The king, the kṣatriya, he will come forth in the front of fight. That was fight. If the king is killed by the opposite party, then it is declared that they are victorious—no more fight, no more unnecessarily killing other persons. The aim was to kill the king.
Forth (Lect, Conv and Letters)
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Lecture on BG 2.40-45 -- Los Angeles, December 13, 1968:
Devotee: Verse 41. "Those who are on this path are resolute in purpose and their aim is one. O beloved child of the Kurus, the intelligence of those who are irresolute is many-branched. Men of small knowledge are very much attached to the flowery words of the Vedas which recommend various fruitive activities for elevation to the heavenly planets, resultant good birth, power and so forth. Being desirous of sense gratification and opulent life, they say that there is nothing wrong in this (Bg. 2.41-3)."
Prabhupāda: In the Vedas there are many allurements for elevating oneself to higher standard of life. Just like in this life also the father says, "My dear boy, if you become highly educated, then you'll get a very nice job, you'll get good salary, and you'll have nice apartment, and nice wife, children." Just like these are allurements for enticing one in this materialistic way of life, similarly there are many allurements in the Vedic literatures.
Lecture on BG 3.6-10 -- Los Angeles, December 23, 1968:
Sudāmā: "One should therefore act very diligently under the expert guidance of a devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa or under the direct instruction of Lord Kṛṣṇa, under whom Arjuna had the opportunity to work. Nothing should be performed for sense gratification, but everything should be done for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa. This practice will not only save one from the reactions of work but will also gradually rise one to the platform of the transcendental loving service of the Lord which alone can uplift one to the kingdom of God."
Verse number 10: "In the beginning of creation the Lord of all creatures sent forth generations of men and demigods along with sacrifices for Viṣṇu, and blessed them by saying 'Be thou happy by this yajña (sacrifice) because its performance will bestow upon you all desirable things (BG 3.10)."
Prabhupāda: Yes. In the creation, after creation, the yajña was also created and everyone, created being, was ordered to perform the yajñas. One cannot... Yajña-dāna-tapaḥ-kriyā na tyājyam. In the Bhagavad-gītā also you'll find that you may be a renouncer, sannyāsī. A renouncer, you have renounced this world. But the four things, yajña... Yajña means working for satisfaction of Viṣṇu, yajña. Dāna, charity. Yajña, dāna, tapaḥ. Tapaḥ means austerity, following the rules and regulation for spiritual upliftment. These things are not to be renounced. If somebody says, "Oh, I have renounced the world," that does not mean you can renounce the service of the Lord.
Lecture on BG 4.13-14 -- New York, August 1, 1966:
Just like I am sitting here on this dais. So I have got some relationship. What is that relationship? That this dais is giving me service silently. There is relationship. I am comfortably sitting here. So this is one relationship. The next relationship is that one wants to serve me or I want to serve him. Out of love, I want... Oh. Just like some of you: "Swamiji, I have brought some fruits for you." This is out of love. That means you want to serve me. So this relationship with the dais and that relationship, to come, and that relationship, to come and bring forth some fruit for me, that is higher. That is called dāsya, or friendship. So the silent relationship, the servitude relationship, the friendly relationship, then paternal relationship, then conjugal relationship.
Lecture on BG 7.3 -- London, March 11, 1975:
So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is completely scientific. As Kṛṣṇa said... We have given therefore. When I was registering this association in New York, some friend suggested that "Why you are giving this name 'Kṛṣṇa'? Why not put the name 'God,' 'God consciousness'?" Then "Yes, I can give the name 'God consciousness.' Then it will be confused." Because we want to preach Bhagavad-gītā as it is. That is Kṛṣṇa's speaking. And we are trying to place this Kṛṣṇa's teachings to the world. And not only that, Bhagavān, God, means Kṛṣṇa. And if I give the name of "God" instead of "Kṛṣṇa," they will bring forth so many competition of Kṛṣṇa. That is not our purpose. Kṛṣṇa means God. If God has any perfect name, that is "Kṛṣṇa." Because "Kṛṣṇa" means all-attractive. God cannot be attractive for certain person.
Lecture on BG 16.8 -- Tokyo, January 28, 1975:
Trivikrama: Well, I am very expert at the demon mentality, but I'm afraid you've destroyed all arguments that I might put forth.
Prabhupāda: Any of our friends, Japanese friends here?
Japanese man: Yes, I have one question. You mentioned that we can hear a car from outside, but we cannot see car. But...
Prabhupāda: No, we can see car. But just like here we are sitting. We do not see the car, but the sound is there, but you conclude that there is a car. So therefore seeing is not always the sound reasoning. Even without seeing, we can conclude there is car. That is my point.
Lecture on BG 16.8 -- Hawaii, February 4, 1975:
They give example. This is the atheist Sāṅkhya philosophy, atheistic Sāṅkhya philosophy, combination, permutation. But the example is given, kim anyat kāma-haitukam. Kāma. Just like a man and woman becomes lusty and their combination brings forth a child, a third matter. They think like that. They are thinking everything is matter. No. There is good brain within the combination. That is explained in the Vedic literature. Karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa jantur dehopapattaye (SB 3.31.1). This body is not coming accidentally by the sex intercourse. That is not the fact.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Lecture on SB 1.3.7 -- Los Angeles, September 13, 1972:
These gigantic universes, they are coming out from the hair holes of the body of Mahā-Viṣṇu or from His... Just like sometimes infected persons, they distribute germs from breathing, from perspiration. That is scientific. Similarly, Mahā-Viṣṇu's breathing and perspiration within the Causal Ocean, bringing forth so many universes. And each and every universe, there are so many planets, and one of the planets is this, earth, earthly planet.
Lecture on SB 1.7.38-39 -- Vrndavana, September 30, 1976:
Pradyumna: "Furthermore, I have personally heard you promise Draupadī that you would bring forth the head of the killer of her sons. This man is an assassin and murderer of your own family members. Not only that, but he has also dissatisfied his master. He is but the burnt remnants of his family. Kill him immediately."
Prabhupāda:
- pratiśrutaṁ ca bhavatā
- pāñcālyai śṛṇvato mama
- āhariṣye śiras tasya
- yas te mānini putra-hā
- (SB 1.7.38)
- tad asau vadhyatāṁ pāpa
- ātatāyy ātma-bandhu-hā
- bhartuś ca vipriyaṁ vīra
- kṛtavān kula-pāṁsanaḥ
- (SB 1.7.39)
So Kṛṣṇa is encouraging Arjuna to kill Aśvatthāmā on so many grounds. First of all, he has killed the boys who were sleeping at night. And another very important point is that ātatāyī. Ātatāyī means the enemy aggressor. Unnecessarily one who attacks, he is called ātatāyī. One who sets fire in your house, one who kidnaps your wife or somebody in the family, and one who gives poison, and they are so many, a list of ascertaining an ātatāyī. So He described, Kṛṣṇa described the Aśvatthāmā as ātatāyī. He's not a brave soldier, so he should be killed.
Lecture on SB 3.25.42 -- Bombay, December 10, 1974:
Nitāi: "(It is because of My supremacy that the wind blows, out of fear of Me; the sun shines out of fear of Me, and the lord of the) clouds, Indra, sends forth showers out of fear of Me. The fire burns out of fear of Me, and death goes about taking its toll out of fear of Me."
