England (Conversations 1977)

Expressions researched:
"England" |"England's" |"United Kingdom"

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- January 5, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: And that is also younger age, no old. Old age, they are never... There is no such case. Only younger generation, within thirties, twenty to thirty, they are fighting.

Hari-śauri: Even in the West, the Roman Catholic Church wouldn't allow divorce. The Church of England was started on that because Henry VIII didn't like his wife, and he wanted to divorce, and the Roman Catholic Church wouldn't let him. So then he did do, so they excommunicated him. So then he started his own church and made up his own laws. Otherwise, now there's a big push in Italy for divorce and everything, but even in the last ten years there's been no divorce. They don't allow it. And chastity of the woman was still very greatly appreciated too.

Prabhupāda: Woman infidel, they are stoned among the Muhammadans. Christian also. "You have done..." Woman proved unchaste, she was punished. Is it not? The public would stone and kill. You know that punishment? Stoning?

Hari-śauri: Stoning, yes. It's mentioned a lot in early Christian times. They used to stone.

Prabhupāda: Everyone will throw a stone. Very tortuous death, stoning.

Morning Walk -- January 6, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: So materially wherever I go, there any gentleman I meet, "Oh, you are coming from India, very poor (indistinct)." This is our (indistinct). Not now, fifty years ago in 1930's when one of my godbrothers, one or two they went to London, Lady Willingdon, she was speaking that "You people come here from India and we give you degrees and you earn your livelihood in India. So what you have come to teach us?" That's a fact. We go to England to take the degrees, MRCT, FRCA, barrister or so on, so on, so on.

Indian Lady: (indistinct) with Dr. Khoranna, he has got Nobel prize in America (indistinct). The Indian government (indistinct). And after that...

Prabhupāda: American Nobel prize?

Room Conversation -- January 7, 1977, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: Washington and people like Jefferson. He has polluted that seat. They must change that seat. Change the White House wholesale. The greatest curr on this most, I mean, enlightened people. Americans are very enlightened because their forefathers were enlightened and they came there as pilgrims. Those, what do they call them? Puritans, you see. They are most different from Aussies. The Australians who are criminals of England.

Prabhupāda: If Nixon is a Jew?

Dr. Patel: No, no. He's a Christian. No Jew can be, serve as the president of that country. Not only Jew but not only Catholic.

Trivikrama: Well, some Catholics. Kennedy was...

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

Prabhupāda: No, last year we were doing ourselves, our Swami... Who...?

Gurudāsa: Who was that?

Prabhupāda: He's well-known swami. I forget his name. Was in England?

Hari-śauri: Revatīnandana?

Prabhupāda: Revatīnandana. No, Revatīnandana. Yes, Revatī...

Hari-śauri: He was in England.

Gurudāsa: He was cooking. He's a good cook.

Prabhupāda: He has cooked very nice.

Room Conversation -- January 10, 1977, Bombay:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Also the income tax will say, "Your sales were so high," so he doesn't want the paper account to come under that. So what I'm saying, Śrīla Prabhupāda... The demand for our books is there. And like BBT Los Angeles sells a Bhāgavatam to the temples for $3.50, and we are selling it for $1.45. And that includes our profit already. Our real cost is 90 cents, 95 cents. So we can expand our printing capacity here. As I discussed with you last week, there's one machine from England that Usa Printers wants to import. And if we give him a loan... It will be his machine. He'll give us documents, and he'll pay back interest every month. In two years he'll pay back the whole money plus interest, which will be higher than what the bank gives us.

Prabhupāda: Is that all right?

Room Conversation -- January 10, 1977, Bombay:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah. First they were hesitating, Śrīla Prabhupāda. So what I did is I told Jayatīrtha that Australia has already ordered, so he said, "Okay, I'll order sixty thousand." I told Australia that "England's already ordered," so he said, "I'll order forty thousand." (chuckling) We had to get the thing started at once.

Prabhupāda: No, Australia, from India it is nearer, half-day(?).

Rāmeśvara: What is your printing cost on Bhagavad-gītā?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: About 11.50, eleven rupees, fifty paisa. But the export edition is going to be cheaper because when you export, you get a lot of duties, so...

Prabhupāda: Now, in export and exchange with paper, good paper.

Room Conversation -- January 10, 1977, Bombay:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: The Bhāgavatams... Also the freight from here is less. That's another feeling that we have. Prabhupāda told me England, Australia, Africa should get books from India, and America, Canada, from America.

Prabhupāda: There is no consideration of big profit. Simply we want big number, distribution. That's all.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Also this will increase our prestige as a movement.

Prabhupāda: Big number, as big as possible. My Guru Mahārāja, he had magazines in six languages: English, Hindi, Bengali, Oriya, Assamese, and one Bengali daily. So if our men complained that "Such and such men are not giving their subscription, so, what we can do? Stop the supply?"

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

Hari-śauri: They would hold the festivals sometimes in the hills with a stream. It was very popular; everybody would go to the stream and bathe naked. And then the TV would come and film. There was one big one that they had in England, and the front pages on all the newspapers was one hippie couple that... Someone had spread some foam everywhere, and in the middle of the foam this hippie couple were naked having sex, and they put the picture in all the papers. This was love and peace.

