Get back

Expressions researched:
"get back"

SB Canto 2

SB 2.9.19, Purport:

Brahmā also does his duty very perfectly, not only by generating the living entities but also by spreading his party for reclaiming the fallen souls. The party is called the Brahma-sampradāya, and any member of this party to date is naturally engaged in reclaiming the fallen souls back to Godhead, back home. The Lord is very much anxious to get back His parts and parcels, as stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. No one is more dear than the one who takes the task of reclaiming the fallen souls back to Godhead.

There are many renegades from the Brahma-sampradāya whose only business is to make men more forgetful of the Lord and thus entangle them more and more in material existence. Such persons are never dear to the Lord, and the Lord sends them deeper into the darkest region of matter so that such envious demons may not be able to know the Supreme Lord.

Anyone, however, preaching the mission of the Lord in the line of the Brahma-sampradāya is always dear to the Lord, and the Lord, being satisfied with such a preacher of the authorized bhakti cult, shakes hands with him in great satisfaction.

SB Canto 3

SB 3.15.45, Purport:

The Lord, or the Supersoul, can expand Himself into millions of different forms, whereas the individual soul cannot do so.

The Supersoul, being seated in everyone's heart, can witness everyone's activities—past, present and future. In the Upaniṣads the Supersoul is described as being seated with the individual soul as friend and witness. As a friend, the Lord is always anxious to get back His friend, the individual soul, and bring him back home, back to Godhead. As a witness He is the bestower of all benedictions, and He endows each individual with the result of his actions. The Supersoul gives the individual soul all facilities to achieve whatever he desires to enjoy in this material world. Suffering is a reaction to the living entity's propensity to try to lord it over the material world. But the Lord instructs His friend, the individual soul, who is also His son, to give up all other engagements and simply surrender unto Him for perpetual bliss and an eternal life full of knowledge. This is the last instruction of Bhagavad-gītā, the most authorized and widely read book on all varieties of yoga. Thus the last word of Bhagavad-gītā is the last word in the perfection of yoga.

SB Canto 4

SB 4.6.51, Translation:

My dear lord, by your mercy the performer of the sacrifice (King Dakṣa) may get back his life, Bhaga may get back his eyes, Bhṛgu his mustache, and Pūṣā his teeth.

SB 4.9.37, Purport:

Dhruva Mahārāja, a five-year-old boy, went to the forest for penance and austerity, and the King could not at all believe that a small boy of such a tender age could live in the forest. He was certain that Dhruva was dead. He therefore could not fix his faith in the message that Dhruva Mahārāja was coming back home again. For him this message said that a dead man was coming back home, and so he could not believe it. After Dhruva Mahārāja's departure from home, King Uttānapāda thought that he was the cause of Dhruva's leaving, and thus he considered himself the most wretched. Therefore, even though it was possible that his lost son was coming back from the kingdom of death, he thought that since he was most sinful it was not possible for him to be so fortunate as to get back his lost son.

SB Canto 5

SB 5.24.20, Purport:

It is not a fact that one has to offer his material possessions to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and be liberated before he can engage in devotional service. A devotee automatically attains liberation without separate endeavors. Bali Mahārāja did not get back all his material possessions merely because of his charity to the Lord. One who becomes a devotee, free from material desires and motives, regards all opportunities, both material and spiritual, as benedictions from the Lord, and in this way his service to the Lord is never hampered. Bhukti, material enjoyment, and mukti, liberation, are only by-products of devotional service. A devotee need not work separately to attain mukti. Śrīla Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura said, muktiḥ svayaṁ mukulitāñjaliḥ sevate 'smān: a pure devotee of the Lord does not have to endeavor separately for mukti, because mukti is always ready to serve him.

In this regard, Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Antya 3.177-188) describes Haridāsa Ṭhākura's confirmation of the effect of chanting the holy name of the Lord.

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Krsna Book 7:

When the gopīs saw the demon killed and child Kṛṣṇa very happily playing on his body, they immediately picked Kṛṣṇa up with great affection. The cowherd men and women became very happy to get back their beloved child Kṛṣṇa. At that time they began to talk about how wonderful it was that the demon had taken away the child to devour Him but could not do so; instead he fell down dead. Some of them supported the situation: "This is proper because those who are too sinful die from their sinful reactions, and child Kṛṣṇa is pious; therefore He is safe from all kinds of fearful situations. And we too must have performed great sacrifices in our previous lives, worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead, giving great wealth in charity and acting philanthropically for the general welfare of men. Because of such pious activities, the child is safe from all danger."

The gopīs assembled there spoke among themselves: "What sort of austerities and penances we must have undergone in our previous lives! We must have worshiped the Supreme Personality of Godhead, offered different kinds of sacrifices, made charities and performed many welfare activities for the public, such as growing banyan trees and excavating wells. As a result of these pious activities, we have gotten back our child, even though He was supposed to be dead. Now He has come back to enliven His relatives." After observing such wonderful happenings, Nanda Mahārāja began to think of the words of Vasudeva again and again.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.28 -- London, August 30, 1973:

Anartha means unwanted things. Tat-kṛtaṁ cābhipadyate. And after creating in bodily relationships so many unwanted things, I am absorbed in thought, that "I am, I belong to such and such nation. Therefore I have got my duty to do this, do that for the nation, or to the society, or to the family, or to my personal self, or to my wife, my children." This is, according to Vedic conception, this is illusion. Ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8). Janasya moho 'yam. Moha means illusion. I am creating illusory circumstances and becoming entangled. This is my position. But my real objective is how to get out of this illusion and come to my original consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and then I get back. Kṛṣṇa consciousness means spiritual body. As soon as I act on the basis of my spiritual body, that is called liberation. That is wanted. Then I live blissfully in eternal life of knowledge. That is my problem.

But people are being educated on this bodily concept of life, and they are creating problems, and in order to solve the problems, they are becoming entangled in sinful activities. Just like this morning we were discussing about killing the baby's body within the womb, abortion. Because we do not know that the soul within the body of the baby... That cannot be killed. That cannot be killed. But that is also explained, that one who knows the eternity of the soul, he does not kill anyone, neither the soul is killed. But we are creating problem. Because the soul has taken shelter in this body and the so-called medical science advising to destroy that body, that means he is becoming entangled. The person who is advising... I understand that one gentleman comes here, his wife is a medical doctor and her business is to check the pregnant wife, woman, and advise whether the child should be killed or not. This is the business.

Lecture on BG 7.3 -- London, March 11, 1975:

You'll understand because Kṛṣṇa is giving His own identity, identification, what He is. Then where is the difficulty? And if you understand Kṛṣṇa, you become perfect. You become perfect, So perfect that... Janma karma ca me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). If you understand Kṛṣṇa in truth, then immediate benefit is that tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). You have to give up this body. It is a fact. But after giving up, this is your last material body. No more material body. Your spiritual body.

So why not try one life to get back your spiritual life, get back your spiritual body, sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1), and live eternal, blissful life with full knowledge and live with Kṛṣṇa and dance with Kṛṣṇa, eat with Kṛṣṇa? Why you are missing this opportunity? This is our solicitation to everyone.

dante nidhāya tṛṇakaṁ padayor nipatya

kṛtvā ca kāku-śatam etad ahaṁ bravīmi

he sādhavaḥ sakalam eva vihāya dūrād

caitanya-candra-caraṇe kurutānurāgam

This is our preaching process, that "Flattering you hundred times, falling down on your feet, I am speaking one thing. Please hear." "What is that?" "Whatever nonsense you have learned, forget." This is our only solicitation, that "You have learned all nonsense. Please forget. Try to hear Caitanya Mahāprabhu and be perfect."

Lecture on BG 13.19 -- Bombay, October 13, 1973:

Similarly we are also as good as Kṛṣṇa because we are part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa. Acintya-bhedābheda. That is the philosophy of simultaneously one and different. We are one with Kṛṣṇa in the sense by quality. As Kṛṣṇa is sac-cid-ānanda, eternal life, blissful life, knowledge, full of knowledge, we are also like that in minute quantity, not like Kṛṣṇa. But there is the same quality. But now we are covered by this material energy. That Kṛṣṇa is never covered. That is the difference between Kṛṣṇa and ourselves although the quality is the same.

But we are prone to be covered. But Kṛṣṇa is not prone to be covered. Otherwise, why should we take lessons from Kṛṣṇa? If He's also like one of us, then what is the use of taking knowledge from Him? There is no use. But these rascals, they think that Kṛṣṇa is like us. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). Because Kṛṣṇa, by His causeless mercy comes down to teach you how to take you back to home, back to Godhead, rascals think that "Kṛṣṇa is like us." Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ (BG 9.11). Therefore Kṛṣṇa says "All these lessons, instructions, can be assimilated, understood, by My devotee," mad-bhakta etad vijñāya (BG 13.19). "And theref

Lecture on BG 13.19 -- Bombay, October 13, 1973:

We are one with Kṛṣṇa in the sense by quality. As Kṛṣṇa is sac-cid-ānanda, eternal life, blissful life, knowledge, full of knowledge, we are also like that in minute quantity, not like Kṛṣṇa. But there is the same quality. But now we are covered by this material energy. That Kṛṣṇa is never covered. That is the difference between Kṛṣṇa and ourselves although the quality is the same.

