Other things, there is no need of trying. Actually, I have seen that in India... Everywhere the same case. A person without any education, even without any, practically illiterate... I have seen so many merchants, he cannot sign even his name. In Calcutta I've seen practically a Marwari, merchant. He, he cannot... He has deposited money in the bank. Simply he can sign his own name with great difficulty. So he's canvassing, "Will you kindly write here..." That means the check to be paid to the gentleman, he cannot write. He's asking somebody's help, "You write the name of the person whom I can pay." And he'll simply sign. If he writes something wrong, he'll have to accept. If he writes his own name... (laughter) So that man is earning millions of dollars. You see? And I have seen also very educated medical man, England-returned, M.R.C.P I am speaking from my practical experience.
Marwaris
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Madhya-lila
When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu entered the city of Mathurā, He took His bath at Viśrāma-ghāṭa. He then visited the birthplace of Kṛṣṇa and saw the Deity named Keśavajī. He offered His respectful obeisances to this Deity.
At the present moment, the temple of Keśavajī is very much improved. At one time, Keśavajī-mandira was attacked by the emperor Aurangzeb, who constructed such a big mosque there that the temple of Keśavajī was insignificant in comparison. But with the help of many rich Marwaris, the temple has been improved, and a very large temple is now being constructed so that the mosque is now appearing diminished in comparison. Many archeological discoveries have been made there, and many people from foreign countries are beginning to appreciate Kṛṣṇa's birthplace. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is attracting many foreigners to the Keśavajī temple, and now they will also be attracted by the Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma temple in Vṛndāvana.
Lectures
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
He can see, learn from his father how the field is to be cultivated with a plow. He doesn't require. He can see. And fifty years ago we have seen that those who were in the lower status of life, they never sent their children to school. I have seen it. Never sent. "Oh, what is the use of wasting time? Better admit him in some working shop or in some business." The Marwaris still do that: "Please keep my son in your firm." And small children, by seeing Just like our children, they are seeing this Deity worship, this kīrtana—they will learn. Similarly, those who have to work to earn their livelihood, mechanical or some, they can go to What is the use of wasting time to the..., going to the university?
Hema-kāraḥ means goldsmith, not goldsmith. Goldsmith is manufacturer of gold ornaments. Hema-kāraḥ means gold expert, you can say. He can find out in the soil where there is gold mine. Still there are. I know when I was managing Dr. Bose's laboratory, one chemist, Chandra Bhusan Vadery (?), he was a well known chemist in Calcutta. So, one Marwari gentleman was after him. He said that "I know how to find out gold mine." So, the Marwari gentleman spent after him lakhs of rupees and he said that "Here there is gold," but unfortunately gold was not found. (chuckles) And the gentleman lost so much money. So, but there are experts otherwise how gold mines are found out? There are experts.
Nobody wants to become old. If you ask any old man, "What is your age?" he'll decrease it. He'll say... He is eighty years old, he'll say, "I am sixty years" or "sixty-five." That means he wants to live for long duration of life. That is the intention. Nobody wants to die. But still... They cannot do anything. Still, they are trying. One Marwari gentleman, at the age of seventy or eighty years old, he went to somewhere in Germany for undergoing surgical operation of the gland so that he can continue his sex life. Many monkeys are exported from India to Western countries for taking away the sexual glands, they know, hormone or something like, and replace it to man so that in old age they can enjoy sex. Perhaps you know all these things. So this attempt is going on, how to keep young and how to enjoy life. But nature will not allow.
Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures
And what you have done? You have stopped death? "No, sir." Then? Birth, death, old age. What your scientific advancement of knowledge has done to stop old age? Everyone is trying to keep his youth by cosmetic, pomade, lipstick, but nature will not allow him. It is becoming flappy. (laughter) You see? One Marwari gentleman, he, in Calcutta, he spent eighty lakhs of rupees, or eighty-thousand, for changing his gland into monkey gland for increasing his sex life. These things are going on. The monkeys, they have got very good sex life. One monkey has got at least thirty wives, and anywhere, he is very enjoying sex life. Markaṭa. So the science has discovered the monkey's gland is very strong for sex life. So kill them, you take out the gland and insert into man's... This is going on in medical science. So old age. They are doing... Science means they are trying to counteract the incapability, incapabilities of old age, but they are still failure. There are so many old men dying.
Philosophy Discussions
Prabhupāda: Yes. So the eating, about, there must be rationality, not to be carried by the nature's way. Nature's way, a man can eat anything, and they are eating also at the same time. The other day I saw in the airplane one Marwari gentleman he was eating the intestine of the hog. What is called?
Hayagrīva: The what?
Prabhupāda: Intestine of the hogs.
Devotee: Hogs' intestines.
Prabhupāda: What is that called?
Hayagrīva: Hogs intestines?
Indian man: One Marwari first of all thought that his manager was getting two thousand rupees and doing nothing so he said, "I will do all the manager's work," and he (indistinct) scientist, engineer like. So he saved the two thousand rupees a month. After a couple of months that (indistinct) and that nobody could get right. And that man was (indistinct). Then he told that Marwari that you were giving me three thousand(indistinct).
Prabhupāda: There is a story that one king, he had ministers, a prime minister, so other salaried workers complained, "Sir, we are actually working. This minister is giving nothing, you are giving him so much salary. We are so (indistinct). So, "Oh, all right." So he called the minister, and brought one elephant. (indistinct), "Please immediately take this elephant and let me know what is the weight.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1970 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Germans. If you eat meat, you very quickly can get fat. Also too much ghee also. That is also. But ghee will increase your belly only. Just the Marwaris... (laughter) But by eating flesh you'll get sturdy, good lump of muscles. That is... In Āyur-Veda there is a chapter which is called Dravya-guṇa. There is a book, Dravya-guṇa. So they have analyzed so many different kinds of flesh-birds, beasts, animals. How they have analyzed? That "If you eat this kind flesh you will get this kind of result." Hundreds of fleshes. What do they know? They can eat only cow's flesh or dog's flesh or hog's flesh. Yes. But there are so many, even birds, beasts, animals, and so many, analysis. And Bernard Shaw, I think, he wrote one book, "You Are What You Eat."
