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Objective (Conv. and Letters)

Conversations and Morning Walks

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

Conversation with Religious Group -- July 27, 1968, Montreal:

Prabhupāda: Why not conference? If I have got some good news to tell you, is it not conference?

Guest (2): Swamiji, I think the objective will be... As far as you are concerned, it will be London. As far as I am concerned, it may be Paris or Hawaii.

Prabhupāda: No, then that is not... No, that is not. Hawaii... Then we have to consider where real happiness, whether it is in Hawaii or in Paris or in...

Guest (2): True. But then you are not going to a country that it is not London. And if I say I am not going to...

Prabhupāda: That is going on. That is going on. There are innumerable planets, and in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, yānti deva-vratā devān pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ (BG 9.25). Now, if you think that London is not good for you, Paris is good for you, it is good for you.

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Conversation with Prof. Kotovsky -- June 22, 1971, Moscow:

Prabhupāda: No, that is... That is a change of color only. But the surrender is there. The principle of surrender is there. Either you surrender to monarchy, either you surrender to democracy or aristocracy or, what is called, dictatorship, you have to surrender. That's a fact. That's a fact. Without surrendering, our life is... There is no life. That is not possible. So we are educating persons to surrender to the Supreme wherefrom you get all protection. Just like Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mam ekam śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66), aham tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi. So surrender is there. Nobody can say, "Now I am not surrendering to anyone." There is not a single person. Difference is where he is surrendering, where he is surrendering. The ultimate surrendering objective is Kṛṣṇa. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate: (BG 7.19) "After surrendering to so many things, birth after birth, when he's actually wise he surrenders unto Me." Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ: (BG 7.19) "Such kind of mahātmā is very rare."

Room Conversation -- July 18, 1971, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: Mohsin Hassan: ...quite, came four weeks ago, and I received the response from you. I think I had a (indistinct) with me, and you indicated that you would like to meet me and give me some hint, a suggestion for my thesis writing. So here I am first to introduce myself to you and hope to learn some more about the objective of the movement. Maybe I could put in the thesis.

Prabhupāda: We require help from personalities like you, because it is very important movement, checking a great mistake in the modern world. Modern civilization is very risky. Risky in this sense: that the human form of life is an opportunity for self-realization, but our leaders, they are miseducating that "You are this body." A basic mistake. But I am not this body, but just like you are sitting there, if I take account of your shirt and coat only, not you as a person, then there is a great mistake. Similarly, the modern civilization, education, everything is based on this bodily concept of life. But actually we are not body. Body is my shirt and coat. Mind, intelligence and ego, that is the shirt, finer dress. And this five element body—earth, water, fire, air, ether—this is gross. Just like shirt and coat. Similarly, we are dressed, the spirit soul. The spirit soul is also a measure one ten-thousandth part of the tip of the hair.

Room Conversation with Dr. Weir of the Mensa Society -- September 5, 1971, London:

Śyāmasundara: It's said that as one progresses more in spiritual life he becomes simpler and more innocent, but in the beginning he may have had to comprehend it on some verbal level in order to (indistinct)

Dr. Weir: I often used say to my students that I've got to remember that if anything in life to realize the difference between simple and complicated, which is objective, and easy and difficult, which is subjective. In other words sometimes a simple thing may be terribly difficult for a person to get hold of. Whereas complicated things he may find quite easy.

Prabhupāda: So your student has to follow your instruction. That means accepts authority.

Dr. Weir: But even so, even if he's working something out for himself, it has that same..., to some people it comes terribly easily.

Prabhupāda: No. No. To accept authority does not mean one should be blind. But the real source of knowledge comes from authority.

Dr. Weir: You then reject the idea of a fear of God.

Prabhupāda: No, I don't reject. The thing is that perfect knowledge is received from the authority which… beyond the material defects.

Room Conversation with Dr. Weir of the Mensa Society -- September 5, 1971, London:

Dr. Weir: Well, I think there's a double difference always with these things between the subject and the object. If in other words, it's objectively necessary to gratify the senses, if you like. In other words, you've got to have diets and things like that, and you've got to breathe, but you can also get a subjective pleasure out of doing that which is different from just doing it automatically. Sometimes we know when we're busy, we just shovel our food down. We don't really have any gratification out of it. We just ha...

Śyāmasundara: Yes. There are four basic principles that Prabhupāda mentioned, eating, sleeping, mating and defending, which are natural for the animals or to the humans. But man is using his propensity, his conscious propensity, to simply enjoy material nature on a more advanced level: to eat better, to sleep more, to have better sex life and so on. It still boils down to that. Everyone is seeking sense pleasure.

Prabhupāda: Such propensities are there in animals. Then what makes the difference between animals and man?

Dr. Weir: Animals, as far as I know, don't conduct scientific research.

Śyāmasundara: What is the point of scientific research?

Dr. Weir: Because of this feeling of wanting to know.

Room Conversation with Dr. Weir of the Mensa Society -- September 5, 1971, London:

Śyāmasundara: Objectively, seeing is just to gratify the senses.

Dr. Weir: Well, Freud said, of course, he's the great chap on gratification, and that's where Jung sensibly said, "Ah, that's not sufficient. You've got to have the spiritual side of life as well." He comprises it. Jung got the advantage of being, you might say, a higher stage to use the words of the Swami because he's able to contain the lower things like...

Prabhupāda: The conclusion comes in this way, that to remain animals, scientific animals, that's all. The propensities are the same, sense gratification, but the man is trying to make it scientific. That means to remain animal but become scientific, that's all, scientific animal.

Dr. Weir: But at the same time he's a spiritual animal. It's interesting to find that in this twentieth century, science is rather replacing the spirituality. You know people in the past gave religion an enormous importance and science was practically unknown. Now they're going the other way around.

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

Prabhupāda: Meditation Viṣṇu, Viṣṇu form.

Guest: (Hindi)

Prabhupāda: Yes. Viṣṇu form is the objective. So, tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayo. Viṣṇu-tattva lakṣa(?), very good mantra. Oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ divīva cakṣur ātatam, like that.

Guest: But in the Eleventh Chapter of the Gītā...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Guest: ...then Lord has shown His virāṭ-darśana.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Guest: He has shown Brahma, Viṣṇu, Maheśa, etc. They are all in Him.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Guest: Subordinate to Him.

Prabhupāda: You are also in Him.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

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

Prabhupāda: Yes, you can decide. Just like we have decided next life we are going to Kṛṣṇa. This is our decision: back to home, back to Godhead. Just like you become educated, after decision that you are going to be engineer, you are going to be medical practitioner, and in that objective you prepare yourself, educate yourself. Similarly, you can decide what you are going to do next life. If you don't decide, then material nature will decide. Just like a boy who is not nicely educated, without any future objective, the government will decide. If he's a criminal, then government will decide, "Go to jail," and if he's nicely educated, the government will decide, "You take this job." So everything is like that. We have got our future life, and if we don't prepare what is that future life, then we are like animals. The animals, they do not know.

Bhakti-devī dāsī: Well how can I know if I wasn't Kṛṣṇa conscious in my last life...

Prabhupāda: Huh?

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- February 26, 1973, Jakarta:

Guest (2): (Indonesian) One thing Mr. (indistinct) would like to answer from you, that, according to different view, objective reply, the object of this (indistinct) life, the objective of our religion is to be prosperous in this world and hereafter.

Prabhupāda: No. This is (indistinct) Prosperous. That is also stated, how you can become prosperous. That...

Guest (2): The problems work like this...

Prabhupāda: No. That is also stated...

Guest (2): Whether this question also...

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. This is there...

Guest (2): This what it is.

Prabhupāda: Yes. In the Bhagavad-gītā you'll find this verse. (Aside:) Find out. Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram, suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati. This is the śānti, prosperity. They are... Kṛṣṇa says that "I am the Supreme Enjoyer. I am the sole proprietor of everything." Sarva-loka-maheśvaram. Sarva-loka, not only of this planet, but other planets also. Loka. Loka means planet, sarva-lokam.

