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Minister (Conversations 1976)

Expressions researched:
"minister" |"minister's" |"ministerial" |"ministering" |"ministers" |"ministership"

Notes from the compiler: VedaBase query: minister or ministerial or ministering or ministers or minister's or ministership not "prime minister" not "prime ministers" not "prime minister's"

Conversations and Morning Walks

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 18, 1976, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: Even those who are so-called advanced in knowledge, karmī, jñānī, yogī, they are also after sense gratification. Karmī is openly after sense gratification and jñānī is subtly. "No, no. This kind of..." Brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā. "Now I shall enjoy Brahman. I shall become God." This is another side, the same sense enjoyment. Because I have failed becoming a minister or becoming a king, becoming a leader, becoming—I have failed, now I shall become God. Same sense grati.... They cannot understand that this is also sense gratification. "I am not no more satisfied by becoming a little minister and king and.... No. I shall become God. Why shall I.... By becoming king or minister I beg to the goddess of fortune, 'Mother, give me a little money.' Why shall I beg? I shall enjoy her. I become Nārāyaṇa." Same disease. A yogi also, after mystic power they want to show magic: "I shall make like this and gold will be there. People will worship me as I am God." Do that. People do that. If you play something wonderful they will accept you: "Oh, you are God." But he does not know that he cannot become God. That is not possible.

Morning Walk -- January 20, 1976, Mayapura:

Jayapatākā: (break) ...minister is coming to the district and...

Prabhupāda: Which minister?

Jayapatākā: The Ajit Panja. He's the health minister. So we didn't see him...

Bhavānanda: (break) ...that we must take drastic steps for curbing the population.

Prabhupāda: Why don't you become brahmacārī?

Hari-śauri: Too drastic.

Jayapatākā: We want to present that we are, by moral training, achieving that.

Prabhupāda: Yes. We are making them celibate. What is called? Celibacy.

Jayapatākā: Even our gṛhasthas, they are only having one or two children. (end)

Morning Walk -- February 6, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Kaniṣṭha-adhikārī. They are not devotees, but they are called bhaktābhāsa. There is some signs of bhakti. Actually they are not bhakta. Bhaktābhāsa. Ābhāsa. Ābhāsa means a simple, a little light.

Hṛdayānanda: So devotee really means one who has love for Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Yes, unalloyed, without any condition. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11), zero, all other, that "I am this, I am that, I am jñānī, I am yogi, I am karmī, I am minister, I am king"—all these are thinking like that, they're all nonsense. "I am servant of Kṛṣṇa"—that is greatness. Jīvera svarūpa haya nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa (Cc. Madhya 20.108-109). That is self-realization, ātma-tattvam.

Dayānanda: So because that person is very rare, then, I guess, the only way we can possibly know how to become like that is to find one pure devotee and exactly follow that way of Kṛṣṇa consciousness that he has.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Dayānanda: I mean to say that because a pure devotee is so rare, the only way must be to find out a pure devotee and exactly follow.

Prabhupāda: Yes. If you try to find out... (end)

Morning Walk -- February 27, 1976, Mayapura:

Hṛdayānanda: One thing... The one thing that caused his downfall, that when they heard the tapes... He had recorded all of his conversations, private conversations with his ministers. So it turned out that it was horrible language. Practically every other word was dirty word.

Prabhupāda: That dirty word used by him?

Hṛdayānanda: Practically every other word.

Dayānanda: Filthy language.

Hṛdayānanda: They discovered... So this is what also hurt him because they discovered some tape of private conversations, and it was very, very obscene. Practically every other word was bad word.

Prabhupāda: He was a lawyer. He's a lawyer?

Hṛdayānanda: Yes.

Morning Walk -- February 27, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Bengali culture was very much adored. Surendranath Bannerjee started the political movement, and he was so well known. Even in Parliament, the Englishmen, English M.P.'s, he... They were speaking of Surendranath. They used to say "Surrendered not." "Here is a person who is not 'Surrender not.' He'll never surrender. 'Surrender not.' " Actually, the British Empire was startled by the agitation of Surendranath Bannerjee. The Congress was started by Surendranath Bannerjee, this one Congress. Two Bengali and one Englishman started this Congress sometimes in 1887, 1867, like that. So in our childhood we used to see that Surendranath Bannerjee was being elected president of Congress almost every year. And Gandhi came into prominence when Surendranath Bannerjee surrendered. Formerly he was not surrendering. But the government gave him the first ministership, that "You become minister." So he became a government man. Then Gandhi came in prominence. Surendranath Bannerjee was the first minister in India. (break) ...in our childhood, if he would speak, thousands, thousands men will gather in Calcutta. (break) ...Surendranath Bannerjee Road.

Morning Walk -- March 16, 1976, Mayapura:

Rūpānuga: Out of sight, they say it is finished.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So this thing you have to convince them. Why should you allow them to remain a rascal? Now the sun is rising. Does it mean all of a sudden a sun is created? So these are the examples. You have to preach like that. Simply believe your eyes? You believe also there was no sun; now it is sun. That means all of a sudden a sun became created. See the intelligent persons and convince them. Yad yad ācārati śreṣṭhaḥ (BG 3.21). Pick up the best man. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, He picked up the best men, Sanātana Gosvāmī, Rūpa Gosvāmī. So His movement became successful. Sanātana Gosvāmī was not an ordinary man. Very educated, learned brāhmaṇa and minister, Caitanya Mahāprabhu picked up. Similarly Rūpa Gosvāmī, similarly Jīva Gosvāmī. Picked up means by His preaching they became converted. So similarly pick up a person like Sanātana Gosvāmī, intelligent, in position, and try to convince him. Why he will not be convinced, if he's a human being? This is not religion. That I am breathing, what is this breathing? Eh? What is the breathing?

Guru-kṛpā: Air going in and out.

Conversation with News Reporters -- March 25, 1976, Delhi:

Reporter (8): Swamiji, when there was discussion in Parliament about the fabulous money that the movement has, society has, then who provided the answers?

Prabhupāda: The Home Member.

Reporter (8): The Minister.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: We have a copy of this in Bombay, the question number and.... It was about two, three years ago.

Reporter (8): They must have done intensive research

Prabhupāda: The other member, they raised the question. They brought the charges that the Americans are CIA. What is that, CIA or not? What is?

Hṛdayānanda: Yes. CIA.

Prabhupāda: The CIA have become Vaiṣṇava and given up meat-eating and dancing with me, and they have no other means. (laughter) Just see how foolish question it is. The CIA men have come to me for inquiry. This question, rascal questions, are put. Such unfortunate insanity is prevailing in India. (laughter) The American CIA, they have come to me. Just see.

Morning Walk -- March 26, 1976, Delhi:

Prabhupāda: In the water, life there is; in the air, in.... That is another thing. But life is different from the water. That is our proposal. (break) They are attracted by these varieties of material things, and when time comes he's put into death. Everything is moved from his sight, aside, and he accepts a body of a dog. (break) To accept by compulsion a type of body according to his activities, that he does not.... Now, that big, big minister, Pandit Jawaharlal, he spent so much time and energy for creating this. Now, if after death he has become a dog, then where is the benefit? You cannot say that he has not become a dog. Dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). One has to accept another body, and what kind of body one has to accept, who will say? The.... His work, what he has done, that will take.

Room Conversation -- April 4, 1976, Vrndavana:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Yes, conscription. But the Indians are not drafted. There's no army for them. So we're hoping that in Durban, where you first preached at the City Hall, the young people there, if we can get them sufficiently enthused, that they'll also join, and then we'll be able to have a very big movement amongst Indian community as well. We won't lose any devotees like that from the draft.

Prabhupāda: I think our students who are going to be ministers, they are excused from draft.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: No, even in South Africa the ministers.... No excuse. It's a very strict situation. If you don't go into the army, you go to jail. Even if you're a minister, they don't care. There is no religious grounds for objecting. But only the Europeans are in the army, no one else. They're afraid that if the Indians had guns, they might use them against the Europeans.

Devotee: So we're going to try and make more devotees this year, more Indian devotees especially. We've never really tried before.

