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America (Conversations 1976 Sep - Dec)

Expressions researched:
"America" |"America" |"america" |"america's" |"americas"

Conversations and Morning Walks

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- September 4, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Hmm. That sound is disturbing.

Harikeśa: Would you like them to stop it until you left?

Prabhupāda: If stop then how their work will go on? They manufacture ideas and spend money. This is the difficulty. Everyone manufactures some idea. And break it, do it, dig it. Money is coming and they are spending it. They cannot adjust whatever is there. Big big ideas. Big big belly. And money we have to bring from America. "Give me one lakh, give me one lakh, 15,000. I make idea, you pay." So many rooms you can make showroom. Why breaking this door, breaking that door? Too many cooks spoils the broth. And repairing and, what is called, addition, alteration, will never stop. I do not know how to stop it. Now, the other, Yesterday that Viśvambhara said, you were here, no? Viśvambhara said, suggesting there should be raft (?) three feet high, seven feet high, this high... Everyone will suggest. And spend money. Any friend, you bring him, he'll suggest so that you may spend it. And wherefrom money will come? Oh, that is your look after. I am your friend, I am giving you good suggestion. Break it. Do it. I am your friend. You break your head. (laughs)

Room Conversation -- September 4, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Tom-tom. Yes.

Saurabha: He's explaining why you came to America and that in three years you spread the mantra all over the Western world.

Harikeśa: Yogeśvara has many pictures of this. I saw all of them once.

Prabhupāda: He is good collector. (break) What is that reason? What is that reason?

Indian man: To perceive things and after that we can arrive at long-term solutions.

Prabhupāda: First of all, what is the problem and what is the solution? What is the problem that you require solution?

Indian man: Any problem which comes.

Prabhupāda: No, what is that? That I want to know.

Indian man: Problem is of being happy in the world.

Prabhupāda: These are vague terms. You must distinctly say that this is happiness and this is problem. What is your, what is the idea of happiness and what is the problem? That I want to know.

Room Conversation -- September 4, 1976, Vrndavana:

Indian man: So happiness lies above the senses. Above our indriyas.

Prabhupāda: Ha. Happiness means spiritual happiness. That they do not know. Therefore I began my words that so long one is after material happiness he remains as an animal. Because the animal cannot derive spiritual happiness. They do not know. The man can know. Just like this boy, he's coming from very high family in America but he's now happy in this way, by taking sannyāsa, giving up everything, living very plain. He has got money he had got beautiful wife, he had got beautiful home, everything. But he has given up. Not his example. In our country there were many many big, big kings, rājarṣis. Just like Bharata Mahārāja. He was emperor of the whole world. He gave up everything at the age of 24 years, young wife, young children. There are many examples. So actually, we have lost our Vedic culture, the objective, and therefore we are suffering. Simply by holding meetings and... Of course, these things will go on. Government has no other remedy by tax. Whether people are happy or they are happy, it doesn't matter. They have got the power, tax.

Room Conversation -- September 5, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: No, cannot stay... You can allow three days free. You can receive guest for three days. Not permanently. And they can... That is very reasonable. If they have come, spending so much to Vṛndāvana, they cannot pay?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: They usually have money. Everyone who comes from America, Europe, has some money.

Prabhupāda: Then? What is the difficulty? What is the difficulty if they have got money?

Indian man: See the shop here. See all the shop whether they have got money or not. You have opened a canteen here and you can note from there who has got money.

Prabhupāda: No, money they have got. There is no doubt. They are not coming from poor country, either poor. No, we are welcoming provided he is reasonable. Simply to exploit, that is not good. That is not good. What do you think? In our Indian system, if somebody goes to a sādhu's āśrama, especially gṛhastha, immediately he pays fifty rupees, hundred rupees. He'll not stay more than three days, four days. But he knows "The sādhu, wherefrom he'll bring money? Take." They are paying without staying.

Room Conversation -- September 5, 1976, Vrndavana:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: In Canada you had problem. I remember when you came to Montreal in '68.

Prabhupāda: Oh, you did not know. Canada I had very little problem. U.S., it was always problem. Rather Canada helped me. Canada, I immediately got immigration in Canada. Then I got some standing. That never mind, I have got now immigration in Canada. It will be easier from Canada to go to U.S.A. Then again I tried for U.S.A. And (in Canada) it was obtained within three months and spending only within hundred dollars. And there, in America, they were spending each time $150. The lawyer was taking. He was phoning, "Will you please send $150 for this expense." And how many times he has taken I do not know. They were paying. Rāyarāma was at that time chief man. He immediately... This was going on. Then when I came to Canada... First of all, I made my position secure, that "Let me have Canadian immigration." So Canadian immigration I got very soon. I think within two months. Then I applied for U.S.A. immigration. So U.S. immigration I got within three months. And I paid I think within hundred dollars. So... You know. When I came to Montreal?

