Music (Lect. and Conversations)

Expressions researched:
"music"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Lecture on BG 2.20-25 -- Seattle, October 14, 1968:

Prabhupāda: Yes. This is a common sense argument. How it can be? If it is equal to the infinite, how he has become finite? They cannot answer. The impersonalists cannot answer. How he has become finite? They'll simply answer, "It is māyā." Then māyā is greater than the infinite? Then māyā becomes greater than the infinite. Then that God is no more infinite because māyā covers the Supreme, so how He is infinite? He becomes finite? The common sense is that finite Brahman is covered by māyā. Not the infinite. Therefore duality. Finite and infinite living entities. Kṛṣṇa is infinite, and the ordinary living entities are finite. (sound of bells from ice cream truck) What is that? (music of ice cream truck)

Viṣṇujana: Ice cream truck.

Prabhupāda: Oh, ice cream. (laughter) You are taking ice cream? Huh?

Viṣṇujana: No. They go up and down the street.

Prabhupāda: Canvassing?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Don't take ice cream. (music continues louder in background) (laughs) This is māyā. (laughter) "Come on, come on, enjoy me. Come on, come on, enjoy me." (laughs) As soon as you enjoy, you become entrapped. That's all. Just like fishing tackle. They throw the tackle and invite the fish, "Come on, come on, enjoy me. Come on, come on, enjoy me."

Lecture on BG 2.39 -- London, September 12, 1973:

What kind of engagement? Bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam. This engagement means always trying to render some service to the Lord. How? Prīti-pūrvakam: "with love and faith." Not that "Oh, I have to do it? All right, let me do." No. "Oh, I have to do it? Let me do it nicely." Unless there is love, you cannot do it nicely, any matter. In the material world also, unless you have got some attachment for something, you cannot act it very nicely. Just like a musician. Because one has got a good attachment for music, he tries to perform it very perfectly. So love is the basis. Similarly, when you serve Kṛṣṇa, if you have no love for Kṛṣṇa, you cannot serve Him very nicely. And Kṛṣṇa also does not accept your service if it is not done in great love and affection. That is the basic principle. Kṛṣṇa does not require your service. He is self-sufficient. He has got many servants anywhere and everywhere. So Kṛṣṇa does not require our service. It is our interest. If we render service to Kṛṣṇa, then we become happy. That is the profit. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam (BG 10.10).

Lecture on BG Lecture Excerpts 2.44-45, 2.58 -- New York, March 25, 1966:

Your life will be risky. You life'll be risky. If you simply sit down in a good car without knowing the art of driving, then it will play disaster. You give at once motion, and it will collide with something, and you will be fractured, and whole thing will be dismantled.

So... Now, our position is that we do not know how to drive this motorcar. We do not know how to drive this motorcar. We have become the servant of the motorcar, servant, not the expert driver but a servant. This body means the senses. The senses. The sense wants that... My eyes, it wants, "Oh, there is a beautiful girl. Let us see. Oh, I am hankering after it. I am following that beautiful girl." "Oh, there is very nice music. All right." Ear. "All right. Let us have it." "Oh, there is a very good restaurant, palatable dishes." Oh, tongue, tongue dictates, "Oh, you go there." Similarly, all our senses... This body means senses. Without senses, the body has no meaning. So our position is that eyes dragging to some place, ear dragging to some place, tongue dragging to some place, hand dragging to some place, leg dragging to some place. So we are perplexed.

Lecture on BG 2.59-69 -- New York, April 29, 1966:

So we have to come to that point. And what is that point? Tāni sarvāṇi saṁyamya yukta āsīta mat-paraḥ. The Lord says, "Therefore you, you can control your senses..." Sarvāṇi. There are so many senses. "You can control your senses," yukta āsīta mat-paraḥ, "when you engage the senses in, in relation with My service or unto Me." Therefore in the devotional service the beginning is the arcanā. The arcanā is a process which gives, gives engagement to all the senses. Just like eye, ear, and tongue and nose, hands, legs, and so many, we have got, senses, and each department has got his engagement. For example, just like we are engaging our tongue and ears in the transcendental sound of Hare Kṛṣṇa, this engagement. We want to hear good music, melodious music, but if we engage our ears for hearing melodious music in relationship with the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa... Just like Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma... There are many glories, not only in Sanskrit language, in other languages also, glories of Lord. If we try to hear glories of the Lord with the ear, then my ear may not be engaged in other songs. Paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 2.59). Similarly, my tongue.

Lecture on BG 4.1 -- Montreal, August 24, 1968:

So in the beginning he was considering, "Whether I shall fight or not." That was also ātma-saṁyama. But actually ātma-saṁyama was when he did not fight for his sense gratification. That is. Similarly, when we engage our senses... Because senses means they want some activity. Just like our eyes. If... The eyes want to see something beautiful. The tongue, tongue wants to taste something very sweet. The ear, it wants to hear something very melodious. In this way we have got our different senses. But the yoga system is trying to stop them. Now, just try to understand.

Now, here, the bhakti-yoga system is that if you stick to the hearing of Hare Kṛṣṇa and the music, melodious music of khol, karatāla, then naturally you become detestful for hearing other songs. So this is practically indriya-saṁyama. The bhakti process is that sarvopādhi-vinirmuktaṁ tat-paratvena nirmalam (CC Madhya 19.170). You cannot stop the senses to work.

Lecture on BG 4.11-12 -- New York, July 28, 1966:

This is the science of Kṛṣṇa. So simply by knowing this science of Kṛṣṇa, if we can get liberation from these material miseries of life, why should we not try for this? Let us try for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is a very nice subject matter and very easy. We are just trying to propagate this Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We don't ask you to have some troublesome or laborsome gymnastic. No. You simply come and hear, and this hearing, it is followed by nice music and singing. And beginning with music, ending with music, everyone will like it. And we have no means... Of course, whatever means I have got, I am distributing little fruit. But the process is—Lord Caitanya, who introduced this process—after this termination of this performance of chanting and reciting, distribution of prasādam, nice palatable dishes for eating. So Bhagavad-gītā says, su-sukham: "This is a process is very palatable and very pleasurable and very easy." And still, you get Kṛṣṇa. Although it is the easiest and most pleasurable and happy mood, still you get the Supreme.

Lecture on BG 4.34 -- New York, August 14, 1966:

Take for example the Upaniṣads, the Vedic Upaniṣads. In the Vedic Upaniṣads it is said, tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet, śrotriyaṁ brahma-niṣṭham (MU 1.2.12), this mantra, that "If you want to learn that transcendental subject, then..." First word is that if you are eager to learn that subject.

In the material world also, suppose if I want to learn the art of music. Then I have to find out somebody who is a musician. Without having the association of a musician, nobody can learn the art of music. Or any art. Suppose if you want to become an engineer. So you have to enter yourself in an engineering college or technical college and learn there. Nobody can become a medical practitioner simply by purchasing book from the market and reading at home. That is not possible. You have to admit yourself in a medical college and undergo training and practical examination, so many things. Simply by purchasing book, it is not possible.

Lecture on BG 5.7-13 -- New York, August 27, 1966:

Just like we are working here. This is also work. We are reading. We are singing. This is also work, a sort of work. The same thing can be done in a club, in musical. But here the music is for ātma-śuddhaye, for purifying the soul. We are also eating, but for purifying the soul. So no work is different from the ordinary man, and the members of the society, they are also doing in the same way. They are also going to the store, purchasing things and preparing foodstuff, offering to Kṛṣṇa and eating. It appears that they are also eating, they are also sleeping, they are also working. But here everything is for ātma-śuddhaye. It is under such a regulation that one is becoming purer and purer and purer and purer. So yoginaḥ karma kurvanti saṅgaṁ tyaktvā. It has no connection with the material conception of life. Everything with Kṛṣṇa concept of our life.

Therefore ātma-śuddhaye.

Lecture on BG 6.1 -- Los Angeles, February 13, 1969:

Oh, but as you come, anyone can come. Everyone is welcome. We don't charge anything for this dancing. You go to ball dance and so many other dances, you pay for it. But we don't charge. We simply, our, these students simply beg something because we have to maintain. We don't charge anything. So if you simply come and chant for recreation, it is very nice. Everything is there in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We want music, there is music. We want dancing, there is dancing. You can bring nice musical instruments, you can join. We distribute nice palatable dishes. So practically this is a system of recreation only. (laughter) Yes. If you seriously think, you'll find, this system, there is no labor at all. Simply recreation. Su-sukham (BG 9.2). That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā in the Ninth Chapter you'll find, su-sukham . Everything is pleasing and happy. Find out anything in our system, that this is troublesome. Tell me practically, anyone. "This point is very troublesome." Just put your counterargument. Simply pleasing. It is simply recreation.

Lecture on BG 7.1 -- Los Angeles, December 2, 1968:

Somebody says that "Swamiji is very conservative. He has got so many rules and regulations," but I have not introduced one percent. One percent. Because it is not possible to introduce all those rules and regulations in your country. My policy is following the footstep of Rūpa Gosvāmī. He says that somehow or other, let them become first of all attached to Kṛṣṇa. So this is the yoga. Kṛṣṇa is explaining, mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha. So try to be attached to Kṛṣṇa. And why you shall not be attached to Kṛṣṇa? So many nice things in Kṛṣṇa consciousness? We have got arts, we have painting, we have got dancing, we have got music, we have got first-class food, we have got first-class dress, first-class health, everything first class. It is only the foolish rascal that he'll not be attached to these first-class things. Everything. And it is easy at the same time. What is the reason that one should not be attached to this process? The reason is that he's a first-class rascal. That's all. I tell you frankly. Let anyone come, argue with me whether he's not a first-class rascal by not accepting Kṛṣṇa consciousness. I'll prove it.

Lecture on BG 7.5 -- Bombay, February 20, 1974:

Prabhupāda:

apareyam itas tv anyāṁ

prakṛtiṁ viddhi me parām

jīva-bhūtāṁ mahā-bāho

yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat

(BG 7.5)

(loud Indian pop music in background) So last night we discussed about the material energy and came to the conclusion that life is not made out of matter. Matter is product of living force or living entity. (music grows louder) Hm. Today it will be little disturbing. Anyway, we shall explain. (aside:) No. That's all right. Let them go with their festival. Don't disturb.

Lecture on BG 9.2-5 -- New York, November 23, 1966:

Our activities can be made a fried seed by the fire of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So there will be no reaction. Pratyakṣāvagamaṁ dharmyaṁ susukhaṁ kartum avyayam (BG 9.2). Susukham, very pleasant. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ (SB 7.5.23). This devotional service is not very unpleasant. It is very pleasant. You very melodiously sing with instruments, and somebody will participate in hearing, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ. Of course, it must be in relationship with the Supreme Lord. Not ordinary music. We take the advantage of musical science. But we don't sing any ordinary song. We glorify the Supreme Lord. But we enjoy. Therefore it is happy. Then again, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇam. Now, what you are hearing from Bhagavad-gītā, if you remember it at home, that "Swamiji was spoke, speaking like this, and how does it apply in my life?"... We should remember this. We should not forget just after leaving this place. And if there is any question, any doubt, we should place before this assembly. I am inquiring. I am inviting you for any question because we are trying to understand a very nice and great science.

