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Tour (Conversations)

Conversations and Morning Walks

1967 Conversations and Morning Walks

Discourse on Lord Caitanya Play Between Srila Prabhupada and Hayagriva -- April 5-6, 1967, San Francisco:

Prabhupāda: Yes, fourth act, first scene.

Hayagrīva: Meets Rāmānanda Rāya.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Shall I speak?

Hayagrīva: Oh yes.

Prabhupāda: So after converting Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, Caitanya Mahāprabhu started for His South Indian tour. In South Indian tour, before meeting Rāmānanda Rāya, He visited a very nice temple which is called Vijaya Nṛsiṁha. Shall I...? Shall you give that scene? That is very nice temple. Huh?

Hayagrīva: Yes. Go ahead.

Prabhupāda: Then the first scene will be the visit of Vijaya Nṛsiṁha Garh temple.

Hayagrīva: Vijaya...

Prabhupāda: Vijaya Nṛsiṁha Garh.

Hayagrīva: I'll get the spellings of these from you later.

Discourse on Lord Caitanya Play Between Srila Prabhupada and Hayagriva -- April 5-6, 1967, San Francisco:

Hayagrīva: Rāmānanda Rāya...

Prabhupāda: And Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Hayagrīva: All right. Now the second scene. Is that the end of the first?

Prabhupāda: Second scene, fourth act, Caitanya Mahāprabhu after finishing His South Indian tour, He came back to Jagannātha Purī, His headquarter, and after some days He started for Vṛndāvana. While He was in Vṛndāvana He was embracing the tree as old friend, and the birds were sitting on His hand, as if receiving an old friend. Because He was Kṛṣṇa. So after many years they have seen. And that scene, if you can describe how He's traveling in the Vṛndāvana forest. Then He took bath in the several vānas and ghāṭas. Ghāṭas means bathing place of Kṛṣṇa's pastimes. And everywhere He felt the ecstasy of Rādhārāṇī, separation. In this way He returned from Vṛndāvana, and when He came down to Prayag, modern Allahabad, at that time He met Rūpa Gosvāmī. Rūpa Gosvāmī.

Hayagrīva: Now you say the trees were old friends because He could remember that He was Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa used to play in these forests. He used to play in the forest. Yes. Now He met Rūpa Gosvāmī.

Prabhupāda: At Prayag.

Hayagrīva: At Prayag. Yes.

Prabhupāda: Allahabad. And...

Discourse on Lord Caitanya Play Between Srila Prabhupada and Hayagriva -- April 5-6, 1967, San Francisco:

Hayagrīva: What is His age? I just want to keep checking on this, His age now. Is He twenty, in His twenties still?

Prabhupāda: No, no. He took sannyāsa at twenty-four. Say twenty-five, twenty-six years.

Hayagrīva: Couple years later. All right. Because time is an important factor. You have to keep track of the time in the play.

Prabhupāda: Yes. He toured, after His sannyāsa, He toured all over India for six years only. That means up to 30th year He toured all over India. And from 30th year to 48th year, 18 years, He constantly remained at Jagannātha Purī. He used to chant in the temple and meet His visitors. Especially during car festival ceremony of Jagannātha, from Bengal about 400, 500 devotees would go and meet Him, and they would remain there for four months continually. July, August, September, October. Four months. And then they would come back. In this way, for 18 years He passed in Jagannātha Purī. So Rūpa Gosvāmī, He met Rūpa Gosvāmī and He taught him about the science of devotion for ten days. That devotional service He instructed that the living entities they're roaming in the 8,400,000 species of life. Fortunately, if by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa and if he gets one good spiritual master, then he learns about devotional service. So He taught him about the science of devotional service. That is the importance of meeting Rūpa Gosvāmī. So here the scenery must be mentioned. It is on the bank of Ganges. There is a nice ghāṭa, just like... You have been to Benares? No. You have been to Hardwar?

Hayagrīva: Yes.

Prabhupāda: You have seen many ghāṭas, bathing places.

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- July 16, 1968, Montreal:

Prabhupāda: Vivekananda's books we have nothing to do.

Pradyumna: I was just...

Prabhupāda: Forget him. It is all nonsense.

Pradyumna: I was looking at his philosophy. I was just looking at his technique for his... He was in America first and then he wished also to go to Europe. Anyway, he had one man... He just had a rich benefactor and he went on a six weeks tour, France, England, Germany, Switzerland, all around and then back. That's how he did most of his touring. He had one or two influential people, and then he did everything just like that. And all lectures were arranged in societies.

Prabhupāda: So you can arrange like that. Can you?

Pradyumna: I was thinking if there would be in the Royal Asiatic Society in London. I think Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda was a member of that also? Is that the same one?

Prabhupāda: Where is Ṭhākura Bhaktivinoda now?

Pradyumna: No, but there would be some people there, to open correspondence with them, and they might be interested in sponsoring you.

Prabhupāda: It is not... It is more difficult.(?) (Prabhupāda is taking prasādam) (pause) Is there anything about Kṛṣṇa in Vivekananda's speech?

Pradyumna: I wasn't reading his speeches. I wanted to see how he worked things. I know he's a rascal.

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation With John Lennon, Yoko Ono, and George Harrison -- September 11, 1969, London, At Tittenhurst:

Prabhupāda: "This is my India," "This is my Germany," "This is my China." No. Everything belongs to God, Kṛṣṇa. Sarva-loka. Not only on this planet. We have divided this planet in so many states. Actually this planet was not divided. From the history of Mahābhārata we understand. This planet, there was only one king, one emperor, in India, Hastinapur. Even up to five thousand years ago, there was only one king, Mahārāja Parīkṣit, one flag. And he came out for touring over his kingdom, and he found somebody near Sindh, a black man killing a cow. And he immediately arrested him: "Oh, in my kingdom you are killing cow?" So actually the whole planet was under one flag, one suzerainty. Gradually it has become small, small, small, small, small. Just like in our, very recently, twenty years ago, India became divided, Pakistan and Hindustan. Actually India was one, but we see now it is Pakistan. And some day another "stan" will be divided. So this is going on. So sarva-loka, in all planets, all the planets, actually that is God's place. Nobody's place. We come here empty-handed; we go empty-handed. How we can claim? Suppose you have given me this place to stay. I stay for one week, and if I claim, "Oh, this is my room," is that very nice thing? (laughs) There will be immediately some disagreement, trouble. But you have kindly spared this room. I am living here. I can comfortably live, enjoy. And when my necessity... When I go, there is no trouble. Similarly, we come here in the kingdom of God empty-handed; we go empty-handed. Why we trouble that "This is my property, this is my country, this is my world, this is my planet"? Why we claim like that? Is it not insanity? Wherefrom the claim comes? So Kṛṣṇa says that sarva-loka-maheśvaram: "I am the Supreme Lord of every place." And suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ (BG 5.29). And He is the real friend of every living entity. Īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati (BG 18.61). As a friend, He is sitting within your heart. He's so nice friend. In this material world we make friendship. It breaks. Or the friend lives somewhere, and I live somewhere. But He's so nice friend that He's living within, with me and within my heart. He is so nice friend. Sarva-bhūtānāṁ.

1970 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- December 12, 1970, Indore:

Prabhupāda: So you can join. You are family man, so it is not that we have no family men. We have got many family men. Now, they are all family. These girls, they have got a husband. And some of them, they are living separately. Just like one of my students, Professor Howard Wheeler. He is married man. He is living separately. Not separately. He is also conducting our, one establishment, New Vrindaban. So it is not that one has to live with us. He can live separately also, but his whole life is dedicated to Kṛṣṇa. That is wanted.

Guest (4): I would like to live with you and tour with you.

Prabhupāda: So why not come and live and tour with me? Who forbids you? But it is not possible to pay anything for your family expenditure. That is difficulty. We cannot pay anything but you can live with your family. That responsibility you can take. But I cannot pay you. That's not possible. Because we are maintaining by collecting alms. In that case it is not possible to pay something. There is... (break) It is selling all over Europe. (Hindi)

Guest (4): Mahārāja, could you employ me in some...?

Prabhupāda: Yes, employ, I can employ in any way. But there is no payment.

Guest (4): I am M.A. in English, M.A. in Hindi. I am trying to devote myself to this work...

Prabhupāda: So please come.

Guest (4): But for my family liabilities...

Prabhupāda: What amount you want for your family, minimum?

Room Conversation -- December 17, 1970, Surat:

Prabhupāda: That is a fact. At least at the present moment nobody can give better thing than what I am giving to the world. (Hindi)

Guest (2): There are many things you can give us. I'll arrange the tour.

Prabhupāda: You are present, a tourist program here?

Guest (2): I was there. I...

Prabhupāda: So this program...

Guest (2): I wanted to join with the camp in the public but nobody was convenienced...

Prabhupāda: No, you could have informed him. You could come to the pal... Anyway, next, next, tomorrow also we'll have.

Guest (2): I no way want to disturb...

Hamsadutta: No, you won't disturb. You'll enhance us.

Guest (2): Tomorrow I'll come.

Prabhupāda: Where you are staying here? (break) ...actually inquisitive, he'll capture it. It is not the question of... Japan. (break) ...personal ambition. It is service to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa wants. Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ (BG 18.66). So we are canvassing.

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- July 20, 1971, New York:

Prabhupāda: This money?

Devotee (4): Yeah, he wanted to donate this money for a tape recorder.

Pratyatoṣa: Yeah, but...

Devotee (4): The GBC suggested that he give it just to your Book Fund or else to pay for the around-the-world tour, to help pay for it.

Pratyatoṣa: They thought that might have higher priority than... It's a project, I wanted to set up a library of all of your tapes and make them available to everybody and preserve them, and have them all indexed.

Prabhupāda: Yes, I wanted a tape recorder.

Pratyatoṣa: Do you think this would fit your needs, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Yes, I wanted. I wanted to purchase one Stanberg.

Pratyatoṣa: Tanberg?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation with Dr. Karan Singh, -- November 25, 1971, Delhi:

Prabhupāda: That's all right. It was recorded. That fighting is going on even in the family. We see between husband and wife also there is sometimes fighting. That is not taken into account. But the major wars in the history of the world... Because India, or Bhāratavarṣa, means the whole world. Now it is cut into pieces. Just like twenty years ago, Pakistan is cut. This planet is called Bhāratavarṣa. Formerly it was known as Ilāvṛtavarṣa. Later on, after the ruling of Mahārāja Bharata... You know Mahārāja Bharata. After his name, this planet is called Bhāratavarṣa. And up to the Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, there was one ruling all over the world. One king in this (indistinct). Then gradually... Why? The culture was lost. The Vedic culture was lost. Up to Mahārāja Parīkṣit, the Vedic culture was kept intact. Just like Mahārāja Parīkṣit, while he was going on tour of the Western countries, he saw one black man was trying to kill one cow. He immediately took his sword, ""Who are you? You are killing cow in my kingdom?" So that culture we have lost. Immediately he began, "With this sword I shall kill you."

So king should give protection to all living entities. That is king's duty, state's duty. Everyone should have living right. Why the animals should be killed? They are also prajā. Is it not duty of the king to give protection? And that was being done up to the Mahārāja Parīkṣit. Therefore, there was one kingdom. When they deteriorated, gradually part, part, part. Just like what is this Pakistan problem? These Pakistani Muhammadans, they do not come from Muhammadan country. They are our men, Hindus converted. But we could not keep the culture.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Talk with Bob Cohen -- February 27-29, 1972, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Yes. So long you are in the material world, what is physical laws, you cannot neglect that. Just like if you go to a jungle, there is tiger. It is known that it will attack you. Why should you voluntarily go and be attacked? It is not that a devotee should take physical risk so long he has got some physical body. It is not a challenge to the physical laws: "Oh, I have become a devotee. I challenge everything." That is foolishness. Anāsaktasya viṣayān yathārham upayuñjataḥ. Viṣaya, these physical necessities, the devotee is advised to accept the necessities of life without any attachment. Physical law is take the boiled water, but if boiled water is not available, does it mean he'll not drink water? If it is not available, you drink ordinary water. (break) We take Kṛṣṇa-prasādam. But while in touring, in hotels sometimes we have to take some food in the hotel. Does it mean, "Oh, I do not take any foodstuff from the hotel, I shall starve"? If I starve, then I'll be weak, I cannot preach. (break)

Bob: Does a devotee lose some of his individuality in that...

