Prabhupāda: When we have got excess produce, either milk or grain or anything, we can sell that.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That we won't have, though. The kind of businesses we do are not kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyam (BG 18.44). It's more or less businesses of incense business, jewelry business. We don't have extra milk products or grains, not very much.
Prabhupāda: So what is the harm if we do jewelry business?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Providing the men do not become contaminated, then there's no harm.
Prabhupāda: That is in his hand. Why he should be contaminated?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Shouldn't, but somehow our... You once said to me that "You Americans are already business-minded, so..."
Prabhupāda: Well, business-minded is not bad, but contamination is bad.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.
Prabhupāda: If I chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and do business, what is the harm? Where is wrong?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: See, the trouble is that when you do book distribution, it's easier to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: That is for that purpose.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But when you sell jewelry, it's harder to remember Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And our... We are not so advanced yet.
Prabhupāda: Yes. That is the defect. Otherwise, if I am attracted, Hare Kṛṣṇa, for my livelihood I can do anything.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Anything, yes. I've seen in India, many of our members, they are able to do their pūjā in the morning with an undisturbed mind and then do business.
Prabhupāda: Yes. All Marwaris do that.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Be ruthless as anything.
Prabhupāda: Huh?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They are ruthless as anything during the day...
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And they're very humble...
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ...in their pūjā. But our men, if they are ruthless during the day...
Prabhupāda: My father was doing business, and he was a great devotee.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And you were also doing business during, when you were...
Prabhupāda: Yes, up to one o'clock, two o'clock, he was engaged only with his pūjā, my father. He was going late, at twelve o'clock, to bed. Then he was to... He used to rise little late, at about seven, eight. Then taking bath, sometimes purchasing. Then from ten o'clock to one o'clock he was engaged in pūjā. Then he would take his lunch and go to business. And in the business shop he was taking little rest for one hour. And he'd come from business at ten o'clock at night, and then again pūjā. Regularly. Actually his business was pūjā. For livelihood he was...
Hari-śauri: Just doing some business.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.
Prabhupāda: We were sleeping, father was doing ārati—"ding ding ding ding, ding."
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You heard the bell.
Prabhupāda: Hm. Then he would take his night dinner and—not dinner. Some puris or paraṭā. He was also fond of this puffed rice. In later age he was simply taking puffed rice and milk. So, anyway, pūjā was his main business.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I found that our devotees who engage in business, they become a little spiritually weakened because we're not that advanced yet.
Prabhupāda: No, cent percent engagement in, that is hamper. There is no doubt. But to do business as a householder is not bad.