Prabhupāda: The Śukadeva Gosvāmī, who was going without any ceremonial function... Because after birth there is ceremony, there is nāma-karaṇa, so many things to be done. But he didn't care for anything, any rituals. He immediately started. So it is specifically mentioned that he began to start without observing any formality any rituals. Immediately started. Yaṁ pravrajantam anupetam apeta-kṛtyaṁ (SB 1.2.2). Kṛtyaṁ means things which have to be done. Just like you are initiated, there are so many things to be done. So he didn't care for anything. Dvaipāyano ciraha-kātara ājuhāva. Dvaipayana is father's name, Dvaipayāna Vyāsa. Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana Vyāsa, his father's name.
Observe (Conv. 1969 - 1975)
Conversations and Morning Walks
1969 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation -- May 10, 1969, Columbus, Ohio:
Prabhupāda: It is very difficult in this age. Then you have to restrain yourself in so many things. Complete free from sex life. You have to eat under certain direction, you have to... So many things there are. These rules are not followed. Simply they have got some bodily gymnastic sitting posture. They are thinking, "I am practicing." No. That is one of the items. So all the items cannot be observed in this age. Therefore it is wasting. (Break) "...yogis, he who always abides in Me with great faith, worshiping Me in transcendental loving service is most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all." This is the goal of yoga practice. So that is possible very easily by this movement, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, not by any other process. And the ultimate goal is here.
Room Conversation with Allen Ginsberg -- May 12, 1969, Columbus, Ohio:
Allen Ginsberg: But I'm wondering what future is there? What's the future of a religious observance so technical as this? So complicated as this? Requires so much sophistication in terms of diet, daily ritual, ārati, ekādaśī, all, the whole thing that you've been teaching, how far can that spread by it's very complexness...
Prabhupāda: Yes. All are complex. The whole idea is to keep the devotees always engaged in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the program. Gradually, we shall introduce more and more so that he has no scope to go outside Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Room Conversation with Allen Ginsberg -- May 12, 1969, Columbus, Ohio:
Prabhupāda: Yes, that is said in the Bhagavad-gītā: if you use sexuality for giving birth to nice child, not cats and dogs, that is spiritual. But people are using sexuality for other purposes. That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, śāstra-viruddho(?), according to religious ritualistic way, if one, when one uses sex life that is (indistinct). That is, therefore in the, according to Vedic system, therefore, having sex life with wife, there is a great ceremony which is called garbhādhāna ceremony, and all the higher caste, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriyas, śūdra, er vaiśyas especially, they are to observe ten kinds of reformative process. The first process is while giving birth to a child there is a great ceremony, garbhādhāna. So it is not a secret. To beget nice child, then there will be nice population, then there will be peace and prosperity. If you beget cats and dogs, how can you expect peace and prosperity? Living in the same dog society, cat society then there will be peace? No.
Room Conversation With John Lennon, Yoko Ono, and George Harrison -- September 11, 1969, London, At Tittenhurst:
Prabhupāda: It is accepted by scholarly section, religious section, not only in India, but all over the world. Perhaps you know. In every country there are thousands of Bhagavad-gītā translation, in every language, in English, in French, in German, all languages. And even Mohammedans... Of course, scholarly Mohammedans, they also read very nicely Bhagavad-gītā. I know one Mohammedan professor in India. He was a great devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa. He did not disclose that he was a devotee, but he was observing Janmāṣṭamī fasting day and he was writing one article on Kṛṣṇa every Janmāṣṭamī day. There are many. They read. And in our childhood... Not childhood, we were young man at that time. So one Englishman was a tenant in Calcutta, my friend's house. So he was vacating the house.
1970 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation -- November 4, 1970, Bombay:
Haṁsadūta: "Patel Pola(?) of Chicago had observed that he was a construction worker doing a śūdra's work. It would not become necessary to allot the three lower castes to the foreign converts according to their professions. This will not be an easy task. Talking of profession reminds me of a still graver problem—that of the occupation or profession of the white sādhus. If I am not mistaken, the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement would turn out legions of new white sādhus in the West whose only aim in life would be to propitiate their Lord Kṛṣṇa. They would be steeped in the bhakti-rasa and would not soil their hands with doing any work for such a mundane thing as earning a living."
Prabhupāda: They are not doing anything. Actually they are not doing anything. They are preaching only.
Room Conversation -- December 12, 1970, Indore:
Prabhupāda: No, in the reading matter he said that, "He was trained by his father to worship Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, to observe Rathayātrā, and he was taught mṛdaṅga." These are all true. But anyone who worships Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa and who follows the Hindu ceremonies, Rathayātrā, how he can say that "Hinduism nothing"? Just see how rascaldom. This is contradiction.
Guest (4): Mahārāja, there is reason for that. Because that paper, the owner of that press is a Jain. And the Jains have a natural antipathy towards the ...?...
Prabhupāda: Oh, just see. So how biased man can report? So therefore we are avoiding reports.
Room Conversation -- December 13, 1970, Indore:
Prabhupāda: If anyone is serving the cause of his religion very perfectly, very nicely, so-called nicely, but after serving or observing the rules and regulation, one's religious principles, if he does not understand what is God and relationship with Him and does not become attracted to Kṛṣṇa, or God, then all, whatever he has done, it is simply waste of time. So Kṛṣṇa consciousness is so nice and so important. Aiye Aiye. You can make some place here. Make. Oh, you have to go. Now available. Available. (?) Yes, we are ready. Come. By who? He did not know? Then where...? (end)
1971 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation -- February 17, 1971, Gorakhpur:
Prabhupāda: And one who does not know Kṛṣṇa, he has no value of his knowledge. Bhāgavata says, na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ (SB 7.5.31). Knowledge, what is the target of knowledge? To go up to Viṣṇu, to understand. Tad viṣṇuṁ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti surayaḥ. Those who are actually intelligent, they are simply observing the Viṣṇu form. This is Vedic mantra. So unless you reach to that point, your knowledge has no value. It is ignorance. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yogamāyā-samāvṛtaḥ (BG 7.25). So long you do not understand Kṛṣṇa, that means your knowledge is covered still.
Conversation with Prof. Kotovsky -- June 22, 1971, Moscow:
Prabhupāda: Paris. And we have got two ceremonies, very big ceremonies, in London and San Francisco, Ratha-yatra, car festival. And, it is estimated, fifty thousand people are going to participate in the ceremony both in London and San Francisco. We are making arrangement, car festival. This car festival is observed in Jagannātha Purī. You have been in Jagannātha Purī?
Prof. Kotovsky: Yes, yes.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Prof. Kotovsky: From immemorial time, this festival...
Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes.
Television Interview -- July 29, 1971, Gainesville:
Prabhupāda: No. They are prohibited from illicit sex life. They are prohibited to intoxication. They do not smoke even, what to speak of other intoxications. And they are prohibited not to indulge in gambling. So if they can observe these four rules and regulations, they become perfect men. Simply.
Interviewer: Or women I presume.
