This is the duty of the government, to see that everyone is in peaceful condition. During Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira's time they were so happy that it is stated that there was not even scorching heat and pinching cold also. Neither people were in anxiety for their livelihood. This is government: to see that people are in good atmosphere in everything. That is the first duty of the government. Of course, we have seen at the present moment also, in some of the European government they have got very good arrangement. In England I have seen, although they have lost their empire, still, people get free education, free medical treatment. And England does not produce practically anything except potato. They, the government imports so many eatables so that people may not suffer for want of food. So that is the way of good government from the time immemorial.
Potato
Lectures
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Prabhupāda: Our program is to eat kṛṣṇa-prasāda.
Devotee (1): I know, but I mean if we're not in a position, like we're away from... Like we're on the road at lunchtime or something.
Prabhupāda: Lunchtime you can eat bread, butter, fruit, milk. There are so many things. Dry fruits. So there are so many. God has supplied your country is, by God's grace, you have got sufficient foodstuff. You can use potato, vegetables.
Devotee (1): Cheese?
Prabhupāda: Cheese also. Cheese is milk preparation. You can eat. And offer it to Kṛṣṇa, that "Kṛṣṇa, these things are supplied by You. Kindly You taste it, then I'll take." You can do that everywhere. Kṛṣṇa is everywhere. At least we should acknowledge that everything is sent by Kṛṣṇa, or God. That is a fact.
So we have got many foodstuff in the vegetarian kingdom, and Kṛṣṇa asks you that patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati: (BG 9.26) "Anyone who is offering Me..." This is universal. Patram means a leaf. Just like a leaf. Puṣpam, a flower. And patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalam. Phalam means a fruit. And toyam means water. So any poor man can offer Kṛṣṇa. There is no need of, I mean to say, luxuriant foodstuff, but it is meant for the poorest man. The poorest of the poor men can secure these four things—a little leaf, a little flower, a little fruit, and little water. Any part of the world. Therefore He is prescribing, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati: "Anyone who offers Me with love and devotion..." Tad ahaṁ bhakty-upahṛtam. "Because it is brought to Me with love and devotion," aśn āmi, "I eat." Kṛṣṇa is not hungry, neither He is poor. But the main thing is bhaktyā, devotion and love. So whatever you offer Kṛṣṇa with devotion and love within this group as prescribed by Him, Kṛṣṇa accepts it. So you can offer anywhere. It does not matter that you have to offer in temple. Kṛṣṇa is everywhere. So you offer and eat that. This cauliflower is also flower. This is also flower. (chuckles) And potato is fruit. Fruit, flower. Yes.
So any other question?
Prabhupāda: Lunchtime you can eat bread, butter, fruit, milk. There are so many things. Dry fruits. So there are so many. God has supplied your country is, by God's grace, you have got sufficient foodstuff. You can use potato, vegetables.
Devotee (1): Cheese?
Prabhupāda: Cheese also. Cheese is milk preparation. You can eat. And offer it to Kṛṣṇa, that "Kṛṣṇa, these things are supplied by You. Kindly You taste it, then I'll take." You can do that everywhere. Kṛṣṇa is everywhere. At least we should acknowledge that everything is sent by Kṛṣṇa, or God. That is a fact. Kṛṣṇa's laws or nature's law is so nice that a cow is eating grass and producing milk. Now, if you think that grass is the cause of milk, then you are mistaken. It is the laws of Kṛṣṇa that transforms grass into milk. If you eat..., you eat grass, then you'll die.
Therefore He is prescribing, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati: "Anyone who offers Me with love and devotion..." Tad ahaṁ bhakty-upahṛtam. "Because it is brought to Me with love and devotion," aśn āmi, "I eat." Kṛṣṇa is not hungry, neither He is poor. But the main thing is bhaktyā, devotion and love. So whatever you offer Kṛṣṇa with devotion and love within this group as prescribed by Him, Kṛṣṇa accepts it. So you can offer anywhere. It does not matter that you have to offer in temple. Kṛṣṇa is everywhere. So you offer and eat that. This cauliflower is also flower. This is also flower. (chuckles) And potato is fruit. Fruit, flower. Yes.