Prabhupāda:
- mad-bhayād vāti vāto 'yaṁ
- sūryas tapati mad-bhayāt
- varṣatīndro dahaty agnir
- mṛtyuś carati mad-bhayāt
- (SB 3.25.42)
The ultimate, mṛtyuś carati mad-bhayāt . So bhaya, bhaya means fearfulness. Bhayaṁ dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ syāt. In the previous verse the Lord Kapiladeva said that "If anyone wants to get out of this fearful situation..." Bhayaṁ tīvraṁ nivartate. Ātmanaḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ bhayaṁ tīvraṁ nivartate. We are always fearful. Material life is not very happy life because we are always fearful. That's a fact. Nobody can say, "No, I am not afraid of anything." That is false.
Lecture on SB 5.5.5 -- Stockholm, September 10, 1973:
Just like you will see the monkey. Monkey is always very busy, but what is the meaning of his business? He is in ignorance. As soon as a monkey comes... You have so such disturbance. In India, as soon as a monkey comes, everyone wants to drive him away. Because he has come to become business and to make some loss. That's all. That is his business. Wherever he sits, he will move like this. (makes sounds moving arms back and forth) He is not at all silent. He is always active. But because he is monkey, monkey is a symbol of... Ass, they are symbol of ignorance. Therefore such kind of business is useless. It is simply harmful.
Lecture on SB 6.1.6-15 -- San Francisco, September 12, 1968:
That he says that simply by Kṛṣṇa consciousness or devotional service, pure devotional service, vāsudeva-parāyaṇāḥ... Vāsudeva means Kṛṣṇa. One who is devoted to Kṛṣṇa, simply by that devotional process, and always being in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, agham dhunvanti kārtsnyena. one can get out of all sinful reactions. How? Nīhāram iva bhāskaraḥ. Nīhāram means dews. You have seen in this season, so many dews are on the grass, on the tree. As soon as there is sunrise, everything finished. Everything finished. It is very nice example. So if you bring forth the sun of Kṛṣṇa... These are all products... These sinful activities is due to ignorance. Ignorance is darkness, māyā, and Kṛṣṇa or Kṛṣṇa consciousness is just like the sun. Now this is night; everything is dark. If some way or other there is sunrise, then immediately the darkness is finished. So Śukadeva Gosvāmī says that kecit.
Nectar of Devotion Lectures
The Nectar of Devotion -- Bombay, December 26, 1972:
Pradyumna: "...or a kind of mellow, or relationship whose taste is very sweet. Bhakti-rasa is a mellow different from the ordinary rasa enjoyed by mundane workers. Mundane workers labor very hard, day and night, in order to relish a certain kind of rasa which is understood as sense gratification. The relish or taste of the mundane rasa does not long endure, and therefore mundane workers are always apt to change their position of enjoyment. A business man is not satisfied by working the whole week; therefore wanting a change for the weekend, he goes to a place where he tries to forget his business activities. Then, after the weekend is spent in forgetfulness, he again changes his position and resumes his actual business activities. Material engagement means accepting a particular status for some time and then changing it. This position of changing back and forth is technically known as bhoga-tyāga, which means..."
Prabhupāda: Bhoga-tyāga. Bhoga and tyāga. Go on.
Pradyumna: "...which means a position of alternating sense enjoyment and renunciation."
Prabhupāda: Yes, their position is sense enjoyment. If, by bhoga, they are not satisfied, then tyāga. Brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. Give it, give it up. Again, by tyāga, when he does not find any sense pleasure, then again comes back: All right, come to social service, open hospital, open the school. Why are you coming again? You have given it up, tyāga, brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. Why you are coming to mithyā again, to open school? That, that is going on.
The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 17, 1972:
Pradyumna: "That force which derives... That force which drives the philanthropist, the householder and the nationalist is called rasa, or a kind of mellow, or relationship, whose taste is very sweet. Bhakti-rasa is a mellow different from the ordinary rasa enjoyed by mundane workers. Mundane workers labor very hard day and night in order to relish a certain kind of rasa which is understood as sense gratification. The relish or taste of the mundane rasa does not long endure and therefore mundane workers are always apt to change their position of enjoyment. A businessman is not satisfied by working the whole week. Therefore, wanting a change for the weekend, he goes to a place where he tries to forget his business activities. Then, after the weekend is spent in forgetfulness, he again changes his position and resumes his actual business activities. Material engagement means accepting a particular status for some time and then changing it. This position of changing back and forth is technically known as bhoga-tyāga, which means a position of alternating sense enjoyment and renunciation."
Prabhupāda: The material world, because everything is temporary, so sometimes when we are fed up with material activities, we stop to do it and become a renouncer. Bhoga-tyāga. "Grapes are sour." You know the story. A jackal entered into a vine orchard, and it was very high. It began to jump to get the grapes, but when he failed, he said, "Oh, these grapes are sour. It is nonsense." (laughter)
The Nectar of Devotion -- Calcutta, January 30, 1973:
Bhavānanda: (reading) "The attention of a pure devotee is so much attracted to glorification of the pastimes, name, qualities, forms, and so forth of the Lord that the devotee does not care for mukti. Śrī Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura has said, 'If I am engaged in devotional service unto You, my dear Lord, then very easily can I perceive Your presence everywhere. And as far as liberation is concerned, I think liberation stands at my door with folded hands, waiting to serve me.' "
Prabhupāda: Yes. By chanting the mantra, Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12), gradually we become cleansed of all dirty things within our heart. Thus our mind becomes purified. And in the purified condition of the mind we can think of Kṛṣṇa rightly. In this way, Kṛṣṇa becomes practically dependent on the devotees. Kṛṣṇa is the master, controller of everything, but to the pure devotee He becomes dependent. So why the pure devotee will ask for anything else? Adurlabham ātma-bhaktau. For a devotee, Kṛṣṇa is within the palms of a devotee. Ajita, jito 'py asau. Although Kṛṣṇa is not conquerable, but He likes to be conquered by His devotee. That is the position.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.109-114 -- San Francisco, February 20, 1967:
Kīrtanānanda: Well, er, it's so difficult to control the senses. So we're engaging all of our senses in chanting and dancing and so forth. Now, the thinking mind is most difficult. So we can engage that in thinking of Kṛṣṇa. So...
Prabhupāda: Well, when you are chanting, that is thinking, practically thinking. When you are chanting, you are practically thinking. When you are cooking, it is practically thinking. You are cooking for Kṛṣṇa. You are typing for Kṛṣṇa. You are chanting Kṛṣṇa's name.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.124-125 -- New York, November 26, 1966:
So if each and every man becomes like that... Of course, it is not expected that each and every man will become like that. At least, ten percent of the population become Kṛṣṇa consciousness—there is guarantee, peace in the world. Because ekaś candra... We do not require many moons in the sky. Only one moon is sufficient to drive away the darkness. Varam eka guṇī putra na ca mūrkha-śatair api. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says, "It is better to have a qualified son than to have hundreds of fools." So the modern civilization is going on in that way, godless civilization. If some percentage of the civilized human beings become Kṛṣṇa conscious, that will bring forth peace.
