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Explanation (Conversations 1975)

Expressions researched:
"explanation" |"explanations" |"explanatory"

Conversations and Morning Walks

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Woman Sanskrit Professor -- February 13, 1975, Mexico:

Professor: Well, I remember one other explanation, that when you are sleeping and you have a dream...

Prabhupāda: No, when I am sleeping I am working.

Professor: ...and you have a dream, and then, when you are coming back from sleep...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Professor: ...you can remember your dream.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Professor: That means that you are conscious of your existence even on the suppression of consciousness.

Room Conversation with Metaphysics Society -- February 21, 1975, Caracas:

Lady (Hṛdayānanda): She says that she sees it as a mantra, and from her point of view it seems like we're repeating this mantra over and over again, and it's something like hypnotism. For example, in some tribes there are different rituals. They are chanting different things, and she would like...

Prabhupāda: That is her opinion. She is not authority.

Lady (Hṛdayānanda): She would like an explanation.

Prabhupāda: This is the statement in the Bhagavad-gītā. Satataṁ kīrtayanto mām (BG 9.14). Find it out.

Room Conversation with Svarupa Damodara -- March 1, 1975, Atlanta:

Prabhupāda: That you find out. That is knowledge. So if you struggle for this and try to find out the original source of everything, then some day you may come to this platform, vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). Then you understand that Kṛṣṇa is the source of everything, and then your knowledge will be perfect." This is the... Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (BG 7.19). Whatever we see, that is, the source is Vasudeva. Do you think this nice flower has come out without any brain, this nonsense philosophy? The so-called scientist will put some bombastic word, "this, that..." What is that explanation? Nobody can understand. It will be understood by them only. They will put some language in such a way that it is to be understood by them. Unless they explain, nobody will understand. They say it is automatically being done, nature. That's not the fact. Nature is an instrument. Just like this wonderful machine, computer. But still, there is operator.

Room Conversation with Svarupa Damodara -- March 1, 1975, Atlanta:

Prabhupāda: The same thing. The living entity is there, but he is manifested in such a way. The same explanation. Just like there are many living entities within my body, and when this body is stopped, decomposed, they come out in different forms.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Are these living entities constant? They don't change any.

Prabhupāda: Yes, nitya, nitya. Nityaḥ śāśvato 'yaṁ na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). Why don't you see these references? It is never created. It is ever-existing, eternal. Only it appears to be temporary on account of accepting different material bodies. Therefore, paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). One who knows, he knows that he has changed his body, the same person. Just like father, mother knows. When a son becomes very stout and strong, the mother sees that same child. Others may be bewildered. One who has seen the child very long ago, now he has become robust build. He cannot say. And the mother says, "He is my child, that child." So paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18).

Room Conversation with Svarupa Damodara -- March 1, 1975, Atlanta:

Mādhava: Can we say that the living entity is there, and that he is the one that makes the molecules and the atoms come together to form a body just like the scientists give explanation? No? We can't?

Prabhupāda: No. Because the living entity is there for the formation of his body, so many things are going on, action and reaction of the matter. That's all. That is depending on his desires. It is so subtle thing. He is desiring, and action, reaction is going on. And as soon as the living entity is not there, these action and reaction will stop. So they are trying to find out the missing thing. That missing thing is the living entity. That they do not know, foolishly. Just like a motorcar is running very nicely, and as soon as the driver goes away it stops. The machine is there, the everything is there, but this rascal mechanic, he comes, "Something is missing." And why something missing? But he does not know the missing part is the driver. He is finding out in the motorcar what is missing. The motorcar, everything is there. The hand is there, leg is there, heart is there, the intestines are there, everything is there. So they cannot explain. They say, "Now the blood has become white." Then make it red. Where is the difficulty?

Room Conversation -- March 2, 1975, Atlanta:

Prabhupāda: Mm, yes, very good.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: And explanation. That will be written by me.

Prabhupāda: Mm.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: And then on the sixth chapter there will be a topic called "Molecular Evolution." This will taking the jumbles of the scientific findings, but we use it as a jumbles and turn around to Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: So that will be by me and...

Prabhupāda: That is vṛścika-taṇḍula-nyāya. Is not that? The last chapter, what he means?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Oh, this one?

Prabhupāda: Mm.

Room Conversation with Yoga Student -- March 14, 1975, Iran:

Prabhupāda: Explanation.

Śrutakīrti:. "Purport." (break)

Prabhupāda: This is the summary of God consciousness. (Says something in Hindi)

Young man: I am from Ānanda-mārga. My name is Ācārya Sveta Kirtu Brahmacārī.

Prabhupāda: Sveta-kirtu. Sveta.

Young man: And the guru's name is Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Govindaji.

Prabhupāda: Hmm. You have got a branch here?

