Vijaya Nṛsiṁha Garh temple. This is near modern Visakhapatnam shipyard. There is a very great Indian shipyard, Visakhapatnam. Formerly it was not Visakhapatnam. So near that, five miles away from that station there is that nice temple on the hill. So I think that the temple scenery may be there and Caitanya Mahāprabhu's visiting that temple. And after that temple He came to the bank of river Godavari. Just like the river Ganges is very sacred river, similarly there are others, four other rivers. Yamuna, Godavari, Kṛṣṇa, Narmada, Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Narmada, and Kṛṣṇa. These five rivers are considered very sacred. So He came to the bank of Godavari and He took His bath and was sitting in a nice place underneath a tree and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa. In the meantime He saw that a great procession was coming, and that should be the scenario of this... In that procession... Formerly the kings and governors, they used to take bath in the Ganges with their paraphernalia, band party and many brāhmaṇas and all kinds of charitable things. In this way they used to come to take bath. So Lord Caitanya saw that somebody is coming in that great procession, and He was told about Rāmānanda Rāya, the governor of Madras province. Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya requested Him that "You are going to South India. You must meet Rāmānanda Rāya. He's a great devotee." So when He was sitting on the bank of the Kaveri and Rāmānanda Rāya was coming in procession, He understood that he is Rāmānanda Rāya. But because He was sannyāsī, He did not address him. But Rāmānanda Rāya, he was a great devotee, and saw a nice sannyāsī, young sannyāsī was sitting and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Generally, the sannyāsīs they do not chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. They, "Oṁ, oṁ..." Simply sound oṁ. Not Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Madras (Conversations)
Conversations and Morning Walks
1967 Conversations and Morning Walks
Vijaya Nṛsiṁha Garh temple. This is near modern Visakhapatnam shipyard. There is a very great Indian shipyard, Visakhapatnam. Formerly it was not Visakhapatnam. So near that, five miles away from that station there is that nice temple on the hill. So I think that the temple scenery may be there and Caitanya Mahāprabhu's visiting that temple. And after that temple He came to the bank of river Godavari. Just like the river Ganges is very sacred river, similarly there are others, four other rivers. Yamuna, Godavari, Kṛṣṇa, Narmada, Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Narmada, and Kṛṣṇa. These five rivers are considered very sacred. So He came to the bank of Godavari and He took His bath and was sitting in a nice place underneath a tree and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa. In the meantime He saw that a great procession was coming, and that should be the scenario of this... In that procession... Formerly the kings and governors, they used to take bath in the Ganges with their paraphernalia, band party and many brāhmaṇas and all kinds of charitable things. In this way they used to come to take bath. So Lord Caitanya saw that somebody is coming in that great procession, and He was told about Rāmānanda Rāya, the governor of Madras province. Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya requested Him that "You are going to South India. You must meet Rāmānanda Rāya. He's a great devotee." So when He was sitting on the bank of the Kaveri and Rāmānanda Rāya was coming in procession, He understood that he is Rāmānanda Rāya. But because He was sannyāsī, He did not address him. But Rāmānanda Rāya, he was a great devotee, and saw a nice sannyāsī, young sannyāsī was sitting and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Generally, the sannyāsīs they do not chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. They, "Oṁ, oṁ..." Simply sound oṁ. Not Hare Kṛṣṇa.
1971 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: So you have been in Māyāpur, Lord Caitanya's birthsite?
Prof. Kotovsky: No, Māyāpur... It's also called Māyāpuram.
Prabhupāda: Māyāpuram, it is... That is in Madras side.
Prof. Kotovsky: Yes, yes.
Prabhupāda: Mylapuram.
Prof. Kotovsky: There's a Mylapuram, yes.
Prabhupāda: Mylapuram. That is Madras city.
Prof. Kotovsky: Yes, yes, yes.
1972 Conversations and Morning Walks
Bob: If you... When one studies science, one finds general tendencies of nature, and these general tendencies of nature point to a controlling force.