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.125 -- New York, November 27, 1966:
There is a system of astrology in India which is called Bhṛgu-saṁhitā. Any man will go, and if the expert in Bhṛgu-saṁhitā science, he will at once tell you what you were in your past life, how you are acting in this present life, and what is your next life. Therefore, perfection of astrology is in the Bhrgu-saṁhitā, and they is called sarvajña. In old Indian system, as soon as child is born, an expert astrologer will be called forth and there will be ceremony, jāta-karma, just after the birth. Just like, before giving birth to the child, there was some ceremony which is called garbhādhāna ceremony, and between the birth-giving ceremony and the child is born, there are two other ceremonies, sadhavakan (?). So after the birth of the child, the astrologer is called forth and he begins to tell about the future of the boy.
Festival Lectures
General Lectures
Lecture to Technology Students (M.I.T.) -- Boston, May 5, 1968:
Student (5): In the Bhagavad-gītā, when Kṛṣṇa asks Arjuna to go forth in the battle and not to, to slay his relatives and not to be caught in the material world and see that the slayer and the slain are one, should the young American faced with the war in Vietnam go forth to Vietnam realizing that the slayer and the slain are one and that all this slaughter, just slaughter karma, and follow the way of the sage.
Prabhupāda: In the Bhagavad-gītā, Arjuna, he was a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, a friend of Kṛṣṇa. Perhaps you know it. So in the beginning he did not like to fight. He denied. So any devotee of God or Kṛṣṇa is not fond of war or fighting with any others. But if there is necessity, if Kṛṣṇa wants that fight, a devotee of Kṛṣṇa will accept such fight. If you think that your Vietnam fighting is ordered by Kṛṣṇa, then it is all right. If it is not, then it is not. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We act in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If Kṛṣṇa says, if God says, "This is right," we accept it right. If God says it is wrong, we accept it wrong. Because we think, we have poor fund of knowledge. We do not know what is right and wrong. Therefore if God says or Kṛṣṇa says this is right, we accept it right. If God says or Kṛṣṇa says it is wrong, we accept it wrong.
Lecture at Caitanya Matha -- Visakhapatnam, February 19, 1972:
When it falls down on dry grass, the dry grass becomes blazing. Although the spark is fallen, it causes the atmosphere lighten(?). And if the spark falls on the wet ground, then it is, the sparking, the glowing quality may remain for sometime, but it will be extinguished. And if it falls down on the water, it is extinguished. Similarly, when the living entity comes to this material world, if by chance he is in the association of the goodness, he keeps God consciousness. And if he is in the association of passion, he is materially busy. And if he associates with the quality of ignorance, he becomes animals or animal-like man. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is giving everyone the chance of to become again (indistinct) by association of Kṛṣṇa. The same spark, that extinguished charcoal, or karma, if you put into the fire, it will be again light. Similarly this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to bring forth again the dormant Kṛṣṇa consciousness in every living entity.
Philosophy Discussions
Philosophy Discussion on Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibnitz:
Śyāmasundara: Today we are discussing Gottfried Wilhelm Leibnitz. Leibnitz was a great mathematician. He invented the calculus. But he was also a philosopher. He said that in the universe every act is purposeful; that the purpose of the universe is to realize the goals set forth by God.
Prabhupāda: Very nice. I see that he's first-class. Yes. Actually the aim is to reach God. That is the Bhāgavata version: na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇum (SB 7.5.31). These rascals, fools, they do not know that the goal is to reach God. This version, na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ (SB 7.5.31). Durāśayā means they are hoping something which is never to be realized. All these people... (break) Actually this is the point: surrender. But they are so rascal they will not do it; therefore māyā is giving them trouble in every way, ultimately. Just like my Guru Mahārāja's plan was that I should come and preach. That was his first instruction. But I wanted that I will not take sannyāsa and remain as a gṛhastha, and then I shall do it. That is special favor. Kṛṣṇa says, yasya anugṛhnī harisye... "Especially if I am very much anxious to get one reformed, by My mercy, the first thing is that I take away all his money."
Philosophy Discussion on William James:
Prabhupāda: No, no, no. We don't accept that. If there would have been accident, so many planets are rotating in, and so forth... There is no collision. There is no accident. But in your motorcar there is so many accidents, and people are dying.
Philosophy Discussion on B. F. Skinner:
Devotee: He isn't saying how we should control people. He is simply putting forth the idea that people should be controlled. He doesn't say... In fact, he admits that he doesn't know what the aim or goal is, or how exactly we should control it. He is simply putting forth that according to the Vedic system, the correct thesis that man can be controlled.
Prabhupāda: Man is already controlled, already controlled. Just like Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā that you are already under the dangerous laws, under the control of the stringent laws of material nature. And you are feeling inconvenienced, just like the threefold miserable condition. (indistinct-greeting guests) So there is no doubt about it. We are controlled. Nobody can say "I am free." We are controlled. When we are being controlled, we are feeling some inconvenience. So we are advising that you be under the control of Kṛṣṇa.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1969 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation with Allen Ginsberg -- May 12, 1969, Columbus, Ohio:
Allen Ginsberg: In San Francisco, was it? Yes. ...have all been thinking what form of religious practice, what form of simple meditation exercises could be set forth in America that could be adopted by a great, great, great, great many people on a large scale. We haven't solved the problem. One thing I've noticed is that the Kṛṣṇa temples have spread and are firmly rooted and solidly based. There are a number of them now. So that really is a very solid root. So I think that will continue.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Allen Ginsberg: But I'm wondering what future is there? What's the future of a religious observance so technical as this? So complicated as this? Requires so much sophistication in terms of diet, daily ritual, ārati, ekādaśī, all, the whole thing that you've been teaching, how far can that spread by it's very complexness...
Prabhupāda: Yes. All are complex. The whole idea is to keep the devotees always engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the program. Gradually, we shall introduce more and more so that he has no scope to go outside Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation with Krishna Tiwari -- May 22, 1973, New York:
Devotee (1): So then your process is imperfect. You admit. We're saying that there's a process which is perfect, and it's a process of receiving knowledge which is absolute, that is descending, and receiving that with a submissive attitude. And you're saying that by your sensuous endeavor with your different machines and instruments, you can ascend to the Absolute Truth. But the symptom of a person who is in knowledge is that he's satisfied, he's peaceful within, and we can understand that this Kṛṣṇa consciousness society is developing, is helping living entities, people, become satisfied within by receiving knowledge and actually coming to, to understand themselves and what's around them and so forth, whereas, let me ask you, how many people have actually come to this stage of peacefulness and knowledge, of being freed from the need for intoxication and so many different things, by your scientific method? In other words, has this process helped you to be actually filled with knowledge and bliss, or has it simply sent you into more questioning and more doubt until you come to a point of what we were discussing the other day, the Heisenberg's theory of uncertainty? Ultimately you come to the theory of uncertainty. So we're saying, when you come to this point, then you may as well just relax and try to have a submissive attitude, or any scientist, and try to receive knowledge which is descending.
Prabhupāda: Another, another thing is, he says, he says that he does not know what is there beyond this material nature. But he's still satisfied with that imperfect knowledge.
