Best thing (Conversations)

Expressions researched:
"best thing" |"best things"

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk at Stow Lake -- March 23, 1968, San Francisco:

Mālatī: If somebody gave the judge a big dollar bill he would remember.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That means truthfulness is not there, diminished. The same thing. Because truthfulness has diminished, therefore you can bribe anybody and he can tell lie for you. We are in a very precarious condition. Very unfavorable condition. The best thing is to pray Kṛṣṇa, "Please pick me up very soon and let me go back to Your place." If you have to come back again, oh, you do not know how much misery we have to undergo. Because with the advancement of Kali-yuga, everything is becoming more and more miserable. There is no happiness in family life, there is no happiness in social life, there is no happiness in political life, there is no happiness in earning livelihood. Everything is encumbered. All impediment, full of impediments.

Room Conversation about Marriage -- September 24, 1968, Seattle:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. That's how it should be. It is just very difficult, you see, to travel. I have... It is difficult to travel with these women in the way. I remember what you said to me that the, originally, you were most desirous to have just married people, and you would travel with them.

Prabhupāda: That is very nice.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. So I was thinking that... And I was thinking the next best thing to that is just married people and brahmacārī. If you can't have just married people, then married people and brahmacārīs.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is nice. That is nice.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So that's what I told her. It's very difficult to have brahmacārī and brahmacārīṇis all the time together.

Prabhupāda: No. This is not possible. Because brahmacārīs, they are young men, and they are young girls. Naturally, there is dis-turbance to the mind. Yes. It is just like putting butter pot on fire. That is stated in the Bhāgavata. Nanv agni, pramadāgni ghṛta-kumbha-pāyaḥ pumān. Just like fire. (chuckles) Fire is a woman, and man is just like butterpot. It is said. Therefore they should not keep together. (laughs) Just like there are some labels in medicine and some..., "Keep away from fire." Huh? (chuckles) "Keep away from fire." So brahmacārīnī and brahmacārī is not a very good combination. But married couple and some brahmacārīs, that is nice. So this girl is married, but she is separated.

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- May 10, 1969, Columbus, Ohio:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Then you will feel relieved. So therefore the real thing is that everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa. We are artificially enjoying the stolen property. Therefore if you go on enjoying like that, then this frustration will come. But before coming to that frustration, if we return this property to Kṛṣṇa, then we become happy. So best thing is to return everything to Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And you will not be a loser. You will be gainer, just like Bali Mahārāja. Actually, if you think, everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa. Nothing belongs to you. This is māyā. Kṛṣṇa's property you are thinking, "mine." Is this land of American belongs to you actually? It is stolen property. You have stolen from the Red Indians or from Kṛṣṇa. Everyone is, not you, everyone. Somebody is claiming, "This much my property," somebody is claiming, "This much my property," but this much or that much, everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa. It is stolen property. There is another example in Indian words, that hira cauri kiya abhicaurya, khira caurī kiyā abhicaura. Hira means diamond, and khīra means... What is that called? Cucumber, a small? So if somebody has stolen a cucumber from other's tree, so he is captured. And another man has stolen some diamond. He is also arrested. So from the police, both are thieves. If the man says, "Oh, what I have stolen? I have stolen a little cucumber. It is nothing, worth not even two cent or one cent. Why you are arresting me? He is thief. He has stolen a big diamond," no, in the eyes of law, he is also thief; he is also thief. Everyone is thief. Anyone who is not in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he is thief. He'll not be happy. The best thing is to return whatever he has possessed: "Kṛṣṇa, it is Yours. Take." Finish business. Mānasa deha geha, yo kichu mora. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura's song... Now, everything we possess in mind. Actually we don't possess.

Room Conversation -- May 10, 1969, Columbus, Ohio:

Prabhupāda: Never, never, never. That is his insanity, another. As soon as he thinks that "I am independent," that is another insanity. He is under control. Just like the same man. He is thinking, "I don't care for state laws." He is insane. He will be forced to accept state laws in the prison house by the police. But he thinks, "Oh, I am free man." Still... He is slapped by the police. He says, "Oh, I am independent. Go on slapping." This is insanity. Is it not insanity? The police slaps him, and he says, "I am independent." Do you think independence? So that sort of independence we are having. We are kicked by māyā always, and we are thinking, "independent." This is insanity. He does not think, "Why I am independent? I am servant of my senses. I cannot remain, enjoying senses, for an hour, and I am thinking I am independent." That means insane. He cannot think properly. Where is his independence? Cannot be independent. He is born dependent because part and parcel of God. His constitutional position is dependent. Just like child. A child declares independence. What is the meaning of that independence? Danger. That's all. Simply inviting dangers. A child wants: "Oh, I don't care for my parents. I shall cross the road. I shall go everywhere." So if he is allowed to do that, that means he is simply inviting dangers. And if he remains under the protection of the parents, he is always safe. So this living entity's declaring independence means he is insane, different kinds of insanity. He cannot be independent. Let him think very deeply that it cannot be independent. He is thinking independent of God, but he is dependent on his sense pleasure. That's all. And some intoxication, a voluntarily accept dependence of something māyā. That's all. Who is independent. Is there anyone independent? Nobody is independent. To think of independence is māyā. Best thing is that "I am dependent, and let me remain dependent in properly. Then I am protected." That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So your question is answered? Material consciousness means thinking falsely independent.

Meeting with Devotees -- June 9, 1969, New Vrindaban:

Hayagrīva: Well, whatever situation you want to set up.

Prabhupāda: No, no, I think this will be nice because if he does outside propaganda, that will help development of this center. You make nice, what is called? Prospectus? I gave you the idea, that what is the idea of this center and make plans and where we want to construct temple, the, what is called, design of the temple, and make nicely and put before the people, and they have already known that Kṛṣṇa conscious movement is going on. So there are so many rich people in our country. If somebody comes forward, we can make very nice progress very quickly. So we have to make some propaganda amongst them. Actually it is the nicest possible thing. Simply they have to be convinced. That's a fact. Nobody can challenge our sincerity and our purity in this world. Let anyone come, any so-called society, yoga society, this society, this, that. The best thing we are presenting. There is no doubt about it. Now people has to know it, how to make it known. We have to go to the newspaper man, magazine man, to the foundations. So one responsible... One? Why one? Two, three men must move amongst them. And whenever required, if some big meeting is arranged, then I also go. People should know about our activities. We are not bogus thing. We are not that Maharshi Mahesh, that "I give you something private, and give me some money." We are not that. We have got philosophy. We have got programs. We have got authorities. So we must let people know the importance of this movement. What do you think, Kīrtanānanda Mahārāja?

Kīrtanānanda: Haribol.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Lord Caitanya Play Told to Tamala Krsna -- August 4, 1969, Los Angeles:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ...first speak in detail about Ṭhākura Haridāsa's disappearance. So tell me maybe how you want it to be performed.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Ṭhākura Haridāsa was living in a cottage which was... Just like I am living here, and the garage site a little far off, Haridāsa was living a little distance. So when Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu used to go to the sea for taking bath, He every day, every morning He used to go to Haridāsa Ṭhākura and taking his informa..., "Haridāsa, what you are doing?" Because Haridāsa was Mohammedan by birth, so out of his meekness he did not go to the temple. But in those... Especially in those days they were very strict. They do not allow anyone except Hindus to enter the temple. Nowadays, of course, there is law. If somebody is, actually has come to the Hindu way of life, he's allowed. Our Jayagovinda and others were allowed to see Jagannātha temple. But in those days there were no such system and Haridāsa out of his own accord, he did not want to disturb. But Lord Caitanya, God Himself, used to come to see him every day. So one day when Caitanya came, he looked little bit depressed. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked him, "Haridāsa, you do not look very well today. What is the matter?" "Sir, I'm not very feeling well. And because I do not feel well, I could not finished my chanting." He was chanting daily 300,000 times. "So I could not finish my chanting." So Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, "All right. You are growing old. You may not follow the rules now strictly. You can make it later." Haridāsa Ṭhākura said, "No, Sir, so long my life is there I shall try to follow. When the life is over, that is different thing. But I have got one desire if You fulfill." "What is that?" "Now I can understand that You will also leave this world very soon. So I cannot tolerate that. So best thing is that before You'll go, I go. And my another request is that You shall stand before me, and I shall leave this body." So Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, "Oh, if that is your desire, that will be all right. That is not difficult."

Lord Caitanya Play Told to Tamala Krsna -- August 4, 1969, Los Angeles:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: If you can just tell me what you, the best way to have a nice scene of Jagāi and Mādhāi.

Prabhupāda: The first scene should be that Nityānanda Prabhu and Haridāsa Ṭhākura. They were ordered by Caitanya Mahāprabhu to go every day to, from one neighborhood to another and preach. So one day when they came out they saw at a distant place a crowd. So you have to make scene that a crowded place and these two brothers, Jagāi and Mādhāi, they have pickpocketed somebody and... Because they were debauches, so there was some howling and crowds. Yes. So Nityānanda Prabhu inquired, and people said that "These two brothers, they're born of a very respectable family, but they have now become debauches." So Nityānanda Prabhu, "Oh, they are so fallen? So best thing is to convert them first. Then Lord Caitanya's name will be glorious that He has delivered such rascals." So He went there to save. Then he said, "Who are you?" As soon as they came in, Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa, chanting, and these brothers said, "Oh, who are you?" "Oh, we are Nityānanda, and he is Haridāsa. We are preaching. You also join with us." So, "Oh get out! Hare Kṛṣṇa, your damn Hare Kṛṣṇa. Get out!" (chuckles) So Haridāsa Ṭhākura was old man, and he was afraid. But Nityānanda was young man so He fled away. Haridāsa Ṭhākura could not go so swift. He said, "My dear Nityānanda, I think today my life is at risk." So anyway, then after they were going away, the crowd dispersed and the brothers were talking.

Room Conversation With John Lennon, Yoko Ono, and George Harrison -- September 11, 1969, London, At Tittenhurst:

John Lennon: I found that the best thing for myself is to take a little bit from here and a little bit from there and a little bit from there. (Prabhupāda chuckles)

Yoko Ono: I mean, we're not just saying that. We want to ask your advice on that. In other words, what is your answer to that. Your saying there's five hundred versions.

Prabhupāda: Bhagavad-gītā is seven hundred verses.

Yoko Ono: All right, so seven hundred. I don't know. But what I mean is you use the word authority, saying why would he translate that into English without authority? Now, what is the authority and who has the authority?

Prabhupāda: Authority is the original text.

Yoko Ono: Yes, but everybody's translating from the original text, I'm sure you know.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Yoko Ono: So what's the difference between one and the other?

Prabhupāda: Therefore we say that sampradāya-vihīnā ye mantrās te viphala mataḥ. If we then don't take from the disciplic succession of the authority... Just like Kṛṣṇa. Now, take for example. We have explained this in our introduction, that nobody is authority. Don't care. Kṛṣṇa is authority because Bhagavad-gītā is spoken by Kṛṣṇa. That you cannot deny. Can you deny that?

Yoko Ono: Is Kṛṣṇa translated...

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa is authority. Kṛṣṇa is authority.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- July 4, 1972, New York:

Prabhupāda: That's all right. So she's mother. If she wants to take, what can you do? She doesn't like her son to be Kṛṣṇa conscious, what you can do? Where she is?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: She's here, actually. She is serving Your Divine Grace.

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: She is serving, but she is not sure if that would be the best thing. She's attached, maybe...

Prabhupāda: So you convince her that ordinary schools, going, there are so many ordinary schools and students, where the students are coming out useless hippies. Do you like to have your son to become hip..., which are hippies? Ask on this point.

Devotee (5): Jaya Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Because we practically see, all the college students are hippies. Irresponsible vagabonds. If she wants her son to become like that, that is different thing. Irresponsible vagabonds, that is the present status of this country. The majority of the students, they are becoming irresponsible vagabonds. Is it not?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Yes, correct. We all have experience in that.