1972 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: That is the way of taking milk. And this masala, it does not taste good. In India, especially in Northern India, Punjab, they will take at night, milk, (indistinct). No other things. They, all business men, the Marwari society, they'll take food before evening and then again they work. Then after ten they will come home and take little milk and go rest. (pause) So foundation committee is being established in Bombay making her the president of the trust. Then Giriraja will have no difficulty.
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
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.
Guest (1): Puffed rice, how to cook it?
Prabhupāda: Puffed rice itself is cooked food.
Prabhupāda: Just see. So why don't you become a brick layer instead of scientist? (laughter) You get more money. Dr. Bose, he called me... I told you. He asked me, "What you are doing?" "Now, I am going to the share market." So he immediately said, "Then what is the value of your education if you are going to the share market like the Marwaris who are illiterate?" Share market means to have some tricks how to sell and purchase shares. That by practicing anyone can do. It is not very difficult. (break) ... life from life. Make vigorous propaganda. Let them come to argument, scientific discussion. (pause) The man and woman in your country, they have got equal rights. Why not here? (laughter) In the lavatory? Why this discrimination, "woman," "man," why? Equal rights, must be equal rights. (pause) What is the basic philosophy for contraceptive action? Why do they prefer contraceptive method?
Prabhupāda: The Marwaris in India, they don't educate their son. Just like Birla. They say, "We can purchase these rascals, why we should waste our time. (laughter) So-called technicians, so-called expert computer, these are... We can purchase, why we shall waste our time."
Haṁsadūta: It's the same thing I learned in Germany. First I wanted to get my own press and I studied the situation very carefully and I saw it was ridiculous for us to do that, it's so much hard work. It's much easier to collect the money in the street by giving the magazine and then paying someone. They work very hard and do it. Everything is like that.
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: (Hindi)
Dr. Patel: (Hindi) Bengalis are very good. (laughter)
Prabhupāda: And Marwaris?
Dr. Patel: Marwaris are rascals. (laughter)
Guest (1): (Hindi)
Guest (1): I am not a Marwari, I am Agarwal.
Mr. Sar: But you tell, Marwaris have built more temples.
Dr. Patel: Agarwals are very intelligent community. They'll reject these gross things. (end)
Prabhupāda: We have..., taking sacred thread has qualities less than śūdra. Camaras, cobblers. Camara means expert in skin. I am white, I am black, I am this, I am that. That is camara. Expert in skin. (break) People are very receptive?
Devotee: Yes, especially Gujarati and Marwari communities.
Prabhupāda: Ah.
Devotee: The south Indians, they are not so receptive. (break)
Prabhupāda: ...men, so everyone should be very alert in their behavior. Rising early in the morning, taking bath, be prepared for maṅgala āratik immediately. Then class. Everything in regulated way. (break) ...and still everyone comes to the point, "I know everything." This point.
Prabhupāda: Anna-vastra, anna-vastra-dhana. Charity means to give in charity anna and vastra and cows. (break) ...give in charity some paper, one hundred rupees. (laughs) Another cheating. And he is also satisfied, "One hundred rupees." What is this one hundred? It is a paper, a piece of paper. (break) ...earned, black market, white market. Because when one does business, he has to do it, but it should be purified. I have seen the Marwaris, they do that. Although when earning money, they don't care, they do anything, but they give in charity. (break) ...purify the body by taking bath, similarly, the wealth is purified by the charity process, giving it to the brāhmaṇas and Vaiṣṇavas.
Prabhupāda: No mangoes are hanging. (break) "Kṛṣṇa is everything," is little difficult for everyone, eh? They want hodge-podge—"Everything is all right." So has anybody offered some lump sum for the construction?
Mahāṁsa: Not as yet, Prabhupāda. Actually they are all waiting for Mr. Piti(?) to make his pledge. They have some kind of... These Marwaris... (break)
Prabhupāda: I did not see Hari Prasad.
Mahāṁsa: He was there.
Prabhupāda: He was there?
Mahāṁsa: Oh, yes, his whole family was there. Mr. Pulla Reddy was there.
Prabhupāda: Yes, Pulla Reddy, I have seen. (break) He is so much convinced in with our philosophy in Bombay, he is going to take sannyāsa.
Prabhupāda: Anywhere. In Calcutta it was dangerous to go out because the next... You do not know whether you'll come back. People are so afraid. He's going to work in the office. It will be God's grace if he returns back. It is such a city. Actually so happened. We were sitting, I was at that time in a... I was guest in our life member's. Sitting in morning, afternoon, o'clock (?). "Oh, that gentleman is killed." He was very important businessman. He went to the temple, a Marwari, and on his coming back, he was killed from the backside. Life is still so, but it is little diminished. (break) ...about so-called saintly persons, they are: tapasvino grāma-vāsāḥ. "The so-called yogis, they'll live in the town." Actually, the yogis have no business in the town. They should go to a secluded place. But they will live in... Just like the other... He's living in Paris City, and he's a yogi.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Indian Man (2): I traveled all over India so many years, place to place, but I found the Gujarati is one of the best where the people have there some natural-born Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Prabhupāda: Yes. That's fact. Everywhere—Gujaratis, Marwaris, Punjabis—more or less, Kṛṣṇa consciousness is there. (break)
Indian Man (2): I ask you one question. What is the future of India regarding the Kṛṣṇa consciousness? The people are so much demonic. It every time bothers me, day and night, that what will happen? The people don't have respect for the olders. They just harass. I was with my wife too, and I found the... We talk about the Kṛṣṇa, and they just laugh. They say, "There is nothing like that."
