Sarva deśa, or ei deśa, wherever you are living, it doesn't matter. Just like our Atreya Ṛṣi, he's gṛhastha, he's living in Iran, Tehran, but it doesn't matter. If he speaks kṛṣṇa-kathā, then he's guru. It is very simple thing. We should not speak beyond what is spoken by Kṛṣṇa. Take Bhagavad-gītā and try to preach the principles, speak whatever is spoken in the Bhagavad-gītā. Then it doesn't matter whether you are a gṛhastha or a sannyāsī or brahmacārī. You become guru.
Iranian
Lectures
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Arrival Addresses and Talks
Arrival Conversation -- Los Angeles, June 20, 1975:
Prabhupāda: He is business-minded. Let him do business for Kṛṣṇa.
Jayatīrtha: Yes. He says there is so much money there they don't know how to spend it. In Iran people have so much money they don't what to do with it.
Prabhupāda: Yes. They are getting money for nothing. (laughs)
Jayatīrtha: Yes. Right. It's coming out of the ground.
Prabhupāda: And the Bengali saying, dhula mati bhatta kare mata (?): "They are catching dust and it is turning into coin." This proverb is there, dhula mati bhatta kare mato. He is thinking that I am taking some dust, but when it is in hand, it is coin. That is good time. And when it is bad time, if you catch coin and when it is in your hand, it is dust. We should think that time may also come.
Initiation Lectures
Initiation Talk Excerpt -- Vrndavana, April 4, 1976:
Prabhupāda: ...that we manufacture devotees from any part of the world. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ (SB 2.4.18). Just immediately we initiated a devotee, Bhrgu Muni dāsa. He is from Iran. So Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission is this, that
- pṛthivite āche yata nagarādi-grāma
- sarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma
- (CB Antya-khaṇḍa 4.126)
Caitanya Mahāprabhu wanted that in every village and every town on the surface of the globe should at least hear Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. So what is your country?
Devotee (1): The United States.
Prabhupāda: The United States. United States, of course, it is going on. In Brazil, other countries, now they spreading. So do it very nicely. What is that?
General Lectures
Lecture at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan -- Bombay, October 18, 1973:
And actually it is happening all over the world. Since we have presented this dharma, to serve Kṛṣṇa, it is working very wonderfully. We have got branches all over the world, and you will find... Some of the samples you will see, those who are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, these Europeans, Americans, Canadians—we have got even branch in Iran also—Muhammadans, Christians, African. Everyone is taking to this dharma, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
Purports to Songs
Purport to Bhajahu Re Mana -- New York, March 30, 1966:
Prabhupāda: Now, of course, you take the dead bodies to the crematorium and, I mean to say, put into the grave. But India In India, of course, there is graveyard for the Muhammadans and the Christians. But the Hindus, they burn the dead body. They burn the dead body. You see? In the Bhāgavata also, these three system are recorded, that the ultimate transformation of this body will be either ashes, stool or earth.
Woman: Earth...
Prabhupāda: Earth...
Woman: Stool...
Prabhupāda: Stool, or ashes. How it is? Now, because after death, persons who burn the dead body, that is turned into ashes. This body, this beautiful body, will be turned into ashes. And those who bury in the graveyard, that will turn into... Oh, that is air. Don't disturb yourself. That is the air. If we bury in the ground, gradually the body will turn into earth. And according to Iranian system, the body is thrown to the vultures. They eat it. So that will be turned into animal stool. You see? So that is the last stage of this body. So everyone knows that everyone will die. Still, we are working so hard. We are making our bank balance, we are just making will and papers just to give protection to our family or to our children, and there is no time. Everyone is very busy, very busy. But he does not see that "All these, what I am doing, all these body ultimately become either ash or animal stool or turn into earth. So why I am taking so much trouble?" Therefore the revealed scripture advises that "You have to maintain your body. That's all right. But for simply material comforts, you should not devote time more than it is absolutely required." That means don't increase your bodily necessities.
Conversations and Morning Walks
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation -- March 20, 1974, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: ...disciple has read it that from government side there is an article that in Iranian country they want meat, so all these skinny cows should be killed and meat should be exported so that you can get oil economically. So one should not think of this religious sentiment. They should be practical. They should not object. Government is going to open many slaughterhouse to get oil, and kill these loitering, mischief loitering cows, no food. Like that. So government policy is that religious (indistinct) is an opiate of the (indistinct). It is a sentiment. It has no value. That is government conclusion. So therefore their decision is not to encourage these temples and this bhajana. To their point of view, it is useless.
Press Conference -- April 18, 1974, Hyderabad:
Guest (7): But isn't the Kṛṣṇa consciousness has not spread in the Arab world?
Prabhupāda: Yes, it is spreading. We have got branch in Iran.
Guest (7): Yes?
Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. We have got branch in Moscow, we have got in China. But they are taking gradually. Everything will take time. But we have got many Muhammadan students. Yes.
Guest (8): You have got a center established in Iran?
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Guest (8): Within what time? Recent?
Room Conversation -- June 20, 1974, Germany:
Prabhupāda: Yes. India, formerly your country was part of India and you belonged to the same culture. So far I understand, Iran means Aryan? So Aryan culture was practically all over the world. Aryan culture.
Guest: Krs then as attractiveness and as cultivator. In Greek my name is also cultivator.
Prabhupāda: Huh?
Guest: In Greek, the origin of my name is cultivator. (indistinct)
Prabhupāda: And there is a Greek word for Kṛṣṇa.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Morning Walk -- March 13, 1975, Iran:
Prabhupāda: Heaps? Some... Huh? Full of gold.
Atreya Ṛṣi: Gold, yes. (laughter)
Prabhupāda: So in Iran there is gold mine? No.
Atreya Ṛṣi: There is some, yes. Iran has the richest copper mines, oil, richest oil, the second in the world, the...
Prabhupāda: Who is the first?
Atreya Ṛṣi: Saudia Arabia. But we have gas, natural gas, the richest. It's so easy to take out this oil and gas. So easy, like..., easier than gold.
Prabhupāda: Yes. And it is more valuable than gold.
Room Conversation with Canadian Ambassador to Iran -- March 13, 1975, Iran:
Prabhupāda: How long you have come here in Iran?
Ambassador: Nice to see you again. Not that I have felt that far away.
Prabhupāda: You are looking little reduced than before, in health.
Ambassador: Oh, perhaps slightly older.
Prabhupāda: You are not as old as I am. What is your age?
Ambassador: I am fifty-six.
Prabhupāda: Oh, you are just like my child. My first child was born 1921. What is your birth date?
Room Conversation with Canadian Ambassador to Iran -- March 13, 1975, Iran:
Prabhupāda: So there are doves, there are pigeons, there are sparrows, there are crows. Now Iran, the same doves, same... Why they are not called "Iranian sparrow"? Why they are called only sparrow?
Ambassador: (chuckles) It's only people.
Prabhupāda: So simply we have designated, "Iranian," "Indian," and "Canadian," "German," this, that. So we have to give up this designation. Then there will be unity. Otherwise not. But they are very much proud of this designation. Therefore bhakti means sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ (CC Madhya 19.170), when one is completely free from designation. The designation is material.
Room Conversation with Canadian Ambassador to Iran -- March 13, 1975, Iran:
Prabhupāda: And you can imagine any one of them." That is Śaṅkara, the pañcopāsana. But still, Śaṅkara is very careful. He has given five particular forms. The Goddess Durgā, Lord Viṣṇu, Lord Śiva, the sun, then... Therefore there are a section who are the sun worshiper, or fire worshiper. Original Iranians were like that. So that is Vedic culture. There... Vedic culture means there are many demigods, but the original God is accepted-Viṣṇu. And original to Viṣṇu is Kṛṣṇa. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ (Bs. 5.1). And Kṛṣṇa also says in the Bhagavad-gītā, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat: (BG 7.7) "There is no more superior form or superior authority than Me." And that is confirmed by Lord Brahmā. Īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ (Bs. 5.1). Īśvaraḥ means controller. There are different grades of controller, but the supreme controller is Kṛṣṇa. And Kṛṣṇa says, mām ekam: "Unto Me alone." (to devotee:) What is that?
Room Conversation with Yoga Student -- March 14, 1975, Iran:
Prabhupāda: No, no. If one wants to follow Koran, let him follow strictly that. No halfway mixing.