Room Conversation -- July 4, 1972, New York:

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Devotee (6): That many, many devotees have, have since I have arrived here, have asked me questions about how, how to treat the children, how to, how to teach the children, and they have, you know, there are many children in other temples besides gurukula who are either are not, not of age yet, or who have not been sent yet...

Prabhupāda: Everyone is of age. That is all right. It is not that there is no age limit. Anyone who can remain, that is the best thing. But with very small children, I think nowadays after three years children can begin.

Devotee (6): After three? After three? Jaya. They, they've asked us many questions. Should..., is there any, is there any information? How should we, should we send information from gurukula to the other temples?

Prabhupāda: Who? Who asked questions?

Devotee (6): Devotees who have children, who have come to the temple. They said, one woman said that "They've..., my son, they're throwing him in cold shower. They say he has to take a cold shower, and that no one wants to have anything to do with him because he's so much trouble..."

Prabhupāda: No, we have got our own program. We cannot accept the different program, that "My son should be done like this..." We should see that everyone is taking bath daily, that's all. They are taking bath daily?

Devotee (6): Yes.

Room Conversation and Interview with Ian Polsen -- July 31, 1972, London:

Prabhupāda: Otherwise, you can chant twenty-four hours. Minimum sixteen rounds.

Ian Polsen: Is it true that if I follow the regulative principles, the four, that I will be able to chant without offense?

Prabhupāda: Yes. But ah... You are married, no?

Ian Polsen: No.

Prabhupāda: No family man? No. So best thing would have been to live with us and work. Give contribution as much as possible for running on this missionary work. But the thing is, we have no place to...

Devotee: We don't have a very nice place.

Prabhupāda: Otherwise I would have asked you to live with us and work.

Devotee: We're trying to get another place with bigger facilities. Now they're sleeping in the hallways practically.

Prabhupāda: You have got your own apartment?

Ian Polsen: I've just transferred down from Edinburgh on Friday for the first time. So I have not found a place yet. I'm staying in a hotel for the time being.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Conversation with Bajaj and Bhusan -- September 11, 1972, Arlington, Texas, At Their Home:

Guest (2): But to become learned, you go to so-called learned people, and you go to so-called learned people. How do you know that those so-called learned are...

Prabhupāda: That has spoiled our Indian culture. That has spoiled our Indian culture. Everyone become learned man; everyone become a spiritualist. That's another... So best thing is to... Why don't you accept Kṛṣṇa as the most learned man? That will save you. Everyone accepts Him, all the ācāryas, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, Śaṅkarācārya, Lord Caitanya. So why don't you accept Kṛṣṇa? Why you're searching after learned man? Here is the best learned man. Simple truth. If you simply argue, that is a different thing. But if you want really learned man, Kṛṣṇa is here. Take Kṛṣṇa as He is; then you learn everything. So I shall go now. What is the time?

Satsvarūpa: It's eight-thirty now.

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) ...fruits... Just accept Kṛṣṇa, the most learned man. Follow His teaching. Your life is perfect. And practically you see. They have accepted Kṛṣṇa the supreme teacher, and how their life is becoming perfect. (Hindi) Kṛṣṇa ye bhaje se baḍa catura. Unless one is very, very intelligent he cannot come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kṛṣṇa ye bhaje se baḍa catura. As Kṛṣṇa is very cunning, intelligent, so His devotee is also very cunning and intelligent. Kṛṣṇa ye bhaje se baḍa catura. Kṛṣṇa also says, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate: (BG 7.19) "After many, many births' struggling, when he actually becomes wise, jñānavān," māṁ prapadyate, "he surrenders to Me." Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ: (BG 7.19) "That mahātmā is very rare to be found." Mahātmānas tu māṁ pārtha daivīṁ prakṛtim āśritaḥ, bhajanty ananya-manaso jñātvā bhūtādim avyayam (BG 9.13). This is mahātmā. This is description of mahātmā.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversations with Sannyasis -- March 15, 1974, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: That's all right, but why you (indistinct) something, pour water on his body?

Devotee: Simply to wake him.

Prabhupāda: You should not do anything which may provoke some kind of...

Devotee: Yes.

Prabhupāda: So, best thing was to say that he is not in good (indistinct) now, say to me that he is incorrigible. (indistinct) He may be one day, once, twice, if he does not follow, then you shall ask him just to please leave this place. That's all. That should be offered. We should also... The police said that when I told him that our regulation is that everyone should get up at four, so he immediately, "I don't see anyone who is rising at four." Nobody. What can I answer?

Devotee: How can he say that Śrīla Prabhupāda? How can he see if anyone is rising at four or not?

Prabhupāda: Now here is the (indistinct). He says that nobody rises early in the morning. Just like yourself.

Śyāmasundara: But he is rising.

Devotee: I am, I am rising.

Prabhupāda: He is rising, but others!

Room Conversation -- August 11, 1973, Paris:

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Yogeśvara: That doesn't mean we don't preach...

Prabhupāda: You preach. You just purify them. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Let him hear. Then he'll accept. Then he will gradually come. Yes. He's now in diseased condition. The best thing is to chant. By hearing the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, he'll be gradually purified, cleansed, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). You must polish him. Just like this is unclean. Polish it and you'll see the reflection. Our process is paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam. (break) ...śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ hṛdy antaḥ stho hy abhadrāṇi... (SB 1.2.17).

Yogeśvara: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Prabhupāda: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Yogeśvara: Second Chapter.

Prabhupāda: Hṛdy antaḥ stho hy abhadrāṇi vidhunoti suhṛt satām.

Yogeśvara: Verse number seven, Second Chapter.

Prabhupāda: Everyone is diseased. So you have to give the medicine and gradually he'll be cured. Just like when I came first, nobody was my devotee. But the medicine was given, little, little, little. And they became. So you cannot immediately expect that everyone will hear your words. Why? What you are? Why shall he respect you? Cure them. What is that? You have got it?

Haṁsadūta: No.

Room Conversation -- October 31, 1973, Vrndavana:

Guest (1): Well, you see, the modern scientific discoveries have led to the stage at which the science can no more say that religion is humbug. Now they say, "Well, we do not know. Honestly speaking, that is the position," they say.

Prabhupāda: That is good.

Guest (1): Yes. "We do not know. We know thus far and not beyond." So that's a great achievement. That's a great achievement.

Prabhupāda: No. At least, they should not teach because they do not know.

Guest (1): Well, the topmost scientists are much saner now. They don't make...

Prabhupāda: Yes. But the best thing will be, they may not talk all nonsense.

Guest (1): They don't talk nonsense.

Prabhupāda: If they admit they do not know, why do they speak so much?

Guest (1): One scientist has said about matter. He says, "Matter is I know not what." This is his definition of matter. "Matter is I know not what." So no more dogmatism. No more dogmatism.

Prabhupāda: So you can distribute some prasāda.

Morning Walk -- December 8, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: ...daiva-varṇāśrama. My Guru Mahārāja wanted this that there be regular varṇāśrama, qualified. It is not the monopoly of India that brāhmaṇas are born there. No. No, you are all brāhmaṇas. Otherwise how can I allow you to worship Deity? Hmm. What is that?

Satsvarūpa: If I go to some city and hold a program and advertise but only, say, four or five people come and yet they're interested, very interested-should that be considered successful or unsuccessful?

Prabhupāda: It is successful. If one man comes to hear, that is successful. But we have to see that, after spending so much money...

Devotee: Yes.

Prabhupāda: ...better to call a small meeting of the learned scholars and talk with them about our philosophy because even if you advertise common man is not interested. They think, "Oh, what is this?" Even the so-called higher circles. The best thing is to collect some... Just like ordinary meeting it is done. That is better. Why should you spend unnecessarily on advertising. (end)

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- March 27, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Māyāvāda...

Dr. Patel: Jains are, they are... They don't believe in God. Jains are... Their soul is as long as their body. If that leg is cut, the soul's leg is cut.

Prabhupāda: No. Without, without going to other philosophies, best thing is to stick to your own philosophy and try to understand.

Chandobhai: Yes, that is the best thing.

Prabhupāda: That is the best thing.

Chandobhai: Then you'll understand all the philosophies.

Prabhupāda: So you take the essence of all philosophies, Bhagavad-gītā.

Guest (1): Extract of every śāstra is Bhagavad-gītā.

Chandobhai: Not only that, you must speak your own philosophy.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Morning Walk -- April 12, 1974, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: Tomorrow we are going to walk all the distance.

Prabhupāda: Yes. I say that we devotees, we are not afraid even of demons. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (break) Asad-grahāt. Hitvātma-pātaṁ gṛham andha-kūpaṁ vanaṁ gato yad dharim āśrayeta (SB 7.5.5). He asked the son, "What you have learned, the best thing, in school?" He said, "My dear asura-varya," not father, "My dear best of the demons, I think this is the best thing." "What is that?" "Now, these people," sadā samudvigna-dhiyām, "always anxious, full of anxiety..." Why? Asad-grahāt: "Because they accepted this material world as all in all." Sadā samudvigna-dhiyām asad-grahāt: "On account of their accepting this material world as everything, therefore they are full of anxiety. Now, to get out of this anxiety, so-hitvātma-pātaṁ gṛham andha-kūpam-ātma-pātaṁ, suicidal place, gṛha, household life, they should give up." Hitvātma-pātaṁ gṛham andha-kūpam. "And then what you will do?" "Oh." vanaṁ gato: "He should give up and go to the forest." "And then?" Vanaṁ gato yad dharim āśrayeta: (SB 7.5.5) "And take shelter of the lotus feet of Hari. I understand this is the best thing." And his father become more angry. "What this rascal is speaking?" like that. (laughing) (aside:) Hare Kṛṣṇa. Jaya. He's all right? Hare Kṛṣṇa. Thank you.

Morning Walk -- April 20, 1974, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Yes. School, college, library, enlightened gentlemen, businessmen, they have all accepted.

Pañcadraviḍa: This is how it would work. This is Akṣayānanda's work. He has been doing this for some months here now. He goes every day to all the different colleges and schools, and he speaks, and he shows them your books for their college libraries. He's been having a lot of programs like this. They always take the Bhagavad-gītā and Kṛṣṇa Books and Nectar of Devotion, like this.

Prabhupāda: Best thing is that "Why your president, he did not write a single Hindi book? He has got so many. He is a famous philosopher. Indian religion, Indian philosophy, and Bhagavad-gītā. Then... He has written so many books but not a single in Hindi."

Indian man (1): Dr. Radhakrishnan belongs to South India.

Prabhupāda: Yes, he is from Madras.

Indian man (1): Yes, he doesn't know.

Prabhupāda: No, he does not know. Sometimes, before my taking sannyāsa, sometimes I used to see him. So once upon a time he asked me, "Swamiji, you are simply writing in English?" So I asked him, "What you are doing?" So he began to laugh. (end)

Room Conversation with Richard Webster, chairman, Societa Filosofica Italiana -- May 24, 1974, Rome:

Richard Webster: Lord Chamberlain tried to stop the war.

Prabhupāda: Well, Chamberlain may tried, might have tried to stop the war, but he could not stop the cause of the war. So far we know that the two wars started by Germany on account of Britain. So far I have studied. The German people did not like the Britishers to occupy the trade all over the world. And wherever they went to trade, they were restricting. I know this fact. In India the Britishers monopolized all trade, and they would not allow German goods to come in. So that was the cause of the war. The German knew that the Britishers, they are purchasing from Germany and stamping it "Made in London" and selling in India at high price. And when the Germans go there, they are not allowed to enter. This is the cause of the war. The Germans still, they do not like to speak in English. They are so envious. So Chamberlain might have tried to stop war, but his nation created the cause of the war. Why there should be... That was the demand, that free trade. Germans, in the, what is called, peace negotiation, their demand was free trade. Everyone... And that is very good. Why trade should be... This is unnatural. Let there be free trade. General public, they want best thing at good price, at cheap price. So if Japan and Germany can supply goods, necessary goods, at cheaper price, why they should be restricted? Let the people take advantage of it.

