Private (Conversations 1976 - 1977)

Expressions researched:
"privacy" |"private" |"privately"

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- February 19, 1976, Mayapura:

Acyutānanda: He said, "Religion is the opiate of the people." So there was a cartoon that Marx came back in 1976, and they said, "No, opium is the religion of the people."

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Acyutānanda: "Now opium is the religion of the people because everyone is taking drugs. You say religion is the opiate. Now opium is the religion." They think there should be no private property. There was... They are discussing this in Indian Parliament now. They should abolish private property and abol... Women should not wear ornaments.

Prabhupāda: Ācchā?

Acyutānanda: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Where it is?

Acyutānanda: They're discussing in Parliament.

Prabhupāda: In our?

Acyutānanda: In India, Congress. Ornaments should be banned and private property banned.

Guru-kṛpā: They have already banned with their land-ceiling...

Acyutānanda: They're doing it by taxing...

Guru-kṛpā: With their land-ceiling, they are banning all the..., more than twenty acres.

Morning Walk -- February 27, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: No, no, he was being elected. So he was... The signboard was "America needs Nixon."

Hari-śauri: I think, when he was thrown out of office, he said "Well, I may have had so many faults, but at least I increased our good relations with other countries." He was always... He was trying to convince everybody that he may not have been very good at domestic affairs, but at foreign affairs he was expert, so then that made his administration not so bad.

Hṛdayānanda: One thing... The one thing that caused his downfall, that when they heard the tapes... He had recorded all of his conversations, private conversations with his ministers. So it turned out that it was horrible language. Practically every other word was dirty word.

Prabhupāda: That dirty word used by him?

Hṛdayānanda: Practically every other word.

Dayānanda: Filthy language.

Hṛdayānanda: They discovered... So this is what also hurt him because they discovered some tape of private conversations, and it was very, very obscene. Practically every other word was bad word.

Prabhupāda: He was a lawyer. He's a lawyer?

Hṛdayānanda: Yes.

Dayānanda: In America now, so many so-called cultured men, lawyers and doctors and so many cultured men, their language is very horrible, their...

Prabhupāda: Vulgar.

Morning Walk -- March 8, 1976, Mayapur:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Everyone on the way.

Prabhupāda: Everyone.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's up and down this road.

Prabhupāda: No. No, no. Anyone who comes within the temple...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, I mean...

Guru-kṛpā: The devotees, and then the Deities, your private car...

Prabhupāda: But that is procession. In the temple...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Generally, cup with prasādam.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Everyone should be given prasādam. Jaya. (kīrtana as Prabhupāda approaches temple) (end)

Morning Walk -- March 13, 1976, Mayapur:

Bhāgavata: In New York one policeman admitted that when the police would capture the thieves with the stolen goods, then they would confiscate the goods and keep it privately in their homes and sell the stolen goods and get the money for themselves. They would not return it to the owner, but they would utilize it for making money. So they are also thieves.

Prabhupāda: So if this is the practice in a country which is so opulent, just imagine what is there in India.

Pañcadraviḍa: I had experience, because when I was younger I was stealing, and I was taking to the hock shop one typewriter, and while I was taking to the hock shop this typewriter, the police came and showed me his badge and took this typewriter and one French horn from... He took the money, and he said, "I am going to check to see if this is stolen." So one week later I was worried. I called him. I said, "What is happening?" He said, "That typewriter was reported one year ago stolen from the school." But he said, "Because I think you're a good boy, I'm not going to arrest, you because I don't think you did it. If I thought for a moment you did it, I would immediately come and take you." So I said, "That's all right. What about the French horn? When can I have my money back?" He said, "You just forget about this. You leave it to me."

Prabhupāda: To keep you honest. (laughter) To keep you honest, you just don't hope your money.

Guru-krpa: Their practice is that they watch our saṅkīrtana devotees collect all day, and they know when he has good pocketful of money. Then they arrest him...

Prabhupāda: In Germany they have done this.

Guru-krpa: ...take to jail, and then they say... Actually the boy collected two hundred dollars. They say, "Oh, he only collected thirty dollars," and then the others, they split.

Prabhupāda: Where it is done?

Morning Walk -- March 19, 1976, Mayapura:

Jayapatākā: At one time, you had instructed that all the children should attend the main class. They say that some of the very small children have trouble to keep their attention...

Prabhupāda: No, no. Not small...

Jayapatākā: So they found that if they attend a separate...

Prabhupāda: It is common sense. Also attend many child in the lap of his mother. You see? He should also...?

Jayapatākā: Yeah, they find those seven-, eight-year-old, they attend better a small, private reading.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that's nice. But one thing is that if they can attend, even by hearing the Vedic mantras they'll be benefited. Even they.... Therefore I give stress on chanting the mantra, so that if one cannot chant and can under.... Simply by hearing, he'll be benefited. (break) Hm.

Jayapatākā: I haven't seen personally. Have you seen them outside? It was supposed to be...

Prabhupāda: So, where is the painting?

Jayapatākā: Rāmeśvara said it's ready to see.

Prabhupāda: Oh. Then let us go see. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Jaya. (break) Little dark is. But not bad. Yes.

Rāmeśvara: Jadurāṇī was saying he paints dark. He usually.... His style is to paint with dark colors

Prabhupāda: No, no. It should be bright because...

Morning Walk -- April 12, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yes. So he says, "I am more sinful than Jagāi-Mādhāi." Mora nāma yei laya tāra puṇya kṣaya: "If anyone remembers me, then whatever pious activities he has done, it is all finished."

Dr. Patel: These Vaiṣṇava ācāryas don't allow their feet to be touched because they feel that he should...

Prabhupāda: So why they do not utilize it proper?

Dr. Patel: This is a private thing. They want to be (indistinct) My daughter (indistinct) boy who is studying.... He has his M.D. of London (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: It is settled up. Very nice. And son? Your son?

Dr. Patel: My son is in the Caine(?) Hospital, a professor of medicine.

Prabhupāda: No, no, he is also married? No.

Dr. Patel: He is married, yes.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Father-mother's responsibility up to marriage. Then they are.... They are locked. They are locked.

Dr. Patel: I am more responsible because I have got no wife.

Prabhupāda: (Hindi)

Dr. Patel: (break) ...a lot of money in America. These boys are all from there. They are very good boys. You can get butter from Poland (Holland?).

Room Conversation -- May 7, 1976, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: Yes. That Professor Kotofsky, I asked him, "Please arrange for a taxi." (indistinct) "Well, Swamiji, this is Moscow." So he came down to the gate—he was very virtuous—he showed me, "You go this way, actually there was 3 or 4 lane then you find a short lane, then you go this way, this way, then you get to your hotel. He showed me some short cut, personally. They... He could not call a taxi. And somewhere we went, we got a taxi, private taxi, and that man was begging for more than the fare.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That means the system...

Prabhupāda: "Can you not give me little more?"

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That means the system is a failure.

Prabhupāda: And then I could understand. And they have got that there is tourist bus, taking here and there, that bus is third class. Even less opulent than in India.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: How many days were you there?

Prabhupāda: One week.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Short. You were only in Moscow?

Guru-kṛpā: That is the rich city. People are fighting to get into that city, they only allow so many people to live there.

Prabhupāda: Everything restricted.

