Hospital (Conversations 1976 - 1977)

Expressions researched:
"hospital" |"hospitalization" |"hospitalized" |"hospitals"

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 4, 1976, Nellore:

Prabhupāda: We have to follow Caitanya Mahāprabhu or you? Caitanya Mahāprabhu says, kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31). So we have to follow Caitanya Mahāprabhu. What is this building?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This is a tuberculosis hospital.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Devotee (2): Prabhupāda, they said that if Caitanya Mahāprabhu wanted Kṛṣṇa consciousness in the Western countries, why didn't He go there Himself? That's what they told us.

Prabhupāda: So He left the credit for me. (laughter)

Devotees: Jaya! Haribol!

Prabhupāda: He loves His devotee more than Himself.

Morning Walk -- January 4, 1976, Nellore:

Prabhupāda: Now recently they have established one temple of Rāmakrishna in Vṛndāvana. Nobody goes there. Nobody goes there.

Yaśodānandana: It is simply a hospital.

Morning Walk -- January 6, 1976, Nellore:

Prabhupāda: These things are being done by so many other people, and we are doing something which is ultimate. The hospital gives some medicine when there is some disease, but that does not mean there will be no disease. Can they guarantee that "I give you this medicine—no more disease." We are giving that medicine, that no more disease. That is the best social work. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). We are giving this medicine, that after leaving this body.... So far this body is concerned, somehow or other you pass on. And as soon as you give up this body—tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9)—you'll have no more birth. And if you have no more birth, there will be no more death. And if you have no more birth, then there will be no more disease. This is our prescription. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti (BG 4.9). Not that he is finished. He goes back to home, back to Godhead. This is our program. So your question is answered or not? Huh? Your question is answered or not? Your question is answered or not?

Indian man: Not fully.

Morning Walk -- January 6, 1976, Nellore:

Prabhupāda: "They" not. What I am talking with you. They are all foolish. We call them mūḍhas, duṣkṛtino mūḍhas. So their demand is not legitimate. If a mūḍha... If your small child says, "Father, give me a bidi, cigarette," would you give him? Because he is mūḍha. So the father is intelligent—"No." So similarly, the mūḍhas may demand that "Open this hospital." But we are not going to do that. We know.... Of course, hospital required so far the body is concerned, but there are so many hospitals. The real hospital which is not existing, we are starting. That is our mission, which is not possible for the so-called leaders and politicians. Try to clear this.

Morning Walk -- January 6, 1976, Nellore:

Prabhupāda: Now, the laws and legislative assembly there are, and there is punishment, there is court—everything there is. That we were discussing last night, that where is the honest men? Why? In spite of laws, legislative assembly, court and everything, the wholesale rogues and dishonest. Then what is the use of this? What is your answer? Why you are checked on the airport just like a culprit, criminal? They cannot trust even a gentleman, although he is educated, may be holding very good office, but still, he is not to be trusted. So this is the result of your so-called function, that there is no honest man throughout the whole world. Then, what is the use of such education? And what is the use of their living? Let them die. No hospital for them.

Acyutānanda: A man in Calcutta, he was a devotee, rich also. He had some kidney thing. He wanted to go to the Calcutta hospital. They said, "All the beds are full of Naxalites with bomb wounds and stab wounds and fighting wounds."

Prabhupāda: Just see.

Morning Walk -- January 6, 1976, Nellore:

Acyutānanda: He could not get a bed in the hospital because it was full of guṇḍās. Hospitals were all full of guṇḍās.

Yaśodānandana: In America they have the highest quality of hospitals and schools and everything, but yet the young people are turning to be hippies. You have mentioned that in the introduction to your Nectar of Devotion.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. What is the use of such education?

Indian man: So your education which you gave may be something like..., not like that.

Prabhupāda: Education means to do the right thing, not the wrong thing. That is education. Education means enlightenment, to know what is right, what is wrong. That is education.

Morning Walk -- January 8, 1976, Nellore:

Prabhupāda: No, we give kṛṣṇa-prasādam, not food.

Acyutānanda: Like in Guntur, in a Christian hospital, in the maternity ward they would not release the baby to the parents until they converted to Christianity.

Morning Walk -- January 15, 1976, Calcutta:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think this is their hospital here.

Prabhupāda: This is?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: One of them, yes. I think they have.... This is...

Prabhupāda: (break) These trees are brought from somewhere else.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, they weren't here last time.

Prabhupāda: No. (break) Just see how they are doing.

Morning Walk -- February 3, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Kill the bulls. They were criticizing us because in our gośālā we maintain the male calves.

Prabhupāda: No, when our Harikeśa was struck by a bull and he was taken in the hospital, the doctor was criticizing, "If you have killed the bulls, then this condition would not have come to you."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Wow. Karma.

Prabhupāda: No. There will be no accident because this..., the acci...You know that?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I heard about the accident.

Prabhupāda: There was some accident, and he was taken to hospital. So he was advised, "Because you do not kill the bulls, therefore this is the accident." As if without killing..., by killing the bulls there is no accident. And they do not cite the accident by motorcar, greater bulls. Accident will be there.

Morning Walk -- March 25, 1976, Delhi:

Prabhupāda: And as soon as there is sickness, that means punishment. So if you want to be punished, then violate the hygienic laws. You can see that there is hospital and medical treatment and medicine—for whom?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Sick people.

Prabhupāda: No, for the human society. Not for the birds, beasts. But they follow nature's law. But this rascal violates nature's law and suffers.

Morning Walk -- March 26, 1976, Delhi:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Chance, not sure. Just like charity is pious activities, but if the charity by chance it is given to a Vaiṣṇava, then it becomes a lift for spiritual. And charity given for opening hospital, it is the same, impious activity. People are inclined to do something pious just like opening a school, opening hospital, and if you go to such person, that "We want to open a temple," they will not give. "Ah, there are many temples." As if there is no school. There are many schools; still, they will open a school and hospital. But if you go for some charity for opening a temple, "Oh, there are so many temples."

Yadubara: Like last night everyone was giving money for the hospital program, the meeting there.

Prabhupāda: Were there any book sale, our?

Yadubara: Some. I think that lady that you preached to the night before last, she bought a Bhagavad-gītā.

Prabhupāda: She bought. Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Meeting with Bankers -- April 6, 1976, Vrndavana:

Indian (1): So if about the bankers, if you permit me, I'll give you another interesting story. There was a man who was very ill in America and he had a heart trouble. In fact he had no heart, I would say. So, you know, they can replace the hearts nowadays. He went to a hospital, and the doctor offered him two or three hearts, "Which one would you like? One is of the general, the other is of a big businessman, and the third is of a banker. What would you like?" So he thought, "Let me have the heart of a..."

Prabhupāda: Banker.

Indian (1): "...banker." (laughter) So the doctor said, "Why do you want to have the heart of a banker?" He thought, "Because I'm sure it has never been used." (laughter)

Prabhupāda: I'll recite another very nice story...(break)

Morning Walk -- April 12, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: It is settled up. Very nice. And son? Your son?

Dr. Patel: My son is in the Caine(?) Hospital, a professor of medicine.

Prabhupāda: No, no, he is also married? No.

Dr. Patel: He is married, yes.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Father-mother's responsibility up to marriage. Then they are.... They are locked. They are locked.

