Go to Vanipedia | Go to Vanisource | Go to Vanimedia


Vaniquotes - the compiled essence of Vedic knowledge


French (Conversations 1968 - 1973)

Conversations and Morning Walks

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

Interview -- February 1, 1968, Los Angeles:

Interviewer: Have you... Did you... Well, you've only been over here about four years. But have there been dropouts, out of the movement, of the hundred that were initiated?

Prabhupāda: They are doing nicely. They are making progress. They are understanding the philosophy. They are working for it. Now I am the only man who came from India, and still, I am one. I have no... There are many Indians, but I have no Indian follower here. Of course, in India we have got. That's a different thing. But these, all these American boys, they are cooperating with me. That means they are taking this movement very seriously. We have got two great papers, magazines, already, Back to Godhead. One is published from New York, and the other is published from Montreal. (break) In French language. Montreal it is published in French language, and they are well received. Recently I have received one letter from my disciple, Janardana. He is Janus Dambergs, M.A., he is the editor of that paper. He is a very good scholar in French language. His wife is also good scholar, Muna. She is also very good scholar in French language. So they are publishing, and the magazine is well received by the French-speaking people there. And we have contemplation to publish the same magazine in German language also from Germany.

Conversation with Religious Group -- July 27, 1968, Montreal:

Prabhupāda: Now you are convinced that conference is required. You have to convince me; I'll have to convince you.

Guest (2): I think that it is through those confrontations and through those listenings to each other... (break) (French) man

Guest (4): If you go to London, I want to go to India, and then we shall be separated. So we must all go both to London and India.

Prabhupāda: Therefore I say that first of all we have to decide where to go. If anyone is satisfied that "I am satisfied with going to London or going to Paris..."

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation With John Lennon, Yoko Ono, and George Harrison -- September 11, 1969, London, At Tittenhurst:

Prabhupāda: Simply one has to learn. Just like in arithmetic. There is all mathematical calculation, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, this or that, fraction. One has to learn. So Bhagavad-gītā is so nice book and it is accepted. Not that because we are preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we are advocating for Bhagavad... No. It is accepted by scholarly section, religious section, not only in India, but all over the world. Perhaps you know. In every country there are thousands of Bhagavad-gītā translation, in every language, in English, in French, in German, all languages. And even Mohammedans... Of course, scholarly Mohammedans, they also read very nicely Bhagavad-gītā. I know one Mohammedan professor in India. He was a great devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa. He did not disclose that he was a devotee, but he was observing Janmāṣṭamī fasting day and he was writing one article on Kṛṣṇa every Janmāṣṭamī day. There are many.

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Conversation with Prof. Kotovsky -- June 22, 1971, Moscow:

Prof. Kotovsky: ...mankind has been developed from medieval age... Like French Revolution, it was revolt against surrender. But this revolt also was surrender itself to the rank and file of the people, their (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Prof. Kotovsky: But so it is not enough to put a full stop on surrender.

Prabhupāda: No.

Prof. Kotovsky: Surrender is to be accompanied with revolt against surrender of other...

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- April 18, 1972, Hong Kong:

Prabhupāda: You have seen his wife, you all, Bhūrijana's wife? She is a nice girl, educated, qualified. But she is satisfied. I asked her to go and marry Bhūrijana. She never saw her (him). She never saw her (him), what kind of husband she is going to accept. But simply on my word, she came, and she came from Los Angeles to Japan and got married. Similarly I am asking one girl. She is a French girl, Mandākinī. So I am asking her to go to Russia and marry one boy. She has never seen. So they obey in such a way. The Western boys and girls, they want to see and behave before marrying. But they are so obedient that without any consideration... Because marriage or no marriage, that is not their consideration. The only consideration is how to please Kṛṣṇa and his representative. Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya-pāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya 19.151). Bhakti-latā-bīja. Bhakti is just like a creeper, and the seed of that creeper can be obtained by the mercy of guru and Kṛṣṇa. That is Vedic injunction.

Conversation with Dai Nippon -- April 22, 1972, Tokyo:

Prabhupāda: Dimmock. He has given very good appreciation. And gradually it will be printed in other languages. German, French, Spanish, Denmark, Holland...

Karandhara: Danish.

Prabhupāda: Danish, yes. And we are getting also Hindi layout from India. That Hindi magazine also will be printed. Gradually other Indian languages. And Japanese and Chinese also. Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa...

Karandhara: If Dai Nippon opens a liaison office in Los Angeles, then it will be very easy to work. The contract is for all the jobs.