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

Prabhupāda: P-form sanctioned by the state government, yes, state government. So it was applied for. It was... No sanction was coming. Then I went to the State Bank of India, the officer Mr. Bhattacari. So he told me: "Swamiji, you are sponsored by private man. So we cannot accept it. If you are invited by some institution, then we could consider, but you are invited by a private man for one month, and, after one month, if you are in difficulty, and there will be so much obstacles and so on." "Well, I have already prepared everything to go." So I said that "You, what you have done?" "No, I have decided not to sanction your P-form." "No, no, don't do this. You better send to your superior. It should not be done like that." So he took my request and he sent the file to Chief Officer of Foreign Exchange, something like that. Anyway, he is the supreme man in the State Bank of India. So I went to see him. So I asked his secretary that "You have got such file? You kindly put to Mr...."—his name was Mr. Rao—"I want to see him." So the secretary agreed, and he put the file and put my slip that I wanted to see him. I was waiting. So Mr. Rao came personally. He said, "Swamiji, I have passed your case. Don't worry." (laughs) In this way.

Hari-śauri: He knew you from before, or...?

Prabhupāda: No. He did not know me. So somebody saw him in Bombay, so he reminded that "I know Swamiji when he went to USA." Somebody was telling me.

Hari-śauri: He remembered.

Morning Walk -- June 11, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Yes. They are opulent with dogs also. As soon as you walk on the street, so many dogs will bark. (japa) (break) ...park.

Rāmeśvara: (break) People who live here, whole two blocks...

Prabhupāda: Private house.

Rāmeśvara: This is a richer district.

Hari-śauri: There's a big sign on the gate. It says, "No Trespassing." (break)

Prabhupāda: ...patrolling here always to stop trespassing.

Rāmeśvara: Always living in fear.

Prabhupāda: Sadā samudvijña-dhiyam asad-grahāt. As soon as you accept material things as everything, immediately bhaya. Āhāra nidrā maithuna bhaya. (japa) (break) ...country, they'll not allow any individual person to live so comfortably. No, illegal. If you have got money, then give it to the government. The ministers will enjoy it. This is democracy. Democracy means "Somehow or other, I capture the government, and whatever money you have got, I snatch it from you, and then I enjoy." This is democracy. Dasyu-dharma. In Bhāgavata it is said dasyu-dharma, the business of the rogues. How is that? If I can earn some money and keep it for myself, I have no right? This is communistic idea: "Make everyone poor." Here is police, two cars. Police we saw.

Room Conversation and Reading from Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 1 and 12 -- June 25, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: As you can afford. Minimum one cart. Otherwise, three carts. In India the Ratha-yātrā festival is going on, according to rough estimate, for the last two thousand years, and the crowd never diminishes. One secretary of Parliament or something like that.

Hari-śauri: Śrī R. Subramanyam, M.A., Deputy Director Research, Lok Sabha Secretariat, National Parliament, New Delhi. Should I read it? "A strange feature of the modern world is that in spite of vast advances in science and technology and the establishment of a good number of institutions for human welfare, mankind has not found true peace and happiness. Knowledge of material sciences and arts has increased tremendously in recent times, and millions of volumes on each fill the libraries the world over. People and leaders in every country are generally well versed in these arts and sciences, but despite their efforts, human society everywhere continues to be in turmoil and distress. The reason is not far to see. It is that they have not learned the science of God, the most fundamental of every other art and science, and fail to apply it to the facts of life. The need of the hour is, therefore, to do it if mankind is not only to survive but flower into a glorious existence. To teach this science of God to people everywhere and to aid them in their progress and development towards the real goal of life, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is most eminently fitted. In fact, this great ancient work of Vyāsa will fill this need of the modern times, for it is a cultural presentation for the respiritualization of the entire human society. His Divine Grace, Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, the founder-ācārya of the ISKCON movement, has taken it upon himself, in addition to his ceaseless travels and other multifarious activities in the service of the Lord, the stupendous task of translating this Sanskrit work into English in about sixty volumes for the welfare and happiness of mankind. It is really astonishing how he is able to do this single-handed, and when one comes to think of this, apart from his other great literary works, one is tempted to wonder if he is not the same Vyāsa Muni reborn today to adapt his own old work into a universal language of this age for the spiritual upliftment of the modern man. So far eighteen volumes of this most beautiful literature on God have been brought out by ISKCON, and the rest are under preparation. Needless to say that in keeping with the excellence of their other publications, the publishers have seen to it that the printing, get-up, and pictures in these volumes are also of the highest quality, as though to serve as an ornament to the divine contents of the books. This is a rare opportunity to people and leaders of every country, race and community in the world to know and understand the glorious science of God and work for their perfection. I would say that this encyclopedia of spiritual knowledge is more important and fundamental than the encyclopedia of any other branch of knowledge and should, therefore, find a rightful place not only in the public and private libraries, big and small, of educational and other institutions, as also of every household, but above all in the hearts and minds of every man and woman." That seems to be it.

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

Prabhupāda: Formerly in the currency, when you go to take some exchange, it was the etiquette of the teller to ask you, "What you want, silver money, gold money or paper money?" It was their duty. If you say "I want gold money," they will pay in gold money. Not only it is written in the paper, "I promise to pay," but the promise was kept. If he wants, "Give me payment in gold," they will pay. And now, to keep gold, hoarding gold, is illegal. So you cannot ask. This is going on, legalized cheating. You have to accept this paper money. That's all. Don't ask for gold. And there is no honesty at all. I can take paper money for my convenience sake, but how you can force me to take paper money? That is not honesty. So dishonesty begins from the government. You cannot keep gold. If you have kept gold, there will be searching, and if it is found that you have gold, you'll be punished. In India it is now being done. There is no freedom even at your home, in your private life. Formerly, any common man could keep gold according to his desire. There was no such thing. Sometimes he would hide it even within the ground, because there was no bank. At least in India this was the practice. If you have got some gold, you keep it somewhere confidential within the ground so that it may not be stolen. So everyone should have right to keep his money as he likes. Why government should interfere? Therefore you see the Bhāgavatam, rājanya-dasyu-dharmaḥ.(?) The government men will be like rogues and thieves. By law they will take away. It is now going on in India. I think here it is also? You cannot keep gold. Why I cannot keep gold? If I have secured gold, I can keep it. I want gold. You write, "I promise to pay," so there must be gold coins. I must have. So many difficulties will come in the kingdom of māyā gradually. It is already come. The eight items... What are those items?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: In the Twelfth Canto?

Prabhupāda: Huh? Duration of life, mercifulness...

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

Prabhupāda: "It cannot be dedicated to any of the office-bearers."

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: The deed should be...?

Prabhupāda: "Deed should be made in favor of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder-Ācārya, International Society. But it cannot be dedicated to any office-bearer. So I suggest that you become the president on the temple and Upendra become the secretary, and either your brother or your wife can become the treasurer. There is no need of trustees. But in any circumstances, the temple cannot be a private property in the name of ISKCON. That is not possible."

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: "A private property in the name of ISKCON."

Prabhupāda: "If you want to keep it a private property, then the ISKCON name should not be utilized." Here you have understood that he's trying to utilize ISKCON's name...

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: To collect.

Prabhupāda: ...to collect, and he'll be keeper. That should be frankly disclosed, that "This is not possible." So we shall write our Upendra? No, I have already written that he should be the secretary. No?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Yes. You mentioned earlier today that he was supposed to be one of the trustees, but now this is different, so...

Prabhupāda: So we are not going to make any trustee.

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

Prabhupāda: Yes. So in this way write him, "I am very much anxious to get your clear reply to this thing." Is that all right?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: All right.

Kīrtanānanda: Can I...