Lecture on BG 9.15 -- New York, December 1, 1966:

Now Lord Kṛṣṇa, after describing about the mahātmās, or the great souls, who worship the Supreme Lord by this process of kīrtana... Satataṁ kīrtayanto mām (BG 9.14). Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam (SB 7.5.23). The process of devotion is nine different types. Śravaṇam. Śravaṇam means hearing. Kīrtanam. Kīrtanam means chanting. Kīrtanam actually means describing. You can describe with music. You can describe with words. You can describe in speeches. Any sort of describing, that is called kīrtana. And śravaṇam. Unless you hear, you cannot describe. What you shall describe? If you do not know anything about the Supreme Lord, then how can you describe? Therefore hearing is the first item, śravaṇam. And the whole Vedic literature is called hearing, śruti, śruti-śāstra. Śruti means to receive hearing. If you want to know the Supreme, you do not require to qualify yourself materially. You can remain what you are, but if you simply hear... God has given you the power of hearing. If you hear from authoritative sources, then you become perfect, simply by hearing. Therefore the first principle, hearing, is recommended, śravaṇam.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Lecture on SB 5.5.5 -- Stockholm, September 10, 1973:

Then she brings in a place where there is a big pit and he falls down, the male elephant. Then he becomes captured. Yes. These are the nature's example, how for... And not only sex. Just like the bees. They enter into the lotus flower for eating honey, and they are enjoying. In the meantime, the lotus flower petals becomes closed. So he becomes entrapped, cannot come out, dies. The fish. The fish, how they tackle? You know? You have seen the, what is called, tackle? What is that? There is a small attractive foodstuff, and the fish comes, and as soon as he swallows, bas, he is captured. Similarly, the deers, they are also captured by the hunter. He plays nice flute, and the deers stand up. They are very much fond of music. So as soon as they stand up, entrapped. So one animal or lower than human being, they have got one sense very strong. Someone's the ear, someone's the nose, someone's the tongue, someone's the genital, in this way. But they have got one sense strong. And we, so-called civilized man, our six senses are all strong. So what is the position?

Lecture on SB 6.1.9 -- Los Angeles, June 22, 1975:

This is intelligence. Mahārāja Parīkṣit is Vaiṣṇava, and his inquiry was: "How these men who are rotting in this hellish condition can be relieved?" That was his question. So... (about music on loudspeakers:) What is that?

Jayatīrtha: The radio, some interference on the microphone. The radio is being picked up outside.

Prabhupāda: I have already explained that there are three ways, karma-kāṇḍa, jñāna-kāṇḍa, and upāsanā-kāṇḍa. Therefore Veda is called trayī, three kinds of activities. So devotees, they are not in the karma-kāṇḍa, jñāna-kāṇḍa. He is not pure devotee. Bhakti means jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam: (CC Madhya 19.167) "There is no touch of this fruitive activities or speculative knowledge." The devotees do not accept this.

Lecture on SB 6.1.32 -- Surat, December 16, 1970:

From the very face it will be understood. Face is the index of mind, how you are thinking. If you are thinking of Kṛṣṇa always, then your face will be beautiful. Therefore it is called pratyakṣam avagamaṁ dharmyam, direct perception. There is no theoretical. It is practical. Pratyakṣyam avagamaṁ dharmyaṁ su-sukham.

Then to become such spiritually advanced, is it very difficult task? No. Su-sukham: very easy and very happy. How it is happy? Happy because this spiritual consciousness is developed by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. That is very pleasing. With music, with musical instrument we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. There is no trouble. Even a child can take part, experience. A child also claps; he also dances. So what can be easier method than this? Any other method you take, you have to exercise, you have to tax your brain, press your nose, or so many other things. But here automatically you chant before ārātrika and you become spiritually enlightened. Even the child becomes. Therefore it is susukham, very happy to execute. Susukham kartum avyayam (BG 9.2). And whatever you do, little, that becomes a permanent asset, avyayam. It is never to be vanished. Even one percent of devotional service you execute, it will help you again to begin from that point.

Lecture on SB 6.1.50 -- Detroit, August 3, 1975:

So we are fallen into great ocean of nescience, covered. First of all the five senses, knowledge-acquiring senses, jñānendriya and karmendriya, working senses, ten, and sense object... We have got eyes; therefore eyes are engaged for seeing something beautiful, rūpa. Rasa. Rasa means taste. That is the business of the tongue. And to see beautiful thing, that is the business of the eyes. Rūpa, rasa, śabda. Śabda means sound. The ear, we have got ear. We want to hear nice songs, music, radio, television. So ear is there; the objects are there. Rūpa, rasa, śabda, gandha, smelling. There is good odor also, bad odor also. Rūpa, rasa, gandha, śabda, sparśā. In this way we are entangled, completely under the laws of material nature. I am the spirit soul. Saptadaśaḥ. I have given my power of attorney to the mind, and mind is creating different varieties of the śabda, sparśā, rūpa, rasa, gandha, śabda, sparśā.

Lecture on SB 7.9.40 -- Mayapur, March 18, 1976:

How can you satisfy so many masters? Eh? Even in the animal kingdom, they are also servant, but they are servant of one sense. That is also described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Just like the fish. The fish is only strongly under the servitude of the tongue. Therefore the fishing tackle gives something eatable, and the fish immediately... It is not that it is hungry, but because the fish is so greedy—something nonsense is there in tackle—he immediately..., and becomes caught up. Due to the strong inclination of eating, he loses his life. As soon as he's caught up, that... Similarly, other animal... Just like the deer is very fond of hearing nice music. The hunters play very nice music, and they come to hear, and he kills. So one is losing the life for strong tongue dictation, one is losing life for ear, and the elephant is captured by sex. You cannot capture elephant; it is very strong animal. But there is trained she-elephant.

Festival Lectures

Janmastami Lord Sri Krsna's Appearance Day -- Montreal, August 16, 1968:

Just like in your Western countries the Christmas is observed in every home, similarly Janmāṣṭamī is observed in every home. Today is a great ceremonial day. So our program is, at twelve o'clock night the Lord will take birth and we shall receive Him. And just now it is ten o'clock. For two hours our program will continue in kīrtana. Kīrtana means sometimes chanting with music, and sometimes speaking. Both of them are kīrtana. Kīrtayati iti kīrtanam. Whenever we glorify the Lord, that is called kīrtana. The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam reading is also kīrtana. Abhavad vaiyāsakī kīrtane. Vaiyāsakī, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, he achieved the highest perfection, liberation, simply by reciting Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Śrī-viṣṇu-śravane parīkṣit. Parīkṣit Mahārāja, he simply heard. There are nine processes of devotional service. Śravanaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam. Chanting, hearing. First hearing, then chanting. Without hearing, nobody can chant. Śravanaṁ kīrtanam. And what sort of śravanaṁ kīrtanam? Viṣṇoḥ, of Viṣṇu. Not anything else.

Janmastami Lord Sri Krsna's Appearance Day -- Montreal, August 16, 1968:

Of course, this Janmāṣṭamī ceremony is observed by all Hindus. Irrespective of becoming Vaiṣṇava or not, this ceremony is observed in India every home. Just like in your Western countries the Christmas is observed in every home, similarly Janmāṣṭamī is observed in every home. Today is a great ceremonial day. So our program is, at twelve o'clock night the Lord will take birth and we shall receive Him. And just now it is ten o'clock. For two hours our program will continue in kīrtana. Kīrtana means sometimes chanting with music, and sometimes speaking. Both of them are kīrtana. Kīrtayati iti kīrtanam. Whenever we glorify the Lord, that is called kīrtana. The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam reading is also kīrtana. Abhavad vaiyāsakī kīrtane. Vaiyāsakī, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, he achieved the highest perfection, liberation, simply by reciting Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Śrī-viṣṇu-śravane parīkṣit. Parīkṣit Mahārāja, he simply heard. There are nine processes of devotional service. Śravanaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam. Chanting, hearing. First hearing, then chanting. Without hearing, nobody can chant. Śravanaṁ kīrtanam. And what sort of śravanaṁ kīrtanam? Viṣṇoḥ, of Viṣṇu. Not anything else.

General Lectures

Lecture at Harvard University -- Boston, December 24, 1969:

Student (1): Apparently, there are two parts to this. The first, the kīrtana singing and dancing, to some extent resembles the rock music that appears in the Western world within the last five years. Very notably the Beatles song last year, "Hey Jude," in the second part, is very similar in tune to this. The second, which is quite remote, but there is a connection—your message is similar in some ways to the message of evangelical or fundamentalist teachers in Christianity, who are taking the name of Jesus Christ...

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Student (1): ...and excluding everything other than complete devotion to Christ. Would you comment on this?

Prabhupāda: Yes. That's very nice. We completely agree. We say that chant the holy name of God. The vibration, the sound which you chant, that must be the holy name of God. Then it is all right. It doesn't matter what is the language. Language has nothing, no significance. But this word "Kṛṣṇa," we consider it is transcendental vibration because all great saints and ācāryas, they chanted, especially Lord Caitanya. As I explained from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇam (SB 11.5.32).

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

Prabhupāda: Calcutta, there are many good manufacturers of musical instruments. Bengal is famous for music and hair.

Girl: And hair.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Haṁsadūta: Hair?

Prabhupāda: There is oil in (?). Bengali women, they have got hair like this. My sister had so bunch. (laughter) Black hair, and very long. So Bengal is famous for hair and music.

Devotee: Swamijī... (?)

Prabhupāda: Ah, no. This is for distribution of prasāda here. (break) ...hungry, hungry man. And Kṛṣṇa consciousness man, never he is hungry. If you are hungry, come, enjoy. We are never hungry. We are overfed.

Yamunā: Yes. It's a fact.

Lecture -- Jakarta, March 2, 1973:

Devotee (1): This is their temple. They sit here and they pray. The priest sits on there platform there, all, and offers prayers. There's a chair on the top, and the god should be sitting there.

Indian man: This is district of (indistinct). They want to construct here also, some kind of (indistinct). (Indonesian music plays for a few minutes) (welcoming speech in Indonesian in the background, being translated into English:)

Indian man: We (indistinct) Indonesia welcome His Holiness to this temple (indistinct). We are very grateful that His Divine Grace has make time to come and see us here. Later, after we pray to God for (indistinct) prayers, welcome, we ask His Divine Grace to give us some message to our Hindus at Indonesia. Before that, we are going to recite Gāyatrī mantra, to pray to God. (group chants mantras followed by chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa kīrtana)

Prabhupāda: (chants praṇāma mantras) So I shall sing Jaya Rādhā-Mādhava. You can play with me? (sings Jaya Rādhā-Mādhava and chants praṇāma prayers) So somebody translate?

Lecture After Play -- Mayapur, April 6, 1975:

There was no such thing, female taking part. This female taking part was later on introduced by one dramatist, by Girish Chandra Ghose, imitating the Western way of dramatical play. Otherwise, in our childhood, we never saw any dramatical play performed by woman. So if you organize this kind of play, at least they'll be appreciated by the saintly order. The sannyāsīs also can see, but parts played by women, the sannyāsīs cannot see. That is not..., strictly prohibited. By Caitanya Mahāprabhu's personal example we can see that there was a dancing and musical play by women in the Jagannātha temple. Of course, ordinary visitors, they can see, but sannyāsīs or brahmacārīs, they are strictly prohibited. So when the music was going on, Caitanya Mahāprabhu became very ecstatic, that "Such a nice music is coming from Jagannātha temple. Let Me go and see." Then His personal servant Govinda prohibited Him, "Sir, these songs are from woman." "Oh? It is from woman? Govinda, you have saved My life." (laughter) So sannyāsīs and brahmacārīs are strictly prohibited to hear or to see dancing woman. Of course, in your country it is very difficult. But at least if such play, dramatical play performed, the sannyāsīs, brahmacārīs cannot take part. But if the parts are played by male members, everyone can see, in front of the Deity. There is no harm.