Morning Walk -- May 14, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: But you cannot observe, your rascal eyes are so imperfect, you cannot observe so many things. That does not mean science. Why don't you admit your imperfectional senses? You first of all admit the imperfectional senses. You cannot see. You cannot experience. That, does it mean that is science? So many dogs they cannot understand what is the law of nature. Does it mean that nature does not exist? Why do you think your sense are perfect? First of all, admit that you're the most imperfect.

Karandhara: They'll admit that, but they say the way of becoming perfect is through objective information and experience.

Prabhupāda: No. Way of becoming perfect is different. You cannot become perfect by your imperfect thinking. How you can become perfect?

Paramahaṁsa: Another question, Prabhupāda, that could be raised is that "If the soul is eternal and passes through one body after another, how is not possible that it accepts, let's say, three, four, five bodies and then dies?"

Prabhupāda: You are accepting millions of bodies and then die. That you do not know. I say that your body of yesterday is not of this body. So, similarly, if we live for one hundred years, how many bodies you are changing every moment? Just calculate.

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

Śyāmasundara: They glorified the whole parade on television. They didn't make fun of it or like that.

Prabhupāda: Nobody should make fun.

Śyāmasundara: It wasn't just an objective report, but they said it was good, it was nice, and had good appeal.

Prabhupāda: Yeah, everyone appreciated.

Mukunda: The last thing they said on the program was, "Perhaps this will give us something to think about for a long time."

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes, certainly.

David Wynne: It must.

Śyāmasundara: No one could deny. They had never seen such a colorful parade, so full of festivity. (Someone walks up to Prabhupāda.)

Prabhupāda: Oh, I could have gone there. All right. (Sound of washing hands in bowl.) Yes. So I am very glad that you have come and you have taken prasādam. Very nice.

Room Conversation with French Journalist and UNESCO Worker -- August 10, 1973, Paris:

Prabhupāda: And to get help for this realization we are concerned with everything. Naturally, politics, economics, science, art, philosophy, everything is included. And that is the perfection of all other subject matter. Everything has got an objective. So any of these departmental knowledge, namely politics, economics, art, science, philosophy, religion, art, science, philosophy, religion, everything should be aimed to achieve this end, God realization.

Reporter: But, thank you. But, uh, so, in this way, you have to, in all of the science, you mean, economic, politic, etc., you have to take position, sometimes perhaps. For instance, for going to the knowing of Kṛṣṇa in politics perhaps you will choose one system or the other. And in science, in philosophy, etc. Do you... But this, those choose have never been explained to the people, you know.

Prabhupāda: Yes, it should be.

Reporter: It should be. Have you...?

Prabhupāda: Yes, we, we, we have explained it in our book, Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, wherever possibility. Find out that verse: kāmam, kāmaṁ vavarṣa parjanyaḥ (SB 1.10.4). Find out this verse.

Room Conversation with Rosicrucians -- August 13, 1973, Paris:

Prabhupāda: If it is beyond understanding, how can I accept it? (break)

Guru-gaurāṅga: ...understanding, and it is translated onto the objective level.

Prabhupāda: If I do not understand whom to love, how can I learn?

Guru-gaurāṅga: It is in the heart of everyone. Simply it is a question of repressing the false ego for, eliminating the old man, the false ego.

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Yogeśvara: I'm not quite sure. He says that he doesn't understand why you are objecting. He says love is a part of everyone.

Prabhupāda: Because if you ask me to love, I want to know what is, whom I shall love.

Yogeśvara: A mystic, he loves everything, everyone.

Prabhupāda: Is there any example?

Morning Walk -- December 7, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Why fancies? You have no brain to understand; therefore you say, "fancy"

Karandhara: Well, their common ground of objectivity is what they can perceive with the senses.

Prabhupāda: Yes, you can sense with the senses. You perceive with the senses the sand, but who has made the sand? You have not made. Why you are so fool that you don't understand this? This sand... Here is a perception, direct perception. This water, vast water-direct perception. Who has made it?

Karandhara: Well, they say, "If it was made by God, we'd be able to see him just like the sand."

Prabhupāda: Yes, but you have to get the eyes. That I say. Because you are blind, you have cataract, I have to operate. You'll see. You'll see. You come to treatment. Therefore the śāstra says, "Go to guru and be treated and try to understand." But how you can see with your blind eyes, cataract eyes?

Karandhara: Well, that vision, that seeing, is supramundane. They only consider the mundane vision.

Prabhupāda: Yes, supramundane, everything is supramundane. Because... How do you know that there is nothing in the sky? Now you say it is vacant. So your eyes is deficient. It is not vacant. There are innumerable planets, but you cannot see. You cannot see. You are blind. Therefore, because it is not in your power to see, you have to hear from me. "Yes, there are millions of stars there."

Morning Walk -- December 8, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Karandhara: Therefore they say, What is the platform of objectivity in determining what's God?"

Prabhupāda: This is definition. God has show in himself, exhibited Himself. He married sixteen thousand wives. Where is that person who can marry sixteen thousand wife and expand himself in sixteen thousand bodies? Where is that person?

Karandhara: They say no such person exists.

Prabhupāda: Therefore He is there. He is God, the superexcellent.

Karandhara: But they say He never did that. That's impossible.

Prabhupāda: He did it. There is a mention in the history.

Karandhara: George Washington didn't do anything which was out out out of the conception of belief.

Prabhupāda: No, out of conception, he had no power to do it. He had no power to do it.

Morning Walk -- December 15, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: So idea is there. You say that it is not fact, but others say it is a fact. So how it will be mitigated? How it will be settled? "God" word is there. You say that it is an idea.

Devotee: A "sky flower" is an idea, but it's not fact.

Prabhupāda: No, just like God, let us stick on word, that God... You say it is an idea only. I say it is not an idea. It is fact.

Karandhara: Well, then they say, "By objective empirical analysis it has to be researched, scientific."

Prabhupāda: Oh, then let us analyze, analyze. Let us analyze. That... We say that God means Supreme, Supreme Being. So how you can say that Supreme Being is an idea? How you can say? You accept Supreme Being. So how you can say it is idea? It is fact.

Karandhara: Well, they say there is no necessity for a Supreme Being.

Prabhupāda: No, there's a necessity. If you don't accept, then you will be beaten with shoes. Because as soon as there is light, you have to accept supreme authority.

Karandhara: But that's an authority we have imposed upon ourselves.

Prabhupāda: Yes, because there is need, therefore you have done it. There is necessity.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 11, 1974, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Ah! Mama janmani janmanīśvare bhavatād bhaktir ahai... (Cc. Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4). That is... There is no question of desirelessness. We desire for Kṛṣṇa. That is desirelessness. Just like a diseased man, if he desires for healthy life, is that bad thing? To desire for further disease, that is desire. That is bad. Therefore I say, you cannot give up desire. That is not possible. You have to purify your desires. But when you desire for Kṛṣṇa, that is desirelessness. To become free from disease, that does not mean you have to stop eating. In the diseased condition, you are eating. As soon as you want to desire, that "Let me, give me this nice food," but you cannot eat on your diseased condition. It will be tasteless. You simply desire, but you cannot enjoy. But same you, man, when the disease is gone, you enjoy that same food very nicely. When you are free from disease, you just ask for rasagullā. You'll taste it. But when you are diseased, the same rasagullā will not be tasteful. That is the condition. The desire which gives you happiness, that is wanted. The desire which gives you distress, that is not wanted. Therefore Bhāgavata begins with dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra: (SB 1.1.2) "The cheating type of religion is rejected." Because in every religion there is some desire for material objective, up to mukti. Bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kāmī. General people, karmīs, they want pleasure, material pleasure. The jñānīs, they want mukti, and the yogis, they want siddhi. They're everyone beggars. And a bhakta kicks them all out. "We don't want anything. Simply Kṛṣṇa. That's all." Therefore he's desireless.

Morning Walk -- April 5, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: No, it is all right.

Dr. Patel: (next verse in Sanskrit, 11.18)

Girirāja: (reads synonyms) "Translation: You are the supreme primal objective; You are the best in all the universes; You are inexhaustible, and You are the oldest; You are the maintainer of religion, the eternal Personality of Godhead."

