I want to know (Conversations)

Expressions researched:
"I also want to know" |"I want to know" |"I wanted to know"

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Dr. Karan Singh, -- November 25, 1971, Delhi:

Prabhupāda: No. Side by side. Just like what world you can look after? Tell me, what is the particular way you want to look after?

Dr. Singh: Well, I mean that with Kṛṣṇa first (indistinct), so what is the first priority?

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Dr. Singh: First priority is to try...(break)...function.

Prabhupāda: What do you mean by this first priority? That I want to know from you.

Dr. Singh: No, you were talking, Swamiji, about the unification of the world.

Prabhupāda: Yes. The world is going on. We simply say that you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and you will be happy. Happy in this life, happy in the next life. So you are going on in this way. "In this way" means either out of the four classes. You may name in a different way. I say brāhmaṇa class, you say intelligent class. Do you agree that in the world there is an intelligent class of men?

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Indonesian Scholar -- February 27, 1973, Jakarta:

Devotee: Chapter 8, 17.

Prabhupāda: Chapter 8, 17th verse.

Devotee: Sahasra-yuga-paryantam ahar yad brahmaṇo viduḥ (BG 8.17).

Prabhupāda: Now what is the translation?

Devotee: "By human calculations..."

Prabhupāda: No, no, I want to know this (indistinct).

Scholar: He who knows that the day of Brahmā is thousand yuga and that the night of Brahmā is also 5,000 yugas is he who knows the truth of day and night.

Prabhupāda: Now, what is the explanation?

Room Conversation with Rosicrucians -- August 13, 1973, Paris:

Prabhupāda: How do they know? How do they know?

Yogeśvara: There are already people who are aspiring after a richer, more spiritual life.

Prabhupāda: What is that spiritual life? (break)

Yogeśvara: ...high spiritual values, the things...

Prabhupāda: These are simply words. What is the spiritual life. I want to know. (break) ...is useless.

Yogeśvara: He says when God. He is just using a lot of names.

Prabhupāda: He is simply speaking. He does not know what is the aim, what is the goal, what is spiritual life... (break) ...no tangible knowledge of everything, what I ask. As I asked you what is spiritual life, he cannot describe. (break) ...distinguish between spiritual life and material life?

Room Conversation with Rosicrucians -- August 13, 1973, Paris:

Prabhupāda: If I do not understand whom to love, how can I learn?

Guru-gaurāṅga: It is in the heart of everyone. Simply it is a question of repressing the false ego for, eliminating the old man, the false ego.

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Yogeśvara: I'm not quite sure. He says that he doesn't understand why you are objecting. He says love is a part of everyone.

Prabhupāda: Because if you ask me to love, I want to know what is, whom I shall love.

Yogeśvara: A mystic, he loves everything, everyone.

Prabhupāda: Is there any example?

Yogeśvara: An example is the master of their movement. He was supposed to come, but he was on vacation. But the grand master of their movement, he says, is one example.

Prabhupāda: No, suppose to love everyone, that means you love the animals also. Their community allows, animal killing?

Room Conversation with Rosicrucians -- August 13, 1973, Paris:

Prabhupāda: ...on principle the order does not allow animal killing, is it?

Yogeśvara: They would rather not see anyone killed. Ideally, on an ideal level, their movement would not want to see animals killed, anyone killed.

Prabhupāda: Therefore I want to know what are the principles, rules and regulation of the order.

Yogeśvara: Their principles are love, beauty, harmony, peace. (break)

Guru-gaurāṅga: He says there are no rules, but as you progress, one initiation after another initiation, if you start out as a butcher, then gradually in your own self, you will wish to give it up. But there are no rules. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...one initiation after one initiation, there is no progressive rules?

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- March 16, 1974, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: But you should talk from the platform of Buddha. We know the secrecy. Our, our understanding of Buddha, that he is incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. But the Buddhists, they do not believe.

Guest: No, they've rejected the Vedas.

Prabhupāda: Yes. But we say.

Guest: But I'm not trying to, uh, to set up, to argue sect against sect.

Prabhupāda: That's not the question. It's a question of philosophy. Here we just say, we know, just like we, we are devotee of Lord Buddha, keśava dhṛta-buddha-śarīra jaya jagadīśa hare. We glorify Lord Buddha because we know what is Buddha, sadaya-hṛdaya darśita-paśu-ghātam. So we know perfectly that he is incarnation of Kṛṣṇa, but those who are cheated by Buddha, from their point of view I want to know what is their perspective.