Prabhupāda: The officer who will remain there, he will be final or you have to consult with Mr. Ogata(?) and...?

Conversation with the GBC -- May 25, 1972, Los Angeles:

Śyāmasundara: Why not Bali-mardana tour sometimes to check on the foreign literatures, French, German, see how they are going on and inspect the foreign literature field.

Devotee: (indistinct) planning to take speaking engagements in the colleges.

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Devotees: (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: So we shall increase. You can increase the number. So according to vacant position, how many, it may be fifteen?

Interview -- July 20, 1972, Paris:

Devotee: Yes. I think this gentleman would like to have some interview with Śrīla Prabhupāda. Would you like to translate?

Frenchman: (translated) ...great spiritual master, kindly present yourself to the listeners to (indistinct).

Prabhupāda: I have already explained what is our mission, what is this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Already I have explained to some extent and if he wants some particular answer he can ask me.

Devotee: He would like to know who you are, Śrīla Prabhupāda, and how old you are.

Prabhupāda: I am now seventy-seven.

Interview -- July 20, 1972, Paris:

Prabhupāda: I am now seventy-seven.

Frenchman: (translated) For how long are you at the head of this movement?

Prabhupāda: For the last five years.

Frenchman: Can you please describe the dress in which you are clothed.

Prabhupāda: You can ask about some philosophy. Dress, (how) people will benefit knowing about my dress. Instead of wasting time in that way, I can ask you why you are in dress... That's not very important thing.

Devotee (2): Anyone can answer those questions.

Frenchman: What do you think of the future?

Interview -- July 20, 1972, Paris:

Prabhupāda: I was (indistinct) ...a devotee (indistinct) ...my childhood. My father was a devotee and he trained me....

Frenchman: Are you happy? (devotees laugh)

Prabhupāda: What do you think? What do you think? I'm happy or unhappy? (indistinct microphone is faulty) ...this wrong conception should be... (indistinct) We should know our real identity. Then everything will be all right. We are going on in the wrong concept of life. Therefore people are not happy. So (indistinct) ...spiritual master... (indistinct) If people accept... (indistinct) They'll be happy.

Frenchman: (indistinct) ...history of many masters and many great teachers such as Jesus Christ and many others... (indistinct) ...come to... (indistinct) ...message. (indistinct) ...today on the same level.

Interview -- July 20, 1972, Paris:

Prabhupāda: So we are giving a message by which everyone can be happy in this life and next life also. Generally all religious sects they do not believe in the next life. Or even they believe they have no clear idea of the next life.

Frenchman: What is the present hope of the human society even beyond death?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Human society is... Human life is an opportunity to stop all the problems of material life. So if he does not do so, if he does not understand or take to this business how to solve all the problems of life, then he's missing the opportunity. We are giving very nice idea what is next life, how we can elevate to the topmost spiritual planet, how we can live eternally, peacefully, with full knowledge. Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is for all these purpose.

Frenchman: In society, the consumer society, (indistinct) miseries, what is the message you can bring people even in this day?

Interview -- July 20, 1972, Paris:

Prabhupāda: Yes. By accepting this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement they will be moralists, they will be religionists, they will be first-class (indistinct), first-class politician, everything perfect by accepting Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Frenchman: We have heard from not such a great master who has (indistinct) ...highest spiritual principles, (indistinct) ...like socialism and spiritual communism, he'd like to know exactly what this means.

Prabhupāda: Spiritual communism means that these so-called communists they are concerned with the limited thing. Just like the communists in Russia or China, they are thinking of their country main only. They are not thinking of others. Or they're thinking only they human beings, not of the animals. But our spiritual comm... Communist means that we take care, not only of the human being, but of the animals also.

Interview -- July 20, 1972, Paris:

Devotee: He says thank you very, very much. (indistinct) ...very much trouble before meeting you... (indistinct) Thank you very much for the few minutes you've afforded to us. (indistinct) ...for a long journey.

Prabhupāda: Thank you very much.

Frenchman: Merci.

Devotees: Jaya! (end)

Room Conversation -- October 25, 1972, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes, reading Bhagavad-gītā. And I am getting that boy married with my one French girl disciple. Then he will be strong. (laughs) We are also playing politics. You know that...

Gurudāsa: Mandākinī.

Prabhupāda: Mandākinī, yes. Very nice girl. You have seen her?

Devotee (3): Very nice pujārī.

