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Medicine (Conversations 1977, Jan - Aug)

Expressions researched:
"medicament" |"medication" |"medicinal" |"medicinally" |"medicine" |"medicine's" |"medicines"

Conversations and Morning Walks

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 2, 1977, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: Africa they have hunted down all the lions on safari.

Prabhupāda: Killing business.

Dr. Patel: They have killed them at random. There is a disease called sleeping sickness. This sleeping sickness is common in the wild game and wild animals and antelopes in Africa. That we found out. And from there a type of fly called tsetse fly, he bites them. Just like the flies bite those animals, then when you go in the jungle they bite you. When they bite you they transfer the germ from animal to you, and you get the sleeping sickness. Now the latest sleeping sickness medicine is dependable, I mean nobody can die. But to arrest this disease in Central Africa, they'll kill all the game. Still they have not been able to arrest this sleeping sickness.

Prabhupāda: This is only theory; therefore I don't believe that. Simply theory.

Evening Darsana -- January 7, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) Aiye.

Guest (1) (Indian man): Humanity is hungry for love of father Śrī Kṛṣṇa, devotion, yes.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is the only...

Guest (1): That is only medicine. That is only remedy.

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Guest (1): Kṛṣṇa conscious. That is only medicine. That is only remedy.

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) ...directly presented, "Here is God." Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). "But why you are making research and wasting time, 'Whether God is person or imperson or this or that? What is His...?' Here is God."

Room Conversation -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: You have to accept. You may give some relief, but you have to accept. So that is not solution. The solution is how to stop this janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi. That is solution. That is bigger solution. So we are giving that thing—there will be no more eyes' trouble. The main disease... Suppose one man is diseased, so sometimes he is feeling headache, sometimes eye-ache, sometimes finger-ache, and you are applying some medicine for headache. That is not the solution. The solution is that this man is suffering from this disease. How to cure it? So Bhagavad-gītā is meant for that purpose. Tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti (BG 4.9). And as soon as you accept body, kleśada... Na sādhu manye yato ātmano 'yam asann api kleśada āsa dehaḥ (SB 5.5.4). Asann api.

Room Conversation -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yes, but... Yes.

Guest (5): How is your health?

Prabhupāda: Not good.

Guest (5): No, but you are taking that medicine or...?

Prabhupāda: I stopped that medicine.

Guest (5): Too much bitter, I think.

Prabhupāda: Not only bitter. I got some trouble in the teeth. Pap(?) means suspended.

Guest (5): Pills are taken or not taken?

Room Conversation -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Bhikṣa-mātā. Bhikṣa means giving alms. At least every woman becomes a bhikṣa-mātā, alms-giving mother. This is system. My mother was bhikṣa-mātā to one brāhmaṇa. He is the son of our priest. Family priest, family guru, vipra-mātā, still in Hindu family, the system is still going on, brāhmaṇa visiting daily, informing, "Today is this tithi. The duty is this, the sunrise at this time is..." This is brāhmaṇa's duty, to go to the neighboring householders, and whatever they give, take. That is brāhmaṇa's art. At the same time, they keep some medicine. Every house there is some ailments. They'll give some medicine. Still. Now it is not so... In our childhood every day some brāhmaṇa visitor would come. So I will take massage like yesterday, early.

Room Conversation -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: We can send one boy, Vijeta, from here. He's not doing very much, and he's on the construction department. I was just waiting for Saurabha to come back.

Prabhupāda: So he can go, because Gaura-Govinda will be engaged for collecting.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Vijeta and his wife, they can both go right now...

Prabhupāda: Very bitter.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: This medicine?

Prabhupāda: So? You had been there?

Jagadīśa: We're going... All three of us are going.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: At one o'clock.

Prabhupāda: So what other news?

Room Conversation -- January 10, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: I had one... When I was doing medical business I had one very nice customer. He was my patron also, one Muhammadan doctor, Sriraja Uttina.(?) He was very kind to me. He was just like a father to me. So his system was that in his pharmacy, patent medicine, drugs, medicine, surgical instruments, like that different headings. So suppose, at the sales time, sells some patent medicine. So he has got a box. So he puts the price in the patent medicine. And if he sells some surgical, he puts the price in the surgical pot. In this way, when they want to purchase again, so he would consult his pot, whether there is money. Then he'll allow to purchase. Otherwise not. So he told me, "This is my account. This is my account. When they want to purchase, they consign us something. I shall allow them to purchase so much as I have got in the box." This is... I have seen that gentleman. And in Calcutta there was... In our young time there was a cinema, Mr. Maddar, J.F. Maddar. He's a Parsee.

