The relish or taste of the mundane rasa does not long endure, and therefore mundane workers are always apt to change their position of enjoyment. A businessman is not satisfied by working the whole week; therefore, wanting a change for the weekend, he goes to a place where he tries to forget his business activities. Then, after the weekend is spent in forgetfulness, he again changes his position and resumes his actual business activities. Material engagement means accepting a particular status for some time and then changing it. This position of changing back and forth is technically known as bhoga-tyāga, which means a position of alternating sense enjoyment and renunciation. A living entity cannot steadily remain either in sense enjoyment or in renunciation. Change is going on perpetually, and we cannot be happy in either state, because of our eternal constitutional position.
Weekend
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Nectar of Devotion
Lectures
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
We have got better intelligence. We shall be, rather, more comfortable without struggling for existence than the animals. But our struggle for existence is greater than their struggle of existence. What is this civilization? This is not civilization. Everyone wants peaceful, calm life. Even those who are struggling so hard, big business magnate. Still, at the weekend, they find out some secluded place, nice place, without trouble. That is the nature.
That human nature should be like that, that "Why should we work so hard, simply for eating, sleeping, mating?" This is a wrong type of civilization. But at the modern age, the human society is so made that one has to work like ass, whole day and night, simply for satisfying these four necessities of life. That is also not guaranteed. We thought that in your country... When I was in India, I was contemplating coming to your country. I thought that America is very rich. "There is no problem for eating, sleeping, mating." Actually, there is nil. There is no problem.
And this education system is keeping him more and more in ignorance. Mūḍha.
So this principle they do not know, that this human life, actually the desire is like that, that "Let me earn some money. Then I shall go in a village or in a secluded place I shall live very peacefully." And those who have got money, at the weekend they go out for peaceful living. So that is the tendency, not to work hard, but live peacefully. That can be done. Everyone can do that, provided he lives in the village, he lives in the village and produces his own food, little labor, vegetable, food grains. Anyone can produce. This is human civilization. Therefore... Not that all, everyone has to do. The third class... First-class men, they should cultivate knowledge to guide the human society, brāhmaṇa. Śama dama titikṣa... (BG 18.42). They should learn, ideal men. Under their advice... Brāhmaṇa is considered to be the guru of other sections: kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra. So anyone can live very peacefully without any hard labor.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
The relish or taste of the mundane rasa does not long endure, and therefore mundane workers are always apt to change their position of enjoyment. A business man is not satisfied by working the whole week; therefore wanting a change for the weekend, he goes to a place where he tries to forget his business activities. Then, after the weekend is spent in forgetfulness, he again changes his position and resumes his actual business activities. Material engagement means accepting a particular status for some time and then changing it. This position of changing back and forth is technically known as bhoga-tyāga, which means..."
Cornerstone Ceremonies
It should be standardized according to the authority. And the best authority is Kṛṣṇa.
So make this center successful, you ladies and gentlemen of Bombay. We have got very nice place. We are building so that you can come here, stay, at least in weekend. If you stay, all those who are retired or elderly gentlemen, ladies, they can come here and stay. We will have sufficient place. But try to organize these principles of Bhagavad-gītā all over the world. That will be the gift of India. Caitanya Mahāprabhu desired that anyone who has taken birth in India as human being, not cats and dogs... Cats and dog cannot take any part for doing good to others.
General Lectures
Prabhupāda: So you may send somebody to help him.
Nandarāṇī: Who is coming? (pause)
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Puruṣottama. He said it was all right because Puruṣottama can still get a lot of advertisements for Back to Godhead in Los Angeles area.
Prabhupāda: Oh, you can.
Devotee: When's he coming?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I'm not sure. Maybe next week. (end)
Conversations and Morning Walks
1968 Conversations and Morning Walks
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. And her children have been placed in the custody of the girl's parents. So the girl does not even have custody of the children. So she is not in any way, so to speak,... She does not have to stay in this city because of her children because the courts have decided that her mother will take charge of the children. She has brought them to the temple on weekends. They're very intelligent. They like to... Oh, they like the puppets. They like to paint and draw pictures of Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: But how she can travel with you? She has no husband.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No. So what do you think? Is it all right for her to travel with us or better not to?
Prabhupāda: Because she has no husband?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No.
Prabhupāda: Therefore it does not look very nice.
1971 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Simply we shall sell retail in our saṅkīrtana. Let them sell to the bookstore. We shall not sell a single copy to the bookstore, or wholesaler. We shall simply sell in our saṅkīrtana party. In this way arrange...(break)
Śyāmasundara: ...weekend festivals from town to town?
Prabhupāda: Town to town. What do you think this idea Huh? Continue engagement. And as many men may join us, we can accommodate them. Every country. Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana prāyair yajanti hi sumedhasaḥ (SB 11.5.32). I got this idea, one king, (indistinct), the grandson of Prthuraya, this Mahārāja Prithu, he performed so many yajñas that on the surface of the earth, there were only kuśa grass scattered. Yajña, they require kuśa grass. Kuśa grass. So all over the world it was simply scattered, after yajñas, I have given my comment in this. Similarly, we shall perform this saṅkīrtana yajña all over the world, town to town, town to town. Now we have got GBC all over the world. Let them organize. What they'll do? Organize yajña after yajña, yajña after yajña. So that as at the present moment even if we go somewhere, are known to: "Hare Kṛṣṇa!" They say. The whole world will say, "Hare Kṛṣṇa." Either jokingly or serious, it doesn't matter. Let them joke, criticize them, "Hare Kṛṣṇa," still they will have the effect. Still they will have it. In the Nṛsiṁha Purāṇa there is an instance that a Mussulman was attacked by, what is called? Boar having...
