣetra, "this body." Where is the chance of talking of "this body," the Kurukṣetra? Has he not?
Morning Walk -- January 24, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:
Prabhupāda: That means they want permanent husband. That is their heart's desire, but no husband. Is that civilization? And here the father's duty is that "Before she attains puberty, let me find out husband, suitable." This is civilization. "And she was under my care, I give in charity to a suitable boy: 'My dear boy, you take charge of this girl. I give you some dowry and decorate that girl. Be happy.' "
Satsvarūpa: They criticize this in ISKCON, that the leaders pick out husband and wife.
Prabhupāda: That's it.
Satsvarūpa: And that they're not allowed to mix freely. They say, "Well how do you know who you want to marry unless you can mix with that person?"
Prabhupāda: There is no question of "how do you want?" You require, and the parents is the best selector. It is not the question, "How do you like?" It is the guardians' duty to find out a suitable husband or a suitable wife. Nowadays the boys and girls, they do not take parents' guidance, and they are not happy.
Evening Conversation -- January 25, 1977, Puri:
Prabhupāda: No, even when he was old man and leader he would go, keeping, resting his hand on two young girls. That means he was very fond of sex. There is no doubt about it. What business he...? He is speaking of "Mahatma" Gandhi. He could not get the help of two young men? Why two young girls?
Room Conversation -- January 26, 1977, Puri:
Prabhupāda: So therefore these four animals have been mentioned: śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ (SB 2.3.19). And he is, this class of men, selecting a leader by vote, democracy. So this class man intelligence, just see. And what class of man he will select? And how we desire to be happy by such elected men who is elected by these dog, hog, camel and asses? Are there any intelligent? And you expect good government, peaceful state and... And the śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ. Therefore the others, they went to see the lion. So dog, hog, camel, ass will... "Oh, he's a lion." But what is a lion? It is also an animal, big animal. That's all. Similarly, the so-called president and leader and Gandhi, they are also another animal, big animal. So does it mean an animal big and very powerful, he has got the human intelligence? This is civilization.
Room Conversation -- January 27, 1977, Puri:
Prabhupāda: Yes. Intelligence is developed by association, by hearing, by experiencing. Otherwise very big intelligence, he's also dull. Don't you see the big, big leaders, Gandhi and Radhakrishnan, they have no intelligence? They are misinterpreting the whole..., although they're passing as very big men, intelligent. And if you say to them that "You are not intelligent; you are wrongly interpreting Bhagavad-gītā," they will be offended. So intelligence is so dull even to such big, big men, what to speak of ordinary men? Big, big demigods, their intelligence also lacking. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, kona: "Somebody very fortunate, he can understand."
Morning Walk -- January 29, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:
Prabhupāda: Then he has to follow you because by taking your instruction I shall stop following others; that means I'll have to follow you. So what is the benefit? Instead of following others, I have to follow you? My following is there. That is not stopped.
Satsvarūpa: They claim they don't want to be leaders, but actually they do.
Prabhupāda: That means rascal. What he says, that is contradictory. That means rascal.
Pṛthu-putra: But he commit suicide at the end of his life, Camus, yes. He's a philosopher, a French philosopher. He commit suicide at the end of his life. Can you believe that?
Passerby: Jaya!
Prabhupāda: Jaya. (break)
Morning Walk -- January 29, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:
Satsvarūpa: You were asking yesterday what are some of the charges that the opposing party makes against us. That's another one, that we follow absolute authority, your authority and also in the temples, that the temple president or leaders, they have authority, and this is not healthy psychology, that we should...
Prabhupāda: Why you come to pose your authority? If authority is not good, then why do you come to instruct your authority? Hm? The same thing, eh, change from one authority to another authority.
Morning Walk -- January 29, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:
Prabhupāda: Now, Buddhist... I say there is no question of "Buddhist," "Christian." One must know what is God.
Satsvarūpa: But he would say, "I follow our leader, and we don't believe in the Personality of Godhead."
Prabhupāda: But if you follow... Then leader is a wrong person. You cannot follow. You must follow the right leader.
Morning Walk -- January 31, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:
Prabhupāda: Similarly, these intelligent men are intelligent amongst a class of men who are compared with dogs, hogs, camel and ass. They are not human being. If some man praises them that "You are so big. You are so big leader," he's also amongst this group. Śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ. This is grave thing. Let understand it, that anyone who is godless, who has no idea what is God, he is a rascal. Immediately take him that he's a rascal. He may be prime minister, he may be president, he may be scientist, but we shall take him as rascal number one. This is our first understanding. Bokā. My Guru Mahārāja used to say, bokā. So at that time I was thinking, "Everyone is bokā?" (laughing) Guru Mahārāja says, "Everyone..." "Even Rabindranath Tagore, he is also bokā?" Later on I could under..., "Yes. Everyone is bokā."
Morning Walk -- February 2, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:
Prabhupāda: Loves or not, I am protecting." Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. He's giving protection to everyone. And if he is a devotee, a special protection. This is God, and government means God's representative, God's, not people's representative. Government does not mean people's representative. Government means God's representative. That is government. Rājarṣi. Imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). Bhagavad-gītā is not meant for the loafer class. It is meant for the rājarṣi. Unless the kings and big, big stalwart leaders understand this science, how they will lead? Because these leaders, they do not understand Bhagavad-gītā, they make their own plan. Therefore so much catastrophe, chaotic condition. It is meant for the rājarṣi. Big, big government officer, big, big kings, presidents, ministers. They should understand it. And government is making law, "No Bhagavad-gītā in the school, college," because they do not know the value. (break) ...Kali-yuga. "Kali-yuga, thank you very much." Dhanya kali-yuga teri līlā. (break) Thank you.
Room Conversation -- February 3, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:
Prabhupāda: Yes. The Japanese had no honesty, dishonest. You see? They thought "This is the opportunity that this Indian leader wants our help. So with his help we enter India. And this is the opportunity to occupy India." Because they are searching after land. They are very poor in land. They have no place, and very little land. Therefore they are now going to Hawaii to settle down. They have no place.
Room Conversation -- February 3, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:
Prabhupāda: Everywhere people are simple. That is my opinion. Mass people, they are simple. The leaders spoil them.
Car Conversation -- February 5, 1977, Calcutta:
Jayapatākā: ...and you do little work and get more money. You can buy radio and tape recorder. And working in the field, that is not noble.
Prabhupāda: Just see how foolish leaders. In the field there is food. They will not work for the food. (break)
Jayapatākā: ...get a big staff after publishing our monthly magazine for some time. And I'm thinking we can... If there's... Like that editor of the Basumati, if they join us and help, we can bring a daily paper, and then these can be some of our...
Prabhupāda: If somebody came to see me, some editor...?
Room Conversation Varnasrama System Must Be Introduced -- February 14, 1977, Mayapura:
Prabhupāda: Then there will be no revolution. Mass of people, if they are satisfied, they will not revolt. But they do not know the process. The "demoncracy," the common man is allowed to vote. He has no knowledge and he's voting. This is most condemned process. Camara-bhangi, a sweeper, he is voted to become Minister of Defense. His business is to cleanse the street, and now he's voted to become because he has got number of votes. So many bhangis, they vote, "Yes, he is our leader. He should be Defense Minister." You have to do that. This is democracy. His business is to sweep, and he's voted a defense minister.
Room Conversation Varnasrama System Must Be Introduced -- February 14, 1977, Mayapura:
Prabhupāda: Yes. If the leaders of the society, they agree. They are barking like dogs in the United Nation. They should take rightly the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā. Then everything will be all right. They're simply barking like dogs. What benefit is there? What benefit people have derived from the United Nation? Nothing. So if they want actually world peace, world unity, they must take the formula given by Kṛṣṇa. That is our duty. Because we are preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness, so our duty is to convince that "You are uselessly wasting your time for unity, for benefit of the human... You take this. You'll be happy." We are safe. We have taken to Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet shelter. There is no doubt. But... Just like Prahlāda Mahārāja.
Evening Darsana -- February 15, 1977, Mayapura:
Prabhupāda: At that time not Churchill. Attlee, Attlee was Prime Minister.
Brahmānanda: In Africa, Nehru, he was instructing the African leaders also how to get...
Prabhupāda: Freedom.
Brahmānanda: Freedom. So they all allowed the Indian example. So the British, they were very resentful against the Indians.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Now British making "Drive away. Drive away the Indians."
Brahmānanda: They became the leaders of the independence.
Morning Room Conversation -- February 16, 1977, Mayapura:
Prabhupāda: Yes. They exploit the sentiment.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: A man, when he thinks of his occupation, he thinks, "I can still get married and be the leader of the church. I'll get married, have a family, and this will be my profession, to be a priest."
Hari-śauri: Yes. That's what it is. It's a profession only.
Prabhupāda: Profession.