Prabhupāda: Very intelligent, educated, beautiful, everything. And I have asked her that "You go to Russia and marry that boy." She has accepted.

Indian man: She has accepted.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- May 9, 1973, Los Angeles:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: There is an experiment that was done by Pasteur, a French scientist a long time ago. In that experiment he boiled some, I think it was water. Because normally the water, without boiling there are so many microorganisms, small, small living entities, that can be detected under microscope. He wanted to know whether life started from some ingredients inside or just life started from life. So he boiled this solution and he kept for some time under very careful covering so that there is no contamination from outside. And then there was no life. He couldn't find any organisms. So they said, "Life starts from matter." That is one of the experiments.

Prabhupāda: What is that experiment?

Morning Walk At Cheviot Hills Golf Course -- May 13, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Everyone can write chance, so what is your credit? Anything nonsense can be written.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Monod is his name. He got Nobel Prize in 1965 from... He is Frenchman, physiologist. And his, chance and necessity about life, he said everything started by chance. So he is saying that by chance these chemicals combined together, forming these molecules, the basic molecules...

Prabhupāda: But wherefrom the molecules came?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: According to him it is simply by chance.

Prabhupāda: Chance. So everything is chance. So what is the necessity of your writing book?

Conversation with Mr. Wadell -- July 10, 1973, London:

Mr. Wadell: Because it is not quite the same thing as my knowing that I am here. There's a famous French philosopher who began all his philosophy from the phrase "I am conscious; therefore I know that I exist." And he deduced everything, you know, starting from here.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That's a fact. You are conscious, I am conscious, that's a fact. It is not the question of belief. It is not question of belief. Belief may be wrong, but fact is fact.

Mr. Wadell: Yes, agreed.

Room Conversation with Indian Guests and Devotees -- July 11, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: He must be. So many attacks. How he can tolerate. He's in the post. This is happening.

Kṛṣṇa-bhāminī: This idea of democracy came at a time in French history called the Period of Enlightenment, and it was introduced by...

Prabhupāda: Hm? Democracy?

Haṁsadūta: Democracy was first introduced in an age which they call the Age of Enlightenment in French history.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation with Dr. Arnold Toynbee, Famous Historian, at his home or office -- July 22, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: In Canada, there is two languages, English and French.

Dr. Arnold Toynbee: Yes. And unfortunately, a great feeling between the two.

Prabhupāda: This material world is based on jealousy. And spiritual world is based on friendship. That is the difference. So the, these materialistic persons, United Nations, League of Nations, they are trying to unite, but they, at heart, there is jealousy. So they can never become united. This is only bogus farce.

Dr. Arnold Toynbee: Yes, yes.

Prabhupāda: What do you think?

Room Conversation with Reporter from Researchers Magazine -- July 24, 1973, London:

Reporter: Now people know only "French Connection," they're forgetting Kṛṣṇa connection. (laughs) Yes, very true.

Prabhupāda: But we see everything has got Kṛṣṇa connection. Therefore we utilize it for Kṛṣṇa. Just like you're talking about Kṛṣṇa, it is being recorded. So it is useful for Kṛṣṇa's service. Why should I give it up? Because the airplane is there, therefore my preaching has been easier. Every year I'm wandering all over the world, twice, thrice. Because if you use airplane. So why shall I give it up? It is giving me facility to preach my Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, why shall I give it up? It is mithyā. Just like the Jains, they do not ride on car, but if by going in a car I can go and preach, very swiftly, and come back again, why shall I give up this car? So our philosophy is not like that. Nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe yuktaṁ vairāgyam ucyate. It is yukta-vairāgya. We have no attachment for all these things. We are sitting in this palatial building, that's all right. But you can talk things under the tree. But if I sit down underneath a tree nobody will come to me. (everyone laughs) So why shall I do that? This is our philosophy.

Garden Conversation with Mahadeva's Mother and Jesuit Priest -- July 25, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: Then that exact...

Jesuit Priest: It's like the French. How do you say in..., how do you translate "au revoir"?

Prabhupāda: Otto?

Revatīnandana: He's asking you how to translate a French word, "au revoir."

Jesuit Priest: How do you translate into English?

Prabhupāda: No, no. I'm not translating. The person who knows French language, he translates from our English.

Room Conversation with Cardinal Danielou -- August 9, 1973, Paris:

Prabhupāda: Yes. What is the address, our center?

Yogeśvara: It's 4, Rue le Seuer. (French)

Cardinal Danielou: (French) You have the temple of Kṛṣṇa?

