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Responsibility (Conv. 1976 - 1977)

Expressions researched:
"responsibiity" |"responsibilities" |"responsibility" |"responsibility's" |"responsibly"

Conversations and Morning Walks

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

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

Prabhupāda: Take Freud's philosophy and become highly advanced in civilization. Now the Freud's philosophy is being translated in Hindi and so many other languages. We are advancing in civilization, Indians. They are translating this Freud's philosophy, pig civilization. People therefore do not come to us. (chuckles) They avoid us because "They are not pigs."

Harikeśa: Pigs don't like to live in a clean house.

Prabhupāda: Yes. There is a story in Bhāgavata that Indra was cursed to become a pig. So after some time there was mismanagement in the heavenly kingdom. Brahmā personally came, "Indra, anyway, you became pig. Now you come with me." "Huh? How can I go? I have got so much responsibility." Then he was killed and took to heaven. So any life, any abominable condition, everyone is thinking, "I am perfect." This is called māyā. Any abominable condition, he is thinking, everyone is thinking, that "I am perfect. I have nothing to advance." This is called māyā.

Morning Walk -- February 26, 1976, Mayapura:

Dayānanda: And then they wonder why their sons become hippies and act like monkeys. Even though they are civilized, their sons are acting like monkeys.

Prabhupāda: Actually we are introducing the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement to make the Western people civilized. Yes. So you should take it very seriously and behave with responsibility. If you also want, become again like that, then how you'll be able to preach? Then what is the use of preaching? What is time?

Indian man (1): Six-thirty.

Jayapatākā: (Break) ...process.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Morning Walk -- March 8, 1976, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: So in this way we should... If there is any misunderstanding, this should be adjusted and we should work wholeheartedly, because our responsibility is very great. We are trying to contribute something to the whole world. It is not a fashion. It is not a fashion. The whole world is suffering for want of God consciousness, so we are trying to give it to the world, God consciousness, in a systematic way, so that they may be highly benefited. So this is the purpose, but if there is some misunderstanding...

Morning Walk -- March 14, 1976, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: Kavirāja Gosvāmī has explained very nicely. This is viśvāsa. Śraddhā śabde viśvāsa sudṛḍha niścaya. Explain, Acyutānanda, this. Explain this.

śraddhā śabde viśvāsa sudṛḍha niścaya
kṛṣṇe bhakti kaile sarva-karma kṛta haya

Acyutānanda: If you have firm faith in Kṛṣṇa and surrender unto Him, then all other activities and responsibilities are fulfilled by serving Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: That's it.

Acyutānanda: Dāya mama gelā; tuwā...

Prabhupāda: Tuwā o pada baraṇe(?) This is required.

Acyutānanda: Serving the root.

Prabhupāda: "My only responsibility is to surrender to Kṛṣṇa"—then this very conception will save you.

Rāmeśvara: I spoke with one man who argued that "Kṛṣṇa is very cruel because He knows everything past, present and future, so He knew that we would all fall down from the spiritual sky, but still, He gave us the independence to fall down."

Morning Walk -- March 25, 1976, Delhi:

Ātreya Ṛṣi: And you cannot smoke outside the laws. You cannot smoke a cigarette...

Prabhupāda: This is.... Already warning is there that "You smoke; you suffer." And if you still do that, suffer. What can be done? Common thing.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: The freedom is always there, minute independence.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Minute.

Guru dāsa: Freedom with responsibility.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Guru dāsa: Just like they say that you have the freedom to yell "There's a fire" in a theater, but you don't do it.

Prabhupāda: So many examples are there. Freedom is there, but you are not absolutely free to do whatever you like.

Morning Walk -- April 12, 1976, Bombay:

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?).

Morning Walk -- April 12, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: And then second son, third.... Everyone said like that, and she died without Gaṅgā. Agar mā gaṅgā.(?) So this.... And everyone has to work. And he thinks that "Why I shall work? Let him work. No work today."

Guru dāsa: You tell the story about a man beating with a stick, and then the police constable came and said, "You have beaten him." "No, no, no. It was the stick that beat him, not me." (laughter) No responsibility.

Dr. Patel: No, but, you see, the sense of possession in human society is more important, because they have no sense of possession.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Dr. Patel: Even with all our philosophic and all our learning we have the sense of possession of this body which can't leave the moha in it. With all that, sir, then how can they do it?

Morning Walk -- April 14, 1976, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: I was a political worker myself and a member of the ruling party and a member of the assembly. I know how they collect votes.

Prabhupāda: If you.... For five rupees if you sacrifice your sacred right, then how can you expect good government?

Dr. Patel: But they never desired to have these rights. They should be disenfranchised, those who will not understand their responsibility towards their country.

Prabhupāda: So at least you can make some propaganda that "Don't give votes to these persons." Don't name any. Then he will be envious. No.

Dr. Patel: You will be in the jail.

Morning Walk -- April 17, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: No, mental concoction is not factual.

Dr. Patel: Sir, but I am.... You don't let me speak. I say that everything which is happening, a phenomena, is nothing but by the grace of God or by Kṛṣṇa's own order, and if that...

Prabhupāda: And you have no responsibility.

Dr. Patel: And that mental process, if you are working, is it a wrong mental process?

Prabhupāda: So here is a greatest wrong. No, no. If your patient comes, that "It is by Kṛṣṇa's wish I have become diseased," then where is your department? You don't...

Dr. Patel: But by Kṛṣṇa's grace I have become a doctor. Both the ways. Why see on one side?

Room Conversation -- April 23, 1976, Melbourne:

Devotee (1): Have you seen Prabhupāda's books? The books I was just showing you?

Mr. Dixon: I am not very familiar with the books.

Prabhupāda: We have got very good response for accepting our books all over the world, Kṛṣṇa books.

Mr. Dixon: The reason that I was most interested to come is that my responsibilities in Victoria are a lot to do with the growth of our young people, and I think that many of the things that we don't succeed in doing, the problems that we have with drugs and alcohol and all sorts of unhappiness, that what your life indicates has got something that I think we could do well to take parts of it, to be involved in the things, the way in which we live. And I'd be interested to hear from you as to what you would believe might be done to encourage a greater acceptance of your areas of philosophy and religion.

Morning Walk -- May 3, 1976, Fiji:

Prabhupāda: And because he has approached God and he's asking God, there is some transaction in this way, by association of God, he'll be purified. One day he will say, svāmin kṛtārtho 'smi varaṁ na yāce (CC Madhya 22.42), "Now, I am fully satisfied. I don't want anything. I don't trouble You. Let me serve You." (break) Why the devotee will ask from God? Kṛṣṇa says, yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham, teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānām (BG 9.22). He says the responsibility, "I shall supply everything, whatever you want." So why the devotee will ask? If the child knows, "My father is there, my mother is...," why he shall ask? The father will take care whatever he wants. It is unfaithful that "God cannot supply my necessities. I'll have to ask Him." He knows everything. Why shall I ask Him? That is pure knowledge.

Morning Walk -- June 3, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: That is nonsense.

Rāmeśvara: He says Kṛṣṇa is playing games.

Prabhupāda: I have given you charge of this BBT, millions of dollars you are dealing, but it is not for your misuse. As soon as you misuse, that is your responsibility.

Rāmeśvara: Yes, but he says but still, you'll know that I'm going to misuse it.

