Collect (Conversations 1977)

Expressions researched:
"collect" |"collected" |"collecting" |"collects"

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with C.I.D. Chief -- January 3, 1977, Bombay:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda produces one book a month still.

Prabhupāda: Now... I am talking to you as a CID official. Now, here is my dictaphone. I... (clicks dictaphone switch) It is not working. (Prabhupāda plays back section of Bhāgavatam dictation he has made) This is a Sanskrit verse. (synonyms) Tatra(?) saumika. So the whole night I write books, and then this is typed. In the daytime they are typing. And then it is composed, and then it is made into book, and we take so much trouble to sell it, as you got the selling of, and we collect money and they send money, ten lakhs of rupees in India, and I construct the temple, not only here.(?) So is that my fault?

CID Chief: No, no, no. The man who would say it is a fault, either he is mad or it would be mistake.

Prabhupāda: In this old age-eighty-one years I am—I am working day and night just to preach this Kṛṣṇa consciousness and...

Letter to Russian -- January 5, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: The condition is that I'll invest money for Oriya language books, and you'll sell-half the collection for temple, and half the collection for printing again, the same principle.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: They won't be able to collect one crore by selling books.

Prabhupāda: No, no, if they can, I have no objection. I can give them ten crores.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: But they'll never be able to...

Prabhupāda: No, that you cannot say. It is all in the hands of Kṛṣṇa. Not one crore. Say a few lakhs. He's ready to go town to town, village, in Orissa. He wants that in my absence somebody must be there to look after the construction. That is quite reasonable.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yes, definitely.

Morning Walk -- January 6, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: The water is not yet there?

Mahāṁsa: One building is finished. Now the pump has to be gotten for that. The second building, we didn't have... I wasn't over there. I had gone to South India to collect some money. And then, when I came back, the people had gone away because there was no money to be paid to them.

Prabhupāda: Why? I have already transferred?

Mahāṁsa: That came just five days back. So now we'll be working on it full swing because we have some money.

Prabhupāda: So the bank has transferred?

Mahāṁsa: Yes, Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: So the prospect is nice?

Evening Darsana -- January 7, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That is knowledge. That is knowledge. But then going on, (Hindi): "Everyone dies. I will die. What is that?" But why you shall die? You live. And Kṛṣṇa gives the formula. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). Take this process. This body is material; you have to give it up. But no more material body. Why don't you take this science; how it is possible? Why do you not contribute this science to the whole world as India's contribution? They need it. Why you go beg? Give something. In Berkeley University, one Indian student, "Swamiji, what this hari-kīrtana will do? We require now technology." So I replied, "Yes, you have come to beg here. I have come to give something. I am not a beggar like you." So we are working... Of course, we are Indian, we are poor. That is another thing. But I never went to beg something from them. I never asked them any money. I never asked them. They give me money because they understand that I am giving something. Do you know how we are selling our books? Daily, five, six lakhs rupees collected. They are getting the money. I have given them the knowledge. (aside:) Bring that telegram. In one week how many books we have sold? Because they're hankering after this knowledge.

Room Conversation -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: In Kanpur there is a brahmacārī aśrama. Sometimes gṛhasthas, they invite the brahmacārīs to feed them, and when a brahmacārī is initiated, they give them this pot. So that brahmacārī aśrama, the man who is maintaining, he occasionally collects these pots, so, and he sells all these pots to a brass merchant. People give sacred thread, a pot. As they give in charity to the brāhmaṇas, they give in charity to the brahmacārīs.

Hari-śauri: It says, "Kuvera, the king of the Yakṣas, gave Him a..."

Prabhupāda: Another system is: during the initiation time, somebody becomes godmother of the brahmacārī and gives some money.

Morning Discussion about Kumbhamela -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: And our Madras center is now closed?

Devotee (1): Yes. There's no center there now. Mahamsa Swami, he's sending two men there regularly to help set...

Prabhupāda: Collect.

Devotee (1): ... members..., collect.

Prabhupāda: Kata catur anana, mari mari yāvata, nā tuyā ari avasana. You have seen Russian publication? Easy Journey to Other Planets. They have printed.

Gurudāsa: They're going to distribute it on that train that goes into Russia. By the way, Śrīgarbha came to me and said, "I'm sorry for all your difficulty. I wanted to preach in Poland again." That boy? So he's going to deposit his wife and go to Poland.

Prabhupāda: Deposit where?

Room Conversation -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Then somebody must be there to look after the construction.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: We can send one boy, Vijeta, from here. He's not doing very much, and he's on the construction department. I was just waiting for Saurabha to come back.

Prabhupāda: So he can go, because Gaura-Govinda will be engaged for collecting.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Vijeta and his wife, they can both go right now...

Prabhupāda: Very bitter.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: This medicine?

Prabhupāda: So? You had been there?

Jagadīśa: We're going... All three of us are going.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: At one o'clock.

Room Conversation -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Now we are paying two lakhs per month.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: In the initial stages the Gurukula construction was done from the money that we had collected in Vṛndāvana.

Prabhupāda: No, from the beginning I am paying.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: About two lakhs went out of Vṛndāvana temple, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: So that day is nice?

Pradyumna: February 2nd. It is Wednesday, Bhudvar. There is one good... (?)

Prabhupāda: So in Orissa you'll be also there?

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

Rāmeśvara: Actually, on one television show they directly accused Your Divine Grace. They said that you have got us going out every day collecting money, and we have to send all this money to India, to Māyāpur, to build one temple so that you will become famous. And ultimately we will worship you as God.

Prabhupāda: Well, already famous. What is that famous?

Rāmeśvara: That was their argument.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. A famous man must be famous. He cannot be famous, famous. What you have done that you'll be famous? You are swine. You cannot be famous.

Conversation and Instruction On New Movie -- January 13, 1977, Allahabad:

Prabhupāda: No, my... Of course, I did not attempt in the beginning. I started my activities when I was seventy years old. So they thought, "This man is gṛhastha. He is embarassed with family life. What he'll do?" (laughs) That was their impression. But I never neglected. Guru Mahārāja told me. I was simply thinking, "How to do it? How to do it?" I thought, "Let me become a rich businessman. The money will be required." That was my thought. But Guru Mahārāja was asking me, "You give up this. I'll give you money." That I could not understand. I was planning. My plan was not wrong. But I was thinking "The money required, so let me earn some money. Then I shall begin." And Guru Mahārāja said, "You give up this money-earning endeavor. You come completely. I'll give you money." I can understand now. But my desire was there. Therefore he guided me. So I was... In 1936 or '35 in Bombay, after installation of Deity, so—I was gṛhastha—I helped them to collect some money.

Conversation and Instruction On New Movie -- January 13, 1977, Allahabad:

Rāmeśvara: Just give something. Actually, if some gṛhasthas would do some business, it would take a little pressure off the brahmacārīs, and they can pass out more books. Now because the overhead is high in certain temples like New York, very high overhead, LA, very high, so we are collecting so much money. We could be giving out more books if we had extra money from the gṛhastha's business.

Prabhupāda: They are willing to work?

Rāmeśvara: I think if we encourage them...

Prabhupāda: Then why not?

Rāmeśvara: ...we can start some businesses. Just like Spiritual Sky was started. It is giving every month to Los Angeles five thousand dollars.

Conversation and Instruction On New Movie -- January 13, 1977, Allahabad:

Prabhupāda: How they are contributing their hard-earned money, how it is, the are collecting money, huge amount.

Rāmeśvara: Yes, they'll interview very wealthy people also. Good idea.

Prabhupāda: They're not all wealthy. Wealthies are giving more, and poor men also give.

Rāmeśvara: But in America, if they see that a wealthy man is also worshiping Kṛṣṇa...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Rāmeśvara: ...then they'll have respect for it.