Brahmānanda: Yes.
Prabhupāda: And the Marwaris are after him, "avatāra." He is called "līlā-avatāra." Whatever he does, it is līlā. Smoking is also "līlā." (break) ...these cottages?
Dhanañjaya: Some sādhus live here.
Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Vṛndāvana resident: Jaya Sītā-Rāma!
Prabhupāda: Jaya. (break) ...Bon Mahārāja's land?
Dhanañjaya: Yes. This is his building, part of land.
Prabhupāda: No... Yes. They were receiving contribution. Besides that, he possessed agency of Titagara paper mill. So mill rate—immediately 33% less.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: And I heard all his books were heavily subsidized by Dalmia.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. Dalmia and many big, big Marwaris.
Harikeśa: Maybe they can produce your Hindi lectures in pamphlets.
Prabhupāda: So if... You can make it cheaper. Instead of three rupees, you can make it two rupees.
Prabhupāda: What is this temporary? Temporary means...
Indian lady (3): Temporary they get to be God.
Prabhupāda: One Marwari man, very rich man, he eighty years old, he wanted to change the hormones to remain...
Indian lady (3): Yes. That was in Indore.
Prabhupāda: Indore, yes.
Indian lady (3): Kukumcha.
Prabhupāda: Kukumcha. Yes, you know.
Prabhupāda: I know that. In Calcutta, Kukumcha. This firm was very big. One of the richest Marwari. So eighty years old, he wanted to change the hormone to become young. Not only... There are many Marwaris. You know the (name witheld)? (name witheld)? His elder brother, (name witheld). His only business is to keep one wife and have a big establishment. He has got four, five wives—one Bengali, one U.P., one Marwari, one this—and each wife's establishment not less than ten thousand per month. And his business is morning to this wife and evening to this wife and noon to this wife, this wife. And he is old man. The wives do not care for him, and she is doing everything whatever, with the secretary.
Dr. Patel: The modern education has become a farce in that dress.
Prabhupāda: Farce, yes. No education. Amongst the Marwaris, the respectable gentlemen, they don't send. They keep private teachers, paṇḍitas, for learning Sanskrit, English. They know that our, "My boy hasn't got to earn money. He has to sit here. That's all. Why he should be spoiled?" They know very well, "We can purchase these technologists."
Indian man (3): (Hindi)
Prabhupāda: Everything farce. There is no education.
Indian man (3): (Hindi)
Prabhupāda: And they are greatest scientist.
Dr. Patel: All the Marwaris, who are they? They are Shylocks. And they give you lot of money and you make them sit first before us, you know.
Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Dr. Patel: I am... Don't say that. (break)
Prabhupāda: ...the richest in the world.
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Then why you are, you are bluffing and taking money from us? You do not know. (break) I'll have to go to you, and both of them, I'll have to... The Marwari this... Gujaratis, they use too much oil. Similarly Bengalis, too much oil. Imli, imli water?
Indian devotee (1): Yes, and chili.
Prabhupāda: And chili. That's all.
Indian devotee (1): Actually, Prabhupāda, in Jaipuriya, when they invited us, when we were in Kanpur, all the devotees, for three days we were eating very simple food, but the devotees liked so much. They were eating lots.
Prabhupāda: Oh, Jaipuriya invite them?
Prabhupāda: I'll have to go to you. And both of them I like, Marwari (indistinct). That is the first point. Similarly Bengalis, too much oil. Imli, imli water, and chili.
Devotee (1): Actually Prabhupāda (indistinct) all the devotees.
Prabhupāda: Ha.
Devotee (1): Three days you are eating reasonable food, that the devotees like so much, they are eating lots.
Prabhupāda: Oh, Jaipuria invited.
Prabhupāda: Why not construct a big building for gurukula here? The students will be trained up to come here and sporting, having nice bath and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and build up their character. And in Bombay you will get many children, because there are so many rich men. They are not so much concerned to make their children technologist. If they get good education and character, they will give. Technologists they can purchase. Birla, they are not going to be technologist. They purchase technologist. I have seen in many respectable Marwari house. They don't send their children to school. They don't send.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: He was a very big and rich author.
Prabhupāda: This is the important men.
Guru-kṛpā: That one Marwari spent eighteen lakhs of rupees.
Prabhupāda: I do not know eighteen lakhs, but I know he went to Germany for medical operation and changing the gland with monkey's gland. Yes. He was eighty years old at that time.
Devotee (2): The leaders are so infected. There was an article recently...
Prabhupāda: Therefore I say, andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). That is already dictated by Bhāgavata. These leaders, rascals who are blind, and they are trying to lead other blind men. All of them are falling in the ditch.
Prabhupāda: Yes. There was no life.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No.
Prabhupāda: But it was a good organization, that's all. On account of good organization, it was going on. But there was no life. The Marwaris, they can organize business very nicely.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: First-class, yes. Same thing with even someone like Swami Chinmoyananda's group. It is organized nicely, but there is no...
Prabhupāda: No, no more organization also.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Really?
Prabhupāda: Organization is also finished.
Prabhupāda: You see these two things especially, that they.... English is their mother tongue, mother language. They can easily become English scholar very easily. And Sanskrit language is no difficulty. Read and write, read and write, then he will learn. Our education in Sanskrit was in college. Of course, I was the best student in my class of Sanskrit. I was standing first. But we are not like the so-called Sanskrit scholars. But for our purpose we can read and write, that's all. Similarly, we don't want any very learned scholars, Sanskrit grammarian to manufacture jugglery of words, meanings. No, we don't want that. Simply we can conduct our business, that's all. Just like Marwaris, they, their education is up to their business understanding, that's all. They don't want to be scholars or technologists. You won't find in big, big Marwari family they have become a doctor, engineer or technologist, no. But in business dealings they are first class. (laughs) That they train. I had one Marwari friend in Calcutta.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Completely different prasādam. He's learned the Gujarati style. Kacuris, samosā, every kind of special prep. When we stayed in Kailasa Shiksarya's house when we were first in Bombay, the things that those cooks were cooking, he knows how to cook. Very high class Marwari and Gujarati cooking.