Yoga student: Then preaching in Iran should be essentially to those people who are fallen away from their traditional path.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Everyone is fallen. They are simply amending and concoction. That is not good. Why they should amend? (break) ...himself in what relationship with God?
Yoga student: With God? He presented himself as the last expression of the divine revelation in the West.
Prabhupāda: No, what was his relationship? Just like Christ, he presented himself as the son of God. So what is the position of Muhammad?
Room Conversation with Yoga Student -- March 14, 1975, Iran:
Prabhupāda: Yes. India... Formerly your country was part of India, and you belong to the same culture. So far I understand, Iran means Āryan? So Āryan culture was practically all over the world. Āryan culture is based on God consciousness. So amongst the Āryans there is some conception of religion, either Christian religion or Mohammedan religion, Buddhist religion, Vedic religion, based on conception of God. So according to time, country, the ways of understanding may be little different, but the aim is God consciousness. That is Āryan civilization. So God is one; God cannot be two. So the features of God or angle of vision of God may be different. So they have been summarized in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. (Aside:) You can come forward. One feature of God is impersonal. Just like the sunshine.
Morning Walk -- March 15, 1975, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: No. If one wants to follow Koran, let him follow strictly that. No halfway (indistinct).
Guest: Then preaching in Iran should be essentially to people who have fallen away from their traditional path.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Everyone is fallen. They are simply amending, concoction. That is not good. Why they should amend? Mohammed presented himself in what relationship with God?
Guest: With God? He presented himself as the last expression of the divine revelation in the West.
Morning Walk -- November 21, 1975, Bombay:
Dr. Patel: They say, sir, that the Aryan civilization, cradle of Aryan civilization near the North Pole, is somewhere in Russia. From there they started transmigrating. People went to Europe, from there to America, then south down to Iran, and then to India and all that. When they have such extreme cold they were able to civilize themselves to that extent.
Prabhupāda: Hm? We don't say.
Dr. Patel: The Eskimos are not able to do it.
Prabhupāda: No. Civilization means they must live in a nice place like India. That is civilization. The America in those days, they were neglecting. Nobody was living there. Gradually they advanced. Otherwise these tracts of land were rejected.
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Morning Walk -- January 12, 1976, Bombay:
Dr. Patel: They are all Aryans. They are more enlightened people.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Dr. Patel: In fact, they were the real Aryans. Iran.
Prabhupāda: Iran, yes, Aryan.
Dr. Patel: That Gāthā (Zoroastrim Scriptures) is practically sixty percent Sanskrit language.
Prabhupāda: Gāthā?
Morning Walk -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:
Prabhupāda: I think his grandfather was also architect.... That gentleman was Jew.
Devotee (1): I don't remember. I think he was. He used to work with George Harrison.... Harrison was their name. He was very rich. Their family does construction work for big government officials in Iran, and they are building one big naval base in Iran.
Prabhupāda: Why not to take our work in Māyāpur? (break)
Devotee (1): ...letter, Śrīla Prabhupāda. He never returned it. (break)
Satsvarūpa: ...half of what he says isn't true. I would doubt that all these claims are even true. He says things and then they turn out not to be true.
Dhṛṣṭadyumna: He came on my bus for a week.
Morning Walk -- June 6, 1976, New Vrindaban:
Prabhupāda: Paścime loka mūla nacaḥ.(?) This means from India, the farther you go to the western side you'll find only rascals and misbehaved. From Punjab you go to Afghanistan and then Iran then so on, so on, Europe. These are paścima, Western people. Paścime loka mūla nacaḥ. Actually he meant it for Indian paścima, east and west. You came before here, New Vrindaban?
Ṛṣi Kumāra: Yes, I was here, but a long time ago, when they just had the little farm, about six years ago.
Prabhupāda: What did he say?
Room Conversation With Scientists -- July 6, 1976, Washington, D.C.:
Prabhupāda: Let him come. So?
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Getting French visa was done, and tomorrow I pick up your passport and apply for Iran visa. Then just one more, Italy, remains.
Prabhupāda: Why do they speak about seeing? What is the value of your seeing? I have seen the Atlantic Ocean, that means I have seen everything? This is ludicrous.
Rūpānuga: They may simply speculate from a distance, that "Here is the surface," like here...
Prabhupāda: That's all. Real business is speculation.
Rūpānuga: Here it says, here, this is some great, here...
Prabhupāda: Oh, that is "I am not stealing."
Room Conversation -- July 6, 1976, Washington, D.C.:
Prabhupāda: In Muslim country, Christians, or the Americans preaching Hindu religion, it has been taken very seriously in Iran. Three different elements: preaching center is Muhammadan, and the preacher is American, and the cult Hindu. (laughs) So the princess of Iran and her husband, they are, up to date, they are very much appreciating. The daughter of Shah.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: What is the verse, Śrīla Prabhupāda?
Prabhupāda: No, you read the contents.
Rūpānuga: Or the index maybe.
Conversation After Interview with Religious Editor, Associated Press -- July 16, 1976, New York:
Ātreya Ṛṣi: We discussed various difficulties that have been happening in Australia, and that Tamāla Kṛṣṇa should go there and help for..., just for visit, just to help. And then they will report to you.
Prabhupāda: What is Iran's business going on? I got some good report from Nandarāṇī that she is in contact with the Shah's daughter, princess. Is that a fact?
Ātreya Ṛṣi: Well, Nandarāṇī Prabhu is doing very well. She's got a Gurukula, a school for the Indian children, they are being well attended. Also Mahārāja, Parivrājakācārya Svāmī, he has been in touch with the Shah's daughter and he's been preaching to them.
Prabhupāda: Shah's son-in-law is interested, I have heard.
Room Conversation -- July 31, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):
Prabhupāda: These farming projects therefore I introduced, New Vrindaban, it is successful; Philadelphia, it is going on nicely; New Orleans; here also. In London we haven't got much land, but still we have got sufficient land. (pause) So if we have to go by jet plane on Saturday, then we shall get down Iran.
Harikeśa: We were just deciding whether.... I think it's easier in Geneva, because the airport is only fifteen minutes from the temple.
Prabhupāda: Where?
Harikeśa: In Geneva. The temple and the airport are very close, and there's a direct plane on Friday from Geneva to Bombay.
Prabhupāda: Oh. How many hours?
Morning Walk at Niavaran Park -- August 8, 1976, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: Nowadays nobody takes responsibility of family. That is another thing. But marriage means to take so many responsibilities. That is another condition of material life. Then home, people are sacrificing so much for home, for country, for nation. That also will be finished with the end of this body. When the body's ended, you are no more Iranian or American or Indian. You do not know what you are. Even if you have got attachment for the country, you can become a tree in that country. If you become animal, you are slaughtered in that country. Dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13), even though you have got attachment, on account of changing the body your situation is changing. So in this way Bali Mahārāja analyzes the whole thing, that "What is the use of all this?" Is he right or wrong, his analysis?
Room Conversation -- August 8, 1976, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: What is the rent?
Ātreya Ṛṣi: The rent now it is twelve hundred dollars. But of course everything is now much more expensive. So I was negotiating in New York for better arrangements, because in Iran price is going up and up and up. And I told my company that they should buy one house. And they have agreed. So there is going to be that house, we will buy something like this for Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: This is very nice.
Ātreya Ṛṣi: And also we have saved some money, we'll buy a temple also in addition to that.
Prabhupāda: No, this is very nice. Dayānanda, do you like it?
Dayānanda: Yes.
Room Conversation -- August 8, 1976, Tehran:
Parivrājakācārya: Beef. Because they think the more they are like Americans, the better they are. But they have so many fruits and vegetables here, the land gives them so many wonderful things, but they think that they must eat meat.
Dayānanda: There is an old poem, an old epic poem that we were told about that states that many thousands of years ago the Iranians were all vegetarian.
Prabhupāda: It is Āryan culture. Iranian means Āryan. It is a apabhraṁśa of Ārya, Iraya.(?) And they are called Parsis. Parsis still, those who fled away from this place, they are just like Hindus. They have got sacred thread. In India.
Parivrājakācārya: They keep a sacred fire.
Prabhupāda: Still there are there?
Parivrājakācārya: A few, a few temples here.
Room Conversation -- August 8, 1976, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: You have taken prasādam?
Parivrājakācārya: The whole language here is very similar to Sanskrit, Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Prabhupāda: You can read this also. This is in Sanskrit. (to Iranian student:) You understand English? Very good. Your country is very nice. So nice food, fruits.
Moustafa: Nice to meet you.
