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Conversations and Morning Walks

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

First point is the GBC member must be extensively traveling. So extensively touring means for the mission expanding, that is the point. Simply touring is not required, but doing something substantial to increase the interest of the society. Our only aim is that one must take multi-responsibilities
Conversation with the GBC -- May 25, 1972, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: First point is the GBC member must be extensively traveling.

Devotee: What about my position, Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Now, everyone's position will be considered. This is the first thing, extensively traveling.

Devotee: So, the positions of Bali-mardana and Karandhara, they have to remain stationary so much. We have to consider that...

Prabhupāda: No, stationary one thing is that the Bali-mardana, especially Karandhara, he has got already extensive field locally.

Devotee: Yes.

Prabhupāda: He has to manage so many things. So extensively touring means for the mission expanding, that is the point. Simply touring is not required, but doing something substantial to increase the interest of the society. That is the point. So, Karandhara has got many department supervisors(?), so he can be given to work, and sometimes go away (indistinct). So, his position is like that. And similarly Bali-mardana's position is there. He can be also if he has got many engagements, many departments managed there. So he may not tour but our only aim is that one must take multi-responsibilities.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Everyone should be engaged. That is management. So all GBC members must see that in every temple, everyone is engaged. That is the meaning of leadership. Everyone should be engaged. And if everyone is engaged, he'll never fall sick
Morning Walk -- March 12, 1974, Vrndavana:

Ātreya-ṛṣi: Unemployment.

Prabhupāda: Not employment. They'll not work. That means mismanagement. Why they should remain down? Why they should remain without any employment? But the government is not doing that.

Devotee: They do not feel inspired.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Devotee: They do not feel inspired. No one has desire.

Prabhupāda: That, that means mismanagement. You had no desire to take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but you have been taken to it by some, some way or other. That is management.

Hṛdayānanda: Jaya, Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: That is management.

Hṛdayānanda: You are expert manager.

Prabhupāda: A child does not want to go to school, but it is the duty of the parent to send him to the school by some way or other. So that is government's duty, that a man should be employed according to his capacity. There should be no unemployment. That is very dangerous position of the society. Now this unemployment question is very strong all over the world. They'll plan that "This government is not good. That system is not good. He's not good." And he'll do nothing. He'll personally do nothing. Just like the hippies, they criticize everyone, but he'll not do anything. It is all... These descriptions are there in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. We are going too far? Employed... [break] ...from the government to utilize this land. You see? So much. Everywhere you'll find. Everywhere you'll find. Who was with me in London?

Devotee: Yeah. Last time, last summer?

Prabhupāda: Letchmore Heath.

Devotee: Yeah?

Prabhupāda: So much, lying vacant. They have taken it into consideration that "What is the use of working in the land? Better kill one animal and eat easily." Because he doesn't care for sinful activities. The... "If I can eat the cow, why shall I take so much trouble to till the...?" This is going on, all over the world.

Indian man: Employment means now just to cut the money and not to work. No work.

Prabhupāda: Yes. [break] The same... Employment, even for the woman, the carakā. You see? Gandhi also studied this. There must be... Woman should be engaged for weaving. What is called?

Devotee: Spinning.

Prabhupāda: Spinning, yes. Everyone should be engaged. That is management. So all GBC members must see that in every temple, everyone is engaged.

Brahmānanda: That is the meaning of leadership.

Prabhupāda: That is the meaning of leadership.

Hṛdayānanda: And that all the devotees are protected.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Hṛdayānanda: And all the devotees are protected.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Everyone should be engaged. And if everyone is engaged, he'll never fall sick.
So when there is discussion, you should all be present. It is very interesting. Those who are our men, GBC men, they must know...You be strong. Don't be... They cannot conquer us. But you be more strong
Car Conversation on the way to Chateau -- June 12, 1974, Paris:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Oh, yes. That's it. Don't escape. (French) When we have begun the discussion, let us finish. Don't escape. Thank you. Haribol. Jaya. Thank you. (R.M. leaves)

Bhagavān: Make sure he has some more prasādam before he goes.

Jyotirmayī: I'll bring it.

Prabhupāda: (aside:) Hmm, open.

