Not sure (Conversations)

Expressions researched:
"not be sure" |"not definitely sure" |"not exactly sure" |"not necessarily sure" |"not so sure" |"not sure" |"not very much sure" |"not very sure" |"unsure"

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Allen Ginsberg -- May 11, 1969, Columbus, Ohio:

Hayagrīva: Well, tomorrow night, if we can practice together, we can play together some...

Pradyumna: We have four drums, cymbals, and a taṁburā.

Hayagrīva: We can use yours and we can use ours. When we chant, it's easier for a large group to follow. It's very simple. First, we sing a couple of melodies. Then we can practice in a little while and see which one is (indistinct).

Allen Ginsberg: Okay.

Hayagrīva: I think once they get into the chanting, your melody might be a little difficult for them to follow. I'm not sure. Because it varies. There's variation there.

Allen Ginsberg: The problem, though, is that I've never been able to swing with it before. That's why I haven't used it. So what I would suggest is... Okay. We'll practice it tomorrow.

Hayagrīva: We can swing, I'm sure we can swing something.

Allen Ginsberg: Yes. But whatever we do, we got to swing.

Hayagrīva: That's for sure. But there've been... See what you think of various melodies. We play various melodies and see how we can come out. Another thing, do you want to have responsive chanting?

Prabhupāda: Responsive chanting must be there.

Allen Ginsberg: That would be interesting, yes.

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- January 6, 1971, Calcutta:

Prabhupāda: That's all right. (break)

Devotee (2): The rats in Hawaii are not so big as the rats here. They're only about this big, the body.

Prabhupāda: Every house there is rats?

Devotee (2): Not every house, no.

Prabhupāda: At least Advaita Bhavan has got.

Devotee (2): They were some but they cleaned them out. They got rid of them. I'm not sure rats actually are poisoned.

Devotee (3): (unintelligible)

Devotee (2): We were getting a cow but we joined ISKCON just before we got the cow. We were going to get one for four hundred dollars. It was giving sixteen quarts a day and had a calf.

Prabhupāda: Sixteen quarts?

Devotee (2): A day, yes. There was a small calf also.

Prabhupāda: There must be grazing ground for cows. Then there is no problem.

Devotee (2): There was a grazing ground. The lawn must grow.

Prabhupāda: What is that? Are they cutting? These are not important thing. (end)

Room Conversation -- London, August 10, 1971:

Prabhupāda: No. They, as Dhanañjaya said, that are not willing to cooperate with us.

Śyāmasundara: Well, I'm not so sure. They used to be when I was here, and I think if you have a Bhāgavata-saptāha, if the weather stays, and the weather's any good... I don't know.

Prabhupāda: But the Bhāgavata-saptāha, if they are willing to cooperate with our Bhāgavata-saptāha.

Śyāmasundara: Yeah, that's what I mean.

Prabhupāda: Some, some priest come from India, and they cooperate with me. But if they have a feeling of noncooperation with us, then what is the use of paṇḍitas and Bhāgavata-saptāha?

Śyāmasundara: Saturday night you'll be speaking in the Hindu Center?

Dhanañjaya: On the fifteenth.

Śyāmasundara: Saturday, next Saturday night. So that will be a good indication. We'll know after then, if they cooperated, if they'll come. I think there'll be a big crowd.

Room Conversation -- London, August 10, 1971:

Prabhupāda: Why don't you call that Dr. Shah?

Śyāmasundara: Dr. Shah.

Prabhupāda: He cannot help us?

Śyāmasundara: I don't know. We're still not sure about him.

Prabhupāda: And that one Mr. Ahujya came?

Śyāmasundara: Uh-huh. There are many men here who respect us, who would help us...

Prabhupāda: He wanted me to go to his house.

Śyāmasundara: Ahh.

Prabhupāda: From that Auckland.

Śyāmasundara: Oh, he's from Auckland.

Prabhupāda: So he visited there...

Śyāmasundara: Oh, that's right, I know him. I have his card, yeah.

Prabhupāda: You have got his card?

Śyāmasundara: Yeah.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

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

Bob: I wish to ask you to advise me on how I can come to feel closer to God. I'll be leaving you soon, and I'm... With you...

Prabhupāda: You have to purify.

Bob: Somewhat, but let me say I come to the temple at times and then I leave, and I'm not sure how much I take with me.

Prabhupāda: It will not take much time. Within six months you'll realize. But you have to follow the regulative principles. Then it will be auspicious. Just like these boys and girls are doing. Just see the girl, how she's chanting always. All our girls is...

Bob: Yeah, I've seen...

Prabhupāda: They have no tendency for going to cinema or going to hotel, no. Everything all stopped. Anartha-nivṛttiḥ. Anartha means unnecessary things, all rubbish.

Bob: I feel that when I go back, though...

Prabhupāda: The whole human life is meant for purifying. Śuddhyed sattva. Sattva means existence. So if you don't purify your existence, then you'll have to change your body, from this body to that. Sometimes it may be higher, sometimes lower. Just like, if you don't cure your disease, it can take turn in so many ways to put you into trouble. Similarly, if you don't purify your existence, then you'll have to transmigrate from one body to another. And there is no guarantee what kind of body you'll get. Very subtle laws of nature. Now there is no guarantee that you will get a very comfortable body or American body, no. Therefore for human being it is essential that he should purify his existence. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena sattvaṁ śuddhyed yasmād brahma-saukhyaṁ tv anantam (SB 5.5.1). Unless you purify your existence, you're hankering after happiness, you cannot get continued happiness. That is not possible.

Room Conversation -- March 12, 1972, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes. So what actually he wants?

Dr. Kapoor: (indistinct) must have told you?

Guru dāsa: He mentioned that he thought sixty thousand, but he was not positive.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Guru dāsa: He was not sure, but they both said sixty thousand, but they were not sure.

Dr. Kapoor: (laughs) Since both of us say sixty thousand, I think you can get in touch.

Guru dāsa: But that is very nice plot. And it is about two times as large as Mr. Dalmia's land, and Mr. Dalmia was asking fifty thousand.

Dr. Kapoor: No, he has purchased it for fifty thousand. Sixty thousand is his entire cost, including expenses and everything. I asked him, he told me. Sixty thousand. So from that point, that land is cheap.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Dr. Kapoor: You have more extensive buildings on it than Dalmia's.

Guru dāsa: What about the adjoining land, it is also available?

Dr. Kapoor: Which one?

Guru dāsa: There is some adjoining land behind...

Dr. Kapoor: Adjoining which...

Room Conversation -- July 4, 1972, New York:

Prabhupāda: That's all right. So she's mother. If she wants to take, what can you do? She doesn't like her son to be Kṛṣṇa conscious, what you can do? Where she is?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: She's here, actually. She is serving Your Divine Grace.

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: She is serving, but she is not sure if that would be the best thing. She's attached, maybe...

Prabhupāda: So you convince her that ordinary schools, going, there are so many ordinary schools and students, where the students are coming out useless hippies. Do you like to have your son to become hip..., which are hippies? Ask on this point.

Devotee (5): Jaya Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Because we practically see, all the college students are hippies. Irresponsible vagabonds. If she wants her son to become like that, that is different thing. Irresponsible vagabonds, that is the present status of this country. The majority of the students, they are becoming irresponsible vagabonds. Is it not?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Yes, correct. We all have experience in that.

Prabhupāda: Yes, if she, if she wants son to become irresponsible, irresponsible vagabond, in the association... Of course, our Dallas also we should take very much care so that we may not also produce irresponsible vagabond. So don't cause irresponsible vagabonds.

Interview -- July 5, 1972, New York:

Prabhupāda: Yes. When you are searching with some hope, what is that hope? Why you are searching? When you are missing something, then there is a question of searching for that missing point. You said religion means searching after the divine. So that means you are missing the divine. Is it not?

Guest (1): That's right.

Prabhupāda: Now, the next question will be, What do you mean by this "divine"?

Guest (1): Oh, I'm not..., I'm not sure, Your Grace.

Prabhupāda: The other day we were talking with some scientists. We came to this conclusion, that the scientists, big scientists, they are simply concerned with the laws of nature, because the laws of nature are very stringent. For example, there is death. Everyone will die. So nobody can check death. However great scientist he may, he cannot stop death. By laws of nature one is becoming old. By your scientific advancement you can stop first of all. So the science means they are trying to overcome the stringent laws of nature, but so far... Not so far—even in the past in the human history they could not. In the present also they are unable. They say in future they will be able. But how we can believe it? Because in the past they could not; in the present also they are unable. How they can overcome the laws of nature in the future? History repeats. Same failure there is (indistinct). Therefore the divine means, as we define, the divine means the controller of the laws of nature. Laws of nature there is, and everyone is under the laws of nature. Nobody can overcome the laws of nature. Just like state laws. Every citizen is bound to abide by the state law. He cannot overcome it. If..., if he overcomes it then, or violates it, the violation of law, and he becomes punishable. Similarly the laws of nature means laws of God. Just like your president is the giver of your state law. Similarly, as soon as we say laws of nature, there must be giver of them. In our śāstra, the Vedic literature, it is said, dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). Dharma, religion, means the codes given by God, and we have to abide by those laws.

Room Conversation and Interview with Ian Polsen -- July 31, 1972, London:

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Ian Polsen: I've just been promoted to deal with Value Added Tax, and I will go up from 1,400 pounds a year to 1,700 or 1,800 pounds a year. I'm not sure of my new salary because I'm starting on Monday.

Prabhupāda: Hm. That means our 150 pounds per month?

Ian Polsen: Less the tax.

Devotee: About 4,500 a year, dollars.

Ian Polsen: Do you deal in percentages?

Prabhupāda: Anything which can be engaged in the service of the Lord should not be given up. This is our philosophy. Should not be given up. We do not say, "Oh, money is material. I do not touch. My hand becomes turned up." No. We don't say all these nonsense philosophy. (laughs) We know that money, lakṣmī, is Kṛṣṇa's property, so it should be engaged in Kṛṣṇa's service. Why money should not be touched? Money is Kṛṣṇa's. It must be touched and used for Kṛṣṇa. We don't try to (indistinct) that pseudo renouncement. What I have got that I shall renouncement? Everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa. Our renouncement means we renounce our personal sense gratification, that's all. That is renouncement. Materialism means personal sense gratification, and spiritual life means no personal sense gratification, all Kṛṣṇa's sense gratification. That's all. The same teaching by Bhagavad-gītā. Arjuna was thinking in terms of personal sense gratification: "I shall not fight. It is not good to kill my kinsmen, my brother." That was personal sense gratification. From ordinary point of view people will say, "How Kṛṣṇa is..., Arjuna is nice, that he's giving up his claim, and nonviolent." But this philosophy Kṛṣṇa immediately kicked out. Kutas tvā kaśmalam idaṁ viṣame samupasthitam. "Oh, why you are talking nonsense like this?"

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 30, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Ācchā. What is healthy? Meat?

Karandhara: Meat.

Prabhupāda: Do the scientists say like that?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: I'm not very sure. But they produce imitation milk, the milk produced from soya bean. That's available in the market. Many, in fact I find, many people do not buy the natural milk. They buy the imitation milk, milk produced from the bean, soya bean. They say that milk contains too much fat. So that makes them very fat. So they want to control their weight by taking the imitation milk which contains less protein and...

