Prabhupāda: So where is your independence? Independence means you are inviting more sufferings, that's all. You go on, declare your independence. We are the only sane man. We have accepted that "We have no independence." Here Kṛṣṇa is asking. "Let me surrender unto..." That's all. So we have to convince the people, "Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is very scientific. You are foolishly rascal. You are trying to be independent. That is not possible. Kṛṣṇa is asking to surrender. You do that." That will make him happy. In many varieties of ways we have to convince them and prove that "You are foolishly thinking that there is independent, so-called scientific advancement, and only promising, 'Yes, in future we shall be like this, be like this.' " What is future? Just take account of your present position. Where is the history that you have...? If in the past something like that happened, then you can expect future. But in the past, the whole world history, there was no independence.
Invite (Conversations - 1976)
Expressions researched:
"invitation"
|"invitational"
|"invitations"
|"invite"
|"invited"
|"invitees"
|"invites"
|"inviting"
Conversations and Morning Walks
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The point is that no matter how much they press for any kind of mixing, our first point is: "You come here and visit us." And he'll never do that. Never do that. And we should not... We already invited him twice, so we don't have to give any more invitation. We should simply say verbally, "Let Tīrtha Mahārāja come here as we have come so many times. Then we can speak about some kind of cooperation."
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Bhavānanda: I remember, Śrīla... You walked there.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Twice Prabhupāda has visited and personally requested, and he won't come here. And now... The thing is now he might say, "If you give it to me in writing, I will come," but we'll say, "We have already personally come. Our spiritual master has come twice personally, and now you have to simply come. The invitation is already given. Now Tīrtha Mahārāja should come here." He'll never do that.
Bhavānanda: He'll never come.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Right. So then that way we don't have to cooperate.
Prabhupāda: So this paper you keep, because these rascals they may create some trouble.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What kind of trouble?
Prabhupāda: Trouble like this, just like he was detained.
Prabhupāda: And invite anyone who is interested to become devotee. We shall provide place, food, education to the children. In this way make another statement.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I'm just wondering... I was thinking whether we...
Prabhupāda: Without touching them.
Prabhupāda: No, no, how you have...? How do you...?
Jayapatākā: Oh, how did I find... How did...? Well, I know that influentially he is, in the district level, he is very influential. I mean to say that he has got very good relations with all the government people and all the local people. Whenever I go somewhere to invite them for any festival, any function, they would always speak highly of Surendra dāsa and that he had just about a week ago before, he had already invited them for the Caitanya Maṭha. So he is very active in that way, something which we don't have time or understanding to do, so many of us. He knows how to receive people and make them feel very nice and show them around. He has a nice personality like that, and he is very active.
Prabhupāda: So if you engage, him do you think we shall get some good service?
Hṛdayānanda: He said, "I accepted too many invitations to go preach. I should have spent time with my family."
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That will make him more popular, and they'll say he's more religious.
Hṛdayānanda: (break) ...already left to preach.
Prabhupāda: Oh, that's nice. (break) Eh? Dhunvanti, aghaṁ dhunvanti kārtsnyena nīhāram iva bhāskaraḥ.(?) This is Kṛṣṇa. In one second He can make it purified. Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ (BG 18.66). Simply surrender.
Prabhupāda: Everything is theory. No practical. (break) ...ten direction. Eight direction, corner, and northeast, east-west, and up and down. So everywhere He is present. So Kṛṣṇa has got ten hands. So my father used to say, "When Kṛṣṇa takes your money or possession in ten hands, how you can protect it with two hands? And when He give you in ten hands, how much you can take in two hands?" (laughs) So in my case it has become practical. Everything He has taken in ten hands, and now He is giving in ten hands. (laughter) I am practically experiencing. My Guru Mahārāja ordered me, "You do this." I was trying to save my business, my family, with two hands, and Kṛṣṇa took it in ten hands. And now, after making me beggar, He is giving me, ten hands: "You take as much as you like." Now I am thinking of my father's instruction. (break) ...ambition was that I become a great de... bhāgavata. That was his... He used to invite so many saintly persons, and he would pray, "Please bless my son"—I was very pet son—"that he may become a devotee of Rādhārāṇī. Rādhārāṇī may bless him." That was his only prayer.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Fulfilled.
Prabhupāda: Yes. He was inviting so many saintly persons. That is the old system, to receive saintly person.
Prabhupāda: "He's a saintly person. We cannot agree to that." Everyone knows police takes bribe. They admit, "Yes, we take bribe, but not in such cases." This was told by Guru Mahārāja, Bhaktisi..., to me. He was talking many things confidential.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda, what is that story that one time Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī was invited to... He wanted to get invitation or he was invited to speak and they put so many conditions on his speaking. It was some place.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They said, "Now you cannot speak on such and such subject." He agreed, "All right."
Prabhupāda: I think there was a Vaiṣṇava meeting inaugurated by Mahārāja Maṇīndrānandī. You are referring to that. (break) When I was visiting, I used to sit on his couch. Yes, like... Guru Mahārāja was sitting on the couch, so I took him as ordinary gentleman. So then nobody asked me that, that "You are sitting? Get down." No. Nobody asked me. Then I was seeing that all other big, big disciples, they are sitting down. So then I began to sit down. Neither Guru Mahārāja told me, neither anybody told me.
Prabhupāda: And chili. That's all.
Indian devotee (1): Actually, Prabhupāda, in Jaipuriya, when they invited us, when we were in Kanpur, all the devotees, for three days we were eating very simple food, but the devotees liked so much. They were eating lots.
Prabhupāda: Oh, Jaipuriya invite them?
Indian devotee (1): Yeah, Jaipuriya, yeah, when we were in Kanpur.
Prabhupāda: Oh, Jaipuriya is that whole name? (land?)
Indian devotee (1): Mantura.
Prabhupāda: Mantura. He came to our temple.
Prabhupāda: Oh, Jaipuria invited.
Devotee (1): Yes, Jaipuria, when we were in Kanpur.
Prabhupāda: Jaipuria is that old man?
Devotees: (indistinct-microphone noise)
Prabhupāda: Kanpur, which is desert practically, but they're luxurious, they're rich, why... But they're devotees at the same time. In their country (indistinct), they have got many cows. They get sufficient milk. And from that milk they prepare so many, milk, ghee, and that, they get channa. But they know how to prepare so many things, channa, dudh.
Prabhupāda: Yes, invite them.
Rādhāvallabha: Madhudviṣa Mahārāja, if you can keep everyone from banging into those... They break very easily.
Prabhupāda: So why not make a small booklet of all these, thin paper, so that we can send.
Rādhāvallabha: We need very much also a permanent display building in Māyāpur. This exhibit cost almost four thousand dollars.
Prabhupāda: Yes, have immediately.
Prabhupāda: Oh, that is not good. The class must be attended.
Madhudviṣa: They'll be back by the time class starts, I think, Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Prabhupāda: Then they should not go in the morning. They must attend class. That is very important.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: You once gave the example of your spiritual master also, how people were invited on parikrama and you stayed back to hear.
Prabhupāda: I never went. (break) Otherwise they should not go in the morning.
Prabhupāda: Manipur, Chinese, Cambodian stock. (break) Many Chinese, for culture. I know. All came.
Pañca-draviḍa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, if they invite you to China, you'll go?
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes, certainly. I can go immediately. I have no objection.
Pañca-draviḍa: (break) Everyone was chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa and saying...
Prabhupāda: Crowd also?
Pañca-draviḍa: Yeah, the crowd here.... There was practically.... I didn't see any incidents of anybody doing anything wrong or trying to cause trouble.
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.
Prabhupāda: And that is the inspiration of my devotional life. Then I asked my father that "Give me Rādhā-Govinda Deity; I shall worship." So my father was also Vaiṣṇava. He gave me small Rādhā-Govinda Deity. I was worshiping in my house. Whatever I was eating, I was offering, and I was following the ceremonies of this Rādhā-Govinda with my small Deity. That Deity is still existing. I have given to my sister. So then I introduced Ratha-yātrā. So I.... My Ratha-yātrā was being performed very gloriously. My father used to spend money. In those days ten rupees, twenty rupees was sufficient. I hired one kīrtana party and a small friends, they..., I think the brother of the present generation, and there was another De family here, so we performed this Ratha-yātrā ceremony. According to our children's imagination, it was very gorgeous. So I think our present Manmohan.... His name is? Gabhur Bhavana? (Bengali) Gopishvara Mullik. That Gopishvara Mullik was my father's friend. So he was criticizing my father that "You are performing Ratha-yātrā ceremony and you are not inviting us." So my father said, "That is children's play. What shall I invite you? You are very big man." "Oh, so you are avoiding. In the name of children you are avoiding us." On the whole, this Ratha-yātrā festival was very gorgeously.... Then imitating me, the other, my brother like, Kangalu(?), he also introduced Ratha-yātrā.
