Signature (Conversations)

Expressions researched:
"signatories" |"signators" |"signatory" |"signature" |"signatures" |"signed" |"signer" |"signers" |"signing"

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversations with Sannyasis -- March 15, 1974, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: What is that māyā? Songs are māyā?

Acyutānanda: As soon as I left Calcutta, then all the bhajanas, they are all, "Oh that's Gauḍīya Maṭha poison." Then, "Ok, the songs are all right, but the tunes are poison." Now how can I overcome that?

Pañcadraviḍa: I heard something in reference to that. You wrote one of the devotees in Calcutta. You wrote... He came to Bombay, Bhavānanda, and he said, and he had signed a letter something like, "I pray that I may be engaged in the service of my Guru Mahārāja." And you wrote back: "We are personalists to the letter, so that when we say Guru Mahārāja we always say name, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, or Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī. We don't just leave it in, as vague Guru Mahārāja. So we were singing, jaya prabhupāda jaya gurudeva, and he was saying, "Well that is impersonalist."

Acyutānanda: Also he says "Nitāi-gaura haribol! That is also, that's māyā." So, what is that?

Pañcadraviḍa: And so he was saying that all these bhajanas, they are, they are not bonafide, because they are, have...

Prabhupāda: He said: "Gaura haribol! is not bona fide?" He said, bona fide?

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

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

Gurukṛpā: They are worried. So Kṛṣṇa...

Prabhupāda: Karandhara? We made the contract to purchase the Bombay land without money. There was no money at that time. When I signed that contract.

Karandhara: Yes.

Prabhupāda: So wherefrom the money came?

Devotees: Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: And not one rupee, two rupees. Eighteen lakhs of rupees. And when I signed the contract, I had no eighteen hundred. (laughter)

Svarūpa Dāmodara: You have to make... We have to add one zero...

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: On the right side. You have to add one zero, so that 18 hundred.

Gurukṛpā: And the time when you signed the contract is the time when Madhudviṣa Swami went to Australia. He did not want to stay in Bombay.

Prabhupāda: No, I asked him that "Whether you can take charge?" He refused, "No, I cannot take charge." You know that?

Gurukṛpā: Yes, I heard.

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

Prabhupāda: No, I asked him that "Whether you can take charge?" He refused, "No, I cannot take charge." You know that?

Gurukṛpā: Yes, I heard.

Prabhupāda: Then Brahmānanda give me assurance. "I can take charge." Therefore I signed. But factually, he was as good as Madhudviṣa. (laughs) He made a contract with a, that camp, forty thousand rupees. I settled up for ten thousand rupees. So our work is going on in India and money's spent. Fifty percent is spoiled by this American brain. What can be done? There is no... They'll loot. They cheat. Like anything. Just like this camp. It was, it was Brahmānanda and Madhudviṣa combined together made a contract-forty thousand rupees. Then I said that "Then I am not going to pay you. You go." In Kumbha Melā also, the contract was ten thousand. So five thousand already paid. So I said, "I have no money. You have to become satisfied with the ten thousand." So they began some trouble, but after all, accepted. Because they make five hundred percent profit.

Room Conversation -- March 20, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: ...disciple has read it that from government side there is an article that in Iranian country they want meat, so all these skinny cows should be killed and meat should be exported so that you can get oil economically. So one should not think of this religious sentiment. They should be practical. They should not object. Government is going to open many slaughterhouse to get oil, and kill these loitering, mischief loitering cows, no food. Like that. So government policy is that religious (indistinct) is an opiate of the (indistinct). It is a sentiment. It has no value. That is government conclusion. So therefore their decision is not to encourage these temples and this bhajana. To their point of view, it is useless. So indirectly or directly, they will patronize this. So under the circumstances, we have to make vigorous propaganda, public opinion. You see? Therefore I suggest that various meetings should be arranged in big, big halls and public meeting so that public may understand, at least, that this movement is very important. And let there be advertisement, different subject matter, to invite people here. They may come. Then I will explain. And all my students and others, they may hold, arrange for pan... I'll also speak. In that meeting make a nice gentleman president. In this way, create public opinion so that they will come here and they will sign this, "Yes, here must be one temple." Take signatures and...

Guest (Indian man): Signatures of them.

Prabhupāda: Many thousands many lakhs. And this is one point... And we prove from śāstric evidences, as it is stated that, in the Bhagavad-gītā, that catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ sukṛtino 'rjuna. Bhajana, bhajante, this bhajana word is used with reference to the very pious men, sukṛtinaḥ. And just opposite number is duṣkṛtinaḥ, miscreants. So bhajana is for the most pious man, recommended in the Bhagavad-gītā, and Bhagavad-gītā is held up in so great estimation all over the world, and this man has accused bhajana as nuisance? So how much rascal and ignorant person he is. And he is one of the important position. This is government. The bhajana is described in the Vedic śāstra as,... It is a dealing of the most pious men. And he's talking it as nuisance. So far kīrtana, bhajana-kīrtana, kīrtana is concerned, Kṛṣṇa has said, satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ (BG 9.14).

Room Conversation -- March 20, 1974, Bombay:

Hari-śauri: Yeah, more or less, but it's not so good though.

Prabhupāda: This will be propaganda and to invite people to come and let them give in writing that "Here the Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa temple must be there." Take thousand, millions of signatures. So prove that it is not nonsense. It is the most essential thing. This way. And so far traffic is concerned, now, there is big road. So make two gates, in and out, this side, so there is no question of traffic convenience. In this way, do presentation. That is my suggestion. And this letter will not be very much effective.

Guest: ...jī? May I submit a matter?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- March 20, 1974, Bombay:

Guest: This about propaganda and collecting the signatures in the lakhs will not only take a lot of energy of the devotees, but it will take more time also. It is, in the city of Bombay, it is not practicable. Because people are very busy, and around the clock everybody is counting every second which he spends and more so, it's difficult for people to devote time towards a sat-saṅga or to sign the letter that they had no objection and on the contrary, the action of the police commissioner is condemnable, undesirable. That will take a lot of time. And I think by writing them a letter, by of our reconsidering, we lose nothing.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Guest: By writing them a petition.

Prabhupāda: But if... It has no effect.

Guest: I don't say there is no effect. They can always reopen the case and reconsider because the two grounds there which they have mentioned. Number one, it is a nuisance. It is to be proved it's a nuisance. And always a practice...

Prabhupāda: Then, then you have to go, public should go. Those who are interested Hindus and Vaiṣṇavas, they should go to the court and prove in the court that it is not nuisance, essential.

Room Conversation -- March 20, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Then that... No, Indian citizen we have got. Just like here. He is Indian man. Or to the... But in proportion, they are not even one percent. That is the difficulty. And if the government likes that if they make it without... Just like I was refused entrance in Africa, Nairobi. So if the government says that... There, they understand that these Americans making this satyagrama (?), or as you have proposed, then immediately, within twenty-four hours, they will be deported. Then I do not know who will manage my, so many establishment. Therefore if the Hindus and the Vaiṣṇavas, they combine together that "This is an important proposal," they go to the court, they give their signature, they come here, that will be nice. It may be long time. That doesn't matter. But that will be solid thing. And if the government becomes, "Oh, these Americans are making this propaganda," at any moment they can ask that "Within twenty-four hours you get out."

Room Conversation -- March 20, 1974, Bombay:

Guest: No, no, here...

Yaśomatīnandana: We will simply present our philosophy.

Guest: No, but your philosophy is only, you see, you are taking the signatures. So they will know, they'll see, any department will know that you are taking signatures.

Yaśomatīnandana: Oh yes. We won't say that they are rascals, we will just say...

Guest: Even though you never say that they are rascals. You know, in your personal meeting, private meeting, you may call them rascals. But when the public meeting, you never call them rascals.

Yaśomatīnandana: So they...

Guest: Then your principle is that "If we do any action, they may throw our boys out of India."

Yaśomatīnandana: But here is agitation. We are...

Guest: (indistinct) ...propaganda of collecting the signatures... (break)

Yaśomatīnandana: So I was also thinking, Prabhupāda, that we can still approach the higher level with...

Prabhupāda: Who is arranging for this higher level? Why it is open? Who is rascal, it is open and it is still open? Who is that rascal? But you do not know. This, you should never close this... (end)

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Conversation with the GBC -- March 27, 1975, Mayapur:

Haṁsadūta: No, I think it's entirely an individual...

Prabhupāda: I think this Oath of Allegiance should be signed by the presidents also.

Jayatīrtha: That's nice.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Also.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Also.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Not only the GBC, but the president.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I just want to ask a question. We're in a... This meeting right now is concerning ISKCON and the GBC, but are we going to have some kind of meeting regarding the BBT? Because that's a very pressing matter also. Is that going to come in in these discussions, or are we going to have a separate meeting?

Prabhupāda: The BBT I am conducting personally.

Conversation with the GBC -- March 27, 1975, Mayapur:

Atreya Ṛṣi: Well, that should be in the pledge, in the agenda.

Prabhupāda: No, no, GBC... Does GBC members deal with money?

Haṁsadūta: No, he does not personally. He doesn't have anything personal.

Prabhupāda: No, no. I mean...

Brahmānanda: But he puts his signature.

Atreya Ṛṣi: No, no. As GBC, we do not deal with money. In other words, if you're dealing with money, it's the temple president.

Prabhupāda: The GB...

Atreya Ṛṣi: Not as...

Prabhupāda: The GBC should see that it is being done properly. Why he should...?

Haṁsadūta: But sometimes it...

Prabhupāda: ...involve himself in the...

Rūpānuga: Well, for example, in New York...

Prabhupāda: ...internal management?

Rūpānuga: Well, in New York, for example, I just recently signed with Gopī-jana-vallabha Prabhu the papers on the farm. I signed conjointly with him on the farm because the officers had to sign, and we just recently had a thing in New York, ISKCON, Los Angeles, New York.

Prabhupāda: No, no, "sign" another thing. That I have signed, many.

Conversation with the GBC -- March 27, 1975, Mayapur:

Rūpānuga: So that's all right.

Prabhupāda: The one thing is that GBC is wandering. If the checks are to be signed, then where is the GBC?

Rūpānuga: There's no account, no GBC account.

Prabhupāda: The... The money matters should be dealt with the president, secretary and the treasurer, three men. Out of three, two should sign. And GBC's business is to see that things are going on, money matters. That's all. GBC is not supposed to deal directly. He has to inspect. That's all.

Atreya Ṛṣi: So I can cross this...