Prabhupāda: Yes. Milk will disappear. Harer nāma... (CC Adi 17.21). (pause)

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Prabhupāda, buffalo, buffalo milk is as good as cow's milk?

Prabhupāda: No. It contains more fat. Milk means cow's milk. If you want to derive milk profit, then it is cow's milk. Otherwise every animal has got milk. And next to cow's milk is goat's milk. Goat. Buffalo milk is not so nice.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: It's difficult to digest.

Prabhupāda: No, they therefore mix with water.

Morning Walk -- May 1, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: There is a compound that is called silicon carbide. That is, I think, it is very hard, as hard as diamond They make silicon carbide. I'm not sure but silicon carbide or tungsten carbide. They are used for cutting diamond. They are harder than diamond. Very strong, very hard. They combine this with carbon. It requires tremendous amounts of force to do this, high temperature, high pressure. (pause)

Prabhupāda: Anything eatables?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: (Laughs) No, not so far.

Brahmānanda: Future.

Prabhupāda: "In future." But God creates so many eatables from sand. Do you know?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: The smaller birds, they are eating something from sand?

Prabhupāda: No, even for man. The cantaloupe, watermelon, they are produced in sand in large quantity. Kharmuja. (Bengali)

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Lemons also.

Prabhupāda: Not lemon. Watermelon. These are the products of the desert, as well as dates. Just like these date trees can grow in sand. (pause)

Morning Walk At Cheviot Hills Golf Course -- May 17, 1973, Los Angeles:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: That is why they were very careful. When the astronauts from the moon, when they come back on the surface of the planet, they thought there might be some germs which they do not know yet. So they put it in quarantine for several days, to make sure that they are...

Prabhupāda: First of all make sure whether he had gone there, and then talk of all these things. (laughing) I am not sure they are going there.

Kṛṣṇa-Kāntī: You know they made another blunder.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. What is that?

Kṛṣṇa-Kāntī: They made a spaceship that they wanted to orbit around the earth so that they could send men and ship an outpost.

Karandhara: A house, station.

Kṛṣṇa-Kāntī: So they sent it up and it failed. It cost two billion dollars or something, squandered.

Prabhupāda: Just see why they are wasting time in that way? Money.

Kṛṣṇa-Kāntī: They were criticized in the paper.

Prabhupāda: Fool. Simply childish. Bālaka. What are they gaining? For the last, how many years they are trying? For going to the moon planet?

Room Conversation with David Wynne, Sculptor -- July 9, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: That is not perfect knowledge.

Śyāmasundara: They don't know what he's like.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is not perfect knowledge. Perfect knowledge is when you understand the creator. What do you think?

David Wynne: I think yes. I'm not sure that the analogy..., I think that the greatest... Well, it is true because with the greatest sculpture, one does get to the full understanding, but if one really understands the universe, well, one would see God, I suppose.

Prabhupāda: No.

David Wynne: No.

Prabhupāda: You have to penetrate. You have to understand who has created this universe.

David Wynne: Yes. Yes. But if a great artist was no longer alive, people would still appreciate...

Prabhupāda: No, but the God is not like that, no longer alive.

David Wynne: No, but that's what I mean. The analogy falls down there, doesn't it.

Prabhupāda: God is not like that.

Śyāmasundara: But you're saying that it's better to first penetrate and understand God.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Conversation with Mr. Wadell -- July 10, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: Yes, Kristo. This is called apabhraṁśa. Apa means perverted, perverted spelling of Kṛṣṇa.

Mr. Wadell: I do not know the true answer to that question, I'm afraid.

Prabhupāda: And the meaning, anointed. What is the explanation of anointed?

Mr. Wadell: I am not sure whether this was a title applied to him by his disciples or whether it was a title which he himself explained to them, and it makes a difference whether he regarded himself as being anointed... If so he would have said this was by the..., his father.

Prabhupāda: But Kristo is person.

Mr. Wadell: It is a name applied to...

Prabhupāda: It is a name, then it must be a person.

Mr. Wadell: Yes, that is true. But the name is not always the same as the thing it describes or the person it describes. My name, I have said, is spelled in English in a certain way. It could be pronounced Waddle, Wawdle or, you know what I mean.

Prabhupāda: No, I am just suggesting there is similarity and the meaning "anointed." And from Kristo, the word Christ has come.

Mr. Wadell: Yes, in English, that is quite true.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Now the Christ, what is the meaning of Christ?

Conversation with Mr. Wadell -- July 10, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: ...that you have to go through a process, right process. Then there will be no suspicion. The same example. But if you do not go through the process you will be always suspicious.

Mr. Wadell: When I say, "suspect," what I mean is not anything bad.

Prabhupāda: No, no, I know that.

Mr. Wadell: You understand that all I mean is that I am not sure about this. I think it may be true. I'm not sure.

Prabhupāda: That suspicion will continue unless you take the right process.

Mr. Wadell: But there are, I do not think that this God gave me my mind with my eyes and my sight, hearing, all these factors of the senses, and the intellect and the soul, if we are correctly speaking when we speak of it as something independently existing...

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes.

Mr. Wadell: He did not expect me, I'm sure, not... to reject questions. In my religion, my, must be just as much a part of me as all that my intellect tells me. There must be no question which my religion cannot stand up to.

Prabhupāda: First of all you say that God has given you the intellect. He can withdraw it also.

Mr. Wadell: Well, we say not, because...

Prabhupāda: Why not? If He has given, He can withdraw also.

Mr. Wadell: Oh, I don't... Well, we have a rather strange view of God...

Room Conversation with Sir Alistair Hardy -- July 21, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: Rāmeśvaram.

Sir Alistair Hardy: Rāmeś... I'm sorry. I pronounced it wrong. Rāmeśvaram. There pilgrims bring water from the Ganges. They have a pool in which they keep it. I think. I'm not quite sure if I understood, but I think that over the period, all pilgrims bring water from the Ganges. And I think this water in this pool is Ganges water, which is continually added to by pilgrims coming. I'm not sure about that. That's what I understood, but I don't know. I'd a rather amusing experience, there. I was doing a drawing... I was very fascinated. Its very beautiful pagoda-like entrances, north, east, south...

Revatīnandana: Temple gates.

Sir Alistair Hardy: Temple gates. Yes. And I was making a drawing of this. So I had a very big crowd around me. And my Indian friends... I'd been staying at Mandapam (?) which is the... It was a naval settlement. Well, it was really a settlement of the Indian fisheries. My biological interest had always been in the sea. And these friends came over, and they left this case while they went to take photographs. And they came back. And so the crowd were very excited. "Would you like to know what they're saying?" And so I said, "Yes." So he said, "What they're saying is, 'Isn't he wonderful! Isn't he wonderful! He's taking photographs with his fingers.' " They were more used to photographs, I think. They'd never seen anyone doing an actual... They'd seen symbolic drawings, but... I was reproducing the temple gates, and they said I was taking photographs with my fingers. I thought that was a wonderful expression really, "taking photographs with my fingers." (Someone brings in prasādam) Oh, thank you.

Prabhupāda: No, you can keep it here.

Revatīnandana: Perhaps if you keep your case there.

Room Conversation with Reporter from Researchers Magazine -- July 24, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: But Jesus said that he's son of God. So we say Kṛṣṇa is God. So what is the conflict? God must have a son, one or two? So he's also the son. Where is conflict? (everyone laughs).

Reporter: No conflict.

Woman: I am not sure, I think people might think there was a conflict. I mean...

Prabhupāda: Conflict is there when you disobey Christ. That's why Christ said, "Thou shalt not kill." All the Christians are simply killing. Where is a Christian? There is conflict. They'll support: this killing is this, this isn't that, this isn't that (?). They want to kill. That's all. That is conflict. If you actually follow the tenets of Christianity, there is no conflict. But if you do not follow, at the same time you say you are not Christian, there is conflict. It is clearly stated—I've asked so many Christians—that "Why do you kill?" Christ said "Thou shalt not kill." They want to support their killing process in so many ways. They'll never agree that "Yes, Christ says not to kill. We should stop it." No. They want to support it by various interpretations. That is conflict. Clear word is there, "Thou shalt not kill." And why they're maintaining so many slaughterhouses?

Woman: But it's the same with Arjuna, wasn't it?

Prabhupāda: But you are talking of Christianity. Don't talk of Arjuna now. If you talk of Christianity, don't take support from Arjuna. You talk of Christianity. It is clear statement, "Thou shalt not kill." Why you are killing? "Thou shalt not covet." And illicit sex and illicit man and woman intermingling is going on. Who's stopping it?

Morning Walk -- December 5, 1973, Los Angeles:

Devotee: I'm not sure, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Karandhara: It's probably close to that.

Prabhupāda: Eh? At least fifty-percent. Eh?

Karandhara: Drunkards, debauchers.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Karandhara: Criminals.

Prabhupāda: Harer nāma harer nāma... (CC Adi 17.21). What is the time?

Hṛdayānanda: Quarter to seven.

Prabhupāda: Oh. So we can...?

Karandhara: We can walk around a little bit.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Umāpati: So how... Is it a waste of time then to present Kṛṣṇa consciousness philosophy to someone who believes in doing your own thing? Do you think that that is a...?

Prabhupāda: No. It is, it is... We should push Kṛṣṇa consciousness as disinfecting agent. They're all infected, the whole world. So by chanting you disinfect.

Morning Walk -- December 5, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Ācchā?

Śrutakīrti: I'm not sure what it was.

Prabhupāda: No, the national garden means there is arrangement. The animals are free, roaming. But you can go with your car and...

Hṛdayānanda: Oh yes.

Prabhupāda: And they cannot attack within the car.

Sudāmā: No.

Prabhupāda: But if you come out, they'll attack. The lions are there, elephants are there. (break)

Sudāmā: Not very cold?

Prabhupāda: Not very cold.

Sudāmā: No, no. Compared to Hawaii, it is very cold.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Morning Walk -- December 12, 1973, Los Angeles:

Umāpati: Well, they're so foolish. There was an article in the paper the other day about this shot going to Jupiter and the scientists were described, the scientists that everybody is supposed to depend upon, they were described as biting their fingernails in the hopes that everything would come out all right.

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Yaśomatīnandana: They said that they were simply taking chances that it might come out all right. They were not sure themselves.

Prabhupāda: That everyone is taking chance. A poor man is taking chance to become rich man. So what is the difference between the poor man taking chance and the scientist? (break)

Yaśomatīnandana: ...which into all the characteristics are described in Divine and Demoniac natures. This modern world fits into all the demoniac qualities...

Prabhupāda: Yes, because they are godless. Whole modern world is godless. They don't think of God very seriously. Everyone. They have described it as "Opiate," what is that?

Karandhara: "Opium of the people."

Prabhupāda: Yes. They think, "Those who are religious, they are simply wasting their time." Therefore communist country, they are completely against religion. They cannot allow their people to waste their time. That is their philosophy. This is the condition of the world.

Morning Walk -- December 20, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: So it is our duty to help them. Those who are... Just like here is an opportunity. Go, see them immediately, the person. It is our duty. (break) Sometime I can go and see. Who is the senator, local?

Karandhara: I'm not sure.

Prabhupāda: Find out and arrange some meeting. I shall go personally.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: How many senators here in California?

