Opinion (Conversations 1977)

Expressions researched:
"opinion" |"opinion's" |"opinionated" |"opinions"

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- January 2, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Nobody says that "Here is God, Kṛṣṇa." That is their fault.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: You can bring the car down at ten o'clock.

Prabhupāda: Nobody says, "Here is God." That is, perhaps... We Vaiṣṇavas say; I am preaching. Perhaps I am the first preacher to the world, that "Here is God."

Dr. Patel: Some of these great Vaiṣṇava ācāryas were doing interpretation of Bhagavad-gītā...

Prabhupāda: The who is ācārya except the Vaiṣṇava ācārya? All loafer class. All loafer class. They're not ācāryas. Except these Vaiṣṇava ācāryas, who is ācārya? They're not ācāryas. Ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyān (SB 11.17.27).

Dr. Patel: I read your Bhagavad-gītā, and after that, I read Rāmānuja's. They more or less the same...

Prabhupāda: Same thing. There is no difference between the ācāryas. Then how he becomes ācārya if there is difference of opinion? They cannot be ācārya. (end)

Roof Conversation -- January 5, 1977, Bombay:

Trivikrama: This is Dr. Patel. I heard him speaking two years ago because a tape came. At the time you were, you and Dr. Patel, you were having very heated conversations. But now I see he is subdued. (chuckles)

Dr. Patel: In these two years I have made an extensive study of the Vaiṣṇava cult, all the three branches of main Vaiṣṇavas, and I think, I think, sir, that... I have studied Śaṅkara also extensively, and I think Śaṅkara is misunderstood very much. That is our opinion.

Prabhupāda: No, no, not misunderstood. He made himself misunderstood.

Dr. Patel: But they all misunderstand the real purport of his...

Prabhupāda: Māyāvādam asac... He has to preach this Māyāvāda. He has to present himself in that way. Otherwise he is Vaiṣṇava. Māyāvādam asac-chāstraṁ pracchannaṁ bauddham ucyate.

Dr. Patel: Pracchannam Buddha, Śaṅkarācārya.

Prabhupāda: Mayaiva vihitaṁ devi kalau brāhmaṇa-mūrtinā. (break)

Dr. Patel: The most important group in all Vaiṣṇavas. Vaiṣṇava-bhakti-sat-saṅga anyathā yānti vido apy adhaḥ.(?) Even well-versed man will come down if he does not understand. All the branches of Vaiṣṇavism, they give the same comment.

Prabhupāda: Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ (SB 3.25.25). Without sat-saṅga, nobody can understand Kṛṣṇa. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti (BG 18.55).

Morning Walk -- January 6, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: They have been so poorly educated that it is very difficult. But this is the first beginning of knowledge and if we are in the conception that "I am this body and the body is everything," then we are no better that the cats and dogs. So this is a movement to raise people from the platform of cats' and dogs' life. It is little difficult but we have to do it. That is our mission, Caitanya Mahāprabhu, para-upakāra. They're living like cats and dogs, do something good for them so that they may live like actual human beings. This is our... So you kindly stay here for some days, read our books and if there is any question, doubt, I shall be very glad to enlighten you. But this is the fact, the whole world is misguided by the rascal leaders, I must say that. Andhā, andhā is the last word of rascaldom, andhā yathāndair upanīyamānā. If I say (to) somebody, "You are rascal." There is maybe, partially he may be intelligent. But when we say andhā, andhā, then his life is... He cannot see anything. So that is the description given by Bhāgavatam, na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā (SB 7.5.31). They are durāśayā, hopelessly hopeful, trying to adjust things—bahir-artha-māninaḥ—by external energy. Simply wasting time, it cannot be. This is the position. So we are trying little bit and if you help us, it is very kind of you. Everyone should help this movement, prāṇair arthair virair arcair, by sacrificing life, artha money, and intelligence. So you have moved amongst the higher circle, what is the opinion of our government men about this movement?

Devotee: What is it our government people think about our movement?

Indian Lady: (indistinct) I am not talk about now (indistinct) yesterday night. In Europe I have talked with my consulate-general (indistinct) I am helpless, you must go to India and talk about it and for this in India. It is very difficult here. Because our relation is not good to West Germany.

Prabhupāda: They're so afraid they cannot say the truth.

Evening Darsana -- January 7, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: No, why you bring religion at all? It is science. Religion is a kind of faith. But science is not faith. You may have faith or may not have faith. Science, "Two plus two equal to four," everywhere. Why they forget this? This is a science, vijñāna. Jñānaṁ te 'haṁ sa-vijñānaṁ idaṁ vakṣyāmy aśeṣataḥ (BG 7.2). It is vijñāna. And they are interpreting in different way, "Two plus two equal five." Big, big men, they are doing that. Two plus two equal five because somebody, some big man has said? This is going on. Somebody said, "Two plus two equal to three"; somebody says "Two plus two equal five." "In my opinion it is five." And somebody: "In my opinion it is three." What is this nonsense? This is going on. And they are big men. They are leaders, mūḍha. This is the position of India.

D. D. Desai: But Swamiji, you are just... (Hindi) on Hindu...

Prabhupāda: I'm not (Hindi). My jñāna is Bhagavad-gītā. That's all. Neither (Hindi). But what Kṛṣṇa says, I accept. That's all. They say, "Swamiji, you have done wonderful." I do not know what is magic, wonderful. But one thing wonderful I have done, that I have not adulterated on the words of Kṛṣṇa. That I have not. And therefore the effect is very good. I have not adulterated. I don't say, "Two plus two equal to five" or "three." I say "Four." Kṛṣṇa has said. That's all.

D. D. Desai: Now that is not... It's not also the quest which I am really inviting, 2 p.m., and this is the acknowledgement. And subsequently we have our dinner at Brahmanandari Place. We have a purpose, we intend, discuss at length.

Evening Darsana -- January 7, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Why they don't study? It is going on worldwide. They are studying.

Indian lady (2): They do not study because they give their opinion.

Indian lady (3): Like Swamiji, the karma-yoga is very important in India.

D. D. Desai: It is true, Swamiji. You are a preacher, teacher, everything. So one of your responsibilities will be obviously to make any ignorant man knowledgeable. And these people...

Indian lady (2): Excuse me, but that ignorant man must, you see, be prepared to get the knowledge.

D. D. Desai: I'll just finish. Now, here is our people, whether they are leaders or whether they are big politician, whatever you might call. Now, having known that they suffer for certain difficulties or... We say take... You can only pity them for their lack of knowledge, and to that extent, you, out of sympathy, would naturally like to impart in them certain basic material knowledge, which has distracted them. Now, this, I think, Swamiji Vivekanandi... Because my grandfather, granduncle, was, Haridāsa Bhai Dada, was responsible for Swamiji Vivekananda's trip to America. That was sometime at turn of last century.

Guest (4) (Indian man): I have seen his latest book, Swami Too. (?)

Room Conversation -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: There is chance of being accepted all over the world. There is now opposition, and some of the politicians, they're of opinion that "This culture, Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, is spreading like epidemic, and if we do not check, in ten years time they'll take the government."

Guest (1) (Indian man): Of America.

Prabhupāda: Yes. (laughter) That there is possibility because these young men, they are taking. So everywhere revolution takes place by young men. So if it is actually spreading like epidemic, and young men, they are taking part, so within ten years it is not impossible.

Guest (1): It's a very good idea, then, to follow it. I'm quite serious.

Prabhupāda: And they are democratic. It can pull down even a President like Nixon. So if they like, if the majority becomes Kṛṣṇa conscious, they can make Kṛṣṇa conscious government. There is no, I mean to say, wonder in it. So anyway, because these youngsters in the Western countries, both in Europe and America, are taking... And the recent telegram we have received... Just see how many books we have sold. (aside:) Make it little less.

Guest (2) (Indian man): (reading telegram) "Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda, please accept our humble obeisances. Here are the saṅkīrtana marathon results for all of ISKCON worldwide for the week of December 17th to 24th."

Room Conversation -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: No.

Guest (2): Brahman you consider Kṛṣṇa. But He is, of course... He was incarnate. He was one of the avatāras.

Prabhupāda: That is your opinion. That is not...

Guest (2): That is our point which I want to clarify.

Prabhupāda: You have to take the śāstra, authority. Brahmaṇo aham pratiṣṭhā. Read Bhagavad-gītā. You read Bhagavad-gītā? Now, did you not read this?

Guest (2): Well, that's what I want to clarify.

Prabhupāda: Find out this.

Trivikrama: 14.27.

Prabhupāda: Read that.

Guest (2): I am... This, even on the Eighth Chapter you'll find.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Brahmaṇo 'haṁ pratiṣṭhā. Read. Just here.

Morning Discussion about Kumbhamela -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Acchā.

Gurudāsa: For to put, to make it look like cream, they put newspaper also.

Hari-śauri: Make it thick. They grind paper. You have to strain it before you drink it.

Gurudāsa: But I... We tasted it. We came to the conjoint opinion that it was passable.

Prabhupāda: Less newspaper. (laughter) So why such milk should be taken, with newspaper?

Devotee (1): Śrīla Prabhupāda, in the Muslim countries, the Muslims, they feed the cows fish, dried fish. And the Hindus will not take the local milk there.

Prabhupāda: Where?

Devotee (1): Because the Muslims are feeding the cows dried fish, and the milk is smelling like fish even. There's no grass for them to eat there in this Arabia, so they're feeding them dried fish, like in a soup. Hindus will not take the milk there even because of that.

Gurudāsa: So do you think I should organize this meeting with Chandra Swami also, taking some part in organizing? Or just meet him to get him to see you. Not any special, but I mean to say that he knows the situation. He can...

Prabhupāda: Or if he wants to see, he may come. He may find out.

Discussion on Deprogrammers -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Rāmeśvara: Then it says, "Other things need to be done. We have to get supportive comments from professionals and authorities in areas of religion, education, mental health and physical health, law, and sociology. Statements by experts and professionals carry a lot of weight."

Prabhupāda: That is in our side.

Rāmeśvara: "Ask your contact to comment or express his opinion of such things as that this is not a matter of religion; that there is resulting mental and physical harm; the right of self-determination means the right to have a free mind; destruction of the family unit..."

Prabhupāda: So if one has the right to have a free mind, why he cannot chant Hare Kṛṣṇa?

Rāmeśvara: Well, their argument is that we do not allow him to consider alternatives.

Prabhupāda: Then where is the question of a free mind? That means you brainwash.

Rāmeśvara: Exactly.

Prabhupāda: Free mind means everyone has the right. That is free mind. If you force something, then where is the free mind?

Rāmeśvara: So actually they are understanding that once you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, you will stop thinking about māyā.

Prabhupāda: They're admitting.