Prabhupāda: He's very intelligent.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And Maṇibandha, he's another one, he's cooking with Ṛṣi Kumāra.
Prabhupāda: He's also very intelligent boy, but sometimes spoiled.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We have a lot of them here.
Prabhupāda: Anyway, we have to take care of so many souls. (Karmī yells) What does he say?
Prabhupāda: Yes. The Marwari business man, they want to sell, for suppose, one lakh of worth goods, if there is customer to pay him immediately one lakh ten rupees, he'll sell, immediately sell. He thinks "I've got that ten rupees," that's all. Again person. That is their way of doing it. They are not calculating that I have invested one lakh of rupees, I must get at least ten percent profit. No. Not at loss. A little profit. "Never mind, give me cash." That is Marwari business. And he, when he goes to purchase from his supplier, he sees that this man is purchasing at the time one lakh, two lakh. So he gives him all credit.
Prabhupāda: So later on, he establishes his credit (and) without any payment, he gets supplies. And they keep their credit. On the day of payment, they must pay.
Mr. Kallman: Yes, exactly.
Prabhupāda: Therefore the Marwaris, they become very big businessmen.
Mr. Kallman: Very powerful.
Prabhupāda: Yes. This Birlas, they have become so big, they have so much credit in the market that by telephone they will ask any gold merchant, that you purchase one thousand tolās of gold for me. He'll immediately purchase, because he has a credit.
Prabhupāda: In this way, they become very, very big. They know how to use this art, these Marwaris. If you are going in India, you'll see Marwaris are very quickly, they will come. They know how to do business.
Mr. Kallman: Volume.
Prabhupāda: Volume. Volume of the... Of course, volume of business can be done which is easily seller.
Mr. Kallman: A very good market, the United States for clothing.
Prabhupāda: Clothing.
Rāmeśvara: The Jews are vaiśyas.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's why they call them the American Marwaris.
Prabhupāda: (laughs) Yes. They know how to do business and earn money.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: A lot of your disciples are Jewish.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Therefore they know how to make money.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They take up your idea of book distribution and they make all the money from it. (laughing)
Prabhupāda: No, I have no objection, but the others... (laughter)
Bali-mardana: Just like the Marwaris say, "Oh, I have no objection, but my brother, he may have objection."
Prabhupāda: They... Nobody has objection. Simply I am thinking that if I stay in one place and do not see the others...
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But this is a very central location.
Prabhupāda: That I shall consider.
Harikeśa: You once said in Vṛndāvana that the Marwaris, they don't bother going to school because they can make a lot of money by sitting by the phone and just pay a few rupees a day and any educated fool can do the work.
Prabhupāda: Yes, they do that. They are employing in their factory, big, big chemist, big, big physicist, engineer and so on, but they do not bother. They are paying thirty thousand rupees per month salary, Birla. Expert, imported from foreign country, but their sons are never troubled. They know how to utilize that worker of thirty thousand rupees per month and to earn thirty lakhs from him. Why shall he waste his time? He knows how to they earn. They pay a man thirty thousand and through him earn thirty lakhs. Actually, in order to make a balanced society, the varṇāśrama-dharma is very important, cooperation. So these things are meant for the śūdras, and brāhmaṇas are not meant for this.
Vāsughoṣa: About two months ago in Hyderabad they had a very big Bhāgavata-saptāha. One thousand and eight brāhmaṇas chanting Bhāgavatam for seven days, and it was presided over by a big Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī, Rāmānuja-sampradāya. And all the local Marwaris, they gave lakhs of rupees for prasādam and so many things.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: They hurt our collection, I think.
Vāsughoṣa: No, they haven't given anything to our temple, but for this, the same people, some of them, most of them refused even to become members. One man who refused me to become a member, he gave fifty thousand rupees for prasādam.
Prabhupāda: Why they refused us or help us?
Prabhupāda: Unless one is pious how he can...
Vāsughoṣa: Yes, we went there every day and we had all day book distribution and kīrtana. Actually some of the Marwaris were good friends of ours, so we wanted to get..., they announced that we were there and we were selling books over the loudspeaker system. Very good. They gave us..., we had a good place for book distribution.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: In Bombay also Shrimati Morarji had a big program in her house recently. There were huge crowds and our devotees went there to distribute books afterwards.
Prabhupāda: Oh.
Gargamuni: It's a place which he's not using. He met you in Bombay. He also visited our centers in Paris and New York. He's a Marwari man, very rich, very nice. He's also donated good sums to the society. So now he wants to meet you, and he wants someone to go there. So I told him we will go and look at it.
Prabhupāda: Where?
Gargamuni: It's in Rajastan.
Prabhupāda: Rajastan? Where? Which side.
Prabhupāda: Where does he live?
Gargamuni: He's lives in Bara Bazaar. His name is Mr. Buwalka.
Prabhupāda: Bara Bazara Marwaris are all businessmen.
Gargamuni: Yes.
Prabhupāda: This combination of rich men, poor men, for Kṛṣṇa. The same—andha-paṅgu-nyāya. Both of them are useless separately, and when they combine in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, they are all useful. It is very good example. And there is another example, that a piece of wire is falling, rotting, and a piece of bamboo, rotting, and a piece of squash skin is rotting.
Prabhupāda: No no, we break it and prepare nice temple.
Gargamuni: He went to see that man. That man doesn't want to sell.
Prabhupāda: What was the...
Gargamuni: He's one of these Marwaris who is very miser. He himself lives in a slum.
Jayapatākā: But right now Abhirāma hasn't found another place.
Gargamuni: I just talked to him.
Jayapatākā: He told me ten minutes ago.
Gargamuni: So they are thinking they want to get...