Young man: I have been here for about three months. I am trying to lead the practices and the sādhana of the people here and trying to set up a unit here.

Prabhupāda: So you follow Vedic principle?

Young man: We follow Tantric principle.

Room Conversation with Yoga Student -- March 14, 1975, Iran:

Prabhupāda: ...fact is that if you have got different views about Kṛṣṇa, then you cannot prove that from the Bhagavad-gītā. That you cannot prove. If you take Bhagavad-gītā, then you must present it as it is. Don't distort it. You may have got some idea, but you explain that idea in your different book. But don't place it as the explanation of Bhagavad-gītā. That is not very good. If you have got different theory, you can write in a different book. But we cannot permit or do not like that as the commentary of Bhagavad-gītā you will place something different. That is not very honest. You put your own theory. Why should you try to put your theory through Bhagavad-gītā? That we protest. Therefore we are presenting Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. And in the Bhagavad-gītā it is clearly said that "There is no superior authority than Me." Therefore He is the God. Mām eva ya prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8): "I am the origin of everything." And if you have got different idea, that somebody else is the origin, that you can explain differently. But you cannot keep it as explanation of Bhagavad-gītā.

Morning Walk -- April 1, 1975, Mayapur:

Pañcadraviḍa: Because everybody's miserable, and they don't like it.

Prabhupāda: That is a opposite way, explanation.

Kīrtanānanda: 'Cause by nature I am happy.

Prabhupāda: Yes. By nature I am happy. And who is happy, this body or the soul?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: No, the soul.

Prabhupāda: Who wants happiness? I want protect this body—why? Because I am within this body. And if I go away from this body, who seeks for the happiness of this body? This common reason, they have no sense. Why I am seeking happiness? I am covering this body because the body may not be affected by cold. Then why I am seeking happiness of the body from cold and heat? Because I am within the... If I go away from the within the body, then there is no more seeking after happiness. Either you throw it on the street or it is in extreme cold or extreme heat, it doesn't matter. Then who is seeking happiness? That they do not know. For whom you are so busy for happiness? That they do not know. Just like cats and dogs.

Conversation with Devotees on Theology -- April 1, 1975, Mayapur:

Ravīndra-svarūpa: Is blasphemy.

Acyutānanda: No, I heard the explanation that a nonbeliever should not know it.

Prabhupāda: That is all right.

Acyutānanda: So they don't say it out loud.

Prabhupāda: No, when we come to argument that... We are supposed to be all believers in God. We are not nonbelievers. We simply want to ascertain who is that God. We are not nonbelievers. Then some persons who believe in God come together so to ascertain who is God. So just like when we come to a meeting to elect a president, so they are not nonbelievers. They are not nonbelievers. As there are so many personalities, candidate for president, now who is the right person to become the president? That is wanted. To the nonbelievers, he has no access. About discussion in God he has no access. When we discuss about God, it is supposed they are all believers. So if you say... Just like we are holding meeting to ascertain... There are so many names of God. Now we ascertain who is real God. God means there should be no more above Him. Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat (BG 7.7). That is God.

Conversation with Devotees on Theology -- April 1, 1975, Mayapur:

Pañcadraviḍa: In one tape, you said actually God has no name. You said God has no name, but because He...

Prabhupāda: No, that is other party's argument, "God has no name."

Pañcadraviḍa: No, no. In the tape, you said... In this tape, bhajana, explanation of bhajana, you said, "God... Actually God has no name, but because He does so many things, then He has names for..."

Prabhupāda: Yes, according to His activities, there are names.

Ravīndra-svarūpa: But all these twelve names, they still make that personality whom they are describing all-attractive. So that means...

Prabhupāda: Yes. And not only that. When you have names, that means God is person. That must be admitted. God cannot be imperson. You may have twelve names or twelve thousand names, but when He has got name, He's a person. Now, our point is: "Who is that person?"

Morning Walk -- April 3, 1975, Mayapur:

Trivikrama: Passing semina in sleep.

Devotee: Oh.

Prabhupāda: Why it does happen? What is your explanation? Nobody can explain?

Rāmeśvara: Desire in the heart, subtle desire.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: It is nature, just...

Prabhupāda: No, no, nature... The body is made of material nature, and the eruption is coming. Why it is coming? Does it come in the dead body?

Devotee: No.

Prabhupāda: Then? What is the cause?

Paramahaṁsa: The soul, living entity.