Prabhupāda: Woman or man. Anyone.
Interviewer: Men or women. There is place for women in the religion too isn't...?
Prabhupāda: Woman and man have got the same right. Just like we are getting married boys and girls. They're following the same principles. The same principles. So these are the four pillars of perfect life.
Interview -- July 29, 1971, Gainesville:
Prabhupāda: No. Therefore prohibited for illicit sex life. Therefore prohibited to intoxication. They do not smoke even, what to speak of other intoxication. And therefore prohibited not to indulge in gambling. So if they can observe these four rules and regulations, they will become perfect men. Simple.
Interviewer: Or women, I presume.
Prabhupāda: Oh, men or women.
Interviewer: Men or women?
Prabhupāda: Anyone.
Room Conversation -- August 17, 1971, London:
Revatīnandana: Yes, but one of the devotees asked me one time, "Why it is that when the body is dead that the fingernails continue to grow."
Prabhupāda: That is nonsense. Never grows.
Revatīnandana: Huh? They just play like that. And observe.
Prabhupāda: It decomposes.
Revatīnandana: But they say hair continues to come out sometimes from dead bodies.
Prabhupāda: Sometimes.
Room Conversation with Dr. Weir of the Mensa Society -- September 5, 1971, London:
Prabhupāda: I mean to say, in relationship with the sun, the planet, the planet, in the front side there is light. In the backside there is darkness. But the darkness is the effect of the light. Where the light is absent there is darkness.
Dr. Weir: Only to an observer. If there's no observer there, there's no difference between light and dark.
Prabhupāda: No, this is the actual position. Just like this is sun, but this side is light, this side is darkness. So light and darkness, two opposite elements. But it is due to the same cause. Absence of light is darkness. And presence of light is light.
Room Conversation with Dr. Weir of the Mensa Society -- September 5, 1971, London:
Prabhupāda: I may make analogy or not analogy but the thing is that Kṛṣṇa consciousness is there but it is covered. As soon as its covering is taken away, it is uncovered, the original position comes out.
Śyāmasundara: I believe he made one observation which is rather in the British tradition, I believe, where he said that if there was no observer then there would be no such thing as light and darkness.
Dr. Weir: Yes, light and dark are subjective reactions. Really, the scientists would say there are wave lengths of a certain type in one part of the universe and in the other they're absent. But, until you have an observer you can't notice that.
Room Conversation -- November 11, 1971, New Delhi:
Prabhupāda: Yes. To meditate upon Kṛṣṇa is the highest yogic principle.
Guest: So that's what I asked...
Prabhupāda: Generally yogis, they observe viṣṇu-tattva, generally.
Guest: For what...
Prabhupāda: But higher yogis, bhakta-yogīs, they see only Kṛṣṇa.
Guest: Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: Therefore Kṛṣṇa says, yoginām api sarveṣāṁ mad-gatenāntarātmanā (BG 6.47).
1972 Conversations and Morning Walks
Talk with Bob Cohen -- February 27-29, 1972, Mayapura:
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Indian man: Some time ago in Calcutta they observed a week. It was named "Prevention of Cruelty to Animals."
Prabhupāda: Hmm. (Chuckles) This is another foolishness. They are advertising prevention of cruelty and they are maintaining thousands of slaughterhouse. You see? That is another foolishness.
Indian man: No, I wanted just to ask...
Room Conversation -- March 12, 1972, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: I simply advise them that you regularly chant the sixteen rounds. Not more, you cannot make... You cannot imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura. But there must be one saṅkhyā. Saṅkhyā-pūrvaka-nāma-gāna. They are observing that and the regulative principles: no illicit sex, no intoxication, no meat-eating, no gambling. And they are following other instructions, so they are wonderfully.
Dr. Kapoor: You know Dalmiaji's daughter-in-law, the wife of Viṣṇu Hari Dalmia...
Prabhupāda: Viṣṇu Hari went to see me in London, perhaps with his wife.
Room Conversation -- March 12, 1972, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: So give some prasādam.
Dr. Kapoor: You are observing Ekādaśī today?
Prabhupāda: Eh?
Dr. Kapoor: Ekādaśī today?
Prabhupāda: Ekādaśī? (indistinct)
Dr. Kapoor: So you are going for that piece of land, that...
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Dr. Kapoor: Garden?
Room Conversations -- April 22, 1972, Japan:
Devotee: On ekādaśī, we can offer the Deity grains?
Prabhupāda: Oh yes. But not guru. Ekādaśī observed by jīva-tattva, not by Viṣṇu-tattva. We are fasting for clearing our material disease, but Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, Caitanya Mahāprabhu... Caitanya Mahāprabhu also may not be offered grains because He is playing the part of a devotee. Only Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, Jagannātha can be offered grains. Otherwise, Guru-Gaurāṅga, no. And the prasādam should not be taken by anyone. It should be kept for next day. What is that?
Cintāmaṇi: I tried to make a flute for Kṛṣṇa because He doesn't have a flute. Is that okay?
Conversation with the GBC -- May 25, 1972, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: The lowest in India is twenty-five(?). Here sixteen rounds, twenty-five, not even twenty-five. So the president, local president, must see that the members are chanting. So this way the institution will be managed, then it will make progress. That is our spiritual strength—to observe the regulative principles and at least chant sixteen rounds. Then you do other things. This is the biggest institution of spiritual activities so everyone of us should be spiritually strong. Otherwise, superficially if we want to manage, it will not be possible. (indistinct).
Interview with the New York Times -- September 2, 1972, New Vrindaban:
Prabhupāda: Of course there are good men and bad men, and good men are taking to this movement because it is a good movement. "Good" means not having illicit sex, not eating meat, not indulging in intoxication, and not indulging in gambling. If anyone observes these four principles, he is considered a good man, and if he does not observe them, he is a bad man. So good men will take to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, and bad men will not. We give distinct rules on how to become good, for if one does not become good, how can he understand God, who is all good? First we must become good men; then we can understand God. God is all good, and if we don't become good we cannot understand Him.
Conversation with Bajaj and Bhusan -- September 11, 1972, Arlington, Texas, At Their Home:
Prabhupāda: Yes. Janmāṣṭamī, Kṛṣṇa's birthday, is observed by every Indian still, although artificially they are being checked not to take to Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is presented by government in so many bad way. You see? In government there is a paper. It is called "Indian Culture," something. In that paper Kṛṣṇa is depicted as a bil boy. (?)
Guest (3): What?
Morning Walk Conversation -- September 28, 1972, Los Angeles:
Svarūpa Dāmodara: The astronomers and the cosmologists, they define the universe in three definitions. And according to their own..., they say the visible space, the universe, they say this is their laboratory for their research to find out the unlimited expanding universe. So this is their laboratory for their... So they call..., this is called observable universe, the universe that can be observed and perceived by instruments. Then another definition of universe they call unlimited. That includes the observable plus everything that is not observable. And the third aspect they call physical universe. That means this universe can be studied by physical laws, mathematics, physics. So they call these are physical universe. So based on these...