Room Conversation -- January 15, 1977, Allahabad:

Prabhupāda: In Durban. South Africa. Fighting with General Smuts to give Indians equal rights. They are very conservative. At heart they want "Indians may go away." They don't want Indians. And if they want, it is for their own benefit. The Indians have given some place to develop as marketplace, and as soon as they develop, they ask, "Go there. Leave this place. Go away, other place." This is going on. And they know very well, politicians. The Indians have been given a place where nearby there is a slaughterhouse. They know Indians are sentimental, at least for cow slaughtering. Whole night slaughtering is going on, and there are screaming of the animals. Whole night. Even those who are meat-eaters, they will be disturbed. So the purpose is that "Let them live near the slaughterhouse, so by sentiment they are disgusted, leave this country." They don't want the Asians, especially Indians, and especially due to Gandhi, because they know, due to Gandhi... At least Gandhi organized the public opinion against the Britishers by this noncooperation movement. They were not affected by the... Affected in this way, that public opinion was against them. That is also organization. Otherwise Gandhi's method was not harmful to the..., this noncooperation, nonviolent. That did not help. But he influenced the public opinion against them.

Rāmeśvara: All over the world.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That Hitler also did. Phāṇsa lāge dubudh bage: "If five men combine together, even the ghost will go away." (laughs) So everyone was against the Britishers. How they can keep their...? And nature's law also. They exploited the whole world for the benefit of few persons in London, and that is very bad.

Room Conversation -- January 19, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Rāmeśvara: Pradyumna was telling me how the last verses of the chapter describe the appearance, getting ready for the appearance of Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Sixty-seven. I am on the five.

Hari-śauri: I think the pen's still in the case. Or the pencil's still in the red case.

Rāmeśvara: We know you have a very low opinion of doctors. (laughter)

Prabhupāda: I wish to die without a doctor. Don't... When I am... It may be. I may be seriously, but don't call doctor. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Don't be disturbed. Everyone has to die. Let us die peacefully, without doctor. All this medicine, injections, and prohibitions, this, that.

Hari-śauri: Tīrtha Mahārāja had all kinds of machines. Still didn't save him.

Prabhupāda: Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and depend on Kṛṣṇa. Actually... Nārtasya cāgadam udanvati majjato nauḥ. That is the Prahlāda Mahārāja's verse. Find out this. Bālasya neha śaraṇaṁ pitarau nṛsiṁha. Seventh Canto.

Rāmeśvara: Volume Two. That's it.

Hari-śauri: What was that again?

Prabhupāda: Bālasya. B-a-l-a.

Hari-śauri: Bālasyāntaḥpura-sthas...

Room Conversation -- January 19, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Then what is the news of Germany?

Rāmeśvara: The news from Germany? I have not heard any change—except that Satsvarūpa's men, they began... Just before Christmas the schools close. They began to go to Germany to take standing orders, and it was the most difficult country, they said, very difficult. And because... One of the reasons is they have such a very bad opinion of us. The church is against us. But still, they managed to get a few standing orders, and then the schools closed for Christmas.

Hari-śauri: Any reviews?

Rāmeśvara: Not yet. They just began. Now they are spending this month, January and February, in Germany. This will be very valuable for our case there, if the scholars begin appreciating us from a different angle. But meanwhile, book distribution is bigger than ever in Germany.

Prabhupāda: That is the proof we are gaining ground.

Hari-śauri: The two champion big-book distributors are both German boys.

Rāmeśvara: Yes. They have outdistributed everyone, even in America.

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Yes. One religion, this is sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66), to become surrendered to God. That is religion. And they're useless. That is our religion. We are teaching surrender to God, but they have no idea that there is God. They have forgotten that "There is God, and He can talk with me. I can talk with Him." They cannot believe all these things. "Even if God is there, He cannot talk. He has no mouth, He has no leg. Nirākāra, impersonal." This is their position.

Rāmeśvara: In America there are surveys, public opinion surveys.

Prabhupāda: Just see. God has to be created by public survey. Just see how degraded.

Rāmeśvara: But anyway, these surveys show that religious sentiment in America is increasing.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is proof. You are the proof. There is no doubt. They are intelligent. Intelligent and there is no poverty. In other countries, on account of poverty, they are thinking, "First of all we must be materially prosperous. Then we shall think all this nonsense God." This is then... This propaganda is going on, "What you'll, can do by God. First of all we must have sufficient to eat, sufficient to drink." And this is their philosophy. How they can...? There is a Sanskrit verse that daridra-doṣo guṇa-rāśi-nāśaḥ: "If somebody is poverty-stricken, all other qualities become useless." And nowadays the education is for money. One has passed D.H.C., Ph.D., but if he does not get an employment, then what is the value? He's begging from here: "Sir, will you give me some service?" That's all.

Rāmeśvara: Actually you wrote that, that the educational system simply turns man into a dog going from door to door, begging for some...

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: They're not honest.

Gargamuni: No.

Rāmeśvara: This was printed in the Los Angeles Times on January 21. No, January 2nd.

Prabhupāda: I think this opinion printed you send to all newspapers editors.

Rāmeśvara: That book that he printed?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Gargamuni: That book can be expanded with more references.

Rāmeśvara: Yes. When I reprint it I'll do that.

Gargamuni: Those European reviews.

Prabhupāda: With a covering letter: "Sir, there is much agitation about Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. You'll kindly read this following pamphlet, and you'll understand the value of the movement." And it is good that you have given the heading, "The Hare Kṛṣṇa Movement."

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: With a covering letter: "Sir, there is much agitation about Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. You'll kindly read this following pamphlet, and you'll understand the value of the movement." And it is good that you have given the heading, "The Hare Kṛṣṇa Movement."

Rāmeśvara: So this is a study published in Los Angeles Times on January 2nd. It says, "The year 1976 could mark the beginning of a new religious revival in America, judging from recent Gallop surveys of public opinion. The surveys found: 1) For the first time in nearly twenty years there was an increase in church attendance"—first time in twenty years—"with 42% of all adults in America attending church or synogogue in any typical week." Once a week 42% of the adult population, almost half. "2) The proportion of Americans who believe that religion is increasing its influence on American life has tripled since 1970." In other words the public thinks that religion is now influencing American life. The number of people who think like that has gone up.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is due to this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement.

Rāmeśvara: I think so.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Rāmeśvara: Then number three—this is very significant—"A substantial number of Americans have developed an interest in the inner, or spiritual, life." They make a distinction between religion and spiritual.

Prabhupāda: Actually religion means spiritual.

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Yes. And all these rubbish things we are finishing. "Yes, it is brainwashing, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12), cleansing the core of the heart, all mistaken ideas." Speak in the court like that. "And see how we are being appreciated by scholarly section. Here is our book. Read if you have got time and see the opinion. It is really brainwashing, but for the good. Everything requires cleansing—for good. If bad impression, bad ideas, are washed, why do you protest? Let it be done. Give us freedom. It is brainwashing, but for the good, washing for good. Just like you wash your cloth. Do you think it is bad? Dirty cloth, if it is washed nicely with soap and water, who will protest against that? 'Oh, why you are cleansing your dirty clothes?' That is another foolishness. Everyone, every gentleman, every civilized man, washes his clothes with soap and water to become more refreshed. So we are giving this civilization... Actually it is brainwashing, but for the good. And see our example. The boys and girls whom you are charging, 'Brainwash,' just see after brainwashing, how gentleman they have become. They have become moralist. They have become God conscious. They are clean outwardly. Their fooding is so innocent and so nutritious. So why do you check it? Bring your plate and our plate. Now judge. Which is better? You taste. Halavā, puri, samosa, kachori, vegetable—one plate; and boiled meat with salt and black pepper... So taste now which is better."

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Gargamuni: "You're a drunkard, you're a smoker, and you're doing all these things." We should turn the tide and expose them.

Prabhupāda: There are many opinion that "This movement is... Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam will save the human society." There are many opinions like that. That's a fact.

Gargamuni: And many parents have said that "My children have been saved." Hayagrīva's...

Prabhupāda: No, these books especially. There are many opinions—"It will save the human civilization from going to hell."

Gargamuni: One scholar, Asutosh Mukherjee, he said this, "These books will save the world." In that review...

Rāmeśvara: Yeah, right. He said from the... Nice words.

Hari-śauri: Seems only the Indian scholars have got that vision, though. Only the Indian scholars have appreciated that these books have a chance for saving the whole humanity.

Prabhupāda: Yes. And that is our mission. We want to save.

Rāmeśvara: Here. "The set edition of the Bhāgavata series we hope will serve as a boon to the English-knowing world for its abiding values and ennobling thoughts of spiritual perspective to give the correct lead to mankind in the midst of sickening contemporary problems."

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Rāmeśvara: And here, Dr. Jagadish Sharma. He's the author of nineteen books, a very well-learned man. He says, "The work done by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda toward the revivalism of Hindu culture and civilization is unsurpassable. His Holiness has done a great service to Indian culture by reinterpreting the concept enshrined in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. This edition of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam will go a long way to help the scientists in rediscovering phenomena of the universe which is yet to be discovered. The thoughts of this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam radiate to anyone who sees it. This book helps to brighten the gloomy and dark clouds which are covered by the nuclear fear and the apprehensions of society."

Prabhupāda: So let the judge read this opinion, read this book.

Gargamuni: Yeah, these men are famous men of India. This Jagadish Sharma is the most famous man in Punjab.

Prabhupāda: He is young man?

Gargamuni: Jagadish Sharma?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Gargamuni: I have not met him. I don't know. But he's very famous.

Prabhupāda: Young men means about forty.

Gargamuni: Yeah. I think he's around forty or forty-five.

Rāmeśvara: But then the best one is by Dr. Mukherjee, former Chief Justice. He writes that "This book is an intellectual, a cultural, and a spiritual landmark in this world. The beautiful printing and photographs evoke the spirit of the work. It is a book which should be in the library of every reader who values the essential glories of human life..."

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: We shall take every opportunity. We are the best opportunists. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇanu... This is ānukūla. This is favorable for spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We shall immediately accept. It doesn't matter what it is. We do not depend on the public opinion—"This is good" or "This is bad." Our "good" "bad" is: if it is favorable for spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is good; otherwise bad.

Rāmeśvara: So it seems that as our movement grows more and more...

Prabhupāda: Strong.

Rāmeśvara: ...then America will more and more be considering active stopping of Communism. It'll be logical.

Prabhupāda: Everything will be stopped, all bogus social, political or religious systems. They will be all stopped.

Rāmeśvara: Then this will be a natural development of the growth of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. Two things: paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām (BG 4.8). As the duṣkṛtā—na māṁ duṣkṛtā mūḍhāḥ—will be reduced, the sādhu will increase. Or the sādhu will increase, the duṣkṛta will decrease.

Rāmeśvara: This conflict will be global. It will affect the whole world.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. That doesn't matter.

Hari-śauri: We're already in every country now.