Prabhupāda: That I was explaining the other day. Where? In Madras, or where? "Who has supplied these chemicals?"
Śyāmasundara: Ah, in Madras.
Prabhupāda: I asked one chemist that according to chemical formula, hydrogen and oxygen mixed, it becomes water. Is it not?
Bob: That's true.
Prabhupāda: Now, this vast water in the Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean, how much chemicals were required?
Bob: How much?
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Bob: Oh, I don't know.
Prabhupāda: How many tons?
Bob: Many.
Prabhupāda: So who supplied it?
Bob: This was supplied by God.
Prabhupāda: Somebody must have supplied.
Bob: Yes.
Prabhupāda: So that is... You can teach like that.
Prabhupāda: Vicious civilization. Simply increasing, increasing, increasing. And the government taking tax; therefore, he has to prepare roads. So in your country, the more the motorcar increasing, the more flying over, more bridges...
Śyāmasundara: More problems.
Prabhupāda: More problems. Just like in Madras we saw, they are also imitating.
Śyāmasundara: Little tiny... (laughs)
Prabhupāda: Little ti... (chuckles)
Devotee (1): A little tiny flyover.
Prabhupāda: Yes, they are advancing.
Śyāmasundara: Only two lanes.
Prabhupāda: And doing it for unlimited years. When they will be finished, there is no guarantee. Here in your country they do, they have contract, "Yes, within six months." But there is no guarantee. But that show is going on, that "We are doing something." Because it's imitation. There was no need, but they want to make advanced like the Americans.
Prabhupāda: So that anyone questions, you can answer. That is required, preaching. Just like this girl, "Why you are recommending your Bhagavad-gītā?" Answer must be there: "Because this is. "They are all rascals. They are not speaking Bhagavad-gītā as it is.
Śyāmasundara: She understood it also.
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. You have no right. Suppose I have written one book. So I have got some intention. So why should you interpret my intention with your intention? What right you have got? You have no right. If you want to speak something of yours, then you write another book. Why you are taking advantage of my book and misleading others? I want to speak to the public something, I have expressed my opinion in that way. But because it is popular, you are taking advantage of my book and expressing your views. How much cheating, how much cheater you are! Therefore he is suffering, Dr. Radhakrishnan. He has lost his brain. We went to see him, Dr. Radhakrishnan, when I was in Madras.
Devotee: Supposing you want to go to Bombay. You can fly to Bombay and someone can drive the car there. And then when you're in Bombay, you can drive it in Bombay.
Prabhupāda: No, you can go from Calcutta to Agra, nice road. And from Agra to Bombay.
Devotee: How many days? Two days?
Prabhupāda: No, no. One day, two days, yes. Even if it runs fifty mile per hour, so from morning, early morning to noon, say six hours if we run, it's three hundred miles in the morning and three hundred miles in the evening, and stay at night. And then the next day three hundred miles, three hundred..., six hundred miles. Twelve hundred miles anywhere you go from Calcutta to Bombay, Calcutta to Madras, Calcutta to Delhi, within twelve hundred miles. Within two days from anywhere to anywhere you can go. India's length and breadth is not so wide as in your country. You have got... That is also not good roads, in your... But in Calcutta, to Calcutta-Bombay, Madras, Delhi, there are good roads.
Devotee: Yeah.
Prabhupāda: Good roads. So we can go by road.
Devotee: So we can begin campaigning right away, collecting funds for the vehicle.
Prabhupāda: And you are a good driver. (laughter) Eighty miles. You once at eighty miles, his father's car. His father gave a very nice car for my driving. His father, mother, sister met me in Portland. Very nice gentleman, mother nice, sister very beautiful.
Prabhupāda: (Hindi) Don't be sorry. Indians, generally they say, "Oh, we know everything about Kṛṣṇa. What we have to learn?" Yes. When they go to some Indian, they say like that. What do they say?
Śyāmasundara: "We know all these things."
Guest (2): I don't say I know everything.
Prabhupāda: Yes. What is that Madrasi gentleman?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Chiwari? Dr. Chiwari?