Room Conversation -- February 17, 1977, Mayapura:
Prabhupāda: Why he said dhīra, sober, cool-headed? These rascals are cats and dogs. They are not civilized, even big, big professors, they say, "Swami, after finishing this body, everything is finished." Has he got brain? And they're Communist leader. Identifying with this body. This is the actual platform of that body, dehātma-buddhiḥ. And they're described in the śāstra as no better than the asses. So next point will be that where you think beyond your capacity, we begin our education from there, seeing the... Our education begins from that. First of all try to understand what is spirit. Then it will... And our whole process is how to transfer one person from the material platform to the spiritual. Therefore they are thinking "brainwash."
Room Conversation -- February 18, 1977, Mayapura:
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. It's definitely... The sentiment is definitely against us and for the deprogrammers amongst government leaders. It's not in our favor. There's no doubt about it. The courts are definitely against us, and the government is also. It's serious.
Prabhupāda: So what can we do?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think we have to do exactly what what we are doing.
Prabhupāda: That is...
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: More vigorously.
Prabhupāda: (laughs) That's it. And the Hyderabad report, that English education, they are inclined. There are so many here. That's not very good idea. As soon as they get English education...
Room Conversation -- February 18, 1977, Mayapura:
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Just see. They call a meeting of five hundred rabbis, all of the leading rabbis, and the Jewish leaders in the whole USA, just to deal with this question of "The cults taking our children."
Prabhupāda: (laughs) Us? Au...?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. We're the main cult.
Prabhupāda: Then? This is a verse. They do not know what is the aim of life.
Room Conversation -- February 18, 1977, Mayapura:
Prabhupāda: And leaders like Gandhi. They would never say all these things. Nonviolence. He has manufactured his own idea, taking, cheating people with Gītā. This is first time, we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā as it is. Then?
Room Conversation -- February 18, 1977, Mayapura:
So the rabbis are going to take up... They like this deprogramming. They like this kidnapping. And he says also that just now in Newsweek magazine there's been a big article printed in favor of deprogramming, special article about this Tucson, Arizona, deprogramming center. So he says that he expects more and more of this deprogramming. He's a little bit alarmed because all of our leaders will be here in India now for the next few weeks.
Room Conversation about BTG the Moon -- February 18, 1977, Mayapura:
Prabhupāda: He has not any new writings?(?)
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He had one, but I heard that they had some difficulty in preparing it. (indistinct) (break)
Prabhupāda: ...the leaders agree, organize it. Then others take it. We can begin there this varṇāśrama program.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Are you planning to go there, to Manipur?
Prabhupāda: I shall expect to go. It requires...
Room Conversations -- February 20, 1977, Mayapura:
Jayapatākā: But the difficulty is that the men that are coming, they're not suitable for leading the party. We don't have any men coming, but theoretically when they come, the better class, they could distribute. But for leading would take several years. But their party leaders...
Prabhupāda: It doesn't matter. Let them be leader.
Evening Darsana -- February 24, 1977, Mayapura:
Nature is fittest. You'll die; nature will be... You are not fit to fight with the nature. That is asura temperament. And that will never be successful. So many asuras came. Formerly there was Hiraṇyakaśipu, Rāvaṇa, Kaṁsa and others. In the recent years there was Hitler, there was Churchill, there was Lenin, and Gandhi and so on, so on. For few days. Then gone: "Get out. Bas. Finished." Big, big scientists, big, big asuras, big, big leaders, what they could do? Tribhir guṇamayair bhāvaiḥ. Where is Bhagavad-gītā? Read from the... Tribhir guṇamayaiḥ. Seventh Chapter.
Arrival of Devotees -- February 24, 1977, Mayapura:
Rāmeśvara: At the Śiva-rātri festival in Los Angeles, at the end of a lecture I was reading these figures. We had about a thousand Indians who came to that festival in Los Angeles. When I read these figures they were so struck, they were cheering, "Jaya," and clapping. They were just amazed. And afterwards, outside they were coming up to me and folded hands: "We had no idea you were doing this work. Is there anything we can do to help your society?" as soon as they heard these figures. The leaders of the Indian American Association and all the Indian associations in LA were coming there, and when they heard these figures they were just offering their service.
Prabhupāda: And you did not send to the reporters and the...? No.
Arrival of Devotees -- February 24, 1977, Mayapura:
Rāmeśvara: We had a ceremony for our new warehouse, opening up of the new warehouse, and they published one article in the papers in California. It circulates about almost fifty thousand, this local paper. It says, "Hare Kṛṣṇa publishing office opens. Culver City councilman Paul Jacobs, assisted by Hare Kṛṣṇa leaders, cut the ceremonial ribbon last week at the grand opening of the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement's new office building in Culver City Business Park at 8500 Higuera Street. The new 30,000 square foot warehouse and office building will house the organization's publishing arm, the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, parentheses, BBT. BBT prints millions of dollars' worth of books every year and is the world's largest publisher and distributor of books on the culture, religion and philosophy of India."
Prabhupāda: Present this in the court.
Room Conversation -- February 25, 1977, Mayapura:
Prabhupāda: In Africa also, land is cheap. Give this civilization. Then our mission will be... The African people are nice. Everywhere they are nice. These rascal leaders make them bad. In Russia also they have nice people. These, a few rascals, they are controlling the government.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Leaders are bad all over the world.
Prabhupāda: Dangerous.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: America also.
Prabhupāda: Everywhere the mass people is good. We know it.
Evening Darsana -- February 26, 1977, Mayapura:
Prabhupāda: They very easily believe it because culture is based on that, pūrva-janma paro janma. They believe that "If I act sinfully, then I'll have to suffer next life, and because I did not do properly, therefore I am suffering in this life." Still they believe. But the so-called educated people, they are trying to set aside this. They say, "Superstition." And the leaders say that "India, giving more stress on the soul, not on the body, India's position is so degraded." This is the leaders' opinion. Big, big leaders, they think. Therefore the so-called leaders or learned scholars, they write notes on Bhagavad-gītā, but they never give any idea of spiritual life. They utilize Bhagavad-gītā for material end. This is going on. Just like our big leader, Gandhi. He was supposed to be very strict follower of Bhagavad-gītā, and he has never instructed about spiritual life.
Room Conversation with Svarupa Damodara -- February 28, 1977, Mayapura:
What they'll do? The whole world is mismanaged because there is no brahminical culture. Namo brahmaṇya-devāya go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca, jagad-dhitāya kṛṣṇāya govindā... I am proposing this because Kṛṣṇa consciousness means namo brahmaṇya-devāya go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya ca. That must be... The state must be in favor of brahminical culture and cow protection. Then everything will be all right. So Manipur is small state. If they agree, the leaders of the... It is not politics. It is betterment of the situation. And without brahminical culture, all these third-class, fourth-class, loafer class, simply by votes hooks and crooks and becomes president, Nixon and so on. Where is the betterment? It will never be.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: All bluffing.
Prabhupāda: All. So Manipur is a small state. If it is possible... Hm?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: So I should ask some of them to...
Prabhupāda: Hm. If some of the leaders may come and see me. Just like the governor of Chandigarh. He's nice man. He came to see me in his governmental position with his aide-de-camp, car and men. So I think Manipuri people... And it is a Vaiṣṇava state. Why not make it Kṛṣṇa conscious? They are already Kṛṣṇa conscious. Make it in a systematic way.
Room Conversation with Svarupa Damodara -- February 28, 1977, Mayapura:
Prabhupāda: Just see. So why not? I may go or not go, but let the leaders take up this process to make Manipur an ideal state of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's already a lot of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. And they are coming from Babhruvāhana. Babhruvāhana is the son of Arjuna.
Room Conversation -- March 1, 1977, Mayapura:
Prabhupāda: They have spoiled India's culture. All these... Rabindranath Tagore. All misleaders. Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the real leader, and Kṛṣṇa.
Yaśomatī-nandana: And Prabhupāda.
Gargamuni: In the Book Fair there's other... Ramakrishna is there, Aurobindo. They have their books, but no one is going. (Prabhupāda chuckles) They have booths, Ramakrishna Mission, Aurobindo, Yogananda.
Prabhupāda: I don't think they have so many books also.
Room Conversation -- March 2, 1977, Mayapura:
Prabhupāda: After all, they are human being.
Girirāja: Yes. Actually most people are. They see the book distribution, the construction, and the time factor, that we are still pushing on. We're not going away. Many factors. They see the leaders are also appreciating our activities. Actually our movement is very all-encompassing. Our movement is all-encompassing. I mean I've really seen from Svarūpa Dāmodara that... Your same teachings we can dress up in different garbs and present to anyone, and they will be convinced, unless they are very envious.
Prabhupāda: Iron-clad demons, they will be made remain.
Room Conversation with GBC members -- March 2-3, 1977, Mayapura:
Prabhupāda: India's leaders, they are now giving stress on agriculture. So we should very nicely organize the Hyderabad. What you have resolved about that?
Room Conversation with GBC members -- March 2-3, 1977, Mayapura:
Satsvarūpa: A legal committee of Balavanta, Ādi-keśava, and Rāmeśvara will investigate whether certain techniques are legal or illegal according to the laws. Then one of the popular means to distribute books is by women's party. A party of women will travel under the care of a man devotee. But in taking care of the women, we have noted that some of these parties have been preaching a false philosophy of the relationship of the man who's taking care of the women, and that philosophy is that the saṅkīrtana leader is the eternal husband and protector of the women in the party. We want that this philosophy should be rejected. If a man is taking care of a number of women in a saṅkīrtana party, he should be regarded as the son as well as a representative of the spiritual master, of Śrīla Prabhupāda, and not the husband of these women.
