Geneva (Conversations)

Expressions researched:
"Geneva" |"Geneva's"

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Anna Conan Doyle, daughter-in-law of famous author, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle -- August 10, 1973, Paris:

Prabhupāda: We are also trying to get out of the control of material nature. Like an ass. But it is not possible. The conference is failure. Here, in the material world, even a so powerful being as Brahmā, he's also controlled. By God. He's also controlled. You have seen that picture? Brahmā is bowing down before Kṛṣṇa.

Guru-gaurāṅga: You remember this picture? In the temple in Geneva? Brahmā with four heads is offering respects to Kṛṣṇa.

Anna Conan Doyle: Yes, yes. Yes.

Prabhupāda: He's the controller of the whole universe. He also bowing down before little Kṛṣṇa. "Sir, I wanted to show You my superior power, but I am insignificant before You." Brahmā stole away all His calves and cows and cowherd boys, and he saw again the same calves and cows and boys are playing with Him. So he became surprised: "How is that? I took away, and again He's keeping. He has expanded himself." You have read that portion? So God is called self-sufficient because He can expand Himself to satisfy His needs, whatever He wants. So He doesn't require anyone's help. He's completely independent. But still He's so kind that He comes to your temple, as He has come today, and He's dependent. If you give Him some foodstuff, He'll eat. Otherwise, He'll starve. So we should always remember the most powerful, self-sufficient has come kindly at my place, just to become dependent on my foodstuff. This is His kindness.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- May 20, 1974, Vrndavana:

Devotee (2): Before I came, we had one big festival in Geneva for two days, Saturday and Sunday. Each night over 500 people. It was nice. Geneva's not very big.

Prabhupāda: Geneva is important town.

Devotee (2): Important, not very big though.

Prabhupāda: International town.

Devotee (2): Yes.

Prabhupāda: When I was going to London from Bombay..., no, no, when I was going to Switzerland, I think I stopped at Geneva.

Devotee (2): Zurich. You were in Zurich.

Prabhupāda: Zurich, before that I stopped at Geneva. I saw the airport, very big airport. Then I went to Zurich. And from Zurich I went to some Mount St....

Devotee (2): St. Hellish.

Prabhupāda: You have been there? You are right, St. Hellish.

Morning Walk -- June 2, 1974, Geneva:

Bhagavān: They are importing dogs in India now, I think.

Prabhupāda: Ah.

Bhagavān: European dogs.

Prabhupāda: (laughing) First of all, they were importing European masters, and now they are importing dogs. Now they will have to import European brāhmaṇas. Yes. Because in India all the brāhmaṇas are now finished. So for their ritualistic ceremony they will have to import from Europe, America. Long ago... Long ago, not long ago, about four, five years ago, I wrote this fact. (break) ...the communists, as they making, that the state is the proprietor of everything, so what is the harm of accepting God as the proprietor of everything? What is the harm? He is giving up his own right. The state is the proprietor. So why not make "God is the proprietor"? What is the harm? And actually, God is the proprietor. Now, this lake, it is not made by the state. It is made by God. They are claiming this is Swiss lake. What is that?

Yogeśvara: Geneva lake.

Prabhupāda: Geneva lake. And a few steps forward, a French lake. So either to the French or Geneva, it does not belong. It belongs to God. He's a fool. Why don't you say, "God's lake"?

Yogeśvara: We could propose them that they change the name, but I think they might be afraid it would drive away the tourists.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma eva kevalam... (CC Adi 17.21). (end)

Room Conversation -- June 5, 1974, Geneva:

Prabhupāda: So there are two īśvaras. I am also īśvara. So far my, this body is concerned or my family is concerned, I am controlling. But the supreme controller, He is controlling everything. That is God. So those who are atheists, they must accept that there is the supreme controller, and He is God. So God is controlling everything. There are two things—material and spiritual. We have got experience. Suppose in this city of...

Swiss Man (4): Geneva.

Prabhupāda: Geneva, there are varieties of living entities and also houses and mountains. So two things, animate and inanimate. One section, animate; another section, inanimate. So we are small gods, or īśvaras. We may control the government and the management of the street and parks and everything, but we are controlled by the supreme. As supreme God, the supreme controller is not controlled by anyone. I am controlling, but I am being controlled by somebody else. That is God. So therefore we have to admit, we must admit that we are not free. We are controlled. Eh? By superior power or superior controller we are controlled. Therefore our duty is to be controlled according to His desire. So if we agree to be controlled by the Supreme, that is perfect life. And if we do not like to come to be controlled by the supreme, that is sinful life. And this is the perfect knowledge.

Morning Walk -- June 6, 1974, Geneva:

Everyone can understand the truth except the rascals who are meat-eaters. Vinā paśughnāt. Paśughnāt. Paśu means animals, and ghna means killer. Christ therefore first says, "You shall not kill." These rascals are killers from the very beginning, and they're continuing. Vinā paśughnāt (SB 10.1.4). Those who are paśughna, they cannot understand. They're thinking, "We are doing very good work, philanthropic work, opening hospitals and public roads, and every ten years, we are fighting and killing all the men population." They're happy. They are taking credit for these big, big buildings, but this is duṣkṛtina because simply these buildings are meant for committing sinful activities. That's all. "Wine, women, meat-eating, gambling. We are civilized." (break) ...this Geneva very many churches.