Prabhupāda: Yes. In your...
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Oh, Krishnamurti.
Prabhupāda: Ah. They think, "Oh, what we have to learn from them about Kṛṣṇa? We are all-knowing." (Hindi) And you were speaking, some of your Madras colleagues. They come here and immediately they learn how to eat meat. (Hindi)
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Before they came they were not eating meat, but when they come here they normally, they buy it, they cook it, and they not only just... They buy, themselves, and they do everything.
Prabhupāda: London... (Hindi) Practically cent percent Indians, they eat meat.
Devotee (3): India will become Communist also?
Prabhupāda: It has already begun. India will become Communist. What do you think?
Indian man: It's difficult to predict. I don't think so soon.
Gurudāsa: One life member very dramatically the other day said it is not around the corner...
Prabhupāda: Especially in Bengal they have become Communist.
Gurudāsa: She says we are amidst it.
Prabhupāda: Madras they have become Communist.
Gurudāsa: She says we are amidst Communism.
Prabhupāda: Huh?
Gurudāsa: She said it is not around the corner, we are amidst it now. So it's very obvious.
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Just like Dr. Radhakrishnan. He has explained this verse... When Kṛṣṇa says man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ, he comments, "It is not to the person Kṛṣṇa." Just see. Kṛṣṇa says man-manā, "Always think of Me." And he, out of his so-called nonsense scholarship, he says, "It is not to Kṛṣṇa." (Hindi)
Guest (1) Indian man: He's impersonalist. I read that Bhagavad-gītā in school.
Prabhupāda: He's a nonsense. He's a nonsense. Now he's suffering. I saw him last year in Madras. He has lost his brain. He's suffering now. You cannot ask him whether he's hungry or whether he wants some... Only his daughter is attending and here he cannot understand who is standing before him. He cannot speak. Like that. (Hindi) He has committed so much offenses under the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. (Hindi for some minutes) ...very meritorious. I think you cannot understand Hindi.
Guest (1): Puffed rice, what is it called?
Prabhupāda: In Bombay it is called kumula.
Guest (1): Kumula.
Prabhupāda: You are in a different world.
Guest (1): Yes. Is it Bengali food though? In Bombay also?
Prabhupāda: Yes. This puffed rice is used all provinces, all provinces, especially in Bombay and Bengal. I think everywhere, in Madras, U.P. In U.P. it is called bajiya, chaval chana bajiya.
Guest (1): Channa we have.
Prabhupāda: No. Channa. That is called chaval. Puffed rice means chaval. From grains we have got varieties of foods. Grains, fruits, vegetables, milk, sugar, you can make at least four hundred, five hundred varieties.
Guest (1): From rice.
Prabhupāda: No. From grains.
Guest (1): From grains.
Prabhupāda: In the Marwari community is, that is called... channa, channa. Channa and ghee, they can make varieties of preparations. Channa powder, chick pea flour, besan, besan. You know besan? Yes. From besan they make so many varieties. Besan, ghee and sugar.
So this is the only remedy, Hare Kṛṣṇa. Therefore you'll find all our students, they have got these beads. We have got these beads. Either we shall chant Hare Kṛṣṇa or we shall talk of Kṛṣṇa. That is also chanting. When you talk of Kṛṣṇa, that is also chanting. Kīrtana, kīrtana means kīrtayati, talking, speaking. Just like Parīkṣit Mahārāja. Parīkṣit Mahārāja: śrī-viṣṇoḥ śravaṇe parīkṣit. The item is śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23). About Viṣṇu, to hear and chant. So simply by hearing about Viṣṇu, Parīkṣit Mahārāja became liberated. Śrī-viṣṇoḥ śravaṇe parīkṣid abhavad vaiyāsakiḥ kīrtane. Vaiyāsaki, the son of Vyāsadeva, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, he became perfect kīrtane, by kīrtana. But he... He was... He did not chanted Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, but he recited Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So that is also kīrtana. Talking of Kṛṣṇa, that is also kīrtana. Kīrtana does not always mean that you have to chan... You have to engage yourself always in glorifying the Lord. Just like Mahārāja Ambarīṣa. He was a busy emperor of the world, but he engaged himself... Sa vai puṁsām... kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ. Sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ (SB 9.4.18). He fixed up his mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. This is first. If you fix up your mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, then: sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayor vacāṁsi vaikuṇṭha-guṇānuvarṇane and he was talking only describing and glorifying Vaikuṇṭha. God's another name is Vaikuṇṭha. In Madras they say Veṅkateśvara. Vaikuṇṭha. Kuṇṭha means anxiety. So God has no anxiety, and God's devotees have no anxiety. Therefore they are vaikuṇṭha.