Reporter (2): Were they receptive to what you...
Prabhupāda: Yes. I was invited by Professor Kotovsky to talk. On my way to Europe I stayed there. So I have studied the people. They are very good, as our Indian people, innocent masses, they are also like that. But they are being sophisticated by their new philosophy, communism, artificial thing. But they are not happy. They are being forced to accept a philosophy. People are.... I have seen from their face. They look unhappy. Everything dependent on government. You have to accept. You cannot select your food even. Whatever nonsense things the government will supply, you have to accept, even you don't like it. And for us it was a great difficulty. We could not get rice, could not get flour, neither fruit. Only milk is available and flesh, as much as you like. So on the whole, it was artificial and people are not happy.
Yadubara: I don't have the projector here, Prabhupāda. That suitcase is not here.
Prabhupāda: So if we invite them to see it, that how they are helping efficiently with latest machine.... Therefore it has been possible. Otherwise while in India with great hardship I could publish three books only.
Jagat-guru: We will invite him to come to our Durban festival. And also I've suggested that they also arrange something big, festival, because there are 600,000 Indians there, and that some of our men can go to the island and give them association.
Prabhupāda: So they'll give visa? Me?
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: For you? Oh, yes. I think we have to make a chest x-ray again and take several shots for you, (laughter) no problem.
Prabhupāda: So when you are going back? Tomorrow?
Jagat-guru: Yes.
Prabhupāda: When? Early in the morning?
Devotee: Yes.
Prabhupāda: So many. This tail, dog's tail. Either you become sannyāsī or gṛhastha or anything, the tail is this side. You may grease it as much as possible, but the whole tendency is sex, that's all, in different dresses only. The objective is sex. This is going on. Some of them are openly declaring that "I am for sex," and some of them showbottle. But the objective is sex. This is the whole world. Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tucchaṁ kaṇḍūyanena karayor iva duḥkha (SB 7.9.45). And the sannyāsīs like Rajneesh, they are advocating, "This is life—sex. By sex indulgence you get salvation." These Brahma-kumārīs. Not brahmacārī but Brahma-kumārī. Kumārīs are available very easily. And they keep. And the rich men, they are supplied with nice, beautiful kumārīs. They pay money. This is going on. Brahma-kumārī. They enjoy and they invite the karmīs to enjoy and get money. Kumārī is there; money is there, that's all. Everywhere this is going on.
Prabhupāda: So we are not going to give.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Most.... I have looked over the people who are speaking. Most of them are from this society. It seems what they've done, they've taken some of the big bhogīs in America like Satchidananda and others, and they've invited them to draw bigger crowds. So they're taking this opportunity for money. I think we'll probably sell books there, anyway.
Prabhupāda: Hm?
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: I'm sure that our devotees will sell books.
Prabhupāda: Yes, you can have a book stall.
Prabhupāda: They are mūḍhas. Even they see it, still, they do not believe.
Guru-kṛpā: They're envious, that we can do it and they can't. If you surrender to Kṛṣṇa, then it could be done. If you want to struggle yourself, then you have to struggle. That one lady was.... They were criticizing how we have such big building and everything, and then you invited her to come and stay with us and she wouldn't do it.
Prabhupāda: So we shall go again or go back?
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: We can go again if you like.
Prabhupāda: Hm?
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: There is time. They are very much attached to their sinful activities.
Prabhupāda: The stool, you take them and keep it apart. They will go again to the stool. Nature's way, they must suffer. So-called philanthropic activities, welfare activities—useless. You cannot do any welfare activity; you must suffer. Only way you can do them some good, inducing them chanting, that's all. Otherwise no possibility.
Prabhupāda: The gopīs got the information that Kṛṣṇa is coming from Dvārakā, so from Vṛndāvana they went to see Him. And when Kṛṣṇa and Rādhārāṇī met, that Rādhārāṇī lamented that Kṛṣṇa—He was the same Kṛṣṇa and the same Rādhārāṇī—so "this is not a good meeting place. So, if You come to Vṛndāvana, then I shall be happy." So it is inviting Kṛṣṇa to Vṛndāvana. That is the feeling of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Ratha-yātrā. He is inviting Kṛṣṇa to Vṛndāvana. So in Jagannātha Purī still the same feelings are there. Kṛṣṇa, Jagannātha, from the temple goes to Guṇḍicā. So, Lakṣmī is angry that "Kṛṣṇa is leaving me, He has gone to Vṛndāvana." So she was, she is punishing. That is called Herā-pañcamī. Punishing the servants of Kṛṣṇa. The maidservants of Lakṣmī chastising them, threatened them, "Why without permission?" So they, out of very fearful condition, offering their respect to Lakṣmī, "Mother, you don't be sorry (indistinct), we are (indistinct)." So this, this is the play performed, and Caitanya Mahāprabhu associates they saw, and they enjoyed very much when the maidservant of Lakṣmī was slapping the servant of Viṣṇu. That is mentioned Caitanya-caritāmṛta. All the servants arrested, brought before Lakṣmī, and they are punished. But they came to invite Kṛṣṇa, Rādhārāṇī and other gopīs. And actually they do not go at that time. But this Ratha-yātrā ceremony means Kṛṣṇa is coming from Dvārakā to Kurukṣetra. This is the history of Ratha-yātrā.
Prabhupāda: Let them organize that.
Rāmeśvara: Jagadīśa was telling me that there are some boys who are donating seventy-five acres of farmland about four hours from Los Angeles. It is the best farmland in California. So he wants to develop this, because they have given it to him, specifically to make a farm and eventually to have the children of Gurukula live there. So perhaps we could invite Yamunā.
Prabhupāda: As soon as you make Gurukula, government immediately stops.
Rāmeśvara: In your book, there is an invitation in every book: "For more information, write to the secretary."
Prabhupāda: Yes, I've seen.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That is Svarūpa. He does all this.
Prabhupāda: (break) ...avasthiti. When one remains in svarūpa, that is called mukti. (laughter) Svarūpeṇa avasthitiḥ. (break) The best place in Los Angeles for walking.
allow them to stay in our guesthouse, because it is certain that they will smoke in their room.
Prabhupāda: That is very difficult thing.
Rāmeśvara: That is the only question, and then if you think it is all right that we still invite them, then we can prepare this flyer.
Prabhupāda: You, first of all you GBC think, then and (act?) Make one room, smoking room, that's all right. Just like a, that kind of restriction is there in the airplane, smoking, not, non. So you keep a room separately, a smoking room.
Prabhupāda: Ah, thank you. This is the disease. Ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham iti manyate (BG 3.27). The rascal, he is bewildered, vimūḍhātmā, on account of false egotism. Just like we are inviting everyone: Please come and learn Bhagavad-gītā. "Huh! Bhagavad-gītā, let us go the sea and swim." Surfer, surfer? They are taking so much trouble. I have not see here; in Hawaii. For hours together, struggling with waves. I've seen it South Africa also. Very fond of this surf sporting. So they are wasting so much time and laboring so hard just to become fish. Yes, they are going to be fish. Because at the time of death they'll think of "How I am jumping in the water, surfing." That is natural. Sadā tad-bhāva-bhāvitaḥ (BG 8.6). Because he has constantly thought over his sporting, naturally he'll think of sporting in the water. So this gross body when finished, his mental, intellectual and false ego will carry him to become a fish, and he'll have full freedom how fish is jumping within the water, going against the waves.
Prabhupāda: P-form sanctioned by the state government, yes, state government. So it was applied for. It was... No sanction was coming. Then I went to the State Bank of India, the officer Mr. Bhattacari. So he told me: "Swamiji, you are sponsored by private man. So we cannot accept it. If you are invited by some institution, then we could consider, but you are invited by a private man for one month, and, after one month, if you are in difficulty, and there will be so much obstacles and so on." "Well, I have already prepared everything to go." So I said that "You, what you have done?" "No, I have decided not to sanction your P-form." "No, no, don't do this. You better send to your superior. It should not be done like that." So he took my request and he sent the file to Chief Officer of Foreign Exchange, something like that. Anyway, he is the supreme man in the State Bank of India. So I went to see him. So I asked his secretary that "You have got such file? You kindly put to Mr...."—his name was Mr. Rao—"I want to see him." So the secretary agreed, and he put the file and put my slip that I wanted to see him. I was waiting. So Mr. Rao came personally. He said, "Swamiji, I have passed your case. Don't worry." (laughs) In this way.