Prabhupāda: Formerly, from Kashmir to central Asia, it was known as Bhū-svarga, especially Kashmir, Bhū-svarga.
Dayānanda: Heaven on earth.
Prabhupāda: Yes, heaven on the earthly planet.
Room Conversation -- August 8, 1976, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: "God" means He must possess all the wealth. Just like in Persia you have got so many wealthy persons, but nobody can claim, even the Shah cannot claim, that he possesses all the wealth. That is not possible. Persia. Do you follow what I say? So this is one of the items, that God is the richest, or He possesses all the wealth. Similarly, He possesses all the strength, He possesses all the beauty, He possesses all knowledge, and He is the renouncer also, the most exalted renouncer. Although He possesses so many things, He is renounced. Just like this universe is the property of God, but He has given to you, all the living entities. "Now you wanted to enjoy, enjoy it to your best capacity." He doesn't interfere. "All right, you go on." And we are trying to enjoy this material world to our best capacity. Just like in Iran, you are trying to enjoy by exploiting the oil. Similarly, somebody is exploiting. It is all God's property. He doesn't interfere. "All right, enjoy."
Room Conversation -- August 8, 1976, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: It can be changed?
Harikeśa: I suppose.
Ātreya Ṛṣi: Of course. We know the President of Air India in Tehran.
Harikeśa: He's on Iran Air.
Ātreya Ṛṣi: Iran Air also, no problem. You'll get the best flight.
Prabhupāda: It is very good climate.
Ātreya Ṛṣi: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda, you must rest.
Harikeśa: Last year when we were in Denver, I think you were very healthy there, and this is the same altitude.
Prabhupāda: So then we can stay here.
Evening Conversation -- August 8, 1976, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: But these gentlemen? Sit down. So let them come near; our men may go there. You can sit down. Let them come forward. Take, give them. Yes. You can bring the room light also. So there is introduction?
Atreya Ṛṣi: Śrīla Prabhupāda, this is Mr. Hamidi. He's a friend of mine at work, and he's very much interested in both Indian and Iranian spiritual life, in culture as it is. And this is Peter, he has been coming here on Fridays.
Prabhupāda: He's American?
Peter: English.
Atreya Ṛṣi: Yes. And he's come and taken prasādam and we talk to him sometimes.
Jñānagamya: He offers pūjā to Lord Buddha, he's worshiping Lord Buddha. He has an altar.
Prabhupāda: The other boy?
Evening Conversation -- August 8, 1976, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: He's trying to be (indistinct).
Atreya Ṛṣi: Yes.
Prabhupāda: So Iranian spiritual culture and Indian spiritual culture. You told me?
Atreya Ṛṣi: Yes.
Prabhupāda: So first of all, what is spiritual culture?
Atreya Ṛṣi: Sufism...
Evening Conversation -- August 8, 1976, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: No, not... Just like gold. I'll explain. Gold, either in Iran or in India, gold is gold. You cannot say Iranian gold or Indian gold. That is not. Similarly, when you say Iranian spiritual culture and Indian spiritual culture, the common point is spiritual culture. Spiritual culture is one. It cannot be Iranian, Indian, or anywhere belonging to some sycophant. Just like this moon. This moon is now on Iran. But that does not mean it's Iranian moon. Or the sun, it does not mean Iranian sun. Moon is one. Either in India or in Iran, the moon is moon. You cannot say "Iranian moon" or "Indian moon." So spiritual culture is one. And material culture is one. Therefore I'm asking what do you mean by spiritual culture? That is my question. Then we shall consider whether it is Iranian or Indian or... What is your idea of spiritual culture?
Evening Conversation -- August 8, 1976, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: These are bodily necessities. But when you understand what is spirit, then we must try to find out what the spiritual necessity is. That is spiritual culture. You cannot go on with the bodily culture as spiritual culture. That is a mistake. Spiritual culture is different from the bodily culture. And when we understand it, then there is no question of Iranian spiritual culture or Indian spiritual culture. Spiritual culture is one. As bodily culture is also one. It does not mean that only Indians eat and the Iranians do not eat. The Iranians also eat, because they're bodily necessities. Similarly, spiritual culture also, there is some necessities which is equally needed by the Iranians, by Americans, by Indians. It is not... Just like when we say that the child grows to become a boy.
Evening Conversation -- August 8, 1976, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: This is not applicable only to the Indians or Iranians. It is applicable everywhere. Child grows everywhere. You cannot say this is Indian or Iranian. It is everywhere. So if we understand what is spiritual culture and what is material culture, then there is no question of Iranian or Indian or English or American. Spiritual culture is the same everywhere. So any question on this point? Any difficulty to understand? (pause) Spiritual culture or material culture, it is one and the same everywhere. There cannot be any difference. Materially, we want to cover this body, some dress, everyone has got dress. You cannot say this is Iranian dress or it is Indian dress. Dress is dress, that's all. So any question on this point?
Mr. Hamidi: Isn't it the approach which makes it different.
Prabhupāda: This is the approach, that first of all you distinguish what is matter, what is spirit. This is the approach.
Evening Conversation -- August 8, 1976, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: The material world is full of miseries. It may be of different degrees, but it is full of miseries. You cannot avoid by adjustment. That is not possible. Therefore the materialists, they are trying. Just like in this country, Iran, now the Iranians are trying to become as opulent as the Americans. They are trying to build up similar cities and industries, but do you think they will be happy then? No. Are the Americans happy by having big, big cities? No. That is not possible. Now they are trying to imitate, but that is a false attempt. That is not the life. They can see that Americans have got big, big cities, they have big, big organizations, but are they happy actually or not? From practical example. Then why you are attempting again to imitate them? That intelligence is lacking. How they will be happy, they do not know. They are trying to imitate somebody else.
Evening Conversation -- August 8, 1976, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: And if you have got little pinch of material attachment, then you'll have to accept another material body. So we have (to) come to the point that no more I want anything material. Sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam (CC Madhya 19.170). I am no more anyone's servant. I am neither American nor Iranian nor Indian nor Hindu nor Muslim, not this, not that, I'm simply servant of... That is my position. And so long I shall keep attachment for this designation, temporary... What is this Iranian, American, Indian? Say for few years. Because you have to change this body. Tyaktvā deham. Tathā dehāntaram. So after giving up this body, you have to accept another body. If I am in the next body I become a sparrow, then where is my conception of Iranian, Indian and Hindu, and Muslim? I am a sparrow. Jumping like sparrow, that's all. So these are designations, temporary designations. So one has to become free from these temporary designations. Then he's liberated. That is bhakti.
Evening Conversation -- August 8, 1976, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: So this life should be utilized for purifying ourself from this designation. If you keep the designation then there is no possibility of purification. You'll get another designation. Now we are Indian or Iranian, next a sparrow or a crow or a tree or a demigod. Another designation. Just like the same, the child, a baby, on the lap of the mother, a baby, and another designation, boy, another designation young man, another designation, old man. But the spirit soul is the same. He's simply changing designations. So freedom means freedom from all these designations. I am spirit, ahaṁ brahmāsmi. I am spirit soul, my business is spiritual activity. So long we want to keep designation, you'll have to accept material body and suffer. So our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement means to educate people how to become free from designations. Therefore we accept from any group.
Evening Conversation -- August 8, 1976, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: We therefore welcome anyone. He may come with designation, but if he lives with us, he follows our rules and regulations, he becomes free from designation. And this so-called designated religious system will not help us. If we keep ourself on the designated platform—I am American, I am Indian, I am Iranian, I am Hindu, I am Muslim, I am Christian, I am Buddhist—then we have to continue in that designation. There is no question of freedom. That requires tapasya. That designationless status is called brahma-bhūtaḥ. And the opposite of brahma-bhūtaḥ is jīva-bhutaḥ. Jīva-bhutaḥ, there are so many jīvas, living entities. The dog is thinking, "I am dog." And the bird is thinking, "I am bird." The man is thinking, "I am Hindu, I am Muslim." So this designation, you may be a dog designation or Hindu designation, or Muslim, they are the same. There is no difference. Maybe some degrees. But one has to become designationless. That is called brahma-bhūtaḥ. Brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati (BG 18.54). Then bhakti.