Yogeśvara: Yes.

Cardinal Danielou: You have a community in Paris?

Yogeśvara: Yes.

Prabhupāda: We shall install Deity tomorrow morning. So...

Cardinal Danielou: Yes, you...

Prabhupāda: Have you got time to attend?

Room Conversation with Cardinal Danielou -- August 9, 1973, Paris:

Yogeśvara: (French)

Cardinal Danielou: Ah... I don't know. Perhaps. What, what, what, at quel heur, what time?

Yogeśvara: Nine o'clock.

Cardinal Danielou: Nine o'clock, nine o' clock. Nine o'clock is perhaps difficult.

Prabhupāda: Nine...

Cardinal Danielou: Nine, it is...

Prabhupāda: Nine to twelve, the ceremony...

Room Conversation with Cardinal Danielou -- August 9, 1973, Paris:

Cardinal Danielou: He's now in Rome, in Rome, in Rome. He, he had especially in Greece language not in French. He lived in Rome, in Berlin. You visited Italy, Italy yourself?

Prabhupāda: Not yet.

Cardinal Danielou: No. Not yet, not yet. France. France...

Prabhupāda: I've got invitation from the secretary...

Cardinal Danielou: Yes.

Bhagavān: We are beginning one branch in Italy.

Cardinal Danielou: Yes, yes, yes, yes.

Bhagavān: Your brother, he has acquired a little philosophy from India.

Cardinal Danielou: Yes, yes, very acquainted with Indian philosophy and religion. He read very well Sanskrit and...

Prabhupāda: Oh, he knows Sanskrit?

Room Conversation with Cardinal Danielou -- August 9, 1973, Paris:

Bhagavān: We can get glass of water?

Frenchman: Yes.

Cardinal Danielou: Glass...

Bhagavān: Do you understand English enough to...?

Cardinal Danielou: Yes, I understand, very well I understand some...

Prabhupāda: The king, this creation, God created this material world. What is the purpose? What is the purpose of creation? There must be some plan. When you manufacture something, do something, there must be plan. So what is the plan behind this cosmic manifestation?

Room Conversation with Cardinal Danielou -- August 9, 1973, Paris:

Cardinal Danielou: Oui. You understand, you understand what I say? Or not very well? (French)

Prabhupāda: So the creation... We are, we all living entities, we are also part and parcel of God.

Yogeśvara: (Translation)

Cardinal Danielou: Oui.

Prabhupāda: Just like this finger...

Room Conversation with Cardinal Danielou -- August 9, 1973, Paris:

Cardinal Danielou: (agrees in French)

Prabhupāda: Therefore in this material world we find almost everyone has forgotten God.

Yogeśvara: (translates)

Cardinal Danielou: (agrees in French)

Prabhupāda: The conclusion is that this material world is created...

Cardinal Danielou: Created...

Prabhupāda: Created for the forgotten souls.

Room Conversation with Cardinal Danielou -- August 9, 1973, Paris:

Prabhupāda: By the help of Kṛṣṇa...

Cardinal Danielou: (aside in French)

Prabhupāda: By the help of God, and by the help of master, spiritual master...

Cardinal Danielou: Yes, yes. Spiritual master.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Cardinal Danielou: Spiritual master is very important. The guru, you say, yes.

Prabhupāda: Guru, yes. That is the very word used. Guru-kṛṣṇa-kṛpāya pāya bhakti-latā-bīja (CC Madhya 19.151). One revives his God consciousness by the mercy of God and guru.

Room Conversation with Cardinal Danielou -- August 9, 1973, Paris:

Prabhupāda: Where he has gone to take the water from, Arabian Sea?

Cardinal Danielou: (French)

Yogeśvara: Kṛṣṇa's mercy. I can change the tape. (break)

Cardinal Danielou: ...leader of the Kṛṣṇa community?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Cardinal Danielou: Yes, yes. But there are in India other community of Viṣṇu...?

Prabhupāda: The same, the same.

Room Conversation with Cardinal Danielou -- August 9, 1973, Paris:

Yogeśvara: But still we find that the French young people today are at the head of all the revolutionary philosophies and movements.

Cardinal Danielou: Yes. Yes. But it is not the majority of the young men and this revolutionary spirit is amongst many youths, some research, research of the Absolute. Some young men are communist and Marxist, surely. But many youths, today have a spirit of research factually. In, insatisfied with actual religious forms, but receives any religious experience, a spiritual experience...

Prabhupāda: That is the latest thing. They are now disgusted with these religious rituals without philosophy.

