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Meals (Conversations)

Conversations and Morning Walks

1968 Conversations and Morning Walks

Talk Before Class -- November 29, 1968, Los Angeles:

Revatīnandana: While we were at Griffith Park with kīrtana party they broke into our house and took it.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: So that quarter is not nice?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, it's not a nice quarter. So we'll take more precautions now.

Prabhupāda: Somebody must remain always. That is the only precaution.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: O.K. Yes, that's what I was thinking.

Prabhupāda: I think in our apartment also somebody must remain. Here this is... In New York also I lost my typewriter, tape recorder. In 72nd St. at daytime, at nine o'clock. I went to take my meals in Dr. Miṣra's place at about nine, and when I came back I saw the door is broken. That superintendent, he was a Negro. He has done, I know that. This is very common case here. You purchased new machine and new...?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The tape recorder... I mean the sewing machine was Śīlavatī's. She has sent it down here with Dinesh. Two or three hours before I had just gotten it.

Prabhupāda: Your tape recorder also?

Dineśa: No. I had brought the sewing machine from Śīlavatī in San Francisco. Yes. This sewing machine.

Prabhupāda: And typewriter, whose?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The typewriter was mine. I'd just... Puruṣottama had just brought it from New York from my parents to me. So less than a week and they both are gone.

Prabhupāda: New typewriter?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, it was practically new. It was a very good typewriter.

Prabhupāda: What is the maker?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Olivetti. It's the portable.

Prabhupāda: Olivetti portable.

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Dr. Weir of the Mensa Society -- September 5, 1971, London:

Dr. Weir: You see, what worries me, Swami, is that there is two ways of making sure (indistinct), each containing this necessity of eating. Now, some people eat (indistinct). They digest it, they live perfectly healthily. They know nothing about carbohydrates, proteins and fats. They know nothing about saliva. They know nothing about enzymes or digestion. Well they live quite satisfactory lives. Other people start worrying about whether they've got the right amount of calories, the right amount of vitamins, whether they're taking enough water at the meal or not. One wonders that if you're starting to, worrying about that, it means somehow you're less perfect than the person who's able to digest quite happily without the knowledge.

Prabhupāda: Well, if you say like that, the majority of living entities, they are eating without this knowledge of enzyme and other things. So if you take votes the votes are greater. Just like human being, a few human beings are interested in analyzing this enzyme. But the human beings are very small quantity. There are 8,400,000 species of life. They're eating with a natural way and they're quite healthy.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Two Buddhist Monks -- July 12, 1973, London:

Buddhist Monk (1): Yes. Gautama the Buddha, whom I follow, who is my teacher, a poor man came, and he found him panting, asked him, "Well, what's the trouble?" "Oh, I've got news that you're here. I want to see you." And the Buddha found that not only had he run... He asked him, "When did you last have a meal?" He said, "That's quite a few days ago." He said, "We cannot preach on empty stomachs. Ānanda, give this man a good meal before he could come to me." And this fine virtue of hospitality, much as we have treasured in the past, when people leave their shores, they are inclined to forget this. I've been addressing various groups. I do not confine myself to Buddhist groups only. Whatever group was interested, to foster some understanding, good will and peace, I addressed. I said three things that many people forget when they leave their countries are first, their serene smile; secondly, hospitality; thirdly, they become ashamed of their own cultures because many are strangers of their own cultures.

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Room Conversation with Two Buddhist Monks -- July 12, 1973, London:

Buddhist Monk (1): I had last time an opportunity before coming to Southampton, I addressed some people from Śrī Laṅkā, and there were some people from Canada as well at Montreal. And I pointed this out. In this light, I find almost all the teachers that come from that part of the world and their followers are trying to live up to this noble virtue. And if people get together, live together and have meals, perhaps even that...

Prabhupāda: So these devotees, they have not been separately instructed about hospitality. But because they are devotees of the Lord, this hospitality automatically they learn. Yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ (SB 5.18.12). If one becomes perfectly a devotee of the Lord, all the good qualities of demigods manifest automatically. The hospitality is also a good quality. So out of many good qualities, this is one of them. So these devotees, they are automatically well-behaving to the guests, newcomers on account of their advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Because a Kṛṣṇa conscious person takes everyone, not only human being, but even animals, insects, trees, birds, beasts, everyone, living entities, as part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. So it is their duty to behave well with all living entities.

Room Conversation with Lord Brockway -- July 23, 1973, London:

Prabhupāda: Not at all. Due to excessive heat, I could not eat. Therefore I came here. Yes.

Lord Brockway: I have had a big meal tonight.

Prabhupāda: A big meal?

Lord Brockway: And I do not eat very much usually.