Room Conversation with Sannyasis -- January 22, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Satsvarūpa: This is a very good one, from the University of Helsinki. That's right near the Russian border, in Finland. He's a professor of Indian studies, the Department of Asian and African Studies, Professor extraordinarious, Penti Alto. "The Bhagavad-gītā is no doubt the most important and the best known work in the whole of Indian literature. The magnificence of its spiritual concepts and the sublimity of its thinking have secured a great popularity everywhere. It has been edited and commented countless times. The meaning of the text, at least in its main lines, is obvious and clear. The justification of a new interpretation is there, for in my opinion, dependent on the message conveyed by the commentary. The translator and commentator, Swami Bhaktivedanta, represents the Gauḍīya-Vaiṣṇava school, and thus interprets the message of the Gītā 'from the inside.' For example, Shankara in Canto Two"—he means Chapter Two—"verse twelve, interprets the plurality of the being enumerated to be only conventional. And according to the Māyāvādīns, the individuals after liberation merge into the impersonal Brahman. Swami Bhaktivedanta states that Kṛṣṇa here authoritatively emphasizes the eternity of the individuality."

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

Satsvarūpa: "The transcendental form of God can be immediately experienced by a person who is duly prepared, as it is told in Chapter Eleven. Just these two points are, I think, the reason for the interest in the Gītā among persons with a searching spirit. Swami Bhaktivedanta's translation and commentary do deliver this message very convincingly indeed."

Rāmeśvara: Jaya!

Prabhupāda: He is a big professor.

Room Conversation with Film Producer about Krsna Lila -- January 22, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: (Bengali)

Guest (2): Yesterday one of my colleagues asked me, "What is this (Bengali)?" But we, the parents of Mother Earth forget about it. But Swamiji has started it not only Europe, America, he has started universal... Except India (Bengali)... You said that you are educated man, you go and hear lecture.

Prabhupāda: No, we are recognized by all educated circle all over the world. If you read the opinions of scholars.

Guest (2): We have read many of your publications. And I was just telling him like dharma that "Swamiji has done only one thing, that he has made the universe not only contained to India. He has made the whole world conscious about Kṛṣṇa. To know about Kṛṣṇa at least, the real Kṛṣṇa. Or the superpower. He has made this point.

Prabhupāda: Therefore we have to progress very cautiously, very cautiously, not irresponsibly. That is our point.

Guest (2): Recently I had been to Calcutta for the recording of this songs of kṛṣṇa-līlā. (Oriya or Bengali)

Guest (1): Yaśodā and Kṛṣṇa. (Oriya or Bengali)

Guest (2): Unless they go back to Kṛṣṇa, nobody can help us to that.

Prabhupāda: (Bengali) (end)

Room Conversation with Two Indian Guests -- January 27, 1977, Jagannatha Puri:

Prabhupāda: Yes. No. They knew that "We are not going. So long the nonviolence is there, we are safe." They were occasionally calling Gandhi and patting him: "Sir, why you are doing this? Let us compromise," because he knew that "So long nonviolence will continue, we are safe." But Subash Bose's protest was that "If you don't take to violence, then these people are never going." That was the difference of opinion between Subash Bose and... So when he was taking the Congress in hand, Gandhi became so angry that Subash Bose, being elected President, Gandhi did not attend the Congress. So other workers, he requested Subash Bose that "You resign. Otherwise Gandhi will not."(?) So he resigned. He done right. And then he thought that "Unless I go out of India, I cannot do anything." Then he managed to go out of India, and Singapore, he... Indians with their help and Hitler's intervention, he organized this INA. And when the Britisher's saw that "Now the soldiers are joining national movement, then we cannot rule over," then they decided, "Let us make some compromise, and as much possible, do harm. Divide this India, Pakistan and India, and go away." This is fact.

Guest (1): Actually...

Prabhupāda: So they decided that because without soldiers and police, how they can rule over? And that, when they saw the soldiers are now joining Subash Bose and they are planning to come to India from Imphal, so they saw, "Now it is impossible." They are politicians. They could understand. So therefore the conclusion is: It is not Gandhi's nonviolence. It is Subash Bose's INA which compelled them to go away.

Room Conversation with Two Indian Guests -- January 27, 1977, Jagannatha Puri:

Prabhupāda: And then, then... (Bengali) It may be taken as a... Who cares.

Guest (1): This nonviolence is just put in the head of the others.

Prabhupāda: No, nobody cares for this non... (break) That is not, that India has no kṣatriya spirit. Very good kṣatriya spirit. But it was not organized. That is the difference of opinion between Gandhi and Subash. He wanted to organize it.

Guest (1): That's... But Gandhiji knew actually it's not possible to organize this violence in India, because the people are not of that nature.

Prabhupāda: No, everything has got. Just like Subash Bose organized outside.

Guest (1): Subash Bose was a very great organizer and a great politician.

Prabhupāda: He organized. He made compromise, some he made, this Hitler and Tojo, that "Whoever, Indian soldiers surrendered, you..."

Guest (1): They should go to INA.

Prabhupāda: INA. He made this... And the soldiers were voluntarily surrendering.

Guest (1): (Prabhupāda chuckling) Ah, many. No, Subash was, had got a great personality.

Room Conversation with Two Indian Guests -- January 27, 1977, Jagannatha Puri:

Prabhupāda: (Bengali) Theoretically, if our principles are adopted by the American people in general, as my disciples have done, then their whole industrial structure will be broken.

Guest (1): Not actually. Don't affect so much because all are not going to be... Even in India it is not.

Prabhupāda: This is one thing. This is one thing, that... No, they are taking seriously. And another thing is that if the public opinion becomes in favor of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then they will get vote and they'll capture government, because it is republic. That is another point, another. The most important point is: these boys who come to me, they forget forever their families or father, mother. No family. That is their great shock.

Guest (2) (Indian man): No, what is that? That is nothing. We see...

Prabhupāda: No, no. This is the principle, why they are opposing it. They are not these transcendental meditator that here going and coming home, and they are doing all same, because they have no restriction. But my students, as soon as they come to this, they are not, no more going home. They will not touch any food, yes, because they have seen there is a (indistinct).

Guest (1): (Bengali)

Prabhupāda: (Bengali) Practically begin. Any boy who comes to me, he's lost forever to his family. In other religion there is no such thing.

Guest (1): No, they go back again and...

Room Conversation with Two Indian Guests -- January 27, 1977, Jagannatha Puri:

Hari-śauri: It's fairly hot, yes.

Prabhupāda: So better you... So give him little prasāda. So I am very glad to see you. (Bengali)

Guest (1): We're very glad actually. We're very obliged and very grateful to have your darśana.

Prabhupāda: You kindly... You are little interested. Organize public opinion: "Why these people are doing this injustice?"

Guest (1): No, that I'll do. (end)

Room Conversation -- January 27, 1977, Puri:

Prabhupāda: Take this. Immediately write. Then it will be our preaching. In the court the books will be read, and we shall put our argument to support it. Let all the scientists, philosopher, come there. Make like that. So we have to go there now? No. Not yet.

Hari-śauri: In a few minutes.

Satsvarūpa: I'll write to New York and tell them the strategy.

Prabhupāda: Yes! Why not? You just consider, yourself. You are three GBCs. And give your opinion. This is my suggestion. The same suggestion as Dr. Rajaveri(?) Ghosh said, "Yes, my lord, I have brought the whole library to teach you law."

Gargamuni: And they can't take any decision against the books, because the scholars have already...

Prabhupāda: Yes. Scholars have supported. This is a fact.

Gargamuni: They have already supported.

Prabhupāda: That is also right.

Gargamuni: So they have to accept the books as the authority.

Prabhupāda: Yes, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is authorized. Bhagavad-gītā is authorized. You can...

Hari-śauri: It's recognized everywhere.

Room Conversation -- January 28, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Pṛthu-putra: I have seen some of them doing this, yes.

Prabhupāda: Not all of them. But they are also claiming they're on the stage of Rūpa Gosvāmī. We are preaching—we are lower stage. That is their opinion. We are preaching all over the world; we are in the lower stage. And because he has imitated the dress of Rūpa Gosvāmī, mālā, tilaka, and he's manufacturing biḍi-he's higher. This is going on. Therefore Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has condemned these rascals—that kali-celā—"the disciple of Kali." Ei ota eka kali-celā.(?) Here is a disciple of Kali. Who? Nāke tilaka galāi mālā. And sahajiyā bhajana kache mamu, saṅge lana pare bala.(?) He has tilaka and mālā, and sahajiyā, with other girls he's making parakīyā-rasa-bhajana. Kali-celā. Ei ota eka kali-celā. So we have to guided by our predecessor ācāryas. Then we shall be saved. Otherwise we are condemned.

Pṛthu-putra: So when certain boys experience difficulties and they come to because...

Prabhupāda: What difficulty? What is the difficulty?

Pṛthu-putra: Well, for example...

Prabhupāda: We have got everything clearly stated, that we observe these regulative principle, chant, minimum sixteen rounds, and act as far as possible for the service of the Lord. Where is the difficulty?

Pṛthu-putra: Maybe the realization may not be there.

Room Conversation -- January 31, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Bombay's good. These things should be decided by the GBC.

Satsvarūpa: I mentioned that to them. They said they had been with Jagadīśa. I said, "Well why...?" They said they just want to know your opinion, then they'd go and talk with him again.

Prabhupāda: My opinion is already there according to the... They should be chaste, faithful to husband. Little literary knowledge, they can read. That's all. Not very much.

Satsvarūpa: As for the details of where and how to do this, that should be worked out by the GBC.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Satsvarūpa: They had another question, whether these sannyāsīs' widows, that they would like to engage them, those who want to do it, as teachers. They think that would be a good...

Prabhupāda: That's nice.

Satsvarūpa: Yogeśvara is going to Los Angeles to produce children's books. He wants the books to be first class, just like your books, with illustrations, that are appreciated everywhere. He said a children's books illustration...

Prabhupāda: Yes. In Texas they also produce some books. Where are those books?

Hari-śauri: They have a sample here.

Room Conversation -- February 3, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Everywhere people are simple. That is my opinion. Mass people, they are simple. The leaders spoil them.

Hari-śauri: Yes. That's a fact. Most people are just... They're in ignorance.

Prabhupāda: Yes. The human psychology is the same for man, woman. That's all. Amongst the lower animals you see. The pigeons, they are the same. The sparrow, they are the same everywhere. The squirrels, the same, the same. So why men should be different?

Hari-śauri: It's artificial, the differences they've created themselves.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Hari-śauri: On national basis.

Prabhupāda: In Russia I have seen. The people are the same.

Hari-śauri: Yes. Common mass of people are always...

Prabhupāda: Simple.

Hari-śauri: I think I'll see what's happening with the van.

Room Conversation -- February 12, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: For the time being, suspended?

Jayapatākā: I don't like to make opinion till I go and see.

Prabhupāda: Hm. What was their proposal?

Jayapatākā: Well, they come and... (break)

Prabhupāda: Our mission is to preach Gaurāṅga philosophy. Therefore we are taking. So why the municipal cannot give land for this public purpose?

Jayapatākā: That's what I mean, is that I think that if we saw actually what law that is and then we discuss it in a proper way it might be possible.

Prabhupāda: It is lying vacant. So...

Jayapatākā: There are so many places which are like that, where there is mandira being built and and sevā-pūjā is going on, and there is one sevāita or one organization has got the sevā responsibility, and that's under their charge. I think that that legality can be worked around, whatever it may be. Because our purpose is public.

Prabhupāda: The municipal means public.