Prabhupāda: So many things, "push-push-push-push" is going on. Let it be clear. If he wants to keep it private property, then we shall withdraw ISKCON name. Let him do it privately.

Hari-śauri: And he should send copies of the deeds also.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Hari-śauri: Because he has not yet produced the deeds.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: That's what I wanted to ask, request a copy of the deed.

Prabhupāda: You understand Hindi?

Ṛṣi Kumāra: Not really. A little bit, but I can't follow it. Do you want me to go to India, Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Wherever you find suitable.

Ṛṣi Kumāra: I was thinking about going back to Los Angeles for a while, because there's good preaching to be done in Los Angeles and Laguna Beach too. I know a lot of people there.

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

Prabhupāda: Yes. Where is the question of independence? Whatever you do not want, it is being forced upon you. So where is your independence? Nobody wants any miseries. So everyone is miserable condition. Struggle for existence means to get out of miserable condition. So where is the independence? Now there is mist. How you can say you are independent? You cannot drive this mist, this fog. Unless sun rises, it cannot be cleared. So where is your independence? There may be so many accidents. Actually, it so happens. But you do not want. But here is an unfortunate. So where is your independence? It is not under your control. If the sun rises, then it can be dissipated. Otherwise, there is no question. Poor thoughts. What is here, this park?

Vṛṣākapi: That's a private community.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Perhaps everyone is hopeful that the sun will rise for them.

Prabhupāda: Yes, sun is not your father's servant. He may not. It is not under your control. That is the point. You may think so.

Hari-śauri: They can only be hopeful.

Prabhupāda: That's it. Hope against hope. Independence means fully under your control. Whatever you like, you can do. Where is that independence?

Evening Darsana -- July 8, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: How there can be, because the democracy? You are corrupt, therefore your government is corrupt. You correct yourself, the government will be automatically corrected. If you are rascals, the government will be rascals. The government means elected. So if you are not rascal, you'll not elect another rascal to take charge of the government affairs. But because you are rascal, you'll send another rascal. So how can you expect good government? You do not know whom to select. And besides that, the whole population is rascal, śūdra. So anyone you elect, if he's by qualification he's a śūdra, worker, he's not intelligent person, he's not brāhmaṇa, he's not kṣatriya. Actually, the legislative assembly, or in your country, Senate? They should be all brāhmaṇas. They give advice. Formerly this was the system. Although it was monarchy, even Lord Rāmacandra or similar kings, they were not ruling independently—they were taking advice from learned brāhmaṇas, sages. So the legislative assembly should be composition of intellectual brāhmaṇas. Then the other administrators, the President or the minister, they should be kṣatriyas. In this way, if social organization is made, then there will be perfect peace. If śūdras are allowed to rule over, what they know? Their only aim is that so long he is in the office, "Let me collect some money," that's all. And that will be the latest atmosphere, dasyu-dharmabhiḥ. Rājanyair dasyu-dharmabhiḥ. All the government men will become thieves and rogues. Dasyu, dasyu means thieves and rogues. So as the thieves and rogues capture you on the street and ask "Whatever you have got, give, otherwise I shall kill you," so this will be the position in the Kali-yuga. It is happening now. You cannot have any private property; everything you have to declare. Otherwise, it will be taken by force. So people will be very much embarrassed by two things: one thing is taxation, and another thing will be scarcity of food. In this way, all the people all over the world will be embarrassed, so much so that they will leave their home, hearth and home, ācchinna-dāra-draviṇā yāsyanti giri-kānanam. Being separated from family and property, they will take shelter in the hilly ranges or in the forest to get relief. This will be the position. Harassment, so much harassment, by nature, by government.

Evening Darsana -- July 8, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: That is their fault. They should not have done so. That is their, what is called? Sectarian prejudice.

Guest (4): Was that the policy when Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura ran the temple? I understand that he at one time was the main administrator. (loud crashing of thunder)

Prabhupāda: So you don't take simply Jagannātha temple. There are many other temples, they allow. It is a particular management body, they do not allow. But that is not the sanction of the śāstra. That is not the sanction. Suppose in your private house you make some private law. That is your business. But actually temple is open for everyone. That is stated. Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). Even one is born of low-grade family, he can accept. There is no injunction. That is śāstra. But there are rascals who do not follow. They have their own imagination. That is another thing. Kṛṣṇa never said that "Only the brāhmaṇas or Indians or Hindus can take shelter of Me." Kṛṣṇa never said. Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ, whatever he may be. There is no restriction. Just like Ganges water, anyone can take bath. It is not that only a particular person or particular community can take bath. Anyone can take, and he becomes purified. There is an example, na hi harate jyotsnā candraś caṇḍāla veśmani.(?) When there is moonlight, there is no discrimination that here is a bhaṅgi's house, caṇḍāla's house, there should be no moonshine. The moonshine is open in the palace of the king or in the house of a caṇḍāla, na hi harate jyotsnā candraś caṇḍāla veśmani. So Kṛṣṇa's mercy is for everyone. It is not restricted to a certain community or class of people, no. Anyone can take advantage of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And that is, practically they are doing. Therefore in India, so they say that I am killing Hindu dharma, the Māyāvādīs, that Bhaktivedanta Swami hindu-dharma ka naṣṭa. This is their...

Morning Walk -- July 10, 1976, New York:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Everyone but the wife.

Prabhupāda: No, no, why one should not call a wife a mother? Is that very great advancement? But this rascal was impotent, he had no other alternative, so he manufactured some idea and people thought, "Oh, he's so devotee of goddess of Kālī that he sees even his wife as mother." This story he told me by Guru Mahārāja personally. He was talking with me privately somewhere, although I was a bad householder. (laughs) He was very kind upon me. And whatever is being done by his blessing, that's all.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda, what time do you take your bath? Because I can get hot..., you know we have a big heater in this building. So for hot water...

Hari-śauri: Sometimes between quarter to one.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Should I make sure there's hot water at that time?

Hari-śauri: You can put it through the pipe system? Anytime from twelve-thirty on. (in car)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: When the devotees heard about your idea for a neon sign on the top of the building, they all went "Jaya!" They like that idea.

Prabhupāda: What is this street?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Ninth Avenue. Sometime I'd like to show you the garage.

Prabhupāda: On Ninth Avenue there are many grocery shops. Eh?

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

Prabhupāda: What is that controversial? (laughter)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's so nice, he reads things so on the walks, he can throw out scientific arguments and other things. He likes to do that. It's really funny, there's one article, one advertisement in the back of this magazine, meditation magazine. It says "Special offer: send in twenty-five dollars and you will learn how to do transcendental meditation in one evening. And if you are not satisfied, you get your money back, but you get to keep your own private mantra." This book is a real..., it really shows you what the whole scene on spiritual groups is, how phony they are. Except ours. Ours appears very legitimate from the magazine. But these others are complete hypocrisy.

Hari-śauri: He especially canes Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, he hates him.

Hari-śauri: They did an experiment, and they tried out..., if one chants... He claims that you have to have a special mantra that comes from him, and that will give you the bliss from transcendental meditation. But they did experiments where they just made up any mantra, just a few words, and concentrated on that, and the effect was exactly the same—sleep. Sleep, they enter into a...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Semiconscious.

Hari-śauri: Yes, a very low conscious level. The metabolism is very much slowed down. The breathing and heart rate and everything goes right down, and they stay like that, completely relaxed, for twenty minutes, and then for a few minutes they come out. That is the...