Prabhupāda: Just like... But the thing is, if the GBC and the president is the same man, that is not good. That is not good. The president should be separate. So the president, treasurer and secretary, they will deal directly, and GBC should inspect book, account, that it is done very nicely. That's all. You can question, "Why you have done this?" That's nice. Otherwise, in the..., it will be difficult to manage.

Morning Walk -- June 21, 1975, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: No, no.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrī Cinmoya.

Bahulāśva: From Bombay?

Prabhupāda: No, no. He has also. He has also. He has given us a certificate: whatever I wrote, he has signed it. Everyone has respect.

Nalini-kantha: But they do not go together. Their practice and our practice, they do not mix.

Prabhupāda: No, no. (break) ...our practice, then they are defeated. That they... (break) What they can do? But at heart they know what is their value. (break) ...and push on. You will come victorious everywhere. (break) ...sūrya-sama, māya andhakāra yāhān kṛṣṇa, tāhān nahi māyāra adhikāra. If you remain seriously in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then these people will have no, I mean to say, right to come before you. Adhikāra. They will remain far away. (break) ...how to make my watch right time?

Jayatīrtha: Oh. It's 6:32. We can change it.

Prabhupāda: You have talked with Rāmeśvara that we are not any more going to send cash money.

Car Conversation -- August 3, 1975, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: Now they are no more enemies?

Brahmānanda: They are trying very hard to be friends.

Prabhupāda: Who is trying more? America?

Brahmānanda: I think so.

Ambarīṣa: Yes. They just had a big conference in Finland. They all signed... All the heads of state of the Western countries signed a document saying that they would respect each others' boundaries.

Prabhupāda: Russian boundary, American boundary meets there. What is that? The corner?

Jagadīśa: Alaska?

Prabhupāda: Alaska. That boundary? No.

Brahmānanda: No. This is in regards to Europe, isn't it?

Jagadīśa: Eastern Europe. America finally agreed to recognize that...

Prabhupāda: East Berlin.

Car Conversation -- August 3, 1975, Detroit:

Brahmānanda: Mahendra in Philadelphia was trying to arrange a meeting with Your Divine Grace and him. There wasn't time. (break)

Prabhupāda: He is American?

Jagadīśa: I don't know. (break)

Brahmānanda: Switzerland is his home. (break) ...in this agreement that they signed in Finland was that Russia has pledged to make it easier for granting visas for families, members who are outside of Russia so that they can come to Russia and visit their family members.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Brahmānanda: So this will be good for our, what is her name? That devotee?

Jagadīśa: Mālatī? Himāvatī?

Brahmānanda: No. That girl devotee.

Prabhupāda: Mandakini.

Brahmānanda: Mandakini. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...cious animals also.

Brahmānanda: Here?

Ambarīṣa: The black people from Detroit. (laughter)

Brahmānanda: They come here?

Ambarīṣa: Yes. It's a very dangerous park.

Prabhupāda: No, black?

Morning Walk -- September 26, 1975, Ahmedabad:

Indian man (3): God. God.

Kartikeya: No, without a personality nobody can write. You cannot write your signature without a body.

Indian man (3): How did you get your actually words? From where? From where did you get your words?

Kartikeya: Well, I have got my body, so I can speak with my body. I cannot speak without my body.

Indian man (5): At that time He acted like a magician, that God. How can He reduce it into writing?

Prabhupāda: Bhagavān, original Absolute Truth... (Hindi) Janmādy asya yataḥ: (SB 1.1.1) "The Absolute Truth is that from whom or from which everything emanates." (Hindi) Everything is manufactured, everything. Now, that original source...

Indian man (3): (Hindi)

Prabhupāda: (Hindi)

Indian man (3): There are three things: jīvātmā, Paramātmā or prakṛti. (Hindi) Who is not connected with anything, He is, simply is a guide. He guides.

Prabhupāda: So formless guidance... (Hindi)?

Indian man (3): Formless guidance, Īśvara... (Hindi)

Indian man (2): If you want a guidance, then you have to become formless.

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. You are talking. You are not formless. You are giving us guidance, you are talking, but you are not formless.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation With Radha-Damodara Sankirtana Party -- March 16, 1976, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: In Bengali there is a proverb, "If you are good men, then you can accommodate yourself lying in a leaf of the tamarind." You know the tamarind leaf? That is the smallest leaf of the tree. Big tree, and the leaf is very small. (Bengali) And just contrary to that. These are American tape recorder or Japanese?

Devotee: Japanese.

Prabhupāda: All right.

Devotees: Jaya Prabhupāda! (obeisances)

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. All glories to the saṅkīrtana party, Rādhā-Dāmodara.

Devotees: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda!

Prabhupāda: Jaya.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda, we signed only the two top checks. The left we left blank so you can do whatever you want. You can fill in whatever you want on the inside.

Prabhupāda: That is good. (end)

Room Conversation -- April 23, 1976, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: ...misleader. But he himself has no character. So here it is open secret, to keep a beautiful girl as secretary, everywhere in Europe and America. So where is purity? Purity? Marriage is a taboo, and keep secretary is very good job. And you can get secretary even free of charge. Rather, she will pay. So this is going on. In Vedic civilization marriage is one of the important function of life. As death is important function, birth is important function, similarly, marriage is also important function. Janma-mṛtyu-vivāha. So in this age everywhere, not only.... The marriage is now farce. This is the symptom of Kali-yuga. There will be no more marriage. Svīkāra eva codvāhe. Even there is marriage, there will be simply an agreement. That is happening, and it was written five thousand years ago. Svīkāra eva. Svīkāra means by agreement, signing agreement. No marriage function. Otherwise marriage is a.... According to Vedic system, if one has got some money, he will spend the money in three functions. When the child is born, very gorgeously he will spend money, give in charity. Always in the Bhāg... Nanda Mahārāja is giving in charity cows and money, and Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja is giving. Kṛṣṇa, as family man, He was giving in charity. So when the child is born, the horoscope is made, and to make the child happy, blessings of saintly persons, brāhmaṇas, they are given. Ordinary men also sumptuously fed. So bhūribhiḥ.(?) Everyone gives some blessings so that the child is.... Then marriage.

Room Conversation -- April 27, 1976, Auckland, New Zealand:

Prabhupāda: So, can they pass such law?

Devotee (2): I don't think so. We're having.... Some of our men are going to meet with the council the day after tomorrow at the meeting. They're open to our side. The reason is that the businessmen have complained, some of the businessmen have complained.

Prabhupāda: Not all of them. You take some signature from other businessmen.

Devotee (2): Yes, all right.

Prabhupāda: You present that.

Devotee (2): Yes. The men who are going to speak are businessmen, devotees. One is an architect.

Prabhupāda: Then he can organize so many signatures.

Devotee (2): One is a restaurant owner, and one has a hairdressing salon. And they're going to speak...

Prabhupāda: Everyone likes; that's a fact.

Room Conversation with Siddha-svarupa -- May 3, 1976, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: But this dealing of the bank is very...

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Not good. I know. I complained to the bank manager also.

Prabhupāda: So this is right.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: They said their hands were tied because the specimen signature on the check...

Prabhupāda: They give me writing check.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Why you are talking? Give me writing, that this is not bona fide. Then we take this step, "Your check nonpayment: we will have to take steps." "We wanted this money; we have deposited the money there, and you are not paying. What is this?"

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: We are being inconvenienced by...

Prabhupāda: "So now you have to pay the balance. We did not carry the money, took a check, and immediately pay, now you have detained it. So you give me in writing why you are not paying. Then we shall take steps. We should not be punished." Sometimes they take advantage, "Oh, he is servant(?) class, he must be fool number one." (chuckles) They think it. (break) ...no loss or commission.

Conversation with George Harrison -- July 26, 1976, London:

Prabhupāda: (laughs) Simply kartal and mṛdaṅga. Still, people do not come. They'll prefer to go the factory, whole day work in the hell. (laughs) They prefer.

George Harrison: I suppose some day the whole of the world will just be chanting in the country.

Prabhupāda: That is not possible, but if some of the leading men, they take it seriously, then others will follow. Just like in our book, your signature is there, "Oh, George Harrison. Yes." They take it without any consideration. Kṛṣṇa book. Yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhas tad tad evetaro janaḥ (BG 3.21). If the leading man does something, then his followers also do. This is the way. So if some of the leading men of the world, they take this movement seriously, then people will be happy. There's no doubt about it. You have come alone, without any associate?

George Harrison: Just on my own.

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

George Harrison: It took me a while to find it. They're always building new roads everywhere and change the whole countryside. So I got a little lost.

Prabhupāda: You came here twice, right?

Evening Darsana -- August 14, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: So you don't train, how they will learn?

Indian man: No, he himself is not trained, so he cannot give any answer to the children. So I told him, "At least you get their ISKCON books. You can read now before the children can read." So he immediately signed up. He immediately paid 2222 rupees by check and he agreed "I'll read Bhagavad-gītā and everything."

Prabhupāda: We don't require much money also. We require men first. Money will come. Money is coming. I started this business forty...

Indian man: Forty rupees.

Prabhupāda: So there is no scarcity of money. Now our daily collection is six lakhs of rupees throughout the whole world.

Indian man: Per day.

Prabhupāda: Per day. So there is no scarcity of money. A business started with forty rupees bringing six lakhs daily, it is not ordinary business.

Evening Darsana -- August 14, 1976, Bombay:

Kartikeya Mahadevia: Each item. In Ahmedabad there is a very religious person who was not becoming life member at all. Without seeing the balance sheet and this and that. And I told him, "What do you mean by balance sheet? Only money matters? If ten thousand foreigners are being converted and they are following this religion and this culture, everything, is it not part of the balance sheet? Only rupees and paisas you want to see, then that's a different matter. Here the people are chanting every day sixteen rounds, they have left so many bad vices, they are propagating all over the world." Then he immediately signed up. He has gone to... He might have met you in New York. Chandrakanti Ravaiwala. He was to come on 8th July in New York. He has gone to America to see his son there.

Prabhupāda: In America, in New York, they have got a very...

Kartikeya Mahadevia: Very good temple. Tamāla Kṛṣṇa Goswami wrote to me, my friend was also there. Mr. Patetas has met you I think.

Prabhupāda: It is twelve...

Kartikeya Mahadevia: Twelve stories.

Prabhupāda: In the middle of downtown.