Morning Walk -- April 12, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Just like now medical science is improving means hospital increasing. That means people are becoming more diseased. And they are taking it advanced.

Dr. Patel: No, no, modern advancement is required, even hospitals. So modern medicine is always preventative.

Prabhupāda: Stop disease; otherwise where is improvement? (aside:) Hare Kṛṣṇa. (break) ...poetry, kṛṣṇa-bahirmukha hañā bhoga vāñchā kare, nikaṭa-stha māyā tāre jāpaṭiyā dhare (Prema-vivarta). As soon as the living entity desires sense gratification, immediately māyā captures.

Morning Walk -- April 17, 1976, Bombay:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Into our hospital.

Indian: (Hindi)

Dr. Patel: I think I am not fit to be with you, so far I consider myself.

Prabhupāda: Everyone is.

Dr. Patel: I must correct myself and all my defects. Otherwise I would pollute you. (break) (laughter) I will become after sixty-five.

Prabhupāda: You are fifteen years late already. (laughter)

Morning Walk -- May 28, 1976, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: Anartha. (break) ...they stop here. No more this material necessities. But he does not know that he cannot live without necessities. That they do not know. They simply beget these false necessities. Just like disease. I do not want disease, but that does not mean I do not want health. (everyone laughs) So these rascals, they are thinking that "We do not want anymore this material world, brahma satyaṁ jagat..." But Vaiṣṇava says "No, you must have the real thing, then you can cease from this unreal necessities. Otherwise after living for some time in brahma satya, then you'll come, "Oh, this is useless. I don't enjoy. Let me go again to open hospital, school, engage in something politics, no work..." But you cannot do. Āruhya kṛccheṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ. We are living entities. We require engagement, necessities. So give up necessities means these rascal necessities. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He's sannyāsī, He has no necessity. Why He's crying for Govinda? He has given up the whole world, sannyāsī. And why He's crying for Govinda? That is real necessity. Govinda-viraheṇa me. Govinda necessity. The necessity is Govinda is not alone. There again life, again Vṛndāvana, again gopīs, again dancing, again eating, again everything. That necessity.

Morning Walk -- June 5, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Hari-śauri: They had been in a coma, in a hospital, for seventeen years.

Prabhupāda: Seventeen years?

Hari-śauri: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Bad karma.

Prabhupāda: And still he was taken care of?

Hari-śauri: Hm.

Prabhupāda: Good patient. (laughter) And then after? He revived?

Morning Walk -- June 8, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: That's all right. Then you become a dog. God has provided you a dog's body. Take advantage of it and bark. (laughter) Protest. "Why You have made me? Why You are doing?" (laughter)

Rādhāvallabha: When I was in the hospital, right next to me there was one yogi, and a girl yogi came to instruct him every day.

Prabhupāda: Girl?

Rādhāvallabha: Yes. (laughter) One of her instructions was, the first instruction was that you can do anything you want. You just cannot be attached to it.

Prabhupāda: Then suffer. Why you have come to hospital? If you have become attached to the suffering...

Passerby: Good morning!

Prabhupāda: Good morning. Thank you, Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Morning Walk -- June 8, 1976, Los Angeles:

Passerby: Oh, isn't that nice.

Rādhāvallabha: So the whole time he was in the hospital, all he talked about was how much he was suffering.

Prabhupāda: Don't be attached. (laughs) Rascal. Don't be attached. (devotees laugh)

Rāmeśvara: But the.... Certain psychologists are very, very interested in trying to put a person under hypnosis, and then he can talk about experiences he has had in his past lives. They are very eager to have a person under a certain condition where he will remember experiences from his past life.

Prabhupāda: So why the psychiatrist does not remember? Why he does not remember?

Rāmeśvara: They say that only certain people have the ability to remember.

Prabhupāda: Certain rascals.

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

Prabhupāda: Naturally, everyone, that is the problem of life. Otherwise, why there are so many medical colleges, drug shops and medicines, just to avoid disease? Otherwise, there was no need of arrangement. Everyone is afraid of disease, not to suffer from disease. That's a fact. If you say that you are not afraid of disease, that is something new. But unless we are afraid of disease, why there is this Memorial Hospital, this drug shop, this pharmacy? Why these things are required? We don't want it.

Conversation in Airport and Car -- June 21, 1976, Toronto:

Prabhupāda: In Vṛndāvana they have got hospital and Ramakrishna temple. Who is going there? This is practical example. In our temple, thousands and thousands of foreign boys and girls are coming, and who is going there? It is because actually, if they did something, they should at least gone there out of inquisitiveness: "Oh, where is Vivekananda?" Nobody going. Not even to pass urine there. (laughter) (break)

Kīrtanānanda: That Japanese tape recorder.

Prabhupāda: And Hichai is, this is called Hichai? That is "hitchhike," and this is Hitch-hi.

Garden Conversation -- June 22, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: This is not wanted. He is spirit. He has nothing to do with this material world, but he wanted it. Or the real thing is that he wanted to enjoy by becoming the master. He is servant... Sometimes servants desire it that "Why I become servant? Why not master?" That is natural. But the natural position is he is servant. If he remains servant of Kṛṣṇa, then he's happy always. But because he desired to become master, so he cannot become master in the spiritual world, because in the spiritual world the master is one. So he is given the chance, "All right, go to the material world and become a master." But that is a falldown. So he's trying struggle for existence, and everyone is trying to become master. Even one is in this spiritual knowledge that "I am spirit soul," still he's trying to become master. That is Māyāvāda. They have understood that "I am not this body, ahaṁ brahmāsmi, but I am the supreme Brahman." The same disease is there—master. Therefore they are condemned, arūhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padam tataḥ (SB 10.2.32). Because the mentality to remain master is continuing, even they are in the Brahman, merge into the Brahman, the mastership mentality is there; therefore he falls down again. Because mastership exhibition can be done in this material world. So many Māyāvādī sannyāsīs, they give up, "This world is false," and they merge, so-called merge, but the mastership mentality is there. But in the void, simply spiritual light, he cannot do any mastership; therefore again falls down in this false world, and he wants to be by becoming a leader of hospital, and school, college, a Christian missionary.

Garden Conversation -- June 23, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: Patient is always rascal fool. You cannot expect him to be intelligent. He must agree to the physician's directions. That is intelligence. He must know that he's diseased, he must follow the instruction of the physician. That much will help him. Unless one is rascal, he does not fall sick. As soon as you violate the hygienic principles, you become sick. All commit sinful activities on account of ignorance. So therefore the best advancement of civilization is not to open hospitals, but to give them a lesson that they may not fall sick and go to hospital. That is real...But they do not know. They keep the mass of people in ignorance, they fall sick and they come to hospital and number of hospitals increase, they think it is advancement. This is their idea. So even the Christians, religious persons, they also open hospital to give relief to the patient. So that is not the program. The program is why he should fall sick and come to the hospital? Precaution is better than cure. One comes to the hospital for cure, but why not take the precaution so that he may not have to come to the hospital for cure? That is Vedic civilization. They have different prescribed rules and regulations so that a person may not fall sick. The modern idea is that "Let them fall sick; we have got hospitals and treat them, and they'll be cured." But he is cured, again he falls sick. That is going on. They have no program for precaution. They have program for cure. But actually, precaution is better than cure. We are taking precaution. The other fools, rascals, they are thinking, "What these people are doing? They are (indistinct) to have no this program, that," according to them. Just like our Vivekananda, he prescribed, daridra-nārāyaṇa-sevā. The same thing—hospital. We kill all animals, and the hospital patient is given the meat for improvement of the health.