Prabhupāda: They're also thinking that "We are not sumptuously fed," or something. Some demands is there. Some demand. And they are lying down, Amsterdam and here, on the street. And why? But they are coming of rich families, rich nation. Especially America. In London also, I have seen. Regent Park. They're lying down. Police is kicking. Police is kicking: "Get up, get up!" Why? Behind them the British Empire is, British government is there. Why he's lying down there? Who has told him to...? Government is requesting, "If you have no home, come on. I shall give you home." In Bombay also, these, what is called? The huts?
Haṁsadūta: Huts?
Prabhupāda: Eh?
Haṁsadūta: Those tent huts?
Prabhupāda: They are on the... You have seen in Bombay?
Ambassador: Yes.
Prabhupāda: We passed, when we passed while coming from aerodrome to city...
Ambassador: From...
Prabhupāda: So many thatched cottages, small. So Bombay government has given them home, that "You come here, live." But what do they...? they rent to some, another man, and they live in the... In Madras also, I have seen.
Ambassador: I know. That's true.
Prabhupāda: Yes. They don't like. They don't like. They want to...
Ambassador: They roam, yes. It's what the gypsies did, you know.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. In India, they're now being educated to eat meat. (Ambassador laughs) Otherwise, Indians, at least, Hindus...
Ambassador: It is true. That's true.
Prabhupāda: Eh? They are being educated.
Ambassador: (laughing) I belong to vegetarian family. I eat meat now.
Prabhupāda: Yes. No, in Madras, I have seen...
Ambassador: Most of them...
Prabhupāda: Mostly they are vegetarian, strictly vegetarian. Actually, in Southern India, they maintain the Hindu culture. You'll find big high-court judges, they have got tilaka.
Ambassador: That's true.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Strictly in Rāmānuja sampradāya, or Śaiva sampradāya they have got... Strictly taking bath and tilaka. In New Delhi, you'll find so many Madrasi gentlemen, big, big, high officers, they're strictly following Hindu principles.
Ambassador: You'll be surpri...
Prabhupāda: And still, if I am correct, in Madras, they, there, there is not many Mohammedans. The Mohammedan culture could not enter...
Ambassador: That's very true.
Prabhupāda: ...into Madras, Southern India. And you'll find also in our Caitanya Caritāmṛta... Now I am translating. When Caitanya Mahāprabhu went to Southern India, practically whole Southern India became Vaiṣṇava by His preaching.
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Best thing is that "Why your president, he did not write a single Hindi book? He has got so many. He is a famous philosopher. Indian religion, Indian philosophy, and Bhagavad-gītā. Then... He has written so many books but not a single in Hindi."
Indian man (1): Dr. Radhakrishnan belongs to South India.
Prabhupāda: Yes, he is from Madras.
Indian man (1): Yes, he doesn't know.
Prabhupāda: No, he does not know. Sometimes, before my taking sannyāsa, sometimes I used to see him. So once upon a time he asked me, "Swamiji, you are simply writing in English?" So I asked him, "What you are doing?" So he began to laugh. (end)
Puṣṭa-kṛṣṇa: Sophist is half-wise and half-foolish.
Prabhupāda: Yes. He thinks that "I am as good philosopher as Kṛṣṇa. Why shall I surrender to Kṛṣṇa? I have got my own opinion." He thinks like that. And that rascal is writing commentary on Bhagavad-gītā. And it is selling also. Therefore we presented Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, not a rascal ism.