Prabhupāda: I have seen John...

Hari-śauri: John Lennon.

Prabhupāda: ...naked.

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

Prabhupāda: Yes. We hate to mix with you. No gentleman tries to mix with loafers. In England still, the rich quarter is different from the poor quarter. Is it not?

Hari-śauri: Not so much. It was though, formerly, very strongly.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Aristocratic will never live... Even in America, they don't like to live with the blacks.

Rāmeśvara: No.

Prabhupāda: (aside:) That child...? So that separation... Crows will not like to live with the ducks and white swans. And white swans will not like to live with the crows. That is natural division. "Birds of the same feather flock together."

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

Prabhupāda: That will not do. This is our first business.

Rāmeśvara: Prabhupāda, in the Back to Godhead magazine, one question has come up. Now that England is printing their own, India is printing their own, so this magazine that we print in America, ninety percent, ninety-five percent is sold in America.

Prabhupāda: But that is English and in India vernacular so there is no question of competition.

Room Conversation -- January 15, 1977, Allahabad:

Prabhupāda: ...in Western countries, fifty years. Twenty years in Durban and thirty years in England.

Gurudāsa: Twenty years in...?

Prabhupāda: In Durban. South Africa. Fighting with General Smuts to give Indians equal rights. They are very conservative. At heart they want "Indians may go away." They don't want Indians. And if they want, it is for their own benefit. The Indians have given some place to develop as marketplace, and as soon as they develop, they ask, "Go there. Leave this place. Go away, other place." This is going on. And they know very well, politicians.

Room Conversation -- January 15, 1977, Allahabad:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. Home Bill. Because I was student of economics. So Home Bill. Home Bill means all the Englishmen were engaged in India, either government, railway, industry, factory, and so on, so on, so on. Whatever... They have got some charges. So all the bills were sent to London, and they made a Home Bill. Their home is in England, so they won't take payment here. They'll take payment at home. And the government there, they'll present the whole bill to India and debit India's account in gold. That means, other words, all the payments which were to be made to the Englishmen in India, they were paid at home in gold.

Room Conversation -- January 15, 1977, Allahabad:

Prabhupāda: Yes. No Englishmens were allowed to domicile in India. No. Strictly. But if... As soon as they make home, it will be America. The Americans made their home in America, so a war of independence was... They have experienced that, so did not allow the Englishmen to make India home. "You come here, work and take your payment. Can't come down."(?) This was the policy, Home Bill. And India's gold was kept in London. So gradually all the gold finished. Very, very crooked policy they followed. They... They... In Muhammadan period there was no such peaceful exploitation. These Muhammadans, they wanted to become lumma, kukum(?). Bas. That's all. They were satisfied. But their princely expenditure was done in India. When Shah Jahan constructed the Taj Mahal, heavy expenditure, but the payment was received by the Indians. And here a railway, very smart railway bridge is constructed that... The payment was paid in England. This was the policy. Every even screw, iron screw, was imported from England.

Room Conversation -- January 15, 1977, Allahabad:

Gurudāsa: Yes. India was dependent on tea and cloth from England.

Prabhupāda: But tea they also produce it.

Gurudāsa: Was it introduced by the English?

Prabhupāda: Yes. India did not know what is tea. They started the tea gardens, and they recruited labors from India. We have seen in our childhood that Mahatma Gandhi Road. When I was standing on the gate, five hundred, six hundred laborers recruited from Bihar. Bihar and Orissa, these two provinces very poor. Even all these colonies, just like Trinidad... Where is Englishmen? If the laborers and Indians were sent... Therefore we find in Mauritius, in Africa, so many Indians. Their kingdom, first of all it was conquered by Indian soldiers. Then, when it was to be organized-Indian coolies, Indian laborers, Indian guards. They have got men and money, but they expanded Empire. So I am doing the same business: American money, American... (laughs) I am also a great politician.

Room Conversation -- January 15, 1977, Allahabad:

Gurudāsa: There's no hurry. Also, if they could only spend their money in England, it means they wouldn't care so much for the country. They wouldn't care for India so much if they were going to spend the money in England.

Prabhupāda: No, practically I am spending America's money in a proper way. They would have used it in a different way.

Rāmeśvara: Japanese money also.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Gurudāsa: No distinction. Any money will do. (break)

Prabhupāda: There is no exploitation. America has enough money, and India has got enough culture. So they should combine for the benefit of the whole world.

Room Conversation on 1976 Book Scores -- January 16, 1977, Calcutta:

Rāmeśvara: Number two was Los Angeles with $87,000. Number three was Berkeley with $85,000. Number four was San Diego, $62,000. Caracas, 60,000, Brazil and England tied-$48,000. Germany 33,000; Denver 32,000; and Pittsburgh 30,000. And the medium temples weren't so outstanding, but the small temple, Houston, little Houston, $25,000. They only have about twelve men. I cannot understand how hard they worked to do this, very hard. Plus it shows Gurukṛpa's donation, ISKCON food relief donation. Then the outstanding zones for the month. Number one is Tamāla Kṛṣṇa, with $200,000. Number two was my zone. Actually it's your zone, but you've made me manage it a little. $182,000, very close to beating him. (Prabhupāda chuckles) Actually I have noticed that if the West Coast was not divided this year into two zones... Formerly it was just one zone. All Berkeley, it was one zone. Now it is two zones. So I noticed that if it had not been divided, then every month the West Coast would have been number one.