Guest: Now how, how, how, why would Buddha want to cheat people?

Prabhupāda: Yes, cheated because they did not believe in God. So, but he is God, he is God; therefore he says, "What I say, you believe." That means he is cheating them.

Room Conversation with Robert Gouiran, Nuclear Physicist from European Center for Nuclear Research -- June 5, 1974, Geneva:

Robert Gouiran: Enlightenment. Of course. And I got the first...

Yogeśvara: Taste.

Robert Gouiran: The first small light of this enlightenment.

Prabhupāda: That I am asking you. What is that light?

Robert Gouiran: It's not complete yet. It's not complete yet.

Prabhupāda: No. Whatever you have received, that I want to know. Then I can understand where you stand on the spiritual platform.

Robert Gouiran: Where...?

Yogeśvara: If you can explain that little bit that you have understood...

Prabhupāda: (aside) Not now.

Yogeśvara: ...then he will know better what your position is on the spiritual platform.

Robert Gouiran: Yes. I should like to do so. Uh, I think, I understood that we could... It is difficult to explain in English.

Prabhupāda: You can speak in French. He'll translate.

Room Conversation with Christian Priest -- June 9, 1974, Paris:

Priest: I have always told that the duty of the swami is to listen and to understand, and you don't seem to listen and to understand. You misunderstand.

Prabhupāda: No, no, I use... First of all let us... Why misunderstand? You say that you have no experience of God.

Priest: No, I never said that.

Prabhupāda: Then tell me your experience. That I want to know.

Priest: That every time I had an experience of God, and first I went through the bhakta, and I was a bhakta for a long, long time, then I found out that God was beyond my experience.

Prabhupāda: That means you have no experience. How can I talk with you?

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

Prabhupāda: So that is not bad because in politics you have to do that. Everyone does so. What is Nixon's fault?

Devotee: But only he got caught. And all of his men quit.

Prabhupāda: No, no, suppose you are my rival. So I wanted to know your secrecies. So I make some mechanical arrangement. That is not fault. That is not... Everyone does so. Why do you expect that he will not do that? He must do that. If you are my rival or enemy, to know your secrecy, I must endeavor to do everything. As you are doing, so I am.

Morning Walk -- June 20, 1974, Germany:

Prabhupāda: And these rascals say there is no soul. And still, they are religious priests. Such fools and rascals are made religious fools, priests. No common sense. And they also get degree, Doctor of Divinity, DD. (break) ...Greek scholar, here in this Germany or in nearby?

Haṁsadūta: I don't know Prabhupāda. We have been here for too short a time to find out who is exactly here, and all the people we contacted, their program was already fixed. They could not come, but they said they would be happy to meet you if you came again.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. I wanted to know the philology of the Greek word "Kristo." Or is there any dictionary? Find out the word "Kristo."

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

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

Prabhupāda: Individual, we are part and parcel. The same thing: the supreme eternal, and we, means subordinate eternal. We are of the same quality. Quality is the same but quantity different. Therefore our knowledge quantity and his knowledge quantity different. Therefore we should take knowledge from Him, who has large quantity of knowledge. We have got tiny quantity of... This is the difference. He is also cognizant, I am also cognizant, but his knowledge is vast, unlimited; my knowledge is tiny. Therefore, if I want to know more, we should know from Him. That is perfect knowledge. Tad-vijñānārtham sa gurum evābhigacchet śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham (MU 1.2.12). This is the process.

Room Conversation with Yoga Student -- March 14, 1975, Iran:

Prabhupāda: But that I ask you, that what is that name? As I have... We have got the nicest name, Kṛṣṇa. Now you suggest that this is the nicest name in Mohammedan, Kṛṣṇa. You say me that.

Atreya Ṛṣi: Allah.

Prabhupāda: You say, "What is that name?"

Guest: First of all, this man is talking (indistinct) any difference to call it Allah.

Prabhupāda: No, no, I don't make any difference but I want to know, I want to know what is that nicest name. I don't make any difference.

Guest: Well, it's called (indistinct) they call it Allah.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. Then our request is that you chant the name of God. So if Allah is the name of God, you chant Allah, don't chant Kṛṣṇa. We say that.

Room Conversation with Carol Cameron -- May 9, 1975, Perth:

Carol: So you think the Christian faith hasn't been reflected in the behavior of Western people.