Evening Conversation -- August 8, 1976, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: Your son, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa. So these chances should be given to everyone, then everything will be all right. Let him be practiced to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, then everything will go on. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Where is the difficulty? Unless we make it difficult. Otherwise there is no difficulty. Otherwise suffering. Just like this lamb. It has got the Iranian body, but he's kept there for being killed. So what is the benefit of this Iranian body? But people are very much enthusiastic to remain nationalists, "I am Iranian, I am American, I am this, I am that." So, but he has worked in a different way, so he has got attachment for becoming American and Iranian, "All right you become." And according to work you have to become a lamb. And other Iranians eat you. That's all. This is designation. They do not understand, or they are not educated that what he will get by these designations. Big, big movement is going on on this designation platform.
Evening Darsana -- August 9, 1976, Tehran:
Nandarāṇī: We find only a very small percentage of the Iranians that can speak English well enough to understand even Īśopaniṣad, which is very simple English, and I give Bhagavad-gītās, I distribute Bhagavad-gītā...
Prabhupāda: If they understand any book, Īśopaniṣad, if they understand, they will get improvement.
Nandarāṇī: Any book. Some Bhagavad-gītās I do, but it's an exceptional Iranian who can even read the book, what to speak of understand the concepts. Īśopaniṣad is easier for them. We are very eager to translate into Persian.
Prabhupāda: Īśopaniṣad.
Evening Darsana -- August 9, 1976, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: They are also chanting.
Nandarāṇī: It is good for them here because they can preach. The guests who come, they are very attracted to these little children who can sing so many wonderful songs and read Sanskrit and preach from these heavy philosophical books that the Iranians cannot even understand. So they are learning to preach. I have a Gurukula here for the Indian children. Thirty children I have.
Prabhupāda: Oh, very good.
Nandarāṇī: I have class only two days a week because the city is big and I have to go myself and collect them from their homes or meet in one home downtown and the traffic is very difficult, so we only have class two days a week, but I teach Bhagavad-gītā and Kṛṣṇa book.
Evening Darsana -- August 9, 1976, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: Atreya Ṛṣi recommending another house.
Nandarāṇī: Yes, we actually want two places because when Iranian businessmen come, we cannot just show them the altar and say, "Here is our program." It must be very careful. And yet when the Indians come we want to have Deities, we want to have kīrtana. So we are trying to do two things in one house and it is very difficult. So he wants a separate place for a restaurant, for Deities, for my Gurukula school, a big room for my classroom, and then a separate home when we have some sophisticated guest we can bring them for dinner. But then we have many Indians, we can bring them for Deities. The Indians, they think this is a temple, but because there are no Deities, then they are not inclined to come. They want to see the Deity.
Evening Darsana -- August 9, 1976, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: The dress is not important-cleanliness.
Hari-śauri: You can dress in karmī clothes and still be very strict Vaiṣṇava.
Nandarāṇī: Here we wear mostly street clothes, like the Iranians, suits and dresses.
Prabhupāda: Just like he is not well dressed, but anyone who will see, he'll immediately find he's cleansed. That is wanted. Cleansed dress. Dress is not important.
Nandarāṇī: I think Atreya Ṛṣi wants two places, one like a home and one like a temple. Those devotees who want to...
Prabhupāda: One can become clean with simply loincloth. It doesn't require dress. (break) ...Indian or here?
Evening Darsana -- August 9, 1976, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: No, I mean to say, belief changes. Belief changes with the change of the body. Just like a man is thinking that "I am Iranian," "I am Indian," so long this body is Iranian or Indian or American. But the body will change. Then he'll think otherwise. So this belief is also temporary. It will be finished with the body. The body is temporary, and the belief, along with the body, that is also temporary. But I am eternal. That is to be understood. That is spiritual knowledge.
Ali: Sure, that is what I am practicing right now.
Prabhupāda: Yes, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20).
Evening Darsana -- August 9, 1976, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: Morning?
Atreya Ṛṣi: Traffic is heavy. Iranians start early in the morning. The best time is Thursday. Thursday the traffic is not heavy. Thursday is nice, we can go there in twenty-five minutes.
Hari-śauri: (break) He says there's a lot of traffic even at six in the morning.
Atreya Ṛṣi: Iranians start work early. Some start at six-thirty.
Prabhupāda: Six-thirty.
Atreya Ṛṣi: Yes, this is a very busy city. Some people work two, three shifts.
Prabhupāda: Yes, that I can... Always traffic I see.
Evening Darsana -- August 9, 1976, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: Yes. Yasmin vijñāte sarvam eva vijñātaṁ bhavanti. This is Vedic instruction. If you simply understand God, then you understand everything. Therefore God says janma karma ca me divyam evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ (BG 4.9). "If anyone understands Me factually, then, tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9), then after giving up this body, he's not going to accept any more material body. He comes to Me." So simply try to understand God. And that is possible simply by chanting the holy name of God. Very easy. It doesn't matter. Either you are Iranian or Indian or, chant the name of, holy name of God. I think there should (not) be any objection for this movement. Eh? What do you think? That's all. We are simply pleading, "My dear sir, please chant the holy name of God." Who will have any objection? Nobody will have any. Do it. There is no confusion. If you are confused, chant the holy name of God, you'll be out of confusion.
Morning Walk and Room Conversation -- August 9, 1976, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: Yes, the king must have. That is... Clean here.
Hari-śauri: No they're just looking. Probably the amount of cleaners that's been past, this should be the cleanest spot in the whole park by now. (Iranian men talking)
Iranian: Pustu.(?)
Prabhupāda: Tustu(?) language, tustu. This language resembles like that. This Irani language. (break) And they are claiming it is ours. Nobody has created anything. God has created for His pleasure. Everything is God's property, and they have made an unfavorable situation, "My property." Now here is a city, it is all right, there is no trouble. If I say it is my property and you say it is your property, then there is trouble. Then there is immigration department, "Why you are coming here?"
Morning Walk and Room Conversation -- August 9, 1976, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: That means there was water.
Parivrājakācārya: Yes, and under the desert always. I took a trip a few weeks ago, all over Iran, to the deserts, to villages, and always just forty feet, forty meters under the desert, lots of water. They would bring the water up and then there would be green, they would grow vegetables. So even here there's water.
Prabhupāda: The water, sea, as it becomes solidified, the outer surface, by sunshine, they become, it is called sodium silicate. Salt is sodium chloride. So from sodium chloride, the sodium silicate. So cover(?) of the sea they can solidify by the sodium silicate. But underneath there is water. Just like our, this skin, bone, coming from where? We are eating liquid and or some vegetables or some whatever, they are becoming liquidified. And first transformation is blood.
Morning Walk and Room Conversation -- August 9, 1976, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: You should not eat sweet.
Parivrājakācārya: You cannot get nim in Iran. I have never seen a nim tree in Iran.
Prabhupāda: No tree. In the desert, where is tree? All desert. All this Middle East, desert. So they can be allowed to eat meat. Otherwise, what they'll eat? So everyone must eat something. So if there is no vegetation, if there is no sufficient, they can be allowed.
Parivrājakācārya: I visited some of these small villages in the south of Iran, and the tents of nomads who kept sheep, that was their life. They had a tent and they had hundreds of sheep, and they would move the tent every month. They would take the tent, for one month they would live here, next month they would move.
Morning Walk and Room Conversation -- August 9, 1976, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: But even they eat meat they can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, there is no harm.
Parivrājakācārya: But now they are farming in the desert. The Iranian government has started farms. They are irrigating the land with water, and when they put water on the desert they get all kinds of vegetables and grains very easily. So if they do that then they can become vege... They have no excuse. The excuse of the people is that "We have to eat meat."
Prabhupāda: They can have rains from the sky by chanting. The rain will fall from the sky. Who can check it? Kṛṣṇa gives the water from the sky. Yajñād bhavati parjanyaḥ (BG 3.14).
Evening Darsan -- August 10, 1976, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: Well, scientific advancement, all this nonsense you can say. Just like Iran. God has given the oil underneath the ground, you are so proud. But if God would not give you the oil, then you starve in the desert. Then talk of improvement, nonsense. You're dependent on the oil. That is given by God. By God's grace, you have got some stock of oil, and there is good demand of oil. Then you are proud of making advancement. You are depending on the oil. The oil is supplied by God. You're dependent. Where is your independence? When the oil is finished, then your all pride is finished. Where is your independence?
Evening Darsan -- August 10, 1976, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: And that is answered in the Bhagavad-gītā: mattaḥ, mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca (BG 15.15). So intelligence comes from God. Mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca.
Atreya Ṛṣi: One of the questions Iranians ask a lot is that if He is giving us intelligence, why doesn't He give us enough intelligence so that we could be God conscious?