Philosophy Discussions

Philosophy Discussion on Hegel:

Prabhupāda: That we are doing, whenever we are painting picture, art, music, we are praising Kṛṣṇa with it. Our music, our painting, our anything, we center Kṛṣṇa.

Śyāmasundara: He says that of all arts, that music and poetry are the highest.

Prabhupāda: Yes, so therefore we write, Vyāsadeva has written so many nice poetries in praise of Kṛṣṇa. Brahmā is writing, cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa lakṣāvṛteṣu surabhīr abhipālayantam (Bs. 5.29). All sages, they write praise of Kṛṣṇa.

Śyāmasundara: Poetry.

Prabhupāda: Yes, poetry. Therefore Kṛṣṇa's another name is Uttama-śloka, He is described by first-class poetry. And a devotee is supposed to be poet also, among the twenty-six qualification. So all of us writing, glorifying Kṛṣṇa. Poetry or prose doesn't matter. Anything sublime is called poetry, not that it has to be written in meter. Everything sublime is called poetry.

Philosophy Discussion on Arthur Schopenhauer:

Śyāmasundara: Yesterday we were discussing that Schopenhauer's idea that the world is basically an evil place. So he says that there are three means of salvation from this basically evil world. The first means he calls aesthetic salvation, or contemplation of higher ideas which transport us above passion, just like poetry, music, art. By contemplating these higher ideas, you become absent of desire. Desire drops away, and you become transported to a higher plane of not willing, above our will.

Prabhupāda: That is mentioned in Bhagavad-gītā. It is not a new thing. It is called paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 2.59), and actually it is happening. Just like my students, so their former life and this life. They have given up their former abominable life because they have got better life, better thoughts, better philosophy, better eating, everything better. So mind can accommodate something. If you always fill up the mind with Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, so there is no chance of the mind being filled up with any other nonsense. That is our philosophy.

Philosophy Discussion on Arthur Schopenhauer:

Prabhupāda: (aside:) Where is Rūpānuga? Inform them that we will come.

Śyāmasundara: This aesthetic salvation is only possible momentarily. Contemplation of poetry and art and music, these are...

Prabhupāda: No, that is possible. Just like practice. A child is practiced to play, but if he is constantly practiced to read and write, he becomes educated. So not momentary. It is a practice. If you practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then other consciousness will automatically vanish.

Śyāmasundara: But he is describing only one type of salvation, called aesthetic salvation, where one transcends the normal state of desire by seeing art or hearing music or poetry. Only this momentary transcendence.

Prabhupāda: So why momentary? It can continue perpetually.

Śyāmasundara: By seeing pictures and art...

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. You see Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa picture, you see the Deity, well-dressed Deity, artistically, flowers. So always see. Why momentary?

Philosophy Discussion on Jean-Paul Sartre:

Prabhupāda: Subtle in this sense, that I cannot... Because we are so materialistic that our senses cannot perceive anything which is not concrete. But the highest philosophy, Vedic philosophy, the sense of smelling and the sense object, smell, simultaneously created. Unless there is smell, the nose has no value. Therefore the sense and the sense object, they are simultaneously created. Tan-mātrā. In Sanskrit word it is called tan-mātrā. Just like eyes and beauty, simultaneously. If there is no beauty, then there is no value of eyes. If there is no music, the ear has no value. If there is no soft thing, the touch has no value. Similarly, everything is created—the sense and the sense object and the controller of the senses—and that is... (guests come in) Aiye, please come in. (break)

Śyāmasundara: Last time we didn't quite finish the last philosopher we're going to do in the modern times, namely Jean-Paul Sartre, a French philosopher. He is living now. His philosophy briefly is called existentialism. And last time we...

Prabhupāda: What does it actually mean, "existential"?

Philosophy Discussion on B. F. Skinner and Henry David Thoreau:

Hayagrīva: Well, his conception of religion is that of the..., having, playing some music, and uh, daliance with the supernatural, intellectual aesthetic enjoyment. He says, "What else does organized religion provide?" Religion is a form of, sort of enjoying art.

Prabhupāda: No. Art is there, and singing is there, dancing is there, but that is based on spiritual conception. That is the difficulty in the Western countries, that they are not fully aware of the conception of religion. Therefore Bhāgavata says that cheating religion, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavaḥ. There is no purpose, simply a recreation of different nature in material life. That is, means, they do not know, except sense gratification, any other engagement. They think religion is also another kind of, type of sense gratification, "So we can perform it." And actually that is going on. Whenever there is some festival they change the daily way of life into some more eating, drinking, and dancing, like that. But religion means to understand God and our relationship with God and live in God practically. That is real religion. That is the aim of life.

Purports to Songs

Spelling of Prayers to the Six Gosvamis -- Los Angeles, December 26, 1968:

The meaning: kṛṣṇotkīrtena, "loudly chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa," kṛṣṇotkīrtana-gāna, "in musical sound, in songs, with music," kṛṣṇotkīrtana-gāna-nartana, nartana means "dancing, chanting and dancing," parau, "always engaged," kṛṣṇotkīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau premāmṛtāmbho-nidhī, "and dipped into the ocean of ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa." (sings) Kṛṣṇotkīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau premāmṛtāmbho-nidhī. Next line: dhīra, d-h-i-r-a, strong a, dhīra. Dhīra, d-h-i-r-a. One is dhīra, another is dhīra. Dhīrādhīra-jana, j-a-n-a, jana. Dhīrādhīra-jana. Kṛṣṇotkīrtana-gāna-nartana-parau premāmṛtāmbho-nidhī dhīrādhīra-jana-priyau. P-r-i-y-a-u. Dhīrādhīra-jana-priyau priyakarau, p-r-i-y-a-k-a-r-a-u, priyakarau. Dhīrādhīra-jana-priyau priyakarau nirmatsarau, n-i-r-m-a-t-s-a-r-o-u, nirmatsarau, pūjitau, p-u-j-a-t-o-u. So second line is dhīra, "those who are gentle, sober," and adhīra... Adhīra means "those who are not gentle, ruffians." So they were, by chanting these songs of kīrtana, where dhīrādhīra, "both to the gentle and to the ruffians," priyau, "dear, equally dear and popular to both classes of men," not that they were simply popular to the gentle class, but even the ruffian class also loved them. Dhīrādhīra-jana-priyau priyakarau. Priya-karau means they were doing things which is very pleasant to everyone.

1967 Conversations and Morning Walks

Discourse on Lord Caitanya Play Between Srila Prabhupada and Hayagriva -- April 5-6, 1967, San Francisco:

Prabhupāda: "You promised before Gopāla to hand over your daughter. Now you are silent. What is this?" So his eldest son said, "Well, if Gopāla comes to give witness that my father promised before Him then my sister can be married with you." So he went back to Vṛndāvana and requested Gopāla to come and give witness. So He came and the marriage ceremony was performed. This is the sum and substance of the story. And since then Gopāla did not... Gopāla means statue. So in those days there was no transport service. And when Gopāla was present everyone became struck with wonder that "Oh, such a devotee that Gopāla has come from Vṛndāvana to Orissa, more than 1,500 miles." So the king of that place constructed a very nice temple and since then that temple is known as witness Gopāla. Sākṣi-gopāla means witness. So this story can be shortly described and chanted with music and the scene of the temple will be seen, Caitanya Mahāprabhu dancing. Our real purpose will be the dancing and singing and little description.

1969 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Allen Ginsberg -- May 11, 1969, Columbus, Ohio:

Allen Ginsberg: Same pitch?

Hayagrīva: We'll have to check that tomorrow.

Allen Ginsberg: Yes. Let's check the pitch of the harmoniums tomorrow. I've been learning to write music. My kavi guru was a poet named William Blake. Do you know Blake?

Prabhupāda: Oh. Yes, yes, I have heard his name.

Allen Ginsberg: So I've been writing music. He's a lot like Kabir. Yes. Śrīmata Kṛṣṇaji and Bankibehari in Vṛndāvana. Do you know them at all?

Prabhupāda: Śrīmataji?

Allen Ginsberg: Śrīmata Kṛṣṇaji in Vṛndāvana, is a lady in Vṛndāvana who translates Kabir into English, compared him with Blake.

Prabhupāda: No, she is different. I know one Mātājī. She came to see me from Vṛndāvana in Los Angeles. She's in London.

Room Conversation with Allen Ginsberg -- May 11, 1969, Columbus, Ohio:

Prabhupāda: No, she is different. I know one Mātājī. She came to see me from Vṛndāvana in Los Angeles. She's in London.

Allen Ginsberg: So I have been learning to notate music, in..., singing songs by William Blake which I've written a little music to. So those are, in a way, my guru's songs.

Prabhupāda: I can give you so many songs. (laughter) Just like he can read it.

Allen Ginsberg: Are there many songs in there?

Prabhupāda: Not there. There is diacritic mark. Can you read it?

Allen Ginsberg: No. I don't think.

Prabhupāda: This, Nitāi-pada...

Allen Ginsberg: Nitāi-pada-kamala koṭi candra suśītala.

Prabhupāda: Yes, you are reading.

Room Conversation with Allen Ginsberg -- May 12, 1969, Columbus, Ohio:

Hayagrīva: We've got to tune some harmoniums.

Allen Ginsberg: Yes, we have to work on the music boxes. We have to start material preparations for the evening.

Prabhupāda: That is not material. (laughter) We have no,...

Allen Ginsberg: A śabda preparation.

Prabhupāda: Yes, śabda is originally spi..., śabda-brahman.

Allen Ginsberg: We have to find out if all the...

Prabhupāda: Simply you have to understand that there is nothing material, everything is spiritual. That is required. So long you do not understand that everything is spiritual only, that is our defect.

Allen Ginsberg: Well, then even sexuality is spiritual?

Room Conversation With John Lennon, Yoko Ono, and George Harrison -- September 11, 1969, London, At Tittenhurst:

Prabhupāda: And you have got a very good talent, music. Na vidyā sangīta uttamam. The Vedic mantras were all through music. Sāma Veda. Sāma Veda is full of music.

yaṁ brahmā-varuṇendra-rudra-marutaḥ

stunvanti divyaiḥ stavair

vedaiḥ sāṅgopada-kramopaniṣadair

gāyanti yaṁ sāmagāḥ

Sāmagāḥ. Sāmagāḥ means the followers of Sāma Veda. Gayānti. They are always in music. Through musical vibration they are approaching the Supreme. Sāmagāḥ. Gāyanti. Gāyanti means singing. So Vedic mantras are sung. This whole Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, can be sung very nicely. And it is Vedic mantra, chanting. Simply by hearing the vibration, people will be benefited. Even they do not understand. You have got that, this mantra you chant? You just play it. (break) Huh?

Devotee : Begin any time.

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- July 20, 1971, New York:

Prabhupāda: There are four microphones?

