Swami Cinmayananda

Expressions researched:
"cinmayananda" |"cinmayananda's" |"cinmayanandas"

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Conversation with Sridhara Maharaja -- June 27, 1973, Navadvipa:

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: If he's presently the pakka Māyāvādī, if he's used passively by a great man then only in that way he can come this side. Not in front walking. Not by front walking. Only by back drawing, he can be taken to this side only. It is quite true. That... So Cinmayānanda. Now Gaura Mahārāja, he knows me better, and he, he's a paid Goswami of those Patrikā persons.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: And they are exploiting him. He's exploiting them.

Prabhupāda: This time, in their meeting, they made me chief guest. But I did not attend.

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: That's a lower position.

Prabhupāda: In, in a big meeting, they made me chief guest.

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: He wants to show, so that, "I have got..."

Prabhupāda: That, that...

Śrīdhara Mahārāja: ... such big man.

Room Conversation with Indian Ambassador -- September 5, 1973, Stockholm:

Ambassador: In Cochin? Not in Cochin town. There is, but not very famous, but the one about ten miles from Cochin, where I come from, is one of the greatest temples called Pūrṇa-trayeśa (?). This is a very good. The Cochin royal family used to stay...

Prabhupāda: Oh. Oh, you come from there?

Ambassador: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Swami Cinmayananda also comes from there?

Ambassador: Yes. Swami Cinmayananda comes from Vernayakulam.(?)

Prabhupāda: Vernayakulam(?), yes.

Ambassador: I come from about five miles. I actually used to know him when, before he became... When he was a journalist.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Ambassador: I used to know him when he was a journalist.

Prabhupāda: Oh, he was a journalist?

Ambassador: Yes, before. In Dacra.(?)

Prabhupāda: Oh.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Conversation with Indian Guests -- April 12, 1975, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: ...nānyat. Na anyat. So this is going on. And where is surrender? If you don't believe in Kṛṣṇa, don't surrender to Kṛṣṇa, then what is the meaning of this surrender? This is going on. Our, one swamiji, is there in Bombay, Cinmayananda. He is a big speaker in Bhagavad-gītā, and he has constructed temple-Śiva-liṅga, the genital of Lord Śiva. Just see.

Mahāṁsa: He said he has translated... His interpretation of Kṛṣṇa is that this "Kṛṣṇa means black. Black is ignorance. So Kṛṣṇa is ignorance."

Prabhupāda: Just see.

Guest (1) (Indian man): I think one of the best persons in Madras who is translating the Prita-Gītā (?), isn't it? Cinmayananda Swami.

Guest (2) (Indian man): Cinmayananda?

Guest (1): Yes. I have heard it.

Conversation with Indian Guests -- April 12, 1975, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-go... This is, this price one takes, then you can get Kṛṣṇa, you can understand Kṛṣṇa. It is not so cheap, that anyone can comment on Kṛṣṇa, whimsically, and he becomes a devotee. That is not possible. That is going on. I can interpret in my own way. Kṛṣṇa says, mām ekam. (indistinct) Somebody is taking Kṛṣṇa is black, somebody is taking Kṛṣṇa as something else. Who says Kṛṣṇa is black? Who told me?

Mahāṁsa: Cinmayananda.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Kṛṣṇa means "black." Sapta nuraman pure sita kar baba. (?) One has studied all the Rāmāyaṇa, seven cantos, seven khandas, and he is asking, "Whose father is Sītā?" Sītā is a feminine, and the Rāmāyaṇa expert is asking, "Whose father is Sītā?" This is their education, they are becoming big lecturer on Bhagavad-gītā, he has understood Kṛṣṇa means "black." And people are following him blindly. Big swamiji is speaking.

Conversation with Indian Guests -- April 12, 1975, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa is all-attractive, that he will not explain. In the Brahma-saṁhitā, it is said, asitāmbuda-sundarāṅgam kandarpa-koṭi-kamanīya-viśeṣa-śobhaṁ (Bs. 5.30). Asitām, sundaram. He is blackish, but He is so attractive, more attractive than many millions of Cupid.

Guest: (Hindi)

Prabhupāda: No, no. Why you should commit offense like that? It is a great offense to decry Kṛṣṇa.

Guest: (indistinct) ...describe Him as blackish or black.

Prabhupāda: But why does he say Kṛṣṇa means black?