Prabhupāda: I also do not eat, but when there is palatable, I eat. (laughs) (to devotee) Sit down. (Prabhupāda goes to wash)

Lord Brockway: Now listen, I do not wish to detain him long.

Śyāmasundara: All right, whenever you wish to go, you just tell me.

Room Conversation with Indian Ambassador -- September 5, 1973, Stockholm:

Prabhupāda: But, as, as you find out... Just like you issue license to medical practitioner. Registered medical... Why don't you see that which movement is genuine? That is the duty of the government. But the government is also, they're unaware about which one is actually... (Devotees bring in prasāda.)

Ambassador: Oh, I'm... I'm very grateful to you, but this is, it is a meal.

Paramahaṁsa: Jaya. It is our pleasure.

Prabhupāda: You can keep here.

Ambassador: I'll take the real prasāda. I'll be happy.

Prabhupāda: No, you can take. It is all real prasāda.

Ambassador: But, you know this, to us is, we call in Kerala. This is called tryamṛta.

Prabhupāda: What is that?

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 15, 1974, Hawaii:

Prabhupāda: And you'll find that it is well protected cell, and you find two pieces of cāpāṭi and one glass of water, ready. No need of cooking. Yes. You simply take. Take the water and take the pulp and eat pulp and the glass of water. That's all. Your meal is finished; luncheon is finished. You don't require.

Sudāmā: The atheist class of men, they are thinking "Well, we are watering. We are giving the water with the hose. We are giving water in the tree. Just like this man is cutting the lawn. So we are maintaining it." They are not thinking that Kṛṣṇa is giving the water.

Prabhupāda: Then wherefrom water comes? You rascal, wherefrom you got the water?

Room Conversation with Bhurijana dasa and Disciples -- July 1, 1974, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: Then that servant, while he was employed, there was an urgent business. The rich man said that "Tomorrow I am going. You must come and go with me." So suppose he was to go at ten o'clock. Then at nine o'clock a messenger came: "You are ready?" "No, just I am cooking. Then I shall finish my cooking, take my meals and then we shall go." So he was very angrily inquired, "So why you did not...?" "No, I am cooking." "Where you are cooking?" Now, he has three bamboos, and on the top there was a pot, rice pot, and he was giving fire here. So that rich man came and saw. "What kind of cooking this is?" "No, there is heat. It is going on." (laughter) "So how you do this, such a nonsense." "No, if the temperature from the lamp on the roof of the sky could protect that man, why not it will be cooking?" Then he could understand this is the reply. So that man was paid. So this kind of progress, cooking, three miles above, a pot, a little fire, it will not act.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Interview -- March 5, 1975, New York:

Reporter: Understood, Swamiji. But your disciples do not build houses, they don't work in hospitals, they don't perform—as far as I know, and I could just be swimming in ignorance here—as far as I know, they do not perform service to the outer world other than offering free meals at the temple and preaching the word of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: I, I quite follow. That is your ignorance. Because you do not know that what is the real service. You do not know. Do you know what is real service?

Reporter: The answer should come from you and not from me.

Prabhupāda: Yes. The real service is... Suppose you open hospital. You can cure for the time being some disease, but can you give me, can you give him any assurance that he will not die? Can you protect him from death? In spite of your all big, big hospitals, can you protect humanity from death, from birth, from old age, from disease? Can you?

Morning Walk -- May 16, 1975, Perth:

Prabhupāda: They don't make much profit. That is the oriental culture. They make little profit; they are satisfied. Still in India you will find many hotel, very cheap, very cheap. Especially Mohammedan hotels. Still, by paying eight annas, you can get full meal.

Devotee (1): When Rāvaṇa was on the earth, was the whole earth populated, like Brazil and also the other parts of the world?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Everywhere population. This is a new theory of the rascals that there was no civilization before three thousand years. This is wrong theory. Everything was there.

Devotee (1): So when Mahārāja Yayāti banished his sons to those kingdoms, they were already populated there.

Room Conversation with Director of Research of the Dept. of Social Welfare -- May 21, 1975, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: We can feed unlimitedly provided the government helps.

Director: You could form... you could make a place destitute people could come and have a free meal.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes, oh, yes. Everyone, we open to everyone. You come and take prasādam.

Director: Could the government in a word use you...

Prabhupāda: No, we cannot be used by the government. We can use the government. Government cannot dictate us. That will not help.

Morning Walk -- July 1, 1975, Denver:

Yadubara: Śrīla Prabhupāda, in Los Angeles they are charging money for the prasādam, and we find that it's cheaper to buy our own prasādam and offer it ourself.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Yadubara: They are charging money in Los Angeles for the prasādam each meal, so we find it is cheaper to...