Prabhupāda: Husband, but why he does not marry them? (laughter)
Satsvarūpa: Well, sometimes there may be as many as twenty women in a party.
Kīrtanānanda: They would like to.
Prabhupāda: We have no objection if one marries more than one wife. That I have stated. But law does not allow it. So do the needful.
Room Conversation -- March 22, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: It doesn't matter only a few persons may understand. That is sufficient. Ekaś candras tamo hanti na ca tārāḥ sahasraśaḥ: "If you keep one moon in the sky, that is sufficient for light. What is the use of millions of stars?" Modern education, they are creating twinkling stars, millions. All useless for light. No light. And our Vedic civilization is: "Create one moon. That's all." That is sufficient. We respect, therefore, ācāryas. Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, not the so-called voted leaders. We don't care for them. What is their value? Śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ (SB 2.3.19). You say, "Oh, they are being liked, eulogized, by so many hundreds and thousands," but what these hundreds and thousands of people are? Śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-khara. They're kept in ignorance like dogs, hogs, camels and asses. This propaganda should go on by the ISKCON movement. Bombay is the nicest place. Invite them. Convince them. We have got answers for everyone, however big scientist, big philosopher, big politician. Bhāgavata has answered everyone. How selected animals' name has been given. This is Bhāgavata. How the comparison is perfect. I have tried to explain why a particular animal has been selected.
Room Conversation -- March 22, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Rascal, he's a boy, and he thought by sterilization the country will be delivered. Just see. By force. He thought... He became learned leader in one day, and he thought, "This will be sacrifice now." This is going on. "Because I am Indira Gandhi's son, I am perfect." Nature's law—"Yes, you are perfect. It is all right. But I kick out in a moment—finished."
Room Conversation -- March 22, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: (Hindi) Why India's such big culture should be lost for the matter of these rascal leaders? This should be stopped. As Kṛṣṇa says, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma (BG 4.13). There must be ideal brāhmaṇa, ideal kṣatriya, ideal vaiśya, as Kṛṣṇa says. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. It is all-inclusive. Economic question? Annād bhavanti bhūtāni (BG 3.14). Grow food. Practical. Just like when I was going to the pandals, millions of clerks were coming—"Education. Educated." And who is growing food? And they have to be provided in these pigeon holes and depend on ration. Is that civilization? And throngs of people are coming, just like machine, ants. Ants are coming. I saw like that. And go to the village side—all vacant land.
Room Conversation -- March 22, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: People are in darkness. To keep them like dogs, hogs, camels, and take vote from them and become a leader... Nobody protested that we call all the men dogs, hogs, camels. Nobody came forward, that "You are using very strong words." It's a fact.
Room Conversation -- March 22, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Yes. He told like that.
Hṛdayānanda: Said the atheistic leaders are like animals, stronger animals.
Prabhupāda: Yes, big animal.
Hṛdayānanda: They especially liked your idea of American money and Indian culture.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Room Conversation -- March 24, 1977, Bombay:
Pañcadraviḍa: We're planning on showing these things to Argentine government also.
Hṛdayānanda: These women leaders are not doing so well. Also, in South America there was a woman leader, and she also was put in jail.
Prabhupāda: In the history of India there is no woman leader. Throughout Mahābhārata you'll find... Mahābhārata is the greater history, history of greater India. Mahā means greater, and bhārata. So "Greater Bhārata." That means this whole planet. So you won't find woman leader
Room Conversation -- March 26, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Although the instruction is there, they are misinterpreting in their own way, misleading themselves and misleading others. They say the name of God. They do not know what is God, although God is explaining Himself. Such a rascal. God is explaining, "Here, I'm God." He is accepted, and they do not... When you ask them what is God: "That we do not know. Our God is (indistinct)." Such things are there. So they have to be convinced that these half-educated leaders cannot make you happy. It is not possible. They do not know the basic principle of life. Take guidance from Kṛṣṇa. That is our movement. You'll be happy. And don't be carried away by the whims. This is an important chance, human life. These motorcars are running, they are running just like the flies come, phut phut phut phut. That is described in the Bhagavad-gītā, Eleventh Chapter. Blind. Expedite death, that's all. There is no solution. The solution is here, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So recruit first of all. Just like these doctor friends. First of all get some friends.
Room Conversation -- March 26, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: I have spoken several times in... Formerly, the criminal was taken in the middle of the river and he was drowned. And when he was suffocating, he's held up. Then he, ahhh (takes deep breath). This relief is like that. That means as soon as he takes little strength, again, put again. Then daṇḍya jane rāja yena nadīte cubāya.(?) These rascals are like that. For the time being there is little relief: "Oh, we are now free from the leaders." And there is another hand is being created. Bābājī or something like that. Then again they shall put his... This is going on.
Room Conversation -- March 26, 1977, Bombay:
Girirāja: And similarly the today's government leaders should also take advice from the saintly person.
Prabhupāda: We can give nice instructions.
Girirāja: He wanted to arrange a meeting with Morarji Desai this week, but I told him that it would be better not to arrange anything until he comes back to Bombay in a week. But he gave me his phone number in Delhi if we want to contact him.
Prabhupāda: You want me to go there?
Girirāja: No, I think it's better... First of all, as you mentioned last...
Prabhupāda: If he comes, I'll come.
Room Conversation with Ratan Singh Rajda (Member of Parliament) -- March 27, 1977, Bombay:
Girirāja: He is a member of parliament from Bombay South, which is the most prestigious district, from Kalabha up to (indistinct), something like that.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He formerly helped us?
Girirāja: Yes. When Mattrey was, did that demolition attempt, so he was one of the leaders in the corporation. So he fought for us. In fact today also he asked if there was any trouble, because he still is also maintaining his position in the municipal corporation. So I think when he gets back from Delhi in a week, I might bring up some of our little problems.
Prabhupāda: That plan sentence.(?)
Girirāja: Yeah. And that road, that ten feet.
Prabhupāda: What benefit they will get?
Girirāja: No, only harassment, they have... They have nothing to gain actually. And everyone knows it. But they are just so weak and political minded that they don't want to stand up against Mattrey, the officers. Anyway, I think I should go now then.
Prabhupāda: He is coming?
Girirāja: Yes. I'll bring him here so there will be no unnecessary waiting. And...
Prabhupāda: What time?
Girirāja: By eight at the latest. We'll try for earlier also. (break)
Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. Jaya.
Room Conversation with Ratan Singh Rajda (Member of Parliament) -- March 27, 1977, Bombay:
Mr. Rajda: Yes. In that emergency, you know, and about 150,000, patriotic people were in jails, J. K. Prakash, Morarji and all Hindu leaders and all of the workers. So I was kept at Central Prison for nineteen months. Then they released me, and after this election period, just I would order to fight the elections from Bombay South. And with her blessings I have won it with a very comfortable margin, 65,000. Just now we were at Shivaji Pack. And when Girirājajī told me that you were here, I told him definitely I would like to ask for darśana.
Prabhupāda: The material adjustment... Just like we felt little danger under the regime of Indira Gandhi. Now we have another feeling. This is material adjustment. Material adjustment may be temporary beneficial, but that is not permanent beneficial.
Room Conversation with Ratan Singh Rajda (Member of Parliament) -- March 27, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Therefore even little effort is giving great benefit. But we must know what that effort should be. Everything is there. We must take advantage of it. But we are not taking advantage. Now we have got good government, very nice. Now you should take advantage of the privileges which are there in India. The Bhagavad-gītā is there. If you take direction from Bhagavad-gītā, then you will get. The whole human society will be benefitted. That you do not know. That is the defect. Even big, big leaders, they profess to student of Bhagavad-gītā, but they do not know anything. Although it is clearly stated. Who is the leader in India who does not know Bhagavad-gītā? Even Morarji Desai, when he was to be arrested by leaders, government, he said "Wait, let me finish my reading of Bhagavad-gītā," is it not?
Room Conversation with Ratan Singh Rajda (Member of Parliament) -- March 27, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Why not government make people God conscious? It is very simple thing. God personally is explaining how to become God conscious. Very simple thing. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). Four things. Even a child can do it. So why not leaders? Then their example should be followed.
Room Conversation with Ratan Singh Rajda (Member of Parliament) -- March 27, 1977, Bombay:
Why don't they do this, this God consciousness? Do it seriously. Then everything will be all right. They are defying the existence of God and reading Bhagavad-gītā. This is their position. And if I go to the details, it may not be very palatable. But big, big leaders say like that. We have got everything in India, and to become God conscious, to establish the Lord's kingdom, not at all difficult. But we manufacture our own ideas. But we want that rāma-rājya, but without Rāma, how rāma-rājya will be? So those who are leaders of the society, if they take it seriously, will there not be an ideal state? And you can make an..., set an example to the whole world. The whole world will be happy. But we must be very serious about it. That is our this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We are trying, but we have no support from the government, from the leaders.