Prabhupāda: So how they can say beyond this universe there is no other?
1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversations with Sannyasis -- March 15, 1974, Vrndavana:
Śyāmasundara: The whole point is that the sannyāsīs must see that that standard is kept to the highest. That's their job. That's why you've taken...
Prabhupāda: But that should be observed and peacefully it should be settled. If it is not peacefully settled, the man who will continually disobey, he should be respectfully asked, "Please go home." You cannot... That...
Pañcadraviḍa: Who has the authority to say to somebody, "Please go," though?
Prabhupāda: Huh?
Pañcadraviḍa: Who has the authority to tell a person, "Please go." We don't know who, I don't know who has that authority.
Morning Walk -- April 19, 1973, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: Yes. Science says that: "observation and experiment." That is science. You observe how things are going on. And you experiment. Then it is perfect. But you cannot make experiment, you simply observe, that, a child also can also observe, and he can speak something nonsense. Just like in our childhood, we were observing the gramophone box, that within the box there is some man who's singing. And electric fan. I was thinking: There must be some ghost. Yes. These kind of suggestion...
Morning Walk -- April 28, 1973, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: So who is giving the pushing? The living entity, driver. A big truck is being pushed: kata kak kata kak kata kak kata kak, one after another. Similarly the whole creation, Kṛṣṇa is giving the pushing. Then one after another, one after another, one after another working. You see. mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram (BG 9.10). That is stated in the Bha... mayādhyakṣeṇa. Kṛṣṇa gives the pushing first. Then everything comes, one after another. But His pushing capacity is so perfect that everything is coming out perfect, perfect, perfect, perfect. Just like Kṛṣṇa says: bījo 'haṁ sarva-bhūtānām (Bg 7.10). "I am the seed of everything created." Now take the seed of the banyan tree. Kṛṣṇa has created. He says, "I am the seed." Now you sow the seed. A big tree will come out. Big tree will come out. Not only big tree. Many millions of seeds will come out of it. And each seed, again big tree. So the original seed, Kṛṣṇa, pushes. Then one after another, one after another, one after another... So you are simply observing when the things are coming into existence by such pushing.
Morning Walk -- April 28, 1973, Los Angeles:
Svarūpa Dāmodara: So the material elements...
Prabhupāda: You are simply observing the immediate cause. You do not know what is the remote cause. There are two causes, immediate cause and remote cause. Another call: "Efficient cause and..."? The two words?
Brahmānanda: Efficient cause is the ultimate.
Prabhupāda: No, remote cause.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: The remote cause is Kṛṣṇa.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1). Vedic literature: sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam. The cause of all causes. That is remote cause. Therefore if you understand the sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1), the cause of all causes, then you understand everything.
Morning Walk -- April 28, 1973, Los Angeles:
Svarūpa Dāmodara: But they say about nature.
Prabhupāda: Nature, that's all right. You are observing the plants are being produced by nature. But who has produced the nature? This is intelligence.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: They don't think about this.
Prabhupāda: That is foolishness. Wherefrom the nature comes? As soon as we speak nature, then next question should be: "Whose nature?" Is it not? Just like I say: "It is my nature." You say: "It is my nature." Therefore as soon as you talk of nature, the next inquiry should be: "Whose nature?"
Morning Walk -- April 29, 1973, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: Yes. yes.
Karandhara: So the scientists research and observe the material cause, but they don't have any information of the efficient cause.
Prabhupāda: Therefore, their knowledge is insufficient. And because they are very much proud of insufficient knowledge, therefore they are fools, mūḍhāḥ. One may become proud if there is complete knowledge. But he has no complete knowledge. Still, he's proud. Therefore he's a fool. What do you think?
Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes.
Prabhupāda: He said yes or no?
Morning Walk -- May 14, 1973, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: That is their foolishness because, as this body... That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā: tathā dehāntara-prāptiḥ (BG 2.13). As this body's changing in my experience, similarly, there's another change.
Karandhara: Well, actually, they're able to observe this change, but they can't observe that change.
Prabhupāda: But you cannot observe, your rascal eyes are so imperfect, you cannot observe so many things. That does not mean science. Why don't you admit your imperfectional senses? You first of all admit the imperfectional senses. You cannot see. You cannot experience. That, does it mean that is science? So many dogs they cannot understand what is the law of nature. Does it mean that nature does not exist? Why do you think your sense are perfect? First of all, admit that you're the most imperfect.
Morning Walk -- May 14, 1973, Los Angeles:
Karandhara: That is their stumbling block. They say they want to be able to observe everything with their imperfect senses.
Prabhupāda: Yes. That is their folly, foolishness.
Svarūpa Dāmodara: In the scientific terminology the eternality of the soul can be compared with the conservation of energy?
Prabhupāda: There is no question of conservation. It is energy. It is always existing. If you say that is conservation of energy then...
Svarūpa Dāmodara: No. The definition of the conservation of energy is the energy cannot be created nor destroyed. That means that it is eternal.
Morning Walk At Cheviot Hills Golf Course -- May 15, 1973, Los Angeles:
Prabhupāda: Turkey, you see. Now, Christmas, God's Christmas, Jesus Christ. He said, "Thou shalt not kill." But his birthday is observed by killing, killing, killing, killing, killing.
Paramahaṁsa: And ham. Ham is also cow, isn't it?
Karandhara: Pig.
Paramahaṁsa: Pig. Pig and turkey they have.
Kṛṣṇa-kāntī: Actually, they kill the turkey on Thanksgiving, which is the day that they acknowledge and give thanks to the Lord.
Morning Walk At Cheviot Hills Golf Course -- May 17, 1973, Los Angeles:
Svarūpa Dāmodara: I am just collecting what Śrīla Prabhupāda explained, the different acintya-śaktis that we observe.
Prabhupāda: Here the acintya-śakti is working, this mist, fog. You have no power to drive it away. Beyond your power. You can explain with some juggling of words...
Passer-by: Good morning.
Prabhupāda: Good morning. ...that "Such chemicals, such molecules, such this, that," there are so many things. But (laughing) you have no power to drive it away.
Room Conversation -- July 9, 1973, London:
Revatīnandana: I used to observe when I was going to the university that all my professors, their intellectual business was just a profession like digging ditches.
Prabhupāda: That's all. For earning money.
Revatīnandana: For their pleasure they're going home to drink beer and eat steak. That's all they're really interested in. They're just working to make money. I could see it and I didn't want to follow their footsteps.
Room Conversation with Indian Guests -- July 11, 1973, London:
Prabhupāda: No, no. This is formality. But he must be prepared to observe formality also. But if it is very much objectionable, sometimes we excuse.
Guest (7): Now I have finished my one year, one year and one week, or something, for my practice, you know. So I'll be taking before and next year. Still, I... (laughs)
Prabhupāda: No, you can come any time.
Guest (7): Now it's 73 or 72 days so I'm counting the days.
Room Conversation with Malcolm -- July 18, 1973, London:
Śyāmasundara: To Zaner this one? Or to...