Room Conversation with Indian Guests -- July 11, 1973, London:
Prabhupāda: Yes, "best of the asuras." Asura-varya. Varya means the best. And asura... Because his father was demon. So he was calling his father "demon number one." "My dear father, my dear asura-varya..." Tat sādhu manye 'sura-varya dehinām. "Anyone who has accepted this material body..." Dehinām, he has said. Sadā samudvigna-dhiyām. "They are all full of anxiety." Anyone. Not only human beings, even animals, birds, beasts. You'll see, when a bird is there, he'll always, that, "Some enemy may not come." Even animals. Even tiger is afraid, although he's so powerful. Elephant is afraid. sadā samudvigna-dhiyām. Why? Asad-grahāt. "Because they have accepted this material body." Then what is the remedy? Now, hitvātma-pātaṁ gṛham andha-kūpam, hitvātma-pātaṁ gṛham andha-kūpaṁ vanaṁ gato yad dharim āśrayeta (SB 7.5.5). "They should not be satisfied with the society, family and love and this and that. They should take shelter of the lotus feet of Hari. Then they'll be happy." We are trying to be satisfied in this material condition, society, friendship, love and so forth, so on and we are after that.
Room Conversation with French Journalist and UNESCO Worker -- August 10, 1973, Paris:
Dr. Inger: They haven't. Not so far. Because from their point of view they have to prove the dates, historical dates, how many centuries, and so forth.
Prabhupāda: It is there in the śāstras.
Dr. Inger: I know. But so... If one can put it that way, then somebody has to submit that we are going to celebrate the three thousand anniversary, or four thousand anniversary, and... But no such step has been taken. But such an idea can be proposed.
Prabhupāda: No, suppose the United Nations is the organization of the whole human society, so if I ask the United Nations, as an organization that: "What is the purpose of this cosmic manifestation?" That is a fact. There is a cosmic manifestation. The scientists, they are also trying to understand. So there are so many scientists, philosophers, what is their answer? Suppose I am inquisitive to know something. So where shall I inquire?
Room Conversation with Sanskrit Professor, Dr. Suneson -- September 5, 1973, Stockholm:
Professor: Many forms and so forth.
Prabhupāda: Now, these boys, they did not know Sanskrit. By, by following the direction, they read very nicely these diacritic marks.
Room Conversation -- September 19, 1973, Bombay:
everything is there. One can conduct his activities from anywhere.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But it didn't work last time. They stopped their preaching. The last time everyone moved to Juhu, they completely lost contact with all the life members in the city because they found it very difficult to continuously go back and forth.
Prabhupāda: So keep it just like a temple. Not that...
Acyutānanda: Nepeansea Road downtown, it should be kept like a temple?
Prabhupāda: Yes. The temple routine work must go there.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Morning Walk -- February 21, 1975, Caracas:
Hṛdayānanda: Another question, Prabhupāda. He said that you have stated that Kali-yuga will last for around 400,000 more years and then it will be finished and that the culture will gradually degrade, people will become very short and so on and so forth. So he's wondering if there will be geographical changes in the world or if the culture as we know it now will simply disappear and how the people will be... More or less, he's wondering what will become of the earth.
Prabhupāda: Because they will not get sufficient food, shelter, bodily necessities. Just like it is already declining, already declining. Just formerly in our childhood we saw the Western people very tall. Now they are not tall. They are decreasing already. (break) In the Western countries, still there are some but in other countries they are very lean, thin and drawn. Stature of the body will decrease. Memory will decrease. It is already taking place. So in this way, you just imagine, in 400,000 years after, what will be the condition. You take mathematical calculation. (laughter)
Room Conversation with Metaphysics Society -- February 21, 1975, Caracas:
Guest (Hṛdayānanda): So he is saying that this material world is a combination of so many different elements, intelligence, so on and so forth. And in the center of all of this, the essence is that which is eternal. And this eternal thing cannot have any name because then it would be limited, and that would be a contradiction. And also it has no form.
Prabhupāda: No, that eternity, that is nice, that the material world is temporary, and the eternity is spiritual. That is clear understanding. Material elements, just like earth, water, fire, air, sky, mind, ego, intelligence, and the spiritual element is which is utilizing these material elements. Do you admit this?
Guest: Si.
Morning Walk -- May 28, 1975, Honolulu:
Guest (1): Sure. That's right. I understand that, and, you know, I'm very broad-minded. I always have said... You know, one time in our Methodist church we had a professor that was giving all religions of the world. And this is rather putting it simply and fast, but it was interesting because of all the different religions, even though they all didn't believe in the divine being, Christ being the son of God, in some cases-there's Buddha and so forth—but they all were preaching about going to the same place, so to speak. And it's peculiar. They all had more or less the Ten Commandments. In other words they all believed in doing the same thing. So that was interesting...
Prabhupāda: But I don't think Christians believe.
Morning Walk -- July 11, 1975, Chicago:
Lakṣmī-nārāyaṇa: Prabhupāda, in the Bhagavad-gītā Kṛṣṇa says that in the beginning of creation He sent forth generations of men among the demigods. So the bones that they have found of those...
Prabhupāda: Hm?
Lakṣmī-nārāyaṇa: I said the bones that they have found so far...
Prabhupāda: Who?
Lakṣmī-nārāyaṇa: Of the men that were living so many thousands of years ago.
Prabhupāda: But they are not demigods.
Morning Walk -- August 24, 1975, Delhi:
Prabhupāda: You put forth such new, I think. It was not before. But they have supplied so rotten materials.
Morning Walk -- August 25, 1975, Vrndavana:
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: This way. Śrīla Prabhupāda, it's this way, the parikrama. (break) ...the best land for our purposes because the children can just run back and forth.
Child: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda!
Prabhupāda: Jaya.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: ...completed in one month. There's a sign over here.
Prabhupāda: Oh. That's nice. Jaya. This is also lying vacant? So we are... (aside:) Hare Kṛṣṇa. Jaya. Haribol. Jaya.
Morning Walk -- October 3, 1975, Mauritius:
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: The scientists say that the earth is actually tilting back and forth like this, that the sun is not...
Prabhupāda: Why it is tilting, rascal? Stop it.
Room Conversation with the Rector, Professor Olivier and Professors of the University of Durban, Westville -- October 8, 1975, Durban:
Professor: My definition of religion is ultimate..., which has to do with your ultimate concern. Ultimate concern. I mean, I can make religion out of... If my ultimate concern is money, then that is my religion, to put it that way. Or ideology and so forth... But it is my ultimate concern, what is my ultimate concern in life. What is my ultimate concern. Every man is religious. He's a homo religiosus, to put it in Latin. He's a religious being. Just as he wants to eat, he has to have religion.
Prabhupāda: So the transmigration of the soul, you take it as religion. It is not a science.
Professor: We haven't progressed so far.
Prabhupāda: But so far we are concerned, that is the basic principle of our further investigation in religion.
Professor: Yes.
Room Conversation -- October 21, 1975, Johannesburg:
Guest: Our reading has only drawn forth a lot of conflicting answers so far. We've been reading into Hindu philosophies, and most of the answers conflict with each other.
Prabhupāda: Which book you are reading?
Guest: Well, we've been just reading mainly biographies by swamis and yogis, Aurobindo and Resynthesis of...
Prabhupāda: They have no realization. They have simply jugglery of words. That's all.
Guest: It's new for us, so I'm not very...
Prabhupāda: Yes, yes.
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Morning Walk -- March 18, 1976, Mayapura:
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Yes, they say the earth is tilting back and forth like this.
Prabhupāda: That is always doing, but it takes little time. But the movement of the sun, uttara and dakṣiṇa, what is their explanation?
