Prabhupāda: Our process is to accept everything which conduces to develop Kṛṣṇa's love. So those methods are given by experienced ācāryas, that "You just follow." Just like when a child tries to walk, the mother gives some direction or some help in a wooden plank, that "You try to move in this way. You will learn how to walk," similarly, there are certain principles given by experienced ācāryas. If we follow those principles, then we can work or we can go to the perfection of Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. It is not the method that is important. The real important is how to develop your love of Kṛṣṇa. If somebody develops love of Kṛṣṇa, or God, without those methods, there is no objection. We are not limited by the methods or ritualistic methods. But there are certain ritualistic method, which, if one follows, then he can quickly learn the art of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Just like we restrict our students in four principles: illicit sex life and intoxication, gambling, and meat-eating. So it is not that a gambler or a meat-eater or a man addicted to illicit sex life, he cannot love Kṛṣṇa. It is not that. But that is very rare case. If he follows these principles, then it will be easier for him. Because Kṛṣṇa, or God is pure, so so long one is impure in his habits, it is not possible for him. So these are the purificatory processes. And so far our signals or some marks on the body—just like we take tilaka; we have some beads—this means... Just like it is practical. When I was in Montreal and other cities, when we passed through the road, the children, the persons, they also said, "Hare Kṛṣṇa!" So these marks and this symbolic representation reminds others to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Just like a policeman, as soon as he appears in his dress, "Oh, here is a policeman," so similarly, these things are also required to remind others. Our process is to raise persons to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So if by our symbolic representation one immediately remembers Kṛṣṇa, that is our success.
Tilaka (Conversations)
Conversations and Morning Walks
1968 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Virāṭa rūpa, yes. That is also nice, right, that through fire He eats, yes, or through the mouth of the brāhmaṇas and devotees. Two things are there. Therefore, according to the Vedic religion, the brāhmaṇas or Vaiṣṇavas, devotees, are invited to take food in some ceremonies. In śraddhā ceremony they are especially invited with great honor. In pilgrimage somebody goes to Vrndavana, Prayag, Mathura. They invite the brāhmaṇas and Vaisnavas so that through them Kṛṣṇa is eating. They have come to satisfy Kṛṣṇa in a place of pilgrimage. These are the systems. So for the purpose of eating, so many brāhmaṇas have sprung up. Because brāhmaṇas are invited, so so many so-called brāhmaṇas there. They'll be present when eating, and when there is chanting of Vedas they are not present there. (break) Baby has also tilaka. (chuckles) She is very happy. You see? I never seen such small child not crying. That means she is always happy. She's not crying means... Because baby cries when there is discomfort. And with her face shows that she is very happy. (laughs)
Śāradīyā: (break) Simply by Your Divine Grace, on Kṛṣṇa's appearance day in San Francisco my mother came to the temple and she wore a sari and a tilaka.
Prabhupāda: Oh. (chuckles) You are converting your mother to this cult.
Yamunā: A very nice mother she has.
Prabhupāda: Unless mother is good, how the children are good?
1971 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: But you cannot create your concoction! You have to abide by the orders of Kṛṣṇa.
Devotee: Then why...
Prabhupāda: There is no question of why. It is the order of Kṛṣṇa's representative. You have to abide by that. You cannot say, "Why?" Then you are not fully surrendered, as soon as you say, "Why?" Surrender means there is no "Why?" It is ordered; it has to be done. That's all. As soon as there is "Why?", there is no surrender. The basic principle is misguided. We have to follow. Just like we have got tilaka. If you say, "Why this tilaka?" There is no question of "Why?" Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthā. We have been instructed by the ācāryas; we have to follow that. That is surrender. You cannot say, "Why?" Is that clear? As soon as there is "Why?", there is no surrender.
Prabhupāda: So if you repeatedly chant, it will remain. It will always remain in your heart.
Sister Mary: Always going on.
Prabhupāda: Yes. There is no chance of escape. Chant constantly, Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare, Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare. It remains in the heart. Not only my heart. Others' heart, they also joke, "Hare Kṛṣṇa!" If it can remain in others' heart, why not my heart? Those who are joking me, imitating me. We... Last time, when I was going in Africa, I stopped for few minutes in Athens. Some of the younger residents chant, "Hare Kṛṣṇa!" You see? As soon as they saw us, they began to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. They could understand, "These are Hare Kṛṣṇa people." Yes. So by their dress, by their tilaka, they oblige others to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, either for imitating or for joking. So they gain. But if Hare Kṛṣṇa chanting has got any effect, even by joking like that, he'll get gain. If it is actually spiritual, by simply joking he will get gain.
Prabhupāda: Yes. This "Christa" is Kṛṣṇa.
Dr. Weir: From the Sanskrit?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Kṛṣṭa is the popular word for Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa is always anointed with tilaka. We follow this tilaka, Kṛṣṇa, anointed, with this sandal pulp. So, so far I think, there is some very nearest relationship with this Christian and "Kṛṣṇia". Kṛṣṭa means love, love of Godhead or love. We are preaching also the same philosophy. Try to... Not try. The love of Kṛṣṇa is there in everyone's heart, but it is covered. And being covered, it is misplaced. We are loving our society, loving this body, loving our family, loving our kinsmen, or loving internationally human society. But this love is actually perverted reflection of real love of God. Because the love is not placed in the real place. Therefore we are being frustrated in love. Just like in our country Mahatma Gandhi, he loved his country very much. But at the last moment the countrymen shot him down. He was shot down by his own countrymen. The love was paid by (sic:) shooting him and he lost his life. There are many instances.
1972 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: And Kṛṣṇa's should be up to the neck.
Cintāmaṇi: Thank you. Kṛṣṇa wears tilaka like we do? Śrīla Prabhupāda?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Rādhārāṇī only red spot.
Sudāmā: We have some...
Prabhupāda: Any other questions?
Sudāmā: Yes.
Bhānu: Śrīla Prabhupāda? Since we are going to have three altars, then we should also have three different plates, a different plate for each altar?
Ātreya Ṛṣi: When you first came, Śrīla Prabhupāda, a lot of people probably presented you arguments such as If you call the movement God consciousness you'll be more successful. If you not wear tilaka and do not shave your head and do not wear robes and do not go on saṅkīrtana, you will be more successful. And people still tell us things like this, that You tell us the philosophy, we like the philosophy, but why do you go on saṅkīrtana? So what were some of the arguments you presented to these type of people?
Prabhupāda: This is the same argument, ardha-kukkuṭī-nyāya (Cc. Ādi-līlā 5.176). You cut the mouth of the chicken because it eats, it is expensive, and keep the back side because it lays down egg. You see? Intelligent man said, I am getting every day one egg. So that side, the back side, is very good. But this side is expensive, eats. Cut it. So he does not know, he is such a foolish, that if I cut the head, then the egg-giving business will also stop. Similarly, if you accept this philosophy, then you must accept this also.
Devotee: He said that the message of Bhagavad-gītā is nonviolence.
Prabhupāda: That is all. Opposite. Whatever message it is... He was supposed to be a very good scholar of Bhagavad-gītā. His photograph is with the Bhagavad-gītā. But he did not speak a single word that "You become a devotee of Kṛṣṇa." He talked so many nonsense. All others... The real Bhagavad-gītā is Kṛṣṇa says that "You surrender unto Me." Nobody says, neither Tilak, Gandhi, this Ramakrishna, this Aravindo. Nobody says that. He's made purposefully avoiding his duty. And these rascals are going as dutiful. His duty was to say as Kṛṣṇa says, if he is actually student of Bhagavad-gītā. Here is Kṛṣṇa saying that you surrender, you surrender to Kṛṣṇa. We are doing that. We are not speaking something nonsense. We are speaking, "Here Kṛṣṇa says surrender. You surrender unto Kṛṣṇa." That's all. Simple thing. We don't manufacture duty. We are servant of Kṛṣṇa. Our duty is to say people, "Here Kṛṣṇa says man-manā bhava mad-bhakto (BG 18.65). You become His devotee, you always think of Him, you offer Him obeisances." Our simple duty.
Indian: Prabhupāda, yes, that's the way, but we (indistinct), to love Thy creation." We never say (indistinct). But human beings the medium to love His creation.