Room Conversation -- February 14, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Going on all right?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, but I don't think it will be finished by... They say Daśaratha, but I have my doubts.

Prabhupāda: Then what can be done?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What is your opinion?

Brahmānanda: Not the finishing work. There is so much marble finishing work.

Prabhupāda: The marbles, they are working or not?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yes. They're working. I think there must be at least one hundred workers going full time.

Prabhupāda: Marble.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Marble and otherwise also, woodworking, so many things. But I mean it's a very big project, so I think certainly they'll be done by next March. They could open on October, but it won't be finished completely.

Prabhupāda: No, why? We must finish to the point. Then we can...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Otherwise we won't impress properly.

Brahmānanda: They're making it very beautifully. So if it's done...

Room Conversation -- February 18, 1977, Mayapura:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: When the British came here, they saw people sitting on the floor, they said, "Oh, uncivilized."

Prabhupāda: No, no. The British policy was that "If you keep the Hindus as Hindu, it will not be possible to rule over them." That was their policy. Therefore, from the very beginning childhood, everything Indian condemned.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So this is the same mentality in America now. They are seeing us... Just like the gurukula, their opinion of gurukula—"Oh, children are getting up early? Forced to get up early? Forced to eat on the floor? Not being given proper diet?"

Hari-śauri: "Don't sleep on beds?"

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Same mentality as the British had when they came here.

Prabhupāda: But India, there is no such objection.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: None at all. Rather, they like our movement. So we should concentrate a lot of our energy here.

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think we're the only... I think that what you are telling us is perfect in that now what we have to do is we have to vigorously explain our philosophy.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- February 18, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Very good.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Everything hot. The people who come to our restaurant would ordinarily not come, because they are very... They're just business people from the offices. They come in suits, and they eat in our restaurant, and they have a very good opinion of our movement.

Prabhupāda: Indian.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No. All Americans. The Indians don't come to our restaurant because the food is not properly spiced.

Prabhupāda: Made.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It is not properly made. Actually, I don't like it. It's too bland. But for the American tastes it may be all right. But I think it's not proper. If we have a good cook who learns the cooking from here, then everyone will come.

Prabhupāda: Hm. So why not?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: These two girls, they are very fine. (break)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: One of the big points of criticism is that we do not encourage our members to visit and spend time with their parents. In that way they say we are destroying the family.

Prabhupāda: Actually that we want to do.

Room Conversation -- February 18, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Oh. What does she say?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, she's very nice. She wears sari. She's attending your lectures in the morning, taking prasādam. She's a very nice woman. He's such a nice son, and it's due... You can see... She's very nice. She could be a devotee easily, in my opinion. I never talked to her, but just from the way she carries herself, immediately putting on sari, quite happy to stay here for the time she's staying. He said he was going to bring..., bring her here one evening to meet you. Acyutānanda's mother came here.

Prabhupāda: Hm. He has returned?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. She was very surprised at how big he is.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: She was very surprised to see how huge he is, because the last time was 1967. He was very skinny.

Prabhupāda: Oh. (laughing) Hm.

Hari-śauri: His father came when we were in Los Angeles. He was also favorable.

Prabhupāda: Mother also.

Hari-śauri: That was his stepmother.

Room Conversation about BTG the Moon -- February 18, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: No, what is the purpose? To distribute to the karmīs?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. The purpose is to somehow connect the karmīs and give them a favorable opinion of our society, a general idea and favorable opinion of our movement. But the criticism on the part of some of the senior devotees now is that in doing this they have compromised our philosophy and our position.

Brahmānanda: Instead of quoting from some śāstra, they quote from a mundane book.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: All the books. There's no more Sanskrit used.

Prabhupāda: So who has done this? You are asking me?

Brahmānanda: Rāmeśvara Swami's in charge.

Hari-śauri: Another example's like that they put a recipe for halavā in the magazine, two-page spread in color.

Prabhupāda: So the Rāmeśvara should not be in charge. The Satsvarūpa should be in charge.

Satsvarūpa: I'm very eager to take it over again.

Prabhupāda: Immediately do.

Room Conversation about BTG the Moon -- February 18, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: (laughing) But he admitted. (laughter)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The general idea is just like this page, "Chant and Be Happy." But there is practically no devotees shown. The whole idea is that if you show devotees, no one will be able to identify with the devotee. So they're showing persons in material life, and each one of them is giving his opinion of why he chants. "Chanting makes me calmer," "Chanting makes me more perceptive," "Chanting makes me more open-minded." So these are all... (break) ...the ultimate goal of chanting is to instill love of God, but that thing is never mentioned. (break)

Brahmānanda: Then he would approve. That was the test.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This article has changed very much from the original Back to Godhead article. This article here is issue number, I think, 14, many years ago, about the anchor in the water. It was very Kṛṣṇa conscious. Now it has been made...

Hari-śauri: No one's going to derive any Kṛṣṇa conscious meaning from that article. It's two whole pages, with picture and a little bit of writing.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There's practically no Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Bhavānanda: In the whole magazine, Śrīla Prabhupāda, we feel that there's very little Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No Lord Caitanya's picture. Lord Caitanya and Kṛṣṇa's picture never appear in the whole magazine. They've taken it out.

Room Conversation -- February 27, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Yes. He has very intimately mixed. I think that he arranged for delivering books, this Nitāi.

Rādhā-vallabha: He used to send me corrections all the time, this Puruṣottama. I would throw them in the garbage.

Prabhupāda: Still he sends corrections?

Rādhā-vallabha: No, no. This was years ago. Nonsense corrections too. His own opinion.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I'll just tell those men. They are waiting

Prabhupāda: So, you can take this. He can... On the basis of the translation, he can make the synonyms. And this boy is good. He should be engaged. He should guide. He knows Sanskrit letter. And I very much appreciate his writing. Tell him. He has done very nice.

Rādhā-vallabha: I will. I'll let him listen to the tape.

Prabhupāda: He should be encouraged.

Rādhā-vallabha: All right.

Prabhupāda: He is good boy.

Rādhā-vallabha: I have other things to ask you on other books. Would you rather I ask you a different time?

Prabhupāda: Not now.

Rādhā-vallabha: Yes. Thank you, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Room Conversation -- March 1, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: (laughs) Don't fight. Then everything will be spoiled.

Hṛdayānanda: Not very much fight this time. It was much more peaceful than before.

Prabhupāda: (chuckling) Yes. For Kṛṣṇa's business why there should be...? Even there is fight it should be mock fight, not real fight. Then it is right.

Gargamuni: Yeah, most of the fights we have aren't personal. They're just difference of opinion.

Prabhupāda: No, that will go on. Then majority vote. Then it's decided. What can be done?

Gargamuni: No one has any personal animosity.

Hṛdayānanda: No. There's no more personal animosity. A chairman was elected, Kīrtanānanda Swami, and vice chairman, Jayatīrtha, and secretary, again Satsvarūpa.

Prabhupāda: That's nice. Who is chairman?

Hṛdayānanda: Kīrtanānanda Swami.

Prabhupāda: He's senior.

Hṛdayānanda: Yes.

Gargamuni: Is Gopāla here? No.

Hṛdayānanda: Yes. Everyone was present except Gargamuni.

Room Conversation with Scientists, Svarupa Damodara, and Dr. Sharma -- March 31, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That I want. To keep people in darkness is not science. They are keeping people in darkness. They do not know how nature is working, how they are subjugated to the laws of nature and trying to be independent.

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni

guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ

ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā

kartāham iti manyate

(BG 3.27)

Keeping people in darkness in the name of science, now it should be stopped. That is my humble humble opinion. So your pandals...?

Girirāja: It's going on. People are still coming and... Did you see the press reports?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We showed one this morning mentioning that the member of parliament had made a statement.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: English.

Dr. Sharma: I was going to bring to your kind notice, ever since we become independent, our moral fiber is really breaking down. We are spiritually, I think, the..., the deterioration has been very fast after 1947. Somehow this is...

Prabhupāda: This is our so-called leaders misled them. Even Gandhi misled. That Vinobha Bhave is misleading, what to speak of others.

Room Conversation with Scientists, Svarupa Damodara, and Dr. Sharma -- March 31, 1977, Bombay:

Dr. Sharma: Contribution. And there was a real rich life in Indian village. Now, after independence, that life has been really destroyed. Because the grants have been taken away and here, it's really a pain to see such beautiful temples having no maintenance now. Plus this so-called secular education, you know godless education they have introduced, that has further harmed, because the temple-going public has also dwindled in number. And it looks like there has been a systematic plan to undermine our...

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes, by this Congress. Their opinion is that India is too much religious; they spoiled.

Dr. Sharma: Yes. Also I just happened to do a survey in South about the party brāhmaṇas who were having the...

Prabhupāda: The brāhmaṇas, they, from your Rajasthan, the other day, I got before. Twenty thousand brāhmaṇas have come here in Bombay to serve as tea-walla.

Dr. Sharma: Tea-walla. That is correct.

Prabhupāda: So who is caring for the... Because there is no maintenance, there is no education, so how the brāhmaṇas are being maintained?

Dr. Sharma: These, the Rajasthani brāhmaṇas were not that, you know, strong brāhmaṇas as you see in south. In the south the brāhmaṇas are very Vaiṣṇavas, very staunch, and they were veda-paṭhīs. They had the whole aural...

Prabhupāda: No. Veda... Because the brāhmaṇas, they should be veda-paṭhī, at the same time, the public also must know the importance of Vedas. So if you prepare the public that it is useless, then how these brāhmaṇas can be maintained?

Dr. Sharma: Right now the number is dwindling so fast. The number of people who have the...

Room Conversation with Scientists, Svarupa Damodara, and Dr. Sharma -- March 31, 1977, Bombay:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: India, not yet.

Prabhupāda: What is their opinion? They are afraid of joining?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: They will come. Some of them are very favorable.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: There is one doctor who lives on our land. He wants to work with them in proving that God exists. He has his M.V.B. from Russia.

Prabhupāda: Russia is also purchasing our books. If the scientists do not believe in God, what is the reason?

Dr. Sharma: They just want a valid proof.

Prabhupāda: Direct proof. The other day somebody asked me... Perhaps you were present? No. Logically. The logical proof, common sense, anyone who has got common sense, the logical proof is there. Just like everything is growing from the earth. The earth is giving birth. Earth, water, air, fire. Bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ (BG 7.4). Take, for example, water. You dig a pond, and after a few months there will be fishes. So wherefrom the fishes came? If you don't touch even, the fishes will come, and they will grow. So wherefrom the fish came? What is the answer?

Mādhava: The scientists' answer? Well, immediately they would not say evolution, because it takes many billions of years to say evolution.

Room Conversation -- April 2, 1977, Bombay:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Not much preaching there.

Prabhupāda: Is there any Deities?

Guru dāsa: No. Actually, my opinion is that it would be a great endeavor to take it, because the house needs also some repair. Although it is in good structural condition, it needs cleaning. But the only advantage is that there is no place left in Kali-yuga like it. Because it is such a beautiful mansion. And one hundred acres and a lake and in a hill, that's the advantage.