Room Conversation and Reading from Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 1 and 12 -- June 25, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: Let us go there. (break)

Devotee (1): ...trying to retire here in one year when he's through with his duties as a director of a mental hospital.

Prabhupāda: Which community?

Devotee (1): He plans to come here to retire in one year.

Prabhupāda: Oh. Yes, everyone should retire and join us.

Room Conversation and Reading from Srimad-Bhagavatam Canto 1 and 12 -- June 25, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Dhṛṣṭadyumna: They are building more hospitals.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Dhṛṣṭadyumna: Not less.

Prabhupāda: Just see. They're increasing number of hospitals, and there is no disease?

Devotee (2): They say that a child has more of a chance of living now than...

Prabhupāda: "They say," but what is the practical? They say all, as I repeatedly, pagale ke na bole chakole ke na khai (indistinct). A madman, what does he not say, and a goat, what does he not eat? So they are all madmen. (laughter) They can say all everything.

Garden Conversation -- June 27, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: At least he does not mix with them. That's all. If he cannot defeat them, he should avoid them, because that valuable time can be utilized for preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness to a person who is inquisitive to hear. Bāliśya. Bāliśya means innocent. He wants to know something about Kṛṣṇa. Better deal with him than with the rascals and waste time. Better avoid the rascals. Just like in hospital, emergency cases, the doctor, when they see that this patient hopeless, he does not take care anymore. But when there is hope, they give medicine and try to... So hopeless condition, better not. Don't talk with them. That's all. That is vaiṣṇava-ācāra. Then he'll remain safe. Hopeless person, don't waste your time talking with them. Īśvare tad-adhīneṣu bāliśeṣu dviṣatsu ca. Four observations. Bhagavān-īśvara; prema-love. And, prema-maitrī, friendship with devotees. And kṛpa, mercy to the innocent person. And upekṣā, no more talking. Don't waste time, talking with all these nonsense. Better utilize, properly utilize the time by instructing a person who is innocent and eager to hear. Like that.

Garden Conversation -- June 27, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: Anādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ, because they have not understood Kṛṣṇa, even they have gone up to the Brahman, they cannot stand there; they fall down. Again they come to the material world. The Māyāvādīs, they say, brahma satyma jagan mithyā, "Brahman is truth, and this material world is false." They take sannyāsa, but after some time they fall down, again take to other businesses than Brahman in the material world. Just like our Vivekananda. He came to the Western countries to preach Vedānta, and he has advertised that "Whole America has become Vedantist." The proof of Vedānta is when he returned to India he became very enthusiastic to open hospitals like the Christian missionaries. So if the material world is false, so why he's trying to open hospitals? Brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. Jagat is mithyā. So why in the mithyā platform he's taking credit by opening hospitals?

Answers to a Questionnaire from Bhavan's Journal -- June 28, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So one may become liberated even that.... but from that liberated position again he falls down unless he understands the Supreme Person, Kṛṣṇa. Aruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adho 'nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ (SB 10.2.32). Unless he comes to the final understanding of the Absolute Truth, Kṛṣṇa, he'll fall down. Therefore so many Vedantists, they first of all, they give up this world brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā, this world is false. But again they come down and they become busy in doing some philanthropic work, opening hospitals.... Why? If the world is false, why you are coming down again on this platform? That means they could not get any substance by their so-called renouncement of this world. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa, for going to that platform of siddhi, liberation, they had to undergo so much difficulties and austerities but still, even going there.... Just like these people are going to the moon planet and.... Actually whether they have gone or not, that is a doubtful thing, but the thing is, why they are coming down again? That is our challenge. If you have gone to the moon planet then colonise there. But why you have come down again and do not talk anything about.

Answers to a Questionnaire from Bhavan's Journal -- June 28, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Even it is properly done... And now it is not possible to do it properly. And even it is properly done, that is condemned. It is not required. Similarly jñāna-kāṇḍa. Even it is properly done... You can merge yourself into the Brahman effulgence. But that is also not safe because in the śāstra we see that arūhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ (SB 10.2.32). Even one merges oneself into the impersonal Brahman, he again falls down. Patanty adhaḥ. We have seen practical, in India many sannyāsīs, they elevate themselves by jñāna-kāṇḍa, but because they cannot stay, they again come to the karma-kāṇḍa, philanthropy activities and hospitals and schools. That is their fall down. So either in karma-kāṇḍa or jñāna-kāṇḍa you cannot achieve the real purpose of life.

Garden Conversation -- June 28, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: No experience? You are not diseased? Do you want disease? Still, you say you have no experience? When you are put into some disease and go to hospital and the doctor surgically operates your body, so you have no experience? You did not want that. Your fertile brain, when it is operated with hammer, so you did not experience? How do you say that you have no experience? You are suffering every moment. But you don't want suffering. How do you say that there is no experience? That is foolishness. They are suffering every moment, adhyātmika, adhibhautika, adhidaivika. Still, you say you have no experience? Means shameless. In Indian language we call vehāyā. He has got repeated experience; still, he'll say, "No, I don't care for it."

Morning Walk -- July 5, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: Mental concoction will be changed. Manorathenāsati dhāvato bahiḥ (SB 5.18.12). Their only business is mental concoction: today it is good, tomorrow it is bad. That is mental concoction. If mind likes it, it is good; if mind does not like it, it is bad. No standard. (break)

Hari-śauri: They have hospitals for animals, if your animal gets sick.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Mostly dogs and cats, birds.

Hari-śauri: The animal that was making the noise was the man on the porch. (laughs)

Vipina: Many people have horses in the neighborhood. They have horse shows, Śrīla Prabhupāda. They spend lots of money on fancy horses, and in this way, one becomes greater than another by showing his horses. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...slam the door. The door is secure or not? (break) ...trying to find out that happiness from this body, that is mistake. That happiness is there in the spirit soul, not this body. Happiness is our right. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). By nature, we want happiness. Mistaking, where is the happiness. The living being, he is to enjoy happiness. But they are trying to give happiness to the body, which is dead. Gatāsūn agatāsūṁś ca nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ (BG 2.11). The body is dead from the very beginning, but they are trying to draw happiness from the dead matter.

Morning Walk -- July 12, 1976, New York:

Rāmeśvara: Some ambulance. Somebody is sick. Right now in New York City there is a big strike. The people who work in the hospitals, they refuse to work. They want more salary.

Prabhupāda: What can be done? Price raising, they want all comforts.

Rāmeśvara: So if someone is sick they will not take him to the hospital because there is no one to take care of him there.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This school is called Amsterdam School, Prabhupāda, because this is Amsterdam Avenue.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Interview with Newsday Newspaper -- July 14, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: They are instructed in that way, plain living, high thinking.

Interviewer: Do you have arrangements with hospitals in case somebody gets sick, and do you watch diet carefully and...?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Why not? Why not? Take care of the body. But we keep our habits in such a way that we don't fall sick very often.