Prabhupāda: And one thing is that next thing will be... Now there are many flats.
Gargamuni: Yeah. That's a fact that in those old houses, the Marwaris they have inherited of all these pieces. Now they have it all. In the old British houses many Marwaris have taken over, and they have inherited all of the treasures of the British.
Prabhupāda: Oh.
Gargamuni: Many antiques.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Anyway, if I take away something from you in this room and I keep it somewhere in this room, then where is the difference either with you or with me? That was going on during Mohammedans' ruling. But these people, they took away from the room. So India became poverty-stricken.
Mahāṁsa: They will not part with even one thousand rupees. They're exactly what you described. And also these were the people who are with Śaṅkarācārya who came the first time when you had come here. They were with Śaṅkarācārya. And Hariprasad and some Marwaris were with our movement and these people were on the other side. So there was some conflict at that time. And Śaṅkarācārya came and you...
Prabhupāda: Śaṅkarācārya, he says that you are bhagavān.
Mahāṁsa: Yes. But then since last six to seven months, he has been completely convinced about us and he has been going around collecting money from other Marwaris for the temple construction. He was simply convinced by seeing the Hare Kṛṣṇa film. And by seeing the Deities he was so much taken aback, and he was so much wonderstruck with the Deities which he saw on the film.
Prabhupāda: You were also present then?
Mahāṁsa: Not here, before. About six to seven months back. I had shown him the film privately in my room. That was the time when he was completely convinced about it and he started collecting afterwards for us. Now all these people are coming. Because by heart they are all Vaiṣṇavas. All these Marwaris, their Deity is Kṛṣṇa. And there's not a single Kṛṣṇa temple in Hyderabad. So last few days...
Prabhupāda: Oh, there is no Kṛṣṇa...
Prabhupāda: Oh, there is no Kṛṣṇa...
Mahāṁsa: There is no Kṛṣṇa temple. What to speak of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. And their Deity is Kṛṣṇa, most of the Marwaris. So they will now slowly all of them will come. We had a very hard time. This Inani who was wearing the turban. He's the chief of the Marwaris. If he gives five thousand rupees, then all the Marwaris will give five thousand rupees in that Ganj area. Whatever he gives, the others will have to.
Prabhupāda: He is the head.
Mahāṁsa: He's the head. He himself never gave. And we went a hundred times to him.
Prabhupāda: And now he saw the film...
Prabhupāda: Huh? Beg, borrow, steal. Bring money and enjoy. They were selected Marwaris. This morning?
Mahāṁsa: Yes, these people are the head of the Marwari community. They don't know how to live. They live in these slums which we saw today. They live all around that area. They are crore-patis. They have crores of rupees.
Prabhupāda: To live very gorgeously is not good.
Mahāṁsa: But even their houses are not so clean, shabby.
Vāsughoṣa: Śrīla Prabhupāda? This gentleman is the head of the Marwari community, Mr. Dinami (?). They only speak Hindi. They would like to speak to you but they don't understand English.
Prabhupāda: No, I can, (Hindi) (break) (Unless) one is enthused, he cannot preach. It is not possible. I went there when I was seventy years old. I was sitting in Vṛndāvana. So I thought that my Guru Mahārāja wanted me, Caitanya Mahāprabhu wanted me... So in this old age let me try. (indistinct). But by Kṛṣṇa's grace it is becoming successful. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam, dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ tam (BG 10.10). So there is good field for propagating this cult.
Prabhupāda: Oh, hm. (break) ...just in front of our house, attached to our house. That means the house belonged to one of our relatives and her son, stepson, he sold the whole house to a Marwari without the knowledge of this, my, she was in relation grandmother. So when the house was sold in those days, about say about 100 years ago, not 100 years, about 90 years. In Mahatma Gandhi road, most important, that Mullik's house you have seen? That was one of the Mullik's house, for 12,000 rupees. One bighā of land and grand building. So it was unknown to the stepmother, the stepson sold it. Then she appealed to the high-court that, "I belong to a respectable family and this my spoiled stepson has sold the house without my knowledge, then where shall I go?" The high-court considered that, "The drunkard son has sold at a cheap price, and she's belongs to a respectable family, where she'll go?" And the high-court order was, "The half of the house shall be used by this lady. During her lifetime, you cannot take possession," the Marwari who purchased.
Prabhupāda: "The half of the house shall be used by this lady. During her lifetime, you cannot take possession," the Marwari who purchased. So under that grandmother, we used to live. Therefore this half portion of the house was a Marwari school. So it is just like our temple and this. So my father first admitted me in that Marwari school. So I learned this devanāgarī there, for a few days I was going. I was the only Bengali student there. Because I was little, my father thought that instead of going outside the house, within the house there is a school, get him admitted. The school name was Visuddhana(?) Marwari Vijnala(?), something like that, and later on they constructed huge building Visuddhana(?). Then the house was vacated. So in the beginning I was admitted in a Marwari school and I learned a little Hindi there, that's all.
Mr. Malhotra: Mr. Biani, Biani. He is just Birla's tea (indistinct) looking after tea. Last time I was in Delhi about two months back, so I just talked about you that I had to meet you and we could go to Vṛndāvana. Because at that time I was told that you were there. So he knew you very well, he had been to your discourses, Mr. Biani. He's Marwari. They are in Calcutta. Tea business, export tea business. We agreed on one thing, that it is very easy, rather, to make Indians understand the spiritual teachings of Lord Kṛṣṇa, because in homes, in houses, forefathers, grandmothers, mothers, they are doing, I mean, always. But to, I mean, impart this knowledge to the...
Prabhupāda: Foreigners.
Prabhupāda: Meat-eating is now world wide. I have seen now in the airplane one Marwari gentlemen, he was eating the intestines of the (indistinct).
Indian man: Not one. In our relationships, not one. They are competing with each other.
Indian man (2): What is the motivation?
