Machine (Conv. 1968 - 1972)

Expressions researched:
"machine" |"machine's" |"machinery" |"machines"

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

Radio Interview -- March 12, 1968, San Francisco:

Caller: Well, is there some kind of a spiritual signal you get within yourself that tells you this?

Prabhupāda: No, your question is what I am? So this what I am, you can search yourself by your mental speculation, that is one way. Another way to understand your position, from higher authority. So we take this process. We understand what I am from higher authority, Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says that He is God, and He says, "All these living entities are My part and parcels." So we are component parts of the Supreme Lord. Therefore as the component part of machine is to cooperate with the full machine, so our duty is to cooperate with the Supreme Lord. That is our identity.

Morning Walk at Stow Lake -- March 23, 1968, San Francisco:

Prabhupāda: Because memory is reducing, therefore nature is helping to manufacture so many machines.

Mālatī: Is that why people are making these machines, because they can't remember? Is that a sign of Kali that there's more machines to help people?

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. And nowadays in the courts, they use machines. The judges also cannot remember what has been argued between the parties. So they take this tape recorder and give judgement. Because the argument is going on for two days, three days, how much he can remember? And when he gives judgement he has to take consideration of all the arguments, then give his judgement. So this machine helps.

Morning Walk at Stow Lake -- March 23, 1968, San Francisco:

Devotee (1): One of my friends said, "(inaudible), you want to tell us everything, so why don't you build a machine to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa for you?"

Prabhupāda: Huh? Yes. Machine was not made for chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, but we are utilizing it so that the machine-maker may be benefited. Because we employ everyone's energy to Kṛṣṇa. So by his energy he has manufactured this machine, so we are employing in Kṛṣṇa's service so that he may be benefited, purified. We are showing him the mercy. Just like one flower picked up from a plant offered to Kṛṣṇa is offering benefit to that plant. Because his energy is in the service of Kṛṣṇa. Similarly, the person who has manufactured this machine, when it is employed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness business, he's benefited. Indirectly, we are giving him opportunity, although he does not know it. But his energy is being utilized for Kṛṣṇa. We offer prasādam, the same principle. A man does not know about Kṛṣṇa. But he wants to eat. By eating, he'll be gradually Kṛṣṇa conscious.

Room Conversation -- October 20, 1968, Seattle:

Prabhupāda: He has got different energies. By His energies He is acting, and that is confirmed in the Vedic sūtra, parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). The Supreme Absolute Truth has multi-energies. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate, multi-energies. And svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca, and by His energies he's working in such a nice way that it appears that it is being automatically done. Just like this tape recorder is working. How it is working? The electric energy is there. By the electric energy the machine is so nicely working that when it is replayed exactly I am speaking. So energy is working. I am speaking, my speaking energy is acting, electric energy is helping. This machine energy is accepting and a nice thing is coming. Similarly, the whole cosmic manifestation is the manifestation of the energies. The rascals, they do not understand. And when it is stated that everything is Brahman, that is to be understood that everything is working under the energy of the Supreme Brahman.

Talk Before Class -- November 29, 1968, Los Angeles:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Last night. Yesterday we just got a new sewing machine. A very expensive sewing machine and they stole it.

Prabhupāda: Sewing machine?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And a typewriter. It was taken from the house.

Talk Before Class -- November 29, 1968, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: I think in our apartment also somebody must remain. Here this is... In New York also I lost my typewriter, tape recorder. In 72nd St. at daytime, at nine o'clock. I went to take my meals in Dr. Miṣra's place at about nine, and when I came back I saw the door is broken. That superintendent, he was a Negro. He has done, I know that. This is very common case here. You purchased new machine and new...?

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

Radio Interview -- February 12, 1969, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Yes. But thing is that there are two processes for understanding the Absolute Truth. One is ascending process, and one is descending process. We accept that descending process. Ascending process means trying to understand the Absolute Truth by dint of one's limited knowledge. Our knowledge... However I may be great, my senses are imperfect. You see? I cannot understand the sun, although I see every day sun, without understanding the sun as it is from authoritative books. Simply by seeing, by, simply by sense perception, we cannot understand. Now, this machine, simply by seeing, I cannot understand. But if I hear from authorities that "This is this; this is that," that understanding is right. Similarly, Absolute Truth cannot be understood by mental speculation, however a great thinker he may be. It must be understood from the authorities. So that... We follow that principle. We try to understand Absolute Truth from the lips of the Absolute Truth, not otherwise. That is the difference.

