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Official (Conversations 1976 - 1977)

Expressions researched:
"official" |"officially" |"officials" |"officiate" |"officiated" |"officiating"

Conversations and Morning Walks

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation -- January 19, 1976, Mayapur:

Bhavānanda: Yes, they have to. They've all been here. They all know it. They come with different personalities, different friends... In Krishnanagar, we are like the cinema in terms of entertainment. As soon as any man, any official, government official, his friends come from Calcutta, immediately they get in one of the government jeeps and they drive out here and come to see the ISKCON Maṭha, Māyāpura Chandrodaya Mandir. Immediately. So many men, they come all the time with their friends from Calcutta. Same thing in Navadvīpa. They come for an evening's...

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- January 19, 1976, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: Miṣṭi baḍā?

Bhavānanda: Miṣṭi baḍā we give, gur and peanut with little coconut in it and masalā. We're famous now in the whole area, even Jayapatākā was seeing one government official in Krishnanagar, and he said, "Did you bring me any of that baḍā?" They all want.

Prabhupāda: Something must be given.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, if we get a good cook like Shantilal and he can cook hundreds of kachori and we can sell, and then the next room have one men who serves them prasādam, everyone will come to take prasādam.

Prabhupāda: Keep nice water, sitting place. They will take.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What kind of sitting place? On the floor with mats, or benches and tables?

Prabhupāda: Benches, table will be nice.

Morning Walk -- March 9, 1976, Mayapur:

Jayapatāka: ...gave us a very good record, very clean.

Prabhupāda: Purest in the world.

Jayapatāka: Officially, he said, the government is very eager to always keep an eye on your activities, but so far, you have not had any bad record. Therefore the government is favorable.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Otherwise, how Indira Gandhi could see me? Even in the midst of crisis she gave me time. She has got very impression. She said that "I have all faith in you, but because I am afraid of the these Americans..."

Jayapatāka: We understand how important it is to keep all our dealings in the open.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes, yes, very, very careful.

Jayapatāka: Watching the dangers.

Prabhupāda: We have got good reputation all over the world. The German rascals, they wanted to minimize our value, but he failed, that police officer.

Morning Walk -- April 21, 1976, Melbourne:

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Devotee (2): They want to stop our Rathayātrā festival.

Prabhupāda: Where?

Devotee (2): In Melbourne. We have got official letter from the City Council, and they are saying that we need not apply anymore.

Prabhupāda: That...

Guru-kṛpā: So we will make propaganda several months before the festival.

Prabhupāda: No, you can go to the court.

Devotee (2): They are claiming we make too much mess on the streets after the festival, too many flowers on the streets.

Prabhupāda: So it is a festival. There must be crowd. You have no festival? Unfortunate.

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

Interviewer: One thing, New Zealand cities are passing bylaws which seek to ban the chanting of your disciples in the streets. Do you get much opposition like this?

Prabhupāda: Yes, but we don't depend on the city authorities; we depend on Kṛṣṇa.

Interviewer: But does it worry you that your disciples perhaps annoy city officials by their chanting and their activities in the streets?

Prabhupāda: The city authorities, they like our chanting?

Interviewer: They're annoyed.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: No, they don't really understand what we're trying to do. They see it as something new, and they may feel a little threatened. We've found all over the world, though, that people are coming to accept now that they understand the character of people that we're developing.

Interviewer: But do you think that'll happen here?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yes. I think every government is looking to develop people of high moral character. And our society is doing that.

Interviewer: Do you attempt to speak with governments and city officials and that sort of thing to spread your message?

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

Devotee: Yes.

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

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

Room Conversation with Siddha-svarupa -- May 3, 1976, Honolulu:

Siddha-svarūpa: I think it is pretty clear, Śrīla Prabhupāda. It's just for clarification, that they're working, they have a store on..., a very nice store, they're distributing foodstuffs to all the other stores on the island, and they're working a lot within the society with the karmīs, I guess. So their thinking is that "If we shave our heads and wear robes, like that, then they'll look at us...

Prabhupāda: That is not... Because imitating. Officially don't chant. Who is prohibiting to chant? You can chant, you can dance, you can take prasādam.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Can they actually say that "His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda is my spiritual master" if they haven't accepted all of the instructions?

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Can one actually say that my spiritual master is such-and-such person if I am not following all of the...

Prabhupāda: What is the use of following (indistinct). We have got that simple thing, you can follow. What is the use? False propaganda. Because you think that we could not accept... (indistinct) ...we are trying to follow the (indistinct).

Interview with Jackie Vaughn (Black Congressman) -- July 12, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: Why not? He's the most beautiful. Otherwise, why people are attracted? There is a verse in the Brahma-saṁhitā: kandarpa-koṭi-kamanīya-viśeṣa-śobham (Bs. 5.30); barhāvataṁsam asitāmbuda-sundarāṅgam. He has got one peacock feather on His head and He's blackish, but wonderfully beautiful. These words are used. Kandarpa-koṭi-kamanīya. He's so beautiful that thousands of Cupids cannot be compared with His beauty. Cupid is understood to be the most beautiful person within this universe. You know Cupid? Yes. He enchants by beauty. But Kṛṣṇa's beauty is so great that millions of beauty, kandarpa or Cupid, cannot be compared with Him. Kandarpa-koṭi-kamanīya-viśeṣa-śobhaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi (Bs. 5.30). It is a question of attraction. It is not a question of black and white. Attraction. So unless Kṛṣṇa is beautiful, why He has got so many millions of devotees? This very word is kandarpa-koṭi. Barhāvataṁsam asitāmbuda-sundarāṅgam. His blackness is compared with the black cloud. Asita-ambuda, ambuda means the cloud. The black cloud is full of water. When there is black cloud in the sky, you can be sure that the rain is going to fall down. Not the white cloud. White cloud means no water. Is it not? So you understand this philosophy and add water to the suffering humanity. They are suffering in the burning, blazing fire of material existence. So blazing fire can be extinguished when the water falls from the sky, not by your fire brigade. When there is blazing fire in the forest, it is beyond your control. You cannot get there fire brigade. So these small attempts of fire brigade is useless to extinguish the blazing fire of this material existence. The water must come from the cloud. That is by Kṛṣṇa's grace. You have no control over the cloud. But that water wanted. Not your fire brigade water when there is all around blazing fire. The small fire brigade-(imitates bell) dung-dung-dung-dung-dung. It can vibrate very loudly-dung-dung-dung—"I'm going to, going to," but they'll go when everything finished. That is practical. I have seen in India. There was a fire in a house, and they came late, when the business is finished. And still they're insisting, "We shall pour some water." (laughter) Everyone asked them, that "What is the use of?" "No, this is our system." (laughter) The house is burnt into ashes, and they are looking the formality, "Yes, we must put some water." So that they can write in their books, "Here we attended the fire and we have..." (laughter) This cheating is going on. In every problem, this kind of cheating is going on. Official, that's all. The same example, you ask to the charity taker of welfare activities. The fire is going on, but officially the government satisfied, "Yes, we are pouring water." So what is the use of pouring water if the fire is going on? But officially, that's all. We must see that the purpose is being carried. No. The house is burnt into ashes, but we are satisfied that our fire brigade man has poured some water, that's all. They do not know that they cannot do any benefit to anyone by this imperfect process. If the whole money of the government is given to us, we can show result within six months how it is beneficial. Will the government give us money? (pause) Actually, people do not want to trust in God. That is the real fact. But this writing of slogan is a formal (indistinct). At the present moment, nobody has got any idea of God nor faith in God.

Morning Walk -- June 13, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: We have already applied for twenty-five acres. Mr. Candrali,(?) he wanted to make some profit out of it.

Ambarīṣa: Yes.

Devotee (1): I think you won the heart of that government official yesterday by saying that Kṛṣṇa's black and we worship Him. (laughter) He liked that.

Prabhupāda: (indistinct)

Ambarīṣa: Yes, Detroit River, Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: Big, big ships, they pass under this bridge?

Ambarīṣa: No, on the other side of this island, there's a channel, a freighter channel. That's Canada over there, and this is a small island, Belle Isle.

Hari-śauri: What is that project up ahead?

Ambarīṣa: I guess.... It's got problems.

Garden Conversation -- June 14, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: And fell and flew away. How quickly they can take. Everyone knows his business. That intelligence there everywhere. Āhāra nidrā bhayam maithunī, for these things, how to eat, how to sleep, how to enjoy sex and how to defend, everyone knows. You do not require to educate them. Only they cannot take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is only possible by the human beings. Otherwise, other necessities of bodily, everyone knows. Tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovidaḥ. Every morning, this place should be washed with water. Then it will be very nice. Then we can sit down and chant all day and night, Hare Kṛṣṇa. What is the wrong there? Kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ (CC Adi 17.31). Haridāsa Ṭhākura was doing that. But don't imitate. But I mean to say, if you do that, where is the problem? (break) ...I think you can acquire some land through the government for agriculture and cow protection. There are so many, so much vacant land. I think they will accept community proposal. Sometimes invite some important government officials; let them see what you are doing.

Hari-śauri: Hmm. Like that congressman the other day.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Hari-śauri: He was very impressed.

Prabhupāda: Very much impressed. He's friendly, you can invite him again. He can introduce a law; he's a law officer. (break) ...charges. They may not think they will charge. And some pictures from our books. Signboard, book and pictures. There are some painters here? No painters? Well, there are so many painters. You can bring from Los Angeles.

Morning Walk -- June 15, 1976, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: I think his grandfather was also architect.... That gentleman was Jew.

Devotee (1): I don't remember. I think he was. He used to work with George Harrison.... Harrison was their name. He was very rich. Their family does construction work for big government officials in Iran, and they are building one big naval base in Iran.

Prabhupāda: Why not to take our work in Māyāpur? (break)

Devotee (1): ...letter, Śrīla Prabhupāda. He never returned it.

Room Conversation -- June 17, 1976, Toronto:

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: In Calcutta, yes.

Prabhupāda: The state is in the management of official trustee. And this trustee in charge of the trust board men, they give us so much trouble and exploit the position for his personal profit. I have seen. Horrible. For instance, I can give you, if in some property there is some repair, it will cost you, say, one hundred rupees. And they'll give it to a contractor, and the contractor will present a bill, twelve hundred rupees. And he'll pass. And the contractor will be given, say, two hundred rupees, and balance he'll take. I have seen.

Puṣṭa Kṛṣṇa: Stealing from the trust.

Prabhupāda: In this way he's.... The money's in his hand. If you want money for expenditure, so if I press you, you have need of money, so you do everything, give some back, get the money. You are in urgent need. Everywhere. All, whole world they have become dishonest. Even the high-court judges, magistrate, they are getting bribe.

Room Conversation -- June 17, 1976, Toronto:

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

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

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

Jagadīśa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: His business is he has got some institute in the United Nations building, and he has got some office also. That means some poor country, poor, "Give me, give me charity," propaganda. And he will officially present some application to the Ford Foundation, and the trustees will give him money. There is no poverty-stricken application, but through this institution.... And there is clique, between the.... They are always.... That trustee came, that Desai?

