Chair

Expressions researched:
"chair"

SB Canto 2

SB 2.8.14, Purport:

Even on this planet of our present residence, one cannot achieve a good position within the social order without being qualified with proportionate good work. One cannot forcibly sit on the chair of a high-court judge without being qualified for the post. Similarly, one cannot enter into the higher planetary systems without being qualified by good works in this life. Persons addicted to the habits of passion and ignorance have no chance of entering the higher planetary systems simply by an electronic mechanism.

SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)

SB 10.89.8-9, Translation:

There he went up to the Supreme Lord, who was lying with His head on the lap of His consort, Śrī, and kicked Him on the chest. The Lord then rose, along with Goddess Lakṣmī, as a sign of respect. Coming down from His bedstead, that supreme goal of all pure devotees bowed His head to the floor before the sage and told him, "Welcome, brāhmaṇa. Please sit in this chair and rest awhile. Kindly forgive us, dear master, for not noticing your arrival".

CC Adi-lila

CC Adi 5.123, Translation:

He serves Lord Kṛṣṇa, assuming all the following forms: umbrella, slippers, bedding, pillow, garments, resting chair, residence, sacred thread and throne.

Teachings of Lord Caitanya

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 20:

For the Supreme Absolute Truth, there is no change. It is simply that a by-product results from His inconceivable powers of action. In other words, a relative truth is produced out of the Supreme Truth. When a chair is produced out of crude wood, it is said that a by-product is produced. The Supreme Absolute Truth, Brahman, is immutable, and when we find a by-product—the living entity or this cosmic manifestation—it is a transformation, or a by-product of the Supreme. It is like milk being transformed into yogurt.

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Krsna Book 48:

When Kubjā saw that Lord Kṛṣṇa had come to her house to fulfill His promised visit, she immediately got up from her chair to receive Him cordially. Accompanied by her many girlfriends, she began to talk with Him with great respect and honor. After offering Him a nice place to sit, she worshiped Lord Kṛṣṇa in a manner just suitable to her position. Uddhava was similarly received by Kubjā and her girlfriends, but he did not want to sit on an equal level with Kṛṣṇa and thus simply sat down on the floor.

Krsna Book 61:

Each and every wife had hundreds and thousands of maidservants, yet when Kṛṣṇa entered the palaces of His thousands of wives, each one of them used to receive Kṛṣṇa personally by seating Him in a nice chair, worshiping Him with all requisite paraphernalia, personally washing His lotus feet, offering Him betel nuts, massaging His legs to relieve them of fatigue, fanning Him to make Him comfortable, offering all kinds of scented sandalwood pulp, oils and aromatics, putting flower garlands on His neck, dressing His hair, getting Him to lie down on the bed and assisting Him in taking His bath.

Krsna Book 69:

Lord Kṛṣṇa is the teacher of the whole world, and in order to instruct everyone how to respect a saintly person like Nārada Muni, He bowed down, touching His helmet to the ground. Not only did Kṛṣṇa bow down, but He also touched the feet of Nārada and with folded hands requested him to sit on His chair. Lord Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality, worshiped by all devotees. He is the most worshipable spiritual master of everyone. The Ganges water, which emanates from His feet, sanctifies the three worlds. All qualified brāhmaṇas worship Him, and therefore He is called brahmaṇya-deva.

Krsna Book 69:

In some palaces Lord Kṛṣṇa was found riding on horses, elephants or chariots and wandering hither and thither. Elsewhere He was found lying down on His bedstead taking rest, and somewhere else He was found sitting in His chair, being praised by the prayers of His different devotees. In some of the palaces He was found consulting with ministers like Uddhava on important matters of business. In one palace He was found surrounded by many young society girls, enjoying in a swimming pool.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 1.30 -- London, July 23, 1973:

British man: ...made of a very inferior metal, in fact, in lead. But we couldn't think anything better than having this badge made for you in solid gold, twenty-four carat, and hereby we present it on behalf of the members of the guild to you, our most beloved leader.

Prabhupāda: Thank you very much. (devotees all shouting Haribol!) So, how it is to be used?

British man: Just like this, m'Lord. Has a pin on it.

Prabhupāda: Oh, I see. Thank you. Hm. Betiye, saheb. Idara chair ne. (Hindi) This is Part One? Betiye.

Lecture on BG 2.13 -- Mombassa, September 13, 1971:

Prabhupāda: What is the proper time now?

Devotee (1): Seven o'clock, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Seven o'clock.

Devotee (1): Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Yes, everyone sit down on the chair.

Lecture on BG 4.26 -- Bombay, April 15, 1974:

Prakṛti means to be used by the puruṣa. Therefore our position is, real position is, we should be used be the Supreme Personality of Godhead, puruṣa, Puruṣottama. This is our position. But artificially we are trying to become the puruṣa. That is māyā. Instead of being utilized be the puruṣa, we are trying to become the puruṣa, to utilize the material nature. Yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat. The world is going on, the material world, because the living entities in the attitude of becoming puruṣa, they are trying to exploit the resources of this material nature. This is going on. (aside:) You sit down, you people, on the chair.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- Nairobi, October 29, 1975:

So what is the difference between eating between the dog and me? He is eating according to his taste, I am eating also. The eating business is there in the dog also. Don't think that because you are eating on table, chair, plates, nice preparation... It is eating. People are taking that "Because I am eating on table, chair and nice dish and nice preparation, therefore I am civilized." The śāstra says that it may be different types of taking the eatables, but it is eating. That is even in dog. It does not make any difference. You are not civilized. Similarly sleeping.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.2.6 -- London, August 26, 1971:

So there was big meeting of the sages, and Sūta Gosvāmī was on the chair. So amongst the audience, one sage, his name was Śaunaka, he was putting questions to the speaker and he was answering chapter by chapter. So one question was there, that in this age, Kali-yuga... Kali-yuga means the age of dissension, disagreement. Nobody agrees with anybody. Everyone is independent.

