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Companion (Conv. and Letters)

Conversations and Morning Walks

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

Press Interview -- December 30, 1968, Los Angeles:

Journalist: Is there in India a licensing body by the state for people to preach or to... How in the heck would you say it here?

Prabhupāda: It was not there because in India there are so many churches, and they're supposed to be very saintly person. So simply to become a disciple of a saintly person is sufficient certificate. Just like in your country, marriage requires certificate. In India still, there is no certificate. The boys and girls, they are seated before the relatives and priest and elderly persons. They are offered. I am doing that. There is no certificate. But still their connection is lifelong. What certificate will do? That ceremony is so nice, the wife takes "My husband for life" and the husband takes wife, "She is my companion for life." They cannot separate. There is no history in India that there was a certificate issued. No. But still, their connection is so nice, that life long. Now, they are being westernized, especially I am very sorry to say that lately our so-called westernized leaders they are introducing this Hindu code bill, this marriage certificate, this and that. But formerly they weren't existing.

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- February 17, 1971, Gorakhpur:

Prabhupāda: In order to execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one has to first of all accept a bona fide spiritual master. Then everything will be done. He is representative of Kṛṣṇa, and to act under his direction means acting under Kṛṣṇa. He knows how to utilize your energy for service of Kṛṣṇa. Ādau gurvāśrayam sad-dharma-pṛcchat sādhu-mārgānugāmanam. Just like Rūpa Gosvāmī, he was prime minister. He had no information of Kṛṣṇa, but since he saw... Of course, Rūpa Gosvāmī is eternally Kṛṣṇa's companion, but superficially he was showing that he was a prime minister and he was engaged in Nawab's service. But when he met Caitanya Mahāprabhu, then he decided that "I shall retire from this service and act Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission." So what did he do? Whatever money he collected by his service—it was huge amount-fifty percent he immediately spent for Kṛṣṇa.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 11, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: You are a fool number one and you are going to make paropakāra? Daridra-nārāyaṇa. (laughter) (break) ...when they take the position of teacher, they not only do harm to themselves but to others. So our protest is that "You are a fool, rascal. You go to hell. Why you induce others to go to hell?"

Indian Man (1): They want some companions. (laughter)

Prabhupāda: Why, why, why? This is very dangerous. If I know that "I am blind," why should I ask other blind man, "All right you come behind me. I shall cross you the ocean." Why this cheating? You say that "I am blind man. You are also blind man. So I cannot guide you." That is sincerity. That is sincere. (break) ...very much bewildered all over the world due to this rascal philosophy, that a blind man leading other blind men. So they should be delivered from this gross ignorance.

Morning Walk Excerpts -- May 2, 1974, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: Even though they have realized the extraordinary quality of the sun, but they have not been able to think that he is God incarnate.

Prabhupāda: This means these things, these sentiments-anxiety, grief, anger, all these things—they are constant companion with the living entity. You cannot give it up. But when they are used for Kṛṣṇa, that is perfection. That is upādhi-śūnya, without any designation.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation after Press Conference -- July 9, 1975, Chicago:

Prabhupāda: Nowadays may be different, but I am speaking of the Vedic ideas, that woman in all circumstances, unless the husband is crazy or something like that, mad, or..., in every case the instance is that wife is faithful and subservient to the husband. That is the Vedic culture. Even the husband goes out of home, vānaprastha, the wife also goes with him. When he takes sannyāsa, at that time there is no accompaniment of wife. Otherwise in gṛhastha life and even vānaprastha life, the wife is constant companion and subservient. That is the history of Vedic culture. History, Gāndhārī, because her husband was blind, so when the marriage settlement was done, she was not blind, but she voluntarily became blind by wrapping cloth.

Morning Walk -- November 14, 1975, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: It is said that gopīs were not foolish. They were very intelligent girls, extremely, because they chose what was to be chosen.

Prabhupāda: (break) Eternal companion of Kṛṣṇa. ananda-cinmaya-rasa pratibhāvitābhis tābhir ya eva nija-rūpatayā kalābhiḥ (Bs. 5.37). Ānanda-cinmaya-rasa-pratibhāva. The gopīs are expansion of Kṛṣṇa's ananda-cinmāyā-rasa pleasure potency. Rūpa Gosvāmī, tyaktvā tūrṇam aśeṣa-maṇḍala-pati-śreṇīṁ sadā tucchavat. (Hindi) Tucchavat. But the engagement was gopī-bhāva-rasāmṛtābdhi-laharī. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 9.59).

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

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

Pradyumna: Evam-thus, in this way; sammohayan...

Prabhupāda: Yes. He wanted to mystify Kṛṣṇa and His companions. He himself became mohitaḥ.

Pradyumna: Bewildered?

Prabhupāda: Yes. And that means Kṛṣṇa's mystic power more than him.