Garden Discussion on Bhagavad-gita Sixteenth Chapter -- June 26, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Hari-śauri: This description is perfect, actually, because most of his fortunes they calculate he amassed by many illegal methods, like paying off police and fixing so many things up. With his money, he was always able to buy government officials and like this and get so many contracts to further the development of his aircraft companies and this and that.

Prabhupāda: He has manufactured airplanes?

Hari-śauri: Yes, he had something to do with airplanes. And also he had a lot of land in Las Vegas, this gambling city. So many... He was involved in many mysterious maneuvers. It's open in the newspapers, they said that he got most of his money from illegal methods.

Dhṛṣṭadyumna: In his old age he was very afraid of germs. He didn't want to catch any disease. So he would wear..., he would live in perfectly sealed rooms with all artificial air and light, so no germs could exist, and he would wear these...

Prabhupāda: He did not know that he's creating germs within his body.

Room Conversation -- June 28, 1976, New Vrindaban:

Hari-śauri: I was reading a very good example like that. These men, they have this what's called divining, that they find water by means of a stick. They lay a stick on their hands like this, and they turn around in different directions, and the stick suddenly dips and points to the ground wherever there's water underground. And it's proven that it works. It's a very effective way of finding water. But no one knows how it works. So they put a suggestion during the Vietnam War to the Marines that they should use this method for finding out the underground tunnels of the Vietcong so that they could find them very easily. So they showed them by experiment that it's practical and it works, so they gave the rods to the physicists, and they checked them all out, and they couldn't figure out how they worked, so they said that because the physicists could not understand how it worked, therefore it was rejected. So they rejected the whole thing. So then the Marines in Vietnam, they heard about it, so they started to use the rods themselves, and in that way they were able to destroy many enemy hideouts. But officially the Marines had to reject it, because the scientists couldn't understand how it worked, so therefore they said that it was not good, it wasn't viable.

Prabhupāda: The scientists' first proposal is, what they cannot understand, don't bring. That is not scientific. Whatever you say, that is not scientific. Whatever they say, that is scientific.

Room Conversation -- July 10, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The land is coming along?

Prabhupāda: Yes, government...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They are going ahead with it.

Prabhupāda: Two officials are in great favor. One Mr. Choudhuri and Mr. Ganguli.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It says that the temple will be so big that India has never seen such a huge temple.

Prabhupāda: Choudhuri's wife has challenged that "If you are Hindu, then you will do it."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: To her husband. Oh. (laughter) It tells about, it quotes you as saying that how you began this movement. Two boys joined you, Chuck and Bruce-Brahmānanda and Acyutānanda, Charles Barnett and Bruce Scharf.

Prabhupāda: Charles is called Chuck?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: What is that?

Ṛṣi-kumāra: It's called rajkacuri. (laughter)

Bali-mardana: Stuffed with dāl, potato, tamarind sauce and sour cream.

Devotee (1): Ṛṣi's making up for lost time.

Prabhupāda: Where you learned this?

Ṛṣi-kumāra: In Kailash Saksarya's.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Ṛṣi-kumāra: From Kailash Saksarya's cook. At least I learned something there.

Prabhupāda: From that cook, Kailash's cook?

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

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What did Bali Mahārāja reply?

Prabhupāda: He rejected guru. "You are not guru."

Rāmeśvara: Śukrācārya.

Satsvarūpa: But that guru told him to worship Viṣṇu officially.

Prabhupāda: No, he was by nature Viṣṇu, Vaiṣṇava, like the grandfather, Prahlāda Mahārāja.

Satsvarūpa: But he was a demon.

Prabhupāda: Who?

Satsvarūpa: Born as a demon, in a demon family, not a demon.

Prabhupāda: Demon family. Viṣṇu-dveṣī(?). Still, they are kṣatriyas. Just like the Europeans and Americans, they were kṣatriyas, now they have become demons. Actually they are kṣatriyas. I have studied. And the Jews are vaiśyas. (laughter)

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

Prabhupāda: Baḍa sāheb.

Hari-śauri: Baḍa sāheb, big Westerner.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "While Hare Kṛṣṇa propounds doctrines of world renunciation common to other varieties of the Hindu faith, the sect, officially known as the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, was founded in 1966 by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, whose fame as a guru came only after he arrived in the United States in the same year. For most of the Indians watching the parade, however, Hare Kṛṣṇa was close enough to their brand of Hinduism to make them feel at home."

Gurudāsa: That's good. It means that we're not a light cult. It means we have a great tradition.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, it's actually good.

Gurudāsa: They're recognizing that.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: " 'It's surprising that you find this right in New York City. It's our way of life,' said Nagan Patel, a civil engineer from Jersey City, who immigrated from Bombay. 'We love New York City and America. It's the most beautiful place in the world. No other country will give such freedom for our own ceremony.' "

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

Car Ride -- July 20, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: Where?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Last night all night long we were cleaning up the grounds.

Rāmeśvara: At the park.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: At the park. One woman who lives next to the park said "In all my years of living here I've never seen such a wonderful festival held." And one..., the official of the park, who's in charge of the park, was on CBS television, and he said that "You see? Spiritual life is still present in Washington Square Park." He made that comment. He said "We are very proud to be able to say that in our... This park was founded hundreds of years ago, when America was religious." And he said "Spiritual life is still present in Washington Square Park."

Prabhupāda: So why not ask the mayor to construct a temple there? (laughter)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I don't think they'd...

Prabhupāda: People will come.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Maybe, but, ah, I don't think they will agree to that. They're not that spiritual.

Rāmeśvara: No, in America you have to raise your own money for temples. You cannot get the city to build it.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, you can't get their land either, not for a building like that. You can put a hospital maybe. Thing is, park space is so short in that area of the city that they..., I don't think they'd give it up for a building. Prabhupāda told us yesterday that we should rent a small building downtown in that area and call it Guṇḍicā, so that Lord Jagannātha will stay down there.

Prabhupāda: For one week.

Room Conversation -- August 3, 1976, New Mayapur (French farm):

Bhagavān: He's finished.

Prabhupāda: Oh, stopped that business?

Bhagavān: Yes. He's full time here. He had plumbing business, so he does all the plumbing here. And he meets all the officials, the police, and they like him. He is older man. He has a very nice way of presenting himself.

Hari-śauri: He's been here over a year now.

Bhagavān: Several months ago we had a parents' meeting. Because on account of this man Moon, there was much agitation about groups taking young children away. So we had a very nice meeting with prasādam and slides, and one of the parents was saying that "We want to be angry at you, but the problem is that you are all so nice that we cannot be angry."

Prabhupāda: One gentleman has joined, he has paid five thousand dollars. His whole family has joined.

Harikeśa: Just now? That's nice.

Bhagavān: His wife's the same too.

Harikeśa: Oh? (break)

Bhagavān: I wanted to get Kṛṣṇa book published while you are here. So I really pushed our printer to work very hard. I told him, "But the thing is, I have no money to pay you right now," because we had just printed Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. He said, "You try to give me five percent down and I'll give you eight months' credit."

Prabhupāda: Ācchā. (laughs)

Evening Darsana -- August 9, 1976, Tehran:

Parivrājakācārya: We can always tell by what people are serving, what they really are loving. If they are serving just their body, then no matter what they are saying, we know...

Prabhupāda: Śrama eva hi kevalam (SB 1.2.8). Officially, God, God, God, but result is dog. Love is there, love is... That is natural. I want to love. Everyone wants to love. But the, unless he loves God, he'll never be happy. So simply talking of love, and if the love is simply transferred to dog, then where is the love of God? So such kind of talking of called śrama eva hi kevalam. It is simply waste of time and energy. You must practically come to the platform how to love God. So it is a great science, and it is available for everyone to understand and act. It is a great science, one can take advantage. This is Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. It is not a sectarian religious movement, no. It is a science, how to understand God, how to love Him.

Room Conversation -- August 10, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: The whites, they do not like the Negroes still. Wherever there are Negroes, in that quarter the whites do not go in. So is it not? They do not go. Although they have been given equal right, but at heart the whites, they do not like it. Is there any improvement? I don't think. Officially, "Yes, yes, you are good, I am good."

Nava-yauvana: Because people are still on the bodily conception of life, so they are...

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is the real disease. So long one is situated in the bodily concept of life, he is animal. First of all, you have to educate them. That is the difficulty.

Jñānagamya: But we are not Negroes. We are actually devotees and we are very attractive, and we have all good qualities, and people do not have to be afraid to come into our section of town. We will not kill them. That is why they are afraid of the Negroes. So we actually have good things to offer.

Prabhupāda: That is by your behavior, not by showing the film.

Evening Darsana -- August 12, 1976, Tehran:

Ātreya Ṛṣi: Your love also.

Prabhupāda: Yes, if I understand that he is rich, I may consider, "Well, I have got one thousand dollars, so he may have one hundred thousand dollars," that's all. But if you understand that he has got millions and millions of dollars, then you'll appreciate, "Oh, so rich!" Then your regard for him will increase. That is not being done. Stereotyped, "God is great." How He is great, to what extent He is great, what is His greatness activities, if you know more and more, then your regard for God will increase. But that they are not doing. Simply officially, "God is great, God is great," finished. No jijñāsā, no inquiry. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. One should be inquisitive. Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). One who has become inquisitive of the uttamam, the most exalted subject matter, he requires a guru. Otherwise, who will answer his inquiries? Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ. If he's not jijñāsuḥ, what is the need of guru? And where is the question of advancement? He must be jijñāsuḥ. That is, people are not interested. Officially, go to church, go to mosque, go to temple and do something. Then drop it and go to your own business and do whatever you like. No discrimination. They're not serious. Not very serious. One who is serious, he'll inquire. Otherwise, the formula is all right, "God is great, there is no more greater than Him." But inquire, "How He is great?" (guests enter) Thank you. Jaya. Therefore society is required, association is required, to inquire. Satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ (SB 3.25.25). There is need of association for discussing how God is great. That is needed-jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. Unless one is inquisitive... Sharmaji, you can come here. So, that is the... Simply we should not remain satisfied to understand... That is not proper understanding, officially, "God is great." No. Try to inquire how great He is, why He is great. Then your regard for God, your devotion for God will increase. And because we do not inquire how God is great, therefore cheap gods are coming. Any rascal, he is repre... "I am God." Because we do not know actually what is God.

Evening Darsana -- August 12, 1976, Tehran:

Prabhupāda: That's it. This is greatness. So we should not simply be satisfied God is great. We must try to know how great He is. Then our God consciousness will be fixed up. It's all right?

Ātreya Ṛṣi: It's very beautiful.

Prabhupāda: That people are not interested. Only officially chanting "God is great," that's all. These are the... You try to understand. Athāto brahma jijñāsā. This is the Vedānta-sūtra. Go, inquire, be inquisitive. Jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam. Tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam (SB 11.3.21). One should be inquisitive. That is human life. And as soon as you become inquisitive, you become aware of God more and more, then your devotion increases. That is wanted.

Mr. Sahani: It is also said that you have a blind faith.

Prabhupāda: Blind faith?

Mr. Sahani: You should have a faith in your God. But when you are inquisitive and you keep asking more and more and more, and...

Prabhupāda: And who says that you keep blind faith? Who says?