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: They say that the earth is tilting like this. The sun is fixed. When the earth tilts like this in the northern hemisphere there is summer, and when it tilts like this, the southern hemisphere, there's summer. It's tilting back and forth as it revolves around the sun.
Prabhupāda: Tilting?
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Yes.
Press Conference -- April 27, 1976, Auckland, New Zealand:
Interviewer: Is your movement still growing? It was very popular here in the Beatles' era and so on and so forth.
Prabhupāda: Yes, George Harrison is a good boy. He likes me. He has given us a big house in London about 200,000 pounds' worth.
Room Conversation -- Honolulu, May 20, 1976 :
Devotee (5): They were going to use it to introduce lectures and so forth.
Prabhupāda: When it was not published, so why did he publish unauthorized?
Devotee (5): Oh, I don't know. He said that he was a little upset about it himself.
Prabhupāda: So this should not take place again. They should be informed that without being passed by the authority, nobody should publish any literature.
Room Conversation with Reporter -- June 4, 1976, Los Angeles:
Reporter: I wonder if you might have any opinions on some of the leaders of cults and groups in the United States, such as the Divine Light Mission, or the T.M. and so forth. I'm wondering if you have any opinions on Guru Maharaj-ji or Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.
Prabhupāda: There are different groups. I know that. But I do not go in detail to understand them. But our..., we have got a crucial test. That anyone who is..., does not know about Kṛṣṇa, he is put into four different types of categories as it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. One category is that he is sinful. Another category is that he is rascal. Another category is that he's lowest of the mankind. Another category is that his so-called knowledge is taken away by illusory energy. So this is our test.
Morning Walk -- June 13, 1976, Detroit:
Devotee (2): So where that is described in the Third Canto, Part Four, where it is described about devotional service in ignorance, passion, and goodness, and so forth, that has nothing to do with your disciples then?
Prabhupāda: Who is my disciple? First of all let him follow strictly the disciplined rules.
Devotee (2): As long as one is following, then he is...
Prabhupāda: Then he is all right.
Interview with Kathy Kerr Reporter from The Star -- June 17, 1976, Toronto:
Kathy Kerr: Do you advocate then that one deny the body? Like comforts and so forth, in order to...
Prabhupāda: No, why deny the body? Just like you are putting some type of dress. So dress is not unimportant. But real importance is you, the person. So where is that education about the real person? They are simply engrossed with the dress. This is going on. Such kind of mentality is there even within the cats and dogs. He's also thinking "I am this body." If a human being does not understand this fact, that he is not this body, he is changing his body, but he is spirit soul, then he is no better than the cats and dogs. We do not want to keep the human society in the category of cats and dogs. We want to raise them to the real understanding of his identification. That is our mission. It is neither Hindu religion or Muslim religion or.... This is science.
Kathy Kerr: I notice all your followers obviously dress similarly and so forth.
Prabhupāda: We cannot get many followers. Because everyone is under this impression, "I am this body." And to get him released from this conception is not so easy job. So we cannot expect many thousands and millions. Only selected fortunate people will understand it. But everyone can understand it. It is very simple thing. But the modern education has made them so dull brain, they cannot understand, neither do they try to understand. That is the difficulty. Matter, subject matter, is very simple thing. I am changing bodies, but in spite of my change of body, I am the spirit soul existing. This is the first understanding. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20), that I am not dead on account of my body being finished. My childhood body is finished, my boyhood body is finished, my youth-hood body is finished, but I am existing. I can remember that I was in such body, I was in such body, in such circumstances.
Interview with Kathy Kerr Reporter from The Star -- June 17, 1976, Toronto:
Kathy Kerr: Do you feel that it's any help.... For instance, one of your followers here mentioned that the university here in Toronto is teaching your books and so forth. Do you feel that any contact with your ideas...
Prabhupāda: It is not my idea, it is fact. It is not my idea.
Interview with Kathy Kerr Reporter from The Star -- June 17, 1976, Toronto:
Kathy Kerr: If a sufficient number of people could take care of their spirits, could achieve an understanding of the spiritual body and so forth, do you think that that would solve, say for instance...
Prabhupāda: It is not possible that, because, at the present moment the number of educated persons, there are many. Many Ph.D.'s, D.H.C.'s but nobody understands it. You cannot expect a fair number of persons understanding it. It requires little higher brain. But even some percent of the population understands this philosophy, then there will be peace and prosperity. Not that everyone. Just like in my body, not that every part of my body is brain. But if the brain is in order, then other parts of the body will act nicely. The leg is not brain, but if the brain is in order, the leg will move nicely. The difficulty is there is no brain. So without brain, without head, when the body moves it is ghost. So it is ghostly civilization. All ghosts. There is a kind of ghost, perhaps you know, that without head. If a man is chopped of his head, and if he has got attraction, then he becomes a ghost without head. So at the present moment, all these so-called educated civilized men are ghosts without head. You now this, there is some ghosts without head?
Jayādvaita: I hadn't heard about them.
Room Conversation -- June 24, 1976, New Vrindaban:
Dhṛṣṭadyumna: Purport? "There are many pseudo meditators who misrepresent themselves as belonging to high parentage, and great professional men who falsely pose that they have sacrificed everything for the sake of advancement in spiritual life. Lord Kṛṣṇa did not want Arjuna to become a pretender, but that he perform his prescribed duties as set forth for kṣatriyas. Arjuna was a householder and a military general, and therefore it was better for him to remain as such and perform his religious duties as prescribed for the householder kṣatriya. Such activities gradually cleanse the heart of a mundane man and free him from material contamination. So-called renunciation for the purpose of maintenance is never approved by the Lord, nor by any religious scripture. After all, one has to maintain one's body and soul together by some work. Work should not be given up capriciously, without purification of materialistic propensities. Anyone who is in the material world is certainly possessed of the impure propensity for lording it over material nature, or, in other words, for sense gratification. Such polluted propensities have to be cleared. Without doing so, through prescribed duties, one should never attempt to become a so-called transcendentalist, renouncing work and living at the cost of others."
Prabhupāda: That is not the right way. Kṛṣṇa never said to Arjuna that "You haven't got to fight. You sit down, I shall do everything." He never said that. "You have to fight." Nimitta-mātraṁ bhava savyaśacin. "And the result is already created by Me, but you have to make a manifestation of fighting." Just like our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Within eight or ten years we have developed so much. Is it humanly possible? It is Kṛṣṇa's plan. But Kṛṣṇa says that "You go and preach. Take the credit." Yes. It is His plan. Actually everything is done by Kṛṣṇa. He gives the credit to His devotee, that's all. You know the history of the Detroit temple (laughs)?
Garden Conversation -- June 28, 1976, New Vrindaban:
Ṛṣi Kumāra: I saw one scientist on television, and he was saying on Mars there are mountains that are very, very big, much bigger than the mountains on this planet, and there's beautiful landscape, and they want to start a tourist industry, taking people back and forth.
Prabhupāda: Hm?
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: They want to start a tourist industry on Mars, taking people back and forth.
Prabhupāda: But there is no life.
'Life Comes From Life' Slideshow Discussions -- July 3, 1976, Washington, D.C.:
Devotee: (indistinct) arguing that rice can bring forth scorpions, he said that can happen.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: That... Prabhupāda said that rice can give scorpions? Something like that, scorpion comes out of rice.
