Orissa (Conversations)

Expressions researched:
"Orissa" |"Orissa's"

1967 Conversations and Morning Walks

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

Prabhupāda: No, no. He did not oppose. He did not oppose. He simply, after Caitanya's acceptance of sannyāsa, He wanted simply that He should come to Advaita's place so that His mother may see Him for the last time. That was His plan.

Hayagrīva: I see. (break)

Hayagrīva: All right, this is third act, first scene.

Prabhupāda: So Caitanya Mahāprabhu, after taking leave from His mother, left Bengal towards Orissa, and on the entrance of the district of Balasore there is a nice temple called Kṣīra-corā-gopīnātha temple. And He saw the temple. Here the scene is to be arranged that there is nice temple and within the temple there is Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa Deity, Kṣīra-corā-gopīnātha. The pūjārīs are there, ārati is being taken place, and at that time Caitanya Mahāprabhu entered with His followers chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa, and He saw the Deity and danced before Him. And when the ārati was finished, prayer was finished, then He sat down, talked with His associates, Nityānanda and Gadādhara and Murāri. So Nityānanda Prabhu described about the Kṣīra-corā-gopīnātha, the story of Kṣīra-corā-gopīnātha.

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

Prabhupāda: That's all. But how this temple was established, how Gopāla was established, that history is in that story. The Sākṣi-gopāla means witness. This Gopāla was situated in Vṛndāvana, but to give witness for His devotee He came to Orissa, that place. That is the significance of this Gopāla. Do you follow?

Hayagrīva: No. (laughs) No.

Prabhupāda: This Gopāla was situated at Vṛndāvana. Vṛndāvana means about more than one thousand miles away from where the temple is situated now. But He came one thousand miles to give witness for His devotee. Since then, Gopāla is situated there. So that story is narrated. That story should be narrated or what? How to do it? That is the significance of the temple. There was some family quarrel and Gopāla came to give witness to decide judgement on that quarrel. So it is possible to describe?

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

Prabhupāda: The short story is that there was two brāhmaṇas. Two brāhmaṇas. One young brāhmaṇa, one old brāhmaṇa. They went to Vṛndāvana to see Gopāla, and the old brāhmaṇa was so obliged to the young brāhmaṇa, he promised to hand over his youngest daughter to the young brāhmaṇa. But when he came back home his eldest son objected. So he kept mum. Then when the young brāhmaṇa, I mean to say, reminded him that "You promised before Gopāla to hand over your daughter. Now you are silent. What is this?" So his eldest son said, "Well, if Gopāla comes to give witness that my father promised before Him then my sister can be married with you." So he went back to Vṛndāvana and requested Gopāla to come and give witness. So He came and the marriage ceremony was performed. This is the sum and substance of the story. And since then Gopāla did not... Gopāla means statue. So in those days there was no transport service. And when Gopāla was present everyone became struck with wonder that "Oh, such a devotee that Gopāla has come from Vṛndāvana to Orissa, more than 1,500 miles."

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

Prabhupāda: The outcome is that Sārvabhauma was impersonalist and Caitanya Mahāprabhu was Vaisnava. Then by argument, logic, and everything, that is shortly described here, Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya became a disciple of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and he became a great devotee. That is the outcome. And it was a great victory on the part of Caitanya Mahāprabhu because Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya was known as the most stubborn scholar of logic of that time and he became a devotee. By Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya's becoming a devotee of Lord Caitanya, practically He became victorious in His missionary activities because Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya was the learned scholar in the assembly of the King of Orissa. So the King of Orissa also became a devotee. And many other scholars and big men.

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

Hayagrīva: Of Caitanya's. They all became devo...the King of Orissa?

Prabhupāda: Yes, he became a great devotee.

Hayagrīva: That might even be mentioned in this scene. I don't know if you can mention it here.

Prabhupāda: It is not mentioned, but...

Hayagrīva: Well, that's an outcome of this meeting anyway.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Gaurachand Gosvami At the Radha-Damodara Temple (Mostly Bengali) -- March 11, 1972, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: But he says from Buddhism.

Indian man (2): He draws comparisons. He traces the historical background, and then the conditions prevalent..., conditions prevalent particularly in Orissa at that time Vyāsarūpa(?) Gosvāmī lived.

Prabhupāda: One thing is that he says that it is from Buddhism. So where is the authoritative statement in the Buddhism about Pañca-tattva? That he has not mentioned.

Indian man (2): No. He has said in Buddhism you have the principle of pañca-śaktis.

Prabhupāda: Śakti and tattva is not the same thing.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Room Conversation with Christian Priest -- June 9, 1974, Paris:

Prabhupāda: What was your subject matter studying?

Priest: I was studying for a thesis, a doctorate thesis, this pilgrimage, the story of the pilgrimage and everything of the brāhmaṇa pilgrimage. And as you know, it was one of the main bhakti tradition in Maharastra, Orissa, Jñāneśvara.