Mr. Sahani: You should have faith, in God, should have faith.

Prabhupāda: No, no. God, it is not blind faith. God is there, you have to accept. It is not blind.

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

Prabhupāda: Ah, vivasvān manave prāha manur ikṣvākave 'bravīt, evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). So where is rājarṣi? That is the difficulty. Where is that brāhmaṇa, where is that kṣatriya, where is that system? Now anyone can capture the political power by hook and crook, that is another thing. But it is meant for the rājarṣi, imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ. Where is their training? The politician, where he is trained up as ṛṣi? There is no such service.

Interviewer (4): Has there been any official opposition to your movement in any country?

Prabhupāda: No, no.

Interviewer (3): Your movement is spreading largely. Do you think that it will be welcome in the Communist countries?

Prabhupāda: Yes, I have been in Moscow. I saw many learned professors. We are selling our books there.

Interviewer (3): You are selling your books in Moscow?

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. Everyone, every intelligent man will accept. We are selling books in East Germany, which is Communist. They are taking our books.

Room Conversation -- August 20, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: ISKCON Juhu? That is sufficient address?

Saurabha: Well, this was hand-delivered. It would be nice if... I think now it is sufficient. Many letters come like that now.

Prabhupāda: No, we are famous now, Juhu.

Saurabha: But your official letters, the name of the street is called A. B. Nyer Road. I never knew that. I thought it was the road in the back.

Prabhupāda: No, they said Gandhi, Juhu Road?

Saurabha: No. Now on the latest letter that I got from the government it was written A. B. Nyer Road. Maybe it was an old letter, I don't know. When we submitted the new plans for the gurukula building, there was a letter I had to sign about the work, that we have given to the architect, an official letter so that we can get the permission. And it was written that the plot was on the A. B. Nyer Road, our land. So I inquired, and they said, "Yes, that's the name of that road."

Prabhupāda: Is there any signboard, A. B. Nyer Road?

Saurabha: No.

Room Conversation -- August 21, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: The building belonged to a big zamindar. So Prabhākāra arranged. So it was to be given to me, and I wanted to start the League of Devotees from there. So I spent some money, whatever money I had, and it was going on. But in the meantime, this Lilavati Munshi, Mrs. At that time she was wife of the governor. Her husband, K. M. Munshi. She had some organization of foreign women. So somehow or other she got imagination that "This house is very nice." She was governor's wife. So it was not given to me rightly, but I was using. So she wanted that house. Through collector and through all government officials pressure. She wrote me later on, that "Bhaktivedantajī, you wanted to organize, but you could not. But I have got this institution. Why not give it to me?" So, of course, there were many lawyer friends. They advised me that "You do not give up. You should litigate." So I thought, "Who is going to litigate? Let me go to Vṛndāvana." So I left. So at Mathurā I delivered the Deity to this Keśavajī Gauḍīya Maṭha, and I made my place in Vṛndāvana.

Room Conversation -- August 22, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: This is "theologians, scholars," and they, he said... Just see. Go on.

Maṇihāra: "At present there are 108 ISKCON centers in 30 countries throughout the world. These centers enable full-time members to live in close association, following the principles of Vedic life, and also provide a place where interested visitors can learn about the philosophy and culture of Kṛṣṇa consciousness and participate in its various functions. The basis of the movement is the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra—Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. The chanting of this mantra is the most recommended means for spiritual progress in this age, as it cleanses the mind and enables one to transcend the temporary designations of race, religion, and nationality and to understand one's true identity as an eternal spiritual being. In other words, simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa one can directly experience self-realization and lead a blissful life. The devotees experience divine ecstasy in singing the holy names of God to the accompaniment of musical instruments. The Hare Kṛṣṇa devotees, as a prerequisite for the serious pursuit of spiritual life, voluntarily abstain from meat-eating, illicit sex, intoxication, and gambling. The Kṛṣṇa conscious life style is based on the principles of simple living and high thinking. The devotees rise very early, about 3:30 a.m., and spend the morning hours in meditation and study. During the day, the main activity is preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Many devotees go out to public places to distribute the Society's books and its official journal, Back to Godhead magazine, which has a monthly circulation more than a million copies in fourteen different languages. In addition to book distribution, devotees engage in a variety of activities, including teaching, artistic pursuits and farming. The qualification in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is not what kind of work one performs, but that it be done in the spirit of devotion to God. For the first time, Swami Prabhupāda has introduced Ratha-yātrā of Lord Jagannātha of Purī in the Western world. This festival is now being conducted in the major cities of the world like San Francisco, Philadelphia, Chicago, New York, London, Paris, etc. Millions of people relish the taste of pulling the transcendental ratha and partake of Kṛṣṇa prasāda. Another of ISKCON's projects is New Vrindaban, a model thousand-acre Kṛṣṇa conscious community farm in the hills of West Virginia. This is ISKCON's first venture in protecting cows from going to the slaughterhouses."

Prabhupāda: Take care of the cows, and?

Maṇihāra: It says, "This is ISKCON's first venture in protecting cows from going to slaughterhouses.

Meeting with Endowments Commissioner -- August 24, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: As you like. You can keep it.

Mahāṁsa: I'll lock it up.

Prabhupāda: Where is that? (pause)

Prabhaviṣṇu: When I speak to some of these archaeologists that I meet, these professors, I ask them do they believe in the historical validity of this Mahābhārata and Bhāgavatam, and they say, "Personally, I believe, but officially we have to follow the archaeology, the techniques of measuring the time." So they have two faces, one for official life and one for personal life.

Prabhupāda: Duplicity. Duplicity.

Prabhaviṣṇu: Yes. But there are some of them that are trying to prove also that the Mahābhārata was historical.

Prabhupāda: Mahābhārata. That very name suggests history. Bigger India. Mahā means bigger, and Bhārata means India. Where is Mahāṁsa?

Garden Conversation -- September 7, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: No no, that is understood.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Okay. "He complimented ISKCON, for disseminating the Vedic culture. West Bengal government officials have praised our agricultural efforts. The principle officer of agriculture of Nadia District in West Bengal said that our Māyāpur farm is receiving attention of nearby farmers, and this farm is acting as a demonstration for them. So the statement that foreign devotees are running ISKCON in India is misleading. Point five, Blitz: Big business in Spiritual Sky. Boss of West Bengal is Gregory M. Scharf. ISKCON: In Māyāpur our devotees make handloom saris, dhotīs, and gāmchās. All over the world our devotees wear the traditional Indian dress of dhotīs, kurtās, and saris. It is our spiritual master's desire that all our devotees overseas only wear clothes made by our devotees in Māyāpur. Spiritual Sky sales and services was formed just to send our Māyāpur handloom and other necessities only to our centers overseas. In return our overseas centers send Māyāpur donations. Even Gandhiji wanted every Indian to be self-sufficient. This is what we are trying to do. We produce our own food and clothing. Instead of criticizing, Blitz should publicize these activities so that others can follow. Gregory M. Scharf's spiritual name is Gargamuni Swami, and he is an initiated disciple of Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda. Blitz has tried to portray him as a businessman who's wearing saffron clothes to deceive people. He is a sannyāsī since 1966. Point six, Blitz: Substantial amounts of foreign money is being received by ISKCON India Limited. ISKCON: First of all, our society is registered and called ISKCON, not ISKCON India Limited." They are purposefully being sarcastic. "It is not a business house. Yes, we do receive remittances from abroad. Every paisa that has been remitted from abroad has come through the reserve bank of India. Bhaktivedanta Swami has written over eighty books which are being sold in every country in the world. These books are selling twelve doubled(?) sixty thousand dollars daily which is about five lakhs. We have over a hundred centers all over the world and all these centers are being run by book sales. In the last three years, Bhaktivedanta Book Trust has published over two million hardbound big books. About three and a half million softbound medium size books and about fifteen million magazines on Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So you can see the wide acceptance of these books. Out of the 2,800 major universities in America, about ninety percent have purchased one or more of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda's books. Occasionally we receive contributions. This is not in cash but in kind. For example, Alfred Ford donated two buildings to our Society, one in Honolulu Hawaii, and the other in Detroit, America. In London..."

Prabhupāda: Thank you. You can go and play. You cannot understand.

Garden Conversation -- September 7, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Thank you. You can go and play. You cannot understand.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Go and play. "In London, George Harrison donated a big castle which is now called Bhaktivedanta Manor. We have purchased many buildings and converted them to temples from the sale of our books. What is wrong if a portion of Bhaktivedanta Book Trust sales are transferred to India for construction of temples? Fifty percent of Bhaktivedanta Book Trust income is spent for further publishing and the other fifty percent is spent to build temples all over the world. In fact, Blitz should appreciate this because Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda's books are bringing valuable overseas currency into the country without any cost to the Indian public. Point seven. Blitz: In Bombay they have put up a temple with a barbed fence around it. ISKCON There is no barbed wire around the temple. We invite Blitz to show us the barbed wire." There's no barbed wire. "Point eight. Blitz: Already rupees twelve lakhs have been spent on an unfinished temple in Vṛndāvana. ISKCON: Blitz does not know that the Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma temple in Vṛndāvana was completed and officially inaugurated by Dr. Chenna Reddy, governor of U.P., in April, 1975." They are saying the temple is still being made. "Point nine. Blitz: Their major center seems to be in Orissa, the land of princes and paupers. They have built a center close to an atomic energy commission complex. ISKCON: How foolish. Our major center is not in Orissa, but in Śrīdhāma Māyāpur in West Bengal. Māyāpur is the birthplace of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, an incarnation of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. We are coming in Lord Caitanya's disciplic succession and therefore we want to develop Māyāpur and make this an international center. In Orissa, we do have two devotees living in three huts in Bhuvaneśvara. They are living on a piece of land that was donated by one of our life members from Calcutta. If at all it is near the Atomic Energy Commission, it is only by coincidence."

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

Garden Conversation -- September 7, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Last year we introduced Ratha-yātrā in Philadelphia. It was very successful. And this year we have introduced in New York. It is also very successful. Everyone, government official, police, public, all enjoyed. And the Fifth Avenue is the most important avenue in the world, Fifth Avenue. So our procession was how many miles?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: From Washington Square Park... How many miles? At least four or five miles.

Pradyumna: Central Park to Washington Square Park. All the way. Full length of the Avenue. Complete. From one end to the other.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: The government had sealed it off.

Indian man: What is the effect on Russians, this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement.

Prabhupāda: Here the Russians are afraid of this movement. They are very much afraid. And therefore they are greatest enemy in India. CPI. They are putting so many impediments.

Room Conversation -- September 9, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: ... because as soon as the ship stopped, Commonwealth Pier, Boston, the immigration department came and took their papers. So I entered America in Boston. There was no checking in New York. The ship stopped in Boston. The official entrance was done there. Then when I came to New York, it is just like one day's travel.

Harikeśa: And then you went directly to Pennsylvania? By bus?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. Then one agent, appointed by my host, Gopal Agarwal. He was in Butler. So he arranged with some professional what is called, host.

Harikeśa: Travel agent?

Prabhupāda: Maybe travel agent. He came to see me, that "I am sent by Gopal Agarwal, so I'll arrange for your dispatch. You come with me."