Prabhupāda: Oh, purport read.
Nalinīkaṇṭha: "In the material world in any form of life there is some so-called happiness and so-called distress. No one invites distress in order to suffer, but still it comes. Similarly, even if we do not endeavor to obtain the advantages of material happiness, we shall obtain them automatically. This happiness and distress are obtainable in any form of life without endeavor. Thus there is no need to waste time and energy fighting against distress or working very hard for happiness. Our only business in the human form of life should be to revive our relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead and thus become qualified to return home, back to Godhead. Material happiness and distress come as soon as we accept a material body, regardless of what form. We cannot avoid such happiness and distress under any circumstances. The best use of human form of life, therefore, lies in reviving our relationship with the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu."
Prabhupāda: So, is there any question about this statement?
Arnold Weiss: Yes. What originally caused us to lose our relationship with Lord Kṛṣṇa? I understand it is due to our desires, but how is this desire manifest?
Prabhupāda: Relationship is not lost. Just like you... Either you are in the prison house or you are in the kingdom of the state, your relationship with government is there. It does not mean that when you are put into the prison house to suffer, it does not mean you have lost relationship, is it that?
Mādhavānanda: Place there. Serve prasāda and preach.
Prabhupāda: Yes, you invite them: "Come in, take prasāda." So out of inquisitiveness, they may come, and give them prasāda, show them temple. In this way.... Show them our books. Simply put there signboard, "Please come in and take prasāda." (break) ...and read our books, like that. The bird took a fish in that way?
Mādhavānanda: Yes.
Prabhupāda: And fell and flew away. How quickly they can take. Everyone knows his business. That intelligence there everywhere. Āhāra nidrā bhayam maithunī, for these things, how to eat, how to sleep, how to enjoy sex and how to defend, everyone knows. You do not require to educate them. Only they cannot take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is only possible by the human beings. Otherwise, other necessities of bodily, everyone knows. Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovidaḥ. Every morning, this place should be washed with water. Then it will be very nice. Then we can sit down and chant all day and night, Hare Kṛṣṇa. What is the wrong there? Kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31). Haridāsa Ṭhākura was doing that. But don't imitate. But I mean to say, if you do that, where is the problem? (break) ...I think you can acquire some land through the government for agriculture and cow protection. There are so many, so much vacant land. I think they will accept community proposal. Sometimes invite some important government officials; let them see what you are doing.
Prabhupāda: Very much impressed. He's friendly, you can invite him again. He can introduce a law; he's a law officer. (break) ...charges. They may not think they will charge. And some pictures from our books. Signboard, book and pictures. There are some painters here? No painters? Well, there are so many painters. You can bring from Los Angeles.
Prabhupāda: We have got many places. Los Angeles we purchased one church, a very big church. That church was vacant, nobody was coming. They tried so much to invite men, but nobody was coming. But after we have purchased, the church is the same, and the inhabitants are residents of Los Angeles, but it is always packed up.
Kern: Doctor, do you recruit people to come?
Prabhupāda: Yes, we are inviting everyone come. We have no such distinction.
Kern: I have four young alcoholics I'd like to send over.
Prabhupāda: No, these boys and girls are not imported from India, recruited. They are recruited here. I came alone. They are all recruited. I have got so many centers all over the world. They are simply recruited.
Prabhupāda: That is a farce. That is not temple. In London also there are Hindu Center, this, that. All nonsense. Now they are installing Deity. But it is not taken care of properly.
Viśvakarmā: They invited me, Śrīla Prabhupāda, to visit one of their Sunday services, and I went, and they had a fire, an installation of the Deities. They had one brāhmaṇa, and they had a small Deity of Viṣṇu, and he had the fire sacrifice in four minutes, and then they installed the Deity on the altar. That was it.
Prabhupāda: They, what do they know?
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: The press reporter's here, Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Prabhupāda: There is one, my Godbrothers also, you perhaps know, Sadānanda. He came to India in 1935, Gauḍīya Maṭha. And my Guru Mahārāja first initiated him with hari-nāma. Two gentlemen came: one Ernst Schulze, another Von something. But later on they left. This Schulze was my intimate friend.
Prof. O'Connell: One of your Godbrothers was in Toronto about this time last year, Swami Bhakti-hṛdaya Bon Mahārāja was passing through Toronto. Your devotees came over to the house and were very courteous to him and invited him back to the temple, and he was very pleased.
Prabhupāda: Yes, I wrote him care of your address.
Prof. O'Connell: That's right.
Prabhupāda: I invited him to Hawaii, but by that time he left.
Dhṛṣṭadyumna: All the rich people come by in their yachts all day long and wave, "Hare Kṛṣṇa." So Śrīla Prabhupāda said we should put a sign up on the, boat, that they can drive their boat in and take prasādam and read the books.
Prabhupāda: Yes. And invite them, give here signboard: "Please come, read our books and take prasādam." Gradually, they will come. Very big garden.
Hari-śauri: Seven peacocks.
Kīrtanānanda: Is it stone?
Prabhupāda: Huh?
Kīrtanānanda: What is it, the building is stone or...?
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Stone, marble. With golden work.
Prabhupāda: Then? It is the same thing. Suppose Kīrtanānanda Mahārāja has brought this car, so he says, "All of you can come." So I go, you go, does it mean that you and your spiritual master is equal? Do you think like that? It is same thing. Everyone can go to Godhead, there is no doubt, but still there is difference between brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas, śūdras. So far going into the car, the equal right is there, but it does not mean that your spiritual master or the next group, they are not greater than you. Don't think like that. The same car, Kīrtanānanda Mahārāja is driving, I am also there, you are also there. Does it mean that we are all equal? There must be gradation. The right is given to everyone. It does not mean that immediately they become all one. It is Kṛṣṇa's mercy that He accepted everyone, "Come on." But the distinction is there. We are inviting everyone to partake Kṛṣṇa prasādam.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Dhānyena dhanavān. If you have got grain, then you are rich. And if you have got cows, then you are rich. This is the standard of Vedic richness. Dhānyena dhanavān gavayo dhanavān. They don't say, "Keep some papers and you become rich." All rascal, one thousand dollar I promise to pay, a piece of paper. Practical, we have got enough food grains. We have got enough... That is richness. What is use of paper? Even gold you have got, you have to exchange. And if you have grain, immediate food. Just boil with milk, and it is nectarean, param anna, immediately. Take some wood collected from the wood and have fire, put the milk and the grains-oḥ, you'll get so nice food, nutritious, full of vitamin, and so easily made. It is practical. So tasteful, so nutritious, and don't require. If you simply boil little milk and little grain, whole day, so much sweet rice, you take-bas. You don't require any more. And if you add little apples and fruits, oh, it is heavenly. Your whole day free from any food anxiety, and you can work. And you can work. You can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Make this ideal life here. America has got good potency. We have got so much land here. We can have hundreds of New Vrindabans or farms like that. And people will be happy. And invite all the world, "Please come and live with us. Why you are suffering congestion, overpopulation? Welcome here. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." Make that. Indian culture and American strength make the whole world happy. That logic even I have given? Andha-paṅgu?
Prabhupāda: Nobody goes.
Pradyumna: No, only their Math people, and some people they invite from Calcutta. But the regular people all come in to our place.
Prabhupāda: Sometimes we went to Mādhava Mahārāja's temple?
Hari-śauri: In Vṛndāvana.
Prabhupāda: In Vṛndāvana. Who was there?
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Empty. Completely no one.
Hari-śauri: They didn't even have any of their own men living there.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: They had to unlock the Deity.
Prabhupāda: And that is on the prominent roadside. And our temple is off. Still, so many people are coming. Neither there were inhabitants nor their outsider, visitors. Gate was closed, we had to open and then enter. And he constructed temple at least for the last twenty years.
Prabhupāda: A hundred and sixty nine lakhs per year, inviting foreign countries to lecture.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: And only a handful came.
Prabhupāda: Hm?
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Only a handful they had, something like sixty people. They spent two...
Prabhupāda: And what culture they'll speak? (Hindi) They can speak, "Milk is dangerous and meat is very nutritious. Kill all the cows. Oh yes, it's very scientific." This is the cult(?). "Milk is dangerous." Is it not?
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, they're saying that, the doctors nowadays.
Rūpānuga: It's true.
Devotee: We can publish that and also our refutation?
Prabhupāda: Yes, that is nice. We invite, "All right, come on."
Devotee: "Criticize, and we will defeat you."
Prabhupāda: Yes, it is fighting.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: That will be very good.
Devotee: Yes, it will be more interesting. The more fight, the more people like it.
Prabhupāda: So, we shall have to go now?
Rūpānuga: I think it's best if we would drive back now to Washington.