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

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Here is an article called "Travels Beyond the Body: what is it that travels, and what is it that's seen?" They're talking about traveling beyond your body. Here's an advertisement, "Because I have taken the mystery out of transcendental meditation, I will teach you to master transcendental meditation in a single evening." "About the author." Then it says, "Free private mantra based on your own name, selected by the great Norbell, translated by his special Sanskrit system, so that no one else in America has the same mantra twice. No other system of transcendental meditation..."

Prabhupāda: What is this? Maharishi?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Maharishi Mahesh Yogi?

Hari-śauri: No, this is competition.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, this isn't...

Hari-śauri: This is the competition.

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

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This man says "Norbell, for over thirty years his unrelenting thirst for spiritual fulfillment has taken him to the most remote corners of the globe to finally become one of the few Westerners in our time who has ever gained acceptance as an equal among the holy masters of both India and Tibet. He has also mastered the scientific secrets of Western knowledge in America's most highly regarded universities. In America alone over the past decade, tens of thousands have come to Carnegie Hall in New York and dozens of other centers of public hearing all to hear him." He says, "Meditation can make this claim alone, and it's yours to keep. Your own mantra free, even if you return the report itself. Mail this coupon at no risk today. 'Gentlemen, please rush me a copy of Norbell's five minute de-mystified transcendental meditation.' " (laughter) De-mystified, taking the mystery out. "Confidential report. 'I enclose nine dollars and ninety-eight cents in full payment. I understand that I may examine this confidential report for thirty days at your risk or money back. Also send me my own private mantra, specially selected for me by Master Norbell and mine absolutely free, even if I return the report with every cent of my money back.' " It says here—these are the benefits of the mantra—one of the benefits is, it says here, one of the benefits, "and as an extra benefit of such heightened personal magnetism, a simple shift in the focus of your daily meditations can give you great new sexual and romantic powers, new joys in love."

Devotee (1): They're all cheaters.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Here's another group called Arika.(?) This Arika(?) costs three thousand dollars, this process. They charge three thousand dollars for a ninety-day course.

Ādi-keśava: Part of their whole meditation is they have cocktail parties. They drink liquor and they have these therapy, and they charge him money to go to a cocktail party, they call it yoga.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Anyway, it's got a good article about us. You want to keep it to show guests who come the article?

Prabhupāda: (indistinct)

Room Conversation -- July 26, 1976, London:

Bhagavān: Anyway, I think the stair problem is not such a big problem.

Jayatīrtha: No, that is not an insurmountable problem.

Bhagavān: There are three hundred devotees who want to carry you. But I mean there you will not have people coming if you want to rest. There are no.... There are only planned people who would come. But there won't be hundreds of Indians coming to see you. And you have.... Right next to your quarters there's your own private kitchen also, so everything's very close at hand. All your servants quarters are.... That whole floor is.... Actually the whole castle is empty, so there's no noise.

Jayatīrtha: It may be very nice for you there.

Bhagavān: Your quarters.

Prabhupāda: We shall go immediately?

Jayatīrtha: I think that, Srila Prabhupāda, you should not feel obliged in any way to go. Only whatever you think is best for your health condition.

Prabhupāda: No, obliged, I am always obliged to you. That's a fact. Yes.

Jayatīrtha: We are only obliged to you. That's a fact. That is the actual fact. It must be decided, though, what you think is best for your health situation.

Prabhupāda: Whatever you decide.

Room Conversation -- August 8, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: This is very nice.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: And also we have saved some money, we'll buy a temple also in addition to that.

Prabhupāda: No, this is very nice. Dayānanda, do you like it?

Dayānanda: Yes.

Prabhupāda: It is very nice place, private, everything is so nice. In winter, what is the temperature?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Very cold.

Prabhupāda: Very cold.

Parivrājakācārya: Yes, it snows.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Like Vṛndāvana. Isn't it like?

Parivrājakācārya: It's colder than Vṛndāvana.

Hari-śauri: It doesn't snow in Vṛndāvana.

Prabhupāda: Vṛndāvana I don't think less than fifty.

Hari-śauri: It sometimes gets colder, I think. Nowadays anyway.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Here it gets ten, fifteen.

Prabhupāda: But there is no snow in Vṛndāvana.

Evening Conversation -- August 8, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: Dharma-nyāya. In India we have seen that you bribe the brāhmaṇas and they'll give decision in your favor. And it is experienced by everyone. In the law court you bribe even the high-court judge, he'll give judgement in your... That is proven. One big judge... Not now, at least fifty years ago or more than that. His business was to take bribe, high-court judge, very learned judge. He was asked. He'll give judgement if you give him ten thousand rupees. So other brother high-court judges, they knew it, so in one case he was just arranging for this and the chief justice called him, that "You immediately resign and go home, otherwise this arrangement you have made, it will be exposed." So he had no other alternative, he immediately resigned, and on some plea like, "My heart is palpitating," so in this way he left the court and then he was never allowed again. And when his friends asked him that why you are doing this? He said, "What can I do? I have got at least ten thousand rupees expenditure per month and I get only four thousand." That was his... He was very able lawyer. By private practice he was earning more, but this practice... And nowadays it has come to, at least in India, anywhere you go, and bribe and you get a favorable decision. (guests arrive) Hare Kṛṣṇa. So we shall be sitting inside or here?

Atreya Ṛṣi: Wherever you like, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: I can like anywhere.

Atreya Ṛṣi: This is good, this is good.

Prabhupāda: But these gentlemen? Sit down. So let them come near; our men may go there. You can sit down. Let them come forward. Take, give them. Yes. You can bring the room light also. So there is introduction?

Atreya Ṛṣi: Śrīla Prabhupāda, this is Mr. Hamidi. He's a friend of mine at work, and he's very much interested in both Indian and Iranian spiritual life, in culture as it is. And this is Peter, he has been coming here on Fridays.

Evening Darsan -- August 10, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: Yes, you have to take sanction. You have to take sanction because Kṛṣṇa is the supreme controller. If you request repeatedly, "Kṛṣṇa, I want to steal something," so Kṛṣṇa will say, "No, no, don't do it, it is not good." But...

Mrs. Sahani: But bhakti...

Prabhupāda: It is not bhakti, it is a common affair. You want to do some... Just like a thief. A thief steals very privately, why? Because Kṛṣṇa says, "Don't do it." But he does still. So Kṛṣṇa says always good things, but you don't care for it.

Mr. Sahani: But when, as said, that no leaf moves without the intentions of Kṛṣṇa...

Prabhupāda: Without hearing the good advice of Kṛṣṇa, he does it at his risk. That's all. He'll be arrested, he'll be put into jail. That's all. He'll suffer. But Kṛṣṇa gives him good counsel, "Don't do it." Mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca. Sarvasya cāhaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭo mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca (BG 15.15). He's situated in every heart, but if you persist to do something, He gives, "All right, do at your risk. What can I do?" You suffer. That independence you have got. Just like State. State does not advise anyone that "You become a criminal." But when he becomes criminal, then put into jail. State says, "Everyone go to the university, be educated," but if you make your choice, go to the prison house, you can make your choice. Similarly, Kṛṣṇa says everyone, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). But if you make your choice to go to hell, what can He do?

Mrs. Sahani: This means we have the freedom.

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

Prabhupāda: I wanted that if the major project is done, then we can select. What do you think?

Jayapatākā: Let the big land be acquired and pick the best place. Let the whole land be acquired and then pick the best place. You wanted to wait for the whole land to be acquired, and then pick the best place.

Prabhupāda: Yes. And not I want, but that you all see, that is the best place.

Jayapatākā: For the most privacy.