Prabhupāda: You are also talking. Kṛṣṇa says, "You surrender unto Me." If say "Surrender to Kṛṣṇa," so what is the difficulty?
Indian: There is no difficulty.
Prabhupāda: Then why are you manufacturing words? Why don't you go in the simple way? Why you are manufacturing in your own way? It's a simple thing. Kṛṣṇa says, "Surrender unto Me." You serve Kṛṣṇa, speak to people, "Surrender to Kṛṣṇa." It is simple. Why you are manufacturing words? That is the disease. The Gandhi did like that. Tilak did like that. (end)
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: There is a proverb, that a drowning man catches even a straw. A man is drowning, he's seeing the straw is floating, he wants to catch it. So in western countries, they are so much fed up with this materialistic way of life that any person from India comes, they think he may give something spiritual.
Devotee (3): Hm.
Prabhupāda: Light. Catch it. But what... Why did you not have tilaka, both of you. You have no time for tilaka?
Devotee (3): Our tilaka was locked in the bathroom. The door got locked.
Prabhupāda: Tilaka, why it is locked in bathroom?
Devotee (3): Somehow the door became locked from inside this morning, I don't know how but we couldn't go inside.
Prabhupāda: You don't get him my tilaka? All right. What is this?
Devotee (3): This is called Jakarta Fair, International Fair for business trade. Once a year they come from all over the world and...
Prabhupāda: This side is better than the other side. (pause)
Reporter: No, no, I'm not saying Kṛṣṇa did not take... I'm just saying that it seems that He sometimes, it seems, that people who emphasize the spiritual consciousness do not clarify enough..., it is not clear enough—and I'm not saying it's not there but it's not clear enough—the social political dimension, social action, political action, how we run our society in its practical terms. So it is not clear.
Prabhupāda: It is clear. If you are actually surrendered soul, then to you it is clear, it is very clear. Kṛṣṇa gives direction, that this is the business of the brāhmaṇa, this is the business of kṣatriya. So politics is the business of the kṣatriya. So if you act according to Kṛṣṇa's direction in politics, then you are surrendered soul. It is not that because we have got this mālā and tilaka we are surrendered soul, and a kṣatriya cannot be surrendered soul, or a vaiśya cannot be surrendered soul. You have to act according to the direction. Kṛṣṇa is giving direction: "This is brāhmaṇa's karma." You do it. That means you are surrendered soul, at the same time you are acting as a brāhmaṇa. But if you act whimsically, then what is your surrender? And why did you become a brāhmaṇa? Then there is chaos. That is the present position of the society. They are not surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, they do not abide by the direction of Kṛṣṇa. Still, they have become leaders. Then the whole thing is chaos.
Ambassador: (laughing) I belong to vegetarian family. I eat meat now.
Prabhupāda: Yes. No, in Madras, I have seen...
Ambassador: Most of them...
Prabhupāda: Mostly they are vegetarian, strictly vegetarian. Actually, in Southern India, they maintain the Hindu culture. You'll find big high-court judges, they have got tilaka.
Ambassador: That's true.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Strictly in Rāmānuja sampradāya, or Śaiva sampradāya they have got... Strictly taking bath and tilaka. In New Delhi, you'll find so many Madrasi gentlemen, big, big, high officers, they're strictly following Hindu principles.
Ambassador: You'll be surpri...
Prabhupāda: And still, if I am correct, in Madras, they, there, there is not many Mohammedans. The Mohammedan culture could not enter...
Jaya Hari: One of the main reasons for having this reception was to help sell the books, also.
Prabhupāda: No, I no... You cannot forget your duty. If, if there is some extra duty, that does not mean you shall forget your own duty. So now they are selling books. You also join. Yes. And you have no tilaka. You are just like ordinary boy. Why?
Jaya Hari: I don't have time to...
Prabhupāda: No, no. This is not good. This is not good. You must be as our representative, with tilaka, as we are dressed. Yes. Don't be deviated. You have got a good opportunity. Don't be deviated by bad association. Yes. You are a good boy. So you must revive to your original position. All right. Thank you.
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Karandhara: Should we depict animal-slaughter or meat-eating?
Prabhupāda: Animal slaughter.
Karandhara: Animal slaughter.
Prabhupāda: That will be still broader.
Karandhara: Yes.
Prabhupāda: The three figures and one is in a suit, one... They all have tilaka, neck beads and bead bag...
Prabhupāda: Religious man may be in saffron color, a sannyāsī, a tridaṇḍī sannyāsī. Our Gurukṛpā Mahārāja? Where is he?
Karandhara: Gurukṛpā Mahārāja.
Prabhupāda: Eh? Here are religious men.
Prabhupāda: They are very interested in dance and... Now, I wish that they may be given sumptuous food and dress.
Dr. Patel: Yes, dress, I also thought of that. Some of them are very badly dressed, poor people...
Prabhupāda: Yes, if they come, "All right, come here. Just take your bath, be cleansed, tilaka, and a nice dress" and giving them some food.
Prabhupāda: Arcye viṣṇau... (break) ...when it will teach military art, with tilaka, soldiers will, "Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa..." (laughter) We want that. Marching with military band, "Hare Kṛṣṇa." You maintain this idea. Is it not good?
Hṛdayānanda: Yes, Prabhupāda.
Prabhupāda: When there will be military march of Kṛṣṇa conscious soldiers. Anyone who does not believe in Kṛṣṇa, "Blam!" (laughter) Yes. The same process as the Mohammedans did, with sword and Koran, we'll have to do that. "Do you believe in Kṛṣṇa or not?" "No, sir." "Blam!" Finished. (laughter, Prabhupāda laughs) What do you think, Madhudviṣa Mahārāja? Is that all right?
Prabhupāda: No hammer. That will be our emblem. Only sickle. Not hammer. The hammer has hammered the whole human civilization. So just make a counter-emblem. The communists will appreciate.
Devotee: Sickle and tilaka.
Prabhupāda: Eh?
Devotee: A sickle, and then a tilaka.
Prabhupāda: Yes, that is good idea. Guptajī? Come here. (Hindi)
Prabhupāda: But one thing is... My fear is that as soon as they know the American people are agitating this, they may ask, "You go."
Guest: (indistinct)
Prabhupāda: And I have no Indians to manage these big, big temples. Neither they are trained up. Trained up. I have trained up these American boys. They are doing nicely. But they cannot. They have taken a brahmacārī dress, and they will come with pant. And they will argue, "Why? What is the wrong there? Why should I give up pant? Why shall I have tilaka? Why shall I give up smoking?" Why, why... They will put so many "whys" that my life will be spoiled. Because they have advanced. So many rascals swamis have told them, "Yes..."
Prabhupāda: One has to practice. It will take some time. (break) ...yuktena cetasā nānya-gāminā. One has to practice. That means his determination is not yet fixed up. Because he is very rich, he is thinking that "This is all right." That is another defect of becoming very much rich. Bhogaiśvarya prasaktānāṁ tayā upahṛta-cetasām: (BG 2.44) "Those who are too much attached to this material enjoyment and..., by which his consciousness is bewildered..." All these defects are there because he is too much attached to material enjoyment. Why don't you give him dress if he has no dress. This is not good. You have not marked it?
Girirāja: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Then what is this? He's... Give him dress. (break) Give him lesson how to make tilaka. He has come to your shelter. You teach him. (break) Just like a diseased person, if he is a little careless, he is not very strict in following the..., it will take some time. It is exactly like that. He, because of his material opulences, he thinks that "Oh, where is the disease? This is all right. I am happy." That is the defect. We have to reduce. That is called tapasya. Not that "Because my tongue is asking me to eat something, therefore I must eat." Not that. That is the difference between ordinary man and gosvāmī. Gosvāmī means one who has conquered over the dictation of the senses. My sense dictates to do something, but when I am able to dictate the sense, "No, you cannot do it," that is called gosvāmī. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (break)
Girirāja: (reading) "Kṛṣṇa, who advented Himself just to kill all undesirable elements in the world..."
Prabhupāda: Yes. Similarly, this movement is advented to kill all the so-called yogis, swamis, avatāras, rascals, philosophers, commentators. We have to kill. Kill means... Where is your tilaka? You did not have tilaka in the morning?
Yogeśvara: He says he hopes we excuse if he has some basic questions that he wanted to ask. And his first question was regarding tilaka. What is the symbolism, significance?