Correspondence

1966 Correspondence

Letter to Janis -- New York 10 December, 1966:

According to Vedic wisdom, a good wife is a great assistant for material and spiritual prosperity. Even if there is some deficiency, you should try to correct it without thinking in the Westernized way. I hope your wife may be taking interest in your chanting Sankirtana and reading Srimad-Bhagavatam. As she has become your life's companion, it is your duty to induce her, peacefully, in the matter of spiritual advancement of life.

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Syamasundara -- New York 4 May, 1967:

Everything is very nice and this will make you more and more progressive in understanding Krishna Consciousness. I think you are feeling and understanding how you are making progress and I am very glad to see it. I am also very much satisfied to see you have got a good companion, your wife Malati. She is very nice. I have received her letter, please convey my blessings unto her. I know that you are not much for writing letters but you are much for work. This is very good proposal. Make the Rathayatra Festival very great success.

Letter to Syamasundara -- New York 21 May, 1967:

Please accept my blessings and offer the same to your good companion Srimati Malatidevi. Please inform her that I have received her letter with great appreciation and I shall meet her very soon in San Francisco. Regarding your inquiry about the valuable woodred you have secured, I would advise you to attempt carving Lord Caitanya and His associates Murtis as I am sending herewith the specimen.

Letter to Ravindra Svarupa -- New York 21 May, 1967:

I am very glad to learn that you are doing your best and your good wife is helping you nicely. I have received her letter but I am sorry that I could not reply this good girl. I very much appreciate her feelings and specially the hand writing. So you have very nice qualified girl as your life's companion and I bless you all that you peacefully carry out the message of Krishna Consciousness to the needy men of the world. I am glad to learn that you are in touch with the council for A summer of Love. Please try to convince them that this movement of Krishna Consciousness is the only remedy for treatment for the diseased condition of human society.

Letter to Jadurani -- San Francisco 23 December, 1967:

I am very glad to know that you are helping your God-brothers in Boston, just like the Queen of King Jadu. King Jadu was a very powerful King and Jadurani was his constant companion. Krishna selected to appear Himself on this earth planet, selecting the Jadu Dynasty as His Predecessors. So your help to your God-brothers just apt your nice name.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Jadurani -- Montreal 9 July, 1968:

All the great devotees of Krishna are in the Krishna loka, constant companions of Krishna at Vrindaban. They are actually great devotees of Krishna. Brahma is great devotee in the sense that he wants to serve Krishna the best with some material power. That means that he has a tendency to enjoy some material opulence. So Krishna has made him the number 1 living creature within this universe.

Letter to Jadurani -- Montreal 9 July, 1968:

In the beginning of Srimad-Bhagavatam, it is stated that great personalities like Brahma become bewildered in the understanding of the Absolute Truth. So sometimes such pastimes are manifested by the Lord in order to teach the so-called mental speculators. Even Arjuna was bewildered, although he was His constant companion. Arjuna also was talking from the material view point of standing. All this bewilderment of great devotees are created by the Lord, for 2 purposes: one purpose, is that even great personalities like Brahma and Arjuna sometimes become bewildered, and therefore, unless they present themselves in such position of bewilderment, the common men do not have the chance to understand Krishna.

Letter to Kirtanananda -- Seattle 22 October, 1968:

When you go to Columbus take Radha Krishna with you and teach Hayagriva also how to worship the Deities. If required, ask Acyutananda and Jaya Govinda to send you another pair of Deity for Hayagriva. Radhakrishna shall be your life companion and thus you will be always secure from the attack of Maya. So also Hayagriva. The present mode of worship is quite alright, don't worry. You have seen in Vrindaban so do follow as much as possible. Decorate the Deity as nicely as possible with nice flowers and dress. You will forget all other false beauty.

Letter to Hayagriva -- Los Angeles 8 November, 1968:

If you decide to marry, there are many devotee girls, and one of them may be a very nice companion for your devotional life. You prefer to be free, but a devoted wife is as good as freedom. The Grhastha disciples, just like Syamasundara., Mukunda, and Gurudasa, with their wives, are doing very nicely in London. Similarly Dayananda and his wife Nandarani are doing very nicely here. Similarly Satsvarupa and his wife Jadurani are doing very nice in Boston.

Letter to Aniruddha -- Los Angeles 14 November, 1968:

When a man is in diseased condition he should try to get out of diseased condition without harassing his brain when the disease has begun. But it is to be understood that the disease is not our constant companion, it is temporary. So the best thing is to cure the disease, and not waste our time to find out the date when it began. Forgetfulness of Krishna is the disease, so let us keep ourselves always in Krishna Consciousness, and get out of the disease, that is healthy life.