Morning Walk -- April 3, 1975, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: But if you..., then you are also moving. Everything is moving because you are on the earth. When the train moves, everything moves. But how it moves, train? That you have to search out. Train is not automatically moving. Some power, engine, is moving it. That is blind vision, that "Train is moving." How the train is moving? You have to see. That is childish. Train is not moving. The engine is moving the train. And how the engine is moving? The coal, fire, is moving. Then wherefrom the coal come? In this way, you have to search out. You'll find, ultimately, the supreme cause is Kṛṣṇa. Nothing is moving without Kṛṣṇa's indication. That is the explanation,

Room Conversation with Kim Cornish -- May 8, 1975, Perth:

Prabhupāda: So therefore you have to experience from authority—what is Brahman. This is explanation of Brahman. So this Brahman realization is first, then Paramātmā realization, then God realization. Just like you realize the sunshine, very big, all over the universe, but you have to see wherefrom the sunshine is coming—the sun globe. That is localized. You are seeing just like a small ball, but actually this big thing, sunshine, is coming from it. Is it not? So which is important, the sunshine or the globe?

Kim: They are both important, but the sun is what produces the sunshine.

Prabhupāda: Similarly God the person is important, and by His bodily rays the whole thing is going on. Yasya prabhā prabhavato (Bs. 5.40). Brahmaṇo hi... Find out this verse-brahmaṇo hi pratiṣṭhāham.

Morning Walk -- May 20, 1975, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: No, force is there—God's desire or supreme will. You are trying to do something, you are trying your best. You are employing your full energy and all the means. Still, it is not done. Therefore the force is coming from God. Otherwise how you will explain? What is the explanation, that you endeavor, you did all that is possible by you, still, the result did not come? So how you will explain?

Hari-śauri: You must accept God.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Devotee (1): They try to make God their order-supplier, and when the supply does not come, they say there is no God.

Prabhupāda: God is not order-supplier. Otherwise everyone is praying. Just like in the last war, everyone went to church and prayed for saving the life... mostly woman, because all men in Germany especially, everywhere, they went to the war front. So all the women, they went to the church for praying for their husband, for their brother or father. But nobody came back. And later on, they became atheist: "Oh, there is no God." Because God did not supply their order, therefore there is no God. "If God agrees to my proposal and He supplies things as I want, then there is God. Otherwise there is no God."

Morning Walk -- May 21, 1975, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: Simply one who knows the subject matter, he can explain.

Madhudviṣa: But can your, would your purports, would that serve as explanation besides...

Prabhupāda: No, no, anyone who knows the subject matter, he will be able to explain. Not necessarily the author is required to be present there. (break) ...to study from a medical man, I never said you have to study from the author. Or one who understood the author's purpose. Just like we are explaining Bhagavad-gītā as it is. Not that one has to learn directly from Kṛṣṇa. One who has understood Kṛṣṇa, from him. That is paramparā system.

Madhudviṣa: Also in the lecture last night, Śrīla Prabhupāda, you were saying that after the water subsides, then the trees come out, and then the insects, then the birds. That would indicate that the creation takes place in stages?

Morning Walk -- May 21, 1975, Melbourne:

Devotee: In the Bhāgavatam in Canto Two, it's mentioned here that without discrimination both the demigods and the demons worship the Lord as devotees in the Lord's personal abode. I was wondering if you could explain how this is possible.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is the explanation of the śāstra. Those who are devotees... You can see the devotees, they are gods, demigods. Viṣṇu-bhakto bhaved daivaḥ. Viṣṇu-bhakta, those who are devotees of Viṣṇu, Vaiṣṇava, they are demigods. So why do you say we do not see the demigods?

Madhudviṣa: It also says the demons.

Prabhupāda: Demons, those who are not devotees. Viṣṇu-bhakto bhaved daiva āsuras tad-viparyayaḥ. Those who are opposing these Vaiṣṇavas, they are asuras.

Madhudviṣa: But how is it that a demon is worshiping the Lord? It says in the Bhāgavatam, he just read, that the demons are also worshiping the Lord in His personal abode.

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

Prabhupāda: No, this is... Therefore purport is given there. The explanation is given there. And even after that, if one cannot understand, then we are here. The devotees are there. I am there. There is no difficulty.

Guest 2: But I think it's easier if you have a teacher.

Prabhupāda: Of course, everything requires teacher. So we are giving the purport, that means we are teaching. Not only the verse is there, the translation is there, but we giving a purport. And even from the verse. Just like this verse, śamo damaḥ, yes.

Amogha:

śamo damas tapaḥ śau
caṁ kṣāntir ārjavam eva ca
jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ
brahma-karma svabhāva-jam
(BG 18.42)

Prabhupāda: These are different words. You can understand what is the meaning of śamaḥ. Śamaḥ means controlling the mind. So damaḥ means controlling the senses. If you first of all control the mind, then you can control the senses. Then śamo damaḥ sattvam.

Morning Walk -- May 28, 1975, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: That is a big thing to be understood. (laughter)

Guest (1): Can't be answered in one sentence, huh?

Prabhupāda: That is the symbol... That requires good explanation. If you come to our temple, then we shall inform you.

