As far as Kṛṣṇa's enjoyment is concerned, it is stated that the ornaments which decorated the bodies of Kṛṣṇa and His queens were beyond the dreams of Kuvera, the treasurer of the heavenly kingdom. The constant dancing before the doors of Kṛṣṇa's palaces was not to be imagined even by the demigods in the heavenly kingdom. In the heavenly kingdom, Indra always sees the dancing of the society girls. But even Indra could not imagine how beautiful were the dances being performed at the gates of Kṛṣṇa's palaces. Gaurī means "white woman," and Lord Śiva's wife is called Gaurī. The beautiful women residing within the palaces of Kṛṣṇa were so much whiter than Gaurī that they were compared to the moonshine, and they were constantly visible to Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, no one can be enjoying more than Kṛṣṇa. The conception of enjoyment is beautiful women, ornaments and riches. And all of these were fabulously present in the palaces of Kṛṣṇa, defeating even the imagination of Kuvera, Lord Indra or Lord Śiva.
Fabulous
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 2
Devastating time, which controls even the celestial demigods by its manifestations of past, present and future, does not act on the transcendental plane. The influence of time is exhibited by the symptoms of birth, death, old age and disease, and these four principles of material conditions are present everywhere in any part of the material cosmos up to the planet Brahmaloka, where the duration of life of the inhabitants appears to us to be fabulous. Insurmountable time even brings about the death of Brahmā, so what to speak of other demigods like Indra, Candra, Sūrya, Vāyu and Varuṇa? The astronomical influence directed by the different demigods over mundane creatures is also conspicuous by its absence. In material existence, the living entities are afraid of Satanic influence, but for a devotee on the transcendental plane there is no such fear at all.
SB Canto 3
The best way to compensate for one's sinful acts is to give up one's body at once, and Brahmā, the leader of the living entities, showed this by his personal example. Brahmā has a fabulous duration of life, but he was obliged to give up his body due to his grievous sin, even though he had merely contemplated it in his mind without having actually done it.
SB Canto 4
Yakṣeśvara is also known as Kuvera, and he is the treasurer of the demigods. In the descriptions of him in Vedic literature, it is stated that he is fabulously rich. It appears from these verses that Kailāsa is situated near the residential quarters of Kuvera. It is also stated here that the forest was full of desire trees. In Brahma-saṁhitā we learn about the desire tree which is found in the spiritual world, especially in Kṛṣṇaloka, the abode of Lord Kṛṣṇa. We learn here that such desire trees are also found in Kailāsa, the residence of Lord Śiva, by the grace of Kṛṣṇa. It thus appears that Kailāsa has a special significance; it is almost like the residence of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
The personalities sitting with Lord Śiva are significant because the four Kumāras were liberated from birth. It may be remembered that after their birth these Kumāras were requested by their father to get married and beget children in order to increase the population of the newly created universe. But they refused, and at that time Lord Brahmā was angry. In that angry mood, Rudra, or Lord Śiva, was born. Thus they were intimately related. Kuvera, the treasurer of the demigods, is fabulously rich. Thus Lord Śiva's association with the Kumāras and Kuvera indicates that he has all transcendental and material opulences. Actually, he is the qualitative incarnation of the Supreme Lord; therefore his position is very exalted.
SB Canto 6
Woman is now depicted very well from the materialistic point of view by Kaśyapa Muni. Women are generally known as the fair sex, and especially in youth, at the age of sixteen or seventeen, women are very attractive to men. Therefore a woman's face is compared to a blooming lotus flower in autumn. Just as a lotus is extremely beautiful in autumn, a woman at the threshold of youthful beauty is extremely attractive. In Sanskrit a woman's voice is called nārī-svara because women generally sing and their singing is very attractive. At the present moment, cinema artists, especially female singers, are especially welcome. Some of them earn fabulous amounts of money simply by singing. Therefore, as taught by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, a woman's singing is dangerous because it can make a sannyāsī fall a victim to the woman. Sannyāsa means giving up the company of women, but if a sannyāsī hears the voice of a woman and sees her beautiful face, he certainly becomes attracted and is sure to fall down. There have been many examples. Even the great sage Viśvāmitra fell a victim to Menakā. Therefore a person desiring to advance in spiritual consciousness must be especially careful not to see a woman's face or hear a woman's voice. To see a woman's face and appreciate its beauty or to hear a woman's voice and appreciate her singing as very nice is a subtle falldown for a brahmacārī or sannyāsī. Thus the description of a woman's features by Kaśyapa Muni is very instructive.
SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)
Ajaya will father a second Nandivardhana, whose son will be Mahānandi. O best of the Kurus, these ten kings of the Śiśunāga dynasty will rule the earth for a total of 360 years during the age of Kali. My dear Parīkṣit, King Mahānandi will father a very powerful son in the womb of a śūdra woman. He will be known as Nanda and will be the master of millions of soldiers and fabulous wealth. He will wreak havoc among the kṣatriyas, and from that time onward virtually all kings will be irreligious śūdras.
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Nectar of Devotion
Lectures
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Kṛṣṇa is so kind. He's personally teaching. That is perform yajña. He's personally chanting, dancing, Caitanya Mahāprabhu. The picture is in our front. Personally He's teaching us, "Perform this yajña, you rascal, and you'll get everything. You'll get everything." Now, where is the proof? The proof is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. We are simply chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra and spending crores of rupees. Simply. What we are doing? We are not doing any business. We have not many professional men. But why we are getting...? We are spending eight lakhs of rupees per month. And we have got food, we have got milk. We are, rather, feeding others also, bringing food. So why don't you see practically how these Kṛṣṇa conscious people... They... They know that we are fabulously rich. This question was raised in Parliament also. So how we became fabulously rich? We do not do anything. I have not taught you anything magic. I simply request you, "Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra sixteen times please!" But you... We are not even following that. This is the only remedy. Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi sumedhasaḥ (SB 11.5.32).
Just see the foolishness. The CIA department has taken this saṅkīrtana movement. But these rascals are thinking like that; that it is a branch of the CIA Movement. So, being suspicious, some of the rascals raised the question in Parliament in India, that "This community are fabulously rich. So it is understood that they belong to the CIA Department of America. Is it a fact?" It was raised in the Parliament and the question was put before the home member. "So if they are CIA Department, they are pushing on this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement under the garb, then what is government's information? This is first question. If not, where they are getting so much money spending?" In this way two, three questions were raised. Fortunately the home member was aware of our movement and he replied that "They do not belong to the CIA Department. We do not have any such information and there is no need of any action. And so far their finance is concerned, we understand that they are selling their literatures and public contribution." That is the fact, actually. We are selling our books about, three, more, not less than three thousand dollars daily, and that is giving us our financial help. We have no other means of income. Although we have got expenditure not less than one hundred thousands of dollars per month throughout the whole world.
General Lectures
Guest (5): Supposing any person, he renounces everything, his material property, and if he just came to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Can he live?
Prabhupāda: We are living. You can see practically. We have got more than one hundred centers, and we are maintaining at least ten thousand men, just like these Europeans. And you have seen our opulence. We are advertised as fabulously rich. You can see here also. We have got at least four cars here. Who has got four cars? Don't you see how we are living?
Guest (5): Sir, what I meant... Supposing...
Prabhupāda: No. Your question is that... We are living very opulently because we are surrendered to Kṛṣṇa. That is point. So if you come to us you will also live very opulently. Surrender. Do that by practical seeing. We have no anxiety. Do you know what is our expenditure? In New York we are spending twelve lakhs of rupees per month. Only in New York. Similarly, in Los Angeles we have got huge expenditure. And our income is also, daily, five lakhs. You can see. Take our account. Audit. People do not touch as soon as one hears, "Oh, it is a religious group." And we are selling religious books, this Bhāgavata and Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā, six lakhs of rupees daily. Can you imagine?
Conversations and Morning Walks
1970 Conversations and Morning Walks
1972 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Calcutta house?
Revatīnandana: That Calcutta Scindia office. There's several big men. The one I remember is Mr. Trivedi. I don't know if he's the head man.
Prabhupāda: Trivedi.
Revatīnandana: Yeah. I talked to him, but he will not become a life member. He wouldn't even give that much rupees. (laughs)
Prabhupāda: They are not very highly paid. Within thousand. In Japan also. The high salary is in your country.
Devotee: Hm.
Prabhupāda: Unexpected fabulous(?) Just like that boy who came to see me yesterday. He's in India, he's getting 900 dollars, that means our ten thousand rupees. Gopal is also not getting. I asked Gopal to continue his service and give 400 dollars per month.