Prabhupāda: No. That Kṛṣṇa knows, when something charge is given. But because you are independent, I know that "Rāmeśvara is very good boy; let him be in charge." But you can misuse at any moment, because you have got independence. You can misuse at any moment. At that time your position is different. That is this Karandhara's, he was in this position, but as soon as he misused it, immediately, Kṛṣṇa changed his position.

Morning Walk -- June 4, 1976, Los Angeles:

Rāmeśvara: They are accepting authority, and so they say...

Prabhupāda: Apart from authority, from practical experience....

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They are fools.

Prabhupāda: ...how one can...? Eh?

Ṛṣabhadeva: They are trying to avoid their responsibility to that creator. They don't want to accept.

Prabhupāda: You can avoid the creator, but you cannot say there is no creator.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It means they're totally ignorant, Prabhupāda.

Morning Walk -- June 6, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Disturbance means sinful atmosphere.

Rāmeśvara: In Bhāgavatam, you wrote that when there is a great storm or hurricane, some demon has taken birth.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And also that it is the king's responsibility to see that there is good weather. If there's good government then automatically...

Prabhupāda: Everything.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: These buildings are churches, but they're all closed. But our churches are lively, even at four in the morning.

Prabhupāda: From four o'clock up to ten.

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

Prabhupāda: So I got the passport. Then I approached that Śrīmatī Morarji. She once gave me five hundred rupees in exchange of my Bhāgavata book, so I approached her, that "Give me one ticket." They have got their shipping company, Scindia Navigation. So she said, "Swamiji, you are so old, you are taking this so responsibility. Do you think it is right?" "No, it is all right." (laughs) At that time, I was seventy years old. So all the secretary, they thought that "Swamiji is going to die there." Anyway, they gave me the ticket, one return free ticket by their ship. Then arrangement was going on. So there is another process to get a P-form. You know.

Morning Walk -- June 9, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Therefore in the human society, a man and woman not fixed up, they are monkeys, jackals and dogs. By marriage it is fixed up, but if they do not fix up, they are compared with the jackals, dogs and monkeys.

Hari-śauri: Hogs as well?

Prabhupāda: Hmm? Hogs, also like.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: From the material point of view people cannot see the purpose of accepting responsibility.

Prabhupāda: I do not follow. What is this?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Well, from the spiritual point of view, we know that if we're not responsible, then we have to suffer great consequences according to our actions. From the material point of view, though, people can live an irresponsible life, and they have some earnings. They feel that they can enjoy. What is the need for morality?

Prabhupāda: Then what is a responsible life? Hmm?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Well, their whole plan is to avoid responsibility.

Prabhupāda: That is sinful. As soon as you irresponsible, you are sinful. (break) ...soon as you forget the simple truth that you are servant of God, you are irresponsible. Now your suffering begins. (break) ...kṛṣṇa-bahirmukha hañā bhoga vāñchā kare, nikaṭa-stha māyā tāre jāpaṭiyā dhare (Prema-vivarta). Just like as citizen of your state, you have to abide by the laws of the state.

Morning Walk -- June 9, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Therefore they want to become gopīs. That is the tendency, sahajiyā.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Like transcendental hippie-life.

Prabhupāda: (laughs) Yes.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: No responsibility.

Prabhupāda: Other relationship of Kṛṣṇa rejected, take, jump over the gopīs' relationship. This is the meaning. (break) ...this line? Is it not? So as many lines, that means so many years.

Hari-śauri: (break) ...cut inside the tree, there's circles, and for each circle that means one year. That's what they say, anyway.

Prabhupāda: Island separate?

Magazine Interview -- June 10, 1976, Los Angeles:

Rāmeśvara: Śrīla Prabhupāda often says that no one can be happy without knowledge. It's not possible to be fully happy without knowledge. People suffer due to lack of knowledge. So if this knowledge about this living force is not taught to the people, then they'll continue to suffer and be in anxiety, suffer diseases, fight among themselves, quarrel. There'll always be some misery as long as there is this general lack of knowledge about the spiritual element, or the living force. So in that sense we feel a great compassion and a great, great responsibility to educate as many people as possible about the spiritual science of the soul and about Kṛṣṇa, or God. That's the purpose of our mission, to relieve people from their miseries and make them truly happy.

Interviewer: If they're interested.

Prabhupāda: Interested or not interested. Child is not interested for education. But it is the duty of the father to make him educated, sometimes punish him. So a child may be foolish, but how the parents can be foolish? It is not that because the human society is not interested, this should be stopped. No.

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

Prabhupāda: Therefore death is an obstacle. That is the point.

Rāmeśvara: An obstacle to the goals of his life.

Prabhupāda: One who has no responsibility, that is another thing. But a responsible man wants to finish the responsibility, and if death comes before that, that's an obstacle.

Richard: Um hm. Okay. Ah, how about smaller obstacles in life, though, than death? I mean this...

Prabhupāda: This is the major obstacles, and subordinate to these obstacles there are hundreds and millions of obstacles.

Richard: There are millions of obstacles.

Room Conversation with George Gullen, President of Wayne State University -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: No, the things is.... Suppose a person, by his right, has to get so much money from his father's property. If somebody does not give him that money or somehow or other checks him to get the money, so that's a very heinous act. If he is actually inheritor of the father's property, he must get it. That is justice. Similarly, in the human form of life, one can get this education. If this education is lacking, that means we are envious. We're not giving the opportunity of fulfilling the right. And without this education, there is chance of falling down. Just like tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). Another body you have to accept. If you do not give proper education, then next body may be lower than human being. There are so many different types of bodies, 8,400,000. So according to our mentality, we get another body. Nature's law. Nobody can check it. This life I may be very satisfied, that "I have got this body, let me enjoy without any responsibility and become an animal." That's not very good civilization. They do not believe in the next life. Big, big educated men, they have no brain even to understand that we are changing every moment the body, and they don't believe that body changes and the soul continues. Dhīras tatra na muhyati. Find out this verse.

Conversation with Clergymen -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:

Scheverman: We have a building that will be available shortly (laughs) if you want to start a school.

Prabhupāda: So let us cooperate.

Scheverman: (laughs) Let us cooperate. And your teachers. There's no question about the kind of thing you're talking about here is needed.

Prabhupāda: "Father" means responsibility. According to our Vedic literature, one should not become a father unless he can deliver his son from the cycle of birth and death. Pitā na sa syāj na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum. At the present moment we are in the cycle of birth and death in the conditioned stage. So it is the duty of the father how to save the son from the cycle of birth and death. This is responsibility.

Scheverman: The last word I didn't..., the cycle of?

Prabhupāda: Birth and death.

Morning Walk -- June 21, 1976, Toronto:

Indian man (5): But the question comes up that you have given a vow against fire at the time of marriage that the husband will look after the wife and the family. Then how does that fit in when you leave the family all of a sudden? Is there not a responsibility to...

Prabhupāda: No no, not all of a sudden. All of a sudden..., generally you have to discharge the duties of family life, and at the ripe age, when everything is settled up, then you give up the family.

Indian man (5): Is it right that all the responsibility should be cleared up before...

Prabhupāda: You cannot clear up all the responsibility. Therefore up to fiftieth year. After that, whatever is done, that's all. (Sanskrit) But our philosophy is there is no question of giving up this or taking up that. Simply take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Wherever you remain, it doesn't matter. Either in family life or...