Then the animals, they are also working hard day and night for their necessities of life. But if an animal steals something from your house or takes some eatables, he is not punishable. India you will find in the bazaars. There is crowd, and the cows enter there, and they eat the vegetables to their heart's content. But he is not punishable. Still the cow is not punishable. But if a man takes one potato without the permission, he is punishable. So the animals are not punishable. All the lawbooks are meant for the men, for the human being, not for the animals. Just like in your country the police law is: "Keep to the right your car." But if a animal goes, keep to the left, it is not punishable. So everyone not punishable. Then again, human being, all of them, not punishable. Those who are criminals, those who have violated laws, they are punishable. So therefore this question is "Whether and how they are punishable? What is dharma, and what is adharma? So if you are representative of Yamarāja, then you explain to us first of all whether you are actually representative."
Conversations and Morning Walks
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: But that is not killing.
Jesuit Priest: No, but... By, fa..., er, look at it this way. You've just said a few minutes ago there are eight million different kinds of life. Would you agree that the potato, the cabbage...
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Jesuit Priest: ...and what have you also has a life?
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Jesuit Priest: Because there's vegetative life, there's sensitive life, there's rational life...
Prabhupāda: That's all right.
Prabhupāda: Yes
Jesuit Priest: All right. And therefore—I'm not being facetious—when you boil those potatoes, you are taking away the life of that potato.
Prabhupāda: So what is your philosophy? That you can take any life?
Jesuit Priest: But you said, "Thou shall not kill."
Prabhupāda: No, no. Yes. "Thou shall not kill." That's all right.
Jesuit Priest: But you kill the potato.
Prabhupāda: Now, suppose there is potato and there is your child. So would you like to kill your child in preference of potato?
Jesuit Priest: And I say I shouldn't. God said, "Thou shalt not kill."
Prabhupāda: Then why you are killing animals?
Jesuit Priest: Well, you're doing it when you eat your potatoes.
Prabhupāda: No, the potato is not animal.
Jesuit Priest: It's a vegetable, life.
Prabhupāda: No.
Jesuit Priest: It starts with a little tiny seed. That's life.
Prabhupāda: No, no, no.
Jesuit Priest: It grows.
Prabhupāda: Potato is not animal. It is fruit.
Jesuit Priest: Is that tree alive?
Prabhupāda: It is a fruit.
Jesuit Priest: Is that tree alive?
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Jesuit Priest: Has it got life?
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Jesuit Priest: Are you doing anything wrong when you cut it down...?
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Jesuit Priest: Well, I think I've given you one. I'm just thinking in a way...
Prabhupāda: Innocent animal killing and taking a potato from the tree, you are making equalized. It is not very...
Jesuit Priest: Oh, no, I'm not (indistinct) and saying. All I'm saying is if you're logical and accept different...
Prabhupāda: This is logical. Now...
Jesuit Priest: ...kinds of life.
Prabhupāda: I have to live. We agree that we have to live by eating another living entity. Jivo jīvasya jīvanam. But if I eat this grass, taken some grass, and if I eat some animal, do you think they are equal?
Revatīnandana: He remarked that the spiritual consciousness is not impeded by material impediments-like the body.
Popworth: I discovered that when I was a cook. I used to have to peel a huge bath full of potatoes every day, hours and hours, and it became that I could peel the potatoes without being aware that I was handling them. And my mind was roaming, disembodied almost from any encumbrance. But this is not the same as meditation, I'm sure, as you see it.
Prabhupāda: What is your idea of meditation? (Someone comes in.) Come on. Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Revatīnandana: Sit over here.
Vicitravīrya: This is Dr. Schumacher.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: No. You can... Cashew and ginger. And you make, what is called, channa. In the lunch make cheese. Cheese, cheese. Fry it, and make preparation.
Śrutakīrti: Tomato and cheese?
Prabhupāda: Tomato, cheese, potato. Yes. And fried peanuts? And salad, fruit. By force... Communism is going on, by force. It is the result of sinful life.
Paramahaṁsa: They're put into that circumstance.