Harikeśa: Very easy...

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. You went for the interview with the U.S. Consulate in Montreal before you got your green card for America.

Prabhupāda: No, no. In Montreal went...

Room Conversation -- September 9, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: ... because as soon as the ship stopped, Commonwealth Pier, Boston, the immigration department came and took their papers. So I entered America in Boston. There was no checking in New York. The ship stopped in Boston. The official entrance was done there. Then when I came to New York, it is just like one day's travel.

Harikeśa: And then you went directly to Pennsylvania? By bus?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. Then one agent, appointed by my host, Gopal Agarwal. He was in Butler. So he arranged with some professional what is called, host.

Room Conversation -- September 9, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: It was all by chance. I was for a few days guest at his father's place in Agra. I did not know that his son is in America. So he was talking about his family. He was little sorry that his eldest son went to America to study electric engineering, and he was entrapped by an English girl, and he married and settled there and did not come back. In this way... So I took the opportunity, that "Why don't you ask your son to sponsor me?" I wanted to go to America. So I did not know how seriously he took it. But I simply told him that "Why don't you ask your son to sponsor me at least for one month. So I am thinking of going to America." Then that was talking, beginning and end, that's all. I did not know that he took it very seriously. Then after two, three months, some documents came. I was receiving my letters in a post box. So when I left Delhi I used to keep my key of post box with some nice bookseller, Atmaram, he was manager. So he opened that, he got that documents. That is No Objection Certificate, Sponsor, and everything. I was out of Delhi. Then when I came back I took it. So everything was there, that sheet (indistinct) from the Indian Consulate, No Objection Certificate. Then I applied for a passport. In this way I had to go. So Gopal was unknown to me, but his father was, his father was known to me. His father was... Then his agent got me on the bus. So on the bus (I) went to Pennsylvania.

Room Conversation -- September 30, 1976, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: So many difficulties. Then I came back to India in 1967 July. Here also not very much improvement. Then again I went to Los Angeles. There also one symptom developed. Always some sound in the ear, gongongongongon. It was so disturbing. Almost half-mad. And then Los Angeles. Then I think I went to Seattle. In this way, in the beginning there were so many difficulties. Montreal. I took Canadian citizenship. America I could not get. So one gentleman in the immigration department, he said, "Swamiji, you go to Canada and from there you try. It will be easier." Actually, it acted. The Canadian consulate general was a black man, American black man. So in the consulate I applied for immigration, and he was sympathetic. He saw my Teachings of Lord Caitanya and he became attracted. So he settled up. "This gentleman must be allowed." So he expedited the matter within three months. And then I became immigrant in the U.S.A. Then again I came back in Los Angeles, and then we took that house, La Cienega.
Press Interview -- October 16, 1976, Chandigarh:

Haṁsadūta: Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Prabhupāda.

Interviewer: Has he a seat here in India?

Haṁsadūta: Yes.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Founder of the Gauḍīya Math.

Prabhupāda: He is the founder of Gauḍīya Math. He advised me to take up this movement when I was twenty-five years old, young man. But at that time I thought that "I am a married man; let me wait." So waiting, waiting. When I retired at the... I was born in 1896. So I retired in 1954. That means I retired at the age of fifty-eight years. At fifty-eight years. Then I remained as a vānaprastha in Vṛndāvana up to seventieth year of my age. Then I thought that "Guru Mahārāja asked me to do this at the age of, when I was twenty-five years old. I could not do it. So let me try." So by his grace and Kṛṣṇa's grace, it became little successful. That's all. In 1965 I went to New York without any help. But gradually, in 1966 I registered this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement in New York. And then gradually, it spread whole America, Europe, Australia, Canada. Like that.

Press Interview -- October 16, 1976, Chandigarh:

Interviewer: What is the reason of the success of your mission in the foreign countries?

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is very intelligent question. We are after material civilization, and they are fed up with material civilization. That is the position. We are now trying to imitate them, a skyscraper building, but they are disgusted with skyscraper building. These boys, they are coming from very respectable family, rich family, and especially in America there is no question of poor man. There is no question of poor man. But still, they do not like the materialistic way of life of their father and grandfathers.

Press Interview -- October 16, 1976, Chandigarh:

Interviewer: Are you getting any opposition from the church?

Prabhupāda: No. That is very favorable. No. Otherwise, it was impossible. At least in America they have never prevented me. But in Europe especially in England and Germany, they, the Christian group, they are little angry with me. But so far America, they are very liberal. They never put any impediments in my movement. Rather, government appreciates. The appreciated one point, that the American younger generation, they have become addicted to this LSD, intoxication, and they have spent millions of dollars to stop this, but they could not. But they are surprised that as soon as this LSD man becomes my disciple, he gives up immediately.

Press Interview -- October 16, 1976, Chandigarh:

Interviewer: Now two priests of your temple in America have been arrested on certain charges as we read from the newspaper...