Pratyatoṣa: Yeah, you can have four microphones at the same time. To make good stereo recordings of music, it's nice to have four channels, because then you can mix them together afterwards and you can make it perfect.

Prabhupāda: It is Sony?

Pratyatoṣa: See, these are really Kṛṣṇa's mercy. They have microphones, these are microphones. They're made in Sweden. They're really about the best line you can get, and they're very inexpensive.

Prabhupāda: Why the sound is not...

Pratyatoṣa: It's on very low now. This is very low.

Prabhupāda: No, it comes one, two.

Pratyatoṣa: It's on zero.

Prabhupāda: It is zero. Then one it comes. (Sound of Prabhupāda's voice on tape recorder is heard.)

Room Conversation -- August 14, 1971, London:

Sister Mary: What about pleasures like listening to music?

Prabhupāda: Yes, we chant the glories of God.

Sister Mary: Could you listen to other peoples' music?

Prabhupāda: Huh? No. If he's chanting the glories of God, we are very eager to hear him. That is our process. Or somebody's chanting, somebody's hearing. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇu. Chanting and hearing about God, that is music.

Sister Mary: Well, a Beethoven symphony, for example, could you listen to that?

Prabhupāda: Which one?

Revatīnandana: Beethoven's symphony. He means classical Western music. They make some music.

Prabhupāda: But if it is glorification of God, we can hear. There is no objection.

Revatīnandana: But there may be no reference to God in it.

Room Conversation -- August 14, 1971, London:

Prabhupāda: Nirbandhe kṛṣṇa sambandhe. Everything must be related with God.

Sister Mary: Well, if you're relaxing, if you need to relax, and you sit and listen to some music, it doesn't say praise God all the time, but in fact is, because it's beautiful.

Prabhupāda: No, we don't accept anything beautiful without God. Without God, everything is ugly to us. Everything ugly.

Sister Mary: So you have to bless it by offering it to God first.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that is another thing.

Revatīnandana: Just like we have so many beautiful songs and melodies and everything. They're very nice. And we sing these songs. They are glorifying the Lord. And we enjoy like that. Music is there, everything is there, but because it is directly in the devotional service of God, therefore there is this bhakti, there is this devotion there. Devotion to God. Without that, everything becomes void. Tasteless.

Room Conversation -- August 14, 1971, London:

Revatīnandana: Just like we have so many beautiful songs and melodies and everything. They're very nice. And we sing these songs. They are glorifying the Lord. And we enjoy like that. Music is there, everything is there, but because it is directly in the devotional service of God, therefore there is this bhakti, there is this devotion there. Devotion to God. Without that, everything becomes void. Tasteless.

Guest (2): Can I get one point straight? Is the Beethoven symphony all right provided it is blessed as an object and a work of art. Is it then all right? Or is it not all right because it doesn't use religious themes?

Haṁsadūta: Originally, music and art were employed only to glorify the Lord in the scripture and...

Prabhupāda: In Sāma-veda, Sāma-veda.

Haṁsadūta: Gradually, if you study our history, music history, God was left out. Just like you will see landscapes, and there's nothing in there about God. It was left out. But originally the landscape, there was some depiction of the activities of God or His representative.

Guest (2): So a Beethoven symphony is not all right.

Room Conversation -- August 14, 1971, London:

Guest (2): The original point I'm trying to get at...

Haṁsadūta: If there is some music, you must hear something about God's activity.

Guest (2): But suppose that was a beautiful landscape on its own, just the landscape, then it's worthless?

Revatīnandana: Limited and temporary enjoyment only. Limited and temporary enjoyment.

Guest (2): But you accept that the temporary enjoyment is there, would you?

Revatīnandana: Yes. And limited and temporary. It's called capala sukha, flickering.

Prabhupāda: Now, even there was no God's picture, one who is God conscious, he can see in the natural scenery presentation, he can see, "Oh, how God is artistic. How he has manufactured this flower, how he has painted, how He has made this tree." So that is higher intelligence. That is higher intelligence. Because without God, there can be nothing existing. So one has to learn how to see God in everything. That is another thing. That is higher status. Yes. But in the lower status of God consciousness one is advised that you should not see anything without God. But in the higher status, there is nothing in the world which is without God. But we should not imitate the higher status of life in the lower status of our position.

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

Śyāmasundara: Yes. The senses can never be gratified but always the drive is there to gratify them.

Dr. Weir: If you go to a good play or see a good film or hear some good music you feel satisfied and you don't have to flash back next night because you've seen it before. You have a feeling that, you know...

Śyāmasundara: Even that, a good play or a good music is not very long lasting. When you come out of the theater you're hungry. When your hunger is satisfied then you want some sex life. Then you want to drive home fast. There's always something there to agitate the material senses.

Dr. Weir: The trouble is, aren't you going to lead yourself into this difficulty: if you are spiritually satisfied you would sit down and do nothing and if everybody were doing that we should be rather back to where we started rather than have enough food or music or transport.

Prabhupāda: That is for the voidist, not for the spiritualist. The spiritual life there is enough activity for even scientists. That they do not know. They mean spiritual life is void. That is negation of the present activities only, negative idea. But actually when you stop material activities your real activity begins. That is spiritual life. The spirit, spirit soul is active. You cannot stop it. You cannot stop it. Now it is acting through the coverings of material, matter, therefore it is imperfect activities. But if the activity is uncovered by material things that is real activity.

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation With David Lawrence -- July 12, 1973, London:

David Lawrence: It was tremendous. In fact, one boy we found listening to the George Harrison record. You can tell George this if you like. He was listening to the record quietly in the music room that we have at our school with the big speakers, you know. Lots of noise. And he was reading these words. And he put the words down. And I was watching him...

Prabhupāda: "I am in material world."

David Lawrence: Yes. "Living in the material world."

Prabhupāda: That is a very nice song.

David Lawrence: And he sat there, and he was praying. And I didn't interfere. And he came out of the room after having turned the record player off. I said, "Well, you know, what were you doing in there?" And he said, "This, this record has been a complete experience to me." And that, if George could know that... It was tremendous, really tremendous to see this happening. George's record is so devotional, you know. It's really beautiful.

Prabhupāda: I talked with him about this material world in his house... When?

Room Conversation with Cardinal Danielou -- August 9, 1973, Paris:

Bhagavān: Yes, his brother has written a very great book which is known all over France...

Cardinal Danielou: Especially on Indian music, Indian music. He live many years in Benares.

Prabhupāda: Benares.

Cardinal Danielou: Benares. Fifteen years. Fifteen years in Benares.

Prabhupāda: Oh, he was in fifteen years?

Cardinal Danielou: Oh, yes, a very long time. Oh yes. Very long time. Yes. And after he, he worked in Pondicherry and each year he comes in India. Yes. Yes. He's very well known in India for his works, especially about Indian music, but also Indian spirituality, the yogas, Indian gods and all question concerning India. Yes.

Prabhupāda: Where he is now?

Room Conversation with French Journalist and UNESCO Worker -- August 10, 1973, Paris:

Dr. Inger: Now if you were to inquire from... Because the only organization which deals with culture, therefore philosophy, therefore religion, therefore art, therefore music, is UNESCO Paris. Not New York. And if you did put such a question, you would get some kind of reply from one of the directors who says: "We, we... Such a proposal has not been made. But if such a proposal is made, let us say, presented, by any member state, out of the hundred and twenty-six or twenty-seven member states, and it is submitted to the general conference where it meets in session, two years in October, and is passed through, we will be able..." Now usually what happens is one country presents it and if the, and what it means in terms of expense, how much, how many people are going to be invited, and what is going to be the plan. And if that is done, they would say: "Yes, I think such a study has to be made." And it's possible to make it.

Prabhupāda: A sectarian question.

Dr. Inger: No, no, no. It won't be.

Discussion about Guru Maharaji -- August 13, 1973, Paris:

Haṁsadūta: Some music.

Prabhupāda: Some music.

Haṁsadūta: They hear some music.

Prabhupāda: Just see. That is the evidence of God. Where is in the śāstra that by pushing eyes, Kṛṣṇa showed some light, and somebody...? He never did with Arjuna like that. He showed His gigantic universal form. But He never showed some light. So what is this nonsense? So we must make some propa..., counter-propaganda. Because you spoke several things about him, but you did not make any counter-propaganda upon him. You have studied him, but you have never made any counter-propaganda.

Haṁsadūta: Well we have, whenever they come, whenever we meet them.

Prabhupāda: No, whenever you are meeting, "this rascal is going on as God. This is mistaken. What profit...?" You have to speak there. What proof is there? So consult with Bhagavān dāsa and begin this propaganda. I have no time... Therefore, I say: "I do not know this man. That's all right." To avoid. But in a meeting, and you are going saṅkīrtana. People are coming, talking with you.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- April 3, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: The Sāma-vedas mean the realization of God by singing, by music. That is Sāma-veda.

Dr. Patel: By music. I am the soul of the music.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Therefore hari-kīrtana. Hari-kīrtana is Sāma-veda, glorifying the supreme. That is stated in some other place. Yam brahma-varunendra-rudraḥ stunvanti divyaiḥ stavair vedaiḥ sanga-pada-kramopa...

Dr. Patel: Kramopanisadair gayanti yam samagaḥ.

Prabhupāda: Gayanti. So gayanti, chanting, is following the Sāma-veda, and Sāma-veda, Kṛṣṇa says, "I am especially Sāma-veda."

Dr. Patel: Devānām asmi vāsavaḥ, indriyāṇāṁ manaś cāsmi bhūtānām asmi cetanā. "I am the..." Cetanā means...?

Prabhupāda: Life. Knowledge, knowledge.

Morning Walk -- April 11, 1974, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: ...otherwise, yes. We shall come

Satsvarūpa: Ten to six.

Prabhupāda: No. Why ten to six? At least fifteen to six.

Italian Man (1): How long you both will be here. I have to go today. (break)

Prabhupāda: The whole Sāma-veda is music. Gāyanti yana-sāmagāḥ. Sāma-veda is full of music. The musical sounds, sa re ga ma pa da, this is from Sāma-veda. Yes.

Italian Man (1): Is it possible to obtain technical materials of theorems, the way of combining notes to make music for Hare Kṛṣṇa and...

Prabhupāda: These are the symbolic, sa re ga ma, sarad ṛṣi garbha, like that. Different sounds.

Morning Walk -- April 20, 1974, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: No, that will be tested by the teachers, what for he is fit. He will be test by the guru.

Pañcadraviḍa: Who will teach him to be a kṣatriya or who will teach him to be a vaiśya?

Prabhupāda: A kṣatriya, a brāhmaṇa. Just like if you want to learn music, you have to go to a musician.

Pañcadraviḍa: So where will we get kṣatriyas and...?

Prabhupāda: That is in the śāstra. Anyone can learn it. Just like if you want to be doctor, so you must have this qualification. Similarly, these things are stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Kṣatriya means if there is fight, he must go forward first of all, risking his life. That is kṣatriya.

Pañcadraviḍa: So we have men who could teach this? Do we have men...?

Prabhupāda: Yes. (break) Because he knows how to teach. That's all.

Pañcadraviḍa: The brāhmaṇas, they all become devotee... They would all be engaged in devotional life as...

Prabhupāda: This is also devotion, to teach a kṣatriya, because this is necessary in the society. This is also devotion.