Prabhupāda: Yes, people are sinful, they will not do nicely, and now, by nature... Just like this child killing. They did it in his previous life. Now he is suffering. He will be killed. The nature's reaction. We are taking sympathy with the child who is being killed, but we do not know that he did the same business. Now he is being killed. That is nature's law.
Prabhupāda: That is natural. That is natural. It is good. But they are not led by good leader. Otherwise next alternative is this, that you have to give up this artificial way of civilization. Now this land is vacant. We can produce so much food grains if it is utilized. Fruits, flower, vegetables, grains—we can produce. This land is very good land for producing potato, watermelon, this. Very good land. But who is doing that? This is the suitable land for producing watermelon. And watermelon is such a nice thing, and potato. You boil potato and take watermelon, you have full nourishment are supplied. Very innocent and simple food.
Prabhupāda: Another rascal. That is the difficulty. The world is full of rascals and demons. And they are leaders. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). "A blind man is leading other blind men."
Devotee (1): Instead of using the land to grow potatoes and watermelons, they're simply using it to build more offices for tables and chairs to study the situation.
Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. (pause) Life will be more more dangerous in this Kali-yuga. People will starve. And they... It is already began. The hippies are going to the forest. This will be the whole world situation. Everything will be chaotic.
Prabhupāda: Hockey, hockey, yes. (break)
Upendra: (in car:) ...a recipe for these potato patties. What was that recipe again? Potatoes and then you mentioned some...
Prabhupāda: Sabudhana. (break)
Siddha-svarūpa: From observation and experience, I think that there's a higher rate of sickness in the temples than outside the temples, than the normal population for some reason, and I was wondering what could be done to bring this down. Like I know every time I'm living in close quarters, for instance, here in the temple I get some type of flu. And I can think of what it might be, but I think that in many of the temples, from what I've experienced, there seems to be more sickness. I don't know whether it's...
Prabhupāda: Fruits and flowers. No, only fruits. What you are doing, flowers?
Nityānanda: This is okra.
Prabhupāda: Oh, okra.
Nityānanda: And sweet potatoes. And we have eggplants, tomatoes, and peppers here.
Prabhupāda: They give daily some fruits?
Nityānanda: Yes. And then we grow potatoes too.
Prabhupāda: Oh, where? Which side?
Nityānanda: Well, the spring crop was already harvested. We have to plant the fall potatoes in a few weeks. We'll put them over there by the fence.
Prabhupāda: For drawing raw materials from villages and bring it to the Calcutta, Bombay port and export to their country because their country does not produce anything. They’re starving. Still England, London, is maintained by importing goods from Africa, India, here, there. They have no food there. They can grow some potato, maybe… Potato only, That was the reason of expanding their empire. They had no food at home, England. They were manufacturing cotton cloth. That cotton was not grown in their country. It was brought from Egypt. They manipulated things in such a way. In America also they wanted to do that, but Americans, just understanding, separated, George Washington. In America I have heard that each family was to maintain a British soldier. You know that?
Prabhupāda: In warmer climate you can live inexpensively, and freely. In winter climate, there is no freedom, neither it is inexpensive. Very expensive. (break) ...some Phunsie(?). Phunsie.
Harikeśa: Oh, those potato balls.
Prabhupāda: Hm. With banana.
Harikeśa: With banana.
Prabhupāda: (break) ...the government accept you as guide, then everything will be all right. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. Tell them that "We are not going to take any salary. You simply take our advice, and govern." The modern legislative assembly, they should be composed of first-class brāhmaṇas, no salary. Then the government will be first-class.
Prabhupāda: If you want to eat something—everyone has got desire—you cannot get. You cannot get. There is no fruit; there is no flower.
Haṁsadūta: When I was there, all we could find was some potatoes, some beets, and some cabbage. That's all. Nothing else.
Prabhupāda: That's all, yes.
Devotee (3): Very poor country.
Harikeśa: But also in Russia you can't grow many things. It's very cold.
Haṁsadūta: But you can import.
Prabhupāda: Therefore naturally they are condemned.
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: There is no land, therefore there is limit. (break)
Kīrtanānanda: Cauliflower, peas, beets, carrots, lettuce, spinach...
Prabhupāda: Potato?