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Let us go.
Prabhupāda: The Tulasī dāsa's Rāmāyaṇa means Rāma-carita. It is not Rāmāyaṇa. Rāma-carita Manas. He was devotee of Lord Rāmacandra. So as he was thinking of Lord Rāmacandra, he has written. So he was a learned scholar, brāhmaṇa, he must have read Bhagavad-gītā, Bhāgavatam. So all his translation is there on the basis of the śāstra, especially Bhāgavata and Bhagavad-gītā. You'll find many parallel passages. But Gītā is the summary of all Vedic literature, and it is spoken by the Personality of Godhead. So if we fix up our attention on the Bhagavad-gītā, then you can get advantage of all other śāstras.
Vipina: Śrīla Prabhupāda? This is Mr. Kruzowsky. He's a philosophy teacher at the University of Maryland. He's very much interested in yoga and meditation. He invited us to speak earlier this year in his class, philosophy and religion.
Devotee (3): And this is Emmet Holman(?) who teaches philosophy at George Mason University. He's also very interested in Indian philosophy.
Prabhupāda: We had some talk with Professor Kotovsky in Moscow. Recently our representative went to Moscow for selling our book. They have highly appreciated our books. They have given in writing appreciation.
Prabhupāda: This is a spiritual movement, and at the present moment people are more interested with material improvement, but our real interest is... Not only our, every human being's interest should be for spiritual upliftment. Just like our body is there, and within the body I am the spirit soul, also I am there. So we are taking care of the body but not of the spirit soul. So the nature's law is that a spirit soul, changing in different position of the body, as we experience in this life, from childhood to boyhood, boyhood to youthhood, similarly, after giving up this body, we'll have to accept another body, and there are 8,400,000 different forms of body. We do not know what kind of body we are going to accept according to our activities and mentality. At the time of death the mentality will ascertain what kind of body we are going to get next. So these things are completely not discussed, neither they have any knowledge. So at the present moment the human civilization is a very risky civilization, so in order to save them from this state of ignorance, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is essential. It is not a sectarian religious movement, faith or sentiment. It is actually scientific movement. Here are many scientists present. They are also taking very seriously about this movement. So we invite all important men to contact us and try to understand the basic principle of this movement, how to elevate the human society to the proper standard of life and become peaceful in this life as well as in the next life.
Prabhupāda: Central Park? Very nice. So you have advantage of the park.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yes. And on Sundays we put on saṅkīrtana in the park, and then people are invited to come to the temple for the feast. Now because of the good weather, many people leave the city on the weekend, so the numbers of people who are coming on the Love Feast days is not as much as before the summer and after the summer. Now they like to go to the beaches and resort areas, where it's cool and there's water.
Prabhupāda: The zoo is here also here? (pronounces "joo")
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Jewish people?
Prabhupāda: No, zoo, zoology.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's a great offense if you offer someone prasādam and they refuse.
Prabhupāda: Yes. That means I am not accepting you as intimate. And if he accepts, then you cannot deny his friendship. About one hundreds years ago in Bengal in the aristocratic circle, the guests invited and very sumptuously food distributed, and then the gentlemen, guests, they come and see only, they will simply say "Oh, it is very nicely done." They'll not eat, and go away. Then the foodstuff will be distributed among the servants. This was aristocracy. They'll not eat, they will simply see and appreciate, "Oh, you have so many varieties, very nice." Then they'll go. And the household servants and others, they eat it.
Prabhupāda: He is coming from spiritual planets. He is authorized representative of Kṛṣṇa, we accept him as śaktyāveśa-avatāra. So I was invited in some priestly meeting in Melbourne, they asked me the question, "What is your opinion of Christ?" So I said "He's our guru." (laughter) Actually, we accept him as our guru. He's preaching God's message; he's Vaiṣṇava. Anyone who accepts God, he's Vaiṣṇava. He was explaining kingdom of God, God. So according to time, circumstances, audience... Now we can just imagine what kind of people he had to deal with, that his commandment is "Thou shall not kill." Then understand how much they were accustomed to killing. So what kind of men they were? And not only that, in spite of hearing his instruction "Thou shall not kill," they killed him first. So what kind of men they were, just imagine. He said, "Thou shall not kill," and they decided, "We shall kill you first." So this class of men he had to deal with.
Prabhupāda: Here? About six months. Then when my things were stolen, then one boy was coming, his name was Paul Murray, he invited me that "You come to my loft." He took me to Bowery Street.
Devotee (1): I met that boy in Amherst. He has a boutique; he sells clothing.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You must have felt very bad when your things were stolen.
Prabhupāda: Yes, I felt little disappointed. But some friends, they offered me, "Never mind, you take my typewriter," somebody, "You take my tape recorder."
Prabhupāda: No, first of all you take your answer one by one. You say, "against the family." It is a wrong. It is a wrong propaganda. Oh, there are so many families in our society. It is a society. There are family members. There are brahmacārīs. There are sannyāsīs and vānaprastha. Whatever situation is suitable for you, you can accept, and in any situation, you can become God conscious. That's a wrong propaganda, that we are against family. Here is a wife of a boy. They have family. There are so many families. Why do you say like that, "We are against family? It's a wrong. You should note it especially that this type of criticism is envious. It is not proper. We invite all families, children, husband, wife, "Come on. Take Kṛṣṇa consciousness."
too?
Prabhupāda: He may not hammer, he's giving instruction. Just like I was invited in Ahmedabad jail to give some instruction. So I'm not hammering on the bricks because I was in the jail.
Interviewer: No, you're giving instruction.
Prabhupāda: Yes, I'm meant for giving instruction, I am not meant for hammering on the bricks.
Interviewer: But then once you get this...
Prabhupāda: So the person who is hammering on the bricks, he's thinking that "This man is simply talking."
Interviewer: That's why he thinks that the Kṛṣṇa people are separate.
Prabhupāda: He wants to draw him in the business of hammering bricks.
Prabhupāda: Then you can be initiated.
Indian man: Yes. I think we have taken enough of your time, Prabhupāda. I would love to stay with you, and I would like to invite you to...
Prabhupāda: Why don't you stay here in our temple?
Indian man: Probably I might. (laughs)
Prabhupāda: Yes. We have got ladies' department and gentleman's department. You can stay.
Indian man: I would like to invite you to Poughkeepsie and stay with us if it is possible.
Prabhupāda: Yes. How long it is?
Indian man: Hundred miles north from here.
Prabhupāda: So by car?
Indian man: Yes, by car.
Prabhupāda: It will take about four, five hours.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Indian man: Now there are some people in our community there at Poughkeepsie, they are all followers of Satya Sai Baba, and they were telling me that "Anyone you pray, Kṛṣṇa, Rāma, Viṣṇu, it comes to Satya Sai Baba." I said, "Don't tell me that nonsense," I said. (laughter) "Satya Sai Baba is not Kṛṣṇa, and don't tell me that." In fact for Guru Pūrṇimā they invited me to Satya Sai Baba's bhajana. I said, "No, I have my guru. I'm very happy. Don't disturb me. I have Kṛṣṇa, I have my guru, and I have my path. I don't have to go to anybody's gurus, and I don't have to take anyone's teachings." I say, "My Gītā is here, written by Prabhupāda. I follow it, and that's it. I don't have to have extraordinary brains to follow everyone's Gītā or everything else. Here is my path."
Prabhupāda: In South America there was a great criticism?
Hari-śauri: South Africa.
Prabhupāda: South Africa.
Prabhupāda: That was also very big. And there was also a crazy man.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, that's right. We didn't give any invitation cards to our temple here, but we were making announcements. But I think people will come, anyway. They'll find out where our Hare Kṛṣṇa center is.
Bali-mardana: They were distributing books, magazines.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Books and magazines were given, but we didn't give any free cards. Usually we give free cards, but there was so much...
Prabhupāda: What is that? They'll come and take. That's all.
Bali-mardana: This could be like Lord Caitanya used to invite all His devotees to come and see Him at Ratha-yātrā...
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Bali-mardana: Similarly, if you come here, we can invite...
Prabhupāda: I'll come.
Gurudāsa: Should I not go to the London zone at this time? I've been invited. They say they need a sannyāsī in that zone, for years, so I've been invited. Do you think I should go now with Satsvarūpa Mahārāja, or go to London?
Prabhupāda: That you decide among the all of you.
Gurudāsa: All right. Very good. (break)
Prabhupāda: Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ (SB 5.18.12). As soon as one becomes devotee, all the good qualification immediately manifest. Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇāḥ.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: (whispering) ...all these people hanging out and making noise.
Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: He came here?