Prabhupāda: Yes, He's giving. Read the Bhagavad-gītā. But you rascals don't accept, what can be done? God is personally coming to give you intelligence, take this intelligence. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7). "I come when there is no intelligence, when you are all rascals, I come to give you intelligence, but you don't take, what can I do?"
Room Conversation -- August 10, 1976, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: Then you are animal, because animal has no rationality. Then you are animal. Better not to talk with you. What is the use of talking with you? You are animal. You have no rationality. Man is rational animal, this is the definition. You have no rationality, therefore you are animal. What is the use of talking with you? Waste time. If you have no rationality, then you are animal. That is the difficulty. People are kept in the status of animal and they are expected human behavior. How it is possible? It is not possible. So therefore our endeavor is to bring them to the standard of humanity, real humanity. Then there will be peace, prosperity, everything all right. That is our Kṛṣṇa consciousness. You don't care for rationality, that means you are animal. Man is rational animal, that is the definition. If you have no rationality... Dharmeṇa hīna paśubhiḥ... This is Vedic injunction. Dharmeṇa hīna paśubhiḥ samāna. Anyone who has no religious principles, he's animal. Therefore you'll find in human society, it doesn't matter whether it is Iran or India or Europe, there is some religion. Because without religion they are animals.
Room Conversation -- August 11, 1976, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: So American immigration?
Guest: Yes, he must have taken immigration. Then he is going to America. His son or daughter must be there. All Iranians have daughters and sons in America or Europe. So...
Prabhupāda: What is the reason?
Guest: Reason is because from the last fifty years the education was a big problem here, and the government needed people to get educated. So they gave a lot of facilities that people should send their children out to get educated.
Prabhupāda: Foreign education.
Morning Walk -- August 11, 1976, Tehran:
Ātreya Ṛṣi: Iran at that time was even cheaper, much cheaper. Because you had the British in India, you were...
Prabhupāda: Yes, when India was native state, they were cheaper. In India, this inflation was caused by Mr. Churchill. During the war he wanted men to join the fighting, so people were not coming. So artificially...
Ātreya Ṛṣi: Printed money?
Prabhupāda: No, artificially increased the price. So they were obliged to join.
Hari-śauri: He'd increase the price and then advertise free food in the army.
Morning Walk -- August 11, 1976, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: Still half a rupee.
Ātreya Ṛṣi: Government pays half on the price, more than half the price. That is why if Iranian poor people, with very little salary, they can survive. They can eat this bread.
Nava-yauvana: We had asked Praṇava to help arrange for a cook to come here. We'd asked help to arrange for a cook, so we could open a small prasāda restaurant. And he's written back that "I have made arrangements for a cook, and also I would like to come."
Ātreya Ṛṣi: We can get someone else. (break) ...strong but dangerous.
Prabhupāda: Not dangerous if the both of them become devotee.
Evening Darsana -- August 12, 1976, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: This is due to American boy's cooperation.
Mr. Sahani: Yes, very nice. A great achievement.
Ātreya Ṛṣi: Due to Śrīla Prabhupāda's mercy.
Prabhupāda: And now we are trying Middle East with the cooperation of Iranians.
Mr. Sahani: I'm sure next year there'll be a film on Iran. When are you going to make the public announcement for this temple?
Ātreya Ṛṣi: It is announced. Śrīla Prabhupāda's visit was sufficient.
Prabhupāda: It is announced by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi grāma. (CB Antya-khaṇḍa 4.126) As many towns and villages are there on the surface of the globe, this movement will go on. Sarvatra pracāra haibe mora nāma. This will go on. It is already predicted by Caitanya Mahāprabhu.
Evening Darsana -- August 12, 1976, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: They, in America, they immigration?
Mr. Sahani: He must have taken immigration. His family is going to America. His son and daughter must be there. All Iranians have sons or daughters in America or Europe. So...
Prabhupāda: What is the reason?
Mr. Sahani: Reason is because from the last fifty years the education was a big problem here. And the government needed people to get educated. So they gave lot of facilities that people should send their children out to get educated.
Prabhupāda: Foreign education.
Morning Walk -- August 12, 1976, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: For them, argumentum ad baculum. Sanskrit is mūrkhasya laktosadi(?). Just like animal. Animal, if you give argument, no. When you show stick and beat him, then he'll, he'll be... Argumentum ad baculum for them.
Ātreya Ṛṣi: In Iran most people accept all our philosophy fully, but they are not willing to accept authority from Kṛṣṇa because they say, well, why is... They cannot be convinced that Kṛṣṇa is the original Personality of Godhead, Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Prabhupāda: Then there is proof: śāstra is there, sādhu is there, ācārya is there, other authorities are there. Just like Arjuna said, that, quoted Vyāsa, Nārada, Asita, Devala, "All of them have accepted You the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and You are explaining Yourself. Therefore I have no doubt." Vyāsadeva is authority, Nārada is authority, and there are many others.
Room Conversation -- August 12, 1976, Tehran:
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes, you can use vaseline. Ghee is better, but vaseline you can use. Vaseline is available, I think you are not manufacturing vaseline?
Ātreya Ṛṣi: Yes, Iran.
Prabhupāda: Because vaseline is one of the by-products of petrol.
Harikeśa: They have olive oil here.
Prabhupāda: No olive oil. Vaseline will be very cheap here. And you can, if you want to engage him, if he wants to do something, that Praṇava, let him supply nim leaves, dry, from Vṛndāvana. If he actually wants some money, let him do some business. Let him collect all nim leaves and give him twenty percent profit. Suppose he collects nim, collects and dry, and then packs it and dispatch.
Arrival Conversation -- August 13, 1976, Bombay:
Driver: It is about ninety-five. Ninety, ninety-five.
Hari-śauri: Ninety-five!
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: How was it in Iran?
Hari-śauri: Nice.
Prabhupāda: Iran night, very nice.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I was there a year ago. I've gone to Tehran.
Prabhupāda: In the morning also it is very nice.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: You go on the morning walk now, Śrīla Prabhupāda, I heard?
Prabhupāda: No, not...
Evening Darsana -- August 14, 1976, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Yes. Near Orleans.
Kartikeya Mahadevia: I am thinking of going again on a world tour for my business, because we want to start some export business. So I'll start with Iran, then some other countries in Middle East, then Europe, America, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Mauritius, and Seychelles. I've got friends all over the places, so they will come here, and we have some export business, cloth...
Prabhupāda: Mauritius is not developed. Fiji is good. Mauritius a poor country. Fiji well-to-do, more business, many Gujaratis. Mostly Gujaratis.
Kartikeya Mahadevia: I've got somebody in New Zealand also. They are...
Prabhupāda: Fiji and New Zealand...
Evening Darsana -- August 14, 1976, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Sadācāra is there. But these people, asadācārī, and passing as sannyāsī. Cigarette, meat-eating and everything, drinking. We are asking common men to give it up, and they say, "Oh, what is the wrong there?" They do not know what is the wrong there. This time in Iran we initiated some Iranian. Some Afghans also coming.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: We have Arabic Īśopaniṣad ready for printing that was translated by your Lebanese disciple.
Prabhupāda: Oh, that he has done. He promised...
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Motaji. He told me to give it to him and he'd print it on his press.
Prabhupāda: Give this light. (break)
Indian man: Chinese, German, French, Italian, English...
Press Interview at Muthilal Rao's House -- August 17, 1976, Hyderabad:
Prabhupāda: No, we have gone there, but there are difficulties to start. People are interested. Everywhere people are interested.
Interviewer (4): What is the response in the Islamic countries?
Prabhupāda: Yes, we have got many students. In Iran we have got center and there are many Muslims. They are our student.
Interviewer (5): What is the response in Iran?
Prabhupāda: Iran? The response, they are hearing, but some of them, they are already converted student. Our head of the institution in Iran is Ātreya Ṛṣi. His name was Attar (indistinct).
Room Conversation -- August 20, 1976, Hyderabad:
Prabhupāda: He is Parsee.
Hari-śauri: He's not Indian.
Prabhupāda: No, he is Indian. India, there is Parsee community. Indian Parsee means that originally they come from Iran. They are Iranian. But on account of Muhammadans forcibly standing within way... Aurangzeb came. Muhammadans they came, they fled from Iran and took shelter in the western part of India. They took shelter in Gujarat. Persia... I think Iran was known as Persia.
Hari-śauri: Yes. At least that area, anyway.