Karandhara: Two per state. (break)

Prabhupāda: As we know about God, nobody knows in the world. That is a fact. Any person we can challenge that he has no clear idea, what is God, how to contact God, how to... Nobody knows. (break)

Prajāpati: ...a vague notion that they should be serving God, but they do not know how or what will please God.

Prabhupāda: Vague notion must be there because we have got relationship with God, eternal. So that is stated in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Nitya-siddha. It is eternally a fact that we are servant of God, but we have forgotten this. So that has to be revived by this śravaṇa-kīrtana, by hearing, chanting. This is the process. Otherwise, the relationship is already there. It is not to be created. It is already there. (break)

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 21, 1974, Hawaii:

Prabhupāda: Yes?

Sudāmā: Ah, I am not sure of the count...

Prabhupāda: Oh, your child has also come. (Laughing)

Hari-Vallabha: Ātmārāma dāsa.

Prabhupāda: Oh, that's nice. Eh?

Sudāmā: I don't know the count for yes... The day before yesterday.

Bali Mardana: In New York last month we paid, er, the month before, we paid forty-five thousand dollars into the book fund in one month. It's a new record.

Prabhupāda: Hm. Forty-five thousand?

Bali Mardana: In one month.

Prabhupāda: Oh. (break) ...distributed big books, from the very beginning.

Bali Mardana: And samosās.

Morning Walk -- March 6, 1974, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Eh? (break) ...In every life, there is āvaraṇātmikā-śakti. He'll think that "I am very well situated." Even in the hog's life. That is māyā. Similarly, even if you are thinking, "Now we have got human body. We are well situated than the hog," that is also mistake. That is also mistake. "I am European, American, I have got so comfortable." Everything is wrong. Because you have to transmigrate. You do not know what is the next life. So what is the meaning of this well-situated. That is the mistake. That is māyā. You are not sure that you'll continue this life. You'll have to die. You have to accept. So this is māyā. Somebody well-situated, he's thinking, "Oh, I haven't got to do anything with Kṛṣṇa consciousness. I am well situated. I am European and American."

Jayapatākā: Watch out here.

Prabhupāda: Where is our... (break) (kīrtana-party in background) ...that "Europeans and Americans will come, and they will dance here with the chanting, "Jaya Śacīnandana, Jaya Śacīnandana!" So that is being done.

Devotee: That is being done. By the mercy of Prabhupāda Mahārāja, everything has become possible.

Prabhupāda: Oh... So when they chant and dance, I simply remember Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. That's all. I pray to Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, "Now they have come to your shelter. Give them protection." That's all. What can I do more? I cannot do anything more. (break)

Devotee: ...bhakti-mārga. And ours is also bhakti-mārga.

Prabhupāda: Yes. They are Vaiṣṇava.

Room Conversation -- June 5, 1974, Geneva:

Yogeśvara: I think so. I'm not sure. I don't know for sure. But in the mountains a plane crashed and there were eighteen survivors. And to stay alive they ate the dead bodies of the passengers who died. So there were many articles. "What was it like?" Everyone wants to know, "What was it like to eat human flesh? Do you feel bad now that you have eaten human flesh?" "No."

Guru-gaurāṅga: Who's left a copy of Bhagavad-gītā here?

Puṣṭa-kṛṣṇa: Who's left this copy? That's his, this young boy.

Yogeśvara: There have already been books written about it, television reports, radio, everything.

Puṣṭa-kṛṣṇa: One thing on that report. I read that there were certain people...

Prabhupāda: There was no vegetable?

Yogeśvara: No, it was way up in the mountains.

Puṣṭa-kṛṣṇa: Icy, cold.

Yogeśvara: It was very cold. There was no plants, no nothing. They had to stay inside the plane just to stay alive, to stay warm. So they could not go and get food anywhere.

Puṣṭa-kṛṣṇa: And the bodies were already dead. And there were certain people that they knew their bodies, his fiance or his sister. They agreed that if they were going to eat the bodies they would eat them last. It's true. It was in the story. One man, he had his prospective wife. One man had his sister or sister-in-law, cousin. They said, "If we're going to eat the bodies, then we'll eat them the last." So they had a sense that this body is more important than that body, like that.

Prabhupāda: No, in last war they ate stool also.

Room Conversation with Roger Maria leading writer of communist literature -- June 12, 1974, Paris:

Bhagavān: They're calling Africa.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Bhagavān: They may be on the phone with Africa. I'm not sure.

Jyotirmayī: So he said that here in France, the Christians, they are now reviewing their own Christianity, their own philosophy, because they see that the materialistic people, they are giving critiques, and they are right in their critiques. So they are changing their religion.

Yogeśvara: In other words, he's saying that religion has to be defined according to the way the mass of people accept it.

Prabhupāda: That is not religion. That is sentiment. (French)

Devotee: (To Prabhupāda, as Frenchman speaks in French:) They're on the phone speaking with Brahmānanda Mahārāja.

Jyotirmayī: So he says that those who have been just religious and working for the independence, they didn't do any real good.

Prabhupāda: Now, first of all, our proposition is what does he mean by religion? (French)

Jyotirmayī: He said that there cannot be an abstract definition of religion, but only the experience of religion.

Prabhupāda: No, we have got definition of religion. Let him learn from us. (French)

Room Conversation with Scientists -- July 2, 1974, Melbourne:

Dr. Muncing: Well, I'm not sure that I could call it the social theme of science. I'm concerned with building research. We came to realize three or four years ago that whilst we had got a long way in understanding the material things that go to make up houses and cities, we were a long way from knowing what people wanted the thing that gets called quality of life. We have been beginning to look at this subject, commencing in the first place in northwestern Australia where there are a lot of mining activity, and there people go for a short time. They go to fairly small settlements, and we were interested in how important the housing was in the total. We've got a long way to go, and this looks to be a fairly interesting area. Unless you want to ask about that, I think I'd be interested in what further things Australia should be helping Asia with. We've spoken about milk things already, and I hope before we finish you can tell us what things we should be learning of Asia that we haven't learned in the past.

Madhudviṣa: He wants... He would like to know what you think that Australia should help Asia with as far as making people more comfortable to live in this world and what Australia can imbibe from Asia as far as teaching in science as well as general living.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So far I have studied, not only Australia, but also America and Africa, there are immense land uncultivated. So I think all these countries... The population increased in India, China, and similar other places. They should allow to come them, come here and produce food grains. If you cannot manage the over-populated countries, they should come. If the government allows, they would immediately come and utilize the vast land for producing food grains. And in the Bhagavad-gītā we have the statement-find out, annād bhavanti bhūtāni. Find out this verse. Annād bhavanti bhūtāni.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk Through the BBT Warehouse -- February 10, 1975, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: I don't think... Is he singing any other song, no?

Gurudāsa: Now he is not. He's going to Vṛndāvana next week.

Prabhupāda: Oh. Vṛndāvana. Where he'll stay?

Gurudāsa: I wrote him a letter to stay with us, but he may stay in Mathurā. I'm not sure. I wrote him a letter to stay at our place.

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Rāmeśvara: We have enough space here to store all the Spanish books, because they are printed in Los Angeles, or in America.

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Rāmeśvara: Maybe we should walk around again.

Prabhupāda: I think no religious publisher have seen such big go-down in their life, throughout the whole world. As soon as they will hear about religious book they immediately avoid it, especially the Communist country. And bring some Communist country man to show him that "You are trying to avoid God. Now see how we are preaching God."

Jayatīrtha: In one country, Communist country, Albania, they made it against the law to pray in public or in private. Anyone who is found praying in public or in private may be arrested.

Room Conversation with Psychiatrist -- February 22, 1975, Caracas:

science of soul.

Lady (Hṛdayānanda): She said that she has studied... She's not sure because she herself has, for example, studied two years in theology when she was a student.

Prabhupāda: Theology is different. Not very much different, but the modern so-called theology, that is also different speculation. That is not science. There are different theologists. Science cannot be differently opinion. Two plus two is science. It is always four. Nobody can say that "In my opinion it is five," "In my opinion it is three." That is not science; that is speculation.

Lady (Hṛdayānanda): She would like to know what would be the characteristics of this brahminical class, how would they be selected and what are their qualities and so on?

Prabhupāda: Just find out this, satyaḥ śamaḥ damaḥ, titikṣa ārjavaḥ āstikyaṁ, jñānam vijñānam, brahma-karma svabhāva.

Room Conversation with three Trappist Monks, Psychologists from the University of Georgia, and Atlanta Lawyer, Michael Green -- March 1, 1975, Atlanta:

Prabhupāda: Jesus, did he say... Jesus Christ, did he say that Jesus is the name of God?

Guest (3): Well, that's what Christians believe, yeah.

Prabhupāda: No, is there anything mentioned in the Bible that Jesus is the name of God?

Guest (3): I'm not sure.

Guest (4) (Trappist monk): He didn't say it himself, did he?

Guest (3): Did he did what?

Guest (4): Did Jesus say that he is God? Jesus isn't the name of God. He said, "Son of God, son of man."

Guest (3): No, he said God. There's three places that Jesus said he's God, in Hebrews and John, and two places in...

Guest (5): "I and the father are one," is in John.

Guest (4): Oh, the father and the son is one. Of course it is one. So are we, because we are all children of God. God must be in us, otherwise we couldn't exist.

Guest (3): Of course.

Conversation with the GBC -- March 27, 1975, Mayapur:

Madhudviṣa: Spiritual and, and, and legal name...

Atreya Ṛṣi: It should start with this.

Satsvarūpa: Well, it's not sure what it should start with. That's it.

Madhudviṣa: Both names should be there because a spiritual name is not legal.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's a fact.

Jayatīrtha: Both names. Good.

Satsvarūpa: "...as GBC secretary of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, the founder..."

Prabhupāda: You... You... You make one copy, your copy, and make addition, alteration, corrections, and then copy the same thing for other men. That will be easier.

Satsvarūpa: All right.

Prabhupāda: You... You just fill up one copy, as you are doing. So make addition, alteration, your name, your spiritual name, everything complete. So, following that copy, others will do. (?) Is that all right?

Morning Walk -- April 19, 1975, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So, he is going to demonstrate anything? No.

Rāmeśvara: Is he going to do any play?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Dances?

Jayatīrtha: I'm not sure.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What is your desire for that, Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: No, no, I told him that you make some play for showing here in Vṛndāvana.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's all right that the women are dancing?

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Śrutakīrti: You said plays. He could do plays.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Women as far as possible should be no... That's not good.

Devotee (1): He spoke to me about it. He wants to do four performances here.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Is that dancing he wants to do or plays?

Devotee (1): Dancing.

Prabhupāda: With women?

Morning Walk -- May 12, 1975, Perth:

Prabhupāda: So why Māyāvāda... Interpretation is required when you cannot understand, but when the things are understood very clearly... Just like we had been in Kurukṣetra. That place is there for millions and millions of years. And why one should interpret, "Kurukṣetra means this body"? Why should we accept this meaning? Kurukṣetra is already there. Everyone is going. And if somebody interprets, "No, Kurukṣetra means this body," so why I shall be so foolish to accept this interpretation?

Paramahaṁsa: Well, people say that they're not sure whether it's a symbolic meaning or an actual meaning.

