While Rukmiṇī was praying, she presented a variety of items before the deity, chief of which were water, different kinds of flames, incense, garments, garlands and various foods prepared with ghee, such as purīs and kachoris. She also offered fruits, sugarcane, betel nuts and spices. With great devotion, Rukmiṇī offered them to the deity according to the regulative principles, directed by the old brāhmaṇa ladies. After this ritualistic ceremony, the ladies offered the remnants of the food to Rukmiṇī as prasādam, which she accepted with great respect. Then Rukmiṇī offered her obeisances to the ladies and to Goddess Durgā. After the business of deity worship was finished, Rukmiṇī caught hold of the hand of one of her girlfriends in her own hand, which was decorated with a jeweled ring, and left the temple in the company of the others.
Kachori
Other Books by Srila Prabhupada
Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead
Then they sumptuously fed the brāhmaṇas with first-class cooked food, all prepared in butter. According to the Vedic system, there are two classes of food. One is called raw food, and the other is called cooked food. "Raw food" does not indicate raw vegetables and raw grains but food boiled in water, whereas cooked food is made in ghee. Capātīs, dāl, rice and ordinary vegetables are called raw foods, as are fruits and salads. But purīs, kachoris, samosās, sweet balls and so on are called cooked foods. All the brāhmaṇas invited on that occasion by the members of the Yadu dynasty were fed sumptuously with cooked food.
The ceremonial functions performed by the members of the Yadu dynasty externally resembled the ritualistic ceremonies performed by the karmīs. When a karmī performs some ritualistic ceremony, his ambition is sense gratification—good position, good wife, good house, good children or good wealth—but the ambition of the members of the Yadu dynasty was different. Their ambition was to offer Kṛṣṇa perpetual devotion with faith.
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Now so long I am not dying, let me enjoy. Ṛṇaṁ kṛtvā ghṛtaṁ pibet. Enjoyment means... According to our Indian system, their enjoyment is not meat-eating as in the Western countries. Their enjoyment is eating ghee more, become chubby, fatty. That is their enjoyment. So Cārvāka Muni recommended, "Now eat ghee and enjoy life." Kacuri, samosā, all made of ghee preparation. Then "I have no money, sir. Where shall I get ghee?" Ṛṇaṁ kṛtvā. "Beg, borrow, steal, get ghee." Somehow or other, black market, white market, any way. Bring money and ghee, that's all. Ṛṇaṁ kṛtvā ghṛtaṁ pibet. "Eat as much possible ghee." Ṛṇaṁ kṛtvā ghṛtaṁ pibet yāvād jīvet sukham. Jīvet. Sukhaṁ jīvet. "So long you live, live merrily, very nicely." That is the theory of all the European philosophers. Live merrily. But the philosopher at the end becomes paralyzed. His merriness is finished. Who is that philosopher has become paralyzed? So they make all these theories. Not only European philosophers, another philosopher in India, Dr. Radhakrishnan, he is now brain paralyzed.
Not anything. Nobody can eat anything. His allotted food.
In the living entities lower than the human being, they follow the nature's way, their allotted food. Just like the tiger eats blood and flesh. If you offer him nice fruit, nice sweet rice, he'll not eat. Even the dog, they do not like the sweet rice or nice kachorī and sṛṅgara. You'll see. They cannot eat. If they eat, they will fall diseased. In Bengal it is said, kukkure peṭe ghī sayanaya.(?) Too much fatty things, if you give to the dog, he'll not be able to digest. So similarly, we are also human beings, we have got special food. Special food.
Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, Kṛṣṇa's prasāda will be taken by whom? By the human being. No, it can be offered to any living entities, but worship of Kṛṣṇa is meant for the human being. Therefore, a devotee will take the remnants of foodstuff offered to Kṛṣṇa. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26).
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
"You want to feed Me. That's all right. You collect little flower, patram, a little leaf... Whatever you... Not that all. Any one of them." Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam, a little water, yo me bhaktyā prayacchati. Real thing is bhakti, love, devotion. Not that Kṛṣṇa is asking you, "Bring volumes of luci, puri, kacuri, halavā." No. Kṛṣṇa wants your love. Real thing. Bhaktyā. Yo me bhaktyā prayac... Kṛṣṇa is not beggar, neither Kṛṣṇa is hungry, that He has come to your place to eat something. That's not the position, Kṛṣṇa's. Kṛṣṇa wants only your love. Just like father takes the responsibility of the whole family. He works hard day and night to maintain the family. He expects only love from his wife and children. That is the impetus of economic development. Otherwise he's earning daily thousands and lakhs of rupees. It is not that he will eat. He will eat that four cāpāṭis. That's all. Worth six annas. But he works so hard just to be satisfied that his wife, his children love. When he comes at home, he sees them very satisfied.
He was atheist. Amongst the sages there are atheist philosophers also, as in the modern days there are atheist philosopher also. So this Cārvāka Muni, he said, ṛṇaṁ kṛtvā ghṛtaṁ pibet. Ghṛtam. Ghṛtam means butter, clarified butter. If you want to have very palatable dishes, then you require ghee. Without ghee, you cannot make. Either sweetball or kacuris, srngara,(?) so many nice things. So we require sweetball. So... And in India, of course, they wanted palatable dishes, but not otherwise it is made of ghee. But too much eating of these palatable dishes is not good. That makes our senses very strong. So we should not take much of it, but we can take something of kṛṣṇa-prasādam and satisfy ourself. So he says that, Cārvāka Muni, ṛṇaṁ kṛtvā ghṛtaṁ pibet: "Beg, borrow or steal. Get some money and eat, as much as possible, ghee." You see? This is modern civilization. "Any way, bring money and satisfy your senses. That's all. Finish business."