Prabhupāda: General, general. Reply.
Mukunda: We've also invited him to come here.
Śyāmasundara: No one defended him in the newspaper, Observer.
Prabhupāda: So other protests have been published in the paper?
Śyāmasundara: Yes. I'll bring them up to you.
Room Conversation with Lord Brockway -- July 23, 1973, London:
Śyāmasundara: It's just like what you were saying. Men get together and try to (have) an intellectual understanding of the problems, then it's much easier. That's what I..., why I was saying in the House of Lords we observed that day, a very, just like what you're talking about, men exchanging ideas and compromising, and finding the...
Lord Brockway: Oh well, our discussions are better than the discussions in the House of Commons because we're not so bitter, we're not so partisan. And many of them speak with great knowledge.
Śyāmasundara: Yes. That's what impressed us. In one sense, this House of Lords preserves your cultural advantages.
Lord Brockway: Yes, a little. I would make it into a political British association, just as the British Association is gathering of all the scientists. I would have the House of Lords gathering of people who are representative of creative thought in all spheres, from all spheres.
Śyāmasundara: Yes, great thinkers from all different parts of society.
Lord Brockway: Yes. Then I think it could be a real gathering.
Śyāmasundara: Yes. We noticed that day in the House of Lords that great, such great thinkers were discussing topics.
Prabhupāda: Yes, selected persons.
Room Conversation with Reporter from Researchers Magazine -- July 24, 1973, London:
Prabhupāda: Everything is, one after another, is described in the Bhagavad-gītā. So those who are responsible for giving up kula-dharma and jāti-dharma, and creating varṇa-saṅkara... Varṇa-saṅkara, just like brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, they are supposed to undergo the purificatory process daśa-vidhā-saṁskāra. So the first saṁskāra is garbhādhāna. So in this Bhāgavata it is said by Nārada that as soon as garbhādhāna-saṁskāra is not taken, immediately the whole family becomes śūdra. So who is observing the garbhādhāna-saṁskāra? Nobody.
Reporter: (laughs) Nobody.
Prabhupāda: Therefore, kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. Correct? In this age of Kali, everyone is to be accepted as śūdra. No brāhmaṇa, no kṣatriya, no vaiśya. All śūdra, or less than śūdra.
Garden Conversation with Mahadeva's Mother and Jesuit Priest -- July 25, 1973, London:
Revatīnandana: Well, it's good that... In the society we observe there are many, many people becoming doctors. But there are not very many people becoming brāhmaṇas, people who live a sinless life and who learn the science of God and distribute it to the people. There're not very many people...
Jesuit Priest: I think that... I think that... (?)
Revatīnandana: Not very many, not very many people are doing that.
Jesuit Priest: I don't know. I think that that's a gratuitous statement for which you can have no proof.
Revatīnandana: I'm just saying not many people are doing it. How many pe... How many people, compared to the number of medical students in England, how many people are students in religious seminaries?
Jesuit Priest: Well, do you know?
Revatīnandana: No, I'm asking you.
Jesuit Priest: Well, I do. I do. I do know it.
Revatīnandana: So give us a comparison.
Jesuit Priest: Yes. Well, I... We've no problem at all...
Prabhupāda: Now, another thing is...
Room Conversation with Cardinal Danielou -- August 9, 1973, Paris:
Prabhupāda: Apart from this consideration, at least this morality should be observed that cows, they're our mother. We should not kill at least mothers for eating the flesh.
Cardinal Danielou: The difficulty for us is not the idea that it is good for us to respect the life of a cow. The difficulty is the metaphysic reason. You know.
Prabhupāda: No, metaphysics, not...
Room Conversation with Sanskrit Professor -- August 13, 1973, Paris:
Professor: Oh, I see.
Prabhupāda: It was published in, what is that, Observer paper?
Śrutakīrti: Oh, yes.
Yogeśvara: Yeah, the Observer, in London, the London Observer.
Prabhupāda: "Rival of Nelson."
Yogeśvara: It said, "A rival to Nelson's Column." They showed a picture of the Ratha next to the column of Nelson.
Professor: Oh, really?
Yogeśvara: Yeah. Our car was bigger than...
Room Conversation with Dr. Christian Hauser, Psychiatrist -- September 10, 1973, Stockholm:
Prabhupāda: Yes, yes. Foreign powers, yes. So this is called ghostly haunted. So our material conception of life, this is also ghostly haunted, madness. "I am Christian. I am Hindu. I am Muslim. I am Englishman. I am German." These are all conception of ghostly haunted. Because spirit soul is pure. In the Vedic language it is said: asaṅgo 'yaṁ puruṣaḥ. The spirit soul has no connection with such designations. Just like in dream we see so many things. But it has nothing to do with me. So this is night dream. At night, we forget all these things about the day dream. "I am this, I am that. I am this family-member. I am his father. I am his husband." And so on, so on. At night, when dream, are in a different situation. And we forget everything. And again, in daytime, we forget everything of the night dream. We come another dream. So this is also dream. That is also dream. I am simply observing.
Room Conversation -- September 21, 1973, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: Ah. When it was suggested that I purchase house, I said that "I am not going to have this tenants' trouble. That is very botheration." So Karandhara suggested that "We have got our own tenants. Why they should stay in other apartment house? If we have got our house, they will stay, and there will be no trouble." "Then it is all right." They require house. So all gṛhasthas, they have got separate apartment, living very peacefully. So anyway, every one of us should observe strictly the regulative principles and serve sincerely. Kṛṣṇa will help us.
Gargamuni: In Calcutta we're approaching all of the libraries. At least twenty-five libraries have ordered your books, complete sets.
Room Conversation -- November 3, 1973, New Delhi:
Prabhupāda: Nobody has intelligence. It will not, it will not stay. It will be spoiled. Joint mess organization. In Los Angeles, they're also doing business. They're going to sell books. But regulative principle is observed. Huge expenditure they have got. No center is so improved as Los Angeles. We have purchased six houses. And I wanted immediately two lakhs, immediately sent. You cannot pay. You simply want to take. In India, nobody can pay. If I want two lakhs, nobody can pay. But all this money have been taken from U.S.A. I asked Bali Mardana, I asked Karandhara. They paid me for this Bombay affair, sixteen, eighteen lakhs. (break) ...and breathing also does not stop. It goes very slow.
1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
Morning Walk -- March 24, 1974, Bombay:
Dr. Patel: But in hygiene also they have (indistinct) our way.
Prabhupāda: They are observing hygienic principle as far as possible, but only thing is they require little guidance.
Dr. Patel: This kitchen behind is too small, hotel, they...
Prabhupāda: No. We can make a big kitchen, we have got enough room.
Dr. Patel: I told them, maybe away we must have a small room attached to it where these boys can take... (break) (Hindi) (break)
Prabhupāda: ...I am not this body.
Morning Walk -- April 12, 1974, Bombay:
Girirāja: "Now he has come back to enliven his relatives. After observing such..."