Room Conversation with Cardinal Danielou -- August 9, 1973, Paris:

Prabhupāda: May, may I ask you one question? Jesus says: "Thou shalt not kill." So why Christian people are killing?

Cardinal Danielou: (French)

Yogeśvara: (French)

Cardinal Danielou: It is forbidden in Christianity to kill. Surely. But chiefly we think that there is a difference between the life of man and the life the beasts. N'est ce pas? And that the life of man is sacred because man is the image of God. But we have not the same respect relating to the beasts, to the animals, and we think that the animals are at the service of man, and that it is legitime to man. For us, each life is not the same. What is really important is the life of man, and the human person is really sacred and it is forbidden to kill a human person...

Room Conversation with Cardinal Danielou -- August 9, 1973, Paris:

Cardinal Danielou: (French) In the Bible we have many example of, by example, we have many sacrifice in the sacrifice of animals. You know. Many sacrifice of animals in the Bible. Alors. This is not forbidden. It is sure that it is a great sin to kill a man, alors. There is surely the great question of the war, the war, the national war. And is, it is...

Prabhupāda: You, you, you think that to kill an animal is no sin?

Cardinal Danielou: No, no, no. No sin. No sin. No sin. Because we think that the simple biologic life is not sacred. That is, what is sacred is the human life, the human life. But not the life, ass.

Room Conversation with Cardinal Danielou -- August 9, 1973, Paris:

Yogeśvara: (French)

Cardinal Danielou: (French) Mais, it is surely, I think, it is surely the killing of the man. I think, I have a great difficulty to understand why in Indian religion... Because it is impossible... By example, it is necessary, pour la nourriture?

Yogeśvara: For food.

Cardinal Danielou: Oui. For the food of man to eat, to eat, and...

Prabhupāda: Man can eat grains, food grains, fruits, milk, sugar, wheat...

Cardinal Danielou: Not, not, (French)?

Room Conversation with Cardinal Danielou -- August 9, 1973, Paris:

Cardinal Danielou: (French)

Bhagavān: How do you justify it?

Cardinal Danielou: Yes, because we, we thought that there is a difference of nature between life of man, life of spirit, and biological, biological life. And we say... (break) ...not really exists, and we think so. We think that animals, plant are not real beings, are world of appearance and that you human person only is real being. And that in this sense, the material world is without importance.

Prabhupāda: Now..., I follow. Suppose you are living in this house. So you are not this house, that's a fact.

Room Conversation with Cardinal Danielou -- August 9, 1973, Paris:

Cardinal Danielou: (French)

Yogeśvara: (translates)

Cardinal Danielou: Oui, oui. I think that this is perhaps not an essential point. I think that in this realm the uses of various religions can be good. The importance is to love God.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Cardinal Danielou: But the commandment practical can be various.

Prabhupāda: No. Just like God, if God says that: "You can do this," that is not sin. But if God says that: "You cannot do it", then it is sin.

Room Conversation with Cardinal Danielou -- August 9, 1973, Paris:

Cardinal Danielou: Yes, but Jesus eated (French, refers to passover lamb)

Yogeśvara: (French)

Cardinal Danielou: Mutton, mutton.

Yogeśvara: Oh, the sheep.

Cardinal Danielou: Oui, the sheeps...

Prabhupāda: That's all right, but Jesus Christ never maintained slaughterhouse.

Yogeśvara: (translates)

Cardinal Danielou: Non, mais... He eated, he eated, he eated...

Prabhupāda: In certain circumstances, when there is no other food, that a life must be saved. That is another thing. But why regularly slaughterhouse should be maintained for the satisfaction of the tongue?

Room Conversation with Cardinal Danielou -- August 9, 1973, Paris:

Cardinal Danielou: (French)

Yogeśvara: (French)

Cardinal Danielou: Oui.

Yogeśvara: He says: "No, that yes, this is the philosophy, that, that below the human level, the soul does not inhabit the body of other species."

Cardinal Danielou: The soul, the soul, the soul is, is human soul. In the animal you have some psychologic existence, but not life of spirit with freedom, with mind and with the reality of spirit. But you have the same idea because you said that there is a difference of nature between spiritual creation and the material world. You know, the material world is not of the same essence than the spiritual world. And the man, the man is a part of spiritual world.