So those fruits are taken by the gorillas, and they chew it just like you chew peanuts or something like that, yes. (laughter)
So Kṛṣṇa has given different foodstuff for different animals. So for human being who is determined to go back to home, back to Godhead, they have got their food. For them, no meat-eating. For them, fine kacuri, rasagullā, puri, for them. As you are... I think Dr. Benard Shaw, he wrote one book, You Are What You Eat. If you eat stool, then you are stool. Because after all, this body will be stool. Because after death, the result is either the body becomes stool or ash or earth. Those who are burying on the ground, in due course the body will turn into earth. That's all. And those who are burning, like in India, Hindus do, this will turn into ash. And those who are throwing for being eaten by the animals and birds... Just like Parsees do in India... They throw, and vultures come, and they eat it, within a second. So after eating, it will be stool of the vulture. That's all.
So in order to get that original body, this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is there. So anything more? (break) ...enjoy as much as possible. "Let me come fifty miles and take this wild bird toasted. Very tasteful." Because their life will be finished, "So whatever taste and enjoyment I can enjoy, let me finish it, because after this body is finished, everything will be finished." But our is not The body may finish, but our spiritual enjoyment is there if we get our spiritual consciousness. This is our proposition. We will get varieties of enjoyment. Chale-bale lāḍḍhu kha śrī-madhumaṅgala. There is only store in lāḍḍu and kachori in Vṛndāvana. Rabri. Makhana. Kṛṣṇa is makhanacora. Makhana thief is the All right.
This is the formula. "I am the bhoktā." The all best foodstuff should be offered to Kṛṣṇa. That is arcana-vidhi. First-class foodstuff, all sandeśa, rasagullā, kacuri and... Best, best foodstuff. Kṛṣṇa is satisfied, of course... If you haven't got very nice foodstuff, Kṛṣṇa can be also offered also whatever you have got. "Whatever" means not anything beyond the jurisdiction: patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati (BG 9.26). You can give Him little fruit, little flower, little leaf, little water. That you can collect without any price; anywhere it is available. Anyone's garden you can go, and if you say, "My dear sir, I'll take a little flower and leaf for Kṛṣṇa," nobody will ask you, "No, don't take." "Take it." Still, at least in India. In also, USA also. So that you can collect. If you haven't got to offer.
Just like we are. To the Western devotees, we are advising them—at least, those who are accepted as our disciples, they must—no meat-eating. They are accustomed to meat-eating, but that how this meat-eating has been stopped? We have given them nice things, kacuris, śṛṅgāra, rasagullā. So they have given up meat-eating. So you must give something more palatable. Then detachment will be possible. First of all nullify the attachment, and then give him better attachment. Then he will forget. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate. You cannot force a living entity by force. Gradually... The same example: a child has got attachment, but by some system, its attachment is turned over.
So similarly, our consciousness is there. Somehow or other, it is now contaminated. So gradually, this contaminated consciousness has to be purified, and then Kṛṣṇa consciousness automatically will arise, will be awakened, because the Kṛṣṇa consciousness is original consciousness.
Prabhupāda: No. There is perfection everywhere in the spiritual world, but it is a question of variety, taste. When you take rasagullā, don't take kachori, that does not mean kachori is not perfect. It is a question of taste. Somebody likes kachori, somebody likes rasagullā. Not that kachori is inferior to rasagullā; rasagullā is inferior to kachori.
Haṁsadūta: So that means if someone is situated in that svarūpa...
Prabhupāda: Yes. Everything is svarūpa. Everything is svarūpa.
Haṁsadūta: Suppose someone is situated as Viṣṇudūta. He may change his taste.
Prabhupāda: Why he shall change it?
Haṁsadūta: He may get a taste for associating with Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: The change is taking place in this material world. There all tastes are fixed up, rasa, eternal, eternal rasa. Every one of us has a different taste of associating with Kṛṣṇa, and that will be realized when one is liberated.
That is kalpa-vṛkṣa. Kalpa-vṛkṣa means... You have no experience. We have no experience. Kalpa-vṛkṣa, there is in the higher planetary system and especially in the Vaikuṇṭha world. There are, trees are kalpa-vṛkṣa, because everything is spiritual; nothing is dead. Here you can take some fruits or flower from a particular tree, but there, if you like, you ask kachori and samosa from a tree—you get. But we have no idea what is surataroḥ, what is kalpa-vṛkṣa. Whatever you desire, you'll get it. Surabhīh, surabhīr abhipāl... The cows are surabhī. Here you have got limitation. You can milk morning and evening to a certain extent, but there the cows are surabhī. Surabhī means you can milk as many times as you like, and as much milk as you want, you can take it. But these things are there. But we have no information. We are struggling here. Manaḥ-ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati (BG 15.7). Because we are fools and rascals, we are trying to make some adjustment here. That is not possible. It is duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15).
Initiation Lectures
I have got so many students, so many letters, how they are feeling directly. It is so nice. Pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyaṁ su-sukhaṁ kartum avyayam (BG 9.2). And very nice to perform. Chant and dance and eat. What do you want more? (laughter) Simply chanting, dancing, and eating nice sweetballs, kachori. So su-sukham and kartum avyayam. While performing, while practicing this process, it is very pleasurable, and avyayam. Avyayam means whatever you do, even if you execute one percent of this movement, that is your permanent asset. Permanent asset. If you do two percent, three percent, four percent... But don't wait for next life. Finish, cent percent. It is not very easy to execute; therefore finish. Don't wait, that "Let me finish in this life a certain percentage of self-realization, and next life I shall do." And what is the test of realization, finishing full percentage? The test is how much you have learned to love God, Kṛṣṇa, that's all.