Prabhupāda: Prepare your own?

Yadubara: Yes.

Prabhupāda: So you do that.

Harikeśa: Yes. They will not let a householder take unless they pay money first.

Yadubara: 75c for noon prasādam and 50c for breakfast.

Morning Walk -- July 4, 1975, Chicago:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We've been reading in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā, that, there's a statement that when Caitanya Mahāprabhu took prasādam at the house of Advaita Ācārya, there's a verse quoted from the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that a sannyāsī should not leave anything, no... When he's taking his meals he should not leave anything on the plate. But sometimes we have heard in the past that a sannyāsī should leave something on the plate.

Prabhupāda: No. Sometimes the guru leaves some remnant to be taken by the disciple. That is meant for the disciple. Ordinarily they should not. (break) ...from the other side of the lakes?

Brahmānanda: It's Canada.

Prabhupāda: Canada, oh.

Morning Walk -- July 5, 1975, Chicago:

Prabhupāda: No, those who are preaching, not for them. Those who are sitting idle, or they... (laughter) (break) ...has no other regulation, simply preaching. A preacher is so exalted. He hasn't got to follow any regulation. But don't take it. (laughter) And actually if one is busy in preaching work, that is first-class. (break) ...not my manufactured word, my Guru Mahārāja, that the... That Mādhava Mahārāja, when he was a brahmacārī, his name was Hayagrīva. So he was to go somewhere. So but he was sick. Guru Mahārāja was informed that he was sick and "Today is ekādaśī. He cannot take his regular meals." So Guru Mahārāja said, "No. Let him take immediately meals and go."

Morning Walk -- August 24, 1975, Delhi:

Jayapatāka: ...Śrīla Prabhupāda, the deputy director of tourism of the government of West Bengal came out to visit Māyāpur. He said that many people have been wanting to see Māyāpur and Navadvipa. And the nearest guesthouse they have is Berhampur. They have a guest house at Berhampur. So they wanted to know the possibility if a bus of twenty-four people could use our guesthouse. They offered thirty rupees a night per room and said that normally they pay six rupees per meal. They wouldn't smoke or break any rules while they go in the building.

Prabhupāda: That's nice. Let them come. So in one room, one person?

Jayapatāka: Two people. Double room.

Prabhupāda: Thirty-two rupees?

Morning Walk -- August 24, 1975, Delhi:

Prabhupāda: Thirty-two rupees?

Jayapatāka: Thirty rupees.

Prabhupāda: Thirty rupees. And meals?

Jayapatāka: Six rupees a meal they are accustomed to pay.

Prabhupāda: That's very nice.

Jayapatāka: Either rice, dahl, and...

Prabhupāda: Capati.

Jayapatāka: And sabji. Otherwise puri and sabji.

Prabhupāda: That's nice. Why not begin immediately?

Room Conversation -- October 4, 1975, Mauritius:

Prabhupāda: Lavaṇa-bhāskara, it is? No. Yes. Yesterday night what did I take?

Harikeśa: At night you're supposed to take tripolin(?), no?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Harikeśa: At night Prabhupāda takes tripolin(?). After meals he takes this Bhāskara-lavaṇa.

Prahupada: But...

Brahmānanda: At night you took this one?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Harikeśa: No, at night he's supposed to take tripolin.

Prabhupāda: You follow. (end)

Morning Walk -- November 12, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: ...worldwide known...

Dr. Patel: In the Christian religion.

Nara: He was a loafer. He was not having two meals a day. (break)

Brahmānanda: Yaśomatīnandana has a book, and he would like to read a few sentences from that book.

Prabhupāda: Which is that book?

Brahmānanda: Hm?

Prabhupāda: What is that book?

Brahmānanda: Well, we thought that we could play a game that Dr. Patel, he could identify who has written this book.

Morning Walk -- November 17, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: No, no. Poverty is the cause of nonretirement?

Dr. Patel: They have nothing to eat. They hardly get, I mean, two meals. Not square but even triangle. (laughs) They don't get any food in the mofices(?).

Prabhupāda: What is the question of mofices?(?) I am talking of...

Dr. Patel: India is made up of all villages and mofices(?). Cities are few.

Prabhupāda: So that is the cause of nonretirement.

Dr. Patel: I mean to my mind. It may be another cause also. I don't know. What do you think? Lack of proper education?

Morning Walk -- December 11, 1975, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: How do you know that he's eating too much?

Akṣayānanda Swami: I was staying at one about a year ago. When I was travelling I stayed a few days at some of the places. At night they would have a whole meal...