Yogeśvara: People buy his book because he is the former president of India. They think he's authority.
Prabhupāda: That's all. He does not know that he is a fool number one, fully under the con... Now his position. I saw him in Madras.
Puṣṭa-kṛṣṇa: Paralyzed, paralyzed.
Prabhupāda: Whatever it may be, you cannot recognize. And he gives his opinion. Just see. Nobody thinks that "If I am not controlled, I do not wish to die, why there is death? I do not wish to become old. Why there is old age?" A common sense. "I do not wish to be diseased. Why there is disease? And still, I am thinking that I am not controlled." That means no brain even, common sense. Piśācī pāile yena mati-cchanna haya. Just like ghostly haunted, madman. He stands on the st..., "I am the king." He stands on the street. It is like that. He does not know, "At any moment I will be knocked by any car and I shall die." But he thinks like, "I am the king." Madman. They are all madmen.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: So you are staying here now?
Guest (2): I'd like to take...
Prabhupāda: Yes, stay. Make arrangement that he can stay. That's all.
Haṁsadūta: You can stay. You can stay with us and...
Prabhupāda: As other devotees are staying, you can stay.
Guest (2): But, er...
Prabhupāda: Eh?
Guest (2): Akṣayānanda (?) Swami told me to come to Madras.
Prabhupāda: So go to Madras. Whatever you like. That's all.
Jayatīrtha: This is a special area, Jagadīśa? There are so many churches. All over America there are very expensive churches. In India you do not see so many temples. I was surprised when I went there first. Because you do not see very many big, gorgeous, temples. But here everywhere there are big gorgeous churches.
Prabhupāda: Oh, no, India, in South India...
Brahmānanda: South India is full.
Jayatīrtha: Oh, South India. North India not.
Prabhupāda: Yes. You have not seen Jagannātha temple?
Jayatīrtha: No.
Prabhupāda: Beginning from Madras, very big, big temples. In Vṛndāvana also, that Raṅganātha temple?
Jayatīrtha: Yes. There are some nice temples in the north.
Prabhupāda: In south, many. (sings:) Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Prabhu... These are all university house or private?
Jagadīśa: Some university and some private. After here, these are private homes.
Prabhupāda: All very nice house.
Dr. Patel: Nayars are non-Aryans. Then the... All Nayars are black, charcoal black, because they are not Aryans. Aryans have the white, light skin.
Prabhupāda: Even in Madras there are many brāhmaṇas, black.
Dr. Patel: Brāhmaṇas, they are Ayars. They are quite... Even though they have settled in Madras for generations together, they are still having the color of... (Hindi)
Prabhupāda: No, no. Āryas, they are not Vaiṣṇava, then.
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: What they are? They are police? No. Mounted police?
Acyutānanda: Yes, mounted police.
Prabhupāda: A mounted police here?
Acyutānanda: Saber. Sword.
Devotee: Oh, it's a stick.
Acyutānanda: Oh, yes, lāṭhī, made like a stick. Yes.
Prabhupāda: (break) Why they are guarding here?
Acyutānanda: I think for the horses.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They're exercising the horse.
Acyutānanda: (break) ...house in Bengali. Is this where Swami Vivekananda...
Prabhupāda: Yes. After coming back from foreign countries, he made his position here in Madras.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Beautiful building.
Acyutānanda: In Calcutta we have a life member, Veni Śaṅkara Sharma? You stayed at his house?
Prabhupāda: Hm, yes.
Acyutānanda: So he wrote a book called An Unknown Chapter of the Life of Swami Vivekananda. And in there he openly says that he smoked a hookah and ate meat.
Prabhupāda: Yes, that is known to everyone.
Prabhupāda: Ghosh wanted to give us land that side for making a path to the Ganges.
Jayapatākā: Sell us.
Prabhupāda: Ah, yes. So we have got a plan beginning from this gate up to the Ganges. If we get land we can do that. (break) Foundation stone in Nellore can be transferred to Madras?