Kīrtanānanda: Potato, broccoli,
Prabhupāda: Broccoli? What is that?
Kīrtanānanda: It is something like cauliflower.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: It's that green vegetable, Śrīla Prabhupāda, that's like cauliflower.
Prabhupāda: Cabbage?
Kīrtanānanda: Cabbage, peppers.
Prabhupāda: What is that?
Ṛṣi-kumāra: It's called rajkacuri. (laughter)
Bali-mardana: Stuffed with dāl, potato, tamarind sauce and sour cream.
Devotee (1): Ṛṣi's making up for lost time.
Prabhupāda: Where you learned this?
Ṛṣi-kumāra: In Kailash Saksarya's.
Prabhupāda: Huh?
Ṛṣi-kumāra: From Kailash Saksarya's cook. At least I learned something there.
Prabhupāda: From that cook, Kailash's cook?
Prabhupāda: Who eats that?
Devotee (1): We can eat. We roast in the oven, it is very good, offer it to the Deities.
Prabhupāda: (break).... A small potato, in the śukta you gave it?
Harikeśa: No, that was radish.
Devotee (1): See from the garden many tomatoes and squash. Cauliflower is coming also.
Prabhupāda: (break) ...a large stock of water.
Devotee (1): Yes. There is lots of water underground, but it requires great equipment to bring it up in order to water all the land.
Prabhupāda: What is the difficulty?
Harikeśa: It changes, it leaves earlier and gets there four hours later. Was lunch all right today? Lunch? Your lunch was all right?
Hari-śauri: Was lunch all right? Prasādam?
Prabhupāda: The potatoes and karelā should be fried.
Harikeśa: Yes, it was fried. I fried it with the cover on.
Prabhupāda: No, not in the beginning. Fry it, and if it is still hard, then...
Harikeśa: Then put the cover on. Oh, all right.
Prabhupāda: Yes, not from beginning.
Harikeśa: Oh, I made a mistake.
Jayapatākā: These are simply minor obstacles.
Hari-śauri: Śrīla Prabhupāda? Pālikā was just wondering if you wanted anything tonight.
Prabhupāda: Yes. If she can... She can make little vegetable, potato, tomato.
Hari-śauri: Puris?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Or one paraṭā. One paraṭā.
Hari-śauri: Just potatoes and tomato?
Prabhupāda: Yes, tomato, potato, one vegetable.
Gargamuni: Prabhupāda's house. Your house. You have not decided where you want to put your house.
Prabhupāda: No, sabji can make.
Jayapatākā: Khicuḍi instead of paraṭā?
Prabhupāda: So khicuḍi will be easy, like...
Hari-śauri: You want some khicuḍi and the potato?
Prabhupāda: Put in the khicuḍi and tomato. Like in the morning.
Hari-śauri: Yes. Do you want anything like puri or anything to eat with it?
Prabhupāda: No.
Hari-śauri: Just khicuḍi and the vegetable.
Prabhupāda: That will be easily digested.
Jayapatākā: Digestion is not good now.
Saurabha: For agriculture I can't say, but according to me, it is all level. They have leveled everything out. It's like terrace. It's just... We can start growing anything there—potatoes, grains, strawberries, fruits.
Prabhupāda: Now for residential quarter there is already bungalow.
Saurabha: There is a bungalow with four big... It's a big bungalow. And stone is available there, just like here in Hyderabad. At the back of the land it's like a rocky area. One small portion that is so much stone there available, so you can just build from the stone anything. The land can be used for the cement, instead of cement. So very cheap you can build there.
Prabhupāda: One lakh rupees? No.
Prabhupāda: Pickle, yes. Khicuḍi with potato and other vegetables, and ghee should be given separately as I... Make it simplified. If I go to rest at two o'clock, then it will be possible to start. So see that it is quickly done. We shall go and come back by half past twelve. In Europe especially, if they do not change their mode of living, reject spiritual life, then gradually the whole situation will be dangerous. Then there will be no water supply.
Prabhā Viṣṇu: Yes. I read in the newspaper just a few days ago that Britain is thinking of importing drinking water.