Jagat-guru: Also, Śrīla Prabhupāda, you have seen on our altar, Gaura-Nitāi? We have large Gaura-Nitāi and two small, three actually, three small sets of Gaura-Nitāi Deities. The ones on the far left, just under Lord Nityānanda's feet, They are going also to South Africa. They came originally from East Africa. I mentioned it when I first came to Māyāpur(?). So we will be taking them. We have a very nice siṁhāsana built for Them, finished tomorrow, and we'll be displaying Them at all our programs, preaching programs.

Prabhupāda: Do the needful. That's all.

Room Conversation -- April 23, 1976, Melbourne:

Devotee (1): ...social welfare, and also he's minister for sport and recreation. He has come to see you, and this is his secretary.

Mr. Dixon: Well, I am very pleased to have the opportunity of meeting you.

Prabhupāda: Sit down.

Mr. Dixon: How long have you been in Australia?

Prabhupāda: Just up to Sunday. Monday we are going?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Yes, we were here on the twentieth of July. We'll be here until Monday.

Mr. Dixon: What's the main reason for your visit?

Prabhupāda: Preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness, about Kṛṣṇa. You have seen our books, our.... Show him.

Morning Walk -- April 24, 1976, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: Government?

Guru-kṛpā: Yes, the social minister came. He did not.... You simply told him to come and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, and he didn't, couldn't believe it.

Prabhupāda: They are practically seeing and still not believe.

Guru-kṛpā: He doesn't have such a nice house.

Devotee (1): He accepts the result, but he won't take the process. He sees that they've given up everything he is trying to defeat, which is sinful activity, illicit sex, intoxication, but he won't take the process.

Guru-kṛpā: One reporter told you that she was happy, and you said, "Well, if it is happiness, then it's simply happiness of the dog." So they have become satisfied with that standard of happiness.

Prabhupāda: So why they create this botanical garden? If they are satisfied with the happiness of a dog, then why they spend so much money for this botanical garden? Hm? Let them be satisfied like dog, lie down on the street. Why this sense of botanical garden? (break) ...tendency for improving, artificially they are curbing down. Revolution there is. Artificially they say, "No. This is satisfied." Why they are making big, big skyscraper building? Let them remain like dog.

Press Conference -- April 27, 1976, Auckland, New Zealand:

Prabhupāda: (to devotee:) I think you have talked with these city authorities.

Devotee: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Here is the boy, he can...

Devotee: Yes, we've spoken with some of the government officials. I've spoken with or I've had contact with the cities where we have not personal contact but through the mail, and also some contact with the minister of immigrations.

Interviewer: How long do you intend to keep traveling and, and...

Prabhupāda: If I stayed four days in each center, it takes one year to travel all the centers.

Interviewer: Four days in each center takes you one year.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Three days.

Prabhupāda: Yes. We have got 102 centers all over the world.

Morning Walk -- June 5, 1976, Los Angeles:

Hari-śauri: Śrīla Prabhupāda? Before you were mentioning that we should start to try to get on friendly terms with some of these governmental people. Would that be done in the same way as they do in India? Just like we have so many government ministers that have become life members and things like that. Is that possible to do in America?

Prabhupāda: Yes. There are many government men. Why not? Human psychology is the same. How many lines in...?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: How many lanes.

Rāmeśvara: Four lanes.

Prabhupāda: That is biggest.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, there is a highway with six lanes, and there's even some with seven. Yes, fourteen lanes. In other words, fourteen lanes both sides.

Rāmeśvara: Every family has to have two or three cars; otherwise, they are not respected.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Also every family has to have two or three televisions; otherwise, there's fighting. Because the husband wants to see one show, the wife another, and the children another. So at least two or three televisions. Two or three cars.

Prabhupāda: In India also, those who are rich.

Garden Conversation -- June 9, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Now, if He is ordering to become His devotee, how can I try to become another God, competitor? This is the folly, and for this we are suffering. He asked him, "You become My devotee." And I want to become another God, competitor. And therefore we are suffering. We cannot become another God. That is not possible. But artificially you are trying. Therefore you are suffering. Anything you try artificially, you'll suffer. If you try for a thing artificially, then what is the result? Result will be suffering and disappointment. Therefore śāstra says, tasyaiva hetoḥ prayeteta kovidaḥ. Don't try for such things... You have tried all through in different forms of life. You have failed. So don't try for that. But try to become servant of God. Then your life will be successful. Because in the material world the endeavor is how to become God in different varieties: how to become president, how to become minister, how to become master, how to become very strong man, very wealthy man, very beautiful man, so on, so on, so on, up to—when everything fails—then how to become God. When everything fails, then, ultimately, "Now I shall become God."

Morning Walk -- June 11, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Sadā samudvijña-dhiyam asad-grahāt. As soon as you accept material things as everything, immediately bhaya. Āhāra nidrā maithuna bhaya. (japa) (break) ...country, they'll not allow any individual person to live so comfortably. No, illegal. If you have got money, then give it to the government. The ministers will enjoy it. This is democracy. Democracy means "Somehow or other, I capture the government, and whatever money you have got, I snatch it from you, and then I enjoy." This is democracy. Dasyu-dharma. In Bhāgavata it is said dasyu-dharma, the business of the rogues. How is that? If I can earn some money and keep it for myself, I have no right? This is communistic idea: "Make everyone poor." Here is police, two cars. Police we saw.

Room Conversation with George Gullen, President of Wayne State University -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:

George Gullen: Yes, this is true. My father was a Christian minister all of his life, and he had very deep beliefs about the spiritual matters. He felt very strongly, as you do, that the body was temporary and that his spirit would find its way into some other form of life, and he believed very strongly in life after human death, very much so. He believed in a matter he called cosmic consciousness, in which the spirit had far greater powers than physical powers. He had similar kinds, I believe, of beliefs that you do. I have some beliefs myself that the human body being quite temporary, that years are not long for it, that there must be more to life than just the physical side.

Prabhupāda: Everyone's body is temporary, either human body or cat's body, dog's body. But the human body is important because in the human body we have developed consciousness by which we can understand what is God. The cats and dogs, they cannot, they haven't got that developed consciousness. Therefore if we do not use this developed consciousness for understanding God and our relationship with Him, then we are no better than cats and dogs. Cats and dogs cannot be educated about God, but a human being can be educated. That is the distinction between animals and man. But modern education is keeping them in ignorance about God, so they are no better than cats and dogs. And how can you bring peace among cats and dogs? Can you bring in peace calling all the dogs of your city and sit down peacefully? No, that is not possible. So if we keep our citizens like cats and dogs, then how we can expect peace?

Room Conversation -- June 17, 1976, Toronto:

Prabhupāda: Extremely. They've lost their religious sentiment, religious consciousness. They're just like rude, crude. There was one chief minister in Punjab, he got a big business, big man, "Mr. such and such, I'm sending such and such man. Give him ten thousand rupees without waiting for his reply." "So what for?" "Why you are asking? Give him ten thousand rupees." And the man goes, and he has to pay; otherwise he knows that "This minister will harass me in so many ways later on."

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: They are called public servants, the so-called government officials.

Prabhupāda: Even your country, there are so many bogus institutes. There was one Mr. Bogart. I used to call him Bogus. Bogart is a title?

Jagadīśa: Yes.

Evening Darsana -- July 7, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Vipina: The minister of political affairs at the embassy, Venkateshvara.

Prabhupāda: Venkateshvara? So by evolutionary process we come to this human form of life. It is a chance to understand the value of life, to understand God and our relationship with God, and if we are missing this opportunity, that's a great loss. Then you again become in another form of life. That is sure. As it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). We have to change this body, and if we are not prepared, what kind of body we are going to get next life, then we remain like animals. The animal does not know. And human life, if you are missing this important point, that "I am going to change this body, and what kind of body I'm going to get?" if I do not know, then what is the difference between me and the animal?

Dr. Sharma: Perhaps you can comment on the fact that in the movement, the Kṛṣṇa people, not only the sannyāsīs, but also the common working man, his karma is karmaṇy evādhikāras te mā phaleṣu kadācana. He also...

