Hong Kong (Conversations)

Expressions researched:
"Hong Kong"

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with John Griesser (later initiated as Yadubara Dasa) -- March 10, 1972, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: They want to make business... All these pictures are yours? No.

Yadubara: No, just the ones on Kṛṣṇa consciousness...

Prabhupāda: Oh, thank you.

Yadubara: ...I'm happy to say.

Prabhupāda: So who will go to Hong Kong?

(long silence, then two indistinct replies)

Śyāmasundara: Shall we decide now, or shall we wait until tomorrow?

Devotee: I met one man from Hong Kong yesterday, Dr. Bali, and he said he'd give us financial help in Hong Kong. I will go to see him this morning. (indistinct)

Śyāmasundara: To Singapore also?

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Śyāmasundara: To Singapore also, the same men? The same two men will go to Singapore and Hong Kong. (devotees chant japa for several minutes) Do you think Revatīnandana could go? You said Revatīnandana should go?

Prabhupāda: He can go. (japa continues) Are you getting some interest with our association?

Yadubara: Yes, I am. I feel the effects of chanting very much.

Prabhupāda: That's nice.

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

Śyāmasundara: Alright.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Devotee: Hong Kong, North and South Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, (indistinct), Australia, New Zealand, Fiji Islands, Samoa, and Tahiti.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Devotee: Tahiti.

Prabhupāda: (indistinct) Make that one zone. Then next zone?

Devotee: (indistinct)

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

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Devotee: China is very big. It could be even more because it touches...

Prabhupāda: China is big, but we have no center (indistinct).

Devotee: Hong Kong.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Devotee: Hong Kong.

Prabhupāda: So Hong Kong under which zone?

Śyāmasundara: Well, it's very close to Manila and Manila is in part of Southeast Asia, Australia.

Prabhupāda: So Hong Kong is already zone?

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

Prabhupāda: (indistinct)

Śyāmasundara: Yes.

Devotee: (indistinct-devotees entering and exiting room)

Devotee: Previously Hong Kong was part of Southeast Asia.

Prabhupāda: Now?

Devotee: Still. We linked China with Hong Kong and put it with Southeast Asia. Peking, Peking is much closer to Japan.

Prabhupāda: Divide the whole world into twelve parts. That is first.

Devotee: (indistinct-devotees converse in background for some time on map and countries)

Room Conversation -- July 5, 1972, London:

Sumati Morarjee: So you can find out all this from India office. Yes.

Devotee: Yeah, Gurudāsa can do that.

Sumati Morarjee: And then will give you in Indian High Commission all details.

Prabhupāda: Another, another is that we get some incense imported from Hong Kong.

Sumati Morarjee: I know. So what is that incense?

Devotee: Punks, punks.

Prabhupāda: Punks.

Devotee: Just a rink.

Sumati Morarjee: Can you show me.

Room Conversation -- July 5, 1972, London:

Prabhupāda: Show, show, spiritual...

Sumati Morarjee: I know, we also use that incense, but uh, I don't know the name of it.

Prabhupāda: So, kindly get them carried from Hong Kong to Los Angeles.

Sumati Morarjee: So let us see.

Devotee: They're punks, without any scent, and then it...

Sumati Morarjee: I know it (indistinct).

Devotee: And when they come here, then they dip them into oil and make a scent.

Prabhupāda: Anyway...

Room Conversation -- July 5, 1972, London:

Prabhupāda: You get from Hong Kong...

Sumati Morarjee: And take where?

Prabhupāda: Huh? Take to Los Angeles. That is a ...

Sumati Morarjee: No, but one thing, if it is brought to Bombay, via Hong Kong, then we can send it to Los Angeles, by ship.

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Sumati Morarjee: By ship we can send it.

Room Conversation -- July 5, 1972, London:

Prabhupāda: Your ship does not go to Hong Kong?

Sumati Morarjee: Sometimes it goes.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Sumati Morarjee: So, at that time it is handed over to Hong Kong ship. It will be delivered in Bombay. Then we reship it to Hong Kong, to Los Angeles.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Devotee: Is that on a regular basis, that it goes to Hong Kong?

Room Conversation -- July 5, 1972, London:

Prabhupāda: We have got some, giving, give her that.

Sumati Morarjee: This is from (indistinct).

Prabhupāda: Yes, we get from Hong Kong.

Sumati Morarjee: Hong Kong. Why, is it good?