Prabhupāda: Therefore they are known as Parsee. In their ritualistic ceremonies some (indistinct) do with women... (?)
Room Conversation -- August 20, 1976, Hyderabad:
Prabhupāda: Sari?
Hari-śauri: Most of them were wearing trousers.
Prabhupāda: No. Parsees are well known for saris.
Hari-śauri: In Iran, though, I saw most of the women wear... Under those black veils they were actually wearing trousers.
Prabhupāda: Not wearing saris? (pause) We have no problems except this immigration.
Hari-śauri: Yes. That's the main thing.
Prabhupāda: Otherwise we have no problem.
Room Conversation -- August 20, 1976, Hyderabad:
Prabhupāda: That is already...
Hari-śauri: Yes. They've taken the best area.
Prabhupāda: I think this leg swelling is gone.
Hari-śauri: Yes. It only came when we were in Iran because of the altitude. Then, as soon as we left, it went away again. That doctor in New York, he said it was because when your blood pressure goes up, then it's difficult for the heart to pump. So then fluid forms in the leg because of the bad blood circulation.
Prabhupāda: That was his diagnosis.
Hari-śauri: Yes. So as soon as we came... Like in New Vrindaban, a little bit high, then again it changes over. But then, as soon as we left, then it stopped again.
Prabhupāda: Then this Mahabaleswar will not be...
Room Conversation -- August 20, 1976, Hyderabad:
Prabhupāda: Then this Mahabaleswar will not be...
Hari-śauri: No. If it's very high, the altitude will not be so good. As soon as we arrived in Iran, immediately the next day the swelling was there. I don't know how high this will be, but New Vrindaban is not so high.
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes? (?)
Hari-śauri: I think someone said about 1200 feet, not very much. But that may be because the atmosphere in the hills is a little rarified as well.
Prabhupāda: I had vision of (indistinct)... More than going to the hill (indistinct). It is higher than sea level anyway... Therefore the northern portion of India is called upper. It is very higher than the sea level. It is called upper because it is much higher, very high from the ocean. But I was... Vṛndāvana is also that part of (indistinct). Only Bengal is not upper.
Press Conference -- December 16, 1976, Hyderabad:
Prabhupāda: I said, Ramjan, Dr. Ramjan, in Portland University.
Mahāṁśa: Also Ātreya Ṛṣi.
Prabhupāda: Ah, Ātreya Ṛṣi, yes. He is Iranian.
Dr. Ramachandra: He is also Muslim?
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Many Iranians, they have become our devotees. We have got a temple in Tehran.
Devotee: In Hyderabad there is Muslim. He is a life member.
Room Conversation with Life Member, Mr. Malhotra -- December 22, 1976, Poona:
Prabhupāda: It is very, I mean to say, atmosphere becomes surcharged. Great spiritual advancement. Very nice.
Mr. Malhotra: (Hindi conversation)
Prabhupāda: Iran is like, that but no green, simply sand.
Mr. Malhotra: These are the mountains of Deccan. They say that these all mountains were under sea.
Prabhupāda: Yes, everything was... Pralaya-payodhi-jale dhṛtavān asi vedam **. (break)
Mr. Malhotra: (Hindi) ...for quite some time at a particular spot. This spot was shown to us. And people have very great reverence for that spot. So now, at one time we accept Lord Rāma the supreme master of a particular yuga, and then He had to worship Lord Śiva. So who is supreme, Lord Śiva or Lord Rāma?
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation with C.I.D. Chief -- January 3, 1977, Bombay:
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: There's one big movie star... Not very big. Sanjaya Khan. He's Muslim, but he wears a pendant of Kṛṣṇa always. He's our member. He's promised us a donation of ten thousand rupees after his picture is released. Many Muslims we have members now.
Prabhupāda: No, he's Indian Muslim. We have got Iranian Muslims. They are our devotees, many there.
CID Chief: Well, sir, I would like to remain here, but now I have to go to my office.
Prabhupāda: So give prasāda. Bring prasāda.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Prasāda also.
Prabhupāda: No, bring here. Jaya.
Room Conversation -- January 4, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Yes, with a stick. (chuckles) They are so submissive. The cow is going this side, "Raa-raa!"—immediately. (Jagadīśa laughs) When in Bible they say, "The animal is given to the care of man," like that... There is. This is care of, not that "Because we care of, we shall kill them." What is this interpretation? How demonic this Western civilization. "Because Jesus Christ, the God, has given the animals to our care, therefore we shall kill and eat." Anyway, try to introduce a renovation of civilization. Therefore they are trying to oppose us. Now they are conscious about the movement, that "If it is allowed to increase, then our program will be finished. And young men are taking. They are not rejecting." That is their concern. They are concerned about their business and industry. If these young men are held up in plain living, then where their industry...? Industry means to exploit the work of others and give them one dollar and make profit ten dollars. This is industry, at the cost of others some capitalist gaining huge profit. This is industry. "And let them live in a hellish condition, go to hell. Never mind. You work in the factory, and we make profit." The Communist is trying to take over the industry and get the whole profit. (laughs) That's all. The condition remains the same—hellish. But... What is called...? Complacent, he's satisfied that "I am getting the profit." All foolish. The Iran is also imitating European method of exploiting.
Room Conversation -- January 7, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: And where we are selling? Where Christians are there. They are not Hindus, that they'll read Bhagavad-gītā and Bhāgavata and Cai... They're all Christian, Jews, Muslims. In Muslim country we are also selling. Yes.
Indian (1): Iran, Pakistan.
Prabhupāda: Iran, Pakistan, Egypt.
Trivikrama: Even Chinese.
Prabhupāda: Chinese, yes. And Chinese... Now we have begun in Russia also.
Indian (1): Let me see Russian edition. (break) Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa... (break)
Prabhupāda: (Hindi)
Room Conversation -- January 30, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:
Prabhupāda: That is good the first, beginning, let them come. Let them sit down, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and take prasāda. In Iran we are doing that. Gradually it is becoming interesting. You had been in our Iran, Tehran?
Pṛthu-putra: I went there also some time, long time ago. But Iran is a different concept. They're not so strict about following the Koran. For example, these Arabic countries like Algeria, Libya, Egypt, and Tunisia, they don't recognize Iran like being part of them. Iran and Turkey and Afghanistan they think is another Muslim world. For example, in Iran there is much more Sufis, the different... But in these Arabic countries like Egypt, they're really conservative. They're very strict.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Conservative means fanatical.
Room Conversation with GBC members -- March 2-3, 1977, Mayapura:
Satsvarūpa: Then today there was some new selection of assignments. One: That Jayapatākā Mahārāja be made acting GBC along with Gurukṛpā Mahārāja, both be co-GBC managers of Bengal and Orissa. And Gargamuni Mahārāja be GBC of the traveling party going to colleges and libraries for sales in India and Asia and the Mid-East. Gargamuni should first go to countries around Iran and evaluate his work... And his work will be evaluated, and if done nicely, then he can enter Iran also.
Gargamuni: I have to go to Iran in order to sell the vehicles. Where am I supposed to go? That's a stupid proposal. I wasn't here for that. (laughter) It's a stupid proposal.
Jagadīśa: That wasn't the main part of the proposal.
Gargamuni: Well, that clause is stupid.
Rāmeśvara: We can discuss that.
Satsvarūpa: But the general assignments are agreeable, is that Iran...
Gargamuni: Yes. We're going to have to go in.
Hṛdayānanda: So we can arrange it.
Prabhupāda: We have got very good encouragement from Budapest. You have read that letter. That means there is very good potency of our movement being accepted in communistic countries. Just read that letter.
Room Conversation with Ram Jethmalani (Parliament Member) -- April 16, 1977, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: He is Muhammadan. He was Attanya. So I have given him the name Ātreya Ṛṣi. There are many like that. In Iran we have got center, Tehran. We have got many Muhammadan disciples there, prosecuting our method. And he is the head there. Just see. Ātreya Ṛṣi. What he has said?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda sent Ātreya Ṛṣi to Pakistan. He writes, "My dear Śrīla Prabhupāda, please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to you who are the only guiding light in the world of darkness. India is that holy land in which the Supreme Personality of Godhead Lord Śrī Caitanya appeared and in whose inhabitants He instructed to go all over the world and spread the science of love of Godhead. It is in this way that I realize your emphasizing the activities of ISKCON in India after your very successful endeavoring in the West. Pakistan is a nonseparable part of India, and I appreciate your compassion towards them and your desire to help them."