Room Conversation with Prof. Regamay, Professor of Sanskrit at the University of Lausanne -- June 4, 1974, Geneva:

Prof. Regamay: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Yes, and the grains are put within it and they are all smashed. But one grain who takes shelter of the center, the pivot, it is not smashed. Similarly the modern civilization is such that everyone will be smashed. And one takes the central point shelter, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he will not be. Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). So best thing is to take shelter of Kṛṣṇa and save yourself. Save means... This is saving, if you simply understand Kṛṣṇa. Janma karma... Kṛṣṇa appears, disappears. Kṛṣṇa works here also, in the battlefield or in other field. Kṛṣṇa has a whole activity. You study Kṛṣṇa Book, beginning from the birth up to the point of His leaving this world. Full of activities. Not that because He is God, He is sitting one place. No. Full of activities in all different spheres of life. Art, philosophy, politics, sociology, military arts—everything complete. That is Kṛṣṇa.

Morning Walk -- June 11, 1974, Paris:

Yogeśvara: They say, "Well, māyā we cannot fight, but we can fight the government."

Prabhupāda: Why should you fight? If you cannot... Suppose you cannot... Can you fight with death? Māyā, māyā has imposed upon you death. So fight with māyā, that there will be no death. That you cannot do. So you are always, what is called, defeated. That is your position. Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). So best thing is surrender to Kṛṣṇa for protection. That is wanted. We don't think, "minority." Suppose... Hare Kṛṣṇa people, how many there are in the Paris City? How many?

Yogeśvara: Seventy, eighty.

Room Conversation with Bishop Kelly -- June 29, 1974, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: Duty has to be done despite all inconveniences. That is very important thing. The example is given that one has to take bathing early in the morning, but because it is cold, one cannot avoid it. He must bathe. This morning we had some meeting... (break) ...a little boy, but he was a great devotee, and father was a great atheist. So he was surprised that his son became so great devotee. After all, as a father he asked him, "My dear boy, what nice thing you have learned by your education?" He said, "My dear father, the best thing I have learned, that people are always full of anxiety on account of accepting material..." (break) ...exactly the same thing as you were... So one thing is that formerly it was the practice to go to the forest, go to the Himalaya, but in this age this is not possible. Therefore we have to take shelter of the Lord wherever we are, and that is Hare Kṛṣṇa chanting.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- February 21, 1975, Caracas:

Prabhupāda: I think I have explained this. Instead of contemplating what will happen to this world, you have got a short duration of life, say fifty, sixty years. You chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and go back to home, back to Godhead. Don't consider what will happen to this world. The nature will take care of it. You don't puzzle your brain with these thoughts. You utilize whatever time you have got in your possession and go back to home, back to Godhead. (break) You cannot check it. Best thing is that you mold your life and go back to home, back to Godhead. "Oil in your own machine." Instead of thinking what will happen... They will happen. Because people will go on with their rascal civilization, natural consequences will be there. You better take advantage of whatever time you have got and become fully Kṛṣṇa conscious and go back to home. (break) ...and we are thinking, "You are crazy. You are losing the opportunity of life." Therefore I wrote that "Who is Crazy?" They have got this opportunity, human form of life, to make a solution of all problems, but they do not care for it. They are simply allured, the temporary happiness of this body, and the body will finish within some years. That they do not take care. They think it is all in all, body.

Conversation with the GBC -- March 27, 1975, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I'm a sannyāsī with a travelling preaching party. So I have no... Because I am personally seeing to the money, tbere's no debt on that party. Is that all right?

Prabhupāda: That you decide amongst the GBC. (laughter) Best thing is that don't keep money.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, I have no money in my name.

Prabhupāda: Anyway, you don't... You spend the necessary expenditure, and balance money, you give whatever you like.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, yeah. We're doing... I meant to say...

Atreya Ṛṣi: Śrīla Prabhupāda is...

Prabhupāda: Sannyāsī is collecting and spending.

Atreya Ṛṣi: There you have a function of, more or less of a president, as well as the GBC, in that party.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation with Carol Cameron -- May 9, 1975, Perth:

Prabhupāda: Therefore we should advocate that Bhagavad-gītā is not like that. It is coming in the same form as it was taught to Arjuna. If you challenge that "How you know that it has not been changed?" the ācāryas are there. The ācāryas are there, and they are accepting. Therefore it is correct. We have to follow the ācāryas. So when we see the ācāryas have accepted, then we accept. All the ācāryas, Rāmānujācārya, Madhvācārya, before that other ācāryas also, they accept. They never say that "This was not in the original scripture. It has been changed." You don't find any such statement of the ācāryas. The best thing, therefore, if you want a religious system, Bhagavad-gītā is coming without any contradiction, change, for the last five thousand years. You accept it. Other scriptures are (unclear), and there are so many doubts, so many interpretations. So, if you want real religious system, this is the scripture spoken directly by God, and accepted by all the ācāryas, so take it. If you are really after God, so you take enlightenment from this perfect scripture. If you want truth, it doesn't matter wherefrom it is coming. I must accept the truth.

Morning Walk -- May 20, 1975, Melbourne:

Devotee (2): So as not to disturb the activity of the inhabitants through the daytime.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is the way. If nighttime it rains and daytime there is sunshine, then the land becomes very fertile to produce. Yes. There is a common saying in Bengal, dine jal rātr e tā rā sei janme sukha dhā rā.(?) If it rains heavily during daytime and at night you see the stars, then you should know there will be scarcity of rain. There will be scarcity of rain and scarcity of food grains. Best thing is at night there must be heavy rain, and daytime, there should be sunshine. Then the field will be very fertile.

Hari-śauri: Is the irregularity in the weather and...

Prabhupāda: That is due to sinful life.

Hari-śauri: So if we increase the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement...

Prabhupāda: Then it will be regular. It is nature's punishment. You may not care what is sinful life, but that is recorded. That is foolishness. "I don't care for God, don't care for what is going to happen." That is foolishness. People, lower planetary system, they are like that. In this planet also. In Western countries there are many places. "Don't care for anything, what is sinful life, what is going to happen. Let us enjoy, that's all." This is their philosophy. "Let us enjoy, that's all." Materialistic point of view is like that. They do not know that we are eternal and we are responsible for our activities. That is knowledge. But they have no knowledge. They simply want to enjoy. They do not care for death also. Simply sense gratification. That's all. This is called dānava, dānava life. The scientist explain for so many varieties. They accept there are varieties. Why there are so many varieties of life?

Morning Walk -- June 22, 1975, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Let them chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and they will be rectified.

Jayatīrtha: Yes, that's a best thing. Bhagavān hopes eventually to convert them. Anyway, it's a very beautiful place. Especially this time of year, it's very beautiful.

Prabhupāda: How long it takes to go there from Paris?

Jayatīrtha: About two and a half hours.

Prabhupāda: Hm. Two and a half hours? And what is the nearest town?

Jayatīrtha: It's near Lyons, Orleans, Orleans.

Prabhupāda: Oh. How far it is from our palace?

Jayatīrtha: About half an hour, I think. It is between several big towns. And it's very centrally located for saṅkīrtana all over France.

Prabhupāda: Oh, we can go here and there.

Morning Walk -- July 1, 1975, Denver:

Prabhupāda: Ācchā?

Harikeśa: But meat is all right.

Yadubara: No, some of them, most of them don't say that. It's very contaminating to read those and to follow.

Prabhupāda: Therefore follow taking prasādam. Let whatever may happen.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's the best thing. Let us die eating prasādam.

Prabhupāda: Yes. (laughter) That is devotee.

Sudāmā: Because in the beginning, Śrīla Prabhupāda, you encouraged us, all of us, to take much prasādam, to our full satisfaction.

Prabhupāda: Yes. I say still.

Sudāmā: You said that that is one of our greatest weapons against māyā, is Kṛṣṇa-prasāda. (break)

Yadubara: I'm a good example that these diets are not very good. (laughter) I can testify.

Brahmānanda: Me too.

Prabhupāda: The diets are not good or you are not good?

Yadubara: Oh. (break) ...for one year to alter the diet in so many ways and it never worked. It was useless. (break)

Devotee (2): I think that's for maintaining the right depth to the lake. I think they have a pump house down here, and they maintain the depth of the lake by these things.

Prabhupāda: Water is supplied or...?

Devotee (2): Yes.

Morning Walk -- July 1, 1975, Denver:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, svakarmaṇā. Anyone, he likes to do something, that is his karma. But by that karma, he can serve Kṛṣṇa. Svakarmaṇā tam abhyarcya saṁsiddhiṁ labhate navaḥ. Saṁsiddhi means perfection. (break)

Devotee (1): ...in our preaching work we will be able to maintain our temples, and with our business activities, we will be able to expand and buy all these farms, do so many things.

Prabhupāda: Yes. If it is favorable, do it, business.(?) Therefore we have made program: 50% must come to Kṛṣṇa, at least. Jaya. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (break) (In car:)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ...because that many people are involved.

Prabhupāda: Dieting, the best thing is to take prasādam.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Definitely. It's clear cut. My only feeling about...

Prabhupāda: And if our... Pushed on our men... The thing is they supply more spices, and especially that mustard. This is not good. This is prohibited.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It should be mild, prasādam.

Prabhupāda: Practically no spices. Simply little cumin. And this turmeric. Turmeric you get from India, whole turmeric. This powdered turmeric is very, very bad.

Morning Walk -- July 1, 1975, Denver:

Prabhupāda: It is very cheating. Any powdered spice is not good.

Harikeśa: Asafoetida also.

Prabhupāda: Everything. As soon as it is powder, they will mix with all rubbish things. And it is very easy to cheat you. You are susceptible for being cheated. So they take advantage and cheat you. So best thing is to import spices from India whole and either get it powdered or during time of cooking you make them paste. That is first class.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Crushing.

Prabhupāda: You just put the spices water, soaked in water for some time, and then in mortar and pestle you...

Dhanañjaya: Smash it.

Prabhupāda: That is very nice. And immediately you fresh prepare and put into the vegetable. It will be tasteful, and it will be beneficial. All spices are beneficial.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And much cheaper.

Prabhupāda: Cheaper, of course, there is no question to you what is cheaper. For you everything is "damn cheap."

Room Conversation -- July 31, 1975, New Orleans:

Nityānanda: Yes, they want to become not dependent sexually, even on the men. Just on themselves.

Prabhupāda: So you have to study first of all what is nature's law. You cannot surpass the nature's law. That is not possible. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27). Nature's law will go on. Best thing is, let the hand... the hand can typewrite, but if you say "No, the leg will typewrite," that is not possible. Take hand's business, take leg's business, and combine them cooperatively. Then the body will be nice. If the leg says "Why hand will type? I shall type," that's not possible. "Legs, all right, you walk, and hands that you type." Then combine together. Then it will be nice. You cannot change the different capacities. There is God's law, nature's law. Let the man and woman combine together, live peacefully. The woman takes charge of the household affairs, the man may take charge of bringing money, and they meet together, have Deity at home, together chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Where is the difficulty? That is unity. Combine together, working differently but for the same purpose, for pleasing Kṛṣṇa, then you will become happy. That is equality. Unity in variety. That is wanted. Variety is enjoyment. Variety is not disturbing. Just like Kṛṣṇa gave, all of them fruits, but variety. They are coming from the same source, earth, but Kṛṣṇa is so intelligent—varieties of fruit, varieties of flowers, varieties of grain, varieties of brain. That is enjoyment. So, take instruction from Kṛṣṇa.

Morning Walk -- September 29, 1975, Ahmedabad:

Prabhupāda: Very simple type, very nice. Just get a sketch with your work. This will be done like that.

Brahmānanda: I'll ask Bhārgava. He has his camera. He can take photographs.

Prabhupāda: Yes. And downstairs, all shops. Only the roadside. Other side...

Brahmānanda: Oh, no. That's the courtyard, and then other side, a building. (break)

Bhavānanda: ...at the Gurukula best thing is outdoors classes. As soon as they're in rooms it gets too hot.

Prabhupāda: As far as possible, outdoors.

Bhavānanda: Best place in Māyāpur is on the verandas of the big building. It's perfect.

Prabhupāda: That is very nice.

