Museum

Expressions researched:
"museum" |"museums"

SB Canto 4

SB 4.9.62, Purport:

It can be calculated that Dhruva Mahārāja lived many millions of years ago, but the description of the palace of Dhruva's father is so glorious that we cannot accept that advanced human civilization did not exist even forty or fifty thousand years ago. There were walls like those in the palace of Mahārāja Uttānapāda even very recently, during the Mogul period. Anyone who has seen the Red Fort in Delhi must have marked that the walls are made of marble and were once decorated with jewels. During the British period all these jewels were taken away and dispatched to the British Museum.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.16 -- London, August 22, 1973:

There is also paint. But that is not painting. Set up with stones, and the eyes and other parts of the bird, or trees, flowers, they are bedecked with different types of jewels. Now all these jewels have been taken away when British government was there, and they are now protected in the British museum. So far I have heard. But the jewels were taken away. That's a fact. Anyone can see that. So material opulence and... Of course, in India, it was not considered to have a big tin car or plastic plates. Material opulence means jewels, gold, silk, butter, that is material opulence. Not plastic pots or plastic bucket, plastic cloth. It has no value. So anyway, India was concerned material opulence, whatever is gotten from the nature, not by industry, not engaging oneself in industry. Therefore, India, the leaders of India now, they are finding that on account of our negligence to the material side of life, we have become poor.

So the (purport) (?) purpose is that the East and West difference is that the Eastern people, Eastern people means India, they stressed on this sat portion, the permanent portion, the spiritual civilization. Their aim was "How to make this life perfect so that I can become immortal."

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 1.1.1 -- London, August 6, 1971:

The same thing, tejo-vāri-mṛdāṁ vinimayaḥ. But when we install Deity, actually the form, eternal form of Kṛṣṇa, nobody offers obeisances. They'll go to offer obeisances to the dead. Just like in British Museum. They are standing in queue to offer obeisances to a dead body. It has no value, but they are wasting time there. But here, if they are invited, "Oh, they are worshiping idol. Why shall I go? Why shall I go there?" This is called illusion. They are actually doing that, obeisances, but not to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Vyāsadeva says that "I offer my obeisances to the Supreme Absolute Truth." Satyaṁ paraṁ dhīmahi (SB 1.1.1). There is no more truth beyond that. And as Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat kiñcid asti dhanañjaya (BG 7.7). Mattaḥ, "Beyond Me there is no more superior power." Mattaḥ parataraṁ na anyat. So Vyāsadeva is offering his obeisances to the person above whom there is nobody.

Lecture on SB 1.9.40 -- New York, May 22, 1973:

People have become so misguided, they are memorizing. In our country some astrologer has said that one big politician, he has become one of the two dogs in Scandinavia! Now here for this material body, they have erected museum, and statues, and being worshiped by so many methods, but the spirit soul—which was the politician actually, not this body—he has taken birth as a dog. This is the understanding. Where the politician has gone and how what he is doing, they do not know. But they are concerned with the body. My Guru Mahārāja used to say, (aside:) yes? "That one man is drowned, and another brave man comes—I'll save him." As he jumps over the water and brings the coat and shirt, "Now this man is saved." So what people will say, what a nonsense he is, he has brought his coat and shirt and the man is saved? Similarly, these rascals, they are dealing with the coat and shirt of the living entity but they have no knowledge in the university or anywhere where the soul has gone.

Sri Brahma-samhita Lectures

Lecture on Brahma-samhita, Verse 32 -- New York, July 26, 1971:

Sometimes they are as big as one big ship. But there are other fishes, we get information, they are called timiṅgila. The big fish, the whale fish, and timiṅgila means there is another big fish which swallows this timiṅgila, this whale just like anything. These informations are there. And in Calcutta Museum, in our childhood—it may be still existing—we saw one skeleton of a fish that is bigger than this room, a skeleton. It is hanging on the ceiling. So there are very, very big, big fishes. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi. You get immediately information, without being a biologist, scientist, you can get information. The Darwin's theory, in most perfection, there is in the Padma Purāṇa: jīva-jatiṣu. The evolutionary theory is there. But Darwin is missing the real point: Who is, who is evolving? He's missing the spirit soul. He cannot explain. That is imperfect.

Festival Lectures

His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada's Disappearance Day, Lecture -- Hyderabad, December 10, 1976:

And then, in 1936-it's a long history-during this Vyāsa-pūjā day, this Vyāsa-pūjā day, whatever I studied about our relationship with my Guru Mahārāja, I expressed in this poetry, and since that day my Godbrothers used to call me "poet." And Guru Mahārāja also very much appreciated this poetry. Now somehow or other you have found it. (laughs) I thought the poetry is lost, but I do not know how it was found out by some of our disciples. I think it was found out in London museum or somewhere else by Guru dāsa. They had a stock of Harmonist, and from the Harmonist, my Guru Mahārāja's paper, this poetry was found. Otherwise I thought it was lost. So anyway, this poetry is "Adore, adore ye all the happy day, blessed than heaven, sweeter than May." So I heard that the month of May is very pleasing in the Western countries, so I compared the happiness of this day with the May Day. They call May Day?

General Lectures

Speech to Maharaja and Maharani and Conversations Before and After -- Indore, December 11, 1970:

And in England also, London, we have got our temple, 7 Bury Place. When your Highnesses may visit London or New York or Los Angeles—most probably you visit London occasionally—I invite you to our temple at 7 Bury Place near the British Museum. It is very prominent place. And this girl in front of you, Śrīmatī Yamunā devī, she and her husband Gurudāsa is in charge of the temple. But because I have come to India, they are assisting me. She has seen the Prime Minister also, Indira Gandhi. She is very much impressed with the saṅkīrtana movement. So this Kṛṣṇa consciousness and patronization by the royal family is very old relationship. So I came especially in Indore to see your holinesses..., er, highnesses, that if you give us some shelter we can immediately open a branch of Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. I have brought with me forty American, European, Canadian students, and they will be exemplary teachers. You can see from their faces how they are advanced in spiritual consciousness, how they have accepted these principles of Vaiṣṇavism.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Charles Darwin:

Śyāmasundara: His tomb, his grave. He is buried there.

Prabhupāda: Westminster Abbey has become now a museum.

Śyāmasundara: Graveyard and museum.

Prabhupāda: People go to see, tourist.

Śyāmasundara: I think it cost us sixteen shillings for us to see. Remember we saw King (indistinct). So they're making some money.

Prabhupāda: Yes. For some period, Elizabeth to Queen Victoria, the English nation advanced in so many ways. They wanted to record it that they are the greatest nation in the world. But the basic principle was how to get money from outside in London. That was the basic thing. By advertising there... Actually by nature they are very impoverished. They have no sufficient food, even; their nature. And they wanted to be greatest nation. By nature they are not very much favored. Now they are coming again in the lap of nature.