Hari-śauri: Dr. Agarwal was your sponsor?

Prabhupāda: Yes. His father came to see me some time in Agra. Agra. His father, mother came.

Room Conversation -- September 11, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: No, this old man has gone. So give him that place. Yes.

Devotee: I believe there are two men.

Prabhupāda: Two men that's all right. Yes.

Devotee: Thank you.

Prabhupāda: So, you just officially receive them. He's got M.A. Ph.D. Good man. This is etiquette.

Dhanañjaya: So, what I wanted to know was that ah...

Prabhupāda: No, no. Develop that business and give engagement. The women can live here for sewing. They must be comfortably situated. If they are feeling, women, they cannot feel very bad and stay. We do not want that. So they can live here in a room and work sewing. And our women who have learned, they can teach. Very simple. And men must be engaged there for finishing. And if at Aligarh they are casting, then there is no difference. And there is no difficulty.

Dhanañjaya: So the Deity should be cast in Aligarh and then finished here.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Press Interview -- October 16, 1976, Chandigarh:

Prabhupāda: Dedicated life—not less than ten thousand. And admirers, there are many millions. Recently one American politician has remarked in Houston, that "This Kṛṣṇa consciousness, Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is spreading like epidemic. So unless we take some steps it may take our government." (laughter)

Interviewer: Who was the man who said it?

Hari-śauri: A government official in Houston.

Prabhupāda: No, no, what is his name? You can give.

Hari-śauri: His name was not given.

Prabhupāda: Oh. Simply it is said a government official.

Interviewer: He said on the floor of the House or outside?

Hari-śauri: Said it on the TV.

Haṁsadūta: Houston. Houston, Texas. (everyone talking at once.)

Interviewer: Are you getting any opposition from the church?

Prabhupāda: No. That is very favorable. No. Otherwise, it was impossible. At least in America they have never prevented me. But in Europe especially in England and Germany, they, the Christian group, they are little angry with me. But so far America, they are very liberal. They never put any impediments in my movement. Rather, government appreciates. The appreciated one point, that the American younger generation, they have become addicted to this LSD, intoxication, and they have spent millions of dollars to stop this, but they could not. But they are surprised that as soon as this LSD man becomes my disciple, he gives up immediately.

Room Conversation -- November 13, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Something he must take, he will read, understand our philosophy. (break) ...Carter is good.

Surabhi: Yes, I got a letter from Dharmādhyakṣa in Surat two months ago. He was invited to the White House after our... He had an exhibition at Vancouver, that habitat. So it was a world conference of solution to life, living. So he was invited. He met some of the officials there. He was invited to Washington, but he had to wait for Carter to become the President because then it would be fifty percent more favorable because they had a relationship. There these people... Then he said there's a great chance they will help us in India. So he is going to go there and speak with the...

Prabhupāda: In India.

Surabhi: No, Washington, D.C. That's in America. They invited one of our devotees there to discuss this Māyāpur and all this social type of... Dharmādhyakṣa. He's writing for that Back to Godhead magazine. He worked with Gurudāsa together.

Prabhupāda: His article, one is there?

Hari-śauri: Yes, "Simple Living High Thinking." You saw that.

Prabhupāda: So he met him.

Room Conversation -- November 13, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: His article, one is there?

Hari-śauri: Yes, "Simple Living High Thinking." You saw that.

Prabhupāda: So he met him.

Surabhi: Not Carter. He met the government officials who were representing the United States Government at that exhibition, and they were very favorable. They were one of the most favorable, he said, the United states.

Prabhupāda: Yes, our "plain living, high thinking" is very nice idea.

Hari-śauri: Actually it's the only practical solution.

Jagadīśa: Mr. Carter is a farmer, peanut farmer.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Jagadīśa: That's how he gained his money.

Surabhi: He's the biggest peanut farmer in America. (laughs)

Pradyumna: He started out in the military, he was in the Navy. Then afterwards... His father had a peanut farm, and then his father became sick, so then he gave up his Navy thing. He came back to take care of the family. Then he began that peanut business. Now he doesn't have to do it any more because now he has made millions. He is wealthy man, very wealthy. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...capture American government. Then all world will follow. As they are known as Communists, we should be known as Hare Kṛṣṇas. We are already known as such, Hare Kṛṣṇas. Keep that name. People at least chant Hare Kṛṣṇa.

Room Conversation -- November 14, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Court case? Oh.

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

Prabhupāda: So he has not given anything, writing.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Room Conversation -- November 14, 1976, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: He will suggest hundreds of things, but he cannot protest personally. That is not... What is the court case? That we have to place before the court that "This is genuine cultural or religious movement." We are preaching Kṛṣṇa consciousness. What Kṛṣṇa has said, we are trying to spread. This is genuine, the simple thing. We have not manufactured anything, "transcendental meditation" or like that. That is not our business. We are presenting simply what is stated there in the Bhagavad-gītā. If somebody said that "Bible is not genuine," will it be accepted? Thousands and thousands are claiming to be Christian on the basis of... Similarly millions and millions of people in India, they know Kṛṣṇa, Bhagavad-gītā. How it is not genuine? That we have to prove, that's all. It's not that... Repeatedly we are speaking that what Kṛṣṇa said, that is perfect. That's all. This is our business. Who will object to that? You could not present to the governor that Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement... Anyone can say, "Yes, it is based on Bhagavad-gītā. It is genuine." Any Indian can say. You have to take that to present in the court. If from official, it is... How the official can deny it? It is genuine. Now, about this sewer line, after all... (end)

Room Conversation -- December 12, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: And he can speak Telegu also.

Mahāṁśa: Yes. And I can be there to see that there is proper communication. And then after ten o'clock, because laborers start work early morning, so at ten o'clock, then I can go to Hyderabad and do official work for the day, see the government people and things like that.

Prabhupāda: So what do you think? Eh?

Haṁsadūta: That's good.

Prabhupāda: That is all right?

Haṁsadūta: Yes.

Prabhupāda: Then it is all right. Do it like that.

Morning Walk -- December 25, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: "...opposition." Therefore he went out and organized the INA, and that was successful. It is not Gandhi's noncooperation movement.

Guest (1): That's true. Now in the British official records which they are publishing their secret papers of twenty-five years, that knowledge is very clearly that it was this armed fight of Indian National Army which convinced the British that they could not rule India with the Indian soldiers.

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

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

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

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with C.I.D. Chief -- January 3, 1977, Bombay:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda produces one book a month still.

Prabhupāda: Now... I am talking to you as a CID official. Now, here is my dictaphone. I... (clicks dictaphone switch) It is not working. (Prabhupāda plays back section of Bhāgavatam dictation he has made) This is a Sanskrit verse. (synonyms) Tatra(?) saumika. So the whole night I write books, and then this is typed. In the daytime they are typing. And then it is composed, and then it is made into book, and we take so much trouble to sell it, as you got the selling of, and we collect money and they send money, ten lakhs of rupees in India, and I construct the temple, not only here.(?) So is that my fault?

CID Chief: No, no, no. The man who would say it is a fault, either he is mad or it would be mistake.

Prabhupāda: In this old age-eighty-one years I am—I am working day and night just to preach this Kṛṣṇa consciousness and...

CID Chief: This is absolutely a service to God and humanity. Whatever tendency you have... Whatever comes out of your mouth, word, becomes a religious... It is written, out of which you write books. Out of the produce... From the proceeds of that book, you constructed a... It is wholeheartedly towards the God. Whole life is devoted to God.

Prabhupāda: And for these books, as author, if I would have taken royalty, my daily income would have been one lakh, fifty thousand. I don't take a single farthing. Whatever two cāpāṭis they give, that's all.

Roof Conversation -- January 5, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Unless you are convinced, you cannot convince others. Andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānāḥ (SB 7.5.31). And to save them is paropakāra, real welfare activity. (break)

Trivikrama: ...andhā to be saved.

Prabhupāda: That is another thing. But our duty is to try. (break)

Devotee (1): ...according to an official in the Central Railway.

Prabhupāda: So how many tickets we have got?

Devotee (1): We've got twenty tickets for the devotees in second-class, plus two for yourself and Hari-śauri in first-class.

Mr. Gupta: Well it's not the consideration of tickets, it's just on the midnight of 31st and 1st. When I was very disturbed, I just got into the train for a drive, being a railway man, and there was just some intuition that I came here and I had your darśana.

Prabhupāda: When you came?

Mr. Gupta: On the 3lst and lst. On the lst morning. And from that I... As happens to be, I've been coming every day.

Prabhupāda: Very good.

Morning Walk -- January 6, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: What he is for them?

Girirāja: He is their municipal councillor. He is the representative for this area in the municipal corporation, elected. So actually this came up before and at that time we met the municipal commissioner that they are trying to put this condition. So he agreed that this should be a, you know, decided by the court or by some third party and not, he will not do anything to change the status quo by forcing us. So we have to put that in the letter. And (break) ...hitch. Not a hitch exactly but there's this urban land ceiling that anyone who has more than 500 square yards property, that comes under the ceiling. So we are exempt because we are a charitable trust and apart from that, in the final plan, most of the land will be built up, it won't be vacant. But in order to get the sanction, we have to get either an N.O.C. (No Objection Certificate) that we are exempt from the ceiling or an exemption to get the N.O.C. So we have to meet some higher official. So I have to finalise it but I'm supposed to contact the architect and we have to go and see about this. Actually the management is so bad there that they have made this requirement that any new building, you have to get N.O.C. regarding the land ceiling. But so far they have not given one N.O.C. for land ceiling because they are not yet decided what is the policy to give the N.O.C. So they simply are piling up the applications until they decide their policy. So first we will try to get exemption that we don't require this N.O.C. Then if we fail in that then I suppose we have to meet the minister and ask him to give us the N.O.C.

Prabhupāda: So why not meet the minister?

Girirāja: Huh?

Prabhupāda: Why not meet the minister?

Girirāja: Yes.

Room Conversation -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: First thing is that we have not received any official notice.

Girirāja: No.

Prabhupāda: So why you are bothering about that?

Girirāja: That's what I say. We have stood...

Prabhupāda: Gopāla is bothering too much about...

Mr. Asnani: No, Prabhupāda, with your blessings, I know the Assistant Commissioner, and he is number three or four in entire city of Bombay and a very much influential center. He's a courageous man also. He's a sarvaji(?). And if I will place this problem before him as and when it is necessary, he is there to guide us.

Prabhupāda: So first of all where is the necessity? I have been talking...

Mr. Asnani: Why create a problem? Today the problem is not before us.

Girirāja: The thing is that the same constitution we've had since the beginning, and we've always got the exemption...

Prabhupāda: Yes. And why you are bothering? He's going Delhi?

Girirāja: Even last time the Assistant Commissioner...

Mr. Asnani: Who is there in Delhi, Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: This Gopāla Kṛṣṇa.

Morning Discussion about Kumbhamela -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: He has cooked very nice.