Devotees: Jaya. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Jaya.

Guest (1): (laughs) Good talking to you folks. You know...

Prabhupāda: Wherefrom you are coming?

Guest (1): Indianapolis, Indiana. You ever hear of that? Yes. Five-hundred-mile race.

Prabhupāda: It is in America?

Morning Walk -- June 23, 1975, Los Angeles:

Bahulāśva: That was not completed, Prabhupāda. That's just a description of the courses. Yet we have to add a biography about Your Divine Grace, description of the disciplic succession, the activities of ISKCON, and how the college relates to ISKCON. That was simply an explanation of what courses would be given and how they would be structured.

Prabhupāda: That's nice. (break) How it will be conducted? The idea is very nice. Who has analyzed?

Bahulāśva: Who has...? Dharmādhyakṣa has done the analytical breakdown.

Prabhupāda: Oh, analysis is done nice, of the study.

Dharmādhyakṣa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, we want your direction on how to actually do it.

Prabhupāda: Actually our, that you have already mentioned, that "Example is better than precept." Our whole process is following the example of predecessors, nothing independent. So that principle should be followed. We do not accept any precept who is free from the predecessors. Do you follow?

Room Conversation with Dr. John Mize -- June 23, 1975, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is sattva-guṇa. Good character means sattva-guṇa, to become brāhmaṇa and then love God. This is Vedic civilization.

Jayatīrtha: Does he make any description of God? Any explanation?

John Mize: His thesis is that God is an intelligent moral force. But he avoided anthropomorphism by not projecting such properties as anger onto God. But he recognized personality in God. God is a moral intelligence and powerful.

Prabhupāda: So to become angry, that is also qualification of God, to become angry.

John Mize: Is...?

Prabhupāda: To become angry is also qualification of God.

Morning Walk -- June 25, 1975, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Now, why they are going to Venus? They have failed to achieve anything by going to the moon. Now why another attempt, to go to the Venus?

Dr. Judah: Well, the usual explanation that they have given, as I recall, is that these explorations give man more of a knowledge about how the world was created, our universe was created.

Prabhupāda: That is another speculation.

Dr. Judah: Yes.

Bahulāśva: Why do they have to go to Venus, though, to figure that out? They have a planet here they can't get any information out of.

Prabhupāda: Why they are anxious to know how the world was created? It is already created. What is your credit? (break) ...and simply bluffing people, that's all. (break) It is already there. The nice creation is already there.

Morning Walk -- June 28, 1975, Denver:

Prabhupāda: And very nice park. And not far away. (break) ...interested with this natural history. That means Darwin's theory. That's all. Their whole civilization is based on this Darwin's theory. How long you shall keep history? Do you know what is the history of the sun, when it was created, when it came into appearance? Can Darwin give us the history of the sun, of the moon, of the sky? Where is the history? There is history, but where is your history? You simply imagine, "There was a chunk, and it became manifested as the sun, moon, and I am also this..." What is this? How this cosmic manifestation came into existence—your explanation is: "There was a chunk." And what other nonsense? (break) walking: ...house is on the water? No. (break) ...coughing. Catch cold?

Harikeśa: Hawaii was not a very healthy place for me. Hawaii.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Morning Walk -- June 28, 1975, Denver:

Prabhupāda: Therefore they have been cheated by this man.

Kuruśreṣṭha: Even we give good explanations which they can't...

Prabhupāda: They cannot understand the simple thing that the child has got his future, the boy has got his future, and the young man has got his future, so why not the old man? Such a dull head they have. You see. If the child says, "No, no, I have no future. I shall remain always child," is it possible? And similarly, if you say. "No, no. After old body, everything is finished. Now it is dead." So they are such dull-headed men. The simple truth cannot understand. Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanam... (BG 2.13). This is the position. The example is so nice and so simple and they cannot understand. What is their brain? Animal brain. Dog race, horse race—they want this, rat race. That's all. Their civilization is race, dog race, horse race, rat race. That's all. They do not know anything. And I am talking this simple thing because you are in confidence. Otherwise I would not have sa... Only rascals, animals, the western people.

Room Conversation with Mr. & Mrs. Wax, Writer and Editing Manager of Playboy Magazine -- July 5, 1975, Chicago:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Mrs. Wax: ...some young people were attracted to the message and responded and joined Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Is there a special reason? What explanation do you have why some...?

Prabhupāda: Yes. The special reason was... That was published in one paper, Voice East. What is that?

Devotees: Village Voice.

Prabhupāda: Yes. They wrote a very big article that "We thought God is dead but Swamiji has brought God in his kīrtana." They wrote this article. They found God's presence in Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. This Brahmānanda, he was attracted first.

Mrs. Wax: The first one?

Brahmānanda: One of the first ones.