Prabhupāda: And what price does he want?

Guru dāsa: The price he didn't say yet. That we would have to negotiate.

Prabhupāda: Not only you, others also, you can see first of all. If we can utilize, otherwise...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: How would we utilize such a thing?

Prabhupāda: That you consider. Otherwise, why you should unnecessarily...?

Guru dāsa: In other words, some other devotees should also...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Put all the women there.

Prabhupāda: Where are so much women? (laughter)

Room Conversation -- April 2, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: (break) ...Vṛndāvana affairs going?

Guru dāsa: Yes. I would just like to submit that I don't know what has been said, but my opinion about Akṣayānanda Swami is that he is a first-class devotee.

Prabhupāda: That I know. Therefore I am keeping him. He is not qualified manager, but he is first-class devotee, and he has no visa problem.

Guru dāsa: And he also is not duplicitous.

Prabhupāda: No. Therefore he has got some special qualification. So managerial, it is not always possible. But these things required. We want one man that he has no visa problem, and at the sane time devotee.

Guru dāsa: Yes. I went to the visa department. I just thought I should go. And I spoke to one man there. And I said, "Why is that we always have to spend five or six lakhs going and coming for no use? We are doing such good work, we could put that five or six lakhs into India." He said, "What can I do? I am under the law also." I said "The law is needing some change." He said "Your organization already changes the law." He said, "You never follow the rules." So I said "That is indicative that the law is not good." So then he said, "Let us see after the election." Anyway, I spoke to him that this is useless, that we spend five or six lakhs every year going and coming for no need.

Room Conversation -- April 2, 1977, Bombay:

Gargamuni: ...from one very important Hindi scholar, and he is Dr. V. P. Singh, M.A. Hindi, M.A. Sanskrit, Ph.D. literature, and he's the senior professor and head of the department of Hindi, and Dean of Faculty of Arts of Benares Hindi University at Benares. So he writes about your Hindi Bhāgavatam, which has just come out: "It gives me great pleasure to review these publications of the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. Especially I am appreciating this Hindi edition of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, complete with original Sanskrit text, word-for-word synonyms, and a marvelously lucid Hindi translation. In addition, having read thorough portions of the purports, which in my opinion reflect the vast erudition of the genius of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, I am discovering an unequaled body of literature in terms of scholastic quality and devotional impact both. The real meaning of such bhakti literature can only be disclosed by one who is a truly devotee and a saint. The evidence of these qualities in Swami Bhaktivedanta are highly apparent because of his great dedication and success in spreading the message of the Bhāgavata all over the world, and creating thousands of foreign bhaktas who aptly deserve the title of Vaiṣṇava Brāhmaṇa, due to their strict practice, devotion and learning."

Prabhupāda: Ah, very good.

Room Conversation -- April 5, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That I have heard it. Maybe in the Bhāgavata. Such a nice thing. Alone in this world I am struggling, and the so-called intelligent persons, they will not come. They have business. Why? If it is actually beneficial to the human society, why I should alone try? I will go on trying so long I'll live. There will be no checking of... But what kind of intelligent persons there are? (Govindam record in background) It has been approved by intelligent men like... From our section. Most wretched rogues. They do work. They are not so. They are intelligent. They have rejected all these "Lord" ideas and the... Because they have sinned, all humbug. Especially in the Western countries, in the Christian world, what is there? It is bogus. I have condemned it. You have seen that book? One Christian boy inquired. Have you got the copy? Bring. (pause) We shall go on playing govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam aham. People may hear or not hear. We don't mind.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: To Mr. Francois Pierre. "My dear Francois." He's in France. "Please accept my blessings. I beg to thank you for your letter dated March 17th. Try to understand our mission of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The world is all going to hell. They do not know what is the value of life. Like blind sheep following a blind leader, they are all going to the slaughterhouse. Human life is meant for saving, but instead the leaders are keeping the people in darkness. This is suicidal. Let us try to save them. Christian, Hindu, or Muslim, it doesn't matter. One must have faith in God. But if one does not know what is God, then what is the question of religion? This sectarian view has caused havoc in the world. Our real business is to know God and one's relationship with God. Do you know what is God? The answers to your questions are as follows: 1) Yes, the message of Jesus is universally applicable. Why not? Jesus says, 'Thou shalt not kill.' This is applicable to all. But all Christians are violating this law. So where is a Christian? In my opinion there is not a single Christian. Do they follow all ten commandments? 2) We accept Jesus Christ as śaktyāveśa-avatāra, an empowered incarnation of God. 3) The Bible should be accepted literally and not symbolically.

Morning Talk -- April 5, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Another point, in secular, the scientific knowledge, two plus two equal to four. If somebody says, "No, in our opinion it is five," will it be accepted?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I didn't hear what you were saying.

Prabhupāda: If two plus two equal to four. If somebody says "In our opinion it should be five..."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, no one will accept that.

Prabhupāda: Similarly, if government requires teaching the science that this body is not yourself, you are different from the body, if some other sect, they say, "That it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā; it is meant for the Hindus, not for us," will it be accepted?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It should not be.

Prabhupāda: Therefore the institution for teaching Bhagavad-gītā must be there. The science of life...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It should be there in every university.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's scientific. It is the only scientific book.

Conversation with Yadubara (after seeing film) -- April 17, 1977, Bombay:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And you are spoiling your life, according to them. Then why is he coming here to see you?

Prabhupāda: Anyways, these rascals, we have to deal with these rascals. Whatever little service they can give us. Even Gandhi was of opinion that "There was no Kṛṣṇa, there was no battle of Kurukṣetra. It is imagination."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Battlefield of the mind," he said.

Prabhupāda: Everyone takes Bhagavad-gītā as fictitious, and you can interpret it in any way you like. That is the... This Swami Cinmayananda is also that class. He is a sādhu.

Girirāja: The lawyer asked me had I read the books of Swami Cinmayananda.

Prabhupāda: What did you reply?

Girirāja: Well, I said that we knew what his philosophy was, and that we were not impressed by it.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He defines Kṛṣṇa as the dark unknowing within. That's his definition of Kṛṣṇa, Swami Cinmayananda.

Prabhupāda: How you explain the unknown if you do not know? How do you speak "unknown"? You know or not?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He doesn't define Kṛṣṇa. I mean he doesn't speak about Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: No, anyone. If unknown, then how do you say unknown? You know. You know Him as unknown.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Contradiction.

Morning Talk -- April 18, 1977, Bombay:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. They have no training.

Prabhupāda: Not they accept that this Kṛṣṇa, historical Kṛṣṇa, He is the person, Supreme Person. Ninety-nine point nine percent, they do not believe. "It is a fictitious story written about God, but not that this Kṛṣṇa is God." This is their opinion. Therefore Dr. Radhakrishnan: "No, no, not this Kṛṣṇa personally." Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ—he is guiding: "Don't be attached to this Kṛṣṇa." Doesn't want. He was a very good gentleman, at heart devotee of God, but he could not understand Kṛṣṇa. He used to say to me... I was very intimate with, with him, with Dr. Radhakrishnan.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You were intimate with him?

Prabhupāda: Yes. I used to go whenever I liked.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I didn't know that.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. I had many letters, correspondence with him. He promised that "After retirement I shall join." Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yet when we went to visit him in Madras, I guess he was so...

Prabhupāda: No, that time he was finished.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He could not even recognize. He was failing.

Conversation with Patita-pavana -- April 20, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Even the Māyāvādīs, they are also praising these activities. Yesterday two Māyāvādī sannyāsīs, came, Śaṅkara-sampradāya.

Patita-pāvana: This Arkasomaya...

Prabhupāda: They are taking from this point of view, that India's culture has been so nicely spread that people are taking serious con... That is their appreciation. We have got differences of opinion, philosophy. That is our... But India's culture is being accepted through the world. That they are appreciating.

Girirāja: During the New York case, one of the leading men in the Arya Samaj wrote a very personal letter in support of us, not a standard letter, but in his own words he was glorifying your work like anything, and especially from this point of view.

Patita-pāvana: Even this Arkasomayaji, his iṣṭa-devatā is Kanaka Durgā from the Kabur district of the Godāvarī in Andhra, and he's a Māyāvādī. I told him, "We have some difference, but please shelve your differences and simply follow our point of view." He said, "That's all right, but I think your guru is the Divine walking the earth, and I must serve him." (laughs) So I said, "Very good. Please come and help."

Prabhupāda: So arrange to receive them. Give them very kindly... If Acarya agrees, that will be great success.

Girirāja: Yes.

Prabhupāda: So both you and Mahadevia together supply... This friend of Mahadevia...

Girirāja: Yes.

Meeting with Mr. Dwivedi -- April 23, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: No, flesh you can take if you are carnivorous, but not this cow's flesh. That is particularly instructed in Bhagavad-gītā, kṛṣi-go-rakṣya. Kṛṣṇa did not say that "You be non-meat-eater." That is not possible. Jīvo jīvasya jīvanam. Every living entity is living by eating another living entity. That is the laws of nature. But there are different types, so in the human society, if there are persons who want to eat flesh, so they can eat that nonimportant, small animal. But don't touch cow. That is Gītā's instruction. Go-rakṣya, He has particularly said. If you are so mean that you have to eat some flesh, there are hogs, dogs, and... And you can eat. But don't touch cow. Gandhi posed himself as a great student of Bhagavad-gītā, but he did not understand a single line. That is the defect. Gandhi took it, Bhagavad-gītā, as a childish play. Dangerous... Therefore country is ruined. You must take Bhagavad-gītā as it is. Then there is authority. You cannot change it. If you change it, where is the authority? Can you change the simple law, "Keep to the right; keep to the left"? No. It is authority. If the direction is "Keep to the right," you must keep to the right. You cannot say that "What is the wrong if I keep to the left?" Then there is no authority. So Gandhi, Tilak, and Aurobindo and so on, so on, they took Bhagavad-gītā as a childish play. Whatever they want, they interpret that. And Vivekananda supported, yato mata tato patha: "You can have your own opinion." These are all nonsense. Therefore country is ruined. You must take as it is. Then it will be... You cannot change the authority of Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa says, kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya... (BG 18.44)..

Mr. Dwivedi: Vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam.

Prabhupāda: So go-rakṣya, not... Just like Vinoba Bhave recently, "Cows which have delivered milk should not be sacrificed." Kṛṣṇa does not say, "Only the cows which are delivering milk, they should not be sent to slaughter." Go-rakṣya. Even they are not delivering milk...

Morning Conversation -- April 23, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: He has given very good reasoning.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Everything is reasonable. But so were your reasons. Just like when you met with the reporter from Los Angeles Times, I remember last year... When this question comes up they, inside they are laughing. When they hear our opinion they think it is a joke. They cannot conceive that the whole thing could be a hoax. We were discussing that actually, that the nation is more dear to most people than their family is, because one will get divorced from his family, but who will give up citizenship? Very rarely does anyone give up his citizenship. But people divorce again and again. So to... The nation is something very strong, that affection, and nation, in America, means this moon shot, all of these things, the truthfulness of the leaders. So this is too shocking. Probably the American people could not swallow it.