Conversation and Instruction On New Movie -- January 13, 1977, Allahabad:

Prabhupāda: Ah, only Birlas, yes.

Rāmeśvara: In America, if we collect money saying we are sending it to India, if we tell them we are sending it to build a temple in India, they will not give one penny. They think "India has too many temples. They need money for food, for technology."

Prabhupāda: So we can take money for food. That is also our program.

Rāmeśvara: Well, I'm going to try to develop this record business. I think we can make a million dollars a year, profit.

Prabhupāda: And send it for our farms, and we invite, "Come here. Take prasādam."

Conversation and Instruction On New Movie -- January 13, 1977, Allahabad:

Prabhupāda: And we are not taking any profit. Neither the seller, neither the author is taking any profit. So there is enough money. You haven't got to pay either to the seller or to the writer, then why not spend the whole income? No profit. So we save income tax. And whatever little excess is there, (indistinct), advertise or pay some gṛhasthas some pocket expenses. In this way make it meet. No profit. By our arrangement there is no question of profit but even there is profit, we should pay the gṛhasthas some expenditure. He has... Family man there is... In this way, make always no profit. I was doing from the very beginning (indistinct), then I began to sell books. I was working, I was selling, I was collecting, I was spending, going to the printer, everything. Forcing (indistinct) I was publishing.

Room Conversation -- January 19, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Rāmeśvara: But they have never used it against us. But now they have started. One devotee, a girl from Berkeley temple who is a very big book distributor... Sometimes she could collect five, six hundred dollars in one day. She was just kidnapped—by order of the court. They have a psychologist who listens to the parents' description, and on the basis of that secondhand report the psychologist...

Prabhupāda: No, kidnapping, that is already law there. If one is minor or without the permission of the parent, with police force she or..., can be kidnapped.

Rāmeśvara: But this is not for minors. This is for adults.

Prabhupāda: Oh. Oh.

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: He doesn't deny.

Gargamuni: No. He says, "I have come. You can accept me or reject me."

Nanda-kumāra: Some people say they put a picture of him on their altar, and honey drips from the picture, and they collect it, and it gives them health.

Prabhupāda: His bodily feature is just like rākṣasa.

Devotees: Oh, yes!

Rāmeśvara: It's ugly! And in Jagannath Purī I saw one shop which was selling pictures of him. One of the pictures he was wearing cosmetics like a woman. His hair was cropped like a woman. It was the most ugly thing I ever saw.

Hari-śauri: He was called the "Universal Mother." A picture of Sai Baba looking like a woman, and then they put "The Universal Mother."

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: But I can increase the price provided you pay me. But by printing, it is easier. But if you have to collect coins, that will be difficult, so there will be no artificial increase of...

Hari-śauri: Yes. Coins is a check...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Hari-śauri: ...on charging too much.

Prabhupāda: That is wanted. And these rascals, they are artificially printing paper as money. And I am a rascal; I'm demanding more because I have got customer.

Room Conversation -- January 22, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: That's all right. Then develop. We are getting good place without any monetary difficulty.

Brahmānanda: Then Mombassa, the leader of the community there, he has pledged to collect all the money for buying this big house, and the house is very nicely situated right in the Asian area. And he's a big contractor. Also they will do all the alterations. So this is another good opportunity.

Prabhupāda: If I go, they will have objection?

Brahmānanda: No, I don't think so. You mean the immigration? I don't know.

Prabhupāda: No, no, last time... Not last time. Before that.

Brahmānanda: Before that there was. Nava-yogendra Mahārāja, he got a work permit. He got for one year.

Morning Walk -- January 29, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Pṛthu-putra: ...but he's not writing books himself. It's all people. They hear his conferences, they collect all his conferences, and they write for him. He never wrote any books himself, Krishnamurti.

Hari-śauri: No, I read a book he wrote. (break) A friend recommended it to me. He said he was very exuberant. He said he'd found a book you could read and throw away at the end. So out of curiosity, I started to read...

Prabhupāda: So why shall I take the trouble? I throw it immediately. (laughter)

Hari-śauri: I got the book, and I... There was one chapter called, "Does God Exist?"

Room Conversation -- January 29, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Hari-śauri: Our devotees, Gurukṛpā's party, they're talking about they collect a hundred thousand, eighty thousand, but it means, that means...

Prabhupāda: It means few dollars.

Hari-śauri: Yes. Three or four hundred dollars.

Prabhupāda: In taxi in the beginning, I saw, "Three hund..., three thousand dollar." So (laughs)... And "Three thousand yen." So I did not know. I have got... They changed. Not dishonest. Honest or dishonest, I did not know. Whatever they took and returned, that's all. But I know they are not dishonest. They are nice people, hard worker, honest. But Japanese... This Tojo attempted that "This is the time for expanding with German help." Bad luck. They could not do. They wanted to keep China under their control. That also failed. They fought with the Russians in the beginning, when we were children, to expand-failed. This time they wanted to occupy Hawaii.

Room Conversation -- January 29, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Somehow or other, it must come. He has promised that he will collect half.

Satsvarūpa: That's right. And whatever he collects, you said you would...

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Satsvarūpa: I heard that he was told whatever he collects you would match that or match half of it.

Prabhupāda: Hm, hm, hm. Gargamuni may go and organize in Dacca. That will be a great service. He was speaking of going to Dacca. That will be greater service.

Satsvarūpa: I thought they were going mostly for the library work.

Room Conversation -- January 29, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: But they come to the love feast.

Satsvarūpa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Satsvarūpa: Yes. It's not necessary to emphasize that street chanting.

Prabhupāda: No. Sell books and invite them to come to temple for love feast.

Satsvarūpa: And there is all these men. It's still five more days before the ceremony. If they can do this..., programs locally.

Prabhupāda: Yes. They should go to the... Yes, locally. Kīrtana party. They should go in their bus and have in the city kīrtana party. Try to collect something.

Morning Walk Excerpt -- January 30, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Whichever you like. Īśopaniṣad? (break) Instruction is read one or two books thoroughly, but don't show yourself a scholar and simply note down, "I have read this." That's all. This is foolishness. This we don't want, that you give one friend, he'll never read one line, and collect book and carry like an ass lots of books. We don't want this. Read it. Whatever book you have got, read it thoroughly. (break) Rascal scholarship. What is scholarship? He does not read, and "scholarship." To show, make show that "I have collected so many books. I have read so many books."

Bhāgavata: Whenever you go to visit these professors, we try and get... (end)

Room Conversation with Svarupa Damodara -- January 30, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Nanda-kumāra: In Los Angeles there was some controversy, some trouble. So they had big signs that said "ISKCON," and they had a thing printed up that they put on the bucket that they were collecting with. It said, "Help us put the real spirit of God back into Christmas." And people appreciated that. It stated who we were and stated that...

Hari-śauri: Whenever there's some controversy there's always somebody that was dead against and there's always someone who's for you, but the general public, they just observe.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: It makes a better point for them instead of making a better point for ourselves.

Prabhupāda: Against party, they take it.

Morning Walk -- January 31, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: So many things going on. Very difficult to lead spiritual life.

sandarśanaṁ viṣayiṇām atha yoṣitāṁ ca

hā hanta hanta viṣa-bhakṣaṇato 'py asādhu

(CC Madhya 11.8)

Actually one who is serious going back to home, back to Godhead—for such person, one should be niṣkiñcana, no connection with these material woman and money. Niṣkiñcanasya. (break) But I am not collecting money for sense gratification. For preaching work. Kṛṣṇa-sambandhe... Kṛṣṇa sabaya yāhā haya anukula, viṣaya boliyā tāhā haya phul.(?) The anything which is favorable to my preaching work, that is not viṣaya. Ta phul.(?) Then that is mistake. Why the air is misty? That... (break) Similarly, you can kill. You have to see it, what for they are killing. Stalin was killing for his own sense gratification. He wanted to maintain himself in the position, and anyone going against him, he would kill.