Prabhupāda: Tukārāma, Tukārāma.

Priest: Tukārāma.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Priest: I have proceeded to (indistinct).

Prabhupāda: Tukārāma is in the line of Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

1975 Conversations and Morning Walks

Conversation with Devotees -- April 12, 1975, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: So we can do that. You have to convince people. There is no question of making competition with them. But you, you can preach your own philosophy anywhere.

Guest (3): With that happening with the people in Orissa...

Prabhupāda: Hm?

Guest (3): ...try to convince them: No, that is false and this is the way.

Prabhupāda: No, their Ramakrishna Mission allurement is that daridra-nārāyaṇa-seva and hospital. That is their only allurement. They have no program. Nobody is attracted by their philosophy. And what philosophy they have got? Never mind. We are not concerned with them.

Morning Walk -- July 4, 1975, Chicago:

Prabhupāda: Again foolishness. That irritates me. When they speak like that, rascal, that irritates me. (laughter) Therefore I simply call them rascal. (break) Harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇaḥ. They are claiming very, very, big man, but as soon as we see that he is not a devotee of Kṛṣṇa, we reject, "He is a foolish." (break) There is... That is a fact, one case was going on, and the judge was dozing, like that. So his clerk warned, "You are dozing. Big, big lawyers, they are talking." "So let these rascals go on talking. I have already concluded my..., (laughter) what judgment I shall give. Let them..." (laughs) So our is like that. We don't hear these rascals. Our judgment is already there. They are rascals. That's all. Let them talk whole day and night. The judge said to the clerk that "I have already made my judgment, so let these foolish men go on talking." (break) ...minister of Orissa, he has promised a land in Jagannātha Purī.

Morning Walk -- August 6, 1975, Detroit:

Prabhupāda: What is his mentality? (break) There is tiger. (break) ...interior village in Bengal, there are tigers. Orissa also.

Brahmānanda: In Los Angeles city they have coyotes, like a wolf, and they go around eating the pet cats and dogs.

Prabhupāda: Oh.

Brahmānanda: People are very upset.

Prabhupāda: In the city?

Brahmānanda: Yes. In the residential areas especially. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...hiding?

Room Conversation -- August 21, 1975, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: (Bengali) So I shall personally teach Bhagavad-gītā. Her and her most confidential associates or who is governing. That I can do. (Bengali) Imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ (BG 4.2). I wanted a rājarṣi to take up this movement seriously, but I could not get till now. If she becomes, it will be benefit for me, for the world, for her, everyone. Because I have no power, I have no money, but if one rājarṣi who has got strength, money, intelligence, if she takes, then it will be very quickly successful. Just like Caitanya Mahāprabhu, His movement became very successful when Mahārāja Pratāparudra of Orissa took it. Gautama Buddha's movement was successful when Aśoka, Mahārāja Aśoka took it. It requires. And Kṛṣṇa says, rājarṣayo viduḥ.

Morning Walk -- November 20, 1975, Bombay:

Dr. Patel: Gold nuggets. Because gold never get, I mean, oxidized. It is always in (unclear). So nuggets, they are available in big rivers even in Africa. Because when they come through the mountain, you know.

Prabhupāda: There is one river in India also, Suvarna-rekha, between Orissa and Bengal.

Dr. Patel: The sand is of the...

Prabhupāda: Yes. There you can find gold.

Morning Walk -- December 4, 1975, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: Do you think if they go to Orissa it will be nice? No? The saṅkīrtana party.

Akṣayānanda: Orissa will be nice?

Prabhupāda: So you talk with him.

Bhāvānanda: Yes. (break)

Akṣayānanda: ...say to me what do I think of Pāgal Bābā? And I would say, "Well, our Guru Mahārāja does not approve of us smoking cigarettes." And they will say, "But he smokes cigarettes." And I would say, "That is because he is pāgal." And they would agree. (break)

Prabhupāda: These four principles will make so many bogus bābās as useless, simply if you follow these four principles. (break)

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- January 17, 1976, Mayapur:

Prabhupāda: Where is that maji?

Sudāmā: He went to Orissa.

Prabhupāda: So where is the maji? He went?

Bhavānanda: It was another man in Diamond Harbor who said they would go to Indonesia. Maji... They have been to Purī.

Jayapatāka: He went to Orissa.

Prabhupāda: (Bengali)

Jayapatāka: His father owned the boat. We bought from him. His son was the maji, so we kept him as the maji.

Morning Walk -- February 27, 1976, Mayapura:

Jayapatākā: I meant to mention that he commented that when they were coming from Andhra, when they, as they're getting closer to Bengal, in Orissa, and then even more so in Bengal, the, both in Ori... so many kīrtana was there. The people were meeting them with kīrtana and everyone was doing kīrtana. But in Andhra and other places, not so much kīrtana is there.