Conversation and Instruction On New Movie -- January 13, 1977, Allahabad:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Rāmeśvara: In America everything is based on the tongue.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Everywhere. Taste can be very nice, sweetened. There is salt, and you can add honey also. Naturally salty and sweet plus some ingredients like peppermint, wintergreen, camphor, it will make tasty. These ingredients are very nice. We can... Some ordinary medicament. That skin disease ointment, some cough mixture. I have got experience in all these things. If you want to introduce this kind of business, tidbit...(?) The gṛhasthas can do the business.

Rāmeśvara: Gṛhasthas. I also want to start this record...

Conversation and Instruction On New Movie -- January 13, 1977, Allahabad:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes, you do. Wherever we get opportunity, we shall chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. That's all.

Rāmeśvara: We can teach them to chant.

Prabhupāda: Yes. This is our medicine.

Rāmeśvara: But, of course, the main thing is that the governor, he is not inviting us so much to give religion. He wants...

Prabhupāda: No, this is our method to cure.

Rāmeśvara: Yes.

Conversation and Instruction On New Movie -- January 13, 1977, Allahabad:

Prabhupāda: Yes, the nine devotional process and how, by each process, one becomes perfect, just like Parīkṣit Mahārāja, simply hearing, and Śukadeva Gosvāmī, simply chanting, reciting Bhāgavatam. So both of them got salvation. Lakṣmī, she is simply pāda-sevanam, giving massage to the lotus feet of the Lord. Arjuna simply made friendship with Kṛṣṇa. Hanuman simply worked as a hard servant. He doesn't know what He is... "Lord Rāmacandra wants it." Then it is done. Jump over. He does not know any philosophy. He has got bodily strength, so whatever Rāmacandra says, he'll do. He was asked to bring that medicine for Lakṣmaṇa. He did not know where to find it. "Take this whole mountain." (laughter) He was not intelligent. "Fight! We have to fight with Rāvaṇa. Then block his whole city by throwing stones and trees and dirt." Everything became blocked. They could not move. So in one side he is born of animal life, he had no higher intelligence, but his staunch desire, that "I shall serve Lord Rāmacandra..." By that... Only this desire made him perfect. Dāsyam. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23), so smaraṇam. Prahlāda Mahārāja, five years old boy, how he could protest against such a powerful demon father? He was simply thinking of Kṛṣṇa, "All right, my father is punishing me. What can I do?" Simply absorbed, smaraṇam.

Room Conversation -- January 19, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Sixty-seven. I am on the five.

Hari-śauri: I think the pen's still in the case. Or the pencil's still in the red case.

Rāmeśvara: We know you have a very low opinion of doctors. (laughter)

Prabhupāda: I wish to die without a doctor. Don't... When I am... It may be. I may be seriously, but don't call doctor. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Don't be disturbed. Everyone has to die. Let us die peacefully, without doctor. All this medicine, injections, and prohibitions, this, that.

Hari-śauri: Tīrtha Mahārāja had all kinds of machines. Still didn't save him.

Prabhupāda: Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and depend on Kṛṣṇa. Actually... Nārtasya cāgadam udanvati majjato nauḥ. That is the Prahlāda Mahārāja's verse. Find out this. Bālasya neha śaraṇaṁ pitarau nṛsiṁha. Seventh Canto.

Room Conversation -- January 19, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Hari-śauri: "My Lord Nṛsiṁha-deva, O Supreme, because of a bodily conception of life, embodied souls neglected and not cared for by You cannot do anything for their betterment."

Prabhupāda: That's it.

Hari-śauri: "Whatever remedies they accept, although perhaps temporarily beneficial, are certainly impermanent. For example, a father and mother cannot protect their child, a physician and medicine cannot relieve a suffering patient, and a boat on the ocean cannot protect a drowning man."

Prabhupāda: These are facts.

Gargamuni: That's ultimately, but maybe we could give you some temporary relief so we don't feel... Because when you are ill, we feel...

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is... But for that, no severe treatment should be accepted. Better not to take. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Room Conversation -- January 19, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Gargamuni: Left side. And this is most dangerous, the doctor said. Maybe for swelling we can increase the massaging to three times a day.

Hari-śauri: That's what this guy told me, not to massage very much.

Gargamuni: Oh.

Hari-śauri: At least not while the swelling is there. Actually that medicine that Shiv Sharma gave you, that was reduced. I don't think this homeopathic medicine is any good.

Prabhupāda: So you can give me that.

Gargamuni: My father, he also used to get swelling, but this was due to diabetes.

Prabhupāda: I have got diabetes also.

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: (break) ...changing. The prescription is there, but I am trying my humble way to present it. That's all. I have no power. But the, the order is there. Anarthopaśamaṁ sākṣād. And people do not know it. Therefore this Bhāgavata is presented. Now give it to the people. Our credit should be that we are giving the statement of Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā, as it is. That's all. No adulteration, interpretation. It has been medicine. Medicine is there already. It is not that I have manufactured the medicine. But we are administering in the proper way. Therefore it is becoming... We cannot make any medicine. Medicine is already there. But we don't make any adulteration. As it is, we are administering, and therefore it is coming out nice. (break—kīrtana background) What is that Re...?