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

Jayapatākā: I went to Haridaspur as soon as I received your letter because Bahusvarūpa was there, making arrangement for the Janmāṣṭamī festival. So I spoke to all those people for two days, Thursday and Friday. And the land is in the name of the zamindar, Mr..., Ghosh family. There's fourteen members who have to sign. So in Haridaspur nine members are living, and they are all agreed for signing. And they say the other five members live in Calcutta. Once they sign the deed, they'll also sign. There's no doubt because that's not even in their possession. That's in the public's possession. And all the public, Anchal-pradhan and all the other leaders of that village they are also all eager to have us start . I think that we can also raise some money in the neighborhood. There's some relatively rich people. So that... I was trying to register that before I came here but because Monday is... That zamindar has one haṭṭa. And that's... His haṭṭa day is Monday, so he was busy. And Tuesday was Janmāṣṭamī by government of West Bengal, and Wednesday was our Janmāṣṭamī and Haridaspur Janmāṣṭamī, and I came here today, Thursday, so we couldn't do it beforehand. But as soon as I go back, I can register that. And... But someone should immediately come, Mūrti or Saurabha or someone and see that land.

Prabhupāda: No, no, we have to... Yes. We have to see, make plans.

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

Prabhupāda: That's nice.

Gargamuni: So we have taken many personal standing orders.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Gargamuni: We have one boy Santoṣa. He goes door to door, meeting Bengali men, and they are signing standing orders and taking Caitanya-caritāmṛta. He has already done four standing orders in about ten days' time.

Prabhupāda: Bengalis? Bengalis?

Gargamuni: Yes, only to Bengalis. Because it's in their language...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Gargamuni: They can read.

Prabhupāda: No, it is in English. Anyone can.

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

Prabhupāda: So who believes them?

Gargamuni: No, but I don't trust that bank because they already tried... They kept fifty thousand rupees. It took us two weeks to get that.

Jayapatākā: They didn't have any signature.

Gargamuni: It doesn't matter, though. It's still...

Prabhupāda: They are not... It is a small cultivator's cooperative.

Gargamuni: I wouldn't trust a small bank. At any time they can lose. They only have three or four branches.

Jayapatākā: They're backed by the Reserve Bank.

Gargamuni: It doesn't matter.

Jayapatākā: What do you mean, it doesn't matter? What big bank?

Prabhupāda: Then who is going to deposit five lakhs of rupees with them? That is not possible.

Meeting with Endowments Commissioner -- August 24, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: No, no. Scholarly. Just present that here is the... Śukadeva Gosvāmī is the speaker of Bhāgavatam. He says "I learned it from my father." And who is his father? Bopadeva or Vyāsadeva? This is going on. That is finished. (indistinct)

Mahāṁsa: Yes. Only two of them. One of them is here but he was not at home and the other one is out of station. So we'll get their signature when they come.

Prabhupāda: Two of them have signed.

Mahāṁsa: Yes. Hariprasad and Shrinivas, they have both signed. And Shri Krishnan-dyuta, he's here but he was not at home or something.

Prabhupāda: He'll sign?

Mahāṁsa: Yes. He will do whatever Hariprasad, says and Omkar Lal is the youngest brother, so he will also sign. Shall I keep this or would you like to keep it here?

Prabhupāda: As you like. You can keep it.

Room Conversation -- October 31, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: "What is this nonsense Kṛṣṇa, let us see." It is not in our disfavor, it is in favor. (chuckles) But still we have to defend. So as I suggested you collect.

Haṁsadūta: Yes.

Prabhupāda: And from Vṛndāvana you can have signature from anyone.

Haṁsadūta: Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Hm. All the Gosvāmīs.

Hari-śauri: That Atul Kṛṣṇa?

Prabhupāda: Atul Kṛṣṇa, yes. Anyone will sign for Kṛṣṇa. Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is genuine India cultural religious movement. They have got doubt: "Whether it is bona fide religion?" Yes it is.

Hari-śauri: Well, you see the process of chanting, it is not common practice and they think it is a kind of inducement.

Prabhupāda: It is kind of brainwash process.

Room Conversation on New York court case -- November 2, 1976, Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: And then it will be alright. That this is, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is genuine, and these people are trying to insult us. Bring a defamation case against these persons.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I think the best thing is to mobilise all the Indians in America because every country...

Prabhupāda: Yes, that I have already suggested, that they should take signature from all Indians that this is genuine Indian cultural movement and it a great fortune for Indians. They were bereft of their own culture and now we have got this culture again. The Ratha-yātrā is going on, we are so much enlivened. In this way they should file petition.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Just like in England they would not let you do the Ratha-yātrā, the Indians...

Prabhupāda: Ah. This is discrimination against sect...

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Against minority.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Against minority.

Room Conversation on New York court case -- November 2, 1976, Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: Yes, Indian opinion. I have already given suggestion. The Indians should come forward. And from here also, similar if the member... Respectable Indian businessmen they should say that this Kṛṣṇa cult is very, very old, genuine and we are so enlightened that Swami Bhaktivedanta has taken this movement to the foreign countries. We are so proud, like that.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. We want to do that.

Prabhupāda: And that is a fact. Everyone is feeling proud. Take all signature of the gosvāmīs here, influential, that this is genuine. Prove there, that it is genuine movement.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: And we have letters from Swami Premananda and all the (indistinct) from Bombay, and sent all these to Rāmeśvara.

Prabhupāda: Yes, everyone should join. Now people are taking this cultural movement so seriously and if our Indian leaders sleep, that is not good.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually, I have... One boy in Delhi went to the British Embassy High Commission, and saw a British paper and even in the British paper the American court case was covered. Headline was "Hare Kṛṣṇa..." I have the paper. Even in the British paper it had a prominent display.

Haṁsadūta: Probably be in German papers too...

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. In fact you would probably expect that...

Prabhupāda: British paper. What does it say?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: They were covering this court case. They had a nice prominent...

Prabhupāda: No, no. They have taken it. Now, they are after intelligent person. They are... That has been expressed by this gentleman that it is going like epidemic. They must (indistinct). That is their feeling. That Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is spreading so fast, like epidemic, we must take some steps. That is already, they have expressed their feeling. And you said that in Australia, there one man said...

Room Conversation About Gurukula -- November 5, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes, Hindi is essential. It is not difficult. The same principle as Sanskrit. Reading and writing, that's all.

Jagadīśa: So far as the financial situation, I've discussed with Bhagatji and it seems that the best idea is to open a separate gurukula maintenance account with co-signers Bhagatji and Rūpa-vilāsa, so that... Because there's so much...

Prabhupāda: So then some of them, they are getting money.

Jagadīśa: Yes, the parents are sending money.

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Jagadīśa: Because with the temple there has been confusion.

Prabhupāda: Now the temple, you can make separate account.

Room Conversation -- December 12, 1976, Hyderabad:

Tejas: So that can go into this one.

Mahāṁśa: Yes. It can go directly into this account.

Prabhupāda: So immediately open account, and whatever minimum you want, I will give you. That's all. And three signatories. Out of three, two. Yes.

Haṁsadūta: Prabhupāda, if were going to have a permanent pandal for visitors, why don't we build some simple kīrtana hall where the people can also take prasādam, something like they built in Māyāpur but not...

Prabhupāda: Do it... Do it gradually. For the time being have a pandal. Yes.

Haṁsadūta: That could be used for kīrtana and prasādam.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Mahāṁśa: That you told me just now, at that site where we have the permanent temple.

Prabhupāda: That, tomorrow morning we shall see and make a...

Mahāṁśa: A design.

Room Conversation -- December 26, 1976, Bombay:

Jagadīśa: "...is not actually religious but is an exploitative brain-washing technique. In the past and even today the leaders of the Hare Kṛṣṇa faith, as we understand, have been abducted, assaulted, and subjected to mental and physical abuse. We also understand that there are widespread pressures being applied to convince the media and the government that religious freedom should not include the choice to live by the tenets of the Hare Kṛṣṇa Hindu scriptures. We strongly feel all these developments to be objectionable to all freedom-loving people of this great country. We will appreciate if you please look into this matter and take the needed steps to halt such religious suppression. Signed, V.J. Pandhi, Corporation Secretary and Member of the Board of Directors."

Prabhupāda: V.J.?

Jagadīśa: V.J. Pandhi.

Prabhupāda: Pandit?

Jagadīśa: P-a-n-d-h-i. Pandhi.

Prabhupāda: It is European or?

Jagadīśa: Hindi. P-a-n-d-h-i. And it has been signed by Padam Dakkad, the Treasurer of the World Foundation of Religion, by S.C. Shastri, Priest in charge, Sanatan Dharm, Cultural Ashram of America, Pandit Hari Prasad, priest in charge and president of the Vedic Mission of the Americas, Prakash something, Managing Director of the Literary Guild of India, Des R. Puri, President of Hindu Center, Swami Shambu Devananda, Vishnu Devananda.

Prabhupāda: Oh, he's a very important man.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Letter to Russian -- January 5, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That's all right. Still, we have to reply them with this copy.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Okay, very good. So I should take a dictation?

Prabhupāda: Hmm.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Okay.

Prabhupāda: Who has signed that?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: That's from Mr. Yekinow. I had met him in Moscow. He's now in Delhi with the Russian

Prabhupāda: What he is?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: He is a chief of the Russian agency that imports books into Russia.

Prabhupāda: Well, so address him.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. "Dear Mr. Yekinow."

Prabhupāda: So it has come from Delhi?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: So give the Delhi address, embassy.

Letter to Russian -- January 5, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: I have heard that. That's good idea.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: That's good idea? So Hṛdayānanda Swami and Kīrtanānanda Swami are going to Africa. And on the 9th they told me to send a telegram signed by you saying you are sick and you want Brahmānanda to come immediately. So then Kīrtanānanda Swami will personally bring Brahmānanda Swami to India. But they want him to become your permanent secretary again.

Prabhupāda: I have no objection.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: You have no objection. Okay. And Hṛdayānanda Swami is ready to manage Africa till the festival.

Prabhupāda: He was experienced, Brahmānanda, in Africa. Where is that Cyavana? He is gone?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Cyavana?

Jagadīśa: He is a big mess.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Cyavana? Cyavana Swami? (break) I think they're going to have war in Africa pretty soon. They're going to have war.

Prabhupāda: War. Civil war?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: No, between... Not where Kenya is but between Rhodesia and Zambia, in that area.

Hari-śauri: Whites and blacks.

Prabhupāda: That is inevitable.

Room Conversation -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Now the money which we have transferred, so that is... You are three signatures.

