Devotees are... (Conversations 1976)

Expressions researched:
"devotee are" |"devotee is" |"devotees are"

Notes from the compiler: VedaBase query: "devotees are" or "devotee are" or "devotee is" not "devotees are never" not "devotee is never"not "devotee are not"not "devotees are not"not "devotee is not"not "devotees never"not "devotee never"

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 13, 1976, Calcutta:

Jayapatāka: He's given me the law, numbers, and he said that it's much higher than he is, but he'll give a recommendation if it comes to him. Apart from that, he told me how it's done.

Prabhupāda: So why don't you take it very seriously?

Jayapatāka: Well, he just told me last week. I heard you were coming, so.... The thing has to be done from Washington, D.C.

Prabhupāda: So our men can do it. You advise them to do the needful.

Jayapatāka: (break) Caitanya Maṭha's devotees are from Midnapur.

Prabhupāda: Hm? Yes. And Diamond Harbor.

Jayapatāka: And most of Mādhava Mahārāja's are from Assam.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Jayapatāka: All Assam, the pūjārī, everything.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They have Assamese?

Jayapatāka: All Assam, pūjārī, everything.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Like Nepal?

Jayapatāka: No, they're a little bit stronger...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: (break) ...nese considered to be Aryans? I don't think so.

Prabhupāda: They are Mongolians.

Morning Walk -- January 17, 1976, Mayapur:

Harikeṣa: It's a big shed but no cows.

Hariśauri: Seventeen cows are here.

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. Jaya. (Bengali) What is this room?

Jayapatāka: This is the... Right now the devotees are staying here. This will be a... It will come up to here. It will be one... There'll be storage and place for the milk and devotees here. Gradually we're building. We put a few thousand every month, whenever we get money. We're building this like the Gauḍīya Matha, just a little bit every month.

Prabhupāda: These flowers or where...?

Jayapatāka: These are giving the milk. They eat the flowers.

Prabhupāda: They eat?

Bhavānanda: Yes, they like.

Prabhupāda: Oh, that's nice.

Jayapatāka: You can see them nicely from here, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Sudāmā: This side.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Haribol.

Jayapatāka: This cow we just bought. What's the name? I don't know this one.

Morning Walk -- January 19, 1976, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Certainly he must be. Certainly he must be. Because by the mercy, guru takes the compassion that "These are suffering in this material world," he goes door to door and tries to save him. And if one forgets guru and jumps over to serve Kṛṣṇa, he is not a devotee.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Guru-druha.

Prabhupāda: He is not a devotee. Mad-bhaktya... There is a verse. Kṛṣṇa says that "Worship of My devotee is greater worship than to Me."

Śāstrījī: Mad bhaktyā yānti mām.(?)

Prabhupāda: And Lord Śiva, he advises Parvati when she was questioning.... Oh, there is no stair from inside? You have to go like this?

Bhavānanda: No, ladder, there is outside stair that has to be fixed yet. It is just now finished in two stories.

Prabhupāda: Outside?

Bhavānanda: Outside stairs.

Prabhupāda: How?

Bhavānanda: Metal stairs.

Prabhupāda: Where to do it within?

Bhavānanda: No. Outside will be fixed.

Room Conversation -- January 19, 1976, Mayapur:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We should make a nice sweet, sweetmeats also.

Harikeśa: Lugloos is big there. Those lugloos.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We should make many types of sweetmeats. There should be so many preparations, all offered to the Deity. People can purchase mahā-prasādam. It will be very big. When you read in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, every time Caitanya Mahāprabhu's devotees are purchasing prasādam from Jagannātha temple, all the time.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is the system.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It sounds like they make a huge quantity at Purī, huge quantities of foodstuffs.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Any time you can get one thousand man's eatables.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Any time? But we only offer one little plate at ārati.

Prabhupāda: No, that you can increase as the demand is increased.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There is such a demand in Purī?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Everyone goes. They do not cook. He purchases prasādam and eat. Everyone.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's so famous. Yes, whenever someone visits there they always bring back prasādam from Jagannātha.

Prabhupāda: It is... Fifty-six time, prasādam is offered there, fifty-six time.

Harikeśa: It's constant.

Morning Walk -- January 21, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Jayapatākā: But Kappa Gosh is... (break)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ...bring these people into, all Kṛṣṇa bhaktas.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They may go under the banner of Muslim and so many other things, but actually...

Prabhupāda: By association. If the devotees are real devotees, then by their association they will become devotees. Saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ. What is that verse?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Dhyāyato viṣayān puṁsaḥ saṅgāt sañjāyate... Dhyāyato viṣayān puṁsaḥ...

Prabhupāda: What is that verse, Śāstrījī?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Second Chapter.

Morning Walk -- February 4, 1976, Mayapura:

Hṛdayānanda: And also among human beings, different human bodies are made differently.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. According to... Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu (BG 13.22). So according to the guṇa he's infecting, the body is made. If you infect some disease, smallpox, then you must get the disease. There is no excuse.

Hṛdayānanda: So a devotee... It is said in Bhagavad-gītā that a devotee is above the modes of nature.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Hṛdayānanda: It is said in Bhagavad-gītā, sa guṇān samatītyaitān (BG 14.26). So when a devotee becomes very advanced, does that means that he should not feel a particular, an inclination to do a particular work but simply want to serve Kṛṣṇa?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Otherwise how they can give up sex life? Unless he is liberated, how he can give up sex life?

Harikeśa: That's something which puzzles all the materialists.

Prabhupāda: Mater... They are rascals, mūḍhas. Their only title is "mūḍha," ass. Viśvanātha Cakravartī has described the karmīs as mūḍhas. Karmīs are lowest grade of mūḍhas. And above them the jñānīs. And above them, muktas, liberated. And above them, bhakta. And above all bhaktas, kṛṣṇa-bhakta. This is the graduation. So karmīs, they are all mūḍhas.

Bhavānanda: There are other kinds of bhaktas other than kṛṣṇa-bhaktas?

Prabhupāda: Huh? Yes. Nārāyaṇa-bhakta, viṣṇu-bhakta. They are all Kṛṣṇa, but above all of them is kṛṣṇa-bhakta.

Bhavānanda: Many people in India, they say they are śiva-bhaktas.

Morning Walk -- February 6, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Yes, unalloyed, without any condition. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11), zero, all other, that "I am this, I am that, I am jñānī, I am yogi, I am karmī, I am minister, I am king"—all these are thinking like that, they're all nonsense. "I am servant of Kṛṣṇa"—that is greatness. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). That is self-realization, ātma-tattvam.

Dayānanda: So because that person is very rare, then, I guess, the only way we can possibly know how to become like that is to find one pure devotee and exactly follow that way of Kṛṣṇa consciousness that he has.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Dayānanda: I mean to say that because a pure devotee is so rare, the only way must be to find out a pure devotee and exactly follow.

Prabhupāda: Yes. If you try to find out... (end)

Morning Walk -- February 9, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: First cousin, yes.

Jayapatākā: There was some case of that in the royalty in France, and they got some bleeding disease from that, hemophilia. If they got any cut, then that would never heal. It would only bleed until they died.

Prabhupāda: So it is very scientific not to get married of the same blood.

Jayapatākā: Many people ask us what gotra we are.

Prabhupāda: You are acyuta-gotra. You can say acyuta-gotra. Acyuta means never falls down.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Never falls down.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There is such a gotra as that?

Prabhupāda: Yes, acyuta-gotra. All devotees are... We are identified with Kṛṣṇa's family, acyuta-gotra. (break) ...madhye rathaṁ sthāpaya me acyuta. Acyuta is Kṛṣṇa. So Kṛṣṇa conscious man means acyuta-gotra. (end)

Morning Walk -- February 26, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Jayapatākā: Service and reading are nondifferent?

Prabhupāda: Yes, if one is actually reading. Just like Rūpa Gosvāmī. He was reading. Nānā-śāstra-vicāraṇaika-nipuṇau. But he must be expertly reading, not as a book worm, expert.

Jayapatākā: And on the other hand, sometimes devotees are only engaged in service, and then, without reading, and they...

Prabhupāda: But every, everyone... You cannot expect everyone is capable for reading.

Jayapatākā: They have desire to read, but they have no opportunity. And then in their service, they become... They lose sight sometimes, where they, because of fallen condition, they cannot remember Kṛṣṇa in their service. But while reading, one can easily..., cannot help but remember Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: If he cannot remember Kṛṣṇa, he will sleep. That is the test. When you have seen so many reading but sleeping, that means there is no Kṛṣṇa. Yāhāṅ kṛṣṇa tāhāṅ nāhi māyāra adhikāra. Sleeping is māyā, so if he's thinking of Kṛṣṇa, there cannot be sleeping.

Jayapatākā: No, I'm talking not about the reading half, but the service half.

Prabhupāda: Service also... Everything depends on advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If Kṛṣṇa is there, either you read or work as a coolie, the same thing.

Morning Walk -- February 27, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Yes. They'll imitate.

Devotee (1): When the prime minister of Canada, when he was, when he first began running, he was a young bachelor, very good looking, long hair. And he sent around girls in mini-skirts, kissing men on the cheeks, giving them a little candy for his campaign, and he, he almost got all the votes, became the prime minister.

Dayānanda: We were talking yesterday how nice this story of Prahlāda Mahārāja is, because no matter how great a demon becomes, still, he cannot vanquish the devotees, even if the devotee is a very insignificant little boy, only five years old. These demons seem so...

Hari-śauri: Powerful.

Dayānanda: ...horrible. The society is so degraded. (break)

Hari-śauri: 6:20.

Prabhupāda: Eh? The idea of reincarnation. That is horrible for them.

Hari-śauri: If they understood that they would have to pay later for what they're doing now, they wouldn't be able to do it.

Prabhupāda: Oh. So, what is the report?

Jayapatākā: Er... The printing?

Prabhupāda: Eh? Our. (?) Fifty thousand.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: We're doing that, printing fifty...

Morning Walk -- February 27, 1976, Mayapura:

Jayapatākā: I think if we concentrated first in Bengal and Orissa, we get some, enough devotees, and then they could help us in the other villages elsewhere.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Jayapatākā: All over India. Like Madana already got three devotees when I was there in one week. By now he may also have more. Bengalis like kīrtana very much. (break) ...devotees are Bengalis.

Prabhupāda: ...ago Bengali culture was very much adored all over India. Even one big politician, Gandhi's guru, Goke, Gokule, he remarked, "What Bengal thinks today, other provinces will think tomorrow." He said like that. And actually all big, big movements started from Bengal. The national movement also was started from Bengal. Whatever we may criticize Vivekananda, when... He's a Bengali. He went first for preaching Indian religion. Rabindranath Tagore, he's a Bengali. All big, big...

Jayapatākā: Aurobindo.

Prabhupāda: Aurobindo is a Bengali.

Devotee (2): Paramahaṁsa Yogananda is also a Bengali.

Prabhupāda: Yes. You know him?

Devotee (2): I don't know him... (laughter)

Morning Walk -- March 8, 1976, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: Parikrama?

Yaśodānandana: Acyutānanda Mahārāja just went to Calcutta to arrange everything.

Prabhupāda: What is to arrange in Calcutta?

Yaśodānandana: Well, all the devotees are coming, and they will be going to Śantipur, and when they come back, they will... We're working a schedule to take all the devotees to the various parikrama spots.

Prabhupāda: No, that's all right. I mean to say, if we make a procession, then first of all... That is my suggestion. Make the devotees first, chanting, all the devotees. And then the Deity, carrying. And then my carriage, my car, and then all the buses. So devotees who become tired, they can sit down in the bus and again go on. And keep one big pot of halavā so that others may be distributed, and the devotees, when they are hungry, they can also eat. In this way make. How do you like this arrangement?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: We'll do it.

Hariśauri: I think you'll need more than one pot of halavā.

Pusta Kṛṣṇa: I think we'll make devotees on the way.

Prabhupāda: And so long the festival goes on, we shall keep always ready one big pot of halavā. Anyone comes, give him this. Anyone comes to visit. While going, take in a leaf, what is called, leaf cup. Give him halavā.

Morning Walk -- March 13, 1976, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: So that...

Rādhāvallabha: There will be a second rail on this other side, Śrīla Prabhupāda. We will put that up today.

Prabhupāda: (break) ...now the visitors?

Rādhāvallabha: Just a few. Their sign just got up last night, so no one has seen the sign yet. Mostly devotees are coming to see it so far.

Madhudviṣa: (break) That's the library party.

Rādhāvallabha: In this place we're going to put a large board and put all your books on the board.

Rāmeśvara: (break) "...a standing order to begin with volume one of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, then please enter standing order to begin with volume one for Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam." This is their standing order, the order they send us in the mail.

Prabhupāda: What is the...? (reading) "No work in all Indian literature is more quoted. Because none is better loved in the West than the Bhagavad-gītā. Translation of such work demands not only knowledge of Sanskrit but an inward sympathy with the theme and a verbal..." What is called?

Devotees: Artistry.

Room Conversation With Radha-Damodara Sankirtana Party -- March 16, 1976, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: So, of course, you are not going to be absent for many, many days. You come and go.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There won't be any difficulty, because every...

Prabhupāda: They are trained up. That is the.... Training, that is the real perfection. Our Tripurāri Mahārāja is there, and Viṣṇujana Mahārāja.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. And Ādi-keśava Mahārāja is very expert, and Madhudviṣa Swami will be helping them.

Prabhupāda: A devotee's one qualification is dakṣa, dakṣa, expert. Out of the twenty-six qualifications, a devotee is always very expert in dealing. It is not that because they have left anything material, they do not know how to deal with material things. Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī did it. Perhaps you know the story. Political. Although he had nothing to do with material things, when there was a political game (gain?) he tackled it very nicely when he was young man. But devotee, although not interested in material things, but for Kṛṣṇa's sake they deal with material things very expertly. That should be the qualification of a devotee, expert. Not that "I have nothing to do with these material things." No.

Room Conversation With Radha-Damodara Sankirtana Party -- March 16, 1976, Mayapur:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Practically all of these devotees are so much dedicated to book distribution that they are going out now nearly seven days a week, without stoppage.

Prabhupāda: Utsāhān.

utsāhān niścayād dhairyāt

tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt

saṅga-tyāgāt sato vṛtteḥ

ṣaḍbhir bhaktiḥ prasidhyati

(Upadeśāmṛta 3)

Utsāha is the basic principle, utsāhān and sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83), association of sādhu. Simply utsāhān and the association is not sādhu—then it is material. Utsāhān means association of sādhu. Sādhu means devotee. Sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ (BG 9.30). Who is sādhu? Bhajate mām ananya-bhāk. One who has no other business than to serve Kṛṣṇa, he is sādhu. So the association of such sādhu.... Sādhu, sato vṛtteḥ sādhu-saṅge. Whatever a sādhu does, there is no fault. Everything is right. But still, because we are in this material world, we shall act in such a way that nobody can accuse us. Sato vṛtteḥ. Sādhu is above all this vṛtti, but still, you keep pace with the material world, otherwise your activities will be hampered. Therefore Rūpa Gosvāmī has said sato vṛtti: "The dealings should be very honest." Sato vṛtteḥ sādhu saṅge, ṣaḍbhiḥ, six items. Utsāhān, enthusiasm; dhairyāt, patience. Utsāhān dhairyāt niścayāt, with confidence. So enthusiasm, patience, confidence. Tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt. You have to act according to the prescribed way, and sato vṛtteḥ, and dealings very honest, and sādhu-saṅga (CC Madhya 22.83). Everything perfect. So where you all staying? In new quarters?