Prabhupāda: Well, the charges will be there. Gandhi was also charged, and was arrested. And that you cannot stop. That will go on in any movement. That is not any fault. Because the counter-charges are already there, everywhere. What is the American charges? I do not know. What is that?

Interviewer: That you have money from... Extortion of money from the devotees. Asking their parents to pay or some such thing.

Prabhupāda: Parents to pay. This is a farce.

Interviewer: As a donation or contribution.

Prabhupāda: So we can ask donation from anyone. What is the fault there? Is it extortion? What is that extortion? Suppose if I ask for donation...

Interviewer: No, they equate that this donation was extortion.

Prabhupāda: No, no, extortion, what do you mean by extortion? If I ask you donation and if you pay, does it mean it is extortion?

Press Interview -- October 16, 1976, Chandigarh:

Interviewer: What is the price of this edition?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: This is, in America it's seven dollars, seven dollars ninety-five cents.

Prabhupāda: And what the home member has said?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: The home minister recently said that he wants this movement to be spread all over the world. One of the prominent people said he wants this movement to be spread all over the world.

Interviewer: Now, sir, from your lips, how to attain this Kṛṣṇa consciousness and to maintain it?

Prabhupāda: Once you come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you will maintain. You won't have to...

Interviewer: No, from your own, direct from your lips how to...

Prabhupāda: No, this direction is there in the Bhagavad-gītā that... Find out this verse, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). It is very simple thing.

Press Interview -- October 16, 1976, Chandigarh:

Prabhupāda: We're not only chanting, we are giving them work. We are trying to become self-sufficient, the same idea of Gandhi's village organization, so they may not come out from the village. They'll be satisfied, village economics. That we are doing.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually, Prabhupāda is doing the same thing in America now.

Prabhupāda: America we have nine, eleven centers like that.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Farms. This is a review from a local, from O.P. Baradraj, Principal of Government College for Men, Chandigarh.

Prabhupāda: One minute. Perhaps you are, any representative of Novara Times?

Interviewer: Yes, he is here.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So you published I think two years before, about our New Vrindaban. And you stated that it is a wonderful land, that... What is that?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: (Hindi)

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) It is your remark. You have seen. Your representative went there and saw it.

Room Conversation -- October 31, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Still.

Haṁsadūta: They're still faithful to culture.

Hari-śauri: Unless we get the farm, this farming scheme set up within the next...

Prabhupāda: We are getting so many.

Hari-śauri: We're getting the farms but we haven't got the management so...

Prabhupāda: Management that is in your hands. You have to... Who will give you management? You have to manage local, local men. Bon Mahārāja was failure that he could not get the local men. But I did not try to bring men from India and preach in England or America.

Room Conversation -- October 31, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So we have got already experience what is to be done, suggest.

Haṁsadūta: Well, we have to make a presentation of our movement properly, just like Tamāla suggested in the letter. Prominent persons, they have to speak on our behalf. And of course, the books must be in order.

Prabhupāda: Another thing, that all the Indians in Europe and America, they should sign that this Kṛṣṇa Consciousness Movement is genuine religious.

Hari-śauri: Yeah.

Prabhupāda: Similarly here also, all the Kṛṣṇa conscious persons especially here in Vṛndāvana, all the goswamis, they should be approached that this is the genuine Indian culture.

Room Conversation -- October 31, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Brainwash? No, it is heart wash. (laughter) We can send this, "It is not brainwash," that "it is heartwash." Of course brain and heart practically same.

Haṁsadūta: Mm. (pause)

Prabhupāda: Our temple, where many people come. Our Māyāpura temple, Hyderabad temple, it is not only in Europe or America, in India in our temples, south India.

Haṁsadūta: Yeah.

Prabhupāda: It is genuine religious cult. You have to send all these people. Now note down and do all these things and send it. I can suggest.

Room Conversation on New York court case -- November 2, 1976, Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: The parents, the parents cannot control their sons and daughters who is above eighteen.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: We want to defeat these people legally because now it's a very big case and every paper in America is covering it. Every paper.

Prabhupāda: That means they're feeling pressure. They're feeling pressure. Now we should take proper steps, that's all.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: They had a big press conference in which Prof. Sukla spoke up...

Prabhupāda: Hm. He has written very nicely.

Room Conversation on New York court case -- November 2, 1976, Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes, better that the Indians should combine and they should bring a case against these people.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: And then it will be alright. That this is, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is genuine, and these people are trying to insult us. Bring a defamation case against these persons.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I think the best thing is to mobilise all the Indians in America because every country...

Prabhupāda: Yes, that I have already suggested, that they should take signature from all Indians that this is genuine Indian cultural movement and it a great fortune for Indians. They were bereft of their own culture and now we have got this culture again. The Ratha-yātrā is going on, we are so much enlivened. In this way they should file petition.