Prabhupāda: They have learned it.
Indian man: No, no. Fashion. Now one thing is they can hold off the rich people in India. That is not now, but about, put it back to 1944-45, during the war time. British time. That hold has become stronger. If we do not eat West, particularly America, then we are called "uncivilized." So to prove that I am civilized, there are three things. I must speak English, my children must go to missionary or convent schools, we must adopt Western customs and etiquette, and we must adopt their eating habits. Now if I'm not accepted in the American society... Even the British is now called uncivilized comparatively. If I'm not accepted by the Americans, that, "Yes, I know the standards and I live like them or even better than them," then I am supposed to be common. This is the conception of civilization amongst the Marwaris and the Gujaratis of the richer class. Previously it used to be, as they say of ancient India, that if one did not speak Sanskrit he was supposed to be uncivilized. So now that has come out...
Prabhupāda: In our childhood, my father's generation, in Calcutta, if a gentleman does not keep a prostitute extra, he is not a respectable man.
Indian men: They collect from the big Sikhs. (indistinct) He is very influenced. For Kumbhamela, all the Marwari want to wash off all the sins they did. (laughter)
Prabhupāda: So explain with that purpose. At least, they are sensible. (break) You cannot give up these four things: yajña, dāna, tapasya. So yajña for the brahmacārīs, begin yajña. And dāna for the gṛhasthas, and tapasya for the sannyāsīs. Yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-karma na tyājyam, Kṛṣṇa says. Do not give up this. "I have become sannyāsī, therefore I'll give up my tapasya also." Sannyāsī means the life of tapasya. If you give up tapasya also then what remains? How you become a sannyāsa? Yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-karma na tyājyaṁ kāryam eva tat. It must be continued. And again He stresses yajño dānaṁ tapaś caiva pāvanāni manīṣiṇām. Even if you think that you have become very great, "Now I'm very exalted personality. I don't require. I have become paramahaṁsa," No, no, no, no.
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Bengali is not at all very difficult.
Mr. Gupta: No, not at all. Once upon a time I could read and write. But it's just out of touch.
Prabhupāda: The Calcutta Marwaris, they speak very fluently. Yes.
Mr. Gupta: Fluently. Being in railways I've had about eight cross-country transfers. Rajkot, Ajmer, Bombay, Ahmedabad, Lohar(?). So I know as much of Gujarati and Marwari too.
Prabhupāda: Rajastani?
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.
Dr. Patel: They don't eat beef.
Prabhupāda: I know. They are eating. They eat everything. I have seen one Parsee here in Bombay. He is chanting and getting one chicken cut throat by the man. And he's cutting. He gave in a paper and he took it away. And he's chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. (Dr. Patel laughs loudly) Not Hare Kṛṣṇa, but... They have got all their chants. They have got their chanting. And I have seen their kitchen. It is more dirty than the toilet.
Prabhupāda: Because they're rascals. Modern people in India, they are all rascals. Whole population is bokā.
Gargamuni: No. The Marwaris don't like him because he was a chicken-eater.
Prabhupāda: Marwaris are little religious. They...
Gargamuni: They never talk about Vivekananda. They don't like him.
Prabhupāda: He was rascal number one. He brought three women with whom he had intimate connection. That is very easy to make intimate connection with woman in America. With money also. He brought. And with their money. Aurobindo also, the same thing. With woman's money they became rich, not like me, with hard labor of writing books and selling. I could also do. There was chance. But this is not my business to make intimate relation with woman and get money. I could do. There was chance.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Anything, yes. I've seen in India, many of our members, they are able to do their pūjā in the morning with an undisturbed mind and then do business.
Prabhupāda: Yes. All Marwaris do that.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Be ruthless as anything.
Prabhupāda: Huh?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They are ruthless as anything during the day...
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And they're very humble...
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Hm. That's not there anymore. In Bombay the only good restaurant... There is a Marwari restaurant where they have this dower(?) system. But there's only one, and it's in Kalpadevi, so hardly anyone will go there anyway. No office people go there. Only the Marwaris go there.
Prabhupāda: No, Bombay there are so many restaurants.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But they're very...
Prabhupāda: Dirty.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.
Prabhupāda: That restaurant, mostly for drinking tea and pakorā.
Prabhupāda: They are cooking very nice in Fiji.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: All of these life members, they have the best cooks in India. They are accustomed to very high class food, Marwaris.
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.
Hari-śauri: That cooking we had when we went to Bhogilal's in Hyderabad...
Prabhupāda: Very nice.
Hari-śauri: ...it was very first class.
Prabhupāda: Very first class. The cook available, but if you cannot manage, what can be done?
Prabhupāda: Some first-class ḍāb should always be in stock in the refrigerator.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Keeping cold. Yeah, the Marwaris, they always drink cold. They always keep in the refrigerator. I'll tell them to do that.
Prabhupāda: This miśri water and ḍāb water.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Very good.
Prabhupāda: Always ready. That will clear my urine. That I have experimented. And I don't require that exacting tablet. That tablet by chemical reaction exacts. And when there is no urine, it exacts blood.
Prabhupāda: Whatever it may be, everything requires intelligence. If you haven't got that standard of intelligence, how you can do it? Nowadays, suppose if you do some business, is there a hindrance that "You are low class, you cannot do this business." Neither the government nor the society. You can do it. Why you cannot do it? Just like in Bengal, the Marwaris are rich and Bengalis are... Their land, their country, and their naturals. And the Marwaris have big (indistinct). It is your incapability. Why don't you admit that?
Prabhupāda: This idea, that "My son should be B.A., M.A., Ph.D.," it is wrong idea. Why? What is there, Ph.D.'s? First of all one must earn. Self-preservation is the first law of... But not... The Marwaris used to do that in Calcutta. Many pakorā. No business—he was frying pakorā and selling. Why unemployment? This is disastrous, unemployment. As soon as there is unemployment, there are so many devils. They'll plan. And the first plan will come-wine and woman. So we want to save the society from this downfall. At least keep one ideal. And that is our mission. Otherwise there was no nece... But at the present moment they cannot take so much trouble. We are trying to give them as much as possible comfortable life, but become an ideal vidvān and bhaktimān. That is required.