Prabhupāda: No.

Jayapatākā: They say they get much better reception in Orissa and Bengal.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Because...

Morning Walk -- February 27, 1976, Mayapura:

Jayapatākā: I think if we concentrated first in Bengal and Orissa, we get some, enough devotees, and then they could help us in the other villages elsewhere.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Jayapatākā: All over India. Like Madana already got three devotees when I was there in one week. By now he may also have more. Bengalis like kīrtana very much. (break) ...devotees are Bengalis.

Prabhupāda: ...ago Bengali culture was very much adored all over India. Even one big politician, Gandhi's guru, Goke, Gokule, he remarked, "What Bengal thinks today, other provinces will think tomorrow." He said like that. And actually all big, big movements started from Bengal. The national movement also was started from Bengal. Whatever we may criticize Vivekananda, when... He's a Bengali. He went first for preaching Indian religion. Rabindranath Tagore, he's a Bengali. All big, big...

Morning Walk -- March 17, 1976, Mayapura:

Prabhupāda: What they say? What is the quarrel? (break) ...nice, South Indian. Oh, very nice. How many seats are there?

Devotee (4): Say about four(?) seats. Prabhupāda, four devotees went from Hyderabad, going through Orissa and coming to Māyāpur for the festival.

Prabhupāda: Very good.

Devotee (4): Going about five, six months, they have traveled all over.

Prabhupāda: Many people assembled on the way?

Devotee (4): Yes, because they were stopping in every village and distributing literature, giving away prasādam.

Prabhupāda: Hm. (aside:) Hare Kṛṣṇa. Jaya. (pause) Hm. It is dirty.

Conversation After Interview with Religious Editor, Associated Press -- July 16, 1976, New York:

Prabhupāda: That is the karmīs. Even the Orissa politicians, they accused Caitanya Mahāprabhu, because the Orissa politician, it is a fact the Mahārāja Pratāparudra, the King of Orissa during the time of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he was politically very strong. At that time the Muhammadans were conquering different parts of India, but they could not enter Orissa or the southern India. They were very strong. So this Mahārāja Pratāparudra politically was very strong. So the modern politicians of Orissa, they accuse Caitanya Mahāprabhu that, as Caitanya Mahāprabhu came to Orissa and Mahārāja Pratāparudra became influenced by Him, Orissa fell down. They accuse sometimes that Orissa's political position became weakened on account of Caitanya Mahāprabhu's influence on Mahārāja Pratāparudra. They say. The modern politicians of Orissa, they also do not like Caitanya Mahāprabhu's movement.

Hari-śauri: Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Room Conversation -- July 26, 1976, London:

Pṛthu-putra: "And there is also an index and some notes which are giving the work much more easy for the reader, even the profound. This teaching took its root in the teaching of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, that prophet of Kṛṣṇa's. His preaching in Bengal in Orissa in sixteenth century is again appear deeper for the devotion to Bhagavān. Srila Prabhupāda is descending in the disciplic succession, direct vamsa, from Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His first disciples, the famous Gosvāmīs. It is a considerable advantage for the French public to have these volumes where there is a vitality manifested from one of these past pantha, which are the most followed by the followers of the Hinduism. We hope that there is a large distribution of this tradition and commentary of the Bhāgavata-Purāṇa. Anyone who is interested in the life of India can find the authentic teaching, spiritual teaching authorized, and can also have access to one of the most beautiful religious poem from the Hindu tradition." This is the.... It's wonderful.

Prabhupāda: Yes, very good.

Room Conversation About Mayapura Construction -- August 19, 1976, Hyderabad:

Prabhupāda: He's fixed up. That's nice. Let him translate in Orissa and, if possible, in Hindi. And give him few devotees. Then he'll be encouraged.

Jayapatākā: I think he has got two or three devotees now. This man himself is a pretty capable worker. He's somewhat like Prabhu Swarupa, only a little older, little more mature. He's about forty-five or so. He's been able to collect about, what I can see, about fifty thousand rupees for one nātha-mandira. And he has a couple thousand people. I heard from the Gauḍīya Maṭha. They say they have big utsavas there. Every year two three thousand people come.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation About Blitz News Clipping -- August 21, 1976, Hyderabad:

Pradyumna: And this is completely nonsense: "Their major concentration seems, however, to be in Orissa"—we don't have anything in Orissa—"the land of princes and paupers. They have built a center close to our atomic energy commission complex."

Prabhupāda: That's all right.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: A hut center.

Jayapatākā: Gaura Govinda, he has a few huts. "Major complex."