Prabhupāda: It is just like your cross, amongst Christian. It is temple of Viṣṇu. Not only here, we have got twelve place: here, here, here, here, here. Twelve place. The idea is being protected by Viṣṇu from all sides.
Bahulāśva: Unless one surrenders to Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: Then you can get rid of māyā's tricks. Otherwise, you may dress yourself like anything, but you are simply māyā's servant. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has sung one... Ei ota kalir chelā: "Here is another disciple of Kali." Nake tilaka galai mālā. "He has got tilaka on the nose and mālā, kaṇṭhi, also." Sahaja bhajana kache mamu saṅge lana pare bhalo: "And he's, he has become a Vaiṣṇava by illicit sex." This is stated by Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. "Here is a Kali's chelā. He has dressed like a Vaiṣṇava, but he is doing his bhajan with illicit sex." Sahaje bhajana kache mamu saṅge lana pare bhalo. You know? There is a class of sahajiyās?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Vaiṣṇavas. Just like, dress like Rūpa Gosvāmī, loincloth, and, but three dozen women behind him.
Bali Mardana: Yes, gopīs.
Prabhupāda: So Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura: "Here is a disciple of Kali. He has tilaka and he has kunti and he's doing this nonsense." Eita kalir chela. (pause)
Bahulāśva: So the purport is that one must strictly follow the principles?
Prabhupāda: You do not understand that?
Bahulāśva: Yes.
Prabhupāda: You are asking after twelve thousand years? I am speaking always that. And still you are questioning?
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: They are poor class. So our program, "When he will die," so they wait for the death of the animal and get the skin, hoof, bones, they make trade. (to devotee:) So what is this key, the elmira?
Devotee: No, that is a little spoon for your tilaka.
Prabhupāda: Oh. So cow is very important animal. So from religious point of view, or from economic point of view, cows are not allowed, in the Vedic civilization, to be killed. The meat-eaters, they are everywhere, all over the world, but in India meat-eating is allowed—the fifth class, fifth grade community, they eat these cows when it is dead. And the śūdra class, they also eat meat restrictively, goats. That is only under certain restriction, means sacrifice. The goat is sacrificed in the Goddess Kali's temple, and they eat. This is very dangerous, this sacrifice. It is very dangerous. It creates all sinful men. In the Christian religion also, it is said, "Thou shall not kill," and they are killing. So what kind of Christians they are?
Devotee (2): What if they are keeping hair but they are following the rules and regulations.
Prabhupāda: Then let them follow. That's a good life. But from external features he must be a Vaiṣṇava.
Devotee (2): To get second initiation.
Devotee (1): Does that mean shaved head?
Prabhupāda: Caitanya Mahāprabhu, when His students used to come without tilaka, so He refused to see his face. He refused to see his face. He said it is a crematory ground.
Devotee (2): Why is that?
Prabhupāda: There is no "why." If you accept it, accept. If you don't accept, leave us, leave us. There is no "why."
Devotee (2): Then that is...
Prabhupāda: You are not following strictly. You cannot ask why.
Devotee (2): We could not ask why when we were following strictly either, Prabhupāda. So I'm sorry that it has to be this way.
Prabhupāda: No, our thing is that we have got some principles. If anyone cannot follow, then we don't accept him.
Brahmānanda: Śrīla Prabhupāda, there is one lady. She would like to come and see you. She is the mother of one of our devotees. But she is coming wearing tilaka and a bead bag.
Prabhupāda: Very good. (pause) But I am not speaking of my experience. When we speak, we speak from the śāstra. So this woman's dependence is described in Manu-saṁhitā. And there are many instances. Just like Kuntī. Kuntī was not ordinary woman. She was very learned, exalted woman.
Akṣayānanda: I've seen dogs follow saṅkīrtana party for many miles. Once a dog was following, and he had tilaka, he had a tilaka mark on his head.
Prabhupāda: No, no. Who? Who marked it? Somebody? No, no. You should not do it.
Brahmānanda: Did someone put tilaka on the dog?
Akṣayānanda: Oh, I mean to say the color of his body was such.
Prabhupāda: Oh, that is another thing. But you cannot put tilaka. Don't make tilaka so cheap. Natural tilaka, that is another thing.
Akṣayānanda: Yes.
French devotee (2): If a devotee step on the ant, does the ant receive some benefit?
Prabhupāda: Hm?
French devotee (2): If a devotee step on a ant by mistake, the ant...
Prabhupāda: You should be careful. Why should you commit mistake? But if unconsciously, by mistake it is done, that is another thing.
Brahmānanda: They had a gurukula here at Hare Kṛṣṇa Land. Isn't it? And many of the children of the tenants were coming, and they were wearing tilaka. And then they would go home and tell their parents not to eat meat and so on, and the parents became very angry and took their children back. (break)
Prabhupāda: ...Hiraṇyakaśipu education, then it is filled up immediately. And if you introduce Prahlāda education-vacant. (break) Hm? (laughs) (break) ...meet me at night, all you. (break) Who are living?
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Acyutānanda: The Hindu law is so elastic, anyone who calls himself a Hindu or who practices any branch...
Mahāṁsa: Or puts on tilaka.
Acyutānanda: Puts on tilaka, he may have the lowest character or the highest standard, anyone, he will be all considered a Hindu.
Prabhupāda: So this should be taken to court, on the Supreme Court.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Sometimes we take bath before sunrise and put on tilaka. Should the mantra be said at that time, after putting on tilaka? Or should we wait and then say it...
Prabhupāda: No, no.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ...when the sun rises? After tilaka?
Prabhupāda: No, no, tilaka should be done after bathing.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And then when should the Gāyatrī be said? Right after...
Prabhupāda: After tilaka. Gāyatrī mantra is description of the sun. (break) ...our land?
Bhavānanda: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Jayapatāka: This is wheat growing here.
Prabhupāda: Huh?
Jayapatāka: This is wheat growing.
Prabhupāda: This land?
Jayapatāka: This is not our land.
Prabhupāda: And this? Up to this...?
Prabhupāda: Devotees.... To become devotee is not so cheap thing. You don't think that because you have got a tilaka you have become devotee. Why do you think like that?
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Jaya Prabhupāda.
Prabhupāda: That Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, eiṭa eka kalira chelā, nāke tilaka, galaya mālā:(?) "Here is another follower of Kali. He has got tilaka and mālā." Sahaja bhajana kacen māmu, saṅga laiyā pārera wala (?): "He is worshiping, bhajana, taking another's wife." Sahaja bhajana kacen māmu, saṅga laiyā pārera wala, ei ṭa eka kalira chelā: "Here is a servant of Kali. Simply he has changed his dress with tilaka and mālā." Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says. If you take tilaka and mālā and do all nonsense things, then you are not a devotee. You are Kali-chelā. To become a devotee is not so easy thing.
Ātreya Ṛṣi: Devotee means perfect.
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Certainly. Devotee means sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26). He is above these material laws. That is devotee. Brahma-bhūyāya kalpate. He is in the Brahman stage. That is devotee. If you take.... That means sahajiyā. "Because I have got a tilaka and mālā, I have become devotee." This kind of cheating will not do.
Devotee (1): Yesterday, Śrīla Prabhupāda, four or five people stopped me while I was in a bus during the day, and they would stop me and look at me with tilaka and etcetera, and say, "Why have you given up your Western life and taken to this life?" (Prabhupāda laughs) They were amazed. And then I had a Bhāgavatam, and I'd show them your picture, and I'd show them the Bhāgavatam and say, "Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 2.59), a higher taste." And then they would appreciate. They would.... They were so impressed by your Bhāgavatam. They looked at your picture, and they'd go, "Yes, yes, you are right."
Prabhupāda: Yes, in my Preface I have written that: "What is the necessity of the human society?" This is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is required. It is a mistake to understand that we are trying to push on Hindu culture. Where is the Hindu culture? To become a gentleman is Hindu culture? It is for everyone.
Devotee: Well, the previous owner didn't want to sell it to the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. They said they'd prefer to burn it down. (Prabhupāda laughs) One Indian gentleman who is a prominent businessman in Toronto purchased it in trust, saying that he was representing some Indian social group. So he purchased it in trust. Then the chairman of the committee of trustees who were in charge of selling the church noticed some tilaka on Viśvakarmā's face. He had a hat on so his śikhā wouldn't show. When he saw it was Hare Kṛṣṇa, he became very disturbed.