Morning Walk -- February 2, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Ācchā?

Gurukṛpā: "He's stealing from you." That is a great problem. We lose so many sales because of envious people stopping.

Satsvarūpa: They say we're pretending to be a religion just to collect money, but our real aim is just to cheat, false propaganda. (horn beeps)

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Child: Prabhupāda ki jaya!

Prabhupāda: Jaya! Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Children: Prabhupāda ki jaya! Prabhupāda ki jaya!

Room Conversation -- February 3, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: ...in Manipur. So they wanted to construct some sort of memorial building but, somehow, India government is not granting them. So instead of doing that, they were just collecting the bones. They found out some bones by some... (laughter)

Prabhupāda: Bhūtejyā. This is called bhūtejyā.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: And they carried those bones along with them. Just in the village where I lived many Japanese bones were found. And they were coming very frequently to collect the bones.

Prabhupāda: Just see.

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

Prabhupāda: ...with this lantern? Electricity was introduced when we were boy, and that also not every house could provide electricity. Formerly they used to utilize gas, coal gas. If one man has got gaslight in his house, he is considered to be rich man. And gas... Mantle... Formerly electricity was... What is that? Carbon? Two carbon? In the morning it has to be changed. That Mahatma Gandhi Road was Harrison Road. So in our childhood, when the carbon would be changed, they would throw. We shall collect it.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What would you do with it?

Prabhupāda: (laughs) No, no, play. "We have collected something." So electricity was introduced in our life when we were ten, twelve years old. Before that, there was no electricity.

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

Prabhupāda: Not courtyard. Within the boundary, compound. The ramma badhi, vaihama badhi, merde badhi, purusdera badhi,(?) four different courtyards. And who cared for city life in those days? Nobody. Everyone was satisfied in village. General people, they would not come to city. Only servant class. What business they have got from the city? Because their main income from the field, kṛṣi-go-rakṣya. What they have got to do with the city? In the city, big, big zamindars, personally they had nothing to do. They are managers and sircars(?) were collecting money. That's all. And their extra money, they're constructing Ṭhākura Badhi,(?) temple, just like that Mullick's Ṭhākura Badhi, and festival going on. That was aristocracy. They devoted their money for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. What is that? You have seen the Bengali?

Evening Darsana -- February 15, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Make arrangement for prasāda distribution, any center. For that, we have to work hard, we have to collect, we have to beg, borrow, steal, everything. Prasāda distribution. And kīrtana. Here your distribution propa..., having kīrtana or not?

Bhavānanda: I'm sorry, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Brahmānanda: When you distribute prasāda do you have kīrtana also?

Bhavānanda: Yes, up and down the aisle. When we're distributing the big prasāda, then we have a kīrtana party.

Prabhupāda: They must hear kīrtana.

Evening Darsana -- February 15, 1977, Mayapura:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: One of our devotees in California was kidnapped out of the airport. She was distributing books in the airport in San Francisco, and because the court gave an order to the parents that "For thirty days you can take your daughter and commit her," so they have brought her to Arizona, where they have a special center set up for deprogramming, legal psychological tests. So for thirty days they ran these... They did some... We don't know what's going on there, some horrible things. Now the girl has sent a letter, and it showed that she is no longer in a devotional attitude. She said, "I'm very glad that I was rescued. Otherwise I would have been made to collect money all my life for your society, and now I'm saved from this."

Prabhupāda: She had been dictated to write like that.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yes. But probably they did some brain thing to her.

Prabhupāda: That is brainwash.

Evening Darsana -- February 15, 1977, Mayapura:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yes. It's a dangerous position. This is actually is dangerous position, because they are very powerful. There are many lobbying people. In other words, there are big groups of Christian, Jewish groups. They are especially active because they see that these other movements, not only ours, are taking the young people away from their religions. So they are actively collecting money and giving it to the deprogrammers. They are supplying funds. Just like one man gave this Phoenix, Arizona, center a donation of a hundred thousand dollars to set up their center for taking these young people. And they are internationally organized. They have big centers all over the world now.

Brahmānanda: London, France, Australia, South America.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Canada, Australia. The problem is that... Actually it's a fact that many of these groups are bad. They're cheating. Of course, ours is not, but because they're not very intelligent, they cannot see the distinction. Probably as a result of this court case, we will make them aware that now the other groups are bogus but we are not. That they'll have to admit. That will be the effect. But at least up until now we are being lumped in with these other bad groups. Cults, they call them. But it's a very dangerous thing. Therefore the lawyers and all of the scholars and intelligentsia of the United States is very alarmed that this is a great treading on human rights. This is a great danger to human rights because the Fifth Amendment of the... The First Amendment of the United States Constitution guarantees the freedom of religion. But according to these laws that they want to pass, a parent can say, "It is not a question of religion. My son has become abnormal." So who is to say what is religion and what is abnormal? They are saying, "This is not religion." So we have to prove, "No, this is... Hare Kṛṣṇa is a religion." Otherwise they are saying this is abnormal. Now, just... Our lawyer has pointed out that if you say that the devotees' preaching is brainwash, then you must say that every single Christian priest who preaches, he is also brainwashing.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Evening Darsana -- February 15, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Public property?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Audit. Audit.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Brahmānanda: They want to check our books, how we are, where we are collecting and how we are spending.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We have to be very cautious in dealing in these countries. We talked with Hṛdayānanda Mahārāja, and he said that now they are changing their tactic a little bit. They are becoming more cautious, because before they were too bold. Just like Brahmānanda was describing, when he first went to Africa, they had the van...

Morning Room Conversation -- February 16, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: There is no activity throughout the whole world, er, whole year. Only they come during the festival.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They use this festival as a means of collecting money...

Prabhupāda: That's it.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ...for the rest of the year.

Prabhupāda: That's it. That they actually do. With this festival, they collect. Whatever they collect, they spend twenty-five percent for the festival, and seventy-five percent they keep it for eating whole year. This is their business. That's a fact, they admit it. And they have no other source.

Room Conversation -- February 18, 1977, Mayapura:

Pradyumna: Like?

Prabhupāda: Tree. It is standing machine. It is collecting water from the root of the tree throughout the tree. Can you make machine, coconut tree, collecting water and supplying the top fruit? Where is that machine? It is a machine. So what brain you have got?

Hari-śauri: Chicken brain.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Hari-śauri: Chicken brain.

Prabhupāda: You cannot do that also.

Room Conversation -- February 18, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Why they are against the book?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Because... They're not against the books. They're against the money, the huge money that they see the books are getting. They're not even against the books. They're against the process of collecting money. Books, they don't care one way or the other, but the fact that we're collecting so much money, that is surprising them.

Hari-śauri: They think we're just going on the street begging money and then living nice life.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: See at first... At first they don't take us very seriously. They think, "Well, a few beggars." But then they start to see one skyscraper...

Prabhupāda: All beggars. (laughs)

Room Conversation -- February 18, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: All beggars. (laughs)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, poor beggars, right. And then a skyscraper full of beggars, and then they realize, "How they purchased a skyscraper? These people are collecting a lot of money."

Prabhupāda: We want that they should have necessaries without any difficulty and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. That they do not like. They want people to be industrialists, working very hard in the factory.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Hari-śauri: They're envious because they're struggling for their own existence, and they don't like to see us not struggle.

Room Conversation -- February 18, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: That is from their home.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh. That's a big business.

Prabhupāda: There is a professional tiffin-carrier man. They collect from different houses, and they come by the train and give to the person in the office.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, that's collected from their home.

Prabhupāda: Hm. Sometimes from hotel.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh. Yes, from hotel also. Sometimes I see them, huge quantities of tiffins.