Room Conversation with Ratan Singh Rajda (Member of Parliament) -- March 27, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: It is serious, but nobody has taken it seriously. Bhagavad-gītā is popular book. Everyone takes the Bhagavad-gītā and says, "I am student of Bhagavad-gītā." It is very simple thing. And if the leaders of the society, they set example, others will follow.
Room Conversation -- March 27, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Misguided, yes. With rascal leader. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31).
Svarūpa Dāmodara: We would also have been misguided if we didn't meet Śrīla Prabhupāda, in the same area.
Room Conversation with Scientists, Svarupa Damodara, and Dr. Sharma -- March 31, 1977, Bombay:
Dr. Sharma: I was going to bring to your kind notice, ever since we become independent, our moral fiber is really breaking down. We are spiritually, I think, the..., the deterioration has been very fast after 1947. Somehow this is...
Prabhupāda: This is our so-called leaders misled them. Even Gandhi misled. That Vinobha Bhave is misleading, what to speak of others.
Room Conversation with Scientists, Svarupa Damodara, and Dr. Sharma -- March 31, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: This is dog civilization. It is not human civilization. Human civilization begins when they take Kṛṣṇa's instructions: cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). Divide the whole human society into four divisions and let them cooperatively act for the benefit of God. That is civilization. There civilization begins. Otherwise, what is the difference between dog and the human being? There is no difference. The leaders are teaching, "Feel like Indians." As a dog is feeling, "I am bulldog." This is our leaders. (Hindi)
Room Conversation -- April 2, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). Everywhere they are doing this. (Sanskrit) The world is misled in this way by bad leaders. We are trying to get (indistinct).
Room Conversation -- April 2, 1977, Bombay:
Girirāja: Well, see he's coming because he is a leader in the municipal corporation, and tomorrow they are electing the new mayor. So I was thinking that probably on the way to the airport in the evening we could invite him to stop here.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Girirāja: Otherwise, he is coming back on the 8th to spend about a week here.
Prabhupāda: Oh.
Girirāja: But he is very enthusiastic.
Prabhupāda: Very good. He is a good boy.
Interview with Mr. Koshi (Asst. Editor of The Current Weekly) -- April 5, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: But instead of giving the real knowledge, they became victimized by their glimmer of material civilization. So I wanted that such a magnificent gift from the side of India, it shall remain uncontributed to the world, let me try. This is my... This culture is based on Bhagavad-gītā, Kṛṣṇa. Therefore it is named Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In India practically every home, every person, every leader, they read Bhagavad-gītā.
Interview with Mr. Koshi (Asst. Editor of The Current Weekly) -- April 5, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: That is the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā. Asmin dehe dehinaḥ. The active principle is there within this body. So who knows it? Ask big, big leaders, big, big scholars of Bhagavad-gītā. They are concerned with this body. Nobody is interested with the active principle within the body. So what do they know about Bhagavad-gītā?
Interview with Mr. Koshi (Asst. Editor of The Current Weekly) -- April 5, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: I haven't got to tally what Kṛṣṇa says and what you say. I have no business to do that. We are simply concerned what Kṛṣṇa says. Now if you like, you can take it. If you don't like, you take your own. But we are speaking only on Kṛṣṇa. So our lamentable subject matter, subject is that India has got so great exalted knowledge on Bhagavad-gītā, and the government has got Cultural Department, and all leaders, at least they are supposed to give support to Bhagavad-gītā. Why they are not taking seriously and give it to the...? And they are taking it seriously. My single attempt to preach the teachings of Bhagavad-gītā as it is, they are accepting it all over the world. Why not give it an organized way. All the Indian leaders, they are simply imitating jumping like the Western people.
Interview with Mr. Koshi (Asst. Editor of The Current Weekly) -- April 5, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: No, no, we are not against, neither for. But these things will go on. This is going on since the creation, but that will not help. There have been, in other countries there has been Napoleon, there has been Hitler, there has been Mussolini, there has been Churchill. In India also we had many leaders like Gandhi and others. So what contribution they made? People are suffering.
Interview with Mr. Koshi (Asst. Editor of The Current Weekly) -- April 5, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Russia also they are taking it. So gradually they will take. They are intelligent. And we are neglecting. This is our misfortune. And misled we are. We are neglecting. But the leaders, they do not know what is Bhagavad-gītā, and they are professing as "I am scholar in the Bhagavad-gītā." They do not know what is distinction between the body and the owner of the body. The first lesson of Bhagavad-gītā they do not know. Then what they will understand Bhagavad-gītā? This is the first lesson.
Interview with Mr. Koshi (Asst. Editor of The Current Weekly) -- April 5, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: That's all. Śva-viḍ-varāha. They have been described in the Bhāgavata as dogs, camels, asses and hogs. Śva-viḍ-varāha-uṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ. (break) The leader of hogs, dogs, camels and asses. Our civilization is brahminical, brāhmaṇa. That is wanted.
Room Conversation -- April 5, 1977, Bombay:
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: She seems to have been one of the worst leaders so far.
Prabhupāda: She is not leader, she is a prostitute. Woman given freedom means prostitute. Free woman means prostitute. What is this prostitute? She has no fixed-up husband. And free woman means this, daily, new friend.
Room Conversation -- April 5, 1977, Bombay:
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: To Mr. Francois Pierre. "My dear Francois." He's in France. "Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated March 17th. Try to understand our mission of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The world is all going to hell. They do not know what is the value of life. Like blind sheep following a blind leader, they are all going to the slaughterhouse. Human life is meant for saving, but instead the leaders are keeping the people in darkness. This is suicidal. Let us try to save them. Christian, Hindu, or Muslim, it doesn't matter. One must have faith in God. But if one does not know what is God, then what is the question of religion? This sectarian view has caused havoc in the world. Our real business is to know God and one's relationship with God. Do you know what is God? The answers to your questions are as follows: 1) Yes, the message of Jesus is universally applicable. Why not? Jesus says, 'Thou shalt not kill.' This is applicable to all. But all Christians are violating this law. So where is a Christian? In my opinion there is not a single Christian. Do they follow all ten commandments? 2) We accept Jesus Christ as śaktyāveśa-avatāra, an empowered incarnation of God. 3) The Bible should be accepted literally and not symbolically. There is no symbolical meaning of the sacrifice on the cross. The people were so rascal. They attempted to kill him because he was speaking of God. We can understand the position of that society. He had to deal with such rascals. He preached 'Thou shalt not kill,' and they killed him. The argument that Jesus died to redeem us of sins is simply another sinful argument. That Jesus has taken contract to redeem your sins is simply a plea of the sinners. They continue sinning and expect Christ to take the contract to freedom. It is most sinful. Instead of actually stopping sins, they contract with Jesus Christ. These people should be immediately hanged. That way our..., they say, 'That way our religion is very good. We cannot stop sinning, but it is okay because Christ has taken contract to save us.' It is the same as saying 'I am chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa now. I can do any nonsense.' That is known as nāma-aparādha, offenses to the holy name of the Lord. 4) Regarding Christ coming again, for the time being, you follow his instructions. Then if he comes it will be all right. Regarding the position of our movement if Christ were to come again, that we shall see when he comes. 'The end of the world' means that the world will be devastated. Just like you have a body and it will be finished, similarly the whole world body will be devastated. Creation, maintenance and annihilation. Naśa in Sanskrit means devastated. 5) There is no difference between a pure Christian and a sincere devotee of Kṛṣṇa. 6) Everything is accurately described in the Bhāgavata Mahāpurāṇa. Love of God means God's mercy. If God is pleased, He will do anything. The pleasure of God can be awarded by God. In Sanskrit it is described kṛpā-siddhi, perfection out of mercy. One must follow the four regulative principles—no eating meat, fish or eggs; no intoxication; no gambling; and no illicit sex life. Repent of all sinful activities and depend on Kṛṣṇa's mercy. Hoping this meets you well, your ever well-wisher, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami."
Girirāja: Very nice. Actually, about two years ago there was a propaganda in the West that if you are afraid of sinning, then it means that you don't have full faith in Jesus Christ. Because he has promised to accept your sinful reactions. So therefore if you sin, then it means that you have full faith that he will accept the reaction.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda said those people should be hanged immediately.
Prabhupāda: When the Bible has said, that after death one goes to hell or heaven? If Jesus Christ has taken a contract, then where is the question of going to hell?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, that is for people who don't sign the contract with him. That is what they say. As long as you say that you accept Jesus, then you are going to heaven for sure.
Prabhupāda: So then Jesus Christ accepted sinful reaction of a certain class of men. He is not universal.
Room Conversation -- April 5, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: All nonsense.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That is why we rejected our so-called religious heritage. We could see that there was no substance to it. And the leaders were just like normal debauchees of any other groups. They weren't spiritual. I used to remember seeing the priests and the rabbis getting drunk, smoking cigarettes, talking nonsense just like everybody else. There was no difference except for the dress.
Prabhupāda: This is everywhere. In India also.