Prabhupāda: No. Our Bhagavad-gītā says: sarva-yoniṣu. "In all species of life, as many forms are there, so the spirit soul is there." This outward body is just like a dress. You may have a very costly dress, and I may have a very shabby, poor dress, but both of us are human being, or living entities. Similarly these different forms of living entities, they are just like different types of dress. Vāsāṁsi jīrṇāni yathā vihāya (BG 2.22). Just like you are in black dress. I am in saffron dress...

Room Conversation with Cardinal Danielou -- August 9, 1973, Paris:

Prabhupāda: For father, there is no such distinction that: "This high-court judge is very important and the clerk in the office, my son, he's not important." So if the enlightened son, high-court judge, says to the father: "My dear father, your, this son, is useless. Let me cut him and eat." Will the father allow?

Yogeśvara: (asks in French if this is clear)

Cardinal Danielou: Non.

Yogeśvara: (translates)

Prabhupāda: Apart from this consideration, at least this morality should be observed that cows, they're our mother. We should not kill at least mothers for eating the flesh.

Room Conversation with Cardinal Danielou -- August 9, 1973, Paris:

Cardinal Danielou: It is, it is, it is the idea that all life is parcel of the life of God. You know of this is to us, difficult to admit. We can, there is a very great difference between the life of man who is really called to partake the life of God, and the animal life, who is (French)

Yogeśvara: Temporary.

Cardinal Danielou: No. Without, without, impermanent. Life of man is permanent.

Prabhupāda: That, that, that difference is due to development of consciousness. The human body, human body, you get developed consciousness. Just like this tree. It is also a living entity, but it's consciousness is not yet fructified. If you cut the tree, it does not resist. But it resists in a very small degree. That is proved by the scientists. The Sir Jagadisha Candra Bose, in Calcutta, he's also a very great scientist. He has made machine: when you cut the tree, it feels and it is recorded in the machine.

Room Conversation with Cardinal Danielou -- August 9, 1973, Paris:

Prabhupāda: No. The God is very kind. If you want to eat animals, then He'll give facility, good facility. Just like tiger. You become tiger, and eat animals. Those who are animal eaters, unrestrictedly, God will give him the body of a tiger next life so that he can very freely eat. "Why you maintain slaughterhouse? I give you nails and jaws. Just eat." So they are waiting that life.

Yogeśvara: Is it clear?

Cardinal Danielou: (French)

Yogeśvara: (translates)

Cardinal Danielou: Well, (French). I am very joyful to, to speak, to speak with you. And I offer, if I can, tomorrow go to the, to visit the Temple. Yes, yes. I hope I can tomorrow.

Yogeśvara: (French) (end)

Room Conversation with French Journalist and UNESCO Worker -- August 10, 1973, Paris:

Bhagavān: Tonight there's a meeting scheduled at six-thirty here. There's a big professor of philosophy, it's called the Sorbonne. Have you ever heard of this school? The Sorbonne? It's the big French University. So he called, he requested if you would see him tonight. So we set appointment for six-thirty.

Prabhupāda: So Śivānanda Prabhu, you are doing well? Your wife came to see me. (break)

Yogeśvara: He's named Maurice Rougemont. Śrīla Prabhupāda, notre maitre spirituel.

Reporter: Enchantez.

Room Conversation with French Journalist and UNESCO Worker -- August 10, 1973, Paris:

Yogeśvara: (French)

Reporter: (French)

Yogeśvara: Ah, oui?

Reporter: Oui. I've heard that... It's a mistake. And your movement, your consciousness of Kṛṣṇa, engloves, takes all the direction of economics and political possibility.

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes.

Room Conversation with French Journalist and UNESCO Worker -- August 10, 1973, Paris:

Yogeśvara: (French: Would you like a translation?)

Reporter: Oui.

Yogeśvara: (from this point Yogeśvara translates some of the dialogue)

Prabhupāda: And to get help for this realization we are concerned with everything. Naturally, politics, economics, science, art, philosophy, everything is included. And that is the perfection of all other subject matter. Everything has got an objective. So any of these departmental knowledge, namely politics, economics, art, science, philosophy, religion, art, science, philosophy, religion, everything should be aimed to achieve this end, God realization.

Room Conversation with French Journalist and UNESCO Worker -- August 10, 1973, Paris:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Kāmaṁ vavarṣa parjanyaḥ (SB 1.10.4). You can...

Śrutakīrti: Kāmaṁ vavarṣa parjanyaḥ?

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Yogeśvara: (in French:) He's looking for a specific reference in that book which explains the beginning of our political program.