Prabhupāda: So our policy is that if you want to construct, if you have got the tendency, so you construct for Kṛṣṇa. That will be service. Construct a temple for Kṛṣṇa. So that service will be taken into account. Similarly, when we use this motorcar or aeroplane, so in the same purpose... Now they have done this, let it be engaged in Kṛṣṇa conscious service. So one who has manufactured it, he will be benefited, and others will be benefited.
Morning Walk -- April 12, 1974, Bombay:
Girirāja: "After observing such wonderful happenings, Nanda Mahārāja began to think of the words of Vasudeva again and again." (break)
Prabhupāda: He was a great charmer. Yes. Simple, simple life, village life. They were all... Vasudeva said all these things. Vasudeva is kṣatriya. From the political eyesight, he predicted that "This may happen," but he, as a vaiśya, simple agriculturist, he thought that "Oh, Vasudeva is so, foreseer." (break)
Girirāja: Simplicity is not considered a bad quality?
Morning Walk -- April 20, 1974, Hyderabad:
Prabhupāda: And I have no time for chanting"—this is cheating. How long you can go on by cheating? You must finish it. Hare Kṛṣṇa. Somebody, after initiation he promises, "Yes, I shall follow these rules and regulations. I shall chant sixteen rounds," before the fire, before the Deity, before the guru, and if he does not follow, then he is a cheater. What to speak of his becoming a Vaiṣṇava, he is a cheater. He breaks all his promises. Therefore after seeing, observing a person is doing everything, then say second initiation, or then he should not be recommended for second initiation unless the president and the other authorities see that he is doing nicely, he is following. Otherwise he should not be recommended. If he is recommended, that is also another cheating. If you know that this person is not following the rules and regulation, then why should you recommend him?
Morning Walk Excerpts -- May 1, 1974, Bombay:
Bhāgavata: So we should observe this festival, Śrīla Prabhupāda?
Prabhupāda: Not necessarily.
Bhāgavata: Not necessary.
Prabhupāda: Go on. (break) ...Tirupati. These rascals are getting money and investing for television.
Indian man (2): Industry.
Prabhupāda: You see? They should have given to us for distributing Kṛṣṇa consciousness all..., but these rascals will not do that.
Morning Walk Excerpts -- May 1, 1974, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: ...observing Śiva-rātri, Nanda Mahārāja and all the cowherds men, they increased their attachment for Kṛṣṇa. That is wanted.
Pancadravida: "After this incident, on a very pleasant night both Kṛṣṇa and His elder brother Balarāma, who are inconceivably powerful, went into the forest of Vṛndāvana." (break)
Prabhupāda: "Dressing is artificial. It is not required. Yes. This naked body is very nice." (break) No, you don't... You cannot be naga-bābā. That is not good. (break) If one is not Kṛṣṇa conscious, all these rascaldom becomes charming. When one is Kṛṣṇa conscious these things does not appeal.
Morning Walk Excerpts -- May 1, 1974, Bombay:
Yadubara: "The Vedic system of receiving a guest was completely observed by Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself to teach all others how..." (break)
Prabhupāda: Even if you receive at home your enemy, you shall treat him in such a way that he is not afraid. Akuto 'bhayam. That "I have come to the house of enemy and he can do me harm at any time," no. He should be received in such a way that he will be completely free from these thoughts, that "I am his enemy."
Dr. Patel: These Arabs were well known about receiving these guests like that, but they have learned from India.
Morning Walk -- May 3, 1974, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: ...first of all, being observed by father of Kṛṣṇa. It is very important. (break) ...necessity of tapasya, if one worships Kṛṣṇa? Nārādhito yadi haris tapasā tataḥ kim. And after austerities, if he does not know Kṛṣṇa, then what is the value of his tapasya? (break) ...imitating here, that is lust.
Dr. Patel: Anything with a view on the sex is lust.
Prabhupāda: Yes. That is lust. Here everything is lust. Center is lust. Yan maithunādi-gṛhamedhi-sukhaṁ hi tuccham (SB 7.9.45). The central point is sex.
Dr. Patel: What this...? (end)
Room Conversation with Richard Webster, chairman, Societa Filosofica Italiana -- May 24, 1974, Rome:
Richard Webster: Well. I understand. But I only think that the dietetic rules would be perhaps an obstacle to the spreading... I mean certain rules which are clean against European or American custom might constitute an obstacle to the spreading of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. I mean, in the Roman Catholic church you have the monks. Then you have the laity who observe less strict rules without being considered outside God. And you don't have that, do you? I mean, the Kṛṣṇa movement is a movement of what we should call monks or religious... There is no laity in the Roman Catholic Christian sense, people of the world who are doing messy things, I mean, trading the drugs or whatever it is because it's a job they have to do, but belong to the church without being strictly religious.
Prabhupāda: At least the church people, the priests, they must follow strictly the rules.
Room Conversation with Robert Gouiran, Nuclear Physicist from European Center for Nuclear Research -- June 5, 1974, Geneva:
Prabhupāda: They... You became detached from all material activities? No?
Puṣṭa-kṛṣṇa: Well, just the observer.
Prabhupāda: Oh.
Puṣṭa-kṛṣṇa: This is the scientist's point of view. He's just observing, observing, observing, and therefore he feels almost left out of it. So they want to participate. They're very attracted to the...
Prabhupāda: But he's observing himself or not? Or he's simply observing outside himself?
Room Conversation with Robert Gouiran, Nuclear Physicist from European Center for Nuclear Research -- June 5, 1974, Geneva:
Puṣṭa-kṛṣṇa: Bhagavad-gītā says that he is observing his body, his field of activities.
Prabhupāda: No, Bhagavad-gītā... I am asking...
Puṣṭa-kṛṣṇa: He's observing outside of himself.
Prabhupāda: Then why does he not observe himself, that "What I am?" "Am I this body? Or what I am? Why I am full of anxieties?"
Robert Gouiran: (French)
Yogeśvara: Yes. But actually that's a very interesting way of approaching the problem of spirituality, you see. We are learning that actually everything has some relationship with Kṛṣṇa, or God. So you are a physicist, if I have understood,...
Robert Gouiran: Yes.
Room Conversation with Robert Gouiran, Nuclear Physicist from European Center for Nuclear Research -- June 5, 1974, Geneva:
Robert Gouiran: Yes. That's... How matter is done, as long as we could observe it. And how the matter is organized. And is it, is it possible to go in the deepest level where we could find the smallest particles. But nothing...
Prabhupāda: But so far nuclear weapon is concerned, so there is no much credit. Because it is a weapon for killing, death. Is it not? Not for that purpose?
Robert Gouiran: No, no. Nuclear physics in itself is just a pure research of knowledge. But the manufacturing of weapons, that's not nuclear physics.
Prabhupāda: Oh.
Robert Gouiran: That's just business.
Prabhupāda: What is the nuclear physics?