Philosophy Discussion on Karl Marx:

Prabhupāda: That was vacant.

Hayagrīva: It's more like a museum.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Hayagrīva: They keep it as a museum.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that I have seen. I don't think there is any worship of church.

Hayagrīva: But there must be some... There must be some people in Russia, since God is...

Prabhupāda: They may be doing private, privately. Or I did not see.

Hayagrīva: Well at least now some people are interested in purchasing your books in Russia.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is...

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Allen Ginsberg -- May 13, 1969, Columbus, Ohio:

Prabhupāda: yes. That is the archeological evidence. Archeological evidence is that Buddha's statues were original.

Allen Ginsberg: The museum at Mathurā, I think, had the earliest human statues of Buddha, which are Greek nature.

Guest (1): Because Candragupta's style... (Bengali) And they had many temple...

Prabhupāda: No, Buddha is worshiped by statue. That is historical. That is historical fact. And there are many temples in Burma, China, and in Japan, all these Buddhist countries. But these Buddhist temples began not exactly after Buddha's disappearance. At least, after one thousand years. That is a fact.

Allen Ginsberg: Yes. That's much later.

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- August 15, 1971, London:

Śyāmasundara: Yes. He doesn't work here. He works over at the library, British Museum.

Prabhupāda: Where is that?

Śyāmasundara: Just down the street.

Prabhupāda: He takes them.

Śyāmasundara: I don't know. I guess he does. He's gone all day. Every day he's gone. He says it's too disturbing to work here, too crowded.

Prabhupāda: That may be.

Śyāmasundara: I think he's doing it by longhand, writing it out because he doesn't take a typewriter.

Prabhupāda: So make arrangement, whatever thoughts are coming I am giving you. Ārati is finished?

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- April 18, 1972, Hong Kong:

Prabhupāda: Yes, London is very... There is also. We have got very nice temple near British Museum, 7 Bury Place. And all Europeans, they come to see our temple from Germany, from France. Because we have been advertised in cooperation with the Beatles. The Beatles, Beatles, the George Harrison. You do not know his name? He is very famous man. Yes. So we have produced some records in cooperation with George Harrison's organization. So because the records are produced through George Harrison, we have got a very, very big sale. You see? And that has advertised Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa Temple, London. So people come to see what is this Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa temple, out of... Because London, every day, thousands of visitors come in London. They have got visitors buses also, charge nominal. So London is still important. From all parts of the world people come. So anyone who comes, they come to see our temple.

Guest (1): When you say, sir, you were advertised with the Beatles, do you have any connection with the Maharishi?

Prabhupāda: No.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 21, 1973, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Subash Bose?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes. About the museum.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: In Hazrat, Hazrat road it is in...near, not far from...?

Prabhupāda: Mahajati?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes, maha...

Prabhupāda: Mahajati Sadhana.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes, Mahajati Sadhana.

Prabhupāda: That is in Central Calcutta.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: There are many foreign scholars from, they're mostly from Japan, and many...

Prabhupāda: I don't find. I do not know much about it.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- June 12, 1974, Paris:

Prabhupāda: What are these buildings?

Bhagavān: This is a big museum.

Prabhupāda: Museum?

Bhagavān: Yes. (break)

Paramahaṁsa: Everything man creates...

Prabhupāda: And why does he die?

Paramahaṁsa: We have got knowledge.

Prabhupāda: Who has created death? Eh? Who has created death? Man creates everything, but who has created your death, Mr. Man? What is the answer?

Puṣṭa-kṛṣṇa: He has not created anything then.

Prabhupāda: No no, no. I accept that man has created anything, everything. But who has created your death?

Morning Walk -- June 12, 1974, Paris:

French Devotee (2): It's a new building.

French Devotee (1): It's new. It's not hundred years old. It's called Marine Museum, Museum of the Marines.

Paramahaṁsa: It's a museum for exhibitions.

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa. The man who created, he's kicked out. "Get out!" What did he do? "I have created this thing. I must enjoy." Why he's kicked out? Why?

Puṣṭa-kṛṣṇa: Because it is actually not his property.

Prabhupāda: What is the answer? Why you are kicked out? Answer somebody.

Puṣṭa-kṛṣṇa: It's just like this body.

Bhagavān: He's not the real proprietor.

Morning Walk -- June 13, 1974, Paris:

Prabhupāda: Yes. Provided he has got the taste for chanting. Otherwise he'll sleep. That's all. (pause) These are all buildings for museum?

Paramahaṁsa: Yes, and some small parts are used for administrative offices, the government and police. This used to be a king's palace.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Paramahaṁsa: This used to be the king's palace, of France.

French Devotee: (indistinct)

Paramahaṁsa: Yes, this was the palace before they built the big palace in Versailles. Versailles is like a demigod's planet. It's the most wonderful building in all of France. Everything in gold, and wonderful paintings. Very, very big, and wonderful gardens and rivers. The king of France was very intelligent. In order to keep the nobles from revolting against him, he invited them all to his palace to enjoy with him. And he gave them wonderful feasts and a lot of sex life, and wonderful music. And like this, they never revolted during his time. This was Louis the Fourteenth.

French Devotee: He was called the sun king.

Room Conversation with Professor Oliver La Combe Director of the Sorbonne University -- June 14, 1974, Paris:

Prabhupāda: Improving, yes. Just near that Asiatic Society we held our Hare Kṛṣṇa Festival in front of, I think, the museum.

Professor La Combe: Yes, on Chowringhee.

Prabhupāda: Yes, and it was very successful. Daily, thirty thousand people were assembling.

Professor La Combe: This year?

Prabhupāda: No. (break in tape) ...God conscious. So the leaders suppressing. This is the present position. The leaders are more or less communists, and they are suppressing their natural outflow and that is the position now.

Professor La Combe: But I think that nowadays the situation in Calcutta is better. You would not have the same kind of difficulties this year I suppose.

Prabhupāda: No, it is easier now. In 1970, '69 there was no security. When you go out, there is no security whether you'll come back. Yes. You were at that time there? No.

Room Conversations -- September 10, 1974, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: You put one rupee, and if you are successful you will get four rupees. Siddhi. Because material world, they think "If I get more money, then it is perfection." Everywhere, the whole world is thinking-nationwise, individual—how to become. You will find in Europe the same propensity. Napoleon is trying to make Paris the most opulent city in Europe. Or Englishmen, Gladstone and others, they are trying to make England, London, most opulent city in the world. Similarly, czar was very accomplished. (indistinct) it is burst out into war. So we see the propensity. In Paris, the Place Concorde, so many beautiful buildings are there for museum, how they have conquered. In Rome, how they have conquered over Egypt, that pyramid they have brought. You have been in Rome?