Departure Talks
That is his nature, sat-cit-ānanda: eternal life, full of knowledge and full of bliss. This is real life. So if we simply accept eternity like the Māyāvādīs, then what about the other two items? Or if we simply live in knowledge... Suppose theoretically I know so many things to prepare-rasagullā, sandeśa, halavā, kachorī—but if I do not practically taste what is halavā, what is kachorī, then what is the use of simply having knowledge? So the Māyāvādī philosophy like that, jñāna, simply knowledge. That knowledge is there in the Bhagavad-gītā in the beginning, the first lesson: dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanam (BG 2.13). "Within the body there is the soul. That soul is eternal." Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). Na jāyate na mriya... This is the first lesson, that "I am Brahman. I am spirit soul. I am eternal. I do not die even after the annihilation..." This is the first lesson. It doesn't require much time, that we have to devote our whole life to understand that "I am Brahman."
Conversations and Morning Walks
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: We are therefore going to Kṛṣṇa—to taste lugdu with him. Lugdu, kachorī... From that Kṛṣṇa Book... You can find out that picture.
Yogeśvara: Find out the picture.
Prabhupāda: How Kṛṣṇa is enjoying lugdu with His friends.
Professor: Yes.
Yogeśvara: He's taking lunch.
Prabhupāda: Yes. They're taking lunch, and Brahmā is playing trick.
Yogeśvara: You know the story?
Professor: Of what?
Yogeśvara: Lord Brahmā stole away all of Kṛṣṇa's cows and...
Professor: Yes, yes, yes, yes, I know.
Prabhupāda: And Kṛṣṇa again expanded Himself into so many cows, calves, friends. Then Brahmā thought that he is defeated.
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Yes. We, suppose we make ghee there. We can make sandeśa there. We can make rasagullā. We can make so many things, especially ghee. So open restaurant in any part of the city, and make nice kachoris, puri, halavā and so many other things, juri,(?) and people will purchase it. They'll come and sit down. I've given all the... That every foodstuff is ready. You sit down. Whatever you like, you take. And this is our charge for one plate. Don't waste. Just like it is distributed. You take one, two, three, four, as much as you like. But don't waste. Don't waste. So so far for your eating sumptuously, the charge is set. Suppose this man eats only one cake and you eat four cakes. That does not mean we shall charge more.
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Yes. I have seen. We were school children at that time. So on the two sides of the road, our first place was, the king, queen passed, we saw. We were given a flag. (laughter) "Jaya Rāja, Rājeśvara." We were... And very good tiffin was supplied. Two samosa, two kachori, two sandeśa, and one big tangerine. Twice I saw. Once when he entered Calcutta, and again, one day, when there was a parade of military... military parade. So both days we were invited, and we saw the king. (break)
Brahmānanda: ...Calcutta, on the Maidan, there's that big building, that big memorial. Is that...
Prabhupāda: Oh, Victoria Memorial.
Brahmānanda: That was built for, the king when he was coming?
Prabhupāda: No, that was built in memory of Victoria. It was done, imitating the Taj Mahal. It took twenty years. Sir Rajendranath Mukherjee of Martin Company, he took the contract. And after finishing, he got this title, "Sir." And when it was being constructed, I went to the top by crossing the scaffolding.
Prabhupāda: This is the position. (break) ...not making kachori?
Bali-mardana: You have not asked for it.
Prabhupāda: Well, I have to ask for it? (break)
Prabhupāda: ...planet with so many oceans and mountains, that is floating in the air. The whole thing is working. And these rascals want to compete with Kṛṣṇa. (break)
Siddha-svarūpa: One...
Prabhupāda: He believed in God.
Prabhupāda: Milk you are collecting. So put in the pan. I have already explained. From milk stage to yogurt, yogurt to old yogurt, from old yogurt to butter, and then water, that whey. Then butter convert into ghee and whey, you can use, instead of drinking water, drink whey. Not a single drop of milk will be wasted, if you know how to do it. And you can take as much milk as possible, because ultimately it is going to be ghee. So if you start in the cities, nice restaurant, so ghee can be sold there. They'll pay for that. And they can prepare nice preparations, kachoris, samosa, sweetballs. Or milk, if you don't convert into yogurt, then naturally it will become... What is called?
Brahmānanda: Curd.
Prabhupāda: Curd. So curd you can send to the city. They will convert into sandeśa, rasagullā and other preparations, and ghee. That is being done. In India the villagers, they do that. They are, keep cows. Convert them into curd or ghee, and ghee and curd sent to the city, they have got regular price for that. There is no question of waste of milk at any stage. One must know how to do it. So you can keep as many cows as possible and collect as much milk from them. You can utilize. And if some of the villagers trained up, they can open nice restaurant in the city. Utilize the ghee, curd, for making nice confectionary. People will purchase like anything.
Prabhupāda: Ruci, kachori, rabri, sandeṣa, rasagullā, panir... (Bengali) ...daily, 1,000 pound, Vṛndāvana. (Bengali) False propaganda.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Now, this August 24th and 31st, Dharmayan(?) is bringing up two big articles on us on Janmāṣṭamī, to do a series. August 24th issue and August 31st two very nice articles on us are appearing.