Room Conversation -- April 5, 1977, Bombay:
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, I asked him first thing if he has heard, he said yes. And we gave him a copy of that Kṛṣṇa Consciousness is Genuine Indian Culture, which shows all our cultural activities, your Gītā. He said this booklet is very expensive, but we said we shall like you to read it. And we mentioned that your desire is that the leaders of this country become God conscious and then everybody else will become God conscious. And I gave an example of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. He looked very spiritual to us. He was very friendly. I was amazed that a man who has such....
Prabhupāda: He is practical also indoubtedly. He has no selfish motives.
Room Conversation -- April 5, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: No, they know it. Study the whole history of the world. What the big, big leaders have done? They are not new leaders. Before them, all over the world there were big, big leaders. Napoleon promised so many things. At last, he had to drink horse's urine and die. When he was captured by the Englishmen he wanted water and he was given horse urine. Envisioned, "I shall make my promise, the most important stage." The Britishers, so many, Gladstone, Churchill, Lloyd George(?), British Empire. Have they done any benefit? Indira made plan, Nehru family will be English terrorist. Now what is her position? So they studying history. Still, they are promising. Mūḍha.
Room Conversation about Harijanas -- April 10, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: "The story of the vast quantity of harijana in this ancient and illustrious land is a miserable story of shame and sorrow. Harassment and humiliation, operation and separation, poverty and pity. The harijana problems is not merely a social or religious or economic or political one. It is a complex problem involving many factors. It is, however, the most baffling national problem, posing a great challenge to the leaders, rulers and people of India."
Room Conversation about Harijanas -- April 10, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Not editor. The person who is the leader. Means the harijana movement. They are feeling frustration. Now we can give them the light.
Room Conversation about Harijanas -- April 10, 1977, Bombay:
Bhakti-caru: They have their unions. How can we approach the union and talk to the leaders?
Prabhupāda: Well, address him, that Dr. ... We are actually doing all over the world. Why not here?
Bhakti-caru: But the thing is Dr. Amritsar is dead now. He was the leader of the harijanas.
Prabhupāda: Whoever may be, but they could not do anything. Neither they can do. They do not know how to elevate them. We know that. We can help. And we are actually doing it. The idea is they are feeling frustration for want of leader. We are prepared to guide them. To the highest perfection of life. (pause) The defect was Gandhi started this harijana movement, keeping them where they are, and at the same time, changing by rubber-stamp, "harijana." That must be failure.
Morning Conversation -- April 11, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: ...the planes. It was kept checked by these rascal leaders. Dr. Radhakrishnan, Aurobindo, this, that, nonsense, interpreting in a different way, Gandhi. It could not distribute its brilliance. Now it is being distributed to show the brilliance and the knowledge first of all. Is it not?
Morning Conversation -- April 11, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: That means the rascals, they do not see it, that godlessness, godless education will be like that. The teachers who are suggesting, they are themselves blind, and they are leading. They do not know what is the defect. You can write to them, that "You are leaders, you do not know what is the cause. This is the cause. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā manorathenāsati dhāvato bahiḥ (SB 5.18.12). Without God consciousness, there cannot be any education. There cannot be any good qualities. You do not know this. Simply you are crying in the wilderness. You yourself do not know. All the education, its propaganda is how to make the world godless, although the most scientific knowledge of God is there in the Bhagavad-gītā." Write him. Give him a slap, that "You do not know." Introduce our Kṛṣṇa consciousness books in the educational department. "Yato mata tato patha. Transcendental meditation. God has given you senses. Why you should not enjoy?" This is his...
Morning Conversation -- April 11, 1977, Bombay:
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Upset in Fiji. The Fijian government formed by the National Federation Party, which draws its support mainly from the people of Indian origin, will have to tread warily if it is to avert racial tension in the islands. It was by no means easy, even for the multiracial alliance party which hitherto ruled the South Pacific republic, to maintain harmony between the people of Indian origin who form fifty-one percent of the population, and the indigenous Melanesians. Its leader and the former Prime Minister Ratu Sir Pamish Nara had to strain every nerve to keep the extremist Melanesians in check."
Prabhupāda: The Prime Minister is lightie?
Upendra: Yes. He is very educated. He is half. All the ministers are, those natives are light-skinned. They are from a particular island group, mixed. They are very intelligent and polite. The other natives are darker and more extremists. But this extremist agitation is, they say, is instigated by the Europeans, who keep the Indians and natives apart, because the natives have all the land, and this is what the Europeans are interested in. So they instigate it.
Prabhupāda: These rascals, wherever they go, they create trouble.
Morning Conversation -- April 11, 1977, Bombay:
And by this demoncracy, it can be done. A demon may be, if he can simply secure votes. What is the position? Without any training Formerly the destiny was by rājarṣi. Royal power, but ṛṣi, saintly person. See the character of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, Parīkṣit, Ambarīṣa. (aside:) At least, you cover some way or other with some cloth. Find out some cloth or towel, and cover it. Yes. All rogues, they are political leaders. Political leader means rogue. Nowadays, these... Here is so-called religious leader, Sai Baba, another rogue. This is Kali-yuga. (Hindi) There is no good man politician. Mandāḥ sumanda-matayo manda-bhāgyāḥ (SB 1.1.10). Sumanda-matayaḥ. They have got a conception which is very, very bad, conception of religion, social, political. All condemned.
Bhakti-caru: (reading:) "In the affairs, the leader's duty, why was she silent?"
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I read that to you, this morning.
Prabhupāda: Oh, read it again.
Morning Conversation -- April 11, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: These can be distributed to the devotees. Today I have explained the Bhāgavata, prāṇamānāya:(?) how this bodily concept of life is dangerous. These things they do not know. Leaders, big, big papers, big, big propaganda. What is the purpose of life and how dangerous this civilization is, bodily concept of life, they do not know. Bhagavad-gītā begins when they understand that "You are not this body." The whole subject matter is on that soul, the whole Bhagavad-gītā. Bhojendra-gehe 'gni-śikheva ruddhā, sarasvatī jñāna-khale yathā satī. I see Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam so exalted knowledge and so beautifully literary presented. Śrīmat. Śrīmat means beautiful. Throughout the whole world, you won't find any literature. This is India's fortune, and they are keeping it packed up. Jñāna-khaleṣu. Jñāna-khala means envious. You have got some knowledge, but you are envious. You don't want to distribute to anyone. They are called jñāna-khala.
Room Conversation -- April 13, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: This should be recognized. And sober men, leaders, they should come forward. And India's, this vast knowledge will be... That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission.
Room Conversation -- April 13, 1977, Bombay:
What is this nonsense nationality? Today I am Indian; tomorrow I am a dog. Where is my nation? Where is my family? Where is my father? Where is my mother? So to become mad after these things is my business, or to get out of this material entanglement is my business? And we have got so much facilities. Kṛṣṇa is instructing, Himself. Caitanya Mahāprabhu is teaching personally how to live. And we are not taking advantage? What a suicidal policy. And they are becoming leader, Jayapataka Narayan and this... What is that?
Room Conversation -- April 13, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: By train. So it is nice place, educated.
Girirāja: One... There's a very big military concentration, so this time we didn't meet any of the military leaders, but I think next time we can arrange a big program there. It's the whole headquarters for, I think, central India or...
Prabhupāda: Which... It is... Very much. One program is clear. I think our this Cross Maidan pandal has given the people study.
Room Conversation with Ratan Singh Rajda M.P. 'Nationalism and Cheating' -- April 15, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: No, sentimentally, old man, pious man, everyone should care. Actually what he's done?
Girirāja: Actually, except for Your Divine Grace, no other leader has any real disciple because all of their followers, they have their own ideas, which they consider more than their master. Like Mr. Bajaj...
Prabhupāda: Charismatic? What is the...? Tell.
Room Conversation with Ratan Singh Rajda M.P. 'Nationalism and Cheating' -- April 15, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: It is universal, science. It is science. So why this science is kept locket up and distorted by the leaders? If you understand one line of Bhagavad-gītā, your life becomes successful. Now our leaders are supposed to read Bhagavad-gītā, but who understands this one line, tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13)? Nobody understands. And they are scholars of Bhagavad-gītā. They cannot understand this one line in the beginning. This is going on. So I would request you to take this matter seriously and... And it is being responded. I am writing these books on Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and we are selling daily five to six lakhs' worth of books. In a foreign country, where their religious system is different, and during Christmas festival we are selling our books, large quantity.
Room Conversation with Ratan Singh Rajda M.P. 'Nationalism and Cheating' -- April 15, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: That is not possible. Harāv abhaktasya kuto.... Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvaiḥ... If you, if one becomes devotee of the Lord, all good qualities will be there. And harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad... If he's not a devotee... Now so many things, condemnation, is going on, big, big leaders. Today's paper I have seen. "This man, that man, is rejected even." Why? Harāv abhaktasya kuto. What is the benefit of becoming a big leader if he's not a devotee? (Hindi) You are very intelligent, young, and therefore I am trying to give you some idea, and if you can give some shape to these ideas... It is already there. It is no secret. Simply we must be serious, that this institution must be there for educating the whole human society. Never mind, a very small number. It doesn't matter. But ideal must be there.