Prabhupāda: Bombay officers, they, more than fifty percent, they eat in that tiffin-carrier.

Evening Darsana -- February 19, 1977, Mayapura:

And it is Kṛṣṇa's desire, they accepted so many 'no's.' I was not hopeful that these American young boys or gentlemen will accept these 'no's,' because I heard, "Lord Zetland said, 'It is impossible.' " If they go to a, one goes to a restaurant, he must find out one illicit woman. Is it not? It is not the practice, that they should go to a restaurant with one girl? Otherwise he's vagabond. (Bengali) He was ten years in London. He has good experience in villages. (aside:) Hare Kṛṣṇa. (Bengali) Sit down. (Bengali) "...that you cannot become happy without Me. Therefore I advise you, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66), aham tvāṁ sarva-pā-I'll give you..." (break) Kṛṣṇa yei bhaje sei baḍa catura. Therefore only intelligent person is he who is Kṛṣṇa conscious. All fools. Mūḍhaḥ nābhijānāti mām ebhyaḥ param avyayam. (Bengali) (break) One dayānika,(?) what is that? If he, that time, one paisa, if he could collect two annas, oh, he would encourage him like anything.

Evening Darsana -- February 25, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Oh. Nice, very nice.

Cāru: Devotee named Bhāskara made those.

Bali-mardana: This is Australian devotee, Bhāskara. (laughter) He has collected.

Prabhupāda: This is done in America? This?

Cāru: Yes. In Berkeley.

Prabhupāda: This is temple?

Devotees: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Very nice. (break) ...yogaṁ dadāmi tam. Kṛṣṇa says He'll give intelligence. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam (BG 10.10). You know this verse?

Evening Darsana -- February 25, 1977, Mayapura:

Tripurāri: Well, we tried it a little bit in the United States, but I think that the major difficulty was getting the people to pay. They would pay, perhaps promise to pay, but then they wouldn't follow through. We were afraid they would cancel the order.

Prabhupāda: That you have to manage, how to collect. You give him in credit, but keep men also to collect.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Collection agency.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Then it will be successful. You can give it... Americans are expert to take in credit, but the banking arrangement is nice, that they get back. Similarly, you give them credit. They will take it and then make such machinery that it will be collected. Collected means to go and ask. Then it will be collected.

Evening Darsana -- February 26, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: That he should act simply for the benefit of the guru. This is the process. He has no personal interest. He'll go by the order of guru to beg alms from different householders and... They are innocent children. They'll go, ask, "Mother, give me some alms." And the mother also knows that "My child or his child, they are all neighbors' child. They will give." And whatever collection is there, he'll bring it to guru. So he does not claim that "I have collected. It is my property." No. It is guru's property. This is the first training. He works so hard to collect, but the property belongs to the guru. Guror hitam. This is first training. And that is the meaning of karmaṇy evādhikāras te mā phaleṣu kadācana. That gentleman was quoting this. He does not know what is the meaning. He... Karmaṇy e... He is engaged to work, to collect. Just like you are doing that.

Room Conversation 'GBC Resolutions' -- March 1, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Lot of money coming here from France? How is that?

Gargamuni: On transportation. Air flight.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: And also no one collected. He's improving that also.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: One problem is that to this date they have to separate the BBT account from the temple accounts. They are not yet separate, so that...

Bhagavān: It is separate.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I was informed that they weren't.

Devotee: No, theirs is separate now.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I don't know who to believe.

Room Conversation 'GBC Resolutions' -- March 1, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: No, no, Panihati he can take, but why Calcutta?

Gargamuni: Because for maintenance sake, Panihati and Calcutta is the same place for collecting funds.

Prabhupāda: Why?

Gargamuni: It's a factory area...

Prabhupāda: No, no, and our Abhirāma is doing in Calcutta.

Gargamuni: Well, actually he doesn't stay in Calcutta, and the...

Rāmeśvara: We were informed that he does not want to remain as president.

Prabhupāda: So that will be decided in the president's meeting?

Room Conversation 'GBC Resolutions' -- March 1, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: This cannot be.

Hṛdayānanda: It was suggested that he can preach in the area.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Or collect.

Rāmeśvara: Anyway, for this reason...

Prabhupāda: No why don't you call him to study the whole situation?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, the real point is that the GBC should meet with him...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ...and Haṁsadūta together and work out the problems.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation with GBC members -- March 2-3, 1977, Mayapura:

Satsvarūpa: So today the presidents had their meeting and they went over all our resolutions. This year it went very smoothly. They finished their whole meeting in a couple of hours. The president of the meeting was Girirāja. And they made some amendments to our proposals. I don't think I have to read all of them. Some of them are just minor adjustments. But some of them are... One was... We read the other night that we would not do the Santa Claus dress any more for saṅkīrtana, but they changed that at their meeting. They felt that the publicity was not actually so detrimental around the world, and that the advantage for book distribution and collecting was very great. So they said, "Do it." And then we had our final meeting this afternoon, the GBC, to review their meeting, and we agreed this time with them. But we put an amendment on it that they could dress in Santa Claus or other costumes only after getting permission from the local authorities by permit to do that. So there wouldn't be illegal.

Prabhupāda: That's nice.

Room Conversation -- March 26, 1977, Bombay:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: I find Bombay people are a little bit more open-minded.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Bombay is the best city in India, undoubtedly. From the very beginning, and the richest city. The government revenue is collected from Bombay sixty-three percent. Bombay is so rich. Sixty-three percent from Bombay and thirty-seven percent from whole of India. That is the position.

Śrīdhara: Calcutta is also very wealthy.

Prabhupāda: No.

Girirāja: They keep the money in black.

Śrīdhara: Oh, in black money.

Prabhupāda: And religiously-minded.

Room Conversation -- March 26, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Amogha. Amogha goes?

Hari-śauri: No, he is doing college programs mainly in Melbourne now. But the BBT distribution party, sometimes they collect three or four hundred dollars a day, each man.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Hari-śauri: It's very rich. Because in the northwestern Australia, there is lots of mining towns, and Perth is the only place that they can come to spend their money. So we can collect lots of money. It's very good.

Indian man: Śrīla Prabhupāda (Hindi).

Prabhupāda: Nei. Develop farms.

Room Conversation with Ratan Singh Rajda (Member of Parliament) -- March 27, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: They must.

Mr. Rajda: Very enthusiastic work.

Prabhupāda: It is the duty of the Indians. But instead of Indians, I have to collect these young men from foreign countries.

Mr. Rajda: We were just now talking about it on the way. In India we must take it up.

Prabhupāda: Let there be one institution for training Indian youth, for this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Mr. Rajda: That could be done.

Prabhupāda: You do it, and it will be wonderful thing. Do it. In New Delhi. Or in Bombay we have got now very nice building.

Room Conversation -- March 31, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: If you become nice devotee, everything will be improved. Bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ (BG 18.55). The more you increase your devotional service, everything will be increased. Who expected such temple here? You wanted from me fourteen lakhs. I had no fourteen hundred even. With so much difficulty we collected the money. Bali-mardana sent from New York, ten lakhs. Girirāja, you were from the very beginning, no? At that time you were in Calcutta.

Girirāja: I came after about two weeks.

Prabhupāda: Our Tamāla Kṛṣṇa Mahārāja, he refused to take charge, Madhudviṣa. I was little hopeless. And Brahmānanda encouraged me. "I will do." And then silent. "Give him fifty dollars. Give him fifty dollars." And his policy was that where he will get this money? He is beggar. Fourteen lakhs? Whatever one, two lakhs he gives, that's all. I told him friendly that "I have no so much money. Immediately I can collect four lakhs.

Room Conversation -- April 5, 1977, Bombay:

Guest (1): Yes. There are so many separate... Not the Times of India, not the press. I'll get you the cutting. I'll get it. Everything is coming out.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: They had lakhs money(?) or something in the bank.