Prabhupāda: This is karma. Karma means according to that division, that brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra and brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa. Karma means activity. There must be some prescribed activity. Just like you are professor, you have got your prescribed activities. He's the minister of ambassador's, he has got prescribed activities. So everyone has got prescribed activities in whatever position he is, but what is the standard of success, that I have done my duties, prescribed duties properly? What is that standard? The standard is given in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, saṁsiddhir hari-toṣaṇam: (SB 1.2.13) whether you have satisfied the Supreme Personality of Godhead by your duty. Then it is success.

Room Conversation -- July 7, 1976, Baltimore:

Rūpānuga: ISKCON parents, if the girl is fifteen, like you said, fifteen, then the ISKCON parent may give permission, that is legal. Not only that, but our own men, as I have done in Virginia, I have registered as minister in the state, and I can perform marriages. So our own men can register to perform marriages.

Prabhupāda: Another difficulty is the boy and the girl, they also do not stick. That is another difficulty.

Rūpānuga: That is the biggest one.

Vṛṣākapi: Every father, he wants his son to stay brahmacārī and become sannyāsa. So who will be willing to give up their son for marriage at a young age? (pause)

Prabhupāda: Hmm. (laughter)

Hari-śauri: You were saying the other day, actually the only solution is if everybody chants.

Prabhupāda: That is the only solution.

Evening Darsana -- July 8, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Devotee (4): Must initiation be there, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Initiation must be there. Otherwise, how you'll be guided? But it is not necessary, but if you can cent percent engagement in Kṛṣṇa, that is better. Just like Sanātana Gosvāmī, he was a minister, so he resigned and became cent percent servitor of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. But if it is not possible, it does not hamper.

Guest (2): But I can retire in twenty days, and if that is possible, then I can make one more good step.

Prabhupāda: Yes, oh, yes. So twenty days you are going. That means compulsory retirement?

Guest (2): No, my... I can retire or not retire. I can work until eight more years as a servant of the government. And at the same time...

Prabhupāda: Don't retire sentimentally. Yes, don't retire.

Evening Darsana -- July 13, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: That's nice. Hm. So? (break)

Devotee (5): Two hundreds places, universities, schools, government institutions, big ministers, temple managements for all,...

Prabhupāda: They have given all orders?

Devotee (5): Yes, most of them gave orders to our... Even unlike... Some like Unites States some place, they would order all seventeen Caitanya-caritāmṛtas, and all the volumes of Bhāgavatam out and place an order for the rest to come, plus other books. And we lowered the price to about 45 rupees which was, which was right where they can afford to pay for the volumes (indistinct) take them.

Prabhupāda: What is the usual price?

Devotee (5): $7.95 which would be like too many, eighty rupees or something like that. It would be very expensive for India for one volume.

Prabhupāda: So you have reduced the price?

Devotee (5): To forty-five rupees. Gopāla Kṛṣṇa made it very, very reasonable for them that they can partake.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. They are taking the book. That is wanted. We don't want much profit.

Room Conversation -- July 19, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: That's a fact, that I say always.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "But the Kṛṣṇa people were not entirely free of harassment. Along the parade route three men, including one who said he was an Evangelical Christian minister, jeered at the parade and called on parade watchers to become Christians. 'Idol worship. This is absolutely ridiculous. Read the Bible,' cried one man who would identify himself only as a normal Christian. There was a brief scuffle when an Indian immigrant tried to tear a large placard out of the hands of another heckler. The placard read 'Turn or Burn.' The police broke things up but made no arrests. 'They are insulting us,' said the Kṛṣṇa follower who declined to identify himself. 'I'm a devotee of Kṛṣṇa and Christ. These people who are doing this in the name of Christ are criminals.' " Very strong statement. "Except for the hecklers, however, the parade was generally very well received by passersby, who enjoyed the three multi-hued floats, the sun, and the chanting and dancing of the young Kṛṣṇa marchers. 'I think it's great,' said Tyrone Adams of Philadelphia, who was paying a visit to his home town of Inglewood, New Jersey. 'I'm not religious, but they're all happy and dancing, and that is what life is all about.' " Even a nonreligious person said that. "In Washington Square a crowd of about three thousand, many of whom were there as part of the normal Sunday afternoon activities, heard Swami Prabhupāda deliver a lecture. Later the crowd was served a free vegetarian feast. Along the side, Kṛṣṇa followers sold Indian sweets, Kṛṣṇa scriptures, and what one speaker described as 'transcendental paraphernalia.' "

Prabhupāda: Very good.

Arrival Conversation -- August 13, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: What about Hyderabad?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Hyderabad will be ready, I was there last week. It will be ready in time. The chief minister of Andhra Pradesh is coming as the chief guest on the day the temple will be opened.

Driver: We are getting very good bungalow in Ahmedabad. Six bedroom with six baths, all marble.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: But we don't have any devotees there. What will we do?

Driver: There are eight devotees at least. They have to vacate in any case. (break)

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: ...newsstands also. Yaśomatīnandana has made some arrangement with some distributor.

Prabhupāda: Newsstand?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, to news, where they sell newspapers and all.

Driver: They distribute about fifteen hundred on Ratha-yātrā day.

Prabhupāda: Fifteen hundred on?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Ratha-yātrā in Ahmedabad. Now we are distributing these books for one rupee each or 1.50 in Vṛndāvana because now we've got the cost of printing down to sixty paisa...

Prabhupāda: Our Ratha-yātrā in New York was very successful.

Arrival Conversation -- August 13, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: What is the political position here? (break)

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: ...big celebration here starting tomorrow to the 18th. P. K. Savant, he came to see you last year, the president of Maharastra Pradesh Congress Committee, he was the chief guest. Mr. Pagay, another he is the minister from Maharastra, he's also coming. Very big program. It's being advertised all over Bombay.

Prabhupāda: So raining stopped here?

Driver: For three days stopped, sir. Otherwise, it was very heavy.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: It's monsoon, it will still rain.

Prabhupāda: Throughout whole Europe there is not a drop of water.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. They're getting suffering now.

Prabhupāda: All, no cloud.

Evening Darsana (on night of arrival) -- August 16, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: If you don't like this, you can close India, we can go all over the world.

Indian man (2): Yes, there is a very big scope there.

Indian man (3): No, but here even it would declare it. Minister of State. Only Communist have put those questions.

Prabhupāda: Communists are seeing this movement as a great danger.

Indian man (3): Yes, great danger for their...

Prabhupāda: And we are spreading God consciousness. (break) By the grace of Kṛṣṇa, we have no debts. We are (indistinct) simply find out... (?) Now in Bombay I am getting from my Book Fund seven lakhs of rupees per month regularly.

Evening Darsana (on night of arrival) -- August 16, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: We have given them three lakhs of rupees. What is that?

Mahāṁśa: This is the newspaper article which came in Hindu, the Hindu paper, about the government asking something about us.

Indian man (1): Communist party.

Mahāṁśa: "New Delhi, August 13th. Mr. Om Mehta, Minister of State for Home, informed the Rājya-sabhā yesterday that government will order an inquiry into the activities of Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Society in Nadia District of West Bengal to find out whether there was something fishy about it."

Hari-śauri: This is the same report Gopāla Kṛṣṇa read you.

Mahāṁśa: You have read this, Prabhupāda?

Indian man (3): It must have come in earlier.

Prabhupāda: But the name is "Kṛṣṇa Caitanya." (laughs)

Evening Darsana (on night of arrival) -- August 16, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Oh, he has seen our temples.

Mahāṁśa: He has seen our temples in Europe and Africa and he was very, very impressed. So when I told him that Prabhupāda is coming for the inauguration, he said, "You must give me the privilege again to have a program." So tomorrow evening there will be a program there, and on the 18th morning at ten o'clock, between ten and ten-thirty is the prāṇa-pratiṣṭhā. The chief minister is coming there as the chief guest, and it will stay till about twelve o'clock. I wanted to have a feast for all the people as we did in Vṛndāvana, but it's not possible here because there's no space. The area around the temple is very little. So we have made these kinds of packages with different items, just like a little prasāda feast, small. We'll be giving everyone who comes, about ten thousand packages we are preparing. We'll be distributing prasāda like that. And then in the evening there's a program again, Janmāṣṭamī program, this is for public. The morning program we have restricted only to invitees, because it will be so crowded otherwise. This is one problem which I am trying to figure out, how to face of managing the crowd. The space around the temple is very small, so we cannot have very big, huge assembly. We have to figure out something about that. I'm still trying to think what to do.