Prabhupāda: Combined together.

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Hari-śauri: I remember in England that was a big thing too, the welfare state. So many people, they're not working, and they're getting more money from the government by not working than they would by going to work. So they...

Gargamuni: Years ago there was a scandal in the States, and in the Midwest they found a family who was receiving a total of thirty thousand dollars a year in welfare checks.

Prabhupāda: Just see.

Rāmeśvara: This problem practically ruined Australia's economy. Five years ago Australia was a very wealthy country, and then they elected a new government, socialist government, and they began increasing all sorts of benefits, pensions, welfare benefits. And millions of people...

Morning Walk -- January 24, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: There is more... (break) ...then attacking themselves.

Hari-śauri: Not cannibals.

Bhāgavata: This way you will see birds, many different types of birds.

Hari-śauri: They turned one of the stately homes in England into a lion reserve. You can drive through, and the lions come and jump on your car.

Prabhupāda: Hm? Jumping on the car?

Hari-śauri: Yeah. Sometimes they do.

Satsvarūpa: The bird isn't powerful, but he can fly away from the lion. He can fly away from the lion, but he's not powerful.

Prabhupāda: Fly away?

Evening Conversation -- January 25, 1977, Puri:

Prabhupāda: A little Jagannātha prasāda also.

Hari-śauri: Yes. They can bring some. I traveled for a month myself on a boat. I went from England to Australia on ship.

Prabhupāda: One month? Only?

Hari-śauri: Twenty-eight days.

Prabhupāda: Hm. Through Atlantic.

Hari-śauri: Yes. We had to go Atlantic and right 'round the tip of Africa and across the Indian Ocean, because the Suez Canal was finished then. It was blocked by the war.

Prabhupāda: Suez Canal still not open?

Room Conversation -- January 26, 1977, Puri:

Prabhupāda: Everywhere. Why you say, speak India or in England? The human intelligence is the same. There is no change. They have made like this: "East," "West" and "England," and... The psychology is the same. The ass is the same. The camel is the same. The dog is the same. We are talking of these dogs. Do you think that in Europe the dog is different from Indian dog? (laughs) They have created another problem. But we take: "You are all dogs. Either you be Indian or England or German, you are, after all, after dog. Your mentality is dog." They have created that "Indian dog is better than the English dog" or "English dog is better than German." What is better? It is dog. You are doglike and hankering after some job in America and amongst Europeans.

Room Conversation -- February 3, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Yes. That King John, who started this Protestant movement? Some king in England.

Hari-śauri: Yes, it was started like that.

Prabhupāda: Yes. He was forbidden not to divorce his wife.

Hari-śauri: That was the Church of England, Henry the VIII.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Oh, Henry the VIII. He started this Protestant.

Hari-śauri: He was excommunicated from the Catholic Church.

Prabhupāda: But this...

Room Conversation -- February 3, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Hari-śauri: So he started the Church of England.

Prabhupāda: ...Protestant group was started by him.

Hari-śauri: I don't know anything about their history.

Prabhupāda: That is the history.

Hari-śauri: There's always been fighting between the Protestants and the Catholics though.

Prabhupāda: Well, fighting must be there. They protested.

Hari-śauri: There's so many Christian sects.

Room Conversation -- February 14, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There's three hundred devotees from America, England and South America. And then, of course, there's still Australia devotees and some devotees from Africa. There are more. So I think at least between three and four hundred devotees.

Prabhupāda: And here we can accommodate. How many rooms?

Satsvarūpa: 165 on one floor and 135 on another.

Prabhupāda: Two persons very comfortably can live in one room.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's nice.

Evening Darsana -- February 15, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Oh, I think about 1928, long ago, because about twenty years ago there was centenary, hundred years. So the local produce was not exported. Everything was cheap in the village because you have to consume. Whatever is produced in the village you have to consume. And these Britishers, they introduced railway and drew everything in the village to the town. And they would not sell in the village because they would get good price in the city. Otherwise in the village, everything was very cheap, very, very cheap-milk, vegetables, rice, dāl, everything. And the Britishers, they had no food. They have got only the potato. In England what they produce?

Evening Darsana -- February 15, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: And the Indian people, they saw... They were educated because they are fond of going to pilgrimage by walking. They would go... Suppose from here, Navadvīpa, one has to go to Vṛndāvana. He would make his will, because he does not know whether he'll come back or not. Long distance, thousand miles, you have to go by, on leg. They used to go. So they were advertised that "No. Now you'll have not to walk. The Company, they're making very easy going railway." So they received it, "Oh! (Hindi)" (laughs) But their idea was to draw all the raw materials from villages and send it to England.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But they advertised, "Now you can go..."