Prabhupāda: No, he has got full individuality, but he sacrifices individuality for pleasing Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa says, "You surrender unto Me." So he voluntarily surrenders. Not that he has lost his individuality. He keeps his individuality fully. But because Kṛṣṇa desires that he should surrender, he never minds. He's individual. Just like Arjuna, in the beginning he was declining to fight on account of his individuality. But when he accepted Kṛṣṇa as his spiritual master, he became śiṣya. Then whatever He ordered, "Yes." That doesn't mean he lost his individuality. He voluntarily accepted, "Whatever Kṛṣṇa says, I shall do it." Just as all my disciples, they have not lost their individuality, but they have surrendered their individuality. That is required. Just like if a man does not use sex, does that mean he has become impotent? If he likes he can have, thousand times sex life, but he has voluntarily avoided it. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 2.59). Sometimes we fast, that does mean we are diseased. We voluntarily fast. It does not mean that I am not hungry, I cannot eat. But we voluntarily fast.

Conversation with the GBC -- May 25, 1972, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Oh. He has... So you are also out. (laughter)

Devotee: It's really a difficult problem.

Prabhupāda: Ah, no problem. GBC means now they should tour very extensive. That is the first principle, the GBC. Not sit down (in) one place and pass resolution. No, they must be active. They must act like me. As I am old man, I am traveling all over the world. Now to give me relief, the GBC members... I shall expand into twelve more so that they can exactly work like me. Gradually they will be initiators. At least first initiation. You must make advance. That is my motive. So, in that way I want to divide it in twelve zones. And we have to make more propaganda throughout the whole world. Now if you think that the world is so big, twelve members are insufficient, then you can increase more than that and make the zone similarly divided. It is world affair after all.

Devotee: Srila Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Devotee: The reason why we have thirteen here is because Bali-mardana, he is actually at the Press, he doesn't actually have a zone at this time.

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Devotee: So Madhudviṣa is taking my zone.

Conversation with the GBC -- May 25, 1972, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: No, stationary one thing is that the Bali-mardana, especially Karandhara, he has got already extensive field locally.

Devotee: Yes.

Prabhupāda: He has to manage so many things. So extensively touring means for the mission expanding, that is the point. Simply touring is not required, but doing something substantial to increase the interest of the society. That is the point. So, Karandhara has got many department supervisors(?), so he can be given to work, and sometimes go away (indistinct). So, his position is like that. And similarly Bali-mardana's position is there. He can be also if he has got many engagements, many departments managed there. So he may not tour but our only aim is that one must take multi-responsibilities.

Śyāmasundara: Why not Bali-mardana tour sometimes to check on the foreign literatures, French, German, see how they are going on and inspect the foreign literature field.

Devotee: (indistinct) planning to take speaking engagements in the colleges.

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Devotees: (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: So we shall increase. You can increase the number. So according to vacant position, how many, it may be fifteen?

Introduction Speech By Dr. Kapoor and Conversation -- October 15, 1972, Vrndavana:

Dr. Kapoor:...here at Rādhā-Dāmodara. After his long tour of the world in which he got passed the message of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu in the different karmas, to the different nationalities of the world. This return back to homeland of Śrīla Prabhupāda, is particularly significant, because this time he comes back with a host of his western disciples. This signifies to me the meeting of the East and the West, or at least the beginning of such a meeting. This signifies the victory of spiritualism over materialism, of good over evil. This is really a rare moment in history, for for the first time in the history of the world, for the first time at least living memory, Vaiṣṇavism, the message of Vaiṣṇavism, the message of Mahāprabhu, the message of devotion and of pure devotion has been carried to the west and carried so successfully. I am sure that historians of the future will have a lot to say about Prabhupāda and his movement, and they will be even envious of us for living in a time when this movement was begun and for participating in it. I have a secret realization that at this moment, while we are welcoming Prabhupāda, Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī, Śrī Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja, whose samādhis signify their eternal presence in the sacred precincts of this temple, are also joining us in welcoming Prabhupāda, and they are showering their choicest blessings upon him. I can hear them saying, "Long live Prabhupāda, long live Prabhupāda." I am sure as a result of their presence, Prabhupāda will live long for many, many more years, to broadcast the message of Caitanya Mahāprabhu all the world over and inspire us to inspire us with a special zeal in our hearts. And I am sure as a result of their blessings he will rise always, from glory(?). I have also a secret realization that Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī and Jīva Gosvāmī are not only showering their blessings upon Prabhupāda but also upon the western disciples of Prabhupāda that have come along with him and saying that in the process will be realized (?) the message of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and surely and steadily advance on the path of peace, happiness, and divine grace.

Prabhupāda: So blessings of Dr. O.B.L. Kapoor. He is a Vaiṣṇava. Although by age he is my younger brother, we are Godbrothers, and for the last forty years perhaps, since he was a student at Allahabad and I was doing some business there, we are known to each other. So his association is a great blessing for us. But this reception is actually not my reception. It is the reception of my foreign students. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu wanted that His message should be broadcast all over the world, in every village and every town, and my Guru Mahārāja attempted. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura distributed his literature. I think, in 1896, he sent his first book, Teachings of Lord Caitanya, and I saw in McGill University that book. And I do not know. That was the year of my birth also, 1896.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

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

Devotee (3): ...than if we bring in a big party and try to do a big thing. And then, then the person has to get strong, who's doing it. If I have to go somewhere, then I have to get strong for myself, I have to start from scratch.

Śyāmasundara: Yeah, I know the difficulty they're having, sannyāsīs have here, because many of these devotees think it's more like a tour, vacation, to come to India. They don't have to follow the rules and regulations...

Devotee: Right.

Śyāmasundara: ...they're only here temporarily. They're just passing through. So it's very difficult, I know, but still we have to try to train somehow...

Prabhupāda: Therefore we cannot establish very big establishment. Because they come like a tourist.

Śyāmasundara: Yeah.

Devotee (2): If the temple is constructed, it would have to be more rigidly controlled. It would have to be managed by people that by their preaching and by their Kṛṣṇa consciousness can make it so that the people who come and stay in that temple will want to practice bhakti. It can't be a negative (indistinct) thing. The negative motivation is not going to keep a person.

Prabhupāda: Now, such camps, because you are not established, so, under the circumstances, what is to be done? To reduce our devotees?

Śyāmasundara: We have our base in Calcutta, we have our base in Bombay, those two places.

Morning Walk -- May 2, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: So that is also nice. We are not afraid of meeting any philosopher or scientist, but they are afraid. That is our credit. All scientists know that they are on the wrong basis, but because they are scientists, they say like that. That is their position. They do not believe in their own statement. Therefore he said, "I do not know."

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Because there is no solid background.

Prabhupāda: No. (pause, japa) You and Dr. Rao just make a combination, world-touring. I shall give you all expenditure. And go to the universities, scientists, and talk with them. Our kīrtana party also will go. We challenge all scientists, "Come on." We shall pay all expenditure. Ask Dr. Rao to come and join. Just like in Calcutta University, all the students... No, one leader student, he came. He talked about economic development, and he said that "Our students did not derive any faith by your theological statement." So I told them that "Because you are all rascals, therefore you could not." I told them freely. Because in the Bhagavad-gītā... Because they are student of Sanskrit. And in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). "So you are amongst these. You are duṣkṛtinas, sinful, lowest of the mankind, and the university is responsible for creating such rascals." So professors clapped and later on they said, "Swamiji, you have rightly said." All the professors said. And so far economic question is concerned, the birds, beasts, animals, they have no economic concern. Why you have got? You are less than bird and beast, you have created this economic problem. Harer nāma harer nāma (CC Adi 17.21). Where is the economic question? The small birds, tiny birds, they are solving their economic question, coming (makes sound:) "bup, bup," finished. They are not stocking, they are not thinking of tomorrow, but are satisfied. They have got eating, sufficient eating, sufficient sex, sufficient intelligence to defend. As soon as we go, immediately they fly away. That is defense. They know how to defend them. They immediately understand, "They are human beings, stronger. They may do some harm. Let us fly away." So these things are everywhere, eating, sleeping, mating and defending. There is no scarcity. Only scarcity is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That we have to preach. Theology... Logy means science, is it not?

Room Conversation -- September 2, 1973, London:

Guest (2): I have taken quite a lot of your time, if you'll excuse me.

Prabhupāda: No, my time is for this purpose, provided you kindly take it. But if you don't take it, then of course, that is a different thing. My time is spent for... I have dedicated my life for this purpose. I am touring all over the world giving this knowledge. It is sound logic. If you don't accept, you must give better logic, what you know. Don't think we are going under sentiment. Don't think like that. We have got sound logic.

Guest (2): I won't say that, but I'm not mentally prepared to that extent.

Prabhupāda: That's all right, but if you are not prepared, then you learn how to become prepared. Then the same conclusion comes, that logic, you can give to the animals, but he cannot take it.

Guest (2): I don't think that logic can explain anything.

Prabhupāda: No, logic cannot. But still as much logic you require, that logic is there.

Guest (2): Yes, but I don't know what Mr. Howard wants logic about, I don't know. But logic cannot explain anything and everything. And if mathematics or arithmetic, if we go through them, at one stage we can prove ten is equal to zero or nine is equal to zero. It is also possible by step by step...

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Richard Webster, chairman, Societa Filosofica Italiana -- May 24, 1974, Rome:

Prabhupāda: No, there have been so many charges against president Nixon. So no, whatever it may be, we are not concerned. But this is the Vedic principle, that the king or the executive head of the state, the brāhmaṇa and the public leader must be very clean. Otherwise society will be spoiled. That is the injunction.

Richard Webster: Yes, well, of course, I agree.

Prabhupāda: At the present moment there is all over the world... We are touring all over the world. It is very hard to find out ideal class of men. That is the defect. In the Vedic culture the ideal class of men were the brāhmaṇas. Their qualification was: truthful, self-controlled, mind and the senses, and then tolerant, very simple life, full of knowledge, practical application of knowledge in life and full faith in God. These are ideal character. But such men are not available at the present moment. So therefore the social idealism is defective. Just like in your body, there are four divisions. The head, the arm, the belly and the leg. If the head is spoiled then you are a madman. In spite of possessing hands and bellies and legs, you cannot work properly. So at the present moment the heads are spoiled. Therefore the whole world is in chaotic condition. People, advanced in education, still they are inimical, one man to another. If you are passing on in the street, the gentleman's house there is a signboard, "Beware of the dogs. Don't come in," because he cannot believe anyone. You go to the airport, any high-class standard man. They search out the pocket. So nobody is believable. So this is the result of modern education. You cannot find out an ideal character man.

Richard Webster: Is this due to machines, do you think, to the prevalence of machines?

Room Conversation with Professor Oliver La Combe Director of the Sorbonne University -- June 14, 1974, Paris:

Prabhupāda: Old lady.

Nitāi: Very old. She was walking down the street. She was all bent over. And she asked me what I was doing, and I showed her our magazine and explained that we were teaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and she said, "Oh, is this yoga? I remember way back when Vivekananda came here. Have you ever heard of him?" So we began talking about Vivekananda. She said that she was there when he made his tour. She was in Denver when he made his tour of the United States, and that he stopped there for one week and lectured. And she went there to see that meeting, but she said that all in all she was disgusted with him because he was so much attracted to the women. She said that he was victimized by the women. They were all trying to get him, and she said so when he went back to India he was a broken man.

Prabhupāda: Yes, he took with him three women. One of them was Sister Nivedita.

Devotee: Also you told us in India about Aurobindo and Ramakrishna. Aurobindo went also. Aurobindo, when that French woman came, he also fell to her, but just to cover it up he has called her "Mother" because in India, when you call someone "Mother..."

Prabhupāda: No, everyone knows he is mother and he is father.

Devotee: Yeah, right. And they don't think... There is no question of sex. When they think of mother and father, they don't think of these things. Also with Ramakrishna. He also had his divine mother. You told us a story in Calcutta that he was very debauched. In a village he used to chase the young women. And his brother actually made him famous.

Prabhupāda: It is very difficult to, not to be victimized by woman. It is very difficult.

Morning Walk at Marina del Rey -- July 14, 1974, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: That is stated in the śāstra. Tīrthī-kurvanti tīrthāni svāntaḥ-sthena gadābhṛtā. Because a pure devotee carries Kṛṣṇa within his heart, therefore wherever he goes he makes a holy place. It is said in the śāstra. So not me, but every one of you, if you are pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa, then wherever you'll go, that is a holy place. Tīrthī-kurvanti tīrthāni svāntaḥ... To become sannyāsī means that, that he'll be pure devotee, and wherever he will go, he will purify. That is sannyāsa means. Mahad-vicalaṁ nṛnāṁ gṛhināṁ dīna-cetasām. Mahātmās, they'll travel so that the householders, who are cripple-minded and full of sinful activities, they'll go there and make them purified. This is the idea of sannyāsa. And in the Vedic civilization a brahmacārī and a sannyāsī has open door. There is no restriction. No "Beware of dog." (laughter) But now they are prohibited. I have got practical experience. After my sannyāsa, when I was touring India, so in Ahmedabad, or Baroda, I was entering one man's house. So he was standing on the balcony. (laughter)

Devotee: Saying "Don't come"?