Prabhupāda: No, it is not good. It is wrong. That we sent it...

Sumati Morarjee: How?

Prabhupāda: ...different, in different way.

Devotee: They dip it into oils.

Prabhupāda: Scented Oil. That's...

Room Conversation -- July 5, 1972, London:

Prabhupāda: Jaya, jaya, Sumatiji ki jaya. All glories to Sumatiji (laughter) .

Sumati Morarjee: All glories to Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Sumati Morarjee: (Hindi) So you write to me about this Hong Kong.

Devotee: Yes.

Prabhupāda: And for you becoming the president of the Trustee, I shall write to Girirāja.

Sumati Morarjee: Yes, you write to Girirāja, and we will discuss ourselves.

Prabhupāda: Thank you.

Room Conversation -- August 1, 1972, London:

Prabhupāda: She has already agreed, that, ah, what is called? Punks? The punks sent to Calcutta, and from there then send to Los Angeles.

Devotee: Yeah. I'm wondering why they can't take them directly.

Prabhupāda: Directly not very many ships come to Hong Kong.

Devotee: Oh, from Hong Kong that way, that direction, they don't come. They come on their way back. I see. Yeah, they take Chinese goods from Hong Kong to India.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Devotee: They take Chinese goods from Hong Kong to India.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Room Conversation -- August 1, 1972, London:

Devotee: They take Chinese goods from Hong Kong to India.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Devotee: There's not many from Hong Kong to America.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Therefore she said send to India. Take information.

Devotee: Transfer to another boat. That will save them a thousand dollars a month.

Prabhupāda: That's nice. That's a thousand dollar contribution.

Devotee: Yeah. And as it grows, it will increase.

Prabhupāda: And send them a Gujarati paper, our magazine, distribution amongst their workers. That will satisfy (indistinct) sense.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- February 28, 1973, Jakarta:

Prabhupāda: How you are Mandarin?

Devotee (3): Chinese, from Hong Kong.

Prabhupāda: This sky(?), they are making like Calcutta Esplanade. (indistinct) Victoria Memorial, you don't remember?

Devotee (2): I've only been three days (indistinct) Śrīla Prabhupāda, before we left India.

Prabhupāda: Oh. You were mostly in Bombay.

Devotee (2): Yes. (break)

Morning Walk -- March 1, 1973, Jakarta:

Prabhupāda: And that is the Christian propaganda.

Devotee (1): Same in Madras.

Prabhupāda: In India, everywhere. They cannot attract people by their philosophy. It is show money, "Yes, come on, take money." (pause) Hong Kong also. (break) Very, many meat shops. Rather this vegetable,...

Devotee (1): It's expensive.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Devotee (1): It costs a lot of money. Meat is more expensive to eat. Actually, most people, mostly they eat vegetables because it is available. But there's much fish. There's much fish and they carry around in the streets everywhere.

Room Conversation with Sir Alistair Hardy -- July 21, 1973, London:

Pradyumna: You probably had those in India.

Sir Alistair Hardy: (break) ...through India, going out to the Far East. I've been out advising on the setting up of a fishery, biological research, at Hong Kong. But I never believe in going straight out and I've always stopped in India, various places, very little, short time. (eating) I had a great friend, Professor Bower, who was professor of zoology at Lucknow. He then became the vice-chancellor of Patna. But he overworked very badly, and he had a breakdown, and then... But he was an awfully nice man. I stayed with him in Lucknow.

Prabhupāda: This zoology is another subject matter, whether life began from matter or matter began from life.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 16, 1974, Hawaii:

Prabhupāda: Gopāla Svāmī, yes.

Sudāmā: And he said that within a month the society will be registered there in Japan. That the registration is finally coming to effect.

Satsvarūpa: There was also a telegram from Bhūrijana in Hong Kong.

Prabhupāda: Ah.

Satsvarūpa: And he's fully prepared for us to come and he's hoping that we'll come.

Prabhupāda: Oh yes, then prepare that. So by the twenty-eighth?

Satsvarūpa: Yes, we'll inform him.

Prabhupāda: Is that all right?

Room Conversation -- February 9, 1974, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) (break) ...New York, goes to Los Angeles and then to Honolulu, then Tokyo, then Hong Kong, then New Delhi... No. Hong Kong to Bangkok, Bangkok to New Delhi, New Delhi to Karachi, Karachi to Beirut, then, I think, London, then again New York. One, one round. (Hindi) One round.