Guru-gaurāṅga: Many churches in Geneva? No.

Prabhupāda: No.

Guru-gaurāṅga: Not so many.

Prabhupāda: That means godless. Eh?

Guru-gaurāṅga: Yes.

Prabhupāda: When I first came to America, Butler, in Pennsylvania, that is small county, but at least one dozen churches I found. I very much appreciated, that the people are not... And they're going regularly, churches. I was invited in many churches.

Morning Walk -- June 9, 1974, Paris:

Yogeśvara: There's a path that leads to the lake here.

Prabhupāda: Hmm? Eh?

Bhagavān: There's not enough room for everyone there.

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Bhagavān: There's a small path, but it's not very big. We can continue around this way.

Bhagavān: (break) ... complicated solution to the problem.

Prabhupāda: Yes. No. These rascals, they do not know that our process is most difficult. Because as soon as ask them that "Give up meat-eating," it is very difficult task for them. And actually, it is very difficult for them. You see? That gentleman in Geneva, as long as I was talking about meat-eating, he became little disgusted.

Satsvarūpa: He said, "Why don't we speak of higher principles?"

Prabhupāda: Yeah. Because this is the beginning of higher principles. "No, no, this may let... Let it remain. Let us go to the higher principles." The rascal does not know that you cannot go without learning A,B,C,D, how you can ask for passing M.A. examination? But "No, I do not know A,B,C,D, but let me go for passing M.A. examination." You see. This is A,B,C,D, that yeṣām anta gatam... Any sinful man, he cannot understand about God. It is not possible. Paraṁ dhāma pavitraṁ paramaṁ bhavān. But without being pavitra, they want to go to the platform of understanding God.

Room Conversation with M. Lallier, noted French Poet -- June 12, 1974, Paris:

Prabhupāda: When he forgets that he cannot enjoy, the only enjoyer is God, Kṛṣṇa, when he forgets this principle he wants to enjoy.

M. Lallier: Yes. Prabhupāda: That is called illusion, māyā. Actually, he cannot enjoy, but, forgetting Kṛṣṇa, the real enjoyer, he wants to enjoy. That is his... Just like a child imitates the mother for cooking. The other day, in Geneva, the fire ceremony was going on. The mother was offering oblations, and the child also immediately took some and he... You have seen that? Yogeśvara: Yeah. Prabhupāda: So he's not fit for that business, but he imitates. That is childish. Sometimes goes to the kitchen, wants to make foodstuff, preparation, and he is given some toys that "You just play with it." So every living entity is part and parcel of God. So God is enjoyer, God is controller. So he wants to imitate God. That is called māyā.

Morning Walk -- June 13, 1974, Paris:

Paramahaṁsa: They have many seeds to reproduce themselves, but no fruits or flowers.

Prabhupāda: Impious, not pious. What is the name of this park?

Yogeśvara: The Tuilerie Park.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Yogeśvara: The Tuilerie Garden.

Prabhupāda: Tuilerie.

Yogeśvara: Tuilerie Garden.

Puṣṭa-kṛṣṇa: That is the name of a person?

Devotee: No, no.

French devotee: It was the park of a king before. There was a king.

Prabhupāda: Oh, the king is a park only.

Puṣṭa-kṛṣṇa: So you were explaining that they're naming everything in the material world after different people in regards to Lake Geneva. You said, "It's Geneva's lake, but actually, it is Kṛṣṇa's lake, or Kṛṣṇa's park."

Prabhupāda: Yes, but they have no sense. They think it is Geneva's park.

Puṣṭa-kṛṣṇa: We could call it Puruṣottama Park, or something like that.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is nice. Therefore, we give name everyone: Kṛṣṇa dāsa, servant of Kṛṣṇa. Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa... (pause) (break)

Room Conversation with Professor Oliver La Combe Director of the Sorbonne University -- June 14, 1974, Paris:

Jyotirmayī: One year ago we came here in Paris.

Professor La Combe: It's more noisy and..., but its more easy and more convenient. When was this Paris center started?

Jyotirmayī: It started four years ago.

Professor La Combe: And this is your first visit to this center?

Prabhupāda: No, this is the fourth visit.

Professor La Combe: Fourth visit, every year.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Last year also, I came. I installed the Deity.

Professor La Combe: You now come right from Vṛndāvana or...?

Prabhupāda: Yes, I am coming from Vṛndāvana of course, via Delhi. Then Rome, then Geneva, then Paris. Then I shall go to Frankfurt. And from there I shall go to Sydney, Australia.

Professor La Combe: Oh, this is not the direct way.

Bhagavān: We have a Ratha-yātrā Festival. You have heard of this festival, from Jagannātha Purī.

Professor La Combe: Yes, of course. I have been there.