Mrs. Wax: Really?

Morning Walk -- July 11, 1975, Chicago:

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is rich man. That is the explanation given by Marshall, a great economist. He says that unless one is obliged to work, nobody will work. That is his economic impetus. So the family affection gives impetus to work. He has to maintain the family. That is, he says, that is the beginning of economic development. Marshall theory. (break) ...kṛṣṇa-sambandhe yukta-vairāgyam ucyate. When there is attachment on account of Kṛṣṇa, that is detachment. Yukta-vairāgyam ucyate. He is attached to everything but not for his personal self. We are spending lakhs of rupees for constructing a temple, but we are not interested to construct a house or a skyscraper building. We are not interested. That is detachment. (break) We give up. Prāpañcikatayā buddhyā hari-sambandhe-vastunaḥ: "No, no, we don't touch money." Why? If the money can be utilized for constructing a nice temple for Kṛṣṇa, why we shall say, "We don't touch money"? Yes, give me as much money as you have got. Therefore you will find in India very, very big, big, costly temple, not skyscraper building.

Morning Walk -- July 11, 1975, Chicago:

Prabhupāda: Bone theory, studying the bone.

Harikeśa: I think you've broken the bone theory. (laughter) (break)

Prabhupāda: (in car:) ...so where is your chance to study these colors?

Jayatīrtha: That is a perfect explanation.

Harikeśa: I'm going to send this tape and have them add that to the book. You defeated Darwin so quickly this morning it was wonderful.

Prabhupāda: Yes, you can send. You have no chance to study. How you can theorize? (end)

Morning Walk -- July 21, 1975, San Francisco:

Prabhupāda: If you believe there is God, that is sufficient. That is sufficient. But now they, being advanced in education, they want to know how God is there. There is no explanation. Therefore they reject it.

Jayādvaita: They try to explain scientifically what's in the Bible.

Prabhupāda: That science is rascaldom. So how they will be able? Because the whole thing is rascaldom, how they will explain God? Those who are actually advanced scientists, they have accepted. "There must be God," they say.

Jayadwaita: But otherwise the rascals, they try and explain scientifically. They come to the conclusion...

Prabhupāda: Yes, what is their science? Whole science is rascaldom. Just like they have never seen what is there in the planet, and they are concluding, "There is no life." You see? So they are all rascals. Maybe one or two like that gentleman who says that "No, there is God. There is grace."

Morning Walk -- July 24, 1975, Los Angeles:

Paramahaṁsa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, another field of study that Werner Von Braun is considering is unidentified flying objects. Now, this previously was not acknowledged by scientists, but he recently stated that when they have sent rockets into outer space they filmed objects that there's no explanation for. They think that they're spaceships from other planets.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that's... There is Siddhaloka—without any aeroplane they can go from one planet to another. They are so perfect.

Paramahaṁsa: So these, what they think are spaceships, perhaps are demigods?

Prabhupāda: Spaceships there are in every planet.

Paramahaṁsa: On every planet.

Prabhupāda: But there is a planet. The residents of that planet, they can go without any spaceship. Siddhaloka.

Morning Walk -- August 26, 1975, Vrndavana:

Guṇārṇava: Well, there's some ninety-four thousand rupees in the Punjab Bank, but that's for finalizing all the contracts. Saurab said that...

Prabhupāda: Your explanation there. I want to see that it is not (now?) finished. That's all.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: All that money in the bank is to pay the overhead.

Guṇārṇava: So I wrote to him and he said that it is going for paying contracts.

Prabhupāda: Contract, why don't you pay the contract? Liquidate all debts?

Guṇārṇava: Mr. Lahiri and Saurab are checking the bills. He said that you wanted it checked three or four times.

Prabhupāda: Who? Oh.

Guṇārṇava: So that they have all the bills and contracts in...

Prabhupāda: Who is checking?

Morning Walk -- August 26, 1975, Vrndavana:

Dhanañjaya: There is no cement. It is all mud, just muddy.

Prabhupāda: That is explanation. (Hindi)

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Because it happened on his land, he was very much against it, but those shops...

Prabhupāda: That is all right, but why did you not ask me? And why you did you not ask me before opening the shop, if you have no brain? If you have no brain, then why did you not ask? You give explanation, "Because that was not." That was not. So why did you do it? And money is coming, "Give me. Send me two lakhs, four lakhs," and things are unfinished. (Bengali)

Brahmānanda: There's still twenty minutes. We could begin the program.

Prabhupāda: When they begin?

Morning Walk -- September 15, 1975, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: No, they can say, "G, zero, and d." (laughter) Zero between g and d. That is a nice explanation.

Devotee (4): Zero signifies their love for Him.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Zero is controlling both sides, g and d. Just like if you multiply something by zero, what it becomes?