Guest (1): (Hindi) (break) (laughter)

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) (laughing) (break) Fifty crores.

Guest (1): Huh? More than that. (laughter) Why not?

Prabhupāda: Not fifty crores. Fifty-five lakhs.

Guest (1): Fifty-five lakhs. Oh.

Room Conversation with Catholic Cardinal and Secretary to the Pope -- May 24, 1974, Rome:

Dhanañjaya: Yes, we have a center in Tokyo.

Prabhupāda: Yes. We have got center in Japan, in Hong Kong.

Cardinal Pignedoli: Are you welcome in Japan? People are interested, eh?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Recently some of our preachers, they have collected fifty-thousand dollars from the Japanese people. They wanted to contribute me for my Vṛndāvana temple, but the Japanese government will not allow to let the money go out. He wrote me. And I have seen personally, when I went... I went to Japan three, four times. These Japanese boys and girls, they are as good as these American, Europeans boys. And that is my practical... Or they, they are my students. They offer me respect so much. The Japanese boys, without being my students, they offer the same respect. So I thought that Japan is very good. Everywhere. That I told you already, that the love of Godhead is dormant in everyone. It doesn't matter what he is. It is the process to awaken that love of Godhead:

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

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

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.

Morning Walk -- (World War III) -- April 4, 1975, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We can go to Africa also. (laughter)

Prabhupāda: Oh, anywhere we can go, so many places, yes.

Pañcadraviḍa: Hong Kong also.

Prabhupāda: Hong Kong? (laughter)

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Bhavānanda Mahārāja can...

Ajāta-śatru: Means then some devotees has to stay in Europe or in America. So...

Prabhupāda: Yes, everything you stay. We have got place like this.

Rūpānuga: Our farms are very nice because economically when everything is in chaos, we can still provide food for our men.

Room Conversation with Director of Research of the Dept. of Social Welfare -- May 21, 1975, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: Who?

Devotee: In Hong Kong?

Prabhupāda: They are taking. Pañca-draviḍa Mahārāja is there. He is a sannyāsī. That is all right. You don't change your mind. You are already trained up about Kṛṣṇa consciousness, so you try to become an ideal householder in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Because we are not rejecting householder. We are accepting everyone. Gṛhe vā thāke hā gaurāṅga bole ḍāke. Anyone, either he remains as a sannyāsī in the forest or he remains a gṛhastha at home, if he is cultivating this Kṛṣṇa consciousness and Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mercy, then he is all right. That is the verdict. So now you are living as gṛhastha. Live as an ideal gṛhastha, don't change your mind. Be fixed up. They are all gṛhasthas, all these Pañca-tattva, you see? Advaita Prabhu was a gṛhastha. He did not take sannyāsa. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu also was married.

Morning Walk -- June 27, 1975, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: ...your American Congress Library they placed a standing order, eighteen books, whatever I published each book. So I have tried so many, what is called, GBC. They are not very expert to organize in India. So if you think you can do it... Now we have got sufficient place in Bombay. So if you take charge of this distribution of books not only in India but neighboring countries just like Hong Kong, Singapore, if you think you can do that, that will be nice. You have got experience, how to distribute books. So you think over. Now we have got very nice place in Bombay. We have got place for at least fifty men very comfortably. Is it not?

Morning Walk -- June 30, 1975, Denver:

Bhāvānanda: ...is intelligent.

Prabhupāda: Yes. He is businessman. Picking up the... (break) ...in Hong Kong, they are picking up some food from this garbage.

Sudāmā: Yes.

Prabhupāda: You have seen it?

Sudāmā: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Picking up food. (break)

Satsvarūpa: ...got another report from that national library convention. They have a big sign that the artist has made and it says, "The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, the World's Largest Publisher and Distributor of Books in the Philosophy, Religion, and Culture of India." Has that on their booth. And many professors and librarians come. They have given out four hundred catalogues. Mostly they don't buy on the spot. They take this catalogue back to their library. And they're from all over the country. From every part of the country they go there.

Television Interview -- July 9, 1975, Chicago:

Satsvarūpa: As a brāhmaṇa, we have to be truthful. When in Hong Kong they asked you what you thought of Guru Maharaji, you said you could not help yourself.