Viśvakarmā: He said, "Oh, no, the Hare Kṛṣṇas."
Prabhupāda: So they are not very favorable to the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. (laughs)
Interviewer: Prabhu, the... Can you tell us a little bit about the plans you have for your project in India?
Prabhupāda: Yes, I wanted to start this movement from India. I even requested Mahatma Gandhi, that "Mahatmaji, you have got some respect all over the world, and you are known as a great student of Bhagavad-gītā. Now you have got your sva-rājya, the Britishers have gone away. Let us preach Bhagavad-gītā." But I don't think I got any reply from him. Of course he was very busy man. My letter might have reached him or not reached him. The secretaries might have rejected. I think received from secretary, like that. But then after few days he was killed. So I was trying for this purpose in India. I approached many friends, that "You have got four sons. Give me one son so that I can train him how to become a real preacher of Bhagavad-gītā, how one can understand." Because Bhagavad-gītā is being misinterpreted. So I wanted to preach it as it is. That was my mission. So practically nobody joined me. Then I decided to come here. And these boys cooperated. So I have got great desire to... Because India is by nature Kṛṣṇa conscious, but our modern leaders keeping them suppressed. That is the difficulty. There are so many other difficulties, and leaders are misinterpreting Bhagavad-gītā. To tell you frankly, there are so many commentaries on Bhagavad-gītā by Dr. Radhakrishna, by Gandhi, by Tilak, by Aurobindo, or many others. But nobody has said that "Here is God, Kṛṣṇa." Do you admit or not? Has anybody said that, "Here is God, Kṛṣṇa. You are searching after God. Here is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. Worship Him"? Nobody has stated. Am I right or not?
Prabhupāda: They are not devotees. Rascals. Don't say "some devotees." Devotees will hear: guru-mukha-padma-vākya cittete kariyā aikya āra nā kariha mane **.
Acyutānanda: They also wear the Rādhā-kuṇḍa māṭi, tilaka.
Prabhupāda: There is no harm, but they should understand what is Rādhā-kuṇḍa and how to deal with Rādhā-kuṇḍa. Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī showed how to live in Rādhā-kuṇḍa. Saṅkhyā-pūrvaka-nāma-gāna-natibhiḥ kālāvasānī-kṛtau. He was circumambulating Rādhā-kuṇḍa, falling down, making a mark. That is Rādhā-kuṇḍa vāsī. Saṅkhyā-pūrvaka-nāma-gāna-natibhiḥ. Not only counted holy names, but offering obeisances so many hundred times in... That is Rādhā-kuṇḍa. He, so much vairāgya he showed. He can take bath in the Rādhā-kuṇḍa. First of all, do this like Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī. Saṅkhyā-pūrvaka-nāma-gāna-natibhiḥ kālāvasānī-kṛtau nidrāhāra-vihārakādi-vijitau cātyanta-dīnau ca yau **.
Prabhupāda: ...forest, naked, renounced, eating fruits. But debauch number one. Markaṭa-vairāgya. There are so many vairāgīs. Markaṭa. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has said, ei 'ta kali-celā. Here is a disciple of Kali. Nāke tilaka galāi mālā. But has got a tilaka on the forehead and neckbeads on the neck. But is Kali-celā-number one disciple of Kali. You know this song? Kali-celā. These persons who are committing sinful life—don't say anyone (laughs) or publish—there will be trouble. But that's a fact. Those who are living in Vṛndāvana and acting like monkey, they'll get next life—a monkey. To remain in Vṛndāvana, and then next life they will be liberated. In one life all their sinful activities will be punished. Because as soon as animal life is obtained, there is no more further record of the sinful life. The animals cannot make sinful activities more than what is destined by him. But their sinful activity is not taken into account. For this man who is offered this monkey's body, he suffers the inconvenience of monkey life. So his sinful activities are counteracted, and because he came to Vṛndāvana and lived in Vṛndāvana by the mercy of Rādhārāṇī, next life he will be... That is the glory of Vṛndāvana-dhāma. Otherwise what is the explanation of these dogs and hogs and monkeys in Vṛndāvana? If it is dhāma-aparādha, committing offense in dhāma. Dhāma-aparādha. As dhāma-bhajana, if one undergoes devotional service out of Vṛndāvana and one executes devotional service in Vṛndāvana, that is hundred times better. Similarly dhāma-aparādha also. This aparādha, when offense is committed outside Vṛndāvana, that is not so grievous as committing offense in Vṛndāvana. Dhāma-aparādha. So the punishment is there, but the reward is also there. One life makes pardoned. Tat te 'nukampāṁ su-samīkṣamāṇo bhuñjāna evātma-kṛtaṁ vipākam (SB 10.14.8). Therefore a devotee in a reverse condition of life, he understands that "I am punished. Little punished for my previous mischievous activities. So now I am becoming liberated." So he becomes more enthused to worship the Lord, that "You are finishing my sinful reaction of life with slight punishment. Thank you very much. This is devotee. Tat te 'nukampāṁ su-samīkṣamāṇaḥ.
Hari-śauri: Then when they go to any of our temples, they're amazed because we don't...
Prabhupāda: We sit down, don't use any chair, any couches, unnecessarily, carpet. What expenditure? We have no expenditure for personal self. And still you are faulty? What can be done? We don't purchase any cosmetic, this clay tilaka is sufficient. We don't apply any pomade or cosmetic or ointment. Either for our girls or ourselves. We don't do that, we live very simply. After 15 days we shave, there is no use of cutting or decorating. Note down all these things. We have no doctor's bill even.
Prabhupāda: No, that is not possible. That is not the process. You cannot interpret Bhagavad-gītā. If you want to preach Bhagavad-gītā, you must preach what Kṛṣṇa has said. If you have got a different philosophy, you can say differently. You don't cheat people that you take Bhagavad-gītā and interpret in your own way and cheat others and be cheated yourself. You cannot do that.
Guest: Well, for example, Tilak Maharaj...
Prabhupāda: Tilak may be, Gandhi may be, whoever may be. But the point is that you have to understand Bhagavad-gītā according to the direction of the author. Because you are Mr. Tilak or Mr. Gandhi, you can do everything on Bhagavad-gītā...
Prabhupāda: At least, you do not know where gold is purchased and sold. But others know. Otherwise, how they are transacting business, lakhs and crores in gold. He knows. (Hindi) There are many other persons who are dealing in gold. Therefore it is advised... The first is that I want to purchase gold. Śraddhā, this is called śraddhā. Ādau śraddhā. Then sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83). If you have to deal, you have to associate with persons. (aside:) I do not know exactly. For the present, we can go there. If I require, we can get up. (pause) At least, if you read Bhagavad-gītā to understand, and one is anxious to understand the need of spiritual life all over the world, So one should read Bhagavad-gītā as it is. Why he should interpret foolishly, spoiling the whole thing?
Indian man: Still, if (indistinct) of Tilak and...
Prabhupāda: Why, why should you read Tilak and Tilak and Tilak? Straight.
Indian man: I don't know Sanskrit.
Prabhupāda: Then one who knows Sanskrit. You do not know.
Indian man: (indistinct) ...somewhere in Chapter Five that if you do bad deeds (indistinct)
Prabhupāda: But you do not know what is bad deeds is your disobedience to Kṛṣṇa is the most dangerous path.
Prabhupāda: And in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, as soon as you try to understand Bhagavad-gītā in your own way, it is finished. It is finished. Naṣṭa. Yogo naṣṭaḥ parantapa. So naṣṭa cheese, what is naṣṭa, what is the use of...?
Guest (1): It should be destroyed. No use to it.
Prabhupāda: Suppose if I supply you something which is spoiled, then what benefit you will derive? Therefore no benefit is derived by the people in general either from Gandhi or Vinoba Bhave or Tilak because it was naṣṭa.
Guest (1): Sir, how do you compare it with... This Hare Kṛṣṇa movement...
Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is...
Guest (1): ...for the common man, for the downtrodden, for the poor...
Prabhupāda: Yes, they can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and they will understand.
Guest (1): Not only take it but they'll ridicule and say that something has gone wrong somewhere.