Room Conversation on New York court case -- November 2, 1976, Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: It is against American constitution. So they should file immediately a case.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: And America is very sensitive to...

Prabhupāda: So you note down, you are simply hearing. Note down and inform them. Yes. Ah, it is being recorded, that's alright. So give them this direction. Combine the Indian community. In Toronto and in..., there are many thousands of Indians, New York, Canada, London. These are very important places.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, we can do that.

Prabhupāda: Yes, many thousands and thousands of important Indians, very rich men there are. In London there are very rich Indians. They can form immediately a solid association. They should present that this Kṛṣṇa is our God. In every Indian home we observe Kṛṣṇa Janmāṣṭamī. Even though one does not follow Kṛṣṇa cult, still if he is Hindu he follows the Janmāṣṭamī. Inevitably, everywhere. So this Kṛṣṇa cult is genuine, Vedic, based on Bhagavad-gītā which was spoken long, long years ago before any religion, any religious literature in the world. The Buddha literature or the Christian literature and Jewish literature, they cannot be counted more than two thousand years. A little more than that. But this Kṛṣṇa cult is coming, it is coming from, I have already explained in the introduction, it is coming from four hundred millions of years ago.

Room Conversation on New York court case -- November 2, 1976, Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: Straining, yes, straining yes, straining. If the straining process no, that's nice.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, we can get rid of all the bad publicity (indistinct). Every newspaper in America is covering us Rāmeśvara said.

Prabhupāda: (indistinct) better, I was seeing that. And every page Kṛṣṇa. There is Kṛṣṇa. Every page, there is Kṛṣṇa. Similarly that happened in Germany. I told them. "It is very good that Hare Kṛṣṇa." Hare Kṛṣṇa. (laughing) We are known as Kṛṣṇas. They call us Kṛṣṇas. You put yourselves "Kṛṣṇians." They are Christians and we are Kṛṣṇians. And actually from Kṛṣṇian, the Christian has come. Yes. Kṛṣṇa, ah, Kristo, there is Greek word and Kristo, is broken spelling of Kṛṣṇa. In India we say one is, one name say is Kṛṣṇa, at least in Bengali we say Kṛṣṭa. Kṛṣṭa. This Kṛṣṭa word is come Kṛṣṇa. And from Kṛṣṭa, Christ has come. This is original root, Kṛṣṇa. So we have to fight, here is a chance for fighting, so why they're afraid?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: No, we just have to work hard on getting this altogether.

Room Conversation on New York court case -- November 2, 1976, Vrindaban:

Hari-śauri: It's the strongest.

Prabhupāda: (laughing) Yes. I will speak. If you cannot speak I shall go and speak.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: There are a few Indians living in America who are right at the top of the American scientific research. There is one Dr. Khoranna, he won the Nobel prize, and there are a few others who are right at the top of the...

Prabhupāda: Where he is, where he is?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: All in America. They're at the top of the US space program. I think we should also approach these people who are...

Prabhupāda: (indistinct) Punjabis.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. He won the Nobel prize. (indistinct) I just remembered that there are other Indians who are at the top of the US space program so if we approach them...

Prabhupāda: Now our this Svarūpa Dāmodara and others, they can also come.

Room Conversation on New York court case -- November 2, 1976, Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: What is this? Now, you appear to be educated gentlemen, you combine all the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava gosvāmīs, and come with me to fight because there is a world fight now. They are threatened. Their whole civilization is threatened by this movement. That is the position now. Whole Europe and America, they are combining. They are intelligent person, they see that this movement is spreading like epidemic. They have admitted, some of their (indistinct), "If this movement is allowed to advance, then some day they will take our government." They have expressed that feeling. And now they are preparing to fight out. These, all these fathers of these young men, they are combining together to charge me that I am kidnapping their boys. So it is a serious situation, you should not see simply the fun and claim to belong to Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Now you should come out to fight. Am I wrong or right.

Guest: You are right.

Room Conversation with Dr. Theodore Kneupper -- November 6, 1976, Vrndavana:

Dr. Kneupper: There are many sincere seekers, I think, in Christians and Moslems. At least I have met.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That must be. There must be some sincere men. That can be admitted. But still the sincere man also does not understand clearly what is the meaning of God. "I believe in God." "I believe in God," they say. Just like in America they say, "We trust in God." But what is God, he does not know. So what is the meaning of this, "I trust in God"? That is a phobia.

Room Conversation with Dr. Theodore Kneupper -- November 6, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Some must be there. There is no doubt about it. But they are so in minority. Who will hear about them? "It is folly to be wise where ignorance is bliss." The whole world is rascal. If somebody is intelligent, who cares for him? Just like people laugh at me that I am talking of God. I am not only talking. I am writing so many books. My only endeavor is to understand God, that's all. There is no sectarian. And I am selling my books all over the world. So not that everyone is foolish. They're trying to understand my presentation, big, big scholars, big, big philosophers. Yes.