Morning Walk -- March 17, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Madhudviṣa: But then we have causeless mercy. So would that be chance?

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Madhudviṣa: We have also causeless mercy, meeting the pure devotee. Is that a chance?

Prabhupāda: No. I.... We don't accept that chance. The causeless is a mercy. Causeless mercy is the cause.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah. The mercy is the cause.

Prabhupāda: The mercy may be causeless, but the mercy is the cause.

Madhudviṣa: But the which is the cause?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: The mercy is the cause.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's a cause.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: You did nothing to deserve it, but it's caused your good fortune.

Trivikrama: Jaya.

Morning Walk -- March 17, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Pañca-draviḍa: What kind of liberation does the family get of a pure devotee?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: One who becomes a devotee, the statement is that fourteen generations of his family, past, present and future, become liberated. So what kind of liberation does the family members of a pure Vaiṣṇava get?

Prabhupāda: Liberation means—that is explained by Caitanya Mahāprabhu—to become devotee. That is liberation. To become.... To become a devotee is itself liberation. (break) ...will come. Prasādam? Is there any such arrangement or not? They are coming. They should be offered some...

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: You mentioned the pots of halavā.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: The pots of halavā. I inquired about it, and they said that semolina is very difficult to get now, that the government has only allotted some eighty pounds of semolina to be purchased.

Prabhupāda: No, it doesn't matter, but give him prasādam, other prasādam. (aside:) Hare Kṛṣṇa. (break) ...halavā with powdered dahl or...

Pañca-draviḍa: Powdered dahl. They could use whole wheat flour?

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Pañca-draviḍa: Whole wheat flour, they could use in?

Morning Walk -- March 18, 1976, Mayapura:

Haṁsadūta: They seem to be well and happy.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Arrangements are getting better every year.

Trivikrama: The devotees are getting better every year.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah.

Pañca-draviḍa: The devotees aren't eating so much and sleeping so much this year.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, they don't sleep at all. They get up at one-thirty.

Pañca-draviḍa: Yeah, they're very good. (break)

Jayapatākā: ...make a suggestion before they leave, have a little meeting, things that could be improved. Then next year we could even make it better.

Prabhupāda: Very good. Yes. Make that suggestion.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Is the earth also spinning?

Morning Walk -- March 25, 1976, Delhi:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Suffering means he'll be purified. Suffering is the process of purification.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: And part of His laws.... It's within His laws.

Prabhupāda: You have infected some disease. You suffer. Then the enviousness(?) of Kṛṣṇa will go away by suffering.

Guru dāsa: So the pure devotee is sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1).

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: So this question of freedom of jīva and control of Kṛṣṇa, that there is freedom but at the same time there is no freedom, is a very fine line between the two that sometimes we do not understand.

Prabhupāda: But why don't you understand? Just like you belong to a free nation, the American. Does it mean you are free to do anything and everything?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: With your limited freedom.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: There's a fine line between this freedom.

Prabhupāda: When you say, "I belong to this free nation," then yes, you are free. But that does not mean that you can do anything and everything.

Morning Walk -- March 25, 1976, Delhi:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. He is always thinking, "I am lower than the worm, but Lord Kṛṣṇa wants, so let me do some service. That's all."

Guru dāsa: That is our occupation, to show mercy to others.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: And amongst devotees, Godbrothers, an advanced devotee is one who sees that "Everybody is serving Kṛṣṇa so nicely..."

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: "...so let me assist them."

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: "Let me facilitate their service."

Prabhupāda: Yes. Therefore we say prabhu. Prabhu means "You are my master. Please order me. What can I do for you?" That should be the attitude. (break) ..."Guru dāsa Prabhu, please come here and brush my shoes." (laughter) What kind of prabhu? He should say, "Guru dāsa Prabhu, can I brush your shoes?" That is real Vaiṣṇava, not that "Guru dāsa Prabhu, come here and brush my shoes." Other devotees, they do not come for morning class?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: For the walk?

Morning Walk -- March 25, 1976, Delhi:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Therefore we say prabhu. Prabhu means "You are my master. Please order me. What can I do for you?" That should be the attitude. (break) ..."Guru dāsa Prabhu, please come here and brush my shoes." (laughter) What kind of prabhu? He should say, "Guru dāsa Prabhu, can I brush your shoes?" That is real Vaiṣṇava, not that "Guru dāsa Prabhu, come here and brush my shoes." Other devotees, they do not come for morning class?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: For the walk?

Prabhupāda: Not for walk. At least we shall hold morning class or not?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yes, Prabhupāda, please. A few devotees are staying at the hotel here.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: There is a program tonight if you'd rather.... There is a program this evening, going out, the Rotary Club. So if you would rather just give class this evening.

Prabhupāda: No, no, regularly we hold morning class anywhere. So.... So that morning class is not going to be held here?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: In the temple we have it. They had it this morning, but.... (end)

Conversation with News Reporters -- March 25, 1976, Delhi:

Prabhupāda: No solidified.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Amongst housewives.

Hṛdayānanda: No. Now it is going down, and the followers, they have..., they will not follow any regulative principles. They will not surrender. Simply.... They have no actual disciples who are following principles.

Devotee: Are we going to compare because of the larger following? Do you compare the relative and the unrelative? This is the...

Reporter (5): I didn't meant to compare Swamiji's teachings with that of Mahesh Yogi's, but I...

Prabhupāda: No, how many Mahesh Yogi has brought, disciples like this? Practical, come, come, practical point. Have you seen in India Mahesh Yogi's disciples like...?

Reporter (5): Well, whenever he comes to Delhi he brings two, three jumbo jets full of disciples.

Prabhupāda: This is my answer. Thousands of them are working here on my behalf. Just see their character and behavior.

Reporter (4): Swamiji, may I say something? A magician can create many charismas. But God also create charismas. Who will you compare? The magician charismas or the God's charisma? This is the difference. A magician can also sometimes impress upon people that he has godly powers, but are they the real godly powers as against real godly powers? This is the difference. I have been at least thirty times to America, talked to lot of people. They say if you want to go really for attainment of your soul, you go to ISKCON.

Morning Walk Excerpt -- April 2, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: They stay at the Rādhā-Dāmodara temple. (aside:) Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Tripurāri: Those are the originals?

Prabhupāda: (aside:) Jaya. Jaya.

Ādi-keśava: (break) ...the devotees are asking one question. They're wanting to know how it was that even though there is so much distance between, let's say, Govardhana and Rādhā-kuṇḍa and Vṛndāvana, Nanda-grāma, Varṣāṇā, how it was that still Kṛṣṇa and Rādhā could go and meet, and the cowherd boys could go and meet at these various places. They could go such great distances.

Prabhupāda: That is distance for you, not for them. Just like a small ant. It goes from here to here. It is a great, three hundred miles, but for you, one step. Why do you study Kṛṣṇa like you? Why do you think that Kṛṣṇa was like you? Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). Kṛṣṇa can do anything, so His associates.

Pañca-draviḍa: In the Upadeśāmṛta, in the translation you refer to this, the līlā-aṣṭa...

Tripurāri: Aṣṭakāla-līlā.

Pañca-draviḍa: Aṣṭakāla-līlā. What is that exactly? Eightfold līlā or some...?

Prabhupāda: Eightfold, but..., eight grahas.

Gurudāsa: Śrīla Prabhupāda? So the timings are.... At new Govinda temple the...

Room Conversation -- April 4, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: All of them are South African?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: No, actually, he's from South Africa and he's from South Africa. These two devotees are going down for the first time, and Jagat-guru was preaching there once before.

Prabhupāda: So they will get visa?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: They don't require visa except for Jagat-guru. He's British, he's Canadian. He's South African boy. He's South African.

Prabhupāda: Oh, they don't require visa.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Only Jagat-guru dāsa, American.

Prabhupāda: Oh. So he'll get visa?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yes.

Prabhupāda: So all five, you are going?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Morning Walk -- April 7, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Stop this.

Akṣayānanda: Okay. Sure.

Hari-śauri: I think their idea is that because it's prasādam, it's from the Deity, that they're able to wear it.

Prabhupāda: That is another concoction. The sacred thread is not used like that, in the hand.

Akṣayānanda: I thought it was wrong. It seems like some kind of fashion or something, concocted fashion.

Hari-śauri: (break) ...small black beads that the devotees are wearing from Rādhā-kuṇḍa. They have a string of beads made of clay from Rādhā-kuṇḍa. Are they...?

Prabhupāda: Rādhā-kuṇḍa clay is not bad.

Hari-śauri: So it's all right to wear them?

Prabhupāda: Not very constantly.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Sometimes I think, Śrīla Prabhupāda, that you're worried that one thing will lead to the next. Actually all we have to do is follow your example.

Akṣayānanda: Yes, we don't have to add anything. What can we add?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: What is the use of it?

Akṣayānanda: What can we add?

Prabhupāda: There is a proverb in Bengali that the crows, they eat stool. But when the crow is very young, he eats more stool. (break) ...tendency always, how to become hippie, as soon as there is little opportunity.

Room Conversation -- April 20, 1976, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: Minimum. Sometimes we go to fifty thousand dollars.

Carol Jarvis: A day?

Prabhupāda: Day. All over the world.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Devotees are working very hard to spread this consciousness, knowledge. (background talking)

Prabhupāda: Religious book, selling daily so much, huge amount, that is unique in the history.

Carol Jarvis: Are they sold mainly in the Western countries?

Prabhupāda: All over the world. Especially in Europe, America.

Hariśauri: We even had some book orders just recently from Russia.

Prabhupāda: Yes. They are also inquiring.

Guru-kṛpā: Every university in America takes complete book. Every book Śrīla Prabhupāda writes, there is standing order. Oxford, Princeton, Harvard, UCLA, University of California...

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: All of the leading professors also have written very favorable reviews, citing these...

Prabhupāda: Where is that book, Professor Judah's book? Hare Krishna and Counterculture.

Carol Jarvis: Oh, yes.

Morning Walk -- April 26, 1976, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: We can go here? No. And no...

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Yes. It is a little distance there.

Devotee (1): (break) ...devotee is only unhappy to see others unhappy. Does this ever cease? Is a devotee always unhappy because of this?

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Devotee (1): Is a devotee always in some anxiety to see others unhappy?

Prabhupāda: Yes. How to deliver them? This is Kṛṣṇa anxiety. This kind of anxiety is welcome.

Devotee (1): Yes. Is that also in the spiritual world like this?

Prabhupāda: Yes. In spiritual world there is everything, but only central point is Kṛṣṇa. Here anxiety is "Where I shall get money? Where I shall get woman?" And there is anxiety, "How shall I get Kṛṣṇa?" The anxiety is there. That is the difference.

Devotee (1): But do they have anxiety...

Prabhupāda: Here all people are anxious how to get money and how to get woman, that's all. And there the anxiety is how to get Kṛṣṇa. The anxiety is there, but quality is different.

Devotee (1): If we're in anxiety that we cannot perform devotional service nicely, that is all right?

Morning Walk -- May 3, 1976, Fiji:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Because a devotee is always in Vaikuṇṭha. Sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26). He is already in Vaikuṇṭha. Why he shall for that, Vaikuṇṭha? He's not in this material world. Muktiḥ svayaṁ mukulitāñjali sevate 'smān. This is called mukti. "The mukti? Why shall I accept mukti? Mukti is standing on my door: 'What shall I do, sir?' So why shall I ask for mukti?" (break) Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam. First make all desires zero. That is the beginning of bhakti.

anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ

jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam

ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-

śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā

(Brs. 1.1.11)

Why should you desire anything?

Guru-kṛpā: Then they say, "Why you desire to serve Kṛṣṇa?"

Prabhupāda: Huh? That is not desire. It is a natural. That is natural. Obedience to Kṛṣṇa, that is my natural business. Servant's business is always ready: "What can I do, sir?" This is not desire. This is natural position. He's not desiring anything. He's simply ready, "What can I do?" Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanam (CC Madhya 19.167). That is, he's not desiring anything. Desire means when I want something for my satisfaction, that is desire. (break) ...mukha-padma-vākya, cittete koriyā aikya. He's simply expecting what spiritual master will order. Citta. Āra nā koriho...

Room Conversation -- May 5, 1976, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: Because we are selling books.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Because we're selling books.

Bhūrijana: Not so much the selling books. Maybe because of the emphasis on taking..., how much money can be taken. Like if someone says on the street, "Please give me a donation." So they give him a donation. "No, you must give more," and more and more. So the people think that the devotees are only interested in getting money and they get a bad impression that ISKCON is a money making movement.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: We're selling one half a million large size books each year.

Harisauri: The thing is that the materialists will always find that. They see the devotees and we say that we renounce everything, but they don't understand that renunciation means to take everything and give it to Kṛṣṇa. So when... Just like that time there was such a great commotion when we hired that Rolls Royce to take Your Divine Grace from the airport to the temple. So in the papers they didn't put anything that you said. They simply put "His Divine Grace is arriving in a Rolls Royce." So this is the general attitude of the common mass of people.

Prabhupāda: That is envious. So if they sell books, so that is making Kṛṣṇa unpopular?

Bhūrijana: But one must learn to be a good book salesman I think.

Room Conversation -- May 5, 1976, Honolulu:

Bhūrijana: How about just collecting without giving any literature? Just collecting. Three months ago I saw it in Australia, with a lying line too. Not telling the truth. And that wasn't very long ago.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: (indistinct)

Hari-sauri: Sometimes the devotees are just distributing incense.

Bhūrijana: Nothing.

Hari-sauri: They collect and distribute incense. Sometimes they don't distribute books.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Maybe they have to pay off a loan on the temple. All the devotees are well aware that Prabhupāda's books have first priority. Everyone knows it. The consciousness is very (indistinct) It's not a consciousness of giving.

Hari-sauri: Prabhupāda's point is that if you see fault with the method of implementing the spiritual master's instructions, you'll fail to follow the instructions.

Prabhupāda: No the point is not that they have not done any wrong. Don't think like that. But my point, that is, my instruction is sell books.

Bhūrijana: I understand. In other words if you think they're doing it wrong, you do it better. If you see the wrong thing... But do it. Make sure you do it, but do it without the wrong thing.

Morning Walk -- May 25, 1976, Honolulu:

Devotee (3): So it's better to be in the mode of passion than the mode of ignorance?

Prabhupāda: Eh? No. We have to come to the mode of goodness. That is wanted. Neither passion nor ignorance. But passion is better than ignorance. That is comparative. But best quality in this material world is goodness. When knowledge is sufficient. And beyond that, śuddha-sattva. Here in this material world even goodness is disturbed sometimes by passion and ignorance. But the platform where no more disturbance by all these three qualities, that is śuddha-sattva. That is spiritual. Devotees are expected to remain on that platform, śuddha-sattva, pure goodness. Then they will not be disturbed by these three qualities.