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Rāmeśvara: I'm thinking that by selling all these books, gradually hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions of people will want us to give them some advice. They'll want to elect Kṛṣṇa conscious leaders. They'll want us to guide the society. So it will require great intelligence...

Prabhupāda: First of all, we have to know where he is. Then we can give. What is his position? Then we can give him. Just like diagnosis. You have to see what is the disease. Then we give medicine.

Rāmeśvara: One of the symptoms of the disease is that all of the people are engaged in artificial work, and the whole world is interdependent. It is very complex system of world trade, world finance.

Prabhupāda: But we have nothing to do with that.

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: No. Sex desire cannot be controlled by ordinary man. That's a fact. But they have invented so many things to stop increase of population. Why population is increasing? That is the point. They are killing and more... They're taking contraceptive tablets and so on, so on, a vigorous arrangement for stopping birth or checking increase of population. Why every second or every minute throughout the whole world three men are increasing? That they cannot stop. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Janma-mṛtyu-jarā-vyādhi-duḥkha-doṣānudarśanam (BG 13.9). It is indeed troublesome, but you cannot stop it. Either birth or death or disease or old age, you cannot stop. You want it. Everyone wants. Who wants to become old man like me to run on with a stick and with so many inconveniences? But I have to become old man. Who can stop it? Similarly, birth, death also, or disease... You may be proud that "We have invented medicine for cancer and...," but you cannot stop disease. That is not possible. What is their answer?

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Rāmeśvara: Material science as well as spiritual science?

Prabhupāda: No. No, no. There is no need of so-called material science—how to kill children in the womb. These things will be kicked out. Nonsense.

Rāmeśvara: Do you think that they will adopt Indian medicine over Western medicine, things like that? Because there has to be some varṇāśrama.

Prabhupāda: No, medicine, if it is actually medicine, it will be accepted. It doesn't matter whether it is Indian or Western. If it is medicine it will be accepted.

Rāmeśvara: So that kind of research is in the mode of goodness.

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Rāmeśvara: So it's not that these...

Prabhupāda: We do not approve anything which is not actually beneficial. Otherwise it doesn't matter, homeopathic or allopathic. But there is standard medicine given by Dhanvantari.

Rāmeśvara: Yes. But what about certain technological advancements like airplanes and automobiles?

Prabhupāda: There are subtler aeroplanes. Aeroplane is mentioned in the śāstras. Now they are working on machine, but there are aeroplanes which can work on mantra.

Evening Darsana -- January 23, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: He started this rajya hope: "We must have our own in hand."(?) So he was a very big man, barrister. One, his friend, he was also brāhmaṇa. So he felt it, and he was taking daily Gaṇgā-snāna. So this, his friend, Mr. Bannerjee, he came to see him, that "You bring one doctor." He refused: "No, I don't want. I'll drink this Ganges water." So he never took any help from the brāhmaṇas. But simply drinking Ganges water cured. And in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also it is stated, nārtasya cāgadam udanvati majjato nauḥ, tāvad vibho tanu-bhrtāṁ tvad-upekṣitānām (SB 7.9.19). A doctor medicine is not actually cure. Unless.... If somebody is neglected, denounced by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, any amount of medicine or good physician will not be able to cure. Father, mother, is not the shelter of the children. The things are described in the Bhāgavatam.

Room Conversation -- January 26, 1977, Puri:

Prabhupāda: Dangerous community. These scientists, the so-called, they are dangerous community. Now, if five ounce(?) sight(?) is there, "No, it should be operated. Then he will be cured." And actually it is happening. In the hospitals they make all kinds of experiment, and if you say, "No, why you are doing that? A patient is suffering," "We must execute our science. So long the life is there we shall try to save him." They say like that. They will go on with all nonsense activity, and if you want to stop them, they will say, "No, our science has got so..." They take in writing that "Whatever we shall do, you cannot object," hospital. It is a place of demons. And as soon as they get a patient who will not protest, they'll make it, they'll make it and operation. No medicine, simply operate.

Room Conversation -- January 26, 1977, Puri:

Gurukṛpā: What they do now is... What they've been doing is they have all these pills, and they give them to people to experiment, to see what the reaction is.

