Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It says here, "It is clearly stated that the Gītā was especially meant for the saintly kings because they were to execute its purpose in ruling over the citizens. Certainly Bhagavad-gītā was never meant for the demoniac persons, who would dissipate its value for no one's benefit and would devise all types of interpretations according to personal whims. As soon as the original purpose was scattered by the motives of the unscrupulous commentators, there arose the need to reestablish the disciplic succession. Five thousand years ago it was detected by the Lord Himself that the disciplic succession was broken, and therefore He declared that the purpose of the Gītā appeared to be lost. In the same way, at the present moment also there are so many editions of the Gītā, but almost all of them are not according to the authorized disciplic succession. There are innumerable interpretations rendered by different mundane scholars, but almost all of them do not accept the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa, although they make a good business on the words of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. This spirit is demonic because demons do not believe in God but simply enjoy the property of the Supreme. Since there is a great need of an edition of the Gītā in English as it is received by the paramparā disciplic succession system, an attempt is made herewith to fulfill this great want. Bhagavad-gītā, accepted as it is, is a great boon to humanity. But if it is accepted as a treatise of philosophical speculations, it is simply a waste of time."
Śrī Nārāyaṇa: (Hindi)
Prabhupāda: (Hindi) And it is natural.
Śrī Nārāyaṇa: Natural and it is really marvelous how it has happened.
Prabhupāda: They were also hankering. And as soon as they got it, they got life.
Śrī Nārāyaṇa: (Hindi)
Prabhupāda: Ācchā. You can go. They will talk with me something.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You want us to go outside, Śrīla Prabhupāda?
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Śrī Nārāyaṇa: (Hindi)
Śrī Bajaj: (Hindi) Excuse me. We are just talking alone with him. (break)
Prabhupāda: "...after you, who will take the leadership?" And "Everyone will take, all my disciples. If you want, you can take also. (laughter) But if you follow. They are prepared to sacrifice everything, so they'll take the leadership. I may, one, go away, but there will be hundreds, and they'll preach. If you want, you can also become a leader. We have no such thing, that 'Here is leader.' Anyone who follows the previous leadership, he's a leader. 'Indian,' we have no such distinction, 'Indian,' 'European.' "
Brahmānanda: They wanted an Indian to be the leader?
Prabhupāda: Yes. (laughs) "Everyone, all my disciples, they are leaders. As purely as they follow, they become leader. If you want to follow, you can become a leader. You are Indian. But you don't want." I told them that.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, they probably wanted to propose somebody who would take over our movement.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Leaders. All nonsense. Leader means one who has become first-class disciple. He is leader. Evaṁ paramparā-prāpta... One who is perfectly following... Our instruction is āra nā kariha mane āśā **. You know this? What is that? Guru-mukha-padma-vākya, cittete kariyā aikya, āra nā kariha mane āśā **. Who is leader? A leader, to become leader, is not very difficult, provided one is prepared to follow the instructions of a bona fide guru.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Why did they want us to leave the room? They wanted us to leave the room. They wanted us to go out when they were talking to you.
Prabhupāda: (laughs) They are going away. Now they are finished. One day... What they will talk? Who will hear?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They have nothing to talk. Prabhupāda, they said that you are on a coordinating committee. So they want a second person from our Society also to be on the coordinating committee, because you may not always be able to attend the meetings.
Prabhupāda: No.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We'll tell them, "No, Prabhupāda said only he alone should be on it."
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: (laughs) They'll like that.
Prabhupāda: I also do not want.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You want your name to be taken off?
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Really? (laughs) They're very political, these people. He said to me, "Yes, you name another person. We can help you. We have big contacts with the ministers and others."
Brahmānanda: They mentioned Gopāla Kṛṣṇa, that they met with him about some problem with the government.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Brahmānanda: They can help in something.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, that's their idea, that they should have somebody. It's very implicating though. I'll tell you, I wouldn't put anybody on that committee, really. It's very implicating. As soon as you go to that coordinating meeting, you're obligated to give them all kinds of facilities. They have nothing that we want, factually speaking. They have nothing. They have not helped us. (to Brahmānanda:) No, they have not helped us. You're listening to what they say, but I know the facts. I know they haven't helped us.
Prabhupāda: Tactfully deal with them.