Room Conversations -- September 10, 1974, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes, they have brought.

Devotee (1): It's a long obelisk that are there, brought from Egypt.

Prabhupāda: And in the British Museum you will find so many things plundered from here, plundered from here. In the Rome, they are also maintaining such museums, and Paris I saw. This is their competition—wholesale plundering, wholesale plundering.

Devotee (2): They take it... (break)

Prabhupāda: We take that it is a competition of the thieves. All rascals. That's not the civilization. And Mahābhārata history also we find so many demons. Just like..., what is called, that asura, he simply plundered all the beautiful princesses.

Devotee (2): Bhaumāsura?

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Conversation with Devotees -- April 14, 1975, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: That you say. But I don't believe it. I have not seen.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Well, they have skeletons in the museum.

Brahmānanda: Very thick skulls and very small brains.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Almost like a ape.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. There was a big animal. So what is the difference? They are animals, big or small. You have seen a skeleton of pygmy man also. So where is that man now? You have seen pygmy man, you don't require archeological. So where is that man?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, they don't live any more. Now we are more intelligent. Previously there were pygmy men, very less intelligent, small, not nice looking. Now we have got more...

Prabhupāda: According to our śāstra you are going to be pygmy men. That is, there is proof, because you are not as strong as your forefathers. That's a fact. You are becoming dwarfer, dwarfer. According to our śāstra you come to that pygmy, (indistinct) in due course of time. As it was before, so again the time is repeating, history repeating.

Morning Walk -- May 10, 1975, Perth:

Prabhupāda: Because you have plundered them for the last two thousand years. You rascals, rogues, you have plundered. You have taken all their money, all their jewels, all their gold, and made British Museum. (laughter) It is due to you. (noise in background) What is the dog? Some dog?

Amogha: Oh, that is the siren. You mean the siren?

Prabhupāda: No, no. Some bird.

Amogha: Oh, yeah. In Bhagavad-gītā we claim that it is a fact scientifically that Kṛṣṇa appeared on earth and so many things. But actually isn't it because we believe that the Bhagavad-gītā is true that we think it is scientific? Because we believe it. But someone else would say, "I don't believe it, so for me it's not scientific."

Prabhupāda: Why it is not scientific? If Bhagavad-gītā says, annād bhavanti bhūtāni (BG 3.14), by eating sufficient grains, the living entity become flourished. So, can you deny it?

Morning Walk -- June 28, 1975, Denver:

Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. "What is the wrong?" He was coming to our Second Avenue to call his son, "Why you are in this association? Come." At last, we could not save him. The father took away. (break) ...museum?

Kurusretha: Some kind of boat house or...

Devotee (1): It used to be a musical thing. They'd put pontoons out in the lake.

Kuruśreṣṭha: They would have concerts in there in the past.

Prabhupāda: (break) No mango here?

Kuruśreṣṭha: No mango.

Prabhupāda: What is this? They do not...

Kuruśreṣṭha: Only apples and peaches will grow in this state.

Prabhupāda: Why not mango? The climate is good for mango.

Morning Walk -- June 28, 1975, Denver:

Prabhupāda: Well, when there is killing, it is not that the pious men... But mostly they were saved. The Pāṇḍavas were saved. The five brothers, they remained. Now the moon is sour. Grapes are sour? (laughter) The jackal jumped over to catch some grapes, and when he fell, "Eh, what is the use of grapes? It is sour." The jackal said. So this is... Now they say there is, that is not good for him. "Let us go to Venus. (laughter) Moon is sour." And why you spent so much money? (break) ...stone man has come. That is the museum.

Brahmānanda: Stone?

Prabhupāda: How from stone...

Kuruśreṣṭha: Anthropologists.

Prabhupāda: Modern stone does not produce. They have become modernized? (laughter) (break)

Kuruśreṣṭha: In Dvaraka, when Kṛṣṇa was here, they would have such parks?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Morning Walk -- June 29, 1975, Denver:

Prabhupāda: ...no rose here? We don't see any rose.

Kuruśreṣṭha: They don't like to grow nice things for fear someone will take them.

Bahulavana: There's a big rose garden by the museum.

Kuruśreṣṭha: They don't grow fruit trees in the park because someone will eat them.

Prabhupāda: And he will not work. Escaping. (break) ...demonic mentality, "I shall not do anything which will be enjoyed by others." And human mentality is that "I shall do something which will be enjoyed by others." That is human mentality.

Brahmānanda: In India isn't it the system that after they harvest the wheat they leave some on the ground for the others to come and pick?

Morning Walk -- July 19, 1975, San Francisco:

Paramahaṁsa: In the British historical museum in London, I have seen there's a plate about this large, and half of it is pure gold, and the other half is lead. And they found this. They can't explain. It's just a straight line where they separate, and they can't explain how it was produced. So they're experimenting now to try to change lead because there's only, what is it, one proton or electron in the atom? Different. There's only like one proton difference between lead and gold. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...the sky there are many big, big planets where the millions of miles made of gold. Just like desert, there is gold desert.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah. We saw coming here a salt desert. There's a whole desert of salt.

Prabhupāda: Where?

Morning Walk -- July 20, 1975, San Francisco:

Citsukhānanda: They have one church here, Prabhupāda. It is Mormon church. It is not too far from here. It is very gigantic, and it's on a hill. And every Sunday they get maybe five to six thousand guests because they have spent great money on a big complex. They have a library, museum and church. This is... We could also do this sometime, make one nice Indian temple. Thousands of visitors would come, even just tourists, from all over the world. They could probably come the same way. Ours would be much better, though.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Very good idea. (break) ...also very nice.

Bahulāśva: The lake?

Prabhupāda: Hm. Due to that lake. (break)

Bahulāśva: ...but no one can swim.

Prabhupāda: Ācchā?

Morning Walk -- July 21, 1975, San Francisco:

Prabhupāda: Not necessarily. The size is there in the Bhāgavata.

Paramahaṁsa: In Stockholm, Prabhupāda, in the museum, they have a whole room, and in the room there is all these... There's American flag and Swedish flag, and there's a whole exhibit with one teeny little rock about as big as my finger nail that the Americans gave the Swedes. It's supposed to be a rock from the moon. And they said in it that it's exactly as any kind of rock that you'll find on earth. (laughter)

Prabhupāda: They say? It is simply cheating. They found this in Arizona, somebody... (laughter) And laboratory work.

Bahulāśva: I have been trying to arrange a meeting between Your Divine Grace and that astronaut. He was going to come to Rathayātrā, but he had to go to Florida for some space project.

Prabhupāda: What does he say, astronaut?

Morning Walk -- October 7, 1975, Durban:

Prabhupāda: Where is that fort?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: It's supposed to be some kind of museum over here. I don't think the fort is still standing.