Devotee (4): In the mode of ignorance, if he wishes to come to the platform of the mode of goodness, does he have to pass through the mode of passion to get to the mode of goodness? Or can you go directly from the mode of ignorance to the mode of goodness?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. You can instantly go to the platform of pure goodness. (end)

Morning Walk -- May 26, 1976, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: Karmī is also working and bhakta is also working. Then what is the difference?

Hari-śauri: One is working for his own sense satisfaction and the other is working for the sense satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa.

Devotee (2): Mentality?

Devotee (3): The devotee is peaceful, ever peaceful.

Prabhupāda: Karmī.... Just like, I began this Kṛṣṇa consciousness business with forty rupees, eh, in New York. Now, say within eight or ten years we have got forty crores. What is the karmī who started his business with forty rupees and within ten years, eight years, has got forty crores?

Devotee (3): Therefore the difference is the karmī's not successful.

Prabhupāda: A bhakta is never unsuccessful.

Devotee (2): (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Yes. Karmī.... Just like this house you have got. For a karmī to invest so much money, it will takes fifty years. We got this by donation. (laughter)

Hari-śauri: Nobody's going to come up to a karmī and give him six hundred thousand.

Prabhupāda: So after $600,000 for a karmī it will take six hundred years. (laughter) For a bhakta somebody comes, "Take it." (laughter)

Morning Walk -- June 7, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Anyway, keep your movement very pure. You don't mind if somebody goes away. Don't mind. But we must keep our principles pure.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I always remember that you said that in the battle sometimes some men may be lost.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is natural.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Natural. Of course we don't want to lose men, but it's natural.

Rāmeśvara: Śrīla Prabhupāda, when the devotee is in the original relationship with Kṛṣṇa, his siddha-deha, why is it that he sometimes changes his original rasa with Kṛṣṇa?

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Rāmeśvara: Each one of us has an original relationship with Kṛṣṇa, some as plant, some as tree, some as cow, some as cowherd boy. So if that is re-established, why should the devotee desire to change it?

Prabhupāda: Well, that is spiritual kingdom. You can change if you like.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It is not static, Prabhupāda once explained. Love is not static.

Prabhupāda: Generally, it is not changed. Just like mother Yaśodā, she's mother all the time, eternally.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The question came in Bombay two or three years ago. Prabhupāda said that it is not static. You can have (inaudible).

Garden Conversation -- June 8, 1976, Los Angeles:

Hṛdayānanda: "The Lord has described various kinds of knowledge, processes of religion, knowledge of the Supreme Brahman, knowledge of the Supersoul, knowledge of the different types of orders and statuses of social life, knowledge of the renounced order of life, knowledge of nonattachment, sense and mind control, meditation, etc. He has described in so many ways different types of religion. Now in summarizing Bhagavad-gītā, the Lord says that Arjuna should give up all the processes that have been explained to him; he should simply surrender to Kṛṣṇa. That surrender will save him from all kinds of sinful reactions, for the Lord personally promises to protect him. In the Eighth Chapter it was said that only one who has become free from all sinful reactions can take to the worship of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Thus one may think that unless he is free from all sinful reactions he cannot take to the surrendering process. To such doubts it is here said that even if one is not free from all sinful reactions, simply by the process of surrendering to Śrī Kṛṣṇa he is automatically freed. There is no need of strenuous effort to free oneself from sinful reactions. One should unhesitatingly accept Kṛṣṇa as the supreme savior of all living entities. With faith and love, one should surrender unto Him. According to the devotional process, one should simply accept such religious principles that will lead ultimately to the devotional service of the Lord. One may perform a particular occupational duty according to his position in the social order, but if by executing his duty one does not come to the point of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, all his activities are in vain. Anything that does not lead to the perfectional stage of Kṛṣṇa consciousness should be avoided. One should be confident that in all circumstances Kṛṣṇa will protect him from all difficulties. There is no need of thinking how one should keep the body and soul together. Kṛṣṇa will see to that. One should always think himself helpless and should consider Kṛṣṇa the only basis for his progress in life. As soon as one seriously engages himself in devotional service to the Lord in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness, at once he becomes freed from all contamination of material nature. There are different processes of religion and purificatory processes by cultivation of knowledge, meditation in the mystic yoga system, etc., but one who surrenders unto Kṛṣṇa does not have to execute so many methods. That simple surrender unto Kṛṣṇa will save him from unnecessarily wasting time. One can thus make all progress at once and be freed from all sinful reaction. One should be attracted by the beautiful vision of Kṛṣṇa. His name is Kṛṣṇa because He is all-attractive. One who becomes attracted by the beautiful, all-powerful, omnipotent vision of Kṛṣṇa is fortunate. There are different kinds of transcendentalists—some of them are attached to the impersonal Brahman vision, some of them are attracted by the Supersoul feature, etc., but one who is attracted to the personal feature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and, above all, one who is attracted by the Supreme Personality of Godhead as Kṛṣṇa Himself, is the most perfect transcendentalist. In other words, devotional service to Kṛṣṇa in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the most confidential part of knowledge, and this is the essence of the whole Bhagavad-gītā. Karma-yogīs, empiric philosophers, mystics, and devotees are all called transcendentalists, but one who is a pure devotee is the best of all. The particular words used here, mā śucaḥ, 'Don't fear, don't hesitate, don't worry,' are very significant. One may be perplexed as to how one can give up all kinds of religious forms and simply surrender unto Kṛṣṇa, but such worry is useless."

Prabhupāda: So it takes one second.

Morning Walk -- June 8, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Yes, let them manufacture a seed. From that seed a big tree will come.

Rāmeśvara: They cannot do that.

Prabhupāda: Then?

Candanācārya: Some devotees are saying that cockroaches are coming from the vapors of impure things.

Prabhupāda: Yes, they come. That is called sveda-ja. Just like from perspiration, bugs are coming out. Sveda-ja.

Rādhāvallabha: So isn't that life coming from matter?

Prabhupāda: Not matter. From matter is not coming, but they are taking birth.

Hari-śauri: That's the atmosphere that they get born into.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Rādhāvallabha: So are they coming from eggs, or how are they coming? Just the soul enters the dirt?

Prabhupāda: No. Just like it is a suitable circumstance from which the living entity makes his body.

Rādhāvallabha: But how has the cockroach been formed?

Prabhupāda: Just like embryo. The living entity comes of the two secretions of father and mother emulsified. It creates a situation so that he can stay there and develop a body.

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

Prabhupāda: So Kīrtanānanda Mahārāja, how you are keeping your health?

Kīrtanānanda: Pretty good.

Prabhupāda: That's.... And things are going nice?

Kīrtanānanda: Yes. The devotees are all anxious for you, to see.

Prabhupāda: Yes. And Hayagrīva Mahārāja is being forced? (laughs)

Hayagrīva: You should cane me more, Śrīla Prabhupāda

Prabhupāda: No, Kṛṣṇa is very cunning.

Hayagrīva: I know. (laughs)

Prabhupāda: (still laughing) One may try to leave Him, but He is not going to leave you. Once come, "No sir, you cannot go out." Just like our Ajāmila. He was devotee in the beginning, and later on, by bad association of prostitute, he fell, but Kṛṣṇa took him at the end. Svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt. Kṛṣṇa gave him chance to give him a son. He kept the son's name Nārāyaṇa. So on account of affection of the son, he was chanting, "Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa." Just Kṛṣṇa is so kind that (laughs) "All right, this rascal is going out of My hand. All right, give him a child, Nārāyaṇa. He will chant, 'Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa,' and that will be his credit." Ajñāta-sukṛti. Janma-koṭi-sukṛtair na labhyate. Sukṛti, pious activities, of many millions of birth is not equal to love of Godhead. Janma-koṭi-sukṛtair na labhyate. Tatra laulyam ekalaṁ mūlyaṁ krīyatāṁ yadi kuto 'pi labhyate. Kṛṣṇa-bhakti-rasa-bhāvitā-matiḥ krīyatāṁ yadi kuto 'pi labhyate: "Purchase Kṛṣṇa consciousness anywhere it is available." What is the price? Tatra laulyam ekalaṁ mūlyam: "Only greediness, hankering. That is the price." "Oh, that I have got." "No, no. Janma-koṭi-sukṛtair na labhyate. You cannot obtain this price even after millions of births' pious activities." All right.

Garden Conversation -- June 10, 1976, Los Angeles:

Nalinīkaṇṭha: Ten to fifteen new devotees are doing saṅkīrtana.

Prabhupāda: Very good.

Nalinīkaṇṭha: Ten new book distributors in the last month.

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa will give all facilities if we are sincerely serving Kṛṣṇa. The government gives all facilities to the government servant. The government gives all facilities to the soldiers. When there is fight, there is scarcity of commodities in the civil life, but there is no scarcity among the soldiers. The first consideration, soldiers. Similarly, those devotees who are fighting against māyā, their facility is first concern. They're fighting, trying to save the people from the onslaught of material energy. That will be explained. What is next verse?

Nalinīkaṇṭha: Tat prayāso na kartavyo yata āyur-vyayaḥ param, na tathā.

Prabhupāda: What is previous verse before that?

Nalinīkaṇṭha: Sukham aindriyakaṁ daityāḥ.

Prabhupāda: We have discussed this.

Magazine Interview -- June 10, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Well, I began my traveling in foreign countries at very ripe old age, seventy years. Ten years I'm traveling. This is the fifteenth tour all over the world.

Interviewer: Are you surprised to see the popularity of your teachings in the last few years?

Prabhupāda: I think it is becoming popular.

Rāmeśvara: He was asking if you are surprised that it is being, that your books are selling so much and that so many devotees are coming.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. Neither anybody has written so many books within ten years.

Guest: How many?

Prabhupāda: Now it is fifty-four. Bring books.

Rāmeśvara: I've shown him the books already. The universities and the scholars are also very appreciative. At least ninety percent of the universities in America have already ordered these books.

Prabhupāda: In India, also.

Guest: They are sold throughout the world.

Rāmeśvara: Yes, and they're published in many different languages. French, Dutch, Swedish, German, Italian, Indian languages. Spanish, very big.

Room Conversation -- June 10, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Or translation. No, Sanskrit also. The mantra, hearing, that is very valuable. These are all Vedic mantras. If you simply hear, it helps you spiritually.

Hṛdayānanda:

manye dhanābhijana-rūpa-tapaḥ-śrutaujas-

tejaḥ-prabhāva-bala-pauruṣa-buddhi-yogāḥ

nārādhanāya hi bhavanti parasya puṁso

bhaktyā tutoṣa bhagavān gaja-yūtha-pāya

"Prahlāda Mahārāja continued: One may possess wealth, an aristocratic family, beauty, austerity, education, sensory expertise, luster, influence, physical strength, diligence, intelligence and mystic yogic power, but I think that even by all these qualifications one cannot satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead. However, one can satisfy the Lord simply by devotional service. Gajendra did this, and thus the Lord was satisfied with him."

viprād dvi-ṣaḍ-guṇa-yutād aravinda-nābha-

pādāravinda-vimukhāt śvapacaṁ variṣṭham

manye tad-arpita-mano-vacanehitārtha-

prāṇaṁ punāti sa kulaṁ na tu bhūrimānaḥ

"If a brāhmaṇa has all twelve of the brahminical qualifications (as they are stated in the book called Sanat-sujāta) but is not a devotee and is averse to the lotus feet of the Lord, he is certainly lower than a devotee who is a dog-eater but who has dedicated everything—mind, words, activities, wealth and life—to the Supreme Lord. Such a devotee is better than such a brāhmaṇa because the devotee can purify his whole family, whereas the so-called brāhmaṇa in a position of false prestige cannot purify even himself."

Morning Walk -- June 13, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: That cannot be. Maybe in the beginning due to past habits, but that must be nil very soon. Otherwise he's not following. Just like fan switched off may move for a little, but not that it will go on moving. Must stop. Switch is off. And if it is going on, then the switch is not yet off. (break)

Devotee (2): A devotee is sometimes subject to hankering or lamentation. That is material though, isn't it?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Devotee (2): In other words, if, at that moment, if he desires something other than Kṛṣṇa, that's a material desire.

Prabhupāda: Then he has to learn it. So long one is not competent in that position, he's subjected, he may fall down. What is that temple light?

Devotee (2): That's a fountain.

Prabhupāda: It is just like Jagannātha temple.

Hari-śauri: That, right in the distance there with the light on the top. Yeah, same design. (break)

Devotee (2): ...after us anymore because they don't have the money.

Prabhupāda: Detroit has got no money? Such a big industrial city. Neglected. They have got money.

Hari-śauri: They're not keeping this park up very well.

Morning Walk -- June 14, 1976, Detroit:

Devotee (2): And there were so many people that we decided that next weekend we'll come and distribute magazines and incense.

Makhanlāl: In the Bhagavad-gītā, Eighteenth Chapter, 54th verse, brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā (BG 18.54), it says that the person in brahma-bhūtaḥ realization at once realizes the Supreme Brahman. If the devotee is situated on the platform of the brahma-bhūtaḥ, but he may not necessarily see everything as Brahman, does that mean that his realization is by intelligence, and by his activity, or what does that mean?

Prabhupāda: Realization of spiritual identification.

Makhanlāl: Realization of spiritual life?

Prabhupāda: Identity.

Makhanlāl: Identity? (break) Brahman realization for the devotee in the beginning is just that he realizes his constitutional position as servant of Kṛṣṇa?

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is next. First of all, that "I am not this body." That is Brahman realization.

Makhanlāl: So we may only be partially situated in that realization in our present level of devotional service.

Prabhupāda: You realize or not realize, if you remain on the platform, that is same. (break) ...in Kṛṣṇa's service, that is brahma-bhūtaḥ stage. (break)

Morning Walk -- June 14, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: Yes. If you realize that you are servant of Kṛṣṇa, where is lamentation?

Makhanlāl: Due to māyā's influence, a devotee may sometimes materially lament.

Prabhupāda: That you have to struggle. Tapasā brahmacāryeṇa (SB 6.1.13). That is called tapasya. But if you stick to devotional service, māyā will not be able to touch you.

Makhanlāl: The māyā that harasses the devotee is just mental concoction, then? He should concentrate on just serving?

Prabhupāda: Māyā's harassing, that means you are not in devotional service. It is not concoction; it is fact.

Devotee (1): (indistinct) We're having a lot of trouble distributing books in the airports now.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: What is the difficulty?

Devotee (1): It just seems legal problems. People don't like us there.

Mādhavānanda: People are opposing more. As our movement grows more and more, people want to check.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Devotee (1): ...trying to get it open in the terminals, and there's a possibility of maybe getting forty devotees inside the airport to distribute your books.

Prabhupāda: So, that is favorable. (break)

Garden Conversation -- June 23, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: Now questions?

Devotee (1): So is there ever, for someone whose determination wavers and slackens here and there, is there ever a point where the neophyte devotee is in danger of just forgetting everything and falling, tumbling completely back?