Prabhupāda: They'll not take it: "No! What is this Swamiji...? Mahatma Gandhi says this and this... Tilak says this, this, that." And if we say that they are wrong, then people will criticize, "Oh, he has become more than..." This is the difficulty. We don't say anything except what is said by the great personalities that are Kṛṣṇa conscious. So I am not saying anything of my own manufacture. I am simply saying what Kṛṣṇa has said. But they will reject that. I say that Kṛṣṇa says that you become a Kṛṣṇa's devotee. It is very simple for me. And they will say, "Huh! What is this nonsense Kṛṣṇa? We have seen this Kṛṣṇa. Now we have got this leader." This is the problem. Upadeṣo hi mūrkhāṇāṁ prakopāya na śāntaye. (Hindi)
Prabhupāda: I say any religious stamp, material, there is no benefit. Therefore Kṛṣṇa said sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66). You have to give up all these designations. And bhakti, love of Godhead, or service to God, begins when you are relieved from these designations. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). When becoming God conscious, you become completely purified, then your devotional life begins. And so long you are entangled with this designation, there is no question of devotional service. Either you Hindu or Muslim or Christian, it doesn't matter. So our business is not that, that we convert a Hindu to a Christian or a Christian to a Hindu. That is not our business. They are thinking, because we dress like that, with tilaka, with māla, they think Hindu. But it's not our business to convert the Christians to become Hindus, as all other missionaries, they are doing. They are trying to increasing the number of Christian or Hindus. So our... There is no question of increasing. It is very difficult to accept.
Indian man: What does, as you were telling about Gandhi and Aurobindo or Tilak or Gyaneshwar. What...
Prabhupāda: No, no. Why you are asking? You study then whether they have spoken something else or Bhagavad-gītā. It is your business. Why you are asking me? But we say anyone who says against Bhagavad-gītā, he's a rascal.
Indian man: No, but they have said something in favor of Bhagavad-gītā.
Prabhupāda: But I don't see that they have made one single Kṛṣṇa bhakta, neither they were Kṛṣṇa bhakta. What kind of Bhagavad-gītā they have read I do not know. I see by the result. The last word of Bhagavad-gītā is man-manā bhava mad-bhakto... Mām eva... Sarva-dharmān. That is study of Bhagavad-gītā. They do not speak of Kṛṣṇa anywhere, that "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Person, you become a devotee." Now how he has read Bhagavad-gītā? I shall take it? Simply make jugglery of words? We have to see the result. They have neither made one Kṛṣṇa bhakta, neither they were Kṛṣṇa bhakta. How he has read Bhagavad-gītā? Tell me. This is the test. They... Whole country is after Gandhi or Aurobindo or big, big. But who is Kṛṣṇa bhakta under their direction? Now we are simply following Caitanya Mahāprabhu, yāre dekha tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa'-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). Just see. Thousands are become Kṛṣṇa bhakta. See by practical.
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Yes. He mentioned that, that "My Kṛṣṇa is different imagination. My imagination of Kṛṣṇa is different." That is his position. He imagines. He has... (Hindi) "My imagination of Kṛṣṇa..." This is... How he can believe Kṛṣṇa? Kṛṣṇa is preaching violence, and he's trying to draw nonviolence. The people will challenge, but he makes his own commentation, his own imagination. He said, "My imagination of Kṛṣṇa is different." This is his word. And actually... He is the student of Bhagavad-gītā and in his āśrama there is not a single picture of Kṛṣṇa. He does not believe in Kṛṣṇa. But believe or not believe, he was reading Bhagavad-gītā, had respect. That will give him some profit, there is no doubt. (break) Yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpam. Everything is clearly said in the Bhagavad-gītā. I speak, therefore, to my disciples that "You simply repeat like parrot Bhagavad-gītā and follow by your life. Don't try to become very big scholar, do interpretation. Remain foolish and believe in Kṛṣṇa. Then life is perfect." And actually that is happening. They never tried to eschew and... What is called, the English word? Draw out some meaning. Eschew or something?
Jagadīśa: Eschew is the right word.
Prabhupāda: They do, everyone. The Tilak has done like that, Gandhi has done like that, Vinod Bhave is doing that. Dr. Radhakrishna has done like that, Vivekananda has done, Aurobindo has done—everyone. Nobody would take directly, that "Here is God." What do you think? They have taken directly? Do they believe?
Dr. Patel: They believe in God.
Prabhupāda: No, believe in God, that is everyone doing. So what is their special credit? Why do they touch Bhagavad-gītā and say, "My imagination of God is different"? How cheating it is. If your imagination of God is different, why do you touch Bhagavad-gītā and declare yourself that "I am a student of Bhagavad-gītā. My life is also for Gītā?"
Dr. Patel: Even when Tilak... Tilak says he follows Bhagavad-gītā always.
Prabhupāda: Everyone says that. But nobody says...
Dr. Patel: A part of it, not the whole thing.
Prabhupāda: Nobody says that "Here is God, Kṛṣṇa." That is their fault.
Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. What he will do, more payment? (?) Then he will kill. This sex life in this material world is so strong, even in the heavenly planets. Big, big ṛṣis. Sex life with animals also there is... Sex life is so strong. Man cohabiting with animal. It makes blind. Vyāsadeva made one of her (his) students pregnant, what to speak of ourselves. Vyāsadeva was born, Satyavatī. She was low class. Although she was born by a king, but her mother was a low-class fisherwoman. And the fisherman raised her as daughter. And Parāśara Muni became attracted. And Vyāsadeva was born. Sex affairs, just see, in the highest circle. Bṛhaspati, the spiritual master of the devatās, he became so much mad for his brother's wife who was pregnant, and forcibly they had sex. Just see. These are examples. Brahmā became attracted with his daughter. Lord Śiva became attracted with the beauty of Mohinī-mūrti, even in the presence of his wife. So this sex life can be controlled only by becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious. Otherwise there is no... The Bhāgavata has discussed all this because in this material world there is no escape unless we become Kṛṣṇa conscious, from the sex impulse. It is not possible. Yad-avadhi mama cetaḥ kṛṣṇa... When one is fully Kṛṣṇa conscious, then he'll reject all this nonsense: "What is this?" Bhavati mukha-vikāraḥ suṣṭhu. He'll spite (spit): "Eh! Get out. Is that enjoyment?" It is possible for a Kṛṣṇa conscious... No other can do it. And that is the bondage. He'll have to work hard for maintaining sex issues. And so long you are bound up by the karmas, you have to accept another body and then continue. Who knows this how we are bound up and conditioned? If you talk in the modern society they will laugh: "What nonsense this man is... 'By sex life one becomes conditioned.' " They cannot understand. Hare Kṛṣṇa... (japa) This should be strictly outlawed, no more sannyāsīs. And those sannyāsīs who have fallen, you get them married, live like a... No more this showbottle, cheating. It is very ludicrous. Even there is a promise that "We shall not fall down again," that is also not believable. What is the use? Better go and speak philosophy in your gṛhastha dress, not this dress, but you have nice coat, pants, gentleman. Who says no? I never said. Rather I shall be glad to see that up-to-date gentlemen with tilaka and śikhā are speaking. That is very prestigious everywhere. Why this false dress? What is the wrong to become gṛhastha? I was gṛhastha, pākā caliber gṛhastha. My Guru Mahārāja was brahmacārī, This is ever... Just see his character. Caitanya Mahāprabhu was gṛhastha, but when He took sannyāsa: "Oh, I am now..." For sober person. That is wanted. That is ideal. He married twice. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura married twice. Caitanya Mahāprabhu married twice. What is the wrong there? One has to become pure devotee, that's all. Other things, of course, are circumstantially favorable, either a gṛhastha, brahmacārī or vānaprastha or sannyāsa. Kibā vipra kibā śūdra nyāsī kene naya, yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā sei 'guru' haya (CC Madhya 8.128). You must know the science of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That makes you guru, not this dress. So what you are thinking of American program? Do it seriously. Balavanta is very expert. And all of you are expert. And do it seriously and systematically, not change the position, this side and this, change. That's not good. That makes fickle. Strength of mind wanted.
Dr. Patel: That is the hotel where Lokamane(?) Tilak died. He was staying there.
Prabhupāda: Yes. It is modern standard, very nice hotel, still good hotel.