Room Conversation with Ram Jethmalani (Parliament Member) -- April 16, 1977, Bombay:
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually, this gentleman who has written this letter from Pakistan, he is a big businessman. He is the head of a very, very large business consultant firm in Iran. But in his free time he also tries to do a little preaching work.
Prabhupāda: He is a very responsible officer. What is his position?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He is the managing director of Arthur Young and Company. It's a big international firm of chartered accountants.
Ram Jethmalani: Thank you very much.
Prabhupāda: Thank you. (Hindi) Thank you very much. (Hindi)
Ram Jethmalani: Sir, how old are you?
Prabhupāda: I am eighty-one.
Morning Conversation -- April 23, 1977, Bombay:
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, no one.
Prabhupāda: Neither, except Iran plane, nobody can fly over. I have seen it.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Air India does also.
Prabhupāda: Hm?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There are some flights, Air India flights. That's natural because there's business connection, India and Pakistan. Only Iranian planes...
Prabhupāda: Most unclean.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So you think that they'll reunite.
Short Dissertations -- May 24-25, 1977, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: And sex? Before Muhammadan religion was introduced, they used to have sex even with mother. And woman could be purchased as slaves. Marketplace, women were standing for being sold. They would like to be sold. Just like animals. The animals, if somebody purchases, it is, if they are well fed, it is a great fortune for the animals. Just like the dogs here. When they have got a good master, they are fortunate. So it is the fact. If there is civilization, that is this Aryan civilization in India, Vedic civilization. Otherwise, throughout the whole world... These people were within Aryan civilization. Aryan, Iranian, their names are given. Up to Iran, their field(?). Europeans also, Indo-European. Gradually they declined. Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission is to make them civilized. Paścimera loka saba mūḍha anācāra. They are all fools and misbehaved. Teach them this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They'll be happy.
Conversation Pieces -- May 27, 1977, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: Indian. Indian?
Ātreya Ṛṣi: Yes, because so many Indians have not been granted visa in Iran, so they are now reciprocating like that, and I had to go back to Tehran to see the ambassador, who is our friend, getting visa and come back immediately.
Prabhupāda: Just see.
Ātreya Ṛṣi: The government are just playing these games.
Prabhupāda: Whimsical. Very, very difficult to deal with such unscrupulous government. But still, we have got open field all over the world.
Srila Prabhupada Vigil -- May 27, 1977, Vrndavana:
Devotees: Jaya!
Ātreya Ṛṣi: In Iran, in the courts, the prince and princes are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, in the court, in the palace.
Guest (3): Śrī Gaurāṅga's incarnation on his tongue.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, I have both, that one from London and New York.
Prabhupāda: That London is shorter.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: London is a lot shorter. This happened in London, England. It says, "Next morning in the court we pleaded not guilty to the charges laid against us." This is... "Our men were doing nagara-saṅkīrtana, so some constable, police officer, said that 'You are blocking the footpath with your nagara-saṅkīrtana, and I must arrest you.' " So they were taken to court.
Room Conversation -- October 9, 1977, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: It is a good news.
Rāmeśvara: It is very difficult to publish any books in Iran, but the princess is personally giving our first book to the Minister of Information and ordering him to give us permission to print. It's a Muslim country, so it's very difficult. But the royal family is ordering the ministry that censors all publications. They are ordering them to let us have permission to start publishing your books in the local language, Persian, or Parsi.
Prabhupāda: So they are going to do that?
Room Conversation -- October 9, 1977, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: Vedic civilization is sarve sukhino bhavantu: "Everyone be happy." This is Vedic civilization. And this is the way, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission. The same house?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In Iran? The same house?
Rāmeśvara: The same house that you stayed at last time.
Prabhupāda: Good house.
Rāmeśvara: Also in downtown they purchased one house which cost $170,000. And the brahmacārīs live on the top floor, and then the ground floor is the restaurant.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Didn't you see that house, Śrīla Prabhupāda?
Prabhupāda: Hm.
Room Conversation -- October 9, 1977, Vrndavana:
Rāmeśvara: Every evening they get about eighty to one hundred people for dinner at the restaurant, and they're just starting the lunch shift. When I was there the president of the largest bank was coming for dinner, and other important people in the country of Iran were coming.
Prabhupāda: Vegetarian dinner.
Jayatīrtha: And they're all Muslims.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I think you have the right man there, Śrīla Prabhupāda-Ātreya Ṛṣi.
Prabhupāda: Oh, he is very able.
Rāmeśvara: He just recently left his company, Arthur Young, and started his own business. And all the customers from Arthur Young switched over. So now he is making more money by this arrangement.
Room Conversation -- October 9, 1977, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: How many things we have to do for preaching, for teaching. And live hundreds of years. That is jijīviṣo śataṁ yaḥ?
Yaśodā-nandana: Jijīviṣec chataṁ samāḥ.
Prabhupāda: We are receiving very good report from Iran.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The royal family is taking to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. I think even your Guru Mahārāja would have been surprised to hear that.
Prabhupāda: Everyone, if one is actually gentleman. So we have this Gurukula, good chance for teaching future preacher. Here is Yaśodā-nandana Mahārāja and others. You can do. Prepare, send. Prepare and send.
Brahmānanda: "Prepare and send," Prabhupāda said. Prepare them and send them.
Prabhupāda: How much tremendous work we have to do.
Room Conversation -- October 10, 1977, Vrndavana:
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda. Rāmeśvara Mahārāja is here. You want to turn over at all?
Upendra: Can you take his hips and pull Prabhupāda up a little bit?
Prabhupāda: So in the Iran, what do they supply?
Bali-mardana: In Iran what do they supply?
Rāmeśvara: What do they supply?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What foodstuffs, you mean, Śrīla Prabhupāda? I think what do they serve... You mean what are they serving people to eat? Śrīla Prabhupāda...
Rāmeśvara: There are fruits and juices, very nice fruits and juices in Iran. And they also have nice vegetables and wheat. Wheat is their main grain.
Prabhupāda: Wheat. Hm?
Room Conversation -- October 10, 1977, Vrndavana:
Jayatīrtha: Snow there starts around December. It starts to get snow in Tehran.
Rāmeśvara: This is the best time in Tehran, the fall, autumn season. Parivrājakācārya Mahārāja told me that the Indian ambassador to Iran spoke with him and told him, "You are the real ambassador of India."
Prabhupāda: Hm. Why?
Rāmeśvara: Because he is becoming friendly with the royal family. Actually he goes every day to the palace. They send a chauffeured Mercedes to pick him up every day. He spends four or five hours every day talking to the royal family.
Prabhupāda: It is great opportunity.
Room Conversation -- October 11, 1977, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: Persians, they are Aryans. When they were attacked by the Muhammadans they fled from Persia to India. (break)
Ātreya Ṛṣi: ...and they come regularly. Some of them come every night to take prasādam, respectful, very nice Parsis who have come back from India to Iran.
Prabhupāda: Oh. Some of them gone there.
Ātreya Ṛṣi: Yes. They have come back because there are very good jobs, and government is encouraging them to come back. So they come back.
Prabhupāda: Very good.
Room Conversation -- October 11, 1977, Vrndavana:
Ātreya Ṛṣi: And actually Persians have very high philosophy, but they don't have no one who will engage them in devotional service. And the most intelligent ones see that you are actually engaging people in devotional service. And there is no one—no one in Iran-despite their high philosophies, who is engaging anybody in devotional service. So they see the results, and that's why they respect you.
Prabhupāda: So as soon as I get opportunity, I shall go and meet them.
Ātreya Ṛṣi: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Prabhupāda: Thank you very much.
Ātreya Ṛṣi: Thank you, Śrīla Prabhupāda. (break)
Prabhupāda: Very good chance.
Room Conversation -- October 11, 1977, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: I was very happy when I heard, respectable gentlemen, out of love, they are washing dishes. You know that? Ātreya Ṛṣi told me.
Hari-śauri: Yes. In Iran. Some important people in Iran, just out of some... To do some service, they're even going in the restaurant and assisting by washing the dishes, and they're bringing things here and there.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's really devotional.
Prabhupāda: They are so gentle.
Room Conversation -- October 13, 1977, Vrndavana:
Kīrtanānanda: Wonderful.
Rāmeśvara: This one I think you have seen. Kṛṣṇa stealing butter.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This has been given to the Shah of Iran, Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Hari-śauri: To hang in their palace.