Room Conversation with Ratan Singh Rajda M.P. 'Nationalism and Cheating' -- April 15, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Because Kṛṣṇa comes just like a human being to teach us, we are taking that He's one of us. "Then I can also become Kṛṣṇa." This is going on. For so many thousands of years Kṛṣṇa is being worshiped as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There are millions of temples in India for worshiping Kṛṣṇa. He is ordinary man? So many big, big leaders came and gone. Who care for them? Why Kṛṣṇa is being worshiped still? These are the questions.
Room Conversation with Ratan Singh Rajda M.P. 'Nationalism and Cheating' -- April 15, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: So? Now, this nationalism idea, so you have trace out the whole history. By introducing this nationalism, what improvement gave? Nationalism, the leader, it began in Europe, the Romans. They wanted to spread. Where are the Romans now? Carthagian, old history, Egyptian, Grecian, then, later on, Moguls or then British. So where are these groups? "Combined together, exploit others." That was, that means, a gang of rogues. Rogues and thieves, they... And by doing that, what they have actually done? The Romans, now their broken buildings are there. And people go to see the fun, how they used to enjoy. What is that called?
Room Conversation with Ratan Singh Rajda M.P. 'Nationalism and Cheating' -- April 15, 1977, Bombay:
honesty and work according to the varṇas, cātur-varṇyam, they are doing like this to become...
Prabhupāda: There is no honesty all over the world. It is a forgotten. "These are primitive," they say, "Now, the honesty, to become pious, to become religious. These are simply primitive idea." We have to open this. That is a specific subject matter of that... But we have to write very nicely. Everything is based on tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13).
Room Conversation with Ratan Singh Rajda M.P. 'Nationalism and Cheating' -- April 15, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Everyone. And what is guarantee they will not do, this present government?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So force in this age is finished as means a for influencing honesty. Force will not work, because the leaders are dishonest. Then we have to teach the principle of love.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu didn't kill. He did not kill Jagāi and Mādhāi. 'Cause Kṛṣṇa killed, but in this age that principle of love...
Prabhupāda: And if you kill, then wholesale will be killed. No... There will be no candidate for learning. You have to kill everyone. That will be at the end, Kalki-avatāra, simply killing, bas, finish. They'll have no capacity to understand.
Room Conversation Meeting with Dr. Sharma (from Russia) -- April 17, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: So that is stated in the Śrīmad... Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ (SB 7.5.31). Bahir-artha-māninaḥ. They are interested only in the external nature, bahir-artha. They have no sense of understanding what is within the body. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ. So the leaders are blind and they are leading blind men. Society is in chaotic condition. You are going?
Room Conversation Meeting with Dr. Sharma (from Russia) -- April 17, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Apart from, we are not concerned with politics. We are concerned with the madman. So what is this nonsense politics conducted by some big...? Śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ (SB 2.3.19). What is this politics, the democracy? Some animals voting another big animal, that's all. The leader is an animal, and the voters, they are animals. So what is the use of such politics? They remain animals. That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ. That is going on. You have got it?
Talk with Svarupa Damodara -- April 18, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: ...to become leader there.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This was your program, to ask each family to give one of their sons.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Room Conversation -- April 19, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: What you can do when a man dies? Can you save? So similarly, everyone is being handled by the laws of nature. Nobody can do anything, such puffed up, "We can do this plan." All these political leaders, they are simply wasting time. They cannot do anything. Indira promised, daridra hata(?). But now he is, she is daridra. Poverty-stricken. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). These rascals, they challenging the material laws? Such a rascal? You are scientists, they are challenging. Are they not challenging?
Room Conversation -- April 19, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Yes. So these animals, they are passing on as big scientists, philosophers, theologician, and so on, so on. We have to stop them. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). This is the qualification of a person who does not accept God: duṣkṛtina, narādhama, mūḍha, māyayāpahṛta-jñāna-although highly educated, no knowledge-āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ, simply atheist. So as Kṛṣṇa conscious leaders, we have to punish them, chastise these rascals. They are demons.
Room Conversation -- April 22, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: So he was doing... "Well, she is Muhammadan woman. You hate?" "Oh! They are not Muhammadans. We don't accept Muhammadan." These are my personal experience. They do not accept. Turkey also refused. When there were wars the, some of the Muhammadan leaders, Muhammad Ali, they wanted to present himself. He refused to accept. He said, "Go! You are not to see your business." His name was... He was very famous man. So they want to mix with the other Muhammadan countries like Afghanistan, Turkey... (break) They do not like. And actually it is a fact. Indian Muhammadans means all low-class Hindus, they converted into. Christian also.
Room Conversation -- April 22, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Yes. "You have joined together to defeat me. Why don't you preach jointly? What do you want? That I shall also join and we shall jointly preach. Do this. You are divided amongst yourselves, and you have joined together to defeat me." Śrīdhara Mahārāja is the leader.
Room Conversation -- April 22, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Fifty thousand. So I said, "Yes, I can give you fifty thousand, but this is mleccha money. You'll be polluted. Best thing is that give. We can maintain. I'll immediately deposit fifty thousand." He has stopped. (laughs) "We are mlecchas. I am the leader of the mlecchas, so my money will pollute you. But if you are feeling difficulty, you hand over the temple to us, and on condition I immediately deposit fifty thousand in the name of the temple."
Morning Conversation -- April 23, 1977, Bombay:
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Everything is reasonable. But so were your reasons. Just like when you met with the reporter from Los Angeles Times, I remember last year... When this question comes up they, inside they are laughing. When they hear our opinion they think it is a joke. They cannot conceive that the whole thing could be a hoax. We were discussing that actually, that the nation is more dear to most people than their family is, because one will get divorced from his family, but who will give up citizenship? Very rarely does anyone give up his citizenship. But people divorce again and again. So to... The nation is something very strong, that affection, and nation, in America, means this moon shot, all of these things, the truthfulness of the leaders. So this is too shocking. Probably the American people could not swallow it.
Prabhupāda: Yes. (indistinct) Lie.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Right. Why no other newspaper carried the story?
Prabhupāda: It is only because I disbelieved, he disagreed. (referring to Puruṣottama?) He disagreed with me from that moment. He thought me foolish that I do not believe scientific research.
Morning Conversation -- April 23, 1977, Bombay:
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They're like animals. You never know what they will do. We were again reading about rāma-rājya, and Lord Rāma decided to go out and to hear what the citizens were saying. So in one home He heard that there was some doubt. Sītādevī was pregnant. There was some doubt about it. Immediately He decided that She had to be sent away. So exemplary, His character. It's described how He was distributing. He distributed everything He had, and He had nothing but the clothes left, and Sītā had nothing but Her nose ring. And the brāhmaṇas were so overwhelmed that they could understand that He was the Supreme Personality of Godhead and yet He was such an ideal king that they gave Him everything back. So there is no such dealings like this nowadays between the government and the citizens. Rather, they elect some leader and then they rebel and try to kill the leader. Just like in Pakistan. Now they're trying to kill this Bhutto.
Prabhupāda: Ācchā? There was attempt to kill?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, I mean they'd like to somehow rid themselves of him.
Prabhupāda: Pakistan is spoiled now.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Is there any chance of uniting with India again, Pakistan?
Prabhupāda: They will.
Second Meeting with Mr. Dwivedi -- April 24, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: :That is he difficulty. Rascals have become leaders.
Kārttikeya: And we follow them.
Indian man: And we have to, actually. It is...
Kārttikeya: Not we have to. Here is a leader. Why don't you follow him?
Indian man: But when we get the... Fortunately then we can do so.
Kārttikeya: No, fortune is given.
Indian man: Yes.
Kārttikeya: He has been doing it for so long.
Indian man: Yes, yes.
Prabhupāda: That is the misfortune of human society. The other thing...
Second Meeting with Mr. Dwivedi -- April 24, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: (Hindi) If you agree to cooperate with me, you'll see immediately. Because I want to deliver the real thing, therefore in my feeble health I am prepared to go. If one man can understand, that I want to see. I am traveling all over the world to see that at least one man may understand. They have spoiled the whole situation by misinterpreting, by malinterpreting, and by bringing some rascal and pose as leader. The whole world is spoiled. If you want to preach some rascal philosophy, you do. Why you take Bhagavad-gītā? That is cheating.
Morning Talk -- April 25, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Envious is everywhere. So the whole civilization is so defective. Somehow or other, you come to the power, and you do whatever you like, and the people in general will have to depend on such leaders for their welfare. How they can be happy? If the whole system is defective, how they can be happy? The same man, in one day he's very important, in the next day he's the most degraded. And the most degraded man, previously he was praised by millions of people and next day he's condemned. That means who elevated her to the post, they're all rascals.
Morning Talk -- April 25, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: And spoiling the chance of human life. Nature's law will go on. If somebody becomes next life a dog... There is possibility. These political leaders are like that. They are not trained up. Just like these dogs at night, they are very busy. Nobody has appointed them. But he is thinking, "I am in charge of this, watching." As soon as one dog will bark, all they, "Oh, gow!