Prabhupāda: Yes, taṇḍula-vṛścika-nyāya. Taṇḍula-vṛścika-nyāya.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Where is this, Śrīla Prabhupāda? Is it in...?
Prabhupāda: In the Nyāya-śāstra, it is there. Taṇḍula-vṛścika-nyāya. Taṇḍula means rice, and vṛścika means scorpion. The scorpion coming out of the heaps of rice, so therefore rice is producing scorpion. This logic is wrong.
Interview and Conversation -- July 8, 1976, Washington, D.C.:
Janice Johnson: Why is it that the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement has in the last couple of years attempted to make itself a little bit more respectable in the public's eyes by having members wear street clothes and wigs and so forth, while they are soliciting?
Prabhupāda: By nature it is very important movement. Therefore those who are intelligent, they are taking serious interest. We have got so many books. Perhaps you have seen. They are being accepted by the learned circle all over the world. University, colleges, professors, they are reading our books, placing standing order, and we have got relationship, especially with educated circle. They are trying to understand the importance of this movement.
Janice Johnson: I don't quite understand that in terms of my question about wearing street clothes and wigs instead of saffron robes and chanting and so forth.
Hari-śauri: She's pointing out that in recent years we've changed our dressing style while we're on the street selling books.
Prabhupāda: Dress? Dress is not important. Practically, as sannyāsī, brahmacārī, we dress with saffron cloth, but sometimes you do not like, but we have to do business with you; therefore we change. What can be done? "Necessity has no law."
Room Conversation -- July 10, 1976, New York:
Rūpānuga: So running back and forth is not...
Prabhupāda: No, no, that should not be an artificial.
Evening Darsana -- July 11, 1976, New York:
Indian man (2): There are many swamis coming from India nowadays, and they are trying to establish, some of them like Gaṇapati temples or the Lord Śiva temples, and so forth, and trying to confuse Westerners, especially Americans, because most of them, they do come to America. Being Indian, how we can help about this confusion?
Prabhupāda: You take Bhagavad-gītā as standard. Who is the Hindu or Indian there who can refuse the authority of Bhagavad-gītā? So you present them Bhagavad-gītā as it is, then it will not happen. I don't think any Indian or any Hindu can deny the authority of Bhagavad-gītā. Is there anyone?
Devotee: No.
Prabhupāda: Then you present them. That is, I have taken, that this is the summum bonum of Indian culture, Bhagavad-gītā. Bhagavad-gītā is accepted all over the world as the greatest book of knowledge, so take this standard and preach, and people will be enlightened, without misinterpretation.
Morning Walk -- July 13, 1976, New York:
Ādi-keśava: It cracked all the concrete in the sidewalk because it was bending back and forth.
Prabhupāda: Which way?
Devotee (1): Left.
Prabhupāda: They have no estimation, that "So far we can come, then we'll fall"?
Bali-mardana: It all depends upon the foundation.
Room Conversation -- July 26, 1976, London:
Hari-śauri: It's not just that. It's the problem that you have to fly from France to somewhere else and then from somewhere else back to India. I said the main problem is that if you do go to France, then it means a great deal more traveling than would be involved in simply flying to India, because you'd have to travel back and forth to the Paris farm. Then you would also have to stay in Tehran, up and down like that in the plane, and then again fly to Bombay.
Bhagavān: But he doesn't have to stay in the farm for just nine days. He can stay there for long time.
Prabhupāda: If the health suits, I can stay there. If the health improves, I can stay.
Pṛthu-putra: Air India is direct from Geneva.
Prabhupāda: I shall not stay...
Pṛthu-putra: I came back from Bombay to Geneva by direct plane.
Prabhupāda: Yes, there is plane.
Evening Darsana -- August 14, 1976, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Kajjal we say, English what do you say? (indistinct-back and forth over the English) Premāñjana-cchur..., añjana means that.
Morning Walk -- August 31, 1976, Delhi:
Devotee: Does this mean Śrīla Prabhupāda, we should not speculate about the future. Like if someone says, "Next year we should do this," and so forth. And "Next month we'll go here and we'll do that." And people are always making arrangements for the future and what they are going to do. With nothing in mind that death will take them within a flash. And they're making all these speculative arrangements.
Indian man (3): I personally feel that when you buy anything in the market, for example you buy a dress. Sometimes it wears for ten years, sometimes you are cheated and it wears only for two years. So this is also same way, you know. Sometimes early death means...
Prabhupāda: That is for the dress. What about the man who's using the dress? You are identifying the dress with the man. That is foolishness. As soon as you say "dress," you should have to find out the man who has got the dress. Then it is perfect understanding. But if you understand the dress and the man the same, then you are foolish. Dress is not the man.
Room Conversation -- September 5, 1976, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: You should be very much encouraged.
Haṁsadūta: No, the money that I put aside to start that farm, to buy some irrigation equipment and so forth-initial investment—I gave it to Mahāṁsa on your order one lakh of rupees. I gave him one lakh.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: This is for construction, and he's going to take it back.
Prabhupāda: No, that is for construction. That is not for the farm.
Harikeśa: No, no, that money, I intended to use for the farm. But it took so long to get that farm. So when we gave it to...
Prabhupāda: No, that can be... That I guaranteed. That I guaranteed one lakh, that if he does not pay, I shall do it. That guarantee still.
Room Conversation -- September 5, 1976, Vrndavana:
Haṁsadūta: (talking back and forth to Gopāla Kṛṣṇa-indistinct)
Prabhupāda: Yesterday I told him that temple painting is going on... Who is painting? I never saw.
Room Conversation -- November 24, 1976, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: Wherefrom this Christo came. The Greek word. And the Greek got from India, Kṛṣṇa. This is the history. Christian means Krishnian, godly. And Christo, so far I know, the Greek meaning is "decorated," "love." That indicates to Kṛṣṇa. If there is some scholar he can find out that Christian means Krishnian originally. (reads:) "How the soul transmigrates? The process is very subtle. The spirit soul is invisible to our material eye. It is atomic in size. After the destruction of the gross body, which is made up of the senses, blood, bone, fat, and so forth, the subtle body of mind, intelligence, and ego goes on working. So at the time of death this subtle body carries the small spirit soul to another gross body. The process is just like air carrying a fragrance. Nobody can see where this rose fragrance is coming from, but we know that it is being carried by the air. You cannot see how, but it is being done. Similarly, the process of transmigration of the soul is very subtle. According to the conditions of the mind at the time of death the minute spirit soul enters in the womb of particular mother through the semina of the father. And when the soul develops a particular type of body given by the mother it may be a human being, it may be cat, a dog, or anything."
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Evening Darsana -- January 7, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Hundreds there are. But what we have got to do with them?
Guest (1): They're addicted with those things. And also some of our own Transcendental Meditation and so forth, all these things are creating some mental confusion and lack of certain clarity which is...
Prabhupāda: But we must have eyes to see. What they have got, position? All these, they go and come. But here it is entering into the core of the heart of the younger generation. They are becoming mad after it. One should have eyes to see. And therefore the authorities are afraid that "Younger generation, if they..." Here is one book by Professor Stillson Judah. He's a great, learned scholar. After five years study on this movement he has written this book, Hare Krishna and Counterculture. He has given his verdict that "This movement will stay." He has very thoroughly studied the statistics and meeting every member, in this way. There are many books about us, small and big. But here is a responsible master of religious studies.