Prabhupāda: There is no question of management. Anyone comes, if you have made packages for distribution, give a package.

Press Interview at Muthilal Rao's House -- August 17, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Huh? No, many novel things go from here, but they are sticking to it. They are now seriously taking to it. They understand that this is a great science and we are publishing books. We have already published eighty-four books like that. Eighty-four of four hundred pages. And you'll be surprised that throughout the whole world we are selling books about sixty thousand dollars a day. That means six lakhs of rupees. That is the basic income for our expenditure, 102 centers all over the world.

Interviewer (3): A central minister the Parliament recently said that he will conduct a probe to see if there was anything fishy in this...

Prabhupāda: Therefore I am bringing before you, before probing, you try to understand what is our income. We are selling these books six lakhs rupees daily, and we are spending it fifty percent for reprinting the books and fifty percent for expanding temples all over the world. This is our activities. Now you probe it or understand it.

Interviewer (3): This is the only source of revenue for the society?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- August 19, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Acyutānanda: Three days in a row of front page news articles.

Prabhupāda: What is they have published?

Acyutānanda: Very good. Many ministers are also coming to Māyāpur. Very...

Prabhupāda: Here also the chief minister, many have come to see me.

Devotee: Yesterday.

Acyutānanda: Yes, he is OK. (indistinct background conversation)

Prabhupāda: Gradually they will appreciate. Everyone, all over the world.

Acyutānanda: This was on the front page of the Ananda Bazar, five lakhs circulation.

Prabhupāda: (indistinct)

Acyutānanda: Front page.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: This is in the...

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: This is in after all the accusations made by the...

Acyutānanda: By the C.P.I. This is an answer. They came and did a full report with tape recorders, movie cameras. This newspaper.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: We can send this copy to Delhi for those ministers who wanted it.

Room Conversation About Mayapura Construction -- August 19, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: For the whole world.

Jayapatākā: For the whole world. So in this way he gave a very good, very good statement. Then that went to the Chief Secretary again, who had to give it to the Chief Minister. So the Chief Minister he does not have a good opinion. He did not have a good opinion of our society.

Prabhupāda: Who is the Chief Minister?

Jayapatākā: Siddhanta Shankaraya.

Prabhupāda: He is very expert man.

Jayapatākā: He's a very expert... He's one of their chief politicians from India. He used to be Education Minister of Indira Gandhi. He's one of her right hand men.

Room Conversation About Mayapura Construction -- August 19, 1976, Hyderabad:

Jayapatākā: The Chief Minister wrote. He said, "Because of the impassioned... He said "I would have refused this application except for the impassioned appeal of one of my senior officers, namely Mr. Choudhuri. They are asking for three hundred acres of land but the East India Company, they asked only twenty acres of land and they have conquered the whole of India." (loud kīrtana in background)

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Jayapatākā: "East India Company, they have asked only twenty acres of land but they have conquered the whole of India.

Gargamuni: "They ruled India for two hundred years."

Jayapatākā: Oh. "Ruled India for two hundred years."

Prabhupāda: Who said? Chief Minister?

Gargamuni: The Chief Minister wrote that the East India Company purchased twenty acres of land and rules India for two hundred years. That was his reply to our application.

Prabhupāda: Chief Minister said?

Gargamuni: Yes. They're afraid that by taking this, we will rule India.

Jayapatākā: Anyway, that's a very frivolous statement. That was a frivolous statement.

Prabhupāda: No, that, ruling over India, they politically ruled.

Room Conversation About Mayapura Construction -- August 19, 1976, Hyderabad:

Jayapatākā: So that time Mr. Choudhuri, he was put down. But he said, "I have not yet lost hope." He said, but he was put down a bit. That might personally talked to the Minister of Nadia, Anandamoy Visvas, who I personally met last year. And he was telling him that for Nadia he should sponsor this. Even the negative political issue with the Chief Minister, he should push it through. In the meantime I wrote an application to Karun Kanti Ghosh, who up to now we hadn't asked. Because it had already passed all the preliminaries. And I went and spoke to him. I told him that "It has already passed all the government stages. Now simply the Chief Minister has to be convinced." He said, "No, no. You are of good integrity. There is not doubt about ISKCON. I will immediately tell him." He called up the Chief Secretary, the Chief Minister was out then. Later on he talked to Chief Minister. The next time I saw Mr. Choudhuri. Before that, he told me... That's when he told me that "Maybe Prabhupāda should see the Chief Minister." Now he said it's not necessary. He liked your reply to them. After that, I saw Mr. Tarun Kanti Ghosh. Then I saw Choudhuri again a week later. At that time he said, "Now everything is changed." He said "Now the Chief Minister, that problem is solved." He has written that "Let Mr. Choudhuri make the decision. Let him make the decision. But I cannot simply take the decision. They'll say I am biased. I must work in the ordinary ways of the government. But there is no trouble now. You have waited so long. You wait another thirty or sixty days." He said, "Wait another sixty days, and then you'll get it."

Prabhupāda: When he wrote? When he wrote this?

Gargamuni: He spoke to me just two weeks ago.

Room Conversation About Mayapura Construction -- August 19, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: It requires more rain.

Jayapatākā: It requires more rain and early tide. Right now the river is full, but it is not flooding. It is full. See, Mr. Choudhuri, he was interested. At that time when the Chief Minister wrote that, then he wrote this, that "If you were to see the Chief Minister, then this type of letter could be submitted and he would definitely see you, "although it is not necessary to see him.

Prabhupāda: Do you think it is?

Jayapatākā: No, it's not necessary to personally see him. You might write... When you come to Māyāpur we'll write him invitation that he can come and see and visit you there. That was better. Mr. Choudhuri said that "Your Guru Mahārāja, he has got also the Vaiṣṇava pride not to see the politicians." He said, "This is a good stand. I respect this very much." Actually he mentioned once to Abhirāma confidentially that "If this project comes through, then you'll be requiring some liaison officer because there will be so many government things. At that time I can work for you as your permanent advisor and go to Delhi and here and there and do all the work." I think he wants a job.

Prabhupāda: I thought Mr. Choudhuri would do everything, but that is not the position.

Room Conversation About Mayapura Construction -- August 19, 1976, Hyderabad:

Jayapatākā: Almost he is doing everything. Actually he's trying to say that he did everything. But I think that when we saw Tarun Kanti Ghosh that that cleared up that matter with Chief Minister that cleared that up. As far as the other lower secretary men are..., Mr. Choudhuri did everything. The Chief Minister doubt, I think Tarun helped clear that up. That's the only thing that he couldn't change the mind of is the Chief Minister. Otherwise he did everything else, almost, you can say.

Gargamuni: He came on the last ekādaśī. Just last ekādaśī, what, ten days ago? Seven days he came for the ekādaśī to Māyāpur just to see.

Prabhupāda: Who?

Gargamuni: Tarun Kanti Ghosh. He took prasādam, he took the ekādaśī and he liked it very much.

Jayapatākā: I just saw him also just before Janmāṣṭamī, and he was still very favorable then. We talked for about an hour and a half. He introduced me to all the M.L.A's of the twenty-four paraganās.

Prabhupāda: Tarun Kanti?

Jayapatākā: When I go preaching, then I go, and the government M.L.A. and Congress people, they also help me. They arrange sometimes places for me to stay and big program. They protect that no people cause us any disturbances. Although we don't...

Prabhupāda: What about our Godbrothers? They are also opposing?

Room Conversation About Mayapura Construction -- August 19, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: What about our Godbrothers? They are also opposing?