Prabhupāda: Yes. I said that he is a great cheat. What can I say? And it has been proved now. (laughter) I said in my book, Easy Journey to Other..., that this moon excursion is childish, and it has been proved now. Now they don't talk about the moon excursion because they are failure. So ten years ago or more than that, I said that it is only childish. (end)

Morning Walk -- August 29, 1975, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So many.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Even this man has gone to Hong Kong.

Brahmānanda: Really?

Prabhupāda: They generally go to this Middle East it is called? No?

Brahmānanda: Far East.

Prabhupāda: Far East, yes. Because there are many Indians.

Dhanañjaya: They also go to London.

Morning Walk -- October 4, 1975, Mauritius:

Prabhupāda: Oh. Generally they come from Europe?

Cyavana: Everywhere, all over the world. They trade with the whole world—America, Hong Kong, Japan. (break)

Prabhupāda: They are collecting fish?

Cyavana: These little clams they eat. Inside the shell there's a slug they eat, meat. (break)

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: ...translated now Caitanya-caritāmṛta. Will you also maybe translate Caitanya-bhāgavata? (break) ...by, Lord Caitanya's fame will spread all over the world.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Morning Walk -- November 18, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Caitanya-caritāmṛta especially, it should be displayed in Māyāpur. Immediately ask to send to Māyāpur. And whatever books you have got already, you send them immediately. You select what books you want. Harer nama harer nama (CC Adi 17.21).

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: (break)...from Hong Kong yesterday, and there's one Chinese producer who's making a Chinese movie and he wants our devotees to be in it for some time.

Prabhupāda: To make some money out of all...

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: It shows how a girl is going to different spiritual gurus for guidance. So they are sending the script first for approval.

Prabhupāda: All right.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- March 15, 1976, Mayapura:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There is one good point. His father is the president of the biggest liquor company in the world, and he has his offices, I think, in China also. He goes to China.

Dhṛṣṭadyumna: Hong Kong. He has been to trade fairs in Peking.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So we are going for trade.

Devotee: That's big.

Hṛdayānanda: Jaya! Kṛṣṇa's arrangement.

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa captured him, (laughs) that "You come to China. You'll be successful." And when you will ask me, I shall go.

Morning Walk -- March 15, 1976, Mayapura:

Pañca-draviḍa: As far as trade goes, actually Hong Kong belongs to China. It's on lease to the British government. The lease expires in twenty years or so.

Siddha-svarūpa: Eight years.

Pañca-draviḍa: Eight years. But the thing is, it's difficult for them to assume or take part in Hong Kong because it represents something like several million capitalists, which they have no use for in their country. For thirty years they've been training people in Communism. Their whole culture is centered around that Chinese language. Our books are in English, but their whole culture is...

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Our Chinese Gītā is coming out. It should be ready in two weeks.

Prabhupāda: It is not our policy that the whole country will be on our side. That is not.... At least some of them may be interested. That's all.

Morning Walk -- March 22, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: No. Therefore, why they are changing? We don't change, millions of years. What Kṛṣṇa said, we are following the same. But they change every year.

Pañcadraviḍa: That Vairagi Bhava, he showed up in Hong Kong, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Pañcadraviḍa: You know that person who gives us the mandir in Vrndavana and... What's his name? We stay at that Fogal Ashram every year? Vairagi Bhava?

Prabhupāda: Vairagi Bhava.

Morning Walk -- March 22, 1976, Mayapura:

Pañcadraviḍa: You know that person who gives us the mandir in Vrndavana and... What's his name? We stay at that Fogal Ashram every year? Vairagi Bhava?

Prabhupāda: Vairagi Bhava.

Pañcadraviḍa: He showed up in Hong Kong. He said that "There are two great influences in my life: one Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who taught me service..., who taught me devotion," and he said, "Ramakrishna, who taught us service to man." He also showed up with one woman sannyāsīni or something.

Devotee: Service to man. (laughter)

Prabhupāda: Especially woman. (laughter)

Room Conversation -- May 5, 1976, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: That is real point. That is real point.

Bhūrijana: That's what I felt. See, when I was in Hong Kong, people I would meet, they used to yell... They'd yell at me, "What have you done to Kṛṣṇa?" Some Indians used to say that. People we'd meet, they'd tell us they see the Hare Kṛṣṇa devotees and they hate Kṛṣṇa. I remember one specific time when I was speaking to one businessman who was helping us and...

Prabhupāda: He said that "We hate Kṛṣṇa"?

Room Conversation -- June 8, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: You're going to?

