Ahmedabad (Lectures)

Expressions researched:
"Ahmedabad"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 4.9 -- Bombay, March 29, 1974:

Janma karma me divyaṁ, yo jānāti tattvataḥ. Who can know? Yo jānāti tattvataḥ, to whom Kṛṣṇa reveals, he can know. He can know what is Kṛṣṇa, and as soon as you have done this business you have understood Kṛṣṇa, then tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). No more birth in this material world. To take birth in this material... Because you have got this body, therefore you have to suffer threefold miseries. We foolishly... You are trying to make adjustments to become happy here. It is not possible, because this place is recommended by Kṛṣṇa: duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15), it is a place of miseries. How you can become happy here? This is illusion. You can never be happy in this material world, but you are trying to become happy in so many politician, social workers, this and that, simply wasting their time. They cannot be. You have to accept the leadership of Kṛṣṇa. Then you will be happy. If you accept the leadership of rascals, fools, you cannot be happy. Demons. They'll put you into difficulties.

Now, just this evening, one gentleman was speaking about Ahmedabad, that the students have burned so many buses, they're now uncontrollable. So this is going on all over the world. People are frustrated, because on account of these rascal leaders. They are taking the position of leadership, but they're all rascals and fools, they cannot lead. If you want to be happy, take actual leadership of Kṛṣṇa, then you'll be happy.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.8.18 -- Mayapura, September 28, 1974:

So although this material world is condemned... Duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15), Kṛṣṇa says. It is also Kṛṣṇa's kingdom. Because everything belongs to God, Kṛṣṇa. So this condemned place is created for suffering of the condemned persons. Who are condemned? Those who have forgotten Kṛṣṇa and wants to become happy independently, they are all condemned demons. And those who are surrendered to Kṛṣṇa, they are not condemned. That is the difference. So although Kṛṣṇa has created this material world for the condemned persons, still, He wants to see that they are having their necessities of life and..., so that they may live prosperously. And let them enjoy for some time this material world according to their inclination. But at last, let them come back home, back to home, back to Godhead. Just like the prisoners: they are condemned, and the government puts them into jail. So for their criminality they are punished within the jail. But the government does not want that these prisoners may remain perpetually within the jail. The same thing. Try to understand. Government does not want. Government wants that "They have been condemned. So for their criminality, let them suffer for some time. And then they correct themselves and again they are freed." Not that government does...

Sometimes government arranges nice instruction, classes. Perhaps those who were with me in Ahmedabad... We were invited by the jail authorities to speak. Who were with me? Nobody? In Ahmedabad?

Devotee: I was.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So I was given place just in front of the room where Gandhi was imprisoned. That, that room is considered as sacred. So government makes such arrangement that "These prisoners may be corrected." Similarly, in this material world, although we are all condemned... Anyone who is within this material world, he is condemned. Simply there is division. Just like in jail also, there are first-class prisoners, there are second-class prisoners and third-class prisoners. The first-class prisoners, they are given some facilities. Just like political prisoners, they are given separate bungalow and servants, newspaper, book. But they cannot go out of the prison. That is called first class. Similarly, there are second class. And third class, ordinary.

Lecture on SB 1.8.51 -- Los Angeles, May 13, 1973:

So the father hands over the charge to a nice boy. Never mind he is rich or no. That doesn't matter. He must be a responsible boy, who knows his responsibility. Not that "Today I marry, and tomorrow I go away. That's all." Not like that. Still you will find in India, even the poorest man, living with husband and wife very happily. Still you will find. I have seen (in) Ahmedabad. One day I saw in the street one husband and wife pulling on a ṭhelā, hand-cart, with great load, and the small child is on the load. That means their child. They are laborer class. But ordinary laborer class, poor man, but they are living husband and wife and children happily. Still.

Lecture on SB 1.10.4 -- Mayapura, June 19, 1973:

We have got experience. In sometimes we find in this mango season profuse mango. People cannot end it by eating. And sometimes there is no mango. Why? The supply is in the hand of Kṛṣṇa through His agent, the material nature, this earth. The earth can produce profusely if people are honest, God conscious. There cannot be any scarcity. Therefore it is said that kāmaṁ vavarṣa parjanyaḥ (SB 1.10.4). God gives. Eko yo bahūnāṁ vidadhāti kāmān. Nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām (Kaṭha Upaniṣad 2.2.13). So God, Kṛṣṇa, fulfills all our desires. Now in Bengal we are seeing some rains. In other parts of India, there is no rain. Last time I had been Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, all dry. People are... In Bombay also. People are very much unhappy. There is famine, declaration of famine. So if there is no parjanya, rains, then everything finished. Your so much, so many schemes, ten-years plan, five-years plan and so many plans, they will all dry up. The rascals, they do not know. And how parjanya becomes possible? Yajñād bhavati parjanyo parjanyād anna-sambhavaḥ. You perform yajña. There will be parjanya. The rain falling is not in your hand. You may be great scientist and calculate so much hydrogen and so much oxygen, mixed up, there is water. Now mix up and bring water where there is no rain.