Prabhupāda: For the time being, that place is very nice, that pond. What is there?

Gargamuni: It's become congested there now.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Gargamuni: We have 138 people now. 138 people are living there. Women, children...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Gargamuni: There's fifty children now. So that place is now... The front has become somewhat congested...

Prabhupāda: Congested.

Gargamuni: ...with noise and children.

Prabhupāda: What about the painting?

Gargamuni: Painting is going on.

Jayapatākā: They've done about sixteen or seventeen.

Room Conversation -- August 24, 1976, Hyderabad:

Mahāṁsa: Yes. But then since last six to seven months, he has been completely convinced about us and he has been going around collecting money from other Marwaris for the temple construction. He was simply convinced by seeing the Hare Kṛṣṇa film. And by seeing the Deities he was so much taken aback, and he was so much wonderstruck with the Deities which he saw on the film.

Prabhupāda: You were also present then?

Mahāṁsa: Not here, before. About six to seven months back. I had shown him the film privately in my room. That was the time when he was completely convinced about it and he started collecting afterwards for us. Now all these people are coming. Because by heart they are all Vaiṣṇavas. All these Marwaris, their Deity is Kṛṣṇa. And there's not a single Kṛṣṇa temple in Hyderabad. So last few days...

Prabhupāda: Oh, there is no Kṛṣṇa...

Mahāṁsa: There is no Kṛṣṇa temple. What to speak of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. And their Deity is Kṛṣṇa, most of the Marwaris. So they will now slowly all of them will come. We had a very hard time. This Inani who was wearing the turban. He's the chief of the Marwaris. If he gives five thousand rupees, then all the Marwaris will give five thousand rupees in that Ganj area. Whatever he gives, the others will have to.

Prabhupāda: He is the head.

Mahāṁsa: He's the head. He himself never gave. And we went a hundred times to him.

Prabhupāda: And now he saw the film...

Room Conversation with Pandita from Tirupati and Government Minister -- August 24, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: No, no, your case is different. But generally people they are losing interest in philosophy because they are becoming śūdras. Kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. They are after some job to get money. So they see that "What I shall get by learning philosophy? Let me learn technology. I'll get a good job and good money and enjoy life." This is...

Paṇḍita: That is general trend. Of course, I know.

Prabhupāda: Yes. In India also the same thing.

Paṇḍita: Yes, yes. I was working in Bombay as a stenographer in a private company. In 1964 I resigned my job after reading Vivekananda's works. I'll tell you about some of my own history. Afterwards I went and joined the... I went and stayed in Hrishikesh Shivananda āśrama for two months, and I wanted to study this philosophy, etc., in the originals. But at Shivananda āśrama it was not...

Prabhupāda: They have no idea.

Paṇḍita: No facility. So I left there. I came all the way, decided to select a place for myself. After touring Mathurā, Vṛndāvana, all these places, Kāśī, I came to Lucknow. In Lucknow Ramakrishna Mission I had been to. There was one Gauda Shivananda. He discussed with me, and he directed me to Calcutta. Then I went to Calcutta, and when I went to Calcutta, that Swami Gambhirananda, who is the general secretary now, was there. He asked me to join the Mission. I joined Ramakrishna Mission. I was in Ramakrishna Mission in Calcutta for one year. And I was taking care of their printing section, this proof-reading, editing, etc., Ramakrishna Vivekananda literature for one year. But still, my idea of going to the original texts of this Vedānta commentary etc., was not fulfilled. So I was not satisfied. Then I left that Ramakrishna Mission and traveled all the way from Calcutta to Kerala. There is another āśrama at Kerala, Parlika near Trichu, where there was one Swami Purnananda Tirtha who used to come to Bombay every year for giving lectures.

Room Conversation -- November 15, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Community project.

Devotee: Oh, community project. Well...

Prabhupāda: Don't say church.

Devotee: OK. But the thing is if... The first thing that it can be rezoned for is a church and a temple.

Prabhupāda: There is no need of rezoning because we are Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa community. So wherever we live we worship Kṛṣṇa. It is not a public show, it is our own private worshiping Deity. I can keep Deity in my home. Just like Christian Deity, Mary, Jesus Christ, in the room. There is no objection.

Devotee: I don't think there's any objection to that but according to Guṇagrahi (indistinct-mic noise) ...problem, San Diego, like the government there doesn't approve too much of them and each time they try to buy a nice piece of land, you know, somehow...

Prabhupāda: That's why I say, "Don't call it temple."

Devotee: Don't call it temple.

Prabhupāda: No, community project.

Devotee: Community project.

Prabhupāda: Project. That's all.

Devotee: OK. I can tell them that. But he says...

Room Conversation -- November 15, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: No.

Jagadīśa: A problem may come if they say, "But you invite people to come."

Prabhupāda: Friends I must invite. For feast. This is our community project.

Hari-śauri: Once you're in there, then it's... In Melbourne we told them that it's just strictly private, it was going to be like a monastery, there was just going to be a few monks who were going to do our worship, like that. And then when we were in we just had the Sunday feast and everything and everything was fine.

Devotee: Well actually, the way...

Prabhupāda: Śaṭhe śāthyaṁ samācaret. That is that if the other is cheat, you become cheat. Why you should be honest? Śaṭhe śāthyaṁ samācaret.

Devotee: Well, in this case actually I don't think there will even be a problem if we said "temple." Because...

Prabhupāda: That is your... I say, "Don't declare it a temple." It is our community, living quarters, residence, that's all. We live like this, our style of living is this. How you can...?

Guest: Just like the usual was doing something at home.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Don't say it is temple. That's all. (chuckles) Kill law by law. (indistinct) ...and safest position is that you don't say it is a temple.

Morning Walk -- December 28, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: You may go. You have no...? You can go.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Last time they would not let us distribute our magazines when they had it in Shrimati Morarji's house. They had the same ceremony in Shrimati Morarji's house here about a year ago and they didn't like our book distribution there.

Prabhupāda: What this time where it will be held?

Girirāja: This is an organization. Last time was Shrimati Morarji's personal...

Prabhupāda: Private house. This is organized function you ask them a place to show our books. If they deny then we don't go. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (break)

Rādhā-vallabha: This one parade in Los Angeles, the Rose Bowl, they distribute thousands of books on this one day. What happens is all the karmīs get out there, sometimes the night before, at least very, very early in the morning. They line both sides of the road.

Prabhupāda: To see?

Rādhā-vallabha: To see yes. Approximately a million people. About a million people, they're just lining both sides of the road and the street is empty before the parade. So this year we're going to have the gurukula boys do a kīrtana and go right up the road. So one million people will see the saṅkīrtana party.

Guru dāsa: And then it will be on television.

Rādhā-vallabha: It will probably be on television.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Lower? Yes, yes. Lower... That is mṛtyu-saṁsāra. Suppose next life I become dog. Then my becoming very big scientist, big lawyer, big this and that, everything finished. But that law is not in your hand. After death, you cannot say, "Mother nature, you are giving this body. I don't like it." No. "It is not in your liking. It is my liking." Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa (SB 3.31.1). When you are criminal, you are under the grip of the magistrate. If he puts you in jail, you cannot say that "I don't like." No. You like or not; you must go. Who cares for your liking? Therefore mūḍha. Prakṛteḥ. Prakṛti, the laws of nature, is working in its own way. Nobody can change it. But ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā. Those who are rascal, they are thinking, "I am independent. Whatever I like, I can do. There is no God. There is no law." Kartāham iti manyate. That should be avoided, that I am independent. Means that knowledge is lacking at the present moment. "Whatever I think, I can do. It is private. Religion is private." And big, big swamis are supporting. "Yes, religion is your private."