Trivikrama: Hong Kong first, make sure Dai Nippon gets printed nicely.

Prabhupāda: They have got a press in Hong Kong?

Trivikrama: Yes. At least an office. I'm not... Tamāla Kṛṣṇa said there was a press, but I'm not sure.

Prabhupāda: What is this?

Morning Walk -- June 11, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Almost daily. But it was meant for bombing the European quarters. So when the Britishers saw that "Now this Subash Bose has organized I.N.A...." I.N.A. was organized by Subash Chandra Bose. Outside India, all the Indians, they contributed money, especially from Singapore. Singapore, Hong Kong, this side..., all the Indians, they contribute sufficiently. And he got men from the fighting Indians soldiers. The Britishers, they were fighting with Indian soldiers, with Germany and Japan and others. So the contract with Hitler and Subash Bose was this, that "All the Indian soldiers which you arrest in the war, please give me them. Then I shall organize." So the soldiers, when they understood they're being arrested—"We shall go to Indian side"—they voluntarily surrendered. So Hitler, all others, Hitler and Japan, Tojo, arrest them and give it to Subash Chandra Bose, and he was organizing in Singapore.

Room Conversation -- June 29, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: That's the ultimate.

Dhṛṣṭadyumna: I remember as a child in Hong Kong, in the village they would keep big glass jars of snakes, they would put the snakes in jars. And after they were many times soaking in liquid, then they would eat it.

Hari-śauri: Pickled snakes.

Prabhupāda: Snakes.

Dhṛṣṭadyumna: Yes, keep it in a jar in liquid.

Prabhupāda: They put in the jar alive?

Morning Walk -- July 11, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: Ācchā? Why upset? It has no soul. Kill it.

Hari-śauri: They cannot explain it.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There was one story that this family came, they were touring the world, and they came to Hong Kong, and they were carrying their pet dog with them also. So they went to one restaurant and they left their dog tied up on a leash outside the restaurant, because that is the custom in America. So they told the man at the door, the doorman, they pointed to the dog, just to take care of the dog. So anyway, then they went in and they had their dinner and they came out, and the dog was gone. They said (laughter) "Where's my dog?" And the man said, "Well, you pointed to him, we have prepared him for you."

Prabhupāda: Yes, they do that. He thought that he has pointed out this dog.

Morning Walk -- July 13, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: What is valuable there?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Someone may have thrown something out which he could use. He's a bum.

Prabhupāda: Another madman. In Hong Kong I have seen, they are searching some food.

Hari-śauri: You can see in every big city, mainly older people, they go and look in all the rubbish bins.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Just like they'll find an empty bottle, and if they return the bottle to the shop, they'll get a deposit, ten or fifteen cents for a bottle deposit.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: In Māyāpur we've seen the little children coming looking for prasādam left over in the rubbish outside.

Room Conversation -- July 27, 1976, London:

Bhagavān: "He's going to die one day. So you wait. Now, in the meantime, you can eat cats and dogs."

Jayatīrtha: While waiting for the cows to die.

Prabhupāda: Yes, cats and dogs they are eating. Yes. Hong Kong. they are eating. Who said that one gentleman came to Hong Kong hotel? Eh?

Hari-śauri: One of the devotees in America. Some man came with his pet dog. So in America they tie up the dogs outside the restaurant, so he did that and he went in. And then he pointed, he showed the doorman his dog, meaning that he was liable to look after him. So after he'd eaten his meal he went out and his dog was gone. So after some inquiry they found out that when he showed the doorman the dog, he misunderstood and thought that he wanted to eat it, that he was bringing his lunch with him, so he took the dog and killed it and served him. He ate his dog.

Room Conversation -- July 31, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. Men will be supplied from India. What is his name? Send him some thanks.

Devotee (1): Yes, Mr. Bulson(?). I'll give it to you. Jaya, very nice.

Prabhupāda: He's a Hong Kong man?

Devotee (1): No, he is from Thailand.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes, Bangkok.

Devotee (1): And he's a multimillionaire. He owns approximately one third of all the land in Thailand.

Prabhupāda: Oh!

Garden Conversation -- September 3, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: ...from India.

Caraṇāravindam: From India, yes. And then his son, my grandfather, he was also a soldier. He was a captain, and he was in India and in Hong Kong, and China, Tinsing. And he collected many things. He was also in the Boer War.

Prabhupāda: And your father?