Jayapatākā: Subhaga made a very... Bhavānanda sent him over to invite Śrīdhara Swami for Janmāṣṭamī, as a show of respect. When he went there... he's not so clever boy. So Śrīdhara Swami asked him, "Oh, what about your land acquisition?" What does he know about land acquisition? We never discussed anything with him. He can only know by hearsay. So then Subhaga said, "Oh, it's in the hands of the Chief Minister," for which I reprimanded at all. Why you have given any information?" But they are very interested in these things, and maybe they are still trying to stop it, but I don't think they have the power.

Prabhupāda: They have no power.

Room Conversation About Mayapura Construction -- August 19, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Make... Find out such means. Otherwise... Alexander the Great, having so many kingdom, and as soon as he goes away, it is finished.

Jayapatākā: Also, if you wrote a letter to Brahmananda Reddy and that Mr. Mehta, the deputy or whatever, minister, regarding these questions coming in the Rāja-sabhā about Māyāpur and Vṛndāvana, "Actually these two centers are my ... I am founder-ācārya of these centers, and the people working there are not independent of me. I have asked them to come for assisting me." Then, if a letter like that is written to them and send me one copy, that will help immigration also, I think.

Gargamuni: Also another investigation, we're always asked, "Where is your headquarters?"

Jayapatākā: And then "Our headquarters is in India."

Gargamuni: It must be always stated, "Our headquarters are India." If we say "foreign," that means we are controlled by foreign. We must publish everywhere that our head...

Prabhupāda: No, we have mentioned headquarters Bombay?

Jayapatākā: We just said offices.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation About Mayapura Construction -- August 19, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: No, in every letter heading there is my name, "Ācārya, Founder-ācārya."

Gargamuni: That is their stupidity. But if some, that one direct letter, short letter, then if we have a copy I'll show that to the CID there, that "This, Prabhupāda has written to the Minister of Home. This is in answer to your question."

Prabhupāda: Then take that copy.

Gargamuni: I'll make one draft.

Prabhupāda: No, I have written already letter?

Jayapatākā: You're written already letter?

Prabhupāda: To the Home Minister?

Gargamuni: I didn't get. Has he written a letter to the Home Minister?

Prabhupāda: No, Home Minister has given one letter.

Room Conversation About Mayapura Construction -- August 19, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: So we take. Let us take it.

Jayapatākā: That's a very important... But that's in dilapidated state.

Prabhupāda: We shall repair.

Jayapatākā: In the letter of the Home Minister where he said that every disciple can stay for two years, possibly if he allowed that in every center, if a minimum of a few people could stay for citizenship that might...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Jayapatākā: Ordinary, by rotation and three, two or three or four permanent, by citizen, if he allowed to stay...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Jayapatākā: Then that would solve the problem.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That make.

Room Conversation About Mayapura Construction -- August 19, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: It is Kṛṣṇa's desire. Nobody is useless. I was also useless. I could not do in India alone anything. This is... Again this example (laughs). Two useless makes useful. Intelligence alone cannot work. Money is required. One man was challenged, "You have no intelligence." So he said, "Yes." He was searching these..."No, why you are searching here?" "No, here is intelligence. If here is money, then my intelligence can work. Otherwise what is the use of intelligence?" But he was searching here," Whether I have got intelligence?" Simply intelligence... In industry also: land labor capital, organization, four things. Simple capital will not do. Simple organization will not do. A man may have very good brain power, organization, but if he has no money-useless. So four things required: land, labor, capital, organization. That minister in Raṅganātha (?), he is inclined to spend huge income of Tirupati, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But he is bound up by other colleagues. They are applying the money. So he's willing to call all the ministers if I can convince them. I shall try it. Just... In the Bhagavad-gītā, that is, yajñārthe karma. Everyone is karmī. So the karmīs, the village cultivators or big men industrialists, they are going to Tirupati. Whatever then can spare, they are offering. That is yajñārthe. If this money is taken and again if it is brought into karmī, then it is misleading. Karmīs are giving them. Just like people are giving us money. They are karmīs. But because they are giving us and we are engaging the money in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, so the money is fully utilized.

Room Conversation About Mayapura Construction -- August 19, 1976, Hyderabad:

Gargamuni: Yes, that's a fact. The Calcutta plan that you had, it is still under consideration. At first the Calcutta corporation refused, but then Abhirāma saw the Minister of Municipal Affairs, Mr. Subata Mukerji.

Prabhupāda: So I gave the meaning.

Gargamuni: He said, "No, I want this." But there's still a problem, is that they'll allow a monument, but they don't want the Deity. They'll allow us to build a monument for Bhaktivedanta Swami but no Deity.

Prabhupāda: Well, then take this proposal: "All right, no Deity." We shall hold meetings, lecture. What is that? In the park people come. And we decorate the whole hall with pictures. Gradually we worship one picture.

Gargamuni: Later on, maybe we can put Deity. Once it's built, they cannot tell us to get out.

Jayapatākā: That's what Mr. Choudhuri said.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation About Mayapura Construction -- August 19, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Where is that own place?

Gargamuni: Well, there are buildings that we can get. In Balijunj we have some offers. That's if this park doesn't come through. If the park does not come through, then we can...

Prabhupāda: Yes. First of all all try to make... This is the best place in Calcutta.

Jayapatākā: I personally went with Abhirāma to see the minister, and the minister didn't give any stipulation. He was only for the project. His only reservation was that, he said first of all, politically, he doesn't know about our society. If the government home department says that it's all right... As far as the program is, the plan that was given, he totally accepts it as it is.

Gargamuni: That's when I saw him.

Room Conversation About Mayapura Construction -- August 19, 1976, Hyderabad:

Jayapatākā: Since then, Abhirāma has not seen him. But the people in the corporation, they have refused it without his sanction and they have written him that the minister said he does not want it. When we took that. We showed it to the minister. He said, "This is completely wrong." He said, "No, no, no! There is some misunderstanding." Then he said, "You write me a letter that there is some misunderstanding, and I will take care of this matter."

Gargamuni: So he wrote the letter and now they forward that letter back to the Calcutta corporation without a letter from the minister. Because he went back there. He just told me that. So it's back again to the same guys who, you know... Of course, I don't know what letter he has written, but the officers would not tell us anything. Anyway, we will try our best.

Prabhupāda: Why not take the Victoria Memorial? What is, they are doing?

Jayapatākā: I have never gone inside. I heard it is simply old English armor and some swords.

Prabhupāda: Yes, I have seen.

Room Conversation -- August 20, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Aurobindo?

Saurabha: No.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I think Mahabaleswar is also the summer capital of Mahara... All the government ministers have been meeting there. And this Bhogilal Patel's son, he was saying that he knows all the big people there. Sītā, Rāma, (indistinct) he's the chairman of the local municipality...

Prabhupāda: So we must have a big temple there.

Saurabha: MRA? It's a moral institute. It's very big.

Prabhupāda: MRA?

Saurabha: MRA, yes.

Prabhupāda: Moral...?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Moral Re-armament.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation About Blitz News Clipping -- August 21, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: What is London?(?) There is appreciation. And send all these newspaper clippings about us in Hyderabad, how they are receiving.

Gargamuni: I had those printed up now.

Hari-śauri: Even the chief minister.

Prabhupāda: Even the chief minister.

Gargamuni: He said praises ISKCON.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually Asnani's office is in the same building as Blitz. (laughter)

Prabhupāda: Make a strong case immediately, without delay.

Room Conversation About Blitz News Clipping -- August 21, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: That's nice.

Pradyumna: "They reportedly met also our deputy defense minister, J. B. Patnayak, who hails from Orissa. It is understood that Patnayak has asked the district magistrate of Purī to find land for ISKCON's Sanskrit university there. ISKCON is pursuing not only Kṛṣṇa, it has started taking interest in politics also. It has founded a political party in the United States called "In God We Trust" Party. It has already contested civic elections in Los Angeles and intends to put up candidates for the U.S. Congress." We didn't do anything in Los Angeles. Only in Georgia. All wrong, complete...

Prabhupāda: What is wrong there? In God We Trust, this party. Yes.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: They are making it sound as if it is a political party.