Dr. Patel: Even the state says "Religion is your private..."

Prabhupāda: Whatever... The rascal says. A rascal says. It is not private. No private-public. It is laws of nature. You have to abide by that. The nature's law is "Now winter. You have to cover your body." There is no second law. So that is wanting, that we are... The present defect is that every one of us under the laws of God or nature, whatever you say. And still, we are declaring independence. This is the defect. Prakrti-stho 'pi.

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

Prabhupāda: Then engage them.

Rāmeśvara: If he's willing, he could give speaking engagements. I tell you, America is just wide open.

Prabhupāda: No, no. Why not take this... Suppose he is attracted by some woman. Let him dress like a gentleman and keep with the woman as husband and wife and preach. What is the wrong there? Whatever is done, you close up that chapter. Now you become a householder. There is no harm. And live as a gentleman householder and preach. But don't play duplicity in the dress of sannyāsī to keep private relations. That is not good. That is duplicity. Better openly become a respectable householder and serve Kṛṣṇa. Our service is main thing, either in this dress or that dress. So if you cannot keep yourself sincerely as a sannyāsī, then get yourself married. But you cannot keep the girl as friend. That is also not good.

Jagadīśa: But for Brahmānanda, he may remain sannyāsī? Brahmānanda?

Prabhupāda: That is his choice. But we say that "Don't be hypocrite." That's all. If he thinks now he'll be able to continue as a sannyāsī, he'll not fall down, he'll be careful, let him continue. That will depend on his sincerity. But I say that if you cannot remain as a sannyāsī, get yourself married, live like a gentleman and serve Kṛṣṇa. Why should you give up Kṛṣṇa's service? That is my point. As you want to live, any way, comfortably, do it. We never condemned gṛhasthas. If sannyāsa is not suitable for you, you remain as a gṛhastha. What is the wrong there?

Jagadīśa: I'm going to call him this evening.

Prabhupāda: Why?

Rāmeśvara: Brahmānanda.

Jagadīśa: To give him direction.

Room Conversation -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Rāmeśvara: We're coming to these shopping centers to sell our books and they say, "We have not invited you. Please go away." It is called the right of the property owner to allow on his property whoever he wants. So these gigantic shopping centers invite the public to buy only from them, not from us. So they restrict us.

Prabhupāda: They are not inviting us.

Rāmeśvara: No.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: It's all private property.

Rāmeśvara: Our book-selling is going on on the public property, like the airports. But the stores and the shopping centers are privately owned, so it's illegal. Sometimes our men will do it anyway, take a chance in disguise.

Prabhupāda: So they are taking risk for Kṛṣṇa. That is great service. Kṛṣṇārthe 'khila ceṣṭaḥ. That is one of the valuable service—for Kṛṣṇa's sake, all kinds of dangerous position. Somebody's knocking.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I'll explain this to Rāmeśvara, and if he approves, then... Because now we have just finished hundred thousand Gītār Gāns...

Prabhupāda: Anyway, it will be paid. Just wait. (hums)

Rāmeśvara: Śrīla Prabhupāda, would you like to see some photographs of Bharadraja's work? I'll go get them.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Pālikā: What kind of dahl would you like today?

Prabhupāda: You can make like yesterday.

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

Rāmeśvara: Now they say if we are thinking of our members to be gentlemen, then why is it when they go to the airports they are bothering so many people?

Prabhupāda: They are not bothering; they are educating. You take... A rascal, when he is advised... A thief when he's advised, "Kindly do not become a thief," he takes it botheration, but that is good advice.

Rāmeśvara: They say it is invasion of privacy.

Prabhupāda: Eh? Why privacy?

Rāmeśvara: They say every man has the right to think the way he wants.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Therefore I have go the right to think like that.

Rāmeśvara: So if I don't want to hear your philosophy, why are you imposing?

Prabhupāda: It is not imposing. It is good philosophy. We are canvassing, "Take it. You'll be benefited." And they are being benefited. Those who are reading, they are being benefited. Just like we are canvassing. We are Americans. You are not benefited. Therefore you are... Our Guru Mahārāja, Indian, he is not coming. We are doing, because we are benefited. We know we are benefited. Therefore it must be spread. That is our success. "Good thing must be given." Why you are advertising big, big order(?), "Please come and purchase Ford car," "Purchase Chevrolet car"? Yearly. Why you are canvassing?

Rāmeśvara: Because we think it is nice. To make money.

Prabhupāda: Ah. Why you are imposing your so-called goodness to others and spending so much money? Why you are doing?

Rāmeśvara: It is not physical. It is just mental.

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Rāmeśvara: Congress of the National Government.

Gargamuni: Yes. No, no, no. Central government. Yes, what you say is national.

Rāmeśvara: "This is a rare opportunity for people and leaders of every country, every race, and every community in the world to know and understand the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. I would say that this encyclopedia of spiritual knowledge is more important and fundamental than the encyclopedia of any other branch of knowledge and should therefore find a rightful place not only in the public and private libraries, big and small, not only in educational and other institutions, but also in every household, and above all, in the hearts and minds of every man and woman."

Prabhupāda: And he is not ordinary man. He is...

Rāmeśvara: No. He is the Deputy of Lok Sabha Secretariat. You should write more... I have to go over this with you to get more descriptions of each place. Central Government.

Gargamuni: I have... Oh, right. I have the full reviews too.

Rāmeśvara: And like if it says Sardar Patel University, where is that?

Gargamuni: In Gujarat.

Rāmeśvara: I just have to add a few things.

Hari-śauri: Will you be going for a walk this morning, Śrīla Prabhupāda? It's quarter to seven. If you want to go now, we could go.

Prabhupāda: Hm. So let us go.

Morning Walk -- January 31, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Satsvarūpa: You were surprised that he was saying at first, "Everyone is rascal."

Prabhupāda: (laughs) Yes.

Satsvarūpa: We were all too. When you said Gandhi, we were shocked because we thought he was a great saint. And he's also rascal.

Gurukṛpā: When you say it in public... In private meeting you say... The other night you said that this Mansingh(?) was a rascal, everyone was...

Prabhupāda: Who? Who? Whom I said?

Gurukṛpā: Mansingh.

Prabhupāda: Munsi,(?) ah, yes. (laughs)

Gurukṛpā: Everybody was, "Is it true?"

Prabhupāda: He did not believe in Kṛṣṇa. And from his character he's a rascal. I know that.

Hari-śauri: The one thing that shocks the Indians the most is Vivekananda.

Prabhupāda: Because they're rascals. Modern people in India, they are all rascals. Whole population is bokā.

Gargamuni: No. The Marwaris don't like him because he was a chicken-eater.

Prabhupāda: Marwaris are little religious. They...

Gargamuni: They never talk about Vivekananda. They don't like him.

Room Conversations -- February 20, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: But still, all the children are addicted to the mother. She does not do anything. I used to... Like that.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They should be addicted to you.

Prabhupāda: They all bokā, rejected. Let them become happy in their own way. (break) But because I talk with everyone, they are...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What will be the difference between the Vṛndāvana gurukula and this gurukula?

Prabhupāda: Nothing. The same thing. (break) Civilized man. "Beware of Dog." "Keep aloof, private place."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Fearful.

Prabhupāda: And just see result. Cannot believe in faith(?). Human being. And dogs are so trained... You have not seen the dog. It is within the house. You're passing, they'll bark, unnaturally disturbing. You cannot peacefully walk on the street.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Sometimes they attack people.