Room Conversation About Blitz News Clipping -- August 21, 1976, Hyderabad:

Pradyumna: "They reportedly met also our deputy defense minister, J. B. Patnayak, who hails from Orissa. It is understood that Patnayak has asked the district magistrate of Purī to find land for ISKCON's Sanskrit university there. ISKCON is pursuing not only Kṛṣṇa, it has started taking interest in politics also. It has founded a political party in the United States called "In God We Trust" Party. It has already contested civic elections in Los Angeles and intends to put up candidates for the U.S. Congress." We didn't do anything in Los Angeles. Only in Georgia. All wrong, complete...

Prabhupāda: What is wrong there? In God We Trust, this party. Yes.

Garden Conversation -- September 7, 1976, Vrndavana:

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

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: He donated it. Okay, I'll write down his name them. "Gaura-Govinda Swami, a 45 year old retired teacher from Orissa is in charge of our Bhuvaneśvara center." So they'll know. "Point ten..."

Prabhupāda: So that land was donated by a prominent man. Nityananda Kananda (?) was central government minister and later on governor of Gujarat. And he often comes to see me in Calcutta.

Garden Conversation -- September 7, 1976, Vrndavana:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda, I just want the name of the person who gave us that land in Orissa because I'm getting this retyped.

Prabhupāda: The name is Nityananda Kananda.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Kananda. What was his title before? What was he...? Ex-governor?

Prabhupāda: He was a minister in the central government, deputy minister.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Deputy minister.

Prabhupāda: Deputy minister in the central government.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: During when? Approximately?

Garden Conversation -- September 7, 1976, Vrndavana:

Hari-śauri: They eat off fat banana leaves in Māyāpur all the time.

Prabhupāda: Very good. Common man in Bengal, Orissa, they'll take on banana leaves all vegetable preparations. Caitanya Mahāprabhu, when he was invited by Sarvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, he was taking on banana leaves.

Caraṇāravindam: I have some bitter gourd. I'm going to dry it and we can plant the seeds, karelā.

Prabhupāda: Karelā it is also...

Caraṇāravindam: Wonderful sabji.

Hari-śauri: Paṭola?

Room Conversation -- December 26, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: That can be also done. I am waiting for one letter from Gaura-Govinda Swami.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Then from Kumbha-mela you can go to Orissa, from Orissa to Māyāpur. Then you have go to Kodekana.

Prabhupāda: Kodekana, have you been ever? I have to inquire whether it is zigzag.

Indian man: Oh, Kodekana. That is very famous place.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Is it zigzag or is it straight?

Indian man: No, zigzag. In the mountain side.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: No that is not good.

Morning Walk -- December 29, 1976, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: There are many Parsi families. But they wanted some friends. They were minority. Unless with the cooperation of the Indians, how they could stand? Therefore they introduced the zamindar system in Bengal, Bihar, Orissa. Some aristocratic families should cooperate with them. They knew how to rule over. Now by over-cooperating they have become hoax. That verse I very much like.

nāyaṁ deho deha-bhājāṁ nṛloke

kaṣṭān kāmān arhate viḍ-bhujām ye

tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena sattvaṁ

śuddhyed yasmād brahma-saukhyaṁ tv anantam

(SB 5.5.1)

The human life is meant for purifying. They have lost this goal of life. Temporarily we are thinking if we make some comfortable arrangement for body, and that is sufficient. That is sufficient.

1977 Conversations and Morning Walks

Letter to Russian -- January 5, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: No, that you cannot say. It is all in the hands of Kṛṣṇa. Not one crore. Say a few lakhs. He's ready to go town to town, village, in Orissa. He wants that in my absence somebody must be there to look after the construction. That is quite reasonable.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Oh, yes, definitely.

Prabhupāda: So I have told them "Any amount I can invest. You print book and sell." That is my open secret. Print books, and distribute, and spend half in whichever life you do and half, again print books. That is my ambition (vision?). I want to see our philosophy is widely spread by different literatures. That I want to do.

Letter to Russian -- January 5, 1977, Bombay:

Prabhupāda: He's a good boy.

Hari-śauri: He's stuck it out for a long time in Orissa. He's been there a long time, by himself a lot of the time too.

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes. He's organizing nicely.

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: He's very sincere. He follows all the regulations very rigidly. He gets up in the morning, ideal example.

Jagadīśa: He understands the philosophy quite well.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. And he is educated. He is B.Sc. He knows Hindi also.

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

Gurudāsa: So I'm going back today. As soon as Gopāla Kṛṣṇa gives me the lakṣmī, money, I'll go back. Bhāgavata's doing a very nice job.

Prabhupāda: We have to go to Orissa, Bhuvaneśvara, afterwards.

Gurudāsa: Yes, I heard you were planning to go. Gargamuni says it's good for the health.

Prabhupāda: Acchā?

Gurudāsa: Yes, he has about three or four places he was naming that are very good. He's going because his health, he says, isn't good.

Prabhupāda: So let him go to Bhuvaneśvara. Orissa is good for health?