Bhagavān: We have this festival in very big, in the same scale, in Australia, London, San Francisco, Chicago.

Prabhupāda: Where is that poster? Australia? Yes.

Bhagavān: And in all these cities we are joined... In San Francisco there are ten thousand people who come at least every year to help pull the carts and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Morning Walk -- June 20, 1974, Germany:

Prabhupāda: And why don't you think? That means you are fool. You cannot think, just like dog cannot think. So you are equal to dog. Tell them like that. It is not the question of East and West. It is the question of understanding. In the East also there are many rascals, and in the West there are many intelligent. If it is the East and West question, how the Western boys and girls taking this philosophy? It is not the East and West. It is the question of the rascal and intelligent. One who is intelligent, either he is East and West, he can understand. And one is a rascal, either he is East and West, he cannot understand. This is the real problem. Just like this cemetery. What is the use of keeping this cemetery, occupying unnecessarily so much land? And they are worshiping. They will not go to worship Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, but they will worship stone, bhūtejya, offer flower, kneel down. And where the man has gone, he does not know. Bhūtejya. And we saw in the Geneva. A big plot of land is occupied.

Haṁsadūta: Every city has two or three at least, very big, because everyone has to get such a plot.

Prabhupāda: And there are many ghosts also. Yes. Especially at night, if you go, you will see. There was a ghost in the house of John Lennon. John Lennon. I was guest there. There was a ghost. (break) ...binding to the māyā, to just remain a slave of māyā and drink this beer. (break)

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Woman Sanskrit Professor -- February 13, 1975, Mexico:

Prabhupāda: Yes. I have traveled all over the world in eight years. Eight years? From 1967, eight years. So eight years I have traveled around fourteen times or more than that. No, twice in a year, almost.

Professor: (laughs)

Prabhupāda: No, this time, I started from India. Then I went to Hong Kong, from Hong Kong to Tokyo, from Tokyo to Honolulu, from Honolulu to Los Angeles, and from Los Angeles here, Mexico. And then where?

Hṛdayānanda: Caracas.

Prabhupāda: Caracas.

Hṛdayānanda: And then Puerto Rico. Then Miami, Atlanta, New York, London.

Prabhupāda: And then, from London, I may go directly to Bombay, or I may visit some other European cities where we have got temple. In Paris, in Geneva, in Rome, in Amsterdam, we have got some temple, like this.

Room Conversation with Reporter -- March 9, 1975, London:

Prabhupāda: ...by high-class professors, universities, libraries. They are all accepting. You will be surprised to know that we are selling books, according to our Indian currency, twenty lakhs of rupees per month. Out of that, we are spending eight to ten lakhs for all our centers.

Reporter: You have centers all over the world?

Prabhupāda: Yes, all over the world. In Europe we have got so many centers. Here in London we have got two centers. Similarly, Paris, Germany, four centers. Then Sweden, one?

Haṁsadūta: Sweden and Denmark.

Prabhupāda: Denmark, Holland, and Rome, then Switzerland, Geneva. So we have got several branches here.

Reporter: Are many people joining you?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Just see, many people here. Each center we have got not less than fifty men, up to 250. Similarly, we have got in Australia and New Zealand, all over the world. In India we have got six. In India I have got six. In Vṛndāvana, Calcutta, Bombay, Navadvīpa, Hyderabad—in so many places.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Meeting With Member of Parliament, Mr. Krishna Modi -- August 31, 1976, Delhi:

Prabhupāda: We have got branches in almost all important cities.

Krishna Modi: Ten or fifteen. Let them see so that they may be attracted and they may know each and every thing. Because here we know only by this thing. And then let us advertise about.

Prabhupāda: You take this paper. Make a list of important cities. Now suppose if you go from Delhi. So you can go first to Paris, Geneva, Rome, then London, Amsterdam, Stockholm. Then from London I think New York, Boston, Montreal, Canada. Then you go to the western side, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Vancouver. Go further, Honolulu.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Then you could go to the Pacific, Australia.

Prabhupāda: Ah yes.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: New Zealand, Sydney.

Prabhupāda: Australia, Melbourne.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: You can stop in Japan on the way.

Krishna Modi: Let us have a program, make a program so that some...

Prabhupāda: In every big city...

Krishna Modi: Five or ten, they should go with all their expenses.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: They can stay at our temples. Wherever they go. We will pick them up at the airport and bring them to the temple.

Room Conversation with U.N. Doctor -- September 29, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: You are staying in New Delhi?

Doctor: I stay in the Hague, and come to New Delhi when there are no cases.

Prabhupāda: Hague?

Doctor: Holland.

Prabhupāda: Holland. That is the international court?

Doctor: Yes, the court case located, the headquarters.

Prabhupāda: I went somewhere. That is also international. In Geneva, I think. Is there any...?

Doctor: Geneva is another headquarters of the, of the United Nations. New York, Geneva. But the court is in the Hague.

Prabhupāda: So I went to that place in Geneva.

Doctor: Geneva has got so many specialized agencies of the United Nations, like the I.L.O. and so on.