Gurudāsa: Anyway, I have three men cooking now and... So that will be all right. Now, the officials are cooperating with us nicely, of the Mela. The other day Kamalapati Tripati was there, and we saw him, and all the officials were there, and he said, "Oh, hello! How are you? Everything all right?" And we said, "Yes." And it was a very nice conversation. And all the other officials saw that we were on friendly basis with the minister, so they were also more friendly. One unfortunate thing happened, a small unfortunate thing, a sukhi-duḥkhi. We went to the saṅgam with our kīrtana party during the time of the big..., the fifth bath. It's not the biggest one, but many pilgrims came. And we said we should chant and also bathe. So first we chanted. Then we went in for bath at four o'clock in the morning. Very refreshing, very nice. We went in, and we had our bath. Then we put our clothes on. We chanted, and we were very happy chanting. The police came, many police on horses, and said, "Get out!" And they were demons, like "Get out!" And I got a press pass. I said, "Why should we get out? We're only here to chant the holy names of God. This is a Mela." "Well, then," he said, "get out!" He's a demon, and he's taking his horse and pushing it on me and the other devotees. So he forced us out. So Bhāgavata dāsa went to the Mela officials who we had some..., and complained. And the policeman was suspended and made a public apology. And now we have a letter that says we can chant any place we want in the Mela with police cooperation.

Prabhupāda: Then it is fortunate, fortunate.

Morning Discussion about Kumbhamela -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Gurudāsa: No, no. I accept what, you know. I want to do...

Prabhupāda: People may not misunderstand that "This is hippie camp."

Gurudāsa: Yes. The police were sending, and I went to the Mela officials...

Prabhupāda: Therefore the police came. They thought that you are hippies.

Gurudāsa: No, I don't think, because this was before they came.

Prabhupāda: Anyway, their association is not good.

Gurudāsa: Yes. So we won't have, definitely not.

Hari-śauri: We have to make a good impression.

Prabhupāda: Yes, that people may not think, "This is another edition of hippies."

Gurudāsa: So we won't have at all. Now we have a general list of when everyone's big programs are.

Prabhupāda: Many are coming? Hippies?

Gurudāsa: There's a lot. There's a lot. Well, yes, there's a lot.

Prabhupāda: So you consult amongst yourselves, but people may not have a bad impression.

Morning Discussion about Kumbhamela -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: No, why? There is no need.

Gurudāsa: And we're having display, book table, membership table, and cinema is showing at night.

Prabhupāda: So how people come?

Gurudāsa: Some people come, but I think once we start our saṅkīrtana and leaflets... The mela officials said, "We put you there because you will draw, and others will not. People will want to come to you, so they will make an effort to come to you."

Prabhupāda: But there is easy way to come?

Gurudāsa: It's not that difficult. It's just a little distant. Some people were coming. Cars can come also. If they want to come, they can come. It's not far, but it's not so close. I wanted to give you a proper picture. I didn't want...

Prabhupāda: No, our former camp, last time...? So this is not so good?

Gurudāsa: Location was better. But our living is better this time. Living is better, but location was better last time.

Prabhupāda: That location cannot be had. What is the reason?

Gurudāsa: Well, first of all, when I came they already settled it up. There's nothing I can do, you know. I said immediately, "This is not such a good location." And Bhāgavata said, "I did not know. I saw it on the map. I had no experience." So I didn't blame him because he didn't know. So they said that "You will draw people, and so we thought we would put others..." I think it is political.

Morning Discussion about Kumbhamela -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: No, there is... Our governor is Kṛṣṇa. Sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29).

Dr. Patel: All the Britishers were organizing this Mela, Kumbha.

Prabhupāda: No, in... They were taking... The committee... I said that, "We have committee?" This is British time. One magistrate is the head and assistants, so many.

Dr. Patel: The government officers may not be getting any interest, only the Hindu officials, these British officers.

Prabhupāda: No. Our government, they have to manage so many people. The Nagas... I learned it from Bhāgavatam.

Dr. Patel: Nagas come from Assam, no?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Arjuna married the Naga king's daughter. And he had a son.

Dr. Patel: Babhruvāhana.

Prabhupāda: No, Babhruvāhana is Manipur.

Dr. Patel: Ilavan.

Prabhupāda: Ilavan, yes.

Morning Discussion about Kumbhamela -- January 8, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Whatever it may be, the system is there. I think in America also.

Dr. Patel: No, no. America, secret polyandry.

Prabhupāda: Whatever it may be, one woman may have more than one husband. Is it not?

Gurudāsa: Sometimes. Not legally.

Dr. Patel: That is why I said "secret" polyandry. This is official. Some of the Himalayan and Katwa, they... One brother marries and then she becomes the wife of two, three brothers. That is legal.

Prabhupāda: No... In here also the system was if one is childless, husband is dead or could not produce, she can take help of the husband's brothers. Devareṇa sutotpati: with the help of husband's brother to get child.

Trivikrama: But in Kali-yuga that's been...

Prabhupāda: That is forbidden. Kalau pañca vivarjayet (CC Adi 17.164).

Dr. Patel: And these children were raised (indistinct). Very scientific way.

Devotee (1): Śrīla Prabhupāda, in Māyāpur we see so many pilgrims coming from Assam, Nagaland and Manipur. They're having this Vaiṣṇava tilaka, Gauḍīya-Vaiṣṇava tilaka, and they also worship Caitanya Mahāprabhu. How is that influence also there?

Prabhupāda: Caitanya Mahāprabhu went there.

Room Conversation -- January 22, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Rāmeśvara: Well, we found out that the government has now taken an interest in buying this property, all the properties on the beach. The government is looking for different excuses. Maybe someone violates his lease or he doesn't keep the property according to the lease. Somehow or other, the government wants to develop the land for hotel. So our idea is that there's two properties which are good for us. One of them the government is already committed to buying, and the other one the government is interested in buying but has not yet purchased. So for the first one we can approach the government officials directly.

Prabhupāda: No, then this Kartanai(?) can help.

Rāmeśvara: Yes. And their main interest is foreign exchange from the tourists. So if we offer them U.S. dollars to purchase the property, they may think, "Why should we waste our time developing when they will give us lakhs in U.S. dollars, and let them develop?"

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Rāmeśvara: So they may sell it to us on that basis.

Prabhupāda: Yes. We shall develop.

Conversation During Massage -- January 23, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: So if we faithful, we are faithful to Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa will help.

Rāmeśvara: Normally in the age of Kali there is no Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.

Prabhupāda: No. This worldwide movement is a history. People have forgotten Kṛṣṇa or God. Is it not?

Satsvarūpa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: They simply..., a official church and temple, and they have no serious attachment, simply kaitava. Dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra (SB 1.1.2). That is another kind of cheating. He's not religious, but he's posing himself: "I am Christian," "I am Hindu," "I am Muslim." That's all. He does not know what is religion. This is going on. Religion means direct touch with God. That is religion. So they have no idea of God. How there can be religion? Here is religion. We do not do anything which is not in interest of Kṛṣṇa. That is religion.

Devotees: Jaya Śrīla Prabhupāda. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...kicked out. They have no religion, simply bogus. There is no religion in the world at the present time. All bogus.

Rāmeśvara: But in past ages there is many... There's history of many Kali-yugas, but this Kṛṣṇa con..., Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, is unique.

Prabhupāda: Yes, it must be unique because it's genuine. It is not cheating.

Room Conversation -- January 24, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: That is good.

Gargamuni: 'Cause his assistant, Mr. O'Neil, told me that they received a telex from Washington saying that formal protest should be made that ISKCON is not part of the CIA and also they are not funded by the government of the United States.

Prabhupāda: People can say anything. But if there is officially protest, that is...

Gargamuni: Yes. He said. (break) ...there at Purī, yes. In our sampradāya these—Māyāpur, Purī, and Vṛndāvana—are most important.

Prabhupāda: Hm. Now if we revive, just like Pānihāṭi...

Gargamuni: Yes, and Pānihāṭi also.

Prabhupāda: Haridāsa Ṭhākura had part. Here, at Siddha-bokula. Siddha-bokula, Gambhīrā—if you try, you can get.

Gargamuni: Yes. And this Remuṇā maybe.

Prabhupāda: Remuṇā.

Room Conversation with Svarupa Damodara -- January 30, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: We are challenging scientists that "Life cannot be produced by chemicals only. Life comes from life." They're all big, big chemists. There is another Ph.D. Another M.A.C., M.A.C., this Oriya, Faree(?). He can also join.

Gargamuni: Śrīla Prabhupāda? I would like to see Tarun Kanti Gosh. He once told me any time you wanted to go to Manipur he would give an official letter.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Gargamuni: So if I can show him this letter I can make arrangements now so that after Māyāpur we can go.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Gargamuni: I can give them the names and our passport numbers.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: I have the forms I brought from Manipur.

Prabhupāda: So you arrange it.

Gargamuni: Yes. 'Cause he will give this letter of recommendation for us to go.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: I brought some samples that we want to do.

Pradyumna: This is like Scientific American.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Oh, that is designed by Sadāpūta.

Prabhupāda: Who is he?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: That's Darwin.

Room Conversation -- February 14, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Yes. (laughs) And it will be published in the paper. It is a good opportunity.

Brahmānanda: Even they had a preliminary hearing, and all the major newspaper, Time Magazine, Newsweek, they were all present. And also from the Indian government.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, the Consulate. The Indian Consulate came. Ādi-keśa Mahārāja has been contacting some of the important officials. He has had a lot of meetings with the Ambassador. So the Ambassador ordered that from the Consulate one person must come to give a statement that the Indian government supports the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement. So they came and made this statement.

Prabhupāda: Oh, that is... (laughs)

Brahmānanda: And this representative will attend every hearing.

Prabhupāda: That is nice. That is very nice.

Brahmānanda: As official... And he was ordered to do so by Indira.

Prabhupāda: Yes, the Home member. The Home member said to... "We want that this movement should be spread all over the world."

Evening Darsana -- February 15, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Very digestive.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yes. And water sells now for a dollar a gallon now in New York. A good market.

Prabhupāda: Just see.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "So we at ISKCON farm look forward to an even more bountiful harvest in the year 1977. This is subscribed and sworn before me by a notary public." So it is official report.

Prabhupāda: Very good report. It is worth seeing, worth considering our... If we develop our farms in India on this basis, it will be very nice. We have got greater land. You have got 450 acres; we have got 600. No? Now it requires development.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Mahāṁśa was calling for this because he said that by showing this... He wants to get a big grant of money.

Prabhupāda: They simply want money. That's all. Money will only be supplied. Let them show some work.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Paramānanda may be able to come to help there.

Prabhupāda: Yes, to give them direction. It will be very nice. If Paramānanda comes, we can invest money without any hesitation. He has got experience.