Haṁsadūta: We are three signatures, yes.

Prabhupāda: So...

Haṁsadūta: From that money, nothing has been spent yet except five thousand rupees which went for the first well which was dug, which is not particularly good. They went to a 105 feet, and the well is suitable for about three acres of land. Now, since just this small trip that I made from Hyderabad to Bombay, I can understand the reason that nothing is growing in that part. It's because there's no water. Even if you dig, you don't get much water. That big square well, which is already there right behind the gośālā, there is no water in it. It does not fill up. It doesn't fill up. It's not the kind of well you pump out and then it fills up.

Guest (6) (Indian man): I could not go because without discussing this farm in Bombay.

Prabhupāda: All right, you take rest.

Haṁsadūta: I'm not tired. I can... (break) The signatures were just a... (break)

Guest (6): Prabhu was telling about the Bombay farm now... (break)

Prabhupāda: First of all we must attract people, then give them prasāda. If you have no power to attract them, then how..., what is the position? Program means men will do. If there is no men, who will do this program?

Room Conversation with Svarupa Damodara -- January 30, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: We had a meeting before I came here...

Prabhupāda: Ah, ah.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: ...in Washington with Rūpānuga Prabhu and the other scientists in our group for the Institute. So I have some papers to be signed by Your Divine Grace. So you'll read in the morning? Tomorrow?

Prabhupāda: Yes. We have started one institute, Bhaktivedanta Institute?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes. And I want to show several aspects of our journal, Sa-vijñānam. We have almost completed the first volume.

Prabhupāda: They are publishing one paper, Sa-vijñānam. How do you like this name? Sa-vijñānam. This is picked up from Bhagavad-gītā. Jñānaṁ te 'haṁ sa-vijñānam idaṁ vakṣyāmy aśeṣataḥ. Sa-vijñānam (BG 7.2). Sa-vijñānam means according to science. So did you see...

Svarūpa Dāmodara: I have some designs about the covers of the first issue. We wanted to show to Śrīla Prabhupāda. I think I have here.

Prabhupāda: We are challenging scientists that "Life cannot be produced by chemicals only. Life comes from life." They're all big, big chemists. There is another Ph.D. Another M.A.C., M.A.C., this Oriya, Faree(?). He can also join.

Room Conversation -- February 10, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: No, no. This Dāmodara Mahārāja.

Jayapatākā: The chief minister.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Jayapatākā: Yes? He gave false name; he signed it false. He said that we're coming with banduka and chasing the sādhus and that we're harassing people, beating them. So many things he wrote, false. He said, "Most envious is Bhavānanda and just like him is Jayapatākā." Then he said that "Tapomaya, he is simply their lackey. He goes and harasses people," this and that. Then the police came, and they showed us the letter, and we both looked at each other and said, "This looks like something that Dāmodara Mahārāja would do." So we advised the police, "We think that he did it." So the police went over there and they said as soon as they had the letter he started shaking. They said, "Is this your letter?" He said, "No." He says, "You wrote this letter." Because they could see he was nervous. They are experienced. They said, "All right, you give your signature." And then he signed, and although he tried to change it, they said, "No. This is the same signature. Now we're going to take you to the thānā." (police station) "No, no. I am sometimes a little crazy." Āmi ekṭu pāgala. "I didn't mean this..." Then he admitted. But he sent that to the chief minister.

Prabhupāda: Just see. How envious.

Room Conversation -- February 17, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: So we have to prove that "You have no brain at all. Your brain is like cats and dogs. That is not brain. Even if you are scientist, philosopher, the position of your brain is the same. You do not know what is that thing missing that a living being is dead. You do not know. For centuries in the history you could not answer this. So where is your brain?" On this point discuss you amongst yourselves. Write one article and send, signing your name. Is it not a fact, that "brain-giving" movement? There is no brain. Dhīras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13). "If you had brain, then you could understand. But you have no brain. Where is the question of washing? It is brain-giving movement." Am I right or wrong?

Pradyumna: Yes.

Ādi-keśava: That's right.

Prabhupāda: "It is not brain-washing, but you have no brain. There is no question of washing. We have to give you brain."

Room Conversation -- February 27, 1977, Mayapura:

Brahmānanda: So it would be printed as follows: "International Society for Kṛṣṇa Consciousness. Founder-ācārya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda. To certify that ... has attained the highest outstanding excellence in executing devotional service in the field of ... during the year 491 Caitanya Era (1976-77), this Certificate is hereby personally awarded from the hand of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, founder-ācārya of the Society, and in witness thereof, the founder-ācārya gives his seal and signature at Śrī Māyāpur Candrodaya Mandir, West Bengal, India, on this auspicious 491st birthday anniversary of the appearance of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. March 5th, 1977. Signed A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami, GBC and Temple President."

Prabhupāda: So I think the wording is little more. It can be reduced.

Brahmānanda: Reduced.

Prabhupāda: Hm. That you can... Otherwise it is all right. Try to reduce the wording little more. Then it will be all right.

Harikeśa: Rohiṇī-suta Prabhu, who's probably going to win this, he never wants to come to this festival because he never wants to stop distributing your books, not for one day.

Prabhupāda: Oh. Then his certificate should be sent at least.

Room Conversation -- February 27, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So we don't want to charge them, I don't think.

Prabhupāda: No.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Okay. Let me first ask them, before you sign this, whether they'll keep it open, because if they're going to close it now, there's no use in signing it.

Prabhupāda: No. Because in Calcutta I have got already.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Right. Do you want to see this gentleman again today?

Prabhupāda: I have no objection.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I'll see. He may not... I think he has other business. I'll find out.

Prabhupāda: So that Jagannātha, he has come? No.

Rādhā-vallabha: No. He has stayed back in L.A. He just got married, so he has business.

Prabhupāda: Let them... Let them do together.

Room Conversation -- February 27, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: That's nice. All right.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So this requires your signature and an initial deposit has to be made to open it.

Prabhupāda: So I shall do it. I'm talking with him.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So later on you'll do it, and I'll bring it to them. Okay.

Rādhā-vallabha: This system of the money, I stopped that in Los Angeles. It was becoming prevalent that whenever they wanted to do some extra service, they would want money. So I told them if they want money they can't do it in service to you. It has to be something else. Otherwise the whole thing is spoiled.

Prabhupāda: No money.

Rādhā-vallabha: All right. I'll enforce that strictly. The only money is for rent and some small maintenance, eating. That's all.

Prabhupāda: And if we have got our own place, no rent even.

Room Conversation with Svarupa Damodara -- February 28, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Yes

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Bombay's very nice.

Prabhupāda: Very nice? Yes. Now see. (laughter) He is one of the person who helped you. When I went to Africa I asked Brahmānanda, "Are you going to support me?" He said, "Yes, I'll do." Then I signed. Otherwise I hesitated, that "These people are denying property..."

Svarūpa Dāmodara: The people are envious of Bombay, especially this man, Sada. He's head of the Trombay that I talked. He was the... Everybody knew about our temple.

Prabhupāda: That is a good advertisement.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: It's not even complete yet, but already everybody knows about it, so popular.

Prabhupāda: And there is a big history behind this. (laughs) They wanted to throw away Rādhā-Rāsa-vihārījī. And I prayed always, "If you are thrown away, then it is..., my life is thrown away. You must stay here. It is a great insult." So He has not moved an inch.

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

Prabhupāda: Yogeśvara and his wife, they were doing very nice. Why they should leave?

Rāmeśvara: Bhagavān told me that Yogeśvara wanted to change his service because of family problems.

Gargamuni: He told me that also in Bhuvaneśvara, that the reason why he was leaving is because he wanted to work with his mother, who has some type of public relations job in the United States.

Brahmānanda: Bhagavān claims that all these men who signed this letter, they were spiritually weak.

Prabhupāda: So what you have decided? Yogeśvara was doing nice in translation, his wife was doing nice. So why should we lose these important hands?

Rāmeśvara: He hasn't been working at the French BBT for many months. He gave that up some time ago and was working with his wife at the gurukula.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He told me that he was frustrated. That's why he gave it up. When he was in New York he told me that had become discouraged.

Prabhupāda: So if Bhagavān and he does not agree, then he should be given better place that both husband and wife, they can go on with the translation work. It is not that he has to remain under the control of Bhagavān. That is not necessary. Let him translate independently, and wherever he likes, he can remain. What do you think?

Room Conversation with GBC members -- March 2-3, 1977, Mayapura:

Satsvarūpa: In America. The next resolution is that each GBC member is advised to take a turn as Śrīla Prabhupāda's secretary and they should approach Tamāla Kṛṣṇa Mahārāja for that assignment. Then another resolution: All devotees are expected to shave their heads once a month. If there is a necessity to keep hair, it shall not be longer than it would grow in one month. Next resolution: Individual GBC members are responsible for their presidents signing the oaths of allegiance to ISKCON and Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Pañcadraviḍa: Can I say one thing? I think we should say that to Śrīla Prabhupāda that this resolution regarding the women was also to establish schools for them to protect them from local laws, to establish schools where they can learn domestic arts.

Rāmeśvara: That's true.

Pañcadraviḍa: That was passed.

Satsvarūpa: Resolved: Tuṣṭa Kṛṣṇa's group in New Zealand and Siddha-svarūpānanda Swami in Hawaii should pay the same price for BBT books as the temples in the ISKCON, not less, as they are paying now. It is well known that these groups preach actively against ISKCON. In response, although we should point out their philosophic defects, we should not directly confront them but remain aloof from...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In other words, no fighting with them.

Prabhupāda: This is to give them chance. They are chanting. Some way or other, keep them alive.

Room Conversation -- April 2, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: So he will get order anywhere if you present this.

Gargamuni: Yes. "I have also found the Hindi book Īśopaniṣad to be of excellent quality. I am hoping that every sincere seeker of truth and higher knowledge will find repose in the books of Swami Bhaktivedanta." Signed, V. P. Singh, Professor and Head of the Department of Hindi, Benares Hindu University.

Prabhupāda: It is a very important document. It is written nicely.

Gargamuni: Oh, yes.

Prabhupāda: And print it. Wherever you go, you'll get order.

Gargamuni: Yes. Especially now the new prime minister is emphasizing Hindi literature and the study of the Vedas.

Prabhupāda: And send him one copy.

Gargamuni: Oh, yes.

Prabhupāda: Request him that introduce this Hindi Bhāgavatam to all government officers.