Prabhupāda: Hm. That is going on. Big, big patent medicine, they will explain scientifically and give to the doctor and make experiment, and they will go on making experiment. I know this. This is their business. They'll write, they will call for the medical students—they have learned new, new words—and they'll pay to make a literature with bombastic scientific word, and they'll prepare literature. This literature will be distributed and give their medicine, and they may pay them for false propaganda. This is going on to introduce new patent medicine. I know that. Simply water they will inject to get money. The patients have come, innocent, illiterate—"How want to be...? Do you want to be cured very quickly or little less?" He's a laborer. He says, "Yes, sir, if you cure me." "So then injection will be required." He has no disease, and they'll give some water injection, yes, and take fee. Because as soon as there is question injection, he'll charge at least four rupees, five rupees. He has no disease. They will inject water and take four, five rupees. In India I have seen.

Room Conversation -- January 27, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: No, no. It doesn't matter. If you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa always, the medicine is there already. Then it will rectify you automatically. Chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Where is the loss? It is open for everyone. Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam, kalau nāsty eva (CC Adi 17.21). Especially in this age it is very difficult to... But if you take to this harer nāma, then gradually ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam (CC Antya 20.12). Everything will be cleansed within your heart and you'll understand. You take to this immediately. Somebody is giving prasāda?

Room Conversation -- January 27, 1977, Puri:

Satsvarūpa: He's new on the scene, so don't expect too much, but he'll soon know everything.

Prabhupāda: What is new? History, whole history, is the same. Your forefathers, his forefathers, never have done that? Why it is new?

Satsvarūpa: Well, they say there's been regular improvements, medicines...

Prabhupāda: What is that improvement?

Satsvarūpa: Medicines have done away with so many diseases.

Prabhupāda: What is that? Disease... Does it mean there is no disease? You die by this disease or that disease. What is the improvement?

Gurukṛpā: They say that people used to live much longer, that they live longer now.

Prabhupāda: So what is the use of living longer, a tree is living longer, five thousand years. Does it mean that it is important life? A tree is standing for seven thousand years. There is a tree in San Francisco.

Room Conversation -- January 29, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: These poor Japanese, in two, three wars they attempted to expand. They are very poor in their land. Practically they have no place, very poor. Only by some technical knowledge they are maintaining. Otherwise they have no food, no shelter. Very poor country. I have studied. The Dai Nippon directors, they are living in a thatched house. And their system is: big company, they supply everything—food, cloth, medicine, children's education, and little salary. So people do not leave the post.

Room Conversation -- January 31, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

food. Why shall I disturb him? I must be callous. That is intelligent. I know that when the hospital, the doctor's keeping in starvation, it is good for him. Why shall I disturb?

Hari-śauri: So then why do you go to the hospital when you're sick? When you're sick, then why do you take medicine and consult doctor? Why not be callous to that, too?

Prabhupāda: Callous means we... Callous means we can take treatment, but we cannot protest against the doctor, that "Why you are not giving me food?" We take treatment. That is saner. If the doctors ask me that "Don't eat," I take the treatment. I don't protest that "Why you are keeping me in starvation?" You are doing that, rascal, that "Why you are keeping me in starvation?" But one who knows things, he doesn't protest.

Room Conversation -- February 2, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: No, that is not our scheme. Our scheme is that pathya, auṣadha. Auṣadha means medicine, and pathya means diet. So in order to cure him from these material desires we shall give him medicine, hari-nāma, and diet, prasāda. We have no such program, to make him vegetarian. That is not our program.

Room Conversation -- February 12, 1977, Mayapura:

Jayapatākā: Janārdana.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Jayapatākā: And that gentleman you were just talking with this morning, he is the head of the department of veterinary, of tropical college of medicine on Chittaranjan.

Prabhupāda: What is his name?

Jayapatākā: Mr. Rao.

Prabhupāda: Raot?

Room Conversation -- February 14, 1977, Mayapura:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, very nicely situated.

Satsvarūpa: You'll be taking prasādam.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I've brought some medicines for you from Bombay.

Prabhupāda: Hm. What is that medicine?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I can bring them. I don't know.

Brahmānanda: Were you expecting something.

Evening Darsana -- February 15, 1977, Mayapura:

was in London, the Civil Surgeon, he was a Bengali. This Aurobindo's father, he was a medical practitioner. Aurobindo was born in London. He was English-born, yes. His father, Dr. Monmohan Ghosh, he was medical man there. So although he was British-born, he became enemy of the British. (drinks medicine?) Very bad medicine. (laughs)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That means good. I know when I was going to get that operation I didn't want to go to America. I would rather have gotten it here, even though the machines may not have been so modern, the fact that the Indian doctors were here was more reassurance than the Americans. They are very...

Evening Darsana -- February 15, 1977, Mayapura:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: All over his body these nodule protrusions have come, big lumps growing out, cancerous growths. After Ratha-yātrā this happened. So he went into the hospital, and they nearly killed him in the hospital. Practically they killed him. They put so many tests on him that he was nearly dead. He lost fifty, sixty pounds, he was practically dead. Then when I heard, I got him out of the hospital. There's no purpose. I could understand they didn't know what they were doing. They were just testing. So then he went... He's now in Tijuana, Mexico, and since taking this medicine all of the growths have gone away. Now, how long he will live, that is another matter. But immediately all of these symptoms, outward symptoms, they're gone simply by taking this medical...