Prabhupāda: This is practical. You are maintaining huge slaughterhouses, regular killing. So, you took instruction from Christ, "Thou shall not kill." You first of all killed him, and then the killing process is going on among the animals, and declaring wars every now and then. So the killing business is going on regularly. In your regular life also. You are maintaining big, big slaughterhouses. Then when you accepted the instruction of Christ? That I want to know. What is that date?

Carol: Do you see any hope for the world? We seem to be moving towards destruction.

Prabhupāda: No, my... You just explain.

Amogha: He's asking you when did this civilization actually accept the teachings of Christ?

Carol: When have they? Not overall at all, only in small pockets. Never overall.

Prabhupāda: Then why you are claiming that you are Christian? Just like you are having cross. That is the sign that you killed Christ. The cross is the killing symbol of Christ.

Carol: This is the resurrection symbol.

Prabhupāda: Maybe. (laughter)

Carol: But it's not only Christian symbol...

Prabhupāda: But many, many priestly order, they carry the cross. Cross is the sign when Lord Jesus Christ was killed. Is it not?

Room Conversation with Carol Cameron -- May 9, 1975, Perth:

Carol: It is, but that symbol is used in a lot of ways.

Prabhupāda: That means how you killed Lord Jesus Christ. That is the sign. That reminds you that you killed. You accuse the Jewish people "They killed," but you are also killing. Although you are claiming Christian. Therefore I want to know—you are a learned scholar—when you abided by the order of Lord Jesus Christ? That is my question. When?

Amogha: When did you abide by the orders of Jesus Christ?

Carol: When did I?

Prabhupāda: Every one of you, Western countries. And if you have abided by the order of Jesus Christ, then why you are systematically killing? The order is, "Thou shall not kill."

Carol: It reminds me of the Gītā, you know? Where Arjuna is on the battlefield about to commit an organized sort of killing against his relatives.

Prabhupāda: No, two thousand years passed, but you could not accept the instruction of Lord Jesus Christ. And you are all claiming that you are Christian. When did you accept Christianity? That is my question. Because you have disobeyed the order of Christ. So when did you accept? Two thousand years passed. Hmm? Who will answer this question?

Morning Walk -- June 21, 1975, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: What does he mean? You are all here. Now I want to see that seventeen books are waiting in the... So when it will be finished? I want to know.

Jayatīrtha: This morning, if you like, we can go to the press building, and we can show you what we've done to improve the situation.

Prabhupāda: All right.

Morning Walk -- October 9, 1975, Durban:

Indian man: I was going to India for some knowledge, you see? You know, to the āśramas there. And I couldn't go, you see.

Prabhupāda: How did you know that you'll get some knowledge there?

Indian man: Well, I read a few books of the Divine Life Society, you know. And I wanted to go to Hrishikesh, you know.

Prabhupāda: So what is that Divine Life Society? I want to know from you. What is that divinity? Whether it is nonsense or divinity?

Indian man: Well, at that time I didn't know of anything else. This was in 1966.

Prabhupāda: Then how you decided that it is divine life?

Morning Walk -- December 10, 1975, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Who said? Who is that rascal? The ācārya does not require to be a pure devotee?

Akṣayānanda: He said it. Nitāi said it. He said it in this context. He said that Lord Brahm is the ācārya in the Brahma-sampradāya, but yet he is sometimes afflicted by passion. So therefore he is saying that it appears that the ācārya does not have to be a pure devotee. So it does not seem right.

Prabhupāda: So who is that rascal? I want to know who has said.

Akṣayānanda: Nitāi. Nitāi dāsa.

Harikeśa: Nitāi said that?

Prabhupāda: Who is Nitāi dāsa?

Harikeśa: Our Nitāi.

Akṣayānanda: Nitāi.

Prabhupāda: Oh, our Nitāi? Oh.

Akṣayānanda: He said he couldn't understand it, but he thought, he said that he thought...

Prabhupāda: He manufactured his idea. Therefore he's a rascal. Therefore he's a rascal. Nitāi has become an authority?

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- July 17, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: That will be better.

Hari-śauri: That would be about three o'clock.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That would be at about three o'clock. It depends upon your resting period also.

Prabhupāda: No, that I will adjust. That is not the thing. I want to know when my joining will be very good. That I want to know. At the beginning or the middle, in the last, that you have to decide. Then I shall adjust. In London, I think... Of course, the whole route I was present, but that was little troublesome because sometimes I am called by nature. But you say there will be a car. So under the circumstances, which time will be good? That you say. Then I shall adjust. That you consult, which time.

