Vedic universities

Expressions researched:
"Vedic university" |"Vedic Theological College, affiliated to the California University" |"University for Study of Vedic Culture" |"Vedic Universities"

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

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

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

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.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Rādhā-vallabha: Even in Rādhā-Ramaṇa temple they were asking when is our Vṛndāvana temple going to be opened.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

The first Vedic university will come up soon at Kurukṣetra and will be affiliated to V.M. Cakravarty University. The proposed university is being set up by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, ISKCON, and will cost rupees two crore.

Room Conversation -- August 3, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Bhagavān: They cannot publish anything bad about us. They try to find, sometimes.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Hari-śauri: Seems they're always carrying little snippets of information about what we're doing. Before there was a report about the restaurants, and here there's two reports about..., one about the Jagannātha festival in New York and one about the proposed Vedic university in Kurukṣetra. These were on consecutive days. The one about New York, it says, "Washington, July the 19th." That's where it's reported from. It says, "New York saw on Sunday an unusual spectacle of three brightly colored chariots being pulled along the city's prestigious Fifth Avenue from Central Park to Washington Square, a distance of about five kilometers, by members of the Hare Kṛṣṇa group. The rathas, built in Orissan style with giant wooden wheels, attracted large crowds of spectators all along the route. It was a novel experience for the New Yorkers. Many resident Indians who are not members of the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement enthusiastically gave a hand in the pulling. The Hare Kṛṣṇa devotees were celebrating the feast of Jagannātha in the traditional Indian way. The police and the city administration readily cooperated. In a city that is coming to be known for its tolerance of diverse cultures, chariot processions promise to be an annual event. While a few citizens booed and some altercations were reported, the spectacle was well received by the New Yorkers. 'I think it is great,' the New York Times quoted a man as saying. The person, who identified himself as a visitor to New York and was not a Hare Kṛṣṇa fan, referring to the Hare Kṛṣṇa devotees, added, 'They are all happy and dancing, and that's what life's all about.' Later a vegetarian feast was served to the admirers."

Prabhupāda: Very good.

Hari-śauri: It's very good. There's just a real short one about the university in Kurukṣetra. It says, "Vedic Varsity for Kurukṣetra Soon." "The first Vedic university will come up soon at Kurukṣetra and will be affiliated to V.M. Cakravarty University. The proposed university is being set up by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, ISKCON, and will cost rupees two crore. Most of the funds will be provided by Mr. Alfred Ford, the nephew of the auto magnate Henry Ford. Mr. Ford, on becoming a disciple of Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, founder of ISKCON, changed his name to Ambarīṣa dāsa. The Vedic university will offer courses leading to bhakti-śāstrī and sarvabhauma."

Prabhupāda: [break] ...new devotees joining?

Bhagavān: Yes. The last month we have about five new devotees.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Vedic university. So that is our plan. We have asked government to give us land.

Morning Walk -- August 14, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: And philosophy class, closed. Here I think also. Nobody... They think "What is the use of speculation?"

Indian: At Kurukṣetra, one Sanskrit university they are planning.

Prabhupāda: Vedic university. So that is our plan. We have asked government to give us land.

Vāsughoṣa: We had a big article in the Times of India about it.

Prabhupāda: Provided government gives us land. [break] ...in Bombay. (Hindi) Palm trees, within the palm trees, such buildings will not have this advantage. I think in this quarter our, this land is the best. This Juhu and Birawallah(?) Scheme, this land is the best. Twenty-thousand square yards full of palm trees, and we have made this garden. This advantage is not available by everyone. They divided the property, this side five lakhs and the vacant side nine lakhs. Fourteen. So anyway, we took both the sides. Taking this side, five lakhs, now this one building is worth five lakhs. There are six buildings. Very high. And we have got six buildings.

1971 Correspondence

Your idea for a three day benefit to raise 4 lakhs towards our International University for Study of Vedic Culture is a very sound proposal, so do it and make the idea concrete.

Letter to Madhudvisa -- New York 23 July, 1971: So if Bhativalla is trying to evict us on legal grounds, and he cannot be defeated, then we will vacate. That is all right. Then, if we are unable to secure the Vakil house or some suitable place, then you should pack up and everyone immediately go to Mayapur. We have got some land there and the program is going on. So you can make plans accordingly. Your idea for a three day benefit to raise 4 lakhs towards our International University for Study of Vedic Culture is a very sound proposal, so do it and make the idea concrete. That will be very good.

1976 Correspondence

In our Vedic Universities we will not encourage anyone to be merely a bookworm. There must be life—rising early in the morning, attending mangala arati, taking prasadam, etc.

Letter to Tusta Krsna -- Bombay 9 January, 1976: Bhakti-sastri, Bhakti-vaibhava, Bhaktivedanta, and Bhakti-sarvabhauma. All our brahmanas and anyone wanting to become brahmana, will have to sit for examination once a year at Mayapur. They will be expected to know Bhagavad-gita, Nectar of Devotion, Nectar of Instruction, Sri Isopanisad, a book soon to be published on Deity worship, as well as all the small paperbacks. If they pass the examination they will be awarded Bhakti-sastri certificate. Sannyasis will be asked to sit for Bhakti-vaibhava examination which will include the first six cantos of Bhagavatam. In our Vedic Universities we will not encourage anyone to be merely a bookworm. There must be life—rising early in the morning, attending mangala arati, taking prasadam, etc. The man who is studying will be brahmana, the farmer will be vaisya. In this way there will be divisions, but they are all one in service to Krishna.