Gurudāsa: Yes, he says.

Room Conversation -- January 9, 1977, Bombay:

Pradyumna: February 2nd. It is Wednesday, Bhudvar. There is one good... (?)

Prabhupāda: So in Orissa you'll be also there?

Rāmeśvara: They want me to go back to Los Angeles for that concert, because the governor is coming. That popular Hindu singer, Lata Mangeskar, she's giving a benefit concert in Los Angeles on January 30th.

Prabhupāda: So who will be the big ticket purchaser?

Rāmeśvara: Satsvarūpa. Oh. You mean in Los Angeles?

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: The Hindus.

Room Conversation -- January 15, 1977, Allahabad:

Prabhupāda: Yes. India did not know what is tea. They started the tea gardens, and they recruited labors from India. We have seen in our childhood that Mahatma Gandhi Road. When I was standing on the gate, five hundred, six hundred laborers recruited from Bihar. Bihar and Orissa, these two provinces very poor. Even all these colonies, just like Trinidad... Where is Englishmen? If the laborers and Indians were sent... Therefore we find in Mauritius, in Africa, so many Indians. Their kingdom, first of all it was conquered by Indian soldiers. Then, when it was to be organized-Indian coolies, Indian laborers, Indian guards. They have got men and money, but they expanded Empire. So I am doing the same business: American money, American... (laughs) I am also a great politician.

Room Conversation -- January 19, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Hari-śauri: Yeah.

Prabhupāda: (Bengali) You belong to Orissa.

Guest (1): Bhuvaneśvara.

Prabhupāda: Bhuvaneśvara.

Guest (1): Yes.

Prabhupāda: So what is your philosophy?

Guest (1): Sir, we are coming just to have a darśana from you. (Prabhupāda chuckles)

Room Conversation -- January 20, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Gargamuni: They build big ships there. And we don't have to limit our traveling simply in the river. We can also go along the coast of Bengal and also Orissa. There's so many villages. And if we have...

Prabhupāda: Orissa... That means you have to go by the sea, Bay of Bengal

Gargamuni: Bay of Bengal. And there's so many villages along there.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Gargamuni: You can do so much saṅkīrtana.

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- January 20, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: If... The Ganges comes in this way. Then you come to Bengal, Bay of Bengal—this side, Orissa, this side, East Bengal. Is it not?

Gargamuni: Yes. They recently went to Sagar Island, and they did very nice saṅkīrtana there. But this boat is not large enough, and it's also very... It takes so much time.

Prabhupāda: So why not another boat like that?

Gargamuni: But you can't get a larger boat than that, and it's too small. Our temple is too small. We need a longer boat with a larger temple for the...

Prabhupāda: You require a steamer like?

Room Conversation -- January 20, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Not actually in the bay. It is on the...

Rāmeśvara: Oh, we saw in Orissa beach, the Jagannātha beach. The waves are coming, very big waves.

Gargamuni: No, but I've seen fishing boats. I've seen them. They're small little boats.

Prabhupāda: But they are accustomed. They can...

Rāmeśvara: We need some pretty good men if you start sailing the...

Gargamuni: Oh, yes, we'll get a good navigator, definitely.

Rāmeśvara: You'll hire someone?

Room Conversation -- January 20, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Yes, there are.

Gargamuni: And now in Orissa we have so many books. We could send a boat here and do the whole coast. The coast of Orissa, we could sell so many books in these villages.

Prabhupāda: So I have no objection. You consult amongst yourselves. I want expansion, that's all, some way or other. (laughs)

Gargamuni: But you can rest assured that I will investigate and see.

Prabhupāda: Don't make it a burden. If it is properly utilized, do it. All right. Take rest. So you want this...? (break) This is the only camp connected with that unfortunate sunhouse? (somehow?)

Room Conversation with Film Producer about Krsna Lila -- January 22, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Guest (2): Then here Kṛṣṇa... The spring has come, and this is... You have got here the Govardhana pūjā, and Kṛṣṇa's līlā with these cowherd boys, and they're going on. In the spring they are going out... Here, in Orissa also, in Bengal also. On the full moon day of Phalguṇa we get that..., where all the cows meet together and we get this. From that function we started. We have established that...

Prabhupāda: On the whole, my point is: it is a very difficult subject matter. So unless we very carefully deal, people will misunderstand.

Guest (2): We have carefully dealt with...

Room Conversation with Film Producer about Krsna Lila -- January 22, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: He's the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Guest (2): He's the supreme power.

Guest (1): We have produced this. Also we have produced things last ten years. Last, even Orissa, this līlā, Śrī Kṛṣṇa līlā, is very famous from the very ancient years.

Guest (2): Not from the sex. That aspect... (break)

Prabhupāda: ...fourth, Thirty-fifth Chapter, when Parīkṣit Mahārāja was inquiring from Śukadeva Gosvāmī that Kṛṣṇa came to establish religious principles...