Prabhupāda: (Bengali) ...gorakṣya. Kṛṣi-gorakṣya-vāṇijyaṁ vaiśya-karma-svabhāva-jam (Bg 18.44). Bhagavad-gītā. (Bengali)
Lalitā: (Bengali) "You go away." My mother told that "You leave me. Kṛṣṇa will look after me." Seventy-six. (Bengali) My mother is very spiritual. "Guru Mahārāja, (Bengali). You must go and tell Indira." (Bengali) But you have to... I have written to Brahmananda Reddy... (Bengali) ...because I am going to prime minister. I will have to show... (Bengali) ...relationship. You go personally. And I will also carry your letter. So he was also...
Prabhupāda: (Bengali)
Lalitā: (Bengali) ...American guru. Yesterday somebody came to me when I am just... (Bengali) ...Central Intelligence... (Bengali) ...whose house that Mr. Badiraja(?) house, and Guru Maharaj-ji is Indian or American. Twice they phoned from the prime minister's office. We are telling them in Bengali. From there, Calcutta, West Bengal. And I know, my grandfather knows him, and I told this. (Bengali) ...this American guru. And again and again they are phoning. I said, "No, no." (Bengali) What she will feel? She has got that power.
Prabhupāda: (Bengali) ...she is spiritually inclined, therefore... (Bengali) "I know Mrs. Gandhi is spiritually inclined." (Bengali) By 1928 Jawaharlal Nehru, Congress President... (Bengali) "Dear Panditji, I want to go to Congress as a delegate.
Prabhupāda: Then you'll never be in want. People are engaged in material civilization means they are increasing the bodily demands, unnecessary. Just like this park. Why we have come to this park? We like this atmosphere. So similarly, in villages, everyone, if he has got some land, he can live simply without any gorgeous building. What is the use? Just have a cottage and have garden. You'll live very peacefully. But they're constructing big, big skyscraper building in the downtown, and they will have to come here by car for some peace of mind, and in the meantime, accident, police. This is the civilization, nonsense civilization. At weekend they will go to the village, country, and during the week-time they will work hard. This is their civilization, with the risk of life, running motor car eighty miles' speed. Every moment there is risk. What is this civilization? Most ludicrous civilization. So farming means if you live in a farm... Just like in New Vrindaban they are doing. Produce your own food, live peacefully, fresh vegetable, fresh grains, fresh milk, and prepare so many nice milk preparation, kachori, halavā with ghee.
1976 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: Yes, that is system in South India, with rice, everything. Just like in North India we make purī, kachorī, balusai, sṛṅgāra. There is ghee, wheat, and sugar and salt, varieties, hundreds of variety.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Maybe it has something to do with the weather. The colder weather?
Prabhupāda: Whatever it may be, in northern India, when there is some festival they will purchase, I mean to say, grains, means wheat and chānnā, and ghee and sugar. Then they will make hundreds of preparation out of it.
Indian man: Here we call it as poṅgal. Make it as poṅgal, we call it. It's chānnā, ghee, and sugar. We prepare it in...
Prabhupāda: Laḍḍu, you prepare laḍḍu? They prepare so many things. The main ingredient is this: besan, āttā, ghee, sugar. That's all. (break) ...also they eat rice more.
Prabhupāda: Something must be given.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, if we get a good cook like Shantilal and he can cook hundreds of kachori and we can sell, and then the next room have one men who serves them prasādam, everyone will come to take prasādam.
Prabhupāda: Keep nice water, sitting place. They will take.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What kind of sitting place? On the floor with mats, or benches and tables?
Prabhupāda: Benches, table will be nice.
Prabhupāda: From the very beginning I was asking to open restaurant and farm. Produce ghee in the farm and send to the restaurant, and make nice samosā, kachori preparation, and there will be no scarcity of money. And if you organize in this way, your whole country will be transferred into Kṛṣṇa conscious country. Whole country. So, what about your China program?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, we went to New York to meet with Dhṛṣṭadyumna Mahārāja's father, and he was very helpful. We approached him in a frank way, and he immediately got the help of his office. He's the president of this Far East American Council.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Germany is little recouped, but England is finished. Therefore I say India got independence not due to Gandhi. It is due to Hitler. That is my opinion. I have got reason. The Hitler fighting with England made them smashed, so their political power became nil almost, and on this opportunity, Hitler helped Subash Chandra Bose, one of the leaders of India, to organize Indian National Army. This Indian National Army, when attacked, at least made a show of attack from Imphala(?), especially on Calcutta dropped bombs, and the whole Calcutta became vacant. Perhaps myself and a few others remained. I sent my sons.... Of course, daughter was married, but they sent to Navadvīpa, Śrīdhara Mahārāja's āśrama. My wife refused to go out of Calcutta. She said, "I'll be bombed maybe, but I'll not go out." (laughs) So I had to remain in Calcutta. So I've seen bombing and Calcutta all vacant. And one day I was eating in the evening, at night—immediately bombing. Kachori... I was hungry, (laughs) but the eating finished.
Prabhupāda: Yes. How from milk in different stages you get this foodstuff, kacuris, śṛṅgāra,(?) sandeśa, rābṛi. And this chānā, if fried, if you prepare nicely with little hing and ginger, then it will exactly taste like meat. They'll forget. If you give them without telling them, they will think that they're eating meat.
Kīrtanānanda: Hing and what? Prepare with hing and?
Prabhupāda: Ginger.