Prabhupada Inspects New BTG -- June 24, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: "You require brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, vaiśyas and śūdras. Just as when you want to construct a building you require engineers. You don't want sweepers. Isn't that so? What will the sweeper do? No. There must be engineers. So if you follow the division of varṇāśrama, only kṣatriyas are allowed to govern. And for the legislative assembly, the senators, only qualified brāhmaṇas. Now the butcher is in the legislative assembly. What does he know about making laws? He is a butcher. But by winning votes he becomes a senator. At the present moment, by the principle of vox populi, a butcher goes to the legislature. So everything depends on training. In our Kṛṣṇa consciousness society we are actually doing that. But in the case of politics they forget it. There cannot be just one class. That is foolishness. Because we have to engage different classes of men in different activities. If we do not know the art then we will fail, because unless there is a division of work there will be havoc. We have discussed all the responsibilities of the king in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The different classes in society should cooperate exactly as the different parts of the body do. Although each part is meant for a different purpose, they all work for one cause, to maintain the body properly."

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

Devotee (1): He plans to come here to retire in one year.

Prabhupāda: Oh. Yes, everyone should retire and join us.

Devotees: Jaya.

Prabhupāda: At least those who are above fifty years old. That is Vedic civilization. Pañcasordhvaṁ vanaṁ vrajet. One who is over fifty years of age, vanaṁ vrajet. So vanaṁ vrajet means completely retired from family responsibilities and take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is compulsory according to Vedic civilization.

Pradyumna: "These four items are by far inferior to engagement in the devotional service of the Lord. Śrī Vyāsadeva as the authorized scholar knew very well this difference, and still, instead of giving more importance to the better type of engagement, namely the devotional service of the Lord, he had more or less improperly used his valuable time, and thus he was despondent.

Arrival Room Conversation -- July 2, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: Yes. There is no education, fools. They're childish. A child is playing, he's enjoying, but he does not know that he has to take education, he has to grow up, he'll become a young man. Sometimes, if he's not educated, he'll suffer. He doesn't know. He's playing. That's all. The father says "My dear child, you read." "No, I like playing." Similarly, they are childish, foolish, without any responsibility. The animals are doing like that. Ṛṣabhadeva says "No, no, no. This life is not for this purpose." Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). Simply for sense gratification so much trouble, like hogs and dogs, this is not life. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena sattvam.

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

Prabhupāda: But when we understand that we are not jīva-bhūtaḥ, we are brahma-bhūtaḥ, that is our liberated position. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54). When one becomes actually in understanding that "I am not this body, I am spirit soul," then my all responsibility of this bodily condition immediately ceases. I am not this body. And why I am working for this body? Why I am in ignorance? That is called brahma-bhūtaḥ. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54). That is liberated stage.

Evening Darsana -- July 7, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: There is birth, there is death, there is old age and disease. But if you go to the spiritual kingdom, there is no more such things, no birth, no death, no disease, no old age. Now we can make our selection. And if we do not make our selection, if we live like cats and dogs, without any responsibility, then again we become in the category of cats and dogs. Mūḍha, janmani janmani (BG 16.20), life after life, they remain like animals, without any knowledge.

Room Conversation -- July 7, 1976, Baltimore:

Prabhupāda: No, that is everywhere. But expectation, he is educated, he'll be able. The first thing is in due time, either the girl or the boy must be married, that is Indian system. In due time. Boy not exceeding twenty years or twenty-five years, at most, and girl not exceeding fifteen years, sixteen years, must be. Saṁskāra, this is one of the saṁskāras. Just like garbhādhāna-saṁskāra, this is also one saṁskāra, and marriage is also saṁskāra. Must be married. Daśa-vidha-saṁskāra, ten kinds of saṁskāras, out of which marriage is one of the saṁskāras. And kanyā-dāya. Kanyā-dāya, dāya means by law the father is bound to get his daughter married, by law. He cannot escape the responsibility. This is father's duty.

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

Prabhupāda: Generally, the brahmacārī, student life; gṛhastha, married life; vānaprastha, retired life; and sannyāsa, renounced life. So at the end of life one should be renounced from all other responsibilities and completely devote his life for Kṛṣṇa consciousness, or God consciousness. In this way, when a person dies in God consciousness, his life is perfect. This is Vedic civilization. Eight divisions, varṇa and āśrama. And if you simply produce śūdras, working class, then you cannot have any happiness. That is not possible. And nowadays democratic, if you send some śūdras to act as kṣatriyas, they cannot do it. You have got practical experience. In Vietnam, what happened?

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

Prabhupāda: So why it is not good? Yata: he has already got a body, material body for which he's suffering, and he's again creating the circumstance by which he'll again get a material body and will suffer. Therefore, one should act very responsibly. Not like madmen. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). Then Ṛṣabhadeva instructs, nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). This body, although I have got this body, and the dog has got the body, or the hog has got the body, but these bodies are not meant for being spoiled like the dogs and hogs.

Interview with Newsweek -- July 14, 1976, New York:

Interviewer: Spiritual master in the form of his books.

Bali-mardana: Personally or...

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda was explaining that now in the bodily concept we have so many duties. We are working, we are having sex life, we are eating, sleeping, defending ourselves—so many things. All of this is in the relationship to the body. But if I'm not this body, then what is my duty? What is my responsibility? So the next thing is that when one understands this, then he must take instruction from the spiritual master, make progress and understand what real duty is. It's very important.

Prabhupāda: Even for eating, sleeping, sex life and defense we require some knowledge from a teacher. Say for eating, so we take knowledge from expert what kind of eating we shall take, what kind of vitamin, what kind of... So that also requires education. And sleeping also requires education. And so for bodily concept of life one has to take knowledge from others. So when he is above this bodily concept of life—he understands that "I am not this body; I am spirit soul"—so similarly he has to take lesson and education from an expert.

Room Conversation -- July 17, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: Yes, first volume you see. You see. See the contents. You can't find it? When he is discussing somebody, says Viṣṇu is the origin? So children, how many?

Indian man: No children.

Prabhupāda: No children.

Indian man: No children

Prabhupāda: That is good than another. (laughs) No responsibility.

Indian man: I have decided that in about five, ten years, I'll work that much only. Afterwards I'm going to go to work for you.

Prabhupāda: Thank you.

Radio Interview -- July 27, 1976, London:

Harikeśa: That would be very nice.

Mike Robinson: Perhaps if I phrase it a bit differently. I gather that the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement also has some concern for areas of the world where there is suffering, physical suffering.

Prabhupāda: We have got the only concern. Others, they are simply avoiding. They have no responsibility. They are talking all nonsense. We have got real responsibility. These people are being misguided, they are kept in darkness. Let us try to give them some enlightenment.

Mike Robinson: Yes, but apart from giving spiritual enlightenment, do you also..., are you also concerned for people's physical well-being?

Prabhupāda: That is automatically done.

Mike Robinson: And how would you go about doing that? Would you help the sick people?

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

Prabhupāda: Academic is ordinary, ABCD, that's all. Not very much. But these arts. They should learn how to cook nicely.

Jyotirmāyī: And what should the boys be taught from ten to sixteen?

Prabhupāda: The principle is same, that when they grow up they learn the śāstra. The more they read, the more they learn. Then they become preacher, teacher. The grown-up children, those who are fifteen, sixteen, they can teach five-, six-years-old.

Jyotirmāyī: Then they can take responsibility themselves.

Prabhupāda: In this way. Elderly student... That is the way of Indian teaching, that there is one teacher, and how he's managing hundreds? That means there are groups. One who is elderly student, he's taking some beginners: "Write a or A like this." That he can teach. What he has learned, he can teach. Similarly, next group, next group. So in this way, one teacher can manage hundreds of students of different categories.