Room Conversation with French Journalist and UNESCO Worker -- August 10, 1973, Paris:

Reporter: Have you a point of view about the demographic problem and the problem of (French)?

Yogeśvara: Do we have a viewpoint on contraception?

Prabhupāda: That is most sinful activity. Because a child is coming to live at the expense of God's property, and the rascal father is thinking of overpopulation.

Yogeśvara: Or, as Prabhupāda was saying, he's thinking there's overpopulation.

Reporter: (French)

Yogeśvara: But he says but this is a fact, this overpopulation.

Prabhupāda: That is another wrong impression. Foolish impression. The whole world has got sufficient place to produce food for ten times the population as it is now. The Americans, they throw grains in the water. So if they send the excess grain to the place where grain is not sufficient, then it is God conscious-ness. If the so-called overpopulation is spread all over the world, there is sufficient place in Africa, Australia, America. The overpopulation can grow their food in these vast uncultivated land.

Room Conversation with French Journalist and UNESCO Worker -- August 10, 1973, Paris:

Yogeśvara: You can translate that story? (French) (to Prabhupāda:) She went there to buy her foodstuffs?

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes.

Yogeśvara: (French)

Prabhupāda: So you are thinking in that way. "How I shall provide this population?" That is the old woman's crying. Without sufficient knowledge. We do not believe in this, all rascaldom. We believe in God. If God can create... just like animals. They do not cry. They're increasing. The hogs and dogs, even lower animals... This is demonic economy. A man is holding thousands of acres of land and he's thinking of overpopulation. Why not he distributes the thousands of acres of land to the people? They would produce their own food. That is the, that is the defect of so-called socialism. But here we give a right type of socialism.

Room Conversation with French Journalist and UNESCO Worker -- August 10, 1973, Paris:

Prabhupāda: It is... Why it should be presented to Pārtha-sārathi. Even American representative or English representative or French representative, any representative can do...

Dr. Inger: Because being a governmental organization, the only kind of reply one would get from such a question would be a very polite and courteous one, but it wouldn't have... No action would be taken. Action can only be taken, if it is governmentally presented. That is the only problem. There are many ideas which come forward, boundless ones, but the people need to present them officially. And... (break)

Prabhupāda: ...your position there?

Room Conversation -- August 11, 1973, Paris:

Prabhupāda: No. There's... Just like you are a citizen of French government. You are also independent. If the government says that if you do this, then you'll be punished. So when you do that, that is misuse of independence. Otherwise you are independent.

Guru-gaurāṅga: So real independence means to surrender then.

Prabhupāda: Yes. To authority. Because you have to surrender. If you don't surrender to God, then you have to surrender to māyā. Just like you don't surrender to government, then you have to surrender to the superintendent of jail. That's all. If you misuse your independence, you'll not be happy. This is the fact. But you have got the independence. You can misuse it. That is your prerogative. That is your freedom. Freedom means you must have independence. But because you are not absolutely independent, so you suffer. The Absolute Independent is God, Kṛṣṇa. Just like government.

Room Conversation with Rosicrucians -- August 13, 1973, Paris:

Yogeśvara: ...Mr. Belfiore and his wife Mrs. Belfiore. Mr. Belfiore is the inspector general for the French area, Paris area, for the Rosicrucian movement, the Rosicrucian order.

Prabhupāda: What is that Rosicrucian?

Yogeśvara: It is a very big religious movement all around the world. (Yogeśvara speaks in French with Mr. Belfiore and then translates for Śrīla Prabhupāda throughout) He says our movement is very well known in the United States. Have you never come across our society?

Prabhupāda: What is the aim of this movement?

Room Conversation with Rosicrucians -- August 13, 1973, Paris:

Yogeśvara: He says all he can is repeat to you his answer previously, which is that (it) is to reach the perfection of consciousness at which point man is in communion, in unity with the beyond. He calls it the cela (French), "the inexplicable."

Prabhupāda: But he cannot express what is that beyond. But he cannot describe what is God. That is imperfect knowledge.

Yogeśvara: He says that communion with God is something that is subjective; it's something you experience, not that you describe.

Prabhupāda: That is not perfect.

Room Conversation with Rosicrucians -- August 13, 1973, Paris:

French guest devotee: No, no, the aura.

Yogeśvara: ...how they have, the Russians have found the soul and they have described all the different phenomena of para-psychology and extra sensory perception, and he said it's an incredible book, and the Russians have made great discoveries. He hasn't finished the book yet.

Prabhupāda: That is Russians. I am asking him about his...