Room Conversation -- April 26, 1974, Tirupati:

Satsvarūpa: He said, "You write in your books that your movement by Lord Caitanya is the..., as if it's the most exclusive thing." He said, "But actually, in India the Rāmānuja is a more prominent Vaiṣṇava sect." So, as I understand our claim, it's based on the fact that we worship Kṛṣṇa in a higher form, in Kṛṣṇaloka, and they worship Kṛṣṇa which leads to Vaikuṇṭha.

Prabhupāda: Yes. (break) ...quarter there is no cinema song. Bhaja gopālam. (there is music playing in background, recording of a boy or woman singing "bhaja gopāla")

Satsvarūpa: Śrīnivāsa (?) said every... (break) ...is controlled by the temple here. Even the government doesn't control.

Prabhupāda: This is all temple here around (indistinct). (break)

Satsvarūpa: ...prominence. (break)

Indian man: We came here yesterday. We went to the temple three times and just for a long...

Prabhupāda: Oh, very good.

Indian man: This is my wife and daughter. You came yesterday?

Prabhupāda: Yes, I came yesterday at about eleven.

Room Conversation with Irish Poet, Desmond O'Grady -- May 23, 1974, Rome:

Prabhupāda: The God means complete.

Atreya Ṛṣi: You're saying that the spiritual master is chosen?

O'Grady: I'm saying... Yes, a spiritual master the priest, the poet is chosen by, let's say, God, that is, this person is chosen to write poems or to paint pictures or to make music, compose music.

Prabhupāda: No, whatever you do... music also, you can compose...

O'Grady: That's it... Yes.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

O'Grady: O.K., I understand this. But whatever you do, that's it. It's the same thing. End of conversation.

Prabhupāda: Not same thing. When you describe... Music, when you compose music about God, that is your perfection.

Morning Walk -- May 30, 1974, Rome:

Prabhupāda: That's all. And then they become impotent and go to the doctor, "Give me sex medicine." You see? Punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30). The same thing. Not at home sex, but "Let us go to the prostitute, go to the naked dance." They have no other ideas. Punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām (SB 7.5.30). These class of men cannot take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. First of all, one must be in knowledge that "I am not anything of this material world. I am spirit soul. My happiness is in the spiritual world." Then he can be.

Haihaya: Some people say that what make us different from the animals is that we can enjoy art and we can enjoy music and we can enjoy all type of art...

Prabhupāda: The animals... the snake also can enjoy music. Do you know that? You play very nice music. A snake will be charmed. He will stand. It will not attack you. Similarly the deers... The hunters, they play very nice music, and they assemble here, and they fight and kill them.

Nitāi: The birds are also making their music.

Prabhupāda: No. That is another thing. But these deer and the snakes, many animals, they are very much fond of music. They enjoy.

Morning Walk -- June 6, 1974, Geneva:

Prabhupāda: And what is this?

Yogeśvara: He's naked, though.

Satsvarūpa: That's some goddess of music with a harp. (pause) (break)

Prabhupāda: ...brain, they have created something, but it will be used for sinful activities: drinking wine, meat-eating and sex. Not for chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Duṣkṛtina. They use their brain, but for sinful activities. This is duṣkṛtina.

Puṣṭa-kṛṣṇa: There's the verse in the Second Chapter of Bhagavad-gītā that what is night for the materialistic man is the time of awakening for the introspective sage.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Morning Walk -- June 13, 1974, Paris:

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.

Paramahaṁsa: They call him the saintly king.

French Devotee: Sun, sun.

Paramahaṁsa: Oh, the sun king.

Prabhupāda: What is that sun king?

Paramahaṁsa: Why do they call him "Sun King"?

French Devotee: Because he was very opulent.

Paramahaṁsa: Today, the French people collect millions of dollars every year from the Americans to keep Versailles beautiful.

Prabhupāda: American tourists pay.

Room Conversation with devotees about Twelfth Canto Kali-yuga, and Conversation with Guest -- June 15, 1974, Paris:

Prabhupāda: Hm. Vaiṣṇava philosophy.

Jyotirmayī: Vaiṣṇava philosophy. And we'd like to invite also M. Misraki. He's a compositor of music, but he also wrote book on life after death and many different things. So he was interested to come also. So they all came together.

Prabhupāda: So they are all nice gentlemen and ladies. It is...

Jyotirmayī: And very interesting too, that the first question, one of the first questions that Pere Fransad asked me, was: "Do you believe in love of God, and that God is a person? Some people say that God is not a person, and we say God is a person."

Bhagavān: So you can translate in French so that they can understand.

Prabhupāda: At least Christians cannot believe in impersonal God.

Jyotirmayī: What?

Room Conversation with Professor Durckheim German Spiritual Writer -- June 19, 1974, Germany:

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. Thank you. (some guests leave) So now we have come to Germany. You cooperate and make it a great success for the general benefit of the whole humanity. We have got arts, music, literature, culture, food, everything.

Prof. Pater Porsch: I think it will also help to quite a considerable extent for the removing of prejudices and for a better understanding of...

Prabhupāda: No, this is the only platform where all people, all religion, all culture, can unite. This is the only place, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. We practically see how they are becoming successful. In Africa also, within the villages they are responding. (break) ...distinction.

Devotee: (showing Śrīla Prabhupāda's books) This is Spanish, Chinese.

Prof. Pater Porsch: (indistinct) Chinese.

Prabhupāda: Japanese also. And Hindi.

Morning Walk -- June 20, 1974, Germany:

Prabhupāda: That is intelligence. And it is proved by science. Dr. Jagadisha Candra Bose, in Calcutta, he has got institute. A machine records how a tree feeling. You cut one tree. How it is feeling pain, that is recorded in the machine.

Haṁsadūta: They also hear sound. They made some experiment that when they grow plants with music, they grow more.

Prabhupāda: Oh, just see.

Haṁsadūta: In greenhouses. They play music. Then they become more healthy.

Prabhupāda: Just see. Their sensation is very covered. Just like you cut the nails. There is no sensation. And does it mean there is no sensation-therefore there is no life? Unless there is life, how it is growing? It is growing; therefore you cut. But when you cut, there is no sensation. But there is life. Otherwise, how it is growing? The same nail, when you cut, you throw it on the ground. It will not grow. These are practical example. Just like little child. Their sensation is less. I know. My eldest daughter, when she was six months old, there was some boil. So the doctor operated. She simply, "Uh, uh," no cried. I have seen it.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk Through the BBT Warehouse -- February 10, 1975, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Do it. Apply your American brain how to serve Kṛṣṇa. That is success.

idaṁ hi puṁsas tapasaḥ śrutasya vā

sviṣṭasya sūktasya ca buddhi-dattayoḥ

avicyuto 'rthaḥ kavibhir nirūpito

yad-uttamaśloka-guṇānuvarṇanam

(SB 1.5.22)

Whatever talent one has got... These talents are also acquired after austerity. It is not ordinary thing. So everything should be employed to describe Uttamaśloka, Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is Uttamaśloka. So we have got so many Kṛṣṇa's pastimes, Caitanya Mahāprabhu's pastime. We can overflood. Just like you can overflood with this literature, we can overflood... This is art. Art, music, everything we can utilize. In any way one is addicted—let him eat only, let him sing only, let him paint only, let him dance only—we have got everything. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Let him do business also. Yes. Engineering-construct temple. It is so all-perfect movement, Kṛṣṇa... That is Kṛṣṇa, all-attractive. Everyone can be attracted and give up everything. He will be attracted by Kṛṣṇa in such a way that he'll give up all nonsense. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. No more other enga... Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11). All other attraction finished. Simply Kṛṣṇa. What are these?

Room Conversation with Woman Sanskrit Professor -- February 13, 1975, Mexico:

Prabhupāda: You have seen all our books? These are our books.

Professor: I saw them.(?) I think I had a talk somewhere with...

Prabhupāda: We have got our small and big book. Fifty books we have got. All about Kṛṣṇa.

Professor: I understand that music plays an important role also in the preparation of...

Hṛdayānanda: If music is important to us?

Prabhupāda: No, first of all, our basic principle is pleasure. So whatever gives pleasure, we accept. That is natural. But in the material world, they take material pleasure, but we are for spiritual pleasure. So as soon as we speak of pleasure, there must be varieties. Without... Variety is the mother of enjoyment. So the only thing is that the material pleasure, that is temporary. It is finished after certain period, and spiritual means eternal. So our endeavor is to transfer ourself from this material pleasure to the spiritual pleasure. But the pleasure is the aim, either in this material world or in the spiritual world. This is... Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). This is the Vedic... Our position is ānandamaya, to remain in pleasure. But here in this material world, the body is temporary, and everything is temporary. Therefore pleasure is temporary.

Professor: You could also, I think, offer a yoga system for...

Room Conversation with Yoga Student -- March 14, 1975, Iran:

Ānanda-mārga woman: When you asked what is the true form of God, I've seen the true form of God in myself. It's the purest life, it's the life I cannot reach through my mind. And nobody has experienced in material world. I have listened to it. It is a beautiful sound, the celestial music. And you cannot reach it through material world. I've tasted it as the purest water, and it's always inside me. And you can get it in the spring water even. And it is something I cannot reach through my mind because it is beyond my mind. I can reach by surrendering myself, by being a devotee. And I have experienced the true form of God.

Prabhupāda: No, what is that form?

Ānanda-mārga woman: It's the purest light. It's the magnificent light. I have listened to it. It's the music. And I have tasted it.

Prabhupāda: No, if you have realized God, you must know what is His form. You must explain.

Ānanda-mārga woman: The energy of light does take the form of everything which exists. It is the creator of worlds.

Prabhupāda: But He has a form.

Room Conversation with Yoga Student -- March 14, 1975, Iran:

Prabhupāda: But He has a form.

Ānanda-mārga woman: He has all the forms. And the purest form, the most beautiful form, has shown itself to me inside of me. It's the light and it's the music and it's the water. I cannot name it Kṛṣṇa because I do not believe in names.

Prabhupāda: Do you know what is the meaning of Kṛṣṇa?

Ānanda-mārga woman: I believe Kṛṣṇa was one form of God. You said something about extension of Kṛṣṇa. It's the same.

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa means "the all-attractive." As you say that God is so beautiful, so that is, in other words, all-attractive. So if you have realized God, then you have become perfect.

Ānanda-mārga woman: No.

Prabhupāda: No?

Morning Walk -- April 2, 1975, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: What is that comfortable? What is the comfort? Give me the example of comfort?

Trivikrama: Air conditioning.

Brahmānanda: Music

Madhudviṣa: Cameras.

Pañcadraviḍa: Tape recorders.

Prabhupāda: (Chuckles) These are comfortable?

Madhudviṣa: Automobiles. Aeroplanes.

Pañcadraviḍa: Well, they enable comfort. A person can lie down in his comfortable bed in his nice apartment and listen to music out of the wall.

Prabhupāda: But what about his death, how he uncomfortably dying?

Pañcadraviḍa: Well, we can't change that.

Prabhupāda: Then what you can change?

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

Prabhupāda: That's a fact. That's a fact.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They say "Why...?" Many people I meet in the university they're not involved with science very much. Their main dealings are with culture, literature, arts, philosophy, music. They say... He feels we have very wonderful, beautiful things to study so why should we take up studying what you have to offer. There's so much to study with what we're doing. Why should we join your movement? Why should we give up studying such beautiful music and art and literature?