1972 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Suppose you are getting some money. We have no money. If you try to serve, that will... Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ (Brs. 1.2.234). This line is service. The more you render service, the more you become enlightened. If you simply philosophize, theorize, you'll get no benefit. You must render service.
Ian Polsen: May I join the kīrtana in the streets over the weekend?
Prabhupāda: Huh? Yes, whenever you get opportunity, kīrtana. Yes. Very nice.
Ian Polsen: Dressed as I am?
Prabhupāda: Hm?
Ian Polsen: Dressed as I am?
Prabhupāda: Why not? Dress is not very essential.
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Everywhere. It is a civilization of rascals. That's all. That duṣkṛtina. Duṣkṛtina means they have got merit. As human being, everyone has got merit. That is used for sinful activities. That's all. Duṣkṛtina. Therefore they are godless. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ (BG 7.15). All these sinful men, rascals, they don't care for God. They don't care for next life. This is the position. They don't believe in these things. If they believe in these things, they'll have to be systematized. They don't want that. The life is, what is called, extravagancy? No? Now it is a... Systematically they are following. The karmīs, they work hard, whole week, and the end of the weekend, they call any beautiful woman, pay her something, don't take responsibility of family life. This has become a system. Is it not?
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Devotee (1): For one period of two or three days we were going to the airport and simply... This was during the whole controversy about the cheating and the honesty and..., that controversy. So we just went and we just started preaching. And we actually didn't find that much of a diminution in the sales of the literatures. In fact one time a couple of us went out in dhotīs even to the airport, without wigs or anything, for a weekend. And we still did nicely. It was a little more difficult. They weren't so... Some of them weren't as warm. But we find that the businessmen, they can be convinced by just preaching.
Prabhupāda: Read it.
Prabhupāda: So they are all differently?
Pūrṇa-candra: Yes. (break)
Prabhupāda: What is the sale proceeds of the prasāda?
Dhanañjaya: During the week it's about sixty to eighty rupees, and at the weekends, over a hundred rupees. At weekends there are far more people coming to the temple from Delhi.
Prabhupāda: So average, eighty rupees. So you are purchasing ghee, four kilos or more.
Dhanañjaya: Now we have stopped that.
Prabhupāda: Eh?
Dhanañjaya: Now we have stopped. We've reduced the quantity.
Prabhupāda: Why you were purchasing more?
Prabhupāda: So you should know. You have experience when it is demand and more.
Dhanañjaya: Yes. That we know. We know the demand is at the weekends, and there's also some special festivals, so we make more prasādam for these occasions.
Indian man (1): There is another great demand for photos of... Almost everyone asks for photos of the Deities of the temple and of other places also. They all..., the temples and Deities. Everyone asks for photos, nice photos.
Prabhupāda: So why they are not printed?
Indian man (1): They will be good sale of photos, I think. (Hindi) It may be supplied in that book shop.
Prabhupāda: Perfection of life means ultimately you become lazy; you haven't got to work. That is perfection, they say. Otherwise why they get a cottage in a secluded place and live? All these Americans, they go weekend. They leave aside all working, they become tired, hard working, and they go. That is the intention, that you should live peaceful life, not working very hard. That is human life. Huh? Otherwise why they go outside the city at the weekend? Why do they go? Hm?
Indian man (1): They want rest, I suppose. They want rest.
Prabhupāda: So that means lazy.
Indian man (1): No.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Rest means lazy; you don't work.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Because this is necessary. You must have some shelter; you must eat; you must cover. That is necessary. So you do it. Grow food first of all to feed yourself sumptuously. You must get strength, and that is needed. But not for trade. The policy should be that you should be self-sufficient and save time for advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is wanted. Yavad-ārtha prayojanam. Yuktāhāra-vihārasya yogo bhavati siddhi-daḥ. You shall eat whatever you require for proper upkeep of the body, not eating too much and sleeping whole day. Don't do that. Eat only what is absolutely necessary. Then you'll never be in want. People are engaged in material civilization means they are increasing the bodily demands, unnecessary. Just like this park. Why we have come to this park? We like this atmosphere. So similarly, in villages, everyone, if he has got some land, he can live simply without any gorgeous building. What is the use? Just have a cottage and have garden. You'll live very peacefully. But they're constructing big, big skyscraper building in the downtown, and they will have to come here by car for some peace of mind, and in the meantime, accident, police. This is the civilization, nonsense civilization. At weekend they will go to the village, country, and during the week-time they will work hard. This is their civilization, with the risk of life, running motor car eighty miles' speed. Every moment there is risk. What is this civilization? Most ludicrous civilization.
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: No, how they can? They cannot feed them.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We were speaking this morning, Bhavānanda Mahārāja and myself that, we were wondering if we could make like... You know, so many people come here to eat prasādam. On the weekends, at least two to three thousand people come. So we were wondering whether it would be proper to make some kind of propaganda that "If anyone wants to enroll their children here, their young boys in our gurukula, that they can..."
Prabhupāda: So a similar counterpart leaflet you should, that "International Society for Krishna Consciousness, world organization, established by His Divine Grace, and anyone can come here and take foodstuff. We have got arrangement," like this. In suitable words you write and issue another pamphlet.
Prabhupāda: You don't require it. (break) ...so many materialistic improvements, we require open field like this. We require trees. That is nature's gift. Although we have got this car, we come here to take advantage of nature's gift. Why you have come here? The city was there. I don't like. So actually you enjoy nature's gift. Important persons, they work whole week in the city, and as soon as there is weekend they go to the village. Why? The enjoyment is in the village. They do not like to stay in the factory. It is disgusting. (break)
Devotee (1): Just like sleep. And just like when we're sleeping it's very comfortable, then why should we be afraid of dying? It's very comfortable. Death is just like sleep. When we're sleeping we feel.... So why, then, we should be afraid of death?