Devotee (1): Hm. Each month. That's great. Very good.
Prabhupāda: So here we shall give you books, cost price only, and you sell books by profit only and spend for building.
Prabhupāda: Dallas. Dallas we have got very nice temple. Detroit. I thought that our temple, Los Angeles temple, is the best. But this year I went to Dallas. Oh, it is better than Los Angeles. (laughter) It is so nice. Now we are trying to purchase the Berkshire palace in England. Yes. That was being occupied by the Duke of Windsor. I don't think whether I have got, received one letter from. No. So the price is 500,000 dollars.
Dr. Kapoor: 500,000 dollars?
Prabhupāda: Yes. $500,000 means five crores according to Indian rate.
Dr. Kapoor: (laughing) Fabulous.
Prabhupāda: So I had no money, (laughter). But one nice boy—his name is known all over the world, George Harrison—he has promised to give me loan.
Dr. Kapoor: Kṛṣṇa has all the money.
Prabhupāda: Yes. So actually, we are spending not less than seven lakhs of rupees per month throughout the whole our institution. But by the grace of God, Kṛṣṇa, we are selling our books very nicely.
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Gargamuni: Yes. In Māyāpura, when I bring over the karatālas, they are very heavy, two hundred sets of karatālas. So the boatmen say, "Sona, sona." They are thinking it is gold, the karatālas.
Prabhupāda: Everyone... Even government... In the parliament the question was raised, "Wherefrom they get money fabulously?" These men, in our country, they may be fools. In your country also, Los Angeles, I mean, neighboring storekeepers, they are wonderful, that "These people do not work and they have got so many cars and live so nicely?" (laughing) They inquire that "How do we get all these things?" They actually see that they are not ordinary working. They have no working or bank balance or business. Still, they have got so many cars and they eat nicely and they maintain such a nice house. And six, seven house they have purchasing. The realtors, they also know in America that we are very rich men. As soon as there is some property, they offer, because they know that we are very rich men. Because we have purchased some properties, so all the realtors, they have taken it for granted that we have got immense money. Here also, the members are thinking like that, that "Swamiji has got immense money."
Prabhupāda: That's all right. In Bombay also, we can go without Deity or... Things are going on. There is no hindrance. Our members are coming. They are becoming members. You see? There is no difficulty. (break) You know the parliamentary question?
Gargamuni: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Parliament questioned that "These Americans, they are supposed to be..." What is that? "CIA. CIA." Is there any information to the government? "Besides that, they have got fabulous money. They are spending. Wherefrom they get the money? And if they are CIA, then what steps the government is going to step, take against them?" So the reply was three. First reply was "The government has no information that they are CIA people. Therefore the third question doesn't require to be answered, what steps? And so far their fabulous money, it is understood they collect by selling their literature and public contribution." Yes. Home member replied like this.
Mahāṁsa: This was in the papers also?
Prabhupāda: Oh yes. (break) Mirzapur, near Allahabad?
Gargamuni: Yes, in UP.
Prabhupāda: Oh, when I was businessman.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: When... Happiness there is, not for the rascals, but for the intelligent. Happiness there is. Unless there is happiness, how we are seeking for happiness? Unless there is immortality, how we are seeking for immortality? There is. But the way in which you are seeking for these things, that is wrong. That is the whole education. Māyā muni sthitaḥ. Just like a foolish animal, he is seeking water from the desert because it appears there is water. But that is his foolishness. A human being he knows that there is no water, it is all sand. That is the difference between animal and human being. Therefore if the dog sees another, what is called? He makes a dog in the water, and he thinks another dog carrying a bread and he wants to take it away, so his bread goes away
Harikeśa: That's a perfect example.
Prabhupāda: He loses his own bread and there is no other bread. That's all. (Sanskrit) The lion he thought there is another lion within the well, and jumped over it. He lost his life, that's all. This going on. So, he's so strong, lion, it is fabulously strong, but he's animal. In spite of so much strength, he's an animal. Similarly this modern civilization, in spite of so much so-called advancement, they are simply animals. That's all. A big animal is eulogized by another small animal, that's all. Animal is animal, big animal or small. (pointing out on the road) Just see he hasn't got master, and what is his condition?
Harikeśa: Pretty bad.