Guest (1): So they had collected money for the election purpose. They have put in the State Bank for Congress money under some account.

Prabhupāda: They credited the account?

Guest (1): Yes.

Prabhupāda: State Bank has not given out?

Guest (1): No.

Prabhupāda: What money they have taken?

Room Conversation -- April 5, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: What money they have taken?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Their own money. Of course, "their own" means...

Guest (1): No, only they collected from this, and other people.

Prabhupāda: Whatever that State Bank kept that money and gave that. So there is no fault of the State Bank. State Bank has no fault.

Guest (1): No, but they can't give so much money in one day to the party. Particularly after the election debacle. That money will go out of India and transfer into foreign funds. Because there are all brokers here. Suppose you have got hundred rupees. You can exchange pounds and get it in London. Anyone can do it. So this money was used for that purpose. If it was known that elections are lost and this money will not be utilized in India, they would not have given.

Room Conversation -- April 5, 1977, Bombay:

Girirāja: Yes, because that's the rate I established. We checked the market rate. Plus we want them to give six months of rent in advance, plus we want another benefit from them. I was recently in Hyderabad, and I saw an advertisement in the Hindu paper of Madras by a temple, which advertised the deity of the temple and said you can make a donation, and you can make a donation at any of the branches of the Indian bank, Bank of Madras. So one of the things I have been talking to these banks is when we open a Bombay temple we would like to try this approach here, advertise the Deities, have a small story about the Deities, and say anyone who wants to make a donation can make it at any branch of State Bank of India without any charge. And then the bank must agree to give us this service, collect the money and remit to us. So with the banks who have been coming I have been asking them...

Prabhupāda: They will deposit in Bombay.

Room Conversation -- April 10, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That is the duty of ācārya. Otherwise he is not... Not that three dozen ācāryas in Māyāpur. Each one has a temple and a few dozen... Not few dozen—one dozen disciples. Bring some rice and eat. They are ācārya. That day I said that, khāi laya khasi bhaja,(?) then everybody became angry. Collecting some money, taking to the holy place, collecting fifty rupees and keeping twenty rupees and spending thirty rupees. This is... In this way they are making livelihood, ācāryas. They say, "Whatever is in our capacity, we are doing." The capacity means when they are speaking that the cockroach is as good a bird as the Garuḍa. Cockroach is also a bird and Garuḍa is also a bird.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Quite a difference, though.

Prabhupāda: How the cockroach can say "I am also as good as Garuḍa"?

Morning Conversation -- April 11, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Another rascal.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "He said that industry must rest on a secure foundation and a healthy land-man relationship. It cannot rest where man owns thousands of acres of land and villages, but stays in Calcutta or Patna and is only interested in collecting money."

Prabhupāda: That I say always. Hm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: We have already seen the defect.

Second Meeting with Mr. Dwivedi -- April 24, 1977, Bombay:

Mr. Dwivedi: And just near there is moving door, shutting door. It has got nine pillars. If you just push one pillar, the entire structure shifts. And the pity is the archaeological department of government of India has taken no care about this. We had some good statue of Buddha and Mahāvīra and... Two, three were stolen away. We collected at our own institution. Then ultimately I wrote to government. I said, "Already some statue have been stolen away. You kindly left it wherever you like. We can't protect them from thieves." Just three months back. Then they took away another three statue, one of Viṣṇu, one of Buddha, another of Mahāvīra.

Prabhupāda: Stone?

Mr. Dwivedi: One big, one were stolen. Three... I asked government. I asked them three times. Government has not yet taken them away from there. Otherwise we had collected it at our own headquarters and institute.

Conversation: Bogus Gurus -- April 25, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yes, this is going on.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This man, he has a book now of these..., this man from Purī, Jagannātha Purī. He has a... He collects letters from each one of them, and he keeps them in a book, and he shows...

Prabhupāda: Yes, that "They have given me..."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So many disciples.

Prabhupāda: The Vṛndāvana also they do. These things are there, their business. And they smoke gāñ..., opium, gāñjā. Pān they are chewing, fish. "Tīrtha-guru." In Vṛndāvana the jāta-guru, caste gosvāmī, they do like that. He'll not touch his water even, and still, he is disciple.

Morning Conversation -- April 29, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Hm? Stryadhīśa. So after getting that shelter, I began to grow. Everything was very precarious condition-vagabond. I was selling some books. I thought that "This boy will be trained up" when I got that place. He invited me to "Come to my loft." It was very big loft. I was holding class, collecting ten dollars. Then he was not paying rent. He gave me the charge of paying rent. So Kṛṣṇa was giving by collecting. It was on the top. Still, people were coming. Great story. Never mind. Now we... From my part, whatever is possible. Now you take care. That is my request. Don't spoil it. Now it is up to you. My, this ailment... I can pass away at any moment. My health is not good. I am old man. It is not surprising. Now you GBC, young boys, all, American, expert, you have got all intelligence, resources, so don't spoil. Let the movements go forward more and more. Now you have got nice places, filled with devotees. Don't be anxious for me.

Morning Conversation -- April 30, 1977, Bombay:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: He took sannyāsa last year with Haṁsadūta Swami.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: His name is Jagat-guru.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: He collected a big donation in Middle East once, and he gave it to you, twelve thousand dollars or some...

Prabhupāda: Our?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes, yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So he got a letter. Should I read it to Your Divine Grace? "Dear..." It's signed by Morarji Desai. "Dear Shree Jagat-guru Swami, I thank you for your letter of April 4th and am grateful to you for your good wishes. You have cited some very wise sūtras from our ancient writings.

Evening Darsana -- May 9, 1977, Hrishikesh:

Prabhupāda: "There is no superior authority than Me." You simply say, "Kṛṣṇa is the supreme authority." That's all. Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī mām... You preach, "Come here in the temple. See Kṛṣṇa's Deity and always think of Him." Where is the difficulty? Now, these Europeans and Americans, what I have done to them? I have not given any bribe. I say, "Here is Kṛṣṇa. He is God." They accept it, worship Him. Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. Just if you cannot do anything, just offer one obeisances, namaskāra. Any child can do. They have done it, and they are going ahead. (Hindi) Kṛṣṇa-upadeśa is there, perfect upadeśa. (Hindi) As Kṛṣṇa says, you try to assimilate it and distribute it. There is no diffi... (Hindi) Kṛṣṇa says, mattaḥ parataraṁ nān... (Hindi) Eighty-four books, each book, four hundred pages, in ten years. And we are selling, collecting by selling books, five to six lakh of rupees daily in foreign countries. What is that qualification? We have tried to convince people that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Being. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1).

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

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.

Morning Conversation -- May 29, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: As soon as you rent, it become botheration.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It means you have to collect the rent.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: No, your apartment can be a place of pilgrimage.

Indian man: (Hindi)

Prabhupāda: Ha. As soon as you rent out, then botheration.

Ādi-keśava: That... Śrīla Prabhupāda, that area has become a very, very bad neighborhood.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Very bad.

Morning Conversation -- May 29, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So not selling?

Gargamuni: Because we have very few men, so now Gaura-Govinda is taking on bullocks cart. He'll go to the villages, and he'll distribute. Then some portion of what I will collect, I will put in... I have separate account for book fund and one for construction. Some portion I'll put in book fund. Then we'll print, and I will bring...

Prabhupāda: No, you gave money. I can give you. There is Book Trust.

Gargamuni: I just feel...

Prabhupāda: No.

Gargamuni: ...that so many books are there I have not distributed yet. I will print more and...

Prabhupāda: No, no. This will come out. Very good idea. Sell.

Discussions -- June 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Whatever it may be, it is returning.

Rāmeśvara: Our idea is that from all the money that is collected, we will reinvest in Bengali books.