Kṣīrodakaśāyī: Not here. I mean in London. Not here, I never invite anybody, Prabhupāda.
Prabhupāda: No, no. London he came?
Kṣīrodakaśāyī: Yes I heard. I don't know. Somebody was telling. And so many swamis, so many, from Vṛndāvana they are coming. Because many, many guests come, Prabhupāda, in the weekend or during the day. They tell me that "Would you like to go? Some swami has come, some..." "Our swami is already here." (laughs)
Prabhupāda: That's it.
Kṣīrodakaśāyī: They invite some invitation. They have had a big international religious conference in Millford a few weeks back, and all the professors, universities and big, big shark(?) have got... And I understand...
Prabhupāda: Mūḍhas.
Kṣīrodakaśāyī: (laughs) Mūḍhas, yes. So I understand... Some of the friends said it was a big feast and all that, but there was nothing, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They never talk about the Lord. They were simply arguing each other, "I think so." (laughs)
Prabhupāda: This is their business.
Prabhupāda: No, education is good, but the association is...
Kṣīrodakaśāyī: No, they don't have any asso... They don't go anywhere. They don't eat anywhere. Even so many invitations come, either they go to the library or they go to the temple or this place. They have no friends, nothing else. They don't even take the water anywhere, even to my brother's house. They don't take anywhere.
Prabhupāda: Your brother is also here?
Kṣīrodakaśāyī: Yes, he's here. And he was not very good terms last eight years with me. But when I established this temple, by your grace, Prabhupāda, he has also realized it now that this is good. And my difference with him was that "You should give up this nonsense of drinking this, all these things." That was only..., nothing else, about money or anything. I say, "I cannot eat at your place unless you give up these things." I go there, don't eat anything.
Prabhupāda: Still, he drinks.
Prabhupāda: Invite him to come to India.
Jayatīrtha: Jaya.
Prabhupāda: He likes me.
Bhagavān: Oh, yes.
Prabhupāda: He has studied very nicely. Otherwise how he could catch Aurobindo, a doctor of...? In a scholarly way he has attacked him.
Prabhupāda: May be true to some extent, but they do not know the ultimate truth. That they do not know. Bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān (BG 7.19). He understands, vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā sudurlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). That requires many, many births, to come to that conclusion. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). This Kṛṣṇa says. Mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya: (BG 7.7) "There is no more superior than Me." Ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate (BG 10.8). He explains to everyone, sarva-dharman parityajya mām ekam (BG 18.66). That is the.... There is the ultimate person. You call Him Kṛṣṇa or something, but you must know Him. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ, there must be. Father's father's father's father's father's.... Who is the original father? There must be. Where is the wrong in this statement? So you find out the supreme father, but He has no father; He is the Absolute. Sarva-kāraṇa.... Anādir ādiḥ: "He has no beginning, but He is the beginning." Anādir ādir govindaḥ sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1). So, Bhagavān may carry one letter that "I am very sorry. On account of my health failure, I could not go to see you, that professor and all devotees, and I am very, very sorry for this, but, I humbly invite you, come to India, and we shall be very glad to sit together," like that.
Prabhupāda: Six years, yes. So we are inviting everyone, "Come here. Such a nice house given by George (laughs). You live here comfortably, eat nicely, and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." We don't want any factory work.
George Harrison: No.
Prabhupāda: (laughs) Simply kartal and mṛdaṅga. Still, people do not come. They'll prefer to go the factory, whole day work in the hell. (laughs) They prefer.
Prabhupāda: Even, say, hundred years ago, that Girish Chandra Ghosh, he wanted to introduce theatrical performances, imitating the European theatrical performances, man and woman taking part. So he wanted to invite woman artist. Not a single woman joined. Who will go to public stage to dance, respectable girl? They'll never. That is hundred years. I am speaking, say, about forty years ago.
Prabhupāda: We are, rather, inviting, "Come here. Live comfortably. You chant Hare Kṛṣṇa." Then what is the difference between Kṛṣṇa's state and ordinary state? When I see so many young boys are taking prasādam, I become so happy that they are having prasādam and good chance for chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, that's all. They are living in the best house.
Prabhupāda: Anyway, but if you or somebody argues, "Where is Lenin? You are.... Why you are worshiping? You cannot see Lenin..." Because they say, "Where is your Kṛṣṇa? You are worshiping a statue," so we can say the same thing, "Where is your Lenin? The statue, it is?" In the airport station, street crossing and everywhere there is picture. And they go to worship Lenin's tomb every day. Many other fools also go there, tourists, that Red Square. They tried in India for Jawaharlal Nehru's tomb, for Gandhi's tomb. So in the beginning there was little crowd. Now nobody goes. But Vṛndāvana, Govindaji's temple, Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma temple? Without invitation-crowd. This is culture.
Devotee (1): ...silk.
Prabhupāda: Thailand silk.
Devotee (1): Yes. He has invited me to go to Thailand to meet the Prime Minister in October.
Prabhupāda: Oh, if there is an interview, you must go.
Devotee (1): Yes. Perhaps you would like to tell me on what level I should present our movement.
Prabhupāda: On the level of Bhagavad-gītā. God is the supreme controller. And we have to learn how to remain peacefully under the supreme controller. Just like citizens and the government. Good citizenship means one who lives under the control of the government. Similarly, a good person is one who is God conscious and lives according to the instruction of God. So there is instruction of God, we are presenting this all over the world.
home.
Prabhupāda: And he invites friends.
Bhagavān: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Very nice.
Bhagavān: And one man, after the devotee was there, the next week he sent two thousand dollars in the mail.
Prabhupāda: Ācchā.
Bhagavān: And then he came to the Paris temple and he gave another thousand dollars. And then two weeks later he sent again two thousand dollars, and then he moved in with his whole family.
Prabhupāda: Ācchā. (laughs)
Prabhupāda: Yes. That is very important thing. That is important, yes. But love means two persons, there is exchange. Giving something, taking something, feeding something and to eat something, and speaking everything, no secrecy, and to know everything of the other person. When these things are transacted, then there is love. Dadāti pratigṛhṇāti bhuṅkte bhojayate caiva guhyam ākhyāti pṛcchati. If I love you and if I have got some secrecy, I don't disclose to you, that is not perfect love. I must deal with you open-hearted, you must deal with me open-hearted, then there is love. This is one of the basic principles. I shall invite you to eat with me and I shall accept your invitation to eat with me. I shall give you some presentation, you shall give me some presentation. In this way love develops. So if you want to love Kṛṣṇa, God, then these things must be there. Otherwise, where there is question of love? To appreciate God is great, that is not love. That is simply appreciation. But when we actually give everything to God and take everything from Him, you talk with Him of your mind, He talks with you. You give Him to eat and whatever He gives you eat. In this way there is question of love. Simply appreciation of the greatness of God, that is good, in God consciousness, but that is not love. The love stage is different.
Prabhupāda: Give me one piece. For any intelligent man, Bhagavad-gītā is perfect knowledge. There is no doubt about it. But unfortunately most men are rascals. That is the difficulty. Otherwise, there is perfect instruction. There is no doubt about it. How can I deny? God is speaking personally.
Jñānagamya: I met a man on the plane coming here just recently Prabhupāda, and he had translated Bhagavad-gītā into Parsi, the Persian language, and I invited him to come here, but he is not coming. He is afraid to meet you, I'm sure. And I told him... He was smoking cigarettes and was buying, purchasing liquor on the plane, and I said, "Why are you doing this?"
Prabhupāda: Your duty you have done, that's all.
Ātreya Ṛṣi: This azan is an invitation for namaz, glorification of God. He is...
Prabhupāda: Inviting everyone, come.
Ātreya Ṛṣi: Inviting everyone to come and sing and glorify God.
Prabhupāda: And glorify.
Ātreya Ṛṣi: This is said five times a day..., three times a day. "Come and be truthful, and remain fortunate, remain truthful, stick to the right path. Come and join in the best activity, which is praise of the Lord. The highest form of activity, which is praise of the Lord." This is azan.
Prabhupāda: It is very good.
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.
Acyutānanda: We're invited to do kīrtana to inaugurate a Bhāgavata-saptāha and the Dvārakā Śaṅkarācārya will be present.
Prabhupāda: Where?
Acyutānanda: It's Sumati Morarji's...
Prabhupāda: Place?
Acyutānanda: I don't know what the place is.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: It's somewhere in Braverly, but she's sponsoring or she's associated with it.
Acyutānanda: It's probably a Vallabha paṇḍita.
Prabhupāda: No, no, we have no objection with Vallabha.
Prabhupāda: Oh. When?
Acyutānanda: This morning. So I wanted to invite him to come and see the temple and Your Divine Grace...