Prabhupāda: This is to be understood. The same thing, the supremacy of Kṛṣṇa, is being repeatedly stressed in so many ways, and still, by reading Bhagavad-gītā, they do not accept the supremacy of Kṛṣṇa.

Dr. Patel: Shall I go further, sir?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Dr. Patel: (reads next verse in Sanskrit, 11.19)

Girirāja: (reads synonyms to:) "netram-eyes..."

Prabhupāda: Now, one question may be raised, that after reading all the details of Bhagavad-gītā, if somebody said, "There was no Kṛṣṇa," what kind of inter...

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

Prabhupāda: This is not very clear. (laughs) Now, dualism means two, and monism is one. So he says monism, advaita. So monism, what is the center of monism? (French)

Yogeśvara: So he says that to discuss what is that center of monism is not as important as it is living the...

Prabhupāda: But you cannot... If you have no objective, then you cannot live in one way. (French for some time)

Prabhupāda: (aside:) I'm feeling hot.

Yogeśvara: He says...

Prabhupāda: Yes?

Yogeśvara: ...that before... He says perhaps it would be worthwhile, he finds it worthwhile, before trying to make any definitions about the center, to first free man from all of the things that are keeping him enslaved today. In other words, before we can build a platform for...

Prabhupāda: But if you do not know what is the meaning of freedom, how you can make them free? (French)

Room Conversation with Mr. Deshimaru -- June 13, 1974, Paris:

Karandhara: What that means... That's just an expression of the idea that everything is ultimately one. You don't have to make value judgments, you shouldn't make value judgments or say one thing is better than the other, that everything is ultimately the same, and the self is also the same as everything. So there's no distinction and there's no objective or conscious awareness of anything because everything is everything.

Yogeśvara: There's no discrimination.

Karandhara: Yes, there's no self. (French)

Pṛthu Putra: He says in the daily life there is varieties. If something wrong, we do something right. But when we are speaking about spiritual elevated life, everything is one.

Prabhupāda: Yes, when the spirit is gone, then your daily life is also gone. (French)

Pṛthu Putra: He says yes, for sure, we all die.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Therefore daily life means so long the spirit is there. As soon as the spirit is gone, there is no more daily life. (French)

Pṛthu Putra: He says but the goal...

Prabhupāda: Has the dead man has any daily life? (French)

Room Conversation with Professor Oliver La Combe Director of the Sorbonne University -- June 14, 1974, Paris:

Prabhupāda: So comparative philosophy, Māyāvāda, that Advaita-vāda, Dvaita-vāda, Viśiṣṭādvaita. Which of them you like? Or you remain simply student? You remain neutral or you like some philosophy?

Professor La Combe: I try to be objective, but not neutral. I have more personal affinity with Śaṅkara, er, with Rāmānuja than with Śaṅkara.

Prabhupāda: No, Rāmānuja...

Bhagavān: Personal attraction.

Professor La Combe: Yes. Although, of course, I try... I have written another book on Śaṅkara and Rāmānuja compared, you see.

Prabhupāda: I see.

Professor La Combe: The notions of Brahman and ātman both in Śaṅkara and Rāmānuja. That one is not of out of print. It is called in French L'Absolute selons les Vedānta.

Prabhupāda: But Śaṅkarācārya has accepted Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sa bhagavān svayaṁ kṛṣṇaḥ devakī-putraḥ. He has written like that in his comment on Bhagavad-gītā.

Room Conversation with Professor Durckheim German Spiritual Writer -- June 19, 1974, Germany:

Prabhupāda: No, all three are one. But it is the angle of vision only. Just like a mountain—somebody from distant place looking, hazy clouds, something. The mountain is the same, but from long distance one realizes as hazy cloud. Little more nearer, they realize something green. And if somebody goes in the mountain, he realizes the mountain and the animals and the residential place, everything. The objective is the same, but the angle of vision different. So in India or everywhere, some realizing the Absolute Truth as impersonal, without any variegatedness.

Professor Durckheim: As Buddhists do.

Prabhupāda: Buddhists, they, I think, they... Yes, you are right, impersonal. But their philosophy is to stop all kinds of realization, nirvāṇa. Realization they do not want. They want to stop realization, to become zero. Is it not that?

Professor Durckheim: To become? I didn't understand.

Prabhupāda: Zero.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- February 4, 1975, Hawaii:

Prabhupāda:

guravo bahavaḥ
santi vittāpahārakaḥ
taṁ tu guruṁ na paśyāmi
śiṣya-santā-pahārakāḥ

"There are many gurus. They are very expert in plundering disciples' money, but it is very difficult to find out a guru who can take out all the anxieties of the disciple." Śiṣya santa-pahārakāḥ. Guru is meant for taking away the santāpa. Saṁsāra-dāvānala-līḍha-loka-trāṇāya kārunya-ghanāghanatvam **. "The śiṣya will be peaceful"—objective of life—that is the business of guru, not to take away his money.

Haṁsadūta: In one lecture you were explaining those prayers, saṁsāra, and you said the first business of the guru is to take away the anxiety of the disciple.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Now, our people, they have got some hope that they're going back to home, back to Godhead. And all other rascals-zero. Who is endeavoring for zero? What is this endeavor?

Haṁsadūta: There's nothing to do for that.

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. In Bhāgavata also—gurur na sa syāt. He should not be guru unless he is able to protect his disciple from the imminent danger of death. Na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum. This cycle of birth and death is going on. Guru's business is how to stop this cycle of birth and death. And it is not very difficult. Teach him to understand Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa is assuring, "If anyone understands Me nicely, then after giving up this body he comes to Me." Where is the difficulty?

Room Conversation with Professors -- February 19, 1975, Caracas:

Prabhupāda: Because I am giving the perfect truth. Anyone who will accept, it will act. Just like a child says that "This is dictaphone. If you use it like this, you'll get this result." That is perfect.

Professor (Hṛdayānanda): He says that not all knowledge is so objective. For example, in the matter of understanding society, the communists have their theory, the capitalists have their theory, and there's millions of theories and so...

Prabhupāda: That is not knowledge; that is art. Just like electrician. He knows how to mix the two wires and bring the current. That is not knowledge; that is a business or art for temporary recreation. And because he knows the art how to bring the current, it does not mean that he knows the Absolute Truth. So people are taking at the present moment electrician as the knower of the Absolute Truth.

Professor (Hṛdayānanda): He's saying that he thinks that the knowledge that you're giving is perfect because it is perfect knowledge and not because you are giving it. Because it is revealed knowledge, perfect because it is revealed.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Anyone can take it. Just like we are giving knowledge of the Bhagavad-gītā. So the Bhagavad-gītā is open for everyone; it is not for me only. It is for you also. That is our movement, that you take the perfect knowledge and be happy and make your life successful.

Room Conversation with Yoga Student -- March 14, 1975, Iran:

Prabhupāda: Tantric. Tantra, there are two kinds of tantras, sattvata, and there are sattvic, rajasic, anything. So your activity is on the material platform or spiritual?

Young man: It's actually... Our motive is, our objective is ātmā mokṣa (Sanskrit).

Prabhupāda: Ātmā...?

Young man: (Sanskrit). Self-realization and selfless service to humanity. So that's our principles. That's the objective of Ananda-mārga philosophy. So that's a subjective approach to objective adjustment, both, side by side.

Prabhupāda: What is that ānanda?

Young man: Ānanda means bliss, infinite happiness.

Prabhupāda: Infinite. But what is the platform of that ānanda, material or spiritual?

Young man: Of course, ānanda means very much spiritual aspect.

Prabhupāda: But if somebody wants to derive ānanda by sense pleasure, is that spiritual?