Hari-śauri: I just read that.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Room Conversation with Film Producer about Krsna Lila -- January 22, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: "Rādhā." This rascaldom is going on.

Guest (1): Others are gopīs. It was also in Orissa also previously.

Prabhupāda: Just see.

Guest (2): That is gone. That is gone. Previously in that rasas, they get decorate oneself and Kṛṣṇa.

Prabhupāda: Now they have taken it as bhajana, to associate with other woman, and he becomes Kṛṣṇa, and (s)he's Rādhārāṇī, and they're making bhajana. This rascaldom is going on. Go on.

Room Conversation with Film Producer about Krsna Lila -- January 22, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Guest (2): We are so lucky. We are writing the letter... We wrote here that "From distant land of Orissa, Guruji... This is... Your literature has tempted us, and perhaps it is your intention that we should go upon..., with Nitai Gaura..."

Prabhupāda: Just like our this Kṛṣṇa book, from the very beginning, or Bhagavad-gītā. You try...

Guest (2): So eleven or twelve days' time... We have posted the letter on seventh, and yesterday this gentleman from here rang me that "You were searching for the Guruji, and he is at..." "Nonsense." When I am busy giving some dictation to my steno. "He is humbug." So from there we came here.

Room Conversation with Film Producer about Krsna Lila -- January 22, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Guest (1): Years long back, Orissa was full devotees of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, long back.

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes. I know that.

Guest (2): Kṛṣṇa līlā means when they read that Bhāgavata.

Guest (1): Our grandfather, grandmother, they are more well read and well known about Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

Guest (2): Still they are living if you go to a village.

Prabhupāda: But your grandmother did it, all right, but now you are asking, "What is God?" This is your position. Your position is that you are asking, "What is God?" That means you do not believe what is Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise why you are asking, "What is God?"

Room Conversation with Film Producer about Krsna Lila -- January 22, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Yes. You say the Orissa is whole Kṛṣṇa-bhakta, and he's asking, "What is God?" This is your position.

Guest (1): He's asking to get a word from you, perhaps.

Prabhupāda: Why? Why this botheration if he knows Kṛṣṇa? I was surprised. If he's actually Kṛṣṇa-bhakta, if he knows Kṛṣṇa, then why should he ask, "Who is God? What is God?" Don't try to defend in that way.

Guest (2): No, no, we're not defending.

Prabhupāda: If you know God, why should you ask, "What is God?"

Room Conversation with Film Producer about Krsna Lila -- January 22, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: No, you are very proud that "Our Orissa is very advanced in knowing Kṛṣṇa."

Guest (2): No, no...

Prabhupāda: You just now told. And your Orissa man says, "What is God?" Just try to understand your position. You are advertising that you know Kṛṣṇa very well, and again you are asking, "What is God?"

Guest (2): No, devotees...

Guest (1): Kṛṣṇa, I mean to say that Kṛṣṇa devotees.

Room Conversation with Film Producer about Krsna Lila -- January 22, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: No, no, Kṛṣṇa devotee... You are saying that your Orissa is very much great advanced in understanding Kṛṣṇa, and your Orissa man is asking, "What is God?" This is contradictory. He does not know what is Kṛṣṇa. Otherwise there was no question to ask, "What is God?" Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam (SB 1.3.28). He should have known. But you have forgotten. Admit this.

Guest (1): Oh, definitely.

Morning Walk -- January 24, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Ah. So much land sitting. Huge land is lying vacant, and they are complaining, "Orissa is poor. Please..." Why poor? Why don't you work? You must remain poor. You do not produce your food. Kuyoginaṁ kuśam upaiti lakṣmiṇī.(?) If you work hard, Lakṣmī will come. Our institution is working so hard, all our devotees. Therefore we have no scarcity. We are not bābājīs, taking a mala and smoking bidi. "I do not go beyond Vṛndāvana." Rascal, loitering and associating with so many women, and they have become puffed-up, paramahaṁsas, Rūpa Gosvāmī, imitation Rūpa Gosvāmī. Only a loincloth of Rūpa Gosvāmī. No education, no book writing, no going out of Vṛndāvana, begging. And therefore government's capturing them and giving this injection.

Room Conversation -- January 24, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: All right, let him come.

Hari-śauri: When he came this evening you were taking prasāda, and then immediately after was the lecture. (break)

Guest (1) (Indian man): ...cultural affairs, Orissa government. Here there is a large stack of palm leaf manuscripts. Palm leaf manuscripts. We are editing the Sanskrit manuscripts, correcting them and publishing them.

Prabhupāda: Sanskrit?

Guest (1): Sanskrit.

Prabhupāda: It is published in Sanskrit?

Guest (1): Yes.

Prabhupāda: Palm beach?