Room Conversation -- August 3, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Prabhupāda: Yes. This is not possible for us. We welcome. But we must be well organized to utilize these poor souls for becoming first-class devotees. That should be done. Otherwise, sex life and the by-product, that is always troublesome, either you take this way or that way, it is troublesome. If it is not troublesome, why they are killing their own children? To avoid trouble. This is psychology. They want to avoid trouble. But our process is, if you want to avoid trouble, then don't marry, remain brahmacārī. If you cannot, then, all right, have legal wife, get children and raise them very nicely, make them Vaiṣṇavas, take the responsibility. So we are organizing this society, we welcome. Some way or other we shall arrange for shelter. But to take care of the children, to educate them, that will depend on their parents. Now our Pradyumna was complaining that in the Gurukula, his child was not educated to count one, two, three, four.

Room Conversation With French Commander -- August 3, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Prabhupāda: She cannot be alone. Na sataritatam ananti(?). Woman should not be allowed... Just like children. Children cannot be alone. They must taken care of. Similarly a woman, in childhood, should be taken care of by the father; when she's young, she should be taken care of by the husband; and when she's old, she should be taken care of by elderly sons. You'll find in the Vedic literature, the father's responsibility is until she's handed over to a suitable young man. And the husband's responsibility is so long she hasn't got elderly children. At that time, when she has got elderly children, he can leave home and take sannyāsa. So the process is a woman is kept under protection always. There is no independence for woman. That is... Still, in India it is going on. The father is obliged to find out a suitable husband for the daughter and give her in his charge. Then his responsibility finished. Until that, she is, he's responsible to take care of the daughter. Unmarried girl to remain always under the protection of the father.

Room Conversation With French Commander -- August 3, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Prabhupāda: Similarly, we should know what is the aim of human life. Then we have to construct the social political, everything, favorable to that end. But they do not know what is the aim of life. That is the whole mistake. I think that in Bible there is a story, prodigal son? So we are prodigal son. We are all sons of God, now we have become prodigal sons. What is the meaning of prodigal? "Without any responsibility," is it not? Do whatever you like.

Translator: Run away from the protection of the family.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is our position, that we are sons of God, we have given up protection of God. God is protecting in all circumstances.

Room Conversation With French Commander -- August 3, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Hari-śauri: It says "Prodigal: recklessly wasteful."

Prabhupāda: That's it. This is the... We are all recklessly wasteful sons of God. We are sons of God, there is no doubt, but at the present moment, recklessly wasteful. We are wasting our valuable life even, we are so reckless. So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to check their recklessness and bring them into senses of responsibility, going back home, back to Godhead. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But people are so reckless, as soon as you say something of God, immediately they laugh, "Oh, what is nonsense, God." This is the supreme recklessness. India was very serious about God. Still, India is serious. Now, the present leaders, they are thinking that Indians are spoiled, simply thinking of God—they're not thinking like the Americans and Europeans for economic development.

Morning Walk at Niavaran Park -- August 8, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: Then get children, give them education, put them in nice condition of life, get them married, again grandchildren, and so on, so on. That means these material conditions which have embarrassed me, that business is very nicely done by the wife for increasing my embarrassment. Nowadays nobody takes responsibility of family. That is another thing. But marriage means to take so many responsibilities. That is another condition of material life. Then home, people are sacrificing so much for home, for country, for nation.

Morning Walk -- August 11, 1976, Tehran:

Ātreya Ṛṣi: If they understand the purpose of life.

Prabhupāda: Yes, otherwise it is dangerous

Ātreya Ṛṣi: They can fool each other.

Prabhupāda: That is generally done. Wife increases the responsibility. Strī-vistāra. But still one has to maintain wife. A brahmacārī has no responsibility. His only responsibility is to serve Kṛṣṇa. But a gṛhastha has many responsibilities. "There is the children, I have to give them education, see that they're well situated."

Ātreya Ṛṣi: A brahmacārī life. A devotee who has not had experience with the responsibility...

Prabhupāda: No, no, responsible... He has no, this material responsibility.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: But he has responsibility towards Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: So he should know about responsibility, he should have experience.

Prabhupāda: Real business of human life is to take responsibility of spiritual advancement. So if one remain brahmacārī, he has no disturbance in that responsibility. But if he becomes a gṛhastha, that disturbance is there. You cannot take wholeheartedly the spiritual responsibility.

Press Interview at Muthilal Rao's House -- August 17, 1976, Hyderabad:

Guest (2): But I am so preoccupied with my...

Prabhupāda: You are taking so many education...

Guest (2): ...that I don't have to time to contemplate or study such things. Don't you think it's the responsibility of people like you to...

Prabhupāda: That means you are not properly trained up. The thing is, the first business of human being is to inquire about the spiritual subject matter. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is the Vedānta philosophy. Now we have got this human form of body, it is your duty to inquire about the spiritual subject matter. But if your guardians, if your parents, if your government does not teach you, then it is our misfortune.

Morning Walk -- August 23, 1976, Hyderabad:

Indian man: Ramrao, T. Ramrao.

Indian man: I am the earliest life member.

Indian man: Extremely happy to have your darśana today.

Prabhupāda: About birth control. So birth control means the father and mother, the father and mother should not become father and mother unless they take full responsibility for the children to save them from the repetition of birth and death. This is the śāstric injunction. Pitā na sa syāj jananī na sā syāt na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum. The, everyone is, in this material world, is going on in the cycle of birth and death. Tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). Transmigrating from one body to another. And after many millions of years he gets the chance of becoming a human being. Now in this life he can stop the birth and death. Punar janma jāyate. That is Vedic culture. How to conquer over this process of repetition, birth and death.

Room Conversation -- September 5, 1976, Vrndavana:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually, Girirāja gave him that money to buy books for our library of our new temple, for the library...

Prabhupāda: So why should he take, why should he take the responsibility for purchasing if he's interested in Rādhā-kuṇḍa?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, that's not right. He had his own money also. He just got a lot of money from his wife. Three, four hundred dollars he told me.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. Money is not the strength for understanding Rādhārāṇī. If you have got some money, by the strength of money you'll understand Rādhārāṇī. That is another bogus thing. Rādhārāṇī...

Room Conversation -- November 4, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: How it is possible? Some are living ten miles from him. It is not possible. No, that is happening in India, not in other countries. In your country the peons are very responsible.

Akśayananda: Yes, the post office is also very good.

Prabhupāda: Here they never satisfied. This is the modern mentality. Nobody is satisfied with his income. He wants more money. And for that purpose he can do anything rascal. I have seen it. This peon puts his bag without any responsibility. Letters are strewn and maybe some letters stolen. Who can say? And he came to earn some money. For some time he'll compose and get some labor. And in Calcutta I have seen all the office peons, they are sleeping in Dalhousie Square, the peon book as the pillow, for hours together. And when they, after distributing, when they return to the office it is going to be closed. And if they are asked explanation, "Why you are so late?" "Oh, he was not there. I had to wait three hours," and so on, so on, so on. Everyone is dishonest. Nobody is working honestly. Especially in India, because poverty-stricken. If they can sleep two hours he thinks that he has made some profit. Formerly people were God conscious. They did not like to cheat, that "God will be displeased." Now they don't believe in God, so they can do anything.

Room Conversation -- December 12, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Once successful here, we can introduce this program. And India will be easier because they are by nature inclined to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It will be easier. The kīrtana must be there. Otherwise why we have to take so much responsibility?