Brahmānanda: Zero.

Prabhupāda: That's all. Śūnyavādī.

Vāsughoṣa: (break) ...people are following very strictly, how can we preach to them? Some of those people who are following these religions very strictly, how do we preach to them, those people?

Prabhupāda: Ask them, "What do you mean by religion?"

Vāsughoṣa: Well, they will say what is in their śāstra, their Bible.

Prabhupāda: Let them say what is there. Then you can talk with them.

Morning Walk -- October 2, 1975, Mauritius:

Prabhupāda: That is real scientist. These are false scientists.

idaṁ hi puṁsas tapasaḥ śrutasya vā
sviṣṭasya sūktasya ca buddhi-dattayoḥ
avicyuto 'rthaḥ kavibhir nirūpito
yad-uttamaśloka-guṇānuvarṇanam
(SB 1.5.22)

Actually the Supreme Lord is the source of everything. So if one is actually scientist, by his scientific explanation he will point out, "Here is the cause of all causes." By scientific knowledge he will point out that God is the origin of everything. Then his scientific study is perfect. But these rascals, they are doing the opposite, that "There is no need of God. Science is everything," although it is imperfect. That is their fault. Therefore they are rogues. They cannot prove; still, they will insist, "Yes, we shall do. We are trying," like that, and misleading people. General people, they are rascal and fools. If you mislead them, they will be misled. Śūdra, mūḍhas. They are to be educated. Instead of educating them, they are making them more and more fools and rascals. (break) There is utility, but they have no utility. There is some service; they carry some passengers. They are carried nowhere. Simply they mislead. (break)

Room Conversation with Professor Olivier -- October 10, 1975, Durban:

Prabhupāda: So in the Bhagavad-gītā, everything is explained very scientifically, not, I mean to say, a sentimental explanation, no. Logically, scientifically.

Prof. Olivier: The problem as I see it, of course, is how to get modern man to make this study in depth that is contained or outlined in this book. Especially when you are caught up in an educational system that denies a place to this very concept or even the philosophy of it, it's...

Prabhupāda: The modern education, they do not accept soul?

Prof. Olivier: Part of it in theory perhaps, and at the junior stage. But as they...as we advance, there is either a complete neutrality or a...just a simple rejection of these truths.

Prabhupāda: They do not accept soul.

Room Conversation with Professor Olivier -- October 10, 1975, Durban:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: All of our different books, just offhand. These are some of the colleges as of several months ago who placed standing orders for our books. Now, the professors, as we go from college to college in America, in the universities, they are using our books as textbooks, standard textbooks. They are seeing that the cost of the book is not the real criterion. The criterion is the quality of the teaching. Someone may be attracted by the cover... (break) ...transliteration is pronounced, different words, glossary for words which may not be so well understood by the neophyte, references. And for the different pictures, plate numbers and explanation. It's a complete edition. Nothing has ever been seen like this in the Western world. So there's great authority behind it.

Prof. Olivier: Yeah. This... Our university has almost an obligation to make a study in depth of all of these points.

Prabhupāda: And after studying Bhagavad-gītā thoroughly, then begins further, higher study-Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the same principles. Show.

Morning Walk -- November 1, 1975, Nairobi:

Prabhupāda: That's all right. That is... Your scripture says, but I am a third person. Why shall I believe in your scripture? You prove. You are quoting from your own scripture. I don't take your scripture. You give me practical explanation how earth has come from Kṛṣṇa.

Devotee (1): Well, one has to accept the scriptures.

Prabhupāda: So that you may accept.

Devotee (1): This is what Kṛṣṇa has left here five thousand years ago.

Prabhupāda: "That's all right. It doesn't matter. That doesn't matter."

Devotee (1): ...for your benefit, for everyone because you are part of Kṛṣṇa too.

Prabhupāda: That is your saying. You prove that.

Devotee (1): That's not my saying. That's the Supreme Lord's saying.

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Morning Walk -- November 1, 1975, Nairobi:

Prabhupāda: That is all right, but you give some practical explanation that how earth has come from...

Devotee (1): The only practical explanation we can have or any living entity has is that explanation which his father gives him, the Supreme Lord gives him. He has given us...

Prabhupāda: That is all right.

Devotee (1): ...explanation in the Bhagavad-gītā.

Prabhupāda: Still, vijñāna means jñāna and viveka. Viveka means personal conviction. That is called vijñāna. Jñāna and vijñāna. One knowledge you get from me, and then you practically apply your consciousness that "Yes, what Prabhupāda has said, it is right." That is called vijñāna. One knowledge, accepting blindly from the authority, that is knowledge. But how it is practically made or done, that understanding is called vijñāna.