But we are prone to be covered. But Kṛṣṇa is not prone to be covered. Otherwise, why should we take lessons from Kṛṣṇa? If He's also like one of us, then what is the use of taking knowledge from Him? There is no use. But these rascals, they think that Kṛṣṇa is like us. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam (BG 9.11). Because Kṛṣṇa, by His causeless mercy comes down to teach you how to take you back to home, back to Godhead, rascals think that "Kṛṣṇa is like us." Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhāḥ (BG 9.11). Therefore Kṛṣṇa says "All these lessons, instructions, can be assimilated, understood, by My devotee," mad-bhakta etad vijñāya (BG 13.19). "And therefore they are eligible to get back his original consciousness." Mad-bhāvāyopapadyate. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Lecture on BG 16.11-12 -- Hawaii, February 7, 1975:

So everyone, every human being, should be intelligent that "This is my position, so what is the use of living like a demon? Here is Kṛṣṇa. He says that 'You just become My devotee. You just think of Me.' " Man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ. "Always think of Me," man-manāḥ, and mad-bhaktaḥ, "My devotee," mad-yājī, "worship Me," māṁ namaskuru, "offer obeisances unto Me. If you follow this principle, then," mām evaiṣyasi, "you come to Me." So why not sacrifice one life for Kṛṣṇa consciousness? So far the bodily enjoyment, especially sex enjoyment, we had in dog's life, cat's life, in beast life. So if by restricting this kind of sex life, little organized, if I can get back to home, back to Godhead and solve all the problems of life, is it not the decision of the intelligent man?

Why should I give me away to the animal life? Viṣayaḥ khalu sarvataḥ syāt. Viṣaya means the four necessities of material life. That is called viṣaya. Viṣaya, four nece... What are the four necessities? That so long we have got this material body, we have to eat. We cannot starve. That is not possible. So similarly, we have to take rest, sleeping, and similarly, we have to enjoy or give satisfaction to our senses, and similarly, we have to defend. This is called viṣaya. So śāstra says that this..., viṣayaḥ khalu sarvataḥ syāt: "In any form of life you'll get full facilities for the bodily necessities of life, full facilities." Just see the birds and bees. They have no anxiety for maintaining the body or fulfilling the necessities of life. Early in the morning they are not anxious. They dawn and they chirp and they fly to somewhere, in any tree, and the fruit is there. A little fruit, that is sufficient. And that is eating. And sleeping? Any tree, they'll sit down on the top and sleep. So eating, sleeping... And mating? The other sex is born along with the bird. At least two eggs are there, one male, one female. So he has no anxiety for sex, he has no anxiety for eating, he has no anxiety for sleeping, and defense everyone knows. All birds, beast, knows how to defend himself.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.8.40 -- Mayapura, October 20, 1974:

So this is very good economy also. If you... If you have got metal utensils, if you are in need of money, you can get immediately in exchange some money. There are pawn shops. So they will keep anything, a gold Banarsi sari, or metal utensils or ornaments, if you are need of... Village bankers. Immediately. Poor man... Suppose if you require five rupees, ten rupees. You haven't got, but what..., how to get the money? You take something from your household paraphernalia and go to the pawn-maker. You get money. You are now relieved from the present anxiety. Then again you get back. But what is this china, clay, the china pots and this plastic pot will bring? No, nothing. From economic point of view, this is also very good. So depend on nature.

So (reading:) "The more we go on increasing such troublesome industries to squeeze out the vital energy of the human being, the more there will be unrest and dissatisfaction..."—that is practical—"...of the people in general, although a few only can live lavishly by exploitation." So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is all-round. If people understand that this is a religious movement... No. Religious movement is different thing. Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement... Kṛṣṇa. It is not our manufactured ideas. Kṛṣṇa speaks in the Bhagavad-gītā to make people Kṛṣṇa conscious in every way. He's suggesting how to live, annād bhavanti bhūtāni; (BG 3.14) how the division of the society should be made, cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ; (BG 4.13) everything, social, political and... Political also. He is enthusing Arjuna, "You must fight. They are... They have committed so much injustice upon you. So you must fight. Don't consider that he is your brother, he is your..." Even when Arjuna said, "Yes.

Lecture on SB 1.16.6 -- Los Angeles, January 3, 1974:

We have got a certain duration of life. Now, what is gone in this life... Suppose yesterday was 2nd January, 1974. This morning it is finished. Now it is 3rd January, 1974. Can you bring 1973, 1974, 2nd January, again? No, that is not possible. It is gone forever. It is gone forever. Similarly, every moment of our life is going, forever, never to come back. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says na labhyaḥ svarṇa-koṭibhiḥ. If you request that "Now my age is, say, seventy-eight years." If I request somebody that "I will give you millions of dollars, make my life seventy-seven years," that is not possible. Not seventy-seven years, even a moment. Therefore Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says that every moment of life is so valuable that you cannot get back it even offering hundreds and thousands and millions of dollars. That is not possible.

So if that moment is wasted for nothing, just imagine what is your loss. A thing which you cannot get back by paying millions of dollars, if that is lost unnecessarily, so how much loss you are suffering just imagine. This is material calculation. Why we keep some valuable things, some jewel, very carefully? Because we know, "If I lose this jewel, I will lose so much money." Similarly, we should always consider that. The modern civilization, rascal civilization, they do not know how to utilize life. So many days, so many hours, they are simply wasting, simply wasting. It is said that the sunrise and sunset, during this period, the sun's business is to take away the duration of our life, sunrise and sunset. That means twelve hours or thirteen hours which is gone between the sunrise and sunset...This sun's business is to take away the portion, the fixed up duration of life which I have been given.

Lecture on SB 1.16.19 -- Los Angeles, July 9, 1974:

Just like in the last war, Second..., last war, when everything was in danger, Mr. Churchill started this movement B(?), and they were all going to churches—when the situation was very grave. And in Germany especially, because war was very, going on very seriously, so there was no men, so all the women, they went to the church and pray God, somebody... Woman means husband, son or father... Prayed, "Let my father come back" or "Let my husband come back" or "my son." But nobody came back. So they became atheist. This is the version of my one German Godbrother friend. So he said that all of them became atheists. Why? They prayed so much to get back their husband or son or father: nobody came back. "Then there is no God." This is their conclusion. That means, "God is our order supplier. God is our servant." Just like I ask my servant or my disciple, "You do this," and he must do it. We cannot accept God like that. God is neither going to be your servant.

So those who are going to religious life, making God as their servant, they will be failure. You must approach God as master. You should become servant. The so-called religionist, they accept God as their order-supplier servant: "I must pray to God." Whenever there is some inconvenience, "I must pray," or "I must... " Not "must." "At that time I shall pray, and then I shall finish that prayer, and God must supply. If God does not supply, then there is no God." This is the general attitude. But that should not be done. The real religion is, as Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, is sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66). First of all surrender. Then talk of mercy and this or that. Also, although God is very merciful, even those who are simply asking from God, not prepared to give anything, God is merciful, even though he...

Lecture on SB 1.16.24 -- Hawaii, January 20, 1974:

That's all. This is the distinction between material and spiritual. Everything in relationship with Kṛṣṇa.

So the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very scientific, authorized. Try to understand Kṛṣṇa. We have got so many literature. Don't waste a single moment. Kālena. And Cāṇakya Paṇḍita, the moral instructor... He's not spiritual instructor, but moral instructor. But he has said that āyuṣaḥ kṣaṇa eko 'pi na labhyaḥ svarṇa-koṭibhiḥ. One moment of your life, if it is wasted without any profit, just imagine how much loss you have suffered. Because you cannot get back one moment of your life again even if you are prepared to pay millions of dollars. That you cannot get back. Nineteen seventy-four, 19th January, passed—you cannot get it back again. If you, any rich man comes forward, "Please get me back again 1974, 19th January," "No, sir, that is not possible." Any price you offer, it is not possible.

So just imagine, if we waste our time, how much loss we are suffering. We calculate loss and gain. So don't waste time. Kāla, kāla is very... Yoga system means to save time. The whole process, mechanical process, of yoga, mystic power, means to save time. We have got a limited duration of life. Suppose one is destined to live for... Utmost they will live, anyone, but nobody goes to live for hundred years-say, seventy, eighty, sixty or something like that. Gradually it is reducing, and it will reduce twenty to thirty years. That will be duration of life. Because people are becoming more and more sinful. So that is fixed up.

Lecture on SB 3.25.7 -- Bombay, November 7, 1974:

Sense gratification, either regulated or nonregulated, is meant for animal life. Sense control is the human life. Therefore you'll find in Vedic culture big, big learned scholars, big, big kings, they dedicated their life for tapasya. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattvam (SB 5.5.1). If you want to purify your existence, then you must take to the process of tapasya. Tapo divyam.

And what is that tapasya? Tapasya for realization of God. And then we shall be purified. What is meaning of purify, purification? Purification means we are eternal, and if we become purified from this material contaminating, then we get back our eternal life, back to home, back to Godhead. That is required. That is... For that we have to accept little tapasya. Not to become sense gratifier like the dogs and hogs. That is not civilization. Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). This human life should be regulated in such a way that he hasn't got to satisfy the senses after taking so much hard labor. The modern civilization is like that. Everyone is engaged in hard labor simply for satisfaction of the senses. So they have become mad. Nūnaṁ pramattaḥ kurute vi... And they are acting without any consideration of the effect. They do not consider whether it is sinful or not. They do not believe in the next life. They do not discriminate what is sinful, what is pious—nothing. Exactly like animals.