Evening Conversation -- August 8, 1976, Tehran:

Mr. Hamidi: Of course, I believe that they're all the same, but...

Prabhupāda: No, same. But you must explain at least. I want to know how far you have understood spiritual culture as it is. That is my question.

Mr. Hamidi: Well, of course, it is very difficult to differentiate.

Prabhupāda: Yes, it is difficult. Practically you do not know what is spiritual culture. That is a fact. So first of all, you must try to understand what is spiritual culture. Spiritual culture means... There are two things within our experience. Matter and spirit. So matter is this body, and spirit is the soul within the body. Without spirit, this material body has no value. That we experience every day. When a man is dead, we take it, now the body is useless, throw it away. Therefore the body is important so long the spirit soul is there. And that is spirit. And when we study that spirit soul, that is the beginning of spiritual culture. If you have no idea of what is that spirit, then there is no question of spiritual culture. With this body we cannot make any progress of spiritual culture. That is not possible. The body is matter. They're explained in the Bhagavad-gītā. Antavanta ime dehā. Bring Bhagavad-gītā. Antavanta ime dehā nityasyoktāḥ śarīriṇaḥ. So try to understand what is spirit, what is matter.

Room Conversation -- September 4, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: First of all, what is the problem and what is the solution? What is the problem that you require solution?

Indian man: Any problem which comes.

Prabhupāda: No, what is that? That I want to know.

Indian man: Problem is of being happy in the world.

Prabhupāda: These are vague terms. You must distinctly say that this is happiness and this is problem. What is your, what is the idea of happiness and what is the problem? That I want to know.

Indian man: That I'm not very much clear at this stage of life.

Prabhupāda: Happiness, suppose if you can get a nice palatable dish for eating, you'll be happy. But the dog also, if he can get some good eating, he'll be happy. So where is the difference between dog's happiness and your happiness?

Room Conversation -- November 24, 1976, Vrndavana:

Devotee (1): But if it was heard by them, they would accept it but because there are so many cheaters and rascals, they're so afraid of all of it because there's been so much cheating and different philosophies and gurus and false gurus and that.

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) Now... Ayi. So for fix up, you should take paper. Who is in charge of which subject, I want to know. (Hindi) That Prem Yogi can teach you very nice. And you and Prem Yogi can teach these boys Sanskrit.

Room Conversation -- November 24, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: This issue is very important. There's so many evidences. (break) Who are present here...

Akṣayānanda: Who are present here.

Prabhupāda: ...their charges, including their... Write the names and the work in which department he's in charge. That I want to know.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- October 22, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: I'll treat myself. Let the kavirājas come. And makara-dhvaja... One after another, they will make the things complicated. What is your opinion? Hm?

Bhavānanda: We all feel, Śrīla Prabhupāda, that your direction is absolutely perfect. It is coming directly from the spiritual platform. Therefore anything which you tell us to do, we want to do, and we have full faith and confidence that it is absolutely correct. But we don't have full faith and confidence in people who are materially conditioned. Therefore we have taken you as our spiritual master. You have perfect knowledge of everything spiritual and you have perfect knowledge of everything material.

Prabhupāda: So, all of you agree to this?

Bhavānanda: Do we all agree?

Devotees: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Then I will give direction. Simply I want to know about the makara-dhvaja, consulting both the kavirājas. (pause) Why you stop kīrtana?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Go ahead, Pañca. (kīrtana begins, Pañca-draviḍa sings slowly)

Prabhupāda: Mildly kīrtana.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Mild kīrtana, tell him.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Mild kīrtana.

Prabhupāda: Where is Haṁsadūta?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You want Haṁsadūta's kīrtana?

Prabhupāda: Bharadvāja or...

Bhavānanda: Bharadvāja.

Prabhupāda: Eh? They are avoiding?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: They are avoiding me.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They are avoiding?

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I don't think so.

Brahmānanda: Who is that?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Bharadvāja and Haṁsadūta.

Pradyumna: Haṁsadūta was here at lunchtime.

Upendra: Bharadvāja came also. He was here most of the morning.

Brahmānanda: You were resting at that time.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They sang for nearly two or three hours.

Śatadhanya: And he said that as soon as you wake up, then he will come.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I don't think anyone is avoiding, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: I was just thinking that that doctor, it seems, doesn't know very well.

Prabhupāda: Then?