Prabhupāda: Herbs.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, this special medicine. But this is illegal. You have to go outside the United States. Even though they know about it, they won't allow it to come in because then they will lose so much money. This girl who joined us, she was telling the most horrible things. She said they're all... She had to quit the profession because she could not stand to be doing this kind of work with these people, the so-called doctors. They were so cruel and cheaters.

Room Conversations -- February 20, 1977, Mayapura:

Devotee: Tangerine is good.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Especially if you can give with this medicine, then it will take away the bitter taste.

Prabhupāda: ...pāṇḍu-ratha, Lord Viṣṇu is there. (break) And we are speaking, duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam (BG 8.15), completely opposite. So let them prove that this portion who have improved, it is an happy position.

Room Conversations -- February 20, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: They say that "Why should you bother so much? You have to take the sweet. Take sugar."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Nobody can go through it. It's such trouble. An ordinary person can't do it. Unless you have a servant, you can't take kavirāja's medicine.

Prabhupāda: Just see. The doctor recommended eight tablets at a time.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: More than once a day. Many times a day?

Prabhupāda: Twice. Eight tablets.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Modern medicine, they would combine all those in one pill. When you take your massage, Śrīla Prabhupāda, do you find it more relaxing and beneficial if there's no talking going on, or...?

Prabhupāda: Not necessarily.

Room Conversation -- February 27, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: We cannot pay for his intoxication.

Rādhā-vallabha: I was thinking of stopping anyway. Now that you have said it, it makes it very simple. I can find a way that it will be done nicely. Practically there's nothing for him to do, very important, anyway.

Prabhupāda: Hm. What is that?

Woman devotee (1): Medicine, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Room Conversation -- February 27, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: No, donation may come for causes good, many, but investment must be conscientious.

Rādhā-vallabha: So I'll save it until I speak to you.

Prabhupāda: Not that because you are getting donation very easily and you spend it, squander it, like that, anything. No. That should not be.

Rādhā-vallabha: In the book on the... I'll wait till you finish your medicine.

Prabhupāda: So Jagannātha-sūta should be strictly advised not to become very learned to correct authorities. No.

Rādhā-vallabha: Jagannātha dāsa.

Room Conversation with Svarupa Damodara -- February 28, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Individual. Where there is question of mixing? Śaṅkarācārya's mistake is that the spirit is a mixture, and in māyā state, they're divided. Is it not? So when the division is finished, then it is spirit. But Kṛṣṇa does not say that. He says in the past we are individual, at present we are individual, and in future we shall continue to be individual.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Seems that we have a good field in medicine, speaking with doctors. It's very interesting. And because they deal with life, so my first question is "What is life?" I just ask them, "What is your concept of life?" And they become very...

Room Conversation -- March 26, 1977, Bombay:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: God conscious? Is he God conscious?

Karttikeya Mahadevia: I think so. He is a very open minded man to find out good things about anything, whether herbal medicine or yogāsana.

Prabhupāda: So after one hour we shall go?

Guest (1) (Indian man): And about these two people, Girirāja Prabhu and (indistinct) who are willing to come, I will take them whenever possible, in April-May or June-July.

Prabhupāda: We have to take the proper... (break) ...is not good. You should avoid it.

Girirāja: I think it was Kṛṣṇa's grace.

Room Conversation -- March 26, 1977, Bombay:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Very good.

Prabhupāda: Always ready. That will clear my urine. That I have experimented. And I don't require that exacting tablet. That tablet by chemical reaction exacts. And when there is no urine, it exacts blood.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's what's wrong with these modern medicines. They work mechanically. They don't take consideration of the particular conditions.

Prabhupāda: But this miśri water, ḍāb water, that is natural. So you keep in stock ḍāb water, miśri water always. Our, this scientific program is giving me extra strength to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Room Conversation -- April 5, 1977, Bombay:

Guest (1): He had done translation of Suśruta-saṁhitā from Sanskrit to English in six volumes, and he has established one Ayurvedic college and other things in Jahmnedabad about thirty years ago. He is a very personal friend of our life member Sanat Bhatai or (indistinct), who are expert in income tax. They are handling our income tax matters. He's a senior partner, about eighty-four years old. So I talked to him today, and he has thought whether you would like to take his advantage of the knowledge of the...

Prabhupāda: Yes, I can take advantage, but no medicine.

Guest (1): No, we can have discussion with him. We can have only consultation, and he is doing out of friendly relation. He does not want money out of you.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that's all right.