Prabhupāda: About that Vallabhācārya, she wrote me letter, I've replied it. I replied it.
Acyutānanda: Yes, Girirāja told me. I never mention those...
Prabhupāda: No, don't mention it.
Acyutānanda: Because they don't listen. Their history is that Vallabhācārya had the dream and discovered Govardhana and Śrī Nāthajī, Gopāla Deity, and there was no Mādhavendra Purī.
Prabhupāda: Ācchā? But in the court it has been established. One lawyer in Delhi, he told me that this Deity belongs to the Gauḍīya-sampradāya. In the court it has...
Acyutānanda: But when their caste guru comes they may come out, because that's a big thing. Narayana Jeer, Rāmānuja-sampradāya, so Rāmānujas have to pay their respects to their own ācārya. The temple is being built. And the location of Hyderabad is such that there are so many guesthouses, because it's near the station, Nampally Station. There are many guesthouses. So from all over India people who stop in Hyderabad, they come to the temple. So from all over Andhra we got invitations from people who had come to the temple. (plane going over)
Prabhupāda: Guesthouse?
Acyutānanda: There's the Vṛndāvana Hotel, and that Ashoka?
Vāsughoṣa: Annapurna...
Acyutānanda: Annapurna Hotel, so many guesthouses.
Prabhupāda: They visit our temple?
Prabhupāda: What is the idea, Ghaja(?) Due to her influence people came. Not for the Ghaja(?). She is influential and something is being done, everyone knows that.
Acyutānanda: In Bangalore we went to another Rāmānuja sannyāsī's āśrama, and he invited us to see an initiation, and they burned the śaṅkha-cakra on the shoulders, by fire, branded. That means they're initiated.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, they put...
Prabhupāda: (Hindi)
Devotee: It's all right. (Hindi conversation)
Prabhupāda: Nivṛtta-tarṣair upagīyamānād bhavauṣadhāc chrotra-mano-'bhirāmāt. Bhavauṣadhi (SB 10.1.4).
Prabhupāda: Everyone is śūdra. Kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. Who is going to become brāhmaṇa? We are inviting everyone, "Come here, become brāhmaṇa." Who is interested? He'll go to the factory. Instead of becoming brāhmaṇa he'll be hammerman. In America no students are coming to the philosophical class or higher mathematics class.
Prabhupāda: Oh, he has seen our temples.
Mahāṁśa: He has seen our temples in Europe and Africa and he was very, very impressed. So when I told him that Prabhupāda is coming for the inauguration, he said, "You must give me the privilege again to have a program." So tomorrow evening there will be a program there, and on the 18th morning at ten o'clock, between ten and ten-thirty is the prāṇa-pratiṣṭhā. The chief minister is coming there as the chief guest, and it will stay till about twelve o'clock. I wanted to have a feast for all the people as we did in Vṛndāvana, but it's not possible here because there's no space. The area around the temple is very little. So we have made these kinds of packages with different items, just like a little prasāda feast, small. We'll be giving everyone who comes, about ten thousand packages we are preparing. We'll be distributing prasāda like that. And then in the evening there's a program again, Janmāṣṭamī program, this is for public. The morning program we have restricted only to invitees, because it will be so crowded otherwise. This is one problem which I am trying to figure out, how to face of managing the crowd. The space around the temple is very small, so we cannot have very big, huge assembly. We have to figure out something about that. I'm still trying to think what to do.
Prabhupāda: There is no question of management. Anyone comes, if you have made packages for distribution, give a package.
Prabhupāda: Our project is Bhagavad-gītā, learn Bhagavad-gītā and apply it practically in your life.
Interviewer (5): (indistinct)
Prabhupāda: Yes, we are trying to establish an institution in Kurukṣetra to teach Bhagavad-gītā in practical life and inviting students all over the world. That is our program. We have asked for some land from the government. So if the government gives us the land, we can try it also.
the same newspaper. (indistinct)
Prabhupāda: You directly do that. You (indistinct) the idea. (indistinct)
Acyutānanda: And Bhavananda invited the C.P.I. (Communist Party of India) members to come to Māyāpur and see for themselves.
Prabhupāda: Ah!
Acyutānanda: This article invites them.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: These members are now in Delhi so we can send it to them.
Acyutānanda: Yes.
Prabhupāda: (indistinct)
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: These members are all in Delhi. And when I write the letter which you dictated, they will also enclose it.
Prabhupāda: Yes. They published one English article, "Hare Kṛṣṇa Movement Catches On."
Prabhupāda: When he wrote? When he wrote this?
Gargamuni: He spoke to me just two weeks ago. Two weeks ago. Then, last week, again I saw him just before Janmāṣṭamī. I asked him... And I gave him invitation to Janmāṣṭamī. At that time he told me that... There was this bad publicity. He told me, "Now this bad publicity, I think it has given us some benefit."
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, could you give darśana over here later? They're all been waiting for your darśana.
Gargamuni: Hey, wait a minute. We're talking about Māyāpur. We're talking about Māyāpur.
Prabhupāda: Is there...? Is there there necessity?
Gargamuni: There's no necessary.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Okay. But we had you down on schedule for a lecture. So I said that you're not lecturing, but they just wanted to have a look at you. Later we can...
Prabhupāda: Tomorrow I shall.
Prabhupāda: Ten days? Ten days.
Jayapatākā: No, it was a three-day program. He invited us for one day. But I was afraid to go. He might even poison me. They personally went...
Prabhupāda: That is their business, especially Mādhava Mahārāja.
Jayapatākā: It not materially by poison, then spiritually by ear. One way or other, they have to give poison. So I didn't even want to go. I didn't go, either.
Prabhupāda: Śrīdhara Mahārāja is also within the group?
Jayapatākā: Of course, all those details we don't know. By the way, Tīrtha Mahārāja very sick.
Prabhupāda: So let us cooperate with him. You take it. And he is there. In the meantime, our men may be trained up.
Jayapatākā: He's invited us to come. He has some festival coming. Then we can just go...
Prabhupāda: Yes. That...
Jayapatākā: ...and keep a good relationship.
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.
Gargamuni: And then take out.
Prabhupāda: Yes, then do that. And we are inviting everyone. We have no distinction. Anyone can come to the park. Convince them. (continued on another tape) "Come on! Take prasādam "sumptuously." They'll be satisfied. They are hungry. Actually they are hungry, poorly paid, capitalist and worker. The trouble is, capitalists, they are taking all the profit, and they are enjoying life in wine and women. Naturally the worker will see that "Why? We are working so hard, and they are making profit, and they are enjoying, and we do not live in a very nice house. It is a slum." Naturally they will be envious. If the capitalists spend the money for Kṛṣṇa consciousness—in each and every factory they hold festivals and give them eatables like anything everything will be successful.
Jayapatākā: You say she was kicked out from the trusteeship. She's not part of that any more.
Prabhupāda: Yes. The other trustees said that "You are simply spending. What you are doing?" After all, when she was wife of the governor she had some prestige. Otherwise... She invited me in that Juhu, she has got a house in Juhu. So I told her, "Yes, I can purchase your press. Fifty lakhs is not a very big amount for me, but what shall I do? We are printing offset." That is the cause... Because nowadays printing is done by offset press, she lost all business. People got big, big contract, they got cheaper and better quality. Why they should stick to that press? And government contract was taken from them, big, huge business they lost. Tata Press, they have got offset. Government transferred there. And that was her main support. It was a nice, good press. Practically best press in Bombay, Associated Press. But because it is letter press... Now to maintain the letter press is very costly.
Prabhupāda: That is a fact. Tṛpyanti neha kṛpaṇā. That is the verdict of Bhāgavata also. Tṛpyanti neha kṛpaṇā bahu-duḥkha-bhājaḥ. Kṛpaṇā na iha tṛpyanti. One or two child, children, they are not satisfied. They want to produce more and invite distress more. Tṛpyanti neha kṛpaṇā bahu-duḥkha-bhājaḥ. But they are practicing in a different way. And Bhāgavata recommends brahmacārī. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Jaya. You know this gentleman? (pause)
- yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tucchaṁ
- kaṇḍūyanena karayor iva duḥkha-duḥkham
- tṛpyanti neha kṛpaṇā bahu-duḥkha-bhājaḥ
- kaṇḍūtivan manasijaṁ viṣaheta dhīraḥ
- (SB 7.9.45)
Instead of begetting more and more children by sex it is better... Better means dhīraḥ. And tolerate the itching sensation. This is recommended. But the itching sensation is so strong nobody can stop. We shall go inside? No.
Prabhupāda: I was invited by the...