Prabhupāda: And where are the fort makers? (laughter) Where they have gone?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: They were shot out of the cannon.

Prabhupāda: So what is the meaning of this fort? If the fort makers are themselves finished, then what is the use of making fort?

Devotee (2): "Why should we live anymore? We're not getting any pleasure out of life. There's no future. Why should..." People are happy to die these days, because there is no pleasure.

Prabhupāda: There is no... Who said there is no pleasure?

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- February 9, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Jayapatākā: ...that this is not a temple; this is like a big cultural exposition, museum, planetarium.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Boy, Prabhupāda, the people will pay... Everyone will pay a rupee to go in and see that. One rupee for that, one rupee to ride the escalator.

Prabhupāda: And there will be escalator to take them to different planetary system. Mention there.

Bhavānanda: My father... In those planetariums, they use a machine in the center that shoots out light. My father helped to invent that, so we could probably...

Prabhupāda: So bring your father. Father and son, both together. He is... Where he is?

Morning Walk -- February 27, 1976, Mayapura:

Jayapatākā: So then people can... Then advertising, "Come here."

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Actually it will be an unique thing in the world. There is no such thing all over the world. That we shall do. And not only simply showing museum, but educating people to that idea.

Hṛdayānanda: Preaching.

Prabhupāda: Right. With factual knowledge, books, not fictitious.

Morning Walk -- March 13, 1976, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: Immediately ask them to construct a house.

Ghanaśyāma: Make it like a museum.

Prabhupāda: Who is here from Māyāpur, in-charge? Nobody is here?

Yadubara: Jayapatāka went on parikrama.

Yaśodānandana: I think maybe that along with that commentary from the professor from the University of Mexico to send to Mrs. Indira Gandhi, if all of these quotations are sent, she will understand that you are being appreciated by everyone.

Prabhupāda: No, you can send all the quotations, not only one. (aside:) Hare Kṛṣṇa. (break) ...very enlivening, encouraging, very good. And especially from the Western countries. All classes of academic leaders. It is very good.

Morning Walk -- March 17, 1976, Mayapura:

Trivikrama: The whole British Museum.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Whole British Museum means stolen properties from many countries, that's all, especially in India.

Yaśodānandana: Prabhupāda, I have heard that previously in India, some paṇḍita says, that when they used to put the jewels on the Deities they used to put some mantra that, when they install the Deity, that "Whoever takes this mantra will never be able to have peace or will die," some curse mantras.

Yaśodānandana: Whoever steals the jewels.

Prabhupāda: Yes. It is possible.

Rādhāvallabha: Even just recently they were laughing at this curse, and they took the jewel from Sītā-devī in their car to go to the museum, and their car crashed on the way.

Morning Walk -- June 4, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: (laughs)

Rāmeśvara: I brought the Time magazine people to see it. They were so impressed they wanted to come when the museum is open, to make a story.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Rāmeśvara: They never saw anything like it.

Prabhupāda: Deal with them very nicely. We get publicity.

Rāmeśvara: It's very costly.

Prabhupāda: Never mind. Cost, Kṛṣṇa will send money.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This project here will cost, how much? About seventy...

Rāmeśvara: The actual project, without considering how much the devotees live on, forty thousand dollars.

Prabhupāda: Never mind.

Morning Walk -- June 8, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: (laughs) I never said. I never bother with these nonsense things.

Rāmeśvara: They have got so many bones in the museums showing these gigantic animals.

Prabhupāda: Not gigantic. There are bones. But that animal is still there, whalefish.

Rāmeśvara: Whalefish.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Very big body.

Rāmeśvara: Some have become extinct.

Prabhupāda: Why they should be extinct?

Hṛdayānanda: No longer on the earth.

Rāmeśvara: No longer on this planet.

Prabhupāda: (too much noise) Not necessarily. They are within the ocean.

Morning Walk -- June 10, 1976, Los Angeles:

Rāmeśvara: He understands our philosophy, but he is not ready to surrender. He very much appreciated the dioramas that Bharadvāja is working on. We took him over to see them. Every one of the newspapermen was anxious to get a story on the opening of the museum.

Hṛdayānanda: Very prestigious, "Hare Kṛṣṇa Museum."

Prabhupāda: In everywhere, every center.

Hṛdayānanda: Museum, library...

Rāmeśvara: Then, eventually, Bharadvāja wants to have big museum in the city, not necessarily in our building, because the building may not have enough space. Śrīla Prabhupāda, I think it will be more prestigious if we use the art paintings to be displayed in museums or art galleries.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Rāmeśvara: That way, wealthy, upper-class people will get a chance to appreciate. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...said that beef-eating is the cause of cancer.

Garden Conversation -- June 14, 1976, Detroit:

Mādhavānanda: Yes. They would like that very much.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Mādhavānanda: Because already this is like a historic museum.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Mādhavānanda: It's so beautiful.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So in big glass case.... One girl saw me in Los Angeles. No? Hawaii.

Hari-śauri: Candranibha?

Prabhupāda: So she's not getting facility in Hawaii. She can come here with two, three assistants. There is so much place here. So correspond with...

Mādhavānanda: Hawaii.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Or ask our Govinda dāsī. Write one letter to Govinda dāsī, I'll sign, that "You can come with your assistants. Here is a very good scope for doll making and exhibit. And the place is very nice. You'll like." So many other girls they can also learn. Doll making is very easy. It is not difficult.

Arrival Comments in Car to Temple -- July 9, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: Not proper leader. What is this building?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This is the, ah...

Rāmeśvara: Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Metropolitan Museum of Art. Very famous art museum.

Prabhupāda: Saw fireworks in Washington.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There's the Empire State Building, Prabhupāda, straight ahead.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Rāmeśvara: I think one day our art paintings will also be in these museums. Because our artists are becoming as expert as anyone.

Prabhupāda: Must be.

Arrival Comments in Car to Temple -- July 9, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: What is this building?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I don't recognize it. Oh, the Fritt Collection, it's an art museum. This whole street is full of art museums.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There's one gentleman named Fritt.

Rāmeśvara: This taxi driver is saying Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Our Jayānanda was driving taxi and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, and one day (laughter) he brought to me five thousand dollars.

Rāmeśvara: And you used it to print Teachings of Lord Caitanya.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Rāmeśvara: Was that the time?

Prabhupāda: I think, yes.

Morning Walk -- July 11, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: Knowledge..., what is this?

Hari-śauri: It says "Truth, knowledge, vision."

Rāmeśvara: This is a museum.

Hari-śauri: State of New York Memorial to Theodore Roosevelt.

Prabhupāda: Who is this gentleman on the horse?

Rāmeśvara: That's one of the former presidents, Theodore Roosevelt.

Prabhupāda: This road is very infamous.

Hari-śauri: Very infamous?