Room Conversation with Yoga Student -- March 14, 1975, Iran:

Prabhupāda: That's all right. That is all right. If you accept progress... Just like you are seeing the sun, I am also seeing the sun, the boy is also seeing the sun, but the understanding of the sun may be different. Everyone is seeing the sun. The objective is the same. But a child's understanding of sun and an elderly man's understanding of sun, a scientist's understanding of sun, or one man who has actually gone to the sun planet, there are different categories. Do you accept or not? The sun is there. God is accepted in every scripture. That is a fact. But in the same way, how far He is understood, that is different. That is different. The same example, that everyone is seeing sun: "Here is sun," there is no doubt. But a child's understanding of sun, his father's understanding of sun, or a scientist's understanding of sun, or a person who has gone to the sun planet, his understanding of sun is different. The objective is the same. And everyone is right. Either you understand fully sun or not, as soon as you come before the sun you get the light. The child is getting the light, the scientist is getting the light, and the ordinary person getting the light. Everyone is getting light, heat and light. But their understanding different, of degrees. (break) ...sun-god or sun, no, we don't say that.

Morning Walk -- April 7, 1975, Mayapur:

Yaśodānandana: If we take the position of an objective observer, and we look at the hog and we see that his standard of happiness is very low...

Prabhupāda: You become attracted when the hog enjoys senses without any discrimination. You become attracted: "Very nice. Why not get this facility?" That is your fault—you become attracted. Whatever you see, you are so in diseased condition, you become attracted by that. That is your disease.

Yaśodānandana: The point that I was trying to establish was that if a hog has a standard of happiness...

Prabhupāda: You have got also.

Yaśodānandana: ...which he is satisfied with, we also have a standard of happiness which we are satisfied with, as devotees. Could there be... Who is to say there is not a higher standard of happiness, higher than what we think is the ultimate happiness? See, we are thinking that to become liberated from this material body and go back to home is the highest happiness, and we are feeling this is our standard of happiness.

Prabhupāda: Hmm. Because the happiness which you are enjoying these are not actually satisfying. You are not actually satisfied, therefore you want transfer of happiness from this field to that field. That means you are not actually happy. Otherwise, why these rascals they are enjoining the same vagina at home and why they go to see vagina in the theater?

Morning Walk -- May 21, 1975, Melbourne:

Madhudviṣa: That is a subjective experience. When you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa you can say, "Oh, I feel good," but to someone who won't chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, if there was some objective way of measuring the difference between the Hare Kṛṣṇa sound and the sound of, let's say, someone's name.

Prabhupāda: No, the sound is the same. I gave you the example. The tongue is the same, but according to your condition of life you taste differently. Tongue is not different. But if you are diseased, then with this tongue you taste something else. And if you are in healthy condition, with the same tongue you can taste differently.

Devotee: So Śrīla Prabhupāda, if the sound is the same, does that mean that when you become fully purified you will also see the sound of an automobile horn as transcendental?

Prabhupāda: Yes, this is transcendental, this microphone, because it is being used for Kṛṣṇa's purpose. The same flower, when you use it for sense gratification, it is material. The same flower when you offer to Kṛṣṇa, it is spiritual. The flower is not different, but by the different use it becomes material and spiritual. I think I have said many times that there is actually no material existence. Therefore it is called māyā. Māyā means it has no actual existence. We create an atmosphere. That is māyā. Atmosphere of forgetfulness of Kṛṣṇa, that is māyā. Anartha. Anartha, unnecessary. Anarthopaśamaṁ sākṣād bhakti-yogam (SB 1.7.6). If this park is given to us, we can immediately make it Vaikuṇṭha.

Room Conversation with Professor Olivier -- October 10, 1975, Durban:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: We could always assist in some way in an objective presentation so that the students don't feel that they're being biased in any way. This is the idea of science. Let them draw their own conclusions. Just simply present the facts and let them come to their own conclusion. The main idea, though, is the authenticity. There's no use in studying something if it's simply mental speculation, which, of course, the Vedic scriptures mean that. They've been passed down for so many thousands of years intact, and the most important thing is to get a chance to read the originals in our own language, English, or Afrikaans, whatever it may be. We're also translating into Afrikaans the Bhagavad-gītā As It Is.

Prof. Olivier: Is that so?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Some of the girls are very, very proficient and they're doing this now, and we hope that within a year or so's time we'll have a polished copy to print. We're working in this direction.

Prof. Olivier: I see.

Prabhupāda: If this line of activity is taken seriously, sometimes I may come and teach them. Yes.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: It is a very nice opportunity because you have all Indian students and they are eager, eager to know. They want to know. And they want to...

Prabhupāda: And they should be helped to...

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walks -- January 22-23, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: No, no, no. All the ślokas, they are... In some śloka the do's are prominent, some ślokas don't's prominent, but in every śloka there is do's and don't's. Everywhere there is. In the Bible also: "Thou shall not do. Thou shall not kill." The don't's. (break) You are learning śabda-rūpa, dhātu-rūpa.

Hiraṇyagarbha: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Every śloka there is śabda, dhātu, everything. Nominative, objective. (break) ...some you are going to say, just study yourself, whether it is not the civilization of asses and pigs. You have to understand first of all. Is it not? They are working hard like an ass just to become an ideal pig. Is it not this civilization?

Harikeśa: Having sex with mother, daughter, sister...

Prabhupāda: Yes. How śāstra has picked up the example, just see. Śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra. Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate... (SB 5.5.1). What is that?

Harikeśa: Viḍ-bhujāṁ ye.

Prabhupāda: Viḍ-bhujāṁ ye. This is not civilization. This is civilization, tapasya: no meat-eating, no this, no this, that, and become perfect, ideal brāhmaṇa life, satya śama dama śuci jñāna vijñāna. This is civilization. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. Unless you become civilized like this, there is no opportunity of brahma-jijñāsā. And so long you do not inquire about Brahman, that you remain, that pigs and hogs and asses. If human civilization is wasted to cultivate the pig civilization, naturally, "All right, you come here.

Morning Walk -- April 13, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: So that, if he likes, he can learn it. Saptamī, adhikaraṇa saptamī, sthāna, kṣetra, kṣetre, dharma-kṣetre. If he simply tries to learn the nominative case, the objective case, or like that, then he'll learn.

Dr. Patel: (Sanskrit) Like that. All things in different ways.

Prabhupāda: Sañjaya uvāca. It is nominative case. Dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre samavetāḥ (BG 1.1), this is plural number, yuyutsavaḥ, plural number. Māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāś caiva (BG 1.1). Pāṇḍavāḥ is plural number, and when it is added with ca it becomes śca. The visarga... In this way he can learn. Eva, again sandhi. Māmakāḥ pāṇḍavāś ca eva.

Dr. Patel: My meaning was that. My idea was that...

Prabhupāda: Yes. So any serious student, he can learn at home. It is not very difficult. And after studying one or two or a dozen sentences like that, automatically, yes, he learns sandhi, he learns verb, he learns subject, object, everything. No time, otherwise I would have made Bhagavad-gītā grammar. Yes.

Morning Walk -- April 13, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: You can do that. You can do that. People will read it, Bhagavad-gītā grammar. On the Bhagavad-gītā teach them grammar. Just like Jīva Gosvāmī compiled Hari-nāmāmṛta-vyākaraṇa, similarly, you write. You have got both the knowledge, Sanskrit, and through English, Bhagavad-gītā grammar. People will take it. I have no time; otherwise I have done it. Simply nominative case, objective case, śabda-rūpa. Jayapatākā's plan is prepared or not?

Saurabha: We are going to do that today, Śrīla Prabhupāda. (break)

Dr. Patel: (Hindi) That is taught by the mother.

Prabhupāda: They are killing their children. In the Western countries the mothers are killing children, advising girls, daughters, "Oh, you are pregnant? Kill." (Hindi) (end)

Room Conversation -- April 22, 1976, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: A tree, there is consciousness, but it is very, very covered. If you cut the tree, it does not protest, because the consciousness is not developed. I have seen in children surgical operation. They do not require anesthetics. I remember. My eldest daughter, when she was child, she had some boil here. So the doctor wanted to operate. So I asked him that "Apply anesthetic or do something." "No, no, they don't require." And so the doctor cut the boil, and the child simply, "Ehhh, ehhh," no crying. I have seen it when they did.... No crying. Because the consciousness is not developed. Now, what do you mean by...? When you are unconscious, if your head is cut off, you do not understand. That is practical if by medicinal process you are made into unconsciousness, chloroform anesthetic, so that you don't feel. This is practical. So unless the consciousness is developed, one's soul's full-fledged function does not develop. So this is a chance in the human form of body that the consciousness should be developed. Therefore we are presenting these books. They can understand. We are not presenting the books to the cats and dogs. They cannot understand. Those who are developed conscious, they can understand, and they can understand the value of life, what is the objective of life.