Lecture on SB 3.25.28 -- Bombay, November 28, 1974:

If we actually are very serious to get out of the clutches of māyā, the repetition of birth, old age, and disease, and get back our original spiritual life, eternal life, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20), there is, that is our real identification. We do not die after the annihilation of this body, but you are so dull by the influence of māyā, we think that death is inevitable. No, why death is inevitable? Death can be avoided, birth can be avoided, disease can be avoided, but you do not know, you have become so dull. We do not know how to overcome. We are busy temporary inconveniences. The whole world is struggling, some temporary. The real business is ātyantika-duḥkha-nivṛtti, everyone is trying to minimize the miserable condition, but they are busy for temporary miserable condition. But the Vedic knowledge is how to mitigate the topmost miserable condition. That topmost miserable condition is the repetition of birth, death, and old age. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam, anu-darśanam (BG 13.9). We should not be very much afflicted with these temporary things. We must have the sense how to solve the ultimate miserable condition of life. That, tad-vijñānārtham, in order to know that science sa gurum evābhigacchet.

Lecture on SB 3.26.40 -- Bombay, January 15, 1975:

That's a fact. Only remedy is. Bhavauṣadhāc chrotra mano-'bhirāmāt.

This was recommended by Śrīla Parīkṣit Mahārāja, the king. He said that this Kṛṣṇa consciousness is bhavauṣadhi. Bhavauṣadhi means bhava. Bhava means this repeated birth and death. Bhava means you be and again you not be, not be for few months. Our death means a sleeping for seven months. That is the description we get from the śāstras. Just like you go on sleep every night, so death means to sleep for seven months, unconsciousness, very deep sleep, in the womb of the mother. Then, as soon as another body is grown up by the ingredients supplied by mother's body or nature, then we get back again consciousness. Just like when we sleep deeply, there is no consciousness. There is consciousness—this is called suṣupti, unconscious. So again, as soon as the body is complete, then we get back our consciousness. Then we become in sleepy condition. Then again, when we come out of the mother's abdomen, that is awakening state. There are three states of conditions: jāgara, suṣupti, and svapna-dreaming condition, awakening condition, and unconscious or deep... Actually, we do not die. Na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācit. There is no question of death. It is simply sleeping or deep sleeping, like that.

So if we keep Kṛṣṇa consciousness very active always, that means try to understand Kṛṣṇa from different angles of vision. Here also, as we are studying analytically the functions of agni, but what is this agni? This is also Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa's energy. Bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ (BG 7.4), Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā. Anala. Anala means agni. Bhinnā me prakṛtir aṣṭadhā. They are not different from Kṛṣṇa. Just like sunshine: sunshine is not different from Kṛṣṇa. Whenever there is sun, wherever there is sun, there is sunshine. Similarly, wherever there is Kṛṣṇa, the Kṛṣṇa's energies are also there. Therefore Viṣṇu. Viṣṇu means all-pervading.

Lecture on SB 7.6.1 -- San Francisco, March 15, 1968:

By this verse, you will know. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says Cāṇakya Paṇḍita was a great politician. He was sometimes prime minister of the emperor of India. So he says, āyuṣaḥ kṣaṇa eko 'pi na labhya svarṇa-koṭibhiḥ. He says that "A moment's time of your duration of life, moment..." Not to speak of hours and days, but moments. He was considering moment to moment. Just like today, 15th March, 1968, now it is half past seven or past seven, thirty-five. Now this 1968, 7:35, gone, as soon as it is 7:36, you cannot bring back that 1968, 15th March, evening, 7:35, again. Even if you pay millions of dollars, "Please come back again," no, finished. So Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says that "Time is so valuable that if you pay millions of golden coins, you cannot get back even a moment." What is lost is lost for good. Na cen nirarthakaṁ nītiḥ: "If you such valuable time spoil for nothing, without any profit," na ca hānis tato 'dhikā, "just imagine how much you are losing, how greatly you are loser." The thing which you cannot get back by paying millions of dollars, if that is lost for nothing, how much you are losing, just imagine.

So the same thing: Prahlāda Mahārāja says that dharmān bhāgavatan, to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, or God conscious, is so important that we should not lose even a moment's time. Immediately we shall begin. Why? Durlabhaṁ mānuṣaṁ janma. Mānuṣaṁ janma. He says that this human form of body is very rare. It is obtained after many, many births. So modern civilization, they do not understand what is the value of this human form of life. They think that this body is meant for sense enjoyment like cats and dogs. The cats and dogs, they are also enjoying life in four principles; eating, sleeping, defending, and mating.

Lecture on SB 7.6.2 -- Vrndavana, December 3, 1975:

That cannot be separated. So our present material condition of life means that we are forgotten of our relationship with God. This is our position. Therefore people are... Some of them are agnostics. Some of them are atheist. Some of them are this, that, so many. They want to forget God. They have already forgotten, and on account of their forgetfulness they are conditioned by nature. The father wants the sons may come back, and the sons have forgotten the father. Therefore the father comes as incarnation. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata, tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7). Why Kṛṣṇa comes? Not only He comes, He sends His so many incarnation. Some of them are svāṁśa. Some of them are vibhinnāṁśa. Everyone is coming here to canvass, to get back the sons back to home, back to Godhead. In different countries, in different atmosphere the business is going on to reestablish the lost or forgotten relationship with God. This is going on.

Lecture on SB 7.6.4 -- Vrndavana, December 5, 1975:

Not this paper, cheating: "I give you money, one thousand rupees, some paper. That's all." Where is money? But people are satisfied. "Yes, I have got one thousand rupees. It is written there. That's all." But actually money is the gold, gold exchange. So therefore Cāṇakya Paṇḍita said... This means at that time there was gold coin exchange. Even in our childhood we have seen in India there was coins, gold coins, silver coins, everywhere, all over the world. In England there was pound, gold coin. So Cāṇakya Paṇḍita said, svarṇa-koṭibhiḥ. Svarṇa means gold coins, and koṭi means ten millions. So suppose today is 6th December. Now seven o'clock, morning, seven o'clock, 6th December, passed. Can you bring it again by paying one crores of gold coins? Hm? That "Let me get back again seven o'clock, 6th December, 1975, again"? No. It is gone forever. So just see the value that you cannot get back even a moment of your life by paying millions and millions of dollars. How time is valuable, just calculate. Therefore Cāṇakya Paṇḍita, sa cet nirarthakaṁ nītaḥ ka no hānis tato 'dhika. If you waste your time, such valuable time, for nothing, just imagine how much loser you are. But we do not know. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu, kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ: (CC Adi 17.31) "Your life is meant for chanting. Therefore you should simply chant sadā, always, consistently." This is the advice. This is properly using the moments of time. Therefore Prahlāda Mahārāja said that tat-prayāsa. If you foolishly endeavor for making some economic development, then what is the...? Āyur-vyayaḥ param. You have got this valuable life. Every moment is so valuable. That means you are wasting your valuable life by such endeavor to improve your economic condition. It is not possible. Tad ayatnataḥ. If you get distress without endeavoring for it, you will get happiness without endeavoring for it, because that is destined. You cannot get more or less. You have to... You'll get it.

Lecture on SB 7.6.5 -- Vrndavana, December 7, 1975:

So either the woman or man, the propensity is how to enjoy life. Therefore it is called. So either puruṣa, the male or female, anyone who has got this body, he must perform Kṛṣṇa consciousness until she becomes... It should go on. If you practice when you are stout and strong... Just like a person begins exercising in young age, and in the old age also he can perform exercise. Practice, anything you practice, that is recommended. Yateta kuśalaḥ ksemāya bhavam āśritaḥ.

So this is Prahlāda Mahārāja's instruction, that "Don't waste your time. Human life is very valuable." And Cāṇakya Paṇḍita also says, āyuṣaḥ kṣaṇa eko 'pi na labhyaḥ svarṇa-koṭibhiḥ: "You cannot get back even one moment of your life by paying millions of dollars. So if you waste your time..." The Kṛṣṇa conscious people, they should not be lazy. They should always remember that death is already there. Let me finish my business properly so that after death I may not be a cat and dog. At least I may get... There is no... My Guru Mahārāja used to say that "Why should you wait for another life? Finish Kṛṣṇa consciousness business in this life." In this life. Why you should set aside the business for another life? No. Tūrṇaṁ yateta anumṛtya pateta yāvat. This is the instruction of... Before the next death you should prepare yourself for death. Death is inevitable. You cannot avoid death. But before the next death comes, if you become fully Kṛṣṇa conscious, then your life is successful. Janma karma ca me divyaṁ yo jānāti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). What is Kṛṣṇa? Try to understand Kṛṣṇa—Kṛṣṇa, what is Kṛṣṇa, why He appears, why He disappears, what is His nature, who is He. So many things are to be known. Kṛṣṇa is God.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.118-119 -- New York, November 23, 1966:

So there is a policy of Kṛṣṇa. Sometimes He puts us into test, whether we are sincerely devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Because we are always after sense gratification, so if Kṛṣṇa is not a order-supplier, then one rejects Kṛṣṇa. We want God, or Kṛṣṇa, to be our order-supplier. So we must order Kṛṣṇa, "Give me this. Give me that. If You cannot give me, then what are You, Kṛṣṇa? I don't want You." This sort of bhakti, or devotional service, is not accepted by Kṛṣṇa.