Prabhupāda: "Don't come."

Bali Mardana: The age of Kali is perpetrating itself. (pause)

Prabhupāda: It is not their fault. Because in India a sannyāsī has become a professional beggar. Just change the dress and you can easily eat without any working.

Bali Mardana: And smoke beedies.

Room Conversations -- September 11, 1974, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Their center is sex—this sex or that sex or that sex, even ordinarily. In Paris, Paris you know it is a city of prostitutes. On the roads there are prostitutes. Where we have got our temple, so many prostitutes are standing. And those who are prostitute-hunter, they go to Paris. From our childhood I know about one family physician. We are at that time boy, 8 or 10 years old. He was talking with his another Muhammadan friend how he toured many countries and how many different types of prostitutes he tasted. This was his talk. So he was talking of Paris, "Though you are boy...," this we could understand." This is the talk. Old men, retired men, they will also talk of the sex (indistinct), and they will enjoy. Now they could not enjoy sex, but by talking... And we have practically seen when we were young, our grandmother-in-law, my mother-in-law's mother, old lady, she would talk freely about sex. She will ask me, "You capture the breast of your wife." She would make a pun and enjoy. "You do like that, you do like that." She teaches like that. We were... I was twenty, twenty-three years, so I was just married, but she will enjoy sex. She had other grandchildren. My father-in-law were two brothers. So my father-in-law, he was younger brother, and his elder brother, her daughter also the same age, she would enjoy (indistinct) son-in-law. (break) Ministers, prime ministers. The minister, famous.

Brahmānanda: (indistinct)

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk Through the BBT Warehouse -- February 10, 1975, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Where is that Prajāpati? He's not here? That play yesterday... Last evening I saw. It was very nice.

Gurudāsa: Yes. They also did Pralambāsura for the guests.

Prabhupāda: No... Now we have got Caitanya-caritāmṛta and Bhāgavatam. If such demonstration are done very nicely, it will be very much appreciated even by the public. We can collect some money.

Jayatīrtha: Yes. We plan to make a tour this summer all the way up the West Coast, and in the amphitheaters...

Prabhupāda: And in India also. Simply you have to change the language, dictate.

Jayatīrtha: Of the narration.

Gurudāsa: Yes. They're planning to do that.

Prabhupāda: In our festival let them come and show. What is this? That man? What is his name who showed Gaurāṅga līlā?

Gurudāsa: Yes, Harigovind.

Prabhupāda: It will be hundred times better than that.

Gurudāsa: Thousand times. Ten thousand, yes.

Prabhupāda: So show this nonsense that "We can do better than you."

Gurudāsa: It's much more beautiful.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation with Tripurari -- March 2, 1975, Atlanta:

Prabhupāda: He gave me first money for publishing Kṛṣṇa book, $19,000. He is a good boy. He is a good boy, and he has got good regard for me.

Devotee (3): He just recently went on a concert tour around the country, and he was having the young people chant Kṛṣṇa's names in the concert. And because of the concert tour, many, many, many books were distributed, unlimited.

Prabhupāda: Oh, his song, "Kṛṣṇa..." I have forgotten that. That record?

Tripurāri: Yes. And he went on a tour of the United States, playing at different cities, concerts, and he would ask people in the audience to chant, "Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa."

Prabhupāda: He was asking?

Tripurāri: Yes.

Devotee (1): And wherever he would go the devotees would be there with prasāda and literatures, distributing profusely. Very successful. Sometimes it seems that Kṛṣṇa is arranging these concerts simply so young people can come together so we can be there to reach many, many thousands at one time.

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa is all-attractive.

Tripurāri: But we have no attraction for Kṛṣṇa. You are attracting us to Kṛṣṇa.

Morning Walk -- May 16, 1975, Perth:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Every, all world was emperor, the Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira and the family. Sa-sāgara. Sa-sāgara means "including all the oceans." That means the whole world. There was one flag only during the time of Mahārāja Parīkṣit. And he first saw the cow-killing maybe in Africa or in Arabia. One black man was trying to kill a cow, and Mahārāja Parīkṣit was on tour, and immediately he punished him. That is Kali. The black man means Africa. Or where other place, black men?

Paramahaṁsa: Some of the, there are some natives in Asia also, southeast Asia, that are black.

Prabhupāda: Arabia? No. Arabians are not black.

Paramahaṁsa: Not... Generally they're not so black. Indonesians are black.

Prabhupāda: No.

Śrutakīrti: Africa is about the only place other than some islands.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Africa is black.

Amogha: Aborigines here also.

Paramahaṁsa: They have black natives here also, Australia.

Prabhupāda: They are all descendant of the same.

Amogha: Did the Greek civilization follow the Vedic culture?

Morning Walk -- May 23, 1975, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: (laughs) The same thing. "Everyone is sinful, but we are pure sinful." (laughter) Pure sinful.

Hari-śauri: Actually most sinful activity appears to be promoted by the government for economic development. They have big state lotteries. They are planning to spend six million dollars developing a greyhound racing park here in Australia.

Prabhupāda: Just see. This is nice place to walk. Why on the ups and downs?

Śrutakīrti: We have a bad tour guide.

Hari-śauri: You were speaking before about controlling the tongue is very important. And in your lectures you have said simply by eating prasādam this is controlling the tongue. But still, we have tendency when there is a big feast to eat very much prasādam. Is this a good thing, or...?

Prabhupāda: (chuckles) It is not very good, but it is still good. Instead of going to the restaurant and eat like the hogs and dogs, better take more prasādam. There is no harm. Kṛṣṇa baṛo doyāmoy, koribāre jihwā jay. Kṛṣṇa is so kind. Just to conquer over our tongue He has given us nice variety of prasāda. Take it and control your tongue. Yes. Hmm. Don't come very near.

Australian devotee 5: Śrīla Prabhupāda, you were telling this government man the other day not to kill the cows but to wait till they die. But they have a law that if the cow dies naturally, then it cannot be eaten.

Prabhupāda: That means we must commit sin. The government...

Amogha: I think their idea is that if...

Room Conversation with Yogi Bhajan -- June 7, 1975, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Devotee: Śauryam...

Prabhupāda: Heroism. That is... Just like Mahārāja Parīkṣit. He was going on his tour, and he saw one black man was trying to kill a cow. Immediately he took his sword, "Who are you? You are trying to kill cow in my kingdom?" This is called heroism. Now, where is that hero? And they are becoming president. How he will command? He is not hero. Everyone has right to live. Why they are killing animals? This is heroism. As soon as he saw that a rascal is going to kill a cow, "Why you are doing this?" Immediately he took his sword. Heroism. Then?

Devotee: "Power, determination..."

Prabhupāda: Power. He must have power, influence. Why he should beg vote, "Give me vote, give me vote, give me vote," begging? Where is power? If he is begging vote, where is power? Formerly the kings... Just like they used to take sword. "If you don't accept me, then I shall kill you." This is power. Śauryaṁ tejam...

Devotee: Dhṛtir, determination.

Room Conversation with Yogi Bhajan -- June 7, 1975, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: Nāsau munir yasya mataṁ na bhinnam: "He is not a muni if he does not disagree with another muni."

Yogi Bhajan: Yeah, that's right. (laughter) So what I told him was that "It is a good idea." So we are carrying that good idea now, and Muni Sushila Kumar is coming from India, then Swami Chittananda is leading that tour. And they have sent a list of sixteen other religious people who are coming. They are going to U.N.O., where the peace presentation this year is happening. I think we should participate in that. Then there is a vegetarian congress. There the participation is happening. And all this has been done just to lay the platform and honor the idea of that man Kirpal Singh Sant. Just he wanted that way. So we thought it is a better idea to be in the West and with the arrangements that everybody can come, participate, talk to each other. I would like you to be in New Mexico in one of the presentable cabin, and not let anybody of these devotee of you be around but to ask other people to come and talk to you, learn from you, share with you, share your wisdom, share your conviction, share your experience...

Prabhupāda: That's a good idea, very good.

Yogi Bhajan: And I like all these guys to come and talk to me and when they will listen me talking Gītā, perhaps they will understand, "Well, Yogiji knows little bit about what we know about." So when they pronounce certain words, I just sometime correct in between, but I don't tell them anything because they know...

Prabhupāda: Where is your headquarter?

Morning Walk -- June 10, 1975, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: ...body comes in her place he will be another.

Devotee: Yes. (break) ...to step down, she's going to defy the court order.

Siddha-svarūpa: They never want to step down.

Prabhupāda: Like Nixon, like Nixon. (break)

Siddha-svarūpa: They are junk tours from Japan. (break) ...finding security in his radio.

Prabhupāda: What is that security?

Siddha-svarūpa: It's false security. (break)

Prabhupāda: And there was no necessity. Still, we shall go. It is very pleasant. (break) One umbrella, if you push, it will open, and if you push down, it will come back. Machine. (break) ...mantra is described in the śāstra just like a potential medicine. If you take it, either you know it or not know it, it will act. And another example is given. Just like fire. If one, the father knows, "This is fire," and throws to the grass, it will be burned. Similarly, if a child—he does not know what it is—if he throws, then that will also burn. (break)

Ambarīṣa: I won't become become involved in any other project besides Kurukṣetra? Just Kurukṣetra.

Prabhupāda: No, no.

Ambarīṣa: Jaya, okay. Not even New York.

Prabhupāda: New York is still doubtful.

Morning Walk -- June 22, 1975, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: One gentleman came to see me in Hawaii. He's also life member.

Harikeśa: Ramesh Lahoti.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, Mr. Lahoti. Yeah, actually...

Prabhupāda: Yes, he knows you very well.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Actually, that plan to have a tour is a very good plan if it can be arranged. Because if they get convinced here by seeing this, then, when they go there, they'll speak so highly to so many people.

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think that they think that we're bluffing to some extent, but when they come here, they see actually it's not just the pictures that we are showing, but there's something substantial behind the picture. (break)

Dharmādhyakṣa: ...the colleges and high schools now that the teachers appreciate the philosophy much more than the students. They have more brain substance, and it's even a possibility many of them will actually become devotees if they have more association because devotees are practically the only intelligent people that they ever get to talk to. Even the other members of the faculty, they are not so intelligent to talk to them. But we went to see one philosopher. He's written seventeen books and he's a distinguished professor of philosophy. We talked to him for three hours, a very famous... His books are used all over the country. He said, "My philosophy is closest to this Hare Kṛṣṇa philosophy, after you've explained it to me." He will be coming back. He's going on tour. He's retiring. We're also going to try to get him to come to Berkeley.

Revatīnandana: Is that the one at Pomona College?

Morning Walk -- June 26, 1975, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: So gradually it is becoming...

Jayadvaita: The buses come from town or from Delhi?

Nitāi: No, from Vṛndāvana. Tour... many pilgrims come, groups of pilgrims who are staying some place in Vṛndāvana, and then in the evening they will all get in their bus and come out and see our temple.

Rādhā-vallabha: Pilgrims come from all over India?

Prabhupāda: And when they will go back to their villages, they will advertise, that "There is a European temple now in Vṛndāvana." And they will come. (laughs) And even the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana, they are saying that is the best temple in... Is it not?

Nitāi: Yes.

Prabhupāda: That is... But actually that is the fact. That is the fact. Our temple is the best. (chuckles)

Dharmadyaksa: Jaya!

Prabhupāda: Now you make a best college. Yes. Vedic Theological College, affiliated to the California University. Then it will be successful.

Rādhā-vallabha: People are always anxious to see what we are going to do next.

Morning Walk -- June 26, 1975, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: "Please close your eyes. (everyone laughs) Let us do something." (break)

Jayatīrtha: (back in car) ...register as a travel agent so that we can get discount on all of our tickets, airplane tickets, and then also we can work on arranging that, that these tours would stop there.

Prabhupāda: The Cox and Kings, they inquired from me, "Whether you can take charge?" Guru dāsa can take charge of this. He is well acquainted with the several places. And he is loitering here and there doing as he likes. (break)

Harikeśa: ...had the plan to perhaps get one bus and leave it at our place and then do tours on our own.

Prabhupāda: Yes. (break) ...airport by this way? No, the other way.

Jayatīrtha: You can go this way. We usually go on the freeway. You can go straight up this street. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...freely.

Brahmānanda: Yes. Eating, sleeping, mating, and defending.

Jayatīrtha: Everyone is afraid now, of taking it. The crime rate has become very high.

Prabhupāda: Black and white?

Jayatīrtha: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Negroes are envious of the white men.