Dr. Patel: Maharastrian brāhmaṇas keep very good hotel, still good hotel. They are not as greedy as the Gujaratis. That is a fact.
Prabhupāda: No, they are following principle. Now the Gujarati are also... And Maharastra, as good. This material civilization, meat-eating, has spread like anything. Here we see, signboard: "Beef shop." We have seen.
Prabhupāda: (Hindi—woman answers in Hindi) Call Pālikā. Just teach her... Take her in the kitchen and teach her how to make tilaka.
Pālikā: How to make tilaka, yes.
Prabhupāda: Tilaka, dvādaśa-tilaka. You just go and learn. (break) What is that? (break) Otherwise there is no death. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). Actually there is no death. This forgetfulness is death. We have forgotten: "Who was our father, who was our mother, where I was born?" That is death. And otherwise I am the soul, continuing. Just like in childhood so many things we did, but we have forgotten. The forgetfulness is death. The more one forgets, the more one is dead. Otherwise there is no death. Na jāyate na mriyate vā: "Never takes birth, never dies." Then what is death? Death is forgetfulness. So you can begin now. (break) ...big, big buildings, the same spirit as karmīs are doing. But this desire to construct very big building, when transferred for Kṛṣṇa, that is bhakti. So we have got this tendency, everyone, to possess money, to have very big buildings and so on, so on. You do it for Kṛṣṇa. Then it will be bhakti. Otherwise karma. And karma means to be bound up by the laws of nature. So? What is...? (break)
Prabhupāda: So who has gone for the beads? Simply planning. So who has gone for the beads?
Hari-śauri: She's just got some beads.
Jagadīśa: Oh, she's got?
Prabhupāda: Let her come.
Hari-śauri: She was just trying to put them on.
Prabhupāda: So there is no woman here?
Devotee (1): No.
Prabhupāda: She can help her tilaka. Call Pālikā.
Jagadīśa: Tilaka is already on.
Prabhupāda: Oh. (pause)
Devotee (1): Śrīla Prabhupāda, in Māyāpur we see so many pilgrims coming from Assam, Nagaland and Manipur. They're having this Vaiṣṇava tilaka, Gauḍīya-Vaiṣṇava tilaka, and they also worship Caitanya Mahāprabhu. How is that influence also there?
Prabhupāda: Caitanya Mahāprabhu went there.
Devotee (1): He went to Manipur then.
Gurudāsa: Wasn't it one of the times he was going to Vṛndāvana but didn't go, then He went to Manipur? Is that correct?
Prabhupāda: I do not know. But Caitanya Mahāprabhu used to go and preach in eastern Bengal. And His original paternal house is in Sylhet.
Guest (4): Yes. He told, the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam is the ultimate bhāṣya of prasthāna code, Vedānta-sūtra.
Prabhupāda: Yes. No, anything, if you can understand very clearly, where is the question of interpretation? But it has become a fashion that "If I can interpret in my own way, I become a big scholar." This is going on. If you have got your philosophy, you can speak. Everyone is free. Why you should take Bhagavad-gītā and distort it? Kṛṣṇa never meant that "In future Gandhi will come," or "Dr. Radhakrishnan will come, and he will explain My ideas." What is this nonsense? Kṛṣṇa was a foolish person that he left it for Gandhi for distortion? He could not explain Himself that Kurukṣetra means this body? Gandhi has to interpret? Do you think it is right?
Guest (5) (Indian man): Not at all.
Prabhupāda: But this is going on. What right you have got to interpret? If Kurukṣetra means body, Kṛṣṇa would have explained that. Was He not learned? He left it for Gandhi. Just see. He left it for Tilak. How harmful these interpretations are. That is going on. (end)
Prabhupāda: With great respect, with reverence and respect. Then?
Pradyumna: Sādhu-vartmānuvartanam.
Prabhupāda: And you must see that what you are doing, that is according to the principle which all other sādhus and devotees do. They have tilaka, and you say, "I have no tilaka." That is not sādhu-mārgānu. Sādhu-mārgānugamanam. They have kaṇṭhi. You say, "I can avoid it." That is not sādhu-mārgānugamanam. So, from very beginning, if you disobey, then how you'll make progress? Then?
Satsvarūpa: "My only wish is to have my consciousness purified by the words emanating from his lotus mouth."
Prabhupāda: Then he's safe. And as soon as he manufactures—finished. So don't do this. Yasya deve parā bhaktir yathā deve tathā gurau, tasyaite kathitā... (ŚU 6.23). This is the secret of spiritual success. Vṛndāvana, there are so many dangerous. All these bābājīs, they are... "Oh, I am not going out of Vṛndāvana." But he has got connection with so many women. So what is the use? Have you experience of this? He's attached to women and doing all sinful activities in Vṛndāvana, and he's a devotee. "He cannot go out of Vṛndāvana." This is going on, manufacturing biḍi, smoking biḍi, in the dress of Rūpa Gosvāmī, loincloth, big tilaka, kaṇṭhi, and what he's doing? Biḍi-making. Have you seen?
Pṛthu-putra: I have seen some of them doing this, yes.
Prabhupāda: Not all of them. But they are also claiming they're on the stage of Rūpa Gosvāmī. We are preaching—we are lower stage. That is their opinion. We are preaching all over the world; we are in the lower stage. And because he has imitated the dress of Rūpa Gosvāmī, mālā, tilaka, and he's manufacturing biḍi-he's higher. This is going on. Therefore Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura has condemned these rascals—that kali-celā—"the disciple of Kali." Ei ota eka kali-celā.(?) Here is a disciple of Kali. Who? Nāke tilaka galāi mālā. And sahajiyā bhajana kache mamu, saṅge lana pare bala.(?) He has tilaka and mālā, and sahajiyā, with other girls he's making parakīyā-rasa-bhajana. Kali-celā. Ei ota eka kali-celā. So we have to guided by our predecessor ācāryas. Then we shall be saved. Otherwise we are condemned.
Pṛthu-putra: Oh, no. That was long time ago. Anyway, I was just staying in one place and didn't listen to anyone.
Prabhupāda: That Kṛṣṇadāsa Bābājī, he's of the same type. Not only he, mostly. Because their theory is this, to pick up some woman who is not your wife, she must be parakīyā, other's wife. And making Rādhārāṇī, and you become Kṛṣṇa, and this is parakīyā... And pointed out by Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, he's a kali-celā. Ei ota eka kali-celā, nāke tilaka galāi mālā, and sahajiyā bhajana kache mamur saṅge lana pare bala.(?) This is... It's not new thing. It is coming since a long time. Otherwise how Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura... He's our like grandfather.
Satsvarūpa: This discussion with Pṛthu-putra Mahārāja and the devotees in Europe doesn't so much concern those bābājīs as this business of the, when something is visited, when you have a visitation from the subtle plane, whether to take it as important or not. But you've already explained the position, to go on with your duty and not consider the message very important. Sometimes they speak of...
Prabhupāda: Ask him to have tilaka always.
Pṛthu-putra: That, that boy who came.
Prabhupāda: No, that man who came. Ask that...
Pṛthu-putra: To wears always tilaka. He has the kaṇṭhi-mālā, but I don't...
Prabhupāda: No tilaka.
Pṛthu-putra: No tilaka.
Satsvarūpa: He does not wear tilaka.
Prabhupāda: So he must have tilaka. You ask him, "First of all have tilaka." You see. Otherwise we'll not take.
Satsvarūpa: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Prabhupāda: Jaya. (end)
Satsvarūpa: He said that "There have been many commentaries on the Bhagavad-gītā including Rāmānuja, Madhva and Śaṅkara, and then," he said, "Tilak and Gandhi, but of all of them the commentary by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami is the greatest commentary." Punjab University. Then he said later that "In this suffering mankind, God has sent His Holiness A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami."
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He said greater than the other ācāryas.
Satsvarūpa: Yes. Greater than Rāmānuja and Madhva.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And he's a big man.
Prabhupāda: He is very big man. Very good scholar also. He goes outside for lecturing.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Therefore I thought it. Ideal Vaiṣṇava state. Brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, they are doing very nicely, and people will be surprised, "Oh." There is no question of hatred. It is division for proper discharge of duty.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: But I saw in the airport, the policemen, they have this tilaka.
