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Because cloth are very costly. And there are rats. If one cloth is cut by the rat, then it is great loss. So to save from this loss, he (Prabhupada's uncle) will put in a basin rice

Expressions researched:
"Because cloth are very costly. And there are rats. If one cloth is cut by the rat, then it is great loss. So to save from this loss, he'll put in a basin . . . rice was nothing"

Conversations and Morning Walks

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

One basinful rice he will keep in the middle of the shop. And there are rats. So the rats will take the rice and not cut even a single cloth. It is practical. Yes. They are also animals. Give them food, they'll not create any disturbance. Give them food. Yes. Because cloth are very costly. And there are rats. If one cloth is cut by the rat, then it is great loss. So to save from this loss, he'll put in a basin . . . rice was nothing. Rice . . . in our childhood, we have seen, two annas per seer. That is with profit. You see. So one basinful rice, it doesn't cost even one anna. So by giving one-anna-worth food, he saves so many, hundreds of rupees' cloth. Otherwise, if they're hungry, they'll cut it.

Bhagavān: You were telling us one time that in India, if a person has a mango orchard, you can come in if you're hungry and eat, but you cannot take any with you.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Still, if you have got a garden, somebody says: "I want to eat some fruits," "Yes, come on. Take as much fruit as you like." But you cannot take it away. Any number of men can come and eat. They even do not prohibit the monkeys. "All right, let him come in. It is God's property." That is the system. That is mentioned in the Bhāgavata. If the animals like monkeys, they come to your garden to eat, don't prohibit. Let him. He's also Kṛṣṇa's part and parcel. Where he will eat if you prohibit? It is very practical. I have got another. This is told by my father. My father's elder brother was keeping a cloth shop. My father also was keeping a cloth shop. So it is in the village. So my uncle, what he would do, that before closing the shop he'll bring one, what is called . . .?

Bhagavān: A bowl?

Prabhupāda: Bowl, big bowl. Or it is . . . what do you call, where you keep water?

Bhagavān: Pot.

Prabhupāda: Basin, basin. So one basinful rice he will keep in the middle of the shop. And there are rats. So the rats will take the rice and not cut even a single cloth. It is practical. Yes. They are also animals. Give them food, they'll not create any disturbance. Give them food. Yes. Because cloth are very costly. And there are rats. If one cloth is cut by the rat, then it is great loss. So to save from this loss, he'll put in a basin . . . rice was nothing. Rice . . . in our childhood, we have seen, two annas per seer. That is with profit. You see. So one basinful rice, it doesn't cost even one anna. So by giving one-anna-worth food, he saves so many, hundreds of rupees' cloth. Otherwise, if they're hungry, they'll cut it.

Everyone has got obligation. Even the tiger. Even the tiger . . . one saintly person was in the jungle. His disciples said the tigers will never come and disturb in the āśrama, because the āśrama head, they'll keep some milk little far away from the āśrama, and the tigers will come and drink and go away. He'll call, "You tiger, come and take your milk here," just like we call the dogs. They'll come and take the milk and go away. And they'll never attack any inmates of the āśrama. He'll say, āmāra ajni hana isko bolo naya: "They are my men; don't harm them." Yes. Tigers can be trained up just like dog. They are a dog species. More ferocious, that's all. More ferocious dog, that's all. So you can train them. I have seen in the World Fair, one man has trained—I think most of you have seen—one tiger and one lion. And he was playing with that tiger, lion, just like one plays with dog. They can be trained up. They can understand also that, "This man loves me. He gives me food. He's my friend." They also appreciate. Just like this picture, you have seen, Haridāsa Ṭhākura? The big snake is going. The snake also knows that, "He's saintly person. He may not be disturbed. Let me go away." And from reason also, īśvaraḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe . . . (BG 18.61). Kṛṣṇa is in everyone's heart. He's dictating. So Kṛṣṇa can dictate to the animals, to the serpent, to the man, everyone. Such nice foodstuff. And mostly they are made of milk.

Page Title:Because cloth are very costly. And there are rats. If one cloth is cut by the rat, then it is great loss. So to save from this loss, he (Prabhupada's uncle) will put in a basin rice
Compiler:Soham
Created:2023-02-17, 12:05:38
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=1, Let=0
No. of Quotes:1