Room Conversation with Russian Orthodox Church Representative -- June 13, 1974, Paris:
Karandhara: So then the... If the Vaiṣṇava philosophy has a systematic logic, then integrity would dictate that we have to surrender or accept that logic. If a logic is true, we can't stand apart from it and simply observe it. We have to accept it ourselves.
Church Representative: (French)
Bhagavān: You are right on the brink of Absolute Truth. Don't run away. (laughs)
Yogeśvara: He says that even though he has a great interest in this discussion, because he has prior commitments, he's unable to stay.
Prabhupāda: That's all right. That's all...
Room Conversation with Professor Durckheim German Spiritual Writer -- June 19, 1974, Germany:
Prabhupāda: So unless one is self-realized, he cannot be engaged in the service of the supreme self. Ordinarily, a master and a servant, a servant knows that "I am engaged by the master. He is giving me food. He is giving me shelter. He is giving me everything for his service." So he is careful in his service. This is a material example. Similarly, self-realization is ultimately, as I taught you, that, first impersonal Brahman, then localized Paramātmā, and then the yogis, they realize the localized Paramātmā. Dhyānāvasthita-tad-gatena manasā paśyanti yaṁ yoginaḥ (SB 12.13.1). The yogis, they observe the Supersoul within himself, and they meditate upon Him. What is that verse?
Room Conversation with Devotees -- July 2, 1974, Melbourne:
Prabhupāda: Thousands. So we take advantage of this meeting. We do our business and go away. And they have no books. They have simply that pressing of nose, that's all, nothing else. They have no philosophy, nothing of the sort. What they will write? They have no philosophy. Simply cheat that "Press your nose; you get Bhagavān." That's all. And people think, "It is so easy. Why shall I go to Bhaktivedanta Swami? Let me go to this Guru Mahārāja." They think like that. And some of our men, feeling too much pressure, they go away. But here there is nothing cheap, that simply by pressing nose and eyes and you become God. Don't make compromise. This principle must be observed. Then you'll remain strong. As soon as you make compromise, then it is finished. Dṛḍha-vratāḥ. Find out this verse. Dṛḍha-vratāḥ. What is that? Bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ. Namasyantaś ca māṁ...
1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Room Conversation with Sanskrit Professor, other Guests and Disciples -- February 12, 1975, Mexico:
Prabhupāda: Yes. Just like student. Then he becomes a family man when he's grown up. Then he becomes again a sannyāsī. So it is a process. It is not jumping. One after another.
Guest (4): Yes, but would you allow one of the devotees to, if he wants to, observe celibacy and then...
Prabhupāda: Yes, that is brahmacārī.
Guest (4): And after that...
Prabhupāda: After that, he should continue the life of celibacy. But if he is unable, then he's allowed to marry.
Room Conversation with Sanskrit Professor, other Guests and Disciples -- February 12, 1975, Mexico:
Prabhupāda: Those who are pure devotees—avyabhicāreṇi, anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam (Brs. 1.1.11)—such persons are above this material infection. So therefore he doesn't require to accept sannyāsa or brahmacārī. He doesn't... These are gradual processes, to come to the varṇāśrama system, then accept the varṇa and āśramas, brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, śūdra, brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha. This is called varṇāśrama system. But this is the beginning of human life. One who does not take to this system, he's animal because animal, there is no such system. And because in this age the varṇāśrama is not observed, therefore men are like animals. Dharmeṇa hīnā paṣubhiḥ samānāḥ. Dharma means this varṇāśrama-dharma. Cātur-varṇyaṁ mayā sṛṣṭaṁ guṇa-karma-vibhāgaśaḥ (BG 4.13). So if the human society does not accept dharma, then he's as good as animal.
Room Conversation with Svarupa Damodara -- March 1, 1975, Atlanta:
Mādhava: Does the scientist actually observe something external to his mind or does he only observe...
Prabhupāda: Speculation.
Mādhava: Only in his mind.
Prabhupāda: That's all. Just like you cannot see actually what is beyond the wall, and there is some sound. You can simply speculate, "This sound is due to this. This sound is due to this. This sound is due to this," but you have no clear knowledge. This is called speculation. But if a man behind the wall says, this sound is...
Room Conversation with Tripurari -- March 2, 1975, Atlanta:
Prabhupāda: He is observing celibacy or...
Doug: As far as I'm concerned he's been celibate for an awful long time. And he had, his master... He comes from the Śaṅkarācārya tradition. His master was the last Śaṅkarācārya. And supposedly his master is a life-long celibate. So as far as I know, he always practiced that. Some other rumors have come up somewhere. I heard that the rumors originally originated with the Beatles when they were in India, that there was something going on like that. But as far as I know and anybody else who had been involved with him knew that he was very strict about that. And he encouraged the, me to meet...
Room Conversation with Tripurari -- March 2, 1975, Atlanta:
Prabhupāda: Celibacy. Does he observe?
Doug: Yes, as far as I know.
Rūpānuga: Svarūpa Dāmodara Prabhu told me that he has a doctorate degree in some science.
Doug: Physics.
Rūpānuga: Physics, a doctorate in physics.
Prabhupāda: Hmm?
Balavanta: He has a degree, a Ph.D. in physics.
Morning Walk -- April 7, 1975, Mayapur:
Yaśodānandana: If we take the position of an objective observer, and we look at the hog and we see that his standard of happiness is very low...
Prabhupāda: You become attracted when the hog enjoys senses without any discrimination. You become attracted: "Very nice. Why not get this facility?" That is your fault—you become attracted. Whatever you see, you are so in diseased condition, you become attracted by that. That is your disease.
Yaśodānandana: The point that I was trying to establish was that if a hog has a standard of happiness...
Prabhupāda: You have got also.
Conversation with Governor -- April 20, 1975, Vrndavana:
Brahmānanda: "Six: Injunctions of śāstras regarding charity and how it should be practiced in the present conditions. So the mutual relationship of dharma and politics in the light of our history and tradition can only be revived when we observe the system of varṇāśrama. It is actually like this: the brāhmaṇa is like the head, and the kṣatriya is like the arms, the vaiśya is the stomach or the abdomen, and the śūdra is like the legs. Similarly, spiritually, the brahmacārī is the trained-up disciple, the gṛhastha is the trained-up householder, the vānaprastha is experienced as a retired gentleman, and the sannyāsī is completely in the renounced order of life for spiritual advancement. There is no question of the head being in an exalted position without the cooperation of the leg. When there is a pin-prick in some part of the leg, the head immediately takes it very seriously and takes out the thorn in some part of the leg. Similarly, whenever there is some outside attack, the arms or the hands spread to protect the whole body. In the same way, within the abdomen there is the machinery of digesting foodstuffs, and after digestion the secretion turns into blood and it is infused throughout the whole anatomical structure of the body. Similarly, the cooperation between the head, arms, stomach and legs is the perfect situation of the human society."
Governor: Coordination.
Prabhupāda: Coordination. As head is also trying to maintain the body nicely, this arm is also. Now this has been nationally centralized. So that is the idea. Not that "Because I am head, brāhmaṇa, oh, here is a śūdra. Oh, don't see his face." Why? Śūdra is also required. Leg is also required. Head is also required.