Tejas: Last night it was very hard. Again no one was coming to the kīrtana.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Tejas: These persons who are staying here in the garb of devotees, if they don't come...

Mahāṁśa: Devotees.

Tejas: No one would come. It was a great struggle. Again Jagadīśa and I and Mūrti, we were alone there and we had to go and get people and again they wouldn't come.

Prabhupāda: So what is the use?

Morning Walk -- December 29, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: And what is the difference between him and the suar? Suar (Hindi) There is a narration, Brahmā came, and Indra became, by the curse of Bṛhaspati, became a suar. So he was living in the forest as suar. Brahmājī came, "All right, your punishment is now over. You come." "Where shall I go?" "The heaven?" "This is heaven." "You have got your kingdom, heaven. You have come to suffer this life." "No no, I cannot go." "Why?" "Now who will take responsibility for my, this suar?" (laughter)

Dr. Patel: I like this tale.

Prabhupāda: Then Brahmā began to kill his sewerni (?) and his pigs and others, and then he began to cry and took him by force. There is a (indistinct). Even Indra, when he comes under the influence of this tamo-guṇa, he became happy in the high life of suar.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Evening Darsana -- January 7, 1977, Bombay:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Evening Darsana -- January 7, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: No, he went... 1893.

D. D. Desai: 1893. Yes, he knows these things. Turn of last century. He wrote some letters to my granduncle. Therein he has said about the immigration difficulties and other things. And then he could finally establish certain amount of respect for himself and the Indian culture. In other words, what point I am trying to make is that the world at large does not recognize the good person from a bad person. And therefore it becomes the responsibility of good person to bring at least awareness about the good person's existence, and then they follow. Now, how many people have followed Swami Vivekananda? How many people followed to start with? These things came because of his personal contact. Now, here also the same people have all praise and all respect, all things for the movement. Similarly, we have also. We came to know, and so we are in it. Now, for example, Mrs. Gandhi is highly religious, I know. Whatever others might have feeling...

Morning Walk -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Indian man: Swamiji, I get two thoughts. Number one: having acquired a family, I am willing to renounce, but would I not be running away from the responsibility, in the name of Lord Kṛṣṇa, for the bringing up and educating the children? And second thing...

Prabhupāda: You cannot educate, neither you bring. This is māyā. Do you think... Do you think that only in your presence your children will be happy? There are... Just see here in the corner, the father, mother, and the child is always, twenty-four hours, crying. The father, mother, is there.

Morning Walk -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: This is common sense. But you cannot neglect. You are human being. You cannot say, "I did not see the signboard. I did not know the law. Therefore, by chance, I have violated." No. No "by chance." You must be punished. This is the responsibility of... Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, therefore, sings, hari hari bifale, janama goṅāinu: "I have wasted my time." How? Manuṣya-janama pāiyā, rādhā-kṛṣṇa nā bhajiyā: "I got this human form of life. I did not know what is Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa." Jāniyā śuniyā viṣa khāinu: "Knowingly, I have taken poison." A human being, if he does not become Kṛṣṇa conscious, that means knowingly, he is taking poison, and he must die.

Room Conversation -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Therefore they say, "empty stomach." (break) Kim ajito na avati upasannan. Read the meaning.

Girirāja: "kim—whether; ajitaḥ—the Almighty Lord; avati—give protection; na—not; upasannān—the surrendered soul."

Prabhupāda: That's it. Kṛṣṇa says "You surrender." And one who has surrendered, does it mean Kṛṣṇa has no responsibility? So why you are bothering to go to this dhana-durmadāndhān?

Mr. Asnani: Unconditional surrender.

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

Rāmeśvara: Yes, this is fact.

Hari-śauri: Yes.

Prabhupāda: There is no question of argument.

Rāmeśvara: No. He's not arguing that.

Prabhupāda: You cannot do. You are so poor that you are afraid to marry because you have to take so much responsibility.

Rāmeśvara: He wants to know, then, why didn't Jesus Christ say all these things about Kṛṣṇa?

Prabhupāda: Jesus may be fool. That doesn't mean everyone should be fool.

Rāmeśvara: They believe Jesus came to this world to teach people about God.

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Gargamuni: In the villages they all still worship Lord Caitanya. In the villages in Sundarbans they don't worship Ramakrishna. They worship Lord Caitanya.

Prabhupāda: Acchā.

Gargamuni: And also, when I was in Dacca, there was none of the śakti-pūjā. They had all temples of Lord Caitanya there when I was there.

Prabhupāda: So you take this Dacca responsibility. Take that temple. It will be very nice, a great triumph for us.

Gargamuni: Yes. I will go. In a Muslim country to establish Vaiṣṇavism.

Prabhupāda: The temple is nice, and let us renovate it and establish our center, and gradually, if Americans preach there, the Muhammadans will come. If Hindu preach, they'll take otherwise. But when they see the Americans have come, they'll take it little seriously.

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Gargamuni: They're not educating the population in brahmācārya.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Gargamuni: Therefore these beggars are there.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is gentlemanly, that "Why shall I take responsibility of family if I cannot maintain them properly?" That is very gentlemanly. That is civilization. "And I accept so-called family for sense gratification; I cannot maintain them and kill them"—what is this? Is that civilization? They should be ashamed to be called civilized men. Here is civilized way. Preach this because the Vedic civilization is real civilization. "You are not civilized. You have killed Jesus Christ who instructed, 'Thou shall not kill.' So you should be ashamed of your present civilization. It is... Brainwash is required."

Morning Walk -- January 24, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Qualified, that is not very difficult. For the girl, find out a boy who is hard worker or a little educated. Bas. That's all. That was the selection. Then fortune. You give a daughter under the care of the boy who can work hard. That's all. They then will earn their livelihood. Even there is no education, a hard worker will do. A boy, as soon as has got the sense that "I have got a wife to maintain," he'll work. That is impetus to give him to work for the family. And if a boy gets wife or woman without any hard working, they why he should marry? And if he has got responsibility that "I have to maintain my wife; then I can enjoy," then he becomes responsible. Wooden bridge?

Gurukṛpa: That is like Australia. That is Australia.

Prabhupāda: Australia?

Gurukṛpa: Yes, the whole country is...

Prabhupāda: Wooden bridge.

Evening Conversation -- January 25, 1977, Puri:

Prabhupāda: Where is the difficulty to become self-realized? Hm? Is there any difficulty? He must know that "I am serving. I am never master. But serving the senses, that's all, whims of the senses in the name of independence." That is not possible. Very simple philosophy. One who understands, he's self-realized. And if he preaches, then he becomes recognized. On this principle we shall help everyone. "Come here. Stay with us nicely. Nicely you can. But serve Kṛṣṇa. We take responsibility." Organize in this way throughout the whole world. Give them shelter; give them food; give them cloth. That is the most benevolent welfare activity in the human society. So here people have generally tendency to come to the beach to enjoy. "All right, we shall give you a place. Come on. Stay here. You haven't got to pay anything for food or lodging. Simply attend ārati, classes. Then... For experiment, three days' period, you see."

Gargamuni: Anyone.

Prabhupāda: Anyone.

Satsvarūpa: Even those three days they have to attend the maṅgala-ārati?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Maṅgala-ārati they must attend. It is not that sleeping, "gongongon," and taking free food, no.