Car Ride -- July 20, 1976, New York:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, you can't get their land either, not for a building like that. You can put a hospital maybe. Thing is, park space is so short in that area of the city that they..., I don't think they'd give it up for a building. Prabhupāda told us yesterday that we should rent a small building downtown in that area and call it Guṇḍicā, so that Lord Jagannātha will stay down there.

Prabhupāda: For one week.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: For one week. And we'll keep a restaurant there.

Prabhupāda: And then they'll again come in procession.

Conversation at House of Ksirodakasayi dasa -- July 25, 1976, London:

Kṣīrodakaśāyī: We got many times, many visitors here. One time that church come here to see how things are. Chinese people came, Englishmen. One of the lady, not very far from here, she came one morning, said "My brother is in the hospital, and he is very sick. I know you are a pious people. Can you pray for him?" And "You pray the Lord. You come here. Lord is here." And...

Prabhupāda: Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Room Conversation -- July 26, 1976, London:

Prabhupāda: Just see.

Bhagavān: And they are having nice success also. They go into the offices, into the.... They are walking everywhere. Even the hospitals they are going.

Prabhupāda: There is no obstruction.

Bhagavān: No. (laughs) They are very determined.

Jayatīrtha: In France the atmosphere is very nice.

Prabhupāda: So why your cloth is so dirty?

Pṛthu-putra: I just traveled with him.

Prabhupāda: For a sannyāsī it is very nice. So people may not dislike it, but for a sannyāsī this is very nice.

Radio Interview -- July 27, 1976, London:

Hari-śauri: I'll try the grapes. If they are not sour, I'll bring some.

Prabhupāda: So you keep that.... (break) They are opening hospital for giving medicine to the shirt and coat, and where is the man's medicine? Washing the shirt and coat, laundry work. They do not know that the man within the shirt and coat requires different treatment, different, he has got different necessities, different life. If I simply wash the shirt and coat, does it mean the man is happy? They have no common sense even. "Yes, we are supplying petrol to the car. It must drive." "Well, sir, to give good to the driver who will drive?" "Doesn't require, petrol is there." That's all. This is their intelligence. They are supplying petrol. Will the driver eat, drink petrol? They have no knowledge. He requires spiritual food. And these rascals, they do not know it. They'll say that petrol is sufficient both for the car and the driver. This is their intelligence.

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

Prabhupāda: Don't say "no." But give a taste for the good, then it will be automatically "no." And if you say "no" then he'll, they will rebel. The four "no's," that is very difficult. Still they are breaking. No illicit sex, they are breaking. But if they develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness, this will be automatically "no." So don't bring many "no's," but give them positive life. Then it will be automatically "no." And if you say "no," that will be a struggle. This is the psychology. Positive engagement is devotional service. So if they are attracted by devotional service, other things will be automatically "no." Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate. Just like Ekādaśī day. Ekādaśī day, we observe fasting. And there are many patients in the hospital, they are also fasting. But they'll "No, no." They'll, within heart, "If I get, I shall eat, I shall eat." But those who are devotee, they voluntarily "no." The same fasting is going on for the devotees and the hospital patient.

Evening Conversation -- August 8, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: Attachment maybe, that is not a very important thing. But if there is a process, how to become independent of this body, why should we not take it? That is intelligence. Just like a man suffering from illness, attachment or no attachment, he's now suffering from that illness, but he has put himself into hospitalization under some physician. So that process will cure him and he'll not suffer from this disease. That is the hope. Or that is the fact. Similarly, circumstantially, we may be dependent on this material body, but if there is a process how we can become independent of the body, why should we not take it? The same example, if a man is diseased, he's captured by the disease. Attachment or no attachment, it is difficult. But he must put himself under treatment so that he can be detached from it. That is intelligence. I am caught by the disease. So let me suffer without any treatment. That is not intelligence.

Morning Walk and Room Conversation -- August 9, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: No, it is stated in the Bhāgavatam.

Pradyumna: In the Jyotiṣa it has, it controls liquids. And I think even in hospitals here, near Pūrṇimā, where some of the times they don't like to do the operations because there will be more..., the blood will run more. Something, they have some, somebody told me. The tides are also going according to the moon. The rivers are running according to the moon. In the Ganges, one time we went...

Prabhupāda: The ebb tide, low tide, according to the moon.

Pradyumna: One day the Ganges was very peaceful, and then we went again and it was rushing. If you went in you would just be carried away. (long pause)

Prabhupāda: You can do it here.

Hari-śauri: You don't want to go outside today?

Prabhupāda: Outside is bright.

Room Conversation -- September 6, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: It is open secret. Because so many women go to hospitals, American hospitals.

Akṣayānanda: Oh, I know.

Prabhupāda: The hospital men, they do not take it serious, "It is natural, a man and woman." But it is strictly forbidden according to spiritual life.

Morning Walk -- December 5, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: People applauded. This is foolishness. They do not know how to act. Just like if you pour water on the tree, then it is accepted that you are pouring water on the tree but that is not the process. The process is to pour water on the root of the tree. Practically we... You can make an experiment. Just like here is a tree. You don't pour water on the root but pour water on the leaves. Then it will dry in due course of time. It will not be effective. But if you pour water on the root, the water will go everywhere. So the whole thing is just like a tree. God is the origin of everything. He is the root. Aham ādir hi devānām (Bg 10.2). Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ (BG 10.8). Therefore He is the root. So if you pour water in the root, then the water is distributed everywhere. But if you pour water on the leaves, on the twigs, on the fruits, it will take time and it will not be successful. So one who is not in awareness of the laws of nature, they commit this mistake. We can say that pouring water on the leaves is also pouring water on the tree. By serving human being you can serve the Supreme Lord, but that is not the way. Another example is that if you supply food to the stomach, then the share is partaken by all the parts of the body. But if you supply food to the part of the body, it is not shared by other part of the body. They are opening hospital for men, human being, but what about the animals? They are also part and parcel of God. They are killing them.

Morning Walk -- December 5, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa is the root of everything. Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). So He is the root. So you pour water in the root. Just like we are Kṛṣṇa conscious. So because we are Kṛṣṇa conscious, does it mean that we are not taking care of the human being? That is automatically coming. But those who are taking care of the human society only, social work, political work, they do not know even what Kṛṣṇa. Missing. That is the difference. Because we are taking of Kṛṣṇa, we have come to the human society. We are teaching them Kṛṣṇa consciousness, spiritual knowledge. That is automatically. We are feeding them, giving them prasādam. That is included. But those who are opening hospitals for human being, they are taking the poor animals to the slaughterhouse, maintaining big, big slaughterhouse. That means foolishness. Kṛṣṇa will not be happy that one son you take care by opening hospital and another son you go, you send him to the slaughterhouse. This is foolishness.

Morning Walk -- December 29, 1976, Bombay:

Śrutaśrava: The governor there, he was making a statement that most institutions in California like hospitals and places like this, they are simply torture chambers. So he made one request that people like priests and monks and Hare Kṛṣṇa devotees, if they could go to these places and try to help people.

Prabhupāda: We are prepared. If they give us in charge, we are prepared.

Śrutaśrava: So in Christmas day Rāmeśvara Mahārāja was planning that many devotees could go there and distribute prasāda and some literatures.

Prabhupāda: We can cure them from material and spiritual diseases. They are now trying to cure them from material ailments. We can cure them from spiritual ailments. Actually, the ailment is spiritual. Material is symptom.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Roof Conversation -- January 5, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 2.59). Just like a man is observing Ekādaśī, fasting. Another, in the hospital, he's also fasting. So these two fastings, they are different.