Kīrtanānanda: Ginger.
Prabhupāda: They prepare the semiliquid meat like that. You give them little piece and they will not understand that it is not meat.
Prabhupāda: Just like to eat anything and everything. It is different association. You go to the restaurant, you eat the intestine of pig. I've seen it. Is that anything eatable? But you have learned it on account of association. Karaṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgos 'sya. And if he remains with the Kṛṣṇa conscious, he eats kachorīs, samosā, prepared by Kīrtanānanda Mahārāja. (laughter) It is due to association. By bad association he'll have to eat up to the stool. Then?
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: "One has to rise therefore above the three material modes and become situated in the transcendental position. This is called Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Unless one is situated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, his material consciousness will oblige him to transfer from one body to another because he has material desire since time immemorial, but he has to change that conception."
Prabhupāda: That is material desire, how to become master. From different types, he's trying to become master. Just like in the morning the dogs are barking. He's also master, thinking "Why you are coming here?" Whatever little power he's got, he's asserting his mastership: "Don't come here." The same mentality. Then?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Any milk preparation. And if you have got enough milk, then keep it as ghee and open restaurant in the city. Give them nice samosā, kachorī. So in exchange you get money, you require little money, so that money will help you. Actually, in India, before these British, the poorer class of men, they were simply keeping, say, a dozen of cows, and that was their means of livelihood, that's all. From the milk they'll eat the, that, little milk, then yogurt, then..., what is called? It is another milk?
Devotees: Casein? Curd? Cheese?
Visakha: Buttermilk.
Prabhupāda: Buttermilk, yes, and in this way after drinking and eating so many things, whatever balance is there, churn it and they get ghee, and that ghee is kept in stock. On the market day, they go to the city and sell it. You'll find in Vṛndāvana, so many cultivators, they have brought ghee. So the inhabitants of the city, town, they require ghee, they purchase, and with that money they get some necessities, just like some oil or some spices, salt, like this, which is not available. In this way.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Completely different prasādam. He's learned the Gujarati style. Kacuris, samosā, every kind of special prep. When we stayed in Kailasa Shiksarya's house when we were first in Bombay, the things that those cooks were cooking, he knows how to cook. Very high class Marwari and Gujarati cooking.
Prabhupāda: He's very intelligent.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And Maṇibandha, he's another one, he's cooking with Ṛṣi Kumāra.
Prabhupāda: He's also very intelligent boy, but sometimes spoiled.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We have a lot of them here.
Prabhupāda: Anyway, we have to take care of so many souls. (Karmī yells) What does he say?
It really reports the details.
Prabhupāda: Hmm. This is also good article. (break) Hm! Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa, where is the key? Key? Distribute this prasādam.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You can see how he's cooking very..., he's the most expert I've ever seen, and he knows these special preparations. He can cook many varieties of kacuri.
Prabhupāda: Penang also I visited. I stayed with one Indian gentleman. His wife made very nice kacuri.
Hari-śauri: It doesn't matter wherever you go around the world...
Prabhupāda: They asked, "What you want to eat?" "If you can, you make first-class kacuri." That is from my childhood. My friends also did it. They'd make the first-class kacuris in my youthhood. I am fond of kacuri. Kacuri is made first class in Mathurā. Agra and Mathurā. Very, very nice. The kacuri is being made, hundreds of customers waiting. At shops, there was many shops, waiting for purchasing. And as soon as it comes out of the pan, immediately sold. There is no question of waiting. They make spice nicest. That is India's craftsmanship. Nobody will starve.
Prabhupāda: There's no question of starvation for want of money. Anywhere sit down and do something palatable, and people will purchase. So your livelihood will go on. Pakorā, kacuri, jalebi, anything. You make some palatable, people are fond of eating some palatable things. That is their hobby. In Allahabad, there was a brāhmaṇa. I had my business, and he was neighborhood, he was living. So in the morning, the husband and wife would go to take bath in the Ganges. They would very nicely take bath, and while coming they will purchase some ingredients and then come home. The husband will perform pūjā, etc., and the wife will prepare many nice preparations-baḍā, pakori, puskar (?), this, that. Then he'll take his meals, rest awhile, and in the evening he will sit down, he was sitting just in front of my shop, about four or five o'clock. All the preparations his wife had made whole day, and the small shop.
Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. (break) Give Mandākinī these peas. Tomorrow she can utilize it for kacuri. I've asked her to make kacuri. Let them use this.
Hari-śauri: They must have only just come ripe just this last week.
Prabhupāda: So many things are growing. Puffed rice, you simply make it hot, dry, take it away, and then take some of the peas, put very little ghee and masalā and some peas, fry it nicely. Then put little water and cover it. When it is soft, you can add with it little the green chilis.
Hari-śauri: These big ones?
Prabhupāda: Yes. Not very much, but little.
Prabhupāda: He knows how to make kacuri.
Ātreya Ṛṣi: You like him to stay here, Śrīla Prabhupāda?
Prabhupāda: No, I don't say, but he can give you instruction.
Ātreya Ṛṣi: So if you will give us the formulas, we can learn from him the formulas for toothpaste?
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.
Ātreya Ṛṣi: For toothpaste and what else?
Prabhupāda: You remember it?
Prabhupāda: Rādhā-Vallabha, it is offered to Rādhā-Vallabha.
Hari-śauri: What's that made from, Śrīla Prabhupāda?
Prabhupāda: There's a kind of puri with some filling, dāl.
Hari-śauri: Ah, kacuri?