Room Conversation -- January 26, 1977, Puri:

Prabhupāda: They deviating these young men from the general procedure of human civilization." Hm? What is this? Illicit sex stopped? Then where is life? This is life, if young boys and young girls mix freely and have sex, and as soon as she is pregnant, you go away, let her suffer, no responsibility. The poor girl, long before, father, mother divorce—no protector. And as soon as she selects somebody husband, and as soon as pregnancy, he goes away. And old age—there is no family, no son. Ninety-nine percent the woman class live like that. How hopelessly the old ladies are sitting down—only one cat, one dog, one television. The old men also like that, hopelessness. Or drinking or seeing the television. And a dog friend. Is that life? And we want to correct it—"brainwash."

Gurukṛpā: They are so... They have no brain to even understand this. You cannot talk to them.

Prabhupāda: No, no, we have to do. Otherwise there is no meaning of preacher. Most thankless task. We want to save them, and they accuse us. My Guru Mahārāja used to give that example: A boy is flying kite, and he's going like this. He's just come on the edge of the roof. He is going to fall down.

Room Conversation -- February 12, 1977, Mayapura:

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

Prabhupāda: It is lying vacant. So...

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

Prabhupāda: The municipal means public.

Jayapatākā: Yes.

Prabhupāda: So for public benefit why they shall not give?

Jayapatākā: Even that place at Calcutta, they never said it was illegal to give to us. They only said they didn't want to give. That Calcutta pukura, they never said it was illegal to give. So in this place, they said they want to give. So why they should...?

Evening Darsana -- February 15, 1977, Mayapura:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, this special medicine. But this is illegal. You have to go outside the United States. Even though they know about it, they won't allow it to come in because then they will lose so much money. This girl who joined us, she was telling the most horrible things. She said they're all... She had to quit the profession because she could not stand to be doing this kind of work with these people, the so-called doctors. They were so cruel and cheaters.

Brahmānanda: When Gargamuni took you out of the hospital they threatened that now you will not recover, and now it is our responsibility, what we are doing. The tried to force us.

Prabhupāda: I could understand that. Therefore I said, "No, I am quite..." (laughs) They were arranging for my brain operation, very dangerous.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This brain thing now, another thing they have done. One of the things they do now in the hospitals is they give this shock treatment on the brain.

Brahmānanda: They put electricity into the brain.

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

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. So Dhṛṣṭadyumna Mahārāja, he is also coming?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Not coming. We have to leave at least one of the sannyāsīs there to watch everything. Especially now if Sudāmā Mahārāja comes with the theater, then... I just told... I spoke to Sudāmā on the phone just now. So I told him that "The condition on which you can come is that Dhṛṣṭadyumna has to agree to stay in New York for the two weeks, because it's too much responsibility to be left alone without anybody in charge."

Prabhupāda: Our temple is always crowded.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In New York? Oh, all the time. Especially on weekends, it's very crowded. Because of the restaurant and all the different programs that are going on there, there's always people coming in. We have many different activities.

Room Conversation -- February 27, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: They'll never become. That is my experience. So what is the use of consulting me? They'll never become. Almost impossible. They'll not keep standardized.

Rādhā-vallabha: So it should just be up to them.

Prabhupāda: What is the use of consulting? They'll promise and they'll break.

Rādhā-vallabha: Yes, you were telling me in Hawaii about that, that that is the difficulty. They have no responsibility. All right, I'll tell him that.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Rādhā-vallabha: I will tell him that.

Prabhupāda: Otherwise there is no objection. I married; my wife was eleven years old.

Room Conversation -- February 27, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: He cannot see mistake. He is mistake. (laughter) He should... That is being done by this rascal. I don't want. And the Hayagrīva has..., the Easy Journey, he has changed so many things. That... He is now bad character. You should not maintain him.

Rādhā-vallabha: We should stop maintaining him.

Prabhupāda: No. He has no responsibility even on his family.

Rādhā-vallabha: His wife just came to meet him in L.A.

Prabhupāda: What she said?

Rādhā-vallabha: Well, she was asking me whether he would want to live with her. I told her that I didn't think so.

Room Conversation 'GBC Resolutions' -- March 1, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: That's good.

Satsvarūpa: Then our next business was the division of the zones.

Prabhupāda: Hm. Where is our Bhagavān dāsa?

Satsvarūpa: Starting with South America... South America's responsibilities would be divided between Pañcadraviḍa Swami and Hṛdayānanda Mahārāja like this: Pañcadraviḍa would be responsible for the temples in Mexico and Central America, Guyana, Santo Domingo and Trinidad. And he will also work as required in the Los Angeles Spanish BBT office. And Hṛdayānanda Mahārāja will retain direct responsibility for Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Chile and Ecuador, and also he was going to take on co-GBC responsibilities in Spain and Portugal, which are the same language as the books he's printing in, along with Bhagavān, in whose zone that is, Spain and Portugal in Europe, for spreading Spanish book distribution. And as for the BBT duties that Hṛdayānanda Mahārāja has, he will have Pañcadraviḍa Mahārāja assist him in that also. We passed a resolution about...

Room Conversation 'GBC Resolutions' -- March 1, 1977, Mayapura:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We wanted to encourage him, Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That's nice. No, we have got flaw in every... So it is better to try to rectify it. That's all.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: A new concept which came up more and more in this GBC meeting was the concept of more than one GBC secretary helping on the same subject. That is, some responsibilities have been assigned to be shared.

Prabhupāda: Yes, very good.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: So with this idea, I am sure the situation can be rectified even to the point of bringing Yogeśvara and his wife back.

Prabhupāda: That's nice.

Room Conversation 'GBC Resolutions' -- March 1, 1977, Mayapura:

Satsvarūpa: Brahmānanda Mahārāja will retain GBC zonal responsibility of Africa and South Africa. However, he will get cooperation of Jayatīrtha, who will...

Prabhupāda: Occasionally.

Satsvarūpa: Yes. He is already GBC of South Africa, so they will become co-GBCs of both Africa and South Africa.

Prabhupāda: Very good arrangement.

Room Conversation 'GBC Resolutions' -- March 1, 1977, Mayapura:

Rāmeśvara: And Rādhā-Dāmodara.

Satsvarūpa: ...and the Rādhā-Dāmodara party, it was decided that he should keep the responsibility of being the GBC for that area. However, Ādi-keśava Mahārāja will act as special assistant to the GBC and take the on-the-spot responsibility.

Prabhupāda: That means he'll be trained up in his place. Is it not?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: That's nice.

Satsvarūpa: And also Tamāla Kṛṣṇa Mahārāja will retain responsibility for Red China, whatever can be done there.

Prabhupāda: That's very good. (laughter) I asked him to do this last year. Very good.

Satsvarūpa: India was broadly divided, the same as it is now, of Gopāla Kṛṣṇa to do the north and west, Gargamuni Mahārāja to do the east-Calcutta, Māyāpur. And in that connection we resolved that Śatadhanya Mahārāja should take responsibility for being president of Calcutta and Panihati.

Prabhupāda: Why two?

Room Conversation 'GBC Resolutions' -- March 1, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: That's nice.

Satsvarūpa: And also Tamāla Kṛṣṇa Mahārāja will retain responsibility for Red China, whatever can be done there.

Prabhupāda: That's very good. (laughter) I asked him to do this last year. Very good.

Satsvarūpa: India was broadly divided, the same as it is now, of Gopāla Kṛṣṇa to do the north and west, Gargamuni Mahārāja to do the east-Calcutta, Māyāpur. And in that connection we resolved that Śatadhanya Mahārāja should take responsibility for being president of Calcutta and Panihati.

Prabhupāda: Why two?