Lecture on SB 1.2.24 -- Los Angeles, August 27, 1972:

Without brain, simply active, that is dangerous. Sober activity is required. Just like a high-court judge. He is paid very lump sum, money, but he's sitting on his chair and simply thinking. The others may think that "We are working so hard, we are not getting so big salary, and this man is getting so big salary. He's sitting only." Because foolish activity has no value. It is dangerous. So this modern world, they very active, but they're foolishly active, in the ignorance and passion, rajas tamas. Therefore there is confusion activity.

Lecture on SB 1.8.48 -- Mayapura, October 28, 1974:

So actually, a sane man is thinking that "After all, the idea was that I should be enthroned on this chair, on this throne of the kingdom, and for me so many animals and men were killed." Here it is mentioned, yes (reading), "A solid phalanx of 21,870 chariots, 21,870 elephants, 109,650 infantry and 65,600 calvary is called an akṣauhiṇī." Such eighteen divisions of soldiers were there on one side. "And many akṣauhiṇīs were killed on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra.

Lecture on SB 1.10.3 -- Mayapura, June 18, 1973:

So here is a responsible monarch, Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. It is not that some rascal gets some votes and some way or other he sits on the president's chair and secretly doing all nonsense. Just like your President Nixon is now detected, so many things. The monarchy was not like that. Here it is clearly said, pravṛtta-vijñāna-vidhūta-vibhramaḥ. Vijñāna-vidhūta. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira was thinking that "For me, so many people have been killed. So I have become very, very much sinful. I am not fit for sitting on the throne, such responsible throne." But his misgivings were dissipated by the words of Bhīṣma.

Lecture on SB 1.16.13-15 -- Los Angeles, January 10, 1974:

Everyone wants to eat very nicely in table, chair and nice plate, nicely cooked food, and palatable. Never mind whatever nonsense it is; it must be palatable. So that is eating, eating problem. So in this way, if we analyze, it is not difficult to find out who is a human being and who is a cat and dog. That is... Everything can be understood.

Lecture on SB 3.25.1 -- Bombay, November 1, 1974:

So these young boys and girls, they do not go to cinema. They do not smoke. They do not go any restaurant or club. Why? Virakti! Don't want this! What to speak of here, poor country, but in the European, American countries, everything is available very cheap. But they are not interested. They are interested to sit down on the floor without any chair and follow me, whatever I say. They have no sufficient eating even. I cannot give them to their standard. Still... Why? Because they don't want this material happiness. That is the test. That is the test. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra syāt (SB 11.2.42).

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, January 7, 1973:

Just like I am sitting on this chair. So the comfort I am feeling, that is the rasa, taste. We want very nice cushion, sitting position. So that tasting, that "I am now comfortably seated," this is called śānta-rasa. Then above the śānta-rasa, there is dāsya-rasa. Dāsya-rasa... Just like my students, my disciples, they want to serve me, and I want to take service from them. This is also an exchange of rasa, a taste. Śānta, dāsya. Similarly, next advanced stage is sakhya-rasa. Sakhya means friendship.

Initiation Lectures

Initiation of Hrsikesa Dasa and Marriage of Satsvarupa and Jadurani -- New York, September 5, 1968:

Prabhupāda: Now Judy's mother, you can come here, Judy's mother.

Jadurāṇī: She can sit on the chair.

Prabhupāda: Oh. That's all right. Give her chair here.

Jadurāṇī: Oh, all right.

Prabhupāda: Sit down there. You sit down. Satsvarūpa, you sit down, this...

General Lectures

Lecture -- Seattle, September 30, 1968:

Just like in your Bible it is said, "God said 'Let there be creation,' and there was creation." Is it not? Is it not statement? So here is greatness. He simply said, "Let there be creation," and there was creation. Can you do that? Suppose you are very nice carpenter. Can you say, "Let there be a chair," and at once there is a chair? Is it possible? Suppose you are manufacturer of this watch. Can you say that "I say, let there be watch," and there is immediately watch? That is not possible. Therefore God's name is satya-saṅkalpa. Satya-saṅkalpa. Satya-saṅkalpa means whatever He thinks, immediately it is present.

Rotary Club Lecture -- Ahmedabad, December 5, 1972:

We are similar to the animals in the matters of eating, sleeping, mating and defending. But what... Then where is the distinction...? Just like animal eating on the floor. We are eating on the chair and table our nicely prepared foodstuff. But you are eating. So at the present moment, we are thinking that because we are eating on tables and chairs, we advance. That is our mistake. That is no advance. Eating... The benefit of eating, whatever you eat or the animal eats, it is the same. Eating means to maintain the body and soul together.

Lecture -- Hong Kong, January 31, 1974:

So if we waste our time simply for being enlightened how to manufacture different types of foodstuff, how to take it on table and chair, nice dishes or plate, that is waste of time. If you utilize your time for inquiring about the Absolute Truth, that is perfection of human life. Not to waste your time in the animal propensities of life. That is not education, that is not human form of life.