Guest: Kṛṣṇa means black, (Hindi) Somebody questioned me: "What is Kṛṣṇa means?" Then apart from this, Sanskrit reply he gave: "Kṛṣṇa means black also."

Prabhupāda: So why did he not say Kṛṣṇa means all-attractive?

Guest: As far as Kṛṣṇa's features are concerned, we know it is (indistinct) black. (indistinct)

Mahāṁsa: The last time we had come here, I had come to just see on the first day what he says. So on the first day he said that now we'll have a gītā-jñāna yajña, and he said we will take the ślokas which are suitable and which ślokas are not suitable...

Prabhupāda: Just see.

Mahāṁsa: ...we'll reject those ślokas.

Prabhupāda: Not suitable.

Mahāṁsa: I heard that with my own ears. He said...

Guest: From Bhagavad-gītā?

Mahāṁsa: Yes. He said "We will take the ślokas which are suitable and which are not suitable, we'll reject those ślokas."

Prabhupāda: Just see. He is to judge which is suitable, which is not suitable. Just see, this philosophy. Cinmayananda or any ordinary person, he has to judge which śloka is suitable, which is not suitable. That means he is more than Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa has spoken something unsuitable—which he can judge. This is the position.

Morning Walk -- August 29, 1975, Vrndavana:

Akṣayānanda: (break) ...Śrīla Prabhupāda, I was handed some leaflets, Cinmayananda Swami, and the printed advertisement on the leaflet wanted "Young men with graduation degree to come to our institute in Bombay. They will be trained up in Sanskrit."

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Akṣayānanda: "To be trained in Sanskrit and philosophy. Then they will be selected by Cinmayananda for preaching all over the world. And if they qualify, then all their expenses and food and clothing will be supplied by the Cinmayananda Mission." Advertisement.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: This appeared in Times of India, it's only in Bombay. It also appeared in Times of India in (indistinct). It was an ad just like a professional company's ad.

Prabhupāda: Nobody will be attracted.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: They are trying to attract people that they'll get a chance to go abroad.

Prabhupāda: That may be allurement.

Morning Walk -- September 9, 1975, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: In Hyderabad, these Māyāvādī sannyāsīs were challenged by the people, that "Bhaktivedanta Swami has gone to foreign countries, and he established so many Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa temple. What did you do? If you say that you disagree with Bhaktivedanta Swami—you worship demigods—so how many demigods' temple you have established?" They challenge like that. "If you say that you are worshiper of Lord Śiva, why don't you go and establish a Śiva temple? You are sitting idly here."

Indian man (2): And Śiva always worshiped Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: That is another thing. That is another thing. They, "If you believe that Lord Śiva is the Supreme, why don't you go and establish? Why you are sitting here and declaring jagad-guru?" Their purpose was that "Either you worship Śiva or Kṛṣṇa, it doesn't matter, but if you would have done something that would have spread the Hindu conception of... But you are not doing there anything. Why do you call yourself jagad-guru?" (Hindi) "A jackal is the king in the forest." And they do not go outside. Even Gaṅgeśvarānanda went; he came back disappointed. What they will do? Cinmayananda goes so many times. What does he do? (Hindi) (break) He is so big. What does he have? What he has done? This thing going on. Phalena paricīyate. One has to be studied by the result, not by talking. It is not that Caitanya Mahāprabhu entrusted the subject of preaching only unto me. Why they do not go, the gosvāmīs, swamis, big, big sannyāsīs, and stalwart? Why they are rotting within this area?

Indian man (2): They know only how to criticize for nothing.

Prabhupāda: No, what is the meaning of that criticize? First of all you come to the stage.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- February 18, 1976, Mayapura:

Acyutānanda: There's a big sign on the Śrī Raṅgam temple: "Only Hindus allowed."

Prabhupāda: Ācchā?

Acyutānanda: So we took a photograph of ourselves standing next to him with the sign in the picture. So we can use that, in case anybody tries to check us.

Prabhupāda: So one thing, if you can do, that India, at the present moment, that Swami Cinmayananda is prominent.

Acyutānanda: Yes.

Hari-śauri: He's very big. Especially in the South.

Prabhupāda: (laughs) So if you can subdue him...

Yaśodānandana: We'll take care of that, Prabhupāda.

Acyutānanda: All right.