Hari-śauri: They say political with God's name.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: They're not saying God at all. They're saying God..., we're using God as a front.

Prabhupāda: They may say. But we want to put forward a God's party also. Why not? Everyone is godless party. We must push forward a God's party. What is the wrong there?

Hari-śauri: It's not political.

Room Conversation About Blitz News Clipping -- August 21, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Just see.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Sai Baba has a very big political following, including the chief minister of Bombay also.

Gargamuni: Home Ministers, Home Ministers wear his ring, Sai Baba ring.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: So I think they're doing it just...

Prabhupāda: We don't touch about Sai Baba. We charge him, "What do you know about godly?" Don't bring any other men. Don't try to become that "All are useless, we are important." No. But whatever they are there. But they have directed "ungodly." "What do you know about godly, that you have said as ungodly?" Let him explain. And we are background Bhagavad-gītā, approved. So why you are taking my pad?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, I'm sorry.

Prabhupāda: This is the, our member. Pencil and pad. Either he'll leave his own pencil or take my pencil. (laughter) That I am observing. All right. Go. So you'll take charge of this?

Pradyumna: Yes, I will come get it later. I'll get some silk.

Prabhupāda: And purchase one siṁhāsana, small. You know small siṁhāsana.

Room Conversation -- August 21, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Thunderbolt.

Jayapatākā: Thunderbolt. And the policemen said that never—even the chief minister came here once—not even half so many people came, and that was announced for one week. This was announced for one day and more people came than ever before. He said, "This really shows me that the people are hungry for spiritual answer. They have no one to lead them."

Gargamuni: And these leaders are simply envious, that's all. The only reason why they're not helping us is because they're envious. Because so many people are interested and no one is interested in them.

Prabhupāda: Anyway, our Gītār Gān is selling.

Room Conversation -- August 21, 1976, Hyderabad:

Jayapatākā: I went to Writer's Building, I had four or five copies with me. I didn't go for selling. I went to see ministers. But all the peons, they were buying the Gītār Gāns from me. I sold out. People were coming up with rupees saying, "Gītār Gān." I didn't have any more.

Prabhupāda: Out of their own accord they...

Gargamuni: No, they've heard of it. It's becoming famous.

Jayapatākā: That's our inspiration, that if we can make Gītār Gān and Your Divine Grace famous all over Bengal, then we will feel that our mission...

Prabhupāda: Yes, I could not write any... I wrote some Bengali book, that is now... It can be collected from Devānanda Gauḍīya Maṭha. I continually wrote one book, Bhagavāner Kathā.

Jayapatākā: People are begging us for books in Bengali written by Your Divine Grace. We tell them that... There's no time.

Prabhupāda: That Subhaga translated. But his translations are not so...

Gargamuni: No. There's always trouble with translation in local languages, Hindi or Gujarati.

Prabhupāda: They do not know the philosophy.

Room Conversation -- August 21, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Some have said like that. In my matriculation class I wrote some essay and I got out of 100, 85 marks. But the teacher came to the class, "Who has written this?" So I stood up, and he thanked me, "Yes, it is very nice." He especially came to thank me for that essay.

Gargamuni: At least from the human standpoint, it is not humanly possible to have so many books in such a short time. There is no other author, at least that we know.

Jayapatākā: I showed your "As Brilliant as the Sun" to Tarun Kanti Gosh and one other minister, and when they saw that, then after, for ten minutes, all they could say was how Prabhupāda, how he is empowered by Lord Gaurāṅga.

Prabhupāda: They said like that.

Room Conversation -- August 22, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: That influences.

Prabhā Viṣṇu: ...they are so much respectful.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Naturally. That chief minister said.

Gargamuni: Yes. "It is a reversal of history."

Prabhupāda: So that was my policy, that I shall go America, and if the Americans become devotees then these rascals will be automatically. Here they could not appreciate. When I started, wanted to start this movement, they refused to give their son.

Hari-śauri: They always say a preacher is never appreciated in his home town.

Prabhupāda: "Swamiji, what benefit there will be by becoming brāhmaṇa, by devotee? They have to earn their livelihood." Spiritual culture is in India practically rejected. They are convinced with the idea that for spiritual culture we are so much behind this material. That is their full conviction.

Room Conversation -- August 22, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: "Swamiji, what benefit there will be by becoming brāhmaṇa, by devotee? They have to earn their livelihood." Spiritual culture is in India practically rejected. They are convinced with the idea that for spiritual culture we are so much behind this material. That is their full conviction.

Hari-śauri: It must have been a big shock for them when they first saw our devotees. It must have been a big shock for them when they saw these shaved heads and chanting.

Prabhupāda: That minister is coming?

Maṇihāra: Today?

Prabhupāda: Somebody told?

Gargamuni: Yes, at 10:30 they said. Gopāla said he's coming. I don't know, but I will ask.

Maṇihāra: Śrīla Prabhupāda, when we give prasāda to people...

Prabhupāda: Anyone who comes, he must be given prasāda.

Maṇihāra: ...what is the benefit they get exactly? There have been so many concoctions: "Oh, they will take human birth," "they will take this..." What is the actual benefit that a karmī will get when he takes prasāda?

Prabhupāda: Prasāda means the mercy of Kṛṣṇa.

Room Conversation -- August 22, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Why not? Yes. As soon as ready I shall go.

Pradyumna: As soon as ready you will come. We're not waiting for any minister or something to come or anything?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Hari-śauri: He's supposed to be here now.

Prabhupāda: Just see if he's coming actually. Otherwise...

Pradyumna: But as soon as we are ready you will come down?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- August 22, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: And when there will be no vegetables, where you'll get meat? After all, you must have sufficient vegetables for eating by the cows. But if there is no vegetable, then where you'll get meat? Actually, in Europe it is being done, that there is drought. There is no rain. There is no grass. Brown.

Mahāṁśa: The Minister of Endowments is here. The Minister of Endowments.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Thank you. Feeling all right?

Endowment Commissioner: Yes, sir. Yesterday, our chief minister's not here. He came this morning. I asked him to come there, but he has not. Some other ministers are wanting to come. I wanted to at four o'clock.

Prabhupāda: Four o'clock. All right.

Mahāṁśa: Today so early now? But your rest. It's time you take rest, Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: I take rest up to four or half past four.

Mahāṁśa: Can you come at five o'clock?

Endowment Commissioner: At five o'clock there will be another program of our ministers.

Prabhupāda: So I will go. You send car?

Conversation with Seven Ministers of Andhra Pradesh -- August 22, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Varṇāśramācāra-vatā. The varṇa and āśrama I've already explained. Just like for maintenance of the whole body there are different parts: the brain, the arm, the belly, and the leg. Similarly, varṇāśrama means the head—brāhmaṇa; the arms—kṣatriya; the belly—vaiśya; and the leg—śūdra. So by nature these divisions are there. Varṇa, four varṇas and four āśramas. Four varṇas means social divisions, and four āśrama, spiritual division. So apart from spiritual division, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha, and sannyāsa, the social division must be observed. The brain must be there. Brāhmaṇa. Everything must be there. Not only the brain. The arms also required—military department or kṣatriya department. Yuddhe cāpy apalayanam(?). The kṣatriyas are so brave, they don't go away from fighting field, battlefield. Just like Arjuna was trying to become nonviolent. Immediately Kṛṣṇa chastised him, kutas tvā kaśmalam idaṁ viṣame samupasthitam anārya-juṣṭam akīrti-karam. So everything is required. It is not that everyone should become brāhmaṇa. Neither it is possible that everyone should be able to become brāhmaṇa. It is not so easy thing. But a class of brāhmaṇa must be maintained. A class of brāhmaṇa must be there as ideal to consult with them. Similarly, a class of kṣatriya must be there, a class of vaiśya must be there. This is called varṇāśrama. For the peaceful execution of material life these things are required, division. Just like in your government you have got some different ministerial department. You have introduced, this minister is for this department, this minister... Similarly, the brain department must be there. Without brain, even... Suppose a madman, he has got his hands and legs, but it is useless because the brain is lost. So brain must be there.