Dr. Patel: Here fasting of all the senses and applying to God.

Prabhupāda: For satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa. And there compulsory fasting, but he has got desire. So paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate. When you get better taste, when you stop this nonsense for better taste, that is positive. Artificially, if you do, it will not benefit.

Room Conversation -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Girirāja: The others are envious.

Prabhupāda: Yes, because they're ordinary men. Man's business is to become envious. An ordinary third-class men, there is always envy. Not only first class, but third class. And what to speak of Vaiṣṇava and paramahaṁsa. Third-class men. And the government is capturing them and giving sterilization because there is record—so many abortions in the American Hospital. The bābājīs are making pregnant the widows, and they are going for abortion. There are many cases, similar, and there is American Hospital.

Conversation and Instruction On New Movie -- January 13, 1977, Allahabad:

Prabhupāda: "Hare Kṛṣṇa." Svalpam apy asya dharmasya. Any way, if something is done in this connection, it becomes an asset.

Rāmeśvara: Now, this Governor of California, he invited us to assist him for helping the conditions in these mental retarded hospitals. So that is like mundane charity, in one sense. So is it all right for our men to take some time? Because the end result will be that we will become appreciated.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes, you do. Wherever we get opportunity, we shall chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. That's all.

Room Conversation -- January 19, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: No, you... Not for my health you do your kīrtana, only then. That first stroke in Second Avenue, that was fatal. You were present, I think.

Gargamuni: Yes. I went to the hospital with Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: So Kṛṣṇa saved. Otherwise that was fatal.

Room Conversation -- January 19, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: No cure. He must die. No cure. These hospitals are there, mental. They keep in the mental hospital. But ultimately there is no cure.

Jayapatākā: I read one... In a purport you said that hari-nāma can even cure insane people.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Hari-nāma can cure anything. You have kept there. All right.

Room Conversation -- January 24, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Gargamuni: She worked in some hospital for a few years in Bombay.

Hari-śauri: She was a relief worker. Was it his mother or his wife?

Prabhupāda: Mother Theresa, no?

Gargamuni: No. It's his mother. I'm sure because I read the article. I did. I read. It was in the Illustrated Weekly.

Hari-śauri: And the Americans very much want to make friends with India, very much.

Gargamuni: But I think if we can convince the American government that we can stop Communism in India by this movement, because the people will see... They tried to do it with the priests.

Prabhupāda: Simply prasādam distribution-bas. We shall stop them with hari-saṅkīrtana, village to village.

Evening Conversation -- January 25, 1977, Puri:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Satsvarūpa: They did that. They did give you that spine needle.

Prabhupāda: Oh. Never call doctor. Never give me hospital. Let me die peacefully if I am in trouble.

Gargamuni: Tīrtha Mahārāja had many doctors.

Prabhupāda: He has suffered too much. When I was in Los Angeles after coming back from India, in that black quarter, do you remember? No.

Gargamuni: Black order?

Prabhupāda: Black quarter.

Room Conversation -- January 26, 1977, Puri:

Prabhupāda: Dangerous community. These scientists, the so-called, they are dangerous community. Now, if five ounce(?) sight(?) is there, "No, it should be operated. Then he will be cured." And actually it is happening. In the hospitals they make all kinds of experiment, and if you say, "No, why you are doing that? A patient is suffering," "We must execute our science. So long the life is there we shall try to save him." They say like that. They will go on with all nonsense activity, and if you want to stop them, they will say, "No, our science has got so..." They take in writing that "Whatever we shall do, you cannot object," hospital. It is a place of demons. And as soon as they get a patient who will not protest, they'll make it, they'll make it and operation. No medicine, simply operate.

Room Conversation -- January 27, 1977, Puri:

Prabhupāda: One becomes mad. I was... I experienced this in Bombay, that due to Śyāmasundara's mistake I was detained for three days?

Gurukṛpā: The yellow fever. Hospital.

Hari-śauri: Quarantine.

Prabhupāda: Quarantine. Simply by thinking that "I shall not be allowed to go out of this room..." It is not a room; it is a big house, but still, I was feeling uncomfortable: "How is that? I shall not be free to go out." And that three days was actually suffering to me, "I cannot go out of the door." Simply by feeling this. I do not do practically. I sit down. But if I feel, "No, I cannot go out of this room," that's a great suffering. Whole day, I am sitting here. That's a fact. But I have got this intelligence that "I can go out as I like." But if you say that "You cannot go out," then it is a great suffering, psychologically. So creation or no creation, there is suffering. Rather, when there is creation it is less suffering, because he's mad, so he's engaged in some way. (laughs) He's thinking, "It is happiness." Eating, sleeping, sex is there. That is going on.

Room Conversation -- January 29, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: They are not independent. Fully dependent on the employer. So they give poor salary. Dai Nippon has their own hospital, own education, and everything, big industry. And little salary, that's all. So whatever house they allot, they have to accept. And I have seen the director living in a cottage like this almost. So Japanese actually they are poor. Only the capitalists, they have got... Therefore their yen value... You go to purchase—"Two thousand yen." You'll be surprised, "So much paying!" But it has no value. "One million yen." (laughs) In the beginning I... "What is this nonsense? So much?"

Hari-śauri: Our devotees, Gurukṛpā's party, they're talking about they collect a hundred thousand, eighty thousand, but it means, that means...

Prabhupāda: It means few dollars.

Room Conversation -- January 31, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: We don't say; you are saying. We don't say. We say that you must be punished without food. You are dying without food. That is your proper justice. We say that. We are not anxious to this daridra-nārāyaṇa-sevā. We are not. We give. Whatever we have got, we distribute prasādam. That's all. We are not concerned about their daridra-nārāyaṇa-sevā. That is not our business. Suppose there are so many persons, they are without food in the hospital. Doctor has prescribed, "No food." What you can do there? Can you show your sympathy? "Oh, so many persons are lying without... Let us give." Then you'll be beaten with shoes.

Yogeśvara: Because you haven't understood the purpose.

Prabhupāda: If you go with sympathy that "So many hungry persons are here," then you will be beaten with shoes. That we know, That we should not disturb the arrangement of the hospital. We are saner. But you are disturbed. "Oh, so many people are starving. Let me give him some." You are rascal.

Room Conversation -- January 31, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Yes! Because the arrangement is there, hospital, he should not have food. Why shall I disturb him? I must be callous. That is intelligent. I know that when the hospital, the doctor's keeping in starvation, it is good for him. Why shall I disturb?

Hari-śauri: So then why do you go to the hospital when you're sick? When you're sick, then why do you take medicine and consult doctor? Why not be callous to that, too?