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Rāmeśvara: So in addition, he wanted to borrow from your own BBT, because Gopāla says that all his money is tied up for printing in English and Hindi and the other languages.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: At least for six months.

Rāmeśvara: So that is his request.

Room Conversation -- June 17, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: A man is working. Now he has got with him rice, ḍāl, āṭā. Now anywhere he can collect this dry gobar and set fire. And he has got his loṭā, and he's cooking. Very palatable and digestive.

Upendra: The balls, laktha, they're looking... I mean, when they are finished, they are looking brown or black?

Prabhupāda: No, brown. Brown and blackish spot.

Upendra: Black spots.

Prabhupāda: Then it is prepared, very... Just like loaf.

Upendra: Yeah, bread loaf.

Conversation: 'How to Secure Brahmacaris' -- June 24, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Anywhere. There are lots and hundreds and thousands, but you have to collect them and give them proper education, vidvān, bhaktimān. Kāṇena cakṣuṣā kiṁvā cakṣuḥ pīḍaiva kevalam. So if you don't educate them as vidvān and bhaktimān, it is just like blind eye, kāṇa, with some disease, simply giving trouble. That's all. Pluck it out. The medical treatment is pluck it out. So what is the use of begetting cats and dogs? According to our Bhāgavata philosophy, if one is not able to beget nice children, then he should not become father-mother. That is real contraceptive. Gurur na sa syāt jananī na sā syāt, na mocayed yaḥ samupeta-mṛtyum. The father-mother's duty is to stop repetition of birth and death. That is real father-mother. Otherwise dog is also doing that. Dog is also begetting children. Man is also begetting.

Talk About Varnasrama, S.B. 2.1.1-5 -- June 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: ...Britishers. Otherwise, nonvegetarian in India means up to fish. (pause) In Gujarat still you'll find. One young girl... You see here that all young girls are carrying water, collecting. In the morning collecting water, cleansing the house, utensils, clothes, taking bath, then cooking, those girls. Their first business. Man's business is to earn money, go to the market, the necessities. Woman's business is take care of household affairs, children, and they have got engagement. And in the presence of father or elder brother or husband, a woman has to earn livelihood—that's a great insult.

Conversation with Bhakti-caitanya Swami-New GBC -- June 30, 1977, Vrindaban:

Trivikrama: It's only a few hours by car, two hours.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Bhakti-caitanya: 'Cause from Delhi I want to collect our funds for Delhi and for Chandigarh, and Delhi we will keep our head office, and we will cover the whole north, because...

Prabhupāda: Very good. Yes. In Delhi...

Bhakti-caitanya: ...we have a nice part to work.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So you don't think Gopāla will leave, feeling sorry about Delhi being in his zone. Now he's going to...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Conversation with Bhakti-caitanya Swami-New GBC -- June 30, 1977, Vrindaban:

Bhakti-caitanya: That Mr. Raj Kumar Gupta. He is the right man in the ministry now. That Kedaranath Swami, the mayor of Delhi, he always... He is a fast friend. So if we have influential man... Now he has shifted his office from Chandigarh to Delhi, so I have to get the all ordination for Chandigarh from him, through him. So if he will introduce me to his friends in Delhi, and Delhi people mind if I will take our money to Chandigarh, so what I was wondering is collect the money from Delhi from all over, put in Delhi and Chandigarh together, all the north India.

Trivikrama: There will be no shortage of money. There's so much... Just yesterday a man gave five thousand rupees. And he wasn't even a big man. Small man. Big man, we can get. There's so many.

Bhakti-caitanya: (laughs) Yes, practically because we have no small big man.

Prabhupāda: So it is very good premise. So why Gopāla should be sorry that "I go"? Is there any reason?

Letter from Yugoslavia--'Books!' -- June 30, 1977, Vrndavana:

Śatadhanya: What is that, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: A kind of herb, creeper, creeper that grows, punar navā. It is known practically to all cultivators. If they can collect punar navā, collect and send immediately. Ask Māyāpur.

Śatadhanya: Punar navās.

Prabhupāda: Punar navā.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Hiraṇyagarbha's going back there in a day. We have a boy going there in one day.

Śatadhanya: It is good medicinally?

Prabhupāda: For me. This medicine, what I am drinking, that is punar navā.

Conversation -- June 30, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Guru Mahārāja, he saw this. Now I remember those days, when he was instructing, "Do like this. Do like this." At that time, I could not understand. "Oh, why he's talking to me?" He wanted. "Jaya Svāmī! Jaya Svāmī.(indistinct)" More stress required. But many men and may not...(indistinct) So just attempt. Ask him. Bring some books when you leave. Then construct a... No, He is giving. Kṛṣṇa is giving money. Within few days you have collected fifty thousand. Where is the scarcity of money?

Gargamuni: Nowhere in the world. Everyone has money.

Conversation -- July 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: He is the proper man.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This man is the biggest businessman in Lautoka, Fiji, and his brother is the mayor. And he became initiated disciple of Śrīla Prabhupāda's, and personally he has organized a society there, collected all the funds and built a beautiful temple with Kṛṣṇa-Kāliya Deity.

Mr. Myer: That is where Yaśodā-nandana Mahārāja is going for the opening.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah.

Mr. Myer: Fiji, yes. Very nice.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Very businesslike, how he sent this account sheet and everything.

Mr. Myer: Beautiful, so beautiful, so exact, not...

Prabhupāda: No, they know business.

Room Conversation with Mr. Myer -- July 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Maximize collect... If you increase collection, that money comes, extra.

Mr. Myer: Yes.

Prabhupāda: But by decreasing expenditure, you save money. That is real saving.

Mr. Myer: No, (indistinct) rupees is not the savings. At present the excess in expenditure only will come, as it stands now. So we have to find a regular means. It's very possible if some of the...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He's saying that whatever the case is, more money is being spent here than is being made.

Prabhupāda: So save it. First of all save it. More money, to increase, that is not difficult for us. We go to beg, "Please give us." We can get.

Room Conversation With Son (Vrindavan De) -- July 5, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, anything. It doesn't matter what it is. For example... I was reading a report about them. So just like we have our saṅkīrtana parties and each, like five or six men in a van go out, they also have vans like that. But each van they have one Korean woman with each van. They say she keeps the accounts. That was the explanation. But it's obvious that she's a prostitute. It's very clear. So they do anything. They have no scruples or principles. So at any rate, the thing I feel about this is that we take pride in saying that we are on the streets now and we'll always be on the streets because our business is selling books. We're not going to depend on some big business and then stop our preaching. They are not preaching. This proves that what they do on the street is not preaching. They're simply collecting money.

Prabhupāda: They have nothing to preach. What they have got to preach?

Room Conversation With Son (Vrindavan De) -- July 5, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No. It's just... These are all signs that our movement is here to stay.

Prabhupāda: It will stay.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It says here, "Aid the Fresh Air Fund." This is a fund. They collect millions of dollars for keeping the air fresh. But they never think why the air has become unfresh due to all these foolish industries pumping so many obnoxious things into the air. That they won't stop. But they'll devise new machines to clean the air.

Prabhupāda: Hm. So here is one of the machine. That we are creating, the farms. Air fresh.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It is fresh air.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Room Conversation during lunchtime -- July 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Government is doing that, giving a piece of paper, "one thousand dollars." American Express Company, giving paper only and collecting millions of dollars daily.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Just for giving paper you have to pay one percent of the value of paper. When you give your money, they give you paper. You pay one percent.

Prabhupāda: But they have created such a credit, and people are confident as soon as present it... (break)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That means that our goal is not to do business. It's to enlighten people. (pause) So Vrindavan Chandra got off nicely. The train was on time, and he was very glad to receive all the prasādam. And they gave him a garland. He said he would remember everyone, such a nice visit he had. He actually enjoyed himself. I gave him the Nectar of Instruction to read. He read it.