Prabhupāda: Yes. "Bring my money." The society was so nice, and everyone was happy, everyone. These Marwaris, especially, they are very good community. They... As family people, they know how to earn, how to become happy by family. I like these Marwaris.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, they also feel at home...
Prabhupāda: They're vegetarian.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah. Sometimes I would visit Dalmiya-ji in his home. I was so amazed to see how happy his family life is. They have no...
Prabhupāda: Marwaris, they do know how to earn money, how to save money, how to become happier man. The worship is...
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And they always have the temple in their homes. The women are engaged.
Prabhupāda: And they make general houses in such a way that you get a room and there is everything, arrangement. There is howah(?). You don't require to cook. You take food from the howah(?). Very nice food. You pay just like a small hotel. They... All their business family... You see. You have seen Calcutta Birla house.
Prabhupāda: Yes. You'll find description in Bhāgavata. They were coming to congratulate Kṛṣṇa—so nice dress, so nice ornament, so nice foodstuff made of ghee, grains in our...
Śatadhanya: Sometimes the rich Marwari ladies, when they come to Māyāpur, once in a while they give some ornament to the Deity. They'll give one ring or one bracelet, gold.
Prabhupāda: That was always. They would offer some ornament to the Deity.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, there's the example...
Prabhupāda: That Sākṣī-Gopāla. The queen wanted to give her nose pearl. Very happy spiritual society.
Prabhupāda: In Marwari community they have now degraded. Otherwise they are very nice. Now they have become, recently, hippies.
Śatadhanya: Hm. The young... This new generation, we have seen. They are copying Western...
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: When I see that boy, that Dalmiya's grandson, unless he comes to our gurukula, he will be spoiled for sure.
Prabhupāda: Hm hm. But Dalmiya agreed. That means if you approach the grandmother, you'll get the boy.
Prabhupāda: They have got money.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah. Very often the Marwaris, they are in that...
Prabhupāda: Gujarati.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The Gujarati, yeah, Gujarat. In Bombay there is a big Bombay Tri(?). Pañcadraviḍa Swami, that was his special area. He would go down there, huge spice area.
Prabhupāda: There is a special name of that place. Everyone, every poor man or rich man, must use quantity of spice.
Prabhupāda: So all of a sudden I remember this Nanda Dulal Gosai. I was thinking of him. What a great devotee he was. He was observing some of the festivals, I think, Janmāṣṭamī or Nandotsava, something, inviting friends, offering good prasādam. And he was living in a quarter full of Muhammadans.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Full of Marwaris.
Prabhupāda: Muhammadans.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Muhammadans.
Prabhupāda: Low-class Muhammadans.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He didn't mind that?
Prabhupāda: No, at that time they were so friendly.
Prabhupāda: Um hm. (aside:) You can go out. (break) ...but still, I have given you chance. So you want simply... Just like a widow. We... But we want that you may not be disturbed. Go ahead. Do business and have big building. Everyone's constructing big, big building, Marwaris. Why you cannot do? You have been given all chance. Yogināṁ puruṣam upaiti lakṣmīm. Unless one is dedicated, a yogi, very endeavoring... So we have showed a yogi endeavoring. Seventy years old, I was here in Vṛndāvana, and I came. For ten years I worked! Now see. All over the world I have got hundreds of buildings like this. I am the same man. At least one hundred temples we have only by working ten years. So there must be capacity, there must be endeavor, there must be good fortune.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: We are going to sell it for sixteen rupees or twenty rupees. Actually our life members love these books.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I was in Calcutta. Adri-dhāraṇa Prabhu told me that the Marwaris love it, even in Bombay.
Prabhupāda: Yes, the ladies can read at home.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Also, Śrīla Prabhupāda, the cover for First Canto, Part Three, is already printed. I'm going to take 1.3 now, but we've already printed the cover. This is 1.3.
Prabhupāda: This I want. Books are coming.
Jayapatākā: Yes, although it's a village-type area, it seems to be good field. The people are not at all envious but quite cooperative. Also just about a quarter mile from the mandira there's a gośālā which has got 33 acres, about 100 bighās of land and about 100 cows. Cows are not so good cows, but there's nice, pākā buildings and good facilities. It's managed by some Marwaris. So they're willing to give that over to us in the future if we want. It's very nearby the temple. When I was there I gave a lecture at one temple, and about two, three hundred people came without any advertisement. In Haridaspur, at their Janmāṣṭamī festival they had... Two thousand people came. They had a huge crowd. And every one of the villagers, they organized the whole thing there, the leaders, gathered firewood, helped with distribution. We sent some devotees from Māyāpur. Bhakti-prabhāva Swami sends his obeisances to Your Divine Grace.
Hari-śauri: What about Maheśa Paṇḍita's place? (break)
Jayapatākā: They want that the case be dropped and that they be given jobs, like before. (laughter)
Prabhupāda: Hm?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: (aside:) Paper... My pad is in... That man said it would take time. A week. Of course, we don't know if that's a fact or not. But it'll take about a week's time if it only takes a day or two. If it takes a week, then it may take a total of two weeks time until he reaches Māyāpur. When Gopāla and Śatadhanya were in Delhi, they went to see one man who was a very important Marwari kavirāja. They asked him about the ingredients of makara-dhvaja.
Brahmānanda: They asked that question about what medicine the poor man would take.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What medicine the poor man would take. So he said, "Poor man or rich man, it doesn't matter. The price of it is about forty-eight rupees per tolā, because the gold that is given, it's given back at the end." It's just passed through, the gold. It's not utilized itself. So forty-eight rupees a tolā. This is what he said, very big Marwari kavirāja.