Prabhupāda: That will be great triumph. He's a nonsense. That's... But he's very popular at the same time.

Acyutānanda: Yes, because...

Prabhupāda: He is like Vivekananda.

Acyutānanda: He tells some jokes.

Yaśodānandana: He always tells nonsense jokes during his lectures. Therefore children and elderly widows are very much attracted to him for his flowery language and joking. But he has no substantial philosophy like yours.

Acyutānanda: We went to his program and sold books to the crowd.

Prabhupāda: Ah.

Yaśodānandana: But some way or other, he has some respect for you, Prabhupāda, for the great work you have done, Cinmayananda Swami. He has some respect for you. He knows...

Prabhupāda: But he, he wants to keep his prestigious position.

Acyutānanda: Oh, yes.

Yaśodānandana: Yes. On your order, we shall try to hamper that.

Prabhupāda: No, tactfully.

Acyutānanda: By preaching your books.

Prabhupāda: Keep him as friend. He's friendly. So don't irritate him.

Acyutānanda: All right.

Yaśodānandana: I think the best way would be to out-preach him.

Prabhupāda: Out-preach him. Yes.

Room Conversation -- September 6, 1976, Vrndavana:

Akṣayānanda: Plainly you have described in the Gītā. You have described plainly in the Gītā. No one else has done that. Cinmayananda's, this, that rascal, no one has. No one has explained that. They don't know.

Prabhupāda: No, anyone who is not in our disciplic succession, he's not a human being. Cinmayananda, Vivekananda, this-ānanda, they simply... Ānanda, there is no ānanda. All nirānanda. What Cinmayananda? He is supposed to be very big sannyāsī, what he has done?

Morning Walk -- December 25, 1976, Bombay:

Guest (2): My son who lives in America is very Westernized, and as he picked up Gītā, and he tried to understand it. Now he now is so much a follower of Gītā that every single letter he quotes Gītā to anyone whom he writes.

Prabhupāda: Which Gītā he has read?

Guest (2): He's very convinced about it.

Prabhupāda: No no, which Gītā he has read?

Guest (2): Your Gītā.

Prabhupāda: My Gītā?

Guest (2): Your Gītā and Cinmayananda's, two Gītās.

Prabhupāda: Cinmayananda is atheist. Atheist. He does not believe in Kṛṣṇa.

Guest (2): He has donated over three hundred books in that haṭha-yoga, that can...

Guest (1): Yes, in U.S.A., Santa Cruz.

Prabhupāda: Yes, he took some lakhs of rupees from Birla for distributing the Gītā. I know that.

Guest (2): He has also translated Gītā.

Guest (1): Shh! Swamiji's saying is this, that Gītā is interpreted by different people in different way. That is true. Understanding of Gītā is a very big...

Prabhupāda: He does not present Bhagavad-gītā as it is. According to his own whims... But the original śloka is there.

Guest (1): But interpretation is his own.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Morning Walk -- December 25, 1976, Bombay:

Guest (2): Why have you said Cinmayananda, atheist?

Prabhupāda: There are so many statements. In his book there are so many statements. Does he recommend to worship Kṛṣṇa?

Guest (1): Does he recommend to worship Śrī Kṛṣṇa?

Guest (2): I don't know. I have not read...

Prabhupāda: So then why you are asking about him? (laughter)

Guest (2): No, my point is he is preaching religion...

Prabhupāda: He is nonsense. You do not know about him, and you are asking about him. That is the pity. If you know about him, then speak.

Guest (2): No, I don't know enough about him.

Prabhupāda: Then why you are recommending? Then why you are recommending?

Guest (2): But he's preaching religion.

Prabhupāda: That means you don't know religion.

Guest (1): He is preaching Gītā, that's true, but as Swamiji says, that is interpretation of his own. Original words are there. Everybody who speaks about Gītā...

Prabhupāda: Religion is to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. But he does not recommend to surrender to Kṛṣṇa. What does he know about Kṛṣṇa? That is the difficulty. He does not know what is Kṛṣṇa, what is religion, and he is preaching religion?

Guest (1): He's supposed to be one of the biggest propagator of Gītā. He had Gītāra jñāna yajña in Bombay. There were thousands of people there.

Prabhupāda: False, everything false. Misled. He does not recognize Kṛṣṇa, he does not recognize religion, and he is religious.