Room Conversations -- February 20, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Yes. You can get this light on.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Washington, March 18th. The Hare Kṛṣṇa movement was called a 'bona fide religion' yesterday by the New York high-court justice who threw out two charges against the officials of the movement of 'illegal imprisonment' and 'attempted extortion.' A charge had been preferred by an angry parent that his son, as well as another disciple, had been held by the movement illegally and that they had been brainwashed. 'The entire and basic issue before the court,' said the Justice in dismissing the charges, 'is whether or not the two alleged victims in this case and the defendants will be allowed to practice the religion of their choice, and this must be answered with a resounding affirmative.' Said Mr. Justice John J. Lee, 'The Hare Kṛṣṇa movement is a bona fide religion with roots in India that go back thousands of years. It behooved Merrilee Kreshower and Edward Shapiro to follow the tenets of that faith, and their inalienable right to do so will not be trampled upon.' " This is all quote. " 'The separation of Church and State must be maintained. We are and must remain a nation of laws, not of men. The presentment and indictment by the Grand Jury was in direct and blatant violation of the defendants' Constitutional rights.' The Justice said that it appeared to the court that 'The people rest their case on an erroneous minor premise to arrive at a fallacious conclusion. The record is devoid of one specific allegation of a misrepresentation or any act of deception on the part of any defendant.' The Justice said, 'The freedom of religion is not to be abridged because it is unconventional in its beliefs and practices or because it is approved or disapproved by the mainstream of society or more conventional religions. Without this proliferation and freedom to follow the dictates of one's own conscience in this search for the approach to God, the freedom of religion will be a meaningless right as provided for in the Constitution. Any attempt, be it circuitous, direct, well-intentioned or not, presents a clear and present danger to this most fundamental basis and eternally needed right of our citizens-freedom of religion.' "

Prabhupāda: Hm. That is...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "The Hare Kṛṣṇa movement has been under pressure from various groups, and this judgment is expected to stop some of the harassment to which it has been subjected in recent months."

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Very good.

Arrival of Devotees -- February 24, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: That's all.

Rāmeśvara: I have also gotten different letters from the state government of California, the mental hospitals that we're visiting. These are official letters on their letterhead. This one... I'll read the best one. "Dear friends, it is a great pleasure to thank you all for the extraordinary party you gave for Residence 32. The clients on 32 loved your chanting and enjoyed clapping along with you. This simple activity allowed them to take part in the fun and warm spirit. Everyone really liked the tempura-like cauliflower," the pakorās, "that you brought. It was a very tasty and special treat. We at Fairview," a very famous state hospital, "we at Fairview were so impressed with the way that you related to the clients on the residence..."

Prabhupāda: So these are the recommendation how we wash brain.

Room Conversation with Svarupa Damodara -- February 28, 1977, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: Therefore they are opposing. Intelligent men, they are seeing that This movement will finish our civilization. They are afraid. They have already said, "It is increasing like epidemic, and if we don't check them, within ten years they'll take the government."

Hari-śauri: A government official in Houston said it on the TV.

Bali-mardana: They are afraid for their lives.

Prabhupāda: So I am very much attached to that palace.

Bhagavān: We are very much attached to you.

Prabhupāda: Hm. Come on. Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma. Jaya. very nice. (someone showing pictures?) Jaya Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma. We have got Balarāma, the most powerful being, so we have no fear. Balarāma. Nāyam ātmā bala-hīnena labhyaḥ. Bala-hīnena labhyaḥ.(?) "One who is not supported by Balarāma, he cannot understand, cannot come to the spiritual platform." Na medhayā na bahunā śrutena.(?) By intelligence one cannot. He must be supported by Balarāma, big brother of Kṛṣṇa. (laughter)

Room Conversation -- April 13, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That was his dilemma. If he said, "No, we cannot cooperate or join this..." I asked, letter?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Prabhupāda: And he was condemned. Officially he cannot make statement.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Hm?

Prabhupāda: Officially he cannot write that "I should join." Then it becomes a great certificate. We don't mind.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Prabhupāda wrote him a very personal, strong letter.

Prabhupāda: Where is that copy?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I have it here.

Girirāja: I met Mr. Rajda yesterday, and I invited him here for prasādam, so he said day after tomorrow.

Prabhupāda: Day after tomorrow means?

Girirāja: Fifteenth. The 15th.

Prabhupāda: What?

Girirāja: Friday.

Prabhupāda: Friday.

Room Conversation with Ratan Singh Rajda M.P. 'Nationalism and Cheating' -- April 15, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: He is the same man?

Mr. Rajda: No, that's a different.

Prabhupāda: So they are hankering after for improving. Everyone is hankering. So let there be a demi-official, a regular institute to teach people the principles of Bhagavad-gītā as it is. Bas. Don't distort it. Don't amend it. As it is. What is the objection?

Mr. Rajda: I can't find any objection.

Prabhupāda: Bhagavad-gītā is accepted, and so far I understand that when Morarji was going to be arrested, he said that "Let me finish my reading of Bhagavad-gītā." I read it in the paper.

Mr. Rajda: Yes, he was saying.

Prabhupāda: So he... He's a devotee of Bhagavad-gītā, and there are many others. So why this teaching should not be given to the whole world?

Mr. Rajda: Now, sir, daily he gets up at 3.30 a.m., does first of all his religious things, reading of Bhagavad-gītā and all this. And that goes on for two, three hours. Then, at seven, he comes out of his room after taking his bath. Then he meets particular...

Prabhupāda: And these foreign boys, they begin their, this Bhagavad-gītā practice from 3.30 to 9.30. They have no other business. You see. You have studied our, this Girirāja. The whole day he's doing. They're all on this. From morning, 3.30, till they are tired, 9.30, simply Bhagavad-gītā.

Room Conversation -- April 19, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Kānā-māmā (?). If there is no māmā, blind māmā is all right. And who is that, this photograph?

Bhakti-caru: This one is Mr. Charan Singh addressing a press conference in Delhi on Monday, Charan Singh, Indian Prime Minister. (Hindi) "The passport of Mr. Sanjay Gandhi, Mr. Motilal, and Mr. Dhirendra Brahmacari, who runs a yoga center here, have been impounded. Official sources also said here today the necessary instructions have been issued in this regard to the concerned authorities."

Prabhupāda: Impound? Impound? What is the impounding?

Bhakti-caru: Cancelled today.

Prabhupāda: Where there is?

Bhakti-caru: New Delhi. (Bengali) "The instructions have been issued in this regard to Assam authorities. Mr Brahmacari is known to be close to Mr. Sanjay Gandhi." "Morarji Wants Prices. The Prime Minister, Mr. Morarji Desai, today promised in a radio broadcast to check the recent rise in prices on certain goods. 'If necessary by comparing quotas in the current stocks and even by imports, where feasible.' Mr. Desai observed that prices had declined since between February 25 and the end of March but have again increased in the last few weeks in the case of essential goods like oil seeds, cotton, edible oil, til, pulses and food grains. This has raised apprehensions in the minds of (indistinct). Some traders and some stockists have taken advantage of the shortage of certain commodities to increase prices. The form of exploitation would not be tolerated. The Prime Minister said that 'Lifting of the emergency does not mean that traders should try and make extra profits. That will hinder them in the eyes of the law, the people and government. I should like to emphasize that the ordinary law of the land is sufficient to deal with any antisocial conduct.' "

Prabhupāda: They should severe punishment. Then... We shall see.

Morning Conversation -- April 23, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: And Indians are appreciating that "Foreigners, they have taken to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, not Indians."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: For the first time they can see that the foreigners are appreciating India's culture, not trying to squash it.

Prabhupāda: And practically applying their life, not that simply...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Official.

Prabhupāda: ...official.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: There's no doubt. And it is all due to your credit. Single-handedly, Śrīla Prabhupāda... Even now everything is being done strictly by your instruction and guidance.

Prabhupāda: Now I am getting old, old age, not good health, so try to give me relief. Otherwise it is too much. Brain has to be taxed. But if my foreign(?) business is there, if you tax my brain in this way, that will be suffer. So try to give me relief from this managerial... (pause) Still I can hint like this. But where is the work going on?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, you have to just point it out to me like that.

Prabhupāda: There is no work. So dangerous.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Actually I told some people to meet me, so maybe I should... Regarding this. They may be waiting for me outside.

Prabhupāda: Go. (end)

Conversation: Vairagya, Salaries, and Political Etiquette -- April 28, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The Christian religion had that deterioration. Everything deteriorated more and more into sense gratification.

Prabhupāda: Because they have no valid philosophy. It is simply official. They have nothing, no knowledge, no nothing, simply that dress and cloth. That's all.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Just like the original... When Jesus was there and he had twelve disciples, they simply gave up everything and traveled with him and tried to preach. So they were renunciates, living simply whatever they could take, nothing more, and devoting their lives to God. But the followers later on, more and more they added the degree of sense gratification, till now you can't see any renunciation at all within their order.

Prabhupāda: No, they are drinking. They are having homosex. They are encouraging homosex, giving man-to-man marriage. You know that? This is going on. Doing everything nonsense.

Girirāja: Actually their leader...

Prabhupāda: And they are concluding that they cannot stop committing sins and Jesus Christ will take account for them. Therefore it is very good religion, that "We can do whatever nonsense we like, and if we keep our faith in Jesus Christ, then we are saved." Pāpa-buddhiḥ, nāmno balād pāpa-buddhiḥ. Great offenders. So what news?

Girirāja: Well, the reason I came up is I'm going to try to phone Mr. Rajda now.

Short Dissertations -- May 24-25, 1977, Vrndavana:

Jayapatākā: I don't think he's seen him. Now the main manager has been handed authority. We've seen him. He's also favorable. But the people who are holding the main power, they are also favorable, so they've given us. Good facility for boat program. I went to a village by boat one day, and the villagers, they were very receptive also. They held a whole festival. Everyone, five hundred people, stopped their work, and they all came and chanted Hare Kṛṣṇa, and we cooked a big pot of... Official(?) said, "Everyone has provided ḍāl and rice. We don't eat at home today." And he cooked up khicuḍi and we gave everyone prasāda. And they said, "Please, if you could come every two weeks or every month, we could have a festival."

Prabhupāda: Naturally so much good reception... So organize. These people will not give.

Jayapatākā: Who?

Prabhupāda: These rascals, Gauḍīya Maṭha.

Jayapatākā: No. But they don't have any... They don't have any sādhu to go there.

Prabhupāda: They have nothing. Still, they have got... That is called in Bengali, bisnai kulavane cakra(?). There is no poison, but the hood is: "Arrhh." (laughs) That is their... Even this bite, there is no poison. But they are showing kulavana cakra(?). Still, it is bhayaṅkara. Cāṇakya Paṇḍita says, maṇinā bhūṣitaḥ sarpaḥ kim asau na bhayaṅkaraḥ: "A snake..." Sometimes snake has got some jewel on the hood. So he can go in the darkness by the light of the hood. If somebody thinks, "Oh, here is a snake with jewel. Let me embrace him," no, no, no, it is very ferocious. Even it is jewel there, it is ferocious. Similarly, these people are envious. Although they have become so-called Vaiṣṇava, they are ferocious. They have not acquired the qualification of Vaiṣṇava. Simply vesopidin(?), by dress. So what is there? They could not do for the last fifty-sixty years. Still... They wanted to exchange. I stopped it, the Mohini Babu. Mohini... Bali hatti zamindar(?). So if we do not get that place, we can get other place?

Jayapatākā: Oh, yeah, there is no difficulty.

Prabhupāda: Hm, just start something. Start something.