Prabhupāda: "Now you can go to tīrtha by nice railway."

Brahmānanda: British Railway.

Satsvarūpa: Company.

Evening Darsana -- February 15, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: No.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What could England gain from the separation?

Prabhupāda: Gain means they are now finished. They have gained this. They have no prestige, no money.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What was their gain from dividing India and Pakistan?

Prabhupāda: Oh, that, that is enviousness.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Just spiteful enviousness.

Prabhupāda: Enviousness. Just like, you like..., who has done something wrong to you, you like to do some wrong, harm.

Evening Darsana -- February 15, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Even now they're trying to drive them out of England.

Prabhupāda: Eh? Oh, yes. They're offering some compensation, that "Take some money and go away." Indians are prosperous in England.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Wherever they go, they are prosperous. In America now...

Prabhupāda: In South Africa also.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In America they are afraid because the doctors, a huge percentage of the American doctors are Indians.

Evening Darsana -- February 15, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: In England also, they prefer Indian medical men.

Hari-śauri: They've done that already. The whole medical profession runs on Indians.

Prabhupāda: They prefer. Public likes Indian medical men because they take more care.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They're more intelligent 'cause they know about the soul. They care about the person more.

Prabhupāda: Yes. I know. In England they like Indian doctors. And last time, when I was in London, the Civil Surgeon, he was a Bengali. This Aurobindo's father, he was a medical practitioner. Aurobindo was born in London. He was English-born, yes. His father, Dr. Monmohan Ghosh, he was medical man there. So although he was British-born, he became enemy of the British. (drinks medicine?) Very bad medicine. (laughs)

Room Conversation with Adi-kesava Swami -- February 19, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Who he is?

Ādi-keśava: He is one of the guṇḍās.

Hari-śauri: In England, this one.

Ādi-keśava: No, he's in...

Hari-śauri: No, in Ipswich.

Ādi-keśava: Ipswich, Massachusetts.

Hari-śauri: Oh, sorry. I thought...

Ādi-keśava: He is in... This is one of the men who was used to hold a devotee during a deprogramming, a big... I know this man personally. You see, already we have sometimes come to blows with them. We had one incident where a devotee was being held captive, and I went with some devotees in the middle of the night, and we had some fighting. The police stopped us. They took me away and beat me and threw me in the bushes, and then they kept the boy there, the devotee. He got away later. But men like this we have fought with several times. When it comes to these questions, I wanted to know, when there is sometimes some violence...

Prabhupāda: What can be done? Violence. Beat him.

Room Conversation -- February 19, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Yes. So it means we shall sell outside India at least fifty thousand every month.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What about London and England? Huge Indian population.

Prabhupāda: Huge Indian, yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: America also has big Indian population.

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Tripurāri should take standing orders for the Indians because he has many centers under his charge.

Prabhupāda: In Africa? Huge Indian, whole Africa-east, west, north, south.

Evening Darsana -- February 24, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: It is an American printing?

Jayatīrtha: This is British.

Prabhupāda: This is British.

Rāmeśvara: They printed it in England. How many copies?

Jayatīrtha: One hundred thousand copies.

Prabhupāda: Oh. Competition. (laughter)

Rāmeśvara: He's trying.

Prabhupāda: (laughs) Yes. This transcendental competition must go on. Thank you.

Evening Darsana -- February 24, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: In London there are very big, big press.

Jayatīrtha: Yes. Quite good prices too, better than American prices. We're having our Swedish Bhagavad-gītā also printed in England. It's going to the press while we're here in Māyāpur.

Prabhupāda: How is that vegetable market? There is wholesale vegetable market.

Jayatīrtha: Not a very big one.(?)

Prabhupāda: Near I saw there is very big press.

Jayatīrtha: London's a fantastic city for spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Prabhupāda: Ācchā?

Evening Darsana -- February 24, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: The practical example is there. In everywhere they are coming to the temple. So in England there is opposition.

Jayatīrtha: Not really. There's none of this deprogramming or any trouble like that. People are pretty peaceful. We have a pretty good reputation. The government doesn't oppose us.

Prabhupāda: They oppose our Ratha-yātrā.

Jayatīrtha: Our Ratha-yātrā, yes. I don't think they'll ever stop opposing. This year when I went to the Ratha-yātrā, when we had the Ratha-yātrā, I saw that their feeling is so strong about it I don't think they'll ever let us have a good cart on that route. I wish they would, but I don't think they will. They told us that they only way they'll let us have a big car is if we change the route. So actually that's one thing I wanted to discuss with you while I was here, whether... If we had the Ratha-yātrā in the Indian district, like Wembley...

Prabhupāda: No.

Evening Darsana -- February 25, 1977, Mayapura:

Rāmeśvara: In America and in England they are making life members, but very rarely does someone give the whole fee at once. They have already...

Prabhupāda: Doesn't matter.

Rāmeśvara: They make time payments every month to become life members in America and England.

Prabhupāda: Yes, this is a very good.

Jayatīrtha: That way, gradually they will be...

Rāmeśvara: Get more money by doing membership.

Jayatīrtha: ...steady income. Very good.