Prabhupāda: You go at four o'clock to your working place and come at night, ten. Is that enjoyment?
Rādhāvallabha: But on the weekend we can go to the beach. And we can eat whatever we want.
Prabhupāda: No, no, you can go to hell also. Different thing.... (break) ...jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānu. That is there. If you are suffering from disease, where is enjoyment? Mental discomfort, bodily discomfort. You are taking thrice pills for tranquillity. Is that enjoyment?
Rādhāvallabha: They say you have to take the good with the bad.
Rāmeśvara: Śrīla Prabhupāda, one boy joined our temple here, he was attending a very well known college and straight A's in physics, a scientist. So his parents were a little concerned. His father is a very big professor at California Institute of Technology, the biggest technical school in America. His mother is a professor of anthropology, and she is in the family of millionaires from Germany, German industrialists, so they were very concerned. So they came to visit their boy at our temple, and now the mother is coming regularly, giving nice donations and sometimes spending the weekend.
Prabhupāda: (indistinct)
Dānavīr: Yes.
Prabhupāda: So give him nice. He's living with us?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.
Gopavṛndapāla: We already do that every weekend.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: (break) ...problems. It seems there are so many social problems in the world today that by patchwork nothing can, er, can't hope to come of anything good.
Prabhupāda: Because they do not know what is the aim of life. (break) ...one center. With center, you can draw so many circles, big or small; they will not overlap. But if you have got different center, it will overlap. Your circle will come upon me; my circle will go upon.... So there is svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum. They do not know the central point is Kṛṣṇa.
Rāmeśvara: People sometimes criticize us that if our movement becomes very large and everyone chants Hare Kṛṣṇa, no one will want to become a doctor or technician, and everything will fall to hell.
Prabhupāda: Why don't you say if your movement goes on, there will be no need of that. (laughter)
Rakṣaṇa: We should expand our New Bhakta program so that they can have weekend stays in āśramas, have practical experience.
Prabhupāda: That they are coming.
Mādhavānanda: (break) ...of birds.
Prabhupāda: Yes. As soon as there are trees, there will be birds.
Hari-śauri: I saw a squirrel down there earlier on as well. Squirrels, there was one just down there earlier on.
Prabhupāda: Ideal. Let there be an ideal section, our people, our men. And do your personal advancement. But that much.... If people come, it's all right. Otherwise, we must make our own life successful.
Mādhavānanda: Once you wrote Gargamuni Swami in Nepal that even if they will not listen, simply by your being there, even if they see you chant japa sitting on a street corner, they will become Kṛṣṇa conscious.
Devotee (2): And there were so many people that we decided that next weekend we'll come and distribute magazines and incense.
Makhanlāl: In the Bhagavad-gītā, Eighteenth Chapter, 54th verse, brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54), it says that the person in brahma-bhūtaḥ realization at once realizes the Supreme Brahman. If the devotee is situated on the platform of the brahma-bhūtaḥ, but he may not necessarily see everything as Brahman, does that mean that his realization is by intelligence, and by his activity, or what does that mean?
Prabhupāda: Realization of spiritual identification.
Makhanlāl: Realization of spiritual life?
Prabhupāda: Identity.
Prabhupāda: Central Park? Very nice. So you have advantage of the park.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yes. And on Sundays we put on saṅkīrtana in the park, and then people are invited to come to the temple for the feast. Now because of the good weather, many people leave the city on the weekend, so the numbers of people who are coming on the Love Feast days is not as much as before the summer and after the summer. Now they like to go to the beaches and resort areas, where it's cool and there's water.
Prabhupāda: The zoo is here also here? (pronounces "joo")
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Jewish people?
Prabhupāda: No, zoo, zoology.
Prabhupāda: No, no. London he came?
Kṣīrodakaśāyī: Yes I heard. I don't know. Somebody was telling. And so many swamis, so many, from Vṛndāvana they are coming. Because many, many guests come, Prabhupāda, in the weekend or during the day. They tell me that "Would you like to go? Some swami has come, some..." "Our swami is already here." (laughs)
Prabhupāda: That's it.
Kṣīrodakaśāyī: They invite some invitation. They have had a big international religious conference in Millford a few weeks back, and all the professors, universities and big, big shark(?) have got... And I understand...
Prabhupāda: Mūḍhas.
Mukunda: Oh, yes. More than even. We have about thirteen hundred life members in the Indian community. And then when they come on the weekends they bring food, they bring these hundred pound donations, money in the box.
George Harrison: At one time you just had the Godhead and incense.
Mukunda: Yes, now it's all public support.
Jayatīrtha: We don't sell incense anymore.
Mukunda: And the books we just sell for very little; we hardly make any money on them at all.
Prabhupāda: Are you reading sometimes my books? Which one?
George Harrison: Mainly Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: That is the main book. (laughs)
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?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Kumbha-mela will be over...
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: For the 24th I thought.
Indian man: 24th, last weekend.
Prabhupāda: Yes. So our only request is that you read Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. You'll be benefited. And if you interpret whimsically, then you'll rot, spoil. There is no benefit by eating spoiled foodstuff. Kṛṣṇa says... Jaya. Jaya. Prasāda, liye.
Indian lady: (indistinct)
Prabhupāda: Oh yes, you are welcome always. Whenever you find time. (Hindi) Janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra (CC Adi 9.41). This is Caitanya. First of all, make your life successful. That successful means yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā sei guru haya (CC Madhya 8.128), to understand Kṛṣṇa thoroughly. Then you become guru. When you understand Kṛṣṇa, then you are janma sārthaka. And then you can speak para-upakāra. Otherwise, it is not possible. Without Kṛṣṇa tattva-jñāna, if we become leader, that will not take... yei kṛṣṇa-tattva-vettā sei guru haya (CC Madhya 8.128). What is that?