Prabhupāda: Everyone is neophyte. He should practice determination, that's all. If he cannot practice, then why should he enter into this association? Let him remain aloof. One who has entered with the determination that "I must practice," so if he cannot practice, then why this makeshow that "I belong to Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. I am initiated." Why this farce? He must practice with determination that "By practicing I'll be success." That is wanted. He has no determination, why should he make a show? Dṛḍha-vrata. Bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ. Dṛḍha-vrata, that is wanted, determination. Hmm, go on. When one is determined, his success is assured. If he's not determined, then success or failure.

Devotee (1): Can one develop determination gradually?

Prabhupāda: Why gradually? When you promise before your spiritual master that no illicit sex, no gambling, no meat-eating, why should you fall down? If you have no determination, why should you promise in presence of the Deity, fire, spiritual master, Vaiṣṇava? Why do you make this farce, if you have no determination? If you want to make it a farce, that depends on you. But you should not.

Devotee (1): When we make that promise...

Morning Walk -- June 6, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: Advertising?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Like this. He says "I want to make one banner and poster: 'Now you can join the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. Travel all over the world preaching Bhagavad-gītā. All expenses paid. Free food, lodging, etc. No qualification necessary. Apply ISKCON.' " It's like army recruiting.

Prabhupāda: (laughs) No qualification.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: And he mentions the situation in Germany, at least the devotees are becoming a little stronger now. Saṅkīrtana is going on nicely.

Prabhupāda: That's all that we want. Saṅkīrtana must go on.

Kīrtanānanda: Devotees here now Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Where from?

Kīrtanānanda: Baltimore, St. Louis, about seven vans from the Rādhā-Dāmodara party, Buffalo, Cleveland.

Prabhupāda: Occupied by devotees?

Kīrtanānanda: Yes. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...is doing nice.

Kīrtanānanda: Yes.

Prabhupāda: He's a very good boy.

Garden Discussion on Bhagavad-gita Sixteenth Chapter -- June 26, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: Therefore they are demons. That is demonic mentality. They are happy when others are unhappy. And when others are happy, they are unhappy. That is demon.

Devotee (5): They are thinking "I am not so happy, but these others, they are suffering more, so therefore I am okay."

Prabhupāda: No. This is general demonic feeling. If you are unhappy, then I am happy. And if you are happy, then I am unhappy.

Kulādri: The devotee is described as para-duḥkha-duḥkhi. He's only distressed in seeing the distress of others.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura's song is there, para-duḥkhe sukhi. That is natural. Go on.

Dhṛṣṭadyumna:

cintām aparimeyāṁ ca

pralayāntām upāśritāḥ

kāmopabhoga-paramā

etāvad iti niścitāḥ

āśā-pāśa-śatair baddhāḥ

kāma-krodha-parāyaṇāḥ

īhante kāma-bhogārtham

anyāyenārtha-sañcayān

"They believe that to gratify the senses unto the end of life is the prime necessity of human civilization. Thus there is no end to their anxiety. Being bound by hundreds and thousands of desires, by lust and anger, they secure money by illegal means for sense gratification."

Prabhupāda: Illegal.

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

Dhṛṣṭadyumna: That is the Absolute Truth.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Is service to the Supreme Lord the same as realization of the Absolute Truth?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Absolute means there is no difference. Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's service, same. So discuss it further.

Devotee: Is that to say that if one-brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11)—that if one simply goes on serving, engaging in all sorts of different activities for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa, but he never, in this lifetime at least, has realization of Brahman, Paramātmā or Bhagavān...?

Prabhupāda: What is the difficulty? Everything is explained. By seeing the sun one can understand the sunshine, the sun globe and the sun-god. There are three things. Within the sun globe, there is the sun-god. It is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam: (BG 4.1) "I spoke to Vivasvata." So there is a person Vivasvata, and the globe is there, we see, and the sunshine is there. So what is the difficulty to understand? Three things are there. The person within the sun globe, Vivasvata, is there, otherwise how Kṛṣṇa could speak with him? He says, imaṁ vivasvate yogam, "unto Vivasvata I spoke." So there is a person. And we can see the globe, and we can see the sunshine. Is there any difficulty? So similarly, the Brahman is the sunshine, light, and Paramātmā is the sun globe, and Bhagavān is the sun-god. This is, the sun is one example. From this example, we can understand the Absolute. Where is the difficulty? (aside:) Sit down properly. Brahmeti paramātmeti bhagavān iti śabdyate (SB 1.2.11). As heat and light, all of them are the same... In the sunshine there is heat and light, in the sun globe there is heat and light, and within the sun globe there is heat and light, but the temperature is different. You can tolerate the heat and light of the sunshine, but if you go to the sun globe you'll be finished. Temperature's so high, it requires a special qualification. Similarly, from heat and light point of view, Brahman, Paramātmā, Bhagavān, the same. Everywhere there is heat and light, but the temperature is different. So one who understands Brahman, he cannot understand Paramātmā. He understands, but not as thoroughly. Similarly, one who understands Paramātmā, he can (not) understand Bhagavān, but if you understand Bhagavān, then you understand Paramātmā, Brahman, everything.

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

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Another part of this same question: if the harijanas, who constitute a sizable population amongst the Hindus, are made to feel that their very religion...

Prabhupāda: These are all artificial. The harijana word was used by Gandhi unnecessarily for a class of men who are not fit for the position. Harijana means "the men of Hari." Just like Nārada. Nārada is called harijana. Great devotee is called harijana, "the persons related with Hari." But if you select some bhangis and camaras and keep them as he is and rubberstamp it, "Here is a harijana," what will be the effect? There is no harm to pick up a low class man and to elevate him to the position of harijana. There is no impediment. You can do. But if you keep him a low class man and if you stamp him harijana, then what will be benefit? Just like we are initiating selected men. "Are you ready to follow these rules and regulation? When he says, then "Come on. Become harijana." Not that "I'll keep myself in that same abominable condition of life and I shall become harijana." So this "harijana" word has come from Gandhi. He did not try to make him real harijana. He simply rubberstamped him. So what is the value of this harijana?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: There's another section to this question. In other words, how can all sections of Hindus be made to take an equal interest and have the same sense of belonging to the Hindu religion?

Prabhupāda: Why you sticking to the Hindu religion? Any Hindu will accept Bhagavad-gītā and Kṛṣṇa. So why not ask them to take Kṛṣṇa? Why so-called Hinduism? Who is a Hindu who will deny the authority of Kṛṣṇa? Is he a Hindu? Every Hindu observes Janmāṣṭamī, the birthday of Kṛṣṇa. So why do they not take Kṛṣṇa's advice and remain practically Hindu? They will not take advice of Kṛṣṇa, and they, how they can claim to be Hindu?

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

Dhṛṣṭadyumna: "It is clearly declared here by the Supreme Lord that in devotional service there is no distinction between the lower or higher clases of people. In the material conception of life there are such divisions, but for a person engaged in transcendental devotional service to the Lord there are not. Everyone is eligible for the supreme destination. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is stated that even the lowest, who are called caṇḍālas, dog-eaters, can be elevated by association with a pure devotee. Therefore devotional service and guidance of a pure devotee are so strong that there's no discrimination between the lower and higher classes of men. Anyone can take to it. The most simple man, taking center of the pure devotee, can be purified by proper guidance."

Prabhupāda: Yes. The guidance means how to take him to Kṛṣṇa's shelter. Then he will be all right. The guidance is wrong, no question of Kṛṣṇa, and he, simply by rubberstamping, "Here is a harijana," how it will be effective? Therefore it is failure. He remains the same drunkard, same meat-eater, and he becomes harijana. How it is possible? The guidance required. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 9.59). He must be guided.

Arrival Room Conversation -- July 2, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: Then his worship must be... That means after furnishing (?) he is also finished? That is ignorance. That is not the fact. If he's finished, then what was the purpose of furnishing?(?) There are so many questions in this connection, but they cannot understand. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ (SB 7.5.31). This is ignorance. This kind of civilization is civilization of darkness. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ.

Rūpānuga: It looks like the devotees are the only people who are enlightened in this dark world. By your mercy, only the devotees can actually see anything properly and understand the condition.

Prabhupāda: In Russia, that Kruschev, he was... Now, where he has gone, nobody knows. Finished. Nobody knows.

Hari-śauri: They retired him. They gave him a small place just outside Moscow.

Prabhupāda: You know that?

Hari-śauri: Yes, there was a story about five years after he got kicked out of office. He was just doing nothing, living by himself.

Prabhupāda: And what he has done? Nothing, and what he has done?

Vṛṣākapi: They want to worship Kṛṣṇa, but they don't know how.

Arrival Room Conversation -- July 2, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: It is every man that this is the position. This is the position. And so long we will be charmed with these things, he has to take birth again and again. Viṣayināṁ saṁdarśanam atha yoṣitāṁ ca.

Vipina: This is the property, Prabhupāda. Excuse me. This is your home, and the devotees are here for you. (inside)

Hari-śauri: I can lock it now if you like, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes, yes.

Vṛṣākapi: Would you like some warm milk, Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: No.

Rūpānuga: This is for your servants. Push the button, they hear in the back.

Vipina: Cold water for you too, Prabhupāda. Cold water here if you want some.

Prabhupāda: Cold water.

Hari-śauri: They are bringing some hot milk, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Vipina: Also something interesting about this water, Prabhupāda. It's all natural spring water, it's not city water. Underground water, fresh water.

Arrival Room Conversation -- July 2, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: You see. But they are so fools, rascals, they'll not accept it. And they'll give example, "Christ ate fish" somewhere; therefore we have to maintain the slaughterhouse. Because Christ ate fish, therefore we have to maintain slaughterhouse. Give the dog a bad name and hang it. Huh? This is going on. So we have to make vigorous propaganda for all this foolishness. Mūḍho nābhijānāti loko mām ebhyaḥ param avyayam. So we are giving the best civilization, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. With little patience and perseverance you work on it, people will take it. Because there is nothing adulteration; it is pure. Rest assured, if you follow the principles and push on according to the prescription I have given, it will be accepted. May take some time.

Rūpānuga: But they will appreciate the purity.

Prabhupāda: It is pure. Actually, these fruits and some milk preparation are sufficient. You don't require any flesh. Is the flesh comparable with this nice fruit? (pause) Come on. Sit down.

Devotee: Is there one for you, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: (laughs) Yes, I am not so fool that I shall give everything. (laughter) (end)

Morning Walk -- July 5, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: Devotees, they accept. Therefore they are happy. And they'll be happy. They'll go back to home happy. One who accepts, he becomes happy.

Vipina: Well, in the case where a devotee is definitely sincerely following your instructions and applying himself to all these principles that Kṛṣṇa has outlined, then when there's difficulty for him, how is he to understand that?

Prabhupāda: He cannot understand immediately. He must be patient. Utsāhān dhairyāt. Dhairya means patience. He cannot, if you have sown some seed, you cannot expect immediately tree and fruits. You must wait. You must nourish the plant, water it. Śravaṇa-kīrtana-jale karaye secana (CC Madhya 19.152).

Vipina: But if there is some difficulty that causes so much trouble in your service...

Prabhupāda: That is impatience. That is impatience. Either he does not do properly his duty, or he is impatient.

Hari-śauri: Impatience means fruitive. Fruitive. He's looking for some results.

Prabhupāda: Immediate result, immediately.

Vipina: But isn't there a point, Prabhupāda, at which, you know, you can expect that you've been doing the right things, so there should be some relief?

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

Prabhupāda: (Sanskrit) Serpent is dangerous, so long he has got the fangs. (indistinct) If the fang is taken away that means he's no more dangerous. So (indistinct). But if I am sure that his fangs are taken away (indistinct). Senses are dangerous, it is compared with the serpent. (Sanskrit) But if you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness that (Sanskrit) the fangs are no more existing therefore it is no more dangerous.

Devotee: Is it true or not true that Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta said that failure is the pillar of success and (indistinct)?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: I don't know exactly if Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Prabhupāda has used this saying....

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Failure is the pillar of success. But generally speaking, to paraphrase it, it means that we should learn from our mistakes.

Prabhupāda: Hm. That is success. If we learn our failure and try to rectify it, that is (indistinct).

Devotee (3): I asked Prabhupāda the other day, because Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says, "Forget the past, it sleeps and never the future dream at all. Live with times that are of thee, and progress thee shall call." So I asked Śrīla Prabhupāda, is it possible to forget the past? Śrīla Prabhupāda said, "No, that would not be possible, but we can think like this, that 'I have done so many foolish things,' and rectify it. Not that we should remain fools. Then what would be the value of our experience? Just like a child, he can put his finger in the fan and it hurts. So then he learns not to do it again. But if he's so dull-headed that again and again he puts his finger in the fan... Basically our experience from the material world should be duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15). That the material world is simply a place of misery. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhī-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). That we should perceive the miseries of birth and death, disease and old age. That should be our experience in the material world. From this we should aspire for real happiness. (indistinct)

Evening Darsana -- July 7, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Dr. Sharma: You are so very kind you have given us the temple, and these devotees are such saints.

Prabhupāda: Yes, it is for this purpose. People may come, see God, then you can think of God. There is no difficulty. If you see something, you think of it. That is man-manā bhava. And if you regularly do it then you become a devotee. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī. And when you come to the temple you worship Him. Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam (BG 9.26). Worshiping means give and take. Take blessings and offer little fruit or little flower. Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam. And if you cannot do anything, just offer your obeisances. Very simple thing. Even the child can perform it. But they will not do it. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhā prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). Why does he not do it? That is explained. Because unless one is sinful, duṣkṛtina... He has got merit, but he's utilizing his merit for sinful activities. Kṛti, kṛti means meritorious, but duṣkṛti, he has got merit, intelligence, but he's utilizing merit and intelligence for sinful activities. Therefore duṣkṛtina. Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ. Mūḍha means rascal. He knows everything except God. Narādhama, the lowest of the mankind. The human life is meant for this purpose, to understand God. But he does not. Therefore we say narādhama, lowest of mankind. "But he is very educated." māyayāpahṛta-jñāna. He is so-called educated. Actually, he is not educated, because he does not know what is God. Māyayāpahṛta-jñānā āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ. The basic principle is atheistic attitude. So these class of men will never offer obeisances or surrender to God.

Evening Darsana -- July 8, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: One who seeks salvation for others, he's already salvation.

Devotees: Jaya.

Prabhupāda: Otherwise, how he can arrange salvation for others? So he hasn't got to seek for salvation.

Dr. Sharma: How these devotees are finding salvation for others?

Prabhupāda: That means they are already in the platform of salvation.

Dr. Sharma: Through them, you are working for the salvation of others.

Prabhupāda: Janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra (CC Adi 9.41). That is the injunction, that first of all you become perfect, then try to make others perfect. So anyone is actually trying to do perfection for others, he is already perfect.

Dr. Sharma: The devotees are working for the salvation for everyone.