Conversation with Seven Ministers of Andhra Pradesh -- August 22, 1976, Hyderabad:

Indian (1): No, the institution for training this Swamiji? Your proposition?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. I have got so many ideas.

Indian (1): In Hyderabad.

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. (ministers start speaking in Hindi) (break) ...institute in your Andhra Pradesh. (pause, Hindi conversation) This is Telegu? In every language of the world. In Europe we are printing in English, in French, in Germany, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Swedish. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (break) (kīrtana)

Hari-śauri: (in car) That temple of Birla's will be a little difficult to reach. (end)

Room Conversation with Endowments Commissioner of Andhra Pradesh -- August 22, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: So at four o'clock you are coming there? No. At Mr. Raja's house?

Commissioner: ...minister.

Prabhupāda: They are holding some meeting? Today we have got very good article in the Sunday Chronicle. Everyone is reporting about us very nice, and still there are some envious persons, they are creating doubts about us.

Commissioner: They cannot create any doubts, Swamiji, as long as you are establishing the equality of man in the eyes of God, only one God. That is being done, I think.

Prabhupāda: Yes, we have no discrimination.

Commissioner: Ācchā. No discrimination. And that is the... I don't think anybody called...

Prabhupāda: Samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu.

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

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.

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.

Morning Walk Conversation About Bombay -- August 29, 1976, Delhi:

Prabhupāda: What is read?

Girirāja: They were very agitated that so many big ministers and people came to our function in Hyderabad.

Prabhupāda: Oh, that's nice.

Girirāja: Actually, it's like a backhanded compliment. Whatever they wrote was very favorable.

Prabhupāda: That is counteraction.

Girirāja: Yes. Actually it was good publicity. The headline was that the Andhra government is falling for our tricks. But all the subject was very good.

Prabhupāda: We got very good coverage in Hyderabad by all the papers.

Morning Walk Conversation About Bombay -- August 29, 1976, Delhi:

Girirāja: In the Blitz in the bold type they quote the Endowments Minister that we owe a great debt of gratitude to Śrīla Prabhupāda for reminding us of the great treasure that we have in our own culture.

Prabhupāda: Then they've already owned (won) the case.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually, they don't know that you addressed the whole cabinet in that Endowment Minister's house. That Blitz doesn't know.

Girirāja: They mentioned that the Commissioner of Town Planning designed the temple. They mentioned that the Chief Minister came. They mentioned that we have a farm to help the poor people.

Prabhupāda: Oh, everything is there.

Girirāja: All of our credits are there.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Although they are Communist they just want to...

Prabhupāda: Harer nāma (CC Adi 17.21).

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: One thing is now that we can expect something almost every few weeks. Blitz, once it starts on something it just goes on. I think we should at least write a letter to them just saying...

Girirāja: I was... At first, I thought there is no use to meet the editor because he's a demon.

Prabhupāda: No, no, there is no...

Meeting With Member of Parliament, Mr. Krishna Modi -- August 31, 1976, Delhi:

Krishna Modi: No. Yesterday. Because yesterday I was to come here. But I was called by Mr. Brahmānanda and he told me that you have come here (indistinct) so that I want to know something (indistinct). One question was put up in Rājya-sabhā and he's (indistinct) there. I told him that he's full of (indistinct). There are some gentlemen of er..., labor minister and from (indistinct) Andhra Pradesh. They were also there. (indistinct) Mr. D. D. Desai is also there. (indistinct) And we have discussed at length. And we have told them and there is no restriction (indistinct) the size and to everybody. And you see then it is in Indian history, it is first time that something has been done. All people are saying that they have done in America, they have done in so many centers all over the world and then we are, something like that, it is shameful.

Prabhupāda: It is Indian culture.

Meeting With Member of Parliament, Mr. Krishna Modi -- August 31, 1976, Delhi:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Such bogus.

Prabhupāda: No, all the ministers of Andhra government, they came to our opening ceremony of the temple. Chief Minister spoke and the Endowment Minister, Suraj Narayan, Raju, he's a nice devotee. (Hindi)

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Brittanic Encyclopedia...

Prabhupāda: Where is the opinion of the Russian?

Krishna Modi: This is...

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: This is the way it is now. They're telling everyone that the Andhra government is...

Krishna Modi: I don't think it is anything wrong. But in article they have told nothing.

Evening Darsana -- September 1, 1976, Delhi:

Prabhupāda: Program was that they promised to give me land.

Indian man (3): Who?

Prabhupāda: That chief minister.

Indian man (3): Have they done so?

Prabhupāda: Not yet.

Indian man (3): I had about 2 acres was available, except that. (talks about land he owns-indistinct)

Prabhupāda: We are trying for another big scheme in Bengal. We have applied to the government to acquire land, 350 acres, a big planetarium. Planetarium. We have described the planetarium in our Fifth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In that planetarium it is said that the moon is above the sun planet. By one million six hundred thousand miles.

Garden Conversation -- September 7, 1976, Vrndavana:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Okay. I said outside India because Gītā Press... It becomes disputable in India. So this was my reply to point three. "Point four. Blitz: Most work in India is done by foreign devotees. ISKCON: The founder-ācārya of ISKCON is His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, who is an Indian. His chief secretary for India is also an Indian. In total, ISKCON has presently about 270 devotees in India, of which at least 150 or about 60% are Indian. Our programs in India have been praised by all leaders. The chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, while inaugurating our Hyderabad center on August 18, 1976, said, "History appears to be repeating itself. One found a revival of temple construction, temple worship, and Gītā-prayana in advanced countries like U.S.A."

Prabhupāda: Not Gītā-prayana. Gītā-parāyaṇa.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh. Parāyaṇa. Okay. I just copied the spelling from the paper, Parāyaṇa. Okay, I'll change it.

Prabhupāda: No no, that is understood.

Garden Conversation -- September 7, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: It was donated by the late governor and Central Minister. Nityananda Kananda. (?)

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: He donated it. Okay, I'll write down his name them. "Gaura-Govinda Swami, a 45 year old retired teacher from Orissa is in charge of our Bhuvaneśvara center." So they'll know. "Point ten..."

Prabhupāda: So that land was donated by a prominent man. Nityananda Kananda (?) was central government minister and later on governor of Gujarat. And he often comes to see me in Calcutta.

Garden Conversation -- September 7, 1976, Vrndavana:

everything that they ask.

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I think it came from Delhi from shopping.

Prabhupāda: They are shopping from Delhi?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: He was supposed to go to Delhi, few items. They're better and cheaper sometimes. So now I'll work on the other booklet which the defense minister wanted, "What is ISKCON." A small, like "Kṛṣṇa Consciousness is Authorized," on that form with some reviews.

Prabhupāda: You can start this fan. No, no. Yes.

Hari-śauri: This one?

Prabhupāda: Yes. It is stopped.

Caraṇāravindam: The mains has been turned off, Śrīla Prabhupāda. There is no water coming from the mains.

Hari-śauri: They've turned the water off somewhat.

Prabhupāda: No, no, it is dropping.

Garden Conversation -- September 7, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: The name is Nityananda Kananda.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Kananda. What was his title before? What was he...? Ex-governor?

Prabhupāda: He was a minister in the central government, deputy minister.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Deputy minister.

Prabhupāda: Deputy minister in the central government.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: During when? Approximately?

Prabhupāda: During Jawaharlal Nehru's time. And later on governor of Gujarat.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Governor of?

Prabhupāda: Gujarat. Now he's retired.

Press Interview -- October 16, 1976, Chandigarh:

Prabhupāda: And what the home member has said?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: The home minister recently said that he wants this movement to be spread all over the world. One of the prominent people said he wants this movement to be spread all over the world.

Interviewer: Now, sir, from your lips, how to attain this Kṛṣṇa consciousness and to maintain it?

Prabhupāda: Once you come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you will maintain. You won't have to...

Interviewer: No, from your own, direct from your lips how to...

Prabhupāda: No, this direction is there in the Bhagavad-gītā that... Find out this verse, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru (BG 18.65). It is very simple thing. Find out this verse. (Indian guest is entering or leaving and Prabhupāda says for him to take prasādam in Hindi)

Room Conversation -- October 31, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Now that is their income.