Television Interview -- July 9, 1975, Chicago:

Prabhupāda: The same thing. I have got my temple there. I stay there, and I teach people according to my philosophy.

Woman reporter: Is Philadelphia your last stop in...

Prabhupāda: No, no, I travel all over United States. Then I will go to Europe. Then I will go to Africa. I have got my touring program for 4 months. (break)

Woman reporter: There's one more question I'm going to ask. Is that tea? Is that tea that you're drinking?

Prabhupāda: No, we don't drink tea. We don't drink tea, don't drink liquor. We don't smoke. This is our process, no illicit sex, no meat eating, no intoxication, no gambling. Unless one is married, there is no sex. And unless one is going to beget child, there is no sex. Not for pleasure. This is our regulative principle.

Woman reporter: You have different schools for men and women, is that correct?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Man is regulated to become a first-class man, and woman is regulated to become very chaste and faithful wife.

Woman reporter: There is one more question.

Prabhupāda: Then the life will be very successful. And marriage, compulsory. Marriage, compulsory.

Woman reporter: Everyone should marry?

Room Conversations -- July 26, 1975, Laguna Beach:

Prabhupāda: No, kamam vavarsa parjanyaḥ (SB 1.10.4).

Satsvarūpa: Oh, yes. Purport. "The basic principle of economic development is centered about land and cows. The necessity of human society are food grains, fruits, milk, minerals, clothing, wood, etc. One requires all these items to fulfill the material needs of the body. Certainly one does not require flesh and fish or iron tools and machinery. During the regime of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, all over the world there were regulated rainfalls. Rainfalls are not in the control of the human being. The heavenly King Indradeva is the controller of rains, and he is the servant of the Lord. When the Lord is obeyed by the king and the people under the king's administration, there are regulated rains from the horizon, and these rains are the cause of all varieties of production on the land. Regulated rains not only help ample production of grains and fruits, but when they combine with astronomical influences there is ample production of valuable stones and pearls. Grains and vegetables can sumptuously feed a man and animals, and a fatty cow delivers enough milk to supply a man sumptuously with vigor and vitality. If there is enough milk, enough grains, enough fruit, enough cotton, enough silk and enough jewels, then why do the people need cinemas, houses of prostitution, slaughterhouses, etc.? What is the need of an artificial luxurious life of cinema, cars, radio, flesh and hotels? Has this civilization produced anything but quarreling individually and nationally? Has this civilization enhanced the cause of equality and fraternity by sending thousands of men into a hellish factory and the warfields at the whims of a particular man? It is said here that the cows used to moisten the pasturing land with milk because their milk bags were fatty and the animals were joyful. Do they not require, therefore, proper protection for a joyful life by being fed with a sufficient quantity of grass in the field? Why should men kill cows for their selfish purposes? Why should men not be satisfied with grains, fruits and milk, which, combined together, can produce hundreds and thousands of palatable dishes. Why are there slaughterhouses all over the world to kill innocent animals? Mahārāja Parīkṣit, grandson of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, while touring his vast kingdom, saw a black man attempting to kill a cow. The King at once arrested the butcher and chastised him sufficiently.

Morning Walk -- November 13, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Whatever it may be, but they have helped me.

Dr. Patel: They are not smoking that.

Indian man (3): Śrīla Prabhupāda, in 1962 in Geneva(?) only they helped, America.

Dr. Patel: Because that is a democracy. India...

Prabhupāda: And another thing, from material point of view... I am touring all over the world so many times. Materially nobody is as opulent as America, nobody. (sic:) Not even America.

Dr. Patel: Because the best brains of the world are drained there. That is the real cause.

Prabhupāda: Whatever it may be...

Dr. Patel: Best brains of the world, they are attracted to America.

Prabhupāda: Money, everyone is trying to get money in Bombay. But why there are (unclear)? It is... Unless one is destined to get money, he cannot get. It is not that, so cheap thing, that I want money; money will come. It is janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrī (SB 1.8.26). Unless one is pious he cannot get money, he cannot get education.

Dr. Patel: Yatra yogeśvaraḥ kṛṣṇo yatra pārtho dhanur-dharaḥ.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So in that sense of materially, janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrī, these four thing...

Dr. Patel: (Hindi)

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- March 13, 1976, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: Sometimes I myself read my reviews.

Devotee (1): This man here, Śrīla Prabhupāda, he has just recently, Dr. Bardwell Smith... He's a professor. He has just recently written a letter to us that he's going to bring his students. He's in charge of an India tour program for students in India. He's going to bring his students on a regular scheduled program to Vṛndāvana.

Prabhupāda: Yes, invite them.

Rādhāvallabha: Madhudviṣa Mahārāja, if you can keep everyone from banging into those... They break very easily.

Prabhupāda: So why not make a small booklet of all these, thin paper, so that we can send.

Rādhāvallabha: We need very much also a permanent display building in Māyāpur. This exhibit cost almost four thousand dollars.

Prabhupāda: Yes, have immediately.

Rādhāvallabha: Jaya.

Prabhupāda: Immediately ask them to construct a house.

Ghanaśyāma: Make it like a museum.

Prabhupāda: Who is here from Māyāpur, in-charge? Nobody is here?

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

Prabhupāda: Sometimes the atheists, they say there is no soul-intuition. So we do not accept this proposal. The soul, when he is in particular situation, he remembers immediately what he has to do. Just like the small puppies, they have not even opened the eyes, but still, immediately after birth they're searching after food and goes immediately to the nipples of the mother. So how he goes there? They say it is intuition, but it is not intuition. The soul, being put into that body, immediately remembers all the activities of the body. Just like in Los Angeles. When I am in tour in other places I forget about Los Angeles, but as soon as I come here, I know where is my bedroom, where is my sitting room, where is my garden, immediately. I haven't got to be taught that "Here is your sitting room, here is your sleeping room." Immediately, I remember. Similarly, this living entity is transmigrating from time immemorial in different types of body. So as soon as he comes to a particular type of body he remembers the activities immediately. They are interpreting as intuition—that is not intuition. It is old remembrance. This is the explanation.

Rāmeśvara: But then there is an argument, if we were originally in the spiritual world, why don't we remember that and try to go back to the spiritual world?

Prabhupāda: That I have already said, that when I am in tour in Europe and India, I completely forget about Los Angeles. I act according to the circumstances there. And again when I come to Los Angeles, I immediately remember. This is natural. Out of sight, out of mind.

Bharadvāja: Śrīla Prabhupāda, we don't have to learn the activities of our spiritual body?

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

Prabhupāda: Not necessarily.

Interviewer: You feel that you can continue to make those serious travels?

Prabhupāda: Well, I began my traveling in foreign countries at very ripe old age, seventy years. Ten years I'm traveling. This is the fifteenth tour all over the world.

Interviewer: Are you surprised to see the popularity of your teachings in the last few years?

Prabhupāda: I think it is becoming popular.

Rāmeśvara: He was asking if you are surprised that it is being, that your books are selling so much and that so many devotees are coming.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. Neither anybody has written so many books within ten years.

Guest: How many?

Prabhupāda: Now it is fifty-four. Bring books.

Rāmeśvara: I've shown him the books already. The universities and the scholars are also very appreciative. At least ninety percent of the universities in America have already ordered these books.

Prabhupāda: In India, also.

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

Prabhupāda: The Parliament and that.... What is that church?

Hari-śauri: Westminster Abbey?

Prabhupāda: Yes. They charge.

Hari-śauri: Guided tour. They cannot live there themselves. They can only live there in the winter.

Prabhupāda: They collect very sufficiently. I have seen. Again, inside you go, and a particular section, if you want to see, the another payment. Yes. First of all, entrance fee; then, within that, if you want to see another particular section, then another fee. And they are collecting money. I have seen. Śyāmasundara took me there.

Hari-śauri: To Westminster Abbey or...?

Prabhupāda: Parliament, Westminster, everything.... (japa) They are now statues in Parliament and Westminster. So many statues, you know.

Hari-śauri: Yes. They're very fond of statues there.

Prabhupāda: (break) ...European civilization, coming from the Romans, statues also. (break) ...mean civilization means Roman civilization, is it not?

Hari-śauri: Yes. The Roman Empire extended all over there.

Prabhupāda: England was under Roman Empire. Normandy. Normandy?

Room Conversation -- June 24, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Kīrtanānanda: They cannot even eat the animal when it is fresh. They never eat beef fresh. It must age for at least three weeks, otherwise it is not tasty. (laughter)

Hari-śauri: I remember once there was one man, he was advertising himself, he was touring from one country to another, and he was advertising himself as being an expert meat-eater. And he said, one of his statements was you couldn't eat a beefsteak until it had little white spots all over it, then it was ready to eat.

Prabhupāda: White spot means decomposed. Fungus. Nānā yoni brāhmaṇa kare kadārya bhakṣaṇa kari' tāra janma adho pate yāya.

Dhṛṣṭadyumna: Śrīla Prabhupāda, we can point out all the defects in their system but then they say "But there is no proof that such a perfect society has ever existed as you speak of. We have no evidence that such a perfect society exists."

Prabhupāda: You can see, come and see with us. Live in our New Vrindaban, you'll see.

Dhṛṣṭadyumna: Then they say "Well, that is all right for you, but that is not practical for everyone."

Kīrtanānanda: Why not? We are human beings, and you are human being.

Prabhupāda: So what is not practical for you, our system, your system is also not practical for us. We cannot live in this way. Anyway, if you can maintain a perfect community of plain living, high thinking, that is sufficient. We do not canvass, but naturally they will see that this is convenient. After all, they are human beings. They are learning. So that is part of our business to preach, but to practice personally, that is our main business. To practice personally, that is our main business. Not that everyone will be preacher, but at least his own life be perfect. What is this kijariya?

Kulaśekhara: I don't know if it's spelled right, Prabhupāda.

Hari-śauri: Kī jaya.

Kīrtanānanda: Kī jaya

Prabhupāda: Kī jaya. Oh.

Room Conversation -- July 4, 1976, Washington D.C.:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: He said that concerning (name witheld)and her?

Prabhupāda: Yes. (name witheld)is living with her at her father's house. So he did not object but he objected marriage.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: I heard she became impossible. (name witheld)left her. He couldn't bear associating with her. Now he's brahmacārī again. (laughter) That was one of Bhagavān's marriages that didn't work out.

Rūpānuga: We were thinking that just like when you were in Moscow, some pictures were taken that were used for Back to Godhead, very good propaganda. We were thinking maybe when we go on this tour that in front of the White House maybe we could take a picture and use it in Back to Godhead in an article like that. It might be good propaganda.

Prabhupāda: Yes, you can do.

Rūpānuga: So we were thinking we would go there to the White House on the first part, then to Capitol, second part, then around to Lincoln Memorial, then Monument for fireworks ceremony.

Prabhupāda: I will go to the fireworks. (end)

Morning Walk -- July 11, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: Ācchā? Why upset? It has no soul. Kill it.

Hari-śauri: They cannot explain it.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There was one story that this family came, they were touring the world, and they came to Hong Kong, and they were carrying their pet dog with them also. So they went to one restaurant and they left their dog tied up on a leash outside the restaurant, because that is the custom in America. So they told the man at the door, the doorman, they pointed to the dog, just to take care of the dog. So anyway, then they went in and they had their dinner and they came out, and the dog was gone. They said (laughter) "Where's my dog?" And the man said, "Well, you pointed to him, we have prepared him for you."

Prabhupāda: Yes, they do that. He thought that he has pointed out this dog.

Hari-śauri: They brought their dinner with them.

Tripurāri: Man cannot understand, but a little child can understand very easily. Just like one of our book distributors, Praghoṣa, when he was a young child they had a pet duck, the family, and one day the father killed the duck and put him on the table. They roasted the duck and put him on the table, but none of the children would eat. They became sick and they left. They would not eat. The father could not understand.

Interview with Religious Editor Of the Associated Press -- July 16, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: How can I answer this? Somebody madman must have said it. (laughter)

Interviewer: I'm just checking it out, but there's nothing to it, huh?

Prabhupāda: I am touring always.

Bali-mardana: He's always traveling.

Interviewer: Where is your main home?

Prabhupāda: My home is back to home, back to Godhead.

Interviewer: Is where?

Hari-śauri: Back to Godhead.

Bali-mardana: With God.

Prabhupāda: That is my real home. That means every temple is my home.

Interviewer: Did you work out the spiritual disciplines for the group yourself? I mean about the morning chanting and the recital of the two thousand Hare Kṛṣṇas a day and... Did you work those out yourself?

Prabhupāda: Still I am working.

Interviewer: Still working, on those disciplines.