Brahmānanda: They have verandas on this building?

Prabhupāda: Yes, there is veranda that side.

Brahmānanda: On the inside or the outside?

Prabhupāda: No. No. Inside. Outside closed. (break) ...no that reinforced concrete, all brick. This is all brick. (Hindi) You have got that brick manufacturing concern near?

Brahmānanda: Yes.

Morning Walk -- October 17, 1975, Johannesburg:

Prabhupāda: Yes, predestined.

Harikeśa: But that can all change in a minute.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that can be changed only by... Therefore we are... "Go giri-kānanam, but take shelter of Kṛṣṇa." Vānaṁ gato yad harim āśrayet. "Go, leave your, this so-called family, home, and go to the forest and take shelter of Kṛṣṇa." That is advised by Prahlāda Mahārāja. "That is the best thing in life. If you want to be free from anxiety, give up this so-called family life. Go to the forest and take shelter of Lord Kṛṣṇa." That is Prahlāda Mahārāja's advice. Don't try to adjust it. It will not be possible.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Especially in Kali-yuga.

Prabhupāda: Especially in Kali-yuga. So we are offering them shelter that "In this age you are not accustomed to go to the forest. It will be more inconvenient. Come to our center and be Kṛṣṇa conscious and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Your problems will be solved." This is our mission. Everyone is faced with problem. Otherwise why there is majority of suicide? Everyone is faced with problem.

Morning Walk -- December 24, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Because if you want to be attracted, God has made in such a way that both of them are attractive to one another. That's all. You want to be attracted; therefore woman is made attractive. And the woman wants to be attracted; man is attractive. This is nature's arrangement so that you may be bound up by this attraction. Tayor miṭha hṛdaya-granthiḥ mām. You are already bound up, and by this attraction you will be more tightly bound up. Puṁsāṁ striyā mithuni-bhāvam etad. The whole material attraction means a man's attraction for woman and a woman's attraction for man. But when they are seeking, "Where is woman, where is woman, where is woman," and the woman is seeking, they come here to make this business. Huh? And when they are actually attracted or united, then this bondage, material bondage, will become more tight. Therefore the Vedic civilization is how to slacken it, and ultimately, by force, separation, sannyāsa. Because unless they are separated, there cannot be any spiritual advancement. That is the whole process. The unity is bondage. I have written a letter that man is good, woman is good, and when they are united, they are bad! (laughs) Both of them are bad. And the material world is taking, "This is the best thing." But actually that is not the thing. Man is good, because he is part and parcel of God, and woman is good, part and parcel of God, but when they unite, they become bad. Tayor miṭhādi hrdayanti-maho.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- March 8, 1976, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: Not your way, not his way. Let me understand what is the way you are trying to follow, what is the way he is trying to follow. Now I shall give my verdict, that "This is the right way."

Yaśodānandana: Jaya Prabhupāda.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's it. That is the best thing.

Siddha-svarūpa: So I am offensive, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: You are agreeable to that?

Siddha-svarūpa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Then thank you, no more talk now. We shall talk later. (break)

Brahmānanda: He should... He should cook?

Prabhupāda: I do not know. What is the harm? But he does not like...

Child: Śrīla Prabhupāda!

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Morning Walk -- May 30, 1976, Honolulu:

Hari-śauri: She couldn't look.

Prabhupāda: He got the first prize. You cannot express what mother's feeling is. Best thing is not to see.

Devotee (5): That's the ah..... There are many famous paintings of Christ on the cross and his mother before..., his mother standing before the cross.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Mother cannot see it. Impossible. Better close the eyes. That is artist's realized. How a man can paint the expression of the mother, his child being killed. It is not possible. (break) Lesson by natures' study. Generally.... Generally means that is natural if one is under the protection of father and mother he must be happy. So why shall I give up the protection of father and mother? When my father is quite able, quite rich, and everything complete. Not that the poor father. (break) ...plainly declare, yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham. Teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham (BG 9.22). Practically see. I came to your country without any of these things. You saw. When I came to your country first, I had no center, no.... But who has provided all these hundred temples, big, big palaces, temples? Yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham (BG 9.22). To remain under the protection of Kṛṣṇa you get so much facility. Why not be grateful to Kṛṣṇa? (inaudible) ...and He has given me so many sons, so many houses, so many protection. Shall I not feel grateful? Is it not my duty? What is this nonsense? Kṛṣṇa gives everything, and "No, no, I don't believe in God. God is dead." All rascals. Who denies God, he is the lowest rascal, immediately. Mūḍha. (end)

Garden Conversation -- June 14, 1976, Detroit:

Mādhavānanda: You once asked that same question to Kenneth Keating in Delhi. You said, "You say that this is America, but who owns America?" He could not answer.

Prabhupāda: Kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata (BG 13.3). The best thing is to follow the formula given by Kṛṣṇa: na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). As soon as one denies the supremacy of God, he is either sinful, rascal, lowest of the mankind, in these categories. This is the qualification. So we shall take things very simplified. As soon as we see somebody not Kṛṣṇa conscious, immediately we take him in either of these groups. That's all. Then if he objects, then you come to argument. Hmm? What do you think?

Mādhavānanda: In argument, we can never be defeated.

Prabhupāda: So in the school, college classes, there is sometimes argument?

Satsvarūpa: All the time. (laughter) We always save half the time for questions, and immediately, "How do you know that that is true?" All challenging. "Why should I believe?" "How could God present the scriptures?" All faithless.

Jayādvaita: In this part of the country, I think the students, generally they admit there is God. They're a little pious in this central portion. There are so many farms and they're not so deteriorated.

Prabhupāda: Polluted.

Garden Conversation -- June 22, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: Even in the stool, the worms in the stool, he's also thinking "I have got so much stool to eat." This same mastership. "I am the monarch of all I survey. I have got so much stool." And you just take the worm from the stool, put it here: "No, no, no, here is my enjoyment." This mastership mentality is there in Brahma, and the mastership mentality is there in the worm of the stool. This mentality you have to give up. Then you become liberated. That is liberation. The bondage is that mastership mentality. He's servant, but he's thinking falsely that he's master. Just like your President Nixon. He thought that "Now I have become master of America, I'm president." He forgot that he's servant. As soon as the people wanted, dragged him down. That he forgot, that "I'm servant of the people." So everyone is servant, but falsely thinking "I'm master." That is material disease. The best thing is that if I have to remain servant, why not become servant of Kṛṣṇa? That's all. That is perfection. That is perfect life. Even by becoming a false master of the whole American country, I was not happy, I am now dragged down as a common man, Mr. Nixon, then what is the use of becoming master? It is all false. Let me become servant of Kṛṣṇa; then it is perfect. Instead of becoming a false master of the American country, let me be a real servant of Kṛṣṇa. That is liberty, liberated. Because any stage of my life, to become master is false. That is not possible. He has to be convinced that he cannot be master. Your constitution is to remain servant. If you prefer to remain servant of a big populace in America... But you are servant; don't think you are master. That is sane. And soon as you commit mistake as master, immediately he's in trouble. Is it not? That's it. You give up this false notion that "I am master." Then your all welfare is there. We teach that ask a Godbrother, "Prabhu." Don't become master, but become servant. Prabhu means "my lord." So everyone, if you address each other "prabhu," that mastership mentality will be less. If you remember that "I am not master. I am servant."

Garden Conversation -- June 27, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: That is, if you want to purchase something, you must know where to purchase. Otherwise, you may be cheated. You, generally, you ask your friend that "I want to purchase some diamond, so can you give me some reliable address where I can go and purchase?" Generally, people do that. So you have to do that. If you want to purchase, you must know the preliminary understanding where diamond can be purchased. And if you are not aware of it, you may be cheated. That preliminary knowledge you must have. That means best thing is, those who are dealing with diamonds, you go there. Just like if anyone is inquisitive to understand God, so best thing is those who are dealing with God only, they have no other business. Then you go there. That is the intelligent. Why should you go to a cheater? This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is especially distributing knowledge about God. So why do they not come here and inquire? First thing is, unless one is inquisitive to understand God, or Absolute Truth, he has no necessity of guru. But if he is actually serious, then he must go to a person where the dealing is only God, that's all. Just like ordinarily, if anyone wants to purchase some share of company, he goes to the share market and he sees the price of different shares, and he selects. So everything requires little intelligence, then it is all right. Otherwise, you may be cheated. Whatever business you do, you must do it intelligently. But if you are foolishly doing something, you may be cheated. Why we are opening so many centers all over the world? We are giving opportunity people to come and understand about God. Why do they not come here? Then he can make his judgment that "Here is the genuine party." And if one accepts some cheap God, that means he has no understanding about God. He's a rascal. If I say I'm God and somebody accepts me as God, then he's a foolish man.

Answers to a Questionnaire from Bhavan's Journal -- June 28, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: That is another misgiving. They will never be able to learn Sanskrit, and neither it is possible that by learning Sanskrit they will be elevated. There are many Sanskrit scholars. So how they are elevated? They are rotting. It is not a good suggestion, this. If the harijana actually becomes harijana, then it will benefit. That training we can give. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is that we can make a harijana, a so-called, I mean to say, camaras, bhangis... Now they understand harijana means he must be a camara or bhangi. But that is not the actual... harijana means devotee, "The man of Hari." So in spite of their illiteracy in Sanskrit language, we can make him harijana, actually. So why do you take the trouble of learning Sanskrit? Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). Pāpa-yoni means low-grade birth. So anyone. That includes the camaras, bhangis, they can be purified if they take to the shelter of Kṛṣṇa. Because Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi. The best thing is to induce them to come to Kṛṣṇa. Then they will be purified. And the simple method is recommended by Kṛṣṇa Himself and Caitanya Mahāprabhu, His incarnation: this kīrtana. Engage them in saṅkīrtana movement which is being pushed by this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and they will be purified. They don't require to learn Sanskrit even. As he, it is. Let them chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and they will be purified. And if you want to teach them Sanskrit, it will take three thousand years. (laughter) That is impossible.

Room Conversation -- June 28, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: Seven-three? Oh. So our Ṛṣi Kumāra has come back.

Ṛṣi Kumāra: I couldn't stay away any longer, because I was so bored with everything I was doing. All I could do was chant, and then I had to come back. There's nothing that satisfies except Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Best thing is to preach for some time. Go with the saṅkīrtana party. He's a good mṛdaṅga player also. His photograph is there.

Devotee: From the very beginning.

Prabhupāda: Fifth Avenue.

Rādhāvallabha: Brahmānanda?

Prabhupāda: Yes. He was Brahmānanda's assistant always. Mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. Simply capture Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet. Māyā will not be able to... When you have come here?

Ṛṣi Kumāra: We just got here his afternoon.

Prabhupāda: "We" means along with...?

Ṛṣi Kumāra: I came with Rādhāvallabha prabhu.

Prabhupāda: Rādhāvallabha, just see, young boy, how he's working hard. You were doing also. You were doing so many things at a time. In Bombay you were doing herculean task, everywhere. He knows how to cook, how to give massage, how to... Yes. How to keep accounts, yes. Qualified. How to cook. Everything. So, may Kṛṣṇa save you. What can I say more?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: This evening, Śrīla Prabhupāda, we are arranging that you can see the film a little bit later in your room. Perhaps you would like to sit outside in the garden?

Prabhupāda: Very nice. New York, how is everything going?

Rādhāvallabha: Very nice.

'Life Comes From Life' Slideshow Discussions -- July 3, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Rūpānuga: That means to study the activity, psychology of the...

Prabhupāda: So all the qualities are working, mixed up practically. But prominently like this. Here you cannot have any quality completely of that quality. Other qualities are there, but prominently that particular... Just like demigods. They also become sometimes passionate, sometimes ignorant. So in this material world it is very difficult to find out pure modes of nature in anything. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. Sometimes some quality prominent, sometimes some quality is prominent. So the best thing is to become transcendental to all these qualities. Sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26). That is devotional service. Śuddha-sattva, completely pure goodness. That is wanted.