Prabhupāda: Yes. (indistinct) Lie.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Right. Why no other newspaper carried the story?

Prabhupāda: It is only because I disbelieved, he disagreed. (referring to Puruṣottama?) He disagreed with me from that moment. He thought me foolish that I do not believe scientific research.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That was in London, I think. I remember.

Prabhupāda: He was a good boy, very good boy. Only for this reason he left. The whole institution he left. Where he is now?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We have not heard from him. Last time he was staying with St. Paul.

Evening Darsana -- May 11, 1977, Hrishikesh:

Prabhupāda: Why don't you accept Him? In Vedic evidences He is the Supreme. Why?

Indian man (4): Swamiji, Christ says that he's the goal.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Indian man (4): Christ says that he's the Almighty. What is your opinion?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He said, "Christ says that he is the Almighty. What is your opinion?"

Prabhupāda: Where he said?

Indian man (4): In Bible said. "I am the God, come."

Prabhupāda: He said?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, he never says that.

Trivikrama: "I am the son of God."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He said, "My father who art in heaven, hallowed by Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done." He never says, "My kingdom come, my will be done."

Trivikrama: Say, "I sit at the right hand of God."

Conversation with Bhakti-caitanya Swami-New GBC -- June 30, 1977, Vrindaban:

Trivikrama: He has so much to do in Bombay with the book, BBT.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I'm not giving my opinion. I'm only speaking on the fact that we should not any way...

Trivikrama: Yeah, discourage our Godbrothers.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ...discourage him so that he feels, "All right..." Sometimes in the past that happened in Vṛndāvana.

Trivikrama: I can call him. I'm his friend. There's not some plot or something.

Bhakti-caitanya: No, he can also look over, but he should work, let us allow to work in Delhi.

Trivikrama: We can work together. We're all brothers.

Bhakti-caitanya: But we have to spread the..., put the Prabhupāda's books in everyone's house and spread this movement.

Trivikrama: To think "big ISKCON."

Bhakti-caitanya: Anywhere, doesn't matter.

Prabhupāda: Try to bring that cooperation. So he is GBC for Delhi.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah.

Conversation -- July 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Mr. Myer: Well, here the problem is that, you see... I'm just wondering what is the form of management, because it may happen that... I attended one committee meetings the other day when GBC was here from Bombay, and I was not able to find out that somebody who normally would take some action... There would have to be one person who has to be given some guidelines, and then he must take action. But then the trouble thing will be, if he has to go to a committee, it will only delay things. One can't really act in... In committees, see, there are different people. They have different opinion, and very little can be consensus of all the different ideas. So I think it's good to have a committee meeting where a man reports the problems, evaluation like, where we have a... I will attend a meeting in England, where... That is about twelve... Yatita Prabhu(?), he was conducting a meeting on a Sunday, and they were trying to take the stock of what had happened in the week and what was the budget for next week. That kind of a meeting is very... Because then there are some statistics. We have some performance of what happened and what we wish to do.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So make... You have to develop. You have to teach them how to do that.

Mr. Myer: Quite right.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But you had... But he had a reservation that before any change like this can be made, Akṣayānanda Mahārāja should also be acceptable to his proposal, because right now he's managing everything himself. So...

Prabhupāda: That... Whatever I'll say, he'll accept. There is no question of refusing.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Right.

Prabhupāda: Whatever I'll order...

Discussion about Bhu-mandala -- July 5, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Expired? No, no. He's living. But talking all nonsense, reading Bhāgavatam, and hundreds of people go to the...

Bhakti-prema: Today we were discussing...

Prabhupāda: That difference of opinion will continue. You cannot stop.

Bhakti-prema: This Pacific Ocean is saltwater...

Prabhupāda: Why you are trying to adjust Pacific Ocean? Pacific Ocean, any ocean, it is just like kūpa-maṇḍūka. It is very big for you, but you are a very teeny identity. Take the universe. What is the Pacific? Is it not a drop. There are so many Pacific Oceans floating in the sky. Everything is acintya. Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ (Bs. 5.48). This is acintya. So acintyāḥ khalu ye bhāvā na tāṁs tarkeṇa yojayet. You cannot make an experiment or see it. Take some information from the authority and be satisfied. With your limited knowledge, if you want to bring it to experiment, that is not possible. That is not possible.

Bhakti-prema: If this is the background I can give a lot of material. But they want logic.

Prabhupāda: Where is the logic?

Room Conversation -- August 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Phalena paricīyate: "By result." We are spreading Hindu culture throughout the whole world. He has to judge from this point of view, by the result. The persons, the people who are accustomed to kill cows, they are giving up meat-eating. Do you think it is ordinary thing? So he has... He must have good judgment before giving any adverse opinion. Engaged in horrible cow slaughter, they are becoming Vaiṣṇavas. Is it ordinary thing? Nārada did. What is the vyādha?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Nārada Muni?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He converted that hunter, Mṛgāri. He was killing, but then he would not trample even on one ant.

Prabhupāda: So that is being done now. So he has to judge from this intelligence. We do not maintain any political view, what American government or Indian government... We want the whole people of the world, let them become human being. That is our movement. What is this? Simply killing business is going on. All governments should cooperate, pushing on this movement for humanity's sake.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually in Communist countries now, Eastern Europe, in the universities, they are cooperating. But why these Bengali Marxists, they are not? The Communists are cooperating.

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

Prabhupāda: No effect.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Powder isn't working effectively, and milk is keeping you going. I don't see that this medicine is doing anything. It's not giving you appetite.

Prabhupāda: Not even taste.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No. It's giving you bad taste. You don't like to take it.

Prabhupāda: So your opinion not to take?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: My opinion is that if you feel that... I don't see that it's having any effect. I think the milk is the best thing, milk, mango milk like you're taking, little juices. This is for creating appetite, I think.

Prabhupāda: Take the courage of an Englishman and the heart of a Bengali mother. (end)

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

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: This is their life. "I believe." Whatever he believes, that's all right. This is going on.

Gurukṛpā: The difficulty is they have no intelligence to understand what they are doing. But if... By mass prasādam distribution they will get intelligence to see the serious sins they are doing.

Prabhupāda: Whole thing is "I believe," "Unless I believe..." Anyone can believe something. Is that knowledge?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, it's not knowledge. Opinion. Opinion of a drunkard, as you said the other day.

Prabhupāda: Drunkard believes

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The madman in the mental institution, when you go in there, each one of them is speaking so many things.

Prabhupāda: He believes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Would you like the fan on, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Gurukṛpā: You mentioned in one of your books that everyone in this material world is considered mad, and a madman speaks all sorts of things. Whatever they speak is to be considered nonsense, because they're all mad.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Some nice mail today, Śrīla Prabhupāda. (break) (end)

Room Conversation -- October 6, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: His father practices haikin.(?) And the son practices...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Allopathic. I think we're letting ourselves in for trouble when we call these doctors.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: My personal opinion is that when you call these doctors, you're simply letting..., we are simply letting ourselves in for more trouble, because they're not going to study the case very carefully. They're just going to start prescribing. Your case is so delicate that the slightest wrong diagnosis and medicine causes havoc.

Prabhupāda: No, they have good practice.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But the same thing, as they were recommended, similarly, this kavirāja in Bombay was recommended. We can call him, but...

Prabhupāda: Consult him.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I've lost hope with these doctors, Śrīla Prabhupāda. I'll consult if you insist, but I... I mean... I've lost hope.

Prabhupāda: And they know me also very well.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So you want me to bring them here?

Prabhupāda: No, he'll bring.

Visit From Allopathic Doctor -- October 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: You can see that letter. He is qualified man.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He suggests immediately that Prabhupāda go into a hospital.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Doctor Ghosh's letter, you remember, he suggests that we immediately take you to that Bombay hospital.

Hari-śauri: He wanted to do that last March when he saw you there at Māyāpur.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That was his opinion.

Prabhupāda: You can show him bile. Show him the bile. (end)

Room Conversation -- October 12, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: No, that I have already explained. I don't want to go to hospital.

Kīrtanānanda: So that is not necessary. (Prabhupāda coughs heavily) (break)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Jayapatākā Mahārāja has come from Māyāpur.

Prabhupāda: Come here. (heavy coughing) Mucus is generating, either you take milk or fruit juice. I have given my opinion in that correspondence. And he's a qualified man. If you want him, then somebody may go to him and talk.

Kīrtanānanda: Yes, that should be done. We'll do that today.

Prabhupāda: He wanted to retire and start a clinic here.

Kīrtanānanda: So he can come now.

Prabhupāda: So we can help.

Kīrtanānanda: Yes. It's a very good idea.

Prabhupāda: So, what is the report, Jayapatākā?

Room Conversation -- October 13, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: He himself is a man from the United Nations, experienced, and he thought Kṛṣṇa consciousness, if we can push forward, it will be best in the world. That was his opinion.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: He had a great respect for our movement. I didn't know him before. He's a very well known educationist also.

Prabhupāda: So, Kīrtanānanda Mahārāja, how do you like?

Kīrtanānanda: The conference? I think it's wonderful.

Prabhupāda: This is the beginning. And arrange for such conference one after another, many... Do something for that before my departure. I can see something. Oh (indistinct), make like that. Or smite. Where is Bhavānanda?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Brahmānanda?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Bhavānanda.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Bhavānanda.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- October 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Why not immediately?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, right in the middle of the conference... They can do it for the evening one. They can probably change it by five-thirty. Another thing is that these men, these scientists of ours, they are just beginning to practice speaking. Just like our sannyāsīs, we get to speak in the temples practically all the time. But these men are new at lecturing. So they require further practice in their presentation to make it very interesting—which they will get automatically by doing what they are doing. Another really important thing, I feel, is that I think it would be much more interesting if someone with an opposing opinion were to speak first, say, some other scientist we could invite who would speak on the same subject but from a different point of view. Then our man would speak from the Kṛṣṇa conscious point of view. Then people could ask questions. Because the audience I think very much appreciates when there's a little bit of, er, a dialogue. Debate.

Mādhava: They have such a speaker in physics. He's going to speak that life comes from matter.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Okay. That's good. Because otherwise... I looked at the audience this afternoon. First of all, there weren't that many. There was only about fifteen men attending this afternoon's lecture.

Gurukṛpā: Scientists, fifteen.

Room Conversation -- October 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Opposition.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, well, I haven't heard very much opposition.

Gurukṛpā: He asked, "Is there any questions?" but no one really...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's got to be set up in a different way, in my opinion. There has to be from the beginning an opportunity for an opposing speaker to speak.

Harikeśa: Yes. This man isn't going to speak until Sunday, the opposition.

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.

Room Conversation -- October 17, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: No.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In Vṛndāvana there are so many smārta-brāhmaṇas, but Bombay is a very materialistic, modern, Western city. Some of our devotees have already been invited, Acyutānanda and one other, for themselves opening a temple. So it was the common opinion of most of the devotees, "What is the need of hiring these fourteen, fifteen brāhmaṇas? The people don't care in Bombay for this."