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, that's what I'm going to do.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Madras is far better place than Nellore. (break) ...if we take charity from such fallen woman, then we have to share his sinful activity. Yes.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: So we should be careful from whom we accept charity?
Prabhupāda: Yes. But our Kṛṣṇa can eat even fire. If there is forest fire, Kṛṣṇa can eat. Unless He is able to eat others' sinful reaction, how He says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi (BG 18.66)? He is capable; otherwise how He can say like that?
Śāstrījī: Sva-rakṣita rakṣati yo hi garbhe.(?)
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Śāstrījī: (Sanskrit)
Prabhupāda: Yes. (break) Ask the grill men to come and prepare grills for all the windows.
Prabhupāda: Śraddhā, this faith, means so strong faith that one will know it perfectly well that simply by worshiping Kṛṣṇa, everything is there. That is the beginning of faith. Otherwise there is no faith. And without faith there is no beginning. Ādau śraddhā. Ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgaḥ (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15). If you have got that firm faith, then next stage is to live with, to deal with devotees. Then the faith will increase because by seeing their behavior your faith will be increased. Then bhajana kriya. Wherefrom this shenai was...?
Sudāmā: Vaikuṇṭhanātha temple.
Prabhupāda: Eh?
Sudama: Originally he came from the Vaikuṇṭhanātha temple, Calcutta.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He's staying up in that...
Bhāvānanda: They're in the front.
Prabhupāda: They are expert in Madras.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, when we went to Nellore, remember they were greeting you each time with shenai.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Very good.
Pañcadravida: Very expert in South India.
Prabhupāda: You can engage a company, three, four men, for all the year.
Jayapatāka: So they should.... Before maṅgala ārati they should begin playing.
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Yes, in Madras.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What is the idea behind this shenai-playing early in the morning?
Prabhupāda: It is very pleasing to hear.
Jayatīrtha: Jaya.
Yaśodānandana: Many temples also in South India, they have all the functions in the morning-waking up the Deity, bathing the Deity, dressing the Deity, they have different shenai tunes for that. Every temple.
Harikeśa: There seems to be such an amazing repertoire of stories and analogies in the Bengali language, isn't there? So many.
Prabhupāda: In Bengal the, just like here, so many, black mixed up with white. In Bengal and Madras, so many Dravidian have been mixed up with the Āryan. Therefore in Bengal and Madras you'll find many black.
Hari-śauri: Dravidian?
Prabhupāda: Dravidian culture. Dravida. They are non-Āryans. Just like these Africans, they are not Āryans. Now they are mixing up with Europeans and Americans. In India, it was, one from the higher section, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, they will be fair complexion. Śūdras, black. So if a brāhmaṇa becomes black, then he's not accepted as brāhmaṇa. Kāla bahu (?). And if a śūdra becomes fair, then he's to be know that he's not pure śūdra. Although we do not take very, but, this brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, by birth, but still, we have seen, those who are coming purely from high caste family, their behavior and śūdras behavior is different. The family culture. And the spiritual culture lost, still, the family culture keeps them separate.
Prabhupāda: Rascal, working, it is already being done, so what is your credit? We are working. You may work also, but what is your credit? Suppose if you become successful. What is your credit? It is already being done by the chicken. Why should you take the laureate title, Dr. such-and-such. Give it to the chicken. What they can do? Can they produce a seed of this, just like one seed produce so many things? Bījāhaṁ sarva-bhūtānām. Where is your credit? (break) Mines, as soon as it is national, nobody will take. In 1950, twenty-five years, twenty-six years ago, I was in Madras, Gauḍīya Maṭha, and there is a bus stop in front of the temple. So every bus was making some sound, huuuuuung, but when nothing was properly oiled. Machine is going to hell when it is managed by the government. As soon as there is government management, nobody wants. So long there is proprietorship, the proprietor takes care that "My machine will go bad if I don't take care." But who cares for that? That showing that so much oil purchased, who is going to check it? People have become dishonest. On account of godlessness, everyone is dishonest. He's dishonest to himself even. Doesn't take care of the body properly. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇāḥ. Therefore you cannot expect good qualities of the human society without injecting God consciousness. (break) ...in the mass of people amongst themselves.