'Life Comes From Life' Slideshow Discussions -- July 3, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: So some other living entity who is prominent in this quality, prominent that, it does not make much difference. So long he is in the material qualities, he's entrapped. So get him out of this condition and put him into the spiritual platform. That is the solution. Nistraiguṇyo bhavārjuna. In the material world if you think that the quantity of goodness is now big than the other modes of nature, that does not make a solution. Next moment the passion will be prominent, next moment the ignorance will be prominent. You cannot check it or fix him up in one quality. It is not possible. That is not possible. The best thing is to bring him to the unconditional stage, transcendental stage. Sa guṇān... Keep him engaged in devotional service, he is free from influence of all these qualities. That is wanted.

Conversation with Prof. Saligram and Dr. Sukla -- July 5, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: In India, the list you have got? We have got standing order from all institution, universities, colleges, standing orders, "Send as soon as possible."

Devotee (2): The best thing is to distribute them everywhere.

Prabhupāda: In Germany, in Russia, we have got order. The Russian professors, they have given order.

Dr. Sukla: Your interview with the Russian professor was really sublime.

Prabhupāda: You were in Russia?

Dr. Sukla: No, I read in Bhavan's Journal, quoted from Bombay.

Devotee (1): It was in the journal, your article was in one of the Indian journals.

Prabhupāda: My talk with Professor Kotovsky?

Dr. Sukla: Yes.

Evening Darsana -- July 6, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: That is the correct, yes.

Guest (5): So after giving all this in the chapter eighteen, then He points out that despite all these things.

Prabhupāda: No, the thing is, best thing is sarva-dharmān parityajya (BG 18.66).

Guest (5): Mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja.

Prabhupāda: But if you cannot do that, then in your position you can also abhyarcya, you can worship Him. And especially in this age, whatever position you are, you can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. That is abhyarcya. He Kṛṣṇa, he hari.

Guest (5): Worship Him.

Prabhupāda: Yes, this is worship. This is worshiping. "Engage me in Your service." Just like Haridāsa Ṭhākura. He was simply chanting. He was doing nothing. So simply... You are engaged as professor. You go on with your professorship, but chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Where is the loss? Rather, your students will learn "Oh, he is such a big professor, he is chanting. Let me chant." You'll be preaching at the same time.

Room Conversation with Scientists -- July 8, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Opposed.

Prabhupāda: That is not the remedy, because afterwards he give up and become a sannyāsī, and then again become this gṛhastha. This is not good. Opposition is already there, especially in the Western countries; they will never agree. So why do you marry? That is understood. Huh? Both the boys and girls trained in such a way that there must be opposition. So that is expected, that in your married life there will be opposition. So why do you marry?

Hari-śauri: He's talking about if you're married before you come to the movement and one person wants to join the movement and the other person is not very agreeable.

Prabhupāda: No. Any... It is not because there is opposition, therefore I give up family life. Unless one is mature, there is no need of artificially giving up family life. The best thing is if one can remain without marriage. That is very good. No botheration. Hmm. (devotees offer obeisances) (end)

Morning Walk -- July 12, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Rāmeśvara: (break) (in car) So whenever the Congress tries to pass a law to control the purchasing of guns, it is always defeated. They want the people to be able to have guns. They make a lot of money, also, selling guns.

Prabhupāda: The best thing is they should be educated to become gentlemen. Keep guns, but they may not improperly use them.

Rāmeśvara: When New York City had to start borrowing money from the banks, the banks became very powerful. They were able to control the city government and get many favors.

Prabhupāda: What is that favor?

Rāmeśvara: They get special contracts, concession rates, and they are able to get their men appointed to important government positions. Also, in the national government, the government of the United States has to always borrow money from banks. There is something called National Debt. Hundreds of billions of dollars they owe the banks, the United States government, to support all their different programs.

Prabhupāda: National Debt.

Morning Walk -- July 17, 1976, New York:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: They've done that in India.

Hṛdayānanda: The religious leaders have become such cheaters that the governments are thinking "Why shouldn't they pay taxes? They're just ordinary people."

Prabhupāda: Best thing is collect and spend, that's all.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Don't bank a lot of money.

Prabhupāda: No. Best buildings are on this Fifth Avenue, huh?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, Prabhupāda. Stone buildings. They'll last for many hundreds of years.

Kīrtanānanda: No, they will tear them down.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Beautiful buildings, look at them...

Kīrtanānanda: On the lamp post here, green? Right here, on the street side, both sides. Our men went wild last night. We sent out a big party putting up these posters. The thing is nobody will see them today. They're in the temple. (end)

Room Conversation -- July 18, 1976, New York:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think at least three thousand Indians attended, minimum. A huge crowd of Indians, but the big thing was not the Indians, it was the American people.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's a good location for the festival, very important place, Washington Square Park. It's the center.

Prabhupāda: Best thing would have been to keep the Deities for a week there.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That would not have been permitted. They only permitted us legally two hours for everything. That's why we were rushing everything. We only had two hours legally for the whole program.

Prabhupāda: Yes, then there is no need.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I heard people say "We've never seen such a festival, never seen such a parade." I heard these comments. One man said... Someone said, "What's going on?" and he said, "Oh, they have so many things going on here." They were very appreciative. And actually we could not put our full energy into it this year because we were so busy preparing the building simultaneously.

Prabhupāda: And above all, the atmosphere, the weather, was very nice.

Room Conversation -- July 18, 1976, New York:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You once said, "A good businessman, if he knows how to do it, he can make more money sitting in one place..."

Prabhupāda: No, no, no. Money is not our aim. Our aim is how people will understand Kṛṣṇa.

Bali-mardana: He is just using that as an analogy for preaching.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That if you have a good place, many people can be attracted, as many as moving around to many places.

Prabhupāda: My Guru Mahārāja was in favor of preaching in the city because you can get many men.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But do you think I should travel a lot, or what is the best thing?

Prabhupāda: Both things should be done.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Both. So if you... We were hoping that you could give us another chance by coming back next year.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes, I'll come.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But you do say that to a lot of different temples, but we will try to make this doubly big.

Prabhupāda: Always, so long I live, I must come.

Conversation at House of Ksirodakasayi dasa -- July 25, 1976, London:

Jayatīrtha: Yes, the boy threw him out. So they were complaining about this.

Prabhupāda: Just see. How bogus he was. No, when I go to met in Hollywood that, in the beginning that Prabhavananda, the rascal said that "Ramakrishna was formerly Caitanya Mahāprabhu." He began like that. Then I could understand "What a rascal he is, and I have to waste my time." So I did not answer anything. I said, "Thank you very much for your meeting," and I went out. This Ramakrishna rascal's first proposal was that Ramakrishna Thakura was formerly Caitanya. This is beginning. He was so rascal. (pause) (sounds of massage?) This is framework house. If some of the swamis may have said, they say that "Why you call us rascal and so many things?" So you say that "We are not calling you. Kṛṣṇa says. So we are pushing Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So we have to repeat what Kṛṣṇa has said. That's it. We cannot help it. Kṛṣṇa says na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ (BG 7.15). So you are not Kṛṣṇa conscious; therefore you must be mūḍha."

Jayatīrtha: The best thing Kṛṣṇa has to say about them is that they are abuddhayaḥ. The best thing Kṛṣṇa says about them is they are unintelligent. Avyaktaṁ vyaktim āpannaṁ manyante mām abuddhayaḥ (BG 7.24).

Prabhupāda: Abuddhayaḥ, no intelligence. And similarly, those who are demigod-worshipers, they have been described, naṣṭa-buddhayaḥ, "lost of intelligence." These are statements in the Bhagavad-gītā. We are preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness; we have to say. How we can avoid this? It may be displeasing to you, but we are not... (laughter)

Room Conversation -- July 31, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Prabhupāda: Oh. How many hours?

Harikeśa: About seven.

Prabhupāda: That's nice, that is also nice.

Harikeśa: So we're just going to decide after this which is exactly the best thing to do.

Prabhupāda: That is also nice. Which day the...?

Harikeśa: The airplane is on Friday.

Prabhupāda: Friday, that is also. Harer nāma, harer nāma (CC Adi 17.21). Everyone is happy, the children, the woman. They don't demand anything, that "Give us this, give us that." They have simplified, automatically they have simplified their life. And gradually develop, make little cottages, grow little vegetable, little barley or wheat and milk. That is sufficient. We don't require much. We don't want luxury. We want just to subsist. Yavad artha prayojana. We hate the idea of luxury, unnecessary. Do the outsider come to see? Yes?

Bhagavān: Yes.

Room Conversation -- July 31, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Bhagavān: So at that young age they can very easily develop faith in Kṛṣṇa and guru.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā.

sarva-yoniṣu kaunteya

mūrtayaḥ sambhavanti yāḥ

tāsāṁ brahma mahad yonir

ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ pitā

(BG 14.4)

That's all. That study will be nice. Ahaṁ bīja-pradaḥ. Just like father gives the seed, similarly, Kṛṣṇa gives the seed. The seed, when pushed into the womb of the mother and properly nourished, a rose plant comes out. This plant comes out. The seed is there. It is very easy. The father injects the seed within the womb of the mother, and the childs come out. Similarly, whatever is coming out from the earth, the seed-giving father is Kṛṣṇa, and when the seed is pushed within the womb of the mother, then the plant is coming, and everything. This nature's law is going on. Where is the necessity of understanding more than this? We understand the mother is pregnant. Now how she has been, how the child is growing, that is not under your control. It is going on. Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi (BG 3.27), immediately it is in hand of the nature. Even if you study, you cannot understand how things are arranged—the intestine is joined to the navel of the child and the food is supplied, how it is mechanical: do you know everything? Can anyone do? Can anyone understand? But things are there. That is being done by prakṛtiḥ. Even if you study, you cannot understand. So best thing is to understand that it is being done by nature under the instruction of Supreme Lord. Let us chant Hare Kṛṣṇa instead of studying these.... There are many students, many botanists, many.... They, vaguely they are studying, and the have no understanding of Kṛṣṇa. They're denying, rather the father. The child has come into existence without father. This is their knowledge. So instead of becoming such a fool and rascal it is better not to study.

Evening Conversation -- August 8, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: They ask?

Pradyumna: Generally, when they are young, what is the moon, what is the moon made of. So they used to answer, "It's made of green cheese." (laughter)

Prabhupāda: You believe that it is desert and rock and giving so nice shining, cooling effect? In Vedic literature, there is always comparison, analogy, with moon, moon-faced, candra-mukhi. There are so many. The best thing is compared with the moon. We have named Māyāpur-candra. Māyāpur-candrodaya Mandira. Do you mean that a desert is coming out from Māyāpur? You have got rock candy?

Atreya Ṛṣi: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Give me little.

Jñānagamya: Prabhupāda, your temples are the real spaceships. We can go to the other planets and to Kṛṣṇaloka from your temples.

Prabhupāda: Yes, therefore I've given you Easy Journey to Other Planets. It is from India?

Nava-yauvana: It is from India.

Prabhupāda: Fresh.

Room Conversation -- September 6, 1976, Vrndavana:

Akṣayānanda: Deity food only. Yes.

Prabhupāda: So I am speaking of the Deity, not for all. For all others hundred rupees per head, five thousand rupees. Here puri, kacuris, and other things, all the best things. But general is not for puri, kacuri, and... They are general food. We are not going to supply puri, kacuri, halavā to everyone.

Akṣayānanda: No, never. Never have.

Prabhupāda: Only for the Deity.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Others are just dāl, sabji, rice, cāpāṭi.

Prabhupāda: Everything. Everything calculated.

Akṣayānanda: I believe you, Prabhupāda. But to make it practical I want to see every item. The cost, the weight, and everything.

Prabhupāda: It is already calculated.

Akṣayānanda: Then I can do it. Then we can do it.

Prabhupāda: It is already calculated. I calculated not with a fool. With an experienced man.