Room Conversation -- January 31, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Callous means we... Callous means we can take treatment, but we cannot protest against the doctor, that "Why you are not giving me food?" We take treatment. That is saner. If the doctors ask me that "Don't eat," I take the treatment. I don't protest that "Why you are keeping me in starvation?" You are doing that, rascal, that "Why you are keeping me in starvation?" But one who knows things, he doesn't protest. That is Vaiṣṇava way. Tat te 'nukampāṁ su-samīkṣamāṇaḥ (SB 10.14.8). "Oh, my Lord, You are keeping me in this tribulation. It is Your great mercy." When Kṛṣṇa keeps me in starvation I take it as mercy. I don't protest. That is Vaiṣṇava. The saner person, when he is, the hospital, he is put into starvation, he takes, "Oh, doctor, you are so merciful you are curing me." And the rascal will protest, "Oh! You are keeping me in starvation?" And other friend comes, "Why you are keeping him...?" They're all rascals, all rascals, cent percent. They do not know what is arrangement in the hospital and they go, poke their nose in which is not their business. They are rascal. One who says like that, "We have done this...," Oh, you are rascal. You cannot do it. You are simply poking your nose where there is no business for you. A Vaiṣṇava will never protest. Tat te 'nukampām. And Kṛṣṇa said, tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata. He never said that "You become agitated." Mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha (BG 2.14). "These things have come and gone, will go. Why you are bothered, your brain, about these things?"

Evening Darsana -- February 15, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: They were arranging my brain operation.

Brahmānanda: In New York. They threatened us that it must be done, that you must stay in the hospital. The refused that you should leave the hospital, and they wanted to take all these tests, spine..., put needles in the spine.

Evening Darsana -- February 15, 1977, Mayapura:

Brahmānanda: When Gargamuni took you out of the hospital they threatened that now you will not recover, and now it is our responsibility, what we are doing. The tried to force us.

Prabhupāda: I could understand that. Therefore I said, "No, I am quite..." (laughs) They were arranging for my brain operation, very dangerous.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This brain thing now, another thing they have done. One of the things they do now in the hospitals is they give this shock treatment on the brain.

Brahmānanda: They put electricity into the brain.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The deprogrammers are using this. They call it "psychological readjustment," and they put electrical wires...

Prabhupāda: Yes, they put some machine in my head.

Evening Darsana -- February 15, 1977, Mayapura:

Brahmānanda: ...the state, they put him in a mental hospital. They don't put him in jail but in a mental hospital.

Prabhupāda: And kill him.

Brahmānanda: And they give..., practically kill him. So they're saying now the same thing is happening in America.

Bhavānanda: It's interesting, Śrīla Prabhupāda, though, that the devotees didn't want to mention Kṛṣṇa's name.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Bhavānanda: The devotees...

Prabhupāda: Being afraid of.

Hari-śauri: That's like when you first made it International Society for Krishna Consciousness.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. So they have taken it very seriously, to stop.

Morning Room Conversation -- February 16, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: The injunction is "Thou shall not kill." They are simply killing. How it will be effective?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The priests are doing all rascal nonsense. Homosex.

Prabhupāda: They announced that...(?) There is a hospital for drunkard priest.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Alcoholic priests.

Prabhupāda: And they have introduced gambling.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And homosex.

Prabhupāda: Homosex, what is that religion? And they're passing to homosex, religion. They're getting married man to man. Most degraded.

Room Conversation -- February 17, 1977, Mayapura:

Ādi-keśava: They used that as one legal argument. They said that one of our devotees should be put in the mental hospital for his own protection, because otherwise he would go and kill himself. And the court said, "Why is that?" They said, "Well, because in their books it says that if a devotee hears someone blaspheming the spiritual master or Kṛṣṇa, then they have to commit suicide."

Prabhupāda: No, they will argue on so many things.

Ādi-keśava: "Or cut their tongue out." They said, "Either they will cut my tongue out or they will kill themself. So either way, they should be put in a mental hospital."

Prabhupāda: No, or you go away from that place.

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

Prabhupāda: That's all.

Rāmeśvara: I have also gotten different letters from the state government of California, the mental hospitals that we're visiting. These are official letters on their letterhead. This one... I'll read the best one. "Dear friends, it is a great pleasure to thank you all for the extraordinary party you gave for Residence 32. The clients on 32 loved your chanting and enjoyed clapping along with you. This simple activity allowed them to take part in the fun and warm spirit. Everyone really liked the tempura-like cauliflower," the pakorās, "that you brought. It was a very tasty and special treat. We at Fairview," a very famous state hospital, "we at Fairview were so impressed with the way that you related to the clients on the residence..."

Prabhupāda: So these are the recommendation how we wash brain.

Room Conversation -- March 26, 1977, Bombay:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Many..., some engineers came, and some doctors also came. They wanted us speak in Bombay Hospital. And just now also I got a letter from England from Jagadguru Swami. He said that on our way to the United States we should stop in England. He says that he talked something about Bhaktivedanta Institute in England. He said we should speak in Oxford and Cambridge Universities. He said there is a very good preaching background there. So he invited us to...

Prabhupāda: You will be invited. You stick to your position and train up your assistants and recruit more and more. We shall come out successful. Write books. You can take. Now yesterday Dr. Dattrey, did he say anything?

Room Conversation -- March 26, 1977, Bombay:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: He didn't say much, but Dr. Sharma, he was discussing, and he was telling that he will definitely make an arrangement in Bombay Hospital for us to speak. But he was very impressed. And some life members came later on when the greeting of the pandal was finished. And some engineers also. They want to discuss something today also.

Prabhupāda: Recruit them. And speak in such societies. We have now our prestige and preaching. It will be very nice honor everywhere. So Kṛṣṇa has given you some talent. Utilize it. These rascals are misleading. Although the instruction is there, they are misinterpreting in their own way, misleading themselves and misleading others. They say the name of God. They do not know what is God, although God is explaining Himself. Such a rascal. God is explaining, "Here, I'm God." He is accepted, and they do not... When you ask them what is God: "That we do not know. Our God is (indistinct)." Such things are there. So they have to be convinced that these half-educated leaders cannot make you happy. It is not possible. They do not know the basic principle of life. Take guidance from Kṛṣṇa. That is our movement. You'll be happy. And don't be carried away by the whims. This is an important chance, human life. These motorcars are running, they are running just like the flies come, phut phut phut phut. That is described in the Bhagavad-gītā, Eleventh Chapter. Blind. Expedite death, that's all. There is no solution. The solution is here, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So recruit first of all. Just like these doctor friends. First of all get some friends.

Room Conversation -- March 26, 1977, Bombay:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: And he had some friends there in Bombay Hospital, and he is going to definitely make arrangement so we can give a seminar in the hospital.

Prabhupāda: Important man. Recognize him. Make him member.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: We will also make some engagements in... There is an institute called Patha Institute for Fundamental Research. They study about nuclear physics. So I am going to arrange for one of our people to speak.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Speak in important institution like that. That will command respect.

Room Conversation with Scientists, Svarupa Damodara, and Dr. Sharma -- March 31, 1977, Bombay:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Dr. Sharma can help us a lot in Bombay. Because I find that medical institutions, you know, hospitals, is a very good place to speak to the doctors. Because this life, this concept of life, and these bio-medical ethics is very appropriate. So...

Dr. Sharma: Yes, actually, this concept is very timely for our country, Prabhupāda. My feeling is that our country has a special place in the Lord's heart, because He came here several times. And the very fact that after independence, nobody could prevent it again, and you have come, all these things, to stop it now. And I think the thing should start from...

Prabhupāda: At least, I am the first man to try for it.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Oh, yes.

Dr. Sharma: And these people, they are very learned in their chosen fields, and they are Kṛṣṇa conscious, and they are really keen to do it with enthusiasm, to turn the tide back.