Lecture Excerpt -- August 2, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Just like we can sit down here or anywhere. Here is the opportunity. This land is very good. You can sit down anywhere and chant this Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. There is no need of chair or cushion or nothing else. Ahaituky apratihatā. Any condition. And yenātmā samprasīdati, that will please your everything—your heart, your mind, your body, your soul, everything. Yenātmā samprasīdati. This is the easiest method for achieving the highest perfection of life. So go on with this process without any check and be happy.

Departure Talks

Departure Lecture -- London, March 12, 1975:

Just like here in the material world somebody is sitting in the office chair and somebody is cleansing the office, so the cleaner is supposed to be lower than the officer, but in the spiritual world there is no such distinction. The officer and the cleaner, they are of the same importance. That is even Kṛṣṇa, with Kṛṣṇa. That is spiritual world. In Vṛndāvana the cowherds boys, they are playing with Kṛṣṇa on equal terms. They do not know Kṛṣṇa is God. They simply know how to love Kṛṣṇa, that's all. There is no need of thinking that "Kṛṣṇa is greater than the other cowherds boy. They are living entities." There is no such sense. Kṛṣṇa wants that. That is Goloka Vṛndāvana worship.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Hegel:

Prabhupāda: No, temporary, illusion we'll call it, reality means which exists eternally.

Devotee: That's the table on the spiritual platform.

Prabhupāda: Yes. There, Kṛṣṇa's abode, Kṛṣṇa's house, Kṛṣṇa's table, chair, furniture, they're all existing, ever-existing. Here they will not exist.

Philosophy Discussion on Henri Bergson:

Prabhupāda: Material condition is the four principles of bodily demands: eating, sleeping, sex and defense. This is material condition. So when the human society... Just like at the present moment they are simply interested in these four things, how to eat nicely, palatable dishes, or very nice table, chair and so on and so on. But after all, this is eating. And similarly, living condition. Formerly people used to live very humbly. Now they are living very, very big, big skyscraper building. But that is living. Similarly sex. Formerly also a crude society, also they have sex. The animals, also they have sex. And to make gorgeous arrangement for sex, to make the women easily available or freely available, nicely dressed, this is also simply sex. Similarly defense. Either you defend with crude weapons or you atom bomb, this is defensing.

Philosophy Discussion on Karl Marx:

Prabhupāda: How they can condemn? We are giving service to the humanity for better knowledge. Then high-court judge, he is not producing any grain in the field, so he is not giving any service? He is sitting on the chair and getting(?) five thousand, ten thousand (indistinct). You can say, "Oh, he is not giving any service, he is simply sitting in the chair."

Śyāmasundara: In one way he is, because he is enforcing the law that helps the...

Prabhupāda: What it may be, personally, if you simply think that this man comes in the office and sits down in the chair for three hours and he draws salary of six thousand.

Philosophy Discussion on The Evolutionists Thomas Huxley, Henri Bergson, and Samuel Alexander:

Prabhupāda: That is that English proverb, "Necessity is the cause of invention." I require something to sit down, leaning back side, so I create a chair which is called armchair. So I sense first of all a necessity that "I must sit down very comfortably leaning towards the back." So under such spirit I make this chair, and this is called armchair. So necessity is the mother of invention.

Philosophy Discussion on The Evolutionists Thomas Huxley, Henri Bergson, and Samuel Alexander:

Śyāmasundara: In a sense, the man is not really inventing a chair either. There is already an idea of chair previously existing. He's just discovering it, something which already exists. Is that correct?

Prabhupāda: Yes, in that sense, that I am feeling the necessity of armchair. My predecessors, they might have felt that chair, they invented. But at the present moment, my predecessor is also gone, the chair is also gone. So invention means the things which I create that was not in existence. That is called invention?

Philosophy Discussion on The Evolutionists Thomas Huxley, Henri Bergson, and Samuel Alexander:

Prabhupāda: Similarly, in case of God, it is discovery. It is not invention. It is discovery.

Śyāmasundara: Yes. Just like the idea of a chair is already there in nature. Nature provides a chair.

Prabhupāda: Nature provides a sitting place. Just like when there is a slab of stone anywhere, I wish to sit down on it. Psychology. Then the next proposal is, "Why not invent something at my home? It is here in a... I cannot take it." You can say the idea was there already, to sit down on a high place comfortably. So I come home and make a chair according to that idea.

Philosophy Discussion on The Evolutionists Thomas Huxley, Henri Bergson, and Samuel Alexander:

Śyāmasundara: Oh. He leaves out entity and Bhagavān. He only has time and space in the ultimate reality.

Prabhupāda: Our philosophy... We see that one ultimate creator, Bhagavān. And jīvātmā, subsequent creator. God has created wood; I create a table and chair. I am subsequent. I am not ultimate creator. So jīvātmā is subsequent creator. Both the creators are eternal. And because the creation has got time connection, past, present, and future, so time is eternal. Time is eternal and jīva is eternal and prakṛti.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Talk with Bob Cohen -- February 27-29, 1972, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Material life means when you desire to gratify your senses, that is material life. And when you desire to serve God, that is spiritual life. That is the difference between material life and spiritual life. Now we are trying to serve our senses. Instead of serving the senses, when we serve God, that is spiritual life. What is the difference between our activities and others' activities? We are using everything: table, chair, bed, this tape recorder, typewriter. So what is the difference? The difference is that we are using everything for Kṛṣṇa.

Morning Walk Conversation -- September 28, 1972, Los Angeles:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: They are challenging the nature itself.