Krishna Modi: Yes, they have told, they have told. And they have told also that, no, no, no, no, no, no. For (indistinct) they are the (indistinct) and we must respect them. And if anybody says something against them, and we must be very careful about that. And we cannot object to it. Then all we have got the same opinion (indistinct) and we have to (indistinct). This is the thing. Now about this thing, Blitz article. You should not reply. I advised that. You should not reply to all these things.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: We gave the reply to...
Krishna Modi: To me. And...
Prabhupāda: (Hindi) We shall break after twelve, later prasāda.
Prabhupāda: Jaya. In Bengal there is a ceremony after marriage, bahu-bhāta. (?)The newly married girl, she shall cook, and all the relatives, friends, are invited and they appreciate, "Yes, nice cook." Then she is accepted as member of the whole family. Bahu-bhāta.
Devotee: And if not, Prabhupāda? If her cooking is not...
Prabhupāda: Therefore she is trained up.
Fifty percent of Bhaktivedanta Book Trust income is spent for further publishing and the other fifty percent is spent to build temples all over the world. In fact, Blitz should appreciate this because Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda's books are bringing valuable overseas currency into the country without any cost to the Indian public. Point seven. Blitz: In Bombay they have put up a temple with a barbed fence around it. ISKCON There is no barbed wire around the temple. We invite Blitz to show us the barbed wire." There's no barbed wire. "Point eight. Blitz: Already rupees twelve lakhs have been spent on an unfinished temple in Vṛndāvana. ISKCON: Blitz does not know that the Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma temple in Vṛndāvana was completed and officially inaugurated by Dr. Chenna Reddy, governor of U.P., in April, 1975." They are saying the temple is still being made.
Prabhupāda: Very good. Common man in Bengal, Orissa, they'll take on banana leaves all vegetable preparations. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, when he was invited by Sarvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, he was taking on banana leaves.
Caraṇāravindam: I have some bitter gourd. I'm going to dry it and we can plant the seeds, karelā.
Prabhupāda: Karelā it is also...
Caraṇāravindam: Wonderful sabji.
Hari-śauri: Paṭola?
Prabhupāda: Paṭola also.
Prabhupāda: It is a question of culture. Culture. She was king's daughter, royal, and married her with a muni, old, rotten. Older than me. All the skin has become slackened. But still she was serving him just like worshipable lord. The age difference is great-grandfather and great-granddaughter. You'll find in Bhāgavatam. Lord Śiva, he could not construct even a house. He was living underneath a tree. And his wife, Durgā, sṛṣṭi-sthiti-pralaya-sādhana-śaktir ekā (Bs. 5.44). She can create a new world, so powerful, Durgā. She's living with her husband underneath a tree. Never claims, "My dear husband, if you cannot, I can make one." There is a story about that. That, "People criticize us. All right, let us have some house." So Lord Śiva, Durgā, both of them capable to do anything. So they constructed a very nice gold house. "Now we shall live." So there is new house entering ceremony. So one Gargamuni was invited as brāhmaṇa. Many other brāhmaṇas. So they began to eat so much... That story I'm now forgetting.
Prabhupāda: I have seen, Gandhi wanted to organize a program, village (break) ...in the field, that this program for constructing toilet in the village, they have spent so much. You know that? The first business was toilet. To restrict them to pass stool here and there, they must have. Now in constructing that toilet paraphernalia, (indistinct), they... Therefore it failed, village organization. Not for that purpose. There were many purpose. Because they had no engagement, so why they should remain in the village? There are so many attraction in the city, and they get money. The factory-wallas, they're inviting, "Come here. You shall get twenty rupees per day." Why shall he remain in the village? So if you can organize in the villages, they are interested in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and getting nice prasādam, then... One must have some attachment. In the city there are so many artificial attachments. So on what ground they'll remain in the village? Mind, always remember this. Unless you have got some attachment, there is no possibility. Gandhi's program was very nice, village organize so that they may not come to the city and help the capitalists. Remain satisfied in the village. But where is that satisfaction? That is the failure.
Prabhupāda: Yes. If they could understand that. That will be helpful if you chant. Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's statement will never be false. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). If they chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, then gradually the dirty things accumulated within the heart will be cleansed. And if he comes to the understanding, clear idea, that "I want to eat something and my necessities... So if I get my necessities, primary necessities of life, and satisfaction of mind, then why shall I go to city?" That they can have very easily. If they follow the instruction of Bhagavad-gītā, that "Your first necessity is food." So produce food here. Kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyam (BG 18.44). And you'll find here so much land is lying vacant. Because they have gone to the city for twenty rupees daily to manufacture Goodyear tire. And who will work here? Now I have seen in Delhi, the government is advertising, "Go back to the village." Rascal, you are manufacturing wine and keeping them engaged whole day in the work. So after being tired, he requires some wine. And why he'll go? And no spiritual education, no cleanliness. Simply inviting "Go to the village" they will go?
Prabhupāda: That Bhavan's Journal, he did not dare to publish my statement. Everyone is combined to kill Kṛṣṇa. Everyone, all over the world. God... "There is no God," the scientists, these philosophers, the politicians, everyone. This is the only movement talking of God. Nirviśeṣa-śūnyavādī. Everywhere, impersonalists and zero. There is no God. The zero-vādīs, they are little frank but these rascals, nirviśeṣavādīs, God has no head, no tail, they are dangerous. Zero-vādīs, they call him zero, that's alright. That is, we can understand, they admit. But these rascals, zero, nirviśeṣavādīs, "Yes, there is God, but He has no head, he has no tail, he has no hand, he has no leg." Then what he has? They are greatest cheater. More dangerous than the śūnyavādīs. That is the version of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Vedinam mayima bhogda hoila nāstik, vedāśraya, nāstikavāda bhogda ki hodi. These Buddhists, they do not care for the Vedic injunction. We can understand. But these Śankarites they take shelter of the Vedas and they say, "There is no form of God." And that is being followed (by) the so-called Hindus. All the invitees in that meeting, Bajaj meeting, they are all nirviśeṣvādī.
Prabhupāda: Something he must take, he will read, understand our philosophy. (break) ...Carter is good.
Surabhi: Yes, I got a letter from Dharmādhyakṣa in Surat two months ago. He was invited to the White House after our... He had an exhibition at Vancouver, that habitat. So it was a world conference of solution to life, living. So he was invited. He met some of the officials there. He was invited to Washington, but he had to wait for Carter to become the President because then it would be fifty percent more favorable because they had a relationship. There these people... Then he said there's a great chance they will help us in India. So he is going to go there and speak with the...
Prabhupāda: In India.
Surabhi: No, Washington, D.C. That's in America. They invited one of our devotees there to discuss this Māyāpur and all this social type of... Dharmādhyakṣa. He's writing for that Back to Godhead magazine. He worked with Gurudāsa together.
Prabhupāda: His article, one is there?
Prabhupāda: No.
Jagadīśa: A problem may come if they say, "But you invite people to come."
Prabhupāda: Friends I must invite. For feast. This is our community project.
Hari-śauri: Once you're in there, then it's... In Melbourne we told them that it's just strictly private, it was going to be like a monastery, there was just going to be a few monks who were going to do our worship, like that. And then when we were in we just had the Sunday feast and everything and everything was fine.
Devotee: Well actually, the way...
Prabhupāda: Śaṭhe śāthyaṁ samācaret. That is that if the other is cheat, you become cheat. Why you should be honest? Śaṭhe śāthyaṁ samācaret.
Devotee: Well, in this case actually I don't think there will even be a problem if we said "temple." Because...
Prabhupāda: That is your... I say, "Don't declare it a temple." It is our community, living quarters, residence, that's all. We live like this, our style of living is this. How you can...?
Guest: Just like the usual was doing something at home.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Jagadīśa: He wrote me a letter. He met one of our travelling parties and he heard that I was here and he was interested to, in our educational program. So I invited him to come here, perhaps to teach Hindi, and so he's here.
Prabhupāda: Hm.
Devotee: Prabhupāda, this is some honey, this is from my wife. And this is from Viśakha, Yadubara's wife from Los Angeles. She asked us to... And this is from all the devotees in San Diego, this is ghee.
Prabhupāda: Oh.
Guest: Cow ghee?
Devotee: Yes. They heard that you were in need of some ghee, so they have... (indistinct) (pause)
Prabhupāda: That's all right.
Vāsughoṣa: They feel great anxiety to talk about God. Once, about three years ago, I had met one big scientist from University of Chicago. Just a chance there was one... My father had invited me back home for something. The scientist was there. We got in a big discussion with him and his daughter. They were just saying, "We don't see God. There is no evidence of God." Even logically we could show them. They still didn't want to accept. It was so obvious to them. Ultimately they couldn't say anything.