Room Conversation -- April 23, 1976, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: But you must know first of all what is the aim of life and what is better. That we must know. So that is described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that we are not interested in God; then whole thing is spoiled. Na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ (SB 7.5.31). We are not interested in God. We want to be happy by adjusting the external energy of God. That is blind leadership. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ. This will never be successful, and it is blind leadership because we do not know what is the aim. If you know the aim of life and if we make program according to that aim, then it will be successful. Blindly everyone is manufacturing his objective, different leaders, different isms. The Communists, they have got different aims. The capitalists, they have got different aims. The socialists, they have got different aims.

Mr. Dixon: Is it true that there are more young people now in the world that are giving more serious thought to what life is really all about?

Prabhupāda: Yes, they should. Because they are.

Room Conversation -- April 23, 1976, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: So many. This tail, dog's tail. Either you become sannyāsī or gṛhastha or anything, the tail is this side. You may grease it as much as possible, but the whole tendency is sex, that's all, in different dresses only. The objective is sex. This is going on. Some of them are openly declaring that "I am for sex," and some of them showbottle. But the objective is sex. This is the whole world. Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tucchaṁ kaṇḍūyanena karayor iva duḥkha (SB 7.9.45). And the sannyāsīs like Rajneesh, they are advocating, "This is life—sex. By sex indulgence you get salvation." These Brahma-kumārīs. Not brahmacārī but Brahma-kumārī. Kumārīs are available very easily. And they keep. And the rich men, they are supplied with nice, beautiful kumārīs. They pay money. This is going on. Brahma-kumārī. They enjoy and they invite the karmīs to enjoy and get money. Kumārī is there; money is there, that's all. Everywhere this is going on.

Room Conversation -- May 4, 1976, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: No, what is their aim? After studying all these books, what do you think? What is the aim of China? What is the objective they are making progress towards?

Dhṛṣṭadyumna: Their aim is that everyone should be materially comfortable. There should be no...

Prabhupāda: In that case, they should, if they have got sense.... Just like in the whole world, these American people are materially comfortable. But why they are producing hippies now?

Dhṛṣṭadyumna: They see this as a fault of the system, capitalism. They say that capitalism means the enjoyment of the few at the...

Prabhupāda: Materialism means capitalism.

Dhṛṣṭadyumna: Well, they want communistic materialism. In other words, by creating, forming communes, everyone will get equal portion of food and bedding and clothing and medicine.

Prabhupāda: No, that is not the fact. A man's tendency is that everyone wants to get more. So how they will check it? This is already proved in Russia.

Room Conversation -- June 10, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Trying to find, that means you do not know.

Richard: No, I think life is a pursuit, I don't think it...

Prabhupāda: What is that pursuit if you have no aim or objective? You are going to school, the object is you become a graduate. If you do not know what is the ultimate goal, what is this pursuit?

Richard: Why pursue something?

Prabhupāda: You are going to school, college, suppose you are going to be graduate, but if you do not know what is the ultimate end of pursuit, then what is this pursuit? Simply blind?

Richard: No, it's, it's just trying to make your life work.

Prabhupāda: There must be some goal, ultimate goal. That we must know. That is called pursuit. If you do not know what is the ultimate goal of life, then there is no meaning of pursuit.

Richard: Um.

Rāmeśvara: Prabhupāda is talking about an absolute reality, not a relative reality.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Answers to a Questionnaire from Bhavan's Journal -- June 28, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Rādhāvallabha: Your are the supreme primal objective. You are the best in all the universes. You are inexhaustible and You are the oldest. You are the maintainer of religion, the eternal Personality of Godhead.

Prabhupāda: This is wanted. Kṛṣṇa is eternal, we are eternal, and the place we live, exchanging our feelings, that is eternal. And the system which teaches this eternal system of reciprocation, that is called sanātana-dharma. That is meant for everyone.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: So what daily prescribed religious observances would one who is aspiring for this sanātana-dharma, what would they do? What kind of daily prescribed religious observance? Because the complaint is that within this Hinduism, or let's say sanātana-dharma, there is such a breadth, there is so much variegatedness in different types...

Prabhupāda: So why do you go to variegatedness? Why don't you take the real purpose of religion from Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa says, "This is real dharma," sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ... (BG 18.66)." Why don't you take that? Why are you going to variegated things or varieties under the name of so-called Hinduism? Why do you go there? Why don't you take the advice of the sanātana, Kṛṣṇa? You don't take what is sanātana-dharma, what sanātana God says, and you say, "How we can come to the right point, avoiding so many varieties?" Why you go to the varieties?

Room Conversation -- July 2, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: May be Śukrācārya's place. What benefit they will have? Nothing. This is science. Without any aim, without any objective.

Hari-śauri: What they're doing is entirely pointless. There's no proper reason for any of it. Because they aren't improving their actual living standards by it. They are... It's just like a jñāni, he thinks advancement of knowledge, just to simply acquire any amount of knowledge.

Prabhupāda: Kevala-bodha-labdhaye. They are described: Kliśyanti ye kevala-bodha-labdhaye. Simply works hard simply to know things. No benefit. These rascals are like that. Kevala-bodha-labdhaye.

Hari-śauri: That's the futility of the university system now. They are going and they're accumulating knowledge which is worthless for living. It has no practical value, so all the youth are becoming very frustrated.

Prabhupāda: Any sane man will be frustrated. Why you are spending money and going there? Kevala-bodha-labdhaya, kliśyanti kevala, bhaktim.... Kliśyanti ye kevala-bodha-labdhaye teṣām asau kleśala eva śiṣyate nānyad yathā sthūla-tuṣāvaghātinām. Just like the husk... The outer portion of rice? If there is rice, you husk, beat it, rice will come. The rice is not there, simply husk, what is the use of this beating? It is like that. Rice will not come, simply they are trying to beat it.

Room Conversation -- July 10, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: They must abstain from meat-eating, intoxication, gambling and illicit sex. Illicit sex is defined as any sexual act other than that intended for procreation. Sex outside of marriage is forbidden. Married, full-time devotees may have sexual relationship once a month at a time propitious for procreation. All the devotee's activities are regarded as bhakti-yoga, the yoga of devotion. He regards everything he does as service to God. The name he is given at initiation is followed by the word dāsa, 'a servant.' Full-time ISKCON devotees adopt Vedic dress, one objective being to keep others aware of Kṛṣṇa. Women wear saris, the men dhotis; both may wear shawls. The men shave their heads except for single lock of hair at the back. (See the article, "The Kṛṣṇa Cut.") The lock, called a śikhā, identifies the followers of Kṛṣṇa." Actually no one can imitate us because no one wants to give up their hair, so no one will try to make believe they are devotees. "Shaving the head announces renunciation of material pleasures. The tilaka is a mark made with clay-two narrow vertical stripes on the forehead meeting in a triangular swatch on the bridge of the nose. It identifies the body as a temple to be used only in the service of God. Full-time students follow a rigorously monastic life.

Interview with Religious Editor Of the Associated Press -- July 16, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: Everyone should be Kṛṣṇa conscious. Not only the... President or not President, everyone, that is the objective of human life. He must know himself what he is.

Interviewer: Now, that leads up to another question I wanted to ask you, do you think that the, one of the attractions of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the rather exotic, Hindu, unusual customs in the West. I mean these customs are unusual in the West and they have a sort of exotic appeal, a fascination for young people.

Prabhupāda: No, no, that ignorance is there both in Western and Eastern. It is the ignorance of the human society.

Interviewer: But do you think it's unusual, the fact that it's an Eastern, mysterious Eastern religion has an appeal to American young people.