Just like Mr. Sulye(?), our Godbrother, German, he told me personally that during wartime many German women, some, they prayed into the church to get back their husband, son or brothers, because all went to war and nobody returned. And they become atheist: "Oh, there is no God. We prayed so much to God to get back my husband, to get back my brothers, but they are dead." But the brother was not returned and the husband was not returned. So result was... So if we pray, go to Kṛṣṇa with that purpose, that He should be our order-supplier, then there is no question of Kṛṣṇa-bhakti. We must fully surrender, fully surrender: "Let Him do." Āśliṣya vā. That is taught by Śrī Caitanya: Āśliṣya vā pāda-ratāṁ pinaṣṭu mām marma-hatāṁ karotu vā adarśanāt (CC Antya 20.47). Āśliṣya vā pāda-ratā: "Either You embrace me or You trample me down on Your feet, neglect me, and You make me broken-hearted, and not being present before me all the life..." Āśliṣya vā pāda-ratāṁ pinaṣṭu mām marma-hatāṁ karotu vā. Marma-hatām means "If You make me broken-hearted... I love You so much. I want You, but You never care for me. That's all right. Still You are my worshipable, unconditionally. I don't want any return from You.

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.294-298 -- New York, December 19, 1966:

Therefore pure devotees, they like to supply God. They want to become order-supplier of God, not to make God as order-supplier. What God wants? God wants that make everyone God conscious, Kṛṣṇa conscious. He sends His son. He sends His books. He comes Himself. That is His mission. He wants that all these suffering living entities, they should become Kṛṣṇa conscious and be happy. God wants it. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is clearly stated. So if you wants to supply the want of God, God wants it. If you become yourself Kṛṣṇa conscious and try to serve God by spreading this mission all over the world, that is the best service. That is the best service to Lord, to become yourself a field worker, field worker. God is very much anxious to get back His, these mad sons. In this material world everyone is mad, crazy. It is a difference of degrees only. I may be more crazy than yourself, but we are all crazies. And as soon as we are fixed up in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, our craziness is vanished. Yes. That is our constitutional position. The part is to serve the whole. We are part and parcel. So this is a chance. This manifestation of this material world is a chance to have that opportunity. And especially this human form of life is a, the boon for understanding this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If we miss this opportunity, then we are unfortunate. Unfortunate.

General Lectures

Lecture at Engagement -- Columbus, may 19, 1969:

He was prime minister of Emperor Candragupta, a contemporary to the reign of Alexander the Great, in Greece. So, he was Prime Minister of that Emperor Candragupta, and he has many moral instructions and social instructions. In one of his verses, he says that āyuṣaḥ kṣaṇa eko 'pi na labhyaḥ svarṇa-koṭibhiḥ. Āyuṣaḥ, "of your duration of life." Suppose you are twenty years old. Today is 19th May, and there was 4 p.m. Now, this time, 4 p.m., 19th May, 1969, gone. You can never get it back even if you are prepared to pay millions of dollars. Just try to understand. Similarly, even a moment of your life is wasted for nothing, simply in the matter of sense gratification-eating, sleeping, mating and defending—then you do not know the value of your life. You cannot get back even a moment of your life by paying millions of dollars. Just try to understand how much valuable is your life.

So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to let people know how much valuable life is his, and utilize it in that way. Our movement is sarve sukhino bhavantu: everyone become, be happy. Not only human society, even animal society. We want to see everyone happy. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. And it is practical; it is not dream. You can become happy. Don't be disappointed, don't be confused. Your life has value. You, in this life, you can realize your eternal life, eternal blissful life of knowledge. It is possible; it is not impossible. So we are simply transmitting this message to the world, that "Your life is very valuable. Don't waste it just like cats and dogs. Try to utilize it fully." That is the statement in the Bhagavad-gītā. We have published Bhagavad-gītā As It Is.

Speech -- New Vrindaban, August 31, 1972:

That Siddhaloka, the inhabitants of Siddhaloka, they can fly from one planet to another without any airplane. Even yogis, yogis, haṭha-yogīs, those who have practiced, they can also go from anywhere to anyplace. The yogis, they sit down in one place and immediately transferred in another place. They take a dip in some river nearby here and they can get up in some river in India. They dip here and they rise there. These are yogic powers.

So we have got immense independence, but we are now conditioned by this body. Therefore in the human form of life it is an opportunity to get back our original independence. That is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Freedom. When we have got our spiritual body, without being covered by this material body... We have got our spiritual body within this material body. Very small. That is my real identification. Now I'm covered by two kinds of material bodies. One is called subtle body and the other is called gross body. The subtle body is made of mind, intelligence and ego, false ego, and the gross body is made of earth, water, fire, air and ether mixed together, this body. So two kinds of body we have got. And we are changing. Generally we can see the gross body; we cannot see the subtle body. Just like everyone knows... I know that you have got your mind. I know that you have got intelligence. You know I have got mind, I have got intelligence.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Johann Gottlieb Fichte:

Hayagrīva: Now duty, we get back to the same thing. He writes, "True atheism consists in refusing to obey the voice of one's conscience until one thinks one can foresee the success of one's actions, and thus elevating one's own judgment above that of God and in making oneself into God. He who wills to do evil in order to produce good is a godless person."

Prabhupāda: Now if you do not know what is God, then how you will verify your duty is nice, all-good? What is the order of God, who is God, then where is your duty? You simply manufacture your duty. So everyone can do that. So what do you mean by duty? Duty means the order given by some superior and you follow, you do it. That is duty. But if you have no superior order, if you have no conception who is the superior, what is his order, then where is your duty? Simply by mental imagination. Is it? Does he say it like that?

Hayagrīva: Well, for him, outside of one's duty...

Prabhupāda: So what is one's duty?

Hayagrīva: Yes, well...

Prabhupāda: That he does not know.

Hayagrīva: No, that is not...

Prabhupāda: So that is a useless, because everyone will say, "This is my duty." So who has given him the duty?

Philosophy Discussion on George Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel:

Hayagrīva: So the Tulasī, the actual... To get back to the original point, the actual philosophy behind reverence for the Tulasī plant or the cow or the sexual ceremony, the basis then would be remembrance of Kṛṣṇa, that these can bring remembrance of Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Hayagrīva: Because Kṛṣṇa says so, but...

Prabhupāda: Just like Kṛṣṇa says satataṁ cintayantaṁ mām: "Always thinking of Me," that is the process of consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ (BG 9.14). Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto (BG 18.65). "Always think of Me." So somehow or other you think of Kṛṣṇa, then you will become Kṛṣṇa conscious, purified.

Hayagrīva: But you shouldn't think of Kṛṣṇa in any..., in another way, for instance a palm tree or...

Prabhupāda: (indistinct) Then He is giving indication that "Amongst the trees I am this." So you take it.

Hayagrīva: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Just like Kṛṣṇa said, raso 'ham apsu kaunteya (BG 7.8). He said that "I am the taste of the water." So you are drinking water always. The taste which quenches your thirst and you feel satisfaction, that is Kṛṣṇa. Now if you follow Kṛṣṇa's instruction, "Now I am drinking water. Now I am feeling satisfaction. Now this satisfaction is Kṛṣṇa," then you remember Him.

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

Press Interview -- December 30, 1968, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: I don't say that "You Christian, you become Hindu or you come to me." I simply say "You obey these commandments." That is my order. I make you better Christian. That is my mission. I don't say that "God is not there, God is here," but I simply say that "You obey God." That is my mission. I don't say that you have to come to this platform and accept Kṛṣṇa as God and no other. No. I don't say. I say, "Please obey God. Please try to love God." That is my mission. And I give the way how to love God very easily. How to love, provided you agree.

Journalist: Well, see, again we get back to this...

Prabhupāda: So practically you follow that I have no difference.

Journalist: Yes, I understand. I appreciate.

Prabhupāda: Yes. You believe in God, I believe in God. I simply say "You try to love God."

Journalist: Well, I... I'm still... It's not that I'm confused. I understand what you're saying...

Prabhupāda: You are confused still?

Journalist: No. I understand what you are saying. What confuses me or makes it... When I say, me, and so many of our readers. ...is why is it...? Let me ask the question again. Let me ask it maybe to become clear in my mind. I don't want to put words in your mouth, but let me say it this way. Are you saying that if your mission and the mission of the Jewish, Christian, western ethic is the same, again let me ask the same question, why is it that the younger people or people in general, are disenchanted, are trying to go towards the eastern-oriented religion if their aim or premise is the same as the western. Why are they going toward the eastern if the premise is the same?

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- July 5, 1972, London:

Prabhupāda: Ah.

Sumati Morarjee: We had big property in Karachi.

Prabhupāda: So, so they cannot return.

Sumati Morarjee: They're not returning anything. With great difficulty. I put up a fight with the British to get back my ship with that interned one passenger.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that scrap I saw when I was going.

Sumati Morarjee: Yes.

Prabhupāda: We met on the way.

Sumati Morarjee: Ah.

Prabhupāda: And that ship was returned.

Sumati Morarjee: That was returned. So that I put pressure on the British. That's how we got back the ships. Otherwise we would have lost those two ships.

Prabhupāda: They're very uncultured.

Interview -- July 5, 1972, New York:

Guest (1): I like my students.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Guest (1): I like my students. I think they're on the right track.