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

Prabhupāda: Everything. Bījaṁ māṁ sarva-bhūtānām (BG 7.10). The pitā is there. Properly put it into the womb of mother earth. That is the process. Bījaṁ māṁ sarva-bhūtānām. Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā. Harer nāma (CC Adi 17.21). (film projector comes on)

Bhagavān: Last year's European tour.

Devotee: This is the City Hall in Geneva, Switzerland.

Devotee: After you spoke with the mayor in Geneva, Śrīla Prabhupāda, he was worried about the economy of the country, when you explained if we cultivated grains there will be no problem.

Yogeśvara: "If people become devotees of Kṛṣṇa, then who will work?"

Prabhupāda: What was answer?

Hari-śauri: What answer did you give?

Yogeśvara: Do you remember the answer Śrīla Prabhupāda gave?

Devotee: Prabhupāda said we work for cultivating grains. All living entities to live together peacefully. (projector goes off)

Prabhupāda: Very good.

Bhagavān: You have done something very extraordinary.

Room Conversation -- August 2, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Prabhupāda: There are so many things in India culture for becoming happy and advancing towards the goal of life. Now I am appreciating for more and more, seeing the whole world, what is India's culture. Formerly I was thinking, "It is custom. To become faithful wife, this is custom." But when I come outside I see what is wife and what is faithful wife. In India, still, in the village, even there is fight between husband, wife, the wife is faithful. Still. Completely dependent on husband. The husband also, in spite of fighting, is always careful that the wife does not get any inconvenience. It was the culture, now it is breaking. (about door or window) You can close that. In material world, for peaceful life, there must be peaceful condition between the husband and wife. Everyone requires wife, everyone requires husband. Sex is necessary, so make the condition of sex very peaceful. Why disturbed? Make the condition that there will be... It is necessary. As eating is necessary, sleeping is necessary, for ordinary man, so sex is also necessary. So make a condition so that nothing will be disturbed, and in undisturbed condition of mind execute spiritual advancement. This is Indian civilization. Aim is spiritual advancement. And to make condition favorable, there are so many things. So unless we get favorable condition... Here in the Western countries there is no favorable condition. First of all, they have no idea of spiritual life, the goal of life, neither there is favorable condition. And gradually things are becoming degrading. On my last tour in Chicago I saw. In three weeks she has twice divorced, one lady's advertised. You remember it?

Hari-śauri: I wasn't there that time.

Harikeśa: I remember.

Prabhupāda: You were there, yes. Is that life? How they can be happy if this is the condition? So what further advancement?

Harikeśa: In reference?

Hari-śauri: Tehran.

Harikeśa: Oh, your tickets are definitely booked on the nonstop flight. I finally managed to...

Prabhupāda: Take the ticket. Oh, we have got ticket.

Room Conversation -- August 4, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Prabhupāda: So what happened to the tickets?

Harikeśa: The tickets are being locked up in the safe right now. They're going to..., they're going to bring the tickets tomorrow to this city called Tours, which is very nearby. They have an Air France office, and we can have it converted(?) there. So everything's all right for Saturday.

Prabhupāda: So we shall go by the same plane?

Harikeśa: Yes, everybody goes in the same plane.

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Jayatīrtha: Jaya (break)

Hari-śauri: This is the first pamphlet that you ever printed?

Prabhupāda: No.

Hari-śauri: I mean in the West?

Prabhupāda: No, before coming here.

Hari-śauri: Oh, then you brought it with you.

Evening Darsana -- August 11, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: There are Hindus?

Guest: Oh, yes. Most of the business shops are controlled by Hindus. Also in the school, as well, there are lots of teachers, and education is managed by Hindus. But they are for years... (break) ...for hundreds and hundreds of years. You make this tour around the world once a year or twice a year.

Prabhupāda: Yes. I've gone round the world fifteen times within ten years. Naturally more than once in a year. And we have got branches all over the world.

Guest: I think the temples are increasing, particularly in Germany, England, and I suppose in America as well.

Prabhupāda: Yes, in America we have got forty branches. Our philosophy is simple. We educate people to understand that there is God. This is a godless civilization. So we say that there is God. Try to understand, and love Him, that's all. This is our philosophy. Then you'll be happy. And so long you do not love God, you simply love dog, you'll never be happy. That is our philosophy. You have diverted your loving spirit to the dog. You change it. Instead of loving dog, you love God. Then dog will be loved and everyone will be loved. If you simply love dog, then your love will be simply in dog. But if you love God, then you'll love God and dog also. Just like you are eating. So the eatable is going to the stomach. If you distribute this eatable to the eyes, to the ears, to the nose—there are nine holes—it will be uselessly spoiled. And if you give this foodstuff to the stomach, the energy will be immediately distributed to the ears, to the eyes, to the nose, to the... Similarly, if you have got a propensity to love, you love God, your love will be distributed everywhere. And if you fix your love to the dog, then it is uselessly spoiled. That is going on. They have manufactured love for country, for this, that, so many things. But without love of God. Therefore the disturbance is going on. However big nationalist you may be, you cannot make happy anyone. That is not possible. Take for example our Mahatma Gandhi. He's recognized nationally, but he was killed by his countrymen. That's a fact. That means he could not make happy anyone. So we have got some loving propensity. If we love... That is our natural position. If we love God, then our love for others will automatically be done. And on account of loving God, our life will be perfect. What do you think of this philosophy? What do you think of this philosophy?

Evening Darsana -- August 14, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yes. And all of them are successful. This time I installed Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma Deity in France.

Kartikeya Mahadevia: Paris, near Paris.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Near Orleans.

Kartikeya Mahadevia: I am thinking of going again on a world tour for my business, because we want to start some export business. So I'll start with Iran, then some other countries in Middle East, then Europe, America, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Mauritius, and Seychelles. I've got friends all over the places, so they will come here, and we have some export business, cloth...

Prabhupāda: Mauritius is not developed. Fiji is good. Mauritius a poor country. Fiji well-to-do, more business, many Gujaratis. Mostly Gujaratis.

Kartikeya Mahadevia: I've got somebody in New Zealand also. They are...

Prabhupāda: Fiji and New Zealand...

Kartikeya Mahadevia: Are very prosperous.

Prabhupāda: Yes. They have got good dealings, purchase and sell.

Kartikeya Mahadevia: Did you meet Mr. Patel met you in Tehran? Bokumi(?) Patel? One Indian is settled there, Patel.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

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

Jayapatākā: The local police intelligence officer in Krishnagar, when I went to see him, he told me, (Bengali). Like that, he told me. "Definitely I make you an Indian citizen." So they are favorable. I don't know how much they can do, but locally they are favorable.

Gargamuni: Now on the weekend we have tours of the building. Many groups of people come. Fifty in a group sometimes come and visit.

Prabhupāda: Tourists.

Gargamuni: Yes, tourists, and we take then on tour of the building. That's Subhaga. He takes them on tour and he gives some preaching. So many people are coming.

Prabhupāda: Subhaga is in charge of that?

Gargamuni: Yes, he does.

Jayapatākā: Others are there also. One new boy is very good.

Gargamuni: Kiśora.

Jayapatākā: Kiśora dāsa. He's also translating. He's a little more strong than Subhaga, although new. Very good boy, very humble. He's from a good family also.

Prabhupāda: What is the flood situation?

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

Jayapatākā: There were some other lighter matters. When I was traveling in my preaching, then last time in Māyāpur, when that Haridaspur, when they offered, you mentioned to me that you liked that we develop these holy spots. So just as a matter of convenience, whenever I was near any holy spot that you mentioned in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta I would go and just visit the place. So in my tours, one place I went to was very nice, and that sevaite, he spontaneously, when I showed him all your work, he offered me that he would like to give the temple to you. That temple is much, much more developed than Haridaspur. That's the temple of Maheśa Paṇḍita.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Jayapatākā: And that is the seventeenth branch of Lord Nityānanda. It's got the personal Deities of Nitāi-Gaura that he used to worship. It's got a building worth about fifty thousand rupees on it. A nice, brand new nātha-mandira. This man is Shri Keshav Priya Brahmacari. He's a disciple of that Krishna Prem, that Mr. Nixtan or something.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Jayapatākā: He talked personally with Bhaktisiddhānta, I heard, in Sanskrit many years ago. He's a disciple.

Prabhupāda: He's Indian or...?

Jayapatākā: Well, it's an unusual story that that man was a pilot in the World War, and he was flying over Himalayas or something, and he saw Kṛṣṇa in his mind's eye or something, and then, then he was shot down, he saw Kṛṣṇa, and then, when he landed, he searched out who he saw, and he came to Vṛndāvana or something and saw the Deity of Kṛṣṇa, and he became initiated at Rādhā-Rāmaṇa temple.

Prabhupāda: Rādhā-Rāmaṇa

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

Prabhupāda: They have no idea.

Paṇḍita: No facility. So I left there. I came all the way, decided to select a place for myself. After touring Mathurā, Vṛndāvana, all these places, Kāśī, I came to Lucknow. In Lucknow Ramakrishna Mission I had been to. There was one Gauda Shivananda. He discussed with me, and he directed me to Calcutta. Then I went to Calcutta, and when I went to Calcutta, that Swami Gambhirananda, who is the general secretary now, was there. He asked me to join the Mission. I joined Ramakrishna Mission. I was in Ramakrishna Mission in Calcutta for one year. And I was taking care of their printing section, this proof-reading, editing, etc., Ramakrishna Vivekananda literature for one year. But still, my idea of going to the original texts of this Vedānta commentary etc., was not fulfilled. So I was not satisfied. Then I left that Ramakrishna Mission and traveled all the way from Calcutta to Kerala. There is another āśrama at Kerala, Parlika near Trichu, where there was one Swami Purnananda Tirtha who used to come to Bombay every year for giving lectures. So I went to his āśrama. I knew of that. And there I started studying this Śaṅkara Bhāṣya, Gītā Bhāṣya and Sūtra Bhāṣya for six months under one Swami Atmananda, who is no more, who has written Śaṅkara's words, the words, in his own words, teachings in his own words. Bhavan's Journal has published and the four yogas and so on and so forth, such books. He was a disciple of Swami Ramadasa of Kanaiḥ. So after six months that was also not satisfying to me. I then came to Śrī Raṅgam. There I went to a Vaiṣṇava ācārya. He said, first you equip yourself with the fundamental śāstras of tarka, vyakāraṇa, and mīmāṁsā. Then come to Vedānta. Then, later on, in Sanskrit College I went and studied for two and a half years this fundamentals of Vedānta, tarka, vyakāraṇa, mīmāṁsā, and then I came to Śrī Raṅgam back and studied Vedānta. There for eight years I studied Vedānta. Say in all twelve years. Ten years. Another two years... I have been in Tirupati for the past two years, specializing in the higher texts of Mīmāṁsā. (pause)

Prabhupāda: Then?

Morning Walk Conversation About Bombay -- August 29, 1976, Delhi:

Prabhupāda: Why not? He'll come walking. We are going in the car. There is no place. They can walk. They are young children. (Children playing and laughing, "Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda!") (break) ...twice, thrice in a year total.

Hari-śauri: Hut! Hut!

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda just returned from his fifteenth world tour. (break)

Prabhupāda: We have got now...

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: A new house, Feroz Gandhi Road.

Indian man: Feroz Gandhi Marg (Hindi) Lajpat Nagar number three. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...place in the car. This way?

Indian man: Oh, yes.

Prabhupāda: All right.

Indian man: These children, they are coming from which place?

Hari-śauri: France and...

Prabhupāda: The smaller one from France and the bigger one from America. International.

Indian man: And their parents also there.

Meeting With Member of Parliament, Mr. Krishna Modi -- August 31, 1976, Delhi:

Prabhupāda: Vṛndāvana and Navadvīpa.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: And Māyāpur, Vṛndāvana.

Krishna Modi: Yes, that because this is in India. Whenever they like, they will see it.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: So when can they organize this tour? How soon can it be organized?

Krishna Modi: I'll ask them. I have an idea about that only. Because yesterday Mr. Brahmānanda already told me that "Why not you people also stand up and say something about that." Why not you strengthen my hands. Because they press and press and they want something that I should say something. So if you people stand and then you say that "No no no no, this is not the thing and we have seen it and this and this and that and that." And they will be... That is his idea.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: But the only people who are pressing charges are the Communists.

Krishna Modi: But they will do. That is their duty.

Prabhupāda: They are atheists.

Krishna Modi: Yes. So that why we should mind for that? That is there. You may say they're rākṣasa, or whatever you... (laughs) They will, always they will...

Prabhupāda: Rākṣasas are always ready to kill God. That was the business of Rāvaṇa, that was the business of Kaṁsa, that was the business of Hiraṇyakaśipu.