Hari-śauri: Yeah, tourism is their big source of income, now.

Prabhupāda: It is always cloudy; people are going to see the West Minister Abbey and Parliament.

Haṁsadūta: The whole tourist industry runs on propaganda.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Haṁsadūta: When you get there, there is nothing to see.

Prabhupāda: In Parliament they have got old records bound up, almirah. You have seen? What it will do now? Speech of such and such person, speech of... (long pause) What they... Why this water is?

Hari-śauri: Well they are watering the garden.

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Hari-śauri: Were you thinking of any particular time, when you wanted to do this village program?

Prabhupāda: Hm. I have no where experience.

Room Conversation -- October 31, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Similarly here also, all the Kṛṣṇa conscious persons especially here in Vṛndāvana, all the goswamis, they should be approached that this is the genuine Indian culture.

Haṁsadūta: Yeah.

Hari-śauri: Perhaps we could even get statement from some of the favorable Indian ministers in the government? Just like this Home Minister and Tarun Kanti Ghosh in Calcutta.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Hari-śauri: That would be very weighty.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So do like that, that this is genuine, Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is genuine, cultural and religious movement. This should be taken from all prominent persons and sent there. And the copies of the standing order for all the universities.

Room Conversation -- October 31, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Original orders, that should be copied and sent. This arrangement, ask them all over India and beside that we have recently got a testimony of one University authorities, just like one Goswami from Calcutta University and many others they have got. These copies should be sent immediately. We can approach even the chief justice of Allahabad high-court, he came here, the minister here, the governor of Punjab, he came to see me, the governor...

Hari-śauri: Andhra Pradesh government also.

Prabhupāda: Eh? Andhra Pradesh, chief minister.

Hari-śauri: Immediately (indistinct).

Prabhupāda: Minister, Vṛndāvana. Collect all these and send it that this is a genuine movement because it is great cultural movement. Therefore, Swami Bhaktivedanta wanted to give it to Europe who are in the darkness. So anyway, now they are feeling the action of the medicine.

Room Conversation -- October 31, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So Caitanya Mahāprabhu was not afraid, but He, as usual, He left that place. But Sanātana Goswami, at that time minister...

Haṁsadūta: He could understand.

Prabhupāda: He took advice, the Nawab was so serious about Him. A Mohammedan may do something. So he said, "It is not good to stay here. You should go away." They decided that we shall go now with Him but in the meantime let Him go. Because there were parts of India, Mohammedan influence, especially Bengal was Mohammedan kingdom. So this was warning. Then he told the Nawab that, "He is a beggar. Why do you think of him as serious man? He is beggar. Some people follow him, not many." So he said. "Don't try to mislead me. I know. He's not beggar, He's God. Otherwise how so many people are following Him?" The Nawab he said that.

Haṁsadūta: Huh.

Prabhupāda: "He's not ordinary man. Don't say that He's beggar,' he said. (laughs) Nobody follows a beggar like that, that is it. After all he was king, he had some brain. (laughs) So he wanted to brainwash, "Don't think of Him very seriously. A beggar. Some people, sentimental." "No, don't say like that. A beggar is never followed by so many men."

Room Conversation with Dr. Theodore Kneupper -- November 6, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Rich man you can become but for how long you shall be rich? The nature is so cruel; at any moment he'll take away everything. Then what is the use of becoming? No, you become rich man. There is no... But you should know that "Although I am rich, powerful, everything can be taken by nature at any moment." Mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham (BG 10.34). That is statement of God, that "Any moment... You try to become rich, powerful, and president or minister, that's all right, but any moment, I can take everything from you." So who will protect himself? They have no brain that "Whatever I have created, it can be taken at any moment." So what is that confidence? They have no inquiry even. That this is a fact. Either you become Napoleon, Hitler or Gandhi, or this or that, any moment everything will be taken away. "Get out." Not only that, tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13), you have to accept another body. And that is no guarantee what body you are going to get because fully under the control of nature. They therefore don't believe in transmigration of the soul. And that is very great botheration. They try to evade. But Kṛṣṇa says, God says, "You cannot evade. It is nature's law." Dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā (BG 2.13). Within your body the soul is there. On account of presence of the soul—you were a child; now you are a grown young man—the body has changed. You were a boy; now you are young man. So on account of presence of the soul, the body is changing. So when this body will be finished, the soul will exist. Therefore, naturally you have to conclude, there will be another body.

Room Conversation -- November 14, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Court case? Oh.

Devotee: He had given us nice questioning, and some from our... Members, who are members of Parliament and other persons like M. Channa Reddy himself, he said that he would approach the External Affairs Minister and ask him that the External Affairs Minister, he can make some sort of protest, either official or unofficial, about this type of dealings that are going on.

Prabhupāda: So he has not given anything, writing.

Devotee: No, but what he said... He said that he is the head of the state of U.P... So he said if he gives a protest to the American government directly that "This is not..."

Prabhupāda: There is no question of protest that... This Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is genuine movement.

Devotee: I had gotten a letter from Gopāla Kṛṣṇa that he also wanted some letter in the form of protest.

Prabhupāda: Protest? Why this nonsense suggestion is done? These are rascal things. You have no experience and you do something which is...

Devotee: I asked the governor to give a letter of...

Prabhupāda: Why did you approach the governor without asking me? You cannot make the governor so cheap thing that you will go always and ask something. Unnecessarily spend money and waste time.

Morning Walk -- December 25, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is real noncooperation. (laughter) What this public noncooperation will do. They are simply clerks. Some of them may be high-court judges, but no responsible post was given.

Guest (1): And all these atrocities were committed by Indians upon Indians at the orders of the British.

Prabhupāda: All the big, big secretaries, under-secretaries, governors... There was no minister, all European, only some clerks. So what is the use of clerks' noncooperation? They didn't care. And in order to pat Gandhi, the governor sometimes used to invite him. "Sir, you are so powerful. Kindly stop this movement." And Gandhi became puffed-up that the Britishers are very afraid of him. "No! I shall do." And Subash Bose insisting, "In this way, they'll never go by this nonviolent."

Guest (1): Human nature as it is, you can't... Unless there is some sort of a compulsion, whether in spiritual...

Prabhupāda: And in politics, might is right.

Room Conversation -- December 28, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: If woman walks on the street then she is not respectable. Now women are going to offices.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Now they are doing everything. Even leading nations.

Prabhupāda: Nation is also doing that.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: In President Carter's new cabinet he included a woman as a secretary now. As a minister, for the first time I think.

Hari-śauri: In England also they have a woman Prime Minister for the first time.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: She's a leader of the opposition.

Hari-śauri: No, she was the Prime Minister as well. She's the opposition now.

Prabhupāda: Woman is acting as police in England.

Room Conversation -- December 31, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Maybe.

Dr. Patel: C.R. Das made a very good speech. I have read all about what he practicing yoga in jail when he was himself written when he came to the minister's court. He felt that everywhere was Kṛṣṇa. Everyone was... He was seeing Kṛṣṇa everywhere. That was his feeling. So he would not be punished by anybody. But God is everywhere. His brother was transported to the... He was to be hanged and then he was transported to (indistinct).

Prabhupāda: (indistinct). (break) This is the fact that yato mata tato patha? Whatever path you accept, that is all right? He said that. Do you think it is bona fide? Kṛṣṇa says mām ekam, and he approves anything.

Dr. Patel: He was a partial political leader also.

Prabhupāda: That's all. He's a political leader.

Dr. Patel: But then he had a great burning desire to see that India be free of British purpose. He was a real nationalist...

Prabhupāda: That even cats and dogs, they also want that my cats be well fed and strong. That is not a very good position. And Bhagavad-gītā says aratiḥ putra-dāra-gṛhādiṣu. This is philosophy. And if one is attached to his homely happiness he's not even a man of knowledge.

Page Title:Minister (Conversations 1976)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Mayapur
Created:12 of Dec, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=76, Let=0
No. of Quotes:76