Conversation: Animals' Expertise -- April 28, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: We are doing the same thing as the small ants do. So what is the difference between that life and this life? Therefore Kṛṣṇa comes that "This is not your business. Your business is to surrender unto Me." Sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). That will be solved automatically. But they don't. They take advantage of Bhagavad-gītā and apply it for solving these problems. Gandhi and Bhagavad-gītā—what is that? Political struggle. Such a rascal. And he's leader? He does not know what is the purpose of Bhagavad-gītā. Has Kṛṣṇa come down to speak how to defend, how to eat, how to sleep? Is there any statement there? Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). Solve this problem. This is the beginning of Bhagavad-gītā. And who, nonsense, understands this? Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). This teaching... This is a teaching of Bhagavad-gītā. And they are taking Bhagavad-gītā for solving these problems. That's all. Ants' struggle. Violence, nonviolence and... So such big, big rascals are guiding us. What benefit they have given? And they are praised. Śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ... (SB 2.3.19). He's an animal, and he's praised by some small animals. That's all. This is their position. They are not actual leader. They are animals, but because we are small animals, we are praising.
Conversation: Vairagya, Salaries, and Political Etiquette -- April 28, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: No, they are drinking. They are having homosex. They are encouraging homosex, giving man-to-man marriage. You know that? This is going on. Doing everything nonsense.
Girirāja: Actually their leader...
Prabhupāda: And they are concluding that they cannot stop committing sins and Jesus Christ will take account for them. Therefore it is very good religion, that "We can do whatever nonsense we like, and if we keep our faith in Jesus Christ, then we are saved." Pāpa-buddhiḥ, nāmno balād pāpa-buddhiḥ. Great offenders. So what news?
Morning Conversation -- April 30, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: No, you also understand now that charge, how it is a fact. The fact is, as it is in the Bhagavad-gītā, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). You have to change your body. Then, if you have to change your body, then where is the question of nationalism? The first thing is mistake. And the nationalist leader, they are taking Bhagavad-gītā and jumping like dog on nationalism. Where is the question of nationalism? Answer me. Hm?
Room Conversation -- May 2, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). They remain blind, yes. They like to remain blind. Their leaders are blind, and the followers want to remain blind. This is māyā. Unless there is training... This is instruction, ādau gurvāśrayam. If he doesn't understand the aim of life... It is meant for the most fortunate. Ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhram..., kona bhāgyavān jīva. Manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu (BG 7.3). But still, as far as possible, we shall take opportunity to try to convince him. Just see. This man is with us for the last six months. He is not ready to sacrifice his hair.
Room Conversation -- May 8, 1977, Hrishikesh:
Prabhupāda: Then again you become something else and jump like dog: "I belong to his nation. I belong to this community. I belong..." Śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ (SB 2.3.19). He remains animal, and another big animal becomes his leader. This is going on.
Room Conversation -- May 8, 1977, Hrishikesh:
Prabhupāda: This is marvelous. You give the real thing, and it will act. If you give false things, naṣṭa, so superficially it is (Sanskrit), but if it is spoiled, it will create disease. Our leaders, our politicians, our swamis and yogis, they have spoiled Bhagavad-gītā by misinterpretation. Then what benefit he'll derive? They are spoiling, and they are followers. Now whatever is done is done. You can reform it and again it will be all right. Now call, if there is any question.
Evening Darsana -- May 9, 1977, Hrishikesh:
Prabhupāda: Yes. From historical reference it is so, but it can go still farther, and in that way India's glories will be magnified. But unfortunately our leaders and government are callous. They do not know what is India's glory and how India's glory can be distributed. They are trying that India's glory will be magnified by imitating Western way of life. This is the defect. They can understand that the Western way of life has not given them actual happiness. Otherwise why these boys, they are coming to India? They are young boys, and they are coming from very respectable family, rich family, rich nation. They have no economic problem. They have not come here to earn their livelihood, as we go to England to learn something, technology, and earn our livelihood. They have not come here for that purpose. They have enough food, enough everything, material. They are hankering after some spiritual... So there are two sides. (aside:) Why you are reducing? So our leaders, rather, they are misinterpreting śāstra, our leaders, and trying to mold it to the material way of life. This is the pity of the thing. Now you should reform them in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, and real United Nations will be formed. There will be no question of nationalism. In the Bhagavad-gītā... Big, big leaders, they are reading Bhagavad-gītā, but is there any word as "nationalism"?
Indian man (1): None.
Prabhupāda: And big, big leaders, they are utilizing Bhagavad-gītā for so-called nationalism. Why? There is not a single word as "nationalism." As Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya (BG 14.4). Where is nationalism? There is no question of nationalism. So the difficulty is they do not understand even a line of Bhagavad-gītā, and still, the so-called scholars, philosophers, politicians, they are advertising that "I am student." They do not understand even a line of... This is my challenge. What do you think? They do not understand. Even Gandhi did not understand, not a single line.
Evening Darsana -- May 9, 1977, Hrishikesh:
Prabhupāda: Nobody has appointed him, but he takes charge, and whole night: "Gow! Gow!" If somebody, new man, enters the neighborhood, "I am in charge." You see? "Why you have entered?" So this is going on. "I am leader of this country." So what is this civilization? Kṛṣṇa says that "I am the leader." He says, bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram, suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām: (BG 5.29) "I am the leader. I am the friend, well-wisher of everyone." And if a dog says, "I am the leader. I am the well-wisher," so which way we shall go? I shall accept the dog as leader and well-wisher or Kṛṣṇa? Boliye. A barking dog or Kṛṣṇa?
Evening Darsana -- May 12, 1977, Hrishikesh:
Prabhupāda: No, if the rascals—again we have to say "the rascals"—the rascal leaders mislead them, there is no hope.
Indian man (5): There is no hope.
Prabhupāda: There is no hope. Now, to prove Bhagavad..., from Bhagavad-gītā, nonviolence, how it is possible? Bhagavad-gītā begins with the word yuyutsavaḥ. And now, if you want to make it nonviolent, that is misleading. Yuyutsavaḥ means fighting spirit. Dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ (BG 1.1). So where is nonviolence there? But our leaders want to prove Bhagavad-gītā nonviolence. Is not misleading? Hm? Why you should misinterpret Bhagavad-gītā?
Evening Darsana -- May 12, 1977, Hrishikesh:
Prabhupāda: There is. Not everyone is misled. One who can protect himself from this misleading... Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). If they can understand their leaders are blind—they have no knowledge—then they'll be saved. That we are trying. And there is obstacle. When we say, "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Being," they take objection. They say, "Kṛṣṇa is an ordinary man." Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ (BG 9.11). This is the struggle going on.
Evening Darsana -- May 13, 1977, Hrishikesh:
Prabhupāda: Why temporary? That is not in your interest. That happiness is there when you go back to Kṛṣṇa; otherwise not. These are the statement in the Bhagavad-gītā. So if we do not try to understand the real purpose of Bhagavad-gītā, and if we theorize, "Bhagavad-gītā means nonviolence. Bhagavad-gītā means to become patriot," these are materialism. We should avoid this wrong interpretation, misguiding direction of blind leaders. We'll not get any benefit out of it. So we are trying to rectify this. That's all. Everything is there.
Evening Darsana -- May 15, 1977, Hrishikesh:
Prabhupāda: "I am sādhu. I am the leader of the, this society. And the animal-killing is going on. I don't care for it." Suhṛdaḥ sarva-bhūtānām. So titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ suhṛdaḥ sarva... These are the qualities. And ultimately, summary, sādhu is spoken by Kṛṣṇa Himself that bhajate mām ananya-bhāk sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ: (BG 9.30) "One who has no other business than to execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is sādhu." "Well, he is a foreigner.
Conversations -- May 17, 1977, Vrndavana:
Indian man (2): Kavi. In the mission only he is to poet, no other sannyāsīs and nobody, even not Prabhupāda, any sannyāsī. But he realized it. How much love he saw, Prabhupāda. Yesterday I spoke, yesterday night. The greatest living export that has been brought down by God, it is what Bhaktivedanta Prabhupāda has... He's such a living export, Indian culture... (Hindi) ...in the world.
pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma
sarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma
It is the literary living translator and implemented and carried out by single person. And that single person is so much infested and imbued with such a divine power. None of us can do. It is impossible. Practically it is impossible. The Prabhupāda's unfulfillment mission has been fulfilled by this Vedanta Prabhupāda. Śrīmad-Bhāgavata, all quotes, quotations, praising this all types of the power, all propagating the hari-nāma. And it is all-powerful... So there is a medium of literature, medium of professor, medium of the cinema, but still, medium of the personality who in (indistinct) presented it himself. And you, of all people, that attracted by transcendental personality. What with these social religions; there are many authorities and leaders have gone there, and social-religious reformers who practice the yoga, jñāna, karma, etcetera, etcetera. But the one person imbued and empowered fully, transcendental form, by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu Himself, and by his guru, Prabhupāda. It is not that... Nobody can empower. And as a result our this Vaiṣṇava culture installing the Supreme as Kṛṣṇa pronounced in the mantra to worship Him. (Hindi) The nāma... If he fulfills the propagation of this out of the nāma, and then more powerful... Means that he is the more loved. This kīrtana, and then this saṅkīrtana. These things themselves teach us, though in one word—kṛṣṇa-nāma-saṅkīrtana is one faith. But still it has the three aspects—Kṛṣṇa, then nāma, then kīrtana, then saṅkīrtana. So he has, by his mission, his translations, and in the world he has given this Kṛṣṇa. He has given this Kṛṣṇa. He has given the nāma. He has given the kīrtana, the saṅkīrtana which we have seen this morning, the saṅkīrtana, bahubhir militvā. Wonderful. In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta...