Prabhupāda: No! You like your students; I like your students more, because I do not wish to see them in such frustrated condition. That is my mission. I want to make them happy. So I want to give them this information of Kṛṣṇa consciousness so that they may get back life. I have received thousands of letters, those who have come to this life from frustration how they are feeling obliged. (end)

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Two Buddhist Monks -- July 12, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: So about the next life, change of body, you can prepare yourself. Yānti deva-vratā devān. If you prepare your life to go to the higher planetary system, the Moon planet, the Venus planet, and other... There are thousands and millions of planets. You can go. Yānti deva-vratā devān... It is clearly stated. Yānti deva-vratā devān pitṟn yānti pitṛ-vratāḥ. "You can go to the Pitṛloka planets." Or bhūtejyā yānti bhūtāni. "If you want to remain here, you can remain." Mad-yājino 'pi yānti mām. "And if you like, you can come to Me." Everything is there. So next life there is. I'll have to accept a body, and there are eight million... (break) ...you prefer. But Kṛṣṇa says that whichever body we accept, it is subjected to the four miserable conditions: birth, death, old age and disease. Even Brahmā. He has got millions and millions of years duration of life, but still, he has to die. So anywhere in the material world, you have to undergo the material tribulations: birth, death, old age and disease. Here an ant's life may be for few hours, and my life may be for few years. So it is a question of hours and years, but one has to die. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, ābrahma-bhuvanāl lokāḥ punar āvartino 'rjuna (BG 8.16). "Even if you go to the Brahmaloka, the topmost planet, there also, you'll have to die and again accept another body." This will go on. Mad-dhāma gatvā punar janma na vidyate. "But if you come to Me, then you don't come back to accept a material body again." So why not try for that? If I have to endeavor for my next better life, so why not accept the supermost life, eternal life? That is intelligence, and that is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, that you try in this life to get back your spiritual life and come back to Kṛṣṇa, the eternal home, and live there peacefully, eternally, without any disturbance of birth, death, old age, disease. This is our program. (Sound of guests coming or leaving) Jaya. (Hindi ) Oh! So whenever you find time...

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

Prabhupāda: Directly, yes. You cannot even tolerate the atomic energy, and He has got reserved so many other energies. Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate (Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport). Millions of energies Kṛṣṇa has got. This is one of the energies. You cannot tolerate it. Reservoir of all energies.

Prajāpati: Today everybody is lamenting the energy crisis, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: There is no crisis. They have created the crisis, the rascals.

Karandhara: Prabhupāda, we will have to cross over to here to get back.

Prabhupāda: All right.

Karandhara: Walk down here.

Prabhupāda: Oh, that's all right. They say, "Conservation of energy." So why there is crisis? Find out the reservoir and find out the energy. That is the scientific theory, "conservation of energy." Find out where the energy comes from. When it is finished, so I ask, "Just go to the kitchen. Find out some more to eat." So that is the source of energy. You find out the source of energy. Then there is no crisis. (laughter) But the rascals they do not know where the puri is being made. He is going to the privy. (laughter) "Might be puri here." That is their mistake. He does not know the puri is being supplied from the kitchen, not from the latrine. That is their mistake. Instead of going to the kitchen they are going to the latrine. Their advancement of knowledge is up to latrine. That's all. That is the Vedānta information. The conservation of energy if first explained in the Bhāgavata: janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1), that here is... (break) (end)

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- February 23, 1975, Caracas:

Prabhupāda: So long you have not solved the four prominent miserable condition of life, birth, death, old age and disease, you cannot say there is no God. There is controller who is forcing you to accept these conditions. Therefore there is authority. How you can avoid this?

Vīrabāhu: They say, "Some day. Some day we will do."

Prabhupāda: Some day, rascal, somebody will come and kick your face with shoes. (laughter)

Hṛdayānanda: Prabhupāda, if we go back this way, we'll get back around the right time.

Prabhupāda: Why so soon?

Hṛdayānanda: Jaya. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...accept that they are controlled?

Vīrabāhu: They have many contradiction because I learned also that...

Prabhupāda: No, what is contradiction? Everyone is being controlled. Where is contradiction?

Vīrabāhu: One day they say one thing; one day they say something else.

Prabhupāda: That means rascal. That means rascal. One day something, one day..., that means the rascals. Just like yesterday or day before yesterday, "Maybe, perhaps." And "You cannot talk because you have no knowledge. You say, 'Perhaps, maybe.' What is the value of your knowledge? Don't talk."

Room Conversation with three Trappist Monks, Psychologists from the University of Georgia, and Atlanta Lawyer, Michael Green -- March 1, 1975, Atlanta:

Prabhupāda: These are the definitions. One who is completely free from all sinful activities, they can become pure devotee. So even after becoming free from sinful activities, if one has got some motive, then he is also not pure devotee. Pure devotee means without any material motive: "God is great. I am His subordinate. I must love God. I must render service to God." This is pure devotee. And if I go to God, "Please give me my bread," that is not pure devotee, because he has got some purpose. As soon as his purpose is fulfilled, he may turn nondevotee. Just like one of my German Godbrothers said that in Germany during the last war, Second World War, many women used to go to the church to pray to God to get back their husband, son, or brother. But nobody came back. And they became atheist: "There is no God. We prayed so much, and my father did not come, my brother did not come, my son did not come." So motivated devotion is sometimes frustrated, and they become atheist. Therefore the devotee who has no motive is pure devotee. "In any condition, it is my duty to love God and to serve Him, not for my benefit but God's satisfaction." That is pure devotee.

Room Conversation with Ganesa dasa's Mother and Sister -- May 14, 1975, Perth:

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is the defect of the modern civilization.

Mother: Yes.

Prabhupāda: And therefore they are suffering.

Sister: How can you get back to Godhead...

Prabhupāda: That is stated here. You try to understand Kṛṣṇa and go back to home, back to Godhead.

Sister: Yeah, how can you follow it if you've never been exposed to Kṛṣṇa?

Prabhupāda: The book is there.

Sister: Yeah, but people who've never seen the book, never met Kṛṣṇa conscious.

Prabhupāda: So book is available. Why don't you see it?

Sister: Yeah, I can see it, (laughter) but there's a lot of people all over the world who have not.

Prabhupāda: Therefore we are going door to door canvassing, "Take this book."

Mother: You're not doing it, your boys.

Prabhupāda: Our business is to sell this book so that people may take advantage of it.

Mother: And that's the only way.

Room Conversation with Dr. Copeland, Professor of Modern Indian History -- May 20, 1975, Melbourne:

Dr. Copeland: Have you done that? Have you wandered around from village to village?

Prabhupāda: Not village to village, but town to town. Even in foreign countries.

Dr. Copeland: (laughs) Even in Australia too. To get back more to the origins of the movement, why do you follow the teachings of Caitanya rather than say Vallabha or Rāmānuja or Rāmānanda?

Prabhupāda: No, there is no difference. Rather, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's teaching is the summary of all Vaiṣṇava-Rāmānuja, Rāmānanda, Madhvācārya, and Viṣṇu Svāmī, Nimbārka. There are four sampradāyas. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu follows everyone. There is no difference much.

Dr. Copeland: Oh, you found. How about Kabhir?(?)

Prabhupāda: Kabhir is not in the sampradāya.

Dr. Copeland: No.

Prabhupāda: He is upstart. (Dr. Copeland laughs) He says mālāja pare śālā.(?) He is abusing a person who chants Hare Kṛṣṇa. He is such a rascal. Mālāja pare śālā. Śālā is abusive language. But he said mālāja pare śālā. All the Vaiṣṇava sampradāyas, they chant the beads, and he is speaking śālā, abusive language. How fallen he is! That is the difficulty, that our system is accepting the previous ācārya, authority. So anyone who does not follow this principle, he is upstart. He is not accepted as authority. So Kabhir is not an authority.

Dr. Copeland: Does that mean you go back to Śaṅkarācārya?

Morning Walk -- August 24, 1975, Delhi:

Prabhupāda: Mundi House means?

Tejas: Mahārāja of Mundi. Now it's a television studio.

Prabhupāda: Rajwari garden, they are serious about?

Tejas: He is serious. This morning I will go there because I tried to contact them yesterday and was not able to. We will go first thing this morning, after we get back. (break)

Prabhupāda: You put forth such new, I think. It was not before. But they have supplied so rotten materials.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Breaking. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...class in the temple?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: At what time?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually the class, the morning class is over, but we can... Delhi has a different schedule.

Brahmānanda: Class is at five o'clock.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: There's a Bhagavad-gītā class in the evening.

Prabhupāda: What is this building?

Tejas: This is Ayana Bhavan. (break)

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- June 4, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: They'll say..., whatever they'll say it is all right. First of all, say why Sunday first. Then talk all nonsense. First of all, answer this. You cannot say "We believe that Sunday first." What is the fact? Why do you bring moon, Monday? Why not bring...?

Rādhāvallabha: They will say it is arbitrary order.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Rādhāvallabha: Then they will get back to their argument.

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. Arbitrary order is not science. That you cannot.

Candanācārya: How can it be arbitrary if every culture in the history of the planet has accepted that order? How can it be arbitrary?

Rādhāvallabha: That doesn't matter it's not arbitrary. Do you accept?

Hṛdayānanda: Rādhāvallabha is a rascal. (laughter)

Mahendra: Thirty or forty years also, Śrīla Prabhupāda, one man made a little plaster body of a human being, and he planted it in his back yard in England. And then he dug it up and said, "Oh, look, I've found the oldest man in history!" And all the scientists came and said, "Oh, yes, this is the oldest man in history." And for twenty or thirty years many men got their Ph.D.s by writing about how this plaster was the oldest man in history.