Prabhupāda: It is not story. It is history...
Dr. Patel: No, no, some are stories and divya stories.
Prabhupāda: Yes. This is history and philosophy. They are not stories. Where it is a story, it is mentioned it is like a story. Just like this bhāvārthābdhi.. That is mentioned there. There are many such statements which is not history, but, what is called? Instruction. But they take everything, "It is fabulous."
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Maharishi. He is giving assurance, "If you practice this yoga, then you'll be very able to do your business nicely. Your..." These things are.... And he is guru.
Mahāṁśa: And he charges them a fabulous amount of money.
Prabhupāda: Yes. No, unless...
Gurukṛpā: That verse, guravo bahavo santi śiṣya-śāntopahārakāḥ...
Prabhupāda: No, no, they say to their friend that "These people want to be cheated. Why shall I not cheat?" He says. One of his secretaries came to him.... "If you want God, then go to Bhaktivedanta Swami."
Pañca-draviḍa: He said that.
Prabhupāda: He said, this Mahesh Yogi. "My business is cheating because the rascals wanted to be cheated. So why shall I not cheat and get some money?"
Reporter (8): Only, books are the only source of your...
Prabhupāda: That's it. This question was raised in the Parliament, that "Hare Kṛṣṇa people, they are fabulously rich. Where they get their money?" And the Parliament answer was "They get their money by selling literature."
Reporter (8): That means the devotees do not contribute to the...
Prabhupāda: No, no, no. Not the devotees purchase. They publish. Those who are intelligent public, they purchase.
Reporter (8): But do the devotees contribute in any way?
Prabhupāda: Yes. They are contributing their life. We don't get any such life-sacrificing Indians. These educated boys, rich men's son, they have sacrificed everything for me. And where is Indian?
Prabhupāda: You know French?
Pṛthu-putra: Yes, I am from France originally.
Prabhupāda: So what is your new publication?
Bhagavān: So I have a big surprise.
Devotees: Whew! Wow! It's fabulous! Wow!
Prabhupāda: Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
Hari-śauri: This will make Rāmeśvara very envious.
Bhagavān: This is special. This is on all volumes.
Prabhupāda: Oh, how many chapters?
Bhagavān: Up to chapter nine.
Prabhupāda: Oh, First Canto.
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. How the supply will come, and everything, make program and do that. There will be no difficulty. Kṛṣṇa will supply you everything. No difficulty. Actually Kṛṣṇa is supplying. Now we are known all over the world, "very rich." Is it not?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yes.
Prabhupāda: (laughing) "Fabulously rich."
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Fabulously rich," they say in Parliament.
Prabhupāda: So I started... Was I rich?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Forty rupees.
Prabhupāda: Wherefrom...? Forty rupees. So it is Kṛṣṇa's mercy. So if we work sincerely, Kṛṣṇa will supply us.
Correspondence
1966 Correspondence
The thing is that the idea of constructing a magnificent Temple in New York quite befitting the first city of the world, will cost you not lakhs but crores. Because here the cost of land and other materials and the labor charges all are fabulous. The labor charges here is not less than 12 dollars a day i.e Rs 60/ per day. Besides that you cannot get a vacant land in the New York city. You have to purchase a constructed house then dismantle it and then construct a Temple of your liking. I know it very well that by Grace of His Lordship Sri Sri Dvarakadhisa and by the mercy of Laksmiji Rukmini devi, your honour is quite competent to spend even crores and crores for this purpose but we must remember the difficulty of Exchange. At this stage of critical hours the Government will hardly allow us to spend such huge amount. If they at all sanction the exchange they may allow for lakhs only and therefore I have suggested the estimate as seven lakhs only.
1972 Correspondence
Regarding the building work, I don't think Ksirodakasayi has got a very good idea for this building work, because he is quoting me fabulous sums. That barbed-wire fencing should not cost more than Rs. 1500. So I think he has got his advice from a contractor, therefore I have advised him don't go to the contractors, do everything personally in complete consultation with you. Also, he is asking me for photos. I have not got any inclination for more such business, so you kindly supply him all the photos he may require.
| Page Title: | Fabulous |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Serene |
| Created: | 04 of Jul, 2012 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=6, CC=0, OB=1, Lec=3, Con=11, Let=2 |
| No. of Quotes: | 23 |