Guest (1): He is of your own age. So if you tell me then I can bring him tomorrow, because I am going out on seventh.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Morning Talk -- April 5, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Thing is allopathic is so popular now, nobody goes to Āyur-veda.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, there is no... You can't make a living very much.

Prabhupāda: They can give immediately, take. Although that is not very good, still, by lecture and by some strong medicine they can give him immediately. People like that. And Āyur-veda is long term, and people cannot wait.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah. The cure is very slow.

Prabhupāda: And that is also not very sure, because the Ayurvedic physicians, they have not taken many cases. They cannot experience. Everything requires experience. These are the difficulties in Āyur-veda. Still, some of the patent medicines, they are effective. Just like cyavana-prāśa, nava-yogendra, yogendra-rasa.(?) If they are properly prepared.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: (aside:) Some water spilled next to Prabhupāda's desk. I was looking for a cloth.

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

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Was he paying for the foodstuffs?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. He was giving his place and foodstuff. I was preparing and eating and giving them. I will not pay him, no. Everything he was paying.

Indian man: Before breakfast, medicine (Hindi).

Prabhupāda: (Hindi conversation) I have gone through variety stages of life. So I have got full experience of this material world. I don't want it. That determination is there. Society, family, love, friendship, these nonsense, everything—out! I have tasted. I am no more interested with this material. That is niṣkiñcana. Finished.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Distaste for all worldly things.

Talk with Svarupa Damodara -- April 18, 1977, Bombay:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: And men like Dr. Sharma can help us a lot.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: He is medical doctor, medical field. He can write some articles on especially these problems in biochemistry and the medicinal aspects. One can do a lot.

Prabhupāda: You have seen his small booklet?

Dr. Sharma: I read it.

Prabhupāda: Scientific Basis of...

Second Meeting with Mr. Dwivedi -- April 24, 1977, Bombay:

Mr. Dwivedi: Hm?

Prabhupāda: Whether they'll be able to digest?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Bitter. Bitter medicine.

Prabhupāda: Bitter pill.

Mr. Dwivedi: I think there is greater room for digestion of unadulterated Gītā than for adulterated.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Conversation: Animals' Expertise -- April 28, 1977, Bombay:

Bhakti-caru: (Bengali)

Prabhupāda: How quickly they come! Just see. And wherefrom they get out of?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, how do they find out about it? That's what I don't understand.

Prabhupāda: That they know.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They were all over, and the medicine was up here.

Prabhupāda: Come just like magic, they come.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, how is it? I can't understand it. I really don't understand it.

Girirāja: Acintya-śakti.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It must be Supersoul telling them...

Discussions -- May 20-22, 1977, Vrndavana:

Indian man (1): (Hindi)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So Prabhupāda has decided that the best medicine will be Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and kīrtana, and no need of any doctors who've promised that "I will save your life" or anything like that. We shouldn't bring them. And no outsiders. No outsiders.

Indian man (1): No medicine for the body?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No medicine.

Prabhupāda: Whatever medicine I am taking, that...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He's taking a little bit. Yogendra-rasa he's taking. He's tried so many medicines. That is the point. Every doctor has come, and they've each given their medicine, and he's tried them. But they don't work. This medicine always works, Bhāgavatam and kīrtana.

Prabhupāda: Bhavauṣadhi.

Discussions -- May 20-22, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Bhavauṣadhi.

Indian man (1): Bhavauṣadhi. Bhava auṣadhi. The cure for the bad of materialism.

Prabhupāda: Śrotra-mano-'bhirāmāt. It pleases the ear and mind. "Oh, I am taking this nice..." Bhavauṣadhāc chrotra-mano-'bhirāmāt. What is that? Ka uttama-śloka-guṇānuvādāt. Uttama-śloka, Bhagavān, glorification of His activities. Virajyeta vinā paśughnāt: (SB 10.1.4) "Those who are paśughna, except them, who can avoid this medicine?"

Indian man (1): (Hindi)

Prabhupāda: (Hindi)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda will come and he'll sit in front of Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma every day for a couple of hours, and he's calling some of his, all the devotees here. They'll be here. No... Perfect medicine.

Prabhupāda: No, he's calling all the GBC, all the GBC.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: All the GBC men, we're calling them.

Prabhupāda: So there is no hurry. Go on with your respective duty. That's all. All right. Now you can...

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

Prabhupāda: They are all fools and misbehaved. Teach them this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. They'll be happy. This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu. That is our next step, how to make one civilization, Kṛṣṇa conscious. (break) It is very palatable. Not this ordinary medicine, some of them very bitter, some pungent. It is always palatable. So kindly administer this medicine. It doesn't matter whether I survive or die. It doesn't matter. Both ways it is beneficial. Who else?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Who else? Balavanta, Ādi-keśava Mahārāja. They've come. They'll be on the next shift after this. And others are coming tomorrow, the day after also.