Prabhupāda: It is not kacuri.
Devotee: Prabhupāda, you've taught so... (break) ...instruction for cooking this prasādam.
Prabhupāda: I have seen, I have seen. In our family, I know. That's all. But from my childhood it is my nature, if somebody is preparing, I see it.
Devotee: It seems to me that most people in India can cook something. Even if there's just cāpāṭis they can do this. But people in the West, they now are so helpless. They buy everything it seems in packets and you would not know how to prepare any food as much as just to cut the packet and pour it out and even then they don't even know how to put water into the pan.
Prabhupāda: They do not know how to eat on the whole. India knows how to eat. (Pause) I have traveled all over the world, and this is my experience. Nobody knows how to eat.
Prabhupāda: So I am speaking of the Deity, not for all. For all others hundred rupees per head, five thousand rupees. Here puri, kacuris, and other things, all the best things. But general is not for puri, kacuri, and... They are general food. We are not going to supply puri, kacuri, halavā to everyone.
Akṣayānanda: No, never. Never have.
Prabhupāda: Only for the Deity.
Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Others are just dāl, sabji, rice, cāpāṭi.
Prabhupāda: Everything. Everything calculated.
Prabhupāda: Give them nice prasādam by which they are attracted. It doesn't matter khicuṛi, puri, kacuri, lāḍu. Whatever they are attracted, we must give. Whatever that will attract them. That I want. Kṛṣṇa-prasādam. Don't waste, give them nice palatable foodstuff. Give them one finest kacuri, one nice samosā, two puris, they will be very glad. Make very, very, nice prasādam. What is this rubbish, the dog cannot eat even? They have done a great mistake, all rascals. I am very angry. I say that if you have got no money, I'll spend, I will give you money. Why should you make such tenth class, and no food at all. It is to be thrown away. Simply waste of grains and energy. Engage nice professional cook, prepare nice foodstuff. I shall spend for that if you have no money. Gentlemen who are coming immediately should be offered some prasādam. "Please come here, take: puri, kacuri, samosā." Arrangement should be like that. The doctors came, he comes out of love, but there is no prasādam. Huh? What is this? The doctor comes, but we couldn't supply him prasādam at 12 o'clock.
Prabhupāda: Our men, they can prepare rasagullā, samosā, kacuri.
Mr. Malhotra: Now this Bombay center, when I visited Girirāja he showed me, and the restaurant, that vegetarian restaurant which will be coming up, that is good. (break) ...I mean is it regular new films are being made or only one or two films have been made so far?
Girirāja: We make more films.
Hari-śauri: There's another one just coming up now which explains the philosophy in more detail. The films were to show general activities, that was The Hare Kṛṣṇa People. The new film was to show the farming scheme that Prabhupāda set up in New Vrindaban, and many other farms we have now. And there was one other film to show how the books are produced and then delivered to the public. So gradually more and more are coming out.
Mr. Malhotra: You know one thing I have found that there is spotless cleanliness in the centers. Whereas in our temples here in India, even when we go to Hardwar and Hrishikesh and all these, the temples, the outer cleanliness, not proper emphasis is given by the management.
Prabhupāda: I stress on this cleanliness very much. If they keep unclean, I chastise them like anything. (laughing) They have learned this art. I always say, "Cleanliness is next to godliness."
Prabhupāda: But suppose if we speak in this way, then you'll not agree. (laughter) Real food is finished. Only puris, kacuris... (laughter)
Guest (5): We'll have more real food when you come over there.
Prabhupāda: No, if you do not object our preaching like that, then I can go.
Guest (5): Yes, definitely.
Prabhupāda: Whether your swamiji will like that?
Guest (5): No, of course. Because actually there is nothing against your preaching. Otherwise, I would not have come.
Prabhupāda: No, this is a contradictory. We say God is person, and you say nirākāra. That is the difference. Why God should be nirākāra?
1977 Conversations and Morning Walks
Prabhupāda: First class. And they have got enough milk. When I went there, all nice milk preparation. Ghee, sweet rice, these sweets. Ample. All variety. And they have ghee. Then prepare kachori, samosa. Such nice thing. And how friendly the cows. Just like family members. And they're giving more economically. That's practical. More milk. Then?
Pradyumna: "If there is enough milk, enough grains, enough fruit, enough cotton, enough silk, and enough jewels, then why do the people need cinemas, houses of prostitution, slaughterhouses, etc? What is the need of an artificial luxurious life of cinema, cars, radio, flesh, and hotels? Has this civilization produced anything but quarreling, individually and nationally? Has this civilization enhanced the cause of equality and fraternity by sending thousands of men into a hellish factory and warfields at the whims of a particular man? It is said here that the cows used to moisten the pasturing land with milk." It's nice. You compare the warfield and the factory. I think people appreciate that. You compare the factory with the warfield.
Prabhupāda: Yes. So whatever thought comes to me, I discuss as far as possible. Why these things are... Therefore I want to organize this farm project. Let there be ideal. And it is becoming ideal in America. People are coming even from the school, college, they are coming to see New Vrindaban. And there was section where our enemies, they are not disturbing. So they are appreciating. Still we are not thoroughly organized, but still they're appreciating. They'll appreciate. One day will come they'll appreciate. And other parents, as they come and thank me, "Swamiji, it is our great fortune that..." Many parents came when I was in Los Angeles.