Morning Walk -- April 28, 1975, Vrndavana:
Prabhupāda: ...and is still going on all over the world. So what is the use of observing centenary (centennial?) for a dead system of religion, and which is not very old, not even hundred years? So what is the use? Maṇḍanam loka-rañjanam. Aprāṇasya hi dehasya maṇḍana, with the body which is already dead, if you decorate it, it may be very pleasing to some, loka-rañjanam, but it has no meaning.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda, sometimes during your lectures I hear you say yata mat tata mat?
Prabhupāda: Ah, yata mat tata path.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: What does that mean?
Morning Walk -- May 9, 1975, Perth:
Prabhupāda: He has no idea what is absolute truth. He is in darkness. He does not know there is absolute world. This is the relative worlds.
Amogha: They think that people who say there is Absolute Truth have not observed the other thoughts of other people, so they haven't seen everything.
Prabhupāda: What is that other thought? We know everyone's thought. We know everyone's thought.
Amogha: In the university newspaper I was reading, all their discussion is about things like homosexuality is all right or not all right.
Prabhupāda: Ācchā? They are discussing?
Room Conversation with Carol Cameron -- May 9, 1975, Perth:
Prabhupāda: The whole theory, Darwin's theory, is a false theory. It has no sound background. He says it is theory. Theory is not science. I can propose some theory, "It is like that." But that is not science. Science means observation and experiment. That is science. You observe how the rules are working, and when you practically bring them into experiment, then it is science. If you simply theorize, that is not science. Mental speculation. It has no benefit. You can speculate, constructing a castle in the air. That is not a very good thing. You should present something which will benefit the people, and practical. That is science.
Carol: Do you think it is possible to live in say an education framework, or should it be something quite separate?
Morning Walk -- May 11, 1975, Perth:
Prabhupāda: Yes. But we should take that it was his līlā to show that "Even I am subjected. How much you should take risk here." We should take like that because he's our guru. We should not take him that he was subjected to lusty desires, but he made a show that "Even I am also subjected." And he gave up this, changed the body for that. Therefore we should not observe if there is a show of fault of the guru. We should take a different way. Tejīyasāṁ na doṣāya (SB 10.33.29). Just like the sun is soaking water from urine, but we should not imitate that, that "We also, let us take urine." Then you'll die. He can do so. Tejīyasāṁ na doṣāya. The sun can do that. Still he is not affected. Everyone knows the sun soaks water from the urine. But should you imitate that: "Oh, let me take urine"?
Morning Walk -- May 14, 1975, Perth:
Prabhupāda: Yes. Spiritual strength means sincerity and sincerity means spiritual strength. If I promise before the fire, before the Deity, before my spiritual master that "I shall observe the rules and regulation," and if I don't follow, then where is my sincerity?
Devotee (1): But the devotees, they're trying to be in the mode of goodness. In the Bhagavad-gītā...
Prabhupāda: Well, the trying... Then why do you take initiation and promise? You are trying. First of all, you be fixed up. Why do you cheat Kṛṣṇa, the spiritual master, the fire? If you are not fixed up, you should not take initiation. Go on.
Morning Walk -- May 20, 1975, Melbourne:
Prabhupāda: No, no, you live in temple or without temple, if you follow the instruction, that is wanted. If you live without temple and chant sixteen rounds and observe the regulative principle, that's all right. It doesn't require that you should live in the temple. And if you live in the temple and do all nonsense, then what is the use of living in the temple?
Devotee: Is it wrong to think of initiation then? Or initiated also? (?)
Prabhupāda: Their "thinking" means they are not fixed up. That very word suggest that they are not fixed up. Oh, initiation can take place anywhere.
Śrutakīrti: He's saying those that are initiated, must they live in the temple? He's making the...
Room Conversation with Two Lawyers and Guest -- May 22, 1975, Melbourne:
Prabhupāda: Tapaḥ. Tapaḥ, tapasya, austerity. Austerity. Then you have to consult what is the austerity? The austerity is, beginning of austerity is the sex control. That is austerity, brahmacarya. Tapasā brahmacaryeṇa (SB 6.1.13). And that brahmacarya you can observe by following certain rules and regulations, Just like these people are following. In this way everything is there, clear. There is no interpretation. You cannot interpret the word water. Everyone knows what is water means. Where is the question of interpreting? Therefore sometimes reference to the teacher is necessary. Otherwise every word is clear. There is no question of interpretation. Now they are irrelevantly interpreting the first verse of Bhagavad-gītā. Dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre (BG 1.1).
Morning Walk -- May 29, 1975, Honolulu:
Prabhupāda: That is their foolishness. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ (BG 9.10). They are observing this nature, very powerful, but the powerful nature is working under the order of Kṛṣṇa. Mayādhyakṣeṇa. It is being informed, but they are so poor brain, they cannot understand it. Mūḍhā. Our position is just like these foams. By one little wave, millions of foams are coming out and again finished. It is like that, our position. So our position is like foam; we are taking estimate of the ocean. This is our position. Our position is like one of the drop of the foam, and we are calculating the strength of the ocean. And when you cannot calculate, it is accident. That's all. Finished business. It is accident. Everything is being done accident. We will never admit that we cannot calculate.
Morning Walk -- June 7, 1975, Honolulu:
Prabhupāda: If you can build it, do it. I may be here or may not be here, but you observe the Ratha-yatra. (break) ...trying to make Ratha-yatra in Kurukṣetra. That is the origin of Ratha-yatra. (break) It is light?
Devotee: Light. (break)
Prabhupāda: ...introduce in India two places: one at Kurukṣetra, one at Bhuvaneśvara. Ratha-yatra. (break) ...the cost of one house like this?
Ambarīṣa: One of those condominiums?
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Bali-mardana: The skyscraper.
Morning Walk -- July 2, 1975, Denver:
Prabhupāda:
- ār nā koriho mane āśā
So guru, your guru has said that "You chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, observe these rules." Do that, don't speculate, and you will understand everything. (break) ...daily
- guru-mukha-padma-vākya, cittete koriyā aikya,
- ār nā koriho mane āśā **
No speculation, do it.
Devotee (2): Can you explain exactly what speculation means?
Prabhupāda: Speculation means thinking, "What will happen? Maybe like this, maybe like this." That is speculation. (break) ...speculate, "Kṛṣṇa may be like this. Kṛṣṇa may be like this." That is speculation. When Kṛṣṇa appears before you, you see, "Oh, Kṛṣṇa is like this." That is wanted. And if you speculate, "Kṛṣṇa may be like this," it is all nonsense.
Morning Walk -- July 8, 1975, Chicago:
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But brāhmaṇa initiation should be strict.
Prabhupāda: Very strict. Very strict means he must be observed that he is actually chanting sixteen rounds, following the regulative principles. That's all.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Those are the important...?