Prabhupāda: They have sacrificed their lives. They are scientists, they could earn lots of money, but they do not care for it. They have dedicated their lives. In America they could earn lots of money, such a qualified person. But they did not care for money. They care for the truth. That is real brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa does not care for money. Knowledge. Satya śamo damas titikṣā ārjavaṁ jñānaṁ vijñānam āstikyaṁ brahma-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.42). The truth. That is brāhmaṇa.

Room Conversation -- April 5, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: And as soon as we go to Srinagar I shall call. From Delhi to Srinagar...

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: It's not far. This evening Girirāja and myself saw Jaya Prakash Narayan in his hospital. I gave him your Hindi Bhāgavatam and Kṛṣṇa Conscious Movement and your Gītā Girirāja gave. He liked it very much. He inquired how much Bhāgavatam you have translated. He inquired where our temple is. We said Juhu. He said he would come here. Of course, he is very, very sick. And I asked him for an appointment that we could come and show him our movie. And he has agreed to even see our movie. So in one or two days we will show him the movie in the morning. And in the evening there were hundreds of people, so we only saw him for three or four minutes. He has agreed to see us again. And he wants to meet you, he said. So when he is okay he will come to see you.

Prabhupāda: Girirāja said that the Prime Minister also.

Room Conversation -- April 5, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). Become rājarṣi, try to understand what Kṛṣṇa says. Duṣkṛtinaḥ mūḍhāḥ. They will manufacture. Morarji Desai, he promised within ten years. Whether he will live ten years? He is already eighty. So this is the time for promising? This is the time for retiring for understanding Kṛṣṇa. You know. This man is rotting in the hospital, he's promising so many things.

Morning Conversation -- April 29, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That will be done. Even it is not fulfilled, so there is no harm. But don't send me, in any case, in hospital. Now I am pointing out this. They are useless.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There's no doubt that you know your body a lot better than they could ever know it. You've lived with it for so many years. They just take somebody's body and they make so many...

Prabhupāda: Now it is a fact, the Yaso (Israel?) Hospital failure. (break) So many temples. I have given my program how to manage it. Now you see. That is my anxiety, that there may not be any discrepancies or slackness. Am I right or wrong?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Room Conversation -- May 8, 1977, Hrishikesh:

Prabhupāda: Hm. But never put me in hospital. You can refuse that "This is our Guru Mahārāja's order." Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Bas. Let me die peacefully.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: When Caitanya Mahāprabhu was unconscious, all that His disciples would do is they would chant in His ear.

Prabhupāda: That's all.

Evening Darsana -- May 15, 1977, Hrishikesh:

Prabhupāda: Partial. So partial understanding will not satisfy because he is himself, the same quality, sac-cid-ānanda. He's seeking after ānanda. If he does not get ānanda, if he cannot dance with Kṛṣṇa, then he falls down. Āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adhaḥ (SB 10.2.32). Again material dancing, again hospital, schools. Big, big sannyāsīs could not get any relish. Then... (Hindi) The brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. If it is mithyā, why you are after school? Patanty adhaḥ. Therefore unless one is very pious, sukṛti, they cannot stick to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Catur-vidhā bhajante māṁ sukṛtinaḥ. Therefore piety, pious activities, is recommended in the śāstras. And so far devotees are concerned, especially in this age, directly, directly engage him in bhakti-yoga, and everything will be all...

kecit kevalayā bhaktyā

vāsudeva-parāyaṇāḥ

aghaṁ dhunvanti kārtsnyena

nīhāram iva bhāskaraḥ

(SB 6.1.15)

The general process is tapasā brahmacaryeṇa yamena niyamena, satya-śaucābhyāṁ tyāgena, satya-śaucam, śamena damena... (SB 6.1.13). There are different stages. But kecit kevalayā bhaktyā, simply by bhakti, kevalayā bhaktyā vāsudeva-parāyaṇāḥ... Vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yoga-prayojitaḥ. They can wash. Kārtsnyena aghaṁ dhunvanti. All sinful reaction of life becomes washed. Aghaṁ dhunvanti kārtsnyena. How it is possible? Nīhāram iva bhāskaraḥ. Just like there is wash of mist, sun, as soon as the sun rises. So let Kṛṣṇa rise up.

Discussion about Bhu-mandala -- July 5, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: This is acintya for the Māyāvādīs. They say kalpanāyā. These Akhandananda and other Māyāvādīs, they explain Bhāgavata-kalpanāyā. They are making some imagination that "I am God," but they are alleging us, that "You are in illusion." God, as soon as there is some toothache, he goes to the doctor. He's such a rascal hypocrite. There was some heart attack going on, so Akhandananda, immediately he called one of his chief disciples, that Mishra, Jasri, and he was taken to Bombay hospital. And he's God.

Bhakti-prema: He's expired?

Prabhupāda: Expired? No, no. He's living. But talking all nonsense, reading Bhāgavatam, and hundreds of people go to the...

Bhakti-prema: Today we were discussing...

Prabhupāda: That difference of opinion will continue. You cannot stop.

Room Conversation about Mayapura Attack Talk with Vrindavan De -- July 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So some of the dacoits are arrested or not?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He didn't say. I'm certain that some of them must have been arrested. They couldn't have all gotten away. I mean, some of them are in the hospital. The ones that Bhavānanda shot are in the hospital.

Prabhupāda: So one is in the hospital.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Two.

Prabhupāda: Two.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Bhavānanda shot down two of them.

Prabhupāda: No, no. From their? Dacoits?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, two. Bhavānanda shot with a gun two dacoits, and they're in the hospital.

Prabhupāda: So then there is clue. Then others should be arrested.

Room Conversation about Mayapura Attack Talk with Vrindavan De -- July 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually... I'm actually speculating... Gopāla said Bhavānanda shot two of them, and he's in jail for shooting two of them. I'm saying that they're in the hospital. Maybe they're not. He's arrested for shooting two of them.

Prabhupāda: Unless they are in hospital...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: How could he be arrested? Right.

Prabhupāda: Bengal has become ruined.

Room Conversation-Recent Mail -- July 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "It is no wonder that this transcendental treasure chest of spiritual texts have been described by many scholars as the first presentation of full encyclopedia of Vedic knowledge. This encyclopedia touches various subject matters relating to philosophy, religion, sociology and anthropology, literature and classics, political science, history and psychology. On the back side of this pamphlet an order blank to apply for a full encyclopedia published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust is given. Please fill in and return." (chuckles) Here's what he says, "The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust Library of Vedic Knowledge can make a worthwhile gift to a friend of relative or may be kept in one's own home. Or one may contribute a set to a school, college, hospital library, reading room, temple, or for any other charitable purpose. The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust is offering this encyclopedia on an easy installment basis by which one may receive published volumes every month without any extra cost." Sounds like they're getting a lot for free. (chuckles)

Prabhupāda: Organized very nice. Hm. "Gargamoney." (laughter)

Meeting With Governor of Tamil Nadu -- July 31, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Medical men.

Governor: Medical men. Our government hospital. Best people in the government hospital. Best physicians. Very good physicians.

Prabhupāda: Thank you very much. But I am not very inclined for medical treatment, their injection, operation. (laughs)

Room Conversations Bangladesh Preaching/Prabhavisnu Articles by Hamsaduta -- August 11, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: No, what social welfare you have done? You have opened so many hospitals, but does it mean you can give life?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, this is a real... Here's what he says. He says, "Advancement in medical science and social welfare..."