Prabhupāda: Nature, they cannot even challenging nature; they cannot understand the nature. And behind nature, there is God. So what they will understand God? They cannot understand the curtain by which God is hidden, and what they will understand God? This is a curtain. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ (BG 7.25). Mat-sthāni sarva-bhūtāni (BG 9.4). Just like this planet, this universe, everything is resting on Him, but He cannot be found. Just like if you sit down on this chair, on this bench, I can see the bench you are sitting. But this whole universe is floating on something, but you cannot see on which it is floating. You are so limited. This universe is floating on water, just like (indistinct). Yaḥ kāraṇārṇava-jale bhajati sma yoga-nidrām anantam aśeṣa-bhūtam, viṣṇur mahān sa iha yasya kalā-viśeṣo govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi (Bs. 5.47). Each and every universe is coming out of the pores in the body of Viṣṇu, Mahā-Viṣṇu.

Room Conversation with Kenneth Keating, U.S. Ambassador to India -- October 14, 1972, New Delhi:

Prabhupāda: Fire, mind, intelligence, ego. These eight elements. Kṛṣṇa says that "They are my energies." The things which are made by Kṛṣṇa's energy, how you can claim your property? Suppose a carpenter comes, you give him money to prepare some chair. The money is your energy. Now when the chair is prepared, he cannot claim that "I have prepared this chair. It is my property." No. It has been made with my energy; therefore it is my property. So if you make analysis of this whole cosmic situation you will find that everything is made out of the energy of God. Then how you can claim that "I am proprietor"? This is false. This is called māyā.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 25, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Because if your knowledge is for these four things, eating, sleeping and mating, then what is the value of such knowledge? The bird will also die after eating, sleeping. You'll also die after eating, sleeping. Then where is the advancement of knowledge. You have not improved in any way than the birds and the beasts. You cannot check death. The bird also cannot check death. Then where is the advancement? Simply the bird is finding out food by the beaks, and you eat on a table, chair. Therefore you are advanced? You are also eating, he's also eating. He's eating his own way. You are eating in his own way. Does it mean advancement? But when death comes, the bird will be also kicked out, you'll be also kicked out. Then where is your advancement.

Room Conversation -- September 1, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: Oh yes. There are varieties. Ānanda, ānanda, pleasure means varieties. Variety is the mother of enjoyment. Without varieties, just like we prepare from grains, sugar, ghee, hundreds of varieties. If you simply give grain, ghee and sugar, it will not be enjoyable. But the same thing, you prepare in varieties and give you a plate, oh, you'll say, "Oh, so nice thing." The ingredients are the same. Grains, ghee and sugar, that's all. Similarly, this material world, the ingredients are the same. Namely five gross elements and three subtle elements, finer. Earth, water, air, fire, sky. These are gross elements. And mind, intelligence, ego these are finer elements. Combined together this material world has come. The brain behind is a living entity. Just like we are using these ingredients, these five elements: earth, water, air, fire, sky, making this building, making this table, making this chair, vase, so many things, harmonium, pictures, book. So the ingredients are the same, but my brain is working in different varieties. My brain or your brain. Human brain. Similarly this material cosmic manifestation is full of varieties. The brain behind it is Kṛṣṇa.

Interviews with Macmillan and various English Reporters -- September 12, 1973, London:

Indian Man: Mr. Bose, representing National Herald.

Haṁsadūta: Maybe you can move this...

Prabhupāda: Oh, ācchā. (Bengali) Now, now, Mr. Bose... Let him come first of all. Give him a chair. Mr. Bose, let him come.

Reporter (3): I'll come back later.

Prabhupāda: Yes, three minutes. He's old man.

Morning Walk -- December 2, 1973, Los Angeles:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: But the personality is changed?

Prabhupāda: No.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Why not?

Prabhupāda: Why changed? Suppose if I sit from this chair to this chair, why I am changed? I can change my seat. It does not mean that I am changed.

Morning Walk -- December 11, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. That is our propaganda, that "This is the standard of leadership. So if you elect first-class leader, then your government will be first-class. But if you elect some rogues and thieves, drunkards, then how you can expect good government?" This is natural. After all, democracy means the public elect. The public does not know how to distinguish the rogues and thieves. Therefore the rogues and thieves take the advantage of it and, somehow or other, and take vote and sit on the presidential chair. That is difficulty. Just like our propaganda is... We are not making any propaganda in the beginning, that "Stop this cow slaughter." We are educating people, "Don't eat meat." If people become educated, automatically the slaughterhouse will be closed. This is our propaganda. "Don't drink." So if people give up drinking, automatically the drinking business will be closed.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk 'Varnasrama College' -- March 14, 1974, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: They'll automatically come if you are ideal. Because they are being forced to poverty. So when there is a question of poverty, they'll come.

Hṛdayānanda: Room and board and training.

Prabhupāda: Yes. This poverty. Why there is poverty? Because they are not producing food. Everyone wants so-called comfortable life. So-called education. Sitting idle in the table and chair, and talking all gossips, nonsense, and sleeping. They have been trained up in this way, śūdra.

Morning Walk -- April 13, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: No, not puru bhag. Pura, yes, purabhaga, for welfare. By his advice... Just like Gargamuni is called for the advice, future of the child.

Indian Man (1): (Sanskrit)

Prabhupāda: Ah, hita-kārtṛkā(?) (break) ...vacate his chair to receive a brāhmaṇa, a purohita. Just like Sudāmā Vipra went Dvārakā. He was poor man, but he was brāhmaṇa. Immediately Kṛṣṇa left His, offered His chair. Yes. And Rukmiṇī began to fan him. So much respect. Where is that respectful person? (aside:) Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Room Conversation with Mr. C. Hennis of the International Labor Organization of the U.N. -- May 31, 1974, Geneva:

Prabhupāda: Give him chair. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Devotees: Hare Kṛṣṇa.