Short Dissertations -- May 24-25, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Sardar.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Singh, S-i-n-g-h. He says, "I will come to Śrī Vṛndāvana by the 20th of June, and then I will be able to correct the mistakes and use proper words after seeing the dictionary. Lastly it is prayed that my name not be associated with the translation." Do we have to abide by his desire?

Prabhupāda: If there is some official objection...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, he says in it that "so that the people may not make adverse comments," because it's not, you know, it's not verbatim. He's done it quite lengthy, though.

Prabhupāda: You can write, "Translated by a qualified judge."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's a wonderful court decision. He sent the original back also.

Prabhupāda: So do the needful.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So did you say you didn't want Gopāla to translate it, Śrīla Prabhupāda? To publish it?

Prabhupāda: Hm? Why you misunderstand?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: I couldn't hear. That's why I'm asking.

Prabhupāda: You asked me whether photograph should be given. I said, "That cannot be decided by Gopāla."

GBC Meets with Srila Prabhupada -- May 28, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Another should be elected.

Satsvarūpa: By the votes of the present GBC. Then our next question concerns initiations in the future, particularly at that time when you're no longer with us. We want to know how first and second initiation would be conducted.

Prabhupāda: Yes. I shall recommend some of you. After this is settled up, I shall recommend some of you to act as officiating ācāryas.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Is that called ṛtvik-ācārya?

Prabhupāda: Ṛtvik, yes.

Satsvarūpa: Then what is the relationship of that person who gives the initiation and the...

Prabhupāda: He's guru. He's guru.

Satsvarūpa: But he does it on your behalf.

Prabhupāda: Yes. That is formality. Because in my presence one should not become guru, so on my behalf, on my order... Āmāra ājñāya guru hañā (CC Madhya 7.128). Be actually guru, but by my order.

Satsvarūpa: So they may also be considered your disciples.

Prabhupāda: Yes, they are disciples. Why consider? Who?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: No, he's asking that these ṛtvik-ācāryas, they're officiating, giving dīkṣā. Their... The people who they give dīkṣā to, whose disciple are they?

Prabhupāda: They're his disciple.

Srila Prabhupada Vigil -- May 28-29, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: That "Some way or other, we're keeping some position." And if Samvit kicked him out, then where is his position? That is another problem. This Rādhā-Govinda Mahārāja, what he can do if he's driven away? In this age he cannot have his own institution. And in this age where he'll go? They are... "These politicians, these old men, they cannot do now. So give them some false position, that 'You are president, ācārya.' They will not rebel at least." And as soon as they do something against them, "We shall drive away: 'No, you cannot be president. Another president.' " That's all. They had no love for him, neither he has any love for them. It is simply official. This Samvit dāsa one, Samvit, also not very intelligent. Tīrtha Mahārāja's son, he wants to keep the property in his name and utilize it for his personal... That way... Preaching and preaching and..., they don't care for. And you said that there is some, still some strength amongst themselves.

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

Prabhupāda: So let them issue later on, and you can make.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Sometime we are preparing, called, a brochure for this lecture series. We'll make it color. So I already have the outline in Boston. So we're titling, "Announcing a Worldwide Lecture Series on the Origin of Life in the Matter, sponsored by Bhaktivedanta Institute for Higher Studies and Founder-Ācārya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda." And we have some colored pictures inside and a little also, synopsis of the theme, the topics. We said, "Chemical Evolution-A Molecular Fairy Tale," and we have about three or four lines describing what the lecture should be about and what is the main theme of the talk. And we also have photographs of four or five of us who are going to speak and a little background of the candidate. So we wanted to make it very official.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: And also making it nice-looking.

Prabhupāda: And print very well.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes. So that will be useful for making engagements. That we will do before we come here. And it's already outlined.

Prabhupāda: Very nice. So money is ready there?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, money is ready there. Svarūpa Dāmodara hasn't heard yet about Ambarīṣa's offer.

Svarūpa Dāmodara: I haven't heard about this?

Prabhupāda: For starting our museum.

Conversation with Svarupa Damodara -- June 21, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: USA.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: And we have three hundred rooms. It would fetch... If it was divided up as an all-apartment building, it would make very..., lot of money. To run a building like that... It's very prestigious. Even though it's not a new building, still, it is prestigious. People are impressed. Many Indian people come there from India at night. A number of officials came, and they were all very... They said, "Oh, we didn't know you had such a building like this." They said like that. They were very impressed. And they liked the... They were very much impressed with the temple room and the restaurant and the general size of the building. Those three features are impressive. The restaurant they're very impressed by, pure vegetarian prasādam served with a restaurant atmosphere.

Prabhupāda: And so palatable.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Very palatable. They're quite impressed. Puris, samosās, kacuris... They couldn't dream to come to New York and get these things. Therefore they eat meat. They think it's not available. There's only one other pure vegetarian restaurant in New York.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Besides ours, there's only one other Indian pure vegetarian restaurant. And it's always packed. Indian people want vegetarian. But we... On the other hand, we only get... About one third of our customers are Indian. Mostly we get Americans. The businessmen come and the secretaries, theater people, families.

Prabhupāda: They like prasādam.

Conversation with Svarupa Damodara -- June 21, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Just see.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He has to run out of the universities because finally, after a while, the officials get notified. They figure out who he is, and then they start chasing him. Then he had to run out.

Prabhupāda: Dangerous affair.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: But after all, it is literary. They know we're not... It's not like a political spy.

Prabhupāda: All open secret.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah.

Prabhupāda: "Here is the book."

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Still, he's very brave.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This boy is very nice. He graduated top honors from Princeton, president of his class.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: He was the president of his class at Princeton University.

Room Conversation With Son (Vrindavan De) -- July 5, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Just see. Such a good certificate.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Satsvarūpa, American-born personal secretary to Swami Bhaktivedanta, presents the official Hare Kṛṣṇa approach." They don't even identify you. They know who you are. You are so well known in these literary circles now that someone says, "Swami Bhaktivedanta." They don't have to say "Founder of ISKCON." They know already from your other books. "...presents the official Hare Kṛṣṇa approach in an articulate and highly serviceable introduction to this immense body of literature. The readings include the Īśopaniṣad, the Bhagavad-gītā and excerpts from Purāṇas, supplemented with a glossary and index. Preliminary essays detail the logic by which his group rejects both the academic experts and the rival approach of advaita-vedānta that Westerners know through the writings of Vivekananda and Radhakrishnan. This is a book long needed to balance out the monist theology that is but one aspect of Indian religious thought." In other words, this is one of the first books to present the Vaiṣṇava viewpoint, not simply the Māyāvādī viewpoint. He says, "It's well needed." That's all he's written.

Prabhupāda: Very appreciated. Very much appreciate.

Meeting With Governor of Tamil Nadu -- July 31, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Thank you. Gītā should be accepted as it is. It should not be interpreted. Then there will be no benefit. And that has become... (Hindi) Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). That is Gītā. It is not meant for the loafer class. It is meant for the rājarṣis. Rājarṣayo viduḥ.

imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ
proktavān aham avyayam
vivasvān manave prāha
manur ikṣvākave 'bravīt
(BG 4.1)
evaṁ paramparā-prāptam
imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ
(BG 4.2)

So unless the high government officials, rājarṣis, they understand properly Bhagavad-gītā, we cannot derive any benefit from Gītā. It is not a question of interpretation.

Room Conversation -- August 10, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhaviṣṇu: No. Four foreigners, and there's one Nepali boy I'd like to take also.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So six hundred dollars a month. Hundred and fifty dollars times four.

Prabhupāda: That we can spare. Arrange for that, and make a stronghold there with the cooperation of government officials. I'll pay six hundred dollars. You'll get. I'll pay or anyone. I have got some money in London, also in America. So you have some bank account, and I shall advise Lloyd's Bank will send.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They might like that. He's British, and the money will come from England.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: That's a new twist. Usually they're always seeing our money coming from America, but his money will come from England.

Prabhupāda: Yes. I think I have got six thousand pounds.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It's a good amount.

Prabhupāda: At least for few months I can continue. This is first business. Do it. And another point, that formerly the Britishers expanded empire. Now we have got better service. They... You expand the empire of consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This is also the same view, but it is spiritual. Kṛṣṇa has given you the ability. Do it enthusiastically with the courage of an Englishman and the heart of a Bengali mother.

Room Conversation -- October 3, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So, and they are giving us some status to stay there?

Haṁsadūta: No, we have no official status. The way to function there is that you can stay for six months if you bring three dollars a day for them, and then go out, and you can come back the next day. They want to get rid of all religious groups. They want only their Buddhist group. They want to make the Buddhist religion as the state religion.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Haṁsadūta: At least they talk like that. And so all the religious groups there, the Christians and others, they're phasing them out by taking away their resident visas.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What about the Tamils?

Haṁsadūta: Well, the Tamils are in a very bad position. They've all fled to the Jafna area, the north area.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Why are they so against the Tamils?

Haṁsadūta: Well, the government, the politicians, they incite the people to create trouble, and in this way they try to assume office. They just take advantage of the people in this way, stir them up.

Prabhupāda: Tamils are poor men?

Haṁsadūta: Tamils? No, the Tamils were all the business centers.

Room Conversation -- October 9, 1977, Vrndavana:

Haṁsadūta: Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Girirāja? Did not go to the bank?

Girirāja: The bank? Well, yesterday we delivered a letter signed by Tamāla Kṛṣṇa Goswami and myself officially instructing them to transfer the fixed deposits from here to Delhi. So there are a couple of formalities. And so the Delhi manager gave us a note what we have to do. And Tejiyas says that the former chairman of the Punjab Bank is a life member.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Girirāja: So he said that he could even come with us and meet them. So the new chairman, I mean the present chairman, is coming on Tuesday. So I think we'll get all the formalities ready, and then we can go on Tuesday. Today is Sunday, so we couldn't do anything today.

Prabhupāda: So these people have agreed?

Girirāja: The local people? Well, they have not agreed. That's why we felt that we have to meet the chairman. Legally we have every right to transfer the fixed deposit wherever we like, and if the former chairman is with us, then they can't give any false excuses because he knows all the rules. Actually we're not asking for anything special. Otherwise we're... Probably the local people will try to avoid giving it up. But this is our right, and the chairman has to uphold our right as customers of the bank.

Prabhupāda: What is their plea here?

Girirāja: Local people? Well, they will say that there's no reason to transfer the fixed deposits.

Prabhupāda: We have reason.

Room Conversation -- October 9, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Whatever they are asking, they can write.

Girirāja: Yes. They wrote it on the bottom portion of the letter which we wrote them. Of course, we can ask them to write again on their own letterhead. Otherwise they've already written on the copy of our letter to them, and they signed it with their rubber stamp. Anyway, there's no problem, because when we go there we can just ask them to type up the same thing on their letterhead so it's more official.

Prabhupāda: What letter they gave?

Girirāja: Well, on our letter... On the copy of our letter they wrote back to us that we should give them a copy of the same letter which we addressed to them, but we should address it to the Vṛndāvana branch. And then they will present that letter to the Vṛndāvana branch and ask them to transfer the money.

Prabhupāda: Well, why don't you do that?