Prabhupāda: Tilaka.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Policemen, they are dressed, but they have tilaka.
Prabhupāda: Manipur? Manipur?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes, Manipur. And always give respect. Though I am nobody, but...
Prabhupāda: Tilaka.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Wow. The policemen wear tilaka. There is justice for sure.
Prabhupāda: So immediately do it. I shall go. If there is such possibility... Let us have a small ideal state. If respectable gentlemen take it, oh, it will be a great success, an ideal state throughout the whole world, Vaiṣṇava state.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Example. You can show that example.
Prabhupāda: Show their policemen, all with tilaka, and marching, "Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare, Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare."
Prabhupāda: Ten thousand dollars means one lakh of rupees. So we shall save from that luxury department. And this is solid work, yes. It must be done. Without any hesitation, without any impediment. That will increase our prestige of the movement. And go in good dress because people...
Svarūpa Dāmodara: In suits.
Prabhupāda: In suit, yes. You get first dress, then address. (laughter) But tilaka must be there. You dress like up-to-date gentlemen, but tilaka must be there. That is our trademark.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Some hair for him is all right? Little bit of hair.
Prabhupāda: I don't think hair is required. Nowadays many gentlemen shaven.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Shaved head.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Many gentlemen. I have seen many Russian scholars and politicians, they shave clean.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: There is a very big American actor who always has a shaved head.
Prabhupāda: That is now fashion, shaved head. But if you think it is impediment, you can have hair.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: In India it is all right, but in the West, especially in the United States...
Prabhupāda: Then you keep hair. I have no objection. That should not be an impediment. Whichever you... But tilaka is objectionable?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Oh, no. Tilaka we can always have.
Prabhupāda: That's nice. Then it is all right. You belong to Hare Kṛṣṇa. That should be there. That cannot be...
Svarūpa Dāmodara: I would use tilaka many times when I was doing my thesis, also like this, but in giving lectures, especially amongst the scientists, sometimes if we come with head shaved, sometimes they think it very strange. We can do it when...
Prabhupāda: No, no, no. Don't disturb them, that "These are strange people." No, we don't want that. But we must have our position. Tilaka is our position. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's stricture. You will not see one face if there is no tilaka. He used to say it is cremation ground. Yes, without tilaka. Pasanta mukha.(?) Tilaka must be there. And so far dress is concerned, you can dress up to the taste of the modern people. So what is your breakfast time here?
Prabhupāda: But first of all we must know also what is the position. If we also become enamored by the so-called scientists, politicians, philosophers, then we cannot preach. We must definitely be convinced that they're all rascals. As a gentleman, I can give him some respect. That is another thing. But he's a rascal. You must know that "I am talking with a rascal number one." So I... He cannot deviate me from my position. But I can talk in a nice way, gentlemanly. That is another thing. That is courtesy. But I know that these rascals, number fools, number one fools, they have no idea. Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore said, ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva (CC Madhya 19.151). In this way they are rotting within this universe. Kabhu svarge kabhu martye narake ḍubāya. Sometimes by puṇya they are in the higher planetary system, some powerful lokas(?). Sometimes fish, sometimes demigod, sometimes dog and cat. This is going on. Kṛṣṇa says. Nivartante mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani (BG 9.3). Mṛtyu-saṁsāra-vartmani, botheration. Then there is... We have got this... Any intelligent person gets the Bhagavad-gītā. The rascals are reading Bhagavad-gītā, do not understand a line even. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). They do not question even. And after the destruction, body, I am not annihilated. Then where I am going? What is my next life? Na jāyate na mriyate vā. He does not die. The body is changed. Vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya (BG 2.22). So everything is clearly said. They do not inquire even that "After changing this body or change dress, what kind of body or dress I am going to have?" Answer is there. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu. 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. So how many members you have made?
Indian man (3): Swamiji, you bless ourselves in such a way that we will not...
Prabhupāda: You have come. You are welcome here and take the blessings. But you won't come. When I say, "Come here and take the blessings," you won't come. What can I do? If one has fallen in the blind well—"Please get me up! Get me up!"—so I give him a rope: "Yes, catch it. I'll get you..." "No, no, I shall not catch." Without catching, there is no... So if you want to learn, come here. Stay. We shall teach you. That you won't do. Then how can I teach you? You learn from them. Just see these European and Americans, how they are... You have to learn from them by their behavior. These are American boys. Just see how they have tilaka, how they...
Indian man (3): No, Swamiji, we know Swamiji's tremendous work going on around the world.
Prabhupāda: So if I can teach them, who did not know what is Kṛṣṇa, I cannot teach you? I can teach you. But you won't take the teaching. That is the difficulty. Stubborn. That is difficulty.
Mr. Dwivedi: It is nobody's religion, what little I know of the few religions, that to advise that "You must take a particular type of flesh and not the other type."
Prabhupāda: No, flesh you can take if you are carnivorous, but not this cow's flesh. That is particularly instructed in Bhagavad-gītā, kṛṣi-go-rakṣya. Kṛṣṇa did not say that "You be non-meat-eater." That is not possible. Jīvo jīvasya jīvanam. Every living entity is living by eating another living entity. That is the laws of nature. But there are different types, so in the human society, if there are persons who want to eat flesh, so they can eat that nonimportant, small animal. But don't touch cow. That is Gītā's instruction. Go-rakṣya, He has particularly said. If you are so mean that you have to eat some flesh, there are hogs, dogs, and... And you can eat. But don't touch cow. Gandhi posed himself as a great student of Bhagavad-gītā, but he did not understand a single line. That is the defect. Gandhi took it, Bhagavad-gītā, as a childish play. Dangerous... Therefore country is ruined. You must take Bhagavad-gītā as it is. Then there is authority. You cannot change it. If you change it, where is the authority? Can you change the simple law, "Keep to the right; keep to the left"? No. It is authority. If the direction is "Keep to the right," you must keep to the right. You cannot say that "What is the wrong if I keep to the left?" Then there is no authority. So Gandhi, Tilak, and Aurobindo and so on, so on, they took Bhagavad-gītā as a childish play. Whatever they want, they interpret that. And Vivekananda supported, yato mata tato patha: "You can have your own opinion." These are all nonsense. Therefore country is ruined. You must take as it is. Then it will be... You cannot change the authority of Bhagavad-gītā. Kṛṣṇa says, kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya... (BG 18.44)..
Prabhupāda: Yes. (break) ...come directly, brāhmaṇas sometimes brahmacārī, gṛhastha. That will impress. (break) ...hodgepodge. Respect is no. Ideals become a leader. He'll do. He'll do. There must be some strong men. Tilaka always must be there. That is our great standard. Kaṇṭhī-mālā. Every fifteen days you should be cleansed. (break) (indistinct) Don't be in all this (indistinct). Go on very nicely. Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Prabhu Nityānanda, Śrī Advaita Gadādhara Śrīvāsa... (break)
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They can't maintain any, because they don't have Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Prabhupāda: They do not marry for being... Or they kill children. They are doing that. Where is the question of "four," "two"? These are all nonsense program. They do not know how to do things. We welcome. Four, nei. Four hundred. Come on. My Guru Mahārāja used to say that "I am a brahmacārī-sannyāsī, but if I can bring Kṛṣṇa conscious child, I can beget hundred children. I have no objection." And that is... There is no question of four or two. Four hundred—if you can make them Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is the criterion. That is required. But that, they do not know. They'll not be able to maintain properly even one children, one child. That's not possible. But that is the difficulty in In... They do not know the laws of nature, the laws of God, how things are going on, although they are being explained. They'll... There are so many things. They are jumping like monkey. That's all. They... They take photograph for "Gītā student," and they do not understand one line, even one line. In the beginning, the Bhagavad-gītā is tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ: (BG 2.13) "This body will change." Do they take it seriously? So what is the use of their reading Bhagavad-gītā? Kṛṣṇa says, tathā dehāntara, na hanyate hanyamāne (BG 2.20). Do they take seriously, that "I am eternal. I do not die after the annihilation of the body. And the body will change. What I am going to do?" So this is going on, and still, they are... Gandhi is... "He is great student of Bhagavad-gītā." He is... "Tilak is a great student." "Dr. Radhakrishnan..." All rascals. All rascals. They do not understand even one line. If they study only one line, they'll be able to bring a great transforming to the... Do you think they do understand this line?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Right. "Slow but steady growth rate." There's quite a difference. What does this have to do with anything, having an American flag? This is our trademark, this shaved head.