Evening Darsana -- February 25, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: At least, educated Indians can be approached.

Ghanaśyāma: Śrīla Prabhupāda, since the life member program is going on here and England and places like that, maybe it's better to start this individualized standing order program in places where there is not so much of a life member program, as we'll be in some cases asking the same people.

Prabhupāda: Do it conscientiously, as it is suitable.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We can discuss this at our GBC meeting.

Prabhupāda: So, it is time now?

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Room Conversation With Artists and About BTG -- February 25, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: That is not bad. Sanskrit, not necessarily it has to be quoted, but the English is there. It is sufficient. The purport is there.

Rāmeśvara: It's now... Now this magazine that we're printing in Los Angeles, ninety-five percent is sold in Canada and America. We used to ship some of it to England, but now they want to print their own in England. We find that all over the world they don't want to import from America, but they want their own. The public feels, "Why should this be an American import? Why not print it..."

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Rāmeśvara: So therefore it seems like, more and more, this magazine is just for America. It's becoming like that.

Prabhupāda: So that's all right. They're printing in England. That's all right. So why not the same magazine, but different article?

Room Conversation With Artists and About BTG -- February 25, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: This is not very good argument.

Rāmeśvara: He says the people are offended by Americans in Latin America.

Prabhupāda: They have got that tendency.

Rāmeśvara: Jayatīrtha used the same argument in England. He said that the people do not like the idea that this is coming from America.

Prabhupāda: That you discuss. What I can say?

Brahmānanda: Should we have karmī photographs in our magazines?

Rāmeśvara: What do you mean?

Brahmānanda: Like in the English issue they have three photographs of torture.

Prabhupāda: That is not good.

Evening Darsana -- February 26, 1977, Mayapura:

Lokanātha: It's fortune to take birth in the West now. It's fortunate to take birth in America or England? (laughter)

Prabhupāda: Not all. (laughter) Not all. The fortunate, those who are so fortunate, they are now opposing me. The Western people, they are now opposing this movement, so they are not fortunate. So everywhere there are fortunate and unfortunate. But mostly in this age they are unfortunate. Either in the Western countries or in this country, they are unfortunate mostly. They cannot understand. In India at least those who are not very educated, mass of people, they believe transmigration of the soul. They very easily believe it because culture is based on that, pūrva-janma paro janma.

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

Prabhupāda: Very good arrangement.

Satsvarūpa: As for Jayatīrtha, he will keep England in his zone, but he is also going to take a zone in the United States, which he finds that he can travel to without much difficulty, which is the Mid-West of the United States, including Detroit, Chicago, Minneapolis, and a little center, Ann Arbor.

Prabhupāda: So you have all agreed to. That's nice.

Satsvarūpa: Harikeśa Mahārāja will mostly retain the same zone of Eastern European countries, Germany, Switzerland and Scandinavian countries.

Prabhupāda: So you have discussed Hare Kṛṣṇa, er, Harikeśa's activities, reviewed? It is all right?

Room Conversation -- March 24, 1977, Bombay:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: There was one photographer from England. He told me that he came especially to take your pictures. He said he's from an English newspaper. He was flying back to England last night. He came especially to take your pictures, he said.

Girirāja: Some foreigners from some other so-called spiritual institutions are also coming.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: There are two people from Bhagavan Rajneesh's āśrama.

Girirāja: There was one boy who was quite interested from Swami Muktananda's āśrama.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Girirāja: There is one Swami Muktananda. So one of his so-called disciples came, foreigner. So they're also trying to... I mean... This shows that they're not satisfied. They're still looking for something more.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We don't go to their meetings. (laughter)

Prabhupāda: What they have got?

Room Conversation -- March 26, 1977, Bombay:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Many..., some engineers came, and some doctors also came. They wanted us speak in Bombay Hospital. And just now also I got a letter from England from Jagadguru Swami. He said that on our way to the United States we should stop in England. He says that he talked something about Bhaktivedanta Institute in England. He said we should speak in Oxford and Cambridge Universities. He said there is a very good preaching background there. So he invited us to...

Prabhupāda: You will be invited. You stick to your position and train up your assistants and recruit more and more. We shall come out successful. Write books. You can take. Now yesterday Dr. Dattrey, did he say anything?

Morning Conversation -- April 11, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's nice. And that boy... What is that boy's name in Māyāpur, the one who was in England? He can read the proof.

Prabhupāda: Subhaga.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Subhaga.

Prabhupāda: You can reach by mail.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Now with these books coming out, I think it is only a matter of time until we get many, many people joining us.

Prabhupāda: And respectable position. The more we publish books, we become respected.

Morning Talk -- April 18, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: No, their position, economic position, is also better than France, England. I have seen it. Even in the villages they are well-to-do. They have recouped all they have lost.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yeah. Belgium, you go through Belgium, it's still devastated. And Germany is completely built up.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. I think in... For culture, France, and for improvement, economic development, they have done in Germany.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And Britain?

Meeting with Mr. Dwivedi -- April 23, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yes...

Mr. Dwivedi: We are selling a few copies to America, to France, to England also.