Girirāja: Yes, we're doing that. And the second point is the Delhi office wrote that we should give them the fixed deposit receipts and they will give us a receipt for that. Then they will get those fixed deposit receipts changed over to the New Delhi office, and then they will give us back the certificates and we will give them back the receipt.

Prabhupāda: So there is no problem.

Room Conversation -- October 11, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: So certificate must be transferred there.

Girirāja: Yes. We've given them the certificates and the letter, and they've taken the responsibility. They're sending the certificates by registered post to the Vṛndāvana people with their instructions to transfer the money to New Delhi. So those will definitely reach here by Saturday when the assistant general manager comes. And if there's any hesitation, the assistant general manager will take care of it when he's here on Saturday. And I would think that by Monday or Tuesday we could get the certificates changed officially. And then, I think, we should have a least one account in their main branch in New Delhi. It would probably be easier to get inward remittances there. And if we want the interest from the fixed deposits to be kept there, we can have an account there for that. And that will keep us in good contact with the head office.

Prabhupāda: That's all right. Hm.

Room Conversation -- October 13, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Hm. Bhavānanda Mahārāja?

Bhavānanda: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: So, things are being arranged very nice?

Bhavānanda: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda. Everything is being arranged now. The district magistrate and local officials have all been invited personally this morning, and the guesthouse is being completely cleaned up and made nice. Prasādam is being arranged. Conference room is being decorated. The dining hall for their prasādam is all being arranged also.

Prabhupāda: At the present moment our ordinary prasādam is very much liked by...

Svarūpa Dāmodara: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: No, he approved. He was saying, "It is very nice." And our members also say. Tamāla Kṛṣṇa?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Prabhupāda: You also said.

Room Conversation -- October 20, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. I think from Śrī Raṅgam temple. I haven't talked with him yet. He left very quickly. Śrīla Prabhupāda? One good news, the fixed deposit receipts have been transferred finally. We got them back now endorsed from the head office, so they are officially now with the Parliament Street office. That was Girirāja's very good work. He said he would do this, I remember, and he did it.

Prabhupāda: What is the amount?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Total amount? Total amount is ten lakhs, sixty thousand. It's now transferred. I have the receipts locked as before. And they're duly endorsed.

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: They're endorsed to the head office, Parliament Street, Delhi.

Prabhupāda: Now what you have got?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: The fixed deposit slips. The actual receipts. See, but they've been stamped now. They've been handed over. We handed them over to this office here. We did everything according to letters and everything, and this office here in Vṛndāvana sent them by registered post to the head office. The head office got them, stamped them, and Girirāja went today to Delhi, collected them with Hari-śauri, and then Girirāja went to Bombay and Hari-śauri brought the receipts back. I took them and locked them away. Same receipts, simply stamped now with the head office stamp, entered in their accounts. So now the fixed deposits are officially held. We have them, but I mean to say they are with the Parliament Street Punjab Bank. Not Vṛndāvana branch.

Prabhupāda: So, they have issued any covering letter?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: More or less a covering letter.

Room Conversation -- October 21, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Very good. So it is not yet officially open.

Bharadvāja: No.

Prabhupāda: Huh?

Bharadvāja: Officially it is not open yet. The reason is because there's still some minor difficulties in the computer, and so everything is not... When I left everything was not yet functioning smoothly. So many important people have been taken through, but it is not open to the public yet. But it will be open very soon. Actually, when I left, everything had already been... The computer is now working, but there was some lights being checked out, some wiring. And as soon as that is finished, then the programming will be done. I have sent a letter back to Los Angeles, asking them to complete the programming while I'm here in Vṛndāvana, at least a temporary program. So it is not difficult to do. It is complicated to do it. And I've asked them to make a film of the exhibition and send it here so that you could see it.

Prabhupāda: I cannot go there?

Bharadvāja: You can do whatever you like.

Śatadhanya: After Bombay, Śrīla Prabhupāda, if you're strong enough, then we can go.

Prabhupāda: There is... And who is making khol?

Bharadvāja: Soul?

Prabhupāda: Khol, khol.

Bharadvāja: Oh, khol. Īśāna. Īśāna dāsa.

Prabhupāda: He's doing nice?

Bharadvāja: Yes. They are producing many, and they are very, very strong.

Room Conversation -- October 24, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: This Tulasī dāsa has sent different things. Here's a news clipping from the Leader. It's a newspaper. It says, "Hare Kṛṣṇa festivity. All roads lead to the Hare Kṛṣṇa farm āśrama at Cato Ridge last Sunday where thousands of well-wishers and devotees celebrated Kṛṣṇa Janmāṣṭamī. His Holiness Śrīmān Jayatīrtha dāsa Prabhu came out especially from the United States for the occasion and to officiate at the opening of the new temple of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness." One picture shows the devotees... It says, "Members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness and followers of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda lead the crowd in the singing of Hare Kṛṣṇa kīrtana. In the foreground is the havana-kuṇḍa on which the sacrificial prayer was performed prior to the opening of the new temple. A view of the large gathering...," it shows thousands of people, Śrīla Prabhupāda, "...at the Hare Kṛṣṇa farm āśrama at Cato Ridge at the weekend when the new temple was officially opened. The function was held in conjunction with Lord Kṛṣṇa's birth anniversary celebrations." Here's the temple. "Head of the group, Tulasī dāsa, seen with other devotees in front of their new temple." It's a very beautiful temple with pillars and arches. I don't know how they built it so soon. (laughs) It's a big temple they built there. It says, "The International Society for Krishna Consciousness, more widely known as the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, opened its temple to coincide with the celebration of the birth of Lord Kṛṣṇa. This birthday celebration..." (break) Here's another article, pictures of devotees opening the temple. Another article. "Śrīmān Jayatīrtha dāsa Prabhu, one of the top officials..."

Prabhupāda: Still, they criticize us. Hm? Affirmations(?) good character, good health...

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Another article says, "Procession draws hundreds. The hundreds lined the streets of Durban on Sunday to watch young and old Hindus taking part in the colorful procession which was held as part of Lord Kṛṣṇa's birthday celebration." It tells all about a celebration in the city of Durban organized by our society.

Prabhupāda: It will be good for propaganda.

Room Conversation -- October 24, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: "Kṛṣṇa-aṣṭamī. Lord Kṛṣṇa's celebration." Full center page. "A voyage of discovery." "A Christian tribute to Kṛṣṇa consciousness." There's a picture of Your Divine Grace here. It's an article reprinted from Back to Godhead. It says, "All material in this special feature taken from Back to Godhead, the official magazine of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness." This is all... It seems like what they have done... The same thing they did in Fiji, they have done there in South Africa. Because many of the articles... This is a whole..., also all about our society. All of these pages. "Hare Kṛṣṇa puzzle is unraveled." "Jagannātha car festival is one of the oldest in history." Then it tells about the program, how to get to the farm. Then he sent photographs. It's a very beautiful temple, Śrīla Prabhupāda. I don't know if you can see it. This is the temple. You see the white structure here? You can see it has arched domes? Not domes but arches.

Prabhupāda: Very good.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Can you see it? Look at the pandal they had.

Prabhupāda: They have got a new barrack... Festival.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Festivity. Here's Tulasī dāsa doing the fire yajña. Should I read you his letter now?

Prabhupāda: Very good news. Now can see. This material body may remain or not remain. This movement will push on.(?) That is wanted. Where is such thing throughout the whole world? Hm?

Room Conversation -- October 27, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What will they give? Will they give you a letter officially, or something?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. And plus they're writing a letter to the Indian embassies abroad that if any ISKCON devotee applies, he should be given a three-year visa straight.

Prabhupāda: That will be nice.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. But I was just speaking to Tamāla Kṛṣṇa Mahārāja that the GBCs, we should devise a policy so that this advantage is not misused. Because sometimes devotees just come over here, stay here for some time, do some nonsense and go back.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Then they may take away this permission.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We should be very careful to choose the right people to come.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Not just that anybody goes to an Embassy and they immediately get three years and they come here, they move around India, then in two weeks or two months they leave and go back. Then the government will not like it.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes. And if some Americans find out that ISKCON had this special status, then someone can also pose as an ISKCON devotee and get this visa.

Ātreya Ṛṣi: So we should require that they have GBC authorization and..., with the Embassy.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: No. What we will do I think...

Prabhupāda: Our GBC should select.

Room Conversation -- November 3, 1977, Vrndavana:

Girirāja: No. Just to give them something official. He has seven boys there now, and a few of them ...

Prabhupāda: They are taking their prasādam and living there?

Girirāja: Yes. They have nice meal in the morning and evening, and then in the day the main activity is they have the chanting party, and around the chanting party they distribute literature.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Very nice beginning, all-auspicious.

Trivikrama: Is the weather very cold?

Girirāja: It's not very cold. The climate is very healthful. In fact, two devotees were there who were in India for some time and they felt a little weary, and they both said that they felt that their health and strength had increased.

Bhakti-caru: It's a beautiful city also.

Girirāja: Yes. It's very peaceful and clean.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Sounds like a good place to take you sometime, Śrīla Prabhupāda.

Girirāja: The air is very, very pure. They hardly have any industry there, and very few motorcars. It's very unspoiled. So the air is clean and the people are also nice. Until a few years ago, there was no system of compulsory education, so the new ideas, Western ideas, have not come very much there.

Bhakti-caru: Śrīla Prabhupāda? (Bengali)

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, would you like a little soft chanting?

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Bhavānanda: Śrīla Prabhupāda, you haven't passed urine in some time. Would you like to try?

Prabhupāda: There is no...

Bhavānanda: No need. (end)

Room Conversation -- November 3, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Śatadhanya: There's also some news from Māyāpur. Seventeen of the Muhammadans, those Muslims, they have been arrested. Now they're released on bail, but they were officially arrested in Māyāpur. And also Jayapatākā Mahārāja says that the site where they are thinking of building that big temple in Māyāpur, some land has just become available for sale, about fifteen bighās of land. And it ranges from fifteen hundred to twenty-five hundred rupees per bighā. So Jayapatākā wanted me to tell Your Divine Grace.

Bhavānanda: Fifteen bighās, that's five acres.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: So why not purchase?

Bhavānanda: Right where the, where we want to put the temple. It must be a group of men that the prices vary per bighā.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Why not purchase?

Śatadhanya: Jayapatākā Mahārāja is very anxious to purchase that land. It's exactly where the site for the big temple, at that location. Fifteen bighās.

Prabhupāda: Whether he can purchase?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Whether he can purchase? If you don't go to Māyāpur, Śrīla Prabhupāda, all of Māyāpur will come here to be with you. Now, if you get a little stronger, we can go.

Śatadhanya: Even the airport officials were disappointed. They were saying, "Where is our Guru Mahārāja?" I was shocked to hear them saying. "Where is our Guru Mahārāja?" They had purchased very nice fruits and vegetables of all different varieties, and Prabhupāda could choose which he liked-portal, jinga, so many things.

Prabhupāda: What other news?

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What other news?

Śatadhanya: Everything is very nice there, very organized.

Page Title:Official (Conversations 1976 - 1977)
Compiler:Visnu Murti, Mayapur
Created:12 of Dec, 2011
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=0, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=0, Con=85, Let=0
No. of Quotes:85