Gargamuni: Panihati is very near to...

Prabhupāda: No, no, Panihati he can take, but why Calcutta?

Room Conversation 'GBC Resolutions' -- March 1, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: No. Everyone should remain in jubilation. That is wanted.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Jubilation.

Prabhupāda: You cannot make depressed. No, that is not good.

Gargamuni: But he admits that he likes to do business work and export.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. You discuss.

Satsvarūpa: Then Haṁsadūta Mahārāja will retain responsibility for the South, Hyderabad.

Rāmeśvara: Including Hyderabad.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: All of South India.

Room Conversation 'GBC Resolutions' -- March 1, 1977, Mayapura:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ...and Haṁsadūta together and work out the problems.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So he is expected here, and when he comes, we'll meet with him.

Prabhupāda: Very good.

Satsvarūpa: Then Gurukṛpā Mahārāja retained responsibility in Hawaii and Japan and Hong Kong; Bali-mardana, responsibility for Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, the South Sea islands, and for book distribution in Southeast Asia.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He was the first to go there.

Prabhupāda: Yes. He invented Australia.

Interview with Mr. Koshi (Asst. Editor of The Current Weekly) -- April 5, 1977, Bombay:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Good children.

Mr. Koshi: What is the meaning of good children?

Prabhupāda: Good children means not these rogues and thieves, but one who can understand God. That is good children.

Mr. Koshi: It is the parents' responsibility.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Garbhādhāna-saṁskāra. These are stated. It is not secret matter. When the father goes to beget child, he has to perform ritualistic ceremonies in the presence of relative, brāhmaṇas. They will understand that "He is going now to beget a child." It is not a secret thing. It is garbhādhāna. And if in a brāhmaṇa family the garbhādhāna-saṁskāra is not observed, then immediately he becomes a śūdra.

Mr. Koshi: What is not a secret thing?

Prabhupāda: Secret... Just like when we go and have sex with wife secretly. It is not secret.

Morning Conversation -- April 11, 1977, Bombay:

Devotee: Hari-bhakti-vilāsa.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Hari-bhakti-vilāsa. So Jayatīrtha wants to print it on his own. Means he doesn't want to take BBT funds. So the trustees felt that that was very good, since funds were scarce; he does a nice printing. He said that he would take responsibility for printing and distributing it. Because it is a very limited edition, it's not going to be sold to the common people, just to devotees.

Prabhupāda: No. Few copies.

Morning Conversation -- April 11, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Hm, that's nice.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "15) Foreign temples will receive records for approximately 75 cents, while North American temples will pay one dollars. All profits made by the BBT for records will go to ISKCON Food Relief. Prices may increase if the costs rise. 16) Harikeśa Mahārāja will take responsibility to prepare the Māyāpur brochure. 17) The BBT Trustees for each division are responsible for setting priorities in each division." That means printing priorities. "18) The US BBT will experiment with importation of books from India as soon as..."

Prabhupāda: What happened to that book, Dialectic Spiritualism?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Spiritual Dialectics?

Prabhupāda: Yes, Dialectic Spiritualism.

Room Conversation with Ratan Singh Rajda M.P. 'Nationalism and Cheating' -- April 15, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: So contact him. If he's sincere, let him cooperate with us. We'll make everything nice. And if they want to eat hog's flesh and wine, at the same time become harijana, (laughs) that is not possible.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So there's certain stipulations to our taking responsibility for the one hundred million harijanas.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. We can take them. Why one hundred million? Whole universe we can take. It is Kṛṣṇa ... Method is simple: you have to follow Caitanya Mahāprabhu and speak Bhagavad-gītā. Bas. Where is the difficulty? Why one hundred million? All, whole universe we can take, provided they are prepared. Our business is not difficult.

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

Prabhupāda: So it is God's desire...

Dr. Sharma: And make myself worthy of the twine.

Prabhupāda: It is Kṛṣṇa's desire that you have come. So kindly take some responsibility. You, as far as possible, translate our books in Russian and...

Dr. Sharma: I will try my best.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Guest (2): Would it be more practical if you write a separate booklet or a pamphlet for Russians who have never heard about God or the existence of God as Kṛṣṇa? These books are so deep, unless they are really...

Prabhupāda: That we have already sent, Easy Journey to Other Planets.

Guest (2): In Russian language?

Conversation: Bogus Gurus -- April 25, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Tīrtha-guru, if he's able to take him to the temple, then tīrtha guru. Otherwise he's a goru, cow, tīrtha cow. That's all.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Say like that.

Prabhupāda: Yes. (laughs) Tell them that. He's unable to show Jagannātha. Then how he's guru? It is guru's responsibility to bring him to... That is upanayana. Upanayana, this sacred thread, means the guru brings him near God.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, this man gives them some thread, makes them touch his feet, the whole thing, offer coconut...

Prabhupāda: He's a foolish rascal. What can be done?

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.

Room Conversation -- May 8, 1977, Hrishikesh:

Prabhupāda: I don't want your teaching.

Indian lady (1): Would you say that I accept duty of the...

Prabhupāda: You understand first of all. Whatever the rascal father was teaching, he was refusing. That is the quarrel between the father and the son.

Indian man (2): Śrīla Prabhupāda, what is the responsibility of some person towards the father who has given the material body to him?

Prabhupāda: Oh, don't try to understand in a minute. You read all these books. But attentively, if the child has form, the father must have form. There is no doubt of it. And what is that form? That you have to understand. And his question, the father was a demon, but the child was not demon because he refused to follow that demon father. That was his only fault.

Room Conversation -- May 8, 1977, Hrishikesh:

PrabhupādYou do not know what is householder. Therefore you have to consult śāstra, who is a householder. Śāstra says, pitā na sa syāj jananī na sā syāt, na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum: "You should not become a father and mother unless you take the responsibility for children that no more birth." Because this is the problem, janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). If you are so able father and mother that you can stop this miserable condition of your children, then you become householder. That is householder.

Talk with Svarupa Damodara -- June 20, 1977, Vrndavana:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: He even said. (laughs) So he was very nice, actually. He said that he agrees that in the Western..., especially in the United States, the leading scientists are taking too much for granted. They're saying too much, very unscientific, saying that life started from molecules. He said it's all unknown. These are all stories. So he said that it's a little too much. Science doesn't know these things. He agreed to that point very clearly. I said, "Do you think scientists like...? It is your responsibility, especially from this land, to show that the concept..."

Prabhupāda: We know.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes. And he actually was very interested, and he told me to write about Mandeha(?), the director, so that they can make arrangements and so we can speak. So I just had few hours, and I wanted to go to the Indian school for experimental medicine that is in Jadavpur. I know the director. The director is from Calcutta University, and I just about to see him, but I couldn't see him. I didn't have the time. But we have, I think, plenty of scope, doing these things on a wider scale.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Talk with Svarupa Damodara -- June 20, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Recruit them, at least some.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Very favorable and a person like that, by Kṛṣṇa's mercy... I never saw her before, but just happened to be in the right time. And she thought that whatever is thinking in the Western thought about this Darwinian philosophy is also wrong. So I requested her that "It is your duty or responsibility as a leading scientist at least to also present this knowledge. You only accept that whatever knowledge is coming from the West, especially in the science, that that is the ultimate. Why don't you also present this genuine scientific knowledge of the Gītā as factual science? That way..."

Prabhupāda: Or very...

Talk with Svarupa Damodara -- June 20, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Hm. Do.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: It will be very helpful. And I think it is also their responsibility, duty.