Prabhupāda: Because you'll like it. And there is beautiful sounds, you'll hear it. Even animals hear it.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But you sing the same song all the time.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. But do you hear it? As soon as you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra hundreds of persons, they'll have to hear it. Ask them not to hear it. You go, you scientists, (indistinct) ...don't hear it. They hear it. That's all.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But your music is of one chanting is very limited. Chanting...

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

Prabhupāda: You decorate God so nicely (indistinct) ...art painting, everything. They, putting art, so many thing, (indistinct). There's no scarcity of art painting.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We are trying to attain the Supreme through our own music. We are doing that through our own mus...

Prabhupāda: No. That is... That is another nonsense. We are trying to please the Supreme by the Supreme music. Golokera prema-dhana hari-nāma-saṅkīrtana. These sounds are not (indistinct) These are Vaikuṇṭha songs. Nārada muni bājaya vīṇā rādhikā-ramaṇa nāme. It is words by Nārada Muni. It is not manufactured here.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Don't you think that the great musicians like Bach, they were inspired by God to make this music.

Prabhupāda: But they (indistinct) do not believe in God. So that is another thing. But this music is like you are hearing music ten thousand miles away. Similarly, this music is being imported from Vaikuṇṭha many millions and many millions of miles away. So this is not just music of this mundane sound. Otherwise why you are not tired repeating it for many, many days? Any mundane sound, we repeat it, you cannot prolong it. You cannot prolong it. But we are (indistinct) only Hare Kṛṣṇa and you can chant this. And you also hear it. You (are) attracted.

Evening Discussion -- May 6, 1975, Perth:

Prabhupāda: Jazz? What is that jazz?

Paramahaṁsa: American music. Something like rock and roll. It is modern music.

Prabhupāda: Hmm. So, how he learned? He is Indian.

Paramahaṁsa: Well, I don't know, but he's pretty good. His band was very popular in America.

Prabhupāda: Hmm?

Paramahaṁsa: They were very popular. They would travel around and do performances, and thousands of people would come. He had quite a big group of musicians, and he was the leader. He would lead the whole group. He would play the trumpet and sometimes dance.

Prabhupāda: Hmm. Then, Ravi Shankar is no more popular?

Paramahaṁsa: Most people think he's too puffed up.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Otherwise how they say he's God? Then? You can stop. Those who are tired can take rest. What is the local time?

Room Conversation with Carol Cameron -- May 9, 1975, Perth:

Prabhupāda: That record which was done by George Harrison?

Carol: Yes. It's very rare to find music like that here.

Prabhupāda: George Harrison has contributed many. He gave me first of all nineteen thousand dollars for printing Kṛṣṇa book. Now he has purchased one house in London, and we are using that. It is two hundred thousand pounds. Yes, he is a good boy, good soul.

Carol: You don't have a group in Perth, do you?

Prabhupāda: He is also chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Yes. He chants all day Hare Kṛṣṇa. He has made some record, "Kṛṣṇa."

Amogha: "My dear Lord, I really want to see You." Something like that.

Prabhupāda: Like that, yes. "Kṛṣṇa" he has said.

Morning Walk -- May 13, 1975, Perth:

Amogha: We saw one church, the church that they got in Montreal for the temple. They, right before the devotees took over the church, they were having rock musicians playing music every night. And in this way they were trying to get people to come to church. And they would sing songs sometimes about religion, using all electrical instruments and everything.

Gaṇeśa: This man who is coming to see you today, he also has done this in Perth.

Amogha: Dean Hazelwood.

Prabhupāda: What he has done?

Amogha: He... Sometimes he has electric guitar music for the church prayer ceremony. It's called a rock mass.

Gaṇeśa: Rock mass, to attract the young people.

Prabhupāda: Will the young men came?

Gaṇeśa: Oh, yes. But halfway through, they all go out on the grass and they smoke. (laughter) They simply come to hear the music and that is all...

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Morning Walk -- June 22, 1975, Los Angeles:

Dharmādhyakṣa: There's this one psychologist. He comes every week to study Kṛṣṇa consciousness, and he plays some of the bhajana tapes in his office. And there's twenty doctors in his office, and he plays it so all the doctors can hear. And they all come in and ask him, "What is that wonderful music?" He says, "Oh, this is from the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement." He says, "No, that can't be from the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. They just chant and dance on the street the same thing." He says, "No, no, no, this is the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement." They are very, very pleased. He gives all his patients mantra cards and tells them, "You should go to the temple. This will really help you." (break)

Prabhupāda: This is nudie beach?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The nude beach.

Revatīnandana: It used to be.

Bahulāśva: ...on one side

Revatīnandana: At one time they made it legal to be nude here, and then later on, they repealed the law again.

Morning Walk -- September 26, 1975, Ahmedabad:

Prabhupāda: Caitanya Mahāprabhu, when He entered Jagannātha temple, He immediately fainted: "Oh, here is my Lord." So it is the question of seeing.

Indian man (6): But what is our inner things? How we know it? In our classical music, actually Lord Kṛṣṇa is the main figure in all... In even Muslim classical music, they also pray Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti (Bs. 5.38). We have to create our eyes to see. Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Indian man (7): (break) ...unless there is a good center. Mr. Marya said that you are going to have one here.

Prabhupāda: (Hindi)

Indian man (8): If... We'll get continuous advantage of your preaching, sir.

Prabhupāda: Yes. (loud car noise)

Morning Walk -- November 26, 1975, New Delhi:

Prabhupāda: Art. Some art. Art, music

Harikeśa: It's very enjoyable to hear music.

Prabhupāda: Hm. (break) So why don't you come here?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Haryana?

Prabhupāda: Yes, and take information.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. I don't know if this is their offices. We'll check.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Take immediately that. No, no, what is this?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Come at nine o'clock.

Prabhupāda: So near. You can come. (break) It is published, that the wood... Now it is no green leaves. Why? What is missing? If they are so expert, inject something and it will have green leaves like that. (break) ...I mean to say, trucks they are rejected in your country. We do not see such buses. What is this house?

Harikeśa: It's a college. It's a girls' college.

Morning Walk -- November 29, 1975, Delhi:

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. Hare Kṛṣṇa. There are so many kalākendras but no kendra for understanding ātmā. Huh? Apasyatam ātma-tattvam (SB 2.1.2). In Bhāgavata it is said, apasyatam. They do not know what is ātma-tattvam, these rascals. Gṛheṣu gṛhamedhīnam. Apasyatam ātma-tattvam (SB 2.1.2). These rascals, they do not know ātma-tattva, the science of self-realization. Bahir-artha-maninaḥ. They have been simply external. They are giving importance to the music, but the person who is playing the music, he has no information. He is thinking this tongue is vibrating music, such a rascal. If the tongue is vibrating music, then why—he is dead—why the tongue does not play music anymore? And the ear is there. Why he does not hear any more music? If this body is all, then the body is there, the tongue is there, the ear is there—why there is no response of the music? Apaśyatām ātma-tattvam. And these rascals, they do not know who is the person who is singing and who is hearing. Therefore they have been called as mūḍhas. Who is singing, who is hearing, he does not know. Apaśyatām ātma-tattvaṁ gṛheṣu gṛhamedhīnam.

Morning Walk -- November 29, 1975, Delhi:

Prabhupāda: Yes. (break) ...apaśyatām. They cannot see. They see only that the tongue is vibrating, the ear is hearing. And the dead man, the same ear is there, the tongue is there. Why there is no music? What they will answer?

Tejās: They say it's a chemical interaction.

Prabhupāda: What is that chemical? Eh? Why talk nonsense? Chemical reaction? Bring that chemical and let him hear again. What is the answer? Why do they say nonsense which he does not know? Chemical reaction, if it is chemical reaction, bring chemical and inject it. What is the answer?

Harikeśa: That chemical is very complicated. They haven't found...

Prabhupāda: Then you do not know. First of all admit you are talking nonsense. The chemical you do not know. Still you are talking nonsense. Therefore you are rascal. Why do you talk nonsense if you do not know? What is the answer? If you do not know, why do you talk just like wise man? Then you are a nonsense. Aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajñā-vādāṁś... (BG 2.11). You are talking like a very learned scientist, but you are a rascal, fool. Challenge them like that.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 19, 1976, Mayapur:

Sudama: I had a similar experience, Śrīla Prabhupāda, in Kansas with one college student who was a senior in commercial art. He had one big, large apartment and about five roommates, and he had all your pictures and pictures of Kṛṣṇa all on his wall, and Dhrstadyumna prabhu and I went and preached to him. And I began taking all the pictures down off his wall and said, "You are coming with us because you are a devotee of Kṛṣṇa." And he agreed, so we began moving everything, and he owned everything in the house, and all his friends protested at the door, "No, no. You cannot go. You cannot take all of your hi-fi equipment and music..."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They don't love the friend; they love all of his things.

Sudama: So we took all of his things in big trucks. We had to take furniture and everything. And he sold over one period of a week. And then all his friends began coming to the bus for evening āratika and prasāda, and two of his friends, they also became influenced and started chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa because they were left with nothing after he went away.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: One boy who joined us in Boston...

Prabhupāda: (break) Chewing the chewed. This is going on. Material world means chewing the chewed.

Bhavānanda: Śrīla Prabhupāda, I think this narrow path is smoother.

Prabhupāda: Better.

Morning Walks -- January 22-23, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: The Mohammedans say. In the Koran it is written there, "From this day, no sex life with mother." In the modern philosophy they say, "What is the wrong? Why there should be discrimination?" John Lennon was follower of this. "Sex anyone. It doesn't matter. It is a bodily necessity. That's all." They learn this art from the hogs, hog philosophy.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There is one popular music group in America called the Hog Farm. And what they do is they have their... When they are playing their music, just below the stage they have a big pen with many hogs in it, and at the end of the music they all jump down amongst the hogs, and then they do all kinds of nonsense things. And it's a very popular group.

Prabhupāda: (chuckles) How they are bringing ruination. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). The blind men led by another blind man. It is not new. In the Bhāgavata therefore it is warned that "Don't follow hog philosophy." Viḍ-bhujāṁ ye. This kind of philosophy, that for sense gratification, laboring whole day and night, writing books, philosophizing and all these things, it is meant for the hogs, not for human being. Nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujāṁ ye (SB 5.5.1). This kind of civilization is meant for the hogs. So they are exhibiting that they are no better than hog.

Morning Walk -- March 12, 1976, Mayapur:

Revatīnandana: ...circumambulating you, Prabhupāda, paying respects.

Prabhupāda: Of course, their vision, mahā-bhāgavata... Hare Kṛṣṇa. Hare Kṛṣṇa. (laughs) That is very beautiful.

Revatīnandana: You mean the music?

Prabhupāda: No, no. That black.

Revatīnandana: Yes, it's very nice. He has blue eyes and big black body.

Devotee: Blue eyes?

Revatīnandana: Yes. It's amazing. If you look closely you will see...

Pañcadraviḍa: The gopīs, they didn't like very much being instructed by Uddhava?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. That was dry for them. They asked Uddhava, "Bring Kṛṣṇa. We don't want you any more..." (break) What is his name? That...? Tapomāyā. Tapa... He never sees whether it is watered. He is in charge of agricultural department? Where is Jayapatāka? He never sees. One man should be in charge to see things are being done.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Each... What was that, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Each flat.