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Akṣayānanda Swami: ...big, big meal. They would be sitting eating for one hour. Then in the morning they were all tired and very dull.

Prabhupāda: Huh huh. (laughing)

Akṣayānanda Swami: Then again at lunch time and after that again sleep. They couldn't do anything else, there was no time for preaching or for distributing books or... But yet they were supposed to be doing 64 rounds. That was in Vishakapatnam.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- January 3, 1976, Nellore:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There's a nice temple in Nabadwip that does that, the Govinda temple in Nabadwip. When I was going to purchase the land in Māyāpur, the Mr. Das, the lawyer, and I, we would take our meals at this temple. Every day he would purchase. He would give a little.

Prabhupāda: Yes, still there are.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They had arrangement like this. At least a hundred people were taking, respectable people.

Prabhupāda: Acchā.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's a very big temple, that temple. Of course, I don't know how bona fide the persons who speak at night are, but every night there are speakers, and many people coming. It's a very good temple. I was very impressed by it. Nice rooms for people to stay upstairs, very active, always being cleansed by people.

Prabhupāda: That is temple.

Morning Walk -- January 6, 1976, Nellore:

Indian man: Yes, rice only. No capātis.

Yaśodānandana: Yes, in South India they only eat rice. In Mysore we had a meal. The gentleman served us nine different kinds of rice.

Acyutānanda: Nava-dhānya.

Yaśodānandana: Nava-dhānya. Rice with yogurt, rice with chilies, rice with dahl, rice with everything.

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.

Morning Walk -- January 19, 1976, Mayapur:

Bhavānanda: We had one day guard on our front gate last week. He worked for three days. His monthly salary was forty rupees plus his meals. So after he was here for three days the rickshawallas, they said, "Why you are working for them for so little money? They are so wealthy." And he left.

Prabhupāda: Who is supervising this department?

Bhavānanda: Tapomaya.

Prabhupāda: Where is Tapomaya? (Bengali)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This is all our, for our sugarcane?

Tapomāyā: Another two.... (break)

Morning Walk -- April 21, 1976, Melbourne:

Devotee (1): Prabhupāda, last night you were describing how people serve their dogs. And now, in the Western countries, they have restaurants where you can take your dog, and he sits at the table with you and they serve a meal for him. And they have catering services. You can call up, and they will bring a special meal to your dog, so he can eat at his home. They have beauty parlors for dogs, everything.

Prabhupāda: Yes, they have taken dogs as God. According to Vedic civilization, dog is untouchable. (break) ...all the centers, then how many days it takes?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: To visit all of our centers in the world?

Prabhupāda: No, Europe, America? That is world round.

Room Conversation -- May 4, 1976, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: (chuckles) He is the right person.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. And the restaurant is very successful. Also they have not advertised that, but every day about fifty people come for the lunch, and at least another seventy, eighty people come in the evening for dinner. For a full meal each person pays an average about $2.50.

Prabhupāda: That's cheap.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: All you can eat for two dollars...

Prabhupāda: And for public it is very cheap.

Room Conversation -- May 4, 1976, Honolulu:

Prabhupāda: They are purchasing book also?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. They give them a Back to Godhead, complimentary copy...

Prabhupāda: Ācchā.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ...with the meal. And then they also purchase books. The buses are going on nicely. All the buses are out. Two more buses are being made now.

Prabhupāda: Oh, you are adding two more.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Well, we had almost finished two. They'll be added in June, so that will make eight, a total of eight. And they're having a normal program going on nicely. And Madhudviṣa Mahārāja also went to visit the other temples. He said in Boston they've gotten.... I think they've already gotten it, right? That restaurant? Ambarīṣa Prabhu has gotten the most wonderful restaurant there, just around the corner from the temple. So it will be very, very high class restaurant with waiters, and...

Room Conversation -- July 27, 1976, London:

Hari-śauri: One of the devotees in America. Some man came with his pet dog. So in America they tie up the dogs outside the restaurant, so he did that and he went in. And then he pointed, he showed the doorman his dog, meaning that he was liable to look after him. So after he'd eaten his meal he went out and his dog was gone. So after some inquiry they found out that when he showed the doorman the dog, he misunderstood and thought that he wanted to eat it, that he was bringing his lunch with him, so he took the dog and killed it and served him. He ate his dog.

Jayatīrtha: A local policeman said that in England there are more laws protecting the dogs than there are protecting the children. If you beat your children, then no problem. If you beat your dog, immediately they'll come arrest you.

Prabhupāda: Ācchā?

Room Conversation -- August 2, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

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.

Room Conversation -- August 3, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Prabhupāda: Chick peas very nutritious. If you simply boil soft, oh, it is very nutritious. A little, so much, is as good as full meal. Next time, if possible, I shall come in June-June, July, August.