Prabhupāda: My mother was very much fond of pickles. After resting in the afternoon, she would take something very sour, pickle. We used to take with her also. (laughs) We were small children, my mother died when I was only 14 years old. (long pause) (aside) What else? All right bring it. (sounds of plates sliding)
Hari-śauri: Potato pakorā.
Prabhupāda: Oh, hm. (break) ...just in front of our house, attached to our house. That means the house belonged to one of our relatives and her son, stepson, he sold the whole house to a Marwari without the knowledge of this, my, she was in relation grandmother. So when the house was sold in those days, about say about 100 years ago, not 100 years, about 90 years. In Mahatma Gandhi road, most important, that Mullik's house you have seen? That was one of the Mullik's house, for 12,000 rupees. One bighā of land and grand building. So it was unknown to the stepmother, the stepson sold it.
Prabhupāda: Sweeper.
Haṁsadūta: Sweeper, all fat...
Prabhupāda: Why they're fat?
Haṁsadūta: Just eating potatoes and and...
Prabhupāda: Meat.
Haṁsadūta: Meat, pork meat, pig's meat.
Prabhupāda: Very miserable condition.
Haṁsadūta: Oh yeah.
Prabhupāda: And advertising, communists are so rich, so happy.
Vāsughoṣa: Yes, we were told like that, that they would take their twenty rupees pay and then they would go and spend ten rupees and on alcohol, drinking, toddy. (break) I was in... Last time at the festival in Māyāpur I was riding from Māyāpur to Calcutta. And so one man was saying that "Oh, fish, 80 paisa a kg. How much are potatoes?" I asked. So even their hard-earned money, so much more they spend just to eat meat, to enjoy their senses. It doesn't make sense in any way.
Prabhupāda: And that also, they cannot live on meat. They must have vegetable also. Without vegetable, simple meat-eating will not help them. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (Hindi) Jaya.
Prabhupāda: Dāl can be replaced with boiled potato.
Life Member: Boiled potatoes, yes, they are made. That is puri or paraṭā? Paraṭā is better. Ālu paraṭā.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Make Punjabi paraṭā.
Life Member: You will like that.
Prabhupāda: All right. And another thing, and sabji, dry potato with hing. What vegetables other? There is cauliflower. There is no eggplant? Beguna? I require little.
Hari-śauri: What about paṭolas?
Prabhupāda: Banana is very good. You can make banana and potato. Potato boil and mixed with banana, and make nice puri. And then...
Mr. Malhotra: How Girirāja, I just ask you, how you took to all these good things of life? I mean in natural form or with some self-discipline or with some coercion or with some what?
Girirāja: It was Prabhupāda's mercy. I was looking for a guru. Actually whenever I heard there was a swami or a yogi, I would always go, even hundreds of miles. But I was never satisfied. But Śrīla Prabhupāda perfectly satisfied all of my questions. And I liked the process, chanting, dancing, taking prasādam, offering ārati, and I liked the devotees. It was very pleasing. So I immediately decided this is my real life.
Prabhupāda: In our childhood no one would eat the tomato. It is not... It is red color, but everything vilāti. It is called vilāti begun. So no one would touch.
Hari-śauri: Tomato?
Prabhupāda: There was prejudice because it was brought from... Even potato. Strict Hindus would not take potato. Potato was imported from England. It was not produced... Just like Tulasī. Tulasī plant we have imported, exported. Similarly, so many things...
Dr. Patel: They have not allowed tulasī to be grown in America.
Prabhupāda: Oh no? Who said?
Dr. Patel: Mr. Shaheb, (indistinct) tulasī plant for his daughter.
Prabhupāda: No, we have got so many tulasī plants.
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Idlis and if dosa... Dosa?
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. There's two types of dosas. One is masalā; one is sada. Masalā has got potatoes inside.
Prabhupāda: Potatoes?
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, inside. What they do is... Inside it's like...
Prabhupāda: Which one is better?
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Sada is without.
Prabhupāda: That's all right.
Prabhupāda: This cow's milk in Bengal, it is compulsory-before beginning your meal, little cow milk, er, ghee mixed with rice and smashed potato. It is very nice.