Prabhupāda: No.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Rather, they may be more impressed to have the Western devotees doing it, and we save so much...

Prabhupāda: Western brāhmaṇas.

Hari-śauri: Western brāhmaṇas, yes.

Girirāja: Imported. (laughter)

Prabhupāda: That was my prediction. As they're importing ghee, milk, similarly, brāhmaṇa also. Go-brāhmaṇa-hitāya. That's nice proposal.

Hari-śauri: Jaya. Yaśodānandana can do it very nicely. He did it very expertly in Fiji.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- October 18, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But if I can give my opinion, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The main necessity right now is not just sleep, because you've been sleeping for many days, and that hasn't gotten you better. Sleeping, of course, is easier. When one is laying down, it's a little disturbing to the mind if he cannot sleep all the time, but sleeping is not so necessary as getting some nourishment.

Prabhupāda: No, no, no... Without sleeping, the brain will be...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: (laughs) But you have been sleeping a lot, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You were sleeping so much yesterday, and even while you're taking these medicines. In other words, the idea with the allopathic medicine is that it does many good things. So I'm sure Dr. Ghosh could recommend something to help you sleep. (some whispering)

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Room Conversation -- October 18, 1977, Vrndavana:

Bhavānanda: We can go and see Dr. Gopal this morning.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Bhagatji said Dr. Gopal is his close friend. He can bring him here once a day if necessary.

Bhavānanda: And explain to him that you've had some restless reaction to this medicine and get his opinion and new diagnosis, new medicines, if necessary. And for your liquid intake, if you can take just four glasses of Complan in one day, plus some juice now and then, it won't be so much, so many times you'll have to be bothered. They all recommended that Complan is the very best.

Prabhupāda: Hm? What?

Bhakti-caru: Complan, Śrīla Prabhupāda. It's a drink, beverage, like Horlicks. I gave it to you last night.

Bhavānanda: Is there some bad effect to it that you feel, Śrīla Prabhupāda, when you take that?

Prabhupāda: Not yet, but when it becomes mucus.

Bhakti-caru: That's not milk, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Hari-śauri: Complan is milk-mixed. At least there doesn't seem to be any mucus this morning, and this is a full day now since you took that chānā.

Prabhupāda: The chānā was nothing. So? What do you want to do now?

Room Conversation -- October 20, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, he's worse. I mean the whole group of them is worse. There's a whole clique of them. The real thing that was happening is that without the knowledge of the head office they were doing so many things here locally. When it became known to the head office, then the head office became very angry. I can now understand that they had a whole plan in mind. They had it very planned, what they were doing. The plan in my opinion was that they felt here is a sannyāsī, old sādhu, and he has many foreign disciples...

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They were planning, in my... I talked with Girirāja about this. They were thinking "Here is an old sannyāsī, Prabhupāda. He has many foreign disciples, he has money. Let us get the money in fixed deposit. Then if he should pass away, then somehow by trick the money will be kept here and we'll never let them take it out." That was their plan. Therefore whenever Prabhupāda suggested that Gurukṛpā would sign, co-sign, "No, no," they would never allow. Their plan is that Prabhupāda would pass away, and all the foreigners would be there, and they'd never let them take it. When I showed them this power of attorney, they had a great shock. They were shocked how this had happened to them. I think this was their plan. Very deceiving type of people. Because they are here in Vṛndāvana. All their money is from fixed deposits from āśramas. So they know how to do this business of keeping the money. Now everything is clear. The money is there in Delhi. The Delhi office is not like that. They're businesslike. And we can keep dealing them, but on regular accounts. None of these fixed deposits. Not now. They "Now you must gain their confidence again." We told them, "We have nothing against you. But you deal properly, then again we'll deposit. But deal properly in a businesslike way." We have nothing against them. Punjab Bank is a good bank. Anyway, it's settled now, Śrīla Prabhupāda. It's finished. I wanted you to know that it's been successfully completed due to Girirāja's good efforts. Girirāja went to Bombay. His parents went with him.

Prabhupāda: You said this Trivedi is worse than him?

Room Conversation -- October 21, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: What for?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So that's why we didn't give you any. It was our opinion that you probably didn't want any. Just like this morning you asked me for miśri-jala at five, six o'clock when I was on duty. So normally they give you a pill also for helping to pass urine. So my reasoning was that you didn't ask me for the pill, you simply asked me for miśri-jala, so I just gave you miśri-jala. Formerly, even if you didn't ask, we were encouraging you, "Please take medicine, please take medicine, please take medicine." So today we decided that whatever you ask, that we will do. So therefore, as you did not ask for medicine, we didn't give any medicine. This is not done on any doctor's instruction, that we're giving or not giving, but simply we felt whatever you ask us to do, you have perfect knowledge and perfect understanding, and everything we've ever done in this movement is on your direction, so you direct what you want to be done. If you want the doctor to come, then the doctor will come. If you want to take his medicine, then you can take. And we can give our opinion, but it's not our duty to... It's not good for us to over..., to too much push something upon Your Divine Grace. If you want to have the kavirāja, then we can call the kavirāja. Whatever Your Divine Grace considers to be the best course of action, that should be taken up. At least that was our understanding.

Bhavānanda: Under your direction, Śrīla Prabhupāda, you have single-handedly spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness over the entire world. And our position has always been to try and follow your instruction to the letter as our life and soul.

Room Conversation -- October 22, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: I'll treat myself. Let the kavirājas come. And makara-dhvaja... One after another, they will make the things complicated. What is your opinion? Hm?

Bhavānanda: We all feel, Śrīla Prabhupāda, that your direction is absolutely perfect. It is coming directly from the spiritual platform. Therefore anything which you tell us to do, we want to do, and we have full faith and confidence that it is absolutely correct. But we don't have full faith and confidence in people who are materially conditioned. Therefore we have taken you as our spiritual master. You have perfect knowledge of everything spiritual and you have perfect knowledge of everything material.

Prabhupāda: So, all of you agree to this?

Bhavānanda: Do we all agree?

Devotees: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Then I will give direction. Simply I want to know about the makara-dhvaja, consulting both the kavirājas. (pause) Why you stop kīrtana?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Go ahead, Pañca. (kīrtana begins, Pañca-draviḍa sings slowly)

Room Conversation -- October 24, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They spoke with Mr. Bangor, B. N. Bangor. He didn't know anybody. He spoke with Mr. Bajoriya. He also did not know anybody. They had not yet spoken with Mr. Jalan. Our feeling was that to bring a kavirāja, Rāmānuja kavirāja, is not difficult from wherever we are, whether we're here or anywhere. There are many kavirājas. Whether we have to get a local one or whether we have to go somewhere to bring one, they can be brought. Our one consideration was... (break) Just like this morning, it's getting cold in the morning, and we felt that, for example, in this summer, during the rainy season it rained very much—more than usual. So the climate is not completely predictable in this Kali-yuga. So it's getting very cold in the mornings. Now, if suddenly it gets much colder, to travel in the train would be very difficult, because these trains are hard. You can't keep them warm. They don't have heat in them. So we don't feel it's very safe to wait unduly. Our opinion was that so far as your health or strength goes, it's not going to increase significantly in one or two weeks. Even when you take this makara-dhvaja, it will take time to gradually get back your strength. So waiting is not so much for the purpose of gaining back strength. And the climate is working against us because it's getting colder if we wait. One of the main reasons to go that Your Divine Grace had was to get into a nice climate, fresh air, open-air atmosphere. So our feeling is that as far as a kavirāja goes, now we must find a Rāmānuja kavirāja. Now, if we cannot find one in Calcutta, then our feeling is let us find one somewhere else and bring him to Māyāpur. In other words, it doesn't have to be that he's living in Calcutta. Kavirājas are all over India. There is one... Who that person, Bhavānanda?

Bhavānanda: The head pūjārī at Śrī Raṅgam temple in South India. He is coming in the family of Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī. He is very friendly with our society, and Acyutānanda and Yaśodā-nandana Swamis, they stayed with him at his house...

Prabhupāda: Hm!

Room Conversation -- October 27, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: No, seeing the pill, what to see?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He may be able to recognize it has one of the types of makara-dhvaja. The main point is that Vanamali said it's makara-dhvaja. So by showing, he may be able to recognize, "Yes, this appears to be." At least we can get his opinion. Because that other kavirāja, that Rāmānujī, threw some doubt on Vanamali's medicine, saying "This is not makara-dhvaja." So we're having some doubt and about it and Vanamali. If by seeing, this man would say, "Yes, this is one of the ways it's made. It does appear like this," then that would restore...

Prabhupāda: No, he is coming. If he is coming, he can say here.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But he may not come. He may, Svarūpa Dāmodara may just get his opinion. So in case he does not come, by taking one of the pills there's nothing lost. We can get his opinion.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes, I can take a sample.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Where is the harm?

Trivikrama: What about the vegetable juice in preference to the fruit juice?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The real thing is that Prabhupāda is passing urine, and he is passing stool. So there's... What is the harm for taking vegetable juice? The main thing is that Prabhupāda has to swallow it. If he can swallow it, it's being digested to some extent, because urine is coming and stool is passing.

Room Conversation -- October 29, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: You can call him. I shall tell him.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I mean that's also my opinion.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I fully agree with you. The fact of the matter is, Śrīla Prabhupāda, he has no head for business.

Prabhupāda: No.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Anything he does, he's going to lose the money.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that's all.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I know that also.

Prabhupāda: And his assistant is looting him.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. He thinks this assistant is his greatest friend. Just like he's leaving on a plane. He's going to arrive Monday morning by eight o'clock in the morning, yet he feels he has to send a telegram to his assistant on a Sunday. I said, "What is the point of sending a telegram? The telegram will reach after you arrive. And even if it doesn't, what is the purpose of sending a telegram?"

Room Conversation -- October 30, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Why not Punjab National Bank, as they are sending, let them send and ask Overseas five hundred?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, because we've already given them a scheme which accounts for everybody. Better to have the whole thing done in a very organized way from one bank, rather than a little here, a little from there. That is simply confusing. Besides that, the... It's just a lot simpler, you know, if we do it this way. That is my opinion, because we've already given a scheme to Indian Overseas. We've put fixed deposits worth a certain amount which bring one thousand rupees interest. So now, if we have to tell them a whole new scheme, then it becomes confusion. It's easier simply to inform the Punjab Bank to discontinue sending the five hundred rupees.

Prabhupāda: And unless they send, Overseas...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, no. I am not sending a letter to Punjab Bank. The letter is being sent to Girirāja with the clear instruction on cover letter, "Only send this letter to Punjab Bank after you have it confirmed that they have begun to dispatch Rs. 1000 per month." The same way we did for Sulakshman De. When we stopped sending it from here and we began sending from Bombay, we only told them to stop when it had begun to be sent from another bank. In other words, she'll get the money first from Indian Overseas before the other payment's stopped.

Prabhupāda: So how she will get?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Rs. 1000 per month.

Prabhupāda: How?

Room Conversation -- October 30, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Adri-dhāraṇa Prabhu says that today the kavirāja is going to Mathurā, and he will sit six hours watching the medicine being distilled. He's personally going to watch to see so that there's absolutely no mistake made. This is required.