Prabhupāda: That is your conjecture. But when you read book you should understand the wording of the book. You cannot conjecture in such...

Paramahaṁsa: Because they say some of the Vedic literatures...

Prabhupāda: That means willingly they want to become fool.

Paramahaṁsa: There are so many great symbolic literatures.

Prabhupāda: You are seeing this green. If you interpret, "It is not green; it is white," what is this? Can you interpret like that? It is green, and "No, in my interpretation it is white. What you are seeing, it is not actual seeing." You can go on saying like that. But I am an ordinary man. Why shall I take it white? It is green. That's all.

Paramahaṁsa: But that is the way of great writing, to write in symbolism. That is...

Amogha: Great literary works are done in that way.

Morning Walk -- May 12, 1975, Perth:

Prabhupāda: Then the other party will go to appeal. Where he is being judged, in the Supreme Court or lower court?

Amogha: I'm not sure. Actually, the judgment is whether or not he put a false picture in the newspaper of his brother with a girl. The older brother is claiming that... First he put a picture in the paper showing the younger Guru Maharaj-ji kissing an American girl. So Guru Maharaj-ji put another counter-photo showing his older brother with an American girl. So the suit is over whether this second picture is a real picture or is it artificially made. That's what the court will decide.

Prabhupāda: Oh. That is the suit.

Paramahaṁsa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: So in other words, the case is that God cannot kiss an American girl. (laughs) Is that the case? (laughter)

Amogha: Well, not in public.

Śrutakīrti: The mother's claim is that the Guru Maharaj-ji is not fit to be the leader now because he is...

Prabhupāda: Because he has kissed one American girl?

Paramahaṁsa: Well, not one, but many.

Prabhupāda: Many.

Morning Walk -- May 13, 1975, Perth:

Prabhupāda: Ācchā?

Amogha: Yes. I was very surprised, but they showed a picture. And they said this is a Methodist... I think it was Methodist. Some church... I am not sure which. But anyhow, it was a church...

Amogha: That's the only way to get people to come to church.

Gaṇeśa: That's why they are called Methodists because they use different methods.

Amogha: We saw one church, the church that they got in Montreal for the temple. They, right before the devotees took over the church, they were having rock musicians playing music every night. And in this way they were trying to get people to come to church. And they would sing songs sometimes about religion, using all electrical instruments and everything.

Gaṇeśa: This man who is coming to see you today, he also has done this in Perth.

Amogha: Dean Hazelwood.

Prabhupāda: What he has done?

Amogha: He... Sometimes he has electric guitar music for the church prayer ceremony. It's called a rock mass.

Gaṇeśa: Rock mass, to attract the young people.

Prabhupāda: Will the young men came?

Morning Walk -- May 28, 1975, Honolulu:

Paramahaṁsa: Is what...?

Prabhupāda: This earthly planet is also bright?

Paramahaṁsa: I'm not sure.

Gurukṛpa: Within this universe are there other planets similar to the earthly planet where the inhabitants are getting the same, similar material bodies?

Prabhupāda: No, every planet there are inhabitants.

Gurukṛpa: But similar to this?

Prabhupāda: Hm. (aside:) Don't come very near.

Gurukṛpa: This is called martya-loka, and are there other...

Prabhupāda: Not similar. Every planet is different from the other. Just like in down planets there is no sunlight, so how they can be one? There the light arrangement is different. (break)

Devotee (1): ...He displays His Vṛndāvana only on the earthly-like planet?

Prabhupāda: Yes, Vṛndāvana is there already.

Morning Walk -- June 2, 1975, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: Yes, which way?

Devotee (1): Oh, this way. We can walk this way. (break)

Śrutakīrti: It's an acknowledgement of the first director of this botanical garden. (break)

Devotee (1): ...poison, Prabhupāda. This one is poison. It's called aki (a key?) apple. I think, I don't know, but I'm not sure.

Prabhupāda: Without tasting, you say poison? First of all taste. (laughter) If you die, then you say it is poison.

Devotee (1): This is a candlenut tree, Śrīla Prabhupāda. They take these nuts and in old Hawaii they string it through a coconut frond, and then they light it, and it used to burn for a few minutes. It's full of oil. Candlenut.

Prabhupāda: What it is written there?

Paramahaṁsa: "Sir Betare (?) tree."

Devotee (1): They told me most of the fruits here are poisonous except for one mango.

Indian man: That yellow kind of campaka?

Prabhupāda: No, it is not campaka. It is called kaiku(?). (break) ...Melbourne?

Śrutakīrti: No.

Gurukṛpa: What's that?

Morning Walk -- June 10, 1975, Honolulu:

Harikeśa: But sometimes the devotees become very excited, you see, when we chant and the test goes up.

Upendra: No, but this is... Dharmādhyakṣa was... He did it. The same result, they have to act the same way. They have to chant their japa nicely. And then the transcendental meditationist will meditate his way. But the results are coming out better in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Dharmādhyakṣa, at least, and Guru dāsa said so I'm not sure. It hasn't been working yet.

Prabhupāda: In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that beyond the senses, the mind is there. Beyond the mind, the intelligence is there. Beyond the intelligence, the soul is there. So they are studying the mind. They are not even on the intelligence platform, and what to speak of spiritual platform? Mano-rathena asato dhavato, bahiḥ. These rascals, those who are on the mental plane, they will remain materialists. That's all. They will not know, understand anything spiritual.

Harikeśa: So even if someone were to read the results of such a test, it would not convince them.

Prabhupāda: What...? What you...?

Siddha-svarūpa: They're testing after a material thing. Try to understand it. They're testing the mental plane and they're thinking that that's the spiritual plane.

Prabhupāda: Their position is described in the Bhagavad-gītā, avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā. These rascals, avajānanti, I mean to say, cares a fig for Kṛṣṇa, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa is also a very big man, that's all." Just the Arya Samaji says in India, that "We don't accept Him as God, but He is a very big man, a very big politician, like that." So that is described in the Bhagavad..., avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam, paraṁ bhāvam ajānanto (BG 9.11). The paraṁ bhāvam, what is the actual significance, that is, they do not know. What is the actual significance of the soul and soul platform, spiritual..., that they do not know. They are studying from the mental platform. So they have to go beyond mental platform, avāṅ mānasa-gocara, beyond bodily mental platform. Then they will understand.

Morning Walk -- June 10, 1975, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Siddha-svarūpa: So that means they're not sure it's a chemical.

Prabhupāda: Then?

Siddha-svarūpa: If they say they haven't found it, they have to admit that they're not sure.

Prabhupāda: Why do they not inject chemical in the dead body? Harikeśa? What is their answer, these rascals' answers? If they know it is out of chemical, then inject that chemical in the dead body and let him come back again in life. What do they say?

Harikeśa: They're a little puzzled about that one.

Prabhupāda: Puzzled means they are rascals. Why a scientist should be puzzled? Then you are rascal, admit it. If I know my business correct, why shall I be puzzled? That means rascal. You are rascal, and you are theorizing only. What is the value of your statement?

Siddha-svarūpa: Actually, the chemicals are already there in a body which has just, someone has just left the body, the soul has just left, all the chemicals are there. There's nothing missing.

Harikeśa: Well, they will say there's a slight difference and that slight difference is enough.

Morning Walk -- June 10, 1975, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: (break) ...up? No?

Siddha-svarūpa: I'm not sure.

Devotee: I think up to now they have sold 200,000,000 hamburgers or something like that.

Prabhupāda: You also keep account?

Devotee: No, they put that ad in every day.

Siddha-svarūpa: They put in a newspaper.

Ambarīṣa: You can't avoid seeing it.

Siddha-svarūpa: No, they are always telling you.

Devotee: In front of their shop it's always there.

Siddha-svarūpa: "We have killed this many." They are also trying to connect themselves with patriotism and religion. They have, at all of their restaurants, they have the American flag flying along with the McDonald's flag. They have their own flag, McDonald's. So they fly alongside the American flag. (break)

Room Conversation with the Mayor of Evanston -- July 4, 1975, Chicago:

Prabhupāda: So is it not possible to use this house at least for some time for this movement?

Mayor: The, er... I'm not sure what the time schedule is, but it's my impression that they were going to start remodeling it for city purposes later this year. It's about a three million dollar project, both for the purchase of the land from the sisters and the remodeling to make it suitable for various city needs. And then they're going to... The city is now located at nine different locations, that is, their facilities. And they're trying to incorporate them all in this one place so that when people need city services, they can just go one place and get all the...

Prabhupāda: But this is more important. City service is going on, but criminals are increasing. So why not give us little opportunity?

Mayor: Well, I could certainly discuss this with the city manager and see what could be worked out.

Śrī Govinda: Possibly we could invite the city manager also to come to discuss with Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: No. So if we get a good place with the cooperation of the authorities, then our simple program is that, as Professor Judah has remarked, drug-addicted hippies, they have been turned into devotees. We shall invite anyone to come and chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and take prasādam and we are... I began this movement in New York alone, and these boys gradually came to me, but my process was this: chanting and giving them prasādam. He is one of the original student. He was. So this process, very simple process, everyone will be able to accept it. Chant, dance, and take prasādam. Within that process, everything is there. Then he will understand. They will read these books... They are practical examples. I am poor Indian, I did not bribe them neither I have money. (laughter) So now they have dedicated their life for this purpose. So I want to do it in a large scale.

Morning Walk -- October 5, 1975, Mauritius:

Indian man (3): We are not so sure.

Cyavana: Recently it came up?

Indian man (3): No, we are not so sure because before human settlement in Mauritius.

Indian boy (2): No, but it is... (break) ...please tell us about the creation of the earth.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Indian boy (2): Creation, how... About the creation. I have read it from Bible too, about Adam and Eve. Do you think that it's true?

Prabhupāda: What is the idea of Adam?

Indian boy (2): God has created him.

Prabhupāda: So the same process is mentioned in Vedas. God created Brahmā, and he created this universe.

Indian boy (2): All which we can see on the earth have been created by...

Prabhupāda: Brahmā.

Indian boy (2): Brahmā. Who is Brahmā?

Room Conversation -- October 29, 1975, Nairobi:

Prabhupāda: They brought British soldiers or Indian soldiers?

Brahmānanda: I'm not sure.

Prabhupāda: British soldiers, so long, how they'll come? They were using Indian soldiers.

Indian: I know that Indian peoples, they helped them to get this freedom. That is the reason they have a little bit respect for the Indians now, this president.

Prabhupāda: How Indian people helped them?

Brahmānanda: They would give their... These groups of guerillas, the Indians would supply them and use their facilities and their farm houses. And then also, legally, the Indians were able to give, from their experience in India. They were able to make some government, some kind of a freedom government system. They agitated to get representation in the Parliament, and they became... When independence came there were many Indians as M.P.'s here. And even when Kenyatta was put on trial by the British, his chief lawyer was a Britisher, but the second lawyer was an Indian. Also the union movement was... One Indian, he helped organize the...

Indian: I was talking with a judge. He is a Sikh gentleman here. So he told me that "In the freedom we all helped, and I was not a judge at that time. I was ordinary advocate. So I play a nice role to get them freedom, so they appointed me a judge after that." Now he is judge since last fifteen years.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Cyavana: Is that Makhajee?