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Yes, tea sets(?) committee. All the tea gardeners, all, they were mostly Britishers. They paid money for maintaining a department, tea sets(?) committee, and their only business was to make propaganda village to village how tea becomes popular. Similarly, drinking, meat-eating... And it became a fashion among the richer class to keep prostitutes, go to the garden weekend with prostitutes and wine, freely use them, intoxicated. It was a prestigious position to keep a prostitute. A rich man having a garden and one prostitute, they were... Anything in demand... I have seen it. Now I think, "How things are going on, that...?" You have seen that Mullik's house?
Girirāja: Yes.
Prabhupāda: In our childhood I saw. To go weekend to the garden and... Generally they go with family, and others, they go with prostitute. With prostitute they have got freedom to handle. The higher... And not only that, during marriage ceremony, high circle marriage ceremony, they would participate in drinking, even men and women. Otherwise, in India, woman drinking or taking meat is a horrible crime. And what to speak of smoking? That is most shameless. That was aristocratic, drinking and eating meat... The Bengali, they were the richer section because others, they were foreigners. They came to Calcutta and earned money. And the Bengalis, they had their aristocratic families, zamindaries, everything in their occupation. So Bengalis were richer section in Calcutta, and..., four, five big, big families. And now they are finished on account of this aristocracy. So one gentleman, he was Harendranatha Singh, very rich man, one of the richest men of Calcutta. He lost all his estate simply by this extravagance. Every evening his house is full with guests every evening, for... What is called? That table?
Prabhupāda: Then why we have constructed this?
Guest (1): No, here people will not come because the people are not going business or anything, but people him, people like him, people like this, how they can engage...
Prabhupāda: They can come at least weekend and learn. There are so many books.
Guest (2): We have our own... We have to find out.
Guest (4): We have to find our own ways to come here.
Prabhupāda: Guru is there. Kṛṣṇa. Why don't you find? Why you are blind? Kṛṣṇa says, yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata (BG 4.7). Paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya (BG 4.8). He has come. Why don't you take Him? Why do you go to a cheater? Because you want to be cheated. Guru is there. Śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ prapannam (BG 2.7), Arjuna said. Why don't you surrender to Kṛṣṇa? That means I don't want guru. I want somebody, my order supplier. So how you can be... Because you want to be cheated, you'll get cheater. Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmi (BG 4.11). Why don't you accept Kṛṣṇa as guru? What is the difficulty? Is there anybody greater than Kṛṣṇa? Do you think like that? What is your idea?
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Abhirāma: Everything is keeping it clean. So Śrīla Prabhupāda? I have built one home at Māyāpura. Perhaps you have been told. My plan was to leave my wife there because she likes a peaceful place. City life she cannot live. And I would stay in Calcutta, say, four days a week and go on weekends to Māyāpura.
Prabhupāda: That's nice. Go.
Abhirāma: That way there be some separation. At the same time...
Prabhupāda: Gradually full separation. And she'll be... (end)
Prabhupāda: Ācchā?
Gurukṛpā: Yes. There's that many people coming. I could not believe. So many people. And just a regular weekend. We need one way in and one way out.
Prabhupāda: Big road.
Gurukṛpā: Yes. So many people coming, all respectable people.
Prabhupāda: Our gateways, you mean to say.
Gargamuni: This year we've noticed that more respectable people are coming, well dressed, from the areas.
Prabhupāda: That, er... Behind our new house, that Muhammadan wanted to sell that land. But if he wants to sell at our price, not his price, we can take it.
Gargamuni: Yes, at our price. He knows that. But he wants his price.
Prabhupāda: No.
Prabhupāda: Our temple is always crowded.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In New York? Oh, all the time. Especially on weekends, it's very crowded. Because of the restaurant and all the different programs that are going on there, there's always people coming in. We have many different activities.
Prabhupāda: The neighborhood men, they don't like it?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Some of them mind it. There's no objection from the neighbors. It's such a big building, the biggest building on the whole block.
Hari-śauri: There's so many things happening in New York.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. In New York you don't get any kind of... It's called a "melting pot." No one minds. Hare Kṛṣṇa is accepted there. First place that you...
Prabhupāda: I remember. We have started from New York.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, they're starting, because the building that we're putting up is a guesthouse. It is very nice facility for Indians to stay there. And during the summer, especially, what they're thinking to do is for two weeks they'll have a program for the Indians to send their children there for school and activities. And the two weeks will end on Janmāṣṭamī. So all the parents of the Indian children can come and spend the weekend at the farm at this guesthouse. Gradually it can develop. Very big population of Indians in New Jersey and Pennsylvania and New York, and they're all within easy reach of this farm, three hours, two hours by car.
Prabhupāda: They have no temple, the Indians?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually they are looking to our society to provide them some spiritual place of worship. They're actually looking to us as priests.
Prabhupāda: American brāhmaṇas. Go-brāhmaṇa. American milk, American brāhmaṇa.
Jayatīrtha: We need about half that size, but bigger, nicer temple and meeting hall. We can rent out for weddings. People are paying five hundred pounds a day for renting just one room, a big room, and they can't get sufficient rooms in London. So they told us that they could book for two years in advance at five hundred pounds a day every weekend, Saturday, Sunday, for a wedding hall. If we can arrange to do the wedding for them, then they'll pay us an additional couple hundred pounds. There's a lot of..., so many Indians there.
Prabhupāda: Yes, there are Indians there.
Jayatīrtha: Lot of scope. They're coming to like our movement very much there now also, respecting. There's no more complaint. Before, there were some complaints.
Pañcadraviḍa: This last Sunday in New York for Śiva-rātri there were so many Indians there. There were thousands of Indians in that temple. It was very exciting just to see so many people come in.