Paramahaṁsa: (to devotees outside room) ...Prabhupāda is very tired. He's just finished a long evening.

Prabhupāda: So when there is discussion, you should all be present. It is very interesting. Those who are our men, GBC men, they must know.

Puṣṭa-kṛṣṇa: They come in like Keśī demon, and they go out with prasādam in their mouth.

Prabhupāda: They are escaping. We are not escaping. We want to capture everyone. (laughter) He has no clear idea what is the aim of life.

Yogeśvara: He likes to see people engaged in work that is humanitarian, that will resolve the problems of the world.

Prabhupāda: That everyone says. All rascals says like that. Humanitarian. He does not know what is humanitarian. And then killing one capitalist or communist and this and that. Sophistry. Fascist and communist. This is their humanitarian work.

Devotee: He's like one of these rascals who translates the Bhagavad-gītā in a certain way like saying the five Pāṇḍavas are the five senses, and the battlefield is the body?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Devotee: And here we're having a fight with the body, but he doesn't accept that Kṛṣṇa is...

Prabhupāda: Their only business is to escape Kṛṣṇa.

Devotee: They're trying to interpret that Kṛṣṇa is just our own intelligence or...

Bhagavān: The point is even when they see the practical proof, they don't accept it. They're so stubborn.

Prabhupāda: You be strong. Don't be... They cannot conquer us. But you be more strong. (end)

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

So what is my maintenance? Two cāpāṭis, that's all
Room Conversation with GBC members -- March 2-3, 1977, Mayapura:

Satsvarūpa: The GBC man must be responsible and implement in their zone Śrīla Prabhupāda's maintenance fund—there was some neglect.

Prabhupāda: So what is my maintenance? Two cāpāṭis, that's all. (laughter)

Rāmeśvara: This is a special fund, Prabhupāda, for paying for any travel plane fare for the whole group that travels with you.

Prabhupāda: All right.

Correspondence

1972 Correspondence

Now I want to retire, and you all appointed GBC men must do the work that I am doing
Letter to Jagadisa -- Los Angeles 19 May, 1972: Now I am in Los Angles and everything is going very nicely here. I think that you may also come here and see me. Rupanuga, Satsvarupa, and Bali Mardan are coming here also, at least before the 27th of this month because I am giving them the sannyasa order of life on that date along with Karandhara?. However, there is certainly no urgency for taking sannyasa. But if my senior disciples wish to take sannyasa then I shall give it. But there is no urgency. Still, you may come as there are many things which we may discuss concerning GBC and other activities. Now I want to retire, and you all appointed GBC men must do the work that I am doing. Therefore, I have recommended this traveling extensively for the GBC men, just as I am doing it. If I did not travel there would be no nice organization. Traveling and preaching, that is the Sankirtana movement. But now I am old man; let me retire for writing books in my last years.
So as GBC you must see to it that the highest standards of routine work are maintained throughout all the centers, and that chanting, rising early, cleansing, and all other aspects of our regular program may not be neglected. That is our first business
Letter to Hamsaduta -- Madras 14 February, 1972: I am very pleased to note that you are so enthusiastic to push on Krishna Consciousness and follow yourself very faithfully the regulative principles chalked out by our great predecessors. If you simply go on in this way, everything will come out successful, that we are seeing practically. So as GBC you must see to it that the highest standards of routine work are maintained throughout all the centers, and that chanting, rising early, cleansing, and all other aspects of our regular program may not be neglected. That is our first business. GBC men should not dictate very much, simply supervise and see that the standards are maintained. The individual presidents should be more managerial, more individual, and you can supervise, and if some defect is detected, you can make suggestions how to correct it. But if we lose individuality and simply become mechanical, what is the point?
Now I am feeling very much inclined for retiring behind the scenes to translate my Srimad-Bhagavatam. This means that now you all leaders, especially the GBC members, must become very much responsible and do the work that I am doing to the same standard. So I want you leaders especially to become very much absorbed in the philosophy of Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, and become yourselves completely convinced and free from all doubt
Letter to Hamsaduta -- Los Angeles 22 June, 1972: I am very pleased to see the things are going on, and that new centers are opening many in Germany. Now I am feeling very much inclined for retiring behind the scenes to translate my Srimad-Bhagavatam. This means that now you all leaders, especially the GBC members, must become very much responsible and do the work that I am doing to the same standard. So I want you leaders especially to become very much absorbed in the philosophy of Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, and become yourselves completely convinced and free from all doubt. On this platform you shall be able to carry on the work satisfactorily, but if there is lack of knowledge, or if there is forgetfulness, everything will be spoiled in time. So especially you must encourage the students to read our books throughout the day as much as possible, and give them all good advice how to understand the books, and inspire them to study the things from every point of view. In this way, by constantly engaging our tongues in the service of the Lord, either by discussing His philosophy or by chanting Hare Krishna, the truth is that Krishna Himself will reveal Himself to us and we shall understand how to do everything properly. Now we have got so many students and so many temples but I am fearful that if we expand too much in this way that we shall become weakened and gradually the whole thing will become lost. Just like milk. We may thin it more and more with water for cheating the customer, but in the end it will cease to be any longer milk. Better to boil the milk now very vigorously and make it thick and sweet, that is the best process. So let us concentrate on training our devotees very thoroughly in the knowledge of Krishna Consciousness from our books, from tapes, by discussing always, and in so many ways instruct them in the right propositions.