Prabhupāda: Yes, means notorious. They say that black men, they capture white women.

Morning Walk -- July 12, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They are having a big exhibit of minerals and gems, Museum of Natural History. One thing about this museum, it can give Bhāradvāja many ideas for doll exhibits.

Rāmeśvara: Yes, I'm going to go there with him when he comes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This particular museum, we used to go when we were children, and fantastic exhibits, really realistic.

Rāmeśvara: Yes, dolls, dioramas...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yes, all dioramas.

Rāmeśvara: ...of dinosaurs.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, the whole thing is dioramas, the whole museum practically. I'll go with you also.

Morning Walk -- July 12, 1976, New York:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: These scientists, they find one little bone and they make a hundred-foot body out of their mind. They say, "Well if this bone was like this, then the whole thing must have looked like this."

Rāmeśvara: That is the Museum of Natural History. They spend millions of dollars on these museums, making these displays. (break) (walking)

Prabhupāda: ...for dog, means she's going to become dog. She does not know how she is spoiling the life.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Unless she gets one of our books.

Prabhupāda: No, that is another plan. At least she does not know how things are going on.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually, unless someone gets one of your books, there's no way they can come out of the darkness of this material world. There's no other source of knowledge for the people nowadays.

Prabhupāda: That is a fact. Śrīmad-bhāgavate mahā-muni-kṛte kiṁ vā anyaḥ śāstraiḥ. When there is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, composed, compiled by Vyāsadeva, where is the use of other literature? Śrīmad-bhāgavate mahā-muni-kṛte. (pause) Dusty, eh? No one is taking care.

Morning Walk -- July 13, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: This is not education. Everything is killing. Therefore we are supposed to deal with all madmen. They are thinking that they are constructing such big, big buildings, they are the most exalted persons, but we take them as mad.

piśācī pāile yena mati-cchanna haya

māyā-grasta jīvera haya se bhāva udaya

Ghostly haunted. A person ghostly haunted, as he does, acts, similarly, anyone who is under the clutches of māyā, he acts like this. (break) ...this church, I came. They purchased one set of books. And one lady, Mrs. McGuire I think, she arranged this meeting. Underneath there is subway. I was sitting there and the subway sound was cut-cut cut-cut cut-cut. So I asked what is this and they said subway. Within this building there is subway. I think they are repairing. What is this building? That museum?

Morning Walk -- July 13, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: By killing.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There's a big planetarium here also at this museum.

Rāmeśvara: Biggest in the world, I think.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, this planetarium is the most famous one, Heydn Planetarium.

Prabhupāda: So see how the planetarium is done.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, we should go, Rāmeśvara. Have you ever gone?

Rāmeśvara: Many years ago.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Should we go to see it?

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: They use all kinds of lighting systems.

Prabhupāda: So you take the idea. We shall have to do that.

Morning Walk -- July 14, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: ...it is constructed?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Metropolitan Museum of Art extension.

Prabhupāda: Oh. (pause) (break)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We can return back now. This one is older, this is new. There are twice as many floors in the same amount of space. It's actually double. (break) ...think there's an advancement in living conditions. Seems to be worsening, but they're taking it as advancement. (break)

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: About the same as Mercedes. Ten thousand.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Nandaki, is it as good mechanically as a Mercedes?

Devotee: No, I don't think so.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Mercedes is very sturdy.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The comfort's better.

Morning Walk -- July 17, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: But there is civilization. I saw it practically, that there is no disturbance in our Pennsylvania farm. The cats, the dogs, the cows, the boys, children, they are living like family. In your farm also. Wonderful. The cats are not afraid of the dogs. It is very peaceful. (break)

Hṛdayānanda: They are showing paintings from a museum in Spain.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: (break) ...posters advertising Ratha-yātrā.

Prabhupāda: Hmm? Yes. (break)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ...pure devotee will also come here and therefore he's (indistinct) bringing for you.

Prabhupāda: Yes, Caitanya Mahāprabhu goes with His associates, He does not go alone. Sa-pārṣadam. Sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam.

kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ

sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam

yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair

yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ

(SB 11.5.32)

There is saṅkīrtana-yajña, everything will improve very gradually. (break) Now the government has not given any opposition. That is very good. In India, our own government is giving little opposition.

Morning Walk -- July 18, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: Yes. What is this building?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Museum of Natural History. Actually, it is made of stone. The museums are...

Prabhupāda: Government building, they can stand at the cost of taxpayer. (break) West Central Park?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. Central Park West, it's called.

Rāmeśvara: That portion there, Śrīla Prabhupāda, through the trees there is a green dome—I don't know if it can be seen now—that is the Planetarium of the Museum of Natural History. All atheistic arguments are presented there.

Prabhupāda: What is that argument?

Morning Walk -- July 18, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: Afro-American, why not Indo-American?

Bali-mardana: There is an Indian exhibition at a different museum right now. This museum also has Indian exhibitions sometimes.

Satsvarūpa: One of the biggest art professors in this country saw our books recently, and he said he's very interested in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, that he thinks it's a new kind of art that your devotees are painting. That's also a school of art, and more and more it will be recognized.

Rāmeśvara: Right now they have one big exhibit of photographs that the British took when they first came to India.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Where's that?

Rāmeśvara: It's at the Asia House Gallery nearby.

Ghanaśyāma: We have professors who buy the complete standing order series of the Bhāgavatam-it's because they like the artwork. And then they read the philosophy and like that too. But the art attracts them many times first. They very much like the purports of your writings, that it gives a living expression of the peoples of India other than just historical.

Morning Walk -- July 20, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: That means "I am first, I am first class." Less poison. "Nobody contains lower poison than me." (break) ...city, when it was constructed?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: A lot of the buildings are from the early 1800s, 1850. Like the Museum of Natural History that we visited, that was 1869. It was settled even earlier than that.

Hṛdayānanda: It was always a very important city. For almost two or three hundred years it's been a very important city for trade, business, commerce.

Prabhupāda: When you first settled?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: In the 1600s.

Ādi-keśava: It was settled by the Dutch in the 1600s. That's three hundred years ago.

Hṛdayānanda: Called New Amsterdam.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Some Indians were living here on this island, and the Dutch people, they bribed them or traded it for about thirty dollars' worth of jewels and trinkets.

Morning Walk -- July 20, 1976, New York:

Rāmeśvara: Oh, yes, six o'clock.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Ādi-keśava, you have to make arrangements, garlands, flowers, devotees. (break) ...museum.

Prabhupāda: Which museum?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Museum of Natural History. Three hours we spent there, and we got a big headache.

Prabhupāda: Three hours?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, we got a headache.

Prabhupāda: Seeing only dead bodies?

Rāmeśvara: Dead bodies.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Stuffed dead bodies.