Prabhupāda: Yes, such fools are leaders.

Morning Walk -- June 7, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Yes. That's right time.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ...widespread, Śrīla Prabhupāda, very widespread. Now I'm afraid about it being in New York, because one of the leaders has been.... I just found out that he's one of the leaders. He's been in New York for about three weeks on his way to London, and he's a pūj..., he has his own Deities which he has on the altar, which means he's talking to our pūjārīs. I am, I have to get back there as soon as possible to see. They have like a newsletter they send out all over the world.

Rāmeśvara: They mail it out?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, well it's a bunch of notes they mail out on a regular basis. It's really poisonous. Pradyumna has been investigating. He got a bunch of their notes photocopied. The one thing I've noticed about the people that are involved with this, two features I particularly have noticed. One of them is that they don't go out on saṅkīrtana. Everyone I've seen...

Prabhupāda: Then everything will be finished. Preaching will be finished. In this sahajiyā party, then preaching will be finished. Siddha-praṇālī.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What does that mean, Śrīla Prabhupāda, siddha-praṇālī?

Prabhupāda: Siddha-praṇālī is nonsense. They have manufactured a siddha-praṇālī.

Rāmeśvara: (break) ...the initiation that you are given your siddhas, your eternal position.

Garden Conversation -- June 10, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Hm?

na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ

durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ

andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās

te 'pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ

(SB 7.5.31)

They do not know what is the aim of life. Therefore there is no spiritual education. They do not know. Read further. You shall always hold classes. Read these books, discuss, try to understand. Then time will be properly utilized. Don't talk useless things. Some engagement. So long as you are engaged in the service of the Deity, that is very good. Otherwise, you should hold class, read these books, discuss amongst them. Then the proper utilization of time. Avyartha-kālatvam (Cc. Madhya 23.18-19). Advancement of devotional service means always be alert whether a moment is misused. Because you cannot get back even a moment of your life if you pay millions of dollars. Not possible. 1967, 10th June, 5 o'clock, you had to do something, and if you have missed, then that 5 o'clock, 10th June, 1960, ah, '76, will never come back, even you pay millions of dollars. So if that moment is improperly passed, then what is more loss than that? So avyartha-kālatvam. We should not let even a moment of our life misused. Avyartha-kālatvam. Nāma-gāne sadā ruciḥ. This is advanced life of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Prītis tad vasati sthāle (Cc. Madhya 23.18-19). Attachment for living at places where Kṛṣṇa had His pastimes, like Vṛndāvana, Mathurā, Dvārakā. Prītis tad vasati sthāle. And avyartha-kālatvam (Cc. Madhya 23.18-19). These are advanced spiritual consciousness. Go on.

Room Conversation with Dr. Theodore Kneupper -- November 6, 1976, Vrndavana:

Dr. Kneupper: I will remember this. And I will read, look into your writings much more closely...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Dr. Kneupper: ...when I get back. Could I ask you if you might sign... Put your name in... Autograph?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Dr. Kneupper: Could you do that please?

Prabhupāda: So, you can give him that book.

Devotees: (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Would you like to read this book?

Dr. Kneupper: Yes, I will read that, yes.

Prabhupāda: So I'll sign in that book.

Dr. Kneupper: Okay, okay, fine. Yes, that would be good. Very good. Thank you very much.

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Dr. Kneupper: Thank you very much for your time...

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 6, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: So Badruka is the same?

Mahāṁsa: He came yesterday in the evening. I could not see him.

Prabhupāda: So, it is not yet registered?

Mahāṁsa: No. As soon as I get back today, it will be registered. He came just yesterday in the evening.

Prabhupāda: So, what other news?

Mahāṁsa: We are just waiting to get some water facilities made so that we can start doing something in the meantime.

Prabhupāda: The water is not yet there?

Mahāṁsa: One building is finished. Now the pump has to be gotten for that. The second building, we didn't have... I wasn't over there. I had gone to South India to collect some money. And then, when I came back, the people had gone away because there was no money to be paid to them.

Prabhupāda: Why? I have already transferred?

Mahāṁsa: That came just five days back. So now we'll be working on it full swing because we have some money.

Prabhupāda: So the bank has transferred?

Morning Walk -- January 6, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: So you don't know. Then who knows?

Mahāṁsa: Well, Tejas and Haṁsadūta, they said to cut down the prasādam quantity.

Prabhupāda: These nonsense ideas, why you make without asking? I am paying money. Why it should be cut down? Don't do anything nonsensical. This should be increased. I shall pay. Why you are anxious? So?

Mahāṁsa: Now when I get back I'm going to work on it and see that at least...

Prabhupāda: They should come. Every evening they should come, as many as possible. Give them prasādam. Our mission is to induce them to chant and take prasādam. Then, next stage, if they want to work with us, it is welcome. If not, we shall go on giving prasādam and induce them to chant. This is our mission.

Mahāṁsa: The village people are very happy.

Prabhupāda: Yes, they should be. That I want. Sarve sukhino bhavantu. This is our mission.

Mahāṁsa: The stone-cutting has also started.

Prabhupāda: Ah, that's nice.

Mahāṁsa: They're doing very well.

Prabhupāda: Here we're inviting everyone, "Come here. Live here. Take prasādam and chant. Don't drink tea. That's all." (chuckles) That is... Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Evening Darsana -- February 25, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: That you have to manage, how to collect. You give him in credit, but keep men also to collect.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Collection agency.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Then it will be successful. You can give it... Americans are expert to take in credit, but the banking arrangement is nice, that they get back. Similarly, you give them credit. They will take it and then make such machinery that it will be collected. Collected means to go and ask. Then it will be collected.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What do you have to do? Go and ask.

Prabhupāda: Go and ask. In India it is called takata. Takata(?) means "send men." If somebody owes money, you go and ask him. So he'll pay something. If not all, he'll pay. In this way realize.

Devotee (6): Śrīla Prabhupāda? Currently there's only about six or eight people that are doing this type of work in Europe and then other parts of the world, excluding India. And if we were to start this program, there would be a necessity of more men that would have to be supplied...

Prabhupāda: As you are preaching, more men will come. Man will come; money will come. Everything will be all right. Kṛṣṇa will supply. Now, here, this Chinese Gītā, they have already sold.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Nearly five thousand copies sold.

Room Conversation -- March 26, 1977, Bombay:

Hari-śauri: ...for myself? That boy who was with me from Australia, I've sent him back this morning. He's gone back this morning. There is actually two or three major things going on there, so I have to try to get back as soon as possible. There is a purchase of the farm, eight hundred acre farm, which comes up in about seven or eight days, and then we have to consider whether to buy that building in Sydney. You've seen that picture already. And also there's a big court case coming up in Melbourne. The deprogramming thing is going on there also. But this time the court case is being pressed by... It's a civil case. The police wouldn't take it up. So the girl who was kidnapped, we are pressing charges, but through her against the parents. So this is going to be a big case also. So that's coming up in the end of April. So I have to see what the presentation is like and get more information from Ādi-keśava and make sure that we will press it very strongly, the whole issue. Someone just sent a newspaper clipping about the whole thing. I expect to be going to Delhi in about two days, to try to speed up the process of getting a re-entry permit. Then once I do that, I can go on. (long pause) (break)

Girirāja: This evening, the chief guest is going to arrive at about a quarter to seven.

Prabhupāda: Who is the chief guest?

Girirāja: His name is Dr. Dattrey.

Room Conversation -- March 26, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Very good.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So the thing is that will get us to the pandal, if everything goes on schedule, by about 8:30.

Prabhupāda: That is all right.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Which means supposing you stay there an hour, you won't get back here till about ten.

Prabhupāda: What is the wrong there?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's all right? You won't be too tired or anything? Okay, then I'll tell him. (break)

Hari-śauri: First I'll go to Sydney, because this purchasing of the building has to be done in a few weeks, and we have to thoroughly check all the finance. And after that I'll go to Melbourne, because then the court case comes up at the end of April.

Prabhupāda: From Delhi?

Hari-śauri: That I still have to decide. I'm going to ring tomorrow morning and see what the situation is at the consulate.

Prabhupāda: From Delhi you can go to Singapore. From Singapore to Sydney.

Hari-śauri: Yeah. There are direct flights also, that they come, Delhi, Bombay and then straight to Perth and then Sydney.

Room Conversation -- October 12, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes. If you drop, they get opportunity.

Jayapatākā: Yes. No, we have no intention to drop the charges. That will not clear our name. The day I returned, the Secretary General... Rather, the General Secretary of the State Congress Party, Mr. K. K. Sukla, he just happened to visit our mandira, and he heard the whole story, and he said that he'll give whatever support he can, and if they get back into any power, then he'll see that our programs get full assistance. Then our lawyer told us that he has been talking to some ministers in the present Communist government, and they're saying that they're willing to support our movement if we do some works that are beneficial for the people. They're not saying that we're not doing any so far, but any other things like the bridges or the schemes we have, they're willing to give us support for those. By your mercy everything is gradually changing around. The tantric astrologer there, he gave some predictions.