Evening Conversation -- January 25, 1977, Puri:
Satsvarūpa: "Such great kings were more responsible than modern elected executive heads because they obliged the great authorities by following their instructions left in Vedic literatures. There was no need to enact daily a new legislative bill by impractical fools and to alter it again and again conveniently to serve some purpose. The rules and regulations were already set forth by great sages like Manu, Yājñavalkya, Parāśara, and other liberated sages, and the enactments were all suitable for all ages and all places. Therefore the rules and regulations were standard and without flaw or defect. Kings like Mahārāja Parīkṣit had their council of advisors and all..."
Prabhupāda: Our things on the veranda can be kept inside. Because they are here, somebody may... So many men are coming and going.
Morning Walk -- February 1, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:
Satsvarūpa: ...and the other said, "No, it was a scissor that was used." And they began arguing back and forth, and finally one man who held that it was a knife, he threw the other man in the river...
Prabhupāda: That "You accept that it is done by scissor." So he said, "No, I won't tolerate." Then he pushed him in the water. Then he was doing like this. (laughter) Scissor logic.
Conversation Pieces -- May 27, 1977, Vrndavana:
Rāmeśvara: This is based on the BBT Trust document that you wrote many years ago, the same idea almost. "I, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder-Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, disciple of Oṁ Viṣṇupāda 108 Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Mahārāja Prabhupāda, and we, the members of the Bureau of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, hereby give and transfer the properties and all the property rights incidental thereto, as hereinafter described, to the following persons as trustees in trust for purposes hereinafter stated and to be administered in accordance with the provisions hereinafter set forth." And there are five different trusts. The first one is for Māyāpur, and the proposed trustees are Jayapatākā Mahārāja, Bhavānanda Mahārāja and Gopāla Kṛṣṇa. The second one is for Bombay, and the proposed trustees are Tamāla Kṛṣṇa Mahārāja, Girirāja and Gopāla Kṛṣṇa. The third one is for Vṛndāvana, and the proposed trustees are Akṣayānanda Swami, Gopāla Kṛṣṇa and Viśvambhara.
Prabhupāda: Viśvambhara is not our regular disciple.
Jayapatākā: Shouldn't be included.
Prabhupāda: Then he has to accept sannyāsa from me.
Room Conversation -- June 18, 1977, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: All inhabitants of Navadvīpa were...
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda said we should get some launch. Just like in Hrishikesh there's some launches and they take people free of charge back and forth, Prabhupāda said we should do that, take people back and forth from Navadvīpa Ghāṭa.
Prabhupāda: Not Navadvīpa Ghāṭa. Others, from...
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, Svarup Ganj?
Śatadhanya: Navadvīpa.
Prabhupāda: Navadvīpa side.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: From Navadvīpa side?
Prabhupāda: Where you take bath, just opposite.
Correspondence
1967 Correspondence
Letter to Brahmananda -- San Francisco 14 February, 1967:
I have also received the letter of Mr. Altman and I shall act according to his desire. So you can transfer $200.00 for Altman and $6000.00 altogether $6200.00 to my savings account No. 19282 at the Trade Bank And Trust Company and letter of transfer is enclosed herewith. I have duly signed the letter and you also sign it and forward it to the Bank. They will do the needful. This $6000.00 will be transferred forth with by me as soon as there is a Sale contract for purchase of the house. Till then it will remain in my Savings Account.
When actually there is Sale contract signed I shall induce the San Francisco Branch to contribute $1000.00 positively rest assured.
1968 Correspondence
Letter to Mr. David J. Exley -- Los Angeles 21 February, 1968:
Since that time, this movement is current in India, supported by great Acaryas like Ramanuja, Madhva, and Visnu Swami, and Nimbarka. Later on, about 500 years ago, it received great impetus from Lord Caitanya, and since that time, there are millions of supporters for Krishna Consciousness in India. This Krishna Consciousness movement is still supported by conferences, seminars, and so forth, in several parts of India. Recently, we have started this movement in America, making New York as our center, with a view that we shall be able to attract the attention of the United Nations for spreading this important movement throughout the whole world for actual benefit of the human race.
Letter to Upendra -- Los Angeles 1 March, 1968:
Yes, you may take up such debate, but not any quarrel or argument should take place. It is good to have such debate, and to know the various arguments which the Mayavad philosophers put forth, and to know how to fully defeat each one. That God can come under Maya is one of their foolish arguments; therefore they say "I am God." This nonsense statement can be refuted in full with our information from Bhagavad Gita, Srimad Bhagavatam. What, then is the definition of God? How can God become a dog? If you are God, why are you suffering, life after life? God means Supreme Controller; can you control anything? Not even your own body. What to speak of the millions of planets spinning so perfectly in their orbit. In this way, we must learn all of us, to defeat these nonsense rascals, and curtail this epidemic of Impersonalism,, which is fatal to the innocent people. We can stop this epidemic with this information of Krishna Consciousness, and it is our duty to do it.
Letter to Andrea Temple -- Los Angeles 6 March, 1968:
Govinda dasi has read me your letter and your place sounds very nice. It is all right that you do not have a storefront at present time; simply we need some space, and your house will do very nicely. Before I come there, you should please make large advertising campaign so that many people may come to our Kirtana. Perhaps you could order some fairly large quantity literature and propaganda from New York, and distribute in your city. Also, maybe the radio or T.V. stations may become interested if you approach them with our various propaganda, news clippings, and so forth. You can write to Brahmananda in this connection, and he can give you instructions how to do it. We must try to catch the attention of as many people as possible; so that some may come and hear us, and be benefited. If it is possible, perhaps you can begin this propaganda work as soon as possible, and have regular scheduled Kirtana, so that people may start coming even before my arrival. That would be very nice.
Letter to Balai -- San Francisco 12 March, 1968:
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated 3/10/68, and I thank you very much for it. Yes, the wind, the earth, the water, and so forth, all have controlling personalities. Just like there is a sun god, who is in charge of the sun planet; similarly, for each body of water, for the wind, there are controlling personalities. They are in control of some small part of the material creation, but the ultimate Controller is Krishna. These demigods all are servants of the Supreme Controller.
I am very pleased to hear about Krishna's new throne of gold leaf and velvet. I am anxious to come there and see it, along with all you my students there who are carrying on so nicely even in my absence. But you must know that I am always with you all so long you are executing Krishna Consciousness; and I am always receiving good news of the New York Temple so it is very nice that now you have provided Krishna a beautiful new throne.
So far the Advent Day of Lord Caitanya is concerned, I have written a full suggestion to Montreal, in which the main points are that we should all observe strict fasting up till moonrise, and at that time, an offering is made to Lord Caitanya of Ekadasi foods, fruits, peanuts, milk, and so forth.
Letter to Mangalaniloy -- Montreal 7 July, 1968:
If you want to come here, then I shall have to arrange for your return ticket (round the world) which will cost $1200.00 or in Indian exchange, Rs. 12,000/-. Similarly, if we guarantee for your stay here for 6 months, that will also cost you at least $200.00 per month, which means another Rs. 12,000/-. If you, however, can arrange to spend this Rs. 24,000/- then it may be possible that I can arrange for your sponsoring and sending you a return ticket. On hearing from you we can think of further procedure in this connection. I hope you will reply this letter forth with and oblige. Hoping you are well.