Prabhupāda: All of them played nice. (pause) (break) If you continue, throughout the whole year people will come.
Hari-śauri: Just like they have prasāda distribution at the weekend, they could also put a theatrical performance and kīrtana like this on the stage every week.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What would be very nice, I think, is if gradually the local devotees can learn to play these things in Bengali. (kīrtana in background)
Prabhupāda: No. There is another possibility. You can simply play, and by microphone we can explain in Bengali.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Narration. That's best. What would be best, though, is if the local people also learned, so that in every temple there could be this kind of performance.
Prabhupāda: Any local language we can speak. They'll simply show their movement. Speaking somebody, he will show like that. In cinema they do that.
Prabhupāda: What is that?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I'm putting in an envelope.
Prabhupāda: Bring. I want that at least at the weekend respectable gentlemen come here, live here, try to understand the philosophy, and if possible render some service. That's all. We have got now nice building. Every room is air conditioned. Not that you have to go to the jungle. (laughs)
Mr. Rajda: No, it's a nice atmosphere.
Prabhupāda: For us, we can live underneath a tree. But if I would have lived underneath a tree, you would not have come. (laughter) Therefore this building is required. So give them, one each, this magazine, latest edition. Here is. Mr. Rajda, Mr. Parik. Rajda's copy is in the red binding? That's it. No. Give him. Give him.
Mr. Rajda: So we thank you very much.
Jayapatākā: Painting is going on. Now we just have to furnish the rooms. Then guests can stay. The rooms are still unfurnished. This weekend it was packed, filled with guests, our big guesthouse. One Tara minibus came and filled, garden building. People only come to Māyāpura to see our temple. They don't go to see any other temple.
Prabhupāda: What they'll see there? (laughter) How Saman(?) Mahārāja is managing?
Jayapatākā: He somehow is trying to maintain. I don't see any improvement.
Prabhupāda: No, he cannot make any improvement, but if he can maintain, that is our question.
Jayapatākā: I didn't go there, so I can't exactly say. I don't go there. (pause) (break)
Prabhupāda: The spread, the... First of all they wanted to give us a cheap rate, "Eh!" And now they are doing: "We shall be taking our leader out." That is not cheap rate. (pause) (kīrtana in background) (break)
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Next, then the next is: "Probe Urged Into Krishna Cultists. Chief Minister Jyoti Basu has urged the Central Government to investigate how some of the foreign Vaiṣṇavas of Māyāpura temple of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness who clashed with the villagers last weekend could return to India after extradition from the country." And he's against us. Naturally, he's a big Communist. "In his report on the incident to Home Minister Charan Singh, Mr. Basu has drawn the Center's attention to reports that these foreigners came back to India by obtaining new passports and visas. This aspect, he felt, should be inquired into." He's against us. "The US Consulate visited the āśrama and met some of the American Vaiṣṇavas. The Consulate has not lodged any complaint with the government about the Friday incident."
Prabhupāda: I think he has gone.
Prabhupāda: Oh.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "This coming weekend we have a two-day festival in Colombo. We expect about two thousand people per night."
Prabhupāda: Oh!
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "The Sunday feast here has become so popular that whereas before only fifty people would come, now at least three hundred came yesterday."
Prabhupāda: Very good.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "And all of them got full prasādam-halavā, purīs, samosā, sweetballs, sweet rice, rice, vegetables..."
Prabhupāda: I want to eat, but I cannot. Very good. Very good. Although I cannot eat, simply hearing the names, I am satisfied. Very good. He's doing nice.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa:...in our land and come there for the weekend.
Prabhupāda: Yes. They will pay for that.
Yaśomatīnandana: Two, three members already told me.
Prabhupāda: Three, four rooms, one cottage. They will come and live comfortably.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: It's very beautiful land, all green, all hundred acres cultivable.
Prabhupāda: So Kṛṣṇa has given this facility.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: That I thought can be the best project. And it's not far from the city.
Prabhupāda: It is not at all. It is within city. Eight miles is within. If you go to see some friend, you have to go eight miles.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Scratch. Śrīla Prabhupāda? I think that on behalf of Lord Kṛṣṇa you can take service from the whole world. At least, we all want to serve you so much. Next is a letter, telegram, rather, from... This one is from Berkeley temple, New Jagannātha Purī. It says, "Dear Śrīla Prabhupāda, please accept our fallen obeisances. Please excuse our offenses. By your potency, every single magazine is distributed this weekend. This weekend we distributed 4,888 big books and 15,063 magazines. We are praying for your health to improve. Your worthless servants at New Jagannātha Purī." It seems, Śrīla Prabhupāda, that even in your illness you're increasing the preaching.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda? Paramānanda has come to India.
Prabhupāda: Oh.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The men who have come today, most of them will stay probably for the weekend.
Bhavānanda: Oh, they're all planning to stay for the weekend. There are more on the way.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: How do they like the guesthouse facilities?
Bhavānanda: Very much.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And Bhavānanda Mahārāja has organized everything very nicely. He's deputed different men in different places, so it's very nicely organized.
Prabhupāda: So I am thinking now to lay down. (break) Meeting is going on here, and you have gone to Bhagatji?
Prabhupāda: Hm?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This Tulasī dāsa has sent different things. Here's a news clipping from the Leader. It's a newspaper. It says, "Hare Kṛṣṇa festivity. All roads lead to the Hare Kṛṣṇa farm āśrama at Cato Ridge last Sunday where thousands of well-wishers and devotees celebrated Kṛṣṇa Janmāṣṭamī. His Holiness Śrīmān Jayatīrtha dāsa Prabhu came out especially from the United States for the occasion and to officiate at the opening of the new temple of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness." One picture shows the devotees... It says, "Members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness and followers of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda lead the crowd in the singing of Hare Kṛṣṇa kīrtana. In the foreground is the havana-kuṇḍa on which the sacrificial prayer was performed prior to the opening of the new temple. A view of the large gathering...," it shows thousands of people, Śrīla Prabhupāda, "...at the Hare Kṛṣṇa farm āśrama at Cato Ridge at the weekend when the new temple was officially opened.