Dr. Kneupper: We have many of them in our library...

Prabhupāda: Yes. So there is knowledge. If people kindly take it everything will be solved. But they have stubbornly denied, "No God." And I am stubbornly fighting, "Yes, there is God." That is the... Now the whole America is combining to fight against me, opposition, that "This man is brainwashing, controlling the mind, and our children are kidnapped." They are bringing these charges against us. Just like you have come. Have I kidnapped you?

Dr. Kneupper: Oh, no.

Prabhupāda: But these rascals say that I have kidnapped their children.

Room Conversation with Dr. Theodore Kneupper -- November 6, 1976, Vrndavana:

Indian man (2): In order to identify that, Vedic, let's say Indian, actually that is not Indian.

Prabhupāda: No, whatever it may be. Knowledge is knowledge. It may be Indian or American. It doesn't matter. Just like university. Some student from India go to university in America to study higher knowledge. So that means that because he has gone to America, that is American knowledge. Knowledge is knowledge. So they should take on this background, but they are thinking that we are spoiling their children, brainwashing, controlling the mind, because against their principle, against their uncivilized way of life: meat-eating, illicit sex, intoxication. This is uncivilized life. Why a man, civilized man, shall eat meat? He can prepare so many nice things. He has learned how to produce food, food grains. When they are uncivilized—there is no food; they do not know how to grow food—they can eat animal in the jungle. But if after becoming civilized, if you are eating the same thing, then what is the difference between civilization and not civilization? You have learned. And especially in your America you can get all nice foodstuff. You have got sufficient grains, sufficient fruits, sufficient vegetables, sufficient... Everything sufficient. Why you should eat meat? This is uncivilized life. They could not give up the uncivilized way of life. And when you teach that "You become civilized. Give up this all nonsense. Don't eat." "Oh, it is brainwashing." You see? We are teaching them to become civilized, and they are taking it brainwashing.

Room Conversation -- November 13, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: When it will be complete, more facility.

Surabhi: Oh, yes, then it will be... Everything...

Prabhupāda: Take prasādam, see drama, read books, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Bas. And if you like, you can live with us. So where is the difficulty? Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). Ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāvitābhis tābhir ya eva nija-rūpatayā (Bs. 5.37). (pause) That American politician has predicted that "This Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, within ten years, they will capture our government." (laughs) So do it actually. Then it will be very nice. It is not... Simply take the people in your favor; the government is yours. That they are afraid of. The young boys, they are taking Hare Kṛṣṇa movement seriously, so the government can be changed in their favor. After all, it is democracy. So you can do it. You become president. You become senator. In America it is possible. And if America accepts... What about this new president? Or... Formerly I heard about him that he is religious man.

Room Conversation -- November 14, 1976, Vrndavana:

Room Conversation:Devotee: M. Channa Reddy.

Prabhupāda: Why?

Devotee: About getting letters, this letter for the court case in America.

Prabhupāda: Court case? Oh.

Devotee: He had given us nice questioning, and some from our... Members, who are members of Parliament and other persons like M. Channa Reddy himself, he said that he would approach the External Affairs Minister and ask him that the External Affairs Minister, he can make some sort of protest, either official or unofficial, about this type of dealings that are going on.

Prabhupāda: So he has not given anything, writing.

Devotee: No, but what he said... He said that he is the head of the state of U.P... So he said if he gives a protest to the American government directly that "This is not..."

Prabhupāda: There is no question of protest that... This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is genuine movement.

Room Conversation -- November 15, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: (Hindi conversation) the epidemic is not going to stop.

Devotee: No. Prabhupāda, I've been given a cow, in America.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Devotee: This Yamunā Devi?

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Devotee: One of her cows, Premadhana. She's given it to us. We've had it now for five or six and we have built a nice area for her. We have ten acres of land for her to roam around on. She's very happy.

Prabhupāda: So take your country (indistinct) Kṛṣṇa conscious. Then surely we shall get the government. This is the prediction of a politician, "Kṛṣṇa conscious, the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is spreading like a epidemic. That I'm afraid within ten years they'll get the government."

Room Conversation -- November 18, 1976, Vrndavana:

Jagadīśa: And the police mistreat the devotees. But still, the devotees continue and now in Montreal there's no trouble.

Prabhupāda: They crucified Jesus, what to speak of devotees. Prahlāda Mahārāja was persecuted, Haridāsa Ṭhākura. I think I shall not go to Europe, America, for some time. (laughter)

Hari-śauri: Not unless this gets cleared up.

Prabhupāda: Because it is being discussed about me. They say, "Old man is behind this movement."

Hari-śauri: Even in Australia now they're having the same thing, kidnapping and everything. It's everywhere.