Prabhupāda: Not to follow His advice. You are so great devotee that you simply enjoy God's gifts, but what He says, you don't follow. You are such a great devotee. "I enjoy my father's property, but I don't care for his advice." (aside:) Ask your mother to learn how to make kachoris from Kulādri. Is that all right? (train slowing) Bulahanipur.(?) Somebody wrote me a letter from this place, Bulahanipur.
Rāmeśvara: (to child) Hare Kṛṣṇa! Hare Kṛṣṇa bol!
Child: Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: So give him something. You have got fruit? Fruit? Yes.
Rāmeśvara: Ek minute. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Bolo Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Child: Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Rāmeśvara: They'll remember that Kṛṣṇa fed them. I think we should clean up.
Hari-śauri: There should be a sweeper somewhere.
Prabhupāda: No, we do our own business. Why do you wait for sweeper?
Prabhupāda: Everything requires cleansing—for good. If bad impression, bad ideas, are washed, why do you protest? Let it be done. Give us freedom. It is brainwashing, but for the good, washing for good. Just like you wash your cloth. Do you think it is bad? Dirty cloth, if it is washed nicely with soap and water, who will protest against that? 'Oh, why you are cleansing your dirty clothes?' That is another foolishness. Everyone, every gentleman, every civilized man, washes his clothes with soap and water to become more refreshed. So we are giving this civilization... Actually it is brainwashing, but for the good. And see our example. The boys and girls whom you are charging, 'Brainwash,' just see after brainwashing, how gentleman they have become. They have become moralist. They have become God conscious. They are clean outwardly. Their fooding is so innocent and so nutritious. So why do you check it? Bring your plate and our plate. Now judge. Which is better? You taste. Halavā, puri, samosa, kachori, vegetable—one plate; and boiled meat with salt and black pepper... So taste now which is better."
Prabhupāda: Two, three.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: At least. Then puris, cāpāṭi, then samosā or pakorā, kacuri...
Prabhupāda: Oh. (laughs) Sweet rice also?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Sweet rice every day. Sweet rice, halavā.
Prabhupāda: Oh. It is all royal dishes.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And then also dāl and a soup, vegetable soup. Some people like cream of vegetable soup. And salad, fresh salads, and drinks, orange juice, different kinds of juices. Cookies, cakes, breads.
Prabhupāda: All first class. You have got so many items here?
Prabhupāda: This is the way of living. You perform yajña, there will be rain. And as soon as the ground is moist, you can produce anything, whatever you want. Sarva-kāma-dughā mahī. From the field, you can get all your necessities of life. The first necessity is the food grain. So food grain you can eat, and the rejected grass portion, you give to the cows. So both the animal and the man get sufficient food. And the cows will give you nice milk, and from milk you can get butter, ghee, yogurt, so many nice sweetmeat. And there is ghee, and here is food grain, then you make kacuri, puri, samosā. Then sufficient foodstuff, nice, palatable, nutritious. First necessity is āhāra. You get sufficient āhāra. Then make little cottage for shelter. Just like there is rainfall. Now you require little... (thunder sounds) Āhāra, nidrā, bhaya, and sex. So marry. Then the whole problem is solved. And then, rest time you save and advance in Kṛṣṇa conscious... This is civilization. Why you create unnecessary necessities of life and become complicated and forget Kṛṣṇa?
Prabhupāda: I have suggested already, already suggested that "Take milk powder and ghee from Australia, and every center distribute prasādam like anything." And in India at least, if you give them nice puri and chānā preparation and sweet preparation from milk, oh, they'll be so glad, both poor man and rich man. Yesterday I was eating kacuris. What is this kacuri? Made of ghee. Samosā, made of ghee; rasagullā, made of... Cow is so important. She can deliver so many nice preparations, sweet and salty. The whole world does not know how to eat. Like rākṣasas they are killing the poor animals. So we have to teach. This is an introduction of new type of civilization for making life successful.
Prabhupāda: And so palatable.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Very palatable. They're quite impressed. Puris, samosās, kacuris... They couldn't dream to come to New York and get these things. Therefore they eat meat. They think it's not available. There's only one other pure vegetarian restaurant in New York.
Prabhupāda: Hm?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Besides ours, there's only one other Indian pure vegetarian restaurant. And it's always packed. Indian people want vegetarian. But we... On the other hand, we only get... About one third of our customers are Indian. Mostly we get Americans. The businessmen come and the secretaries, theater people, families.
Prabhupāda: They like prasādam.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, very much. Because vegetarian is becoming now a very popular thing. People are thinking that it is more healthy to eat vegetarian. They call it health food. It's called health food. In fact, they have places called "health food bar." Instead of getting a whiskey, they get carrot juice, like that. People come... They comes sometimes just for one glass of juice. They'll pay dollar and a half, any price. They'll pay anything in America. If you know how to sell it, you can ask any price. Now, this month of June, now the prasādam carts will be doing more and more, all day long, because New York...
Prabhupāda: No, I have seen. They are always busy. Always.
Prabhupāda: Dress, jewelry, and foodstuff, oh... Would offer kacuris, very big, first-class, and luci, all very crispy.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Ah, crispy.
Prabhupāda: Yes. And ghee and rābṛi and similarly other... In the plate, you see?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Wow!
Prabhupāda: And it was the custom of the Mulliks, daily prasādam, they should not eat all of them. Keep something as a balance—some neighborhood men, they will sell. This was.
Prabhupāda: Brahmānanda. Then our Satsvarūpa, then Jadurāṇī. In this way, gradually increased. And Kīrtanānanda was very expert in learning. He learned how to make puri, kacuri, samosā, sweet ball. We were having very nice feast every Sunday. On Saturday night we would prepare so many things and stocked it. And Sunday, distributing... People would take: "Oh, so..." At least in that time seventy, eighty guests were coming. And they were very happy.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They all get fed sumptuously?