Guest (1): One of the best religious leaders. That's what people think.

Prabhupāda: No, no, that may be, falsely representation, but where he is recommending that "You surrender to Kṛṣṇa and worship Him"? Has he done that? That means misleading. He can become a very good orator, and he can get claps, but what is the benefit? He's a good orator, there is no doubt about it. But Kṛṣṇa does not say that "You become a orator and cheat others." He does not say. He says, "Surrender unto Me." So if actually one is preaching, he should teach the audience that "Surrender to Kṛṣṇa." And that is reading of Bhagavad-gītā. If I take Bhagavad-gītā and speak something of my opinion, that means I am cheating. I am taking advantage of Bhagavad-gītā, and I am impressing people with my nonsense ideas.

Morning Walk -- December 25, 1976, Bombay:

Guest (2): A friend of mine has surrendered to Cinmayananda. He says he is giving Bhagavad-gītā four hours a day, it is, not for surrendering.

Prabhupāda: But not for surrendering.

Guest (2): "He is using the Bhagavad-gītā for our day to life." I said to him, "Why? Why can't you (indistinct)," but not surrendering as Swamiji has said.

Prabhupāda: So they have made their own meaning. "Bhagavad-gītā is not meant for surrender." Just see.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Gargamuni: On that tape where you are arguing with that man, you asked him, "Did you read Bhagavad-gītā?" He was criticizing, but then he asked him, "Did you read Bhagavad-gītā?" He said, "No."

Prabhupāda: Just see. Such... They have created this Vivekananda and Cinmayanandas, rascals, so many rascals. They have created such situation that Indian people are mostly in darkness, although God appears here in India. They have executed such thankless task, this Vivekananda, Cinmayananda and so many Māyāvādīs. "Ramakrishna is Bhagavān." And what is his certificate that he is Bhagavān? "He said." No. He said "I am the same Rāma. I am the same Kṛṣṇa." So he is taking shelter of Kṛṣṇa to prove his Godhead. So why not go to original Godhead? Why shall I take the imitation? He is maintaining his position that "I am the same Kṛṣṇa." "So then same Kṛṣṇa is authority. So why shall I not go to same Kṛṣṇa? Why shall I go to you? Your authority is also Kṛṣṇa. So why shall I give up original Kṛṣṇa and take to an imitation Kṛṣṇa? You may be the same, but I am not a very intelligent man. Why shall I go to the imitation? I shall go to the original." Hm? Is it not? "I am not so expert to understand whether you are actual or not. You are saying. There is no proof in the śāstra. So let me go to the original." Is that all right, argument? "Why shall I take you? You are supporting, trying to maintain yourself." Everyone says that "I am Kṛṣṇa. I am God." So India, we have to fight little. There are so many atheists. But mass of people, they are all right.

Room Conversation -- March 26, 1977, Bombay:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: We will also make some engagements in... There is an institute called Patha Institute for Fundamental Research. They study about nuclear physics. So I am going to arrange for one of our people to speak.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Speak in important institution like that. That will command respect.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: He is going to speak about quantum physics and Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Prabhupāda: These things the swamis cannot do.

Girirāja: No. None of them. (laughter)

Prabhupāda: Either Cinmayananda or this Sai Baba or this...

Indian man: Muktananda.

Prabhupāda: They cannot.

Room Conversation -- April 13, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Everything there. And they are reading Bhagavad-gītā. Gandhi's reading Bhagavad-gītā. Tilak is reading Bhagavad-gītā. Where is their knowledge of Bhagavad-gītā? And misleading all, writing commentary, "Bhagavad-gītā means nationalism, nonviolence," protesting that "If Kṛṣṇa is fighting, I don't want that Kṛṣṇa, even I am extricated from the Hindu society." Gandhi has said. Bhagavad-gītā should be according to his whims. If you can change the verdict of Bhagavad-gītā, then why you take Bhagavad-gītā? Is that authority? If you..., government gives you some law. If you say, "No, no, I don't like this item. I... It should be like this," then is that law, that "I'll take Bhagavad-gītā..."? All these rascals are doing that. The Cinmayananda, they are now: "I'll change according to my whims." Then where is the authority? If I say that "Girirāja, you go there, to the bank," "No, no, I cannot do this. I can do only this," then where is my authority? (laughs) Just see. These rascals are doing that. We are therefore presenting Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, no change. We do not change. Anybody seriously reading our book, he'll be liberated. There is no doubt. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9). That's a fact. If not all books, simply Kṛṣṇa book, if one reads carefully, daily, he is liberated undoubtedly.