Morning Walk -- November 17, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Why you joined them?

Mahākṣa: I did not know. I thought it would be a good opportunity. They promised me they would give us a good program and good accommodation. When we got there, they did not like that we were very popular. (tape breaks up throughout) Then Mr. Bishop (indistinct) brother, T.C. (break) ...tour, he is a good man. He came with... (break) He is one of the most respected men in Bareilly. He forced them to put the program back again. So we did again the same evening. The people there love our program. They are all supposed... They have pictures of Caitanya Mahāprabhu on the stage and they're supposed to be following Him but they sing all these sahajiyā sort of songs and they sit down and it's all gṛhasthas. There's no, There's no real...

Prabhupāda: They want business.

Mahākṣa: Just a business. We also had a program with Dr. Gupta (?). That was a nice program. And his wife she cooked some Bengali prasādam for us. We took our lunch there. That was very nice.

Prabhupāda: I think that he is disciple of Tīrtha Mahārāja.

Mahākṣa: Yes. But his son... His house, they have so many pictures of Ramakrishna and Sai Baba. His son is telling him to not follow the same like his father. And his father did not speak. He only spoke about three words. He's suffering from some rheumatism or something. Anyway, we had a good kīrtana there. (break) No, I never say, I never say.

Morning Walk -- November 17, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: No cloud. In the street it is very disturbing. (break) ...party, they are also touring? No.

Mahākṣa: They have groups in different towns. They have in Birelli and Harpur. They don't travel and preach. I've met them in Ghaziabad also. They were the same. They were very envious, and they would not help. Also in Harpur they were the same. (break)

Prabhupāda: Like our poison, (?) more. Mm?

Mahākṣa: Oh yes. The people are gullible. They do not know. They are more attracted to us. But we are not always there.

Prabhupāda: Occasionally, you find cities. (Break) You cannot speak Hindi, still they like? Huh?

Mahākṣa: They like us.

Prabhupāda: They like our kīrtana.

Mahākṣa: Yes, kīrtana, they like. (break)

Prabhupāda: Seven person you took in a car?

Mahākṣa: Some of the boys went in a bus. We had a bus also.

Prabhupāda: Bus?

Mahākṣa: That belongs to Yaśodānandana Swami.

Prabhupāda: Bus, why do you take the car?

Room Conversation -- December 27, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: And they will understand that they are actually doing something.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. And they will see, because these karmīs, they look for these tangible differences.

Prabhupāda: At least twice taking bath and then chanting, dancing and so on.

Hari-śauri: Yes. They're coming for some... Just to...

Prabhupāda: They want something. So this is the bona fide method.

Jagadīśa: Are you having tours where they'll go to Rādhā-kuṇḍa?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. That is during the rest of the time.

Hari-śauri: There's a very nice thing about this program, is that you can guarantee everyone who comes is going to be interested.

Prabhupāda: So I have given to you three. Now you jointly do immediately. The artist is there. Get painting. That's... That's all right.

Hari-śauri: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda. (end)

Room Conversation -- December 31, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That even cats and dogs, they also want that my cats be well fed and strong. That is not a very good position. And Bhagavad-gītā says aratiḥ putra-dāra-gṛhādiṣu. This is philosophy. And if one is attached to his homely happiness he's not even a man of knowledge.

Dr. Patel: (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: When Vivekananda came back from foreign tours, he brought three women and one woman was intimately connected with him.

Dr. Patel: (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: You, you have seen yourself. Why there was no men in America? He came back...

Dr. Patel: I think he was a brahmacārī throughout.

Prabhupāda: You do not know. There is an old man... Some old woman, he said about he's connected.

Dr. Patel: Subash Candra Bose (indistinct).

Prabhupāda: Marriage is good. But to keep illicit sex, that's the most sinful activity. Marriage is allowed. Dharmāviruddhaḥ kāmo 'smi. That is not against.

Dr. Patel: Great number of luminaries have been produced by Bengal. Last year we read in Times of India more luminaries were produced in Bengal than any other...

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- January 5, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Red Square. No, I mean to say what is that called when they go to see specially something? Foreign Mecca(?).

Hari-śauri: Sightseeing.

Prabhupāda: That, no. Sightseeing. So anyway, they took us to a house.

Hari-śauri: Oh, you went on a sightseeing tour.

Prabhupāda: Ah, yes, that "Here, respectable widows." In Russia, after being widow, they used to live along with other respectable widows. They would never marry. Widow house. Live with queens and other respectable ladies. This was...

Hari-śauri: Now I think about seven or eight marriages out of every ten in Russia end up in divorce.

Prabhupāda: Everywhere.

Hari-śauri: Yeah.

Prabhupāda: So we shall go?

Hari-śauri: I just have to finish... (break) (end)

Room Conversation -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Pradyumna: "It is said here that the cows used to moisten the pasturing land with milk because their milk bags were fatty and the animals were joyful. Do they not require, therefore, proper protection for a joyful life by being fed with a sufficient quantity of grass in the field? Why should men kill cows for their selfish purposes? Why should men not be satisfied with grains, fruits and milk, which combined together can produce hundreds and thousands of palatable dishes? Why are there slaughterhouses all over the world to kill innocent animals? Mahārāja Parīkṣit, grandson of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, while touring his vast kingdom, saw a black man attempting to kill a cow. The king at once arrested the butcher and chastised him sufficiently. Should not a king or executive head protect the lives of the poor animals who are unable to defend themselves? Is this humanity? Are not the animals of a country citizens also? Then why are they allowed to be butchered in organized slaughterhouses? Are these the signs of equality, fraternity, and nonviolence? Therefore, in contrast with the modern, advanced, civilized form of government, an autocracy like Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira's is by far superior to a so-called democracy in which animals are killed and a man less than an animal is allowed to cast votes for another less-than-animal-man."

Prabhupāda: That's all (laughing) we have said. You can do one thing. You have got nim tree?

Devotee: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Take... I think you have got nim leaf dried?

Hari-śauri: Not since we've been in India. We've been using fresh nim leaves.

Prabhupāda: You have got stock?

Morning Darsana and Room Conversation Ramkrishna Bajaj and friends -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: When I went to your MIT, I challenged that "Where is that technological department where a dead man can be brought into life?" It was interesting speech. The students gathered. This body is mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā as machine. Do you know that? This body is mentioned in the Bhagavad-gītā as machine. Yantrārūḍhāni māyayā.

īśvaraḥ sarva bhūtānāṁ
hṛd-deśe 'rjuna tiṣṭhati
bhrāmāyan sarva bhūtāni
yantrārūḍhāni māyayā
(BG 18.61)

Just like you make a tour by driving a motorcar, similarly, the jīvātmā is touring all over the universe riding on this machine. This is machine. So... Aiye aiye. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (guest enters) (Hindi) Aiye. We have arranged for your prasāda. Yantrārūḍhāni māyayā. This is machine. This body is machine made by the material energy, as all other machine are made by the kṣitir-āp-tejo marud-vyoma, earth, water, air, fire. These are the ingredients, any machine. Suppose it is made of iron. So iron is another form of earth. So as all other machines are made with these material elements, similarly, this body is also made with the material elements, and it is yantra. It is particularly mentioned. But this yantra is not ordinary yantra. You cannot make it. But it is yantra. It is made by somebody, and the ingredients are the material elements. So where is that technology? It is made of matter, and it is made by somebody as other machines are made with the material... (break) ...and made by somebody. So where is that advancement of technology? A motorcar, when stops, technology department can repair it and again it runs. So where is that advancement of technology that when this machine stops you run on, again repair it? This was my challenge in your institution. Can you answer this? You have got so many advancement, the nuclear energy and everything. But why you cannot give life to the machine stopped? Why?

Room Conversation -- January 19, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Gargamuni: No, his fault was that he had some education. Anyone who was doing anything... This one boy who was translating your books, he was a very educated person. He was about thirty years old.

Prabhupāda: Hindu.

Gargamuni: Hindu. Yes. He was brahmacārī there at the āśrama. He was the chief pūjārī. But he joined us. We toured a few areas, and he came with us and arranged for everything. And he joined us, and he was translating.

Prabhupāda: (aside:) Now take this.

Gargamuni: And we printed the book. I saw it. But then the war broke out a few days after it was ready, so I had to leave all the copies there. When I go there I will try and find it. Maybe it is still there. We spent about five hundred rupees. Five, six hundred rupees.

Prabhupāda: What Pakistan has gained by this separation? Actually they have not gained.

Gargamuni: By the separation.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Gargamuni: Of Bangladesh?

Prabhupāda: No.

Gargamuni: Or of India?

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Indian?

Gargamuni: Yes. We have noticed recently many tourist buses there in Māyāpur now. They are coming from other areas, middle class people. They rent this tourist bus, and they have been touring Māyāpur. Sometimes they come and at the time of prasādam they ask, "Can we get our food here? We're about forty persons." So we take them over to the prasādam pavilion and they take. But this was never before. Never was there a tourist bus in Māyāpur.

Prabhupāda: No.

Gargamuni: Never.

Prabhupāda: No. So you shall go? What is the time?

Hari-śauri: Ten past six.

Gargamuni: I think it's still a little dark.

Hari-śauri: No, it's light. (break)

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Gargamuni: It's light? Yes. (break)

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Morning Room Conversation -- February 16, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: People come to see even what is going on now.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Many big people come to see. When I was there a very big life member came with his wife. Girirāja is constantly giving tours of the construction, showing, "This will be like this; this will be like this." People are very impressed. There is no such place in all of Bombay.

Prabhupāda: No, no, no.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In all of India there's no such place.

Prabhupāda: No, no.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And they recognize it. Especially the fact that it is so...

Prabhupāda: This is Saurabha's credit. He has designed.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The utilization is especially unique. It is so much more than just a temple. That is what's impressing—the restaurant, the theater, temple...

Prabhupāda: Every inch is utilized.

Morning Room Conversation -- February 16, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: If you can develop all this, you don't require separate. But if the government donates the land or give us acquiring, then we can do something. That life member, big life member, came to see?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Very big man. I don't remember his name. New member. Girirāja was giving a tour. It should be very finely built. It should not be too hastily made.

Prabhupāda: No, no.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Just like I notice that this building is actually first class. The construction is very first class. It's very solid.

Prabhupāda: Hm. Very solid.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We should not sacrifice the quality.

Prabhupāda: No, no. We have appointed there first-class engi...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Just like I notice many modern, many newer buildings in India, because they are rushing the work it is not of the same quality. Just like Birla's. All of their homes are very fine. And also the Bangurs of Calcutta. Their homes... They take a lot of time that all the marble is made properly, everything. The walls are done nicely.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So let it be done like that.

Room Conversations -- February 20, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Not very much, but there is.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Not so much. I think that pill works for swelling. The swelling is due to urine, not...

Prabhupāda: So now we have to push on this movement as the (heavy coughing) bona fide religion, but the most scientific, not dogmas. That we have to do.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yesterday I made a tour of Manipur to see a possible location for a temple, and I saw a nice place.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: It's just near the present temple of Govinda that I was talking. It is a small forest full of monkeys, and they are so friendly.

Prabhupāda: Monkeys are very friendly.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Oh, yes. They're much more friendly than monkeys in Vṛndāvana. (laughing) I have seen that many, very healthy. There's some sort of welcome people coming. There are many. That place is some sort of a central place of Imphala. It's a very..., spiritually, a very conducive area. Many kinds of birds, and it's very natural surroundings. So I went with two of our life members, and they are thinking that maybe we can approach the government so that we can get the land from Manipur government, and then we can construct a temple.

Prabhupāda: That's good idea. Yes. So now organize things. My presence or no presence, we have got now a position. We have to push on this movement very cautiously.

Arrival of Devotees -- February 24, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Gargamuni: There was very good response. And they're all writing reviews on our books. They have never seen such a translation of Bhāgavatam, they said. They said, "We have only seen the summary study, but we have never seen such word-for-word study." So I'm planning a tour of all the Southeast Asian countries, in Hong Kong and all these areas, to do standing orders.

Prabhupāda: So, no new book?

Rāmeśvara: It is coming.

Rādhā-vallabha: It is coming with the truck. 9.1 is coming.

Gargamuni: We have a truckload of books, of new books that are coming for the standing orders in India.

Rāmeśvara: The 9.2 is at the printers right now, and the artists, some of them stayed back to finish up 9.3. So by the time we come back to Los Angeles, 9.3 will go to the printers.

Rādhā-vallabha: This is the book, conversations between you and Bob Cohen here in Māyāpur.

Prabhupāda: Perfect Question... What about that Dialectic Spiritualism?

Rādhā-vallabha: Hayagrīva's almost finished with that. We'll produce it after the Māyāpur festival.