Bhagavān: Yes, these are nice months, best months.

Prabhupāda: It is not difficult. To come to Paris it takes eight or nine hours from Bombay.

Hari-śauri: But you might already be in America at that time. (laughs) You're always in America at that time.

Prabhupāda: Now this place is very nice. The outside, so pleasing, the outdoors.

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

Prabhupāda: They cannot settle up their misunderstanding here. By going to the moon planet, they'll do it.

Hari-śauri: That's one thing that they said they were going to do, actually. They had some Russian astronauts and some American astronauts, and they had them meet in space, and then they joined their spaceships together and then they had a meal together and did some experiments, and then they left again. So that was very much acclaimed as bringing the two nations closer together.

Prabhupāda: We are afraid of these two classes of rascals. "Afraid of" means we don't want their association. It is very dangerous.

Pradyumna: You said in the Bhāgavatam just that, that we are afraid of the materialistic men.

Room Conversation with Pandita from Tirupati and Government Minister -- August 24, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: So that opportunity you'll get in our mission.

Paṇḍita: That is how I want to serve.

Prabhupāda: That opportunity you'll get. So now give him some resting place just now. And you take some of our books and go on. Then, after taking my meals, I shall come.

Hari-śauri: Śrīla Prabhupāda, this Minister Rao, he's just arrived.

Prabhupāda: Just now? So...

Hari-śauri: What shall I do? Ask him to wait or...?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Hari-śauri: It's ten minutes before prasādam.

Room Conversation with Pandita from Tirupati and Government Minister -- August 24, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Hari-śauri: It's ten minutes before prasādam.

Prabhupāda: Call him. Call him.

Paṇḍita: I shall wait till you finish your meals.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So you can take in your room. Give him some plate. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Minister: (Hindi)

Prabhupāda: Take prasādam. You give (Hindi) So you have brought? So if you kindly wait, then I can finish my meals. Then I shall talk.

Minister: Oh, yes. We will go. We have come here just to have your darśana.

Prabhupāda: No, I have to talk with you something. So if you kindly wait...

Garden Conversation -- September 3, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: That is the whole world history. Now they have made encumbrance. Naturally, a class of men, they became soldiers. They were trained up, and...

Caraṇāravindam: Whenever I visited a village in India, people were always very friendly. "Sit down, take some meal." Or if I walk through a field they will pick something from a tree, some tomatoes, or some vegetables and give it to me.

Prabhupāda: You can grow some tomatoes here. That is a very easy thing.

Caraṇāravindam: I have also some and some different seeds to plant.

Prabhupāda: Tomato, squash.

Caraṇāravindam: You would like to see growing in your garden a little sabji?

Prabhupāda: Yes. It is very... Cucumber. These things can be grown very easily. And zucchini. Called zucchini?

Room Conversation -- September 9, 1976, Vrndavana:

Hari-śauri: You never actually stayed with him then.

Prabhupāda: I was going. I was taking my meals there.

Hari-śauri: Oh. And just keeping a room at the YMCA.

Prabhupāda: Because he had no room, so I was staying there.

Hari-śauri: And then he arranged programs, speaking programs?

Prabhupāda: His wife, Sally. His wife, Sally she was arranging. A very intelligent girl. They were of the same age, about thirty. Gopal was more than thirty and she was (indistinct). I saw that she was feeding her child, one boy, meat powder.

Room Conversation -- September 9, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: With hot water.

Hari-śauri: Yes, they have instant meals for children. All different kinds of things.

Prabhupāda: So Gopal was very much pleased that he could get some Indian cāpāṭis, like this.

Hari-śauri: So he had you cook for him. You took your cooker with you? Is that the same one?

Prabhupāda: No. So I lived with him for twenty-one days. Then I came to New York.

Hari-śauri: Yes, that picture in the Butler Eagle. It's in the Vyāsa-Pūjā book this year.

Room Conversation About Gurukula -- November 5, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: No, no, why earlier? Earlier, any breakfast?

Jagadīśa: No.

Prabhupāda: So why not? They are children. They must have some breakfast.

Jagadīśa: They have three meals. One at... This is the way the temple program is scheduled. The temple eats at 9:30 in the morning, so the boys also get prasādam at that time because everyone eats the same...

Prabhupāda: But early in the morning they should have some, at least munch of sweetmeat, something like that.

Bhagatji: Like chewra.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- January 7, 1977, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: Many was so very cheap then. After I graduated myself when I was university scholar, I was given seventy-five rupee scholarship per month and a free bungalow with servants and all these things. It was all right for me till I passed my M.D., seventy-five rupees only.