Bhavānanda: This man is competent.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I may not be an expert judge, but I have never seen, in my opinion, anyone who seemed to be this good.

Prabhupāda: No, if we have program to go to Māyāpur, he has got that distilled medicine in his dispensary.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, but one thing is this: the more time we can gain in waiting here, the better. In other words, he's not going to stay here indefinitely. That's a fact. He's going to have to go within the next few days.

Adri-dhāraṇa: He's planning to leave tomorrow. But we can hold him off for two more days.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We can hold him because, no doubt about it, the few extra days we gain will give you a little added strength. The main thing is that you should be feeling some positive effect from his treatments, because ultimately that is the real deciding factor. Our opinion of him.... He may be very nice looking, but if the medicine works, that is what counts.

Bhavānanda: Of course, we don't know, but we're all feeling that you're feeling some effect. You told me the other night.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- November 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Then make this arrangement, one week or ten days.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We are doing that. We have already agreed to that. Actually I could see from the very beginning that that's what we're going to do, but sometimes I feel it is my duty to give good arguments for some opposite opinion just to see both sides. Ultimately we are prepared to be with you wherever you want to be. To us that is home. That is our great pleasure, to be with you. So we're making that arrangement, Śrīla Prabhupāda. (break) (offers obeisances) Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Do you think that without finishing this business we shall go?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Without finishing the business of these, this legal business? Oh, yes, this legal business is not what would keep us here.

Prabhupāda: Then how it will... How it will be done?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I mean it can be executed in Māyāpur as well.

Prabhupāda: How?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Mr. Das, our friend from Calcutta, can come. It's pretty much now... It's already drafted, and... It would just have to be redrafted again on new stamp paper or the words would have to be changed. It would have to be retyped on stamp paper from Bengal side. The basic writing is...

Room Conversation -- November 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Then let us go.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: (laughs) You want to go to Māyāpur?

Prabhupāda: As you are saying, I'll go.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, Śrīla Prabhupāda, I mean you guide us. As you say, we will do. There's no... The doctor advises, "Better to remain." His medical opinion is that you should wait here for another ten days.

Prabhupāda: So do that.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. He said the only reason... He said, "However, if you really feel that you want to go," he says, "I guarantee you that there will be no risk." That he promises. If you want to go, there will not be risk. But from a medical point of view he says, "I advise you to get stronger before making the trip, because it will be easier."

Prabhupāda: So do that.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So that's our program. We're going to wait here ten days. After seven days, doctor is coming back. Kavirāja is coming back. He'll also by that time have arranged so that when he comes he can stay even up to a week if necessary.

Prabhupāda: And I'll get some strength.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's his point, yes. He feels confident that you'll get strength. Is that all right? I'll go now and... (break)

Prabhupāda: So somebody else come near me. Tamāla?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Room Conversation -- November 3, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: He's also a pāṇḍā?

Gaura-govinda: No, he's not a pāṇḍā. He's one of these paṇḍitas of that Mukti-maṇḍapa paṇḍita. He's president. This time, while we were talking with Anantadeva, we said that "Sadasiva Rath Sharma(?) is favoring us, and he gives favorable opinion." Anantadeva said, "No, don't believe him. He's a rascal. He's the most greedy person. He wants much more money." Anantadeva gave this opinion about him.

Bhakti-caru: Śrīla Prabhupāda? (Bengali) (break)

Prabhupāda: The sanctity of Jagannātha Purī-lost.

Bhavānanda: Is there any pain this side, Śrīla Prabhupāda? Any pain this side? (break)

Prabhupāda: Jagannātha Purī's sanctity they are killing. Thousands of years. Hm? Gaura-govinda? The sanctity is being...

Gaura-govinda: Sanctity is lost now.

Prabhupāda: Kali-yuga. What is happening? Jagannātha Svāmī.

Gaura-govinda: Those pāṇḍās, they have developed these demoniac qualities and they are forbidding the real devotees to enter into the temple. That is also an offense.

Pañca-draviḍa: Even our devotees born in Hindu families they won't let into the temple.

Gaura-govinda: What is that Hindu? So-called Hindu.

Room Conversation -- November 6, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: How do you think the idea?

Jayapatākā: All of your ideas, Śrīla Prabhupāda, are perfect. I am not someone to offer opinion. But if you ask, I think that actually, especially the yoga-pīṭha, nātha-mandira, that's a very dynamic idea, and in general it must do good.

Prabhupāda: We want cooperation.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No more noncooperation.

Jayapatākā: Generally the... Even Devānanda Gauḍīya Maṭha, they had invited us for the disappearance day of Keśava Mahārāja, but I wasn't present at the time. So generally now they're inviting us, and everyone seems to have the desire for more and more cooperation. Mādhava Mahārāja had talked with one, this leader of the Janasangha, now the Janata party constituent, who's Professor Bharati, Haripada Bharati. He's a big orator in the Bidansava.(?) So he's very pro-ISKCON and pro-Hindu. So he's coming out to Māyāpur the 20th and putting on a public meeting. It's being organized by the local Hindus. And in that time he'll be also visiting our temple. So he was told by Mādhava Mahārāja, who happened to meet him somewhere, that he should give us full support also. He mentioned that. And he's going to give a lecture, and in the lecture he's going to tell the Muslims that they should never do anything like this to another Hindu or Kṛṣṇa temple again. Otherwise their situation will be very... He said they'll be driven out. (break) Dāmodara Mahārāja, he comes around once in a while. I haven't seem him the last couple of weeks, but he's also helping in his way. Yesterday, from the Central Government, one I.B. officer, Inspection Bank officer, came. He said that he received telegraphic information that regarding my citizenship the government was having second thoughts, that maybe they would give it after all, and they requested him to find out my background information and give a recommendation.

Bhavānanda: In regard to the three-year visas, Gopāla Kṛṣṇa has secured that.

Room Conversation -- November 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's one point about... Actually, I simply asked him for the name of his bank and the bank account, but he doesn't seem to want to give that at this point. Seems to have some other idea. Very legally worded letter. "3) Panchashil. I do not stay there, albeit my daily visits. Once I have read somewhere, not the copy sent by you, this draft conveyance, and this is a bunkum." He calls it a bunkum. Are you familiar with that word, Śrīla Prabhupāda? I think it means like a hoax or something. "The wordings are incoherent and contradictory. The assigners, promoters, are described as overlord. The lessers, superlord, and assignees, purchasers, have been reduced to a transient resident, if not fugitive debtor. In my opinion, causes are there for criminal prosecution against the promoters. Without capable and competent lawyers' help, this legal matter should not be handled. Until then, keep it in abeyance. Your all the papers as mentioned..." I sent him a copy of the scheme, Śrīla Prabhupāda, as well as a copy of the draft... "All of your papers, as mentioned, are sent herewith back to you." He didn't choose to keep them. "While awaiting the bank's comments, I beg to remain respectfully yours, M.M. De." He says, "The enclosures are sent under ordinary post to avoid heavy postage in this cover." He decided to send them by a separate post because it would have been a few extra paisa.

Prabhupāda: Unless the bank confirms, he does not take it seriously. Is it not?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's more or less what he's suggesting.

Prabhupāda: So let the bank confirm. What is the harm? Hm? The bank is not going to confirm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, the bank will do whatever we ask them to do.

Prabhupāda: Then let them confirm.

Room Conversation -- November 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So you come at four, have kīrtana (?). (break) I wish that you GBC manage very nicely and consider I am dead and let me try to travel all the tīrthasthāna. Without any responsibility. If I become recovered from this malady I shall come back and then I shall die in, what is it when the dead body is there, let them bring to Māyāpur and Vṛndāvana. I am thinking in this way. Bring little medicine and no medicine, little milk, and travel one place to another and if there is death, what is the lamentation? My age is ripe. In the open air and bullock cart or during daytime, eh? Or you can say semi-suicide, although living what consider me dead for the time. You manage and nowadays there is in India ample sunshine. So during daytime I shall travel and nighttime you make a camp under a tree. In this way let me travel all the tīrthas. I am thinking in this way. What is your opinion?

Bhavānanda: Śrīla Prabhupāda, we promise that we'll manage everything to the best of our ability.

Prabhupāda: No, no, you are managing, I know, but you are all important men and unnecessarily you are bound up. You cannot go. So Lokanātha party has got some experience and let me go. In India the climate is now good. If I recover, it is very good. You know. So what is the wrong? If I die, then the body will be brought either in Vṛndāvana or Māyāpur, that's all. And if I live, it will be a great end of a life. You are all experienced.

Jayapatāka: As much as you have trained us, Śrīla Prabhupāda, that is only how much we are experienced. We don't want that you be burdened any more with material management problems but...

Prabhupāda: No, not from that point of view. What is the use of lying down here?

Room Conversation -- November 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But the idea is that... According to him... I mean, obviously we're all conditioned, and... I mean, he's not claiming not to be a conditioned soul either, but according to him, going on this bullock cart is a suicide. He said within an hour or two hours, the bouncing and jumbling of the bullock cart will cause a heart attack. Just like you were having heart..., a little heart spasm the other day, just laying in bed two days ago. He says this going in a bullock cart, up and down, within one, two hours it can cause heart attack. So as his treatment has been better at least than any other doctor, and certain symptoms have improved, why are we giving up his advice? If you say his advice is wrong, then there's no comment, but all along, his advice seems to have been more accurate than any other doctors that we've had. I mean we who are closely around you, Śrīla Prabhupāda, your servants, secretary, our opinion of him is far superior than our opinion of any of these others. I see that he's able to take care of one symptom after another somewhat successfully. He's able to deal with these problems. He can deal with the problem of not enough urine...

Prabhupāda: That I know.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He feels quite confident that you can live for six, seven more years, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: We also feel very confident.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Better that you live for six or seven years productively than that you go on this parikrama and die within two hours gloriously. Why not live for six or seven years and then go on parikrama and die? If the parikrama can always be done, why not put it off for six or seven more years of preaching?

Room Conversation -- November 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Jayapatākā: By your presence countless souls will attain devotional service. That's more glorious.

Prabhupāda: But I think I shall be cured.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda says he thinks he will be cured by the parikrama. (Bhakti-caru and Shastriji—Hindi)

Haṁsadūta: Under the circumstances we have to consider whether Prabhupāda's opinion is more or less than the kavirāja's, is what it comes down to.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We can't continue..., consider. Śrīla Prabhupāda has to.

Haṁsadūta: If Prabhupāda says that by going on parikrama he feels he'll be cured, then how can we continue to place arguments against him?

Kavirāja: (Hindi)

Prabhupāda: Kuvera?

Bhakti-caru: Shastriji is telling Prabhupāda to ask the Kuvera's puṣpaka-ratha. That is airplane of Kuvera. And do the parikrama in that. Then there won't be any pumping in that way. And he's saying that if Prabhupāda asks for that, he will sure get it. (devotees chuckle)

Kavirāja: (Hindi)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Ultimately what Prabhupāda decides, we will do.