Prabhupāda: What is the advancement?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He's going to explain it. "...and social welfare services are helping more and more misfits to survive to procreate more and more misfits as future citizens. While the short-term goal is achieved, the long-term goal is jeopardized. Future governments are not going to allow all the misfits to procreate misfit children on the ground that life originates from the Supreme Soul. It is the unique ability of man to engage in creative thinking that has made him succeed in his fight against the laws of nature."

Prabhupāda: What you have gained? Your father died. Your mother died. You are a great scientist. Why you cannot save them? What is the value of your education? Simply empty voice. You'll also die. Can you make provision that you'll not die?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Future," they'll say.

Room Conversation -- October 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: I am not thirsty now. But caraṇāmṛta, little can be given also in the..., no harm. But don't take me, hospital.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, Prabhupāda. Under no circumstance. Even if you are unconscious, we will simply chant.

Prabhupāda: Yes. I am quite all right here.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That we can see.

Prabhupāda: I came back from London on account of here in this hospital I... (microphone moves) Oh... Be very careful. (break) (kīrtana)

Prabhupāda: So how many critical days he has...?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Critical days.

Room Conversation -- October 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: He recommended when I was in Bombay, he would come to Bombay. And that hospital?

Girirāja: Jhaso.(?)

Prabhupāda: In Jhaso(?) hospital J. P. Narayan was admitted? Again he was sent to foreign country. This is the difficulty. They want up-to-date scientific treatment, which means taking blood, injection, operation, like that.

Visit From Allopathic Doctor -- October 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: You can see that letter. He is qualified man.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He suggests immediately that Prabhupāda go into a hospital.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Doctor Ghosh's letter, you remember, he suggests that we immediately take you to that Bombay hospital.

Hari-śauri: He wanted to do that last March when he saw you there at Māyāpur.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That was his opinion.

Prabhupāda: You can show him bile. Show him the bile.

Room Conversation -- October 12, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: He instructed hospitalization.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, hospitalization.

Kīrtanānanda: Ultimately, whatever he says we have to do if we're going to accept him. But he's also very understanding, and I think in your condition there may be no need for hospitalization. We need to get some regular care established. There was to be a regimen for recovery.

Prabhupāda: No, that I have already explained. I don't want to go to hospital.

Kīrtanānanda: So that is not necessary. (Prabhupāda coughs heavily) (break)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Jayapatākā Mahārāja has come from Māyāpur.

Prabhupāda: Come here. (heavy coughing) Mucus is generating, either you take milk or fruit juice. I have given my opinion in that correspondence. And he's a qualified man. If you want him, then somebody may go to him and talk.

Room Conversation -- October 22, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Then he'll say, "Remove to the hospital."

Bhavānanda: Then they'll say move to the hospital.

Prabhupāda: Then who will take care of me? Hm?

Bhavānanda: We will never allow them to remove you to a hospital, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: You'll have to, gradually, according to his advice.

Bhavānanda: Therefore we asked you yesterday for your guidance.

Prabhupāda: No, I'll guide. Don't move me to the hospital. Better kill me here.

Room Conversation -- October 22, 1977, Vrndavana:

amāla Kṛṣṇa: Another trick they have is that you have one trouble, so they give you a medicine, but the medicine causes a worse trouble. And eventually such bad trouble is created that they get you depending on them, and then they say, "Now the only thing left, you must come to the hospital for operation." Then they kill you.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes, injection, operation.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He was asking us, "Does your Guruji have any...? Will he take an injection?" So we said, "No." He was hopeless. He was guessing.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes, he didn't know the real cause.

Prabhupāda: They do not know. They use machine. Their means of knowing-machine. They do not know.

Room Conversation -- October 22, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes his name was Kashiram. So he was howling, howling. So we took him to the hospital, and so many student doctors surrounded. They diagnosed something, strangulation or something like that.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Strangulation.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Then they were prepared to surgical operation. Then another experienced doctor came. He said, "Let us wait today." So he was kept in the hospital, and we came back. That Kashiram... Another friend, servant of the neighborhood, and so he said, "Bābājī, he has drunk this."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He got a little drunk.

Prabhupāda: So I said, "Don't delay. So many doctors..." And next morning he came back and said, "The doctor said, 'You are all right, you can go.' "

Room Conversation -- November 3, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: What happened?

Gaura-govinda: He suffered from fever. He had some fever, high fever. So he fell unconscious. The doctor came and gave some medicine. The fever was checked, but he gave some high-power medicines that affected his brain, and so he couldn't speak. He just collapsed and stayed still. We came to the hospital that night. Doctor tried his best. He gave saline and oxygen. He stayed the whole night, but at the daybreak he passed away, when the morning came, just on the morning, 23rd morning. It was ekādaśī day. That day he passed away. The day Bhāgavata reached. The very moment Bhāgavata reached there, he passed away.

Prabhupāda: Doctor gives treatment, not reliable. They make experiment.

Room Conversation -- November 3, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: That's all? I am afraid you may put me in the hospital.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, Prabhupāda, we're not going to do that. We already said that we would never do that.

Prabhupāda: If you..., what is called, want to move me, so what arrangement will be made?

Bhavānanda: What arrangement we have made?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No. Moving is no problem. But we say that we're not going to move you unless you show improvement. But we're not going to put you in the hospital. That is not going to happen. We can always take up the program of twenty-four-hour kīrtana.

Room Conversation -- November 3, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And you can fast. That's... But why should we suggest that at this point? It is not proper for us to suggest that. Obviously we could say that, but that's not very... That means hopeless. So we cannot become hopeless. As your disciples, we can't become hopeless. And putting you in the hospital means hopeless. That's sure. Hospital is absolutely useless.

Śatadhanya: Neither we would ever go against your instruction.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, it's not within our... Śrīla Prabhupāda, we only took you to the hospital in London because Your Divine Grace said we should take you there. Otherwise we were not going to do that on our own. We did not go there on our decision.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that starving and chanting and little gaṅgā-jala or... In this way let me pass away peacefully.

Room Conversation -- November 3, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Why Tamāla Kṛṣṇa gone?

Śatadhanya: I'll get him, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Bhakti-caru: Śrīla Prabhupāda? (Bengali)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Bābājī Mahārāja also I have consulted that "Being afraid, don't move me in the hospital." He also says, "No, don't do."

Room Conversation -- November 3, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: What does he say? They will kill?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I said supposing someone threatens us with our life, that "We will kill you if you don't let us take your Guru Mahārāja to the hospital," still, we will not let them take you. Your order is our business to follow, even at the risk of our life. So we are not going to take you to the hospital under any condition. Neither... Not only is it your order, but we also see absolutely no benefit from these hospitals. Your order is sufficient, but apart from that, also, from our own limited intelligence, we also see that the hospitals are condemned. These doctors are blind, these allopathic doctors.

Prabhupāda: That is my only request, that at the last stage don't torture me and put to death. So I am not eating anything, and if we chant, by batches chant, I'll hear. (Bengali)

Kṛṣṇa dāsa Bābājī: (Bengali) Hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana. That is the medicine. (break)

Prabhupāda: This is the decision, that in case it does not improve, let me die here. If it improves, I shall be very glad to go... (Bengali)