Prabhupāda: Yes. They do not like people should walk on the street.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And neither you can, because their stool is everywhere.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Strewn all over.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And if you tell them to walk..., curb the dog, they get very angry: "Oh, you have insulted me." They demand that you respect their dog.

Prabhupāda: Yes. If you ask him to take care of his dog, he feels insulted.

Room Conversation -- February 27, 1977, Mayapura:

Harikeśa: This news in India that they are outlawing cow-killing—some news has been coming that they're outlawing cow-killing in India—is very encouraging to all the devotees.

Prabhupāda: Yes. They are doing it on account of this movement. Government has appreciation our movement, from private sources. Now this, our American, what is called? Opposing.

Hari-śauri: Deprogrammers.

Prabhupāda: Deprogramming. The Indian government are taking seriously, yes, that is private arrangement—that "Why they are opposing this movement? We allow Christian to come here. Why not Kṛṣṇa?" The Consulate General, ambassador, has taken.

Harikeśa: It is very important.

Prabhupāda: They are taking it from national point of view. That is... Anyway, there is some defense from government side, their representative attending every court case. Yes?

Hari-śauri: Yes. Every hearing.

Prabhupāda: Ādi-keśava told me.

Harikeśa: In Germany the court case is fixed in November now. They have made a date.

Prabhupāda: In the meantime you overflood with books.

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

Prabhupāda: About ten days.

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

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

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I'm not sure.

Prabhupāda: But they are holding classes privately.

Dr. Sharma: Are they inviting...

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

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

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

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

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

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

Prabhupāda: No. Just like the librarian. That library has ordered. So that will be discussed.

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

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Guest (2): If it goes to the top people let it go, let it go. But who has to make the attempts? Not regular society. The government only can do it. It's a private society.

Dr. Sharma: No, no. Private society can do it. Private society can write a book, they can take it to the government, they can get it in its function in the embassy in Moscow, where it is to be given to some of the people there in which the cultural society exists, so-called religious or cultural or cultural society. We can approach them as well and introduce some books there.

Guest (2): And that means Indian government has to accept first.

Dr. Sharma: No, it has nothing to do with the Indian government accepting. When once we request somebody in the cultural society, and the Indian embassy governs as a function, and we deliver lecture and we invite some of the Russians, we will give it to them also.

Prabhupāda: We can send some of our scientist disciples to prove scientifically there is God. If you can arrange, I can send my scientist disciples.

Dr. Sharma: For that they require a visa.

Prabhupāda: Visa, of course, we can...

Morning Talk -- April 25, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: No, no. He is a gṛhastha. He must pay.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, I mean... No, I mean, he must pay. No, we're not paying for him. I mean, I'm going to lay the money out for him. No, I guarantee I'll get the money.

Prabhupāda: Another thing you say privately. He has got a bad habit. When I am speaking, in the middle he speaks.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This gentleman, Mr. Dwivedi.

Prabhupāda: No, no. Kārttikeya. He... Nobody should speak when I am speaking.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No.

Prabhupāda: Unless he's permitted. That is the etiquette. It is not ordinary talk.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No.

Prabhupāda: Everyone should take note of this, and you can privately say, "You never speak like that. The etiquette is: when you are permitted by Guru Mahārāja, you can speak," not that "He is speaking. I know better than him. I shall speak something." That's very licentious. It is not ordinary talk. The system is unless he is ordered that "You explain," then nobody can talk. And outsider, they may do. They should not... They also should not, but that is the system. And Viśvambhara may... If possible, he can come for one or two days.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I was thinking that same thing, that instead of writing Akṣayānanda, maybe I should write Viśvambhara. Or both of them could come. Do you think it is all right if they both come?

Morning Conversation -- April 30, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes, yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So he got a letter. Should I read it to Your Divine Grace? "Dear..." It's signed by Morarji Desai. "Dear Shree Jagat-guru Swami, I thank you for your letter of April 4th and am grateful to you for your good wishes. You have cited some very wise sūtras from our ancient writings. Although I have been called upon to shoulder heavy responsibilities, it has been my endeavor in the past and it will be so in future to see that there is no hiatus between my public and private life. This is what I have learned from Gandhiji, and I have thus saved my life from contradictions. Thank you once again for your kind sentiments. Yours sincerely..."

Prabhupāda: Hm. That's nice.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Jagat-guru Swami wrote to me that he is continuing his correspondence with Morarji Desai.

Prabhupāda: Then don't continue much. Then it will be spoiled.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Yeah, I'm not doing it.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Why is he writing at all to Morarji Desai?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I don't know. He's in England. He's independent, and I can't...

Prabhupāda: You can... One who... Don't.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda said, "Don't ask Swami..."(?)

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Not... He shouldn't...

Short Dissertations -- May 24-25, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: What about my house?

Bhavānanda: That money has just been received, and the plans have arrived from Delhi, but we are wanting an architect in Calcutta, competent architect to... Because we don't want to have anything go wrong in the middle. Ram Nrisinghatar(?) was saying that Mistri is interested in doing Prabhupāda's house. The house and gorgeous garden we have, with fountains and terraces and walkways, all around, before and behind the house, on either side, all enclosed and private.

Prabhupāda: Not yet begun?

Jayapatākā: They say there's no... Because we've just received the plan now from Saurabh, so the architect said there's no difficulty. Now he thinks we can begin right through the rainy season. We can work through the rainy season. There's no difficulty for that. If it was a big building, then in the rainy season we could not build.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: How long it will take?

Bhavānanda: Six months.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: By October, November.

Jayapatākā: (aside, discussion with Bhavānanda about building)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda, I think you are tied to this planet by the love of your devotees.

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Jayapatākā: He loves his devotees even more than his devotees love him.

Conversation Pieces -- May 27, 1977, Vrndavana:

Rāmeśvara: Inventory, yes, inventory. Then "Section 2: Name of the Trust. This trust shall be known by the name..." So for each trust there's a different name. For Māyāpur it is proposed, "Śrī Māyāpur Chandrodaya Mandir Trust." For Bombay, "Śrī-Śrī-Rādhā-Rāsa-Vihārījī Temple Trust," for Vṛndāvana, "Śrī-Śrī-Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma Mandir Trust," and that will include the Gurukula. For Bhuvaneśvara, "Śrī-Śrī-Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma Bhuvaneśvara Trust." It goes on to say, "In so far as possible, the trustees shall conduct the trust activities in that name. Section 3: The Purpose of the Trust. This trust is created and shall be operated exclusively for fulfilling the aims and objects of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness as per the memorandum of association. ISKCON is registered as a society under the Society Act of 1860, and is registered as a public charitable trust. We direct that no part of this trust shall inure to the benefit of any private individual, and no part of the activities of this trust shall consist of participating in or intervening in any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office." Then "Section 4: The Use of the Trust. Irrevocably, the properties, the temple and the Deities thereupon and all other holdings of the trust shall never be mortgaged, borrowed against, sold, transferred..."

Prabhupāda: Stole?

Rāmeśvara: "Sold."

Prabhupāda: Sold.

Room Conversation -- July 17, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Indira Gandhi, finished. President Nixon, finished. They do not see, these big, big stalwart men of the world. They can be finished in one second. Prahlāda Mahārāja said that "I have seen my father, such a powerful man, finished. What benediction I shall ask, this material world? Don't allure me. Better engage me as the servant of Your servant." Anything, any opulence. Now nobody utters the name of Indira Gandhi. Every... Every day the people or newspaper filled up with Indira Gandhi. That the Russian minister, Krushchev? Nobody knows where he is.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He's unknown now.