Prabhupāda: That means they are feeling the weight. It is spreading.

Evening Darsana -- December 3, 1976, Hyderabad:
Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa came to speak this truth, that "I am the Supreme." Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66). He appeared to speak this philosophy. And if you do the same work, that "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead," then you are serving the mission of Kṛṣṇa, great service to Kṛṣṇa. The words for which He appeared on this earth, if you simply carry these words door to door, village to village, man to man, then you become a guru, a real guru. Not to pose yourself a guru without any knowledge of Kṛṣṇa. That is cheating. And to accept and understand Kṛṣṇa the Supreme thoroughly and preach these words, that "Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead," is the supreme success of life. What is the difficulty? Is there any difficulty? Why don't you do that? I have to bring all these young men from Europe and America to speak to you this truth. Why our young men is not coming to speak this truth? Hm? What is the difficulty? That means willfully they are denying the success of life. Willfully. Then what can be done? If somebody willfully commits suicide, who can save him? This is our position at the present moment. The Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura sings, jāniyā śuniyā biṣa khāinu: "I have drunk poison knowingly." So if somebody knowingly drinks poison, then who can save him? So we are doing that. Without preaching the gospel of Kṛṣṇa consciousness we are drinking poison willfully. This is our position.
Evening Darsana -- December 3, 1976, Hyderabad:

Vāsughoṣa: Even the poorest of men. Just like before, when this temple wasn't here and we were chopping away at the rocks in the foundation, we were paying twenty rupees a day for those men. And we were told that ten rupees every day would go for wine for those same men. Ten rupees out of the twenty they would immediately spend to drink. Even poor people. So many of them.

Prabhupāda: And because we are trying to stop this thing in Europe and America there is agitation that "These people are propagating brainwash. How is that a man who will not eat, drink? This is brainwash." They spend ten rupees out of twenty rupees. Eh?

Vāsughoṣa: Yes, we were told like that, that they would take their twenty rupees pay and then they would go and spend ten rupees and on alcohol, drinking, toddy. (break) I was in... Last time at the festival in Māyāpura I was riding from Māyāpura to Calcutta. And so one man was saying that "Oh, fish, 80 paisa a kg. How much are potatoes?" I asked. So even their hard-earned money, so much more they spend just to eat meat, to enjoy their senses. It doesn't make sense in any way.

Prabhupāda: And that also, they cannot live on meat. They must have vegetable also. Without vegetable, simple meat-eating will not help them.

Room Conversation on Farm Management -- December 10, 1976, Hyderabad:

Mahāṁśa: Tamarind.

Prabhupāda: Eh? Tamarind, so many preparations. So make like that. Why dog eating? They are not dogs. You cannot expect, because you are giving some dog eatable food, they will come. There must be one first class cook, and all our men should learn. There's no need of simply keeping unduly: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, and sleeping. We don't want such men. Make a show. And do not know anything how to preach. Useless. The householder, the women should be engaged in cooking. Their children should be gathered together. One man... I have said many times, all the children should be taken in a room by one woman, and others should be engaged in the cooking department. I have seen it. Your country, America. When they go to church, all the childrens are gathered together in a room. Is it not?

Devotees: Yes.

Press Conference -- December 16, 1976, Hyderabad:

Guest (4): How many āśramas do you have in India?

Prabhupāda: India, I have got about six, seven.

Devotee: Eight. Eight.

Prabhupāda: Eight. Out of 102, in India I have got only eight. In America we have got forty centers.

Hari-śauri: Fifty with the farms.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Hari-śauri: Fifty, more than fifty, with the farms.

Prabhupāda: Farms.

Press Conference -- December 16, 1976, Hyderabad:

Guest (3): Fifty, five zero.

Guest (5): Yes, five zero.

Prabhupāda: No, in America. We have got farms like this. They are very successful. They are eating fresh vegetables, fresh grains and milk, and chanting. The temple is there. They have left the city life. So I want to organize that here also. We have already one in Navadvīpa. The devotees are there. They are having their own cloth, own food, own milk, residence, and chanting. That's all.

Guest (3): Total membership for around the world?

Prabhupāda: Total membership is practically unlimited because we are now getting opposition, so... But actually dedicated life, about ten thousand like these boys.

Guest (5): What's going to be the name of this āśrama?

Prabhupāda: It is already told. It is ISKCON Venkateshvara Trust.

Morning Walk -- December 25, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Reason is: "This is cheap. The swami is giving something cheap." Nowadays it has become a fashion, "Meditation." What nonsense meditation he will do?" This is going on. He cannot take cheap thing.

Guest (1): Cheap thing may be the right thing, the true thing, but "Because it's cheap, (laughing) so we..., not to be bothered."

Prabhupāda: In Europe, America, the Indian students, they say, "Oh, we have seen all this Hare Kṛṣṇa. We now want technology."