Prabhupāda: So what is your report?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: We have finished three booklets. They'll be ready in about two months. So we're getting ready to start the program. It is going very nicely.

Prabhupāda: It is being printed in Los Angeles?

Srila Prabhupada Vigil -- May 28-29, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Bhavauṣadhāc chrotra-mano-'bhirāmāt. You'll find, not find any medicine throughout the universe that you'll be benefited either you die or be... This is the only medicine. In both ways you are... The death is inevitable. You die today or tomorrow. So by taking this medicine, if you die, you have the greatest benefit. And if you live, enjoy. If you die, enjoy; if you live, enjoy. Go on chanting. (kīrtana) (break) No, I have no objection. (laughter) I am prepared in either way. What is that machine they keep? Husking machine?

Srila Prabhupada Vigil -- May 28-29, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Jayatīrtha: Something.

Prabhupāda: Little improvement there is.

Jayatīrtha: Good medicine.

Prabhupāda: Yes. No, I am very much confident of this medicine because nobody is prepared to die, but I am prepared to die. That much strength I have got. Generally people do not like to die. But I will be very glad to die if Kṛṣṇa wants. This is... And I shall stay with you. I have no objection either way. But I am not afraid of death. That much strength I have got. Why shall I be afraid? There is no cause of...

Room Conversation -- June 17, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It was. August.

Śatadhanya: Yes.

Prabhupāda: It was hint already, that "I want to go back."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually at that time we were massaging your heart. It was such a shock to you. And I remember, the only medicine you want... We were massaging your heart and reading Kṛṣṇa book. And you developed a very bad cough.

Prabhupāda: I do not wish to recall that. It was intolerable. Then these things were now brought to... Otherwise I did not like to come back. I would have stayed.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Ahh. Wow.

Prabhupāda: I made my headquarter in Los Angeles. And they made a conspiracy against me. That's all.

Talk with Svarupa Damodara -- June 20, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: We know.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes. And he actually was very interested, and he told me to write about Mandeha(?), the director, so that they can make arrangements and so we can speak. So I just had few hours, and I wanted to go to the Indian school for experimental medicine that is in Jadavpur. I know the director. The director is from Calcutta University, and I just about to see him, but I couldn't see him. I didn't have the time. But we have, I think, plenty of scope, doing these things on a wider scale.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Conversations -- June 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: They'll say. That is natural.

Śatadhanya: They say good is bad, and bad is good-completely opposite.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's stated in the Gītā—the divine and demonic.

Śatadhanya: Divine and demonic nature.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Did you take that medicine this morning?

Prabhupāda: So he has brought? No.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He asked (indistinct).

Prabhupāda: So do you think we should bring the man here?

Conversation with Bhakti-caitanya Swami-New GBC -- June 30, 1977, Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: Yes, firmly strong.

Akṣayānanda: So that in itself has taken two days and may be not finished yet. I'll keep watching them.

Prabhupāda: All right. (break) So what you can do? He was floating? He was on the...(?) "So I know three medicines. One is castor oil; one is quinine; another is mag salt."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What is the last one?

Prabhupāda: Quinine.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Quinine and magnesium salt?

Prabhupāda: Yes. And castor oil. "And all my other medicines, they are business."

Śatadhanya: They are what?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They are business, simply making money.

Prabhupāda: He said that. He did not like to tell me this. He's a doctor. When he was indisposed, he'll sit down silently for three days, and he will give this quinine, castor oil and... Bhimsen?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Quinine is poisonous, isn't it?

Letter from Yugoslavia--'Books!' -- June 30, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Punar navā.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Hiraṇyagarbha's going back there in a day. We have a boy going there in one day.

Śatadhanya: It is good medicinally?

Prabhupāda: For me. This medicine, what I am drinking, that is punar navā.

Śatadhanya: So tomorrow this one boy is going to Māyāpur, and he can bring that message. They can immediately send.

Prabhupāda: Yes. As much as possible. Then I can prepare this medicine. And I know that is the medicine for my disease, punar navā.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: How do you spell that, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: P-u-n-a-r n-a-v-ā.

Śatadhanya: Oh, punar navā.

Prabhupāda: Punar navā.

Letter from Yugoslavia--'Books!' -- June 30, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: It is a creeper. It is spread on the hill.

Śatadhanya: Navā means birth.

Prabhupāda: No, not that. Don't go "birth" or "death." It is the name only, punar navā. It is a herb, creeper, and this is the medicine for... It is available here also.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So they should get it here, then.

Prabhupāda: Yes, I have asked him.

Letter from Yugoslavia--'Books!' -- June 30, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh.