Prabhupāda: But why the Indians, they are not like the Americans? You find in India still millions of people will go to the Kumbhamelā with torn cloth. They are not like Americans, riches. Why they take? Indian is well-known poverty-stricken. So why almost ninety-nine percent people, they are after Kṛṣṇa consciousness naturally? Still they'll go, when there is Kumbhamelā, so many saintly persons are coming. They will come by lakhs. Have you seen it? You have seen Kumbhamelā? You have seen? That is the proof. Not only Kumbhamelā. In Vṛndāvana, just like in our temple, recently it was jam-packed. Why they are coming to Vṛndāvana? Mostly they are coming from villages. Especially during this time at least twenty thousand, fifty thousand men are coming, daily. Still. We held Hare Kṛṣṇa festivals in Calcutta, Bombay, Madras. As soon as it is advertised, you'll find fifteen thousand, twenty thousand men come. And if you hold for weeks, for weeks they will come. You have seen? They are not like Americans, rich. They are all poverty-stricken. To the general eyes they are poverty-stricken. Kumbhamelā you'll see, Hardwar, in Vṛndāvana. Or even in big, big cities like Calcutta, Bombay, such festivals are held, people will come by thousands. It is training, culture. And this boy is taking three times bath, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. It is training and culture. And if he is kept in this culture, in future he'll be great saintly person. Then he'll do everything automatically. He will deliver others. It is training.
Prabhupāda: I am not interested in any particular country. This is meant for the whole human society. As you think "India" or "America," we do not think like that. We take the opportunity wherever it is possible to introduce more and more we take that opportunity.
Interviewer (5): What is the response in India?
Prabhupāda: Indian response we have seen when we held meeting in Calcutta, Bombay, Madras, thousands and thousands of people come here to hear about Bhagavad-gītā. Inherently they are inclined, but there is no systematic education. That is the defect. Now the Janmāṣṭamī day is coming I think every Indian will observe Kṛṣṇa Janmāṣṭamī, without any fail. But they are not being educated systematically about Kṛṣṇa. They know Kṛṣṇa, they are inclined to Kṛṣṇa, the education of Kṛṣṇa is there, but nobody is interested to give them properly, systematically. That is the difficulty.
Prabhupāda: There is ample place now where can live.
Jagadīśa: But I mean to bring more boys we should wait until the construction...
Prabhupāda: Why? Let them come. It is already there. It is not that the guesthouse is all filled up. Let them come.
Jagadīśa: As many as possible?
Prabhupāda: Why not?
Jagadīśa: Okay.
Prabhupāda: Let them come. And arrangement should be made when it is... If Vṛndāvana is too hot, at that time we can send them to Mahabalesvara, or if we get that Madras place, that is very cooling, Nilgiri hills. That will be good recreation for them. They should be kept quite comfortably and built up, their character, education. That is wanted. There is need of some good first-class men, ideal men. The world is full of rogues and thieves and bad character.
Indian man: Oh, Kodekana. That is very famous place.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Is it zigzag or is it straight?
Indian man: No, zigzag. In the mountain side.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: No that is not good.
Prabhupāda: OK, then it is...
Indian man: Kodekana is outside (indistinct).
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I mean, is there a train station or airplane, airport?
Indian man: Railway may be going, but even that will be zigzag.
Prabhupāda: Simla, er, Darjeeling is not so zigzag but big, big loops (?).
Indian man: Loops are big. Roads are very difficult. Kodekana there is no train. In Ootacamund there is a train.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Kodekana there is no train at all?
Prabhupāda: No, there is train from Madras.
Indian man: Kodekana you'll have to change and then go by motor car.
Prabhupāda: Oh.
Indian man: That inquire.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I can inquire.
Indian man: When you come in Ootacamund there is a direct train.