Caraṇāravindam: He was born in Tinsing. My father's family was there, where he's serving. Then he became later, he was a commander in the Royal Navy.

Prabhupāda: Oh, he was engaged in the Navy.

Caraṇāravindam: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Practically all your family is military.

Garden Conversation -- October 9, 1976, Aligarh:

Prabhupāda: His name is given in the Bhagavad-gītā. Imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān. His name is Vivasvān. And his son is Vaivasvata Manu. Vivasvān manave prāha. These things are there. And his son, Ikṣvāku. And from Ikṣvāku, the kṣatriya-vaṁśa... In India still, the kṣatriyas are known, two dynasties, one from sun, one from the moon. Candra-vaṁśa, Sūrya-vaṁśa. Still, they are. So the kṣatriyas are coming. One dynasty is coming from the sun, another... So moon is not desert. These are simply rascals. They do not know anything, and rascals believe that the moon is desert, and the sun is desert. Only this planet is full of variety and beauty. No. We have to take lessons from the śāstras. So anyone can be raised to the highest platform. Caṇḍālo 'pi dvija-śreṣṭho hari-bhakti-parāyaṇa.(?) Even one is born as caṇḍāla... Caṇḍāla means less than the śūdras. The dog-eaters. Caṇḍālas. Śva-paca. They are called śva-paca. Śva means dog and paca means cooker. One who cooks the... There are still so many. In Korea, in China, in Hong Kong. They eat dogs.

Garden Conversation -- October 9, 1976, Aligarh:

Indian man: They consider it a delicacy. I had a German priest staying with me last year and he was telling me that he had wonderful soup. And when he found out what was the soup, he said, "Well, didn't you see the puppy that was going about this morning? It is soup of the same puppy."

Prabhupāda: In Hong Kong. Yes. In Hong Kong you won't find street dogs. They'll eat them. So in India also there are dog-eaters. In Assam you'll find. They make kukura-piṭhā. Kukura-piṭhā means that first of all the dog is given to eat some rice preparation with gur (Indian brown sugar). And pushing, pushing. When he dies, then it is roasted. Then that is very good food. (laughter) Kukura-piṭhā. The Assamese, they eat. There are different nations. Śva-paca, this word is there in the Bhagavad-gītā. Vidyā-vinaya-sampanne brāhmaṇe gavi hastini śuni caiva śva-pāke ca (BG 5.18). This śva-pāke means this caṇḍāla.

Room Conversation with Life Member, Mr. Malhotra -- December 22, 1976, Poona:

Mr. Malhotra: I was rather very much surprised when I first met, Prabhupāda, about four or five devotees on the streets of this Honolulu. Because I went from this side, Japan, Hong Kong, Thailand, and then entered in America through Honolulu, Hawaii. So when I went I was just in the morning, I was trying to get the tourist bus moving in the whole city to see. And then on the main road, you know that main road, have you been to Honolulu?

Prabhupāda: No. He has gone.

Mr. Malhotra: Ācchā. You have been to Honolulu?

Hari-śauri: Yeah.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Conversation with Yogi Amrit Desai of Kripalu Ashram (PA USA) -- January 2, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: So what is the news?

Trivikrama: We have distributed about 2,500 now of Chinese Bhagavad-gītā.

Prabhupāda: Out of five thousand.

Trivikrama: Yes. But also now, coming, I found out the Hong Kong temple has been closed.

Prabhupāda: Closed? Maybe. What...?

Conversation with Yogi Amrit Desai of Kripalu Ashram (PA USA) -- January 2, 1977, Bombay:

Trivikrama: Because we are thinking of shifting to Hong Kong because our program mainly is in offices, you know. We go in office, and we dress with a suit and tie. So they're thinking that we're businessmen coming to buy something from them. So they treat us very nicely, "Oh, sit down. How do you do, Mr. Brown?" offer some tea or something. Then we immediately open up briefcase and present one of your Bhagavad-gītās. Then we preach a little bit. We tell them that "We've come here. This is the first time in Chinese language, a very wonderful book. So many men have recommended." And then they appreciate a little bit. Then we say, "If you could help some little donation," and they give us. But these are mostly high-class men in offices, you know. So now we're kind of depleted, because ordinary men don't speak English. So we're going to Hong Kong, but there's no temple there. We'll have to live in hotels.

Prabhupāda: And where is that boy gone that was in Hong Kong?