1974 Correspondence

The GBC must be vigilant by following the regulative principles and teach by ideal character the presidents of the centers, and the presidents by their ideal character must teach the others then automatically all members of the whole institution will be ideal to the human society
Letter to Rupanuga -- Tirupati 28 April, 1974: Our students who are making this political program must be fixed in one point that human society unless divided into the four classes and divisions is animal society. Among the animals there is no intelligence for self realization or how to make life successful. In human life intelligence is better than animals therefore they should know what is the aim of life and to educate human society there is the whole Vedic literature, of which the Bhagavad gita is the quintessence. The Supreme Personality of Godhead orders that there must be four division in human society, a 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th class, like that, and the 1st must be ideal. If the whole society is full of rogues, thieves, drunkards, cheaters and demons, where is there question of decent government. There must be division so the lower class men may aspire to be second class men. So far we are concerned we are trying to train first class men. How much great responsibility we have to follow regulative principles, chant the beads, live with personal character etc. Regulative principles means to especially execute devotional service in terms of the revealed scriptures under the direction of the spiritual master. By fulfilling the regulative principles you come to the platform of spontaneous love for Krsna. Spontaneous love for Krsna is there already but is covered by the influence of Maya. The regulative principles are a device how to overcome the influence of maya and come to the platform of spontaneous love of Krsna. If we want to exist as first class men in society all our students must be induced to following the regulative principles. One shouldn't think artificially he has come to the spontaneous platform. That is sahajiyaism. The GBC must be vigilant by following the regulative principles and teach by ideal character the presidents of the centers, and the presidents by their ideal character must teach the others then automatically all members of the whole institution will be ideal to the human society. Then we can dictate to administrators or sometimes take hold of the administration. In the absence of competent leaders we may take the post. But we must be very careful in the flow of the political movement we may not forget our ideal life. For example, Parasaram was a Brahmin but when he found the ksatriyas were mismanaging he killed them twenty one times and some of them fled to European countries. This is the history. So far we are concerned we shall keep ourselves in ideal brahminical position and if need be if no ksatriya or Vaisya is here we can take up their work as emergency. Our business is to create ideal ksatriyas and vaisyas but beyond that our real business is to keep ourselves as ideal Brahmins. If we are not ideal we cannot create others as ideal. Training is required for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd classes of social constitution. Persons who are not fit for being advanced by training are sudras or less than that. At the present moment in the world state, there are sudras and less than that. There are no ideal brahmanas or ksatriyas. But these four divisions are imperative. So our business is to keep fit as brahmanas and to train others to be ideal ksatriyas and vaisyas for advancing the whole society. As Krsna says in the Srimad-Bhagavatam:
As GBC you must see that they and all the devotees in the temples are first of all chanting at least 16 rounds on beads
Letter to Bhagavan -- Bombay 24 March, 1974: You may chant on their beads and hold a fire yajna in the temple. As GBC you must see that they and all the devotees in the temples are first of all chanting at least 16 rounds on beads. Be sure they are aware of the ten offenses to chanting, and that they remain enthusiastic about improving their devotional service in that way.
Srila Prabhupada reiterates that all GBC must strictly follow the rules and regulations and do what Srila Prabhupada does. We must be the strict prototypes of Srila Prabhupada. We must be pure by preaching and chanting
Letter to GBC Godbrothers -- Vrindaban 14 September, 1974:

Dear GBC Godbrothers:

Please accept our humble obeisances. Srila Prabhupada has become very disturbed at the news that Hamsaduta Prabhu has closed the Edinburgh temple without consulting Srila Prabhupada and has asked us to issue the following memo. No GBC man can whimsically do anything without consulting Srila Prabhupada, especially in the matter of opening a new temple and closing an old one. Such activities must be absolutely regulated and cannot be done without consultation of Srila Prabhupada and other GBC. In the annual meeting in Mayapur the activities of the whole year should be resolved, and the GBC cannot do more or less than that. In addition Srila Prabhupada reiterates that all GBC must strictly follow the rules and regulations and do what Srila Prabhupada does. We must be the strict prototypes of Srila Prabhupada. We must be pure by preaching and chanting. To close a temple is a very serious business, as well as opening one. It means that we are calling Krsna to come and reside there. Once Krsna is there, we cannot tell Him to now leave. Whimsically closing a temple means we do not understand what is devotional service and violates bhakti. Only under very extraordinary conditions can a temple be closed when there is consultation. Even then a temple is not to be eliminated but moved to an other place.

We hope this meets you in good health.
Approved Signed
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Brahmananda Swami
Bali Mardan das
Bhagavan das

1975 Correspondence

Regarding your dealings with Bhagavan dasa, when two GBC's are concerned, the whole GBC must consider. What can I do? I have appointed the GBC not to fight amongst yourselves but to manage. If there is fighting then how will you manage? So the whole GBC committee must decide if there is fighting
Letter to Hamsaduta: — Ahmedabad 29 September, 1975: Regarding your dealings with Bhagavan dasa, when two GBC's are concerned, the whole GBC must consider. What can I do? I have appointed the GBC not to fight amongst yourselves but to manage. If there is fighting then how will you manage? So the whole GBC committee must decide if there is fighting.
So far your becoming GBC is concerned, yes, I had wanted that, but there are so many complaints. This is not good. GBC must mean that by his managing, there is not any complaints so that I can be relieved in order to do my translation work
Letter to Cyavana -- Bombay 23 November, 1975: I am glad that you are traveling and preaching. This is the business of a sannyasi. Please follow my order in this regard. Africa is huge field, so you have plenty of opportunities for traveling and preaching. This will keep you enthusiastic. So do not neglect it. Of course if the young people there are interested, then you should stay there to instruct them. Then if you can collect and send money to Nairobi, that is very good. In this way their debts can be paid. I am also glad to see that you are taking seriously the Life Member program. So many Life Members they are complaining they are not receiving books or they are not being treated nicely. So if you can rectify this situation, that would be very good. So far your becoming GBC is concerned, yes, I had wanted that, but there are so many complaints. This is not good. GBC must mean that by his managing, there is not any complaints so that I can be relieved in order to do my translation work. Anyway, you go on with your preaching program and we shall discuss this matter in Mayapur meeting time. In the meantime I am sending Brahmananda Swami to rectify the situation in Nairobi and later on we shall see.

1976 Correspondence

The first business is that the GBC must see to the management of their zones. Still, I require a permanent secretary. In addition, one GBC man may come and go
Letter to Brahmananda -- Nellore 7 January, 1976: As you report that things have deteriorated in Africa, you can stay there if necessary. Your decision to send Dinanatha to join Tamala is a good idea. Tamala is here now. He says that before coming he telegrammed you to phone him but there was no response.

The first business is that the GBC must see to the management of their zones. Still, I require a permanent secretary. In addition, one GBC man may come and go.

Here we have been given a nice piece of land measuring nine acres. The local people are very enthusiastic and the plan is to construct a Radha Krishna Temple complex.
Page Title:GBC must...
Compiler:Visnu Murti
Created:15 of Jan, 2008
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=4, Let=9
No. of Quotes:13