Lecture on SB 1.10.5 -- Mayapura, June 20, 1973:

So, everything—the rivers, the seas, oceans, the mountains, the hills, the forest, the creepers, the vegetables—sarvāḥ kāmam anvṛtu, according to seasonal changes everything has got meaning. So if we are honest, if we are, because the, just like in prison house, jail, although the prisoners are criminals, condemned, still there is arrangement for your comfort also, by the government. There is arrangement of supplying food and all other necessities of life. Recently in Ahmedabad when I was visiting, the prison authorities also invited us for kīrtana. So I saw the criminals, prisoners. Savarmati. Savarmati jail, yes, where Gandhi was also imprisoned during the political movement. So Gandhi's room, where Gandhi was staying they showed me, and I sat down there. So, there is very good arrangement for the comforts of the prisoners, if they abide by the laws. Similarly, although this material world is just like prison house, prison house, we living entities, we have come here as punishment.

Lecture on SB 1.16.23 -- Hawaii, January 19, 1974:

What is the problem? First of all, we have got some physical necessities. So āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithuna. Our physical necessity is that we want to eat. That is necessary to maintain this body, āhāra. Nidrā, rest. We must have some rest also. So āhāra-nidrā-bhaya. Bhaya means being, to become afraid of. That is material nature. We are always afraid of. Therefore we have military strength. Your country is very busy in that way, how to protect. Everyone should be, protection. We also sleep at night, closing the door because we are afraid of burglars and others, so many dangers. So that is also required, to take protection from enemies. Āhāra-nidrā-bhaya, and maithuna, and sexual intercourse. These are physical necessities. So these physical necessities, if you study, they, amongst the animals, they have no problem. But as yesterday we were talking, in the human society, they have created problem. Nobody knows where to eat. These hotels means, increase of number of hotels means that people have no place to live. They have no fixed place to live. Today in this hotel, the next day, another hotel. The so many restaurants means people have no fixed place where to eat. The solution... In India still, because they are not so materially advanced, even the poorest man has got some certain fixed up place, his cottage, he has got his wife, he has got his child, and he works, whatever he can do. He lives peacefully still, in the village, although he hasn't got very gorgeous dress and motorcar. But he's peaceful. You'll find still. And sometimes, say, about ten years ago, I was in Ahmedabad. I saw one poor man, he was pulling cart, hand cart.

Lecture on SB 2.1.3 -- Paris, June 12, 1974:

In America, when I was first there in New York, so one lady, she had a son. So according to our Indian method, I asked that her, that lady, elderly, that "Why don't you get your son married?" She said, "I have no objection. If he can maintain his family, let him marry." Then I could understand that he, although America is so rich, that they are not even main..., able to maintain the family. This is civilization. Although they are advertised so much, becoming very, very rich, but they're unable to maintain the family. I was surprised. I thought that in India, although, still, although they are very much advertised as poverty-stricken, still, they maintain their family. Even a worker, ordinary worker... I have seen in Ahmedabad one, what is, ṭhelā man. What is called? Who pushes that hand cart.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Ṭhelā walla.

Prabhupāda: Ṭhelā walla? You call also here? No. Here? You have no such thing here. You have got your motor truck. There is no question of ṭhelā walla. But in India, there are ṭhelā wallas—means a human being takes a cart and loads it to the best capacity, and he pushes like an ass. You see. This is Kali-yuga.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 26, 1972:

Prabhupāda: We cannot work unless we derive some pleasure. Just like the, in the Ahmedabad, the dramatic performance, he was killing animal, and he was attracted by killing, that's all. The butchers... I have seen in Calcutta, while passing through, one hotel man was cutting the throat of a chicken, and the chicken was, after being cut, the throat, it was jumping like anything. You see. And he was laughing. He was taking pleasure. It was for me so horrible, but he was taking very nice pleasure: "This half-cut chicken is jumping." And his son was crying. And he was asking, "Why you are crying? Why you are crying?" So it is the question of different qualities. One is attracted, and one, he finds that, that they are detracted.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Arrival Talk -- Aligarh, October 9, 1976:

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. (Hindi) ...they are offering their... We have received one letter, telegram, from one gentleman. What is his name? Patel? Bhogilal Patel. He's very rich man. So I was sometimes a guest in his house. He is very friendly. He comes to see me in Bombay. Old man. He is older than me, one or two years. But he has sent me one telegram, "Swamijī, take this land, one hundred acres of land in Ahmedabad."