Room Conversation -- January 24, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Oh, yes, yes.

Guest (1): And ācārya, there is one... (quotes long Sanskrit verses) This is one Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa līlā by Kavisurya Baladeva of Orissa.

Prabhupāda: Baladeva Vidyābhūṣana?

Guest (1): Baladeva Vidyābhūṣana who commented on, wrote Śrī Bhāṣyam.

Gurukṛpa: That's the same one you just quoted? By who?

Guest (1): Baladeva Vidyābhūṣana.

Gurukṛpa: The one you just sang.

Guest (1): No. This is Kavisurya Baladeva.

Prabhupāda: Baladeva Vidyābhūṣana, different.

Room Conversation -- January 24, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Baladeva Vidyābhūṣana, different.

Guest (1): Different.

Prabhupāda: Baladeva Vidyābhūṣana belonged to Orissa or Bengal?

Guest (1): Yes, Orissa. And he has clearly mentioned that near Tilika, Tilika Lake he was born. It is clear mentioned.

Prabhupāda: But he used to live in Balasore.

Guest (1): Yes. He used to live in Balasore, and then went to Bhastrana,(?) where he wrote Bhāṣya on Vedānta-sūtra and Gītā.

Prabhupāda: Vedānta-sūtra, Govinda-bhāṣya, he wrote in Jaipur.

Room Conversation -- January 24, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Satsvarūpa: As research editor, you could write a nice review of Śrīla Prabhupāda's reviews. We have many reviews. All the big Sanskrit scholars.

Guest (1): Yes, I will write. Actually if I get a small literature about Prabhupāda I will write an article in newspapers. People of Orissa could not know that an international figure came to Orissa, and they could not avail of the opportunity.

Hari-śauri: That would be very nice. International.

Gurukṛpa: Interplanetary.

Hari-śauri: These are appreciations from all over the world, France...

Guest (1): Pradyumna Mahārāja put some pertinent questions on Bhāgavata when he came to know that I am Sanskrit scholar. (break)

Prabhupāda: ...Leyland.

Room Conversation -- January 24, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: Yes. So this is under...

Gargamuni: I think they should be approached.

Prabhupāda: ...Orissa government?

Gargamuni: Yes. I think so.

Prabhupāda: And why not?

Gargamuni: I'd have to inquire, but I'm pretty sure it's managed by the government, because they're allowing us to enter the temple. There's also a place being offered in West Bengal. I personally went there and took photographs. It's in Kharampur.

Prabhupāda: Kharampur.

Room Conversation with Two Indian Guests -- January 27, 1977, Jagannatha Puri:

Prabhupāda: They wanted to make nil India. The Hyderabad state was given choice. Kashmir was given choice, whichever, Hindustan or Pakistan. That is still going on, the Kashmir.

Guest (1): Even in Orissa, small states just like Mariwan(?) and Venkana(?), they were independent before that time, till Sardar Patel(?) came in and asked them to...

Prabhupāda: Simply divide, divide, divide. Divide and rule, and divide and break. They have done always like that.

Room Conversation -- January 29, 1977, Bhuvanesvara:

Prabhupāda: In this country rice is staple. Orissa, Bengal, Bihar. They take more rice.

Hari-śauri: Yes, big amount of rice, small sabji.

Prabhupāda: Japan also, same thing like Bengal and Orissa. They take rice and fish. That is their staple.

Hari-śauri: In the West they regard rice as the poor man's food.

Prabhupāda: But Japanese are very intelligent, Bengalis are intelligent, by taking fish and rice. In Bengal ninety percent people, they take fish. Here also, Orissa, cent percent, even the Jagannātha pūjārīs. In Bihar also, fifty percent. The more you go towards Western part of India, you get more wealthy province, just like Uttar Pradesh, very wealthy province, enlightened.

Room Conversation -- April 5, 1977, Bombay:

Gopāla Kṛṣṇa: Yeah, those were the American. But now we are doing the Indian version, which is costing us 30 paisa each. So that we can give away to anyone who writes in. So I am going to send them. But he says many inquiries are pouring in. And when I was in Calcutta three weeks ago I saw him in his office. He showed me letters. They are coming from all over east India, from Orissa, from Cuttack, about our books. During the month of March, BBT India distributed over about fifty thousand pieces of books and magazines, to the temples, libraries, everything included. Fifty thousand pieces of books.

Prabhupāda: I have asked already Tamāla Kṛṣṇa. Can you give me a statement of the account?

Conversation Pieces -- May 27, 1977, Vrndavana:

Bhāgavata: I wrote you one report about Orissa. So I'll be leaving in about ten days, twelve days to go to West. My visa will be expired in ten days. We'll begin our work. We'll see that all the books are translated into Orissan language and distributed throughout Orissa.

Prabhupāda: That's all.