Morning Walk -- August 23, 1976, Hyderabad:

Mahāṁsa: There's a path over here. Why don't you go around here. This is an archaeological museum, Prabhupāda.

Indian devotee: Before it was an archaeological museum. Old carvings of various temple deities, but they just keep it like that, so.

Devotee: It's not open now, though.

Prabhupāda: Even it is open what we have to do there? (pause)

Harikeśa: Like to go this way, Śrīla Prabhupāda? (break)

Mahāṁsa: "Lesser the happier."

Prabhupāda: Hmm? "Lesser the happier."

Vāsu Ghoṣa: Family planning.

Prabhupāda: That is a fact. Tṛpyanti neha kṛpaṇā. That is the verdict of Bhāgavata also. Tṛpyanti neha kṛpaṇā bahu-duḥkha-bhājaḥ. Kṛpaṇā na iha tṛpyanti. One or two child, children, they are not satisfied. They want to produce more and invite distress more. Tṛpyanti neha kṛpaṇā bahu-duḥkha-bhājaḥ. But they are practicing in a different way. And Bhāgavata recommends brahmacārī. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Jaya. You know this gentleman?

Morning Walk and Room Conversation -- December 26, 1976, Bombay:

Devotee (1): They maintain that from the oceans came one-celled animals. Then from these one-celled animals, they developed into fish and then reptiles. And then these reptiles became very big dinosaurs, and they have put together many big museums. For instance, in Washington the Smithsonian Museum has many, many big bones put together and they date these millions of years ago.

Prabhupāda: So we have got also the same theory. Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati. (break) ...within water. So where is the difference? We also admit the forms of life begins from the ocean. Then plants. As soon as the water is dried, there are plants, trees. Sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati. Sthāvara means "the life which cannot move." So the trees, plants, grass, they cannot move. Then insects, then reptiles, then birds, then beast, then human being. In this way the living entity is changing body. So what is the difficulty?

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: They will wait four hours, five hours, standing. Why cinema? I have seen in London the British Museum. Something came there. From morning there is a queue. Exactly like that, they were standing to go and see the museum. Something came. I... Three, four years ago I saw. They were standing. Just like here. For purchasing the cinema ticket they are standing and eating nampalli, just to see, eyesight. They will not come to see Deity in the temple. They'll not come. Mentality is different. It is a very dangerous civilization, soul-killing civilization. We should be very, very careful if we want success also. We shall go now?

Arrival of BBT Manager -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That's nice.

Rāmeśvara: Actually in Belgium the National Museum has also set up in their main window a display of your books. And that's very good for a museum, because they do not sell there, but they are considering it so important and scholarly that they are displaying them for the public to see.

Prabhupāda: That is good recommendation, yes. If that museum is so important, so to keep our books there is prestigious. In Europe, America, it is going on nice. Now here we have to take advantage of these papers. So I have already given Jagadīśa the idea. Now you immediately put into effect. You keep that also with your papers, this format. Yes.

Hari-śauri: Will there be an address on the advertisement for people to write to?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. The Book Trust office.

Prabhupāda: So you take your rest now. Then you shall come and go on talking.

Evening Darsana -- February 24, 1977, Mayapura:

Jayatīrtha: Hm. There are many places like that. So we have to find a place like that, about three quarters of an acre, half an acre to three quarters of an acre, and build a building, taller building, with the temple and auditorium and museum and hotel rooms.

Prabhupāda: Like New York. Like New York?

Jayatīrtha: Not quite as big as New York. (laughs)

Prabhupāda: That house is very good, our New York temple.

Jayatīrtha: We need about half that size, but bigger, nicer temple and meeting hall. We can rent out for weddings. People are paying five hundred pounds a day for renting just one room, a big room, and they can't get sufficient rooms in London. So they told us that they could book for two years in advance at five hundred pounds a day every weekend, Saturday, Sunday, for a wedding hall. If we can arrange to do the wedding for them, then they'll pay us an additional couple hundred pounds. There's a lot of..., so many Indians there.

Prabhupāda: Yes, there are Indians there.

Evening Darsana -- February 26, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: So when I went to Vṛndāvana, he made friendship with me. The Mathurā Museum. He liked me very much. He remembered me.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That was in 1954 or '55. Twenty years after.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He still remembers.

Cāru: Śrīla Prabhupāda? This gentleman has just also taken two standing orders individually, and the Indian library party has just returned with thirty-two standing orders from Rajastan and two standing orders from North Bengal University.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Thirty-two? Thirty-two more standing orders.

Prabhupāda: From where?

Room Conversation -- May 2, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: In the ocean there are fishes. You cannot see them. Big fishes: (makes gulping sound). From the skeleton I saw in Calcutta Museum...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Whale skeleton?

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Whales.

Prabhupāda: Whale or some fish skeleton. As big as this room, it was hanging. I think it is there.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, in the Museum of Natural History in New York they have a whale that is at least twice the length of this room.

Prabhupāda: Just see.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And the height is at least three times the height of this room.

Prabhupāda: So they can swallow, big, big fish. There is immense space in the sea.

Room Conversation -- May 2, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: So they can swallow, big, big fish. There is immense space in the sea.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually the one in the Museum of Natural History in New York, they didn't even leave the skeleton. They recreated the body so it looks just real. We went with Bharadvāja and Rāmeśvara and myself for studying for the doll project. We were looking at how they made everything very authentic. It's amazing. They even have underwater scenes. Of course, there's no water, but it appears to be underwater by the way they make the diorama. So this evening in the... They'll be coming in to see you, the managers.

Prabhupāda: So let them begin the foundation.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Gurukula.

Prabhupāda: Hm. Let it go on slowly, but it must begin.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah. What is the idea there?

Prabhupāda: Hm?

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

Prabhupāda: For starting our museum.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: In Washington?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: So Ambarīṣa is buying...

Prabhupāda: He is prepared to pay us about two hundred...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Thousand(?).

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Jaya. That's wonderful. In Washington it will be very nice, the center of the world.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: So we'll all save our Bhaktivedanta...

Prabhupāda: Three? Three hundred million?

Room Conversation-Recent Mail -- July 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "I hope that they meet with your approval. We are now in the process of completing a reproduction of the saṁsāra display for the twofold purpose of museum publicity, a special photograph to be taken by a famous photographer..." It's funny. You told him not to do this, but they went ahead and did it. "...and an exhibit to be displayed at the Los Angeles First Annual Ratha-yātrā festival grounds. This saṁsāra diorama has an outstanding response from the general public, and we hope to make it available to many centers for the preaching work in the near future. In connection with this I had an idea of constructing traveling trailers housing one such exhibit, complete with lights and sound, explaining the process..."

Prabhupāda: Oh, it will be very nice.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He says he wants to make a trailer. Trailer means like a big...