Morning Walk -- November 2, 1975, Nairobi:

Prabhupāda: Yes, they will appreciate. But if you don't follow strictly, then it is useless to criticize them also. You are also victim; they are also victim.

Devotee (8): When chanting our sixteen rounds, we are not sure if these rounds are sincere...

Prabhupāda: You should be sure.

Devotee (8): How can we be sure?

Prabhupāda: There is beads.

Brahmānanda: No, he's saying that when we chant our rounds, how can we be sure that when we chant the round that the round is a perfect, attentive round, sincere?

Prabhupāda: Therefore it is śāstra, "You must." There is no question of understanding.

Brahmānanda: The quality of the chanting he's asking. How can we make the quality the best?

Prabhupāda: Quality, you'll understand first of all come to the quality. Without having quality, how he'll understand the quality? You follow the instruction of your spiritual master, of the śāstra. That is your duty. Quality, no quality—it is not your position to understand. When the quality comes there is no force. You will have a taste for chanting. You will desire at that time, "Why sixteen round? Why not sixteen thousand rounds?" That is quality. That is quality. It is by force. You'll not do it; therefore at least sixteen rounds. But when you come to the quality, you will feel yourself, "Why sixteen? Why not sixteen thousand?" That is quality, automatically. Just like Haridāsa Ṭhākura was doing. He was not forced to do. Even Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He requested, "Now you are old enough. You can reduce." So he refused, "No. Up to the end of my life I shall go on." That is quality. Have you got such tendency that you will go on chanting and nothing to do? That is quality. Now you are forced to do. Where is the question of quality?

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 19, 1976, Mayapur:

Bhavānanda: There are ladders up to these rooms and then stairs on an angle up to those rooms.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Ladder where? Where is there a ladder going to be?

Bhavānanda: Going up this way. I'm not exactly sure how the engineering works. Jayapatāka designed it.

Prabhupāda: It has been a mistake. The staircase should have been from this, within this.... Why it has not done, that? What is this nonsense, a ladder? (break) ...going to.... Yes.

Indian man: One person, he is coming today.

Prabhupāda: One person?

Indian man: From Krishnanagar he came yesterday and....

Prabhupāda: No, no, his rate is higher. Why should you engage him?

Indian man: So the other is coming on Monday or Tuesday.

Bhavānanda: From Calcutta.

Indian man: He is bringing a same person.

Prabhupāda: No, no, that's all right. But why should we pay him more, the Krishnanagar. He wants that one...

Morning Walk -- February 19, 1976, Mayapura:

Acyutānanda: There was now a statement from the scientists, "Scientists are no longer positive why the sun shines." Like... They were positive, and they said, "We are positive." Now they are no longer positive why the sun shines.

Prabhupāda: What is that, "positive"?

Acyutānanda: They don't know... Before they were sure. Now they're not sure why the sun shines. They had concocted an idea, and they declared it as a law, a scientific law. Now they have..., again doubting their own law.

Guru-kṛpā: Actually the flavor that's in the flower comes from the different secretion, and by different mixture, different flavors come out.

Prabhupāda: Rascal, what is that mixture?

Guru-kṛpā: By chance.

Prabhupāda: By chance. (laughter)

Guru-kṛpā: Different chance creates different flavors.

Acyutānanda: They have scientists have analyzed. All smells come in seven or eight basic smells: burnt, sweet, bitter... So they said, "A rose is seven sweet, two burnt and one bitter." So they take the chemicals, and it doesn't smell like a rose. They put the seven sweet and the one burnt, and... And it doesn't smell rose. But just the statement that they are no longer chemicals...

Guru-kṛpā: But we can artificially create with our chemicals the smell of the rose.

Morning Walk -- March 13, 1976, Mayapur:

Mahāṁsa: Well, we'll know in one, two weeks. By end of the month we'll know exac...

Prabhupāda: No, no, you'll know, but for the time being, by the situation...

Mahāṁsa: Now it is still under litigation. We are not sure. But we have waited one year now under suspense. Now it has come to an end.

Yaśodānandana: Yeah, but they don't know...

Mahāṁsa: Yes, Prabhupāda, even if they take away... Even if they take away 600 acres, they have a right on 250 acres, so we will get the 250 acres. So minimum we'll get. We won't get... Maybe we won't get the full 600 acres, but we'll get 250 acres. Because even if they come under the Ceiling Act, then 250... They can keep the rest they will get. Then they can give, they can sell, they can do anything.

Prabhupāda: (break) ...can get?

Mahāṁsa: Yes, as soon as they can... Either one decision is that "Yes, you can keep the whole 600 acres." And the other decision is "No, you have to... We will confiscate. You can only keep 250." As soon as that decision is made, I will get the document for transferring the trust deeds.

Yaśodānandana: One advantage of the land there, of the soil in Andhra Pradesh, that it's very good for the sugarcane, and that fruit called sitaphala(?) grows very nicely in that area.

Morning Walk -- March 26, 1976, Delhi:

Prabhupāda: Pious activities or impious activities in this material world, they are the same.

Yadubara: Does one have a better chance of reaching to the spiritual platform if he is performing pious activities?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Chance, not sure. Just like charity is pious activities, but if the charity by chance it is given to a Vaiṣṇava, then it becomes a lift for spiritual. And charity given for opening hospital, it is the same, impious activity. People are inclined to do something pious just like opening a school, opening hospital, and if you go to such person, that "We want to open a temple," they will not give. "Ah, there are many temples." As if there is no school. There are many schools; still, they will open a school and hospital. But if you go for some charity for opening a temple, "Oh, there are so many temples."

Yadubara: Like last night everyone was giving money for the hospital program, the meeting there.

Prabhupāda: Were there any book sale, our?

Yadubara: Some. I think that lady that you preached to the night before last, she bought a Bhagavad-gītā.

Prabhupāda: She bought. Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa. (break)

Yadubara: ...Śrīla Prabhupāda, that the single elements alone in the body do not have life. The blood does not have life, the air does not have life, and so on. How would you prove that all of them combined together don't have life? How would you prove that?

Morning Walk -- April 8, 1976, Mayapur:

Passer-by: Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. Jaya, jaya. This is the difference: he is living here nine years, he does not. And here, cultivator, he knows how to offer obeisances. Where he is living?

Jayadvaita: I'm not sure exactly. I met him on Gopīnath Bazaar. He's living with some gentleman. He said that he came to Vṛndāvana nine years ago and he met this gentleman and took up studying with him. And he's reading all Vedic books, Atharva Veda, Yajur Veda, like that, but he doesn't know...

Prabhupāda: What is God.

Madhudviṣa: Has he seen our books?

Prabhupāda: How he is wasting his time.

Jayadvaita: Yes.

Lokanātha: Vedeṣu durlābhaṁ.

Prabhupāda: Adurlabham ātma-bhaktau. If he would have approached a devotee, he'd have known this long ago. That man must be Māyāvādī, with whom he is associating.

Pañcadraviḍa: They cannot give anything.

Room Conversation -- Honolulu, May 20, 1976 :

Prabhupāda: Who is he?

Devotee (5): Uhhh, I'm not sure. Who sent it? Bahulāśva? That devotee named Bahulāśva.

Devotee (6): Bahulāśva and Bhakti dāsa.

Devotee (5): And who else?

Devotee (6): Jayānanda. But Jayānanda... I saw this printed in L.A. before I came here.

Devotee (5): Ohh.

Devotee (6): So I don't think it's a San Francisco endeavor.

Devotee (7): The separations were all...

Devotee (5): No, he said it was done there.

Devotee (6): Oh, in San Francisco?

Room Conversation -- Honolulu, May 20, 1976 :

Prabhupāda: Should not be published.

Devotee (5): Does that mean the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust trustees?

Prabhupāda: Yes. So those who are managing that why their (indistinct)? Where does he live?

Devotee (3): I, we're still not sure who published it, uh, Bahulāśva or Dharmādhyakṣa? Has anybody, did you recommend?

Devotee (5): Rameśvara told me that they are the ones who did it, from the San Francisco center. (indistinct) he mentioned, and a Dharmādhyakṣa.

Devotee (3): Mm hm. He's in LA.

Devotee (5): He mentioned those two. He didn't mention the others. He said they were...

Prabhupāda: Bahulāśva published, published?

Devotee (5): He said Bahulāśva and Dharmādhyakṣa.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Devotee (5): Dharmādhyakṣa. I don't know who he is.

Devotee (3): It's the colleges.

Devotee (5): Oh. They're, I think, in charge of the college program.

Morning Walk -- June 8, 1976, Los Angeles:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: It's from these automobiles, the exhaust. They say that in some cities like New York, just living in the city itself, it is like smoking two packs of cigarettes every day because of so much pollution in the air, so contaminated. (break)...in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that the cure for madness is open space and fresh air. That's Ayurvedic method. So in the cities there's all kinds of confined spaces, the air is not all clean. There's so much madness. (break)

Prabhupāda: (in car) Scientists are changing their theories, how we can accept? Reasonably? You are changing your theories, how we can accept you are scientist? You are not sure of your position. Philosophers also, they say "I believe." What is the meaning of this philosophy?

Hari-śauri: They simply give their own opinion about something and present that as being fact, and everyone else has their own.

Prabhupāda: I have got my own opinion. Or anyone can have his own opinion. Why your opinion should be accepted? I have got.... (break) ...is that one does not understand that he is imperfect. Or he knows that he is imperfect, still, he wants to push forward his opinion. That is the difficulty. He knows he's imperfect. But he does not think that "I am imperfect. What is the value of my opinion?"

Rāmeśvara: If I have a bigger brain than someone else, and if I give my...

Prabhupāda: Comparatively, you are less crazy. That is another thing.

Hari-śauri: "My idea may not be perfect, but it's better than yours," that's their idea.

Room Conversation -- June 8, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: You're going to?

Trivikrama: Hong Kong first, make sure Dai Nippon gets printed nicely.

Prabhupāda: They have got a press in Hong Kong?

Trivikrama: Yes. At least an office. I'm not... Tamāla Kṛṣṇa said there was a press, but I'm not sure.

Prabhupāda: What is this?

Hari-śauri: It says here that this is possibly the very first newspaper article of your arrival in the West. This is, er, this was written at the time that you, the very first month you were there.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Butler.

Trivikrama: It says you may stay for one month (laughs).

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Hari-śauri: It says you have come for one month as a commissioner to preach bhakti-yoga in the West.

Prabhupāda: Called me "Ambassador." It is a very old article. Where you got it?

Trivikrama: From one... Candanācārya had a copy.

Prabhupāda: Oh. It was in Butler in 19...

Room Conversation with Ambarisa and Catholic Priest -- June 14, 1976, Detroit:

Stansky: May I pose a question, Your Grace? It's less than two weeks that I'm asking you for the second time to instruct me. You gave me some very general instructions in my last audience, and I'm very grateful. Many things have transpired since then. I'm now here in Detroit; we'll be going on to Toronto very shortly. From Toronto to Chicago, and then I'm not sure what the agenda is. I'm tremendously pleased because it's giving me an opportunity to work in the area that you said I should be working in. In addition to which I have ample time to study. And I have the assistance of Satsvarūpa with my studies. Now I have a question. I would like to keep a log of my daily activities and start preparing an outline of a book. Now the book very basically won't.... I won't be starting on the book for at least a year, but I would like to start keeping a log.