C. Hennis: Your disciples were kind enough to call on me and invite me to come and have a talk with you.

Prabhupāda: That is very kind of you.

Room Conversation -- June 5, 1974, Geneva:

Yogeśvara: Yes. Pastor Babel. Yes. They are familiar with him. Monsieur Douant.

Swiss Man (1): The President.

Prabhupāda: Why don't you give him a chair.

Swiss Man (1): (French)

Yogeśvara: Little rheumatism.

Prabhupāda: Give him chair.

Yogeśvara: Yes, he's... Satsvarūpa Mahārāja. Monsieur Douant is the president of the Protestant Center of Geneva. Monsieur Roche-dieu who is the...

M. Roche-dieu: Former, former Honorary Professor of History of Religions on the faculty of theology, Protestant theology.

Room Conversation with Christian Priest -- June 9, 1974, Paris:

Priest: In Bombay also you have got?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes, Bombay just now we have got a very big place.

Priest: Yes.

Prabhupāda: And we are constructing a big hotel, strictly vegetarian prasādam. We are at Juhu quarter. (someone enters room) Hare Kṛṣṇa. Jaya. So you can give him a chair, this one. You can come forward here.

Room Conversation with Mr. Tran-van-Kha, and President & Members of the Society of Buddhists in France -- June 15, 1974, Paris:

Pṛthu Putra: See, there she has a seat.

Prabhupāda: Never mind, we can sit down here. Bring that chair.

Devotee: Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Yogeśvara: Sylvie (?) has a question.

Lady (2): I want to ask you. What does it (indistinct) when you, when there's talk of this religion of Kṛṣṇa. Is it before Christ or more?

Room Conversation with Pater Emmanuel (A Benedictine Monk) -- June 22, 1974, Germany:

Pater Emmanuel: Will that means that Christianity has to change their customs or the Christianity, Roman Catholic or Protestant, must return to the source?

Prabhupāda: (aside) You can sit on the chair if you like.

Guest: No, I like to sit, thank you.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Bernard Manischewitz -- March 5, 1975, New York:

Pratyatoṣa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, this is my father-in-law, Mr. Manischewitz. I think you met in Chicago.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Bernard Manischewitz: Yes, we met before.

Prabhupāda: How are you? You want chair?

Bernard Manischewitz: No, no, no. I... Thank you very much. I'm not fully accustomed yet, but I'm getting there.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: He comes to our Bhāgavatam classes every Sunday.

Conversation with Devotees -- April 14, 1975, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Your knowledge has not benefited you. Our taking your so-called science has benefited you because you are using it for Kṛṣṇa. You have worked so hard, so result is going to Kṛṣṇa. Hare Kṛṣṇa. We are making the best... (indistinct) ...there is chair but we don't care for the chair. We can sit down. But if it is available we don't reject it. Therefore (indistinct) ...you have made a chair and (indistinct) ...Not that I require your chair, without your chair I will, shall die. That is not my policy. You rascal, you have done something, I'm using it for your benefit. That's all.

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

Prabhupāda: We do not make any development. So at the present moment they are improving the method of primary necessities of life—eating, sleeping, mating and defending. They are thinking the dog is eating on the floor; if we can eat on table, chair and nice dish, that is advancement of civilization. They are thinking like that. The dog is sleeping on the floor, and if we sleep in very nice apartment, very decorated, that is advancement of civilization. The dog is having sexual intercourse on the street without any shame, and we are also coming to that point already. And if we have sex intercourse in the name of love and so on, so on, that is advancement. And dog is defending with his jaws and nails and teeth, you are defending with atomic bomb, therefore we are advanced. But they have forgotten that the human being has got this special intellect to understand God. That they are not doing.

Morning Walk -- May 14, 1975, Perth:

Amogha: They have no solution actually.

Prabhupāda: The solution is there. They won't take it. Solution is there, that everyone produce your own food. There is so much land; utilize it. The solution is there. No. They want to sit down on the table, chair, in a very nice compartment, and making solution. They won't go.

Room Conversation with Two Lawyers and Guest -- May 22, 1975, Melbourne:

Guest 3: You don't claim it, I suppose. If you own property, what happens, I would have thought, is more that for a time you have got possession.

Prabhupāda: For a time you have got possession of the chair—that does not mean your property.

Guest 3: But I suppose if somebody came and took the chair while I've got it in my possession, I'd be terribly upset about it.

Prabhupāda: No, that is a (indistinct) thing. Nobody will disturb you. You remain in your chair. (laughter) That does not mean because you have sat down on the chair for two hours, you become proprietor.

Guest 2: One gets attached.

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Guest 2: One gets attached to the chair. I like this chair. It's a nice chair.

Prabhupāda: No, that's all right. You like, you sit down, and you go when it is finished. But how do you claim that it is your property?

Guest 2: Good-bye. (laughter)

Room Conversation with Two Lawyers and Guest -- May 22, 1975, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: Not that I sit down in my armchair and I give direction. The poor soldiers are fighting. No. He should go. Courage. He should personally give direction, "Do like this." Who is doing that? The minister of defense is very comfortably sitting on his chair, and the poor soldiers are fighting. That is not required. He must go first of all: "Do like this." Just like in Battle of Kurukṣetra, Arjuna is in front; the other side, Duryodhana. The real fighters, they are face to face. Soldiers are assistant. Where is that? So they should be trained up.