Room Conversation -- April 2, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: No. Sometimes there is nasty breezes coming.

Gargamuni: That still comes. Every morning at six o'clock we wait for that. Guru dāsa was thinking of writing letters to the municipality, signing it in foreign names, that "I am a tourist staying in a hotel, and this smell is coming. Something should be done." Because they should have a pipe back there instead of a river. One of those big round pipes.

Prabhupāda: They must doing something.

Gargamuni: The thunder showers have started in Bengal now. So it is not so hot when I was there.

Prabhupāda: Kala-vaise.(?) (devotees discuss weather) So get a bank immediately here.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I'll do that first thing in the morning. Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Gargamuni: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Jaya. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Room Conversation -- April 13, 1977, Bombay:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: (reading letter) "The Chief Minister's Secretariat, Government of Maharastra, Saciwalya."

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's not a very long note. It's signed by the Undersecretary. It says, "Dear Sir, I am desired to acknowledge with thanks receipt of your letter dated the 3rd April, 1977. Yours faithfully, Undersecretary." You sent him a very personal letter. I think he should have... He may be a little bit depressed at this time due to having to leave office.

Prabhupāda: That was his dilemma. If he said, "No, we cannot cooperate or join this..." I asked, letter?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: And he was condemned. Officially he cannot make statement.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Hm?

Prabhupāda: Officially he cannot write that "I should join." Then it becomes a great certificate. We don't mind.

Room Conversation -- April 13, 1977, Bombay:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, this is the checks. The amount remaining in the bank is 371 rupees and 19 paisa. Should I make out the check?

Prabhupāda: Why check? There is standing visa(?). Check, they will come.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, the reason why we need the check is that this letter is only signed by Your Divine Grace, but this check is signed by the joint signers, Śyāmasundara and...

Prabhupāda: Then inquire. What is the...?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think one check should be written out for those...

Prabhupāda: Pay to yourself. That's all.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, pay to self.

Prabhupāda: Pay to your... No.

Girirāja: Self.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Pay to self," yeah. Should I make the check out?

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Room Conversation -- April 13, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: So you can stay there. We have a good place.

Girirāja: He sent... I didn't bring them with me. He sent two of his books with a message, and he said that he wanted your blessing.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: When you give them to me, we can write him a letter inviting him to come, thanking him for the books. Śrīla Prabhupāda, this telegram arrived. Remember that letter from Mahāṁśa requesting 75,000 rupees for his farming? So we've replied him. The letter's going to be given to you today for signing. First of all agree to the principle of the loan, then I'll give you... So a telegram arrived. "Please expedite letter dated 9/4/77."

Prabhupāda: So do it.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So still we should send him that letter. Okay. I think... I mean, there has to be a principle of loan. Otherwise... Apart from that, there wasn't any... (end)

Morning Conversation -- April 19, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: And what about municipality?

Girirāja: I met Mr. Rajda, and he had written a very nice letter to the Commissioner, and, the thing is, the typist made many mistakes, so in his office I personally retyped it, but by that time it was too late to meet the Commissioner, so he said to ring up today. But I also met the architect yesterday, and he says that the permission for the Gurukula is ready. It's signed and everything, and he's going to pick it up, I think, tomorrow morning. So in retyping the letter I minimized that. He said that actually those people were helping us, but they just had to, you know, dispose of Matrey's objections first. So the main things we're approaching for is this ten-foot piece of land, which is going to be a constant trouble.

Prabhupāda: They have no use to ask for this ten feet.

Girirāja: No.

Prabhupāda: Neither they have paid for it.

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

Prabhupāda: So let us arrange like that. So... So let us arrange. Let us go there. If it is cooperation available, we take immediately. There is no doubt. Because we want to organize every village. Pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma. (CB Antya-khaṇḍa 4.126) That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission. Not only your vill...

Mr. Dwivedi: So ours has been an institution, signed and all that. We're carrying things in the majority, but really...

Prabhupāda: So now one thing...

Mr. Dwivedi: ...we are working under the direction of our guru.

Prabhupāda: ...can be said in the meantime, how this property...

Mr. Dwivedi: He started all this. He is my guru. He started this, all the activities there. And we were all working under his directions. When we had our, say, our discussion, if he liked, he said, all right. If he did not like, if...

Prabhupāda: And that should be.

Morning Conversation -- April 30, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Our?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah.

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.

Conversation with M.P., Shri Sita Ram Singh -- May 19, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So we have no... We don't think anything in the...

Sita Ram Singh: Rajbhai Sampatte, he's a religious-minded man.

Prabhupāda: (Hindi)

Sita Ram Singh: And he should make a point. But the case should be just signed. Of course, a mandate of residency(?) of your admission should also be...

Indian man (3): Could the government not do the such and such...

Prabhupāda: "Go out!" (Hindi)

Sita Ram Singh: So he came elected. Because he's in power, Rajbhai is in power, whatever he has got...

Prabhupāda: But who will induce him to give up?

Indian man (3): If he can... He can elect him.

Prabhupāda: He can do everything, but who will induce him to do?

Sita Ram Singh: I don't know when I shall go to Delhi again, but in case if I go, I will bear it in mind.

Discussions -- May 20-22, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: That I shall do.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And in regard to the money which is held in your name, which will be used for the society, that should also be... Your signature should be given as a power of attorney to two or three other persons.

Prabhupāda: That's all.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Other than that, you already formed the Māyāpur-Vṛndāvana Trust. Everything is there.

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: BBT is there.

Prabhupāda: These are the points.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And I have the numbers of your fixed deposits, so when you mention the former family members, we can specify which deposits they are.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Discussions -- May 20-22, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Belong to the society.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. And you can again either have those... Same persons who were power of attorney to your signature can handle those properties, sign on your behalf if anything is required. I think the only place where there's properties in your name is in Māyāpur, so far I know. I remember you... I originally purchased the land. I think I purchased in your name.

Prabhupāda: So you have to decide how to manage very nicely. Otherwise will is also given.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So far calling the men here, you actually feel... You said this morning there are two things: surviving or preparing for departure. But actually you are feeling that, the latter, and how all of the GBC cannot be called. I think they...

Prabhupāda: So let... Let them come and be present.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Let them come?

Prabhupāda: Yes. I have no... I have no objection.

Conversation Pieces -- May 27, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: And the majority decision should be always accepted.

Rāmeśvara: The last section is called "The Term of the Trust." "This trust shall be irrevocable. In the advent of an inadvertent disqualification of this trust under the laws as they may exist from time to time, which may require a dissolution of the trust, the entire trust holdings shall in that event be distributed to the International Society for Krishna Consciousness." Then, following that, there's a page which says, "In witness whereof, we have executed this trust on this day," and it has a place for your signature as Founder-Ācārya of ISKCON, then another signature of Your Divine Grace as the chairman of the Bureau of ISKCON, and then a signature of Girirāja as a member of the Bureau of ISKCON. Then, on the last page, the acceptance of the trust. And it says, "The trustees hereby accept this trust and the obligations imposed thereby and undertake to hold, manage and administer the trust in accordance with the terms of this agreement." And it has a place for the three signatures of the three trustees.

Prabhupāda: I think it is all right. It is all right. Bring this typed. Make everything. That's all right.

Rāmeśvara: This will make it impossible for anyone to cheat.

Prabhupāda: Yes, as far as I can see, finished. Yes. Jaya.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Now the next group will come, Śrīla Prabhupāda, for kīrtana.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

GBC Meets with Srila Prabhupada -- May 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Of this committee.

Girirāja: Yes.

Prabhupāda: That's nice.

Girirāja: And then the signers would be, in Bombay, Tamāla Kṛṣṇa Goswami, Gopāla Kṛṣṇa and myself, two out of the three. And then in Los Angeles, jointly, Rāmeśvara Mahārāja and Satsvarūpa Mahārāja.

Prabhupāda: Very good.

Girirāja: Then, for the BBT, the idea would be that the principle amount should not be touched, but it can be given, you know, for loan if absolutely necessary, just as you have been doing. But the idea is that that amount should always be repaid.

Prabhupāda: On principle.

Girirāja: Yeah.

Prabhupāda: Even by chance it is not paid, don't mind. Business should not suffer. That's all.

Girirāja: Yes.

GBC Meets with Srila Prabhupada -- May 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa will give them. You are increasing the book sale. That is Kṛṣṇa's favor. Kṛṣṇa is assuring, "Don't be disturbed about money matters. I'll pay you." But don't be very loose or extravagant. Every paisa should be spent very cautiously. That is wanted. So it is all right.

Girirāja: So the signers on this account would be Tamāla Kṛṣṇa, Gopāla Kṛṣṇa and myself, two out of three.

Prabhupāda: Don't open many accounts at the bank. The same signer, one or two of them must sign the... The accounts may be in your books, but there is no necessity of opening so many accounts and different signers. That is not necessary.

Girirāja: Right. So these are actually the same signers as the Māyāpur-Vṛndāvana Fund.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Girirāja: And in some cases... I mean, there are different accounts distributed in different places that should be...

Prabhupāda: That you can keep in your books, not in the bank.

Discussions -- June 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Like that.

Jayapatākā: Properties in America can't be sold unless...

Rāmeśvara: We had a GBC meeting, and we made a system so that there are three GBC men assigned to every American property, and they can't even be mortgaged without the signature of these three men.

Prabhupāda: And that declaration should be taken. That you are already taking.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, I am in the process of getting them all, oaths of allegiance.

Prabhupāda: Hm. Oath of allegiance. That should be maintained.

Rāmeśvara: So we've already fixed it up for the American temples, with three GBC men assigned to each building, but it hasn't been mentioned in the will.

Prabhupāda: No, why not?

Rāmeśvara: It should be. So we'll have to add a clause...

Prabhupāda: Add it.