Prabhupāda: You can keep record.

Stansky: Yes. Now the reason I would like to keep a log and prepare an outline and start a book, say a year from now, it would show a transition from Roman priesthood to Hare Kṛṣṇa devotee. I think this would open up the door to all of the colleges and universities across the country.

Prabhupāda: Very good idea, yes. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 2.59). The nature is if we get better engagement, we give up inferior engagement. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate. So this will be an example. You are a Roman priest. You are educated, learned scholar also. So when you come to this movement, you do not come here by sentiment or by whims. You consider, then you have come.

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

Prabhupāda: Next, the third part, how many pages?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: The third part of Seventh Canto?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: What is the last chapter in the... I'm not sure, Śrīla Prabhupāda. I have to inquire from him. The fifteenth chapter, though, is very long.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: It should be long. So many long purports in the fifteenth chapter of the Seventh Canto.

Hari-śauri: What's it about?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Nārada Muni...

Prabhupāda: About the foretelling of Bhāgavatam. The other day I recited so many verses. One of them, long hairs. Now see how practical. And now this is confirmation of the foretelling. Who knew five thousand years that people will keep long hairs and think of themselves as very beautiful? It is mentioned in Bhāgavata. How it is possible unless they can see actually what is going to happen? That is foretelling. And other description, they are also fact. Everything is there. And all this is five thousand, two thousand years' foretelling. The millions and millions of years' foretelling they are. What will the eighth Manu, and how they will..., ninth Manu, tenth Manu, up to fourteenth Manu. All the Manus together, forty-three lakhs, thousand times. This is all the Manus' time. And the whole history is concluded that "Now I have mentioned past, present and future." It is not difficult. Just like tomorrow for my daily routine, what I shall do tomorrow from morning to evening, I can say. Is it very difficult for me? So it is a question of Brahmā's one day. So it can be said by them, not by us. These rascals think only in their standard of thinking: "I cannot live in such such, such condition; therefore there is no living entity." This is their idea. "I cannot live within the water; therefore there is no living entity. I cannot live within the fire; therefore there is no living entity." Kūpa-māṇḍūkya-nyāya, the same. "Whatever is in my experience, three feet water... How there can be unlimited?"

Morning Walk -- July 5, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: Yes, iceberg. Throughout the whole year, every second coming. (break) ...trees have fallen are grown like that?

Vṛṣākapi: Old trees, Śrīla Prabhupāda, dead ones.

Prabhupāda: So the fall goes that side?

Rūpānuga: Yes. There's another place—I'm not exactly sure; I think it's down much further—where there's much bigger falls. This is just a small place. It's not the main falls. We can go there on another walk, I think, if you want to see the big falls.

Prabhupāda: Chicken is giving life to the egg within five days, and you are scientist, you have to wait for millions of years. So chicken is better than you. (laughter) Why, rascal, you claim as scientist? Better, a chicken is better than you. Chicken is giving just after sitting on the egg. In five days, there is living entity. You rascal, you have to wait. So why you talk? Better don't talk. It is better not to talk than to talk foolish. Where is the scientist?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: If they don't talk, then don't get jobs.

Prabhupāda: That's it. Then they'll say plainly that "I'm hungry; give some food. Then I'll not talk nonsense. Give me some food." That's all. Take it. Tell the truth.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: If they talk these things, they can get money from the government, millions of dollars.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. So instead of talking all nonsense, tell freely that "I am hungry, give me some food."

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Actually, that's what happens in principle.

Evening Darsana -- July 6, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: Then there is no question, you see.

Guest (4): But I still want to ask a question, not that it's a right question, but I do want to ask it. I'm not sure that I can formulate it, but it would be a little like this, maybe. Uh, uh, well, maybe I don't have to ask it. I'll skip it. (laughter)

Prabhupāda: No, you are Christian?

Guest (4): No. I am...

Prabhupāda: You are not Christian? Whatever you may be...

Guest (4): Would it be possible to say—this is my question-would it be possible to say that all the religions are, as it were, aspects of the personality of Kṛṣṇa?

Prabhupāda: No, our definition of religion is that religion is the word or the law given by God. That is religion.

Guest (4): Yes, but then there are these religions. There's more than one.

Prabhupāda: First of all, we have to agree on the principle. Religion means the word of God or the law given by God. That is religion.

Room Conversation With Scientists -- July 6, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: There is life, you do not know.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: They are not sure yet.

Prabhupāda: There is life everywhere. We can say from the śāstra. There cannot be any place vacant. It is not possible. Must be life there. All planets are vacant, simply this planet is congested, overpopulation. What is this nonsense? What is the difference between this planet and other planets, chemically or physiologically?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: They say there are differences.

Prabhupāda: Huh? Differences, that may be little, the difference between cat's body, dog's body, man's body, little difference must be there. But the elements are the same. At least, I'll not believe. No, I am not blind, but in the śāstra, every planet is congested. That is in the Bhāgavatam.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes, actually we also have some information even in science that there must be life there in other planets.

Prabhupāda: I, he was of my age, perhaps you know his name, Dr. Shah? So he was my friend in Allahabad. So he said, "No there is life." He said, Dr. Menga Shah(?). There is no question of disbelieving, he said, and he is also big scientists, Dr. Menga Shah (?), Dr. Megha-kunda(?), they were all my customers.

Arrival Comments in Car to Temple -- July 9, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: This Doubleday Company, they take our books?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Ah...

Rāmeśvara: I don't know.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I'm not sure.

Rāmeśvara: I don't know. Generally the bookstores, they don't take our books because our distributors are distributing on the street in front of the bookstore, they say it is competition. But the college bookstores, they all take our books. We just got a report from Satsvarūpa Mahārāja that this past month of June in America they sold seventy-five standing orders. And that is remarkable, because all the schools are closed in June, and still they sold them books. They closed for the summer, and still they are ordering your books.

Prabhupāda: In this street I think there is one library office...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, it's Fifty..., it's either Fifty-fifth or Fifty-third, and it's called, it's one of main sub-branches. Yes, it's a very well known one.

Prabhupāda: Free rent?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Free rent. Rent a safe deposit box for one year and we'll give you an extra six months free." But first you have to pay for one year. Chemical Bank. Huge buildings now everywhere.

Evening Darsana -- July 13, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. (break)

Devotee (6): It's mustard oil.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Devotee (6): It's mustard oil with spices, and I am not sure what the fruit is. It may be mango, I'm not sure.

Hari-śauri: It's some kind of crude mango pickle.

Prabhupāda: Why not take little?

Devotee (6): Do you want me to try to see what it is?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Devotee (6): Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Prabhupāda: You have taken? What is that?

Devotee (6): I can't tell.

Prabhupāda: No taste?

Devotee (6): It tastes like mustard oil and spices. I think it's mango.

Devotee (7): Yes, that may be it.

Interview with Trans-India Magazine -- July 17, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: They do not know what is happiness. Bhagavad-gītā points out what is your distress. Can anyone say what is the actual distress? They do not know it. Distress they are taking as usual part of life. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). This is philosophy, to find out what is distress. This is directly said by Kṛṣṇa, that these are distresses, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi, to take birth, to die, to become old and to become diseased. But they do not know it. Not only they, everyone, all over the world, they take it as part of life. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi. When a man becomes diseased, when a man becomes old, or when a man dies, they take it it is usual. They have been accustomed to these distresses so much that they do not take it as distress. So this is their ignorance. This is their ignorance. They do not know what is distress and they are struggling for moving the distress. Just like this independence. They do not know what is meaning of independence. Real independence is when you are free from these four kinds of distress. Does it mean that observing this kind of independence is real independence? It is simply fictitious. If you are not free from the laws of nature, nature will enforce you to die. Then where is your independence? Nobody wants to die, so why he's enforced to die? Nobody wants to become old man. Why he's enforced to become old man? But they have no brain to understand what is independence, what is happiness. They have taken distress as happiness. So that is due to lack of knowledge. So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness means to elevate a person to the real standard of knowledge. Without knowledge a madman can say anything. A child can speak all nonsense. That is not knowledge. Knowledge is different. So the struggle for existence means to get out of distress, but the real distress they have set aside. The problem that "I do not want to die, but I'll be enforced to die," so what is the advancement in this connection? They might have, so big, big scientists, they have discovered many, many things, but where is that thing that "Take a pill and you'll never die. Take a pill, you'll never become diseased"? They can offer me... I had some abdominal pain, so they have given me dozens of medicine. But still they are not sure whether the pain will be cured. This is their science. So in this way things are going on, in ignorance, mūḍha. Therefore they have been described in the Bhagavad-gītā as mūḍha.

Room Conversation -- July 18, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: You gave them prasādam?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I don't know.

Prabhupāda: Why?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I'm not sure. I didn't deal with them. They were dealt with by Toṣaṇa Kṛṣṇa. We'll bring them some present tomorrow. But they made the statement that "If every parade was so beautiful and so nicely orderly, we would be very happy."

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They said it was very orderly.

Prabhupāda: And that cannot be expected from any other group, only in this group. Such a huge crowd, and there was not a single instance of violence.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Except that one tie. One boy was punched out.

Hari-śauri: (referring to 7-UP) I sent someone out.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The procession was very well attended.

Prabhupāda: Television.

Bali-mardana: Oh, yes, ABC, CBS, and Channel Five.

Room Conversation -- July 31, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Prabhupāda: That is because you have to go from America to India. You must know. (laughter) You have to calculate two plus two equal to four, a little mathematics. But this biology and this "logy," they are useless. There is no necessity. What you'll gain by understanding biology? Even one who knows biology, the medical man, he gives a tablet, "Perhaps it may help you." "Perhaps." He's not sure. So what is the use? First of all, he'll take one ounce of blood from you, and they send, this station, that station, now making a chart, then he'll give you a tablet, "Perhaps it may help." This is going on. Even the biggest pathologist, medical man, cannot guarantee that whatever medicine... (break)

Yogeśvara: ...some group doctors? Some portion of the devotees medical knowledge?

Prabhupāda: There is no harm, but when medical men are available by paying something, why should you waste your time? There are so many things we purchase, you pay for them. Not that we have to learn everything. So many things we have to do. Does it mean that you have to learn everything?

Hari-śauri: There's lots of doctors, but there's no brāhmaṇas, devotees.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So the principle is, don't waste time. If one has already learned medical science, all right, bring him to some service. But not that our men have to go to the medical college to learn medical science. That is not the point.

Jyotirmāyī: So because we're in the country, I was taking the children in the land here and teaching them how to recognize the different plants. Is that useful, or should I not do that?

Room Conversation About Mayapura Construction -- August 19, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Chuktaha? Chugda.

Jayapatākā: Chugda: That's where you take your... That mango orchard where you take your lunch? That's just the nearest place go Chugda. So he was very pleased with all the work that you are doing. He's in Vṛndāvana now for Janmāṣṭamī. He hadn't been to Vṛndāvana for about five years, so he went to Vṛndāvana for darśana. He may be there even when you go. I'm not sure if he'll be there.

Prabhupāda: You have advised to see our temple?

Jayapatākā: Yes, he'll definitely visit. I also gave him an introduction that if he goes, he should be received there. He's got... The present place where the Deities are situated is on four cuttas(?) of land. And apart from that, where Maheśa Paṇḍita's samādhi is, he's got three bighās of land. That's right next door to a four-hundred-year-old temple.