Prabhupāda: So you have got assets. You have got parentage. Everything you have got. Now do something. You have come. It is a good association. Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvidaḥ. (break) But they have dedicated their life to Kṛṣṇa. That is their qualification. Bhajate mām ananya-bhāk sādhur eva sa man... So their association is sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83).
Short Dissertations -- May 24-25, 1977, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: The spread, the... First of all they wanted to give us a cheap rate, "Eh!" And now they are doing: "We shall be taking our leader out." That is not cheap rate. (pause) (kīrtana in background) (break)
Morning Conversation -- May 29, 1977, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: Yes. (break) ...come directly, brāhmaṇas sometimes brahmacārī, gṛhastha. That will impress. (break) ...hodgepodge. Respect is no. Ideals become a leader. He'll do. He'll do. There must be some strong men. Tilaka always must be there. That is our great standard. Kaṇṭhī-mālā. Every fifteen days you should be cleansed. (break) (indistinct) Don't be in all this (indistinct). Go on very nicely. Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Prabhu Nityānanda, Śrī Advaita Gadādhara Śrīvāsa... (break)
Talk with Svarupa Damodara -- June 20, 1977, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: All these big, big leaders, they want to become āśraya. Gandhi wanted to be āśraya. And he was kicked out: "Get out! You are viśaya. You are trying to be āśraya." Immediately kicked out. That is false theory, Māyāvāda. Bhakativinoda āśraya... What is that song?
Talk with Svarupa Damodara -- June 20, 1977, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: (Bengali) Actually this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is a process of making this animal society into human civilization. At the present moment especially, all animals. I take them as animals. Therefore I say so boldly. I care for them. They are animals. That's all. Maybe very well do. I have not said. Bhāgavata says. Śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ (SB 2.3.19). What are these leaders? Paśu. "Paśu? And they are so much held in estimation." Whom? By whom? Śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ: "They are in estimation by the dogs and hogs and camels and asses." Actually they have no position. The public is dog, hog, camel and.... And they are selecting one leader. So what he should be? Another big paśu, another big camel, another big ass. That's all. Śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ. (Bengali) A big animal. These leaders, they are only big animals. Just like in the jungle, a lion. A very powerful.
Conversation with Svarupa Damodara -- June 21, 1977, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: Leaders.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Leaders. Governor of the state and Educational Minister. Dr. Sharma told me that he can arrange those things easily.
Prabhupāda: So do that.
Conversation, 'Rascal Editors,' and Morning Talk -- June 22, 1977, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: It is starting. What can I do? These cannot... These rascals cannot be educated. Dangerous. Little learning, dangerous. So how to correct? The leader of these dangerous-Rādhā-vallabha.
Conversation, 'Rascal Editors,' and Morning Talk -- June 22, 1977, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: So on the whole, these dangerous things are going on. How to check it?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There has to be strong philosophical leaders who can check this, like Satsvarūpa and Jayādvaita.
Prabhupāda: Hm.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They have to also be included in the decisions of the BBT. It can't simply be that managers make decisions.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Without their sanction, there will be... Let them... These all rascals.
Conversation: 'How to Secure Brahmacaris' -- June 24, 1977, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: Then here the business will be finished. That is the position of India. So much land is lying vacant because there is no worker, and all the rascals have gone to New Delhi or big cities. And overpopulation? "Give them sterilization." Here there is no men to work and they're sterilization... How the leaders... And who is leader? Another debauch number one, Gandhi, Mrs.... And she has produced a Sanjay Gandhi. Very precarious si... So there will be no scarcity of simple living and eating.
Room Conversation about Mayapura Attack Talk with Vrindavan De -- July 8, 1977, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: They don't want religion? What is this leader? Ajit Bose?
Room Conversation-Recent Mail -- July 14, 1977, Vrndavana:
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "...which would attract the attention of some of the world's greatest leaders and dignitaries. The scope and implications of this task are breathtaking, and I am feeling very small and insignificant in confrontation with it, just like a dwarf trying to touch the moon. However, if you want me to perform this task, then kindly give me your mercy and bless me..."
Prabhupāda: Yes. You train up assistants and this will be recognized by government and everyone. You'll do more than Columbus. (laughter) In the Washington, in different compartments, a different explanation of Bhāgavata śloka by dolls will attract millions of people to see. Will it not?
Room Conversation -- July 19, 1977, Vrndavana:
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Last night I heard on the radio—they were having news-yesterday in the Raja Sabha (Senate of the Indian Government) the Communist leader Bhupesh Gupta, he said that the government should close the Māyāpur center.
Prabhupāda: That is their business. Now you have to take the opposite, that "Why these people are so anxious about this unrest? Let there be further inquiry by the Janata party. And suspend..." No. Yes. "And suspend the Communist government for the time being."
Room Conversation -- October 2, 1977, Vrndavana:
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Hari-śauri? (break) It's starting to get darker early. Sun is setting earlier now, I think, than it was when we were last here. (break) ...to see that things are going on.
Prabhupāda: The leaders are... Similarly, leaders of this temple, they will have to organize.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Hm? No, we're able to see these things are going on.
Prabhupāda: But you never inquire.
Room Conversation Arrival of Jayatirtha and Harikesa -- October 8, 1977, Vrndavana:
Jayatīrtha: There were fifteen thousand at our Janmāṣṭamī festival, and we opened our new temple. And all of the community leaders there are very anxious to see our Society increase. Seven Indian devotees have been made.
Prabhupāda: Hm.
Jayatīrtha: And the community leaders there are giving us plots of land in different Indian areas and money for building temples. It's a very, very good report from South Africa.
Prabhupāda: That's maintain all. So... (break)
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: How are you feeling this morning, Śrīla Prabhupāda?
Prabhupāda: Not bad.
Room Conversation -- November 2, 1977, Vrndavana:
Śrī Bajaj: (Hindi) Excuse me. We are just talking alone with him. (break)
Prabhupāda: "...after you, who will take the leadership?" And "Everyone will take, all my disciples. If you want, you can take also. (laughter) But if you follow. They are prepared to sacrifice everything, so they'll take the leadership. I may, one, go away, but there will be hundreds, and they'll preach. If you want, you can also become a leader. We have no such thing, that 'Here is leader.' Anyone who follows the previous leadership, he's a leader. 'Indian,' we have no such distinction, 'Indian,' 'European.' "
Room Conversation -- November 2, 1977, Vrndavana:
Brahmānanda: They wanted an Indian to be the leader?
Prabhupāda: Yes. (laughs) "Everyone, all my disciples, they are leaders. As purely as they follow, they become leader. If you want to follow, you can become a leader. You are Indian. But you don't want." I told them that.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, they probably wanted to propose somebody who would take over our movement.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Leaders. All nonsense. Leader means one who has become first-class disciple. He is leader. Evaṁ paramparā-prāpta... One who is perfectly following... Our instruction is āra nā kariha mane āśā **. You know this? What is that? Guru-mukha-padma-vākya, cittete kariyā aikya, āra nā kariha mane āśā **. Who is leader? A leader, to become leader, is not very difficult, provided one is prepared to follow the instructions of a bona fide guru.
Room Conversation -- November 7, 1977, Vrndavana:
Jayapatākā: That was supposed to be done this year, but then Bombay took all the funds. Prabhupāda sanctioned it already last year. It was a good idea. But Māyāpura has become very popular. This is all due to your effort, Śrīla Prabhupāda. Simply due to your efforts Māyāpura and Navadvīpa is becoming so much more famous and popular. We want to make the Māyāpura temple so beautiful and make the city so nice that not only the Queen of England and the President of United States, but even the Russian and Chinese leaders, they'll all have to come to see this. They can't avoid. Will that please Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura? If all the leaders, all these presidents and kings would come and visit the temple at Māyāpura, that would please Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura?
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Seems like your activities, Śrīla Prabhupāda, are so much pleasing to the previous ācāryas.
Jayapatākā: This is the secret you are showing, working towards satisfying the desires of the previous ācāryas.
Prabhupāda: Tāṅdera caraṇa-sebi-bhakta-sane bās. So you are all bhaktas. To live with you, to serve the lotus feet of the ācāryas, that's good...
Room Conversation -- November 13, 1977, Vrndavana:
Lokanātha: So do I come with you, Śrīla Prabhupāda?
Prabhupāda: You will be the leader.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You're the leader of the party.
Lokanātha: So I have a vehicle. They also could travel with us, and in the same town they will do nagara-saṅkīrtana all day long and distribute books?
Prabhupāda: Hm.
| Page Title: | Leaders (Conversations, 1977) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Partha-sarathi, Gopinath |
| Created: | 17 of Aug, 2010 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=163, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 163 |