Prabhupāda: Great duty, great respons...

Conversation, 'Rascal Editors,' and Morning Talk -- June 22, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: I know that these rascals are doing. What can be done? How they can be relied on?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: It's not the responsibility of the BBT trustee, to see these things don't change without Prabhupāda's sanction?

Prabhupāda: And Rāmeśvara is indulging this. The great rascal is that Jagannātha? He's there in Los Angeles.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Jagannātha dāsa?

Talk About Varnasrama, S.B. 2.1.1-5 -- June 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Very good observation.

Prabhupāda: Hm. Therefore in India the father-mother takes the responsibility of the son, to make him a family man. Then leave, marry.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Not a bogus sādhu.

Prabhupāda: Then he... Father-mother knows that he'll take care of his life automatically. And the boy and the girl are not allowed to mix with second girl, second boy. They are kept strictly. And when they're grown up, they're allowed to mix and the affection becomes firm.

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

Prabhupāda: Why he should feel? If you have to work, you have to work for Kṛṣṇa.

Bhakti-caitanya: Actually we are taking a burden from his back...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Bhakti-caitanya: ...just to go here and there. And I am picking up much responsibility between...

Trivikrama: One other point is Raj Kumar Gupta, that man who is so devoted. He's now sitting in Delhi.

Prabhupāda: So you combinedly do. That will be...

Bhakti-caitanya: I am sure that if... With your blessing... Because Gupta is very influential in Delhi, and Delhi, we will also be able to get the men sitting in the rear(?) if we want, because he has so much influence in the ministry now.

Room Conversation about Grhasthas -- July 17, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So you can go.

Upendra: Prabhupādajī? I have one question since you are speaking about gṛhastha. If a brahmacārī decides to get married and then enters into married life, should he be encouraged to maintain that responsibility throughout his life?

Prabhupāda: No, no, unless he can maintain family, why should he marry?

Upendra: Well, I'm specifically questioning the fact that some... Of course, our movement is young, but so many women, their husbands leave them, and they are so young and they're left. So these young women I'm thinking may become a disturbance in the future to the movement, because how a woman can remain unmarried for so many years? Her husband has left her after a few years of marriage. Generally...

Room Conversation about Grhasthas -- July 17, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: What we can do?

Upendra: I'm saying the emphasis of marriage responsibility, I don't know if it's preached that strongly. Generally it's preached that one should not...

Prabhupāda: No, if he marries, why he should not take responsibility of maintaining? Why he should marry if he has no power of maintaining?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What does that mean, "power of maintaining," Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: He must maintain his wife, children nicely. Otherwise why he should marry?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He shouldn't expect the temple to maintain him.

Prabhupāda: That is not possible.

Room Conversation -- October 3, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: No, he's coming. Ask him then. The best thing will be... Call him immediately.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Bhakti-caru. All right. I think so also. And he would want to be here. I have no... None of us have any problem working cooperatively. It's just that I don't want to see someone be given this responsibility who's not qualified, like Sac-cid-ānanda. I don't want to trust you to his care, Sac-cid-ānanda's care. That would be very bad on our part. And Bhagatji's just... I don't know how to explain it, but I'd rather it be Bhakti-caru.

Prabhupāda: No. All of them can cooperate. Anyway, call him.

Room Conversation Arrival of Jayatirtha and Harikesa -- October 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: How the vaiśya community lives, how the different varṇas and āśramas function together, and what their responsibilities are to each other. We're trying to set up our Gītā-nagarī community based upon the teachings which you've given in your books. It is very enlivening and stimulating meeting. Dhṛṣṭadyumna Mahārāja will be coming tomorrow with his brother. And he has designed the very ideal plan for all of the varṇas and āśramas to live together.

Prabhupāda: Hm. Do it.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Jaya.

Prabhupāda: So go on.

Room Conversation -- October 11, 1977, Vrndavana:

Girirāja: Because they are the responsible people, the big city, cosmopolitan, and these small towns there's always danger.

Prabhupāda: So certificate must be transferred there.

Girirāja: Yes. We've given them the certificates and the letter, and they've taken the responsibility. They're sending the certificates by registered post to the Vṛndāvana people with their instructions to transfer the money to New Delhi. So those will definitely reach here by Saturday when the assistant general manager comes. And if there's any hesitation, the assistant general manager will take care of it when he's here on Saturday. And I would think that by Monday or Tuesday we could get the certificates changed officially. And then, I think, we should have a least one account in their main branch in New Delhi. It would probably be easier to get inward remittances there. And if we want the interest from the fixed deposits to be kept there, we can have an account there for that. And that will keep us in good contact with the head office.

Room Conversation -- October 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Five reporters. Also from All-India Radio they came.

Jñāna: They're coming again on Sunday.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes. And the press people are coming tomorrow also, day after tomorrow. So we'll try to summarize what we have studied today and try to print it nicely in the newspapers. I requested them that this is a great responsibility for the newsmen to do this genuine scientific propaganda. So I requested them they should cooperate with us. They said that they will do it. I also requested the members of the delegate to kindly attend our temple functions. Right now I think they are in the ārati, sandhyā-ārati.

Room Conversation With Bharadvaja -- October 16, 1977, Vrndavana:

Bharadvāja: Then we have... We are showing that human and animal, they have the same activity basically. So what is the difference between man and animal? So we show in this diorama. And we also show that actually sometimes animals are superior to man because they sometimes have better senses. The dog can smell better, the elephant can eat more, and the pigeon can have more sex, etcetera. So, again, why is man considered superior if animals have better senses? So then the third point, we are showing that human life means responsibility.

Prabhupāda: No, vulture, from miles afar can find out where is a dead carcass.

Bharadvāja: Vulture. Very strong eyes. Right.

Prabhupāda: Strong eye, but looking third class. (Bharadvāja laughs)

Room Conversation With Bharadvaja -- October 16, 1977, Vrndavana:

Bharadvāja: We're also showing that human life means responsibility. Even on an ordinary level we are showing that a man may break a law and he's punished, but a dog, he's not punished for breaking man's law. He may cross the street in the wrong place, he is not punished by the law, but the man is. Animals are walking without clothes, but if a man goes out in the street without clothes, he's arrested. So we are making the point here that man is held responsible for his actions, whereas animal is not. And then we show... The conclusion of this is "Therefore human life has responsibility to engage in the pursuit of knowledge and advancing, not degrading himself." Then we want to show that misuse of this human form of life, or giving up that responsibility, has created a chaos in the world, that the world has become full of madness and fear and pain, and the whole civilization is misguided. We want to show on film, side by side, U.N. politicians barking in U.N. and cats and dogs barking in the street.

Prabhupāda: That is explained by Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. Māyār bośe, jāccho bese.

Room Conversation -- November 6, 1977, Vrndavana:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Oh, it's arranged by the head of the chemistry department. There's one professor called Gupta. He's very enthusiastic. And there are also several professors who came to our conference. All of them are arranging together. There's one Dr. Sukla, also there's one Dr. Sharma. Three, four of them are organizing the lecture. They have... Most of the people I found there, they have great respect for ISKCON, and they appreciate Śrīla Prabhupāda's activities so much. I also requested them it is their responsibility to actually try to spread the genuine knowledge as a real science, scientists.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Stories and fables will not convince them.

Room Conversation -- November 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

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

Page Title:Responsibility (Conv. 1976 - 1977)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, JayaNitaiGaura
Created:11 of Jun, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=94, Let=0
No. of Quotes:94