Conversation with Yogi Amrit Desai of Kripalu Ashram (PA USA) -- January 2, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: He is a Chinese man.

Trivikrama: He went also. Well, the president was Sevānanda, an American boy, his wife... It's a difficult part of the world, Prabhupāda. No one likes it.

Prabhupāda: Hong Kong.

Trivikrama: People don't take. Even in Taiwan, now we are Republic of China, but we had a nice center, but people just aren't interested very much.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: You got a copy, eh, Easy Journey to Other Planets?

Prabhupāda: It is very attractive.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: You like it? We only did ten thousand each, but I think we'll sell it out in Kumbhamela. And if we have these two pandals in Ludhiana and Mathurā...

Conversation with Yogi Amrit Desai of Kripalu Ashram (PA USA) -- January 2, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: At what price you are printing?

Trivikrama: Pretty cheap.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Hong Kong is very expensive.

Prabhupāda: No no, let him say.

Trivikrama: Well, you know the book we have, six chapters.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Trivikrama: It costs seventy-five cents, U.S...

Prabhupāda: Seventy-five cents. So multiply it by six.

Conversation with Yogi Amrit Desai of Kripalu Ashram (PA USA) -- January 2, 1977, Bombay:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Have you seen the Gītās we printed in India? Here are our samples. They're very good. Actually, I mean I'm not trying to be rude... Because I was negotiating the prices for the Chinese Gītā when... You know that time. Sevānanda was telling me all the prices of the worst of Hong Kong for that time. It was above a dollar.

Trivikrama: Yeah, I know, but that was in Hong Kong. We got it printed in Taiwan for cheaper.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh. Because he sent me for dollar forty, dollar thirty. I have the prices with me.

Trivikrama: And this was... That was also for the corrections. No, the price is about seventy-five cents.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Only thing I've told Jayatīrtha and Bali-mardana Prabhus to do is to open a letter of credit now because we are going to be exporting these Gītās at export price. And the bank is giving our printer a loan of ten lakhs. So he has to show the bank a letter of credit, so I hope they send it, and then this will start rolling. End of February is our first shipment. We're going to ship ten thousand Gītās.

Prabhupāda: Letter of credit you can get.

Room Conversation -- January 4, 1977, Bombay:

Trivikrama: So I'm enthusiastic to do this assignment with Caitya-guru. But one difficulty is the men that are behind in Taiwan and Hong Kong, there's only three men, or two men actually. And...

Prabhupāda: No local man is coming?

Trivikrama: Well, one local American, he's helping. But no Chinese. They're not interested. We tried to present a nice program. We did kīrtanas. I'm a little disappointed, but... But still, this program can go on. We can sell books. But one thing...

Prabhupāda: No, selling books is our propaganda. That is very good program.

Room Conversation -- January 31, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: What is the prospect, Hong Kong? I don't think there is any.

Hari-śauri: Bangkok.

Prabhupāda: Er, Bangkok, yes.

Yogeśvara: No, my personal conclusion after a few weeks there is that either there should be a traveling party doing that part of the subcontinent... Otherwise, if there is a gṛhastha couple with some experience, we could have an information center in this one house. Because it's not expensive. Living there is very cheap. There is good foodstuffs and rent is not expensive.

Arrival of Devotees -- February 24, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Gargamuni: There was very good response. And they're all writing reviews on our books. They have never seen such a translation of Bhāgavatam, they said. They said, "We have only seen the summary study, but we have never seen such word-for-word study." So I'm planning a tour of all the Southeast Asian countries, in Hong Kong and all these areas, to do standing orders.

Prabhupāda: So, no new book?

Rāmeśvara: It is coming.

Rādhā-vallabha: It is coming with the truck. 9.1 is coming.

Gargamuni: We have a truckload of books, of new books that are coming for the standing orders in India.

Evening Darsana -- February 25, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Why? The only fault is there is no God. Āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ (BG 7.15). So one... That is the basic fault. Everyone is trying: "There is no God. Science." This is the basic principle. So the whole human society is suffering on account of these fools and rascals. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is para-upakāra, how to bring them in peaceful condition, in normal mental condition, and make this life successful by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. So we have to do it very carefully. It is para-upakāra. So always remember this fact, that they are..., the whole world is being controlled by āsuraṁ bhāvam āśritāḥ, atheist class of men, and people are suffering everywhere. But Kṛṣṇa also descends when such condition prevailing. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati (BG 4.7). So now Kṛṣṇa has descended in His name. Nāma-rūpe kṛṣṇa-avatāra. So try to do some good to the society. You have got a great mission and don't deviate. Try to... And Kṛṣṇa will give you all help. So, but always keep in mind that this civilization is a wrong civilization. Wrong civilization. It is not quite civil. What do you think? In Hong Kong I have seen. People are living so wretchedly.