Room Conversation with writer, Sandy Nixon -- July 13, 1975, Philadelphia:

Prabhupāda: At the present moment the mass of people are kept in their animal consciousness. And therefore they elect another big animal to become president. Their idea is to have animal strength, jaws and nails and very powerful—"Oh, he is God," or "He is president." They cannot select anyone else. But formerly, in the Vedic civilization, a king was elected by the first-class men of the society, the saintly persons, the brāhmaṇas. They did not take part in politics, but they recommended that "This man should..." Just like Kṛṣṇa. He wanted Yudhiṣṭhira must be the king. Because king is supposed to be God's representative, how to rule over, not that these cats and dogs will find out a lion and vote him to the chair. That is not the process. Your modern process is that the electors, they are not trained up, and they elect another big animal to become the president. Therefore it is failure. All over the world this is going on. This so-called democracy... Unless people are very much trained up, the election by the mass is not very good. Rather, a first-class men, they should nominate that "This man should be president." That will be nice. Your question was "How to find out president, good"? So this is the process. So there is no intelligent class of man. That is the difficulty.

Room Conversation with Bernard Manischewitz -- July 13, 1975, Philadelphia:

Prabhupāda: If you want to sit in chair, you can sit.

Brahmānanda: Here, I'll get you a chair.

Devotee: Prabhupāda can sit here.

Bernard Manischewitz: Thank you very much. This is fine. This is fine. I have here a check for the life membership.

Brahmānanda: Oh, yes.

Bernard Manischewitz: I'll cash it.

Brahmānanda: Mr. Manischewitz is becoming life member.

Prabhupāda: Ohh. Thank you very much. So give him books.

Morning Walk -- October 19, 1975, Johannesburg:

Prabhupāda: Therefore they are not happy. Otherwise one who knows "I am Brahman," brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā—he will be happy always. That has become fashion. "Table chair brahma-jñāna," sitting on the table-chair, smoking and talking of Brahman. "Armchair brahma-jñāna." Although Kṛṣṇa is giving information, brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati, samaḥ sarveṣu... mad-bhaktiṁ labhate param (BG 18.54), so they do not make further progress, mad-bhaktiṁ labhate param, to achieve that platform of bhakti. Therefore it is as good as no knowledge. These will be the symptoms of brahma-jñāna, na śocati na kāṅ..., samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. If they have got brahma-jñāna, then why they should distinguish? Just like in our country, Mahatma Gandhi, so he is designated as mahātmā, but why he was against the Englishmen, to drive them away? That is not brahma-jñāna. Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu. They are as good. As these white people, they do not give any chance to the other people, so similarly, Mahatma Gandhi also, he wanted that "These white people should go away." So what is the distinction? The same knowledge. "You want me ... to drive me away; I want to drive you away." So what is the distinction between you and me? The one dog is barking at another dog; another dog is barking, another dog. That's all. Where is knowledge?

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- April 20, 1976, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: Yes, it is the activity which concerns. In the university there is only activity of education, learning. And here, all the criminals are violating the laws, they are put together. But superficially they look the same room, same food, same office, same typewriter. So it is the question of understanding why it is called criminal department and why it is called university. So as soon as it is university department, that is good. The same building, the same dictaphone, the same typewriter, same table, same chair, when they are used for Kṛṣṇa, it is spiritual. The same money, everything, it looks like that. Therefore they cannot understand. The nirviśeṣavādī and the śūnyavādī, they: "Spiritual means these things should be zero." They say it should be zero. "No table, no chair, no house, no, no, no, no..." But that is (laughs) ignorance. Prāpañcikatayā buddhyā hari-sambandhi-vastunaḥ. The things which are usable by Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, if we give up them, prapañcikā, as material, that is foolishness. That they do not know. They have yet to learn. It is Rūpa Gosvāmī's injunction.

Room Conversation -- April 22, 1976, Melbourne:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: You explained very nicely how these boys and girls, they will sit on the floor. What is the need to manufacture chair? So a civilization which is geared to unnecessarily increasing the necessities is simply glorified...

Prabhupāda: Wasting time.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: That is not the real business of human life.

Prabhupāda: But they are thinking, "This is advancement. To sit on the floor is primitive, but to sit on the chair is civilized."

Room Conversation -- April 22, 1976, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: The child can understand, "Now, two finger and two finger, it becomes four finger." In this way we have to learn it. Therefore there are so many books. It is for the human being to learn. But if we simply remain civilized like cats and dog, then what is your advancement of civilization? There is no advancement. If you sit on this chair, and the others, they are sitting on the floor, sitting purpose is served. But if you say, "Sitting on the chair is civilized, and that is uncivilized," that is mental concoction. You have to serve your purpose. If by sitting on the floor you can understand what you are, that is civilization. And without understanding yourself, if you waste your time for manufacturing a chair, that is cats' and dogs' civilization. So that is going on. They are busy in manufacturing chairs, how to sit comfortably, without any knowledge that what is the value of life and what is life. This is going on.

Room Conversation -- April 22, 1976, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: So this is the training how to make human being, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Now these boys, they are also Europeans, Americans. They are coming from respectable, very educated.... They'll never ask for a chair. "Sit down. That's all." The necessities of life, artificial necessities, reduced, and time is saved for understanding the value of life. Without motorcar your life will not be spoiled. You can walk. But without Kṛṣṇa consciousness your life is spoiled. So how.... We recommend that "First of all understand yourself." Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is your prime business. And so far necessities of body, that can be done according to the circumstances. So if we simply waste our time for increasing unnecessary necessities of life and do not try to understand the value of life, then we remain animal.