Prabhupāda: He's already perfect. Sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26). The one who's trying for others' salvation... That is a devotee's business. Ordinary man cannot do it. Because he's doing that, it is to be understood that he's already on the platform of... Because salvation means to remain his own position. Muktir hitvānyathā-rūpaṁ svarūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ (SB 2.10.6). Svarūpa is to serve God. So if one is serving on behalf of God, then he's in svarūpa, mukti. Others are acting for his own benefit, but a devotee is acting for others' benefit. Therefore he's already on the platform of liberation.

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

Rūpānuga: Yes, he comes on this side of the altar and blows the conchshell. Is that all right? It should be behind the curtain or in front of the curtain?

Prabhupāda: Behind the curtain?

Rūpānuga: He should blow it behind.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: No, what he does is, the pūjārī comes out while the other devotees are there, behind the curtain, and then blows the conchshell.

Prabhupāda: To make the sound audible? But there is no harm.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Inside. But this disturbs something to the whole scene, because he has to remove the chain and cross it and then...

Prabhupāda: No, no. Why? There is no need. No need of crossing the chain.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: But it can be done inside then?

Prabhupāda: Why not? It can be done.

Hari-śauri: I think they took that from Vṛndāvana. In Vṛndāvana, they blow the conchshells, they come out onto that little balcony and blow.

Rūpānuga: I also wanted to ask a question, Śrīla Prabhupāda, on dancing in the temple room during ārati, especially maṅgala-ārati. Is it not that the devotees should not turn their back while dancing to the Deity?

Morning Walk -- July 9, 1976, Washington D.C.:

Prabhupāda: Śudhyeta satya (?) Sometimes the spiritual master has to suffer for the sinful activities of his disciples. (break) ...this suffering is short cut. For the karmīs it would have been a huge suffering but devotee is (indistinct).

Devotee (2): So then if he is sincere, then he should not be so sick in due time, his health should be good if he's practicing. If a devotee is practicing principles, then he should become healthy.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: No, you cannot avoid sickness.

Devotee (2): No, but I mean, overall.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Devotee (2): Devotees are generally healthier than karmīs.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Rūpānuga: Once there was this brahmacārī he used to complain to you about how sick he was all the time, and you said, "Are you not brahmacārī? Are you not following the brahmacārī principles?" Did you imply that if he were doing it sincerely he would not be so sick all the time?

Prabhupāda: Yes, that's a fact.

Morning Walk -- July 9, 1976, Washington D.C.:

Rūpānuga: Once there was this brahmacārī he used to complain to you about how sick he was all the time, and you said, "Are you not brahmacārī? Are you not following the brahmacārī principles?" Did you imply that if he were doing it sincerely he would not be so sick all the time?

Prabhupāda: Yes, that's a fact.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Devotee is sick, and he also knows that this is the mercy of the Lord so he doesn't complain in its real sense but the material body is bound to suffer.

Prabhupāda: Yes. (break) ...you are convinced that you are not this body then there is no suffering.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yeah, that's the clue.

Prabhupāda: As you identify with the body, then you suffer. (break) ...body is damaged, you are not damaged, but because you have got attachment for the motor car, you suffer. (break) ...song by Narottama Dāsa Ṭhākura, yāhā smṛti nāhi yār, saṁsāra-bandhana kahata. One who has forgotten that he is this body, he has no suffering. (break)

Devotee (1): Then, if Sanātana Gosvāmī had all those infections in his body, and Lord Caitanya embrace him, he felt so distressed and so lowly.

Prabhupāda: Hm, so (this) instructs us that even Sanātana Gosvāmī had to suffer. What you are nonsense. You should not be sorry for suffering. That is the instruction. Why you are trying to avoid suffering? That is the instruction.

Evening Darsana -- July 11, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: Therefore we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. Otherwise, for the last so many years—I am speaking in Western countries—so many swamis, so many yogis come, they speak on Bhagavad-gītā but misinterpret. So not a single devotee was there. And now Bhagavad-gītā is presented as it is, and so many devotees are coming.

Guest (1): Now we can understand it.

Prabhupāda: You could understand long ago, but difficulty is we accept this misinterpretation, spoiled understanding of Bhagavad-gītā. Just like this gentleman was speaking he did not like Kṛṣṇa, he told me.

Bali-mardana: He did not like Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: They'll read Bhagavad-gītā, and they'll not like Kṛṣṇa. This is their reading of Bhagavad-gītā.

Indian man (2): They don't want to read it yet.

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) Now all Indians, they should take Bhagavad-gītā as it is and make their life fruitful. The Europeans and Americans, they are taking. Why Indians are not taking?

Indian lady: Is it because the Indians think that they know much about Bhagavad-gītā? Being born a Hindu, they might think they know the religion, but not very much. They are not Kṛṣṇa conscious at all.

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

Prabhupāda: Just like if you supply food to the stomach, it helps the eye sight, but if you supply food to the eyes then you become blind. (everybody laughs)

Guest (1): Thank you.

Devotee: Is Veda important for, like we have our children here. As we come to this movement we're like children, it's important how we are molded, we are molded into the Kṛṣṇa consciousness, as for example a child, it's important how the mother molds her activities, the child's activities; mold the child's life so that nice child grows up, act towards Kṛṣṇa consciousness. (indistinct)

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: He's asking a question, Śrīla Prabhupāda: isn't it important to mold the activities of ourselves and also the children in coming to this movement; to mold them that so that we can become Kṛṣṇa conscious?

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is (why) our gurukula is there. How these children are becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious, (indistinct), how they are learning Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We are doing the same thing, offering obeisances to the Deities, taking prasādam, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. In the same way as his father is doing. So automatically he's being trained up in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Good association, that is required. Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvidaḥ. We are keeping this house for association of devotees so that automatically they become Kṛṣṇa conscious by association. The most unfortunate position is that there is no education about future life, or the perfection of life. The education is the animal education: the animal (is) eating, we are eating. If we are eating on table, or nice place, nice chair, then we think we are advanced. But the business is the eating. Similarly sleeping. The dog is sleeping on the street, we are sleeping in good apartment, skyscraper building. They are thinking this is advancement of civilization. But actually the business is sleeping. Similarly sex life. The dog is having sex life on the street, we are having in a very nice apartment. The business is sex. In this way our modern activities are animal activities but in a polished way. But that does not make any difference between the animal propensity and so-called civilized life. Civilized life is there when we understand what is God, our relationship with God. That is civilized life, but that is lacking. There is no such education. The education is only the same animal life in a polished way, that's all.

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

Prabhupāda: Give this to Mrs. Kallman. Yes.

Mr. Kallman: Very, very much. Thank you very much, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa, jaya.

Rāmeśvara: We've been talking, if these management questions come, then it is a distraction, but also... Even if the devotees are here and it is preachings, even then it's, so much time is taken. So we want to do the thing which is most pleasing. So we were thinking to arrange a (indistinct) less darśana with the devotees.

Prabhupāda: But outsider, if they refuse, they may be sādhu (?).

Rāmeśvara: Hm.

Prabhupāda: That is...

Satsvarūpa: No outsiders.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Satsvarūpa: No outsiders.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- July 17, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: So you suggest.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, it depends on a number of things. One thing is your rest. After taking massage you take prasādam, and then your resting period. Another thing is how long you want to ride along on the cart. It depends on... I think it should depend on... I can't... No one can make that decision. We're agreeable to anything that you suggest. Devotees are enlivened simply that you're here in New York with us.

Prabhupāda: So at two o'clock you start?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Right.

Prabhupāda: You want me at the starting point?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We want you to do simply what you feel would be best.

Prabhupāda: No, no. What is the best? Starting point, my presence required?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, it's not a question of required. I mean that's a very exciting time, you know, but I wouldn't say it's required. We're going to start. One way or the other, we have to start the parade. It's exciting at that time, but you could also join midway. Suppose you could also join at Thirty-fourth Street instead of Fifty-ninth Street. Halfway is about Thirty-fourth Street. So you could join there.

Prabhupāda: That will be better.

Morning Walk -- July 18, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: Afro-American, why not Indo-American?

Bali-mardana: There is an Indian exhibition at a different museum right now. This museum also has Indian exhibitions sometimes.

Satsvarūpa: One of the biggest art professors in this country saw our books recently, and he said he's very interested in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that he thinks it's a new kind of art that your devotees are painting. That's also a school of art, and more and more it will be recognized.

Rāmeśvara: Right now they have one big exhibit of photographs that the British took when they first came to India.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Where's that?

Rāmeśvara: It's at the Asia House Gallery nearby.

Ghanaśyāma: We have professors who buy the complete standing order series of the Bhāgavatam-it's because they like the artwork. And then they read the philosophy and like that too. But the art attracts them many times first. They very much like the purports of your writings, that it gives a living expression of the peoples of India other than just historical.

Prabhupāda: ...books.

Hṛdayānanda: They purchase books?

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

Prabhupāda: That's all right. Let it be published.

Kṣīrodakaśāyī: Complete corrections also. It's not going by...

Prabhupāda: So you can show me some samples which you have completed. Yes, you can show me some.

Kṣīrodakaśāyī: Śrīla Prabhupāda, devotees are asking can you take prasāda and go to manor? There's some press coming, but without you they're... Is it all right?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. All right. I will take some time. I ordered...

Harikeśa: Others, they are also waiting. Indians, they...

Prabhupāda: So let them all take. You can also go down. (break) (Prabhupāda moves outside)

Indian woman: ...and translate into English.

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. Do it. You do. Give him the book. Simply book. Why you are taking the...? Yes. (Indian man speaking in Hindi about "Nature, the Enjoyer and Consciousness" for several minutes)

Indian man (2): (Hindi) Should I read the translation in Hindi?

Prabhupāda: Yes, so that...

Kṣīrodakaśāyī: (Hindi)

Prabhupāda: You can explain this. Yes.

Room Conversation -- July 26, 1976, London:

Prabhupāda: I did not take anything, tablet. Rather, what one I was taking, I have stopped that also.

Jayatīrtha: You do not put very much faith in these doctors.

Prabhupāda: What this medicine will help?

Hari-śauri: Most of the medicine he gave was to dull your senses so much that you wouldn't feel any pain, or would make you sleep for six hours at a time or, like this.

Prabhupāda: So in the village how many devotees are there?

Bhagavān: At the farm? Almost two hundred.

Prabhupāda: Oh, very good.

Bhagavān: They are waiting for you. (laughs)

Prabhupāda: Yes, they must be waiting. So farming is going? Farming?

Bhagavān: Oh, yes, we've just harvested barley and oats, big harvest, and the farm is supplying beans, cauliflower right now, and tomatoes. They have planted three thousand tomato plants, and all the farmers, they are asking how we have done.

Prabhupāda: And milk?

Bhagavān: We have not bought many cows yet. We will.

Prabhupāda: No, no milk at all? No cows?

Bhagavān: Oh, yes, we have five cows, six cows.

Room Conversation -- July 26, 1976, London:

Prabhupāda: Spoiled, all spoiled. All spoiled.

Bhagavān: Now many devotees are younger, sixteen, seventeen years old, not so spoiled.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja said, kaumāra ācaret prājño dharman bhagavatān iha: (SB 7.6.1) "From the very beginning." How they are spoiling the opportunity in the whole educational system, social system, political system. Let us do our duty. What can be done? Is there any purport?

Jayatīrtha: Yes, I read part of it. I'll go on. "In the Vedas it is said, asaṅgo hy ayaṁ purusaḥ. The living entity is not really connected with this material world, but due to his tendency to enjoy the material senses, he is put into the material condition. One should perfect his life by associating with devotees. He should not become further implicated in the material body."

Prabhupāda: Therefore Kṛṣṇa consciousness, that "Stop further implication." Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vikarma (SB 5.5.4). What is the next verse?

Jayatīrtha: Parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto.

Prabhupāda: Parābhavas tāvad abodha-jāto.

Jayatīrtha Prabhupāda: Yāvan na jijñāsata ātma-tattvam...

Jayatīrtha: Yāvat kriyās tāvad idam mano vai karmātmakam yena śarīra-bandhaḥ

Room Conversation -- July 26, 1976, London:

Pṛthu-putra: We have elevator also, no?

Bhagavān: Yes, we have elevator there also.

Hari-śauri: Is it working?

Bhagavān: Well, it's being fixed right now, but if I.... But we have a palanquin to carry up the stairs. It's actually warm there, very warm during the day, and your room is extremely warm because the sun crosses it all day long, and there won't be anybody to bother you. All the devotees are out of the castle. They're all in little houses all around. And it's so big that you won't feel cramped.

Prabhupāda: So I shall feel hungry also?

Bhagavān: Hungry? No, you ate good there last year. You ate very well there last year.

Prabhupāda: No, I like it. It is very nice place.

Pṛthu-putra: The air is good too.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Pṛthu-putra: The air, the atmosphere, is good.

Bhagavān: I don't know. I was thinking the trip.... We have that big Mercedes limousine. You rode in it last year. It was very comfortable, and the ride, I don't think you found it so difficult, did you? Last year.

Prabhupāda: No.

Conversation with George Harrison -- July 26, 1976, London:

Prabhupāda: Thank you. That is our life and soul. Gṛhe vā vanete thāke, 'hā gaurāṅga' bole ḍāke. Wherever you live, it doesn't matter, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. That's all. That is our only support. So bring food here.

Jayatīrtha: We should have the lunch here?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

George Harrison: All the devotees are looking really good.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

George Harrison: The devotees are looking great. Strong.

Prabhupāda: (laughs) Yes. Phalena paricīyate. By the result, one has to study. Yesterday, one devotee's father and mother came, Hari-śauri. She and his father were very pleased to see him healthy, bright.

Mukunda: They hadn't seen him for six years.

Prabhupāda: Six years, yes. So we are inviting everyone, "Come here. Such a nice house given by George (laughs). You live here comfortably, eat nicely, and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." We don't want any factory work.

George Harrison: No.

Prabhupāda: (laughs) Simply kartal and mṛdaṅga. Still, people do not come. They'll prefer to go the factory, whole day work in the hell. (laughs) They prefer.

Conversation with George Harrison -- July 26, 1976, London:

George Harrison: Did they find a temple in Hamburg? In Hamburg. I was there once, but they just had a little tiny house, and they were trying to get another.

Prabhupāda: Hamburg, I think closed?

Jayatīrtha: They have a place in Frankfurt, where the devotees are.... Just outside Frankfurt.

George Harrison: So they haven't got a place in Hamburg.

Jayatīrtha: No, it's a heavy city.

George Harrison: I was there one year when they were having fights. It's...

Jayatīrtha: Rockers. It's a heavy place.

Mukunda: Rockers.

George Harrison: It is full of gangs.

Prabhupāda: And we have got another palace, what is that village?

Jayatīrtha: South of Paris? That one?

Prabhupāda: No, France.

Jayatīrtha: Yes, south of Paris. It's near a place called Valancey. Very nice place.

Arrival at Farm -- July 29, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Bhagavān: Saffron.

Prabhupāda: Organize this center very nicely. So many people will be happy.

Bhagavān: The devotees are very ecstatic.

Prabhupāda: Oh. Yes, there was no hope for my coming. Now I've come, they must be. (laughter) Sunshine will stay at least up to noon, huh?

Bhagavān: No, till five o'clock.

Prabhupāda: Acchā?