Room Conversation -- September 6, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Mirage. There is no water. It appears there is water, and the animal goes forward and it goes forward, it goes forward. So this material world is like that. Ask anybody, any so-called successful. Unless he's an ass, nobody will say that this is very comfortable. So best thing is to become niṣkiñcana. Niṣkiñcanasya bhāgavata-bhajana... This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's instruction. Bhāgavata-bhajana means niṣkiñcana. You make nothing this material world. That is real Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And so long I'll make this material world something, then I'll suffer. Best thing is make it... Just like Draupadī. Draupadī, when she was grabbed in the assembly and Duryodhana and Karṇa wanted to make her naked. So generally woman, if you try to make her naked she'll try to save herself. So she was trying to save herself and when she thought, "There is no way. My husbands are here. They are not helping, and..." So cloth is being supplied by Kṛṣṇa, but how long I shall? No, before Kṛṣṇa helping, she was trying to help herself. But when she found that it is not possible, then she did not try to save the cloth. She said, "Kṛṣṇa, save me!" Two arms. You have seen the picture. And then Kṛṣṇa supplied cloth. So it is, "Go on, yes, Duḥśāsana, you go on. You try to make her naked. I'll supply." So this is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's instruction, that one should, if one is serious about bhagavad-bhajana, he should take it, whole material world, as nothing. Sometimes I think, I made nothing this material world, and again retired in Vṛndāvana. Again Kṛṣṇa, you have given so many things. What is the purpose? At that time, I remember Rūpa Gosvāmī's instruction. "This is not mine. This is Kṛṣṇa's." Nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe yuktaṁ vairāgya. We are exerting so much energy to construct a temple, but as soon as we become implicated, "Now I have got this big building. Let me live very comfortably." Then it is very dangerous.

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

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.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Just like in England they would not let you do the Ratha-yātrā, the Indians...

Prabhupāda: Ah. This is discrimination against sect...

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Against minority.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Against minority.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: And no government in the world wants to do that.

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

Room Conversation About Gurukula -- November 5, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So he cannot be... He must go back. We cannot spoil other children.

Rūpa-vilāsa: They are being spoiled by him.

Jagadīśa: I was thinking, to make an example of him, either we should beat him or send him back.

Prabhupāda: Best thing will be send him back. He's incorrigible.

Yaśodānandana: Personally I had that boy with me for two months when I went to South India, preaching, and I thought it would be an asset to have a young boy, but he was so misbehaved that it was too much problem. And the same things that he was doing, in the beginning with me, telling lies and misbehaving, he is still doing now and he does not correct himself never. He has no effort to better his behavior or his conduct. He does not chant his rounds. He rarely comes to the kīrtana, or else when he comes to the kīrtana, he does not chant. He simply plays and makes fun. And it's very... He has a very bad influence on the other boys.

Prabhupāda: No, then he should be sent back. Or he can be sent to Bombay to work ordinarily. Or Hyderabad farm. Like that. Let him work on the ground.

Room Conversation About Gurukula -- November 5, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Rūpa-vilāsa: Bhavānanda told me he did not want to see that boy again.

Pradyumna: In Māyāpur he had some girl...

Jagadīśa: In my opinion, the best thing is to make an example and beat him.

Prabhupāda: Yes, send him to farm, work in the field. If he does not work, beat him. Mūrkhasya laktausadhiḥ. (?)(Hindi conversation)

Yaśodānandana: He was just in Hyderabad for that ceremony there, and he caused such disruption in the whole temple that I don't think they'd want him there.

Jagadīśa: The thing is, if we beat him here and keep him here, then all the boys will straighten up because they will see that if they go bad, then this will be their punishment.

Prabhupāda: As you think, you can do. But I wanted to engage in farm work, in digging.

Room Conversation -- November 15, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So why don't you make a temple like this? You see?

Devotees: (indistinct-talking together) ...attractive point.

Prabhupāda: But then you cannot deny that it is not a temple.

Devotee: Yeah, that's true. Actually...

Prabhupāda: Best thing is this type temple.

Devotee: Like here. With three domes. Well see, it all depends on the cost. I have some cost estimates here that... We figured out it's somewhere between thirty and forty dollars per square foot to build.

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Devotee: Now if we build a temple that's 6,500 square feet, quite a large size, that would come out to $260,000 and on down to 3,600 square feet which would be about $144,000. I've collected about $100,000 on my own and I have another person who promised somewhere between fifteen and twenty-five and by the time that three or four months have... Actually we couldn't build until about six or seven months anyways so by this time...

Prabhupāda: (indistinct) ...that Kṛṣṇa will (indistinct) money.

Room Conversation -- December 12, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: So why 125? Hundred rupees sufficient. If they are eating and we are giving shelter, then a hundred rupees sufficient.

Mahāṁśa: Hundred rupees... If they have a family, then his wife works also and his children who are grown up, they all work. Everyone works.

Prabhupāda: So they'll also work. So that you have to decide. Manage so that there is no misunderstanding. Simply management required. So you... The best thing is that you should sit together...

Tejas: Without fail we have to meet every evening. There shouldn't be any... Without fail every evening we should meet.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That will be all right.

Tejas: There shouldn't be many interruptions. Otherwise then it becomes a botheration.

Haṁsadūta: One question I have, Prabhupāda. Yesterday, day before yesterday, we were discussing the prasādam cooking.

Prabhupāda: So if they bring one nice cook...

Haṁsadūta: Yes, well, this evening I was just over there, and I noticed some of the carpenters are cooking and I don't know who the other people are.

Room Conversation -- December 20, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Every point is very clear. In the Bhagavad-gītā, every point is very clear, unless you interpret it in the wrong way. ("Kṛṣṇa Meditations" is recorded on this tape also, making it indistinct)

Guest: (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: But how it can be called? If you interpret in your own way, interpret in your own way, interpretation, then where is Bhagavad-gītā? Best thing is that take Bhagavad-gītā as it is. Then there will be (indistinct). Why you should interpret? You have no right to interpret on the words of Bhagavad-gītā?

Guest: But Swamiji, you have also given so much (indistinct). That is interpretation.

Prabhupāda: No, that is not interpretation. That is explanation. Interpretation, if I change Kurukṣetra into something else, that is interpretation. That is wisdom. That is wisdom.

Room Conversation -- December 31, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: He qualified? No.

Girirāja: He's finishing his Ph.D.

Prabhupāda: Oh. So he's very qualified.

Girirāja: Yes. And his father said that he is always the first rank in the class. Very outstanding student. And I mean the best thing is his attitude towards Kṛṣṇa consciousness. He asked for a copy of the Bhagavad-gītā and...

Prabhupāda: Where he is now?

Girirāja: He's in Bombay so I invited him to meet you. Actually, he was so interested that the father became scared at the end. He said... You know first he was encouraging me to influence the boy but then at the end he said, "Don't make him a sādhu."

Prabhupāda: Now he has opened his mind.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: What's his name?

Girirāja: Shah.

Prabhupāda: Gujarati.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- January 3, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: He gave hint that "Give Mantrer two lakhs of rupees." Yes. He was canvasser on behalf of Mantrer. He wanted two lakhs.

Setterji: Which we'll not give you a single paisa. We will fight to you. "Come on."

Prabhupāda: So I think you make this point. But best thing is that if you can acquire that land, that is the best solution. We can utilize that land?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, for agriculture. That's very good.

Prabhupāda: It is just in the corner.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: We can have a small gośālā there also.

Prabhupāda: Anything we can do.

Evening Darsana -- January 7, 1977, Bombay:

D. D. Desai: More worried. (laughs)

Prabhupāda: Everyone is very worried. That is described by Prahlāda Mahārāja. When Hiraṇyakaśipu... After all, they are father and son. He inquired from the son, "My dear son, what best thing you have learned?"S So he said, "My dear..." He did not say "My dear father." He said "The best of the asuras." He addressed his father, "The best of the asuras." Tat sādhu manye asura varya dehinam. "My dear the best of the asuras..." He was the best of the asuras. "So I think that is best education..." Tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehinām. Dehināṁ sadā samudvignam asad-grahāt. (break) We have got good rooms like this, not that one has to go to the forest. Even in the Vṛndāvana we have got very good room, but nobody's coming. This is the position. After fiftieth year, voluntarily one must commit civil suicide—no family. And that is Vedic. But he will think of family up to the point of being killed by this revolver. This is going on. Even Gandhi, what to speak of others. He presented himself as very tyāgī, but unless he was killed, he did not give up his ambition. "How my sons, how my countrymen will be happy?" And what happiness you can give? You are not God. Who is taking care of them? But this is māyā. He was thinking, "If I am not there, then whatever I have got, it will be finished."

Room Conversation -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Guest (1) (Indian man): As you have said, it comes and goes attached to the body.

Prabhupāda: Today or tomorrow. Best thing is so long we have got this opportunity of human form of life, let us cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is...

Guest (1): I came other day also and you were advised by the doctors not to see you.

Prabhupāda: No-doctor says like that. I see everyone.

Guest (1): So Gopāla Kṛṣṇa told me... That was the first day with the doctor. You accepted that doctor's decision. So it was first day when I came. So Gopāla Kṛṣṇa told me this is the problem as it is, and I'm not disappointed at all. I am one with Prabhupāda so there is no difficulty. So I took a chance today.

Prabhupāda: So I did not like that idea.

Guest (1): No, but sometimes, Prabhupāda, just to keep... You may not require your body for yourself, but we require your body also for ourselves. So we, all the devotees, always pray to our Lord to give you a long physical body and healthy so that the cause which you have taken up in your hand should be completely fulfilled. This is the way I feel.

Prabhupāda: Yes, I also desire at least let me finish...

Guest (1): I have gone to the Fourth Canto, Fifth Canto.

Prabhupāda: We have finished now Eighth Canto, and Ninth Canto is also at the press. Tenth Canto is already printed, this Kṛṣṇa as the summary of Tenth. Now I have to publish in detail.

Discussion on Deprogrammers -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That they will do. They will do their best. We have to do our best. That's all.

Rāmeśvara: They say, "This would enable the court to remove the young person from the temple for medical examination and evaluation by cult-knowledgeable psychiatrists and psychologists." In other words, deprogramming. "This is the best thing to do. The media would report it..."

Prabhupāda: No, no. But one psyciatrist may give one verdict, but other psychiatrist may give another verdict. Then how the court will decide?

Rāmeśvara: Because in these temporary guardianship cases, the court is already against us in many places.

Prabhupāda: But... Against may be, but so far the decision of the psychiatrist, we can present our psychiatrist.

Rāmeśvara: There's no equal time given. It's one-sided only.

Prabhupāda: That means in the name of justice, injustice is going on.

Rāmeśvara: Yes. This law is unconstitutional. I mentioned that there is a group of lawyers who are now organizing a committee nationwide to defend us, and they're going to prove that this law should be changed.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is the right cause. Yes.

Discussion on Deprogrammers -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Certainly that is a fact. (laughter) All GBC, they are leaders.

Jagadīśa: So you're not brainwashed.

Rāmeśvara: No, the leaders are the ones who are brainwashing everyone else.

Hari-śauri: But then if someone becomes a leader...

Rāmeśvara: Then they say, "The next best thing to do after you get the deprogramming is to hold a press conference to explain all the reasons that there is a need for criminal conviction of destructive cult leaders. Have ex-victims, especially of Hare Kṛṣṇa, present. The truth of their personal experiences carry great weight with reporters. It is now necessary to awaken America to how widespread..."

Prabhupāda: I... In the beginning... I have told many times when I first went that "If I say these prohibitions, who will accept?" And now it has taken a shape, it has become a problem throughout the country. I was thinking, "Who will hear me? As soon as I'll say this, they'll say, 'Go home.' " But by Kṛṣṇa's arrangement it has become a problem. That is Kṛṣṇa's grace. It has become a problem for them; it is success for me. Yes. I presented something which is now a problem for them.

Jagadīśa: They waited too long. They didn't tell you to go home soon enough.

Prabhupāda: (chuckles) No, my creed is at their home.

Conversation on Train to Allahabad -- January 11, 1977, India:

Prabhupāda: Now, nowadays coat-pant is very costly. If you can spend your money, costly dress, we have no objection. Then you have to earn more; you have to work more. Therefore we are simplified.