Prabhupāda: Yes, that I have heard.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I told him the amount. I told him this year we have orders for Rs. twenty-five lakhs, and I said, "This is just the first year, and worldwide we print over eight crores. So this is just the beginning." So they liked it. And I also gave him the Hindi Bhāgavatam like you had told me. And he turned out... This man who is handling our case is a Marwari, Mr. Pandy. So Marwaris are very pious. They're better than these others. So he liked the Hindi Bhāgavatam very much. So I gave him the Hindi Bhāgavatam and the English. (break)
Prabhupāda: You are not to be gagged anymore?
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: No.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What, Śrīla Prabhupāda?
Trivikrama: Not to be gagged. (laughter)
Prabhupāda: Mm.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He talks a lot. Of course Marwaris always talk a lot. He's a Marwari so they always talk like that. We'll have to see how his medicine works Śrīla Prabhupāda. There's no way to tell. We are always getting fooled. The first impression simply by seeing is very difficult in this age, I would rather...
Prabhupāda: No, this is the last we have tried. So let us follow him.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh yeah, definitely we should try his medicines.
Prabhupāda: Adri?
Adri-dharaṇa: Yes, Prabhupāda.
Prabhupāda: When there is Diwali?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Diwali is the 10th or 11th. I think the Marwari community, they celebrate on the 10th. So we expect him on the 11th or by the latest the 12th, which means one week from today. Do you mind waiting that long?
Prabhupāda: I was thinking if we have to go, why...?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, because he's also said that he will give you some medicine for helping you to take the trip easily. No reason to rush, Śrīla Prabhupāda. Our original reason for delaying was to give you time to get a little more strength. That kavirāja felt pretty confident that if we wait this long, you will get some more strength. I think we should wait. Everyone is feeling that way. You're not unhappy here, are you?
Prabhupāda: No.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That... The kavirāja that we brought from Calcutta. He's... The thing I liked about him also is I felt that he was the kind of person who I... Somehow I felt that in your childhood or something, that your family would have engaged some such a Marwari... You always said how the Mulliks' house was located amongst many Marwari community people. I was thinking somehow it seemed suitable that this is... Of course we don't designate like that, but somehow it seems suitable that... You know. Marwaris are... They occupy a high place in the community. Everything they do, they do very first class. Their food is first class. They do first-class business. Most of our members are from the Marwari community. Anyway, it just seemed like it was nice that this man...
Prabhupāda: Their food is first class, there is no doubt. Yes... It is certified by Sir P. C. Raya.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes. He's the first chemist who started this Bengal Chemical.
Prabhupāda: He said first-class food is Marwari, and last class, Madrasi.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Madras.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Last class?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The Madrasi.
Pañca-draviḍa: I like this doctor too, Śrīla Prabhupāda, because he was respectful to you.
Correspondence
1947 to 1965 Correspondence
Without our own house it will not be possible to open our own centre. For me it will take long time but for you it is very easy. The Calcutta Marwaris are in your hand by the Grace of Srila Prabhupada. If you like you can immediately raise a fund of Rs 10,00,000/- ten lacs to open a centre in New Work. One centre started, I shall be able to start many others also. So here is a chance of cooperation between us and I shall be glad to know if you are ready for this cooperation. I came here to study the situation and I find it very nice and if you are also agreeable to cooperate with it will be all very nice by the will Srila Prabhupada. So I am writing you directly this letter to elicit your opinion.
1969 Correspondence
Neither there is a king like Maharaja Pariksit, nor the present government of India is inclined to give protection to the cows. But the mercantile community, specially the Gujaratis and the Marwaris are undoubtedly rich in India, and I do not know why such mercantile communities do not open large-scale dairy farms. That will certainly give actual protection to the cows. From Bhagavad-gita we understand that the Vaisya community is specially responsible for giving protection to the cows as much as the ksatriya kings are responsible for giving protection to the citizens of the state.
1972 Correspondence
Yes, the Mullick family is one of the most important and aristocratic families in Calcutta. Practically once Calcutta was owned by the Mullicks, now the Marwaris are there. So you have done the perfect job of conducting the affairs in Calcutta and I am so much pleased upon you, may Krishna give you His all blessings. I had not written to you previously due to my extensive travelling program since the beginning of June. But I have written you one letter dated July 14, 1972, did you receive that letter?
Asiatic Society, University Institute, Ramakrishna Cultural Institute, YMCA, Govinda Bhavan, Madan Mohan's Temple, Gaudiya Math, Jalan's Ramchandra Temple, like that. Or if there is any Mohammedan or Christian association, we are universal spiritual culture, we can speak to these people also. Or in the Bora Bazar, there is the Marwari Association, or in Bagh Bazar there is Navavrindaban. Also, there is some cultural institution of Birla in Ballyganj and other places. Or there are many halls like the Royal Theater, and other theatres, many temples also, there is the Royal Exchange, like that. So I am prepared to speak every night for nine nights while I am at Calcutta. Make big propaganda and let me inform the respectable men of my birthplace city what we are doing all over the world on behalf of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, and let us see if they will respond for helping us push on this Krsna Consciousness movement more and more.
1974 Correspondence
All big officers in Mathura and Vrindaban should be invited. Goswamis and godbrothers also. Also invite local Marwaris and invite Parthak also. Practically by distributing a general invitation card we shall invite everyone. All the inhabitants of Vrindaban will be invited to come and see the deity and take prasadam. There should be special arrangement for life members, Mr. Birla and many other respectable visitors. There is no question of money. Let it be a first class, 1-A arrangement. Krsna will provide all expenditures so try to make it gorgeous.
| Page Title: | Marwaris |
| Compiler: | MadhuGopaldas, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 25 of Dec, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=1, OB=0, Lec=7, Con=72, Let=5 |
| No. of Quotes: | 85 |