Prabhupāda: So... No, if you so desire, you can stay here. We have got accommodation, fooding, everything.

Mr. Dwivedi: (Hindi) Because I have to do work in the night.

Prabhupāda: All right.

Mr. Dwivedi: So to correspond, I have got...

Prabhupāda: All right. So...

Morning Conversation -- April 30, 1977, Bombay:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I don't know. He's in England. He's independent, and I can't...

Prabhupāda: You can... One who... Don't.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda said, "Don't ask Swami..."(?)

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Not... He shouldn't...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No. What good is he going to do? Prabhupāda should tell him.

Prabhupāda: Don't become impertinent. Then he will say something. They'll he'll spoil the whole thing.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. He wrote to him from England. So I'll write to him.

Prabhupāda: Don't make much correspondence. It is courtesy he has replied. That's all.

Evening Darsana -- May 9, 1977, Hrishikesh:

Prabhupāda: So we are trying to imitate the Western way of life, but it is not possible for us to do that. Our constitution is different, spiritual, and their is material. Now they should be combined. Our government, our people, they want Western way of life, say motorcar. So they can purchase motorcar from foreign countries. What is the wrong there? Why we should waste our energy for manufacturing? Similarly, India should produce agricultural products. They want... Just like England. There is no food, food grain. They have... Everything they have to import. Even vegetables, daily vegetables, they have to import. So United Nation on the basis of spiritual understanding... Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1). Actually everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa, or God, and we are His sons. Kṛṣṇa never claimed that "Indians are My sons."

Evening Darsana -- May 9, 1977, Hrishikesh:

Prabhupāda: Yes. From historical reference it is so, but it can go still farther, and in that way India's glories will be magnified. But unfortunately our leaders and government are callous. They do not know what is India's glory and how India's glory can be distributed. They are trying that India's glory will be magnified by imitating Western way of life. This is the defect. They can understand that the Western way of life has not given them actual happiness. Otherwise why these boys, they are coming to India? They are young boys, and they are coming from very respectable family, rich family, rich nation. They have no economic problem. They have not come here to earn their livelihood, as we go to England to learn something, technology, and earn our livelihood.

Evening Darsana -- May 11, 1977, Hrishikesh:

Prabhupāda: Germany.

English man (2): England.

Prabhupāda: He is German. I went to Hamburg.

German man (1): In Hamburg. In Batche Schlossen(?)?

German devotee (3): (German)

German man (1): (German) The very beginning center was in the Batche Schlossen(?), Batche(?) Street, a very small temple. And then it changed to bigger and..., in Hamburg.

Prabhupāda: There is tramways.

Evening Darsana -- May 12, 1977, Hrishikesh:

Prabhupāda: Then why you ask me? We have got in every country of Europe-England, Germany, France, Portugal, Spain, Rome, Sweden, everywhere.

German man: But the Pope is agreeing with you in Rome?

Prabhupāda: Eh?

German man: The Pope is agreeing?

Devotee (2): The Pope.

Prabhupāda: Pope.

German man: In Rome. He is agreeing with Hare Kṛṣṇa...?

Prabhupāda: But he agree or... Who cares for his agreement?

Srila Prabhupada Vigil -- May 27, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: That London is shorter.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: London is a lot shorter. This happened in London, England. It says, "Next morning in the court we pleaded not guilty to the charges laid against us." This is... "Our men were doing nagara-saṅkīrtana, so some constable, police officer, said that 'You are blocking the footpath with your nagara-saṅkīrtana, and I must arrest you.' " So they were taken to court. "The next morning in court we pleaded not guilty to the charges laid against us. The judge, therefore, deferred our case to a later time, the 2nd of February at two p.m. It was not until the day before the hearing that we realized the actual significance of the appointment. The second day of February was the appearance day of Lord Nityānanda Prabhu. After ending a morning of fasting and chanting with a blissful ārati and splendid prasāda, we set off for the great Marlborough Street magistrate's court in a confident mood, sure that Lord Nityānanda would protect us. We were accompanied by a new and enthusiastic visitor to the temple, the Reverend Norman Morehouse, second only to the Bishop of Norwich, who came to observe the proceedings."

Prabhupāda: He's our great friend.

Conversations -- May 31, 1977, Vrndavana:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: He's traveling from college to college. So I'm sending him our brochure and the timetable that... I plan to spend about..., till the next Māyāpur festival to do all the India program, finish all over India programs.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: And after that, I plan to do Europe for five months. So I already discussed with Pṛthu-putra. We have one scientist devotee in England. His name is Jñāna dāsa at Bhaktivedanta Manor. He wrote me a letter. He told me that he can make all the engagements in Europe in the scientific departments. So I was about to write him a letter. He also asked me...

Talk with Svarupa Damodara -- June 20, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: And they are useless here, waste of time. Neither I wanted to go to London. "New York I shall go."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Anyone else would have gone to London.

Prabhupāda: Yes, to go to the Western countries means to go to England. I didn't like that. I thought, "I shall go to New York."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Very modern thinking, Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Kṛṣṇa has arranged.