Morning Walk -- March 12, 1976, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: Yes. There was no chance of finding fault. (laughter) Now I have to find fault.

Madhudviṣa: (break) ...New York now named Jaya Nimāi Nitai. When you were first in New York, he was a musician. He used to write music, and he used to get inspired by looking down from his apartment down to the street. And every day he said he used to see this little Indian man walking by, and it was you, Śrīla Prabhupāda. And he couldn't figure out what was going on, this man walking by on the street every day.

Prabhupāda: Yes, I was having morning walk regularly, alone.

Madhudviṣa: He said you used to walk very fast. (break) (Indian band playing)

Madhudviṣa: Entrance? (break)

Rādhāvallabha: ...ISKCON temples, ISKCON activities, ISKCON temples, ISKCON Deities... (break)

Prabhupāda: ...people will know there is exhibition? There is no signboard. Who will know that here is...?

Rādhāvallabha: We'll have to put up signs today showing the entrance. There will also be a BBT and the scholars' quotes.

Prabhupāda: Where is this?

Morning Walk -- March 14, 1976, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. (shenai band music) (break)

Gurukṛpā: Prabhupāda internationalized...

Prabhupāda: They can go to the Ganges.

Gurukṛpā: That is better. The lake looks very nice.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Gurukṛpā: When we went over to the Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta's samādhi that morning, there were so many fish in the pond that the water was constantly moving. It was very beautiful.

Jayādvaita: (break) Instead of building you the house, we should print books, but I think we have to build you the house because the person bhāgavatam is as good as the book Bhāgavatam.

Prabhupāda: No, that is the conclusion. Yes. Bhāgavata paragiya bhāgavata sthāne. One has to learn book Bhāgavata from the person bhāgavata. Bhāgavata paragiya bhāgavata sthāne.

Room Conversation with Mother and Sons -- June 13, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: George Harrison? Oh. You came with him?

Guest: I first became interested several years back in what you were writing when I, especially when I began to see the tie with what he was singing. And now, the music he's doing right now reflects what I am looking for myself.

Satsvarūpa: He's more following George Harrison than following you.

Guest: I see the two of you as not...

Prabhupāda: What is George Harrison's? What is the idea? He is...

Guest: I see both of you standing together, I don't see you apart. That's why I'm here right now.

Prabhupāda: Thank you. This boy is also nice. He comes to me. He offers me. He has given one great big estate in London. He financed my first Kṛṣṇa book. It required nineteen thousand dollars. So I asked him, that "I have no money. If you can pay, I can print." So he gave immediately. I have admitted. You have seen my Kṛṣṇa book? Show him.

Garden Conversation -- June 23, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Prabhupāda: That chemical, where it will go? Yato vā imāni bhūtāni jāyante yasmin saṁviśanti. Everything is created from Kṛṣṇa, again it returns to Kṛṣṇa.

Kulādri: Then they say then we needn't play Kṛṣṇa conscious music. We might as well play rock and roll if it is going back to Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: That is māyā. This is meant for Kṛṣṇa's service. As soon as you do anything else, then it is māyā. Māyā is also Kṛṣṇa's māyā. Daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā (BG 7.14). Māyā is also Kṛṣṇa's. But under māyā we suffer; under Kṛṣṇa we enjoy.

Kulādri: So if we engage everything here in Kṛṣṇa's service, then the atmosphere will change.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Kulādri: They can notice the change in the atmosphere.

Prabhupāda: That is real atmosphere. Sva-rūpeṇa vyavasthitiḥ. Mukti means to stay in the original form.

'Life Comes From Life' Slideshow Discussions -- July 3, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: There is, but he takes it as chance. All the possibilities taken together he is given by God. That he does not know. He takes it as chance. But there is no question of chance. It is the gift of God.

Sadāpūta: Next example, this is another example taken from music. This example is Mozart. Mozart was a musician. He composed symphonies. And in that quote which-I'll just summarize it instead of reading it—he explains how it was that he created these symphonies. He explained that actually what happened was that ideas just came into his mind, melodic themes and so on, and he says "Whence do they come I do not know, and I have nothing to do with it." And actually what would happen was that an entire symphony would just blossom into his mind, and he wouldn't even know where it was coming from. So...

Prabhupāda: Unknown.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Unknown source.

Conversation with Prof. Saligram and Dr. Sukla -- July 5, 1976, Washington, D.C.:

Prabhupāda: Art?

Indian man: Yes, like painting, or music, or literature, poetry, like that. Because the problem is that they, if one devotes oneself to these things, they are full-time things, they take all your energy and time. And so...

Prabhupāda: Devotion means to engage your energy and time for Kṛṣṇa. Anyway you do that, that is utilized. Sarvopādhi-vinir... tat-paratvena. Hṛṣīkeṇa hṛṣīkeśa sevanam (CC Madhya 19.170). So if you can serve Kṛṣṇa by your hand, by painting about Kṛṣṇa, that is service. If you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, if you hear the chanting, that is also service. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇu, about Lord Viṣṇu, Kṛṣṇa. That is the beginning. Kṛṣṇa is the reservoir of pleasure, ānandamayo 'byāsāt. So these things are producing ānanda. If it is in connection with Kṛṣṇa, then it is service. (aside:) So, Pālikā, you can take these fruits, cut into pieces and distribute it.

Devotee: (indistinct)

Prabhupāda: Ah, yes.

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

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Very nicely written. "With everybody pulling together and everybody puffing together, a huge float is tugged down Fifth Avenue yesterday during the first Ratha-yātrā Parade of International Society for Krishna Consciousness. The parade moved south from Central Park to Washington Square Park, where a free feast, music, art, dance and theater festival was held. According to a spokesperson, Ratha-yātrā is a time when people come to dance, sing and feast amidst a sublime atmosphere of bright flags, festoons, banners, garlands, flowers and incense, simply to feel the poetry and blissful nature of life.' "

Prabhupāda: Very good, this is blissful nature.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, you can see the devotees pulling the float.

Bali-mardana: Read the caption in the middle.

Prabhupāda: And they have created a civilization, wine, woman, gambling and meat.

Room Conversation -- July 31, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Prabhupāda: Kṛṣṇa book is not difficult to be understood by...

Jyotirmāyī: I was thinking if we make into poem and put music and they sing it, then they can remember...

Prabhupāda: That you can do, to make it understandable easily. It is already easy. If you want to make more easy, then do that.

Jyotirmāyī: Okay. You also allowed... You said that some parents can keep their children with them and teach themselves.

Prabhupāda: You follow that, brahmacārī gurukula, that I've already explained. That should be done. Don't bring any new thing, imported ideas. That will not be helpful. It will be encumbrance. "My experiment with truth"—Gandhi's movement. Truth is truth. "Experiment" means you do not know what is truth. It is a way of life, everything is stated there, try to train them. Simple thing. We are not going to teach biology or chemistry. They are not going to... Our students are not going to... Our students should be fit for teaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness. By their character, by their behavior, by their knowledge, that is wanted. Biology, chemists, physicists, and mathematician there are hundreds and thousands. We are not going to waste our time that Gurukula should produce a great grammarian, a great geologist, biologist, don't want that.

Evening Darsan -- August 10, 1976, Tehran:

Hari-śauri: Actually, Svarūpa Dāmodara pointed out when we were in Washington that most of these big, big men, they admit that they don't know where their inspiration comes from; it just comes. Just like that Mozart or one of those composers. He just used to write the music, but he had no idea where it was coming from. He did not think it out.

Prabhupāda: And that is answered in the Bhagavad-gītā: mattaḥ, mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca (BG 15.15). So intelligence comes from God. Mattaḥ smṛtir jñānam apohanaṁ ca.

Atreya Ṛṣi: One of the questions Iranians ask a lot is that if He is giving us intelligence, why doesn't He give us enough intelligence so that we could be God conscious?

Prabhupāda: Yes, He's giving. Read the Bhagavad-gītā. But you rascals don't accept, what can be done? God is personally coming to give you intelligence, take this intelligence. Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati bhārata tadātmānaṁ sṛjāmy aham (BG 4.7). "I come when there is no intelligence, when you are all rascals, I come to give you intelligence, but you don't take, what can I do?" That is God's mission, that "These rascals, without properly being guided they'll go to hell. Let Me give them some intelligence."

Room Conversation -- November 15, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: (indistinct) ...that Kṛṣṇa will (indistinct) money.

Devotee: Also another thing, this is... You may remember when you were in Los Angeles last time, Kṛṣṇa-kanti and Mangalananda asked you if they could do this contemporary style music with Kṛṣṇa lyrics. So this is the very first copy. Actually there's not much to see it's just like any other album. This is the first test pressing.

Hari-śauri: He has a cassette which you can listen to some time if you want.

Prabhupāda: Yes, I can listen. Play it.

Devotee: You would like to hear something?

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Hari-śauri: It's done to like modern popular music.

Prabhupāda: Mm.

Room Conversation -- November 25, 1976, Vrndavana:

Jagadīśa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, when you were in Los Angeles you heard that new record by Kṛṣṇakānti.

Hari-śauri: This pop music? This tape that you just got of that Western style music.

Jagadīśa: Apparently in a new BBT newsletter which just came yesterday afternoon there's a statement by Rāmeśvara that you were asked whether this record should be played in the temples and you said, "Why not in the temples?" Hari-śauri thought that you said "not in the temples," Rāmeśvara said...

Prabhupāda: No, no. Not in the temple. I... I want... If the wordings are all right, so there is no... If there is no mistake in the set-up of the wording, the change of musical tune, that is not harmful.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: This one tape that Alex has made, he gave me a copy in Bombay to listen. I just played it...

Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa, this vibration, you can make in different tune. We are already doing that.

Room Conversation -- November 25, 1976, Vrndavana:

Jagadīśa: If the words are all right, then they can be played in the temple?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Because no one can hear the words. It's the pop music that people hear.

Akṣayānanda: Actually the words are just like modern pop songs. You can't tell really what it means. I suggested to those people. I said, "Why don't you put music to Prabhupāda's books? Take the words straight from your..."

Hari-śauri: No, Prabhupāda's approved this method for attracting karmīs.

Akṣayānanda: Yes, not for devotees.

Hari-śauri: But the thing is once you become a devotee, we don't need...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Akṣayānanda: That kind of music also reminds us of past bad activities, sinful activities.

Room Conversation -- November 25, 1976, Vrndavana:

Akṣayānanda: That kind of music also reminds us of past bad activities, sinful activities.

Hari-śauri: The question is whether should it be played in the temple or not?

Prabhupāda: Temple may not be played. What is use of playing in the temple?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I know from practical experience, Śrīla Prabhupāda, that... I just played this Alex's record. It's all current pop music with English philosophy wording. And all the brahmacārīs were so agitated, they came to my room to listen and they were, you know, really making fun of it like it was a pop...

Akṣayānanda: Because that style of music it reminds us of the nightclubs or whatever it might be.

Prabhupāda: Therefore I said it is better not to make these records.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Just your these records and paramparā records should be played, I think. There are so many tapes of your records.