1970 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- December 21, 1970, Surat:

Prabhupāda: Simply, wherever you go, (makes traffic noise) "sonh, sonh, sonh, sonh," and "gonh, gonh, gonh, gonh, gonh." Up in the sky, "gonh, gonh, gonh, gonh," and in the street, "sonh, sonh..." And then, when digging, "gut-gut-gut-gut-gut-gut-gut-gut-gut!" (laughter) Is it not? Don't you feel botheration. But they are thinking, "Oh, America is very much advanced in machine." And when there is that garbage tank? "Ghon-ghon-ghon-ghon-ghon-ghon-ghon-ghon-ghon!" (laughter) So many sounds are going on, always. Eh? Of course, you have got very nice city, nice roads everywhere. But this trouble... You have created so many troubles. And there are news that one lady was a patient. She became mad for the sounds. And I think they are thinking very seriously how to stop all these sounds. Is it not?

Room Conversation -- December 21, 1970, Surat:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. To the members, not to the public. It is very difficult for import-export, and sales tax, this, that, so many botherations government has created. Therefore our proposal is that... Thank you. We don't sell. No. Simply who becomes a member, we give him. You give us something, and whatever we have got, we give you. Business finished. Not finished, but business established. (laughs) Then if you read our books, if you inquire, then we get opportunity to explain. And our distribution of books means that is indirectly propagating our mission. Yes. So therefore we have adopted this way, that only to the members. That's all. We have printed that "These books are not for sale in India." Yes. Because the government machine is so implicated-sale tax, this tax, that tax.

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- July 20, 1971, New York:

Pratyatoṣa: Well, we have a Tanberg here that you can use. I had it in Detroit, remember? It's a very, very good machine, and I'm going to leave it here in New York because I have to go to Minneapolis for some training because of my job. I have a job as a computer programmer, so I have to go there for a while, but I'll be back in New York. But I'm going to show Gadādhara and Candanācārya how to use it so they can use it, and then you can use it during the daytime. It's a really good machine.

Prabhupāda: So where is that machine?

Pratyatoṣa: Pardon?

Prabhupāda: Where is that machine?

Pratyatoṣa: That's a Tanberg.

Devotee (4): Now it's in the temple. I use it when Your Divine Grace is speaking.

Prabhupāda: So where is that machine?

Pratyatoṣa: It's in the temple room right now. It's connected to the P.A. system and a microphone.

Prabhupāda: So you bring it and we will see.

Pratyatoṣa: Okay. I have to leave tonight, but I'll instruct Gadādhara and Candanācārya how to use it while I'm gone.

Prabhupāda: Tanberg machine is nice.

Pratyatoṣa: Yeah, it's a good machine. It's made in Norway.

Room Conversation -- July 20, 1971, New York:

Prabhupāda: So it is five hundred and fifty the same machine?

Pratyatoṣa: Yeah, that's what they charged in the United States, five hundred fifty, and I ordered it for two hundred and twenty-five.

Prabhupāda: (indistinct)

Pratyatoṣa: In Norway I got it, and then there's duty.

Prabhupāda: The same machine?

Room Conversation -- July 20, 1971, New York:

Prabhupāda: What is the difference between this machine and that machine?

Pratyatoṣa: This one... This is only two channels, and this one's four channels. This one, the one that's shown, can take the large size professional reels, ten-and-a-half inch. You can also get one of these with the ten-and-a-half inch, which is really an advantage to be able to use that, that size. Because you can purchase those in cases, professional lots, and then you can put them on smaller reels if you wanted to, just cut the tape for however size the recording is and put it on a smaller reel.

Room Conversation -- July 20, 1971, New York:

Prabhupāda: What is the price of this machine?

Pratyatoṣa: I'm not too sure, but it'd probably be about two hundred and fifty, something like that. The numbers usually sort of correspond to the price more or less.