Talk with Svarupa Damodara -- June 20, 1977, Vrndavana:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Everybody's attracted to go to the States nowadays. Even I was attracted. When I had a choice to go any place in the world 'cause I got a scholarship from Indian government, a Western scholarship. I could study in any part of the world, and I could choose any school I liked. And I told the interview board in Delhi... There was a man from England at that time. I told him that "I don't want to go to England." (Prabhupāda laughs) So he was little offended.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Nowadays all students, scholars, going outside means going to the States. That is the...

Prabhupāda: They give facility. No, I have got good respect for America.

Talk with Svarupa Damodara -- June 20, 1977, Vrndavana:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: ...the Americans are very friendly, very nice actually, in general. When I studied in California, I was a stranger, but everybody looked like a friend, very different from England. England is very conservative. They don't say hello, and different.

Prabhupāda: England, nonsense number one. Worst false prestige, England. In that respect, other countries are better. They had a British Empire. They are still puffed up. And they will stay there to continue British Empire. Now they are earning money for eating, showing British Parliament House. Now there is no business.

Talk with Svarupa Damodara -- June 20, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Hm. He wanted to invite me. I refused, "I cannot..."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Then he sent a message that "You should take complete rest and not do any preaching."

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Recently I saw a book in Boston. It was from England, that book. The title was called The Origin of Johnny. Johnny's the name of a little boy.

Prabhupāda: Johnny Walker. (laughter)

Svarūpa Dāmodara: And it was very interesting, that book. That was... This is the Origin of Species. That was Darwin's book. This was the modern version of Darwin's book. It's about this big, and it's full of nice colors with all molecules, DNA and all these nice, modern-looking molecules, and then they say... They start... It starts like this, "In the beginning there was a big blank." (Prabhupāda laughs)

Morning Conversation -- June 23, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Hm. He was rascal speculator. He took the idea from the Vedic literature, and he wanted to take the credit himself, and the different hodgepodge theory, this is... Britishers took the idea from Vedic literature and presented in British way. Britisher wanted that "We are the monopolizers of all scientists, all big men." Sir Isaac Newton, then the, who is that, Darwin, big politicians, Gladstone, everything big-British. They wanted it. "British means all big men. Therefore we must rule over the world." All Lords, Sirs, and this and that... They wanted to prove, "The only big men of the universe, they take birth in England, and therefore we should rule over the world." (laughs) And this was their pledge.

Morning Conversation -- June 23, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: (Bengali) (Bengali conversation) Britishers made a mistake. They made a empire, very good, but they did not rule for the people. They wanted to rule over the world for their own sake, London. Their policy was all big, big brain from England should go outside, earn money and bring in London, exploit. Therefore it is... Otherwise it was a very grand plan. They were very nice. This was suggested by one of their viceroy in India, Lord Curzon, that "India is a vast country, very cultured country. Don't try to exploit them. Better send one royal family member to become king here and rule as one empire. Don't discriminate." The others did not like the idea. "Make England's men king in India. The people in general, they like king. And rule over them and have good relationship." These rascals, they did not like.

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

Prabhupāda: Doctors. That is the difference.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually Indians are a big threat to these countries.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Especially England and America.

Prabhupāda: Canada also.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And Canada, yeah.

Prabhupāda: In Canada all big, big professors in university, they are Indians. In the education they are expert. That means they have got brain.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, the Indians have the best brain.

Prabhupāda: And these shoe-makers, dentists, (indistinct) them. Technician, that's all. Phalena paricīyate. What class of work he is engaged?

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

Mr. Myer: They have all exploded that wall, you see. That's what, how the government... So people said that... They're giving money for vague and, which is, at the time, I think... Now I think they have met recently in England. So there is some programs in India. Even Terawal(?) now... Everywhere there is some... After Morarji Desai has taken over, our relations are improving with all the countries.

Prabhupāda: That is expected. He's a good man. But...

Room Conversation -- July 27-28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So you have sent the export books?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. I shipped 26,000 books this month. That's why I got delayed. We shipped 21,000 books to Australia and 11,000 to England.

Prabhupāda: Bhagavad-gītā is...

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: They've all gone. Plus, we shipped a big order to Africa, to Fiji...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Africa said they never got theirs.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: They got it, and I have a bill of lading. That was a completely bogus letter. I have all the evidence with me. Yes, I've got a bill of lading to show you. Fiji, Mauritius, they've all gone. Plus, I also wrote up a small catalog. This is a very cheap catalog, not like the American. A lot of people write to BBT for brochure or catalog. So this is costing us only about twenty-five paisa but advertises all your books.

Prabhupāda: Hindi?

Room Conversation -- July 27-28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Gujarati books will sell very nice all over the world. Gujarati people are all over the world.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. I told England to take five thousand.

Prabhupāda: Everywhere they have made colonies. So I am getting very good news, book distribution, from Europe and America.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Rāmeśvara Swami told me the book distribution has doubled in America.

Prabhupāda: And Communist country wonderfully.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I'll show you that letter that I got from Russia inviting us to come to the...

Room Conversation -- July 27-28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: We just sent fifteen hundred of the last three issues to England—Gujarati.