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes, food.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Where...? Would you eat with them?
Prabhupāda: No. I was eating also, not necessarily with them. I was seeing that they are.
Bhavānanda: All the scientists are taking prasādam now, Prabhupāda-kacuris and fruit, sabji, hot jalebis.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I saw that yajña that was going on. I mean that hall is first-class looking. Even though this is not the final hall that we'll be building, still, it is one of the nicest decorated halls I have seen, with chandeliers. They rented chandeliers, Śrīla Prabhupāda. I mean it looks very elegant. Everyone is impressed. They never expected. These scientists probably think that Vṛndāvana is some forest. I mean, suddenly they came into a scientific conference. And naturally, after the conference, they are attracted to go into the temple, and then they get darśana. And they're taking prasādam. It's wonderful.
Prabhupāda: Up-to-date gentlemen, they hate to come, Vṛndāvana. They know it is a place for guṇḍās. Pāṇḍās means guṇḍās.
Correspondence
1967 Correspondence
Here everything is going well. Four devotees have been initiated and two devotees have been married. On the marriage ceremony day there was extraordinary gatherings (150 at least) and all of them were distributed prasadam. Sriman Ranchor assisted by some girls prepared kachoris, Samosa, Iskcon Balls, Puri, Chatni etc and there were many fruits also and all the guests enjoyed the Prasadam very nicely. The initiated persons are as follows:
Sri Haridasa Brahmacari, (Harvey Cohen)
Sri Syamasundara Adhikari (Sam)
Srimati Malati Devi (Mrs Melody)
Srimati Harsa Devi (Miss Hope)
In the morning class there are not less than 25 students and in the evening there are 30 to 50 students. And I think they are gradually understanding the philosophy seriously. Sriman Mukunda Das has in view a plot of land about sixty acres for the society and he wishes to organize our community camp there. It is very encouraging.
I am in due receipt of your letter of 7th (March) February 1967 and I am very glad to learn that you are improving your department very nicely. I learn also that you made the new kachori according to my direction and it has come out very successful. I have taught two more things to Ranchor namely "Nan khatai" and "Peda" which you have to learn from him by succession. Srimati Jadurani writes "many of Swami Satcitananda's disciples were present in the last Sunday's feasting and returned this morning to Kirtana. Our traps are too strong to resist." I think you will agree with her. I am glad to learn that the film taken by Mr. Richard Witty has come out very successful. It is all Krishna's blessings. I think we may purchase one copy of the film at some concessional rate from Mr. Witty.
1971 Correspondence
Yes, occasionally devotees may be pictured with full head of hair instead of sikha. You should use your own discretion; the garb can be Vedic or "American." There is no harm. Dress has nothing to do with the soul; Foods in the mode of passion are those that are very rich, such as kachori, halava, rasgulah, etc. They are also foods too much spicy. All this is described there in Bhagavad-gita.
Vidura looks like a human being; "self-same body" means looking like material body. Any devotee always is in a spiritual body although it may appear material; Smoke is smoke; When Krishna says unto me, he means unto "me." So he should not be pictured with Radharani,* Why a snake? Being entangled in the qualities of material nature is very subtle, so why a snake?
The restaurant proposal is very nice. It should be very neat and clean and in the center column there should be Guru Gauranga altar. Everything prepared should be offered and kept on a table and the customer or guest should come and take prasadam on a plate to his full satisfaction. He can sit at table with chair. The items of prasadam you already know; kachori, Luglu, Samosa, sweet balls, simply wonderful, vegetables, chutneys, puspana, halava, etc; The ingredients are easily available. As other things are available, you can increase your menu. And any party who pays more than $5.00 can be presented with a small book like Easy Journey, or Krishna, the Reservoir of Pleasure, and a copy of our magazine. And if possible, continually tapes should be played of kirtanas and songs and record albums also.
1975 Correspondence
We have also started a restaurant in Honolulu and it is going on very nicely and we are getting good profit. If you take details from Srutakirti das Adhikari, he is in charge of the Govinda's Restaurant and he may be able to help you.
It is a very good idea for people to come to our vegetarian restaurant and take so many nice things, especially the panir, fried cheese, and sandesh, kachori, rasagulla, samosa and in this way they will forget their meat-eating. If you make a soup of fried panir with asafoetida and ginger, this will replace lobster soup nonsense. Of course we are not interested in giving them vegetarian food; we are wanting to give them prasadam. Then gradually they will become devotees.
1976 Correspondence
There are already dozens of such centres and farms where we are protecting cows like our New Vrindaban community in West Virginia, Bhaktivedanta Manor in London, altogether over 14 such projects have been started throughout the world to date. We are giving protection to the cows with great profit. We are getting huge amounts of milk from which we are preparing lovely yogurt, dahi, sandesh, rasagulla, gulabjamon, etc. We have sufficient quantity of ghee for preparing kachori, samosa, and other very palatable confectionaries. The people of this country are gradually taking this idea very seriously for vegetarian diet and stopping cow killing in a practical way. We have got more than 100 temples all over the world and attached to every temple we are opening farms and in many cities restaurants, and all of them are going on very successfully.
| Page Title: | Kachori |
| Compiler: | Rishab, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 05 of Jun, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=2, Lec=12, Con=35, Let=6 |
| No. of Quotes: | 55 |