Prabhupāda: This cow's milk in Bengal, it is compulsory-before beginning your meal, little cow milk, er, ghee mixed with rice and smashed potato. It is very nice.

Dr. Patel: And then we do serve..., after that we take out a part of it for the cow back, and a little for...

Prabhupāda: Ālu bharte bharta. (?) In Bengal it is called ālu bharte bharta. If you don't have anything, just have smashed potato, little ghee and rice. That's it. It is sufficient, very nutritious. And at last, little milk. Very nutritious.

Evening Darsana -- February 15, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Some devotees, I've noticed... Sometimes some weak devotees, they leave our movement but still, in New York, even after leaving, they have to come every evening for their regular meals in the restaurant, because they are addicted to prasādam. They cannot do without it.

Prabhupāda: What do we supply in the restaurant?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Restaurant supplies two or three sabjis...

Prabhupāda: Two, three.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: At least. Then puris, cāpāṭi, then samosā or pakorā, kacuri...

Prabhupāda: Oh. (laughs) Sweet rice also?

Evening Darsana -- February 15, 1977, Mayapura:

Brahmānanda: And export all over the world.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I've seen that they eat beef in the morning, noon and evening. I personally saw in South America that in these South American countries they eat meat sometimes three meals in a day. Of course, in America they do it also. I remember in restaurants in Mexico they were doing that. Very big meat-eaters.

Prabhupāda: In Russia also, simply eating meat.

Brahmānanda: Meat and vodka.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Brahmānanda: They have no vegetables available. I read in the newspapers here in India now that Poland, they are putting up a vodka factory. Punjab.

Prabhupāda: What is that vodka?

Room Conversation -- March 26, 1977, Bombay:

Girirāja: So we wanted to invite the newspaper men to Juhu, and usually they are more inclined to come for these meetings if we give them a nice meal. So that would be..., what I was thinking is that if you are taking your meal at 12 o'clock, then if you could meet them for a short time after that, say, at about 12:30, and then, after that, then they can take their prasādam. Otherwise we could have it in the afternoon, but I don't think we'll get as good response, because they are after that; they like that meal to be served.

Prabhupāda: Well, whatever time, you decide. But after taking my meals, I require a little rest.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: How much rest, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: One hour.

Room Conversation about Harijanas -- April 10, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: It is not meat. They are eating garlic. Those Christian tenant, they are eating. And onion everyone eats.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Except for us. Americans are very fond of onions. Yeah. They can eat a whole onion sometimes in one meal. They eat raw. Especially in the salad they will put onions.

Prabhupāda: For a meat-eater, onion is very sweet.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: For fish eater.

Prabhupāda: And fish eater.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Fish, meats.

Prabhupāda: Actually, meat has no taste. The onion creates taste.

Room Conversation with Ram Jethmalani (Parliament Member) -- April 16, 1977, Bombay:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: At night we don't take. Only some fruit. Usually we eat one main meal at noon time, noon or one. And in the morning a little fruit, at night some milk. One main time a day. (Hindi conversation between Prabhupāda and man)

Ram Jethmalani: Were you nonvegetarian before you joined this movement?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. But now I could not even think of eating anything but Kṛṣṇa prasādam.

Prabhupāda: (Hindi)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That is how Prabhupāda got us off of all nonvegetarian foodstuff. He personally cooked for us, and he made us eat so much that we lost all remembrance of anything but prasādam. Then after we were very nicely fed with prasādam, he taught us the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa. And after being very much pleased with the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa, then he would also lecture to us on Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. So every part of us was satisfied-our tongues, our voices, our minds and intelligence, fully satisfied.

Conversation: Vairagya, Salaries, and Political Etiquette -- April 28, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Niṣkiñcanasya. One who has decided that "This world is useless. I have to take birth repeatedly and accept different types of bodies and suffer." Body means... Those who have understood this fact and disgusted, so bhakti line is for them. One who has the tendency to enjoy this material world, and they are taking advantage of God, "Give me good wife, give me good work, good meal, good enjoyment," they are not in the bhakti line. They are in the very nascent stage.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Nescient stage?

Prabhupāda: Lower stage. Vairāgya-vidyā-nija-bhakti-yogam (CC Madhya 6.254). That... There is one verse written by Sarvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya. What page I don't... Śikṣārtham. The bhakti-yoga, nija-bhakti-yoga... Bhakti-yoga means devotion to Kṛṣṇa. And that is vairāgya-vidyā, how to learn, renounce this world. Otherwise why Caitanya Mahāprabhu gave up His gṛhastha life? He's the same person. Why Rūpa Gosvāmī gave up their ministership? By their personal behavior they are showing this is not required. This is vairāgya-vidyā. So under the circumstances, those who have no vairāgya, they cannot live in the temple. They are taking advantage of the temple facilities for their sense enjoyment. Do you understand?