Guest (1): For a week or two. No, once in a while they were doing it.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Mahāṁśa reports that on the weekends they do it. He reported...
Guest (1): But not daily.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, no, not daily. He said that on the weekends he does. In Māyāpura they do on the weekends.
Bhavānanda: We do every day. But on the weekends we serve khicuṛi, and during the week we serve...
Guest (1): But prasādam distribution had a real good effect in that time when it was started. Many people had started coming then. (break)
Prabhupāda: ...see that prasādam distribution goes on.
Guest (1): The weather at Hyderabad is now pleasant.
Prabhupāda: Now.
Prabhupāda: What activities going on, just describe.
Bhavānanda: At Māyāpura now we have two hundred resident devotees. We have the handloom, we have our own handloom production. We have prasādam, distribution to the local people on the weekends. Two to three thousand people a day are given prasādam, and during the week seven hundred to a thousand take full prasādam.
Śrī Nārāyaṇa: Free? All free distribution.
Bhavānanda: Yes. And we have our Gurukula, mainly local boys, resident boarding, no day students. When I left there were eighty-five boys. Probably it's increased.
Śrī Nārāyaṇa: All local.
Bhavānanda: All local. Our international Gurukula is here. There is local.
Jayapatākā: Because so many tourists are coming. The local M.L.A., he told me now there's thousands and thousands people coming. This last weekend there was... At any time you could see hundreds of people walking on the road to take darśana So now the local man, he wants to build some guesthouse on his own, the government, where they're going to serve meat and other things. That's why our temple, we want to... We're getting our guesthouse all straightened up. If we have a restaurant, then we'll be able to take all the tourist traffic.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So why don't you have a restaurant?
Jayapatākā: That was supposed to be done this year, but then Bombay took all the funds. Prabhupāda sanctioned it already last year. It was a good idea. But Māyāpura has become very popular. This is all due to your effort, Śrīla Prabhupāda. Simply due to your efforts Māyāpura and Navadvīpa is becoming so much more famous and popular. We want to make the Māyāpura temple so beautiful and make the city so nice that not only the Queen of England and the President of United States, but even the Russian and Chinese leaders, they'll all have to come to see this. They can't avoid. Will that please Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura? If all the leaders, all these presidents and kings would come and visit the temple at Māyāpura, that would please Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura?
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.
Jayapatākā: Now that your books are being printed in Hindi, in Calcutta, one of our life members, Mr. Tulsan, he got your Hindi Bhāgavatam and Caitanya-caritāmṛta, and he's begun reading, and now he said his whole life is transformed. He said that never he found anywhere that the knowledge was presented so simply and so clearly. All the paṇḍitas he could never understand. So now he's become so enthusiastic he's purchasing four rooms in Māyāpura-two for himself, and he's making two relatives purchase. And every month he comes out with his family, with the whole family. "Instead of going to other recreation," he said, "we'll go to the temple." And he brings big basket of fruit, and he comes out, and they stay for the weekend and they all attend maṅgala-ārati.
Prabhupāda: Four rooms, which side? New?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: New building or the old one?
Jayapatākā: He's going to purchase, I think, two rooms in the old building, and then two rooms in the new building he'll have his friends purchase.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They like the new building also?
Jayapatākā: Yes.
Correspondence
1967 Correspondence
I think you can negotiate for this land immediately & the Society will be able to pay $3,000.00. After purchasing the land you can gradually develop it into an asrama by dint of your personal labor as teacher in college. From N.Y. the members may visit the place every weekend because it isn't very far away. They take a 4 or 5 hour journey every week end so a 3 hour journey is not much. If you think you shall stick to your present occupation you can seriously think of this scheme.
I am already preparing for returning to U.S.A. & I have obtained visitors visa the day before yesterday. Most probably I shall take the first chance to return to USA upon my return from Navadvipa.
1969 Correspondence
I thank you for your letter dated "Friday," and I have noted the contents carefully. Regarding your idea of supporting the temple by Sankirtana collections, it is nice. In Los Angeles, New York, and other centers they are chanting on the streets every day and they are getting good remunerations, better than any job. New York once collected $500.00 in one weekend, and Los Angeles sometimes collects $250.00 in one day. Uddhava and Vaikunthanatha are collecting at least $20-$40.00 daily, so if it is possible to collect it is very good. Simply we have to work and people will give contribution for this good cause. It is better to get money by collections than to work.
I thank you very much for your letter dated June 23, 1969, and I have noted the contents carefully. You idea of going to Columbus for the weekdays and to New Vrindaban for the weekends is very nice, so you may do this. I have just left New Vrindaban on June 23rd, and I think you will be a great asset to the construction projects that will be going on there. Similarly, in Columbus there is much interest in our movement, and as they also are in need of more brahmacaris, your presence there will be very encouraging. So you may execute this plan as soon as possible. I thank you very much for the nice sentiments you have expressed in your letter, and if continue to develop such feelings and engage all of your energy in the service of the Lord, then surely you will come out successful in perfecting your life in Krishna Consciousness.
I am glad that you are also holding a Rathayatra Festival. I am going tomorrow to San Francisco to participate in the same Rathayatra Festival there. We received report from New York that they have collected last week $1,000, and they are selling at a rate of 200 copies of BTG daily, on weekends especially. I have received report also that they are selling 60-70 copies daily in Boston and collecting $50 or $60 on the average. Your Columbus center is very nice, and the place you have got is a very suitable place. So you try to organize your center very nicely. What did you do about the mrdanga supplier from Bombay as you were discussing it with Mr. Vora?