Prabhupāda: These are the criterions, that he is actually, seriously doing this. Then he can be initiated. Otherwise useless. He will fall down. (break)
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: ...stated that one who does not, an unsuccessful person in yoga practice takes his next birth, śucīnāṁ śrīmatāṁ gehe (BG 6.41).
Prabhupāda: That is another thing, but you are fallen. Who take birth in high family or in opulent, that is the fallen condition. That is not successful con... But they are taking, "This is success. I have got so much money. I have got so much prestige. This is success."
Morning Walk -- July 16, 1975, San Francisco:
Dharmādhyakṣa: In modern psychology, Śrīla Prabhupāda, only until very recently, they did not even want to talk about consciousness. There was no mention of consciousness because it was not a scientific thing that they could observe.
Prabhupāda: Scientific... It is the most crude thing. Everyone knows. Even the animal, even the ant, they have got consciousness.
Dharmādhyakṣa: Well, it embarrassed them that they know everyone has consciousness but there was no way they could measure it or, according to gross science, get some factual information about it. So it embarrassed them so much, they tried to avoid the subject, hush it up, not speak about it.
Prabhupāda: That is their disease. When they cannot make any solution, they avoid it. (break) ...touch the real point, that why there is death. Nobody will touch because they cannot make any solution. Why do they not have a department?
Morning Walk -- July 20, 1975, San Francisco:
Bahulāśva: So our statements are also backed up by observation. The Gītā's statements are also backed up by observation.
Prabhupāda: Yes. Science means observation and experiment. That is science. You observe that this man is moving. There is something... (sound of someone calling from a distance) (Prabhupāda calls:) Invite him. You are invited come. (laughter)
Dharmādhyakṣa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, the psychologist is in ecstasy every time he speaks to you.
Prabhupāda: Hmm. No, he is a good boy. Although I say, "You do not know anything." (laughter)
Morning Walk -- July 20, 1975, San Francisco:
Prabhupāda: No. Here is experiment, just like the dead man and living man. First of all, you observe that this man is moving or this animal is moving. There is some moving force. And the experiment is when the man and animal is dead, you can understand that the moving force is gone. This is experiment.
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Your car is here, Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Jayatīrtha: We can walk further if you like.
Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. (break)
Morning Walk -- July 20, 1975, San Francisco:
Prabhupāda: Because they are rascals. How it is moving?
Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They say it's a certain combination of matter.
Prabhupāda: You make it. That means experiment. You simply observe, but you have no experiment. Therefore it is not science.
Brahmānanda: You have to demonstrate knowledge.
Prabhupāda: Yes, demonstrate. You make in the laboratory that things are moving by this combination. Otherwise it is useless. Therefore two things must be there: observation and experiment, practical and theoretical. Theoretical—something is there who is moving. Now you make it practical to see that this combination... Just like they say chemical combination. Now take the chemicals and make experiment.
Room Conversation -- October 5, 1975, Mauritius:
Prabhupāda: And gradually, when you are well behaving, then you shall be initiated to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. That will give you strength, spiritual power. Strictly observe the regulative principles—no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no intoxication, no gambling. It is very simple. Read these literatures, chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, and observe these regulations. Then you will become gradually powerful. Your speeches will be effective. People will like you.
Guest (2) (Indian man): Now the program in the village, Swamijī, how to...
Prabhupāda: Village... Just like you acquire some land. That you will get. It is not very... Is it difficult?
Morning Walk -- October 26, 1975, Mauritius:
Prabhupāda: That's all right. The law is there. That is not his law. So his intelligence will be there when he understands who has made this law. Then his intelligence. That is intelligence.
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Just like making airplane. They observe the bird, and then they make...
Prabhupāda: Now, that they... When they admit, "Oh, this law is made (heavy static) ," then they come to senses.
Brahmānanda: They become?
Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: "To their senses."
Brahmānanda: To their senses. Yes.
Morning Walk -- November 13, 1975, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: No, no, not ninety-nine per cent. Maybe nine percent. (break)
Dr. Patel: As a matter of fact, science is not revealing itself now. Science is also realizing that it is not the way to realize God. Science is, when you were a student at college was much different than what it is today, sir, to tell the truth. The scientists have realized that they are nothing before, before all that they observe and the director of all that action, themselves and everything.
Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa. Jaya.
Passerby: Jaya Prabhupāda.
Prabhupāda: (break) Svarūpa Dāmodara is real scientist. He is admitting. That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. What is that? Yad-uttama-śloka-guṇanuvarṇanam (SB 1.5.22).
Morning Walk -- November 17, 1975, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: One... Suppose you have got enemy. You are not going to attack regularly, but when there is some opportunity you go to attack. Harer nāma (CC Adi 17.21).
Dr. Patel: Are we not observing this eclipse rituals, that, during the eclipse we stop aratis and all of this...
Prabhupāda: Why?
Dr. Patel: And after the eclipse is over, take bath and then do the arati?
Prabhupāda: Yes, they take bath.
Dr. Patel: Even the other Vaiṣṇava mandirs don't do arati during that period if it comes within that...
Prabhupāda: Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Morning Walk -- November 19, 1975, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: It is one of the celestial planets. And they say there is no life.
Dr. Patel: It is not self-luminous. All grahas are not self-luminous. When we observe in the sky, those stars are bleeping like this. The grahas are straight as that, the Sukra behind us, just steady light.
Prabhupāda: (break) ...philosophy is also incorrect, there is no life after death.
Dr. Patel: Who says so?
Prabhupāda: Oh, so many, all Westerners.
Morning Walk -- December 17, 1975, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: But that is moral instruction. That is moral instruction. Even if you are not a devotee, you should not think of these things. That is the moral instruction. The brahmacārī, if he thinks of woman, that is also retricted.
Dr. Patel: But in eight ways he must observe brahmācārya. Eight ways. All the five senses and the three..., mind (Sanskrit).
Prabhupāda: What is the time?
Harikesa: 7.10 a.m.
Prabhupāda: So we shall return. (short discussion of actual time)
Dr. Patel: It is 7.20 a.m. You are airport?
Harikesa: Airport time.
Morning Walk -- December 19, 1975, Bombay:
Prabhupāda: That is Aryans. So they are now the same thing. A person born in a brāhmaṇa family, he is claiming "I am brāhmaṇa." Similarly, even though born in Aryan family, without any culture they are claiming "I am Aryan." Kṛṣṇa observed it in Arjuna, and therefore He chastised him, "This kind of proposal is anārya-juṣṭam. Under the non-Aryans, you're forgetting your duty." That is the beginning of loss of culture. A small beginning, it creates havoc. Kṛṣṇa warned this, anārya-juṣṭam. Kṣatriya's description is given in the Bhāgavata: yuddhe cāpy apalāyanam, not to go behind. They must fight. That is Aryan culture.
Dr. Patel: They are doing strategical fight. Strategically great. They should not repeat, but our army is doing strategical fight.
| Page Title: | Observe (Conv. 1969 - 1975) |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, RupaManjari |
| Created: | 01 of Dec, 2011 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=93, Let=0 |
| No. of Quotes: | 93 |