Room Conversation-Recent Mail -- July 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Organized very nice. Hm. "Gargamoney." (laughter)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Kindly fill in the form below to receive your first volumes." Then it says, "Name and age, date of purchase, address, city, state, country, type of business, phone, number of sets to be purchased." Number of sets to be purchased. It's very hopeful. "Whether encyclopedia is for personal use or other, please explain." 'Cause they're going to keep a file to see what people use it for. "Number of books to be received each year. Amount given as advance." He says, "At least fifty percent of the total cost can be given for the complete set as advance, and balance to be made in yearly installments. Signature of purchaser. Please note: The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust shall fulfill its obligation to supply all books to the purchaser as agreed upon and shall ship all books postage prepaid to any part of the world. Dated and signature of the salesman. Checks to be made out in the name of Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, Bombay. The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust Library Encyclopedia of Vedic Knowledge, Founder-Ācārya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda. Recommendations and appreciations by leading scholars of India on the BBT Library Encyclopedia of Vedic knowledge." He seems to have got a lot... I don't know how he did this. It says... These are different recommendations. It's from the Minister of Education, Government of Maharastra. Shrimati Patiba Patel. " 'I therefore wholeheartedly recommend this encyclopedia of our culture and all BBT publications to all educational institutions, schools, libraries and colleges concerned with the moral and cultural development of their students within the boundary of Maharastra and throughout the world.' " See, each one he has the word encyclopedia bold and underlined. "Ph.D. from Harvard University." All different big personalities. "The Mayor of Bombay. Padma Bhushan, Vice-Chancellor of Baroda University. Professor of Gujarati language, Gold Medal winner and author of 36 Gujarati books." Another man. "Award-winning Gold-medalist in Gujarati literature." "Award-winning author in Sindhi literature." All these people are giving their recommendations. "Award-winning author in Sindhi literature." "Head of the Department of Sanskrit at Bombay University." "Head of the Department of Sindhi in RC College, Bombay." Then he has a review by P. M. Joshi. "Dr. P. M. Joshi, past director of Archives and Historical Monuments, Maharastra government; past professor in charge of History, Bombay and Poona University." So many different titles. Then he has one from Prabhudas P. Patwaria, a governor of Tamil Nadu. And another one from the Deputy Director, Research of the Lok Sabha. Would you like to see some more things, Śrīla Prabhupāda? The next one looks... This next one is also from Gargamuni. It includes a letter, Śrīla Prabhupāda. "My dear Śrīla Prabhupāda, please accept my humble obeisances at your divine lotus feet. We fervently pray that Your Divine Grace continue to remain in this world because we need your personal guidance. Even when Lord Kṛṣṇa disappeared, Arjuna lost all strength temporarily."

Prabhupāda: I shall remain your personal guidance, physically present or not physically, as I am getting personal guidance from my Guru Mahārāja.

Room Conversation-Recent Mail -- July 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: They are approaching municipal libraries?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah. " 'But for all libraries of the world, wherever people have a sincere interest to go into the depths of Vedic philosophy.' Signed Murali S. Deora, Mayor of Bombay."

Prabhupāda: Very good.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Next, from the Indian Institute of Technology in Bombay. This is from Dr. Ram Kanstanari(?) Chairman of the Department, Indian Institute of Technology, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences. " 'Sir: I am pleased to make the following comments concerning your beautiful and learned publications, Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta of Gosvāmī Kṛṣṇa Kavirāja and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, both written by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda. I feel that these works are the result of Swami Prabhupāda's extraordinary commitment to the bhakti cult in the Indian tradition. Swami Prabhupāda's style and language are full of the flashes of his intuition. They clearly represent his realization that love for God and for mankind should be the foundation of all interpersonal relations. Kṛṣṇa is the symbol of this love. He is the Absolute in an incarnate form. Love for Kṛṣṇa therefore sung in all forms of devotion-laden language asserts man's empathy towards His entire creation. The Central Library of the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, has already secured, on my recommendation, the above-mentioned works complete. These works are read by the faculty and students here, not only for their religious message but also for the unique interpretation they embody of the traditional cult of bhakti in India. The poetic and devotionalistic tenor of these works, I am sure, would make one realize the meaning of man's dependence on God. I have no hesitation to state that His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda has done an immortal service to the movement of devotionism and Hinduism in particular and in world religions in general, by so ably bringing out these works in beautiful English. Every library in the world that is engaged in promoting the welfare of the human self by turning it towards the supremacy of the divine spirit...' "

Prabhupāda: Everyone is recommending. All libraries.

Room Conversation -- July 27-28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: It advertises all your books. Plus, Śrīla Prabhupāda, I had signed a contract with the biggest mail-order house in India, called Mail Order Sales. And this week their full-page advertisement on the Bhagavad-gītā is reaching 25,000 households. Their ad wasn't ready, but they are sending it to me in few days. It's a very beautiful ad. They have a monthly newspaper called Mail Order News, and that they've given a whole page. But they pay for it. We give them a straight commission on sales. Just like in America you have Book of the Month Club and selling books by mail. This is very big. Plus we are now doing the Bhaktivedanta Encyclopedia of Vedic Knowledge. We are preparing a brochure just like this. This is a Brittanica Encyclopedia advertisement. So we're going to have your nineteen or twenty Bhāgavatams here. The artists are working on it and this is going to be sent to about thirty thousand households. These are just for households, not libraries or anyone, just as selling to businessmen and executives.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Who's going to do this?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Mail Order Sales. It's a company that specializes in mail orders. This will be very good.

Prabhupāda: Everything you do, it is... Now, utilize. So one book has come only.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I've got three books. Two you can keep. One... I'll give one to Prem Yogi, Bhakti-prema Mahārāja.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Is his name in there?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, as the translator.

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) Translator? Anyway, it is the teachings.

Room Conversation -- October 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: No. What do they say?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And they also acknowledge having received it, having received the two fixed deposit receipts. The bank manager stamped it, dated it, signature. We gave them the receipts signed, so they acknowledged having received it.

Prabhupāda: But they have not issued any letter, "Yes, it will be done"?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, their acknowledgement of the letter should constitute that. I got them to acknowledge that they received the original. The fact that they would take the receipt of the fixed deposits indicates that they have to do the needful, as we have instructed them. And I have no doubt that they will do that. When they came to see you, they accepted that they would have to do that, because the money was sent to them, the four lakhs.

Prabhupāda: So other banking business going on? Huh?

Akṣayānanda: Generally everything is all right, yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Bank is giving good service?

Akṣayānanda: Yes. It's all right.

Prabhupāda: Go on.

Room Conversation -- October 3, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Let him meet.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: All right. They need his specimen signature anyway, so that will be a good reason to go. Actually, most customers they have are small, so they're afraid of the bank. But a society like ours with so many connections in Delhi and other places doesn't have to be in the same position as an individual.

Hari-śauri: These men here, they want some false prestige for keeping Prabhupāda as...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They want the money also.

Hari-śauri: Yes. They want to use the money in the bank.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's the point. They get elevated positions.

Hari-śauri: Yes. Advertises them very nicely without...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And they get raises. They get promotions. But they've lost money instead of gotten more, because of the way they've dealt with Prabhupāda.

Hari-śauri: Mean consciousness. Kṛpaṇas.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I didn't want you to have to get involved again, Śrīla Prabhupāda, with them.

Prabhupāda: Therefore I say do the needful.

Room Conversation -- October 9, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Girirāja? Did not go to the bank?

Girirāja: The bank? Well, yesterday we delivered a letter signed by Tamāla Kṛṣṇa Goswami and myself officially instructing them to transfer the fixed deposits from here to Delhi. So there are a couple of formalities. And so the Delhi manager gave us a note what we have to do. And Tejiyas says that the former chairman of the Punjab Bank is a life member.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Girirāja: So he said that he could even come with us and meet them. So the new chairman, I mean the present chairman, is coming on Tuesday. So I think we'll get all the formalities ready, and then we can go on Tuesday. Today is Sunday, so we couldn't do anything today.

Prabhupāda: So these people have agreed?

Girirāja: The local people? Well, they have not agreed. That's why we felt that we have to meet the chairman. Legally we have every right to transfer the fixed deposit wherever we like, and if the former chairman is with us, then they can't give any false excuses because he knows all the rules. Actually we're not asking for anything special. Otherwise we're... Probably the local people will try to avoid giving it up. But this is our right, and the chairman has to uphold our right as customers of the bank.

Prabhupāda: What is their plea here?

Girirāja: Local people? Well, they will say that there's no reason to transfer the fixed deposits.

Prabhupāda: We have reason.

Room Conversation -- October 9, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Whatever they are asking, they can write.

Girirāja: Yes. They wrote it on the bottom portion of the letter which we wrote them. Of course, we can ask them to write again on their own letterhead. Otherwise they've already written on the copy of our letter to them, and they signed it with their rubber stamp. Anyway, there's no problem, because when we go there we can just ask them to type up the same thing on their letterhead so it's more official.

Prabhupāda: What letter they gave?

Girirāja: Well, on our letter... On the copy of our letter they wrote back to us that we should give them a copy of the same letter which we addressed to them, but we should address it to the Vṛndāvana branch. And then they will present that letter to the Vṛndāvana branch and ask them to transfer the money.

Prabhupāda: Well, why don't you do that?

Girirāja: Yes, we're doing that. And the second point is the Delhi office wrote that we should give them the fixed deposit receipts and they will give us a receipt for that. Then they will get those fixed deposit receipts changed over to the New Delhi office, and then they will give us back the certificates and we will give them back the receipt.

Prabhupāda: So there is no problem. Huh?

Girirāja: Well... The only problem is if the Vṛndāvana people try to hold on to the receipts and make difficulty. In ordinary course of business there is no difficulty. This is the ordinary procedure. So we will try to arrange that the endorsement of the certificates to New Delhi could be done in our presence instead of our giving them the certificates.

Prabhupāda: What is that endorsement?

Girirāja: That this money, instead of being payable from Vṛndāvana, now we can take that money from the New Delhi office.

Room Conversation -- October 11, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: All right.

Dr. Kapoor: If I stay on, we'll continue to speak.

Brahmānanda: So they are getting now free transportation. "For all invited guests-food, lodging, and transportation between Delhi and Agra, and the conference site will be arranged free of charge." So these are all confirmations, people's signatures.

Dr. Kapoor: I see.

Prabhupāda: Who is giving free?

Brahmānanda: We are giving free transportation, lodging and food.

Room Conversation -- October 13, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Make a loan from Los Angeles to the BBT, and the BBT will repay it with the regular bank interest. Is that all right? Had you given power of attorney, now that the MV trust has approved it, Girirāja and I can sign on your behalf. See, we'll never sign on our own. We only sign after we get authority from the respective committee or from Your Divine Grace.

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We're only mechanical signers.

Prabhupāda: Very good. Make the body centered.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Make the body centered? Which place is not centered, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: More.

Room Conversation -- October 20, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So, they have issued any covering letter?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: More or less a covering letter. I mean we have certain correspondence, but on the receipt itself it says transferred... The whole thing is done pakka. When we gave the receipts to Vṛndāvana branch they signed that they received them. When we gave the letter to the head office originally telling them what we wanted to do, they gave us back in writing, "Take the receipts, give them to the Vṛndāvana branch. They will be transferred, then you will collect them in Delhi." Everything is in writing, documented.