Dr. Patel: And then we do serve..., after that we take out a part of it for the cow back, and a little for...
Prabhupāda: Ālu bharte bharta. (?) In Bengal it is called ālu bharte bharta. If you don't have anything, just have smashed potato, little ghee and rice. That's it. It is sufficient, very nutritious. And at last, little milk. Very nutritious.
Dr. Patel: Now there is shortage of all the important material the world over. The way we are exploiting the earth, perhaps we'll be short, falling short of everything.
Prabhupāda: Everywhere. Why you say, speak India or in England? The human intelligence is the same. There is no change. They have made like this: "East," "West" and "England," and... The psychology is the same. The ass is the same. The camel is the same. The dog is the same. We are talking of these dogs. Do you think that in Europe the dog is different from Indian dog? (laughs) They have created another problem. But we take: "You are all dogs. Either you be Indian or England or German, you are, after all, after dog. Your mentality is dog." They have created that "Indian dog is better than the English dog" or "English dog is better than German." What is better? It is dog. You are doglike and hankering after some job in America and amongst Europeans. The Indians are all doing that, the same education. Recently for a post of five hundred men there were three lakhs of applications. This is education. And you'll find uneducated Indian, still he's independent. You will find in Calcutta especially we have seen. Yes. In the morning they'll purchase a bag of potato.
Prabhupāda: Formerly they used to stock huge stock in Calcutta. Burma Sale. And new tin, if you exchange the container, then six annas less. Not very costly. Of course, in those days it was costly, taking consideration of the purchasing power of money. Four rupees, I remember, a few annas. My father did not like to purchase anything retail. For his daily necessity he'll purchase, he would purchase potato, one bag. So one bag means, maybe, one rupee, eight annas. (laughs) One anna per seer, kilo, I have purchased. Rice, fifteen mounds he will purchase. And what is the price? Three rupees, four annas. First-class rice. Coal, this coal, coke. Five annas per mound, purchase one cart load, fifteen mounds. The other day I was calculating. My father's income was, utmost, three hundred rupees per month in those days. And taking gold standard, my mother was purchasing gold from my cousin—he has gold shop-twenty rupees per tolā, first-class gold. Now it is six hundred rupees per tolā. (break) ...in those days thirty rupees per month.
Prabhupāda: (chuckling) "Idle brain, devil's workshop." Then?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "In the year 1976 we cultivated 5 acres of vegetables, including 24 tons of potatoes. We also have 25 beehives, which produce 100 pounds of honey per hive. There is also a fruit orchard with a 150 trees, including apples, pears, peaches, and plum trees. Lastly, we are fortunate..."
Prabhupāda: Those fruits are nice fruits.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Lastly we are fortunate to have two natural pure water mountain springs running continuously all year. The water is being bottled and then distributed." And we take that water to New York.
Prabhupāda: Very digestive.
Prabhupāda: Oh, I think about 1928, long ago, because about twenty years ago there was centenary, hundred years. So the local produce was not exported. Everything was cheap in the village because you have to consume. Whatever is produced in the village you have to consume. And these Britishers, they introduced railway and drew everything in the village to the town. And they would not sell in the village because they would get good price in the city. Otherwise in the village, everything was very cheap, very, very cheap-milk, vegetables, rice, dāl, everything. And the Britishers, they had no food. They have got only the potato. In England what they produce? No food. So everything was exported. Their policy was to supply manufactured goods and take raw materials from India. So they supplied cotton goods. They saw that all Indians are using cotton cloth. Iron they introduced.
Brahmānanda: They have no vegetables available. I read in the newspapers here in India now that Poland, they are putting up a vodka factory. Punjab.
Prabhupāda: What is that vodka?
Brahmānanda: It's a liquor made from potato. So now they're making a factory in Punjab.
Prabhupāda: Punjab?
Brahmānanda: Yes.
Prabhupāda: So government has allowed.
Pañcadraviḍa: I was told that we were doing it for everyone.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda suggested khicuṛi...
Prabhupāda: Make one khicuṛi, one potato, one eggplant vegetable. No, tomato-eggplant. Tomato.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Tomato. Chutney?
Prabhupāda: Chutney.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Tomato chutney.