Evening Darsana -- February 25, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: That is in America also.

Devotee (1): Hong Kong. But here even more so.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The dogs.

Prabhupāda: Hong Kong?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, in America.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: To scare people

Devotee (2): Attack. Attack dogs.

Evening Darsana -- February 25, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: In Hong Kong there is no dog, only people. (laughter)

Brahmānanda: They ate all the dogs.

Trivikrama: Śrīla Prabhupāda, there's one boy here, Bhakta Lou, he joined with us in Taiwan. He speaks a fluent Chinese, this boy.

Prabhupāda: Oh. American? He's American?

Trivikrama: Yes, he's from Indianapolis.

Prabhupāda: So he can help. He's in Hong Kong already?

Evening Darsana -- February 25, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: So he can help. He's in Hong Kong already?

Trivikrama: He was there just now, yes. (some devotees enter)

Devotee (3): Prabhupāda, I have brought you some gift from Hong Kong for you.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He's brought you some gift from Hong Kong.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Hari-śauri: I think all the Australian devotees brought some ghee for you.

Bali-mardana: Australia, all the devotees have brought you ghee. They are engaged in distributing your books all day long.

Prabhupāda: Just see.

Room Conversation 'GBC Resolutions' -- March 1, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Very good.

Satsvarūpa: Then Gurukṛpā Mahārāja retained responsibility in Hawaii and Japan and Hong Kong; Bali-mardana, responsibility for Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, the South Sea islands, and for book distribution in Southeast Asia.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He was the first to go there.

Prabhupāda: Yes. He invented Australia.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He invented Australia. (laughter)

Bali-mardana: It was only when your lotus feet touched Australia that it became worthwhile.

Prabhupāda: I was insisting, South Pacific organization.

Room Conversation -- April 5, 1977, Bombay:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That is what the usual belief is. The usual belief is that it was due to Gandhi's nonviolence.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is said in Hong Kong, somewhere. People were astonished. Nobody said like that. And this is the fact.

Guest (1): Śrīla Prabhupāda, I have small request. I have a friend who is M.D., and he is doing research in Hyderabad. He is about eighty-three years old. So I was just wondering whether you would like to meet him some time for consultation.

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Bhu-mandala Diagram Discussion -- July 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Look at the earth. Now, this is a real question that we still have to answer. They picture the earth round, and we say, no. Bhū-maṇḍala is like a lotus, like this, and the earth is only one part of one island in Bhū-maṇḍala, and it's not, you know, it's not round(?). It doesn't look like that. And all the pictures they take of the earth when they go up in their satellites show round. And we're going to tell them that it's not. This is a very tricky question. In other words, if this is the picture of the world, like this, and we say that... If we take an airplane from here, from Los Angeles. Now, supposing we go to India, which is here. So there's two ways to go. One way, you can go like this, and the other way, you can go like that. But if the earth is not a round globe, then how is it sometimes people go from Los Angeles via Hawaii to Japan and then India? So we can't figure this out. We have experience, those of us who have flown, that actually the plane went from Los Angeles to Hawaii to Tokyo to Hong Kong and then to India. So it doesn't work out in our maps so far, right? We can't figure it out. This thing has to be very complete in its answers. Otherwise everyone will laugh at us. We can't leave any loopholes.

Prabhupāda: So are you thinking on this?

Room Conversation -- August 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So if I feel little strength, I shall go to Hawaii.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Via Fiji? No. Hong Kong, like that. Hong Kong, Tokyo, Hawaii. We have... In Hong Kong and Tokyo we have both places a house if you should desire to go and stop overnight. Both places we have a house in the countryside. It might be easier to stay overnight in a hotel, because it's more centrally located. Because we don't want to take a flight for very long. Hong Kong flight is not bad, I think maybe six, seven hours. Stay overnight. Then again to Tokyo is a short trip. And then Hawaii, another six hours. We can do like that. And Gurukṛpā knows the way very well there. Śrutakīrti will be coming here. I heard that Madhudviṣa is coming.