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Jayapatākā: Well, about two weeks ago he had told Bhavānanda that he would be called to Vṛndāvana and that all the GBCs or leaders of the Society would be called to Vṛndāvana to see Your Divine Grace. He said that actually Your Divine Grace is a pure Vaiṣṇava and like type of avatāra, empowered person of Kṛṣṇa, so that he shouldn't really speak anything, because he's simply a tantric type of astrologer, 'cause you are able to change your fate or change according to your desire. He predicted that all the GBCs would be coming. He said that up till the November 28th is the last date of the sickness, and that after that, then your sickness... You would take a month or so to fully recuperate, and then from January on you'd be quite healthy again, and for at least seven years you wouldn't have any trouble with health. The big day... He put the biggest day at November 28th.

Hari-śauri: The worst day?

Jayapatākā: That's the end of the bad period.

Room Conversation -- October 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Svarūpa Dāmodara...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He's your top preacher. I could see that in the future this man... He's the most important preacher, because people are basing everything on these rascal scientists. I think this is only one of your many plans, Śrīla Prabhupāda. There's no doubt that you have to make every effort to get back to health. This is only one plan, and I'm seeing it's really inconceivable how these scientists... I never thought to see such people walking into Vṛndāvana. Who would have ever expected it? They all look like Darwin's representatives. But our men look even more scientific than they do. That's the best part of it. And then, even though Svarūpa Dāmodara is in shirt, coat and pants, he has a big tilaka on, and mallikā.

Prabhupāda: That is wanted.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Very good. And then our sannyāsīs look so nice. There's Akṣayānanda Mahārāja and Bhakti-prema Swami. They were both there, very nicely dressed, with daṇḍas. It's really... The whole thing is complete. They get to stay in a nice guesthouse. Then there will be building of Bhaktivedanta Institute Hall. All of these things are a complete arrangement. I think these men are surprised to see that how such a thing has sprung up, and they have not been aware of it before. And when they see these books, Śrīla Prabhupāda, that the scientists have written, I think that will floor these men. They will be completely amazed to see it. Normally, if anyone else dared to do such a thing as this, to prove by science that life comes from life, it would be a very immature attempt by some religious person, and it would not have very much weight. But here they are coming face to face with people who are actually scientists, and they will not be able to deny our arguments. I think that your Guru Mahārāja is very pleased with this program, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: I have given the ideas. Now you give the shape.

Room Conversation -- October 24, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They spoke with Mr. Bangor, B. N. Bangor. He didn't know anybody. He spoke with Mr. Bajoriya. He also did not know anybody. They had not yet spoken with Mr. Jalan. Our feeling was that to bring a kavirāja, Rāmānuja kavirāja, is not difficult from wherever we are, whether we're here or anywhere. There are many kavirājas. Whether we have to get a local one or whether we have to go somewhere to bring one, they can be brought. Our one consideration was... (break) Just like this morning, it's getting cold in the morning, and we felt that, for example, in this summer, during the rainy season it rained very much—more than usual. So the climate is not completely predictable in this Kali-yuga. So it's getting very cold in the mornings. Now, if suddenly it gets much colder, to travel in the train would be very difficult, because these trains are hard. You can't keep them warm. They don't have heat in them. So we don't feel it's very safe to wait unduly. Our opinion was that so far as your health or strength goes, it's not going to increase significantly in one or two weeks. Even when you take this makara-dhvaja, it will take time to gradually get back your strength. So waiting is not so much for the purpose of gaining back strength. And the climate is working against us because it's getting colder if we wait. One of the main reasons to go that Your Divine Grace had was to get into a nice climate, fresh air, open-air atmosphere. So our feeling is that as far as a kavirāja goes, now we must find a Rāmānuja kavirāja. Now, if we cannot find one in Calcutta, then our feeling is let us find one somewhere else and bring him to Māyāpur. In other words, it doesn't have to be that he's living in Calcutta. Kavirājas are all over India. There is one... Who that person, Bhavānanda?

Bhavānanda: The head pūjārī at Śrī Raṅgam temple in South India. He is coming in the family of Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī. He is very friendly with our society, and Acyutānanda and Yaśodā-nandana Swamis, they stayed with him at his house...

Prabhupāda: Hm!

Room Conversation -- October 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: (Bengali)

Vrindavan De: (Bengali)

Prabhupāda: He wants to return as quickly as possible.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. I personally felt you could go tomorrow even, 'cause I thought that you could actually... I think the earlier you get back to Calcutta the better. But his idea was to leave Sunday, I think.

Vrindavan De: Sunday, yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Today is Friday. So he wanted to leave the day after tomorrow. Otherwise everything is ready for him to go whenever he wants it.

Vrindavan De: (Bengali)

Prabhupāda: (Bengali) Where is the certificates?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Should I bring them? The certificates are with the bank, but we have the counterfoil identity slips.

Prabhupāda: So give him. Let him go away.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Just now?

Prabhupāda: I said now.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: All right.

1947 to 1965 Correspondence

Letter to Ramakrishna -- Allahabad 26 September, 1952:

I am trying my level best to reopen the business but still it will take minimum one week to come to the normal condition. I am awfully stranded and put to much shame. Will you kindly help me as you have done so many times? As a son has no shame to ask his father, so I feel no shame for it because there is no other help at the present moment. If you can, please do send me T.M.O. for Rs 300/- & save my prestige & honour. I expect to return you this sum after a fort night. As soon as my business is opened I shall at once get back Rs 1000/-. May God bless you.

1967 Correspondence

Letter to Satsvarupa -- San Francisco 21 March, 1967:

Howard wants one of the Mimeograph machine here so that copies of Back to Godhead required here may be printed here. What is the weight of the machine and what will be cost of transport charges. I think you can spare one machine for San Francisco and charge cost of it.

Please ask Rayarama to get back the first chapter of Gitopanisad from the publisher. I have asked this several times but there is no reply. I shall be glad to hear from you about all the points mentioned therein.

Letter to Brahmananda -- San Francisco 28 March, 1967:

With reference to your letter of the 24th March 1967, I beg to request you to see in the Bank as to who has taken payment of the check. Any one either Mr. Hill or any one else who has taken the payment must be sued along with Payne. In whose favor did you sign the check? I think you signed the check in favor of Mr. Hill because he is supposed to be the financier and who else can take payment of the check except Mr. Hill.

If you expect that Payne is coming with $20000.00 second mortgage money then we shall not lag behind. We are prepared to pay the balance $5000.00 and other fees at any cost. If you lag behind to pay the balance money certainly you are not eligible to get back the money. So we shall not lag behind. If we are actually getting possession of the house, then I take the responsibility to pay the balance money rest assured. But I do not know what is the agreement you have entered into.

Payment of the next installment of $5000.00 dollar is not the issue: the issue is that Mr. Payne has made a false transaction and Mr. Hill is his accomplice to take the money under the plea of being the financier to purchase the house. I am not a Lawyer but this is common sense affair. Mr. Hill has taken the money and he must finance to purchase the house. If he has no money to finance then it is a cheating case clear and simple. Mr. Lerner said that he has no money, therefore, he must be sued along with Payne. But if he is able to finance as per agreement we are also prepared to pay the balance money. So if Payne comes with the money, I take the responsibility of paying the balance $5000.00.

Letter to Brahmananda -- San Francisco 28 March, 1967:

The scheme of Mr. Herzog to serve notice to Mr. Taylor will clear up the case. So to serve the notice of action to Mr. Taylor is very good. So far $750 paid to Mr. Payne his firm should be given all pressure even up to the court.

My point of view is that provided we are getting possession of the house we shall not lag behind in the matter of all stipulated payments. If we lag behind we are not going to get back the money $5000.00. We want the house and we are ready to pay all with all hardship on our part but if it is a maneuver on the part of Mr. Payne and His accomplice Mr. Hill they must be brought to the criminal court for proper punishment. If however we get the money back without a farthing less, we are not going to take any step even though we can do so legally.

In such critical points how you can leave New York. Suppose Mr. Payne secures the second mortgage money by the 31st March and you are absent who will look after the transaction. We must get into the possession of the house for Krishna's Temple or we must get back the money for Krishna's service. And we are prepared to fulfill the terms of the agreement.

Letter to 'Children' at New York -- Vrindaban 26 July, 1967:

We had a nice meal and slept very nicely. We boarded the plane for the second time the next morning at nine a.m. and took off for Moscow shortly thereafter, and arrived at that bastion of propaganda about three hours later. We had an hour stop there, so we got off the plane just to take a walk. We were met by a "friendly guard" and informed that they would keep our passport until we returned to the plane, and then "guided" down the corridor to the terminal. Unlike London or New York, there was no hustle or bustle at the terminal, nor were there many people—and it was very quiet! The only remarkable features were the propaganada pictures and the many racks of free books and literatures. We were glad to get back on the plane and start for Delhi. The flight from Moscow to Delhi took about 8 hours, and when we arrived it was about midnight local time, and when we stepped out of the plane I KNEW IT WAS INDIA! It was like walking into a solid wall of HEAT. But that's what I've been wanting, and it felt good to me. Some friends were there to meet us, so after clearing customs we drove into town, where we stayed (and are presently) at a Radha Krishna Temple near Kashmiri Gate.

Today I have consulted with two Ayur Vedic physicians, one of whom is famous in these quarters, and they conclude that my trouble is with my heart, but that all danger is past, and that I will be just fine, provided I follow simple regulative measures with my diet and work. I also have been given some medicine, so we shall see how Krishna desires. Tomorrow, Krishna willing, we will go to Vrindaban, where you can send mail to me.