Prabhupāda: It is very nice. And if possible, little paramānna.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Little?
Guest (1): Oh, yes. For application for a job, five jobs and five thousand people applied.
Prabhupāda: Five thousand. Is that education? Better not to be educated. Those who are not educated, they purchase ten rupees' worth of potato and sit down anywhere and half... (laughter) Five rupees. Yes.
Guest (1): All vegetable are...
Prabhupāda: You take some dāl. Go to house to house, dāl. They have no scarcity. And after spending so much money, living at the cost of fathers, mothers—unemployed. No job. No food. Then plan something, Naxalite, this party, that party. Join some political movement and help Indira Gandhi. They are paid to make propaganda. They are paid. And they earn money by smuggling.
Prabhupāda: Actually, meat has no taste. The onion creates taste.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Dead flesh.
Prabhupāda: Onion is used. Onions. In India both Hindus and Muslims eat. More than potato, it is said.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Hm. Potato is king of vegetables.
Prabhupāda: We have seen many canvassers. (calling like street vendor:) "Bataka."(?)
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Hm.
Prabhupāda: In Bengal a first eating hot rice with little ghee, salt and this lime flavor, it becomes so palatable, with smashed potato.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Smashed?
Prabhupāda: Potato. With little chili. Oh, you can eat half the quantity of rice immediately.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Sounds very nice.
Prabhupāda: They do that, especially in villages. (pause) (break) If I would have possessed the lands, money, I would have developed.
Devotee (1): Did you want honey with it?
Prabhupāda: That is already answered. You are limited within certain area. So you can conclude in so many ways. Sara bhuri kara, kara bhuri sara.(?) There is a vegetable prepared, the following vegetables are taken: sara, bhuri, and kara. And again you say kara bhuri sara. This way or that way. Sara bhuri kara, kara bhuri sara. That three things, either you take this way consecutively or that way consecutively. But you have got only that kara bhuri sara. You have no experience. There is potato, there is (indistinct), there is (indistinct-Sanskrit). You know these three things. Sara bhuri kara. Kara bhuri sara. Just like they are making arrangement in the laboratory. Companies are there. They present in such a way, that he was flying in the sky, and big sputnik and very small town. Do you know that man came?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What preparations did they serve at the feast?
Śrutakīrti: For free they had an orange lassi and halavā and a sweet and a nice potato vegetable with sour cream. And they had a sweet booth, and I think they made about four or five thousand dollars selling sweets right at the beach walk. They had watermelon and samosās they were selling. It was a very big day.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Good weather.
Śrutakīrti: Excellent weather. It was hot.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Los Angeles has good weather.
Prabhupāda: Hm. Very good weather.
Correspondence
1968 Correspondence
I am in due receipt of your letter dated Oct. 1, 1968, and some of the important points that you have tried to discuss, I am replying as follows: The first thing is that in the meeting of Dr. Spock, you should eat there. But you simply eat vegetarian dishes, like fruits, nuts, boiled potato, biscuit, milk, etc., and remembering Krishna. As you will pay for the dinner, for the fooding, you can offer them to Krishna within your mind, then eat them as Krishna Prasadam. Any foodstuff when it is paid for, it becomes purified. There is a verse in Vedic literature, Drabyamulyena Suddhati. The source of receipt of the thing, may be not very good, but if one pays for it, it becomes purified. So, vegetable diet when it is paid for, you can offer it in your mind to Krishna and take it. But this Drabya means eatables, and eatables meaning vegetables, grains, milk, flowers, fruits; meat is not considered an eatable—it is considered untouchable.
1969 Correspondence
Lord Caitanya's advent day is on the 4th of March 1969. On that day you should keep fasting up to the moonrise in the evening, and the whole day may be utilized in performances in kirtana and reading of Lord Caitanya's teachings. In the evening after ceremony of kirtana is observed, light refreshments like fruit and milk, boiled potatoes may be taken and the next day general feasting and distribution of Prasadam to public may be observed.
| Page Title: | Potato |
| Compiler: | Sahadeva, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 01 of Feb, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=6, Con=41, Let=2 |
| No. of Quotes: | 49 |