Room Conversation -- March 22, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: And they'll be glad. They have got money and they are getting culture. I am trying for United Nations. That is real attempt of United Nation, not this United Nation; all rogues and thieves and cheaters, barking dogs. I am trying for the United Nations. Help me. This is real United Nation. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām (BG 18.54). It is United Nation. So I began this movement very humbly, loitering on the street of New York. Now it has come to this stage. Let us cooperate together nicely.

Hṛdayānanda: Your Bombay project is very impressive. We've just taken a tour.

Prabhupāda: Therefore I persistently took that place. Nobody encouraged me. He is all. (laughter) Nobody helped me. I hesitated little, that "If I am persistent to take it, they will not cooperate. It may be failure." So still I took it. And only fifty thousand and one lakh of rupees I gave this thief Nyer: "All right, take it. Come on. Whatever I have got, you take it." Still he thought, "Oh. I'll get money."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He had already played the trick with one man.

Prabhupāda: Still, I took the risk that "I have no money. If he cheat me, that's all, but let me attempt."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Then you installed the Deity as soon as possible.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Immediately Akash Ganga left. All Kṛṣṇa's desire.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Everyone is appreciating how wonderful this project is, all of Bombay.

Prabhupāda: So much obstacles, one after another, one after another, one after another.

Room Conversation -- March 26, 1977, Bombay:

Hari-śauri: There's an eight-hundred-acre farm we are getting in Australia. The devotees are very enthusiastic for it, because in the past we haven't been able to make so many new devotees. They are not very much attracted to living in the cities in Australia. But they think that the farm... Then that will expand a lot. Probably this region we can grow everything, fruits, all kinds of tropical fruits, and cows.

Prabhupāda: Fruit, grains and milk. Vegetables. Finished everything.(?)

Hari-śauri: Flowers... Svarūpa Dāmodara was also suggesting that in a little while I might like to arrange a tour of the universities there, for he and Mādhava and Sadāpūta. Then it will be very good. Because there is a man that Svarūpa Dāmodara used to study under who is in Metrope(?) University in Melbourne. So I can arrange something there. (end)

Room Conversation -- March 26, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yes, you invite them at one.

Girirāja: Okay, that's good.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That will be nice. One o'clock to one thirty, prasāda; one thirty to two, movies; two, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Girirāja: We can take them on a tour also.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah. He can give them a tour of Hare Kṛṣṇa Land. I think the more publicity we can get now of these temple and towers, that will get the people's anticipation all over Bombay very keen, so when it finally opens, millions of people will come.

Prabhupāda: And if Morarji Desai comes to Bombay...

Girirāja: I asked Mr. Rajda if he was coming, so he said that... (break) (later conversation, speech going on in background)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They say that this is a sign of inhumanity. That we...

Prabhupāda: Inhumanity means I do not like you; still, I have to mix with you. Is that inhumanity?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, if you are my relative, then...

Room Conversation about Harijanas -- April 10, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Sheik Abdullah, the prime minister there, Kashmir.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Is he a chief minister or prime minister?

Prabhupāda: Chief minister.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Kashmir is part of India, a province. (pause) Then if you get your health back in May, that will be very nice. Regarding that tīrtha yatra, this going in the monsoon, it doesn't seem like a good time. June and July, those are not good months for touring India.

Prabhupāda: No, if we get good response, we can spend little more.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Maybe we should go with some kīrtana party. If we see there is a response, then we should...

Prabhupāda: If we, you get one kīrtana party if you like.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It seems like it.

Prabhupāda: Not immediately.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: First we'll see.

Prabhupāda: But you can take if you like as many books as possible. As many books, our books.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Our books for showing, carrying with us. One full set. I think the best way for that would be that maybe we'll have Kṣīra Gopīnātha Prabhu go by train with full whole set of books, because taking on the plane is very difficult. It will be overweight. But he can go by train. It is not very long. It is about one days, one and a half days complete journey. And then he can take easily a lot of baggage.

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

Prabhupāda: About the land and cows, this is Bhagavad-gītā, mentioned, kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). Never recommends factory. Kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyam (BG 18.44). So there is no question of giving protection to the cows if it gives milk only. No. Go-rakṣya. There must be protection to the cow. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Even the cows pass urine and stool, that is beneficial. And if it gives milk, then there is no question. Hm. What is that?

Lokanātha: "The necessities of human society are food grains, fruits, milk, minerals, clothing, wood, etc. One requires all these items to fulfill the material needs of the body. Certainly one does not require flesh and fish or iron tools and machinery. During the regime of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, all over the world there were regulated rainfalls. Rainfalls are not in the control of the human being. The heavenly King Indradeva is the controller of rains, and he is the servant of the Lord. When the Lord is obeyed by the king and the people under the king's administration, there are regulated rains from the horizon, and these rains are the causes of all varieties of production on the land. Not only do regulated rains help ample production of grains and fruits, but when they combine with astronomical influences there is ample production of valuable stones and pearls. Grains and vegetables can sumptuously feed a man and animals, and a fatty cow delivers enough milk to supply a man sumptuously with vigor and vitality. If there is enough milk, enough grains, enough fruit, enough cotton, enough silk and enough jewels, then why do the people need cinemas, houses of prostitution, slaughterhouses, etc.? What is the need of an artificial luxurious life of cinema, cars, radio, flesh and hotels? Has this civilization produced anything but quarreling individually and nationally? Has this civilization enhanced the cause of equality and fraternity by sending thousands of men into a hellish factory and the war fields at the whims of a particular man?

It is said here that the cows used to moisten the pasturing land with milk because their milk bags were fatty and the animals were joyful. Do they not require, therefore, proper protection for a joyful life by being fed with a sufficient quantity of grass in the field? Why should men kill cows for their selfish purposes? Why should man not be satisfied with grains, fruits and milk, which, combined together, can produce hundreds and thousands of palatable dishes. Why are there slaughterhouses all over the world to kill innocent animals? Mahārāja Parīkṣit, grandson of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, while touring his vast kingdom, saw a black man attempting to kill a cow. The King at once arrested the butcher and chastised him sufficiently.

Room Conversation with Ram Jethmalani (Parliament Member) -- April 16, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: So please wait, let the prasāda come. Take.

Girirāja: I will bring it up here.

Ram Jethmalani: We will take it in the car, because it will help us to attend a public meeting in time. I am on a thanksgiving tour of the constituency.

Indian man: We are taking him to Andheri. There is a meeting. We have kept a huge vote.

Prabhupāda: No, no, how they will take prasādam?

Girirāja: Well, I think if they could wait one or two minutes.

Prabhupāda: No, it is not... Kindly wait.

Ram Jethmalani: Yes. But here?

Prabhupāda: Yes, why not?

Ram Jethmalani: We won't eat in your presence.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Ram Jethmalani: I will be very glad to see that you have taken. Bring immediately.

Morning Conversation -- April 19, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: So we can pay you so much. What was your estimate? You made some estimate.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yeah. It is about six thousand, six thousand dollars.

Prabhupāda: Six thousand dollars, but we are ready to spend fifteen to twenty thousand dollars. Make it nicely, everything. We shall spend. Make worldwide propaganda. And there will be no scarcity of money. Tour. Make extensive tour, especially in Russia. In Russia send this film group, the scientific group, and if the Doctor is seriously our friend, let him translate. And that translation, it shall be good.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He said it's very good.

Prabhupāda: And the person who is translating, encourage him. Do this.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, Harikeśa, we have to reply his letters, so I have noted down to tell him that.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Let him translate as many as possible. And make this program. And that twenty thousand dollars should not be touched. It will be simply spent for this propaganda.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So any money that's saved now...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ...from the budget should be banked? Should it be saved in an account?

Second Meeting with Mr. Dwivedi -- April 24, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says, or somebody, some authority says, that "In a place whether, where there is no friend, no temple and no river, don't go there."

Mr. Dwivedi: Ah, yes, yes, Mahārāja. That is in Śukravetti. That is in Śukravetti. (Hindi)

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) "Nadī, friend and temple."

Mr. Dwivedi: (Hindi) ...that is also shaving our colony, beautiful temple inside the waters.

Prabhupāda: Our Indian touring means...

Kārttikeya: River and temple.

Prabhupāda: River and temple. That's all. All our holy places are on the bank of the Ganges, Yamunā, temple.

Kārttikeya: Except Bombay. Bombay has no river.

Prabhupāda: Bombay is big river, this... (laughter)

Mr. Dwivedi: Has got father of rivers.

Prabhupāda: And the temple is there, Umā devī.

Kārttikeya: Father of river is Himalaya.

Mr. Dwivedi: Give any name you like. As friend you may call.

Kārttikeya: Father it is not, sāgara.

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

Prabhupāda: They don't mind. "We must have mangoes." Money is very insignificant thing. Gold is the... And as soon as there is enough money, there is debauch, debauchery. Still there are Oriental moral principles. Girls who have become modernized... Otherwise they do not mix with any man. Their husband, that's all. And covered body, they are, very beautiful girl. And those who have become modernized, they are just like European girls. There is no difficulty to become modernized. They have got money. And they tour from one country to another extensively. Formerly for Muhammadans, drinking was the greatest sin. Now it has become... Drinking is strictly prohibited amongst the Muhammadans, according to their religious system. And sex? Before Muhammadan religion was introduced, they used to have sex even with mother. And woman could be purchased as slaves. Marketplace, women were standing for being sold. They would like to be sold. Just like animals. The animals, if somebody purchases, it is, if they are well fed, it is a great fortune for the animals. Just like the dogs here. When they have got a good master, they are fortunate. So it is the fact. If there is civilization, that is this Aryan civilization in India, Vedic civilization. Otherwise, throughout the whole world... These people were within Aryan civilization. Aryan, Iranian, their names are given. Up to Iran, their field(?). Europeans also, Indo-European. Gradually they declined. Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission is to make them civilized. Paścimera loka saba mūḍha anācāra. They are all fools and misbehaved. Teach them this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They'll be happy. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu. That is our next step, how to make one civilization, Kṛṣṇa conscious. (break) It is very palatable. Not this ordinary medicine, some of them very bitter, some pungent. It is always palatable. So kindly administer this medicine. It doesn't matter whether I survive or die. It doesn't matter. Both ways it is beneficial. Who else?

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

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: And I also published this little concept about what these, all these lectures is about. So it says, "Announcing a worldwide lecture tour on the origin of life and matter, sponsored by Bhaktivedanta Institute for Higher Studies, Founder-Ācārya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda." And then I give a whole series from here to here, and I also give the topics and...

Prabhupāda: Very nice.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: So like to hear a little bit?

Prabhupāda: Yes. (Svarūpa Dāmodara reads pamphlet announcing worldwide lecture tour of Bhaktivedanta Institute) All glories to Svarūpa Dāmodara.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda. And I already got some very positive remarks, especially in Manipur. They invited us... There is a center called Bhaktambabu(?) Research Center in Manipur, so they invited for a speaking engagement. They wanted in printed form so that they also publish. There is a Jawaharlal University in Manipur, and there is also low college. In several college they already invited.

Prabhupāda: So the Bose Institute of Research, they have invited you?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Oh, yes.

Prabhupāda: Did you not mention...?

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

Prabhupāda: England, nonsense number one. Worst false prestige, England. In that respect, other countries are better. They had a British Empire. They are still puffed up. And they will stay there to continue British Empire. Now they are earning money for eating, showing British Parliament House. Now there is no business.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They make money by tour of the Parliament House.

Prabhupāda: "Shopkeepers' nation." The Parliament has become a shop. Artificially they're maintaining an atmosphere of aristocracy. There is not... I talked with some of their Lords. Artificial. The have lost all prestige. Still, "I belong to the Lords' House." The priestly order, the Lord family, I talked with them. Simply artificial.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually you gave it up as useless. To talk with those priestly orders, I remember, you concluded, "This is a waste of time." They're not at all priestly.

Prabhupāda: They have no intelligence. Anyway, do something.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: I want to clarify a point. The other day I was discussing with this Professor Kundu...

Prabhupāda: Professor Kundu is a famous man, I think.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Oh, yes, he's the director. He works on the nature of consciousness. He has great interest in Bhagavad-gītā.

Prabhupāda: Was he in Scottish Churches College?