Room Conversation -- July 20, 1971, New York:

Devotee (4): But you can even learn this Edit language over the machine, right?

Prabhupāda: Machine teach language?

Pratyatoṣa: There's a language called Teach, so we can write our own programs for teaching. We could write programs to teach Bhagavad-gītā. We could have all the scriptures on computer programs.

Room Conversation -- December 11, 1971, New Delhi:

Prabhupāda: The materialistic person, they have only one experience: this cosmic manifestation. Beyond this they have no other vision. Their senses are imperfect. Just like the astronomers, they have got big, big telescope, many other instruments. They want to see through the eyes how many stars are there, how the planets are moving, and whatever imperfect knowledge they receive, by that little knowledge they advertise themselves as great scientists. But they do not calculate that "We are trying to see the stars and planets with powerful binoculars. That means our eyes are imperfect." And what is the guarantee that the instruments which they're using, they are also perfect? Because that machine, that binocular, is also made by a person who is imperfect. So what is the guarantee that by seeing through binocular or microscope, the conclusion arrived, it is perfect? What is your answer? Your eyes are imperfect, that's a fact. Otherwise, why you are using binocular, microscope? Eyes are imperfect. Originally your eyes are imperfect. Now, eyes or other senses, it doesn't matter. Sense is sense. So you are manufacturing a machine, some instrument, by the same imperfect senses, then what is the guarantee that this machine, this binocular, if you see through the binocular, the knowledge is perfect? What is your answer?

Room Conversation -- December 11, 1971, New Delhi:

Prabhupāda: If you remain cleansed, you eat properly-don't eat more, don't eat less—there will be no disease, no doctor. That's a fact. But you do not know cleanliness, although you are..., that is because your, your cleanliness is with machine. And without machine, you cannot keep clean. Why not this broomstick is sufficient? If in India machine is not available, you cannot be clean? Keep everything cleansed-utensils, plates, teeth, hands, feet. Use sufficient water. There will be no (indistinct). Dirty things should be removed, and cleansed inside and outside. Inside cleansed: simply Kṛṣṇa consciousness, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa. That is inside clean.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Talk with Bob Cohen -- February 27-29, 1972, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is not possible by any human being. Because any human being, his senses are imperfect. So how he can teach perfect knowledge? Just like you see the sun like a disc. You have no means to approach the sun. If you say, "We can see the sun by telescope and this and that," that is also made by you. And you are imperfect, your instrument is imperfect. Because that telescope you can say that you are seeing, but that machine is made by you, and you are imperfect. How your machine can be perfect? Therefore your knowledge of the sun is imperfect. So you don't teach about sun unless you have got perfect. That is cheating.

Talk with Bob Cohen -- February 27-29, 1972, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: No, that is my mission, that people should understand the science of God. Because I am convinced that it's a fact. That without again cooperating with the Supreme Lord, our life is baffled. I give this example many times. Just like a screw from the machine fallen down, it has no value. The same screw, when it is again attached with the machine, it has value. Similarly, we are part and parcel of God. Without God, as part and parcel small screw, what is the value? No value. We should again come back to the position of becoming a screw. That is our mission.

Talk with Bob Cohen -- February 27-29, 1972, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: That's fact. Just like if you are an animal of this land and if you are thrown into the water, you cannot be happy in the water in any condition. When you're again taken up to the land, then you'll be happy. Similarly, we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. We cannot be happy without being part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Now we are thrown. The same example. The machine part and parcel without the machine has no value. But when it is put again into the machine it has value. Similarly, we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa; we must join Kṛṣṇa. So you can join immediately with Kṛṣṇa by your consciousness. Simply thinking that "I am Kṛṣṇa's, Kṛṣṇa's mine." That's all.

Room Conversation -- April 2, 1972, Sydney:

Prabhupāda: The process is there. Just like modern scientific method has minimized space and time. For coming to Australia, fifty years ago it would have taken six months. Now we come six hours. The process coming is there. By scientific method, the space and time has been shortened. Similarly, in manufacturing this flower, the process is there; but the system of Kṛṣṇa's energy is so perfect, it has shortened. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva ... svābhāvikī jñāna-bala-kriyā ca. Just like... What is that machine, IBM?