Short Dissertations -- May 24-25, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Hm. What you are doing with them?

Bhavānanda: Nimbu pāni, and all the devotees get piece of lemon with their main meal. We have now... Everyone has gathered. All of the preaching parties have come back, and we've... They're all dispersing again on Friday. So when everyone is there, we have close to 275 residents.

Prabhupāda: Everyone is satisfied.

Bhavānanda: Everyone is satisfied.

Prabhupāda: Anyone.

Jayapatākā: The gurukula put on a drama just the day before we left. What was the play?

Room Conversation -- June 18, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: That's all right. Welcome. But no cooking there.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No. No, that's cleared up. Immediately we can start using that hall for feeding our meal. Actually there's no reason why certain parts of that building can't be utilized now, not just sit. On one day there has to be some, you know... We may have that to show opening ceremony, but still, certain places can be utilized at a time. Just like they're using some of the...

Prabhupāda: No, opening ceremony... Gurukula is going on.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah. Some of the offices are already being utilized. So the dining hall can be utilized and the kitchen floor.

Room Conversation with Vrindavan De -- July 6, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, I think it's time for you to go upstairs. Vrindavan, he has to take his meals in the evening or he may miss... (break)

Prabhupāda: ...you try to become Vaiṣṇava. Keep it, whatever it may be. For the time being, you have got guarantee that your present position will never be disturbed. Is that all right?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Whatever he wants. If he becomes a Vaiṣṇava, then he'll only want Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: So you... For the time being, we have given guarantee they'll not be disturbed in the present position. Be satisfied. Do business. (end)

Room Conversation -- October 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Hm. (pause) That's all right. You can...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda. We'll go and take our lunch now? Er, Śrīla Prabhupāda? Now you'll be taking mung water, so in about a couple of hours would you like to try some milk? Okay. So we'll take leave now, Śrīla Prabhupāda, take our meal. Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda. (break) (reading:)

kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā
ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ
ye 'nye ca pāpā yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ
śudhyanti tasmai prabhaviṣṇave namaḥ
(SB 2.4.18)

Prabhupāda: Where is beginning?

Room Conversation -- October 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Rāmeśvara: Oh. In the restaurant there is cāpāṭis, nice ḍāl, two sabjis. Rice is a very favorite food of Persians, so rice is there, and some sweet, usually some pudding, some sweet rice, and some fruit juice and fruit. These things all come as part of the meal.

Prabhupāda: They like it.

Rāmeśvara: Oh, yes. It is so crowded. There's no more room. In fact, they are looking for a bigger place.

Prabhupāda: Hm. Hm. So everything is prepared by Nandarāṇī?

Bali-mardana: Nandarāṇī is preparing?

Rāmeśvara: Nandarāṇī and some other brāhmaṇas, some men who are there at the temple. She is especially a good cook. And in the evenings they play Hare Kṛṣṇa kīrtana tapes, mostly Your Divine Grace. People very much like the atmosphere because of the music. In Islam there is a tradition of chanting God's name and other mantras or prayers, so they appreciate the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa very much. When you enter the restaurant there is a big book table, so the first thing that one sees are japa beads and your books, and people buy the books from the table.

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

Prabhupāda: (Bengali)

Doctor: Neurovion syrup. Three times a day.

Prabhupāda: (Bengali)

Doctor: A tablespoonful two times a day after meals. A tablespoonful (Bengali). A teaspoonful two times a day, three-two combined. (Bengali) Now the tablet(?) remains off, it is not. It is positively due to deficiency of proteins. (Hindi) But it should be given.

Bali-mardana: He will have to agree to take it. You will have to agree to take it, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Dr. Kapoor: He has agreed.

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

Dr. Kapoor: After some juice or whatever he takes.

Upendra: So that means these three medicines three times a day?

Dr. Kapoor: Two times, after meals. After meals. Mix them up, the three syrups, mix them up, one tablespoonful each. And give three tablespoonfuls after meals, twice.

Upendra: How soon after meal?

Doctor: Just along with meal. While making up with it. Unless he feels tired, then of course, you can give it separately. Otherwise just along with it, fruit juice.

Dr. Kapoor: And does he take vegetable juice?

Upendra: No.

Doctor: Something must be given of his liking.

Upendra: But Prabhupāda hasn't got any taste.

Prabhupāda: Liking... (Bengali)

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

Dr. Kapoor: Each of these syrups is after meals twice a day.

Upendra: And the other one is?