Prabhupāda: What is their logic to deny God?
Vāsughoṣa: They don't have any logic. And ultimately, if we present our conclusions of Bhagavad-gītā to them, they are silent. They can't say anything but they still refuse. They don't accept it, but they can't deny it.
Prabhupāda: That is dog's obstinacy. The dog, however you ask the dog to stop barking, it will go on barking. Dog's obstinacy. Hm. What is that? I have taken.
Devotee (2): Śrīla Prabhupāda, this morning we went to this engagement. There was the inauguration of the Vivekananda Society Home, so we went there on saṅkīrtana because we were invited by them. And one swami spoke and he said service to mankind was also service to God. And at the end he also said that Vivekananda used to say that for the housewife, that the cooking pot was becoming God, had become God, had become a God.
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.
Prabhupāda: Prasāda is not yet ready, you also said. After eating I have no, not yet ready. What is this? At 2 o'clock? As soon as they want. The Vṛndāvana also, the same thing I told that what they are doing? Prasādam, as soon as they want, they'll must feed some prasādam according to the position of the person. We shall spend for that. I am not hesitating to spend money, why the arrangement is lacking? Immediately arrange for theirs and invite them. Don't make it childish. Where are the leaders, they are now engaged there?
Jagadīśa: Pardon me?
Prabhupāda: Our leaders are engaged there?
Jagadīśa: At the kīrtana?
Prabhupāda: Huh.
Jagadīśa: Mahāṁśa is there. I don't know where Haṁsadūta is.
Prabhupāda: So anyway, this is my instruction. We have to written and discuss and go. And I want to see tomorrow many thousand people. If you cannot make attractive, why they will come? Then it is failure. Make attractive. Whatever money is required, I shall pay. Simply theory will not help. Make such prasādam as people will come and be mad after it.
Prabhupāda: Yes, and other bulls have been eaten up. Now we stop that eating. Now if you need, you can purchase tractor. But as far as possible try to avoid, and engage the bulls. Otherwise, it will be problems. The Europeans have invented tractors, and the bull is a problem. Therefore they must be sent to the slaughterhouse. So we can not create that problem. How the bull should be utilized? They should be used for transport, and plowing. What is this turmoil?
Devotee: I think they are distributing prasādam.
Mahāṁśa: Now, they have finished the slide-show and they are sitting down for prasādam.
Prabhupāda: All right. Go and see it is done. Announce that "Tomorrow we shall prepare such and such nice preparations. Please you are especially invited." In this way attract.
Prabhupāda: God says, patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26). He never said, māṁsaṁ din māṁ māṁsam.(?) (laughter) If you are God conscious, then you must give. Suppose you are here. If I invite you, then I'll ask you, "Sir, how can I serve you?" If you say, "Give me this kind of food," then that is real service. And you do not like something, and if I say, "Oh, this flesh is very nice. You take it," is that service? God demands this. Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati. So we are God's servant. We are giving with these groups of food. And after He's eating, we are taking. We are servant. We cannot say, "My dear master, I like this flesh. You take it." That is not service. So therefore fool has to do everything because God wants it. And if you say, "God is nirākāra. He has no mouth, no head, tail," then you can manufacture. But here God says.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Guest (8): Did he invite you or...?
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Guest (8): Any idea of the topics?
Prabhupāda: About Bhagavad-gītā. Some of them, they are a little surprised how I have alone spread this Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world and all the yogis and swamis, they could not rise, combined together. That is his little surprise.
Guest (8): Did it surprise Bhave?
Prabhupāda: Yes, otherwise why he is inviting me? He could not do.
Prabhupāda: So why you should go to that fake master? If you do not know what is...
Indian man: They prophesize, they call, they invite. The ignorant people go, they don't know what real master is. So they come...
Prabhupāda: That much intelligence, we must have that intelligence, that who is master. Suppose if you want gold, if you do not know where gold can be purchased, then he is cheated.
Indian man: That is what is happening.
Prabhupāda: Yes. So why should you be cheated? At least you go to a shop where gold is purchased and sold. Why should you go to a pan wala. If you have no such knowledge then you will get. You must know at least that gold has to be purchased from a merchant who is dealing in gold. If you do not know that, then you will be cheated.
Prabhupāda: All the big, big secretaries, under-secretaries, governors... There was no minister, all European, only some clerks. So what is the use of clerks' noncooperation? They didn't care. And in order to pat Gandhi, the governor sometimes used to invite him. "Sir, you are so powerful. Kindly stop this movement." And Gandhi became puffed-up that the Britishers are very afraid of him. "No! I shall do." And Subash Bose insisting, "In this way, they'll never go by this nonviolent."
Guest (5): 1960. This must be one of... There was a crowd you know at M.C. Satwar's. M.C. Satwar had invited everybody from the high-court, all the judges. So he was just having a chant with them. "Swamiji, we would like to hear you, something." He said, "I am an uneducated man. What can I say?" This was in 1956 just four years before he passed away. Then he was thinking what to tell these guys. Just thinking for five, ten minutes. And then he spoke for two hours spellbound. Beautiful. He was about 6.4 inches in height.
Prabhupāda: Real Punjabi. (laughter)
Guest (5): And the color of his skin was as pink as the petal of the rose. He was a dynamic personality also. And the command over the language was superb. Just Your Holiness is quoting the Sanskrit quotations, just like Swami Gangesvarananda, though he's a blind man. But you, he can quote from any chapter, any stanza, any couplet. He's also here at present. He's coming over there.
Prabhupāda: No, he's my good friend.
Prabhupāda: Very good.
Jagadīśa: All these... Kīrtanānanda Swami was there and a boy who was kidnapped, Vasu Gopāla, as well as Dr. Harvey Cox, the Civil Liberties Attorney who is defending us, and Dr. Stephen Corover, a psychologist, Jack Colley, who's a renowned religious scholar, and Dr. Eck, a lecturer in Sanskrit and India studies at Harvard. The public was invited and they had questions from the floor and all of the members of the panel, important people, were all in our support. It's very long...
Prabhupāda: That's all right.
Indian man: Śrīla Prabhupāda there is another request from Mrs. (indistinct) and she would like to invite you and other devotees to show the film and other things and they can arrange a good (indistinct) over there. (indistinct) And they have got a very good school over there. So anytime can be given within this or after going to Kumbha-mela?
Prabhupāda: After it would be (indistinct).
Indian man: During the 7th of January or...
Prabhupāda: I may be going away by the 3lst. And there visit the Kumbha-mela.
Prabhupāda: Māyāpur, yes. So we are giving, as far as possible, comfortable life. Because modern man, he cannot go to the forest and live underneath a tree. That is not possible. Therefore by begging, begging, spending blood, we are getting money all over the world and spend it like this. For me, I can live anywhere. And I can collect one or two ruṭi anywhere. It is not for me. It is for you. I have invited. Come here, stay and preach this cult, Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. That I want. People are being cheated all over the world shamelessly.
Prabhupāda: There is no question of accept. He was plainly defeated. Because he said that (indistinct). Even Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted his invitation after this. He also invited and he also (indistinct) ...talk like that. Not only that, Caitanya Mahāprabhu criticized, but as soon as Vallabhācārya invited, He accepted. There was no enviousness. Rather friendly, sometimes they call others are (indistinct). Otherwise why Caitanya Mahāprabhu would accept invitation from Vallabhācārya. But they are habituated to criticize (indistinct). That Caitanya Mahāprabhu chastised him: "Why should you think like that?" In a friendly way. (indistinct) They are still criticizing Śrīdhara Swami, and if others criticize them, "Why you are criticizing Śrīdhara Swami?" There is no answer. This is the position.
Devotee: Again?
Girirāja: Yes. From the Nathadwar, Bombay, at some place. They invited us to do kīrtana.
Prabhupāda: You may go. You have no...? You can go.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Last time they would not let us distribute our magazines when they had it in Shrimati Morarji's house. They had the same ceremony in Shrimati Morarji's house here about a year ago and they didn't like our book distribution there.
Prabhupāda: What this time where it will be held?
Girirāja: This is an organization. Last time was Shrimati Morarji's personal...
Prabhupāda: Private house. This is organized function you ask them a place to show our books. If they deny then we don't go. Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: Where he is now?
Girirāja: He's in Bombay so I invited him to meet you. Actually, he was so interested that the father became scared at the end. He said... You know first he was encouraging me to influence the boy but then at the end he said, "Don't make him a sādhu."
Prabhupāda: Now he has opened his mind.
| Page Title: | Invite (Conversations - 1976) |
| Compiler: | Rishab, Mayapur |
| Created: | 26 of May, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=107, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 107 |