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "...and sound, explaining the process of transmigration of the soul and other philosophical displays from the Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā."

Prabhupāda: It will be so attractive.

Room Conversation-Recent Mail -- July 14, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He says that they're going to try... As long as they can make busts, he says, "We would like to make them larger than life size, in the monumental style, which would include your lotus feet." Full size for museums and other places. Big size. Anywhere where people want to display. But it won't be worshiped. It will be on display. So that's one letter. If you're feeling tired I can read more later on.

Prabhupāda: No, that's all right.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I haven't seen what this is yet. It's from Gargamuni Mahārāja. It's "To all India GBC and temple presidents: Dear Mahārājas and Prabhus, please accept my humble obeisances. Enclosed please find our newly established Encyclopedia of Vedic Knowledge program. This is the beginning of the major big book distribution program in India. Our library party has already received tremendous success in this program, and Śrīla Prabhupāda has greatly encouraged us to sell these all over India. The profit only amounts to Rs. 10 per book, but it will allow everyone to regularly read our books and refer to it as an authentic encyclopedia. Our aim is to replace this encyclopedia against all other encyclopedias, which are meant to take the people to the hellish planets.

Room Conversation With Madhudvisa and others -- August 17, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What about the doll project? That nice museum?

Satsvarūpa: Yes. Some big photographers, they are very much attracted, so they made a new, a second set of the changing bodies for the (faulty recording) ...on a mountain, some mountain, or a large hill in California, and all day this national publicity photographer took pictures of it for the press. He said he wants to make this the best-known picture of the year. I don't know where it's going to be released, but he wants to have it put in a big magazine. There's two of them. They both wanted the rights to take pictures of it. So they let the more famous one of the two... (indistinct)

Śrutakīrti: They set that exhibit up at the Ratha-yātrā festival. They had one large tent of the "Changing of the Bodies" exhibit, and myself and another devotee went to go see it, but there were so many people in line that we changed our mind. Several hundred people were standing waiting to see that exhibit. It's going to be very famous, "Changing of the Bodies."

Prabhupāda: It is a new thing. Many people come to see in our exhibition... (break)

Room Conversation -- October 6, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: A very nice statue was made of you, and it's being placed in many libraries and museums. People donate it. Members pay for it to be donated to libraries and schools. It's a bust of Your Divine Grace. It's very heavy. It's made of bronze.

Hari-śauri: Can you see it there, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Can you see it? Shall I sit you up?

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's a cādara you wear on a cold morning. Very ecstatic pose. It's made of metal. (taps it)

Prabhupāda: Strong?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. And this says, "His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Author of Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Śrī Īśopaniṣad, Nectar of Devotion, Nectar of Instruction, Back to Godhead Magazine, Founder-Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness." This is placed in prominent museums and libraries. There's four different models. This is solid wood, and this will be a bronze plaque, and this is made of bronze, metal. You can feel it. Nice?

Room Conversation -- October 9, 1977, Vrndavana:

Rāmeśvara: She is personally going to the minister and ordering him, "Now you give permission that this book be printed." Whatever... It is a monarchy. Whatever they want, it is arranged. So in this way they are helping us. She also came to Los Angeles temple for a visit and saw the doll museum. She liked that very, very much. She was very, very astonished at how devotional.

Prabhupāda: (aside:) Why not scratch hard?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Why not scratch with nail?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Whole area.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Whole area, the whole back.

Rāmeśvara: And she requested one painting from the Tenth Canto, which she wants to hang in the palace. And in this palace the rulers of all the countries of the world pass through as visitors. So she is hanging this painting of Kṛṣṇa stealing butter. (Prabhupāda laughs) Very big painting. So I brought the painting with me when I went to Tehran so they could display it.

Prabhupāda: Anyone can scratch very hard?

Room Conversation -- October 9, 1977, Vrndavana:

Rāmeśvara: Yes. It's only about five minutes from the Senate and the main Parliament buildings. Also the biggest museums are very nearby. Very good location. And one man has also joined, a local man who is very intelligent. And he has begun translating Bhagavad-gītā into Parsi. And in three months' time his translation of the entire Bhagavad-gītā will be completed.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Did he come recently to India with Ātreya Ṛṣi?

Rāmeśvara: That's a different man.

Prabhupāda: It will be locally published.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Locally published.

Rāmeśvara: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Do like that. Pṛthivīte āche yata nagarādi-grāma (CB Antya-khaṇḍa 4.126).

Room Conversation -- October 17, 1977, Vrndavana:

Dr. Ghosh: (Bengali) Regular lecture about health and disease in popular language with demonstrations by charts, models, projectors, and cinematography. (Bengali) Maintaining health cards for children. Every six months have their height, weight... (Bengali) Building health science museum. (Bengali) ... models, charts, shows various parts of the body... (Bengali) ...for propagating health science amongst the inmates of Gurukula and the public. (Bengali)... gymnasium for health. (Bengali)

Prabhupāda: (Bengali)

Dr. Ghosh: If you approve, then we can go on.

Prabhupāda: Āmādera spiritual... (Bengali)

Dr. Ghosh: (Bengali) ...should be taken care of, 'cause this is God's temple.

Prabhupāda: (Bengali)

Dr. Ghosh: Our people are steeped in ignorance about the laws of health. In the most impressionable age... (Bengali) ...young, the most impressionable age... (Bengali) He can have a little glucose in water?

Bhavānanda: Taking glucose in juice.

Room Conversation -- October 21, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: What has been done there?

Bharadvāja: It has been made into a museum, complete museum. There is twelve different exhibits. And the first exhibit is exhibit of Your Divine Grace writing books at Rādhā-Dāmodara temple, introduction. The next exhibit is Kṛṣṇa-Arjuna on the battlefield, and Kṛṣṇa begins to explain dehino 'smin yathā dehe kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā (BG 2.13) to Arjuna. And the third exhibit is showing changing bodies, showing how the body is changing but the soul remains the same. The fourth exhibit shows the chariot of the body—the five horses, the five senses. The driver is the intelligence; the soul is the passenger. Then there is the fifth exhibit. It shows how a man can become degraded and how he can become elevated from a neutral position in life. And the sixth exhibit shows that when a man becomes elevated by Vedic wisdom he becomes sama-darśinaḥ. Paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ (BG 5.18). He sees everyone equal-dog, elephant, a cow, even brāhmaṇa—everyone, the same spirit soul. And he also sees Paramātmā in the heart of everyone. Then the seventh exhibit shows how Paramātmā, the original Paramātmā, is Kṛṣṇa, Govinda, and that He comes... Then different incarnations are shown.