Prabhupāda: Why do you bring Eastern religion Western religion? It is a science. Two plus two is equally important both in the East and the West.

Evening Darsan -- August 10, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: So ritualistic ceremonies, Vedic ritualistic ceremonies. Everywhere there are some ritualistic ceremony. So when you go above this... Just like Kṛṣṇa says in another place, vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyo. By performing the Vedic ritualistic ceremony, the ultimate goal is to understand Kṛṣṇa. So if you understand Kṛṣṇa, then you may not perform this ritualistic ceremony. Because you have come to the objective. Not before that. That is sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). Vedic ritualistic ceremony is that if you perform this yajña, then you go to the heavenly planet and there you'll get so long life, ten thousands of years, you get nice woman, and so on, so on. People are after that, karma-kāṇḍa. So this karma-kāṇḍa is required so long one is unaware of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When one understands this karma-kāṇḍa elevation is not the aim of our life, our real aim of life how to go back home, back to Godhead, then these things are not required. Just like we have no ritualistic ceremony, we have simply devotional service. We have no ritualistic ceremony. There are so many things ritualistic. And we are performing only this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, mahā-mantra.

Evening Darsan -- August 10, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: We have got three platforms, generally. Material platform divided into two-gross and subtle, and there is spiritual platform. The body is material platform, divided into two, gross and subtle. And then if you are fortunate enough to come to the spiritual platform, then your life is successful. So the karmīs generally... Just like we see in the city, they are all busy, working very hard. They are on the gross material platform. And then next class, just like scientist, poet, philosopher, they are in the subtle platform. And above them, there are persons who are simply interested in spiritual understanding. They are on the spiritual platform. So according to the platform, there are thoughts and activities also. Your question is what is about these so many things. So first of all you have to understand in which platform he is situated. Then his activities are ascertained. If you are in the material platform, doing some business, making some profit, and if you bring there question—"What is this, use of material profit, this body is temporary, why I am..."—then your material activities will be diminished.(?) So we have to understand first of all what is our actual objective. And then if we stand in that platform, then our life is successful.

Room Conversation with Endowments Commissioner of Andhra Pradesh -- August 22, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: So we can give men.

Commissioner: Yes. And a training institute has to be started. Very badly we need it. My department also. Having any number of people. It is suffering because we don't have the proper people with that objective to govern...

Prabhupāda: Because the culture is lost. Culture is lost.

Commissioner: Because we take the local people as trust board members. We appoint officers.

Prabhupāda: Therefore I said if you keep them dogs, what is the use of United Nations? You cannot make the dogs united. That is not possible.

Commissioner: Yes. Therefore recently in Tirupati we have been thinking of starting a training institute along with Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.

Prabhupāda: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, they have no idea.

Room Conversation -- September 4, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Ha. Happiness means spiritual happiness. That they do not know. Therefore I began my words that so long one is after material happiness he remains as an animal. Because the animal cannot derive spiritual happiness. They do not know. The man can know. Just like this boy, he's coming from very high family in America but he's now happy in this way, by taking sannyāsa, giving up everything, living very plain. He has got money he had got beautiful wife, he had got beautiful home, everything. But he has given up. Not his example. In our country there were many many big, big kings, rājarṣis. Just like Bharata Mahārāja. He was emperor of the whole world. He gave up everything at the age of 24 years, young wife, young children. There are many examples. So actually, we have lost our Vedic culture, the objective, and therefore we are suffering. Simply by holding meetings and... Of course, these things will go on. Government has no other remedy by tax. Whether people are happy or they are happy, it doesn't matter. They have got the power, tax.

Indian man: Right.

Prabhupāda: Prasāda.

Indian man: Your ideas are superb.

Prabhupāda: You remain in Mathurā?

Room Conversation -- December 26, 1976, Bombay:

Jagadīśa: "But such tactics are a gross violation of fundamental human and constitutional rights are to go without saying. In cases where victims have instigated charges of kidnapping against parents and deprogrammers, grand juries have thus far refused to issue indictments apparently because the work is done at the behest of parents or other relatives and ostensibly for the good of the victim. The situation which has prompted me to communicate with members of the professional psychiatric community involves sweeping implications of a very important legal case which will be going to trial sometime in the late winter or early spring. Some background of the case may be helpful here." Then he explains about the case. Anyway, it's very nicely written. And he's mostly trying to expose that the psychiatrists have to take an objective standpoint. Otherwise, there are some psychiatrists who are atheistic and they are contending that any religious experience or so-called religious consciousness is a...

Prabhupāda: Artificial dependence.

Jagadīśa: ...artificial dependence, yeah. So this is...

Prabhupāda: They say that there is a tissue in the brain, they disturb with this religious idea. They say like that. And if that tissue is operated then there will be no more religion. They can do that. With a brain operation he'll forget willfully. These rascal, so-called scientists, they can do anything.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with C.I.D. Chief -- January 3, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: And for these books, as author, if I would have taken royalty, my daily income would have been one lakh, fifty thousand. I don't take a single farthing. Whatever two cāpāṭis they give, that's all.

CID Chief: Then if that had been the objective, so much of this (indistinct) not would have come in reality.

Prabhupāda: I have no appetite also. (laughs) I do not eat too much. Whatever, one or two cāpāṭis, they give, I take. That's all. This is my royalty.

CID Chief: But any... How these politicians, they react to this in America? Do they...

Prabhupāda: There also... Here. Here people are suspecting that I am getting money from CIA, and they are also suspecting that I am cheating people and getting money.

CID Chief: Yeah, but do they have any prohibition about these religious discourses?

Prabhupāda: No, not... Prohibition has yet come. But individual cases, they have been instituted, and we are fighting by spending so much money to defend.

Room Conversation -- April 19, 1977, Bombay:

Bhakti-caru: (continues to read news articles) No... Indira Gandhi... "Infighting with Civic Congress Party leads to more powers for laborers." "Civil judge regrets motives against magistrates." (reads more headings and newspaper articles) " 'The revolutionary work of eliminating poverty and unemployment in the rural areas can be accomplished by a considerable extent through the khādi and village industries. To achieve these objectives modern technology must be used to rise to the extent possible.' He hopes the new commission would take steps in this direction." (continues reading news articles; Prabhupāda is silent)

Prabhupāda: Hm. Hm. That's all. (break)

Girirāja: ...lal to meet you. So far, he hasn't shown himself to be too...

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Girirāja: So far, he seems to be more preoccupied with his own ideas, so we don't know whether there will be any benefit to this meeting.

Prabhupāda: But if he wants to meet, I have no objection. (break) ...and the host was very rich man in anywhere. And he has no son. He expressed his desire to father to take me. This is the position.

Conversation: Animals' Expertise -- April 28, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: There are many, many experts from the lower-grade creatures. Ant hill. You are spending so much money for skyscraper building. The ant, they construct big hill as their residential quarters. Where they get their food? Where they get their...? But they are living. This is nature's study. Now you can... So what is this? Āhāra-nidrā. For eating. So for these four principles—eating, sleeping, sex, and defense—everyone knows. But the human society, they have made it a problem. These small ants, they also require those things, but they have no problem. For defense they don't require atomic weapon. They know in their own way how to defend. Cats, dogs, animals—everyone knows. Struggling. Our human society, advanced, means they are perplexed with these problems. The human life was meant for self-realization. That problem left, they have created some problems which the animals can solve in their own way. This is the present society. This political struggle and..., what is their aim, objective? To solve these problems. Nothing more. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4), indriya-prītaye, these four principles, sense gratification. The ant is also struggling. They wanted to enjoy the little sugar in the here. We have driven him. That's a problem. They have to find out somewhere else.