Prabhupāda: Gujarati. Gujarati you can send anywhere. It will be... Any outside, in outside, outside India, any country, Gujaratis are there—Africa, Europe, America. Africa is Gujarati country. England. England also. All the guests we receive from pandals.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Patels.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: San Francisco too.

Room Conversation -- August 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: (Bengali) There is a... There was a great Bengali poet. He was very rich man, Micheal, Madhusūdana Datta. So he went to England, and because he was extravagant, he spent all his money. So he was in difficulty. He begged some money from his countrymen, help him. But nobody gave him. Only there was a big paṇḍita, Isvaracandra Vidyasagar. He gave him the money. He thought that "Such a big man is in need of money. Let me... He may pay or not." So after receiving that money, he thanked Isvaracandra Vidyasagar, that "You have got courage of an Englishman and the heart of a Bengali mother." He was poet, so he gave these two examples: the courage of an Englishman and the heart of a Bengali mother. So you are Englishman.

Room Conversation -- August 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They might like that. He's British, and the money will come from England.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's a new twist. Usually they're always seeing our money coming from America, but his money will come from England.

Prabhupāda: Yes. I think I have got six thousand pounds.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's a good amount.

Prabhupāda: At least for few months I can continue. This is first business. Do it. And another point, that formerly the Britishers expanded empire. Now we have got better service. They... You expand the empire of consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is also the same view, but it is spiritual. Kṛṣṇa has given you the ability. Do it enthusiastically with the courage of an Englishman and the heart of a Bengali mother.

Room Conversation -- October 6, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: And you can send to Europe, America also.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, England. America, we are thinking of printing small books for them, because for America to get lower price on all books they have to print many hundred thousand. So many books of yours are out of print, out of stock with BBT Los Angeles. But we can get the same price on a lower run. That means that on lower investment we can print the same books, and in this way at least they will have some books in stock of every book you have published. So if somebody wants some book, they won't say that they don't have it, but they can supply it. So I've been writing about this to Rāmeśvara Swami.

Prabhupāda: My point is, I don't wish to keep money in the bank. Invest in printing.

Room Conversation -- October 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We have... Jayatīrtha brought us new boxes of Complan from England. You have fresh supply now. You want Complan instead of milk?

Prabhupāda: What do you think?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, whatever you take, we don't want you to cough. That's a fact. That's too disturbing. So... (break) Why not take barley water instead of milk? I mean is milk better than barley water?

Prabhupāda: No.

Room Conversation -- November 3, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It says here, "This is the year of Europe," Śrīla Prabhupāda. It says here, "Here are the totals for book distribution in North America." And Europe is leading. The number one zone is Bhagavān Prabhu's. Number two zone is Jayatīrtha Prabhu's, England. And the number four zone is Harikeśa's zone. So Europe is leading the distribution. Maybe sometime later on today you can do a little translating, Śrīla Prabhupāda. No? Actually the kavirāja recommended that you shouldn't do that for a few days. Does that sound right? Okay. Anyway, I think Pradyumna and Jayādvaita have some work to catch up with, so they have enough to stay busy. Should we chant japa now, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Hm. (break)

Room Conversation -- November 5, 1977, Vrndavana:

Girirāja: The construction is going on. And this man Mr. Lord, from England, he's getting more active.

Prabhupāda: England?

Girirāja: He's about fifty-year-old gentleman who was the manager of a big club in London. So he had been associating with the devotees in London, and they suggested he come to India and help manage our restaurant and guesthouse. So he was the aide-de-camp of the Viceroy of India.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Remember, I told you about him, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Girirāja: So he knows a little Hindi. He has a very distinguished...

Prabhupāda: Which viceroy?

Room Conversation -- November 6, 1977, Vrndavana:

Jayapatākā: About ten new devotees are there now. Every week two or three new devotees are coming. Four of them are college graduate. They're helping answering letters and transcribing. Subhaga has five books that he had written in England. So we got those, and now they're being copies for printing.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What kind of books?

Jayapatākā: Small books. Beyond Birth and Death, Easy Journey.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Subhaga is doing nicely?

Jayapatākā: Yes. Same as usual.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Is there Bengali boys, Mahārāja?

Jayapatākā: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So how many members are there now, devotees in Māyāpur.

Jayapatākā: I don't know. I didn't take the exact count. Two hundred.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Two hundred. Big āśrama, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: I'm thinking of bringing some Manipuri boys to Māyāpur next time I go.

Prabhupāda: Do it.

Room Conversation -- November 7, 1977, Vrndavana:

Jayapatākā: That was supposed to be done this year, but then Bombay took all the funds. Prabhupāda sanctioned it already last year. It was a good idea. But Māyāpur has become very popular. This is all due to your effort, Śrīla Prabhupāda. Simply due to your efforts Māyāpur and Navadvīpa is becoming so much more famous and popular. We want to make the Māyāpur temple so beautiful and make the city so nice that not only the Queen of England and the President of United States, but even the Russian and Chinese leaders, they'll all have to come to see this. They can't avoid. Will that please Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura? If all the leaders, all these presidents and kings would come and visit the temple at Māyāpur, that would please Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.