Room Conversation -- July 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Mr. Myer: Actually South is full of it. They have got a Theosophical Society, there's the Aurobindo Society, there is the J. Krishnamurti Trust. Many, many things are there. But each one of it is just a very shallow... J. Krishnamurti has never written a book himself. Always another person writes about him, his thoughts, his speeches. So only thing is that they started many, many years ago, fifty years ago. So they have bought some piece of land and started some schools, and like that they have created some systems. But basically it's very difficult. One cannot make any advancement with such people. But all, everywhere in India today tendency is people just go and ask for some personal gain. In Tirupati people go there, they say "If I get a son, I will come and pay some money." And some people say, "If my husband gets all right, I will come and do something." Some women go there, they just take off all their diamond necklaces and pour it. In one day they will sometimes collect a crore of rupees. It's unbelievable. So that is the type attitude people developed. Then that legend also says Lord Viṣṇu married, and for a marriage He has taken a big loan. So whosoever is helping Him to repay it, he gets a good from the...

Prabhupāda: Lord Viṣṇu. Who is that?

Room Conversation -- July 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambrahma-sevyamānam. He's worshiped by many thousands of goddess of fortune. Why He is taking your help?

Mr. Myer: So this is how the people are made to believe the entire thing. And now they've started collecting money through banks. People are sending deposits through banks to get pūjās done. And prasādam is being sold in all the places. This is just basically. But if anyone wants to go there and...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So our temple should be ideal here.

Mr. Myer: Oh, yes. This actually will be the largest, Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma. We think that now we have made all possible efforts people to know about it. In fact, if we could have a base in Mathurā—that's where all the people come from—and one on the highway, then I think we can attract people both side.

Room Conversation-Recent Mail -- July 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So send Gargamuni many thanks for arranging in the libraries. Kṛṣṇa is blessing him. Organize in Bombay office very nicely, and arrange for printing enough stock. All money collected should be invested immediately. This is giving me new life, all these. Somebody is proposing to give us some dairy land? Dairy.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Dairy land in Agra?

Prabhupāda: Agra?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I heard also someone was proposing. One man who's staying here now is proposing four acres in Agra. They went today to see it. I think Bhagatjī went and also Akṣayānanda Mahārāja. They'll give you a report on it.

Prabhupāda: Supply of ghee from that dairy land would be very good.

Room Conversation -- July 19, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Why not? Oh, yes. America's money collect and send. So that is my proposal, American money and give this culture. They are squandering so much money. Channelize to spend through this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Their money will be properly utilized and our Kṛṣṇa consciousness will be spread.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "People say they have never had such wonderful tasty food. If we can get money from Food Relief, it should be sent directly here."

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. First thing is you get ghee.

Room Conversation Gaurasundara, Dr. Kapoor -- July 26, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So beyond imagination. (laughter) We printed Caitanya-caritāmṛta, twenty thousand copies. Out of that, five thousand copies are already sold, and we have collected at least forty lakhs of rupees. And India also we are getting orders even from Bangladesh, Dacca, Dacca University. So by Prabhupāda's āśīrvāda things are going very encouraging. What we have sold in the last one week? The last report?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The last report... This is simply from the American and Western European countries, it was reported in one week, June 27th to July 3rd, they sold 51,000 hardcover books, then 30,000 medium size books, 20,000 small books, and 140,000 magazines in one week.

Dr. Kapoor: Staggering figures.

Room Conversation -- October 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Very good.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Sometimes he likes to go out to collect for Them. Is that all right?

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So starting tomorrow, we will go in front of Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma for a half hour every day?

Prabhupāda: Or less time.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Or less time. As you feel comfortable.

Prabhupāda: Let us try.

Room Conversation -- October 11, 1977, Vrndavana:

Girirāja: I had a very wonderful meeting with the chairman of the bank. And he's ready to do anything to satisfy us and keep our business. So he said that he was going to get rid of the man who is on this counter, Mr. Gupta, and give us some more young, dynamic, cooperative person to be in charge over here. And we completed the formalities for transferring the fixed deposits to the main branch, and he assured me that it was a completely routine transaction and that if the local people tried to do anything to stop it, that he would himself personally see that it went through smoothly. So I gave them the certificates. It was not necessary to sign them. We just gave the certificates, and they gave us a receipt. And they're going to endorse the certificates. So they are payable from New Delhi instead of from Vṛndāvana, and then we can go and collect them. And the chairman also called the assistant general manager. He was also very nice and very sympathetic. So he's going to come on Saturday, and he's going to look into everything, all the difficulties here. And I said that he could bring his family and they could take prasādam. So they're all going to be coming on Saturday at about eleven o'clock. I had submitted a letter with eleven things that we wanted. You know, we want the hours to be regular, we wanted a new person here, we wanted our interest on time—just a list of different things. And he said that there's no problem, and they're just ready to do whatever we want. They gave the impression that they would dismiss any number of people here that were giving us trouble. But I said that I thought that the main person was this Mr. Gupta, and so they said they would replace him. It was very good. But still, even if there are improvements here, I think it's better to keep the fixed deposits in New Delhi.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Room Conversation -- October 12, 1977, Vrndavana:

Jayapatākā: Now it's called Bhadrak. They're... Just a few hundred yards from the place of the mandira is the place where Lord Caitanya sat where He was staying for five days when He was there. Then about two miles away on another occasion He stayed at a Rādhā-Madana-mohana or some mandira. Lord Caitanya's been going there on occasion. It's in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta. It mentions the place. And the people who have given us the temple, they are the descendants of the devotee with whom Lord Caitanya stayed with. They're the same family. And so they're very enthusiastic and they want to give all help. Although it's a small place, they've already made a couple of members, life patron members, and they're trying to collect donation. There's a college there, and some of the professors of the college come regularly to the temple, and they are chanting japa and they're bringing their students and other colleagues.

Prabhupāda: Good field.

Room Conversation -- October 15, 1977, Vrndavana:

Girirāja: The manager came, I mean, not the manager, the assistant general manager from the head office. He came, and he brought the letter with our eleven-points program which we want to have, and he agreed with all of the points. And he said that probably Tuesday I can go to Delhi and collect the fixed deposit certificates, and they will be endorsed on the New Delhi branch. And he said that after ten days... Within ten days there will be a new manager for the extension counter, and we'll never have to deal with Mr. Gupta again. So many different small points, he instructed the people to comply. And he's going to have the whole extension counter refurnished with carpets and nice chairs and sofas, so that there's a nice atmosphere. So, I mean, I think from now on everything should be very straightforward.

Prabhupāda: So things are satisfactory now?

Room Conversation -- October 15, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Let him bring. There is fifty thousand rupees in Orissa.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Jayapatākā: That fifty thousand rupees was supposed to be for construction. Bhāgavata Prabhu has collected about 35,000 rupees on his own that he's put into the account there so far. More is also being collected. It was previously promised that whatever he would collect for construction, then that amount would be matched from BBT fund or from your...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Somewhere. So so far he has to collect fifty thousand, 'cause that's already there.

Room Conversation -- October 15, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: That construction is not so important as printing of books.

Jayapatākā: The president of the Bhadrak temple that Lokanātha Swami got donated from the Gauḍīya Maṭha to ISKCON, he has been collecting life members, hoping that he can build and improve a little bit on it. He was hoping to get the same facility of Bhuvaneśvara, of matching fifty-fifty. He's collecting everything locally in Orissa.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda? We got a telegram from Nṛsiṁha-Caitanya. You know, he's the boy who does library distribution? Should I read it to you?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Okay.

Room Conversation -- October 17, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: No, no. Subhasya(?) śīghram. As early as possible.