Bhagavān: Yes. It is going like this. It goes from this room into your room. All day long it is lit. They said it was hot in this room until six o'clock last night, very hot. If you'd like, I can show you how to use some things in the bathroom.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Bhagavān: All the taps, they are the same. The red here, this is hot. All you do is lift up. (break) And the cows are also coming here, you can see later. These are all big oak trees, they are very nice.

Prabhupāda: Harikeśa, have you came here?

Harikeśa: Yes.

Arrival at Farm -- July 29, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Prabhupāda: That one. So this side, marble is cheaper?

Bhagavān: Yes, it's very..., it's not expensive.

Prabhupāda: Oh. They have done very nice this furniture. We cannot expect this furniture in India. They may make, but it will be very costly. (coughs) You bring one spittoon.

Prabhupāda: How many devotees are there?

Bhagavān: Hundred and fifty.

Prabhupāda: Very good. They are all happy?

Bhagavān: Oh, yes.

Prabhupāda: Let them come and work little, grow food, eat and chant. Why should they bother going to the factory, running at five o'clock? Horrible life, horrible civilization? Motor accident, delayed, anxiety, "Oh, I am delayed, I am delayed." What is this civilization?

Bhagavān: He is taking over there, you take here?

Prabhupāda: All right, I shall begin there. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Devotee: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Jaya. (end)

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

Indians. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's desire.

bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra

janma sārthaka kari' kara para-upakāra

(CC Adi 9.41)

This is para-upakāra. So all Indians should take up this mission and do welfare activity. That is India's special function. How many devotees are there in Amsterdam?

Woman devotee (1): Fifty.

Prabhupāda: Building is very big?

Bhagavān: Yes. Nice building.

Woman devotee (1): There's two buildings, one for the gṛhasthas behind the temple, and then the āśrama for the brahmacārīs.

Prabhupāda: Rented or purchased?

Woman devotee (1): We own the gṛhastha āśrama, and the temple is rented. It's to our advantage to rent it, for some reason, so they are renting it.

Hari-śauri: You were thinking about walking? It's about 6:15, so this would be a good time if you want to go down.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Bhagavān: All glories to Prabhupāda.

Devotee: Haribol! (end)

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

Prabhupāda: No, they are working hard, there is no doubt about it.

Bhagavān: And the temple also, Deity worship and everything.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes, things are going nicely. There is no doubt about it. And children should be given that much education—to read and write and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Bhagavān: The devotees are talking how nice it was to sit outside with you and chant and hear you speak tonight. I remember the last time I was in New Vrindaban many years ago, when I first became a devotee. You were sitting outside, giving some lecture, series of lectures on Vyāsadeva and the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

Prabhupāda: Yes. No, I like this life, from my very childhood. And on our roof there were trees, plants, flower plants, and... My grandmother, she... We, all grandchildren used to water it. So downstairs we took water in, what is called? A jhāri?

Bhagavān: Sprinkling can?

Prabhupāda: Ah, sprinkling can. We all grandchildren, we were about half a dozen. So we took very much pleasure in watering. But my special tendency was that along with the plants, I, with the bushes, I'll sit down. My tendency. And I'll sit down for hours. And like that. In my childhood. In my maternal uncle's house also, I was doing that. As soon as I find some bush, I make a sitting place.

Bhagavān: It's hard to see how people could not be attracted to such a nice life.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation with Professor Francois Chenique -- August 5, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Bhūgarbha: He asks, What about the opposite, people becoming devotees without knowing anything? He asking...

Prabhupāda: No, devotee cannot be without knowing anything. A devotee means, a devotee means he knows everything. Kasmin tu bhagavo vijñāte sarvam idaṁ vijñātaṁ bhavati. This is Vedic injunction. One who knows the Absolute, he knows everything.

Yogeśvara: Śrīla Prabhupāda? That verse, does that mean that one who is neophyte...

Prabhupāda: Neophyte is neophyte. Why do you bring him to become a devotee? A devotee is different. A "one plus one equal to two," he's not mathematician. He's learning. There is hope one day he'll be a big mathematician. There are three stages, kaniṣṭha-adhikārī, madhyama-adhikārī, uttama-adhikārī. So when you speak of devotee, that is this uttama-adhikārī. So he knows everything. Rather, the so-called jñānī, he does not know. Because he does not know Kṛṣṇa. The so-called jñānī, he does not know what is Personality of Godhead. He's impersonalist. Therefore he is still unaware of the Absolute Truth. Therefore he's not jñānī. His jñāna, his knowledge, is lacking. Therefore in the Bhagavad-gītā it is said,

bahūnāṁ janmanām ante

jñānavān māṁ prapadyate

vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti

sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ

(BG 7.19)

If one jñānī is impersonalist, he's not jñānī. He is still unaware of the Absolute Truth. He does not know. Therefore it will take many, many births to come to the understanding of the Personality of Godhead. Therefore he's not jñānī, he's claiming to be jñānī. Such jñānī will take many hundreds of births to come to the position of real jñānī. Find out this bahūnāṁ janmanām ante (BG 7.19). So-called jñānī, after many, many births, when he understands Kṛṣṇa and surrenders to Him, then he's jñānī. Sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ. That kind of jñānī is very, very rare.

Evening Conversation -- August 8, 1976, Tehran:

Atreya Ṛṣi: Yes. Śrīla Prabhupāda. They said they were. I have noticed that people who are materially contaminated, when they hear spiritual preaching, they can always look at it from material point of view. For example, when you speak of designation, one boy was asking how come we are also having shaved heads and dressing like devotees. In other words, the emphasis on their minds is more on what is everybody else thinking, while the emphasis in your teaching is how you yourself can become free, not what everybody else is thinking. While our shaving of our head and dressing as devotee is a means to become free from all designation, he may be seeing other designations.

Prabhupāda: No, it does not depend on shaving head. But this is in the process.

Atreya Ṛṣi: It is in the process.

Prabhupāda: Yes. By shaving, there are so many shaven headed. Does it means that he's in the process? Just like a doctor carries one stethoscope. But if somebody thinks "Let me carry a stethoscope, I'll become a doctor." But for a doctor the stethoscope is required. But a false man takes a stethoscope and declares himself a doctor, medical man, that is cheating. (pause) You get your puffed rice? No. Get?

Atreya Ṛṣi: Yes. Let me ask. We may have little bit.

Prabhupāda: No, here they prepare puffed rice?

Atreya Ṛṣi: No, from India or from America. We don't...

Prabhupāda: You get imported.

Evening Darsan -- August 10, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: And Russia also?

Atreya Ṛṣi: Russia is also above Turkey. Parts of it is in Europe, part of it is in Asia.

Jñānagamya: Devotees are doing very well in Moscow, Prabhupāda? Is that right? They are distributing books there?

Prabhupāda: It is not very good. But they have got some orders.

Nava-yauvana: So when we preach to people we should first convince them that God is the supreme controller, the supreme proprietor. Then further understanding can come.

Prabhupāda: Yes, there is a supreme controller. That you have to admit. You are not independent. Why they foolishly think independent? What is the reason they're foolishly thinking independent? What is their independence? Nobody is independent. So why they are foolishly thinking independent? You first challenge them. They are not independent. Are you independent? So why they foolishly declare independent?

Jñānagamya: They are ignorant.

Prabhupāda: So what is the position then? They are in ignorance, and they are leading the society as scientist, philosopher, politician. That is misleading. They cannot go even freely in the so-called moon planet excursion or Mars. Still, they are declaring independence. What is their independence?

Room Conversation -- August 10, 1976, Tehran:

Nava-yauvana: Many people, when they see the devotees, they are confused, and they think that the devotees are engaged in some kind of ritualistic activity; the chanting and practices of devotees are ritualistic, and they compare it to their own rituals and they don't see any distinction. So they see it as sectarian.

Prabhupāda: What they want?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Some of them are not sincere, so they simply want to find fault, but those who are sincere can be encouraged to...

Harikeśa: They are all wanting material things. Like in Bhagavad-gītā, what is the verse, traiguṇya-viṣayā vedāḥ? Kṛṣṇa is asking Arjuna to rise above the scriptures, the flowery words of the Vedas.

Prabhupāda: They are not concerned with the Bhagavad-gītā. You cannot quote from Bhagavad-gītā to instruct these rascals. You have to talk with them with common sense. Their charge is, what is their charge? That you are engaged in ritualistic ceremonies?

Nava-yauvana: Yes.

Prabhupāda: So what they want us to do? If you don't want me to do this, then you must say what you want me to do. Is it not right? Suppose I am chanting. If you don't want me to chant, then what do you want me to do? The next question will be.

Jñānagamya: They want us to engage in sense gratification like they are engaged. That is what they want.

Prabhupāda: Want..., we want that, if you want me to do like you, then I want you to do like me. If you want me to accept your proposal, why you not accept my proposal?

Room Conversation -- August 10, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: No, no, you don't talk of film. You are very much in favor of film. You better stop that idea.

Jñānagamya: It is very potent, though, for preaching. No?

Prabhupāda: Some of them may be preaching. In North America.(?) What favorable film will do? You can show our activities, that film may be for our advertisement. Otherwise, in which way, by showing film, film, and film. There are so many films. They see, they see.

Jñānagamya: Devotees are interested.

Prabhupāda: Devotees are devotees. If you want to preach to the public, what impression they'll have? Some of our documentary film, just like we are feeding the poor, or we are working, making such things, that may be favorable. Say we're doing something in America, the Indians may appreciate, or we are doing something in India. That's all right. There is little effect of course, but not very much.

Jñānagamya: But if we make a film to go in the movie houses all over the world, the big movie houses, not just for little schools or little groups, not just for the temple.

Prabhupāda: What kind of film?

Jñānagamya: A film that would show activities of devotees. And have some story...

Prabhupāda: But you said they do not like it.

Jñānagamya: No, I never said they do not like it.

Prabhupāda: You said that sense gratification. How they'll appreciate?

Room Conversation -- August 10, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: What is the subject matter?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: The subject matter is devotees in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. How they learn, how they study, how they go on saṅkīrtana.

Prabhupāda: They are seeing already.

Jñānagamya: They are seeing in real life, but so many people, they do not know of devotees, and films would go to every little town and village, and there would be chanting in the film, and there would be interest in what the devotees are doing.

Prabhupāda: But their opinion is not in favor, as you said.

Jñānagamya: But the film can change the opinion. Many times...

Prabhupāda: That is... How they can change?

Jñānagamya: Great books have done this. Uncle Tom's Cabin started a whole war against slavery in the United states. Books and films are very potent. They can make public opinion.

Prabhupāda: Books are different thing, we are publishing.

Jñānagamya: In America the Negro situation was very bad, and they made many films showing heroic Negroes and now the situation is much better. The people are not so much agitated by seeing Negroes. They think "Oh, now a Negro has some good qualities." Because of these films they have come to appreciate. So like that, if a devotee is a hero they will also appreciate.

Room Conversation -- August 10, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: Suppose there is little success, but in comparison to the money expended, that success is little. Just like I, in the beginning I advertised my books in the Times, New York Times. They charged me sixty-three dollars, a small space. So there was inquiry, not order, three inquiries. Not even order. I have got this experience. For me, at that time, sixty-three dollars were too much. So I did not get any response. That is my practical experience. I got three inquiries, not even order. But the Times, New York Times, they have got millions of customers and millions of readers, but I got three inquiries.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: To find those few potential devotees that are in, let us assume, in New York, big city, there were a few potential devotees, and materially speaking, it may be very difficult to find them. But when the devotee is sincere, Kṛṣṇa will give opportunity that those people will be found, even if they are one in that big city. Kṛṣṇa will arrange that they will find a pure devotee if they are sincere. So no material advertising will accomplish the task.

Prabhupāda: Yes, Caitanya Mahāprabhu says that it is only for the fortunate persons. But we must present. Only the fortunate will come forward. We cannot expect that everyone will come. That is not possible.

Jñānagamya: But you said to make everyone fortunate.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is by your preaching. That we have to do. We are doing that. That I have given the example, Nityānanda Prabhu, He faced rebellion, and by His power converted the Jagāi-Mādhāi. By chanting. They injured, Jagāi-Mādhāi injured, and Nityānanda Prabhu said, "Never mind you have injured Me, please chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." That is not advertisement, that is personal behavior.

Jñānagamya: In Dallas where I was there's a town next door, Ft. Worth, there are many rich Baptists, Fort Worth. They have big studio for producing many different films, television shows.

Room Conversation -- August 10, 1976, Tehran:

Nava-yauvana: They are thinking that they have to protect their so-called interests.

Prabhupāda: The dog is also thinking. From three miles he begins to bark, "Why you are coming here? Don't come here. I am protecting my interest." That mentality is there in the dog, so how you are greater than the dog?

Nava-yauvana: But the devotee is thinking that the proprietor is protecting his interest.

Prabhupāda: Anyway, that kind of interest is felt by the dog. It is not very astonishing thing. In that mentality you cannot bring in unity. That is not possible.

Dayānanda: But they accept that there is some good quality in humanity, they say that that is inherent in humanity, that we need to worship.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that good quality is God consciousness. So unless humanity comes to the position of God consciousness, unless he thinks that everything belongs to God, there is no question of humanity. That is "dognity," doggish mentality. Humanity means that he understands that everything belongs to God, I am servant of God. That is humanity. Otherwise, there is no question of humanity. If you think like dog, where is humanity?

Dayānanda: They think that everything belongs to humanity as a group.

Prabhupāda: But that is not practical. Everything belongs to the humanity, then why you are making divisions of nations?

Dayānanda: That's what they say, that that is the problem.

Room Conversation -- August 11, 1976, Tehran:

Jñānagamya: It is the highest blasphemy, isn't it? If one says, "I am God."

Prabhupāda: No, highest ignorance, highest rascaldom. (laughter) Yes. How one can become God? If one can become God, that means the such-and-such, he was God. Then how he has become dog? That is another rascaldom, ambition.

Jñānagamya: A devotee is only supposed to want service, and sometimes he very much wants to be liberated to be finished with all this difficulty, isn't it?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Jñānagamya: Is it very contaminating?

Prabhupāda: Not contaminating, not in the highest stage. That is not contaminating. If the devotee wants liberation, then they're in the lower stage. Actually, a devotee, he is already liberated. Why he shall aspire after liberation?

Jñānagamya: Pure devotee's liberated.

Prabhupāda: Therefore when he's purified, he's already liberated. There is no question of his aspiring after liberation. He's already liberated. Sa guṇān samatītyaitān brahma-bhūyāya kalpate (BG 14.26).

Ātreya Ṛṣi: If the devotee's purified, he's convinced that if he becomes purified he will be free.

Prabhupāda: Yes. The whole devotional process is purificatory process. The more he is purified, he becomes high-class devotee. But the process is the path of liberation. Just like mango. The green mango, this green mango will be ripe mango. The same mango. You cannot say that the ripe mango is different from the green mango. It is a process. By the process the same green mango becomes yellow; then it is perfect. (long pause, devotees chant japa in background) What is that point, there are thirty theories or something about this Mars planet?