Indian man: In?

Prabhupāda: Ahmedabad. Yes. So... There are so many. One gentleman has offered land in Mahabaleshwar. This is very costly place.

Initiation Lectures

Sannyasa Initiation Lecture -- Calcutta, January 26, 1973:

So this is sannyāsa. Anāśritaḥ karma-phalaṁ (BG 6.1). He was first of all judging, "If I kill my cousin-brothers, my grandfather, there will be bad result. I'll go to hell." Now, later on decided, "Hell or heaven, I don't care for it." That is called anāśritaḥ. "I don't take shelter of hell or heaven. I take shelter of Kṛṣṇa." A devotee does not discriminate what is hell or what is heaven. Nārāyaṇa-parāḥ sarve na kaścana na bibhyati (SB 6.17.28). One who is Nārāyaṇa parāḥ, devotee, he doesn't care for what is hell or heaven. Svargāpavarga-narakeṣu api tulyārtha-darśinaḥ. A devotee... Just like Nārada: he goes to hell, he goes to heaven. He has got freedom to go everywhere. Tulyārtha-darśinaḥ. For him, there is no hell, there is no heaven. He's preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness wherever he goes. That's all. He has nothing to do. Just like we went to that Savarmati jail in Ahmedabad. We were received by the jail authorities, where Gandhi was put into jail. Who was with me in that...? You were... You were also there. No. So we went to jail. There, they made very good arrangement. The prisoners, they received us, they chanted Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. So it was a good function. So we want to, went to jail. But what we have got to do with the jail? We have no business with the jail. Similarly sometimes we are invited in a very rich man's house, governor's house. We go there. That is heaven. So we have nothing to take, either from this heaven or from that hell. We have to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra anywhere. That is our business.

General Lectures

Rotary Club Lecture -- Ahmedabad, December 8, 1972 'The Present Need of Human Society':

If we are independent of God, we can take advantage of the sea water. There is sufficient water. God also supplies water from the stock of sea water. And in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ (BG 7.8). One who cannot understand immediately the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, he can try to understand Him by His different potencies. Just like He says that "I am the taste of the water." Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya, taste of water. Or the sweetness of water. So there is sufficient supply of water in the oceans and the seas. Then why we are in scarcity of water? Because that taste of the water should be changed by the grace of Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise, you cannot use. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You can also change, by distilling the sea water or ocean water, but it will not be as tasteful as it is done by God. Or you can say "nature." The same water, taken from the ocean, transferred, transformed into cloud, the cloud is distributed, and water, rain, falls, you get nice distilled water, tasteful water. So if you are going to challenge, "There is no existence of God," then you can do it. Why don't you do it? Why you are so much in scarcity of water? I do not think any scientist can very boldly answer that "Yes, we can do, and we can defy the existence of God, or the mercy of God." That is not possible. Raso 'ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ (BG 7.8). Kṛṣṇa says that "I am the shining of the sun and the moon." Now, there, there are so many great scientists, and expert in chemical composition, making chemical composition. Why not make a small sun on the head of the Ahmedabad City so that you save so much expenditure of electric light? They will say, "Oh, the composition of the sun is like this, that"—so many theories. But why not prepare one? If you know the composition, make it, a sample sun, and see that it is shining.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on William James:

Prabhupāda: Spinning wheel, yes. Gandhi was himself devoting, just like we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, he thought that you spin. So he first of all inquired whether in your temple you spin this charka. They replied, "No, sir. We worship Kṛṣṇa, God, and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. This is our regular routine work." Gandhi replied, "Oh, then I am not going to your temple. My charka is my God." He said that. And actually, for him, charka was God in this sense: by introducing charka the whole Manchester closed. You see? And the British Empire half broken, simply by killing this Manchester industry. So many mills they closed. But later on the, (laughs) Manchester came to Ahmedabad. Now when we are taking supplies from Manchester, we are getting cloth, one rupee 8 annas per pair, now we have to pay twenty-five rupees per pair.

Philosophy Discussion on William James:

In our childhood we have seen that Manchester made cloth, first class. One dhotī was selling (indistinct), that was selling like hotcake, imported by Rally Brothers. Very nice cloth—one rupee 8 annas per pair, two, two pieces. But the same dhotī you have to purchase at twenty-five. So the consumer's money is now going to Ahmedabad. You may say your money is saved in your country, but my pocket is empty. (laughs) It is saved in my country, that's all right—in the state bank. That's all right. But my pocket is empty.