Girirāja: Yes. So the reason we selected January 8th was because many of the important devotees like Yaśodānandana Swami, they're going out of India for collecting during the (indistinct) time, so they felt that it would be easier for them to be back by January 8th.

Prabhupāda: No, no. It cannot remain vacant. Consult with Jayatīrtha.

Hari-śauri: Jayatīrtha's here.

Prabhupāda: I'm asking Girirāja.

Hari-śauri: Consult with Jayatīrtha.

Room Conversation -- October 20, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The fixed deposit slips. The actual receipts. See, but they've been stamped now. They've been handed over. We handed them over to this office here. We did everything according to letters and everything, and this office here in Vṛndāvana sent them by registered post to the head office. The head office got them, stamped them, and Girirāja went today to Delhi, collected them with Hari-śauri, and then Girirāja went to Bombay and Hari-śauri brought the receipts back. I took them and locked them away. Same receipts, simply stamped now with the head office stamp, entered in their accounts. So now the fixed deposits are officially held. We have them, but I mean to say they are with the Parliament Street Punjab Bank. Not Vṛndāvana branch.

Prabhupāda: So, they have issued any covering letter?

Room Conversation -- October 20, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: More or less a covering letter. I mean we have certain correspondence, but on the receipt itself it says transferred... The whole thing is done pakka. When we gave the receipts to Vṛndāvana branch they signed that they received them. When we gave the letter to the head office originally telling them what we wanted to do, they gave us back in writing, "Take the receipts, give them to the Vṛndāvana branch. They will be transferred, then you will collect them in Delhi." Everything is in writing, documented.

Prabhupāda: And no new receipt issued?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No. Not a new receipt issued. We wanted a new receipt, but they did not issue a new receipt. I was expecting to get a new receipt, but they didn't give. They simply noted on these receipts.

Room Conversation -- October 21, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So he...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's not... (break) I don't think that it's a problem. What we have to do is simply send a letter to the bank with...

Prabhupāda: No, no, he says you do not require. He said you collect through bank. Bas.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But just like when you collect through a bank, you first have to sign.

Guest (1): You have to sign.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, that's what I'm trying to say. You have to give the signed certificates to the bank, and they'll make collection. But you have to sign them. So the signers are here in Vṛndāvana.

Guest (1): No.

Room Conversation -- October 21, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, I say the people who have to sign are here in Vṛndāvana.

Guest (1): So you have got bank account here.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, we can collect through the bank here. But first of all we have to get the certificates in order to sign them. That you have to explain to Prabhupāda. He's thinking that without signing...

Prabhupāda: Yes. They'll collected here.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But, Prabhupāda, your sister first of all signed them. Her son collected, but she signed on the back first of all.

Prabhupāda: Did the...

Guest (1): (Bengali)

Room Conversation -- October 21, 1977, Vrndavana:

Guest (1): But if you have power of attorney, then everything will be... But you have to collect it from bank. That would be easier.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. We will do it through the bank, not directly.

Prabhupāda: So why don't you do that?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's what we're doing.

Prabhupāda: It is going to be due within fortnight.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: First thing that has... Prabhupāda, one thing is that this power of attorney is to Girirāja and myself. So, one thing Girirāja is doing when he-he's reaching Bombay tomorrow—is that the power of attorney doesn't show our authorized signatures. In other words, a notary has to notarize our signatures, that these are actually the signatures.

Prabhupāda: This Asnani has gone? Asnani already left? That...? Our lawyer friend?

Room Conversation -- October 27, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Money you'll get. There is no scarcity. Ātreya Ṛṣi will give you.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, he is very rich.

Prabhupāda: Their country is very rich now.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: We used to send devotees to collect from these Middle East countries.

Prabhupāda: Richest country now, Middle East. Everywhere we can make Vaikuṇṭha by Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Let people understand gradually.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: When they see your books, that's when they really appreciate our movement.

Prabhupāda: Who has got such substantial books? Nowhere in the world.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's a fact.

Room Conversation -- October 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: With the press from the Indian Express and other newspapers. And also I went to the television and the All-India Radio for the engagement. And also I wanted to discuss with some of my members the immediate plan that we have. So I sent one to Bombay to organize a conference. So I'll try to cover this area very quickly, Agra, Delhi, and Punjab. I'm meeting a lot of scientists. And also I collected several copies of the newspaper, The Statesman. I went to the Statesman building, collected the newspaper coverings. How are you feeling, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: That kavirāja did not come?

Upendra: What happened? No one knows. They left. They say he left Calcutta at twelve o'clock flight.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: I could have gone to the airport. Maybe they are coming tomorrow on the train, Taj Express?

Room Conversation -- October 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Who has come with him?

Śatadhanya: This is Adri-dhāraṇa dāsa, Śrīla Prabhupāda. I told you about him, that he's collecting very big in Calcutta, making many members. So he has come with the kavirāja personally.

Prabhupāda: He belongs to which province?

Adri-dhāraṇa: I was born in Bombay, but my parents are from Sindh.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But he's born in Bombay.

Bhakti-caru: And he joined in Florida, yes? (Hindi—kavirāja) About six months back we had a report.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Urine specimen report?

Room Conversation -- October 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That will be further help. I mean, with presentation of these, this shows that you have position to demand this money.

Prabhupāda: When the bank collects, the post office will not have any objection.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's a fact. If the bank takes money, the post office will pay as the bank orders.

Vrindavan De: But is it possible to...? In case those counterfoils... It is only mentioned in the one line.

Prabhupāda: It doesn't matter.

Room Conversation -- October 30, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Bhavānanda: That's good idea.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You mean they have to come and collect.

Bhavānanda: Yes. They come to the temple few times a year, once a year. They'll get their copies and go.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Then you have to keep them set aside with the person's name on it? That's not so hard. Just stick the person's name on it.

Bhavānanda: Or if someone's going on traveling saṅkīrtana in that area, 'cause we always know where they're going, they can take and deliver if they're going near. No problem. But the magazine is so attractive that the postal clerks, they cannot resist taking it home to their family. (laughs)

Prabhupāda: You can get advertisement. But we don't want it.

Room Conversation -- November 3, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: What karmī can earn so much!

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What karmī can earn so much. For the temples, that means that by selling your books, the temples will collect about sixteen million dollars in one year. Or in other words, fourteen crores, nine lakhs, forty thousand rupees.

Prabhupāda: They'll believe?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, believe it or not, it's a fact.

Prabhupāda: Fact, yes.

Room Conversation -- November 7, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: You don't strain for collecting. Then spiritual progress will be hampered.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Don't strain for collecting. Then spiritual progress will be hampered. That's a fact.

Jayapatākā: It seems that the temple could be completed within seven years without straining.

Prabhupāda: That is nice.

Jayapatākā: Then we can have it completed by the five-hundredth-year anniversary of Lord Caitanya...

Room Conversation -- November 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Haṁsadūta: If we go to Govardhana, we would take the prasādam that was prepared here and bring it there, so that many people can take.

Prabhupāda: I have no objection.

Lokanātha: Or otherwise we can make real picnic. We could collect some grains there from door to door and cook some khicuṛi there.

Prabhupāda: That will be very nice.

Guṇārṇava: There are already many thousands and thousands of people there, Śrīla Prabhupāda. Perhaps it will take a long time to get there because of traffic. I was in Mathurā today. Every ten minutes buses and ṭāṅgās and so many kinds of vehicles were going to Govardhana. There are many, many thousands of people there today.

Room Conversation -- November 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: (Bengali) Is that all right? (Bengali)

Svarūpa Dāmodara: We're sending someone.

Kṛṣṇa dāsa Bābājī: No, no, I'll go personally.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, we'll go with a car. He can come and collect his things.

Prabhupāda: So make arrangement.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: (Bengali)

Jayapatākā: ...that if you feel any pain or experience any difficulty, then we can bring you back.