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Gurudāsa: Someone invited me last year to Hardwar for the Kumbha, and I said, "Why should I go to the door when I live in the house?" I was in Vṛndāvana.
Prabhupāda: We are not interested with the door. You are doormen, dvar-men. We are inmates. That Vidyāpati has sung, kata catur anana, mari mari yāvata. Catur anana means Brahma. They also die. And kata means "how many." (pause) So what is the amount of the bank that he transferred?
Devotee (1): Twenty-five thousand rupees.
Prabhupāda: But I heard, it was thirty-five?
Devotee (1): There was originally three fixed deposits. One of them was broken six months ago. We used it, BBT. So there was two remaining left for twenty-five. Originally there was thirty-six, and then one was broken. That's already been accounted for.
Prabhupāda: And our Madras center is now closed?
Devotee (1): Yes. There's no center there now. Mahamsa Swami, he's sending two men there regularly to help set...
Prabhupāda: Collect.
Devotee (1): ... members..., collect.
Prabhupāda: Kata catur anana, mari mari yāvata, nā tuyā ari avasana. You have seen Russian publication? Easy Journey to Other Planets. They have printed.
Gurudāsa: They're going to distribute it on that train that goes into Russia. By the way, Śrīgarbha came to me and said, "I'm sorry for all your difficulty. I wanted to preach in Poland again." That boy? So he's going to deposit his wife and go to Poland.
Prabhupāda: Deposit where?
Gurudāsa: He wants to do it in Florida.
Prabhupāda: Yes, Florida is nice place.
Gurudāsa: Because he feels she's protected there. I said, "You'll feel that she is protected there, and then you'll have a free mind to preach?" And he said, "Yes, rather than in Europe." So I said, "All right." In your letter you wrote, "Let it go for now." Again you saw the future. "Let it go for now." Then he came.
Indian Astronomer: Great estimation, all your books. Even Christ is not able to do some things. But all our ācāryas incarnated in your body and your thinking. I know guru-ācārya... I made a contact with your ācārya of Gauḍīya Maṭha. I have made contact with him in Madras. Twice I met him.
Prabhupāda: He is now dead.
Indian Astronomer: No, that I know. I know.
Prabhupāda: He is my Godbrother.
Indian Astronomer: Ah.
Prabhupāda: So you live in Madras?
Indian Astronomer: No, not in Madras. Mogun. Near the Madras also, by one of the yajñas there. But my agni-hotra place is at Kumbha-grama(?). We are following agni-hotra tradition for more than ten generations. I myself performed so many yajñas. And now I am performing yajñas also, day and night or morning and evening.
Governor: Once, three men that come here, back in Madras. So I arranged with our government libraries to have all your books in our libraries there.
Prabhupāda: Thank you. Gītā should be accepted as it is. It should not be interpreted. Then there will be no benefit. And that has become... (Hindi) Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). That is Gītā. It is not meant for the loafer class. It is meant for the rājarṣis. Rājarṣayo viduḥ.
- imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ
- proktavān aham avyayam
- vivasvān manave prāha
- manur ikṣvākave 'bravīt
- (BG 4.1)
- evaṁ paramparā-prāptam
- imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ
- (BG 4.2)
So unless the high government officials, rājarṣis, they understand properly Bhagavad-gītā, we cannot derive any benefit from Gītā. It is not a question of interpretation.
Governor: We will do something there much better, because everything is under our control.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Governor: So I would request you to come to Madras, and we'll arrange some of your lectures also.
Prabhupāda: (to Tamāla Kṛṣṇa) If possible, take me there. Madras is not far away. It takes about two hours from Delhi.
Governor: From Delhi only one and a half hour. I came only yesterday morning. We left the plane by... Now with jet line only takes one and half hours. Otherwise takes two hours. Boeing flight. Daily.
Prabhupāda: Think over. His Excellency is inviting. It is a good opportunity.
| Page Title: | Madras (Conversations) |
| Compiler: | Jahnu |
| Created: | 25 of Dec, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=32, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 32 |