Letter to Hayagriva -- Montreal 17 August, 1968:
But the clause, "Excepting and reserving however, all of the coal within and underlying said property, and subject to the mining rights and privileges set forth in the deed conveying said coal, made by Joseph E. McCombs, et al., dated March 30, 1903, recorded in said Clerk's office in Deed Book 98, at page 185," has caused my headache. I do not know what is written there in the Clerk's office in Deed Book 98, but on common sense, it appears that the area is coal mine or oilmine.
Letter to Mukunda -- Los Angeles 5 December, 1968:
Actually, we are not preaching a particular type of faith. We are teaching the post graduate studies of all religions: we are teaching people how to love God and who is the man that will deny this principle? This basic principle we can talk with any religious head and any sincere religious man will appreciate it. We simply want people to become God conscious and that will bring forth real peace in the world. So if the Christian heads of the different churches will cooperate with us, we can render very valuable service to the whole of human society.
Letter to Krsna dasa -- Los Angeles 11 December, 1968:
So if you try to continue in the humble attitude you have now, with little time you will have wonderful success in further developing your Krishna Consciousness. Actually the Krishna Consciousness is already there, but it is now covered up so we must wipe away the dirt of maya from our consciousness so the pure essence of consciousness, or love for Krishna, may once again shine forth. I am always praying to Krishna to help you more and more so if you remember to always increase your efforts to make progress in spreading this movement, then Krishna will certainly save you, rest assured.
1969 Correspondence
Letter to Bhadra Bardhan -- London 4 December, 1969:
Regarding your question about the Brahmajyoti, it is explained in Bhagavad-gita that the impersonal Brahman effulgence is emanating from Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The brahma-jyotir is just like the sunlight, which emanates from the Sun God: Because the sunlight has no personal form, this does not mean that the Sun God has become impersonal. You have seen in pictures of Lord Krishna that there is a nice effulgence coming forth from His body. This effulgence is the Brahmajyoti, and it is pervading throughout the entire spiritual and material manifestation. But above this Brahmajyoti is the Supreme Source of everything, Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. I hope this important point is clear to you now.
1970 Correspondence
Letter to Jayapataka, Acyutananda -- Tokyo 20 August, 1970:
Krsna Consciousness Movement is not a sectarian religion, but it is a solution for all the problems of life. In other words, Krsna is good for everyone. The idea is Krsna is substance and Maya is illusion. Illusion is accepted as void and impersonal, but Krsna is the Summum Bonum Person. Krsna is one and Maya is zero. Zero by the side of One is ten, but thousands of zeros clogged together do not make one. So there are many ideas within this world put forth by many philosophers, politicians, religionists, philanthropists, etc., but all of them are considered as illusion or zeros if there is no Krsna Consciousness. We have to push forward this philosophy throughout the whole world. We have sufficient support for acknowledging this philosophy.
1972 Correspondence
Letter to Gargamuni -- Amsterdam 29 July, 1972:
Hamsaduta has promised to arrange for getting one German van for your party in India, and he will send some men there by driving it to India very soon. If so many men are coming forth to offer you all cooperation, why not take collection from them for new slide projector? That is not very big thing, so I think you can manage.
1973 Correspondence
Letter to Satsvarupa, Hrdayananda -- Bombay 9 January, 1973:
One thing is, I am requesting that one of my old friends here in Bombay, one Bengali man named Mr. D. C. Chakravorty, may send his three young children to our Gurukula, probably they will be coming there some time next spring. So you may prepare one letter of invitation to Mr. D. C. Chakravorty, c/o Mogul Line Ltd., 16 Bank Street, Fort, Bombay-1, India, wherein you shall certify that his children, namely Basanti Chakravorty, female 9 years old, Somendra Chakravorty, male, 6 years old, and Satindra Chakravorty, male, 6 years old, that these three children have been admitted to our bona fide educational institution at Dallas, Texas, U.S.A., and that you have accepted them to study with you for a period of, let us say, one year's time, and that you understand that the tuition fees and other incidental expenses such as boarding and lodging, clothes, medical expenditures, and so forth, that these maintenance expenses will be borne by the International Society for Krsna Consciousness, and then you may give some credentials and financial statements about our Society.
Letter to Purusottama -- Bombay 23 October, 1973:
I have chanted on the beads you have sent me, and they are mailed under separate post. But, in future I request you to send the beads for being chanted upon by Madhudvisa Maharaja. This is to avoid the postal charges back and forth. Please see that the new disciples are always engaged in devotional service.
1974 Correspondence
Letter to Pusta Krsna -- Mayapur 16 October, 1974:
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated September 24, 1974 and am glad to read the contents. Your success with the South Africans there is very good. I have initiated the boy and girl, and their spiritual names are as follows: Gokulendra dasa and Rocani devi dasi. You can chant on their beads. You must get more South Africans to join and make our mission solid there. The Indians they are hopeless so far I have seen, so get the Europeans to join as many possible. Regarding the draft situation, let them go from the college to the temple. They can stay with us for some time and then go back and forth. In the colleges they can introduce our books. We are getting very good written appreciations from learned circles in USA of our books and many libraries and universities are ordering an open order all of the books as they are published.
1975 Correspondence
Letter to Giriraja -- Vrindaban 11 September, 1975:
The following scheme should be followed hence forth. We have Guest Rooms and Devotee Rooms. The Guest Rooms can be used by anyone who pays the fees, in advance. Any Life Patron Member can live in a Guest room for a period not exceeding three days free of charge. If he wants to stay with us longer for any reason, then he may move to the Devotee Rooms, where he must live as we do, following all devotional practices as we do.
Letter to W.J. Carpenter -- New Delhi 30 November, 1975:
This is now needed." In this way one is plundered by the thieves in the forest. Now knowing the aim of human life, one is constantly being misguided. The aim of life is Visnu, or Krishna (Na te vidhu svartha-gatim hi visnum) Everyone works very hard to earn money, but no one knows that his real work is to serve Krishna, the supreme Personality of Godhead. Instead of spending money to advance the cause of Krishna consciousness, one spends his hard earned money on clubs, brothels, liquor, drugs cigarettes, slaughterhouses and so forth. All these activities are sinful, and because we are engaged in such sinful activities constantly we are constantly reaping the result of our sinful work, which is suffering in one way or another.
1977 Correspondence
Letter to Srila Prabhupada -- Unknown Place 13 March, 1977:
Even amongst the Vaisnavas you are a rare jewel set in the purest gold. The brightness of your devotion to Krsna outshines all others, and while they stay at home with the Deity and their bhajan, you boldly set forth to preach the message of Lord Caitanya and your Guru Maharaja. In recognition of this the Supreme Lord has agreed to live amongst the mlecchas and accept their poor hearted offerings. Without your devotion He could never have agreed to do this. Once in 1971, after you had installed Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha Krsna in Sydney in a 'temple' that was actually a converted garage, you prayed to Krsna that "Now I am living you in the hands of these rascals, so You kindly look after Yourself and see they serve You nicely." The following year you told us that story and commented that now you could see that He has done this and you encouraged us to go on increasing our service to the Lord more and more.
| Page Title: | Forth (Lect, Conv and Letters) |
| Compiler: | Mangalavati, Mayapur |
| Created: | 22 of Apr, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=24, Con=41, Let=18 |
| No. of Quotes: | 83 |