Morning Walk -- August 11, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: No, just like if you want responsible post, then there is question of test. If you want to become a vagabond, remain vagabond. Where is question of test?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: No, for devotees.

Prabhupāda: Ah, for devotees, there is test. For devotees there is test. We see from the devotee's life, Prahlāda Mahārāja, how much severe test he had to pass through. Bali Mahārāja, Nārada Muni.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: And the most advanced the devotee is, the more severe the test is, the more chance.

Prabhupāda: No, after you pass the examination, there is no more test. But before coming to the post of recognized devotee, Kṛṣṇa tests very severely. That one has to pass.

Hari-śauri: I read once in the Bhāgavatam in one of your purports, you said that māyā is there to test the sincerity of the candidate.

Prabhupāda: Yes, we see from the life of Bali Mahārāja, how he was put into difficulty. Even his spiritual master cursed him. (break) ...put into test and still he remains in his determination, then he's passed. That is very natural. And there is a word, "acid test"?

Hari-śauri: Yes.

Prabhupāda: For ascertaining real gold, the acid test one has to pass to become real gold.

Nava-yauvana: (break) ...this test depends on one's faith in Kṛṣṇa?

Prabhupāda: Faith in Kṛṣṇa? What do you mean by faith?

Room Conversation -- August 12, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: We require all these things. The more they become civilized, the more they require medicine and all these things. So you decide. I am so far giving instruction and help, and that will be available.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: We have been, Śrīla Prabhupāda, talking and thinking about it amongst ourselves, that now that we have this propensity to be in business, instead of working for karmīs we should have our own business.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: So it's much better... If devotees are in charge, then the karmīs can work for us and they can become devotees. But if the karmīs are in charge...

Prabhupāda: We are. Our society, it is not that we are simply sannyāsīs. We have got brahmacārīs, we have got gṛhasthas. So gṛhasthas should be provided with some profession, business, so that they can earn very nicely. That is good idea.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: He has so much propensity to become engaged in these things, I have the propensity, all the devotees have the propensity. We can...

Prabhupāda: So you make your formula, I mean to say, plan and scheme. So far how to do it, that instruction I give.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Now in this house you will see, this house, the plan is that the house, the first floor will be kitchen, restaurant and a store. A little section for store. Store will have Your Divine Grace's books, records, tapes, japa-mālā and some sweets, prasādam that is made to go, to sell.

Prabhupāda: Who made sandeśa? It was very nice.

Evening Darsana -- August 14, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That's nice. We must have Kṛṣṇa, that's a fact. What is the next proposal? We have got experience. Caitanya Mahāprabhu also introduced this dramatic play, but the play was performed by a great devotee. So unless devotees are trained, this play will not be effective.

Indian man (3): Yes, I have discussed that also with Mr. Saurabha.

Prabhupāda: (break)... The devotees who can spare time. First of all, all the devotees, they are also in the training, and if they have to learn another training, it may be very difficult.

Indian man (3): Sir, you would perhaps agree that... (break)

Prabhupāda: That we are doing. Just like in New York we have got stage. So we are playing something from Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Bhāgavata occasionally.

Indian man (1): I saw in New York one month back Rāmāyaṇa-gītā. In the temple I saw the Rāmāyaṇa-gītā. It was really very exciting. My two sons are there in New York, so I took them to the temple. So Your Divine Grace was at that time perhaps busy or something, that I couldn't have the darśana.

Prabhupāda: When I was there you were also there?

Evening Darsana -- August 15, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Your mind, his business is to think something. But ordinarily the thinking is we accept something and reject something. Or accept the same thing and again reject the same thing. This business is going on. But if you think of question, there is no question of rejecting. Simply accepting. Then it is fixed up. Other things you accept and reject. Something we accept as "Oh, it is very good." Again, "No, no, it is not good." Accepting childish. Child is playing, one type of playing, "No, no, another one." That is material. And when you fix up, no rejection, simply accept it, that is Kṛṣṇa... So if you think of Kṛṣṇa... Just like here is temple. If you come and, as other devotees are doing, if you do, if you attend maṅgala-ārati, if you attend bhoga-ārati, always see, then offer obeisances, then naturally you will think of Kṛṣṇa. Then as you think of Kṛṣṇa, you become purified. Just like if you touch with fire you remain always warm. Similarly man-manā, if you always think of Kṛṣṇa, you gradually become fully Kṛṣṇized, Kṛṣṇa's devotee, Kṛṣṇa's servant. That is perfection. There is no difficulty. People will not do that. That is the difficulty. "Why shall I think of Kṛṣṇa? I shall think of this, I shall think of that." This is difficulty. Otherwise not difficulty. You have to think something, think of Kṛṣṇa. That's all. Finished. (Hindi with guest) Na māṁ duṣkṛtino mūḍhāḥ prapadyante narādhamāḥ (BG 7.15). Duṣkṛtinaḥ (Hindi) Daivī hy eṣā guṇamayī mama māyā duratyayā (BG 7.14). (Hindi) Beating with shoes by māyā, that's all. (Hindi) "Come here, māyā, kick on me."(?) (Hindi) (someone enters) Oh, when you have come?

Room Conversation About Mayapura Construction -- August 19, 1976, Hyderabad:

Jayapatākā: Some of the local people that were working with me, getting petitions, they came and told me that some people from Delhi or outside were inquiring about us, about Bhavānanda Goswami, about Jayapatākā, about this project, about how the devotees are dealing with the public, whether we are doing any anti-Indian work. All sorts of questions they are asking. So it's very important that we keep very up and up right now. All the time. But otherwise the government, they are happy with our work. And so far, Mr. Choudhuri said, other people have indicated that they have found no bad report about our society, although they are looking so hard. Therefore they are passing.

Gargamuni: The State government is very favorable. But the doubt, of course, is coming from the central government because they don't know us. But the state government, they are very favorable. Everyone we've met within the State, they like us very much. They like the Society, they like your work, and, of course, they like your books.

Jayapatākā: The local police intelligence officer in Krishnagar, when I went to see him, he told me, (Bengali). Like that, he told me. "Definitely I make you an Indian citizen." So they are favorable. I don't know how much they can do, but locally they are favorable.

Gargamuni: Now on the weekend we have tours of the building. Many groups of people come. Fifty in a group sometimes come and visit.

Prabhupāda: Tourists.

Gargamuni: Yes, tourists, and we take then on tour of the building. That's Subhaga. He takes them on tour and he gives some preaching. So many people are coming.

Room Conversation About Mayapura Construction -- August 19, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Wait, I am coming. Among the... Amongst these... "Not only for India, but the whole world. You are doing nice work." So push this movement. Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura wanted Indians, they can... Prabhupāda also. No we have to plan how to... We are not concerned only with India. All over the world. Make plan. Think over. Kṛṣṇa will give you intelligence.

Akṣayānanda: Prabhupāda would come to Māyāpura.

Jayapatākā: And when is your program for coming to Māyāpura? All the devotees are offering their obeisances to you. Bhavānanda Goswami, he is following very strictly the cāturmāsya this year. He doesn't eat anything before sunrise.

Gargamuni: The weather there is very nice because the monsoon is mild. It is very nice, cool weather.

Prabhupāda: I have got a bad impression, Bengal during rainy season.

Gargamuni: Yes, right.

Prabhupāda: Is it not? No, it was not rainy season. This season. Otherwise any season in Bengal, they are very good.

Hari-śauri: Insect season.

Prabhupāda: Not only insect. There are... Insects are there?

Gargamuni: There's no insects now.

Jayapatākā: Rainy season no insects. After rainy season.

Prabhupāda: After rainy season. And insect is not so bad. Indigestion.

Room Conversation -- August 20, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Very nice.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Exactly like Vṛndāvana, I heard. The Deities are exactly...

Prabhupāda: Nitāi-Gaura and Balarāma. Brajendra-nandana jei kṛṣṇa, śaci-suta haila sei: "He is now Śacī-suta." Balarāma haila nitāi: "And Balarāma has become Nitāi." That's all. These two brothers. And devotees are very nice. So if our devotees remain... Two hundred devotees there are. And they are taking prasāda on the open lawn. Very nice. Presently they are growing vegetables sufficient for their consumption and for the Paris temple. Fresh, nice vegetables. Flowers, grains also they have got. Barley and wheat. Milk also. Their own cows.

Gargamuni: Cows.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. So if there is milk, there is food grain, there is vegetable, so what do you want more? Enough we can grow. They have got two hundred acres of land. Some portion of the land they are utilizing. That is becoming sufficient for them. And if they grow the whole land, they can make good trade. Just like in Philadelphia they are producing so much milk, they are selling outside fifteen hundred dollars per month. Fifteen hundred dollars, how much it is?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Fourteen thousand.

Saurabha: Twelve thousand.

Prabhupāda: That is their income. Philadelphia they have organized very nice.

Room Conversation -- August 20, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Now for residential quarter there is already bungalow.

Saurabha: There is a bungalow with four big... It's a big bungalow. And stone is available there, just like here in Hyderabad. At the back of the land it's like a rocky area. One small portion that is so much stone there available, so you can just build from the stone anything. The land can be used for the cement, instead of cement. So very cheap you can build there.

Prabhupāda: One lakh rupees? No.

Saurabha: Well, it depends how many devotees are going to stay. But for a farm, I think ...

Prabhupāda: Say ten rooms.

Saurabha: Ten rooms.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: The gṛhasthas from Bombay could be moved over there.

Prabhupāda: No, gṛhasthas can live, go to the farm.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, they can go from Bombay to there. They can cultivate our farm.

Saurabha: For sixty thousand rupees we can build sufficient accommodation, and then the rest we need...

Prabhupāda: So we can spend up to one lakh and make more rooms.

Saurabha: Yes. And when you come there the house is sufficient for you to stay. It's very nice. Big rooms.

Prabhupāda: So we shall go in October.

Saurabha: There's three big wells available. Three big wells are there.

Room Conversation with Endowments Commissioner of Andhra Pradesh -- August 22, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: But kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. The Vedas are meant for the brāhmaṇas. So there is no brāhmaṇa practically. Neither there is training of brāhmaṇas. Brāhmaṇa means he must speak truth. Satyā śama dama titik—and if you ask nowadays anybody that "You don't speak lie, you speak truth," he will laugh, that "What a rascal this is. By speaking truth one can live nowadays?" he will say. The first business is satyam. And if you ask him, "You speak truth," he will laugh. So where is brāhmaṇa? A brāhmaṇa is so simple that if you ask him about his secrecy, he'll tell you, "Yes, this is..." Satyam. Just like Jābāli? Upaniṣad, he was asked, he went to Gautama Muni. Satyaka, yes, for initiation. Gautama Muni asked him, "Who is your father?" He said, "I do not know." "Go to your mother." He went to the mother. Mother said, "Oh, my dear son, I do not know." He was a prostitute's son. So he came to Gautama Muni and said, "Sir, my mother does not know, I do not know." So he said, "You are a brāhmaṇa. Because you don't keep any secrecy you are brāhmaṇa. I'll initiate." So it is not the birth, but the quality-truthful. But these qualities will come when you make him a devotee. So this process should be taken, how to make him a devotee. And the easiest process of making devotee is let them come to the temple, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and take prasāda. Then gradually they'll become... I began this movement on this. Very simple. And they have come. I never asked them to study Vedas in the beginning. What they'll read Veda? What do they know? But this process has become successful. So if you take this process it will be very quickly successful. And then literature. I never gave them literature. I have got about eighty books. Not that in the beginning I asked them, "Come here and read books." No. "Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and take prasāda." Now they are interested in reading books, in publishing them, in selling them and everything. They are doing everything. So if you take the authorized program it will be successful. Otherwise, it will not be successful.

Morning Walk -- August 31, 1976, Delhi:

Indian man (3): Exercise they are doing. To laugh loudly you know that is also exercise.

Devotee: It's a form of prāṇāyāma.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Devotee: A form of prāṇāyāma, breathing. The scientists, or doctors, say it takes so many muscles in the body to laugh and so many to frown, and it takes less to laugh, so they say why waste energy? Everyone should laugh instead of frowning all the time and be happy. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...Ninth Canto, I shall take up Eleventh and Twelfth.

Devotee: Someone was explaining about these Cantos that you start like the feet from Kṛṣṇa and as you read through the Cantos you slowly move up the body of Kṛṣṇa and the Twelfth Canto is the...

Prabhupāda: Head.

Devotee: Is His head. The Twelfth Canto must be a really beautiful book, too. (Hindi) (end)

Room Conversation -- September 4, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: This is sādhu. The first qualification is titikṣava. very tolerant. And Cāṇakya Paṇḍita has said kṣamā-rūpaṁ tapasvinām. Those who are tapasvīs, their first duty is how much he is forgiving. How much he has learned to forgive. Kṣamā-rūpaṁ tapasvinām. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa śamena damena (SB 6.1.13). So what is the explanation?

Harikeśa: Purport? A sādhu, as described above, is a devotee of the Lord. His concern, therefore, is to enlighten people in devotional service to the Lord. That is his mercy. He knows that without devotional service to the Lord, human life is spoiled. A devotee travels all over the country, from door to door, preaching, "Be Kṛṣṇa conscious. Be a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Don't spoil your life in simply fulfilling your animal propensities. Human life is meant for self-realization, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness." These are the preachings of a sādhu. He is not satisfied with his own liberation. He always thinks about others. He is the most compassionate personality towards all the fallen souls. One of his qualifications, therefore, is kāruṇika, great mercy to the fallen souls. While engaged in preaching work, he has to meet with so many opposing elements, and therefore the sādhu, or devotee of the Lord, has to be very tolerant. Someone may ill-treat him because the conditioned souls are not prepared to receive the transcendental knowledge of devotional service. They do not like it; that is their disease. The sādhu has the thankless task of impressing upon them the importance of devotional service. Sometimes devotees are personally attacked with violence. Lord Jesus Christ was crucified, Haridāsa Ṭhākura was caned in twenty-two marketplaces, and Lord Caitanya's principal assistant, Nityānanda, was violently attacked by Jagāi and Mādhāi.

Room Conversation -- September 5, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: No, money they have got. There is no doubt. They are not coming from poor country, either poor. No, we are welcoming provided he is reasonable. Simply to exploit, that is not good. That is not good. What do you think? In our Indian system, if somebody goes to a sādhu's āśrama, especially gṛhastha, immediately he pays fifty rupees, hundred rupees. He'll not stay more than three days, four days. But he knows "The sādhu, wherefrom he'll bring money? Take." They are paying without staying. Just like yesterday this man came, and you have seen so many people come. In your country also it is done. That is up to the man's conscience. That I have come here, so I require to stay. Pay something. But not that... That should be properly expended. So anything can be done very nicely provided there is good management. I do not see any difficulty. I am present here. If there is any difficulty, ask me. I shall advise. (Hindi) Per head hundred rupees is sufficient. Not more than that. Even, how many devotees are here now?

Akṣayānanda: We have sixty. About sixty. There are, many women are there. Normally there has been about...

Prabhupāda: Up to fifty I take charge. I shall pay hundred rupees per head.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: We don't need more than fifty, Śrīla Prabhupāda, because Hyderabad needs devotees.