Prabhupāda: The Shah of Iran (Bengali) some connection (Bengali) Parivrājakācārya (Bengali)...
Rāmeśvara: This painting is Mother Yaśodā chasing Kṛṣṇa with a stick because He is stealing butter. (Godbrothers are laughing, saying "Oh" and "Hm" at each picture) This painting is the fruit vendor, aborigine, giving Kṛṣṇa all the fruits, and He is turning her basket of fruits into jewels.
Room Conversation -- October 21, 1977, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: No. People are appreciating our movement?
Dayānanda: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda. We are trying to speak to people who are more intelligent, people who are more...
Prabhupāda: There are many intelligent persons, Iran. Eh? Is it not?
Dayānanda: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Everywhere dull-headed, intelligent... You are working at computer?
Dayānanda: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Prabhupāda: So, what salary they gave?
Dayānanda: Little over a thousand dollars in a month, about 1,200 dollars.
Prabhupāda: Hm. So how you are spending that money?
Correspondence
1947 to 1965 Correspondence
Letter to Members -- Bombay:
America 10,000, (3) Argentina 500, (4) Belgium 500, (5) Brazil 500, (6) Burma 1,000, (7) Canada 500, (8) Chile 500, (9) China 10,000, (10) Czechoslovakia 500, (11) Denmark 500, (12) Egypt 1,000, (13) Ethiopia 500, (14) France 1,000, (15) Germany 5,000, (16) Greece 1,000, (17) Indonesia 500, (18) Iran 500, (19) Iraq 500, (20) Italy 1,000, (21) Japan 2,000, (22) Laos 500, (23) Mexico 500, (24) Monaco 500, (25) Mongolia 500, (26) Nepal 500, (27) Netherlands 1,000 (28) Norway 1,000, (29) Philippines 500, (30) Poland 500, (31) Saudi Arabia 500, (32) Sudan 500, (33) Syria 500, (34) Thailand 500, (35) Sweden 500, (36) Turkey 500 (37) Vietnam 500, (38) U.S.S.R. 10,000, (39) Yugoslavia 500, (40) Austria 500, (41) Bulgaria 500, (42) Finland 500, (43) Holy See 500, (44) Hungary 500, (45) Rumania 500, (46) Switzerland 500, (47) Australia 2,000, (48) Cambodia 500, (49) Ceylon 500, (50) Ghana 500, (51) Malaya 500, (52) Pakistan 1,000, (53) United Kingdom 10,000. It is expected that all intelligent men will join this spiritual movement for a total reformation. This propaganda work is a part of SAMKIRTANJAJNA recommended for the people of this age.
1970 Correspondence
Letter to Harivilasa -- Los Angeles 14 June, 1970:
So for the time being you just remain in Paris with the devotees there and grasp the ideas more explicitly and then try to open a center in one of the Middle Eastern countries. Sometime before I met one gentleman in New York from Iran. His name and address is given below:
Mr. Majid Movagarh / Mehr Monthly Review
224, Shareza Avenue / Tehran, Iran
He informed me that people in Tehran are interested in such yoga societies like ours. They are also hankering after something like this for spiritual advancement.
Letter to Harivilasa -- Los Angeles 14 June, 1970:
So I have no definite idea, but I give you this hint that in the Middle Eastern countries like Egypt, Turkey, Iran, Armenia, there is need of spreading this Krsna Consciousness Movement. I hope you will understand the philosophy fully and try to spread it in these countries as far as possible; and Krsna will give you all strength and resources to fulfill your mission.
1973 Correspondence
Letter to Atreya Rsi -- Los Angeles 6 May, 1973:
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your special delivery letter dated May 4, 1973.
Regarding Navayauvana Prabhu in Chicago going with you to Iran; yes it is all right. He is anxious to go so he can accompany you and help to begin one center in that country.
Letter to Atreya Rsi -- Mayapur 21 June, 1973:
Regarding your participation in New Vrndavana during the attack. Although a Krsna Conscious person is free of bodily attachment that does not mean that he does not defend for Krsna's purpose. But that you became fearful in the face of danger is not necessarily wrong.
When travelling from London to Calcutta we passed through Tehran, Iran. It appears to be a good city. We found the people to be just like here in India. Human nature is the same everywhere. So also the possibility of accepting Krsna Consciousness is everywhere.
Letter to Madhudvisa -- Bhaktivedanta Manor 3 September, 1973:
I think that Australia is a great field for these activities as it is evident from the book sales statistics gradually increasing. I am very much encouraged in this respect.
I am going on the 5th September for a few days to Stockholm, Sweden, then returning to London, and leaving here on the 15th September for Japan via Iran, and India. I expect to reach Los Angeles by the 10th October.
1974 Correspondence
Letter to Atreya Rsi -- Vrindaban 19 August, 1974:
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated July 28th 1974. I am glad to note that you had nice Rathayatra festival for the Indian community there. I am especially pleased to note that for Vyasa Puja and Janmastami you have so many Iranian devotees there. This is your real success if you can convince the local men to become Krishna Conscious. This is preaching. You know that I went to your country America alone. None of my godbrothers helped me. But, I was able to convince you to become Krishna Conscious. Now you can convince others. This is Krishna Consciousness.
Letter to Atreya Rsi -- Bombay 4 December, 1974:
Anyway I know the people of Tehran they like hatha yoga very much. I understand Parivrajakacarya Swami is teaching a course combining both hatha and bhakti yoga to attract the people. This is a very good idea. Somehow or other inject the bhakti yoga. That will save them from the degradations of sense gratification.
Regarding the restaurant, what kind of restaurant it will be? The people of Iran are very rich and they can supply money for this purpose.
1975 Correspondence
Letter to Mrs. Mohini H. Singh -- Brooklyn 6 March, 1975:
Please accept the blessings of Lord Krishna. I thank you for your kind letter of invitation dated 21st of Feb., 1975. I am just on my way to London from here (New York), and from there I shall have to go to Tehran, Iran, and then back to India by the 15th of March, 1975 for arranging the birthday anniversary of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu at our Mayapur center, (District Nadia), West Bengal, India. Therefore I am very sorry to inform you that I shall not be able to attend the auspicious meeting which you are going to hold on the 23rd of March. I am advising therefore my senior disciple, His Holiness, Kirtanananda Swami to attend the meeting and I hope he will be able to present the proper view of our Krishna Consciousness movement.
Letter to Karandhara -- Honolulu 18 June, 1975:
We are not of the mentality of Ravana who took Laksmi from Narayana and became ruined. Keep Laksmi and Narayana always together and you will become as powerful as Hanuman. He is always worshiped along with Lord Rama and Laksmi-Sita. There are many temples of Hanuman in India.
Regarding investing money there in Iran, I have no objection if it is kept in Atreya Rsi's name. He is one of our men. Please send the complete details in this connection and I shall decide.
1976 Correspondence
Letter to Ramakrishnaji -- Washington D.C 5 July, 1976:
I shall be returning to Bombay on or about August 14, 1976, after which time I shall be able to attend the Coordinating Committee meeting when the date is fixed up. After visiting our Washington, D.C. centre I shall be going on to New York where we are scheduled to have our Rathayatra procession down 5th. Avenue on July 18th, then London, Paris, Rome, Tehran (Iran) where we have our centers, and reaching Bombay thereafter.
Letter to Nandarani -- New York 8 July, 1976:
I am in due receipt of the information you sent in your letter of June 10, 1976 and I have noted the contents with care.
Try to publish Persian books as many as possible. That will be a big success. Iranians have very much respect especially for the Americans and your dealings with them will be very much appreciated. Also, if the collections are very good there you can send some money to Gargamuni Swami in Mayapur for the project.
Letter to Sumati Morarjee -- Valencay, France 7 August, 1976:
Since I have not heard from you for a very long time, I was very glad to receive your letter dated 29th July 1976. I came here to our temple to install Krsna Balarama murtis, and the function has now been completed. I shall go to Tehran, Iran from here and shall stay there for a few days before returning to India as soon as possible.
I am sorry to learn that you have become a little agitated regarding the publication of an article in our Back to Godhead magazine. It is certainly unpleasant, but the officers who publish the magazine do not know satyam bruyat priyam bruyat, in this material world only palatable truth should be spoken. Unpalatable truth should be carefully avoided. The cause of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's agitation was much the same as your own.
| Page Title: | Iranian |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 17 of Dec, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=5, Con=87, Let=13 |
| No. of Quotes: | 105 |