Room Conversation -- November 25, 1976, Vrndavana:

Hari-śauri: This style that they are doing now, they explain that they wanted that because then that way, they'll be able get them played on the radio. Otherwise they won't play bhajanas or anything on the radio. But there's a distinction between that kind of music and pure Kṛṣṇa consciousness music. Even though the words indicate Kṛṣṇa consciousness, most of the songs are written in such a way that it's indirect. It's not directly Kṛṣṇa.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: But you can't hear the words.

Prabhupāda: Yes, indirect.

Hari-śauri: They give this thing, "The caterpillar changed his mind," like that. It provokes some speculation.

Prabhupāda: No, indirect for gross outsiders, not for us. Therefore they should not be played in the temple. Gross outsider only.

Room Conversation -- November 25, 1976, Vrndavana:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: They did a ballet, the New York theater, Sudāmā Swami and his group. But that ballet is accompanied by a classical Western record in background. It's a twenty med... They have just played the whole record as background music. And I know, we showed it in Bombay and none of the devotees liked it. They told me to stop that show because they said it's all māyā. Everyone saw it, Girirāja and...

Prabhupāda: So they should be restricted.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: I mean, their playing... Serious devotees don't like it, like Girirāja walked out of the show and he told me to stop it.

Prabhupāda: So why it was played, this?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: They just brought it from New York, so we didn't know what it contained. But they are doing this in other centers. (end)

Room Conversation with Life Member, Mr. Malhotra -- December 22, 1976, Poona:

Prabhupāda: Bangalore how many miles?

Mr. Malhotra: Total, from Poona, 520 miles. And you go from here on this road only to Goa also. To go to Madras, you go also on this road (break) ...dolak.(?) Some (indistinct) will give... I mean sounds are different, you know, instruments are music.

Prabhupāda: This is called musical science, Jala-taraṅga. Jala, taraṅga means vibration, different vibrations. Still there are, among the musicians, there are artists, they'll put vials and make the different tunes by filling it with water. (SP makes sound dn dn dn dn dn) (break)

Mr. Malhotra: This place is full of tourists from Bombay, from all of Gujarat. (break) Pancagani is one place, and 12 miles difference Mahabalesvara. Also it is twin city like Secunderabad, Hyderabad. (break) In the morning when you go for walk you will find local ladies getting load of food collected from the forests and taking. Very old, old type of life (break) ...this place. I visited Switzerland and I visited almost every hill station of the country, and almost practically entire world. But I find this place of a different solace, (break) ...and second, it is very neat and clean.

Room Conversation -- December 26, 1976, Bombay:

Indian man: They cannot speak in English. That's the whole difficulty, they are speaking Hindi and Gujarati. They are very, feeling very shy. And he's very great expert in growing this wheat grass which has become very popular. Everybody likes very much. Your devotees are also liking. He's an expert in this. He's a very good music teacher, he has a very good tape recordist. Puppeteer, also he's making these puppet for last twenty years. He's expert in making puppets. We can make kṛṣṇa-kathā puppets also for our theater. And he can train our young boys for the same thing. Video tape and everything, he knows about this audio-visual communication...

Prabhupāda: Everyone has got some talent. So svakarmaṇā tam abhyarcya. That is wanted. Whatever talent you have got you can utilize for Kṛṣṇa.

Indian man: And I want to utilize for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. I know him for last 22 years.

Prabhupāda: (Hindi) ...this grass.

Indian man: That is a very good, that was wanted by (indistinct), he is taking every day.

Room Conversation -- December 26, 1976, Bombay:

Indian man: He has got one son and daughter. His family is in Bombay. One son is expired earlier. And he has got good talent of teaching Hindi, music, and tape recording. He's such work. And she knows cooking, very good cooking.

Prabhupāda: Yes, if she gives cooking direction.

Indian man: She is also quite expert in cooking. (Hindi) He plays very good harmonium.

Indian man (2): All musical instruments.

Prabhupāda: No, we don't want to introduce harmonium.

Indian man: No, I know. That is what he's teaching at the moment. He's doing it out of force.

Prabhupāda: The other musical instrument, if he plays his attention will be diverted in musical instrument, not to chanting. "We have to see melody, whether it is going on nicely." But that is not good. Our concentration should be hearing Hare Kṛṣṇa. That is... That is bhakti. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, simply this karatāla, khola, that's all. In those days... Of course, there was no harmonium, but many stringed instruments were there. Sitar, esarāja, but these things were not used. Sometimes we do use to attract, but it is not required. (Hindi)

Room Conversation -- December 26, 1976, Bombay:

Indian lady: Yesterday I was (indistinct). The way it was for me, prema-bhakti. Through music it is very easy. (indistinct) You have to take rest now.

Prabhupāda: No, I have to take prasāda. (indistinct)

Indian man: Śrīla Prabhupāda, I've got some good quality tape. If you like it you can get more. Very good quality. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...saintly person. Such men should understand. Rājarṣi. Not ordinary king. Ṛṣi. Ṛṣi tulya. So if one is religious, then he will institute. Yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhas tat tad evetaro janaḥ (BG 3.21). If the big, big leaders, politicians, they accept Bhagavad-gītā As It Is, then others will follow. Unfortunately, the leaders, they have their own interpretation. They won't accept Bhagavad-gītā. That is the difficulty.

Indian man: Prabhupāda, how about opening one temple in Ahmedabad?

Prabhupāda: Why not? We are opening everywhere, why not in Ahmedabad? Good idea. I want to open centers in every village, in every town.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Conversation on Train to Allahabad -- January 11, 1977, India:

Rāmeśvara: In America, Śrīla Prabhupāda, if people become followers of a particular music group, then they take their message and their life-style very seriously. Just like when the people were following the Beatles, and then the Beatles became involved with meditation, so this made it very popular in America. If the group becomes... If the music group becomes popular, then whatever they do, everyone follows. So I am thinking that we can make this music group, Golden Avatar, very popular. Then everyone will find out that they believe in reincarnation and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, and everyone will follow.

Prabhupāda: Yes, something "Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa" music must be there.

Rāmeśvara: Now, to make this group very popular, they have to have Western dress.

Prabhupāda: Never mind.

Rāmeśvara: That's no problem.

Prabhupāda: No.

Conversation on Train to Allahabad -- January 11, 1977, India:

Rāmeśvara: In America, say a music group becomes popular, very popular. Then automatically, every time they make their record album, one million people will buy it in the stores without any salesmen. Automatically one million. It's considered very popular.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So make records "Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa."

Rāmeśvara: And for each record our profit is $2.50. So $2.50 times one million records becomes millions of dollars.

Prabhupāda: Spend it for prasāda distribution. Don't squander it. Every cent should be utilized for Kṛṣṇa, not for sense gratification.

Rāmeśvara: Now, some of the money could be sent to India for ISKCON Food Relief.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Conversation on Train to Allahabad -- January 11, 1977, India:

Prabhupāda: That is not culture. That is not culture. As soon as you change, that means it is not culture. It is mano-dharma, mental concoction. Culture is never changed, Renaissance and (sic:) Fennaissance.

Rāmeśvara: This is something that has been constant for many hundreds of years, the idea that a man is learned when he is well-learned, when he is educated in many different fields-literature, art, music.

Prabhupāda: That does not mean the original culture will be lost. That is not culture.

Rāmeśvara: No. But this is their argument, that the standard in America is that you become learned in different fields: science, music, art, literature. But in our Hare Kṛṣṇa movement we are isolating all these things and simply reading one set of literature-Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Rāmeśvara: And therefore our people cannot speak about art, music.

Prabhupāda: Yes. We want to stop your nonsense. That is our mission. Those who are intelligent, they have taken. And you also take. It will take some time.

Room Conversation -- January 21, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Rāmeśvara: Yes. Then the professor and the head of the Department of Bengali and the dean of the faculty of Fine Arts and Music at the University of Calcutta says, "The world, tormented by psychic troubles like avarice, hate, and other baser qualities of the mind, will never escape from utter annihilation of the soul unless it finds refuge in His Divine Grace. I have particularly read some portions of this English translation of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, and I think this book is capable of saving mankind from the clutches of māyā. I have no doubt that the ISKCON will lead the world to the path of divine grace."

Gargamuni: He's a very big scholar, too. He's a Ph.D.

Prabhupāda: No, all of them Ph.D.'s. All...

Room Conversation -- January 30, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Pṛthu-putra: ...thing they always like, when we don't explain to them too much the meaning of the chanting, they like the music.

Prabhupāda: Oh. Well then that is all right.

Pṛthu-putra: But when we start to explain the meaning, then they're a little bit suspicious because they don't tolerate other type of religion.

Prabhupāda: No, no, why...? Let them chant and take prasāda. This preaching, that's all. Later on, when they're a little advanced, then talk of philosophy. Otherwise there is no need of philosophy. If they are, some of them, educated, they can read the books voluntarily. But general process is anywhere, any part of the world, you simply give them chance of chanting and take prasāda. That will be peaceful.

Devotee (1): Prabhupāda? Is it possible to see the lot of films now? (?)

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Room Conversation Meeting with Dr. Sharma (from Russia) -- April 17, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: This is special strategy, that as far as possible, give them those who are educated, read then, give them chance to read. And those who are not, let them come, and music and dance. Everyone likes to do this. And take prasādam, feast, lecture. Common sense.

Guest (2): Politic of other.

Prabhupāda: Apart from, we are not concerned with politics. We are concerned with the madman. So what is this nonsense politics conducted by some big...? Śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ (SB 2.3.19). What is this politics, the democracy? Some animals voting another big animal, that's all. The leader is an animal, and the voters, they are animals. So what is the use of such politics? They remain animals. That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Śva-viḍ-varāhoṣṭra-kharaiḥ saṁstutaḥ puruṣaḥ paśuḥ. That is going on. You have got it?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No. I don't know if this is the right volume. It's the only one that resembles. I can't read Russian, so I don't know if that's...

Prabhupāda: Is that Russian?

Conversation with Tamala Krsna about Yadubara -- April 22, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Very good. This is all right.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Then we would show how Lord Kṛṣṇa's teachings are still manifest in India today by the nine devotional processes and the predominant role Kṛṣṇa plays in the culture and religious life of the people in temple worship, painting, dance, music and lifestyle, including offering and taking prasādam, varṇāśrama-dharma, etc... Then testimonials could be given by prominent supporters of our movement and perhaps a short statement by Your Divine Grace..."

Prabhupāda: There is some big, big temples and their proprietor... In every city there are so many Kṛṣṇa temples. Just like in Kanpur there is very important Dvārakādhīśa temple. Many such big cities they have got Kṛṣṇa's pastimes(?).

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He says, at the end he would like to get "a short statement by Your Divine Grace in the movie on the importance of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement in the world today. This film could, hopefully, be distributed to schools and colleges, showing that India is full of transcendental knowledge and that this knowledge is meant for the entire world for the benefit of all humanity."

Prabhupāda: That I am speaking of, that this, that this knowledge should not be kept locked up. That is my mission.

Room Conversation -- October 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

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

Prabhupāda: English.

Rāmeśvara: For now they are selling Bhagavad-gītā, Back to Godhead, and Satsvarūpa Mahārāja's book. That is also being sold. They are just now printing the first Persian Back to Godhead, and in three months' time the Bhagavad-gītā in Persian will be... Translation will be completed.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Who is doing the translation?

Rāmeśvara: One local man that joined us, very intelligent man.

Prabhupāda: So they are looking after a bigger place?