Garden Conversation -- June 9, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: He is addressing his friends, "born of demoniac families, my dear friends." (laughs) Give him one chair, Dr. Wolfe. Yes, that's nice. He used to address his father also as "the best of the demons." Once his father asked him, "My dear son, what nice lesson you have learned in the school? Please tell me." So he addressed his father, asura-vārya, "the best of the asuras."

Garden Conversation -- June 9, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: There are two classes of men: deva and asura. Dvau bhūta-sargau loke daiva asura eva ca (BG 16.6). In this material world there are... (aside:) Why not Dr. Wolfe may come here, bring his chair here? You can sit down there. You can bring your chair. So this sense gratification is available. Viṣayaḥ khalu sarvataḥ yat. These are called viṣaya. Viṣaya means sense enjoyment. So viṣayaḥ sarvataḥ syāt. In any form of life these four principles are there. Eating arrangement is there. (aside:) Come on. Sleeping arrangement is there. The bird, he is not anxious about eating, sleeping, mating. It is already there. He has got a nest above the tree. At night he is very safe and sleeping nicely. And in the morning, he knows, somewhere there is some fruit, he'll get his food. He's not anxious. He goes anywhere. And for mating, the male and female bird are always together. The pigeons, they are having every hour, four times, five times, mating. So that arrangement is always there.

Room Conversation -- June 9, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Where is the other copy? Other copy?

Rāmeśvara: Other copy.

Hari-śauri: You want to see?

Devotee: It's in here.

Prabhupāda: That gentleman who came, sitting in chair.

Hari-śauri: That Indian man.

Prabhupāda: Ah, Indian man.

Kīrtanānanda: The print is larger in this volume?

Rāmeśvara: It's the new standard since the Fifth Canto.

Prabhupāda: You have seen?

Room Conversation -- June 9, 1976, Los Angeles:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda has asked that all the sannyāsīs take one shirt. (break) (conversation continues after entrance of guest)

Prabhupāda: He wants chair?

Rāmeśvara: He likes sitting Indian style. (Prabhupāda laughs)

Jay Warner: No, this is fine, thank you.

Rāmeśvara: His name is Jay Warner.

Evening Darsana -- July 13, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: The most unfortunate position is that there is no education about future life, or the perfection of life. The education is the animal education: the animal (is) eating, we are eating. If we are eating on table, or nice place, nice chair, then we think we are advanced. But the business is the eating. Similarly sleeping. The dog is sleeping on the street, we are sleeping in good apartment, skyscraper building. They are thinking this is advancement of civilization. But actually the business is sleeping.

Interview with Newsday Newspaper -- July 14, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: Give him chair. They... Give...

Rāmeśvara: These gentlemen are a reporter and a photographer from a very large newspaper in Long Island called Newsday. This is Mr. Kevin Layhart...

Prabhupāda: So they require chair?

Rāmeśvara: He's asking if you'd like a chair.

Interviewer: No, this is all right.

Rāmeśvara: This is Mr. Bill Semm. He's a photographer from their newspaper.

Prabhupāda: Thank you. Sit down. You have seen our books?

Interviewer: Yes, I have. You translated all of those. (pause) (break) ...I wonder if you could tell me how you came to founding the movement here in the United States.

Interview with Religion Editor of The Observer -- July 23, 1976, London:

Jayatīrtha: The Observer is one of the most respected newspapers.

Prabhupāda: You can give chair.

Cline Cross: No, I'll sit on the floor. I'll sit this way.

Jayatīrtha: You sure you're comfortable this way? We can bring a chair.

Cline Cross: Yes, I can... No, a chair would give the wrong atmosphere.

Prabhupāda: So you are observing our movement?

Cline Cross: Yes, really for the first time at close quarters.

Room Conversation -- August 2, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Harikeśa: I notice these four things, they are very unnatural, these four sinful things, very unnatural.

Prabhupāda: Unnatural, yes. What for smoking? What for drinking? How nicely they sit down on the ground and take prasādam. Why there is need of table, chair and these dishes and fork and knife and so on, so on? Why?

Harikeśa: It's hard to cut the meat. You need a good surface. (laughs)

Evening Darsan -- August 10, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: So twelve thousand dollars means about more than one lakh of rupees. So we are spending that, but not for any other purpose than for Kṛṣṇa's service. Anywhere we speak we are talking only Kṛṣṇa, trying to push on Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is our business. So the platform is different, eh? Externally, one can see, they are also spending so much money for traveling, they are living in a nice house and they have some nice car. But the consciousness is different. Another example in this connection, that I am sitting on this chair and there is a bug also. He is also sitting on this chair. But that does not mean the bug and myself equal. The bug's business is different, my business is different. But superficially, if one sees that the bug and Swamiji's on the same chair, therefore they're all equal? That is not the fact. Similarly, we may be using all these material things, but we have no material business. We have simply spiritual business.

Room Conversation -- November 3, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: We sit down, don't use any chair, any couches, unnecessarily, carpet. What expenditure? We have no expenditure for personal self. And still you are faulty? What can be done? We don't purchase any cosmetic, this clay tilaka is sufficient. We don't apply any pomade or cosmetic or ointment. Either for our girls or ourselves. We don't do that, we live very simply. After 15 days we shave, there is no use of cutting or decorating. Note down all these things. We have no doctor's bill even.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Conversation on Roof -- February 14, 1977, Mayapura:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: None of them have done that.