Bhāgavata: And we'll put that building in Bhuvaneśvara and also Puri. (break)

Jayatīrtha: ...your book distribution every week.

Prabhupāda: How many devotees?

Morning Conversation -- May 29, 1977, Vrndavana:

Gargamuni: In Bombay we might be able to do cover much cheaper and then the inside cheaper in Orissa. That we have...

Prabhupāda: Better quality also.

Gargamuni: It is good quality, similar quality. They agreed, they could get same paper as we had in previous books, but for printing cover that would be very difficult.

Prabhupāda: And tell, we can get from Bombay cover.

Gargamuni: Oh. But I had written you in the report that out of the first twenty thousand we have printed, still 18,500 are remaining.

Room Conversation Mayapura attack -- July 15, 1977, Vrndavana:

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Gauḍīya Maṭha is ineffective. And the Christians are not big.

Prabhupāda: This guṇḍā class, they do not like Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Ramakrishna also does not. They say that Caitanya had men. In Orissa also the people emasculated. In Orissa they say that since Mahārāja Pratāparudra met Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he lost his kṣatriya strength. He was very powerful king, but since he met Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he became effeminate.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What is your answer to that?

Prabhupāda: That is the Orissa government's principle.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What is our answer to that? Our reply?

Room Conversation -- October 12, 1977, Vrndavana:

Jayapatākā: Since I left you in Bombay, then I returned and presented the Show Cause to the additional district magistrate. And he just looked at it and postponed it till November 18th. He postponed, so as far as that goes, there's nothing until November 18th. Then, I think, Bhavānanda Mahārāja gave the report about the court. They released... They reduced the bail restriction on the devotees. I went on a tour of Orissa to the two temples there, Bhuvaneśvara and Bhadrak. In Bhuvaneśvara they have nice garden (Prabhupāda coughing up mucus) and about six or seven devotees. They had a nice Vyāsa-pūjā and Janmāṣṭamī festival.

Prabhupāda: Magistrate wants my presence?

Room Conversation -- October 12, 1977, Vrndavana:

Jayapatākā: Now there's eighty boys in the Gurukula, and they're all very bright-faced, chant very nicely. In the other temple that Lokanātha Swami had begun in Orissa, Bhadrak, there they also had a nice program during Janmāṣṭamī and Vyāsa-pūjā. I visited there. There it's in a small town, and it's about two hundred feet from the side of a small river. All the local people there are very favorable and very cooperative. So they help in all the functions.

Prabhupāda: Where is that place?

Room Conversation -- October 15, 1977, Vrndavana:

Jayapatākā: He already answered that question. Gaura-Govinda, he's already translated sixteen chapters of Bhagavad-gītā in Oriya, and he's translated three small books in Oriya.

Prabhupāda: Let him bring. There is fifty thousand rupees in Orissa.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Yes.

Jayapatākā: That fifty thousand rupees was supposed to be for construction. Bhāgavata Prabhu has collected about 35,000 rupees on his own that he's put into the account there so far. More is also being collected. It was previously promised that whatever he would collect for construction, then that amount would be matched from BBT fund or from your...

Room Conversation -- October 15, 1977, Vrndavana:

Jayapatākā: He has to match that first before he can get it. (laughs softly) Just yesterday night, the SP of Cuttack District, Orissa, he came here, and he said that he was very impressed by the mandira. He told Bhāgavata... I happened to meet him also. He was very pleased. His wife and family were here. He gave his name and address and said, "When you come back to Orissa, you kindly see me and what I can do... I'm not so big a man, but whatever I can do to help you, I'll do." He's very pious man.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: You told him we will have Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma there?

Jayapatākā: Details Bhāgavata was discussing.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: We're installing Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma there, Śrīla Prabhupāda?

Prabhupāda: Hm.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Orissa.

Room Conversation -- October 15, 1977, Vrndavana:

Jayapatākā: The president of the Bhadrak temple that Lokanātha Swami got donated from the Gauḍīya Maṭha to ISKCON, he has been collecting life members, hoping that he can build and improve a little bit on it. He was hoping to get the same facility of Bhuvaneśvara, of matching fifty-fifty. He's collecting everything locally in Orissa.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: Śrīla Prabhupāda? We got a telegram from Nṛsiṁha-Caitanya. You know, he's the boy who does library distribution? Should I read it to you?

Prabhupāda: Yes.

Room Conversation -- November 7, 1977, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: No. No, in Bengal.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: What about in Jagannātha Purī?

Prabhupāda: That is another. That is Orissa.

Tamāla Kṛṣṇa: It is your great mercy, Śrīla Prabhupāda, that you are allowing us to do a little helping to you in your service to the previous ācāryas. We are completely fallen, without any spiritual credit, but still, you are allowing us to help you in a little way.

Jayapatākā: Without your intervention we would have no hope.

Prabhupāda: Where is Jayapatākā's mother?