So far as doing business by importing Indian goods, that is a nice idea, but it is secondary. We should not deviate much of our time for any business manipulations. Our main business is Sankirtana. You will be very glad to hear that in New York last week they collected $1,000 and sold BTG at a rate of 200 per day on the weekend days. Similarly we have got good report from Boston that they are collecting $50-$60 daily and selling about 60-70 copies of BTG. And what to speak of Los Angeles? So if we can organize our Sankirtana Movement, there will be no scarcity of money; rest assured. But we may do some business which we require for ourselves. Otherwise, if you divert your attention for a separate business in Indian goods, that will not be a very good idea. It may be done conveniently as a secondary engagement, but the primary engagement should be as above mentioned.
So if you let all the residents of Buffalo hear the sound of Hare Krishna and read our literatures, then there will be the greatest all-around benefit. This past weekend in San Francisco there was a gigantic Rathayatra Ceremony just on the order of the one held at Jagannatha Puri, and at least 10,000 people were chanting and dancing along with us in full transcendental ecstasy. The boys and girls of America are generally good souls, that is why they have taken birth in such a nice country, and now they should make perfect all of their opulences by engaging everything in Krishna Consciousness. This will be the finishing touch for all the nice qualities found in the American people. In New York I understand that they have sold 3,000 copies of BTG in just two weeks, and I understand that in Buffalo you are also selling BTG very nicely. So please continue in this way and your success in life is assured. As Krishna sees that you are working very seriously to bring His other children back to the Spiritual Kingdom, then He will become very pleased and will bestow all blessings upon you. Krishna is never ungrateful for our efforts to serve Him, rest assured.
1970 Correspondence
Krishna das in his previous letter wrote me that there are good possibilities for opening various centers in Germany, and Hamsaduta is experienced in organizing Sankirtana Party.
Please be in correspondence about German BTG publishing with Brahmananda. He is now staying in Boston and coming to New York every weekend.
Yes. We must have close cooperation between America and Germany for the successful publication of our BTG regularly in French, German and English languages. So now you are collecting a staff of translators in Hamburg and they are all very qualified to do the work. Please organize everything nicely so that the French and German editions may be prepared for printing at the same time as the English edition. But you must see that all work is thoroughly correct by mutual checking so that errors of spelling and grammar will not appear in the printing. I do not know the technical details, but I think your idea on standardized columns is very nice.
I am very glad to learn about New York's situation. New York must have a nice Temple as Los Angeles as soon as possible. That will be prestige for New York City. Next weekend, you can transfer my bank money, as addressed by you personally.
Regarding color pictures in Nectar of Devotion, this will be nice because Advaita has improved. Even the quality of Easy Journey will do, but I hope he will improve more. Please offer my thanks to Advaita and all the others for taking so much trouble for Krishna Consciousness literature.
The address which you have received from Readers Digest is not the same address as I gave you, but whatever it may be, they are a large agent, and you can open correspondence as our distributer in India and settle terms. Send them some selected copies of BTG.
So practically it is not a religious study and we are presenting Bhagavad-gita as it is. Anyway, you are getting chance to preach amongst the students and that will be very nice program. Kirtanananda Maharaja is now moving amongst the students in various schools, colleges, and universities, and getting good response. Many students are already attracted to New Vrindaban and at the weekend there are about 20 to 30 outsiders regularly. So even though the local law is prohibitive, for chanting on the street, you can take advantage of the educational institutions. We are not concerned with any particular place or situation, but we take the opportunity of chanting and speaking wherever it is possible.
So I am very glad that you are trying to organize a center in Florida which was our long-standing ambition and I understand also that you are gradually getting good response because they are gathering to an extent of 100 persons every weekend. So the future appears to be very hopeful.
Maya is very strong and she can victimize anyone of us at any moment. We shall therefore always keep ourselves vigilant and this is only possible by rigid engagement in Krishna's service. Certainly maya attacked you a few months ago and now again you are determined to serve Krishna; that will keep you secure. I shall always pray to Krishna for your protection. Side by side you also remain always engaged in Krishna's service and thus there will be no chance of falldown. I think your program is going on nicely. You also follow the regulative principles, chant 16 rounds, and keep yourself engaged in the service of the Lord.
1971 Correspondence
This is called bhoga-tyaga, or alternating between sense gratification and renunciation. A living entity cannot remain steady in one or the other because changes are going on. That is the nature of the material world. Just like the businessman who works so hard the whole week long and then on the weekend takes rest and tries to forget his business. But bhakti, or devotional service, does not change. It does not even finish with the end of the body, but it continues eternally. And it is joyfully performed. At first, though, there may be some inconveniences, but we must tolerate them and we shall realize the goal. Krishna says in Bhagavad-gita that such rules and regulations in the beginning may be just like poison but at the end are like nectar and they awaken one to self-realization. (B.G. 18/37). So strictly follow all the regulative principles, chant Hare Krishna Mantra regularly, 16 rounds daily, and your rapid advancement in Krishna Consciousness will be certain.
1972 Correspondence
Then rooms will be there always to receive the owners. There is a system, bhetnama, it means the person who contributes, for his lifetime the room is reserved for him and after his demise it goes to the temple. There are many buildings in Vrindaban which are constructed on this principle, and for Delhi men it will be very convenient. It takes only two hours by car—they can come on weekends, associate with the devotees, take prasadam, hear lectures on the philosophy. That will enlighten them. In Vrindaban, we must do something very grand and gorgeous, both in the matter of preaching and accommodating the educated class of devotees.