Prabhupāda: Chugda is to the... It is from Shrirampuri? No.

Jayapatākā: No, it's on this side of the Ganges. It's on the eastern side of the Ganges.

Prabhupāda: Oh, eastern.

Jayapatākā: There there's another temple of Jagadīśa Paṇḍita.

Prabhupāda: Hm, yes.

Room Conversation -- November 15, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Devotee: It's made to look like a desert but it's actually very lush and it looks a lot bigger than two acres.

Prabhupāda: (indistinct) ...these things are (indistinct), you can keep cows. Eh?

Devotee: I'm not sure if we can keep cows in there because it's inside of the city and sometimes they don't allow the cow within a certain zoning. And now the only problem we might run into with this is that it's not zoned right now for a church or a temple but...

Prabhupāda: Don't say "temple."

Devotee: Excuse me.

Prabhupāda: You say "community project."

Devotee: Community project?

Prabhupāda: Community project.

Devotee: Oh, community project. Well...

Prabhupāda: Don't say church.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

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

Prabhupāda: Your civilization is such.

Hari-śauri: Mr. Gupta just sent a big basket full of oranges from Nagpur.

Jagadīśa: This is a tarshi? Are they named tarshi?

Hari-śauri: I'm not sure.

Prabhupāda: Hm. (break) Therefore it is mentioned.

Rāmeśvara: Now, one of their arguments is... Their main thing is to try to pretend that it is not a question of religion.

Prabhupāda: So, one thing is that if you have proved a swine, what is the value of your arguments? You have proved that you are a swine. So better stop arguing. What I say, you accept. That is good for you. Because you are descendants of swine, and actually you are doing that.

Rāmeśvara: Actually, on one television show they directly accused Your Divine Grace. They said that you have got us going out every day collecting money, and we have to send all this money to India, to Māyāpur, to build one temple so that you will become famous. And ultimately we will worship you as God.

Prabhupāda: Well, already famous. What is that famous?

Rāmeśvara: That was their argument.

Room Conversation -- February 3, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Most of my disciples they are coming from the Christian group. They can reform. Chanting is also recommended in the Bible, the glories of the Lord. I do not know why these rascals, Protestant... That means... The Protestant means last class. Why they should protest against Jesus law? Protestant means that. They protested. Is it not?

Hari-śauri: I'm not sure about... I don't know much about the history of Protestants.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That King John, who started this Protestant movement? Some king in England.

Hari-śauri: Yes, it was started like that.

Prabhupāda: Yes. He was forbidden not to divorce his wife.

Hari-śauri: That was the Church of England, Henry the VIII.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Oh, Henry the VIII. He started this Protestant.

Hari-śauri: He was excommunicated from the Catholic Church.

Prabhupāda: But this...

Hari-śauri: So he started the Church of England.

Prabhupāda: ...Protestant group was started by him.

Hari-śauri: I don't know anything about their history.

Room Conversation -- February 16, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Vyāsa-pūjā. Vyāsa-prasādam. Unless one is blessed by Vyāsadeva, he cannot write transcendental literature. So now you have very good cook. Kīrtana is going on. It is Vaikuṇṭha. Maintain this status very nicely. You can. You are... From the very beginning you are... Do it very nicely. Tatra tiṣṭhāmi nārada yatra gāyanti mad-bhaktāḥ. If devotees chant always, that is Kṛṣṇa or Vaikuṇṭha. Tatra tiṣṭhā... Tatra tiṣṭhāmi. Yatra gāyanti mad-bhaktāḥ. They must be pure devotee and always talk about Kṛṣṇa, chant about Kṛṣṇa. Then it is Vaikuṇṭha. What about this generator? Is it going to work or not?

Jayapatākā: I'm not sure. I don't know who was working on that today. I just got back myself. There was some... They're hooking up, I think, the wires.

Prabhupāda: It must work. Otherwise...

Jayapatākā: Oh, it's guaranteed it will work. The electric supply officer was on a three-day leave, I heard. Therefore he couldn't make the...

Prabhupāda: Connection.

Jayapatākā: ...connection.

Prabhupāda: So be after him. Do it. This is the first business. In Vṛndāvana we have got very good generator. As soon as stops, within a minute we can start generator, very nice.

Jayapatākā: This is the same make.

Prabhupāda: Kirloskar.

Room Conversation -- February 16, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: And we are getting success, at that. There is no question of discouragement.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Especially here in India it's becoming more and more encouraging.

Prabhupāda: Now these books I have read, either Bengali or Hindi, they are well-written, very convincing. All our books are convincing.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This is a very handsome type of binding. It's called... I'm not sure who has done... I think the libraries do. It's called "permabound." It's your pocketbook edition but bound into a hard cover. Very handy book.

Prabhupāda: Recent publication?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I don't... I'm not... I don't think that actually the BBT did this binding. This is done by someone else, but somehow I managed... It was in my office, so I brought it with me. But it's very nice to get the small pocket-size book but with a hard cover. For traveling it's very handy. On the back it gives mention inside of..., what the binding is.

Prabhupāda: Where it is done?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In USA. "Permabound" it's called.

Hari-śauri: That's like that plastic cover-type stuff.

Prabhupāda: It is half-bound.

Arrival of Devotees -- February 24, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Where is such publisher?

Rādhā-vallabha: That's one for every five people in America. And second is Spanish: 2,947,000. Third is German: 2,125,500. Then Japanese, I had to make a guess. I'm not sure, but this is pretty close: 2,125,000. Fifth is French: 1,670,000.

Prabhupāda: There should be... A big board should be hang.

Rāmeśvara: We have a big display of this for the Māyāpur exhibit. We made this up as a...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Rādhā-vallabha: In the exhibit there is a framed picture, each language and the books, each title, and then there is one big frame, one showing international.

Prabhupāda: This is the blessing of my Guru Mahārāja. He wanted it. And because we are trying to do this, he is giving us all blessings. He told me personally, "I wanted to sell this marble and publish some books." Calcutta, that Gauḍīya Maṭha is also marble floor. Now, he said that "Since this temple has been given by Mr. Datta, our men are fighting, 'Which room I shall occupy?' So I know there will be blazing fire here. So before that, I wanted to get out this marble and sell it and turn into some books." He told me, like that. So I noted down that, that he wants books. So I tried to do that. That's all.

Morning Talk -- April 5, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: They can give immediately, take. Although that is not very good, still, by lecture and by some strong medicine they can give him immediately. People like that. And Āyur-veda is long term, and people cannot wait.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah. The cure is very slow.

Prabhupāda: And that is also not very sure, because the Ayurvedic physicians, they have not taken many cases. They cannot experience. Everything requires experience. These are the difficulties in Āyur-veda. Still, some of the patent medicines, they are effective. Just like cyavana-prāśa, nava-yogendra, yogendra-rasa.(?) If they are properly prepared.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: (aside:) Some water spilled next to Prabhupāda's desk. I was looking for a cloth.

Bhavānanda: (indistinct)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah. Bhavānanda Mahārāja could get you some ḍāb water if you like. Prabhupāda was liking some ḍāb water.

(break)

(new conversation)

Prabhupāda: ...community. If the one community said, "Within our religion, there is no need of education..."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Of education?

Prabhupāda: So will the state allow that?

Morning Conversation -- April 11, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: But he was going to print it at Los Angeles.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I'm not sure if he's printing these... I think he is not printing a Sa-vijñānam Journal. He's printing some other booklets. But this regular journal, which comes out regularly, will be printed in India. "8) The scientists' book, Life Comes from Life, will be printed by BBT India, 5000 copies and paid for by BBT US. 9) No brochure will be printed for individual standing orders at this time. Rather, a selective market should be concentrated upon." This is in regard to Tripurāri Mahārāja's trying out some standing orders door to door in homes. So we decided that the BBT will not print any kind of special brochures at this time, but that he should first of all see what the market is like and make some experiment before we spend money.

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "10) The property committee should also be consulted on leases." Up until now, Śrīla Prabhupāda, we have a property committee, consisting of Rāmeśvara Mahārāja, Jayatīrtha Prabhu, Ātreya Ṛṣi and myself. And we have always been consulted on all property purchases. But we now decided that we should also be consulted on property leases. Because leases are also very... They can be very disastrous also if they are improperly entered into. Especially any long-term leases. Of course, they also have to deal through their local GBC, but then they also deal with it practically. "11) It was noted that a total of $630,000 would be available for construction purposes between now and the end of 1977. $300,000 dollars is the minimum required for emergency US loans.

Room Conversation Meeting with Dr. Sharma (from Russia) -- April 17, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: About ten days.

Guest (1): Was it possible to start some initially some...?

Prabhupāda: Yes, we started with one, two Russian young boys. They are my śiṣyas. What is the name?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I'm not sure.

Prabhupāda: But they are holding classes privately.

Dr. Sharma: Are they inviting...

Prabhupāda: No, I saw the Russian people, they are very nice. They are as good as these, all others. And they are not happy.

Guest (1): They have to preach very secretly. They have to do very secretly.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So that is very awful life. Terrorism. This is not good life.

Guest: You are allowed to go freely, or there are restrictions for your movement?

Prabhupāda: No. We are not making any publicly movement. But that boy, in his private capacity, is reading Bhagavad-gītā. So it has to be done like that, privately.

Dr. Sharma: Well, if only a book has got to be introduced into Soviet Union, it has got to be approved by the government. Otherwise it cannot go in for circulation. So they are listed (indistinct) ask somebody, Minister of India, Consulate of India, asked for this, or the Indian Embassy to do it in Moscow.

Room Conversation -- April 22, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: No, that I have not said. Therefore I used so strong word on the, our Surabhī's action. This was made independently. He has written. He has given photograph. That is not good.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, I took that as a good instruction to all of us, your rebuking.

Prabhupāda: I told him that "You cannot do so independent. You are doing nice, but not to do in the... You admit." People complained against Haṁsadūta. Did you know that?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I'm not sure of the particular incidences, but I've heard general...

Prabhupāda: In Germany. In Germany.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The devotees there.

Prabhupāda: So many complaints.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Therefore change is good.

Prabhupāda: No, you become guru, but you must be qualified first of all. Then you become.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, that kind of complaint was there.

Prabhupāda: Did you know that?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, I heard that, yeah.

Prabhupāda: What is the use of producing some rascal guru?

Evening Darsana -- May 15, 1977, Hrishikesh:

Prabhupāda: So we are talking of who requires a guru. Guru is not a fashion. (loud yelling outside) Hm? What is that?

Indian man (2): Shouting by some people.

Indian man (1): I think all the educational institutions are closed for summer vacation. Therefore many students and these people may have come, and they this cause, or something like that. I'm not sure, but that is what I guess.

Prabhupāda: They have also manufactured. (laughter) This is going on. So Vedic injunction is tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet (MU 1.2.12). Guru is required to understand tad-vijñānam, transcendental science, not for any material understanding. Material understanding, there are so many chemists, (sic:) physists and many other department of... When we speak of guru, it means beyond this material world. For that purpose we require guru. So... Just like now it is being very much advertised that "You execute meditation. Your mind will be strong. Your health will be strong." That means from material point. But keeping your health strong, the medical science is there and so many other thing. But people are taking advantage of this yoga system. The śāstra says that dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). He is yogi who is meditating and mind is fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Otherwise it is material. Material things does not require... Maybe a gymnastic, muṣṭika.