Room Conversations Bangladesh Preaching/Prabhavisnu Articles by Hamsaduta -- August 11, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: You do it, without God. Then I take it seriously. Otherwise empty voice simply, nonsensical.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Elders should be careful to give sound knowledge based on objective evidence to their children. Unfortunately a lot of delusional ideas are put into the minds of children in the name of religion. Dāsa and Swami talk about rebirth, soul, Supreme Soul, life generating matter, etc.... As a result of such delusional ideas put into them by deluded Indian God-man, Prabhupāda, who founded the bizarre cult know as Kṛṣṇa consciousness." Oh, he's a real demon, this man. Kṛṣṇa has a place already put aside for him. His science won't help him at that time. "Knowledge and enlightenment cannot be had through meditation, which is only a form of self-hypnosis. Dāsa and Swami ask whether scientists can make a chicken to come out of a plastic egg. I do not know whether they are aware that scientists have made over ten elements, such as fermium, (indistinct), serium..." That's all right. We're asking about a chicken. We're not asking about the elements.

Prabhupāda: Rascal, you are simply producing empty sound. Where is the chicken? Rascal. The chicken, the hen, is greater scientist than you. (S)he'll produced another egg within a week. You simply "This, that, this, that, this, that," that's all. "Left, right, that way." What is your value? We don't give you value. Less important than the chicken.

Room Conversations Bangladesh Preaching/Prabhavisnu Articles by Hamsaduta -- August 11, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: That is empty voice.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, boy. He says, "The highly developed forebrain and the deeply convoluted cortex have helped him to think creatively. Scientists, as a general rule, are objective thinkers because they base their thoughts on empirical knowledge. Mystics and visionaries, the so-called spiritual scientists of Dāsa and Swami, on the other hand, build up their thoughts on their subjective perceptions. Books on chemistry, physics, mathematics, geography, history, geology, anthropology, paleontology, engineering, medical science, astronomy, etc., are the products of objective thinkers."

Prabhupāda: Big, big words, that's all.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "On the other hand, books like Arabian Nights, Gulliver's Travels..."

Prabhupāda: Whose Arabian Night?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Fairy stories like the Mahā..."

Prabhupāda: Who's talking Arabian Night?

Room Conversation -- October 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But each lecture should have an opposing speaker. That's my point. They should begin with an opposing speaker, and then our man should speak, refuting what he says. And then the audience should be allowed to ask questions of either person who they choose. Then it will become... Otherwise it's very one-sided. It doesn't appear to be as objective.

Prabhupāda: Dr. Kapoor came?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Dr. Kapoor was there this morning. I was not there during the part where he spoke, but apparently he spoke some Māyāvādī philosophy, this Dr. O.B.L. Kapoor.

Gurukṛpā: He said that everything is made of molecules, and molecules are invisible; therefore actually everything is invisible. Therefore everything is like a dream, everything is unreal.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This is the result of all of his years of study in order to write his book. He's become a Māyāvādī. Or at least his... Mādhava dāsa, our Mādhava dāsa, he got up and completely defeated him.

Gurukṛpā: If everything is invisible, then he should also become invisible.

Room Conversation -- November 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Akṣayānanda: That's going on. Construction is going on. Saurabha Mahārāja came yesterday, and he has given that idea. He had some objection before. He's clarified that objection. It was an architectural point, just for the beauty. So he's clarified that with the engineer, and it's going on now. I haven't had time, Prabhupāda, to talk to the members—some of the members are still remaining-about their conference, because I had to go for this work. But I'll go now and meet some of these gentlemen, get some idea what is their aims and objectives and resolutions. Otherwise, unfortunately, I could not be present there. But I'll give you a report.

Prabhupāda: Their aims and object is superficially good, that "We altogether preach." But they do not know the ways. That is their defect. Neither they'll take up as it is. So it will be failure.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It is already failure.

Akṣayānanda: It is failure.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The only success they had here is that they got your darśana and the darśana of Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma. In that sense it was a great success.

Prabhupāda: They do not want anything. They want to assemble together and have some excursion.

Correspondence

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

Letter to Chief-Justice Sri M.C. Chagla -- Bombay 20 February, 1957:

Equal distribution of wealth or knowledge, beauty, fame, energy and non-attachment etc., all these are perfectly done by the above arrangement. The matter is more explicitly understood by the example of our own bodily structure. The whole body is constituted of the senses and organs. All the senses and organs are equally supplied with energy when the stomach is fully fed up. Stomach is the central figure for distributing equal energy to the respective parts of the body as much as watering the root of the tree is the source of supplying energy to all the branches and leaves of the tree.

The human society is now running on in an illusory way, forgetting its eternal relation with the Central Cause. They will have to be reinstated in that original position in terms of the above slokas of the Bhagavad-gita. Without this no solution is possible. There are practical ways and means to do this job in accordance with the present time, situation and objective.

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Nandarani -- Delhi 8 October, 1967:

I am very glad that you two are very good combination & your devotion for your husband & your husband's love for you are considered great achievements so I have also advised Krishna Devi for her husband, Subala. I feel very happy when I see my spiritual boys and girls especially those who have been married by my personal presence are very happy in their conjugal relationship. Even if there is some misunderstanding between husband & wife that should be completely neglected & you should always remain rigid in service of Krishna as you have written to say, it is pleasing to be in the service of Krishna. Discharge of Krishna Consciousness is our primary objective & all other relationships should be faithful to this principle. Follow this principle.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Mukunda -- Seattle 1 October, 1968:

Under the circumstances, do not be misled that because some of the Hindus are taking interest in this movement, they are of the same opinion. You have seen the affairs in Montreal. So my final desire is that whatever you do, you must do it strictly on the principles of our society as we are doing in the US. In the management of the London branch, if the local Englishmen come forward, that is welcome. So far Indians are concerned, there are so many varieties of split-up Hindu society. So I hope you will take necessary precautions in the matter of registering ISKCON Ltd. ISKCON is the short cut of our society's name, but when you actually register the full name, the aims and objectives as they are stated in our prospectus, must be mentioned. Anyway, I am so much pleased that your program of Kirtana and Krishna Consciousness is going on well there although you have not got yet our own temple. Why don't you get Back To Godhead from New York? Here the Sankirtana party, headed by Jayananda and Tamala Krishna is doing very nice.

Letter to Nandarani -- Seattle 15 October, 1968:

We may not expect good behavior from people where we go to preach, still we have to do that. The best example is Lord Jesus Christ, he was crucified by the people who were not very much advanced. From their behavior it may be known that the people at that time or at least the place where Lord Jesus Christ preached, they are not very much advanced, otherwise they would not have dared to crucify such a nice saintly person. So preaching work is always like that. But one who is real preacher, he shall be undeterred, and go on keeping his objective to the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord.

Regarding your question: The spirit soul of Krishna's entourage, all the associates of Krishna or anyone situated in Vaikuntha the spiritual sky, never mind, either in Vaikunthas or in Krishna Loka, they have no separate body. Just like Krishna has no differentiation between body and soul, similarly, those who are transferred or living eternally in the spiritual sky, they haven't got also such distinction, between spirit and body. The body is also spiritual and the soul is also spiritual.

Letter to Rayarama -- Los Angeles 19 November, 1968:

Our propaganda is different, to make people Krishna Conscious, which automatically makes them sympathetic against any kind of animal slaughter. According to Srimad-Bhagavatam, one living entity subsists on the life of other living entities, either vegetarian or non-vegetarian. But we are neither of them. We are not vegetarian nor non-vegetarian. We are transcendental. We are concerned with Krishna Prasadam. Try to popularize Krishna Prasadam as you have already done. People will naturally become vegetarian without any ghastly propaganda. The pictures of a mahajana or similar pictures for propagating the Bhagavata conclusion should be our objective. Other pictures, there are so many subject matters, just like we follow 4 principles, say for example, illicit sex life, we can publish so many pictures of illicit sex life, but that will not advance our cause. Similarly we may make propaganda against animal slaughter, but that will not advance our real cause.

Letter to Rayarama -- Los Angeles 19 November, 1968:

We belong to pure devotional service group, following the footprints of great mahajanas. Our purpose should be that we are in one side and all others they are on the other side. We deprecate everyone, even one who is against animal slaughter. In the Caitanya-caritamrta, it is clearly said that there are two classes of activities. Pious and impious. We do not favor any one of them. Neither we favor any philosophical speculation, we simply stick to Krishna, and wish to render loving transcendental service unto Him. That should be our main objective, and the policy of BTG must be pursued on this line of action. I hope you will understand me rightly. Everyone who is not a KC person is a butcher. Even the so-called pious man, who is not in KC, he is also a butcher. Because he is killing his own self. So in our view, everyone is butcher, and everyone is thief also, because he is enjoying Krishna's property. So how we can discriminate who is honest and dishonest and butcher and not butcher? Our only test is how one is taking to KC: Even a so-called butcher comes we welcome to chant Hare Krishna.