Doctor: Digiplex. D-i-g-i-p-l-e-x. Digiplex. That is also one tablespoon.

Prabhupāda: They have got it?

Doctor: (Bengali)

Upendra: What was the other syrup?

Doctor: Neurovion syrup. N-e-u-r-o-v-i-o-n.

Upendra: Neurovion syrup. These can be had at any chemist?

Doctor: Yes. I think it is available here. If something is not available here, it can be got from Mathurā.

Upendra: "Fried...?" "Fried" something?

Room Conversation With Svarupa Damodara -- October 15, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Whose hand is cold?

Bhāgavata: Oh. My hand. Bhāgavata. I am sorry. I will not touch you. I am very cold.

Prabhupāda: (laughs)

Bhāgavata: We fed them nice prasādam also yesterday, Śrīla Prabhupāda, three meals a day. They get breakfast in the morning, they get some kacuri and some hot jilabi and some ālu sabji and hot milk for breakfast, nāstā. Then in the afternoon for lunch they get two sabjis, they get rice, they get ḍāl, they get cāpāṭis, and two sweets, peṛā and bundi lāḍu. And then in the evening again they get some sabji and ruṭi, samosā, like that.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes. We had nice prasādam.

Room Conversation With Dr. Ghosh -- October 16, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Attendant, whatever he wants.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, Prabhupāda. Right now we're arranging a good room. He'll have his bath, meals. He asked for some fruits, so we're arranging. Don't worry. We'll give him everything nicely as your dear old friend. I think you should begin now, Śrīla Prabhupāda. I think we should begin to give you this enema now.

Prabhupāda: Begin.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Okay. (break)

Prabhupāda: (Bengali)

Bhakti-caru: (Bengali)

Room Conversation -- October 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Where he is?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He's gone to take his meals now. Then he's going to take rest, he said.

Prabhupāda: And he has got the papers?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He gave them back to me to keep in the almirah locked up. He said until he goes he wants me to keep them carefully. I said all right. And I'm getting him a ticket as well as sending the letters by special mail service to Bombay for Girirāja's signature, so that at least from our side there will not be any reason to delay. And when I showed him the letter that I had written to the bank, he was very satisfied. He could understand that there should be no difficulty now. He was quite confident after reading the letter. The letter is very clearly written, and with the power of attorney it's a complete document. I think everything was done all right. He seemed to be satisfied.

Prabhupāda: So what about kavirāja? He might think it is a whimsical. And that was my last desire. You could not.

Room Conversation -- October 30, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Really? Hm. I think everyone praises you, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: That is very difficult. You have all taken meals?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda. While we were taking, we were thinking that you were seeing us, and we were satisfied. We were thinking that the spiritual master is very much satisfied when he sees his disciples respecting bhāgavata-prasādam. (break) ...pray, Śrīla Prabhupāda, that you recover. You won't have to be bothered now by any more worries of any kind. You simply can translate and see all of the temples and the devotees. It will be very nice. You've never in all these years been able to be free of the worries and anxieties, but now you'll be able to be. Kṛṣṇa may grant you some more years so you can just have nice time with all of your disciples, visiting all the Deities. Like to take a little rest now, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Yes. What can I do? (laughs) (scratching sound) Whose hand it is? Whose hand?

Room Conversation -- November 3, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: They are taking their prasādam and living there?

Girirāja: Yes. They have nice meal in the morning and evening, and then in the day the main activity is they have the chanting party, and around the chanting party they distribute literature.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Very nice beginning, all-auspicious.

Trivikrama: Is the weather very cold?

Girirāja: It's not very cold. The climate is very healthful. In fact, two devotees were there who were in India for some time and they felt a little weary, and they both said that they felt that their health and strength had increased.

Bhakti-caru: It's a beautiful city also.

Girirāja: Yes. It's very peaceful and clean.

Room Conversation -- November 6, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Things are going on.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Bhagatji was working very hard, Śrīla Prabhupāda. Too hard. Sometimes he missed his meals in the last two days to do that. I never saw... Even a young man could not work so much as he worked in the last two days. Śrīla Prabhupāda? I think we can... If you allow, Bhavānanda Mahārāja and I can sit you up for a minute to drink a little barley milk? Then you can lay down and take good rest. Taking a little warm thing at night is helpful for sleeping. It's relaxing. We never were used to that, but since we met Your Divine Grace, we're always taking a little warm milk at night. So you'll allow us to give you a little? (pause)

Bhavānanda: Bhakti-caru Prabhu.

Page Title:Meals (Conversations)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, RupaManjari
Created:07 of Mar, 2012
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=57, Let=0
No. of Quotes:57