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

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

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

Prabhupāda: What did you reply?

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

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

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

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

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

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Contradiction.

Conversation about Old Days in Calcutta -- July 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Without chicken, this prasāda, Kanti Ghosh cannot eat. And one Cinmayananda Swami... They are maintaining that sādhu. So he was giving prasādam with Tarun Kanti, er, yeah...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Tishar Kanti.

Prabhupāda: Tishar Kanti. So he was taking. This Tarun Kanti said to..., "So you want to kill my father? He is not eating." He stopped giving him prasādam.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, 'cause there was no chicken in it.

Prabhupāda: He could not eat little.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There was no chicken in it.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Without chicken in it he could not eat? Even...?

Prabhupāda: I think he is drinking also.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Must be. When they eat chicken then they have to drink to digest.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Nowadays among the gentlemen, the chicken and cake(?).

Prabhupada Vigil -- November 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Brahmānanda: I didn't see... You remember you went to that Kurukṣetra meeting?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Brahmānanda: About two years ago? Mainly the same people are here also that were there at that meeting. Then this Swami Cinmayananda...

Prabhupāda: He has not come.

Brahmānanda: No. They were just talking about him.

Prabhupāda: Don't bother to come here, then.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Govinda -- Madras 12 February, 1972:

When I shall come there you can make extensive preparations for my speaking, etc., by advertising and propaganda, even more than this Cinmayananda Swami. My work is to preach, so you can prepare many very nice speaking engagements, especially to the intelligent class of men and the hippies. I am especially appreciating the writings of Siddhasvarupa in the "New Navadvipa News" and "Open Letter" pamphlets, like "Die Hippy, Die!" and these articles should be published in our "Back to Godhead" magazine and distributed very widely.

Letter to Govinda -- Madras 12 February, 1972:

Regarding that man Cinmayananda, he's a sinful man, I know him, at least sinful according to our four principles. He as been lecturing for 20 years, still his asrama stands vacant. Unless one's life is made up, what this lecturing will do?

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Acyutananda -- Geneva 31 May, 1974:

It appears there is good chance we may get permission for our men to enter Jagannatha Puri temple if we can present the right documents. My idea is that you present the enclosed statement proving our men are bona fide Hindus to Swami Cinmayananda who you say is sympathetic to us on this point. Have him copy this statement on his own letterhead and sign it. In addition, take a similar signed certificate from Mr. Sujya Narayana Rajooa who is the Endowment minister of Andra Pradesh and who came to receive us at Tirumala. I think with signed statements from these two this will be enough and that we do not have to get the government sanction. So if you can take these statements from these two men it will be an important achievement for our society. Try for it in earnest and Krsna will help you.

Letter to Acyutananda -- Paris 14 June, 1974:

I am glad you have received my letter and mailed it to Swami Cinmayananda; so we shall see if they are able to help us so that we may enter Jagannatha Puri Temple with our disciples.

Letter to Mahamsa -- Bombay 25 November, 1974:

So immediately you reply to the Editor of Bhavan's Journal, Dr. K.M. Munshi Marg, Bombay—400 007, enclosing the letter of Swami Cinmayananda's letter about the approval of learned panditas and sannyasis about the Hare Krishna movement members entering into Hindu temples. You can mention also that we are allowed to enter into the biggest temple in India, Tirupati, as well as Nathadwar where the head of the temple received us very well and presented some gifts. Except the Jagannatha temple in Puri no where have we been checked admission.

This time we wish to go to the Jagannatha temple again, and let us see what they do. The Hindu Vishva Parishad approves us as rigid Hindus as it it will be clear from the letter of Swami Cinmayananda.

So immediately write a letter and send me a copy of your letter as well as Swami Cinmayananda's letter. We shall request them to publish the letter of Swami Cinmayananda in this connection as well.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Giriraja -- Honolulu 4 February, 1975:

One copy of our book, Lord Caitanya in Five Features may be handed over to Svami Cinmayananda as our humble presentation. If somebody, or youself sees him personally, give him thanks for his letter recommending our admission in the temples and present this book to him. That will be nice.