Yogeśvara: He says that the Rosicrucians they know what is the duty of human life.

Room Conversation with French Nun -- August 13, 1973, Paris:

Yogeśvara: She's asking... This is a French nun, and she wishes to know whether for us Christ is the son of God or is He God Himself or what is the identity of Lord Jesus Christ?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Jesus Christ says that he's son of God. That's all right. We accept.

Yogeśvara: (translates French throughout) (break)

Prabhupāda: ...ordinary son. And he's powerful son.

Room Conversation with Sanskrit Professor -- August 13, 1973, Paris:

Professor: That's a good thing. You know that the first translation of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in any European language was in French in the beginning of the Nineteenth Century by a French scholar called Brenelouf. Yes, it was wonderful translation. But just a plain translation, without commentary. I am sure that your book is more valuable...

Prabhupāda: So you can see my mode of translation.

Professor: Yes, because...

Prabhupāda: You can see. You open anywhere. Yes.

Room Conversation with Sanskrit Professor -- August 13, 1973, Paris:

Prabhupāda: Kali-santaraṇa Upaniṣad. Yes.

Professor: Yes, I have made a translation of it into French. It's under print now at the present.

Prabhupāda: Kali-santaraṇa Upaniṣad? That is Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra.

Professor: Yeah, that the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. That's the...

Yogeśvara: You mentioned that to Professor Stahl in your correspondences.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation with Sanskrit Professor -- August 13, 1973, Paris:

Yogeśvara: In French?

Professor: In French, yes. I'll send you a copy when, when it's out of the press. It is not a fact at present. Well, I thank you very much for being kind enough...

Yogeśvara: If you have questions, you shouldn't feel shy. You can ask whatever you want.

Professor: No, why not?

Prabhupāda: No. He has already questioned once, that I am making brāhmaṇa—whether it is according to śāstra?

Room Conversation with Sanskrit Professor -- August 13, 1973, Paris:

Yogeśvara: But here in Paris we are also translating these books now into French.

Professor: Into French?

Yogeśvara: Yes.

Professor: Many people are able to read it in English.

Yogeśvara: Oh, but for those who cannot read the English, there's necessity in French.

Professor: Quite. Oh, yes.

Yogeśvara: For example, Bhagavad-gītā, we're preparing now in French.

Professor: Oh? Yes.

Prabhupāda: Give him some prasādam.

Room Conversation with Sanskrit Professor -- August 13, 1973, Paris:

Prabhupāda: English?

Professor: No, no. In French.

Prabhupāda: In French.

Professor: Bhagavad-gītā? Yes. I think translated I think something like ten or twelve times.

Yogeśvara: Ten or twelve times in French?

Professor: Oh, yes.

Yogeśvara: He says there are ten or twelve different French translations of the Gītā.

Morning Walk -- December 13, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: "This is not water. It appears like water, but it is not water." Therefore we are making revolution, changing one authority from another, but we do not know they are not authorities. Real authority is Kṛṣṇa. That is their... Therefore it is called illusion or māyā. We are thinking that "From this ism to that ism." Just like there was French Revolution. So the French people are not happy. Still there is unhappiness. Similarly, Bolshevism. We have seen practically in Moscow. Nobody is happy. There cannot be happiness. This is going on. So real happiness is Kṛṣṇa. That, people should know. The chemical evolution also, it is also māyā. They are thinking by further improvement, just like you were speaking, almost come to the point... That "almost coming to the point," that will continue. You will never come to the point. This is the position. You'll never come to the right point.

Morning Walk -- December 30, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: On the pretext that "For Indian protection, we are maintaining this army." Actually, they were expanding their empire. Africa, Burma. And when they saw that "India is lost," voluntarily they liquidated all others. Went back... Back to home, back to Godhead. (devotees laugh) So in politics this is nonsense, non-violence. It is nonsense, cowardism. In politics in sweet words you cannot get. There must be fight, arms. That is army. "If you don't agree, then fist." That is politics. There must be violence. Otherwise you cannot control. When there is educated good men, then you can argue. But when people are ruffians, there is no question of good... Argumentum vaculum, I told you the other day... (break) ...in the beginning of creation, the fight between the demons and the demigods, devāsura-yuddha. That is always there. In the European history, without revolution, no order changes. Even the Russian Revolution was there. French revolution was there. In England, Cromwell? Cromwell? Cromwell Revolution?

Page Title:French (Conversations 1968 - 1973)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:17 of Dec, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=59, Let=0
No. of Quotes:59