Prabhupāda: Hm. Yes.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Shaved head and tilaka. They all have tilaka, and beadbags. And everyone is happy here.
Prabhupāda: So there is some agitation about our movement, that "How it is going on, whether it will stay." So anything more?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No. It's just... These are all signs that our movement is here to stay.
Prabhupāda: It will stay.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It says here, "Aid the Fresh Air Fund." This is a fund. They collect millions of dollars for keeping the air fresh. But they never think why the air has become unfresh due to all these foolish industries pumping so many obnoxious things into the air. That they won't stop. But they'll devise new machines to clean the air.
Prabhupāda: Hm. So here is one of the machine. That we are creating, the farms. Air fresh.
Prabhupāda: If I dress myself in a particular way, who can check it? They cannot check. I like this dress. That's all. That is not violation of law.
Upendra: Do they wear tilaka? Santa Claus? No.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They can't do that. They say, "You're misrepresenting yourselves because..."
Prabhupāda: I'm not misrepresenting. I like this dress.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They say this dress indicates a Christian...
Prabhupāda: Whatever indication, I like this. You cannot check my liking. Just like an Indian dresses like a European, or a European dresses like Indian. Does it mean that he has become Indian or he's American? He likes it. That's all. Can you object if a girl dresses like Indian with ladies' sari? Can you object? It is something like that. "Oh, why you have become Indian-like? Why you are imitating?"
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, do you want tilaka?
Bhagatji: From Delhi, only day before yesterday the road was clear. Again it is raining. Delhi to Mathurā, that road.
Brahmānanda: The road is clear?
Bhagatji: Because it was blocked.
Hari-śauri: It was blocked. Yesterday they got through, but only just. The day before it was blocked. Now today again it's raining.
Prabhupāda: The buses stopped?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Bhakti-prema Swami came. Gopāla brought him. Shaved his head. He was growing his hairs a little, but now he looks the same as before. Gopāla wants to encourage him. Maybe when you see him, if you encourage him to continue Bhāgavatam, tell him everyone has praised his translating... I thought after you finish bathing and you have tilaka on, I'll bring him. He's brought a gong for you.
Hari-śauri: (changing mattress?) It's a special kind of mattress that helps prevent sores.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: A little more spacious, yes. Same palanquin. Simply they have increased the size. (break)
Bhakti-prema: ...chanting every morning. It came in my mind all the time.
Prabhupāda: Live comfortably. We have got nice place, and whatever comfort you want, you'll get. These Americans, Europeans... When I was in London, I was thinking of getting you there. Anyway, by Kṛṣṇa's grace you have come. Good for us, good for you.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Very pure. Pure diet, Śrīla Prabhupāda. Transcendental. You're not feeling any discomfort?
Prabhupāda: Same discomfort or same comfort. No change.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So you're bathed a little bit now.
Prabhupāda: Hm? You bathed the head? No.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No. Your face was bathed and your eyes. Tilaka is put on fresh. You still feel that hair?
Prabhupāda: Huh?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You still feel that hair? (laughter)
Prabhupāda: This time what they supply?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What they supplied? You mean prasādam? There was some... Of course, today is the day after Ekādaśī, so they had some cereal made with gur and some guava fruit salad with guavas and bananas. That was all this morning. Lunch is usually substantial, very good. It's the best prasādam that we have had in many years in India here. This boy, Ayodhyā-pati, he's doing very nicely. He cooks usually... Do you want to know what he cooks for lunch? He cooks a ālu sabji with dahi sauce, and he makes bindi, very nicely spiced, and ḍāl, ruṭis, rice, apple chutney, and dahi, raita. Every day.
Brahmānanda: Yes. This is a magazine, Rudiwawumungu(?) It means "Go back to God." Mungu(?) is "God." That says, "Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa."
Upendra: They have letters explaining what each of the..., beads means, tilaka, clothes, explanation down here, Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Brahmānanda: To distribute these books Cyavana Swami is having African devotees distribute them. He is organizing them. Cyavana Swami is good at organizing the Africans. But we are not able to distribute them for what it cost to print.
Prabhupāda: It doesn't matter.
Brahmānanda: What is that?
Hari-śauri: Doesn't matter.
Brahmānanda: Doesn't matter. Yes. Therefore we have to get... I've asked at the BBT that some fund, if we could set up some fund... We have published in the books that "This is donated to the people of Kenya by ISKCON Frankfurt, West Germany." So he is getting a good advertisement also, that he is sending money out of the country for welfare purposes. (break)
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He's your top preacher. I could see that in the future this man... He's the most important preacher, because people are basing everything on these rascal scientists. I think this is only one of your many plans, Śrīla Prabhupāda. There's no doubt that you have to make every effort to get back to health. This is only one plan, and I'm seeing it's really inconceivable how these scientists... I never thought to see such people walking into Vṛndāvana. Who would have ever expected it? They all look like Darwin's representatives. But our men look even more scientific than they do. That's the best part of it. And then, even though Svarūpa Dāmodara is in shirt, coat and pants, he has a big tilaka on, and mallikā.
Prabhupāda: That is wanted.
Hari-śauri: Prabhupāda said you've got coat and pant. He was concerned about whether you should sit or...
Prabhupāda: So sit down. Sit down on the chair.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Bring some chairs, Tapomaya. Bring those chairs. Actually, Śrīla Prabhupāda, they are all right, I think.
Prabhupāda: No, no, no. There are other...
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda's mercy. Push that chair down. One more is coming. Svarūpa Dāmodara, sit down.
Prabhupāda: You'll get one corner light.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: See how they're all dressed, Śrīla Prabhupāda? Nice looking.
Hari-śauri: Shirt and tie.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And tilaka.
Prabhupāda: Now you are seated comfortably?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda. We're comfortable.
Prabhupāda: So?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: So, we are learning, Śrīla Prabhupāda. This is our first conference. And we... We are confident that we can do it.
Prabhupāda: Who is seated over...?
Prabhupāda: Hm. Go on chanting. (break) ...of Rāmānuja-sampradāya, with that big, big...
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Tilaka?
Prabhupāda: Hm. He is preparing makara-dhvaja.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What kind of jala?
Prabhupāda: Makara-dhvaja.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Makhara dal?
Prabhupāda: Makara-dhvaja is a Ayurvedic medicine. So this kavirāja was preparing makara-dhvaja.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Gopāla Kṛṣṇa told me that Jayapatākā Mahārāja had called him and said that they have arranged for one Rāmānujī kavirāja there in Bengal side, and everything was ready if you can come there. Can you bring him here?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No. He's not going to come.
Bhavānanda: They have their medicines and everything there.
Prabhupāda: He has?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He's arranged for Rāmānuja kavirāja, Jayapatākā Mahārāja.
Prabhupāda: Where?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In Bengal side, Calcutta side, Māyāpur. Māyāpur, Calcutta, but he's there.
Bhavānanda: He wears Rāmānuja tilaka, he's got good recommendation from L. M. Bangor.
Trivikrama: But how can Prabhupāda travel?
Devotee: But Prabhupāda cannot travel, because any movement will disturb his kidney.
Prabhupāda: He cannot come?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, it will be the same as the man from Delhi. He can't come and stay here and give up his practice. He stays in Calcutta, so... He won't be able to simply come and then... He'll leave, and then we won't be able to consult. The idea is that the man has to be here every day.
Prabhupāda: No. If he Rāmānujī kavirāja gives makara-dhvaja, that is the last. If he...
Bhavānanda: He did agree with your own diagnosis, Prabhupāda. He said makaradhvaja at this point would be poison and today you said that it was poison.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Bhavānanda: So that was...
Prabhupāda: Mm. Mm?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Satadhanya asks whether he looks like the man you saw in the dream.
Prabhupāda: He has tilaka?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, he has nice tilaka.
Prabhupāda: (indistinct). The other man, he has nice tilaka?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Govardhanaji has tilaka?
Adri-dharaṇa: No.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No.
Prabhupāda: That's all right.
| Page Title: | Tilaka (Conversations) |
| Compiler: | Rishab, MadhuGopaldas |
| Created: | 27 of Feb, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=75, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 75 |