Prabhupāda: They were unable. Neither they have got idea of aristocratically, how to live aristocratically. You won't find in any one of my Godbrothers a place like this. This is aristocratic. This is Indian aristocracy. Table-chair is not aristocratic. This is more comfortable. And cheap also.

Evening Darsana -- February 15, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Yes. South Af... He had no practice here. One attorney, he told me in Bombay that "Your Gandhi was waiting for cases here, sitting in this chair." He was not even successful lawyer. Then he got a case in Africa. He thought it wise, "Let me go there." And there, instead of becoming a lawyer, he became a political agitator. So to take equal status for the Indians he fought there. And that was failure. Still it is going on. They are very determined not to give any advantage to anyone except these whites.

Conversation -- June 30, 1977, Vrndavana:

Gargamuni: Nowhere in the world. Everyone has money.

Prabhupāda: (laughs) Money is coming there. Guru Mahārāja said that "You do the right work, money will come. Money will fall down on your feet." There is no question of flattering. Do. Work sincerely. Everything will come, whatever you want. I wish I could go there. I would have told(?). Even in this state I can go. There is no difficulty. But little difficulty... And carried in this chair, I can go anywhere. And what is this? No, where is the difficulty?

Conversation -- June 30, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Even I require four men to take care of me, that's all right.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Whether you're sitting in here or sitting in Colombo, it's the same.

Prabhupāda: It is same thing. And I am taken from one place to another by chair. So where is the difficulty? There is no difficulty. It is difficulty by imagination.

Room Conversation -- August 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Colony in a loincloth, and engaged in the sun chair.(?) He had no practical knowledge. He started the movement from 1917, and actually it was... Independence was given, 1947. Thirty years he failed. Twenty years he failed there. He spoils fifty years for nothing, and distorting Bhagavad-gītā, that in Bhagavad-gītā there is nonviolence. Such a rascal. Bhagavad-gītā begins with, with this word, dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre yuyutsavaḥ: (BG 1.1) "Two parties desiring to fight." That is the beginning. Yudhyasva mām anusmara (BG 8.7). And Kṛṣṇa's whole life is yuddha, fighting. Before His birth, plan was being made how to kill Him. This is yuddha. Kaṁsa was planning. And after His birth He had to go away, just to make a show, from His father's house to another house incognito to avoid yuddha. And when yuddha began, three months old, He killed Pūtanā.

Room Conversation -- October 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Why don't you come around this side? They are all dressed in their shirt and ties, Śrīla Prabhupāda. They looked just like the scientists.

Prabhupāda: Give them chair.

Hari-śauri: Chairs.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: We're all right, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: You have got coat-pant. Sit down at the...

Hari-śauri: Prabhupāda said you've got coat and pant. He was concerned about whether you should sit or...

Prabhupāda: So sit down. Sit down on the chair.

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

Letter to R. Prakash -- Allahabad 22 June, 1951:

So the present process of human thinking for material gains only has to be changed by an organized preaching work of Bhagavad-gita as done by Lord Caitanya not only for the benefit the people of India but also for all people in the world. Lord Caitanya's way of preaching is ___ but a practical demonstration of the way of Bhagavad-gita. No amount of dry speculation by easy chair empiric philosophers will be able to implement the teachings of Bhagavad-gita unless we adopt the practical ways of Lord Caitanya as above mentioned.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Hanuman Prasad Poddar -- Los Angeles 5 February, 1970:

The only thing we ask visitors to leave their shoes at a specified place and sit down in the Temple crosslegged. If somebody finds difficulty to sit down crosslegged, we offer him a chair. So out of the members of the audience who come regularly, when one becomes more interested he is invited to participate in the program of Krishna Consciousness daily life and study. After some time of appreciating our program and trying to understand our philosophy, when someone is very interested and recommended by the Temple Commander, for becoming initiated, I accept him and give him first initiation in the form of Harinama in a regular ceremony with fire sacrifice.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Bhagavan -- Los Angeles 7 July, 1971:

The restaurant proposal is very nice. It should be very neat and clean and in the center column there should be Guru Gauranga altar. Everything prepared should be offered and kept on a table and the customer or guest should come and take prasadam on a plate to his full satisfaction. He can sit at table with chair. The items of prasadam you already know; kachori, Luglu, Samosa, sweet balls, simply wonderful, vegetables, chutneys, puspana, halava, etc; The ingredients are easily available. As other things are available, you can increase your menu. And any party who pays more than $5.00 can be presented with a small book like Easy Journey, or Krishna, the Reservoir of Pleasure, and a copy of our magazine. And if possible, continually tapes should be played of kirtanas and songs and record albums also.

Letter to Madhudvisa -- Kenya 15 September, 1971:

Regarding the government injunction, that is the worst situation of this age. The so called democratic government means some of the sudras, rascals without any knowledge of the highest aim of life. By hook and crook they get some votes and get the responsible chair in government. Naturally they can whimsically enact any law which is against the interest of the people in general.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Nandarani -- Mayapur 27 February, 1972:

So I am very glad that you want to increase in this way, and I have no objection, as long as the standard which instructed is not changed. Devotees like to increase, that is very nice, but this whimsically changing, now one way, now another way, now this schedule, now that one, this is not good. But as you have suggested to make nice bed and night clothes, that is good proposal. Originally I wanted that such bed, along with throne or gorgeous chair, be placed to the side, but I do not think anyone has done it. So you may add these features. Main point is to keep altar and everything very clean and neat, and to offer Radha and Krishna everything in the most opulent manner just suitable to your means, and always with full love and devotion, even it may be only a little water or few leaves if you are poor man.