Śyāmasundara: Computer.

Prabhupāda: Computer. That is mechanical, the calculation. The calculating process is there; but by nice machine, it is shortened. That process is Kṛṣṇa's energy. He is so expert that it is just like computers—immediately comes. Not that the process is not there. Process is there.

Room Conversation -- May 4, 1972, Mexico:

Prabhupāda: You are trying to take xerox copy from that brain. Just like big, big aeroplanes are flying, but their, the shape is made after the bird. The original shape bird is created by God. He has got the same type of machine even within an insect, small insect flying. You can create a small aeroplane like that. That is not possible. Then what is your credit? Here is God's credit, a small fly, near water. You create it. You see? You can create a big, but you cannot a small. Therefore you are incapable. But God can create the biggest and the smallest. Aṇor aṇīyān mahato mahīyān. He can create the greater than the greatest and the smaller than the smallest.

Room Conversation -- May 4, 1972, Mexico:

Prabhupāda: The cause of all causes. Therefore our science is perfect. We have found out the cause of all causes. But the material scientists, they simply can look to the process, how it is working. Just like a child sees the machine, how it is working, but he cannot know who has produced that machine. Therefore we see the child scientist. (laughter) Not better scientist.

Interview with the New York Times -- September 2, 1972, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: I shall give you all protection." That is God's declaration. Why don't you take to that? God is all powerful, and He may create so many things for some purpose, but why don't you follow God's instructions? God says, "Surrender unto Me," so why not surrender? Why surrender to māyā? That is the individual's choice. Another example: the government does not want the youth to become hippies, but they are abandoning a wealthy life just to lie down in the street. In London I've seen many boys lying on the street. Why? We Indians may lie on the street because we are poor, but they are not poor, nor the Americans. Why has some of the younger generation accepted this way of life? You have enough food, enough house, enough money, facilities, machines—everything. Why are they accepting this kind of life?

Morning Walk Conversation -- September 28, 1972, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: There is differentiation. That's a fact. Differentiation, that is visible because (indistinct) more nicely than me, you must have more brain. But the brain is not acting independently. That they do not know. They take brain, they are going to study—that is another foolishness, another rascaldom. Still they are passing on as scientists. Just like ordinary machine and a complicated machine. The machine has to be worked by somebody. Not that because it is highly developed valuable machine it works automatically. This simple thing these rascals they do not understand. You may have got a very big nice machine, I may not have. But either good machine or bad machine, it must be worked by you or by me. Where is that me and you? And they are trying to understand the machine itself only. Such rascaldom.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: That's why they...

Prabhupāda: They are keeping the machine. What you will study the machine? Machine, according to his karma, that particular person this machine is given by God. Just like if you pay good price, you get a good machine. Similarly, bhrāmayan sarva-bhūtāni yantrārūḍhāni māyayā (BG 18.61). So God is supplying him the machine and the circumstances to work. They do not find out the man who is working on the machine; they are studying the machine. Such a foolish attempt.

Morning Walk Conversation -- September 28, 1972, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Just like in our childhood we were thinking a gramophone machine, how it can speak without a man? There must be a man within.

Morning Walk Conversation -- September 28, 1972, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: They cannot go because according to Vedic description, moon is a planet for demigods. So they have got better brain. So they saw that "These rascals are coming here. All right, let them go to desert side." They have got their machine also. If they have got better brain, they can divert you. Why not think in that way? Their theory is that all other planets there is no life. Only this planet is favored by God, there is life. We say even in the sun planet there is life. (break) (indistinct) Here is your transport(?). We are trying to send back to home, back to Godhead. This is real transport.

Morning Walks -- October 1-3, 1972, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Ah, the conditions. So first of all you come out of the conditioned life. Just like we are trying to go to other planets with so many machines, so many mechanical arrangements. But if you have got spiritual body, you can go anywhere. Anywhere you can go. As Nārada Muni is going, traveling, any planet he likes he is going. That freedom is there, but that is in spiritual body. So you come to the spiritual body first, then you get all freedom. Whatever you like, you can do. Whatever you desire, you can get.