Prabhupāda: If there are more they can go to other centers.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Now we have the farm in Hyderabad. Mahāṁsa's asking for men for the farm, for the temple. They can give...

Prabhupāda: Yes, we have got the biggest farm.

Room Conversation -- September 6, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Ānanda Swami?

Akṣayānanda: Kīrtanānanda in New Vrindaban. All his people, they must go out and do kīrtana and distribute books. They must. Everybody does it. In that way, I'm told this anyway. In that way the devotees are enlivened and they don't become restless in the temple. Then the same ones... It's our bus, and they will come back to our temple. So we will not lose so many good devotees because they will not be attracted to go away on others. So if we had one bus... Yaśodānandana Mahārāja I will discuss with him. I already have, I'll just try to discuss it more.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Gurudāsa Swami is coming to Vṛndāvana with a bus. He said he's going to give it to Vṛndāvana.

Akṣayānanda: And there's no need for me to go out. There's so many nice sannyāsīs. So many big preachers and so many buses. So if we just try it.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Īśvara Candra prabhu has come from Mathurā. (break)

Prabhupāda: When you will come to preach something. You take it from me.

Īśvara Candra: Last one and a half year I'm trying for something in Mathurā but I'm...

Garden Conversation -- September 7, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: No no, that is understood.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Okay. "He complimented ISKCON, for disseminating the Vedic culture. West Bengal government officials have praised our agricultural efforts. The principle officer of agriculture of Nadia District in West Bengal said that our Māyāpura farm is receiving attention of nearby farmers, and this farm is acting as a demonstration for them. So the statement that foreign devotees are running ISKCON in India is misleading. Point five, Blitz: Big business in Spiritual Sky. Boss of West Bengal is Gregory M. Scharf. ISKCON: In Māyāpura our devotees make handloom saris, dhotīs, and gāmchās. All over the world our devotees wear the traditional Indian dress of dhotīs, kurtās, and saris. It is our spiritual master's desire that all our devotees overseas only wear clothes made by our devotees in Māyāpura. Spiritual Sky sales and services was formed just to send our Māyāpura handloom and other necessities only to our centers overseas. In return our overseas centers send Māyāpura donations. Even Gandhiji wanted every Indian to be self-sufficient. This is what we are trying to do. We produce our own food and clothing. Instead of criticizing, Blitz should publicize these activities so that others can follow. Gregory M. Scharf's spiritual name is Gargamuni Swami, and he is an initiated disciple of Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda. Blitz has tried to portray him as a businessman who's wearing saffron clothes to deceive people. He is a sannyāsī since 1966. Point six, Blitz: Substantial amounts of foreign money is being received by ISKCON India Limited. ISKCON: First of all, our society is registered and called ISKCON, not ISKCON India Limited." They are purposefully being sarcastic. "It is not a business house. Yes, we do receive remittances from abroad. Every paisa that has been remitted from abroad has come through the reserve bank of India. Bhaktivedanta Swami has written over eighty books which are being sold in every country in the world. These books are selling twelve doubled(?) sixty thousand dollars daily which is about five lakhs.

Room Conversation -- October 4, 1976, Vrndavana:

Haṁsadūta: And then they require money for medicine. I have spent so much money on medicine. Now I have stopped it. I tell them, "First you fast for three days, and if you don't get better I'll give you some money for medicine." But they are constantly running to this hospital, getting this pill and that pill. All these pills are useless. The real problem is they are just overeating. And of course when they overeat they want to sleep. Because India is hot. And when they sleep then they get dysentery. And when they get dysentery they can't engage. And in this way they run into a cycle which is very difficult to break. Only very few devotees are able to maintain themselves in India for any length of time. I see a nice strong man comes and I look at him and I see him eat and I say, "Within a week this man is going to be sick." And sure enough, he's sick. He's laying down, he's got fever, he's got dysentery, he's going to the hospital. In this way we have so many people like that.

Akṣayānanda: They become so weak that they can't work anyway.

Hari-śauri: So they just become a liability.

Haṁsadūta: I had one devotee, his name was Rad... (break) ...you know and you know. He does nothing at all. He's always sick. But at prasādam he eats more than any other man. I told him, "Prabhu, you're a doctor. You should know that if you eat so much food you can't digest, you're going to be sick." He says, "No, I'm so weak I require food. I have to, I can't get any strength." So I asked him, "At least, sit down in the temple and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." He said "I can't..."

Prabhupāda: I have seen. Some of them eat so much I am surprised.

Akṣayānanda: But the ones who eat that much, they are the ones who are always sick. They're the ones.

Prabhupāda: Overeating means sick.

Room Conversation -- October 31, 1976, Vrndavana:

Hari-śauri: My son Daniel, Sravananda Das, entered the Hare Kṛṣṇa Movement almost 5 years ago. The only request that he made of me and my husband was that we read about the Hare Kṛṣṇa philosophy and try to understand his new way of life. My husband and I have read everything we could find about the movement and the philosophy. We have visited the Hare Kṛṣṇa Centers in Philadelphia and New York frequently, always speaking to the devotees and having our questions answered. Evidently these youths feel a revulsion towards the sense gratification of forbidden permissive values of our society. When I see how happy the devotees are..."

Prabhupāda: Haṁsadūta, Haṁsadūta?

Hari-śauri: Haṁsadūta?

Prabhupāda: The Ceylon is educated and if they are receiving, why not open a branch?

Hari-śauri: (continues reading) "He recently returned home after almost 3 years in India. My husband and I could see the awareness and maturity in him gained from his experiences in working with the Indian people. He learned first-hand about a different culture and it certainly has enriched his life. In our minds we can compare our son's life to the life of a Catholic monk or a religious Jew of the Hasidic sect. Do I think that my son is brainwashed? I can best answer this by answering the question, is our whole society not being brainwashed daily by the advertisement media? Liquor, smoking, pornographic movies and literature and which is worse? And what about the children who are being educated by the violence and killing on T.V.? I prefer that my son is devoting his life to the love of God and the service of humanity, a rare endeavor in this age. Since I know that my son has voluntarily chosen the Hare Kṛṣṇa Movement to exercise these rights and that he can leave it whenever he wishes I cannot see how the term 'brainwashing' can be applicable to this movement. I sincerely believe from my contacts with many devotees that they are happy and have found fulfillment by loving and serving Lord Kṛṣṇa, God. This may not be my wish for my life but my son has chosen it for his, and I whole heartedly respect it."

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

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa, in the dictionary it is said, that Hindu God but we are claiming, that Kṛṣṇian, Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa conscious. Kṛṣṇa conscious means "Godder than the Hindus." When you say we are not Hindu that we are not restricted with the Hindi community. That is the meaning. Because Kṛṣṇa says, "I am for everyone." So why should we be restricted to the Hindi community. Kṛṣṇa says sarva yoniṣu, "In all forms of life, I am the seed giving father." Why he should be simply Hindu? This point should be stressed. Sarva yoni means eighty four million..., eighty, eighty, eight million four hundred thousands, all forms. Kṛṣṇa is for all of them. We therefore, why Kṛṣṇa should be restricted to the Hindu community? Hindus are included but Kṛṣṇa is not restricted to Hindus. Kṛṣṇa's picture, that Bal Gopal. He's embracing the calves. Kṛṣṇa does not embrace only the gopīs, He's embracing the calves also. That is Kṛṣṇa. He's equal to everyone. Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). Pāpa-yonayaḥ, so many low-grade forms of life, they're also His.... Devotees are part and parcel. Mamaivāṁśo jī... (BG 15.7). Quote this: Kṛṣṇa is not restricted to the Hindu. We say, "We are not Hindu," means we are not.... We embrace everyone. We are not restricted to the Hindus. The so-called Christians, so-called Mohammedans, they.... We embrace everyone, and actually we are doing that. Why should we simply be compact within the limitation of Hindus. That is not our purpose. Then we would not have come to western countries. We actually spreading universal brotherhood. Kṛṣṇa is the father and everyone our brother. We are claiming, all our fallen brothers to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. This is our movement. Caitanya Mahāprabhu (said) pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma, this is our movement. Why you should be restricted, to the India, and amongst the Hindus. Our (indistinct) they asked that "Go, go," bhārata bhūmite, you have taken birth in India, that's alright, make your life successful and go abroad, para upakāra. Janma sārthaka kori koro para-upakāra. This is our mission. We have come to you to make you civilized. This is our mission. And the best men of your country they are recommending. All the learned circle, they are coming. How can you defy us?

Morning Walk -- December 5, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Yes. I think we have translated Kulaśekhara... It is not published, but I have translated.

Jagadīśa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, some of these devotees are required to... With your permission, I'd like to have some of the devotees come out for kīrtana and...

Prabhupāda: So? You can go to the ārati, kīrtana. Go. You also go. (break)

Devotee: ...the argument that after saying "surrender to Kṛṣṇa," and becoming free from the miseries of material life we remain still going home, still a devotee who comes through the heat, still a devotee who is dying just like an ordinary man.

Prabhupāda: It is an argument like this, that "You have gone to a physician for curing your disease. Why you are not cured?" This is nonsense question. It will take some time to be cured. Do you mean to say as soon as you go to the physician, you become cured? Do you think? Why don't you answer like that? A foolish man will say like that, that "You have taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Why you are now suffering?" Yes, suffering will be... Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati (BG 9.31). So the assurance is there. You take the treatment. Why do you expect? Immediately you go to the physician. A father gets the daughter married, expecting a child. Does it mean as soon as she's married, immediately child? And if a rascal says, "Oh, she is married, and there is no child?" Because he's a rascal. You must wait. Now she is married, it is sure she'll have child. That's a fact. But if the rascal wants, "Now my daughter is married. There is no child?" What is this nonsense? This question is like that, that "You have come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Why you are suffering?" You cannot answer this?

Press Conference -- December 16, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Farms.

Guest (3): Fifty, five zero.

Guest (5): Yes, five zero.

Prabhupāda: No, in America. We have got farms like this. They are very successful. They are eating fresh vegetables, fresh grains and milk, and chanting. The temple is there. They have left the city life. So I want to organize that here also. We have already one in Navadvīpa. The devotees are there. They are having their own cloth, own food, own milk, residence, and chanting. That's all.

Guest (3): Total membership for around the world?

Prabhupāda: Total membership is practically unlimited because we are now getting opposition, so... But actually dedicated life, about ten thousand like these boys.

Guest (5): What's going to be the name of this āśrama?

Prabhupāda: It is already told. It is ISKCON Venkateshvara Trust.

Guest (5): The name of the trust will be the name of the āśrama.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Hari-śauri: New Naimiṣāraṇya?

Room Conversation with Life Member, Mr. Malhotra -- December 22, 1976, Poona:

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa immediately got down from his siṁhāsana and took his lotus, touch his feet. And Nārada Muni was smiling, nara-līlā.

Mr. Malhotra: Nārada Muni was smiling. (Hindi)

Prabhupāda: Nārada Muni knew it that He is Supreme Lord, but he did not check it.

Mr. Malhotra: He let Lord Kṛṣṇa bow. This is the biggest paradox.

Prabhupāda: Mad-bhakta-pūjābhyadhika (SB 11.19.21). Kṛṣṇa is pleased when His devotee is worshiped. (Hindi)

Mr. Malhotra: When I went to Dvārakā Purī, so there is Bheda Dvārakā in the sea. One is Dvārakā Purī, then about I think 10, 12 miles away there is Bheda Dvārakā. At Bheda Dvārakā, that is the residential palace of Lord Kṛṣṇa. And seven rāṇīs of Lord Kṛṣṇa. They show each building, their whole building. So what was that?

Prabhupāda: He had 16,108 queens.

Mr. Malhotra: 16,108 queens. But there they show I think only 8 or 7.

Prabhupāda: All are described, that he had 16,000 palaces. And Nārada Muni came to see Him, what He is doing actually. He saw different activities, and Kṛṣṇa expanded Himself to 16,108. Each rāṇī had 10 sons, and they had sons also. In this way the Yadu-vaṁśa was crores.

Room Conversation -- December 26, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: But they're supporting.

Jagadīśa: They must support it. Actually, I'm sure that they're astonished to find out how intelligent all the devotees are. The devotees are the most intelligent people.

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa yei bhaje sei baḍa catura. Then, what other letters.

Jagadīśa: There's this conference which took place at Harvard, a symposium headed by Dr. Harvey Cox who is very important and a very famous theologian in America. Some of the things they said are very nice. Especially there's some quote from the Bible that gives it... This is actually stated by this Mr. Cox, or Dr. Cox, a very important man. He gives a quote from the Bible. "Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea and the great multitude from Galilee followed him. And many who had diseases pressed in upon him to touch him. And he went up into the hills and called to him those whom he desired and they came to him. And he appointed twelve to be with him and he sent them out to preach. And then he came to his home town and the crowd came together, so many of them that they could not even eat. And when his family heard about this they went out to seize him for they said, 'He is besides himself.' And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, 'He is possessed by Beelzebub and by the Prince of Demons.' And Jesus said to them, 'If the house is divided against itself, that house will fall. It surely will not be able to stand.' And then his mother and his brothers came and standing outside the house where he was, they sent a message in to him calling him. And the crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, 'Your mother and your brothers are outside and they are asking for you.' And Jesus replied, 'Who are my mother and my brothers?' And looking around on those who sat about him, he said, 'Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of God is my brother and my sister, and my mother."

Prabhupāda: Very good.

Room Conversation -- December 26, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Hm, very good.

Indian man: They cannot speak in English. That's the whole difficulty, they are speaking Hindi and Gujarati. They are very, feeling very shy. And he's very great expert in growing this wheat grass which has become very popular. Everybody likes very much. Your devotees are also liking. He's an expert in this. He's a very good music teacher, he has a very good tape recordist. Puppeteer, also he's making these puppet for last twenty years. He's expert in making puppets. We can make kṛṣṇa-kathā puppets also for our theater. And he can train our young boys for the same thing. Video tape and everything, he knows about this audio-visual communication...

Prabhupāda: Everyone has got some talent. So svakarmaṇā tam abhyarcya. That is wanted. Whatever talent you have got you can utilize for Kṛṣṇa.

Indian man: And I want to utilize for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. I know him for last 22 years.

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) ...this grass.

Indian man: That is a very good, that was wanted by (indistinct), he is taking every day.

Prabhupāda: In Kṛṣṇa consciousness, all varieties of work can be utilized. (Hindi) Kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31). He got perfection, Vaiyāsaki, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, simply narrated. Narration is also kīrtana. Recitation of Bhāgavatam. By reciting Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam he became perfect. Abhavad vaiyāsakiḥ kīrtane. Śrī-viṣṇoḥ śravaṇe parīkṣit. Parīkṣit Mahārāja simply listened. There are navadhā-bhakti, nine kinds of bhakti process. Any one of them, you be expert and you'll be perfect. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam (SB 7.5.23). So, where his family?

Indian man: He has got one son and daughter. His family is in Bombay. One son is expired earlier. And he has got good talent of teaching Hindi, music, and tape recording. He's such work. And she knows cooking, very good cooking.

Prabhupāda: Yes, if she gives cooking direction.