Morning Walk -- November 1, 1975, Nairobi:

Prabhupāda: No, they do not know, but we know. How in your belly gas is formed? How? There was no gas, but automatically the gas is formed. And therefore sometimes, if it is much gas, then you go for treatment. So this is the practical. The gas is also generating from my body. So as I am an individual, insignificant body, if there is possibility of generating little gas, so Kṛṣṇa's gigantic body, why not gigantic volume of gas? This is the explanation.

Jñāna: The materialistic scientists, they are saying that matter is energy. So we understand if it's energy there must be an energetic.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So how the energetic is producing, this is common. Gas is forming. Just like you perspire, there is water. So one ounce of water may come from your body. So water is coming from your body, so why not from the gigantic body of Kṛṣṇa, the oceans, millions of oceans, come out? This should be the understanding. We see practically that water is coming out from my body. So it may be one ounce or less than that because my body is very small, but Kṛṣṇa's body is unlimited, so why not unlimited supply of water? This should be the common sense. And this body, this body, what it is? It is earth. When the body will be dead it will be earth. So I am spirit soul, a small particle, so much earth is coming from me, why not Kṛṣṇa, the supreme spirit? This is the explanation. God is great, I am small. From me a small quantity of earth is coming, water is coming.

Morning Walk -- November 4, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Therefore they are go-kharaḥ. Yasyātmā-buddhiḥ kunape tri...

Dr. Patel: So long the soul is there. As soon as the soul dies, goes away, the body dies.

Prabhupāda: That is the explanation of the body dies.

Indian (3): (indistinct) that poison is ineffective (several talk at once)

Dr. Patel: No, I think your argument is... (break)

Prabhupāda: Jaya. (Hindi)

Dr. Patel: I have to do something with my leg. Bring the car here.

Prabhupāda: So Ambarisa Mahārāja, is our argument all right?

Ambarisa: Yes. Yes, it's good argument. It's very sound.

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. Jaya. (break) What others' argument? This is my challenge.

Yaśomatīnandana: Mr. Dhrug was pointing out...

Morning Walk -- November 4, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: The holy place is Ganges, but Calcutta is not holy place and Hardwar is holy. Yes. Bhauma idya-dhiḥ. Yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile. Actually Hardwar or Vṛndāvana, such places are meant to see great saintly persons, to take some knowledge from them. To take some knowledge from them, that is the purport of going to the holy place. But without consulting them, without seeing them, he simply dips into the water and he takes, "My pilgrimage is finished." Yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicit janeṣv abhijñeṣv. There are many saintly persons, very experienced. They will not go there. So eva go-kharaḥ. These are asses. This conception of life is go-kharaḥ, animal. Go means the cows and asses. This is the explanation of the verse. All religionists think. They go to Mecca, they go to Jerusalem—to the water. They are not eager, searching out that "Where there is some saintly person in this holy place?" No. They have no search out. They do not want to consult. Yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicij janeṣv abhijñeṣu sa eva go-kharaḥ (SB 10.84.13). And this is further explained by Prahlāda Mahārāja... What is that? Tato vimukha-cetasaḥ: "All these things happen when one is not Kṛṣṇa conscious." Tato vimukha cetasaḥ. Vimukha. "Eh! What is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness?" Tato vimukha... Śoce tato vimukha-cetasaḥ māyā sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhan (SB 7.9.43). (break)

Morning Walk -- November 7, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: No. No, no. I am explaining to everyone that "Whose business he struck?" That is the way. (Hindi saying) ...that "In the assembly there is some talks, but the talks which is concerned to somebody, he becomes sorry."

Dr. Patel: You did not consult with me but I wanted to know the explanation.

Prabhupāda: No. The explanation... (laughter) Now this doll should be displayed, that laboratory, they are testing urine, stool, and somebody is asking, "Here is a dead man. Why don't you test the urine and stool of this dead man and give him some injection?" This kind of doll should be displayed. The people will be interested. So I will give you suggestion. Not that stereotyped: "If one is doing something, I have to follow that." You should do something...

Morning Walk -- November 7, 1975, Bombay:

Bhāgavata: As it really exists.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Bhāgavata: And then we can put underneath explanations in Bengali and English.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes.

Dr. Patel: In Sanskrit and English because Sanskrit contains Bengali and Gujarati and all.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That's a good idea, good idea.

Dr. Patel: I go, sir.

Prabhupāda: Hm? Time is up? Hare Kṛṣṇa. (break) ...many things to be displayed by these models, and we can utilize that.

Bhāgavata: Like the pictures we have in the Bhāgavatam and the Gītā, then we can make them into doll displays, some of those pictures.

Prabhupāda: But the idea was that in our big temple I wanted to display.