Conversation with Svarupa Damodara -- June 21, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: (indistinct)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Says, "I became a member of the Los Angeles World Affairs Council about six months ago. It is a group of about eight thousand prominent citizens of Los Angeles who are concerned with the foreign policy of the US and in world affairs in general." He's a member now. "They sponsor luncheons for prominent visitors from the US government and foreign governments also. They also have a volunteer program for visitors coming from foreign countries. When the visitor arrives, they have various appointments which have been arranged for them, so volunteers from the WAC take them to these appointments. I usually take every visitor from the Eastern European countries to at least..." Because he speaks Polish, so he's always being asked to take the visitors around "...to at least one appointment and give them a copy of your Bhagavad-gītā..." While he's taking them there, he's preaching, and he gives a copy of the Bhagavad-gītā. "...a calendar and a copy of a foreign language book, such as the Russian or Hungarian book if they speak that language. Whichever language they speak, we have our books now. I previously brought them to my apartment at the temple, for either lunch or dinner, until one very prominent Russian professor, a very close friend of Dr. Kotovsky, and a Romanian film producer complained to the Washington, D.C., office of the WAC that they felt very strange being brought to the temple. I think that this was because they were the biggest demons of all. All of the others liked the temple, and even those two big demons liked the prasādam. They liked my apartment and my family. However, they just didn't like Kṛṣṇa, so they complained. But now I am no more committed to bring these people here. They have checked them." They told him, "You can be a tour man but you can't bring them to your temple." "However I do take them prasādam and books, and they are grateful to receive these gifts." He has a job, and with the money he makes, he donates the money to buy books and gives these books out. "The people at the WAC here say I am their most enthusiastic volunteer. I have enclosed some sheets showing those people who have received your books and prasādam, and the positions that they hold. I hope that this is pleasing to Your Divine Grace."

Prabhupāda: Hm!

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He also included a letter... You know the former president was Mr. Ford. So he got a letter from Mr. Ford. It says, "Dear Mr. Jacupko"—that's his karmī name—"I wish to thank you for sending me a copy of Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. You were most kind to think of me, and I am deeply grateful for your friendship. With appreciation and best wishes, sincerely, Gerald R. Ford." It's got the US eagle on the letterhead.

Prabhupāda: You can use this letter.

Room Conversation about Mayapura Attack Talk with Vrindavan De -- July 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Mythology or childish. "Only a child would believe such a thing." But it's common sense. They have no faith, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Hm. Go and take rest. (break) Because I am very much fond of traveling, touring, they might have caused some danger. So Kṛṣṇa has detained me. What do you think?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think you're right, Śrīla Prabhupāda. Yes. Actually the GBC, we all were thinking that it might be dangerous for you...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ...to travel.

Prabhupāda: They would have been very glad that "Here is the old rascal who has spoiled our children." They could charge, and drag me to the courts and give me trouble. Therefore a restriction on me.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What, Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Restrict, that instead of myself, he has to restrict: "Do this way."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Including go to the court. This boy writes further. He says, "They claimed I was brainwashed by Śrīla Prabhupāda and the devotees, and they were here to get me to think for myself again. They kept me up for ten hours at a time for so-called deprogramming, just blaspheming Śrīla Prabhupāda and Kṛṣṇa and telling lie after lie. Finally they let me go to sleep, and in the morning it was time for more blaspheming and lies. But by Kṛṣṇa's mercy I was able to escape out the front door of the house," he says, "which was unguarded. I ran down my block barefoot and was able to get to my friend's house. I told him the story. He gave me enough money to get to a nearby temple. There I served Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa and had the association of my Godbrothers, who are most dear to me. There I spent the happiest time of my life as a devotee with the association of the Brajabāsīs. Being a devotee of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, there's nothing like it-singing, dancing, taking prasādam, being happy and free from anxiety all the time.

Room Conversations Bangladesh Preaching/Prabhavisnu Articles by Hamsaduta -- August 11, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He says, "On the 28th and 29th of July we held Hare Kṛṣṇa festivals at one prominent hall and spoke on the origin of life and matter. The second evening this Dr. Kovoor showed up with seven or eight of his followers, all doctors and scientists of some sort. By your mercy and the mercy of the Lord-teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam (BG 10.10)—the lecture which somehow emanated from my mouth was so brilliant that the audience, about one thousand people who were all aware of Dr. Kovoor's presence and sensed the intention of challenge in the air, unanimously applauded as we spoke the last sentence." They unanimously applauded. "I then asked for questions, but the Dr. Kovoor and his friends did not make a peep, while everyone waited in dead silence. It was clear that he was defeated, hands down. After I came off the stage, he was still sitting in the audience. I went to him and gave him my garland so he might not feel bad." So anyway, that's what happened there. He says, "Now we have exhausted all possibilities of extending our visas here. We were not able to meet the Prime Minister again, so he is very busy rewriting the constitution of this country. So I thought the most inexpensive move is to come to India, and then I could also see you and perhaps be visiting secretary for some time, then return again. Or I could go to Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, etc., in the Far East, Southeast Asia, and try to preach there, touring different cities to see the prospects."

Prabhupāda: That is very nice.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's nice?

Prabhupāda: Anyway, all blessings of Kṛṣṇa upon them. They are doing very nice.

Room Conversation -- October 12, 1977, Vrndavana:

Jayapatākā: Since I left you in Bombay, then I returned and presented the Show Cause to the additional district magistrate. And he just looked at it and postponed it till November 18th. He postponed, so as far as that goes, there's nothing until November 18th. Then, I think, Bhavānanda Mahārāja gave the report about the court. They released... They reduced the bail restriction on the devotees. I went on a tour of Orissa to the two temples there, Bhuvaneśvara and Bhadrak. In Bhuvaneśvara they have nice garden (Prabhupāda coughing up mucus) and about six or seven devotees. They had a nice Vyāsa-pūjā and Janmāṣṭamī festival.

Prabhupāda: Magistrate wants my presence?

Jayapatākā: No. It is not required that you talk to him. There's no... Everyone says that there's no case for that. The previous ADM said that actually the person that was doing it is this woman district magistrate. That woman is quite inimical to us. So there's very strong talk that after Durgā Pūjā she'll be transferred. If she's transferred, then our situation would become much better, I hope, by Kṛṣṇa's mercy. She's just trying to harass us, but actually she has no legal scope. Indian Overseas Bank came out, the additional general manager, to Māyāpur, and he's very eager to open up the branch at Māyāpur also, because they have already in Bombay. I think... They have here also? I don't know. But he was eager to open a branch there. They have made us an application. The Central Bank sent a letter, withdrew their application for opening the bank. Right now the Gurukula, they have just finished their examinations. Their examinations were writing an English sentence in Sanskrit and writing Sanskrit in English and similar type tests. They, most of the students got seventy percent on the examination. Then the bigger children went out on saṅkīrtana with the two traveling parties, one to Darjeeling. In Darjeeling they sold seven thousand books in less than ten days. They had very good reception in Darjeeling. And one party is still in Bihar. They did four thousand books.

Prabhupāda: Bengal book.

Room Conversation -- October 13, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes. That much we want to keep. The people may not think of it as bogus.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Our chief guest for tomorrow has already arrived. And he's very impressed. I took a tour of our temples, also the Gurukula. And they're very impressed with the whole building and the whole program that we have here. Very nice. He brought also an architect. He's a retired engineer, Chowdury from..., together. Also we already have a mathematician from Delhi University for tomorrow. So I took three of them tour of our temple and gave them nice prasādam. They were very impressed.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This has never happened before, Śrīla Prabhupāda. You are the real ācārya for this age, Śrīla Prabhupāda. You perfectly know how to spread Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You're making people who would ordinarily never take interest in Kṛṣṇa consciousness become devotees.

Prabhupāda: In the beginning, when I was selling Back to Godhead alone, I wrote one practical businessman, Mr. Bande(?) I think. He said, "Swamiji, why you have made Vṛndāvana headquarter? (laughs) It is not a place for..." (break)

Svarūpa Dāmodara: ...place in Vṛndāvana, they said the selection is ideal. So this type of conference should start from Vṛndāvana. They feel that way, many of them. Yesterday Mishra, Dr. Mishra... He's the head of the biophysics department in the All-India Institute, Medical Sciences. He called me to his home, and I went and we had about half an hour discussion. He told me that he wanted to do this by himself for a long time several years ago. Then somehow, when he saw our flyer, his wife told him that "You've been trying to do like this for so many years, but somebody has started doing it." So she told him "You must join them." So actually he wanted to come from tomorrow, but some people are coming from Germany, 'cause he has a big grant. He's actually internationally well known scientist. But he's coming on Sunday, and he's also going to speak about half an hour.

Room Conversation -- October 13, 1977, Vrndavana:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: No. His German friends are busy touring all over India to make sure that when they get grant, everything goes okay.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It sounds like this Bhaktivedanta Institute might get a..., maybe get some grant sometime, eh?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes. Once we get incorporated in Bombay, then we can also get some grants from the government, also in the United States when we get it properly established. And the word bhakti-vedānta is so important that it seems everybody knows what it means, at least in India. When they say bhakti, "Oh," they say, "Oh, that's different from Maharishi Yogi. That's different from anybody else. You have to start with bhakti." So the word is so nice also.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And Prabhupāda is very famous also. So people think about Prabhupāda and Hare Kṛṣṇa movement when they hear it also.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: When they hear "Bhaktivedanta," they immediately know that this is Prabhupāda. Many of them told me that "Oh, I have heard Swamiji's lecture in Delhi. It's very nice and very impressive and very convincing." Many of them told me like that.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Your lectures in Delhi drew the most intelligent class of people, Śrīla Prabhupāda. The other swamis, when they would lecture, they would get just the typical pious Indian people, but yours also drew very intelligent group of people, sophisticated people.

Prabhupāda: They danced. (laughter) With coat-pant. I have seen.

Room Conversation -- October 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: No. That is useless. Do you recommend that?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, definitely not. I recommend that, somehow or other, you go on lying there, and we'll go on chanting, and we'll pass until March-April '78. Then we'll take you to Māyāpur for the festival, and then we'll do a world tour.

Prabhupāda: That is very nice program. You can read Bhāgavata from the point where I have stopped.

Pradyumna: Daśāma-skandha?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Very good.

Prabhupāda: Is it possible? Eh?

Pradyumna: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: And when he is tired, kīrtana. Let go on. Kīrtanānanda. This is mahājana-mahā-kīrtana. And as far as possible, let me lie down like this. What can be done? Is that conclusion all right?

Upendra: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Who is saying yes?

Upendra: Upendra dāsa. Tamāla, he's asking you.

Room Conversation -- November 3, 1977, Vrndavana:

Brahmānanda: During our festival.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. He wants to... Especially he said, "I want to come when all of the devotees are there." He's actually appreciating, just like that Mr. Ganatra. He also appreciates very much. Mr. Bajaj is thinking to make a tour around the world of all of our centers. Actually what they have been trying to do for thirty, forty, fifty years, Śrīla Prabhupāda, you have done here in India in the last six or seven years. They don't have one such temple as Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma Mandir, and you have created hundred.

Jayādvaita: Prahlāda Mahārāja was telling his father that "You can have conferences all you like, but still you can't understand Kṛṣṇa."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Would you like to hear Tenth Canto, Volume Two, Śrīla Prabhupāda, a little bit? Or more of Kapiladeva? Kapiladeva would be nice. Ten, two?

Prabhupāda: Any book.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Any book. You know, Śrīla Prabhupāda, I was thinking, I'm going to write Rāmeśvara that we should have in Los Angeles a Bhaktivedanta Swami Library with all of your books, many volumes of each book in all the languages. Each different bookshelf will be different languages. Some part of the library will be Spanish publications, German, Dutch, Swedish, Russian, different languages of Europe, Indian languages. And then we'll also have a part of the library for archives. At least one or two copies of every single edition of all of the books. All the previous Back to Godheads, as many as we have even from your original ones published in India. In this way make a Bhaktivedanta Swami Library. People can come and read your books. No matter who they are, what language they speak, there should be at least one library like this. Reading rooms we can have all over the world, and we should have some library also like this.

Brahmānanda: They have that for all... Like great presidents of America, they all have a library, memorial library, where all their letters, all their papers, everything is kept. Truman has it, Kennedy has it, Johnson had it.

Jayādvaita: That microfilm is there also, Yadubara has it. (break)

Room Conversation -- November 13, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Tamāla?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Consult with him.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Hm. Make up a tour? All right. Very good.

Prabhupāda: Since a long time I have got a desire.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Hm. Prabhupāda's had this ambition for a long time.

Lokanātha: Travel in the holy places. So you'll be doing in...?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, we can discuss.

Jayādvaita: Lord Balarāma, He did that. He went to all the holy places. So in the same way, if you can get a little strength from Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma here in Vṛndāvana, then you can... Lord Balarāma was going to all the different places.

Prabhupāda: I give you idea. Where is Lokanātha?

Lokanātha: Yes, I'm here, Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: What is called? Front party.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What kind of party?

Page Title:Tour (Conversations)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:15 of Nov, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=84, Let=0
No. of Quotes:84