Try to get that Import License. You can take any amount of books and sell them and utilize the money for building in Vrindaban, Mayapur and Bombay.
This is called Bhetnama. As Mr. Chhabria has said he wants to reserve one room for the week-ends, similarly, many men are prepared to pay for this facility. We have to simply find them out. All good men should spend their week-ends with us, away from business, and they may bring family and it will be Vaikuntha in Hare Krishna Land.
The deity program must be improved very gorgeously. Flower garlands should be expanded, and all expenditures for the deities must be expanded without any miserly contemplation. Our temple should be so gorgeously decorated that we shall excel all Bombay temples. This is my idea. Try to fulfill it. When they hear that we decorate our deities so gorgeously, people will throng, and on festival days especially, like Janmastami, Jhulana Yatra, etc. So four or five devotees should be always engaged in deity worship.
I am very pleased to hear that the collecting work for Vrndavana project is going on by cooperative endeavor amongst yourselves there. ___ to interest the life members and richer class of men to purchase rooms in our Vrndavana Temple on the Bhetnama system for staying with us on weekends. Many high class gentlemen in Delhi who are also devotees would relish the chance to live with us on weekends and it will be for them just like Vaikuntha. I very much appreciate your courageous preaching work and I can understand that Krishna is giving you all facilities for making your spiritual advancement.
1974 Correspondence
Presented strong arguments for not increasing it, but because of the situation indigenous to Calcutta. If you are getting success there, and similarly thay got success at Natadwara I understand, I suggest that we have the donar membership at Rs. 1,000/- and the life membership at Rs. 2,000/-. I will discuss it with Gargamuni Swami this weekend and try yo get some agreement.
Prabhupada has never said that street chanting should be stopped. The chanting can go on for a little while and when a crowd is drawn books can be distributed. When I mentioned to Srila Prabhupada that when in L.A. last, there was the system of book distribution all week long and on weekend nights full street kirtanas, he said that was a good system.
Regarding the claim that devotees have difficulties maintaining Krishna consciousness by only doing book selling with not enough street chanting, Prabhupada remarked that if things deteriorate that is another thing, but it is not the fault of book distribution. Book distribution must not be neglected.
Regarding Boston, it is a better house they have now purchased? What is the price and what are the facilities? Regarding the book distribution increasing in Philadelphia. yes we are getting such reports of increasing book distribution from all over. In L.A. they have sold over 600 copies of the new Srimad-Bhagavatam in one weekend.
Atlanta facility of 10 acre and 3 building sounds very nice. Purchasing or renting doesn't matter. Only here in India is a purchased house more important than a rented house. The prasadam program must be continued and increased. It is very good program for attracting the students. They have never tasted this kind of foodstuffs. Regarding Miami that you want to replace Abhirama, yes a capable man must be there, what can be done. But I have already written that he can marry that girl and divorce his wife.
By all means you should continue practicing Krsna Consciousness everyday. But that does not necessarily mean that you have to move into the Temple immediately. It is also important to get some education. So for some years you should remain studying in school. But on the weekends with your parents permission you can go to the Temple and stay there but do not fall behind in your school work. And everyday you should follow the Krsna Conscious principles that our devotees in our temples follow which means rising early, chanting 16 rounds, eating only Krsna prasadam, no meat, fish or eggs, no illicit sex life, no gambling and no intoxication. This is the process. So follow it strictly and at the same time learn some practical knowledge from your school studies. And then later it may be more appropriate for you to join our temple as a full time brahmacari. But in all circumstances always chant Hare Krsna. That is a must.
I am in due receipt of your telegram dated Dec. 17, 1974 reading as follows; "Great success, book sales for weekend of Dec. 13 thru 15. Tripurari BBT Party 1346 big books, L.A. 1002 big books, N.Y. over 950 big books, Atlanta Airport over 650 big books, in one day. Distribution definitely doubling in USA, Hare Krsna, Ramesvara" This kind of wonderful news is very pleasing to my heart and I thank you all again and again. I think this is the first time in history that ever before so many religious books have sold so popularly. Four thousand books in one day is a very unique figure. Keep distributing as many as possible in huge quantities. This is my pleasure. We must make a large propoganda program for Krsna Consciousness by distributing these books everywhere, all over the world.
After studying your letter carefully and seeing the devotion and sincerity that you possess I am also very much in favor of your staying at our temple as a brahmacari. In my previous letter I had said that you could go to school during the week and live in the temple on the weekends. But I did not know how serious and determined you were to become Krsna Conscious. Someone as determined as you should be given facilities to spend cent percent of his time in Krsna Consciousness. Therefore I would be very happy to see you living in the temple, following all of our principles of pure life and becoming an expert scholar in Vedic knowledge, through studying my books diligently. This is real education. The so-called education that they are teaching in the schools and universities today is simply useless knowledge which is all based on atheistic and speculative theories.
1976 Correspondence
The mentioned how the programs are being well attended at the new centre in New Delhi, so when I stay in Vrindaban, we can arrange meetings with important government officials at our new centre and I can come for the weekend and return to Vrindaban. New Delhi is the most important place for preaching to the leaders of India.
Otherwise the program as outlined by you is accepted. I am preparing now for the meeting with Vinobhaji as you have suggested.
We shall not exchange our top floor flat because we have the advantage of the roof. I also approve the suggestion to hold the pandal in Bombay the weekend after returning from Vardha.
1977 Correspondence
It is good news hearing good preachers like Jagat Guru and Sridhara Swami Maharajas, and Madhavananda are arriving to Bombay to push on the membership, other preaching and collecting.
As for your plan to invite university students to spend the weekend, it is very good; do it.
| Page Title: | Weekend |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 12 of Nov, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=1, Lec=5, Con=42, Let=23 |
| No. of Quotes: | 71 |