Morning Walk -- December 25, 1976, Bombay:

Guest (1): Now they have, after seeing these young men, they have started thinking that "Why these young men (laughing) from America are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa and why we are not doing?" I said, "You just think it over."

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) No, America... The purpose of going to America for... This was one of the cause, that "When I bring Americans here, these rascals will take some lesson."

Guest (1): I think you are absolutely right. (laughing) Psychologically, somehow or other, anything that is...

Prabhupāda: And long, long ago, in the beginning, one friend wrote. I replied in that letter, that "You have finished your cows. You are importing powdered milk. Now you have to import brāhmaṇas also from America.

Morning Walk and Room Conversation -- December 26, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: (laughing) So they are charging like that. What is the new charge? Huh?

Śrutaśrava: Śrīla Prabhupāda, they are saying "mind control."

Prabhupāda: (laughing) "Mind control." Yes.

Śrutaśrava: Śrīla Prabhupāda, so many, all the big scholars in America, all the big famous scholars, they have put together one petition saying how authorized our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is. And they are willing to come forward now. If any time they want some papers in the court-room to show how bona fide our movement is, how we are actually not brainwashers and mind-controlled, there are these scholars in America, they have pledged their support.

Girirāja: There was a meeting of four big scholars at Harvard University, it's like the Oxford of America. And one famous theologian named Cox...

Prabhupāda: Harvey Cox?

Room Conversation -- December 26, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: It is European or?

Jagadīśa: Hindi. P-a-n-d-h-i. And it has been signed by Padam Dakkad, the Treasurer of the World Foundation of Religion, by S.C. Shastri, Priest in charge, Sanatan Dharm, Cultural Ashram of America, Pandit Hari Prasad, priest in charge and president of the Vedic Mission of the Americas, Prakash something, Managing Director of the Literary Guild of India, Des R. Puri, President of Hindu Center, Swami Shambu Devananda, Vishnu Devananda.

Prabhupāda: Oh, he's a very important man.

Jagadīśa: No, Shambu Devananda on behalf of Swami Vishnu Devananda. And Surendra Kumar Patel of the Vishva Hindu Parishad of America.

Prabhupāda: Oh, Vishva Hindu Parishad.

Jagadīśa: Umadatta Maharaja, Mahatma Gandhi Satsang Society, Hari-Hara Yoga Center...

Prabhupāda: It is very representative.

Room Conversation -- December 26, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: And the real platform of unity is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Our members, although they speak different languages from different countries, but still they are united.

Hari-śauri: Purpose is the same.

Prabhupāda: Language does not make united. This Bangladesh, they speak Bengali. They write Bengali. But why they are separate? America and England, they speak the same language. Why Washington declared independence? Australia, they have also declared independence from England just a piece of land. So there cannot be unity on any platform unless there is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is impossible.

Room Conversation -- December 26, 1976, Bombay:

Indian man: It is the personal sincere influence which one...

Prabhupāda: America, I simply began this chanting and few minutes speaking.

Indian man: But I've never (indistinct) one of those centers are open, it will do very well.

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) Yāre dekha tāre kaha kṛṣṇa-upadeśa (CC Madhya 7.128). You simply repeat, recite, the instruction of Kṛṣṇa. That is preaching. That is preaching. And we are doing the same thing. We are doing. We are not introducing any new interpretation. Whatever Kṛṣṇa has said, bas, finished. And that is becoming effective. We haven't got to manufacture anything.

Indian man: Prabhupāda? Jīva Gosvāmī was the guru of Mira?

Prabhupāda: No. I do not know who is the guru of Mirabhai. But Mirabhai, from the childhood, she was a devotee. But I do not hear anyone as her guru.

Morning Walk -- December 27, 1976, Bombay:

Yaśomatīnandana: That is indirectly accepting Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that's a fact. We do not make any compromise. Vivekananda went there. He came back. He said, "What is the wrong in meat-eating?" He introduced meat-eating amongst his contemporary sannyāsīs. This is his vedānta-pracāra. So he is advertised that he preached Vedānta all over America, and everyone has become Vedantist. What is...? What kind of Vedantist? Now, he introduced meat-eating amongst the sannyāsīs, which was never in India, any... There are two sets of sannyāsīs, the Śaṅkara sampradāya and Vaiṣṇava sampradāya. But their ācāra is the same. They may differ in philosophy, but their ācāra is the same. Rather, the Śaṅkara sampradāya sannyāsī are more strict than the Vaiṣṇava sannyāsī. Śaṅkara sampradāya sannyāsī, they'll never occupy a seat, those who are strictly following. They'll sit down on the floor. Without any āsana. They lie down on the floor. They are so renounced. And what is this, that sannyāsī smoking and drinking? And ordinary sannyāsīs, they are drinking also tea, one ghara (?). I have seen it.