Prabhupāda: Your taking care of me, that is your kindness to us.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, that is our greatest pleasure. That is your mercy to us. It's for our purification. I feel like all of this service is simply the greatest mercy for our purification. That place was far away, where they had to go for the medicine.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Mahākṣa told me it was...

Conversation -- July 1, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa:Your life is very essential for us. Kindly, Guru Mahārāja, take care of your health. We believe in both prayer and medicines, so kindly do not neglect yourself. Your dream of Bombay ISKCON temple has come true. It is just like Kṛṣṇa's palace in Dvārakā. It is a top building, a jewel and (indistinct). Now I close my letter with my prayers for your good health. Your faithful devotee, Nirmala Singol."

Prabhupāda: You reply that I am progressing little.

Room Conversation with Mr. Myer -- July 2, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: That is expected. He's a good man. But...

Mr. Myer: And people have got very happy for his personal life. He's gets up in the morning and does the spinning, and he's dedicated... He's not even taking medicines or any type of... Very, very strict. He does not wear any cloth which he is not spinning. I don't know how he finds the time, but he is doing so many things. The people are amazed at his... It is very fortunate that he has come now. I think certainly they will all adopt some special... Because people has to come. Once they see the gurukula and Bhaktivedanta Institute coming up... Whoever's not in the gurukula, we're going to post there also... So you don't work the modern language. It is a university also. Perfectly represent special...

Prabhupāda: No, our books are more than university standard. If they simply can study our book, it is more than the course he was given. Tan manye adhitam uttamam. All right.

Room Conversation With Son (Vrindavan De) -- July 5, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Who?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The karmīs. They don't know what is what. They don't know what is good for them. If they have their choice, they won't immediately talk with a devotee. But we are like the doctors. We don't consider what the patient says. Somehow we have to administer the medicine because we know it will be good for them. There's a letter that just came from Satsvarūpa.

Prabhupāda: Have my keys...

Room Conversation about Mayapura Attack Talk with Vrindavan De -- July 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Intelligent and lazy.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Intelligent lazy. I looked on the medicine bottle of this cough medicine that you took.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This cough medicine that you took, that Expectrin? One fourth of it is chloroform, and it says that in some persons it will cause sleepiness, drowsiness, due to the chloroform.

Upendra: He's coming, Prabhupādajī. He's just finishing breakfast. He said he's coming. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...in the world, the most disturbing element.

Room Conversation Varnasrama -- July 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Those packets from Yamunā. Is that what you want?

Prabhupāda: No, no, yesterday...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, that, from the medicine cabinet. Upendra put it away. The chalk and other things.

Prabhupāda: (Bengali)

Indian man: (Bengali)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Did you taste that savory and digestive from Yamunā?

Room Conversation -- August 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Surabhī: And before I asked the question, he told me what my question was. So he said, "You have two questions." I said, "No, I have one." He said, "No, you have two." Because my question was how long you will stay. So he said, "No, you want to know about health and about life span." So he gave both answers. He also said that the medicine... The best thing for you to take is milk of a black cow and juice, fruit juice. That is the best to take.

Prabhupāda: Fruit juice.

Room Conversation -- August 8, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So you have? You can give me.

Surabhī: Other things are not necessary, he said.

Prabhupāda: Ācchā? No medicine?

Surabhī: No. No medicine.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Good doctor. (laughter)

Prabhupāda: So meet him again and take particularly everything. So you can go.

Room Conversation -- August 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Money belongs to Bhaktivedanta Swami by hard labor. We are his disciples. We are helping. It is mutual cooperation. Actually I do not like to take.

Bhakti-caru: (Bengali)

Prabhupāda: What do you think? Should I take?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This is that kavirāja medicine?

Bhakti-caru: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, I don't see how it is having so much effect.

Prabhupāda: No effect.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Powder isn't working effectively, and milk is keeping you going. I don't see that this medicine is doing anything. It's not giving you appetite.

Prabhupāda: Not even taste.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No. It's giving you bad taste. You don't like to take it.

Prabhupāda: So your opinion not to take?

Room Conversations Bangladesh Preaching/Prabhavisnu Articles by Hamsaduta -- August 11, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: You have got the janma?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yes. I'll have Abhirāma... What he has given, I'll have him write it up and add it to that other report. I have a file I'm keeping in case you want to hear again. Pradyumna is here, Śrīla Prabhupāda. Would you like to hear Caitanya-caritāmṛta?

Prabhupāda: Yes. (break) Can you guarantee life? Then you are controller. Your so-called advanced medicine or advanced knowledge has no meaning. You have to die. Then where is the value of your empty voice?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What, Prabhupāda? Empty voice.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Page Title:Medicine (Conversations 1977, Jan - Aug)
Compiler:Rishab, JayaNitaiGaura
Created:18 of May, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=64, Let=0
No. of Quotes:64