Prabhupāda: They said he is living privately.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Why did they depose him?

Prabhupāda: The cause may be many, but we have to see the result. The main cause was that he was appointing his own men in big, big office.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Same thing as Indira.

Prabhupāda: Nepotism. Indira's plan was next prime minister, Sanjay.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Family heritage. I saw one cartoon in the..., in one newspaper. It said... A little conversation between Gandhi, Nehru and Indira. They're speaking with Cāṇakya Paṇḍita. Each one of them is discussing how he's gone wrong. Cāṇakya is advising them what they've done wrong. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita is advising each one of them what they did wrong.

Prabhupāda: Ācchā?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's a cartoon. I was speaking with Abhirāma today for quite a long time. Now he understands that... (end)

Room Conversation Gaurasundara, Dr. Kapoor -- July 26, 1977, Vrndavana:

Gaurasundara: Leave small?

Prabhupāda: Huh? You have got?

Gaurasundara: Small.

Prabhupāda: Small.

Gaurasundara: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Because you are maintaining the temple as private. So make nice clothes, decorations.

Gaurasundara: Yes, we are doing. We have...

Prabhupāda: High place. There is no need of big see.(?) Deity is small Kṛṣṇa or big Kṛṣṇa, the same thing. When Kṛṣṇa was child on the lap of His mother, the same Kṛṣṇa killed Pūtanā. And when He was killing other demons in His young age, the same. Avyaya. He does not change. Acyuta. These are the names of Kṛṣṇa, you'll... So it does not make any difference. So you have got small Deity. Very nicely... So you can bathe them nicely, decorate them nicely, give Them... And big Deity will be difficult to handle. Better keep this Deity and increase the devotional. That will be... More time devoted for taking class, for cleansing the... About Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam consider. That is main business.

Room Conversation -- August 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: But very carefully it should be done.(?)

Gurukṛpā: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: His Deities. You have a lot of jewels with you.

Gurukṛpā: I can't keep them on the altar.

Prabhupāda: If you like, you can keep in private room also.

Gurukṛpā: Yes, that is better.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They've arranged a very big room for the men, the biggest room here, so it's practically like a temple room in itself. It's where the gurukula used to be.

Gurukṛpā: It is better. We cook separate for Them.

Prabhupāda: Cook separate?

Gurukṛpā: Just for the Deity.

Prabhupāda: That is not very good.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's not a big thing here to cook. Prabhupāda just closed four kitchens down.

Prabhupāda: Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam (BG 9.26). No cooking. Tulasī and jala. You can offer little fruits, nuts, milk. No need of cooking. Takes much time. I want here no hired... But for the Deities and the devotees it is false.(?) Their association is bad. Make some arrangement so that you can avoid hired cooks unless it is absolutely necessary. The hired cook, they are most wretched people.

Room Conversation -- October 24, 1977, Vrndavana:

Haṁsadūta: Oh, on the ground?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yeah. And they walk right by you, and their feet are right next to your head. It's most dishonorable and disrespectful. You feel... You feel every bit of being a patient.

Haṁsadūta: Don't they have private planes?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, Prabhupāda doesn't want. (talking in background amongst devotees) I already suggested that in London to Prabhupāda, and he wouldn't do it. I mean it's very difficult to arrange these things in India, private plane, you know, without a lot of advance, like twenty thousand, thirty thousand rupees.

Hari-śauri: Private plane? Yes, and then it would have to be a propeller plane, too. They're hellish. Phew! We traveled on those to Chandigarh.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This country you can't do these things like that. So...

Brahmānanda: Then directly from Dum Dum to Māyāpur?

Room Conversation -- October 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Because, Śrīla Prabhupāda, our Society cannot loan money for a business like this. This is not our Society's business at all. You're not... Of the one lakh of rupees' worth of books, only six thousand rupees is from ISKCON's books. So how can we loan one lakh of rupees? We can't start loaning money for these kind of businesses. It's against the Society's memorandum and rules that money can be given to individuals for their personal businesses. This is a charitable society. It's bounded by the Society's charity laws. So, Prabhupāda, whatever money he has, he has got as a binamida of the Society. He may donate the money in the sense of giving a stipend to family members. That's different. But as far as giving loans for business purposes to an individual private business... I mean we would lose our charitable status, because the accounts are audited every year. So it will look very... In fact, if we do that, then they may raise objection to the stipend also. Now they can't raise objection, because it's given as a stipend to the family, former family of this ācārya. They won't say anything. But if we start taking Society money and loaning it to a private business, which is the way they'll see it, then they'll raise objection. Furthermore, then we'll have to charge interest, and if we charge interest, that gets us into a lot of trouble also. As a Society, we're not supposed to be doing business, profit-making business.

Prabhupāda: So when the certificates matures, what is the amount?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The amount, I believe, is about 43,200 rupees.

Prabhupāda: So this much can be given to him. You can...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: That amount can be given to him, and he may pay back the loan.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But he's getting the postal receipts, so let him keep those.

Prabhupāda: Yes. When it is matured...

Room Conversation -- October 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So arrange to give him that 47,000.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's 43,200. But I mean...

Vrindavan De: No, you'll get the money back by 10th or 15th April.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, that's not the point. The problem is that how we can get... I don't know if this... I mean I'll do it, but I'm thinking that we're jeopardizing our position as a... I mean this money is not a privately owned money.

Prabhupāda: No, no, the Society cannot.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: How can the Society give money to a private business? It's not done.

Vrindavan De: No, it is just a temporary... (Bengali)

Prabhupāda: What is in my private account?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, Śrīla Prabhupāda, according to your affidavit, there is no private accounts. Once we take it as a private account again, then the whole position of the affidavit has no meaning. I mean, I really think that Vrindavan has to... I just think he has to arrange these businesses on his own. I don't think that he can... He can use the money that's given as a stipend. He can use this postal money receipts. But if he has to take money from the Society for private business, it's not at all going to be acceptable to the Charity Commission. It makes us look very suspicious that we're giving money to individuals.

Prabhupāda: So this 43,000 can be given, because it is not Society's money.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No. It's not come in our accounts, so it can be given definitely.

Room Conversation -- October 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Against their money. (break) You are depositing some money with the...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We've already deposited money with them.

Prabhupāda: So against that, they can give. Bank can give.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think I'll write a letter to Girirāja. It will take some time. Vrindavan will have to go to Bombay for this if he wants to negotiate this loan. The loan has to be between the bank and him, not between our Society and the bank. That's my point. It's his private business. It has to be kept on a basis like that. Otherwise it's... If the bank... Girirāja may help them. Now we've given the bank instruction that five persons... See, one thing is that all... (break) This... If you think this arrangement suitable, then give them...

Vrindavan De: It is, moreover, a prestigious issue to us. And we have already committed them that we are able to supply, although we don't have any sufficient money.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So I think, based upon this scheme...

Vrindavan De: And that's why I sent my man twice to...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I know, but Prabhupāda was not... We never saw your man. He missed us. He missed both times.

Vrindavan De: When he came here, Prabhupāda had already left for London. And when my man went to Bombay, already left for Vṛndāvana.

Prabhupāda: But in business field, if the bank sees that you have got fifty percent, they will advance. If you have got fifty percent, any transaction, you wait to do some business...

Vrindavan De: One thing, Tamāla, you know, I would like to have Prabhupāda's car for the time being.