Letter to Madhusudana -- Los Angeles 20 November, 1968:

Just like Arjuna is constant companion of Krishna, as it is confirmed in the 4th chapter, Krishna says that both Arjuna and He appeared many times on this world, but he had forgotten his past appearance and Krishna did not. Krishna is like the sun, and maya is just like darkness. Where Krishna is present there cannot be any darkness of maya. So as Arjuna although always in the presence of Krishna as eternal companion in friendship, still he had some illusion in the battlefield of Kuruksetra, and Krishna had to dissipate that darkness by the teachings of Bhagavad-gita.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Kulasekhara -- Tittenhurst 2 November, 1969:

In a new place sometimes one feels loneliness, but gradually this subsides. But this feeling is not very good for a Krishna Conscious devotee. When she has got her husband for companionship, what is the use of your wife desiring some female companionship? If this is available, that is good. If not, she should be satisfied with her natural companion and together execute Krishna Consciousness. If Vrndavanesvari is unable to come there, then Visakha may go to see her. Besides that there is also Mandali Bhadra's mother. Also, I understand that there is one very nice girl who is coming to the temple often, so she may try to help this girl become elevated to Krishna Consciousness.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Sacisuta -- Los Angeles 14 February, 1970:

The association of devotees is the most important element in learning Krishna Consciousness way of life. By association with undesirable companions we have learned so many bad habits and similarly by association with pure persons or devotees we can become purified of our acquired bad habits. So constant association and working cooperatively with devotees is the prime and easy method to relearn our original good habit of Krsna Consciousness.

Letter to Vrndavana Candra -- Los Angeles 24 June, 1970:

I am so glad to learn that your good wife is also helping you. That is the duty of a faithful companion of life. If the wife is helpful in the spiritual progress of life, she is the best friend and philosopher. So in Krsna Consciousness the wife is never a burden, but she is completely a counterpart. So set example to your countrymen how younger generation can live peacefully, husband and wife, being engaged in Krsna's service. There are many examples of this type of husband and wife working in our different centers for propagating this sublime message.

Letter to Madhudvisa -- Amritsar 23 October, 1970:

I am so much pleases that you are carrying on the Street Sankirtana Party as we have instituted in the Western countries even though you have sometimes only one companion. This spirit is most satisfactory and this work is proven as the basis of our successful movement in the United States, so please go on more enthusiastically than ever with my blessings and you may rest assured that Krsna will always help you in any difficulty.

1971 Correspondence

Letter to Vrinda -- Nairobi 14 October, 1971:

So far my knowledge is concerned, I consider Sivananda as one of my foremost disciples. I always remember his smiling face and when I was in Hamburg he was my constant companion and my personal attendant also. So I cannot forget Sivananda's good behavior and gentle nature. I do not know why you disagreed with such a nice husband. If you take my advice, then you will immediately return to your husband and live there peacefully. You are a qualified girl.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Madhukara -- Bombay 4 January, 1973:

I have introduced this marriage system in your Western countries because there is custom of freely intermingling male and female. Therefore marriage required just to engage the boys and girls in devotional service, never mind distinction of living status. But our marriage system is little different than in your country, we do not sanction the policy of quick divorce. We are supposed to take husband or wife as eternal companion or assistant in Krsna consciousness service, and there is promise never to separate. Of course if there is any instance of very advanced disciples, married couple, and they have agreed that the husband shall now take sannyasa or renounced order of life, being mutually very happy by that arrangement, then there is ground for such separation.

1974 Correspondence

Letter to Sahadeva -- Paris 9 June, 1974:

I have written him that he may stay at our temple but I do not know if it is suitable for him. You can consider whether it is actually possible in your present circumstances to house a man and his wife as well as another companion. If the conditions are too crowded you may write to him and in any case let him know the actual situation in Houston. Let me know the further result of this.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Mr. M.K. Kaul -- Ahmedabad 28 September, 1975:

The best thing will be for you to immediately come and live with me. I am going on the 30th instant to South Africa, and I am coming back after one months time, and then you can meet me in Bombay, and I will be glad to keep you as my constant companion for sometime so that you can learn Krishna consciousness and be useful for Krishna's service.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Dinesh Candra Sarkar -- New Delhi 26 August, 1976:

I am sorry to learn that you are not well. Pray to Krishna and chant Hare Krishna. The body is a temple of disease, janma mrtyu jara vyadhi (BG 13.9). Disease is our inevitable companion. We still have to execute our duty of Krishna consciousness as far as possible and Krishna will help us. We are going to have a very big project at Mayapur. We have to acquire 350 acres of land from the Government and construct a spiritual town at the expense of Rs. 200 Crores.

Letter to Lokanatha -- Hyderabad 14 December, 1976:

Continue this program enthusiastically and increase your number of company. You have to create devotees by your preaching work and train them according to your needs. Krsna has given you and your companions a very nice responsibility. If you like you can go all over India and make it more and more in that way. Try to distribute Hindi and other vernacular literature.

Page Title:Companion (Conv. and Letters)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Serene
Created:01 of Dec, 2010
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=7, Let=21
No. of Quotes:28