Room Conversation -- December 29, 1976, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Other yogis and swamis go, they give some method. And the son is there at home."All right, a young man is going there." But here, their son is lost. Here their son is lost, and they are now called "American Hindus." So naturally they are very much against me. And counter movement is going on. Hindus... The government...That this is not a religion. The swami knows some mind-controlling power and he's brainwashing. In this way, there is charge. So because America has got freedom of religion, so if they accept my movement as Hindu religion, they cannot do anything. People are free to accept. But they are giving in a different charge, that I have manufactured something, that no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no gambling. How people can accept all these things? They're brainwashed. There are so many charges. But anyone who comes to me, I don't make any compromise.
Morning Walk -- December 30, 1976, Bombay:

Devotee: Even they got road, in the road so many nonsense going on.

Prabhupāda: That every road is there. We have no such thing. (Hindi) But he's not recognized in... Wherefrom he has got the advertisement that in America he has done tremendous work. What they have done?

Girirāja: The government may like to popularize him because he preached the cult of "work hard."

Prabhupāda: What "work hard" he has... (indistinct)

Devotee: Other day one man was telling me they bought two of your Bhāgavatams, Ramakrishna Mission. He said that one Ranganath Swami from South India, from Hyderabad was lecturing there but he was... When he was lecturing he had your Bhāgavatam, First Canto, Part One in his hand and he was speaking from there. (laughter) I said it is very good.

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) Give him prasāda.

Press Interview -- December 31, 1976, Bombay:

Indian man: There was some trouble with your movement in America recently.

Prabhupāda: We don't care for this trouble. If you are sincere it is all right. We are facing so many difficulties. We don't care for it. We never compromise. All my students, they will never compromise. Why shall I compromise? If I am confident that I am speaking the truth, why shall I make compromise? Those who are not confident of his position, they will make compromise. One who does not know where he stands, he will make compromise. And if I know where I am standing, why shall I make compromise? Let others do whatever he likes. This is our position.

Indian man: Do not strain guru too much.

Devotees: Thank you very much. (offer obeisances) (break)

Prabhupāda: Most important movement. (Hindi) You are in a good position. Try to convince others. Life should be for para-upakāra. Not exploiting. This is India's mission. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu says,

bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra
janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra
(CC Adi 9.41)

This is India's... Anyone who has taken birth in India, first of all make his life perfect by understanding the śāstra. The gist of śāstra is Bhagavad-gītā. And then distribute the knowledge. Para-upakāra. This should be India's mission. India hasn't got to learn from anywhere else. Everything is there.

Room Conversation -- December 31, 1976, Bombay:

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.

Room Conversation -- December 31, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: There was prejudice because it was brought from... Even potato. Strict Hindus would not take potato. Potato was imported from England. It was not produced... Just like Tulasī. Tulasī plant we have imported, exported. Similarly, so many things...

Dr. Patel: They have not allowed tulasī to be grown in America.

Prabhupāda: Oh no? Who said?

Dr. Patel: Mr. Shaheb, (indistinct) tulasī plant for his daughter.

Prabhupāda: No, we have got so many tulasī plants.

Hari-śauri: Every one of our centers has so many tulasīs.

Prabhupāda: Every temple we have got big, big tulasī. Especially Hawaii we have got six feet high tulasī.

Dr. Patel: I have (indistinct). They won't allow plant.

Prabhupāda: No, no. That is agriculture. You cannot take any plant. Not only tulasī. Any plant from India.

Room Conversation -- December 31, 1976, Bombay:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I never knew... We never knew that you went to Tīrtha Mahārāja.

Prabhupāda: (chuckles) No... Rather, it is Guru Mahārāja's institution. I first of all gave him...

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: A chance.

Prabhupāda: He's head man. "All right. I shall join you."

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: When was this? Which year?

Prabhupāda: In 1953. Before going to America. Two years before.

Girirāja: '63.

Prabhupāda: '63, yes.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: '63 you were already sannyāsa.

Prabhupāda: No. '63 I was in Vṛndāvana. Before that.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Before sannyāsa.

Prabhupāda: Oh yes.

Room Conversation -- December 31, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: No, actually, these Dalmia started with four thousand rupees.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: They're nice people.

Prabhupāda: Oh yes.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I met two of them. They were...

Prabhupāda: He gave me twice funds. Four thousand once, five thousand. Five thousand he gave me when I went to America for the second time.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: They gave fifteen thousand about three months ago for gurukula in Vṛndāvana.

Prabhupāda: Oh. No, they are sympathetic.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: They have promised that after they complete their building, their temple in Janma Bhumi they will give us money regularly. Now they are diverting all their funds to complete that building in Janma Bhumi.

Prabhupāda: No, if we want management of that Janma Bhumi they can give it.

Page Title:America (Conversations 1976 Sep - Dec)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Serene
Created:17 of Dec, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=49, Let=0
No. of Quotes:49