Rāmeśvara: Ultimately, it is the best thing.

Prabhupāda: If they want to come in that dress, come in. If you want, come in.

Rāmeśvara: I have been studying this record business in the last month or two.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Rāmeśvara: I've been studying the record business in America. People spend more money on records than they do on books. In general people are buying more records than books.

Prabhupāda: (aside:) Give them some seat. Is there any carpet? Bring something.

Hari-śauri: What time do you want to take prasādam, Śrīla Prabhupāda? It's 8:25 now.

Prabhupāda: Whenever... You take?

Hari-śauri: Well, we'll all take in that other carriage, and you can eat undisturbed. I'll remain here or whatever you want.

Prabhupāda: I may take little later.

Conversation on Train to Allahabad -- January 11, 1977, India:

Prabhupāda: So you get more income. For using it, let them come and take prasādam. Don't accumulate money.

Rāmeśvara: No.

Prabhupāda: Get money and spend it.

Rāmeśvara: Prasāda distribution is the best thing.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Rāmeśvara: There was a big parade in Los Angeles called the Rose Bowl, one million people. So we made ten thousand bags of peanuts and raisins and called it "Govinda's Nuts 'n' Raisins." We were tossing it to the crowd, and they were going, "Hare Kṛṣṇa! Here! Kṛṣṇa!" They were begging for it.

Prabhupāda: Just see.

Rāmeśvara: We could have passed out prasāda for one million people if we had had enough money.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Earn money like that.

Rāmeśvara: It costs a lot of money.

Prabhupāda: Either produce food in the farm or earn money and purchase, but give prasādam.

Room Conversation with Film Producer about Krsna Lila -- January 22, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: That is not surrender.

Guest (1): Guruji, we must get your blessing definitely. In future we are...

Prabhupāda: Then, if you make conditional blessing...

Guest (2): No, no. No condition. With full devotion, full surrender...

Prabhupāda: Best thing is... This is the formula given by every big personality. The Rūpa Gosvāmī, he is authorized person for bhakti-mārga. He says, ādau śraddhā tato sādhu-saṅga.

Guest (2): We are so lucky. We are writing the letter... We wrote here that "From distant land of Orissa, Guruji... This is... Your literature has tempted us, and perhaps it is your intention that we should go upon..., with Nitai Gaura..."

Prabhupāda: Just like our this Kṛṣṇa book, from the very beginning, or Bhagavad-gītā. You try...

Guest (2): So eleven or twelve days' time... We have posted the letter on seventh, and yesterday this gentleman from here rang me that "You were searching for the Guruji, and he is at..." "Nonsense." When I am busy giving some dictation to my steno. "He is humbug." So from there we came here.

Prabhupāda: Thank you. Hare Kṛṣṇa. So if you want to give education, take it from the very beginning, ABCD, and present nicely so that people may..., can take advantage.

Room Conversation about BTG the Moon -- February 18, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: He has no experience of this...

Brahmānanda: We have always understood that the editor should be a senior man...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Brahmānanda: ...who is spiritually strong. Śrī Govinda is not spiritually strong, and he is not a senior man.

Prabhupāda: So best thing will be Satsvarūpa now shall edit.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There's some serious discrepancies. One thing is that after your name at the beginning they have written founder-director instead of founder-ācārya.

Prabhupāda: They are making mine?(?)

Satsvarūpa: Because the American public would not be able to accept that. Then later in the issue...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It says, "His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, founder and director of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement."

Prabhupāda: Of course, ācārya means director. That is another... But why they search out?(?)

Satsvarūpa: One difficulty is later in the issue they referred to Kīrtanānanda Mahārāja as "founder and director." So it makes him... "Of New Vrindaban." So you're director and he's director, so you're equal. They're described as equals. But if you were ācārya, he could not be also called ācārya of New Vrindaban.

Prabhupāda: No, it should be continued as "ācārya"

Room Conversation -- February 19, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: We can also do that.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. And it's so horrible that when this happens... Just like...

Prabhupāda: No, best thing is we find out another venue. But if there is possible, we can also give. It is very nice, example: fight and give him some lesson. There are many examples. The Pāṇḍavas did it.

Hari-śauri: What situation did they do that?

Prabhupāda: There was a rākṣasa disturbing Bhīma, so he became like a female, and she came, and gave him (laughing) good lesson.

Hari-śauri: Yes. Lord Rāmacandra chopped off the nose of Rāvaṇa's sister.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is not bad. (break) ...must go on.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Double.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- April 22, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Another Godbrother, he asked me fifty thousand rupees to maintain his temple.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: How much?

Prabhupāda: Fifty thousand. So I said, "Yes, I can give you fifty thousand, but this is mleccha money. You'll be polluted. Best thing is that give. We can maintain. I'll immediately deposit fifty thousand." He has stopped. (laughs) "We are mlecchas. I am the leader of the mlecchas, so my money will pollute you. But if you are feeling difficulty, you hand over the temple to us, and on condition I immediately deposit fifty thousand in the name of the temple."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Then he was not interested. Suddenly his problems were solved. He didn't take the money.

Prabhupāda: Money is not mleccha. But when we offer to eat something, we are mleccha.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No one will take... A lot of the men, people, will not take prasādam at our temples for the same reason.

Prabhupāda: Now they are taking. And some of them are not.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Some swelling in the stomach?

Prabhupāda: Hm? No, I am feeling all right.

GBC Meets with Srila Prabhupada -- May 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Girirāja: And also for Māyāpur add him as a trustee.

Prabhupāda: Very good. So do it. His condition will take some time. He has agreed. Then he's gone to London.

Girirāja: Then for the bank accounts, the main fund is the ISKCON Māyāpur-Vṛndāvana fixed deposits and savings account. So we thought that the best thing would be to have a committee to oversee the spending of this money in terms of your desire. So we propose that the committee consist of Gurukṛpā Mahārāja, Rāmeśvara Mahārāja, Jayapatākā Mahārāja, Tamāla Kṛṣṇa Goswami, Gopāla Kṛṣṇa and myself.

Prabhupāda: Very good. Approved.

Girirāja: This would represent Gurukṛpā, who's collecting also the money, and Rāmeśvara.

Prabhupāda: I think you are all competent. Very good selection. Do it.

Girirāja: Then the persons who sign the checks, they would do so according to the decision made by the...

Prabhupāda: Of this committee.

Girirāja: Yes.

Prabhupāda: That's nice.

Conversation -- July 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So with that feeling I want to produce them also, my followers. Everyone should be like that.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Like a rain cloud pours water everywhere. Did you speak with Akṣayānanda Swami last night or something? No. Well...

Prabhupāda: No, no... They were... There will be no disturbance from his side.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I have seen. Mr. Myer cannot do anything as long as... Mr. Myer, he... At this point Akṣayānanda is running everything. Mr. Myer cannot do anything more than just...

Prabhupāda: No, I can do. Both of them can be told.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's the best. Okay. 'Cause Mr. Myer was wondering if Akṣayānanda Mahārāja had been told, because Akṣayānanda Mahārāja didn't mention anything. The best thing is to call them both. Okay. Let's see if the others have come through about that prasādam. (end)

Bhu-mandala Diagram Discussion -- July 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Like map.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, oh, like a map. Once they are put on canvas, can they be rolled, Puṣkara?

Puṣkara: Yeah. The best thing is to put them on a board and just permanently put these onto the best possible...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He says the best thing is to mount them on something and then display them somewhere, keep them permanently that way, stretched out.

Puṣkara: Every time you roll it, it gets ruined more.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Every time you have to roll it...

Prabhupāda: Take one room in the gurukula building.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It will be very interesting. They can use this for teaching.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Explain there in bold and this picture.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, explanation can be... This book is the explanation.

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Room Conversation about Grhasthas -- July 17, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: No, no. There is chance, I said.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: The karmīs' association is very contaminous. Asat-saṅgī. So for him the best thing will be to take a room in Bombay. Let him do business.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I'm sure now that... I'll convey all...

Prabhupāda: Gṛhastha should not be dependent on Society. At the same time, he should not be independent of the Society. (laughs) This is the position. Because Society cannot take charge of a family. There will be so many number of families. How it is possible? At the same time, if they remain independently of the Society, without touch, then the karmīs' poison will infect.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It seems like the solution is to get apartments near the temple, get room near the temple.

Prabhupāda: Why not in the temple? Why? If he pays, what is wrong?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, in a place like Bombay where we have so many buildings, in the temple. But sometimes... Just like in America, if there's only one building with only...

Prabhupāda: No, America also... Just like Los Angeles we have got.

Room Conversation -- August 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Surabhī: And before I asked the question, he told me what my question was. So he said, "You have two questions." I said, "No, I have one." He said, "No, you have two." Because my question was how long you will stay. So he said, "No, you want to know about health and about life span." So he gave both answers. He also said that the medicine... The best thing for you to take is milk of a black cow and juice, fruit juice. That is the best to take.

Prabhupāda: Fruit juice.

Surabhī: Yes. Lot of juice and milk of black cow. And then tulasī.

Prabhupāda: That is not difficult.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That you're practically doing.

Prabhupāda: But he said "black cow."

Surabhī: He insisted on black cow.

Yaśomatīnandana: Śyāmala.

Surabhī: And if black is not... Bhagatji is looking for a black cow. He's been looking for the last two weeks. And also tulasī, he said. That is very important to take.

Prabhupāda: So you have? You can give me.

Room Conversation -- August 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: That's very encouraging.

Prabhaviṣṇu: Everywhere we went the people would...

Prabhupāda: The best thing is that in Bangladesh you get foreign exchange. You print books there. It think it is cheaper there. Never mind for the quality, but you'll get good number of books. The government will be pleased.

Prabhaviṣṇu: Yes. Then we can export the books also into West Bengal.

Prabhupāda: Yes. In this way organize these two places with the courage of an Englishman and the heart of a Bengali mother. And we should ventilate in the papers that this Indian investment of American money is not American money. It is my money. I have written books, laboring whole night. The American boys have cooperated with me by printing, by distributing, and the money was received by selling the books. So the books are mine. I have given to the society. So I have done business, regular, in foreign countries. I have earned money and spending the same money in my country. It is not American money. It is my money. I have done business. That's all. It is a credit for Indian son so to do such tremendous business and bring money for investing in his own country, from the national point of view... Why the...? The Americans are not claiming that this is their money. They are my disciples; they are cooperating with me. Actually it is a business. I have done business, I have earned money and brought it at home to spend. Everyone does. They should not misunderstand that I have stolen money from America and brought it. It is fair business. That's all. Ventilate this. They are under impression that the American government is supplying, the World Bank is supplying. Nobody is supplying. I am earning money by business, by my hard labor.

Room Conversation -- August 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Bhakti-caru: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, I don't see how it is having so much effect.

Prabhupāda: No effect.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Powder isn't working effectively, and milk is keeping you going. I don't see that this medicine is doing anything. It's not giving you appetite.

Prabhupāda: Not even taste.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No. It's giving you bad taste. You don't like to take it.

Prabhupāda: So your opinion not to take?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: My opinion is that if you feel that... I don't see that it's having any effect. I think the milk is the best thing, milk, mango milk like you're taking, little juices. This is for creating appetite, I think.

Prabhupāda: Take the courage of an Englishman and the heart of a Bengali mother. (end)

Room Conversation -- October 3, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But only once.

Prabhupāda: Yes. And at night, Complan.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He said you can take Complan, I think, more than once, if you want.

Prabhupāda: No, he's coming. Ask him then. The best thing will be... Call him immediately.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Bhakti-caru. All right. I think so also. And he would want to be here. I have no... None of us have any problem working cooperatively. It's just that I don't want to see someone be given this responsibility who's not qualified, like Sac-cid-ānanda. I don't want to trust you to his care, Sac-cid-ānanda's care. That would be very bad on our part. And Bhagatji's just... I don't know how to explain it, but I'd rather it be Bhakti-caru.

Prabhupāda: No. All of them can cooperate. Anyway, call him.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: All right. What does the kavirāja say about your chances, Śrīla Prabhupāda? What does he say about your chances of surviving? (Prabhupāda coughs) How can you drink milk when the cough is like this? I cannot understand how they can recommend milk.