Prabhupāda: And no new receipt issued?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No. Not a new receipt issued. We wanted a new receipt, but they did not issue a new receipt. I was expecting to get a new receipt, but they didn't give. They simply noted on these receipts.

Prabhupāda: Do you think that is sufficient?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yes, definitely.

Prabhupāda: That's all.

Room Conversation -- October 21, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: No, no, he says you do not require. He said you collect through bank. Bas.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But just like when you collect through a bank, you first have to sign.

Guest (1): You have to sign.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, that's what I'm trying to say. You have to give the signed certificates to the bank, and they'll make collection. But you have to sign them. So the signers are here in Vṛndāvana.

Guest (1): No.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, I say the people who have to sign are here in Vṛndāvana.

Guest (1): So you have got bank account here.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, we can collect through the bank here. But first of all we have to get the certificates in order to sign them. That you have to explain to Prabhupāda. He's thinking that without signing...

Prabhupāda: Yes. They'll collected here.

Room Conversation -- October 21, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But, Prabhupāda, your sister first of all signed them. Her son collected, but she signed on the back first of all.

Prabhupāda: Did the...

Guest (1): (Bengali)

Prabhupāda: (Bengali)

Guest (1): If you have already power of attorney, then I think that...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We already have power of attorney for signing any kind of..., these kind of businesses, joint power of attorney.

Prabhupāda: In Mathurā why don't you go just now? He is also going?

Guest (1): (Bengali)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: See, first you have to have the certificates. That's what I'm trying to explain to Prabhupāda. This is only an identity slip. This has to be surrendered with the certificates.

Guest (1): To any post office.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Right.

Room Conversation -- October 21, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And they're going to want to see Prabhupāda's signature. But since Prabhupāda is not signing, then we will show them our power of attorney, yes, power of attorney, as well a copy of our notarized signature, so that they see that these are the same people, and then we will sign on the back. And we can do it through our bank. I won't directly approach the post office. We'll do it through our bank account.

Guest (1): If you have power of attorney, that will be done.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Through the bank. That's much easier.

Guest (1): Moreover, you can ask much.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: At the post office. So you're going to Mathurā now?

Guest (1): Yes, I am going to Mathurā.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So you want to go with me to the post office there?

Guest (1): Because I have no time.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, time is short. See, Prabhupāda, I was planning to go to the post office.

Guest (1): Or I can let you know everything to him.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah. The main question's just that... And actually there is no need to...

Guest (1): But if you have power of attorney, then everything will be... But you have to collect it from bank. That would be easier.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. We will do it through the bank, not directly.

Prabhupāda: So why don't you do that?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's what we're doing.

Prabhupāda: It is going to be due within fortnight.

Room Conversation -- October 21, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: First thing that has... Prabhupāda, one thing is that this power of attorney is to Girirāja and myself. So, one thing Girirāja is doing when he-he's reaching Bombay tomorrow—is that the power of attorney doesn't show our authorized signatures. In other words, a notary has to notarize our signatures, that these are actually the signatures.

Prabhupāda: This Asnani has gone? Asnani already left? That...? Our lawyer friend?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Mr. Asnani executed a power of attorney to Girirāja and myself for signing on your behalf. But our specimen signatures have to be notarized. So that, Girirāja is getting done by the same notary who notarized the power of attorney. Then Girirāja is sending me that document. Soon as he gets to Bombay, he'll have it done on Monday. Then he's sending it to me. Then I'll have the copy of the power of attorney plus the copy of the notarized signatures, and these two together I'll send with a letter to the bank to send the certificates here. When the certificates come here, then I'll present them to the local bank to make collection from the post office.

Guest (1): Yes, that is the...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's the system. It's going to take a little time. It will be matured. It may take a week or so more because we have to send from Bombay and then to Calcutta, then it has to come back here. Even if it takes an extra week, there's no great harm, I think. We'll try to have it done by the date, but I think it may take a few extra days.

Guest (1): No, even it takes more time, they will give you the tax for tax deduction.(?) (indistinct)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You can explain to Prabhupāda that the system we are doing is the correct system.

Guest (1): Because we cannot sign now.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No. But you should explain to him that you agree.

Prabhupāda: I can sign, but it will not be...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The same.

Room Conversation -- October 21, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Therefore...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In any case, Śrīla Prabhupāda, we have to bring the certificates here. That's the first thing. Whether it's your signature or whether it's our signatures, the certificate has to be brought here.

Guest (1): You may sign. If both of these will be given to me, that will do.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. We'll give in this plus the certificates to the bank, and they'll give us a receipt.

Prabhupāda: So you can take the copy of the safe custody receipt and inquire into Bank of Baroda.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You want me to give him the receipt?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But then how will we be able to get the certificates out? The receipt has to be presented when you want to withdraw from a safe custody...

Prabhupāda: No, give him the copy and let him explain to the bank manager that we want to check it.

Room Conversation -- October 21, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I can give you the details and the number, account number. You can make a specific inquiry. The main thing is just to inform them of the fact that there's a power of attorney coming with a notarized specimen signatures are coming, and there will be a letter of direction with those two signatures, directing them to send the certificates by registered mail here, because Prabhupāda can't sign the same signature. That's basically all you have to do. This bank has already accepted one copy. (indistinct) Either way... (indistinct) (break) Śrīla Prabhupāda? Gopāla Kṛṣṇa is here. He just returned from Bombay.

Prabhupāda: What news?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda said, "What news?"

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I have a new Hindi Back to Godhead for you, Śrīla Prabhupāda. I have met the Home Minister about two months ago regarding permanent residency visas.

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I got a letter from the Home Minister's secretary, saying that they're considering it seriously, and he just asked me for some more information, And actually the answers to all the questions that they have asked are positive. In other words, they have asked questions like "For these foreign students, will ISKCON pay for their boarding and lodging? How many years' course is it?" So it appears... I'm going to see them again next week. We may get our permanent residency visas. This is the first positive sign.

Prabhupāda: They have made some inquiry.

Room Conversation -- October 27, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: That we shall have in..., conveniently, not immediately. Immediately there is Bombay.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. (Hindi) And the mayor, ex-mayor, has given telegram. Where is that telegram? This is a telegram... It says, "Pray God, Kṛṣṇa, to give you long life to spread Indian culture in every nook and corner of the universe. Signed Raji K. Ganatra, ex-mayor of Bombay." He's very convinced, Śrīla Prabhupāda, about Your Divine Grace and this movement, because he traveled around the world and stayed as a guest at our temples, and he was amazed to see how this Indian culture had actually been transplanted and taken root in all of these countries all over the world. He could not believe it. He was so amazed and impressed. He said that he's seen genuinely that this Indian culture has been taken up in true spirit.

Hari-prasāda: This is the first movement that has started (indistinct).

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Hari-prasādaji said that...

Hari-prasāda: No Prabhupāda, this was the first mission which had started...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- October 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: And he has got the papers?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He gave them back to me to keep in the almirah locked up. He said until he goes he wants me to keep them carefully. I said all right. And I'm getting him a ticket as well as sending the letters by special mail service to Bombay for Girirāja's signature, so that at least from our side there will not be any reason to delay. And when I showed him the letter that I had written to the bank, he was very satisfied. He could understand that there should be no difficulty now. He was quite confident after reading the letter. The letter is very clearly written, and with the power of attorney it's a complete document. I think everything was done all right. He seemed to be satisfied.

Prabhupāda: So what about kavirāja? He might think it is a whimsical. And that was my last desire. You could not.

Room Conversation -- October 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, it won't be troublesome. The best thing... We can't, though. The best thing, Śrīla Prabhupāda—I will give a letter informing the bank to make payment to Vrindavan-candra alone. Beyond that, I will also immediately write another of the same letter with my signature and get Girirāja's signature, and I will, at the same time, give Vrindavan-candra a copy of the power of attorney, so that first of all you'll have my letter... Just like this: if Prabhupāda were to sign a letter to the bank to pay all the money to you, will they pay it to you? Definitely. Right? So he's given power of attorney jointly to myself and Girirāja in Bombay. Since I... I will sign one letter just myself, and you try and work on that letter. And I'll give you a copy of the power of attorney. At the same time I'll send the exact same letter, but with a place for Girirāja also to sign. Means it will reach Calcutta another four or five days after you reach.

Vrindavan De: For the accounts being offered by Prabhupāda? So bank will accept the signature, only those who operates the account.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Exactly. But Prabhupāda has given power of attorney to operate all accounts to myself and Girirāja jointly. That's what I'm saying. I'll give you a copy of the power of attorney, notarized copy, and I'll give you a letter, stating to the bank that all of the money should be paid to your Vrinda Book Company. You follow?

Vrindavan De: Not to me.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, no. To Vrinda Book Company. And I'll get that letter signed by Girirāja also. The fact is, you don't need that letter before the 7th of November, because that's when the payment has to be made. You follow? There's plenty of time. There's ten days' time. For me to give a letter... The letter will be taken to Delhi. It will reach Bombay on Monday. Definitely. I'll send it by QMS. They'll send it to Calcutta by QMS. It will reach by Tuesday. It will reach by the 1st, 2nd or 3rd of the month.

Vrindavan De: Tuesday evening possibly.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: By the 2nd or 3rd of the month it will reach. Plenty of time for you to act on it.

Vrindavan De: I should be back by 3rd or 4th.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You should be back as soon as possible to start working on this. If I were you, I would not lose time. I would act quickly on it. And from our side, I'm sure this will work. I guarantee it will work.

Vrindavan De: If it works, then we have no...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It must work, because they have to honor the power of attorney. I'll give you the copy of the power of attorney. It's completely bona fide.

Vrindavan De: You arrange everything, write down all these and signing, put your signature on the letters?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, I'll do that.

Vrindavan De: But I may not come back in a very short time, if I have to come within a month. For this work I may not find out any time to come over here.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, you won't have to come back for this business. This business will be done properly.

Vrindavan De: But I must see my father, after all.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That you may come every day. But from this business, this will work. We'll give a letter to the bank...

Vrindavan De: For the little later the work should not be hampered. I want that.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, it won't be hampered.

Prabhupāda: You give me. He'll go.(?)

Vrindavan De: Because I came, spending so many money...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, it won't be hampered. I promise.