Letter to Gurudasa -- Los Angeles 22 November, 1968:

Please accept my hearty greetings and blessings of Lord Krishna. I am very much encouraged to receive your invitation and I shall consider it a great opportunity when you actually arrange to receive me at your place. When I was in India I heard there that many Indians, specially Hindus, are residing in that part of the world, (South America), even for generations, and they require spiritual guidance by their original Vedic culture. I believe you have read Bhagavad-gita very well and you may remember that in the 15th Chapter it is said that the Lord in His Incarnation as Krishna Daipayana Vyasa compiled the Vedas. The objective of the Vedas is to know Krishna and the Bhagavad-gita is the essence of all Vedic instructions.

Lord Caitanya made it still easier by introducing the Holy Name of Krishna and it has now become so easy that the cult of Vedic knowledge can be preached all over the world without any difficulty. As evidence of this statement, you may know from me that the Hare Krishna movement is spreading like wildfire all over America, Canada, England and Germany.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Vilasavigraha -- Los Angeles 22 January, 1969:

Just like to see the sun means to see oneself, and to see oneself means to see the sun. Self realization depends completely upon God realization, or else it is not complete. One must know his relationship to the Absolute Truth to fully know his position. The mayavadi school simply discerns spirit from matter, but that is not Ultimate Knowledge. One should know the different manifestations of the spirit also. The highest manifestation of the spirit soul is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Krishna.

In this age the mind is so much agitated that it cannot be fixed up on the Supreme Objective. Real meditation means to fix up the mind on Krishna or on Krishna's Expansion, Lord Visnu. The modern so-called meditater has no information of Krishna or Visnu. They try to meditate on something void or impersonal which is simply troublesome. It is clearly stated in the Bhagavad-gita that those attached to the impersonal feature have their path to be very, very troublesome. Not only in this age when everything is troublesome, but it was so in former ages also, so what to speak of this age. Therefore, in this age, to fix up your ears upon the transcendental vibrations of Hare Krishna is the highest form of meditation, and the only one which will prove feasible for you. We may or may not condemn the impersonalists, but they are already condemned by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita.

Letter to Krsna dasa -- Los Angeles 13 February, 1969:

It is not surprising that it is taking a little time to begin your actual printing work. In the beginning of everything there is always some difficulty, but when you are accustomed to the process, there will be no difficulty. If no better grammarian is available, the translations of Uttama Sloka may be published. But I think that as many friends are coming to the temple, especially some Bengali Indians, they can help you in doing this translation work. When a person is willing to help with our mission, he is also a devotee, so there is no question of him being nondevotee. But they must translate as it is, they must not deviate. Anyway, our motto should be to somehow or other express the objectives of Krishna Consciousness to the German-speaking people. There is a verse in Srimad-Bhagavatam that a book or poetry in which the Holy Name of Krishna is depicted, such language is revolutionary in the matter of purifying the material atmosphere. Even though such literature is presented in broken language or grammatical inconsistency or rhetorical irregularity, still, those who are saintly persons adore such literature.

Letter to Gaudiya Mission -- New Vrindaban 23 May, 1969:

I beg to enclose herewith a copy of a letter received from my Godbrother, Dr. Syama Sundardas Brahmacari, of your Mission. Taking the concluding portion of his letter inviting me to cooperate with the Gaudiya Mission in the matter of my activities of spreading the objective of Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami Maharaja, I am prepared to cooperate with the Gaudiya Mission in all respects, but I do not know under what condition you wish to cooperate with me. But I am prepared to accept any condition for getting your cooperation in full. So I shall be glad to know from you under what condition our cooperation is possible. But I am prepared in every respect and I shall await your reply with interest.

Letter to Uttamasloka -- New Vrindaban 7 June, 1969:

To avoid the material activities means to follow the four regulative principles and to engage ourselves constantly in Krishna Consciousness activities and to have the association of pure devotees. We should not give indulgence to our senses more than what is required just to keep body and soul together. We should not engage ourselves in very difficult tasks, and we should not talk anything more than what is necessary for spreading Krishna Consciousness. We should follow the regulative principles, regard being had to situation, circumstances and objectives. We should not be greedy and we should not mix with persons not interested in Krishna. In this way, we can make steady progress and maintain our membership in Krishna's family. Thus, at the end of this life we will enter actually into the spiritual world. So your main business should be to spread Sankirtana, becoming tolerant as the tree and becoming humbler than the grass. If you have anytime any difficulty, please try to settle up in the above way, but do not leave the company of devotees. That will not help you, even though there may seem to be some difficulties.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Madhusudana -- Los Angeles 29 June, 1970:

I am very much glad to learn that you have appreciated the subject matter of Nectar of Devotion and Krsna while working on it in the press, and actually these two books will keep us constantly in Krsna consciousness. The secret of Krsna consciousness is open in these two books. Our method is very simple. All different methods of self-realization are little or more troublesome. This is explained in the Bhagavad-gita 12th chapter that persons who have no fixed idea what is God will have unnecessarily more trouble to reach to the goal. Krsna is the ultimate objective. Unless one therefore reaches to this point he remains imperfect never mind what he is either a karmi, or a jnani, or a yogi. For a devotee the objective is directly approached. So persons will be interested simply in reading our books wherein there is only Krsna consciousness described in transcendental varieties. Thus by reading of these books, especially Nectar of Devotion, by the devotees everyone will go back to home, back to Godhead, Krsna.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Shekhar Prasad Shrestha -- Bombay 24 April, 1971:

They are above karmis, yogis and jnanis. They did not even try to understand Krishna whether He was God or not, but their love for Krishna was unparalleled. So one can love Krishna without any inquiry; that is the highest perfection. To know Krishna as God is not so exalted a position as to love Krishna without knowing. That is the highest perfection. Knowledge means discrimination. The gopis loved Krishna without discrimination. They loved Him spontaneously as He was very beautiful in the view of the gopis. The objective being transcendental, all of the gopis' activities were transcendental. There is no comparison of worshiping of Krishna as conceived by the gopis—that is only to love Krishna without any purpose.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Balavanta -- Tokyo 25 April, 1972:

According to our vedic civilization, this Krishna Consciousness Movement is supported by the state. We are already explaining these things in the chapters of Srimad-Bhagavatam regarding Prthu Maharaja. Unfortunately, people have taken religion as a fictitious faith, therefore the modern state they are not interested in fictitious faiths, and as such, they declare "secularism." Actually, it is the necessity of the human society to become Krishna Conscious and each state has to take it seriously to implement the idea among the citizens. So we expect to push on our movement to that extent, that is our objective.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Honolulu 4 June, 1975:

Then where is his authority? Our authority comes from Parampara system. If the Guru was not satisfied with him and called him back, and since then, he gave up connection with Gaudiya Math and started his own institution, then how he becomes authority? And in spite of all these things, if he is still authority by his own imagination, then people should ask him what he has been doing for the last 40 years, about the objective of Gaudiya Vaisnavism. Even if he thinks that he has done, certainly he has not done better than me. Under the circumstances, accepting him as an authority, I am greater and better authority than him. So, all Vaisnavas are authorities to preach Krishna Consciousness, but still, there are degrees of authorities. On the whole, if his motive is to supress me and that is why he has come here, how we can receive him? He has already given one Professor a wrong impression. He may be treated as a guest, if he comes to our center, give him prasadam, honor him as an elder Vaisnava, but he cannot speak or lecture. If he wants to lecture, you can tell him that there is already another speaker scheduled. That's all.

Page Title:Objective (Conv. and Letters)
Compiler:Mayapur, RupaManjari
Created:12 of Oct, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=53, Let=15
No. of Quotes:68