1968 Correspondence

Letter to Mukunda -- Seattle 1 October, 1968:

In the management of the London branch, if the local Englishmen come forward, that is welcome. So far Indians are concerned, there are so many varieties of split-up Hindu society. So I hope you will take necessary precautions in the matter of registering ISKCON Ltd. ISKCON is the short cut of our society's name, but when you actually register the full name, the aims and objectives as they are stated in our prospectus, must be mentioned. Anyway, I am so much pleased that your program of Kirtana and Krishna Consciousness is going on well there although you have not got yet our own temple. Why don't you get Back To Godhead from New York? Here the Sankirtana party, headed by Jayananda and Tamala Krishna is doing very nice. They are collecting an average of $45 daily, as contributions, and selling an average of 100 copies of Back To Godhead. So try to get immediately copies of Back To Godhead from New York and try to sell them in large quantities. That is our backbone. In meantime, our Bhagavad-gita As It Is, and Teachings of Lord Caitanya are also coming out by the end of this month. So Kirtana plus distribution of our books and literature is the basic principle of our success. Even if we do not have our own temple it does not matter, but if we can hold Kirtana 24 hours, and distribute our publications, that is our great success. I have now received one letter from Syamasundara about the bank affairs, and will reply him shortly. I received also one letter from Malati, and one from Yamuna, which are very nice, and I shall reply them in my next. If there is no immediate program of my going to London, then I may go next either to Los Angeles or Boston. Hope this finds you all alright.

Letter to Satsvarupa -- Los Angeles 14 November, 1968:

Yes, it is all right to continue painting Lord Caitanya and the Gopis as you have been, in flesh tone.

It is not mentioned how many hands the different Brahmas from the different universes have. Maybe four hands. Yes, they ride on swans.

I am sending herewith the tape, so you do the work on your dictaphone and send me regularly the typed copies. Don't stop sending them, it makes me stop also. Unless I get back the typed copies it doesn't encourage me. So you send me the typed copies regularly and I shall send you the tapes regularly. What about the 3rd Canto? I know that I have made up to the 3rd Canto 7th chapter and the present tape is continuation, but I am in darkness where are the papers. So give me an account where are the papers.

I am concerned about Jadurani's health condition—has she got any fever? If she has feverish condition, she should simply lie down and do no work.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Krsna dasa -- Hawaii 15 March, 1969:

And as soon as you get at least $100 extra, I shall ask you immediately to get some temple goods from India; when you are ready with the money, I shall let you know farther on this matter.

I have received from London pictures, and it appears things are going there also very nice. No letter from you is useless for me—they are all important. And you can write as long a letter as you can. I shall read them carefully with attention in spite of my various duties always. Regarding the tape lecture which you requested, I have got the copy in L.A. most probably, so I shall have to send it to you when I get back to the mainland.

All the devotees are very much thankful here for your good wishes, and they also are hoping all is going well there for you, and are feeling your separation as well.

Letter to Krsna dasa -- New Vrindaban 7 June, 1969:

So cooperate together nicely, and I hope our Hamburg center will very soon become the important center in Europe. In London they have not yet been able to find out a suitable place, but still they are prepared to celebrate the Rathayatra Festival there. But so far I have received no definite information on this festival. Under the circumstances I am not yet certain whether or not I shall go to London, but in your letter under reply you have expressed the desire of my going to Germany, so do you think you are able to receive me there at the present stage? My going to Germany means lots of expenditures, including travel fare, etc. If you think that you will be able to meet these expenditures, then I have no objection for going there directly.

From your report of sales of the Peace Formula it appears that when you get Back To Godhead printed in German language it will be very nicely distributed. I can see that Jaya Govinda is a great asset to your center and there will be no difficulties for printing matter. He is expert in that line, and he and Rayarama worked for many months in connection with Back To Godhead here in New York.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Govinda -- Los Angeles 8 January, 1970:

Your description of different fruits and flowers, especially mangos, are very attractive for me. Last year, when I went to your place, I was attracted more from the same description, but it was rainy season and there was not much of the local fruits and flowers available. Still, it was very nice to stay there and especially I was eating very nicely the squash vegetables daily collected from your compound. So, ultimately, Krishna's desire has to be fulfilled. Don't be in a hurry. You are engaged in more important business to organize the Hawaii center and I wish it may be converted into New Navadvipa Dhama. In Navadvipa Dhama there is a railroad station called Samudragarh, and it is said that sometimes the ocean was there. So, on the Pacific Ocean, if you can establish New Navadvipa, that will be a great achievement. I am sure your husband, with your cooperation, will be able to do it very quickly. When I was in London, I was wearing on your cloak daily because there it was severe cold. But this side is very nice. It is not cold at all. So when I get back the coat which you have sent to Boston, surely I shall utilize it properly.

1972 Correspondence

Letter to Giriraja -- Honolulu 15 May, 1972:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated May 5, 1972, and I was anxiously awaiting for this. So actually we have taken a very responsible task on behalf of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. At the present moment, to speak the truth, the whole population of the world are demons and animals. It may be a very strong aspersion on the people of the world, but this is the fact. But still, because they are part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, so originally they were pure and therefore it is the mission of Krishna to get back His parts and parcels to home, exactly like a father likes to get back his son at home because this son had gone out of home for false happiness. But the people are so mad, they are talking so many nonsense things—nonsense philosophy, nonsense science—and our task is to meet all of them and at the same time pacify them in their lunatic condition. So I am sure you are a very good soul to act on behalf of Krishna, and do it nicely. Krishna will give you the proper intelligence. He is sitting in your heart. Simply he wants to see us working sincerely.

Letter to Vaikunthanatha -- Bombay 29 December, 1972:

That is important. Running-on of factories, family, these are ordinary businesses and anyone may do them, any ordinary man, but you are not ordinary man, that I know. My best advice to you is that you do not bother yourself by so many speculative thoughts and thus only aggravate the situation further. But if you are unhealthy with liver infection, that is another thing. So first of all you must get back your healthy condition. For that, living in Europe or America may be better for you, that I do not know. But in any case, remember always that you have now got this golden opportunity of human form of life, and it is not by accident that you have met your spiritual master and have become involved in Krsna's work, therefore remember these things and try to utilize your best intelligence and energy to take advantage of the situation and without any further delay take yourself to the perfectional platform of your life. The activity most recommended by Krsna and Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu for taking oneself to the perfectional stage in this age of Kali-yuga is this sankirtana or preaching mission. So if you will be able to form yourself into the first-class preacher, that will be best for you and for others also. Your wife may also assist you in your important activities of spreading Krsna consciousness. She is a very nice painter and artist, and she is very sincere and serious also, so you may together utilize your spot-life as preachers of Krsna consciousness, that will be the better occupation. There is no harm for having children, that is no impediment for preaching endeavor. But too much attachment for children, home and work will spoil your opportunity to get very quickly the mature benefit of Krsna consciousness or self-realization.

1973 Correspondence

Letter to Lynne Ludwig -- Los Angeles 30 April, 1973:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter from California dated November 27, 1972, and I have noted the contents carefully, although due to extensively travelling and preaching tour in India, I have not yet got the opportunity to reply you at length until now. Your complaint is that you have met two of my young disciples in California and they appeared to you as having "a very negative outlook towards the people they meet." Of course, I do not know the case, what are the circumstances, but kindly forgive my beloved disciples any unkindness or indiscretions on their part. After all, to give up one's life completely for serving the Lord is not so easy thing. And Maya, or the illusory material energy, she tries especially hard to try to get back and entrap those who have left her service to become Devotees. So sometimes in the neophyte stage of devotional service, in order to withstand the attack of Maya and remain strong under all conditions of temptation, young or inexperienced devotees will adopt an attitude against those things or persons possibly harmful, threatening to their tender devotional creeper. They may even over-indulge in such feelings just to protect themselves, and thus they will appear to some non-devotees, who are perhaps themselves still very enamoured by the material energy of Maya, as being negative or pessimistic.

But actual fact is that this material world is a miserable, negative place, full of danger at every step, duhkhalayam asasvatam, temporary abode of death, birth, disease and old-age, home of suffering and pain only. To come to that platform of understanding of things as they are, that is not a very common thing, and therefore such persons who attain to it, they are described as "great souls":

Letter to Tamala Krsna -- Paris 11 August, 1973:

In continuation of my last letter regarding transfer of money to India for purchase of Hare Krishna Land (9 Lakhs Rs/.), I beg to inform you that transfer from this side may not be difficult, but if there is no commitment from their side I do not wish to transfer the money for being blocked. To get back the money from India is a great botheration. In other words, unless I am sure that they are going to sell I am not going to transfer the money.

Regarding your telegram worded as follows: "Sending draft Hyderabad deed in your name. Send me Bombay your power of attorney for Hyderabad transaction. Urgent." I have not as yet received the draft. One draft which was sent by Mahamsa was not approved by me. I have already sent you a copy of a letter addressed to Mahamsa. So when I receive the deed sent by you and it is approved by me, I will send you the power of attorney.

If Mrs. Nair is not going to sell us the land then what next step we have to adopt? you cancelled the sales agreement on the condition that she would return our money and damages which she has not done till now. On account of her failure to return our money can we not withdraw our letter of cancellation and thus take specific action on the sales agreement? We fixed a criminal case against her for attempting to dispossess us from the land, and what happened to that case?