Prabhupāda: No, that counteracts any...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Ādā?

Prabhupāda: He is giving medicine for that.

Room Conversation -- October 3, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: They're thinking like that. We cannot freely have our money.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually it's only with the greatest difficulty that you were able to transfer this fixed deposits. Four times they came to you, and for even a half hour to one hour at a time went on and on, explaining to Prabhupāda why he should not do this. Really the best thing is that, I mean, if I can give this humble advice, is that someone like Girirāja should deal with them instead of... Because I feel, Śrīla Prabhupāda, they take advantage of you when they talk with you, and that makes me feel very bad to see.

Prabhupāda: Then tell Girirāja. Ask Girirāja to take...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Because they see that you're not that well, and they also know that you're so merciful. And you're also a local Brajabāsī in a way. Therefore they're always against any of us taking any participation. It's the funniest thing. I explained something to Girirāja. He's been dealing with so many legal things for so long that he's become like a lawyer, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Central Bank is very straightforward.

Room Conversation About 10th Canto -- October 16, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Pradyumna: Tataś ca brahmā moha (Sanskrit—to nipapātetāha)

Prabhupāda: Instead of defeating Kṛṣṇa, he became defeated. He could not understand what He was doing. Brahmā is the chief person within this universe. He became so much bewildered, what to speak of so-called scientists and philosophers. We should not make such attempt. The best thing is sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66). We should give up all our tiny efforts to defy the arrangement of Kṛṣṇa. Better whatever arrangement He is proposing, do like this. This is Bhagavad-gītā. That will make us happy. Is this clear?

Pradyumna: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda. Then it says, (Sanskrit). So mohayan vatsa-bāla-steyena, "By stealing the vatsa and bālas," mohayitum upakramamāṇaḥ... Viśvanātha Cakravartī says, "Just beginning to try to make him illusioned." (Sanskrit)

Prabhupāda: I have already explained that.

Pradyumna: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Instead of bewildering Kṛṣṇa, he became defeated.

Doctor Visit and Conversation -- October 20, 1977, Vrndavana:

Dr. Gopal: Yes. Yes, I understand. For your body, I can say. Can you take little bit of ice cream or cold custard?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Dr. Gopal: Then please ask somebody to bring it.

Prabhupāda: Best thing hari-nāma.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Best thing.

Prabhupāda: Let me hear Hare Kṛṣṇa and peacefully pass away.

Dr. Gopal: But I think I am not making any hindrance in your normal routine. And whatever medicine I am giving you, I will cut it down by fifty percent now.

Prabhupāda: If I can pass in that way, that will be very nice.

Dr. Gopal: I think swelling is not there now.

Bhavānanda: This hand, swelling has completely gone.

Dr. Gopal: It is still there, but it is less. Can I see your throat? Say "Ah."

Prabhupāda: Ahhhhhhh.

Room Conversation -- October 24, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Where? Śrī Raṅgam.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So the man must be very... He's not so smārta. Because he will allow Westerners to live with him, he's favorable. So Smara-hari, one of the devotees here... We felt that if we do not find from Jalan or anyone a good kavirāja in Calcutta, then let us send two devotees to Śrī Raṅgam to meet with this head pūjārī and get his help for finding out a proper Rāmānuja kavirāja and bring him to Māyāpur. And immediately let us go to Māyāpur. Why should we sit here waiting here? Because actually we don't find any benefit from waiting here. The idea was to give change of climate, and what is the purpose of waiting for that to happen? Because we're not gaining anything by staying here except that the weather is becoming colder, so it becomes more and more dangerous to travel in cold weather. And as far as bringing a kavirāja goes, now we've already seen there's not going to be one in Vṛndāvana, so at best, we'd have to bring him from Delhi. But whether a man has to come from Delhi or come from Śrī Raṅgam, he's going to have to come and visit and stay with us. And once the treatment begins, if we get a Delhi kavirāja, he's going to have to keep coming down here. We don't want to have to stay here for more than one or two weeks. But the treatment is going to be longer than two weeks. So then we'll be stuck here. If we depend upon a Delhi kavirāja we'll be stuck here. Best thing is someone from Calcutta, because then they can come frequently to Māyāpur. But in the event that we cannot get someone from Calcutta, then we should take the help of one kavirāja from South India. And your dream was that it was a Rāmānuja kavirāja who was preparing the medicine. I think that after it's prepared he may administer the medicine for some time, but afterwards we can find another kavirāja. If he has to return to South, then another kavirāja may continue the treatment.

Prabhupāda: There is no treatment.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Simply giving. The preparation is the main thing. So therefore let him come and prepare it in our presence. Do you feel that he should come and prepare it in your presence? You want to see him? Or can it be prepared in South and brought by the devotees?

Prabhupāda: No, I have no... If he is reliable.

Room Conversation -- October 24, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: No, there is no explanation. He must be sincere, the kavirāja, and must know how to do it. That's all.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: On one hand, we didn't want to take Bhakti-caru Mahārāja away from you, because he's serving properly, and this is the best thing. I can see that you also don't want that. So then we can find... It's good if one Indian devotee goes with Smara-hari. But there are others that we can find. No, we can find someone. That's not... You don't have to tax yourself for that, Śrīla Prabhupāda. But this is our idea, that why we should wait here? The longer we wait, the colder the weather becomes. And what advantage do we gain by waiting here? There's no advantage gained. You could say "Well, because if we wait here and I get the medicine immediately, and I start to take the medicine, then I will become stronger." But our feeling is that strength will take time. So just by waiting for two weeks, the strength will not increase so significantly to make traveling less risky. Traveling is risky if we are not careful. If we take great care, then traveling will not be risky.

Prabhupāda: So by plane or train?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: By plane or train? Well, I think that... I think train is better.

Prabhupāda: Why?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Because... There's a number of reasons. First of all, there's no Jumbo jets, and they're Indian Airlines planes. They're Indian Airlines smaller planes. They're jets, but they're not the big jet. The flying...

Prabhupāda: No, nowadays that bus...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Airbus.

Prabhupada Vigil -- November 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: No, no. Risk is there, and risk is here. So better take the risk here.

Bhavānanda: And chance of survival is here and chance of survival is there. But where is the...

Prabhupāda: No. Provided you reach there. There is survival or whatever it may be, but whether there is arrival? The best thing is no medicine and kindly give me some (sic:) circumambulation and leave me to the fate.

Bhakti-caru: But, Śrīla Prabhupāda, don't you think that the medicine is working, is having some good effect?

Prabhupāda: If it is working, then why I'm not feeling any strength?

Bhakti-caru: That will come slowly, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Ah. That means I have to take the medicine and not that risking. The best thing is, whatever service you can give, you arrange. Leave me without medicine.

Bhavānanda: Why is that the best thing, Śrīla Prabhupāda? Why is that the best thing?

Prabhupāda: Because all, everything has failed.

Prabhupada Vigil -- November 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Anything may come up. Just like sometimes you get a cough. Cough doesn't mean death. Sometimes you pass a little more stool. That doesn't mean death. So anyway, the idea is that having a kavirāja personally present naturally is the best thing. So if it's not possible, and that does develop, then we'll have to call upon the man he's..., this assistant.

Prabhupāda: So why call Māyāpur? Let him supply the medicine from Calcutta.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Supply the medicine from Calcutta. Well, he said he can give enough medicine now to last I think for about another ten days. Even now.

Prabhupāda: So that is all right.

Bhakti-caru: Yes. The main medicine, we have the supply for ten days already, that, the one that he distilled yesterday.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Of course, we can still try and convince him not to go. That would be the best thing.

Prabhupāda: No, he's staying, but actually you are administering his medicine. It doesn't require...

Bhakti-caru: His presence.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Providing everything goes according to his plan. Yes, his presence is simply an encouragement, not necessarily a necessity so far.

Prabhupāda: If he cannot stay, let his medicine remain and let him go. But if you think that I am burden now...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, that's not what we think. We will never think that. There will never come that time.

Room Conversation -- November 3, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Resting. (Bengali)

Dr. Kapoor: Can hardly speak.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Resting is good in this case. Best thing. Maybe I can read some nice news, Śrīla Prabhupāda. Would you like that? This is a very nice report, Śrīla Prabhupāda, from Peru. Dr. Kapoor said anyone would fall in love with it at first sight. (laughter) Pañca ought to see the Tenth Canto. This is a new edition of Tenth Canto that has just come out. You'll find some illustrations at the very beginning.

Dr. Kapoor: I think you have excelled all other publishers in this art. (laughs)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: These are Spanish publications. We were just reading. These are the books that they were distributing, that they were talking about, Kṛṣṇa book in Spanish, three parts. There's also some Spanish nectar that came.

Upendra: It's in the other room, I think.

Dr. Kapoor: Which other languages have you translated Prabhupāda's books in? French?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, there's I think twenty-seven languages. French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Swedish...

Dr. Kapoor: Oh. All the books are translated?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No. Gradually, one by one. This is Dvārakeśa. He's in charge of the translating department for East Europe. Which languages do you translate?

Dvārakeśa: Russian and Hungarian. And others translate into Yugoslavian and Polish, Czechoslovakian.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He has preached in some of those countries already.

Pañca-draviḍa: Now Bhagavad-gītā in Arabic also.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Arabic, Chinese, Japanese. Twenty-seven languages altogether. One by one, they're being translated. Some are doing... Of course, the German, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian, these are the main languages. And Hindi. These books are going quicker in translation. Shall I finish reading this report, Śrīla Prabhupāda? (break)

Dr. Kapoor: It's a miracle what is happening, Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- November 5, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But stool-passing this many times is not right either. Passing stool five, six times, that is not right. It's obvious that it's a result of something. It's either the medicine or the diet. Prabhupāda says it's the medicine, just like last time when he took that makara-dhvaja, and he was right. It was the medicine. (break) ...the best thing to do. There may be some good effect by taking the medicine in addition to the causing you to pass stool. So if by giving you some other small medicine at the same time, you can still take this medicine and you don't pass stool, then that's the best thing. This only a kavirāja knows. I don't know this. I have no idea. Maybe we should take the help of that... This doesn't seem like a very difficult thing, Śrīla Prabhupāda. Passing stool is something that any kavirāja should be able to treat, and maybe for this small thing we should call that assistant who was here yesterday. That's why that kavirāja from Calcutta arranged for there to be an assistant here, in case... In other words he came and diagnosed the disease, and he made a very complicated thing, medicine that an expert had to make. And for the fact that there might be some side effect, that you may not sleep properly or you might be passing stool, something of this kind, he found out one assistant for the purpose of helping in these cases. So why not carry through with that and take the help of this assistant, see what he says? This is a common ailment that people have, diarrhea or passing stool too often, loose bowels. That's not a very major problem.

Prabhupāda: No, you have to stop.

Room Conversation -- November 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Okay.

Prabhupāda: Who is attending?

Bhavānanda: Upendra.

Prabhupāda: Upendra is very good attendant. (break)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We were discussing how to make this parikrama possible, and we've concluded that the best thing was, as we said earlier, to parikrama around Vṛndāvana to begin with. And for that purpose we sent Lokanātha Mahārāja and Pañca-draviḍa Mahārāja and Trivikrama Mahārāja to get a bullock cart ready.

Prabhupāda: Hired or purchased?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, for now just hired, not purchased.

Room Conversation -- November 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So what we have to pay?

Lokanātha: We'll pay hundred rupees, one day. Of course, you want to have it for all the time. Best thing is to purchase a set of bullocks, two bullocks, and a cart.

Prabhupāda: You have got experience.

Lokanātha: Yes.

Prabhupāda: So what is better?

Lokanātha: Well, depends on whether we like to use it for longer time. Then we should purchase. If it is just for a few days, best thing is to hire.

Prabhupāda: Hundreds rupees and food.

Lokanātha: No. He has his food for himself and bullocks. So that's for the cart, two bullocks and the driver.

Prabhupāda: That's nice.