Morning Walk -- November 17, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: No, you do not know what are the movements. You therefore say there are several movements, but you do not know what are these movements. That is not scientific. To avoid the explanation, if the scientist says that there are several movements... But you explain what is that movement? According to our śāstra there is no individual movement. The whole system is moving, making center the polestar. That we can see at night. They have... Star and planet, they have no separate movement. They are fixed up. Just like this tree. There are so many leaves. The tree is moving, so the leaves and twigs, they are moving, not that the leaf is moving.

Dr. Patel: This is a question of relativity, sir.

Prabhupāda: Yes. But that we can see, this...

Dr. Patel: Now, the earth moves round the sun and the moon moves round the earth...

Prabhupāda: No, no...

Morning Walk -- November 18, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: But you are supporting the rascal. (laughter)

Dr. Patel: No, but, I don't support a rascal. My explanations are... I strongly...

Prabhupāda: No, no, you say that "He is trying to understand in his own way."

Dr. Patel: No, that's right. Now, this point, you go straight. I go this way if I am a mūḍha, but I go there. That's all right. I'm a mūḍha. You may call me a fool. I don't mind it. But that is my way, and I am adamant about it. You may call me ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham... (BG 3.27). But he is not calling himself a karta. He goes his own way. That's all. I am sorry to say these words to you, but this is what they think.

Prabhupāda: Therefore they are rascals. That is...

Dr. Patel: (laughs) Call them if you like. Those were the rascals before. Some of them are rascals before. Even then...

Prabhupāda: No, no. It is not... I am not trying, but Kṛṣṇa says. Kṛṣṇa says, "mūḍha." Kṛṣṇa says, "mūḍha."

Morning Walk -- December 7, 1975, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Therefore you have to take defense from the law. You present in the court the professors' opinion, how they are giving standing order. Why the state should restrain distributing knowledge? Do they want to keep their men in darkness? You have to preach like that. (break)...University is the most important university in Europe. They read our books. They order standing order. So why this loafer state prohibit?

Alanath: ...these explanations, they always argue, "If we allow you to sell your books, then we must allow everybody to sell on the street."

Prabhupāda: No. But you must consider the importance of... (break) Everybody submits application for becoming high-court judge. Will it be granted? There must be discrimination. (break) Thank you very much for your kindness. Yes. I am very pleased. Thank you. (end)

Morning Walk -- December 16, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa! (greeting a few people) Jaya.

Dr. Patel: Your explanation of this is so very wonderful about the all muktas and baddha jīvas in the beginning, I mean the Bhāgavatam, that even people, whether to remain mukta or baddha. And then when they became baddha, they were overtaken by the lower māyā. And then this is the whole cosmos. So gravely I have understood this, just this is my second reading.

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa bhuliyā jīve bhagavān akore kari pasate māyā ta're japatiyā kare.

Dr. Patel: I think this one commentary is Jīva Goswami's. Hm?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Jīva... Not Jīva Goswami. There are... I consult so many others.

Dr. Patel: This commentary is Rūpa Goswami or Jīva Goswami? Jīva Goswami.

Prabhupāda: No, we have got Viśvanātha Cakravartī also. Śrīdhara Swami, Birarāghava, Vijayadvaja. Hare Kṛṣṇa! (to passerby who loudly greets and has Hindi exchange)

Morning Walk -- December 17, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Sama hi, sama hi. You are already sama hi. Sarvam kalv idam brahma. You are already in Brahman. There is no question of samai. The rascal cannot see. They say samai. Why samai? You are already there. You do not know. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, brahma-bhūta prasannātmā. I am already here, prasannātmā. If you have the false impression that "I am out of brahman," that is, there is question of samai. But if you know that you are already in brahman, then where is the question of samai? Prasannātmā. This is real explanation. Brahm-bhuta prasannātmā. Now we understand that I am aha brahmāsmi. That is real knowledge. I am not this body, I am not American, I am not Indian. Aha brahmāsmi...

Dr. Patel: "I am not this body."

Morning Walk -- December 23, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Girirāja: At one of the programs, somebody raised the question that we cited that Lord Śiva is worshiping Kṛṣṇa, that he is a Vaiṣṇava. So that person replied that Lord Rāma also worshiped Śiva. So he wanted to know the explanation.

Lokanātha: You explained yesterday.

Prabhupāda: Sometimes Kṛṣṇa is chastised by mother Yaśodā. So how is that? The Supreme Personality of Godhead is being chastised by mother Yaśodā?

Girirāja: He likes to be chastised. It's part of the relationship.

Prabhupāda: Similarly, He likes to worship His devotee. Sometimes the father takes the child on his shoulder. Does it mean the child is more important than the father? They say the Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, there is no such incidence as Rāmacandra worships Śiva. It is later on, interpretation. But even if He does so, what is the wrong here

Page Title:Explanation (Conversations 1975)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:07 of Nov, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=48, Let=0
No. of Quotes:48