Room Conversation -- October 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So he's taking the certificate?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: When he goes I'll give it to him. He'll take the certificates, and I'll dictate a letter. I'll write a letter to the bank, which I'll send to Bombay for Girirāja's signature. I'll also give him a copy of the notary of the power of attorney. So with all of these documents... He has sufficient time. It's only on the 7th of November that it comes due. With Chandra's help, he can get everything. Then it's up to him to negotiate with the bank for the loan. I don't think I should do that for him. I'm a sannyāsī. If I have to start doing his business for him..., I don't think you would want me to do that, do you?

Prabhupāda: Not to help him... If he can get some...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Maybe he should try to get the loan through the Central Bank, Camac Street. They might be more inclined. They know he's, I think, connected with Your Divine Grace.

Prabhupāda: You have got some Central Bank passbooks?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We have Central Bank passbooks. I don't know if I have one with us. It may be in Bombay or Calcutta. Just the fact that that bank is familiar with us.

Prabhupāda: They have to see where there is account money. I cannot remember.

Room Conversation -- October 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So you have not given him letters?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: The necessary letters, you have not...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, he won't be able... The letter will be signed by Girirāja and then sent to you. But the necessary other things I will give you. All the necessary things will be given.

Prabhupāda: Why don't you give him? Why...?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Hm? Give him right now?

Prabhupāda: Yes. What is the use of its sitting here?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Of his sitting here?

Prabhupāda: No.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Of its sitting here.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- October 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, not to your banker. To Prabhupāda's bank, the Bank of Baroda. Then I also mentioned that I am enclosing a copy of the power of attorney, that "Prabhupāda has been ill so he has difficulty in signing and he has duly empowered the following two persons." And that power of attorney will also be sent to them. So I'm also going to write a letter to Chandra requesting him to give Vrindavan help, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: So he will carry all these letters.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So what he's going to do... Today I'm giving you... And I explained to Vrindavan, Śrīla Prabhupāda, that originally these receipts, these postal receipts, were meant for all of the five former family members, but as he's doing business now and he requires some money, that Your Divine Grace is giving him this money as a good chance. And I said that he should utilize it to develop the business. And in the future, when there is sufficient money, he may pay to the individuals the amount that they would have gotten from these postal receipts. But first of all use it and develop the business. Is that all right?

Prabhupāda: It will be success...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. So these are the receipts. They're not actually the certificates themselves, but they're... As you can see, it's called an identity slip. I'll just take one and read it to you. As it's mentioned... It's mentioned on the N.B., on the back side. "N.B. This slip may not be surrendered to the post office when the holder discharges only some of the certificates held by him, but must be handed over when all the certificates detailed in the slip have been cashed." So the bank will want these. You can hand them over, you take a receipt from them, that "These were given by Vrindavan-candra De to you," like that. That's when...

Vrindavan De: Shall I give it to my banker? This? Or to Bank of Baroda?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No. You give it to Bank of Baroda.

Vrindavan De: In Calcutta?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Vrindavan De: Ācchā.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You give it to Bank of Baroda.

Prabhupāda: Take Chandra with you.

Room Conversation -- October 30, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So how she will get?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Rs. 1000 per month.

Prabhupāda: How?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: A transfer from Indian Overseas Bank to her account in Bank of..., I think it's in United Bank of India, direct into her account. Her account is joint signature of herself and Vrindavan-candra.

Prabhupāda: Oh. So she is informed?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yes. All of them are informed. Then I've also sent a letter to the Central Bank of India—again I'm not sending it to Central Bank; I've given it to Girirāja—that when they start to get the 250 rupees a month from Indian Overseas, then we will stop sending the 250 from Central Bank of India. In other words, everything will be done from one bank, right on our land. It's a lot easier to deal with this way. It's much cleaner. Then... Let me see what else. I also sent a letter to M.M. De today. I requested him to please tell me what his bank account number is. I also... He's dealing with most of the business of Panchashil flat. According to Vrindavan-candra, M.M. deals with these matters. Apparently he has a little more legal mind. Probably he's more intelligent. Anyway...

Prabhupāda: No, who?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: M.M. De. So in my letter to him I explained to him... I enclosed a copy of the conveyance draft, and I requested him that as far as I was concerned, the draft was all right, but that he should check up with some of the other flat owners.

Room Conversation -- November 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: And suppose he does not come?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, if he does not come, then I'll have to find out why he didn't come.

Prabhupāda: And then you will have to postpone. They'll have to postpone.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, if they don't come, then certainly we'll have to postpone this signing, because they won't be here. Are you feeling up to signing anything tonight? I don't think so. You feel a little too much... You can do? Let us see if they come. I think they're going to come. Of course, it is getting pretty late. Anyway, we'll see.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Quarter to nine.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In any case, you're not at any loss. You're laying here. Just I think now I'll turn off the light. Do you like some little kīrtana? Singing? You haven't been having kīrtana lately in your room very much, Śrīla Prabhupāda. Anyway, if you like, we'll just keep it quiet here and turn off the light. Would you prefer that?

Prabhupāda: Light you can keep. Hm?

Room Conversation -- November 5, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: (inaudible-conversation about paying the kavirāja's assistant's fare to and from his home) (break)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ...notarized copies of everything. This registrar is not the real registrar. He's only a clerk. The registrar is on leave. So because this man is not so experienced, it takes a little extra time to do everything with him. So Girirāja and I have had a little bit of experience, so we had to teach him some things. Now everybody understands clearly. Everything is now completed. Your signatures were quite good, Śrīla Prabhupāda. Your signatures were not bad.

Prabhupāda: This thing? What is that?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Your signatures were fairly good. Some of them were very good. They remarked that the signature was strong... (break) I tried to make it as quick as possible. Now I have the receipts, and I will keep them locked in the almirah just like we did last time. And after about one week we'll be able to get the original documents after they've been registered. In the meantime, on Monday we're going to open up a bank account in the name of Bhaktivedanta Swami Charity Trust in Punjab National Bank, New Delhi. Girirāja, who is the secretary of the Trust, and Bhavānanda Mahārāja, who are the treasurers, will open the account. So the interest from the fixed deposits will go directly into that account. Is that nice? That was your idea. And the bank will be happy that we're keeping the money in their bank. All of your plans are perfect, Śrīla Prabhupāda. And our perfection is simply to carry them out without changing in any way. You have such complete plans that we don't have to do anything new. We have to work our whole lifetime simply to carry out what you've planned. Even then we won't be able to complete everything. We'll have to trust to those who come after us to finish everything. So I'll just finish everything now with them, Śrīla Prabhupāda, and lock everything away, and then I'll come back. I don't want to leave Girirāja alone. It's nice to do everything together, two. I'll come right back afterwards. (break)

Prabhupāda: The Trust deed somebody may read.

Room Conversation -- November 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "My dear Tamāla Kṛṣṇa Goswami and Dhṛṣṭadyumna Swami: Please accept my most humble obeisances unto your feet. All glories to our beloved spiritual master Śrīla Prabhupāda. May Lord Kṛṣṇa, if He so desires, please cure Śrīla Prabhupāda. I'm writing this letter as a brief report on the recent events as a result of my trip to Kwangchow, Canton China. I arrived on October 16th. Business—attended the Trade Fair but signed no contracts as all the prices were far too high. Research on some items may result in future business. Saṅkīrtana—our real business: I gave two Chinese Bhagavad-gītās to the Chungshan University, or Dr. Sun Yatsen University as it is called now, in Canton. They were accepted by the administration with assurance of being delivered to the appropriate departments. I inquired from the liaison office how to visit the university. They said it must be prearranged, but they did not know how. From past experience..." This boy had gone to China once before, Śrīla Prabhupāda. He's a Canadian. He says, "From past experience..." He's one of your disciples. "From past experience, because of limited time, I decided to just go, although warned not to. I walked past the guard's house at the gate of the university, hoping not to be seen. After I got forty to fifty yards, when a woman came running after me yelling in Chinese. I finally turned to her and said, 'No, it is all right,' and smiled and I kept walking on. She retreated, by Kṛṣṇa's grace, and I went on to the first building, where I saw some books through the windows. As I approached the front door, the first person I met was a middle-aged woman who spoke good English. She was a biology teacher, and we discussed the life principle as she took me to the history department and then reception. There, with two other Chinese persons, we discussed Chinese politics, and I explained the natural social body, varṇāśrama." He was discussing varṇāśrama with them. "However, as they began to understand how much sense it made, they said I had better talk to the people of the political philosophy but were unwilling to arrange it, and I was unable to also. They admitted to still having a class society in China, but the goal was to have no classes, with the means of production so arranged that everyone could have what they wanted. Such demons. They accept Marx, Lenin and Mao as absolute authority and plan to spread this perfect social system, as they call it, all over the world. I gave one Gītā to the main public library. They accepted when they found out that I was a Canadian and thanked me very much. Then, on October 25th, with saffron dhotī and Chinese cymbals, I went out on the main street in Kwangchow in the evening, chanting the holy name." This is in China, Śrīla Prabhupāda. "At first there were many suspicious looks, but in a few minutes I had a large crowd following me. Soon the children were running in front, with some of them dancing. I also began to dance, and a loud uproar ensued from the audience. The crowd grew larger and extended out into the road, where the buses began to honk their horns. Just then a cymbal fell from the string to the ground. As I picked it up and repaired it, the crowd came very close all around and tightly crowded. I chanted loudly, 'Hare Kṛṣṇa,' and heard one 'Kṛṣṇa,' in return. I responded with 'Kṛṣ-ṇa' loudly, and three or four answered. Soon I had about twenty responding to the chant, but decided to go on, as the crowd was getting too big. A few minutes later a man broke through the crowd and grabbed my arm and motioned me to stop. I continued, and soon another grabbed the other arm and pulled me into a shop, closed the doors and offered me a seat. The crowd responded with an uproar and banged on the doors for a little while. I had to wait about fifteen minutes until a person came who spoke English. He told me I was causing interference with traffic, and soon after they let me go. I did not go out again as I did not want to agitate them too far. I had previously chanted in a bus and showed the people pictures of Kṛṣṇa. It was very ecstatic. I have been told since then that the incidents would be heard of by nearly everyone in Kwangchow as a conversation topic. Perhaps the name of Kṛṣṇa will also be repeated many times by many people..." (break) Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: So China has sacrificed everything. What is their aim?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In China? Their aim... They say that their aim is to establish a classless society where everyone gets everything that they require. Economic aim.

Prabhupāda: What aim? Low-class men.