1969 Correspondence

Letter to Sridhara Maharaja -- London 7 December, 1969:

I hope you are keeping good health and everything is going well there. Srila Prabhupada desired that a temple should be established in the center of London, so you will be pleased to know this is going to take place on the Odansasthi Day, December 14th, in a 5-story house situated in the most important quarters of central London, in the vicinity of the British Museum and London University. It is very, very respectable quarters, and we have invited many hundreds of people, both Indians and Europeans, in this ceremony which will continue from the 14th till the 21st of December, 1969. I am submitting herewith our humble invitation for your blessings.

Letter to Tirtha Maharaja -- London 7 December, 1969:

I hope you are in good health and everything is going all right. You will be pleased to know that we are going to install Radha-Krishna Deities in our London temple on the Odansasthi auspicious day, December 14th. This 5-story building temple is situated in the central part of London, very respectable quarters, just a few steps from the British Museum and London University. One local devotee has donated Radha-Krishna Murtis, 42" high, and the installation ceremony will go on for one week. Herewith please find our earnest invitation card for your blessings.

In this connection I beg to draw your attention to your letter to me dated February 14th, 1969, in which you assured me that I could expect some reply sometime afterwards. I am enclosing a copy of this letter for your reference. I am especially interested in the land which I asked from you within the vicinity of Caitanya Math. This is in pursuance of the desire of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura and Srila Prabhupada.

1970 Correspondence

Letter to Hanuman Prasad Poddar -- Los Angeles 5 February, 1970:

Still, I cherished a strong desire to start a Temple in the heart of the city, and by Lord Krishna's grace these boys and girls rented a five storied house in the busiest quarter of central London, at 7 Bury Place, which is near to the British Museum, London University, Great Russell Street, and Bloomsbury Square. The British Museum is just a few stones on the left side of our Temple. Our activities are going on regularly in London. There are about 35 English and American boys and girls.

Regarding the number of asramas, our Temples are already listed above. The Deity worshiped in the Temples are Jagannatha Swami with Balarama and Subhadra, and Radha Krishna. When we first start a Temple, we start with Jagannatha Swami. My Guru Maharaja recommended Temples of Jagannatha in these countries, so I was inspired to establish first of all Jagannatha Swami because He is kind even to the mlecchas.

Letter to Sri Dhruva -- Los Angeles 7 April, 1970:

I know there is difficulty for transferring money from India, but if Sri Birlaji contributes the money in India, I think I shall be able to utilize the money for London temple program. I have already established one Radha Krsna temple in the most busy part of the city at 7 Bury Place, just adjoining the British Museum. This temple is situated in a five story rented (on lease) house, and many devotees are coming to see the Deities from distant places. So by the grace of Lord Krsna it is going on.

So far my preaching work is concerned, I am not giving much stress on the immediate construction of the temple, but wherever it is possible I am renting a suitable house and starting a center immediately. As already informed in my previous letter, I have now got 28 temples or centers in different parts of the world, namely; Europe, America, Canada, Japan, and Australia.

1975 Correspondence

Letter to Bharadraja -- Bombay 18 November, 1975:

The dolls of Lord Damodara are very nicely done. The face is so nice.

Your plans for including restaurant and bookshop in the museum is very good. So far your future plans are concerned, you should understand that at every center there should be such doll exhibitions. So wherever it is suitable, you should take up in that place first. We want that at every center there should be this doll exhibition. In the new New York building, one flat should be for this exhibition.

The name of your exhibition is approved by me and it is a very good idea that you want to get federal funding. So far the Garuda Stambha is concerned, from the photograph, yes, it is approved what you have done. It can be placed in the Los Angeles temple in front of the Deity underneath the balcony. It must be underneath the balcony, otherwise how can it be done. It is better if it is not underneath, but if there is no other space for where to do it, then you will have to do it like that.

Letter to Bharadraja -- Bombay 18 November, 1975:

Regarding your question about offering aroti to the form of Damodara, no, the Deity worship that you are now doing is sufficient during the Damodara-vrata.

Regarding my head for the statue, that will appear in the museum, all of them, they are perfectly done. Locana has done very, very well. Yes, it is good if you prepare a mold so that these life-sized murtis can be available. I am sending these photographs with Saurabha to Jaipur for their making the murtis here for the Bombay temple.

Regarding the fruit decorations, it is not proper for them to be on the head of the throne. This should not be done.

Letter to Rupanuga -- Vrindaban 7 December, 1975:

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated November 24, 1975. Upon seeing the pictures of the doll exhibit I thought it was some of our devotees play acting. This boy Saptaratha Das has done the dolls very very nicely, now make a museum for the public. This doll making was one of the programs of my Guru Maharaja, and the exhibit used to tour India. That same exhibit, although falling apart, is still touring India today and people are appreciating it. So develop this program, I am very pleased with this boys work, encourage him.

Our cows are happy, therefore they give plenty of milk. Vedic civilization gives protection to all the living creatures, especially the cows, because they render such valuable service to the human society in the shape of milk, without which no one can become healthy and strong. In your country the dog is protected, and the cow is killed. The dog is passing stool and urine in the street, he is considered the best friend of man, and the cow is all pure, stool, urine, and milk, but they are taken to the slaughter house and killed for food. What kind of civilization is this. Therefore we have to preach against all this nonsense.

1976 Correspondence

Letter to Abhirama -- Los Angeles 7 June, 1976:

Just as any beautiful spot is attractive to the public, so all members of the public will be invited to come. We shall decorate the park very nicely, and it will be open for all nations, and all sects. Take it from the beauty side. What is the harm? Suppose that a statue is in a museum, does it mean sectarian? It will glorify Vedic culture, so why the corporation will not agree with our plan? (Of course, the Deity must be there). It will be open to the public and we will invite tourists from all over the world. It shall be an artistic exhibition. And we shall spend any amount of money to make it an attractive spot for world tourists.

So try for the sanctioning by all means. Somehow or other, by flattery or whatever, get it sanctioned. It is very important. Convince them it is beautifying the park. And we shall please the corporation, the municipality, in every respect. It is a cultural presentation, not a temple, and it will attract many visitors. Convince them on this point.

1977 Correspondence

Letter to Ambarisa -- New Delhi 11 May, 1977:

There is a proposal to make a very grand exhibition in the capital of the country, Washington D.C. It is proposed to have a restaurant and bookshop attached, and everything will be held within a specially built building. Formerly you told me that whatever money you had, it is my money. Of course I do not take it as mine, but it is a fact that everything belongs to Krsna: "isavasyam idam sarvam yat kinca jagatyam jagat (ISO 1)." I thing you can utilize some of your money to try to give some shape to this idea of a doll exhibit, restaurant, and bookshop. I have seen that in Washington so many tourists came daily to see the many monuments and museums. So why not let one of the museums be about Krsna. Everything should be done first-class, and I am suer that it will become the most popular place to visit in Washington. I shall be very glad to hear from you whether you think it is possible to execute such an ambitious project.