Indian man (1): Not for that.

Discussions -- May 20-22, 1977, Vrndavana:

Indian man (2): There must be exception.

Indian man (1): I don't think. The matter leaves... (Hindi) It has to be pursued by...

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) (Hindi conversation)

Indian man (1): Everybody's unsure about himself.

Indian man (2): Only the government has power.

Indian man (1): (Hindi) (Hindi conversation with scattered English) (long pause, bells ringing in background) (break)

Prabhupāda: ...in that paper he wrote, "In case I die, these three men will be trustees, and the majority will be effective." So that scrap of paper, Tīrtha Mahārāja kept it. And later on, Guru Mahārāja wanted to make a constitution, but he avoided. But actually after his demise, that scrap of paper was presented in the high-court, and property was given. That is the...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's... It was considered as a will.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No need of big, formal document.

Prabhupāda: He is the original founder. Automatically he wins. That's all.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He recovered from that hernia operation.

Prabhupāda: (laughs) No, and later on, he did not undergo sur... He thought then doctor... After all, everyone has got sentiment. He thought it that "The doctor has been called to kill me." So he did not undergo the hernia operation.

Morning Conversation -- May 29, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: From all parts of the world. That is history. Generally he goes to Japan. (long pause) (kīrtana in background) (break) (Bengali) (long Bengali conversation with Jayapatākā and Indian men) (break) What is the rate?

Brahmānanda: I'm not sure.

Viśāla: He said it was sixty-eight, sixty-nine, when we were there last time.

Brahmānanda: But then Harjibhai Patel came and...

Prabhupāda: Harjibhai?

Brahmānanda: Diamond Press. So his sons are in London, and he wants to start a business there in September, but he didn't want to do so without your blessing. Because you gave blessing for his daughter's marriage, so he's always thinking that if you give blessing, then it will come out nicely. (Prabhupāda laughs) He also wants to put Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa Deities in his home just outside of Birmingham, and he wants to invite the Indian community to come to his house for having programs. So he gave me some money to purchase Deities here in Vṛndāvana, but he also wanted your blessings for that.

Prabhupāda: Who will worship the Deity?

Brahmānanda: His wife. They have... The town where they live, there is no temple.

Prabhupāda: But they have to observe the rules and regulations.

Conversation with Svarupa Damodara -- June 21, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oil? There are companies that sell you oil. I don't know what the rate is.

Prabhupāda: What is that oil? Petrol?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's crude... It's something like crude oil, I think. I'm not sure, Prabhupāda. They just call it oil.

Prabhupāda: Not vegetable oil.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, no. It's a crude type of oil, brown.

Prabhupāda: Grease.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, it's a grease. It's for burning, though. Eight thousand dollars a month, nine thousand dollars... And that elevator, three thousand dollars.

Prabhupāda: Eleven?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The elevator charge, for the electricity, twenty-five hundred dollars a month. It's not a joke to run a building of that size. That's why in New York to have, own a building in that location they get a very good rent. Every apartment, say, a two and half room apartment, 250, 300 dollars per month.

Prabhupāda: USA.

Conversations -- June 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: First of all...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We should (indistinct).

Prabhupāda: Ah, yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And then, if it works, we can bring him. I'm still not fully satisfied. I think it works, but I'm not sure.

Prabhupāda: Working very slowly.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This isn't bad. You like slow rather than suddenly.

Prabhupāda: Slow and sure.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. But let us see. When it is so slow, it's not sure yet. If you want, you could take a little rest before your massage, Śrīla Prabhupāda. You didn't get much rest outside.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. (break) I think they have suffered, regularly living with rats.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Calcutta and Delhi.

Prabhupāda: Poor quarter. Still they are happy. The rats are jumping over your body.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Sounds like Hare Kṛṣṇa Land, Juhu.

Prabhupāda: Yes, with one palace(?).

Room Conversation -- July 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So I am very eagerly waiting. If some of our men get permanent visa, then I'll do very vigorous propaganda.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You're waiting for that.

Prabhupāda: Waiting for that.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You're holding back a little bit because it's not sure that we can stay here now.

Prabhupāda: No, training men and they are forced to go away. Very bad government.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: For no reason. We're not in any way a threat. We're an asset.

Prabhupāda: And therefore I say, if the government considers this and do, then we can expect. Otherwise what is the use of meeting with...? Waste of time.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah.

Prabhupāda: If they do not understand the importance of the movement...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think they must.

Prabhupāda: If they are intelligent, they must. But they are all rascal, rogues, thieves and...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Kṛṣṇa has given you all facilities, so why...? I'm sure He'll give this one also. I just got a notice from... The visa people gave me notice earlier that on such and such date I have to leave, and I have to think how to appeal. They're harassing everybody.

Room Conversation -- October 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There's two. One comes from Calcutta, between Calcutta and Delhi, and the other goes Bombay-Delhi and Delhi-Bombay. Both of them take about seventeen or eighteen hours. The one going from Calcutta stops only once, Śrīla Prabhupāda, in Kanpur, I think. Between Calcutta and Delhi it makes one stop at Kanpur. That's all. It's all air-conditioned.

Prabhupāda: And the other?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The other one stops once, I guess, but I'm not certain of the place. Between here and Bombay it makes one stop, so far I know. I'm not sure what is that stop. They're very popular trains. They run only about twice a week. But the train we were on was quite quick also. But not so quick as this. The train we were on took about twenty-two hours, Bombay-Delhi. But Rajdhani, I think, takes seventeen. It's about five hours faster.

Prabhupāda: They are also very fast. No?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That one we were on?

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, it was very good. And it was very much on time. (end)

Room Conversation -- October 11, 1977, Vrndavana:

Rūpānuga: Svarūpa Dāmodara has invited a couple of opposing scientists to speak, also, so that we can discuss two points of view.

Dr. Kapoor: That's good.

Rūpānuga: Yes. A couple of important men. Also three of our GBC men have been invited to speak in informal discussion in the evening-Satsvarūpa Mahārāja, Haṁsadūta Mahārāja, and one other. I'm not sure.

Dr. Kapoor: Are these tulasī beads red-colored?

Rūpānuga: No, no. Very old beads.

Dr. Kapoor: What are they made of?

Rūpānuga: I don't know.

Dr. Kapoor: Not tulasī?

Rūpānuga: No.

Brahmānanda: These are the original beads that we got in New York when Prabhupāda made the first initiations. There were no tulasī beads available in New York City.

Dr. Kapoor: No, I see. (laughs)

Rūpānuga: We went to a bead shop on 14th Street.

Dr. Kapoor: I see. (laughs)

Rūpānuga: Japanese beads.

Dr. Kapoor: That has some historic significance, yes.

Rūpānuga: Actually, they come out to be very long. Six feet.

Dr. Kapoor: You can now get tulasī beads from here, because it should really be tulasī and not any other thing. Japa-mālā.

Rūpānuga: Śrīla Prabhupāda chanted on these, so...

Brahmānanda: Now they're tulasī.

Dr. Kapoor: (laughs) (pause) Prabhupāda seems to be slightly better today. He takes interest in other things and wants to speak.

Brahmānanda: You're feeling better today, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: (Bengali) ...syrup.

Room Conversation -- October 22, 1977, Vrndavana:

Bhakti-caru: He said something like that. Then he said...

Bhavānanda: We can speak to him, Śrīla Prabhupāda. Not sure of what the dosage is. We can speak to him. (break)

Dr. Gopal: (Bengali) ...however, it will not interfere with my medicine. You understand?

Bhavānanda: Yes.

Dr. Gopal: It will not interfere with my medicine.

Guest (1): We have prepared some golden and pearl and musk.

Dr. Gopal: Oh, moti-dṛṣṭi.(?) Oh, that he can have.

Bhakti-caru: This is makara-dhvaja. There are three different ingredients of makara-dhvaja.

Dr. Gopal: The makara-dhvaja different, but...

Bhakti-caru: This is gold, musk and pearl.

Bhavānanda: That was this.

Bhakti-caru: (Bengali)

Dr. Gopal: Moti-dṛṣṭi as well as makara-dhvaja are prepared with the same thing.

Bhakti-caru: Makara-dhvaja musk and gold and pearl is used.

Dr. Gopal: Moti-dṛṣṭi gold and pearls are there.

Bhakti-caru: But in makara-dhvaja rasana.(?)

Dr. Gopal: I don't know about that. But we can ask Bedaji(?) what is the dose and which one is better, whether moti-dṛṣṭi or this. (Bengali) I don't know about this.

Bhavānanda: We can find out. And that can be given. It won't interfere with your treatment at all.

Dr. Gopal: No.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What about appetite?

Dr. Gopal: Anything more?

Prabhupāda: What I can say? You belong to some Vaiṣṇava sampradāya? Eh?

Room Conversation -- October 22, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So... (Bengali) Rāmānuja-sampradāya kavirāja (Bengali) Doctor treatment, failure.

Bhakti-caru: (Bengali) I was telling that it worked as far as urine was concerned.

Bhavānanda: We're not sure that that was the result of the medicine or the result of liquid intake.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The urine has been clear for five months in a row, so when it got unclear for three days and Prabhupāda wasn't drinking anything, then as soon as he drank it became clear. So I can't conclude that it was the doctor.

Bhakti-caru: (Bengali) (pause)

Prabhupāda: What he has said? Hm?

Bhavānanda: Well, he was stumped as to why you had no appetite, and he said that possibly because you are taking less air in your left lung than in your right lung, there may be some infection in the lung—he said that generally is denoted also by lack of appetite—of some tubercular or pleurisy or pneumatic nature.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: So he's prescribing that anti-tuberculin drug called Isotoxin. That's also called Isonayazid.(?) That is anti-tuberculin drug that he's prescribing.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But he doesn't even know. He doesn't really know if it's tuberculous.

Bhavānanda: He didn't prescribe any medicine.

Room Conversation -- November 5, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Brāhmaṇas?

Girirāja: Well, before Yaśodānandana Swami left, he had written the brāhmaṇas that the new date was going to be January lst, and I spoke to Yaśodānandana Swami's assistant, Smara-hari, and he was not sure whether the brāhmaṇas had confirmed this. So he was going to write them today and ask them to confirm that January lst was all right. But he received a letter from Yaśodānandana Swami saying that Yaśodānandana Swami would be coming December 26th. So he's definitely planning to be there in time. And at the time that we postponed the last opening, the brāhmaṇas said that whenever we want to have the opening, they are always ready to come. So it seems that they should be able to come on December 28th or 29th to begin the ceremonies.

Prabhupāda: The brāhmaṇas must be fixed first of all.

Girirāja: Yes. So he said he would write today, and this evening I'll confirm it that he wrote and sent that letter, and then, within a week, we should actually get the confirmation. Otherwise they are very eager to do this and the only thing would be the date. So this afternoon we're planning to execute the Bhaktivedanta Swami Charity Trust and also the amendment to your will. So Viśvambhara Prabhu and I are supposed to go to Mathurā now to meet the registrar and some other people. So is it all right if I go now? (break)